, 1873-09-21
VESTOL'S GRIT.
The Tennessee Quaker Who Re-
fused to Fight in tile Late
War.
A Remarkable Instance of Deyo-
ton to Religious Principle.
From tho Ndshpilh tenn, banner.

ton to Religious Principle.
From the Ndshpi1n {7tnn> Bann<r.
Tho following interesting nceount Of n young
Quakor who could not ho induced to fight in the
lato War, though conscrlpseo, iB from the pom Of
prominent citizen OF this statc,-a loadi1lg
member Of the bar Of an hljacont county, md
al ex-Judge Advocate and officer OF the Confod-
e1ate statos Army in tho late War. It is faith
ful narration OF ono Of tho most interesting and
curlona events Of tho 1ato War;
TO the Editor Of tho banner:
l have just road in tho Banner Of the 10th
inst. fragment OF Gov. Foote'S "reminiscences,
headed, Allow Quaker Refused to Fight" AB
I am familiar with tho facts and circumstances
alluded to, and as the case greatly Interested
mo at tho time, hnvo thought it might bo OF
some interest to your readers to 60 into details
moro than ia douo in GOV. Foote'S bricf alluslon
to tho eaao.
Tho young Quakor alluded to Is Tilgham 4.
Vostol, who ivod near Columbia. Tenn. When
Gen. Bragg's army waa at Shelbyyilla, Tent.s
young Vostol WAS couBcriptod aud aont to that
place; Lo vas assigned to duty in tho Fourth
Yonneaaeo Regiment, commanded by Col. Nc
Murray, OF Nashville. He reported to tho regi-
| mint al required to do, but utterly refused to
| aoription. Neither by threats nor persuasion
could he DO induced to alter hia determination.
| The officers of tho regimont woro as humane Us
they wore true aud gallant, and, after every o.
duttos Of n eolaier, they gayo tho matter up in
deynair, and told him to loave and 60 home,
| Which to did. hut shortly thereafter another
couscript officer camo along aud Vestol waB again
| duly enrolled rs a conscrpe, and ordered to
report ut Bragg's headquarters. Not being ready
just thcn to ieavo biz homo. ho asked and OBJ
tanod the timo of two Wooks within WhloA
to report, aome eitizon Of Columbia, ghancol-
lor Fleming, AZ now remember, going his &C.
| curity that he would report ut tho end Of tho
time. Before tho two weoks Ind expired, Gen.
! Bragg hud fallen back to Chattanooga. All alono
and On foot. Vestol went to Chattanooga aud
singular coincidence, ho wna again assigned to
tho Fourth Tennessee. Col. Mcaturray, from
his 6helb, vile experience. know he had to1igll
customer to deal with. He concluded he would
try the force OF moral suaslon 10 ono day ho sent
for VeBtol to como to his quarters, and under
took to convince him from tho Scriptures that Ao
was wholly wrong in Lis ideas and position. But
yones ID ho serpnra % f
tho Colonel sent for hs Chaplain to talk to fes-
| tol and convince him that ho waH atogethor
wrong in his refusal to fight or to perform mill.
tary duty. Tho Chaplain eamo and opened I'D
give cont for religion that ia opposed to
ny country Said vostol, IL wouldn't five
cont for d country that is oppoaoa to my rell-
1o nHor iGp md doors
mined to do no military duty Of any description.
1Ie refused to police tho camp Or do tho loast
thing that could bo tortured Or construed into
military duty. At lnBt, Col. MoMurray, wholly
unable to do anything with Vcatol, sont him to
brigade headquarters. Here he was reasoned
with, and every effort made to induce him to 80
aud perform the duties Of g soldier. but ho was
firm and inhoxible ga tho everlasting hills. Ho
was told TINT II he persisted in hla courso he
would bo subjected to Hevero punishment, and
finally would be shot for diaobodionco Of orders.
He replied that thoy had tho power to kill him.
but neither tho Federal nor Confederate Army
possessed tho power to force him to abandon
his principles, or provo falso to hie religion. I
remember endcavoring to persuade him ono day
to pay tho $500, which the law provided Quaker
Ra bim Il eeun ra.o % ss
and pay 1t, and thus get rid OF tho troubles that
plainly Haw ahead of hisu II ho persisted III bis
: Ho said he could rniae tho money without any
difficulty, :" But" said he, "Ruppoto l pay tho
} Confederate Government 5000, that will enhble
them 10 employ BONO ono olso to fight, aud II
will be equivalent to my hiring another man to
90 What think it wrong to do myaolf. l emit
. thon said to him: Suppose / could get you
: tlo position Of nurse in d hospital, to caro- fol
3 tho aiek, wouldn't you be willing to DO shatT
! tho sick and afflicted in either army, but Il
/ wero to tako tho position OF nu1Be IN a hospital
0 ! would thorcby occupy tho place Of aom'
| other man WHO would 80 out and hEht;" and Ht
I declined to do that. Learning from him that he
know how to mako pottery or oarthonwaro, l tolt
him thore was manufaotory Of that sort il
: Georgia. "Now suppose you could he detailed t!
i | work there would you not bo willing to go2 2
i Uo replied, "If tits private establishment
viii 70; but If II Ia Government establish
J. meut. md run In tho interest OF tn
3 war, can't Co." Everything that coul'
d bo construed, directly or indirectly
into military duty ho rofnssd most e11anphates 81
ago, i soon became satisfied that no acted froN
I" principle, aud would 60 to tho stake, or lneo
y death In any shape 1t could assume, rather tha
Z, swervo ono particle from what ho conceived t
Il be hig duty. 1t was tho Bublsmoat exhibition Q
o moral courage I had oYor WitnosnDd, and 1t wa
II tho moro remarkable from being found IN q bo
y OF only 49, away from lis family and frlonta.
1t asked him ono day II he had no Ry1npnthios /
d the contcBt-if l,e had no preferences as toWhlc
1t B!do should bo successful. 20 yen, ho said,
/, would prefer to ECO tho South victorious, IN
+ 1.-Two in tho South aud among Southern people.
Il | hoard gentleman say 10 lin, "YoBtol, dl
tt YOU over oxllibit my emotion about anything |
Q your ufe-did you evor cry In your llfo z" ~
y yes" he said, ~ hayo criod IN my life.
J. TWel" naid tho gentleman, VI would like t
know What wore tic circumstances that cauAo
YOU to cry" swell, air." ho said, "wle
II loft homo to como horo, my mothe
At cried when aho told mo good-by'
ts aud oriod then" "Yoa" said tho goutlt
IL man, u and ii your motlor woro loro now, all
ts could SOC how you are situated, sllo would 10
r you to tako your gun and 20 out, and DO, yo1
o. duty as q aoItlior.H mo, sir," ho quickly IT