The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1874-11-26
A CONFEDERATE STORY.


At recent political meeting at Tus-
cumbia, Ala, Gen Cullen A. Battle rela-
ted the following touching story in the
course of his speech:
During the winter of 1864 it was my
fortune to be president of one of the court
martials of Northern Virginia. One cold
December morning while the snow cover
ed the ground and the winds howled
around cur camp, | left my bivouac fire to
attend the session Of the court. Wind
ing for miles along uncertain paths, | at
length arrived at the court ground at
Round 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 pre-
vious occasion been greeted by such anx-
ious spectators as on that morning await
ed the opening of the court Case after
case was disposed of, and at length the
case of The confederate States against
Edward Cooper was called-charge, de-
sertion. A low murmur rose spontane-
ously from the battle-scarred spectators
as young artilleryman rose from the
prisoners bench, ani in response to the
question, Guilty, or not guilty. answered
"Not guilty"
The Judge Advocate was proceeding to
open the prosecution, when the court, OBJ
serving that the prisoner was unattended
by counsel, interposed and inquired of
the accused, "Who is your counsel?" He
replied, Il have no counsel," Suppos-
ing that it was his purpose to represent
himself before that court, the Judge Ad-
vocate was instructed to proceed. Every
charge and specification against the pris-
oner was sustained. The prisoner was
then told to introduce his witnesses He
replied: II have no witnesses. As
tonished at the calmness with which he
seemed to be submitting to what he re-
garded as inevitable fate, l said to him
"Is it possible that you have deserted
your comrades and abandoned your colors
without reason?" He replied: There
was reason, but it will not avail me in a
military court" l said, "Peahaps 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 actions" For the
first time his manly form trembled, and
his blue eyes swan with tears. Ap-
preaching the president of the court, he
presented letter, saying as he did So:
There, General, is what did it." open
ed the letter, and in moment my eyes
filled with tears, 1t was passed from
one to another of the court until all had
read it, and those stern warriors who had
passed with Stonewall Jackson through a
hundred battles wept like little children.
As soon as | sufficiently recovered my
self-possession, [ read the letter as the
defense of the prisoner: 1t was in these
words:
My DEAR EDWARD: / have always
| been proud of you; and since your con-
nection with the Confederate army l have
| been prouder of you than ever before. l
would not have you do anything wrong
| for the world; but before God, Edward,
unless YOU come we must die! Last night
| was aroused by Little Eddie's crying. /
called and said: whats the matter, Ed
die." and he said: ''Oh, mamma, I'm 50
hungrym And Lucy, Edward, your dar-
| ling Lucy, she never complains; but she's
growing thinner and thinner every day.
| And before God, Edward, unless you come
| home we must die.
Your MARY
Turning to the prisoner, L said "W hat
did YOU do when you received this let
ter?" He replied: II made application
for furlough and it was rejected: again
made application for furlough and it
was rejected: a third time made appli-
cation and again it was rejected. That
night as wandered back and forth in the
camp, thinking of my home, with the
mild eyes of Lucy looking up at me, and
the burning words of Mary sinking in my
BRAIN l was no longer the Confederate
soldier, but was the father of Lucy and
the husband of Mary, and l would have
passed those lines it every gun in the
battery had been fired at me- went to
my home. Mary ran out to meet me;
her angel arms embraced me, and she
whispered: 40, Edward, | am 50 happy;
| am SO glad you got your furlough !"
She must have felt me shu1der, for she
turned pale as death, and catching her
breath at every word, she said: 20, Ed
ward, Edward, 60 back, go back! Let
me and my children go down to the grave
together; but, 0, for heavens sake, save
the honor of our name And here |
am, gentlemen; net brought here by mill
tary power, but in obedience to the com
mands of Mary, to abb lie the sentence of
your court.
Every officer in that court felt the
force of the prisoners words. Before
them stool, in beatific vision, the eloquent
pleader for husbands and a fathers
wrongs; but they had been trained by
their great leader, Robert L. Lee, to tread
the path Of duty though the lightnings
flash scorched the ground beneath their
feet, and each in his turn pronounced the
verdict-guilty. Fortunately for the con-
federacy; fortunately for humanity, the
proceedings of the court were reviewed by
the commanding general, and upon the
record was written;
HEADQUARTERS, A. N V.
The finding of the court is approved
The prisoner is pardoned and will report
to his company.
r. E. LEE, General.
During the second battle of Cold Har-
Dor, when shot and shell were falling
''like torrents from the mountain cloud"
my attention was directed to the fact that
one of our batteries was being silenced by
the concentrated fire of the enemy
When l reached the battery every gun
been dismantled but one, and by it stood
solitary Confederate soldier, with the
blood streaming from his side AS he
recognized me he raised his voice above
the roar of battle and said, "General,
have one shell left; tell me, have saved
the honor of Mary and Lucy?" | lifted
my hat One more Confederate shell
went crashing through the ranks of the
enemy, and the hero sank by his gun to
rise no more.