The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-03-08
burg was slow In reaching the little homs

mother. for il was said that i'm the battle
both boys had fallen under the shower OF
Federal oalls. IL was not long before
there was a ''buryingn from the housein
the cove, and the body Of Col John
was laid TO rest among the pines he loved
30 well
And the mother She too wonld gladly
nave died, bnt nature was too strOnS.
The time came, moreover. when she was
| Glad that death had spared her, for there
came 10 her from far away Fort Delaware
a letter from her surviving boy, telling Of
the older brothers death and the younger
ones Imprisonment. She read The letter
many times, and as the tears rolled down
| her sunkeu checks, she fell on her knees
and thanked God that one son at least
had been spared 10 her. \ sudden reso-
luton possessed her. She would leave
the little home IN the cove and 90 away
70 the north. She would 20 TO Fort Della
ware, and they would not refuse to let a
mother see her son-even q Confederate"
mother. Once she had looked upon his
face again she would have courage 10
wait fOg his release.
travelling wa slow. Weeks passed be-
fore she was enabled TO get through the
opposing lines and into Washington At
last. dying from want. sorrow and fatigue,
Size stood IN the commandments room at
Fort Delaware with written permission
TO see and speak with the bog she loved
so well
They tell sad stories OF Fort Delaware
in the south. They call it the Libby
prison of the north. | don't like to be-
lieve it. Neither do you. They say that
after a certain engagement the northern
generals accused the C~onfederates OF out
rageous cruelty, and in retaliation a score
OF more prisoners we're taken from the
fort and ANONYMOUSLY hanged. Perhaps
they are mistaken, and that there were
better grounds for hanging than that.
BY some means n rumor had gained
| credence in the prisoners barracks that
something Of the kind was to take place,
while the impression prevailed that spccial
vengeance was to be melted ont 10 the sol
diers of Alabama, because of alleged out
RACES committed by regiments from that
state. Young Rogers was not Il coward,
but he had 10 desire to meet so unsOi-
dierly a death. With that inventive
genius which develops so rapidly among
| those held in confinement, the prisoners
in Rogers gang" dug out the stone work
and earth under one OF the banks, and
| thus secured, o only a comparatively
safe hiding place for pilfered provisions,
but also for one or more OF their number
when occasion demanded that they should
keep under cover for a time.
The rumOr that r%etaliatory measures
were in order struck CONSERVATION 10
many a brave heart, and when, for any
reason, a Federal orderly came TO the pris-
| oners' barracks and called the name OF "A
johnny Reb,' there was a general feel
ing Of misgiving, and an effort made,
when possible. 10 discover for what puT-
pose The prisoner was wanted before
answering 10 his name So that when
one day tine barracks We're excited 60 Il
fever point by the calling OF a dozen
names or more, and the naine OF Joe
Rogers" rang with startling distinctness
in the ears Of that young Albanian, he
| did not wait TO be seen, but hurriedly
| crawled into the grub hole, and held
| his breath for fear Of discovery and the
consequences that would follow. Three
times the orderly called:
Joe Rogers! Joe Rogers Joe RogersN'
rang through the long corridor.
Then the prisoners crowded around.
and the orderly seemed to be unaware
that Rogers had failed To answer to his
name. He went away, and on the records
it was written that Joe Rogers had been
| tranSlerred-as even the officers thought
10 be hanged.
A sad look came into the face OF the
commanding officer when the white haired
woman gave him the slip OF paper that
to her meant so much.
Rogers is moi here now" he said,
finally.
She looked at him, dazed by the iutelli-
| gence.
"NOt-here,"
NO: he has been transferred
Where"
The officer had a heart.
Il do not know" re said. lie could
not tell that sad eyed woman what lie be
ieved TO be the truth.
But lie could not deceive her.
He is deadr' she cried, wildly, and
| tottcfing forward she clasped her hands
! across her breast and sank into a chair.
My poor boy1' she sob5ed. Il loved
YOU 80, and yet / was too later'
The parched lids closed over the sad
gray tNtSs iHS tttd iNtt itt4 iSA NtANt
the nervous fingers relaxed their hold.
Come said the officer, kindly; you
must 90 now. cannot permit you to re-
main here
There WIS no answer.
IL am Waiting he began, and then
he paused abruptly. Something strange
in her appearance startled him, and he
stopped down and peered into her face.
As he did SO tears came into his eyes.
The sweet faced mother would never see
the valley Of the Tennessee again.
She vas dead
News flies in jails rs it flies elsewhere
III his hiding place that night young
Rogers was told the story Of his mothers
death. Strong man though he was, the
shock was almost more than he could
bear, and he grieved bitterly at the
thought that, even dead, he might not
look upon her face. But he was glad for
one thing There were kind hearts among
the boys in blue, and they took the body
Of the dead mother across 10 New Castle,
and there in the old church yard rever-
emily laid it to rest.
Rogers managed to escape detection for
the few weeks remaining before the close
OF the war. After the surrender he was
liberated and returned TO Alabama.
There he lives and there | met him. He
told me this story. and I repeat IL because