Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1866-06-27
KENIPTONIA.
KemptOn's War Record. He Celebrates
the Anniversary of the Battle of Gym
thiana.
No. 6.

LAGnAplOh WaE AkeCOEu. nc NeAeDEaIeS
the Anniversary of the Battle of Gym.
thiana.
Mr.. EDITOR If there is one thing /
desire more than another, it is fame. In
my younger days longed, yea, yearned,
for glory. Years ago l made careful
examination of my mental self, and dis
covered that had the elements of true
greatness within me. 1t appeared to me
then, that was in possession of facul-
ty which would enable me to rise superb
or to all earthly considerS tions, whenever
occasion required. ''To soar untrodden
heights, and seem at home where angels
bashful looked" 1 was familiar with
the history of Alexander, Caesar, and 9TH
er famous warriors of antiquity. Com
muned with them in spirit, and felt de-
sire to emulate their heroic deeds. 1
evidently was a military genius of the
highest order. l sighed for an opportu-
nifty to distinguish myself, and secretly
painted for war. l saw in my vivid i'm
agination the name of Kempton, made
illustrious by the grandest of military
achievements, and heard my praises sang
by grateful millions while the earth exis-
ted. In an avil hour married. A beau
tiful but designing creature allured me
with her Establishments, and after lavish
ing upon me the tenderest of caresses,
induced me to sacrifice myselffor her good
upon the Hymenial altar. am the vic
tim of Mrs. k, who has the honor to
be my wife. "All my glories in that one
woman 1 have lost forever" 1 hereby
declare without fear of successful contra
diction, that marriage will take lofty as
pirations and noble impulses out of a fel-
low quicker than anything else. On this
point 1 am perfectly satisfied; and my
experience has not been different from
that of almost every married man. After
taking unto myself wife, for a while l
lived in blissful ignorance, but my troubles
began in earnest about the time my ell
dest boy was ushered into theworld, and
have been increasing from that time to
the present. l struggled manfully with
fate, but fate was too much for me, and
l was compelled to succumb. 1 sought
consolation in the Glowing bowl" and
found it. 1 console myself in that way
frequently. Time passed on; the ''glo-
rious opportunity" did not present itself
until the bombardment of Sumter. |
endeavored to avail myself of it. Those
noble impulses which domestic troubles
had crushed out of me, returned. Fired
with patriotic ardor, and animated with
sublime heroism, 1 valliantly rendered
my services to the Government, but they
were not accepted, and four years of des-
perate war was the consequence. l next
busted myself in procuring volunteers,
and harangued the multitudes with good
success. But at length draft was order
ed l was frantic IN my efforts to induce
others to volunteer, but the men did not
come forward fast enough, and our town
was drafted. One Of the first names
drawn from the wheel was my own
Oh the agony of that moment. l rush
ed from the office of the Provost Marshal
to the nearest grocery, and drank brandy
and sugar until was somewhat compo-
sed. Twenty years of close living with
Mrs k, inspired me with belief that
could calmly face death in any form
whatever, but the prospects of meeting
il by bullet or cold steel, filed me with
unutterable terror. Consulting my wife,
the unfeeling woman told me to take my
gun and go. Talked a great deal about
wishing she was a man, and what her
great grand father had done in the Rev
lutionary war. All nonsense. What
had that to do with my being left corpse
upon the field of battle? Nothing
| Leaving the house in disgust, l sought
the quiet shade of friendly grocery, and
imbibed something soothing under the
genial influence of which brilliant idea
came into my mind. could hire a sub
s.itute. Acting upon it at once, l made
an effort, and was successful. An intel
| ligent negro, in consideration of four
hundred and fifty dollars, cash down,
went as a substitute for me, and his life
was taken from him at an assault on Pc
! tersburg, and his bones are now lying in
one of the great trenches near that city.
The war continuing, the National
Guards were organized for garrison and
provost duty, in the event of their services
! being required. was induced to become
member of it, never expecting to be
called out. But
"Th best laid schemes of mice and men,
Gang aft agley."
Gov. Brough issued his proclamation. L
was compelled to go. When the word
came that we must march, / settled down
into state of black despair, and nothing
but judicious application of stimulants
saved me. The mournful preparations
for my departure went on my wife feel
ing that she was about to lose the best of
husbands, wept continually. My chill
dren thinking that their darling father
was going so far away he never could
come back, filed the air with their cries
and lamentations. At length the hour of
separation came. With what emotions
tore myself from the bosom of my family,
none but a father can ever know.
The first duty we performed was at
Johnson's Island, guarding rebel prison
ers. From there we proceeded to Ken
lucky, to drive the freebooter John Nor.