The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-05-10
A NOBLE DEED.
Gratitude OF an Ex.COnfederate to His
Federal Preseryer.

Bowen was in such poor, almost indi-
gent circumstances, that even the trip
to Brooklyn, not reckoning the money
for flowers, was strain on her slender
resources. She was veteran widow,
and the 50 month pension allowed
her on that account by the national
government was all she had to support
herself and an invalid daughter.
Nevertheless she had performed her
obligations to the memory of the brave
for l3 consecutive years with religious
devotion.
| When ,hc arrived on the ground on
this occasion, her nervous system re-
ccivcd such shock that she was
Obliged to lean against railing adj
cent to save herself from falling.
'What is the meaning Of this she
murmurcd, closing her eyes and open
ing them again in the expectation that
she was laboring under an optical de-
lusion
The cause of the widows astonsh-
mcnt was Il change that had taken
place i'll the grave since her last visit.
1t was covered with flowers, it was
bordcrcd with evergreen plants, and a
handsome granite column rose at it's
head, with the ubjoined inscription
engraved in deep black letters:
Sacred to the Memory of Edward
e. Bowen, Brave Soldier and a
Loyal Friend
Thc widow glanced wonderingly to
the right and the left She looked up
and down, but there was no mistake.
The grave was that of her husband
but what mctamorphosis had been
effected
While celebrating as to what she
would Go in the premises tall. mill
ary-looking gentleman of aristocratic
bearing and with an empty sleeve
alightcd from carriage near by, and
taking wreath from under it's seat
approached the grave. He hrsitated
when he saw the widow, and their
eyes met. Hers had questioning
look in them; his one of depreciation
as ii he were a trespasser.
Madam" he said, placing the
wreath on the grave and lifting his
hat as he would to duchess, "have I
the honor
'This is my husbands grave" she
replied, with an almost imperceptible
strain of jealousy in her voice.
"Then must offer an apology and
an explanation. should have con-
suited you before effecting alterations
here, and so, in fact, I would, only ]
could not find you, though I tried
hard"
"It was very kind in you, sir" said
Mrs. Bowen. "You would find it
hard, for no one in Brooklyn knew
that I had moved to Hoboken."
"This is my explanation" said the
gentleman after pause. tMy name
is Chas. J. Gray-Judgc Gray, I am
called in South Carolina-and 1 am al
ex-Confederate soldier. belonged to
the Montgomery Guards, and served
in the Army Of Northern Virginia the
last two years of the war. You mus,
know-though perhaps you don't
that sometimes Federals and Confede
rate soldiers in the field were excellent
friends, especially when doing out.
post duty together, if may use the
words. 1t often occurred that nothing
but fence separated our sentinels
and that, instead Of firing at each
other we chatted sociably and ex-
changed views on the situation. Ou,
superiors did not sanction this, but
they connived at it. On the night OF
the fourth days battle of the Wilder
ness l was posted as sentinel on the
extreme front of our lines. On the
other side of picket fence was @
young man Of the One Hundred and
Forty-Fourth New York regiment, his
name-well, there it is engraved on
that stone. We entered into conver-
sation. l gave him a plug of tobacco,
he gave me some coffee, and we be.
came quite friendly. I was utterly
exhausted, and would have given the
whole world for one hours sleep"
''Poor fellow said the widow,
commiserating not the elegant gen.
tleman in front Of her, but the ragged,
war-worn soldier Of one and thirty
years ago; cit was terrible"
"It was, madam. L told my Yankee
enemy that l was ready to drop and
begged him not to take advantage Of
me. He laughed.
sit down on that stone, he said,
lean your back against the fence and