The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1863-04-03
/ young man but he felt sense Of relief,
now that the trial was over.

1 0eOHRe IrestOD, tne Juupe OuIy SUI
had gone as Captain OF q company anC
the family watched anxiousIy for the new
that was TO bear them intelligence of th'
movements Of the -th regiment. By-and
by intelligence came. The regiment wa
at Balls Bluff! The regiment had beef
under Ere the whole of that terrible day
and fearful havoc had been made 10 it
ranks. Where was George? O. hov
} anxious was Nellie Preston now Nor
than ever before did she know that she low
ed her brother.
, "Ha Good news. George is safe.''-
The Judge came home with an evening
paper. and handed it to Nellie, pointing
with his finger to the paragraph she was Il
read. She read as follows:
"Captain Preston, after being exposed t.
a merciless Ere for four consecutive hours
, was one of the last to swim the river. HI
had made his way down the bluff, and wal
! assisting some of his wounded comrades
. when the enemy came pouring down upo.
> him. He was surrounded. and would have
been slain, but for the heroic bravery and
devotion of a Sergeant of his company
The Sergeant, whose name was Walter
Evermond, seeing the Captain in danger.
sprang 20 his side. and with his revolvsr
upon him. When they gained the water,
Captain Preston had received a wound in
his shoulder. which rendered il impossible
for him to swim but Evermond did no,
forsske him. The noble fellow clung to his
Captain like . brother, and succeeded in
getting him safely over the river. We are
happy TO state that Captain Preston's
wound is not dangerous"
"Oh Heaven bless that noble Ser.
geant ]" CALCULATED Nellie, as she finished
reading the account. Aud her father join
ed her With his whole soul.
! Later in the evening a curious thought
worked it's way into Nellie Preston's mind.
She wished the man who had saved her
brothers. life so bravely had been only q
corporal And then she wondered where
that fair-face bright eyed soldier was whom
she kissed in the depot. 1t would be sat-
isfaction to know how he Jared She hoped
he was safe.
Ere long a letter came from George, in
which he gave a thrilling account Of the
battle. He spoke of Sergeant Walter
Evermond as ne would have spoken of
brother. al He saved my life at the risk OF
his own." he wrot, " and but for him you
would have no son living to write this
and Nellie would have no brother
There was postscript to the letter as FOL-
lows:
"P. S.-Walter Evermond has just re-
ceived the commission of a Second Lieu.
tenant"
The winter wore away. and George, in
his letters to his sister. frequently spoke of
Walter Evermond as of very dear friend.
At length came a letter with the following
passage:
Ny dear father and sister. give me Joy.
l am Major. aud my commission dates
from the day of Balls Bluff My dear
friend Evermond is Captain of my old
live, and l know there cannot be truer
iriend.''
Once more the Judge and his daughter
fore Yorktown. Then came the bloody field
OF Williamsburg but George was not call
ed into that battle. At length. however.
came tidipgs of another bloody fray, in
which our regiment was engaged. FAIR
OAKS The list of the killed and wounded
Jagged but letter from George was re-
ceived. He was alive. but badly wound
cd.
Our Colonel was stricken down." he
wrote. "early in the engagement. I had
been acting as Lieutenant Colonel for some
time, and the command devolved upon me.
I was following the lead of the gallant
Howard, when a bullet passed through my
thigh. Captain Evermond was on the
right of the regiment; and l had just time
to pass the command over to him, when the
clash of the final charge came. l was faint
and dizsy but I saw him dash on at the head
OF our noble regiment, and the shout of VIC
tory struck my ear rs was borne from the
field. Late at night Captain Evermond
was borne into our quarters severely wound.
ed BY q saber cut on the shoulder. He had
a hand to hand conflict with the enemy
over . battery and he took i, and held
it,"
Three weeks afterward another letter
came.
Dear Nellie. am coming home. I
have furlough for forty days. Captain
Evermond is coming with me. Our wounds
are doing WELL"
The train arrived at three O'Clock in the
afternoon. Major Preston came from the
car upon his crutches, and his father was
there to receive him. Nellie had not come
down. Big. proud tears coursed down the
old mans face as he heard the glad shouts
that welcomed his noble boy (; and for
while his son was monopolized by the null
titude.
Where is your friend, Evermond -
asked the Judge, as they moved toward the
carriage.
40, he will be with us this evening. He
had to stop to see friend on the way. and
will come in the next train. told him our
carriage should be on hand for him.
joyful moment was it for Nellie Pres
ton when she threw her arms around the
mech Of her returned brother. O, she knew
now how much-how very much she loved
him. Whist numberless questions were
asked. and how eagerly were the answers
listened to. By and-by Nellie asked after
Captain Evermond.
90" she cried. "I hope he is not old
and ugly. for want to love him."
- Not very DID," said George, with q
smile; ''and not very ugly. But there is
a curious circumstance connected with his
experience as . soldier. which is worth re-