The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-06-30
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AS matter of fact, we remained in
this inaction some three months, till
we joined Lord CORVALLIS at Peters
burg. / was then detailed to go with a
division instructed to intercept some
reported fora gers sent out by Major
Harry Lee
] strained my ears as ] heard.
was arrayed against Major HARRY,
whom 1 loved, if I ever loved a man,
both for being most cOnsiderate OF
his interiors, and always the dare
devil leader. L laughed as L thought
of it. L against Major Harry.
Yet it was not so comical an affair
in very earnest. Here in Virginia l
was known. One day an old woman
who had heard my history, spat at
me. 1 could not blame her.
But two persons I hated, Benedict
Arnold and the meddling hussy. 1
thought 1 might kill him, and so,
although I should certainly be hanged,
] should be lauded by my old COM
rades as a hero, after all these days
of apparently deserved contempt.
And yet 1 could not find courage for
this. He had treated me from the first
most considerably. 1 could not stab
or shoot behind his back. My in
structions, in fact, had been to bring
him in alive, not dead.
L thought, perhaps, of the meddling
hussy at the stair head. She had
foiled me, but. in some curious way,
she equally had made it impossible for
me to kill the man, had L the chance.
With all these conflicting notions. in
the service where L appeared what
l was not, what more natural than
that L should in the end try fool
hardy escape to the old lines L had
deserted.
1t happened one evening at point
near the Carolinian line, when on that
expedition [ have described.
l broke away much as L had at Tap
pan; but this time, knowing the coun-
try better than my pursuers, man
aged to elude them with less danger
to my skin.
AS L was now walking my horse In
the direction of the Congaree, where L
supposed Major Harry to have been,
I stumbled directly on one of his PICK
cts. The man brought me in, cover
ing me with his musket. And then
suddenly he recognized me.
REORGANIZATION Champe, the de-
serterr' he cried, at first incredulously,
and again exultantly. Cor, what
bird l have brought DOWN.
Others by this time had gathered;
and then an officer, before whom
black carried a lantern, approached
over the hah-frozen ground. 1t was
early March.
l ''Major Leer' I said weakly, for by
some chance / had fallen in with no
less a parsonage. Major Lee! (He
was then ieutenant-colonel of the
Dragons, though always Major to
me)
then, leaping from his horse, he cried,
taking my hands in his:
, "Champe who failedr' I nodded
The men stood ABOUT
astounded. For was 1 not a deserter?
The major knew their thoughts.
'fSergeant+Major John Champe IS
the gentleman, who, like Captain Hale,
to serve his country took on the dis
guise of a spy among the British
When suddenly through that little
detachment of my old comrades q
cheer went up, and I believe that,
after all 1 had imagined and suffered,
this scene in the Carohnian swamp
was the happiest OF my life. -,
But how did you fail, MANI" the
major asked, when we rode to his
main division. II really believed you
would carry it out We waited at Ho
book until too late for any possible
hope of your appearance"
Because of a meddling hussy,"
said, my heart bitter against her.
ga wench, Champe? L thought not
that of you"
''Eh, but you must" said I; and
told him the story.
1T is strange said he musing1y,
"why she didn't betray you. l can't
DIT unless
''UnlesSr'
UNLESS she were in love with you"
said Major Lee.
''Impossibler' said I, forgetting to
laugh. Why, of course it was absurd,
although 1 could not get the notion
out of my head.
At his headquarters, where my old
comrades who now knew the whole
though in faith it was failure enough,
the major told me he could not take
me back into my old company.
''And why?" I asked holly. for I
thought he meant that my failure to
capture Arnold had discredited me
with him.
Because, Champe, / like you too
we'll to have you risk capture by the
British, who. before the clock could
tick, would hang you as spy"
l told him L cared not whit for the
danger; that 1 wanted to fight with
all the strength and wit I had left
after the false part [ had played:
badly have we treated you'll But after
all you have done ] will not suffer
you to risk a hair" he repeated.
When I was insistent he said finally
that he had no option but would refer
the matter to General Washington to
whom directly L was despatched by
General Greene.
I confess l was anxious when came
into the presence of that Virginia
gentleman who now had become the
greatest among the Americans.
you did us signal service. Cap
tain Champe," he said kindly, 'in let
ting me know the extent of Arnold's
treachery when L was uncertain of
every one about me, and it must ap-
pear ungracious of me to tell you that
out of regard for you and your most
good service, I must retire
you-but as a captain, with full cap
tain's pay"
/ did not want retirement. I cared