Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-12-15
A BROKEN PAROLE.


Of your civil tribunals, of your oaths
and aflidavits and rigid cross-examlna-
tons. What are they but retrench-
ments which prove that perjury is an
active foe. Now, in the army it is pride,
not fear, that is the safeguard. The word
of an officer on his honor as a soldier
and gentleman is never doubted"
Yet an officer is human Z"
"rhere are men and men; sir. 1t is n
matter of education, which becomes an
| instinct. A soldiers word is Il sacra-
ment and is so recognized by the army
| regulations"
"Oh, we'll, the Roman soldiers did
sometimes desert their standard, turn
their back on the enemy, and abandon
| their general Catalina and Anthony
lived, us well as Brutus and Scipio.
| Come now did you never know an officer
| to break his word Y
"lIum! Tho general looked serious
and even sad II do remember one
! casr; but ii was excusablc. Sir, most
| eXcusable. Poor young follow SO hand
/ some, SO gallant. After all these years
| can see him as he sat erect ana munful
on his horse, his face livid, his lips bit
ten, the drops Of agony streaming from
/ his brow. lie was tempted beyond NOR
tai strength aud he yielded-a grieyous
fault, for which he woefully atoned.
"Tcll me about it, pray; not as il I'M
| pressed you, but from the beginning"
"From the egg to the apple, eli! You
see, we old soldiers are not forgetful Of
our Latinity. Well, | will, though the
task is Il melancholy one. During one
of the latter years of the rebellion | was
| stationed in Il Southern Atlantic state
| and had command OF the outpost On
| either side of us was Il river; beyond
these, dense morasses. In front, about
seventeen mics distant, was city, held
by the enemy and filled with military
stores. And twenty-five miles beyond
was another hostile town. A railway
| ran between the rivers, and furnished
communication between these two
places"
docs an outpost require any definite
fOrce?n
mo. That depends on the entent of
the country TO be guarded In this in
stance my front covered five miles, and
had Il brigade-two regiments of in
funtry,a regiment of cavalry and four
pieces of artillery-a fine command.
also had Il few men from the Engineer
Corps, and one of these-at the peril of
his life, too, for he would have been shot
if captured-had drafted a Topographic
cal map of the surrounding country.
From this planned an expedition on
the enemy's outpost.
II detailed an officer of tried intre-
pidity, Captain Brown, to make deteur
with his company TO the right flank and
rear. All night they marched through
the swamp and impenetrable thicket, IL
distance of over 20 miles, and yet kept q
reserve of strength and pluck for the
morrow's fighting. 1t was most gal
lantly achieved. Meanwhile | set out
two hours before daybreak with 1900
men, marching in three columns along
the three practicable roads, Everything
transpired in accordance with my
fondest anticipations. AS soon as we
engaged the enemy Captain Brown
seized the bridge in their rear and ad
vanced boldly, making q tremendous
noise.n
"a Ia Chinese?"
"The Chinese are no fools with their
kettle-drums, sir. Warfare is royal
game, in which tinesse often wins.
Captain Brown left portion of his
scanty command in the rear, which
assumed the appearance of reserve to
the bewildered foe They believed that
they were surrounded and by an over
whelming force, and so. they yielded.
When the captain joined me we found
that we had bagged a southern brigadier
general with his staff, several pieces of
artillery, so horses, among which was a
famous black stallion renowned from
the James to the gulf; at least hun
dred men, besides an immense quantity
of military stores. We dismantled the
bridge as well as we could, and then we
made off, and quickly, too"
"Why SOP"
"3ecause reinforcements had been
telegraphed for to that further city on
our approach, and were hurrying thither
as fast as steam could urge them. We
had done too well to risk a Pyrrhic
victory. Well, before we started Captain
Brown brought the brigadier-genera be-
fore me, Incorporating fellow, spled-
did with new regalia.
Tim sorry for you, general / said
Ills the fortunes of war
"'ltather malignant ones for me- he
replied with grim smile. Il had just
won my star. Still
"'Wc will make your comfort our
pleasure protested. If you an your
staff will give me your parole, you shall
know no restraint lie laid his hand
on his sword. No, mol! | continued
! Keep your sidearms and your horses'
al pledge you my word, on my honor
as an officer and II gentleman, that
will not attempt to escape said the
captive chieftain, and so, likewise, re.
peated each one of his staff.
""Tis sufficient, gentlemen | replied,
we must now ride brisllly to camp
AT this juncture Captain Brown ad.
vanced With another prisoner who had
been held by his reserve guard.
"'Good God! Macrane,' exclaimed
the brigadier, did they take you? NV
poor fellow, how unfortunate, how ter
riblen
) "Yes, general. The clergyman had
! Just finished his prayer. | had iust
kissed my wife for the first time, said
the young officer, as he sat erect and
soldierly as / have recalled him, but the
personilication Of despair.
Ellis commander looked at me visit
fully, as ii tempted to make intcrcession
. Then his face grew stern. OTIS the
Z fortunes Of war he repeated bitterly.
, Give your parole, Macrana.'
"l'he young officer placed his hand
on his sword, Int threatcningly. He
glanced about him. There was no lane
OF escape through the masses Of blue.
=" ! pledge my wGrd, on my honor as
; an officer and u gentleman, that | will
, not attempt to escape he said, and as
I he spoke, MS face grew even oreashen
I'm arant, Messiours! and away We