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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/37112-h.zip b/37112-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f82317d --- /dev/null +++ b/37112-h.zip diff --git a/37112-h/37112-h.htm b/37112-h/37112-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2139c7e --- /dev/null +++ b/37112-h/37112-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3758 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<!-- $Id: header.txt 236 2009-12-07 18:57:00Z vlsimpson $ --> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Life In The Confederate Army, by Arthur P. Ford and + Some Experiences And Sketches Of Southern Life, By Marion Johnstone Ford. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; +} /* page numbers */ + +.linenum { + position: absolute; + top: auto; + left: 4%; +} /* poetry number */ + +.blockquot { + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + +.sidenote { + width: 20%; + padding-bottom: .5em; + padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; + padding-right: .5em; + margin-left: 1em; + float: right; + clear: right; + margin-top: 1em; + font-size: smaller; + color: black; + background: #eeeeee; + border: dashed 1px; +} + +.bb {border-bottom: solid 2px;} + +.bl {border-left: solid 2px;} + +.bt {border-top: solid 2px;} + +.br {border-right: solid 2px;} + +.bbox {border: solid 2px;} + +.right {text-align: right;} + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.u {text-decoration: underline;} + +.caption {font-weight: bold;} + +/* Images */ +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; +} + +.figleft { + float: left; + clear: left; + margin-left: 0; + margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-right: 1em; + padding: 0; + text-align: center; +} + +.figright { + float: right; + clear: right; + margin-left: 1em; + margin-bottom: + 1em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-right: 0; + padding: 0; + text-align: center; +} + +/* Footnotes */ +.footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + +.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + +.fnanchor { + vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: + none; +} + +/* Poetry */ +.poem { + margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; + text-align: left; +} + +.poem br {display: none;} + +.poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + +.poem span.i0 { + display: block; + margin-left: 0em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + +.poem span.i2 { + display: block; + margin-left: 2em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + +.poem span.i4 { + display: block; + margin-left: 4em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Life in the Confederate Army, by +Arthur Peronneau Ford and Marion Johnstone Ford + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Life in the Confederate Army + Being Personal Experiences of a Private Soldier in the Confederate Army + +Author: Arthur Peronneau Ford + Marion Johnstone Ford + +Release Date: August 17, 2011 [EBook #37112] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LIFE IN THE CONFEDERATE ARMY *** + + + + +Produced by Mary Meehan and The Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<h1>LIFE IN THE CONFEDERATE ARMY</h1> + +<h2>BEING PERSONAL EXPERIENCES OF A PRIVATE SOLDIER IN THE CONFEDERATE ARMY</h2> + +<h2>BY ARTHUR P. FORD</h2> + +<h1>AND SOME EXPERIENCES AND SKETCHES OF SOUTHERN LIFE</h1> + +<h2>BY MARION JOHNSTONE FORD</h2> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/deco.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<p class="center">NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON<br /> +THE NEALE PUBLISHING COMPANY<br /> +1905</p> + +<p class="center">COPYRIGHT, 1905<br /> +BY ARTHUR P. FORD</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus1.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>Arthur Peronneau Ford</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + +<h3>CONTENTS.</h3> + +<table width="75%"> +<tr><td><a href="#LIFE_IN_THE_CONFEDERATE_ARMY"><span class="smcap">Life in the Confederate Army</span> </a></td><td align="right">7</td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#SOME_EXPERIENCES_AND_SKETCHES_OF_SOUTHERN_LIFE"><span class="smcap">Kent—A War-time Negro</span> </a></td><td align="right">73</td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#ROSE_BLANKETS"><span class="smcap">Rose Blankets</span> </a></td><td align="right">88</td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#SOME_LETTERS_WRITTEN_DURING_THE_LAST_MONTHS_OF_THE_WAR"><span class="smcap">Some Letters Written During the Last Months of the War</span> </a></td><td align="right">100</td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#TAY_A_STORY_OF_MAUMA"><span class="smcap">Tay</span> </a></td><td align="right">129</td></tr> +</table> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="LIFE_IN_THE_CONFEDERATE_ARMY" id="LIFE_IN_THE_CONFEDERATE_ARMY"></a>LIFE IN THE CONFEDERATE ARMY</h2> + +<h3>BEING PERSONAL EXPERIENCES OF A PRIVATE SOLDIER<br /> IN THE CONFEDERATE ARMY</h3> + + +<p>The following account of my experiences as a private soldier in the +Confederate Army during the great war of 1861-'65 records only the +ordinary career of an ordinary Confederate soldier. It does not treat of +campaigns, army maneuvers, or plans of battles, but only of the daily +life of a common soldier, and of such things as fell under his limited +observation.</p> + +<p>Early in April, 1861, immediately after the battle of Fort Sumter, I +joined the Palmetto Guards, Capt. George B. Cuthbert, of the Seventeenth +Regiment South Carolina Militia. Very soon after, the company divided, +and one half under Captain Cuthbert left Charleston, and joined the +Second South Carolina Volunteers in Virginia. The other half, to which I +belonged, under Capt. George L. Buist, remained in Charleston. Early in +the fall Captain Buist's company was ordered to Coosawhatchie, and given +charge of four howitzers; and thenceforth for three years, until +December, 1864, it served as field artillery. I did not go with my +company, as at that time I was a clerk in the Charleston post-office, +and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span> really exempt from all service. On April 2, 1862, however, then +being about eighteen years of age, I resigned my clerkship, and joining +the company at Coosawhatchie, with the rest of the men enlisted in the +Confederate service "for three years or the war."</p> + +<p>About May 1st the company was ordered to Battery Island at the mouth of +the Stono River, where with another company, the "Gist Guards," Capt. +Chichester, we were put under the command of Major C. K. Huger, and +placed in charge of four 24-pounder smooth-bore guns in the battery +commanding the river, our own four howitzers being parked in the rear. +Cole's Island, next below, and at the immediate entrance of the river, +was garrisoned by Lucas' battalion of Regulars, and the Twenty-fourth +Regiment South Carolina Volunteers, Col. C. H. Stevens. An examination +of a map of this locality will show that Cole's Island was the key to +Charleston; and this question has given rise to considerable acrimonious +discussion. But whatever the merits of the case may have been, the facts +are, that under the strange fear of the Federal gunboats that obtained +on the South Carolina coast at that period, it was believed that our +positions on Cole's and Battery Islands could not be held against an +attack from the gunboats, which then were off the mouth of the river; +and the islands were evacuated. On the 18th the Federals sent a couple +of small boats into the mouth of the river to reconnoiter, but they were +soon driven back by our pickets. On the next day, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span> day after, all +the guns were removed from both islands to Fort Pemberton, higher up the +Stono River—a very strong earth fort that had been built in preparation +for this move. A day or two after, while our men were still on Battery +Island, but Cole's Island having been deserted, several Federal gunboats +entered the river, shelling the woods and empty batteries as they +advanced. On their approach we set fire to the barracks and then +withdrew across the causeway to James Island. We had to make haste +across this causeway, because it was within easy range of the enemy, who +soon began to rake it with shells.</p> + +<p>This was my first experience with shell fire, and I soon learned that at +long range, to men in the field, if the shells did not explode it was +more alarming than dangerous. But being quite fresh I thought it +unbecoming to appear concerned, and although at first, after crossing +the causeway, I had stood wisely behind a friendly oak tree for +protection, after the first shell or two I stepped aside and stood in +the open, foolishly thinking that this was more soldierly. I had not yet +learned that a soldier's common sense should prompt him to make use of +what protection there may be at hand and to avoid exposing himself +unnecessarily. But only when duty calls, to throw precaution aside and +face whatever there is. While we were standing on the James Island side +of the causeway a time-fuse shell fell near us, and one of our men, a +new recruit, ran up to it, and stood over<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span> it with the exclamation, "How +the thing does hiss!" Happily the fuse failed and the shell did not +explode. When I saw the fortunate termination of the affair I could not +resist calling out, "Surely the Lord protects drunken men and fools."</p> + +<p>Our company fell back from here to a plantation about a mile inland, +where we made our camp. I was a very enthusiastic, energetic youngster, +and in pitching our large Sibley tent worked with such energy that I +attracted the attention of one of our men, Mr. H. Gourdin Young, who +jokingly said, "Ford, you are a splendid worker. If you were a negro, I +would buy you." He was very much my senior.</p> + +<p>After remaining here for about two months, our men doing some picket +duty, we were transferred to Fort Pemberton, a very strong earthwork of +16 guns, on the Stono River, and garrisoned by Lucas' battalion of +Regulars, in which my brother was a lieutenant. Here we remained for +about three months.</p> + +<p>Frequently the Federal gunboats would ascend the river, and there would +be interchanges of shots between them and the fort. On one of these +occasions an amusing incident occurred. Lieutenant Webb, of our company, +had just got a new negro man servant, who was inexperienced in warfare. +One afternoon, as a few shells were being thrown at the fort from the +gunboats, he was very much scared, saying, "Dem people trow dem t'ings +about yere so careless, dey won't mind until dey hu't somebody." Just +then<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> a shell passed over the fort, and exploding in the rear, a piece +cut off a leg of Lieutenant Webb's horse. "Dere now; w'at I tell you!" +exclaimed Sam. "Dey done kill Mass Ben's horse."</p> + +<p>During the early period of the war a great many of the private soldiers +in the Confederate Army had their own negro servants in the field with +them, who waited on their masters, cleaned their horses, cooked their +meals, etc. Attached to our company there were probably twenty-five such +servants. This system continued during the first year or two of the war, +on the Carolina coast, but later on, as the service got harder and +rations became scarcer, these negro servants were gradually sent back +home, and the men did their own work, cooking, etc. As a rule, these +negroes liked the life exceedingly. The work exacted of them was +necessarily very light. They were never under fire, unless they chose to +go there of their own accord, which some of them did, keeping close to +their masters. And they spent much of their time foraging around the +neighboring country. Although often on the picket lines, night as well +as day, with their masters, I never heard of an instance where one of +these army servants deserted to the enemy.</p> + +<p>At this period of the war the Confederate Government allowed each +soldier a certain sum yearly for his uniform, and each company decided +for itself what its own uniform should be. In consequence, "uniform" was +really an inappropriate term to apply<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> to the dress of various +organizations. At first our company was uniformed in gray woolen frock +coats, and trousers of the same material, with blue caps; next we had +gray cotton coats and trousers with gray cloth hats; then very dark +brown coats with blue trousers furnished by the government, and gray +felt hats; and finally the gray round jacket, also furnished by the +government, which assumed to provide also the hats, shoes, and +underclothing. The shoes, when we could get them, were heavy English +brogans, very hard on our feet, but durable. It was in the summer of +1862 that we received our first allowance for uniforms, and our +quartermaster applied to a tailor in Charleston to furnish them, but +there was considerable delay in getting them, and the tailor wrote that +goods were then scarce on account of the moonlight nights, but that in +about a fortnight, when the moon waned, they would be in greater supply, +and the uniforms could be furnished at $2 more per man than the +government allowed. So in due time we each supplemented the government's +allowance and got new uniforms of very inferior, half cotton gray stuff, +which served us for the rest of the year. Afterwards the government +tried to furnish the men gratuitously with the best it could, and we did +the best we could with what we got.</p> + +<p>In July our command was removed to Charleston, under orders to go to +Virginia. These orders were countermanded in a few days owing to +aggressive movements of the Federals on the South Carolina<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span> coast. The +remainder of the summer and the fall were spent in Charleston encamped +for most of the time at the Washington race course, doing duty on the +lines of breastworks thrown up across the neck just above Magnolia +Cemetery. These breastworks were built to keep any enemy out of the +city, but the nearest enemy on land at that period was on Folley Island; +in Tennessee to the west; and Virginia to the North. And when Sherman +did come within 50 miles of Charleston nearly three years later our +troops were too much occupied in getting away to think of these +breastworks. The battalion then consisted of three companies, each armed +with four 8-inch howitzers, and all under the command of Maj. Charles +Alston, Jr., Capt. Buist having been promoted to major, and assigned to +duty near Savannah.</p> + +<p>While encamped on the race course I witnessed the military execution of +a deserter. The man belonged to one of the regiments doing duty about +Charleston, and had been taken in the act of trying to desert to the +enemy; tried by court martial and condemned to death. On the day fixed +for the execution, some of the troops in Charleston were marched up to +the race course, and so formed as to make three sides of a square. +Immediately after followed a wagon, with the coffin, and seated on it, +the man with his hands tied, and under guard; the whole preceded by a +band playing the dead march; and followed by the detail of twelve men +selected by lot to shoot him. Half the rifles were loaded with balls<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> +and half with blank cartridges, but none of the detail knew how his own +was loaded. As the procession halted the coffin was placed on the ground +and the deserter had his hands untied, and knelt in front of it facing +the twelve men who were to do the shooting, and were drawn up about +thirty feet in front of him. At the word of command "aim," the man, +seemingly in desperation, jerked open his shirt and bared his breast to +the bullets. Instantly at the command "fire" the detail fired, and the +man fell over dead on his coffin. It was the most terrible sight I ever +saw, far more dreadful than anything I ever witnessed in battle, and it +seemed a sad thing that a really brave man should be so sacrificed; but +such is one of the necessities of war, and it is necessary to deter +others from playing the role of traitor.</p> + +<p>At this time the Federal gunboats were very annoying in Stono River, +coming as high up as possible daily, and shelling our pickets, and it +was determined to make a diversion. Therefore, in January, 1863, our +battery with Capt. Smith's and other troops were sent over to John's +Island, and ambushed at Legare's point place to cooperate with two +companies of Lucas' battalion and some other troops on James Island. The +design was to capture the <i>Isaac P. Smith</i>. This vessel was an iron +screw steamer of 453 tons, and carried eight 8-inch navy guns, or +sixty-four pounders, and a 7-inch thirty-pounder<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> Parrott gun. She was +commanded at the time by Capt. F. S. Conover; and her crew consisted of +11 officers and 105 men.</p> + +<p>The affair was completely successful. The gunboat in her daily ascent +was taken by surprise, and after a short fight at only 75 or 100 yards +distance, as she ran trying to escape, had her steam drum torn by a +shell, and had to surrender. She had twenty-three men killed and +wounded, while we lost one man killed. My howitzer was at a sharp bend +in the river, and as the gunboat ran past, her stern was directly about +100 yards in front of the gun I served. It put one 8-inch schrapnel +shell into her stern port, and I learned afterwards that the shell +knocked a gun off its trunnions and killed or wounded eight men. A prize +crew was put on board immediately and the vessel towed by a tug up the +river, and later on to the city. While the prisoners were being landed, +the U. S. S. <i>Commodore McDonough</i> steamed up the river and opened fire +on us, but a few well-directed shots from our batteries soon made her +desist and drop back down the river. At nightfall, our command returned +to Charleston.</p> + +<p>Our 8-inch howitzers were soon after exchanged for four twelve-pounder +Napoleon guns, and the battery ordered back to James Island. Here in +March we took part in a land affair near Grimball's place on the Stono.</p> + +<p>Our battery was encamped about a mile from the river, and at daybreak +one morning we were aroused<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> and hurried down the road toward Grimball's +plantation. Just before we were about to emerge from the woods into a +field, the musketry firing going on rapidly on our left front, and a few +shells from the gunboats falling into the woods, we were halted, and +told that just in front was a field reaching to the river, and as soon +as we passed out of the woods the order "battery by right into line" +would be given. Well, we started at a rapid trot. I was driver of the +lead horses of gun No. 2, and as we passed out of the woods, in +obedience to the command I swung to the right, gun No. 3 swung to my +right, and No. 4 to right of No. 3, while No. 1 kept straight on down +the road, and we all went forward now at a run into battery.</p> + +<p>We galloped down to the edge of the marsh along the river, and swinging +into battery our guns opened on the U. S. S. <i>Pawnee</i> out in the river, +the other two gunboats being farther down, and around a bend of the +river. We were engaged for about twenty minutes, when the <i>Pawnee</i> +dropped down the river, and the musketry fire on our left gradually +ceased.</p> + +<p>It seems that the Federals had advanced on the island with a force of +about 2,000 men, supported by three gunboats. They had been met, and +after sharp fighting, had been driven back by Col. Gaillard's +Twenty-fifth Regiment South Carolina Volunteers, the Marion +Artillery,—a light battery,—and a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> Georgia regiment, while our battery +engaged the <i>Pawnee</i>. The Confederate loss was 27 men killed and +wounded, and the Federal, 45.</p> + +<p>The artillery was under the command of Lieut. Col. Delaware Kemper, who +sat on his horse by our battery during the scrimmage. After the affair +was over he remarked to our captain, "Captain Webb, you have a splendid +set of young fellows there, but they need practice. They could not hit +John's Island if they had it for a target." As to our marksmanship, he +was mistaken, however, for we did put several shells into the <i>Pawnee</i>, +and she had to go to Port Royal for repairs.</p> + +<p>In this affair, being a driver, my position while the guns were in +action was standing by my horses about 100 feet in the rear of my gun; +and it was trying to have to stand there quietly, inactive, and take the +shells and few rifle balls that passed by. It would have been much more +agreeable to be actively engaged about the gun.</p> + +<p>Only a few moments after we had got into action, our little company dog, +a half-breed fox-terrier, "Boykee," who always stuck to the guns, and +seemed to enjoy the excitement, was struck in the neck by a piece of +shell, directly in front of where I was standing, and ran screaming to +the rear. This wound was not a serious one, and he soon recovered from +it. He was afterwards ignominiously killed by a snake in Florida.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span></p> + +<p>In July, 1863, were developed the disastrous results of the evacuation +of Cole's Island in May the year before. As soon as we left that island +and Battery Island the Federals occupied them, and used them as bases +for operations against Charleston. From there they occupied Folley +Island, a densely wooded island where their operations could easily be +concealed. They advanced to the north end of this island, to Light House +Inlet, and under the concealment of the shrubbery built formidable +batteries, which at daybreak one morning were unmasked, and under a +heavy fire from their guns, an infantry assault in boats was made upon +our small force on the southern end of Morris' Island. After a severe +fight the Federals got a firm foothold upon this island, which for the +next two months or so was the scene of some of the most sanguinary +fighting of the war.</p> + +<p>Immediately after this surprise by the Federals a detachment of our +company was placed in charge of Battery Haskell, on James Island, +directly opposite Morris' Island. The celebrated siege of Battery Wagner +then began, and we used to watch the fighting at about three-quarters of +a mile distance. The terrible bombardment and assault of July 18 was one +of the sights of the war. At daylight the bombardment of the fort began, +and continued without a minute's cessation all day. Occasionally as many +as four shells were observed in the air at the same time. The fort +itself was enveloped in a dense black pall of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> smoke from bursting +shells, and at times was completely hidden. As the afternoon wore on the +bombardment increased in intensity, and it seemed as if the very +foundations of our part of the world were being torn to pieces. The +garrison was kept in the bomb-proof, and not a shot was fired in reply. +At dusk the bombardment suddenly ceased, and almost immediately the guns +of the Confederates in Fort Sumter, trained on the beach in front of +Wagner, opened. Almost simultaneously we saw a mass of blue spring up +apparently from the earth, and advance on Wagner, and then the rattle of +musketry. As the dusk deepened into darkness the rapid flashes of +musketry looked at that distance like vast masses of fireflies, over a +morass. We saw that it was an infantry assault, and a desperate +hand-to-hand fight it was. But the result was very disastrous to the +Federals, who were repulsed with a loss of upwards of 2,000 men.</p> + +<p>In August was begun the bombardment of Charleston, which was continued +steadily for a year and a half. On the night of the 21st, at 10.45 +o'clock, General Beauregard received an unsigned note, brought to our +pickets, purporting to be from General Gilmore, demanding the evacuation +and surrender of Morris' Island and Fort Sumter under penalty of the +bombardment of the city within four hours after the note had been sent +by him. Two hours and three-quarters after this note had reached General +Beauregard's hands, at 1.30 o'clock on the morning of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> 22d, the +Federal battery in the marsh on the edge of the creek separating Morris +from James Island, opened fire, and threw a number of shells into the +city. At about 9 o'clock on the morning of the 22d, seven and a quarter +hours after the bombardment had begun, General Gilmore sent a properly +signed note making the same demands. This note was immediately answered +by General Beauregard with an emphatic refusal, and some severe remarks +as to his firing upon a city full of women and children before he had +given them reasonable time to escape. As may be imagined, the terror of +the women and children in Charleston that night was extreme when it was +realized that the city was being bombarded. The distance in a direct +line from the Swamp Angel Battery, as it was called, to the city was +about 5 miles, and it had not been thought that any gun could shoot that +far. At first only percussion shells were used, but later on, in 1864, +time-fuse shells were also used, and were much more dangerous, as they +nearly always exploded. Battery Haskell, at which our company was +stationed, was nearly in line between the Swamp Angel and the city, and +constantly we watched the shells, city-bound, passing over our heads +high in the air. At night, when fuse shells were used, they looked like +slow meteors.</p> + +<p>Frequently, when the tide was high, some of the Federal gunboats came +into the inlet in front of Battery Haskell, and about half a mile off, +and threw a number of shells into it. But no harm was done,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> as we could +easily see the shells coming, and dodged them. We were very seldom +allowed to reply. After the shelling was over, and the gunboat had +hauled off, it was my habit to go about and pick up the shells, +generally about sixty-pounders, and store them under my cot in my tent +until I could find time to unscrew the fuse plugs and pour out all of +the powder. As soon as I had gathered a wagon load I would carry them to +Charleston and sell them at the arsenal. This was such a period of +violence and bloodshed that the fearful risk of explosion did not +concern me, and what I am equally surprised at now, after the lapse of +many years, is that my officers allowed such a thing to be done in the +battery, or in fact at all.</p> + +<p>Here I witnessed an occurrence that, according to the law of chances, +would not happen once in a thousand times. In the battery was a dry +well, about six or eight feet deep, and one afternoon, while our friend +the gunboat was throwing the usual shells at us, and we were dodging +them, I remarked to a comrade that "that old well would be a good place +to get into." The remark had scarcely been made before a shell dropped +into that well as accurately as possible. It was simply one of those +remarkable occurrences that happen in real life, but which writers dare +not put in fiction.</p> + +<p>The picket line on James Island in this vicinity, together with Battery +Haskell, was then under the command of Maj. Edward Manigault, an officer +of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> very exceptional ability. During this summer our shortness of +rations began, and continued rather to intensify until the end. For one +period of about two months it consisted of only one small loaf of +baker's bread and a gill of sorghum syrup daily. For that time we had +not a particle of either fresh or salt meat. If we had not been where we +could obtain plenty of fish, we would have suffered seriously. The +quartermaster's department was as badly crippled as the commissary's and +most of us could get no new shoes, and several of our men were actually +bare-footed in consequence; but it being summer, and on a sandy coast, +there was not as much suffering as might have been otherwise. Scurvy, +fever, and other ailments were very general and several deaths resulted. +The battery was on a strip of land separated from the main land of James +Island by a marsh and small creek, over which was a causeway and bridge. +This causeway was watched from the Federal gunboats, and every time even +one man would go across it he would be saluted with a shell or two. On +one occasion I was ordered to drive several sick men to the city in an +ambulance, and as we struck the causeway a gunboat sent the customary +shells at us. The sick men were nervous, and one of the men called out, +"For God's sake, Ford, put down the curtains!"</p> + +<p>Toward the fall of 1863, after the evacuation of Morris Island by the +Confederate troops, our company was withdrawn, and returned to the old +camping ground at Heyward's place near Wappoo Cut.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span></p> + +<p>As it seemed that we would remain here all winter, as we really did, I +obtained permission to build a log cabin for myself and my mess. One +day, as I was building the chimney, I saw Maj. Edward Manigault and his +brother, Gen. Arthur Manigault, who was spending the day with him, +walking toward me to inspect the guns parked near by. As they approached +I jumped down off the scaffolding and saluted them. They returned the +salute, and then the Major said: "We have been admiring your chimney, +Mr. Ford. It is as well built as if a mason had done the work." The old +man, whenever on the few occasions he spoke to me, strange to say, +always addressed me, a private soldier, as "Mr." Ford. I never could +account for it, unless it was that he knew all about me and my people. +He had been a West Pointer, but had resigned from the U. S. Army a good +many years before. Thus he was a strict disciplinarian, and on that +account at that time not popular with the men; but I always liked him, +and approved of his discipline. Later on, as the service became more +exacting, and really active, the men became devoted to him, as they +realized his ability as an officer.</p> + +<p>On December 23 our company, then having four 24-pounder Parrott guns, +started off for John's Island, where an attempt was to be made to +capture a small body of Federals that were near Legareville, and also to +sink or capture a Federal gunboat that was off that place. Our company +was to have been<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> supported by a Virginia regiment. On Christmas day at +daylight we opened fire from our masked battery upon the two gunboats, +for there were two on hand instead of one, but the infantry remained in +the background, and failed to attack the Federals near Legareville as +designed, and we had to bear the whole brunt of the fight. It was a +sharp affair, and we soon had to get out of it as best we could, with +the loss of several men and a half dozen horses.</p> + +<p>In this affair I had a very narrow escape, and another man lost his life +in my stead. I had been lead driver on gun No. 2, and when we started on +this expedition I was transferred to cannoneer's duty, and young Heyward +Ancrum given my horses. Well, in the fight a shell from the U. S. S. +<i>Marblehead</i> passed entirely through the bodies of both of my horses, +and took off Ancrum's leg at the knee. He fell among the struggling, +dying horses, but was pulled out, and died soon after. He was certainly +killed in my place.</p> + +<p>It was about this time that I saw that celebrated torpedo submarine +boat, the <i>Hundley</i>, the first submarine boat ever built. As I was +standing on the bank of the Stono River, I saw the boat passing along +the river, where her builder, H. L. Hundley, had brought her for +practice. I watched her as she disappeared around a bend of the river, +and little thought of the fearful tragedy that was immediately to ensue. +She made an experimental dive, stuck<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> her nose in the mud, and drowned +her entire crew. Her career was such an eventful one that I record what +I recollect of it.</p> + +<p>She was built in Mobile by Hundley, and brought on to Charleston in +1863. She was of iron, about 20 feet long, 4 feet wide, and 5 feet +deep—in fact, not far from round, as I have seen it stated; and +equipped with two fins, by which she could be raised or lowered in the +water. The intention of her builder was that she should dive under an +enemy's vessel, with a torpedo in tow, which would be dragged against +the vessel, and exploded while the <i>Hundley</i>, or "<i>Fish</i>," as some +called her, rose on the other side. She was worked by a hand propeller, +and equipped with water tanks, which could be filled or emptied at +pleasure, and thus regulate her sinking or rising. The first experiment +with her was made in Mobile Bay, and she went down all right with her +crew of seven men, but did not come up, and every man died, asphyxiated, +as no provision had been made for storing a supply of air.</p> + +<p>As soon as she was raised, she was brought to Charleston, and a few days +after her acceptance by General Beauregard, Lieutenant Payne, of the +Confederate Navy, volunteered with a crew of six men to man her and +attack the Federal fleet off Charleston. While he had her at Fort +Johnson, on James Island, and was making preparations for the attack, +one night as she was lying at the wharf the swell of a passing steamer +filled her, and she went to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span> bottom, carrying with her and drowning +the six men. Lieutenant Payne happened to be near an open manhole at the +moment, and thus he alone escaped. Notwithstanding the evidently fatal +characteristics of this boat, as soon as she was raised another crew of +six men volunteered under Payne and took charge of her. But only a week +afterwards an exactly similar accident happened while she was alongside +the wharf at Fort Sumter, and only Payne and two of his men escaped.</p> + +<p>H. L. Hundley, her builder in Mobile, now believed that the crews did +not understand how to manage the "<i>Fish</i>," and came on to Charleston to +see if he could not show how it should be done. A Lieutenant Dixon, of +Alabama, had made several successful experiments with the boat in Mobile +Bay, and he also came on, and was put in charge, with a volunteer crew, +and made several successful dives in the harbor. But one day, the day on +which I saw the boat, Hundley himself took it into Stono River to +practice her crew. She went down all right, but did not come up, and +when she was searched for, found and raised to the surface, all of her +crew were dead, asphyxiated as others had been.</p> + +<p>After the boat was brought up to Charleston, several successful +experiments were made with her, until she attempted to dive under the +Confederate receiving ship <i>Indian Chief</i>, when she got entangled with +an anchor chain and went to the bottom, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span> remained there until she +was raised with every one of her crew dead, as were their predecessors.</p> + +<p>No sooner had she been raised than a number of men begged to be allowed +to give her another trial, and Lieutenant Dixon was given permission to +use her in an attack on the U. S. S. <i>Housatonic</i>, a new gunboat that +lay off Beach Inlet on the bar, on the condition that she should not be +used as a submarine vessel, but only on the surface with a spar torpedo. +On February 17, 1864, Lieutenant Dixon, with a crew of six men, made +their way with the boat through the creeks behind Sullivan's Island to +the inlet. The night was not very dark, and the <i>Housatonic</i> easily +could be perceived lying at anchor, unmindful of danger. The "<i>Fish</i>" +went direct for her victim, and her torpedo striking the side tore a +tremendous hole in the <i>Housatonic</i>, which sank to the bottom in about +four minutes. But as the water was not very deep her masts remained +above water, and all of the crew, except four or five saved themselves +by climbing and clinging to them. But the "<i>Fish</i>" was not seen again. +From some unknown cause she again sank, and all her crew perished. +Several years after the war, when the government was clearing the wrecks +and obstructions out of Charleston harbor, the divers visited the scene +of this attack, and on the sandy bottom of the sea found the hulk of the +<i>Housatonic</i>, and alongside of her the shell of the "<i>Fish</i>." Within the +latter were the skeletons of her devoted crew.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span></p> + +<p>This submarine torpedo boat must not be confused with the surface ones, +called "Davids," that were first built and used at Charleston in the +fall of 1863. These "Davids" were cigar-shaped crafts about 30 feet +long, and propelled by miniature steam engines; and they each carried a +torpedo at the end of a spar in the bow. There were several of them at +Charleston and points along the coast.</p> + +<p>In March, 1864, I had the only violent illness I had during my service, +until at the end, a year later, and being given a thirty-day furlough +went up to Sumter, where I had some near relatives. Here I stayed a +couple of weeks, and then went over to Aiken, where my parents and +sisters resided. Although the distance from Sumter to Aiken was only +about 135 miles, the railway trains took seventeen hours to make the +distance. It is hard to realize now the delays and discomforts of travel +in the South in 1864. With worn-out tracks and roadbeds, dilapidated +engines and cars, it is remarkable that the railway trains were able to +run at all. On this occasion, which was typical of travel then, I left +Sumter at 10 o'clock p. m., and just before reaching Kingsville the +engine ran off the track from a worn-out rail. Two hours or more were +spent in prying it back. Then shortly after the train stopped in a piece +of woodland, and the fireman and train hands took their axes and spent +an hour cutting wood and putting it on the tender. So it was full +daylight when we reached Kingsville.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span> From there all went well until +after passing Branchville the engine broke one of its connecting rods, +and we had to wait until another engine could be got from Branchville. +Some miles farther up the road the train again stopped, and the hands +went into the woods and cut wood for the engine. Finally, at about four +o'clock in the afternoon I arrived at Aiken. Here I remained for a +fortnight, and then joined my command, which had just been ordered to +Florida.</p> + +<p>Early in the spring the Federals made an advance into Florida from +Jacksonville, and a number of troops were sent from South Carolina to +oppose them. Among them was our battery of artillery. We reached the +section of the State threatened the day after the battle of Olustee, or +Ocean Pond, and were then ordered back to Madison, where we encamped, +and during our stay there of a couple of weeks were most hospitably +treated by the ladies of the town.</p> + +<p>This battle of Olustee was a very severe fight, and a bloody one, in +which the Federals under General Seymour were routed by the Confederates +under Gen. Pat. Finnigan and Gen. A. H. Colquitt. In this battle the +Federal loss was about 1,900 men and the Confederate about 1,000. The +obstinacy of the struggle may be appreciated when it is observed that, +out of the total of 11,000 men engaged, the casualties amounted to +2,900, nearly 27 per cent. As I have said, our battery reached the scene +after<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> the battle, so we made no stay near Olustee, but retired to +Madison. The wounded were all cared for at the wayside hospitals, and +the dead white men of both sides buried; but the dead negroes were left +where they fell. There had been several regiments of negroes in the +Federal force, who as usual had been put into the front lines, and thus +received the full effect of the Confederate fire. The field was dotted +everywhere with dead negroes, who with the dead horses here and there +soon created an intolerable stench, perceptible for half a mile or more. +The hogs which roamed at large over the country were soon attracted to +the spot and tore many of the bodies to pieces, feeding upon them. This +field of death, enlivened by numbers of hogs grunting and squealing over +their hideous meal, was one of the most repulsive sights I ever saw.</p> + +<p>About the beginning of March our battery was ordered to Baldwin, about 9 +miles from Jacksonville. Here we remained for nearly a month, and +strange to say had a very uncomfortable time as far as food was +concerned. The surrounding country was barren, swampy, and very thinly +settled, so there was very little private foraging to be done and we had +to suffer from the very scant rations served out by the commissary.</p> + +<p>This department was in a very disorganized condition, probably because +of the sudden massing of troops at an unexpected point; but the fact was +that our men seldom got enough of even the coarsest<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span> food. Our battery +horses were supplied with corn and forage, and on several occasions +after going twenty-four hours without any food I made use of some +opportunity to steal the horses' corn, and parched that for a meal.</p> + +<p>The bacon served out occasionally was of the most emphatic character, +and very animated, but when fried and eaten with eyes shut, and nostrils +closed, did no harm. Once in a while some of the men would go into the +swamp and still-hunt wild hogs, and we would get some fresh pork. This +hunting was against orders, and the officers tried their best to stop +it, and occasionally some man would be caught at it and punished, but +the men were really too much in need of food to remain quiet when game +could be had. These hogs had once had recognized owners, but since that +section of country had been deserted, had run wild, and lived in the +swamp. It was by no means easy to shoot them, as they were very wary, +and however quiet the hunter might remain behind his brush blind would +often detect his presence by their sense of smell, and could not be +decoyed within range.</p> + +<p>My company was soon ordered back to South Carolina, and our route lay +over the Albany and Gulf Railroad, now the Atlantic Coast Line, from +Quitman to Savannah. This road, like all others in the South, was in a +terribly dilapidated condition—rails and trestles decayed, and +rolling-stock worn out. The engine that drew our train,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> containing only +our battery, was unable to do the work, and several times when we +reached the easy grades on that generally very level road, the men would +be compelled to get off and assist the engine by pushing the train up +the incline. When the train was got up to the top of the grade it would +go down the other side by its own impetus, and on level stretches the +engine got along fairly well. We made the distance of 170 miles in about +sixteen hours, a little over ten miles an hour—fairly good speed in the +South in 1864.</p> + +<p>Our battery was stopped at Green Pond, on the Savannah and Charleston +Railroad, and we spent the summer of 1864 doing picket duty at Combahee +Point, and along the Ashepoo River.</p> + +<p>At Combahee Point we were stationed on Mr. Andrew Burnett's plantation. +The camp was located on the edge of the abandoned rice field, while the +picket post was in front on some breastworks on the river's edge. The +old rice fields were more or less overflowed, the banks having been +broken for two years or more, and in them were numerous alligators, some +of considerable size. At night the noises made by these amphibians, and +the raccoons in the adjacent marsh, would have been interesting to a +naturalist, but were annoying to us. But the most serious disturbers of +our peace were the mosquitoes. These were of such size and venom and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> in +such numbers as to cause real suffering, and necessitate the use of +unusual schemes to protect ourselves against their attacks.</p> + +<p>Accounts of these mosquitoes must seem incredible to any one who has +never spent a midsummer's night in the rice fields; and very few white +people have done this since the war. During the day the comparatively +few that were about could be driven off by tobacco smoke and other +means, but when night fell, and the myriads came up from the fields and +marsh, then the situation became serious. When we were on sentry duty, +walking post, many of us wore thick woolen gloves to protect our hands; +and over our heads and necks frames made of thin hoops covered with +mosquito netting. And when we wanted to retire to our small "A" tents, +we had to make smudge fires in them first, and then crawl in on our +hands and knees, and keep our faces near the ground to breathe, until +finally we got asleep. And, moreover, we dared not let our faces or +hands touch the sides of the tent, for immediately the mighty insects +would thrust their probosces through the canvas and get us. I feel +dubious about the advisability of recording such a statement, but as I +am stating only facts as I experienced them, this must go on record.</p> + +<p>In this rice field section our men suffered greatly from fever, and +there were several deaths. I was the only man in the company of 70 who +persisted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> in taking three grains of quinine daily, and one other of our +men and I were the only two who did not have a touch of fever.</p> + +<p>While on duty here, early one morning four negro men came to our picket +bringing two Federal officers, and turned them over to us. Upon inquiry +it seemed that these two officers, one of them a Captain Strong of the +Regular Army, and the other a Volunteer lieutenant, had been captured in +Virginia, and were on their way to prison in Georgia, but had escaped +from the cars on the Savannah and Charleston Railroad, and had tried to +make their way to the Federal fleet, but were simply starved out, until +they had to appeal to the negroes for help, and they promptly brought +them in to us. I was detailed as one of the men to guard and carry them +to Green Pond, about 15 miles off, and deliver them to the authorities. +On the way we stopped for a moment at Mr. Benjamin Rhett's plantation, +who, as soon as he learned what was up came to the wagon and with the +consent of the sergeant in command, invited the officers into his house. +There, as soon as they had made some ablutions, he carried them in to +breakfast, and entertained them for an hour; at the same time sending +breakfast and genuine coffee out to us. Captain Strong spoke to me very +pleasantly, and said that he was a graduate of West Point; and learning +that I was from Charleston, inquired about several people there whom I +knew, among others of Col. Sam. Ferguson, who he said had been a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> +classmate of his at the Academy, and who I told him was at that time +with the army in the West. I recollect that he was interested at hearing +of him. He seemed also quite struck with the youthfulness of our men, +and remarked on it.</p> + +<p>Late in the fall our battery was removed to a point on the Charleston +and Savannah Railroad, south of Green Pond, and put in charge of a +battery there, as the Federals had advanced up from Port Royal, with the +evident intention of attempting to seize the railroad. It seems that +this really was the aim of the movement, conducted under the command of +Gen. Guy V. Henry. And this movement was suggested by General Sherman, +who, when he determined upon his march through Georgia, stated to the +government at Washington that he expected to reach Savannah about the +end of December, and suggested that the railway between Charleston and +Savannah be destroyed before he got there. The Federals made several +advances, but never could get nearer than about half a mile of the +railroad, and in their efforts to do so were defeated and driven back in +two or three affairs, notably in a serious fight at Tulafinny, in which +the cadets of the South Carolina Military Academy, mere boys, were +engaged.</p> + +<p>In these infantry affairs we had no part, as they occurred at some +distance from our position. Our company at the time was serving as heavy +artillerists, and, as I have said, had charge of a battery commanding +the railroad. The Federals had,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> however, established a battery of field +pieces about 700 yards in our front, and there were frequent artillery +duels, but without serious injury, certainly to our side. There was a +short section of the railway track in an open piece of country, of which +the enemy got the range, and every time a train passed in the daytime +they would open on it with their guns. When the engineers approached +this section they put on all the speed attainable, which was not very +much at best, with the dilapidated engines they then had, and there was +considerable interesting excitement in being on a flat car and running +the gauntlet in this way. I do not think, however, that a train was ever +hit.</p> + +<p>About December the field pieces were taken away from our company and +Capt. Porcher Smith's, and both were turned into infantry, and armed +with old-fashioned Belgian rifles, probably the most antiquated and +worthless guns ever put into a modern soldier's hands. But they were all +our government had. These rifles could not send a ball beyond 200 yards, +and at much shorter range their aim was entirely unreliable. This our +men felt hard to stand, as they knew that at this period the Federal +soldiers were being generally armed with breech-loading Springfield +rifles, weapons which thirty years later were reckoned very formidable. +We soon after were ordered back to James Island, where with Captain +Smith's company we were again under the command of Maj. Edward +Manigault. We were at once<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span> put on very arduous picket duty along the +lines on the southwestern part of the island. The weather at this time I +well recollect was unusually cold and wet, and with an insufficiency of +food and clothing, our sufferings were severe. Men had got very scarce +then, and the same relay had to be kept on picket week after week +without relief, and the men would often have to stand guard on the +outposts eight or ten hours on a stretch.</p> + +<p>On one occasion while another man and I were on sentry duty on the lines +in the rifle-pits, at the break of day we saw the two Federal sentries +on the other side of the intervening marsh desert their posts, and +unarmed walk quickly toward us. When they got within about ten paces we +halted them, and called our officer. As soon as he came up we turned +them over to him. I always had a loathing for a deserter, and said to +the men, "If I had my way I would have you given thirty-nine lashes each +and sent back under flag of truce to your command, so you could be shot +as you deserve." One of them twiggled his fingers on his nose and +replied, "Ah, but you hav'n't got no say in the matter."</p> + +<p>While on duty on these outpost lines, the Federals frequently shelled us +from their gunboats in Stono River. We did not mind the Parrott shells, +but the shells from the Cohorn mortars on a mortar schooner were very +trying. They would fall, apparently from the sky, and there was no +dodging them. But fortunately none of them fell directly in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> +rifle-pits, but all exploded harmlessly in the field. All old soldiers +know that mortar shells take a very mean advantage of a man.</p> + +<p>One of the outposts on these lines which was manned only at night was +out in the marsh, and I had it one night, and it was about the most +disagreeable night I ever had on picket. I was placed on the post at +dark, with orders to keep in the marsh, at the edge of the tide as it +went down, and to come in at the first daylight. I was all the time up +to my insteps in mud, by myself, with the rain falling all night. I +stood out in that marsh from dark until daylight, in the drenching rain, +for about ten hours. Like most of the men, I had no oilskin, or any +protection against the weather, and of course was thoroughly drenched +early in the night, and the steady rain all night kept me saturated. The +best I could do was to try to keep my ammunition and gun-lock dry. It +was certainly the worst night I ever spent.</p> + +<p>On February 10, 1865, we had our first serious infantry fight, as +infantry. We were doing picket duty at this time on the lines near +Grimball's causeway, with our right extending to Stono River. At about +daylight that morning the Federals began to shell our lines from four +gunboats and a mortar schooner, whose masts we could see over the trees; +and soon after we could see a large force of their infantry assembling +on Legare's plantation on the other side of the flat and marsh in front +of our lines.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span> Our entire force along this part of the lines consisted +of 52 men of our company and 40 men of the Second South Carolina +Artillery and about 20 cavalry, together with 7 officers—all told, 119 +men. Just before the Federal infantry advanced, a section of artillery +took position at about 600 yards in front of us, and shelled our line, +but did no damage. The Federal infantry engaged, as I learned a few +months afterwards from one of their officers, were the Fifty-fourth and +One Hundred and Forty-fourth New York, white; and the Thirty-second, +Thirty-third, and Fifty-fifth U. S. negro troops, altogether about 1,500 +men, and one section of artillery. We were assaulted directly in front, +but held our ground until the enemy were within 30 feet of our line; in +fact, some of their men were actually into our trenches, and having +hand-to-hand fights with our men. So close had they got that I had +ceased firing, and had just fixed my bayonet, and braced myself for a +hand-to-hand fight, when Major Manigault, who was standing only a few +paces to my right in rear of the line, gave the order to retreat. To +this moment not a man had flinched, but at the order to retreat we broke +for the rear, a few of the men reloading, turning, and firing back as +they retreated. We halted at a ditch about 300 yards in the rear, where +we found the battalion of cadets of the South Carolina Military Academy, +and a company of the Second Regiment South Carolina Artillery, +altogether about 185 men. We who had come out of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> the affair, feeling +strong with this support, were anxious to return and try to drive back +the Federals, but we had no such orders. And probably it was well we did +not do so; for about 700 of the enemy were white men, and, as I +afterwards learned, more than half of them Irish; and for about 267 men +to tackle in open fight nearly three times their number, of that class +of men, was too serious an undertaking to be attempted. Of course as to +the 800 negroes the odds would not have been counted.</p> + +<p>In this affair, of the 119 Confederates engaged, we lost 2 officers, of +whom one was the gallant Major Manigault, severely wounded, and 37 men. +The Federals lost 88. Our loss, as is shown, was about 33 per cent, of +our force engaged, and this large mortality shows the heavy fire to +which we were subjected. General Schimmelpfennig was in general command +of the affair, but the assault was led by Colonel Bennett, who, mounted +upon a sorrel horse, was a mark for several shots from our wretched +rifles, but escaped unhurt.</p> + +<p>The point where I was, just about the center of our line, at the +causeway, was assaulted by a regiment of negro troops; and as they got +near to us I distinctly heard their officers cursing them. I heard one +officer say, "Keep in line there, you damned scoundrels!" and another, +"Go on, you damned rascals, or I'll chop you down!" I saw the line waver +badly when it got to within fifty yards of us, and on this occasion at +least it did not look<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> to me as if the negroes had the spirit to "fight +nobly." I know it is a catch phrase elsewhere that the colored troops +fought nobly, but I testify to what I saw and heard.</p> + +<p>As to these negro troops, there was a sequel, nearly a year later. When +I was peaceably in my office in Charleston one of my family's former +slaves, "Taffy" by name, came in to see me. In former times he had been +a waiter "in the house," and was about my own age; but in 1860, in the +settlement of an estate, he with his parents, aunt, and brother were +sold to Mr. John Ashe, and put on his plantation near Port Royal. Of +course, when the Federals overran that section they took in all these +"contrabands," as they were called, and Taffy became a soldier, and was +in one of the regiments that assaulted us. In reply to a question from +me, he foolishly said he "liked it." I only replied, "Well, I'm sorry I +didn't kill you as you deserved, that's all I have to say." He only +grinned.</p> + +<p>On February 17, James Island was evacuated by the Confederates. Captain +Matthews's company, formerly artillery but now infantry, was added to +our two, and the battalion known as Manigault's, or the Eighteenth South +Carolina Battalion. Major Manigault being wounded, and a prisoner, Capt. +B. C. Webb, of Company A, was in command. Our line of march was through +St. Andrew's Parish, across the bridge at Bee's Ferry, and along the old +State road past Otranto across Goose Creek bridge,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> which was burned as +soon as the last troops had crossed. Our men had started on this march +with as much baggage as they thought they could carry, but they soon +threw aside their impedimenta, and each settled down to his one blanket +and such clothes as he actually wore. This march across the Carolinas +was a very hard one. Our feet soon became blistered and sore, and many +of us had no shoes, but trudged along in the cold and mud bare-footed as +best we could. As I have already said, this was a cold winter, and it +seemed to us that it rained and froze constantly. Not a particle of +shelter did we have day or night. We would march all day, often in more +or less rain, and at nightfall halt, and bivouac in the bushes, with +every particle of food or clothing saturated. Within a few minutes after +a halt, even under a steady rain, fires would be burning and quickly +extend through the bivouac. If a civilian should attempt to kindle a +fire with soaked wood under a steady rain, he would find his patience +sorely tried, but the soldiers seemed to have no trouble.</p> + +<p>After the fires were kindled we had to wait for the arrival of the +commissary wagons; and it was not uncommon for a detail of men to be +sent back in the night to help push the wagons through the mud; weary, +footsore, hungry, in the dark, up to the knees in mud, heaving on the +wheels of a stalled wagon! It was often late at night before the wagons +were got up and rations could be obtained.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span></p> + +<p>The men, of course, had to take turns in the use of the two or three +frying-pans carried for each company, and when worn down by marching +from early dawn until dark it was disheartening to have to wait one's +turn, which often did not come until eleven o'clock at night. Frequently +the men, rather than wait for the frying-pan, would fry their scraps of +bacon on the coals, and make the cornmeal into dough, which they would +wrap around the ends of their ramrods and toast in the fire. When the +rations were drawn they consisted of only seven ounces of bacon and one +pint of cornmeal to the man per day; and on several occasions even these +could not be had, and the men went to sleep supperless, and with nothing +to eat during the next day. The commissary department of the corps +seemed to be unequal to the occasion, but this fact is not surprising +when the rapidity of the march and desolation of the country are +considered. Nevertheless, on several occasions the writer's command +passed forty hours without receiving any rations, and once fifty hours, +so that we were glad of an opportunity to beg at any farm-house for an +ear of corn with which to alleviate our hunger.</p> + +<p>All along the line of march large numbers of men were constantly +deserting. Nightly, under cover of darkness, many would sneak from their +bivouacs and go off, not to the enemy, but to their homes. But those of +our men who remained were in good spirits.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span></p> + +<p>The most influential cause of desertions was the news that reached the +men of the great suffering of their wives and children at home, caused +by the devastations of Sherman's army. Wherever this army passed from +Atlanta to Savannah, and from Savannah through Columbia, Camden, and +Cheraw, into North Carolina, a tract of country 30 miles wide was +devastated. Farm-houses, barns, mills, etc., were all burned. Farm +animals, poultry, etc., were all ruthlessly killed, and the women and +children left to starve. This was most especially the case in South +Carolina, where Sherman burned every town in his path—Walterboro, +Barnwell, Midway, Bamberg, Blackville, Williston, Orangeburg, Columbia, +Camden, and Cheraw. His cavalry leader, General Kilpatrick, attempted to +burn Aiken, but was quickly beaten off by General Wheeler. When the men +learned of the suffering of their women at home, many of them not +unnaturally deserted, and went to their aid.</p> + +<p>This terrible strain on the integrity of the men was the cause of a +pitiable execution that took place on the line of march one day. A +sergeant in the First Regiment Regulars, upon being reproved by his +lieutenant for justifying and advising the desertion of the men, in a +fit of temper attempted to shoot this officer. The line was immediately +halted, the man was carried before a drum-head court martial, tried, and +condemned to be shot on the spot. He was led out, tied with his back +against a tree,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span> and shot to death. It was an awful sight. I recollect +that while awaiting death, the chaplain spoke to him, and offered to +pray with him. His only reply was, "Preacher, I never listened to you in +Fort Sumter, and I won't listen to you now."</p> + +<p>All of the Confederate troops in South Carolina were under the command +of Lieut.-Gen. T. J. Hardee, one of the ablest corps commanders in the +Confederate service. He was nicknamed by the men, "Old Reliable." Our +battalion, known also as the Eighteenth, with Major Bonneau's Georgia +battalion, the battalion of Citadel Cadets, and the Second Regiment +South Carolina Heavy Artillery constituted Brig.-Gen. Stephen Elliott's +brigade, which, with Col. Alfred Rhett's brigade, constituted Maj.-Gen. +Taliaferro's division. About March 1 we reached Cheraw, which we left +two days after. As we left the town Sherman's army pressed us closely, +and my recollection is that there was a sharp cavalry skirmish at the +bridge, which we burned as soon as our troops had got across. I think +Gen. M. C. Butler was the last man to cross, and galloped across it +while it was actually in flames. At the State line the Citadel Cadets +left us, and returned to South Carolina.</p> + +<p>The route of the army lay through Fayetteville, N. C., where we crossed +the Cape Fear River about a week later. After our men had crossed the +bridge I was detailed from my company as one of a number to guard it, +until all the wagons, etc., and the last<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> of the cavalry had got across +and it was burned, and when the bridge had been burned, one of the +cavalrymen let me ride a led horse until I caught up with my command +some distance in front. I remember his telling me of a very remarkable +scrimmage that had just occurred on the other side in Fayetteville. It +seems that before all of our wagons had got across the bridge, and our +own cavalry had come up, a troop of about 70 Federal cavalry rode into +the town to cut our wagons, etc., off from the bridge. General Hampton, +with two of his staff officers and four couriers, in all only seven men, +instantly dashed themselves against the Federals, and in a hand-to-hand +fight killed eleven of them, captured as many more, and ran the rest out +of town, and all without the loss of a single man. A very remarkable +affair. I also heard that Hampton had caught a spy, who would be hanged +when the army halted. I never heard anything more about it, as I had +other things much more personal to engage my attention, and presumed he +was strung up according to military usage.</p> + +<p>But it seems that the man was not hanged. Wells, in "Hampton and His +Cavalry in '64," gives the particulars of this wonderful affair, and +states that the spy's name was David Day, and that he was turned over to +some junior reserves for safe keeping and escaped. And there was an +interesting sequel.</p> + +<p>Thirty-one years after this fight, Hampton then being United States +Railway Commissioner, and in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span> Denver, Colorado, a stranger called upon +him and explained that he was the David Day, the spy captured in the +affair, dressed in Confederate uniform. Hampton congratulated him and +said he was "glad the hanging did not come off." "So am I," replied the +other, laughing.</p> + +<p>At Fayetteville a few of the men of our company, I among them, procured +Enfield rifles in place of the old Belgians we had, and also got +ammunition to suit. The Enfield was a muzzle loader, but really one of +the best guns of the day of its kind, and fairly accurate at 600 yards. +About half of the company, however, had only the worthless Belgians to +the end.</p> + +<p>We were now so closely pursued by Sherman that on March 16 General +Hardee, having about 6,000 men, determined to make a stand near +Averysboro, between the Cape Fear and Black Rivers, where at daylight +Taliaferro's division was attacked full in front by the Fourteenth and +Twentieth Corps of the Federal Army, and Kilpatrick's cavalry, +altogether about 20,000 men, General Sherman being personally on the +field. The fighting was stubborn, at very close quarters, along the +entire line. Twenty men, of whom I was one, were detailed from Elliott's +brigade and attached to the left of Colonel Butler's First Regular +Infantry, of Rhett's brigade, and there I served through the fight. We +held our position in the open woods without protection for about three +hours, and repulsed repeated assaults, until<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span> the left of the line, +resting on a swamp along the Black River, which had been thought to be +impassable, was turned by a heavy force of Federals, which had made +their way through the swamp. This force, I afterwards learned, was +Colonel Jones's regiment of Indiana cavalry, fighting as infantry, and +armed with Spencer magazine carbines. Our whole force then fell back +about 400 yards to a line of breastworks manned by McLaws's skeleton +division, and which the Federals later in the day unsuccessfully +assaulted. The Confederate loss in this battle was 500, and the next day +some of Kilpatrick's cavalrymen, who had just been captured, told me +that the Federal loss had been about 2,500. The Confederate forces +engaged in this fight were Rhett's and Elliott's brigades, two artillery +companies, and McLaws's division; and it was not the intention of +General Hardee that Taliaferro's division should make such a stubborn +stand-up fight. It was the intention that they should engage only as +skirmishers, bring on the fight, and then fall back gradually into the +breastworks, where the real fighting was to have been done. But +Elliott's and Rhett's men had previously done only garrison and +artillery duty on the coast, and this was their first experience in +infantry fighting in the open, and they knew no better than to stand up +and fight it out. Sherman in his report to the U. S. War Department of +this affair expressed his surprise at the tenacity with which our men +held their ground.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span></p> + +<p>It was on this occasion that Col. Alfred Rhett was captured. It seems +that a Captain Theo. F. Northrop, of a regiment of New York cavalry, was +scouting with a few men at early dawn on the morning of the battle, and +just in front of our lines came unexpectedly upon Generals Hampton and +Taliaferro, with a group of aids. He and his men promptly made +themselves invisible, and withdrew, and a few moments after Colonel +Rhett rode up on them. He put his pistol in Colonel Rhett's face and +said, "You must come with me." Colonel Rhett replied, "Who the hell are +you?" and drew his pistol to fight. Instantly the men with Captain +Northrop put their carbines to Colonel Rhett's head, and he, seeing how +the case stood, gave up, and was carried to General Slocum, who sent him +to General Sherman's headquarters. Captain Northrop has stated to me +that Colonel Rhett told him that when first accosted he thought he was +dealing with one of General Wheeler's men, and he would have shot him +for his insolence. And he was always satisfied that if Colonel Rhett had +realized at the very first that they were the enemy he met, he would +have fought and tried to get away, although he would have probably been +killed in the attempt.</p> + +<p>Captain Northrop took Colonel Rhett's sword and pistol. The sword was +lost some years ago in a railway train, but he has the pistol still, +with Colonel Rhett's name engraved on it.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span></p> + +<p>The fight took place in a piece of pine forest, and there were many +trees that afforded protection to the men on both sides. The lines were +very close together, so close that I could at times clearly observe the +faces of the Federal soldiers opposite. At one time I was protected by a +good pine tree and felt quite comfortable as the bullets thwacked +against the other side of it; but within a few feet, to my left, was an +old stump-hole full of dry leaves, and the bullets striking in those +leaves made a terrible racket. I stood the racket as long as I could, +but finally could stand it no longer, and contrary to common sense +abandoned my friendly tree and stepped a few paces to the right, away +from that noisy stump-hole. There I stood unprotected in the open, but +not many minutes before I was struck full in the middle of my body and +knocked down to a sitting posture. My blanket was rolled in a tight +roll, not over three inches thick, and being of course on my left +shoulder, and across my body downwards to the right, had saved my life. +The ball had passed through the roll, and striking a button on my jacket +had stopped, and as I dropped it fell down, flattened out of all shape. +I lay on the ground for a few moments, paralyzed by the blow, and I +recollect hearing a comrade, who received a bullet through the brain +only a few moments afterwards, call out, "Ford's killed." I gathered +myself back into a sitting posture and replied, "No, I'm not. I think +I'm all right." But the pain was intense,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span> as every boy knows who in a +boxing bout gets a lick in "the short wind." In a few moments I was back +again on my feet, and resumed my place in line, although suffering +considerable pain and nausea. For some time after I carried on my body a +black and blue spot the size of a dollar.</p> + +<p>I recollect noticing the conspicuous coolness of Maj. Thos. Huguenin, of +the First Infantry. During the hardest of the fighting he walked slowly +immediately behind the line in which I was, smoking his pipe as calmly +as if he had been at home.</p> + +<p>Here an incident occurred that showed how, under the most serious +condition, with death and imminent danger all around, a soldier's mind +is often diverted by the most trivial thing. It is a strange phase of +the mind which I have heard old soldiers, who have seen much hard +fighting, comment upon. During the sharpest of the fighting, a hog +started from the swamp on my left and ran squealing and terrified +directly down the front of our line, presenting quite a ludicrous +spectacle, and I heard a number of men, as he passed along the line, +whoop at him and call out, "Go it, piggy!" "Save your bacon, piggy!" +etc. But piggy had not got more than a hundred feet past me when he +turned a somersault, kicked a moment or two, and lay still. He had +evidently stopped a bullet.</p> + +<p>An incident showing the same phase of mind was told me by a member of +the Fourteenth South Carolina Volunteers, as occurring during the great<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> +battle of Gettysburg. As Kershaw's brigade, on the second day, was +advancing to the assault of Little Round Top, a company of the +Fourteenth was among those thrown forward as skirmishers, and as they +advanced across the field toward the Federals, they came to a large +patch of ripe blackberries. The men with one accord immediately turned +their attention to the ripe fruit which was in great abundance on every +side, and, stooping down, kept picking, and eating berries, as they went +slowly forward, actually into action. And so much was their attention +distracted by the blackberries that they were actually within 50 yards +of the enemy's advanced line before they realized their position, when +they rushed forward with a yell, and got possession of a slightly +elevated roadway, which they held until the main line came up.</p> + +<p>During the assault on the breastworks, Capt. S. Porcher Smith, who was +standing just behind me, was shot through the face and fell. The +litter-bearers picked him up, and as they were carrying him to the rear, +one of them was shot and fell, and Captain Smith rolled headlong out of +the litter. I well remember this incident.</p> + +<p>We held our position until about midnight, when we fell back to a place +called Elevation. This night's march was a very trying one. The road was +terribly cut up by the wagons and artillery, and as the rains had been +frequent it seemed as if the clay mud was knee deep. We floundered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span> +along for about six hours, and at daylight on the 17th halted and were +given some rations. Most of us had not had a morsel of food since the +night of the 15th. It happened in this way. On the night of the 15th we +cooked our cornmeal and bacon and ate our supper, saving half for the +next day. At the early break of day on the 16th, as I was warming my +bacon and corn pone in a frying-pan before eating some of it, the +Federals attacked us, and we had to fall into line instantly. So I had +to leave the frying-pan with all my food as it was on the fire and go +through that day's hardship, and until the next day at Elevation, +without any food whatever. It had been General Hardee's intention to +give us two or three days' rest at Elevation, but it having been +ascertained that the Federal army was pushing toward Goldsboro, Gen. +Jos. E. Johnston, then only recently put in command of the Confederate +troops in North Carolina, ordered General Hardee to hurry forward and +intercept Sherman near Bentonville. So about 3 o'clock on the morning of +the 19th we were aroused and hurried on toward Bentonville, where we +arrived a little before three in the afternoon, having made the 20 miles +in rather less than 12 hours.</p> + +<p>It was on the march this day that an amusing incident occurred. I had +not owned a pair of socks since I left James Island a month before, and +my shoes were in such tattered condition that I could keep uppers and +soles together only by tying them<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> with several leather strings, but +most of my toes stuck out very conspicuously. I had read of the +importance that great generals attached to the good condition of +infantry soldiers' feet, and hence the aphorism, "A marching man is no +stronger than his feet," and I determined to keep mine in good condition +if possible. I knew that frequent bathing prevented blistering; +therefore, every night before going to sleep, and often on the march +during the day I would bathe my feet, so that they were never blistered, +and I kept well up with my company in marching. On this day as we +crossed a little stream, according to my custom I stepped aside, and +pulling off my shoes soaked my feet in the running water. General Hardee +and his staff rode by at the moment. He checked his horse and called +sternly to me, "You there, sir! What are you doing straggling from your +command? I suppose you are one of those men who behaved so badly at +Averysboro." (A few men had been guilty of misconduct there.) I sprang +to my feet, and saluting him said, "Excuse me, General, but you are +speaking to the wrong man, sir. I have never misbehaved, and never +straggled. I am only bathing my feet to prevent them from blistering. +There is my company right ahead there, sir, and I always keep up with +it." My injured tone and evident sincerity struck the old man, and he +saluted me with the words, "I beg your pardon, sir," and rode on. He was +a courtly and knightly soldier, and a great favorite with the men.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span></p> + +<p>We reached Bentonville at about 3 o'clock p. m., only a short time after +the battle had begun, and as we marched hurriedly along the road in the +direction of the firing we passed a number of wounded men coming to the +rear; and then several operating tables on both sides of the road, some +with wounded men stretched on them with the surgeons at work, and all of +them with several bloody amputated legs and arms thrown alongside on the +grass. The sight was temporarily depressing, as it foreshadowed what we +had to expect. But we hurried on, and our division halted for a few +moments on the ground from which the Federals had just been repulsed, +and there were quite a number of their dead and wounded lying about. One +of the Federal wounded, a lieutenant, begged us for some water, and I +stepped from the line and gave him a drink from my canteen. Others +begged me likewise, and in a few moments my canteen was empty. I knew +that this might result seriously to me, in case I should need the water +badly for myself, but I could not refuse a wounded man's appeal even if +he was my enemy; and one of our men, a thrifty fellow, who always +managed to have things, produced a little flask of whiskey, and gave a +good drink to a Federal who had his leg badly crushed. The blue-coat +raised his eyes to Heaven with, "Thank God, Johnnie; it may come around +that I may be able to do you a kindness, and I'll never forget this +drink of liquor." We were not allowed to remain<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span> long relieving the +suffering, but soon were called to "attention," and received orders to +create it, by an attack upon the enemy from our extreme right. At this +moment Maj. A. Burnett Rhett, of the artillery, rode along the line and +called out that news had been received that France had recognized the +Confederacy and would send warships to open our ports immediately. The +men cheered, few of us realizing that the end was so near. We were +blinded by our patriotism. There was Lee with his 30,000 men that moment +surrounded by Grant with his 150,000. Here was Johnston with his 14,000 +trying to keep at bay Sherman with his 70,000, with the knowledge that +Schofield was only two days off with 40,000 more. And this was about all +there was to the Confederacy; and they talked of recognition! Oh, the +pity of it!</p> + +<p>As we stood in line ready to advance my next comrade remarked, "Well, +boys, one out of every three of us will drop to-day. I wonder who it +will be?" This had been about our proportion in our two previous +infantry engagements, and it was not far short of the same here, for out +of the twenty-one men the company carried into the fight five were left +on the field. At the word the line advanced through a very thick black +jack-oak woods full of briars, and then double-quicked. We ran right +over the Federal picket line and captured or shot every one of the +pickets. One picket was in the act of eating his dinner, and as we ran +upon him he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> dropped his tin bucket, which, strange to say, had rice and +peas boiled together. Our lieutenant grabbed it up, and carried it, with +the spoon still in the porridge, in his left hand in the charge. We went +through the bushes yelling and at a run until we struck a worm rail +fence on the edge of an old field. I sprang up on the fence to get over, +but when on top could see no enemy, and so called out to the men, a +number of whom were likewise immediately on the fence. Just at this +moment the officers called to us to come back, as a mistake had been +made. Our division had not gone far enough to our right. The line was +again formed in the thick bushes, and we went about two hundred yards or +so farther to the right, and during this movement the lieutenant ate the +captured porridge, and gave me the empty tin bucket and spoon. I +attached the bucket to my waist belt, and kept it for about a month, +when in an amusing encounter with Gen. Sam Cooper, of which I will tell +farther on, it got crushed. The spoon I have kept to the present time.</p> + +<p>Our line was soon again halted just on the inside edge of the dense +woods, and concealed by the brush, and I could see on the other side of +the field, about 300 yards distant, twelve pieces of artillery +glistening in the sun, and behind them a dense mass of blue infantry +evidently expecting our attack, and ready for us.</p> + +<p>As we stood there for a few minutes and saw the work cut out for us, one +of our men, one of the few<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span> who had been of age in 1860, said in a +plaintive tone, "If the Lord will only see me safe through this job, +I'll register an oath never to vote for secession again as long as I +live."</p> + +<p>At the word "forward" our brigade left the cover of the woods at the +double-quick, and the men reopened with their yells.</p> + +<p>As all veterans of the great war know, in a charge the Confederates did +not preserve their alignment, as the Federals did. They usually went at +a run, every man more or less for himself. There was also an +inexplicable difference between the battle cries of the Federal and +Confederate soldiers. In the assaults of the Federals the cries were +regular, like "Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!" simply cheers, lacking stirring +life. But the Confederate cries were yells of an intensely nervous +description; every man for himself yelling "Yai, Yai, Yi, Yai, Yi!" They +were simply fierce shrieks made from each man's throat individually, and +which cannot be described, and cannot be reproduced except under the +excitement of an assault in actual battle. I do not know any reason for +this marked difference unless it was in the more pronounced +individuality of the average Confederate soldier.</p> + +<p>As soon as our line charged out into the open field the Federal +artillery opened on us with grape shot, and the infantry with their +rifles. My eyes were in a moment filled with sand dashed up by the grape +which struck around. I wiped them with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span> my hand, and keeping them closed +as much as I could, kept on at a run until I suddenly realized that I +was practically alone. When I looked back I saw that the brigade, after +getting about half way across the field, had stopped and was in +confusion. In a moment it broke and went back in a clear panic. It is +needless to say I followed. Our line was reformed in the woods, and I am +glad to say of my own company, and I think Captain Matthews's, they both +rallied at the word to a man. Every man was in place except those who +had fallen. This was more than could be said for some of the other +commands of the brigade, some of whose men never rallied, but went +straight on home from the field, and were never heard of again.</p> + +<p>Our line was again moved forward to the position from which we had first +driven the Federal pickets, and our company was sent to the edge of the +woods from which we had made the last charge, and deployed as pickets, +two men at each post. It was now about dark, and, while the Federal +infantry had ceased firing, the wretched pieces of artillery never let +up on us and kept throwing grape shot, and occasional shells into the +woods where they knew we were, making a terrible racket through the +tree-tops, tearing off branches, etc. At about eight o'clock that night +our lieutenant came running along the line calling for "Ford." As soon +as he came to my post he told me that he had brought another man to take +my place and that I was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span> relieved, and at 12 o'clock must go directly to +the rear and get some rations that were expected, and cook them for the +company. I begged to be let off, but it was no go. He said he knew I +could cook, and must go. So I laid down where I was, with instructions +to my comrade to awake me at 12 o'clock, and in an instant was sound +asleep, oblivious to the shells, etc., that the enemy kept meanly +crashing through the trees and brush, and worse still to the groans and +cries of the wounded that still lay in the field in front where they had +fallen. After dark the occasional screams of some wounded horses lying +in our rear were particularly distressing. Early in the afternoon +Halsey's battery of flying artillery, attached to Hampton's cavalry, had +held a gap in the line, until the arrival of our division, and in +advancing I saw probably a dozen horses lying dead or wounded where the +battery had been. To this day I recall the piteous expressions of two or +three of these wounded horses, as they raised their heads in their +suffering and looked at us as we passed between them. They were +perfectly quiet, but it was only after dark that in their loneliness +they uttered any sounds.</p> + +<p>About midnight our picket line was withdrawn and the whole division +moved off in Egyptian darkness somewhere, I never did know exactly +where, or really care either, for at that moment I was suffering from +fever which afterwards developed into a serious illness. At daylight in +a cold rain<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span> we halted somewhere in the woods on the edge of another +field, and threw up breastworks, as we were threatened with an attack, +which, however, was not made. On the afternoon of the 21st we were +hurriedly ordered to hasten across to the extreme left of Johnston's +army to support the troops there who were severely pressed by the +Federals. I was now so sick that I was ordered to the rear, but begged +off, and a comrade offered to carry my gun for me, so I kept up. When we +reached the place our line was formed with our company on the extreme +left resting on the edge of Mill Creek. I was really so ill that I could +not stand in line for any length of time, and requested permission of my +lieutenant to lie down in ranks, so as to be in place when the assault +came. He ordered me to the rear, but I succeeded in begging off again, +and lay down in line. I was asleep instantly. The next thing I knew I +was being dragged by the feet, and heard some one say, "What are you +going to do with that dead man?" "Going to throw him in the creek," was +the reply. I opened my eyes and said, "I am not dead, but only sick. +What is the matter? Where are our men?" Looking around I saw that it was +early dawn, and the place was deserted except by two of our cavalry +videttes, one of whom said, "If you have life enough left you had better +skedaddle, for the Yanks will be here in five minutes.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> We are the last +of the cavalry." I picked myself up, and got across Mill Creek bridge +just as the Federal troops began to appear.</p> + +<p>I believe I was the last infantryman to get across it, and it was the +only bridge across the creek. As I went across I noticed a lot of +Wheeler's cavalry on the north bank of the creek, evidently to hold the +bridge, and I could see the Federals in the distance, just on the top of +the hill on the south side. I suspected what was coming, and, as I had +received no invitation to an early morning entertainment, kept on my +way. The road on the north side of the bridge inclined sharply to the +left, so I was soon out of the line of fire, but heard the scrimmage as +the Federals assaulted Wheeler's men and endeavored to capture the +bridge. They were repulsed, but not before three of their color-bearers +had fallen within fifty feet of the Confederate line.</p> + +<p>It seemed that Johnston's army had retreated during the night, and in +the darkness my comrades had overlooked me asleep on the ground. At +about noon I caught up with my command where it had halted about two +miles from the creek. In this battle of Bentonville, Johnston with only +14,100 men, all told, fought Sherman with about 40,000 the first day, +and 70,000 the second. The Confederate losses were 2,400 and the Federal +4,000.</p> + +<p>I had become so ill now that I could hold out no longer, and reported to +the surgeon, and at eight o'clock on the morning of the 23rd was driven +in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span> an ambulance to a railway station and put with a lot of sick and +wounded men on a train for Greensboro. I had had nothing to eat since +about noon the day before, and when we got to Raleigh I got off and went +to a near-by little cottage, where I saw a woman at the door, and told +her that I was really very sick, and very hungry, and begged her for +something to eat. I had not a cent of money. She told me pathetically +that she had fed nearly all she had to the soldiers, but had a potato +pie, and if I could eat that I would be welcome to it. I took it +gratefully and it was the nicest potato pie I ever saw, before or since. +We reached Greensboro at dark, making about 90 miles run in ten hours, +very good for the speed of railway trains at that time. At Greensboro +the court-house was used as the hospital, all the benches, desks, etc., +being removed. We had no mattresses nor bedding of any kind, and about +200 of us were laid off in rows on the floor, with only our own blankets +that we brought with us. After looking over the accommodations I +selected the platform inside of the rail, where the judge's desk used to +be, for my place, and went out into the street and begged an armful of +hay from a wagon, and with two bricks for a pillow made my bed. Here I +lay for about three weeks with fever, and at times really very ill. +Three times a day the ladies of the town came and brought us food, and +were devoted in their attentions. I got to be very weak, and on April +14th I told the surgeon<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> that I was certainly getting worse, and +believed I would die if I stayed where I was. His cold reply was, "I +believe you will." I then asked to be allowed to go home. He said, "You +will die before you have been out of the hospital twenty-four hours," to +which I replied, "It is all the same with me. I would as lieve die in +the bushes as here. Only let me make the attempt." Thereupon he gave me +my furlough, and at daylight the next morning I put my blanket around me +and walked right out into a drizzly rain. The railroad was torn up +between Greensboro and Salisbury, so I walked along the track, and the +next day reached High Point, and at that place met one of my comrades, +who was in the hospital there. He smuggled me in and gave me a night's +lodging under his blanket, and shared his scanty supper with me. The +next day I struck out again, and after three or four more days walking +reached Salisbury, about thirty miles farther, where I again found +another comrade in the hospital at that place. With the exception of the +night I had spent at High Point, it was my habit, when night overtook +me, to step aside into the bushes and sleep until morning. What food I +got was only what I begged at the farmhouses on the way.</p> + +<p>At the Yadkin River I found that the bridge had not been burned. It +seems that the Federal General Stoneman had been raiding that section of +country and had attempted to burn this bridge, but had been driven off +by a Confederate force under General<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span> Pettus, and some cavalry. Just as +I approached it, President Jefferson Davis, with quite a party, came +riding by. He was sitting gracefully erect on his horse, and courteously +returned our salutes. This was the one occasion on which I saw the +President.</p> + +<p>We were quite a large number of men along the roadside, and one of the +President's party, a captain, rode up to my group and asked if we were +willing to go on across the Mississippi and continue the war there? Many +of us, I among them, volunteered to go, but we heard nothing more of it. +It seems that this really was Mr. Davis's plan, and he was so much set +on it, that as late as April 25 he suggested to General Johnston that +instead of surrendering to General Sherman, he should disband his +infantry, with instructions to them to rendezvous at some appointed +place across the Mississippi, and to bring off his cavalry and all his +horses and light pieces of artillery. As is well known, General Johnston +fully realized the absolute hopelessness of the struggle and +deliberately disobeyed his instructions, and surrendered to General +Sherman the next day. When one looks back upon the condition of things +then as they must have been known to the highest Confederate +authorities, it seems almost incredible that such an impracticable idea +as continuing the war across the Mississippi could have been entertained +for a moment.</p> + +<p>At Salisbury a comrade, who had been also for three years my messmate +and chum, joined me, and we traveled from there as far as Chester, S. +C.,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span> where our ways parted. Strange to say, it seemed to me that I began +to improve from the moment I left the hospital. I had a strong fever on +me, but was bent on getting home. At Salisbury an amusing event +occurred. This was about April 19. Lee's army had been surrendered ten +days before, and the first lot of his men, probably 300 or so, now came +along, and learning that there was a Confederate storehouse here with +supplies of food and clothing, determined to help themselves. I joined +the crowd to get my share. The warehouse was guarded by about a dozen +boys of the home guard, who protested violently; but they were just +swept one side, and the door was broken open, and every man helped +himself to what he wanted or needed. I got a handful of Confederate +money, a pair of shoes, some flour and bacon, a pair of socks, and a +small roll of jeans. This roll of cloth I carried clear home across my +shoulders, and when I reached Aiken, in May, exchanged it with the baker +for one hundred bread tickets, which provided our family with bread for +the rest of the summer.</p> + +<p>The railway for a short distance from Salisbury was intact, and here we +discovered an engine and two box-cars waiting for President Davis and +the Confederate Cabinet. The crowd of soldiers determined to seize this +train, and we told the engineer that he must either carry us as far as +he could, and then come back for the President, or we would put him off +and take the train ourselves. He yielded to force, and carried us about +20 miles. We then got<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span> off, and he went back. This led to an amusing +experience a couple of days later. There was another section of torn-up +track, and then another place where another engine and one box-car were +in waiting again for the President and Cabinet. The crowd had dwindled +down very much now, so comparatively only a few of us were on hand. +These, I among them, at once clambered up on top of the car, and sat +there. Presently I saw Gen. Sam Cooper approaching with a squad of about +a dozen boys, home guards as they were called. He halted them within a +dozen paces of the car, and then gave the orders, "ready, aim," and we +had a dozen old muskets pointed at us. Then shaking his finger at us he +said, "You scoundrels, you are the men who stole that train day before +yesterday. If you do not drop off that car I'll blow you to hell." We +dropped. In jumping down, my tin bucket, captured at Bentonville, was +crushed against the side of the car. The spoon was in my haversack, and +I have it still—1904. I thought to myself, however, "Old cock, I'll get +even with you. I have a scheme you don't know about." Going off a few +steps I said to my chum, "Just let's wait here until the Cabinet +arrives. I bet that we two at least will get back on that car." We +lounged around for an hour or two, and presently the wagons appeared +with the Cabinet. I knew that Mrs. Geo. A. Trenholm, the wife of the +Confederate Secretary of the Treasury, was along, and being a +Charlestonian, who knew my family, I felt sure that when I made myself +known she would<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span> help me. True enough, as soon as I made myself known to +her she spoke to General Cooper, and four of us were given permission to +ride on top of the car, one at each corner, with our legs dangling over, +for the top of the car in the middle was smashed in. Mrs. Trenholm also +kindly gave me a half loaf of bread and the half of a chicken.</p> + +<p>We jolted along in this way over the good section of the road, until we +came to the next break, when we got off, and after tendering our thanks +plodded along on foot again.</p> + +<p>Gen. Sam'l S. Cooper was Adjutant-General of the Confederate Army, and +the senior in rank of Gen. Robert E. Lee, and was a Pennsylvanian. He +ranked Lee in the Confederate service; and in the Federal Army before +the war he also ranked the great Confederate commander, he having been +Adjutant-General of the United States Army.</p> + +<p>At Chester I parted with my companions, as our routes diverged. I walked +from that town to Newberry, where I met one of my comrades, whose family +lived there. He took me to his house, and I stayed there two days. Upon +my departure he saw that my haversack was well filled with provisions.</p> + +<p>The railway was intact from Newberry to Abbeville, so I got a lift that +far.</p> + +<p>While making my way through the country I was always treated with much +hospitality by all the people along my route. There was only one +exception. This was in Chester County, when one day, with my haversack +empty, and hunger calling<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span> impatiently, I stopped at a farm-house and +asked for some food, offering to pay for it. The respectable-looking man +whom I addressed asked me what kind of money I had. I said, "Only +Confederate money." He replied, "I won't take anything except gold or +silver and have no food to give away," and shut the door in my face. I +inquired of some negroes, as I walked off, and was told he was a very +well-to-do man, and a preacher!</p> + +<p>In striking contrast was the treatment by a poor farmer's wife the same +day. I stopped at a small farm-house by the roadside, and in response to +my call a woman opened the house door, and looking out cautiously asked +who I was. I replied, "I am a Confederate soldier trying to get home. I +am sick, and want something to eat." She called out, "You got smallpox?" +"No," I said. Again she asked, "You got the measles?" "No, I've got only +fever, and only want to rest; and if you have anything to spare, +something to eat." She then told me to come into the house, and showing +me into the back porch, spread a comfort on the floor with a pillow, and +said, "My husband got back from the army just yesterday, and went to +town this morning. I am sorry, but there's not a scrap of meat in the +house, only some veal which he killed this morning. Now you just lie +down and take a rest while I cook you some veal, and corn bread." I laid +down, and was soon asleep. After a while the good woman aroused me, and +led the way to the table, where she had prepared some veal chops and +corn bread for me, which I ate<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span> with relish. She refused to receive any +pay, as she said she "could not receive pay from a soldier." So giving +her my warm thanks I resumed my route toward Newberry.</p> + +<p>At Abbeville I went into a drug store and invested $30 in a toothbrush.</p> + +<p>I had chosen this route to avoid the section devastated by Sherman. From +Abbeville my route lay through Washington and Augusta, Ga., to Aiken, +where my family were, and which I reached early in May. When passing +through Augusta I went to the quartermaster's department and drew my +pay, amounting to $156. This was the first pay I had received for a +year, and of course it was absolutely worthless, but upon my arrival at +Aiken I found a man who accepted $50 of it for a bottle of very crude +corn whiskey. The remainder of this pay is still in my desk.</p> + +<p>On April 26, 1865, General Johnston's army was surrendered to General +Sherman near Durham Station, N. C.. thus putting an end to the war +within the limits of their respective commands. At that time General +Johnston had 26,000 men on his roll, as many of the remnants of the Army +of the Tennessee and others from Wilmington had joined his command. Of +these, 2,000 had no arms of any kind. General Sherman had 110,000 men +effective. Johnston's army had consumed their last rations when it was +surrendered, and General Sherman, when informed of its condition, +ordered 250,000 rations immediately distributed, or about ten days' +rations<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span> to each Confederate soldier. General Johnston in his +"Narrative" says that if this had not been done great suffering would +have ensued.</p> + +<p>The great war was at an end, and the following figures show the fearful +odds we fought against.</p> + +<p>During the four years the United States put about 3,000,000 men in the +field, of whom 720,000 were foreigners. They lost in killed, in battle, +and from disease, 366,000, or about 12 per cent.</p> + +<p>The Confederate States had only about 625,000 men, all told, from first +to last. Of these there were killed in battle, and died from disease, +349,000, or about 56 per cent.</p> + +<p>At the close the United States had 1,050,000 men in active service, and +the Confederate States 139,000. We were fighting odds of over 7 to 1.</p> + +<p>The day after my arrival at home the first Federal troops arrived from +Charleston to garrison the town of Aiken. They were a company of +negroes, commanded by a German captain, who spoke very broken English. I +soon learned that it was a part of the force that had assaulted us on +James Island and from the officers I heard their side of the affair. +This was the beginning of that era of reconstruction which, for eleven +years, was a course of negro domination, corruption, robbery, and +outrages; and which steadily increased in intensity until in 1876 it was +overthrown by the general uprising of the white people. But this is +another subject.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span></p> +<h2>SOME EXPERIENCES AND SKETCHES OF SOUTHERN LIFE</h2> + +<h3>BY MARION JOHNSTONE FORD</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus2.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>Marion Johnstone Porcher</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + +<h2><a name="SOME_EXPERIENCES_AND_SKETCHES_OF_SOUTHERN_LIFE" id="SOME_EXPERIENCES_AND_SKETCHES_OF_SOUTHERN_LIFE"></a>KENT—A WAR-TIME NEGRO</h2> + + +<p>"An African Morgan—a citizen whose name we shall not mention, although +many readers know and will recognize the case—was surprised some days +ago by the entrance of a good servant, who was supposed to be, if living +at all, in Yankee hands at Knoxville. This servant went cheerfully, of +course, or he would not have been sent, to wait on 'Young Massa,' who is +under Brigadier-General Jenkins, in Longstreet's corps.</p> + +<p>"In the retreat from Knoxville, he was accidentally wounded, and +necessarily left behind.</p> + +<p>"When taken to Knoxville, he was questioned by General Foster, well +known for his connection as engineer with Fort Sumter, which has done +more than he desired or expected for the defense of Charleston.</p> + +<p>"Being asked his master's name, the man replied, when General Foster +condescendingly said: 'Oh, yes; I knew him when I was at Sumter. You +know that you are now free and have no master.' We<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span> need not report +the further conversation, or the conduct of the servant. Suffice it to +say he did not—like some of our gossiping friends in uniform—talk to +everybody about his intention, but at the first promising opportunity he +took French leave of Yankee friends and freedom in Knoxville, and not +knowing then where to find or reach his 'Young Master,' he struck, +according to his best information, for the 'Old Master' and the 'home +place.'</p> + +<p>"He was compelled to walk over one hundred and fifty miles, and in great +part over the route travelled lately by General Morgan, and succeeded in +reaching a railroad, which gave him a lift toward this city.</p> + +<p>"We would have more such cases if opportunities could be found."</p> + +<p class="right">—<i>Charleston, S. C, Courier, January 19, 1863.</i></p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>This Kent was not of blood royal, as his name might indicate; he came of +a dusky African brood, but his loyalty and faithfulness would have done +credit to any race. How he got his name I do not know, but it was a +relief to the ear after those his mother had chosen for his +brothers—"Cully" and "Hackless." Whether the latter was intended for +Hercules, neither Martha, their mother, nor any one else knew.</p> + +<p>Kent was the flower of his flock as regarded his appearance, being tall +and slender, with shiny black skin and unusually high features for a +negro. He seemed to justify his mother's boast that she was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span> "no +low-blooded negro, but was of a good family in Africa." And she really +had some foundation for this unusual pride among her race, for our +grandmother, who died at a great age many years ago, was fond of telling +among the incidents of her childhood, that once when a shipload of +Africans was brought to her native city for sale, her husband went to +purchase some for his plantation, and among several he brought back +"Katura," Martha's ancestress. After the usual process of shutting them +up until they could be induced to wear clothes, she, with the others, +was sent up to the plantation. When they arrived there and began to +mingle with the other negroes, one of those that had been bought some +time before, at the sight of "Katura," rushed forward and prostrated +herself at her feet with every mark of affection and respect. She could +speak English and explained to the astonished onlookers that this was a +princess in her country, who had been sold by her uncle to the +slave-traders. It seemed a barbaric romance. Katura, however, took +kindly to civilization, and soon settled herself in her new position +with no undue repining. In time she was comforted by a partner, and +brought into the world numerous progeny, who were noted for their +integrity and fidelity unto the fifth generation, which brings us to +that of Kent.</p> + +<p>When the great war broke out, and all the men and youths were joining +the army, our hearts were heavy, and we felt full of sad forebodings at +Otranto, our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span> country home, where parting and sorrow had never come. We +were a large band of girls, with one young brother, the idol of our +hearts, and the apple of our parents' eyes. Like everybody in those +days, we were very patriotic, but when it dawned upon us that Harry must +shoulder his rifle and go to Virginia we felt that love of country cost +us dear. Harry completed his sixteenth year the April after the +secession of South Carolina, and as there was no doubt that his college +days were over, as he would not study, we were not surprised when the +day after his birthday, he galloped up the avenue, dashed into the room +where we were sitting, upsetting a chair, and exclaimed:</p> + +<p>"How soon can you get me ready, girls? I joined the Hampton Legion this +morning, and we are off to Virginia,—Hurrah!"</p> + +<p>"Hush, Harry!" exclaimed our eldest sister; "pick up that chair; don't +you see mother is faint?"</p> + +<p>"No, it is past," murmured our mother, trying to smile, as we all turned +to her. "God bless and keep you, my boy. I expected you to enlist; you +could not do otherwise, and now," stifling a sigh, "I must think of your +outfit, and you must take a servant too. I wonder which will be best."</p> + +<p>"A private with a servant seems an anomaly," laughingly said Harry. "But +I believe several of the boys have men, and anything to ease your mind, +mother dear."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Our minds must learn to do without ease, as well as our bodies, I fear, +in the days that lie before us," she answered, stroking his curly head +as he knelt by her chair; "but we must act, and not think now."</p> + +<p>The days that followed were busy ones. The difficulty was not what was +needed, but what could be carried. It was an exciting novelty to pack a +knapsack, and its small capacity was a constant check to our zeal. +Harry's constant reminder, "I will have to march with that on my back, +nobody knows how far," brought a pang to our hearts. It was decided that +he should take a "body-servant"—the old-fashioned Southern rendering of +the French term "valet." After much deliberation and, I fear, heart +burning among the servants, for in this, as in other instances, the post +of danger was also that of honor, Kent was selected, much to his own and +his mother's gratification.</p> + +<p>The day appointed for the company to which Harry belonged to join the +Legion in Virginia came all too soon. He shouldered his knapsack, and +tore himself from us, followed by his colored attendant, with whom we +all shook hands and whom we urged to "take care of Mas' Harry."</p> + +<p>"Yes, Missus," he responded, looking preternaturally solemn.</p> + +<p>Of course Harry left a great gap behind him, but we tried to excel each +other in efforts at cheerfulness, and bright prognostications as to his +future career as a soldier. We succeeded only tolerably in these<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span> +laudable efforts, when Martha waddled in—she was our cook, and a +decided character in her way. I believe, next to our mother, she thought +herself of first importance among the feminine part of the household. +She gave a keen glance at our mother, whom she idolized.</p> + +<p>"Well, Missus," she said, dropping a little curtsy, "I come to see how +you gettin' on. You all looks pretty blue, but I 'clare to gracious +there's no 'casion to fret. Nuttin' gwine to hu't Mas' Harry w'en Kent +gone to tak' care ov him. Missus, you dunno how smart dat boy is; an' I +jus' tell him, 'Mas' Harry tinks he's a man and a soger, but you know he +ain't nuttin' but a baby, an' a ma-baby at dat.' An' I jus' tell him he +need not to come home if he let anyt'ing hu't Mas' Harry. So don't you +fret, Missus."</p> + +<p>"But how could Kent prevent Harry's being wounded or hurt, Martha?" I +asked.</p> + +<p>"Now, Miss Sallie, don't you go for to talk nonsense," responded the old +woman. "An' your ma always says w'ere dere is a will dere is a way. +Well, dat's what I tells Kent, an' I tells Affy, de gal he's courtin', +it's no use for she to fret, fur 'less Kent brings Mas' Harry back safe, +dere won't be no weddin' fur him."</p> + +<p>"Oh," I said, "he is courting, is he? That is why he looked so serious +when he left."</p> + +<p>"It looks so, Missy. He tell me to look sharp at her, an' see if she +notice anybody while he is gone.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span> An' I will—an' let her know, too, if +she do," she muttered as she left the room.</p> + +<p>Harry saw much active service, was in many battles, and fortunately +escaped with only one wound. He told us in his letters of Kent's +faithful following, and attendance on long marches, and after a battle +he always found him looking anxiously for him, with something to eat as +nice as he could get. Indeed, he was a wonderful provider, but Harry was +by no means sure that Kent could have made good his claim to many of the +eatables he set before him, for his conscience was an elastic one as to +the rights of property in food. So long as he got what he wanted for +Harry, he stopped neither to buy, beg nor borrow, but helped himself. +His kindness of heart, ready wit, and readiness to lend a helping hand +to any one in need made him a general favorite in the company, where he +was noted for the care he took of his young master.</p> + +<p>The years of the war sped on, and brought privations and sorrows which +each year seemed to intensify. Our home was no longer the bright place +it used to be, for we had lost many friends, and self-denial was the +order of the day. We were very busy, too, and that helped to keep us +cheerful.</p> + +<p>There were new accomplishments to acquire. We learned, and taught our +maids, to card and spin the home-grown wool, and when that did not +suffice for the extraordinary demand we had supernumerary wool +mattresses ripped up; the ticking was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span> considered to make handsome +frocks for the servants, and the wool when dyed and woven made excellent +homespun suits for ourselves, that were not to be despised for +durability and warmth. There was quite a rivalry as to who could make +the prettiest dyes for our dresses, but after a time black was most +worn. Then we had our old light kid gloves to ink over carefully, so +that we might not go barehanded to church. We thought those gloves a +great success when we first dyed them, but when we came to wear them, +the ink never seemed to dry, and would soak through, and dye our hands +most uncomfortably. Our greatest achievement after all, I think, was the +piles of socks we knitted by the lightwood blaze at night. Our +old-fashioned butler always placed a candle—a tallow one, or still +worse, a home-made myrtle wax one—upon the table, but we considered it +an extravagance to light it unless there was something urgent to read. I +am surprised now that we did not mind the heat of the blaze more in +summer, but I do not remember our thinking of it. There was one great +spasm of patriotism when every worsted curtain in the house was cut into +soldiers' shirts. Some of these were of brilliant colors and patterns, +and I cannot but think might have served as targets for bullets. We even +undressed the piano and converted its cover into a blanket for a +soldier. We were chagrined afterwards to hear from some of our friends +who had done the same thing, that the latest advice from the field was +that the soldiers<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span> found the garments, so improvised, very +unsatisfactory, and begged the ladies not to sacrifice their belongings +so recklessly.</p> + +<p>There were no plum puddings or mince pies in those days, according to +the accepted recipes, but we made Confederate fruit cake with dried +peaches and apples instead of raisins and currants, with sorghum for +sugar; and potato pones and puddings were very frequent, and both dishes +had the merit of a little going a long way, especially after the supply +of ginger gave out.</p> + +<p>We never had any use for the potato, peas, ground-nut, or any sort of +mock coffee, but we drank orange leaf, or sage tea in preference to any +other home-made beverage. We managed to keep a little store of genuine +tea for medicine, and when our mother pronounced any of us ill enough to +need a little coddling, what a treat it was! The invalid never would +consent to partake, unless it was a family tea party. What enjoyment +those occasions gave!</p> + +<p>In the latter part of '63, we were distressed to hear from Harry that he +was ill in the hospital in Tennessee. He wrote: "I think we are falling +back. Kent is ill with pneumonia, and the worst of it is that if we fall +back I have no means of transportation for him; it will be hard to have +to leave him."</p> + +<p>Dire was the distress that letter brought us. We waited anxiously for +further news. Harry brought<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span> it himself. He had been ill, and was sent +home on furlough. He looked worn, and very unlike the bright boy who had +left us.</p> + +<p>"What of Kent?" we asked.</p> + +<p>"I had to leave him," he said. "I could not help it. We were falling +back rapidly. Many were left in the hospitals, and are now prisoners. It +was only through my captain being such a friend of father's, and +stirring himself to get me a place in an ambulance, that I was not left. +I dragged myself to see the good fellow, although I could scarcely walk. +He was very sick, and distressed to part with me. I told him the enemy +would be in town that night, and he would be free. He said, 'Mas' Harry, +that is nothing to me; if you don't see me home, you will know I am +dead. Tell Missus, and Ma, and Affy so.'"</p> + +<p>Martha was given the message, but our conscientious mother added: "But, +Martha, if you do not see him you need not be sure he is not living; but +you must not count too much on seeing him, for if he gets well he will +doubtless be tempted to stay, and try a new experience."</p> + +<p>The old woman twirled the corners of her apron, as she said sadly: +"Missus, it is five generations since my fam'ly come from Africa, and +Mausser's from France; we's been togedder since dat time, an' been +fait'ful togedder; for once w'en times was hard wid Mausser, he mout hab +sold us, but he didn't. He kep' us all togedder, an' you tink Kent such +a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span> fool as not to know dat, an' be happy 'mong strangers? He got to work +w'erebber he is, an' nobody gwine to consider him like you all. No, +ma'am, if he alive I'm lookin' for him, w'atever it seems like to you, +ma'am." And she bobbed her curtsy and walked off, leaving her mistress +feeling quite small.</p> + +<p>Harry remained with us for some weeks. It was pleasant to see his +enjoyment of home fare, even in its pruned condition. Everything seemed +luxurious after the camp life; but he did not linger after he was well +enough to return to the army. There still was no news of Kent. Harry +refused to take another servant in his place, although urged to do so. +"No," he said, "I could not find any one to fill Kent's place; and it is +a demoralizing life. I do not know if even he could stand the restraints +of civilization again."</p> + +<p>Several months passed after Harry's departure, and we had given up any +idea we might have had of hearing any more of Kent. Martha mourned him +as dead, and induced her preacher to preach his funeral, she and Affy +attending as chief mourners. Affy in a black cotton dress of Martha's +which swallowed her up, and Martha with her very black face muffled in a +square of black alpaca, from which, as she peered out, her teeth and +eyeballs looked dazzlingly white.</p> + +<p>One freezing night in December, as we were trying to summon resolution +to leave the warm chimney<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> corner and go to bed, we were startled by a +rap at the door. Everything was startling in those days. Our father +opened it, and the light fell on a tall figure clad in a United States +uniform, surmounted by Kent's smiling countenance.</p> + +<p>"Why, where do you come from?" we exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"Well, I tole Mas' Harry if de Lord spare my life I'd come home, an' +here I is, sir, and Missus, an' mighty proud," he added, as my mother +extended her hand to him, and said:</p> + +<p>"You are a faithful fellow. Your mother knew you better than I did."</p> + +<p>We soon dismissed our returned wanderer to his rest. Martha's and Affy's +delight may be imagined, and the speed with which they doffed their +mourning was marvelous. The next morning we were anxious to have Kent's +adventures, which he was pleased to narrate. His comfortable attire +looked very spick and span beside the faded garments of those around, +and his excellent shoes were a source of undisguised envy to his +fellow-servants.</p> + +<p>"Well, Miss Sallie," he said, when I remarked on his appearance, "I +thought I'd better get myself the best I could while I was w'ere dey was +plenty, as I could give ole Maussa one nigger less to clothe. You see, +ma'am, w'en Mas' Harry an' our people lef', I felt pretty bad. That +night, sure 'nuf, as Mas' Harry tole me, the Yankees came booming into +town, an' it wasn't long befo' all our mens, who was in the hospitable, +was took prisoners; but they seemed very kind to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span> them. W'ile they was +sick they give them everything. It was a cur'ous t'ing, w'en General +Foster come through w'ere I was, he noticed me, and asked me w'at I was +doin' there, an' I tole him how I had been wid my young Maussa, an' w'en +I tole him w'ere I come from an' Mas' Harry's name, 'Oh,' say he, 'I +know his father well. I was stationed at Fort Moultrie befo' de war, an' +I have eaten many a good dinner at the old Colonel's.' I tole him, 'Yes, +sir, Maussa had the bes' of everything, an' my ma was a splendid cook.' +So then he say: 'If you come from them you knows your business, an' w'en +you are well, I will take you into my service. You is free now, you +know.' So they kep' me in the hospitable, an' give me nice things to +make me well, an' w'en the hospitable discharged me, de General took me +an' was rale kind. I had good greenback wages and plenty of everything, +an' not much to do, an' rale coffee, as much as I wanted, too; but +somehow I couldn't diskiver to be settled. I had been in de Soudern army +so long, w'en they talked of beatin' it, it made me oneasy, an' w'en I +studied on Mas' Harry back in de army wid nobody—for I know he wouldn't +take nobody in my place—an' wid not 'nuf of even corn bread an' bacon, +widout me to perwide," he added, with a grin, "I jest kep' studyin', but +I never said nuttin', an' every day dey tole me how lucky I was to be +free. I jes' made up my mind, an' I got the General to let me draw all +de clo's I could, an' a overcoat an' shoes an' blankets on my<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span> wages, +an' den I ask him for a month's wages in advance, an' he seem a little +surprised, but he was very kind, an' he give it to me; so w'en I got +everything I could, one night I waited on the General fust rate, w'en he +was goin' to bed, an' fixed everything very nice, an' he said I was a +rale good servant an' a treasure of a boy; but I jest took my things an' +watched my chance, an' jest slipped off in the dark, an' dodged about +until I got out of their lines an' into our'n. I had to walk a hundred +miles befo' I got to our regiment. An', Mis', they jest gave me three +cheers w'en I tole them how I come back; an' I took de liberty to bring +a bottle of whiskey, an' I treated Mas' Harry's ole mess. Dey tole me he +had jine another regiment. I had to walk a good piece more to de cyars; +but one of our officers give me a letter to the conductors on de cyars, +so I jest come through without payin' a cent. An' mighty glad I is to +git home," he added, drawing a long sigh of relief.</p> + +<p>"But did you not feel bad at robbing the kind officer who employed you?" +I asked.</p> + +<p>"Well, Missy," he answered, "seems like Mas' Harry has the bes' right to +me, an' he was robbin' Mas' Harry ob me." And, turning to our mother, he +said: "Please, ma'am, I would like a week at home to marry Affy, an' den +can't I find Mas' Harry?"</p> + +<p>It is needless to add that Kent's wedding was as festive as it could be +made. It was a holiday on the plantation, and dancing was kept up to the +sound of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span> the rhythmic stick beating, from morning until night. The +bride was proud, happy and dusky in white muslin; the groom a marvel in +his attire, and with all the airs of a traveled man.</p> + +<p>After the surrender Kent followed his young master home, and he and Affy +settled on a pretty part of the plantation, declaring that they would +live "faithful togedder" for the remainder of their lives.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="ROSE_BLANKETS" id="ROSE_BLANKETS"></a>ROSE BLANKETS</h2> + + +<p>In the busy rush of to-day it is sometimes a relaxation to pause for a +moment and let memory carry us back, far back, to the peaceful, +uneventful days before the Civil War. Life seemed to go slower then. We +had no cables to tell us, and often harrow us, each morning with the +events all over the world of the preceding day. And (inestimable boon) +our only ideas of war were time-mellowed Revolutionary anecdotes. There +was in these days no more beautiful place in all the luxuriant low +country contiguous to Charleston than Hickory Hill. The plantation +consisted of rice fields which bordered Goose Creek on both sides. The +massive brick dwelling, built in Colonial days by the pioneer of the +family which still dwelt there, stood beyond the rice fields in view of +the creek; venerable moss-crowned live-oaks stood sentinels around. The +approach was through an avenue of similar trees, whose branches formed a +beautiful arch over the luxuriant sward beneath. These trees were the +admiration and pride of the countryside.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span></p> + +<p>Years had only added beauty to the rugged old house, for ivy and +climbing rose vines had dressed its walls and framed many of its +windows. In the springtime it was a veritable bower. At the time of +which I write it was a "maidens' bower." From my earliest recollections +three unmarried sisters, Miss Martha, Miss Joanna and Miss Mary, +composed the family. My parents lived on an adjoining plantation, and +although our dwelling houses were some distance apart, there was a short +cut along the rice field banks, and a happy child was I when any pretext +afforded an excuse for a visit to the ladies. Their individuality had a +great charm even to my childish mind. When I first remember them they +must have all been past their sixtieth birthdays, and were counted +ladies of the old school. Miss Martha was the eldest. She took life very +seriously, was very tall and thin, was the housekeeper and head, besides +being considered "the clever woman of the family." She could be very +tragic on the smallest provocation. Her drop of good Scotch blood made +her hold her head very high, and also made her a rigid Presbyterian. +When she was not hemming a pocket handkerchief she usually had one of +Scott's novels in her hands. Miss Joanna, the second sister, who was as +genial as her sister was severe, used to say she "did not know what +Martha would have done if Scott had never written; he had really +diversified her life by his novels."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span></p> + +<p>Miss Joanna had the cheeriest old face imaginable, bright blue eyes, +rosy cheeks, with high cheek bones, her gray hair waved becomingly, and +she always wore a lavender ribbon in her cap. She was the social one of +the sisters; that is, she performed the social duties. Miss Mary, the +youngest, was at sixty the spoiled darling, having been considered the +best looking, and delicate in her youth. All the airs of a beauty, and +the privileges of an invalid still clung to her. Indeed, her very white +skin and black eyes were very impressive. Her sisters always gave her +the tenderest consideration and never failed to be affected by her +gentle melancholy and pathetic sighs. They were all much given to +charity, but Miss Mary was more lavish than wise. Whole families of +beggars, not only preyed upon her, but tyrannized. There was a tradition +that Miss Mary had been rescued in her youth from a runaway carriage by +a lover who was anxious to marry her; she had inclined to him, but had +been deterred by the fear of parting from Miss Joanna, who usually +directed her affairs, and sometimes made up her mind for her.</p> + +<p>The sisters were accounted quite wealthy. They owned a handsome +residence in the neighboring city of Charleston, where they betook +themselves when fear of country fever drove them from their beloved +country home. The yearly exodus was a great trial to Miss Martha, who +was supposed to manage the plantation. The neighbors said the negro +foreman,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span> Boston, managed the place and the ladies also. They would +never employ a white overseer, as they said "a hireling could not make +allowance for the negroes as they did." Indeed, their negroes were a +terrible care to them; they had large retinues of house servants, both +in the city and country, both having a sinecure during their absence.</p> + +<p>Miss Martha frequently complained that she was "hard worked in finding +something for the servants to do." The young ones grew up so rapidly, +and to put certain families to field work was not to be contemplated.</p> + +<p>That the ladies did not suffer more from their reckless management was +providential. They had the affection of all their servants, but the +women were lazy and the men great inebriates. Their idol, and coachman, +Billy, was a terrible case. Their lives were often in peril when he was +on the box. After some hair-breadth escape Billy would be summoned +before the trio and Miss Martha would say tragically, "Billy, you will +be the death of us." "Fore de Laud, Missis, I wouldn't hurt a hair of +yore heads," would be his rejoinder. That he did not was not his fault, +but his good fortune, for on one occasion, having been sent to meet Miss +Martha and Miss Mary at one of the wharves, he was so far gone that he +drove carriage and pair over them, knocking them down as they approached +to get into the carriage. Miraculously they escaped with only bruises. +Their black silk dresses were kept as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span> curiosities, as the iron shod +hoofs of the horses had left their impress in several places. On another +occasion, having met them at the theater with the carriage, he drove +them several miles up the road toward their country home at 11 o'clock +at night before they could induce him to turn. These episodes, combined +with the very apparent fact that their friends had ceased to borrow +their carriage, which they enjoyed lending as much as using, sealed +Billy's fate. To soften his downfall, they told him he could give +Cuffie, his successor on the box, some "hints on driving," and they +would be glad to fill his molasses jug when it was empty, and if he must +drink, to take molasses and water. He could employ himself by sweeping +the yard. Billy never said what he drank, but died shortly after of +delirium tremens.</p> + +<p>Joe and Romeo, the butler and his assistant, were quite as harassing. +Romeo's besetting sin was indolence. He had been known to shed tears at +the prospect of one of the little tea parties in which the old ladies +delighted. On these occasions their guests were their contemporaries, +"the girls," of whom there were a great many in maiden state in the +quiet old city. The handsome rooms were always lit by candles in tall +silver candlesticks. Miss Martha would never consent to the introduction +of gas, which the more progressive Miss Joanna advocated.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span></p> + +<p>"No," decided Miss Martha, "candles are much more lady-like." What would +she have thought of electric lights?</p> + +<p>On these occasions Joe handed a waiter with tea, Romeo followed with +delicate cakes, and then bread and butter, while a boy followed in the +rear with a tray "to catch the cups" as they were emptied. Ice cream +followed at "last bell ring," ten in summer and nine in winter, when the +party broke up. Any more substantial refreshment would have been deemed +"very unrefined" by the whole assembly.</p> + +<p>There was a rumor that on one of these occasions both Joe and Romeo had +been very unsteady as they handed their waiters. Dire was their +mistresses' mortification. Miss Martha always seemed to feel responsible +when her servants misbehaved. She would exclaim, "A single woman has +great need of strength of mind." Miss Mary's unfailing rejoinder would +be, "Thank God, you have it, sister." One evening Joe brought especial +obloquy upon himself. He must have shared Billy's molasses jug, for he +had not drawn the tea as directed.</p> + +<p>Miss Martha, in consideration for some of "the girls" who were growing +feeble, always accompanied Joe on his rounds. As he paused before a +guest she would hold a lump suspended in the sugar tongs as she would +say, "Green tea and black; dear, which will you have?" On this occasion +Joe took advantage of her deafness to mumble, "Both made in de<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span> same +pot." The guests were quite diverted, but did not enlighten Miss Martha +as to Joe's confession, and their progress continued until they reached +Miss Mary. When she overheard Joe's assertion, she looked at him with +mild indignation, but only said, "Sister, you had better sit down. I +will explain later my asking you to do so." Miss Mary's suggestion of +any course of action to Miss Martha seemed to call for explanation.</p> + +<p>The next morning, when she told of the duet she had interrupted, Joe was +summoned. Miss Martha told him he had brought disgrace upon them and +would further bring their gray hairs in sorrow to the grave. He of +course expressed great penitence, and was vociferous in promises of +amendment. His mistresses tried to feel faith. Miss Mary, however, had +to take a great deal of orange-leaf tea before her nerves recovered the +shock. Kindly Miss Joanna said privately, she had known nothing of what +was occurring, but she was glad the girls had something to amuse them; +she had thought them very merry, and though Joe had failed in his +demeanor he had shown a wonderful regard for truth. Had the ladies and +many of their generation lived to see emancipation they would have +parted with many "an old man of the sea."</p> + +<p>One April morning I set out to take a bunch of May roses over the rice +field banks to Hickory Hill. These roses were especial favorites with +the sisters, and I was pleased to have the earliest blossoms to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span> carry. +Miss Joanna kept a rose jar. Miss Martha was famous for the rose water +she distilled. I only expected to see Miss Martha, for I knew Miss Mary +had been drooping, and Miss Joanna had taken her to visit a friend, who, +although long past her youth, had recently married a Northern gentleman, +with whom she lived on her beautiful plantation near the city.</p> + +<p>Miss Joanna and her sister had left only the day before, so I was +surprised to see the carriage at the door and Cilia, the maid, removing +their shawls and trappings. "Why, Cilia!" I exclaimed, "are the ladies +back already?" "Yes, missy," she replied, grinning and dropping a +curtsy, "Miss Joanna an' Miss May, an' Miss Burton had a kine uv +upsettin', an' so we come home." Wondering what was amiss, I hastened +in. I paused as I entered the sitting-room, for I saw the ladies were +much perturbed (small excitements were very usual with them, but their +demeanor betokened something serious); Miss Martha sat very erect, with +her most judicial aspect, the needle with which she was sewing +suspended. "Come in, child," she said as she saw me; "if my sisters make +fools of themselves you may as well know it as the rest of the world."</p> + +<p>Miss Mary and Miss Joanna sat with their bonnets on. Miss Mary with the +air of a culprit, Miss Joanna decidedly ruffled, and her cheeks redder +than usual. She said: "Don't jump too quickly to conclusions, sister; it +does seem queer for us to return<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span> so hastily, but when I tell you about +it quietly, you will, I am sure, see that we were not entirely to blame. +You know Caroline's husband is rather abrupt in his manner."</p> + +<p>"He has no Southern suavity," interrupted Miss Mary.</p> + +<p>"The evening we got there I was feeling rather dull, and he really made +me nervous by shouting in my ear several times, 'Cheer up, Miss Mary.' I +jumped every time."</p> + +<p>"He no doubt meant it kindly," said Miss Joanna, "but I dare say it +prepared you for what followed."</p> + +<p>"We had a pleasant evening on the whole, although I thought Mr. Burton +did express his Northern views of slavery a little more than was called +for, especially as he did not seem to object to Caroline's owning a +great many. She was in high feather and seemed delighted to see us. At +bed-time she accompanied us to our room, where there was a bright fire, +and Cilia awaiting us. After Caroline left us Cilia begged leave to go +to a dance at the negro quarter; she said it was in her honor, and she +seemed in haste to be gone. So I promised to do what Mary would need and +sent her off. After I was undressed I was standing by the fire brushing +my hair. I saw Mary fumbling about the bed and asked her if she was +ready for me to tuck her in. Instead of answering, she came, as I +thought, mysteriously up to me and whispered, 'Negro.'<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Of course I thought there was a man under the bed. I remembered our +watches, Mary's diamond pin, and how far we were from Caroline and Mr. +Burton; for we were in the company wing. I screamed for help as loud as +I could; the more noise I made the more distressed Mary seemed. Caroline +and Mr. Burton came running, in most indescribable costumes," the old +lady continued, with a look of amused retrospection. "There stood Mary +in her bed-gown and curl-papers; I in my wrapper, and Mary staring at me +as if she thought me crazy.</p> + +<p>"'What is the matter?' they both exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"'Oh,' I said, 'Mary says there is a negro under the bed.'</p> + +<p>"We'll soon have the rascal out," said Mr. Burton, poking under the bed +with a big stick.</p> + +<p>"'Oh,' said Mary, 'I never said anything of the kind, Joanna. I meant,' +she said, turning as red as a beet, 'that there were not rose blankets +on the bed, but blankets without the rose embroidered on them, and I +call those negro blankets. Joanna made such a noise I could not explain +what I meant,' and she burst into tears. Mr. Burton bounced out of the +room, muttering something. Caroline was very angry. She said that if she +had had any idea that we girls could behave in such a way she would +never have invited us to visit her. She had wished to give her husband +an agreeable impression of Southern ladies, but she did not like to +think what his impression must be; and as to rose blankets, we never +could<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span> understand when things were out of date. Those were beautiful new +blankets, bought in New York when refurnishing their guest-room. And in +fact she was so angry," concluded Miss Joanna, "that I do not like to +remember all she said."</p> + +<p>"But I must tell you, sister," put in Miss Mary, "she said she knew I +was always a fool, but she had thought Joanna had a little sense, and I +agree with her, Joanna, that you ought not to have made such a noise. I +never felt worse in my life than when you began to scream. And I never +slept a wink all night, as you know. Now, Sister Martha, which do you +think the most to blame?"</p> + +<p>"I cannot say," said Miss Martha, "but I know I will never go to visit +any friend with either of you. I don't wonder Caroline was angry, and +what an impression you have made on her husband."</p> + +<p>"Oh," said Miss Joanna, "we know he was furious. We had a most +unpleasant time at breakfast the next morning. I tried to make a joke of +the whole episode, but failed. They were too angry; so as Mary was +feeling so shaken, and had taken all her orange-leaf water with no +benefit to her nerves, I thought we had better come home; and I am +delighted to be here; and too thankful neither of you are married," she +continued, with a return of her genial smile. "For I nearly exhausted +myself trying to mollify Mr. Burton."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Yes," said Miss Mary, "with no success. I do not envy Caroline her new +acquisition, and I am sure rose blankets are the best."</p> + +<p>Such were the agitations and events of these tranquil lives. Their days +glided by in peace and kindly ministrations. They were fortunate in +following each other in quick succession to the old Scotch churchyard +where their fathers slept in the "City by the Sea."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="SOME_LETTERS_WRITTEN_DURING_THE_LAST_MONTHS_OF_THE_WAR" id="SOME_LETTERS_WRITTEN_DURING_THE_LAST_MONTHS_OF_THE_WAR"></a>SOME LETTERS WRITTEN DURING THE LAST MONTHS OF THE WAR</h2> + + + +<p class="right"><span class="smcap">Otranto</span>, November 20, 1864.</p> + +<p>I have not written to you for some time, as we have been moving about a +good deal, and have had some interesting and funny experiences. Last +summer we were tired of refugeeing, and decided to go back to +Charleston, and lived in a house on Mary street, as we thought well out +of shell range; our own residence on South Bay being in the grass, and +glass-strewed district. Our family consists only of my mother, sister +and myself, our mankind being in service, as you know, except father, +who is in the home guard. My mother spent most of her time visiting the +hospitals and devising comforts for the soldiers; my sister and I knit +socks, and rejoiced when some of our soldier relatives could snatch a +breathing-space from arduous duties at Sumter or on the islands to visit +us and partake of the best we could bestow on them.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span></p> + +<p>The sound of the shells with their sharp, rasping, hissing sound before +they exploded was familiar, the interest being to venture into range +sometimes and discover the last place hit. There was a method in +Gilmore's management of his "Swamp Angel." We always noticed the shells +came quicker at church time on Sunday, and at ten to eleven at night. To +add to our troubles, yellow fever broke out this year, the only time +during the war. It was not a violent epidemic, but there were some +deaths. We thought we were immune, but in September my sister took it.</p> + +<p>One evening early in September my sister was better and a friend of mine +(whose house we faced in their rear) begged me to come to tea. I went +over at dusk, and with her and another guest were enjoying a cup of real +tea and a bit of toast—quite a feast, when there was a tremendous +explosion apparently just at hand. We all sat quiet, tea cups in hand. +The negro boy rushed in, rolling his eyes, with the announcement that +the opposite house in Aiken's row was struck, and they were moving out. +The lady and her daughter were both ill with fever, and both died +shortly in consequence of the fright and removal.</p> + +<p>In quick succession several houses in Aiken's row were struck. As I look +back now it seems strange to me that we all sat quietly in the +drawing-room waiting our turn to be hit. The man servant returning at +intervals to report that another of the houses was hit. I welcomed my +father, when at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span> nine, he came for me. Nothing ever overcame his sense +of humor. He brought a large cotton umbrella, which, he said, he had +brought to please my mother, as a shell might spare its hideousness. +When I got home I found my mother and sister anxiously awaiting me. I +had a little cot in a corner of my sister's room, and my mother, being +anxious, lay on the bed by her. I went to bed and was soon asleep, the +shelling apparently having ceased, but they had only paused to try a new +gun. The first shells always going farthest, I was awakened by the +horrible familiar hiss and plaster and glass falling over me. The shell +cut the corner of the house and passed so near me that the glasses of +the window near by my bed were broken, and the plastering above fell on +me. The monster buried itself in our yard, making a horrible deep pit, +but not exploding. A few more inches and I would have been buried with +it. It shows how accustomed we were to shocks that I do not remember +feeling any terror, but remarked quietly in the dark to my mother, "I +think we are hit." To my astonishment she broke forth in ejaculations of +thanksgiving. The noise and crash had been so great she thought the side +of the room with me in it had been taken away. That was the longest +range shell that fell in Charleston. In a few days we went to the +up-country to be with friends, and then last week came down to Otranto, +where we are now.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span></p> + +<p class="right"><span class="smcap">Otranto</span>, January 15, 1865.</p> + +<p>I have not written for some time, but we all are really so troubled and +depressed that, as mother says, we have to be physically active to keep +from thinking, so little writing have I done this winter. I suppose you +know father has gone with his company of reserves to Summerville. They +are all men of over sixty, but we hear that Summerville is pleased to +have them. Aunts Anna and May became so tired of refugee life in Camden +that they decided to join mother, Annie, and me on the plantation. With +father and our brother away we are very lonely, but Aunt Anna's eighty +odd years make us anxious to make her comfortable. She is better off +with us, for the terrible scarcity of provisions has not touched us +here. We have enough of home provisions, but mother gives every morsel +she can spare to the hospitals and soldiers' wayside homes in +Charleston. The aunts say that despite the enormous board they had to +pay in Camden they had only fresh pork and biscuits, not even milk, as +so many of the cattle have been impressed for the army.</p> + +<p>Christmas was certainly a very gloomy day. The news that Sherman was in +Savannah struck us cold. Our three cousins got leave of absence and came +up for a few hours. Mother had a turkey and we did our best, but I think +they feel very grave over the state of things. We are in terror lest +Charleston will have to be abandoned. Hal begged mother to return to the +up-country, but she says she went away<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span> three times and will not leave +again. She manages the plantation, you know. The negroes are very good, +but there is a spirit of restlessness perceptible. Hal was shocked when +he heard that we never locked up the house at night.</p> + +<p>All the white men are in the army and some women are nervous, but we do +not feel so. This intensely cold winter makes us wretched about our poor +bare-footed soldiers. Mother can knit a pair of socks a day. Maum Martha +spins the wool. I can do only one sock a day. We are fortunate to have +so much lightwood. It is the only source of light we have, but we can +manage our knitting and Annie even reads sometimes, but the paper is so +bad that it is hard to read the printing on it.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p class="right"><span class="smcap">Otranto</span>, February 1, 1865.</p> + +<p>I fear you are really having a dreadful time. The high price of +provisions is certainly dreadful on people with fixed incomes.</p> + +<p>We had quite an adventure last Wednesday. Father luckily came over from +Summerville to dinner. It was a bitterly cold day. We were just sitting +down to the luxury of calf's head soup, for father wished some veal to +carry back to camp, when Quash came in with a rattled and rather +bothered air, and said there was a Yankee soldier outside who wanted to +give himself up. We all were thunderstruck, and followed father, who +gave vent to great displeasure.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span></p> + +<p>At the door stood a miserable looking creature, shivering in a tattered +blue uniform. He was tall, thin, and white as a ghost, and his feet +looked particularly white. I never saw a more abject object. Father +tried to be very severe, but you know how kind-hearted he is, and while +he was scolding the man I overheard Quash say aside to him, "Nebber min' +what he say, Maussa doan' mean it. He is one ob de kindest mens in de +wurl."</p> + +<p>It seems that the man was a prisoner who had escaped from the cars on +his way to prison some three months ago and was trying to make his way +to the coast, hoping to get through our lines. He had been living among +the negroes, sleeping in their houses by day and traveling by night; but +the wretched existence had worn him out and he came to give himself up. +He was an Englishman who was impressed on his arrival in New York and he +begged father to ask the authorities to let him take the oath of +allegiance and fight for us; but father said there had been enough of +that and such galvanized Yankees had done more harm than good.</p> + +<p>This poor wretch is the first enemy we have seen, and we could not help +feeling sorry for him, although, as father says, no doubt he has been +demoralizing the negroes. He gave him a good dinner and turned him over +to Daddy Paul to take care of until the next day, when father took him +to Charleston and delivered him to the authorities. Mother found him an +old jacket and pair of shoes<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span> and socks, which she gave him. Surely she +had never expected to give a pair of her socks to one of the enemy.</p> + +<p>Maum Martha thinks our kindness misplaced and told us he talked very +different to them from the way he talked to us, but she told us this +only after he had left, although it would have made no difference. We +may have "heaped coals of fire," etc.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p class="right"><span class="smcap">Otranto</span>, February 15, 1865.</p> + +<p>I have not heard from you for some time, but I know in these dark days +you think of us. There is no doubt we live in dreadful times. We may +soon be in the enemy's country, or rather our troops may have to retire +from the coast.</p> + +<p>Yesterday Annie and I determined to drive over to Summerville and dine +with aunt, as she and Cousin Sue have begged us to do so. Mother did not +want us to go. She feels the perilous times and all the sorrows she has +had make her very anxious. But at last she consented to our going, much +to Aunt May's disappointment, who thinks we should sit down and say, +"Good Lord, deliver us," all the time.</p> + +<p>We had a pleasant drive over, as you know it is only nine miles. Daddy +Moses drove us and mother insisted that Cully should go as an outrider. +He rode Lamb, and went ahead. It showed that mother was nervous, but +Annie and I were amused, as we did not know what he was expected to do. +We found aunt and Cousin Sue delighted to see us and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span> we enjoyed our +day. We left at 5 o'clock, as we could not get off earlier. Father dined +with us and tried to start us earlier. Aunt is delighted to have him in +Summerville as she says she "never felt so safe, because she knows he +will fight."</p> + +<p>Our drive home was gloomy and we did not reach there until 7 o'clock. As +we drew near we met several of the negroes on farm horses looking for +us, and at the avenue gate our maid Fanny peering for us in the dark. +Mother and the aunts were wretched about us, particularly as Uncle Pete +had come up from the city full of bad news. Charleston is to be +evacuated, as Sherman's movements have made that necessary. He was +horrified when he heard that we had taken so long a drive, as he says +the woods are full of stragglers and escaped galvanized Yankees. I do +not know what is before us, or when you will hear from us again.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p class="right"><span class="smcap">Otranto</span>, February 20, 1865.</p> + +<p>Charleston is being evacuated and our army is passing all the time, and +we reconcile ourselves to being left in the enemy's lines by the hope +that our army, strengthened by the coast troops, may defeat Sherman. +This letter will go by the last of our troops. The army has been passing +for five days and many of the men come up to the house, where we give +them everything we can for them to eat. They are full of courage and +their appearance gives us renewed hope. They hate to leave us behind.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span> +Henry spent last night here. He got leave of absence with difficulty, +but will rejoin his regiment at Strawberry Ferry. He begged mother to +retire into the interior; but we mean to stay. He left us this morning. +The captain in command of the rear-guard at Goose Creek Bridge has just +come to bid us good-by, and he took two letters, which he promised to +carry into our lines—one to papa and the other to aunt, which we knew +would be the last tidings they would get from us.</p> + +<p>This may, or may not reach you, but it is a comfort to write. The worst +has come, or I hope it has. After my last letter we awaited the approach +of the enemy with indescribable feelings. We tried not to think, and I +must say I was afraid of being frightened out of my wits and was too +thankful when the Yankees came. I was too angry to be scared. We tried +to keep up each other's spirits and were very busy hiding things. We +took only Paul, Jack and Martha into our confidence and they helped us +faithfully.</p> + +<p>Tuesday passed in quiet. Mother, Annie and I took our usual walk in the +afternoon and met one of the negroes, who told us that our men had not +burned the bridge, and we determined that if this was the fact, we would +do it ourselves; but as we approached we were glad to see it blazing in +the distance. We felt then that we were really cut off from our own<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span> +people, but at the same time had satisfaction in knowing that if our +army was pursued the enemy would here meet an obstacle.</p> + +<p>At 5 o'clock Wednesday afternoon as we were again getting ready for a +walk, a man was seen riding rapidly up the avenue. I called out, "The +Yankees are here. I know them by their blue legs!" and you may be sure +the family assembled quickly. In the mean while the man dashed past the +house and rode quickly around it, evidently expecting some one to run +out; finding no one, he returned to the front of the house, where we +five ladies stood together on the piazza. By this time we saw many +others coming up the avenue.</p> + +<p>"Where is the man of the house?" demanded the man in an insolent tone.</p> + +<p>Mamma replied, "He is not at home," and Aunt May added, "He is a +gray-haired man."</p> + +<p>He gave a leer and said, "But not too old to be in the Rebel army." This +could not be denied, so we were silent. Then, with an expression of +triumph he said, "You have never seen black troops, but you will soon +have that pleasure; they are advancing now."</p> + +<p>Mamma said, "I suppose they are not different from other negroes; we are +accustomed to them and never have feared them."</p> + +<p>This calm reply was evidently a disappointment, as he had hoped we would +have been overcome with fear.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span></p> + +<p>He turned off and said, "I must get some poultry for the General's +supper," and went to the fowl-house, where about a dozen of his men +joined him. In a few moments the cart, which just at the moment was +coming up with a load of wood, was seized and filled with our fowls, +turkeys, geese, etc., and driven off.</p> + +<p>I happened to turn my eyes toward the western entrance from the main +road and saw the negro soldiers rushing in.</p> + +<p>To my latest day I will not forget their brutal appearance. They came up +brandishing their guns with an air of wildness hard to describe, and in +a short time were scattered over the plantation, committing every +conceivable havoc. Their commander, Lieutenant J——, of New York, rode +up to the house, accompanied by several white officers, and while we +stood still and calmly upon the piazza he called out, "Where is the man +of the house?"</p> + +<p>Mother replied as before, when he said, "He is a Rebel," and turning to +her said, "I am come to liberate your people," to which she quietly +replied, "I hope you will be as kind to them as we have been." This +visibly angered him and he exclaimed, "That is a strange reply to make +to a Northern man, and an officer of a colored regiment." To which she +replied, "We will not discuss the question."</p> + +<p>He turned and said something to Quash, our waiting-man, and in a short +time we heard him and the other officers upstairs in our bed-rooms. +Mamma<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span> and Aunt Anna followed quietly and found that he had summoned our +two maids, Rachel and Fanny, and was exhorting them to disclose where +everything of value was concealed, saying, "Don't lie; that woman +(meaning mother) is very bad," and a great deal more in the same strain, +trying to incite them against us. They spoke to these servants as +"Madam," and of mother as "that woman."</p> + +<p>The two girls were very frightened, but behaved remarkably well and +assured them that no valuables were hidden, and only the ladies' clothes +were in the rooms. However, they ransacked our wardrobes and bureau +drawers, throwing our things out all over the floor, and when they came +downstairs took all the cold meats out of the larder.</p> + +<p>While mother and Aunt Anna were upstairs helplessly following Lieutenant +J—— around and witnessing his shameless conduct in our bed-rooms, Aunt +May, Annie and I remained downstairs. A quiet-looking officer was +standing in the piazza.</p> + +<p>Aunt May, who never can control her curiosity, said to him, "We heard +some heavy firing in Charleston this morning. Has anything occurred +there?" "Good Heavens, Madam," he replied, "have you been so long out of +the Union that you have forgotten Washington's birthday?"</p> + +<p>At this moment about twenty rough-looking men came charging up to the +house, evidently intending to enter. I confess that, for the first time +I was alarmed, and calling to the officer said, "For<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span> Heaven's sake, +protect us; don't let those men enter." He said, "I will do what I can," +and placed himself in the doorway.</p> + +<p>The men seeing him come forward as our protector, stopped in the piazza. +By this time Lieutenant J—— and his party had returned from searching +our bed-rooms, and calling to his men said, "Boys, take what you want." +These acted like long-pent-up animals suddenly let loose. All our stock, +horses and mules were driven off, our cattle, sheep and hogs were +killed; the barns and smoke-house were broken open, and all their +contents scattered, and all our vehicles of every kind, tools and +implements were broken in pieces and thrown into the creek or burned.</p> + +<p>It was awful to hear the screams of the cattle and hogs as they were +chased and bayoneted, and the scatter and terror of the sheep was +terrible to see. Even my pet calf, which you know papa gave me, and I +took so much pleasure in raising by hand, was killed; and dear old +Aaron, our house cat, was cruelly run through with a bayonet, right +before my eyes, as he tried to escape under the house. Such brutal +scenes I never had supposed I would ever have to witness.</p> + +<p>While all this was going on mother said to Lieutenant J——, "If you +take from us all means of subsistence we will starve." He turned, and +with much satisfaction said, "You are being punished for what you have +done;" and going out, mounted his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span> horse and rode off among the negroes, +proclaiming to them their freedom and incessantly asking for "the man of +the house." They could only say that he was absent, when he said, "He +may not be here, but he has left a——rebel of a woman, who is as bad as +a man, and the house ought to be burnt." The negroes were very much +alarmed, and entreated us not to talk to the soldiers as they hated us +so and said such awful things.</p> + +<p>It was now quite dark and the excitement and confusion were truly awful. +We all withdrew to the parlor, and closing the door sat in the dark, not +knowing what the next moment might bring forth; but the faithful Quash +brought in a candle and placed it on the table with his accustomed air.</p> + +<p>He had scarcely brought it in when the front door was opened and in +walked General Potter, followed by his aids. Not one of them had the +decency to make the least salutation, or take any notice of the five +ladies seated in the room. But the General immediately seated himself, +while Lieutenant J——seized our candle, and opening mother's bed-room +door called out, "General, this will be a comfortable room for you," to +which remark the General assented. Lieutenant J——, then looking around +said, "I take possession of this room for General Potter." After this +the General made repeated attempts at conversation with us, but as we +had that afternoon seen such wanton destruction of our property, and +were constrained to see our enemies<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span> occupying the rooms in which it had +been so often our pleasure to entertain our friends, you may imagine we +were in no mood for conversation.</p> + +<p>We all soon went upstairs, where Quash brought us some tea. As it was +then near midnight we decided to go to bed, and mother said she would go +down in the morning and request that a written protection be furnished +us, as this had been suggested by the quiet-looking officer, our +protector of the afternoon before. Therefore, as early as possible she +did so, but General Potter received her very shortly, and only replied, +"Your husband is in the Rebel army." She replied, "It was our desire +that he should leave us, and I am glad he is not here, for if he had +been I suppose he would have been shot."</p> + +<p>He replied, "You talk like a fool when you say that," and turned off; +when mother said, "If that is your opinion, I have the more need of +protection."</p> + +<p>As the General was about to go out to mount his horse at the door, +Lieutenant B—— came to the rescue, saying, "General, with your +permission, I can write a paper addressed to the officers and men of the +United States army, saying that it is your desire that this house and +its lady occupants be unmolested."</p> + +<p>The General only answered, "You may if you wish," when a paper to that +effect was written, and its influence was certainly beneficial. We felt +that we owed our safety largely to Lieutenant B——, who conducted +himself in every way as a gentleman,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span> and on leaving thanked mother +courteously for his night's accommodation and politely bowed to all of +us.</p> + +<p>It was near midday before all of the officers had left the house, and +we, much jaded, were able to have breakfast. The house was now kept +strictly shut up, as the lawn was still studded with the tent flies of +the regiment encamped there. If a door was opened for a moment, a +soldier would walk in, and it was as much as mother could do to get him +out again.</p> + +<p>We kept almost entirely upstairs, taking all of our meals there, and in +constant dread of making any noise. One man said to mother, "The General +thinks that your husband is hidden; he does not believe that he is not +here."</p> + +<p>In this extremity a kind-looking Irish soldier came to our aid and +promised that we should be protected if it "cost him his life," and that +he would bring a friend with him, who would spend the night in the shed +room, "to be handy, if needed." This kind friend, McManus, proved his +Irish blood by bringing the most villainous specimen of a man we had yet +seen, and whispering to mother that "sure he had no confidence in him at +all."</p> + +<p>We were much taken aback at McManus's friend's appearance, but relieved +when the chaplain of the regiment came up and asked to be allowed to +sleep in the house.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span></p> + +<p>Our servants behaved admirably and themselves provided and served our +meals with unfailing regularity, and managed to give us many little +treats, which we suspected came from the United States commissariat. +Mother hopes that she may be able to get us to the city in safety, for +our position here is very unprotected and we wish to get possession of +our house in the city before it falls into the hands of the Freedmen's +Bureau.</p> + +<p>I place this letter in the hands of ——, who promises to get it through +the lines, and I trust it will reach you.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p class="right"><span class="smcap">Charleston</span>, March 14, 1865.</p> + +<p>I hope my last safely reached you, and I know you feel anxious about us, +so I will get —— to smuggle this through the lines. You will be +relieved to know that we are once more in our house in Charleston.</p> + +<p>By dint of mother's representations of our unprotected condition on the +plantation to the officer in command, and her frequent reminders that by +their confiscation of all our animals and destruction of our vehicles we +had been deprived of all means of transporting ourselves to the city, +she obtained transportation.</p> + +<p>As soon as the Northeastern Railroad was put in running order, which was +within a few days after Charleston was evacuated, the major informed us<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span> +that we might ride down in a box-car. He also gave us permission to +carry in the car whatever household goods we could.</p> + +<p>It was hard to choose from the accumulation of years what furniture to +take with us, as we knew that all that was left would be stolen, our +presence only having kept out the vagrant negroes and camp followers, +who, we heard from the servants, complained very much that our house had +not been gutted as had others in the neighborhood. We had a very short +time for choosing, as we had notice only in the afternoon, that we must +be off in the morning. Mother had a time among us, as each had something +very untransportable, which, to quote dear Aunt Anna, "it would be +sacrilege to leave."</p> + +<p>I fought hard for all the books and the old sofa, which had been in the +house since the Revolution, and was said to have been Washington's +favorite seat when he visited the plantation in 1791; but I had to +content myself with only the books that I could get into a trunk, and +when our friendly Irish soldier, McManus, who volunteered to help us +move the things, seized our valued sofa to hoist it into the car, it +proved its antiquity by breaking in pieces. I could have cried over the +loss, but mother said, "This is no time for sentiment; it has served +from one Revolution to be wrecked in another."</p> + +<p>The last night we spent at the plantation was truly forlorn. The +servants warned us to expect an attack from some vagrant negroes, who +had come from the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span> up-country, and were roving about, as Maum Martha +expressed it, "free till dey fool," robbing and destroying, unchecked by +the authorities.</p> + +<p>We asked the officer in command to give us a guard for the night, but he +refused; so mother decided that we must spend the night together in the +parlor. The men servants promised to watch outside, and both Fanny and +Rachel begged to be allowed to stay with us in the house. You may +imagine that it was a weary vigil, as none of us slept, and we put out +the light, fearing lest it might guide some evil-doer.</p> + +<p>Paul, Quash and Jack walked around the house by turns all night; and I +am sure that it was owing to their faithful watchfulness that the dawn +found us unmolested.</p> + +<p>At an early hour Maum Martha brought in a nice breakfast, and with some +pride told us that one of the officers had seen her preparing it and had +expressed surprise; but she had told him that she was from an old Congo +family herself, an' no upstart free nigger; for since Maussa's family +came from France, and hers from Africa, they had been together for five +generations. "An' so long as I's in de kitchen I knew what's proper to +be sent in de house, even if I hab to scurry to get it."</p> + +<p>Quash, Fanny, and Rachel came with us to the city, but Maum Martha and +Paul were left behind in their home.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span></p> + +<p>With difficulty we got in to the dirty box-car, and Aunt May had quilted +into her skirts many papers for safe-keeping and around her shoulders +had her valuable cashmere shawl sewed under a black one, all of which +weighted her down so that she fell, and frightened us much by her +inability to rise.</p> + +<p>We picked her up and were thankful that she was not hurt, and had been +kept from getting up only by her entourage.</p> + +<p>At the station in Charleston we first heard of the burning of Columbia +and while we were waiting for a carriage the officer in command of the +guard kept dinning into our ears that General Hampton had burned that +city, which assertion mother firmly contradicted, persistently saying +that General Sherman had done it.</p> + +<p>We were much afraid that we would find our house taken by the Freedmen's +Bureau, or by some officers for a residence, but happily neither was the +case. But we found that nearly all the furniture had been stolen, and +were thankful to have the few pieces that we had brought from the +plantation.</p> + +<p>As it was on Saturday that we came down all of our things had to be left +in the station until Monday, and then when Quash went for them he found +that the military gentry (?) had taken from among them whatever they +wanted.</p> + +<p>All the furniture that we found in the house was an old table and a very +large book-case, and my only bed thus far has been a mosquito net spread +on the floor.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span></p> + +<p>On Sunday afternoon mother and Aunt May went to see Cousin M., who is +very ill, and while Annie and I remained with Aunt Anna, who was resting +on her mattress on the floor, Rachel came rushing up stairs, saying, +"Oh, mam, some officers say they want this house and have come to take +it; they are coming up into the dining-room now."</p> + +<p>I at once said, "We must go down and meet them," and calling to Annie to +put the few spoons that were out at once in her pocket, we each gave +Aunt Anna an arm and went down, followed by Rachel.</p> + +<p>I must say I felt much agitated at the thought of what we might +encounter, and dreaded for our old aunt, who seemed much unnerved.</p> + +<p>As we entered the dining-room by one door a naval officer came in by the +other, advancing with a calm air of possession.</p> + +<p>I was just going to speak when Aunt Anna astounded us by saying, in the +kindest tones, "Why, Edmund! how is your mother?"</p> + +<p>We thought her bereft of reason, but the effect upon the officer was +instantaneously overwhelming. He staggered and exclaimed, "Good God! +Miss J—, is it you? You shall not be molested," and turning quickly, +left the house without giving her a chance to say another word.</p> + +<p>It seems that Aunt Anna had instantly recognized him as the son of an +old and dear friend in New<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span> York, and upon the return of mother and Aunt +May the unlooked-for occurrence was fully discussed.</p> + +<p>Aunt was much commended for recognizing him and we hope that her +recognition will stand us in good stead, as we know that Lieutenant +Henry is a gentleman, and on account of the warm friendship that has +existed for so many years between our old aunts and the elder members of +his family he will probably use any influence he may have with the +authorities in our favor.</p> + +<p>The next day another naval officer called at the house and asked to see +mother, whom he told that he had had the pleasure, previous to the war, +of serving with those of our family who were then in the navy, and +although he had been blockading Charleston for many months he had +promised our cousin, Lieutenant——, who remained in the United States +Navy, that if he ever got into Charleston he would look us up, and +gladly do what he could to help us.</p> + +<p>Mother felt that in our present defenseless condition she should not +refuse any offers of aid, and thanked him. He then produced a copy of a +morning paper, which contained a general order that any citizen who +desired protection must put a United States flag on his house, and that +no outrages would be punished that were committed on premises that did +not contain such flags.</p> + +<p>After reading this order he drew from his pocket a small flag, which, he +said, with our permission, he would tack to the piazza.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span></p> + +<p>Mother politely declined his offer, but our aunts made such a point of +the advisability of accepting it that she was induced to yield. He then +asked me to hold the little staff while he tacked it to the post; but I +could not touch it, and called to his assistance a little negro girl, as +more appropriate, who stood staring in at the gate, and she held it for +him.</p> + +<p>Annie looked on quietly and said nothing, but at night, after we were +gone to bed, said, "I cannot stand it. I cannot breathe with that flag +there." She only expressed my own feelings, so we quietly went down in +the dark, and pulling it down, secreted it.</p> + +<p>We determined to keep our own counsel, as we had heard only the day +before of the arrest and imprisonment of a lady for pulling down a +similar flag, and had no desire to be martyrs, only we did not want it +there. The next morning, while we held our peace, we were much amused at +the excitement of our aunts over the disappearance of the flag, and +their insisting that they knew it had been stolen, for they had seen "a +man going down the street with one just like it."</p> + +<p>The house now remains as heretofore, undecorated.</p> + +<p>Captain Mayo, our naval friend, has just come to inform mother that +orders have been issued by the commanding general that we all must go up +King street tomorrow morning, and take the oath of allegiance to the +United States. She positively refused, but Captain Mayo says that in +case of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span> noncompliance we will all have to leave the city at once. I am +at a loss to imagine what grounds the authorities have for fear of us, +as helpless a party of five ladies as can be found, the eldest being 81, +and the youngest 16; but we must decide to-day, and unless you see us, +if we are actually turned out, I will write you of the result in another +letter.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p class="right"><span class="smcap">Charleston</span>, March 17, 1865.</p> + +<p>Day before yesterday Captain Mayo returned and informed us that the +orders had been modified, so that if we desired, only the oath of +neutrality would be required.</p> + +<p>We had never before heard of such an oath being required of helpless +women, but we were willing to compromise under the circumstances. So as +there was not the smallest chance of our ever being of any service again +to the Confederate cause, we announced our willingness to declare +ourselves neutral if the United States Government thought it important.</p> + +<p>Aunt Anna said her 81 years rendered her utterly unable to walk as far +as the provost marshal's office and asked if the commandant thought her +neutrality of importance would he send an officer to the house to +administer the oath? This was done.</p> + +<p>Aunt May, having in view the new regulation, which prohibited the +delivery of letters through the post-office to any one who had not taken +the oath of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span> allegiance, and having her daughter in New York, from whom +she was anxious to hear, said tremblingly that she would take the oath +of allegiance.</p> + +<p>Captain Mayo's manner to her immediately changed, and became very +cordial, as he said he would go and notify the provost marshal and come +back for us, whom he had already offered to accompany.</p> + +<p>We retired to our room to make ourselves presentable for the streets, as +we had not been out of the house since we came down from the plantation; +and Annie and I changed our homespun dresses for our black and put on, +with lurking feelings of satisfaction, our bonnets, for which we had +paid the milliner, only a few months before, $150 each. We felt that our +enemies would be impressed with the fact that we were quite within the +circle of the fashionable world, and really when we appeared Captain +Mayo seemed quite struck; but we did not then imagine the reason.</p> + +<p>He courteously offered his arm to Aunt May, who took it with a deep +sigh, and we, leaving Aunt Anna to Rachel's care, followed them to the +provost marshal's office, where we had reason to be glad of Captain +Mayo's escort, as the sidewalk in front of the office and the doorway +were thronged with idle negroes, who would have made themselves very +offensive if they had not seen us escorted by a United States officer.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span></p> + +<p>As we entered, Captain Mayo said to us in a low tone, "The oath will be +administered to you ladies by a member of one of the best families of +Boston," to which Annie replied, "Don't you think that he might be +better employed?"</p> + +<p>Of this the captain took no notice as he led the party to the middle of +a room, where we stood the attraction of many curious eyes. The officer +at the table came forward and asked which of the ladies desired to take +the oath of allegiance, whereupon Aunt May, looking very conscious, +moved forward and tremblingly held up her hand, but she was so agitated +that she could scarcely murmur her assent and sign her name to the +iron-clad oath.</p> + +<p>When she had finished Captain Mayo congratulated her upon her renewed +loyalty, but much to his chagrin she replied, "I only did it so that I +could get my letters from the post-office; but I had not idea that the +oath contained such dreadful sentiments; please let me scratch out my +name and take the oath of neutrality instead."</p> + +<p>At this the provost marshal remarked, "Madam, do you not realize the +sanctity of an oath, or do you desire to take all the oaths?"</p> + +<p>Mother and Annie calmly took oaths of neutrality, and when my turn came +and I stepped forward to swear neutrality to the United States, it +appeared to be the crowning farce of the day. The officers<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span> present +seemed to be impressed with the absurdity of the thing and could not +control their countenances, and smiled as I stood before them.</p> + +<p>As we sadly walked away we passed several Northern women and observed +that they all wore bonnets not much larger than our hands, while our +bonnets that we had thought so much of, with their lofty fronts, could +be compared to nothing more truly than the tower of Pisa. We could not +resist the idea that the oddity of our appearance must have led them to +imagine that we had just come out of the ark.</p> + +<p>Upon our arrival at home Annie and I at once set about cutting down our +bonnets and drawing in and changing the shape of our skirts, but mother +was very unsympathetic and said she could not imagine why we wished to +look like Yankee women.</p> + +<p>Annie and I witnessed a sickening sight yesterday when we were out on +the street for a few moments. A handsome large dog was being chased by +some negro soldiers, one of whom dashed out its brains with the butt of +a rifle almost on to our skirts. We were dreadfully agitated, and upon +mentioning the matter to Captain Mayo, he informed us that all dogs must +have licenses or be killed. I was much distressed at the danger of +losing my pet Cora, but Captain Mayo offered to obtain a license free +for her if I would accept it, and as we did not have $1.50 to pay for +it, we accepted his kind offer, so Cora is now protected.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span></p> + +<p>Yesterday mother received notice that a war tax had been levied upon all +real estate, and that it must be paid within thirty days. Our tax +amounts to $180, and for our lives we cannot conceive where the money is +coming from to pay it, as we have only one gold dollar among us, but +little provisions, and only two of our cows that were smart enough to +escape into the woods when the others of the herd were slaughtered at +the plantation by General Potter's troops.</p> + +<p>Mother was greatly troubled about the necessity of raising the money, +and seeing an advertisement in the paper that old china and handsome +pieces of glass would be bought by a Bostonian for relics, sent an +answer to the address and this morning took from the trunk some of our +best pieces we had saved and set them upon our only table in readiness +for the purchaser.</p> + +<p>While we were at dinner two very unattractive citizens of Boston +presented themselves, who after looking at the articles, declined to +purchase and instead offered themselves as boarders, saying that they +had come to Charleston to open a grocery house and would be willing to +pay their board in provisions. Of course this arrangement was promptly +declined, but we were very much disheartened that our first effort to +raise the money for the tax had proved such a failure.</p> + +<p>I give you a copy of the oath of neutrality I had to take; it is such a +farce.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span></p> + +<blockquote> +<p>"Headquarters Northern District Department South.<br /> +"Provost Marshal's Office, No. 35 King Street,</p> + +<p class="right">"Charleston, S. C, March 15, 1865.</p> + +<p>"I do hereby certify on honor that on the 15th day of March, 1865, at +Charleston, S. C, the oath of neutrality to the United States of America +was duly taken, subscribed and made matter of record of by Miss Marion +Porcher.</p> + +<p class="right">"<span class="smcap">Thomas L. Appleton</span>,</p> + +<p><i>Captain Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Volunteers,<br /> +Provost Marshal, N. D. D. S</i>"</p></blockquote> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="TAY_A_STORY_OF_MAUMA" id="TAY_A_STORY_OF_MAUMA"></a>TAY—A STORY OF MAUMA</h2> + + +<p>One day some time ago, while turning over the contents of an old trunk, +which had been mine since childhood, had followed me in innumerable +moves, and contained the odds and ends full of associations as life goes +on, I came to a pair of half-moon earrings; they were very large, and of +old gold. "Oh!" I exclaimed, as I looked at them, "these bring Tay back +to the life."</p> + +<p>My little girls, who had been looking on, eager-eyed, for mamma's old +trunk had always possessed a mysterious charm for Floy, and Grace, +enhanced since some years previous, when, after I had given up the idea +of having new cloaks for them for the winter, I chanced to see an +advertisement for Confederate bonds, and succeeded in finding enough of +these in my old trunk to supply the needed cloaks, and also other +things.</p> + +<p>"Who was Tay?" they both exclaimed. I felt a sense of self-reproach at +the question; and I am sure to Tay herself the idea that one of her +"chillun's chillun" could have reached the mature age of ten years and +never had heard of her existence would have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span> seemed incredible. It was +not from any lack of kindly recollection of the old woman that I had not +told the children of her; but my life had been a busy one, with many +invalid times, when the reverses of life pressed heavily, and I shrank +from speaking voluntarily of my childhood days, which had been so +different from theirs; and besides the children of the South to-day, +whose mothers were half-grown girls at the time of emancipation, belong +to a new order of things, and are out of sympathy with their parents on +many subjects. They do not understand their elders' feelings toward the +negroes. They regard them with very impartial eyes, and see them as they +are to-day. And as the succession of careless, ignorant cooks and +housemaids come and go they cannot understand the kind allowances made +for their faults by those who remember the tender nursing of the dear +old maumas. But to return to Tay.</p> + +<p>"Who was Tay?" I repeated. "Why, one of the best of women; and it is +high time you should hear about her, and love her memory. So if you will +get your knitting and sit very quite I will tell you her story.</p> + +<p>"Her name was Kitty, but we children always called her Tay. When your +grandmother was married Tay was given to her as her maid; and a most +accomplished one she was, besides being a skilled seamstress, and clear +starcher. A younger woman had taken her place as maid when I first +remember her, and she was the upper servant, always carrying<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span> the keys, +and taking charge of the household, when your grandmother was ill or +absent. She was at least six feet tall; her waist claimed nearly half +her length, or looked as if it did. She was quite light-colored, with +large black eyes that looked as if a millstone would be no obstacle to +her vision. I assure you her appearance was calculated to inspire awe in +our breasts. Her great height was of itself impressive, and made more so +by her costume. She usually wore a black frock with a very tight body, +and full skirt; and an enormous bustle, such as was not worn in those +days; a white hankerchief over her shoulders, pinned across her bosom; a +white apron; and to cap the climax a very stiffly starched white turban +(all the worn muslin dresses of the family went to keep up the supply). +She always tied her turbans on a block to shape them, and stuffed a +newspaper in the top to keep the shape; and when she finally put one on +her head the effect was tremendous. Her pride in gold earrings was +great. She always wore them, and kept them as shiny as could be. With +the basket of keys on her arm, she would look like a person not to be +trifled with, nor did we ever so venture. Her devotion to us all was +very great—'Miss, Maussa, an' de chillun' bounded her horizon. Her idea +was to economize; 'for Maussa,' she would say, 'is so freehanded, an' +six chillun is a houseful.'"</p> + +<p>"To us children she showed her regard by great sternness of demeanor, +but compensated by the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span> beautiful tucking she did on our dresses—the +only sewing she ever did. And your grandmother had no respite until she +supplied the material Tay thought necessary. Your grandmother was so +sure of her trustworthiness that she never interfered with her +management. We never thought of remonstrating, although she mortified us +sometimes by her treatment of our friends. She had no patience with too +many visitors, and always presided at our tea, serving us with our cups +of milk, and bread and treacle. We had some little friends who were very +apt to run in just at the tea hour. Once, when they came steadily for a +week, we saw clouds gathering on Tay's brow, and were not surprised +when, one evening after she had helped us all, she turned to our friends +and said: 'To-morrow, take yo' supper befo' you come. Maussa cyan't +affo'd to support two families.' This broke up our tea parties.</p> + +<p>"Tay had a husband as remarkable in his way as she was in hers. He was +taller than she, slim, and very black; and was a very prosperous negro. +He belonged to two maiden ladies, and lived a very independent life, +free from care. He was a cooper by trade, and in his own shop plied his +calling on his own account, only every quarter bringing his owners his +set wages. And whenever illness or trouble of any kind overtook him, to +his owners he came for care or protection. He finally concluded to buy +his freedom, and asked your grandfather to become his guardian, as +required by the law, if he could<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span> accomplish his purpose. He also asked +him to be so kind as to ask his owners what they would take for him. +Your grandfather saw the ladies, who fixed as moderate a price as they +could; and when he told Daddy Sam the result of his negotiations, +instead of being gratified, he was angry, and said: 'My mistresses has +no idea how valuable I is. I t'ought dey would ask 'bout $300 mo'. Dey +can't affo'd to part wid me fer less, an' I means to pay it.' The ladies +were not obdurate, and no doubt had an increased idea of Daddy Sam's +value.</p> + +<p>"This worthy pair had no children; and Daddy Sam died not long before +the war, leaving Tay quite a little sum of money. He had offered to buy +her freedom for her, but she did not desire it. I remember that when he +died she took off her turban when she went to church, and donned a +gigantic crape veil. One day she came home very angry. She had met some +sportsmen going hunting, who had begged her to go along with them as a +ramrod, as they had lost theirs!</p> + +<p>"When the war began she was very unhappy. There is no doubt that at that +period there was a feeling of expectation and disaffection among the +negroes; but Tay was of a thoroughly loyal nature, and had no sympathy +with the negro character, and understood it entirely; and their meaner +traits were revolting to her.</p> + +<p>"One day in the early part of 1861, she came as usual after breakfast to +consult your grandmother<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span> about the marketing that had been sent home. +She had such a funny way of describing the pieces; she always +involuntarily touched the part of her frame she was supposed to be +designating, of mutton, or lamb. I was a light-hearted child then, and +many a hearty laugh have I had at Tay's expense, as she would touch her +leg, or shoulder, or even her head if a calf's head were in question. +But to return to this day. She must have heard some talk among the +negroes, for after she had got through her business, she lingered and +said to her mistress, 'O Miss, I've had an awful dream,' Your +grandmother spoke kindly to her, and asked her what it was. The faithful +creature sat on the floor, and looking up into our faces she said:</p> + +<p>"I dreamed we was all in confusion an' dere was a big crowd, an' Maussa +was sick, an' you all looked very sad, an' you all was dressed common; +but dere was heaps of niggers 'round, but dey was all a-runnin' 'round, +an' a-kickin' up a noise; an' deir arms in deir kimbos, an' not one +a-workin'; and you all called for some water, an' not one went to git +it, but I ran for it, an' I said, 'O Miss, you has been a good frien' to +me, an' sometimes a bottom rail is more use dan a same quality one; an' +so long as Kitty is here dere will always be somethin' between you an' +the groun.' And she burst into tears and left the room.</p> + +<p>"Your grandmother said, 'She has had no dream. She wished to show us +what is in her heart.'<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Ah, children, those were dreadful days, and when in December Port Royal +fell, flight, confusion, and distress were the order of the day on the +coast. By all this there was many a young life cut short, as truly as +though a bullet had stilled it; and it was not only the men who laid +down their lives, many a gentle girl was also a victim. Your grandmother +sent my two sisters and me to relatives in the interior of the State. +She remained in Charleston to look after our affairs, intending to go to +a hospital as a nurse, if needed. We had been in the up-country but a +few days when your Aunt Lucy, as lovely a young girl as the sun ever +shone on, was seized with fever. Her illness was fatal, and she died +before her mother could reach her.</p> + +<p>"When we left your grandmother she had been obliged to go to our country +place on Goose Creek, where she had remained alone—the colored driver +and other negroes being the only people on the plantation. Tay had +always lived in the city of Charleston, even when we were all on the +plantation; and she always had the care of the city house. When the +direful news of your Aunt Lucy's illness reached Charleston, Tay +hastened up to the plantation to your grandmother, saying:</p> + +<p>"'I wants you to let me come an' live here, for anybody c'n do what I +does in town; but der is a lot of talk 'bout de whole low country will +be took by de Yankees. An' de negroes will have to go inside, up +country, an' make bread while deir masters is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span> fightin'. Now, Miss, let +me stay up here, an' keep an eye, an' if dere is anythin' I c'n do to +keep things straight, I'm here; an' if we has to leave, I will go wid +dem, an' keep dem all steady.'</p> + +<p>"Your grandmother consented with, 'God bless you, Tay,' and at once left +to go to your ill aunt. Tay remained on the plantation the whole winter +and spring. Your grandmother could not return; but never had there been +as much poultry and eggs produced, lambs saved, or butter made as was +done under Tay's management. And the quantity of vegetables raised +proved invaluable in those war times. And all was owing to the +faithfulness of this devoted creature who remained to encourage the +other negroes.</p> + +<p>"When the summer of 1862 came your grandmother wrote her that she must +leave the plantation, as she was unacclimated to that malarial country; +but she begged to stay a little longer, as she knew she was of service, +and was quite well. Then came the news that she was sick. She had sent +to tell her young master, who was a naval officer on duty in Charleston +harbor. He at once went to see her, and rebuked her for having remained +so long in that unhealthy climate. He got her to promise to leave the +next day. Finding that she had not arrived in the city, he obtained +leave of absence and again went after her, but found her evidently near +her end.</p> + +<p>"'Ah! Massa Paul,' she said, 'I got up three times to go, as I promised +you I would, an' de buggy was at de door, an' Martha here to go wid me, +but I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span> fainted; an' as it was de three times I know it is de Lord's +will, I'll never leave dis bed. I hope He will say. 'Kitty, you done +what you could, an' been a faithful servant.' I never did want to be +nothin' but a servant. Dere's plenty of dem in de Bible your Ma gave me; +and if I c'n just jine dem I'm happy. An' now here's what I want you' Ma +to have. It's Sam's little savin's. I always kep' dem by me; an' when I +seen these war times, an' such curious-lookin' money buy so little, I'm +glad I got it. I kep' it for a pinch; an' fixed it so nobody would +suspicion it. But I thank de Lord you come to take it befor' I go.' And +with great effort she brought from under her pillow a curious-looking, +homespun undergarment, into which was literally quilted coins of gold +and silver; a little fortune in Confederate money, besides various old +trinkets and watches which Sam had invested in.</p> + +<p>"'My earrin's is dere,' she said. 'I never wore dem since Miss Lucy +died; dey looks too bright. Now give this to you' Ma with Kitty's duty. +I wish she could ha' closed my eyes. I know she would ha' done it. But +she an' de young ladies will be sorry, I know, when I'm gone.'</p> + +<p>"And then with the flash of her usual animation she turned her eyes on +her attendant, Martha, and said: Martha have my three trunks of clo'es; +she must give them to Miss'. Dey will keep her house servants decent for +a time; an' yo' Ma does hate a sloven, Martha knows. I will walk at her +if she takes anythin' out befo' Miss comes. Lord help me!'</p> + +<p>"A faithful soul gone home."</p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Life in the Confederate Army, by +Arthur Peronneau Ford and Marion Johnstone Ford + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LIFE IN THE CONFEDERATE ARMY *** + +***** This file should be named 37112-h.htm or 37112-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/7/1/1/37112/ + +Produced by Mary Meehan and The Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Life in the Confederate Army + Being Personal Experiences of a Private Soldier in the Confederate Army + +Author: Arthur Peronneau Ford + Marion Johnstone Ford + +Release Date: August 17, 2011 [EBook #37112] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LIFE IN THE CONFEDERATE ARMY *** + + + + +Produced by Mary Meehan and The Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + + + + + + + + + + + LIFE IN THE CONFEDERATE ARMY + + BEING PERSONAL EXPERIENCES OF A PRIVATE SOLDIER IN THE CONFEDERATE ARMY + + BY ARTHUR P. FORD + + AND SOME EXPERIENCES AND SKETCHES OF SOUTHERN LIFE + + BY MARION JOHNSTONE FORD + + + NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON + THE NEALE PUBLISHING COMPANY + 1905 + + COPYRIGHT, 1905 + BY ARTHUR P. FORD + + + + +[Illustration: Arthur Peronneau Ford] + + + + +CONTENTS. + + +LIFE IN THE CONFEDERATE ARMY 7 + +KENT--A WAR-TIME NEGRO 73 + +ROSE BLANKETS 88 + +SOME LETTERS WRITTEN DURING THE LAST MONTHS OF THE WAR 100 + +TAY 129 + + + + +LIFE IN THE CONFEDERATE ARMY + +BEING PERSONAL EXPERIENCES OF A PRIVATE SOLDIER IN THE CONFEDERATE ARMY + + +The following account of my experiences as a private soldier in the +Confederate Army during the great war of 1861-'65 records only the +ordinary career of an ordinary Confederate soldier. It does not treat of +campaigns, army maneuvers, or plans of battles, but only of the daily +life of a common soldier, and of such things as fell under his limited +observation. + +Early in April, 1861, immediately after the battle of Fort Sumter, I +joined the Palmetto Guards, Capt. George B. Cuthbert, of the Seventeenth +Regiment South Carolina Militia. Very soon after, the company divided, +and one half under Captain Cuthbert left Charleston, and joined the +Second South Carolina Volunteers in Virginia. The other half, to which I +belonged, under Capt. George L. Buist, remained in Charleston. Early in +the fall Captain Buist's company was ordered to Coosawhatchie, and given +charge of four howitzers; and thenceforth for three years, until +December, 1864, it served as field artillery. I did not go with my +company, as at that time I was a clerk in the Charleston post-office, +and really exempt from all service. On April 2, 1862, however, then +being about eighteen years of age, I resigned my clerkship, and joining +the company at Coosawhatchie, with the rest of the men enlisted in the +Confederate service "for three years or the war." + +About May 1st the company was ordered to Battery Island at the mouth of +the Stono River, where with another company, the "Gist Guards," Capt. +Chichester, we were put under the command of Major C. K. Huger, and +placed in charge of four 24-pounder smooth-bore guns in the battery +commanding the river, our own four howitzers being parked in the rear. +Cole's Island, next below, and at the immediate entrance of the river, +was garrisoned by Lucas' battalion of Regulars, and the Twenty-fourth +Regiment South Carolina Volunteers, Col. C. H. Stevens. An examination +of a map of this locality will show that Cole's Island was the key to +Charleston; and this question has given rise to considerable acrimonious +discussion. But whatever the merits of the case may have been, the facts +are, that under the strange fear of the Federal gunboats that obtained +on the South Carolina coast at that period, it was believed that our +positions on Cole's and Battery Islands could not be held against an +attack from the gunboats, which then were off the mouth of the river; +and the islands were evacuated. On the 18th the Federals sent a couple +of small boats into the mouth of the river to reconnoiter, but they were +soon driven back by our pickets. On the next day, and day after, all +the guns were removed from both islands to Fort Pemberton, higher up the +Stono River--a very strong earth fort that had been built in preparation +for this move. A day or two after, while our men were still on Battery +Island, but Cole's Island having been deserted, several Federal gunboats +entered the river, shelling the woods and empty batteries as they +advanced. On their approach we set fire to the barracks and then +withdrew across the causeway to James Island. We had to make haste +across this causeway, because it was within easy range of the enemy, who +soon began to rake it with shells. + +This was my first experience with shell fire, and I soon learned that at +long range, to men in the field, if the shells did not explode it was +more alarming than dangerous. But being quite fresh I thought it +unbecoming to appear concerned, and although at first, after crossing +the causeway, I had stood wisely behind a friendly oak tree for +protection, after the first shell or two I stepped aside and stood in +the open, foolishly thinking that this was more soldierly. I had not yet +learned that a soldier's common sense should prompt him to make use of +what protection there may be at hand and to avoid exposing himself +unnecessarily. But only when duty calls, to throw precaution aside and +face whatever there is. While we were standing on the James Island side +of the causeway a time-fuse shell fell near us, and one of our men, a +new recruit, ran up to it, and stood over it with the exclamation, "How +the thing does hiss!" Happily the fuse failed and the shell did not +explode. When I saw the fortunate termination of the affair I could not +resist calling out, "Surely the Lord protects drunken men and fools." + +Our company fell back from here to a plantation about a mile inland, +where we made our camp. I was a very enthusiastic, energetic youngster, +and in pitching our large Sibley tent worked with such energy that I +attracted the attention of one of our men, Mr. H. Gourdin Young, who +jokingly said, "Ford, you are a splendid worker. If you were a negro, I +would buy you." He was very much my senior. + +After remaining here for about two months, our men doing some picket +duty, we were transferred to Fort Pemberton, a very strong earthwork of +16 guns, on the Stono River, and garrisoned by Lucas' battalion of +Regulars, in which my brother was a lieutenant. Here we remained for +about three months. + +Frequently the Federal gunboats would ascend the river, and there would +be interchanges of shots between them and the fort. On one of these +occasions an amusing incident occurred. Lieutenant Webb, of our company, +had just got a new negro man servant, who was inexperienced in warfare. +One afternoon, as a few shells were being thrown at the fort from the +gunboats, he was very much scared, saying, "Dem people trow dem t'ings +about yere so careless, dey won't mind until dey hu't somebody." Just +then a shell passed over the fort, and exploding in the rear, a piece +cut off a leg of Lieutenant Webb's horse. "Dere now; w'at I tell you!" +exclaimed Sam. "Dey done kill Mass Ben's horse." + +During the early period of the war a great many of the private soldiers +in the Confederate Army had their own negro servants in the field with +them, who waited on their masters, cleaned their horses, cooked their +meals, etc. Attached to our company there were probably twenty-five such +servants. This system continued during the first year or two of the war, +on the Carolina coast, but later on, as the service got harder and +rations became scarcer, these negro servants were gradually sent back +home, and the men did their own work, cooking, etc. As a rule, these +negroes liked the life exceedingly. The work exacted of them was +necessarily very light. They were never under fire, unless they chose to +go there of their own accord, which some of them did, keeping close to +their masters. And they spent much of their time foraging around the +neighboring country. Although often on the picket lines, night as well +as day, with their masters, I never heard of an instance where one of +these army servants deserted to the enemy. + +At this period of the war the Confederate Government allowed each +soldier a certain sum yearly for his uniform, and each company decided +for itself what its own uniform should be. In consequence, "uniform" was +really an inappropriate term to apply to the dress of various +organizations. At first our company was uniformed in gray woolen frock +coats, and trousers of the same material, with blue caps; next we had +gray cotton coats and trousers with gray cloth hats; then very dark +brown coats with blue trousers furnished by the government, and gray +felt hats; and finally the gray round jacket, also furnished by the +government, which assumed to provide also the hats, shoes, and +underclothing. The shoes, when we could get them, were heavy English +brogans, very hard on our feet, but durable. It was in the summer of +1862 that we received our first allowance for uniforms, and our +quartermaster applied to a tailor in Charleston to furnish them, but +there was considerable delay in getting them, and the tailor wrote that +goods were then scarce on account of the moonlight nights, but that in +about a fortnight, when the moon waned, they would be in greater supply, +and the uniforms could be furnished at $2 more per man than the +government allowed. So in due time we each supplemented the government's +allowance and got new uniforms of very inferior, half cotton gray stuff, +which served us for the rest of the year. Afterwards the government +tried to furnish the men gratuitously with the best it could, and we did +the best we could with what we got. + +In July our command was removed to Charleston, under orders to go to +Virginia. These orders were countermanded in a few days owing to +aggressive movements of the Federals on the South Carolina coast. The +remainder of the summer and the fall were spent in Charleston encamped +for most of the time at the Washington race course, doing duty on the +lines of breastworks thrown up across the neck just above Magnolia +Cemetery. These breastworks were built to keep any enemy out of the +city, but the nearest enemy on land at that period was on Folley Island; +in Tennessee to the west; and Virginia to the North. And when Sherman +did come within 50 miles of Charleston nearly three years later our +troops were too much occupied in getting away to think of these +breastworks. The battalion then consisted of three companies, each armed +with four 8-inch howitzers, and all under the command of Maj. Charles +Alston, Jr., Capt. Buist having been promoted to major, and assigned to +duty near Savannah. + +While encamped on the race course I witnessed the military execution of +a deserter. The man belonged to one of the regiments doing duty about +Charleston, and had been taken in the act of trying to desert to the +enemy; tried by court martial and condemned to death. On the day fixed +for the execution, some of the troops in Charleston were marched up to +the race course, and so formed as to make three sides of a square. +Immediately after followed a wagon, with the coffin, and seated on it, +the man with his hands tied, and under guard; the whole preceded by a +band playing the dead march; and followed by the detail of twelve men +selected by lot to shoot him. Half the rifles were loaded with balls +and half with blank cartridges, but none of the detail knew how his own +was loaded. As the procession halted the coffin was placed on the ground +and the deserter had his hands untied, and knelt in front of it facing +the twelve men who were to do the shooting, and were drawn up about +thirty feet in front of him. At the word of command "aim," the man, +seemingly in desperation, jerked open his shirt and bared his breast to +the bullets. Instantly at the command "fire" the detail fired, and the +man fell over dead on his coffin. It was the most terrible sight I ever +saw, far more dreadful than anything I ever witnessed in battle, and it +seemed a sad thing that a really brave man should be so sacrificed; but +such is one of the necessities of war, and it is necessary to deter +others from playing the role of traitor. + +At this time the Federal gunboats were very annoying in Stono River, +coming as high up as possible daily, and shelling our pickets, and it +was determined to make a diversion. Therefore, in January, 1863, our +battery with Capt. Smith's and other troops were sent over to John's +Island, and ambushed at Legare's point place to cooperate with two +companies of Lucas' battalion and some other troops on James Island. The +design was to capture the _Isaac P. Smith_. This vessel was an iron +screw steamer of 453 tons, and carried eight 8-inch navy guns, or +sixty-four pounders, and a 7-inch thirty-pounder Parrott gun. She was +commanded at the time by Capt. F. S. Conover; and her crew consisted of +11 officers and 105 men. + +The affair was completely successful. The gunboat in her daily ascent +was taken by surprise, and after a short fight at only 75 or 100 yards +distance, as she ran trying to escape, had her steam drum torn by a +shell, and had to surrender. She had twenty-three men killed and +wounded, while we lost one man killed. My howitzer was at a sharp bend +in the river, and as the gunboat ran past, her stern was directly about +100 yards in front of the gun I served. It put one 8-inch schrapnel +shell into her stern port, and I learned afterwards that the shell +knocked a gun off its trunnions and killed or wounded eight men. A prize +crew was put on board immediately and the vessel towed by a tug up the +river, and later on to the city. While the prisoners were being landed, +the U. S. S. _Commodore McDonough_ steamed up the river and opened fire +on us, but a few well-directed shots from our batteries soon made her +desist and drop back down the river. At nightfall, our command returned +to Charleston. + +Our 8-inch howitzers were soon after exchanged for four twelve-pounder +Napoleon guns, and the battery ordered back to James Island. Here in +March we took part in a land affair near Grimball's place on the Stono. + +Our battery was encamped about a mile from the river, and at daybreak +one morning we were aroused and hurried down the road toward Grimball's +plantation. Just before we were about to emerge from the woods into a +field, the musketry firing going on rapidly on our left front, and a few +shells from the gunboats falling into the woods, we were halted, and +told that just in front was a field reaching to the river, and as soon +as we passed out of the woods the order "battery by right into line" +would be given. Well, we started at a rapid trot. I was driver of the +lead horses of gun No. 2, and as we passed out of the woods, in +obedience to the command I swung to the right, gun No. 3 swung to my +right, and No. 4 to right of No. 3, while No. 1 kept straight on down +the road, and we all went forward now at a run into battery. + +We galloped down to the edge of the marsh along the river, and swinging +into battery our guns opened on the U. S. S. _Pawnee_ out in the river, +the other two gunboats being farther down, and around a bend of the +river. We were engaged for about twenty minutes, when the _Pawnee_ +dropped down the river, and the musketry fire on our left gradually +ceased. + +It seems that the Federals had advanced on the island with a force of +about 2,000 men, supported by three gunboats. They had been met, and +after sharp fighting, had been driven back by Col. Gaillard's +Twenty-fifth Regiment South Carolina Volunteers, the Marion +Artillery,--a light battery,--and a Georgia regiment, while our battery +engaged the _Pawnee_. The Confederate loss was 27 men killed and +wounded, and the Federal, 45. + +The artillery was under the command of Lieut. Col. Delaware Kemper, who +sat on his horse by our battery during the scrimmage. After the affair +was over he remarked to our captain, "Captain Webb, you have a splendid +set of young fellows there, but they need practice. They could not hit +John's Island if they had it for a target." As to our marksmanship, he +was mistaken, however, for we did put several shells into the _Pawnee_, +and she had to go to Port Royal for repairs. + +In this affair, being a driver, my position while the guns were in +action was standing by my horses about 100 feet in the rear of my gun; +and it was trying to have to stand there quietly, inactive, and take the +shells and few rifle balls that passed by. It would have been much more +agreeable to be actively engaged about the gun. + +Only a few moments after we had got into action, our little company dog, +a half-breed fox-terrier, "Boykee," who always stuck to the guns, and +seemed to enjoy the excitement, was struck in the neck by a piece of +shell, directly in front of where I was standing, and ran screaming to +the rear. This wound was not a serious one, and he soon recovered from +it. He was afterwards ignominiously killed by a snake in Florida. + +In July, 1863, were developed the disastrous results of the evacuation +of Cole's Island in May the year before. As soon as we left that island +and Battery Island the Federals occupied them, and used them as bases +for operations against Charleston. From there they occupied Folley +Island, a densely wooded island where their operations could easily be +concealed. They advanced to the north end of this island, to Light House +Inlet, and under the concealment of the shrubbery built formidable +batteries, which at daybreak one morning were unmasked, and under a +heavy fire from their guns, an infantry assault in boats was made upon +our small force on the southern end of Morris' Island. After a severe +fight the Federals got a firm foothold upon this island, which for the +next two months or so was the scene of some of the most sanguinary +fighting of the war. + +Immediately after this surprise by the Federals a detachment of our +company was placed in charge of Battery Haskell, on James Island, +directly opposite Morris' Island. The celebrated siege of Battery Wagner +then began, and we used to watch the fighting at about three-quarters of +a mile distance. The terrible bombardment and assault of July 18 was one +of the sights of the war. At daylight the bombardment of the fort began, +and continued without a minute's cessation all day. Occasionally as many +as four shells were observed in the air at the same time. The fort +itself was enveloped in a dense black pall of smoke from bursting +shells, and at times was completely hidden. As the afternoon wore on the +bombardment increased in intensity, and it seemed as if the very +foundations of our part of the world were being torn to pieces. The +garrison was kept in the bomb-proof, and not a shot was fired in reply. +At dusk the bombardment suddenly ceased, and almost immediately the guns +of the Confederates in Fort Sumter, trained on the beach in front of +Wagner, opened. Almost simultaneously we saw a mass of blue spring up +apparently from the earth, and advance on Wagner, and then the rattle of +musketry. As the dusk deepened into darkness the rapid flashes of +musketry looked at that distance like vast masses of fireflies, over a +morass. We saw that it was an infantry assault, and a desperate +hand-to-hand fight it was. But the result was very disastrous to the +Federals, who were repulsed with a loss of upwards of 2,000 men. + +In August was begun the bombardment of Charleston, which was continued +steadily for a year and a half. On the night of the 21st, at 10.45 +o'clock, General Beauregard received an unsigned note, brought to our +pickets, purporting to be from General Gilmore, demanding the evacuation +and surrender of Morris' Island and Fort Sumter under penalty of the +bombardment of the city within four hours after the note had been sent +by him. Two hours and three-quarters after this note had reached General +Beauregard's hands, at 1.30 o'clock on the morning of the 22d, the +Federal battery in the marsh on the edge of the creek separating Morris +from James Island, opened fire, and threw a number of shells into the +city. At about 9 o'clock on the morning of the 22d, seven and a quarter +hours after the bombardment had begun, General Gilmore sent a properly +signed note making the same demands. This note was immediately answered +by General Beauregard with an emphatic refusal, and some severe remarks +as to his firing upon a city full of women and children before he had +given them reasonable time to escape. As may be imagined, the terror of +the women and children in Charleston that night was extreme when it was +realized that the city was being bombarded. The distance in a direct +line from the Swamp Angel Battery, as it was called, to the city was +about 5 miles, and it had not been thought that any gun could shoot that +far. At first only percussion shells were used, but later on, in 1864, +time-fuse shells were also used, and were much more dangerous, as they +nearly always exploded. Battery Haskell, at which our company was +stationed, was nearly in line between the Swamp Angel and the city, and +constantly we watched the shells, city-bound, passing over our heads +high in the air. At night, when fuse shells were used, they looked like +slow meteors. + +Frequently, when the tide was high, some of the Federal gunboats came +into the inlet in front of Battery Haskell, and about half a mile off, +and threw a number of shells into it. But no harm was done, as we could +easily see the shells coming, and dodged them. We were very seldom +allowed to reply. After the shelling was over, and the gunboat had +hauled off, it was my habit to go about and pick up the shells, +generally about sixty-pounders, and store them under my cot in my tent +until I could find time to unscrew the fuse plugs and pour out all of +the powder. As soon as I had gathered a wagon load I would carry them to +Charleston and sell them at the arsenal. This was such a period of +violence and bloodshed that the fearful risk of explosion did not +concern me, and what I am equally surprised at now, after the lapse of +many years, is that my officers allowed such a thing to be done in the +battery, or in fact at all. + +Here I witnessed an occurrence that, according to the law of chances, +would not happen once in a thousand times. In the battery was a dry +well, about six or eight feet deep, and one afternoon, while our friend +the gunboat was throwing the usual shells at us, and we were dodging +them, I remarked to a comrade that "that old well would be a good place +to get into." The remark had scarcely been made before a shell dropped +into that well as accurately as possible. It was simply one of those +remarkable occurrences that happen in real life, but which writers dare +not put in fiction. + +The picket line on James Island in this vicinity, together with Battery +Haskell, was then under the command of Maj. Edward Manigault, an officer +of very exceptional ability. During this summer our shortness of +rations began, and continued rather to intensify until the end. For one +period of about two months it consisted of only one small loaf of +baker's bread and a gill of sorghum syrup daily. For that time we had +not a particle of either fresh or salt meat. If we had not been where we +could obtain plenty of fish, we would have suffered seriously. The +quartermaster's department was as badly crippled as the commissary's and +most of us could get no new shoes, and several of our men were actually +bare-footed in consequence; but it being summer, and on a sandy coast, +there was not as much suffering as might have been otherwise. Scurvy, +fever, and other ailments were very general and several deaths resulted. +The battery was on a strip of land separated from the main land of James +Island by a marsh and small creek, over which was a causeway and bridge. +This causeway was watched from the Federal gunboats, and every time even +one man would go across it he would be saluted with a shell or two. On +one occasion I was ordered to drive several sick men to the city in an +ambulance, and as we struck the causeway a gunboat sent the customary +shells at us. The sick men were nervous, and one of the men called out, +"For God's sake, Ford, put down the curtains!" + +Toward the fall of 1863, after the evacuation of Morris Island by the +Confederate troops, our company was withdrawn, and returned to the old +camping ground at Heyward's place near Wappoo Cut. + +As it seemed that we would remain here all winter, as we really did, I +obtained permission to build a log cabin for myself and my mess. One +day, as I was building the chimney, I saw Maj. Edward Manigault and his +brother, Gen. Arthur Manigault, who was spending the day with him, +walking toward me to inspect the guns parked near by. As they approached +I jumped down off the scaffolding and saluted them. They returned the +salute, and then the Major said: "We have been admiring your chimney, +Mr. Ford. It is as well built as if a mason had done the work." The old +man, whenever on the few occasions he spoke to me, strange to say, +always addressed me, a private soldier, as "Mr." Ford. I never could +account for it, unless it was that he knew all about me and my people. +He had been a West Pointer, but had resigned from the U. S. Army a good +many years before. Thus he was a strict disciplinarian, and on that +account at that time not popular with the men; but I always liked him, +and approved of his discipline. Later on, as the service became more +exacting, and really active, the men became devoted to him, as they +realized his ability as an officer. + +On December 23 our company, then having four 24-pounder Parrott guns, +started off for John's Island, where an attempt was to be made to +capture a small body of Federals that were near Legareville, and also to +sink or capture a Federal gunboat that was off that place. Our company +was to have been supported by a Virginia regiment. On Christmas day at +daylight we opened fire from our masked battery upon the two gunboats, +for there were two on hand instead of one, but the infantry remained in +the background, and failed to attack the Federals near Legareville as +designed, and we had to bear the whole brunt of the fight. It was a +sharp affair, and we soon had to get out of it as best we could, with +the loss of several men and a half dozen horses. + +In this affair I had a very narrow escape, and another man lost his life +in my stead. I had been lead driver on gun No. 2, and when we started on +this expedition I was transferred to cannoneer's duty, and young Heyward +Ancrum given my horses. Well, in the fight a shell from the U. S. S. +_Marblehead_ passed entirely through the bodies of both of my horses, +and took off Ancrum's leg at the knee. He fell among the struggling, +dying horses, but was pulled out, and died soon after. He was certainly +killed in my place. + +It was about this time that I saw that celebrated torpedo submarine +boat, the _Hundley_, the first submarine boat ever built. As I was +standing on the bank of the Stono River, I saw the boat passing along +the river, where her builder, H. L. Hundley, had brought her for +practice. I watched her as she disappeared around a bend of the river, +and little thought of the fearful tragedy that was immediately to ensue. +She made an experimental dive, stuck her nose in the mud, and drowned +her entire crew. Her career was such an eventful one that I record what +I recollect of it. + +She was built in Mobile by Hundley, and brought on to Charleston in +1863. She was of iron, about 20 feet long, 4 feet wide, and 5 feet +deep--in fact, not far from round, as I have seen it stated; and +equipped with two fins, by which she could be raised or lowered in the +water. The intention of her builder was that she should dive under an +enemy's vessel, with a torpedo in tow, which would be dragged against +the vessel, and exploded while the _Hundley_, or "_Fish_," as some +called her, rose on the other side. She was worked by a hand propeller, +and equipped with water tanks, which could be filled or emptied at +pleasure, and thus regulate her sinking or rising. The first experiment +with her was made in Mobile Bay, and she went down all right with her +crew of seven men, but did not come up, and every man died, asphyxiated, +as no provision had been made for storing a supply of air. + +As soon as she was raised, she was brought to Charleston, and a few days +after her acceptance by General Beauregard, Lieutenant Payne, of the +Confederate Navy, volunteered with a crew of six men to man her and +attack the Federal fleet off Charleston. While he had her at Fort +Johnson, on James Island, and was making preparations for the attack, +one night as she was lying at the wharf the swell of a passing steamer +filled her, and she went to the bottom, carrying with her and drowning +the six men. Lieutenant Payne happened to be near an open manhole at the +moment, and thus he alone escaped. Notwithstanding the evidently fatal +characteristics of this boat, as soon as she was raised another crew of +six men volunteered under Payne and took charge of her. But only a week +afterwards an exactly similar accident happened while she was alongside +the wharf at Fort Sumter, and only Payne and two of his men escaped. + +H. L. Hundley, her builder in Mobile, now believed that the crews did +not understand how to manage the "_Fish_," and came on to Charleston to +see if he could not show how it should be done. A Lieutenant Dixon, of +Alabama, had made several successful experiments with the boat in Mobile +Bay, and he also came on, and was put in charge, with a volunteer crew, +and made several successful dives in the harbor. But one day, the day on +which I saw the boat, Hundley himself took it into Stono River to +practice her crew. She went down all right, but did not come up, and +when she was searched for, found and raised to the surface, all of her +crew were dead, asphyxiated as others had been. + +After the boat was brought up to Charleston, several successful +experiments were made with her, until she attempted to dive under the +Confederate receiving ship _Indian Chief_, when she got entangled with +an anchor chain and went to the bottom, and remained there until she +was raised with every one of her crew dead, as were their predecessors. + +No sooner had she been raised than a number of men begged to be allowed +to give her another trial, and Lieutenant Dixon was given permission to +use her in an attack on the U. S. S. _Housatonic_, a new gunboat that +lay off Beach Inlet on the bar, on the condition that she should not be +used as a submarine vessel, but only on the surface with a spar torpedo. +On February 17, 1864, Lieutenant Dixon, with a crew of six men, made +their way with the boat through the creeks behind Sullivan's Island to +the inlet. The night was not very dark, and the _Housatonic_ easily +could be perceived lying at anchor, unmindful of danger. The "_Fish_" +went direct for her victim, and her torpedo striking the side tore a +tremendous hole in the _Housatonic_, which sank to the bottom in about +four minutes. But as the water was not very deep her masts remained +above water, and all of the crew, except four or five saved themselves +by climbing and clinging to them. But the "_Fish_" was not seen again. +From some unknown cause she again sank, and all her crew perished. +Several years after the war, when the government was clearing the wrecks +and obstructions out of Charleston harbor, the divers visited the scene +of this attack, and on the sandy bottom of the sea found the hulk of the +_Housatonic_, and alongside of her the shell of the "_Fish_." Within the +latter were the skeletons of her devoted crew. + +This submarine torpedo boat must not be confused with the surface ones, +called "Davids," that were first built and used at Charleston in the +fall of 1863. These "Davids" were cigar-shaped crafts about 30 feet +long, and propelled by miniature steam engines; and they each carried a +torpedo at the end of a spar in the bow. There were several of them at +Charleston and points along the coast. + +In March, 1864, I had the only violent illness I had during my service, +until at the end, a year later, and being given a thirty-day furlough +went up to Sumter, where I had some near relatives. Here I stayed a +couple of weeks, and then went over to Aiken, where my parents and +sisters resided. Although the distance from Sumter to Aiken was only +about 135 miles, the railway trains took seventeen hours to make the +distance. It is hard to realize now the delays and discomforts of travel +in the South in 1864. With worn-out tracks and roadbeds, dilapidated +engines and cars, it is remarkable that the railway trains were able to +run at all. On this occasion, which was typical of travel then, I left +Sumter at 10 o'clock p. m., and just before reaching Kingsville the +engine ran off the track from a worn-out rail. Two hours or more were +spent in prying it back. Then shortly after the train stopped in a piece +of woodland, and the fireman and train hands took their axes and spent +an hour cutting wood and putting it on the tender. So it was full +daylight when we reached Kingsville. From there all went well until +after passing Branchville the engine broke one of its connecting rods, +and we had to wait until another engine could be got from Branchville. +Some miles farther up the road the train again stopped, and the hands +went into the woods and cut wood for the engine. Finally, at about four +o'clock in the afternoon I arrived at Aiken. Here I remained for a +fortnight, and then joined my command, which had just been ordered to +Florida. + +Early in the spring the Federals made an advance into Florida from +Jacksonville, and a number of troops were sent from South Carolina to +oppose them. Among them was our battery of artillery. We reached the +section of the State threatened the day after the battle of Olustee, or +Ocean Pond, and were then ordered back to Madison, where we encamped, +and during our stay there of a couple of weeks were most hospitably +treated by the ladies of the town. + +This battle of Olustee was a very severe fight, and a bloody one, in +which the Federals under General Seymour were routed by the Confederates +under Gen. Pat. Finnigan and Gen. A. H. Colquitt. In this battle the +Federal loss was about 1,900 men and the Confederate about 1,000. The +obstinacy of the struggle may be appreciated when it is observed that, +out of the total of 11,000 men engaged, the casualties amounted to +2,900, nearly 27 per cent. As I have said, our battery reached the scene +after the battle, so we made no stay near Olustee, but retired to +Madison. The wounded were all cared for at the wayside hospitals, and +the dead white men of both sides buried; but the dead negroes were left +where they fell. There had been several regiments of negroes in the +Federal force, who as usual had been put into the front lines, and thus +received the full effect of the Confederate fire. The field was dotted +everywhere with dead negroes, who with the dead horses here and there +soon created an intolerable stench, perceptible for half a mile or more. +The hogs which roamed at large over the country were soon attracted to +the spot and tore many of the bodies to pieces, feeding upon them. This +field of death, enlivened by numbers of hogs grunting and squealing over +their hideous meal, was one of the most repulsive sights I ever saw. + +About the beginning of March our battery was ordered to Baldwin, about 9 +miles from Jacksonville. Here we remained for nearly a month, and +strange to say had a very uncomfortable time as far as food was +concerned. The surrounding country was barren, swampy, and very thinly +settled, so there was very little private foraging to be done and we had +to suffer from the very scant rations served out by the commissary. + +This department was in a very disorganized condition, probably because +of the sudden massing of troops at an unexpected point; but the fact was +that our men seldom got enough of even the coarsest food. Our battery +horses were supplied with corn and forage, and on several occasions +after going twenty-four hours without any food I made use of some +opportunity to steal the horses' corn, and parched that for a meal. + +The bacon served out occasionally was of the most emphatic character, +and very animated, but when fried and eaten with eyes shut, and nostrils +closed, did no harm. Once in a while some of the men would go into the +swamp and still-hunt wild hogs, and we would get some fresh pork. This +hunting was against orders, and the officers tried their best to stop +it, and occasionally some man would be caught at it and punished, but +the men were really too much in need of food to remain quiet when game +could be had. These hogs had once had recognized owners, but since that +section of country had been deserted, had run wild, and lived in the +swamp. It was by no means easy to shoot them, as they were very wary, +and however quiet the hunter might remain behind his brush blind would +often detect his presence by their sense of smell, and could not be +decoyed within range. + +My company was soon ordered back to South Carolina, and our route lay +over the Albany and Gulf Railroad, now the Atlantic Coast Line, from +Quitman to Savannah. This road, like all others in the South, was in a +terribly dilapidated condition--rails and trestles decayed, and +rolling-stock worn out. The engine that drew our train, containing only +our battery, was unable to do the work, and several times when we +reached the easy grades on that generally very level road, the men would +be compelled to get off and assist the engine by pushing the train up +the incline. When the train was got up to the top of the grade it would +go down the other side by its own impetus, and on level stretches the +engine got along fairly well. We made the distance of 170 miles in about +sixteen hours, a little over ten miles an hour--fairly good speed in the +South in 1864. + +Our battery was stopped at Green Pond, on the Savannah and Charleston +Railroad, and we spent the summer of 1864 doing picket duty at Combahee +Point, and along the Ashepoo River. + +At Combahee Point we were stationed on Mr. Andrew Burnett's plantation. +The camp was located on the edge of the abandoned rice field, while the +picket post was in front on some breastworks on the river's edge. The +old rice fields were more or less overflowed, the banks having been +broken for two years or more, and in them were numerous alligators, some +of considerable size. At night the noises made by these amphibians, and +the raccoons in the adjacent marsh, would have been interesting to a +naturalist, but were annoying to us. But the most serious disturbers of +our peace were the mosquitoes. These were of such size and venom and in +such numbers as to cause real suffering, and necessitate the use of +unusual schemes to protect ourselves against their attacks. + +Accounts of these mosquitoes must seem incredible to any one who has +never spent a midsummer's night in the rice fields; and very few white +people have done this since the war. During the day the comparatively +few that were about could be driven off by tobacco smoke and other +means, but when night fell, and the myriads came up from the fields and +marsh, then the situation became serious. When we were on sentry duty, +walking post, many of us wore thick woolen gloves to protect our hands; +and over our heads and necks frames made of thin hoops covered with +mosquito netting. And when we wanted to retire to our small "A" tents, +we had to make smudge fires in them first, and then crawl in on our +hands and knees, and keep our faces near the ground to breathe, until +finally we got asleep. And, moreover, we dared not let our faces or +hands touch the sides of the tent, for immediately the mighty insects +would thrust their probosces through the canvas and get us. I feel +dubious about the advisability of recording such a statement, but as I +am stating only facts as I experienced them, this must go on record. + +In this rice field section our men suffered greatly from fever, and +there were several deaths. I was the only man in the company of 70 who +persisted in taking three grains of quinine daily, and one other of our +men and I were the only two who did not have a touch of fever. + +While on duty here, early one morning four negro men came to our picket +bringing two Federal officers, and turned them over to us. Upon inquiry +it seemed that these two officers, one of them a Captain Strong of the +Regular Army, and the other a Volunteer lieutenant, had been captured in +Virginia, and were on their way to prison in Georgia, but had escaped +from the cars on the Savannah and Charleston Railroad, and had tried to +make their way to the Federal fleet, but were simply starved out, until +they had to appeal to the negroes for help, and they promptly brought +them in to us. I was detailed as one of the men to guard and carry them +to Green Pond, about 15 miles off, and deliver them to the authorities. +On the way we stopped for a moment at Mr. Benjamin Rhett's plantation, +who, as soon as he learned what was up came to the wagon and with the +consent of the sergeant in command, invited the officers into his house. +There, as soon as they had made some ablutions, he carried them in to +breakfast, and entertained them for an hour; at the same time sending +breakfast and genuine coffee out to us. Captain Strong spoke to me very +pleasantly, and said that he was a graduate of West Point; and learning +that I was from Charleston, inquired about several people there whom I +knew, among others of Col. Sam. Ferguson, who he said had been a +classmate of his at the Academy, and who I told him was at that time +with the army in the West. I recollect that he was interested at hearing +of him. He seemed also quite struck with the youthfulness of our men, +and remarked on it. + +Late in the fall our battery was removed to a point on the Charleston +and Savannah Railroad, south of Green Pond, and put in charge of a +battery there, as the Federals had advanced up from Port Royal, with the +evident intention of attempting to seize the railroad. It seems that +this really was the aim of the movement, conducted under the command of +Gen. Guy V. Henry. And this movement was suggested by General Sherman, +who, when he determined upon his march through Georgia, stated to the +government at Washington that he expected to reach Savannah about the +end of December, and suggested that the railway between Charleston and +Savannah be destroyed before he got there. The Federals made several +advances, but never could get nearer than about half a mile of the +railroad, and in their efforts to do so were defeated and driven back in +two or three affairs, notably in a serious fight at Tulafinny, in which +the cadets of the South Carolina Military Academy, mere boys, were +engaged. + +In these infantry affairs we had no part, as they occurred at some +distance from our position. Our company at the time was serving as heavy +artillerists, and, as I have said, had charge of a battery commanding +the railroad. The Federals had, however, established a battery of field +pieces about 700 yards in our front, and there were frequent artillery +duels, but without serious injury, certainly to our side. There was a +short section of the railway track in an open piece of country, of which +the enemy got the range, and every time a train passed in the daytime +they would open on it with their guns. When the engineers approached +this section they put on all the speed attainable, which was not very +much at best, with the dilapidated engines they then had, and there was +considerable interesting excitement in being on a flat car and running +the gauntlet in this way. I do not think, however, that a train was ever +hit. + +About December the field pieces were taken away from our company and +Capt. Porcher Smith's, and both were turned into infantry, and armed +with old-fashioned Belgian rifles, probably the most antiquated and +worthless guns ever put into a modern soldier's hands. But they were all +our government had. These rifles could not send a ball beyond 200 yards, +and at much shorter range their aim was entirely unreliable. This our +men felt hard to stand, as they knew that at this period the Federal +soldiers were being generally armed with breech-loading Springfield +rifles, weapons which thirty years later were reckoned very formidable. +We soon after were ordered back to James Island, where with Captain +Smith's company we were again under the command of Maj. Edward +Manigault. We were at once put on very arduous picket duty along the +lines on the southwestern part of the island. The weather at this time I +well recollect was unusually cold and wet, and with an insufficiency of +food and clothing, our sufferings were severe. Men had got very scarce +then, and the same relay had to be kept on picket week after week +without relief, and the men would often have to stand guard on the +outposts eight or ten hours on a stretch. + +On one occasion while another man and I were on sentry duty on the lines +in the rifle-pits, at the break of day we saw the two Federal sentries +on the other side of the intervening marsh desert their posts, and +unarmed walk quickly toward us. When they got within about ten paces we +halted them, and called our officer. As soon as he came up we turned +them over to him. I always had a loathing for a deserter, and said to +the men, "If I had my way I would have you given thirty-nine lashes each +and sent back under flag of truce to your command, so you could be shot +as you deserve." One of them twiggled his fingers on his nose and +replied, "Ah, but you hav'n't got no say in the matter." + +While on duty on these outpost lines, the Federals frequently shelled us +from their gunboats in Stono River. We did not mind the Parrott shells, +but the shells from the Cohorn mortars on a mortar schooner were very +trying. They would fall, apparently from the sky, and there was no +dodging them. But fortunately none of them fell directly in the +rifle-pits, but all exploded harmlessly in the field. All old soldiers +know that mortar shells take a very mean advantage of a man. + +One of the outposts on these lines which was manned only at night was +out in the marsh, and I had it one night, and it was about the most +disagreeable night I ever had on picket. I was placed on the post at +dark, with orders to keep in the marsh, at the edge of the tide as it +went down, and to come in at the first daylight. I was all the time up +to my insteps in mud, by myself, with the rain falling all night. I +stood out in that marsh from dark until daylight, in the drenching rain, +for about ten hours. Like most of the men, I had no oilskin, or any +protection against the weather, and of course was thoroughly drenched +early in the night, and the steady rain all night kept me saturated. The +best I could do was to try to keep my ammunition and gun-lock dry. It +was certainly the worst night I ever spent. + +On February 10, 1865, we had our first serious infantry fight, as +infantry. We were doing picket duty at this time on the lines near +Grimball's causeway, with our right extending to Stono River. At about +daylight that morning the Federals began to shell our lines from four +gunboats and a mortar schooner, whose masts we could see over the trees; +and soon after we could see a large force of their infantry assembling +on Legare's plantation on the other side of the flat and marsh in front +of our lines. Our entire force along this part of the lines consisted +of 52 men of our company and 40 men of the Second South Carolina +Artillery and about 20 cavalry, together with 7 officers--all told, 119 +men. Just before the Federal infantry advanced, a section of artillery +took position at about 600 yards in front of us, and shelled our line, +but did no damage. The Federal infantry engaged, as I learned a few +months afterwards from one of their officers, were the Fifty-fourth and +One Hundred and Forty-fourth New York, white; and the Thirty-second, +Thirty-third, and Fifty-fifth U. S. negro troops, altogether about 1,500 +men, and one section of artillery. We were assaulted directly in front, +but held our ground until the enemy were within 30 feet of our line; in +fact, some of their men were actually into our trenches, and having +hand-to-hand fights with our men. So close had they got that I had +ceased firing, and had just fixed my bayonet, and braced myself for a +hand-to-hand fight, when Major Manigault, who was standing only a few +paces to my right in rear of the line, gave the order to retreat. To +this moment not a man had flinched, but at the order to retreat we broke +for the rear, a few of the men reloading, turning, and firing back as +they retreated. We halted at a ditch about 300 yards in the rear, where +we found the battalion of cadets of the South Carolina Military Academy, +and a company of the Second Regiment South Carolina Artillery, +altogether about 185 men. We who had come out of the affair, feeling +strong with this support, were anxious to return and try to drive back +the Federals, but we had no such orders. And probably it was well we did +not do so; for about 700 of the enemy were white men, and, as I +afterwards learned, more than half of them Irish; and for about 267 men +to tackle in open fight nearly three times their number, of that class +of men, was too serious an undertaking to be attempted. Of course as to +the 800 negroes the odds would not have been counted. + +In this affair, of the 119 Confederates engaged, we lost 2 officers, of +whom one was the gallant Major Manigault, severely wounded, and 37 men. +The Federals lost 88. Our loss, as is shown, was about 33 per cent, of +our force engaged, and this large mortality shows the heavy fire to +which we were subjected. General Schimmelpfennig was in general command +of the affair, but the assault was led by Colonel Bennett, who, mounted +upon a sorrel horse, was a mark for several shots from our wretched +rifles, but escaped unhurt. + +The point where I was, just about the center of our line, at the +causeway, was assaulted by a regiment of negro troops; and as they got +near to us I distinctly heard their officers cursing them. I heard one +officer say, "Keep in line there, you damned scoundrels!" and another, +"Go on, you damned rascals, or I'll chop you down!" I saw the line waver +badly when it got to within fifty yards of us, and on this occasion at +least it did not look to me as if the negroes had the spirit to "fight +nobly." I know it is a catch phrase elsewhere that the colored troops +fought nobly, but I testify to what I saw and heard. + +As to these negro troops, there was a sequel, nearly a year later. When +I was peaceably in my office in Charleston one of my family's former +slaves, "Taffy" by name, came in to see me. In former times he had been +a waiter "in the house," and was about my own age; but in 1860, in the +settlement of an estate, he with his parents, aunt, and brother were +sold to Mr. John Ashe, and put on his plantation near Port Royal. Of +course, when the Federals overran that section they took in all these +"contrabands," as they were called, and Taffy became a soldier, and was +in one of the regiments that assaulted us. In reply to a question from +me, he foolishly said he "liked it." I only replied, "Well, I'm sorry I +didn't kill you as you deserved, that's all I have to say." He only +grinned. + +On February 17, James Island was evacuated by the Confederates. Captain +Matthews's company, formerly artillery but now infantry, was added to +our two, and the battalion known as Manigault's, or the Eighteenth South +Carolina Battalion. Major Manigault being wounded, and a prisoner, Capt. +B. C. Webb, of Company A, was in command. Our line of march was through +St. Andrew's Parish, across the bridge at Bee's Ferry, and along the old +State road past Otranto across Goose Creek bridge, which was burned as +soon as the last troops had crossed. Our men had started on this march +with as much baggage as they thought they could carry, but they soon +threw aside their impedimenta, and each settled down to his one blanket +and such clothes as he actually wore. This march across the Carolinas +was a very hard one. Our feet soon became blistered and sore, and many +of us had no shoes, but trudged along in the cold and mud bare-footed as +best we could. As I have already said, this was a cold winter, and it +seemed to us that it rained and froze constantly. Not a particle of +shelter did we have day or night. We would march all day, often in more +or less rain, and at nightfall halt, and bivouac in the bushes, with +every particle of food or clothing saturated. Within a few minutes after +a halt, even under a steady rain, fires would be burning and quickly +extend through the bivouac. If a civilian should attempt to kindle a +fire with soaked wood under a steady rain, he would find his patience +sorely tried, but the soldiers seemed to have no trouble. + +After the fires were kindled we had to wait for the arrival of the +commissary wagons; and it was not uncommon for a detail of men to be +sent back in the night to help push the wagons through the mud; weary, +footsore, hungry, in the dark, up to the knees in mud, heaving on the +wheels of a stalled wagon! It was often late at night before the wagons +were got up and rations could be obtained. + +The men, of course, had to take turns in the use of the two or three +frying-pans carried for each company, and when worn down by marching +from early dawn until dark it was disheartening to have to wait one's +turn, which often did not come until eleven o'clock at night. Frequently +the men, rather than wait for the frying-pan, would fry their scraps of +bacon on the coals, and make the cornmeal into dough, which they would +wrap around the ends of their ramrods and toast in the fire. When the +rations were drawn they consisted of only seven ounces of bacon and one +pint of cornmeal to the man per day; and on several occasions even these +could not be had, and the men went to sleep supperless, and with nothing +to eat during the next day. The commissary department of the corps +seemed to be unequal to the occasion, but this fact is not surprising +when the rapidity of the march and desolation of the country are +considered. Nevertheless, on several occasions the writer's command +passed forty hours without receiving any rations, and once fifty hours, +so that we were glad of an opportunity to beg at any farm-house for an +ear of corn with which to alleviate our hunger. + +All along the line of march large numbers of men were constantly +deserting. Nightly, under cover of darkness, many would sneak from their +bivouacs and go off, not to the enemy, but to their homes. But those of +our men who remained were in good spirits. + +The most influential cause of desertions was the news that reached the +men of the great suffering of their wives and children at home, caused +by the devastations of Sherman's army. Wherever this army passed from +Atlanta to Savannah, and from Savannah through Columbia, Camden, and +Cheraw, into North Carolina, a tract of country 30 miles wide was +devastated. Farm-houses, barns, mills, etc., were all burned. Farm +animals, poultry, etc., were all ruthlessly killed, and the women and +children left to starve. This was most especially the case in South +Carolina, where Sherman burned every town in his path--Walterboro, +Barnwell, Midway, Bamberg, Blackville, Williston, Orangeburg, Columbia, +Camden, and Cheraw. His cavalry leader, General Kilpatrick, attempted to +burn Aiken, but was quickly beaten off by General Wheeler. When the men +learned of the suffering of their women at home, many of them not +unnaturally deserted, and went to their aid. + +This terrible strain on the integrity of the men was the cause of a +pitiable execution that took place on the line of march one day. A +sergeant in the First Regiment Regulars, upon being reproved by his +lieutenant for justifying and advising the desertion of the men, in a +fit of temper attempted to shoot this officer. The line was immediately +halted, the man was carried before a drum-head court martial, tried, and +condemned to be shot on the spot. He was led out, tied with his back +against a tree, and shot to death. It was an awful sight. I recollect +that while awaiting death, the chaplain spoke to him, and offered to +pray with him. His only reply was, "Preacher, I never listened to you in +Fort Sumter, and I won't listen to you now." + +All of the Confederate troops in South Carolina were under the command +of Lieut.-Gen. T. J. Hardee, one of the ablest corps commanders in the +Confederate service. He was nicknamed by the men, "Old Reliable." Our +battalion, known also as the Eighteenth, with Major Bonneau's Georgia +battalion, the battalion of Citadel Cadets, and the Second Regiment +South Carolina Heavy Artillery constituted Brig.-Gen. Stephen Elliott's +brigade, which, with Col. Alfred Rhett's brigade, constituted Maj.-Gen. +Taliaferro's division. About March 1 we reached Cheraw, which we left +two days after. As we left the town Sherman's army pressed us closely, +and my recollection is that there was a sharp cavalry skirmish at the +bridge, which we burned as soon as our troops had got across. I think +Gen. M. C. Butler was the last man to cross, and galloped across it +while it was actually in flames. At the State line the Citadel Cadets +left us, and returned to South Carolina. + +The route of the army lay through Fayetteville, N. C., where we crossed +the Cape Fear River about a week later. After our men had crossed the +bridge I was detailed from my company as one of a number to guard it, +until all the wagons, etc., and the last of the cavalry had got across +and it was burned, and when the bridge had been burned, one of the +cavalrymen let me ride a led horse until I caught up with my command +some distance in front. I remember his telling me of a very remarkable +scrimmage that had just occurred on the other side in Fayetteville. It +seems that before all of our wagons had got across the bridge, and our +own cavalry had come up, a troop of about 70 Federal cavalry rode into +the town to cut our wagons, etc., off from the bridge. General Hampton, +with two of his staff officers and four couriers, in all only seven men, +instantly dashed themselves against the Federals, and in a hand-to-hand +fight killed eleven of them, captured as many more, and ran the rest out +of town, and all without the loss of a single man. A very remarkable +affair. I also heard that Hampton had caught a spy, who would be hanged +when the army halted. I never heard anything more about it, as I had +other things much more personal to engage my attention, and presumed he +was strung up according to military usage. + +But it seems that the man was not hanged. Wells, in "Hampton and His +Cavalry in '64," gives the particulars of this wonderful affair, and +states that the spy's name was David Day, and that he was turned over to +some junior reserves for safe keeping and escaped. And there was an +interesting sequel. + +Thirty-one years after this fight, Hampton then being United States +Railway Commissioner, and in Denver, Colorado, a stranger called upon +him and explained that he was the David Day, the spy captured in the +affair, dressed in Confederate uniform. Hampton congratulated him and +said he was "glad the hanging did not come off." "So am I," replied the +other, laughing. + +At Fayetteville a few of the men of our company, I among them, procured +Enfield rifles in place of the old Belgians we had, and also got +ammunition to suit. The Enfield was a muzzle loader, but really one of +the best guns of the day of its kind, and fairly accurate at 600 yards. +About half of the company, however, had only the worthless Belgians to +the end. + +We were now so closely pursued by Sherman that on March 16 General +Hardee, having about 6,000 men, determined to make a stand near +Averysboro, between the Cape Fear and Black Rivers, where at daylight +Taliaferro's division was attacked full in front by the Fourteenth and +Twentieth Corps of the Federal Army, and Kilpatrick's cavalry, +altogether about 20,000 men, General Sherman being personally on the +field. The fighting was stubborn, at very close quarters, along the +entire line. Twenty men, of whom I was one, were detailed from Elliott's +brigade and attached to the left of Colonel Butler's First Regular +Infantry, of Rhett's brigade, and there I served through the fight. We +held our position in the open woods without protection for about three +hours, and repulsed repeated assaults, until the left of the line, +resting on a swamp along the Black River, which had been thought to be +impassable, was turned by a heavy force of Federals, which had made +their way through the swamp. This force, I afterwards learned, was +Colonel Jones's regiment of Indiana cavalry, fighting as infantry, and +armed with Spencer magazine carbines. Our whole force then fell back +about 400 yards to a line of breastworks manned by McLaws's skeleton +division, and which the Federals later in the day unsuccessfully +assaulted. The Confederate loss in this battle was 500, and the next day +some of Kilpatrick's cavalrymen, who had just been captured, told me +that the Federal loss had been about 2,500. The Confederate forces +engaged in this fight were Rhett's and Elliott's brigades, two artillery +companies, and McLaws's division; and it was not the intention of +General Hardee that Taliaferro's division should make such a stubborn +stand-up fight. It was the intention that they should engage only as +skirmishers, bring on the fight, and then fall back gradually into the +breastworks, where the real fighting was to have been done. But +Elliott's and Rhett's men had previously done only garrison and +artillery duty on the coast, and this was their first experience in +infantry fighting in the open, and they knew no better than to stand up +and fight it out. Sherman in his report to the U. S. War Department of +this affair expressed his surprise at the tenacity with which our men +held their ground. + +It was on this occasion that Col. Alfred Rhett was captured. It seems +that a Captain Theo. F. Northrop, of a regiment of New York cavalry, was +scouting with a few men at early dawn on the morning of the battle, and +just in front of our lines came unexpectedly upon Generals Hampton and +Taliaferro, with a group of aids. He and his men promptly made +themselves invisible, and withdrew, and a few moments after Colonel +Rhett rode up on them. He put his pistol in Colonel Rhett's face and +said, "You must come with me." Colonel Rhett replied, "Who the hell are +you?" and drew his pistol to fight. Instantly the men with Captain +Northrop put their carbines to Colonel Rhett's head, and he, seeing how +the case stood, gave up, and was carried to General Slocum, who sent him +to General Sherman's headquarters. Captain Northrop has stated to me +that Colonel Rhett told him that when first accosted he thought he was +dealing with one of General Wheeler's men, and he would have shot him +for his insolence. And he was always satisfied that if Colonel Rhett had +realized at the very first that they were the enemy he met, he would +have fought and tried to get away, although he would have probably been +killed in the attempt. + +Captain Northrop took Colonel Rhett's sword and pistol. The sword was +lost some years ago in a railway train, but he has the pistol still, +with Colonel Rhett's name engraved on it. + +The fight took place in a piece of pine forest, and there were many +trees that afforded protection to the men on both sides. The lines were +very close together, so close that I could at times clearly observe the +faces of the Federal soldiers opposite. At one time I was protected by a +good pine tree and felt quite comfortable as the bullets thwacked +against the other side of it; but within a few feet, to my left, was an +old stump-hole full of dry leaves, and the bullets striking in those +leaves made a terrible racket. I stood the racket as long as I could, +but finally could stand it no longer, and contrary to common sense +abandoned my friendly tree and stepped a few paces to the right, away +from that noisy stump-hole. There I stood unprotected in the open, but +not many minutes before I was struck full in the middle of my body and +knocked down to a sitting posture. My blanket was rolled in a tight +roll, not over three inches thick, and being of course on my left +shoulder, and across my body downwards to the right, had saved my life. +The ball had passed through the roll, and striking a button on my jacket +had stopped, and as I dropped it fell down, flattened out of all shape. +I lay on the ground for a few moments, paralyzed by the blow, and I +recollect hearing a comrade, who received a bullet through the brain +only a few moments afterwards, call out, "Ford's killed." I gathered +myself back into a sitting posture and replied, "No, I'm not. I think +I'm all right." But the pain was intense, as every boy knows who in a +boxing bout gets a lick in "the short wind." In a few moments I was back +again on my feet, and resumed my place in line, although suffering +considerable pain and nausea. For some time after I carried on my body a +black and blue spot the size of a dollar. + +I recollect noticing the conspicuous coolness of Maj. Thos. Huguenin, of +the First Infantry. During the hardest of the fighting he walked slowly +immediately behind the line in which I was, smoking his pipe as calmly +as if he had been at home. + +Here an incident occurred that showed how, under the most serious +condition, with death and imminent danger all around, a soldier's mind +is often diverted by the most trivial thing. It is a strange phase of +the mind which I have heard old soldiers, who have seen much hard +fighting, comment upon. During the sharpest of the fighting, a hog +started from the swamp on my left and ran squealing and terrified +directly down the front of our line, presenting quite a ludicrous +spectacle, and I heard a number of men, as he passed along the line, +whoop at him and call out, "Go it, piggy!" "Save your bacon, piggy!" +etc. But piggy had not got more than a hundred feet past me when he +turned a somersault, kicked a moment or two, and lay still. He had +evidently stopped a bullet. + +An incident showing the same phase of mind was told me by a member of +the Fourteenth South Carolina Volunteers, as occurring during the great +battle of Gettysburg. As Kershaw's brigade, on the second day, was +advancing to the assault of Little Round Top, a company of the +Fourteenth was among those thrown forward as skirmishers, and as they +advanced across the field toward the Federals, they came to a large +patch of ripe blackberries. The men with one accord immediately turned +their attention to the ripe fruit which was in great abundance on every +side, and, stooping down, kept picking, and eating berries, as they went +slowly forward, actually into action. And so much was their attention +distracted by the blackberries that they were actually within 50 yards +of the enemy's advanced line before they realized their position, when +they rushed forward with a yell, and got possession of a slightly +elevated roadway, which they held until the main line came up. + +During the assault on the breastworks, Capt. S. Porcher Smith, who was +standing just behind me, was shot through the face and fell. The +litter-bearers picked him up, and as they were carrying him to the rear, +one of them was shot and fell, and Captain Smith rolled headlong out of +the litter. I well remember this incident. + +We held our position until about midnight, when we fell back to a place +called Elevation. This night's march was a very trying one. The road was +terribly cut up by the wagons and artillery, and as the rains had been +frequent it seemed as if the clay mud was knee deep. We floundered +along for about six hours, and at daylight on the 17th halted and were +given some rations. Most of us had not had a morsel of food since the +night of the 15th. It happened in this way. On the night of the 15th we +cooked our cornmeal and bacon and ate our supper, saving half for the +next day. At the early break of day on the 16th, as I was warming my +bacon and corn pone in a frying-pan before eating some of it, the +Federals attacked us, and we had to fall into line instantly. So I had +to leave the frying-pan with all my food as it was on the fire and go +through that day's hardship, and until the next day at Elevation, +without any food whatever. It had been General Hardee's intention to +give us two or three days' rest at Elevation, but it having been +ascertained that the Federal army was pushing toward Goldsboro, Gen. +Jos. E. Johnston, then only recently put in command of the Confederate +troops in North Carolina, ordered General Hardee to hurry forward and +intercept Sherman near Bentonville. So about 3 o'clock on the morning of +the 19th we were aroused and hurried on toward Bentonville, where we +arrived a little before three in the afternoon, having made the 20 miles +in rather less than 12 hours. + +It was on the march this day that an amusing incident occurred. I had +not owned a pair of socks since I left James Island a month before, and +my shoes were in such tattered condition that I could keep uppers and +soles together only by tying them with several leather strings, but +most of my toes stuck out very conspicuously. I had read of the +importance that great generals attached to the good condition of +infantry soldiers' feet, and hence the aphorism, "A marching man is no +stronger than his feet," and I determined to keep mine in good condition +if possible. I knew that frequent bathing prevented blistering; +therefore, every night before going to sleep, and often on the march +during the day I would bathe my feet, so that they were never blistered, +and I kept well up with my company in marching. On this day as we +crossed a little stream, according to my custom I stepped aside, and +pulling off my shoes soaked my feet in the running water. General Hardee +and his staff rode by at the moment. He checked his horse and called +sternly to me, "You there, sir! What are you doing straggling from your +command? I suppose you are one of those men who behaved so badly at +Averysboro." (A few men had been guilty of misconduct there.) I sprang +to my feet, and saluting him said, "Excuse me, General, but you are +speaking to the wrong man, sir. I have never misbehaved, and never +straggled. I am only bathing my feet to prevent them from blistering. +There is my company right ahead there, sir, and I always keep up with +it." My injured tone and evident sincerity struck the old man, and he +saluted me with the words, "I beg your pardon, sir," and rode on. He was +a courtly and knightly soldier, and a great favorite with the men. + +We reached Bentonville at about 3 o'clock p. m., only a short time after +the battle had begun, and as we marched hurriedly along the road in the +direction of the firing we passed a number of wounded men coming to the +rear; and then several operating tables on both sides of the road, some +with wounded men stretched on them with the surgeons at work, and all of +them with several bloody amputated legs and arms thrown alongside on the +grass. The sight was temporarily depressing, as it foreshadowed what we +had to expect. But we hurried on, and our division halted for a few +moments on the ground from which the Federals had just been repulsed, +and there were quite a number of their dead and wounded lying about. One +of the Federal wounded, a lieutenant, begged us for some water, and I +stepped from the line and gave him a drink from my canteen. Others +begged me likewise, and in a few moments my canteen was empty. I knew +that this might result seriously to me, in case I should need the water +badly for myself, but I could not refuse a wounded man's appeal even if +he was my enemy; and one of our men, a thrifty fellow, who always +managed to have things, produced a little flask of whiskey, and gave a +good drink to a Federal who had his leg badly crushed. The blue-coat +raised his eyes to Heaven with, "Thank God, Johnnie; it may come around +that I may be able to do you a kindness, and I'll never forget this +drink of liquor." We were not allowed to remain long relieving the +suffering, but soon were called to "attention," and received orders to +create it, by an attack upon the enemy from our extreme right. At this +moment Maj. A. Burnett Rhett, of the artillery, rode along the line and +called out that news had been received that France had recognized the +Confederacy and would send warships to open our ports immediately. The +men cheered, few of us realizing that the end was so near. We were +blinded by our patriotism. There was Lee with his 30,000 men that moment +surrounded by Grant with his 150,000. Here was Johnston with his 14,000 +trying to keep at bay Sherman with his 70,000, with the knowledge that +Schofield was only two days off with 40,000 more. And this was about all +there was to the Confederacy; and they talked of recognition! Oh, the +pity of it! + +As we stood in line ready to advance my next comrade remarked, "Well, +boys, one out of every three of us will drop to-day. I wonder who it +will be?" This had been about our proportion in our two previous +infantry engagements, and it was not far short of the same here, for out +of the twenty-one men the company carried into the fight five were left +on the field. At the word the line advanced through a very thick black +jack-oak woods full of briars, and then double-quicked. We ran right +over the Federal picket line and captured or shot every one of the +pickets. One picket was in the act of eating his dinner, and as we ran +upon him he dropped his tin bucket, which, strange to say, had rice and +peas boiled together. Our lieutenant grabbed it up, and carried it, with +the spoon still in the porridge, in his left hand in the charge. We went +through the bushes yelling and at a run until we struck a worm rail +fence on the edge of an old field. I sprang up on the fence to get over, +but when on top could see no enemy, and so called out to the men, a +number of whom were likewise immediately on the fence. Just at this +moment the officers called to us to come back, as a mistake had been +made. Our division had not gone far enough to our right. The line was +again formed in the thick bushes, and we went about two hundred yards or +so farther to the right, and during this movement the lieutenant ate the +captured porridge, and gave me the empty tin bucket and spoon. I +attached the bucket to my waist belt, and kept it for about a month, +when in an amusing encounter with Gen. Sam Cooper, of which I will tell +farther on, it got crushed. The spoon I have kept to the present time. + +Our line was soon again halted just on the inside edge of the dense +woods, and concealed by the brush, and I could see on the other side of +the field, about 300 yards distant, twelve pieces of artillery +glistening in the sun, and behind them a dense mass of blue infantry +evidently expecting our attack, and ready for us. + +As we stood there for a few minutes and saw the work cut out for us, one +of our men, one of the few who had been of age in 1860, said in a +plaintive tone, "If the Lord will only see me safe through this job, +I'll register an oath never to vote for secession again as long as I +live." + +At the word "forward" our brigade left the cover of the woods at the +double-quick, and the men reopened with their yells. + +As all veterans of the great war know, in a charge the Confederates did +not preserve their alignment, as the Federals did. They usually went at +a run, every man more or less for himself. There was also an +inexplicable difference between the battle cries of the Federal and +Confederate soldiers. In the assaults of the Federals the cries were +regular, like "Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!" simply cheers, lacking stirring +life. But the Confederate cries were yells of an intensely nervous +description; every man for himself yelling "Yai, Yai, Yi, Yai, Yi!" They +were simply fierce shrieks made from each man's throat individually, and +which cannot be described, and cannot be reproduced except under the +excitement of an assault in actual battle. I do not know any reason for +this marked difference unless it was in the more pronounced +individuality of the average Confederate soldier. + +As soon as our line charged out into the open field the Federal +artillery opened on us with grape shot, and the infantry with their +rifles. My eyes were in a moment filled with sand dashed up by the grape +which struck around. I wiped them with my hand, and keeping them closed +as much as I could, kept on at a run until I suddenly realized that I +was practically alone. When I looked back I saw that the brigade, after +getting about half way across the field, had stopped and was in +confusion. In a moment it broke and went back in a clear panic. It is +needless to say I followed. Our line was reformed in the woods, and I am +glad to say of my own company, and I think Captain Matthews's, they both +rallied at the word to a man. Every man was in place except those who +had fallen. This was more than could be said for some of the other +commands of the brigade, some of whose men never rallied, but went +straight on home from the field, and were never heard of again. + +Our line was again moved forward to the position from which we had first +driven the Federal pickets, and our company was sent to the edge of the +woods from which we had made the last charge, and deployed as pickets, +two men at each post. It was now about dark, and, while the Federal +infantry had ceased firing, the wretched pieces of artillery never let +up on us and kept throwing grape shot, and occasional shells into the +woods where they knew we were, making a terrible racket through the +tree-tops, tearing off branches, etc. At about eight o'clock that night +our lieutenant came running along the line calling for "Ford." As soon +as he came to my post he told me that he had brought another man to take +my place and that I was relieved, and at 12 o'clock must go directly to +the rear and get some rations that were expected, and cook them for the +company. I begged to be let off, but it was no go. He said he knew I +could cook, and must go. So I laid down where I was, with instructions +to my comrade to awake me at 12 o'clock, and in an instant was sound +asleep, oblivious to the shells, etc., that the enemy kept meanly +crashing through the trees and brush, and worse still to the groans and +cries of the wounded that still lay in the field in front where they had +fallen. After dark the occasional screams of some wounded horses lying +in our rear were particularly distressing. Early in the afternoon +Halsey's battery of flying artillery, attached to Hampton's cavalry, had +held a gap in the line, until the arrival of our division, and in +advancing I saw probably a dozen horses lying dead or wounded where the +battery had been. To this day I recall the piteous expressions of two or +three of these wounded horses, as they raised their heads in their +suffering and looked at us as we passed between them. They were +perfectly quiet, but it was only after dark that in their loneliness +they uttered any sounds. + +About midnight our picket line was withdrawn and the whole division +moved off in Egyptian darkness somewhere, I never did know exactly +where, or really care either, for at that moment I was suffering from +fever which afterwards developed into a serious illness. At daylight in +a cold rain we halted somewhere in the woods on the edge of another +field, and threw up breastworks, as we were threatened with an attack, +which, however, was not made. On the afternoon of the 21st we were +hurriedly ordered to hasten across to the extreme left of Johnston's +army to support the troops there who were severely pressed by the +Federals. I was now so sick that I was ordered to the rear, but begged +off, and a comrade offered to carry my gun for me, so I kept up. When we +reached the place our line was formed with our company on the extreme +left resting on the edge of Mill Creek. I was really so ill that I could +not stand in line for any length of time, and requested permission of my +lieutenant to lie down in ranks, so as to be in place when the assault +came. He ordered me to the rear, but I succeeded in begging off again, +and lay down in line. I was asleep instantly. The next thing I knew I +was being dragged by the feet, and heard some one say, "What are you +going to do with that dead man?" "Going to throw him in the creek," was +the reply. I opened my eyes and said, "I am not dead, but only sick. +What is the matter? Where are our men?" Looking around I saw that it was +early dawn, and the place was deserted except by two of our cavalry +videttes, one of whom said, "If you have life enough left you had better +skedaddle, for the Yanks will be here in five minutes. We are the last +of the cavalry." I picked myself up, and got across Mill Creek bridge +just as the Federal troops began to appear. + +I believe I was the last infantryman to get across it, and it was the +only bridge across the creek. As I went across I noticed a lot of +Wheeler's cavalry on the north bank of the creek, evidently to hold the +bridge, and I could see the Federals in the distance, just on the top of +the hill on the south side. I suspected what was coming, and, as I had +received no invitation to an early morning entertainment, kept on my +way. The road on the north side of the bridge inclined sharply to the +left, so I was soon out of the line of fire, but heard the scrimmage as +the Federals assaulted Wheeler's men and endeavored to capture the +bridge. They were repulsed, but not before three of their color-bearers +had fallen within fifty feet of the Confederate line. + +It seemed that Johnston's army had retreated during the night, and in +the darkness my comrades had overlooked me asleep on the ground. At +about noon I caught up with my command where it had halted about two +miles from the creek. In this battle of Bentonville, Johnston with only +14,100 men, all told, fought Sherman with about 40,000 the first day, +and 70,000 the second. The Confederate losses were 2,400 and the Federal +4,000. + +I had become so ill now that I could hold out no longer, and reported to +the surgeon, and at eight o'clock on the morning of the 23rd was driven +in an ambulance to a railway station and put with a lot of sick and +wounded men on a train for Greensboro. I had had nothing to eat since +about noon the day before, and when we got to Raleigh I got off and went +to a near-by little cottage, where I saw a woman at the door, and told +her that I was really very sick, and very hungry, and begged her for +something to eat. I had not a cent of money. She told me pathetically +that she had fed nearly all she had to the soldiers, but had a potato +pie, and if I could eat that I would be welcome to it. I took it +gratefully and it was the nicest potato pie I ever saw, before or since. +We reached Greensboro at dark, making about 90 miles run in ten hours, +very good for the speed of railway trains at that time. At Greensboro +the court-house was used as the hospital, all the benches, desks, etc., +being removed. We had no mattresses nor bedding of any kind, and about +200 of us were laid off in rows on the floor, with only our own blankets +that we brought with us. After looking over the accommodations I +selected the platform inside of the rail, where the judge's desk used to +be, for my place, and went out into the street and begged an armful of +hay from a wagon, and with two bricks for a pillow made my bed. Here I +lay for about three weeks with fever, and at times really very ill. +Three times a day the ladies of the town came and brought us food, and +were devoted in their attentions. I got to be very weak, and on April +14th I told the surgeon that I was certainly getting worse, and +believed I would die if I stayed where I was. His cold reply was, "I +believe you will." I then asked to be allowed to go home. He said, "You +will die before you have been out of the hospital twenty-four hours," to +which I replied, "It is all the same with me. I would as lieve die in +the bushes as here. Only let me make the attempt." Thereupon he gave me +my furlough, and at daylight the next morning I put my blanket around me +and walked right out into a drizzly rain. The railroad was torn up +between Greensboro and Salisbury, so I walked along the track, and the +next day reached High Point, and at that place met one of my comrades, +who was in the hospital there. He smuggled me in and gave me a night's +lodging under his blanket, and shared his scanty supper with me. The +next day I struck out again, and after three or four more days walking +reached Salisbury, about thirty miles farther, where I again found +another comrade in the hospital at that place. With the exception of the +night I had spent at High Point, it was my habit, when night overtook +me, to step aside into the bushes and sleep until morning. What food I +got was only what I begged at the farmhouses on the way. + +At the Yadkin River I found that the bridge had not been burned. It +seems that the Federal General Stoneman had been raiding that section of +country and had attempted to burn this bridge, but had been driven off +by a Confederate force under General Pettus, and some cavalry. Just as +I approached it, President Jefferson Davis, with quite a party, came +riding by. He was sitting gracefully erect on his horse, and courteously +returned our salutes. This was the one occasion on which I saw the +President. + +We were quite a large number of men along the roadside, and one of the +President's party, a captain, rode up to my group and asked if we were +willing to go on across the Mississippi and continue the war there? Many +of us, I among them, volunteered to go, but we heard nothing more of it. +It seems that this really was Mr. Davis's plan, and he was so much set +on it, that as late as April 25 he suggested to General Johnston that +instead of surrendering to General Sherman, he should disband his +infantry, with instructions to them to rendezvous at some appointed +place across the Mississippi, and to bring off his cavalry and all his +horses and light pieces of artillery. As is well known, General Johnston +fully realized the absolute hopelessness of the struggle and +deliberately disobeyed his instructions, and surrendered to General +Sherman the next day. When one looks back upon the condition of things +then as they must have been known to the highest Confederate +authorities, it seems almost incredible that such an impracticable idea +as continuing the war across the Mississippi could have been entertained +for a moment. + +At Salisbury a comrade, who had been also for three years my messmate +and chum, joined me, and we traveled from there as far as Chester, S. +C., where our ways parted. Strange to say, it seemed to me that I began +to improve from the moment I left the hospital. I had a strong fever on +me, but was bent on getting home. At Salisbury an amusing event +occurred. This was about April 19. Lee's army had been surrendered ten +days before, and the first lot of his men, probably 300 or so, now came +along, and learning that there was a Confederate storehouse here with +supplies of food and clothing, determined to help themselves. I joined +the crowd to get my share. The warehouse was guarded by about a dozen +boys of the home guard, who protested violently; but they were just +swept one side, and the door was broken open, and every man helped +himself to what he wanted or needed. I got a handful of Confederate +money, a pair of shoes, some flour and bacon, a pair of socks, and a +small roll of jeans. This roll of cloth I carried clear home across my +shoulders, and when I reached Aiken, in May, exchanged it with the baker +for one hundred bread tickets, which provided our family with bread for +the rest of the summer. + +The railway for a short distance from Salisbury was intact, and here we +discovered an engine and two box-cars waiting for President Davis and +the Confederate Cabinet. The crowd of soldiers determined to seize this +train, and we told the engineer that he must either carry us as far as +he could, and then come back for the President, or we would put him off +and take the train ourselves. He yielded to force, and carried us about +20 miles. We then got off, and he went back. This led to an amusing +experience a couple of days later. There was another section of torn-up +track, and then another place where another engine and one box-car were +in waiting again for the President and Cabinet. The crowd had dwindled +down very much now, so comparatively only a few of us were on hand. +These, I among them, at once clambered up on top of the car, and sat +there. Presently I saw Gen. Sam Cooper approaching with a squad of about +a dozen boys, home guards as they were called. He halted them within a +dozen paces of the car, and then gave the orders, "ready, aim," and we +had a dozen old muskets pointed at us. Then shaking his finger at us he +said, "You scoundrels, you are the men who stole that train day before +yesterday. If you do not drop off that car I'll blow you to hell." We +dropped. In jumping down, my tin bucket, captured at Bentonville, was +crushed against the side of the car. The spoon was in my haversack, and +I have it still--1904. I thought to myself, however, "Old cock, I'll get +even with you. I have a scheme you don't know about." Going off a few +steps I said to my chum, "Just let's wait here until the Cabinet +arrives. I bet that we two at least will get back on that car." We +lounged around for an hour or two, and presently the wagons appeared +with the Cabinet. I knew that Mrs. Geo. A. Trenholm, the wife of the +Confederate Secretary of the Treasury, was along, and being a +Charlestonian, who knew my family, I felt sure that when I made myself +known she would help me. True enough, as soon as I made myself known to +her she spoke to General Cooper, and four of us were given permission to +ride on top of the car, one at each corner, with our legs dangling over, +for the top of the car in the middle was smashed in. Mrs. Trenholm also +kindly gave me a half loaf of bread and the half of a chicken. + +We jolted along in this way over the good section of the road, until we +came to the next break, when we got off, and after tendering our thanks +plodded along on foot again. + +Gen. Sam'l S. Cooper was Adjutant-General of the Confederate Army, and +the senior in rank of Gen. Robert E. Lee, and was a Pennsylvanian. He +ranked Lee in the Confederate service; and in the Federal Army before +the war he also ranked the great Confederate commander, he having been +Adjutant-General of the United States Army. + +At Chester I parted with my companions, as our routes diverged. I walked +from that town to Newberry, where I met one of my comrades, whose family +lived there. He took me to his house, and I stayed there two days. Upon +my departure he saw that my haversack was well filled with provisions. + +The railway was intact from Newberry to Abbeville, so I got a lift that +far. + +While making my way through the country I was always treated with much +hospitality by all the people along my route. There was only one +exception. This was in Chester County, when one day, with my haversack +empty, and hunger calling impatiently, I stopped at a farm-house and +asked for some food, offering to pay for it. The respectable-looking man +whom I addressed asked me what kind of money I had. I said, "Only +Confederate money." He replied, "I won't take anything except gold or +silver and have no food to give away," and shut the door in my face. I +inquired of some negroes, as I walked off, and was told he was a very +well-to-do man, and a preacher! + +In striking contrast was the treatment by a poor farmer's wife the same +day. I stopped at a small farm-house by the roadside, and in response to +my call a woman opened the house door, and looking out cautiously asked +who I was. I replied, "I am a Confederate soldier trying to get home. I +am sick, and want something to eat." She called out, "You got smallpox?" +"No," I said. Again she asked, "You got the measles?" "No, I've got only +fever, and only want to rest; and if you have anything to spare, +something to eat." She then told me to come into the house, and showing +me into the back porch, spread a comfort on the floor with a pillow, and +said, "My husband got back from the army just yesterday, and went to +town this morning. I am sorry, but there's not a scrap of meat in the +house, only some veal which he killed this morning. Now you just lie +down and take a rest while I cook you some veal, and corn bread." I laid +down, and was soon asleep. After a while the good woman aroused me, and +led the way to the table, where she had prepared some veal chops and +corn bread for me, which I ate with relish. She refused to receive any +pay, as she said she "could not receive pay from a soldier." So giving +her my warm thanks I resumed my route toward Newberry. + +At Abbeville I went into a drug store and invested $30 in a toothbrush. + +I had chosen this route to avoid the section devastated by Sherman. From +Abbeville my route lay through Washington and Augusta, Ga., to Aiken, +where my family were, and which I reached early in May. When passing +through Augusta I went to the quartermaster's department and drew my +pay, amounting to $156. This was the first pay I had received for a +year, and of course it was absolutely worthless, but upon my arrival at +Aiken I found a man who accepted $50 of it for a bottle of very crude +corn whiskey. The remainder of this pay is still in my desk. + +On April 26, 1865, General Johnston's army was surrendered to General +Sherman near Durham Station, N. C.. thus putting an end to the war +within the limits of their respective commands. At that time General +Johnston had 26,000 men on his roll, as many of the remnants of the Army +of the Tennessee and others from Wilmington had joined his command. Of +these, 2,000 had no arms of any kind. General Sherman had 110,000 men +effective. Johnston's army had consumed their last rations when it was +surrendered, and General Sherman, when informed of its condition, +ordered 250,000 rations immediately distributed, or about ten days' +rations to each Confederate soldier. General Johnston in his +"Narrative" says that if this had not been done great suffering would +have ensued. + +The great war was at an end, and the following figures show the fearful +odds we fought against. + +During the four years the United States put about 3,000,000 men in the +field, of whom 720,000 were foreigners. They lost in killed, in battle, +and from disease, 366,000, or about 12 per cent. + +The Confederate States had only about 625,000 men, all told, from first +to last. Of these there were killed in battle, and died from disease, +349,000, or about 56 per cent. + +At the close the United States had 1,050,000 men in active service, and +the Confederate States 139,000. We were fighting odds of over 7 to 1. + +The day after my arrival at home the first Federal troops arrived from +Charleston to garrison the town of Aiken. They were a company of +negroes, commanded by a German captain, who spoke very broken English. I +soon learned that it was a part of the force that had assaulted us on +James Island and from the officers I heard their side of the affair. +This was the beginning of that era of reconstruction which, for eleven +years, was a course of negro domination, corruption, robbery, and +outrages; and which steadily increased in intensity until in 1876 it was +overthrown by the general uprising of the white people. But this is +another subject. + + + + +SOME EXPERIENCES AND SKETCHES OF SOUTHERN LIFE + +BY MARION JOHNSTONE FORD + +[Illustration: Marion Johnstone Porcher] + + + + +KENT--A WAR-TIME NEGRO + + +"An African Morgan--a citizen whose name we shall not mention, although +many readers know and will recognize the case--was surprised some days +ago by the entrance of a good servant, who was supposed to be, if living +at all, in Yankee hands at Knoxville. This servant went cheerfully, of +course, or he would not have been sent, to wait on 'Young Massa,' who is +under Brigadier-General Jenkins, in Longstreet's corps. + +"In the retreat from Knoxville, he was accidentally wounded, and +necessarily left behind. + +"When taken to Knoxville, he was questioned by General Foster, well +known for his connection as engineer with Fort Sumter, which has done +more than he desired or expected for the defense of Charleston. + +"Being asked his master's name, the man replied, when General Foster +condescendingly said: 'Oh, yes; I knew him when I was at Sumter. You +know that you are now free and have no master.' We need not report +the further conversation, or the conduct of the servant. Suffice it to +say he did not--like some of our gossiping friends in uniform--talk to +everybody about his intention, but at the first promising opportunity he +took French leave of Yankee friends and freedom in Knoxville, and not +knowing then where to find or reach his 'Young Master,' he struck, +according to his best information, for the 'Old Master' and the 'home +place.' + +"He was compelled to walk over one hundred and fifty miles, and in great +part over the route travelled lately by General Morgan, and succeeded in +reaching a railroad, which gave him a lift toward this city. + +"We would have more such cases if opportunities could be found." + +--_Charleston, S. C, Courier, January 19, 1863._ + + * * * * * + +This Kent was not of blood royal, as his name might indicate; he came of +a dusky African brood, but his loyalty and faithfulness would have done +credit to any race. How he got his name I do not know, but it was a +relief to the ear after those his mother had chosen for his +brothers--"Cully" and "Hackless." Whether the latter was intended for +Hercules, neither Martha, their mother, nor any one else knew. + +Kent was the flower of his flock as regarded his appearance, being tall +and slender, with shiny black skin and unusually high features for a +negro. He seemed to justify his mother's boast that she was "no +low-blooded negro, but was of a good family in Africa." And she really +had some foundation for this unusual pride among her race, for our +grandmother, who died at a great age many years ago, was fond of telling +among the incidents of her childhood, that once when a shipload of +Africans was brought to her native city for sale, her husband went to +purchase some for his plantation, and among several he brought back +"Katura," Martha's ancestress. After the usual process of shutting them +up until they could be induced to wear clothes, she, with the others, +was sent up to the plantation. When they arrived there and began to +mingle with the other negroes, one of those that had been bought some +time before, at the sight of "Katura," rushed forward and prostrated +herself at her feet with every mark of affection and respect. She could +speak English and explained to the astonished onlookers that this was a +princess in her country, who had been sold by her uncle to the +slave-traders. It seemed a barbaric romance. Katura, however, took +kindly to civilization, and soon settled herself in her new position +with no undue repining. In time she was comforted by a partner, and +brought into the world numerous progeny, who were noted for their +integrity and fidelity unto the fifth generation, which brings us to +that of Kent. + +When the great war broke out, and all the men and youths were joining +the army, our hearts were heavy, and we felt full of sad forebodings at +Otranto, our country home, where parting and sorrow had never come. We +were a large band of girls, with one young brother, the idol of our +hearts, and the apple of our parents' eyes. Like everybody in those +days, we were very patriotic, but when it dawned upon us that Harry must +shoulder his rifle and go to Virginia we felt that love of country cost +us dear. Harry completed his sixteenth year the April after the +secession of South Carolina, and as there was no doubt that his college +days were over, as he would not study, we were not surprised when the +day after his birthday, he galloped up the avenue, dashed into the room +where we were sitting, upsetting a chair, and exclaimed: + +"How soon can you get me ready, girls? I joined the Hampton Legion this +morning, and we are off to Virginia,--Hurrah!" + +"Hush, Harry!" exclaimed our eldest sister; "pick up that chair; don't +you see mother is faint?" + +"No, it is past," murmured our mother, trying to smile, as we all turned +to her. "God bless and keep you, my boy. I expected you to enlist; you +could not do otherwise, and now," stifling a sigh, "I must think of your +outfit, and you must take a servant too. I wonder which will be best." + +"A private with a servant seems an anomaly," laughingly said Harry. "But +I believe several of the boys have men, and anything to ease your mind, +mother dear." + +"Our minds must learn to do without ease, as well as our bodies, I fear, +in the days that lie before us," she answered, stroking his curly head +as he knelt by her chair; "but we must act, and not think now." + +The days that followed were busy ones. The difficulty was not what was +needed, but what could be carried. It was an exciting novelty to pack a +knapsack, and its small capacity was a constant check to our zeal. +Harry's constant reminder, "I will have to march with that on my back, +nobody knows how far," brought a pang to our hearts. It was decided that +he should take a "body-servant"--the old-fashioned Southern rendering of +the French term "valet." After much deliberation and, I fear, heart +burning among the servants, for in this, as in other instances, the post +of danger was also that of honor, Kent was selected, much to his own and +his mother's gratification. + +The day appointed for the company to which Harry belonged to join the +Legion in Virginia came all too soon. He shouldered his knapsack, and +tore himself from us, followed by his colored attendant, with whom we +all shook hands and whom we urged to "take care of Mas' Harry." + +"Yes, Missus," he responded, looking preternaturally solemn. + +Of course Harry left a great gap behind him, but we tried to excel each +other in efforts at cheerfulness, and bright prognostications as to his +future career as a soldier. We succeeded only tolerably in these +laudable efforts, when Martha waddled in--she was our cook, and a +decided character in her way. I believe, next to our mother, she thought +herself of first importance among the feminine part of the household. +She gave a keen glance at our mother, whom she idolized. + +"Well, Missus," she said, dropping a little curtsy, "I come to see how +you gettin' on. You all looks pretty blue, but I 'clare to gracious +there's no 'casion to fret. Nuttin' gwine to hu't Mas' Harry w'en Kent +gone to tak' care ov him. Missus, you dunno how smart dat boy is; an' I +jus' tell him, 'Mas' Harry tinks he's a man and a soger, but you know he +ain't nuttin' but a baby, an' a ma-baby at dat.' An' I jus' tell him he +need not to come home if he let anyt'ing hu't Mas' Harry. So don't you +fret, Missus." + +"But how could Kent prevent Harry's being wounded or hurt, Martha?" I +asked. + +"Now, Miss Sallie, don't you go for to talk nonsense," responded the old +woman. "An' your ma always says w'ere dere is a will dere is a way. +Well, dat's what I tells Kent, an' I tells Affy, de gal he's courtin', +it's no use for she to fret, fur 'less Kent brings Mas' Harry back safe, +dere won't be no weddin' fur him." + +"Oh," I said, "he is courting, is he? That is why he looked so serious +when he left." + +"It looks so, Missy. He tell me to look sharp at her, an' see if she +notice anybody while he is gone. An' I will--an' let her know, too, if +she do," she muttered as she left the room. + +Harry saw much active service, was in many battles, and fortunately +escaped with only one wound. He told us in his letters of Kent's +faithful following, and attendance on long marches, and after a battle +he always found him looking anxiously for him, with something to eat as +nice as he could get. Indeed, he was a wonderful provider, but Harry was +by no means sure that Kent could have made good his claim to many of the +eatables he set before him, for his conscience was an elastic one as to +the rights of property in food. So long as he got what he wanted for +Harry, he stopped neither to buy, beg nor borrow, but helped himself. +His kindness of heart, ready wit, and readiness to lend a helping hand +to any one in need made him a general favorite in the company, where he +was noted for the care he took of his young master. + +The years of the war sped on, and brought privations and sorrows which +each year seemed to intensify. Our home was no longer the bright place +it used to be, for we had lost many friends, and self-denial was the +order of the day. We were very busy, too, and that helped to keep us +cheerful. + +There were new accomplishments to acquire. We learned, and taught our +maids, to card and spin the home-grown wool, and when that did not +suffice for the extraordinary demand we had supernumerary wool +mattresses ripped up; the ticking was considered to make handsome +frocks for the servants, and the wool when dyed and woven made excellent +homespun suits for ourselves, that were not to be despised for +durability and warmth. There was quite a rivalry as to who could make +the prettiest dyes for our dresses, but after a time black was most +worn. Then we had our old light kid gloves to ink over carefully, so +that we might not go barehanded to church. We thought those gloves a +great success when we first dyed them, but when we came to wear them, +the ink never seemed to dry, and would soak through, and dye our hands +most uncomfortably. Our greatest achievement after all, I think, was the +piles of socks we knitted by the lightwood blaze at night. Our +old-fashioned butler always placed a candle--a tallow one, or still +worse, a home-made myrtle wax one--upon the table, but we considered it +an extravagance to light it unless there was something urgent to read. I +am surprised now that we did not mind the heat of the blaze more in +summer, but I do not remember our thinking of it. There was one great +spasm of patriotism when every worsted curtain in the house was cut into +soldiers' shirts. Some of these were of brilliant colors and patterns, +and I cannot but think might have served as targets for bullets. We even +undressed the piano and converted its cover into a blanket for a +soldier. We were chagrined afterwards to hear from some of our friends +who had done the same thing, that the latest advice from the field was +that the soldiers found the garments, so improvised, very +unsatisfactory, and begged the ladies not to sacrifice their belongings +so recklessly. + +There were no plum puddings or mince pies in those days, according to +the accepted recipes, but we made Confederate fruit cake with dried +peaches and apples instead of raisins and currants, with sorghum for +sugar; and potato pones and puddings were very frequent, and both dishes +had the merit of a little going a long way, especially after the supply +of ginger gave out. + +We never had any use for the potato, peas, ground-nut, or any sort of +mock coffee, but we drank orange leaf, or sage tea in preference to any +other home-made beverage. We managed to keep a little store of genuine +tea for medicine, and when our mother pronounced any of us ill enough to +need a little coddling, what a treat it was! The invalid never would +consent to partake, unless it was a family tea party. What enjoyment +those occasions gave! + +In the latter part of '63, we were distressed to hear from Harry that he +was ill in the hospital in Tennessee. He wrote: "I think we are falling +back. Kent is ill with pneumonia, and the worst of it is that if we fall +back I have no means of transportation for him; it will be hard to have +to leave him." + +Dire was the distress that letter brought us. We waited anxiously for +further news. Harry brought it himself. He had been ill, and was sent +home on furlough. He looked worn, and very unlike the bright boy who had +left us. + +"What of Kent?" we asked. + +"I had to leave him," he said. "I could not help it. We were falling +back rapidly. Many were left in the hospitals, and are now prisoners. It +was only through my captain being such a friend of father's, and +stirring himself to get me a place in an ambulance, that I was not left. +I dragged myself to see the good fellow, although I could scarcely walk. +He was very sick, and distressed to part with me. I told him the enemy +would be in town that night, and he would be free. He said, 'Mas' Harry, +that is nothing to me; if you don't see me home, you will know I am +dead. Tell Missus, and Ma, and Affy so.'" + +Martha was given the message, but our conscientious mother added: "But, +Martha, if you do not see him you need not be sure he is not living; but +you must not count too much on seeing him, for if he gets well he will +doubtless be tempted to stay, and try a new experience." + +The old woman twirled the corners of her apron, as she said sadly: +"Missus, it is five generations since my fam'ly come from Africa, and +Mausser's from France; we's been togedder since dat time, an' been +fait'ful togedder; for once w'en times was hard wid Mausser, he mout hab +sold us, but he didn't. He kep' us all togedder, an' you tink Kent such +a fool as not to know dat, an' be happy 'mong strangers? He got to work +w'erebber he is, an' nobody gwine to consider him like you all. No, +ma'am, if he alive I'm lookin' for him, w'atever it seems like to you, +ma'am." And she bobbed her curtsy and walked off, leaving her mistress +feeling quite small. + +Harry remained with us for some weeks. It was pleasant to see his +enjoyment of home fare, even in its pruned condition. Everything seemed +luxurious after the camp life; but he did not linger after he was well +enough to return to the army. There still was no news of Kent. Harry +refused to take another servant in his place, although urged to do so. +"No," he said, "I could not find any one to fill Kent's place; and it is +a demoralizing life. I do not know if even he could stand the restraints +of civilization again." + +Several months passed after Harry's departure, and we had given up any +idea we might have had of hearing any more of Kent. Martha mourned him +as dead, and induced her preacher to preach his funeral, she and Affy +attending as chief mourners. Affy in a black cotton dress of Martha's +which swallowed her up, and Martha with her very black face muffled in a +square of black alpaca, from which, as she peered out, her teeth and +eyeballs looked dazzlingly white. + +One freezing night in December, as we were trying to summon resolution +to leave the warm chimney corner and go to bed, we were startled by a +rap at the door. Everything was startling in those days. Our father +opened it, and the light fell on a tall figure clad in a United States +uniform, surmounted by Kent's smiling countenance. + +"Why, where do you come from?" we exclaimed. + +"Well, I tole Mas' Harry if de Lord spare my life I'd come home, an' +here I is, sir, and Missus, an' mighty proud," he added, as my mother +extended her hand to him, and said: + +"You are a faithful fellow. Your mother knew you better than I did." + +We soon dismissed our returned wanderer to his rest. Martha's and Affy's +delight may be imagined, and the speed with which they doffed their +mourning was marvelous. The next morning we were anxious to have Kent's +adventures, which he was pleased to narrate. His comfortable attire +looked very spick and span beside the faded garments of those around, +and his excellent shoes were a source of undisguised envy to his +fellow-servants. + +"Well, Miss Sallie," he said, when I remarked on his appearance, "I +thought I'd better get myself the best I could while I was w'ere dey was +plenty, as I could give ole Maussa one nigger less to clothe. You see, +ma'am, w'en Mas' Harry an' our people lef', I felt pretty bad. That +night, sure 'nuf, as Mas' Harry tole me, the Yankees came booming into +town, an' it wasn't long befo' all our mens, who was in the hospitable, +was took prisoners; but they seemed very kind to them. W'ile they was +sick they give them everything. It was a cur'ous t'ing, w'en General +Foster come through w'ere I was, he noticed me, and asked me w'at I was +doin' there, an' I tole him how I had been wid my young Maussa, an' w'en +I tole him w'ere I come from an' Mas' Harry's name, 'Oh,' say he, 'I +know his father well. I was stationed at Fort Moultrie befo' de war, an' +I have eaten many a good dinner at the old Colonel's.' I tole him, 'Yes, +sir, Maussa had the bes' of everything, an' my ma was a splendid cook.' +So then he say: 'If you come from them you knows your business, an' w'en +you are well, I will take you into my service. You is free now, you +know.' So they kep' me in the hospitable, an' give me nice things to +make me well, an' w'en the hospitable discharged me, de General took me +an' was rale kind. I had good greenback wages and plenty of everything, +an' not much to do, an' rale coffee, as much as I wanted, too; but +somehow I couldn't diskiver to be settled. I had been in de Soudern army +so long, w'en they talked of beatin' it, it made me oneasy, an' w'en I +studied on Mas' Harry back in de army wid nobody--for I know he wouldn't +take nobody in my place--an' wid not 'nuf of even corn bread an' bacon, +widout me to perwide," he added, with a grin, "I jest kep' studyin', but +I never said nuttin', an' every day dey tole me how lucky I was to be +free. I jes' made up my mind, an' I got the General to let me draw all +de clo's I could, an' a overcoat an' shoes an' blankets on my wages, +an' den I ask him for a month's wages in advance, an' he seem a little +surprised, but he was very kind, an' he give it to me; so w'en I got +everything I could, one night I waited on the General fust rate, w'en he +was goin' to bed, an' fixed everything very nice, an' he said I was a +rale good servant an' a treasure of a boy; but I jest took my things an' +watched my chance, an' jest slipped off in the dark, an' dodged about +until I got out of their lines an' into our'n. I had to walk a hundred +miles befo' I got to our regiment. An', Mis', they jest gave me three +cheers w'en I tole them how I come back; an' I took de liberty to bring +a bottle of whiskey, an' I treated Mas' Harry's ole mess. Dey tole me he +had jine another regiment. I had to walk a good piece more to de cyars; +but one of our officers give me a letter to the conductors on de cyars, +so I jest come through without payin' a cent. An' mighty glad I is to +git home," he added, drawing a long sigh of relief. + +"But did you not feel bad at robbing the kind officer who employed you?" +I asked. + +"Well, Missy," he answered, "seems like Mas' Harry has the bes' right to +me, an' he was robbin' Mas' Harry ob me." And, turning to our mother, he +said: "Please, ma'am, I would like a week at home to marry Affy, an' den +can't I find Mas' Harry?" + +It is needless to add that Kent's wedding was as festive as it could be +made. It was a holiday on the plantation, and dancing was kept up to the +sound of the rhythmic stick beating, from morning until night. The +bride was proud, happy and dusky in white muslin; the groom a marvel in +his attire, and with all the airs of a traveled man. + +After the surrender Kent followed his young master home, and he and Affy +settled on a pretty part of the plantation, declaring that they would +live "faithful togedder" for the remainder of their lives. + + + + +ROSE BLANKETS + + +In the busy rush of to-day it is sometimes a relaxation to pause for a +moment and let memory carry us back, far back, to the peaceful, +uneventful days before the Civil War. Life seemed to go slower then. We +had no cables to tell us, and often harrow us, each morning with the +events all over the world of the preceding day. And (inestimable boon) +our only ideas of war were time-mellowed Revolutionary anecdotes. There +was in these days no more beautiful place in all the luxuriant low +country contiguous to Charleston than Hickory Hill. The plantation +consisted of rice fields which bordered Goose Creek on both sides. The +massive brick dwelling, built in Colonial days by the pioneer of the +family which still dwelt there, stood beyond the rice fields in view of +the creek; venerable moss-crowned live-oaks stood sentinels around. The +approach was through an avenue of similar trees, whose branches formed a +beautiful arch over the luxuriant sward beneath. These trees were the +admiration and pride of the countryside. + +Years had only added beauty to the rugged old house, for ivy and +climbing rose vines had dressed its walls and framed many of its +windows. In the springtime it was a veritable bower. At the time of +which I write it was a "maidens' bower." From my earliest recollections +three unmarried sisters, Miss Martha, Miss Joanna and Miss Mary, +composed the family. My parents lived on an adjoining plantation, and +although our dwelling houses were some distance apart, there was a short +cut along the rice field banks, and a happy child was I when any pretext +afforded an excuse for a visit to the ladies. Their individuality had a +great charm even to my childish mind. When I first remember them they +must have all been past their sixtieth birthdays, and were counted +ladies of the old school. Miss Martha was the eldest. She took life very +seriously, was very tall and thin, was the housekeeper and head, besides +being considered "the clever woman of the family." She could be very +tragic on the smallest provocation. Her drop of good Scotch blood made +her hold her head very high, and also made her a rigid Presbyterian. +When she was not hemming a pocket handkerchief she usually had one of +Scott's novels in her hands. Miss Joanna, the second sister, who was as +genial as her sister was severe, used to say she "did not know what +Martha would have done if Scott had never written; he had really +diversified her life by his novels." + +Miss Joanna had the cheeriest old face imaginable, bright blue eyes, +rosy cheeks, with high cheek bones, her gray hair waved becomingly, and +she always wore a lavender ribbon in her cap. She was the social one of +the sisters; that is, she performed the social duties. Miss Mary, the +youngest, was at sixty the spoiled darling, having been considered the +best looking, and delicate in her youth. All the airs of a beauty, and +the privileges of an invalid still clung to her. Indeed, her very white +skin and black eyes were very impressive. Her sisters always gave her +the tenderest consideration and never failed to be affected by her +gentle melancholy and pathetic sighs. They were all much given to +charity, but Miss Mary was more lavish than wise. Whole families of +beggars, not only preyed upon her, but tyrannized. There was a tradition +that Miss Mary had been rescued in her youth from a runaway carriage by +a lover who was anxious to marry her; she had inclined to him, but had +been deterred by the fear of parting from Miss Joanna, who usually +directed her affairs, and sometimes made up her mind for her. + +The sisters were accounted quite wealthy. They owned a handsome +residence in the neighboring city of Charleston, where they betook +themselves when fear of country fever drove them from their beloved +country home. The yearly exodus was a great trial to Miss Martha, who +was supposed to manage the plantation. The neighbors said the negro +foreman, Boston, managed the place and the ladies also. They would +never employ a white overseer, as they said "a hireling could not make +allowance for the negroes as they did." Indeed, their negroes were a +terrible care to them; they had large retinues of house servants, both +in the city and country, both having a sinecure during their absence. + +Miss Martha frequently complained that she was "hard worked in finding +something for the servants to do." The young ones grew up so rapidly, +and to put certain families to field work was not to be contemplated. + +That the ladies did not suffer more from their reckless management was +providential. They had the affection of all their servants, but the +women were lazy and the men great inebriates. Their idol, and coachman, +Billy, was a terrible case. Their lives were often in peril when he was +on the box. After some hair-breadth escape Billy would be summoned +before the trio and Miss Martha would say tragically, "Billy, you will +be the death of us." "Fore de Laud, Missis, I wouldn't hurt a hair of +yore heads," would be his rejoinder. That he did not was not his fault, +but his good fortune, for on one occasion, having been sent to meet Miss +Martha and Miss Mary at one of the wharves, he was so far gone that he +drove carriage and pair over them, knocking them down as they approached +to get into the carriage. Miraculously they escaped with only bruises. +Their black silk dresses were kept as curiosities, as the iron shod +hoofs of the horses had left their impress in several places. On another +occasion, having met them at the theater with the carriage, he drove +them several miles up the road toward their country home at 11 o'clock +at night before they could induce him to turn. These episodes, combined +with the very apparent fact that their friends had ceased to borrow +their carriage, which they enjoyed lending as much as using, sealed +Billy's fate. To soften his downfall, they told him he could give +Cuffie, his successor on the box, some "hints on driving," and they +would be glad to fill his molasses jug when it was empty, and if he must +drink, to take molasses and water. He could employ himself by sweeping +the yard. Billy never said what he drank, but died shortly after of +delirium tremens. + +Joe and Romeo, the butler and his assistant, were quite as harassing. +Romeo's besetting sin was indolence. He had been known to shed tears at +the prospect of one of the little tea parties in which the old ladies +delighted. On these occasions their guests were their contemporaries, +"the girls," of whom there were a great many in maiden state in the +quiet old city. The handsome rooms were always lit by candles in tall +silver candlesticks. Miss Martha would never consent to the introduction +of gas, which the more progressive Miss Joanna advocated. + +"No," decided Miss Martha, "candles are much more lady-like." What would +she have thought of electric lights? + +On these occasions Joe handed a waiter with tea, Romeo followed with +delicate cakes, and then bread and butter, while a boy followed in the +rear with a tray "to catch the cups" as they were emptied. Ice cream +followed at "last bell ring," ten in summer and nine in winter, when the +party broke up. Any more substantial refreshment would have been deemed +"very unrefined" by the whole assembly. + +There was a rumor that on one of these occasions both Joe and Romeo had +been very unsteady as they handed their waiters. Dire was their +mistresses' mortification. Miss Martha always seemed to feel responsible +when her servants misbehaved. She would exclaim, "A single woman has +great need of strength of mind." Miss Mary's unfailing rejoinder would +be, "Thank God, you have it, sister." One evening Joe brought especial +obloquy upon himself. He must have shared Billy's molasses jug, for he +had not drawn the tea as directed. + +Miss Martha, in consideration for some of "the girls" who were growing +feeble, always accompanied Joe on his rounds. As he paused before a +guest she would hold a lump suspended in the sugar tongs as she would +say, "Green tea and black; dear, which will you have?" On this occasion +Joe took advantage of her deafness to mumble, "Both made in de same +pot." The guests were quite diverted, but did not enlighten Miss Martha +as to Joe's confession, and their progress continued until they reached +Miss Mary. When she overheard Joe's assertion, she looked at him with +mild indignation, but only said, "Sister, you had better sit down. I +will explain later my asking you to do so." Miss Mary's suggestion of +any course of action to Miss Martha seemed to call for explanation. + +The next morning, when she told of the duet she had interrupted, Joe was +summoned. Miss Martha told him he had brought disgrace upon them and +would further bring their gray hairs in sorrow to the grave. He of +course expressed great penitence, and was vociferous in promises of +amendment. His mistresses tried to feel faith. Miss Mary, however, had +to take a great deal of orange-leaf tea before her nerves recovered the +shock. Kindly Miss Joanna said privately, she had known nothing of what +was occurring, but she was glad the girls had something to amuse them; +she had thought them very merry, and though Joe had failed in his +demeanor he had shown a wonderful regard for truth. Had the ladies and +many of their generation lived to see emancipation they would have +parted with many "an old man of the sea." + +One April morning I set out to take a bunch of May roses over the rice +field banks to Hickory Hill. These roses were especial favorites with +the sisters, and I was pleased to have the earliest blossoms to carry. +Miss Joanna kept a rose jar. Miss Martha was famous for the rose water +she distilled. I only expected to see Miss Martha, for I knew Miss Mary +had been drooping, and Miss Joanna had taken her to visit a friend, who, +although long past her youth, had recently married a Northern gentleman, +with whom she lived on her beautiful plantation near the city. + +Miss Joanna and her sister had left only the day before, so I was +surprised to see the carriage at the door and Cilia, the maid, removing +their shawls and trappings. "Why, Cilia!" I exclaimed, "are the ladies +back already?" "Yes, missy," she replied, grinning and dropping a +curtsy, "Miss Joanna an' Miss May, an' Miss Burton had a kine uv +upsettin', an' so we come home." Wondering what was amiss, I hastened +in. I paused as I entered the sitting-room, for I saw the ladies were +much perturbed (small excitements were very usual with them, but their +demeanor betokened something serious); Miss Martha sat very erect, with +her most judicial aspect, the needle with which she was sewing +suspended. "Come in, child," she said as she saw me; "if my sisters make +fools of themselves you may as well know it as the rest of the world." + +Miss Mary and Miss Joanna sat with their bonnets on. Miss Mary with the +air of a culprit, Miss Joanna decidedly ruffled, and her cheeks redder +than usual. She said: "Don't jump too quickly to conclusions, sister; it +does seem queer for us to return so hastily, but when I tell you about +it quietly, you will, I am sure, see that we were not entirely to blame. +You know Caroline's husband is rather abrupt in his manner." + +"He has no Southern suavity," interrupted Miss Mary. + +"The evening we got there I was feeling rather dull, and he really made +me nervous by shouting in my ear several times, 'Cheer up, Miss Mary.' I +jumped every time." + +"He no doubt meant it kindly," said Miss Joanna, "but I dare say it +prepared you for what followed." + +"We had a pleasant evening on the whole, although I thought Mr. Burton +did express his Northern views of slavery a little more than was called +for, especially as he did not seem to object to Caroline's owning a +great many. She was in high feather and seemed delighted to see us. At +bed-time she accompanied us to our room, where there was a bright fire, +and Cilia awaiting us. After Caroline left us Cilia begged leave to go +to a dance at the negro quarter; she said it was in her honor, and she +seemed in haste to be gone. So I promised to do what Mary would need and +sent her off. After I was undressed I was standing by the fire brushing +my hair. I saw Mary fumbling about the bed and asked her if she was +ready for me to tuck her in. Instead of answering, she came, as I +thought, mysteriously up to me and whispered, 'Negro.' + +"Of course I thought there was a man under the bed. I remembered our +watches, Mary's diamond pin, and how far we were from Caroline and Mr. +Burton; for we were in the company wing. I screamed for help as loud as +I could; the more noise I made the more distressed Mary seemed. Caroline +and Mr. Burton came running, in most indescribable costumes," the old +lady continued, with a look of amused retrospection. "There stood Mary +in her bed-gown and curl-papers; I in my wrapper, and Mary staring at me +as if she thought me crazy. + +"'What is the matter?' they both exclaimed. + +"'Oh,' I said, 'Mary says there is a negro under the bed.' + +"We'll soon have the rascal out," said Mr. Burton, poking under the bed +with a big stick. + +"'Oh,' said Mary, 'I never said anything of the kind, Joanna. I meant,' +she said, turning as red as a beet, 'that there were not rose blankets +on the bed, but blankets without the rose embroidered on them, and I +call those negro blankets. Joanna made such a noise I could not explain +what I meant,' and she burst into tears. Mr. Burton bounced out of the +room, muttering something. Caroline was very angry. She said that if she +had had any idea that we girls could behave in such a way she would +never have invited us to visit her. She had wished to give her husband +an agreeable impression of Southern ladies, but she did not like to +think what his impression must be; and as to rose blankets, we never +could understand when things were out of date. Those were beautiful new +blankets, bought in New York when refurnishing their guest-room. And in +fact she was so angry," concluded Miss Joanna, "that I do not like to +remember all she said." + +"But I must tell you, sister," put in Miss Mary, "she said she knew I +was always a fool, but she had thought Joanna had a little sense, and I +agree with her, Joanna, that you ought not to have made such a noise. I +never felt worse in my life than when you began to scream. And I never +slept a wink all night, as you know. Now, Sister Martha, which do you +think the most to blame?" + +"I cannot say," said Miss Martha, "but I know I will never go to visit +any friend with either of you. I don't wonder Caroline was angry, and +what an impression you have made on her husband." + +"Oh," said Miss Joanna, "we know he was furious. We had a most +unpleasant time at breakfast the next morning. I tried to make a joke of +the whole episode, but failed. They were too angry; so as Mary was +feeling so shaken, and had taken all her orange-leaf water with no +benefit to her nerves, I thought we had better come home; and I am +delighted to be here; and too thankful neither of you are married," she +continued, with a return of her genial smile. "For I nearly exhausted +myself trying to mollify Mr. Burton." + +"Yes," said Miss Mary, "with no success. I do not envy Caroline her new +acquisition, and I am sure rose blankets are the best." + +Such were the agitations and events of these tranquil lives. Their days +glided by in peace and kindly ministrations. They were fortunate in +following each other in quick succession to the old Scotch churchyard +where their fathers slept in the "City by the Sea." + + + + +SOME LETTERS WRITTEN DURING THE LAST MONTHS OF THE WAR + + + +OTRANTO, November 20, 1864. + +I have not written to you for some time, as we have been moving about a +good deal, and have had some interesting and funny experiences. Last +summer we were tired of refugeeing, and decided to go back to +Charleston, and lived in a house on Mary street, as we thought well out +of shell range; our own residence on South Bay being in the grass, and +glass-strewed district. Our family consists only of my mother, sister +and myself, our mankind being in service, as you know, except father, +who is in the home guard. My mother spent most of her time visiting the +hospitals and devising comforts for the soldiers; my sister and I knit +socks, and rejoiced when some of our soldier relatives could snatch a +breathing-space from arduous duties at Sumter or on the islands to visit +us and partake of the best we could bestow on them. + +The sound of the shells with their sharp, rasping, hissing sound before +they exploded was familiar, the interest being to venture into range +sometimes and discover the last place hit. There was a method in +Gilmore's management of his "Swamp Angel." We always noticed the shells +came quicker at church time on Sunday, and at ten to eleven at night. To +add to our troubles, yellow fever broke out this year, the only time +during the war. It was not a violent epidemic, but there were some +deaths. We thought we were immune, but in September my sister took it. + +One evening early in September my sister was better and a friend of mine +(whose house we faced in their rear) begged me to come to tea. I went +over at dusk, and with her and another guest were enjoying a cup of real +tea and a bit of toast--quite a feast, when there was a tremendous +explosion apparently just at hand. We all sat quiet, tea cups in hand. +The negro boy rushed in, rolling his eyes, with the announcement that +the opposite house in Aiken's row was struck, and they were moving out. +The lady and her daughter were both ill with fever, and both died +shortly in consequence of the fright and removal. + +In quick succession several houses in Aiken's row were struck. As I look +back now it seems strange to me that we all sat quietly in the +drawing-room waiting our turn to be hit. The man servant returning at +intervals to report that another of the houses was hit. I welcomed my +father, when at nine, he came for me. Nothing ever overcame his sense +of humor. He brought a large cotton umbrella, which, he said, he had +brought to please my mother, as a shell might spare its hideousness. +When I got home I found my mother and sister anxiously awaiting me. I +had a little cot in a corner of my sister's room, and my mother, being +anxious, lay on the bed by her. I went to bed and was soon asleep, the +shelling apparently having ceased, but they had only paused to try a new +gun. The first shells always going farthest, I was awakened by the +horrible familiar hiss and plaster and glass falling over me. The shell +cut the corner of the house and passed so near me that the glasses of +the window near by my bed were broken, and the plastering above fell on +me. The monster buried itself in our yard, making a horrible deep pit, +but not exploding. A few more inches and I would have been buried with +it. It shows how accustomed we were to shocks that I do not remember +feeling any terror, but remarked quietly in the dark to my mother, "I +think we are hit." To my astonishment she broke forth in ejaculations of +thanksgiving. The noise and crash had been so great she thought the side +of the room with me in it had been taken away. That was the longest +range shell that fell in Charleston. In a few days we went to the +up-country to be with friends, and then last week came down to Otranto, +where we are now. + + * * * * * + +OTRANTO, January 15, 1865. + +I have not written for some time, but we all are really so troubled and +depressed that, as mother says, we have to be physically active to keep +from thinking, so little writing have I done this winter. I suppose you +know father has gone with his company of reserves to Summerville. They +are all men of over sixty, but we hear that Summerville is pleased to +have them. Aunts Anna and May became so tired of refugee life in Camden +that they decided to join mother, Annie, and me on the plantation. With +father and our brother away we are very lonely, but Aunt Anna's eighty +odd years make us anxious to make her comfortable. She is better off +with us, for the terrible scarcity of provisions has not touched us +here. We have enough of home provisions, but mother gives every morsel +she can spare to the hospitals and soldiers' wayside homes in +Charleston. The aunts say that despite the enormous board they had to +pay in Camden they had only fresh pork and biscuits, not even milk, as +so many of the cattle have been impressed for the army. + +Christmas was certainly a very gloomy day. The news that Sherman was in +Savannah struck us cold. Our three cousins got leave of absence and came +up for a few hours. Mother had a turkey and we did our best, but I think +they feel very grave over the state of things. We are in terror lest +Charleston will have to be abandoned. Hal begged mother to return to the +up-country, but she says she went away three times and will not leave +again. She manages the plantation, you know. The negroes are very good, +but there is a spirit of restlessness perceptible. Hal was shocked when +he heard that we never locked up the house at night. + +All the white men are in the army and some women are nervous, but we do +not feel so. This intensely cold winter makes us wretched about our poor +bare-footed soldiers. Mother can knit a pair of socks a day. Maum Martha +spins the wool. I can do only one sock a day. We are fortunate to have +so much lightwood. It is the only source of light we have, but we can +manage our knitting and Annie even reads sometimes, but the paper is so +bad that it is hard to read the printing on it. + + * * * * * + +OTRANTO, February 1, 1865. + +I fear you are really having a dreadful time. The high price of +provisions is certainly dreadful on people with fixed incomes. + +We had quite an adventure last Wednesday. Father luckily came over from +Summerville to dinner. It was a bitterly cold day. We were just sitting +down to the luxury of calf's head soup, for father wished some veal to +carry back to camp, when Quash came in with a rattled and rather +bothered air, and said there was a Yankee soldier outside who wanted to +give himself up. We all were thunderstruck, and followed father, who +gave vent to great displeasure. + +At the door stood a miserable looking creature, shivering in a tattered +blue uniform. He was tall, thin, and white as a ghost, and his feet +looked particularly white. I never saw a more abject object. Father +tried to be very severe, but you know how kind-hearted he is, and while +he was scolding the man I overheard Quash say aside to him, "Nebber min' +what he say, Maussa doan' mean it. He is one ob de kindest mens in de +wurl." + +It seems that the man was a prisoner who had escaped from the cars on +his way to prison some three months ago and was trying to make his way +to the coast, hoping to get through our lines. He had been living among +the negroes, sleeping in their houses by day and traveling by night; but +the wretched existence had worn him out and he came to give himself up. +He was an Englishman who was impressed on his arrival in New York and he +begged father to ask the authorities to let him take the oath of +allegiance and fight for us; but father said there had been enough of +that and such galvanized Yankees had done more harm than good. + +This poor wretch is the first enemy we have seen, and we could not help +feeling sorry for him, although, as father says, no doubt he has been +demoralizing the negroes. He gave him a good dinner and turned him over +to Daddy Paul to take care of until the next day, when father took him +to Charleston and delivered him to the authorities. Mother found him an +old jacket and pair of shoes and socks, which she gave him. Surely she +had never expected to give a pair of her socks to one of the enemy. + +Maum Martha thinks our kindness misplaced and told us he talked very +different to them from the way he talked to us, but she told us this +only after he had left, although it would have made no difference. We +may have "heaped coals of fire," etc. + + * * * * * + +OTRANTO, February 15, 1865. + +I have not heard from you for some time, but I know in these dark days +you think of us. There is no doubt we live in dreadful times. We may +soon be in the enemy's country, or rather our troops may have to retire +from the coast. + +Yesterday Annie and I determined to drive over to Summerville and dine +with aunt, as she and Cousin Sue have begged us to do so. Mother did not +want us to go. She feels the perilous times and all the sorrows she has +had make her very anxious. But at last she consented to our going, much +to Aunt May's disappointment, who thinks we should sit down and say, +"Good Lord, deliver us," all the time. + +We had a pleasant drive over, as you know it is only nine miles. Daddy +Moses drove us and mother insisted that Cully should go as an outrider. +He rode Lamb, and went ahead. It showed that mother was nervous, but +Annie and I were amused, as we did not know what he was expected to do. +We found aunt and Cousin Sue delighted to see us and we enjoyed our +day. We left at 5 o'clock, as we could not get off earlier. Father dined +with us and tried to start us earlier. Aunt is delighted to have him in +Summerville as she says she "never felt so safe, because she knows he +will fight." + +Our drive home was gloomy and we did not reach there until 7 o'clock. As +we drew near we met several of the negroes on farm horses looking for +us, and at the avenue gate our maid Fanny peering for us in the dark. +Mother and the aunts were wretched about us, particularly as Uncle Pete +had come up from the city full of bad news. Charleston is to be +evacuated, as Sherman's movements have made that necessary. He was +horrified when he heard that we had taken so long a drive, as he says +the woods are full of stragglers and escaped galvanized Yankees. I do +not know what is before us, or when you will hear from us again. + + * * * * * + +OTRANTO, February 20, 1865. + +Charleston is being evacuated and our army is passing all the time, and +we reconcile ourselves to being left in the enemy's lines by the hope +that our army, strengthened by the coast troops, may defeat Sherman. +This letter will go by the last of our troops. The army has been passing +for five days and many of the men come up to the house, where we give +them everything we can for them to eat. They are full of courage and +their appearance gives us renewed hope. They hate to leave us behind. +Henry spent last night here. He got leave of absence with difficulty, +but will rejoin his regiment at Strawberry Ferry. He begged mother to +retire into the interior; but we mean to stay. He left us this morning. +The captain in command of the rear-guard at Goose Creek Bridge has just +come to bid us good-by, and he took two letters, which he promised to +carry into our lines--one to papa and the other to aunt, which we knew +would be the last tidings they would get from us. + +This may, or may not reach you, but it is a comfort to write. The worst +has come, or I hope it has. After my last letter we awaited the approach +of the enemy with indescribable feelings. We tried not to think, and I +must say I was afraid of being frightened out of my wits and was too +thankful when the Yankees came. I was too angry to be scared. We tried +to keep up each other's spirits and were very busy hiding things. We +took only Paul, Jack and Martha into our confidence and they helped us +faithfully. + +Tuesday passed in quiet. Mother, Annie and I took our usual walk in the +afternoon and met one of the negroes, who told us that our men had not +burned the bridge, and we determined that if this was the fact, we would +do it ourselves; but as we approached we were glad to see it blazing in +the distance. We felt then that we were really cut off from our own +people, but at the same time had satisfaction in knowing that if our +army was pursued the enemy would here meet an obstacle. + +At 5 o'clock Wednesday afternoon as we were again getting ready for a +walk, a man was seen riding rapidly up the avenue. I called out, "The +Yankees are here. I know them by their blue legs!" and you may be sure +the family assembled quickly. In the mean while the man dashed past the +house and rode quickly around it, evidently expecting some one to run +out; finding no one, he returned to the front of the house, where we +five ladies stood together on the piazza. By this time we saw many +others coming up the avenue. + +"Where is the man of the house?" demanded the man in an insolent tone. + +Mamma replied, "He is not at home," and Aunt May added, "He is a +gray-haired man." + +He gave a leer and said, "But not too old to be in the Rebel army." This +could not be denied, so we were silent. Then, with an expression of +triumph he said, "You have never seen black troops, but you will soon +have that pleasure; they are advancing now." + +Mamma said, "I suppose they are not different from other negroes; we are +accustomed to them and never have feared them." + +This calm reply was evidently a disappointment, as he had hoped we would +have been overcome with fear. + +He turned off and said, "I must get some poultry for the General's +supper," and went to the fowl-house, where about a dozen of his men +joined him. In a few moments the cart, which just at the moment was +coming up with a load of wood, was seized and filled with our fowls, +turkeys, geese, etc., and driven off. + +I happened to turn my eyes toward the western entrance from the main +road and saw the negro soldiers rushing in. + +To my latest day I will not forget their brutal appearance. They came up +brandishing their guns with an air of wildness hard to describe, and in +a short time were scattered over the plantation, committing every +conceivable havoc. Their commander, Lieutenant J----, of New York, rode +up to the house, accompanied by several white officers, and while we +stood still and calmly upon the piazza he called out, "Where is the man +of the house?" + +Mother replied as before, when he said, "He is a Rebel," and turning to +her said, "I am come to liberate your people," to which she quietly +replied, "I hope you will be as kind to them as we have been." This +visibly angered him and he exclaimed, "That is a strange reply to make +to a Northern man, and an officer of a colored regiment." To which she +replied, "We will not discuss the question." + +He turned and said something to Quash, our waiting-man, and in a short +time we heard him and the other officers upstairs in our bed-rooms. +Mamma and Aunt Anna followed quietly and found that he had summoned our +two maids, Rachel and Fanny, and was exhorting them to disclose where +everything of value was concealed, saying, "Don't lie; that woman +(meaning mother) is very bad," and a great deal more in the same strain, +trying to incite them against us. They spoke to these servants as +"Madam," and of mother as "that woman." + +The two girls were very frightened, but behaved remarkably well and +assured them that no valuables were hidden, and only the ladies' clothes +were in the rooms. However, they ransacked our wardrobes and bureau +drawers, throwing our things out all over the floor, and when they came +downstairs took all the cold meats out of the larder. + +While mother and Aunt Anna were upstairs helplessly following Lieutenant +J---- around and witnessing his shameless conduct in our bed-rooms, Aunt +May, Annie and I remained downstairs. A quiet-looking officer was +standing in the piazza. + +Aunt May, who never can control her curiosity, said to him, "We heard +some heavy firing in Charleston this morning. Has anything occurred +there?" "Good Heavens, Madam," he replied, "have you been so long out of +the Union that you have forgotten Washington's birthday?" + +At this moment about twenty rough-looking men came charging up to the +house, evidently intending to enter. I confess that, for the first time +I was alarmed, and calling to the officer said, "For Heaven's sake, +protect us; don't let those men enter." He said, "I will do what I can," +and placed himself in the doorway. + +The men seeing him come forward as our protector, stopped in the piazza. +By this time Lieutenant J---- and his party had returned from searching +our bed-rooms, and calling to his men said, "Boys, take what you want." +These acted like long-pent-up animals suddenly let loose. All our stock, +horses and mules were driven off, our cattle, sheep and hogs were +killed; the barns and smoke-house were broken open, and all their +contents scattered, and all our vehicles of every kind, tools and +implements were broken in pieces and thrown into the creek or burned. + +It was awful to hear the screams of the cattle and hogs as they were +chased and bayoneted, and the scatter and terror of the sheep was +terrible to see. Even my pet calf, which you know papa gave me, and I +took so much pleasure in raising by hand, was killed; and dear old +Aaron, our house cat, was cruelly run through with a bayonet, right +before my eyes, as he tried to escape under the house. Such brutal +scenes I never had supposed I would ever have to witness. + +While all this was going on mother said to Lieutenant J----, "If you +take from us all means of subsistence we will starve." He turned, and +with much satisfaction said, "You are being punished for what you have +done;" and going out, mounted his horse and rode off among the negroes, +proclaiming to them their freedom and incessantly asking for "the man of +the house." They could only say that he was absent, when he said, "He +may not be here, but he has left a----rebel of a woman, who is as bad as +a man, and the house ought to be burnt." The negroes were very much +alarmed, and entreated us not to talk to the soldiers as they hated us +so and said such awful things. + +It was now quite dark and the excitement and confusion were truly awful. +We all withdrew to the parlor, and closing the door sat in the dark, not +knowing what the next moment might bring forth; but the faithful Quash +brought in a candle and placed it on the table with his accustomed air. + +He had scarcely brought it in when the front door was opened and in +walked General Potter, followed by his aids. Not one of them had the +decency to make the least salutation, or take any notice of the five +ladies seated in the room. But the General immediately seated himself, +while Lieutenant J----seized our candle, and opening mother's bed-room +door called out, "General, this will be a comfortable room for you," to +which remark the General assented. Lieutenant J----, then looking around +said, "I take possession of this room for General Potter." After this +the General made repeated attempts at conversation with us, but as we +had that afternoon seen such wanton destruction of our property, and +were constrained to see our enemies occupying the rooms in which it had +been so often our pleasure to entertain our friends, you may imagine we +were in no mood for conversation. + +We all soon went upstairs, where Quash brought us some tea. As it was +then near midnight we decided to go to bed, and mother said she would go +down in the morning and request that a written protection be furnished +us, as this had been suggested by the quiet-looking officer, our +protector of the afternoon before. Therefore, as early as possible she +did so, but General Potter received her very shortly, and only replied, +"Your husband is in the Rebel army." She replied, "It was our desire +that he should leave us, and I am glad he is not here, for if he had +been I suppose he would have been shot." + +He replied, "You talk like a fool when you say that," and turned off; +when mother said, "If that is your opinion, I have the more need of +protection." + +As the General was about to go out to mount his horse at the door, +Lieutenant B---- came to the rescue, saying, "General, with your +permission, I can write a paper addressed to the officers and men of the +United States army, saying that it is your desire that this house and +its lady occupants be unmolested." + +The General only answered, "You may if you wish," when a paper to that +effect was written, and its influence was certainly beneficial. We felt +that we owed our safety largely to Lieutenant B----, who conducted +himself in every way as a gentleman, and on leaving thanked mother +courteously for his night's accommodation and politely bowed to all of +us. + +It was near midday before all of the officers had left the house, and +we, much jaded, were able to have breakfast. The house was now kept +strictly shut up, as the lawn was still studded with the tent flies of +the regiment encamped there. If a door was opened for a moment, a +soldier would walk in, and it was as much as mother could do to get him +out again. + +We kept almost entirely upstairs, taking all of our meals there, and in +constant dread of making any noise. One man said to mother, "The General +thinks that your husband is hidden; he does not believe that he is not +here." + +In this extremity a kind-looking Irish soldier came to our aid and +promised that we should be protected if it "cost him his life," and that +he would bring a friend with him, who would spend the night in the shed +room, "to be handy, if needed." This kind friend, McManus, proved his +Irish blood by bringing the most villainous specimen of a man we had yet +seen, and whispering to mother that "sure he had no confidence in him at +all." + +We were much taken aback at McManus's friend's appearance, but relieved +when the chaplain of the regiment came up and asked to be allowed to +sleep in the house. + +Our servants behaved admirably and themselves provided and served our +meals with unfailing regularity, and managed to give us many little +treats, which we suspected came from the United States commissariat. +Mother hopes that she may be able to get us to the city in safety, for +our position here is very unprotected and we wish to get possession of +our house in the city before it falls into the hands of the Freedmen's +Bureau. + +I place this letter in the hands of ----, who promises to get it through +the lines, and I trust it will reach you. + + * * * * * + +CHARLESTON, March 14, 1865. + +I hope my last safely reached you, and I know you feel anxious about us, +so I will get ---- to smuggle this through the lines. You will be +relieved to know that we are once more in our house in Charleston. + +By dint of mother's representations of our unprotected condition on the +plantation to the officer in command, and her frequent reminders that by +their confiscation of all our animals and destruction of our vehicles we +had been deprived of all means of transporting ourselves to the city, +she obtained transportation. + +As soon as the Northeastern Railroad was put in running order, which was +within a few days after Charleston was evacuated, the major informed us +that we might ride down in a box-car. He also gave us permission to +carry in the car whatever household goods we could. + +It was hard to choose from the accumulation of years what furniture to +take with us, as we knew that all that was left would be stolen, our +presence only having kept out the vagrant negroes and camp followers, +who, we heard from the servants, complained very much that our house had +not been gutted as had others in the neighborhood. We had a very short +time for choosing, as we had notice only in the afternoon, that we must +be off in the morning. Mother had a time among us, as each had something +very untransportable, which, to quote dear Aunt Anna, "it would be +sacrilege to leave." + +I fought hard for all the books and the old sofa, which had been in the +house since the Revolution, and was said to have been Washington's +favorite seat when he visited the plantation in 1791; but I had to +content myself with only the books that I could get into a trunk, and +when our friendly Irish soldier, McManus, who volunteered to help us +move the things, seized our valued sofa to hoist it into the car, it +proved its antiquity by breaking in pieces. I could have cried over the +loss, but mother said, "This is no time for sentiment; it has served +from one Revolution to be wrecked in another." + +The last night we spent at the plantation was truly forlorn. The +servants warned us to expect an attack from some vagrant negroes, who +had come from the up-country, and were roving about, as Maum Martha +expressed it, "free till dey fool," robbing and destroying, unchecked by +the authorities. + +We asked the officer in command to give us a guard for the night, but he +refused; so mother decided that we must spend the night together in the +parlor. The men servants promised to watch outside, and both Fanny and +Rachel begged to be allowed to stay with us in the house. You may +imagine that it was a weary vigil, as none of us slept, and we put out +the light, fearing lest it might guide some evil-doer. + +Paul, Quash and Jack walked around the house by turns all night; and I +am sure that it was owing to their faithful watchfulness that the dawn +found us unmolested. + +At an early hour Maum Martha brought in a nice breakfast, and with some +pride told us that one of the officers had seen her preparing it and had +expressed surprise; but she had told him that she was from an old Congo +family herself, an' no upstart free nigger; for since Maussa's family +came from France, and hers from Africa, they had been together for five +generations. "An' so long as I's in de kitchen I knew what's proper to +be sent in de house, even if I hab to scurry to get it." + +Quash, Fanny, and Rachel came with us to the city, but Maum Martha and +Paul were left behind in their home. + +With difficulty we got in to the dirty box-car, and Aunt May had quilted +into her skirts many papers for safe-keeping and around her shoulders +had her valuable cashmere shawl sewed under a black one, all of which +weighted her down so that she fell, and frightened us much by her +inability to rise. + +We picked her up and were thankful that she was not hurt, and had been +kept from getting up only by her entourage. + +At the station in Charleston we first heard of the burning of Columbia +and while we were waiting for a carriage the officer in command of the +guard kept dinning into our ears that General Hampton had burned that +city, which assertion mother firmly contradicted, persistently saying +that General Sherman had done it. + +We were much afraid that we would find our house taken by the Freedmen's +Bureau, or by some officers for a residence, but happily neither was the +case. But we found that nearly all the furniture had been stolen, and +were thankful to have the few pieces that we had brought from the +plantation. + +As it was on Saturday that we came down all of our things had to be left +in the station until Monday, and then when Quash went for them he found +that the military gentry (?) had taken from among them whatever they +wanted. + +All the furniture that we found in the house was an old table and a very +large book-case, and my only bed thus far has been a mosquito net spread +on the floor. + +On Sunday afternoon mother and Aunt May went to see Cousin M., who is +very ill, and while Annie and I remained with Aunt Anna, who was resting +on her mattress on the floor, Rachel came rushing up stairs, saying, +"Oh, mam, some officers say they want this house and have come to take +it; they are coming up into the dining-room now." + +I at once said, "We must go down and meet them," and calling to Annie to +put the few spoons that were out at once in her pocket, we each gave +Aunt Anna an arm and went down, followed by Rachel. + +I must say I felt much agitated at the thought of what we might +encounter, and dreaded for our old aunt, who seemed much unnerved. + +As we entered the dining-room by one door a naval officer came in by the +other, advancing with a calm air of possession. + +I was just going to speak when Aunt Anna astounded us by saying, in the +kindest tones, "Why, Edmund! how is your mother?" + +We thought her bereft of reason, but the effect upon the officer was +instantaneously overwhelming. He staggered and exclaimed, "Good God! +Miss J--, is it you? You shall not be molested," and turning quickly, +left the house without giving her a chance to say another word. + +It seems that Aunt Anna had instantly recognized him as the son of an +old and dear friend in New York, and upon the return of mother and Aunt +May the unlooked-for occurrence was fully discussed. + +Aunt was much commended for recognizing him and we hope that her +recognition will stand us in good stead, as we know that Lieutenant +Henry is a gentleman, and on account of the warm friendship that has +existed for so many years between our old aunts and the elder members of +his family he will probably use any influence he may have with the +authorities in our favor. + +The next day another naval officer called at the house and asked to see +mother, whom he told that he had had the pleasure, previous to the war, +of serving with those of our family who were then in the navy, and +although he had been blockading Charleston for many months he had +promised our cousin, Lieutenant----, who remained in the United States +Navy, that if he ever got into Charleston he would look us up, and +gladly do what he could to help us. + +Mother felt that in our present defenseless condition she should not +refuse any offers of aid, and thanked him. He then produced a copy of a +morning paper, which contained a general order that any citizen who +desired protection must put a United States flag on his house, and that +no outrages would be punished that were committed on premises that did +not contain such flags. + +After reading this order he drew from his pocket a small flag, which, he +said, with our permission, he would tack to the piazza. + +Mother politely declined his offer, but our aunts made such a point of +the advisability of accepting it that she was induced to yield. He then +asked me to hold the little staff while he tacked it to the post; but I +could not touch it, and called to his assistance a little negro girl, as +more appropriate, who stood staring in at the gate, and she held it for +him. + +Annie looked on quietly and said nothing, but at night, after we were +gone to bed, said, "I cannot stand it. I cannot breathe with that flag +there." She only expressed my own feelings, so we quietly went down in +the dark, and pulling it down, secreted it. + +We determined to keep our own counsel, as we had heard only the day +before of the arrest and imprisonment of a lady for pulling down a +similar flag, and had no desire to be martyrs, only we did not want it +there. The next morning, while we held our peace, we were much amused at +the excitement of our aunts over the disappearance of the flag, and +their insisting that they knew it had been stolen, for they had seen "a +man going down the street with one just like it." + +The house now remains as heretofore, undecorated. + +Captain Mayo, our naval friend, has just come to inform mother that +orders have been issued by the commanding general that we all must go up +King street tomorrow morning, and take the oath of allegiance to the +United States. She positively refused, but Captain Mayo says that in +case of noncompliance we will all have to leave the city at once. I am +at a loss to imagine what grounds the authorities have for fear of us, +as helpless a party of five ladies as can be found, the eldest being 81, +and the youngest 16; but we must decide to-day, and unless you see us, +if we are actually turned out, I will write you of the result in another +letter. + + * * * * * + +CHARLESTON, March 17, 1865. + +Day before yesterday Captain Mayo returned and informed us that the +orders had been modified, so that if we desired, only the oath of +neutrality would be required. + +We had never before heard of such an oath being required of helpless +women, but we were willing to compromise under the circumstances. So as +there was not the smallest chance of our ever being of any service again +to the Confederate cause, we announced our willingness to declare +ourselves neutral if the United States Government thought it important. + +Aunt Anna said her 81 years rendered her utterly unable to walk as far +as the provost marshal's office and asked if the commandant thought her +neutrality of importance would he send an officer to the house to +administer the oath? This was done. + +Aunt May, having in view the new regulation, which prohibited the +delivery of letters through the post-office to any one who had not taken +the oath of allegiance, and having her daughter in New York, from whom +she was anxious to hear, said tremblingly that she would take the oath +of allegiance. + +Captain Mayo's manner to her immediately changed, and became very +cordial, as he said he would go and notify the provost marshal and come +back for us, whom he had already offered to accompany. + +We retired to our room to make ourselves presentable for the streets, as +we had not been out of the house since we came down from the plantation; +and Annie and I changed our homespun dresses for our black and put on, +with lurking feelings of satisfaction, our bonnets, for which we had +paid the milliner, only a few months before, $150 each. We felt that our +enemies would be impressed with the fact that we were quite within the +circle of the fashionable world, and really when we appeared Captain +Mayo seemed quite struck; but we did not then imagine the reason. + +He courteously offered his arm to Aunt May, who took it with a deep +sigh, and we, leaving Aunt Anna to Rachel's care, followed them to the +provost marshal's office, where we had reason to be glad of Captain +Mayo's escort, as the sidewalk in front of the office and the doorway +were thronged with idle negroes, who would have made themselves very +offensive if they had not seen us escorted by a United States officer. + +As we entered, Captain Mayo said to us in a low tone, "The oath will be +administered to you ladies by a member of one of the best families of +Boston," to which Annie replied, "Don't you think that he might be +better employed?" + +Of this the captain took no notice as he led the party to the middle of +a room, where we stood the attraction of many curious eyes. The officer +at the table came forward and asked which of the ladies desired to take +the oath of allegiance, whereupon Aunt May, looking very conscious, +moved forward and tremblingly held up her hand, but she was so agitated +that she could scarcely murmur her assent and sign her name to the +iron-clad oath. + +When she had finished Captain Mayo congratulated her upon her renewed +loyalty, but much to his chagrin she replied, "I only did it so that I +could get my letters from the post-office; but I had not idea that the +oath contained such dreadful sentiments; please let me scratch out my +name and take the oath of neutrality instead." + +At this the provost marshal remarked, "Madam, do you not realize the +sanctity of an oath, or do you desire to take all the oaths?" + +Mother and Annie calmly took oaths of neutrality, and when my turn came +and I stepped forward to swear neutrality to the United States, it +appeared to be the crowning farce of the day. The officers present +seemed to be impressed with the absurdity of the thing and could not +control their countenances, and smiled as I stood before them. + +As we sadly walked away we passed several Northern women and observed +that they all wore bonnets not much larger than our hands, while our +bonnets that we had thought so much of, with their lofty fronts, could +be compared to nothing more truly than the tower of Pisa. We could not +resist the idea that the oddity of our appearance must have led them to +imagine that we had just come out of the ark. + +Upon our arrival at home Annie and I at once set about cutting down our +bonnets and drawing in and changing the shape of our skirts, but mother +was very unsympathetic and said she could not imagine why we wished to +look like Yankee women. + +Annie and I witnessed a sickening sight yesterday when we were out on +the street for a few moments. A handsome large dog was being chased by +some negro soldiers, one of whom dashed out its brains with the butt of +a rifle almost on to our skirts. We were dreadfully agitated, and upon +mentioning the matter to Captain Mayo, he informed us that all dogs must +have licenses or be killed. I was much distressed at the danger of +losing my pet Cora, but Captain Mayo offered to obtain a license free +for her if I would accept it, and as we did not have $1.50 to pay for +it, we accepted his kind offer, so Cora is now protected. + +Yesterday mother received notice that a war tax had been levied upon all +real estate, and that it must be paid within thirty days. Our tax +amounts to $180, and for our lives we cannot conceive where the money is +coming from to pay it, as we have only one gold dollar among us, but +little provisions, and only two of our cows that were smart enough to +escape into the woods when the others of the herd were slaughtered at +the plantation by General Potter's troops. + +Mother was greatly troubled about the necessity of raising the money, +and seeing an advertisement in the paper that old china and handsome +pieces of glass would be bought by a Bostonian for relics, sent an +answer to the address and this morning took from the trunk some of our +best pieces we had saved and set them upon our only table in readiness +for the purchaser. + +While we were at dinner two very unattractive citizens of Boston +presented themselves, who after looking at the articles, declined to +purchase and instead offered themselves as boarders, saying that they +had come to Charleston to open a grocery house and would be willing to +pay their board in provisions. Of course this arrangement was promptly +declined, but we were very much disheartened that our first effort to +raise the money for the tax had proved such a failure. + +I give you a copy of the oath of neutrality I had to take; it is such a +farce. + + * * * * * + + "Headquarters Northern District Department South. + "Provost Marshal's Office, No. 35 King Street, + + "Charleston, S. C, March 15, 1865. + + "I do hereby certify on honor that on the 15th day of March, 1865, + at Charleston, S. C, the oath of neutrality to the United States of + America was duly taken, subscribed and made matter of record of by + Miss Marion Porcher. + + + "THOMAS L. APPLETON, + + _Captain Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Volunteers, + Provost Marshal, N. D. D. S_" + + + + +TAY--A STORY OF MAUMA + + +One day some time ago, while turning over the contents of an old trunk, +which had been mine since childhood, had followed me in innumerable +moves, and contained the odds and ends full of associations as life goes +on, I came to a pair of half-moon earrings; they were very large, and of +old gold. "Oh!" I exclaimed, as I looked at them, "these bring Tay back +to the life." + +My little girls, who had been looking on, eager-eyed, for mamma's old +trunk had always possessed a mysterious charm for Floy, and Grace, +enhanced since some years previous, when, after I had given up the idea +of having new cloaks for them for the winter, I chanced to see an +advertisement for Confederate bonds, and succeeded in finding enough of +these in my old trunk to supply the needed cloaks, and also other +things. + +"Who was Tay?" they both exclaimed. I felt a sense of self-reproach at +the question; and I am sure to Tay herself the idea that one of her +"chillun's chillun" could have reached the mature age of ten years and +never had heard of her existence would have seemed incredible. It was +not from any lack of kindly recollection of the old woman that I had not +told the children of her; but my life had been a busy one, with many +invalid times, when the reverses of life pressed heavily, and I shrank +from speaking voluntarily of my childhood days, which had been so +different from theirs; and besides the children of the South to-day, +whose mothers were half-grown girls at the time of emancipation, belong +to a new order of things, and are out of sympathy with their parents on +many subjects. They do not understand their elders' feelings toward the +negroes. They regard them with very impartial eyes, and see them as they +are to-day. And as the succession of careless, ignorant cooks and +housemaids come and go they cannot understand the kind allowances made +for their faults by those who remember the tender nursing of the dear +old maumas. But to return to Tay. + +"Who was Tay?" I repeated. "Why, one of the best of women; and it is +high time you should hear about her, and love her memory. So if you will +get your knitting and sit very quite I will tell you her story. + +"Her name was Kitty, but we children always called her Tay. When your +grandmother was married Tay was given to her as her maid; and a most +accomplished one she was, besides being a skilled seamstress, and clear +starcher. A younger woman had taken her place as maid when I first +remember her, and she was the upper servant, always carrying the keys, +and taking charge of the household, when your grandmother was ill or +absent. She was at least six feet tall; her waist claimed nearly half +her length, or looked as if it did. She was quite light-colored, with +large black eyes that looked as if a millstone would be no obstacle to +her vision. I assure you her appearance was calculated to inspire awe in +our breasts. Her great height was of itself impressive, and made more so +by her costume. She usually wore a black frock with a very tight body, +and full skirt; and an enormous bustle, such as was not worn in those +days; a white hankerchief over her shoulders, pinned across her bosom; a +white apron; and to cap the climax a very stiffly starched white turban +(all the worn muslin dresses of the family went to keep up the supply). +She always tied her turbans on a block to shape them, and stuffed a +newspaper in the top to keep the shape; and when she finally put one on +her head the effect was tremendous. Her pride in gold earrings was +great. She always wore them, and kept them as shiny as could be. With +the basket of keys on her arm, she would look like a person not to be +trifled with, nor did we ever so venture. Her devotion to us all was +very great--'Miss, Maussa, an' de chillun' bounded her horizon. Her idea +was to economize; 'for Maussa,' she would say, 'is so freehanded, an' +six chillun is a houseful.'" + +"To us children she showed her regard by great sternness of demeanor, +but compensated by the beautiful tucking she did on our dresses--the +only sewing she ever did. And your grandmother had no respite until she +supplied the material Tay thought necessary. Your grandmother was so +sure of her trustworthiness that she never interfered with her +management. We never thought of remonstrating, although she mortified us +sometimes by her treatment of our friends. She had no patience with too +many visitors, and always presided at our tea, serving us with our cups +of milk, and bread and treacle. We had some little friends who were very +apt to run in just at the tea hour. Once, when they came steadily for a +week, we saw clouds gathering on Tay's brow, and were not surprised +when, one evening after she had helped us all, she turned to our friends +and said: 'To-morrow, take yo' supper befo' you come. Maussa cyan't +affo'd to support two families.' This broke up our tea parties. + +"Tay had a husband as remarkable in his way as she was in hers. He was +taller than she, slim, and very black; and was a very prosperous negro. +He belonged to two maiden ladies, and lived a very independent life, +free from care. He was a cooper by trade, and in his own shop plied his +calling on his own account, only every quarter bringing his owners his +set wages. And whenever illness or trouble of any kind overtook him, to +his owners he came for care or protection. He finally concluded to buy +his freedom, and asked your grandfather to become his guardian, as +required by the law, if he could accomplish his purpose. He also asked +him to be so kind as to ask his owners what they would take for him. +Your grandfather saw the ladies, who fixed as moderate a price as they +could; and when he told Daddy Sam the result of his negotiations, +instead of being gratified, he was angry, and said: 'My mistresses has +no idea how valuable I is. I t'ought dey would ask 'bout $300 mo'. Dey +can't affo'd to part wid me fer less, an' I means to pay it.' The ladies +were not obdurate, and no doubt had an increased idea of Daddy Sam's +value. + +"This worthy pair had no children; and Daddy Sam died not long before +the war, leaving Tay quite a little sum of money. He had offered to buy +her freedom for her, but she did not desire it. I remember that when he +died she took off her turban when she went to church, and donned a +gigantic crape veil. One day she came home very angry. She had met some +sportsmen going hunting, who had begged her to go along with them as a +ramrod, as they had lost theirs! + +"When the war began she was very unhappy. There is no doubt that at that +period there was a feeling of expectation and disaffection among the +negroes; but Tay was of a thoroughly loyal nature, and had no sympathy +with the negro character, and understood it entirely; and their meaner +traits were revolting to her. + +"One day in the early part of 1861, she came as usual after breakfast to +consult your grandmother about the marketing that had been sent home. +She had such a funny way of describing the pieces; she always +involuntarily touched the part of her frame she was supposed to be +designating, of mutton, or lamb. I was a light-hearted child then, and +many a hearty laugh have I had at Tay's expense, as she would touch her +leg, or shoulder, or even her head if a calf's head were in question. +But to return to this day. She must have heard some talk among the +negroes, for after she had got through her business, she lingered and +said to her mistress, 'O Miss, I've had an awful dream,' Your +grandmother spoke kindly to her, and asked her what it was. The faithful +creature sat on the floor, and looking up into our faces she said: + +"I dreamed we was all in confusion an' dere was a big crowd, an' Maussa +was sick, an' you all looked very sad, an' you all was dressed common; +but dere was heaps of niggers 'round, but dey was all a-runnin' 'round, +an' a-kickin' up a noise; an' deir arms in deir kimbos, an' not one +a-workin'; and you all called for some water, an' not one went to git +it, but I ran for it, an' I said, 'O Miss, you has been a good frien' to +me, an' sometimes a bottom rail is more use dan a same quality one; an' +so long as Kitty is here dere will always be somethin' between you an' +the groun.' And she burst into tears and left the room. + +"Your grandmother said, 'She has had no dream. She wished to show us +what is in her heart.' + +"Ah, children, those were dreadful days, and when in December Port Royal +fell, flight, confusion, and distress were the order of the day on the +coast. By all this there was many a young life cut short, as truly as +though a bullet had stilled it; and it was not only the men who laid +down their lives, many a gentle girl was also a victim. Your grandmother +sent my two sisters and me to relatives in the interior of the State. +She remained in Charleston to look after our affairs, intending to go to +a hospital as a nurse, if needed. We had been in the up-country but a +few days when your Aunt Lucy, as lovely a young girl as the sun ever +shone on, was seized with fever. Her illness was fatal, and she died +before her mother could reach her. + +"When we left your grandmother she had been obliged to go to our country +place on Goose Creek, where she had remained alone--the colored driver +and other negroes being the only people on the plantation. Tay had +always lived in the city of Charleston, even when we were all on the +plantation; and she always had the care of the city house. When the +direful news of your Aunt Lucy's illness reached Charleston, Tay +hastened up to the plantation to your grandmother, saying: + +"'I wants you to let me come an' live here, for anybody c'n do what I +does in town; but der is a lot of talk 'bout de whole low country will +be took by de Yankees. An' de negroes will have to go inside, up +country, an' make bread while deir masters is fightin'. Now, Miss, let +me stay up here, an' keep an eye, an' if dere is anythin' I c'n do to +keep things straight, I'm here; an' if we has to leave, I will go wid +dem, an' keep dem all steady.' + +"Your grandmother consented with, 'God bless you, Tay,' and at once left +to go to your ill aunt. Tay remained on the plantation the whole winter +and spring. Your grandmother could not return; but never had there been +as much poultry and eggs produced, lambs saved, or butter made as was +done under Tay's management. And the quantity of vegetables raised +proved invaluable in those war times. And all was owing to the +faithfulness of this devoted creature who remained to encourage the +other negroes. + +"When the summer of 1862 came your grandmother wrote her that she must +leave the plantation, as she was unacclimated to that malarial country; +but she begged to stay a little longer, as she knew she was of service, +and was quite well. Then came the news that she was sick. She had sent +to tell her young master, who was a naval officer on duty in Charleston +harbor. He at once went to see her, and rebuked her for having remained +so long in that unhealthy climate. He got her to promise to leave the +next day. Finding that she had not arrived in the city, he obtained +leave of absence and again went after her, but found her evidently near +her end. + +"'Ah! Massa Paul,' she said, 'I got up three times to go, as I promised +you I would, an' de buggy was at de door, an' Martha here to go wid me, +but I fainted; an' as it was de three times I know it is de Lord's +will, I'll never leave dis bed. I hope He will say. 'Kitty, you done +what you could, an' been a faithful servant.' I never did want to be +nothin' but a servant. Dere's plenty of dem in de Bible your Ma gave me; +and if I c'n just jine dem I'm happy. An' now here's what I want you' Ma +to have. It's Sam's little savin's. I always kep' dem by me; an' when I +seen these war times, an' such curious-lookin' money buy so little, I'm +glad I got it. I kep' it for a pinch; an' fixed it so nobody would +suspicion it. But I thank de Lord you come to take it befor' I go.' And +with great effort she brought from under her pillow a curious-looking, +homespun undergarment, into which was literally quilted coins of gold +and silver; a little fortune in Confederate money, besides various old +trinkets and watches which Sam had invested in. + +"'My earrin's is dere,' she said. 'I never wore dem since Miss Lucy +died; dey looks too bright. Now give this to you' Ma with Kitty's duty. +I wish she could ha' closed my eyes. I know she would ha' done it. But +she an' de young ladies will be sorry, I know, when I'm gone.' + +"And then with the flash of her usual animation she turned her eyes on +her attendant, Martha, and said: Martha have my three trunks of clo'es; +she must give them to Miss'. Dey will keep her house servants decent for +a time; an' yo' Ma does hate a sloven, Martha knows. I will walk at her +if she takes anythin' out befo' Miss comes. Lord help me!' + +"A faithful soul gone home." + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Life in the Confederate Army, by +Arthur Peronneau Ford and Marion Johnstone Ford + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LIFE IN THE CONFEDERATE ARMY *** + +***** This file should be named 37112.txt or 37112.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/7/1/1/37112/ + +Produced by Mary Meehan and The Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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