Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1864-01-23
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man.
"Lady you don'I consider what'y you say.
Those are fearful words"
II know they are but will repeat that
hope that mono Of you may escape to
carry the tdipgs. Yon had no right to
come here and destroy our homes, and
take away our friends, and leave nothing
but desolstion in your track. You may
not hope for the blessing Of God upon
your undertaking."
"Lady," he answered, while tear
sprang to his eye, "I would not be found
here to-day had not your army found its
way to my home and desolaod ii. had
n beautiful young wife, fair as the beauty
Of heaven, loving, and tenderly loved, but
even her they did not spare but we'll nigh
broken her heart with fear and sorrow.
Then / resolved TO forfeit my life, or
avenge the wrong. l determined that the
homes of the North should feel the power
Of the invaders hand, if my single strength
could accomplish it. 1t is easy for you
with your abundance to sit and declaim
against US, who haze been nerved to the
last point of desperation by the wrongs
of your armies, and when we seen our dear
ones reduced to the last extremity. what
shah we do but raise our bands and strike
in their defence did not willingly en-.
ter this struggle, but having entered it,
death alone shall put limit to my ef-
forts"
''Do you expect God will forgive youi"
Il trust have a father in heaven who
has forgivnsss for me, for am conscious
l am doing only my duty, and does not
that always meet the appreciation of God
My convictions of duty brought me here,
and will sustain me to the end. But If 1
fall, l should hardly expect you to minis
ter to me. Would you comfort dying
man whom you call rebelH"
II don't know as should, if he contin-
ued rebel ~
''May God forgive you. The chances
of war may cause us to meet again. -
Gracefully raising his hat, It'll we meet,'
he said, and mounting his horse, he rode
away,
Those words of the resolute young off
Ger rang in her ears like fatality. What
could he mean! He surely was not un-
soldierly as to seek personal revenge, yet
the soul of the young girl, whom scarcely
any danger dauuted, was filed with un
esiness.
For several days all remained in quiet
suspense Vast bodies of cavalry and in
fantry were moving to and fro like the
snrging Of enormous pillows, Heavy de-
mands were made upon the people; and
those supplies that were uot willingly
granted, were forcibly taken, until all be-
gan to look anxiously for the time and
place when The dreadful blow should fall.
Al last it came, and that in the consecrat-
cd abodes of the dead.
o the terrible thunder Of artillery! o
the sicking thought that thousands Of un-
protected human breasts were the targets
for those horrible missiles of destruction,
How can humanity look ON such scenes
and live
The contest was frightful and bravery
desperate on either side, but at length
there was a lull, and the stars and stripes
.yaro IN tha aeoarJ,rt
The firing ceased, and the armies slow
ly retired. Every available spot, from
tue spacious halls consecrated 20 God, .,
down to the veriest hovel, was filed with
the wounded, and dying, friend and foe
side by side, blasphemiug groaning, pray
ing; and these are the noble forms whom
but yesterday were in the full glory Of
manhood.
Mothers and sisters with tenderest sym
pathy, quickly gathered round to perform
kind Offices, fearing lest each moment
should reveal the countenance Of dear
one and among other minsleriDg spirits
was found our rash, iapetuous friend
and as though Providence had directed
her, The first person whom she reached
was the rebel oficer-shotl Yet be smil
ed as she advanced, saying: "YOu could
not refuse a dying man, even rebel"
II have repeuied of those cruel words
A soldier, from the moment he is wound
ed ia no longer a rebel but a man, desery-
ing all the kindness of humanity"
Thank you. ! could not havo stop
ped to handy words with you, had you not
SO powerfully reminded me of ny wife