Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1891-05-07

How "An Quiet on the Potomac Came 20
Re Written.


Re Written.
During the reunion of the blue and
the gray at Vicksburg we had the
pleasure Of meeting the noted Con-
federate soldier and scout, Major
Lamar Fontaine. who is one Of the
most interesting characters of the late
war, and who lives near Shaw, Miss.
He was with US during the entire re-
union and was very earnest in exten.
ding kindly welcome to the boys in
blue. He has had most remarks
bic career as soldier, and his many
daring deeds always make him very
interesting character to meet and con.
verse with. aud besides all these deeds
of valor there is connected with him
an incident that shows how tender
was bis brave heart when his comrade
was shot down before his face. but we
will let him tell his own story. He
says:
Not long after the first fight at Bull
Run, in which he took part as a pri.
vate in the Burt Rifles, 18th Missis-
sippi Regiment. he was transferred to
the Second Virginia Cavalry and was
doing picket duty just above the
island near Seneca Falls on the Poto.
mac river. This was in August. 1861,
one month after the battle of Bull
Run battle. Fontaine and one of his
comrades by the name Of Moore had
become warm friends aud were always
together. If one went on picket the
other went with him and they took
each his turn in watching the enemy.
Moore was a married man and had
two lovely little girls and he almost
idolized them and his wife. Fontaine
and Moore pat in much of their time
reading books. They purchased By
ron's, Burns and other poetical works
and wonld read these poems to each
other to pass away the lonesome hours
of the army life along the Potomac at
this point on the river. The two ar.
mics lines of pickess were on each
side of the river and the Federal and
Confederates had come to an under.
standing and agreement that there
should be no firing at each other while
on picket duty, and but for viola
tion of this agreement by treacher.
GUS soldier the incident herewith re.
lated would not have occurred. and
Gall Quiet on the Potomac" would
never have been written.
We had to STAND on post six
hours at q time. That night / took
my stand at Z o'clock and Moore
retired to rest. The nights were chill
ly and we kept some fire burning.
There was a small spring Of water
close by and a large fallen pine tree
that I used to si: on and rest at times,
after walking my beat. and I frequent.
ly stopped at the spring and bathed
my face when the dreary monotony
Of the still night had tendency to
Iull me to sleep. AS soon as I found
that midnight had arrived / stepped
to the fire and threw on come pine
knots and reused Moore to take my
place. He rose slowly, picked up his
gun, stepped to the fire aud stretched
himself as a sleepy soldier will, and
gaped and yawned. And while his
arms were extended and his hands
grasping the barrel of his gun, there
was a fash across the river and the
whiz of bullet, and he sank to the
earth with q hole just above the eye
on the left side, from which flowed
the dark crimson life blood. Not a
word or . groan escaped his lips. I
removed the remains from near the
FIRE where he had fallen, and as ! did
so my eyes fell on the telegraphic
columns Of a newspaper and it was
headed Gall Quiet Along the Poto.
mac Tonight and oh ! how truth.
fol it was. It was cert ainly all quiet
with me and with him whom I loved
as a brother.
could not helr shedding a tear.
and thoughts reverted to his home.
his wife and his children, and I
thought of the false watch whose
treachery had caused his death and
my thoughts grew bitter and demon
of vengeance arose in my heart which
was not stilled until che white dove
of peace had spread her snowy PIN
ions over the land, and the bomb shell
rolled across the swsrd the plsything
of child.
When morning dswned the words
in that newspaper were burned in my