Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1874-08-15
WHO is RUSsELLY
nr GEORGE CARY LGohEsLoS.

uY GEORGE CARY LGGLEALoN.
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saw him for tho fret time In 1862.
Was stationed, with my battery on the
coast Of South Carolina, aud never was
there nn idler set Of soldiers than we,
We we're In the midst Of great war, IL is
tine. aud mine was a fighting battery
comtosCd chiefly OF stalwart noun
IN peers, but on the coast we had literally
n hing whatever TO do. Once In camp
,.e know we were 10 stay there. There
was no marching 10 b9 done, and no
biyouaeklng. A fight was possible at
any time, aud once Or twice q year a light
came, but We knew iu advance preciaoly
where Il would be waged, aud until our
:oenen should CHOOSE 20 bring 1t about,
We had nothing TO do but 10 amuse our
selves as best we might. The roads were
causeways through swamps, and the count
try aiIorded no battle fields anywhere.
Our business was simply 70 meet any
force which should attempt 10 reach the
railroad, and 10 keep II back II poseiblel
lnasmuch as every little stream Waa
bordered by an utterly impassa morasss
aud could be approached ouly oy way oil a
high and narrow causeway, the places
MntTt IANub NIOtttu AuN tNAfANAb| MNAl hhN
only places ut witch fighting could be
done. Accordingly the troops detailed to
defend the railroad were stationed ga
uear these crossings as the nature Of the
country would premil, and once IN camp
there could be no reason whatever for a
change Of position. We idled away the
time therefore, and, like all Idle people !
we knew OF the golngs and comines of
everybody Ia the country round about.
Every body, that II, except Russell. His
coming was mystery. he did not conc
at all. llo simply appeared one evening
a. II looker-On At TOll-call. He wac a
total stranger, aud there was no way by
which ho could have come TO the neigh
borhood except on tho train, and ns NC all
regularly atteuded the incoming Of every
tram, and promptly pumped all the news
out Of every arriving Passenger, we knew
perfectly well that ku sell had not come
by Fail.
He WAS a comely young fellow, as he
stood there In the rear Of the'hrsteefgeant
and listened to lho calling of the roll.
So shapuly were bis llmbs, and so exact
al the proportions OF his frame, that no
one looking at him would havs suspected
him Of possessing extraordinary strength
and activity. llis head was study for
- sculptor. and In limbs, feature, coin
p.rxion aud hearing, he stood there a
sery alodel Of mauly beauty.
When the rOll-call WIS ended be came
up to lne and, touchlng.hls hat gracefully,
Introduced himself:
"My name l. William Russell. ! shall
De glad Il yOu Hil let ire remain with
your men 10 Night. shall probably wish
10 enlist In your battery to morrow"
Ills words were simple enough, and
hls manner wac that OF q modest gentle
man but there was that M hls voice
which fascinated inU beyond insaaure.
hHd ANY other man come 10 me with a
axe Ecqneat, should have questioned
c.o-ely, aud posslhiy have turned him
o'el ior The night 10 the hospitality Of
"hr OF tue mems mGsses. With Russell
n"lhlns OF tho SOFT. lie WAS u Ren
ltnAn Nsitng my camp. and ! c0nld dC
l." 'r's snau Invite higu to sup aud lodg,
"'th me- lie tusghl no anch Hospitality
but Nhtn | uilt red il he frankly eceeptet
aud found him particularly agree
Au'" ltN"n. lie talked futntly an,
.n'des'y GA All euelccts and before m!
Wolhtr ohiceis came into my quarter
ior our nightly game OF whist, / lad dis
covered That my gueat Was not unl,
tLuioughy educated but thoroughly
familiar with English, German ami
french literature ia we'll. That he hai
lFayeled 'xtcnslyely, we learned very lndI
r,el.y hon.somo VI his casual remarks
him, .. -H-''' i'-''9NN
NeSi day he expressed a wish to enils
"i.h 's, Nud presisIcd iu his purpose Il
FWti ol our assurances that our rude
'heltlyaled mountaineers we're not d
'"hi4hlons for him. After his enlist
'nt's We carefully avoided eyerythin
uA' FtelmFtion upon our previous no,
Niily' or upon hiA own evident gcptilitI
&c huew and observed the distinction
Tween .ihcers and men, and while
"ss s'a1 10 sock him cut when wAute
companion, he never oucs came to m
li1llefs unuyited, though often urge,
n''l 90 do ~. lie was quiet ALWAYS an
uOlvs'' aud Il WAS only by accident this
leslned, little by little, how many an
Nv" N4Htd hia accomplishments wer,
''' uhly did 10 abstain from bOastlnR-
ne was hhy even of letting us learn Il
,qlseH now many things he could d
,alusly well. The men had built
,,, uunue' ol gymnastic structures, aud {
si.-, npous hous their contests OF strength an
r nt, wtIy attended by everybody Ia th
po'knooFhood. For more than a mont
,srr,r.,u ,.Ie,,u ne'u alooi, merely looking at Ii
80 - 'uahees Of tho others. One ate
.,,.,, uo~9eIvf, ssine Of our best gymnas
aiHc,I,S ,ug TO accomplish new aud ver
toata sN 'sal, and when they were read
stlI I,.,,lS.1l Tue attempt as hopeless, Bu
"Ny among them;
ne lhlnk II you will reverse the posilio
" ionr hands, you can 40 that y
a,,s iue man reversed his hands, but rath,
N9t that way, let me show Won.
nl,i u hursell, and going 10 line bar |
dy duNNiy did the thing himself with I
tpa'ehs exertion, whatever. Then. I
.iW mefe Wantenness Of strength Al
g,m'. Sn', nv went rapidly through series
h3innael,c feats Of the most diflcnit sor
snmnis ene performance with number
ho,.,--'ssul1h which would have dor
we " an acrobat, When, he had dpl
n,,Je, Papped hands and ehouted @,
Wnn,sr hnssel simply blushed, as
"u might and wont TO his hut.
AN 's' AneW him TO touch the bars npal
Wines''e 80 was he 10 anything liL q dIsria
b.," eu ! asked him, In prlyate one da
lie replied, "au i'qul'eo MS eki
ms,' ,Vn' have no skill to spealx Of in 4
The sor, pcktd up trick or two
w ". ~ heidelburR.-thnt,s ali -
anolber way We learned one thing aft
tafed -, aooul the man, though he youc
h,.,uus hu us no Information ahont his ma
in eheept 80 much az we had learn
lina mastering him into service and N h
true ! afterwards learned. WAS n
WnIan, ~ pousisted Of but one fact-tb
4 and dn ahu. russell was born In Kentucl
hoos 'ua' single, Isolated fact was a iai,
NE. tHseh afterwards inform
4 ment ,hys ,hys some months after his emil
n A ebisS was an explosion in can
i '' oi ealsson had been tinkerl