South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1878-08-16

at it Copleston turned to me and said.
Look here. old fellow, let's promise
each other that il one Of us is killed with.
out chance to say goodbye. he will
como back again TO see the other. If such
a thing is possible understood him
& promised. We got OH this time without
much damage, but il was always under.
stood between us that the agreement
was lasting one.
Not long after this we were separa
ted. He was sent OH with n detail for
scouting work upon the Mississippi. and
before he got back was captured by
Averill at Moorefcld, after the Cham.
hersburg raid. They sont me to Camp
Chase, near Columbus, Ohio. and here I
laid for long time. with some fifteen to
twenty thousand other prisoners, hear
ing little or nothing Of our men on the
other side OF the Potomac, and then on.
ly from the new prisoners when thcy
were brought into came. or Copleston
We heard nothing a. all.
In Camp chase We lived in big bar
racks. about three hundred mon I'M a
barrack. In the one in which was,
most of the men were Matvlanders Of
our old command. We slept in hunks
around the room. aud the room was
heated by three big stoves. One night
was sitting by the stove nearest tho
door, thinking. 1t was late, and all the
others we're in their hunks asleep. sat
there alone for some time, looking at tho
fire and lost in thought. Suddenly I
felt impelled TO look up, and there, just
in front of me, on the other side of tho
stove and between it and the door, stood
Copleston."
Were you alarmed at ALP asked the
reporter.
No was the answer: Il was not
alarmed. only greatly surprised. There
was nothing to alarm. II was only Co.
pleston, dressed in the Same gray suit
and black felt hot. thought, Of course,
g IL instant; that somehow he he'd
been captured aud brought a prisoner to
the camp, and had only just learned
where was, exclaimed, why, CO.
pleston. when were you brought in2'
and tried to rise up and shake hands
with him. could not move, some
bow.
'Copleston looked at me sadly for q
moment and then said, No, WAS not
brought here; don't you remember our
agreement
Great heavensl' exclaimed. We're
YOU
Yes he said, L was killed to-day
lie then went on and told me all about
1t. Ono day 10 and one other Of our
men were surrounded in house near
Luray. In Page county. Va. by squad
Of Federals, and after . little fight, in
which Copelstan was wounded In the
leg. the two we're captured and taken
into The enemy's camp. They were held
for few days, and were then scnten-
ccd to be shot as an act Of retaliation for
some sins laid at Mosby's door. A SER
geant's guard took them into the woods
and, with some touch of pity, offered to
let them run the gauntlet, Indian fash
! ion. The other man accepted this slight
chance OF escape. but was shot as he
ran. Copleston refused to move. and
was killed where he sat upon the ground.
All this, sir, assure you, was told
me 10y this strange visitor. AS he fin
ished, he said Should there ever be
any other occasion for me to sec you,
will come and then disappeared, not
! going out by the door. but simply IA
ding away. l was of course. strongly
moved, bat shortly after that retired TO
my bunk. The next morning | told the
men in my mess Of the circumstance,
and was, of course. laughed at.
Three weeks afterwards fresh pris-
oners were brought in from tue Army
OF Virginia. who, with other news. told
OF Copleston's death, just as had al
ready beard it from him himself. The
men Of the mess no longer laughed at
my story.
do not pretend 70 explain this at oil.
don't think il can be explained.
am not superstitious, think and, as /
said before. may have dreamed it but
even then /. would be very strange
/ dream.
Nor does the reporter pretend to OK.
plain this story. In Justice though "a
himself and TO the readers Of the Amer.
! icQa, he would say it is corroborated by
the gentlemen of the mess referred TO
one OF whom is States Attorney for one
OF our counties. and the other promi .
neut cotton merchant OF Baltimore
Battimore american.
LEAD Me TO TIE ROCK THAT IS
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