The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-09-19
AT CLIPPER GAP.

said the general, lowering his neldglasseS
and turning pair of cold gray eyes upon
staff officer who was standing near.
If we could get battery into Clipper
gap responded the officer addressed, tho
question might be soon settled and at
close range. The confguration of the land
and the bore Of our guns combine, 1t
seoms to me, to make any other solution
impossible.
"Clipper gap" echoed the general, ris-
ing vislbly in his saddle and then settling
back with sarcastic smilo. clipper
gap, did you say, colonel White, you are
Falking at random. Surely your sugges-
tion Is not feasible You ought to know
that q battery could not live to unlimber
there, but even If it got into action-why,
good God, man, you must be dreaming!'
Colonel White looked hurt, and instead
of meeting the sharp glance Of his com
mander he allowed his eyes TO wander
down to the left and in the direction OF an
old plantation dwelling where masked
mortar battery had an hour before opened
on the Federal lines with terrible effect.
II only mentioned the matter, general"
replied the staff officer after few mo-
ments of silence. II shall be glad to exc
cute any orders that you may have in tho
consummatton of better plan.
But, my good man, " returned the gen
eral, "a gunner could not live five minutes
at the gap. Itwould be downright murder
to order battery in there Colonel White,
would you lead battery into Clipper
gap?"
"What a question: replied the other.
What a question for soldiori To he sure,
would lead u battery into the gap. or
into hell, for that matter, If ordered to do
So By the way, general, this would be
great opportunity for your brave Captain
Langhorne.
General Colby laughed heartily.
Cant you forgive ne, White for sny
ing that Langhorns is the bravest man In
the Third corpss You grow sarcastic cv
cry tmo you refer to the conversation of
last evening, LangLorne is brave, brave
ns u lion. know him under fire. South
erncr, Is he notf Colonel Williams told
me that he had two brothers in the rebel
army. Did you know him before the war''
Yes" answered the other, looking
again In the direction of the house. Il
knew him very we'll Wewerc IN the same
class at the University Of Virginia. Rivals
first for class leadership and later for the
hand OF the fairest woman in the old com
monwealth. Langhorne got thu girl, who,
by the way, was of northern birth. Per
haps that accounts for his fighting sympa-
thios. His people are all on the other side.
He lives in this section somewhere, be-
liove. As to his bravery, never cOnsid-
cred him brave at all. You will say at
once, general, that this is II prejudice aris-
ing from our early relations Not so. l
am not inclined to dcprcciate Langhorne's
,.l al al, d -tNl.
did. say simply that he is not man of
great physical courage"
During this brief recital the generals
face wore smile of innocent raillery, but
rs White concluded stern expression
stole over his countcnancc. He thrust his
flcldglassos into silver bound case and
almost flercely beat the long leg of his
cavalry boot with "A pair Of heavy gaunt-
lets, which ho had taken off few mo
mcnts before. He was u man of inperl-
Gus disposition and violent temper, with
little liking for opposition from any source.
White was distant relative and trusted
adviser, but it was evident that he had
gone too far. When the first flush of his
wrath had been beaten out upon his boot,
he was enabled to speak, with some de-
gree Of moderation, the thoughts that had
sent wicked expression to his facO
tsnlOnVl W nlte, lie began uollDefhIely,
tyou inIpugn the courage of one of the
brnvrSt men in the servicc--a man whom
hase learned TO love and respect. tell
you hc is as brave as lion His courage
is always tempered with the coolest judg-
mcnt-the very highest form of courage.
Do you remember the day att
Here the general broke of abruptly and
drawing out tho ficldglHsses fixed his sight
OH the house MAT stood on long stretch
of level ground below, whence rose mt fire.
qucnt intervals white puffs of smoke tell
ing of the cannonad0 still furiously waged
from, tho morturs of the rebel battery. In
moment he broke off his Inspection and
turning to Colonel White said: Per
hnps your suggestion of the gap as point
OF action Ia not bad. I really do not sec
any way out Of it, and just to prove that
/ am right I shall order Captain Lang
horne in there. Some one has to go, and
! am convinced that Langhorne has the
right kind of stuff in him. He can wipe
away the arrogant conccit of military
prowcss in three or four hundred rebel
hearts and at the same time wipe away the
arrogant conceit of snap Judgment in the
heart of u brother officer" and General
Colby again smiled good naturedly upon
his staff officer. Whether this opinion
came from an honest conviction of mill.
tary necessity or from the motive of vim
dicntiny al u i!fd'r'ft"ut that was