Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 October 1874 — A Confederate Story. [ARTICLE]

A Confederate Story.

—At a recent political gathering in Tuseumbia, Ala., Gen. Cullen A. Battle related the following touching story: During the winter of 1863-4 it was my fortune to be President of one of the courts-martial of the army of Northern Virginia. One bleak December morning while the snow covered the ground and the winds howled around our camp I left my bivouac fire to attend tlie session of the court. Winding for miles along uncertain paths I at length arrived at the court-ground at Round Oak Church. Day after day it had been our duty to try the gallant soldiers of that army for violations of military law, but never had I on any previous occasion been greeted by such anxious spectators as that morning awaited the opening of the court. Case after case was disposed of and at length the case of “ The Confederate States vs. Edward Cooper” was called—charge, desertion. A low murmur arose from the battle-scarred spec-, tators as a young artilleryman rose from the prisoners’ bench and in response to the question “ Guilty or not guilty V” answered “ Not guilty.” The Judge Advocate was proceeding to open the prosecution when the Court, observing shat the prisoner was unattended by counsel, interposed and inquired of the accused, “ Who is your counsel?” He replied, “I have no counsel.” Supposing that it was his purpose to represent himself before the court, the Judge Advocate was instructed to proceed. Every charge and specification against the prisoner was sustained. The prisoner was then told to introduce his witnesses. He replied, “ 1 have no witnesses.” —Astonished at the calmness with which he seemed to be submitting to what he regarded as an inevitable fate, I said to him, “Have you no defense? Is it possible that you abandoned your comrades and deserted your colors iu the presence of the enemy without any reason?” He replied, “ There was a reason, but it will not avail «ie before a military court.”' I said: “Perhaps you are mistaken; you are charged with the highest crime known to military-law and ..-it-. Ts your, duty to make known the causes that influenced your actions.” For the first time his manly form trembled and his blue eyes swam in tears. Approaching the President of the court he presented a letter, saying, as he did so, “There, General, is what did it.” I opened the letter, and in a moment mv eyes filled with tears. It was passed from one to another of the court until all had seen it, and those stern warriors who had passed with Stonewall Jackson through a hundred battles wept like little children. Soon as I sufficiently recovered my selfpossession I read the letter as the defense of the prisoner. It was in these words: - My Dear Edward—l have always been proud of you, and since your connection with the Confederate army I have been prouder of you than over before. I would uot have you do anything wrong for the world; but, before God. Edward, unless you come home we must die! Last night I was aroused by little Eddie's crying. I called and said: What's the matter, Eddie?” and he said: “Oh, mamma. I'm so hungry!” and Lucy, Edward, your darling Lucy, she never complains, but she is growing thinner and thinner every day. And before God. Edward, unless you come home we must die. ' Your Mary. Turning to the prisoner, I asked: “ What did you do when you received this letter?” He replied; “I made ap- ' plication for a furlough and it was rejected; again I made application and it ■was-rejected, and that night as' I wandered backward and forward in the camp, thinking of my home, with the mild eyes of Lucy looking up to me, and the burning words of Mary sinking* in my brain, 1 was no louger the Confederate soldier, but I was the father of Lucy ancl the husband of Mary, and I would have passed Those lines if every gun in the battery had fired upon me. I went to my home. Mary ran out to meet me, her angel arms embraced me, and she -whispered: ‘O! Edward, lam so happy! I am so glad you got your furlough!’ She must have felt me shudder, for she turned pale as death, and catching her breath at every word she said: ‘Have you come without yodr furlough? O! Edward, Edward, go back! go back! Let me and my children go down together to the grave, but O! for heaven’s sake, save the honor of our name !’ And- here I am, gentlemen, not brought here by military power, but in obedience to the command of Mary, to abide the sentence df your court.” Every officer of that court-martial felt the force of the prisoner’s words. Bgfore them stood, in beatific vision, the eloquent pleader for a husband’s and’ a father’s wrongs; but they had been trained by their great leader, Robert E. Lee, to tread the path of duty-though the lightning’s flash scorched tlie ground beneath their feet, and each in his turn pronounced the . verdict— guilty. Fortunately for humanity, fartunately for the Confederacy, the'proceedings of the court were reviewed by the commanding General, and upon the record w;ys written : * Headquarters. A. N. Y-—The finding oCthe court is approved. The prisoner is pir,doued and will report to his company. * hi K. E. Lee. General. During the second-battle of Ctold Harbor, when shot and ball were falling like “torrents from the mountain cloud,” my attention was directed to the J»ct that one of our batteries was being silenced by the concentrated fire of the enemy. When I reached the battery every gun but one had beep dismantled, ind by it stood a solitary Confederate soldier,

with the blood streaming from his side. As he recognized me lie elevated his voice above the roar of the battle and said: “General, I have one—shell left. Tell me, have I saved the honor of Mary and Lucy?" I raised my hat. Once more a Confederate shell yvenj; crashing through the ranks of the enemy, and the hero sank by his gun to rise no more. A Detroit lady, who has been in California for some months past, started for home the other day and one of her relatives went to the telegraph office in Sacramento and notified the husband in Detroit, saying: “Your wife starts this morning.” So far so good, but he didn’t have money to pay for the dispatch, and, feeling a little cheap over it, he added to the telegram: “ I haven’t pAid for this dispatch—left my money at" home ; Will make it all right the next time I write to you.” The twenty-two extra words made a bill which caused the Detroiter to turn pale. The most steadfast followers of our fortunes -Our creditors.