Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1878-02-09
rnciden. OF ,he Confederate WAR.

Incident Of iiie Confederate var.
A correspondent signed "V. w. NJ. y
writing to the Richmond Dispatch,
says:-
| received this note from the hospital
at Orange Courthouse early one morn
lug: "There is a youth here, brought
from Manassas, mortally wounded. lie
calls for his mother. Bring some nour-
ishment, and come" My husband was
quartermaster of the post Without
DELAY hurried in, and drove to the end
of the village to the hospital called
"Nichol's." | felt heartsick as | enter
ed, 80 terribly mangled were the men
by ball and she'll The attendant led
me TO the cot on which lay the dying
soldier. almost gone, he said; "shct
with poisoned balls, but you may coin
fort him" He was raving in delirium I;
sometimes frantic, then i'll comatose
state, and Was one of the most splendid
specimens of manly beauty. and noble
blood coursed freely through his veins /;
for the flashing black eyes, raven hair,
arched nostril, and chiselled profile told.
Here is young, hot blooded Southern
boy dying for his country and calling
for his mother, said a rough, fine look
ing "Louisiana Tiger" who laid rext
him, and had lost an arm. kneellng
beside him | saw in his blood drenched
Jacket a letter, and gently drawing it
out, that might find his name and his
mothers, aud write to her, 1 saw the
only line legible for the clotted blood,
"Child of my heart" A paroxysm of
agony then made him frantic, and in an
instant the whole room was filed with
the rich, manly voice, singing in French
the "Marseilaise Hymn" and raising
his arm to cheer, the blood gushed from
his wounded side, and he sank. We
gave him some nourshment and |
5sthed his hot, burning brow, and un-
consciously | said to myself the words
written, Child of my heart" Never
can forget the scene. He opened his
beautiful eyes, growing dim in death,
and said, "My own, dear, precious
mother" He knew her loved, pet name
for him, and he knew it was her moth
er. Again he fell asleep, and the fnan-
gled Tiger looked and said :-"Noble
boy, TOO brave to die" | said again
for did not wish him to die without
some words OF Jesus" on his heart
and softly, II will give you rest. Christ
came 10 save you. Follow me- His
dim eye lighted up-"Mother, are you?"
"Child of my heart" l said, for | knew
his loved name, II gave my life for my
sheep" 1t was evidently dear verse
Of hers, for he called :-"Oh, my moth
err and placing my lips near his ear l
said, Child of my heart" and his lips
distinctly nArmured, "My mother"
Knowing how soon the sick feel al
fected by the dead the attendants came
in and, raising up the stretcher, bore
him out with his loved letter in bis
hand. Passing out | met General Earl
Van Dorm, who said: ''Iie thought you
his mother to the end, and it was best
it should be so; il was his last comfort"
We used every means that we could in
the confusion of hospital formed for
a battle field TO obtain some clue to his
family, but in vain. His blood stained
raiment was buried with him.
Some time afterwards the Washing
ton Artillery were quartered in our
meadow, and when, on the soft night
air, the band would burst out in the
glorious Marseillaise Hymn, could
fancy l heard those rich, full notes as
the dying boy sang them, and always
thought he was one of the Washington
Artillery, all of whom were Of noble
blood.
Then came the sad tidings: The
brave Gen. Van. Worn was dead; and |
knew no one else could ever lift the 81
lence of the tomb, and will never know
till the judgment whose darling was
Child of my heart.