Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1861-08-08

why, Nellie, are you madH'.
"Auntie, hush, speak low am goin,
down to Lieutenant Boardman; take mj
brothers place tonight"
You cannot, child"
I" Tis only to mount guard. / know tn,
duties, and l can catch them for this occa
sion. Auntie, he said it was dishonor if h,
was not there he shall be there" She drew
herself erect, and proudly threw her head
There was knock at the parlor door.
Come, Horace, we are very late. Isyou
hurt so bad?' cried Lieutenant BoardlDan
Coming" cried Nellie, cheerily. ..On,
more pin in this bandage-so. Good night
auntie. Hush," she whispered, sternly
Not word; keep my secret and nurs,
him" And she was gone.
can tell her course that night, for hearC
it word for word so often, but then | sat dis
mayed, sickening with apprehension. He
last charge was no vain one all night m!
patient lay tossing in feverish pain. / wa
ignorant Of the whereabouts of physician
could speak no word of Mexican or ever
Spanish, if l had wished to communicat,
with the people in the house, and then thu
dread OF exposing Nellie made me afraid t,
have any one but myself in the room. Morn
ing found me at my post, Horace at last sleep
ing from faintness and the effect Of the OPT
ate had ventured to give him.
Imagine my agony when, early in the day
heard heavy firing, and, before long, tn,
report that battle was raging just beyonC
the village. All day long the firing contin
ued, and dare not leave my post. The da,
before we had heard the sound of firing a
intervals and Horace had assured us of tn,
difficulty of snatching the few hours he anC
his friends spent with us. But to-day the
roar was louder and more steadily continued.
Litters containing the wounded passed the
door, and every man told US of the fearful
Dattle raging so near us.
AT the first report, Horace awoke in a
burning fever and entirely delirious. All
day he raved, taking all my time and some-
times all my strength to prevent his rising
indeed, but for the loss of blood which had
weakened him, l should have been powerles:
to confine him: So l spent the terrible 2Sth
of February, the day ever memorable in our
history as that upon which the battle of
Beuna Vista was fought. AS night fell, the
bearers of the wounded became more numer-
Gus, and the house was soon full. | gave
them up my parlor, but the plea of an invalid
in the bedroom was respected by our brave
soldiers, and they did not intrude there. No
word could | gain of Nellie, though many
told me they knew Lieutenant Curtis, and
spoke highly of his former deeds of bravery.
Another at last told me this
Indeed, madam, | trust he s safe. l saw
him two or three hours ago unhurt, fighting
like the brave man that he is.
'Fighting?"
Certainly. ma am; what should lie be
doing2"
| had no answer. Thoroughly bewildered,
sick with dread, I went back to my post be.
side Horace. The night passed drearily,,-
When the surgeon visited the other wound
ed soldiers, finding that there was no longer
any occasion to conceal Horace, trusting that
the doctor would not recognize him. had
his wound properly dressed. The ball was
extracted, and the shoulder and arm found
to be very seriously injured. Quiet, careful
watching that no bandage was displaced in
his delirious tossing, and some medicine
were recommended, and | was again alone
with my boy. 1t was noisy night wagons,
ltters with wounded soldiers upon them,
passed the house every moment, while. inside.
the groans and cries of the poor fellows, with
deirious shoutings from some, made the
scene more exquisitely painful. Day dawned
without my hearing one word from Nellie
The battle was not renewed; the Mexicans
had retreated. This l heard, and about
noon my niece suddenly entered my room.
'How is he?" she knelt by the bedside.
and took his well hand in hers. He knew
the touch, for it Gained him Instantly.
''Nellie !'
"Here, Horace, here!"
Nellie" the guns hark 1 must CO."
mo, you can stay; you can, | say
Would counsel you to dishonorable act2"
''Nellie, don't leave me !"
For nearly an hour she watched and sooth-
ed him, and then he slept soundly. Then
and not till then did l know of my young
heroine's acts; but as her account was very
modest, and heard the story from other
lips, too, l prefer to give it in my owns words.
She went down to the street with Lieut..
Boardman, who inquired about her arm.
ga mere bagatelle, Will, she said laugh
ing, Though it made me faint; but Aunt
Lizzie is the best of doctors"
Chatting cheerfully, they went quickly to-
wards the battle field, las it proved later, J
and by observing her friend and allowing
him to make the apology for their lateness,
and showing her bloody sleeve to prove the
accident, she mounted guard with her broth.
or S men, unsuspected. Laughing some
times, as she thought of Horace's surprise
the next day-sighing as she thought of his
wound, she looked upon the whole affair as
a joke purchased by shouldering musket
for one night.
Just before daybreak, as she stood look
ing towards one point on the road she guard
ed, she deserted man creeping on all four
towards hef. She gave Tie aiarm, and twt
soldiers started to arrest the intruder. Th,
fellow escaped, but the day breaking, tn,
whole camp was on the alert. Before she a
all understood her position, the battle wa
raging all around her
Forward march |" Horace's captain
gave the word, the men fell into line, an,
Nellie was led into the heart of the field.--
She says her brothers spirit passed into hers
and she was not answerable for her actions
Certain 1t is that she fought with a courag
and daring that made her the mark of man
eyes.
A sleepless, exciting night of watching
was followed by the certainty Of victory th'
next day and as soon as it was PRACTICABLE
she came to me. We were still talking whel
there was knock at the door.
Come in! !" was answered by Lieutenan
Boardman.
Captain Curtis, he said, bowling, ''le
me be the first to congratulate you upon you
promotion. Your gallant conduct of yester
day"
He stopped suddenly, for hiseyes fell upo1
Horace, e,--the real Horace. The hot bloc,
n