Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-12-31
you, general And
THIS IS THE STORY:

Solves,
Thank, you, general And
THIS IS THE STORY:
1t appears that not loLg after the first
battle of Bull Run, 10 which Fontaine, as a
private in company K-the Burt Rifles
18th Mississippi regiment, took part, he
was transferred TO the Sd Virginia cavalry,
and at the time of which this narrative
treats was doing picket duty just above the
bead of eu island near the Seneca Falls on
the Potomac. THIS was in August 1861
one month after Bull Ran. So many of the
Confederates had goa. home on furlough
that the picket lines we're thin, being
stretched over vast extent of river front,
and what few men Uo~ ~peratively ware ON
the front had to do double duty.
1t was here that FontaIne aud another
private named Moore formed close friend-
ship. Moore was married man, ard fair.
ly idolized his wife and their two beautiful
young children. Moore and Fontaine were
together whether on picket OF guard duty.
They chung, to eson other. They bought
little hand. books of poema-Byron, Barns
and othes-and together they would sit in
the cool shade above the Falls Of Seneca
and read aloud to each other passages from
their favorite authors.
at this section of the two army lines the
pickets on either aide Of the waters. Fed
eral and Confederate, had come to an un-
derstanding and agreement that there
should be no firing at each other while on
picket duty. And but for treacherSus
violation Of this contract by q dastardly
soldier the incident herewith related would
not have occurred, and gall Quiet Along
the Potomac Tonight" would never have
been penned. I give the story in Fon.
taine's own graphic words.
I'VE had to stand on q post six hours at
time. That night took my stand at 6,
and Moore Ietired to rest. The nights
were chilly, and we usually kept some fire
burning. There was a small spring of wa
ter close by, and large fallen pine tree
that used to sit on and rest at times, afse.
walking my beat, and have frequently
stopped at this spring, bathed my face when
the dreary monotony of tho still night had
a tendency to lull me to sleep. As soon as
I found that midnight had arrived, I step
ped to the fire and threw Oh some pine
knots, and reused Moore to take my place.
He rose slowly, picked up his gun, step
ped to the fire and stretched himself, as
sleepy soldier will, and gsped and yawned;
and while his arms were extended and his
hand grasping the barrel of his gun, there
was fash across the river and the whiz OF
bullet aud he sank to the earth, with a
hole just above his eyes on his left side,
from which flowed dark crimson tide.
Not word, not q grOau escaped him..
I removed his remaias from near the
fire where he had fallen. And as l did 50
my eyes fell on the telegraphic column of a
newspaper, and it was headed. All Quie,
Along the Potomac tonight And, oh how
truthful it wasl 1t was certainly all quiet
with me and with him whom loved a. q
brother.
| could not help shedding tear, and my
thoughts reverted to his home, his wife and
his children, and to the falsehood tod by
those whose guests had been, and whose
treachery had caused his death, aud they
grew bitter, and demon Of vengeance
arose in my heart, which was not stilled
until the white dove of peace had spread
her snowy opinions over the whole faca o1
the land, and the bombshell rolled across
the sward, the plaything of child.
"When morning dawned the words in
that newspaper
WE'RE BURNED IN MY BRAIN.
They rang in my ears, and were painted or
every scene that met my view. l put my
friends efecte together-his letters, sword
| hat, all-and expressed them to his wife
with true and perfect description of hi'
death. Aud while stood beside his cold
form and gazad at his marble face aud glaz
ed eyes.in the unbroken silence of my lone
lv watch, felt what few mortals ever fee
In this shadowy vale. penned the out
lines of the poem then and there. but moi
| as they now appear, for the first were bittel
ana sarcastic. I read the crude copy tt
orderly Sergeant W. w. Williamson
(who was q fine oritio) and Lieuts Graham
aud Depritt of my company, and William
SON suggested that if would only make i
more pathetic, instead of sarcastic,it woult
take better.
I did so, and on the Q of August had
complete, as the poem now stands. and
read it to my messmates and received thai
highest oommendations. gave then
copies of the original, and they re-copte'
and sent them home, and soon the who'll
regiment, brigade division and army wes
in possession of it.
s.My father, whom met shortly ate
the completion of it, suggested that, instea'
Of STRAY picket. ought to say Ion
picket.' But did not alter 1t. Tho iadie
Of Leesburp in Loudoun county, Va, pu
! the words to music, and used to sing thsr
; for us long before they were printed
gave one copy to Miss Eve Lea. ana one
Miss Hempstone. Also : copy to John y
\ O.r -ho ak tha timo was mayor Of To