Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-05-09

Wltu tne snort c0nnict OF the DAY, an
oppressed by the intense heat, were ly
ing In the open air, vainly endeavorini
to catch q few moments Of much.need
ed sleep.
Ia the yard of the farm there was
small locust tree. When saw 1t year
after the battle 1t had grown much larg
er, with wide-spreading branches :
Beneath this little locust tree Genera
Lilly had been placed, at his own re
quest. The oppressive heat had mad
the farm-h house, aud even tents, uncom
Portable, and. If there was any cool wind
stirring, beneath this low tree was tn
place to catch 1t. Lilley was suffering
intensely from the wounds he had re
ceived and the heat made them worse
DR. Winn, Pennsylvania surgeon, at
tached to General Averill's command
was asattendingt to General Lilley's wants
Near to the tree there were many 9th
er wounded men lying, both Federal
and Confederates The surgeons ant
stewards were busy attending to thei
wounds by the pale light of the moon
DR.. Winn had asked General Lilley
question and that officer had replied
when some one in distant part of tn
yard called out:
sIaghat you, General Lilley 2"
"Yes, +" responded the wounded officer
lis that you, Captain Ridgeley?" ?"
"Yes, SIR" responded Ridgeley. 81
recognized your voice, General. an
lying here suffering from q sever,
wound. Are you, too, hurt"
YES" said Lilley, II am shot in th'
thigh and arm. The surgeon says thu
arm will have to be amputated."
Here the two friends and comrades
together, yet apart, talked OF the com
bat. of their wounds, and of persona
matters, while the busy surgeons anG
nurses moved about looking after the
suffering men in different parts of the
yard.
The next day found Averill going to-
ward Martinsburg. and the ladies o
Winchester came down to Carter's farm
to take care of the wounded COnfeder-
ates.
General Lilley's right arm had been
arnputated by DR.. Winn early in the
morning at the shoulder joint, and his
friends from Winchester had it buried
in the prettiest portion of the garden
near the house and marked the spot
where it lay with pile of stones. A
few years after the war he visited the
spot where the battle was fought and
his arm buried, and was enabled to Sc
cure the remains.
When the Confederate ladies came
down from Winchester they found the
spurs usually worn by General Lilley
in possession of Mr. Heisel. Union
hospital steward.
They were very Indignant that a Yam
kee should have Confederate's spurs.
General Lilley presented them to
me-" said Mr.. Heisel to them.
The ladies at once sought General Lii.
ley.
General" said one of the ladies to
the wounded officer, "cid you give your
spurs to Union soldier?"
YES" responded Lilley, The was
very kind to me last night, and l gave
them to him as a token OF my apprecia-
ton for his kind attentions"
This modified the indignation of the
ladies toward the hospital steward. but
they could not understand how Con-
federate General could so acknowledge
the kindness of Union soldier.
How many thousand such incidents
of the late war might be recalled and
recorded! They were every day occur
rences, for the clouds of war were often
illumined on both sides by the soft rays
of human kindness
1t was many years after the action Of
Carter's Farm when Averill aud Lilley
met. Neither were soldiers then, but
they fought that fight over again in
their minds and talk, and as each retold
the story of the contest as they saw it,
picked up the threads of the story both
spun, and joined them in the above
lines F. A. B.