The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1914-09-11
A Melodious
Voice
By F. A. Mitchell

I awOke, or, rather. came to con-
seriousness, with a soreness all over my
body and a burning thirst. I was lying
on the ground looking up ut the stars.
For a moment l did not know why l
was there. Then suddenly it all came
back to me-a long brown line along
the edge Of a wood, the order to ad-
vance, a volley of clicks Is the Con-
federates cooked their muskets. then
q cloud of smoke and Il storm of bull
lets. l was one who fell. and for
awhile men tramped to and fro over
me. After that l knew nothing.
Now it was dark. l managed to
change my position by turning on my
side. l could see lights moving about.
Then l heard the words:
Bring a s%tretchsr."
They were not spoken in a mans
voice, but q woman's. Moreover. the
tones were soft and melodious. Was
it the contrast with what might be ex-
pected on a battlefield that moved me.
or was the voice really sweet? ! listen
ed and heard it again:
Poor fellow! Gently. boys. There.
Now carry him over there to the sur
geon."
Surely it was sympathetic. But 1t
was more-it was a voice that | felt
sure 1 would never forget. If should
hear it among a hundred others [
would recognize it.
We were near enough to Richmond
for our cannon to be heard there
all day. Doubtless this was some wo-
man from there. who had come out
to minister to the wounded. She a
however, giving us. her enemies. her
attention. for the C~onfederates had not
been in this exac part of the field. She
went from mt. speaking in that same
melodious voice. first encouraging the
wounded man being carried on the
stretcher. Then l knew by her words
that she was kneeling over some other
unfortunate.
Poor boy! You should be with your
mother instead of here"
Those were the last words l heard
her speak. had hoped that she would
stay by me-. but we were lying very
thick. and only a few could be favored.
l never forgot the voice | heard on
that battlefield. l thought of it all
through the period when ! was recov-
ering from my wound and wondered If
I should ever meet its possessor. l
was sent north by sea and after re-
gaining my strength Joined my regi-
ment shortly before the battle OF Get
tysburg. | was with our army before
Petersburg and when Richmond was
evacuated was one Of those who en-
tered the city.
While in the Confederate capital I
went to a hospital to see an officer who
was ill. was sitting by his cot in a
ward containing perhaps a hundred
invalids. Near by was a screen used
to protect a man who was dying. I
heard a voice say:
Il will give your message If l have
to take it myself"
1t was the voice l had heard on the
battlefield.
1 was anxious to get a glimpse Of its
owner. but at the moment the man I
was with was ~endeavoring 20 impress
upon me something he wished me to
do for him. AS soon as l could get
away from him | went for q look be-
hind the screen. l saw only a corpse.
That was the disappointment Of my
life. l made inquiries for the woman
I wished to see. but could only describe
her as a woman with q sweet voice.
1t was not enough. There were a num-
Der of ladies there with sweet voices.
Besides. l was a soldier with other
things to occupy me than looking for
a woman I had never cen At any
rate, l left Richmond without seeing
or again hearing her.
The war having closed, my regiment
with others was sent north and after
the grand review at Washington was
mustered out. had studied a profess
sion before entering the military serv-
ice and on returning to civil life occu-
pied myself with my profession. I
continued to be haunted by that me-
lodious voice. met women who
were attractive to me: but, somehow.
If I especially liked one Of them she
was sure to repel me by a harsh tone
in speaking. Several years passed.
and though l was domestic in my
tastes and would have liked to be mar.
ried l remained single.
Being called to Washington on bust
ness with the government, l was in
the treasury department nj morning
amid a number Of women clerks when
I asked one of them where I should
apply for certain information 1
wished.
"Go to the third auditors Office on
the next door above"
had found her.
Were you not on the field." I ask
ed, '.after one Of the battles near
Richmond in 1862. succoring the
wounded?"
II was"
"And when we northern men oc-
cupied Richmond did you not one day
in a hospital take q message for q
dying man?"
II did"
Il lay near where you were on that
battlefield and was near you when
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