The daily gazette. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1874-1883, 1874-10-09
Il Confederate Story.


following touching story in the course of lis
speech:
During The winter of lSG3-'6i it was my
fortune 10 be president OF one OF the courts
martial of the Army of Northern Virginia.
One bleak December morning, while the
snow covered the ground and the winds
howlcd around our camp, lett my bivouac
| fire to attend the 8, sson of the court. Wind
I ing for miles around uncertain paths, | at
| length arrived at the court ground at Refund
Oak Church. Day after day it had been our
duty TO try the gallant SOLDIERS of that army
| charged with violations Of military law but
never had ON any previous occas ion been
greeted by such anxious spectators as ON
that morning awaited the opening OF the
court. Case alter case was disposed of, and
| at length the case Of 1.-THE Confederate state
| VS.. Edward Cooper" was callcd-ch charge,
deseition. a low murmur rose spontane
| ously from tho battle-scarred spectators, as
a young artillery man rose from The prison.
crs' bench, and, IN response TO the qu, alion,
"Guiliy. or not guilty." answered "Not
guilty.
The Judge Advocate was proceeding to
open the prosecution, when the court, OBJ
serving that the prisoner was unattcndcdb by
counsel, mierposed and inquired Of the ac
cuscd, "Who is your counsel2" lie replied
II have no counsel" Surprising that it was
his purpose tn reprci cnt himself before the
court, the Judge Advocate WAS instructed to
proceed, Every charge ana specification
against the prisoner was sustained. The
prisoner was then told To introduce his wit
nosses. lie rpi d, II havs no witnesses"
Astunlshed at the calmness with which he
seemed to BE- submitting to what he regard
ed rs inevitable fate, said to him, Have
vou no defence Is it possible that you
abandoned your comradt and deserted your
colOiS III the presence OF the enemy without
any reason He replied, "ihere was a
reason, but 1t will not avail me before a
military court" l said "Pcihaps You are
mistaken; YOU are charged with the highest
crime known to military law, aud it is yonr
duty 10 make known the causes that innu
encej your actions" For the fist his man
u form tremblcd, aud his blue eyes swan in
te9r'. Approaching the president of the
coutt lie presented a letter, saying as he did
80, "Ihore, General, is what did it," lopez
ed the letter, and in moment my eyes fill
ed with tears. 1t was passed from ono to
another of The court uut! all had seen il,
and those stem warriors who had passed
with Stonewall Jackson through hundred
BATH wept like little children. Soon as
sufficiently recovered 'ay self possession, l
read the letter as The defense OF the prisoner.
1t WI in these words;
10 H,ol' Ed,rr,.i.
have slway, been proud oil you, and
since your connection with the Confederate
Army, have been prouder of you than
ever before. would not have you do any
thing wroug for the world hut before God,
Edward, unless You come home We must
die! Last nisht / was aroused by little Ed
dies crying. | called aud said whats
the matter, Eddie ~ and he hid "Oh,
mamma I'm 50 huugry!' Aud Lucy, En-
ward, your darling Lucy, she never COM
plains. but she is growing thinner and be
lore God, Edward, unless you come home
we must die Your MARY.
Tuning 10 the prisoner, | asked "What
did you do when You received this letter 7"
lie replied; 81 made application for fer
Tough, and ii was rejected again | made
application and IL was rejected third
time made application and it was rejected,
and that night, us 1 wandered backward and
forward in tho camp thinking Of my home,
with the mid eyes of Lucy looking up TO
me, and the burning words of Mary sinking
into my brain, was 10 longer the Confeder.
ate soldier, but was the father OF Lucy and
the husband OF Mary, and | would have
passed those lines II every gun in the bat
terry had fired upon me. went to my homo.
Mary ran out 10 meet me, her angel arms
, mbiaccd me and she whispered, 'Oi Ed
~1i', am 80 happy am so glad you got
ou. lnlongh' She must have felt me
handler, for she turned pale as death, aud
catching her breath at every word, she said,
Have you come without your iurlough
o! Edward, Edward - back 70 ba,k |
Let me and my children 20 down together
10 the grave but q, Tor heavens sake, save
ihr honor OF our name !" Aud here am
gentlemen, not brought here Ivy military
1oWcr, but in obedience to the command Of
Mary TO abide the sentence of your court"
Every o1licer OF the court martial felt the
force OF the prisoner s words. Before them
stood, in beatitic vision, the eloquent pleader
for husbands and fathers wrongs; but
they had been trained 10y their leader, Rob
ert Il. Lee, TO tread the path of duty, though
the llgh,ning's Hash scorehtd the ground
beneath their feet, and each in his turn pro-
nounccd the verdict guilty. Fortunately
ior humanity, fortunately ior the Confeder- |
acy, the proceedings 0. the court were re-
viewed by the commanding general, and
upon the record was written:
HEADQUARTERS, A. n. V.
The finding of the court is approved The
prisoner il paldoncd and v i'll report to his |
company. L. L. LIE, General.
Durng the second battle of Cold Harbor, |
when shot and shell were falling like tor
rents from the mountain cloud" my atten- |
ton was directed to the fact that one of our |
batteries was being sllenced by the conccn-
trated fire oil the enemy. When l reached
the battery every gun but one had been dis
mantled, and hy 1t stood a solitary Coniedcr-
ate soldier, with the blood streaming from
his Side. As hc recognized me he elevated
bis voice above the roar OF battle and said,
"GeneIai, have one shell lett. Tell me,
have saved the honor OF Mary and Lucyi'
l raised my hat OLce more Contedera
shell went crashing through The ranks of
the enemX. and lLa heLo .auk LIZ his uun II