A gallant deed and A chivalrous return.
In the movement of
Stoneman's cavalry the advance was led by
Lieutenant Paine, of the First Maine cavalry.
Being separated by a considerable distance from the main body, he encountered unexpectedly a superior force of rebel cavalry, and his whole party were taken prisoners.
They were hurried off as rapidly as possible, to get them out of the way of our advancing force, and in crossing a rapid and deep stream
Lieutenant Henry, commanding the rebel force, was swept off his horse.
As none of his men seemed to think or care any thing about saving him, his prisoner,
Lieutenant Paine, leaped off his horse, seized the drowning man by the collar, swam ashore with him and saved his life, thus literally capturing his captor.
He was sent to
Richmond with the rest of the prisoners, and the facts being made known to
General Fitz-Hugh Lee, he wrote a statement of them to
General Winder, the
Provost-Marshal of
Richmond, who ordered the instant release of
Lieutenant Paine, without even parole, promise, or condition, and, we presume, with the compliments of the
Confederacy.
He arrived in
Washington on Saturday last.
This act of generosity as well as justice must command our highest admiration.
There is some hope for men who can behave in such a manner.
But the strangest part of the story is yet to come.
Lieutenant Paine, on arriving in
Washington, learned that the officer whose life he had thus gallantly saved had since been taken prisoner by our forces, and had just been confined in the
Old Capitol Prison.
At the last we heard of him he was on his way to
General Martindale's headquarters, to obtain a pass to visit his beneficiary and benefactor.
Such are the vicissitudes of war. We could not help thinking, when we heard this story, of the profound observation of
Mrs. Gamp: “Sich is life, vich likevays is the bend of hall things hearthlv.”
We leave it to casuists to determine whether, when these two gallant soldiers meet on the battle-field, they should fight like enemies or embrace like Christians.
For our part, we do not believe their swords will be any the less sharp, no<*>
[
38]
their zeal any the less determined, for this hap-hazard exchange of soldierly courtesy.
