The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1876-05-18
GriI.-Ths TeuDe.see Quaker
y. H. R4fased 10 Fight la the LSte
War.

tennessee. IL IS 4 faithful narration of one
OF the most Interesting and curious events
of the war:
have just read in the Nashville Banner
of the sixteenth instant fragment OF Cover
nor Foote's "reminiscences, headed. How
a Quaker Refused to Fight" As l am
familiar with the facts . u circumstances
alluded to, and as the case realty interested
me at the time, have thought it might be
Of some interest to your readers to 90 into
details more than is done in Governor
Foote'S brief allusion to the case.
The young Quaker alluded to is Tilgham
R. Vestol, who lived near Columbia,
Tennessee. When Governor Bragg's army
was at Shclbyville, Tennessee, young YES
tOl was cOnscripted and sent to that place
He was assigned to duty In the Fourth
Tennessee regiment, commanded 10y Col.
Murray, of Nashville. He reported to the
regiment as required to do, but utterly re-
fused to perform military duty of any
character or descr ption. Neither by threats
nor persuasion cosld he be induced TO alter
his determination The officers of the regi-
ment were as humane as they were true and
gallant, and, after every effort had failed
to induce Vestol to perform the duties of a
soldier, they gave the matter up in despair,
and told him to leave and 60 home, which
he did. Bnt shortly thereafter another
conscript officer came along and VestOl was
again duly enrolled as a conscript, and
ordered to report at Bragg's headq quarters
All alone and on foot, Vestol went TO Chat
tanooga, and reported at Bragg's head
quarters. By most singular coincidence,
he was again assigned to the Fourth Tennes-
see. Col. McMurray, from his Shelbyville
experience, knew he had tough customer
to deal with. He concluded he would try
the force of IN rral suasion, so one day he
sent for Vestol to come to his quarters, and
undertook to convince him from the Scrip
lures that he was wholly wrong in his ideas
and position. But the young Quaker was
rather to much for the gallant colonel in the
Scripture argument, and the colonel sent
for his Chaplin to talk to Vestol and con-
vince him that he was altogether wrong in
his refusal to fight or to perform military
duty. The cha plain came and opened the
argument after this wise: 81 wouldn't
give cent for a religion that is opposed to
my country" Said Vesto, Il wouldn't
give a cent for a country that is opposed to
my religion" The argument lasted for
some time, but left the young Quaker
unconvinced, and determined to do no
military duty of any description. He
refused to police the camp, or do the
least thing that could he tortured or con.
stIued into military duty. At last Col.
McMurray, wholly unable to do anything
with Vestol, sent him to brigade head
quarters. Here he was reasoned with, and
every effort made to induce him to 60 and
perform the duties of soldier, but he was
firm and ipflexible as the everlasting hills
He was t0lo that if he persisted in his
he, la
ishment, and finally would he shot for disc
bedience of orders. He replied that they
had the power to kill him, but neither the
Federal nor Confederate army possessed
the power to force him TO abandon hi
principles, or prove false to his religion
Everything that could be construed
directly or indirectly, into military duty, h,
refused most emphatically to engage in. II
was only about eighteen years of age.
soon became satisfied that he acted iron
principle, and would go to the stake, o
meet death in any shape it could assum
rather than swerve one particle iror
| what he conceived to be his duty. 1t wa
the sublimest exhibition of moral courage
had ever witnessed, and it was the mole re
markdble from being found in boy of onl
>,ghteen, away from his family and friends
in the contest t~aPf p deE Ia h i be had no sympath
| III Iue ConGeSC-I ne nad no preference Il
to which side should be successful. 80 yes,
he said, 81 would prefer to see the Sout
victorious, as live in the South and anon
Southern people" l heard a gentlema
say to him, ''Vestol, did you ever exhlbi
any emotion about anything in your life
did you ever cry in your hfeI' 80 yes,
be saIp, II have cried in my life" ''Well,
said the gentleman, Il would like 80 knO-
what were the circumstances tnat cause
you to cry" ''Well, SIR" he said "whe
| left home to come here, my mother erie
when she told me good-by, ana cried then.
Yes" said the gentleman, ''and If you
mother we're here BOW, and could see no,
you are situated, she would tell you to tax
your gun and go out and do your duty AS
soldier" 'tNn, SIR" he quickly replied
''the last thing my mother said to me wa
| to be true to my religion, and mean to d
it." 1t was during his stay at Gen. Nj; II y
headquarters that Vestol had his ihteIvie,
with Governor Foote. Governor Foote wa
at that time member of the CJnfederat
Congress, representing the Nashville dis
trict, aud was candidate for reelection
| The soldiers from Tennessee in the arm
were allowed to vote, and the governor wa
out electioseering among the soldiers
While at Gen. Maney's headquarters som
one pointed out Vestol to Governor Foott
or introduced Vestol to him, as a Quake
who wouldn't fight, when the following
conversation occurred between them:
Foote-''What, young man, won't yo
fgAt-you are u stout, good looking youn
man--is it true that you refused to fight 2
Vestol-"Yes, si'.
Foote-'Why, you are all wrong abou
that. Suppose you were to marry a beau
tiful and accomplished young lady, and som
rutfian were to come into yuul house an
grossly insult her, wouldn't you xiii him (?
Yes ol-"No, sir.
Foote-( dumping from his scat in yer
excited manner) why, III kill him IN
minute"
Resuming his seat after minute, tn
governor surveyed Yestol, and again CON
menced conversation with him.
Foote-''Young man, you are all wron
about this matter, even from a Scripturs
standpoint. When Christ was upon cart
he directed his disciples to pay tribute t
Caesar. The money thus paid went int
the Roman treasury, and was used in carry
ing ON the wars of the Roman people,"
VestOl-''No, sir; you are mistaken abou
that. The Temple of Janus was closed a
that time, ana there were no wars goin
on"
Foote-'I believe he knows more abou
| IL Inau uv. uU1I'e L-.o-S rhether TN
Temple of Janus was closed then or not.
Such was substar italy the interview bt
tween this remarkable boy and this remarks
bic man. Perhaps two more opposite chal
acters, in many particulars, never came i
| contact.
Vestol was ordered to Knoxville, an,
from that place he found his way to tn
Virginia army, and was assigned to one O
tie Tennessee regiments. Here he was OF
dered to military duty. but firmly refused
as he had done before. The brigadier i
command, knowing of his history or ante
cedents, ordered him to be bayoneted 70
disobedience of orders, and the bayone
was applied to him repeatedly. He bore
with the spirit of a martyr, and the soldiers
seeing that he would die willingly IN pref
erence to sacrificing his principles, refuse,
further to punish him. No punishment O
threats could shake the settled purpose @
his soul for moment. He was under al
rest all the while. Frequently. on retreats
his guard would lose sight of him but in