Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1882-08-11
II am Alone In the World. ;"


Tho following touching Incident is ex.
tracJed from the eloquent appeal for the
Richmond Male Orphan Asylum" de-
liversd on its ed anniversary, by Major
Styles:
One of the batteries of our old battalion
( was composed chiefly Of freshmen from a
Southern city-gallant fellows but wild
and reckless. The captaincy becominp
vacant. a backwoods Georgia preach er.
named c., was sent to command them
The men at first half amused, half insul-
ted, soon learned to idolize as we'll as fear
their preacher captain, who proved to be
all in all, such man as one seldom secs, .
combination of Praise cd Barebones and
Sir Philip Sidney, and with a dash OF
Headly Wears about him. He had all the
stern grit of the Puritan, with much OF
the cavalier and zeal of the apostle. There
was at that time but one other Christian
in his battery, a gunner named Allen
Moore, also. a lakewood Georgian and a
noble, enthusiastic man and soldier. The
only other living member of Moore's fami-
ly was with him, boy of not more than
twelve or thirteen years, and the devotion
OF the elder brother to the younger was as
tender as mothers. The little fellow
was strange, sad, prematurely old child.
who seldom talked, and never smiled. He
used to wear red zouave fez that ill-be-
| fitted that peculiar, sallow, pallid COM
plexion Of the Piney- woods Georgian; but
he was perfect hero in fight. Twas at
Cold Harbor in '64 We had been all day
shelling a working party of the
enemy, and about sunset, as adjutant Of
the battalion, was visiting the batteries.
to arrange the guns for night firing As
1 approached C's position. the sharp
shooting had almost ceased, and down the
line could see the cannoneers standing
out boldly against the sky, Moore at the
trail, adjusting his piece for the nights
work. His gunnery had been superb dur
ing the evening, and his blood was up
descended into little valley and lost sight
of the group, but heard C's stern voice:
''Set down. Moore your gun is we'll enough,
the sharpshooting isn't over yet. Get
down. l rose the hill. Zone moment
Capt. my trails hairs breadth too much
to the right" and the gunner bent eager
ly over the handspike. A sharp report
that unmistakable crash of the bullet
against the skull, and all was over. Twas
the last rifle shot on the line that night
The rushing together of the detachment
obstructed my view; but as I came up. the
sergeant stepped aside and said. "Look
there, adjutant." Moore had fallen over
the trail, the blood gushing from his
wound all over his face. His brother was
at bis side instantly. No wildness, no tu-
multi of grief. He knelt on the earth. and
lifting Moore's head On his knees, wiped
! the blood from his forehead with tho cuff
of his own tattered shirt sleeve, and kissed
the pale face again and again, but very
| quietly. Moore was evidently dead, and
none Of US cared to disturb the child
Presently he arose-quietly still, fearless
| still-gazed down on the dead brother,
then to us and breathing the sad
dest sigh ever heard, said just these
words: "Wsll, I am alone in the world.''
The preacher captain instantly sprang fer
ward, and placing his hands OH the poor
boys shoulder, said solemnly but cheerful
ly, mo, my child, you are not alone, for
the Bible says. when my father and
mother forsake me, then the Lord will take
mo up, and Allen was both father and
mother to you; besides, I'm going to take
you, too; you shall sleep under my blank
cts tonight" There was not dry eye in
the group; and when months afterwards,
the whole battalion gathered on q quiet
Sabbath evening on the banks of the Ap-
pomattox. to witness baptism, and q. at
the waters edge, tenderly handed this
child to the officiating minister, and re-
ceiving him again when the ceremony was
over. threw blanket about the little shiv-
sring form, carried him into the bushes,
changed his clothing, and then reappeared
carrying the bundle Of wet clothes, and he
and the child walked away hand in hand
to camp-then there were more tears.
manly, noble purifying tears; and heard
the sergeant say. Faith! the captain has
fulfilled his pledge to the boy" My
friends, hear the plea Of the orphan: 81
am alone in the world" How will you
answer ltr What will you do with 1T?
Will you pass my noble Georgian's pledge
to ''take him up2" Will you keep it as he
kept it?