Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-10

in Western Virginia, conceived the idea Of
retaIating Tor this act of vandalism by
burning the homes of some prominent peo-
pie In the Shenandoah valley None of the
citizens of that beautiful region were more
prominent than ex-Minister Faulkner whose
arrest upon his return TO this country had
become a topic of national interest early IN
the struggle. Accordingly one morning Capt
Gray Martindale of the first New York cav
airy was dispatched with his company from
headquarters with orders TO the effect that
the beautiful home of the Faulkners should
be in ruins by nightfalL Capt. Martindale
entered upon his mission with little relish.
The burning Of homes over the heads of de-
fenseless women did not comport with his
idea Of warfare and he made the terms Of
his mission as easy as he could In con-
science. Arriving at the house shortly be-
fore noon, he left the detachment OF soldiers
In the road, guarding the entrance to The
park which surrounded the house. and the
remainder galloped up the gravel pathway
TO the mansion, where he was received by
Mrs. Faulkner and her daughters. They
had heard OF the approach OF soldiers and
they had heard, too the rumors that were
abroad that three OF the houses In the Vi
cinity were to be sacrificed. Their hearts
told them only too well the errand of the
bluecoats.
To Prepare for a CONFEDERATION.
Madam" said Capt. Martindale, refining
his horse before the porch and doffng his
cap. Il am under the painful necessity OF
communicating to you the orders OF my
superior officer that your house shall DO
burned today. i am permitted to give you
one hour for preparation. You shall be al
lowed TO take from the house the wearing
apparel of yourself and daughters. but
nothing else All but these articles must be
left behind to be burned"
Prepared though she was for the shock,
the news that her beautiful home and it's
invaluable furnishings and ornaments were
TO be sacrificed to the torch came upon the
lady with appalling force. Without a man
of her own kin to advise her. she was at
first at loss to know what course to pur-
sue She realized that unless aid could be
summoned the orders must be carried out
and that her home would the next day lie
smoking and ruined. Soldiers Of her own
cause were far away. Even were they at
hand IL was doubtful II they could succeed
against the great odds opposed to them in
n fight for the preservation of this great
property
No, the needful assistance must come
from another source. 1t must come from .
source higher than the general commanding
the forces in the neighborhood. IL must
come from the Secretary of War or even
from the President himself Mrs. Faulkner
thought over the situation for only a few
moments but they seemed like ages, with
the seconds eating into the hour that stood
between her home and its fate. Then act
ing upon an inspiration she sent for
trusty servant, ordered him to mount the
best horse on the place and while he was
engaged in this she wrote on scrap OF
paper a brief but effective appeal to secre-
| tary Stanton.
AppenI TO the Secretary of War.
She had known Mr.. Stanton In former
years and felt that perhaps she could per-
suade him at least to stay the execution
of the order until she might appeal in per-
son to Gen. Hunter. The message was
| written, and the rider dashed al top
speed toward the telegraph once al MAI
| tinsburg The electric current was 70 take
her appeal TO Washington and TO bring
back the reply, IL reply should be vonch-
safed, in less than fifty-five minutes. There
was not a moment 10 be lost The soloiers
lounging by the roadside at the gate under
the shade of the great trees looked in Won
der at the man dashing down the road, and.
surmising his errand, made bets Tor ana
against the success Of his mission linen
the hoof beats died away, the dust that ne
had raised blew of into the nelds. the hos
sun beat down. and all was still again
| Can't Martindale and his men at the house
dismounted and sat upon the porch. Mrs.
| Faulkner and her daughters scarce daring
to hope for success. busted themselves in
packing few trunks while the frightened
/ servants ran hIther and thither, wailing
4 and weeping.
The minutes sped. Ten. twenty, thirty
! were gone Still no sign N the messenger.
! The women at the house had lost all hope,
| and one of the daughters urged the captain
/ &c give them a little more time.
| Il am very sorry, ma1am, he said. but
| ] have no authority to grant single min
| ute beyond the hour. i have no taste for
/ orders
Forty-five minutes were past ana the road
was still as death. The soldiers at the
/ gates grew bolsterous in their assurance
! that the house VAS doomed. Fifty nainutesi
To the trembling women, standing on the
/ portico. the clock seemed alive with
few around its dial. Fifty-One, tive, three.
] four!
saved just I'm Time.
Suddenly from the gate there came O
| sound of a cheer-it grew louder, but not
so loud that it drowned the noise OF a horse
gallcping at full speed. The messenger had
been deserted ct the top Of a hill a quarter
| of a mile away, and. fearful thet he was
late, he dashed his horse to a furious pace,
and above his head he waved a paper. In
| fected with the spirit Of the drivers en-
| thusiasm. the federal soldiers cheered him
the gate they forgot their partlsanship and
bade him speed.
The clock lacked just five minutes OF the
| hour when. with his horse fairly blown.
| the messenger drew up In front OF the
| porch. He did not need TO descend from
| the saddle. for the captain had sprung from
his seat on the porch, and with eager hand
took the paper from the rider and quickly
passed il up to Mrs. Faulkner, who. with
tears in her eyes stood eagerly awaiting
the news from Washington. So agitated
was she that she could hardly open the
envelope in which the telegram was in
| closed. but when at last she unfolded the
| paper she read aloud. as follows:
| THE property OF Charles James Faulkner
| is exempt from the order OF Gen. David 8.
| Hunter for the burning of the residences OF
three prominent citizens Of the Shenandoah
| valley in retaliation for the burning OF
Gov, Bradford's house in Maryland by the
| confederate forces.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN"
| And so the grand old home was saved.
| The other houses. however. were burned
that day. one of the two being that OF .
| cousin OF Gen. Hunter.
Army Orders.