The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1890-07-31
THE SOLDIER WAS A FATHER.
a Romantic and Thrilling Story oflthe Civil
War-How II Letter From Home Caused
RDcyertiOn.


War-How IL Letter From Home Caused
| nDcYertiOn
(From the Baltimore SUM-
New YORK, July 23.--Thcrc was
buried at Greenwood yesterday a
man with curious history. He had
been Confederate soldier, us brave
as any of his comrades, h.: he de-
! serted his army during the Wal ;>..!
was tried by courC-martial for doiug
SO Edward Cooper was his name.
For the past year he has been living
at No. 355 Fourth avenue
One bleak December morning III
1862 he was before a court martial of
the Army of Northern Virginia. The
prisoner was told to introduce his
witnesses. He replied, Il have no
witnesses. Astonished at the calm
ness with which he seemed to be
submitting to his inevitable fate, Gen.
Battle said to him: "Have you no
defense? Is it possible that you
abandoned your comrades and de-
serted your colors in the presence of
the enemy without rcason?'
"There was reason" replied
Cooper, "but it will not avail me be-
fore a military tribunal"
"Perhaps you are Mistaken" said
the General; you are charged with
the highest crime known to military
law, and it is your duty to make
known the cause that influenced your
actions"
Approaching the president of the
court Cooper presented q letter, say
ing as he did so: "Thcre General, is
what did it,"
The letter was offered as the pris-
oner's defence. 1t was i'll these
words:
Dear Edward: Since your con-
nection with the Confederate army
[ have been prouder of you than ever
before. I would not have you do
anything wrong for the world, but
before God, Edward, unless you come
home we must die! Last night 1
WAS aroused by little Eddie crying
I called to him and said: What is
the matter, Eddie? He replied: Oh,
mamma, 1 am so hungry. And Lucy
your darling Lucy. She never COM
plains. But she grows thinner and
thinner every day. Before God, Ed
ward unless you come home we must
die. Your MARY.
Turning to the prisoner, General
Battle asked: "What did you do
when you received that letter.
Cooper replied: "I made applica-
ton for furlough 1t was rejected
Again I made application and it was
rejected. That night as I wondered
about our camp thinking of my home
the wild eyes of Lucy looking up to
me and the burning words of Mary
sinking in my brain, was no longer
the Confederate soldier, but L was
the father of Lucy and the husband
of Mary.
eff every gunin the battery had
been fred upon me I would have
passed those lines. When I reached
home Mary flung her arms around
my neck and sobbed: "Oh, my Ed
ward! am SO glad you got your
furlough." She must have felt me
shudder, for she turned as pale as
death, and catching her breath at
every word, she said. ''Have you
come without your furlough? Go
back! Ed ward, go back! Let me
ana the children go down to the
grave, but for Heavens sake, save
the honor of our name!"
There was not an officer on that
court martial who did not feel the
force of tho prisoners words, but
each ia turn pronounced the verdict
guilty. The proceedings of the
court were reviewed by General Lee,
and upon the record was written:
'Headquartcrs \. n V.-Thc find
ing OF the court is approved. The pris
oner is pardoned and will report tc
his company. "R. e. Lee, General"