Western news-Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1898-1900, 1898-11-17
FL FIELD OF BATTLE
INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES OF
THE WAR.
The Veterans of the Rebellion Tell of
Whist1ing Bullets, Bright Bayonets,
Bursting Bombs, Bloody Battles.
Camp Fire, Festive Bugs, Etc, Etc.

the fortune of Gen. Cullen a. Battle, Of
Alabama, to be president Of the court
martial of the army Of Northern Vir-
ginia. One bleak December morning,
while the snow covered the ground and
the wind howled around his camp, he
left his bivouac fire to attend the ses-
sion Of court at Round Oak Church.
Case after case was disposed Of, and at
length the case Of the Confederate
States VS.. Edward Cooper was called
charge desertion.
A low murmur rose spontaneously
from the battle-scarred spectators as
the young artilleryman rose from the
prisoners bench, and in response to the
question, Guilty or not guilty?' an
swered, "Not guilty." The judge adYo-
cate was proceeding to open the prose
cution when the court, observing that
the prisoner was unattended by coun-
sci, interposed, and inquired Of the &C
cused, "Who is your counsel?' He re-
piled, 81 have no counsel"
Supposing that it was Cooper's pur-
pose to represent himself before the
court, the judge advocate was instruct
ed to proceed. Every charge and
specification against the prisoner vas
sustained. The prisoner was then told
to introduce his witnesses. He replied:
81 have no witnesses"
AstOniShed at the calmnesS with
which he seemed to be submitting to
what he regarded as inevitable fate,
Gen. Battle said to him: "Have you
no defense? Is it possible that you
abandoned your comrades and desert
ed your colors in the presence Of the
enemy without any r~eason?"
He answered.: 'There was a reason,
but it will not avail me before a mill
tary court"
Gen. Battle then said: perhaps you
are mistaken; you are charged with the
highest crime known to military law,
and it is your duty to make known the
causes that Influenced your actions"
For the first time Cooper's manly
form trembled and his blue eyes swan
in tears. Approaching the president of
the court, he presented a letter; saying
as he did so: "There, General, is what
did it."
Gen. Battle opened the letter, and in
a moment his eyes filled with tears. 1t
was passed from one to another of the
court until all had seen it, and those
stern warriors, who had passed with
StoneWall Jackson through a hundred
battles, Wept like children. AS soon
as the president recovered his self-pOs-
session he read the letter as the defense
of the prisoner. 1t vas in these words:
Dear Edward-I have always been
proud of you: since your connection
with the Confederate army l have been
prouder Of you than ever before. l
would not have you do anything wrong
for the world, but, before God, Edward,
unless you come home we must die!
Last night l was aroused by little Ed
dies crying, %, mamma, I'm so hun
gryr And Lucy, Edward, your darling
Lucy, she never complains, but grows
thinner and thinner every day. And,
before God, Edward, unless you come
home, we must die. Your MARY"
Turning to the prisoner, Gen. Battle
asked: What did you do when you re-
ceived this letter."
He replied: II made application for
a %furlough, and it was rejected; again 1
made application, and it was rejected;
a third time l made application, and it
was rejected; and that night as l wan
dered backward and forward in the
camp, thinking of my home, and the
wild eyes of Lucy looking up to me,
with the burning words of Mary sink
ing into my brain, 1 was no longer the
Confederate soldier, but 1 was the faith
er Of Lucy and the husband of Mary,
and l would have passed those lines if
every gun in the battery had been fired
upon me. When l arrived home Mary
ran out to meet me, and whispered, %,
Edward, L am so happy; 1 am so glad
you got your furlough.' She must have
felt me shudder, for she turned as pale
as death, and catching her breath at
every word she said, Have you come
without your furlough? o, Edward, go
back! Go back Let me and the chill
dren go down to the grave together;
but, o, for heavens sake, save the hon
or of your name' And here l am gem
tlemen, not brought here by military
power, but in obedience to the COM
mand of Mary, to abide the sentence of
your court"
Every officer of the court-martial felt
the force of the prisoners words. Be
fore them stood, in beatifc vision, the
eloquent pleadings for a husbands and
fathers wrongs; but they had been
trained by the great leader, Robert E.
Lee, to tread the path of duty, though
the lightning flash scorched the ground
beneath their feet, and each in his turn
pronounced the verdict, Guilty"
Fortunately for humanity, fortunate
ly for the Confederacy, the proceed
ings of the court were reviewed by the
commanding general, and upon the
record was written:
Headquarters A. n. =.
"The finding Of the court approved.
The prisoner is pardoned and will re-
port to his company.
"R. E. LEE, General"
Washington Post.