Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1885-07-24

was his purpose TO represent himself be-
fore the court, the Judge-Adyocate was
instructed to proceed. Every charge and
specification against the prisoner was
sustained. The prisoner was then TOLD
TO introduce his witnesses. He replied,
"I have no witnesses" Astonished ut
the calmness with which he seemed to
be submitting to what he regarded ms
inevitable fate, said 10 him, "Have
you no defence: Is it possible that
you abandoned yonr comrades and de-
serted your colors in the presence of
the enemy without any reason?" He
replied, "There was a reason, but ii
will not avail me before military
court" said, perhaps you are mis-
taken; you are charged with the high
est crime known to military law, and II
is your duty TO make known :he causes
that influenced your actions" For the
first time his manly form trembled, and
his blue eyes swan in tears. Approach
ing the president of the court, he pre-
sented letter, saying as he did so,
"there, Colonel, is what did it," opened
the letter, and in moment my eyes
filed with tears. 1t was passed from one
to the other of the court until all bad
seen it, and those stern warriors who
had passed with Stonewall Jackson
through hundred battles wept like
little children. Soon as | sufficiently
recovered my self-possession | read the
letter as the prisoners defence. lt was
in these words
My Dear EdpDd-I have always been
proud of you, and since your connec-
ton with the Confederate Army have
been proudcr of you than ever before.
| would not have you do anything
wrong for the world; but before God,
Edward, unless you come home we
must die Last night | was aroused by
little Eddie crying. called and said,
whats the matter Eddie?" aud he
said, "Oh, mamma, | am so hnngry!"
And Lucy, Edward, your darling Lucy,
she never complains, but she is grow
ing thinner and thinner every day. And
before God, Edward, unless you come
home we must all die.
"YoUR MARY"
Turning to the prisoner, | asked,
"what did you do when you received
this letter." He replied. 81 made APP
plication for furlough, and it was re-
jected; again made application and it
was rejected, and that nigh, as | wan
dered backward and forward in the
camp, thinking of my home, with the
mild eyes of Lucy looking up TO me,
and the burning words of Mary sinking
in my brain, | was no longer the Con-
federate soldier, but was the father of
Lucy and the husband of Mary, and
would have passed those lines If every
gun in the battery had fired upon me.
| went to my home. Mary ran out TO
meet me; her angel arms embraced me,
and she whispered, o, Edward, | am
so happy! | am so glad you got your
furlough." She must have felt me
shudder, for she turned pale as death,
and, catching her breath at every word,
she said: "Have you come home with
out your furlough? o, Edward, Ed
ward, go back go back Let me and
my children go down to the grave, but,
o, for heavens sake, save the honor Of
our name!', And here am, gentlemen,
not brought here by military power,
but in obedience to the command of
Mary, to abide the sentence Of your
court"
Every officer Of that court martial
felt the force of the prisoners words.
Before them stood iE beatifc vision. the
eloquent pleader for a husbands and
fathers wrongs; but they had been
trained by their great leader, Robert +.
Lee, to tread the path Of duty though
lightning's flash scorched the ground
beneath their feet, and each in his turn
pronounced the verdict: Guilty. For
tunately for humanity, fortunately
for the Confederacy, the proceedings
of the court were reviewed by the Com
manding-General, and upon the record
was written:
Headquarters Army Northern yir-
ginia.
"The finding Of the court is approved.
The prisoner Is pardored, and will re-
port to his company.
X. f. LEE, General"
During a subsequent battle, when
shot and shell were falling "like tor
rents from the mountain cloud" my at
tention was directed to the fact that
one of our batteries was being silenced
By concentrated fire Of the enemy.
When / reached the battery every gun
but one had been dismantled, and by IL
stood solitary Confederate soldier, with
the blood streaming fiom his side. As
he recognized me, he elevated his voice
above the roar of battle and said: Seen
eral, have one shell left. Tell me,
have I saved the honor Of Mary and
Lucy?" / raised my hat. Once more
Confederate shell went crashing
through the ranks Of the enemy, and
the hero sank by his gun TO rise no
more.
Truthfain ess.
| 0f all bapnv koueea that Ia the hauui-