The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-12-24
SHOT TO DEATH.
In INCIDENT OF TIE C4iMPITGN
OF '63.
BY Francis arlington.
IN CAMP.

The Army OF Northern Virginia llad 1oilgil
through the second Maryland campaign. Get
tysburg was lost. Vicksburg had faien. There
was weeping and lamentatiOn in ten Thousand
Southern homes, and the hearts Of our people
were oppressed with sorrow and with care.
YEARLY and sadly "Lhe baretOoted boys OF
the Confederate army had tramped along the
dusty roads OF the Valley oil Virginia, anu now
they lay in camp near quiet Orange Court
house. week or two OF rest and quiet, an
improved commissarlat. and promise from
the plausible quartermaster, had raised the
spirits of both officers and men. The sword
or the South was again keen and bright and
where was the lagggard who did not yearn lor
another bout with the foe?
Asa staff officer in the 'sOld First Corps. Il
had managed To make myself tuieraoly com,
Portable Virginia tobacco uid Il phllosOplilcai
euuanimlty, and US lay that August evening
under a tent-hy, in the woods OF orange, there
was no heavier care on my soul than was slls
uested BY the appetizing simmer ot lhe Vesper
bacon. No one was with me but my OLD ci!'lHi
and felow-otlicer, Charlie Vernon, VINO nau
been my bosom friend since the cllanceS ef ser
vice first threw lis together. We had rolled III
the same blanket. We had drunk from the
same canteen Charlie had helped ne TO dis
pose of an obstinate Michigander cayalryman.
And had-well, never mind about that.
Charlie was deeply aud desperately blue
/. After many attempts he had succeeded IN gel
ting q iorty-eight hours leave, and was oil ike
shot-about eight miles an honr IN li.ose
days-to Richmond. But the bright buttons
and untarnished lace OF C. s. and @ M. were
more potent than the stained grey jacket, bat
:ered hat aud dngy boots OF q man Oil duty IN
the field. Charlie was unccremoniolisiy lllted,
and gave himself up TO the gloomy delights OF
despair. Nothing that could say oilShtcnea
his lace or lightened his heart: The blow,
Door boy i! was more than he could bear, anti
[ wondered how it would all end as he tossed
to and fro in the shadow of the pines. SUD
denly springing to his feet, he cried out
"Jack can't stand this any longer AN-
citement must have. Action, work. motion
anything to carry me beyond myself
MY only reply was in the shape Of an inVita-
f, tion ITO take pipe"
''You are nuisance, Jack! ION naFelo
more feeling than IN old stump"
'PerhGps."
"You don't care q straw FOR any woman.
What would give If could only say The
same!'
ssMy SON The motto of Captain J. G. Berer.
ley Is short and to the purpose-LG Retne eS'
Morte. Viue la Refine. True did meet q
have made me forget myself, but she Is some
where in Mosby's Confederacy, and never e.
pect to see her again." ....
inst at this point our colloquy was interrupt
ed by the arrival Of q courier lrom lleadqaar-
ters with message that General Longsreet
wished to see me Immediately: 1t vas not lai
To sold Pete'S' tent, and when | returned
Charlie saluted ME with yolley of questions.
NV reply was to yell out TO my boy Aieck lc
feed and saddle my horse, and that OF lleuten
ant Vernon, as rapidly as possible
Lighting my pipe, condescended 10 tnpui-
den myself in these words:
ssYou want to know what old Pete Is altel
now, eh? In truth, do not know mucn aOou'
it myself, except that all our ilas--hnppefS alt
out OF the way, and Lieutenant-Generat James
Ionpslreet has entrusted ME with highly I'M
portant dispatch, which am to deliver 10 .
friend OF ours beyond the lines. The trip Is I;
rather risky one, but.
'sOh, Jack let me 80 in your place nave
nothing to lose. no ties, no one To care Whetlel
live or not"
III did not forget you, and the general ha;
given me permission TO take you Will me
There is yoar pass--it is signed by Mliler Iay,
lor. like mine. Sorrel says that is all We sha.
want
Vernon fairly lcapcd with JOY, looking more
like his old self than he had done Since Iha
woeful trip to Richmond.
on THE ROAD
A very frugal supper was dispatched. and
when we had strapped 4 blanket ami oil CLOTH
behind our saddles We We're ready for Tic
road. Our horses were fresh and III fine con
dition, and we started oil at = steady lro!
We had ridden some distance. When Nerno;
suddenly wheeled his horse and @.liopcd bach
towards our camp. Even this did not surprisi
me, but was astoulshcd when he CANE
whoopinr after ME with a hagc Ciiicopce SaOr,
(cantllred from The Michigandcr) clallcrins q
his heels. -.
'sSurely, you are not goin. to take tha
noisy ratIle-tr.p with you Two pistols rle!
more to their wis than their muscle
THAT sabre goes, or do not
'sWell, do not |"
81 do not mean that exactly, bui craze
hearty, straightforward, whule.Souic'i lick q
t.somcbotly'' with this old sabre; Though, Il
tell the trutn, my swordmanshin is more
main strength and awkwsrdness than any
thing else"