THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 23, 1994 TAG: 9410210279
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Rebecca Myers
LENGTH: Medium: 95 lines
In preparation for the Olde Towne Ghost Walk, the spirit of ``Mike Hardy,'' a Confederate soldier who died in 1907, was recently seen on Court Street rehearsing his lines. This is his story:
My name is Mike Hardy and I was a soldier in the Civil War from Portsmouth
And during that war, I killed myself many a Yankee. I did. But there's only one Yankee that I was ashamed to kill. I shot him right in the back. He didn't have no chance whatsoever. And when I went up to him to go through his sack to see if he had anything to eat - 'cause I was kinda hungry - I rolled him over, I looked down at him, and I saw that he weren't nothing but a little boy.
Lord, he couldn't have been more than 15 or 16 years old, the kind that lies about his age to get into the Army. I thought to myself, ``Mike Hardy, what have you done?'' And I'll be honest with you, folks, it really started to work on my mind. That poor boy ain't never gonna grow up, ain't never gonna see his momma again 'cause of me. And, well, I hate to tell ya, but I commenced to drinking every chance I got, trying to forget about it.
I somehow survived the war and come back here to Portsmouth, and, oh Lord, I started drinking even worse, carousing with women . . . Oh, I was creating a terrible reputation for myself. 'Til one day, one day I was walking down this street and right here, right where you all are standing, a cold chill come over my whole body. And I knew I had to ask the good Lord to forgive me for killing that boy. So I run down to the church yonder, and I ran in, and I knelt down, and I prayed, and I prayed hard. I did. It was real quiet in there 'cause I was the only one in there . . . least that's what I thought 'til I looked up.
Over in the corner, there was somebody standing there. I looked again and he had on a blue uniform. And he moved closer to me, and I recognized that he was the little boy I killed. And he walked over to me . . . kind of floated over to me, really . . . and he looked me in the eye and said, ``Mike Hardy, I've long forgiven you for what you done.''
Then he got down right close, right in my face, and he says, ``Mike Hardy, I have long forgiven you for what you done. But, Mike, you change your ways today or you'll never get to where I am.''
Lord, I was so scared, I run out the church right then and there, and I did for the rest of my life. But, you know, I never told nobody that story. Who's going to believe an old, reformed drunk like me?
At least I didn't tell nobody until the day I died in 1907. There was only three people in the room when I did die. It was me, and the doctor, and over in the corner, that little Yankee just waiting for me to come with him.
I'm still with him today, too, folks. Y'all remember my story. Don't never shoot nobody in the back. It ain't fair, and don't ever let the demon rum get to you because he will haunt you the rest of your life. Take it from somebody who knows.
(Special thanks to Joseph MacPhail, the actor who has played the role of ``Mike Hardy'' in eight of the 14 Olde Towne Ghost Walks.)
Name: Michael Hardy
Nickname: Mike
Neighborhood: Portsmouth
Number of years in Portsmouth: All my life
Birthplace: Portsmouth
Birthdate: Oct. 1, 1830
Occupation: Cabinetmaker
What other job than your own would you like? Commanding officer of St. Brides Cavalry
Marital status: Single
Children: None
Fondest childhood memory: Watching clipper ships dock
First concert: Military band concert at Fort Nelson in 1840
Biggest accomplishment: Surviving the War Between the States in one piece
Most embarrassing moment: Probably was when I visited a tavern. I really don't remember.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I did change my whole self about 1871.
Perfect way to spend the day: Sitting on my front porch on Middle Street
Favorite Portsmouth restaurant: The Ocean House at High and Court streets
Favorite Portsmouth hangout: Before 1871, Thomas Johnston's Tavern on Water Street
Biggest problem facing Portsmouth: Lack of cooperation among all the citizens of Portsmouth
If you had two wishes for Portsmouth, what would they be?
Continued development of the waterfront
Improved educational facilities for everyone
What do you like about living in Portsmouth? I just like everything about the small town atmosphere. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MARK MITCHELL
KEYWORDS: INTERVIEW PROFILE
by CNB