Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1900-05-26

stepped ashore, ''if ask the meaning of
these wrcaths. AS this is Memorial day, |
suppose your action is inspired by some
sad memory of the civil war
YES" he replied socmnly The
strange act which you saw me perform
mcmoriAlzcs what was to me one of the
SaddcSt incidents of the civil war. | WAS
decorating the grave of John Douglas,
/ private in Pennsylvania regiment of
volunteers, il brave man and the trueSt
friend | ever had"
Ills grave" | exclaimed. Il see no
/ gravc-Only water"
And only water covers my hero. His
grave is there somewhere in the rivcr.'
what yru say | remarked, "cXcites
my curiosity. | served in the campaigns
along this river, and | shall be deeply in
tercstrd if YOU will tell me the story"
| This he did as we sat side by side on the
/ bank of the river.
"Thr PENNSYLVANIA regiment to which
/ | belonged" said he formed part of the
force with which General Sherman at
| tempted to attack NckSburg by way Of
| the Yazoo river. We asccndcd the river
/ on transports on Dee -, 1852, and began
| operations on the following day. Be
tween us and NickSburg lay swampy
region intcrScctcd by numerous bayouS.
After several Skirmishcs it was found
impossible to force Il passage through the
swampS, which We're paSSable only by
narrow causcwayS, commanded by Con-
fedcrate batteries, and the attempt was
abandoned after Il few days.
"In the last of these SkirmiShes | was
severely wounded and was left unnoticed
by my comrades in dense cancbrake
upon their return to the laZoO after the
attempt had failed. | lay for some time
in Il ScmcUuSCouS condition. securely y
screened from the eyes of my enemies, as
| had been, unfortunately, from those Of
my friends. My condition was truly de-
plorahIc, for | was not only seriously
wounded AMI weak from the loss of
blood, but the cauSeway was now patrol
led by Confederate soldiers, and even
were it otherwise the Federal troops had
probably by that time re-cmbarkCd on
the transport, and should | reach the
Iazoo it would only be to fall into the
hands Of the enemy.
"Without any definite purpose to guide
my steps. but impressed by the necessity
of leaving Il position where | was in dam
ger of being captured, ! moved aimlcSSly
through the dense thickct in Il direction
which led me away from tie causcway.
y slight frost had rendered the swampy
soil more firm. and the chief difficulty en-
countered was in making my way
through the cane and bushes and inter
lacing vines.
after slowly cropping about in this
manner for three or four hours | saw ris-
ing ground in front of me and an open
ing in the thick growth of trees crowning
it which thought indicated near ap-
proaCh to the abode of man. If my con-
lecture wcr" correct, temporary relief was
at hand, for even enemies would not re-
fuse to aid one in my pitialIe condition.
Upon reaching the opening IA the woods
| saw Il neat, whitcwaShcd cottage sur
rounded by an orchard, II short distance
in front of me, while in rear of the house
q small, well cultivated farm extended
lown the opposite slope to bayou where
The oasis abruptly ended.
:'COmplctcly exhausted and feeling that
even death would be a relief, | painfully
made my way to the gate leading through
, the orchard to the cottage. Upon reach
ing it | saw in the path before me tall,
beautiful girl, and then | remember moth
ing more When | recovered conscious
ness, ! found myself lying in bed in a
tsst@T@Uy Furnished room. The cOnciu-
sion was forced up0n me that ! had fall
en into kind hands, and then. just as !
recalled the vision of beautiful being in
white, TIE girl herself stood before me.
GLOW can describe her bcauty-her
perfection of form? | thought OF Muril-
los masterpiece. The immaculate Con
ception,' but here was beauty tran
scending the painters inspiration. and
the music of her voice was like the trill
of song bird, sOftened by the COO of
dOyei