The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1862-02-26
TAKEN PRISONER


Of musketry and the whistling OF bullets, the
c,ashng Of sabres, the unearthly cries OF
wounded horses and the wild shouting OF
men, the clear voice of Lieutenant Hugh
Gregory rang cut "Rally my brave boys,
rally, and avenge the Captains death =
Not quite so fast, sir quietly remarked a
rebel officer, bringing his sword toa salute
you observe that your men are rctreating
and you are my prisoner a
Hugh saw thatit was SO, and with heavy
heart gave himself up. af 7a8
'lTnrrah for the stars and stripes I shout
ed a brave young soldier, attempting to raise
himself ua0R his elbow, but falling back, ex-
hausted from The loss Of blood. 2 HnA 81
Damn you, III stripe yon y exclaimed a
brutal fellow, rising in his stirrups and aim
ing blow at the wounded man.
Dare TO strike a helpless man = shouted
his commander and he w,rded eG the blow
with stroke that sent the fellows sabre
spinning into the air. Now dismount, and
help him if you can Bat it was too late !;
the brave soul had gone out with those last
words.
Lieutenant said the rebel officer, when
we will know as Captain Dumars, Il see that
you are wounded. Let me assist you upon
this horse, and one of my sergeants will
show you the surgeons quarters And be
bound up the wounded arm as well as he
could, helped him upon the horse, and, with
a playful Au rscoir, rode on.
Hugh's wound was too painful, and he
was too weak and tired, to wonder or to
think clearly Of anything /, he only felt CRATE
ful that his captor was gentleman, and
quietly submitted himself to the sergeant's
guidance.
The battle was cnded,--in whose favor no
matter, so far as thus story is concerned,-
and Captain Dumars obtained permission to
take Lieutenant Gregory to bis mothers
house until he should recover from his
wound OF be exchanged.
When.Hugh found himself established in
pleasant little chamber with windows look
ing out upon the fower-garlen and the
woods beyond, fading away into his own
loved North land, he thought that, after all,
it was not so terrible to be prisoner Of war.
lie was decidedly confirmed in this opinion
when he occasionally caught glimpse Of
ha nS
about among the flowers and being some.
what of philosopher, in his way, he deter
mined to take 1t easy.
The presence of one of the 'Hessians' at
Mrs. Dumars' house gave it much the same
attraction that is attached to menagerie.
Feminine curiosity is an article that the
blockade can not keep out of Dixie, and
many were the morning calls that Annie
received, and many and various were the
methods of pumping adopted to learn some
thing of the prisoner,-how he looked, how
he acted, how he was dressed, and so forth
Tmpertinencer he heard Annie exclaim,
as one of these gossps passed through the
gate, after putting her through more mi
mute inquisition than usual And he heard
her dainty shoe heels impatiently tapping
along the hall, and when she brought in a
bouquet of fresh flowers he saw in her face
traces Of vexatiOn. s.se
i seem to be quite a WHAT'S it p
Shame e-and she broke off stem and
threw it out Of the window with altogether
unnecessary vehemenee.
Splendid girl = thought Hugh; where.
have seen her 2 r, ..ag
And he tlrned his thoughts back through
the years that were past, calling up the old
scenes the balls, with their mazy, passion
ate waltzes, and their promenades on the
balcony in the moonlight's mild glow, when
sweet lips recited choice selections from
Moore, and with white hands swayed dainty
sandal-wood fans with the potency of the
most despotic sceptres the sleigh rides, with
their wild rolicking fan, keeping time to the
merry music Of the bells and eliminating in
the inevitable upset the closing exercises
of the seminary, when blooming girls, in the
full effloresceuce of dollhouse culture, make
a brief but brilliant display before retiring
to the domestic sphere-Oh, yes
Miss Dumars, were you not at the
Institute last year ?
Yes
Then you know my cousin,-Jennie
Gregory p
Yes, indeed and you are her cousin.
How stupid in me not to recollect it,
And she told him how that Jennie was
her dearest friend, and how in their intima-
cy Of confidence she bad told her all about
him, and showed her his picture, and-in
short, Hugh and Annie began to feel much
better acquainted.
1t was few days after this that Hugh
sat by the open window, listening to Annie
reading from the virtuous and vcracious
Richmond Eaquirer. Distressed by what
he heard, not knowing whether it was true
or not, he begged her to cease tortning him.
She laid aside the paper with an emphatic
4 don't believe it 2 that could not but at
tract his attention, and he looked up in sur
prise.
4 must tell you, Mr.. Gregory--I have
been tortured long enough by this forced
secrecy - Tam rebel 2
THAT is the name we know you by.' he
replied, smiling.