The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-02-21
DRAWER OF THE LOT,
Aa Drawing OF Lots TO Decide Who
SSns To Die En- Retaliation For t:ic
4 Murder OF Mai. Ikt,tiiy-t Mother \
Plea To General washington ana
Her Remuneration OF Him.
(BY CLINTON Ross.)
Author of 1.-THE Countess Bettina." e


2 meetings of the Cincinnati when we an
were inclined 10 gossip and TO tell oil
= this battle and that, and the dare deFli
things we had done, or would nave
n done IL we had had the chances OF other
4 men.
..But by Cnesarr' cried Timothy Blair,
his well wenthered face turning even
redder, Eve faced shot many times
J without running; YOU know that, so
can say II without boasting. Yet this
time l wanted to give EN- my heels:
T I wanted to be fighting them again; to
have the chance to sight husket as
q when they poked their heads above the
works at Yorktown But, my friends,
this was thing of different color. Here
was ] with the Generals order to delir-
er, and such an order. too! And here
waiting me We're these gentlemen-some
mere boys like my own, with mothers
and fathers at home Aud they were
Englishmen too Now, we were a coun-
try established that day in 1852, al
though there still was some lighting go
ing on. 43ut before the Declaration we'd
: been fellow citizens OF these very chaps
! had to read the order II. Why, my
friends, we hate the British Lion. and
hold the Unicorn worse than Il rattle
snake, but still when you think Of 1t
that blessed Lion Is first cousin TO the
American Eagle II that amt natural
history. It's historical fact And more
than all that, by this time knew these
chaps we'll. Most went about on parole
and were lodged here and there They
were q. gay lot, and you some way re-
spect a man who can laugh when he is
y defeated. Well, I'll witness that his
( lLordship of Corvallis officers were as
+ nice and companionable n lot as were
t ever born. Now they We're assembled
Il before ME by my order. which was that
of the General-iii-Chief Z"
all t,..Al-
my throat"
Il "'Gentlemen, I managed to say at
b drawn"
"a lot, Colonel Blair! Come, whls,
3 is better game said Captain Ludlow,
Lord Ludlow's second son, who al
ways was joking me; but now looked
y at him sternly."
It's gentlemen, no game. wish to
4 Heayenfit was. It's the lot OF death. !"
MY manner sobered them Il bit,
q think; they only stared now in wonder"
.es Gentlemen, ! went ON, my voice
;SHrmer think now that heard 1t; "A
& murder has been committed by the con
Il nlYance OF a British officer. An Ameri-
Il. can citizen held prisoner of war in
,fsS+NeW York, a brave mani knew him
~ myself-Major>H uddy. was taken from
ii goal In New York, carried over into
~ ersey, and hung on Middleton Heights
81 placard over his body. Here hongs
S -tfuddy for Philip White"
But. very well, Colonel" CAPTAIN
Asgill, little boyish chap interrupted
Miiat Is mite or your interesting
T1uddy, to us?" Q
II You will wait. gentlemen, IN OK
+ plain Give me time. All. I mopped
& my brow here as came 10 the mint 7
hated myself for it. .Philip White
gentlemen, was Jersey Tory, shot in
attempting to escape from the guards
who were! taking him to the AIonmonth
( goal. 1t was his friends who inducnh
g kings officer to release Major Uuddv
i prisoner of.war to be punished only Inv
Il the usage of war"
Oh, there's your Hubby again
& Colonel" said one, what's the point?'
3sE ITS this. gentlemen said /. seeing
- g1, eould evade Ii no longer Sir Henry
IS iCllnton has refused to punish the often
Ger WHO caused Major Huddy's muir
Il Ger. gentlemen, the military court OF
the army of the United States prn
r sized over by General Washington has
decreed that a British officer of The
& army OF the Earl of CORVALLIS. held
mere as prisoner of war, shall be execu.
g ted In retaliation-if Sir Henry C,lin.
ton does not punish the real offender
q Gentlemen, lots are to be drawn amonr
d you"
And then I paused. I had IL ont n,
last, but found myself in a cold sweat
& They all We're still enough now va,
i could nave heard a pin drop. until .
/ fierce voice broke out:
~ Go on with your damnable farcer t,
5t. THE lots were drawn, and as one Inv
sne they came out. those that were Ief,
:. became paler and paler, until two were
\ left-only two. One of these was how
ID or nineteen, Captain Asgill, Sit, Charles
4 Asgllfs son. He took it almost lightly.
z out my heart went out to him. He wa
1 no older than my own boy How finely
ne looked, how bravely he laughed
& Gentlemen, of the Cincinnati, that little
Captain of CORVALLIS had the stuff in
MINI To-day he is General Asgil, the
famous General Asgill. / wonder if he
i remembers that day when he drew the
i lot of DEATH"
30 We'll. my friends, Captain Asgill had
the lot of death, and his comrades look.
ed at him pityingly, and then grew an
! BY, and men swore at us Americans.
and at Washington. BY Caesar nv
\ friends what names those British pris-
&oners of war did call the General-in-
Chief But I couldn't blame them
much that day; for in their places I
might have been a bit profane myself =
s. This was the story Colonel Timothy
4 Blair told again and again at the meet
Ing of the Cincinnati l can see him
i now, this brave claretacomplexipned
Timothy Blair, who indeed was some
.Ihing OF hero at Saratoga, as the his
8tories tell
s1 remember we'll Meg, Simon More's,
Bthe landlords, daughter of the old
Kings Arms. Lancaster Her bllXom
arms Kept the pewter mugs shining