Thrilling Adventures by Land and Sea · Chapter 27The Dying Volunteer,
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The sun had risen in all his glorious majesty, and hung over the eastern horizon like a wall of glowing fire; and its bright rays danced merrily along the lake of Teseneo--over the glittering domes of Mexico--past the frowning battlements of Chapultepec, and lit, in all their glorious effulgence, upon, the blood-stained field of Molino del Rey.
The contest was over--the sound of battle had died away, save an occasional shot from the distant artillery of the castle, or the fire of some strolling riflemen.
I was standing beside the battered remains of the mill door, above which the first footing had been gained upon the well-contested wall, and gazing over the plain, now saturated with the blood of my fellow-soldiers, which that morning waved green with flowing grass, when I heard a low and feeble wail in the ditch beside me. I turned towards the spot, and beheld, with his right leg shattered by a cannon ball, a voltiguer lying amid the mangled. He had been passed by in the haste of gathering up the wounded under the fire from the castle, and the rays of the burning sun beat down with terrible fervor upon the wounded limb, causing heavy groans to issue from his pallid lips, and his marble countenance to writhe with pain.
"Water, for God's sake, a drink of water!" he faintly articulated, as I bent over him.
Fortunately, I had procured a canteen of water, and placing it to his lips, he took a long, deep draught, and then sunk back exhausted upon the ground.
"The sun," he murmured, "is killing me by its rays; can not you carry me into the shade?"
"I can procure assistance, and have you taken to the hospital."
"No, do not, my sands of life are most out. An hour hence, I shall be a dead man. Carry me into the shade of the mill, and then, if you have time to spare, listen to my dying words, and, if you are fortunate enough to return to the United States, bear me back a message to my home, and to anoth--" he paused, and motioned me to carry him into the shade. I did so, and the cold wind which swept along the spot appeared to revive him, and he continued:
"You, sir, are a total stranger to me, and, from your uniform belong to another corps, and yet I must confide this, the great secret of all my recent actions, and the cause of my being here, to you. Would to God that I had reflected upon the fatal steps I had taken, and I should now have been at my home, enjoying the society of kind friends, instead of dying upon the gory field, and in a foreign land. My father was a wealthy man, in the town of G----h, in the state of Virginia, and moved in the best society of the place. I had received an excellent education, had studied law and was admitted, in the twenty-fourth year of my age, to practice at the bar. I had early seen and admired a young lady of the place, a daughter of an intimate friend of father's, and fortunately the feeling was reciprocated, and we were engaged to be married. The war in Mexico had been in existence some twelve months, and many flocked to the standard of their country. It so happened, that about this time, a recruiting office had been opened in the town, and several of my young friends had enlisted to go and try their fortunes on the plains of Mexico. One night there was a grand party in the place, in honor of those who were about to depart for the seat of war, and both myself and Eveline were at the hall. Among those who were assembled at that evening was Augustus P., a talented young man, and accomplished scholar, gay and lively in his manners, free and cheerful in his disposition, and a universal favorite with the fair sex. He had been for some time paying his addresses to Eveline, as I deemed, in rather too pointed a manner. As the party had assembled in the long hall, and the dance was about to commence, I asked for her hand for the first set."
'It is engaged,' she replied, as I thought, rather tartly.
'To whom, if I may be so bold as to inquire?' I demanded.
'To Augustus P.,' was the immediate reply.
I smothered my rising indignation the best I could, and proudly returned the smile of malignant joy my rival gave me.
'Perhaps I can engage it for a second set,' I calmly replied.
'Mr. P. has engaged it for the entire evening,' she pettishly replied, and rising and taking his hand they took their station upon the floor.
I remained thunderstruck and rooted to the spot, until I saw the eyes of my hated rival fixed upon me, and, throwing off the spell that bound me, I assumed a proud, cold look. As I swept by the dancers, Eveline paused for a moment when just beside me, and, bending close to her ear, I whispered, 'Eveline, farewell forever.'
She turned slightly pale, and asked, 'when?'
'To-night, I join the army for Mexico,' I firmly replied.
A deep flush passed haughtily across her brow, and then waving her hand gracefully, she replied, 'Go,' and glided through the mazes of the dance.
I rushed from the spot, and never paused until I had entered the recruiting office, and offered myself a candidate for the army.
'Are you a good, moral man, of well-regulated habits?' asked the sergeant.
'Can give a hundred certificates, if necessary, I hastily replied.
'I rather think you'll do,' said the officer with a smile, and he enrolled me as a soldier. 'When do you wish to leave?'
'Now--to-night--to-morrow--any time,' I eagerly answered.
'Promptness is a good quality, you will make a good soldier. Get ready to start at eight o'clock in the morning, for Newport, Ky.'
'I will be ready,' and, rushing from the room, I hastened home, packed up my things, and threw myself down on the bed to sleep. But it was impossible. Heavy thoughts were crowding my mind with lightning speed, and I resolved to depart the next day, without bidding adieu to father or mother, sister or brother; but feeling a deep respect, which I held for my father's advice, would prevail and I should be induced to remain at home. I made the resolve and carried it out. The next morning I was at the office by seven o'clock, was furnished with a suit of regimentals, and departed for the railroad depot to start for Wheeling. As I hurried along, who should turn the corner of the street but Eveline, and we met for the last time on earth. I informed her of my intentions, and, without manifesting any disposition of regret at my departure, she gaily said: "'Good bye, and may good luck attend you,' and she glided away.
"A new fuel was added to my desire to hasten from such scenes; and I had soon left the town for the Ohio. I will not weary you with further details, as my breath is failing fast. Suffice it to say I arrived in Mexico, and, here I am, perishing by inches upon the battle-field.
"Here," he continued, "is a ring," taking one from his finger, and presenting it to me, "which was given me by Eveline as a bond of our marriage contract. I have worn it ever since, and, as I told her then, 'it shall leave me but with my death,' Take it to her, when you get back, and, if she be not married, give it to her, and tell her he who sent it never forgot her for a single moment, even in his dying hour, and is lying beneath the clods of a foreign soil. This Bible, give back to my father, and tell him I have studied its precepts: to my mother and sisters, say that I have sent them a son's and brother's dying love; tell my brothers to beware of human strife."
He faltered in his speech, and then murmuring, "I am going," pressed my hand feebly and expired. I dug a lone grave upon the field, and laid him to "sleep his last sleep," until that day when all shall be summoned to a final account.
One year rolled on, and how chequered by passing events! Chapultepec had fallen, the city of Mexico was taken, and peace, thrice glorious peace, had waved her pinions over the land of war. The volunteers were joyfully hastening to their homes, and, among the rest, I once more trod my native land, a freeman again in heart and soul. A spell of sickness at first confined me several weeks, but at length I rose wearied and feeble from my bed, and my physicians recommended a change of air. I traveled into Virginia, and one evening I entered the town of G----h. I inquired for the family of my friend, and was directed to a fine-looking building upon the principal street. I advanced and rang the bell, and anxiously waited an answer. At length the door opened, and an old grey-headed man stood before me, the lines of his face marked by care, and his whole appearance betokened one who had a deep grief at heart.
"Mr. ----, I presume?" said I, bowing.
"The same, sir; won't you walk in?" replied the old man, politely.
I entered the house, and was soon seated in the parlor, when the old man started to leave the room.
"I have something of importance for your private ear," said I, hastily.
He turned towards me, and taking the Bible from my pocket, I held it up to view. Quicker than thought, the aged father sprang forward, caught the book in his hand, and murmured, as the tears fell slowly over his aged cheeks:
"My son, my son, you bring news of him."
"I do, but it is very bad," I answered, my voice trembling as I spoke, and I retold to him the scenes upon the battle-field.
When I had finished, the old man clasped his hands in agony, and, raising his eyes toward the ceiling, exclaimed, in deep and fervent tones, "God's will be done!"
At this moment, a young lady of pale, care-worn countenance entered the parlor, and, rising, I said, "Miss Eveline ----, I believe?"
"The same," she calmly replied.
As her eyes glanced at the ring, which I silently presented, she stretched forth her hand, grasped it convulsively, then fell suddenly forward upon the carpet, the blood oozing rapidly from her mouth. The terrible ordeal had broken a blood-vessel, and her spirit passed unchecked to another world.
A plain, marble slab, in the graveyard of the town of G----h, upon which is engraved the lone word, "Eveline," marks the last resting place of the betrothed of the Dying Volunteer.