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Show A U'l'<JBIOGRAPHY UF it of sufficient interest to make mention of it here. A young private, of very respectable connexions, had been tried for some offense, and sentenced to receive a flogging, which was carried unmercifully into effect. After he had 1·ecovered, the surgeon bade him go and report himself fit for duty. "I will go," said he, "but it will be my last duty." Accordingly, he fixed his bayonet and repaired to the officers' quarters, where he found the captain and first lieutenant of his company. He advanced upon them, and saying, "You have disgraced me with an inhuman flogging-die!" he shot the captain dead, and plunged his bayonet through the body of the lieutenant, also killing him on the spot. He straightway gave himself up, was tried by courtmartial, and sentenced to be shot. The execution of the sentence was withheld by Colonel Taylor, who had forwarded the particulars of the trial to the department at Washington, and was waiting the resu!t of official investigation. The case was found worthy of executive interference; a pardon was signed by the President and sent on, and the young man was liberated from confinement. Such inhuman treatment as this poor young soldier received at the hands of his officers has resulted, I have no shadow of doubt, in the death of many an officer on the battle-field. . I rememb_er? at the battle of 0-ke-cho-be, a young heutenant ndmg up to Colonel Foster, and saying, '' Colonel, I have been shot at twice, and not by the enemy either." " It was by no friend, I will swear," said the colo .. nel; "yo~ can leave the field, and learn to treat your men well In future." JAMES P. llECKWOUR'fH. 42l This I witnessed myself; but whether the young "buckskin" profited by the sharp cut of the colonel I am unable to say. 1,here was a Tennesseean in camp, a great foot-racer, who was incessantly boasting about his wonderful pedestrian powers. He had a valuable horse, which he offered to stake against any person in the camp for a race of sixty yards. As he was considered a "great leg" by all, no one ventured to take up his offer. I offered myself as a competitor, but all sought to dissuade me. "Don't run against him," said they; "that fellow will outrun Lucifer himself. He has beat every man who has run against him in Florida." However, I staked a hundred dollars against his horse, and entered the lists. We started together ; but, as I did not see my antagonist either ahead of me or by my side, I looked around, and saw him corning up. I went out a good distance ahead of him, and did not exert myself either. The enemy having submitted to the government, there was nothing more for us to do, and I asked for a furlough to return to St. Louis. I and my company were enlisted for a year; ten months of this time had been served, and I obtained a furlough for the remaining two months. We embarked for New Orleans, Colonel Gates and his regiment taking passage in the same ship. Arriving at my place of destination in safety, I staid but one night in the " Crescent City," and then took the steamer to St. Louis, where we had a good time while steaming up, and I was very well satisfied to jump ashore once again at my old home. My company all returned but two, or..e of whom died in New Orleans, the other was killed by the Seminoles after I left. |