Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1863-09-17
For the Journal.

Mr.. Editor
Permit me hrcngh the columns your record
of devotion to principle, one more ted than
W ch challenge the annals If history TO r-dice. Flora
McDonalds dey oton TO Charles EG ward vOle object
upon which to lavish her loyalty the UroGrsled herOm
Of Napoleons soldiers, Willingly courtlDg death to shield
his beloved person from harmwi not Compare with it
In history there various instance wherein have
crifced themselves attain specific object and
occurrence for men to brave the pet Of in
staut death their frends from peril but how
seldom find indivdusls, preferrDg maefactors death
surrender OF their pIincies We r7sh 20 the battle
field to gather glorious wrea;hs from its ensang PLAIN
but still buCyed up with the hope that tho deadly bClos
may reach But III this case there such
tingences-no grounds for hopeno personal friLnd
serve-Do emolCment or fame to be acquitted
All yoQr readers the particulars
The cautn-e the Maple Leaf by the Confederate o3os
confined aboard II considered marvellous for Of
fcers accomplish this daring feat, sud Indeed
praise worthy ye: the poor old msn bowed down
with age and poverty, who pe1ed hs lie to feed them
while concealed the swamps of CHrTuuck and
their recapure by Fede sl LavGy deserV far
tao hey 1t happened thus @ AiTes M the sseanS'
doing, they reached the mainland OF North Caro-
lima, in CurriLuck county
This section OF our country as ls wen HnoWn "fnh
he enemy snes-necessarig therefore they were com
PEELED ee themselves by day and depend upon ne
zens hospitality TO eed AID their oVAty TO gulde the
thl the country few days alter their sc e ot
Federal cavalry In occurring the oouSty 10 arrest men,
upon tho subject OF tnls noce-Dempsey kgh; hy
Dame-fn the highway small IN bucket. Which the Id
fisherman was ryng IN his hand attracted their attn
tion They halted asked him if he had been eed
irg tie escaped rebel officers Zoo proud to utter false
upon they demanded him to reveal the place Of tn Ii
concealrent threat and blows sonkht 10 Wr.s
the old mans bosom and all their mportuntie no yield
ed not-thelr brutality he could not resist. They
the; wouIt secret that he should die. With
ths in!ent hurried him aboard sun6o and again
him alternatives OF death " lauce
with their wishes Ee answered that he nced
hat they ended hang hiO, bu that he resolved
20 die before be "wCud Tell where those ctcers were -
immediately te suspended him By the neck until Ii
nearly met They then cut hm do~p, and after reyv9g
Lin. reueated the question and received tho
same answer. Again his body hung II the arand when
his life was lar spent than befOrethey az in unooa
ed the halter receiving before the firm deGal.
to fury told min hat this his oGy
chauce and hat they would not cut him down again.
taued in this trial by his sense Of honor which
was stronger than of DEATH the old replied
that he OF his approaching eld yet be
deemed death preferable to dshOadr, and that he
ready to mt his fate. Again aud for the third the his
aged frame quiyered the agones desth, aud when no
had ceal struggle they more released him Ap.
plying powerful slmuans they suoceeded In resoTius
hIm when with adeermDaon wor by OF the elder Braus
he drew for knife attempted by cuttiag his owl
tbr to tree OF h perscutors BY violence hey
forced his Knife from him. when by mighty enort ne sn
ed the fends aside and pur Ito the boiling surf &c
drown himself. With hooks th5y hshed LIN mp and
Do i5d Dy unyeding viii, thy permitted I'm TO g.
akhure This statement oi this Infamous transAc
TON empsey hight still Ves and plies his humble oal
ing fisherman and that ne ls one OF Hoo noDlemeo
| none will gainsay. JULIAN