The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1869-11-03
The Effects Of Intemperance.
A TRus STORY OF THE WAR.

FoW places In IeXaS Otter more at
fractions TO the tourists or one in
search of adventure than Fort Bliss,
Ell Paso county. 1tpossesses salu-
brious climate, productive soil ;
corn, wheat, barley and rye grow we'll
and yield largely; fruits such as
apples, pears, peaches and apricots,
and the far.famed El Paso grapes,
grow almost spontaneously.
The society is mixod-Americans,
Germans, French and Mexioans, the
latter the most numerous. Mexican
fashions and customs arc generally
adopted. The shrewd business man,
the trader, the WAGNER and the dare
devil sporting class and gamblers
make up mixed and heterogeneous
mass Of human beings such as are only
met in those border, semi civilized
Countries of the West.
Nesting at tho foot Of ono Of those
numerous mountain ranges which
abound in this wild, isolated country,
half-buried in the wild luxuriant foli-
ago, lies Fort Bliss--distance from
San Antonio 700 miles. It is bound.
cd on tho north and northeast by a
range Of high bluo mountains on tho
south by the Rio Grand, which makes
ourvo to the south---dotted here and
there with numerous Mexican ram
ohoes, embowored in fruit trees and
vines opposite, on the Mexican side,
lies the neat and old fashioned town
of El Paso, Mexico, justly celebrated
for it's fruits and wines, and I might
add, beautiful Mexican women.
Fort Bliss was first settled by ono
Magoflin, an early pioneer, who SPAR
ed neither pains nor expense to ron.
der it pleasing and attractive. 1t
was afterward purchased by the Uni
ted States Government, for the pur:
pose of establishing military depot.
The large and commodious officers
quarters and soldiers barracks facing
On the square Of about three acres,
tastefully laid out and planted in
forest trees, covered with o thick
growth of California clover, renders
ita pleasant retreat during the heat
of summer.
On the fourth day Of July, 1861, a
band of soldiers, weary and worn with
the travel of journey of seven hun
dred miles, first beheld the cool shade
and inviting quarters of Fort Bliss.
The United States authorities had
abandoned everything--a oommissary
full of rations, provender for our
horses which We were not slow to ap.
propriate.
The fruit season had just opened,
and could be purchased for a song.
The boys had provided themselves
with few glittering coins, and to
say that we did not enjoy ourselves
FOR q few weeks to the fullest extent,
would be to faisify the truth. Fan.
dangoes. parties, cards and wine wero
all the rage.-all went merry as q
marriage bell.'
But, alas the brightest picture
soon must fade-the happiest mo-
ments of our lives are marred by some
haalancholy thought, 80 are our happi-
est days She shortest. Our dream of
pleasure was Of short duration; for
one of the saddest events l have ever
witnessed transpirea, that threw a
gloom over the entire army.
* scout had just returned from che
parsuit of band Of predatory Indi.
ans--who are the curss os this other
wise desirabi6 oountry--weary and
worn. One Of the boys that oompos-
cd the scouting party, John II =,
who was o general favorite with his
company, and vino was as good sol.
dior as ever enlisted under the sstars
and barsS was called upon to 20 on
guard duty by the orderly sergeant of
the company he demonstrated against
the seeming injustice after so kard a
trip; o few angry words ensued be-.
tween II. and the orderly, and they
shortly afterwards separated, That
evening, the orderly hunted III. up,
CURSED and abused him, and, without
giving II. any chance, shot him down.
y, fell, pierced with o ball, and ex.
pired in few minutes. Great ex-
oitement prevailed, and such was the
indigaation Of the mon, it was with
difficulty that Sorgt. s. was saved
ftom immediate. vengeance. Sergt.
). was arrested aud placed under
guard. 1 should have stated that he
was beaatly intoxicated when the rash
act was committed. Z
The next day, as the last rays Of
the golden aun tinged tha horizon and
lazily sunk behind tho moussain sange,
we buried the remaiua Of our depart.
ed comrade at the little gfavosa ard at
ehe foot of sho mvnntain. Many q
tear was shed as We fied che farewell
sslute over biz grave and shoughs of