The Lambertville record., 1911-06-02


We all rode away in a hurry, heading
for our lines. Seeing Claybourne
swaying in his saddle, rode beside
him and prevented him falling from
his horse. He told me he had been
shot In the side.
Claybourne was Obliged to accent
satisfaction from the Confederate SOL
dier who had shot him, for he was
badly wounded and had to 60 to the
hospital He was not discharged for
several weeks. In fact he was not
discharged at all. for while he was
under treatment an order came for
our battalion to move forward and
take up position several miles in ad-
vance of the one we had occupied
Claybourne deserted the hospital for
active service. We found no enemy
between us and our new encampment
except small bands. which at once re-
treated before us.
Our battalion encamped near the
manor house of large plantation, the
occupants of which were Confederates
and very bitter against US as invaders
of the south, as they called us. Clay
bourne and were in the same COM
pany, and noticed on the march that
he was suffering great mental distress.
forebore to ask him the cause, for
knew / would receive no satisfac-
ton.
The day after we were settled In our
new encampment Claybourne asked
me to ride with him that we might
form some plan to remove the obloquy
under which he rested on account of
his mysterious rides and the innuendo
of the adJutant We emerged from
our camp and rode on for time in ST.
lence. Presently from the gate of the
plantation house which we were ap-
preaching emerged young girl. When
we met her she fixed her eyes upon
Claybourne with an unmistakable ex-
preston Of contempt.
looked from her to him. For some
time he did not speak, and when he
did he burst out vehemently.
There is your explanation" he said.
"You, who were born and have lived
north, have no conception of what we
southern army officers who have stuck
by the flag have suffered and must
continue to suffer. The girl we have
just passed and were brought up to-
gether as children. We were sweet
hearts in childhood and are today low
ers In youth. for. despite her treat
ment of me, she loves me today, as ]
love her. When / went to West Point
we were betrothed. When the war
came on she wrote me. begging me to
resign and come to fight for our homes
and our firesides. / thought and
thought day after day, week after
week, month after month. I could see
no sense, no justification, in breaking
up the Union. Yet to turn against my
own people was horrible; to give up
the girl 1 loved was heartbreaking.
I knew what was bound in con-
science and In honor to do, but 1t
seemed that could not do 1t. At last
I decided. And. once I decided. my
decision was irrevocable. You will
have no Benedict Arnold among us
bOuluclu lhcl Ou tllhcE elut.
! leaned over toward him and threw
my arms about him. Then we rode on
for some time in silence, which broke.
waters will apologize to you." I
said. 1T is not necessary that you
should explain your mysterious rides
even to me. / can readily understand
that they were on errands of love-"
~. b. ID 81
visited my former fiancee in the hope
that l might win her from the position
she has taken. / have failed"
But how" asked presently, "were
you able to visit this place when 1t
was in Confederate handsT
MANY of the officers were former
playmates of mine, and had no diff
Guilty in getting permission to visit one
who was known to have been my
sweetheart. l know every one about
here. That was the weakness OF my
position. l repeatedly and secretly
visited the enemy"
could readily understand all that
my young friend had suffered and
how to gain a kind word from the girl
he loved had laid himself liable to
charge of treachery. Even in confid-
ing the matter to me he had parted
with his secret
As soon RS we returned to camp i
explanation he had called for had been
made to me and that l was perfectly
satisfied with It. Waters accepted 1t
as If 1t had been made to him person
ally and offered to go to Claybourne
and apologize. but | assured him that
1t was not necessary. All the case re-
quired was that the matter be drop
ped.
Shortly after this was transferred
to another branch of the service and
did not meet Claybourne again till we
met several years after the war was
over. | found him very much chang
ed. The position he had taken In re-
speet to the advisability of the seces-
sion movement had been indicated,
and terrible four years had become
q thing of the past. The first ques-
ton l asked him was If he was mar
ried.
He told me that be was and when
looked at him inquiringly added: mo.
After the war she relented. but too
late for me. Recently I have married
a girl from my native state. She was
q Confederate sympathizer, but she
understood my position and commend
ed me for being true to my convic-
tions"
Many years after happened to meet
the girl who had turned away lover.
She had never married.