The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-07-30
Power OF Imagination.

IT was during the famous Jersey cam
paign of 1777-78 Attached to the COM
pany to which he belonged was private
soldier, an inre:erate fatilt finder, sour,
grabbed, perpetually "disgruntled about
something, but who, nevertheless, was
never suspected of leaning toward the
enemy, and had always done his duty as
Q good soldier of the Continental army.
On one occasion, lieutenant and q
part of his company, including the subject
of our story, we're sent out on a scouting
excursion, Instructed to watch the move
ments of 4 body of the enemy who were
prowling In the vicinity. 1t was . very
warm day, and the party, after 4 three
hours tramp, lime in sight of the foe,
who, being in greater numbers than was
anticipated, compelled the Lieutenant and
his men to use "the better part Of valor I"
and prepare for retreat.
On this "Old Grouty," as he was called,
lowered his musket, broke forth into t.
rade against military duty in general and
scouting parties in particular, and finished
by declaring that he had done enough for
one day, and was determined to remain
where he was for the remainder of It.
To the representation of his comrades that
he would be captured by the enemy, he
replied that such an event would be pref
erable TO any further exertion, and stay
he would and abide the result.
After exhausting argument and entreaty
the Lieutenant informed him that rather
than suffer him to be taken by the British
and give them the information they would
seek concerning our forces, if he persisted
in his determination to remain, he must
shoot him in order to secure the general
safety. The reply was, "Shoot and be
hanged-I shall stsy where I am"
On this hurried consultation was held
By the officer with his men, and it was re-
solved to experiment with him, and avoid
If possible, the sacrifice of his life. He
was told to take seat upon . log in the
woods where they then were, and to avoid
alarming the enemy by general volley q
single soldier from behind was to send q
bullet through his heart.
The announcement was received with q
dogged resignation and an unaltered pur-
pose All being ready, the soldier detailed
as executiOner, at the word of command,
fred q blank cartridge, while by prear-
rangement second simultaneously threw
a small pebble ct the spot intended TO be
hit He fell and groanec, and the Lieu
tenant approached, expressed his opinion
that the wound was mortal, and his sOr
row that his duty compelled him to the
measure, babe him adieu, and then led his
party to the rear, where they concealed
themselves to watch the rest
The martyr to stubborness lay for some
time, uttering an occasional groan. varied
with maledictions upon the service, his
fate, the redcoats and his comrades. His
wrath toward the latter seemed to be kim
died by the bungling manner in which
they had performed their duty, leaving
him to lingering death instead of dis
patching him at once.
At length, with dolorous exertion, he
raised himself On his elbow and looked
over and beneath his shoulder, as though
to determine the nearness of his exit by
the quantity of blood that had issued from
his wound. Apparently astonished at
finding none, he next, with slow but seem
iDgly less painful movements, commenced
feeling his back for traces of the bullet
hole. dissatisfied with this, he raised him
self to sitting posture, and with much
exertion took off his coat, and fading no
perforation, the truth of the trick flashed
upon him at once, when seeing some
stragglers of the enemy in the distance,
he started up, seized his musket and ran,
as none had ever seen him do before,
toward the American lines. He arrived
long in advance of the Lieutenant and his
party, who never had occasion thereafter
to censure his bsff1ed subordinate.