The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1871-11-09
miscellany.
f99ISN44
Scouting the Deed.

From tn, trial of Il case in one OF the law
courts of Mobile, wherein the widow and
daughter cf the .a.e Southern General SteE-
man arc tie contestants ct a Will aiisgct 30
have been spuriou:ly fabricated by interested
partisc. comes Il reniniscence OF the rebellion
quite unique in its circumstance and curl
ously representative of chivalry in its more
modern aspects. The contestants in qucs-
tiooh, while charping that the will produced
by certa n relatives Of the departed husband
and father is fnrged document, have per-
ss.ed in the assertion that the general carried
his genuine will aud other valuable papers
with him to the field, and offered Il hand
some reward, in various Journals through
out the country, for ths discovery OF such
ex-oficers or soldiers of the Union army as
must have known something of the property
found up,n the slain mans person ut the
siue of the dssth in battle. There was an
snlikeliness aSous this idea. from the natural
doubt that naan whose life was i'll hourly
peril would bear about with him perishable
records of such grave consequence to his wife
and child; but, according to the full account
of the affair, az. given now by that llvellest
and most improved Of suburksn newspapers,
the Times of Jersey City, the Southern oihccr
was indeed guilty of such strange impru-
dence, enA it is the cnviablc gnot tortul'e OF
worthy young Jerscyman to restore 10 the
soldiers widow and orp bans all the creden'
tials necessary to secure. to them an inherl-
tance of which otherwise they might bc DIS
;neenuously deprived. When General
Gricrson, of the United States forces, made
his celebrated but not wholly fortunate raid
through Alabama, Mississippi, aad a Partt Of
Georgia during the war. one Henry Dillon
of the dashing Second New Jersey Cavalry
while detailed as scout Of the extreme for
ward wing of the flying column, came sud
denly one evening upon Stegman and anoth
er officer (NIajcr Tracy Of Southern horse
who promptly presented tier revolvers, ano
ordered the adventurous young invader tt
surrender. With bravery and presence OF
mind for which he was subsequently pre-
sented with gold medal Of merit by the
oovernment, the boy in blue boldly drew tho
snemics' fire by claiming the honors of cap
tor for himself, and then after the hostile
GENERAL had sent bullet whlzzing into hi
Sayersaek. presenting his own carbne. Tn
fortunately for himself the general still re
fused to be taken alive, and, in his resist
ance received from Dillon mortal wound
The other Confederate was captured Will
making off by another mounted trooper, VIII
marSh him away while yet his less prudSe''
superior wnidhed in the dust, CONSCIOUS lila
his last his hour had come Poor Stesma
turned his dying cyes'upon the scout, |h'
having dismounted was bending over hin
and drawing from his pockets will an
policy of lite insurance for large amount
whispered the wish that they should be s,, sen
70 his wife and child Before the addres
CO could be given the wound1a man was to
weak from hemorrhage to speak more; an
lived only long enough to hear the scou
nromise to honor his last desire. Nor W;
billion reuiss in the matter. Net KNOWN