The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1872-09-27
Albanr Sgr0istrr.
BLUE AND GREY;
A ElORY OF TME LATE WAR
BY A DETROIT REPORTER.

" ere there u HtliutNh NSuI"tH ~
the Army Of the Potomac who never
marched through Winchester, Nir-
ginia?
One doubts it when the records Of
war tell him that the town was cap
tured twenty-thee times during the
war. 1t was "Yank " one month,
"Johnny the next, and the inhabi-
tants cot so at last that they dared not
pronounce tor either side, they claimed
to he neutral. aud only asked the sol
diers in blue or the soldiers in gray to
let their chickens alone.
If the last year OF war didn't sweep
it away, and fire has spared it yet,
there stands an old brown arnIllouse
on the Eorh road. about u mile out
side OF the town. It's quaint old
house, with front yard filled with
cherry trees. and a lot of mulberry
trees growing upand shading the south
end of the house. II Is Il cosy place
for two old white-lmired parents to sit
on the front yeranda and rock and
doze in the sunshine. while Il strong
armed sou whistles cheerily among the
growing crops.
| saw it thus once, and | saw 1t
afterwards when the storm Of war
swept oyer and around it, staining the
green grass to "a rel, and whett pas
sionate men and fiery horses swept
through the fields aud dashed ut each
other as the black smoke lifted for a
moment.
One day in the spring Of 1862 the
dispatches said that the Coufet-
crates had been driven out of VIM
chester and that the Union forces held
possession. was not with the yieto-
rious party but few days after, when
the Confttlerates came back 50 close
that they held half OF the town and
the Union forces the other Init. went
down with halt a regiment of cavalry
and a few battalions of infantry TO
hold the ground.
Army operations had hardly COM
menced for the spring, and the Con
fpderates We're determined to hold the
line Of communication open as long
as possible. had a heavy backing
few miles away, and knowing this,
the Confederates only cared to keep
me from advancing further than VIM
chester for the time being.
We had our pickets as thick as bees
in the northern suburbs Of the town.
hut the main force was back on the
road, hear the old farm house, where
the ground offered better advantages
in case of an attack. We had been in
camp less than a day when ascer-
tanned that the farmers name was
Hastings, and that he had one of the
handsomest daughters in all Virginia.
HE asked for property guard around
his farm, and in seeing that the guard
was properly posted, had occasion
to enter the house. There wasn't
that bitterness then which came in
after years, and we could all speak
freely without fear OF offenSe. The
farmer was Old and weak. and when
found out that he was a firm believer
in secession aud rebellion. | had 10
hot words to give in reply. Where
should one look for southern feeling if
not in the homes of Southeners?
The wife was old aud feeble, the
son away to Richmond, and it was
natural enough that should make up
my mind to stand between beautiful
Kate Hastings and the inconveniencies
Of war as much as | could. don't
think | violated any of the rules and
regulations when | promised the fam
lily that their property should be pre-
served from raiders and their personal
liberties abridged only so far as the |
safety Of my command required. Of
course, | could not allow them to be
passing back and forth between the
lines, but they should be free to move !
in any other direction.
tell you right here that | never
saw more charming, lovely woman
than Kate Hastings. lost my heart
the moment saw her, as any other
man would. But. was not so idiotic
as to believe that had only to say the
word to make her my wife indeed,
doubted from the first that could
ever win her.
II trust that we Sllallall be friends"
she sweetly said, when | was about to
leave the house. "lt is a ernel war. I
deprecated by all for it, wouudS and /
griefs, and ciyilities from Glptms to
Captive' will always be Appreciated
There wasan invitation to call when
eyer had opportunity, but there was
that modesty and dignity in the lady's |
look and bearing which made her any
thing but love-sick maiden to be
easily won. q
Well, we pitched our camp; had
camp routine changed pickets; skir-
mished with the Confederates, and
things at length were $3.50 from one
day to another. ! sat on the ver..nda
and smoked with tile old man: took
tea with them; | read to Kate and
once In awhile talked love, or was lust
going to when she would check me.
She was thoroughly southern In senti-
ment. / knew II, aud therefore we
passed politics over for something
more agreeable to both,