The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1881-08-26
ANSWER TO PRAYER.
OR an Interesting Story of What
PerpoIted To be.

Pine Hill academy, giving an in
cident OF the war aud au example
of what he believed to 0e an an
swer to prayer. 1t was on the 18th
of July, 1868, when he heard that
Gen. John Morgan had crossed the
Ohio river with his army Many
OF MoCown's former pupils at
Transylvania university were with
Morgan, and the 10Th, Sunday, he
learned that his son, DIR. Alexan.
der MeC0wn, was among them.
The elder MeCown had an appoint
nent to preach in Jetfersontown
that day, aud was greatly exer.
clsed IN mind over the fate of his
son aud Morgan's army. About
four miles from home, he writes, |
came to forest OF oak inter.
sDersed with thickets of paw-paw.
| felt that | could proceed no fur.
ther without seeking relief in
prayer. Without explanation |
left the buggy in charge of my two
little girls, and proceeded through.
the thicket to the roots of a huge
oak tree, where | kueeled in pray.
er. AS | bowed my knees before
it and uttered u word of prayer
and duplication, with strong cry.
ing aud tears, unto Him that was
F;fble to save from death, a voice
what else can | tell itD at my
right seemed distinctly to utter
these remarkable and appropriate
words: "a thousand shall fall at
thy side, and 10000 at thy right
hand; but 1t shall not come nigh
thee.' Psalms xci, Z. | involun.
tarily turned my head to see who
had addressed me. Having fsl.
filed my ministerial engagements,
much oppressed with weariness,
but more so with grief, | returned
home alta late hour AND soon sought
the happy forgetfulness OF this
worlds cares in sleep. In my dreams
OF tue night ! saw Gen. Morgan's
army all dispersed over bills along
the banks of large and beautiful
river. Among the soldiers dis.
tinctly recognized my son Aleck. |
awoke in the morning without one
vestage ef sorrow. | felt that God
would preserve my son. Whatever
Others may think OF what | am
about to relate | must humbly
aud dcvoutly till death believe
it was Il divine deliverance in an.
swer to prayer at the old oak tree.
Col. Morgan, think it was, had
ordered several surgeons--Drs.
McCown, Campbell, Redford and
one or two others-to roturn to Il
battery, at which were lett some
wounded men. While relieving
the wounded a Federal army ap-
peared on the hills above them,
from which platoon of soldiers
filed off, and leveled their guns
npon the soldiers and fired, not.
withstanding DIR. Aleck McOown
waved the only white handkerchief
of the company in token of surren-
der. All the surgeons told me at
Cincinnati where l met them as
prisoners of war, that, when they
saw tho many guns leveled upon
them, they expected instant death.
After the fire Of the guns the sur.
geons gazed in wonder at each
other.
DIR. MeCowD spoke first aud |
said: "Let US mount our horses
and attempt escape.n
"No, Aleck,o said DR.. Campbell, |
"let us stand still ; the hand OF
God Is in the thing.n
The Federal soldiers advanced
upon them, cnrsing them as they
approached, and demanded who
they were. Upon being told that
they we're surgeons on duty, they
cursed them the more ilercely aud
said: eyes, damn you, You are all
surgeons, but We will show you
quickly what we will do with you.r
AT this moment Col. Jacob, OF
Kentucky, then a Federal officer,
rode up, as he has several times
told me, and found the soldiers
consulting about shooting the sur
geous. Addres ing DIR. McCown,
he said: "Why, Aleck, | am glad
to meet you. Then turning to his
soldiers, he said: "Mcn, | charge
you not to molest these surgeons,
bat TO supply them with every
thing N your power for their
wounded, as though they were all
of our army.a This was timely,
noble and generous. | was stand
ing near u plank partition in a ho.
tel In Cincinnati when DR.. Camp
bel. was speaking OF their Wonder
fulescape, aud to give me ike i'm.
preston of their danger, be said !:
Suppose you would throw your
hands full oil dry beans against
that PARTITION. the rattle of them
would give yon some idea OF the
manner in which the balls whizzed
about our ears.p RtF y VI
My prayer was made the 10th
day Of Julys at 10 o'clock a.n. AT
about 3 o'clock, pm, of the same
day the surgeons we're iired upon.