Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-12-06

I
him, / nhesitatingly INDUCED one
night over a bottle of the eX-assistant
/ secretary's favorite Madeira, which had
been given him by the captain or a
cOnfscated brig for whom he had been
enabled to do some slight service IN
the days OF the war, I made bold TO ask
my friend why he should 50 emphasize
the value Of that particular ObserVa-
ton. He gazed at me long and
thoughtfully. and finally told me, after
e.acting the solemn promise MENTION
/ ed above.
Now. in order that a reminiscent
chord may be struck in the minds OF
those who are in a position TO remem-
Der the affair, and that the minds OF
those who are Of a later generation
may be guided to intelligent compre-
hensiOn of it, l will brihy relate the
facts as they appeared at the time Oh
their actual occurrence as seen ana
judged by their cOntempOraneous W.T.
nesses.
In the third year of the civil war the
President of the United States appoint
ed to an important and lucrative place
in the war department a young. mex
perienced and as some were pleased
to say. entirely incompetent man, VINO
had left a law practice in New YORK 10
accept a captaincy in volunteer regl-
ment organized i'm and about his native
village. not far from the metropolis.
When the news of this peculiar app
pointment had been sent abroad by lue
correspondents. the friends OF Jhe ON
or and better known applicants lot lHe
same place raised q loud and imam
ous protest. which caused much editor
ial connection. as all viii remember
who read the papers of that time. Al
fer this had continued with unaDatlng
bitterness for a fortnight, an enterprls-
ing journal printed the authentic Ied-
sons for the precipitate act of the pres
ident and thereby stilled the discord IN
+o q melody of admiration. 1t appear
cd that this mDretentiOus and obscure
civilian-soldier had proven hlmseII II
hero and military genius of no small
order for with q mere handful or men
he had completely routed brigade and
n half OF the best confederate troops
witbout firing a shot, and by that deed
naved the way for q brilliant mlIltaIy
movement which so successfully lol-
lowed. The young man was no otner
than my friend, the eN-assistant secIe-
+arv who. with that as foundation,
rose TO his late position by apl-lly
alone ..,,.,,-
After my promise had been taIthiully
accented the eX-secretary llt q fresh
CIGAR. slipped his wine satisfied himseII
that the door was closed, tasted the
Madeira again, and began:
you must know he said, with
faint smile. chat when man OF my
age and experience says anything Ike
the quotation to which l refer, he pro-
badly means IL and when man means
2 thing he usually has a good reason
for his emphasis"
This. of course. was an indirect COM
pliment to my perspicacity, and DOW
ed gracefully. He resumed:
lin the present case my reason is no
less than nv present career, which, as
Won will see when L have ended, Is an
existing proof of the truth of aphorlsin.
When / was first prevailed upon TO ac-
cent q captainoy i'm my regiment j was
q Young man with a small law practice.
R1v naturally romantic temperament
made the life of q soldier although /
was not ignorant of its priyations and
risaries. seem most desirable, there
fore AGAINST the advice of friends and
tbe PRAYERS Of my family l finally deter
mined to 90 to the front. The ilrst DAY
that I wore my uniform and the nlsJ
dav that / paraded ut the head OF my
cOmDanv down Broadway We're TO me
the MANIFEST and prOudest moments OH
nv life. and I thought IT would ne an
easy and q grand thing TO charge Leau-
long against the guns OF the enemy
We went at once to the front ana were
brigaded with General s DIVISION
of til corps, then waiting orders 10
advance i'm turn in rapid pursuit Oh
Lee who had started on his great lnNd-
sion of Pennsylvania. Before j Adu
really become accustomed 20 the hard-
sbips of camp life, and had some OF inc
glitter of arms dimmed by actually' /
was ordered one night to port at resl-
mental Headquarters. i went. my hedrI
I'm nv mouth. just as I used To set OUT
for the principals Office i'm my school
DAVIS I came from Tegimental mead
Quarters i'm O. far more demoralizeu
condition than 1 ever came from my
eohoolmaster's study IL was strongly
eusnected had been told, that there
MIGHT be q body of rebel troops acting
no = hind to the real movements OF the
confederate army, not Iar ln advance
OF the -th corps. Now. ID was auso-
lutclv necessary that this be lnNesll-
gated. Major General -- had select
e1 the - regiment to ascertain TINS
FACT and the colonel, delighted with
the honor. had selected mo TO command
tho reconnaissance. for Le had ai"aS
had p f0ndness for me. 1 was TO take
INV company at midnight, proceed uA-
der the cover of darkness and AVOID an
orgagement unless ncces AIRY. Inc
rest should he left to uy Judgment
Here the ex-assistant secretary smH--
ed another smile and puhed q cloud OF
smoke into the air. When IL 1aQ HoaD-
ed away he started again.
eft might have been left 10 the d-s-
crafion of any army pachhorse as well
as TO my Judgment, for / was I'D am t"-
/ ful state oc-well, what the boys no"a-
davs call 'the rattles.' ] took brace
/ however. fer [ thought Of my reputd-
/ ton. and gave tine necessary orders
/ We were under way half an hour la.'I
and. following directions. marched due
vest. outside the camp lines and the
pickets. looked at my watch by the
clare Of the last fire. IT, was 1920
O'Clock. I'm O. few hours it would be
dawn. but then it was pitch dark. The
road was a broad, gray streak, border
| al bvblacll bIotches which, as we pass
ed resolved themselves into clumps Of
frees and became splotches again. The
country was billy. and the unevenness
/ ~ tbe road did not improve the condi-