Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1874-02-12

allllcteu IN elther army, bat II L were to
take the position of muse in hospi tai, l
would thereby occupy the place of some
other man who would go out and fight"
aud so declined to do that. Learning
from him that he knew bow to make pot>
terry of earthen ware. | told him there was
a manufactory of that sort in Georgia.
"Now suppose you could be detailed to
work there, would you not be willing to
gOI" He replied; IF it is a private es>
tablishment | will go; but, if it is a Gov.
erument establishment, and run in the in
terest of the Wal, l cant CO." Every,
thing that could be construed, directly or
indirectly, into military duty, he refused
most emphatically to engage in. He was
only about Is years of age. l soon be,
came satisfied that be acted from princi-
pie, and would 60 to the stake, or meet
death in any shape it could assume, rath.
or than swerve one particle from what he
conceived to be his duty. 1t was the sub
limest exhibition of moral courage l had
ever witnessed, and it was the more re-
markable from being found in boy of
only IS, away from his family and friends
| asked him one day if he had no sympa-
thy in the contest-if ho had no preference
as to which side should be successful. 80
yes" he said, II would prefer to see the
South victorious, as l live in the South
end among Southern people" l heard a
gentleman say to him, ''Vestol, did you
ever exhibit any emotion about anything
in your life-did you ever cry in your
life?" 80 yes" he said, 81 have cried in
my hfe." "Well." said the gentleman, 81
would like to know what were the circum>
stances that caused you to cry" swell
sir - he said, "when | left home to come
here, my mother cried when she told me
goOd.by, and 1 cried then" "Yes," said
the gentleman, land if your mother were
here now, and could see how you are sit
uated, she would tell you to take your
gun and 60 out and do your duty as a sol>
diev." "No, sir" he quickly replied /;
"the last thing my mother said to me was
to be true to my religion, and l mean to
do it," 1t was during his stay at Gen.
Maney's headquarters that Vestol had his
interview With Gov. Foote. Gov. Foote
was at that time member Of the Confed-
crate Congress, representing the Nash~
vile District, and was candidate for
reelection, being opposed, as now re.
member, by Col. Savage. The soldiers
from Tennessee in the army we're allowed
to vote, and the Governor was out olec>
tiOnsering among the soldiers. While at
Gen. Maney's headquarters some one
pointed out Vestol to Gov. Foote, or in
troduced Vestol to him, as Quaker who
wouldn't fight, when the following cons
versation occurred between them:
Foote-"What, young man, won't you
fght-you are a stout good>looking young
man-is it true that you refuse to
6ght?"
Vestol-"Yes, sir"
Foote-" Why, you are all wrong
about that. Suppose you were to marry
beautiful and accomplished young lady,
and some ruf1ian were 10 come into your
house and grossly insult her, wouldn't you
kill him."
Vestol-"No, sir"
Foote- Jumping from his seat in a
very excited manner) )-"Why, I'd kill him
in minute"
Resuning his seat after minute, the
Governor orsurveyed Vestol, and again COM
menced a conversation with him.
Young man, you are all wrong
about this matter, even from Scriptual
standpoint. When Christ was upon earth
he directed his disciples to pay tribute to
Caesar, The money thus paid went into
the Roman treasury, and was used in
carrying on the wars of the Roman peo>
ple."
Vestol-"No, sir; you are mistaken
about that. The Temple of Janus was
closed at that time, aud there were no
wars going no."
Foote-'I believe he knows more about
it than l do. | don't know whether
the Temple of Janus was closed then or
not"
Such was substantially the interview
between this remarkable boy aud this re-
markable man Perhaps two more opposite
characters. in many particulars, never came
in contact.
Gov. Foote, as before stated, was at
that time a member of the Confederate
Congress. Whether he voted for the con-
script law, the officers appointed under
which he deaominates the "bloodhounds