The National tribune., 1901-07-18
A CIVIL WAR ROMANCE.
An Illinois Soldier and THE Little Qirl''-
Twenty-three Years After.

teenth Corps. My duty was to take charge
of Quartermaster's stores that had been
left at Savannah when Gen. Sherman
marched on through the Carolinas. Among
the soldiers who reported to me for guard
duty was the hero of my story-Tom
Fairbanks, a handsome young man Of
about % years Of age. He was accom-
panied by his chum, John Stanfeld, an
older man, of very steady habits. They
belonged to an Illinois regiment that had
been made up in the southern part OF the
State, known as Egypt. Shortly after re-
porting to me for duty, Stanheid came
into my room and in hesitating manner
informed me that his comrade, rom Fair
banks, had been detailed to come here
for the sole reason that his officers could
not manage him.
He was always into some devilment
or other" he said, "aud frequently pun
ished for his misdemeanors. | feel it to
be my duty to tell you about him, Lieu
tenant, SO as to put you on your guard.
You will probably have no trouble with
him so long as he is sober, but | tell you
he is a holy terror when he is drunk. And
another thing | want to tell you, he
despises officers, from Corporal up, and
the sight of shouder-strap has the same
effect on him that red rag has on a
bull
Thanking Stanfield for his kind advice,
remarked that | believed l could easily
manage his friend, and l hoped that we
might get along together pleasantly.
Shortly after dark the following even
ing | met Fairbanks on the sidewalk in
front of our quarters, and after passing
the compliments of the evening, | suggest
ed that we take walk. After strOiiing
around the city and through the beautiful
in, fHn
couple of fine Havanas, we returned to
our quarters with the mutual conscious
ness that from this time on we were
friends. At the first opportunity remarked
to Stanfield that | did not anticipate any
trouble with Fairbanks; that as l became
acquainted with him l found my heart
going out to him as TO a friend and
brother. He replied that he hoped l
might not be disappointed in him; but
we would wait and see.
Well, we did Lot have long to wait. A
few evenings after this, when at o o'clock
the boys repaired to their rooms above
the room where our goods were stored,
Fairbanks was not with them. About an
hour later, as someone started to come up
the stairs. we heard the guard at the front
door challenge, Who goes 'there?' Then
came the response, "Ill show you who
goes there" At the same time a pistol
shot rang out on the night air.
Stanheid, who was with me in the room,
said: It's Tom. He's drunk, and we
must look ont for him." In the meantime
Tom was coming on up the stairs shoot
ing as he came through the long hail. till
he reached my doOr-which was standing
ajar-when by the light of the fire on
the hearth he blazed away at me, the ball
grazing my shoulder; but before be could
pull the trigger again / had him on his
back and was gently shutting off his wind.
The boys carried him into his room and
put him to bed, whence his loud breath
ing soon announced the fact that he was
"a-sleepin' it off"
The next morning, after calling the
boys into my room, | said to Tom that
believed him when he told me that he
had but dim recollection of what he had
done last night; that it all seemed to him
like dream, etc.
Then | proposed to the boys that mas
much as no one knew of this affair but
ourselves, we would keep it quiet, and,
further, to Tom l said: IF you will
agree to not drink any more while you
are with me l will not prefer charges
against you" WhereupOn he came for
ward, gave me his hand, and earnestly
pledged his word and honor that never
again would he drink any kind of intox-
icating liquor.
His comrades had been telling him
about his shooting at the guard, and also
at his superior officer, for which the pen
atty is death, and for the kindness l had
shown him in letting him off so easily he
was truly thankful, and then and there
pledged his eternal gratitude to me.
About a week after this occurrence
we were ordered to move our Quarter
masters goods up to Beaufort, ). o.,
where we stored them in building near
the wharf Our quarters were situated
back in the suburbs of the town. Every
thing went smoothly here with Tom till
just at dark one evening, shortly after
our coming to Beaufort, as l was leaving
our quarters to go down to see that every
thing was safe at the store, | met Tom
coming tearing down street, beating his
previous record for speed. l said:
Hello, Tom; what's up?" He replied,
Follow me" as he turned and ran down
the alley that passed back of our quar-
ters. | followed him into the house. when
he took me back to his room and told me
of his trouble. He had stopped in at
place up town where there were a num-
Der of negro soldiers, whose regiment was
camped Il short distance out. He was
giving his version of some occurrence that
had taken place i'll town during the day.
\ negro Sergeant put in and told him that
he was mistaken. Tom replied that what
he said was true, and that he would not
dIlOW u nlESeE 10 dispute his WOTu
whereupon the Sergeant deliberately told
him that he lied. At that Tom picked
up a hatchet and struck the Sergeant on
the head, cleared the door with bound
and came on down town, meeting me as
have related. He said that the Ser
geant was a faVorite among his COM
rades; he feared that he had killed him;
that the negroes were hunting for him
they were terribly excited, and if they
got hold of him would undoubtedly kill
him.
At this time there were but few white
soldiers in Beaufort, and we had been
there but a short time. The negro sol
diers did not know Fairbanks, or where
he belonged, and for the present he was
successful in making his escape from the
Sergcant's ilfuriated comrades. In the
meantime they were securing the town
tor him, and there was no telling how soon
they would be on to him.
"Tom," | said, whatever we do for
you must be done quickly. You must be
disguised. Submit to my orders, and I'll
soon have you safe enough
'All right" he replied.
/ then hung a blanket over the window,
and lit a candle. By way of explana-
ton l must say here that Tom had al
lowed his ambrosial locks to grow till they
reached his shoulders, and from his up
per lip there dropped long, silky mus
tache. He wore a neatly-ftting regula-
ton frock coat and a military black hat
logged out with all the "gugaws," tassels,
and plumes that the regulations allowed.)
So when | got out my shears and razor
he looked at me and with groan said: