Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-25
AN UNWRITTEN ROMANCE.
The End Of . Soldier Of Fortune About
Whom Nothing Was known.

From tie New York Morning journal.
The other day man died in Texas who was
from first to last a mystery to his friends as
well as enemies. A creature of tie late war, he
knew no fear, could subject himself to the
seyerest haraships witho 1t a murmur, was sur
rounded by an impenetrable mystery and pre-
served his incognito to the last. He first made
bis appearance in the brigade of Gen. Mosby,
in the confederate cavalry.
lie was then man of perhaps twenty
years. tall and commanding in appearance,
black hair and eyes and an exceedingly swarthy
complexion He was one Of the best riders and
shots In that famous command. His face always
held its calm, stony expression, and he WAS
never known to be under the influence of ex-
citement of any kind. Soon he was detailed as
scout, and the only name the soldiers had for
him was BLACK Wilmington, the scout"
Though in many desperate hand to-hand en-
counters, he was never wounded, and his iudg-
ment and information were implicitly relied
ON by the officers.
He seemed to avoid company and would
never enter into conversation with any one,
except relative to the service and the business
he had in hand. Once Col. Mohun asked
HIM where he came from. When he had lin
lshed his report he said: Colonel, try TO
make good soldier for the confedcracy and
outside OF that II is none of your business what
Il
way he came and went and the soldiers Of the
line came to count on o battle when they saw
BLACK Wilmington return frcm one Of his
trips, always riding at q swift gallop.
At the battle of Yellow Tavern, Just outside
of Richmond. he was last seen for many
months. Many Of the soldiers retugeed to New
Orleans with the intention of going to South
America. While there Wilmington came In to
their great surprise, for many thought him cap
tured and hung as a spy. While there he be-
came involved in difficulty with some lawless
soldiers and killed three. He then went to
Mexico and joined Maximiliar.
tie seemed to have been long acquainted
with him and his officers, though his com pam
ions knew well enough to ask no questions
After the downfall of the emperor he smug-
gied goods across the border for time but
finally disappeared and nothing was heard
from him until he turned up as a scout of
Barrias in South America. When that cam
paign was over he came to Texas and lived
quietly on a farm until he died.
he died from the effect of a bullet that had
lodged near his heart. and very suddenly
Wen they went to dress him for burial he was
completely clothed in heavy suit of Spanish
Chain arnor, dented and battered by bullets
that had come In contact with il. The only
thing about him that would in any way lead to
his identity was a seal ring that hung around
his neck with chain, and on which was cut an
olive branch. People who took an interest in
nm often tried to trace up his past life and
lineage, thinking him to be OF some noble
family. and that he had exiled himself for some
nlppant cause, but they were always unsuccess-
ful, and he died as he had lived, without giving
single clue to his identity