The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-05-24

from the river. 1t was impossible for him to
return, even with an escort. When we heard of
the doctors decision a couple of us voluntarily
interested ourselves in finding a suitable place
to leave our boy.
went to the ladies referred to and explained
the situation. Without word or question the
kind-he old maid put on her bonnet and
shawl and accompanied us to the shelter-tent
in the grove in which our poor boy lay.
l shall never forget the pleasant scene there.
If Eddy's mother had been on the ground she
could not have talked in a more hopeful, en-
couraging way This old maid-the female
rebel, as we are apt to call them all-wiped the
hot brow of the flushed Yankee boy, and
talked to him as a mother would to hve-year-
old child.
He was then partially delirous, and had been
raying about the rebels capturing him. With
both her hands she smoothed his brow assur
ing him in her sweet, cooling way that no one
should harm him that she had father and
brother in the Confederate army, and they
would protect her guest.
CHARITABLE SOUTHERN WOMEN.
1t is only short story. We left Eddy with
this lady, all of the boys insisting C0ntrlbut-
ing some portion Of their rations or clothing
toward his support l reckon that lady re-
ceiyed enough coffee and sugar to last her
year. We rode away that night, after carrying
! Eddy into the house and putting him into a
1 HiCGt GlGdu DGtts we NCES SOli6 NO IOt .ilON
remember how many days, but on our hasty
! return ! was allowed to take a few men and
make detOur from our hidden march, so as to
! get back to this house. We succeeded in
reaching the place undisturbed and found
/ Eddy in bed, raving like wild person in his
! delirium. He did not know me, but acted as
! if he thought ! were a rebel officer The good
/ lady bade me take off my belt and saber, and
! put over me an old coat to conceal my uniform,
in hopes of allaying his fears 1t did not have
! the least effect. The younger girl who had also
| become very much interested, at the elder sis
| ter's request, as if in answer to the poor boy S
| longing looks, sat on the side of the bed and
took the invalid's hand. While she was near
! him he was calm.
We were told that the morning after we left
him there some of the rebel home guard, or
guerrilas, that class of soldiers who are so very
! ofticious at home, had heard of the boy being
left there. They came upon the house IN a
body, or as a committee, headed by an old
squire Of the community, whoinsisted on taking
the sick boys parole in writing.
The lady told me with expressions Of the
/ greatest indignation toward their own men,
| that she begged and urged them not to 90 near
| the boy, but they insisted. 1t was her opinion
that the sight OF the crowd had made him
worse. Eddy was, therefore, a paroled prisoner
We could not take our pet back with US. had
his address and also his mothers, and, at the
my return. They lived somewhere in New
| York State. In a few days Gen. Hooker's Aid
came to me with an order to report at a certain
house to meet some person who had authority
from the Secretary of War to visit me- Won
deTing who my visitor could be, and expecting
that it was Covode or some of his agents,
rode to the house. ! met there kind-looking
motherly old lady in black who introduced
herself as Eddy's mother. The scene for a few
moments was quite embarrassing to me. The
poor lady, overcome by my recital of Eddy
condition, wept and prayed alternately thai
she might see her only child-her baby, as she
fondly and tearfully called him over and over
once more. / accompanied her to headquar
ters and assisted in procuring her the necessary
letters, asking the privilege of passing through
the rebel line to this house, We procured the
necessary papers. l gave her full directions
and saw her over the river l heard afterwards
that when she reached the house she was me
by the two sisters on their return from tht
burial of Eddy in their family graveyard
They were the only mourners until joined By
the broken-hearted mother.
Some correspondence that preserved for
number of years after would show a very
bright side to the character Of those two South
ern ladies.
TTO he continual I