The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-05-06
Altbmonn 4ispatrb.
lEsOAY MORNING. NAY s, -las,. 1851
Interesting Incidents.
The army correspondent Of the Charleston
Csayte- writes ~ follow.


This war mss given TO history some OF the
briRAtest rnd noblsst tus,apces of personal
heroisn that ever illuminated the pfond an
m.,Ss tn a. srSn, nnr. pppssin.n
patriotism. but there 10 q greater still, Wntcn
ilves aions In the souls OF age, than throes In
the res'iess impaises OF youth spirit which
speaks win a voice OF tnuader amid mo uin
OF battls, and yet becomes Ohristtso naio
around tbs bed Of suffering and death. Bat,
al.s the world does not always see ana re-
cog MISS the tns Pill ration nntl tna honored pos
ssssor hos slipped the cables Of life. and been
borne beyond the reach II everything bat
memory and tears.
These thsuxhl. are sug Sested by an incident
which WAS related TO ms by DE. Keller, Of
this city, concerning 'sd afteAa yelYs OF cge,
named Charlie J &C Esou. WAC was wounded In
the recent battle, and 10 now lying nopslessly
at the point Of death.
| SONS mon tbs ago bis father raised compa.
paty tp which Charlie was permitted 70 drill
WITH the privates and finally bscsms 60 ex.
pert in the manual OF arma thai. young as he
was, ne wss chosen he drill master. 1u due
time, marching ordefs were received. Then,
the father consulting the age OF hts boy, and
probably ois own pa: n al teelires. gave him
10 up dsrstand that 1t was his wish he shou Id
remain at homo To this Charlie streD uousiy
cemurred, and plaiuly told bis parent that II
he could not 60 with him be would join
another company Yielding to his obstinacy,
n SORT Of silsut consent was given. aud the
,ad lsft Memphis WI his comrades. The
reg i'm snt 70 which they belonged was de-
tached 60 Burnsviile, several miles distant
from Corin:a, and here IT remained until the
Friday or saturday preceding the battle -
Orders were then received that 1t should re-
psir at once 70 the fleli aud take its position,
Charlie was asleep n the time 0! the depacturo
and the !niher, unwilling that one so young
should undergo the tat cues OF the long arch
OF twenty miles, and the dangers Of the COM
los night, gave orders that he should not Do
dis bed. Several hours after the boy aWoke
OF his own account.
ALa glance, MS eye took in the coudl'ion
o: efairs, ana mis- AI owisdgs Of coming events
So tts fed him Ct the caue>. With him % think
WIS ID re. he ssizrd his little guu-a minia.
ture musket which his father had N lde for
him, aud alone started on the trail Of hts Ib-
eent regiment -Four after hour he trudged
| along, and finally Bs they were 1st about
halung preparatory to going into oattle, ne
| ucceeded IL joiuing his com pspy. His IA / sr
| chidad him, Dut how could he do otherwiss
than acmire the eindUnitable spirit OF his boy
| lbe battle commenced. Charlie took his
place by his fathers side, and was soon in
the thickest OF the f1gnt A bullet struck him
IN tns DO ~ aud tore an ugly wound Sill
S uiih ~ e.ssa ,s on h,lns. enesItne aud eharsing
seemed not 10 know the sen sation Of fear, an d
Hls youthful exam pie on more than one occa.
SION SION was was me ;aliying point from which the
hour Ii the day, the little felioty fell sho,
through the leg few inches below the htp -
He gave cheer and told bis father to 60 on
'DJl't mind mel" said he, "but keep on !:
III lay mere tili you come back " This OF
course, the feelings CT The parent would 20.
permit him 20 do, ard picking him up IN his
| arms, he carried him to the nearest hospital
| within a day or two Charlie was brought TO
his hoIne In Memphis, feeble, yet full of hope
| and courage.
Or. Keller was called upon to exan niue th .
| wound, and, II necessary, to perform am on.
| alton; but at a slauce his experienced eye
saw tnat 'he poor boy was beyond the hops
OF recovery. Mobilization had set in and an
operation would only Increase his suf rings
"A ho 1. n
sober ntsnance OF the ph ysician as he
turned away, and went to an adjoining room
10 break toe mouraful in teliigence TO the
weeping father and mother Nothing conld
oe done but TO relieve him OF pain by means
OF oPia1es. A few moments afterwards he
returned - the hedpide Of the sufferer. when
he ycnng nero abruptly met him with the
question---
"Doc or, will you answer me q straisht:cr.
ward question, and tell me the truth -
Ih~ physiciaA rausrd q moment, and then
prepare for bad news
"Can live ?" was the response.
.Nol 40 ming can save you now but
miracle from Heaven"
"Weii, l nave thought so myself have
felt as II was gong to die. Do father and
mother know tLisi'
told them"
"Plea-s esk them to come In here"
Whsn the parents Lad done SO, and takep
their places on either side of the bed, Char.
ne n tacned ont grasped their hands In his
"Dear father and mother, DIR. Keller s.xs
that can't live. And now want to ASK
your forgiveness for all wrong Ihavs done
l have tried to b good boy In every way
but or ., and that was when dieobsy cd you
both and Joined the army. 1 eouIda't help
that, for felt as II ought to Be risht where
yon were, father, and TO tight as loIg as was
able. I'm only sorry that l can't fight
thr ough the war. II 1 have said anything
wrong or done anything wrong. won't you
forgive me7"
The afflicted parents could only weep their
assent.
"how, father" con ntinued the boy. "Oae
thirs more. Don't stay hero with me, but 20
back TO camp. Mother will take care of me.
and your services are more necessary In your
afraid to die; and | wish had a tho1sana ON md
lives 10 lose in ths same way. And, father,
tell The boys when you get back how died
Just rs a soldier ought to. Tell them to light
country, and never give api Tell them. too.
70 Kill Just - many AZ they think will ayenRe
the death Of Charlie; and whenever you All
up tne company with new men lot them know
taat besides their country there's a little boy
in heaven who will watch them and prav fnr
the m as they 60 into battle"
And 90 IL dying one Of the bravest spirits
that was ever brsa,hed in 20 the human hodv
ny its Divine Maker. The scene I navs d..
scribed 10 one OF which we som etime a. read.
but rarely behold, and the Surgeon told ms
that Injured as he was to spectacles Of suffer.
Ing and woe, es he stood by this, silent spec
tator, his heart overlooked In tears and he
knelt down and sobbed like child.
How true are the lines OF the poet
'The so,d die 6rsa
And they whose hssrts are ary 2: summers dus.
Another sImilar incident has been related
to me- by Captain in one of the Kentucky
regiments concerning the dying moment 70 OF
Lieut Col. Holbrook, his superior Cnhcer
1 m r N n n Ninuv fnrt hou
because they are p,rt Of history and de.
serve q place upon Its ~ coolest page ana sec.
oadls, bscau,e there are touches OF nature in
tSem, Wnion 10 ust md response in the heart
OF every reader Th-y are iliustrious exam pies
II living and dying patriotism, which every
Scuthern soldier may we'll strive to en- ulate
Yin his periloss career to glory.
Lieut.. Col. Hoibro0k was severely wound.
cd In two or three places; In ons mortaIly.
out ne fell at The head Of his regimen an. ia one
OF its proudest momcnts-a victorious ch arKe
~ "a. was conveyed at once to The hos tai, and
mere learned that his injuries were Of q NOR.
III character. After the ba:tie SEVERAL Of hi.
%omsers % paid him visit. They found life fast
eHolns, ua .noush he was still able 70 converse
he talked TO them like Ohr,s,isn $3.50, 'Aen
I'm the course OF my oflcial du.i.s With
you, gentlemen" he said, II have mad little
or no occasion to speak with Won nnon III the
ubjsos OF rehgion, Lu, this is tims ,1h. tue
IelioW men. we may commune frankIv -
gether. And l desire TO bsar witna.. - 20. 70
fact II It am at the present m oinent deriy,ns
all my shergth nd conso,a ion from the i,rn1
reliance which 1 have apon ,as bIessinxa Of Of
re- gion. know am not repaired for des
a. ought 70 have oesn. aad ~ I hope yc q may
be; bnt EEL safe In repcsip Gnpon ,he s:rcuy
arm OF 0 d. and trpsti 10 him for my ia.
tofs Happiness. Before thss war 10 closed some
OF you may be brought upon the threshold OF
the et,rp world, a. I have been, aud my
earnest prayer IL that the messenger Of death
may md you waiting. Throughout my sx.
lstsnee have found nothing In my experience
nsss than Ohrist!anity; and now, a. lie here
conscious that life u waning, desire to besr
testimony OF psacNul mind, Of Q nrm faith
in tho grand schemFof salvation.