The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-10-21

duty the morning of that glorious re-
union we have been taking about, on
account of an ugly infa:nmatio? on the
extreme pedality of one of his pedal ex-
tremities, 1 am ure that If he had
been in Camp he would have noDbled
I'D to the sick call" in a piuiable, limp
ish way AMI e~ndeavored TO convince the
Surgeon that
For sixty days or more,
No man could possibly go
On so confused a toe.
O~ther-Tays than or F~urlougn.
But. in Wadesboro. at a time wheE
the good old town expected each and
every one Of her citizens to bestir
themselves in the endcavor 20 spread
out from their full Golfers of hospital
ity, abundant enjoyments for the old
Confederates, why of course hH becom.
of the most active, Notwithstanding the
physical agony he must have suffered,
and greeted his old comrades Nth a
warmth of cordially that glowed with
delight, and with his quick methods.
led them on from creature comforts"
to spiritual ecstacies. as Eravely as if
there were really nothing the matter.
After finding out his true condition Of
crippleness 1 regarded mis- actions of
that day, as among the bravest of his
life, which indee had been many.
Marshall was AdjutanC Of the famous
14th regiment of North Carolina 1nfan-
try, commanded So ablv by the re-
doubtable Colonel R. 7. Bennett, a man
whose towering intelicct reached so
l:-l- - - L ss%,ao 1f ~ nurla6 pa ~ thof
the vocable fruit he :oiucked from it,
was generally of a sort hardly ever
heard of by common pe.pie mis- phraS-
seology so grandiloquenS as to require
the best digestive thought to properly
appropriate it. He never even referred
to a spade except and as the instru-
ment for excavation AS l write of in
cident rather than history 1 shall not
attempt to tell of the noble record made
by the gallant 14th regiment, through
its brave actions in many h~ard-fought
battles, but suffice a mention OF the
fact, that no regiment i'll Lees army
achieved more heroic work than did it:
while / run On about the pomp and
circumstance of war;" that sometimes
environed some of its noble men in a
manne to impress, to interest and to
amuSe me, r.
MarshalPs admiration and devotion
for his colonel was absolutely without
any limit, and l have often thought
that of the many admirable qualities
that had won it. chiefest among them,
was the colonels great big way OF say
ing things, even though he was some
times in the way of catching 1.-THE
things with considerable fo1ce him
self. They were indeed. true, close and
intimate friends, whose familiar COM
radeship brought mutual happiness, and
it often seemed a little queer TO See the
familiarity Of the equality Of friends,
Stiffen suddenly into the dignity of Of
hclal rank, as on occasion 1t must.
Well, / remember one on which Mar
shall desiring TO visit some friends in
the ~neighboring camp of another bri-
gade, presented himself before the colo
mel for permission to dc so. The regu-
lation salute preceded the request in
proper military form. The colonel
standing in the grandeur of majesty,
said, until fair Aurora paints the
ethereal surface of the eastern horizon
with rebific colors, you are permitted
to abide in the tents OF YOUR friends,
but you are ordered to be perched on
the post of official duty ere the chariot
of the great day god hath passed the
meridian line" With Il chuckle full of
gratitude, Marshall sa1uted, retired,
mounted his horse and gallopeG away.
l never did know how in the world
it happened, for Marshall was usually
So L L NC ~ oloCl dllo ~ outy dS Tie
needle to the pole. but have all along
had a suspicion that the friends he
visited were of that chummy, rollicking,
Chapel Hill sort hat can spread a
banquet most anywhere that is awful
difficult to get away from. At any rate,
happen as it LAY have. the chariot of
the great day god nae passed the mer-
idian line and had run down the west
ern slope, and on even into the tax
ing out place" many hours before he
reported to headquarters. Meantime an
other lieutenant had been detailed to
serve as adjutant at the dress parade,
and even in the stiffness of the night.
when there were no duties to perform.
was on active duty in the place where
Marshall ought to have been.
No regulation stiffness was left oue
of the coionelS official dignity on that
occasion. but stern and rigid as the
very god of war he commanded, "Adju-
tant. consider yourself under arrest.
Go to your quarters and until further
orders occupy your mental endowments
In contemplation Of the proneness of
humanity to rush with tie sw~iftness
of the cyclone to seductive pleasures,
and to return from them to arduous
duties with the slothful creep Of the
most sluggish of moluSks"
When it is understood that his quar-
ters were in the immediate quarters of
AN OAOANb NhClS OI-N NSIt dCCuS-
toned to eat and sleep together. the
conclusion is easily reached that he
could submit to his durdnce with quite
a degree of ~philoSophic fortitude, and
it therefore seems not at all nreason
able that after a few days. very early
n morning, when the colonel was
hurrying everybody in the regiment To
a readiness for a march to impending
active service, that he should have the
temerity 20 suggest that being I'M
der arrest n not liable to duty he
supposed he might be left to take" care
OF the camp" NO said the colonel.
this regiment moves not without you.
but since o have forfeited your posi-
ton at its head I shall take You along
as itsadmiringly ornamental caudaI APP
pendage." But it was not long before
the gallant 14th was so mixed up in the
roar and tumult Of terrific battle that
Its head and "caudal appenuage" swung
round in close proximity, n all orders
save Raise the yell! Give 'em HI
Charge! Charged" were forgotten. and
those W splendid officers, bosom