Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-10-18
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The Richmond Examiner relates an interest
ing instance ola wic's constancy and devotion
as follows:
There arc only forty Iejcral prisoners, we DO
heve. now under treatment at he General Hos
pital, northeast corner OF Second street. Among
these Is Capt. Roberts, Of The old United States
army, who was vory severely Noundcd in the
right knee By a mimic bah, which shattered the
bone. IN The battle of Manassas, and whose iniu-
RES are of such & nature rs to preclude the idea
that be viii be able % meet the requirements OF
any active service for months 10 come, IL at all
This officer had been in the army tweuty-six
yesFs, most Of the time serving in the South.
He has mnny acquaintance among these who
now 5mcer our army, q number Of whom have
called to see him since he arrived here. At the
battle Of Msuassas. unfortunately for himself,
his battery was mistaken for SheTman's, and, il
consequence, received the especial attention o.
the Confederate soldiers. The contest for it.
possession was 50 holly contested, thatitwase2I-
tured and retaken seYeral times during tho bat
tic. It finally passed into ouT possession, III
few men in charge, not dead or wounded, having
adjourned v-ifh he Testof thegrand army towards
the Long Bridge.
The mte story Of w0mau's love and devotion
was well Illustrated by an incident which Occur
red shortly after tie battle &C Manassas. Til,
wife Of Capt Ricketts,, a lady connected wit
one Of the most respectable families in the Stat,
Of New York, had followed herhusband 10 Wash
ington, awaiting, la painful anxiety, the resm
Of the contest in which be was engaged. lie
inquiries about him after the decisive action il
which be bore so prominent a parJ, to whiclrth
fears Of the flying fugitives, no doubt, gave tn
most ~ssnguinaTy cOlOring, left her no room Il
doubt but that the rebels had first wounded am
then summary dispatched him, in accordance
with JHeIr usually supposed bloOdthirstiness
Becoming afterward better informed, and ascer
tanning that be was alive, though badly wound
ed. she resolved at all hazards TO Join him. MOI
being able to hire a vehicle in Washington, SD
resorted to the only feasible plan: that ofbUyinr
one and hiring the services Of a driver at an ex
horbitant rate, to conduct her in quest Of the OBJ
iect of her solicitude. 1t is not known whether
old Scott, when applied to by her for permission
10 go beyond bis lines, renewed his oath Of ale
glance to the Lincoln government, but it is sup
posed that the sordid old huellSter did
Provided with a white flag, which she kept
continually flying in the breeze, Mrs. Ricketts
approached the Confederate pickets, and wa
conducted, as a prisoner, 10 Col J. L B. Stow
art, commanding the First Virginia cavalry
This officer, an old personal friend Of the lady
insisted upon her going back, offering her al
escort, aud telling her she could only prooee,
further as a prisoner, and have her conyeyauc
forfeited as r0ntTaband. RefuSingt0 retrace hrl
steps, she was sent 70 the headquarters of Gen
Johnston, another friend Of hers ia former days
who used The like arguments, with the addition
Of a vivid pictuTc Of the horrors she might eX
pect to encounter ia the sight of the hundreds o.
the dead, wounded and dying she would com,
IN contact with. In accordance with her requeSl
she was taken prisoner. and Joined her husband
whom she nUsed on the field and since his arr
val here with devotion worthy of all respect.
She IS, in ali respects, regarded by the rules o
war as much q prisoner "a her husband. Til,
latter, no doubt, like moss Of the United State
army officers who chung 10 the old wreck, { d
who were thrown in our hands by the fortune 0
war, are dissatisfied, 10 some extent, at the treat
ment received by them.
They DO not Ike the idea tlat paroles are re
fused them, and some among whom, no doub.
is the officer above spoken OF, think It hard tina
consideration usually accorded Officers and gen
tiemen' in civilized war Is not granted them.
They forget that this is the most uncivil civi
war that the world has ever seen. That an.
course of conduct that the authorities adopt 10
ward them is necessarily directly brought abou
by the savage and unmanly pRlicy that govern
the sectional hybredS that have succeeded to ia
miserable remnant Of The once fourishing az.
extensive estate and possession Of "Tncle Sam.
IfL.nC0ln and his advisers were uHt maxim,
tools 81 the men, who, under : mistaken sens
Of duty, undertook 10 t;ght his sectional Mirec
stealing battles, DO officer on private soldier ,
tho United States need stay among US lOnge.
than be could 'a' oy-h-nr-d 'r Get paroled.