The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-11-14


0os have asked ne again for my Stoiy
a the BurgOyne affair. Yes, ougnt GO
know about it; for 1t was indeed tue
nsgt important affair Of my life. NOW
Il hat camp-I'll confess-was s.ti
1nce had made love to: before the gus
Sension divided ~, before ner Orotnes
engaged. Kate Essex ever held this
Ir.inef me. az you will zee IL you follow
M. Well. she was with Lady Harriet
Xckland. the majors wife, In Gen. Bur
royne's camp. I had been taken prison.
a. the day before the great battle.
have. as You know, some experience as
\ surgeon, which enabled me to be oil
eoue service in looking after Gen. Bur
soyne's wounded. And in all that fgh,
\ was busted, prisoner as l was. but
enrolled as a British surgeons asst
ant. l forgot that we were lighting
chem, a my friend Col. Kenneth, forgo,
It when a prisoner at Yorktown.
hardly noticed that Gen. Burgoyne was
preparing for retreat.
But first the general was resolved 70
give Gen. Fraser, who had died In the
might of his wounds, fitting Duriai'
The regiments were mustered INTO y
melancholy procession at sundown' am
tbr sonnd OF muffled drums mingled
with the musketry and artillery along
the outposts. . T
A friendly sergeant put me where L
conld see It all. The chaplain led, with
head uncovered, the prayer book Oh the
church of England in his left hand, ana
cav then the girl I've mentioned,
Kate Essex, supporting lady scarcely
alder than herself, whom ! surmlsed 10
he Lady Ackland. l was startled at
EIGHT of her in that dismal surroundings.
The scene, grim enough against the
trresular outline of wooded hiils. hau
eodder coloring from the soldiers shoM
ing in all their appearance tue -,
discouraging service OF the yesteruas'
Che officers with pale, serious, yer ue-
termined faces; many limpinS OF pah'
6aged. evening
The chaplain paused by the opening;
Drums gave their muffled reiraih, anu
ell was ready fer the SERVICES
more expressively simple. eth
-. WIS the deafening roar of artillery.
Ri, ,ora the upturned earth at the
s,,.n,a:n.s feet. casting dirt over MS
soStmants. vet he kept on mpassivel!'
:, "a wore in A church. Several per-
sons fell. ..;u 81 INV
ada cr;ed- "Damn 'em! They'll not let
49, amr general. Damn emf
Rnt suddenly the firing stopped. to oe
so,lowed by the low booming OF suu
~ minnie intervals. adding TO the SUI
Amnity of the occasion.
seDo vou see. Sergeant White, you are
,,,staken, Gen. Gates has found tnat,
sfter all. it's not n movement OF you'
froops.r' ! said exnltanfly.
The m;nnte-suns continued as the en-
.mv,s tribute. Nor. ! think. could any,
sh;nc be finer from those VINO nad
tnnwu this brave man opposed 10 tnein'
"a who appreciated his qualities as
~cmm,nder and gentleman and the sor-
row Of the soldiery and officers VINO nau
sarvad and fought and messed Win
him. 49,. o;n-
FOR II seemed scarilege to speak 100
ioudly nj that place in the silent mo-
ments between the guns wnen WIS
heard only the chaplain's voice-"Wlii
sou damn u.s.. ..h..re
81 was wrong" said he; they re
men,"
nv the time the box had been lowered
n already was dark: and in the retreat
"a the works I lost sight of Kate Essex
and LADY Ackland had tremble'l for
chem in that rapid firing: for. though
che girl was prejndiced against me.
telt conld wish her no hurt.
The meantime. many fires were iisnt-
~d-rather more. thought. ut once than
the Camp required: but was nor iohs
In seeing that these were feints to cover
retreat 70 Saratoga. Half the arm!
were ,Ipperless-weariness and despair
fay on nearly every face: and yet. was
amused to see two young oflcers. aP
rarentIy obliv:ons. at cards by the fire
light. The enemy's line had ceased fr
ing. as If they still were apologefic tol
the nnseemly shots The requiem OF min
ute guns had followed.
The ensign who had taken me brought
an order for me to report to Gen. bur
Soyne.
fonnd him in spot rather apar'
from the preparations with Mr.. Brnde
nell. The chaplain. who inst had sad
Che service. Miss Essex and Lady Ack
land. who was speaking earnestly. As
came mn with the little officer. Kate Es
sex faced me with that same utter iari
of recognition. hut Gen. BurSoyne ex
tended his hand. -.
s'Mr. Sedlcy. I'll restore you the nis
patch ron brought from Gen. Washins
hon "a Gen. Arnold. Here are all you
papers"
must have looked my amazement
FOR he explained bitterly. "rh:s is nm
usual. and the prisoner may become In
friend. Lady Ackland is insistent OF
going down the river to the enemy
where her husband Maj. Ackland. i
wounded. Mr. Brndcnell and Miss les
sex are for accompanying her. IT'S I
dangerous attempt TO make. I've tol'
her. Into whose hands she may fall !!
uncertain.
He paused. walking mp and down.
"Re;ns an officer of Gen. Washing
Ton. yam can bring them into the cam
more safely than another. nave con
Eenfed out nf common huma nifty"
But my foe. Kate Essex. interrupted
seen Bnr-oyne. I'd prefer not to nave
This man with W."
s.Itss nac.SSary' adv Ack1and cried