The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-02-12
MUST DIE FOR THE FLAG.
ONLY HOPE OF SALVATION FOR ONE
NAN VINO FOUGHT AT MANILA.

MAN WHO III MANILA.
Declaration Made When Ho Sailed. After
He Had Been Mt War Twice Against His
Country-A Confederate, II Traitor,
Now n Soldier of tho United states.
This story OF a man who fought against his
country twice and Ia now fighting for it at
Manila was told to a Sun reporter by n man In
New York who was one OF Gen. Joe Shelby's
men. and like Shelby. refusing to surrender.
went with his old commander to Mexico. After
the collapse OF tho Macmillan monarchy he
returned TO tho States and accepted the stu
alton. He had Just finished readit.g the de-
spatch In THE SuS OF Sunday telling OF the
victory OF Otis and Dewey at Manila.
Il am glad there was ono moro fight" snid
the old soldier. Unless he was In the hospi-
tai 1t has given one man an opportunity to feel
that he has done something for his country.
You will not expect me to tell you his name.
and under the circumstances | must not even
mention his command. When l first knew him
he was a boy, scarcely more than Ia years old.
His father, n slave owner in Missouri, was a
Southern sympathizer and afterward q South
ern soldier. He was one Of Shclby's men. and
was wounded in a skirmish. lie was popular
In the army, and. unlike most OF our men. no
always had plenty of money. After he was
wounded he employed a nurse and in
SlSlcu upon lOlloWlnR MS mon uDJl Dnel-
by positively forbade IL. Then his son
was sent for. and he undertook to take
his father home. The State warmed with
soldiers Of both armies. Tho journey to tho
home of the wounded man in Galloway county
was tedious. The father and son and nurse
were halted u few hours before the journey
was finished. The wounded man declined a
summons to surrender and several shots wore
exchanged. The excitement caused the death
Of the wounded man. The man in command
OF the Union cavalry permitted the son to take
the dead body home. The wife OF the Southern
soldier did not know his fate until she saw his
body on an improvised stretcher, being carried
up the lane leading to her house. The shock
killed her. The daughter of the house. two years
the senior OF her brother. lost her reason at
the dual burial. and in less than a year she died.
The son and brother gave the remaining
slaves their freedom. and az soon as he could
he joined Shelby. who was then in Texas. The
South was whipped then. But u few Skin
mishes were fought, and in every one Of them
that boy acted like a ilend. He went with us
to Mexico. He returned with those who came
back. and / don't mind telling You now that he
became a black flag follower until that. too. at
last trailed in tho dust.
Once. and only once. he went to his old
house. He found it DESTROYED. The ruins
NcIc ONtIEIOhu. ulu ie tulplbSt gu u SlIuIBtl
to show him the graves Of his father. mother
and sister. The property had been confscated,
and later sold for unpaid taxes. The boy. then
u man, said no did not want to regain the
homestead. II he could. He spoke an oath
which few men. l reckon. ever spoke in this
country. In the hearing OF n lawyer who told
me about 1t. he raised his right hand and said:
81 don't want to own anything in such u
- country as this
HI went away. His history from that time
until the spring Of 1898 is amystery 10 me. He
came to my house the day after the news of the
loss OF the Maine, and we talked over the stu
alton in Cuba. He was as immobile az he al
ways was. | said that l was sorry I had but
one arm; that | would like to go once more to
war. / said that ! would like to light for my
country united. He looked at me az q man
its Creator. and for q moment he lost his old
control. AZ he was leaving he said to me-:
Jim. I'm Glad, you've but one arm. cause
the Spaniards. i am not even with this
damned country yet
Il cannot explain to you the feeling his talk
stirred within mo-, | had fought against the
country once. but | can truthfully say never
hear curse it, and | knew how earnest he was.
Still l tried to reason him out Of his determin-
alton; | knew IT was useless. but | could not
have him so without an effort to dlsSlade him.
That was tn" last ! saw of him until the soldiers
began coming BACK from Cuba last summer.
4 NhS II tNlil Iiill'tS'p W ilcl tllc transports
We're loading with soldiers and munitions for
Manila. could give you the dnte and the
name Of the transport and the command. but
1t wouldn't do. Two days before the sailing |
was at tho camp where a lot OF Western boys
were waiting for the word to leave. ! knew
some OF them. When | was leaving ono fol-
lowed me. and when we were alone he asked.
Jim, do you know mcT
We'll. never mind how. | came 20 recognize
him. | went home with him and stayed all
night. He told mo the story OF his part IN tho
war il Cuba. 1t was terrible. Several times
asked him to stop talking. One thing ne told
mo | can never forget.
,"'Jim,' he sad. whenever / did anything |
how it seemed rs If I WAS pursued. Ncowhesrc
could ! get an hour, not II minute of rest. l
was getting revenge. but at what II price.
Then he told me how he quit the Spanish.
and how he went into q camp Of our soldiers
as n cook. and then to the hospital as a nurse.
And then. he came back. enlisted and sailed for
Manila. ! see that his regiment covered itself
with glory. know he was there II he could
stand. He said to me as | told him good-by:
Jim, my only hope Of salvation is to die
for the flag / have cursed
Il don't see his name among the killed or