Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-03-22

TOBE'S MONUMENT.


The "seven days fight" was ended
Hundreds of our brave boys lay with
white still faces upturned to the sky on
the slopes of Malvern Hill, or moaned
away their lives in the marshes along the
Chckahominy. The worn, battered rem
nants of the grand army of the Potomac"
were encamped at Harrison's Landing, on
the James, waiting for transports to take
them back to Washington. Here, on this
desolate sand-plain, without single tree
for shelter from the July sun that blazed
down in torrid fierceness; with no green
thing, not even blade of grass, in sight;
behind them the enemy, before them the
river; it seemed as if all the horrors of
the Peninsular campaign were eclipsed
by this.
1t was latter taps, "a sultry, southern
summer night. No sound broke the still
ness save the measured tread of the senti-
nels, the tapping of the river against the
bank, or the shrll cry of some night bird
from the marshes. On the extreme edge
OF the encampment, on the side nearest the
enemy, sentinel paused in his walk and
peered curiously out into the darkness,
where, just beyond the limits of his peat,
rose huge rock overgrown with gray
moss. Certain sure," he said to himself,
something moved out yonder. If the
Johnnies are at their tricks again, it's time
| gave the alarm. But that rock couldn't
hide many of 'em, either. guess I'll wait
a bit, and maybe-there it is again now !"
A dark object moved out from behind the
rock, then suddenly disappeared, as if the
earth had opened and swallowed it up.
"Well, now, that's curious" soliloquized
the soldier. II don't believe in sperits
thatll vanish into air while your looking
at EN- but their hain't been no airthquake
to open the ground and swaller mp that,
whatever it is; and what's become ont?
That's what I'd like to know"
His desire for knowledge seemed likely
to be gratified for the object appeared
again, slowly moving towards him. He
raised his musket to his shoulder, taking
careful aim, then lowered it again.
''Pshaw!" he said, 'It's nothing but a
dog" lie was resuming his walk, when
the supposed quadruped rose suddenly,
and walked along one or two feet, in a
manner SO unmistakably human, that the
sentinel leveled his musket once more,
and shouted HALT" The apparition
dropped again, and rolled itself into ball
advance and give the cslntersign ~
There was neither sound nor movement,
and the order was repeated. The ball un-
relied itself and crept a little nearer; and
a faint, childish voice, said, "Aint got
none. Massa."
''Well, there now," said the sentinel.
'lf it amt just little darkey, and guess
I've frightened him half to DEATH Come
here, Snowball!"
The child crept up, and said, trembling
ly, "'Deed, Massa, | amt got muffin to
glib yer"
well, who asked you to give me any
thingp'
"Ycr don AK me fer to glib yer suffin jes'
now; and amt got muffin 'cep' my clo'es
wat got on"
"WelI, you needn't fret; don't want
EN-. They wouldn't fit. even if there was
anything to 'em but holes. But just tell
me where you went to after you came out
from behind that rock ?"
"Went down in de hole, Massa.n
"What hole ?''
Oars big hole down un'erneaf de
rock, an Use hidin' in dar all de day. wait
in fer de dark, SOS ter come in ter de
Unions"
"Oh. that's the game is it? Now I'll
have to hand you over to the corporal
Corporal of the guard Post two"
The call rang out through the still night.
and hundreds of sleepers started to their
feet and seized their arms; for all day the
rebels had been shelling them from the
other side of the river, and the probabili-
ties of night attack had been freely dis
cussed The corporal fastened to sspost
two," and found the sentinel with his hand
on the shoulder of little black boy, who
between fear, fatigue, and hunger was un-
able to give any account of himself. "I1l
take him to Capt. Leigh" the corporal
said ''he's officer of the day. Maybe
he'll be able to get something out of him."
The Captain stood in front of his tent
looking out into the night, when the cor
poral and his charge approached.
Captain" said he here S boy just
come into the lines. Either he never had
any wits or they've been scared out of
him, for he can't seem to tell anything
about himself"
Very WELL you cam leave him here.
I'll talk to him in the morning" At the
first sound of the Captains voice the boy
drew nearer to him, as knowing instinct
lively that he had found friend. '.You
can go into the tent" said the Captain;
and go to sleep till morning"
Captain Leigh's untasted supper stood
where it had been placed hours before.
His thoughts were in his Northern home
that night, and he had no heart to eat.
The boy looked wistfully at the food, and
the Captain said. Eat that if you like"
''De hull ont Mass Cap'n?"
"Yes, if you want it,"
He ate like some starved wild animal
then dropped on the ground, curled HIM
self up like dog, with his arms across
his face, and slept. The hundreds who
had been wakened so suddenly. finding
that there was no further alarm, also lay
down to sleep again; and the camp once
more lay quiet under the starlight.
"What is your nameP" was Captain
Leigh's first question next morning
| "Name Tobe."
"Is that all"
Oats all, Mass Capn."
"How old are you?"
.'Dunno, Mass Cap'n. Nobody nebber
told me dat ar
.Where have you come FROM ?"
DCome fun de back O. Richmon,' Mass
Cap'n.