The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-08-28
As DAVID LOVED JONATHAN.

were enCdnlpcu near mdfbudll, ltAh,
The Confederacy wRs fast yielding to tn
giant strokes of the hammer of Thol
which Grant was necessarily welding
and to which Lee, faint and weary, coul
only reply now and then by fierc
lunge with blunt and broken rapier. Th
' vast system which had clung togethe
, four or five years-more through shee
l patriotism than from the impact of an,
centrifugal force-was now dissolvinj
? like mist wreaths before the rising sun
[ Bands of guerillas and bushwhacker
roamed the country, ravaging and spoil
} ing. The worst passions of the wors
. men, chained like famishing tiger
through four years of hard discipline
; were let loose. Only in such issolateC
spots where there existed the remnan
of an organized Confederate force wa'
there either law or protection for help
less women and children throughout tho
| land. Where Shelby and Price, and
Smith and Churchill, and other gallant
leaders were there the banner of the Con
federacy still floated, and around them
still gathered some thousands of brave
and steadfast men. But an ominous
cloud was upon every mans brow. Hope
was almost gone, and each day some
man would ask himself, why should
stay here and help to mount guard when
my wife and children are suffering God
knows what? And each night some
picket would lay down his musket, cast
a look back at the dying camp-fires of
his comrades, and cast himself into the
outer darkness. This practice became
so alarmingly frequent that the sternest
and most repressive measures were
adopted to prevent it. The old Mexican
army officers, many of whom were in the
Western armies, and whose notion OF
discipline were gained by service from
West Point to Chapultepec, were espec-
tally severe upon these deserters. "a
deserter becomes in every instance a
bushwhacker," they would say, and in
too many cases the facts bore out their
charge.
1t was evident that under the present
weakened state of the Confederacy disci-
pline was more necessary than ever; and
though the men had abundance of food
and clothing and ammunition, still they
were kept in bounds and allowed far less
leisure and license than when Jackson
was winning his laurels in "the valley"
and when the bonnie blue flag foated
over glad and triumphant people.
Gathered, as has been stated, near Mar
thousand magnificent veteran troops,
men who had been at Belmont, Vicks-
burg, Shiloh and with Dick Taylor in his
glorious campaign when he crushed
Banks into small fragments. As rule
these men, used to obey, were not de-
serters, but as the flag sank lower toward
the black horizon of defeat the fever of
desertiOn became epidemic among even
them, and it began to be customary at
morning roll-call to hear no familiar
voice answer "here," and to have the
orderly sergeant, in voice of suppressed
rage, bid the remaining men to 'dress
up, there, dress up" So it happened
that the men were paraded one fine
spring afternoon on the grassy plateau
in front of the tent of general command
ing, and the chief of the staff read out
No. | of new series of special orders, to
the effect that any man caught deserting
hereafter whOuld be shot, by order of
drum-head cOuTt-martial, etc. The regi-
ments broke into companies, and the
companies, under their orderly sergeants.
ran back into camp at double time,
muskets on left shoulder and a grim
look on their war-worn features. Con-
versation was rather guarded about the
camp-fires that evening, each man rather
distrusting his comrade, and feeling
rather cautious about expressing his
sentiments as to special order No. 1.
Standing in front of large tent adj
joining that of the general commanding,
who had but recently removed his head
quarters from Marshall, was a group
composed of an officer, n sergeant and a
most lovely girl of about eighteen years
of age. She seemed rather pale, and her
replies to the officer at her side were low
in tone and brief as to words. The SER
geant spoke only when addressed, and
curious observer might have noticed that
when her eyes and his met they said
what no known language has ever been
able even to feebly translatc-the Ian
guage of a passion as pure as the maid
ems heart or the mans honor, and as
the cycles of eternity itself. 1t was no
ticeable, too, by keen observer that
whenever she did address him q light
came over her fair face the like of which
| is seen on neither sea nor land, and that
he in turn gIipped the barrel of his
musket as if he would snap it in his
strong fingers. Well, there was n curl
GUS observer present who did remark on
these signs of suppressed emotion, and
looked alternately at the man and woman
with something like the look he wears
who wakes to hear his death warrant
read. This was the third person of the
little group, Capt. Geo. MacGregor, and a
CHASTITY smile played on his wan features
as he addressed the twain.
''Rose, am going to take Champ off
for short walk. May see you for a
moment before taps?''
"Why, yes, certainly, captain. And,
oh! Sergeant Conway, may | see you for
moment, too, just after roll-callP'
The young sergeant saluted, blushed
and answered.: ''It will give me the
greatest pleasure, Miss Fairchild, to wait
on YOU"
The two men walked away until they
reached and passed the outposts. Not a
word had been spoken on either side.
MacGregor sank down on a log, as if
wearied, and was silent for some mo-
ments. At last Conway spoke: "What
is it Mac?" Out here they were no long
er officer and subaltern. They were, as
they had been four years before, the best
| friends and closest chums at the Virginia
Military Institute. The words reused
MacGregor. He took Conway's athletic
hand between his own two fragile ones.
"Dear old boy" he said, "this war
Ctll lftSb HluCn lOhbCl anu biCh yOu NAi
be as free to win her as will; with bet
your birth and high connections, she
loves you"
Conway sat still moment. Then he
said, in voice full of tears: MAC, dear
old Mac, God knows am sorry this has
happened. But do love hertz
81 know it. am nearly gone now."
| "Oh, don't say that"
81 have no hope-or but little-of liv-
ing Perhaps with mind at ease and
amid other surroundings / might man.
age to hand my grip for few years, for
come from hardy stock. But / might
rs well go. know she will never care
for me. Now, my dear fellow, God bless
you, and success to your wooing."
Champ Conway groaned and sat silent;
then, springing up, he embraced the
man by his side, and cried: "Mac, you
always were the noblest fellow on earth,
but / can't accept your sacrifice. Lei
each man take his chance, and let her
decide when the war is over. We will
still be friends"
ALWAYS friends" echoed the captain,
as they turned and strobe back to the
tent. What MacGregor told Rose Fair.
child that night Conway never knew un.
til long years afterward. He left the
tent as Conway saluted and entered.
"She wants you," whispered Mac.
Gregor, as he passed him, in voice SC
choked and hOarse that Conway involun.
tarily turned to detain him, when cleal
low voice said: 'Pray come in, ser
geant."
In an instant Conway had entered the
tent. He saluted, and stood before the
woman he so passionately loved. Pres
emily she spoke: "Will you do me 9
great favorP''
81 viii do whatever you ask"