The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-05-29

! collation. was served ON the public square,
which was gaily decorated, and upon 2
stand or platform at the head OF the mid
| die table were gathered some eminent
men, among them the governor OF the
state, who were to give to these men mes
sages Of welcome. Although it was day
of JOY, it was also day OF sorrow, for not
one-half of those who had gone away
were with the regiment when 1t returned,
but the chief sorrow was for the colonel,
whose burial place was not even known.
As the exercises progressed commotlon
was observed at the lower end OF tho
table, and a moment later the regiment,
half dazed. half wild with JOY. saw its
colonel. who was supposed to be at the bot
tom of the Mississippi, pale and weak,
mounting the platform. 1t seems like the
resurrection of one from the dead, but 1t
was he-Colonel Selden-who had just ar
rived in time to take part in this dramatic
manner in this ceremonial.
Colonel Seiden told remarkable story.
He said that he found himself one morn
ing lying upon the bank of the river with
nothing but a nghtshirt on and wet
through. he did not know where he was,
nor did he know how he got there. He
was so weak that he could not move. As
he lay there he realized that some one was
looking at him, and glancing up he saw
man. clad partly in a seedy Confederate
uniform. who was gazing at him with
amazement. The colonel managed to
murmur request for help, but when the
man learned that he was federal officer
he declared that he would deliver him to
the Confederates, whose camp was not tar
distant Colonel Selden pleaded as an act
of humanity that he at least be moved
from the bank, but the man was immov-
able until, sammoning all his strength.
Colonel Selden managed to make Ma
sonic sign.
To his JOY it was recognized. and the
manner of the Confederate changed. sum-
moning help, he took Colonel Selden to
his own house, put him in the guest cham
Der and nurSed him back to comparative
strength. On comparing notes with his
Confederate host Colonel Selden was sat-
isfied that he must have been deliriOus,
must In some way have got into the Mis-
sissippi river and then swan ashore, and
he was convinced that the shock which he
received had turned the course of the
fever, although in 80 cases out of 100 it
probably would have been fatal. As soon
as he was able he started for the North, be-
ing able to procure transportation. as the
federal lines had been extended during his
illness so that his hosts house was within
them. He ordered kilograms to be sent to
his home, but by some accident these were
never received. He followed his regiment
asrapidly as possible, and purely by chance
reached his native town the very day that
the regiment was being received in the
manner above described.
THE STORY OF HERBERT BEcKwITH.
They were speaking at one of the camp
fires by Grand Army post in New York
city of the offehse which President Lincoln
sometimes gave to Secretary Stanton and
the generals by the clemency which he
showed to those sentenced by court-mar-
tial to the death penalty.
"And yet," said one grizzly veteran,
Lincoln seldom made mistake in show
ing this clemency. Everybody has heard
the story of the Vermont boy who was
sentenced to be shot and who was par
doned by Lincoln after his mothers
intercession, and how he became a
brave soldier and died after showing
splendid courage on one of the battle.
fields in the Virginia swamps. / can tell
you another story which matches that,
and which has never yet been In print. A
17-year-old boy, named Herman Beckwith.
went from the high school of his native
town into one of the New York regiments
early in the war. He came of excellent
family. His father was warm friend Of
Connecticut's war governor, Buckingham,
and he reluctantly let the boy go into the
army, feeling that he had done his share,
as an elder brother was one OF the first to
TeSpOnu ) call.
Young Beckwith pleaded 80 hard that
his father gave him his blessing and told
him to be brave soldier, and always
to bear in mind, anim the temptations of
the camp, the lessons he had received in
his home from childhood.
Beckwith, though mere lad, was q
model soldier, never Sinking, and gained
the favor of his officers and the friendship
of MS companions.
There had been fighting steadily for
four or five DAYS in the ChickahomIny
swamps, and for two nights Beckwith had
had scarcely any sleep. One night he did
not sleep at all and the next not more
than two hours. On the third night he
was on picket duty. but was so utterly
when placed on post. At midnight, when
the relief came, the officer of the guard
saw Beckwith standing motionless. The
customary challenge was not sent by the
picket. The officer spoke, but there was
no response, and. approaching Beckwith,
he called again, without receiving any
answer. Then he roughly shook the
picket, who in dazed and bewildered sort
of way came to his own senses, and then
it was discovered that Beckwith had been
sleeping upon his post. He was standing
perfectly erect, but leaning slightly upon
his gun, the butt of which was placed be-
tween his feet.
OF course, there had to be a court-martial.
Beckwith, when called upon to make de-
tense, said that when he went upon the
post he found that he was, to use his ex-
preston, almost killed with Sleep" To
keep awake he walked rapidly beck and
forth, pinched himself and suffered every
terror and horror lest he should, before he
became aware of it. succumb to his drowsi-
ness At times it seemed almost as though
he would fall. At last he heard what
he thought was a noise, and stopped