New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-10-11

There was q reason, but it will mot
avail me before Q military court"
said: "Perhape you are mistaken; you are
charged with the highest crime known to
military law, and it is your duty to make
known the causes that influenced your &C
lions" For the first time his manly form
tremhled, aud his blue eyes swan in tears.
Approaching the president OF the court lie
presented letter, saying as he did so,
There, General, is what did it," opened
the letter, and in moment my eyes filled
with tears. 1t was passed from one to an.
her OF the court until all had seen it, and
those stern warriors who had passed with
Stonewall Jackson through hundred
battles wept like little children. Soon as
! sufficiently recovered my self-possesslon'
| read the letter as the defense OF the prls'
uner. 1t was in these wOrds:
My DEAR EDwARD-l have always been
proud of you, and since your connection
with the Confederate army l have been
prouder of you than ever before. would
not have YOU do anything wrong for the
world: but before God, Edward, unless you
come home We must die Last night was
aroused by little Eddie's crying | called
and said, whats the matter, Eddie" and
he said, "Oh, mamma, I'm SO hungry" And
Lncy, Edward. your darling Lucy, she
never complains. but she is growing thin
ner and thinner every day. And before
God. Edward, unless you come home We
must die. YOUR MANY.
Turning to the prisoner, asked: What
did You do when you received this letter q
He replied: II made application for fur.
Tough. and it was rejected; again made
application and it was rejected; a third
time made application, and it was reject.
ell, and that night, as wandered backward
and forward in the camp, thinking OF my
home, with the mild eyes of Lucy looking
up to me, and the burning words Of Mary
sinking in my brain. was no longer the
Confederate soldier, but was the father Of
Lucy and the husband of Mary, and l would
have passed those lines if every gun in the
battery had fred upon me. l went to
my home. Mary ran out to meet me, her
angel arms embraced me, and she whis-
pered, 20! Edward, am so happy! am
SO glad you got your furlough" She must
have felt me shudder, for she turned pale
As death, and catching her breath at every
yo,i. she said, Have you come home with
on vour furlough9 Oh! Edward, Edward;
60 back, go back! Let me and my children
90 down together to the grave, but o, for
heavens sake, save the honor Of your name
And here l am, gentlemen, not brought here
by military power, but in obedience to the
command of Mary, to abide the sentence Of
your COurt.
Every officer of that courtmartial felt the
force Of the prisoners words. Before them
stood, in beatifc vision, the eloquent plesder
for husbands and fathers wrongs; but
they had been trained by their great leader,
Robert E. Lee. to tread the path Of duty,
though the lightning's fash scorched the
ground beneath their feet, and each in his
turn pronounced the verdict-guilty. For
tunately for humanity, fortunately for the
COnfederacy, the proceedings Of the court
were reviewed by the commanding general,
and upon the record was written:
HEADQUARTERS, A. NV.
"The finding of the court is approved. The
prisoner is pardoned and will report to his
company. X. E. LEE. General"
During the second battle OF Cold HarbOr,
when shot and shell we're falling like tor
rents from the mountain cloud" my atten-
ton was directed to the fact that one OF our
was being silenced by the concen-
tratcd fire Of the enemy. When reached
the battery every gun but one had been
and by it stood a solitary Con-
federate soldier, with the blood streaming
from his side. AS he recognized ME he
elevated his voice above the roar of battle
and said, General, have one shell left
Tell me, have l saved the honor of Mary
and Lucy!" raised my hat Once more u
shell went crashing through
The ranks of the enemy, and the hero sank
BY his gun to Else no more.