Burrell's War #T

 Burrell:  Chaper 1 here; Chapter 2 here.

Chapter 3

Mr. Jenkins predicted accurately that the Burrell twins would continue to study and learn.  Scooter's passion for history led him to ferret out every book in the county that treated with the development of civilization, and particularly the history of the United States.  Shortly after he turned sixteen he sat  for admission at Emory and Henry College.  With his expansive knowledge of history, getting in was a breeze.  He  matriculated, applied himself to the required Latin and Greek studies, and went on to read  law with Rice & Rice in Bristol.  He was admitted to the bar in  the Commonwealth of Virginia at the age of twenty-one.

Meanwhile, Cooter had  continued his  education in a much different, but equally effective  way.  He fell in with a band of people to whom states' rights trumped the power of the federal government.  He spent hours debating these issues, mainly in the inns within the radius of a few miles, but also in the town squares.  Eventually Cooter was an observer at the Virginia General Assembly listening to the proceedings, and carrying his ideas to the people in the streets.  Always learning, always teaching.  In 1860 at the age of 23, Cooter stood  for  election  to  the House of Delegates.  He  was narrowly defeated, but not discouraged as he continued to promote his political ideals.

Inevitably both George Washington Burrell and Andrew Jackson Burrell were embroiled in the civil strife that tore  the nation apart and  when hostilities began and war was declared, each chose  his  side.  The Commonwealth along with a large bloc of Southern States seceded from the Union.  Cooter enlisted in the Confederate army.  Scooter, on the other hand, had a  deep-seated love for his  country that outweighed all other considerations.  He  joined the Union forces.

In their respective armies, each Burrell achieved the rank of Infantryman, Private and each was posted to active duty in the war.

Nearing mid-February 1865 moving with Sherman's Army up the coast Scooter Burrell was in the push against Wilmington led by General Schofield.  It was vital for the Confederacy to hold Wilmington, equally important to the Union to take it.  Scooter was near the end of the left flank as the point moved ahead.  Slogging through the marshes was incredibly tiring, but vigilance was the watchword.  As Burrell cautiously moved forward, he spotted to his left a grey uniform, twenty-five yards.  As he assayed to take aim, the splash of a fish or a bird on the water behind him caught the attention of the Reb and when he looked up he saw the Blue raising his rifle.  Cooter immediately responded in kind, and in the instant of sighting and aiming, each soldier was looking squarely into his own face.

A choking in his throat and a feeling that his heart would stop, Cooter held his aim.  A tear ran down Scooter's cheek, and the report of the rifles was as one.  Two minie balls  sped toward their targets.

The family Bible, entry on the "Deaths" page:

George Washington Burrell, February 11, 1865, Wilmington, North Carolina.  Aged 28 years, five days.

Andrew Jackson Burrell, February 11, 1865, Wilmington, North Carolina.  Aged 28 years, five days.

finis

School's Out #T

 Burrell:  Chapter 1 here.

Chapter 2

The boys had celebrated their thirteenth birthday on a Sunday.  This was a particular boon to them, for chores, except for milking, and tasks of all sorts were laid aside on Sunday, the "day of rest."

There was no big party, of course, but their nine sisters and the parents made over them something fierce and there seemed to be nothing they would not do for them.  Thirteen!  In that time and place they had been conditioned to believe that attaining the age of thirteen was tantamount to achieving manhood.  And they were, indeed, strong young men, not yet quite as tall as Father, but they had long since passed their mother in height.  And as great as birthdays are, each boy felt in his heart that the coming Friday was even more significant.

On Friday, February 13, 1850, Cooter and Scooter along with a gaggle of sisters made their way, shuffling through a skiff of new snow, to the log schoolhouse.  And today was the last day for the twins.  Just at noon, Schoolmaster Jenkins pushed all the benches against the back wall and assembled the children in a celebratory circle around Ansel Williford, Daisy Norton, and the twins.

 "These four scholars," intoned Mr. Jenkins, "ahem, have successfully completed their studies here at Little Flat Lick School.  I suspect I have little left that I could teach them, but I pray fervently that they have learned enough here to keep the fire of learning burning within themselves that they might continue to be Learners so long as they shall live."

"Now I have the honor of presenting these certificates to the honorees.  Ladies first.  Miss Daisy Norton, these eight years with you have been my pleasure and I wish you God's blessings and all happiness throughout your life.  Congratulations.

"Ansel Williford, you have challenged me for ten terms in more ways than you will ever know.  The row was sometimes hard for you to hoe, but you persevered, stuck with it until you were able to pass all the prescribed courses.  Congratulations.

"Scooter Burrell, Cooter Burrell, if I call one of you I would never know if the right one turned to to receive his certificate."

"Oh, no, Mr. Jenkins, sir.  We would not trick you on this day, lest perhaps we would not be official!"

Everyone laughed, including Mr. Jenkins.  "All right, then, Cooter please step forward."  He did.  "Cooter, the challenges that you and your brother have laid at my doorstep have been many and memorable.  Yet I am proud that you have come to this moment in your life.  You have a burning interest in the affairs of the community and the country.  I foretell that you will serve your community in a capacity which will make us all proud.  Congratulations.

"Scooter, for the times you have taken a test for your brother, and for the times you allowed him to take your punishments, I forgive you."  Scooter's face blushed redder than his hair. "You fellows continue to labor under the delusion that you have me deceived, that I cannot tell you apart.  And for some time that was the case.  But I know you both too well now. A few words from your lips betray the owner of those words.  You, like your brother, have a burning passion.  Yours is for history, where we came from, and I think, the puzzle of where we are going.  I scarce need to urge you to continue your studies in history and civics.  I know you will.  I predict that you will read law and perhaps one day stand in the courts in Richmond.  Congratulations."

And with that and much back-slapping from the younger children, these four were released from school to pursue their life dreams.

TBC

¶unctuation Marks

I wanted  to use the pilcrow in a  response to a blogpost.  But my keyboard seems to  lack this  device, or I  don't know how to  access  it.  Google  to the  rescue "paragraph symbol" and instantly the little dickens appeared before my eyes.  Copy and paste, problem solved.

I have used the same technique  on other occasions  when in need of a symbol  or  even  a phrase in the alphabet of an alien language.  Quick and easy.

You may have referred to the pilcrow as paraph, or alinea, or simply the paragraph mark.*  It's  all  good.  Full disclosure: pilcrow is a new  term to me  as well.

A day in  which  one learns  nothing is a wasted  day.  You are welcome.

*Some refer to the symbol as "a blind P" but I tend to be more careful in  my use of language.

Happy Seventeenth Anniversary to  my Beloved Beautiful Better Half!

Attention to Detail

The Books  of  the Kings (1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings)* are very interesting reading, if sometimes tough  sledding.  There  are many stories, some  brief, some that require extrapolation  in  order  to mine a nugget  therefrom.  Some are  bloody, some illustrative of the rewards of  righteousness as well  as the punishments of  evil.

Today look for a bit at the fifteenth chapter of 2 Kings in which Azariah comes to the Judean throne in Jerusalem.  He was sixteen years of age when he began his reign.  Azariah was the son of Amaziah and Jecholiah.  This reference to his mother is the only place in the Bible where she is named.  The significance of the recognition perhaps lies in the fact that her name means "powerful."  Combine that with the father's name which some scholars believe means "strong" and imagine a son from that union.

Azariah, or Uzziah as he was also called, he being the same Uzziah that Isaiah referred to in the introduction to the Book of Isaiah, ruled for fifty-two years.  The good news is that he "did that which was right in the sight of the Lord" as his father before him had done.  The bad news is that notwithstanding the good he did, he failed in one point: he did not eliminate the burning of sacrifices and incense in "high places."  These "high places" were forbidden to the children of God as they were basically places of sex-oriented idol worship.  They remained popular with the people.  And.

And "God smote the king, that he was a leper" the rest of his life.  No time frame is given, so we cannot know how long he was so afflicted, yet he did live sixty-eight years.  He lived in what we would call quarantine, no doubt within the palace, and his son, Jotham, carried out the duties of judging the people.

From this example one might extrapolate that it is possible to live according to God's plan and yet neglect one small area that needs to be tended to.  And.

And I think that is not inaccurate.

 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.  --Philippians 4:8 (KJV)

*The Chronicles of  the  Kings relate to the reigns  of the same monarchs that  are recorded in the Books of the  Kings.  The principal difference is that the Kings record historical  data and actions of the people involved; Chronicles provides  interpretations of  the acts.

Word of the day: extrapolate

Twin Marksmanship #T

Burrell

Chapter 1

Cooter and Scooter Burrell, twin sons  of  Stephen and Elizabeth Burrell, were kicking up dust and general orneriness on their way to school, walking the two miles along with five  of their siblings,  two older, three younger than  their nine years.  They had two older sisters who had already completed their schooling and there were two little Burrells who  had yet to start the experience.

These two  boys were standouts at home and in the community for three reasons.  First, of the  eleven Burrell children they were the only boys; and second, they were red-haired, blue-eyed, freckle-faced  identical twins.  The third reason was that Scooter and Cooter very early in life learned to take advantage of the first two blessings  that the Good Lord had bestowed upon them.  It could go without saying that these little rapscallions were the apple of their father's eye.  Or apples.   One for each eye. Daddy did not believe they could do no wrong, for  they proved often that they could, but he was generous in his application of correction and the boys largely strove to walk  the straight and narrow.  This  is not  to  say that there were not times when Cooter took two  whuppins, one for himself and  one for  his  brother.

Then there was  the time that Cooter laid out  of school "sick" on the day of the big history test.  Scooter, who dearly loved history, went to school, took the  test.  The following day Cooter returned  to  school and when Teacher called  him to do the makeup of the test,  Scooter stepped  forward  and  stood  in for him.  Both  boys aced the  exam.  But  only one  of  them took  it.

Some curious person may be wondering about the names of these children, going so far perhaps as  to think I am making this up.   And perhaps  I  am.  But they were  always known  as  Cooter and Scooter and  always so  called.  The family Bible, though, which was passed down to my grandfather  from his great grandmother, Ardis Wilson, who was eldest sister to the Burrell boys, had the following entries on the "Births" page in  the family section dividing the testaments.

George Washington Burrell, February 6, 1837, 5 o'clock evening, Duffield, Virginia

Andrew Jackson Burrell, February 6, 1837, one quarter past 5 evening, Duffield, Virginia

A particular skill which the twins developed was marksmanship.  Father taught the boys to shoot  with an old flintlock pistol.  By the  time they were  twelve  years old  the  Burrell boys had each acquired a Hall Flintlock Rifle, a massive weapon  for a young  lad, but the boys were strong and determined.   By the time they were  fifteen they were not only "shooting the eyes out" of squirrels for the table, they were winning shooting competitions throughout the Clinch Valley.  At one such meet  "over to" Kingsport, Cooter and Scooter performed so identically that the judges could not pick a winner.  So Colonel Maynard with a paint pot and brush dabbed a bullseye on a sycamore tree.  He paced off fifty yards,  had the boys stand side by side with loaded arms and told them to take the shot on his mark.  "One, two, fire!"  Both rifles spat fire and the red paint spot on the tree disappeared.  But there was no other mark on the tree.  "One of them missed!" someone shouted.

"Nobody missed," stated Cooter, as he lay down his rifle and casually walked to the tree.   He took his knife and dug into the hole, removing not one but two balls.  The lads were declared co-champions. 

TBC

 

Rejoice Evermore!

In the  twentieth  chapter of Exodus we find  that  Moses has been given the Ten Commandments.  We mentioned a while  back  that the admonition to "have  no other gods before Me" is an expression of God's revulsion at the very idea of seeing an idol in our lives.

As we read further in the chapter we see instructions to Moses for the building of the altar of sacrifice (verses 24-26) along with instructions for comportment of the priests in utilizing the altar.

The altar is to be made of earth, said  the Lord.  But if you will build it of stone, do not lay any tool upon the stone, for that pollutes the stone.  Now why, I wondered, did God direct an earthen altar and yet grant permission for it to be built of stone?  I think it is this.  The People at this time were traversing, or more properly, wandering the desert.  Likely there were places with rocky earth where gathering stones is more practical than attempting to dig.  So far, so good.

But then why the prohibition against the use of tools?  I think this hearkens back to the "graven images" commandment.  Use no tools lest you become artistic, polish the stone, carve it or engrave it and then admire your handiwork which in essence makes the worship not of God, but of the self.
Okay, then.

Now Moses was instructed not to allow the priests to go up to the altar by way of a stair, or steps.  Now why is that?  Understand that all the peoples, including the priests, were doubtless clad in loose-fitting flowing garments,  Climbing stairs in the desert breezes might well lead to the catastrophe of a priest's "nakedness being uncovered."  This would certainly not be conducive to worship, God did not want to see that nor did He want the people to see it.  So, no stairs.

Whoa, you might be thinking.  Later when God gave instructions for the building of the temple he was very specific in ordering a very tall altar.  So how was it accessed?  Some think by way of a ramp, but I think if we read further in the Book of Exodus we will find that God ordered a covering of modesty for the priests: linen breeches to extend from the loins to the thigh. (Chapter 28, only one of the many linen items the priests were to wear.  Possibly steps were allowed after the appropriate clothing of the priests.

Also, one might ask, "What about the ornate and artistic construct of the temple, given these directions for avoiding human art work?"  I think the answer is this.  God gave very specific blueprints for the temple, gave specific talents to the artisans, and the construct was an act of obedience to the Lord.   Well, that is what I think.

And now.  Given our salvation and an intercessor in the Lord Jesus Christ we are under the admonition to be always in worship wherever we are.  "Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing." (I Thessalonians 5:16,17)

Winter Weather

"The wind bloweth where it listeth," (KJV) or "The wind blows wherever it pleases," (NIV)  said Jesus.

As I write this, the wind is hootin' and hollerin'.  What it portends I know not, but it is late January  and in all likelihood it is up to no good.

To date we have been blessed with a mild winter.  I approve.  The inch or so of snow we have had so far is plenty enough, I can do without more.
But.
We take  what we get.

Blessings.  May your day be exactly as you would wish it  to be.




Brisk Breeze, here in Perfect, Indiana.
January 25, 2917, 3:15 p.m. 

The Blizzard of '78, this date 39 years ago.

Peace and Tranquility

 What is wrong with this picture?  Hint: Taken January 21 at 40^o 17' N latitude, mid-continent 871 feet elevation.

Still life, kitchen island.  Well, used-to-be life to which I have now given life again by consuming pictured items.















Puppies.  What's not to enjoy?

A month ago the bulbs were in a shipping container.  The taller one is 25 inches today, bud beginning to open.