The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-09-19
TRUE TO PRINCIPLES.

Il
Up Arms I'm the Late War.
correspondence Nashville Banner.1
I have lust read in the Banner of 18th
inst, a fragment of Gov. Foote's re-
miniscences headed, Chow a Quaker
refused to fight" As I am familiar
with the facts and circumstances alluded
to, and as the case greatly interested me
at the time, I have thought it might
be of some interest to your readers to go
into details more than is done in Gov
Foote'S brief allusion to the case.
The young Quaker alluded to is
Tilpham r, Vestol, who lived near Co
lumbia, Tennessee. When Genl
Bragg's army was at Shelbyvllle, Ten
nessee, young VestOl was conscrlpted
and sent to that place, he was assigned |
to duty in the 4th Tennessee regiment, |
commanded by Col. McMurray OF
Nashville. He reported to the regiment |
as required to do, but utterly refused
to perform military duty OF any char
| acter or description. Neither by threats
nor persuasion could he be induced to
1 alter his determination. The omcers OF
| the regiment were as humane as they
| were true and gallant, and, after every
| effort had failed to induce weston 10
4 perform the duties of soldier, they
4 gave LQ6 uldGb6E up III NACSH~AA5
| him to leave and go home, which he
did. But shortly thereafter, another
| conscript officer came along and NestOI
was again duly enrolled as a conscrlpt,
/ and ordered to report at Bragg's head
l Quarters. Not being ready just then TO
l leave his home, he asked and obtained
/ tbe time of two weeks within which to
| repOrt. some citizen of Columbia, Cham
/ cellor Fleming, as now remember, 60
| ing his security that he would report at
| the end of the time. Before the two
weeks had expired, Gen1 Bragg had
| fallen back to Chattanooga. All alone
and on foot, Vestol went to Chattanooga,
and reported to Braggs headquarters.
Bv most singular coincidence, he was
again assigned to the 4th Tennessee.
| Col. McNIurrav. from his Shelbyvllle
| experience, knew he had tough custo-
mer to deal with. He concluded he
would try the force of moral suas on, so
one dav he sent for Vestol to come to his
| ouarters. and undertook to convince him
from the Scriptures, that he was wholly
| wrong in his ideas and position. But
the Young Quaker was rather too much
for the gallant Colonel in the Scripture
argument, and the Colonel sent Tor MS
| chaplain to talk to NestOl and convince
him that he was altogether wrong IN hls
refusal to fight or to perform military
duty. The chaplain came and opened
the argument after this wise:
/, | wouldn't give a cent for religion that
is opposed to my country" Said Nestol,
"I wouldn't give a cent for country
that is opposed to my religion. The
| argument lasted for some time, but lett
the Young Quaker unconvinced, and de-
| termined to do no military duty OF any
description. He refused to police the
0 camp or do the least thing that could be
tortured or construed into mil, cary
), duty. At last Col. McMurray, wholly
+ unable to do anything with Vestol, sent
= him to brigade headquarters. Here he
was reasoned with, and every effort
made to induce him to go and perform
the duties of a soldier, but he was al
firm and infexible as the everlasting
hills. He was told that if he persisted
in his course he would be subjected tt
, severe punishment, and finally woult
he shot for disobedience of orders. III
replied that they had the power to XII
him. but neither the Federal nor Con
federate army possessed the power t.
force him to abandon his principles o
prove false to his religion remembe
endeavoring to persuade HIM one cay .
pay the five hundred dollars, Whlch Tn
law provided a Quaker might pay, an
be e-emp pt from military duty an
asked him if he couldn't raise tina
amount and pav it, and thus get rid c
the troubles that I plainly saw ahead
him If he perslsted in his course. ii
l. said he could raise the money wlthou
anv difficulty, but said he, Suppose
nav the Confederate government nv
hundred dollars, that will enable thel
To emplov some one else to light, an
it will be equivalent to my hiring al
/ other man to do what l think 1t wron
u TO do myself. / can't do that.
I then said to him, Suppose coul
get YOU the position of nurse IN hosp
tai. to care for the sick, wouldn't 20
be willing. TO do that? He said, 81 II
gard it nv duty to do all | eau for tt
sick and afflicted of either army, but
Hwere to take the position of nurse IN
hospital, woulsssdereby occupy ii
place of some other man, who would
out and fight, " and so declined to
that. Learning from him that he kne
how to make pottery or earthenware,
told him there was manutactory
that sort in Georgia. 3" Now suppose yC
could be detailed to work there, wou
you not be willing to go? He repNe
IF it's a private establishment, ! WI
go; but if it is a government establls
ment, and run in the interest OF u
war. I can't 60. Everything tn
could be construed, directly or indireC
lv, into military duty, he refused mo
e'u emphatically to engage in. He W
only about eighteen years of age.
soon became satisfied that he act
from principle, and would go to t
stake or meet death in any shape
. couId assume, rather than swerve o
ETR ! Darticle from what he conceived to
an his duty. 1t was the sublimest exhil
tIv ton of moral courage / had ever W
1Id messed. and it was the more remarkat
yes from being found in a boy of only ele
,ok teen. away from his family and frlenC
no T asked him one day if he had no sy
ab- nathies in the contest, if he had no p
ON ference as to which side should be 81
I'M cessful, go yes, he said, - woU
tor prefer to see the south victorious, a.
ice live in the south and among southe
ldi- people. p" heard a gentleman say
all him, "Vestol. did you ever exhl
of any emotion about anything IN ye
ex- life, did you ever cry in your life?
,all yes. he said g I have cried IN
Ugh life. " "Well, said the gentleman,
$ of would like to know what were the
hat cumstances that caused you to cry
,ect "Well, sir, " he said, "wben I |
liza home to come here, my mother or
the when she told me good bye, and I or
nan then. " Eyes, said the gentlem
AXE land if your mother were here nc
tile land could see how you are sltuateo,
tile would tell you to take your gun ana
at out and do your duty as soluiel
eff "No, sir, he quickly replled;
ion last thing my mother said to me was
he true to my religion, and I mean