Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1867-04-04
Seleeted Iale.
The Story of Bernard Bartlett,
THE UNION SPY.

The Story Of Bernard Bartlett,
THE UNION SPY.
If the field of romantic adventure
in our late war should not be fully il.
Illustrated, it will not be the fault OF
the scores of novelists and sketch
writer's who are so promptly throw,
ing themselves into the breach."-
From the pretentious duodecimo down
to the two-column story in the week
ly paper, we nave the most ample
opportunities to acquaint ourselves
with hairbreadth escapes, chivalric
enterprises, and melting episodes Of
the heart, principally " founded on
facts which actually occurred during
the Great Rebellion" or which the
author doubtless thinks might easily
have occurred, if they did not. Out
of all this mass of war literature, un-
substantial fiction, for the most part,
we may possibly have, at some re-
mote day, a novel which will deal
truthfully with the great historical
events of our four years struggle,
and weave from them a connecting
web of romance which will be genu.
inc, because not extravagant and
sensational. The mantle of Fenni.
more Cooper may yet be found rest
ing upon the shoulders of some pri-
vate soldier of shrewd intelligence,
quick observation, possessed of the
necessary literary power to grapple
successfully with the subject, and
thus give to the country that which,
if the truth must be told, the coun-
try is remarkably barren of--an A
merican romance upon purely Amer
lean subject. Certainly, the field is
ample enough, and we have reason
to think that the work, if it is to be
done at all, can be better performed
while the war is, as it were, but a
thing of yesterday, and while its
principal figures are still before US,
and it's scenes and events still fresh
in our minds. There never was,
verify believe, in the whole history
of wars, such a field presented for
the exercise Of the pen of the true
novelist as in any Of the leading
campaigns of our rebellion. The
Peninsula, the Wilderness, and the
Valley, divers in their Typography
and population as in the varying for
tunes of the strife which overran and
desolated them, might be linked to-
gether by chain of characters and
events, clustering around the militia
ry operations of Mcclellan, Grant
and Sheridan, which would truthful
ly blend the historical with the ro-
mantle, and preserve for future gen.
erations something of the spirit of
these momentous times. Very possi-
bly, this work can only be performed
by soldier, writing from a stand
point which win give him the adyan-
tage of familiarity with his subject !;
but the public will not be captious
upon this point. If the article, when
presented, shall bear the critical
tests which will be mercilessly ap-
piled to it, and be found the pure gold
of romance, we will at once recog-
nize our Cooper of 186l-'65, and hon
or him accordingly. But, until then,
the cry of ecce homo will be vainly
raised.
But, aside from all gliding of fic-
ton, there is sufficient in the story of
the deeds actually performed during
these years to absorb the interest of
our millions of reading public. Our
people looked on with breathless and
painful attention from both North and
South, and the movements and col
Iisions of our mighty armies on the
chess board of war, and often as the
story of this greatest OF historical
dramas shall be well told, it will not
lack for auditors. And, aside from
these, the acts in the play to which
all minor happenings were incident,
there were ten thousand personal ex'
periences which should be told as lie.
gitimate parts of the story adven-
lures of subordinates and soldiers,
men whose names have never ap-
peared in the reports of Generals in
the field, or Congressional commit
tees, but which embody much of the
vigorous military life which the his
torian can only fully portray, and
which need no gliding of the roman
Ger to give them interest. l class
among these the story OF Bernard
Bartlett.
! During my schoolboy days, wher
the story of our wars vas to me, a:
| believe it is to all boys, a bewitch
ing study, and before the dream hat
ever entered my brain, that |, too
should be soldier at no remote day
and take part in great battles to b.
fought ON American soil, the tales o
the spies and scouts of the Revolu
tion, of the Hales, the Andres, ant
the Champes, were foremost of all il
their power to fascinate. | wonder
ed then if these pictures were no