Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-01-28
Al&fan0rIa @ax&tte
MONDAY EVENING, JANUARY %.
Incident Of the Confederate War.

| received this note from the hospital at
Orange Courthouse carly one moruiog: There
is youth here. brought from Manassas NOR.
| tally wounded lie calls for his mother. Bring
some nourishmsnt and come" My husband
was quartermaster of the post. Without delay
hurried in, and drove to the end Of the vii
lage to the hospital called "Nichol's." " | felt
heartsick as [ entered, so terribly mangled were
the men by ball and shell. The attendant led
me to the cot on which lay the dying soldier;
almost gone" he said; "shot with poisoned
balls, but you may comfort him." lie was
raving in deirium sometimes frantic, then 10
comatose state, and was ono of tho most
splendid specimens of manly beauty, and noble
blood coursed freely through his veins; for tho
flashing black eyes, raven hair, arched nostri,
and chiselled profile told. Here is a young,
hot blooded Southern boy dying for his country
and calling for bis mother, said rough, fuc
looking Louisiana Tiger" who laid next him.
and had lost an arm. Kneeng beside him
saw in his blood drenched jacket a letter, and
gently drawing it out, that l might find bis
name and his mothers, and write to her, saw
the only line legible for the clotted blood,
"Child of my heart" A paroxysm Of ago.
Dy then made him frantic, aud 10 an instant
the whole room was filled with the rich.
manly voice, singing 10 French the 'Marseil'
laise Hymn," and, raising his arm 10 cbeer,thc
blood gushed from his wounded side and he
sank We gave him some nourishment and
bathed his hot, burning brow, and unconscious
ly said to myself the words written, "ChiId
Of my heart" Never can l forget the scene
He opened bis beautiful eyes, growing dim in
death, and said, My own, dear, precious
mother" He knew her loved, pet name for
him, and he know it was his mother. Again
he fell asleep, and the mangled Tiger looked
and said :-"Noble boy, too brave to die
said again-for did not wish him to die with
out some words of Jesus on his hcart-and
softly, II will give you rest. Christ came to
save you. Follow me-" His dim eye lighted
up-"Mother, are you?' "ChlId of my
heart" l said. for | knew his loved name,
II gave my life for my sheep" 1t was evi'
dently dear verse Of hers, for he called :-'Ob,
I said, "Chld of my heart and his lips dig
tinctly murmured, My mother"
Knowing how soon the sick feel affected by
the dead the attendants came in and. raising up
the stretcher, bore him out with his loved lettc:
in his hand. Passing out | met General Earl
Van Dorm, who sald HE thought you his
so; it was his last comfort" We used every
means that we could in the confusion ola hospi
tai formed for battle fl I'D to obtain some Clue
to his family. but in vain His blood atained
raiment was buried with him.
Some time afterwards the Washington ArLil-
lery were quarterad in our meadow, and whor,
on the soft night air, the band would burst out
in the glourous Msrseillsise Hymn, could
fancy heard those rich, full notes as the dying
boy sang them, and always thought he was ono
of the Washington Artillery, all of whom were
of noble blood.
Then came the sad tiding': Tho bravo Gsn.
Van Dorm was dead and knew no one olse
could ever lift the silence Of the tomb. and will
never know TIL the judgment whose darling
was "Child of my heart" V. w. NJ.
P;- L,uouI DjsnnfcL