Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-03-02

with me behind the line of battle. eHBu
you shant be long a prisoner. I'll hav
you exchanged within three days.'adT
And he kept his word. While other, OF
| hers went of to Richmond, went to Wash
ington; and then to my regiment, duly ex
changed. His influence was what effected
1t. U
he was not married yet, bat he informed
me that he should be in few months, ant
In bis joking way invited me cordially to OIL
wedding, which was to take place OF ths
Hastings farmhouse. ~.
81 think I'll come" I replied; "and III
case 1 should capture you again, l shat
clear off this debt; you are one ahead
now" SIS ESQ rR go
Nothing was moro frequent than tC
change the cavalry from left 10 centre, from
center to right; and back and forth until 1t
might be said OF. them that they did not De
long to any ons's division. So thought
nothing strange of it when my regiment
took march of seventy miles, and brought
up one night on the road to Winchester, mol
half mile from the old farm house.
There was to be an advance on that road
and we were to take the front. Infantry
aud artillery were in force at our backs, and
we learned from scout, soon after dark
that the Confederates were Certainly on the
retreat; leaving not soldier between rs ano
the farm house. t @sa ~ GaH
There was no one id advance to- order me
to make an advance; and as NC bad selected
a camping spot, no advance was made.
Something kept telling me all the time
that Col. LIE Vile was near. i could not
shake off the voice, and so wandered down
the road where the pickets were stationed.
The advance was within dozen rods Of
the farmhouse. sAs it had not been dis
turbed, pushed very rapidly almost to the
house, followed with the reserve picket.
Everything was still around the place,
but we saw shadows on the curtains, and
finally entered the yard and walked up the
path. Nearing the doorI heard deep sol.
emn voice reading or repeating ceremony.
Stepping boldly up, followed by the men, l
opened the door upon q marriage cere-
mony.
Col. LIE Vile, in full uniform, held the
hand of Kate Hastings; . minister stood
before them, the parents on either side; one
or two citizens were there as witnesses.
The group was thunderstruck, and for q
moment no one moved or spoke.
"Good evening, Colonel" | remarked.
"You invited ME, you remember, and l
am here"
l held the door so that none of my men
had looked into the room. | now whis-
pered to them to 60 back to the road and
look sharp, and then entered the room.
The clergyman had taken seat, and was
ordered to go on, and no explanations were
then made until Miss Kate Hastings was
made Mrs. Col. LIE Vile. Then we ex-
planned. There was laughing and crying,
and "reguIar time," as the old ladies say.
"The Colonel did not know that the Con-
fsderate rear guard had passed on, but was
intending TO wed Kate and move South an
hour after. He looked at me and read my
decision, and Kate leaned on his shoulder
and wept that be was again prisoner,
What happened?
Well nothing to you. I don't want to
hear anything about "army regulations"
''conspiracies," "court martials," and such
talk. 1t is, however, my opinion that Col.
LIE Vile got away somehow.
was down in the Shenandoah Valley s
few months ago, and whom do you think L
took dinner with? The Colonel looked as
bright and happy as new silver dollar, and
Kate was more charming than ever. The
war rested hard on both, but peace and love
had made the farmhouse little paradise,
and there was money in the crops growing
on every foot of ground.
A curly-headed boy was racing about,
and he was named after me. If they had
not told me this, should not have had the
courage to reply that l had handsoms
little daughter away up in Michigan named
Kate. 81. ..-
Neither Uncle Samuel nor Jefferson Da-
Wis ever knew the customs of war were most
signally outraged, and it is too late to court
martial either one of us now.