Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1886-07-24
NELYIL sOULE.
AREnscDcE OF THE WAR,
By ADAHBADEAu
"a ronnd nnrnrni.hed -. :,

LnomaB w. sherman was ABOARD W1tL
his aide-de-camp, Capt. Adam Badesu
This Sherman was not the famous one
Who made his march TO the sea, but
nevertheless a good and gallant soldier
He commanded the military forces at the
Port ROYAL expedition In 1861, and after
wards a division In the army under Hal
leck that moved against COrinth aftel
the battle OF Shiloh. Upon the fall Of
COrinth he had asked to be relieved from
duty In Haleck's army. His request
was granted, and after two months wait
ing at Washington he was ordered to re-
port 10 Butler, then In command at New
Orleans. had been made an additional
aid-ds-camp, as it was called, by Presi-
dent Lincoln, after the fall OF Fort Pu-
lasld, and at my own request was order
"a 70 report TO Sherman, with whom
had served as volunteer aid de-campi
without rank or pay, for several months
e Port Royal
A the - moved down the bay IN
shs soft September afternoon I stood on
the deck and noticed an excessively
handsome young man leaning against
tbs bulwarks with his eyes fixed steadily
on the shore. We were passing Fort
Lafyette, where prisoners OF the state were
eanfined, and his attention was 50 close
that without intending it 1 found myself
watching the stranger. He was shed
ding tears. forget In what way il
came about, but must have shown my
interest. He did not think it otherwise,
for he turned to me and said:
At am surprised at my weakness, but
my father is a prisoner behind those
walls. and have just failed to secure
= release"
Since he chose to give me his con
6dence I could not but listen, and ex-
pressed my concern.
'sMy father" he conntiued, sis Pierre
Soul, who was United States senator be-
fore the outbreak OF the war and minister
TO Spain"
I remembered then the story Of this
young man. he had been a secretary
Of legation under his father at Madrid,
and fought duel with Spanish noble
man-a Duke de la Tarre, think it was
who had criticised. the cut of his
mothers gown, because it exposed her
bosom. This was Nelvl SOule, who from
that day became my intimate friend. he
was about my own age, twenty-eight OF
twenty-nine, and one of the handsOmest
men 1 ever saw. With Oive-cOlOred skin,
black hair, large, melting, almond-shaPed
eyes, perfectly formed mouth and nose
a graceful figure, a manner most attrac-
tive, vet at the same time manly; his
beauty had not one touch OF weakness
nothing that suggested lack Of mental
or physical force. The picture Of this
young sOutherner gazing at the walls
wherein his father lay a prisoner, ano
dashing aside the unwelcOme tears as
the vessel bore him rapidly away, hngeui
IN my memory still, after the lapse o.
more than twenty years.
I respected his grief, which became
more apparent as We steamed further
down the bay, and I turned aside; but
after the fort was lost to sight he re-
manned on deck and himself began the
conversation again. suppose he saw
that I was touched by his misfOrtunes
but whatever the cause, he wanted K
talk with me, and naturally I listened
He told me his whole story. His father
I knew, was at the head Of the creole
population OF New Orleans, a powerful
able, fascinating man. Hehad not sym
rathizsd with the secession movement
had indeed done his best to restrain 1t
and even when the act Of secession came
he accepted no position under the rebe
government but remained silent and II
Ssclusion at New Orleans until the cap
ture Of that city and the occupation by
Butler. Nelvil, the son, had been IN th'
southern army, but at this time, by some
arrangement, or for some purpose nevel
explained to me, he was a resident o
New Orleans, q member, believe, o
some city volunteer band. Both fathel
and son, it seemed to me, had striven K
avoid complication with the insurrectiOE
az Tar as possible without betraying theil
southern friends.
Upon the approach Of the union forces
both refused to leave the city, thinking
they could maintain a neutral attitude
but Butler would not listen to tins, a
least IN the case Of the elder, and 70
quired him to take the oath OF allegiance
70 the government. This Soule was IN
willing to 10, and Butler at once threw
him into prison
Soule's importance was so great tina
he became an object OF peculiar symPa
thy, and as he persisted IN hls refusal
he was sent to the north, where as Po
Etical prisoner who had committed N
overt act OF rebellion he was confined Il
TT. Lafayette. He was especially In tn
power Of Seward, his former colleague Il
the senate OF the United States.
Nelvil had not been arrested and OBJ
tanned permission from Butler to Vlsl
the north and endeavOr to procure hl
fathers release. He interested Charles
Sumner, an old friend Of Pierre Soale, a
ven as Gen. Halieck, then general-iI
chief; also the widow Of Stephen A
Douglas, who was at that time a woman
Of great political and personal influence
both from her own attractions which
were unusual, and the consideration tina
renamed with her, as the widow o
Douglas, a candidate for the presidency
at the same time with Lincoln. All o
these besought the president for the re
lease Of Soule, On the ground that b.
had committed ne act Of treason IN
friends offered for him that he should g
70 Havana and remain there till the clos
Of the war, taking no part IN and AFFORD
ing no aid to the rebellion. But the IN
trigues Of the oonfaderates ABROAD at tina
time made this proposition unaceeP
table.
6ouis had been 20 much Of pef1on