Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-09-24
a Brace OF Heroes

Bill Redding died yesterday morning. o. f..
Sheartr had COMO two or three days previously,
though The news did rot reach VI until last
night by Tho mails. They were a braoo OF ho'
roes though living huodreds OF miles apart,
and probably strangers to each othcr~-a brace
of heroes without any OF the brass ornaments
Of frippcry Of the battle field to Distinguish
them IRON other rucc, bu: still with tho heroic
nature of the highest sch0o! implanted 10 them.
Bill Rcdding vas the telegraph operator at
Grenada, and al tho same time correspondent
of this paper--a bright, young follow Of only
twenty three, With vigor Of youth and the
hope OF long life before hlm. When tho vel.
low fever broke out al ur2rada he tclcgraphed
the Enquirer rrlvatc message saying that the
Yellow Jack threatened tC g'1a them ilcroc
tussle but be would stay, aud might DC relied
upou for the news. lis dispatches were graphic
and cheerful, coming from brave maD at list,
but day by day, es the situation became mere
alarming, they changed ia their tcnc. They
wcro graphic still, but the horrible eccn2s
through which he was passing gave tho elo
uucnco OF woe to what he Wr0lc. Oac day he
commenced his dispatch -
"ro describe the scene is beyond The power
of mortal map. Although the deaths arc de-
creasirg, it is not from 40 abatement OF inc
disease. but from The want Of material. Oar
little band Ct we'll ones arc quickly couutcd,and
we miss them hourly, rcGurloE the strongest
nerve and courage ior Us 60 battle against the
plague demon. We imagine We caa a!most SEQ
it 10 the air, ADD We feel as II 1t was lurking
around US, waiting fer al unguarded momcn!
to strike Us down.
That gives an idea OF what tr!Vo biil h9d'
ding AID lis associates were dong Tor hamtn'
itv. 4 week ago iaHt night i've sent annihcr
private !n2;.>&l", saying ti;.1 hs 0iin { hnn"
how long he wculi live, and nc wanted lho
anoun; Q! his compensation ixcd-ihat nc "as
braV!pg the daoEcrl tDr h!s mother ald tAO',
lcncuteot 90 lin. a liberal sum was named
for bis sJrvic3 to tat date, and still more lor MS
fniurn nav. Two or thrcc days later his dS
matches came With an apology ut the loot say
ing that ht feared that he could not wrl!e
c,Lcrently, rs the room ia which be TrOto con-
ta;pcd four persons down with tho disease and
| corrsc. The four pGrs0rs were Bill kcG'
ding's wife. his mother and his two sisters. '--
The corpsc was that OF his child. Was 1t any
wander that be could cot Wrtc cohcrcntiY =
! Two davs more elapsed and his dispatches
came along a. usual, 0n|y the Woeiul picture
drawn in them Increased IN It's dark colors.-
| There was no hope at Grenada, but Blil H9a-
ding sill remained battling in the face or de-
snair. Then two more days passed, and there
was notli1s from Grenada. The otlco could
not ba reached ny the wires. This was last
Thursday and Friday. The town seemed tc
havn dronoed cut G existence. Saturday the
wirc was opcned again, and with It's opening
| csmc the nlcssag: "Bill kedding is, down
UiIh the fever. This for the Ecquircr. YES
tcr5av camo still another: "kodd!ng died
| This morping at half past eight The nero
had foupht his last fight, and was conquered %
him who corqnclS all. u;-,,
l Our other hero, Shcarcr, was tho hhqu'et
ieorrespondent st New Orlaana-a bravo, so!Gie.-
lily man, who had aced dan.h on 'I1r" rnh ~, With
lie f.lds, TO find it in another iorm though WIZ,
him stll at tho post Of duty. lilo had serVeH
the Ennuer faithfully, though hu! q bTlci leEg'!
| of,i,,o and his dispatchos from the Cresceh'
City were among tho very beas that Came 10 any
northern paper. His pictures O. INC panle .h g,
# csme up from tho bayous, wero more Vivir
and startling. but there WAS not Inc rGa'
;sm If WOO and desolation in them that perVadei,
thoze from Grcnada. 1t wss not to BIZ expccled
| in largo city. one day, however, onesrni
dropped cut from the liat OF those senatns Nu Wv,
OrIeanp. Last evening letter came III ,vI' ~
.hst cily, returning dralt VIC aSh sen' ntu; a..
/ Nth the words, Accept many lGshi5S; o9: !
eame too late to do him any Soote' yin ~ Ce, ne
"Wednesday morning ct SIX ocio'Se SiS So0.b in vol:
hsve taO aOd TsIts1 esad copy to his mother Mrs
pSpeo,sr pSSpo, Oko.onr Mizs? for l am sure
1no"1d ho some satisfaction for her to know LIN
Ser sons death though: far ard 1wSy Scare
Brave heroes, both Keddlns ana oMss'H is
Not in the din OF eaf d;a ,bev wIsiI fs not on til
sts5 ga Of Of soTy eSs; of shGs
around them. but in meeting the pestie;hcI9 .Hs
WsEeh By day. in the sG1Is be sss orsd ns au-
to their follow.men' were I 'ie,s ,,,ro ,r.''
sscriGce noble. heroic and pure
=, Tho nobIest death thst nan Z, 'S'' O''
Is whom he dies for man
L / cincinnati Enquirer.