The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-10
May God guard and bless you and the dear
ones leave hehiud3

/ Idul > arms were ABOUT darryS neck anu Ills
tears and his kisses were on his cheek, and with
out another word they were parted.
Too much stunned to move or to speak,
Harry stood there in stupor till aroused by the
metallic ring of a horses hoofs far down the
road; and as he listened the sound grew fainter
| and fainter in the direction of the south.
Through the branches of the oaks the moon
lit river flashed like silvery zone, the notes of
the whippoor-will came up from the grove by
| the brook, and the still air was laden with the
odor of new-mown hay. Life, and peace, and
beauty were in every surrounding but as Harry
Watts staggered into the house and fell on his
knees beside the sofa on which his mother was
| lying, he felt as if the fair land was being
famed by the cold, white wings of death.
I'VE must not blame him, Harry; we must not
blame him!' said Mrs. Watts. choking back the
the cry that came up from her heart and throw
ing her arms about her SOD. She was a strong,
brave woman, with the self-control that could
| conceal her grief from the world while it ate the
deeper into her own breast.
There were still great life duties before the
mother and her remaining son. and to them they
| turned, upheld and cheered by gentle Ada Bow
| man.
Near the close of the summer letter came
through the lines from Paul, and in it he wrote
to his mother: II daily pray that may never
meet in battle my friends on the other side"
| If it had not been for the message Paul left
with him for Ada Bowman Harry would have
| spoken to the young lady on his own account,
for he dearly loved her, and he felt that with
her for his wife he could resist the feeling that
every day grew stronger in his heart to become
a Union soldier.
..All the young men round about have taken
sides, but this in itself would not influence me"
said Harry. 1T is well known that 1 as
strongly in favor Of the Union as my brother is
! of the South The confederate troops are nearing
the Ohio and if remain, I must fall prisoner
| into their hands. can save myself by escaping
to the North, but, as my soul revolts against
! that there remains for me but one thing to do"
What is that Harry" asked the mother in
| the quiet way that distinguished her when she
| was the most troubled.
'To join the Union army" he answered.
| "And to leave me-to leave us9" cried Ada.
Better leave you than be torn from you, said
| Harry
Then came silence, and Mrs. Watts, with
! suppressed sigh rose to her feet, and Harry
| rose with her. She threw her arms about him,
her eyes were closed, and her head rested on his
breast He kissed the white, pain lined face, and
| he noticed for the first time that there we're
silvery streaks in her wavy brown hair.
! The winter of 6l-62 came and the red tide of
war rolled from the coasts of the East to the
| prairies of the West; and along a thou
| sand miles Of battle 'front.' kinsmen met in
deadly struggle for supremacy. The fair fields
| of Kentucky were devastated by opposing
armies, and men went down to death before the
rifles of other men, who, as children, had played
| with them on that very ground.
1.-THE servants are faithful" said Harry, as
| one winter night he sat with his mother and
Ada and saw the figures of falling men in the
| crumbling Goals You can trust them to do
| the work if should CO."
| 'If you should go!" gasped Ada and fright
| ened look care into her eyes that was not there
| when Paul lefl, though it was known that her
| sympathies were on the side of the South. With
| out looking up Mrs Watts said
And you think. Harry, that the time for you
| to leave has Gomez"
s'If your heart says Co. my boy, I would not
hold you back" she said in whisper that
| thrilled him like trumpet call to arms.
/ Matt rOdn oyUau
| and the widow and Ada watched him from the
porch till they caught the last wave of his hand
| at distant turn of the road.
| was helping to organize the Fourth Ken
| lucky Rifles in the mountains near the Virginia
| line when Harry Watts came to our camp and
| enlisted. His handsome person, his manly bear
ing, and his rare intelligence, marked him at
once as one fitted to command. He was offered
| a captains commission, such as then held, but
| he refused it.
| NO." he said to me, IT am joining the army
from sense of duty. am ready to do what
| ever is required of me, but as / have q choice
and know nothing. about soldering, prefer to
| 20 in as q private"
Harry Watts had strong, quiet way about
him that shut off debate, and 80 he became a
private in the Fourth Rifles.
| / have seen many brave men in my time, but
before them all Harry Watts stands out, my
model soldier. He was free from those vices
that creep into camps. He cheerfully obeyed
| every order, and he endured without murmur
| the hardships and privations incident to such a
| life. His example had fine effect on the regi
ment though he was at times censured by his
comrades for his unusually kind treatment of
tho prisoners that fell into his hands, and in his
care for the wounded he lost sight Of the blue or
! gray coat that covered the sufferer.
| II have brother and many friends on the
| other side, he said to me one day, land never
go into battle that do not dread meeting
them"
| 'If you did meet them, what then9n asked.
II fear" he answered, that should be o cow
ard"
By.a strange coincidence Paul had joined the
| Fourth kentucky Rifles, on the opposite side
but up to September, 1863. the brothers had
never been in the same battle.
| The name "Chckamauga," in the Cherokee
| language, means ''the river of blood" l have
! never been able to learn why the Indians so
called the river but do know that for twenty
| one years the name has not been misapplied.
The battle Of Chickamauga was fought on the
18th, 10th and Goth of September, 1863. and after
| seventy-two hours of carnage, forty thousand
men lay wounded or dead along the river or in
| the dense jungles that lined its banks.
| That was terrible field to the beaten and
broken Union forces but l am thinking Of two
men while speaking of thousands.
On the night of the 10Th, and while / was try
| ing to make myself cup of coffee behind the
| breastworks which we had hastily thrown up
after our last repulse, Harry Watts-now Major
| Watts-came to me and said:
Colonel is it possible for me to be trans
| ferred to some other part Of the field till the
| battle is overl'
THAT is strange request said. 'Are you
sick2"
II am not unfit for duty" he replied; ''but 1
| feel that should not stay here"
! But why not, Maori asked, and, looking
| up saw that the bronze on his handsome face
had given place to an ashen hue.
| "A few minutes ago some of our pickets cap
| tured one of the enemy. The man says that he
belongs to my brothers regiment, which, since
dark, has taken a position directly in our front.
| Daylight must bring us face to face said the
Major, with suppressed horror in his voice of
| which no words can convey an idea.
| suggested to him that as he was wounded
| he carried his arm in sling-that it would be
perfectly proper for him to co to the rear.
| '.No, no." he said, 1--WE are hard pressed and
| every man who can stand, should be at his post.
| To morrow promises to be a terrible dav.n