Litchfield enquirer., 1864-03-24
FoR THE ENoU1REE. THE BATTLEFIELD OF THE BLACK WATER,
BY CAPTAIN JACK.

month of February 1863 that found me, pacing the deck of our good shlp tie :Ga'ena. - The air was still, and the waters of ''James River were Ca m and placid as a mirror. had walked few moIneHts, wh,n suddenly there came to my rars he low boom of a heavy gun it came from the east, from the banks uf lha Binckwater.
 Then came the quick crash of a ihousand rih.s. The tight continued on for many hours Ever and anon woull the thunder of the hea " guns reach the eirs of the listener, but they hardly soaspd me from my rever!e ; such oc- cWrences Were but too common. In tue at teruoon of tle same day l received ord r, from Admiral Lee ,o 20 to the B!acIwa,er with dispatches to Gen. Peck who in co'n, tnald there But half an hour elapse,t a!t:r the little steamer Violet, of three guns.
 We st rted off and were soon ut the mouth of the Nausemond liver. 1 had the guns crews called to quarters that we mi ght be pre- pared for ally emergency. After a lime We arrived at the conmissary wharf. G'tting of the steamer hurried to the Qdartrrnas,ers $ Ii:e, where 1 procured a horss and m,latel guard of twenty men, and proceeded towards fhe B'ackwater, where wa soon arrived, and entered the head quarters of the General.
 I delivered my drsratches. and suuntetei out towards lhe battlefield which Was short distance from lhe heaGqa rirrs. As 1 walked along. signs uf the recent strife met me on ev- cry hand, trees balked and twisted of, limbs i.angiuy pentlasut by d few fir.t. As rounl. ed the little Ei.iock, before me ou the broad plain we're tile records of the hottest of the sllit4. the dead carcasses of horses caissors over turned, and torn to pieces. Muskrts, kla,slcls and hla,.ksts Were strewn ln wild confusion over the field: but worst, and most ,lckt.niuy of all, was the sight of the thousand dead and wounded who lay stretched upon the ii id For munlent l stood aehns. N hen l had rrgainel my ss: possession l walked on, Here was a nl;l with his head shot of. anulh- -r wiih boib legs gone, llenty of such sc'nes As these were on every hand. walked on. stopping to rlrk upa few .ise meme. t)as. l Vas attracted lv a vuice near me. RsiSla. my eyes ,hav rested on the prostrate form os Il wounded soller He raised himself upon h 5 elbow ss apprcGt he'd him aid asked me Il t1le.t:us, but could lot bear lim, his vo!ce was $, weak, I stopped and listened. He yaspcl l. VIII you q! my canteen,' l answer el syas.' aai u,strapped it, from under h's afm. It N,s bat d short distance 10 the river. .nd as uearea 1t l 2az 'd on the "pp,site side of the river, anl about mile eff caught sight of th. filthy secession a,g. waving it's traitor ous folds in the cool evening air. hastily filed the can,oen and carried it back to the soldier. 4 pleasant smile passed over his pale fratu.es as 1 handled i' to him. While he drank unstrapped his haversack and picked up blanket near by, waen he lay down again I nlaoed these under bis head and laid his own h,auke. over him then he was revived and said aloud may God bless you; reiterated his words and walked on, marking tae spo' where he lay that might stop on my retarri' After short walk and survey of the tieid turned aud retrace1 my steps. Soon comng to the spot where the soljier lay, noticed that u great change had come over his fea- lures since last saw Lin, but he smiled d. ] caught his eye, aud beckon ne towards him, I went and sat down beside hin when he put his hand into his pocket aud drew forth It.. tls Bible aud hauded it to me. l opened 1t :; on the inside of the cover was pasted the pie ture of some lovel one at home, on the fly leaf was written tue following "To John Parker, from his loving friend MARY E. JOHNSON While you i sht for your dear country, remen- ber.J ohn. to fight vel the yool hsht of faith. l looked tow ards him, he niled and whisper ed iaintIy, .' Read something" l turned to
 the lust Psulm and read it. I had just finished the last verse, which says Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord l turned to
 look at him-his lips Were movns-he was engaged in devotion.
 waited for him to continue-presently his lips uuivered then his whole frame shook, con vulsively r.ising his hand he pointed upward and murnured Mary" the hand fell, hls face relaxed. the last rays Of the setting sun 2 aLcrd on the starry banner that waved near. and the soldier of his country lay dead al my feet placed ny hand upon his forehead' it was st war,ii, felt of his hand, it was coId and hald ia the grasp ot death. As stood t,e tAiaaias WAS stat'ed by the beat Il :; Of drums l listened it was the sad sig Ial t, 1 bury tue d,;sd.' Soon saw u Il. mber ot msu 4..,er the field, so put the little bible ill
 my pocket and hastily returned to the quarters of Gen. Peck, who told me to return for the answers to the dispatches on the coming nor
 row.
 1 My horse and the guards were at the door, so l muuUted and we betook ourselves towards Suffak.
 1 Tne sun had gone down and the beautiful moon arose and shoDe bright in our path the
 same moon which arose but the night before