Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-10-03
A DEsERTION JUSTIFIED.
! Touching Story of sosthern Deprivation
During the War.
From the Cosmopolitan. I
N.Lrt


From the Cosmopolitan.
At recent political gathering in Tus-
cumbia, Ala, General Cullen A. Battle re-
lated the following touching story in the
course OF his speech: During the winter
of 1864 it was my duty 10 be president
of one of the Courts-martiai of the Army of
Northern Virginia. One bleak December
morning. while the snow covered the
ground, and the wind howled around our
camp, left my bivouac fire to attend the
session of Court. Winding for miles along
uncertain paths, at length arrived at the
Court ground, at Round Oak church. Day
after day 1t had been our duty to try the
soldiers Of that army charged with viola
ton OF military laws; but never had on
any previous occasion been greeted by such
anxious spectators es on that morning
awaited the opening Of Court. Case after
case was disposed of. and at length the case
OF the Confederate States Us. Edward
Cooper was called-chsrge, desertion. A
low murmur rose spontaneously from the
battle-scaTred spectators, as the young ar
tilleryman arose from the prisoners bench,
and IN response to the question Guilty or
not guilty" answered, Not guilty
The Judge Advocate was proceeding to
open the prosecution when the Court,
observing that the prisoner was unattended
accused, Who Is your counsel ~ He re-
piled, g have no counsel" Supposing
that it was his purpose to represent him
self before the Court, the Judge Advocate
was instructed to proceed. Every charge
and specification against the prisoner was
sustained. The prisoner was then told to
introduce his witnesses. He replied, "
have no WITNESSES" Ast0nished at the
calmness with which he seemed to be sub
hitting to what he regarded as inevitable
fate, said to him. Have you no defense ?
Is it possible that you abandoned your com
rades and deserted your coIors in the pres
ence of the enemy without any reason ~
He replied There was a reason but it
will not avail me before military Court"
| said, Perhaps you are mistaken; YOU
are charged with the highest crime known
to military law, and it is your duty
to make known the causes that in
fioenced your actions" For the first
time his manly form trembled and his
blue eyes swan in tears. Approaching the
President of the Court he presented q let
ter. saying as he did so, There. General, is
what did It," opened the letter, and in d
moment my eyes filed with tears. Il was
passed from one to another of the Court
until all had seen it. and those stern war
Tiors, who had psSsed with Stonewall Jack
q
little children. Soon az | sufficiently re-
covered my self-possession I read the letter
as the defense OF the prisoner. It was in
the words
Dear RdsSarG.. have always been proud OF
you; since your connection with the Couseder-
ate army have been prouder of you than ever
before. 1 would not have you DO suvthing
wrong for the world; but before God, Edward.
unless you come home we must die. Last night
was aroused by little Eddie's oryirg. called
and said, " What is the matter, Eddie7' and be
said: Oh, mamma, I'm SO hungTyf' And
Lucy, Edward, your darling Lucy, she never
com plains, but she grows thinner and thinner
every day. And before God, Edward, unless
you come home. We must die. YOUR MARY.
Turning to the prisoner, I asked " What
did yon do when yen received this letter 2''
He replied: u made application for a
furlough, and it was rejected again made
application and it was rejected a third
time / made application and it wss reject
ed and that night as ] wandered backward
and forward in the camp thinking OF my
home, the mild eyes Of Lucy looking up to
me, and the burning words of Mary
sinking in my brain, l was no LONGER HE
Confederate soldier, bat was the father oil
| Lucy and the husband of Mary. ard !
would have passed those lines if every yuu
IN the battery had been fred upon me
Mary ran out 10 meet me- her a6gel arms
6IIDfdCtl LIE, ana Sl4e N-llsp ereU: On, I'd
ward, sm so happy; am SO glad you
got your Through 2 She must have felt
me shudder, for she turned IS pale as death,
and catching her breath al every word, she
said Have you come without your fur-
longh?' Oh Edward, g back 20 back!
Let me and the children 80 down together
to the grave; but. Oh, Tor heavens sake
save the honor Of our namep And here
am, gentlemen, not brought here By mill
| tary power, but in obedience to the com
1nand of Mary, TO abide the sentence of
your Court"
Every officer of that Court-rnartial felt
the force of the prisoners words. Before
them stood, in beatitic vision, the eloquent
pleadar for a husbands and a fathers
wrongs; but they had been trained by the
, great leader, Robert g. Lee, to tread the
path OF duty though the lightning fash
scorched the ground beneath their feet, and
each IN his turn pronounced the verdict
guilty. Fortunately for humanity, fortu-
| nately for the Confederacy, the proceedings
of the Court were reviewed by the com
mandinG General, and upon the record was
written:
HEADQUARTERS, a. N. v
The finding OF the Coagt approved. The pris-
! oner Is paTdoned,s and viii report to his com
pany. f. E. LEE. General.
Theater of the RourneIian Rebellion.
Eastern Roumelia is q State lying Just
cof,tb Of TrrIr,arta frrt,,