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1Author:  Cooke John Esten 1830-1886Add
 Title:  Surry of Eagle's-nest, or, The memoirs of a staff-officer serving in Virginia  
 Published:  2003 
 Subjects:  University of Virginia Library, Text collection | UVA-LIB-Text | University of Virginia Library, Early American Fiction, 1789-1875 | UVA-LIB-EarlyAmFict1789-1875 
 Description: Having returned to “Eagle's-Nest,” and hung up a dingy gray uniform and batered old sabre for the inspection of my descendants, I propose to employ some leisure hours in recording my recollections, and describing, while they are fresh in my memory, a few incidents of the late Revolution. “General:—Hold your ground only ten minutes longer, and the enemy will fall back. I have captured a courier from General Shields. His line is ordered to retire. “General:—The bearer, Major Surry, of my staff, is sent to superintend the burial of my dead in the action yesterday, and look after the wounded. I have the honor to request that he may be permitted to pass your lines for that purpose. He will give any parole you require. “Will you lend me Colonel Surry for three or four days? “Certainly. “For the sake of one who fell at Kelly's Ford, March 17th, '63, an unknown Georgian sends you a simple cluster of young spring flowers. You loved the `gallant Pelham,' and your words of love and sympathy are `immortelles' in the hearts that loved him. I have never met you, I may never meet you, but you have a true friend in me. I know that sad hearts mourn him in Virginia, and a darkened home in Alabama tells the sorrow there. My friendship for him was pure as a sister's love, or a spirit's. I had never heard his voice. “For some time now it has been plain to me that our engagement is distasteful to you, and that you wish to be released from it. Considering the fact that you gave me ample encouragement, and never, until you met with a person whom I need not name, showed any dissatisfaction at the prospect of becoming Mrs. Baskerville, I might be justified in demanding the fulfilment of your engagement. But I do not wish to coerce the action of any young lady, however my feelings may be involved, and I scorn to take advantage of a compact made in good faith by my late father and myself. I therefore release you from your engagement. “I received your note. Thank you, sir! If I could have induced you to write that letter by kneeling before you, I should have knelt to you. “An unknown friend, who takes an interest in you, writes these lines, to put you in possession of facts which it is proper you should be acquainted with. “I have just had a visit from Mrs. Parkins, and she has made some astonishing disclosures, of the deepest importance to you. She declares that you have a son now living, and, before she left me, I succeeded in discovering that you will be able to learn all about him by visiting a Mrs. Bates, near Frederick City, Maryland, who is in some way connected with this mysterious affair. I think that Mrs. Parkins went to Maryland to inquire into this, with the design of obtaining a reward from you—but she has now left Elm Cottage, and I do not know where you will find her.
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