The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1879-09-13
the FALL OF AsnDY.
SHOT BY HIS OWN MEN.
With Gen. Bradley I. Johnson's Pic.
ture Of The Soldier.
By ]. IDTEN COOK.
In the Detroit Free Press.1

This soldier was q grand figure 10
abe popular eyes. Some human DO.
iOge seem to be types. summing o.
10 their persOns, and representing
classes. Ashby Was the type Of the
chevslief 40 much a. ever Bsyard
wac, and stands ont from the gres,
var canvass OF virRi0i.'s battles,
like Bsysrd In his era, a. tho knight
without fear or r~proach. In person,
character and achievements, there
was something romantic about him
10 the brst meaning OF that term
not the cheap romance OF feathers,
braid and bOmbast, on the psgesntry
which catches the vulgar eyes; tht.
romance OF the mans individuality
and life lay 10 his knightly honor
and sweet temper, his simplicity and
unSalteriDg courage, which wss
shown on % many oCcasl0ns that
he career IN the army would AFFORD
material for o series OF superb poslic
ps~ces. ! bad oily . slig6 personal
acquaintance w.lh him, but any one
thrown In biz Company for even the
shortest time, could ere what q beau.
'iful and noble type OF manhood b.
We. Ashby was low 10 stature, With
complexion nearly ~ dGrk % y
M0or'e, brOwn eyes fail 0fan expres.
zion VI great sweetness and kindness
and . heavy black besrd. silken AND
matted, W0ich came down to bis
breast. He wore IN action q plaiu
grsy uniform and felt hat and feath.
Ut, boots TO the knee, with strong
spurs, and . light sabre. He Was y
OvvSlryman vi over even hi0 Limbs
seemed to Do curved outward BY liz
10 tho saddle. He had always beeo
= famous horsemsn even before the
war, when be Was fond Of riding .
''tUurnsmopts," tho diversiUn Of
Sou, b. m youths 10 tho summer sea.
900 and In tact, came OF \ family OF
bar, riders, many OF whom carries,
shejI skill 70 tho wxss. He ~ 0 quite
u cusruiug man persvually lr0m
me mOde6iy ant sweetness IL bis I'd
Nirvss y plus mao, too. though no.
approaching SlOneWxll jackson u
bat particular, ~ no other mSu did
70 iiiehds aud family, aud STATE.
100, be wxs utterly devoted, sod che
unshrinking nerve he exhibited
q hle cOutjuuOus lighting Was mix.
I'd with . tenderne = OF nesrt which
n RUUd WOillAu could not nxve sur
psssttl. Although bic carer 10 l,tllr
known beyond hts cOmmUn~ ealtL,
x.xpt by thUse WHO felt the weigh
II his ssiD, the 10 NOT the place IT,
.pesk Il Il. ! ought not to psse IT,
b. iucjdeut, OF bis des'b, n~v~slhe.
l~se. without noting 10 prOvf Of tute
wowxDly tenderness, the sCen.. Ct hte
bfv, Det RlU0Srd's grave. RichSru
Asbby we oh0s aud allied IN the
Uupef POaowaC In the summer Of
106i-hiD hUrte bed lAlt q and he ~,
+. uuen vver, lst,sssd, Ofused and
then shot TO desth. Turner AshUy
onarRSd tho Federal csvxlfy with
eleven men, kiiiiUg i've With Die Owl
maud, but cUuid not sxve bic bro, her.
whO Wxs buried near the spos where
no fell. A. the gave Turner AshbS
xas nearly OVERCOME. HI took BIZ
br0t hvs'u sWoeJ, brVke e and plsced
Il IN the cOliin, aud then. with b.
hnude clasped and eobbi6R. looked
~ 70 u making some v0w. IAlteI
lHaa one who knew him said. Ash.
bv 10 nov = o<vvled man." He cor.
,:inly seemed 70 have devoted hi.
ilfo 10 the overthrow Of those Who
hsd Kill BIZ brother. He love fvr
NM 0tsso Was almOet passianatp.
hoVever. When seoeo0lvn broke
out N April, ls6l, people oAid IN V.r.
v,nia: ''WGxt nag ore We going 10
naht undss-lhs Palmetto, u = Is? p
Hshby yalsvd h1e bet and showed %.
.,eie II NJ email vIIRiniH dag With
- Virgin o. iesad sa,d: ''heee 4