Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-10-16
YOUNG vEsTOL, THE QUAKER.
From the courior-Journal.l


From the Courier-Journal.
During the stay Of Bragg's army in
Middle Tennessee, Tilgham II. Vestol, a
young Quaker OF Mauray county, in that
State, presented an extraordinary ex
ample Of devotion TO his peculiar faith
He was conscripted and assigned "a
duty in the Fourth Tennessee Infantry
commanded by Colonel McMurray, but
resolutely declined, in spite of persua
sions and threats, to perform military
duty Of any kind War, according Ia
his creed was homicide, and violation
Of Gods law, to which be professed his
first and highest obedience. The hu-
name officers were lenient to him, and
seeing that his behavior was the result
Of neither cowardce nor obstinacy, but
OF religious principle sent him away.
But second conscripting party enrolled
him. He promised to report at head
quarters at the end Of two weeks, and
kept his word manfully. Strange to say,
he was assigned to his old regiment.
Colonel McMurray, his old commander,
il such man could be said to have a
commander, tried to reason with young
Vestol from the Bible, but Vestol was
so ready with texts and argument that
the Colonel was glad to draw his chap
lain into the discussion.
CHAPLAIN would not give a cent for
a religion that is opposed to my coun-
try
Vestol-I would not give cent for a
country that is opposed to my religion.
| The chaplain was dumb
Vestol refused to police the camp or
do the least thing that could be con-
strued into military duty. Colonel Nc
Murray, unable to do anything with
Vestol, sent him to headquarters. Here
he was reasoned with, and every effort
made to induce him to go and perform
the duties of the soldier, he was firm
and inhexible. He was told that if he
persisted in his course he would be sub
jected to severe punishment, and finally
would be shot for disobedience of orders
He replied that they had the power to
kill him, but neither the Federal nor the
Confederate army possessed the power
to force him to prove false to his religion
Ofiicer-Pay five hundred dollars fer
substitute, and be relieved OF your
troubles.
Vestol-Suppose pay the Confeder-
ate Government five hundred dollars
that will enable them to employ some
one else to fight, and it will be equiva.
lent to my hiring another man TO do
what think wrong to de myself. l
cant do that.
Oficer-Suppose get you the posi-
ton of nurse in hospital, to care for
the sick, wouldn't you be willing to do
that?
Vestol-I regard it my duty to do all
| can for the sick and afflicted of either
army, but, il i were to take the position
of nurse ia a hospital, Il would thereby
occupy the place Of another man, who
would 90 out and fight.
Vestol was an ingenious lad, and
knew something of pottery.
0fficer-Suppose | detail you to work
in the pottery in Georgia?
Vestol-Ifit's a private establishment
| will 60; but lift is government estab
lishment, and run in the interests of the
war, can't go.
Everything that could be construed,
directly or indirectly, ints military duty,
he refused most emphatically to engage
in.
Ollicer-Have you no preference as to
which side shall be successful?
Vestol-I would prefer to see the South
victorious, as i live in the South and
among Southern people.
Bystande did you ever feel
an emotion about anything-did you
ever cry2
vestol-Yes; when l left home to
come here, my mother cried when she
told me good bye, and / cried then.
Bystander-If your mother was here,
she would tell you to take your gun and
do your duty as soldier.
Vestol-The last thing my mother said
to me was, to be true to my religion, and
mean to do it.
The case was growing decidedly inter
esting Hon. Henry s. Foote, then
member of the Confederate Congress,
wlo loved to argue better than TO eat,
and had reasons plenty as blackberries
always at the end of his tongue, was
sent for
Foote-Houng man, You are all wrong
about this matter, even from a sGriptH-
raj standpoint. When Christ was upon
earth he directed his disciples to pay
tribute to Cesar. The money thus paid
went into the Roman treasury, and was
used in carrying on the wars of the Ro-
man people.
Vestol-No. sir; you are mistaken
about that. The Temple of Janus was
closed gt that time, and there were no
wars going o.,
Foote-By Cd, believe he knows
more about it than do. | don't know
whether the Temple Of Janus was closed
then or not
Ee was assigned to another regiment
and was hsTopeted repeatedly for con-
tinued disobcdienee, aa;il the soldiers
positively refused 10 punish him.
He was under arrest all the while.
Frequently on retreats his guard would
lose sight cf him, but in a day or two
VestoT would march Up alone into camp
| he was sent to Castle Thupder at Rich-
mond, but vas Gnally permitted to 80 to
school in North Carolina. At the close
Of the war be vent to Rhode Island to
continue his studies. Some two years
ago the young Quaker, whose heroic
constaHcy to his belief was equal to any
thing recorded in the annals OF the
| Hucuenots, Waldenses, or Scottish Gov
/ ensn ters, invented method Of taking
of aud ySit;ag on wagon bodies, for
which he obtained 4 gGscnt, and at last
accounts was living at his IeUo IN
Aaury county.
The Education OF women.
FROM The New York Times.