Passaic City record., 1891-09-19
CAPTAIN SMEDLEY.
A Romance of the Civil
War.
BY MAI. JAMES F. Fits.
CHAPTER XVI.

Major Brandon had Joined the battal.
ion some time before the occupation oil
the city, and his wife now came on from
Memphis to join him. This little corps
was so largely reduced that it was made
part of the garrison, the Major and his
wife occupying a house where Colonel
Smedley was a welcome guest. Mrs
Brandon, with warm sympathy for the
soldiers from her own locality, busted
herself in trying to make them more corh.
Portable, in such ways as only womans
skilled fingers can; and Smedley, Oh
better acquaintance, admired in q lam
guild way, her homelike virtues and in.
dustry.
That's the wife for soldier" said the
Major one day, with enthusiasm, as she
left the two friends and comrades to-
gether. She's true in every way; true tc
her husband, her country, and her home
I say-Smedleyw
"Well?"
st don't want to be impertinent; but are
you not following a will-o-the-wis Is
not that old madness on you that you told
me about in the mountains? You act
like it.
The Colonel returned an evasive an.
swer and changed the subject That
night Mrs. Brandon piled her husband
with questions, and obtained all that he
1T is too bad, she said, with emphasis
that SO fine man and SO good soldier
should be guilty of such folly. Because
it is nothing else, for q man who loves
his country enough to risk his life for her.
to make himself unhappy over q rebel
woman"
81 don't know about that, Alice, said
the Major, with mischievous pretense
of arguing the question. If l had hap
pened to wear a gray uniform, / suppose
you would have loved me just as we'll
eh?"
Il would have had nothing to do with
you," replied Mrs. Brandon, Indignantly.
and the Major laughed, and said that he
thought the women were rather more bit
ter partisans than the men were.
July passed, and important tidi ngs
came for the Mountain Battalion. Gen.
eral Burnside was organizing and equip
ping an army at Richmond, Kentucky,
for the liberation of East Tennessee, and
it would soon move toward Knoxville.
The record of the mountaineers in the
war had become known at Washington,
and the General had been authorized to
call for this command to aid in delivering
their homes. Many of the sick and
wounded had returned to duty, and al
most two hundred couldnow be mustered.
The order for the transfer was read one
night on dress parade, and enthusiasm
prevailed over discipline; the line broke
forth in cheers of delight. They were
going home, after almost two years OF
absence; home. where the hearts of all
men are, but OH how wholly those of the
soldiersl Those that were left, not half
of the number that went out, would soon
see their wives and children; they would
come home as liberators, and probably
remain there on duty during the re-
mainder of the war. There was happi-
ness and unrestrained glee in that camp
that night, and very little sleep among
the mountaineers.
The steamer that would take them to
Cincinnati was to be ready in two days,
Colonel Smedley had not resumed COM
mand and the Major felt little awkward
in his position. He showed him the
orders.
"Of course, Charley, you'll take com
mand, and come back with us? Godsi-
think of the reception that you'd have
there!"
There was little huskiness in Smed-
leys voice. mo, Graham" he said, my
fighting days are over. Some day, when
the war shall become dream of the
past, will come up to East Tennessee
and renew the old friendships. Now
am only civilian. l was mustered out
of the service this morning"
The Major tried to speak, and broke
down in sobs. At the embarkation the
scene was most affecting. The officers
and men thronged about Smedley; they
begged him not to leave them, and al
most shook his resolution.
Don't urge me, boys" he said. 1T il
impossible. The surgeon says that my
life depends on my leaving the service
Nv heart goes with you, but my poor
shattered body must stay behind. Good
by, and God bless you'll"
Caps were taken off in silent salute
as the steamer passed out of sight of the
tall figure on the landing.
CAPTAIN Burt Hankins, who had dill
gently learned both to read and write
since honors began to come to him in the
battalion, stood by the guards and
chewed tobacco violently and effusively
He was unable to contain the reflections
that agitated him, and at once proceeded
to announce them for the benefit of his
listening company.
THE ColoneIs oil wrong" he said.
"He orter go with us. To be sure, he's
not got over his wound, but he could get
along with it, if he would. Things could
be made easy for him if he'd only stay.
But he won't.
whats the matter with him, Burt?
one of his old neighbors familiarly asked
A acoman, of course. just what makes
half the trouble everywhere. Mrs. Major
told me all about it; mighty sensible wo.
man she is, can tell you! The Colonel
is in love with secesh girl here il
vicksburg; old thing, begun before the
war; and he can't get her out of his head.
Tn a bachelor, you know, and tolerable
old one; all women are pretty much the
Same to. me; but I do wonder at the Colo.
mel making such to-do over any rehe
calico. If he'll come back to the noun.
tains I'll show him dozen handsomel
and better'n this one; yes, sir, and girls
that can run, jump. and ride horse bare.
back. I do wonder at his choice; and the
gal won't have him. neither"
The Battalion reached Cincinnati, anG
was transported to Richmond. We can
cot -pause 10 even mention the incidents
oe that arduous march of an army ovel
the mountains, the men nearly all mount
ed. ammunition and stores being mainly
packed on mules. and the whole moving
with the utmost celerity. In some in