The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-08-20
Selected Storm.
As David Loved Jonathan.

1T was In lne spring Ol %, WHEN
quite respectable body of confederate
troops were encamped near Marshall,
Texas. The confederacy was fast
yielding to the giant strokes of the
hammer of Thor, which Grant was in
cessantly welding, and to which Lee,
faint and weary, could only reply now
and then by fierce lunge with blunt
and broken rapier. The vast system
which had chung together four or five
years-more through sheer patriotism
than from the impact of any centrifugal
force-was now dissolving like mist
wreaths before the rising sun. Bands
of guerillas and bushwhackers roamed
the country, ravaging and spelling.
The worst passions of the worst men,
chained like furnishing tigers through
four years of hard discipline, were let
loose. Only in such isolated spots
where there existed the remnant of an
organized confederate force was there
either law or protection for helpless
women and children throughout the
land. Where Shelby and Price, and
Smith and Churchill, and other gallant
leaders were there the banner of the
confederacy still hoated, and around
them still gathered some thousands of
brave and steadfast men. But an ON
nous 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 chill
dren are suffering God knows what?
And each night some picket would lay
down his musket, cast a look back at
the dying camp-fres of his comrades,
and cast himself into the outer dark
ness. This practice became so alarm
ingly 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 notions of
discipline were gained by service from
West Point to Chapultepec, were es-
pecially severe upon these deserters.
GA deserter becomes in every instance
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 dis
cipline was more necessary than ever;
and though the men had abundance of
food and clothing and ammunition,
still they were kept in bounds and al
lowed far less leisure and license than
when Jackson was winning his laurels
in 1.-the valley" and when the bonnie
blue flag foated over glad and tri-
umphant people. Gathered, as has
been stated, near Marshall, in northeast
Texas, were several thousand magnii-
cent veteran troops, men who had been
at Belmont, Vicksburg, Shiloh and with
;oI- To 81
when he crushed Banks into small frag-
ments. AS rule these men, used to
obey, were not deserters, but as the
flag sank lower and lower toward the
black horizon of defeat the fever of de-
sertion 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 the general COM
manding, and the chief of the staff read
out No. of new series of special or
ders, to the effect that any man caught
deserving hereafter would be shot, by
order of drum-head court-martial, ETC.
The regiments 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.
Conversation was rather guarded about
the camp-fires that evening, each man
rather distrusting his comrade, and
feeling rather cautious about expressil g
his sentiments as to special order No. l..
Standing in front of large tent adj
joining that of the general command
ing, who had but recently removed his
headquarters from Marshall, was a
group composed of an officer, a SER
geant and a most lovely girl of about
eighteen years of age. She seemed
rather pale, and her replies to the Of
ficer at her side were low in tone and
brief as to words. The sergeant spoke
only when addressed, and curious OBJ
server might have noticed that when
her eyes and his met they said what
no known language has ever been able
even to feebly translate-the language
of passion as pure as the maiden's
heart or the mans honor, and as un.
dying as the cycles of eternity itself.
1t was noticeable, too, by a keen OBJ
server that whenever she did address
him light came over her fair face the
like of which is seen on neither sea mol
land, and that he in turn gripped the
barrel of his musket as if he would
snap it in his strong fingers. Well
there was a curious observer present
who did remark on these signs of sup
pressed emotion, and looked alternately
at the man and woman with something
like the look he wears who wakes tC
hear his death warrant read. This was
the third person of the little party
Captain George MacGregor, and {
CHASTITY smile played on his wan fea
lures as he addressed the twain.
Rose, l am going to take Champ of
for short walk. May l see you for q
moment before taps?"
Why, yes, certainly, captain. And
OIL Sergeant Conway, may | see YOU
for a moment, too, just after roll-call?'
The young sergeant saluted, blushe'