Evening star., 1901-01-19

chief in his hand, had stepped up in rear
of the prisoner. 1t was the bandage pre-
pared to blndfold his eyes, shutting out
for the last time the blessed light of day
But surgeons both, the provost marshal,
the associate staff officers, the chaplain,
whose arm began to tremhle violently,
guards, firing party-all save Norman Hot
and the reader now found themselves star
ing a a new arrival, the aid-de-camp who
came riding slowly forward and refined in
just little to the left rear of his senior 5
stirrup.
Solemnly the adjutant general read the
closing words The proceedings. findings
and sentence in the foregoing case of Pri-
vate Norman Holt are approved and the
sentence vii, be duly executed. Solemn
ly he read the fateful order requiring that
the sentence be carried out in the presence
of as many of the garrison as could be
spared from their station. and when he
dictated the general thought to have no
less than full division on the spot Sol
emnly the date and time were announced,
and the provost marshal charged with the
execution of the order, and with the last
words. by command of Major General
Bank, B. F. Memo, assistant adjutant
general" the reader slowly folded his
paper. turned and bowed to the provost
marshal.
And then rode two yards farther to the
front the young aid-de-camp, touched the
envelope that nestled in the breast of his
trim uniform coat. Eagerly it was grasp
ed. Quickly it was torn open. With eyes
that lighted with sudden joy and relief IN
utterable. the soldier read, and then the
voice so choked and hoarse the moment
before, rang out on the misty air like the
clarion tone of the stirring call he loved,
and over the sodden fields and away to the
fog -Wreathed ridges to the south the thrill
ing voice proclaimed so that al men might
hear and know and thank God with him:
'And now the commanding general d.
rects me to declare that the prisoner stands
pardoned and restored to duty by order OK
ttno T,,t&
90, may God bless Abraham Lincoln!"
went up the cry from the chaplain's lips.
as he olasped a reeling, swaying torn in
his strong and tender arms
CHAPTER XVII.
The 1ong-expected campaign on Kentucky
soil had come and gone, much to the detri-
ment of Kentucky and the betterment Of
nobody. Many a brave life went out IN the
crash of battle along the Chaplin hills, and
both commanding generals, Bragg and
Buell., were the losers by the luckless fight
Bragg. who had been vehementiy urged to
invade the state and promised that thou
sands of enthusiastic young Kentuckians
would flock to his standard, fell back into
Tennessee. disgusted. Unrea soning hot
heads among his advisers, prominent among
of the ST. Andrews cross waving through
the blue grass country was all that was
needed to turn the tide. The inva lers
brought with them to Frankfort a new
governor and state officers there to he in
stalled in pomp and ceremony. But the
shotted guns of Silps division answered the
roar Of their saluting cannon and shelled
the aspirants out Of the state house before
their seats had time to warm. Twenty
thousand new rifles brought Bragg with
which to arm the young Kentuckians, and
he was in big luck to be able to take them
back for the Kentuckians failed to come to
claim them, barring several stalwart regi-
ments in Union blue. Brave. brilliant and
admirably supported by his corps and di-
vision commanders. the southern general
fident kentuckianS within his ranks, and
in bitterness of spirit he abused the state.
declared it not worth fighting for, and
found that he had not only left the dark
and bloody ground" more loyal than when
he entered 1t. but had lost in marked degree
the confidence and loyalty of many Of his
gallant man So far as the south was con-
cerned the campaign was failure. SO
far as Kentucky was concerned 1t had cost
her dear, for many an old homestead In
ruins. And so far as the Union arms were
concerned they. too. had suffered through
dissensions in high quarters. and no sooner
were the southern legions safely back In
Tennessee than the Army of the Ohio, lit
tie lamenting either. SO stern had been
his methods. was taken from the man who
made 1t and given to another. 1t is one
thing to mold and make. to drill and dis
cipline a great command; 1t Is another to
lead and fight 1t. as long suffering Presi-
dent and commander-in-chief OF the land
and sea forces OF the Union had abundant
reason to know.
Both east ana west and almost at the
same time the Army Of the Potomac and
that OF the Ohio lost their old leaders and
were launched into battle with Q new.