Minnie, educated in peace principles, could not conscientiously
encourage him, and yet when she saw how the liberty of a whole race was
trembling in the balance she could not help wishing [success?] to the
army, nor find it in her heart to dissuade him from going.
Others had given their loved and cherished ones to camp and field. The
son of a dear friend had said to his mother, "I know I shall be killed,
but I go to free the slave." His presentiment had been met, for he had
been brought home in his shroud.
Another dear friend had said, "I have drawn my sword, and it shall never
sleep in its scabbard till the nation is free!" And she had heard that
summer of '64 how bravely the colored soldiers had stood at Fort Wagner,
when the storms of death were sweeping through the darkened sky. How
they summoned the world to see the grandeur of their courage and the
daring of their prowess.
How Corny had held with unyielding hand the nation's flag, and even when
he was wounded still held it in his grasp, and crawling from the scene
of action exclaimed, "I only did my duty, the old flag, I didn't let it
trail on the ground."
And she felt on reading it with tearful eyes, that if she belonged to
that race they had not shamed her by their want of courage; and so when
Louis came to her and told her his intention, she would not attempt to
oppose him, and when he was ready to depart, with many prayers, and sad
farewells, she gave him up to fight the battles of freedom, for such it
was to him, who went with every nerve in his right arm tingling to
strike a blow for liberty.
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