Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-05-30

reorganization, as it was called, came. whe'
the government most injudiciously permitted
the men to select their officers, and Wilkes
who had, by low arts, become popular will
the rough fellows, was elected captain. From
that moment my miseries began. He tool
every occasion to insult me. If there wa
any mental work about the camp, was OIL
the detail. l was habtually addressed b.
him in the most iusolent manner, and finally
for some slight breach of discipline, va
subjected to humiliating punishment, hand
cuffed, and confined in the guard-house fo
three days, with the scum of the command.
II ragged under this, as you may fancy, bu
could do nothing. But relief at last came
I obtained transfer TO another company
1t was ordered to Virginia. Twas authorized
through the influence of friends at Rich
mond, to raise company Of partisan ran
gers, and then Wilkes and myself once more
met. He, too, had come to Virginia, hat
shown the white feather in the first battle
had been cashiered for cowardice, and hat
deserted and joined another company of ran
gers, with view of deserving, as 1 afterware
knew, to the enemy.
lls
going on an expedition, and as the command
er of the rangers among whom Wilkes hae
enrolled himself, was personal friend, ap
piled to him for part of his command tt
take with me, to which he readily assented
They were sent to me, and the first face saw
was that of Wilkes. He turned somewha
pale when he saw me, but beckoned him
took him aside, and said to him:
"You see the tables are turned now, my
good friend, and if were disposed to do SO
I might clear off old scores between US. Blu
I shall not lower myself by doing so. d.
your duty and you have nothing to fear
Fail to do it, and will punish you withou
mercy"
"He scowled at me, but made no reply
and in an hour we marched to make the at
tack 1 designed, upon a Federal picket to
ward Fairfax. Well, the picket was surprised
and driven-a number having been Gu
down with the sabre-snd I was about tt
give up the pursuit when saw Wilkes going
at full speed in the direction taken by the
enemy"
"'That man is desertingp I exclaimed te
my lieutenant. Take six men and follow
him. and bring him back dead or alive!"
my order was promptly obeyed. Wilkes
was hotly pursued for mile, and would nc
doubt have gotten off, for he rode very fine
horse, but the animal stumbled, threw him
and he was captured"
Two hours afterward I was back in the
bivouac in the direction of the Blue Ridge
and had assembled court-martial to try the
man. His crime was plain-for deserving is
among the greatest of crimes-the greatest Of
all in military point of view."
"What have you to say why the penalty
of your ofense should not be visited upon you
to be shot to death p asked"
"His face resembled that of corpse, and
his lips muttered something, but no sound
came distinctly.
"'Speak I said.
"Instead of speaking, he grovelled on the
earth before me and began to cry like baby
and exclaimed:
"'Oh have mercy on me!
"I looked at him with contempt and
loathng beyond words. The abject coward.
ice of the man made me despise him beyond
words, and mastered by sudden impulse
said:
"'This creature is not worthy of being shot
like a soldier. Strip him to his waist, tie him
to that tree and give him twenty lashes-
after that will consider what will do with
him.
"The order was promptly obeyed. As the
lash-a calvary bride rein-fell upon his
writhing shoulders, he turned his head and
looked at me with inexpressible malignity
His face was that of a demon incarnate-he
resembled rather, let me say, some reptile,
deprived of his poisonous fangs, but ready
to spit venom, poweress as he was. at the
man he hated so bitterly. When the punish.
ment had ended went up to him and said:
"'When you were the captain Of the com.
pany in which was private, you subjected
me to every indignity, without o6ense on my
part, only to crafty your own vile heart. |
told you yesterday that would not use my
rank to take revenge on you for that but
you have chosen to subject ourself to mill
tary punishment, and you have received it
your proper punishment would have been
DEATH
II turned my back on him he was placed
under guard-and on the next night had sue
ceeded in making his escape and deserving to
the enemy.
Monteagle was silent moment, then he
added:
You now know the quarter from which
look for danger. Something tells me tina,
the creature is in this region, with the FEEDER
al forces, aud that he has sworn my death
Do you ask me why I fancy so? l cannot
tell you. l am like one of those tropical ami
mails who divine, by sort of instinct. the
vicinity of the anaconda who is about tc
crawl up, under cover, and attack them
wrapping them in his Shiny folds and stran
Cling them"
"Give up your fancy, Mouteagle," | said
lit is the merest fgment of disordered
brain! Your nerves are out of sorts-you
have los, too much sleep of late, and give
way to chimeras"
He shook his head.
MY nerves were never in more perfect
order, and my mind is as clear and calm as it
ever was in my life. am going to die soon
friend; and-shall speak frankly ?-I re-
gret it."
81 should suppose you did," said, gloomy
in spite of myself.
II mean that peculiar circumstances make
me value lfe-I never cared much for it be
fore this year."
II understand"
Il see you do. am engaged to be mar
ried to that beautiful girl you saw last night
II know that, or fancied it," l said. "Tt
be equally frank with you, as you have been
with mel witnessed your parting with her.
"Ah? Then l need say no more, excep
that love her with all the strength of m,
being. l worship the very ground she walk!
upon. 1t is very little indeed to say that