Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1857-11-26
CUT BEHIND.

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When General O'Hara was Governor Of
Gibraltar, he was said to be perfectly crazy
on matters of military discipline. He went
so far as to have the shoes taken off his
mule on purpose that he might 60 night
rounds, and visit the guards in the mos,
silent manner, without being heard until he
was close upon the sentinel. But to oul
story:
As had been the long established prac
tice, O'Hara always attended the grand
mounting parade on the sands, at six o,
seven o'clock in the morning and he took
so much notice of the officers of the several
guards that he could generally, during the
remainder of the day, name them all. One
day he was proceeding out of South Point
in his carriage, when he passed an officer
going into the town, and whom, at the in.
slant, he remembered as having passed in
review before him that morning, as com.
manding the south guard. Upon this, the
general Immediately determined on satisfy.
ing himself as to the fact, and so convict
him of the heinous military crime of quit,
ting his guard and ordered the coachman
to drive with speed to the south guard
Away they went, at the rate of ten to
eleven miles per hour, along the saluting
battery; and in a short time the horses, out
of wind and covered with lather, reached
the south guard, a mile or more from the
place where the general had passed the sus-
pected officer. At the usual distance, the
running sentinel called the guard to turn
out, which was obeyed with all the alertness
desirable; and the officer advancing, un.
observed by the general, at quick pace
from near the carriage, drew his sword ;
then, opening ranks, presented arms, and
saluted in the best manner. At the sight
of this officer every doubt had been removed.
by Jove, it is he himself1 p thought the
general, as he he ordered him to turn in the
guard, and beckoned him to come up to the
carriage.
'Pray, sir impatiently inquired O'Hara,
did not see you but a very few minutes
ago walking very deliberately into town near
Smith Port?
Me, sir" exclaimed the officer, pretend
ing the greatest simplicity, and extreme sur
prise at the question. Il am guard here,
sir
well, well, know that; you need not
have supplied me with that valuable piece
of information. Did I not, sir, I ask you
again, did I not see you going into town as
I came out by South Point p his excellency
said, raising his voice, and his face redden-
ing with anger at the offenders attempt to
conceal the fact by his evasive reply.
The officer, after a moment, in no way
disconnected, or showing any symptom Of
timidity, looked the general full in the face,
and then, with great politeness, said:
will your excellency have the goodness
to state to me whether that question is put
to me by his Excellency, General O'Hara,
Governor of Gibraltar, or from yourself in
the capacity of private gentleman?'
The off-hand manner in which this ques-
tion was put to O'Hara struck the right
chord and, after few minutes hesitation,
he replied, with smile on his countenance:
well, sir, as private individual / wish
to obtain the information
Then, sir, I freely confess chat you did
meet me at the South Point
well, sir, that is honest. Now, sir, I
want to know how you could get here on
foot as quickly as l did in my carriage, and
that, too, without any discoverable fatigue?'
Sir, shall conceal nothing from you in
the private capacity you have selected. On
meeting you I strongly sespected that you
knew me; and when you stopped the car
riage to speak to your coachman, guessed
your motive; so, feeling that if my conjec-
ture were correct, I had no means of arriv-
ing at my guard at the same time as your
self, I got up behind yonr carriage, the only
means left me of securing that object
by Jove, sirp exclaimed O'Hara, I
like your candor, and still more, the dexteri-
ty and readiness you have displayed in e1-
Treating yourself from a position of the
greatest danger, without which you would
undoubtedly have lost your commission. I
admire man who, when he gets into a
sorape, can jump out Of it at once. You
must dine with me, sir, tomorrow giving
him most hearty shake of the hand
But, take care! You must never leave
your guard again, or, by Jove, I'll break
you p-Tribune.