HOW THINGS ARK IN AMERICA

Star (Christchurch), Issue 526, 26 January 1870, Page 3

HOW THINGS ARK IN AMERICA

By David Mackajj.

SAVING A SOI-DIHU'S LIVK

It would be easy to write a whole book about Petersburg and its memories of the war, but as I mean to cut this series of sketches short in a week or two now — having trespassed too long already on the patience of the readers of the Weekly Herald, and feeling that it would be impossible to do justice to the South and West without continuing the series for many months - 1 shall content myself with one incident more from this quarter, narrated to me by Mr K , the principal actor in the scene.

Mr K himself had been opposed to the war. " I saw what Ireland had come to," he said to me, " and I knew it would be the same with the South." But he had gone with his people.

I was told at, Petersburg that he bad been the means of saving 47 lives during the war. He was described as a man of generous impulse, and always ready even when impoverished by the war, to share what he had with those who were worse off than himself. On one occasion he had been seen taking off .his shoes arid coat inUie.'street.tp g\ye to t a,.poqr Confede:rate'.s6ldieV, and going home liinisejf in his stockings and shirt sleeves.! ... V,"

During one of the pleasant evenings at Petersburg, of which I cherish so many delightful recollections, one case, in which Mr K had saved the life of a German s klier, was referred to, and we got Mr K to detail the case. Well (said he) on Sunday morning I was in my room prepariug to go to church, when n knock came to the door, and I was told that a man wanted to see me. I went out and asked him what he wanted. | lie said, -"There is a German prisoner going to be shot on Tuesday morning, and lie wants you to come and pray with him." I put my German Bible in my pocket nnd I went. When I found myself alone with ihe prisoner, I said, in German, '•' What is j-our j name ? " "Henry B ." " What has brought you to this plight ? : ' " I was charged, sir, with deserting." " And were you not guilty ? " " No, sir." On questioning him further, I found that he had b;en caught trying to leave Petersburg just after a very severe order had been issued in reference to desertion, which, however, from his ignorance of English, he had not beeu able to read. I'urther, he assured me earnestly and solemnly that he never meant to desert — that he only wanted to run the blockade — that is, to escape through the lines -and go to Charleston to get his clothes, of which he was sorely in need, and to recover 100() dols. that were due to him there, and which the woman of the house wlicre he boarded had in charge for him. When tried by court-martial, it was declared that he had deserted from Charleston before ; but he assured me that it was not true— that he had served his time, and got an honourable discharge. I asked who had defended him at the courtmartial. "No one." " And what decision was come to ?" "I wa9 condemned, sir; I am to be shot on Tuesday morning." I prayed with the man ; and when I had questioned him again, I said, "If all you have told me is true, you will not be shot if I can help it." " It is true, Mr X ," he sttid earnestly — " true as I hope to see God !" I went away determined, if possible, to save this poor fellow's life. I went to a man who hired out buggies, and ■aid — " lam going to Richmond. You must give me your buggy on credit." " What are you going to Richmond for ?" " I am going to try and save a man's life." "Then," said he, "you shall not pay a cent." When I got to Richmond I found Jefferson Davis coming from church. I laid tlis case before him, and said, "I have pledged your word, and the honour of the Confederate Government, that if that man's statements are found true you will reprieve him. Now, sir," I said, C- I want you to postpone this man's execution for a week, till I go to Charleston and find out tha truth or falsity of his story." Mr Davis granted this at once. Back I came to Petersburg, and was off next morning to Charleston, where I arrived the day after. I procured a permit to go to Fort Sumter, got the password, and hired two boatmen to take me down. I was ao excited that I forgot the password, and when the sentinel cried " Halt 1" I could only cry out " don't lire— for God's sake, don't fire ! I got the password, but I have forgotten it." I could not recall it, and had to tell the boatmen to take me back, when suddenly it came to my memory, and I landed under the fort. Colonel Calhoun received me kiudly — he was shot afterwards by Colonel Rhett in a duel — told him my story, and said, " The man was charged in the indictment with having deserted here before." The Colonel said, " That is a mistake. He served his time, and was honourably discharged." My heart leapt up at that. I was satisfied now of the man's innocence. I got back to Charleston, and went next about the 1000 dols. I wouldn't (said Mr K getting more excited in his narrative) -I wouldn't have given three skips of a flea for all the dollars in God's creation, but a man's life depended upon it. I found the woman. The money was all right. The man had told the truth. Now for Richmond again ! The time was flying past, and there was not a moment to lose. I ran away to the station, and was nearly there when I remembered that 1 1 had not paid my bill. I ran back, and on return^ ing found the train was off. No other train till next morning ; there was nothing forit but to remain. Next morning I was off. When we got to Florence the cars ran off the track. That detained us twelve hours, and the man's life trembling in the balance. It was Monday afternoon before I got back to Petersburg, and the man was to be shot on Tuesday morning. I had tasted no food for three days, and was so dirty and haggard that nobody knew me. I ran over the Pocahontas Bridge to the depot. The man at the gate demanded my pass. There was no travelling to or from Richmond in those days without a Provost Marshall's pass. I said " I have no pass." " Then you can't come in here." "Then," said I, "a man's life will be lost." " Eh ! what's your name ? " <<K_.» " K J " exclaimed the man, staring at me. " Bless me, what have you been doing with yourself ? You look crazy." I told him in a few .words; he let me pass, .and I got into the cars just as they were starting. I reached Richmond on Monday night at seveu o'clock! When I got to President Davis's house I was. like to faint. "Is Mr Davis in ?" ' ' "No." „-.." Well, I must see him: A man's life is at stake. I will wait inside till he cornea." ... I went in and fell asleep on the' sofa. • •

About ten o'clock I heard steps. I jumped up. "Is that Mr Davis ?" " Yes." " Tell him Mr K , the person that was here last week getting a reprieve for a condenied man, wants to see him." i\lr Davis received me at once. " Well," he said, » What did you find at Charleston ?" "It is all true, sir, what the man said." I mentioned what Colonel Calhouu had told me, and also about the 1000 dollars. " Well," said Mr Davis, go to General Randolph's head-quarters, and lay these facts before General Lee. I spoke to him about the case. If he consents, the man shall be ! pardoned." Tfc was 1 1 p.m. when I found General Lee. Lee received me kindly, and listened to my story, but shook his head. " I would be glad if I could do it," he said, " but the safety of the country demands that desertion be put a stop to." I pled with him, but he seemed to have made up his mind. " I have made this a matter of prayer," he said. "I have laid this case before God; , and, while I cannot say God answered me, 1 | feel that my conscience is clear. j I thought of the man's life hanging on this interview, and pleaded with the General for nearly an hour, but in vain. " The country," he said, " demands that an example be made of men who desert their colours, no matter on what ground, and we must begin somewhere." " Begin, then," I said, " with one of our own jieople — not with a poor foreiguer, who does not know the language, and could not read the orders that you issued on this subject." General Lee thought earnestly for a moment, and then said: " Mr K , you doserve this man's life given to you if it could be done. But desertion is imperilling our cause. We would have gained that battle of Antietam but for desertion. There were 13,u00 deserters that day, and 13.000 men would have turned the scale. This man's life cannot be taken into account when the salvation of the country is at stake." That crushed me. I felt that I could plead no more. "General," I said, "I asked God'a . blessing on that man, and I should like, before I leave, to ask it on yours." [To be continued.]