Eleazer SWEETLAND

                   VIRGINIA HEROINE, MRS. E. A. OBENCHAIN.

Mrs. Elizabeth Ann Obenchain, of Virginia, in whose veins ran good old Dutch, English and Norman, French Huguenot, and German blood, inherited the excellent qualities, and especially the courage, of her pioneer ancestors.

In the summer of 1864 Gen. Hunter marched with a large force up the Valley of Virginia to attack Lynchburg from the rear. Mrs. ObenchainÕs two older sons were in the Confederate army. Her husband was on duty with the Home Guard in the fortifications at Lynchburg. Her youngest son, then but fifteen years of age, to save it from capture had ridden to the country a horse she greatly prized, because a gift from her brother, Capt. William A. Sweetland, who was killed the year before at Gettysburg. Her oldest daughter was from home, at school. She was left alone, then, with her five younger children, all girls, ranging in age from four to thirteen years, and the youngest was at the time very ill.

Her eldest son had left at home some six or eight pounds of sporting powder. When HunterÕs advance guard appeared on the hills on the opposite side of James River from Buchanan, Mrs. Obenchain, fearing that her house would be searched by Federal soldiers when they entered the town, and wishing to save her sonÕs powder, carried if over to St. JohnÕs churchyard, which adjoined her premises, and concealed it under some rank, matted grass near an old tombstone in the rear of the church, where, from the sacredness of the place, she supposed it would be secure.

During the day Federal soldiers had ransacked the house and taken many small articles of value and all her provisions. Later another squad of soldiers appeared at the front door in charge of a sergeant, who informed Mrs. Obenchain that he had orders to burn her house. Recovering quickly from this startling announcement, she calmly replied, "I am helpless, and at your mercy."ÑWhile standing in the door with her sick child in her arms pleading with the sergeant for the sake of her children, a Federal officer rode up. On learning the object of the squad he asked the sergeant to do nothing until he could communicate with General Hunter. Galloping at once to headquarters, he succeeded in getting the order countermanded and quickly returned with the welcome news.

The officer gave his name as Alexander and addressed Mrs. Obenchain as " Cousin Lizzie." Whether really related or not is not known. He knew that she had two sons in the Confederate Army. Learning that there were other Federal soldiers in the backyard he went out and ordered them to leave the premises at once.

After seeing that his order was obeyed, he came back into the house, manifested much interest, spoke words of sympathy and assurance, and promised her protection. Shortly after leaving he sent some provisions, and also a surgeon, who prescribed for her sick child and supplied the necessary medicine.

As has been said, Mrs. Obenchain supposed the powder would be safe where she had concealed it in the churchyard. How great, then, was her amazement when, on going out on the back porch at about ten oÕclock at night, she saw several fires burning in that part of the churchyard and soldiers lying around them on the grass. She realized the situation at once. "Should fire get to that powder," she thought, "and in the explosion any injury be done, the soldiers, supposing it intentional, would become infuriated and burn the town." The mere thought of being the cause of such a calamity, however innocent, was more than she could bear. Immediately calling her housemaid, she said, pointing to the churchyard:

"Hannah, look at those fires over there and the soldiers lying around them; you must go there at once and get that powder away."

La Miss Lizzie," said Hannah with a look of terror in her face, "I wouldnÕt go over dar among dem Yankees for de whole worlÕ."

Then IÕll go myself," said her mistress, starting at once.

"And IÕll go with you," said the faithful Hannah, trembling in every limb.

Followed by the servant, Mrs. Obenchain went out through the garden and crept cautiously up to the dividing fence. Soldiers were stretched out on the ground, here and there, on the other side, fast asleep. Some of the fires were spreading slowly in the grass. Thinking only of what might happen to others, she whispered to the servant to remain where she was, climbed the fence noiselessly, crept lightly among the sleeping forms, secured the powder, and returned safely with it to the house.

When told afterwards that she was in great peril at the time; that if she had been detected when coming out with the powder in her possession, she would have been suspected of attempting to do what she had gone there to prevent, and would doubtless have been subjected to violence she smilingly said: "0, I never once thought of myself."

Like the Roman matrons of old, Mrs. Obenchain was a woman of remarkable fortitude and self-control. If she ever shed a tear when at any time her sons left home for the field of duty, she took care not to letÊ
them see it. It was only when they returned that she wept, as she tenderlyÊ
threw her arms around them. But her tears then were tears of joy. And yet
Êthere was never a more affectionate and devoted mother. Her life was a life
Êof constant solicitude and self-sacrifice for her children. She was ever watchfulÊ
and patient; and to her repeated lessons, wholesome precepts, and nobleÊ
example they are mainly indebted for all their higher aspirations.

Mrs. Obenchain was always kind and charitable to others, and ever ready to
lend a helping hand in sickness or distress. During the war a hospital wasÊ
established in her town, Buchanan, Va., for sick and invalid Confederate soldiers.Ê
To them she was a ministering angel. When told of a remark made about her byÊ
a convalescent soldier as one day he was slowly wending his way to her houseÊ
to get some delicacy she had promised himÑthe remark that she was the bestÊ
woman he had ever metÑ she modestly said: "I am only doing my duty, trustingÊ
in the Lord that some one will do the same for my Sons should any misfortuneÊ
befall them while they are away from home."

ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ "Kind hearts are more than coronets,
ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ And simple faith than Norman blood."

That simple faith Mrs. Obenchain had in the highest degree. She did what sheÊ
could and trusted in the Lord, and in all the trials and troubles of this life her faith
Êremained unshaken to the end.

Broken in health in her last years, she passed away peacefully in Wytheyule, Va.,Ê
July 1,1892, in the seventy-seventh year of her age,Ê

ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ "In the great history of the land,Ê
ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ A noble type of good,Ê
ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ Heroic womanhood."

Mrs. ObenchainÕs eldest son, Maj. William A. Obenchain, now President of OgdenÊ
College, Bowling Green, Ky., received an appointment in the artillery of the regular
ÊConfederate army in 1861, but served throughout the war in the engineer corps.Ê
He was promoted in 1864 for "skill and meritorious conduct," and was one of theÊ
staff engineers of the Army of Northern Virginia in the last year of the war.

Her second son, Capt. Francis G. Obenchain, now of Chicago, served also throughoutÊ
the war in the Botetourt (Virginia) Artillery. At Port Gibson on May 1, 1863, this splendidÊ
battery of six guns, of which he was then orderly sergeant, was placed in the forefront toÊ
be sacrificed if necessary, in the effort to hold Grant in check. It fired the first gun in thatÊ
battle, bore the brunt of the engagement the greater part of the day, and suffered heavilyÊ
in men, horses, and guns. At noon, all the lieutenants present for duty being killed andÊ
the captain disabled, the command of the battery devolved upon young Obenchain, thenÊ
but twenty years of age. The last to leave the field with the two guns that could be broughtÊ
off, he did excellent service in covering the retreat of the Confederate troops. He wasÊ
conspicuous throughout the day for coolness and bravery, and was known afterwards inÊ
PembertonÕs army as "the little fighting sergeant." Soon after he received promotion forÊ
"distinguished valor and skill" and commanded the Botetourt Artillery during the siege ofÊ
Vicksburg. (From the Confederate Veteran, Nashville, Tenn., Feb., 1906.)Ê