The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-08-28
.REDPATH AND BURTON.
ASpeCtIe from Past and
a Story of the War.
JUST AFTER THE SURRENDER.
Two Strange Menand their Re-
markable History.
For The Constitution.

Bill Burton was on the confederate side in
hundred fights all through the war, but he
never killed one of the enemy until after the
surrender.
He was as brave as a lion, but he had hor-
ror Of bloodshed. Many and many time Bill
would take deliberate aim at union soldier,
and then raise his gun and shoot at random.
eff | accidentally kill a man." he used to
say, 81 can stand it, but l am not going to
pick out fellow and deliberately plug him.
1t may be all right, but / can't do it."
The boys laughed at Bills scruples but he
was good soldier and never shirked his duty.
Once when a big fuse shell fell in the trenches,
and lay there spluttering and about to explode,
he quietly picked it up and pitched it on the
outside OF the breastworks, where it burst with
out doing any damage For this gallant act
his colonel offered him a forty days furlough.
Bill was strongly tempted to accept it. He
knew that a certain little woman down in
Georgia was crying her eyes out for his sake,
and he knew that several tow-headed little
boys and girls would be very glad to SEQ him.
He drew his hand across his eyes, and then
looked at his colonel with smile.
81 can't go home now" he said bluntly.
Every man is needed here, and feel that it
is my duty to stay"
That was Bill Burton all over. He was rs
gentle and self-Sacritcing as woman, and he
war without q scratch, and footed it all the
way from Virginia to his little farm in Middle
Georgia, where he buckled down to work to
make crop for his wife and babies.
One day he had to go to Atlanta. He brushed
himself up as well as lie could, but he had
nothing to wear except his old Confederate
uniform. Money was scarce with him. and he
had not been able TO buy a suit OF store clothes.
Blll never thought about his uniform, and it
did not attract any attention in those days
| Several of his felloW-p passengers on the train
| wore their faded gray suits. They were i'll
| Bilfs fx-they had nothing else to wear.
The train logged along without anything to
disturb the trip until it was within a few
miles of Atlanta. Then crowd of federal
soldiers got on, and in few minutes they be-
gan to make it unpleasant for the veterans in
| gray.
1t was the custom at that time for the feder-
| ats to cut the confederate buttons from a gray
| uniform whenever they man wearing it,
but Bill and his friends had been out in the
country all the time, and they knew nothin g
| of what was going on. When the
| soldiers started through the cars, whacking off
the confederate buttons right and left, the vic
TINS of this rough and insulting treatment
hardly knew what to do The unexpectedness
| OF the thing. and the presence Of a large num-
Der of armed men caused them to submit, as
they did not want to have row if it could be
| avoided.
Bill Britton's face turned white when he
| saw what was up, and his eyes shone with q
strange glitter. With mighty effort to con-
troll himself he arose from his seat and went
into the baggage car, hoping to escape pursuit.
He was mistaken In less than five minutes
half dozen big fellows in blue followed him.
Here's anotherJ ohnny with his buttons on,
said the leader, and as he spoke the words he
made q sWoop with his knife
| A button dropped on the floor. Only one
it was the last button that any federal soldie
ever cut from Bill Burton's gray Jacket
Before the knife reached the second button
pistol shot rang out sharp and clear, and the
big soldier with his knife fell dead, shot
through the heart
| The train was running at tho rate Of twenty
miles an hour. but Bill didn't care for that.
II e made wild leap and rolled over and over
when he touched the ground.
The federalS fired volley at him. but every
bullet missed its mark, and in half minute
he was on his feet making run for the woods.
The train was stopped, and a hot chase was
made, but the daring fugitive escaped There
was racket at headquarters over the affair,
and several attempts were made to capture the
brave confederate, but without success, and in
less than year the matter was forgotten, and
Bill returned home and went to work on his
farm.
Bill is one of the happiest and most peacea-
BILE citizens in this bailiwick, and no shadow Of
care or remorse rests upon his pleasant face.
Not long ago old friend WAS talking tc
| him about the button episode
81 never could understand it, Bill, he said
"Gou would let men shoot at you during tie
war and spare them when you had the drop OF
them, and yet you killed that fellow when he
tackled your buttons"
AZ don't quite understand it, either replied
Bill. 81 just know that L couldn't help it
The thing struck me as the meanest and mos
| coWardly outrage that one man could commit
upon another and 1 boiled over with rage
There was red mist before my eyes, and be
fore l knew it had killed him"
would you do it again, Bill?"
az don't know that would" answered thu
farmer thoughtfully. "a man can't Away:
tell what he would do until the time comes
But l can tell you this--it has never bothered
me a bit. l have thought about it often anC
tried to feel sorry, but had to give it up. i
may seem strange, but heap of small matter
hurt my conscience worse than that affai
does.'
Bill Burton is an old man now, and his path
way in life is one of pleasantness and peace
In a closet in his house hangs an old era.
Jacket, with one button missing. Some time
Bill takes it out and looks at it lovingly.
, Il wish had that other button," he ha
been heard to say to his wife. And that is al
he ever says about it, unless some one cues
tons him.