The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-10-22
A Story Of the War.

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A Story Of the War.
At a recent political gathering in Tus-
cumbia, Alabama, General Cullen A. Bat |
tie related the following touching story in
the course of his speech:
During the winter of lS63-64 il was my |
fortune to be president of one of the court |
martials of the Army of Northern Viz
ginia. One bleak December morning, |
while the snow covered the ground and |
the winds howled around our camp, left |
my bivouac fire to attend the session OF
the court. Winding for. miles along UNI
certain paths, at length arrived at the |
court-ground at Rouni 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 occasion been greeted
by such anxious spectators as on that
morning awaited the opening of the court. |
Case after case was disposed of, and at
length the case of "The Confederate
States VS.. Edward Cooper was called
charge, desertion. A low murmur rose
spontaneously from the battle-scarred
spectators, as young artilleryman rose
from the prisoners bench, and. in response
TO the question, Guilty, or not guilty"
answered. mot 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 re-
piled, " L have no counsel" Surprising
that it was bis purpose to represent him
| self before the court, the Judge Advocate
was instructed TO proceed. Every charge
and specification against the prisoner was
| trcta ~
| introduce his witnesses. He replied, 81
! have no witnesses" AstOniShed at the
calmness with which he seemed to be sub
hitting to what he regarded as inevitable
! fate, said to him, ''Have you no defense?
Is it possible you abandoned your COM
rades and deserted your colOrs in the pres
ence of the enemy without any reasOn?"
He replied. ''There was reason, but it
will not avail me before military court"
i said. " Perhaps 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 in tears. Approaching the presi-
dent of the court, he presented letter,
saving as. he did so, STheFe, General, is
what did it." / opened the letter, and in
a moment my eyes filled with tears. 1t
was passed from one to another of the
court un il all had seen it, and those stern
warriors who had passed with Stonewall
Jackson through a hundred battles wept
like little children. Soon as L sufficiently
recovered my selfpOsSession, | read the
letter as the defense of the prisoner. 1t
was in these words: ..-.. .-....-.
My DEAR EDWARD: j have always been proud
| of you, and since your connection with the Con-
| iederate Army have been prOudrr 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 del Last night
| / was aroused by little Edgar's crying. called
and said; g What's the matter, Eddie - and
he said "Oh, mamma, Pm so hungry!' And
| Lucy, Edward, your darling Lucy, she never
complains, but she is growing thinner and thin
ner every day. And before God, Edward, I'M
less you come home We must die.
Turning to the prisoner, | asked :
"What did you do when you received this
letter." He replied: /" made aDplica-
ton for furlough, and it was rejected :;
again made application and it was re-
iected third time | made application
and it was rejected, 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 would have
passed those lines if every gun in the bat
terry had fired upon me. | went to my
home. Mary ran out to meet me, her
angel arms embraced me; and she WhiS
pered, 'Oi 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 word, she said, Have you come
! without your furlough? o. Edward, Ed
ward, 60 back go back! Let me and my
children 90 down together to the grave,
but O, for heavens sake, save the honor
of our name!' And hereI am, gentle
men. 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 cOurt-mTtial felt
the force of the prisoners words. Before
them stood, in beatifie vision, the eloquent
pleader for a husbands and a fathers
wrongs; but they had been trained by
their great leader, Robert 4. Lee, to tread
the path of duty, though the lightning's
flash ScOrched the ground beneath their
feet, and each in his turn pronounced the
verdict-guilty. Fortunately for humani-
ty, fortunately for the Confederacy, 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 count rs APP rove d. The pris-
oner is psrdoned and will report 20 his company.
| r. f. LEE, General
During the second battle of Cold Har-
Dor, while shot andshell were falling = like
torrents from the mountain cloud, - my at
tcntion was directed O-the fact that one of
our batteries was being silenced by the
concentrated fire of the enemy. When |
reached the battery every gun but one had
been dismantled. and-bv it stood a solitary
Confederate soldier, with the blood stream
ing from his side.-As he recognized me
he elevated his voice above the roar of bat
tie and said: General, have one shell
left. Tell me, have saved the honor of
Mary and Lucy?" raised my hat. Once
more a Confederate shell went crashing
through the ranks of the enemy. and the
hero sank by his gun to rise no more.
Why JOhnsOn's Ram Failed to Get n
Premium.
Our county fair is Just over; but John
sons Cotswold ram did not take the prize
that was offered for the best animal of that
kind. Judge Pitman was chairman of the
committee on rams, and he manifested the
d 'epcst interest in Johnson's ram; indi-
eating clearly that if any sheep ought to
[ IKE pHze that one ought to. Johnson s
rum was by itself in a pen with high
board fence, and before adjudicating the
prizes the Judge thought he had better go
in and make close examination of the
animal for the purpo7e of ascertaining the
fineness of its wool. etc. As soon as the
,Tudup reached tine interior he walked TO-