A visit to-day from my brother Dr. B., who bears the utter
desolation of his home quietly, though so sudden a change of circumstances is
of course very depressing. He tells me that he has lately had a visit from a
very interesting young South Carolinian, who came to look for the body of his
brother. The two brothers were being educated in Germany when the war broke
out; and as soon as they were of military age, with the consent of their
parents, they hastened home to take part in their country's struggle. In one of
the cavalry fights in Hanover, in May last, one brother was killed, and the
other, “not being able to find the body at the time, was now seeking it.” His
mother was on the ocean returning to her home, and he could not meet her with
the information that her son's body could not be found. He had heard that some
of the fallen had been buried at S. H. or W. He mentioned that their intimate
friend, young Middleton, had fallen in the same fight. Mr. Middleton had been
buried at S. H., and his grave had been marked by Mrs. N.; but young Pringle
(the name of the brothers) had been carried to neither place. Mr. Pringle had
seen in a New York paper an account given by a Yankee officer of several
wounded Confederates who had been captured, and having died on their way to the
“White House,” they were buried by the roadside, and he had some reason to
believe that his brother was among them. It was then remembered that there were
three graves on the opposite side of the Pamunky River, and one was marked with
the name “Tingle.” It
was an excessively warm Sudday morning; but as the young soldier's furlough
only extended to the following day, there was no time to be lost. Dr. B. and
the brother set out upon their melancholy mission, having obtained a cart, one
or two men, and given an order at a neighbouring carpenter's shop for a coffin.
After crossing the river they found the three graves, at the place designated,
in the county of King William. The one marked “Tingle” contained the body of a
Federal and one of a Confederate soldier, but not the brother. The next one
opened was not the right one; but the third contained the much-loved remains,
which were easily recognized by the anxious brother. Tenderly and gently, all
wrapped in his blanket, he was transferred from his shallow grave to his
soldier's coffin, and then conveyed to S. H., to be placed by his friend
Middleton. It was now night, the moon shone brightly, and all was ready. The
families from both houses gathered around the grave. “Slowly and sadly they laid
him down.” No minister of the Gospel was near to perform the services. Dr. B.
stood at the head with a Prayer-Book for the purpose, but his defective sight
obliged him to yield the book to Mrs. N., who, with a clear, calm voice read by
the light of a single lantern the beautiful ritual of the Episcopal Church. The
grave was filled in solemn silence, the brother standing at the foot. When all
was over, the young ladies and children of the families advanced with wreaths
and bouquets, and in an instant the soldier's grave was a mound of fresh
flowers. The brother could no longer restrain his feelings; he was completely
overwhelmed, and was obliged to retire to his room, where he could indulge them
freely. Next morning he returned to his command, after a leave-taking in which
the feelings expressed by all parties evinced more of the friendship of years
than the acquaintance of hours. It seems strange indeed that this scene, so
similar to that of the burial of the lamented Captain Latane, should have
occurred at the same place. But who could relate, who could number the sad
scenes of this war? Many such have probably occurred in various parts of the
country.
SOURCE: Judith W. McGuire, Diary of a Southern
Refugee, During the War, p. 305-7
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