[Stand By The Union by Oliver Optic]@TWC D-Link bookStand By The Union CHAPTER IX 6/11
I think my father is as good a Christian man as draws the breath of life, and I found that I simply held to his opinions." "Your father is good authority," added the surgeon. "I studied history a little in relation to this subject, for I wanted to know whether any lies I might tell in serving my country were to be registered against me.
I know that I would not tell a lie in the ordinary relations of life; but I am sure that I should have been a traitor to the Union if I had told the enemy the simple truth on several occasions.
I captured a schooner loaded with cotton by pretending to be what I was not.
If it is justifiable to kill a man in war, it must be justifiable to tell a lie to the enemy." "I think you are right, Mr.Passford.You spoke of history." "George Washington is regarded as one who could not tell a lie from the time the little hatchet story had birth to the end of the Revolution.
We read that he strongly impressed Clinton with the belief that he intended to attack New York; and the school history says that this deception was so successfully practised, that Washington was some distance on his way to Virginia before Clinton suspected where he was leading his army. "Bancroft says that Clinton was deceived by letters which were written to be intercepted.
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