The Sunday globe., 1901-06-09

ing our purpose; he was the only boy
in our family, and the idol Of our
home. The only thing left for me is
to go to Alabama and urge the young
men to raise company Of cavalry and
have you appointed captain. When /
have done that, I will feel satisfied
that | have done my duty.
CAS- we parted she said: You will
hear from me- Shortly afterwards
was compelled to resign as captain Of
infantry on account Of wounds. In
September l received tier dated
Maple Home Alabama whieh reads as
follows said the Captain:
My dear Captain: | told you in
our conversation in Richmond that
would urge the raising of a company Of
cavalry | have kept my word, and one
hundred and twenty friends young
men, have enlisted for the war
through the efforts Of my friends and
myself.
Although we know you need not
enter the service again on account Of
wounds, yet we must ask that you take
'Dlhl VI AllAN tOllDdHls we Wdul
you to lead them as gallantly as you
did your infantry company around
Richmond. All that we ask is that you
find Lieutenant Torrance.
Yours truly
GERTRUDE SIMPSON,
"My commission as captain was re-
ceiyed a few days after her letter. She
and her lady friends raised q COM
pany of cavalry.
81 took command, and from Novem.
her until the next spring we did some
hard work in north Alabama. On one
occasion | was ordered to take my
company and feel the enemys position.
Late in the afternoon, after | left
camp, | was Informed by citizen that
a small body of Federal cavalry had
passed up the river road towards our
Front. | was on a road running paral-
lei with the one on which they we're
moving. ! saw at a glance that had
the advantage Of attacking them in
front and rear. It was about three
miles across to the river road. I dis
patched a lieutenant with half the
company to get in the enemys front
while ! attacked them in the rear.
pushed across to the river road, and
found / was close on them but waited
to hear from the front before bringing
on an engagement. 1t was not long be-
fore | heard firing
81 then pressed their rear and the
fight began. Both sides lost some men.
The commanding officer Of the enemy
fell wounded We looked after the
wounded Of both sides the best we
could. AS | was passing over the field
a wounded Federal officer called me to
hin and said: Captain, / am wound
ed, | want to ask a favor of you, as a
soldier and a gentleman Here is the
picture of one who was my wife. | do
not know if she still lives. | have not
seen her since 1861. She was from this
State and her maiden name was Ger
trude Simpson, of Maple Home Ala
bama. Send her this photograph for
me-" He gave his name as Major Lo-
rance, L. S. Army.
With astonishment, | exclaimed,
&" Major can this be you% / gave him
my word that | would comply with his
request. | sent the picture and de-
scrbed the place where he was wound
ed and the nature Of the wound Civ
ing name, rank, and the cause Of
death.
81 received a letter from the lady,
acknowledging the receipt of her pho.
tograph. She said: I forgive him and
hope that God has done the same
81 moved to Texas at the close of the
war TO practice law" continued the
Captain. Last winter l had some bus
mess before Congress which called me
to Washington. One day | went to the
Senate to hear the debates. As | en-
tered the gallery a lady of fine person
al appearance and handsomely dress
ed, approached me and asked: Are
you not Captain Young, of the late
Confederate army, who commanded
company of cavalry from Alabama% /
replied that | had that distinction.
Were you not wounded at Malvern
Hill in July, 1902"
81 was, madam"
DO you remember me as a nurse in
a hospital in Richmond"
Il do not; it has been a long time
since them
Il am Gertrude Simpson, Of Maple
Home, Ala" she said.
Good heavens" | exclaimed, ''is this
you? / would as soon have expected to
see one from the dead. | am delighted
to renew our acquaintance, and es-
pecially under such different circum-
stances from those under which we
parted years ago in Richmond
"She smiled with joy and said;
Captain, I want to talk more with you
about those dark days
1--WE exchanged cards, and I called
on her the next day.
81 removed from Alabama to St
Louis in 1870" she said, "where have
since resided. In 1874 | married Lieu
tenant Halle, of your company"
where is Hallie?' | asked, 81 must
see him"
A sadness settled on her bright
cheerful face, as she said: HE Is
dead"
Dear madame" I replied Halle
was the man who wounded Major Lo
rance in a hand,to-hand fight"
"She gave a deep sigh, and said, He
never told me that; but I always
thought he knew more about the Ma
ior's death that he would tell
"The Captain smiled, and said She
is now a widow and have never mar
ried It is never too late to do good.
I shall stop in st. Louis on my way to