St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1894-11-10
IT CHANGED TWO LIVES.

1T CHANGED TWO LIVES
APathetic Incident of Gen. Bragg
Retreat.
Tho 18th Of December. 1853, was =
sad day to the confederate army. com
manded by Gen. Bragg, in winter quar-.
ters around Dalton, for ON that day
thirteen men who ut one time be-
longed to that army had been sen
fenced to be shot.
Some had been caught by our cav.
airy fighting against the army they
had once belonged to, some had en-
listed ~ teamsters in the federal
army, and some were to be shot for
insubordination. Among the number
was gallant little Charley Hudson, a
beardless youth, but rs brave a soldier
~ ever went to the front Wherever
the bullets few thickest Charley was
TO be found, and in the charge on some
battery he always led; SO it was often
said that he bore . charmed life.
His father, who lived At small sta
ton on the railroad. along which we
had retreated after the battle Of Mis-
sionary ridge, was q very old man. He
pathy for the southern cause.
The subject Of Charley's joining the
confederate army had often been dis
cussed. The old gentleman At first
strongly opposed 1t, but finally, see-
ing that his son was determined to 60,
he gave his consent with one proviso:
II Gen. Bragg's army retreated beyond
their home he was to return. To this
Charley acceded, never for 4 moment
dreaming that such thing would
happen. But the army did leave his
home behind. and. true to the vow he
had made to his father, he returned
home.
He found that everything had been
destroyed and his people destitute; 30
to help them to live he enlisted in the
federal army Is = teamster. - he
thought In that capacity he would not
have to fight his old comrade&
That act changed my whole life, and
caused thorns to grow where I ex-
pected the sweetest roses. was de-
tailed to command one Of the squads
assigned to inflict the awful penalty
upon our former comrades-in-arms on
that fatal 18th OF December. We
were ordered to be ut the place of exc
cution promptly at twelve o'clock.
The whole army had been ordered
out to witness the shooting Of these
men, SO, after placing my detail in
front Of No. 4. / turned it over to the
sergeant and joined the group Of Of
ficers who were standing in the rear
of the squads discussing the painful
duty each had to perform.
Hearing my name called, I turned
and was called one side by . brother
officer, who said: DO you know. lieu
tenant. whom you are to execute to-
day."
NO. 1 replied; all 1 can tell 10
that was assigned to No. I. Can you
.ell?" asked.
Yes" he answered. mo. is poor
Charley Hodson."
1 felt my legs giving way and I
should have fallen had he not caught
me. Instantly I recovered; then, for
the first time in many years, tears
came to my eyes and rolled down my
cheek.
1t was appalling to give. the COM
mand that would end the life of my
comrade and best friend, for l had
learned to love the boy as brother;
he was SO kind. SO gentle and 50 brave.
Capt c., of the - Tennessee
regiment, came up to me and asked
what the bad news was. told him
and, like tho gallant fellow that he
was. he offered to exchange places,
though he knew it might cost him his
We had no time to think.
for 1t that moment we heard the
strains Of the dead march and look
ing up saw the condemned men ap-
We ran hurriedly to our details,
told the sergeants Of the change, and
then exchanged places.
In front of each squad stood stake
and oeffln, and IS the line ap-
. coffin.
just before they were to be bound
and blindfolded heard q voice say:
kiss Eugenia and my father for me,
and tell them that the last
throb of this heart was an echo of nv
love for them"
Great Godw ] exclaimed aloud. Il
didn't know it was you, Paul"
The next moment my mind had gone
back to little more than . year be-
Tore. when our army had been in Ten
ressee and Kentucky.
On that campaign I had met and
loved the most beautiful woman | had
ever seen. She was perfect in every
ray. A cultured min l. tender heart.
} loving disposition, and = form a.
perfect rs was ever given to woman.
She had soft, dreamy black eyes, and,
when excited. they were brighter than
he dewdrop on the rose.
visited her home often and was al |
Ways welcomed with . sunny smile;
but time passed rapidly and soon orders |
anne for us to prepare to march-the |
'ery thing dreaded
l left camp and went to pay nv last |
Tisit to her with heavy heart.
Sitting in the shadow of a large ar
nor vite tree, with her hands in mine.
told her of my love. 1t was needless.
hough, for me to have spoken one
vord Of that love, for she knew it loar
,efore.
For . moment she hesitated. and
then told her Of our orders to move
md possibly this would be our last
Meeting until the strife was over.
That seemed to decide it, for. look
nc up into my face, she said: st is
seless to tell you of my love for you,
oryoa must know that it is rs true
nd pure IS ever woman gave to
ran.
Reaching mp to branch of the tree
noer which we were sitting, she
ulled : tl6yAlrig and gave it to me,
wing: E41s tree is green rs long as
Cd per4d & 20 live. It is green for
-. - shall my love for you he. [,
ny - es 70 me = ! shall be to