American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-11-07
THE LETTER THAT CAUSED A DESEKTfON.

WAS my fortune to be the 1reSldent
of one of the court martla'S OF the
Army Of Northern Virginia. One
bleak December morning while the
snow covered the ground and the
wind howlrd aIoun! our camp,
Feft my b'vouac fire to attend me
session of the court. w lndihS I"r
miles along uncertain paths, L at
length arrived at the court ground
nj round Oak Church. Day after
day it had been our duty to try the
gallant soldiers OF that army, charg
ed with violation OF the military
law but never had on any prevI-
.oas occasion been greeted by stsch
anxious spectators as on that morn
ing awaited the opening OF the
court. Case alter case had been
DISPOSED of, arl at length the case
of The Confederate States VS..
Edward Cooper" was called
charge, desertion. A low murmur
rose spontaneously from the battle
SCARED spectators, as young artli.
lerymau csc from the prisoners
bench. and. in response TO the ques
ton. equity, or not guilty?7 ans
wered ''Not guilty.
The Judge Advocate was pro
ceeding to open the prosecutions,
when the court, observing that the
prisoner was unattended by cOun>
sci, interposed and inquired OF the
accused. "WhO is your counsel :"
He replied, ~ have no COUNSEL
Supposing that it was his purpose
to represent himself before The
court. the Judge Advocate was dl-
rected to proceed. Every charge
and specification against the prlso-
ner was sustained. The prisoner
was then told to produce his wit
nesses. He replied, IL have no
witnesses AStOnished at the
calmness with which he seemed to
be submitting to what he regarded
as inevitable fate, l said to him.
"Have you 10 defense. Is it pos
sibie that you abandoned your
comrades and deserted your coieTs
in the presence of the enemy with
ont any reason :" lie replied,
There was IA reason, but it will not
avail me in military court" l
said, Perhaps you are mistaken
you are charged with the highest
crime known to military law, and 1t
is your duty TO make known the
cause that influenced your action
Then for the first time his manly
form trembled, and his blue eyes
SWAIN with tears. Approaching the
President of thecoHrt Ire presented
a letter, say ing is he did so. 'Ihere,
General. is what did it," l opened
the letter, and in IL moment my eyes
filled with tears. 1t was passed
from one to anO her OF the conrt
until all had seen it, and those
stern warriors who had passed With
Stonewall Jackson through a hun
dred battles wept like children.
sion, read the letter as the defence
of the prisoner. 1t was III these
words:
"MY DEAR EDWARD 1 have
always been proud of you, and since
your connection with the Confeder-
ate army l have been prouder of
YOU than ever before. I'wculd not
have you.do anything wrong for the
world, but before God, Edward, un-
less you come home I'VE itnust die !!
Last night 1 was aroused by little
Eddie's crying. L called and said
whats the matter, Eddie ?" ''Oh.
mamma, Pm so hungry And
Lucy, Edward, your darling Lucy,
she never 'cdihplains, but she is
growing thinner and thinner every
day-And before God, Edward, I'M
less you come home we must die.
"YOUR MARY"
Turning to the prisoner, asked:
"What did you do when YOU re-
ceived this letter He replied 81
made application for furloug', and
it was rejected; again l made APP
plicatiOn, and again was rejected
third time made application, and
it WIS rejected, and that night as l
wandered back 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, l was no
longer the Confederate soldier, but
was father of Lucy and the huS-
band of Mary, and l would have
passed those lines if every gun in
the battery had been fired upon me.
l went to my home. Mary ran out
to meet me, her angel arms EN-
/ braced me, AID she whispered, ooh,
Edward, | am SO happy! l am so
glad you got your furlnughn She
must have felt me shudder for she
turned pale as death. and catching
her breath at every word, she laid,
have you come home Without Your
furlough 2 Oh, Edward, Edward !!
go back go back Let me and
my children go down together to
the grave, hut for heavens sake
! save the honor of our name! And
here | am, gentlemen, not brought
here by military power; but i'll
obedience to the command OF Mary,
to abide the sentence of your
court
| Every officer of that court mar
tial felt the force Of the prisoners
words. Before them stood, in
beatific vision, the eloquent pleader
/ for husbands and fathers WRONGS :;
! but they had been trained by their
/ leader, Robert T.. Lee, to tread the
path OF duty, though the lightning's
flash scorchcd the ground beneath
J their feet and each in his turn pro-