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During the American Civil War, a young man named Roswell McIntyre was drafted into the New York Cavalry（騎兵隊）.
美國内戰時期，有個名叫羅斯韋爾·麥金泰爾的年輕人被征入紐約騎兵部隊。
The war was not going well. Soldiers were needed so desperately, that he was sent into battle with very little training. Roswell became frightened — he panicked（驚慌失措） and ran.
當時戰事不順，部隊急需戰士，他幾乎沒怎麼訓練就被送上了戰場。羅斯韋爾驚慌失措——他感到恐懼，當了逃兵。
He was later court-martialed（以軍法審判） and condemned（已經被定罪的） to be shot for desertion（逃兵）.
後來，經軍事法庭裁定，将其因擅離職守罪判處槍決。
McIntyre's mother appealed （求助）to President Lincoln. She pleaded（辯解） that he was young and inexperienced and he needed a second chance.
麥金泰爾的母親去向林肯總統求情，請求念在兒子年紀尚輕，無作戰經驗，能否再給一次機會。
The generals, however, urged the president to enforce discipline. Exceptions, they asserted（聲稱）, would undermine（破壞） the discipline of an already beleaguered（被圍困的） army.
可是，将軍們都敦促總統不能壞了紀律。他們聲稱，如果破了例，已經四面楚歌的部隊定會紀律渙散。
Lincoln thought and prayed. Then he wrote a famous statement. “I have observed,” he said, “that it never does a boy much good to shoot him.”
林肯經過考慮和祈禱，寫下了很有名的一句話：“我認為，”他說，“槍斃一個小夥子意義不太大。”
He wrote this letter in his own handwriting: “This letter will certify（證明 ） that Roswell McIntyre is to be readmitted（重新接納） into the New York Cavalry. When he serves out his required enlistment, he will be freed of any charges of desertion.”
他親筆寫了下面這封信：“茲證明羅斯韋爾· 麥金泰爾再次被征召進入紐約騎兵部隊。待服役期滿，他将免受任何關于‘擅離職守罪'的指控。”
That faded letter, signed by the president, is on display in the Library of Congress. Beside it there is a note which reads, “This letter was t aken from the body of Roswell McIntyre, who died at a battle in Virginia.”
這封總統親筆簽署的信如今已經泛黃，就陳列在美國國會圖書館裡。旁邊有張紙條，上面寫着：“此信件是在羅斯韋爾·麥金泰爾的遺體上找到的，該戰士在弗吉尼亞州的一場戰役中捐軀。”
第二次機會總是來之不易，它值得擁有的人拼盡全力，哪怕是在戰火中得到永生。
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