The Leopard's Spots; A Romance of the White Man's Burden--1865-1900

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1902 edition. Excerpt: ... THE LEOPARD'S SPOTS BooK 1--Xearee'9 "Regime CHAPTER I A HERO RETURNS ON the field of Appomattox General Lee was waiting the return of a courier. His handsome face was clouded by the deepening shadows of defeat. Rumours of surrender had spread like wildfire, and the ranks of his once invincible army were breaking into chaos. Suddenly the measured tread of a brigade was heard marching into action, every movement quick with the perfect discipline, the fire, and the passion of the first days of the triumphant Confederacy. "What brigade is that?" he sharply asked. "Cox's North Carolina," an aid replied. As the troops swept steadily past the General, his eyes filled with tears, he lifted his hat, and exclaimed, "God bless old North Carolina!" The display of matchless discipline perhaps recalled to the great commander that awful day of Gettysburg when the Twenty-sixth North Carolina infantry had charged with 820 men rank and file and left 704 dead and wounded on the ground that night. Company F from Campbell County charged with 91 men and lost every man killed and wounded. . Fourteen times their colours were shot down, and fourteen times raised again. The last time they fell from the hands of gallant Colonel Harry Burgwyn, twenty-one years old, commander of the regiment, who seized them and was holding them aloft when instantly killed. The last act of the tragedy had closed. Johnston surrendered to Sherman at Greensboro on April 26,' 1865, and the Civil War ended--the bloodiest, most destructive war the world ever saw. The earth had been baptised in the blood of five hundred thousand heroic soldiers, and a new map of the world had been made. The ragged troops were straggling home from Greensboro and Appomattox along the country roads. There...