The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1881-10-27

II am ordered, Colonel Morgan, to q.
certain whether the firing just nov
heard. proceeded from your detach.
. ut did, sir" doggedly replied Nor.
gan.
"Then, Colonel Morgan" continu.
ed the aid, II am further ordered to
require Of you your immediate atten.
dane. upon his Excellency, who is
fast approaching"
Morgan bowed, and the aid, wheel.
ing his charger, galloped back to re-
. Join the Chief.
i The CLEANS of the morning sun.
. shining upon the sabres of the horse
guard, announcing the arrival Of the
dread commander-that being who in
spired with q degree Of awe every one
who approached him. With q stern
yet dignified cOmposure, Washington
addressed the military culprit: Can
1t be possible Colonel Morgan, that
my aid-de-camp has informed me
Alright? Can 1t be possible, after the
orders you received last evening, that
the firing We have heard. proceeded
from your detachment Surely, sir,
/
be easily misunderstood"
Morgan was brave, but it has been
often, and justly, too, observed, that
could approach the great Washington.
and not feel degree of awe and ven.
Grafton from his presence. Morgan
quailed for moment, before the stern
yet just displeasure Of his Chief. till
arOusing all his energies for the effort
he uncovered and replied:
"IOur Excellency's orders were per.
fectly understood, and agreeably to
the same, / proceeded with q select
party To recOnnoitre the enemy's lines
| by night. We succeeded even beyond
our expectations, aud l was returning
| to headquarters to make my report.
when having halted few minutes to
rest the men, We discovered q party Of
horse coming out from the enemy's
lines. They came up immediately to
the spot where we lay, concealed by
the brushwOOd. There they halted.
| and gathered together like a flock
OF partridgss, afiording me SO tempting
an opportunity Of annoying my enc.
my. that, may 1t please your Excellen.
cy, flesh and blood could not refrain"
At this rough, yet frank, bold and
manly explanation, q smile was OBJ
served to pass over the Generals suite.
The Chief remained unmoved; when. |
waving his hand, he continued: Col.
onel Morgan, you will retire TO your
quarters, there tOawait further orders"
Arrived ut his quarters, Morgan
threw himself upon his hard couch.
and gave himself up to reflection I'M.
OH the events which had 50 lately and |
rapidly succeeded each other. He was
aware he had sinned against all hone 1
of forgiveness. Within twenty-fo,,r
hours, he had fallen from the COM
mand Ofa regiment, and being an espe.
cial favOrite with his General. to be
what "a disgraced soldier. Condem,
cd to retire froml the scenes Of glory.
the darling passion of his heart-forey.
er tn abandon the "fair fields of fight
ing men," and i'm Obscurity to drag
out the remainder of u wretched exis.
tence, neglected and forgotten. And
then his rank, SO hardly and SO nobly
won, with all his "blushing honors.h
acquired in the march across the frozen
wilderness Of the kenebeck the storm.
ing of the Lower Town, and the gal
liant and glorious combat at Saratoga.
The hours dragged glOomily away,
and night came, and with it no rest for
the troubled spirit of poor Morgan.
The drums and flies merrily sounded
the soldiers dawn, and the sun arose,
giving promise Of II goOdly day"
And to many within the circuit of this
widely extended camp. did its genial
beams give hope and joy, and gladness,
while it cheered not with single ray
the despairing Leader of the woods
men.
About ten o'clock, the Orderly on
duty reported the arrival of an officer
Of the staff from headquarters, and
Northumberland Hamilton, the ia
vOrite aid of the Chief,
entered the marquee.
BE seated" said Morgan, ~
know ar errand, SO, he short, my
dear fellow, and put me out Of my mis-
cry mt once. j know that am arres-
ted, 'tSS0 matter of course. Well,
there is my sword; but surely his Ex-
cellency honors me indeed, i'm these
last moments Of my military existence,
when he sends for my sword by his IA
vOrite aid, and my most esteemed
friend. All my dear Hamilton, IL YOU
knew what have suffered since the
accursed horse came out to tempt me
to my ruin"
Hamilton, about whose strikiuply
Intelligent countenance there always
lurked playful smile, now observed
Colonel Morgan, his Excellency has
ordered me to"
81 know it," interrupted Morgan,
to bid me prepare for trial; but.
Dshaw, why a trial? Guilty, sir, guilty
Dast all doubt. But, them" recOllect-
ng himself, perhaps my services
night plead-nonsense, against the
of a positive order; no,
10, it's all over with me, Hamilton
here is an end to your old friend, Col
mel Morgan"
The agoniZcd spirit of the hero then
mounted to a pitch of enthusiasm, ~
he exclaimed: "But my country will
my services, and the British
nd Hessians will remember me, too
or, though ] may he far away, my
rave comrades will do their duty;I
nd Morgan's leifiemen will be, as
hey always have been, terror to the
neny."
Thenobie, the generOus-sOuled Ham,
ton could no longer bear To witness
he struggle of the brave unfortunate:
e called Out-"Hear me, dear Colon
only promise tn hear Iie for one
ioncnt. aud / will tell you ALL"
500 on, SIR" interrupted Morgan,
''go on"
Then" continued the aid-de-camp,
you must know that the commanders
regiments dine with his Excellency
,-,iay."
what of that? again interrupted
IOrgan "wllat has that to do with
le, "A prisoner and"
mo, no." exclaimed Hamilton, "nO
risoHer; a once offending, but now
rgiven soldier; my orders are to in
tie you to dine with his ExcelleEcy
-,lay, ut 3 o'clock, precisely yes, my =
ave and good friend, Colonel Nor.
IN, you still are, and likely long to be
le valued and famed commander of
lie Rifle Regiment"
Morgan sprang from his campbell
non which he was sitting, and seiz-
z the hand of the great little man In
$ giant grasp, yrung and wrung and
rung, till the aid-de-camp literally
ruggled to get free, then exclaimed,
Am / i'm my senses? But i know
u, Hamilton you are too noble q
low to sport with the feelings of an
4 brother soldier"
Hamilton assured his friend that all
~ true, and gaily kissing his hand,
he mounted his horse, bidding the
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