Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 23.djvu/40

 34 Southern Historical Society Papers.

He was carried to the hospital in Raleigh, N. C. The surgeon in- formed him that his arm must be amputated. He refused to submit to the operation from a morbid horror of going through life maimed, and died a short time before Lee's surrender. Cadet Humphreys was gifted with a fine intellect and a very natural quality to make for himself a successful career. Fate willed otherwise than that he should survive to fulfill the promise of his youth, and, after a term of service, brief but brilliant enough to satisfy the dream of any Paladin of romance, he died just in time not to know that the good fight had been made in vain. ' The Cadet Company ' fought in the battle of Bentonville, and learning that Johnston's army was to be surrendered, by permission marched out of camp the night preced- ing that event, with the idea of making its way to the Trans-Missis- sippi part of the Confederacy, but disbanded under counsel of its colonel, L. P. Miller, when he bade them good-bye."

The loth of March was a damp, dreary day, and the smoke from the guns would not rise. If you missed your aim your bullet was liable to kill friend or foe. The prettiest duel I ever saw was fought by Captain James Butler and a Federal officer, who began the fight with the brave, the dashing, the gallant and handsome Nat Butler, who was riding the same horse that his brother Thomas was on when killed at Gettysburg. He was shot through the right elbow, and as soon as Captain James Butler saw his young brother's arm hanging at his side, he at once attracted the Yankee's attention by sending a bullet whizzing by his head, and after exchanging three deliberate shots at each other, this brave man in blue bit the dust. Captain James Butler was cool, brave, and reckless, and I can never forget how tenderly he nursed his young wounded brother. No man could have been more attentive and kind than he. Nat Butler was my friend and I was his friend; I loved him and he loved me. Among a great many other brave men, gallant Sam Cothran, orderly ser- geant Company B, Sixth South Carolina Cavalry, Tom Sego, Mat Adams, and Fayette Cogburn were killed, which reduced this gal- lant old company to a mere handful of men. A lieutenant was or- dered to capture General Kilpatrick, but the wily general outwitted him. When the lieutenant rode up to him in his dishabille and said, " Where is General Kilpatrick?" he replied: "Don't you see him running on that horse right yonder." With this the lieutenant charged the private soldier, who was frightened and out-ran every- thing that followed him. General Kilpatrick, however, took time by the forelock, and was soon mounted on his steed and make good