The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1874-10-15
A Confederate storr.

AT recent p-Iltieal gathering in
Tuseumbla, Ala, Gen. Cull=d A
Battl=-relttsd the following touching
story in the course of his speech
During the Winter of lS63-64 it was
my fortune to be President of one Of
the cOurts-martisl of the Army of
Northern Virginia. One bleak De-
cember morning, while the snow
covered the ground aud the Wiuds
hOwled around our camp, I left my
biVOuac fire TO attend the session of
the court. Winding for miles along
uncertain paths, at lengtl arrived
at the cOurt-grOund ~ Round Oak
Church Day after day it mad been
our duty 90 try the gaIiAnt 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 Coop
er" was cailed-eha-ge, desertion.
A low murmur rose spontAneOusly
from the battlO-scarrsd spectators, as
q young artIileryman rose from the
prisoners bench, and in response to
the question, "Guilty, or not guilty ~
answered, mot guilty.
The Judge AdVOcaIe was proceeding
to open the prosecution, when the
court, observing that the prisoner was
unattended by counsel, interposed and
inquired of the accused, "W no is your
counsel ?" He replied, "I Lave no
counsel" Supposing that it was his
purpose to represent himself before
the court, the Judge Advocate was in
structed to proceed. Every charge
and specification against the prisoner
was sustained. The prisoner was then
told to introduce his witnesses. He
replied, "I have no Witnesses" As
tOnished at the ealmness with which
he seemed to be suomitting to what
be regarded as inevitable fate, I said
to him, "Have you no defense a.? Is il
possible that you abandoned your
comrades and deserted your eolors in
the presence of the enemy without
any ressOn?" He replied, "rhere was
a reason, but IL will not avail me be-
fore y military court" l said, "Per-
haps you are mistaken; you are charg-
ed with the highest crime known to
military law, and it is your duty to
make known the causes that infiuen-
ced your actions.n For the first time
his manly form trembled, and his blue
eyes swan in tears Approaching the
President Of the court ne presented
letter, saying as he dI1 so, "There
General is what did it." Iopened the
letter, and in q moment my eyes fill
ed with tears. 1t was passed from one
to another of the court until all had
seen il, and those stern warriors who
had passed with Stouewall Jackson
through q hundred battles wept like
little children. Soon as sufficiently
recovered my self-pussessiOn, read
the letter as the defense of the prison.
er. 1t was in these words
My DEAR EDWARD: have always been
proud OF you, and since your connection
with the Confederate Army l have been
prouder ofyou than ever before. 1 would not
have you do anything wrong for the world
but before God, Edward, unless you come
home we must die Last night was arons-
ed by little Edd1e's crying. l called ana
said whats the matter, Eddlef and he
said: "Oh mamma, I'm so hungryl' And
Lucy, she never complains, but she Is grow
ing thinner aud thinner every day. And
before God, Edward, unless you home We
must die. YOUR MARY.
Turning to the prisoner, l asked !:
"What did you do when you received
this letter ?'' He replied: 81 made
application for furlOugh, and 1t was
rejected again l made application
aud it was rejected, q third time |
made application, and it was rejected,
and that night, as 1 wandered back
ward aud forward in the camp, think
ing 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 COnfeder-
ate soldier, but was the father OF Lu-
/ ey aud the husband of Mary, and l
would have passed those lines if ev-
cry gun in the battery had hred
upon me. l went to my home.
Mary ran out to meet me, her an
gel arms embraced me; and she
whispered, % Edward, 1 am so hap
py! I am so glad you got your
| furlough p She must have felt me
shudder, for she turned pale as death,
and catching her breath at every
word, she said, Have you come with
out your furlOush o. Edward
Edward, go back go back Let me
and my children go down together tO
the grave, but o. for heavens sake
Save buC nOnOA Vi Jul <A1N
here 1 am, gentlemen, not brohghl
here by military power, but in O0edi-
ence to the com mand of Mary, to
aUide the sentence of your court"
Every officer of that cOurt-martia
felt the force of the prisoners words
Before them stood, in bestific vision
the eloquent plesder for a husbands
and a fathers wrongs; but they hsC
been trained by their great leader
Robert E. Lee, to tread the path o.
duty, though the lightning's fiIsi
scorched tue ground beneAth their feel
and each in his turn pronounced tn,
veIdict-guilty. Fortunately for hu.
manity, fortunately for the COnfed
eracy, the proceedings Of the court
were reviewed by the commanding
general, and upon the record wal
written
HEADQUARTERS, A. n. V.
The finding of the court is approved
The prisoner is pardoned and will Re
port to his company.
r. E. LEE, General.
During the second battle of Colo
Harbor, when shot and shell were fall
ing torrents from the mountain
cloud" my attention was directed
to the fact that one of Oul
batteries was being silenced by
the concentrated fire of the enemy
When L reached the battery ever
gun but one had been dism mantled
and by it stood a solitary Confederate
soldier, with thsb1OOd streaming from
his side. As he recognized me h'
elevated his voice abOve tue roar o
battle aud said. "Genersl, hav'
one shell left. Tell me, have I saved
the honor of Mary and Lucy ?'
raised my hat. Once more = COnfed.
crate shell went crashing through the
ranks of the enemy, and the hero sanE
by his gun to rise no more.
Western Coal.
The st. louis Republican saws: Or