Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1875-10-15
General EoEstOu


O, o'clock.
Genera. s2oIstOH
Our whole community and the peo-
pie of the State, will rejoice with us
after reading the following letter from
General Stone, Secretary of War Of
Egypt to Major J. A. Byrne OF this
city. conveying the gratifying intelli-
gsnce of the great improvement in the
health of General Colsto1, and his
probable early return to Cairo.
The complimentary reference in the
letter to our former distinguished citi-
Zen will be acknowledged as true char
acteristics OF the man. By the recog-
milton and promotion OF such services
the Khedive Of Egypt will greatly
increase the Influences as we'll
as the power OF his nation.
No worthier man ever drew
sword in the services of a county
than General Colston, nor none WHO
will perform his whole duty at
greater sacrifices. We h ppe soon to
hear of bis entire restoration to health,
md hope he may revisit hls old home
would await him.
Che following is the letter from
General Stone:
CAIRo, EGYPT, I
sept 17uh, 1870,
IGJ, j, 4. Bryae, Wilmington ". c,
lily DEAR -IR duly received y ur
Lei.e ram enquirlny for my respect
ri fr11ud ,Cnl>t0n, and replied that by
latest news, August 9Th, his health was
Improving. Nov L nave the pleasure
| OF Informing YOU that [ have received
| = loAg letter az pages) written BY his
| own ia1d at Ooelyad, the capital OF
| kurioTan, under date of i2ch-l6sL ot
August.
| oar 1.iend left Debbe on the Nile III
| March, and the day before st'trtl- s
| out wrUie me cheerful letter. No" L
| know tnGt even ut tha6 TIM 4, was sc
! rloua!y III of liver complnlnt-so 70
| rluusIy indeed that the doctor urged
Ills immediate departure for Calro--
| Colstons reply to INN WAS Character
TIC of his noble nature: No. "a Il he,
Doctor, l can die with the Expeol-
| tion on the DESSERT, but L canLot aoan-
done an Expedition couHded TO my
command.
Even III starting out, the liver com
| PLAIN. had made such progress, that he
| WAS forced 10 be lifted into aud QUO OF
his saddle, and yet he held his piacoat
the head OF his command; directing
| the operations until his malady had
so increased shat he could no longer
cit erect. He then caused sort Ut 1T
ter - Do constructed, snd for one hun
! dr~:,} and fifty miles further, Ia was
CARR. j hy his soidiers-he yet exer-
cisiag command, though suffering tor
surcs each mmute.
Finally, two days journey before
reaching Obeiysd, he was joined by
Major Pcout, to whom he could with
Confidence turn over oGe command, ard
thsr @Dl there only, dad he yield. z S
letter written from t4st place 80 m.'. " is
ons Of tL5 most touching compositions
have ever read; breathing devotion
| to duty and a self-sacrtialng spirit,
| which is most rare and beautiful.
| Your wife's father, nay dear sir, is one
OF the most noble characters that 1t has
been my fortune to meet il 3 hfe OF
great experience with masses OF men.
| When placed before His FL ghuess,
the Ahedlve. the statement Of Colonel
Coiston's conduct, and his then condi-
ton, the sovereign was deeply affect
| ed, and at once gave orders that so soon
as he should be able to move. he should
be brought with all possible comfort,
| to Khartuw, and thence to Berber.
| Suabin, Suez and Cairo, where the
| climate and the best of medical attend
| ance would probably soon work a
| cure. Such orders were sent, but for
a long time he was in no condition to
|
| Thep, suddenly, he had a slight TT
lapse, but that lasted but few days,
and then he began again to improve
| and gain permanently, as we nope.
In his letter OF the 18th OF August,
! he writes, II am much obliged to you
| for not publishing anything about my
illness on my daughters account.
| have purposely abstained from writing
some since L leis Debbe, and in my
letters from that place l said nothing
| about being sick, in order not to ex
cite uneaslness. it Is nearly four
| months since then april 19th), aud
they will be uneasy, but l thought
they would bear silence better.
knowing I was so far from lines Of
| communication, than the knowledge
of my severe illness, while there were
no signs of hope. Now that [ am
likely to live longer, it seems, I will
write to them without further delay"
No letter came for you with this,
aud as I find by your telegram that
news of his illness had reached you,
have taken the liberty to write, hoping
to relieve the minds Of those I know
.re so dear to him, by perhaps a
week or two before another mail will
come down from him.
As the rainy season is now on in
Kerdofan, be will doubtless await it's
close Gn October) before undertaking
nis long journey hitherward. He had
been parsiyzed in both legs and up the
smail Of his back by the enlargement
OF bis liver, but when he wrote he had
regaincd the use Of his limbs and with
assistance could walk. He had even
been carried out ito town, to change
air from the room where he had been
confined go long.
It does my very heart good to re-
cord the endurance and devotion VI
this admira bic officer, Al d gives ME
intense satisfaction to send TO You
good news of him.
With great respect, I have the
honor to be, dear sir. your ohedient
servant. Q. P. STONE,
The Celebration at Shelby
II