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diff --git a/41528-0.txt b/41528-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a45be0c --- /dev/null +++ b/41528-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5371 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 41528 *** + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 41528-h.htm or 41528-h.zip: + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/41528/41528-h/41528-h.htm) + or + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/41528/41528-h.zip) + + + Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive/American Libraries. See + http://archive.org/details/memoirsofveteran00hermiala + + + + + +[Illustration: Yours truly, I. HERMANN] + + +MEMOIRS OF A VETERAN + +WHO SERVED AS A PRIVATE IN THE 60'S +IN THE WAR BETWEEN THE STATES + +Personal Incidents, Experiences and Observations + +Written by + +CAPT. I. HERMANN + +Who Served in the Three Branches of the Confederate Army + + + + + + +Atlanta. Ga.: +Byrd Printing Company +1911 + +Copyright 1911 +By I. Hermann +All rights reserved + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + +The following reminiscences after due and careful consideration, are +dedicated to the young, who are pausing at the portals of manhood, as +well as womanhood, and who are confronted with illusory visions and +representations, the goal of which is but seldom attained, even by the +fewest fortunates, and then only by unforeseen circumstances and +haphazards, not illustrated in the mapped out program for future +welfare, greatness and success. + +Often the most sanguine persons have such optimistic illusions, which, +unless most carefully considered will lead them into irreparable errors. +Even the political changes, often times necessary in the government of +men, are great factors to smash into fragments the best and most +illusory plans, and cast into the shadow, for a time being at least, the +kindliest, philanthropic and best intentions of individual efforts, +until the Wheel of Fortune again turns in his direction, casting a few +sparks of hope in his ultimate favor, and which is seldom realized. + +If the reader of the above has been induced to think and carefully +consider, before acting hastily, the writer feels that he has +accomplished some good in the current affairs of human events. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + +A PICTURE. + +Entering the post-office for my daily mail, I noticed in the lobby, +hanging on the wall, a beautiful, attractive and highly colored +landscape and manhood therein displayed in its perfection, gaudily +dressed in spotless uniforms; some on horseback, some afoot, with a +carriage as erect and healthful demeanor that the artist could +undoubtedly produce; he was at his best, setting forth a life of ease +and comfort that would appeal to the youngster, patriot and careless +individual, that therein is a life worth living for. Even the social +features have not been omitted where men and officers stand in good +comradeship. Peace and repose, and a full dinner pail are the +environment of the whole representation. + +It is the advertisement of an army recruiting officer, who wants to +enlist young, healthy men for the service of the executive branch of our +National Government, to defend the boundaries of our territory, to +protect our people against the invasion of a foreign foe, to even +invade a foreign land, to kill and be killed at the behest of the +powers that be, for an insult whether imaginary or real, that probably +could have been settled through better entente, or if the political +atmosphere would have thought to leave the matter of misunderstanding or +misconstruction to a tribunal of arbitration. + +The writer himself was once a soldier; the uniform he wore did not +correspond with that of the picture above, it was rather the reverse in +all its features. He enlisted in the Confederate service in 1861, when +our homes were invaded, in defense of our firesides, and the Confederate +States of America, who at that time, were an organized Government. + +Usually an artist, when he represents a subject on canvas, uses a dark +background, to bring forth in bright relief, the subject of his work. +But I, not being an artist, reverse the matter in controversy, and put +the bright side first. + + +OTHER PICTURES. + +When in 1861 the Southern States, known as the Slave States, severed +their connection with the Federal Government and formed a Confederacy of +their own, which under the Federal Constitution and Common Compact, +they had a perfect right to do, they sent Commissioners, composed of +John Forsyth, Martin J. Crawford and A. B. Boman to Washington, with +power to adjust in a peaceable manner, any differences existing between +the Confederate Government and their late associates. Our Government +refrained from committing any overt act, or assault, and proposed +strictly to act on the defensive, until that Government, in a most +treacherous manner, attempted to maintain by force of arms, property, +then in their possession and belonging to the Confederate Government, +and which they had promised to surrender or abandon. But on the +contrary, they sent a fleet loaded with provisions, men and munitions of +war, to hold and keep Fort Sumter, in the harbor of South Carolina, +contrary to our expectations, and as a menace to our new born Nation. + +Then, as now, there were State troops, or military organizations, and +being on the alert, under the direction of our Government, and under the +immediate command of General Beauregard, they fired on the assaulting +fleet to prevent a most flagrant outrage, and after a fierce conflict, +the Fort was surrendered, by one Capt. Anderson, then in command. + +Abraham Lincoln, the then President of the United States, called out +75,000 troops, which was construed by us as coercion on the part of the +Federal Government, so as to prevent the Confederates from carrying out +peaceably the maintenance of a Government already formed. To meet such +contingency President Jefferson Davis called for volunteers. More men +presented themselves properly organized into Companies, than we had arms +to furnish. Patriotism ran high, and people took up arms as by one +common impulse, and formed themselves into regiments and brigades. + +The Federal Government, with few exceptions, had all the arsenals in +their possession. We were therefore not in a condition to physically +withstand a very severe onslaught, but when the Northern Army attempted +on July 21, 1861, to have a holiday in Richmond, the Capital of the +Confederate States, we taught them a lesson at Manassas, and inscribed a +page in history for future generations to contemplate. + +[Illustration: So Mounting a Stump, I Proceeded to Introduce Myself.] + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +The Federal army under General Scott consisted of over 60,000 men, while +that of General J. E. Johnston was only half that number. Someone asked +General Scott, why he, the hero of Mexico, had failed to enter Richmond. +He answered, because the boys that led him into Mexico are the very ones +that kept him out of Richmond. + +The proclamation of Abraham Lincoln calling out for troops was responded +to with alacrity. In the meantime, we on the Confederate side, were not +asleep; Washington County had then only one military organization of +infantry called the Washington Rifles, commanded by Captain Seaborn +Jones, a very gallant old gentleman, who was brave and patriotic. The +following was a list of the Company's membership, who, by a unanimous +vote, offered their services to the newly formed Government to repel the +invader: (See Appendix A.). Their services were accepted, and they were +ordered to Macon, Ga., as a camp of instructions, and for the formation +of a regiment, of which the following companies formed the +contingent--their names, letters, and captains. (See Appendix B.) + +J. N. Ramsey, of Columbus, Ga., was elected Colonel. We were ordered to +Pensacola, Fla., for duty, and to guard that port, and to keep from +landing any troops by our enemy who were in possession of the fort, +guarding the entrance of that harbor. This was in the month of April, +1861. From Pensacola the regiment was ordered to Northwestern Virginia. +The Confederate Capital was also changed from Montgomery, Ala., where +the Confederate Government was organized, and Jefferson Davis nominated +its President, to Richmond, Va. + +About the middle of May, the same year, twenty-one young men of this +County, of which the writer formed a contingent part, resolved to join +the Washington Rifles, who had just preceded us on their way to +Virginia. We rendezvoused at Davisboro, a station on the Central of +Georgia Railway. We were all in high spirit on the day of our departure. +The people of the neighborhood assembled to wish us Godspeed and a safe +return. It was a lovely day and patriotism ran high. We promised a +satisfactory result as soldiers of the Confederate States of America. + +At Richmond, Va., we were met by President Davis, who came to shake +hands with the "boys in gray", and speak words of encouragement. From +Richmond we traveled by rail to Staunton, where we were furnished with +accoutrements by Colonel Mikel Harmon, and which consisted of muskets +converted into percussion cap weapons, from old revolutionary flint and +steel guns, possessing a kicking power that would put "Old Maude" to +shame. My little squad had resolved to stick to one another through all +emergencies, to aid and assist each other and to protect one another. +Those resolutions were carried out to the letter as long as we continued +together. We still went by rail to Buffalo Gap, when we had to foot it +over the mountains to McDowell, a little village in the Valley of the +Blue Ridge. Foot-sore and weary we struck camp. The inhabitants were +hospitable and kind, and we informed ourselves about everything in that +country, Laurel Hill being our destination. + +An old fellow whose name is Sanders, a very talkative gentlemen, told us +how, he by himself ran a dozen Yankees; every one of us became +interested as to how he did it, so he stated that one morning he went to +salt his sheep in the pasture--all of a sudden there appeared a dozen +or more Yankee soldiers, so he picked up his gun, and ran first, and +they ran after him, but did not catch him. We all felt pretty well sold +out and had a big laugh, for the gentleman demonstrated his tale in a +very dramatic way. + +The following morning, we concluded to hire teams to continue our +journey, which was within two days march of our destination. We passed +Monterey, another village at the foot of the Alleghany Mountains, about +twelve miles from McDowell. We crossed the Alleghany into Green Brier +County, passed Huttensville, another little village at the foot of Cheat +Mountain, from there to Beverly, a village about twelve miles from +Laurel Hill, where we were entertained with a spread, the people having +heard of our approach. We camped there that night, and passed commandery +resolution upon its citizens, and their kind hospitality. The following +day we arrived at Laurel Hill, where the army, about 3,000 strong, was +encamped. The boys were glad to see us, and asked thousands of questions +about their home-folks, all of which was answered as far as possible. +The writer being a Frenchman, a rather scarce article in those days in +this country, elicited no little curiosity among the members of the +First Georgia Regiment. Sitting in my tent, reading and writing, at the +same time enjoying my pipe, I noted at close intervals shadows excluding +the light of day--looking for the cause, the party or parties instantly +withdrew. Major U. M. Irwin entered; I asked him the cause for such +curiosity, he stated laughing, "Well, I told some fellows we'd brought a +live Frenchman with us. I suppose those fellows want to get a peep at +you." I at once got up, mounted an old stump, and introduced myself to +the crowd: "Gentlemen, it seems that I am eliciting a great deal of +curiosity; now all of you will know me as Isaac Hermann, a native +Frenchman, who came to assist you to fight the Yankees." Having thus +made myself known, I took the privilege to ask those with whom I came in +contact their names, and what Company they belonged to, and thus in a +short time I knew every man in the Regiment. We were now installed and +regularly enrolled for duty. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +Laurel Hill is a plateau situated to the right of Rich Mountain, the +pass of which was occupied by Governor Wise, with a small force. + +In the early part of July, General McClelland, in command of the Federal +troops, made a demonstration on our front. Our position was somewhat +fortified by breastworks; the enemy came in close proximity to our camp +and kept us on the Qui-vive; their guns were of long range, while ours +would not carry over fifty yards. Picket duties were performed by whole +companies, taking possession of the surrounding commanding hills. Many +shots hissed in close proximity, without our being able to locate the +direction from which they came, and without our even being able to hear +the report of the guns. Very little damage, however, was done, except by +some stray ball, now and then. It was the writer's time to stand guard, +not far in front of the camp, his beat was alongside the ditches. In +front of me the enemy had planted a cannon. The shots came at regular +intervals in direct line with my beat, but the shots fell somewhat +short, by about fifty to seventy-five yards. I saw many hit the ground. +When Lieutenant Colonel Clark, came round on a tour of inspection, I +remarked, "Colonel, am I placed here as a target to be shot at by those +fellows yonder. One of their shots came rather close for comfort." He +said, "Take your beat in the ditch, and when you see the smoke, tuck +your head below the breastworks"--which was three and one-half feet deep +the dirt drawn towards the front, which protected me up to my shoulders. +For nearly two hours, until relieved, I kept close watch for the smoke +of their gun, which I approximated was about a mile distant, and there I +learned that it took the report of the cannon eight seconds to reach me +after seeing the smoke, and the whiz of the missile four seconds later +still; this gave me about twelve seconds to dodge the ball--anyhow, I +was very willing when relief came, for the other fellow to take my +place. In the afternoon, minnie balls rather multipherous, were hissing +among the boys in camp, but up to that time there was no damage done, +when a cavalryman came in and reported that some of the enemy was +occupying an old log house situated about a half mile in front of us, +and it was there through the cracks of that building came the missiles +that made the fellows dodge about. General Garnett, our Commander, +ordered out two companies of infantry, who, taking a long detour +through the woods placed themselves in position to receive them as they +emerged from the building, and with two pieces of artillery, sent balls +and shells through their improvised fort. Out came the "Yanks" only to +fall into the hands of those ready to give them a warm reception. + +On that evening, three days rations were issued. At dark it commenced +drizzling rain; we were ordered to strike camp, and we took up the line +of march to the rear, when I learned that the enemy had whipped out +Governor Wise's forces on Rich Mountain and threatened our rear. We +marched the whole of that night, only to find our retreat to Beverly +blockaded by the enemy who had felled many trees across the road, the +only turn pike leading to that place. + +We had to retrace our steps for several miles, and take what is known as +mountain trail, leading in a different direction, marching all day. The +night again, which was dark and dreary multiplied our misgivings. The +path we followed, was as stated, a narrow mountain path, on the left +insurmountable mountains, while on the right very deep precipices; many +teams that left the rut on account of the darkness, were precipitated +down the precipices and abandoned. Thus, after two nights and one day of +steady marching, we arrived at Carricks' Ford, a fordable place on the +north fork of the Potomac River. The water was breast-deep, and we went +into it like ducks, when of a sudden, the Yankees appeared, firing into +our column. They struck us about and along the wagon train, capturing +the same, while the advance column stampeded. We lost our regimental +colors, which were in the baggage wagon, in charge of G. W. Kelly, who +abandoned it with all the Company's effects, to save himself. + +Colonel Ramsey, in fact all our officers were elected on account of +their cleverness at home. This being a strictly agricultural country, +the men and officers knew more about farming than about military +tactics. Colonel Ramsey was an eminent lawyer of Columbus, Georgia. He +gave the command, "Georgian, retreat," and the rout was complete. It was +a great mistake that the Government did not assign military men to take +charge in active campaigns; many blunders might have been evaded and +many lives spared at the beginning of the war. + +One half of my regiment was assigned as rear guards and marched +therefore, in the rear of the column behind the wagon train. We were +consequently left to take care of ourselves the best we could. General +Garnett was killed in the melee. Had we had officers who understood +anything about military tactics, these reminiscences might be told +differently. + +As soon as we heard firing in our front, we at once formed ourselves +into line of battle, in a small corn patch across the stream, on our +immediate right, at the foot of a high mountain. It seemed to have been +new ground and the corn was luxuriantly thick. The logs that were there +were rolled into line, thus serving as terraces, and also afforded us +splendid breastworks. We were hardly in position, when artillery troops +appeared and crossed the ford, not seventy-five yards from where we were +in line, seeing them, without being seen ourselves. Major Harvey +Thompson, who was in Command of our forces, which were not over four +hundred and fifty strong, seeing some men making ready to fire, gave +orders not to fire, as they were our own men crossing the stream, and +thus lost the opportunity of making himself famous, for it proved to be +the enemy's artillery in our immediate front. Had he given orders to +fire and charge, we could have been on them before they could possibly +have formed themselves into battery, captured their guns, killed and +captured many of their men, and would have turned into victory what +proved to have become a disastrous defeat. + +Thus being cut off from our main forces, who were in full retreat, and +fearing to be captured, we climbed the mountain in our rear, expecting +to cut across in a certain direction, and rejoin our forces some +distance beyond. Thus began a dreary march of three days and four nights +in a perfect wilderness, soaked to the bone and nothing to eat, cutting +our way through the heavy growth of laurel bushes, we had to take it in +Indian file, in single column. + +Many pathetic instances came to my observation; some reading testaments, +others taking from their breast-pocket, next to their heart, pictures of +loved ones, dropping tears of despair, as they mournfully returned them +to their receptacle. An instance which impressed itself forcibly on my +mind, was the filial affection displayed between father and son, and in +which the writer put to good use, the Biblical story of King Solomon, +where two women claimed the same child, but in this instance neither +wanted to claim. It was thus: Captain Jones found a piece of tallow +candle about one inch long in his haversack, and presented it to his +son, Weaver, saying, "Eat that, son, it will sustain life;" "No, father, +you eat it, I am younger than you, and stronger, and therefore can hold +out longer." There they stood looking affectionately at each other, the +Captain holding the piece of candle between his fingers. So I said, +"Captain, hand it to me, I will divide it for you." Having my knife in +hand, I cut it lengthwise, following the wick, giving each half, and +passing the blade between my lips. It was the first taste of anything +the writer had had in four days. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + +When night overtook us, we had to remain in our track until daylight +would enable us to proceed. When at about nine o'clock A. M. word was +passed up the line, from mouth to mouth--"A Guide! A man and his son who +will guide us out of here." Then Major Thompson, who was in front sent +word down the line for the men to come up. The guides sent word up the +line to meet them half way, that they were very tired, so it was +arranged that Major Thompson met them about center, where the writer +was. The guides introduced themselves as Messrs. Parson, father and son. +The senior was a man of about fifty years, rather ungainly as to looks, +and somewhat cross-eyed, while his son was a strong athletic young man, +about twenty-three. They said they were trappers, collecting furs for +the market. It must be remarked that that country was perfectly wild, +and uninhabited, for during all this long march I had not seen a single +settlement, but it contained many wild beasts, such as bears, panthers, +foxes, deer, etc. He related that a tall young man by the name of Jasper +Stubbs, belonging to Company E, First Regiment, Washington Rifles, came +to his quarters very early this morning, inquiring if any soldiers had +passed by, saying he found a nook under a projecting rock where he stood +in column the night before, and to protect himself from dew, he lay down +to rest, and fell asleep. When he awoke, it was day and he found his +comrades gone, and that he was by himself. The surface of ground or +rock, was a solid moss-bed, consequently he could not tell which way our +tracks pointed, and he happened to take the reverse course which we +went, and thus came to where the Parsons lived. Stubbs was missing, thus +proving that the men's story must be true. It must also be remembered +that the majority of the people in Western Virginia were in sympathy +with the enemy, and thus possessed of many informers or spies, who would +give information as to our whereabouts and doings. + +A conference was held among the officers as to what was best to be done. +Parson claimed to be in sympathy with the South, and he knew that we +would not be able to carry out our design, and that we would all perish, +so he put out to lead us out of our dilemma. Major Thompson was for +putting the Parsons under arrest, and force them to lead us in the +direction we first assumed, or perish with us. Parsons spoke up and +said, "Gentlemen, I am in your power; the country through which you +propose to travel is not habitable, I have been raised in these regions, +and there is not a living soul within forty miles in the direction you +propose to go, and at the rate you are compelled to advance, you would +all perish to death, and your carcasses left for food to the wild beasts +of the forest." The conference was divided, some hesitated, others were +for adopting Major Thompson's plan, when the writer stepped forward, +saying, "Gentlemen, up to now, I have obeyed orders, but I for one, +prefer to be shot by an enemy's bullet, than to perish like a coward in +this wild region." Captain Jones tapped me on the shoulder, remarking; +"Well spoken, Hermann, those are my sentiments--Company E, About Face!". +Captain Crump, commanding Company I, from Augusta, Ga., followed suit, +and thus the whole column faced about, ready to follow the Parsons. + +The writer made the following proposition: That Mr. Parson and son be +disarmed, for both carried hunting rifles; that I would follow them +within twenty paces, while the column should follow within two hundred +yards, thus in case of treachery they would be warned by report of my +gun, that there is danger ahead. These precautions I deemed necessary in +case of an ambush. Addressing myself to our guides, I said, "Gentlemen, +you occupy an enviable position; if you prove true, of which I have no +doubt myself, you'd be amply rewarded, but should you prove otherwise, +your hide is mine, and there is not enough guns in Yankeedom to prevent +me from shooting you." At this point, a private from the Gate City +Guards, whose name is Wm. Leatherwood, remarked, "You shall not go +alone, I will accompany you." I thanked him kindly, saying I would be +glad if he would. Thus we retraced our steps, following our leaders, +when after about three miles march we struck a mountain stream, in the +bed of which we waded for nine miles, the water varying from knee to +waist deep, running very rapidly over mossy, slippery rocks, and through +gorges as if the mountains were cut in twain and hewn down. In some +places, the walls were so high, affording a narrow dark passage, I don't +believe God's sun ever shone down there. I was so chilled, I felt myself +freezing to death in mid summer, for it was about the 17th of July; +darkness was setting in, and I had not seen the sun that day, although +the sky was cloudless, when to my great relief we came to a little +opening on our left, the mountain receding, leaving about an acre of +level ground, with a luxuriant growth of grass. Our guides said they +lived within a quarter of a mile from there. I said, let us rest and +wait for the rest of the men. When after a little rest, I started again, +I was too weak to make the advance, although provisions were in sight. I +had to be relieved, and some others took my place, while I lay exhausted +on the grass. Happily some of the men had paper that escaped humidity; +loading a musket with wadding, they fired into a rotten stump, setting +it on fire, and by persistent blowing, produced a bright little flame, +which soon developed into a large camp fire, around which the boys dried +themselves. + +Parson proved himself a noble, patriotic host. After a couple of hours, +he sent us a large pone of corn-bread, baked in an old-fashioned oven. I +received about an inch square as my share,--the sweetest morsel that +ever passed my lips. It was sufficient to allay the gnawing of my empty +stomach,--it had a strange effect on me, for every time I would stand +up, my knees would give way and down I went otherwise I felt no +inconvenience. + +It was a remarkable fact that every man was able to keep up with our +small column and we did not lose a single man up to that time. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + +The next morning Mr. Parson drove up two nice, seal fat beeves,--to get +rations was a quick performance, and the meat was devoured before it had +time to get any of the animal heat out of it, some ate it raw, others +stuck it on the ramrod of their gun and held it over the fire, in the +meantime biting off great mouthfulls while the balance was broiling on +his improvised cooking utensil. Mr. Parson also brought us some meal, +which being made into dough was baked in the ashes, and thus we all had +a square meal and some left to carry in our haversack. + +Mr. Parson was tolerably well to do, he owned some land, raised his +truck, had a small apple orchard, and indulged in stock-raising. He +owned several horses and some of the officers bought of him. The writer +feeling badly jaded, also concluded he would buy himself a horse, and +paid his price, $95.00 for a horse, but Major Thompson, being of a timid +nature, was afraid that too many horsemen might attract attention, +refused to let me ride by the wagon-road, so Mr. Parson said there was a +mountain path that I could follow that would lead in the big road some +few miles beyond, but that I would have to lead the animal for about a +couple of miles, when I would be able to ride. Dr. Whitaker, a worthy +member of my Company, and a good companion, offered me his services to +get the animal over the roughest part of the route. I accepted his +offer, and promised that we would ride by turns, so I took the horse by +the bridle and led him, Whitaker following behind, coaxing him along. +The mountain was so steep I had to talk to keep the horse on his feet, +but nevertheless he slipped several times and we worried to get him up +again. We made slow headway; the column had advanced, and we lost sight +of it, and were left alone, worrying with the horse, who finally lost +foothold again, and rolled over. The writer was forced to turn loose the +bridle to keep from being dragged along into the hollow. The horse +rolled over and over, making every effort to gain his feet, but to no +avail, until he reached the bottom, where he appeared no bigger than a +goat. I felt sorry for the poor animal, so I went down, took off his +saddle and bridle, placed them on a rock, and left him to take care of +himself. I rejoined Dr. Whitaker. Relieved of our burden, we followed +the trail made by the column. About sunset we caught sight of them, just +as they crossed Green Brier River, a wide, but shallow stream. At that +place the water was waist deep in the center, running very swift, as +mountain streams do, over slippery moss-covered rocks. When center of +the river, I lost foot hold and the stream, swift as it was, swept me +under, and in my feeble condition I had a struggle to recover myself. I +lost my rations, which were swept down stream, a great loss to me, but +undoubtedly served as a fine repast for the fishes which abounded in +those waters. + +The column continued its line of march, passing a settlement, the first +dwelling I had seen in five days. I called at the gate; receiving no +answer, I walked into the porch; the door being ajar, I pushed it open +and found an empty room, with the exception of a wooden bench, and an +old-fashioned, home-made primitive empty bedstead, with cords serving to +support the bedding that the owners had hurriedly removed before our +arrival. I called again. Presently a young woman presented herself. +After passing greetings of the day I asked, "Where are the folks?" She +said, "They are not here," (the surroundings indicated a hasty exit). I +said, "So I see. Where are they?" She said she did not know, undoubtedly +not willing to divulge. "Who lives here?" "Mr. Snider." "And you don't +know where he is?" "No, he heard you all were coming, and not being in +sympathy with you all, he left." "Well, he ought not to have done so, +nobody would have harmed him or hurt a hair on his head. He is entitled +to his opinion, as long as he does not take up arms against us." So I +recounted the accident that had befallen me, and wanted to replenish my +provisions. I asked if I could buy something to eat. She said, "There +are no provisions in the house", "Well, I hope you would not object to +my making a fire in this fire-place to dry myself." She said she had no +objection. It must be remembered that the fire-places in those days were +very roomy indeed. I found wood on the woodpile, and soon had a roaring +fire. It was late in the evening, and I intended to pass that night +under shelter, for I was chilled to the bone. In moving the bench in +front of the fire, on which to spread my jacket to dry, I noticed a pail +covered, and full of fresh milk, "Well, you can sell me some of that +milk, can't you?" She said, "You can have all you want for nothing." I +thanked her and said I wish I had some meal and I could well make out. +She said, "I will see if I can find any", and presently she returned +with sufficient to make myself a large hoe-cake. I baked the same on an +old shovel. While it was baking my clothes were drying on my body, +affording a luxuriant steam bath. I had a tin cup. I drank some of the +milk and had a plentiful repast. I handed her a quarter of a dollar to +pay for the meal, which she accepted with some hesitancy. All at once +the girl disappeared and left me in charge. It was most dark, when +someone hollowed at the gate; recognizing the voices, I found them to be +two men of my Company, viz., G. A. Tarbutton and J. A. Roberson. I met +them and invited them in. To tell the truth, I did not much like the +mysterious surroundings of those premises, especially as the girl asked +me not to divulge that she let me have some meal. + +My comrades and self took in the situation; we conferred with one +another and agreed to spend the night under shelter in a warm room, a +luxury not enjoyed in some time and not to be abandoned. They had +informed me that the Column had encamped less than a quarter of a mile +beyond and they had returned to this place in search of some Apple Jack. +We concluded to take it by turns, while two of us are asleep, the third +will stand guard and keep up the fire, for the reader must know that +notwithstanding the season, the nights were very cold in those mountain +regions and were especially so with wet garments on. + +The following morning my comrades left, but before leaving we disposed +of the milk in the pail. I remained in the hope of again seeing my +charming hostess, and induce her to sell me some provisions for my +journey along. I saw in the woods, some old hens scratching, and I +thought I might persuade her to sell me one. Presently she came with a +plate of ham, chicken and biscuits which she offered me. I accepted, and +not wishing to embarrass her, did not ask any questions. Presently, old +man Snider appeared. He was a fine looking specimen of manhood, had a +ruddy complexion and appeared physically Herculean. After exchanging a +little commonplace talk, he followed me to where the boys camped. He was +seemingly astonished to see so many gentlemen among the so-called savage +rebels. I asked him if he could induce his daughter to bake me a +chicken, he answered, "I suppose I could." "What will it be worth?" +"Half a dollar" he guessed. I gave him the money and he said he would +bring me the chicken, which he did, and it was a fine one, well cooked. + +The people in that thinly populated section of the country lived a very +primitive life, they were mostly ignorant. They did their own work, had +plenty to live on, owned no negroes and were very kind-hearted after you +got acquainted. They had strange notions about the Rebels, thinking we +were terrible fellows. The original settlers of Northwestern Virginia +were Dutch, a very simple and hard-working honest people. + +At about three o'clock in the afternoon, having had a long rest, we +again took up the line of march by short stages, still under the +guidance of one of our guides, and from that day on, we continued our +march, passing Cheat Mountain, Allegheny Mountains, until finally we +reached McDowell. Coming down Cheat Mountain, the boys were treated to a +strange sight, especially those who were raised in a low country and who +had never seen any mountains, for in those days there was not much +traveling done, and the majority of the people did not often venture +away from their homes. + +The little village of Huttensville lies just at the foot of Cheat +Mountain, a mountain of great altitude. The houses below us did not +appear to be larger than bird cages, but plainly in view, first to the +right and then to the left, as the pike would tack, the mountain being +very steep. It was a lovely day, the sun had risen in all its splendor, +when as if by magic, our view below us was obscured by what seemed to be +a very heavy fog, and we lost sight of the little village. Still the sun +was shining warm, and as we were going down hill it was easy going, and +as we approached the village, the veil that had obscured our view lifted +itself and the people reported to have experienced one of the heaviest +storms in their lives, the proof of which we noticed in the mud and +washouts which were visible, while we who were above the clouds did not +receive a single drop. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + +At McDowell we formed a reunion with the rest of our forces, who in +their flight made a long detour, passing through a portion of Maryland +adjoining that part of West Virginia. The following evening we had dress +parade and the Adjutant's report of those who were missing. The writer +does not remember the entire casualties of that affair, but found that +his little squad of twenty-one were all present or accounted for. + +My friend, Eagle, from whom we hired teams to carry us to Laurel Hill +was present and he came to shake hands with me while we were in line; he +was glad to see me. A general order to disband the regiment for ten days +was read, in order to enable the men to seek the needed rest. Mr. Eagle +came to me at once, saying, "I take care of you and your friends, the +twenty-one that I hauled to Laurel Hill, at my house. It shall not cost +you a cent", a most generous and acceptable offer. I called for my +Davisboro fellows, and followed Mr. Eagle to his home, where he +entertained us in a most substantial manner. He was a man well-to-do, an +old bachelor. The household consisted of himself and two spinster +sisters, all between forty and fifty years of age; and a worthy mother +in the seventies, also a brother who was a harmless lune, roving at will +and coming home when he pleased, a very inoffensive creature; his name +was Chris. The mother, although for years in that country, still could +not talk the English language. Untiringly and seemingly in the best of +mood, they performed their duties in preparing meals for that hungry +army. Chris got kinder mystified to see so many strangers in the house. +He walked about the premises all day, saying, "Whoo-p-e-ee Soldiers +fighting against the war", and no matter what you asked him, his reply +was, "Whoo-o-p-e-ee, Soldiers fighting against the war-ha-ha-ha-ha!" + +At the expiration of the ten days leave, we bade our host good-bye. We +wanted to remunerate him, at least in part, for all of his trouble in +our behalf, but he would not receive the least remuneration, saying, "I +am sorry I could not have done more." We rendezvoused in the town, but a +great many were missing on account of sickness, the measles of a very +virulent nature having broken out among the men, and many succumbed from +the disease. We were ordered back to Monterey and went into camp. The +measles still continued to be prevalent and two of my Davisboro comrades +died of it, viz., John Lewis and Noah Turner, two as clever boys as ever +were born. I felt very sad over the occurrence. Their bodies were sent +home and they were buried at New Hope Church. + +General R. E. Lee, rode up one day, and we were ordered in line for +inspection, he was riding a dapple gray horse. He looked every inch a +soldier. His countenance had a very paternal and kind expression. He was +clean shaven, with the exception of a heavy iron gray mustache. He +complimented us for our soldiery bearing. He told Captain Jones that he +never saw a finer set of men. We camped at Monterey for a month. During +all this time, when the people at home became aware of our disaster, +they at once went to work to make up uniforms and other kinds of wearing +apparels. Every woman that could ply a needle exerted herself, and +before we left Monterey for Green Brier, Major Newman, who always a +useful and patriotic citizen, made his appearance among the boys, with +the product of the patriotic women of Washington County. Every man was +remembered munificently, and it is due to the good women of the county +that we were all comfortably shod and clothed to meet the rigorous +climate of a winter season in that wild region. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + +While still in camps at Monterey, the Fourteenth Georgia Regiment, on +their way to Huntersville, with a Company of our County, under command +of Captain Bob Harmon, encamped close to us. The boys were glad to meet +and intermingled like brothers. A day or so after we were ordered to +move to Green Brier at the foot of the Allegheny and Cheat Mountains, +the enemy occupying the latter, under general Reynolds. + +Our picket lines extended some three miles beyond our encampment, while +the enemy's also extended to several miles beyond their encampment, +leaving a neutral space unoccupied by either forces. Often +reconnoitering parties would meet beyond the pickets and exchange shots, +and often pickets were killed at their posts by an enemy slipping up +through the bushes unaware to the victim. I always considered such as +willful murder. + +It became my time to go on picket; the post assigned to me was on the +banks of the River, three miles beyond our camps. The night before one +of our men was shot from across the River. Usually three men were +detailed to perform that duty, so that they can divide watch every two +hours, one to guard and two to sleep, if such was possible. On that +occasion the guard was doubled and six men were detailed, and while four +lay on the ground in blankets, two were on the lookout. The post we +picked out was under a very large oak; in our immediate rear was a corn +field the corn of which was already appropriated by the cavalry. The +field was surrounded by a low fence and the boys at rest lay in the +fence corners. It was a bright starlight September night, no moon +visible, but one could distinguish an object some distance beyond. I was +on the watch. It was about eleven P. M., when through the still night, I +heard foot-steps and the breaking of corn stalks. I listened intently, +and the noise ceased. Presently I heard it again; being on the alert, +and so was my fellow-watchman, we cautiously awoke the men who were +happy in the arms of Morpheus, not even dreaming of any danger besetting +their surroundings. I whispered to them to get ready quietly, that we +heard the approach of someone walking in our front. The guns which were +in reach beside them were firmly grasped. We listened and watched, in a +stooping position, when the noise started again, yet a little more +pronounced and closer. We were ready to do our duty. I became impatient +at the delay, and not wishing to be taken by surprise, I thought I would +surprise somebody myself, so took my musket at a trail, crept along the +fence to reconnoiter, while my comrades kept their position. When +suddenly appeared ahead of me a white object, apparently a shirt bosom. +I cocked my gun, but my target disappeared, and I heard a horse +snorting. On close inspection, I found that it was a loose horse +grazing, and what I took for a shirt bosom was his pale face, which +sometimes showed, when erect, then disappeared while grazing. I returned +and reported, to the great relief of us all. Heretofore, men on guard at +the outpost would fire their guns on hearing any unusual noise and thus +alarming the army, which at once would put itself in readiness for +defense, only to find out that it was a false alarm and that they were +needlessly disturbed. Such occurrences happened too often, therefore a +general order was read that any man that would fire his gun needlessly +and without good cause, or could not give a good reason for doing so +would be court-martialed and dealt with accordingly. Therefore, the +writer was especially careful not to violate these orders. + +[Illustration: A Picket Shot While on Duty, Nothing Short of Murder.] + +At another time it became again my lot to go on vidette duty. This time +it was three miles in the opposite direction in the rear of the camp in +the Allegheny, in a Northwesterly direction, in a perfect wilderness, an +undergrowth of a virgin forest. It was a very gloomy evening the clouds +being low. A continual mist was falling. It was in the latter part of +September. We were placed in a depressed piece of ground surrounded by +mountains. The detail consisted of Walker Knight, Alfred Barnes and +myself. Corporal Renfroe, whose duty was to place us in position, gave +us the following instructions and returned to camp: "Divide your time as +usual, no fire allowed, shoot anyone approaching without challenge." +Night was falling fast, and in a short while there was Egyptian +darkness. We could not even see our hands before our eyes. There was a +small spruce pine, the stem about five inches in diameter, with its +limbs just above our heads. We placed ourselves under it as a protection +from the mist, and in case it would rain. All at once, we heard a +terrible yell, just such as a wild cat might send forth, only many times +louder. This was answered it seemed like, from every direction. Barnes +remarked "What in the world is that?" I said, "Panthers, it looks like +the woods are full of them." The panthers, from what we learned from +inhabitants are dangerous animals, and often attack man, being a feline +species, they can see in the dark. I said, "There is no sleep for us, +let us form a triangle, back to back against this tree, so in case of an +attack, we are facing in every direction." Not being able to see, our +guns and bayonets were useless, and we took our pocket knives in hand in +case of an attack at close quarters. The noise of these beasts kept up a +regular chorus all night long, and we would have preferred to meet a +regiment of the enemy than to be placed in such a position. We were all +young and inexperienced. I was the oldest, and not more than +twenty-three years old. Walker Knight said, "Boys, I can't stand it any +longer, I am going back to camp." I said, "Walker, would you leave your +post to be court-martialed, and reported as a coward? Then, you would +not find the way back, this dark night, and be torn up before you would +get there. Here, we can protect each other." Occasionally we heard dry +limbs on the ground, crack, as if someone walking on them. This was +rather close quarters to be comfortable, especially when one could not +see at all. There we stood, not a word was spoken above a whisper, when +we heard a regular snarl close by, then Barnes said, "What is that?" I +said, "I expect it is a bear." All this conversation was in the lowest +whisper; to tell the truth, it was the worst night I ever passed, and my +friend Knight, even now says that he could feel his hair on his head +stand straight up. + +My dear reader, don't you believe we were glad when day broke on us? It +was seemingly the longest night I ever spent, and so say my two +comrades. + +The country from Monterey to Cheat Mountain was not inhabited, with the +exception of a tavern on top of the Allegheny, where travelers might +find refreshments for man and beast. The enemy often harassed us with +scouting parties, and attacking isolated posts. To check these +maneuvres, we did the same; so one evening, Lieutenant Dawson of the +Twelfth Georgia Regiment, Captain Willis Hawkins' Company from Sumter +County, and which regiment formed a contingent part of our forces at +Green Brier River, came to me saying, "Hermann, I want you tonight." He +was a fearless scout, a kind of warfare that suited his taste, and he +always called on me on such occasions. And after my last picket +experience, I was only too willing to go with him, as it relieved me +from army duty the day following, and I preferred that kind of +excitement to standing guard duty. + +We left at dark, and marched about four miles, towards the enemy's camp +to Cheat River, a rather narrow stream to be a river. A wooden bridge +spanned the stream. We halted this side. On our right was a steep +mountain, the turn pike or road rounded it nearly at its base. The +mountain side was covered with flat loose rocks of all sizes, averaging +all kinds of thickness. By standing some on their edge, and propping +them with another rock, afforded fine protection against minnie balls. +In this manner we placed ourselves in position behind this improvised +breastworks. + +The mot d'ordre was not to fire until the command was given. We were ten +in number, and the understanding was to fire as we lay, so as to hit as +many as possible. At about ten o'clock P. M. we heard the enemy crossing +the bridge, their horses's hoofs were muffled so as to make a noiseless +crossing, and take our pickets by surprise. They came within fifty yards +of us and halted in Column. Lieutenant Dawson commanded the man next to +him to pass it up the line to make ready to shoot, when he commanded in +a loud voice, "Fire!" Instantly, as per one crack of a musket, all of us +fired, and consternation reigned among the enemy's ranks; those that +could get away stampeded across the bridge. We did not leave our +position until day. When we saw the way was clear, we gathered them up, +took care of the wounded and buried the dead--several of our shots were +effective. On the 3rd of October, they made an attack on us in full +force, and while they drove in our pickets, we had ample time to prepare +to give them a warm reception. + +The following is a description of the battle ground and a description of +our forces: + +On the extreme right, in an open meadow, not far from the banks of the +river, was the First Georgia Regiment, lying flat on the grass; to the +immediate left and rear was a battery of four guns, on a mount +immediately confronting the turn pike, and fortified by breastworks, and +supported by the Forty-fourth Virginia Regiment, commanded by Colonel +Scott; further to left, across the road was a masked battery, with +abatis in front, Captain Anderson commanding, and supported by the Third +Arkansas Regiment and the Twelfth Georgia Regiment, commanded by +Colonels Rusk and Johnston respectively. As the enemy came down the +turn pike, the battery on our left, commanding that position, opened on +them, the enemy from across the river responded with alacrity, and there +was a regular artillery duel continuously. Their infantry filed to their +left, extending their line beyond that of the First Georgia, they +followed the edge of the stream at the foot of the mountain. We detached +two Companies from the Regiment further to our right, to extend our +line. They were not more than two hundred yards in front. The balance of +the regiment lay low in its position; the order was to shoot low, and +not before we could see the white of their eyes. + +The enemy would fire on us continually, but the balls went over us and +did no damage. While maneuvring thus on our right, they made a vigorous +attack on Anderson's battery, but were repulsed with heavy loss. Late in +the afternoon they withdrew. Our casualties were very small, and that of +the enemy considerable. + +Colonel Ramsey, who, early that morning went out on an inspection tour, +dismounted for some cause, his horse came into camp without a rider, and +we gave him up for lost, but later, a little before dark, he came in +camp, to the great rejoicing of the regiment, for we all loved him. +General Henry R. Jackson was our commander at that time, and soon +afterwards was transferred South. + +The enemy had all the advantage by the superiority of their arms, while +ours were muzzle loaders, carrying balls but a very short distance; +theirs were long range, hence we could not reach them only at close +quarters. A very amusing instant was had during their desultory firing. +The air was full of a strange noise; it did not sound like the hiss of a +minnie-ball, nor like that of a cannon ball. It was clearly audible all +along the line of the First Georgia; the boys could not help tucking +their heads. The next day some of the men picked up a ram rod at the +base of a tree where it struck broadside, and curved into a half circle. +It was unlike any we had, and undoubtedly the fellow forgot to draw it +out of the gun, fired it at us, and this was the strange sound we heard +which made us dodge. A few nights later, a very dark night, we sent out +a strong detachment, under Command of Colonel Talliaferro to cut off +their pickets, which extended to Slavins Cabin (an old abandoned log +house). To cross the river we put wagons in the run; a twelve inch plank +connected the wagons and served as a bridge. On the other side of the +river was a torch bearer, holding his torch so that the men could see +how to cross. The torch blinded me, and instead of looking ahead, I +looked down. It seemed that the men with the torch shifted the light, +casting the shadow of a connecting plank to the right, when instead of +stepping on the plank, I stepped on the shadow, and down in the water I +went (rather a cold bath in October) and before morning, my clothing was +actually frozen. In crossing Cheat River Bridge, the road tacked to the +left, making a sudden turn, which ran parallel with the same road under +it. The head of the column having reached there, the rear thinking them +to be enemies, fired into them. Haply no one was hurt before the mistake +was discovered, but the enemy got notice of our approach by the firing, +and had withdrawn, so the expedition was for naught. We were back in +camp about eight o'clock the following morning. + +At the latter end of the month Colonel Edward Johnson concluded to +attack General Reynolds in his stronghold on Cheat Mountain. + +The Third Arkansas Regiment, under command of Colonel Rusk, was detached +and sent to the rear, taking a long detour a couple of days ahead, and +making demonstrations, while the main force would attack them in front. +Colonel Rusk was to give the signal for attack. Early in the night we +sent out a large scouting party to attack their pickets, and drive them +in. Lieutenant Dawson was in command. Early that day we started with all +the forces up Cheat Mountain, a march of twelve miles. During the +progress of our march the advance guard having performed what was +assigned them to do, returned by a settlement road running parallel with +the turn pike for some distance, when of a sudden, balls were hissing +among us and some of the men were hit. The fire was returned at once, +and flanker drawn out whose duty it was to march on the flank of the +column, some twenty paces by its side, keeping a sharp lookout. I +mistook the order, and went down into the woods as a scout, the firing +still going on, and I was caught between them both. I hugged close to +the ground keeping a sharp lookout to my right. When I recognized the +Company's uniform, and some of my own men, I hollowed at them to stop +firing, that they were shooting our own men, when they hollowed, "Hurrah +for Jeff Davis," when from above, Colonel Johnson responded, "Damn lies, +boys, pop it to them," when Weaver Jones stuck a white handkerchief on +his bayonet and the firing ceased. Sergeant P. R. Talliaferro was hit +in the breast by a spent ball. Weaver had a lock of his hair just above +his ear cut off as though it had been shaved off. One man was wounded +and bled to death, another was wounded and recovered. Such mistakes +happened often in our lines for the lack of sound military knowledge. + +The man that bled to death was from the Dahlonega Guards. He said while +dying, that he would not mind being killed by an enemy's bullet, but to +be killed by his own friends is too bad. Everything was done that could +be done for the poor fellow, but of no avail. + +The column advanced to a plateau, overlooking the enemy's camp. We +placed our guns in battery, waiting for the Rusk signal, which was never +given; we waited until four o'clock P. M. and retraced our steps without +firing a gun. We saw their lines of fortification and their flags flying +from a bastion, but not a soul was visible. We thought Reynolds had +given us the slip and that we would find him in our rear and in our camp +before we could get back, so we double quicked at a fox trot, until we +reached our quarters in the early part of the night. + +Colonel Rusk came in two days afterward, and reported that his venture +was impracticable. Cold winter was approaching with rapid strides and +rations were not to the entire satisfaction of our men. The beef that +was issued to us, although very fine, had become a monotonous diet, and +the men longed for something else, they had become satiated with it, so +I proposed to Captain Jones that if he would report me accounted for in +his report, that I would go over to Monterey and McDowell on a foraging +expedition, and bring provisions for the Company. He said he would, but +I must not get him into trouble, for the orders were that no permits be +issued for anyone to leave camp and that all passes, if any be issued, +must be countersigned by Captain Anderson, who was appointed Commander +of the post. We still were without tents for they were captured by the +enemy at Carricks Ford, and we sheltered ourselves the best we could +with the blankets we had received from home. The snow had fallen during +the night to the depth of eight inches, and it was a strange sight to +see the whole camp snowed under, (literally speaking). When morning +approached, the writer while not asleep, was not entirely aroused. He +lay there under his blanket, a gentle perspiration was oozing from every +pore of his skin, when suddenly, he aroused himself, and rose up. Not a +man was to be seen, the hillocks of snow, however, showed where they +lay, so I hollowed, "look at the snow." Like jumping out of the graves, +the men pounced up in a jiffy, they were wrestling and snowballing and +rubbing each other with it. After having performed all the duties +devolving upon me that afternoon, I started up the Allegheny where some +members of my Company with others, were detailed, building winter +quarters. Every carpenter in the whole command was detailed for that +purpose. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + +When some three miles beyond camps, I noted a little smoke arising as I +approached. I noted that it was the outpost. My cap was covered with an +oil cloth, and I had an overcoat with a cape, such as officers wore; +hence the guard could not tell whether I was a private, corporal or a +general. I noticed that they had seen me approach. One of them advanced +to the road to challenge me, but I spoke first. I knew it was against +the orders to have a fire at the outpost on vidette duty so I said, "Who +told you to have a fire? Put out that fire, sirs, don't you know it is +strictly prohibited?"--"What is your name--what Company do you belong +to, and what is your regiment?" all of which was answered. I took my +little note book and pencil, and made an entry, or at least made a bluff +in this direction, and said, "You'll hear from me again." I had the poor +fellow scared pretty badly, and they never even made any demand on me to +find out who I was. They belonged to Colonel Scott's regiments. The +bluff worked like a charm, and I marched on. When about six miles from +camp, I was pretty tired, walking in the snow and up-hill. I saw +General Henry R. Jackson, and Major B. L. Blum, coming along in a +jersey wagon. The General asked me where I was going,--it was my time to +get a little scared. I answered that I was going on top the Allegheny +where they built winter quarters. "Get in the wagon, you can ride, we +are going that way." I thanked them; undoubtedly the General thought +that I was detailed to go there and to assist in that work. This is the +last I saw of General Jackson in that country. + +Among the men I found Tom Tyson, Richard Hines, William Roberson +(surnamed "Crusoe"). I spent the night with them in a cabin they had +built and the following morning I took an early start down the mountain +toward Monterey. It had continued to snow all the night and it lay to +the depth of twelve inches. I could only follow the road by the opening +distance of the tree tops, and which sometimes was misleading. I passed +the half-way house, known as the tavern, about 9 o'clock A. M. Four +hundred yards beyond, going in an oblique direction at an angle of about +45 degrees, I saw a large bear going through the woods; he was a fine +specimen, his fur was as black as coal. I approximate his size as about +between three hundred and four hundred pounds. He turned his head and +looked at me and stopped. I at once halted, bringing my musket to a +trail. I was afraid to fire for fear of missing my mark, my musket being +inaccurate, so I reserved my fire for closer quarters, the bear being at +least fifty yards from me, and he followed his course in a walk. I was +surprised and said to myself,--"Old fellow, if you let me alone, I +surely will not bother you." + +I watched him 'till he was out of my sight. My reason for not shooting +him was two-fold; first, I was afraid I might miss him, and my gun being +a muzzle loader, the distance between us was too short, and he would +have been on me before I could have reloaded, so I reserved my fire, +expecting to get in closer proximity. I was agreeably surprised when he +continued his journey. When I came to Monterey that afternoon, I told +some of its citizens what a narrow escape I had. They smiled and said +"Bears seldom attack human, unless in very great extremities, but I did +well not to have shot unless I was sure that I would have killed him, +for a wounded bear would stop the flow of blood with his fur, by tapping +himself on the wound, and face his antagonist, and I could have been +sure he would have gotten the best of me." + +From Monterey I went over to McDowell, fourteen miles, to see my friend +Eagle and his brother-in-law, Sanders, he that made the twelve Yankees +run by running in front of them. I stated my business and invoked their +assistance, which they cheerfully extended. In about three days, we had +about as much as a four horse team could pull. + +Provisions sold cheap. One could buy a fine turkey for fifty cents, a +chicken for fifteen to twenty cents, butter twelve and one-half cents +and everything else in proportion. Apples were given me for the +gathering of them. Bacon and hams for seven to eight cents per pound, +the finest cured I ever tasted. + +The people in these regions lived bountifully, and always had an +abundance to spare. Mr. Eagle furnished the team and accompanied me to +camp, free of charge. Money was a scarce article at that time among the +boys; the government was several months in arrear with our pay, but we +expected to be paid off daily, so Mr. Eagle said he would be responsible +to the parties that furnished the provisions, and the Company could pay +him when we got our money; he was one of the most liberal and patriotic +men that it was my pleasure to meet during the war. + +Four days later, Captain Jones received our money. I kept a record of +all the provisions furnished to each man, and the captain deducted the +amount from each. I wrote Eagle to come up and get his money; he came, +and received every cent that was due him. + +But I must not omit an incident that occurred when near our camp with +the load of provisions. I had to pass hard by the Twelfth Georgia +Regiment, which was camped on the side of the turn pike, when some of the +men who were as anxious for a change of diet as we were, came to me and +proposed to buy some of my provisions. I stated that they were sold and +belonged to Company E, First Regiment, and that I could not dispose of +them. Some Smart-Aleks, such as one may find among any gathering of men, +proposed to charge the wagon and appropriate its contents by force. +Seeing trouble ahead, I drew my pistol, when about a dozen men ran out +with their guns. Eagle turned pale, he thought his time had come, when a +Lieutenant interfered, asking the cause of the disturbance, which I +stated. He said, "Men, none of that, back with those guns." He mounted +the wagon and accompanied us to my camp, which was a few hundred yards +beyond. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + +Once later, I was called out for fatigue duty. I said, "Corporal, what +is to be done?" He answered, "To cut wood for the blacksmith shop." I +replied, "You had better get someone else who knows how, I never cut a +stick in my life," he said, "You are not too old to learn how." This was +conclusive, so he furnished me with an axe, and we marched into the +woods, and he said he would be back directly with a wagon to get the +wood and he left me. I was looking about me to find a tree, not too +large, one that I thought I could manage. I spied a sugar maple about +eight inches in diameter. I sent my axe into it, but did not take my cut +large enough to reach the center, when it came down to a feather edge +and I did not have judgment enough to know how to enlarge my cut by +cutting from above, so I started a new cut from the right, another from +the left, bringing the center to a pivot of about three inches in +diameter, as solid as the Rock of Gibraltar; finally, by continuous +hacking, I brought it to a point where I could push it back and forth. +The momentum finally broke the center, but in place of falling, the top +lodged in a neighboring tree, and I could not dislodge it. I worked +hard, the perspiration ran down my face, my hands were lacerated, I +finally got mad, and sent the axe a-glimmering, and it slid under the +snow. After awhile my corporal came for the wood; "Where is the wood?" I +showed him the tree; "Is that all you have done?" I could not restrain +any longer, I said, "Confound you, I told you I did not know anything +about cutting wood." "Where is the axe?" We looked everywhere but could +not find it; it must have slid under the snow and left no trace, so he +arrested me and conducted me before Colonel Edward Johnson, a West +Pointer, in command of the post. He was at his desk writing; turning to +face us, he addressed himself to me, who stood there, cap in hand, while +the Corporal stood there with his kept on his head. "What can I do for +you?" I said, looking at the Corporal. "He has me under arrest and +brought me here." Looking at the corporal the Colonel said, "Pull off +your hat, sir, when you enter officers' quarters." (I would not have +taken a dollar for that). The Corporal pulled off his cap. "What have +you arrested him for?" The Corporal answered that I was regularly +detailed to cut wood for the blacksmith shop, and that I failed to do my +duty, and lost the axe he furnished me. "Why did you not cut the wood?" +said the Colonel. "I tried," said I, "I told him that I had never cut +any wood and did not know how; where I came from there are no woods. +Look at my hands." They were badly blistered and lacerated. The Colonel +cursed out the Corporal as an imbecile, for not getting someone who was +used to such work. I told the Colonel how hard I had tried and what I +had done. The Colonel smiled and said, "What did you do with the axe?"; +"When the tree lodged and I could not budge it, I got mad and made a +swing or two with the axe, and let her slide; it must have slid under +the snow, and we could not find it." "What have you done for a living?" +"After I quit school, I clerked in a store." "Can you write?" "Oh, yes!" +"Let me see." "My hand is too sore and hurt now." "Well, come around +tomorrow, I may get you a job here." + +Next day I called at his quarters, and he put me to copying some +documents and reports, which I did to his satisfaction. I had warm +quarters and was relieved from camp duties for a little while. + +This brings us to about the middle of December, and we were ordered to +Winchester. Colonel Johnson with his Regiment and a small force, was +left in charge of the Winter Quarters on the Allegheny, so I took leave +of him to join my Company. + +Colonel Johnson, while a little brusk in his demeanor, was a clever, +social gentleman, and a good fighter, which he proved to be when the +enemy made a night descent on him and took him by surprise. He rallied +his men, barefooted in the snow, knee-deep, thrashed out the enemy and +held the fort; he was promoted to General and was afterwards known as +the Allegheny Johnson. + +My Command having preceded me, I went to Staunton, where I met J. T. +Youngblood, Robert Parnelle and others from my Company. I also met +Lieutenant B. D. Evans of my Company, just returned from a visit from +home. We took the stage coach from Stanton to Winchester through Kanawah +Valley. We passed Woodstock, Strasburg, New Market, Middletown, and +arrived at Winchester in due time. General T. J. Jackson in command, we +had a splendid camp about a mile to the left of the city. The weather +had greatly moderated and the snow was melting. The regiment had +received tents to which we built chimneys with flat rocks that were +abundant all around us. The flour barrels served as chimney stacks, and +we were comfortable; rations were also good and plentiful, but hardly +were we installed when we received orders to strike camps. The men were +greatly disappointed; we expected to be permitted to spend winter there. +We took up the line of march late in the evening, marched all night and +struck Bath early in the morning, took the enemy by surprise while they +were fixing their morning meal, which they left, and the boys regaled +themselves. The Commissary and Quartermaster also left a good supply +behind in their rapid flight, and we appropriated many provisions, +shoes, blankets and overcoats; from Bath we marched to Hancock, whipped +out a small force of the enemy, and continued our force to Romney where +we struck camps. Romney is a small town situated on the other side of +the Potomac River. General Jackson demanded the surrender of the place, +the enemy refused, so he ordered the non-combatants to leave, as he +would bombard the town. Bringing up a large cannon which we called "Long +Tom" owing to its size, he fired one round and ordered us to fall back. +All this was during Christmas week. + +On our return it turned very cold and sleeted; the road became slick +and frozen, and not being prepared for the emergency, I saw mules, +horses and men take some of the hardest falls, as we retraced our steps, +the road being down grade. This short campaign was a success and +accomplished all it intended from a military standpoint, although we +lost many men from exposure; pneumonia was prevalent among many of our +men. We have now returned to Winchester. The writer himself, at that +time, thought that this campaign was at a great sacrifice of lives from +hardships and exposures, but later on, learned that it was intended as a +check to enable General Lee in handling his forces against an +overwhelming force of the enemy, and being still reinforced and whose +battle cry still was "On to Richmond." It was for this reason that +General "Stonewall" Jackson threatened Washington via Romney and the +enemy had to recall their reinforcements intended against General Lee to +protect Washington. + +The men from the Southern States were not used to such rigorous climate +and many of our men had to succumb from exposure. My Company lost three +men from pneumonia, viz:--Sam and Richard Hines, two splendid soldiers, +and brothers, and Lorenzo Medlock. The writer also was incapacitated. +There were no preparations in Winchester for such contingencies, so the +churches were used as hospitals. The men were packed in the pews wrapped +in their blankets, others were lying on the nasty humid floor, for it +must be remembered that the streets in Winchester were perfect lobbies +of dirt and snow tramped over by men, horses and vehicles. While there +in that condition I had the good fortune to be noted by one of my +regiment, he was tall and of herculean form, his name was Griswold, and +while he and myself on a previous occasion had some misunderstanding and +therefore not on speaking terms, he came to me and extended his hand, +saying: "Let us be friends, we have hard times enough without adding to +it." I was too sick to talk, but extended my hand, in token of having +buried the hatchet. He asked me if he could do anything for me. I shook +my head and shut my eyes. I was very weak. When I opened them he was +gone. During the day he returned, saying: "I found a better place for +you at a private house." He wrapped me in my blanket and carried me on +his shoulders a distance of over three blocks. Mrs. Mandelbawm, the lady +of the house, had a nice comfortable room prepared for me, and Griswold +waited on me like a brother, he was a powerful man, but very overbearing +at times, but had a good heart. Mr. Mandelbawm sent their family +physician, who prescribed for me. He pronounced me very sick, he did not +know how it might terminate. It took all his efforts and my +determination to get well after three weeks struggling to accomplish +this end. My friend came to see me daily when off duty. + +The regiment's term of enlistment will soon have expired, for we only +enlisted for one year. The regiment received marching order, not being +strong enough for duty. Through the recommendation of my doctor and +regimental color, I was discharged and sent home. The regiment had been +ordered to Tennessee, but owing to a wreck on the road they were +disbanded at Petersburg, Va., and the boys arrived home ten days later +than I. + +In getting my transportation the Quartermaster asked me to deliver a +package to General Beaureguard as I would pass via Manassas Junction. +When I arrived I inquired for his quarters, when I was informed that he +had left for Centreville, I followed to that place, when I was told he +had left for Richmond. Arriving at Richmond I went at once to the +Executive Department in quest of him and should I fail to find him, +would leave my package there, which I did. This was on Saturday evening, +I had not a copper in money with me, but I had my pay roll; going at +once to the Treasury Department, to my utter consternation, I found it +closed. A very affable gentlemen informed me that the office was closed +until Monday morning. I said, "What am I to do, I have not a cent of +money in my pocket and no baggage," for at that time hotels had adopted +a rule that guests without baggage would have to pay in advance. I +remarked that I could not stay out in the streets, so the gentleman +pulled a $10.00 bill out of his pocket and handed it to me saying, "Will +that do you until Monday morning, 8 o'clock? When the office will be +open, everything will be all right." I thanked him very kindly. Monday I +presented my bill which was over six months in arrears. They paid it at +once in Alabama State bills, a twenty-five cent silver and two cents +coppers. I did not question the correctness of their calculation. I took +the money and went in quest of my friend who so kindly advanced me the +$10.00. I found him sitting at a desk. He was very busy. I handed him a +$10.00 bill and again thanked him for his kindness; he refused it +saying: "Never mind, you are a long ways from home and may need it." I +replied that I had enough to make out without it, I said that I +appreciated it, but didn't like to take presents from strangers; he +said, "We are no strangers, my name is Juda P. Benjamin." Mr. Benjamin +was at that time Secretary of the Treasury of the Confederate States. He +was an eminent lawyer from the State of Louisiana, he became later on +Secretary of War, and when Lee surrendered he escaped to England to +avoid the wrath of the Federal Officials who offered a premium for his +capture. He became Queen's Consul in England and his reputation became +international. No American who was stranded ever appealed to him in +vain, especially those from the South. It is said of him that he gave +away fortunes in charity. + +I came back to Georgia among my friends who were proud to see me. Having +no near relations, such as father or mother, sisters or brothers to +welcome me, as had my comrades, my friends all over the County took +pride in performing that duty, and thus ended my first year's experience +as a soldier in the war between the States. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + +Notwithstanding the arduous campaign and severe hardships endured during +my first year's service, I did not feel the least depressed in spirit or +patriotism. On the contrary the arms of the Confederacy in the main had +proven themselves very successful in repelling the enemy's attacks and +forcing that government continually to call new levees to crush our +forces in the field. + +Those measures on the part of our adversaries appealed to every patriot +at home and regardless of hardships already endured. Hence the First +Georgia Regiment although disbanded as an organization, the rank and +file had sufficient pluck to re-enter the service for the period of the +war regardless as to how long it might last. Possessing some hard +endured experience, many of them organized commands of their own, or +joined other commands as subalterns or commissioned officers. + +The following is a roll of promotion from the members of the Washington +Rifles as first organized.--See Appendix D. + +The foregoing record proves that the Washington Rifles were composed of +men capable of handling forces and that it had furnished men and +officers in every branch of service in the Confederate States Army, and +had been active after their return home from their first year's +experience in raising no little army themselves, and what I have +recorded of the Washington Rifles may be written of every Company +composing the First Georgia Regiment. + +The State of Georgia furnished more men than any other State, and +Washington County furnished more Companies than any other County in the +State. + +Such men cannot be denominated as rebels or traitors, epithets that our +enemies would fain have heaped upon us. If the true history of the +United States as written before the war and adopted in every +school-house in the land, North, South, East and West, did not +demonstrate them as patriots, ready and willing to sacrifice all but +honor on the altar of their country. + +On the first of May, 1862, Sergeant E. P. Howell came to me saying: +"Herman, how would you like to help me make up an artillery Company? I +have a relative in South Carolina who is a West Pointer and understands +that branch of the service. The Yankees are making tremendous efforts +for new levees and we, of the South, have to meet them." "All right," +said I, "I am tired after my experience with infantry, having gone +through with 'Stonewall's' foot cavalry in his Romney campaign." The +following day we made a tour in the neighborhood and enlisted a few of +our old comrades in our enterprise. We put a notice in the Herald, a +weekly paper edited by J. M. G. Medlock, that on the 10th day of May we +would meet in Sandersville for organization, and then and there we +formed an artillery Company that was to be known as the Sam Robinson +Artillery Company, in honor of an old and venerable citizen of our +County. + +General Robinson, in appreciation of our having named the Company in his +honor presented the organization with $1,000.00, which money was applied +in uniforming us. + +The following members formed the composite of said Company, and Robert +Martin, known as "Bob Martin" from Barnwell, S. C., was elected Captain. +See appendix E. + +The writer was appointed bugler with rank of Sergeant. + +That night after supper, it being moon-light, Mr. A. J. Linville a North +Carolinian, a school teacher boarding at my lodging proposed to me as I +performed on the flute, he being a violinist, to have some music on the +water. He then explained that water is a conductor of sound and that +one could hear playing on it for a long distance and music would sound a +great deal sweeter and more melodious than on land. The Ogeechee River +ran within a couple of hundred yards from the house. There was on the +bank and close to the bridge a party of gentlemen fishing, having a +large camp fire and prepared to have a fish-fry, so Linville and myself +took a boat that was moored above the bridge and quietly, unbeknown to +anybody paddled about 1¼ mile up stream, expecting to float down with +the current. Although it was the month of May the night was chilly +enough for an overcoat. Linville and myself struck up a tune, allowing +the boat to float along with the current, the oar laying across my lap. +Everything was lovely, the moon was shining bright and I enjoyed the +novelty of the surroundings and the music, when an over-hanging limb of +a tree struck me on the neck. Wishing to disengage myself, I gave it a +shove, and away went the boat from under me and I fell backwards into +the stream in 12 feet of water. To gain the surface I had to do some +hard kicking, my boots having filled with water and my heavy overcoat +kept me weighted down. + +When reaching the surface after a hard struggle my first observation was +for the boat which was about 50 yards below, Linville swinging to a +limb. I called him to meet me, and he replied that he had no oar, that I +kicked it out of the boat. The banks on each side were steep and my +effecting a landing was rather slim. I spied a small bush half-way up +the embankment, I made for it perfectly exhausted, I grabbed it, the +bank was too steep and slippery to enable me to land, so I held on and +rested and managed to disembarrass myself of the overcoat and told +Linville to hold on, that I was coming. I could not get my boots off, so +I made an extra effort to reach him anyhow, as the current would assist +me by being in my favor, so I launched off. I reached the boat perfectly +worn out. I do not think I could have made another stroke. After a +little breathing spell and by a tremendous effort I hoisted myself into +the boat, but not before it dipped some water. + +On our way I picked up my discarded overcoat and a piece of a limb which +served as a rudder to guide the boat to a successful landing, and thus +ended the music on the water. + +We went to the house, changed our clothes and returned, mingling with +the fishermen and kept all the fun we had to ourselves. They all made a +fine catch and there was fish a plenty for all. Linville and myself +enjoyed the repast, as the physical exercise we had just undergone +sharpened our appetite. + +A few days later we rendezvoused at Sandersville, and the Company left +for Savannah, our camp of instruction. Under the tuition of Jacobi, +leader of the band of the 32nd Georgia, W. H. Harrison's Regiment, I +soon learned all the calls and commands. + +While thus engaged the Company had a gross misunderstanding with Capt. +Martin, who, before coming in contact with the members of his command, +was an entire stranger to them. Most all were ignorant of military +duties, but strictly honest and patriotic citizens. Capt. Martin was a +strict disciplinarian and putting the screws on rather a little too +tight placed him into disfavor with the men, who petitioned him to +resign, otherwise they would prefer charges against him. Thus matters +stood when I returned to camp. Martin was tried before a board and +exonorated. To revenge himself upon those who were active in his +persecution he reduced those that were non-commissioned officers to +ranks and appointed others in their stead; and to make matters more +galling, appointed a substitute, a mercenary as orderly Sergeant over a +Company of volunteers, who solely served their country through +patriotism. Ned Irwin, when elevated to the position he was, proved +himself a worthy tool in the hand of his promoter. Men could not express +an opinion on hardly any subject without being reported, he would sneak +about in the dark, crouch behind a tent evesdropping and make report as +unfavorably as he could to bring the individual into disfavor. He made +himself so obnoxious that he did not have a friend in the whole Company, +and when he died at Yazoo City, you could hear freely expressed the +following sentiment: "Poor old Ned is dead, thank God this saves some +good men of having to kill him." + +When I returned to camp I presented myself before Capt. Martin who +examined me as to my proficiency as a bugler. I said, "Captain, there +has been quite some changes made since I have been away," he said, "Yes, +the men have accused me of speculating on their rations." I said I was +very sorry that such a state of affairs existed among officers and men, +where harmony ought to prevail; he said he insisted that those charges +be substantiated and demanded a court martial, who on hearing the facts +cleared him of any criminality, so he punished the leaders of the gang +by reducing them to ranks. + +Capt. Martin, however, proved himself a capable officer in handling +artillery and the men finally came to love him on account of his +efficiency and fairness. + +While in camp of instructions in Savannah, the Government furnished us +with six brass pieces (2 Howitzer and 4 Napoleon) with the necessary +accoutrement and horses and we were ordered to Bryan County in support +of Fort McAllister. We went into camp by the side of the Ogeechee River, +about three miles this side of the Fort, which camp we named "Camp +McAllister." The fort was an earth structure, strongly constructed with +redoubts and parapets. The magazine underground was strongly protected +by heavy timbers, and so was what we called bomb-proof, for the men not +actually engaged, but who were ready to relieve those who were, or +became disabled under fire and exposure, and compelled to be at their +post of duty. Short reliefs were necessary, for it is hard work to +manage heavy seige guns, but the heaviest in that fort were only of +forty-two caliber. For some time nothing of importance worth to +chronicle happened; the boys attended to their regular camp life duty, +roll calls and drills; those off duty went fishing along the river +banks. + +The country surrounding was low, flat, marshy and replete with malarial +fever, so that we had to remove our camp several miles further up the +river, but still within close call of the fort. This new camp was called +"Camp Arnold," in honor of Doctor Arnold, on whose land we stationed. +One morning I was ordered to blow the call, only one man, Sergeant Cox, +reported. All the rest of the command were down with chills and fever. +There was no quinine to be had, owing to the blockade, such medicines +being considered by our adversaries as contraband of war. Men tried +every remedy possible, even drank cottonseed tea, at the suggestion of a +country physician by the name of Dr. Turner, who pronounced it as a good +substitute (it was in taste if not in efficiency). The writer was also +stricken with the disease, and was sent to Whitesville Hospital, about +thirty miles from Savannah on the Central of Georgia Railroad. Dr. +Whitehead was in charge of the same, and Madam Cazzier and her daughter +from New Orleans were matrons. During my fever spells I would rave +sometimes and not having been in this country over three years in all, +my friends predominated over the English language. Madam Cazzier, who +spoke French also, took a great interest in me; in fact, she was +strictly interested in all the patients, but she seemed to be a little +partial to myself, and spent some time by my bedside when the fever was +off, and would tell me what I said during my delirium. She nursed me and +devoted on me a motherly care, for which I shall always remain thankful. +My recuperation was rapid, and I soon felt myself again. + +One morning it was announced that General Mercer of Savannah, and the +Board of Inspectors were to come on a round of inspection, when we heard +heavy firing, the sounds coming from the east. Presently we heard that +the enemy with a large fleet was attacking Fort McAllister. General +Mercer and his Board had come up from Savannah on a special train. He +called for all convalescent, able to fight to volunteer to go to the +front. I presented myself; I was the only one. We cut loose the +locomotive and one car and went flying to Savannah at the rate of a mile +a minute, crossed the City in a buss at full speed to the Gulf Depot, +now known as the S. F. & W., just in time to board the train to Way +Station, twelve miles from Savannah. An ambulance carried us to the +Fort; the whole distance from the hospital to the Fort was about +fifty-two miles. We changed conveyances three times and arrived at +destination in less than two hours. Capt. Martin was in charge of a +Mortar Detachment, so I reported to him for duty, but my place had been +taken, and the detachment was complete, hence he had no use for me. I +learned that Major Galley, the Commander of the Fort, had been killed by +the first shot from the enemy's guns, which penetrated a sixteen foot +embankment, knocked off the left hand trunnion of a thirty-two pounder, +and struck the Major above the ear, and took off the top of his head, so +Captain Anderson, of the Savannah Blues, took command. Captain Martin +sent me up the River to a band about half a mile to the rear, which +position placed me at a triangle point to the Fort and the gun boats. I +was instructed to notice the effect of our shots on the enemy's boats. I +kept tally sheets as to the hits between the belligerent points. From my +observation I counted seventy-five hits by the guns of the Fort, and one +hundred and seventy-five hits by those of the boats, which raised a +cloud of dust equal to an explosion of a mine. Their caliber being three +hundred and seventy-five pounders, and fifteen inches in diameter, while +our shots merely made a bright spot where they struck the heavy +armoured vessels and ricochet beyond. While thus observing I noted a +strange move of one of the boats, suddenly I saw an immense flash, and a +splash in the river a couple of yards in front of me. The water being +very clear, we noted a large projective at the bottom of the stream, +evidently aimed at me, as it was in direct line, as I sat on my horse; +undoubtedly they must have taken me for a commanding officer and thus +paid me their res-- I mean disrespect. + +A concourse of people in the neighborhood gathered to observe this +unequal artillery duel of five armoured gun boats and eleven wooden +mortar boats hidden behind a point below the Fort, sending their +projectiles like a shower of aerolites into and around the Fort. +Undaunted, the boys stood by their guns, having the satisfaction to +notice one of the armoured vessels break their line and floating down +the River, evidently having been struck in some vital part, and thus +placed hors de combat. This bombardment continued from early morning +until near sundown, when the enemy withdrew, we giving them parting +shots as they steamed down to their blockade station, lying in wait for +the Nashville, a blockade runner, who plyed between Nassau, and any +Confederate Port, which it might enter with goods, easily disposed of +at remunerative prices. The Fort was badly dilapidated, our breastworks +had been blown to atoms, the guns exposed to plain view, all port holes +demolished, the barracks injured by fire, which the boys extinguished +while the battle was raging; in fact, had a cyclone struck the Fort in +its full majestic force, it could not have been worse. However, that +night we pressed into service all the negroes on the rice plantations. +Spades, shovels and pick axes were handled with alacrity; baskets, bags +and barrels were filled, the enfeebled portions of the Fort were +reinforced by working like Trojans all night long, and the Fort was +again placed in a presentable condition. + +Early the following morning, when the enemy again appeared, undoubtedly +to take possession, as the Fort would have been untenable in the +condition they left it the previous evening, we opened fire on them, but +they had seen what had been done during the night, saw at once that we +were not disposed to give up; they withdrew without even returning our +fire, and the boys would remark, they are treating us with silent +contempt. + +For awhile we enjoyed repose and the luxuries of the season at the +Southern sea-coast, hunting squirrels, rabbits and fishing, getting +leave of absence to visit home for a few days, when one day the report +reached us that the enemy effected a landing at Killkanee, some distance +below us and to our right. The battery was called out and we took up the +line of march to meet the enemy. We camped that night near a church, +when we were informed that the enemy's demonstration was against a small +salt works, an enterprising citizen having erected a small furnace with +a half a dozen boilers, in which he boiled sea water to obtain salt, +which, at that time, was selling at a dollar a pound by the hundred +pound sack. The Company returned to camp. + +About ten days later word came late one afternoon that the enemy is +making for Pocotalico, a small station on the Savannah and Charleston +Railroad, intending to burn a long range of trestle on said road. Two +detachments were sent to that place by post haste, arriving in time to +place themselves in position, in as quiet a way as possible. At about +ten o'clock P. M. we heard a very noisy demonstration to our right, +through the marshes of the swamps; many torches became visible. They +undoubtedly expected the place to be unprotected; when they came within +full range we sent canister and schrapanel into the ranks; they fell +back in confusion, leaving dead and wounded behind. This expedition +started out from Beauford, S. C., then in possession of the enemy. One +dark night the tide being up, the Nashville loaded with cotton attempted +to run the gauntlet of the blockaders. On the turn of the river just +opposite the Fort, the River Ogechee being about a mile wide, the vessel +run aground on a sand bank, and was unable to extricate itself. The +enemy being on the lookout, spied her position and came within firing +distance; the Fort fired at them furiously, but they paid no attention +to us, but concentrated their fire on the steamer Nashville with hot +shots and soon had her in flames. The crew jumped overboard and swam +ashore like ducks. The steamer was burned and completely destroyed. I +was again taken with chills and fever and sent home by way of Dr. +Whitehead's hospital. Sergeant Hines also came home to recuperate, when +one morning I suggested to have an egg-nog. Cousin Abe was a merchant +before the war, and still kept a store at Fenns Bridge, but the store +had but few remnants in it. He only kept such goods as people were +willing to dispose of in the way of exchange, for something else, and +among his stock, he had a barrel of corn whiskey. I said, "Bill, if you +furnish the eggs, I will furnish the sugar and whiskey; my chill will be +on at eleven o'clock; we have an hour yet and kill or cure, I'm going to +drink nog. It may help me." Dr. Whitehead had supplied me with a vial of +Fowler's Solution, which was nearly exhausted, and which had done me no +good. Sergeant Hines came up, brought a dozen eggs and we made a nog. At +ten thirty A. M. I took the first goblet, he made it tolerably strong. I +replenished and enjoyed the contents, and as we were sipping it quietly, +I looked at my watch and was surprised to see it was fifteen minutes +past eleven and no chill. We slowly finished the third glass, I felt the +effects of it somewhat, but we were not intoxicated. At twelve o'clock +the dinner bell rang at the house, and it was the first time in two +weeks that I was able to partake of that meal, the chills always +interfering. I never had another chill in twenty years thereafter, hence +I never became a prohibitionist. I believe the abuse of whiskey is +wrong, while its proper use is right. Sergeant Hines and myself, after a +few days longer among our friends, returned to our camp. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + +The following incident caused a rupture of friendship between Lieutenant +Evan P. Howell and myself, which made military service unnecessarily +harder on me, owing to our respective ranks. One night, it was on a +Saturday, I had occasion to get up, it was late. I passed the sentinel +on post number one, and recognized William Tolson on duty. I passed the +usual greeting of "Hello! Bill, how do you do," "O, Ike, I'm so sick. +I've one of the hardest chills on me I ever had." "Why don't you call +the Corporal of the Guard, and get relief?" He replied, he wished I +would call him, so I called "Corporal of the Guard, post number one." +Corporal William O'Quinn came up to see what's up. I said, "Corporal, +Tolson is sick and ought to be relieved." Presently the Corporal +returned from headquarters, saying the officers are all gone over to +Patterson, they were having a dance at the Quartermaster's, Major +Cranston, and there is no one at headquarters but Dr. Stevenson who is +drunk, and I can't get any sense out of him. When I told him that one +of the men were sick, he said "You see that puppy, is he not the finest +you have ever seen?" having reference to a small dog he fondled. +Finding out that I can't get any relief, I came back, so I told Tolson +to go in and I would stand guard in his place. Tolson was a good +soldier, he was a native Englishman, and when he got over his chill he +was loud in his denunciation as to his treatment, so he was punished for +having spoken derogatory about the officers and condemned to wear ball +and chain for twenty-four hours. This was the first time that I knew +there was such a thing as a ball and chain in camp for the punishment of +man. The following Monday night, the writer having found out all about +the particulars and the doings at the Quartermaster's, wrote up a +program of intoxication at Granston Hall, Saturday night, March 1863. I +treated the matter more of a burlesque than otherwise, and wound up in +these words: "That's the way Confederate whiskey goes, pop goes the +Government." Captain Martin was off and Lieutenant Howell was in +command. Lieutenants Bland and Roberson laughed over the matter and took +it good naturedly. W. N. Harmon was the only man in the Company who saw +me write the article, and when finished I read it to him. He pronounced +it a good joke and asked me what I was going to do with it. I said, "I +am going to stick it up on the big pine where general orders are posted, +so that the men can read it after reveille call," so he made some +lightwood pegs, and we went together and posted it. The article was not +signed, and was written in a round handwriting. The men enjoyed it and +laughed a great deal over it, when Sergeant Fulford came up and tore +down the paper, and carried it to the officer's tent. They inquired, +what is the matter, what are the men laughing about. He presented the +paper. Lieutenant Howell, after reading it, got raving mad, while +Lieutenants Roberson and Bland took it good naturedly. Lieutenant Howell +was determined to find out the author, so during the day he took up the +men by fours and swore them on the Bible, if they knew who wrote the +paper. I was at the station on that day and was absent. When I returned +to my mess, they told me what was going on, and that Lieutenant Howell +was trying to find out who wrote that article, so I said, "Bill," +meaning William Harmon, "He took up the wrong men; if he had called on +me I would have saved him that trouble". He answered, "Well, what will +you do?" "Well, you don't believe that I would swear to a lie?" I got up +saying, "I will satisfy his curiosity," and up to his tent I went. He +was sitting in a chair smoking. "Good evening Lieutenant," says I. "I +understand that you are very anxious to know who wrote that paper +Sergeant Fulford submitted for your inspection. I can give you all the +information you require." Lieutenant Howell at once brightened up and +became all smiles. "You know--who did it?" "Your humble servant." In a +twinkling his countenance changed. He became pale with rage, working +himself into a passion, and very peremptorily ordered me to stand at +attention. I at once planted my heels together to form a perfect angle, +placed my little fingers along the seams of my pantaloons, my arms +extending at full length, my body erect, facing my superior officer. I +humbly remarked, "Will that do?"--"What did you do it for?"--"You had +your fun, am I not entitled to have some?"--"You made false charges; you +said we drank Government whiskey. I want you to understand what liquor +we drank we bought and paid for it." "Well, Lieutenant, I have not +accused anybody; not even mentioned a single name, but if the cap fits +you, you can wear it. I have nothing to retract." By that time, Howell +was surely mad. "I-I-I reduce you to ranks! I put you on double duty for +thirty days and to wear ball and chain." "Is that all?" "Lieutenant, I +volunteered in the Confederate army to do my full duty, as I always have +done, in regard to duty; you only can put me on every other day, but +when it comes to degrading me by making me wear ball and chain, I give +you fair notice that I will kill any man who attempts to place the same +on my limbs," and I made my exit, going to my mess-mates. "Well, how did +you come out?" the boys asked me. I related what had passed between +Lieutenant and I. William Harmon, then said, "Did you tell him that I +helped you stick it up?" I said, "No, I shouldered the whole +responsibility. What good would it do to implicate you?" "Well you shall +not be the only one to do double duty," and off he went to tell +Lieutenant Howell that he also had a hand in it, and consequently he was +also condemned to double duty for thirty days. "Did he also tell you to +wear ball and chain?" Harmon said "No." + +That night, I slept, as the saying is, with one eye open. I had my +pistol within easy reach, and my sabre by my side. No attempt however, +was made to chain me. The following morning I was called for guard duty. +I took my post, carrying my sabre across my neck, bear fashion. My post +was in full view of the officers' headquarters. When Lieutenant Howell +sent Sergeant Hines to me to tell me if I didn't carry my sabre at +"Carry Sabre," he would keep me on four hours instead of two. Having +been the bugler of the Company I was never instructed how to carry +sabre. "Sergeant, can't you teach me how?" Hines remarked, "I know you +know better how to handle a sabre than anyone in camp. I have seen you +and Hoffman fight at Laurel Hill. I tell you, I have been on duty all +night and I would like to go to sleep. This may be fun to you, but not +to me, just now." I said, "Well Bill, go ahead," so I carried my sword +to suit his Excellency, the commanding officer. + +Later in the day J. J. Sheppard came to me saying, "Ike, Lieutenant +Howell told me that I was appointed bugler in your place." "Well, sir, I +congratulate you on your promotion." "He said for me to ask you for the +bugle." I said, "All right Sheppard," I took the bugle and broke it in +halves and handed it to Sheppard. He looked astonished--I remarked, +"That instrument is private property and belongs to me, my money paid +for it, and I have a right to handle it as I please, not meaning any +disrespect to you, Sheppard." The following day, word came in camp for +volunteers to handle siege pieces in Charleston, S. C. The enemy making +heavy demonstration against that City. The Company sent men they could +spare, among whom I formed a contingent part. My detachment was placed +in the battery in charge of a heavy siege gun. The people of that City +treated us royally and brought us plenty of provisions besides what we +got from the commissary. We remained there a couple of weeks. The whole +business turned out to be a fiasco, and we returned back to our camps. +It was one of the most pleasant periods I have enjoyed during the whole +war. I was again called on duty when I remarked, "This comes around +pretty often." The Sergeant remarked, "You have to finish your +sentence." I at once went to headquarters and met Lieutenant Howell and +said, "Do you intend to make me finish the penalty you imposed on me?" +"To be sure, I do," was his reply. "Well, you can't do it after you +accepted my services for Charleston," and I demanded a court-martial +before I would finish it. Afterwards Sergeant Hines came from +headquarters, saying, "Howell said, Ike got me," "I have no right to +inflict a continuance of punishment after accepting his services in some +other direction, but confound him, I'll get even with him." Thus matters +stood, when some fine day the ball and chain was missing, no one knew +what became of it, but somewhere in the middle of the Ogeechee River +some two hundred yards below Camp Arnold, it may be found now, having +rested there these forty six years. + +On the eighth of May we were ordered to Mississippi. We went by the way +of Columbus, Ga., arriving there about three o'clock P. M. The ladies +had prepared a fine spread for us at the depot. The men were hungry. +Capt. F. G. Wilkins being mayor of the City, Mayor Wilkins was Captain +of the Columbus Guards, Company B, First Regiment, Georgia Volunteers, +and on his return home, after his severe experience of one year's +military service, he preferred civil service as more congenial to his +feelings. He was a brave and fearless soldier. At Carricks Ford, he and +twelve of his men got mixed in with the Yankees, who at that time wore +also grey uniforms. They were Ohio troops. Captain Wilkins on seeing +his dilemma, formed his men into line, then into column making them go +through evolutions, and manual of arms, and marched them to the rear, +and out of the Yankee columns without being suspicioned or receiving a +scratch. Such coolness is not often exhibited on a danger line, and +Captain Wilkins reached Monterey long before any of the Regiment did, +and saved himself and his men a great deal of hardship. + +When alighting from the train and seeing all those good things prepared +for us, I at once took my position. A lady remarked, "Help yourself." I +took hold of a piece of fowl, and as I was about to take a bite, someone +struck me on the arm with such force that the piece of fowl dropped out +of my hand, and someone said, "Those things are not for you." It was +Mayor Wilkins. He was glad to see me, and said, "I have something better +for you, boys. How many of the First Georgia are here? Get them all +together and follow me." We were about a dozen of the old Washington +Rifles. He conducted us to a room where we met a committee of gentlemen. +After the usual shaking hands and introductions, we passed into another +chamber. I never beheld a more bountiful and artistically prepared +spread. Provisions arranged on a revolving table, shelved to a pyramid, +and loaded with delicious wines. In a corner of the room was a table +covered with case liquors of every description, and some fine cigars. I +was astonished, I had no idea such delicacies could have been gotten in +the whole Confederacy. We surely did enjoy the hospitality of that +Committee. Mayor Wilkins introduced me to a Mr. Rothschild, saying, "I +want you to take good care of him, he is a splendid fellow." Turning to +me he said, "Hermann, I want you to stay all night with this gentleman, +he will treat you all right." I said, "Captain Wilkins, I can't leave +camps without a permit, and myself and Captain Howell are not on such +terms as for me to ask him for any favors." "Well, I'll arrange that, +you come along." Captain Wilkins said to Howell, "I want Ike to go home +with my friend here," designating Mr. Rothschild. Captain Howell said, +"You'll have to be here by seven o'clock, A. M. The train will leave at +that time." Mr. Rothschild spoke up, saying, "I'll have him here on +time." I was royally treated; the lady of the house and daughter played +on the piano and sang. I joined in the chorus 'till late in the night, +when I was shown to my room, nicely furnished, a nice clean feather bed +and all the requisites for comfort, but I could not sleep, I did not lay +comfortable. The two years service I had seen, made a feather bed rather +an impediment to my repose, having become accustomed to sleep out doors +on the hard ground, with my knapsack as a pillow, so I got up, put my +knapsack under my head and lay by the side of the bed on the carpet, and +slept like a log the balance of the night; so soundly, that I did not +hear the negro boy who was sent to my room to blacken my boots, open the +door, but I heard a noise like someone slamming the door and I heard +someone running down stairs. I heard many voices talking, and someone +coming up stairs, opening the door very unceremoniously, I looked--there +was Mr. Rothschild,--greatly astonished and laughing, he could hardly +talk. Finally he said, "What in the world made you lay on the floor." I +explained to him that being no longer used to sleeping on a bed, I could +not rest until I got on the hard floor. Then he told me he had sent up a +boy to blacken my boots, who had scared them all by telling them that +the man up stairs had fallen off of the bed and lay dead on the floor. I +took my ablution, and went down to breakfast, all enjoying that I was +still able to do justice to the meal that my kind host and hostess set +before me. After many thanks and good byes to Mr. and Mrs. Rothschild +and the family, Mr. Rothschild and myself went down to the train, which +was in waiting. Everything was soon ready and we departed for Mobile, +Ala. At Greenville, Ala., I met General W. H. T. Walker for the first +time. Martin's battery was assigned to his brigade. Captain Martin was +promoted to Major, and Chief of Staff of General Walker's brigade, and +Lieutenant Evan P. Howell, by right of seniority, took his place as +Captain. From Mobile, we went to Jackson, Miss., one section of two +cannons were left behind under charge of Lieutenant Robson. The balance +arrived at destination at about three o'clock P. M., May 12th, 1863. We +unloaded the pieces at once, and all the accoutrements, all the horses +and harnessed them up without the loss of any time, took up the line of +march towards Raymond Springs. The weather was very warm and the road of +red clay was very dusty for men marching in columns. The dust would rise +like clouds of ashes at every step. It must be remembered that it was +ration day, but we had no time to draw any. As we advanced, we met +General Gists' Brigade just out of a fight with General Grant's forces, +who landed at Port Gibson, on his forward move to Vicksburg. General +Gist had several prisoners. Among them was a Captain. I spoke to him and +asked him about the strength of Grant's army. Of course, I did not +expect a truthful answer. He replied, "If you'll keep on in the +direction you are going, you will meet him. He is not so very far, ahead +of you, and when you do meet him, you will think he has more than enough +to eat you all up." Well, he did tell the truth, and it has been our +misfortune all through the war to fight against many odds. We kept +advancing, when of a sudden the command was ordered to halt. We formed +ourselves into battery, and I was placed in charge of a detachment. +General Walker ordered me to follow him. About two hundred yards ahead +the road took a sudden turn around the bluff, which commanded a straight +stretch of about a mile. General Walker ordered me to unlimber my gun +and place it in position, so as to command that road, and ordered me to +fire into any cavalry that might appear. At the further end of my view +was a water mill. I remarked, "General, had I not better let them +advance somewhat, so as not to waste too much ammunition?" "You must use +your own judgment," said he. Looking about me, I saw no infantry in +close proximity, so I ventured to ask him where my support was. He +answered, "Support Hell!--If they charge you, fight them with the hand +spikes, don't you never leave this post," and left. + +Mr. James F. Brooks acted as my No. 1. I asked him if he had made his +will, if not, he had better, as we were there to stay. We watched with +all our eyes, we saw no enemies. Just about dark, we were ordered to +limber up, and double quick to the rear, for about a mile, the enemy +having taken another route and we were in danger of being cut off. Weary +and footsore, having marched about ten miles that afternoon, we retraced +our steps within about three miles of Jackson, hungry and thirsty, we +marched on, large oaks bordered the road at places and the roots +protruded above the surface of the ground; having on a pair of shoes, +left foot number six for a number 8 foot, while my right shoe was a +number 10 brogan, I crammed cotton in shoe number 10 to prevent too much +friction and cut off the end of number 6 to avoid the painful sensation +of being cramped, but misfortunes never come single--the night became +dark and it threatened to rain. I stumbled over one of those protruding +roots and tore off half of my unprotected toe nail on my left foot, a +most excruciating and painful sensation. I did not swear, because I was +speechless. I mounted the caisson, our horses were jaded, had had no +food nor water that day, but managed to get into camp. Dr. Stewart, our +surgeon was left at Jackson, with a few of our command who were sick. W. +J. Bell was our ambulance driver. He drove me to Dr. Stewart's camp to +dress my wound that night. I was all O. K. next morning, when the ball +opened after day break. Our pickets announced the enemy's advance. The +skirmishes then came into play and kept the advance at some bay for some +time, our forces placing themselves in position to receive them in due +form. We were five thousand strong, while the enemy numbered twenty-five +thousand. At about eleven A. M. orders came from our right to left to +fall back, and we gradually withdrew, putting on our prolongs, and +firing occasionally as we retraced our steps. When the fight first +opened I was in the rear, as stated, on account of my foot, but after +being dressed and hearing the firing, I made for the front, and reported +to Captain Howell for duty, while he was in line of battle on the +extreme left. He said his detachment was complete, to report to the +next. Having only four pieces of artillery in action, two under charge +of Lieutenant Robson not having yet arrived, they were placed along the +front about two hundred yards apart, all had full working force. I +retraced my steps and so reported to the Captain, saying, "Well, +Captain, there being no use for me here, I shall go to the rear to +protect myself and watch the progress of the fight, should there be any +casualties in the Company I'll take their place--no use for me to be +here unless I can be of some service." Up to that time the skirmish line +was still contending for every inch of the ground. Captain Howell says +to me, "You stay here, and act as my orderly. I'm hoarse anyhow, and you +have a good voice and can repeat my orders and commands," so I was +installed by the side of the Captain. The ground on which we stood was a +gradual incline, while that of the enemy was about on a level with us, +leaving a sort of a basin or valley between both lines. It was a novel +sight to see our skirmishers contending every inch of the ground before +an overwhelming force, to see them load and fire, and gradually falling +back, facing the advancing foe. When suddenly they emerged from the +woods, where they were concealed, and advanced in platoon form, sending +their deadly missiles into our thin skirmishers ranks. I said, "This is +more than our men can stand, let me throw a shell over their heads, +into their ranks." He answered, "Do so, but don't shoot our men." "No +danger," said I. I depressed the bridge of my piece, raising the muzzle +about four fingers. No. four pulled the laniard. It had a good effect, +and resulted in stopping their advance, and thus enabled our skirmishers +to come in. My fire also gave them our position and distance. They at +once formed a battery in front of us. I aimed a second shot at a white +horse. Captain Howell watching its effect. I being behind the gun, the +smoke prevented me from so doing, when he said, "You got him." I soon +found out that I had done some damage and that my range was accurate, +for they centered their fire of several pieces against my own. One of +their shots passed over my gun and knocked off its sight, passed between +the detachment, striking the caisson lid in the rear and staving it in, +and thus preventing us for a few minutes in replying. We had to break it +open with the hand spikes to get ammunition. They undoubtedly thought +that we were irreparably silenced, and paid their respects to some other +part of our line, but we resumed business again, and they came back at +us. I saw a ball rolling on the ground, about six feet to my right. It +seemed to be about the same caliber as ours. It rolled up a stump, +bouncing about fifteen feet in the air. I thought it was a solid shot +and wanting to send it back to them through the muzzle of our gun, I ran +after it. It proved to be a shell, as it exploded, and a piece of it +struck my arm. It was a painful wound, but not serious. Another ball +struck a tree about eight inches in diameter, knocked out a chip, which +struck my face and caused me to see the seven stars in plain day light +and very near got a scalp of Captain Howell, who stood behind that tree. +Orders came for Captain Howell to fall back. He asked me to inform Major +Martin, who was in command of the piece at the extreme right, that he +was falling back. I had to traverse the whole front of our line. I took +the color bearers' horse, a fine animal. We named him Stonewall. The +enemy's fire was rather high, as they came up the incline and the balls +rattled through the tree tops like hail. It commenced raining very hard. +I dismounted and took it afoot. On my way passing the third section, Sim +Bland, who acted as number 6, and whose duty it was to carry the +ammunition from the caisson and to hand it to No. 2 who inserts it in +the muzzle of the gun, while No. 1 rammed it home. As I crossed him at a +trot, I remarked, "Sim, this is hot time." Before he could reply, a +solid cannon ball had struck him. Poor fellow, he did not know what hit +him, for he was dead. His whole left side entirely torn to pieces. + +The enemy was now advancing more rapidly, as our whole line had given +away. On my return I found my horse also shot down. I was trying to save +the body of Bland, but couldn't get the assistance needed. I went +through his pockets and took what he had therein and gave it to his +brother, Lieutenant Bland. The enemy pushed me so close I had to take to +the woods in my immediate rear, the trees of which somewhat protected me +from the enemy's fire. About a hundred yards further I found Sergeant +Newsome with his gun and a detachment, trying to make for the public +road leading to Jackson. He had managed so far to drive his command +evading the trees of the forest, when suddenly he was confronted by a +plank fence which stood perfectly erect, not a plank missing and about +five feet high. He ordered the horses cut out of the harness, and was +about to abandon his guns, when I hollered, "No Sergeant, don't do it! +Ride through between the posts, they are wide enough apart, knock down +the planks." I put myself in action and kicked against the planks, when +the whole panel fell over, carrying several others with it, for all the +posts were completely rotten at the ground, and thus I saved this piece +of artillery and probably the men. We reached the road and marched in +column. It was raining hard and every man was soaked to the skin. The +column halted, having fallen back about a half a mile, firing as they +went, when again we formed in line of battle. I was very tired, and sat +down by the road side. When called again into action, I found that I +could not use my arm, and that the leaders of my leg had contracted at +my groins. The enemy had again outflanked us, and the men lifted me on a +caisson. + +The horses stalled. The road being very muddy, the men had to assist at +the wheel to pull the carriages out of the mud, by using all their +efforts, so I had to get down, for I felt that after all the gun would +have to be abandoned, and I did not care to be taken prisoner, but +General Joseph E. Johnston made a stand a little further on, until the +Yankees outflanked him again. Major Martin happened to be just passing +me on his horse. I begged him to take me behind him, as I could not +walk. He answered, "It is impossible, we are going to make another +stand. Get in the ambulance." When the ambulance came in sight, it was +full to overflow with wounded and dying. The Major again rode up. I said +"Major Martin, can't you get me out of my difficulty," he replied, +"Hermann, do the best you can to take care of yourself. If they capture +you, I will have you exchanged as soon as possible." Poor consolation, I +thought, but I was determined not to be taken if I possibly could help +it, so I started towards Jackson, taking the edge of the woods, first on +account of the mud, then as somewhat of a protection from the bullets. +My locomotion was slow, from eight to ten inches was the longest strides +I was able to make, and this with excruciating pains. Presently our +forces rushed past me and formed again into line of battle, thus leaving +me between both lines, the bullets coming from either direction, when +again I entered our line. This maneuvre happened three times before I +reached Jackson, in a stretch of three miles. It was then four o'clock +p. m. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + +When we reached Jackson the previous day I noted a flat by the side of +the railroad bridge. I was thinking to cross Pearl River by that means, +so I started to the right towards the railroad bridge. On my way down +the street a lady was standing over a tub of whiskey with a dipper in +her hand. She said to me, "Poor fellow, are you wounded?" I said, "Yes." +She dipped up a dipper full of whiskey, which I drank. It had a good +effect on my shattered nerves and did not cause me the least dizziness. +It was the medicine I surely needed. On arriving at the River, I found +the flat was gone, the railroad bridge was the only chance left me to +cross. I crawled up the embankment and found that the cross ties were +too far apart for me to step it, owing to my contracted leaders, so I +concluded to "coon it" on my hands and knees on the stringers, holding +onto the rail. + +The bridge is a long one and very high, Jackson being built on a high +bluff. When about half way across I heard a great deal of noise and +reports of fire arms; I heard bullets whizzing by. Finally bullets were +hitting the trestle beneath me and in front of me. Looking back I saw +at a distance of about four hundred yards a force of the enemy, which I +judged to be about half a regiment, coming up the lowlands in a flank +around Jackson. My first impulse was, can I make it across, or must I +surrender? I concluded to take the chances, and continued to cross. +Bullets were striking beneath me, and in front, splinters were flying. +One ball hit the rail about six inches in front of my hand. They were +gaining on me fast, when at last I reached the other side, laying myself +flat on the track, I rolled over, down about an eighteen foot +embankment. Thus being protected from the enemy's bullets, I entered the +swamp not far beside the road leading to Branton, I noted a large hollow +poplar tree. It must have been four or five feet in diameter. I crawled +in, I felt faint and weak, had not eaten anything that day. I must have +fainted; when presently I heard the sound of artillery and musketry to +my right across the river and the noise of an empty wagon coming from +towards Branton. I took a reconnoitering look, and saw Jackson on fire +and a wagon driven by a negro, holding the lines over four splendid +mules, coming towards the city. I took my stand in the road, pistol in +hand. The following conversation ensued: + +"Halt. Where are you going?" + +"To Jackson. Marse Richard sent me to fotch his things. He is afraid the +Yankees would cotch him." + +"How will you get across?" + +"Goes on the flat, sah." + +"There is no flat now." + +"Yes there is, and Marse Richard----" + +"Turn the head of the mules towards Branton, or you are a dead +Negro"--aiming at him as I spoke. He exclaimed, "Don't shoot Marster, +I'll do as you say." He turned the mules towards where he came from. I +crawled behind in the wagon, pistol in hand, and at a gallop all the way +for twelve miles. We entered Branton in the early part of the night. The +people were still up at the Hotel. The excitement ran high about the +enemies capturing Jackson. Branton was a nice little village. The negro +proved to be a run-away. Had stolen the team from the quartermaster and +running with it to the enemy. The lady of the hotel came to me saying, +"Are you wounded?" I stated my condition, and she sympathized with me, +saying, "Poor fellow, I expect you need something to eat." I surely +did, for I was more dead than alive, after having passed such an +eventful day. I ate a hearty supper. I was given a shirt. She bandaged +my arm, which was smarting badly. She furnished me a room and a bottle +of mustang linament to rub myself. My clothes which were full of mud +were washed and dried by a large fire. The following morning, I felt +really refreshed. It is unnecessary to say that I slept well that night. +At an early hour that morning, the alarm of "The Yankees are coming. +They are only four miles from here and Johnston is retreating towards +Canton." Everybody that could get away, left. The quartermaster had an +old broken down horse, which he tendered me for having saved his fine +team, and I left the town on horse back, thanking my hostess for all her +kindness. About two miles from Branton I met up with three men from my +Company, viz, A. P. Heath, Jackson O'Quinn and Harmon Fields. They were +not in the fight, having been on the sick list and not fit for duty, so +we traveled together for some distance. We reached a settlement, which +from appearance, belonged to well-to-do people. The gentleman of the +premises was standing at the gate leading to the house. I said to my +comrades that I would have to rest and recuperate until I got well, so +I addressed myself to the proprietor, "Sir, can you take care of a +wounded Confederate?" He put his hand in his hip pocket in quick motion, +as if to draw a pistol, but instead drew a small slate and pencil, +handed it to me with a motion to write my request, which I did. He +rubbed it out and wrote swiftly in a scholarly style, "Nothing I have is +too good for a Confederate soldier. Walk in--all of you." His name was +Williams, unfortunately deaf and dumb, but very intelligent. His family +consisted of a wife and two daughters, and all seemed to be well +educated and comfortably situated. They were very solicitous in their +attentions to us. The girls played on the piano while I entertained the +old man, by writing on his slate my experience of the previous day. He +looked at me in wonder, and occasionally took hold of my hand and shook +it. I remained his guest for nearly a week, until we located our +Company, and where to meet it. I got entirely well, my arm was healing +nicely, under the care of Mrs. Williams. Our forces had located at +Canton. He sent us mule-back through Pearl River Swamp to the Canton +road, while I rode my horse. He refused to take any remuneration for +anything he had done for us, so I sent back my horse with a note and +begged him to accept the same and thanking them all for what they had +done for us. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + +The following day I entered camp with my comrades among great cheers, +all having thought me dead or a prisoner. Major Martin asked me how I +got through. I told him I took his advice and did the best I could. I +related to him the incidents that I met with. He said, "Well, I +congratulate you. I don't believe one in a thousand would have escaped." +"I was glad I was the one." We were ordered to strike tents at Canton, +and we retraced our steps again towards Jackson, a distance of between +twenty and twenty-five miles. It was one of the hottest days of the +season. The road bed being red clay. Our forces now amounted to about +eight thousand men, and marching in column with artillery, wagon train +and all the paraphernalia appertaining to a moving army, raised such +intense dust that it was impossible to recognize one's file-leader in +his immediate front. Every step of every individual raised clouds of +dust, which lay ankle deep. It was actually suffocating. Men and horses +would gasp for breath. The men occasionally would expectorate large +lumps of clay that settled in their throats, and no water to be had. We +didn't pass a single stream of any kind. It was a forced march to get +in the enemy's rear and to cut off reinforcement and supplies for +Grant's invading forces onto Vicksburg. The enemy was also making back +to Jackson on the Clinton Road which ran nearly parallel to the Canton +Road, and we could see their advance by the column of dust to our right. +Just before dark a very heavy rain and thunder storm set in. It was +preferable to the previous conditions of the weather, although it put us +half leg deep in sticky red mud. It got so dark we could not see +anything and the rain continued pouring down in all its fury. It was nip +and tuck as to which army would reach Jackson first. We got there just a +little ahead of the enemy in time to occupy the ditches which now were +nearly knee deep in water. In that condition we passed the night, +expecting to be attacked momentarily. Men were detailed long in the rear +to cook rations for the men in the ditch, which were issued along the +line, and consisted of corn bread cooked (a la hate) and a piece of fat +bacon. A very amusing incident happened to one of my comrades, W. A. +Grimes, who early on our march, and before the dust got so dense, had to +step aside for some reason, and being detained while the column kept +onward, threw him some distance behind his command. The State of +Georgia had sent her troops some shoes; the description of my draw I +have already stated, and some white wool hats. Grimes put his name on +the front of his hat in large capital letters, and as he hurried to +catch up with his command, someone hollowed as he passed, "How are you +Bill Grimes?" Grimes stopped in surprise to see who knew him in some +other command. Others took up the word all along the line of "How are +you Bill Grimes?" Grimes hurried on, on his way, the perspiration +running down his face, which had the appearance of being covered with a +mask. He could not account for his sudden popularity until he pulled off +his hat to wipe off his face. He saw his name on his hat and quickly +turned it wrong side out. His name had passed all along the column +faster than he could travel and passed Howell's Battery long before he +caught up with it. Early in the morning the enemy made demonstrations +all along our line and was repulsed. It had quit raining. The artillery +kept up a desultory fire for eight days and nights. The enemy's forces +were at least three to our one and therefore, could relieve each other, +while we were obliged to be kept continually on duty, and consequently +became exhausted, my eyes were blood shot, men loaded and fired +mechanically, and when so exhausted that I couldn't stand any longer, I +dropped beside one of the pieces and in a jiffy, was asleep. I couldn't +even hear the report of the guns within a few feet of me. The strain was +more than my physique could stand. I got sick and unconscious, and when +I came to myself, I was in Yazoo City in a private house, snugly fixed, +and a kindly lady by my bedside, whose name was Mrs. Lyons. She cried +for joy to see me recover my senses. I asked her where I was and how +long I had been there. She said just a week. I asked her what place it +was and she said "Yazoo City." I shall always remember gratefully the +kind treatment I received from that worthy family, and when after a +week's convalescence, I took my leave with many thanks. The lady said +she hoped that her brother who was in the Virginia army would in case of +sickness receive the attention that she would bestow on any Confederate +soldier. Such was the spirit that prevailed throughout the Confederate +States. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + +I rejoined my command at Morton station on the M. & O. Railroad. The +object of the second fight at Jackson, as I understood it, was to get in +the rear of the investing army of Vicksburg under General Grant. General +Joseph E. Johnston expected a reinforcement, sufficient so as to cut off +supplies from the invading army, and to attack it in the rear, while +General Pemberton might make a sortie and attack it in the front, and +thus save Vicksburg from capture. Our reinforcement never came. We then +moved to Vaughn Station and thus hung in the rear of Grant, but not +strong enough to venture an attack, unless in concert with General +Pemberton who was defeated at Big Black and bottled up in Vicksburg, his +stronghold. A very sad incident happened in our camp. Lieutenant Ruben +Bland, a very kind officer and beloved by all his men, died. His brother +Sim, as stated, was killed at the first fight at Jackson. They were very +much attached to each other and brooding over his misfortune, some +thought he took opium with suicidal intent, others thought otherwise. +The writer was sitting on a box on the railroad platform, smoking his +pipe. Close to the platform stood the Company's ambulance. In passing me +Lieutenant Bland remarked, "Well, Ike, you seem to enjoy your pipe," I +answered, "I do, I smoke the pipe of peace," he smiled and said, "Yes, +everything looks peaceable here, I believe I am going to take a nap in +this ambulance." About a quarter of an hour after, Quinten Dudley who +was Hospital Steward, had cause to get some medicine out of the medicine +chest that Dr. Stewart kept in the ambulance. He immediately gave the +alarm that Lieutenant Bland was dead. I could not believe it. I jumped +off the platform into the ambulance, and there lay Lieutenant Bland +stretched out in full length, his face purple. Dr. Stewart, who at once +was on hand opened an artery on top of his head. He bled freely. He +tried to get up artificial respiration by working his arm back and +forth, but to no avail. Bland was dead beyond recovery and mourned by +every member of the Company. + +It was on a very warm June day when I concluded to have a general +cleaning up. It must be remembered that we lost all of our personal +effects, which we destroyed to keep them from falling into the enemy's +hands, and our wardrobes only consisted of what we carried on our backs +and filth begot what we called "creepers", and one not used to such made +him feel most miserable, so I took a camp kettle which also served for +our culinary purposes to boil my clothes in, and while they were drying +in the sun, I crept into the bushes in the shade and fell asleep. During +my repose some miscreant stole my shirt, and for several weeks I did not +have a shirt on my back, so one day it came to my knowledge that Gen. W. +H. T. Walker, our Division Commander, having been promoted, and Colonel +Claude Wilson, was appointed as Brigadier General in his place, offered +a reward of thirty days furlough and a fine saddle horse to ride during +the war to any man that would carry a dispatch to General Pemberton who +was then besieged in Vicksburg. I told Sergeant Hines if any man needed +a furlough I did, in the fix I was in. I believe I will go and offer my +services. He laughed and said, "Well, good luck old fellow." So I +started to headquarters which were in an abandoned farm house, about a +quarter of a mile distant from where our battery was in camp. I walked +to the sentinel who halted me. I want to see Gen. Walker. "You can't get +in." "Call the officer of the guard," says I, which he did and the +Lieutenant came up. I stated to him that I wanted to see Gen. Walker. +"Follow me," says he, which I did. There were at least from twenty to +twenty-five officers of all grades sitting in a large room, engaged, it +seemed to me, in social conversation. I walked straight up to General +Walker and stated my business, and what I had heard he offered to any +man who would successfully carry a dispatch to General Pemperton at +Vicksburg. "I thought, if any man needed a furlough, it was I." Opening +my jacket which was closely buttoned, although it was a hot day in July, +I displayed my nakedness. "I have not even, as you see, a shirt to +wear." It raised a giggle among some of the officers, while others +looked upon me in sympathy. I stated how I lost that only shirt I +possessed. Just at that time entered Major Martin. Recognizing me, he +said, "Hermann, you here?" He seemed rather surprised. I stated the +object of my visit. He turned to General Walker, saying, "General, I +stand sponsor for this man. He belongs to my battery, and he is one of +the best." I inclined my head in recognition of the compliment paid me, +and he extended me his hand. In the meantime, General Walker called me +and said, "You see that small trunk in yonder corner. Therein is my +wardrobe. I believe I have three shirts therein; that is all I have--I +divide--go and get you one. We are about the same size. I hope it will +fit you." I made for the little hairy trunk, no bigger than a good hand +valise and slightly oval, opened the lid, saying, "Beggars ought not to +be choosers. I will take the first I come to," which was a clean white +shirt, with cuffs and collars attached. Off went my jacket in the +presence of the company; into the garment I went, feeling a thousand per +cent. better. I said, "Well, General, I've heard of some stepping into +other men's shoes, but never before have I known of a high private +slipping into a General's shirt at one jump." This brought a big laugh +from the assembly, the General joining heartily. I thanked him and +extended my hand in token of my appreciation. He remarked, "You are +surely welcome, come around tomorrow at eleven o'clock A. M., and we +will talk matters over." He asked, "Have you ever been to Vicksburg." +"No Sir." "Do you know anything about the country around, and about the +City?" "This is my first experience in these diggins." "How would you +manage?" "I'll be governed by circumstances as they present themselves." +After a pause he repeated, "Come around tomorrow at eleven o'clock." I +gave the military salute and started towards the door, when he called me +saying, "Do you ever drink anything?" I answered, "General, this is a +strange question. Why didn't Jack eat his supper? I've not seen a drop +since we left Jackson," and I stated how I got that. He laughed and +said, "Go in that room," indicating the door with his index finger. "You +will find a table in there with liquors, I think a good drink will do +you good." One invitation was sufficient. I stepped into the next room, +and there I beheld a round table loaded with all kinds of bottles, +containing different liquors, some labeled different kinds of whiskies, +brandies, gin, schedam, schnapps, etc. I took the square bottle of +schedam and poured me out a stiff drink, thanked the General and +departed for my camp, but not being in the habit of drinking, I felt the +effects of the liquor. I felt somewhat, what I may call buoyant, and in +for any fun. I met Sergeant W. H. Hines. He said, "Ike, what luck?" "The +best in the world," tapping myself on the breast. "You see that shirt, +this once was General Walker's, now it's mine." I told him all that +passed at headquarters. The next day I reported as directed. The General +said, "Well, Hermann, the jig is up. While we were talking about the +matter yesterday, Pemberton surrendered, and I therefore do not need +your services." I said, "well, I wish he had held out until some other +day than the fourth of July." The General said, "Yes." + +As I started to camp, the General said, "Well, Hermann I thank you +anyhow for your offer and you shall have a furlough all the same. I give +you two weeks. I hope you will have a nice time." Major Martin who was +present said also, he hoped I would have a nice time. I replied, "Major, +I have not a cent of money, how can I have a nice time. We have not been +paid off since we left Savannah. Have you some money? If so I would like +to borrow until I get mine from the Government." He said, he had a fifty +dollar bill. If it would do me any good, I could have it. He handed me +the bill which was then worth about two or three dollars in specie. Such +was the depreciation of our currency. I went into the interior about ten +miles from camp. The people were downcast. They did not know what would +become of them. Jackson, the capital of the State, in the hands of the +enemy. Vicksburg, a large and well fortified city and defended by a +large army had surrendered and its defenders taken prisoners. The people +were in despair, not knowing what evil awaited them. I soon found out +that camps among the boys was the more congenial place for me, so after +an absence of three days I returned. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + +So one good afternoon, J. B. Thomas, a good clever comrade and good +soldier, and myself took a stroll and incidentally looking for something +to eat. We passed a vegetable garden, a luxury we seldom enjoyed. On the +side of the pailings were some squashes. Thomas remarked, I wish I had +some of them. I said, "Well, slip one of those palings and get a few, +I'll be on the watch out." No sooner said than done. Thomas gathered +about a dozen the size of my fist. He stuck them in his shirt bosom. I +gave him the alarm that the lady was watching him. As he looked up he +saw her at the other end of the garden. He started through the opening +he had made quicker than a rabbit could have done when pursued by +hounds. Thomas is a man of small stature and very short legged, but he +split the air to beat the band. We were both in our shirt sleeves, no +vests, only wore pants confined around the waist by a belt, the squashes +were bobbing up and down in his shirt, as he progressed and the +proprietress after him. Finally the squashes lifted the shirt out of his +confines and down came the squashes rolling on the ground. Thomas did +not stop, but casting a regretful side glance at his booty, he sped on +to camp, while his garment was floating to the breeze, caused by his +velocity. When the woman reached the spot where the squashes lay +scattered, she stopped, looking after the fleeing individual and sending +a full vocabulary of invectives after him. I who had followed leisurely +caught up while she gathered her squashes into her apron. I remarked, +"Madam, you seem to have spilled your vegetables." "No, it was not me +that spilled them, it's that good for nothing somebody, there he +runs--he stole them out of my garden." I said, "He ought not to have +done it, if I knew who he was I would report him." She said, "I would +not have minded to give him some if he had asked me for them, but I +don't like for anybody to go into my garden and take what belongs to +me." Poor woman, she had no idea that within a few days after our +departure, the enemy would appear and not only appropriate the needful, +but would destroy all the rest to keep her from enjoying any of it. She +offered me some of the squashes which I accepted with thanks. I carried +them to Thomas, saying she would have given you some if you had asked +for them. Thomas replied, he wished he had known it. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + + +The fall of Vicksburg ended the Mississippi Campaign, and our troops +were ordered to join the Army of Tennessee. All had left with the +exception of the Mississippi Regiment and our battery who were awaiting +transportation. Our commissary had also gone ahead of us and so we were +left to "root hog or die." We had to eat once in awhile any how. Quinton +Dudley and myself took a stroll to the commissary of the Mississippi +Regiment. I learned that his name was Coleman. Passing through the +building which was an old wooden railroad warehouse about a hundred feet +long and forty wide, Quinton picked up a piece of rock salt from a large +pile. Captain Coleman saw him put something in his haversack. In a brisk +manner, said, "What is that you have taken?" He showed him a piece of +salt the size of a hen egg. "Put it back," he hollowed at him. Quinton +threw it back on the pile very much humiliated. On our leaving the +building, I spied on the platform at the other end of the warehouse a +large hogshead full of smoked meat of all descriptions, there were +sides, shoulders and hams. They looked very enticing for hungry men like +we were. We went to camp and reported how that Captain had caught +Quinton who was very timid and did not like to be caught in the act. +Others felt different about such. We were entitled to a living while in +the field on duty. Some suggested that we go and charge the commissary +and get some rations. I said, "That would bring on some trouble. Maybe +we might get some of that meat by strategy," so we planned that W. N. +Harmon should take ten men around and about the warehouse, while I would +engage the Captain in conversation, during which time Harmon and his men +would help themselves to rations. I awaited an opportune moment when +Captain Coleman was at the other end of the building from where the +hogshead of meat stood. Entering by that end, I walked squarely up to +the Captain, extending my hand. "How do you do, Captain Coleman? I'm +very glad to meet you, it is an unexpected pleasure. How long since you +have heard from home?" He looked at me in surprise, holding onto my +hand. I heard some meat drop on the ground. I knew the meat was flying +campwards. "Well," said Capt. Coleman, "you have the advantage of me." +"Don't you know me?" says I? He replied, "Well, your face is familiar to +me, but I can't place you. Are you not from Emanuel county, Georgia?" +"No, but I have some kinfolks in Georgia with my name." "Well, then I am +mistaken and beg your pardon." "We have a lake on the Ogeechee River +called Coleman's Lake. I went there often for fishing, and was sure you +were one of the Colemans that lived there when at home. You favor them +very much." "Well, said he, they may be some kin to me." By that time, +between thirty and forty pieces of meat had changed hands. The next +morning transportation came, and we loaded the cars which carried us to +the Tennessee Army, then under the command of General Bragg, who was +then retreating, leaving Tennessee to the tender care of the Federals, +under command of General Rosencrantz. Our forces took a stand around and +about Lookout Mountain and Chickamauga. We struck camp some distance +from the main forces after unloading the train and watering and feeding +the horses. The boys took a swim in the river, a luxury not realized for +many days past. I was detailed to cut underbrush in the woods to assist +stretching ropes to corral our horses. I was not quite as green in +handling an axe by this time as I was in Virginia, when I was detailed +to cut wood for the blacksmith shop. I was again taken sick with risings +in my ear. I suffered as only those who ever suffered with such +affliction knew how to extend their sympathy. The pains were simply +excruciating and threw me into hot fever. We were ordered to strike +camps. We marched that forenoon until eleven o'clock. The sun was +shining in full force. I could no longer keep up. I stopped by the +roadside and lay down, waiting for the Company's baggage wagon to come +along. Lorenzo Stephens was the driver. After awhile he appeared on +foot. One of the rear axles of his wagon having broken, he therefore +hurried forward to get some assistance. In the meantime, the ambulance +came along in charge of the Company surgeon. He had me picked up and +placed in it. He said I had high fever and gave me some medicine, and as +we passed the station of a railroad, the name of which I did not know, I +was put on the train with others and sent to the Atlanta Hospital, in +charge of Dr. Paul Eve, of Augusta, Dr. Rosser being in charge of my +ward. I was suffering terribly, both of my ears were discharging +corruption. Through suffering and hardship, my general health was giving +away. I needed rest and time to recuperate. Medicines were hard to get, +and I was slow in recovering my strength. One day Dr. Rosser asked me if +I would like to have a furlough. He thought it would help me. I said, +"Yes, the best in the world, as soon as I can gain a little strength," +so he and Dr. Eve came to my cot the following morning, and after +examining my condition, departed. Dr. Rosser came again in the afternoon +and handed me a thirty days furlough. I was very grateful to him. He was +a perfect gentleman, hard working and sympathetic. I came home to my +foster mother, Mrs. Jas. L. Braswell, under whose care I soon gained +strength. + +[Illustration: "Madam, have you spilled your vegetables?" I enquired.] + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + + +Before leaving the hospital I requested Dr. Rosser to inform my Captain +of my whereabouts and of my physical condition, which he promised he +would do, and I have no doubts he did. While at home I also corresponded +with some of my comrades. I enjoyed my furlough at Fenns Bridge among my +friends. Colonel Sol. Newsome, Hudson W. Sheppard, Bennett Hall, W. J. +Lyons, Daniel Inman and others, who came after their mail and +incidentally brought their fishing tackle and guns to fish and hunt in +the Ogeechee river and swamp, in the meantime discussing the ups and +downs of the men in the field. The above named citizens were all slave +owners and above the requisite age for military duty. It was quite a +pastime for me to hear them discuss among themselves the politics of +that day, for be it understood they were not exactly a unit in sentiment +as regards secession. They were about equally divided; some for the +union, while those who differed brought some of the most convincing +arguments to my mind to bear on the situation, and although young in the +cause of politics, I was obliged to take sides with them, as a matter +of right, as we saw it. Those who opposed did not question our right, +but differed as to the policy pursued. They contended that we were wrong +in judgment as the sequel had proven. In fact, we were not prepared for +such tremendous onslaughts as we had to meet, and we believed and had +reliance on our so-called friends across Mason and Dixon line, which +proved to be as bitter as the rankest abolitionists. One morning, Mr. +Brantley came up and brought the Georgian, a county news paper, saying, +"Hermann, your name is in this paper." I said, "Is it?" "Listen." + +"The following men are absent from their Commands without leave, and +should they not immediately report for duty, they will be reported as +deserters: J. J. Sheppard, I. Hermann and others whose names I have +forgotten. It was signed Captain Evan P. Howell, commanding battery. I +said, "Gentlemen, it is a lie, and here is the proof, showing my sick +furlough from Dr. Paul Eve." Mr. Lyons then spoke up, "Well, what are +you going to do about it?" I walked into cousin Abe's store, took a +sheet of paper and addressed, Mr. J. N. G. Metlock, Editor of the +Sandersville Georgian," + + "My dear sir:-- + + In perusing your previous issue I noted Capt. Evan P. Howell's + advertisement, which among others I was named as one absent + without leave, and should I not report immediately to my + command, he would publish me as a deserter. Now in simple + justice to myself, I wish to inform Capt. Howell, as well as + the public, that his statement is false, that I have a furlough + granting me leave of absence and that under no consideration + would I be away from my command, + + Very respectfully, + I. Hermann. + + At Home. + + P.S.--Please forward copy of your next issue to Captain Howell + and charge expenses to me." + +I returned to my friends and said, "Gentlemen, this is my reply, and +when my time is up, I shall report, either to Dr. Paul Eve, or Captain +Howell." Colonel Sol Newsome tapped me on the shoulder, saying, "Hurrah, +Hurrah for you, Hermann." In a few days later, Sergeant W. H. Hines, and +four men of my Company came to arrest me. I said to them, "You can't do +it as long as I have authority to remain here," and showed them my +furlough, which lacked about two weeks of having expired. They were all +glad I was properly fixed and so expressed themselves. They were also +glad of the opportunities they had to call upon their respective +families, which they would not have had otherwise. + +From Fenns Bridge I went to Macon to spend a few days with a cousin who +lived there. As I walked the street one named Colson who belonged to the +Provost Guard came up saying, "Ike old fellow, I have orders to arrest +you." "What for, Colson?" He answered, he did not know. "Who gave you +the orders?" He said "Major Roland." "Let us go up and see him." We +walked up from Cherry Street to Triangular block, where Roland, who was +commander of the Post, had his headquarters. The room was full of men +and officers, among whom I recognized Captain Napier, who had lost a +limb in Virginia; the rest were all strangers to me. Major Roland +addressed himself to me "What can I do for you?" "You had me arrested." +Colson was standing there; I looked at him; he said "You gave me the +orders." "What is your name?" "Isaac Hermann." Roland brightened up; +"You are the fellow I was after; you are reported as a deserter." I +pulled my furlough, which was somewhat dilapidated from constant wear +and tear; he scrutinized it closely, handing it back to me, saying, +"This paper is forged; some brother countryman fixed it up for you." +"You are a liar," I said. Quick as lightning he grabbed and drew his +sword, which was lying on the table, exclaiming as he faced me, "I am an +officer." In the meantime I executed a half about, drawing my pistol, +saying: "I am a private; if you make a move I'll put daylight through +you." And there we stood, facing each other for a few seconds, when one +of the officers in the room approached me, saying in a whisper, "Put up +your pistol, I am your friend." "Who are you?" "I am Paton Colquitt, +Colonel of the 46th Ga. Reg't., stationed at Charleston, S. C., I am on +my way to my command, but intend now to remain to see you out." I +extended my hand and he shook it heartily. Major Roland looked very +pale; the rest of the company present looked on with interest. Roland +ordered a Sergeant and four men as a guard to escort me to the guard +house. I said "I'll die first, right here, before I'll march through +Macon, guarded like a horse thief. I have not done anything to be +arrested for; I am known in Macon and will not submit to any such +indignity." Colonel Colquitt stepped up to the table, saying, "Will you +take me as sponsor for this gentleman, to report at any place you may +designate, without a guard?" Roland could not refuse, so trembling he +wrote me (a billet de logement): "To the Officer in Command at the +Calaboose: Admit the Bearer. By order of Major Roland, Commanding +Provost Post, Macon, Georgia." Before calling at the prison I passed to +where my cousin lived. I stated what had happened, so that she would not +look for me, as I was stopping at her house. She was much distressed and +feared personal harm would befall me. I reassured her the best I knew +how and requested her to let me have a blanket, if she could spare one, +so that I could sleep on it that night. I rolled the blanket, tied the +ends together with a string and drew it across my shoulder. On the way I +thought of the threat Captain Howell made at Bryant County, Camp Arnold, +when Sergt. Hines reported to me what he said, that he would get me yet. +I was mad; I was honor bound to report at the calaboose. Col. Colquitt +was my sponsor, I could not go back on him. Finally I arrived at the +prison, an old building, about 25 by 40; it might have been used as a +stable. I presented my ticket for admittance, the officer looked at it, +read it, then looked at me and smiled, and said, "Well, this is +unusual." I disengaged myself of the blanket, as he unlocked the door. +The room was packed with men, among them some Yankees, or some in +Federal uniforms. As the door was locked behind me one of the inmates +hollowed. "There is a new comer, he must sing us a song;" I remarked, I +rather felt like fighting than singing just now, when a big strapping +fellow presented himself, with his coat off, saying, as he put himself +in a fighting attitude, "Here is your mule;" I answered as I hit him, +"Here is your rider." I struck him such an unexpected blow that it +stunned him, when he said he had enough, as I was to double him. He +apologized, saying he was just funning; I answered and said, "I meant +it, and you believe it now; I am obliged to you for having given me this +opportunity, for I have been badly treated." I need not say that I was +respectfully treated by the rest of the inmates. And while room to lay +down was at a premium, I had all I needed for that purpose. The +following morning at the break of day, my name was called at the wicket; +I answered. The door swung open and there stood Col. Colquitt, smiling. +"Well, you are a free man"; "How did you do it!" "Ask me no questions +and I'll tell you no lies." I said, "Let me get my blanket I borrowed on +the way." He answered: "The train that will carry me to my regiment will +leave in half an hour, and I have done what I intended before going; I +wish I had a thousand men like you, and I would walk through Yankeedom." +I thanked him heartily for what he said and did, promising never to +forget it, and I never have. We walked some distance together, the +atmosphere was chilly, and I proposed to him if he would accept a treat +from me in the way of a drink; he said, "With great pleasure." We found +a place on our way to the depot, which was not very far, as the +Calaboose was situated a little back of the Brown House, and we drank a +drink of as mean potato whiskey, the only kind the men had, at one +dollar a dram, that was ever distilled. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + + +As matters now stood, I was determined not to return to my Company until +I was entirely recovered to my usual health. So I reported to Dr. Green +in charge of the Floyd House Hospital for treatment. He asked me what +was the matter with me; I told him I did not know. He stripped me and +made a thorough examination, and when he got through he said, "You have +an enlargement of the heart, and ought not to be exposed." He prescribed +for me, and I reported to him daily until my furlough had expired. I +felt a great deal better and was about ready to return to my command, +but Dr. Green advised me not to do it yet awhile. I said, "My furlough +is out;" He said, "That does not make any difference, you are under my +charge for the present." In the meantime Major Roland was removed as +Commander of the Post at Macon and Col. Aiken was appointed in his +stead. While in the Hospital I made myself useful, and Dr. Green +appointed me General Ward-Master. My duties were to look over the entire +wards and see that those under me did their duty, and that all inmates +were properly attended to. One good morning Sergt. Haywood Ainsworth +came to me, saying, "Ike I have in my possession a letter for the +Commander of the Post, Col. Aiken, from Capt. Evan P. Howell; he is +giving you the devil; he sent me after you. If you go with me to the +command I will not deliver it." I said, "Haywood, do you know what he +writes in that letter?" "No, not exactly, but it is very severe." "I'd +like to see what he says." "Have you seen Col. Aiken; does he know you?" +No. "I will tell you what we will do; you give me the letter and I will +deliver it myself; you can see that I do it, he will not know me from +you, as he does not know either of us." Ainsworth laughed and says, +"Well as you say." So we both marched up to the Provost Marshal's +office. Col. Aiken was sitting in a chair at his desk. I walked up to +him, gave him the military salute, handed him the letter and took my +position behind his chair, looking over his shoulder as he read the +letter. Capt. Howell did not at all times write a very legible hand for +one not used to his writing; hence I being used to it, got through +before the Colonel did, I took a little step to my left and rear, +awaiting Col. Aiken's orders. "Sergeant, where is the man?" asked he. +"He is in the Floyd house hospital, in charge of Dr. Green." "Is he +sick." "I suppose so." "Then he is under proper authority, I can do +nothing in this case, as it stands. You go and see Dr. Green and ask him +if Hermann is well enough to be discharged and go to camp. If so and he +refuses to go, come to me and I will give the necessary assistance +required." I thanked him, saying, "Col. I do not think there will be any +necessity for me to trouble you further," and Haywood and myself left, +laughing all the way. Sergt. Ainsworth then said, Well Ike, you are a +good one, I know you won't give me away. I said, You surely do not think +that of me. Oh no! I have all confidence in you. Well, what are you +going to do? I will go back with you; I shall face the gentleman and +tell him what I think of him. What was in the letter, what did he say? +He stated in the letter that I was a very desperate character; that I +left in time of battle; that he had used all his efforts to get me back +to my command, and had failed. To please give Sergt. Ainsworth all +necessary assistance to accomplish that object. Continuing, I said, +Haywood, you like to go home; so do I. Suppose we go to Washington +county for a few days, say until Friday. You living in town put a notice +in the paper, stating that you will return to our camp which is now at +Dalton, and will take pleasure in forwarding anything that may be sent +to the boys from their friends and families. Sergt. Ainsworth said, That +is a good idea. I said, Well I will meet you at Tennille Friday on the +night train. But before we go, I must have the approval of Dr. Green, +under whose charge I now am; so we went to see Dr. Green: I stated to +him that I would like to return to my command. He said, You are not well +enough to do camp duty. I said, Well, under circumstances as they are, I +am willing to take my chances. I stated to him the facts as they were, +in the presence of Sergt. Ainsworth, who coincided to everything I said. +Then I remarked, Doctor, you have been very kind to me, and done me lots +of good, for which I am very grateful, but I can't rest under such +imputation; I intend to straighten matters out. So he said, Well, if I +can do anything for you or be any service to you, let me know what it is +and I will be glad to do it. I said, All I want is for you to give me a +statement under what condition I placed myself under your care, and the +date of my admittance and discharge, and your opinion as to my present +condition for active service. He said he would do that, he would make a +statement and have it ready in an hour. In the meantime Sergt. Ainsworth +and myself took a stroll through the city. I told my relatives and +friends good bye. We returned to the hospital, they were all sorry I +left them. Doctor Green gave me the papers I required, I put them in my +pocket unopened. He said, If there is anything else you need, let me +know. I thanked him very kindly, and we left for Washington county. +Sergt. Ainsworth said to me, Dr. Green seems to think a great deal of +you; he seems to be a perfect gentleman. I said, Yes, everybody who +comes in contact with him likes him; he is a very conscientious Doctor +and is very attentive to his business. Friday night I took the train at +Davisboro; I had about a dozen boxes for the boys in camp, under my +charge at Tennille. Sergt. Ainsworth met me with as many more boxes, and +we travelled to Dalton; it took us two nights and a day to get there. It +was Sunday morning early, when we reached camp. The boys were all glad +to see us, we delivered our trust and there was plenty of good things to +eat in camp, in consequence of our forethought. During my absence from +camp Dr. Stewart was transferred and Dr. Beauchamp took his place. I had +never seen him before, so I at once reported to him, gave him my papers +from Dr. Green and he at once relieved me from active duty. Then I +stated to him why I had returned to camp, and the feud that existed +between Capt. Howell and myself, and what he had done and said. So I was +determined to face the worst. I walked about that day among the boys in +camp, all of whom were my friends; if I had an enemy in camp outside of +Capt. Howell, I did not know it. About four o'clock p. m. I bethought +myself since I was not arrested after the awful charges having been made +against me, I had probably better report my presence, although every one +in camp, Captain included, knew I was there. So I just met Sergt. Hines, +being very intimate with him, I said, Bill, you want to have some fun? +Come with me, I am going to report at headquarters; since all that +hullabaloo I am still unmolested. The officers quarters were about one +hundred yards up on a ridge from where the pieces were parked. Capt. +Howell was sitting in front of his tent. I gave him the salute, saying, +Well, here I am. He answered, I thought I never would see you again. I +said probably you would not, if it had not been for some d----d lies +written to Col. Aiken, Provost Marshal at Macon. Who wrote them? Capt. +Evan P. Howell, Comdg. Battery. If you think that I am afraid of powder +and ball, try me ten steps. Do you mean it as a challenge? You are an +officer; I am a private; it is for you to construe it as you see fit. +I'll have you court-martialed and shot. I dare you to do it. In the +meantime Sergt. Hines was swinging to my jacket and we withdrew. So +Hines said, If I had known that you would get mad that way I would not +have come with you. So I remarked, I wanted you to come and be a +witness, as to what should pass between him and me. A half hour later +Sergt. Hines came to me, saying, Ike, you are on duty tonight. By whose +orders? Capt. Howell's. I said, It is not a rule to put a man on guard +duty who had passed two nights in succession without sleep, he might +fall asleep on his post. However, I did not come here to do duty, I +merely came to see what punishment Capt. Howell would inflict on me, as +he stated that I deserted; and again, I am relieved from duty by Dr. +Beauchamp. Sergt. Hines made his report. I saw Capt. Howell hastily walk +over to Dr. Beauchamp's quarters and expostulated with him as to my +ability of doing duty, thus impugning the Doctor's capacity as a +physician, he who after a thorough examination having passed on my +condition; I heard Dr. Beauchamp speaking in a loud voice: "Capt. +Howell, if you would attend to your duty as faithfully as I do mine you +would get along better with your men." Howell replied that he would +have me examined by a Board of Physicians. That's all right, that is +exactly what Hermann asked me to have done and I have already set him +down to meet the Board at Dalton on next Wednesday. In the meantime Dr. +Beauchamp treated me and I reported to him daily, when able to be up; if +not he came to my quarters. + +[Illustration: "I am a private--if you make a move I'll put daylight +through you."] + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + + +Wednesday came, the day I was to report before the Board; I was not +feeling as well as I had a day or so previous. I went to Bell, our +ambulance driver, saying Joe, I have to meet the Board today at Dalton, +you will have to carry me there. He answered he could not do it as he +had orders from Capt. Howell to have the ambulance ready for him, as he +wanted to make a social call, so I said no more. Dr. Beauchamp who saw +me walking about in camp, came to me saying, I thought you were going to +Dalton today. I said I would go but Mr. Bell said the Capt. engaged the +ambulance to go on a social call; I thought that vehicle belonged to +your department and is intended for the sick only. So it is, says the +Doctor, and I am going to see about it. I said, Doctor, I do not feel +well enough to walk three miles and back today. In a few minutes Joe +Bell drove up with the ambulance, saying, Ike, get ready, I will drive +you to town. So I went before the field Board of Surgeons and +Physicians. Dr. Beauchamp had sent in his report of me, and I was +pronounced unfit for active duty and discharged from service on account +of ill health. This action took me from under the jurisdiction of Capt. +Howell, greatly to my relief. I thanked the Board, saying, Gentlemen, I +enlisted for the war, and at times I am able to do some duty. There are +other duties besides standing guard, camping out and shooting. I am +willing to do anything I am able to do. About that time Major Martin +came in, undoubtedly sent there by Capt. Howell. After speaking to the +Doctors he turned to me, we shook hands and he said, Well Hermann, take +good care of yourself, I hope you will recover and get entirely well; +you have been badly treated, I am sorry to say. Good bye. We again shook +hands, he mounted his horse and departed at a gallop. The Board gave me +an order to report to Gen. E. K. Smith, who was then in Atlanta, doing +post duty. He asked me how long I had been on the sick list, and I +replied about three months. He said, Can you do any office work; I +answered I did not know to what kind of work he would assign me to. He +said, Can you write? I told him yes; so he put me to copying some +documents, which I did to his satisfaction. The desk at which he put me +to work was breast high and I had to stand up. The following day I was +suffering so I could not do anything, and I had no more medicine. The +next day I felt worse. Dr. G. G. Crawford called in the office; he was +in charge of the fair ground hospital. General Smith said, Doctor, what +is the matter with this man; since yesterday, he seems to be suffering +very much. Dr. Crawford spoke to me and asked what my complaint was. I +told him I was suffering in my chest, and I was trying to write at that +desk and grew worse. He said, You are a Frenchman! I said Yes. He said +he could tell it from my brogue. And he then talked French to me and +told me he studied medicine in Paris, and having lived there myself our +conversation grew interesting to both of us. So he turned to General +Smith and said General, I think I can help him considerably, even if I +can't cure him. So General said, "Hermann, you go with Dr. Crawford, he +will take charge of you." And we left together for the fair ground +hospital, a temporary institution, built of wood, roughly put up, +consisting of several wards, whitewashed in and out. I found Dr. +Crawford to be a perfect gentleman and very interesting and we got along +like brothers; he was very kind to me. Under his treatment I recuperated +wonderfully and in a couple of weeks I thought I was entirely cured. I +made myself as useful as possible, still continuing my course of +medicine. Dr. Crawford appointed me to the same position I held under +Dr. Green at the Floyd hospital at Macon, and he was well pleased with +my work, as well as the inmates of the hospital. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + + +General Bragg was removed from the command of the army of Tennessee and +Gen. Joseph E. Johnston appointed in his place early in the Spring of +1864. The campaign opened and Gen. J. T. Sherman commanded the Federal +forces. His sanguinary and uncivilized warfare on the defenseless is a +matter of history. His careless application of the torch, destroying by +fire whatsoever he could not carry off, leaving the old and decrepit, +the women and children to perish in his wake as he marched through +Georgia, and reducing to ashes everything within his reach, within a +scope of territory fifty miles wide by over three hundred miles long. +Johnston's army consisted of only about half the strength of that of his +antagonist, consequently he adopted tactics by which he reduced +Sherman's army every time that General would make an attack. Joseph E. +Johnston acted all along on the defensive, but was ever ready to inflict +severe punishment. When General Sherman would force his lines of +defense, thus General Johnston generally ceded ground. While his defeats +were actual victories, as the cemeteries along the line of his march +indicate. The hospitals were filling up with sick and wounded; +provisions became scarce, especially as our territory became gradually +contracted. So Dr. Crawford came to me one morning, saying, "Hermann, I +want to send you out on a foraging expedition. Do you think you can buy +up provisions for the hospital? I just drew my allowance of $10,000.00; +it wont buy much at present prices." Yes, I can try and make it go as +far as possible. What do you say? I remarked, Doctor, I will try and do +my best. So he gave me two packages of newly struck Confederate money, +all the way from $1,000.00 to $5.00 bills, more money than I had ever +had in my possession, and I was actually afraid to carry such sums +around with me, although I knew it was not of much value. I also wanted +all the linen, lint and bandages that I could get. I came to Washington +county where I was known; I put a notice in the weekly paper edited by +J. M. G. Medlock, setting forth my mission, and that I would gladly +receive any contribution for the sick and wounded at the fair ground +hospital in Atlanta, under the charge of Dr. Geo. G. Crawford, of the +army of Tennessee, and that I would pay the market price to any who did +not feel able to contribute the same free of charge; that I would +publish all contributions in the Central Georgian. I wrote to the +Central Railroad Company's office at Savannah, asking them to kindly +spare me two box cars, one at Bartow and one at Davisboro, on a certain +day, when I would load them with provisions for the hospital. The +officials kindly offered me the cars free of charge. It was on Thursday +I came to Bartow. Mr. Sam Evans, the agent, gave me all his assistance, +and provisions commenced to rolling in. Mr. Warren from Louisville, Ga., +sent me four horse wagon loads of flour from his mill, free of charge. +Mr. Tarver, a large planter, brought me a heavy load of meats, chicken, +eggs, butter, etc. Mr. B. G. Smith also brought me a hogshead of hams, +shoulders and sides, the meat all nicely smoked, and 100 pounds of leaf +lard, chickens, eggs and sweet potatoes, in fact the farmers of that +section, all well to do people and slave owners, vied with each other as +to who could do the most. I filled up the car that day with the choicest +provisions which did not cost me a nickel. Many poor women would bring +me the last chicken they had, and when I wanted to pay for the same +refused to take the money, and regretted they could not do any more. +They unraveled all the old linen table cloth and brought me bags full of +lint and bandages. That night I forwarded the car under special +instructions by Mr. Evans that it contained perishable goods, labeled +for the hospital in Atlanta. The following day I went to Davisboro, Ga. +W. C. Riddle, Simon Thomas, Daniel Inman, Ben Jordan, Syl Prince, Daniel +Harris and others in that neighborhood proved themselves as generous and +patriotic as the people of Bartow and filled my car to overflowing with +all kinds of provisions, with the exception of one instance; in regard +to his worthy family I will withhold his name. He was a well to do +farmer and had a profession. He was a hot secessionist and made speeches +to that effect. On the day of receiving he came up in a fine buggy, with +a bushel of sweet potatoes. I said to him, What are they worth? He +answered, "Four dollars," I think is what they are selling at. I paid +the money and he departed, and that was all the money on the debit side +of the $10,000.00. The same was published as stated in the Georgian. I +returned to Atlanta with the last car of provisions and when I alighted +from the car the hospital convalescents actually carried me on their +shoulders and would not let me walk. Dr. Crawford looked on me in wonder +when I returned my account and gave him back the $10,000.00 minus $4.00, +and said, Well that gives me money to fix up my hospital as it should +be. He bought sheets and mattresses and had the hospital renovated and +made as comfortable as money could make it. Under Dr. Crawford's +treatment I again became strong and the paroxysms of pain gradually gave +way and became less frequent until I really considered that I was a well +man again. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + + +My cousin in Macon gave a little social entertainment and sent me an +invitation. I showed the same to the Doctor, and he said, Well go, I +give you 48 hours. The following morning I hurried to the Quartermaster +with my furlough for transportation by placing my permission on his +desk. The train just blew the signal for departure; I picked up the +transportation and in my hurry left my furlough on the desk. Between +Atlanta and Griffin the guards passed through the coaches to inspect all +papers of the passengers. When they came to me I found my transportation +in my side pocket minus my forty-eight hours leave of absence. I +explained how it might have happened, and hoped they would let me +continue, but I was requested to get off at Griffin, which I did, and +asked the guard to conduct me to the Provost Marshal, so that I might +explain, and he could inform himself, never doubting but that he would +wire and inform himself of the correctness of my statement and let me +proceed. Instead, he told me he had heard such statements before and +informed the guard to be especially vigilant in regard to me, so I was +conducted to an old livery stable that served as a prison. This was in +Dec. 1863. I spoke to my guard if there was not a way by which I could +communicate with Dr. Crawford in Atlanta; he said he did not know. I +said, Please tell the Provost to write to Dr. Crawford about me. +Presently one of the guards brought me a broom, saying, It is a rule +when a new comer comes to make him sweep out the calaboose. I said, Well +this time you will have to break your rule. Do I understand that you +refuse to comply? I certainly do. He went to the Sergt. of the Guard and +made his report as to what passed between us. The Sergt. came at once, +saying I understand you refuse to sweep out the calaboose. I certainly +do; is it for this which I am arrested? He said, Do you know the +penalty, sir? No, and I don't care, was my reply. He remarked, You'll be +bucked and gagged for two hours. I again said, "You'll have a nice time +doing it." He answered. Not so much talk; pull off your overcoat. I +said, If I do I'll make you feel sorry for it. All this occurred while I +was standing before the fire place, with my hands behind me. In front of +me about five feet distance, stood a wooden bench. The Sergeant stood +between me and it. Calling for the guard to come up, they asked him if +they should bring their guns. He said no, only one bring his gun. They +came up. When the Sergeant put his hand on me as if to unbutton my coat. +I had moistened the knuckles of my fingers by passing them between my +lips, concentrated the muscles' tension and struck the Sergeant over the +bridge of his nose, sending him sprawling backward over the bench, his +head hitting the pavement, and I had to dodge to avoid his heels hitting +me under the chin. The man who had the musket made a lunge at me. +Fortunately I had a memorandum book in my side pocket which he hit and +dented the leaves of it half way through. I grabbed at the gun and +caught it just at the curve of the bayonet, close to the muscle, and +jerked it out of his hands. I made moulinets, holding the gun by the +barrel and bayonet, and drove the whole guard, consisting of twelve men, +before me. One of them stopped at the rack, close to the door, which was +open, to reach for a gun, when I hit him with the butt end on the arm, +just below the shoulder, and sent him to the ground, falling as he went +in the middle of the street. The exit of the men out of the guard house +was so hasty it attracted the attention of the populace so that in a +very short space of time a crowd had assembled before the door, looking +askance as to what had happened, among which was a Lieut. Colonel, +judging from the ensign he wore. Advancing to me, who stood quietly at +the entrance, at parade rest, he, undoubtedly thinking that I was the +sentinel, asked me what was the matter, what are the casualties. I +simply remarked, Nobody hurt on my side, Colonel. What is all this +assemblage here doing? So I explained to him what had happened and the +cause of it. He asked me where were the guards. I pointed out some of +them in the crowd; they gradually approached. He asked some of them to +lead him to the Provost Marshal, whose name was Capt. Willis, which +gentleman (pardon the expression) he berated to the utmost, telling him +that he was not fit for a hog herder much less to be in command of human +beings, who ever heard of bucking and gagging in the Confederate Army. I +am going to report you to the proper authorities, and he ordered him to +send me back to Atlanta by the next train, so that I might prove my +assertion. The train from Macon to Atlanta was due within half an hour, +so I was sent back under guard of a Lieutenant and four men with loaded +muskets, with orders to shoot should I make an effort to escape. Luckily +in my school days, which were close to an army post, I went twice a +week to the armory to take lessons in boxing and sword exercise, and +while I do not profess to be an expert in those sciences, they served me +tolerably well in the above stated instance, and others through which it +has been my misfortune to pass. Arriving in Atlanta, I was conducted to +the Provost Marshal. The Lieutenant in command of the guard handed him a +letter which the Provost read, after which he looked at me, standing in +the middle of the room, and said, Well Lieutenant, I'll take charge of +the prisoner; you can go back by the next train. The Lieutenant saluted +him and he and his guard departed. It was between four and five o'clock +in the afternoon. There were two more men at the office at their desks, +and they soon left the room, leaving me and the Provost by ourselves. +Turning to me he said, You belong to Walker's Brigade? I said, Yes, +Howell's Battery. He said, Well I thought I knew you. He said, Well you +got in a h----l of a scrape. I answered that I did not know that a man +losing his furlough was so criminal. He looked up at me in surprise, +saying, This is not what you are charged with; you are charged with +striking a superior officer; do you know the penalty? Yes, shot if found +guilty. What did you do it for? About that time I had been eyeing my +questioner all along, I thought I knew him but I could not place him. He +was Capt. Beebee of a South Carolina Regiment. I answered him thus, +"Well, Captain, I fought for the rights of the Confederacy for the last +three years and thought five minutes for myself was not too much." I +explained to him all of the circumstances leading to my present +condition. He exclaimed, "My God, why did you not kill him?" I said I +did my best, I only got one lick at him and I give him a good one. He +said Go over to the quartermaster's and see if you find your papers; if +not I will give you some that will carry you through. I ran across the +street, asking the quartermaster if I did not leave my furlough on his +desk that morning. He opened a drawer and handed me my paper. I thanked +him and reported my find to Capt. Beebee, who said, I know you are +alright, you can go. We shook hands and I went my way to the fair ground +hospital for the night to make a new start in the morning. Dr. Crawford +seeing me said, I thought you had gone to Macon. I answered that I had +gone a part of the way and was brought back under guards. How was that? +So I recounted to him all the circumstances and illustrated with a +musket the picture of the guard getting out of my reach. Dr. Crawford +laughed till he cried. Well you had a time of it, said he. I sure did, +and half of my permit is out. He said, Well go and stay as long as you +like it, but not too long. He wrote me another permit and I again made +for the train leading to Macon. This time the guard did not come aboard +inspecting papers, but the train on arriving at Griffin was entered by +the guards and papers were shown. I was sitting by the window of my +coach when I heard some one say "Sergt. there is the fellow, the same +fellow," pointing at me. I had not noticed the Sergt. at first as I was +looking above and beyond him, and I saw him standing right close beside +the train, in front of the window. I put out my head to speak to him; he +had a bandage around his forehead and both of his eyes were inflamed and +discolored. I said to him, Sergt. are you hurt? He did not reply, so I +said, I am sorry for you, the next time you want to have some fun in the +bucking, gagging line you try some one else who likes that kind of sport +better than I do. The train departed and nobody even looked at my papers +that day. I arrived at Macon a day after the feast, but had a pleasant +day anyhow. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + + +Before the battle of Resaca Dr. Crawford was ordered to move his +hospital further into the interior, so he located at Vineville, a suburb +of Macon. He pitched his buildings in front of Mr. Burrell Jordan's +premises and sent me again on a foraging expedition. I came again home +to Washington County, expecting to make headquarters at the home of Mr. +Benjamin G. Smith, where I was always welcome. Mr. Smith however, at +that time seemed to be very much disturbed and not in his usual pleasant +and cheerful mood. I asked him the cause of his troubles; he handed me a +slip of paper just received from Lieut. Stone, recruiting agent at +Sandersville, to be sure and report without fail at Sandersville on the +following Thursday to be mustered into service. Mr. Smith was a widower; +his wife had died a couple of years previous, leaving him an only +daughter about four years old. Mr. Smith was the owner of about one +hundred slaves and a very large plantation. He remarked to me, Hermann, +I do not mind going to the front, but what is to become of my dear +little Jenny among all those negroes; this is more than I can stand. Mr. +Smith was a great benefactor to the indigent widows and orphans, and +soldiers' families. He contributed unstintedly to the wants of those at +home whose male persons were at the front fighting the battles of their +country; in fact he ran his whole plantation in their interest, making +thousands of provisions which he distributed among them as they stood in +need and without remuneration. This was the period of the war when +everybody able to bear arms was called to the front, and the saying was, +"The Government is robbing the cradle and the grave." Sherman was +advancing; Johnston was falling back; the people were clamorous for a +test fight, General Johnston could not see the advantage of the same and +still kept retreating. The battle of Kennesaw mountain was hotly +contested, with severe punishment to the enemy but Johnston withdrew and +thus fell back to the gates of Atlanta. Referring again to Mr. Smith, I +told him I thought I had a solution to his troubles. I said, Carry your +little girl to Mrs. Francis, your sister; she will take care of her. +This is only Tuesday, we will run up to Macon tonight, and I will plead +your cause before Governor Brown, who had established his headquarters +there. I think it worth a trial anyway, you can't lose anything by it +anyhow. This was about 3 o'clock p. m. He at once gave orders to his +cook to boil a ham and make biscuits and that night about midnight we +took the train to Macon, Ga. We took breakfast at my cousin's and +repaired to the Governor's headquarters. I saw the Governor in front of +a table, examining some papers. I said, This is Governor Brown? He said +Yes, what will you have? I introduced myself, stating that I was a +member of Howell's Battery, and that on account of disabilities was +relieved from duty and assigned by Dr. Crawford as foraging agent. I +related the condition of Mr. Smith and his surroundings, saying, That +man is worth as much at home as a regiment at the front. The Governor at +once wrote on a sheet of paper, handing it to Mr. Smith, said, Hand this +to the enrolling officer. It was an exemption from military duty. We +took our leave, thanking the Governor. Mr. Smith was so overcome with +the fact that I had never seen such emotion displayed by a man; tears +ran down his cheeks; his thoughts concentrated on his "Sis" as he called +his little daughter Jenny. + +Mr. Smith lived to a ripe old age. He was of a very benevolent +disposition. He was a religious man but not a fanatic, quick answering +and very charitable. Many now prosperous and substantial citizens owe +their start in life to his munificence. He was as gentle as a woman but +as firm as a rock in his convictions. In his death Washington County has +sustained an irreparable loss and the State a true and loyal citizen. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + + +General Joseph E. Johnston was removed from command and General John B. +Hood was appointed in his stead. Dr. Crawford was ordered to remove to +Montgomery, Ala. In reference to the battle of Resaca I omitted to state +that I received a letter from my friend B. S. Jordan, whom I had +appointed as local agent to forward supplies for the general hospital, +that his brother, Jas. P., a Capt. in the 57th Ga. Regt., and a dear +friend of mine, was dangerously wounded. I at once set out in quest of +him and found him lying on a pallet on the platform of the depot. He was +suffering, but when he saw me he brightened up. I said, poor fellow, are +you wounded badly? He said, Yes, and indicated the place. Now I have to +refer to a little incident that transpired at the time when Capt. Jordan +had organized a Company and was about to leave for the front: This was +in 1862. When I had already experienced one year's service in the 1st +Ga. Regiment. I said, Well, James, don't you let me hear of you being +shot in the back. He was indignant. Never, replied he, emphatically. But +when he indicated his wound, I remarked at once: Shot in the back, as I +expected. Suffering as he was, he laughed heartily and said I want to +explain; I said, No explanation is necessary, the evidence is before me. +He remarked, Yes, but I want to explain how it was done. I said +evidently by a musket ball in the hands of a Yankee, and so I teased him +until he nearly forgot all about his wound, which was in the fleshy part +of his hip. Captain James P. Jordan was of a noble and chivalrous +disposition and his Company had seen much hard service. He explained +that they were ordered forward on a double quick to charge the enemy in +their immediate front, when owing to some obstructions his Company got +out of line, turning towards them to align them a ball had struck him +and he was carried to the rear. I carried him to the Vineville hospital. +Dr. Crawford extracted the ball, and when his Uncle Burrell heard of his +being there he had him removed to his home and well taken care of. + +It must be remembered matters were getting very squally; every available +man and boy was called to the front. The battle of Atlanta was fought +and lost at a great sacrifice to both sides, on July 21st, 1864, Gen. W. +H. T. Walker on our side, General McPherson on the Federal side, were +both killed. The City was sacked and laid into ruins as a result of the +most uncivilized warfare. General Hood changed his tactics, and after +the engagement at Jonesboro he swung to Sherman's rear, expecting by +that move to cut off Sherman's supplies and reinforcements, and Sherman +having now no army in front to oppose him marched through the length of +Georgia by rapid strides to the sea, Savannah being his objective +point. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + + +The prisoners at Andersonville, amounting to many thousand, owing to +their Government refusing to exchange them, preferring to let them die +in their congested condition rather than to release those of ours, +caused untold hardships on those unfortunate fellows. Their own +Government even refused to furnish them with the requisite medical +relief and medicine which became unobtainable on account of the close +cordon of blockaders guarding our ports of entry. It must be remembered +that while we on the Confederate side had only seven hundred thousand +available men, in round numbers, in every branch of the service, our +adversary had, according to statistics, two million, seven hundred +thousand men in the field, and while we had exhausted all our resources +they still had the whole world to draw from. Neither were they +particular then, as now, as to what kind of emigrants landed in Castle +Garden or Ellis Island, but they accepted the scum of the world, paying +fifteen hundred dollars bounty as an incentive to enlist in their army. +Such were the conditions in the latter part of 1864. General Wheeler's +Cavalry was the only force that swung close to Sherman's flanks, thus +keeping his columns more compact and preventing them from doing more +depredations than they did. Even as it was, they lived on the fat of the +land, and as stated, wantonly destroyed what they could not carry along, +to the detriment of the defenceless women and children. + +Dr. Crawford was ordered to remove his hospital to Montgomery, Alabama. +I was out foraging; I was at Davisboro, Station No. 12, Central R. R. +when a train load of the Andersonville prisoners stopped at the station. +The train consisted of a long string of box cars. Davisboro was not then +the prosperous little city it is now; it consisted of only one dwelling +and outhouses usually attached to a prosperous plantation, and a store +house; it was owned by Mrs. Hardwick, the great grandmother of our now +Congressman, T. W. Hardwick, an elderly widow lady, who for the +accommodation of the railroad kept an eating house where the train hands +would get their meals as the trains passed on schedule time. Curiosity +led me to approach the train, which was heavily guarded by sentinels +stationed in the open doors and on top of the cars, with loaded muskets, +to prevent escapes, when I heard the grand hailing words of distress +from an inmate of the car. Being a Mason, I demanded what was wanted, +when some one appealed to me, "For God's sake give me something to eat, +I am starving to death; somebody stole my rations and I have not eaten +anything for three days." Being meal time I at once run in the dining +room of the Hardwick House, picked up a plate with ham and one with +biscuits, and ran to the train, called on the man in Masonic terms, and +handed him the provisions that I had wrapped up in a home made napkin, +bordered with indigo blue. It was seven o'clock p. m. and one could not +distinguish the features of an individual; it was a starless, foggy +night. After the train left I entered the house and excused myself for +the rudeness of taking the provisions as I did. Mrs. Hardwick not having +been in the dining room at the time I explained to her that my +obligations were such that I had to render assistance to any distressed +Brother Mason; he applying to me as such; "I am now ready to pay you for +all the damages I did," and this was her reply: "I don't charge you +anything honey, I am glad you did it." But not so with her housekeeper, +Miss Eliza Jackson, who berated me for everything she could think of, +saying, "They had no right to come here and fight us; you are nothing +but a Yankee yourself," etc., etc. Miss Jackson was a long ways beyond +her teens, so I said, "Miss Liza, you are mad, because owing to the war +your chances for marriage have greatly diminished, especially with the +disposition you have." Those present enjoyed her discomfiture. + +Usually when troops were about to be ordered in transit, they were +issued three days rations, all of which were often walloped out of sight +at one square meal on account of its meagerness; undoubtedly that is +what happened to my Masonic Brother; he received his rations and someone +stole them. I myself often ate at one meal what was intended to last me +three days and trusted for the future. I never felt any remorse of +conscience to get something to eat, if I could; I felt that the people +for whom I devoted my services in those days owed me a living, and when +the authorities failed to supply it, I took it where I could find it. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + + +I rejoined Dr. Crawford and he sent me out again. I took the train to +Greenville, Alabama, and walked about eight miles to Col. Bowens', who +was an uncle of Mrs. John George. Mrs. George was a niece of Mrs. +Braswell, where I boarded. She came to spend many days with her Aunt +while I was with the family; her home was only about three miles +distant. She married Mr. George and moved to Butler County, Alabama. Mr. +Bowen, her uncle, furnished me with a horse and I rode out to see them. +Butler county is a sort of an out of the way place, and that country had +not been overrun with soldiers, and provisions were plentiful. When I +hollowed at the gate she recognized me at once and was overjoyed; she +took me around the neck and kissed me. George ran out saying, "Mollie! +Mollie! What are you doing." She said, "Never mind that is home folks." +Poor woman, she was so overcome to see someone from home that she +actually cried for joy. They were a happy family. I gave them all the +news about their people, as I had just come from there. I stated my +business and both of them set in the following day to assist me in my +duty. Butler county, where they lived was a very hilly country, but +tolerably thickly settled, and provisions came in by the quantities. I, +with the assistance of my host and hostess, filled a single box of eggs +six by three feet long and three feet high. We stood every one on its +end with alternate layers of bran and sawdust and carried them over a +very rough road to Greenville, together with a great many chickens and +shipped them to the hospital, and we only lost three dozen eggs by +breakage. One morning we heard the report that the enemy, in great +force, was approaching. People were leaving the city. With the exception +of a small garrison there was no defense. Dr. Crawford had to abandon +the city, removed all that were in condition to get away, but there were +about a half a dozen men who were too sick to be removed. The enemy came +into the city soon after we left. Dr. Crawford remarked to me that +evening, "Herman, I am going to send you back to take charge of the +hospital and those poor fellows that I could not get away." I demurred, +saying that I did not care to be taken prisoner. He said, "Listen; In +all civilized warfare the medical department is exempt from +molestation." I said, "From the way this war is waged it is not +altogether civilized, but I am under your orders; I'll do what you want +me to do." He said, "I'll take it as a great favor; I can't abandon +those poor fellows, some one has to take care of them and administer to +their wants." He said he did not know where he would locate but wherever +he went I must come back to him. I was then about nine miles from +Montgomery. It was late in the evening, and I took it afoot back. When +passing through Macon on my way to Montgomery, I passed a night with my +cousin, Mrs. Wurzbourg, whose husband was exempt from military duty on +account of physical infirmity. My jacket which I wore was threadbare, +and even (holy). He presented me with one of his blue flannel sack +coats. I had previously been able, through Dr. Crawford, to get enough +cloth for a pair of pants and vest. It was blockade goods which the +Government had purchased, and it was of a coarse textile, and of a light +blue cast, and thus I was fairly decently clothed. In those days the +Confederate grey was very much lacking, and men, as well as women, had +to wear anything, of any color they could get hold of. So after leaving +Dr. Crawford, to return to the hospital at Montgomery, I stopped over at +a cottage. The proprietor had a watch repair and jewelry shop in +Montgomery, who owned a small plantation about six miles from the city. +He had left the city for lack of business, and now lived at his country +home. He was an Englishman, his wife was French. This book being written +entirely from memory, after a lapse of about a half a century, I can't +remember the names of those people, but they were very kind and +hospitable. After supper we repaired to their little parlor. The house +was well kept, and proved that the mistress of the same knew how to +manage a home and make it comfortable. There was a piano, and I asked +the lady, (talking French to her), if she would kindly play a little. So +she asked me if I could sing some French songs; I said a few. She at +once repaired to the instrument, and asked me what will you have. I of +course called for the Marseillaise, which she performed to perfection. +So she asked me to sing; I started the melody of + + Adieu Patrie + France Cherie + Ou Chaque jour + Coulait si pure + Mon helvretie + Douce et jolie + Pays d'Amour + O ciel d azure + Adieu, Adieu! + +Having finished that stanza I noticed she had quit playing and was +crying; so I remarked, "Madam, had I known that my singing would have +had such an effect I surely would not have sung." By way of explanation +she remarked that her first husband was a composer and that the song I +sang was his first effort and he received a prize on it. Oh those were +happy days she said! Her husband talked very kindly to her and the +general conversation turned on France and of days gone by. She had lived +in Paris and knew many business houses that I knew and I passed a most +pleasant night. The following morning I sat down to a substantial +country breakfast. We had hardly finished when the negro servant ran in, +saying, "Master the Yankees are coming. They are here." Looking up the +road, sure enough, a few hundred yards beyond where the road turned, +they were in view. I at once, on the first impulse, jumped into a +closet. Hardly was I in, closing the door, when I thought of this being +the first place they would examine. I opened the door, and not knowing +where to go I went into the back yard, between the house and the smoke +house. Hardly had I done so when a dozen or more Yankees left their +column entered the house very boisterously. Being dressed somewhat like +they were, in blue, lacking but the brass buttons, I entered the back +door, unconcernedly, mixing among them without being detected or +noticed. Some of the men had placed their guns in the corner of the +room; when of a sudden my hostess run in by the back door, crying, "My +God! They are taking all of my meat." I don't know what impelled me but +I seized a gun from the corner, ran out of the back door, brought my +weapon from a trail to a support, and ordered the two men to throw back +the hams each of them had in their grasp, one of which acted at my +command, and the other said, What in the h----l you got to do with it. +Before I could reply his comrade said to him, "Throw it down, don't you +see he is a safe guard;" he threw down the hams. I took the cue from +what the Yankee said, although it was the first time I had heard of a +safe-guard. The door of the dwelling wide open, those in the house saw +me walk the post back and forth, made their exit and left the house, and +as long as I was guarding, no more Yankees tarried on the premises; they +came, looked about and left the premises as soon as they saw me standing +guard, until the whole column had passed. My host came to me saying, +Well, they are all gone, thank God, I said no, the rear guard has not +passed. The dwelling house was constructed close to the ground, leaving +only about a foot space in front while the rear end was about two and a +half feet from the ground. I took my gun and crawled under the house. +Presently there came what I thought to be about a regiment, and several +stragglers. Finally I came from under the house. I gave my hostess the +gun I'd taken, telling her, If I do not call for it it shall be yours. +My host took my hands, shook them heartily, saying, "You are a hero;" I +laughed, saying, Well, I saved your bacon; Good bye; I am much obliged +to you for your kind hospitality, and if it had not been for those +fellows we would have had a good time. I started on my philanthropic +errand, not knowing if I would find the sick men dead or alive. I had +gone but a few hundred yards when I met a Federal soldier marching +hastily to catch up. He said, Are they far ahead; I said, No, about five +hundred yards or a quarter of a mile. You are going the wrong way, said +he. I answered, I am not going far, I lost something. Further on I met +two more, who like the first, took me for a Federal. One said, Comrade +you are going the wrong way. I said, I am not going far. How far behind +are we? I said, Not far, a few hundred yards. And so within about one +and a half mile I met a dozen stragglers, walking to catch up, all +comparatively asking the same questions, and to which I replied alike. +When about four hundred yards in front of me, and about alike in the +rear of the last straggler I saw four horsemen, riding abreast, holding +their carbines by the barrel and resting the butt on their thighs. I +recognized them as Confederates. I walked up to them, asking, What +troops do you belong to? Harvey's Scouts of Forrests' Cavalry, was their +reply. Are there any others behind? Yes. How far? The rear of the +enemy's column is about two miles ahead of you, said I, and there are +about a dozen stragglers, some with guns, and some have none; they are +separated several hundred yards apart, some single and some in pairs; if +you spur up you can catch the whole gang; I'll tell those men ahead of +me to hurry up. Where is Capt. Harvey? You'll find him in the Exchange +Hotel, in town. They at once put spurs to their horses and galloped on, +and I followed my course towards the city. I met the reinforcements some +little distance ahead of me, and reported what I had seen and told their +advance scouts. They all went at full speed, and later, I saw the whole +gang of stragglers brought in. I asked Capt. Harvey what had become of +the inmates at the hospital. He said he did not know for he had just +arrived that morning. I went to the hospital, found things in rather bad +shape and the inmates gone. After careful investigation I heard that the +Ladies Relief Association had taken care of the sick and that they were +well provided for. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + + +Dr. Crawford followed General Hood's army and established headquarters +at Corinth, Miss. I followed at once, as soon as I could locate him. I +bought what provisions I could along the stations. At Columbus, Miss., +some Federals who came there to tear up the track fired in the train as +we passed; several of the passengers were wounded but General Forrest +appeared at that moment on the scene and routed the enemy, killing and +wounding quite a number of them, and thus preventing the wreckage of the +railroad track. The car I rode in was riddled with bullets, but I +escaped unhurt; several of the passengers had a close call. + +While at Corinth I was deputized to carry a message to the front, this +side of Franklin, Tennessee. I arrived in time where General Beauford's +men had a brush with the enemy. A stray bullet hit me in the thigh, and +for a time I thought I was seriously hurt. I was close to a little +stream of water. I had my leg tied above the wound with my handkerchief +and put it in the running stream. A surgeon came to probe my wound, but +trembled like a man having the palsy, and I told him he must not touch +me any further; he could hardly put his probe in the hole made by the +bullet. After a while I was picked up and sent to the rear where I was +cared for by Dr. Crawford, who was very sorry and regretted having sent +me. My wound was doing so well and there was no inflammation taking +place, and by keeping cold applications on it I was able to be about in +less than two weeks. Dr. Crawford said I did the best thing that could +be done by keeping inflammation down by putting my leg in the stream. +The wound did so well that he would not bother it to extract the ball, +and so I still carry it as a memento of the war. While at Corinth the +ladies of Washington county sent me a box. The battle of Franklin was +fought and a victory dearly bought. Two weeks later the battle of +Nashville was fought, and General Hood's magnificent army nearly +annihilated. They came through Corinth the worst conditioned men I ever +laid my eyes upon. There I met Lieut. John T. Gross of this County and +Capt. Joe Polhill of Louisville, Ga., and about twenty of their command. +They were hungry and in rags; I said, "Boys, you are in a bad fix." +Capt. Polhill said, "Ike, can you tell me where I can get something to +eat; I am starved." I said I had just heard that there was a box in the +depot for me, let us see what is in it. I took the crowd up to the +hospital and all got something to eat. The hospital wagon went to the +depot and got the box. It was a large box, and was filled to the top +with clothes and eatables. Lieut. Gross, who was barefooted, I supplied +with a pair of broken shoes. Many of the provisions were cooked. I took +out some checked shirts and knit socks and a pair of pants and jacket +and divided the rest among the boys, who were all from Jefferson and +Washington counties, and even to this day Capt Polhill declares I saved +his life. He is still one of the Vets. and a useful and honored citizen +of Louisville, Ga. + +Corinth at that time when I saw it, was only a railroad station with an +improvised station house or warehouse. A few chimneys here and there +indicated where had previously stood some houses. It is not far from the +Tennessee river, about ten miles from Shiloh, where Albert Sidney +Johnson, from Texas, was killed and General Beauregard saved the day. +During my convalescence I walked over some of the battle ground. Being +tired I sat down on a log. There were two logs touching each other +lengthways. They had been large trees, about two and a half to three +feet in diameter. Playing on the ground with my crutch I unearthed a +bullet; presently I scratched up another. I noted that the logs were +riddled with bullets. I picked up over one hundred pounds of musket +balls in a space not over twenty-five feet square. How any escaped such +a shower of lead in such a small place can't be possible. Undoubtedly +those logs had served as a protection behind which those brave fellows +sent forth in the ranks of their adversaries a similar amount of death +dealing missiles. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + + +This brings us towards the last part of December, 1864. When General +Hood planned his campaign to the rear of General Sherman, instead of +following General Johnston's tactics and thus leaving the balance of the +State of Georgia to the tender mercies of our adversaries, who had no +mercy or respect for age nor sex, but wantonly destroyed by fire and +sword whatever they could lay their hands on, save the booty and relics +with which they were loaded. Howell's battery, on account of their +horses being exhausted, could not follow General Hood's army into +Tennessee, and were ordered to Macon to recruit. This Company had seen +arduous service from Chickamauga to Atlanta, including Jonesboro. After +the battle of Chickamauga, one of the hardest contests of the war, in +which the confederate forces were successful, Howell's battery had the +honor to open the battle from the extreme right, on the 18th day of +September, 1863. On the 19th, which was on Saturday, the fight was +progressing furiously, with no results, both armies holding their own, +but on Sunday morning our forces centered their attack on the enemy's +center, charged through their lines and rolled them back in complete +disorder, and the victory was ours. General Bragg rested his forces for +a few days and renewed the fight around Chattanooga, Lookout Mountain +and Missionary Ridge. He found the enemy well fortified and ready. The +battle was a sanguinary one; Howell's battery besides losing two pieces +of artillery, which were recovered in the evening and returned to us, +lost in wounded, Leonidas Hines, Frank Bailey and Corporal Braswell, and +captured James Mullen, John S. Kelley, John Tompkins and John Braswell. +That night General Bragg withdrew as quietly as possible and went into +camp at Dalton, where we spent in winter quarters. At Macon they did +provost duty under direction of General Howell Cobb. The writer drifted +back through Alabama expecting to rejoin Dr. Crawford as soon as he +would locate, and being intercepted by Federal troops I reported to the +nearest Confederate post, which proved to be General Beaufort from +Kentucky, a cavalry officer at Union Springs, Alabama. General Abe +Beaufort was of colossal stature and an able officer, so I reported to +him for duty until I could join my proper command. He said, Have you a +horse? We are cavalry. I said, No, but I expect to get one the first +fight we get into. He laughed and said, Well, you can hang around here. +I stayed at his quarters several days. One day he seemed to be worried +more than usual; I ventured to say, "General, You seem to be worried +over something." He said, "I have enough to worry about; there is +General Forrest at Selma; I have sent him two couriers and neither of +them have reported; I don't know what became of them, whether they have +been captured, killed or run away. I want to hear from General Forrest +so that we can act in concert of action." The Federals who held +possession of Montgomery under General Wilson's corps d'army, who later +captured President Jefferson Davis in Irwin County, Ga., during the +several days of my hanging around at General Beaufort's Headquarters, he +asked me how long I had been in the service. I said, "I joined the first +Company that left my county and the first regiment that left my State." +How long had you been in this country before the war broke out? I +answered that I came to Georgia direct from France in the Fall of 1859, +about sixteen months before I enlisted. I found in this country an ideal +and harmonious people; they treated me as one of their own; in fact for +me, it was the land of Canaan where milk and honey flowed. In the +discussion of the political issues I felt, with those that I was in +contact with, that they were grossly imposed upon by their Northern +brethren and joined my friends in their defence, and so here I am, +somewhat worsted, but still in the ring. I said, General I have an idea; +I think I can carry a dispatch that will land. I have in my possession +at home my French passport. I can write for it and use it by going +squarely through their lines, as being an alien. I can change my clothes +for some citizens clothes. After a little reflection General Beaufort +said, "Hermann, you are an angel; it's the very idea." So we arranged to +write at once for my pass. It came in due time. The lady of the house +where the General kept his quarters furnished me with a suit of jeans +cloth, but begged the General not to send me for fear I might meet with +reverses. But the General said, He is all right, he can work the scheme. +That night I started about ten o'clock, on horseback, with two escorts. +It was a starlight night. We passed for some distance through a dense +swamp. The General cautioned me to be careful and on the lookout, an +admonition I thought entirely unnecessary. He said the enemy's camp was +about twelve miles distant, and that they had a company of scouts out +that night, and so had we, but as we journeyed along at a walk the +lightning bugs were so thick as to blind a fellow and the swamp so dark +that we could only designate the road by the distance and open space of +the tree tops and the stars. We did not however, meet any of the scouts. +On emerging from the swamp I noticed on my right a small farm cottage +and a dim light through the cracks of the door. I dismounted, knocked at +the door. At first no one answered. I knocked again when a lady's feeble +voice answered, Who is there? A friend, was the reply. Open the door +please. The door opened and there stood in front of me an old lady of +about seventy, I judged, nearly scared to death, trembling from head to +foot. To re-assure her I said, Madam, we are Southerners don't be +frightened, we won't do you any harm. Can you tell me how far it is from +here to the enemy's camp? She answered very excitedly that she had +nothing to do with the war, she is only a lone woman and we can't cheat +her out of many years. You all have stolen all my meat and did not leave +me a mouthful of corn or meat, and I am left here to starve to death. I +said, But we are Confederates; but I noticed the woman did not believe +me, undoubtedly owing to my brogue, as there were thousands of +foreigners in the federal army. I lit a match and scrutinized the ground +and noted the doors of the outhouse wide open, houses empty and the +ground churned into dust by the horses hoofs. Undoubtedly we were not +far from the enemy, as they were there that day and looted the premises. +I bid the lady good night and joined my escort who waited for me in the +road. As I was about to mount my horse I perceived ahead of me through +the limbs of the trees, a bright light. The lady was still standing in +the door, and I asked her what that light was we saw ahead of us. She +said they were the negro quarters about a quarter of a mile ahead, and I +thanked her and we moved a little forward and held consultation as to +what was best to do, whether they should return to camp leading my horse +back and I to take it afoot or whether we had better go together to the +quarters, probably they might get a few potatoes and some buttermilk, +for be it understood that we belonged to the hungry army where rations +became very scarce, for as a rule the Confederate soldier respected +private property and often suffered hunger rather than appropriate +property belonging to others. They concluded they might buy something to +eat from the darkies. The negroes in those days, as before the war, +always had a surplus of provisions. They were well fed, in fact most of +them made their own provisions with the exception of meat, their owner +allowing them patches and giving them time to cultivate the same for +their own use or to sell with their master's permission, which was +generally only a matter of form or respect. + +[Illustration: The Capture of the Federal Cavalrymen.] + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + + +In keeping my eyes to the front watching the light, we came to an open +field on the right. On the left of the road was a dense forest. I noted +some one crossing the light and heard some one screaming and hollering +like negroes carousing. Presently the same person recrossed and I +thought there must be some Federals about there and we stopped to +consult. I concluded that I would take it afoot and reconnoiter while my +escort would enter the woods where we stood and wait for me until I +returned. I took the darker side of the road along the woods until I +arrived close to the premises, and I circumvented the place. I noted a +double pen log house with a large chimney at one end and a rousing +lightwood fire in it. A step over fence about five rails high surrounded +the yard in which stood a very large oak tree, the limbs of which hung +low, a little above a man's head. To those limbs were hitched three +splendid horses. In the house were three Federals, enjoying their +surroundings. The house had a front and back entrance and the fire in +the chimney cast its light some distance, front and rear, around the +premises. I hurried back to my comrades and made my report as above, +and I suggested a line of action as follows: We will leave our horses on +the road side, about two hundred yards this side the house. One of us +will enter the back side as I enter the front, and one of you follow me; +Are you willing. If you do as I say we will capture those fellows +without firing a shot. The youngest of the escort was a young man of +about 19 years; the other was 21 years old. The younger said, General +Beauford told us to obey your orders, and I am ready to do what you tell +me to do. I said, Bravo, my boy. The other one was silent, I remarked, +what do you say? He tried to answer but his teeth chattered and he was +trembling so he could hardly speak. I said, What is the matter with you, +are you scared? He said, No, I am excited. You must compose yourself. If +you follow my advice and do exactly what I say and we will capture those +fellows without firing a gun, but there must be no wobble, or they may +turn the joke on us. I told the youngest to hold his gun ready for use +and to make a detour around the house and face the back entrance, and I +would give him time to get in position, and as I enter the front door he +must enter the back door, and we must get the drop on them, otherwise +they might get it on us. I told the other fellow to follow me and do as +I do and not to fire unless I do. I carried a couple of colts pistols. +As we entered the negro women and the men were sitting on benches before +the fire, when I exclaimed, surrender! in the meantime covering them +with my pistols and the guns of my comrades. They jumped as if lightning +has struck them. "Unbuckle your weapons or you are dead men; be quick +about it." My orders were executed with alacrity and we marched them out +of the house. In the far end of the house I spied a plow line hanging +from a nail in the wall. I appropriated the same and we unhitched the +horses and walked to where ours were. Not a word was spoken by either of +us. The horses were brought forward and the prisoners mounted. The plow +line served to pinion their legs under the animals below. All this was +done as quickly as possible. When the prisoners realized that we were +but three, one of them commenced being obtrusive and talking loud and +abusive. I cautioned him and his comrades that unless they moved along +quietly and not talk above a whisper we would be compelled to leave them +by the roadside, for some one, unknown to us, to bury them. My +admonition had a good effect, and our cavalcade advanced in a lope, one +leading the horses, the prisoners were riding by the bridle reins, and +I and the other man closing up the rear. I was fearful of meeting some +of their scouting parties, of which General Beaufort advised me of on +our departure, but it seemed that they were in some other direction from +us, for we noted the firmament in every direction lit up by an aurora +borealis from the burning houses those miscreants set afire. When +arriving close to our pickets we halted. I sent one of my escort in +advance to announce our arrival so as not to be fired into, as it was +only day break and still too dark to be recognized. I rode at once to +General Beaufort's headquarters to report. He was still in bed; the +guard admitted me. He said, I thought you were on your way to Selma. I +said, General, I met with an accident and came back. An accident said +he! So I stated that accidentally I captured three Federals and got me a +horse at my first opportunity. He got up and dressed, had the prisoners +brought before him and commenced questioning them but they were very +reticent and evaded many of his questions. General Beaufort was very +anxious to find out the strength of his adversary in his immediate front +and their destination. I suggested that I change my clothing for the +uniform of one of the prisoners who was my size, and ride in their line. +He said, That is a very dangerous business; if you are trapped they +will hang you. I said, I am in for the war; life as it is is not worth +much, I'll take the chances. So that night after midnight I passed again +our videttes, in company with two escorts who accompanied me for company +sake for a few miles, when they returned to camp and I went it alone. +After passing the cottage of the old lady where we sought information, +the previous night, I put my horse at full speed and passed the negro +quarters. No one was astir and I continued my course for about three +miles when I saw some obstruction in the road on the brow of the hill. +Halt, was the command. I halted, at within about seventy-five yards. Who +comes. A friend. Seeing that I was alone I was asked to advance. As I +approached I noted that there was a rail fence across the road, behind +which were two sentinels, their muskets pointing at me. I remarked as I +crossed the fence, Didn't I have a race; those four rebels run me clean +to nearly where I am. My horse was steaming wet. I said, You see that +fire yonder; we set the gin house afire when the rebels came up and gave +me a hot chase. The sentinels were all excitement and kept their eyes to +the front. I had dismounted and placed myself in line with them. I could +have killed them both but that was not my object. Finally, seeing no +one coming, I said they must have gone back. I mounted my steed and +slowly rode up, in a walk, where I saw what I thought was the main camp, +but it was only what was known as the grand guard of about a half a +regiment of cavalry. Taking in the surroundings at a glance I noted the +horses hitched in the corners of the fence along the road and the men +some lying, some sitting on improvised seats around their camp fire. I +at once rode to an empty corner in the fence and hitched my horse and +walked to a fire where most of the men were lying down, seemingly +sleeping. There lay one empty blanket on the ground and I laid myself +down on it, facing the fire, which felt pretty good, for I was chilled, +the night being cold. As I pretended to take a nap some fellow gave me a +hunch with his foot, saying, Hello comrade, you are lying on my blanket. +I grunted a little and turned some further when he pulled the blanket +from under me. This seemingly roused me, and I was wide awake. I +stretched out my arms as if I were yawning, addressing myself to the men +next to me, "This is a terrible life to lead. Where are we going? To +Savannah. I heard some say Savannah. That is in Georgia, a long ways +from here; I am afraid some of us will never get there; I heard that +there is an army of fifteen thousand rebels ahead of us within fifteen +miles of here." He answered, That would not amount to much with what we +have. I thought I would stretch as far as I could reasonably do so, for +General Beauford's force was only 1,500 strong. You say that would not +amount to much with what we have to oppose them? He said Wilson's Corps +amounts to nearly 25,000. O, not that much. He commenced to enumerate +different regiments, the number of cannon, etc., etc. All at once I +heard the bugle blast "Call to Horse," and everything was active. What's +the matter I said, seeing everybody catching their horses? He answered, +Did you not get three days rations? I said, Yes. Well we are going to +advance. I run to my horse and mounted. I felt that I had to advise +General Beauford of this move, and not to pass the picket post that I +did coming in I took down the railroad track which run parallel the +wagon road some distance, but to my surprise there was a vidette post +there of two sentinels. They halted me, saying, You can't pass. I +remarked that they will be relieved in a few minutes, that our forces +are advancing. There being a nice spring of water in sight, just to the +left of the road I wanted to fill my canteen full of water. The road +being very dusty I suggested that I would fill theirs if they wished me +to in the meantime. I'll be back in a few seconds. So they handed me +their canteens and I put the spurs to my horse. Further on I turned to +the left into the wagon road and post haste and at full gallop rode into +our camp, which was twelve miles ahead of me. The cap which I had +borrowed from one of our prisoners was a little too big for my head and +in my haste to reach camp blew off. I did not stop to pick it up, but +reached camp in about three quarters of an hour. It still being a little +before day a bullet passed me in close proximity and I knew that I was +close to our lines. I stopped and held up both hands. The bad +marksmanship of the sentinel saved me from being shot. I at once rode up +to the General's quarters, was admitted by the sentinel and made my +report. He was still in bed, but he got up and ordered two companies of +Col. Armistead's Regiment to the front and deployed into a skirmish +line. In less than an hour we heard the firing. All the forces were +astir, and we withdrew towards West Point, Georgia, thus giving the +enemy the right of way. The General asked me if I held any commission. I +said, Yes, high private in the rear ranks. Well, I'll see that you will +be promoted when I make my report to the war department. I need a +hundred men just like you. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + + +That evening I donned my disguise as a citizen, and advanced, as before, +to go through their lines as an alien. I rode as before as far as my +judgment would permit to prevent the capture of my escort, when I took +it afoot to carry out the program first suggested. I walked about four +miles and day was breaking. As two nights previous, the country +indicated depredations by fires. When I again, as the night before, saw +obstructions in front of me, I walked within twenty-five or thirty paces +up to it when I was commanded to halt and challenged as to who comes +there, their muskets pointing at me. I said, "Me no speaky English, je +parle Francais." Where are you going? Me no stand English. They made me +a sign to sit down by the side of the obstructive fence, after having +let me cross their barricade. About fifteen minutes later an officer +with the relief guard came up. Who's that you got there? How did he get +here? They answered I walked up. He is a foreigner and can't speak our +language. Turning to me he said, where are you going? "Je ne +comprenspas, je parle francais." So he made me signs to following him, +which I did. He conducted me to a large camp fire where I saw several +men guarding others and recognized them to be Confederates. This was the +first time I felt my danger; I was afraid that there might be some among +the prisoners that might have seen me before and might recognize me. +However my fears were without cause as I did not know any of them. About +eight o'clock a. m., the Provost Marshall General came around and +addressed himself to me. Who are you, said he. As before, I said je +parle francais. Oh, you are a Frenchman. Well, I will get some one that +can speak to you. He ordered one of the guards to go to a Canadian +Company and ask the Captain to send him a man that could speak French +and English. Presently a young soldier presented himself. The Provost +took him aside and I pretended not to notice them. They stepped to +within a few paces of me; when I heard the Provost say to him, Pump him. +I thought, He will be welcome to all he will get out of me. He stepped +up to me and talked to me in French. I appeared to be so glad to meet +one I could talk to, that I did not give him an opportunity to ask me a +single question. I told him how I came here in the fall of 1859, pulling +out my passport which he scrutinized and handed over to the Provost, +who in turn looked at the same. I told him that I made a mistake coming +here, that the people made it very unpleasant to me because I would not +enlist; that I had to leave Georgia, and I am now on my way to New +Orleans, which I heard the port was open so as to see the French consul +to assist me back to France; that I am tired of this land where people +murder each other. During all of our conversation the Provost said, What +does he say. My interlocutor explained and then they all would laugh. +Finally I said that I was hungry, that I had had nothing to eat in 24 +hours. So the Provost said, Boys, can you fix up something for him among +you, and they all contributed some from their rations and filled my +haversack full of substantial food, and besides contributed $10.00 in +money. I thanked them and started off, after being told that I could go, +but as I was apparently green I asked my questioner how far I was from +New Orleans and if there were any more places where I might be delayed, +when the Provost intervened with his, What did he say? Which after being +explained to him, he said, I had better give him a pass, they might take +him up on the other end of the line, and so he wrote on a slip of paper, +"Pass the bearer through the line," and signed his name in such +chirography that I could not read it. I arrived into Montgomery late +that afternoon, and reported, as per previous arrangement with Col. Paul +to Judge Pollard, whose daughter he married, and told that family how +the boys were getting along. Judge Pollard was a stately old gentleman +of great prominence in that section of the country. He received me in +his large library and we had quite a long conversation over the +situation. I told him that I was directed to him with the understanding +that he would provide me with a horse so that I might continue my +journey to Selma. He shook his head and said I'll see what can be done, +but I don't believe there is a horse to be got within ten miles of here; +the Yankees stole every horse and mule they could lay their hands on, +and sure enough he was unable to furnish me with an animal, but thought +I might, by making a long detour beyond the flanks of the enemy's +columns, be able to proceed. That morning one of the ladies presented me +with a tobacco bag, made out of a piece of pink merino, and the initials +of my name embroidered on it with yellow silk and filled with smoking +tobacco, and a shaker pipe stuck in it. It was quite a novelty and was +highly appreciated. After having partaken of a substantial breakfast I +bid my host and his family good bye, visited my friends Faber, +Lewellen, Coleman and other acquaintances of the city, all of which had +their tales of woe and sufferings to account at the hands of the enemy. +I departed for Selma on foot. I was weary and depressed. I heard that I +was again in close proximity to the enemy who routed Forrest from that +city and came within a fraction of either killing or capturing him. He +was surrounded by four troopers who demanded his surrender, when he +threw his saber, spurred his horse and ran the gauntlet among a shower +of bullets. I heard that in the melee he received a saber cut in the +face. I felt sick at heart and physically worn out and took a rest and +wended my way to Col. Bowen, who was glad to see me and offered me all +the comforts to recruit my strength. I remained there nearly a week. I +really did not know where to report to, General Beauford being on the +retreat before Wilson's corps who came from via Pensacola, Florida. I +was surrounded on every side, so I concluded to retrace my way back to +Montgomery but when a few miles from Greenville as I emerged from a long +lane at the end of which the road turned into a forest I noted some +Federal soldiers. I came within a very short distance of them before +seeing them; my first impulse was to run back, but I was tired, it +being a warm day and nothing to protect me from the bullets, having an +open lane where they might play at my fleeing figure. I concluded to +give up on demand, but on close approach, seeing that they were negro +troops I regretted not having taken chances, however great, of escape, +especially when I was asked to surrender my arms, which consisted of a +couple of colts 6 inch pistols, one of which I carried in a scabbard +buckled around me and the other in the belt of my pants, which were +tucked in my boot legs. In unbuckling my belt I contracted my body +allowing the one in my pants to slide down my leg into my boot and thus +only surrendered one of them. The other I carried on as I marched. The +friction of the barrel on the ankle of my foot gave me excruciating +pains but I continued on until I could feel the blood on the inside of +my boot. There were other prisoners, among them General Pillow and his +son, George. Arriving in Montgomery we were locked up in the Lehman +Brothers building which had served as a shoe factory for the Confederate +Government. I intended to use my weapon at the first opportunity I saw +to gain my liberty. That night I asked for a doctor to dress my wounded +foot. He came and asked me how that happened. My socks adhered to the +wounds and the pains it gave me were unbearable. I told him I had +snagged myself. He dressed my wound and I felt relieved to a great +extent. The next morning I sent word to my friend Faber to come to see +me and he did so. I said to him to see if he could not get me a parole, +after he had told me that he had had some Yankee officers quartered at +his house, saying that they were all Western men and seemed to be clever +fellows. He promised to use his influence. Presently he returned with an +officer and I was turned out on parole, but to report every morning at +nine o'clock. The following morning I reported, when the officer +commanded one of the men to take charge of me and lock me up. I thought +the jig was up, that probably I had been reported by some one and that I +might fare the worst for it. There were fifty prisoners; we were all +called out to form into line and from that into column, and marched up +the hill to the capitol, where we received some salt pork and hard tack +to last us three days. We were informed that we would be sent to Ship +Island, a country of yellow fever, close to New Orleans in retaliation +of Andersonville, there to take the chances to live or die; undoubtedly +they would have preferred the latter. About one o'clock p. m. a courier +rode up to the capitol, followed by another. Presently we were informed +that the war was over, that General Lee had surrendered and that Lincoln +was assassinated and instead of being sent to Ship Island we were to be +paroled under promise not to take up arms again against the United +States, until properly exchanged. This brings us up to the early part of +June 1865, or latter part of May. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX. + + +Thus it will be noted that while the war was over in the East, we of the +Western army didn't know it and were still fighting, all communication +between the two armies being cut off. My friend Faber, who was one of +the most popular citizens of Montgomery was afterwards elected Mayor of +the City. The following morning I prepared to wend my way back to +Georgia. My foot was inflamed and gave me pain, so I said to a Yankee +Sergeant who was in waiting on some of the officers there if he could +not manage to get me some piece of a horse to ride as I was a long ways +from home and in a crippled condition. He said, Yes, if I would give him +my watch, which was an open faced, old fashioned English lever, +generally called bulls-eye. I acquiesced. We marched down one of the +main thoroughfares. We halted before an establishment which was used as +a guard house and previously had served as a store. In its front on the +sidewalk was a cellar. The Sergeant asked them to bring out that horse, +and in the meantime asked me for the watch. Thinking of him as a clever, +sympathetic soul, owing to his prompt offer of assistance, I +unhesitatingly handed him my watch. They having entered the cellar, +they lifted out of its confines a frame of horse so poor that six men +took him bodily and placed him on the sidewalk. He was actually nothing +but skin and bones; I was astonished that life could have existed in +such a frame. I said, Is this the best you can do for me? He said, I +promised you a horse for your watch and here he is, and he left me. The +men were amused at my discomfiture. I finally concluded that a bad ride +is better than a good walk and I made the best of a bad bargain. I asked +the men if they could get me a bridle and saddle. They answered that +they had none, so I made me a halter out of the rope around his neck, +pulled off my coat as padding on either side of his sharp backbone so as +to serve me as a saddle and asked the man next to me to give me a lift, +and there I was, mounted, representing the picture of Don Quixote to +perfection. I urged the horse forward and the men hollered Whoa! which +command he was only too eager to obey, I eventually got away from that +place and took the Eufaula route homeward. It was four o'clock in the +afternoon and I was only four miles from my starting point. The animal +had neither eat nor drunk anything while in my possession and from his +looks probably not in several days previous. I saw as I passed along at +a snail gait, a corral by the side of the road, with all kinds of +contraband. There were negroes, women and children, cattle of all +description and a quantity of mules and horses, all encircled by a large +rope and guarded by sentinels. I passed a soldier about a half mile from +this place. I said to him, What troops are those on the right hand side +up the hill? He said they were cavalry. I concluded to ride up, that +probably I might induce the officer to exchange animals with me so as to +enable me to get along, for I came to the conclusion to abandon my steed +and take a bad walk in preference to a bad ride. As I approached the +camp I noticed a man sitting on a camp stool, his back towards me, his +feet propped up against a large tree, reading a newspaper and seemingly +greatly preoccupied as he did not hear my approach. He was in negligee, +it being a very warm day; he wore nothing but his pants and a spotted +white blouse shirt and was bareheaded. I left my horse by the side of a +stump and slid off, approaching within a respectful distance in his +rear, I said, Good evening. He jumped like he had been shot. I said +excuse me sir, I did not mean to scare you. So he peremptorily said, +What will you have? I answered, Are you the commander of these troops? +He said, Yes; what will you have? I answered that I was a paroled +prisoner on my way home; that I was crippled and had a long ways to go. +The horse I got I bought from one of the Federals for a silver watch. It +took me a whole day to get from the City to where I am; that I had +noted, coming along, a corral with many loose horses and mules and I +ventured to see if he would not be kind enough to furnish me with a +better mount than the one I possessed. He replied, What country are you +from? I am from France. How long have you been in the army? Ever since +the war started. Were you forced into the army or did you volunteer? I +volunteered sir. And you have been fighting us for over four years and +now come and ask me for a favor? You need not grant it; good bye. And +off I hobbled to where I left my horse taking him by the mane I led him +up to the stump and was about to mount when the officer commanded me, +Come back here, said he, I like your style. You are the first one I've +met but what was forced into the army. Tell the officer in charge of the +corral to exchange animals with you. I remarked, Colonel, a written +order from you might have a better effect. He laughed, got up and walked +into his tent and when he returned he handed me a slip of paper +addressed to Capt. Ledger, and read as follows: Exchange animals with +the bearer; Col. York, Com'd'g 7, Indiana Cavalry. I thanked him, gave +the military salute and retraced my steps towards the corral. I +presented my note to the Capt. in charge; he said, Pick out the one you +want. There were some excellent animals but many were galled and not +serviceable for any immediate use. I spied a medium sized, plump mule. +She was in excellent order, and as I was short in funds I thought I +could tether her out to eat grass and thus progress without having to +buy food. So I took the mule. I asked him if he would furnish me with a +saddle and bridle, and he let me have nearly a new Mexican saddle and +bridle and I was once more in good shape. Capt. Ledger asked me where I +was going. I said, Home, in Georgia. Which way? I am on my way to +Eufaula. So he said, I believe I'll ride a piece of the way with you. He +had his horse caught, which was a magnificent animal. Riding along side +by side I remarked, Captain that is a splendid horse you are on. He +said, Yes, I have a pair, you could not tell one from the other; they +are spirited animals but perfectly gentle. Their owner must have prized +them highly; some of the men picked them up. That's a new name for +stealing, said I. He remarked, I suppose so, but if I could find out +their owner I am going to return them to him; I am making some effort +towards it. I said, Well sir, it does me good to hear you say so, and to +know that there are some men of feeling, and gentlemen among your army. +He said, Well, war is war. It is true that many acts were committed +unnecessarily harsh, but I am glad it is over and I hope we will all be +friends again. He stopped, saying, Well, I have ridden far enough, and I +am going back. We shook hands, he wished me a safe journey and cantered +back to his camp. It was already late and I proceeded as far as Fort +Browder and stopped over night with Mr. Tom Wells. His wife was also a +Georgian and a kinswoman of the Braswell family. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI. + + +The following morning after bidding my host good bye I took the road to +Union Springs. On my way I caught up with General Pillow, who was riding +in a carriage drawn by two fine mules, and his son George, who was +riding horseback. I said, Hello! On your way home? He answered, Yes. +What route are you going? We are trying to make Union Springs for +tonight; father is not very well and we are making short stations. I +remarked, I am surprised they left you your horse. He said, They left us +our side arms and let father have his carriage and mules and me my +horse. I rode up to the carriage, shook hands with the old General, +whose head was as white as snow, congratulated him on his good luck of +being able to keep his outfit. He said, Yes, it was more than I +expected. We traveled together for several miles when we were met by +five men, one of which, a rather portly fellow, remarked, Boys, if this +is not Sal, I'll be hanged. And he advanced and took my mule by the +bridle, saying, This mule belongs to me, you will have to get off. I +said, I reckon not, drawing my pistol. He said, The Yankees stole that +mule from me. I said, Well, I got her from the Yankees, but she cost me +a watch worth about thirty dollars. I stated facts as they were, saying, +I am on my way to Eufaula and I am crippled and can't walk, and I shall +ride there if it costs me my life. So General Pillow interfered, saying, +Gentlemen, this is a Confederate soldier on his way home; he is crippled +and can't walk. I will pay you for the mule to end the matter. What kind +of money? Confederate, of course, I have no other. Well, that is not +worth a curse. That is all I've got. The men were still standing in +front of me and occasionally touched the reins, when I cocked my pistol, +saying, Turn that bridle loose, I am going to Eufaula on this mule. +After that I do not care what becomes of it; I expect to take the boat +there for Columbus. He answered, I tell you what I'll do; here is a gold +chain; I suppose it is worth as much as your watch. I will give you that +chain and you'll leave the mule with the hotel man and I'll get her +there. So I said all right, when General Pillow remarked, Gentlemen, +undoubtedly you are in search of stock; suppose you were to find any +that belongs to somebody else, which it would be pretty apt to be, and +the owner would come and claim it; would you turn it over to him? The +spokesman hesitated, then said, I don't know if I would or not. I said, +well, our arrangement suits me; what is the hotel keeper's name? He told +me but I have forgotten it. So we arrived at our destination about one +hour by sun and stopped all night at the house of Major Pemberton, a +friend of General Pillow's. George and I occupied the same bed. He +proved to be an excellent companion and we recounted many incidents to +one another. After breakfast we parted company. I took the route to +Eufaula, Ala., by myself, leaving General Pillow and his son with our +host, with whom they proposed to stay for a few days, before continuing +their homeward journey, which was near Franklin, Tenn. I arrived at +Eufaula at about three o'clock p. m. and inquired for the hotel, whose +proprietor I found sitting in a chair in front. Is this the hotel? Yes +sir. A soldier on his way home? Yes sir. This is a good mule you have +got; will you sell her? I said, How much will you give me for it? He +remarked, I have only Thirty-Five Dollars, in Mexican silver and some +Confederate money that nobody takes about here. I'll give you the +Mexican dollars for the outfit. You will also give me my dinner and fill +my haversack with provisions to last me home? Yes, I'll do that too. +What time will the boat leave for Columbus? At four o'clock. Well, I +have time to take dinner. I turned the mule over to him, he had me +served something to eat and paid me thirty-five Mexican silver dollars. +I took the chain, which was not gold but galvanized brass, and said, I +am glad I have made connection with the boat, I will get home sooner. +Handing the proprietor the chain, I said, There is a gentleman who may +call for me; you tell him I made connection and went on. This chain +belongs to him and I want him to have it. All right, said he. The boat, +according to schedule, left for Columbus with me aboard. In Columbus I +met Dr. Mullin, a friend of Dr. Crawford's, but could get no information +as to his whereabouts. From Columbus I traveled to Atlanta. The sight +that met my view was sickening. Instead of a nice little city, for it +must be remembered that Atlanta at that time was not the cosmopolitan of +this day, it could not have had over seven or eight thousand +inhabitants; there it lay in ashes, the work of vandalism. The brick +chimneys marked the places where comfortable shelters used to stand. Its +inhabitants fled from the approaching foe, fearing even a worse fate at +the hands of such unscrupulous barbarians. From Atlanta I followed in +the wake of Sherman's army towards Macon, and had it not been for my +trade with the hotel keeper of Eufaula to have my haversack filled, I +could not have existed to the end of my journey. As already stated, the +Country for miles in every direction was sacked and burned. I say this +much for the New England civilization, of these days, that in no +country, civilized or uncivilized, could such barbarism have excelled +such diabolical manifestation. I arrived in Macon at dusk, intending to +pass the night at my cousin's. In front of the Brown House came an +ambulance, said to contain President Jefferson Davis. They traveled at a +good trot, surrounded by a body of cavalry which I was informed were +Wilson's men, Macon being in the hands of that General to whom General +Howell Cobb surrendered that city. I was sick at heart at our entire +helplessness and complete prostration. I called on my relatives who were +glad to see me again among the living. They were much depressed at the +condition of things, hoping for the best, but expecting the worst. I met +Mr. Kaufman, General Cobb's orderly, as I was about to leave for what I +called home. I stated that if there was a chance for me to get something +to ride it would greatly facilitate my locomotion. My ankle, although +still sore was healing nicely. Mr. Kaufman said, I will sell you my +horse, I have got nothing to feed him on. I said, I will give you all +the money I got for the mule, having given them already the history of +my itinerary from Montgomery to Macon. He accepted my offer and I was +again in a traveling condition. All along my route devastation met my +view. I could not find sufficient corn to give my horse a square meal. +Wherever I found a green spot I dismounted to let my horse eat grass. I +traveled at night as well as in the day time and arrived at my +destination about 10 o'clock a. m. the next day. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXII. + + +Conditions there were not as bad as I had seen along the line of march, +although they were bad enough. Mr. and Mrs. Braswell received me as if I +had been one of their own family. I found the premises badly +dilapidated, fences down everywhere and everything in disorder, the +negro men gone, following the yankee army, the negro women and children +were still left to be taken care of by their Master and Mistress. Before +leaving the Yankees started to set the premises on fire but the servant +intervened and begged for their good master and mistress and they +desisted in their intentions. I asked if old Sallie could wash my +clothes I had on, and if I could borrow something to put on while mine +was in process of cleaning, for the enemy had stolen my trunk and its +contents and I had no change of garments. Mr. Braswell was of very +corpulent stature, fully six feet high, weighing about 250 pounds, while +I, in my emaciated condition only weighed 135. One of his garments would +have wrapped twice around me. At 12 o'clock dinner was announced, and I +was surprised at the good and substantial meal that was served. The +menu consisted of fried ham and eggs, corn bread, biscuits, butter and +honey. I said, "folks, you ought not to complain; if you had gone +through where I have and seen what I have seen you would feel like you +live like royalty, for I have seen women and children scratch in the +ground for a few grains of corn for sustenance where the enemy's horses +were camped and fed." Mr. Braswell then explained how he managed when he +heard of the enemy's approach. He took his cattle, horses and mules and +everything he could move, deep in the Ogeechee swamp, leaving only a few +broke down around his premises which the enemy, General Kilpatrick's +cavalry, shot down and left for the buzzards. Mrs. Braswell asked me +what I was going to do. I said I did not know; I was in hope to meet +Cousin Abe Hermann, but you say he was taken prisoner. Do you know where +they carried him to? They answered, No, that Cousin Abe was drafted and +went, as a sutler in General Rube Carswell's regiment and was captured +by the enemy and that they had heard nothing from him, direct. Then Mr. +Braswell said, As long as I've got a mouthful I will divide with you. We +are poor and I don't know how to begin with the new order of things, all +the hands having left me. After telling Mrs. Braswell about her kindred +in Alabama and of my ups and downs during that afternoon, I spent a +sleepless night, ruminating in my mind as to what to do. The future +looked dark, the country was ruined. Wherever I cast my eyes, conditions +looked the same. The following morning after breakfast I approached Mr. +Braswell, saying, My friend, I can't accept your proposition to be an +extra burden to you in your already impoverished condition. He said, +What are you going to do? I said, The next time you hear from me I will +be in a position to make a support, or I will be a dead cock in the pit. +I am going to leave this morning. I left for Sandersville, where I met +many friends. While there I heard of some of the boys having picked up +an abandoned Confederate wagon. There were about fifteen that claimed a +share in it. The next day I went to Milledgeville and stopped this side +at Mr. Stroters, who had run a distillery during the war. I said, Mr. +Stroter have you any whiskey on hand? He said, Yes, one barrel, I had it +buried. Can I get about five gallons? He said, Yes. What will you take +for it? Five dollars a gallon, in Yankee money, the Confederate money is +no good now. I said, I'll take five gallons if you have a keg to put it +in. I have no money of the description you want, but I will leave you my +horse in bond. + +Early in the morning I proceeded on my way to Macon, carrying the five +gallon keg of whiskey on my shoulder. The journey was a long one, +thirty-two miles, with a burden and it being summer time was no small +undertaking. I arrived however, in East Macon the following day. I +entered the woods in search of a clay root where I could hide away my +burden. I found a large tree that was blown down, leaving a big hole, +where I placed my keg and covered it with leaves. I marked the place so +as to find it when wanted. I also carried a canteen full of liquor under +my coat, and walked towards Macon. On the way I met a Federal in deep +study. I passed him a step or two, then stopped and said, Say! He +turned, saying, you speak to me? I said, Yes, would you like to have a +drink? He said, Yes, the best in the world. I tell you how you can get +this canteen full. If you bring me out a mule this side the sentinel I +will give you this canteen full. He remarked, You'll wait yonder until I +return. I waited over an hour, when I saw him come on a small mule. The +exchange was quickly effected, and I rode back to Milledgeville and left +the mule at Stroters. After eating a hearty meal I returned on foot to +Macon, I repeated the same tactics, brought back three mules and sold +over one hundred drinks at $1.00 a drink, paid Stroter my debt and +returned to Washington County, left my stock with my friend B. S. Jordan +to tend his crop, who at that time had a negro plowing an old steer. I +said, Ben, Work your crop, for I do not know how long you can keep them. +I returned to Sandersville in quest of the boys who claimed the captured +Confederate wagon, and to purchase it. They agreed if I would bring each +a wool hat from Savannah on my return I could have the wagon, which I +agreed to. Major Irwin gave me an old set of gears and I was ready to +carry freight from Sandersville and Washington County to Savannah for a +living, for let it be known that Sherman in his vandalism tore up the +Central railroad all the way from Macon to Savannah, Ga., and for eight +months after the surrender I continued wagoning hauling freight back and +forth, taking the weather as it came, rain or shine, cold or warm. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII. + + +My first journey as wagoner to Savannah was a successful one. There was +still some cotton through the country that escaped the Sherman +depredators. Mr. W. G. Brown let me have two bales. Mr. Pinkus Happ let +me have one. My tariff was $5.00 per 100 pounds, and the same returning. +I took the Davisboro road from Sandersville, having only two mules +hitched to the wagon. I had sent word to Mr. Jordan to meet me with my +horse and mule still in his possession. The road was heavy for it was a +rainy season and to make it lighter pulling I concluded to have a four +mule team. So we put the harness on the horse and mule and hitched them +in the lead. About that time a negro I knew, named Perry, came up and +made himself useful. I said, Perry, what are you doing? Nothing, Marse +Ike. How would you like to wagon for me at $15.00 a month and rations? +Very well, said he. Well, jump in the saddle, I am on my way to +Savannah. It was about four o'clock p. m. Perry took hold of the line +and cracked his whip, when the horse, whose other qualities, except a +saddle horse I did not know, commenced to kick in a spirited manner, so +as to skin his legs with the trace chains in which he became entangled, +I had to unhitch him. Mr. John Salter was present and saw the whole +proceeding. I remarked, Well. I am sorry for that for I had expected to +have a four horse team, and now can have only a spike team. Salter said, +Hermann, what will you take for this horse? You say he is a good saddle +horse? I never straddled a better one. What will you give me? He said he +had no money but had two bales of cotton under his gin house and I could +have it for the horse. How far do you live from here? Two miles only. +All right, the horse is yours. Perry, let us go and get the cotton. Mr. +Salter led the way where the cotton was. We loaded the same and drove +that night to the Fleming place and camped. The trip was uneventful. We +made the journey to Savannah in four days. There was a firm of cotton +factors named Bothwell and Whitehead doing business in the City, and +they were my objective point. However, before arriving into the city, +about thirty miles this side, I met men wanting to buy my cotton. They +offered me from fifteen to fifty cents per pound. I did not know what +the value was; I knew that before the war started it brought about eight +cents. However, I drove up to the firms office on Bay street. I saw Mr. +Bothwell; after the usual greeting I said, What is cotton selling at? +It brought .62½ this a. m., but I think I can get more than that if it +is good cotton. To make matters short I got .65 per pound and the two +bales Salter let me have for my horse weighed 600 pounds a bale, netting +me $720.00. I bought me another mule and now I was again fully equipped +and made the voyage regularly every week. I took a partner, as the +business was more than I could attend to by myself; his name was Solomon +Witz. He would engage freight during my absence, and we sometimes made +the trip together. The country was forever in a state of excitement. New +edicts appeared from time to time from Washington, D. C., Congress +promulgated laws to suit their motives, and notwithstanding the +agreement between General Lee and General Grant at Appomattox that the +men should return, build up their waste places and not again to take up +arms until properly exchanged and they should not be molested as long as +they should attend to their daily avocations, Congress established what +was then known as the Freedmen's Bureau, seemingly for the protection of +the negroes, as if they needed any, as their devotion to their master +and their behavior at home while every white man able to bear arms was +at the front fighting for their homes and firesides, leaving their +families in the hands of their slaves whose devotion was exemplary, was +not that a sufficient guarantee of the relationship between slaves and +masters? The attachment was of the tenderest kind and a white man would +have freely offered his life for the protection of his servants; but +that condition did not suit our adversaries. Although we thought the war +was over, it was not over and more terrible things awaited the Southern +people. Emissaries of every description, like vultures, surnamed carpet +baggers, for all they possessed could be enclosed into a hand bag, +overran this country to fatten on the remnants left. School mams of the +far East, of very questionable reputation, opened what were called +schools, presumably to teach the negroes how to read and write, but +rather to inculcate into their minds all sorts of deviltry, embittering +their feelings against their former owners and life long friends, urging +them to migrate for unless they did they would still be considered as +bondsmen and bondswomen, thus breaking up the kind relation existing +between the white man and the negro. And all this under the protection +of the Freedmen's Bureau backed up by a garrison of Federals stationed +in every town and city throughout the Southern States. In fact the +South was made to feel the heels of the despots. Military Governors were +appointed. All those who bore arms or aided or abetted in the cause of +the South were disfranchised, the negro was enfranchised and allowed the +ballot, with a military despot at the helm and negroes and carpet +baggers, and a few renegades such as can be found in any country, as +legislators. The ship of state soon run into shallow waters and was +pounded to pieces on the reeves of bankruptcy. Taxes were such that +property owners could not meet them and they had the misfortune to see +their lifelong earnings sacrificed under so called legal process, of the +hammer, for a mere song. These were the actual conditions in the days of +the so called reconstruction. Bottom rail on top, was the slogan of +those savage hordes. Forty acres and a mule, and to every freedman, +Government rations, was the prelude of legislation. Men who took up arms +in defense of their sacred rights could not be expected to endure such a +state of affairs forever, the women and children must be protected. The +garrisons were gradually withdrawn; the carpet baggers remained and +ruled; negroes formed themselves into clubs and organizations under +their leadership, when as an avalanche all over the Southern states +appeared the K. K. K.'s, called the Ku Klux Klan, or the Boys Who Had +Died at Manassas, who have come back to regulate matters. Terror struck +into the ranks of the guilty and of the would be organizers and the +country soon resumed its normal state, Governors fled and Legislators +took to the bush. But I am deviating from my subject. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV. + + +On the following trip to Savannah I met G. W. Kelley and Dr. G. L. +Mason, on the same errand, viz. hauling cotton to market. After having +disposed of the same we reloaded our teams in merchandise, which was +easily disposed of, as the country was in need of everything that could +add to the comfort or even necessities of the people. The country being +in the condition it was, we were glad to travel together for company's +sake. So in the evening we left and camped about twelve miles out of the +city. As a rule one of the party ought to have been on guard, but such +was not the case that night. About midnight I awoke and found two of my +mules gone. I noted also that the line with which they were attached had +been cut with a sharp knife. Following the tracks they led back into the +city. So I left my partner at Savannah on the lookout while I went my +way back to Sandersville, minus two mules. I managed to buy two more +mules to fill out my team. I had to take what was offered to me, at any +price, my partner, after remaining several days at Savannah, recognized +one of the mules in charge of a negro. He called for the police and had +the negro arrested. There being no legal judge, the case was carried +before a captain of one of the military companies stationed there. The +negro proved by a confederate that this mule was in his possession long +before my partner claimed it was stolen, thus setting up an alibi, +without proving as to where he got her from. My partner failed to get +the mule and had to pay about $8.00 costs for his trouble, which was all +the cash he had with him. Later the firm received a bill for $5.00 more +cost but I paid no attention to it and never heard of it any more. + +Under the advice of their instructors, the blacks were going and coming. +The road to Savannah was traveled by them at night as well as by day. +Most of them were making for the cities. Savannah was the goal for those +in this section. One evening on my way I stopped my team within eighteen +miles this side of the City. Mr. Guerry, who was a fairly well to do +farmer for those days and conditions, near to whose domicile I camped, +buying some corn and fodder from him to feed my team, also such +provisions for myself as he had for sale. At break of day we had left on +our weary journey; on my return a day or so afterwards I passed his +premises and to keep from walking I had bought me an extra mule. As I +rode up I noticed Mr. Guerry and three of his sons in a pen, ready to +kill hogs. It was on a Friday, in the month of December, 1865. It was a +clear, beautiful, cold day. I greeted them, Good morning, gentlemen, +this is a beautiful day to kill hogs. Without noticing my greeting, one +of them said, "This is the fellow," when the old fellow picked up his +gun from the fence corner and raising the same exclaimed, "You are the +d----d fellow that took off our cook." I was completely taken by +surprise, and the first word I spoke I said, "You lie", and I jumped off +my mule and drew my pistol. My neighbors say they saw her follow your +wagon the day after you camped here the night before. I said, In fact we +caught up with a negro woman about two miles from here carrying a large +bundle on her head, and she asked my driver if she could put her +incumbrance on the wagon. I said, No, my mules have all they can pull, +and are jaded already. In fact that was all the words that passed +between her and me and up to about 10 o'clock a. m. she was either +walking in front or behind the team, carrying her luggage. I did not +know where she came from nor where she was going. I supposed she was on +her way to Savannah, like the rest of them. I guess you see them pass +here daily. He said, some of my neighbors told me they saw her behind +your wagon. Just at that moment Messrs. L. D. Newsome and Seaborn +Newsome and Alex Brown drove up, hauling cotton to Savannah. I was glad +to see them. Hello boys, you of Washington County come in good time. +Here are some fellows accusing me of stealing their negro cook. They +said at once, Oh, no! You got hold of the wrong fellow. We know him, he +comes from our county and would not do such a thing. He is a Confederate +soldier and fought all through the war. Then I said, Mr. Guerry, let us +reason together. You have always treated me clever when I passed here. I +have never entered your yard. I always paid you for what you sold to me. +The negroes are free and they are thought to migrate. I had no rights to +stop the woman on her journey, but had I known that she was your servant +I would have talked to her and advised her to go back where she belongs. +Mr. Guerry seemed to regret his hasty words and begged my pardon, and +insisted on all of us, to go into the house for refreshments. We finally +shook hands and parted good friends. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXV. + + +A rainy season soon set in; the streams were overflowing, and the road +became bad and hard, to travel. On arriving at the Ogeechee river at +Summertown I found that it had deborted its banks and was at least a +quarter of a mile wide. I struck camp, waiting for the water to recede. +The following day Geo. W. Kelley drove in sight. He also had a load of +five bales of cotton and he struck camp. But it continued to rain and +the river instead of receding became wider and deeper. The cotton market +was declining rapidly and we were anxious to reach the market. I +suggested to Mr. Kelley that I would take the tallest of the mules and +sound the width of the current. The mule walked in the water up to the +banks, neck deep, when he began to swim, I guided him when again he +struck foothold. I rode to the end of the water, in parts only breast +deep. I retraced my steps and reported my investigation. We held counsel +together and concluded that by using prolongs we could hitch the eight +mules to one wagon and while the rear mules would be in mid stream the +front ones would be on terra firma and pull the team across. We sent to +Mr. Coleman who lived close by, for ropes. We cut saplings, laid them +on top of each wagon, fastened the ends tight to the wagon body so as to +prevent the current from washing off any of the cotton while the wagon +would be submerged in midstream during the crossing. Our plan proved to +be a successful one, and thus we forded the Ogeechee river without the +least accident. We repeated the same tactics for the remaining wagon. We +reached Savannah in due time, sold the cotton and bought merchandise for +other parties, and I received pay going and coming. On returning I +concluded to cross the river by the upper route, at Jenkins Ferry, to +avoid recrossing the river as per previous method. We struck camp at +dark close to the river bank. I told Perry to feed and water the team +while I would examine the ferry flat. Presently Mr. Stetson from +Milledgeville, drove up and also struck camp. I considered the flat a +very shabby and a dangerous affair to cross on with a heavy load and so +reported, but Mr. Stetson thought it all right. The following morning at +break of day the ferryman was on hand as per arrangements that evening. +Stetson and his men hurried up so as to get across first and thus gain +time. My man Perry also hurried faster than was his wont to do, for he +was usually slow in his movements, when I cautioned him to take his +time and go slow and let the other wagon cross first. It was well that I +did so, for the flat went down nearly midstream, and if the front mules +had not had foot hold in time the whole business would have drowned. +Stetson's damage in merchandise was considerable. He was loaded with +salt, cutlery and general merchandise. When I saw that no personal +damage was done I bid them good bye to take another route by a twenty +mile detour, via. Louisville, and crossed the river at Fenn's Bridge. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVI. + + +The Central road was being rebuilt from Savannah and we met the trains +at its terminals, thus shortening the distance of our journeys. The +train had reached Guyton, thirty miles this side of Savannah and was +advancing daily until completed to Macon. It was early in the spring +when I met the train at station No. 6, a flat country. It had rained +nearly daily for a week; the roads were slushy, I had on a heavy load; +we had traveled the whole day long until dark. It was hard to find a dry +knob to camp on, until finally we came to a little elevation. I said +Perry we are going to stop here. He guided the team into the woods a few +paces and unhitched, while I was looking for a few lightwood knots to +build up a fire. Everything was wet and it was hard to kindle up a +blaze. When suddenly there arrived on the scene an ambulance pulled by a +team of four splendid mules and thirteen Federal soldiers alighted. They +took the grounds on the opposite side of the road. I thought to myself, +Now I am into it. Perry was on his knees, fanning up the damp pine +straw, when one of those fellows called, Heigho, you black fellow, come +here. I said to Perry in an undertone, Attend to your business. When +the same fellow called again, Hello you negro, I told you to come here, +did you hear me? accompanying his remarks with the coarsest words. Perry +answered, My boss told me to tend to my business. D----n you and your +boss, too, was his reply. As he had completed the sentence, I being +close by the side of my wagon, reached up and took my Spencer in hand, +bringing it from a trail to a support. I stepped to the center of the +road, saying, D----n you some too. This is not the first time I have met +some of you at odds, and I am ready for the fray, if it has to be. +Everything was quiet, not a word was uttered. I still remained standing +in the road, watching any move they might make, when one of them spoke, +saying, Will you let me come to you? He spoke in a very conciliatory +tone. I said, Yes, one at a time. He came to me unarmed, and said, Let +us have no trouble; don't pay any attention to that fellow, he is +drinking. There is plenty of room here for all of us, without any +friction. I said, Well, if your friend is drunk, take care of him. I am +able to take care of myself. He returned to his camp and I to mine. I +heard him say to his comrades, That fellow won't do to fool with. By +that time Perry had succeeded in having a rousing fire and we went to +work on the culinary department. Our meals were simple, a little fried +meat and corn bread and water from out of a ditch. Presently one of the +Federals hollered over, "Say, Johnnie, don't you want some coffee?" I +answered, "No, it has been so long since I tasted any I have forgotten +how it tastes." He said, We have a plenty and you are welcome to it if +you will have it. I said I have no way to make coffee if I had any. So +one of them came over with some parched coffee and offered it to me. I +declined it, for I had no mill to grind it, nor any vessel to stew it +in. They insisted, bringing over all of the paraphernalia for the +brewing of coffee and I must admit that it was enjoyed by Perry, as well +as myself, it being the first that had passed my lips in four years. +After our meal was completed they came over, one after another and sat +around the fire. The conversation became general and I found them to be +very congenial company. One brought me a whole haversack full of green +coffee, saying, Have it, we have a sack of over a hundred pounds. I +thanked them saying, This is quite a treat. And what seemed to be a +disagreeable affair in its incipiency terminated most agreeably. It +having become late I suggested that we take a night cap and retire. I +passed around the jug and each returned to his respective quarters. +However I slept, as the saying is, with one eye open. Early in the +morning we fed the mules, rekindled the fire, drank a warm cup of coffee +and ate a bite or so. We harnessed two of our mules, two of which in the +lead were of small size, when one of the Federals proposed to swap +mules. I said, Your mules are worth a great deal more than mine, and I +have no money to pay boot. We don't want any money said another, we want +you to have the best team on the road, by swapping your two lead mules +for those tall black ones of ours you will have a real fine team. They +then said they were on their way to Augusta to report to the +quartermaster there, that they had receipted for four mules and a sack +of coffee to be delivered to the quartermaster in Augusta. The mules in +their possession were not branded as government mules but were picked up +and a mule is a mule, so we deliver the number of heads is all that is +required. To tell the truth I feared a trap, but while I was talking +with one of them the others changed the lead mules for two of theirs and +off they drove in a lope, singing, Old John Brown Lies Buried in the +Ground, etc. We trudged along, Perry and I elated over our good luck, +when Perry said, Well Marse Ike, your standing up to them made them your +friends. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVII. + + +I had rented the store house from Mr. Billy Smith where he and Slade had +done business before the war, in Sandersville, and opened up business in +heavy and family groceries. In the meantime my team was making the trip +between Sandersville and the Central terminal, which had not +considerably advanced, owing to the demoralized condition of labor. So I +concluded at this particular time it would accelerate matters by hauling +a load of merchandise with my team; hence I drove through all the way to +Savannah. While there, on passing Congress street, I met an old friend +named Abe Einstein, of the firm of Einstein and Erkman, wholesale +drygoods merchants. He was speaking to one Mr. Cohen from New York, who +had just arrived by steamer with a cargo of drygoods. He wanted to +locate in Augusta, but owing to the Federals having torn up that branch +of the railroad at Millen the Augusta trains run no further than +Waynesboro. Hence he was trying to fill in the gap with teams. Mr. +Einstein told him that I had a splendid team and that I would be a good +man for him to employ. So he asked me if I would haul a load for him. I +replied I would if he would pay me enough for it. He said, How much can +you pull at a load? I said, My mules can pull all that the wagon can +hold up. What do you ask? Four hundred dollars. Whiz, I did not want to +buy your team, I only wanted to hire it. I said to him, Well, that is my +price. I said, You fellows up North tore up the road, you ought to be +able to pay for such accommodations as you can get. He studied over the +situation a little. Turning to Mr. Einstein, Do you know this man; can I +rely on him? Mr. Einstein replied, Perfectly reliable, I stand sponsor. +He said, I tell you what I'll do, I'll pay you down $200.00 and Mr. +Einstein will pay you $200.00 when you return. Mr. Einstein agreed to +it, so I said, That is satisfactory, I shall deliver so many boxes as +you put on to the agent, take his receipt for the same and Mr. Einstein +will pay me $200.00 due. I had, to my regret, had to discharge my +teamster Perry, owing to the neglect of duty, and engaged another named +Bill Flagg. He was an old conscientious negro, very religiously +inclined. We loaded our team and followed instructions. On arrival at +Waynesboro, I never had been there before, so I inquired for the depot +and found an improvised little house beside the railroad track and a man +claiming to be the railroad agent. I have a load of goods here for +Augusta. Put them in the car, said he. I said, count the boxes and make +me out a receipt. He said all right. After my business with the agent +was concluded, I asked him to show me the Louisville route, which he +pointed out to me, with several explanations as to the right and left +intervening roads. Waynesboro was at that time, as it is now, the county +site of Burke county, a town of about 1000 inhabitants. It has greatly +improved since and is quite a prosperous city of some importance now. + +Before we got out of the incorporation a detachment of Federal troops +surrounded my team and ordered my driver to dismount. I was a few paces +behind my wagon and I hurried to the front. One of the soldiers had hold +of my mules' bridle and ordered my driver to dismount. I said to my man, +If you dismount I will kill you; you sit where you are, you are under my +orders. I ordered the trooper to let go my mule. He turned loose the +bridle, but held his position with others in front of the team. The +commotion brought together the balance of the garrison and some +citizens. I remarked right here, I'll sell out; you shall not deprive me +of the means to make an honest living. So the Captain remarked, We are +ordered to take up all Confederate property. I said, I have no +objection for you to take up Confederate property, but this is my +individual property and your action is highway robbery, which I do not +propose to submit to. There is a way to prove those things; I am a +citizen of Sandersville and have been wagoning for a living. There is a +garrison of troops in my town and if this is Confederate property they +have had a chance to confiscate it long ago. He said, What is your name? +I answered, I. Hermann, Sandersville, Washington County, is my home. He +pretended to make a note of it and told me to drive on. I was glad to +have gotten out of that scrape. On reaching home Flagg came to me, +saying, Boss, I have to quit you. What is the matter, Bill? said I, have +I not always treated you right. Oh yes, but I am afraid of you. How so +Bill? I am afraid some day you might get mad with me and kill me: Any +man that can stand before a whole company of Yankees like you and keep +them from taking his team, is a dangerous man. You must get you another +man. I said, all right, Bill. When Perry heard that Bill Flagg had left +my employment he came to me, asking to be re-instated and promising to +be more attentive to his duties. So I took him back and he remained with +me for several years. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVIII. + + +The railroad track had advanced considerably, and in the Fall of the +year, 1866, had reached Bartow, No. 11. My partner for some time had +taken charge of the team while I attended to the store. Once he came +home badly bunged up and a knife cut on his cheek. I said, What has +happened? He said he had some difficulty with the Agent and they double +teamed on him. So I remarked, Well, you can send Perry without you +going. I wrote to the agent asking him to deliver to the bearer, Perry, +a load of my merchandise then in his possession, to check off the same +and send me a list. We had at that time two car loads on the track for +the firm. When Perry returned he failed to bring the list, his wagon +being loaded with corn and every sack ripped more or less. I said, How +come you to accept merchandise in that condition. He answered, the sacks +were allright when I took them out of the car, it was after they were +loaded one of them fellows, a white man named Smith, run around the +wagon and cut the sacks and I spilled lots of corn. I picked up some of +it and put in that sack, indicating a sack ¾ full. I said, Do you know +the man; would you recognize him again if you were to meet him? Oh yes, +Marse Ike. Saturday morning I took charge of the team and my partner +remained at the store. I took dinner and fed my mules at my friends' Mr. +B. G. Smith, to whom I stated the facts as told to me. He said, be +careful, don't be too hasty. I said, Right is right and I don't want +anything but my rights, and those I am going to have before I return. + +We arrived at our destination about four o'clock p. m. The Sherman +contingency had burned the warehouse as they did all the others along +their march. Consequently the railroad Company used passenger cars on +the side track to transact their office work, while freight cars served +as a warehouse until discharged of their contents. As I entered the +office car a young man met me. I remarked, Are you the agent? He said, +No, Mr. Mims is at Parson Johnson's house. What is your name? My name is +Smith. Then you are the scoundrel that mutilated my goods, and I +advanced. He run out of the door and slammed it to with such force that +he shattered the glass panel into fragments. When I came out to where +Perry was, he said, That's the fellow that cut the sacks, there he goes. +Well Perry build a little fire by the side of this car for here we will +camp until some one returns to deliver us the freight. The sun had set +below the horizon and it had begun to get night, when Mr. Tom Wells, an +acquaintance of mine, approached me. He was an employee of the railroad +company also. Well Ike, old fellow, how are you getting along? All right +Tom, how are you? I am all right. What brought you here, said he? I said +business, I have goods here if I can find an agent to deliver them. I +heard you came here for a difficulty, said he. I remarked, It seems I am +already in a difficulty, I can't get any one to deliver me my goods. +Well, I will tell you, Mr. Mims is a perfect gentleman. I am glad to +hear it. Do you know him? No, I have never seen him, but up to now I +can't have the same opinion of him that you have. I have not been +treated right and I came here for justice. He said, Well, let me tell +you; there are about forty employees here, hands and all, and they will +all stick to him, right or wrong. I said, I came here to see Mr. Mims +and I intend to stay here until I do see him, if it takes me a week. +Well Ike, if you promise me that you will not raise a difficulty I will +go after him and introduce you to each other. I said, Tom, there are +other ways to settle a difficulty without fighting if men want to do +right. Well I will go for him; I know Mr. Mims is going to do what is +right, and you too. Mr. Mims came presently, and a whole gang following +him. I said, Mr. Mims, it seems you and my partner had a difficulty. I +do not know the cause and I do not care to know. He said you fellows +double teamed on him and he got worsted in the fight. To avoid a +recurrence of the difficulty I sent my driver to you and a note. You +ignored my note and sent me a load of corn with all the sacks ripped +open, more or less, with a knife in the hands of one of your employees. +I berated my man for accepting goods in that condition and he stated to +me how all of it was done. I am now here to see what can be done about +it. I have never done you any injury to be treated in that manner. He +said, Mr. Hermann, I am sorry it happened. I will see that it will not +be done again. I said, Have you discharged the fellow who did it? He +answered, No, not yet. I said, Well, I demand that it be done now. And +what about the damage I sustained. He remarked that the road would run +to Tennille by next Wednesday, a distance of 25 miles, and he would +forward my two car loads of freight free of charge from Bartow to +Tennille. I said that was satisfactory. I wanted to load my wagon; he +said, we do not deliver goods at night. I answered that if he had been +at his post of duty on my arrival I would have had plenty of time to +load and be on my way back, and I wished to load up at once for the +morrow being Sunday I did not want to be on the road. He delivered the +merchandise and Perry and I passed Sunday with my friend B. G. Smith, +who was glad matters passed off as they did. Monday morning we took an +early start and by twelve o'clock I was at home. That was my last trip +as a wagoner, but not as a soldier, as the sequel will show. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIX. + + +When the commanding officers of the Confederate army surrendered and +stacked arms the rank and file expected that the terms of the cartel +promulgated and agreed upon would be carried out to the letter. The men +laid down their arms in good faith, feeling as General R. E. Lee +remarked in his farewell address to them, that under present unequal +condition it would only be a waste of precious lives to continue the +struggle. The following were the terms of the agreement entered into +between General Grant and General Lee: The officers and men to return to +their homes and remain there until exchanged and not to be disturbed by +the United States authorities so long as they observe their paroles and +the laws in force in their respective states. + +But the fellows who directed the ship of state and who were invisible on +the firing line became invincible, when the South lay prostrated. The +first order was from Secretary Staunton, for the arrest of our +commanding officers. This order, however, was resented by General Grant +as contrary to the cartel and should not be executed. This caused a +rupture between the two and the order was finally rescinded. The next +step was to disperse all State authority and appoint a military +Governor. General Wilson acted in that capacity in Georgia. The same +year, 1865, negroes were proclaimed free and military garrisons +established in every town, city or village throughout the South. Under +the superintendence of those militaries the Freedmen's Bureau was +established, forcing negroes to migrate from one place to another, thus +breaking up the good relationship still existing between Masters and +servants. The bureau was seemingly gotten up for the protection of the +blacks, as if they needed any protection, they to whom we owed so much +for their good behavior during the time when every available man able to +bear arms was at the front, leaving their families in charge of the +negroes. The gratitude of our people was or ought to have been +sufficient guarantee in that line. Such harmonious condition did not +suit the powers that be, there was venom in their heart for revenge, and +punitive measures were concocted. Never were captives bound tighter than +the people of the South. Is it a wonder that the men of the South became +desperate and used desperate remedies to oust more desperate diseases? +The carpet baggers made their exit. The negroes' mind had been +prejudiced under the auspices of those vultures. They were forced into +societies, one of which was the Rising Sun. Some called it The Rising +Sons. God only knows what ultimate result they expected to obtain. Drums +and fifes were heard in every direction at night times. The woods were +full of rumors that the negroes are rising. Men in towns made ready for +emergencies, every one on his own hook; no organization for defense, in +case harsher measures should be needed. When the author of this sketch +took up the idea of a reunion of his comrades and inserted a call in the +county's weekly, calling on the members of Howell's Battery for a social +reunion, their wives and children, when other veterans suggested why not +make it a reunion for all the veterans of the County. I was only too +glad for the suggestion and changed the call to include all veterans of +the county, and on the day specified there was the greatest reunion +Washington County ever had. It was estimated that eight thousand people +participated. There were over one hundred carcasses besides thousands of +baskets filled to overflow with eatables and delicacies. The object of +the meeting was stated to form an artillery company as a nucleus or +rallying head and to meet organization with organization not as a +measure of aggression but as a protection. The author was elected +Captain. Under his supervision he built an armory and eventually the +State furnished him with two pieces of artillery. The day he received +the guns he had a salute fired. The boys in the rural districts had not +forgotten the sound of artillery and the town was filled with +enthusiasm. Some of the negro leaders called on me to know what all that +means, I told them it was to teach their misguided people that we can +play at the same game and if they don't stop beating their drums and +blowing fifes in the night time when honest people are at rest I would +shell the woods. This admonition had a splendid effect and the people of +Washington have lived in peace ever since. The author resigned his +commission in the year 1881, when Honorable Alex Stephens was Governor +of Georgia. And Washington County has the honor of having inaugurated +the first reunion of Confederate veterans. The citizens of Washington +County and Howell's Battery presented the author with a gold headed +ebony cane, beautifully carved, as a memorial and their regard for him +as a citizen and a soldier. Being taken by surprise I had to submit to +the caning. + +The South passed seemingly through the chamber of horrors of the Spanish +Inquisition and punishments administered by degrees. First robbing the +owners of their slaves, of their justly acquired property, after they, +(the North), received from the Southern farmer its full equivalent in U. +S. money. Second, in the promulgation of the Civil Rights Bill, in +April, 1866. Third, in forcing the Southern people to accept the 14th +and 15th amendment to the Federal Constitution, not as a war measure, as +Abraham Lincoln claimed, when issuing his proclamation to free the +negroes, but as political measures to perpetuate themselves in power. + +Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, South Carolina and North Carolina +refused to accept those conditions and in consequence were not admitted +into the Union until 1868, although paying enormous taxes without +representation, and finally had to submit in self defence. Virginia, +Texas and Mississippi held out until 1870 before they succumbed to the +thumb screw. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXX. + + +In writing the foregoing reminiscences I came near omitting an incident +that unless inserted would make them incomplete. In 1868 I went to New +York, via. Charlotte, North Carolina. It was a long journey by rail, on +account of many disconnections and lay overs. On arriving at Greenville +the South Carolina Legislators had adjourned in Columbia and boarded the +train enroute for Washington, D. C. to see General Grant inaugurated as +President of the U. S. The body at that time was composed of a mongrel +set of coal black negroes, mulattoes and carpet baggers. Cartoosa, a +mulatto, was then Treasurer of the State. A negro named Miller was +General in chief of the S. C. militia of State troops. They came +prepared to have a regular holiday. They carried large willow baskets +full of the best provisions and champagne by the quantity, all at the +expense of the State of South Carolina. On arriving at Aqua Creek, which +was about 5 o'clock p. m., we took the boat up the Potomac and were +furnished with dinner. When the bell rang, one of the South Carolina +Legislators, a coal black negro, took his seat at the table when one of +the waiters, also a negro, whispered in his ear. He replied in a very +boisterous manner that his money was as good as any white man's. The +waiter reported to the Purser, who took the would be gentleman by +putting two fingers in his collar, lifted him up and gave him a kick +that sent him reeling into the engine room. The white carpet baggers +seemed not to have noticed this little side show. However the black +brute continued his boisterous remarks and abusing the white race, and +that he, a South Carolina representative had his dignity grossly +insulted and that he was going to report the incident to General Grant +on arrival. When an old gentleman who must have been between 65 and 70 +years of age could not stand his abuse any longer, although the balance +of the passengers were amused at his discomfiture took a pistol from his +coat side pocket, shoved it near the negro's face and remarked, I stood +that abuse as long as I intend to; one more word and I'll send you to +hell where you belong, you black brute. The representative, seeing that +this man meant what he said, kept mum. The South Carolina delegation +undoubtedly made a report at headquarters of the above incident, for in +the winding up of President Grant's inaugural address he expressed the +following sentiments: That he hoped that white and black races would +conform to the situation and that by mutual good conduct would maintain +the peace and harmony so necessary for both races, or words to that +effect. + +Arriving in New York I took in the City. It was my first trip there +since I had landed at Castle Garden from the four masted schooner, The +Geneese, nearly ten years previous. I visited the large firm and +emporium of H. B. Claflin & Company and spoke to Mr. Bancroft. I gave +him a statement of my commercial standing, such as it was, and asked for +his advice, as it was my first attempt as a dry goods merchant. My means +being very limited I wanted to make them reach as far as possible. He +treated me very courteously and furnished me with a salesman, whom he +introduced as Mr. McClucklan. On our way to the basement he asked me, +What State? I said Georgia. D----n Georgia. I stopped at once, looking +him squarely in the face I said, You can't sell me any goods, I am going +for some one not prejudiced against my State, and started back, when he +exclaimed, Hold on, you misconstrue me; I have been a prisoner at +Andersonville and I hate the name of Georgia. I do not mean to say that +there are no good people in Georgia, like everywhere else. Noting a +keystone that I wore on my watch chain he said, I see you are a Mason? +So am I, displaying a square and compass pinned on the lapel of his +coat. We can talk together, said he. If it had not been for a brother +Mason I don't think I'd be here today, I think I would have died of +starvation. He told me of his transit from Andersonville to the Coast. +When the train stopped at a country station, the name of which he did +not know but he knew it was on the Central railroad, he gave the words +of distress. It was a dark night, he could hardly have expected anybody +to answer it, but someone did and before the train left some one brought +him enough fried ham and biscuit to last him several days. So I said, It +was wrapped in a home made napkin with blue borders. He looked at me +with astonishment, saying, So it was; what do you know about it. I said, +I am the fellow, and told him what I did and that Mrs. Hardwick +commended me for it and would not take any pay and that the station was +Davisboro. The man was beside himself. He hugged me, tears ran down his +cheeks; he acted like a crazy fellow. He said, You can't buy any goods +today, you are my guest. He ran to Mr. Bancroft to get excused, saying +that I was an old friend and that he wanted to get off that day. He +hired an open carriage and we drove over the whole city, showing me +everything worth seeing. He carried me around to a fine restaurant and +ordered an elaborate dinner, spent his money with the most lavish hand, +regardless of my protestations, for he would not let me spend a copper. +The following day I made my purchases. It is useless to say that he +dealt squarely with me and with his advice and experience I made what +small capital I had purchase me a very decent stock of merchandise. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXXI. + + +Again when President Lincoln in 1863 issued his edict to the Commanding +Generals in their respective territory to proclaim all the negroes free, +as a war measure, as he claimed, he attempted on a large scale what John +Brown failed to make a success of on a small scale, namely to create a +servile insurrection, and thus exposing the helpless and defenceless to +the rapacity of semi-savage hordes. But it failed, as all other attempts +in that line have failed, thus again proving the good relationship +existing between the masters and their servants. Compare the situation +now with that of the ante-bellum days. When a white emissary from the +North hired a horse and buggy from the proprietor of the hotel in +Sandersville, Washington County, Georgia, and left with the same for +parts unknown, he was finally located in Florida and captured and +brought back and put in jail. The lock of the jail was so rusted for the +want of use that it took the assistance of a locksmith to open the door +to let him in. How is it now? A commodious building has had to be +erected to accommodate the masses who trample under foot the laws of +their country; the jails and chaingangs are full to overflowing, with +the perpetrators of crimes. Those are the results of the so called +reconstructionists. Lynching was an unknown quantity in those days; +there was no necessity for it. The laws of the country were +administered, justly and loyally. Courts met at regular periods and +often adjourned the same day for the want of patronage. Some say we are +progressing. That is true, but in the wrong direction. Retrogressing is +the proper word to apply, especially in morality. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXXII. + + +Another illustration worthy of mention in connection with the others is +related here. A friend of mine named John J. Jordan, wounded at +Vicksburg, Miss., one of the cleverest and inoffensive beings, owned +several slaves by heritage. Among them was one John Foster, a mulatto. +He was an accomplished carpenter and very active. His master gave him +his own time and he was comparatively free all his life, he was devoted +to the Jordan family and was a very responsible negro, however, his +newly made friends the carpet baggers filled his brains with such +illusions that he became a leader among the negroes, making speeches and +made himself very obnoxious to those who were his friends from infancy. +All at once Foster disappeared. He was gone a couple of years when his +former master received a letter from him, dated New York, begging +assistance to enable him to return to Washington County. Notwithstanding +his master's impoverished condition, the money was sent him and Foster +came back entirely reformed. He had no more use for the Yankees, his +short stay among them cured him. What a pity the authoress of Uncle +Tom's Cabin did not take John Foster under her protecting wings. What a +lost opportunity! What a fine additional illustration that picture would +have made to her already fertile imagination as the sequel will show. + +One day John Foster came to my house to see me. Good day, Marse Ike, +said he, I thought I'll come to see you it has been a long time since I +sawn you, and the following conversation took place: Where have you been +John? I've been to New York. How do you like New York? I don't like it +at all, let me tell you Mass Ike, those Yankees are no friends of the +negroes. Well John I could have told you so before you went. Mass Ike, +let me tell you what they've done. They told me I could make a fortune +in the North, that I could get four and five dollars a day by my trade +as a carpenter. Who told you so? Why John E. Bryant and his like of +carpet baggers. Well did you not get it? I got it in the neck, I tell +you what they did. I left here with right smart money, Marse John let me +pay him for my time and got nearly three hundred dollars that I saved. I +went to New York, and after looking around the city for a few days I +commenced hunting work, but wherever I went they shook their heads, for +no. I spent the whole winter there without striking a lick until I +spent all my money. I finally applied at a shop where a dutchman was +foreman, I was willing to work at any price for I had to live but do you +know what they did? No John, I don't. Well they every one of them, and +they worked twenty-five hands, laid down their tools and walked out of +the shop declaring that they would not work by the side of any damned +negro, and the boss had to discharge me. No, Marse Ike, the Yankees are +no friends to we colored people, only for what they can cheat us out of. +I worked all my life among white folks here at home and it made no +difference, I tell you Marse Ike, the people of the South are the +negroes friends. Well John, you did not say so before you left here. No, +I did not appreciate what the people here done for me until I went +North. Well, John, you ought to go among your people and disabuse their +minds and tell them what you know from personal experience. I am doing +that Marse Ike every day. I have not long to stay here below, I have +contracted consumption from exposure and am hardly able to do a day's +work. I am taking little jobs now and then. Well John, if you stand in +need of anything come to see me. You will always find something to eat +here and some clothes to wear. John died six months later. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXXIII. + + +Before concluding these reminiscences I take pleasure however in stating +that Capt. Howell and myself met after the surrender and after a +thorough understanding agreed that honors were easy and by mutual +consent to bury the hatchet and eventually became warm friends. A little +incident, however, is worth relating here. I was a delegate to a +Governatorial Convention from Washington County. Capt. Howell also was a +delegate from Fulton County, the vote was very close. We were each for +the opposing candidate, the convention lasted for several days and could +not agree. Capt. Howell came to see me, stating that he was a committee +of one appointed by the caucus to come to see me and influence me to +change my vote and vote for their candidate. I said "Capt. what did you +tell them?" He said, "I said I doubt very much that my influence would +have any effect, darn him I could not do anything with him when I had +the power to control him and I am satisfied that my mission will be in +vain." I said, "you spoke well, Captain, go back and report failure." + + +CONCLUSION. + +I would be derelict in my duty and the gratitude I feel towards the +noble women of the South who shared the brunt of misery while their +loved ones were at the front suffering the hardship and rigors of camp +life, and were fighting the battles for what they deemed their most +sacred duty. With aching heart and burning tears she bade her dear ones +God speed and a safe return, shouldering all the responsibilities of +providing for those who were left behind and not able to provide for +themselves. Did they stop at that? Many delicacies and garments were +sent to the front by them to cheer those in the field. They organized +wayside homes for those soldiers who were in transit. They visited the +hospitals and administered to the sick and wounded. They organized the +ladies' relief association and in every way imaginable added to the +comfort of those who shared the brunt of battle. The Confederate +veterans felt grateful to their wives, daughters and kinswomen who +banded themselves together under the name of U. D. C. They have +proclaimed in songs and stories the righteousness of the Confederate +cause and even at late date forced our adversaries to admit that the +cause we fought for was right and the Courts so hold it. Would it be +too much to ask the United Confederate Veterans to see that enduring +monuments of imperishable material be erected in the capital of every +Southern State to perpetuate the memory and the fidelity of those noble +heroines? + +[Illustration: "I've stood that abuse as long as I intend to; one more +word and I'll send you to hell, where you belong--you black brute."] + +Sparta heroism was tame indeed in comparison with that of Southern +women, especially those who were left in the wake of the invading armies +amidst the ruins of a once happy home. It is a half a century that has +elapsed since the thunder of Fort Sumter shook this hemisphere. New +generations have appeared on the scene, fraternization is progressing +slowly, but surely, the past is relegated gradually to the rear and the +States again assert their rights, as they see it. Therefore it behooves +the National administration to see to it that equal rights to all and +special privileges to none, is its duty to enforce so as to maintain +this nation the greatest nation on the globe. The sections must get +together and look to the wants and needs of their associates and as far +as lies in their power assist in bringing relief. Thus past differences +will vanish and brotherly love will again prevail and this United States +of America will forever be united to stand in bold relief the model +government in the world. + + + + +APPENDIX A. + + +LIST OF OFFICERS OF THE WASHINGTON RIFLES. + + Capt., S. A. H. Jones. + 1st Lt., J. W. Rudisill. + 2nd Lt., B. D. Evans. + 3rd Lt., W. W. Carter. + Ensign, C. M. Jones. + 1st Sergt., E. P. Howell. + 2nd Sergt., G. W. Warthen. + 3rd Sergt., J. M. G. Medlock. + 4th Sergt., A. D. Jernigan. + 5th Sergt., P. R. Taliaferro. + 1st Corpl., W. J. Gray. + 2nd Corpl., A. T. Sessions. + 3rd Corpl., W. H. Renfroe. + 4th Corpl., John R. Wicker. + Color Bearer, J. T. Youngblood. + Surgeon, B. F. Rudisill. + + +LIST OF PRIVATES. + + Allen, G. R. + Arnaw, James + Bailey, J. W. + Boatright, B. S. + Barnes, A. S. + Barnes, M. A. + Barwick, W. B. + Brantley, J. E. + Brown, Jos. M. + Collier, Ed. + Curry, David + Curry, S. K. + Curry, J. S. + Curry, J. H. + Cullen, S. E. + Cullen, W. A. + Cullen, E. W. + Commings, G. E. + Clay, W. S. + Cason, G. + Cason, W. + Cook, A. T. + Dudley, J. A. Q. + Dudley, W. H. + Durden, M. + Fulghum, J. H. + Fulford, T. B. + Fulford, S. + Flucker, M. R. + Gray, W. B. + Grimes, W. B. + Gilmore, J. N. + Gilmore, T. J. + Gilmore, S. M. + Gilmore, E. + Godown, James + Gaskin, J. + Haines, S. S. + Haines, C. E. + Haynes, T. H. + Hines, W. H. + Hines, A. C. + Hines, S. + Hines, R. + Hicklin, A. F. + Hicklin, W. P. + Hermann, I. + Honard, W. + Jordan, N. J. + Jordan, J. T. + Jordan, J. J. + Jones, W. H. + Jones, S. B. + Kinman, W. H. + King, Jas. R. + Kitrell, G. + Knight, W. G. + Kelley, G. W. + Knight, W. K. + Lamb, I. + Layton, J. H. + Lawson, W. H. + Lewis, W. H. + Lewis, W. B. + McCroon, J. J. + Medlock, E. + Morgan, John H. + Mason, G. L. + Matthews, W. C. + Massey, S. N. + McDonal, J. J. + McDonald, A. + Newsome, J. J. + Newsome, J. K. + Orr, T. A. + Peacock, G. W. + Parnell, R. J. + Pittman, W. H. + Roberts, J. B. + Parker, W. J. + Roberson, W. G. + Roberson, J. A. + Robison, R. T. + Robison, W. R. + Rodgers, L. + Riddle, A. M. + Rawlings, C. + Rawlings, W. H. + Renfroe, J. + Stanley, J. S. + Scarboro, A. M. + Stubbs, J. N. + Smith, J. C. + Smith, J. P. + Smith, J. H. + Smith, W. H. + Smith, John H. + Slate, S. L. + Solomon, H. + Sheppard, J. J. + Spillars, J. + Tarver, F. R. + Trawick, A. J. + Trawick, J. T. + Tyson, T. L. + Tookes, C. C. + Tarbutton, G. A. + Turner, N. H. + Veal, R. H. + Whitaker, G. W. H. + Whiddon, B. + Whiddon, M. M. + Warthen, T. J. W. + Wall, C. A. + Wall, W. A. + Waitzfelder, E. + Wagoner, W. H. + Wessolonsky, A. + Wicker, T. 0. + Watkins, W. E. + + + + + +APPENDIX B. + + +The Newnan Guards, A.--Capt. Geo. M. Harvey. +The Columbus Guards, B.--Capt. F. G. Wilkins. +The Southern Rights Guards, C.--Capt. J. A. Hauser. +The Oglethorpe Light Infantry, D.--Capt. J. O. Clark. +The Washington Rifles, E.--Capt. S. A. H. Jones. +The Gate City Guards, F.--Capt. W. F. Ezzard. +The Bainbridge Independents, G.--Capt. J. W. Evans. +The Dahlonega Vols., H.--Capt. Alfred Harris. +The Walker Light Infantry, I.--Capt. S. H. Crump. +The Quitman Guards, J.--Capt. Jas. S. Pinkard. +J. N. Ramsey of Columbus, Ga., was elected Colonel. + + + + +APPENDIX C. + + +1st. Lt. John W. Rudisill became Capt. of Compy. C. 12 Ga. Battalion. +2nd. Lt. Beverly D. Evans became Col. 2nd. Ga. State troops. +3rd. Lt. W. W. Carter became Capt. Compy. G. 49 Ga. Regiment. +Ensign C. M. Jones became Capt. Compy. H. 49 Ga. Regiment. +1st. Sergt. E. P. Howell became Capt. of Martins Battery. +4th. Sergt. A. D. Jernigan became Capt. Compy. H. 49 Ga. Regiment. +5th. Sergt. P. R. Taliaferro became Capt. Compy. E. 32nd. Ga. Regiment. +1st. Corporal W. J. Gray became 1st. Lieut. Sandersville Artillery. +2nd. Corp. A. T. Sessions became Lieut. Compy. B. 12 Ga. Battalion. +3rd. Corp. W. H. Renfroe became Lieut. +4th. Corp. J. R. Wicker became Lt. 32 Ga. +Private G. R. Allen became Lt. 57 Ga. +Private James Arnau became Lt. 49th Georgia. +Private B. S. Boatright became Lt. 12th Georgia Bat. +Private James M. Brown became Lt. 5th Georgia Reserve. +Private M. R. Flucker became Orderly Sergt. 12th Georgia. +Private T. J. Gilmore became Lieut. Martins Battery. +Private Wesley Howard became Corp. Martins Battery. +Private J. T. Jordan became Col. 49th Georgia Regiment. +Private W. H. Jones became Lt. 32nd Georgia Regiment. +Private S. B. Jones became Capt. 8th Georgia Cavalry. +Private James R. Kinman became Lieut. Company B. 12th Georgia Bat. +Private W. G. Knight became Sergt. Company B. 12th Georgia Bat. +Private Isaac Lamb became Lt. 53rd Georgia. +Private W. H. Lawson became Capt. 5th Georgia Reserve. +Private W. C. Matthews became Capt. 38th Georgia Regiment. +Private J. J. Newsome became Capt. Company E. 12th Georgia Bat. +Private Geo. W. Peacock became Lt. 12th Georgia Bat. +Private J. B. Roberts became Capt. Company D. 49th Ga. Regiment. +Private W. J. Parker became Capt. Cobbs Legiose. +Private W. G. Robson became Lt. Martins Battery. +Private J. A. Robson became Sergt. Company B. 12th Ga. Bat. +Private H. T. Robson became Sergt. 12th Georgia Bat. +Private J. N. Stubbs became Sergt. 12th Georgia Bat. +Private J. C. Smith became Lt. 12th Georgia Bat. +Private H. Soloman became Capt. 14th Georgia Regiment. +Private G. A. Tarbutton became Capt. Hillards Legion. +Private G. W. H. Whitaker became Capt. 12th Ga. Bat. +Private Benj. Whiddon became Capt. 5th Georgia Reserve. +Private T. O. Wicker became Adjt. 28th Georgia Regiment. +Private W. E. Watkins became Sergt. Company B. 12th Georgia Bat. + + + + +APPENDIX D. + + + Robert Martin, known as Bob Martin, from Barnwell, S. C., was + elected Captain. + + Evan P. Howell, 1st Lt. + W. G. Robson, 2nd Lt. + Reuben A. Bland, 3rd Lt. + H. K. Newsome, 1st Sergt. + S. J. Fulform, 2nd Sergt. + W. H. Hines, 3rd Sergt. + J. B. Warthen, 4th Sergt. + W. H. Dudley, 5th Sergt. + W. M. Cox, 6th Sergt. + Haywood Ainsworth, 7th Sergt. + W. B. Hall, 1st Corp. + W. B. O'Quinn, 2nd Corp. + W. F. Webster, 3rd Corp. + J. E. Cullin, 4th Corp. + + +PRIVATES. + + H. Allen + A. C. Hines + J. F. Bailey + J. D. Hardy + J. F. Brooks + Gabe Kittrell + W. A. Brown + J. E. Johnson + B. L. Bynum + A. R. Lord + W. T. C. Barnwell + M. B. Cox + R. W. Cullen + J. Curry + R. Dixon + R. E. Caudell + W. E. Doolittle + J. E. Ellis + Geo. T. Franklin + E. T. Ford + S. M. Gilmore + J. A. Godown + W. N. Harmon + Gabrill S. Hooks + V. A. Horton + C. Howell + J. J. Hadden + Ben Jones + R. E. Jackson + T. M. Lord + J. E. Mullen + H. C. Lord + J. W. Massey + J. J. O'Quinn + S. B. Pool + N. Raifield + Wm. F. Sheppard + W. L. Stephens + G. W. Thomas + W. H. Toulson + F. A. McCary + J. C. Waller + D. G. McCoy + F. M. Loden + J. B. Oxford + J. H. Pittman + H. L. Skelley + J. F. Salter + W. A. Smith + J. P. Thomas + R. Tompkins + D. B. Tanner + J. H. Veal + J. J. Waller + T. Webster + Simeon Bland + J. Armstrong + Henry Achord + C. Blizzard + T. J. Brooks + J. J. Braswell + T. M. Barnwell + W. B. Barwick + H. L. Cox + T. C. Cullen + A. Dixon + R. L. Campbell + E. D. Chaplen + J. C. Durham + B. O. Franklin + H. Ford + W. R. Gilmore + T. J. Gilmore + W. A. Grimes + G. W. Webster + T. J. Hamilton + Geo. D. Warthen + W. H. Horton + Lawson Taylor + W. C. Howard + All Armstrong + L. W. Hines + W. D. Bodiford + Red Jones + W. J. Brooks + J. Jackson + B. S. Braswell + F. A. Lockman + W. J. Bell + John L. Laymade + J. N. Bentley + N. A. Lord + S. B. Cox + W. J. Massey + E. W. Cullen + W. Oxford + T. A. Curry + F. Posey + J. H. Coleman + G. B. Rogers + D. F. Chambers + J. F. Sheppard + T. C. Doolittle + J. P. Smith + A. E. Erwin + W. C. Thomas + H. Fields + J. F. Tompkins + B. Garner + H. T. Thompson + E. T. Gilmore + W. Waller + R. A. Godown + T. C. Warthen + Isaac Herman + J. Wood + H. J. Hodges + T. R. Gibson + R. H. Hales + A. P. Heath + + + + + * * * * * + + + + +Transcriber's note: + +Obvious punctuation errors were corrected. + +The use of quotation marks is inconsistent. The text has been +transcribed as printed. + +Hyphen removed: breast[-]works (p. 84), horse[-]back (p. 7), +light[-]wood (p. 90), look[-]out (pp. 42, 52), out[-]flanked (p. 107), +quarter[-]master (p. 111), re[-]inforcement (p. 116), turn[-]pike (p. +18). + +Space added: "carpet[ ]baggers" (p. 234), turn[ ]pike (p. 60). + +Space removed: "knap[ ]sack" (p. 98). + +The following variant spellings occur and have not been changed: +"Allegheny" / "Alleghany", "a. m." / "A. M.", "p. m." / "P. M.", "sabre" / +"saber". + +P. 14: "Allaghany" changed to "Alleghany". + +P. 17: "missel" changed to "missle" (the whiz of the missile). + +P. 48: "picketc" changed to "pickets" (they drove in our pickets). + +P. 77: "rendezvoued" changed to "rendezvoused" (we rendezvoused at +Sandersville). + +P. 87: "fiften" changed to "fifteen" (fifteen minutes past eleven). + +P. 104: "enables" changed to "enabled" (enabled our skirmishers to come +in). + +Pp. 119, 121, 222: "Pemperton" changed to "Pemberton". + +P. 128: "statue" changed to "stature" (Thomas is a man of small +stature). + +P. 154: "decripid" changed to "decrepit" (leaving the old and decrepit). + +P. 158: "paroxisms" changed to "paroxysms" (the paroxysms of pain). + +P. 166: "hunded" changed to "hundred" (one hundred slaves). + +P. 167: "run" changed to "ran" (he ran his whole plantation). + +P. 180: The song in French has not been edited except for adding spaces +in the words "Mon helvretie" and "O ciel". + +P. 210: "run" changed to "ran" (ran the gauntlet). + +P. 211: "excrutiating" changed to "excruciating" (gave me excruciating +pains). + +P. 246: "paraphernelia" changed to "paraphernalia" (all of the +paraphernalia for the brewing of coffee). + +P. 246: "pssed" changed to "passed" (passed my lips). + +P. 254: "wright" changed to "right" (right or wrong). + +P. 260: "as" changed to "and" (as a citizen and a soldier). + +P. 268: "anti-bellum" changed to "ante-bellum" (the ante-bellum days). + +P. 270: "where-ever" changed to "wherever" (but wherever I went). + +P. 280: "Batalion" changed to "Battalion" (2nd. Corp. A. T. Sessions +became Lieut. Compy. B. 12 Ga. Battalion). + +P. 282: "Batt" changed to "Bat" (Private G. W. H. Whitaker became Capt. +12th Ga. Bat.). + +P. 282: "Adgt" changed to "Adjt" (Private T. O. Wicker became Adjt. 28th +Georgia Regiment). + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 41528 *** |