The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1895-08-15

privilege OF bringing champagne with
him, and that he had claimed the right
for the hosts to furnish an equal amount.
The telegraph was set in motion at once,
directing search to be made in all the
neighboring towns for the required bev.
erage. Dalton, Cleveland and other
points were ransacked without success.
About 3 O'Clock in the afternoon, as
despair was settling on the Confederates,
telegram was received that some
champagne had been found in Atlanta.
The authorities there were directed to
send it by special locomotive, marking
1t: Ammunition. Forward with dis
patch"
At o'clock Maynard, accompanied
by Laura. and Jakey, who was always
with him, besides wagon containing
the case Of wine, were at the appointed
place on the picket line, where they
were met by the Confederate flag"
Transferring the wine to the backs of
pack mules, all started up the side of
Mission ridge to General Bragg's head
quarters.
As they approached the crest body
Of Confederate officers, gay cavalcade
in gray a, d gold lace, rode out to meet
them. TEey were received by the rela-
tive of the bride-an uncle-referred to
by the officer who brought the invita-
ton. He was an elderly man, of dig
nified and serious mien. The party were
conducted to large marquee set up for
the wedding feast. There they alighted,
and the wine was unloaded and carried
inside
A few minutes before 2 O'Clock the
guests were conducted to knoll, on the
summit of which had been erected a
canopy of flowers, and where stood a
group OF Confederates of high rank.
On the eastern horizon stood the full
moon. Below to the east was the battle
field OF Chickamauga. To the west, the
Army OF the Cumberland, besieged in
Chattanooga, Oh half rations. AS the
guests approached, the groom, still in
his uniform of corporal, attended by
his best mana Confederate noncom-
missioned officer of good family, detail
ed for the Occasion-was seen moving
from the north toward the knoll. At
the same moment the bride, attired in a
dress made of a coarse white stuff, man.
ufactured in the Confederacy, and at
tended by several bridesmaids, who had
come from distance to officiate, ap-
preached from the south. The two met
on the knoll under the canopy. An Off
Ger of high rank, who was also bishop
in the church, stepped forward, and Cor
poral Sir Hugh Ratigan and Caroline
Fitz Hugh were made one. The only
lamp to light the nuptials was the round
moon in the east. The only canopy, save
that composed of flowers, was the broad
heavens above, in which the stars had
only just appeared for the night. The
only wedding bells were occasional
booms from guns on Lookout mountain.
The ceremony over, the bride and
groom repaired to the marquee, lighted
with candles, where they took position
to receive the congratulations of the
company. All gave way to Colonel and
Mrs. Maynard, who offered theirs first
"We must give you up, suppose,
said Laura to the bride, ''just as we
would like to know you better. You 60
abroad, I suppose.
mo, remain here
''But Sir Hugh will go?''
"Yes, as soon as he can get his dis
charge. He goes to Virginia from here,
where he will pass through the lines to
Washington and will put his case i'll
the hands of the British minister. He
anticipates no trouble in getting dis
charge from the Federal army and hopes
to sail within a month for Ireland.
"And you?" asked Laura, in some
surprise that the bride could bear to part
SO soon with her husband.
II? I remain with my people till the
last gun has BEEN fired. We have argued
thstquestion, and such is my decision.
Moi decisions, observed the groom,
"are u thing Of the past.
Leaving the newly married pair,
Colonel Maynard approached the master
of ceremonies, the brides uncle.
General, he said, II esteem it q
privilege that You have waived your
right to furnish all the viands for the
wedding feast and have permitted me
to contribute. There" pointing to the
boxes of wine he had brought, "are six
cases Of champagne, which I beg you
70 accept as q contribution from the
Army Of Chattanooga.
At signal from the officer addressed
a negro removed blanket covering q
dozen boxes in q corner of the tent,
which had come q hundred miles and |
had not been in position ten minutes.
Il see your six cases, general, and 60
you six cases better.
Having no further resources at
hand, - said Maynard, bowling, Il retire
from the game.
Hannibal" said the Confederate,
you may advance the force in the first |
box to position in line on the table"
"Yes, sab, >" said the person addressed.
And Selling saber standing in the cor
ner he unsheathed it with a flourish |
and pried open box of the wine. In a
moment dozen bottles were standing |
on the table like a platoon of soldiers.
"NoW, Hannibal, YOU may fire the |