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diff --git a/41548-0.txt b/41548-0.txt index 22525ef..97e1bb0 100644 --- a/41548-0.txt +++ b/41548-0.txt @@ -1,38 +1,4 @@ -Project Gutenberg's Life in Dixie during the War, by Mary A. H. Gay - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Life in Dixie during the War - 1861-1862-1863-1864-1865 - -Author: Mary A. H. 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Life in Dixie during the War - 1861-1862-1863-1864-1865 - -Author: Mary A. H. Gay - -Release Date: December 4, 2012 [EBook #41548] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LIFE IN DIXIE DURING THE WAR *** - - - - -Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at -http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images -generously made available by The Internet Archive.) - - - - - - - - - - LIFE IN DIXIE DURING THE WAR. - - - 1861-1862-1863-1864-1865. - - - MARY A. H. GAY. - - - _THE THIRD EDITION. (ENLARGED.)_ - - - ATLANTA, GA: - CHARLES P. BYRD. - 1897. - - - - - Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1897, - By MARY A. H. GAY, - In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. - - - - -CONTENTS. - - - PAGE. - - INTRODUCTORY REMARKS 9 - - CHAPTER I.--The Magnolia Cadets 17 - - CHAPTER II.--The War Record of DeKalb County 22 - - CHAPTER III.--Labors of Love--Musical--Decatur 36 - - CHAPTER IV.--Labors of Love--Knitting and Sewing, and Writing - Letters to "Our Soldiers" 42 - - CHAPTER V.--The Third Maryland Artillery--Some Old Songs 48 - - CHAPTER VI.--A Daring and Unique Chase--The Capture and - Re-capture of the Railroad Engine, "The General" 52 - - CHAPTER VII.--Coming Home from Camp Chase--The Faithful - Servant's Gift--A Glimpse of Confederate Braves 58 - - CHAPTER VIII.--Some Social Features--Morgan's Men Rendezvous - at Decatur--Waddell's Artillery--Visits from the Texans-- - Surgeon Haynie and His Song 72 - - CHAPTER IX.--Thomie's Second Home Coming--He Leaves for the - Front--His Christian Labors in Camp--He Describes the - Battle of New Hope Church--The Great Revival in - Johnston's Army 77 - - CHAPTER X.--A Visit to Dalton--The Fidelity of an Oldtime - Slave 94 - - CHAPTER XI.--A Perilous Trust 104 - - CHAPTER XII.--A Scene in an Atlanta Confederate Hospital 108 - - CHAPTER XIII.--Concealing Confederate Clothing--Valuables - Carried to Atlanta--Toby Taken Ill 113 - - CHAPTER XIV.--The Advance Guard of the Yankee Army--I am - Ordered Out--A Noble Federal 124 - - CHAPTER XV.--The Battle of the 22d of July, 1864--The Death - of Toby 135 - - CHAPTER XVI.--Everett's Desertion 146 - - CHAPTER XVII.--A Visit to Confederate Lines--A Narrow Escape-- - My Return--The Fall of Atlanta 156 - - CHAPTER XVIII.--The Ten Days' Armistice--Going Out with the - Confederate Clothes--Scenes at Atlanta, and at Lovejoy's - Station--The Visit to Granbury's Brigade--The Last - Interview with Thomie 168 - - CHAPTER XIX.--The Return Home--From Jonesboro via Augusta-- - Scenes and Incidents by the Way--The Lonely Journey from - Stone Mountain to Decatur 193 - - CHAPTER XX.--On the Verge of Starvation--A Worn-out Army - Horse is Found--Uncle Mack Makes a Wagon--I Make a Unique - Trip--Starvation is Warded Off--Dangers and Scenes by the - Way 207 - - CHAPTER XXI.--A Second Trip for Supplies--Gathering "Fodder" - from a Cane-brake, as a Preliminary--The Lonely Journey-- - Changing Yankee's Name--I Meet the Federal Raiders 226 - - CHAPTER XXII.--News from the Absent Brother--He Marches into - Tennessee with Hood--Extracts from His Letters written on - the Way--Two Ears of Parched Corn--The Night Burial of a - Soldier 243 - - CHAPTER XXIII.--An Incident of the War--Related to the Writer - by Hon. Roger Q. Mills, of Texas 251 - - CHAPTER XXIV.--Picking up Minie Balls Around Atlanta-- - Exchanging Them for Bread 255 - - CHAPTER XXV.--The Decatur Women's Struggle for Bread--Sweet - Singing in Hard Places--Pleasant Visitors--I Make a Trip - to Alabama--The News of My Brother's Death 260 - - CHAPTER XXVI.--My Mother's Death--Rev. John S. Wilson - Performs the Funeral Service 274 - - CHAPTER XXVII.--A Reminiscence 281 - - CHAPTER XXVIII.--How the Decatur Women Kept Up the Sabbath - School 289 - - CHAPTER XXIX.--Postal Affairs--The Postmaster, Hiram J. - Williams--A Life that was a Reality, but Reads like a - Romance 298 - - CHAPTER XXX.--The Tragic Death of Sallie Durham--A Sketch of - the Durham Family 302 - - CHAPTER XXXI.--The Death of Melville Clark 310 - - CHAPTER XXXII.--The Morton Family--Incidents Thrilling and - Affecting 313 - - CHAPTER XXXIII.--Hon. Joseph E. Brown's Pikes and Guns 319 - - CHAPTER XXXIV.--The Pursuit and Capture of the Andrew's - Raiders 325 - - CONFEDERATE LOVE SONG 349 - - CONCLUSION 351 - - APPENDIX 354 - - - - -INTRODUCTION. - - -I am asked to write a few words of introduction to these reminiscences of -a lady who, in the pleasant afternoon of a life devoted to deeds of mercy -and charity, turns fondly and sympathetically to the past. But there is -nothing to be said. What word of mine could add to the interest that -inheres in this unpretentious record of a troubled and bloody period? The -chronicle speaks for itself, especially to those who remember something of -those wonderful days of war. It has the charm and the distinction of -absolute verity, a quality for which we may look in vain in more elaborate -and ambitious publications. Here indeed, is one of the sources from which -history must get its supplies, and it is informed with a simplicity which -history can never hope to attain. - -We have here reproduced in these records, with a faithfulness that is -amazing, the spirit of those dark days that are no more. Tragedy shakes -hands with what seems to be trivial, and the commonplaces of every-day -life seem to move forward with the gray battalions that went forth to war. - -It is a gentle, a faithful and a tender hand that guides the pen--a soul -nerved to sacrifice that tells the tale. For the rest, let the records -speak for themselves. - - JOEL CHANDLER HARRIS. - - - - -PREFACE. - - -By way of preface to "Life in Dixie During the War," I scarcely know what -to say. I have long felt that it was the duty of the South to bequeath to -posterity the traditions of that period; for if we do it not ourselves -they will be swallowed up in oblivion. Entertaining this opinion, I have -essayed the task of an individual effort, and hope that others may follow -my example. - -No woman who has seen what I have seen, and felt what I have felt, would -be apt to write with less asperity; and yet, now that we have come back to -the United States, and mean to stay in it, let the provocation to depart -be what it may, I would not put into practice an iota of the war-time -feeling. In thus expressing myself, I am sure I represent every Christian -in my own beautiful Southland. - -There was one for whom these sketches would have had a special interest. -An inspiring motive for writing them was that they would be read by my -nephew, Thomas H. Stokes, of Atlanta, the only child of the brother so -often mentioned. But, ere he had had more than a glimpse of them, he was -called away by an Inscrutable Providence, in his pure and beautiful young -manhood, as we trust to a Land of Peace more in keeping with his noble, -true, and tender heart, than earth with its sin and strife. "Blessed are -the pure in heart; for they shall see God." - - MARY A. H. GAY. - -Decatur, Georgia. - - - - -INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. - -THE TOCSIN OF WAR. - - -The tocsin of war has resounded from Mason and Dixon's line to the Gulf of -Mexico, from the snow-crested billows of the Atlantic to the tranquil -waves of the Pacific. - -War! War! War! is the battle cry of a people, who, long suffering and -patient, but now, goaded to desperation and thoroughly exasperated, are -determined, at all hazards, to protect the rights for which their -forefathers fought, bled and died; and which their own Thomas Jefferson -embodied in an instrument of writing which, for beauty of diction and -wisdom of thought, will go sounding down the corridors of time, so long as -time itself shall last--unequaled, unparalleled; and which was adopted -without a dissenting voice by the ablest convocation of men ever assembled -in national councils as their declaration of human rights and liberties. - -Thus, under auspices favorable to the happy and speedy development of a -new and glorious country, commenced the government of the freest and -happiest people on earth, under the administration of George -Washington--an administration which caught the eye of the world and called -forth its admiration; and which the most censorious never had the temerity -to attack; an administration which secured for the country the alluring -title, "The land of the free and the home of the brave." And its fame -went abroad in story and in song, and every nation on earth sought its -blessings and advantages, and it grew to be a mighty country. - -Coeval with the settlement of this beautiful continent by the white man, -there came, or rather, there was brought, a race of people which needed -the fostering care as well as the strong arm of slavery to kindle the -latent spark of intellectual fire which had smoldered for centuries, in, -as President Cleveland would say, "innocuous desuetude." - -This race of people came not as pioneers in the building up of this great -nation, but as a menial race, sold into bondage by their own kith and kin, -and not to be endowed with elective franchise nor representation in its -councils. It was held in bondage alike in Massachusetts and in South -Carolina. Under the auspices of slavery, it became a powerful factor in -the building up of the staple industries of the country--the Southern -portion of it directly, the Northern portion indirectly, and it received -in return more than any other people in bondage has ever received--as a -usual thing, good wholesome food, comfortable homes and raiment, and -tender treatment in sickness. When they failed to receive these benefits, -their masters were improvident and careless alike of the comfort of their -own wives and children, and they, too, showed hard usage and neglect. This -is not said by way of apology for any treatment received at the hands of -Southern slaveholders by this vassal race. I repeat that no people held in -bondage ever received so many benefits. - -Slavery, as all other institutions, had its evils, and those evils were -far greater to the slaveholder than to the slaves. Climatic and other -considerations rendered the system of slavery unprofitable in the Northern -States of this great and growing republic, and the men at the helm of -their respective governments agitated the subject of emancipation. - -Having given themselves time to bring the greater number of their slaves -South and sell them, they nominally freed the others by legislative -enactment; and by this great and magnanimous action, there were so few -left that to this day, as attested by Northern tourists, a "darkey," or a -"colored person," is an object of curiosity and great interest. - -The country, North and South, was too prosperous. The agitators could -stand it no longer. Discord and strife took the place of harmony and peace -in the halls of congress, and in the senate chamber of the United States. -Men who could in no other way acquire prominence, became conspicuous as -champions of an "oppressed and down trodden race," and were swift to -slander the white people of the South. Our slaves were taught that murder, -rapine, arson, and every species of wickedness known in the catalogue of -crime which, in any way, could weaken, yea, destroy the South, was service -most acceptable. - -The country was in the clutches of an organized mob, determined to -precipitate it into the jaws of dissolution. By way of confirming this -statement the following resolutions are reproduced. - -These resolutions were adopted by a large and representative body of men -at Worcester, Massachusetts, soon after Fremont's defeat in 1856, and -long before Governor Gist of South Carolina, and other Southern leaders, -began to take measures for a peaceable separation, rather than to be -forcibly expelled: - -"_Resolved_, That the meeting of a state disunion convention, attended by -men of various parties and affinities, gives occasion for a new statement -of principles and a new platform of action. - -"_Resolved_, That the conflict between this principle of liberty and this -fact of slavery has been the whole history of the nation for fifty years, -while the only result of this conflict has thus far been to strengthen -both parties, and prepare the way of a yet more desperate struggle. - -"_Resolved_, That in this emergency we can expect little or nothing from -the South itself, because it, too, is sinking deeper into barbarism every -year. Nor from a supreme court which is always ready to invent new -securities for slaveholders. Nor from a president elected almost solely by -Southern votes. Nor from a senate which is permanently controlled by the -slave power. Nor from a house of representatives which, in spite of our -agitation, will be more proslavery than the present one, though the -present one has at length granted all which slavery asked. Nor from -political action as now conducted. For the Republican leaders and press -freely admitted, in public and private, that the election of Fremont was, -politically speaking, the last hope of freedom, and even could the North -cast a united vote in 1860, the South has before it four years of -annexation previous to that time. - -"_Resolved_, That the fundamental difference between mere political -agitation and the action we propose is this, it requires the acquiescence -of the slave power, and the other only its opposite. - -"_Resolved_, That the necessity for disunion is written in the whole -existing character and condition of the two sections of the country--in -social organizations, education, habits and laws--in the dangers of our -white citizens of Kansas and of our colored ones in Boston, in the wounds -of Charles Sumner and the laurels of his assailant--and no government on -earth was ever strong enough to hold together such opposing forces. - -"_Resolved_, That this movement does not seek merely disunion, but the -more perfect union of the free States by the expulsion of the slave States -from the confederation in which they have ever been an element of discord, -danger and disgrace. - -"_Resolved_, That it is not probable that the ultimate severance of the -union will be an action of deliberation or discussion, but that a long -period of deliberation and discussion must precede it, and this we meet to -begin. - -"_Resolved_, That henceforward, instead of regarding it as an objection to -any system of policy that will lead to the separation of the States, we -will proclaim that to be the highest of all recommendations and the -grateful proof of statesmanship; and we will support politically and -otherwise, such men and measures as appear to tend most to this result. - -"_Resolved_, That by the repeated confession of Northern and Southern -statesmen, the existence of the union is the chief guarantee of slavery, -and that the despots of the whole world and the slaves of the whole world -have everything to hope from its destruction and the rise of a free -Northern republic. - -"_Resolved_, That the sooner the separation takes place the more peaceable -it will be; but that peace or war is a mere secondary consideration in -view of our present perils. Slavery must be conquered; peaceably if we -can, forcibly if we must." - -To keep before the people of the United States, North and South, the -hostility of the then controling spirit of the North towards the South, -the above resolutions cannot be repeated too often. Nor were they an -isolated example of party fanaticism. The stock and staple of the entire -republican press was slander of the Southern people; and like noxious -weeds it well nigh rooted out all that was elevating to man, and ennobling -to woman. The pulpit became a rostrum from which bitter invective of the -South flowed in Niagaran torrents; and the beautiful fields of Poesy were -made to yield an abundant crop of briar and bramble and deadly Upas. - -The burden of every song, of every prayer, of every sermon, was the "poor -down-trodden slave" of the South. What wonder that seed thus constantly -and malignantly sown sprang up and bore a crop of discontent which nothing -short of "separation" from the enemy could appease. We, too, felt that -under the existing circumstances peace or war was a mere secondary -consideration in view of our perils in the union, and took measures to -withdraw from a sectional union of States that had ceased to respect State -sovereignty outside of its own borders. - -The insults and taunts and the encroachments of fifty years had welded the -people of the South into a compact party organization, animated for all -substantial purposes by one sentiment and one glorious principle of -patriotism, and never was there a movement in the annals of nations that -had a more unanimous support. And when the tocsin of war resounded from -one end of the country to the other, and reverberated over hills and -through valleys, the sons and sires in the beautiful Sunny South, from the -high born and cultured gentleman in whose veins flowed the blue blood of -the cavalier, to the humblest tiller of the soil and the shepherd on the -mountain sides, buckled on the paraphernalia of warfare and reported for -duty. To arms! To arms! was the patriotic appeal of a people who had no -other redress; and I repeat with emphasis that never a people responded -with more chivalrous alacrity or more earnestness of purpose. - -I was too well versed in the politics of the country, too familiar with -the underground workings of the enemy, to hesitate. I, too, enlisted in -the struggle, and in the glorious efforts to establish "home rule and -domestic felicity," not literally in the ranks of the soldier, but in the -great army of women who were willing to toil and to suffer, and to die, if -need be, for the cause of the South. - -I had but one brother, a darling young half brother, Thomas J. Stokes, who -had gone to Texas to practice his chosen profession. With all the -intensity of my ardent nature I loved this brother, and would have died -that he might live; and yet with all the perils involved, it was with a -thrill of pride that I read his long letter breathing, pulsing, with the -patriotism illustrated by our ancestry in the revolutionary struggle for -American Independence. And now this noble brother and myself, though -widely separated, enlisted in aid of the same great cause; the perpetuity -of constitutional rights. He to serve on the battle-field, and I to care -for the sick and wounded soldiers, or to labor in any capacity that would -give greatest encouragement to our cause. - - - - -Life in Dixie During the War. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - -THE MAGNOLIA CADETS. - - -Notwithstanding the restful signification of "Alabama," the State bearing -that name had passed the ordinance of secession, and mingled her voice -with those of other States which had previously taken steps in that -direction. - -Then followed a call for a convention, having in view the election of a -President of a new Republic to take its place among the nations of the -earth, and to be known throughout the world as the Southern Confederacy. -As an intensely interested spectator I was at that convention; and will -remember, to my dying day, that grand spectacle. Yea, that was a grand and -solemn occasion--that of issuing a mandate "Let there be another nation, -and to all intents and purposes there was another nation." In the course -of human events it requires centuries to evolve such moral courage and -sublimity of thought and action; and the proceedings of that day will -stand out in bold relief as the acme of patriotic greatness. - -Ah! that scene at the capitol of the State of Alabama, when Jefferson -Davis, the chosen leader of the Southern people, took the oath of office -and pledged undying fidelity to the best interests of his own sunny land. - -On that momentous occasion not a word was uttered denunciatory of the -States we were seeking to leave in their fancied superiority, and the -great concourse of people there assembled was too familiar with the -history of the times to require recapitulation of the causes of the -alienation which led by rapid ascent to the summit of discontent, and -determination to no longer submit to the domination of an enemy. - -That scene being enacted as a preliminary, a call was made for Alabama's -quota of volunteers to defend the principles enunciated and the interests -involved. - -The Magnolia Cadets, under the leadership of Captain N. H. R. Dawson, of -Selma, were among the first to respond. I accompanied my cousins of -Alabama to see this company of noble, handsome young men mustered into the -military service of their country. It was a beautiful sight! Wealthy, -cultured young gentlemen voluntarily turning their backs upon the luxuries -and endearments of affluent homes, and accepting in lieu the privations -and hardships of warfare; thereby illustrating to the world that the -conflict of arms consequent upon the secession was not to be "a rich man's -war and a poor man's fight." - -I saw them as they stood in line to receive the elegant silken banner, -bearing the stars and bars of a new nation, made and presented to them by -Miss Ella Todd and her sister, Mrs. Dr. White, of Lexington, Kentucky, who -were introduced to the audience by Captain Dawson as the sisters of Mrs. -Abraham Lincoln, the wife of the president of the United States. - -I was thus made aware that Mrs. Lincoln and her illustrious husband were -Southerners. I have since been in the small, mud-chinked log cabin in -Elizabethtown, Kentucky, in which he was born, and in which his infancy -and little boyhood were domiciled. Mrs. White had married an Alabamian, -and as his wife became a citizen of his State. Her sister, Miss Todd, was -visiting her at the enactment of the scene described, and under like -circumstances, also became a citizen of Alabama. She married the valiant -gentleman who introduced her to the public on that memorable occasion. - -I have sought and obtained from Mrs. Mary Dawson Jordan, of Chattanooga, -Tennessee, a daughter of Captain Jordan, a complete record of the names of -the officers and members of this patriotic company of Alabama's noble -sons--native and adopted--which I subjoin as an item of history that will -be read with interest by all who revere the memory of the Lost Cause and -its noble defenders. - -_Muster Roll of the "Magnolia Cadets."_ - - N. H. R. DAWSON, Captain. - -(Enrolled for active service at Selma, Ala., on the 26th day of April, -1861. Mustered into service on the 7th day of May, 1861, at Lynchburg, -Va.) - -Commanded by Col. Ben Alston of the Fourth Alabama Regiment of Volunteers. - - 1. N. H. R. Dawson, Captain. - 1. Shortbridge, Jr., Geo. D., 1st Lieutenant. - 2. McCraw, S. Newton, 2nd Lieutenant. - 3. Wilson, John R. 3rd Lieutenant. - 1. Waddell, Ed. R., 1st Sergeant. - 2. Price, Alfred C., 2nd Sergeant. - 3. Daniel, Lucian A., 3rd Sergeant. - 4. Goldsby, Boykin, 4th Sergeant. - 1. Bell, Bush W., 1st Corporal. - 2. Garrett, Robert E., 2nd Corporal. - 3. Brown, James G., 3rd Corporal. - 4. Cohen, Lewis, 4th Corporal. - 1. Melton, George F., Musician. - 2. Marshall, Jacob, Musician. - -PRIVATES. - - 1. Adkins, Agrippa - 2. Adams, William S. - 3. Avery, William C. - 4. Byrd, William G. - 5. Beattie, Thomas K. - 6. Briggs, Charles H. - 7. Bohannon, Robert B. - 8. Baker, Eli W. - 9. Bradley, Hugh C. - 10. Cook, Thomas M. - 11. Cook, James W. - 12. Cook, Benson. - 13. Caughtry, Joseph R. - 14. Cole, George W. - 15. Cleveland, George W. - 16. Clevaland, Pulaski. - 17. Cunningham, Frank M. - 18. Coursey, William W. - 19. Daniel, John R. - 20. Densler, John E. - 21. Donegay, James G. - 22. Friday, Hilliard J. - 23. Friday, James L. - 24. Friday, John C. - 25. Ford, Joseph H. - 26. Grice, Henry F. - 27. Haden, James G. - 28. Harrill, Thornton R. - 29. Hannon, Wm. H., Sr. - 30. Hannon, Wm. H., Jr. - 31. Hooks, William A. - 32. Hodge, William L. - 33. Jones, William. - 34. Jordan, James M. - 35. Jackson, Felix W. - 36. King, William R. - 37. Kennedy, Arch. - 38. Kennedy, George D. - 39. Lamson, Frank R. - 40. Lane, William B. - 41. Lowry, Uriah. - 42. Lowry, William A. - 43. Littleton, Thomas B. - 44. Luske, John M. - 45. Lamar, John H. - 46. Mather, Thomas S. - 47. Martin, James B. - 48. May, Syd M. - 49. May, William V. - 50. Melton, Thomas J. - 51. Miller, Stephen J. - 52. Mimms, George A. - 53. Moody, William R. - 54. Mosely, Andrew B. - 55. McNeal, George S. - 56. McKerning, John W. - 57. Overton, John B. - 58. Overton, Thomas W. - 59. O'Neal, William. - 60. Paisley, Hugh S. - 61. Pryor, John W. - 62. Pryor, Robert O. - 63. Peeples, Frank W. - 64. Raiford, William C. - 65. Reinhardt, George L. - 66. Robbins, John L. - 67. Rucker, Lindsay. - 68. Rucker, Henry. - 69. Shiner, David H. - 70. Stokes, William C. - 71. Stone, John W. - 72. Stewett, Mayor D. - 73. Turner, Daniel M. - 74. Thomas, Lewis. - 75. Tarver, Ben J. - 76. Taylor, William E. - 77. Terry, Thomas B. - 78. Thompson, John S. - 79. Thompson, William E. - 80. Ursory, Edward G. - 81. Vaughn, Turner P. - 82. Wrenn, Theodore J. - 83. Whallon, Daniel. - - Copied from the original Muster Roll of the Magnolia Cadets, owned by - Henry R. Dawson, son of N. H. R. Dawson. - - - - -CHAPTER II. - -THE WAR RECORD OF DEKALB COUNTY. - - -DeKalb county, Georgia, of which Decatur is the county site, was among the -first to enroll troops for Confederate service. The first volunteers from -Decatur were James L. George, Hardy Randall, L. J. Winn and Beattie -Wilson, who went with the Atlanta Greys the last of May, 1861. - -The first company from DeKalb county was that of Captain John W. Fowler. -It was called the DeKalb Light Infantry, and was mustered into service in -Atlanta, as part of the 7th Georgia Volunteers, and left for Virginia on -the 1st of June, 1861. Those going from DeKalb county in this company -were: First Lieutenant, John J. Powell; Second Lieutenant, John M. -Hawkins; Third Lieutenant, James L. Wilson; First Sergeant, M. L. Brown; -Second Sergeant, D. C. Morgan; Third Sergeant, D. E. Jackson; Fourth -Sergeant, John W. Fowler, jr.; Corporals--H. H. Norman, R. F. Davis, C. W. -L. Powell; Privates--W. W. Bradbury (afterwards captain), E. M. -Chamberlain, W. W. Morgan, W. L. Herron, P. H. Pate, C. E. McCulloch, -James W. McCulloch, L. C. Powell, H. G. Woodall, J. S. Woodall, A. W. -Mashburn, V. A. Wilson, W. J. Mason, J. V. Austin, W. M. Austin, John -Eads, E. A. Davis, Dr. A. S. Mason, John W. Norman, E. L. Morton, Henry -Gentry, W. M. Cochran, J. B. Cochran, James Hunter (promoted captain), W. -W. Brimm, William Carroll, C. W. McAllister, J. O. McAllister, and many -others from the county, making it a full company. - -The second company from DeKalb was the Stephens Rifles, captain, L. J. -Glenn. They went into Cobb's Legion about August, 1861. Dr. Liddell, Frank -Herron, Norman Adams, John McCulloch, John J. McKoy, and some others, went -from Decatur in this company. - -The third company was the Murphey Guards, captain, John Y. Flowers. They -came from the upper part of the county, near Doraville. This company was -named in memory of Hon. Charles Murphey, of DeKalb county, a prominent -lawyer and member of Congress, but then recently deceased. The company had -been uniformed by the people of the county, a large share being -contributed by Mr. and Mrs. Milton A. Candler, and Mr. and Mrs. Ezekiel -Mason. Mrs. Candler, whose maiden name was Eliza Murphey, the only child -of Charles Murphey, gave the banner, upon which was inscribed, "The God of -Jacob is with us." - -The Fourth Company was The Bartow Avengers, Captain William Wright, from -the lower part of the county about South River. The Fifth Company, Captain -Rankin, was from Stone Mountain. These three last mentioned companies went -into the 38th Georgia Regiment, in September, 1861, and belonged to the -Virginia Army. The Sixth Company, Captain E. L. Morton's, entered service -the last of August, 1861, in the 36th Georgia Regiment, and was with the -Western Army under Johnston. The Seventh Company, the Fowler Guards, -Captain Clay, went into the 42nd Georgia Regiment in the early part of -1862, and was also in the Western Army. - -There were several companies, mostly composed of DeKalb County men, that -were made up and went from the camp of instruction near Decatur. Moses L. -Brown was Captain of one, and L. D. Belisle of another. Besides the -companies already named, all of which went into the infantry, there were -many soldiers from DeKalb that went into the Cavalry and Artillery service -of the regular army. - -In the year 1863, when Georgia was threatened by Rosecrans coming into the -State on its northern border, special troops were raised for its defence. -Major General Howell Cobb commanded the division; General Henry R. Jackson -one of the brigades. In Jackson's Brigade, in the 10th Georgia Regiment -State Guards (Col. John J. Glenn and Lieutenant-Colonel J. N. Glenn), we -find Company A of Cavalry troops. Of this company Milton A. Candler had -command. These troops served through 1863 and 1864. - -In April, 1863, Paul P. Winn, now a Presbyterian minister, then a mere -youth, went into the army in the 45th Georgia Regiment, commanded by Col. -Thomas J. Simmons. Other Decatur boys went into the service from other -sections where the war found them located. Among these were Dr. James J. -Winn, who enlisted at Clayton, Alabama, with the Barker Greys, and was in -the battle of Bull Run. After a year or two he received a surgeon's -commission, being the youngest surgeon in the army. - -John C. Kirkpatrick, just eighteen, went into the service from Augusta -with the Oglethorpe Infantry. With him were his cousin, William Dabney -(now a Presbyterian minister in Virginia), and his friend, Frank Stone. -This was in 1862, and John remained in the service until the close of the -war, having been in severe battles (for he was in Cleburne's Division), -including that of Jonesboro. In this engagement were other Decatur boys in -other commands. Mr. John B. Swanton, but seventeen years old, was in that -battle, and says that by his side stood, when mortally wounded, Franklin -Williams, the brother of Mr. Hiram J. Williams. Says Mr. Swanton: "He was -so near me I could have touched him with my hand." Three sons of Mrs. -Martha Morgan, and cousins of DeWitt Morgan, were all in the service, -Henry, Daniel, and Joseph Morgan. Jesse Chewning and Samuel Mann were in -the 64th Georgia. - -Josiah J. Willard, the only son of Mr. Levi Willard, while a sprightly, -active youth, was near-sighted. He had a position in the commissary -department at Camp Randolph, near Decatur, and went with it to Macon, July -11th, 1864, and remained there until the place surrendered after the fall -of Richmond. He, also, is mentioned in other sketches. - -There were also several companies of old men and boys who went into the -State service when the last call for troops was made by the Confederate -government. - -Before the DeKalb soldiers go to meet the fortunes of war, let us recall -some incidents that preceded their departure. On the northern side of the -court-house square there stood a large building, the residence of Mr. -Ezekiel Mason. Here, day after day, a band of devoted women met to make -the uniforms for the DeKalb Light Infantry. These uniforms had been cut by -a tailor, but they were to be made by women's hands. Among the leading and -directing spirits in this work were Mrs. Jonathan B. Wilson, Mrs. Jane -Morgan, Mrs. Ezekiel Mason, Mrs. Levi Willard, Miss Anna Davis, Mrs. James -McCulloch, and Miss Lou Fowler. The most of this sewing was done by hand. - -To the DeKalb Light Infantry, the day before its departure, a beautiful -silken banner was given. The ladies of the village furnished the material. -The address of presentation was made by Miss Mollie G. Brown. In -September, of that same year, my sister was invited to present a banner to -Captain William Wright's Company. Her modest little address was responded -to in behalf of the company by Rev. Mr. Mashburn, of the Methodist Church. -In March, 1862, there was another banner presented from the piazza of "the -Mason Corner"--this time to the Fowler Guards, by Miss Georgia Hoyle. This -banner was made by the fair hands of Miss Anna E. Davis. By this time the -spirit of independence of the outside world had begun to show itself in -the Southern-made grey jeans of the soldiers, and in the homespun dress of -Miss Hoyle. - -This banner, so skillfully made by Miss Anna Davis, had a circle of white -stars upon a field of blue, and the usual bars of red and white--two broad -red bars with a white one between. The banner of this pattern was known as -the "stars and bars," and was the first kind used by the Confederate -States. In May, 1863, the Confederate Congress adopted a National Flag, -which had a crimson field with white stars in a blue-grounded diagonal -cross, the remainder of the flag being white. But, when falling limp -around the staff, and only the white showing, it could easily be mistaken -for a flag of truce; therefore in March, 1865, the final change was made -by putting a red bar across the end of the flag. - -But what of the fate of these gallant young men, going forth so full of -hope and courage, with tender and loving farewells lingering in their -hearts? - -Soon, ah! so soon, some of them fell upon the crimson fields of Virginia. -James L. George ("Jimmie," as his friends lovingly called him) was killed -in the first battle of Manassas. "Billy" Morgan died soon after the -battle, and was buried with military honors in a private cemetery near -Manassas. Two years after, his brother, De Witt Morgan, worn out in the -siege of Vicksburg, was buried on an island in Mobile Bay. At the second -battle of Manassas, James W. McCulloch and James L. Davis were both -killed. Later on W. J. Mason, William Carroll, John M. Eads, H. H. Norman, -Billy Wilson, and Norman Adams, were numbered among the slain. Among the -wounded were Henry Gentry, Mose Brown, John McCulloch, W. W. Brimm, Dave -Chandler, Riley Lawhorn, and Bill Herring. - -A volume could easily be written concerning the bravery and the sufferings -of the DeKalb county troops; but I must forbear. Concerning Warren Morton, -of the 36th Georgia Regiment, who went into the service at the age of -fifteen, and suffered so severely, I will refer my readers to a sketch in -the latter part of this book. Of William M. Durham, so young, so gallant, -who enlisted in Company K., 42nd Georgia Regiment, much of interest will -be found in another chapter. - -Among the Decatur members of Cobb's Legion was Mr. John J. McKoy, who went -out in the Stephens Rifles when not more than nineteen years old. He was -in the battle of Yorktown, Seven Pines, and in the Seven Days Fight around -Richmond. Owing to illness, and to business arising from the attainment of -his majority, he came home in 1863, and, hiring a substitute when the -conscript law was passed, went to work at the Passport Office in Atlanta. -In this same year he was married to Miss Laura Williams of Decatur. Having -raised Company A., for the 64th Georgia Regiment, Mr. McKoy was with it -when it was sent to Florida, and was in the battle of Olustee or Ocean -Pond, in February 1864, where General Alfred H. Colquitt won the title of -"The Hero of Olustee." Mr. McKoy remembers to have seen on that eventful -day, Col. George W. Scott, then of Florida, but now of Decatur. At the -battle of Olustee, Col. Scott was in command of a regiment of Cavalry. The -banner of the regiment is now in possession of his daughter, Mrs. Thomas -Cooper. - -The 64th Georgia was then sent to Virginia in General Wright's brigade. A -few days after "The Mine Explosion," or undermining of the Confederate -works, an engagement occurred at Deep Bottom. Here, General Girardy, of -Augusta, was killed, and several hundred of the Confederates were -captured, among the number being Mr. McKoy. This was in July, 1864. He was -sent to Fort Delaware, where he remained in prison until the close of the -war. Here he spent a whole winter without a fire, and was subject to all -that Fort Delaware meant. To escape the horrors of that prison, many of -the two thousand officers there confined, took the oath not to fight -against the United States. But Mr. McKoy and thirty-four others remained -in prison, firm and loyal, even after the surrender, believing and hoping, -up to July, 1865, that the war would be carried on west of the Mississippi -river. - -The soldiers who went to Virginia knew from their own experience the -scenes of Manassas, Malvern Hill, Fort Harrison, Sharpsburg, -Fredericksburg, Gettysburg and the Wilderness. Yet some of them were left -to be surrendered by Lee at Appomatox Court House. The companies which -were in the Western Army were in the leading battles of that Division, and -were equally brave and abiding in their devotion to the cause. - -For many of the foregoing facts concerning the troops from DeKalb, I am -greatly indebted to Mr. Robert F. Davis, who went with DeKalb's first -company, and who, after braving the perils of the war, came off unscathed. -He still lives near Decatur, and is an elder in the Presbyterian Church. - -I greatly regret my inability, even if I had the space, to give the names -of all the soldiers who went from DeKalb, and to tell of their deeds of -bravery and endurance. It has not been intentional that many are wholly -omitted. It has been my privilege to see but one muster-roll of our county -troops--that of Company K, 38th Georgia Regiment, kindly furnished by Mr. -F. L. Hudgins, of Clarkston, a brave soldier who was in command of the -Company when Lee surrendered. This muster-roll shows that out of the 118 -names, forty-six were killed (or died), and seventeen were wounded; that -its first Captain, William Wright, resigned, and that three other Captains -by promotion were all killed, _i. e._, Gustin E. Goodwin, George W. Stubbs -and R. H. Fletcher. Indeed, in nearly every instance, promotion in this -Company meant death upon the battle field. And can we wonder that both the -commissioned and the noncommissioned fell, when some of the principal -battles in which they were engaged bore such names as Cold Harbor, Malvern -Hill, Second Manassas, Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, -Winchester, Gettysburg, The Wilderness, Spottsylvania Courthouse, -Mechanicsville, Fisher's Hill, Cedar Creek, Louise Courthouse and High -Bridge? - -In memory of the dead, for the sake of the living and for the descendants -of all mentioned therein, I copy the muster-roll of this company: - -_Company K., 38th Georgia Regiment_: - -Captain William Wright--resigned July, 1862. - -1st Lieutenant Julius J. Gober--Died July 26th, 1862. - -2nd Lieutenant Gustin E. Goodwin--Promoted captain; killed August 28th, -1862. - -3rd Lieutenant George W. Stubbs--Promoted captain; killed July 24th, -1864. - -1st Sergeant John S. Johnston--Killed June 27th, 1862. - -2nd Sergeant W. R. Henry--Promoted to 1st Lieutenant; lost a leg December -13th, 1862. - -3rd Sergeant J. A. Maddox--Killed at Wilderness, May 5th, 1864. - -4th Sergeant F. L. Hudgins--Promoted 1st Sergeant; wounded at Malvern -Hill; shot through the body at Gettysburg. - -5th Sergeant E. H. C. Morris--Promoted 3rd Lieutenant; killed at Second -Manassas, August, 1862. - -1st Corporal F. M. Gassaway--Killed at Second Manassas, August, 1862. - -2nd Corporal J. M. Walker--Died in camp. - -3rd Corporal W. A. Ward--Died in camp. - -4th Corporal James L. Anderson--Wounded at Manassas and Spottsylvania -court house. - -John H. Akers--Killed at Second Manassas, 1862. - -A. W. Allman--Killed at Cedar Creek, October 19th, 1864. - -John Adams--Died in camp. - -Enos Adams-- - -Isaac W. Awtry-- - -W. A. Awtry-- - -H. V. Bayne--Disabled by gunshot wound. Still living. - -Allen Brown-- - -Lewis Brown-- - -Killis Brown-- - -William M. Brooks-- - -H. M. Burdett-- - -J. S. Burdett-- - -John S. Boyd-- - -James E. Ball--Killed at Gettysburg, July, 1863. - -W. H. Brisendine-- - -L. R. Bailey--Transferred to Cobb's Legion. - -John E. J. Collier-- - -James Collier--Died at Charlottesville, Va., 1862. - -Z. J. Cowan-- - -J. J. Cowan-- - -G. G. Cook-- - -James E. Chandler--Killed at Sharpsburg, Md., September 17th, 1862. - -W. B. Chandler--Died in camp, May 31st, 1863. - -John W. Chandler--Killed at Second Manassas, August, 1862. - -W. A. Childress--A physician in Atlanta. - -J. H. Childers-- - -J. M. Dowis--Killed at Coal Harbor, June 27th, 1862. - -W. H. Ellis-- - -John Eunis-- - -R. H. Fletcher--Promoted Captain; killed in 1865. - -A. M. Gentry--Died at Savannah in 1862. - -W. F. Goodwin--Promoted 3rd Lieutenant; killed at Gettysburg in 1863. - -C. H. Goodwin--Killed at Coal Harbor. - -Joseph Grogan-- - -J. H. Grogan-- - -J. D. Grogan--Killed at Sharpsburg, Maryland, September 17th, 1862. - -Gideon Grogan--Killed at Sharpsburg, Maryland, September 17th, 1862. - -James H. Gasaway--Disabled by gunshot. - -William Gasaway--Disabled by gunshot. - -John Gasaway--Discharged. - -W. L. Goss-- - -F. L. Guess--Transferred to the 9th Georgia Artillery Battalion. - -H. L. Head-- - -J. L. Henry--Killed at Coal Harbor, June 27th, 1862. - -W. B. Heldebrand--Died recently. - -H. H. Hornbuckle--Killed at Coal Harbor, June 27th, 1862. - -Joshua Hammond--Killed at Sharpsburg, September 17th, 1862. - -R. F. Jones--Killed at Coal Harbor. - -J. W. Jones--Disabled by gunshot. - -C. S. Jones--Killed in Richmond. - -R. D. F. Jones--Disabled by gunshot. - -J. M. Jones-- - -J. H. Jones--Disabled by gunshot. - -James Jones-- - -John F. Kelley-- - -John H. Kelley-- - -James Kelley-- - -W. J. Little--Disabled by gunshot. - -George Lee--Died in camp. - -A. J. Lee--Discharged. - -Wiley Manghon-- - -J. R. Mitchell--Killed December 13th, 1862, at Fredericksburg. - -W. G. Mitchell--Disabled by gunshot. - -E. J. Mitchell-- - -W. R. Maguire--Disabled by gunshot. - -W. A. Morgan-- - -B. S. McClain--Died in camp. - -John W. Nash--Killed December 13th, 1862, at Fredericksburg. - -David N. Fair--Killed at Coal Harbor, June 27th, 1862. - -W. B. Owen-- - -J. J. Pruett--Discharged. - -John W. Phillips--Killed at Coal Harbor, June 27th, 1862. - -John B. Thompson-- - -Will Thompson-- - -W. M. Richardson--Disabled at Second Manassas. - -J. S. Richardson--Killed at Coal Harbor, June 27th, 1862. - -D. D. Richardson--Died at Hanover Junction, 1862. - -A. W. Stowers-- - -W. A. Smith-- - -J. M. Summey--Shot through at Coal Harbor. - -S. J. Summey--Killed at Winchester, Va., June 13th, 1863. - -James Toney--Musician. - -C. W. Toney--Musician. - -M. J. Tweedle--Wounded at Winchester, Va., September 19th, 1864. - -S. J. Thomas-- - -R. L. Vaughn--Died at Savannah, Ga. - -J. S. Vaughn--Wounded eight times at Coal Harbor. - -W. T. Vaughn--Had both hands blown off. - -J. C. Wiggins--Promoted Second Lieutenant; killed in June, 1864. - -J. M. Wiggins-- - -R. W. Wiggins--Killed at Petersburg, Va., March 27th, 1865. - -E. W. Wiggins--Killed at Sharpsburg, Maryland, September 17th, 1862. - -G. W. Wiggins-- - -M. O. Wiggins--Disabled at Cedar Creek, October 19th, 1864. - -G. W. Wade--Musician. - -E. D. Wade-- - -F. M. Wade-- - -B. L. Wilson--Killed at Marie's Heights, May 4th, 1863. - -W. A. Wright-- - -W. R. Wood-- - -Amos Wheeler--Killed at Spottsylvania, May 12th, 1864. - -J. H. Wilson--Killed at Gettysburg, July 1st, 1863. - -Jordan Wilson--Killed at Coal Harbor, June 27th, 1862. - - - - -CHAPTER III. - -LABORS OF LOVE. - - -Musical--Decatur. - -To a woman who lives and moves and has her being in the past, an -invocation to time to "turn backward in its flight," would seem -superfluous. The scenes of other years being ever present, it would also -seem that time, as a loving father, would linger fondly around her with -panaceas for decay, mental and physical; that her heart would never grow -old, and her person never lose the attractions of youth; but, in the -economy of Him who doeth all things well, such is not the decree regarding -aught that is mortal. And when the ravages incident to one's career have -destroyed personal charm, and divested the mind of sparkling gem, the soul -yearns for the protection of childhood and the companionship of youth. -Scenes of the past, though dyed with "the blood of martyrs," are ever -passing in kaleidoscopic beauty before the mind's eye, and tones too sweet -for mortal ear are ever thrilling the heart with strange, sweet, expectant -pleasure. This train of reflection, only far more elaborate, seizes for -its guiding star, on this occasion, a scene which at the time of its -enactment was indelibly impressed upon my mind, and left living, glowing -tints, illuming my pathway through subsequent life; a scene in which -lovely girlhood, arrayed in pure white robes, lent a helping hand in the -important work of supplying our soldiers with comforts, all the more -appreciated because of the source from which emanating. With closed eyes, -I see it now and listen to its enchanting melody. To render it more -realistic than could be done by any description of mine, I subjoin a copy -of the "Programme," the original of which I have preserved: - - GRAND MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT! - - RELIEF FUND - FOR OUR SOLDIERS, - THURSDAY, MAY 15, 1862, - AT THE COURTHOUSE. - -By the ladies of Decatur, Georgia, assisted by William H. Barnes, Colonel -Thomas F. Lowe, Professor Hanlon, W. A. Haynes, R. O. Haynes, Dr. -Geutebruck and Dr. Warmouth, of Atlanta. - -PROGRAMME. - -Part I. - -1. Opening Chorus--Company. - -2. Piano Duet--"March from Norma"--Miss Georgia Hoyle and Miss Missouri -Stokes. - -3. Solo--"Roy Neil"--Mrs. Robert Alston. - -4. Quartette--Atlanta Amateurs. - -5. "Tell Me, Ye Winged Winds"--Company. - -6. "Our Way Across the Sea"--Miss G. Hoyle and Professor Hanlon. - -7. March--Piano Duet--Miss Laura Williams and Miss Fredonia Hoyle. - -8. Solo--Professor Hanlon. - -9. Comic Song--W. H. Barnes. - -10. Violin Solo--Colonel Thomas F. Lowe. - -11. Solo--Dr. Warmouth. - -12. "When Night Comes O'er the Plain"--Miss M. Stokes and Professor -Hanlon. - -13. "The Mother's Farewell"--Mrs. Maggie Benedict. - -Part II. - -1. Chorus--"Away to the Prairie"--Company. - -2. Piano Solo--Miss G. Hoyle. - -3. Song--Atlanta Amateurs. - -4. Coquette Polka--Misses Hoyle and Stokes. - -5. Chorus--"Let us Live with a Hope"--Company. - -6. "Mountain Bugle"--Miss M. Stokes and Company. - -7. "Mazurka des Traineaux"--Piano Duet--Misses Hoyle and Stokes. - -8. Shiloh Retreat--Violin--Colonel Thomas F. Lowe. - -Concluding with the Battle Song: "Cheer, Boys, Cheer"--W. H. Barnes. - -Tickets, 50c. Children and Servants, half price. - -Doors open 7:30 o'clock. Commence at 8:15 o'clock. - - Atlanta Intelligencer Power Print. - - -Musical--Atlanta. - -The citizens of Decatur were always invited to entertainments, social, -literary, and musical, in Atlanta, that had in view the interest, pleasure -or comfort of our soldiers; therefore the invitation accompanying the -following programme received ready response: - - TWELFTH MUSICAL SOIREE - --of the-- - ATLANTA AMATEURS, - - Monday evening, June 24, 1861, - For the Benefit of - ATLANTA VOLUNTEERS, - Captain Woddail, - and the - CONFEDERATE CONTINENTALS, - Captain Seago, - Who Are Going to Defend Our Land. - - Let all attend and pay a parting tribute to our brave - soldiers. - -PROGRAMME. - -Part I. - -1. We Come Again--(Original)--Company. - -2. Dreams--(A Reverie)--Miss J. E. Whitney. - -3. Violin Solo--(Hash)--Colonel Thomas F. Lowe. - -4. "Not for Gold or Precious Stones"--Miss R. J. Hale. - -5. Yankee Doodle--According to W. A. Haynes. - -6. Dixie Variations--Mrs. W. T. Farrar. - -7. "Two Merry Alpine Maids"--Misses M. F. and J. E. Whitney. - -8. "When I Saw Sweet Nellie Home"--Misses Sasseen and Judson. - -9. "Root Hog or Die"--W. H. Barnes. - -Instrumental Trio, "La Fille du Regiment"--Messrs. Schoen and Heindl. -Vermicelli, (Variations)--W. H. Barnes and Openheimer. - -Part II. - -1. "Our Southern Land"--C. P. Haynes and Company. - -2. "Through Meadows Green"--Miss M. F. Whitney.[1] - -3. Solo--Thomas D. Wright. - -4. "Home, Sweet Home"--Miss R. J. Hale. - -5. Violin Exemplification--Col. Thomas F. Lowe. - -6. "Happy Days of Yore"--Mrs. Hibler. - -7. Quartette--(original)--Misses Whitney, Messrs. Barnes and Haynes. - -8. "Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep"--Prof. Hanlon. Encore--Ballad. - -9. "I Come, I Come"--Misses Sasseen, Westmoreland and Sims. - -The whole to conclude with the grand original. - -TABLEAU, - -(In Two Parts). - -The Women and Children of Dixie Rejoicing Over the Success of the -Confederate Banner. - -Scene 1. The Children of Dixie. - -Scene 2. The Women--The Soldiers--Our Flag--Brilliant Illumination. - -Doors open at half past 7 o'clock. Curtain will rise at half past 8 -o'clock. - -Tickets, Fifty Cents. Ushers will be on hand to seat audience. - - W. H. BARNES, Manager. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -LABORS OF LOVE. - -Knitting and Sewing, and Writing Letters to "Our Soldiers." - - -A patriotic co-operation between the citizens of Decatur and Atlanta soon -sprang up, and in that, as in all things else, a social and friendly -interchange of thought and feeling and deed existed; and we were never so -pleased as when aiding each other in the preparation of clothing and -edibles for "our soldiers," or in some way contributing to their comfort. - -Many of us who had never learned to sew became expert handlers of the -needle, and vied with each other in producing well-made garments; and I -became a veritable knitting machine. Besides the discharge of many duties -incident to the times and tending to useful results, I knitted a sock a -day, long and large, and not coarse, many days in succession. At the -midnight hour the weird click of knitting needles chasing each other round -and round in the formation of these useful garments for the nether limbs -of "our boys," was no unusual sound; and tears and orisons blended with -woof and warp and melancholy sighs. For at that dark hour, when other -sounds were shut out, we dared to listen with bated breath to "the still, -small voice" that whispered in no unmistakable language suggestions which -would have been rebuked in the glare of the noonday sun. - -No mother nor sister nor wife nor aunt of a Confederate soldier, need be -told what were the depressing suggestions of that "still, small voice" on -divers occasions. - -When the knitting of a dozen pairs of socks was completed, they were -washed, ironed and neatly folded by one of our faithful negro women, and I -then resumed the work of preparing them for their destination. Each pair -formed a distinct package. Usually a pretty necktie, a pair of gloves, a -handkerchief and letter, deposited in one of the socks, enlarged the -package. When all was ready, a card bearing the name of the giver, and a -request to "inquire within," was tacked on to each package. And then these -twelve packages were formed into a bundle, and addressed to an officer in -command of some company chosen to be the recipient of the contents. - -I will give a glimpse of the interior of my letters to our boys. These -letters were written for their spiritual edification, their mental -improvement and their amusement. - -"Never saw I the righteous forsaken." - - "Full many a gem of purest ray serene, - The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear; - Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, - And waste its sweetness on the desert air." - - P. S.--"Apples are good but peaches are better; - If you love me, you will write me a letter."--M. - -"Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth." - - "If in the early morn of life, - You give yourself to God, - He'll stand by you 'mid earthly strife, - And spare the chast'ning rod."-- - - P. S.--"Roses are red and violets blue, - Sugar is sweet and so are you."--M. - -"Love thy neighbor as thyself." - - "May every joy that earth can give - Around thee brightly shine; - Remote from sorrow may you live, - And all of heaven be thine."-- - - P. S.--Remember me when this you see, - Though many miles apart we be.--M - -"Love worketh no ill to his neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of -the law." - - "This above all--to thine own self be true, - And it must follow as night the day, - Thou canst not then be false to any one." - - P. S.--"Sure as the vine twines round the stump, - You are my darling sugar lump."--M. - -"The night is far spent, the day is at hand; let us, therefore, cast off -the works of darkness and let us put on the armour of light." - - "As for my life, it is but short, - When I shall be no more; - To part with life I am content, - As any heretofore. - Therefore, good people, all take heed, - This warning take by me-- - According to the lives you lead, - Rewarded you shall be." - - P. S.--"My pen is bad, my ink is pale, - My love for you shall never fail."--M. - -"Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of -God." - - "The harp that once through Tara's halls - The soul of music shed, - Now hangs as mute on Tara's wall, - As if that soul were fled. - So sleeps the pride of former days, - So glory's thrill is o'er; - And hearts that once beat high for praise - Now feel that pulse no more. - No more to chiefs and ladies bright - The harp of Tara swells; - The chord alone that breaks at night - Its tale of ruin tells. - Thus Freedom, now so seldom wakes, - The only throb she gives - Is when some heart indignant breaks - To show that still she lives."-- - - P. S.--"My love for you will ever flow, - Like water down a cotton row."--M - -"The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof; the world and they that -dwell therein. - -"For He hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. - -"Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord, or who shall stand in his -holy place? - -"He that hath clean hands and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his -soul unto vanity nor sworn deceitfully." - - "Know thyself, presume not God to scan. - The proper study of mankind is man." - - P. S.--"Round as the ring that has no end, - Is my love for you, my own sweet friend."--M. - -"God is love." - - "Poor soul, the centre of my sinful earth, - Fooled by those rebel powers that there array, - Why dost thou pine within and suffer dearth, - Painting thy outward walls so costly gay? - Why so large cost, having so short a lease, - Dost thou upon thy fading mansion spend? - Shall worms, inheritors of this excess, - Eat up thy charge? Is this thy body's end?" - - P. S.--"If you love me as I love you, - No knife can cut our love in two."--M. - -"But this I say, He that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and -he which soweth bountifully, shall reap also bountifully. Every man -according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give, not grudgingly, -or of necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver." - - "Before Jehovah's awful throne - Ye nations bow with sacred joy; - Know that the Lord is God alone; - He can create and He destroy." - - P. S.--"Above, below, in ocean, earth and skies, - Nothing's so pretty as your blue eyes."--M. - -"I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on Me should -not abide in darkness." - - "And neither the angels in heaven above, - Nor the demons down under the sea, - Can ever dissever my soul from the soul - Of the beautiful Annabel Lee." - - P. S.--"Remember me! Remember me! - When this you see--Remember me!"--M. - -"The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in the storehouses, and in -all that thou settest thine hand unto." - - "Lives of great men all remind us, - We can make our lives sublime, - And departing, leave behind us, - Footprints on the sands of Time." - - P. S.--"Remember well and bear in mind, - A pretty girl's not hard to find; - But when you find one nice and Gay - Hold on to her both night and day."--M. - -"He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and -forsaketh them shall have mercy." - - "I'd give my life to know thy art, - Sweet, simple, and divine; - I'd give this world to melt one heart, - As thou hast melted mine."--Mary. - - P. S.--"As the earth trots round the sun, - My love for you will ever run."--M. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - -THE THIRD MARYLAND ARTILLERY. - -Some Old Songs. - - -At some time in 1863, it was my privilege to meet a gallant band of men -whose faith in the justice of our cause was so strong that they were -constrained to turn their faces Southward and imperil their lives in its -defence. These men represented the highest type of manhood in Maryland. - -Sickness entered their camp, and the good ladies of Decatur insisted upon -providing the comforts of home for the sick and wounded. Those to whom it -was my privilege to minister belonged to the Third Maryland Artillery, -under command of Captain John B. Rowan.[2] - -Among them was one whose appreciation of kindness shown him ripened into -an undying friendship, Captain W. L. Ritter, a devoted Christian -gentleman, and now an elder in Doctor LeFevre's Church, Baltimore. - -His fondness for that beautiful Southern song, by James R. Randall, -entitled "Maryland, My Maryland!" was truly pathetic. - -I subjoin the words to stir up the souls of our people by way of -remembrance. - - MARYLAND, MY MARYLAND. - - The despot's heel is on thy shore, - Maryland, My Maryland! - His touch is on thy temple door, - Maryland, My Maryland. - Avenge the patriotic gore, - That flowed the streets of Baltimore, - And be the battle-queen of yore, - Maryland, My Maryland. - - Hark to a wand'ring son's appeal, - Maryland, My Maryland! - My mother state, to thee I kneel, - Maryland, My Maryland! - For life and death, for woe and weal, - Thy peerless chivalry reveal, - And gird thy beauteous limbs with steel, - Maryland, My Maryland. - - Thou wilt not cower in the dust, - Maryland, My Maryland! - Thy beaming sword shall never rust, - Maryland, My Maryland. - Remember Carroll's sacred trust, - Remember Howard's warlike thrust, - And all thy slumberers with the just, - Maryland, My Maryland. - - Come, 'tis the red dawn of the day, - Maryland, My Maryland! - Come with thy panoplied array, - Maryland, My Maryland. - With Ringold's spirit for the fray, - With Watson's blood at Monterey, - With fearless Lowe and dashing May; - Maryland, My Maryland. - - Dear Mother! burst thy tyrant's chain, - Maryland, My Maryland! - Virginia should not call in vain, - Maryland, My Maryland. - She meets her sisters on the plain, - "Sic Semper," 'tis the proud refrain - That baffles minions back again, - Maryland, My Maryland. - - Come! for thy shield is bright and strong, - Maryland, My Maryland! - Come! for thy dalliance does thee wrong, - Maryland, My Maryland. - Come to thy own heroic throng, - That stalks with liberty along, - And give a new Key to thy song, - Maryland, My Maryland. - - I see the blush upon thy cheek, - Maryland, My Maryland! - But thou wast ever bravely meek, - Maryland, My Maryland. - But, lo! there surges forth a shriek, - From hill to hill, from creek to creek, - Potomac calls to Chesapeake, - Maryland, My Maryland. - - Thou wilt not yield the vandal toll, - Maryland, My Maryland! - Thou wilt not crook to his control, - Maryland, My Maryland. - Better the fire upon thee roll, - Better the shot, the blade, the bowl, - Than crucifixion of the soul, - Maryland, My Maryland. - - I hear the distant thunder hum, - Maryland, My Maryland! - The Old Line bugle, fife and drum, - Maryland, My Maryland. - She is not dead, nor deaf, nor dumb-- - Huzza! she spurns the Northern scum; - She breathes! She burns! She'll come, she'll come! - Maryland, My Maryland. - -An additional verse as sung by Mrs. Jessie Clark, of Crisp's Co., Friday -night, Sept. 12th, 1862. - - Hark! tis the cannon's deaf'ning roar, - Maryland, My Maryland! - Old Stonewall's on thy hallow'd shore, - Maryland, My Maryland. - Methinks I hear the loud huzza - Ring through the streets of Baltimore-- - Slaves no longer--free once more - Maryland, My Maryland. - -There were other songs sung in those days. Some of the most popular were -"Bonnie Blue Flag," "Dixie," "Bob Roebuck is my Soldier Boy," "Who will -Care for Mother Now?" "Her Bright Smile Haunts me Still," "Let me Kiss Him -for his Mother," "All Quiet Along the Potomac To-Night," "Rock me to -Sleep, Mother," "When I Saw Sweet Nellie Home," "Just Before the Battle, -Mother." In a collection of old music, now never played, there lie before -me copies of these songs. They were published in various Southern cities -on paper not firm and smooth, but rather thin and coarse, but quite -presentable. What memories these songs awake! Where, oh where, are those -who sang them over thirty years ago! Who of the singers are now living? -How many have gone to the Eternal Shore? - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -A DARING AND UNIQUE CHASE. - -The Capture and Re-capture of the Railroad Engine, "The General." - - -In the early spring of 1862, there occurred an episode of the war which, -up to that date, was the most exciting that had happened in our immediate -section. The story has often been told; but instead of relying upon my -memory, I will condense from the written statement of Mr. Anthony Murphy, -of Atlanta, Georgia, who was one of the principal actors in the chase. - -Mr. Murphy begins his narrative by saying: "On Saturday morning, April -12th, 1862, about 4 o'clock, I went aboard a passenger train that started -then for Chattanooga, Tennessee. My business that day was to examine an -engine that furnished power to cut wood and pump water for the locomotives -at Allatoona, a station forty miles from Atlanta. As foreman of machine -and motive power, it became my duty to go that morning. This train was in -charge of Engineer Jeff Cain, and Conductor W. A. Fuller. It was known as -a freight and passenger train. The train arrived in Marietta, twenty miles -from Atlanta, shortly after daylight. I stepped from the coach and noticed -a number of men getting on the car forward of the one I rode in. They were -dressed like citizens from the country, and I supposed they were -volunteers for the army, going to Big Shanty, now known as Kennesaw, a -station about eighteen miles from Marietta, where troops were organized -and forwarded to the Confederate army in Virginia and other points. At -this station the train stopped for breakfast, and, as the engineer, -conductor, myself and other passengers went to get our meals, no one was -left in charge of the locomotive. I had about finished, when I heard a -noise as if steam were escaping. Looking through a window I saw the cars -move, saw the engineer and fireman at the table, and said to them: 'Some -one is moving your engine.' By this time I was at the front door, and saw -that the train was divided and passing out of sight." - -Mr. Murphy, the conductor, and the engineer then held a brief -consultation. He asked about the men who got on at Marietta (who -afterwards proved to be a Federal raiding party, Andrews and his men), and -remarked: "They were the men who took the engine and three cars." At the -time he thought they were Confederate deserters, who would run the engine -as far as it would have steam to run, and then abandon it. Mr. Murphy and -his two comrades concluded that it was their duty to proceed after them. A -Mr. Kendrick, connected with the railroad, coming up, they requested him -to go on horseback to Marietta, the nearest telegraph station, and -communicate with the superintendent at Atlanta, while they "put out on -foot after a locomotive under steam." Knowing they would reach a squad of -track-hands somewhere on the line, they had some hope, and they did, in a -few miles, meet a car and hands near Moon's Station, about two miles from -Big Shanty. They pressed the car, and two hands to propel it, which -propelling was done by poles pressed against the ties or ground, and not -by a crank. Soon they reached a pile of cross-ties on the track, and found -the telegraph wire cut. Clearing off the ties, they pressed on until they -reached Acworth Station, six miles from Big Shanty. There they learned -that the train they were pursuing had stopped some distance from the -depot, and having been carefully examined by its engineer, had moved off -at a rapid rate. This satisfied the pursuers that the capturers of the -engine "meant something more than deserters would attempt;" and then they -"thought of enemies from the Federal army." Says the narrator: "We moved -on to Allatoona. At this place we received two old guns, one for Fuller, -and one for the writer. I really did not know how long they had been -loaded, nor do I yet, for we never fired them. These were the only arms on -our engine during our chase. Two citizens went along from here, which made -about seven men on our little pole-car. As we proceeded toward Etowah, we -moved rapidly, being down grade, when suddenly we beheld an open place in -the track. A piece of rail had been taken up by the raiders. Having no -brake, we could not hold our car in check, and plunged into this gap, -turning over with all hands except Fuller and myself, who jumped before -the car left the track. The little car was put on again, and the poling -man sent back to the next track-gang to have repairs made for following -trains." - -Arriving at Etowah, the pursuers found the engine "Yonah," used by the -Cooper Iron Company, and pressed it into service. They got an open car, -and stocked it with rails, spikes and tools, and moved on to Cartersville. -Passing on to Rogers' Station, they learned that the raiders had stopped -there for wood and water, telling Mr. Rogers that they were under military -orders, and that the engine crew proper were coming on behind. At Kingston -the raiders had told that they were carrying ammunition to General -Beauregard, on the line of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, near -Huntsville, Alabama. At this point the "Yonah" was sent back to Etowah, -and the supply car of the pursuers coupled to the engine "New York." But -at Kingston the Rome Railroad connects with the Western & Atlantic road, -and the Rome engine and train were in the way. Instead of clearing the -track for the "New York," the crowd at the Kingston depot, having learned -the news, took possession of the Rome engine and some cars attached, and -pulled out for the chase, which compelled Mr. Murphy and his friends to -abandon their outfit and run to get on the same train. A few miles were -made, when they found a pile of cross-ties on the rails, and the telegraph -wires cut. Clearing the track they moved on, when they encountered another -gap. Here Messrs. Murphy and Fuller, believing that they would meet the -engine "Texas" with a freight train, left the obstructed train and pressed -on again on foot, advising the crowd to return, which they did. The -pursuers met the "Texas" two miles from Adairsville, and, motioning the -engineer to stop, they went aboard and turned him back. At Adairsville -they learned that Andrews had not been long gone. Says the narrator: -"About three miles from Calhoun we came in sight for the first time of the -captured engine, and three freight cars. They had stopped to remove -another rail, and were in the act of trying to get it out when we came in -sight. * * * As we reached them, they cut loose one car and started again. -We coupled this car to our engine, and moved after them. * * * From Resaca -to Tilton the road was very crooked, and we had to move cautiously. The -distance between us was short. * * * I feared ambushing by -Andrews--reversing the engine and starting it back under an open throttle -valve. * * * To prevent us closing in on them, the end of the box car was -broken out, and from this they threw cross-ties on the track to check our -speed and probably derail us. * * * I had a long bar fastened to the brake -wheel of the tender to give power so that four men could use it to help -check and stop the engine suddenly. I also stood by the reverse lever to -aid the engineer to reverse his engine, which he had to do many times to -avoid the cross-ties. - -"Passing through and beyond Tilton, we again came in sight. At this point -the road has a straight stretch of over a mile. A short distance from -Tilton and just as we rounded the curve, 'The General' with the raiders -was rounding another curve, leaving the straight line, giving us a fine -view for some distance across the angle. * * * The fastest run was made at -this point. * * * I imagine now, as I write this, I see the two great -locomotives with their human freight speeding on, one trying to escape, -the other endeavoring to overtake, and if such had happened none might -have been left to give the particulars of that exciting and daring -undertaking. The chances of battle were certainly against us if Andrews -had attempted fight." - -Just beyond Dalton the pursuers found the telegraph wire cut. On reaching -the "tunnel," they were satisfied that Andrews was short of wood, or the -tunnel would not have been so clear of smoke. Passing through the tunnel -they kept on, and beyond Ringgold, about two miles, the captors left "The -General" and made for the woods. The pursuers were in sight of them. Mr. -Fuller and others started after the raiders. Mr. Murphy went on the engine -to examine the cause of the stop. He found no wood in the furnace, but -plenty of water in the boiler. Says Mr. Murphy: "I took charge of the -engine, 'General,' had it placed on the side-track, and waited for the -first train from Chattanooga to Atlanta. I reached Ringgold about dark. I -went aboard, and reaching Dalton, the first telegraph station, I sent the -first news of our chase and re-capture of the 'General' to Atlanta." - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - -Coming Home from Camp Chase--The Faithful Servant's Gift--A Glimpse of -Confederate Braves. - - -"A letter from Marse Thomie," said our mail carrier, Toby, as he got in -speaking distance on his return from the post office. - -"What makes you think so?" I said, excitedly. - -"I know his hand-write, and this is it," selecting a letter from a large -package and handing it to me. The very first glimpse of the superscription -assured me of his confident assertion. - -The letter was addressed to our mother, and bore a United States postage -stamp, and the beloved signature of her only son, Thomas J. Stokes. A -thrill of gratitude and joy filled our hearts too full for utterance, as -we read: - -"MY DEAR MOTHER: I have learned that the soldiers of the 10th Texas -Infantry will be exchanged for the United States troops very soon, perhaps -to-morrow; and then, what happiness will be mine! I can scarcely wait its -realization. A visit home, a mother's embrace and kiss, the heart-felt -manifestations of the love of two sisters, and the joy and glad expression -of faithful servants. I may bring several friends with me, whom I know you -will welcome, both for my sake and theirs--they are valiant defenders of -the cause we love. Adieu, dear mother, and sisters, until I see you at -home, 'home, sweet home.'" - -"Thomie is coming home!" "Thomie Stokes is coming home!" was the glad -announcement of mother, sisters, and friends; and the servants took up the -intelligence, and told everybody that Marse Thomie was coming home, and -was going to bring some soldiers with him. - -Another day dawned and love's labor commenced in earnest. Doors were -opened, and rooms ventilated: bed-clothing aired and sunned, and dusting -brushes and brooms in willing hands removed every particle of that much -dreaded material of which man in all his glory, or ignominy, was created. -Furniture and picture frames were polished and artistically arranged. And -we beheld the work of the first day, and it was good. - -When another day dawned we were up with the lark, and his matin notes -found responsive melody in our hearts, the sweet refrain of which was, -"Thomie is coming"--the soldier son and brother. Light bread and rolls, -rusks and pies, cakes, etc., etc., were baked, and sweetmeats prepared, -and another day's work was ended and pronounced satisfactory. - -The third day, for a generous bonus, "Uncle Mack's" services were secured, -and a fine pig was slaughtered and prepared for the oven, and also a -couple of young hens, and many other luxuries too numerous to mention. - -When all was ready for the feast of thanksgiving for the return of the -loved one, the waiting seemed interminable. There was pathos in every -look, tone, and act of our mother--the lingering look at the calendar, -the frequent glance at the clock, told that the days were counted, yea, -that the hours were numbered. At length the weary waiting ended, and the -joyous meeting came of mother and son, of sisters and brother, after a -separation of four years of health and sickness, of joy and anguish, of -hope and fear. - -As we stood upon the platform of the Decatur depot, and saw him step from -the train, which we had been told by telegram would bring him to us, our -hearts were filled with consternation and pity, and tears unbidden coursed -down our cheeks, as we looked upon the brave and gallant brother, who had -now given three years of his early manhood to a cause rendered dear by -inheritance and the highest principles of patriotism, and, in doing so, -had himself become a physical wreck. He was lean to emaciation, and in his -pale face was not a suggestion of the ruddy color he had carried away. A -constant cough, which he tried in vain to repress, betrayed the deep -inroads which prison life had made upon his system; and in this respect he -represented his friends--in describing his appearance, we leave nothing -untold about theirs. In war-worn pants and faded grey coats, they -presented a spectacle never to be forgotten. - -Joy and grief contended for the supremacy. We did not realize that even a -brief period of good nursing and feeding would work a great change in the -physical being of men just out of the prison pens of the frigid North, and -wept to think that disease, apparently so deeply rooted, could not be -cured, and that they were restored to us but to die. Perceiving our grief -and divining the cause, our Thomie took us, our mother first, into his -arms and kissed us, and said in his old-time way, "I'll be all right -soon." - -And Toby and Telitha, the house servants, came in for their share of -kindly greeting. - -Thomie then introduced us to Captain Lauderdale, Captain Formwalt, and -Lieutenant McMurray, his Texas friends and comrades in arms. Our cordial, -heart-felt welcome was appreciated by this trio of gentlemen, and to this -day we receive from them messages of abiding friendship. Captain -Lauderdale was one of the most perfect gentlemen I ever saw--tall, -graceful, erect, and finely formed. His face, of Grecian mould, was -faultless; and his hair, black as a raven's plumage, and interspersed with -grey, would have adorned the head of a king. His bearing was dignified and -yet affable, and so polished and easy in manner as to invite most friendly -intercourse. - -Captain Formwalt was also a fine specimen of manhood--free and easy, gay -and rollicking. He seemed to think his mission on earth was to bring -cheerfulness and glee into every household he entered. - -Lieutenant McMurray was unlike either of his friends. Apparently cold, -apathetic and reserved, he repelled all advances tending to cordial -relations, until well acquainted, after which he was metamorphosed into a -kind and genial gentleman. - -Thomie, dear Thomie, was a boy again, and while our guests were refreshing -themselves preparatory to dinner, he was going all over the house, for -every nook and corner was endeared by association. He opened the piano, -and running his fingers over the keys with the grace and ease of his -boyhood, he played accompaniments to his favorite songs, "Home Again," and -"Way Down Upon the Suwanee River," trying to sing, but prevented by the -irrepressible coughing. Then, with nervous hand, he essayed "When this -Cruel War is Over." Turning away from the piano, he went to the library -and handled with tender care the books he had read in boyhood. -Shakespeare, Milton, Byron and Moore possessed no interest for him now; -and Blackstone and Chitty were equally ignored. The books his mother and -sister read to him in his childhood were, as if by intuition, selected, -and fondly conned and handled. His own name was written in them, and his -tearful eyes lingered long and lovingly upon these reminders of boyhood's -happy hours. With a sigh he left the library, and espying Toby, who kept -where he could see as much as possible of "Marse Thomie," he called the -boy and held an encouraging little conversation with him. - -Dinner being ready, our mother led the way to the dining room. Our guests -having taken the seats assigned them, Thomie took his near his mother--his -boyhood's seat at table. By request, Captain Lauderdale asked the -blessing. And, oh, what a blessing he invoked upon the "dear ones, who, -with loving hands, prepared this feast for the son and brother of the -household, and for his friends in peace and comrades in war." Pleasant -conversation ensued, and all enjoyed the repast. But the gentlemen seemed -to us to eat very little, and, in reply to our expression of -disappointment, they explained the importance of limiting themselves for -several days in this respect. - -As there was no trunk to send for, and no valise to carry, we rightly -surmised that the clothing of these good men was limited to the apparel in -which they were clad, and it was decided by my mother and myself that I -should go to Atlanta and get material for a suit of clothes for Thomie, -and good warm underclothing for them all. Arrived at Atlanta, I was -irresistibly led by that mystic power, which has often controlled for good -results the acts of man, to go to Dr. Taylor's drug store. Here I found -King, our faithful negro man, as busy as a bee, labeling and packing -medicine for shipment. I approached him and said: - -"King, Thomie has come." - -"Marse Thomie?" - -"Yes." - -"Thank God," he said, with fervor. - -When I was about leaving the store, he said: - -"Miss Mary, just wait a minute, please, and I will get something that I -want you to take to Marse Thomie, and tell him I don't want him to be hurt -with me for sending it to him. I just send it because I love him--me and -him was boys together, you know, and I always thought he ought to 'er took -me with him to the war." - -"What is it, King?" - -"Just a little article I got in trade, Miss Mary," was all the -satisfaction he vouchsafed. - -When he handed it to me, knowing by the sense of touch that it was a -package of dry goods, I took it to Mrs. O'Connor's millinery -establishment, and asked the privilege of opening it there. Imagine my -astonishment and delight, when I beheld a pattern of fine grey cassimere. -I felt of it, and held it up between my eyes and the light. There was -nothing shoddy about it. It was indeed a piece of fine cassimere, finer -and better than anything I could have procured in Atlanta at that time. -The circumstance was suggestive of Elijah and the ravens, and I thanked -God for the gift so opportune, and lost no time in returning to the drug -store, and thanking King, the raven employed by the Lord to clothe one of -His little ones. Nor did I lose any time in adding to the package other -articles of necessity, flannel and the best Georgia-made homespun I could -procure, and was then ready to take the return train to Decatur. Thomie -was deeply touched by the opportune gift, and said that King was a great -boy, and that he must see him. - -After supper I clandestinely left the house, and ran around to Todd -McAllister's and begged him to take the job of making the suit. He agreed -to cut the coat, vest and pantaloons by measure, and for that purpose went -home with me, shears and tape measure in hand. Having finished this -important part of the job, he told me he could not make the suit himself, -but he thought if I would "talk right pretty to the old lady," she would -do it. Next morning I lost no time in "talking pretty" to the old lady, -and, having secured her promise to undertake the work, it was soon in her -hands. With the help of faithful, efficient women, and I suspect of her -husband, too, the job was executed surprisingly soon. In the meantime the -making of flannel garments, and homespun shirts with bosoms made of linen -pillow-cases, was progressing with remarkable celerity. - -When all was finished, and Thomie was arrayed in his new suit, which set -admirably well notwithstanding the room allowed for increasing dimensions, -which we doubted not under good treatment he would attain--King Solomon, -in purple and fine linen, was not looked upon with more admiration than -was he by his loving mother and sisters. His cough had in a measure -yielded to remedies, and his cheeks bore the tinge of better blood. - -Good Mr. Levi Willard, his wife and children, had already been to see -Thomie and the strangers within our gates, and many others had sent kind -messages and substantial tokens of regard. And the young people of -Decatur, young ladies and little boys, were planning to give him a -surprise party. And among these loving attentions was a visit from King, -the faithful. - -The flowers bloomed prettier, the birds sang sweeter, because of their -presence; but time waits for no man, and we were admonished by low -conversations and suggestive looks that these men, officers in the army of -the Confederacy, were planning their departure. - -Many amusing incidents, as well as those of a horrible character, were -told of their prison life in Camp Chase. To illustrate the patriotism of -Southern men, Colonel Deshler, as a prisoner of war, figured -conspicuously; and many anecdotes, ludicrous and pathetic, quaint and -original, revealed the deep devotion of his love for the South. In one of -these word-paintings, he was represented as sitting on his legs, darning -the seat of his pantaloons, when a feminine curiosity seeker came along. -When she perceived his occupation, she said with a leer that would have -done credit to Lucifer: - -"You rebels find it pretty hard work to keep your gray duds in order, -don't you?" - -Without looking at her, he whistled in musical cadence the contempt he -felt for her and her ilk; and the imprecations, he would not have -expressed in words, were so distinct and well modulated as to leave no -doubt as to their meaning. - -The time had come for the nature of the low-toned conversations referred -to, to be revealed, and Thomie was chosen to make the revelation. Planning -to have mother and sisters present, he discussed the duties of patriotism, -and the odium men brought upon themselves by not discharging those duties. -Making the matter personal, he referred to himself and friends, to the -great pleasure and personal benefit derived from a week's sojourn at home; -of the love for us that would ever linger in their hearts; of the pleasant -memories that would nerve them in future conflicts; and in conclusion told -us that to-morrow they would leave us to join their command at Tullahoma, -where the decimated regiment was to stay until its numbers were -sufficiently recruited for service. - -Instead of yielding to grief, we repressed every evidence of it, and spoke -only words of encouragement to these noble men who had never shirked a -duty, or sought bomb-proof positions in the army of the Confederacy. After -this interview, Thomie abandoned himself to cheerfulness, to almost boyish -gaiety. He kept very close to his mother. She had grown old so rapidly -since the troubles began, that she needed all the support that could be -given her in this ordeal. This he perceived without seeming to do so, and -left nothing within his power undone for her encouragement. He even -discussed with perfect equanimity the probability, yea, the more than -probability, of his getting killed in battle; for, said he, "he that -taketh up the sword, by the sword shall he perish." And, he added, -"strong, irrepressible convictions constrained me to enter the army in -defense of mother, home, and country. My vote was cast for the secession -of my state from the union of states which existed only in name, and I -would not have accepted any position tendered me which would have secured -me from the dangers involved by that step. I was willing to give my life -if need be, for the cause which should be dear to every Southern heart." - -Every one present responded to these noble sentiments, for were we not -soldiers, too, working for the same noble cause, and aiding and abetting -those who fought its battles? - -Before retiring to our rooms, Captain Lauderdale, as usual, led in prayer, -fervent, deep and soul supporting, more for our mother and ourselves than -for himself and his comrades in their perilous positions. And dear Thomie, -whom I had never heard pray since his cradle invocation, - - "Now I lay me down to sleep, - I pray the Lord my soul to keep," - -finished in words thrilling and beautiful. The effect was electrical. -Tears and sobs were no longer repressed, and all found relief from long -pent-up feelings. O, the blessedness of tears! - -Morning came, clear as crystal, and cool and exhilarating. The household -were up at early dawn. A strong decoction of coffee was prepared, and -fresh cream toast and boiled eggs, meat relishes being served cold. -Knapsacks--there were knapsacks now--were packed, and blankets rolled and -buckled in straps, and our ebony Confederates, Toby and Telitha, stood -ready to convey them to the depot. In order to meet the morning train at -seven o'clock we started, but the services of Toby and Telitha were not -accepted. The gentlemen said it would never do for soldiers to start off -to report for service with negroes carrying their knapsacks and blankets. -They had no muskets to shoulder, for of these they had been divested at -Arkansas Post, months ago, when captured by the enemy. - -Lieutenant McMurray, who was in feeble health, announced himself unable to -report for duty, and remained with us several weeks longer. - -The parting at the depot did not betray the grief, almost without earthly -hope, that was rankling in our hearts, and the "good-bye's" and "God bless -you's" were uttered with a composure we little thought at our command. - -As the time of his departure had drawn near, Thomie had sought -opportunities to tell me much of the young girl in Texas, who had healed -the lacerations of his youthful heart, and won the admiration of his -manhood, and whom he had made his wife. Upon her devotion he dwelt with -peculiar pathos and gratitude; and he concluded these conversations with -the request that under any and all circumstances I would be a sister to -her. On one occasion we were standing near the piano, and, when we ceased -to talk, Thomie opened it, and in tones that came from the heart, and that -were tremulous with emotion, he sang, "When this Cruel War is Over." - - Why sings the swan its sweetest notes, - When life is near its close? - -Since writing the foregoing, I have had access to a journal kept during -the war by my half sister, Missouri Stokes, in which are the following -entries of historic value: "On the 11th of January, 1868, Arkansas Post, -the fort where Thomie was stationed, fell into the hands of Yankees. -General Churchhill's whole command, numbering about four thousand, were -captured, a few being killed and wounded. We knew that Thomie, if alive, -must be a prisoner, but could hear no tidings from him. Our suspense -continued until the latter part of March, when ma received a letter from -our loved one, written at Camp Chase (military prison), Ohio, February -10th. This letter she forwarded to me, and I received it March 21st, with -heart-felt emotions of gratitude to Him who had preserved his life. A few -weeks afterwards another letter came, saying he expected to be exchanged -in a few days, and then for several weeks we heard no more." - -From this journal I learn that the date of Thomie's arrival was May 16th, -1863. My sister wrote of him: "He seemed much changed, although only four -years and a half had elapsed since we parted. He looked older, thinner, -and more careworn, and gray hairs are sprinkled among his dark brown -curls. His health had been poor in the army, and then, when he left Camp -Chase, he, as well as the other prisoners, was stripped by the Yankees of -nearly all his warm clothing. He left the prison in April, and was -exchanged at City Point. How strange the dealings of Providence. Truly was -he led by a way he knew not. He went out to Texas by way of the West, and -returned home from the East. God be thanked for preserving his life, when -so many of his comrades have died. He is a miracle of mercy. After their -capture, they were put on boats from which Yankee small-pox patients had -been taken. Some died of small-pox, but Thomie has had varioloid and so -escaped. He was crowded on a boat with twenty-two hundred, and scarcely -had standing room. Many died on the passage up the river, one poor fellow -with his head in Thomie's lap. May he never go through similar scenes -again!" - -From this same journal I take the following, written after Missouri's -return to the school she was teaching in Bartow county: - -"Sabbath morning, June 14th. Went to Cartersville to church. Some time -elapsed before preaching commenced. A soldier came in, sat down rather -behind me, then, rising, approached me. _It was Thomie._ I soon found (for -we did talk in church) that he had an order to join Kirby Smith, with a -recommendation from Bragg that he be allowed to recruit for his regiment. -Fortunately there was a vacant seat in the carriage, so he went out home -with us. Monday 15th, Thomie left. I rode with him a little beyond the -school-house, then took my books and basket, and with one kiss, and, on my -part, a tearful good-bye, we parted. As I walked slowly back, I felt so -lonely. He had been with me just long enough for me to realize a brother's -kind protection, and now he's torn away, and I'm again alone. I turned and -looked. He was driving slowly along--he turned a corner and was hidden -from my view. Shall I see him no more? Or shall we meet again? God only -knows. After a fit of weeping, and one earnest prayer for him, I turned my -steps to my little school." - -And thus our brother went back to Texas, and gladly, too, for was not his -Mary there? - -Of Thomie's recall to join his command at Dalton; of his arrival at home -the next February, on his way to "the front;" of his participation in the -hard-fought battles that contested the way to Atlanta; and of his untimely -death at the fatal battle of Franklin, Tennessee, I may speak hereafter. - -Even in the spring and summer of 1863, the shadows began to deepen, and to -hearts less sanguine than mine, affairs were assuming a gloomy aspect. I -notice in this same journal from which I have quoted the foregoing -extracts, the following: - -"Our fallen braves, how numerous! Among our generals, Zollicoffer, Ben -McCulloch, Albert Sidney Johnston, and the saintly, dauntless Stonewall -Jackson, are numbered with the dead; while scarcely a household in our -land does not mourn the loss of a brave husband and father, son or -brother." - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -SOME SOCIAL FEATURES. - -Morgan's Men Rendezvous near Decatur--Waddell's Artillery--Visits from the -Texans--Surgeon Haynie and his Song. - - -In the winter of 1864 there seems to have been a lull of hostilities -between the armies at "the front." Morgan's men were rendezvousing near -Decatur. Their brave and dashing chief had been captured, but had made his -escape from the Ohio penitentiary, and was daily expected. Some artillery -companies were camping near, among them Waddell's. There was also a -conscript camp within a mile or two; so it is not to be wondered at that -the young ladies of Decatur availed themselves in a quiet way of the -social enjoyment the times afforded, and that there were little gatherings -at private houses at which "Morgan's men" and the other soldiers were -frequently represented. - -Our brother was absent in Texas, where he had been assigned to duty, but -my sister was at home, and many an hour's entertainment her music gave -that winter to the soldiers and to the young people of Decatur. My -mother's hospitality was proverbial, and much of our time these wintry -months was spent in entertaining our soldier guests, and in ministering to -the sick in the Atlanta hospitals, and in the camps and temporary -hospitals about Decatur. - -So near were we now to "the front" (about a hundred miles distant), that -several of my brother's Texas comrades obtained furloughs and came to see -us. Among these were Lieutenants Prendergast and Jewell, Captain Leonard -and Lieutenant Collins, Captain Bennett and Lieutenant Donathan. They -usually had substantial boots made while here, by Smith, the Decatur boot -and shoe maker, which cost less than those they could have bought in -Atlanta. We received some very pleasant calls from Morgan's men and -Waddell's Artillery. Among the latter we have always remembered a young -man from Alabama, James Duncan Calhoun, of remarkable intellectual -ability, refreshing candor and refinement of manner. Ever since the war -Mr. Calhoun has devoted himself to journalism. Among the former we recall -Lieutenant Adams, Messrs. Gill, Dupries, Clinkinbeard, Steele, Miller, -Fortune, Rowland, Baker, and Dr. Lewis. These gentlemen were courteous and -intelligent, and evidently came of excellent Kentucky and Tennessee -families. One evening several of these gentlemen had taken tea with us, -and after supper the number of our guests was augmented by the coming of -Dr. Ruth, of Kentucky, and Dr. H. B. Haynie, surgeon of the 14th Tennessee -Cavalry. Dr. Haynie was an elderly, gray-haired man, of fine presence, and -with the courtly manners of the old school. On being unanimously -requested, he sang us a song entitled: "The Wailings at Fort Delaware," -which he had composed when an inmate of that wretched prison. As one of -the gentlemen remarked, "there is more truth than poetry in it;" yet there -are in it some indications of poetic genius, and Dr. Haynie sang it with -fine effect. - - -"THE WAILINGS AT FORT DELAWARE." - -By B. H. HAYNIE, Surgeon 14th Tennessee Cavalry (Morgan's Division). - - Oh! here we are confined at Fort Delaware, - With nothing to drink but a little lager beer, - Infested by vermin as much as we can bear; - Oh Jeff, can't you help us to get away from here? - - CHORUS-- - - And it's home, dearest home, the place I ought to be, - Home, sweet home, way down in Tennessee, - Where the ash and the oak and the bonny willow tree, - Are all growing green way down in Tennessee. - - The Island itself will do well enough, - But the flat-footed Dutch are filthy and rough, - Oh! take us away from the vandal clan, - Down into Dixie among the gentlemen. - - CHORUS--And its home, dearest home, etc. - - Spoiled beef and bad soup is our daily fare, - And to complain is more than any dare; - They will buck us and gag us, and cast us in a cell, - There to bear the anguish and torments of hell. - - CHORUS-- - - The den for our eating is anything but clean, - And the filth upon the tables is plainly to be seen, - And the smell of putrefaction rises on the air, - "To fill out the bill" of our daily fare. - - CHORUS-- - - [3]"The sick are well treated," as Southern surgeons say, - "And the losses by death are scarcely four per day;" - It's diarrhoea mixture for scurvy and small-pox, - And every other disease of Pandora's box! - - CHORUS-- - - Oh! look at the graveyard on the Jersey shore, - At the hundreds and the thousands who'll return no more; - Oh! could they come back to testify - Against the lying devils, and live to see them die! - - CHORUS-- - - [3]"Our kindness to prisoners you cannot deny, - For we have the proof at hand upon which you can rely; - It's no Dutch falsehood, nor a Yankee trick, - But from Southern surgeons who daily see the sick." - - CHORUS-- - - Our chaplain, whose heart was filled with heavenly joys, - Asked leave to pray and preach to Southern boys; - "Oh, no!" says the General, "you are not the man, - You are a Southern rebel, the vilest of your clan!" - - CHORUS-- - - Oh! speak out, young soldier, and let your country hear, - All about your treatment at Fort Delaware; - How they worked you in their wagons when weary and sad, - With only half rations, when plenty they had. - - CHORUS-- - - The barracks were crowded to an overflow, - Without a single comfort on the soldier to bestow; - Oh, there they stood shivering in hopeless despair, - With insufficient diet or clothing to wear! - - CHORUS-- - - The mother stood weeping in sorrows of woe, - Mingling her tears with the waters that flow; - Her son was expiring at Fort Delaware, - Which could have been avoided with prudence and care. - - CHORUS-- - - Oh! take off my fetters and let me go free, - To roam o'er the mountains of old Tennessee; - To bathe in her waters and breathe her balmy air, - And look upon her daughters so lovely and fair. - - CHORUS-- - - Then, cheer up, my brave boys, your country will be free, - Your battles will be fought by Generals Bragg and Lee; - And the Yankees will fly with trembling and fear, - And we'll return to our wives and sweethearts so dear. - - CHORUS-- - - And it's home, dearest home, the place where I ought to be, - Home, sweet home way down in Tennessee, - Where the ash and the oak, and the bonny willow tree, - Are all growing green way down in Tennessee. - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - -THOMIE'S SECOND HOME COMING. - -He Leaves for "The Front"--His Christian Labors in Camp--He Describes the -Battle of New Hope Church--The Great Revival in Johnston's Army. - - -Early one morning in the February of the winter just referred to (that of -1864), as my sister lay awake, she heard some one step upon the portico -and knock. As Toby opened the door, she heard him exclaim: "Why howd'y, -Marse Thomie!" Her first thought was, "now he is back just in time to be -in the battle!" for a resumption of hostilities was daily looked for near -Dalton. We were all greatly surprised at Thomie's arrival on this side of -the Mississippi, as only a few days before we had received a letter from -him, written, it is true, so long as the November before, saying he had -been assigned to duty out in Texas by General Henry McCulloch. But the -consolidation of the regiments in Granbury's brigade having been broken -up, he had been ordered back to join his old command. He had left -Marshall, Texas, the 28th of January, having made the trip in one month, -and having walked four hundred miles of the way. Under the circumstances, -we were both glad and sorrowful at his return. After a stay of three days, -he left us for "the front." In the early morning of February 29th, we went -with him to the depot, the last time we four were ever together. Parting -from him was a bitter trial to our mother, who wept silently as we walked -back to the desolate home, no longer gladdened by the sunny presence of -the only son and brother. Perhaps nothing will give a more graphic -impression of some phases of army life at this time, nor a clearer insight -into our brother's character, than a few extracts from his letters written -at this period to his sister Missouri, and preserved by her to this day: - -"Dalton, Ga., March 15th, 1864.--* * * Our regiment takes its old -organization as the 10th Texas, and Colonel Young has been dispatched to -Texas to gather all the balance, under an order from the war department. -We are now in Dalton doing provost duty (our regiment), which is a very -unpleasant duty. It is my business to examine all papers whenever the cars -arrive, and it is very disagreeable to have to arrest persons who haven't -proper papers. The regulations about the town are very strict. No one -under a brigadier-general can pass without approval papers. My guard -arrested General Johnston himself, day before yesterday. Not knowing him -they wouldn't take his word for it, but demanded his papers. The old -General, very good-humoredly showed them some orders he had issued -himself, and, being satisfied, they let him pass. He took it -good-humoredly, while little colonels and majors become very indignant and -wrathy under such circumstances. From which we learn, first, the want of -good common sense, and, secondly, that a great man is an humble man, and -does not look with contempt upon his inferiors in rank, whatsoever that -rank may be. - -"There is a very interesting meeting in progress here. I get to go every -other night. I have seen several baptized since I have been here. There -are in attendance every evening from six to seven hundred soldiers. There -are many who go to the anxious seat. Three made a profession of religion -night before last. I am going to-night. There seems to be a deep interest -taken, and God grant the good work may go on until the whole army may be -made to feel where they stand before their Maker. Write soon. - - Your affectionate brother, - TOM STOKES." - -From another letter we take the following: - -"Near Dalton, April 5th, 1864.--We have had for some weeks back very -unsettled weather, which has rendered it very disagreeable, though we -haven't suffered; we have an old tent which affords a good deal of -protection from the weather. It has also interfered some with our -meetings, though there is preaching nearly every night that there is not -rain. Brother Hughes came up and preached for us last Friday night and -seemed to give general satisfaction. He was plain and practical, which is -the only kind of preaching that does good in the army. He promised to come -back again. I like him very much. Another old brother, named Campbell, -whom I heard when I was a boy, preached for us on Sabbath evening. There -was much feeling, and at the close of the services he invited mourners to -the anxious seat, and I shall never forget that blessed half-hour that -followed; from every part of that great congregation they came, many with -streaming eyes; and, as they gave that old patriarch their hands, asked -that God's people would pray for them. Yes, men who never shrank in battle -from any responsibility, came forward weeping. Such is the power of the -Gospel of Christ when preached in its purity. Oh, that all ministers of -Christ could, or would, realize the great responsibility resting upon them -as His ambassadors. - -"Sabbath night we had services again, and also last night, both well -attended, and to-night, weather permitting, I will preach. God help me and -give me grace from on high, that I may be enabled, as an humble instrument -in His hands, to speak the truth as it is in Jesus, for 'none but Jesus -can do helpless sinners good.' I preached last Sabbath was two weeks ago -to a large and attentive congregation. There seemed to be much -seriousness, and although much embarrassed, yet I tried, under God, to -feel that I was but in the discharge of my duty; and may I ever be found -battling for my Savior. Yes, my sister, I had rather be an humble follower -of Christ than to wear the crown of a monarch. Remember me at all times at -a Throne of Grace, that my life may be spared to become a useful minister -of Christ. - -"Since my return we have established a prayer-meeting in our company, or, -rather, a kind of family service, every night after roll call. There is -one other company which has prayer every night. Captain F. is very -zealous. There are four in our company who pray in public--one sergeant, a -private, Captain F. and myself. We take it time about. We have cleared up -a space, fixed a stand and seats, and have a regular preaching place. I -have never seen such a spirit as there is now in the army. Religion is -the theme. Everywhere, you hear around the camp-fires at night the sweet -songs of Zion. This spirit pervades the whole army. God is doing a -glorious work, and I believe it is but the beautiful prelude to peace. I -feel confident that if the enemy should attempt to advance, that God will -fight our battles for us, and the boastful foe be scattered and severely -rebuked. - -"I witnessed a scene the other evening, which did my heart good--the -baptism of three men in the creek near the encampment. To see those hardy -soldiers taking up their cross and following their Master in His -ordinance, being buried with Him in baptism, was indeed a beautiful sight. -I really believe, Missouri, that there is more religion now in the army -than among the thousands of skulkers, exempts and speculators at home. -There are but few now but who will talk freely with you upon the subject -of their soul's salvation. What a change, what a change! when one year ago -card playing and profane language seemed to be the order of the day. Now, -what is the cause of this change? Manifestly the working of God's spirit. -He has chastened His people, and this manifestation of His love seems to -be an earnest of the good things in store for us in not a far away future. -'Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He -receiveth.' Let all the people at home now, in unison with the army, -humbly bow, acknowledge the afflicting hand of the Almighty, ask Him to -remove the curse upon His own terms, and soon we will hear, so far as our -Nation is concerned, 'Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good -will toward men!' - -"I received the articles ma sent by Brother Hughes, which were much -relished on the top of the coarse fare of the army. * * * Write me often. -God bless you in your labors to do good. - - Your affectionate brother, - T. J. STOKES." - -From another of those time-stained, but precious letters, we cull the -following, under the heading of: - -"In Camp, Near Dalton, Ga., April 18, 1864.--* * * The good work still -goes on here. Thirty-one men were baptized at the creek below our brigade -yesterday, and I have heard from several other brigades in which the -proportion is equally large (though the thirty-one were not all members of -this brigade). Taking the proportion in the whole army as heard from (and -I have only heard from a part of one corps), there must have been baptized -yesterday 150 persons--maybe 200. This revival spirit is not confined to a -part only, but pervades the whole army. * * * * Brother Hughes was with us -the other night, but left again the next morning. The old man seemed to -have much more influence in the army than young men. I have preached twice -since writing to you, and the Spirit seemed to be with me. The second -sermon was upon the crucifixion of Christ: text in the 53d chapter of -Isaiah: 'He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our -iniquities.' It was the first time in my life, that is, in public -speaking, that my feelings got so much the mastery of me as to make me -weep like a child. In the conclusion I asked all who felt an interest in -the prayers of God's people to come to the anxious seat. Many presented -themselves, and I could hear many among them, with sobs and groans, -imploring God to have mercy upon them; and I think the Lord did have mercy -upon them, for when we opened the door of the church six united with us. -Every Sabbath you may see the multitude wending their way to the creek to -see the solemn ordinance typical of the death, burial and resurrection of -our Savior. Strange to say that a large number of those joining the -pedo-Baptist branches prefer being immersed; though in the preaching you -cannot tell to which denomination a man belongs. This is as it should be; -Christ and Him crucified should be the theme. It is time enough, I think, -after one is converted, to choose his church rule of faith. - -"If this state of things should continue for any considerable length of -time, we will have in the Army of Tennessee an army of believers. Does the -history of the world record anywhere the like? Even Cromwell's time sinks -into insignificance. A revival so vast in its proportions, and under all -the difficulties attending camp life, the bad weather this spring, and -innumerable difficulties, is certainly an earnest of better, brighter -times not far in the future." - -To the believer in Jesus, we feel sure that these extracts concerning this -remarkable work of grace, will prove of deep interest; so we make no -apologies for quoting in continuation the following from another of those -letters of our soldier brother, to whom the conquests of the cross were -the sweetest of all themes: - -"Near Dalton, April 28th, 1864.--My Dear Sister: I should have written -sooner but have been very much engaged, and when not engaged have felt -more like resting than writing, and, to add to this, Sister Mary very -agreeably surprised me by coming up on last Saturday. She left on Tuesday -morning for home. While she was at Dalton, I went down on each day and -remained until evening. I fear ma and sister are too much concerned about -me, and therefore render themselves unhappy. Would that they could trust -God calmly for the issue. And I fear, too, that they deny themselves of -many comforts, that they may furnish me with what I could do (as many have -to do) without. - - * * * * * - -"The great unexampled revival is fast increasing in interest. I have just -returned from the creek, where I saw thirty-three buried with Christ in -baptism, acknowledging there before two thousand persons that they were -not ashamed to follow Jesus in His ordinance. My soul was made happy in -witnessing the solemn scene. In that vast audience everything was as quiet -and respectful as in a village chapel; and, by the way, I have seen -village congregations who might come here and learn to behave. General -Lowry baptized about thirteen of them who were from his brigade. He is a -Christian, a soldier and a zealous preacher, and his influence is great. -It was truly a beautiful sight to see a general baptizing his men. He -preaches for our brigade next Sabbath. I preached for General Polk's -brigade night before last, and we had a very interesting meeting. They -have just begun there, yet I had a congregation of some 400. At the -conclusion of the services, I invited those who desired an interest in our -prayers to manifest their desire by coming to the altar. A goodly number -presented themselves, and we prayed with them. I shall preach for them -again very soon. The revival in our brigade has continued now for four -weeks, nearly, and many have found peace with their Savior. If we could -remain stationary a few weeks longer, I believe the greater portion of the -army would be converted. This is all the doings of the Lord, and is surely -the earnest of the great deliverance in store for us. It is the belief of -many, that this is the 'beginning of the end.' From all parts of the army -the glad tidings comes that a great revival is in progress. I wish I had -time to write to you at length. One instance of the power of His spirit: A -lieutenant of our regiment, and heretofore very wild, became interested, -and for nearly three weeks seemed groaning in agony. The other day he came -around to see me, and, with a face beaming with love, told me he had found -Christ, and that his only regret now was that he had not been a Christian -all his life. It is growing dark. I must close. More anon. - - Affectionately, - YOUR BROTHER." - -We take up the next letter in the order of time. It is numbered 25. The -envelope is of brown wrapping paper, but neatly made, and has a blue -Confederate 10 cent postage stamp. It is addressed to my sister, who was -then teaching at Corinth, Heard county, Georgia. It is dated: - -"Near Dalton, May 5th, 1864." After speaking of having to take charge -early the next morning of the brigade picket guard, Thomie goes on to say: - -"The sun's most down, but I think I can fill these little pages before -dark. Captain F., coming in at this time, tells me a dispatch has just -been received to the effect that the Yankees are advancing in the -direction of Tunnel Hill, but they have made so many feints in that -direction lately that we have become used to them, so don't become uneasy. - -"The great revival is going on with widening and deepening interest. Last -Sabbath I saw eighty-three immersed at the creek below our brigade. Four -were sprinkled at the stand before going down to the creek, and two down -there, making an aggregate within this vicinity of eighty-nine, while the -same proportion, I suppose, are turning to God in other parts of the army, -making the grand aggregate of many hundreds. Yesterday I saw sixty-five -more baptized, forty more who were to have been there failing to come -because of an order to be ready to move at any moment. They belong to a -more distant brigade. * * If we do not move before Monday, Sabbath will be -a day long to be remembered--'the water will,' indeed, 'be troubled.' -Should we remain three weeks longer, the glad tidings may go forth that -the Army of Tennessee is the army of the Lord. But He knoweth best what is -for our good, and if He sees proper can so order His providence as to keep -us here. His will be done." - -The next letter is addressed to me, but was sent to my sister at my -request, and is dated "Allatoona Mountains, Near Night, May 22nd." He -writes: - -"Oh, it grieved my very soul when coming through the beautiful Oothcaloga -valley, to think of the sad fate which awaited it when the foul invader -should occupy that 'vale of beauty.' We formed line of battle at the -creek, at the old Eads place; our brigade was to the left as you go up to -Mr. Law's old place on the hill, where we stayed once when pa was sick. -Right here, with a thousand dear recollections of by-gone days crowding my -mind, in the valley of my boyhood, I felt as if I could hurl a host back. -We fought them and whipped them, until, being-flanked, we were compelled -to fall back. We fought them again at Cass Station, driving them in our -front, but, as before, and for the same reason, we were compelled to -retreat. - - * * * * * - -"As I am requested to hold prayer-meeting this evening at sunset, I must -close." - -Thomie's next letter in this collection is addressed to his sister -Missouri, who had returned home, and is headed, simply, "Army of -Tennessee, May 31st." It is written in a round, legible, but somewhat -delicate hand, and gives no evidence of nervousness or hurry. To those -fond of war history, it will be of special interest: - -"Our brigade, in fact our division, is in a more quiet place now than -since the commencement of this campaign. We were ordered from the -battlefield on Sunday morning to go and take position in supporting -distance of the left wing of the army, where we arrived about the middle -of the forenoon, and remained there until yesterday evening, when our -division was ordered back in rear of the left centre, where we are now. -Contrary to all expectations, we have remained here perfectly quiet, there -being no heavy demonstration by the enemy on either wing. We were very -tired, and this rest has been a great help to us; for being a reserve and -flanking division, we have had to trot from one end of the wing of the -army to the other, and support other troops. - - * * * * * - -"Well, perhaps you would like to hear something from me of the battle of -New Hope Church, on Friday evening, 27th inst. We had been, since the day -before, supporting some other troops about the centre of the right wing, -when, I suppose about 2 o'clock, we were hurried off to the extreme right -to meet a heavy force of the enemy trying to turn our right. A few minutes -later the whole army might now have been in the vicinity of Atlanta, but, -as it was, we arrived in the nick of time, for before we were properly -formed the enemy were firing into us rapidly. We fronted to them, however, -and then commenced one of the hottest engagements, so far, of this -campaign. We had no support, and just one single line against a whole -corps of the enemy, and a lieutenant of the 19th Arkansas, wounded and -captured by them, and subsequently retaken by our brigade, stated that -another corps of the enemy came up about sundown. The fighting of our men, -to those who admire warfare, was magnificent. You could see a pleasant -smile playing upon the countenances of many of the men, as they would cry -out to the Yankees, 'Come on, we are demoralized!' - -"One little incident right here, so characteristic of the man. Major -Kennard (of whom I have told you often, lately promoted), was, as usual, -encouraging the men by his battle-cry of, 'Put your trust in God, men, for -He is with us,' but concluding to talk to the Yankees awhile, sang out to -them, 'Come on, we are demoralized,' when the Major was pretty severely -wounded in the head, though not seriously; raising himself up, he said: - -"'Boys, I told them a lie, and I believe that is the reason I got shot.' - -"The fighting was very close and desperate, and lasted until after dark. -About 11 o'clock at night, three regiments of our brigade charged the -enemy, our regiment among them. We went over ravines, rocks, almost -precipices, running the enemy entirely off the field. We captured many -prisoners, and all of their dead and many of their wounded fell into our -hands. This charge was a desperate and reckless thing, and if the enemy -had made any resistance they could have cut us all to pieces. I hurt my -leg slightly in falling down a cliff of rocks, and when we started back to -our original line of battle I thought I would go back alone and pick my -way; so I bore off to the left, got lost, and completely bewildered -between two armies. I copy from my journal: - -"'Here I was, alone in the darkness of midnight, with the wounded, the -dying, the dead. What an hour of horror! I hope never again to experience -such. I am not superstitious, but the great excitement of seven hours of -fierce conflict, ending with a bold, and I might say reckless, charge--for -we knew not what was in our front--and then left entirely alone, causes a -mental and physical depression that for one to fully appreciate he must be -surrounded by the same circumstances. My feelings in battle were nothing -to compare to this hour. After going first one way and then another, and -not bettering my case, I heard some one slipping along in the bushes. I -commanded him to halt, and inquired what regiment he belonged to, and was -answered, '15th Wisconsin,' so I took Mr. Wisconsin in, and ordered him to -march before me--a nice pickle for me then, had a prisoner and did not -know where to go. Moved on, however, and finally heard some more men -walking, hailed them, for I had become desperate, and was answered, -'Mississippians.' Oh, how glad I was! The moon at this time was just -rising, and, casting her pale silvery rays through the dense woods, made -every tree and shrub look like a spectre. I saw a tall, muscular Federal -lying dead and the moonlight shining in his face. His eyes were open and -seemed to be riveted on me. I could not help but shudder. I soon found my -regiment, and 'Richard was himself again.' - -"I went out again to see if I could do anything for their wounded. Soon -found one with his leg shot through, whom I told we would take care of. -Another, shot in the head, was crying out continually; 'Oh, my God! oh, my -God!!' I asked him if we could do anything for him, but he replied that it -would be of no use. I told him God would have mercy upon him, but his mind -seemed to be wandering. I could not have him taken care of that night, -and, poor fellow, there he lay all night. - -"The next morning I had the privilege of walking over the whole ground, -and such a scene! Here lay the wounded, the dying, and the dead, hundreds -upon hundreds, in every conceivable position; some with contorted -features, showing the agony of death, others as if quietly sleeping. I -noticed some soft beardless faces which ill comported with the savage -warfare in which they had been engaged. Hundreds of letters from mothers, -sisters, and friends were found upon them, and ambrotypes, taken singly -and in groups. Though they had been my enemies, my heart bled at the -sickening scene. The wounded nearly all expressed themselves tired of the -war. - -"For the numbers engaged upon our side, it is said to be the greatest -slaughter of the enemy of any recent battle. Captain Hearne, the old -adjutant of our regiment, was killed. Eight of our regiment were instantly -killed; two mortally wounded, since dead. - -"I did not think of writing so much when I began, but it is the first -opportunity of writing anything like a letter that I have had. Lieutenant -McMurray is now in charge of the Texas hospital at Auburn, Alabama. - - * * * * * - -"Well, you are now Aunt Missouri. Oh, that I could see my boy! Heaven has -protected me thus far and I hope that God will consider me through this -dreadful ordeal, and protect me for Christ's sake; not that there is any -merit that I can offer, but I do hope to live that I may be an humble -instrument in the hands of my God to lead others to Him. I hold prayer in -our company nearly every night when circumstances will permit, and the -men don't go to sleep before we are quiet. Poor fellows, they are ever -willing to join me, but often are so wearied I dislike to interrupt them. - -"My sister, let our trust be confidently in God. He can save or He can -destroy. Let us pray Him for peace. He can give it us; not pray as if we -were making an experiment, but pray believing God will answer our prayers, -for we have much to pray for." - -My sister subsequently copied into her journal the following extract, -taken from his, and written soon after the Battle of New Hope Church: - -"May 31st, 1864.--Here we rest by a little murmuring brook, singing along -as if the whole world was at peace. I lay down last night and gazed away -up in the peaceful heavens. All was quiet and serene up there, and the -stars seemed to vie with each other in brightness and were fulfilling -their allotted destiny. My comrades all asleep; nothing breaks the -silence. I leave earth for a time, and soar upon 'imagination's wings' far -away from this war-accursed land to where bright angels sing their -everlasting songs of peace and strike their harps along the golden streets -of the New Jerusalem, and the swelling music bursts with sweet accord -throughout vast Heaven's eternal space!" - - * * * * * - -Again on Sabbath, June 5th, he writes: "No music of church bells is heard -today summoning God's people to worship where the gospel is wont to be -heard. We are near a large log church called Gilgal. What a different -scene is presented to-day from a Sabbath four years ago when the aged -minister of God read to a large and attentive congregation: "The Lord is -my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures, -He leadeth me beside the still waters." O, God, wilt thou not interpose -Thy strong arm to stop the bloody strife? Wilt Thou not hear the prayers -of Thy people who daily say, Lord, give us peace? The Lord will answer, -and soon white-robed peace will smile upon our unhappy country. O God, -hasten the day, for we are sorely vexed, and thine shall be all the -glory." - -Ere peace was to dawn upon his beloved country, his own soul was to find -it through the portals of death; but ere that time, save a brief interval -of enforced rest, weary marchings and heart-breaking scenes and sorrows -were to intervene. - -Thomie's next letter is dated "In the Field, near Lost Mountain, June -14th," and the next "In the Ditches, June 22nd, 1864." The next, "Near -Chattahoochee River, July 6th, 1864," tells of the retreat of the army -from Kennesaw Mountain to Smyrna Church, and of his coming off safely from -another "small fight" the day before, in which several of his comrades -were killed. - -Owing to nervous prostration, and other illness, Thomie was soon after -sent to the hospital at Macon, transferred from there to Augusta, and from -the latter point given leave of absence to visit his sister, who had found -refuge with her cousin, Mrs. T. J. Hillsman, a daughter of Rev. Wm. H. -Stokes of blessed memory. Here, with his father's kindred, cheered by -beautiful hospitality and cousinly affection, our darling brother enjoyed -the last sweet rest and quiet earth was e'er to give him before he slept -beneath its sod. - - - - -CHAPTER X. - -A visit to Dalton--The fidelity of an old-time slave. - - -"From Atlanta to Dalton, $7.75. From the 23d to the 26th of April, 1864, -to Mrs. John Reynolds, for board, $20.00. From Dalton to Decatur, $8.00." - -The above statement of the expense attending a round trip to Dalton, -Georgia, is an excerpt from a book which contains a record of every item -of my expenditures for the year 1864. - -This trip was taken for the purpose of carrying provisions and articles of -clothing to my brother and his comrades in General Joseph E. Johnston's -command. In vain had our mother tried to send appetizing baskets of food -to her son, whose soldier rations consisted of salty bacon and hard tack; -some disaster, real or imaginary, always occurred to prevent them from -reaching their destination, and it was, therefore, determined at home that -I should carry the next consignment. - -After several days' preparation, jugs were filled with good sorghum syrup, -and baskets with bread, pies, cakes and other edibles at our command, and -sacks of potatoes, onions and peppers were included. My fond and loving -mother and I, and our faithful aid-de-camps of African descent, conveyed -them to the depot. In those days the depot was a favorite resort with the -ladies and children of Decatur. There they always heard something from the -front--wherever that might be. The obliging agent had a way, all his own, -of acquiring information from the army in all its varied commands, and -dealt it out galore to the encouragement or discouragement of his -auditors, as his prejudices or partialities prompted. On this occasion -many had gone there, who, like myself, were going to take the train for -Atlanta, and in the interim were eager to hear everything of a hopeful -character, even though reason urged that it was hoping against hope. - -I was the cynosure of all eyes, as I was going to "the front;" and every -mother who had a darling son in that branch of the army hoped that he -would be the first to greet me on my arrival there, and give me a message -for her. And I am sure, if the love consigned to me for transmission could -have assumed tangible form and weight, it would have been more than -fourteen tons to the square inch. - -Helpful, willing hands deposited with care my well-labeled jugs, baskets, -etc., and I deposited myself with equal care in an already well-filled -coach on the Georgia Railroad. Arrived in Atlanta I surreptitiously stowed -the jugs in the car with me, and then asked the baggage-master to transfer -the provisions to a Dalton freight train. Without seeming to do so, I -watched his every movement until I saw the last article safely placed in -the car, and then I went aboard myself. Surrounded by jugs and packages, I -again became an object of interest, and soon found myself on familiar -terms with all on board; for were we not friends and kindred bound to -each other by the closest ties? Every age and condition of Southern life -was represented in that long train of living, anxious freight. Young -wives, with wee bit tots chaperoned by their mothers and sometimes by -their grandmothers, were going to see their husbands, for, perhaps, the -last time on earth; and mothers, feeling that another fond embrace of -their sons would palliate the sting of final separation. The poor man and -the rich man, fathers alike of men fighting the same battles in defense of -the grandest principle that ever inspired mortal man to combat, on their -way to see those men and leave their benedictions with them; and sisters, -solitary and alone, going to see their beloved brothers and assure them -once more of the purest and most disinterested love that ever found -lodgment in the human heart. Many and pleasant were the brief -conversations between those dissimilar in manners, habits and conditions -in life; the great bond connecting them rendered every other consideration -subordinate, and the rich and poor, the educated and ignorant, met and -mingled in harmonious intercourse. - -Those were days of slow travel in the South. The roads were literally -blockaded with chartered cars, which contained the household goods of -refugees who had fled from the wrath and vandalism of the enemy, and not -unfrequently refugees themselves inhabited cars that seemed in fearful -proximity to danger. Ample opportunity of observation on either side was -furnished by this slow travel, and never did the fine, arable lands -bordering the Western & Atlantic road from the Chattahoochee river to -Dalton give greater promise of cereals, and trees in large variety were -literally abloom with embryo fruit. Alas! that such a land should be -destined to fall into the hands of despoilers. - -At Dalton I went immediately to the agent at the depot, whom I found to be -my old friend, John Reynolds, for the purpose of getting information -regarding boarding houses. He told me his wife was in that line and would -accommodate me, and, to render the application more easy, he gave me a -note of introduction to her. - -A beautiful, well-furnished room was given me, and a luscious supper -possessed exhilarating properties. - -In the meantime, Mr. Reynolds had, at my request, notified my brother, -whom he knew, of my presence in his house, and I awaited his coming -anxiously; but I was disappointed. A soldier's time is not his own, even -in seasons of tranquility, and he was on duty and could not come then, but -he assured me on a small scrap of paper, torn from his note-book, that he -would come as soon as he could get off "tomorrow morning." - -The waiting seemed very long, and yet it had its ending. The night was -succeeded by a typical April day, replete with sunshine and shower, and -the hopes and fears of a people struggling for right over wrong. - -At length the cheery voice of him, who always had a pleasant word for -every one, greeted me, and I hastened to meet him. That we might be quiet -and undisturbed, I conducted him to my room, and a long and pleasant -conversation ensued. I wish I had time and space to recapitulate the -conversation; for its every word and intonation are preserved in the -archives of memory, and will enter the grand eternities with me as free -from discord as when first uttered. Our mother's failing health gave him -concern, but his firm reliance in Him who doeth all things well, quieted -his sad forebodings and led the way to pleasanter themes. - -He loved to dwell upon the quaint and innocent peculiarities of his -younger sister, and, as for his older one, it was very evident that he -regarded her fully strong enough to "tote her own skillet," and "paddle -her own canoe." A rap upon the door indicated that some one wished to see -either one or the other of us. I responded, and was met by a negro boy -bearing a huge waiter, evidently well-filled, and covered over with a -snow-white cloth. The aroma from that waiter would have made a mummy -smile. I had it put upon a table, and then I removed the cover, and saw -with gratification the squab pie which I had ordered for dear Thomie, and -a greater gratification awaited me, _i. e._, seeing him eat it with a -relish. Nor was the pie the only luxury in that waiter. Fresh butter and -buttermilk, and a pone of good corn bread, etc., etc., supplemented by -baked apples and cream and sugar. - -"Come, dear Thomie, and let us eat together once more," was my invitation -to that dinner, and radiant with thanks he took the seat I offered him. I -did not have the Christian courage to ask him to invoke a blessing upon -this excellent food, but I saw that one was asked in silence, -nevertheless, and I am sure that an invocation went up from my own heart -none the less sincere. - -"Sister, I appreciate this compliment," he said. - -"I could do nothing that would compliment you, Thomie," I answered, and -added, "I hope you will enjoy your dinner as a love offering from me." - -We lingered long around that little table, and many topics were touched -upon during that period. - -After dinner I asked Thomie to lie down and rest awhile. He thanked me, -and said that the bed would tempt an anchorite to peaceful slumber, and he -could not resist its wooings. A few minutes after he lay down he was sound -asleep. He slept as a child--calm and peaceful. That a fly might not -disturb him, I improvised a brush--my handkerchief and a tender twig from -a tree near by being the component parts. As I sat by him and studied his -manly young face, and read its expression of good will to all mankind, I -wept to think that God had possibly required him as our sacrifice upon the -altar of our country. - -The slanting rays of the Western sun fell full and radiant upon his placid -face, and awakened him from this long and quiet slumber. With a smile he -arose and said: - -"This won't do for me." - -Hasty good-byes and a fervent "God bless you" were uttered, and another -one of the few partings that remained to be taken took place between the -soldier and his sister. - - * * * * * - -The day was bright and exhilarating, in the month of June, 1864. Gay -laughing Flora had tripped over woodland and lawn and scattered with -prodigal hands flowers of every hue and fragrance, and the balmy -atmosphere of early summer was redolent with their sweet perfume; and all -nature, animate and inanimate, seemed imbued with the spirit of adoration -towards the Giver of these perfect works. Although many hearts had been -saddened by the mighty conflict being waged for the supremacy of -Constitutional rights, there were yet in Decatur a large number to whom -personal sorrow for personal bereavement had not come, and they were in -sympathy with this beautiful scene, whose brilliant tints were but the -reflection of divine glory, and whose faintest odor was distilled in the -alchemy of heaven. - -I was contemplating this scene in grateful admiration, and blended with my -thoughts came the memory of my brother, who was in the foremost ranks of -the contest. He, too, loved the beautiful and the good, and "looked from -nature up to nature's God." All unconsciously I found myself plucking his -favorite flowers, and arranging a choice boquet, a spirit offering to him -who might even then be hovering over me and preparing my mind for the sad -denouement. With these reflections, I ascended the steps of my cottage -home, and turned to take another look upon the enchanting scene, when I -saw, approaching, one of my mother's faithful servants, who was hired to -Dr. Taylor, a well-known druggist of Atlanta. Ever apprehensive of evil -tidings from "the front," and "the front" being the portion of the army -that embraced my brother, I was almost paralyzed. I stood as if riveted to -the floor, and awaited developments. King, for that was the name of the -ebony-hued and faithful servant whose unexpected appearance had caused -such a heart-flutter, came nearer and nearer. On his approach I asked in -husky voice, "Have you heard anything from your Marse Thomie, King?" - -"No, ma'am; have you?" - -The light of heaven seemed to dispel the dark clouds which had gathered -over and around my horizon, and I remembered my duty to one, who, though -in a menial position, had doubtless come on some kind errand. - -"Come in, King, and sit down and rest yourself," I said, pointing to an -easy chair on the portico. - -"I am not tired, Miss Mary, and would rather stand," he replied. - -And he did stand, with his hat in his hand; and I thought for the first -time in my life, probably, that he evinced a true manhood, worthy of -Caucasian lineage; not that there was a drop of Caucasian blood in his -veins, for he was a perfect specimen of the African race and as black as -Erebus. - -The suspense was becoming painful, when it was broken by King asking: - -"Miss Mary, is Miss Polly at home?" - -"Yes, King, and I will tell her you are here." - -"Miss Polly," my mother and King's mistress, soon appeared and gave him a -genuine welcome. - -King now lost no time in making known the object of his visit, and thus -announced it: - -"Miss Polly, don't you want to sell me?" - -"No; why do you ask?" - -"Because, Miss Polly, Mr. Johnson wants to buy me, and he got me to come -to see you and ask you if you would sell me." - -"Do you want me to sell you, King? Would you rather belong to Mr. Johnson -than me?" - -"Now, Miss Polly, you come to the point, and I am going to try to answer -it. I love you, and you have always been a good mistuss to us all, and I -don't think there is one of us that would rather belong to some one else; -but I tell you how it is, Miss Polly, and you musn't get mad with me for -saying it; when this war is over none of us are going to belong to you. -We'll all be free, and I would a great deal rather Mr. Johnson would lose -me than you. He is always bragging about what he will do; hear him talk, -you would think he was a bigger man than Mr. Lincoln is, and had more to -back him; but I think he's a mighty little man myself, and I want him to -lose me. He says he'll give you his little old store on Peachtree street -for me. It don't mean much, I know, but, much or little, it's going to be -more than me after the war." - -And thus this unlettered man, who in the ordinary acceptation of the term -had never known what it was to be free, argued with his mistress the -importance of the exchange of property of which he himself was a part, for -her benefit and that of her children. - -"Remember, Miss Polly," he said, "that when Marse Thomie comes out of the -war, it will be mighty nice for him to have a store of his own to commence -business in, and if I was in your place I would take it for me, for I tell -you again, Miss Polly, when the war's over we'll all be free." - -But the good mistress, who had listened in silence to these arguments, was -unmoved. She saw before her a man who had been born a slave in her -family, and who had grown to man's estate under the fostering care of -slavery, whose high sense of honor and gratitude constrained him to give -advice intelligently, which, if followed, would rescue her and her -children from impending adversity; but she determined not to take it. She -preferred rather to trust their future well-being into the hands of -Providence. Her beautiful faith found expression in this consoling passage -of Scripture: "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." And this -blessed assurance must have determined her to pursue the course she did, -else it would have been reckless and improvident. She told King that when -our people became convinced that the troubles between the South and North -had to be settled by the sword, that she, in common with all good -citizens, staked her all upon the issues of the war, and that she would -not now, like a coward, flee from them, or seek to avert them by selling a -man, or men and women who had endeared themselves to her by service and -fidelity. - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - -A PERILOUS TRUST. - - -"It is most time to go to the post-office, ain't it, Miss Mary? We are -going to get a letter from Marse Thomie this morning." - -"What makes you so certain of it, Toby?" - -"I don't know'm, but I am; and every time I feels this way, I gets one; so -I'll just take my two little black calves and trot off to the office and -get it;" and suiting the action to the word he struck a pretty brisk gait -and was soon around the corner and out of sight. - -Then Decatur received but two mails per day--one from an easterly -direction and the other from a westerly direction. The northern, -northwestern, southern and southwestern, all coming in on the morning's -Georgia Railroad train. Therefore ever since Thomie's return to his -command, the western mail was the one around which our hopes and fears -daily clustered. - -General Joseph E. Johnston's army was, at the time of this incident, at -Dalton, obstructing the advance of Sherman's "three hundred thousand men" -on destruction bent. And though there had been no regular line of battle -formed for some time by the Confederate and Federal forces, there were -frequent skirmishes, disastrous alike to both sides. Hence the daily -alternation of hopes and fears in the hearts of those whose principal -occupation was waiting and watching for "news from the front." - -The team of which Toby was the proud possessor did its work quickly, and -in less time than it takes to tell it he appeared in sight, returning from -the post-office--one hand clasping a package of papers and letters, and -the other, raised high above his head, holding a letter. I could not wait, -and ran to meet him. - -"I've got a whole lot of letters, and every one of them is from Dalton, -and this one is from Marse Thomie!" - -Toby had read the Dalton post-mark, and had made a correct statement. The -well-known chirography of my brother had become so familiar to him that he -never mistook it for another, and was unerring in his declarations -regarding it. On this occasion Thomie's letter thus read: - -"MY DEAR SISTER:--Those acquainted with army tactics know that General -Johnston is on the eve of an important move, or change of base; and that -it should be the effort of the men, officers and privates, to be prepared -to make the change, whatever it may be, with as little loss of army -paraphernalia as possible. As the Confederate army has no repository -secure from the approach of the enemy, several of our friends suggest that -you might be willing to take care of anything which we might send to you, -that would be of future use to us--heavy overcoats, extra blankets, etc., -etc. Consider well the proposition before you consent. Should they be -found in your possession, by the enemy, then our home might be demolished, -and you perhaps imprisoned, or killed upon the spot. Are you willing to -take the risk, trusting to your ingenuity and bravery to meet the -consequences? Let me know as soon as possible, as war times admit of -little delay. General Granbury, Colonel Bob Young, and others may make -known to you their wishes by personal correspondence. Love to my mother -and sister, and to yourself, brave heart. - - Affectionately, your brother - T. J. STOKES." - -This letter was read aloud to my mother, and the faithful mail carrier was -not excluded. She listened and weighed every word of its contents. For -several moments a silence reigned, which was broken by her asking me what -I was going to do in the matter. - -"What would you have me do?" I asked in reply. - -"What would they do, Mary, in very cold weather, if they should lose their -winter clothing, overcoats and blankets, now that supplies are so -difficult to obtain?" - -This question, evasive as it was, convinced me that my mother's patriotism -was fully adequate to the occasion, and, fraught with peril as it might -be, she was willing to bear her part of the consequences of taking care of -the soldiers' clothes. - -The return mail bore the following letter addressed jointly to General -Granbury, Colonel Robert Young, Captains Lauderdale and Formwalt, -Lieutenant Stokes, and Major John Y. Rankin; - -"MY DEAR BROTHER AND FRIENDS:--I thank you for the estimate you have -placed upon my character and patriotism, as indicated by your request that -I should take care of your overcoats, blankets, etc., until you need -them. If I were willing to enjoy the fruits of your valor and sacrifices -without also being willing to share your perils, I would be unworthy -indeed. Yes, if I knew that for taking care of those things, I would -subject myself to real danger, I would essay the duty. Send them on. I -will meet them in Atlanta, and see that they continue their journey to -Decatur without delay. - - Your friend, - M. A. H. G." - -Another mail brought intelligence of the shipment of the goods, and I lost -no time in going to Atlanta and having them re-shipped to Decatur. There -were nine large dry goods boxes, and I went, immediately on their arrival, -to Mr. E. Mason's and engaged his two-horse wagon and driver to carry them -from the depot to our home. When they were brought, we had them placed in -our company dining-room. This room, by a sort of tacit understanding, had -become a storeroom for the army before this important lot of goods came, -and, as a dining-room, much incongruity of furniture existed, among which -was a large, high wardrobe. The blinds were now closed and secured, the -sash put down and fastened, the doors shut and locked, and this room given -up to the occupancy of Confederate articles; and thus it remained during -the eventful period intervening between the departure of General Joseph E. -Johnston's army from Dalton, and Sherman's infamous order to the people of -Atlanta and vicinity to leave their homes, that they might be destroyed by -his vandal hordes. - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - -A SCENE IN AN ATLANTA CONFEDERATE HOSPITAL. - - -"Well, my boy, our patients are all getting along nicely in the Fair -Ground hospital," was the comforting assurance I gave to Toby, who was my -faithful co-worker in all that pertained to the comfort of our soldiers. -"Suppose we go to the Empire hospital and see what we can do there." - -"Yes'm, I have always wanted to go there." - -Taking one of the baskets we had brought with us from Decatur, and which -contained biscuits, rusk, broiled and fried chicken, ground coffee and -blackberry wine, I handed it to him and we wended our way to the hospital. -Things were not in as good shape there as at the Fair Ground hospital. I -perceived this at a glance, and, upon asking and receiving permission from -the superintendent, I soon tidied up things considerably. Toby brought -pails of fresh water, and aided in bathing the faces, hands and arms of -the convalescing soldiers, while I hunted up the soldier lads who ought to -have been at home with their mothers, and bestowed the tender loving -service that woman only can give to the sick and suffering. - -Entering one of the wards I perceived a youth, or one I took to be a -youth, from his slender fragile figure, and his beardless face, lean and -swarthy in sickness, but beautiful in its fine texture and the marblelike -whiteness of the brow. That he was of French extraction there could be no -doubt. Quietly kneeling by the side of his cot, I contemplated his face, -his head, his figure--I listened to his breathing, and watched the -pulsations of his heart, and knew that his days, yea, his hours were -numbered. Taking his hand in mine, I perceived that the little vitality -that remained was fast burning up with fever. Putting back the beautiful -rings of raven hair that lay in disheveled clusters over his classic head, -and partly concealed his white brow, I thought of his mother, and -imprinted upon his forehead a kiss for her sake. The deep slumber induced -by anodynes was broken by that touch, and a dazed awakening ensued. -"Mother," was his pathetic and only utterance. - -"What can I do for you, my dear child?" - -There are looks and tones which are never forgotten, and never shall I -forget the utter despair in the eyes, lustrous and beautiful enough to -look upon the glory of heaven, and the anguish of the voice, musical -enough to sing the songs of everlasting bliss, as he said in tremulous -tone and broken sentences: - -"I want to see a Catholic priest. I have paid several men to go for me. -They have gone off and never returned. I have no money with which to pay -any one else." - -In silence I listened and wept. At length I said: - -"My dear young friend, can you not make confession to 'our Father which -art in Heaven,' and ask Him for Christ's sake to absolve you from all sins -of which you may think yourself guilty? He will do it without the -intervention of a priest, if you will only believe on Him and trust Him. -Can you not do this?" - -The pencil of Raphael would fail to depict the anguish of his face; all -hope left it, and, as he turned his despairing look upon the wall, tear -drops glistened in his eyes and filled the sunken hollows beneath them. -Again I took his passive hand in mine, and with the other hand upon his -white forehead, I told him he should see a priest--that I myself would go -for one, and just as soon as he could be found I would return with him. -Before leaving, however, I went to the ward where I had left Toby and the -basket, and filling a little glass with wine, I brought it to the sinking -youth. He could not be induced to taste it. In vain I plead with him, and -told him that it would strengthen him for the interview with the priest. -"I am going now, and will come back, too, as soon as I can," I said to the -dying youth, for to all intents and purposes he was dying then. Seeing the -other patients watching my every movement with pathetic interest, I was -reminded to give the rejected wine to the weakest looking one of them. - -Leaving Toby either to wait on, or amuse the soldiers of the ward first -entered (where I found him playing the latter role, much to their -delight), with hasty steps I went to the Catholic parsonage on Hunter -street. In response to my ring the door was opened by an Irish woman from -whom I learned that the priest was not in, and would not be until he came -to luncheon at 12 o'clock M. It was then 11 o'clock, and I asked the -privilege of waiting in the sitting room until he came. This being -granted, I entered the room consecrated to celibacy, and perhaps to holy -thoughts, judging from the pictures upon the walls and the other -ornaments. These things furnished food for reflection, and the waiting -would not have seemed so long but for the thought of the poor suffering -one who had given his young life for our cause. Intuitively I knew the -sound of clerical footsteps as they entered the hall, and hastening to -meet him I asked, "Is this Father O'Riley?" Receiving an affirmative -answer, I told him of the youth at the Empire hospital who refused to be -comforted other than by a Catholic priest, and of my promise to bring one -to him. Father O'Riley said he had been out since early morning, visiting -the sick, and would be obliged to refresh himself, both by food and -repose, but that I could say to the young man that he would be there by 3 -o'clock. "O, sir, you don't realize the importance of haste. Please let me -remain in your sitting room until you have eaten your luncheon, and then I -know you will go with me. I, too, have been out ever since early morning -engaged in the same Christ-like labors as yourself, and I do not require -either food or repose." - -My earnestness prevailed, and in a short while we were at our destination. -At my request, Father O'Riley waited in the passage-way leading to the -ward until I went in to prepare the young man for his coming. I found him -in that restless condition, neither awake nor asleep, which often precedes -the deep sleep that knows no waking. Wetting my handkerchief with cold -water, I bathed his face and hands, and spoke gently to him, and, when he -seemed sufficiently aroused to understand me, I told him in cheerful tones -that he could not guess who had come to see him. Catching his look of -inquiry, I told him it was Father O'Riley, and that I would bring him in. -Opening the door, I motioned to Father O'Riley to follow me. The dying -youth and the Catholic priest needed no introduction by me. There was a -mystic tie between them that I recognized as sacred, and I left them -alone. Telling Father O'Riley that I consigned my charge to him, and that -I would come back to-morrow, I bade them good-bye and left. - -The contents of the basket had been gratefully received and devoured by -those who deserved the best in the land, because they were the land's -defenders. - -To-morrow Toby and I, and the basket, were at the Empire hospital in due -time, but the poor suffering youth was not there. The emancipated spirit -had taken its flight to Heaven, and all that was mortal of that brave -young soldier had been consigned by the ceremonies of the church he loved -so well to the protecting care of mother earth. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. - -Concealing Confederate Clothing--Valuables Carried to Atlanta--Toby Taken -Ill. - - -On the way to the post-office early one morning in the sultry month of -July, 1864, to mail a number of letters which I deemed too important to be -entrusted to other hands, I was accosted as follows by "Uncle Mack," the -good negro blacksmith, whose shop was situated immediately upon the route: - -"Did you know, Miss Mary, that the Yankees have crossed the river, and are -now this side of the Chattahoochee." - -"Why, no!" I said, and added with as much calmness as I could affect, "I -do not know why I should be surprised--there is nothing to prevent them -from coming into Decatur." - -With an imprecation more expressive than elegant, that evil should -overtake them before getting here, he resumed hammering at the anvil, and -I my walk to the post-office. Nor was Uncle Mack the only one who -volunteered the information that "The Yankees are coming--they are this -side the river." - -The time had come to devise means and methods of concealing the winter -clothing and other accoutrements entrusted to my care by our dear -soldiers. In order to save them, what should I do with them?--was a -question which I found myself unable to answer. An attempt to retain and -defend them would be futile indeed. And I have no right to jeopardize my -mother's home by a rash effort to accomplish an impossibility. But what -shall I do with these precious things, is the question. A happy thought -struck me, and I pursued it only to find it delusive. The near approach of -Sherman's army developed the astounding fact that Dr. A. Holmes, of -Decatur, a Baptist minister of some prominence, claimed to be a Union man, -in full sympathy with any means that would soonest quell the rebellion. -This I had not heard, and in my dilemma I went to him to impart my plans -and ask advice. He was morose and reticent, and I hesitated; but, driven -by desperation, I finally said: "Dr. Holmes, as a minister of the gospel, -are you not safe? All civilized nations respect clerical robes, do they -not?" - -"I think so," he said, and continued by saying, "I have other claims upon -the Federal army which will secure me from molestation." - -A look of surprise and inquiry being my only answer, he said, "Amid the -secession craze, I have never given up my allegiance to the United -States." - -"Why, Dr. Holmes!" I said, in unfeigned surprise. - -"I repeat most emphatically that I have remained unshaken in my allegiance -to the United States. I have no respect for a little contemptible Southern -Confederacy, whose flag will never be recognized on land or on sea." - -This was a sad revelation to me. On more than one occasion I had heard Dr. -Holmes pray fervently for the success of the Southern cause, and to hear -such changed utterances from him now, pained me exceedingly. Heartsore and -discouraged, I turned from him, and was leaving without the usual -ceremony, when he said: - -"What can I do for you?" - -"I came, sir, to ask a great favor of you, but after hearing you express -yourself as you have, I deem it useless to make known my wishes. Good -morning." - -This interview with Dr. Holmes was very brief; it did not consume as much -time as it has done to tell it. - -I did not walk in those days, but ran, and it required only a few moments -to transfer the scene of action from Dr. Holmes' to my mother's residence. -A hurried, whispered conversation acquainted her with the situation; and -at my request, and upon a plausible pretense, she took Toby to the depot -where she remained until I sent for her. My confidence in Toby had not in -the least diminished, but, being a boy, I feared that he might have his -price, or be intimidated by threats into the betrayal of our secret; hence -the management as above related to get him off the place while I -consummated a plan, which, if successful, would be a great achievement, -but, if a failure, would be fraught with disaster. In those days "the -depot" was a place of popular resort--it was the emporium of news; and -either from the agent, or from the Confederate scouts that were ever and -anon dashing through Decatur with cheerful messages and words of hope, the -anxious mothers and sisters of the soldiers often wended their way there -in hope of hearing something from their loved ones. Therefore no suspicion -was aroused by this going to the depot. - -Watching the receding form of my mother until she had passed out of the -gate, and Toby had closed it after her, I then went to the rear door and -motioned to Telitha, who chanced to be in the right place, to come into -the house. After seeing that every outside door was thoroughly secure, I -took her into the dining room where the boxes were which contained the -winter clothing, blankets, etc., already mentioned as having been sent for -storage by our soldier friends at Dalton, and told her in pantomime that -the Yankees were coming, and if they saw these thing's they would kill us -and burn the house. She fully understood and repeated the pantomime -illustrative of possible--yea, probable--coming events, with pathetic -effect. I showed her that I wanted a hammer and chisel with which to take -off the lids of the boxes, and she brought them. The lids removed, each -article was carefully lifted from its repository and placed on chairs. -This important step being taken towards the concealment of the goods, I -raised the sash and opened the shutters of the window nearest the cellar, -which was unlocked and open, and Telitha, climbing out the window, -received the boxes as I handed them to her, and carried them into the -cellar. Old and soiled as the boxes were, they were not in a condition to -create suspicion of recent use, so from that source we had nothing to -fear. Telitha again in the house, shutters closed, and sash down, -preparation was resumed for the enactment of a feat dangerous and rash, -the thought of which, even at this remote period, almost produces a -tremor. The wardrobe mentioned in a former sketch as an incongruity in a -dining room, was emptied of its contents, and inch by inch placed as near -the center of the room as possible; then a large table was placed beside -it, and a chair upon that; and then with the help of another chair, which -served as a step, I got upon the table and then upon the chair that was -upon the table. As I went up, Telitha followed; standing upon the table -she grasped the wardrobe with her strong hands and held it securely. I -ascended from the chair to the top of it, stood up and steadied myself, -and waited, immovable as a statue, until she got down and brought the -chisel and hammer and placed them at my feet, and resumed her hold upon -the wardrobe. I stooped and picked up the utensils with which I had to -work, and straightened and steadied myself again. The chisel touched the -plastered ceiling and the hammering began. Very slow work it was at first, -as the licks had to be upward instead of downward, and the plastering was -very thick. Finally the chisel went through and was withdrawn and moved to -another place, and by repeated efforts I secured an aperture large enough -to insert my fingers, and a few well-directed licks round and about so -cracked and weakened the plastering that I was enabled to pull off some -large pieces. A new difficulty presented itself. The laths were long, much -longer than those of the present day, and I not only had to make a large -opening in the ceiling, but to take off the plastering without breaking -the laths. More than once the wardrobe had to be moved that I might pull -off the plastering, and then with the greatest care prize off the laths. -At length the feat was accomplished, and I laid the lids of the boxes, -which had been reserved for this purpose, across the joists, and made a -floor upon which to lay the goods more than once specified in these -sketches. When the last article had been laid on this improvised shelf, I -gazed upon them in silent anguish and wept. Telitha caught the melancholy -inspiration and also wept. Each lath was restored to its place and the -perilous work was completed, and how I thanked the Lord for the steady -nerve and level head that enabled me to do this service for those who were -fighting the battles of my country. - -But the debris must be removed. While the doors were yet closed and -fastened, we pounded and broke the plastering into very small pieces and -filled every vessel and basket in the house. I then went out and walked -very leisurely over the yard and lot, and lingered over every lowly flower -that sweetened the atmosphere by its fragrance, and when I was fully -persuaded that no spy was lurking nigh I re-entered the house and locked -the door. Picking up the largest vessel, and motioning Telitha to follow -suit, I led the way through a back door to a huge old ash hopper, and -emptied the pulverized plastering into it. In this way we soon had every -trace of it removed from the floor. The dust that had settled upon -everything was not so easily removed, but the frequent use of dusting -brushes and flannel cloths disposed of the most of it. - -I now wrote a note to my mother, inviting her to come home, and to bring -Toby with her. We kept the doors of the dining room closed, as had been -our wont for some time, and if Toby ever discovered the change, he never -betrayed the knowledge of it by word or look. After a light breakfast, -and the excitement of the day, I felt that we ought to have a good, -luscious dinner, and, with the help at my command, went to work preparing -it, and, as was my custom of late, I did not forget to provide for others -who might come in. More than once during the day Confederate scouts had -galloped in and spoken a few words of encouragement; and after taking a -drink of water from the old oaken bucket, had galloped out again, so I -hoped they would come back when the biscuit and tea-cakes were done, that -I might fill their pockets. - -After the last meal of the day had been eaten, I held another whispered -consultation with my mother, and in pursuance of the course agreed upon I -emptied several trunks, and with her help filled one with quilts and -blankets, and other bedding; another with china and cut glass, well -packed; and another with important papers, treasured relics, etc., and -locked and strapped them ready for shipment next morning. - -A night of unbroken rest and sleep prepared me for another day of -surprises and toil, and before dawn I was up, dressed, waiting for -daylight enough to justify me in the effort to see Mr. Ezekiel Mason, and -beg him to hire me his team and driver to carry the trunks to the depot. -After my ready compliance with his terms, he agreed to send them as soon -as possible. The delay caused me to go on a freight train to Atlanta, but -I congratulated myself upon that privilege, as the trunks and Toby went on -the same train. There was unusual commotion and activity about the depot -in Atlanta, and a superficial observer would have been impressed with the -business-like appearance of the little city at that important locality. -Men, women, and children moved about as if they meant business. Trains -came in rapidly, and received their complement of freight, either animate -or inanimate, and screamed themselves hoarse and departed, giving place to -others that went through with the same routine. Drays and every manner of -vehicles blocked the streets, and endangered life, limb, and property of -all who could not vie with them in push, vim, and dare-deviltry. In vain -did I appeal to scores of draymen, white and black, to carry my trunks to -the home of Mr. McArthur, on Pryor street--money was offered with -liberality, but to no avail. Despairing of aid, I bade Toby follow me, and -went to Mr. McArthur's. He and his good wife were willing to receive the -trunks and give them storage room, but could extend no aid in bringing -them there. At length, as a last resort, it was decided that Toby should -take their wheelbarrow and bring one trunk at a time. I returned with him -to the depot and had the most valuable trunk placed upon the wheelbarrow, -and, with my occasional aid, Toby got it to its destination. A second trip -was made in like manner, and the third was not a failure, although I saw -that Toby was very tired. Thanking my good friends for the favor they were -extending, I hurried back to the depot, myself and Toby, to take the first -train to Decatur. Imagine our consternation on learning that the Yankees -had dashed in and torn up the Georgia Railroad track from Atlanta to -Decatur, and were pursuing their destructive work towards Augusta. -Neither for love nor money could a seat in any kind of vehicle going in -that direction be obtained, nor were I and my attendant the only ones thus -cut off from home; and I soon discovered that a spirit of independence -pervaded the crowd. Many were the proud possessors of elegant spans of -"little white ponies" which they did not deem too good to propel them -homeward. Seeking to infuse a little more life and animation into Toby, I -said: - -"Well, my boy, what do you think of bringing out your little black ponies -and running a race with my white ones to Decatur? Do you think you can -beat in the race?" - -"I don't know'm," he said, without his usual smile, when I essayed a -little fun with him, and I evidently heard him sigh. But knowing there was -no alternative, I started in a brisk walk towards Decatur, and said to -him, "Come on, or I'll get home before you do." He rallied and kept very -close to me, and we made pretty good time. The gloaming was upon us, the -period of all others auspicious to thought, and to thought I abandoned -myself. The strife between the sections of a once glorious country was a -prolific theme, and I dwelt upon it in all of its ramifications, and -failed to find cause for blame in my peculiar people; and my step became -prouder, and my willingness to endure all things for their sakes and mine -was more confirmed. In the midst of these inspiring reflections, Toby, who -had somewhat lagged behind, came running up to me and said: - -"Oh! Miss Mary, just look at the soldiers. And they are ours, too!" - -To my dying day I shall never forget the scene to which he called my -attention. In the weird stillness it appeared as if the Lord had raised up -of the stones a mighty host to fight our battles. Not a sound was heard, -nor a word spoken, as those in the van passed opposite me, on and on, and -on, in the direction of Decatur, in what seemed to me an interminable line -of soldiery. Toby and I kept the track of the destroyed railroad, and were -somewhere between General Gartrell's residence and Mr. Pitts', the midway -station between Atlanta and Decatur, when the first of these soldiers -passed us, and we were at Kirkwood when that spectre-like band had fully -gone. Once the moon revealed me so plainly that a cheer, somewhat -repressed, but nevertheless hearty, resounded through the woods, and I -asked: - -"Whose command?" - -"Wheeler's Cavalry," was the simultaneous response of many who heard my -inquiry. - -"Don't you know me? I am the one you gave the best breakfast I ever ate, -that morning we dashed into Decatur before sun-up." - -"And I'm the one too." - -"O, don't mention it," I said. "You are giving your lives for me, and the -little I can do for you is nothing in comparison. May God be with you and -shield you from harm until this cruel war is over." - -I missed Toby, and looking back, saw him sitting down. I hurried to him, -saying, "What is it, my boy?" - -"O, Miss Mary, I am so sick. I can't go any further. You can go on home, -and let me stay here--when I feel better I'll go too." - -"No, my boy, I'll not leave you." And sitting by him I told him to rest -his head upon my lap, and maybe after awhile he would feel better, and -then we would go on. In the course of a half hour he vomited copiously, -and soon after he told me he felt better, and would try to go on. More -than once his steps were unsteady and he looked dazed; but under my -patient guidance and encouraging words he kept up and we pursued our -lonely walk until we reached Decatur. - -As soon as we entered the town, we perceived that we had overtaken -Wheeler's Cavalry. They were lying on the ground, asleep, all over the -place; and in most instances their horses were lying by them, sleeping -too. And I noticed that the soldiers, even though asleep, never released -their hold upon the bridles. At home I found my mother almost frantic. She -knew nothing of the causes detaining me, and supposed that some disaster -had befallen me individually. A good supper, including a strong cup of tea -prepared by her hands, awaited us, and I attested my appreciation of it by -eating heartily. Toby drank a cup of tea only, and said he "was very tired -and hurt all over." - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. - -The advance guard of the Yankee army--I am ordered out--A noble Federal. - - -The day clear, bright and beautiful, in July, 1864, and though a -midsummer's sun cast its vertical rays upon the richly-carpeted earth, -refreshing showers tempered the heat and preserved in freshness and beauty -the vernal robes of May and kept the atmosphere pure and delightful. -Blossoms of every hue and fragrance decked the landscape, and Ceres and -Pomona had been as lavish with their grains and fruits as Flora had been -with flowers. - -And I, assisted by Toby and Telitha, had gathered from the best of these -rich offerings, and prepared a feast for Wheeler's Cavalry. By the way, -strive against it as I would, I was more than once disturbed by the mental -inquiry: "What has become of Wheeler's Cavalry? I saw it enter Decatur -last night, and now there is not a soldier to be seen. It is true a large -number of scouts came in this morning, and spoke comforting words to my -mother, and reconnoitered around town fearlessly, but what has become of -them?" Hope whispered: "Some strategic movement that will culminate in the -capture of the entire Yankee army, no doubt is engaging its attention." -Yielding to these delusive reflections, and the seductive influence of -earth, air and sky, I became quite exhilarated and hummed little snatches -of the songs I used to sing in the happy days of childhood, before a hope -had been disappointed or a shadow cast over my pathway. - -These scenes and these songs were not in keeping with the impending -disasters even then at our portals. Crapen draperies and funeral dirges -would have been far more in keeping with the developments of the day. - -Distant roar of cannon and sharp report of musketry spoke in language -unmistakable the approach of the enemy, and the rapidity of that approach -was becoming fearfully alarming. Decatur offered many advantages as -headquarters to an invading, devastating foe, "and three hundred thousand -men" under the guidance of a merciless foe ought to have entered it long -before they did--and would have done so if their bravery had been -commensurate with their vandalism. - -"Yank! Yank!" exclaimed our deaf negro girl, Telitha, as she stroked her -face as if stroking beard, and ran to get a blue garment to indicate the -color of their apparel, and this was our first intimation of their -appearance in Decatur. If all the evil spirits had been loosed from Hades, -and Satan himself had been turned loose upon us, a more terrific, -revolting scene could not have been enacted. - -Advance guards, composed of every species of criminals ever incarcerated -in the prisons of the Northern States of America, swooped down upon us, -and every species of deviltry followed in their footsteps. My poor mother, -frightened and trembling, and myself, having locked the doors of the -house, took our stand with the servants in the yard, and witnessed the -grand _entre_ of the menagerie. One of the beasts got down upon his -all-fours and pawed up the dust and bellowed like an infuriated bull. And -another asked me if I did not expect to see them with hoofs and horns. I -told him, "No, I had expected to see some gentlemen among them, and was -sorry I should be disappointed." - -My entire exemption from fear on that occasion must have been our -safeguard, as no personal violence was attempted. He who personated a bull -must have been the king's fool, and was acting in collusion with the house -pillagers sent in advance of the main army to do their dirty work, and to -reduce the people to destitution and dependence. While he thought he was -entertaining us with his quadrupedal didos, a horde of thieves were -rummaging the house, and everything of value they could get their hands -upon they stole--locks and bolts having proved ineffectual barriers to -this nefarious work. By this time the outside marauders had killed every -chicken and other fowl upon the place, except one setting-hen. A fine cow, -and two calves, and twelve hogs shared a similar fate. - -Several hours had passed since the coming of the first installment of the -G. A. R., and a few scattering officers were perambulating the streets, -and an occasional cavalryman reconnoitering. Having surveyed the -situation, and discovered that only women and children and a few faithful -negroes occupied the town, the main army came in like an avalanche. Yea, -if an avalanche and a simoon had blended their fury and expended it upon -that defenceless locality, a greater change could scarcely have been -wrought. - -The morning's sun had shone upon a scene of luxuriant beauty, and -heightened its midsummer loveliness, but the same sun, only a few hours -later, witnessed a complete transformation, and blight and desolation -reigned supreme. My mother and myself, afraid to go in the house, still -maintained our outdoor position, and our two faithful servants clung very -close to us, notwithstanding repeated efforts to induce them to leave. Our -group had received addition. Emmeline, a negro girl whom we had hired out -in Decatur, had been discharged, and had now come home. She was not so -faithful as her kith and kin, and was soon on familiar terms with the -bummers. Toby complained of being very tired, and when we all came to -think about it, we discovered that we, too, were tired, and without being -asked took seats upon the capacious lap of mother earth. As we were not -overly particular about the position we assumed, we must have presented -quite an aboriginal appearance. But what mattered it--we were only rebels. -Notwithstanding the insignia of the conqueror was displayed on every hand, -we felt to a certain degree more protected by the presence of commissioned -officers, and ventured to go into the house. I will not attempt a -description of the change that had taken place since we had locked the -door, and, for better protection, had taken our stand in the yard. - -Garrard's Cavalry selected our lot, consisting of several acres, for -headquarters, and soon what appeared to us to be an immense army train of -wagons commenced rolling into it. In less than two hours our barn was -demolished and converted into tents, which were occupied by privates and -non-commissioned officers, and to the balusters of our portico and other -portions of the house were tied a number of large ropes, which, the other -ends being secured to trees and shrubbery, answered as a railing to which -at short intervals apart a number of smaller ropes were tied, and to these -were attached horses and mules, which were eating corn and oats out of -troughs improvised for the occasion out of bureau, washstand, and wardrobe -drawers. - -Men in groups were playing cards on tables of every size and shape; and -whisky and profanity held high carnival. Thus surrounded we could but be -apprehensive of danger; and, to assure ourselves of as much safety as -possible, we barricaded the doors and windows, and arranged to sit up all -night, that is, my mother and myself. - -Toby complained of being very tired, and "hurting all over," as he -expressed it. We assisted him in making the very best pallet that could be -made of the material at our command, and he lay down completely -prostrated. Telitha was wide awake, and whenever she could secure a -listener chattered like a magpie in unintelligible language, accompanied -by unmistakable gestures--gestures which an accomplished elocutionist -might adopt with effect--and the burden of her heart was for Emmeline. -Emmeline having repudiated our protection, had sought shelter, the Lord -only knows where. Alas, poor girl! - -As we sat on a lounge, every chair having been taken to the camps, we -heard the sound of footsteps entering the piazza, and in a moment, loud -rapping, which meant business. Going to the window nearest the door, I -removed the fastenings, raised the sash, and opened the blinds. Perceiving -by the light of a brilliant moon that at least a half-dozen men in -uniforms were on the piazza, I asked: - -"Who is there?" - -"Gentlemen," was the laconic reply. - -"If so, you will not persist in your effort to come into the house. There -is only a widow and one of her daughters, and two faithful servants in -it," I said. - -"We have orders from headquarters to interview Miss Gay. Is she the -daughter of whom you speak?" - -"She is, and I am she." - -"Well, Miss Gay, we demand seeing you, without intervening barriers. Our -orders are imperative," said he who seemed to be the spokesman of the -delegation. - -"Then wait a moment," I amiably responded. Going to my mother I repeated -in substance the above colloquy, and asked her if she would go with me out -of one of the back doors and around the house into the front yard. -Although greatly agitated and trembling, she readily assented, and we -noiselessly went out. In a few moments we announced our presence, and our -visitors descended the steps and joined us. And those men, occupying a -belligerent attitude towards ourselves and all that was dear to us, stood -face to face and in silence contemplated each other. When the silence was -broken the aforesaid officer introduced himself as Major Campbell, a -member of General Schofield's staff. He also introduced the accompanying -officers each by name and title. This ceremony over, Major Campbell said: - -"Miss Gay, our mission is a painful one, and yet we will have to carry it -out unless you satisfactorily explain acts reported to us." - -"What is the nature of those acts?" - -"We have been told that it is your proudest boast that you are a rebel, -and that you are ever on duty to aid and abet in every possible way the -would-be destroyers of the United States government. If this be so, we -cannot permit you to remain within our lines. Until Atlanta surrenders, -Decatur will be our headquarters, and every consideration of interest to -our cause requires that no one inimical to it should remain within our -boundaries established by conquest." - -In reply to these charges, I said: - -"Gentlemen, I have not been misrepresented, so far as the charges you -mention are concerned. If I were a man, I should be in the foremost ranks -of those who are fighting for rights guaranteed by the Constitution of the -United States. The Southern people have never broken that compact, nor -infringed upon it in any way. They have never organized mobs to -assassinate any portion of the people sharing the privileges granted by -that compact. They have constructed no underground railroads to bring into -our midst incendiaries and destroyers of the peace, and to carry off -stolen property. They have never sought to array the subordinate element -of the North in deadly hostility to the controlling element. No class of -the women of the South have ever sought positions at the North which -secured entrance into good households, and then betrayed the confidence -reposed by corrupting the servants and alienating the relations between -the master and the servant. No class of the women of the South have ever -mounted the rostrum and proclaimed falsehoods against the women of the -North--falsehoods which must have crimsoned with shame the very cheeks of -Beelzebub. - -"No class of the men of the South have ever tramped over the North with -humbugs, extorting money either through sympathy or credulity, and engaged -at the same time in the nefarious work of exciting the subordinate class -to insurrection, arson, rapine and murder. If the South is in rebellion, a -well-organized mob at the North has brought it about. Long years of -patient endurance accomplished nothing. The party founded on falsehood and -hate strengthened and grew to enormous proportions. And, by the way, mark -the cunning of that party. Finding that the Abolition party made slow -progress and had to work in the dark, it changed its name and took in new -issues, and by a systematic course of lying in its institutions of -learning, from the lowly school-house to Yale College, and from its -pulpits and rostrums, it inculcated lessons of hate towards the Southern -people whom it would hurl into the crater of Vesuvius if endowed with the -power. What was left us to do but to try to relieve that portion of the -country which had permitted this sentiment of hate to predominate, of all -connection with us, and of all responsibility for the sins of which it -proclaimed us guilty? This effort the South has made, and I have aided and -abetted in every possible manner, and will continue to do so just as long -as there is an armed man in the Southern ranks. If this be sufficient -cause to expel me from my home, I await your orders. I have no favors to -ask." - -Imagine my astonishment, admiration and gratitude, when that group of -Federal officers, with unanimity said: - -"I glory in your spunk, and am proud of you as my countrywoman; and so far -from banishing you from your home, we will vote for your retention within -our lines." - -Thus the truth prevailed; but a new phase of the conflict was inaugurated, -as proved by subsequent developments. - -Turning to my mother, Major Campbell said: - -"Mother, how did our advance guards treat you?" - -A quivering of the lips, and a tearful effort to speak, was all the -response she could make. The aggravation of already extreme nervousness -was doing its work. - -"Would you like to see?" I said. He indicated rather than expressed an -affirmative answer. - -I went around and entered the house, and, opening the front door, invited -him and his friends to come in. A hindrance to the exhibit I was anxious -to make presented itself--we had neither candle nor lamp, and this I told -to the officers. Calling to a man in the nearest camp, Major Campbell -asked him to bring a light. This being done, I led the way into the front -room, and there our distinguished guests were confronted by a huge pallet -occupied by a sixteen-year-old negro boy. A thrill of amusement evidently -passed through this group of western men, and electrical glances conveyed -messages of distrust when I told them of my walk yesterday afternoon, -accompanied by this boy, and his exhaustion before we got home, and his -complaints of "hurting all over" before he lay down an hour ago. - -A low consultation was held, and one of the officers left and soon -returned with another who proved to be a physician. He aroused the boy, -asked several questions, and examined his pulse and tongue. - -"That will do," said he, and turning to the others, he said: - -"He is a very sick boy, and needs medical treatment at once. I will -prescribe and go for the medicine, which I wish given according to -directions." - -Having received a statement of the boy's condition from a trusted source, -we were evidently re-instated into the good opinion of Major Campbell and -his friends. Telitha had retired from them to as great a distance as the -boundaries of the room would permit, and every time she caught my eye she -looked and acted what she could not express in words--utter aversion for -the "Yank." - -We now resumed our inspection of the interior of the house. The contents -of every drawer were on the floor, every article of value having been -abstracted. Crockery scattered all over the room, suggested to the eye -that it had been used to pelt the ghosts of the witches burned in -Massachusetts a century or two ago. Outrages and indignities too -revolting to mention met the eye at every turn. And the state of affairs -in the parlor baffled description. Not an article had escaped the -destroyer's touch but the piano, and circumstances which followed proved -that that was regarded as a trophy and only waited removal. - -"Vandals! Vandals!" Major Campbell sorrowfully exclaimed, and all his -friends echoed the opinion, and said: - -"If the parties who did this work could be identified, we would hang them -as high as Haman." - -But these parties were never identified. They were important adjuncts in -the process of subjugation. - -After wishing that the worst was over with us, these gentlemen, who had -come in no friendly mood, bade us good night and took their leave. Thus -the Lord of Hosts, in his infinite mercy, furnished a just tribunal to -pass judgment upon my acts as a Southern woman, and that judgment, -influenced by facts and surroundings, was just and the verdict humane. - - - - -CHAPTER XV. - -The Battle of the 22d of July, 1864--The Death of Toby. - - -The excitement incident to the morning and evening of yesterday left my -mother and myself in no frame of mind for repose, and we spent the night -in suspense and painful apprehension of trouble yet to come greater and -more dreadful than that through which we had passed. The medicine left for -Toby by the physician summoned last night was faithfully administered -according to direction, and the morning found him better, though able to -sit up only for a short while at a time. Measles had developed, and we -felt hopeful that it would prove to be a very slight attack; and such it -might have been could we have controlled him properly, but the excitement -and ever-varying scenes in the yard, and as far as vision extended, were -so new and strange to him that, when unobserved, he spent much of his time -at a window commanding the best view of the scene, and, thus exposed to a -current of air, the disease ceased to appear on the surface and a -troublesome cough ensued. - -Having been without food since the preceding morning, our thoughts turned -to the usual preparation for breakfast, but alas, those preparations had -to be dispensed of, as we had nothing to prepare. This state of affairs -furnished food for at least serious reflection, and the inquiry, "What are -we to do?" found audible expression. The inexorable demands of hunger -could not be stifled, and we knew that the sick boy needed hot tea and the -nourishment which food alone could give, and yet we had nothing for -ourselves or for him--so complete had been the robbery of the "advance -guards" of the Grand Army of the Republic that not a thing, animate or -inanimate, remained with which to appease our hunger. "What are we to do?" -was iterated and reiterated, and no solution of the question presented -itself. Even then appetizing odors from the camp-fires were diffusing -themselves upon the air and entering our house, but aliens were preparing -the food and we had no part in it. We debated this question, and finally -resolved not to expose ourselves to the jeers and insults of the enemy by -an act of ours that would seem to ask for food; but that we would go to -our Southern citizens in the war-stricken and almost deserted town, and, -if they were not completely robbed, ask them to share their supplies with -us until we could procure aid from outside of the lines so arbitrarily -drawn. - -In this dilemma an unexpected relief came to us, and convinced us that -there was good even in Nazareth. A large tray, evidently well-filled, and -covered with a snow-white cloth, was brought in by an Irishman, who handed -a card to my mother containing these words: - -"To Mrs. Stokes and daughter, Miss Gay, with compliments of - - (MAJOR) CAMPBELL. - -"Please accept this small testimonial of regard and respectful sympathy." - -The latter part of the brief message was the sesame that secured -acceptance of this offering, and my mother and myself jointly acknowledged -it with sincere thanks, and again we thought of Elijah and the ravens. The -contents of the tray--coffee, sugar, and tea, sliced ham and a variety of -canned relishes, butter, potatoes, and oatmeal and bread, were removed and -the tray returned. That tray on its humane mission, having found its way -into our house, more than once opportunely reappeared. We enjoyed the -repast thus furnished, although briny tears were mingled with it. - -The day passed without any immediate adventure. Great activity prevailed -in army ranks. The coming and going of cavalry; the clatter of sabre and -spur; the constant booming of cannon and report of musketry, all convinced -us that the surrender of Atlanta by the Confederates was quite a matter of -time. A few thousand men, however brave and gallant, could not cope -successfully with "three hundred thousand" who ignored every usage of -civilized warfare, and fought only for conquest. - -I cannot say how long this state of affairs lasted before Wheeler's -Cavalry, supported by Confederate infantry, stole a march upon the Yankees -and put them to flight. Garrard and his staff officers were in our -parlor--their parlor _pro tem._--holding a council; the teamsters and army -followers were lounging about promiscuously, cursing and swearing and -playing cards, and seeming not to notice the approaching artillery until -their attention was called to it, and then they contended that it was -their men firing off blank cartridges. I intuitively felt that a conflict -was on hand. Ma and I held whispered conversations and went from one -window to another, and finally rushed into the yard. Men in the camps -observed our excitement and said, "Don't be alarmed, it is only our men -firing off their blank cartridges." - -The irony of fate was never more signally illustrated than on this -occasion. I would have laid down my life, yea, a thousand breathing, -pulsing lives of my own, to have witnessed the overthrow of the Yankee -army, and yet, I may have been the means of saving a large portion of it -on that occasion. Dreading for my mother's sake and for the sake of the -deaf girl and the sick boy, an attack upon the forces which covered our -grounds, I ran to one of the parlor doors and knocked heavily and -excitedly. An officer unlocked the door and opening it said: - -"What is it?" - -"Our men must be nearly here," I replied. - -"Impossible," he said, and yet, with a bound he was in the yard, followed -in quick succession by each member of the conclave. - -A signal, long, loud, and shrill, awakened the drowsy, and scattered to -the four winds of heaven cards, books and papers; and, in a few minutes, -horses and mules were hitched to wagons, and the mules, wagons and men -were fairly flying from the approach of the Confederates. Women and -children came pouring in from every direction, and the house was soon -filled. Before Garrard's wagon train was three hundred yards away, our -yard was full of our men--our own dear "Johnnie Rebs." Oothcaloga Valley -boys, whom I had known from babyhood, kissed, in passing, the hand that -waved the handkerchief. An officer, ah, how grand he looked in gray -uniform, came dashing up and said: - -"Go in your cellar and lie down; the Federals are forming a line of -battle, and we, too, will form one that will reach across the grounds, and -your house will be between the two lines. Go at once." - -My mother ran and got Toby's shoes and put them on for him, and told him -to get up and come with her, and as he went out of the house, tottering, I -threw a blanket over him, and he and Telitha went with ma to our near -neighbor, Mrs. Williams, her cellar being considered safer than ours. I -remained in our house for the twofold purpose of taking care of it, if -possible, and of protecting, to the best of my ability, the precious women -and children who had fled to us for protection. Without thought of myself -I got them all into the room that I thought would be safest, and urged -them to lie down upon the floor and not to move during the battle. Shot -and shell flew in every direction, and the shingles on the roof were -following suit, and the leaves, and the limbs, and the bark of the trees -were descending in showers so heavy as almost to obscure the view of the -contending forces. The roaring of cannon and the sound of musketry blended -in harmony so full and so grand, and the scene was so absorbing, that I -thought not of personal danger, and more than once found myself outside of -the portals ready to rush into the conflict--for was not I a soldier, -enlisted for the war? Nor was I the only restless, intrepid person in the -house on that occasion. An old lady, in whose veins flowed the blood of -the Washingtons, was there, and it was with the greatest difficulty that I -restrained her from going out into the arena of warfare. The traditions of -her ancestors were so interwoven with her life, that, at an age bordering -on four score years and ten, they could not relax their hold upon her; and -she and I might have gone in opposite directions had we fled to the ranks -of the contending armies. - -Mine was, no doubt, the only feminine eye that witnessed the complete rout -of the Federals on that occasion. At first I could not realize what they -were doing, and feared some strategic movement; but the "rebel yell" and -the flying blue-coats brought me to a full realization of the situation, -and I too joined in the loud acclaim of victory. And the women and -children, until now panic-stricken and silent as death, joined in the -rejoicing. All the discouragement of the past few weeks fled from me, and -hope revived, and I was happy, oh, so happy! I had seen a splendidly -equipped army, Schofield's division, I think, ignominiously flee from a -little band of lean, lank, hungry, poorly-clad Confederate soldiers, and I -doubted not an over-ruling Providence would lead us to final victory. - -When the smoke of the battle cleared away, my mother and her ebony charge -returned home. Toby quickly sought his pallet, and burning fever soon -rendered him delirious the greater part of the time. In one of his lucid -intervals, he asked me to read the Bible to him, and he told me what he -wanted me to read about, and said: - -"Miss Missouri used to read it to me, and I thought it was so pretty." And -I read to him the story of the cross--of Jesus' dying love, and he -listened and believed. I said to him: - -"My boy, do you think you are going to die?" - -"Yes'm, I think I am." - -I bowed my head close to him and wept, oh, how bitterly. - -"Miss Mary, don't you think I'll go to heaven?" he anxiously asked. - -"Toby, my boy, there is one thing I want to tell you; can you listen to -me?" - -"Yes'm." - -"I have not always been just to you. I have often accused you of doing -things that I afterwards found you did not do, and then I was not good -enough to acknowledge that I had done wrong. And when you did wrong, I was -not forgiving enough; and more than once I have punished you for little -sins, when I, with all the light before me, was committing greater ones -every day, and going unpunished, save by a guilty conscience. And now, my -boy, I ask you to forgive me. Can you do it?" - -"Oh, yes'm!" - -"Are you certain that you do? Are you sure that there is no unforgiving -spirit in you towards your poor Miss Mary, who is sorry for all she has -ever done that was wrong towards you." - -"Oh, yes'm!" - -"Then, my boy, ask the Lord to forgive you for your sins just as I have -asked you to forgive me, and He will do it for the sake of Jesus, who died -on the cross that sinners might be redeemed from their sins and live with -Him in heaven." - -I can never forget the ineffable love, and faith, and gratitude, depicted -in that poor boy's face, while I live; and as I held his soft black hand -in mine, I thought of its willing service to "our boys," and wept to think -I could do no more for him, and that his young life was going out before -he knew the result of the cruel war that was waged by the Abolitionists! -He noticed my grief, and begged me not to feel so badly, and added that he -was willing to die. - -I arose from my position by his bed and asked him if there was anything in -the world I could do for him. In reply he said: - -"I would like to have a drink of water from the Floyd spring." - -"You shall have it, my boy, just as soon as I can go there and back," and -I took a pitcher and ran to the spring and filled and refilled it several -times, that it might be perfectly cool, and went back with it as quickly -as possible. He drank a goblet full of this delicious water and said it, -was "so good," and then added: - -"You drink some, too, Miss Mary, and give Miss Polly some." - -I did so, and he was pleased. He coughed less and complained less than he -had done since the change for the worse, and I deluded myself into the -hope that he might yet recover. In a short while he went to sleep, and his -breathing became very hard and his temperature indicated a high degree of -fever. I urged my mother to lie down, and assured her that if I thought -she could do anything for Toby at any time during the night I would call -her. - -I sat there alone by that dying boy. Not a movement on his part betrayed -pain. His breathing was hard and at intervals spasmodic. With tender hands -I changed the position of his head, and for a little while he seemed to -breathe easier. But it was only for a little while, and then it was -evident that soon he would cease to breathe at all. I went to my mother -and waked her gently and told her I thought the end was near with Toby, -and hurried back to him. I thought him dead even then; but, after an -interval, he breathed again and again, and all was over. The life had gone -back to the God who gave it, and I doubt not but that it will live with -Him forever. The pathos of the scene can never be understood by those who -have not witnessed one similar to it in all its details, and I will not -attempt to describe it. No timepiece marked the hour, but it was about -midnight, I ween, when death set the spirit of that youthful negro free. -Not a kindred being nor a member of his own race was near to lay loving -hand upon him, or prepare his little body for burial. We stood and gazed -upon him as he lay in death in that desolated house, and thought of his -fidelity and loving interest in our cause and its defenders, and of his -faithful service in our efforts to save something from vandal hands; and -the fountain of tears was broken up and we wept with a peculiar grief over -that lifeless form. - -My mother was the first to become calm, and she came very near me and -said, as if afraid to trust her voice: - -"Wouldn't it be well to ask Eliza Williams and others to come and 'lay him -out?'" - -Before acting on this suggestion I went into another room and waked -Telitha and took her into the chamber of death. A dim and glimmering light -prevented her from taking in the full import of the scene at first; but I -took her near the couch, and, pointing to him, I said: - -"Dead!--Dead!" - -She repeated interrogatively, and, when she fully realized that such was -the case, her cries were pitiable, oh, so pitiable. - -I sank down upon the floor and waited for the paroxysm of grief to -subside, and then went to her and made her understand that I was going out -and that she must stay with her mistress until I returned. An hour later, -under the manipulation of good "Eliza Williams"--known throughout Decatur -as Mrs. Ammi Williams' faithful servant--and one or two others whom she -brought with her, Toby was robed in a nice white suit of clothes prepared -for the occasion by the faithful hands of his "Miss Polly," whom he had -loved well and who had cared for him in his orphanage. - -We had had intimation that the Federals would again occupy Decatur, and as -soon as day dawned I went to see Mr. Robert Jones, Sen., and got him to -make a coffin for Toby, and I then asked "Uncle Mack," and "Henry"--now -known as Decatur's Henry Oliver--to dig the grave. Indeed, these two men -agreed to attend to the matter of his burial. After consultation with my -mother, it was agreed that that should take place as soon as all things -were in readiness. Mr. Jones made a pretty, well-shaped coffin out of -good heart pine, and the two faithful negro men already mentioned prepared -with care the grave. When all was in readiness, the dead boy was placed in -the coffin and borne to the grave by very gentle hands. - -Next to the pall-bearers my mother and myself and Telitha fell in line, -and then followed the few negroes yet remaining in the town, and that -funeral cortege was complete. - -At the grave an unexpected and most welcome stranger appeared. "Uncle -Mack" told me he was a minister, and would perform the funeral -service--and grandly did he do it. The very soul of prayer seemed embodied -in this negro preacher's invocation; nor did he forget Toby's "nurses," -and every consolation and blessing was besought for them. And thus our -Toby received a Christian burial. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI. - -EVERETT'S DESERTION. - - -During the early spring of that memorable year, 1864, it was announced to -the citizens of Decatur that Judge Hook and family, including his -accomplished daughter, Mrs. Whitesides, and her children, from -Chattanooga, had arrived at the depot, and were domiciled, _pro tem._, in -cars which had been switched off the main track of the famous old Georgia -Railroad. This novel mode of living, even in war times, by people in their -monetary condition and social standing, naturally attracted much -attention, and brought us to a full realization of approaching danger. -That this family, accustomed to all the luxuries of an elegant home, -should live in such an abode, with its attendant privations, was -convincing proof that the home they had abandoned had become intolerable -because of the proximity of the enemy; and it was also fearfully -suggestive that that ubiquitous enemy was extending his dominion and -bringing the fiery, bloody conflict into the very heart of the -"rebellion." - -A rebellion, by way of parenthesis, which impartial historians will put on -record as the grandest uprising of a long suffering people that was ever -known in the annals of nations; "a mutiny" (as that chief of Southern -haters, John Lathrop Motley, whose superb egotism impressed him with the -idea that his influence could change the political trend of Great Britain -towards the South, has seen proper to denominate it) in the camp of -American councils brought about by unceasing abuse of the Southern States -by political tricksters, whose only hope of survival lay in the hatred for -the South thus engendered. - -The coming of Judge Hook's family was hailed with pleasure by all good and -loyal citizens, and was a ligament connecting more closely states -suffering in a common cause; and we all called upon them and soon numbered -them with our intimate friends. Mrs. Whitesides and Miss Hook were -effective workers in all that benefited our soldiers or their families. - -Judge Hook was superintendent of the Government Iron Works, and literally -brought the foundry as well as the operatives with him. Among the latter -was a man by the name of Everett, who, with his family, consisting of his -wife and five children, occupied an old one-room house near a corner of -our home lot. Although a hearty, hale, and rather good-looking man, -Everett was very poor, and the first time I ever saw his wife she came to -borrow "a little flour." As my mother never turned away from a borrower, -Mrs. Everett's vessel was filled to overflowing, and, besides, a pitcher -of buttermilk and a plate of butter was given to her, for which she was -extremely grateful. - -An acquaintance thus begun continued during the spring and early summer -months, and there was not a day during that period that my mother did not -find it convenient to do something for this family. Mrs. Everett was more -than ordinarily intelligent for a person in her position, and the blush -which mantled her pretty cheeks when she asked for anything betrayed her -sensibility; and her children were pretty and sweet-mannered. I never saw -Everett, only as I met him going and coming from his work, and on those -occasions he showed the greatest respect for me by taking off his hat as -he approached me, and holding it in his hand until he had fully passed. He -seemed to be a steady worker, and if he ever lost a day I never heard of -it; and Mrs. Everett was industrious, but much of the time unemployed for -lack of material with which to work, and she often begged for something to -do. She was anxious to work for our soldiers, and told me that all of her -male relatives were in the Confederate army. This circumstance endeared -her very much to me; and I made the support of his family very much easier -to Everett than it would have been had he lived in a non-appreciative -neighborhood. And when the village girls met at our house to practice for -concerts for the benefit of our soldiers, which they did almost weekly, I -never forgot that Mrs. Everett's brothers were in our army fighting -valiantly, no doubt, for our cause, and I always asked her to come and -bring her children to my room and listen with me to the sweet music and -patriotic songs. - -As time sped, many opportunities for witnessing Mrs. Everett's devotion to -her native land presented themselves; and her service to its defenders, -though humble and unobtrusive, was valuable. Her children, too, always -spoke lovingly of our soldiers, and were never more happy than when doing -something for them. At length the time came for another move of the -foundry, and quietly, as if by magic, it and its appurtenants, under the -judicious management of Judge Hook, got on wheels and ran at the rate of -thirty-five miles an hour until it reached Augusta--another haven of rest -invested with heavenly beauty. After the departure of this important -adjunct to this portion of the Confederacy, it was discovered that Everett -and his family remained in Decatur. And a remarkable change came over -them. Instead of the free-spoken, unsophisticated woman that she had -always appeared to be, Mrs. Everett became reserved and taciturn, and -seldom left the enclosure by which her humble dwelling was surrounded. And -the children ceased to cheer us by their merry prattle and daily trip for -a pitcher of buttermilk, which, under the changed and unexplained -circumstances, my mother sent to them. - -On the never-to-be-forgotten 19th of July, 1864, when a portion of -Sherman's army dashed into Decatur, it obtained a recruit. In an -incredibly short time, Everett was arrayed in the uniform of a Yankee -private, and was hustling around with the Yankees as if "to the manner -born." - -On the 22d of July, when the Confederates ran the Yankees out of the -little village they had so pompously occupied for a few days, Everett -disappeared, and so did his family from the little house on the corner. I -supposed they had left Decatur, until I went out in town to see if I could -hear anything from the victors--their losses, etc.--when by chance I -discovered that they had taken shelter in the old post-office building on -the northeast corner of the court-house square. - -The morning after the hurried evacuation of Decatur by the Federal troops, -I arose, as was my custom, as day was dawning, and, as soon as I thought I -could distinguish objects, I opened the front door and stepped out on the -portico. As I stood looking upon the ruin and devastation of my -war-stricken home, imagine my surprise and consternation when I saw a -white handkerchief held by an invisible hand above a scuppernong grape -arbor. My first impulse was to seek security within closed doors, but the -thought occurred to me that some one might be in distress and needed aid. -I therefore determined to investigate the case. In pursuance of this -object I went down the steps, and advanced several yards in the direction -of the waving signal, and asked: - -"Who is there?" - -"Come a little nearer, please," was the distinct answer. - -"I am near enough to hear you; what can I do for you?" I said, and did go -a little nearer. - -"Miss Mary, don't be afraid of me; I would die for you and such as you, -but I cannot die for a lost cause"--and through an opening in the foliage -of the vines, which were more on the ground than on the scaffolding, a -head protruded--handsome brown eyes and dark whiskers included--Everett's -head, in all the naturalness of innocence. - -I thought of his wife and of his children, and of his wife's brother in -the Confederate army, and again asked with deliberation: - -"What can I do for you?" - -"Bless me or curse me," was the startling answer, and he continued: - -"Your kindness to my wife and children has nerved me to come to you and -ask that you will aid me in seeing them, especially her. Will you do it?" - -"Yes, though I despise you for the steps you have taken, I will grant your -request. Don't be afraid that I will betray you." - -"Where shall I go?" he asked, with a perceptible tremor in his voice. - -"While I am out here seeming to prop up these shrubs, make your way to the -kitchen and enter its front door, and don't close it after you, but let it -remain wide open. But be still until I tell you to start." - -As if going for something, I walked hastily around the house and kitchen, -and entering the latter brought out an old hoe, and seemed to use it quite -industriously in banking up earth around fallen shrubbery. Watching an -opportunity--for in those war times all things, animate and inanimate, -seemed to have ears--I said: - -"When I go into the house, you must go into the kitchen, and be certain to -let the doors remain open." - -I never knew how Everett made his journey, whether upright as a man, or -upon all-fours like a beast. - -From sheer exhaustion my poor mother was sleeping still, and Toby's -breathing and general appearance as he lay upon his pallet, plainly -indicated the presence of deep seated disease. I looked around for -Telitha, and not seeing her, went into the dining room where I found her -sitting by a window. By unmistakable signs she made me understand that she -had witnessed the entire proceeding connected with Everett through the -window blinds. - -Soon the loud tramping of horses' feet caused me to run again to the front -door, and I beheld a number of our scouts approaching. I went to meet them -and shook hands with every one of them. No demonstration, however -enthusiastic, could have been an exaggeration of my joy on again seeing -our men, our dear Confederate soldiers, and yet I thought of Everett and -trembled. - -"Have you seen any Billy Yanks this morning?" was asked by several of -them; and I replied: - -"No, I have not seen any since our men ran them out of Decatur yesterday." - -"How did they treat you while they were here?" - -"You see the devastation of the place," I replied. "Personally we escaped -violence; but I would like you to go into the house and see the condition -of affairs there." - -Said they: - -"It would not be new to us. We have seen the most wanton destruction of -property and household goods wherever they have gone." - -"Do wait and let me have a pot of coffee made for you. The Yankees gave -our negro girl quite a good deal of it, and not using it herself, she gave -it to my mother, and I want you to enjoy some of it," I said. They -replied. - -"Soldiers can't wait for luxuries." - -"Good-bye and God bless you," was their parting benediction. And then as -if impelled by some strange inspiration they galloped round to the well. I -ran into the house and got several tumblers and fairly flew out there with -them, as there was no gourd at the well. The kitchen was in close -proximity, and the door stood invitingly open. What if a bare suspicion -should prompt these brave men to enter? Alas! All would be up with the -poor miscreant who had thrown himself upon my mercy, and who was even then -lurking there under my direction. But, thank the good Lord, they did not -enter, and after again invoking God's blessings upon me, they galloped off -in a southerly direction; and never did retreating sounds give more -relief. - -I went into the house. My mother, thoroughly exhausted, and perhaps -discouraged, chose to remain in bed, and as she lay gazing intently upon -the wall above her, I doubt if she saw it, so intense was her meditation. -As Telitha by this time had a fire made in the dining room, I prepared a -pot of good strong coffee, and after partaking of the exhilarating -beverage myself, and seeing that each of the household was supplied, I -took the remainder with necessary adjuncts to Everett. Never will I forget -his appearance as we stood face to face--he a miserable deserter from the -cause I loved, and the recipient of favors I scorned myself for bestowing. -I told him I would go at once for his wife, and that after seeing her he -must make his way into the enemy's lines as soon as possible. - -A few minutes sufficed to carry me to Mrs. Everett's retreat, already -mentioned. I sat down on the front doorsteps and drew from my pocket a -newspaper, which chanced to be there, and commenced reading aloud. At -length I saw that my presence had attracted the notice of the children, -and I called them. One by one they came to me, and I shook hands with them -and asked them about their mother. Hearing my voice and inquiries, she -spoke to me most pleasantly. I asked her to come out and take a seat by me -on the steps. She did so, blushingly and timidly. I wrote on the margin of -the paper, "Send the children away," and handed it to her. She did so. -Assured that they were not in hearing distance, I held the paper before -me, and, as if reading, I told her the story of my early interview with -her husband; of his earnest desire to see her; of my consent, on her -account, to plan a meeting with her; of his secretion in our kitchen; and -the necessity of the greatest caution in our movements. I told her that -after walking around a little, and exchanging experiences with the brave -ladies of the village, she would see me, by keeping watch, going home, and -then she could take a little basket in her hand, as if going for -something, and come on to our house. She implicitly followed my -directions. My mother received her as if nothing of an unpleasant nature -had transpired; and, although it is a very difficult problem, and never -solved without the aid of necromancy, I undertook to deduct something from -nothing, and so far succeeded that I had several small packages to lay in -her basket as she started. Knowing that she knew the way to the kitchen, I -gave her a wish that all would end well, and bade her good-bye, never, -doubtless, to meet her again on earth. The tears flowed plenteously down -her cheeks, and her tongue refused to speak, but the pressure of her hand -attested gratitude, and affection, and farewell. I got a glimpse of her as -she went out of the alley gate; but I never knew when he abandoned his -hiding place. I heard that about dusk a Federal army wagon, under -protection of a company of troops, came and took her and her little -children out of Decatur. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII. - -A visit to Confederate lines--A narrow escape--My return--The fall of -Atlanta. - - -No news from "the front;" no tidings from the loved ones in gray; no -friendly spirit whispering words of cheer or consolation. Shut up within a -narrow space, and guarded by Federal bayonets! not a ray of friendly light -illuminated my environment. - -The constant roaring of cannon and rattling of musketry; the thousand, -yea, tens of thousands of shots blending into one grand continuous whole, -and reverberating in avalanchan volume over the hills of Fulton, and the -mountain heights of old DeKalb--told in thunder tones of the fierce -contest between Federal and Confederate forces being waged without -intermission for the possession of Atlanta. - -The haughty, insolent boast of the enemy, now that Joe Johnston was -removed from the command of the Army of the Tennessee, that they would -make quick work of the rebellion, and of the complete subjugation of the -South, had in no way a tendency to mitigate anxiety or to encourage hope. -Thus surrounded, I sought and obtained permission to read Federal -newspapers. The United States mail brought daily papers to the officers in -command of the forces quartered in our yard; and through this medium I -kept posted, from a Northern standpoint, concerning the situation of both -armies. While there was little in these dispatches gratifying to me, there -was much that I thought would be valuable to my people if I could only -convey it to them; and I racked my brain day and night, devising ways and -means by which to accomplish this feat. But the ways and means decided -upon were, upon reflection, invariably abandoned as being impracticable. - -In this dilemma, a most opportune circumstance offered an immediate -solution of the difficult problem. In the midst of a deep study of the -relative positions of the two armies, and of the hopes and fears animating -both, a tall, lank, honest-faced Yankee came to the door of the portico -and asked "if Miss Gay was in." - -I responded that I was she, and he handed me a letter addressed to myself. -I hastily tore it open and read the contents. It was written by a reverend -gentleman whose wife was a distant relative of my mother, and told that -she was very ill. "Indeed," wrote he, "I have but little hope of ever -seeing her any better, and I beg you to come to see her, and spend several -days." - -I showed the letter to my mother, who was sitting near by, and, like -myself, engaged in studying the situation. She strenuously objected to my -going, and advanced many good reasons for my not doing so; but my reasons -for going counteracted them all in my estimation, and I determined to go. - -Taking Telitha with me, I carried the letter to the Provost Marshal, and -asked him to read it and grant me the privilege of going. After reading -the letter, he asked me how I obtained it, and received my statement. He -then asked me if I could refer him to the party who brought it to me. -Leaving the letter with him, I ran home and soon returned with the desired -individual who had fortunately lingered in the yard in anticipation of -usefulness. Convinced that the invitation was genuine, and for a humane -purpose, this usually morose marshal granted me "a permit" to visit those -poor old sick people, for the husband was almost as feeble as his wife. I -told the obliging marshal that there was another favor I should like to -ask of him, if he would not think me too presumptuous. "Name it," he said. -I replied: - -"Will you detail one or more of the soldiers to act as an escort for me? I -am afraid to go with only this girl." - -To this he also assented, and said it was a wise precaution. He asked when -I wished to come home. - -"Day after to-morrow afternoon," I told him, and received assurance that -an escort would be in waiting for me at that time. - -It now became necessary to make some important preparations for the trip. -A great deal was involved, and if my plans were successful, important -events might accrue. A nice white petticoat was called into requisition, -and, when I got done with it, it was literally lined with Northern -newspapers. "The Cincinnati Enquirer," and "The New York Daily Times;" -"The Cincinnati Commercial Gazette," and "The Philadelphia Evening -Ledger," under the manipulation of my fingers, took their places on the -inner sides and rear of the skirt, and served as a very stylish "bustle," -an article much in vogue in those days. This preparatory work having been -accomplished, it required but a few moments to complete my toilet, and, -under the auspices of a clear conscience and a mother's blessing, -doubtless, I started on a perilous trip. The ever-faithful Telitha was by -my side, and the military escort a few feet in advance. - -After a walk of a mile and a half, I reached my destination for that day. -I found the old lady in question much better than I had expected. Nervous -and sick himself, her husband had greatly exaggerated her afflictions. By -degrees, and under protest, I communicated to these aged people my -intention of carrying information to Hood's headquarters, that might be of -use to our army. I knew that these good old people would not betray me, -even though they might not approve my course, and I confided to them my -every plan. Both were troubled about the possible result if I should be -detected; but my plans were laid, and nothing could deter me from pursuing -them. - -The rising sun of another day saw Telitha and me starting on our way to -run the gauntlet, so to speak, of Federal bayonets. These good old people -had given me much valuable information regarding the way to -Atlanta--information which enabled me to get there without conflict with -either Confederate or Federal pickets. Knowing the topography of the -country, I took a circuitous route to an old mill; Cobb's, I believe, and -from there I sought the McDonough road. I didn't venture to keep that -highway to the city, but I kept within sight of it, and under cover of -breast-works and other obstructions, managed to evade videttes and pickets -of both armies. After walking fourteen or fifteen miles, I entered Atlanta -at the beautiful home of Mrs. L. P. Grant, at the southern boundary of the -city. That estimable lady never lost an opportunity of doing good. The -lessons of humanity and Christian grace impressed upon her youthful mind, -and intensified by the life-long example of her devoted mother, Mrs. Ammi -Williams, of Decatur, had called into action all that is ennobling in -woman. On this occasion, as upon every other offering an opportunity, she -remembered to do good. She ordered an appetizing lunch, including a cup of -sure enough coffee, which refreshed and strengthened me after my long -walk. Her butler having become a familiar personage on the streets of -Atlanta, she sent him as a guide to important places. We entered the city -unchallenged, and moved about at will. The force of habit, probably, led -me to Mrs. McArthur's and to Mrs. Craig's on Pryor street; and, by the -way, these friends still own the same property, and occupy almost the same -homes. The head of neither of these families was willing to accompany me -to Confederate headquarters, and without a guide I started to hunt them -for myself. What had seemed an easy task now seemed insurmountable. I knew -not in what direction to go, and the few whom I asked seemed as ignorant -as myself. Starting from Mrs. Craig's, I went towards the depot. I had not -proceeded very far before I met Major John Y. Rankin. I could scarcely -restrain tears of joy. He was a member of the very same command to which -my brother belonged. From Major Rankin I learned that my brother, utterly -prostrated, had been sent to a hospital, either in Augusta or Madison. He -told me many other things of interest, which I cannot mention now, unless -I was compiling a history instead of a series of personal reminiscences. -Preferring not to stand upon the street, I asked Major Rankin to return -with me to Mrs. Craig's, which he did, and spent an hour in pleasant -conversation. Mrs. Craig was a delightful conversationalist, and while she -was entertaining the major with that fine art, I retired to a private -apartment, and with the aid of a pair of scissors ripped off the papers -from my underskirt and smoothed and folded them nicely, and after -re-arranging my toilet, took them into the parlor as a trophy of skill in -outwitting the Yankee. Telitha, too, had a trophy to which she had clung -ever since we left home with the tenacity of an eel, and which doubtless -she supposed to be an offering to "Marse Tom," and was evidently anxious -that he should receive it. Having dismissed Mrs. Grant's butler as no -longer necessary to my convenience, Major Rankin, myself and Telitha went -direct to the headquarters of his command. The papers seemed to be most -acceptable, but I noticed that the gleanings from conversation seemed far -more so. The hopefulness and enthusiasm of our soldiers were inspiring. -But alas! how little they knew of the situation, and how determined not to -be enlightened. Even then they believed that they would hold Atlanta -against Herculean odds, and scorned the idea of its surrender. At length -the opening of Telitha's package devolved on me. Shirts, socks and soap, -towels, gloves, etc., formed a compact bundle that my mother had sent to -our soldiers. Many cheery words were said, and good-byes uttered, and I -left them to meet once more under very different circumstances. - -I now turned my thoughts to our negroes, who were hired in different parts -of the city. Rachel, the mother of King, hired herself and rented a room -from Mr. John Silvey, who lived upon the same lot on Marietta street upon -which he has since erected his present elegant residence. In order that I -might have an interview with Rachel without disturbing Mr. Silvey's -family, I went to the side gate and called her. She answered and came -immediately. I asked her if she realized the great danger to which she was -continually exposed. Even then "shot and shell" were falling in every -direction, and the roaring of cannon was an unceasing sound. She replied -that she knew the danger, and thought I was doing wrong to be in Atlanta -when I had a home to be at. I insisted that she had the same home, and a -good vacant house was ready to receive her. But she was impervious to -every argument, and preferred to await the coming of Sherman in her -present quarters. Seeing that I had no influence over her, I bade her -good-bye and left. Telitha and I had not gone farther than the First -Presbyterian church (not a square away) from the gate upon which I had -leaned during this interview with Rachel, before a bombshell fell by that -gate and burst into a thousand fragments, literally tearing the gate into -pieces. Had I remained there one minute longer, my mortal being would have -been torn to atoms. After this fearfully impressive adventure, -unfortified by any "permit" I struck a bee line to Mrs. Grant's, having -promised her that I would go back that way and stop awhile. An old negro -man belonging to Mrs. Williams, who had "come out" on a previous occasion, -was there, and wanted to return under my protection to his home within the -enemy's lines. Very earnest assurances from Mrs. Grant to that effect -convinced me that I had nothing to fear from betrayal by him, and I -consented that he should be a member of my company homeward bound. Two -large packages were ready for the old man to take charge of, about which -Mrs. Grant gave him directions, _sotto voce_. Putting one of them on the -end of a walking cane he threw it over his right shoulder, and with his -left hand picked up the other bundle. Telitha and I were unencumbered. -With a good deal of trepidation I took the advance position in the line of -march, and walked briskly. We had not proceeded very far before we -encountered our pickets. No argument was weighty enough to secure for me -the privilege of passing the lines without an official permit. Baffled in -this effort, I approved the action of the pickets, and we turned and -retraced our steps in the direction of Atlanta, until entirely out of -sight of them, and then we turned southward and then eastward, verging a -little northward. Constant vigilance enabled me to evade the Yankee -pickets, and constant walking brought me safely to the home of my aged and -afflicted friends, from which I had started early in the morning of that -day. Not being tired, I could have gone home; but the policy of carrying -out the original programme is too apparent to need explanation. These -friends were conservative in every act and word, and, it may be, leaned a -little out of the perpendicular towards that "flaunting lie," the United -States flag; therefore they were favorites among the so-called defenders -of the Union, and were kept supplied with many palatable articles of food -that were entirely out of the reach of rebels who were avowed and "dyed in -the wool." - -A few minutes sufficed to furnish us with a fine pot of soup (and good -bread was not lacking), of which we ate heartily. The old negro man was -too anxious to get home to be willing to spend the night so near, just for -the privilege of walking into Decatur under Yankee escort, and said he was -"going home," and left me. - -The next day my escort was promptly on hand, and in due time I was in -Decatur, none the worse for having put into practice a favorite aphorism -of the Yankees, that "all things are fair in war." - -The old man had preceded me, and faithful to the behest of Mrs. Grant, had -turned over a valuable package to my mother. - -Not many mornings subsequent to the adventure just related, I discovered -upon opening the door that the Yankee tents seemed to be vacant. Not a -blue-coat was to be seen. What could it mean? Had they given up the -contest and ignominiously fled? As if confirmatory of the gratifying -suggestion, the booming of cannon in the direction of Atlanta was -evidently decreasing. Then again I thought perhaps the wagon train had -been sent out to forage upon the country, and as it would now have to go -forty-five and fifty miles to get anything, it required an immense -military escort to protect it from the dashing, sanguinary attacks of the -"rebels." The latter thought was soon dismissed and the former embraced, -and how consoling it was to me. Before the sun had attained its meridian -height, a number of our scouts appeared on the abandoned grounds; and what -joy their presence gave us! But they left us as suddenly as they came, and -on reflection we could not think of a single encouraging word uttered by -them during their stay. Suspense became intolerable. With occasional -lulls, the roaring of cannon was a continuous blending of ominous sound. - -In the midst of this awful suspense, an apparition, glorious and bright, -appeared in our presence. It was my brother. He had left Madison a few -days before, where he had been allowed to spend a part of his furlough, -instead of remaining at the Augusta hospital, and where he received the -tender ministrations of his estimable cousin, Mrs. Tom Hillsman, and her -pretty young daughters, and the loving care of his sister Missouri, who -was also at this time an inmate of her cousin's household. How I wished he -could have remained there until restored to health. One less patriotic and -conscientious would have done so. His mother's joy at meeting her beloved -son, and under such circumstances, was pathetic indeed, and I shall never -forget the effort she made to repress the tears and steady the voice as -she sought to nerve him for the arduous and perilous duties before him. -Much of his conversation, though hurried, was regarding his Mary, in -Texas, and the dear little boy dropped down from heaven, whom he had never -seen. The shades of night came on, and darker grew until complete -blackness enveloped the face of the earth, and still the low subdued tones -of conversation between mother, son and daughter, mingled with unabated -interest. Hark! Hark! An explosion! An earthquake? The angry bellowing -sound rises in deafening grandeur, and reverberates along the far-off -valleys and distant hilltops. What is it? This mighty thunder that never -ceases? The earth is ablaze--what can it be? This illumination that -reveals minutest objects? With blanched face and tearful eye, the soldier -said: - -"Atlanta has surrendered to the enemy. The mighty reports are occasioned -by the blowing up of the magazines and arsenals." - -Dumbfounded we stood, trying to realize the crushing fact. Woman's heart -could bear no more in silence, and a wail over departed hopes mingled with -the angry sounds without. - -Impelled by a stern resolve, and a spirit like to that of martyred saints, -our brother said: - -"This is no place for me. I must go." - -And then he put an arm around each of us, and kissed us with a fervor of -love that knew no bounds, and was quenching itself in unfathomable -hopeless tenderness. The quiet fortitude and patriotism of his mother gave -way in that dread hour, and she cried aloud in agonizing apprehension of -never again clasping to her bosom her greatest earthly joy. No pen can -describe the scene of that last parting between mother and son, and in -sheer impotency I drop the curtain. - -As he walked away from his sobbing mother, through the war-illuminated -village, I never beheld mortal man so handsome, so heroically grand. His -great tender heart, which I had seen heave and sway under less trying -circumstances, seemed to have ossified, and not an emotion was apparent. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII. - -THE TEN DAYS' ARMISTICE. - -Going out with the Confederate clothes--Scenes at Atlanta and at Lovejoy's -Station--The visit to Granbury's Brigade--The last interview with Thomie. - - -After every morsel of food had been taken from the people, and every -vestige of nutrition extracted from the earth, the following order, in -substance, was proclaimed throughout the land held by the right of -conquest: - -"All who cannot support themselves without applying to the United States -Commissary for assistance, must go outside of our lines, either north or -south, within the period of time mentioned in this order, etc., etc." - -And by this order, and by others even more oppressive and diabolical, the -Nero of the nineteenth century, alias William Tecumseh Sherman, was put -upon record as the born leader of the most ruthless, Godless band of men -ever organized in the name of patriotism--a band which, but for a few -noble spirits who, by the power of mind over matter, exerted a restraining -influence, would not have left a Southerner to tell the tale of -fiendishness on its route to the sea. - -And now, like Bill Nye, after one of his sententious and doubtless -truthful introductions to a Western sketch, I feel easier in my mind, and -will proceed with my reminiscences of that unholy period of this country, -and tell the truth about it, without favor or prejudice, if it kills me. -After this pronunciamento had been issued, all was bustle and rapid -movement in every household within the boundaries of usurpation. Under the -strong arm of military power, delay was not permitted. Homes were to be -abandoned, and household goods and household gods to be left for the -enemy, or destroyed; and liberty under our own vine and fig tree was to be -a thing of the past, and dependence upon strangers a thing of the future. -In preparation for this enforced change, much that should have been done -was left undone, but there was no time to correct mistakes--the armistice -was only for ten days. - -What were we to do, my mother and myself, was a question which presented -itself with startling seriousness, and had to be answered without delay. -Our farm in Gordon county had already been devastated by the invading -army, and every improvement destroyed, and if we should lose our home in -Decatur we would be poor indeed. But what were we to do? If we left our -home, we knew it would share the fate of all other "abandoned" property, -and furnish material for a bonfire for Nero to fiddle by; and if we -remained, by grace of better men than he, what assurance had we that by -any means within our grasp we could obtain even a scanty subsistence, or -be protected from personal abuse and insult by an alien army whose -gentlemen were vastly in the minority. - -We learned that our neighbors and friends, Mrs. Ammi Williams and her -estimable son, Mr. Frederick Williams, (an invalid from paralysis)--whose -influence over General Schofield prevented my banishment from Decatur the -very first night of its occupancy by the Federal army--and the venerable -Mr. and Mrs. Buchanan (the latter a Bostonian and educated in Emerson's -celebrated school for young ladies), and other families as true to the -South as the needle to the pole, were going to remain and take their -chances within the enemy's lines, and we determined to do so too. - -The officers in command of the post, especially the provost marshal, -interrogated us very closely regarding our plans and expectations during -the occupancy of the place by Federal forces. Having satisfied them that -our only remaining servant would do washing and ironing at reasonable -prices, and that we would do darning and repairing, we were given a -written permit to remain within the lines. - -I, however, had a work to do, a feat to perform, which for audacity and -courage, has seldom been surpassed, which would not admit of my staying at -home until I had made a little trip to Dixie. - -Knowing the value of his influence, I again went to Mr. Frederick -Williams, and confiding my plans to him, asked his assistance in getting -permission to go out and return during the armistice. I never knew what -argument he employed for the accomplishment of this object. I only know by -inference. But I received a letter from General Schofield, -adjutant-general, of which the subjoined is an exact transcript: - - "DECATUR, GA., Sept. 1, 1864. - -"MISS GAY--It was hard for me to reconcile my conscience to giving the -enclosed recommendation to one whose sentiments I cannot approve, but if I -have committed an error it has been on the side of mercy, and I hope I'll -be forgiven. Hereafter I hope you will not think of Yankees as all being -bad, and beyond the pale of redemption. - -"To-morrow I leave for my own home in the 'frozen North,' and when I -return it will be to fight for my country, and against your friends, so -that I suppose I shall not have the pleasure of again meeting you. - - Very respectfully, - J. W. CAMPBELL." - -And that Major Campbell's gallant act may be fully appreciated, I will add -the letter which secured for me the great favor which I had the temerity -to ask. - - "HEADQUARTERS, ARMY OF OHIO, - DECATUR, GA., Sept. 14, 1864. - -"MY DEAR COLONEL--I have the honor to introduce Miss Mary A. H. Gay, of -this village, and I recommend her case to your favorable consideration. I -do not know exactly what orders are now in force, but if you think you can -grant her desires without detriment to the public service, I am confident -the indulgence will not be abused. - - Very respectfully your obedient servant, - J. W. CAMPBELL. - -"To Colonel J. C. Parkhurst, Pro. Mar. Gen., Army of the Cumberland." - -Thus recommended by one high in army ranks, Colonel Parkhurst granted me -the privilege of going to see my young sister, then in Augusta, and -carrying anything I might have saved from the ravages of the war, -"unmolested." Fortified by these letters I went to the Provost Marshal in -Decatur and told him I would be ready to go to Atlanta to-morrow morning -at 8 o'clock, and I wanted to carry some old bed-clothing and other things -to my sister, and would be grateful for an ambulance, or an army wagon all -to myself, and an Irish driver. He promised that both should be at my -service at the time indicated--not, however, without the sarcastic remark -that "if the Yankees had been as bad as I had said they were, they would -not have left anything for me to carry." - -I ran to my mother and imparted to her the glad tidings of success, and in -a whispered conversation we soon had definite plans arranged for the -consummation of the perilous duty before me. I went to the Federal camp -and asked for some crocus sacks such as are used in the transportation of -grain, and quite a number were given to me. I shook them thoroughly inside -and out, and put them by. A ball of twine and some large needles had found -their way into the house. The needles were threaded and placed in -convenient proximity to the sacks. Telitha watched every movement with -interest and intuitively divined its import. The wardrobe was empty and my -very first touch moved it at least one inch in the desired direction, and -a helping hand from her soon placed it in favorable position. This much -being accomplished, I took a seat by my mother on the front door-steps -and engaged in a pleasant conversation with a group of young Federal -soldiers, who seemed much attached to us, and with whom I conversed with -unreserved candor, and often expressed regret that they were in hostile -array towards a people who had been goaded to desperation by infringement -upon constitutional rights by those who had pronounced the only ligament -that bound the two sections of the country together, "a league with hell, -and a covenant with the devil." This I proved to them by documents -published at the North, and by many other things of which they were -ignorant. - -While thus engaged, Captain Woodbury approached and said: "I learn that -you are going out into Dixie, Miss Gay." - -"Yes, for a few days," I replied. - -"I am prepared to furnish a more pleasant conveyance to Atlanta than the -one you have secured," said he, and continued, "I have a handsome new -buggy and a fine trotter, and it will take only a few minutes to reach -there. Will you accept a seat with me?" - -If all the blood within me had overflowed its proper channels, and rushed -to the surface, I could not have flushed more. I felt it in the commotion -of my hair, and in the nervous twitching of my feet. The indignation and -contempt that I felt for the man! That one who was aiding and abetting in -the devastation of my country and the spoliation of my home, should ask me -to take a seat with him in a buggy which he doubtless had taken, without -leave or license, from my countrymen, was presumptuous indeed, and -deserved a severe rebuke. But "prudence being the better part of valor," -I repressed all that would have been offensive in word and act, and -replied with suavity, "Thank you, Captain Woodbury, for the honor you -would have conferred upon me, but I cannot accept it." Receiving no reply, -I added: - -"Let me in candor make a statement to you, and I think you will approve -the motive that prompts my decision. I have not sought to conceal the fact -that my only brother is in the Confederate army; he is there from motives -purely patriotic, and not as a mercenary hireling. He is fighting for the -rights guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States, a constitution -so sacred that our people have never violated it in any particular, and of -which we have shown our highest appreciation by adopting it _verbatim_, as -the guiding star of the Southern Confederacy. You are in an army claiming -to be fighting for the Union, and yet the government that sent you out on -this glorious mission ignores every principle of fraternal relation -between the North and the South, and would subvert every fundamental -principle of self-government and establish upon the wreck a centralized -despotism. Could I, while you and I are so antagonistic, accept your offer -and retain your good opinion? I think not, and I prefer to go in the -conveyance already stipulated." - -Silence, without the slightest manifestation of anger, assured me that my -argument against taking a buggy drive with him to Atlanta had not been -lost on Captain Woodbury, of Ohio, a member of Garrard's Cavalry. - -After this episode we bade our callers "good-evening," went into the house -and busied ourselves with the important work before us--a work which -probably would not attract attention because of the darkness that would -surround the scene of its execution. The table and chair had been placed, -as once before, by the wardrobe already mentioned, and a little respite -was employed in viewing the situation. The door connecting our room and -this dining-room was generally kept shut. At length night came on with its -friendly, helpful darkness. The shutters of the windows had been closed -for weeks, and secured by nails, and the house had been too often searched -and plundered to be suspected of containing valuables. Therefore, we felt -that if no unusual sound attracted notice we would accomplish our object -unsuspected. But I was anxious and nervous in view of what was before me, -and wanted the perilous work over with. So when the darkness of night -fully enshrouded the earth, with no other light than that which found its -way from the camp-fires of the enemy through the latticed shutters, I -stepped into the chair and thence upon the table, and Telitha followed and -drew the chair up after her. Then with her strong dusky hands she seized -the wardrobe as if it had been a toy in her hands. I steadied the chair by -the wardrobe and stepped into it, and another step landed me on top of the -wardrobe. My fingers penetrated the crevice between the slats which I -wanted to pull off, and to a slight effort they yielded. Lest the noise -occasioned by dropping them might attract notice, I stooped and laid each -piece down as I drew it off the joist. When the aperture thus made was -sufficient, I began to draw from their hiding place the precious -Confederate overcoats and other winter apparel confided to my keeping (as -already related), by soldiers of General Joseph E. Johnston's army, when -they were at Dalton. One by one each piece was taken out and dropped down -upon the floor. But by a lamentable oversight we afterwards found that one -article had been left--a woolen scarf for the neck, knitted for my brother -by his loving young wife in Texas. - -Carefully I descended, and, with the aid of the girl, placed the chair, -the table, and the dear old wardrobe (which deserves to be immortalized in -song and story), in less suspicious positions, and then proceeded to pack -in the sacks, already mentioned, the precious articles. The thought -occurred to me that my mother would like to have a hand in this labor of -love, and I opened the door between us. I shall never forget her -appearance as she stood as if riveted to the spot, near a window, watching -the moving figures without. I approached her and in a cheerful whisper -told her that I was now putting the things in the sacks, and I knew she -would like to have an interest in the job. She tried to respond, but she -was too nervous to do so. Slowly but surely she was yielding to the -pressure upon nerve and brain. As each sack was filled, a threaded needle -securely closed the mouth. In a short while a number of these sacks stood -in a group, as erect as if on parade, and I verily believe that if the -host of profane, godless braggarts (with but few exceptions) who -surrounded the house could have seen them at that time and known their -contents, they would have evacuated Decatur in mortal fear of the ghosts -of "Johnnie Rebs." - -This important work having been accomplished without discovery or even a -shadow of suspicion, I felt vastly relieved, and thanked the Lord with all -my heart for the health, strength, and ingenuity which had enabled me to -consummate it. My mother and I lay down upon the same bed, and were soon -blessed with the invigorating influence of "tired nature's sweet -restorer." - -The song of the lark had ceased to be heard in this war-stricken locality; -chanticleer had long since furnished a savory meal for camp followers, and -the time-pieces had either been spoiled or stolen; but there was a silent, -unerring chronometer within that never deviated, and needed no alarm -attachment to arouse me from slumber, and the dawn found me up and -preparing for the duties and perhaps the dangers of the day. - -Telitha had become quite an attraction to a bevy of men who occupied -soldiers' quarters, and wore soldiers' uniforms, and drew pay for doing -so, from Uncle Sam's coffers; and as she had been trained to ideas of -virtue and morality she often came in frowning and much ruffled in temper -by their deportment towards her. Being almost entirely deaf and dumb, her -limited vocabulary was inadequate to supply epithets expressive of the -righteous indignation and contempt which she evidently felt--she could -only say, "Devil Yank, devil," and these words she used with telling -effect both to the amusement and chagrin of the Yankees. This state of -affairs convinced me that for her protection she would have to be kept -within doors, and I therefore assumed the task of drawing the water, and a -few other jobs indispensable even in life's rudest state. On this -occasion, when I went to the well for a bucket of water, before preparing -our frugal breakfast, I was asked by early marauders why I did not let -"that young colored lady draw the water." I candidly answered them, and -told them I was going to ask the officers of the encampment to protect her -while I was gone, and I also would ask them to report any misdemeanor -toward her, that they might witness, at headquarters. - -After a good night's rest my mother's nerves seemed all right again, and -by 7 o'clock we had finished our breakfast, which consisted of bread and -butter and coffee--the latter luxurious beverage being furnished by one -whose heart was in touch with humanity. That the aperture in the ceiling -of the dining room might not be discovered until I got the contraband -goods out of the house, I had brought the sacks containing them into the -adjoining room, and it was therefore the work of a very few minutes to -convey them to the wagon, when that vehicle, drawn by a span of fine -horses, under the guidance of the Irish driver, drove up to the front -door. "Put those sacks into the wagon," I said, pointing to them. When the -last one of them was stored away safely in that moving repository, one of -those feelings of relief and security came over me that had more than once -given me courage to brave successfully impending danger--and I donned my -hat, and bade my mother and the faithful girl an almost cheerful -"Good-bye," and took my seat by the driver, _en route_ for Dixie. Would I -get there? Ah! that was the question that had blanched my mother's cheek -when I said "Good-bye." But hope, etc., "eternal in the human breast," -whispered "yes," and thus encouraged, I spoke grateful words to the Irish -driver, and asked him many questions about the land of the shamrock and -sunny blue skies. He was evidently flattered by my favorable knowledge of -the Emerald Isle, and would have done anything within his power for me. -God bless the Irish forever! - -I asked him to drive under my direction to the residence of my estimable -friends, Mr. and Mrs. Posey Maddox, the parents of the accomplished and -erudite Charles K. Maddox, of Atlanta. To my great joy I saw wagons in the -yard, already laden with their household goods, to be carried to the depot -and turned over to the Federal authorities, who assumed the transportation -of them to Jonesboro and the safe delivery of them to the Confederate -authorities, who in turn assumed the transportation and delivery of them -to the nearest Confederate station. Mr. Maddox had secured the use of an -entire freight car, and gladly consented to take me and my baggage in with -theirs. Mrs. Maddox was particularly glad to have me go with them, and to -her I confided the character of my baggage, and received in return many -words of sympathy and approbation. Those who have studied mythical lore, -and dwelt in imagination upon the attributes of mythical characters, -especially those of an evil nature, can perhaps form some idea of the -confusion and disquiet of an entire city yielding its possession to an -alien army, which now, that success had been achieved by brute force, was -bent upon the utter impoverishment of the people, and their extreme -humiliation. Curses and imprecations too vile to repeat, and boisterous -laughter, and vulgar jests resounded through the streets of Atlanta. -Federal wagons followed in the tracks of Confederate wagons, and after a -few light articles were placed in the latter for Southern destination, the -former unblushingly moved up to receive pianos and other expensive -furniture which found its way into every section of the North. And this -highway robbery was permitted by William Tecumseh Sherman, the Grand Mogul -of the Army of the Republic. Truly had the city of Atlanta been turned -into a veritable pandemonium. - -At length our time came to move in the worse than death-like processions -going southward, and in a short while we were at Jonesboro, our -destination, so far as Federal aid extended. As soon as I stepped from the -car I wended my way to the Confederate officer of the day, whom I -recognized by his regalia, and told him of my success in concealing and -bringing out of Federal lines the winter clothing of our soldiers. He -listened with polite attention and said it was a wonderfully interesting -story, but altogether improbable. - -"Go with me and I will prove to you the truthfulness of it," I eagerly -said. - -As it was a bleak equinoctial day, and drizzling rain, Mr. and Mrs. Maddox -had not yet left their car (by way of parenthesis, I would say that the -favors shown to these excellent people was in consideration of Mr. Maddox -being a very prudent minister of the gospel), and, when we reached it, I -asked Mr. Maddox to roll one of my sacks to the door. He did so, and I -then asked the officer to examine its contents. A blade of a pen-knife -severed the twine with which the edges of the mouth had been sewed -together, and the loved familiar gray and brass buttons, and other -articles, verified the truth of my statement. He looked amazed, and -exhausted his vocabulary of flattering encomiums upon me, and, what was -more desirable and to the point, he asked what he could do in the matter, -and assured me that there was nothing within the range of his jurisdiction -that he would not do. I told him that the object of my coming to him was -to ask that he send me and my precious charge to General Granbury's -headquarters, as, among other overcoats, I had one of his in charge, as -well as many other things belonging to his staff officers. He told me the -finest span of Confederate horses and the best ambulance on the ground -should be at my service as soon as possible. - -During the interim, I opened wide my eyes and took in the situation in all -its horrible details. The entire Southern population of Atlanta, with but -an occasional exception, and that of many miles in its vicinity, were -dumped out upon the cold ground without shelter and without any of the -comforts of home, and an autumnal mist or drizzle slowly but surely -saturating every article of clothing upon them; and pulmonary diseases in -all stages admonishing them of the danger of such exposure. Aged -grandmothers tottering upon the verge of the grave, and tender maidens in -the first bloom of young womanhood, and little babes not three days old in -the arms of sick mothers, driven from their homes, were all out upon the -cold charity of the world. - -Apropos, I will relate an incident that came under my observation during -my brief stay at this station: When one of the long trains from Atlanta -rolled in with its living freight and stopped at the terminus, a queenly -girl, tall and lithe in figure and willowy in motion, emerged from one of -the cars, and stood, the embodiment of feminine grace, for a moment upon -the platform. In less time than it takes to chronicle the impression, her -Grecian beauty, classic expression and nobility of manner, had -daguerreotyped themselves upon the tablets of my memory never to be -effaced by mortal alchemy. The pretty plain debeige dress, trimmed with -Confederate buttons and corresponding ribbon, all conspired to make her -appear, even to a casual observer, just what she was--a typical Southern -girl who gloried in that honor. She stood only a moment, and then, as if -moved by some divine inspiration, she stepped from the car, and falling -upon her knees, bent forward and kissed the ground. This silent -demonstration of affection for the land of Dixie touched a vibrating -chord, and a score or more of beautiful girlish voices blended in sweetest -harmony while they told in song their love for Dixie. I listened -spellbound, and was not the only one thus enchanted. A United States -officer listened and was touched to tears. Approaching me, he asked if I -would do him the favor to tell him the name of the young lady who kissed -the ground. - -"I do not think she would approve of my telling you her name, and I -decline to do so," I said in reply. Not in the least daunted by this -rebuff he responded: "I shall learn it; and if she has not already become -the wife or the affianced of another, I shall offer her the devotion of my -life." - -The Confederate officer of the day, God forever bless him! came for me. -The army wagon was ready and standing by Mr. Posey Maddox's car, waiting -to receive its precious freight, and a few minutes sufficed to transfer it -from car to wagon, and, after waiting to see the last sack securely placed -in the wagon, I, too, got in and took my seat by the driver. A long cold -drive was before us, but I was so robust I had no fear of the result. - -The driver was a veritable young Jehu, and we got over the ground rapidly; -but, owing to a mistake in following directions, it was a long time before -we reached our destination, the course of which must have been due west -from Jonesboro, and through a dense forest. And oh, the beauty of that -forest! It will remain a living, vivid memory, as long as life endures. -Its rich and heavy foliage had been but lightly tinged by the frosts of -autumn, and it was rendered more beautiful by the constant dripping of -rain drops from every leaf and blossom. As the evening came on, dense, -impenetrable clouds canopied the earth, and shut out every ray of -sunlight, and almost every ray of hope. At length night came on, dark and -weird, and silent, and we were still in the woods, without compass or -star. - -Just as my brave heart was about to succumb to despair, a vision of -delight burst upon me--a beacon light, yea, hundreds of beacon lights, -appeared before me, and filled my soul with joy. The camp-fires of General -Cleburne's brave men beckoned us onward, and gave us friendly greeting. -Every revolution of the wagon wheels brought us perceptibly nearer the -haven of rest. Sabbath-like quiet reigned throughout the encampment. No -boisterous sounds nor profane imprecations broke the stillness. But there -was a sound that reached my ear, filling my soul with joy unspeakable. A -human voice it was. I had heard it before in the slight wail of infancy; -in the merry prattle of childhood; in the melodious songs of youth; in the -tender, well-modulated tones of manhood; and now--there was no mistaking -it--in the solemn, earnest invocation to the Lord of Hosts for the -salvation of the world, for the millenial dawn, and that "peace on earth, -and good will to men," which would never again be broken by the clarion of -war, or earth's rude alarms. No sweeter voice ever entered the courts of -Heaven. - -My obliging young driver stopped the horses at a favorable distance, and I -heard the greater part of that grand prayer, and wept for joy. When it was -finished, we moved on, and were hailed by a sentinel who demanded the -countersign, I believe it is called. The driver satisfied him, and calling -to a soldier, I asked him if he knew Lieutenant Stokes. "Like a book," he -answered. "Please tell him his sister Mary is here," I said. In a moment I -was clasped in his arms with the holy pressure of a brother's love. His -first thought on seeing me was that some calamity must have occurred, and -he said, "Sister, is Ma or Missouri dead?" "No, Thomie, but Toby is." - -His brave head bowed low and he wept--sobbed audibly. I told him of Toby's -loving mention of him, and of the boy's hope of Heaven. After his natural -paroxysm of grief had subsided, he looked up, and with an ineffable smile, -said: - -"Sister, I know you have a secret to tell--what is it?" - -"It is this; I have saved all those precious things that were sent to me -from Dalton, and I have brought them to deliver to their rightful owners. -Help me to do so as quickly as possible, that I may go back to Jonesboro -to-night." - -Had a bombshell exploded at his feet, the effect could not have been more -electrical. He bounded to General Granbury's tent with the agility of a -deer; he told the news to him and the others assembled there; and he came -back, and they all came with him; and had I been a magician, I could not -have been an object of greater interest. General Granbury protested -against my return to Jonesboro through the darkness of the night, and -offered his tent for my occupancy, saying he would go in with some of the -other officers. Colonel Robert Young, a friend of years' standing, was -also earnest in his efforts to keep me from carrying out my purpose to go -back, and I gave it up. I knew that I was with friends, and permitted -myself to be lifted out of the wagon and conducted to the General's tent. -I took a seat upon a camp stool which was placed for me about the center -of the tent. The General and his staff officers sat around, and my dear -brother was very near me. Thus arranged, a conversation was commenced -which continued with slight interruptions into the "wee sma' hours" of the -night. Colonel Young seemed to have something upon his mind which rendered -him indifferent to society, or some duty to perform which required his -attention outside the tent. At length, however, he came to the door and -asked my brother to come out awhile. In a short time both of them came in -together, and Colonel Young, after asking us to excuse the interruption of -the conversation, remarked that there was something outside that he would -like for us to see. My brother took me by the hand and led me out in front -of the tent, and all the officers stood in a group around. Imagine my -surprise when I perceived a long line of soldiers before us, and an -officer on horseback galloping from one end of the line to the other. I -ventured to ask my brother if they were going to have a moonlight drill -without the moon? He smiled, and a faint pressure of the hand indicated -that there was something on the tapis that would please me, but I must -wait until it was revealed to others as well. In much less time than it -has taken to record this episode a signal was given, and one of the -grandest cheers ever heard by mortal man resounded through the midnight -darkness and the dense forest, and was echoed over hill and dale. Another -signal and another cheer, and yet another of each, and I broke down -completely and cried heartily. What had I done that my name should thus be -honored by men enduring all the hardships of warfare and fighting for my -principles; and yet to me it was the most acceptable compliment ever paid -to living woman. I often fancy I hear those voices now blending in one -grand harmonious shout of praise to the great God of Heaven and earth, who -has doubtless given rest to many of those weary ones. - -Once more in General Granbury's tent, at the earnest solicitation of all -present, I continued the rehearsal of all the Federal army news that I had -gleaned from close perusal of the United States newspapers and from -careless and unsuspicious talkers. General Granbury was evidently startled -when I told him that I had heard Federal officers say "Hood was working to -their hand precisely in going back to Tennessee, as Thomas was there with -an army that was invincible, and would whip him so bad that there would -not be a Johnnie Reb left to tell the tale;" and they criticised severely -the "generalship" of giving an invading army unobstructed route to the -goal of their ambition, which, in this case, was South Carolina. I was -asked by one of my auditors to give my impression of the situation, and I -did so. As I described the magnitude of the Federal army, and its -vindictive spirit as I had seen it, and its implacable feeling towards the -South, I saw a shade of sadness pass over the noble faces of all present. -"Have you lost hope of the ultimate success of our cause?" was a question -I was compelled to answer, because anxiously asked. I, however, imitated a -Yankee by asking a question in reply, as to what our resources were, and -if they were deemed adequate to cope with a foe which had the world to -draw from, both for men and means? "But have you lost hope?" was the -question I was called upon to answer without equivocation. - -Silence and tears which would well up were interpreted to mean what my -tongue refused to speak. My brother perceiving this, put his hand on mine -as it lay motionless upon my lap, and said, "Cheer up, sister mine; if you -could have seen 'Old Pat's' men on drill this afternoon, you would think -we are some ourselves." - -Colonel Young continued to seem very much engaged outside, and, since the -demonstration in my honor, had given us only an occasional glimpse of -himself. At length he came to the door and said, "Lieutenant, I should -like to speak to you." My brother responded to the call, and soon returned -and said: "As there is a hard day's march before us for to-morrow, we must -let the General get a little sleep, and this brave sister of mine must -need it, too. Come, let me conduct you to your room." - -Good-byes were spoken that night which, in the providence of God, were -destined never to be repeated, and Thomie and Colonel Young led the way to -a bran new tent, never used before, and opened the door that I might -enter. Thomie said, "My room is next to yours, sister. Pleasant dreams, -and refreshing slumbers," and he kissed me good night. "Good night, dear -brother." "Good night, dear friend," said I, as he and Colonel Young left -the tent. By the dim light I surveyed the "room" and its furnishings, and -wept to think that dear Confederate soldiers had deprived themselves of -comforts that I might be comfortable. A handsome buffalo robe lay on the -ground; and a coat nicely folded for a pillow, and a gray blanket for a -cover, invited me to repose. A small pan of water for morning ablution, -and a towel, and a mirror about the size of a silver dollar, and a comb -and brush, furnished every needed convenience. I removed the skirt of my -dress that it might not be wrinkled in the morning, and my mantle for the -same cause, and lay down and slept, oh, how sweetly, under the protecting -care of those noble men, until awakened by the sweet familiar voice of my -brother, saying, "Get up, sister, or you will not be ready for the -roll-call," was his never-to-be-forgotten morning salutation. "As a short -horse is soon curried," it required only a few moments to make myself -presentable, and just as I was about announcing myself in that condition, -Thomie again appeared at the door with a plate containing my breakfast in -one hand, and a tin cup containing a decoction, which he called coffee, in -the other. "Here is your breakfast, sister;" and he added, "the ambulance -is waiting to carry you to Lovejoy's station. Lieutenant Jewell and myself -have been detailed to accompany you there." - -The army wagons were already falling in line one after another and moving -onward in a northwesterly direction; and what remained of the infantry and -cavalry of that once magnificent army, which so often had achieved -victory under General Joseph E. Johnston, had made their last grand -bivouac on Georgia soil, and were moving onward in the line of march to -Tennessee, under the command of Hood. They were leaving many a gallant -comrade who had bitten the dust and drenched the soil of Georgia with -their life-blood, and although they must have feared that the flag they -loved so well was now leading them to defeat, yet not one of those true -hearts would have deserted it for the wealth of India. As they marched in -a different direction from that I was going to take, and the demand for -rapid movement was imperative, I could not follow them long with my eye, -but the memory of the little I saw will ever be fresh, and, like an -inspiration yet to me, their bayonets glittered in a perfect halo of -glory, for the mists and clouds of the preceding day had passed away -during the night, and a blue sky and bright sun gladdened the earth. - -The two young lieutenants took seats opposite to me in the ambulance. Thus -arranged, I caught every movement and look of that dear brother from whom -I was so soon to part. He never looked more handsome, or appeared to -greater advantage. I was his guest, and he entertained me with a "feast of -reason and a flow of soul." At my request he sang some of the songs of -"auld lang syne," but he preferred to talk of our mother and our sister. -He recalled incidents of his childhood, and laughed heartily over some of -them. He spoke of his Mary in Texas and his love for her, and he took from -his vest pocket the impression of the foot and hand of his only child, a -dear little boy whom he had never seen, and kissed them, then folded them -carefully and put them back in his pocket and said: - -"I must hurry back to Texas." - -But back of all this glee and apparent hopefulness I saw, in characters -unmistakable, that he was almost bereft of hope, and sustained only by -Christian resignation. - -We knew, by the immense crowd of people standing and sitting around on -improvised seats, that we were approaching the station. The two soldiers -got out of the ambulance with the elasticity of youth and health, and -Thomie assisted me out. I stood for a moment, as if uncertain where to go, -and Lieutenant Jewell grasped my hand and said: - -"Good-bye, dear Miss Mary!" and stepped back into the wagon and resumed -his seat. - -Seeing a large, square old house, which appeared to be full of people, -Thomie and I advanced toward it a few steps. Suddenly, as if admonished -that a soldier's duties should have precedence over everything else, he -took me in his arms and kissed me fervently once, twice, thrice. I -understood for whom they were intended--that trio of kisses. Not a word -did he speak, and when he turned his back on me I saw him brush off the -silent tears, and more than one step was uneven before his nerves became -steady and he ready to report for duty. I felt intuitively that I should -never look upon his face again, and I watched him with riveted eyes until -I could no longer see him, and then I gazed upon the vehicle containing -him until it, too, disappeared forever from my sight. Then, and not till -then, I gave way to pent-up sorrow, and cried as one without -hope--unreservedly. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX. - -THE RETURN HOME. - -From Jonesboro via Augusta--Scenes and Incidents by the way--The lonely -journey from Stone Mountain to Decatur. - - -Dazed by a full realization that my brother and every male relative and -friend were in the octopus arms of war, cruel and relentless, I stood -riveted to the spot where my brother had parted from me, until a gentle -hand touched my shoulder, and a pleasant voice gave me friendly greeting. -Turning I saw Mrs. Anderson, sister of the brave and gallant Robert -Alston, whose tragic fate is known to every reader in this country. - -"I am glad to see you. I have just seen your brother Robert," I said. - -"Where? Where? Do tell me that I may go to him!" cried his devoted sister, -laughing and weeping alternately. - -Having ascertained that the long train of exiles would not leave the -station for several hours, I offered to conduct the tender-hearted woman -to the camp-fire of her brother. The route took me over the same ground -which only a few moments ago I had traveled with my own dear brother; and -along which I had seen so vividly a lean, gaunt, phantom hand pointing at -his retreating form. Even the horses' tracks and the ruts made by the -wheels could be plainly traced by their freshness and the yet quivering -sands; and as I gazed upon them, I fancied they were connecting links -between me and him which were binding our souls together, and which I -would never grow weary in following. These reflections were often -disturbed by questions about "my dear brother Robert," and by alternate -sobs and laughter. The distance seemed much greater, now that I was -walking it, but at length we attained our destination, the headquarters of -a few of General John Morgan's gallant defenders of Southern homes and -firesides. It would require the descriptive power of a Sims or a Paul -Hayne to give an adequate idea of the meeting on this occasion of this -demonstrative brother and sister. I will not undertake to do so. He, too, -was ready to move in that disastrous campaign, which lost to us the _creme -de la creme_ of the Army of the Tennessee, and which aided, as if planned -by the most astute Federal tactician, Sherman, in his "march to the sea." - -During the interview between Colonel Alston and his sister, it developed -to him that his pretty home had been abandoned to the tender mercies of -the enemy by the family in whose care he had left it, and that the Yankees -had shipped his wife's elegant European piano, mirrors and furniture, as -well as his library, cut glass and Dresden china to the North; and, -besides, in the very malignity of envy and sectional hate, had mutilated -and desecrated his house in a shameful manner. His imprecations were -fearful; and his vows to get even with the accursed Yankees were even -more so. The lamb of a few moments ago was transformed into a lion, -roaring and fierce. He accompanied his sister and myself on our return to -the station; and never will I forget that walk. - -The station reached, the scene of separation of brother and sister was -again enacted, and he, too, went to battle-fields, sanguinary and -relentless, she to peaceful retreats undisturbed by cannon's roar. - -Here, as at Jonesboro, the face of the earth was literally covered with -rude tents and side-tracked cars, which were occupied by exiles from -home--defenseless women and children, and an occasional old man tottering -on the verge of the grave, awaiting their turn to be transported by -over-taxed railroads farther into the constantly diminishing land of their -love. During the afternoon I boarded an already well-filled south-bound -train, and moved about among its occupants as if at home. For were we not -one people, the mothers, wives and sisters of Confederates? The diversity -of mind, disposition and temper of this long train of representative women -and children of Atlanta, and many miles contiguous, who were carrying -minds and hearts brimful of memories never to be obliterated, but rather -to harden into asphalt preservation, was illustrated in various ways. Some -laughed and talked and jested, and infused the light and warmth of their -own sunny natures into others less hopeful; some were morose and churlish, -and saw no hope in the future and were impatient with those who did see -the silver lining beyond the dark cloud suspended over us; and some very -plainly indicated that if our cause failed, they would lose all faith in a -prayer-answering God; and others saw wisdom and goodness in all His ways -and dispensations, and were willing to submit to any chastisement if it -only brought them nearer to the Mercy Seat. - -After many delays and adventures, not of sufficient importance to relate, -I reached Griswoldville. Here I was received with open arms by that good -old father and mother in Israel, Rev. Dr. John S. Wilson and his wife, and -his excellent family, whom I found residing in an old freight car. But -they were living in a palace compared to many of their neighbors and -friends, who had scarcely a shelter to protect them from the inclemency of -the weather. Every moment of time with these good people was spent in -answering questions and receiving blessings. Not long after this pleasant -meeting, Stoneman's raiders came into Griswoldville, and the household -effects of Dr. Wilson's family were consumed by devouring torches. All -their winter clothing, the doctor's library and his manuscript sermons, -were burned to ashes. These sermons were the result of the study and -experience of forty years. But this grand old soldier of the cross, -although on the verge of threescore years and ten, faltered not; for his -eye was fixed on the goal of his heavenly inheritance. Wherever he went, -he still preached, and died a few years afterwards at his post in Atlanta, -having missed but two preaching appointments in all his ministry, one of -these on the Sabbath before he died. - -By a circuitous route, which I can now scarcely recall, in the course of -time I reached Augusta, the beautiful. I wended my way through the -crowded thoroughfares to the residence of friends on Green street, where -my sister had sojourned for several weeks, far from the distracting -confusion of warfare. After all these long and varied years, I never see -that Elysian street without feeling as if I would like to kneel and kiss -the ground whereon she found surcease of hostile tread and rancorous foe. - -I could scarcely approach the house, in exterior beautiful in all that -makes a home attractive. I feared that within sorrowful tidings might -await me. No word of the absent sister had come through the enemy's lines -since they were first established, and now I dreaded to hear. More than -once I stood still and tried to nerve myself for the worst tidings that -could be communicated. And then I ascended the stone steps and rang the -door-bell. When the butler came, I hurriedly asked if Miss Stokes was in. -As if apprehending my state of feelings, he answered with a broad African -grin: "She is, ma'am." - -The pressure of a mountain was removed from my heart, and with a lighter -step than I had taken for some time I entered that friendly portal, a -welcome guest. A moment sufficed for him to carry the joyous tidings of my -presence to my sister, and, as if by magic, she was with me. O, the joy -and the sadness of our meeting! To say that each of us was glad beyond our -ability to express it, would be a tame statement; and yet neither of us -was happy. There was too much sadness connected with ourselves and our -country to admit of happiness; yet the report of our mother's fortitude -and usually good health, and the hopeful spirit of our brother, and his -numerous messages of love and playful phraseology, cheered my sister so -much that she rallied and did all she could to render my brief stay with -her as pleasant as possible. And there was a charm in her sweet voice and -pleasant words that were soothing to me, and did much to assuage my own -grief. Nor were our good friends wanting in efforts of like character. -They, too, had drank deep of Marah's bitter waters. Two noble boys, yet in -their teens, had been laid upon the sacrificial altar, an oblation to -their country. And a fair young girl had gone down into the tomb, as much -a sacrifice to Southern rights as if slain on the battle-field. One other -girl and her war-stricken parents survived, and they were devoting their -lives to the encouragement of those similarly bereaved. - -Although I knew it would pain her greatly, I thought it would be wrong to -leave without telling my sister about Toby's death, and, therefore, I told -her. Like our brother, she wept, but not as one without hope. She had been -his spiritual instructor, and thoroughly taught him the great and yet easy -plan of salvation; and I have never doubted that he caught on to it, and -was supported by the arm of Jesus, as he "passed through the dark valley -and the shadow of death." - -The time for leaving this peaceful retreat came, and was inexorable; nor -would I have stayed if I could. There was a widowed mother, whose head was -whitened, not so much by the frost of winters as by sorrow and care, grief -and bereavement, awaiting my coming--oh, so anxiously! Waiting to hear -from the soldier son, who, even for her sake, and that of his gentle -young wife and baby boy in Texas, would listen to no plan of escape from -the dangers involved by his first presidential vote. Waiting to hear from -the fair young daughter, whom she preferred to banish from home rather -than have her exposed to the rude chances of war. That she might not be -kept in painful suspense, I determined not to linger on the way. I, -therefore, took the morning train on the good old reliable Georgia -Railroad for Social Circle. The parting from my sister pained me -exceedingly; but I knew she had put her trust in the Lord, and He would -take care of her. It may be asked why I did not have the same faith -regarding the preservation of my brother. He, too, was a Christian. "He -that taketh the sword shall perish by the sword," is a divine assertion, -and it was constantly repeating itself in my ears; yea, I had heard him -repeat it with emphasis. - -The trip from Augusta to Social Circle was replete with melancholy -interest, and differed very materially from the trip from Atlanta to -Jonesboro. Here those who had the courage to do so were returning to their -homes, and were on the _qui vive_ for every item of news obtainable from -within the enemy's lines; but nothing satisfactory encouraged their hope -of better treatment. One marked difference appeared in the character of -those who were venturing homeward. There was scarcely any young -persons--not a single young lady. The good old mother railroad was very -deliberate in her movements, and gave her patrons time to get acquainted -and chat a little on the way, and this we did without restraint. - -We discussed the situation, and narrated our diversified experiences, and -this interchange of thought and feeling brought us very near together, and -made us wondrous kind to one another. At one of the stations at which the -train stopped, and had to wait a long while, I saw several of the young -soldiers from Decatur. Among them was Ryland Holmes, and, I think, Mose -Brown. - -About a dozen ladies were going within the enemy's lines and would there -separate for their respective homes. We agreed to hire a wagon team and -driver at Social Circle, that we might take it "turn about" in riding to -Stone Mountain. As I was the only one going beyond that point, I -determined to take my chance from there for getting to Decatur, and go on -foot if need be. Our plan was successful, as, after much effort, we -obtained an old rickety wagon, which had doubtless done good service in -its day, and a yoke of mis-mated oxen, and a negro driver. For this -equipage we paid an enormous sum, and, thinking we ought to have the full -benefit of it, we all got into the wagon to take a ride. Compassion for -the oxen, however, caused first one and then another to descend to the -ground, and march in the direction of home, sometimes two abreast and -sometimes in single file. Night overtook us at a house only a short -distance from the Circle, and in a body we appealed for shelter beneath -its roof. The man of the family was at home, under what circumstances I -have never heard, and to him we appealed, and from him we received an -ungracious "permit" to stay in his house. Seeing no inviting prospects for -rest and repose, I established myself in a corner and took out of my -reticule some nice German wool that had been given to me by my friends in -Augusta, and cast on the stitches for a throat-warmer, or, in the parlance -of that day, "a comforter." Mine host watched the process with much -interest. When the pattern developed, he admired it, and expressed a wish -to have one like it. Glad of the privilege to liquidate my indebtedness -for the prospective night's shelter, I told him if he would furnish the -material I would knit him one just like it. The material seemed to be in -waiting, and was brought forward, soft, pretty lambs' wool thread, and I -put it in my already well-filled hand satchel to await future -manipulation. The accommodation in the way of bedding was inadequate, and -more than one of our party passed a sleepless night; but what mattered it? -Were we not Confederate soldiers, or very near akin to them? - -As the first sunbeams were darting about among the tree tops, I donned my -bonnet and bade adieu to our entertainers, and started on my journey -homeward, walking. Being in the very vigor of womanhood, and in perfect -health, I never experienced the sensation of fatigue, and I verily believe -I could have walked to my desolated home sooner than the most of the -resources within our means could have carried me; and I was impatient -under the restraint and hindrance of slow teams. Hence my start in advance -of the other ladies. And I wanted to be alone. The pent-up tears were -constantly oozing out of my eyes and trickling down my face, and I wanted -to open the flood-gates and let them flow unrestrainedly. I wanted to cry -aloud like a baby. I plunged into the woods, for the seldom traveled road -was scarcely a barrier to perfect solitude. I walked rapidly, and closed -my eyes to all the attractions of nature lest they divert my mind, and -appease my hungry heart. I wanted to cry, and was even then doing so, -before I got ready for it. At length I came to a rivulet of crystal water, -as pure as the dew drops of Arcadia. I sat down beside it and mingled the -anguished tears of my very soul with its sparkling, ever-changing, -nectarian waters. I bathed my hot face and hands in the pellucid stream, -and still the lachrymal fountain flowed on. I thought of my lonely mother, -surrounded by those who were seeking the subversion of all that her heart -held dear, and I cried. I thought of my brother--of his toilsome marches -and weary limbs, and of his consecrated life--and I cried. I thought of -the fair young sister, still hopeful in early womanhood, and I refused to -be comforted, and wept bitterly. In this disconsolate frame of mind, I was -ready to give up all hope and yield to direful despair. At this fearful -crisis a still, small voice whispered, "Peace, be still!" The glamour of -love invested sky and earth with supernal glory. The fountain of tears -ceased to flow, and I looked around upon the handiwork of the Great -Supreme Being in whose creation I was but an atom, and wondered that He -should have been mindful of me--that He should have given surcease of -agony to my sorrowing soul. All nature changed as if by magic, and the -witchery of the scene was indescribable. The pretty wildwood flowers, as I -bent my admiring gaze upon them, seemed to say in beautiful silent -language, "Look aloft." The birds, as they trilled their morning -roundelay, said in musical numbers, "Look aloft;" and the merry rivulet at -my feet affected seriousness, and whispered, "Look aloft." Thus -admonished, "in that moment of darkness, with scarce hope in my heart," I -looked aloft--looked aloft. - -By and by the ladies came in sight, some walking and others riding in the -wagon; and I pitied most those who were in the wagon. As soon as they were -within speaking distance, one of the ladies said: "You should have stayed -for breakfast. It was quite appetizing." Reminded of what I had lost, I -was led to compare it with what I had gained, and I would not have -exchanged loss and gain for anything in the world. I had to admit, -however, that there was a vacuum that needed replenishing; but I was -inured to hunger, and, save a passing thought, I banished all desire for -food, and thought only of the loved ones, so near and yet so far, and in -spite of myself the fountain of tears was again running over. - -The long tramp to Stone Mountain was very lonely. Not a living thing -overtook or passed us, and we soon crossed over the line and entered a -war-stricken section of country where stood chimneys only, where lately -were pretty homes and prosperity, now departed. Ah, those chimneys -standing amid smoldering ruins! No wonder they were called "Sherman's -sentinels," as they seemed to be keeping guard over those scenes of -desolation. The very birds of the air and beasts of the field had fled to -other sections. By constant and unflagging locomotion we reached Stone -Mountain sometime during the night. We went to the hotel and asked shelter -and protection, and received both, but not where to lay our heads, as -those who had preceded us had filled every available place. I had friends -in the village, but I had no assurance that they had remained at home and -weathered the cyclone of war. Therefore, early in the morning, hungry and -footsore, I started all alone walking to Decatur. The solitude was -terrific, and the feeling of awe was so intense that I was startled by the -breaking of a twig, or the gruesome sound of my own footsteps. Constantly -reminded by ruined homes, I realized that I was indeed within the -arbitrary lines of a cruel, merciless foe, and but for my lonely mother, -anxiously awaiting my return, I should have turned and run for dear life -until again within the boundaries of Dixie. - -I must have walked very rapidly, for, before I was aware of it, I found -myself approaching Judge Bryce's once beautiful but now dilapidated home. -He and his good wife gave me affectionate greeting and something to -inflate a certain vacuum which had become painfully clamorous. And they -also gave me that which was even more acceptable--a large yam potato and a -piece of sausage to take to my mother. - -I begged Judge Bryce to go with me at least part of the way to Decatur, -but he was afraid to leave his wife. His experience with the Yankees had -not been an exceptional case. They had robbed him of everything of value, -silver, gold, etc., and what they could not carry away they had destroyed, -and he denied most emphatically that there was a single gentleman in the -Federal army. In vain did I tell him that we owed the preservation of our -lives to the protection extended us by the few gentlemen who were in it. - -After a brief rest, I resumed my way homeward, and oh, with what -heart-sickening forebodings I approached that sacred though desolate -abode! Anon the little town appeared in the distance, and upon its very -limits I met several of Colonel Garrard's cavalry officers. Among them a -diversity of temper was displayed. Some of them appeared very glad to see -me, and, to anxious inquires regarding my mother, they replied that they -had taken good care of her in my absence, and that I ought to have -rewarded them for having done so by bringing "my pretty young sister" home -with me. Although I did not entertain one iota of respect for the Federal -army as a whole, I knew there were a few in its ranks who were incapable -of the miserable conduct of the majority, and my heart went out in very -tender gratitude to them, especially those who had sought to lessen the -anguish of my mother. These men threw the reins into the hands of -out-riders, and got off their horses and walked with me to the door of my -home. Their headquarters were still in the yard and had been ever since -first established there, with the exception of a very few days. My return -was truly a memorable occasion. Manifestations assured me that the highest -as well as the lowest in that command was glad to see me, and in their -hearts welcomed me home. To good Mr. Fred Williams I was indebted, in a -large measure, for kindly feeling and uniform respect from that portion of -the Federal army with which I came in contact. - -My mother had seen me coming and had retreated into as secluded a place as -she could find, to compose herself for the meeting, but the effort was in -vain. She trembled like an aspen leaf, her lips quivered and her tongue -could not articulate the words she would have spoken. Alas! the tension -was more than she could bear. I dwelt upon the fact that Thomie and -Missouri were well and had sent her a world of love. I tried to infuse -hope and cheerfulness into everything I told her, but she could not see -it, and her poor over-taxed heart could bear up no longer, and she cried -as Rachel weeping for her children, long and piteously. No purer tears -were ever borne by heaven-commissioned Peri into the presence of a -compassionate Savior, than those shed by that patriotic though sorrowing -mother. - - - - -CHAPTER XX. - -ON THE VERGE OF STARVATION. - -A worn-out army horse is found--Uncle Mack makes a wagon--I make a unique -trip--Starvation is warded off--Dangers and scenes by the way. - - -"What is it, Ma? Has anything happened?" - -"No, only Maggie Benedict has been here crying as if her heart would -break, and saying that her children are begging for bread, and she has -none to give them. Give me a little of the meal or hominy that you have, -that we may not starve until we can get something else to eat, and then -take the remainder to her that she may cook it as quickly as possible for -her suffering children." - -We had spent the preceding day in picking out grains of corn from cracks -and crevices in bureau drawers, and other improvised troughs for Federal -horses, as well as gathering up what was scattered upon the ground. In -this way by diligent and persevering work, about a half bushel was -obtained from the now deserted camping ground of Garrard's cavalry, and -this corn was thoroughly washed and dried, and carried by me and Telitha -to a poor little mill (which had escaped conflagration, because too humble -to attract attention), and ground into coarse meal. Returning from this -mill, and carrying, myself, a portion of the meal, I saw in the distance -my mother coming to meet me. Apprehensive of evil, I ran to meet her and -asked: - -"What is it, Ma? Has anything happened?" - -With flushed face and tear-toned voice she replied as already stated. My -heart was touched and a division was soon made. Before starting on this -errand, I thought of the probable delay that inexperience and perhaps the -want of cooking utensils and fuel might occasion, and suggested that it -would hasten the relief to the children to cook some bread and mush and -carry it to them already for use. A boiling pot, left on the -camping-ground, was soon on the fire ready to receive the well-prepared -batter, which was to be converted into nutritious mush or porridge. Nor -was the bread forgotten. While the mush was cooking the hoe-cakes were -baking in good old plantation style. These were arranged one upon another, -and tied up in a snow-white cloth; and a tin bucket, also a trophy from -the company, was filled with hot mush. I took the bread, and Telitha the -bucket, and walked rapidly to Doctor Holmes' residence, where Maggie -Benedict, whose husband was away in the Confederate army, had rooms for -herself and her children. The Rev. Doctor and his wife had refugeed, -leaving this young mother and her children alone and unprotected. - -The scene which I witnessed will never be obliterated from my memory. On -the doorsteps sat the young mother, beautiful in desolation, with a baby -in her arms, and on either side of her a little one, piteously crying for -something to eat. "Oh, mama, I want something to eat, so bad." "Oh, mama, -I am so hungry--give me something to eat." Thus the children were begging -for what the mother had not to give. She could only give them soothing -words. But relief was at hand. Have you ever enjoyed the satisfaction of -appeasing the hunger of children who had been without food until on the -verge of starvation? If not, one of the keenest enjoyments of life has -been denied you. O, the thankfulness of such a privilege! And oh, the joy, -melancholy though it be, of hearing blessings invoked upon you and yours -by the mother of those children! - -While this needful food was being eaten with a zest known only to the -hungry, I was taking in the situation, and devising in my own mind means -by which to render more enduring relief. The meal we had on hand would -soon be exhausted, and, though more might be procured in the same way, it -would be hazardous to depend upon that way only. "God helps those who help -themselves," is a good old reliable proverb that cannot be too deeply -impressed upon the mind of every child. To leave this young mother in a -state of absolute helplessness, and her innocent little ones dependent -upon the precarious support which might be gleaned from a devastated -country, would be cruel indeed; but how to obviate this state of affairs -was a serious question. - -The railroad having been torn up in every direction communicating with -Decatur, there seemed to be but one alternative--to walk--and that was not -practicable with several small children. - -"Maggie, this state of affairs cannot be kept up; have you no friend to -whom you can go?" - -"Yes," she replied. "Mr. Benedict has a sister near Madison, who has -wanted me and the children to go and stay with her ever since he has been -in the army, but I was too independent to do it." - -"Absurd! Well, the time has come that you must go. Get the children ready, -and I will call for you soon," and without any positive or defined plan of -procedure, I took leave of Maggie and her children. I was working by -faith, and the Lord directed my footsteps. On my way home I hunted up -"Uncle Mack," a faithful old negro man, who preferred freedom in the midst -of privation with his own white people, to following the Federal army -around on "Uncle Sam's" pay-roll, and got from him a promise that he would -construct a wagon out of odds and ends left upon the streets of Decatur. -The next thing to be done was to provide a horse, and not being a -magician, nor possessed of Aladdin's lamp, this undertaking must have -seemed chimerical to those who had not known how often and how singularly -these scarcely formulated plans had developed into success. This day had -been one of constant and active service, and was only one of the many that -furnished from sixteen to eighteen working hours. No wonder, then, that -exhausted nature succumbed to sleep that knew no waking until the dawn of -another day. - -Next morning, before the sun rose, accompanied by the Morton girls, I was -on my way to "the cane-brakes." I had seen many horses, whose places had -been taken by others captured from farmers, abandoned and sent out to the -cane-brake to recuperate or to die, the latter being the more probable. -Without any definite knowledge of the locality, but guided by an -over-ruling providence, I went direct to the cane-brake, and there soon -made a selection of a horse, which, from the assortment at hand, could not -have been improved upon. By a dextrous throw of a lasso, constructed and -managed by the young friends already mentioned, he was soon captured and -on his way to Decatur to enter "rebel" service. His most conspicious -feature was a pair of as fine eyes as ever illuminated a horse's head, -large, brown and lustrous. There were other conspicuous things about him, -too; for instance, branded upon each of his sides were the tell-tale -letters, "U. S.," and on his back was an immense sore which also told -tales. By twelve o'clock, noon, Uncle Mack appeared upon the scene, -pulling something which he had improvised which baffled description, and -which, for the sake of the faithful service I obtained from it, I will not -attempt to describe, though it might provoke the risibilities of the -readers. Suffice it to say that as it carried living freight in safety -over many a bridge, in honor of this I will call it a wagon. Uncle Mack -soon had the horse secured to this vehicle by ropes and pieces of crocus -sack, for harness was as scarce a commodity as wagons and horses. I -surveyed the equipage from center to circumference, with emotions pathetic -and amusing. It was awfully suggestive. And as I viewed it in all its -grotesqueness my imagination pictured a collapse, and my return home from -no very distant point upon my all-fours, with one of the fours dragging -after me in a dilapidated condition. I distinctly heard the derisive -gibberish and laughter of old Momus, and thought I should explode in the -effort to keep from joining in his mirthfulness. As I turned my head to -take a sly glance at my mother, our eyes met, and all restraint was -removed. With both of us laughter and sobs contended for the mastery, and -merriment and tears literally blended. Thus equipped, and with a -benediction from my mother, expressed more by looks and acts than by -words, I gathered the ropes and started like Bayard Taylor to take "Views -Afoot," and at the same time accomplish an errand of mercy which would -lead me, as I led the horse, over a portion of country that in dreariness -and utter desolation baffles description--enough to know that Sherman's -foraging trains had been over it. Leading the horse, which was already -christened "Yankee," to Dr. Holmes' door, I called Maggie to come on with -her children. - -"I can't bring my things out, Miss Mary. Somebody must come to carry them -and put them in the wagon." - -"I can," I said, and suiting the action to the word, ran into the house -where, to my amazement, three large trunks confronted me. What was to be -done? If they could be got into the wagon, what guarantee was there that -poor Yankee could haul them in that tumblesome vehicle? However, I went -for Uncle Mack to put the trunks in the wagon, and in front of them, in -close proximity to the horse's heels, was placed a chair in which Maggie -seated herself and took her baby in her lap, the other children nestling -on rugs at her feet. - -Poor Yankee seemed to feel the importance of his mission, and jogged -along at a pretty fair speed, and I, who walked by his side and held the -ropes, found myself more than once obliged to strike a trot in order to -maintain control of him. Paradoxical as it may seem, I enjoyed this new -phase in my service to the Confederacy--none but a patriot could render -it, and the whole thing seemed invested with the glamour of romance, the -sequel of which would be redemption from all connection with a people who -could thus afflict another people of equal rights. While Maggie hummed a -sweet little lullaby to her children, I contemplated the devastation and -ruin on every side. Not a vestige of anything remained to mark the sites -of the pretty homes which had dotted this fair country before the -destroyer came, except, perhaps, a standing chimney now and then. And all -this struck me as the willing sacrifice of a peerless people for a great -principle, and looking through the dark vista I saw light ahead--I saw -white-robed peace proclaiming that the end of carnage had come. Even then, -as I jogged along at a snail's pace (for be it known Yankee was not -uniform in his gait, and as his mistress had relaxed the tension of the -ropes, he had relaxed the speed of his steps) up a pretty little hill from -whose summit I had often gazed with rapturous admiration upon the -beautiful mountain of granite near by, I had so completely materialized -the Queen of Peace that I saw her on the mountain's crest, scattering with -lavish hand blessings and treasures as a recompense for the destruction so -wantonly inflicted. Thus my hopeful temperament furnished consolation to -me, even under darkest circumstances. - -Maggie and the children became restive in their pent-up limits, and the -latter clamored for something to eat, but there was nothing to give them. -Night was upon us, and we had come only about eight miles, and not an -animate thing had we seen since we left Decatur, not even a bird, and the -silence was unbroken save by the sound of the horse's feet as he trod upon -the rocks, and the soft, sweet humming of the young mother to her dear -little ones. Step by step we seemed to descend into the caverns of -darkness, and my brave heart began to falter. The children, awestruck, had -ceased their appeal for bread, and nestled closer to their mother, and -that they might all the more feel her protecting presence, she kept up a -constant crooning sound, pathetic and sad. Step by step we penetrated the -darkness of night--a night without a moon, starless and murky. The -unerring instinct of an animal was all we had to guide us in the beaten -road, which had ceased to be visible to human ken. - -A faint glimmer of light, at apparently no very great distance, gave hope -that our day's journey was almost ended. Yankee also caught the -inspiration and walked a little faster. Though the time seemed long, the -cabin, for such it proved to be, was finally reached, and I dropped the -ropes, and, guided by the glimmer of light through the cracks, went to the -door and knocked, at the same time announcing my name. The door was -quickly opened. Imagine my surprise when recognized and cordially welcomed -by a sweet friend, whose most humble plantation cabin was a pretty -residence in comparison with the one she now occupied. Maggie, too, as the -daughter of a well-known physician, received cordial welcome for herself -and children. And thus a kind Providence provided a safe lodging place for -the night. - -Nature again asserted itself, and the children asked for something to eat. -The good lady of the house kissed them, and told them that supper would -soon be ready. The larger one of her little sons drew from a bed of ashes, -which had been covered by glowing coals, some large yam potatoes which he -took to a table and peeled. He then went outside the cabin and drew from a -keg an earthen-ware pitcher full of sparkling persimmon beer, which he -dispensed to us in cups, and then handed around the potatoes. And how much -this repast was enjoyed! Good sweet yams thoroughly cooked, and the -zestful persimmon beer! And I thought of the lonely mother at a desolated -home, whose only supper had been made of coarse meal, ground from corn -which her own hands had helped to pick from crevices and cracks in -improvised troughs, where Garrard's cavalry had fed their horses. After -awhile the sweet womanly spirit that presided over this little group, got -a quilt and a shawl or two, and made a pallet for the children. The boys -put more wood upon the fire, and some in the jambs of the fireplace, to be -used during the night; and then they went behind us and lay down upon the -floor, with seed cotton for pillows, and the roof for covering. Our kind -hostess placed additional wraps over the shoulders of Maggie and myself, -and we three sat up in our chairs and slept until the dawn. - -Accustomed to looking after outdoor interests, I went to see how Yankee -was coming on, and found him none the worse for the preceding day's toil. -Everything indicated that he had fared as sumptuously as we had--a -partly-eaten pumpkin, corn, whole ears yet in the trough, and fodder near -by, plainly showed the generosity of the noble little family that took us -in and gave us the best they had. After breakfast we bade adieu to the -good mother and her children, and went on our way, if not rejoicing, at -least feeling better for having seen and been with such good people. There -was a strong tie between us all. The husband and father was off in the -army, like our loved ones. The generous feeding given to our steed had so -braced him up that he began to walk faster, and was keenly appreciative of -every kind word; and I and he formed a friendship for each other that -continued to his dying day. The road was very rough and hilly, and more -than once he showed signs of fatigue; but a word of encouragement seemed -to renew his strength, and he walked bravely on. Maggie would perhaps have -lightened his load by walking now and then, but the jolting of the wagon -kept the trunks in perpetual motion, and the lives of the children would -thereby have been jeopardized. - -Nothing of special interest transpired this second day of our journey. The -same fiend of destruction had laid his ruthless hand upon everything -within his reach. The woods had been robbed of their beauty and the fields -of their products; not even a bird was left to sing a requiem over the -scene of desolation, or an animal to suggest where once had been a -habitation. Once, crouching near a standing chimney, there was a solitary -dog who kept at bay every attempt to approach--no kind word would -conciliate or put him off his guard. Poor, lonely sentinel! Did he -remember that around the once cheerful hearthstone he had been admitted to -a place with the family group? Was he awaiting his master's return? Ah, -who can know the emotions, or the dim reasonings of that faithful brute? - -Night again came on and I discovered that we were approaching the -hospitable mansion of Mr. Montgomery, an excellent, courtly country -gentleman, who was at home under circumstances not now remembered. He and -his interesting family gladly welcomed me and my little charge, and -entertained us most hospitably. The raiders had been here and helped -themselves bountifully, but they had spared the house for another time, -and that other time came soon, and nothing was left on the site of this -beautiful home but ubiquitous chimneys. - -An early start the next day enabled Yankee to carry Maggie and her -children and the trunks to Social Circle in time to take the noon train -for Madison. So far as Maggie and her children were concerned, I now felt -that I had done all that I could, and that I must hasten back to my lonely -mother at Decatur; but Maggie's tearful entreaties not to be left among -strangers prevailed with me, and I got aboard the train with her, and -never left her until I had placed her and her children in the care of good -Mr. Thrasher at Madison, to be conveyed by him to the home of Mrs. Reeves, -her husband's sister. - -In Madison, I too had dear friends and relatives, with whom I spent the -night, and the morning's train bore me back to Social Circle, then the -terminus of the Georgia Railroad--the war fiend having destroyed every -rail between there and Atlanta. Arriving there, imagine my surprise and -indignation when I learned that Mr. R----, whom I had paid in advance to -care for Yankee while I was gone to Madison, had sent him out to his -sorghum mill and put him to grinding cane; and it was with much difficulty -and delay that I got him in time to start on my homeward journey that -afternoon. Instead of his being rested, he was literally broken down, and -my pity for him constrained me to walk every step of the way back to -Decatur. While waiting for the horse, I purchased such articles of food as -I could find. For instance, a sack of flour, for which I paid a hundred -dollars, a bushel of potatoes, several gallons of sorghum, a few pounds of -butter, and a few pounds of meat. Even this was a heavy load for the poor -jaded horse. Starting so late I could only get to the hospitable home of -Mr. Crew, distant only about three miles from "The Circle." - -Before leaving Mr. Crew's the next morning, I learned that an immense -Yankee raid had come out from Atlanta, and had burned the bridge which I -had crossed only two days ago. This information caused me to take another -route to Decatur, and my heart lost much of its hope, and my step its -alacrity. Yet the Lord sustained me in the discharge of duty. I never -wavered when there was a principle to be guarded or a duty to be -performed. Those were praying days with me, and now I fervently invoked -God's aid and protection in my perilous undertaking, and I believed that -He would grant aid and protection. - -That I might give much needed encouragement to Yankee, I walked by his -side with my hand upon his shoulder much of the time, an act of endearment -which he greatly appreciated, and proved that he did so by the expression -of his large brown eyes. One of my idiosyncrasies through life has been -that of counting everything, and as I journeyed homeward, I found myself -counting my steps from one to a thousand and one. As there is luck in odd -numbers, says Rory O'Moore, I always ended with the traditional odd -number, and by telling Yankee how much nearer home we were. And I told him -many things, among them, _sotto voce_, that I did not believe he was a -Yankee, but a captured rebel. If a tuft of grass appeared on the road -side, he was permitted to crop it; or if a muscadine vine with its -tempting grapes was discovered, he cropped the leaves off the low -shrubbery, while I gathered the grapes for my mother at home with nothing -to eat save the one article of diet, of which I have told before. - -A minute description of this portion of the war-stricken country would -fill a volume; but only the leading incidents and events of the journey -are admissible in a reminiscence of war times. In the early part of the -day, during this solitary drive, I came to a cottage by the wayside that -was a perfect gem--an oasis, an everything that could thrill the heart by -its loveliness. Flowers of every hue beautified the grounds and sweetened -the air, and peace and plenty seemed to hold undisputed sway. The Fiend of -Destruction had not yet reached this little Eden. Two gentlemen were in -the yard conversing. I perceived at a glance that they were of the -clerical order, and would fain have spoken to them; but not wishing to -disturb them, or attract attention to myself, I was passing by as -unobtrusively as possible, when I was espied and recognized by one of -them, who proved to be that saintly man, Rev. Walter Branham. He -introduced me to his friend, Professor Shaw of Oxford. Their sympathy for -me was plainly expressed, and they gave me much needed instruction -regarding the route, and suggested that I would about get to Rev. Henry -Clark's to put up for the night. With a hearty shake of the hand, and "God -bless you, noble woman," I pursued my lonely way and they went theirs. No -other adventure enlivened the day, and poor patient Yankee did the best he -could, and so did I. It was obvious that he had done about all he could. -Grinding sorghum under a hard taskmaster, with an empty stomach, had told -on him, and he could no longer quicken his pace at the sound of a friendly -voice. - -At length we came in sight of "Uncle Henry Clark's" place. I stood amazed, -bewildered. I felt as if I would sink to the ground, yea, through it. I -was riveted to the spot on which I stood. I could not move. At length I -cried--cried like a woman in despair. Poor Yankee must have cried too (for -water ran out of his eyes), and in some measure I was quieted, for misery -loves company, and I began to take in the situation more calmly. Elegant -rosewood and mahogany furniture, broken into a thousand fragments, covered -the face of the ground as far as I could see; and china and glass looked -as if it had been sown. And the house, what of that? Alas! it too had -been scattered to the four winds of heaven in the form of smoke and -ashes. Not even a chimney stood to mark its site. Near by stood a row of -negro cabins, intact, showing that while the conflagration was going on -they had been sedulously guarded. And these cabins were occupied by the -slaves of the plantation. Men, women and children stalked about in -restless uncertainty, and in surly indifference. They had been led to -believe that the country would be apportioned to them, but they had sense -enough to know that such a mighty revolution involved trouble and delay, -and they were supinely waiting developments. Neither man, woman nor child -approached me. There was mutual distrust and mutual avoidance. - -It took less time to take in the situation than it has to describe it. The -sun was almost down, and as he turned his large red face upon me, I -fancied he fain would have stopped in his course to see me out of this -dilemma. What was I to do? The next nearest place that I could remember -that would perhaps give protection for the night was Mr. Fowler's, and -this was my only hope. With one hand upon Yankee's shoulder, and the ropes -in the other, I moved on, and not until my expiring breath will I forget -the pleading look which that poor dumb animal turned upon me when I -started. Utterly hopeless, and in my hands, he wondered how I could thus -exact more of him. I wondered myself. But what was I to do but to move on? -And with continuous supplication for the Lord to have mercy upon me, I -moved on. More than once the poor horse turned that look, beseeching and -pathetic, upon me. It frightened me, I did not understand it, and still -moved on. At last the hope of making himself understood forsook him, and -he deliberately laid himself down in the road. I knelt by his side and -told him the true state of affairs, and implored him not to desert me in -this terrible crisis. I told him how cruel it would be to do so, and used -many arguments of like character; but they availed nothing. He did not -move, and his large, lustrous brown eyes seemed to say for him: "I have -done all I can, and can do no more." And the sun could bear it no longer, -and hid his crimson face behind a great black cloud. - -What could I do but rise from my imploring attitude and face my perilous -situation? "Lord have mercy upon me," was my oft-repeated invocation. The -first thing which greeted my vision when I rose to my feet was a very -distant but evidently an advancing object. I watched it with bated breath, -and soon had the satisfaction of seeing a man on muleback. I ran to meet -him, saying: "O, sir, I know the good Lord has sent you here." And then I -recounted my trouble, and received most cordial sympathy from one who had -been a Confederate soldier, but who was now at home in consequence of -wounds that incapacitated him for further service. When he heard all, he -said: - -"I would take you home with me, but I have to cross a swimming creek -before getting there, and I am afraid to undertake to carry you. Wait here -until I see these negroes. They are a good set, and whatever they promise, -they will, I think, carry out faithfully." - -The time seemed interminable before he came back, and night, black night, -had set in; and yet a quiet resignation sustained me. - -When my benefactor returned, two negro men came with him, one of whom -brought a lantern, bright and cheery. "I have arranged for you to be cared -for here," said he. "Several of the old house servants of Mrs. Clark know -you, and they will prove themselves worthy of the trust we repose in -them." I accepted the arrangement made by this good man, and entrusted -myself to the care of the negroes for the night. This I did with great -trepidation, but as soon as I entered the cabin an assurance of safety -filled my mind with peace, and reconciled me to my surrounding's. The -"mammy" that presided over it met me with a cordial welcome, and assured -me that no trouble would befall me under her roof. An easy chair was -placed for me in one corner in comfortable proximity to a large plantation -fire. In a few minutes the men came in bringing my flour, potatoes, syrup, -bacon, etc. This sight gave me real satisfaction, as I thought of my poor -patient mother at home, and hoped that in some way I should yet be able to -convey to her this much needed freight. I soon espied a table on which was -piled many books and magazines; "Uncle Henry Clark's" theological books -were well represented. I proposed reading to the women, if they would like -to hear me, and soon had their undivided attention, as well as that of -several of the men, who sat on the doorsteps. In this way several hours -passed, and then "mammy" said, "You must be getting sleepy." "Oh, no," I -replied, "I frequently sit up all night reading." But this did not satisfy -her; she had devised in her own mind something more hospitable for her -guest, and she wanted to see it carried out. Calling into requisition the -assistance of the men, she had two large cedar chests placed side by side, -and out of these chests were taken nice clean quilts, and snow-white -counterpanes, and sheets, and pillows--Mrs. Clark's beautiful -bed-clothing--and upon those chests was made a pallet upon a which a queen -might have reposed with comfort. It was so tempting in its cleanliness -that I consented to lie down. The sole occupants of that room that night -were myself and my hostess--the aforesaid black "mammy." Rest, not sleep, -came to my relief. The tramping of feet, and now and then the muffled -sound of human voices, kept me in a listening attitude, and it must be -confessed in a state of painful apprehension. Thus the night passed. - -With the dawn of day I was up and ready to meet the day's requirements. -"Mammy's" first greeting was, "What's your hurry?" "I am accustomed to -early rising. May I open the door?" The first thing I saw was Yankee, and -he was standing eating; but he was evidently too weak to attempt the task -of getting that cumbersome vehicle and its freight to Decatur. So I -arranged with one of the men to put a steer to the wagon and carry them -home. This he was to do for the sum of one hundred dollars. After an -appetizing breakfast, I started homeward, leading Yankee in the rear of -this turnout. Be it remembered, I did not leave without making ample -compensation for my night's entertainment. - -No event of particular interest occurred on the way to Decatur. Yankee -walked surprisingly well, and the little steer acquitted himself nobly. In -due time Decatur appeared in sight, and then there ensued a scene which -for pathos defies description. Matron and maiden, mother and child, each -with a tin can, picked up off the enemy's camping-ground, ran after me and -begged for just a little something to eat--just enough to keep them from -starving. Not an applicant was refused, and by the time the poor, rickety, -cumbersome wagon reached its destination, its contents had been greatly -diminished. But there was yet enough left to last for some time the -patient, loving mother, the faithful Telitha, and myself. - -A summary of the trip developed these facts: To the faithfulness of Uncle -Mack was due the holding together of the most grotesque vehicle ever -dignified by the name of wagon; over all that road it remained intact, and -returned as good as when it started. And but for the sorghum grinding, -poor Yankee would have acted his part unfalteringly. As for myself, I -labored under the hallucination that I was a Confederate soldier, and -deemed no task too great for me to essay, if it but served either directly -or indirectly those who were fighting my battles. - - - - -CHAPTER XXI. - -A SECOND TRIP FOR SUPPLIES. - -Gathering "fodder" from a cane-brake as a preliminary--The lonely -journey--Changing Yankee's name--I meet the Federal raiders. - - -At an early hour in the morning of a bright autumnal day, that memorable -year 1864--the saddest of them all--Yankee was roped (not bridled, mark -you), and crocus sacks, four for him, one for Telitha, and one for myself, -thrown over his back, and we three, boon companions in diversified -industries, scampered off to a neighboring cane-brake--a favorite resort -in those days, but now, alas for human gratitude! never visited for the -sake of "auld lang syne." - -Perfect health--thanks to the parents who transmitted no constitutional -taint to my veins--unusual strength, and elasticity of motion, soon -carried me there, and having secured Yankee to a clump of canes luxuriant -with tender twig's and leaves, sweetened by the cool dew of the season, -Telitha and I entered upon the work of cutting twigs and pulling fodder. - -There being no drainage in those times, I often stepped upon little -hillocks, covered with grass or aquatic vegetation, that yielded to my -weight, and I sunk into the mud and water ankle deep, at least, and -Telitha was going through with similar experiences. I often laughed at her -grimaces and other expressions of disgust in the slough of despond, and -rejoiced with her when she displayed the trophies of success, consisting -of nice brittle twig's, generously clad in tender leaves and full growth; -Yankee, too, was unmindful of small difficulties, and did his "level" best -in providing for a rainy day by filling his capacious paunch brimful of -the good thing's so bountifully supplied by Providence in the marshes of -old DeKalb. By the time the aforesaid half dozen sacks were filled, the -enlargement of that organ of his anatomy suggested that he proposed -carrying home about as much inside of him as might be imposed upon his -back--of this sagacity he seemed conscious and very proud, and when the -sacks of cane were put over his back, pannier fashion, he pursued the path -homeward with prouder air and nobler mien than that which marked his -course to the cane-brake. - -When we three were fully equipped for starting back to the deserted -village, Yankee, as already described, and I with a sack of cane thrown -over my right shoulder, and reaching nearly to my heels, and Telitha, in -apparel and equipment an exact duplicate of myself, I was so overcome by -the ludicrous features of the scene that for the time I lost sight of the -pathetic and yielded to inordinate laughter. As memory, electrical and -veracious, recapitulated the facts and circumstances leading to this state -of affairs, I realized that there was but one alternative--to laugh or to -cry--but the revolutionary blood coursing through my veins decided in -favor of the former, and I laughed until I could no longer stand erect, -even though braced by an inflexible bag of cane, and I ignominiously -toppled over. As I lay upon the ground I laughed, not merrily, but grimly, -as I fancy a hyena would laugh. The more I sought the sympathy of Telitha -in this hilarious ebullition, the more uncontrollable it became. Her utter -want of appreciation of the fun, and a vague idea that she was in some way -implicated, embarrassed her, and, judging from her facial expression, ever -varying and often pathetic, wounded her also. In vain did I point to our -docile equine, whose tethering line she held. His enlarged proportions and -grotesque accoutrements failed to touch a single risible chord, or convey -to her utilitarian mind aught that was amusing, and she doubtless wondered -what could have so affected me. - -In due time we reached Decatur. After passing the Hoyle place, the -residence being then deserted, Telitha indicated by signs too intelligible -to be misunderstood that she would go home with her sack of stock -provender, leading the horse, and then come back for mine, and I could go -by a different route and not be known as a participant in the raid upon -the cane-brake; but I was too proud of my fidelity to the Southern -Confederacy to conceal any evidences of it that the necessities of the -times called into action, and I walked through the stricken village with -my sack of cane in my arms instead of upon my back; and would have walked -as proudly to the sacrificial altar, myself the offering, if by so doing I -could have retrieved the fortunes of my people and established for them a -government among the nations of earth. - -The lowing of our cow reached me as I entered the court-house square, and -I hastened my gait and soon displayed before her, in her stall in the -cellar, a tempting repast. And my mother, who possessed the faculty of -making something good out of that which was ordinary, displayed one -equally tempting to me and Telitha--milk and mush, supplemented by coffee -made of parched okra seed. - -"Tired nature's sweet restorer" faithfully performed its recuperative -service that night. When I opened my eyes upon the glorious light of -another day, I was so free from the usual attendants upon fatigue that I -involuntarily felt for my body--it seemed to have passed away during the -night, and left no trace of former existence. I found it, though, -perfectly intact, and ready to obey the behests of my will and serve me -through the requirements of another day. And my mother seemed to be in her -usual health and willing for me to do anything I thought I ought to do. -She could not close her eyes to the fact that our store of supplies was -nearly exhausted, and that there was only one way to replenish it; and she -had the wisdom and the Christian grace to acquiesce to the inevitable -without a discouraging word. Telitha, upon whose benighted mind the -ridiculous phases of the previous day's adventures had dawned sometime in -the interim, laughed as soon as she saw me, and in well-acted pantomime -made me fully aware that she enjoyed at this late hour the ludicrous scene -that had so amused me. And Yankee evidently smiled when he saw me, and -greeted me with a joyous little whicker that spoke volumes. - -A good breakfast for women and beast having been disposed of, I wended my -way in quest of Uncle Mack. He alone understood the complicated process -of harnessing Yankee in ropes to the primitive vehicle manufactured by his -own ingenious hands, and to him I always went when this important task had -to be performed. On this occasion, as upon others, it was soon executed. -When all was ready and the unbidden tears dashed away, as if out of place, -I seized the ropes and started? Where? Ah, that was the question. There -was only one place that offered hope of remuneration for the perilous -undertaking, and forty miles had to be traversed before reaching it. Forty -miles through a devastated country. Forty miles amid untold dangers. But -in all the walks of life it has been demonstrated that pluck and energy, -and a firm reliance upon Providence, are necessary to surmount -difficulties, and of all these essentials I had a goodly share, and never -doubted but that I would be taken care of, and my wants and those of -others supplied. "God helps those who help themselves," is an adage which -deserves to be emblazoned upon every tree, and imprinted upon every heart. -That vain presumption that folds the hands, and prays for benefits and -objects desired, without putting forth any effort to obtain them, ought to -be rebuked by all good men and women as a machination of Satan. - -These and similar reflections nerved me for the task before me, and I -started in earnest. When I got to the "blacksmith shop," I looked back and -saw my mother standing just where I left her, following me with her eyes. -I looked back no more, lest I dissolve in tears. As I passed the few -abodes that were tenanted, my mission "out" was apprehended, and I was -besought in tearful tones to bring back with me all I could, by those who -told me that they and their children were upon the verge of starvation. I -took all the sacks which were handed to me and rolled them together, and -by the aid of a string secured them to the cart, and amidst blessings and -good wishes pursued my devious way; for, be it remembered, many -obstructions, such as breast-works and thorny hedge-wood, presented -formidable barriers to rapid travel for a considerable distance from -Decatur. - -While leisurely walking beside Yankee, I was struck with the agility of -his motion and his improved figure since we traveled over these grounds a -few weeks before. He had taken on a degree of symmetry that I never -supposed attainable by the poor, emaciated animal which I captured in the -cane-brake. His hair had become soft and silky, and in the sunlight -displayed artistic shades of coloring from light to deepest brown; and his -long, black tail, which hung limp and perpendicular, now affected a curve -which even Hogarth might have admired, and his luxuriant and glossy mane -waved prettily as a maiden's tresses. And his face, perfect in every -lineament, and devoid of any indication of acerbity, lighted by large, -liquid, brown eyes, would have been a fit model--a thing of beauty--for -the pencil of Rosa Bonheur. Rubbing my hand over his silky coat and -enlarged muscles, I decided to enjoy the benefit of his increased strength -and gently ordered a halt. Stepping from the ground to the hub of the -wheel, another step landed me into the cart, vehicle, wagon or landau, -which ever you see proper to denominate it; I do not propose to confine -myself to any one of these terms. - -Yankee understood the movement, and doubtless felt complimented. As soon -as I took my seat in the chair--a concomitant part of the equipage--he -started off at a brisk gait, which, without a word of command, he kept up -until we came to the base of a long hill, and then he slackened his speed -and leisurely walked to the summit. I enjoyed going over ground without -muscular effort of my own, and determined to remain in the cart until he -showed some sign of fatigue. I had only to hold the ropes and speak an -encouraging word, and we traveled on right merrily. Ah, no! That was a -misnomer. Callous indeed would have been the heart who could have gone -merrily over that devastated and impoverished land. Sherman, with his -destructive host, had been there, and nothing remained within the -conquered boundary upon which "Sheridan's Crow" could have subsisted. -Nothing was left but standing chimneys, and an occasional house, to which -one would have supposed a battering ram had been applied. I looked up and -down, and in every direction, and saw nothing but destruction, and the -gaunt and malignant figure of General Starvation striding over our -beautiful country, as if he possessed it. I shook my head defiantly at him -and went on, musing upon these things. I never questioned the wisdom or -goodness of God in permitting them, but I pondered upon them, and have -never yet reached their unfathomable depths. - -At the end of the first day's journey, I found myself twenty miles, or -more, from the starting point, and tenderly cared for by a good family, -consisting, in these war times, only of a mother and several precious -little children, who were too glad to have company to consider my appeal -for a night's entertainment intrusive. This desolate mother and children -thought they had seen all the horror of warfare illustrated by the -premeditated cruelty of the Yankee raiders, and could not conceive how it -could have been worse. But when I got through with my recital of injuries, -they were willing that theirs should remain untold. A delicious supper, -like manna from Heaven, was enjoyed with a zest unknown to those who have -never been hungry. - -The light of another day found us all up in that hospitable household, and -an appetizing breakfast fortified me for another day's labor in any field -in which I might be called to perform it. The little boys, who had taken -Yankee out of the rope harness the evening before, remembered its -intricacies and had no difficulty in getting him back into that -complicated gear. When all was ready, and grateful good-byes had been -uttered, I again mounted "the hub," and got into the vehicle. After I had -taken my seat, the good lady handed me a package, which proved to be a -nice lunch for my dinner. She also had a sack of potatoes and pumpkins -stored away in the landau; and being a merciful woman, she thought of the -horse, and gave some home-cured hay for his noonday meal. - -All day I followed in the track of Sherman's minions, and found the -destruction greater than when I had passed in this direction before. -Coming to a hill, the long ascent of which would be fatiguing to Yankee, -I ordered a halt and got out of the wagon. Taking position by his side, we -climbed the hill together, and then we went down it together, and -continued to journey side by side, I oblivious to everything but the -destruction, either complete or partial, on every side. At length we came -to a lovely wee bit stream of water, exulting in its consciousness that no -enemy could arrest it in its course to the sea, or mar its beauty as it -rippled onward. We halted, and I loosened the ropes so that Yankee might -partake of the flowing water before eating his noonday meal. And I am sure -epicure never enjoyed luncheon at Delmonico's with more zest than I did -the frugal meal prepared for me by the friendly hands of that dear -Confederate woman. Much as I enjoyed it, I finished my dinner sometime -before Yankee did his, and employed the interim in laving my hands and -face in the pure water, and contemplating myself in the perfect mirror -formed by its surface. Not as Narcissus did I enjoy this pastime, but as -one startled by the revelation. Traces of care; sorrow, apprehension for -the future, were indelibly imprinted upon forehead and cheek, and most of -all upon that most tell-tale of all features, the mouth. I wept at the -change, and by way of diversion turned from the unsatisfactory -contemplation of myself to that of Yankee. This horse, instinct with -intelligence, appreciated every act of kindness, and often expressed his -gratitude in ways so human-like as to startle and almost affright me. I am -sure I have seen his face lighted by a smile, and radiant with gratitude. -And no human being ever expressed more forcibly by word or act his sorrow -at being unable to do all that was desired of him in emergency, than did -this dumb brute when he gave me that long, earnest, pathetic look -(mentioned in a former sketch) when, from sheer exhaustion, he lay down -near the heap of ashes where once stood the beautiful residence of my -friend of honored memory, Rev. Henry Clark. - -The more I contrasted the treatment which I, in common with my country -women and my country, had received at the hands of the Yankees (the then -exponents of the sentiment of the United States towards the Southern -people), and the gentle, friendly demeanor of the animal upon whom I had -unthoughtedly bestowed a name constantly suggestive of an enemy, the more -dissatisfied I became with it, and I determined then and there to change -it. Suiting the action to the decision, I gathered the ropes and led the -noble steed to the brink of that beautiful little brooklet, and paused for -a name. What should it be? "Democrat?" I believed him to be a democrat, -true and tried, and yet I did not much like the name. Had not the Northern -democrats allowed themselves to be allured into abolition ranks, and made -to do the fighting, while the abolitionists, under another name, -devastated the country and enriched themselves by the booty. "Copperhead?" -I did not like that much. It had a metallic ring that grated harshly upon -my nerves, and I was not then aware of their great service to the South in -restraining and keeping subordinate to humanity, as far as in them lay, -the hatred and evil passions of the abolitionists. "Johnny Reb?" Ah, I -had touched the keynote at last, and it awakened a responsive chord that -vibrated throughout my very being. I had a secret belief, more than once -expressed in words, that my noble equine was a captured rebel "held in -durance vile" until bereft of health and strength, then abandoned to die -upon the commons. "Johnny Reb!" I no longer hesitated. The name was -electrical, and the chord with which it came in contact was charged to its -utmost capacity. With the placid waters of that ever-flowing stream, in -the name of the Southern Confederacy, I christened one of the best friends -I ever had "Johnny Reb," a name ever dear to me. - -This ceremony having been performed to my satisfaction and to his, -too--judging by the complacent glances, and, as I fancied, by the -suggestion of an approving smile which he bestowed upon me--I mounted the -hub, stepped into the cart, seated myself, and with ropes in hand -continued my way to "The Circle," and arrived there before night, Not -being tired, I immediately struck out among the vendors of home-made -products--edibles, wearing apparel, etc.--for the purpose of purchasing a -wagon load to carry to Decatur, not for the ignoble purpose of -speculation, but to bestow, without money and without price, upon those -who, like my mother and myself, preferred hunger and privation rather than -give up our last earthly home to the destroying fiend that stalked over -our land and protected Federal bayonets. - -Before the shades of night came on I had accomplished my object. As a -matter of history I will enumerate some of the articles purchased, and -annex the prices paid for them in Confederate money: - - One bushel of meal $10 00 - Four bushels of corn 40 00 - Fifteen pounds of flour 7 50 - Four pounds dried apples 5 00 - One and half pounds of butter 6 00 - A bushel of sweet potatoes 6 00 - Three gallons of syrup 15 00 - Shoeing the horse 25 00 - For spending the night at Mrs. Born's, self and horse 10 00 - -Not knowing the capabilities of "Johnny Reb," I feared to add one hundred -and thirty-six pounds avoirdupois weight to a cart already loaded to -repletion, and the next morning on starting took my old familiar place by -his side. To my slightest touch or word of encouragement, he gave me an -appreciative look and obeyed to the letter my wishes with regard to his -gaits--slow or fast in adaptation to mine. In due time we again rested on -the banks of the beautiful little stream hallowed by the memory of -repudiating a name, rendered by the vandalism of its legitimate owners too -obnoxious to be borne by a noble horse, and by the bestowing upon him of -another more in keeping with his respect for ladies and other fine traits -of character which he possessed. Neither he nor I had lunch with which to -regale ourselves; and whilst he moved about at will cropping little tufts -of wild growth and tender leaves, which instinct taught him were good for -his species, I abandoned myself to my favorite pursuit--the contemplation -of nature. Like Aurora Leigh, I "found books among the hills and vales, -and running brooks," and held communion with their varied forms and -invisible influences. To me they ever spoke of the incomprehensible wisdom -and goodness of God. My heart, from my earliest recollection, always went -out in adoration to Him who could make alike the grand old Titans of the -forest and the humblest blade of grass; and now I beheld them under -circumstances peculiarly calculated to evoke admiration. Change had come -to everything else. The lofty trees stood in silent grandeur, undisturbed -by the enemy's step or the harsh clarion of war--as if defiant of -danger--and gave shelter and repose to the humblest of God's creatures who -sought their protecting arms. Beguiled by the loveliness of the woodland -scenery, I often found myself stopping to daguerreotype it upon the -tablets of my memory, and to feast my senses upon the aromatic perfume of -wildwood autumn flowers. "Strong words of counseling" I found in them and -in "the vocal pines and waters," and out of these books I learned the -"ignorance of men." - - "And how God laughs in Heaven when any man - Says, 'Here I'm learned; this I understand; - In that I am never caught at fault, or in doubt.'" - -A word of friendly greeting and renewed thanks to mine hostess of two -nights before, and her dear little children, detained me only a very short -and unbegrudged space of time; and during that time I did not forget to -refer to the potatoes and the pumpkin so kindly given to me by them on my -down trip, and which I could have left in their care until my return, had -I thought of it. - -Night again came on, and this time found me picking my way as best I could -over the rocks shadowed by Stone Mountain. On I plodded through the -darkness, guided rather by the unerring step of Johnny Reb than any -knowledge I had of the way. At length the poor faithful animal and myself -were rewarded for perseverance by seeing glimmering lights of the mountain -village. We struck a bee line for the nearest one, and were soon directed -to "a boarding house." I was too glad to get into it then, to descant upon -its demerits now. I assured the landlady that I needed no supper myself, -and would pay her what she would charge for both if she would see that the -horse was well fed. I think she did so. My valuable freight could not -remain in the cart all night, and there was no one to bring it in. In vain -did she assure me that I would find it all right if I left it there. I got -into the cart and lifted the sacks and other things out of it myself, and, -by the help of the aforesaid person, got everything into the house. I fain -would have lain down by these treasures, for they had increased in value -beyond computation since leaving Social Circle, and would have done so but -for repeated assurance of their safety. - -An early start next morning gave me the privilege of going over the ground -familiar to my youth in the loveliest part of the day, and when the sun -looked at me over the mountain's crest, I felt as if I was in the presence -of a veritable king, and wanted to take my bonnet off and make obeisance -to him. His beneficent rays fell alike upon the just and the unjust, and -lighted the pathway of the destroyer as brightly as that of the -benefactor. Amid destruction, wanton and complete, and over which angels -might weep, I stepped the distance off between Stone Mountain and Judge -Bryce's; not a living thing upon the face of the earth, or a sound of any -kind greeting me--the desolation of war reigned supreme. I again stopped -at Judge Bryce's, and implored his protection to Decatur, but, as on the -former occasion, he was afraid to leave his wife to the tender mercy (?) -of the enemy. He told me he feared I would not reach home with my cart of -edibles, as "Yankee raiders had been coming out from Atlanta every day -lately," and that the set that was now coming was more vindictive than any -that had preceded it. Good, dear Mrs. Bryce, trusting in the Lord for -future supplies, took a little from her scanty store of provisions and -added it to mine for her friend, my mother. - -With many forebodings of evil, I took up the line of march to Decatur. I -looked almost with regret upon my pretty horse. Had he remained the poor -ugly animal that was lassoed in the cane-brake, I would have had but -little fear of losing him, but under my fostering care, having become -pretty, plump and sprightly, I had but little hope of keeping him. Being -absorbed by these mournful reflections and not having the ever-watchful -Telitha with me to announce danger from afar, I was brought to a full -realization of its proximity by what appeared to be almost an army of -_blue-coats_, dashing up on spirited horses, and for the purpose of -humiliating me, hurrahing "for Jefferson Davis and the Southern -Confederacy." As a flag of truce, I frantically waved my bonnet, which act -was misapprehended and taken as a signal of approval of their "hurrah for -Jefferson Davis and the Southern Confederacy," which was resounding -without intermission. - -Seeing several very quiet, dignified looking gentlemen, who, although -apart from the others, seemed to be exercising a restraining influence, I -approached them and told them how I had gone out from Decatur unprotected -and all alone to get provisions to keep starvation from among our -defenseless women and children, and that I had to go all the way to Social -Circle before I could get anything, and that I had walked back in order to -save the horse as much as possible. These men, however, although seemingly -interested, questioned and cross-questioned me until I had but little hope -of their protection. One of them said, "I see you have one of our horses. -How did you come by him?" And then the story of how I came by him was -recapitulated without exaggeration or diminution. This narrative elicited -renewed hurrahs for Jefferson Davis and the Southern Confederacy. A few -minutes private conversation between these gentlemen ensued, and all of -them approached me, and the spokesman said, "Two of us will escort you to -Decatur, and see that no harm befalls you." It seemed, then, that no -greater boon could have been offered under the canopy of Heaven, and I am -sure no woman could have experienced more gratitude or been more profuse -in its expression. - -The sight of my nervous, gray-haired mother, and her pretty mother ways, -touched another tender chord in the hearts of these gentlemen, and if -constraint existed it was dispelled, and they became genial and very like -friends before they left. They even promised to send us some oats for -noble Johnny Reb, who displayed the greatest equanimity all through these -trying scenes. - - - - -CHAPTER XXII. - -NEWS FROM THE ABSENT BROTHER. - -He marches into Tennessee with Hood--Extracts from his letters written on -the way--Two ears of parched corn--The night burial of a soldier. - - -After the majority of these sketches were written, I was permitted by my -sister to take a few extracts from the cherished letters of our brother, -which she numbered and carefully laid away as her most precious treasure. -To these we are indebted for all that we know of his history during those -trying days and weeks of which I have just been writing. Where was he, and -how did he fare? Few and far between were the letters now, in these dark -days of the war. The soldiers themselves had but little opportunity to -write, and the mail facilities were poor. But I feel sure that to the -survivors of the "Lost Cause," these meagre scraps concerning that brave -but disastrous march into Tennessee will be read with melancholy interest: - - "On the Line of Alabama and Georgia, - Near Alpine, Ga., 8 o'clock at night, Oct. 17, 1874. - -"MY DEAR SISTER--As there is a probability of the mail courier leaving -here early in the morning, I hastily scratch you a few lines that you may -know that under the blessings of a kind Providence I am yet alive, and, -though somewhat wearied, enjoying good health. Yours of 28th of September -has been received, but under circumstances of hard marches, etc., there -has been but one opportunity of writing to you since leaving Palmetto, and -then had just finished one to Texas, and was fixing to write to you, when -the order came to 'fall in.' - -"Well, leaving camps near Palmetto on the 29th of September, we crossed -the Chattahoochee below, marched up to Powder Springs, threatened -Marietta, and at the same time threw Stewart's corps around above Big -Shanty to cut the railroad, which was torn up for about thirteen miles, -French's Division attacking Allatoona, where he sustained some loss, -having works to charge. Ector's Texas Brigade, and some Missourians, -carried their part of the works, but A----'s Brigade failed to do their -part, hence the advantage gained was lost. By this time the enemy were -concentrating at Marietta, and General Hood's object being accomplished, -he then marched rapidly towards Rome, flanking the place, and making a -heavy demonstration as if he intended crossing the river and attacking the -place. The enemy then commenced a concentration at Kingston and Rome. We -then moved around Rome and marched rapidly up the Oostanaula, and, on the -evening of the 11th inst., sent a division of infantry with some cavalry -across the river, and captured Calhoun with some stores. Moved on the next -morning by a forced march, flanking Resaca, and striking the railroad -immediately above, tearing it up to Tilton where there were about three -hundred Yankees in a block-house. A surrender was demanded. A reply was -returned: 'If you want us come and take us.' Our artillery was soon in -position and a few shots soon made them show the 'white rag.' We tore up -the road that night, and the next morning by nine o'clock, to Tunnel Hill, -burning every cross-tie and twisting the bars. Dalton surrendered without -a fight, with a full garrison of negroes and some white Yankees. The -block-house above, at a bridge, refused to surrender, and we had to bring -the artillery into requisition again, which made them succumb. They all -seemed to be taken by surprise and were hard to convince that it was a -cavalry raid. They evacuated Tunnel Hill. Thus after five months of -fighting and running, the Army of Tennessee re-occupied Dalton. Sherman -has been taken by surprise. He never dreamed of such a move. General -Hood's plans all being carried out, so far as the State road was -concerned, we marched across the mountains to LaFayette, in the vicinity -of which we camped last night, and have marched twenty-three miles to-day. -To-morrow we cross the Lookout Mountain, and will, I suppose, make -directly for the Tennessee river, though of this I'm not certain. Hood has -shown himself a general in strategy, and has secured the confidence of the -troops. Wherever we go, may God's blessing attend us. Pray for me. In -haste. - - Your affectionate brother, - TOM STOKES. - -"P. S.--Cherokee Co., Ala., Oct. 18, 1864. - -"The courier not leaving this morning, I have a little more time left. We -did not travel so far to-day as I heard we would, having come only ten -miles, and have stopped to rest the balance of the evening. I find you -dislike to have your communications cut off, so I see you are below -Madison. Would to Heaven that, in one sense of the word my communication -was cut off forever; yea, that every channel leading me in contact with -_the world_, in any other character than as a minister of 'the meek and -lowly Savior,' was to me forever blocked up. I am tired of confusion and -disorder--tired of living a life of continual excitement * * *. You spoke -of passing through a dark cloud. 'There is nothing true but Heaven,' and -it is to that rest for the weary, alone, to which we are to look for -perfect enjoyment. We are to walk by faith, and though the clouds of -trouble thicken, yet we should know that if we do our duty we shall see -and feel the genial sunshine of a happier time. Yes, my sister, though we -knew our lives should be lengthened one hundred years, and every day -should be full of trouble; yet if we have a hope of Heaven, that hope -should buoy up the soul to be cheerful, even under earth's saddest -calamities. - -"I think we will cross the Tennessee river and make for Tennessee, where -it seems to be understood that we will have large accessions to our army, -both there and from Kentucky * * *." - -The next letter is enclosed in an envelope which came through no -postoffice, as it was furnished by my sister, and upon it she wrote: "This -letter was sent to me on the 27th of November, by some one who picked it -up upon the street in Madison. The postoffice had been rifled by the -Federals who (under command of Slocum) passed through Madison, November -18th and 19th. Though found without an envelope, and much stained, it has -reached me, because signed with his full name." - -This letter is dated "Near Decatur, Ala., October 28th, 1864." We give a -few items: - -"We invested this place yesterday, and there has been some skirmishing and -artillery firing until an hour ago, when it seems to have measurably -ceased. We are in line of battle southwest of Decatur, about one and a -quarter miles. I went out reconnoitering this morning and saw the enemy's -position. They have a large fort immediately in the town, with the 'stars -and stripes' waving above. I hear occasional distant artillery firing -which I suppose is Forrest, near Huntsville. * * * We were several days -crossing Sand Mountain. Have had delightful weather until a day or two ago -it rained, making the roads very muddy, in consequence of which we have -been on small rations, the supply trains failing to get up. We had only -half rations yesterday, and have had none to-day (now nearly three -o'clock), but will get some to-night. We try to be cheerful. * * * No -letter from Texas yet. No one of our company has had any intelligence from -Johnson county since last May. I can't see what's the matter. I have been -absent nearly one year and have received but one letter." (Of course the -dear loved ones in Texas wrote to their soldier braves on this side the -Mississippi river; but such are the misfortunes of war that these missives -were long delayed in their passage). - -"Saturday, October 29th.--The condition of affairs this morning at sunrise -remains, so far as I know, unchanged. * * * Yesterday evening we drew two -ears of corn for a day's ration; so parched corn was all we had yesterday; -but we will get plenty to-day." - -And now we come to the last of the letters ever received. It is probable -it was among the last he ever wrote. It is dated "Tuscumbia, Ala., Nov. -10, 1864.--... We arrived at this place the 31st of October, and have been -here since, though what we are waiting for I can't tell. The pontoons are -across the river, and one corps on the other side at Florence. We have had -orders to be ready to move several times, but were countermanded. We were -to have moved to-day, and even our wagons started off, but for some cause -or other we have not gone. The river is rising very rapidly, which may -endanger the pontoons. - -"November 12th.--I thought to send this off yesterday morning, but, on -account of the rain a few days ago, the mail carrier was delayed until -last night, which brought your dear letter of date October 31st. It was -handed me on my return from the graveyard, where I had been to perform the -funeral ceremony of a member of the 6th Texas, who was killed yesterday -morning by the fall of a tree. He had been in every battle in which this -brigade was ever engaged; an interesting young man, only nineteen years of -age. - -"The scene at the graveyard was a solemn one, being some time in the night -before we arrived. The cold, pale moon shone down upon us, and the deep -stillness which pervaded the whole scene, with the rough, uncouth, though -tender-hearted soldiers with uncovered heads, forming a large circle -around the grave, made it, indeed, a scene solemnly impressive. The print -of my Bible being small, I could not read, but recited from memory a few -passages of Scripture suitable to the occasion, the one upon which I dwelt -chiefly being a declaration of Paul to the Corinthians, 'For we must all -appear before the judgment seat of Christ.' I then spoke of the certainty -of that change from life to death; that with the soldier, even, death is -not confined to the battlefield; spoke of our comrade, who but in the -morning bade as fair for long life as any of us, but within the space of a -few short hours was lying in the cold embrace of death; of another of our -brigade who was instantly killed a short time since by a stroke of -lightning; closed with an exhortation to all to live nearer to God, and be -prepared at all times to meet their God in peace. Oh, how sad! Far away -from his home to be buried in a land of strangers. How the hearts of his -father, mother and sisters must bleed when they receive the sad tidings. - -"I expect we will leave here for Middle Tennessee next Monday, as the -river will be falling by that time. There is much talk of this brigade -being sent home after this campaign. Major Rankin has been exchanged, and -is with us. I gave Lieutenant Collins' overcoat to his company to take -care of for him. - -"Am so glad to hear from ma and sister. We get no letters from Texas; but -are continually sending some over, as all the disabled of the last -campaign are being retired and sent across. Poor Uncle James! His Joseph -is gone.... Write to me often. - - Affectionately, - YOUR BROTHER." - -Ah, could the history of these brave men be written, what a record it -would be of endurance, of daring, of heroism, of sacrifice! And the -heart-breaking pathos of the last chapters of their experience, ere the -furling of the flag they followed! Pat Cleburne and his fallen braves-- - - "On fame's eternal camping ground, - Their silent tents are spread, - And glory marks with solemn round - The bivouac of the dead." - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII. - -AN INCIDENT OF THE WAR. - -Related to the writer by Hon. Roger Q. Mills, of Texas. - - -The night was black as Erebus. Not a scintillant of light from moon or -star penetrated the dense forest, and no eye save that of God discerned -the danger of the situation. Hill and dale, mountain and precipice, creek -and surging stream, presented barriers that none but men inured to -hardship, and unknown to fear, would have attempted to surmount. - -Obedient to the command of the superior officer, the remnant of that -magnificent and intrepid army, once guided by the unerring wisdom of -Joseph E. Johnston, plodded their way uncomplainingly over these trying -difficulties. The Lord must have been amazed at their temerity, and shook -the very earth in rebuke, and ever and anon by the lightning's flash -revealed glimpses of the peril to which they were exposed; and yet in -unbroken lines they groped their way, not knowing whither. At length -bewildered, and made aware of impending danger, the general in command -ordered a halt. The martial tread ceased, and all was still as death. In -the midst of this stillness a voice, sweet as that of a woman, was heard -repeating that grand old hymn, which has given comfort to many weary ones -treading the wine press: - - "How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, - Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word! - What more can He say than to you He hath said, - You who unto Jesus for refuge have fled. - - "In every condition, in sickness, in health, - In poverty's vale, or abounding in wealth, - At home and abroad, on the land, on the sea, - As thy days may demand shall thy strength ever be. - - "Fear not, I am with thee, O! be not dismayed, - I, I am thy God, and will still give thee aid; - I'll strengthen thee, help thee and cause thee to stand, - Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand. - - "When through the deep waters I call thee to go, - The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow; - For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless, - And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress. - - "When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie, - My grace all sufficient shall be thy supply; - The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design - Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine. - - "E'en down to old age, all My people shall prove - My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love; - And when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn, - Like lambs they shall still in My bosom be borne. - - "The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose, - I will not, I will not desert to his foes; - That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, - I'll never, no never, no never, forsake." - -General Mills said that during the rendition of this beautiful hymn, not -even the breaking of a twig, or the changing of a footstep broke the -silence of the midnight tranquillity. The rain drops ceased to fall; the -electricity darted harmlessly through the tree tops; and the muttering of -the thunder lulled. - -After a most impressive silence of several minutes, the same voice, which -had rendered the hymn so effectually, repeated from memory an appropriate -passage of Scripture and proceeded to expatiate upon it. He had not -uttered a dozen words before another flash of lightning revealed the -upturned heads and listening attitudes of the men composing that weird -congregation, and each one of them knew as if by instinct that he was -going to hear something that would help him on his journey to the Land of -Beulah. Strong in the faith, he carried many of the truths and promises of -the Holy Word within his mind, and now, as many times before, he opened -them by the magic key of memory and unfolded to view their unsearchable -riches. He begged his fellow-men and comrades in arms to accept them -without money and without price--to accept them that they might wear -kingly robes and royal diadems, and be with Jesus in His Father's regal -mansions throughout the grand eternities. And as he told the old, old -story of divine love, it assumed a contemporaneous interest and seemed a -living present reality. Every man who heard it felt the living force and -energizing influence of the theme. And thus by earnest, aggressive -appeals, he exerted a wonderful power for good over the minds of his -hearers; and those men, even now with phantom hands pointing gaunt fingers -at them, by their deep interest testified to the warm suffusing purpose -which made itself felt in every word that he uttered, as he told of the -Fatherhood of God and the ever-present sympathy of a benignant and -infinite parent, who delighted not in the death of sinners, but rather -that all should come to Him and have eternal life. General Mills added -that, as the fine resonant voice of the speaker penetrated the dense -forest and found its way to his hearers in distinct enunciation of -well-chosen words, the deep-toned thunder emphasized the impressive -points, and made it a scene which for grandeur and sublimity has never -been surpassed, while the vivid flashes of lightning revealed again and -again the earnest face and solemn mien of my brother, Lieutenant Thomas J. -Stokes, of the Tenth Texas Infantry of Cleburne's Division. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV. - -Picking up minie balls around Atlanta--Exchanging them for bread. - - -After mingling renewed vows of allegiance to our cause, and expressions of -a willing submission to the consequences of defeat--privations and evil -dire, if need be--with my morning orison; yet I could not be oblivious to -the fact that I was hungry, very hungry. And there was another, whose -footsteps were becoming more and more feeble day by day, and whose voice, -when heard at all, was full of the pathos of despair, who needed -nourishment that could not be obtained, and consolation, which it seemed a -mockery to offer. - -In vain did I look round for relief. There was nothing left in the country -to eat. Yea, a crow flying over it would have failed to discover a morsel -with which to appease its hunger; for a Sheridan by another name had been -there with his minions of destruction, and had ruthlessly destroyed every -vestige of food and every means of support. Every larder was empty, and -those with thousands and tens of thousands of dollars, were as poor as the -poorest, and as hungry too. Packing trunks, in every house to which -refugees had returned, contained large amounts of Confederate money. We -had invested all we possessed except our home, and land and negroes, in -Confederate bonds, and these were now inefficient for purchasing -purposes. Gold and silver had we none. A more favored few had a little of -those desirable mediums of purchase, and sent a great distance for -supplies; but they offered no relief to those who had stayed at home and -borne the brunt of battle, and saved their property from the destroyers' -torch. - -What was I to do? Sit down and wait for the inevitable starvation? No; I -was not made of such stuff. I had heard that there had been a provision -store opened in Atlanta for the purpose of bartering provisions for -munitions of war--anything that could be utilized in warfare. Minie balls -were particularly desirable. I therefore took Telitha by the apron, and -had a little talk with her, and when I was through she understood that -something was up that would bring relief to certain organs that had become -quite troublesome in their demands, and she was anxious to take part in -the performance, whatever that might be. I went also to my mother, and -imparted to her my plans of operation, and she took that pathetic little -backward step peculiar to herself on occasions which tried her soul, and -with quivering lip she assented in approving, though almost inaudible -words. - -With a basket in either hand, and accompanied by Telitha, who carried one -that would hold about a peck, and two old dull case-knives, I started to -the battle-fields around Atlanta to pick up the former missiles of death -to exchange for food to keep us from starving. - -It was a cold day. The wind was very sharp, and over the ground, denuded -of forest trees and undergrowth, the wind was blowing a miniature gale. -Our wraps were inadequate, and how chilled we became in that rude November -blast! Mark you, it was the 30th of November, 1864. But the colder we -were, the faster we walked, and in an incredibly short time we were upon -the battle-field searching for lead. - -I made it a point to keep very near the road in the direction of Atlanta, -and soon found myself on the very spot where the Confederate magazine -stood, the blowing up of which, by Confederate orders, shook the very -earth, and was distinctly heard thirty-five or forty miles distant. An -exclamation of glad surprise from Telitha carried me to her. She had found -a bonanza, and was rapidly filling her basket with that which was more -valuable to us than gold. In a marshy place, encrusted with ice, -innumerable bullets, minie balls, and pieces of lead seemed to have been -left by the irony of fate to supply sustenance to hungry ones, and -employment to the poor, as all the winter those without money to send to -more favored and distant points found sure returns from this lead mine. It -was so cold! our feet were almost frozen, and our hands had commenced to -bleed, and handling cold, rough lead cramped them so badly that I feared -we would have to desist from our work before filling the baskets. - -Lead! Blood! Tears! O how suggestive! Lead, blood and tears, mingled and -commingled. In vain did I try to dash the tears away. They would assert -themselves and fall upon lead stained with blood. "God of mercy, if this -be Thy holy will, give me fortitude to bear it uncomplainingly," was the -heart-felt invocation that went up to the throne of grace from over lead, -blood and tears, that fearful day. For relief, tears did not suffice. I -wanted to cry aloud; nature would not be satisfied with less, and I cried -like a baby, long and loud. Telitha caught the spirit of grief, and cried -too. This ebullition of feelings on her part brought me to a realization -of my duty to her, as well as to my poor patient mother to whom the day -must seem very long, and I tried to stifle my sobs and lamentations. I -wondered if she had the forebodings of coming bereavement that were -lacerating my own heart. I did not doubt but that she had, and I cried in -sympathy for her. - -At length our baskets were filled, and we took up our line of march to the -desolated city. There were no labyrinths to tread, no streets to follow, -and an occasional question secured information that enabled us to find the -"commissary" without delay. Telitha was very ambitious that I should -appear a lady, and wanted me to deposit my load of lead behind some place -of concealment, while we went on to deliver hers, and then let her go back -for mine. But I was too much a Confederate soldier for that, and walked -bravely in with my heavy, precious load. - -A courteous gentleman in a faded grey uniform, evidently discharged -because of wounds received in battle, approached and asked what he could -do for me. "I have heard that you give provisions for lead," I replied, -"and I have brought some to exchange." What seemed an interminable silence -ensued, and I felt without seeing that I was undergoing a sympathetic -scrutiny, and that I was recognized as a lady "to the manor born." - -"What would you like in exchange," he asked. "If you have sugar, and -coffee, and meal, a little of each if you please," I timidly said. "I left -nothing to eat at home." The baskets of lead were removed to the rear and -weighed, and in due time returned to me filled to the brim with sugar, -coffee, flour, meal, lard, and the nicest meat I had seen in a long time. - -"O, sir," I said, "I did not expect so much." - -"You have not yet received what is due you," this good man replied, and -handed me a certificate which he assured me would secure as much more on -presentation. - -Joy had gone out of my life, and I felt no thrill of that kind; but I can -never describe the satisfaction I experienced as I lifted two of those -baskets, and saw Telitha grasp the other one, and turned my face -homeward. - - - - -CHAPTER XXV. - -The Decatur women's struggle for bread--Sweet singing in hard -places--Pleasant visitors--I make a trip to Alabama--The news of my -brother's death. - - -The tug of war was upon us from the mountains to the sea-board, and -ingenious was the woman who devised means to keep the wolf, hungry and -ravenous, from the door. The depreciation of our currency, and its -constant diminution in value, had rendered it an unreliable purchasing -commodity, and we had nothing to give in exchange for food. I, therefore, -felt that I had literally rubbed against Aladdin's lamp when I saw much -needed food, good and palatable, given in exchange for minie balls, and -for any kind of metal convertible into destructive missiles, and I was -anxious that others should share the benefit accruing from the lead mines -mentioned in a former sketch. In pursuance of this humane desire, I -proclaimed its discovery and results from house to house; for, mark you, -we had no "Daily Courier," nor messenger boy to convey the glad tidings to -the half-famished women and children in and around Decatur. And if my -words could have been changed into diamonds by the magic wand of a fairy, -not one of those starving people would have accepted the change of -diamonds for bread. - -It required only a short time to raise a large company of women, girls and -little boys, who were ready to do service for themselves and their -country by digging lead with case-knives from mines providentially -furnished them. And was it not serving the cause of the Confederacy? I -thought so; and never walked with more independent step than when acting -as generalissimo of that band of devoted, patriotic women, _en route_ to -the "lead mines" around Atlanta. Telitha, too, evidently felt that she was -an important adjunct in the mining enterprise, and a conspicuous personage -in the scenes being enacted, and emphasized her opinion by strong and -suggestive gesticulation. On this occasion she playfully wrenched from my -hand the small vessel with which I had supplied myself and which I carried -on the former trip, and substituted a larger one, while for herself she -got at least a half-bushel measure. - -All who remember the month of December, 1864, know that it abounded in -clouds and rain and sleet, and was intensely cold in the Confederate -States of America; and in the latitude embracing Atlanta, such severity of -weather had never been known to the oldest inhabitant. But what mattered -it? Each one in that little band of women was connected by a bright link -to the illustrious armies that were enduring greater privation and -hardship than those to which she was exposed, and counted it a willing -oblation upon his country's altar, and why should she not prove faithful -to the end, and suffer the pangs of hunger and privation too? - -The work of picking up minie balls began as soon as we reached the -battle-field, and, consequently, we carried several pounds some distance -unnecessarily. The "mine" proper, I doubt not, could have filled several -wagons. As "a little fun now and then is relished by the wisest men," I -found a grim smile asserting itself at the quaint and ready wit of those -estimable girls, the Misses Morton, whose Christian names I have forgotten -and who, alas! have long since joined the silent majority. One of them -assumed the character of a Confederate soldier and the other that of a -Federal, and the conversation carried on between them, as they "exchanged -coffee and tobacco," was rich, rare and racy. The exchange having been -effected, the signal of combat was given. "Look out, Billy Yank!" "Look -out, Johnnie Reb!" were simultaneous warnings from opposing forces, and -minie balls whizzed through the air, much to the merriment of the little -boys who wished themselves men, that they might be with their fathers, -whizzing minie balls from musket mouths. - -The sham battle over, the work of digging lead was resumed, and in an -amazingly short time our vessels were filled to overflowing. I watched -Telitha with interest. She was eager to fill her basket, and more than -once she said, "Me full!" and added a little gutteral laugh that always -indicated pleasure. Her attempt to raise the basket from the ground, and -her utter failure to do so surprised her amazingly, and her disappointment -was pathetic. With great reluctance she saw her treasure reduced to her -capacity of handling. Each member of the party experienced similar -disappointment on attempting to raise her burden, and we left more exhumed -lead and other valuables than we carried away. - -We took up our line of march, and as there were no obstructions in the way -(for, be it remembered, Sherman had been there, and with torch and -explosive removed all obstructions save the standing chimneys and -carcasses of horses and cattle shot by his order to prevent the -possibility of use to the rebels), we struck a bee-line to the commissary. -As the first to take advantage of this industry, I took the lead, and the -vigor of young womanhood, and "a heart for every fate," gave elasticity to -my steps, and I soon outdistanced even the girls. In due time we reached -the commissary, and in a short while a most satisfactory exchange was -made, thanks to one whose great heart beat in unison with ours, and in -lieu of the heavy burden which we laid down, we picked up food for the -nourishment of our tired bodies and those of our loved ones at home. Oh, -how light, comparatively, it seemed! I verily believe if it had weighed -the same number of pounds, it would have seemed lighter, and the change -would have seemed restful. "Good-bye, noble ladies and sisters in a -righteous cause," was the parting salutation of our no less noble -benefactor. - -With our respective packages of food we again turned our faces homeward, -solemn as a funeral march, for, strive against them as we would, we all -had forebodings of ill, and the swaying of our bodies and our footsteps -kept time with the pulsations of our sad hearts. I fancied as I approached -standing chimneys and other evidences of destroyed homes, that the spirit -of Sherman, in the guise of an evil spirit, was laughing over the -destruction his diabolism had wrought. In the midst of these reflections -a song, which for sweetness and tranquilizing melody I have seldom heard -equalled and never surpassed, broke the stillness of the scene and added -to the melancholy interest of the occasion. It was the well known ballad, -then familiar to every child in the Confederacy, "When this Cruel War is -Over," and sung by those gifted sisters mentioned as a part of the lead -digging company. The pure, sweet soprano voice of one of the girls put to -flight the spirit of Sherman, and when it was joined by the flute-like -alto of the others, every evil spirit within and without was exorcised, -and the spirit of submission took its place. And yet as the words rang out -and found an echo in my own heart, I had to walk very straight, and turn -my head neither to the right nor to the left, lest I betray the copious -tears trickling down my cheeks. At length pent-up feelings burst the -fetters, and an audible sob removed restraint, and we cried as women -burdened with great sorrow. Precious tears! Nature's kind alleviator in -time of trouble. - - "The day was cold and dark and dreary, - And it rained and the winds were never weary," - -and yet I was nerved for its duties and toil by the consciousness of -having met, uncomplainingly, the work which the preservation of my own -principles made me willing to endure. Several days subsequent to this trip -to Atlanta, the Morton girls came running in and told me that we had some -delightful friends at the "Swanton place," who requested to see us. My -mother was too much exhausted by anxiety and waiting for that which never -came, to go, but approved my doing so. I, therefore, donned my sun-bonnet -and went; and whom should I meet but Mrs. Trenholm and her sweet young -daughters, Essie and Lila? I was delighted to see them, and invited them -to go home with me. Ma received them in a spirit of cordial hospitality, -and they were invited to remain at her house. Without hesitation, Mrs. -Trenholm accepted the proffered kindness, and returned to her wayside -rendezvous only to send her trunks, bedding and other household goods. And -truly the coming of that saintly woman and those lovely girls was a rare -benediction, especially at that time. Day by day ma looked in vain for -tidings from "the front"--wherever that might be--and day by day her -health and strength was perceptibly weakened by disappointment. Mrs. -Trenholm's sympathy with her in her suspense regarding the operations of -Hood's army, and the fate of her beloved son, was both touching and -consoling. Seeing that my mother and myself were hoping almost against -hope, she endeavored to bring us to a realization of that fact, and a -complete submission to the will of God, even though that will deprived us -of our loved one. All of her Christian arguments and consolations had been -pondered over and over by mother and daughter, but they never seemed so -sweet and potent as when coming in the chaste and simple language of a -precious saintly woman. - -With the tact peculiar to the refined of every clime and locality, Mrs. -Trenholm assumed management of the culinary department, and her dinner-pot -hung upon our crane several weeks, and daily sent forth appetizing odors -of bacon and peas. How we enjoyed those peas and that bacon, and the soup -seasoned with the only condiments at our command--salt and red pepper--and -the good hoe cakes! Mrs. Trenholm had a large sack of cow peas, and a sack -of dried fruit, and other articles of food which she had provided for -herself and her family before she left Southwest Georgia _en route_ to her -home in Marietta, which she left in obedience to the order of William -Tecumseh Sherman, and which she learned, before reaching Decatur, had -shared the fate of nearly all other homes which had to be thus abandoned. -Although magnanimously proffered, we were averse to sharing Mrs. -Trenholm's well-prepared and ofttimes tempting _cuisine_, unless our -proportion of food equaled hers; and fearing even the appearance of scanty -supplies, I set about to gather up "the miners," so that we might appoint -a day to again go lead digging, if that which we left in as many little -heaps as there were members of the company had been, in the interim, -gathered up by others. - -On former occasions I had led my company to victory over that malignant -general left by Sherman to complete his work, and styled by him "General -Starvation," and they were willing to go wherever I led. Now, I had two -recruits of whom I was very proud. Telitha, too, had gathered from -observation that the sweet young Trenholm girls were going with us, and -she set about to provide very small baskets for their use, which, with -gestures amusing and appropriate, she made us understand were large enough -to contain all the lead that girls so pretty and so ladylike ought to -carry. To their credit, however, they repudiated that idea, and carried -larger vessels. By appointment the "lead diggers" were to meet at the -tan-yard, those arriving first to wait until the entire number came. "Man -proposes and God disposes." Just as my last glove was drawn on, Telitha, -ever on the alert, said "Morton, Morton," and I looked and saw the girls -coming. "We needn't go--the commissary has folded its tents, and silently -stolen away," was the voluntary announcement. Imagine my consternation and -disappointment--the last hope of supply cut off! Ma saw the effect upon -me, and said in a more hopeful voice than was her wont, "The Lord is my -shepherd, I shall not want." And good Mrs. Trenholm said her sack of peas -was like the cruse of oil that never seemed to diminish in quantity, -however much was taken out of it. An examination, too, of our own -resources was quite gratifying; but I knew I ought to be "providing for a -rainy day." - -I pass now over an interval which brings me to the latter part of January, -1865. My sister returned home from Madison and spent several weeks with -us, but had accepted an offer to teach at Grantville, on the LaGrange and -West Point Railroad. I had a precious aunt, my mother's sister, Mrs. Annie -Watson, whom I loved dearly, and of whom I had not heard a word since the -interruption of the mail communication by the siege of Atlanta, and my -mother's frequent mention of her determined me to go and see if this -beloved aunt was living, and, if so, in what condition. I knew she was one -of the favored ones of earth, viewed from a worldly standpoint, but I -knew not what changes had come over her or her worldly possessions. Rumor -conveyed startling accounts of the atrocious deeds of Wilson's raiders, -and I knew that they were operating in that rich cotton belt of Alabama -which embraced my aunt's plantation and beautiful home. I could scarcely -hope that that home and its valuable appointments had escaped the cupidity -of an organized band of robbers protected by the United States Government. - -When I think of my mother's fond affection for her children, and her -tender solicitude for their welfare, I am constrained to think that she -thought I was endowed with a sort of charmed existence not subject to the -perils which beset the pathway of ordinary mortals, and hence her ready -acquiescence to my proposition to undertake a journey of many miles, under -circumstances of imminent danger, inspired with confidence amounting to -certainty that I would be preserved by an All-wise Providence for future -usefulness. I had very little preparation to make for the contemplated -trip. A pretty, small-checked dress, which had done service through many a -changing scene, and was good for as many more, and a hat--well, I beg to -be excused from describing it--and gloves upon which I had expended skill -in darning until it was difficult to perceive where the darning ceased and -the glove began, completed my toilet, and I bade to all appearance a -cheerful good-bye to my mother and kind friends, and went by private -conveyance to Fairburn. There I took the train for Cowles' Station, -Alabama. - -Nothing of particular interest transpired on the way. My country was -prostrate and bleeding from many lacerations, and my tears flowed so -freely that by the time I reached my railroad destination I had a very -sick headache. That "there is a providence that shapes our ends" was again -illustrated. Some of my aunt's neighbors, who knew me at least by name, -were at the station, and kindly offered to carry me to her residence, a -distance of ten miles. I found my aunt in feeble health, and all alone -save her usual dusky attendant. Her only child, Mrs. Mary E. Seaman, had -gone to Tuskeegee to see her little daughter, who was there going to -school in care of a friend and relative, Col. Smith Graham. My closest -scrutiny failed to detect any change in my aunt's mode of living. The same -retinue of servants came into the house to see and shake hands with -mistress' niece, and after many questions about "our white folks in -Georgia," retired from my presence with the same courtesy that had marked -their demeanor towards me in ante-bellum days. - -My aunt manifested her joy at seeing me in many ways, and wept and smiled -alternately, as I related my adventures with the Yankees. "And my sister, -what was their treatment of her?" My evasive answer, "It could have been -worse," heightened her desire to learn particulars, and I told them to -her. She was grateful for all leniency shown by them, and affected to -tears by unkindness. As the day waned, and the middle of the afternoon -came on, my aunt proposed walking "to meet Mary." I supported her fragile -form, and guided her footsteps in the best part of the road. How like her -beloved sister in Georgia she seemed! Accustomed to this little diversion, -for she always went to meet Mary, she had reckoned accurately regarding -the time of her daughter's coming, and we had not gone far when we saw the -carriage descending a declivity in the distance. Nelson, the coachman, had -also recognized "Mistress and Miss Mary," and announced his discovery to -my cousin. Increased speed in the gait of the horses soon brought us -together, and she opened the door and stepped to the ground. After kissing -her dear mother, she encircled me in her arms, and kissed me time and -again, and then assisted me into the carriage, and she and her mother -followed. I greeted the coachman in a cordial manner, because of past -service and present fidelity to "mistress and my white folks" generally. - -With my rapidity in conversation, I could scarcely keep up with my -cousin's questions. Happy woman! She had never seen any "Blue-coats," or, -in the parlance of the times, "Yankees," and she enjoyed my description of -them, especially when in answer to the question, "Do they look like our -men?" I attempted to define the difference. It was amusing to me to hear -her describe the preparations she made for the coming of Wilson and his -raiders. - -After reaching home, she left her mother and myself only a few minutes. I -scarcely perceived her absence, and yet when she returned the disparity in -our dress was not so apparent. The elegant traveling suit had been -exchanged for her plainest home attire, and every article of jewelry had -disappeared. The brief period spent with these dear relatives was spent -in mutual efforts to entertain and amuse each other. My aunt's -conversation was like sweet music in which minor chords abounded. Her love -for her sister, and apprehension of evil, gave a pathetic turn to every -conversation she attempted, and it was evident to me that she had given up -all hope of my brother's safety, and her resignation under similar -circumstances was a great support to me. - -Much as I enjoyed this luxurious home, and its refined appointments, there -was a controlling motive--a nearer tie--that made me willing to again take -up the hardships and perils of warfare, and battle for life with that -relentless enemy left by Sherman to complete his cruel work, the aforesaid -General Starvation. - -After many farewell words were spoken, I left my aunt, accompanied by her -daughter, who went with me to the station for the purpose of seeing me on -the train bound for Fairburn, then the terminus of the railroad. It was -past noon when the train left the station, and in those days of slow -railroad locomotion, it was all the afternoon reaching West Point. I -learned before reaching there that I would have to remain over until the -next morning, and, therefore, as soon as I stepped from the cars, started -to hunt a place at which to spend the night. Wending my way, solitary and -alone, through the twilight, I saw Mr. John Pate, the depot agent at -Decatur, coming towards me. - -"Oh, Mr. Pate, have you heard anything from ma in the last week?" - -"Yes; it went very hard with her, but she was some better this morning." - -I did not have to ask another question. I knew it all, and was dumb with -grief. The thought that I would never see my darling brother again -paralyzed me. I saw him in the mirror of my soul, in all the periods of -his existence. The beautiful little baby boy, looking at me the first time -out of his heavenly blue eyes, and his second look, as if not satisfied -with the first, followed by the suggestion of a smile. Ah, that smile! It -had never failed me through successive years and varying scenes. The -boyhood and youth--honest, truthful and generous to a fault--and the -noble, genial boyhood, had all developed within my recollection, and I -loved him with an intensity bordering on idolatry. These scenes and many -others rushed through my mind with kaleidoscopic rapidity and made me so -dizzy that I had no knowledge of how I reached the "hotel." My heart cried -and refused to be comforted. From the consolation of religion and -patriotism it recoiled and cried all the more. A great tie of nature had -been sundered, and the heart, bruised and crushed and bleeding, pulsated -still with vitality that would have flickered out but for the hope of -giving comfort to the poor bereaved mother and sister in our great sorrow. -Good ladies bathed my throbbing temples and kissed my cheeks and spoke -comforting words, for they were all drinking the bitter waters of Marah, -and knew how to reach the heart and speak of the balm of Gilead. - -"Killed on the battle-field, thirty steps from the breastworks at -Franklin, Tennessee, November 30th, 1864," was the definite information -regarding my brother's death, left for me by Mr. Pate. - -Interminable as the darkness of night appeared, it at length gave way to -the light of day, and I was ready with its dawn to take the train. But, -oh, the weight of this grief that was crushing me! Had the serpents which -attacked Laocoon, and crushed him to death by their dreadful strength, -reached out and embraced me in their complicated folds, I could not have -writhed in greater agony. I did not believe it was God's will that my -brother should die, and I could not say to that Holy Being, "Thy will be -done." In some way I felt a complicity in his death--a sort of personal -responsibility. When my brother wrote to me from his adopted home in Texas -that, having voted for secession, he believed it to be his duty to face -the danger involved by that step, and fight for the principles of -self-government vouchsafed by the Constitution of the United States, I -said nothing in reply to discourage him, but rather I indicated that if I -were eligible I should enter the contest. These, and such as these were -the harrowing reflections which accused me of personal responsibility for -the demon of war entering our household and carrying off the hope and prop -of a widowed mother. - -I found my poor stricken mother almost prostrate. The tidings of her son's -tragic death did the work apprehended by all who knew her nervous -temperament. Outwardly calm and resigned, yet almost paralyzed by the -blow, she was being tenderly cared for by our saintly neighbor, Mrs. Ammi -Williams and her family, who will always be held in grateful remembrance -by her daughters. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVI. - -MY MOTHER'S DEATH. - -Rev. Dr. John S. Wilson performs the funeral service - - -In sympathy with a disappointed people who had staked all and lost all in -the vain effort to defend the inherited rights of freemen, and had not yet -rallied from the depression occasioned by defeat, the spring of 1866 had -withheld her charms, and, instead of donning a mantle of green, decorated -with pansies, violets and primroses, hyacinths, bluebells and daffodils, -verbenas, phlox and geraniums, and bloom of vine and briar in endless -variety, the first day of April found her wounded, bleeding bosom wrapped -in the habiliments of sorrow and despondency. A few brave old apple trees, -as if to encourage the more timid, had budded and blossomed and sent forth -sweet fragrance as of yore, and a few daring sprigs of grass suggested -spring-time and sunny skies. Loneliness, oppressive and melancholy, and a -spirit of unrest, prompted me to go to the depot in quest of something -that never came, and my sister had stepped over to our neighbor, Mrs. -Williams'. - -Our mother loved the spring-time. It had always been her favorite season -of the year. Fifty-nine vernal suns had brought inspiration and hope to -her sensitive, tender heart, and given impulse to a checkered life; but -now no day-star of hope shed its effulgence for her. As I mentioned in a -former sketch, her only son had fallen mortally wounded upon the -sanguinary battle-field of Franklin, and she had never recovered from the -shock. - -After a few months of patient endurance, an attack of paralysis had -occurred, and during many days life and death contended for the victory. -But the skill of good physicians, among them Dr. Joseph P. Logan, and -faithful, efficient nursing, aided in giving her a comfortable state of -health lasting through several months. But the fiat had gone forth, and -now after a pathetic survey of earth, mingled with thankfulness even then -to the God of the spring-time, she succumbed to the inevitable. - -Returning from the depot, I espied in the distance the approaching figure -of Telitha. As she came up to me she was the very picture of despair. With -one hand clasped to her head, she fell on the ground and lay as if dead -for a moment. My worst apprehensions were more than realized. I found my -mother speechless, and never more heard her voice--never more heard any -sound emanating from her lips except labored, heavy breathing. It was all -so sudden and strange and sad, I cannot describe it. Neighbors and friends -came in by the score, and did all they could to mitigate our great sorrow. -"Johnnie" Hardeman stayed until all was over, and mother never received -from loving son kinder care or more unremitting attention. Paul Winn also -remained and manifested deep sympathy, and so did other neighbors. Oh, the -sorrow, the poignant sorrow, to see a mother in the embrace of death, and -to have no power over the monster! About thirty hours of unconsciousness, -and without a struggle, "life's fitful dream was over," about 9 o'clock p. -m., April 1st, 1866. The silent hush that ensued was sacred, and scarcely -broken by the sobs of those most deeply afflicted. - -Loving hands fashioned a shroud, and a beautiful casket was obtained from -Atlanta. When all was done, and our mother arrayed for the tomb, she -looked like the bride of Heaven. I gazed long and earnestly upon her face -and figure, and went away and came back, and gazed again admiringly. For -every lineament was formed into a mold that compelled admiration. - -During the two days that she lay there, I often lingered by her side; and -I recalled the many scenes, ofttimes perilous and sad, and ofttimes joyous -and gay, through which we had gone together. Although a wee bit girl, -scarcely turned in my fifth year at the time of my mother's second -marriage, I remembered her as a bride. I remembered our journey by gig and -wagon to Cassville, then, paradoxical as it may sound now, situated in the -heart of a wilderness of beauty and savagery. The war-whoop of an -uncivilized race of Indians, justly angry and resentful, reverberated -though the impenetrable forest that belted the little settlement of white -people that had the hardihood and bravery to make their homes among them. -I remembered how she soon became a favorite, and was beloved by every one -in that sparsely-settled locality, and won even the hearts of the Indians, -by kindness towards them. She taught them how to make frocks and shirts, -and clothes for their children, for the Cherokees were an ambitious -people, and aspired to assimilation with the white race; and, to please -them, she learned to bead moccasins, and other articles, ornamental and -useful, just as they did. She also learned their alphabet, and became able -to instruct them in their own language. - -I remembered how she had always worked for the poor; not so much in -societies (where the good that is accomplished in one way is often more -than counterbalanced by the harm that is done in others), as in the quiet -of her home, and in the humble habitations of God's poor. I remembered, -with a melancholy thrill, how she had worked for our soldiers, and had not -withheld good deeds from an invading alien army. Reverently I took in mine -her little, symmetrical hand as it lay peacefully over the heart that had -ever beat in unison with all that was good. It was weather-beaten, and I -could feel the rough places on the palm through the pretty white silk -glove in which it was encased. Cold and stark in death, it gave no -responsive pressure to my own. I thought of its past service to me in -which it never tired. It had trained my own from the rudimentary "straight -lines" and "pot hooks," through all the intricacies of skilled penmanship, -and from the picturesque letters on a sampler to the complete stitches of -advanced embroidery. The little motionless hand that I now held in my own -had picked corn from cracks and crevices in bureau drawers, which served -as troughs for Garrard's cavalry horses, to make bread with which to -appease her hunger and mine. I gazed upon the pallid face and -finely-chiseled features. The nose never seemed so perfect, or the brow so -fair, or the snow-white hair so beautiful. The daintiest of mull caps -heightened the effect of the perfect combination of feature, placidity and -intellectual expression. I fancied I had never seen her look so beautiful, -and felt that it was meet that we should lay her away in a tomb where she -could rest undisturbed until the resurrection morn, not doubting that the -verdict of a great and good God would assign her a place among His chosen -ones. - -Soothing to our bruised hearts was the sweet singing of those who watched -at night beside her lifeless form. With gratitude we remember them still: -Laura and Mary Williams, Emma and John Kirkpatrick, Josiah Willard and -John McKoy. One of the hymns they sang was "Jerusalem, My Happy Home." - -The hour for the funeral service came. Friends and neighbors and -fellow-citizens had been assembling for several hours, and now the house -was full, and the yard was thronged. Where did this concourse of people -come from--old men, war-stricken veterans, and a few young men who had -survived the bloody conflict that had decimated the youth of the South, -and boys and women and girls! All alike came to pay respect to the -deceased friend, and to show sympathy for the bereaved and lonely sisters. -That sainted man and friend of ours, Rev. John S. Wilson, took his stand -near the casket, and we sat near him, and those who loved us best got -very near to us. Ah, well do I remember them! I could call each by name -now, and the order in which they came. An impressive silence ensued, -broken by the man of God uttering in hopeful intonation and animated -manner, "She is not dead, but sleepeth," and a sermon followed upon the -resurrection of God's people, never surpassed in interest and pathos. All -felt the power of his theme, and the eloquence of his words. He also spoke -of the humble modesty of his friend, who had counted herself least in the -congregation of the righteous, and dispensed favors to others in an -unobtrusive manner, and who practically illustrated the divine command: -"Do unto others as ye would that others should do unto you." This -beautiful funeral tribute was succeeded by the hymn-- - - "Rock of ages, cleft for me," - -which was sung with an unction which none but Christians can feel. - -The last earthly look, solemn and earnest, was taken of our -long-suffering, patient, loving mother, and everybody in the house -followed our example and gazed reverently upon the pretty face, cold in -death. And then the pall-bearers, "Johnnie" Kirkpatrick, "Johnnie" -Hardeman, Virgil Wilson and Mr. G. W. Houston, bore her to the grave. - -With uncovered head and grey locks fluttering in the vernal breeze, Dr. -Wilson repeated the beautiful burial service of the Presbyterian Church. I -can never describe the utter desolation of feeling I experienced as I -stood clasped in the arms of my sister, and heard the first spadeful of -earth fall over the remains of our loved one. - -But we had heard above all the glorious words, "This mortal shall put on -immortality," and "O, death, where is thy sting? O, grave, where is thy -victory?" - - - - -CHAPTER XXVII. - -A REMINISCENCE. - - -"Sister, you are not paying any attention whatever to my reading, and you -are losing the most beautiful thoughts in this delightful book." - -"Yes, and I am sorry to do so; but I think I see one of Rachel's -children--Madaline or Frances." - -My sister closed her book, and, looking in the direction indicated, agreed -with me that the negro woman, clothed in the habiliments of widowhood, who -was coming up the avenue with a little boy by her side and one in her -arms, was one of Rachel's children; and, although she was scarcely in her -teens when she went away, she was a mother now, and traces of care were -visible in every lineament of her face. I recognized her, however, as -Rachel's youngest daughter, Frances, and went to meet her. - -"Is that you, Frances?" I asked. - -"Yes, Miss Mary, this is me; your same nigger Frances, and these are my -children." - -"I am glad to see you and your children;" and I extended my hand in -genuine cordiality to her who had once been a slave in my mother's family, -and I bade her welcome to her old home. Frances was too demonstrative to -be satisfied with simply hand-clasping, and putting her boy on the ground, -she threw her arms around me and literally overwhelmed me with kisses. My -hands, neck and face were covered with them, and she picked me up and -carried me in her arms to the house, her children following in amazed -astonishment. She now turned her attention to them, and, after -deliberately shaking the wrinkles out of their clothes, she as -deliberately introduced them to me. The older of the two she introduced as -"King by name," and the younger as "Lewis by name." - -"You see, Miss Mary, I named my children King and Lewis 'cause my white -folks named my brothers King and Lewis." - -The ceremony of introducing her sons to _her_ old _white folks_ being -performed to her satisfaction, she again turned her attention to me, and -again literally overwhelmed me with caresses. - -Entering the house, I asked Frances and her children to come in too. - -"Miss Mary, whar's Miss Polly?" - -"Have you not heard, Frances, that ma is dead?" - -"Seem to me I has heard somethin' about it, but some how I didn't believe -it. And my poor Miss Polly is dead! Well, she ain't dead, but she's gone -to heaven." - -And Frances became quite hysterical in demonstrations of grief. - -"And Marse Thomie, what about him, Miss Mary?" - -"He was killed by the enemy at Franklin, Tenn., the 30th of November, -1864." - -"Miss Mary, did them old Yankees kill him?" - -"Yes, he was killed in battle." - -And again, whether sincere or affected, Frances became hysterical in -demonstrations of grief. - -"Miss Mary, whar's Miss Missouri? Is she dead too?" - -"No; that was she who was sitting in the portico with me as you were -coming up the avenue. She always has to go off and compose herself before -meeting any of you--ma was that way, too--I suppose you remind her of -happier days, and the contrast is so sad that she is overcome by grief and -has to get relief in tears." - -"Yes'm, I have to cry, too, and it does me a monstous heap of good. I know -it's mighty childish, but I jest can't help it. Jest to think all my white -folks is done dead but Miss Mary and Miss Missouri!" - -"Our brother left a dear little boy in Texas, and I am going after him -next winter. He and his mother are going to live with us, and then we will -not be so lonely." - -"That's so, Miss Mary." - -Frances and her children having partaken of a bountiful supper, she -resumed, with renewed vigor, her erratic conversation, which consisted, -chiefly, of innumerable questions, interspersed with much miraculous -information regarding herself since she left her white folks and became a -wife, a mother, and a widow. - -"Miss Mary, whar's my children going to sleep tonight?" - -"With your help I will provide a comfortable place for them, and, also, -for you." - -And taking a lantern and leading the way to the kitchen, I entered and -pointed to a light bedstead, and told her to carry a portion of it at a -time to my room, and we would put it up in there. - -"Same old room, jest like it was when me and my mammy used to sleep in it. - -"Well, things do look mighty nateral if it has been a long time since I -seed it. - -"And Miss Mary is agoing to let me and my children sleep in her room. -Well!" - -The bedstead having been placed in position, a mattress and bed clothing -were furnished. And soon the little negro children were soundly sleeping -under the protecting roof of their mother's former young mistresses. - -"Whar's your teakettle, Miss Mary?" Having been told where to find it, -Frances took it to the well and filled it with water, and, by adding a -little more fuel to the fire, soon had it boiling. - -"Whar's your bath-tub, Miss Mary?" - -That, too, was soon produced and supplied with hot water, reduced to -proper temperature. Memories of the past left no doubt in my mind as to -the use to which the water was to be applied, and I determined to gratify -every fancy that would give pleasure to our former handmaid, and, -therefore, I made no resistance when garters were unbuckled, shoes and -stockings removed, and feet tenderly lifted into the tub. She knew just -how long to keep them there, and how to manipulate them so as to give the -most satisfaction and enjoyment; and how to dry them--a very important -process. And then the shoes and stockings were again put on, and giving -me an affectionate pat on the head she told me to sit still until she told -me to move. - -"Now, whar's your comb and brush?" - -The force of habit must have impelled her to ask this question, as, -without awaiting an answer, she went to the bureau and got the articles -about which she had asked, and in a few moments she had my long, luxuriant -black hair uncoiled and flowing over my shoulders. She was delighted; she -combed and braided it, and unbraided and combed it again and again, and -finally, as if reluctant to do so, arranged it for the night. - -"Now, whar's your gown?" - -"You will find it hanging in the wardrobe." - -Having undressed me, Frances insisted upon putting the gown on me, and -then wanted to carry and put me in bed; this service, however, I declined -with thanks. All these gentle manipulations had a soporific effect upon -me, and I fain would have slept, but no such pleasure was in store for me. -Frances had an axe to grind, and I had to turn the grindstone, or incur -her displeasure. Mark her proposition: - -"Miss Mary, I come to give you my children." - -"Your what?" - -"My children, these smart little boys. I'll go with you to the court-house -in the mornin' and you can have the papers drawn up and I'll sign 'em, and -these little niggers will belong to you 'til they's of age to do for -theyselves; and all I'll ever ask you to do for me for 'em is to raise -them like my Miss Polly raised me." - -"That you should be willing to give your children away, Frances, surprises -me exceedingly. If you are without a home, and would like to come here and -live, I will do all I can for you and your children. The kitchen is not -occupied, only as a lumber or baggage room, and you can have that without -paying rent; and you can take care of the cow and have all you can make -off of her milk and butter, except just enough for the table use of two; -and you can have a garden without paying rent, and many other -favors--indeed, I will favor you in every possible way." - -"Well, I tell you how it is, Miss Mary. You see, mammy wants to open up a -laundry, and she wants me to help her. She's done 'gaged several womens to -help her, and she wants me to go in with her sorter as a partner, you see. -And I wants to get my children a good home, for you knows if I had to take -care of 'em I couldn't do much in a laundry." - -"And you want me to take care of them?" - -"Yes'm; just like you used to take care of your own little niggers before -freedom, and after I sign the papers they'll belong to you, _don't you -know_." - -"I am sorry to disappoint you, Frances, but I cannot accept your offer. If -slavery were restored and every negro on the American continent were -offered to me, I should spurn the offer, and prefer poverty rather than -assume the cares and perplexities of the ownership of a people who have -shown very little gratitude for what has been done for them." Without -seeming to notice the last sentence, Frances exclaimed: - -"Well, it's mighty strange. White folks used to love little niggers, and -now they won't have them as a gracious gift." - -Under the cover of night she had made her proposition and received her -disappointment, after which she lay down by her children and was soon -sleeping at the rate of 2:40 per hour, if computed by the snoring she kept -up. In due time morning, cheerful, sun-lighted morning, came, and with it -many benign influences and good resolutions for the day. - -Frances asked where everything was, and having ascertained, went to work -and soon had a nice, appetizing breakfast for us, as well as for herself -and children. After that important meal had been enjoyed, she inquired -about the trains on the Georgia Railroad, and asked what time she could go -into Atlanta. I told her she could go at nine o'clock, but I preferred -that she should stay until twelve o'clock, m. - -"Miss Mary, what was in that trunk I saw in the kitchen last night?" - -"I scarcely know; odds and ends put there for safekeeping, I suppose." - -"May I have the trunk and the odds and ends in it? They can't be much, or -they wouldn't be put off there." - -"We will go and see." Again I took the kitchen key, and the trunk key as -well, and having unlocked both receptacles, I told Frances to turn the -contents of the trunks out upon the floor. When she saw them I noticed her -disappointment, and I told her to remain there until I called her. I went -in the house and got a pair of sheets, a pair of blankets, a quilt, -several dresses and underclothing, and many things that she could make -useful for her children, and put them together, and then called her and -told her to take them and put them in the trunk. - -"Look here, Miss Mary, you ain't going to give me all them things, is -you?" - -"Yes, put them in the trunk and lock it." - -A large sack of apples, a gift also, was soon gathered and a boy engaged -to carry it and the trunk over to the depot in a wheelbarrow. Promptly at -half-past eleven o'clock the trunk and apples, and Frances and her little -boys, were on the way to the depot, _en route_ to Atlanta, their future -home, and even a synopsis of the subsequent achievements of that woman and -her unlettered mother would be suggestive of Munchausen. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVIII. - -HOW THE DECATUR WOMEN KEPT UP THE SABBATH SCHOOL. - -A Brief Sketch of the Old Churches and the Union Sunday School--The -Resumption of Church Services. - - -Before the war there were in Decatur but two churches, the Methodist and -the Presbyterian; although Baptist and Episcopal services were -occasionally held. The churches first mentioned had been organized about -1825. The Presbyterians first worshipped in a log church, and afterwards -in a frame building, but in 1846 had erected a substantial brick church. -In this building was also taught the Decatur Union Sabbath School, -organized in 1831, and for twenty-five years preceding the summer of 1864 -it had been superintended by that godly man, Mr. Levi Willard. - -The Federals had now come in. The church had been rifled of all its -contents, including the pews. The faithful Sunday School superintendent -with his lovely family soon after went away. Being nearer to our house, I -remember more about the dismantling and refurnishing of the Presbyterian -church than of the Methodist. So far as can be ascertained, the last -sermon at the Presbyterian church had been preached by Rev. James C. -Patterson, who was then living at Griffin, but was the stated supply of -the pulpit here at that time. He will be remembered as a most godly man, -and as a sweet singer of sacred songs. - -The Sabbath before the entrance of the Federals, no service was held in -the dear old church. The last prayer service had been held on Wednesday -afternoon, led by Mr. Levi Willard, who was an efficient elder. - -In July, 1864, but few families remained in Decatur; but there was still a -goodly number of children and young people whose training must not be -neglected. On the southwest corner of the Courthouse stood, and still -stands, a long, narrow, two-story house. The lower story was occupied as a -residence--the upper story, for many years preceding and succeeding these -times, was the quarters of the Masonic Lodge. In the ante-room of this -lodge, Miss Lizzie Mortin taught a day school. The first story of the -building was now occupied by the family of Mr. John M. Hawkins. Mr. -Hawkins had enlisted in the army early in the war, but for some reason had -returned home and been elected clerk of the court, which position he held -until forced to leave before the advancing foe. - -Mrs. Hawkins, whose maiden name was Valeria A. Perkins, the eldest -daughter of Reuben Perkins of Franklin county, gladly opened her house on -Sunday mornings that the children might be taught in the Sacred -Scriptures. And thus a Sunday School was begun, and Mrs. Hawkins was made -the superintendent. - -Among the organizers and teachers may be mentioned Miss Cynthia Brown, -Mrs. H. H. Chivers, Mrs. Eddleman, Miss Lizzie Morton, and Miss Lizzie -McCrary. Mr. and Mrs. Buchanan, Mrs. Ammi Williams, and Mr. Fred Williams -acted as a sort of advisory board. Rev. Dr. Holmes and Rev. P. F. Hughes, -two elderly Baptist ministers, sometimes came; and Mr. R. J. Cooper, a -godly layman, came a few times. - -The names of some of these Sabbath school pupils can yet be -re-called:--Charley, Guss and Lizzie Hawkins; their Cousins John, Sam, -Ellen and Lizzie Hawkins, the children of Mr. Sam Hawkins, who is still -living in Summerville, Georgia; the children of Mr. R. J. Cooper, and of -Mrs. Eddleman, Mrs. Chivers, and of Mr. Ed Morton. There were others whose -names I cannot recall. - -The number of pupils increased to forty, and the school, having out-grown -its quarters, was moved to the Court House; but when the Federals chose to -occupy the Court House, the Sunday school was moved back to Mrs. Hawkins's -home. The Bible was the text book; for there were no Sunday-school papers -or song books. - -Imagine the scene, if you can. Says one of the participants, who was then -a young girl: "We were a peculiarly dressed lot. I had a stand-by suit, -the skirt made of a blanket shawl; with this I wore one of my brother's -white shirts and a red flannel jacket. I had grown so fast that I was -taller than my mother, and there was literally nothing large enough in our -house or circle of friends to make me a whole suit. One of the ladies wore -a gray plaid silk, a pair of brown jeans shoes, and a woven straw bonnet. -She had nothing else to wear. Many of the children were rigged out in -clothes made from thrown-away uniforms, picked up, washed, and cut down -by the mothers." - -Mrs. Hawkins is still living near Decatur. She remembers that on several -occasions the soldiers came in while the school was in session, much to -the demoralizing of good order and comfort of mind. On one occasion the -raiders piled barrels one on top of another, near the house, and set them -afire, frightening the children very much. - -When the war was over, the refugees began to return. Among the first were -the families of Mr. J. W. Kirkpatrick, Mr. Ezekiel Mason, Captain Milton -A. Candler, Dr. W. W. Durham, Dr. P. F. Hoyle, Mrs. Jane Morgan, Mrs. -Cynthia Stone, Mr. James Winn, Mr. Benjamin Swanton, Mr. Jonathan Wilson, -and Mr. J. N. Pate. But, alas! our faithful old Sunday-school -superintendent and his family returned not, but remained in Springfield, -Ohio, with the exception of Mr. Josiah J. Willard, who afterwards married -Miss Jessie Candler, a sister of Captain Candler. - -These returning refugees were devoted to the Sunday-school. Mr. John C. -Kirkpatrick, just from the war, and scarce twenty-one, undertook the task -of re-seating the Presbyterian church. He went out to a saw-mill and had -puncheons sawed and carried to Mr. Kirkpatrick's cabinet shop, where they -were fashioned into temporary seats. These were placed in the church, and -it was once more opened for the exercises of the union Sunday-school, and -also for divine worship. Who conducted those exercises, I can find no one -who now remembers. My mother had been stricken in July, 1865, with -paralysis, which confined her to her bed for many weeks. It was not to be -supposed that her daughters could leave her; so that neither one of them -can recollect these sessions of the resumed Sabbath-school. - -There lies before me "the Sunday-school register and minute-book of 1866," -kindly furnished for inspection by Mr. Hiram J. Williams, who had from -early youth been constantly identified with the Sunday-school and church. -The Superintendent was Mr. Ben T. Hunter; the librarian, Mr. John C. -Kirkpatrick; the treasurer, Mr. John J. McKoy. Mr. Kirkpatrick removed to -Atlanta in the August of that year, and Mr. Josiah Willard was elected to -fill his place, but resigned in December to go on to Ohio, from whence he -soon returned, and died a few years ago in Atlanta. - -But I must not forget that I am not writing a history of the -Sabbath-school, yet I cannot leave the theme without mentioning the fact -that all the faithful ones who had taught in the stormy days of war still -came in time of peace, and many others whose hearts had not grown cold by -their enforced absence. Let me mention the teachers: Mr. J. W. -Kirkpatrick, Dr. P. F. Hoyle, Rev. A. T. Holmes, Mr. W. W. Brimm, Captain -Milton A. Candler, Mr. G. A. Ramspeck[4], Dr. John L. Hardman, Mr. H. H. -Puckett, Mr. W. A. Moore (afterwards a Superintendent), Miss Cynthia -Brown, Mrs. H. H. Chivers, Mrs. Eddleman, Mrs. Catharine Winn, Mrs. Jane -Morgan, Miss Lizzie Swanton, Mrs. E. A. Mason, Mrs. Valeria A. Hawkins, -Mrs. J. J. McKoy and Miss Lee Moore. Miss M. H. Stokes had been appointed -one of the teachers, but her mother's feeble health, and the great shock -consequent upon her death, prevented this teacher from attending that year -with any regularity. - -Among the names of "visitors" we notice those of Mr. Bryce, Rev. P. F. -Hughes, Mr. Cooper, and Mr. L. J. Winn. - -The re-opening of the Sabbath school at the old church was doubtless a -great blessing to many. To one young man the joining of that school, and -the acceptance of a teacher's place, meant the first public step to a -profession of faith in Christ. Captain Milton A. Candler was the child of -pious parents, but so far as he knew, was at this time an unconverted man. -He reluctantly and with great diffidence accepted a teacher's place. Said -he quite recently: "I attribute my subsequent union with the church to the -study of the Bible which I made while teaching a class of little boys, -Sabbath after Sabbath, in the old church with its puncheon seats. I taught -my pupils, a class of little boys, to read from 'the blue-back speller,' -and, when that lesson was over, read to them from the Bible, explaining it -to them as best I could in all humility." In a few years he made a public -profession of his faith in Christ, and was elected to the Superintendency -of the Sabbath-school, (which office he still holds), and has labored for -its interests with a love and an unflagging zeal rarely ever equalled. - -How sweet were the voices of many of the teachers and pupils! John C. -Kirkpatrick sang a fine tenor; and clear and soft and true were the tones -of Josiah Willard, sweet as the lovely character of this sainted one. All -who knew Rev. J. D. Burkhead remember his singing, and he often led the -music. A little later came Mrs. Mary Jane Wood with her magnificent voice, -and the grand bass of Joseph Morgan, the son of one of the pioneer -teachers, Mrs. Martha Morgan. From this Sunday-school, and from its -ex-Confederate soldiers, there went into the ministry W. W. Brimm, Paul P. -Winn and Sam K. Winn. Promoted to the Glory Land long ago was Mrs. Jane -Morgan; and, more recently, Mrs. Catherine Winn. - -In the summer of 1866, a Sabbath-school was organized at the Methodist -church, which, while a step in the right direction, was the sundering, in -one sense, of ties that were very dear. - -I cannot ascertain when the first sermon was preached in the church after -the war, but think it must have been in August, as there is this entry in -the journal of my sister, Miss Stokes, already quoted from in a former -part of this volume: "Sunday, August 27th, 1865.--Dr. Holmes preached in -the Presbyterian church, which has been re-opened for divine service, -being furnished with puncheon seats without backs. There are a few benches -with backs. Next Sabbath, Dr. Wilson will administer the communion of the -Lord's supper." This was done at the time appointed--the first communion -held in the church after the war. (The Dr. Wilson referred to was the -venerable Rev. John S. Wilson, D. D., who had organized the church forty -years before.) - -So far as is known, the only part of the former church furnishings that -ever re-appeared was the melodeon (or "seraphine"), which Rosella Stone, a -negro woman, had preserved. She must have done this for the sake of Miss -Marian Stone, who had formerly played it in church, and who, if I remember -aright, played it again after the resumption of church services. - -In the winter of 1865 and 1866, there was preaching for a short while by -the Rev. Theodore Smith. Then followed Rev. J. D. Burkhead, and under his -preaching, in the early spring, there occurred a protracted meeting, at -which many persons were added to the church. - -Gladly would I recall, if I could, the preachers who supplied the -Methodist church at that time, but my memory fails me as to the exact -details. I believe, however, that the Rev. William Henry Clarke, referred -to in a preceding sketch, was the first Methodist minister who preached -there after the war; and that Rev. Mr. Morgan and Rev. William A. Dodge -were the first ministers in charge appointed by Conference. - -In ante-bellum times, on many of the large plantations, special services -were held for the negroes--some planters paying a regular salary for this -purpose. In pious families, members of the household often taught the -slaves, especially the house servants, the Bible and Catechism. So far as -I can recollect, certain seats were assigned to them in all churches at -all services, besides the special services usually held for them on -Sabbath afternoons. - -After the war, the negroes of Decatur and surrounding country were -organized into a Sabbath-school at the Presbyterian Church, They came in -large numbers, and were faithfully taught by the people of Decatur. To the -kind courtesy of Mr. George A. Ramspeck I am indebted for the loan of the -Minute-book of this school, which seems to have been organized in 1867. -The pastor was the Superintendent. The Vice-Superintendent was Mr. Samuel -K. Winn, the Treasurer, Mr. George A. Ramspeck, and the Librarian, Mr. -Moses S. Brown. But after several months the negroes went off to -themselves, and eventually founded the African Methodist Episcopal Church. -They have also a Baptist Church. In these undertakings they were assisted -by the people of the village. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIX. - -POSTAL AFFAIRS. - -The Postmaster, Hiram J. Williams--A life that was a reality, but reads -like a romance. - - -The north side of the court-house square at Decatur is intersected by a -public road leading to North Decatur, Silver Lake, the Chattahoochee -River, and points beyond. On the eastern corner of this intersection -stands the well-known Bradbury House. The house itself is an unsightly -object, being almost untenable through age and neglect, but occupying a -most desirable location. From its site lovely views of the surrounding -country may be obtained, as the eye sweeps the circle of the horizon which -is bounded on the north by distant hills, and on the northwest by the blue -peaks of the Kennesaw. In the west is a near-by plateau, crowned with oaks -and pines, beautiful in the morning when covered with a filmy mantle of -faint purple mist--gorgeous at evening, when overhung by sunset clouds. - -In 1860 the lower part of the Bradbury House was occupied as a store and -postoffice, the proprietor and postmaster being Mr. William Bradbury. His -assistant was Hiram J. Williams, then a lad of fourteen years. When Mr. -Bradbury enlisted in the DeKalb Light Infantry in 1861, Hiram became in -reality the postmaster. At that early age he manifested the same traits -which have characterized him to this day--unwearied attention to the -business before him, unvarying courtesy, beautiful modesty, calm unbroken -serenity of manner, and an unswerving honesty. - -During the four years of the war, the mail received and sent out from -Decatur was enormous in its quantity, and all the while it was handled by -this youth; for when, in 1862, Mr. Bradbury resigned and Mr. John N. Pate -was appointed postmaster in his place, Hiram Williams was retained in the -office, Mr. Pate simply bringing over the mail from the depot. So great -was the quantity of mail matter that sometimes Hiram had to call to his -assistance his young friend, John Bowie. - -During those war years, there were but few postoffices in DeKalb County, -and the people for miles around had their mail sent to Decatur. The -soldiers, unless writing to young ladies, rarely ever paid postage on -their letters, but left it to be done by their home folks. This unpaid -postage had to be collected and kept account of. Often a poor wife or -mother, after trudging weary miles to the postoffice, would receive a -letter from husband or son and, unwilling to return without answering it, -would request Hiram to answer it for her, which he always did. With every -package of letters sent out, a way-bill had to go, showing the number of -letters, how many were prepaid, how many unpaid, etc, etc. Imagine the -work this entailed! Imagine the great responsibility! Imagine the youth -who bore this labor and responsibility for four years! Small of stature, -quiet in manner, but with an undaunted spirit looking out from his steady -but softly bright brown eyes. How brave he must have been, and how his -good widowed mother and only sister must have doted on him. - -In July, 1864, when the booming of the Federal guns is heard from the -banks of the Chattahoochee, the postoffice is closed and for several -months thereafter letters, if sent for at all, are sent by hand. - -Our brave little postmaster now hies him away to Augusta, and there acts -as mailing clerk for "The Constitutionalist," and, after the surrender, -for "The Evening Transcript." In 1866 he returns to Decatur and engages in -mercantile business with Willard and McKoy, but soon after opens a store -of his own. - -Early in 1867, Mr. Williams, now arrived at the age of twenty-one, is -appointed postmaster at Decatur by Samuel W. Randall, postmaster general -of the United States Government. In 1869 Mr. Williams was elected clerk of -the Superior Court of DeKalb County, still retaining the office of -postmaster, but having an assistant in each position. - -In 1871, he was re-elected clerk of the court, and again in 1873. All this -time he continued to be postmaster, and was re-commissioned by Postmaster -General Jewell in 1875, holding the office up to 1880. - -Mr. Williams continued to be Clerk of the Superior Court until 1884, when -Mr. Robert Russell, a Confederate veteran, was elected. Mr. Williams then -returned for a while to mercantile pursuits. But while pursuing the even -tenor of his way, was called to a responsible position in Atlanta (which -he still holds) with the G. W. Scott Manufacturing Company, now known as -the Southern Fertilizer Company. - -From 1870 to 1886, Mr. Williams was a special correspondent of "The -Atlanta Constitution," thus preserving the history of Decatur and of -DeKalb county during that period. - -So much for a business career of remarkable success. But is this all? What -of the higher and nobler life? This has not been neglected. In 1866 Mr. -Williams united with the Decatur Presbyterian church. In 1868 he was -appointed Librarian of the Sabbath school, an office he still holds. In -1894 he was elected to the office of Deacon, and also appointed church -Treasurer. When the Agnes Scott Institute, for girls, was founded in 1891, -he was made Secretary and Treasurer. - -Mr. Williams has been twice married--in his early manhood to Miss Jennie -Hughes, who lived but a short while. His present wife was Miss Belle -Steward, who has been a true help-meet. They have a lovely and hospitable -home on Sycamore street, where her sweet face, ever beaming with -cheerfulness and loving kindness and sympathy for all, must be to him as a -guiding star to lead and bless him with its light, as he returns at -evening from the city and its business cares and toils, to the rest and -peace of home. - -If any one should say that this is not strictly a war sketch, I would -reply, "no, but who could resist following up at least the salient points -of such a life--a life that exemplifies the main elements of success." -Dear young readers, have you not seen what they are:--perseverance, -fidelity to trusts reposed, punctuality, courtesy, honesty and -conscientiousness--in other words, adherence to right principles and to -Christian duty. - - - - -CHAPTER XXX. - -THE TRAGIC DEATH OF SALLIE DURHAM. - -The closing days of the war--A sketch of the Durham family--The death of -Sallie. - - -On the 9th of April, 1865, at Appomattox Court House, Lee had surrendered -his army of twenty-five thousand men to Grant with his four-fold forces. -One after another of the Confederate Generals had been forced to yield to -superior numbers, and by the last of May the war was over. - -"The North had at the beginning of the strife a population of twenty-two -millions; the South had ten millions, four millions of whom were slaves. -The North had enlisted during the war two million six hundred thousand -troops--the South a little more than six hundred thousand. Now the North -had a million men to send home--the South but one hundred and fifty -thousand." - -Jefferson Davis had been captured, and imprisoned in Fortress Monroe. Our -worn and ragged soldiers had returned to a devastated country. Our entire -people were to begin life over again in the midst of poverty, uncertainty, -and under the watchful eye of the conqueror. The war was over, but -military rule was not. - -It was in these transition days, between the fall of "the Lost Cause" and -the more stirring events of "Reconstruction," that there occurred in our -little village a most appalling tragedy. To understand it fully, my -readers should know something of the young lady's family. Let us pause -here and take a backward glance. - -About a hundred years ago Lindsey Durham, a Georgia boy of English -descent, graduated from a Philadelphia Medical College and located in -Clarke county, in his native State. Drugs were expensive, as they could -not be obtained nearer than Savannah, Charleston or New York. Being -surrounded by frontiersmen and Indians, he could but notice the efficacy -of the native barks and roots used by them as medicines. He was thus led -to adopt to a large extent the theories of the Botanic School. He began to -cultivate his own medicinal plants, and to prosecute with much zeal his -botanical studies and researches. He even went to Europe and procured -seeds and plants of medicinal value, until finally his garden of medicinal -herbs and plants contained thirteen acres. So great was his fame that -patients began to come to him from adjoining States, and he had to build -cottages on his plantation in order to entertain them. His marvellous -success brought to him ample compensation. He became a millionaire, and -lived in all the old-time splendor. Once, by a loan of money, he rescued -the Athens bank from utter failure. - -Dr. Lindsey Durham left several sons, all of whom were physicians. The -eldest of these, and the most eminent, was Dr. William W. Durham, who was -born on his father's plantation in Clarke county, in 1823. After a -collegiate course at Mercer University, he graduated from the Jefferson -Medical College of Philadelphia, taking high honors, spending five years -in the hospital there, and perfecting himself in surgery. This talented -gentleman married Miss Sarah Lowe, of Clarke county, and, four years after -her death, he married Mrs. Georgia A. Allen, whose maiden name was Wood, -and who was a native of Franklin, Georgia. - -With the children of his first marriage and their fair young step-mother, -Dr. Durham came to Decatur in 1859. Well do I remember the children; two -handsome sons, John and William--two pretty brown-eyed girls, Sarah and -Catherine. It is needless to say that a large practice awaited the -skillful physician, whose eclectic methods were then comparatively new. - -William, the eldest son, went into the Confederate service at the age of -sixteen, remaining the entire four years, suffering severely at the siege -of Vicksburg, fighting valiantly at the Battle of Atlanta, and coming out -of the war the shadow of his former self, with nothing but an old army -mule and one silver dollar. - -Sarah Durham, called Sallie by her family and friends, was a lovely girl -of seventeen. She was tall and graceful; bright, and full of enthusiasm; -kind, loving and generous. She had just returned from her grandmother's -plantation, for her father had not sooner dared to have his daughters -return, such was the insolence of the straggling Federals. - -On the morning of September 1st, 1865, this dear girl arose early and -noiselessly with a scheme in her kind heart. The former servants were all -gone; her mother was not well, and she would surprise the household by -preparing for them a nice breakfast. In fancy we see her, as she treads -lightly, and chats softly with her tiny half-sister Jennie, and with a -little negro girl who in some way had remained with the family. - -The Durham residence, which was on Sycamore street, then stood just -eastward of where Col. G. W. Scott now lives. The rear of the house faced -the site where the depot had been before it was burned by the Federals, -the distance being about 350 yards. Hearing an incoming train, Sallie went -to the dining room window to look at the cars, as she had learned in some -way that they contained Federal troops. While standing at the window -resting against the sash, she was struck by a bullet fired from the train. -(It was afterwards learned that the cars were filled with negro troops on -their way to Savannah, who were firing off their guns in a random, -reckless manner.) The ball entered the left breast of this dear young -girl, ranging obliquely downward, coming out just below the waist, and -lodging in the door of a safe, or cupboard, which stood on the opposite -side of the room. (This old safe, with the mark of the ball, is still in -the village.) - -The wounded girl fell, striking her head against the dining table, but -arose, and walking up a long hall she threw open the door of her father's -room, calling to him in a voice of distress. Springing from bed, he said: - -"What is it, my child?" - -"Oh, father," she exclaimed, "the Yankees have killed me!" - -Laying her upon a small bed in the room, her father cut away from her -chest her homespun dress and made a hasty examination of the wound. Her -horror-stricken mother remembers to this day that awful scene in all its -details. But we will draw a veil over the grief of the smitten family, as -they stood half paralyzed at this sudden calamity, and looked upon the -loved one whom they were helpless to save. Mrs. Durham recalls the fact -that the first person who came in was Rev. Dr. Holmes, and that throughout -this great trial he and his family were very sympathetic and helpful. - -Every physician in the village and city, and her father's three brothers -were summoned, but nothing could be done except to alleviate her -sufferings. She could lie only on her right side, with her left arm in a -sling suspended from the ceiling. Every attention was given by relatives -and friends. Her grandmother Durham came and brought with her the old -family trained nurse. Sallie's schoolmates and friends were untiring in -their attentions. Some names that have appeared in previous sketches, will -now appear again, for they watched with anxious, loving hearts by the -couch where the young sufferer lay. Tenderly let us mention their names, -as we tread softly in memory's sacred halls. Among the constant attendants -at her bedside were Mrs. Martha Morgan, Mrs. Hughes, Mrs. Morton, Miss -Laura Williams (Mrs. J. J. McKoy), Lizzie and Anna Morton, Mrs. H. H. -Chivers, Dr. Jim Brown and John Hardeman. During the week that her life -slowly ebbed away, there was another who ever lingered near her, a -sleepless and tireless watcher, a young man of a well-known family, to -whom this sweet young girl was engaged to be married. - -Writes Mrs. P. W. Corr, of Hampton, Florida, (formerly Miss Lizzie -Morton): "Never can I forget the dreary night when Willie Durham, Kitty -Durham and Warren Morton left Decatur with Sallie's body, which was to be -buried in the old family cemetery in Clarke county. Mrs. Durham, who was -in delicate health, was utterly prostrated and the doctor could not leave -her." So Dr. Charles Durham managed the funeral arrangements, chartering -the car, and Sallie was buried from the old church her grandfather Lowe -had built on his own plantation in Clarke county, and laid to rest in the -Durham cemetery near by. - -Sallie was shot on Friday at 7:30 A. M., and died the following Friday at -3:30 A. M. While she had suffered untold agony, she was conscious to the -last. Throughout her illness she manifested a thoughtful consideration for -the comfort of others. Especially did she show tender solicitude for her -step-mother, insisting that she should not fatigue herself. While anxious -to live, she said she was not afraid to die. In her closing hours she told -her friends that she saw her own mother, her grandfather Durham, and her -uncle Henry Durham (who had died in the Confederate service), all of whom -she expected to meet in the bright beyond. - -General Stephenson was in command of the Federal Post at Atlanta. He was -notified of this tragedy, and sent an officer to investigate. This officer -refused to take anybody's word that Sallie had been shot by a United -States soldier from the train; but, dressed in full uniform, with spur and -sabre rattling upon the bare floor, he advanced to the bed where the -dying girl lay, and threw back the covering "to see if she had really been -shot." This intrusion almost threw her into a spasm. This officer and the -others at Atlanta promised to do all in their power to bring the guilty -party to justice, but nothing ever came of the promise, so far as we know. - -As a singular coincidence, as well as an illustration of the lovely -character of Sallie, I will relate a brief incident given by the gifted -pen already quoted from: "One of the most vivid pictures of the past in my -memory is that of Sallie Durham emptying her pail of blackberries into the -hands of Federal prisoners on a train that had just stopped for a moment -at Decatur, in 1863. We had all been gathering berries at Moss's Hill, and -stopped on our way home for the train to pass." - -Dr. W. W. Durham lived for nearly twenty years after Sallie's death. -During the war he had enlisted as a soldier, but was commissioned by Dr. -George S. Blackie, a Medical Director in the Western Division of the -Confederate Army, to the position of Inspector of Medicines for the Fifth -Depot. This position was given him because of his remarkable botanical -knowledge and power of identifying medicines. After the war he was -prominent in the reorganization of the Georgia Medical Eclectic College, -but refused to take a professorship on account of an almost overwhelming -practice. He was a quiet, earnest, thoughtful man; and highly sympathetic -and benevolent in his disposition. His widow, Mrs. Georgia A. Durham, and -their daughter, Mrs. Jennie Findley, still reside in Decatur. - -Dr. W. M. Durham is a successful physician in Atlanta. He holds a -professorship in the Georgia Eclectic Medical College, and edits the -Georgia Eclectic Medical Journal. Kitty is Mrs. W. P. Smith, of Maxey's; -and John L. Durham is a physician with a large practice, and a large -family, living at Woodville, Georgia. - -The Durham residence still stands in Decatur, though not upon the same -spot. For years a great stain of blood remained upon the floor, as a grim -and silent reminder of this most awful tragedy which so closely followed -the horrible and cruel war. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXI. - -THE DEATH OF MELVILLE CLARK. - - -The lamented death of Miss Durham was not the only one in our community to -be traced to the results of the war. - -The period of reconstruction, forcing upon the Southern states the -obnoxious Fourteenth Amendment, so humiliating and so unjust, especially -at that time, had intensified the prejudices of the negroes against the -white people--prejudices already sufficiently aroused by previous -abolition teachings and the results of the war. - -Several times in this little volume mention has been made of Rev. William -Henry Clarke, the staunch patriot and well known Methodist preacher. At -this period he had become a resident of Decatur. His son, Melville Clarke, -a noble, promising boy, while attempting to rescue a small white child -from the abuse of an overgrown negro youth, received wounds from which he -died. Memory recalls many other instances of like character, perpetrated -at this period, the most disgraceful in the annals of American history. - -The subjoined resolutions, passed by the Methodist Sabbath school of which -Melville was a beloved scholar, attest the many good traits of his -character, and the affection accorded him in the community: - -"The committee appointed to draft resolutions on the death of Melville -Clarke, one of our scholars, beg leave to submit the following: - -"In the wise dispensation of Him that doeth all things well, we are called -to pay the last tribute to departed worth. Melville Clark is no more. The -vacant seat says he is no more. The hushed voice says he is no more. Yes, -the impressive, solemn silence of this moment whispers that another light -which shone brightly the brief space allotted it here has flickered out. -The body which encased the spirit of the noble Christian boy has been laid -away in the silence of the grave, and his spirit, as we trust, escorted by -a convoy of angels, has gone to that bright and better world above. - -"_Therefore, Resolved_, That as we gather around the new-made grave and -drop a sympathetic tear (which speaks more eloquently than any words -mortal lips can utter), we deeply feel the loss of one so full of promise -and usefulness--that noble spirit just bursting into manhood, with a mind -that would grasp in a moment things that men have passed through life and -never comprehended--and a heart lit up with the love of God, and drawn out -by the tenderest cords of affection to do little acts of kindness. -Language fails us to give utterance to the anguish we feel at sustaining -so great a loss. But he has gone. No more shall we hang upon the eloquence -of his gentle, kind words, or see that face which was so often lit up with -an expressive sweetness that we could but recognize as the reflex of the -lamb-like Christian spirit that reigned within. He has gone, and as we -turn from the sad, solemn scene in that faith which 'hopeth all things, -believeth all things, endureth all things,' we can but exclaim: 'The Lord -gave--the Lord hath taken away--blessed be the name of the Lord!' - -"_Resolved_, That in the death of one of our members, so young, we -recognize an admonition that the young, as well as the old, are swiftly -passing away, and that we should pause and reflect seriously upon this -important subject. - -"_Resolved_, That as a school, our warmest sympathy and condolence be -tendered to the family of our dear deceased friend in this, their great -bereavement, and that a copy of these resolutions be furnished them." - - DR. AVERY, } - JOHN N. PATE, } - CAPTAIN RANDALL, } Committee - J. R. HAMPTON, } - -August 30th, 1868. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXII. - -THE MORTON FAMILY. - -Incidents thrilling and affecting. - - -In several previous sketches references have been made to the Misses -Morton. Not only they, but the whole family, bore an interesting and -heroic part in the scenes of the war. Mr. Edward L. Morton hoisted the -first Confederate flag that ever floated on the breeze in DeKalb county. -This he did as soon as he heard that Georgia had passed the ordinance of -secession. A few miles from Decatur there was a large mill known as -Williams's Mill, situated on Peachtree Creek. At the terminus of the -bridge that spanned the creek, near the little hamlet, there grew a tall, -graceful Lombardy poplar tree. The flag had been made by Mrs. Morton, Mrs. -James Hunter, and other ladies who lived in the neighborhood, and was -hoisted by Mr. Morton from the top of the lofty poplar. When the Federals -came in they cut down the tree, but another has grown from its roots. - -Mr. Morton enlisted with the first company that went from DeKalb, but -returned and organized one of his own--Company F, 36th Georgia. From this -command he was sent home on account of lung trouble, and placed on special -duty. When Hood fell back to Atlanta, Captain Morton joined White's -Scouts, a picked band of men. He was also at one time Morgan's guide. - -After Mr. J. W. Kirkpatrick refugeed, his home on Atlanta street was -occupied by Captain Morton's family. Here some stirring incidents -occurred. Says one of his daughters: "Pa tried to avoid coming within the -Yankee lines, but did several times get caught at home, owing to his -extreme weakness. Finally, after the 23d Army Corps was sent back to -Tennessee, a raiding party of Federals went out toward Stone Mountain, -were fired on a few miles from Decatur, and several killed. They were -furious when they got to our house (on their return). Here they found one -of 'White's Men' (Pa) ill in bed. They held a court-martial and sentenced -him to be hanged as soon as they finished eating dinner. Meanwhile they -left a guard in his bed-room. Ma asked the guard to sit in the parlor and -leave them alone the short time he had to live. The guard was a -kind-hearted man, the house surrounded, the whole detachment eating and -feeding their horses on all sides, and Pa was very feeble; so the guard -sat in the parlor." Captain Morton then disguised himself, armed himself, -and, passing out a side door, went unchallenged through the crowd of -soldiers, by Woodall's tan-yard and out into the woods. Continues his -daughter: "But when the guard thought he had better see the prisoner, it -was discovered that he was gone. They talked of burning the house and made -many other threats. For a long time we did not know whether he had escaped -or died in the woods. * * * No man that served in the Confederate army -more truly laid down his life for the cause than did my father. He never -recovered from the lung trouble brought on and aggravated by the exposure -and hardships he endured between '61 and '65." - -Warren Morton went into the army at the tender age of fifteen, as a -private in his father's company. He was in the siege of Vicksburg--was -paroled, and re-entered the army in Cumming's Brigade--and was shot at -Kennesaw, near Marietta, while acting as Sergeant-Major on Hood's retreat. -The ball struck the bone of the outer angle of the left eye, cutting away -the temple plate, and came out just over the ear, cutting off the upper -half of the ear. The torn nerves and arteries have always caused him pain. -The bullet, while it did not touch his eye-ball, paralyzed the optic nerve -on that side. The hardships endured when a growing boy, the long marches -in Kentucky, the starvation rations in Vicksburg, and the horrible wound, -ruined his constitution. Yet he has been an energetic man, and is living -now on a farm near Newnan. - -The young ladies--girls they all were at the time of which I write--were -Lizzie, Anna, Kelly, Fannie and Eddie. - -On the day that Wheeler's Cavalry routed the Federal wagon train at -Decatur, Lieutenant Farrar of the 63d Ohio Regiment was killed on a meadow -near Mrs. Swanton's residence, just opposite Mrs. Morton's. There was also -another Federal, a mere lad, who was mortally wounded. In some way I -discovered the dying boy, and, after carrying him some water, I left him -to the care of the nearer neighbors. Mrs. James Hunter, Mrs. Morton and -her daughters cared for him as best they could, and sat by him until he -died. Miss Lizzie Morton cut from his head a lock of hair and wrote some -verses, which Mrs. Swanton kindly sent to his people in Dayton, Ohio. In -some way this became known to the Federal officers, and future -developments showed that this tender act was much appreciated by them. - -On the morning of the 22nd of July, 1864, Mrs. Morton sat on the front -steps watching for an officer to whom she might appeal for protection. -"Very early General McPherson and his staff rode by. Mrs. Morton ran out -and called. General McPherson alighted from his horse, heard her story, -bare-headed, with his hat in hand, wrote an order and dispatched it, and -then mounting, rode away to his death." That order was to station a guard -at the house, and it was never disregarded as long as the Federal line was -near. This the family have always attributed to their caring for the dead, -and to the kind order of General McPherson. - -On the night of the 21st, Mrs. Morton had been badly frightened by some -Federal soldiers coming to her house with the accusation that her young -daughter "had given information that had led to the capture of their wagon -train." Threats of burning the residence were made by the Federals on -several occasions. The family feel persuaded that Bill Pittman, a faithful -negro, a sawyer who had lived many years at Williams's Mill, prevented -these threats from being put into execution. - -Soon after the close of the war Captain Morton and his family went to -Mississippi. Here he died, and one after another four of the girls, Anna, -Kelly, Fanny, and Eddie. Most touchingly Lizzie (Mrs. P. W. Corr) writes: -"When my sister and I were little girls in Decatur, we were very fond of -private literary entertainments. Anna's favorite declamation (which always -brought down the house) was: - - 'They grew in beauty side by side - Around one parent knee; - Their graves are scattered far and wide - O'er mountain, plain, and sea.' - -"Anna sleeps alone near an old church in Scott county, Mississippi; Kelly, -alone at Pickens; Pa, Fanny and Eddie side by side at Shiloh, in Holmes -county." Anna married Mr. Kearney; Kelly, Mr. W. S. Cole. Mrs. Morton is -still living in the home of her daughter Lizzie, who married Rev. P. W. -Corr, of Hampton, Florida. Mrs. Corr is very happily married, being fond -and proud of her husband, and her children filling her heart with comfort -and pleasure. To crown her earthly blessings, her mother has been spared -to her in all life's changing scenes. - -Here in her happy Florida home we leave our erstwhile lassie of the war -times--now an earnest wife and mother, busy ever with home duties, and -also a true helpmeet to her husband in his ministerial and editorial -labors. - -This sketch, with its incidents, both heroic and pathetic, cannot be more -appropriately concluded than by the touching words of Mrs. Corr in a -recent letter: "What you say of the 'empty places' is full of -suggestiveness. I think I never could have borne my losses and still have -moved about among the 'empty places.' But going always among strangers -after every loss, being removed at once from the scene of death and not -passing that way again, my sisters live in memory as part of the past, -always merry, happy girls, never to grow heart-weary, never to fade. We, -wandering among strangers in strange and unfamiliar scenes, have kept the -memory of our old Decatur home and friends intact. There are no empty -places there for us. - -"It seems sweet to me to think that in that home to which we are all -traveling, we shall find that those dear ones who have preceded us have -carried with them that same bright and precious picture, which, however, -is not there a picture of memory, but a reality of which the earthly -circle was only a shadow or prophecy; and the only empty places there are -those which shall be filled when we get home. Something there is in the -friendships, even, of other days, that has never died--something that will -live again--a root planted here that there blossoms and fruits eternally. -How much more true is this--it must be so--of those who were heart of our -hearts, our own loved ones. I doubt not that for one sad longing thought -of 'brother, mother, nephew,' all that you have loved and lost, they have -had many sweet and loving thoughts of you, and joyful anticipations of -your coming home 'Some Sweet Day.'" - - - - -CHAPTER XXXIII. - -HON. JOSEPH E. BROWN'S PIKES AND GUNS. - -(This chapter, and the succeeding one, were not placed in the -chronological order of events, because they would have broken the -continuity of personal experiences). - - -After an appeal to physical force, as the only means of redressing our -wrongs, was fully determined upon, we made many important discoveries, -chief of which was that we were not prepared for war. This fact had often -been impressively and earnestly set forth by our greatest statesmen, -Alexander Hamilton Stephens and Benjamin Harvey Hill, who, though reared -in different schools of politics, were fully agreed upon this point, and -who urged, with all the eloquence of patriotism and profound understanding -of existing facts, the importance of delaying the act of seceding from the -United States until we were better prepared for the mighty -consequences--either beneficial or disastrous. In no way was the wisdom of -this advice made more apparent than by our utter want of the appliances of -warfare on land and on sea. - -The ordinance of secession having been enacted, Georgia found itself -confronted by the scarcity of guns and other munitions of warfare. Hon. -Joseph E. Brown, our war Governor, finding it impossible to secure even -shot-guns to equip the many regiments eager for the fray, conceived the -idea of arming them with pikes; and, undaunted by the Herculean -undertaking, put a large force of the best blacksmiths at the W. & A. R. -R. shops to making these primitive weapons. To whose fertile brain belongs -the honor of evolving the plan or diagram by which they were to be made, -has never been revealed to the writer. The blade of the pike was to be -about 16 inches long and 2 inches wide, with a spur of about 3 inches on -either side, all of which was to be ground to a sharp edge. The shank was -to be about 12 inches long, and arranged to rivet in a staff 6 feet long. - -In the memorable year, 1861, J. C. Peck owned a planing mill and general -wood-working shop on Decatur street, Atlanta, Ga., on the grounds now -occupied by the Southern (old Richmond and Danville) R. R. freight depot. -There being no machinery at the railroad shops suitable for turning the -handles nor grinding the pikes, Mr. Peck contracted to grind and supply -with handles the entire number--he thinks ten thousand. Before he finished -this work, Governor Brown called a meeting of the mechanics of Atlanta for -the purpose of ascertaining if some arrangement could be made for the -manufacture of guns for the army. This meeting was adjourned two or three -times, and no one seemed willing to undertake the job. At the last meeting -a letter was received from the Ordnance Department of the Confederate -States, containing a "drawing" of a short heavy rifle to be supplied with -a Tripod rest, and an urgent request that the Governor would encourage the -making of twenty-five guns after this pattern, as soon as possible. A -liberal premium for the sample was offered by the Confederate Ordnance -Department. The barrels were to be thirty inches long with one inch bore, -and rifled with three grooves, so as to make one complete revolution in -the thirty inches. As no one else would undertake this complicated job, -Mr. Peck asked for the "drawing," and announced his willingness to do so. -He discovered that it would require iron by 4 or 5 inches to make the -barrels, and for this purpose he procured enough Swede iron at a hardware -store on Whitehall street to make thirty barrels. He also discovered that -the common Smith bellows would not yield a blast sufficient to secure -welding heat on so large a piece, and it was suggested that it could be -done at W. & A. R. R. shops; he therefore secured an order from Governor -Brown authorizing this important work to be done there under his -instruction. An old German smith, whom Mr. Peck found at the shops, -rendered him valuable aid in the accomplishment of this portion of the -work. As rapidly as the welding was done he had them carried to his shop, -and a wood-turner, Mr. W. L. Smith, bored them on a wood turning lath. -This was a difficult job, as the boring bits caught in the irregular hole -and broke; finally he devised a sort of rose bit which steadied itself, -and he had no further trouble. After successfully accomplishing this -portion of the work, Mr. Peck found himself confronted by another -difficulty. He had no way of turning iron, but his indomitable will shrank -not from the task, and he threw out a search-light which enabled him to -discern a Savage, who had been superintendent of Pitts & Cook's gin -factory, and he engaged him to turn it. Mr. Peck then employed an -ingenious blacksmith, who did to his satisfaction all the smith work he -wanted. He made his own taps and dies for fitting the breech pieces, -putting in the nipples, etc., and forged the hammers, triggers, ramrods, -etc. The brass mountings were cast by Gullatte Brothers, who at that time -were running a brass foundry. The locks were purchased by Mr. Peck in -Macon, but, as already intimated, had to be supplied with new hammers and -triggers. As the plan called for the barrels to be rifled with three -grooves, and to make one complete revolution in the length of the barrel, -there was none in the employ of Mr. Peck who had any idea how it was to be -done. Much perplexed he went to Mr. Charles Heinz, the gunsmith on -Whitehall street, who explained the process of rifling done by hand. On -this idea Mr. Peck constructed a machine which he attached to a Daniels -planer. This was a wood machine, with a bed which traveled backward and -forward, similar to the bed of an iron planer--in such a manner that the -backward and forward motion of the bed gave, also, a rotary motion to the -cutters. By this process each barrel was rifled precisely alike. Mr. Peck -had thirty barrels forged, but some of them were defective and would not -bore through without breaking, and some were burnt in testing. Only -twenty-five of them were finished. He had an abundance of walnut lumber -and did not have to contend with any obstacle in making the stocks, but -some in clamping them to the barrels. The plan also showed the usual screw -in the extension of the breech pin, and two bands similar to those on the -old style musket. Mr. Peck forged iron bands, but with his best effort at -finishing them they appeared clumsy. Opportunely he chanced to see a wagon -on Pryor street containing a lot of hardware and other things, among which -was a large brass kettle. Thinking he could make bands out of this vessel, -he purchased it and cut it up into those indispensable parts of his famous -job, but another obstacle to success presented itself to his patient -vision. He could find no one to braze the joints. By reference to his -"Mechanic's Companion" he learned the art, and brazed the bands in a -skillful style. This being, done, he gave his finishing touches to the -rifles. - -The balls were like minie-balls, one inch in diameter, and two and -one-fourth inches long, and weighed four ounces. Mr. Peck made only one -set of bullet moulds, which run two bullets at the same time, and he -thinks he made only six of the tripod rests. They were--every lock, stock -and barrel--tested by several persons expert in the handling of muskets, -rifles, shot-guns, etc., among whom was Mr. Charles Heinz, still living in -Atlanta, and who will vouch for the accuracy of this important item of -Confederate history, and the utility of the shot emanating from these -wonderful guns. To put it mildly, the effect was almost equal to that of a -six-pounder. And the recoil! Well! Wonderful to relate! They must have had -infused into their mechanism supernatural or national prescience, and -peering through the dim vista of the future saw the beacon light of a -re-united country, and disdained partiality in the Fratricidal Contest, -for every time one of them was shot at a "Yankee," it kicked a "Rebel" -down. - -P. S.--Mr. Peck has the original "drawing" sent on from the Ordnance -Department at Richmond, and also the receipt for the payment for the -barrels. He also has a letter from the Chief of Ordnance at Washington, D. -C., informing him that the identical guns described in the above sketch -had been found in his department, and that two of them would be exhibited -in the Government Building of the Piedmont Exposition, Atlanta, Georgia, -in 1895. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXIV. - -THE PURSUIT AND CAPTURE OF THE ANDREWS RAIDERS. - -Captain William A. Fuller and his comrades of the pursuit.--The race of -the engines, "The General" and "The Texas." - - -In the early part of 1862 the army of the Cumberland and also that of the -Tennessee had grown to gigantic proportions. The history of that memorable -era establishes the fact that in the month of February of that year the -army of the Cumberland, commanded by General Buell, had captured Fort -Donaldson and several other strong strategic points on the Tennessee and -Mississippi Rivers. Numerically the Federal Army was so much stronger than -the Confederate that large detachments could easily be made for incursions -into the interior and unprotected sections of middle and West Tennessee, -while the main army steadily advanced down the Mississippi Valley. By the -first of April, General Mitchell had occupied Shelbyville and other -cities, including Nashville; and the larger towns and railroad stations in -the neighborhood South and East of Nashville had been occupied by the -Federals. - -Recognizing the importance of saving to the Confederate cause everything -necessary to sustain life both of man and beast, all that could be brought -out of Kentucky and Tennessee had been sent South--to Atlanta and other -important points--so that those States were literally stripped of all -surplus food. - -The army of the Tennessee, under the command of General Albert Sidney -Johnston, sought to meet General Buell and dispute his further advance. -Corinth, Mississippi, was selected by General Johnston as a point beyond -which the army of the Cumberland should not go. This position commanded -the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, as well as others running south of -that point. By the fifth of April General Buell's army had massed at -Pittsburg Landing, and along a line reaching south and parallel to that of -General Johnston. Relatively the armies stood about five to eight, the -Confederate of course being the smaller. They met in battle on the 6th day -of April at Shiloh, so-called by the Federals, but Southern historians -call it the battle of Corinth. The fight was a long and disastrous -one--disastrous to both armies--but the Federals, having an unbounded -supply of everything needed in war, and being immediately strengthened by -large reinforcements which literally poured in, were enabled to rapidly -recuperate. The Confederates lost heavily in killed and wounded, and -suffered irreparably by the death of General Albert Sidney Johnston. The -loss of this noble man was deeply felt and regretted by the entire South. -The week following this horrible carnage was mainly taken up by both -armies in burying the dead, caring for the wounded, fortifying, receiving -reinforcements and maneuvering for advantageous positions. - -General Mitchell, as already stated, had occupied Shelbyville, and had a -considerable force. Some cavalry had penetrated as far south-east as -Chattanooga, and had several times dropped a few shell into that town. - -After the death of General Johnston the Confederate Army at Corinth was -put under the command of General Beauregard. There were small detachments -of Confederate troops distributed along the Memphis and Charleston -Railroad to Stephenson, and from there to Chattanooga; also from -Chattanooga to Bristol, on the East Tennessee and Georgia Railroad, and on -the Virginia and Tennessee. These were to guard the railroad bridges, -depots, and government stores, etc. General Ledbetter was stationed at -Chattanooga with about three thousand men. There was a tolerably strong -guard at London bridge, where the East Tennessee railroad crosses the -Tennessee river; and General E. Kirby Smith occupied Knoxville, with a -sufficient force to protect that important point as against General Morgan -in his immediate front with a strong force. East Tennessee was very nearly -evenly divided between Federals and Confederate sympathizers. Neither side -was safe from betrayal. Those who were true to the Southern cause -distinguished themselves as officials and soldiers, and those who were -recreant to it were a source of great annoyance and disaster; and this -applies to Kentucky and West Virginia as well. During the month of April, -1862, Brownlow, and those of his opinion, were arrested, and imprisoned in -Knoxville. - -The strict rules of the passport system had not yet been adopted by -southern army commanders, and it was no difficult matter for friend or foe -to pass the lines. - -Thus matters stood at that time. The reader, therefore, may be prepared to -appreciate one of the most exciting, thrilling and interesting stories of -the Civil Contest. - -The Western and Atlantic Railroad (often called the State Road) at the -time discussed in the preceding pages, was the only line of communication -between the southern centre of the Confederate States and the Army of -Tennessee. It was worthy of notice that this road was not paralleled by -any of the roads now in existence. The Memphis and Charleston Railroad -came into the Nashville and Chattanooga at Stevenson as now, and the -latter road reached from Nashville to Chattanooga. The East Tennessee and -Georgia Road also came into Chattanooga then as now, and also into Dalton. -These three railroad lines were "the feeders" for the Western and Atlantic -Railroad at Chattanooga and Dalton. At the south or Atlanta end of that -line we had the old Macon & Western (now the Georgia Central), the Atlanta -and West Point, and the Georgia Railroad, as feeders for the Western and -Atlantic, which reached from Atlanta via Dalton to Chattanooga. As has -been stated, the Army of Tennessee, under General Beauregard at Corinth, -the army under General E. Kirby Smith at Knoxville, the army under General -Ledbetter at Chattanooga, and all detailed men on duty along the whole -front of the Confederates from Corinth to Bristol, depended upon this -single line (the old reliable Western and Atlantic Railroad) for army -supplies. There was no other road in the whole distance of eight hundred -miles, reaching from Mobile, Alabama, to Richmond, Virginia, that ran -north and south. These facts were well known to northern commanders, and -it has always seemed strange that the road should have been so -unprotected. The many bridges on the Western and Atlantic were guarded at -the time under consideration, April 1862, by a single watchman at each -bridge, and he was employed by the railroad authorities. The bridges were -of the Howe Tress pattern, weatherboarded with common wooden boards, and -covered with shingles. They were exceedingly inflammable and could easily -have been set on fire. - -One of the rules for the running of the trains was that "if any two trains -failed to make the meeting point they would be considered irregular -trains, and the conductor of each train should be required to send a -flagman ahead, and thus proceed until the two flagmen met." This -cumbersome rule frequently occasioned great disorder, and sometimes many -trains of all grades were massed together at one station. Railroad men -will understand this condition of affairs. These things were known and -understood not only by the Confederates, but by the Federals through their -spies. J. J. Andrews especially understood them, as the sequel will prove. - -It is beyond the scope of this article to discuss the plans adopted by -Captain J. J. Andrews and his twenty-two auxiliaries, to descend into the -heart of the South; suffice it to say, their plans were successful, and -they passed the Confederate lines and entered the pretty town of Marietta, -twenty miles north of Atlanta, unmolested and unsuspected. The solving of -the mystery will appear at the proper time. For present purposes it is -enough to state that they not only entered the town mentioned, but boarded -the north-bound train on the morning of April 12th, 1862. The well-known -and intrepid Captain William A. Fuller was the conductor in charge of that -train--the now celebrated "General" was his engine--and Jeff Cain his -engineer. There was nothing suspicious in the environments of the -occasion. In those days it was not unusual, even in a country town, for a -large number of men to board a train, and they were coming in from all -over the country to join the Confederate army. - -There was a Camp of Instruction at Big Shanty, seven miles north of -Marietta, and this fact, as well as many others more important, was known -to Andrews, who from the beginning of the war had been "a commercial -traveller," "in full sympathy with the South," and had ridden over this -line many times. The conductor, therefore, took up the tickets as usual, -some to one point and some to another, but the most of them to Big Shanty. -The raiders were dressed in various styles and appeared like a good class -of countrymen. They claimed to be "refugees from beyond the Lincoln -lines." - -Big Shanty was a mere station, having only one or two business houses, and -noted by the traveling public as having a most excellent "eating-house" -for the accommodation of the passenger trains. When Captain Fuller's train -arrived at Big Shanty, the passengers and train hands went into the hotel -for breakfast. The absence from the table of the large crowd that got on -the train at Marietta was noticed by the conductor, and just as he took -his seat, which commanded a view of his train, the gong on the old -"General" rang. It should be stated here that the train was as follows: -"The general," three freight cars, one second and two first-class coaches, -a baggage car and express car. Andrews had detached the entire passenger -train, put his surplus men into the three freight cars, and on "The -General" he had with himself his own engineer and fireman. - -The very moment the gong rang Captain Fuller sprang from the table, and -with a swift run reached the main track and pursued the flying train, -which was now fast disappearing around a curve in the road. As he ran out -of the hotel Captain Fuller called to his engineer, Jeff Cain: "Some one -who has no right to do so has taken our train!" Cain and Mr. Anthony -Murphy joined in the race, but were soon distanced by the fleet-footed -Fuller. The limestone soil between the tracks was wet and clung to his -feet so that fast running was very fatiguing to Captain Fuller, but he ran -with a determination that overcame all obstacles. Moon's Station, a little -more than two miles from Big Shanty, was reached by him in an incredibly -short time. Here he found that the Andrews raiders had stopped and had -taken all of the tools from the railroad section hands. They had climbed -the telegraph poles, cut the wire, and carried a hundred feet of it along -with them to prevent the repair of the line in time to thwart their plans. -The track hands were amazed at their conduct, and hurriedly told Captain -Fuller what had been done. Up to this time he had been in doubt as to the -true character of the raiders. He had thought that possibly some of the -Confederates at Camp McDonald, (the Camp of Instruction at Big Shanty), -tired of strict discipline and confinement, might have taken the train in -order to enable them to pass the environment of their camp. But from this -moment there was no room for doubt. As quickly as possible Captain Fuller -and two track hands placed upon the rails an old timber car used for -hauling crossties, iron, and other heavy material. This was an unwieldy -and cumbersome medium of locomotion, but it rendered good service, -nevertheless. Captain Fuller knew that every moment of time was most -valuable, as the raiders were speeding along up the road and his chances -for overtaking and capturing them were very doubtful. While putting on the -hand-car he debated with himself these questions: "Should he proceed -immediately in the pursuit, or would it be best to push back and get his -engineer?" He decided to push back for Cain, and when he had gone nearly a -mile he met Cain and Mr. Anthony Murphy. They were taken on the hand-car -and the pursuit of the raiders, now far ahead, was begun again. Captain -Fuller says that if he had not gone back, as above stated, he would have -captured the raiders at Kingston, as more than twenty minutes were lost, -and he was quite that close to them at Kingston. He says, however, he is -now glad he did not do so, as the run from that point furnished the most -thrilling event of his life. - -Murphy, Cain, the two track hands, and Fuller, pushed and ran, and ran and -pushed, alternately, and each and every man on the old hand-car did his -full duty. Soon after passing Moon's Station, where Captain Fuller got -the hand-car, the pursuers came upon a pile of cross-ties, but they were -soon removed from the track and the race resumed. - -The intelligent reader will not for a moment suppose that Captain Fuller -and his comrades entertained any hope of overtaking the raiders on foot, -or even by the hand-car. Captain Fuller's thoughts ran ahead of his -surroundings, and he disclosed his plans to his comrades in these words: -"If we can get to Etowah by 9:40, we will catch the old Yonah. This we can -do by very hard work, unless hindered by obstructions." This suggestion -doubled the energy of every man, and they abandoned themselves to the task -before them. It is difficult to write, with deliberation, a story so full -of push and haste. This run of twenty miles with an old clumsy hand-car, -under so many difficulties, is replete with interest. At length, after -Captain Fuller and his comrades were thoroughly exhausted, standing on the -turn-table at Etowah more than a mile away, "the old Yonah" was espied. A -yell and cry of great joy went up from these gallant men; but, alas, their -vision had extended beyond their immediate danger! The raiders had removed -an outside rail in a short curve, and unexpectedly the whole party was -thrown into a ditch full of water. This, however, was a small matter to -men of resolute will and iron nerve. The car was soon carried across the -break in the track and put upon the run again. One of the track hands was -left to watch this break, to prevent danger to following trains--the other -was left with the hand-car at Etowah. Although the old Yonah was standing -on the turn-table at Etowah, her tender was on another track. Willing and -eager hands soon had the engine and tender coupled together, and the Yonah -was "pressed into service." An empty coal car was taken on, and a few -Confederate soldiers, who were at the station waiting for a south-bound -train, volunteered to join in the chase. The engineer of the Yonah, Mr. -Marion Hilly, and his own hands, ran the Yonah from Etowah to Kingston, -and Captain Fuller gives them great credit for their loyalty and faithful -service. - -A more dangerous run was never made. The track was in a bad condition, and -the line quite crooked; and the pursuers could not tell at what moment -they might be thrown into a ditch by a removal of rails, or obstructions -placed upon the track; but they were absolutely blind to all personal -danger or considerations. The Yonah had only two drivers and they were six -feet, and she had a very short strike. She was built for fast running with -a small passenger train on an easy grade. Under all the difficulties by -which he was surrounded, Hilly ran the Yonah from Etowah to Kingston, -thirteen miles in fourteen minutes, and came to a full stop at -Cartersvile, and also at Kingston. Several crossties had been put upon the -track, but the pursuers said "they were literally blown away as the Yonah -split the wind." - -At Kingston, Captain Fuller learned that he was only twenty minutes behind -the raiders. At this point, Andrews had represented himself as a -Confederate officer. He told the railroad agent that he "passed Fuller's -train at Atlanta, and that the cars which he had contained fixed -ammunition for General Beauregard at Corinth." He carried a red flag on -"The General," and said that "Fuller's train was behind with the regular -passenger train." - -This plausible story induced the agent to give him his keys to unlock the -switch at the north end of the Kingston railroad yard. Several heavy -freight trains were at Kingston, bound southward. Those furthest behind -reached a mile or so north of the switch on the main line. Owing to -Andrews's "fixed ammunition" story, the agent, being a patriotic man, -ordered all trains to pull by, so as to let Andrews out at the north end -of the yard. This was done as quickly as possible, though it was difficult -to make the railroad men understand why the great haste, and why Andrews -should be let pass at so much trouble when Fuller's train would soon be -along, and both could be passed at the same time. But Andrews's business -was so urgent, and so vitally important, as a renewal of the fight between -Beauregard and Buell was expected at any hour, the freightmen were induced -to pull by and let him out. This delay gave Captain Fuller an inestimable -advantage, and but for the delay at Moon's Station, Andrews and his -raiders would have been captured at Kingston. - -When Fuller arrived at Kingston on the Yonah, he was stopped by a flagman -more than a mile south of the depot, on account of the trains that had -pulled by to let Andrews out. He saw at once that he would have to abandon -the Yonah, as he could not get her by without much delay. So taking to his -feet again, he ran around those freight trains to the depot and held a -short conversation with the agent from whom he learned the particulars of -Andrews's movements and representations, etc. He then ran to the north -prong of the Rome railroad "Y," where that road intersected with the -Western and Atlantic mainline. There he found "The Alfred Shorter," the -Rome railroad engine, fired up and ready to move. He hurriedly told Wyley -Harbin the engineer of "The Alfred Shorter," about the raiders, and he and -his fireman, noble fellows, at once put themselves and their engine at his -service. The pursuers were gone in thirty seconds. Captain Fuller says -that Jeff Cain got into the train, but that Mr. Murphy who was in another -part of the car yard, considering some other plan, came near being left; -but Fuller saw him and held Harbin up until he ran up and got on. - -Captain Fuller rode on the cowcatcher of the "Shorter," that he might -remove crossties and other obstructions that would probably be put on the -track. Further down the road, when Andrews was running more at leisure, he -loaded the three box cars with ties and other timber, and when he feared -pursuit he punched out the rear end of his hindermost car and dropped -obstructions in the way of his pursuers. The Alfred Shorter had drivers -only four feet--6--, and could make only ordinary time; but Captain Fuller -did not consider that of any great disadvantage, as she ran as fast as it -was safe to do on account of the many obstruction dropped by raiders upon -that part of the road. - -Six miles north of Kingston, Captain Fuller found it necessary to abandon -the "Shorter," because at that point several rails of the track had been -taken up and carried away by the raiders. Knowing the schedule as he did, -and seeing he could not get by in less time than thirty minutes, Captain -Fuller decided that the best thing to be done was to go to Adairsville, -four miles north, where he hoped to find a south-bound train, "tied up" -because of the delay of his train. Possibly he might meet this train -before reaching Adairsville. Leaving the "Shorter," he called upon all who -wished to join in one more effort to follow him, and started in a run on -foot for another four miles. There were none to follow--all preferred to -remain in the Rome passenger coach. (It is not amiss here to state that, -at Kingston, Fuller took on one coach belonging to the Rome Railroad, and -that some thirty or forty persons had volunteered and boarded the Rome -car; but, when invited to join in a four-mile foot race, they preferred to -remain in the coach.) - -When Fuller had run about two miles he looked back and saw Murphy just -rounding a curve about three hundred yards behind. When he had run about a -mile further, to his great delight he met the expected south-bound freight -train. Fuller gave the signal, and, having a gun in his hand, was -recognized by the conductor, who stopped as quickly as possible. -Fortunately Peter I. Brachen was the engineer of the freight, and had "The -Texas," a Danforth & Cook, 5 feet 10 driver, as his engine. Captain Fuller -knew that Brachen was a cool, level-headed man, and one of the best -runners that ever pulled a throttle. As soon as the train stopped, Fuller -mounted and was about to back it, when, seeing Murphy coming, he held -Brachen a few seconds until his comrade got on "The Texas." Then the long -train was pushed back to Adairsville, where Fuller changed the switch, -uncoupled the train from the engine, and pushed in upon the side track. In -the further pursuit of the raiders, Captain Fuller never changed his -engine or his crew again. - -From hence "The Texas" is after "The General"--both are new, both 5 feet -10 driver, with the same stroke--"The General" a Rogers, "The Texas" a -Danforth & Cook. But "The General" was forward, while "The Texas" had to -back. - -Captain Fuller rode on the back end of the tender, which was in front, and -swung from corner to corner, so that he could see round the curves and -signal to Brachen. His only chance to hold on was by two hooks, one at -each corner of the tender, such as were formerly used to secure "spark -catchers." Many times he bounced two feet high when the tender ran over -obstructions not seen in time to stop the engine. The ten miles from -Adairsville to Calhoun was made in twelve minutes, including the time -consumed in removing obstructions. (Here it may be in order to state that -when Andrews had met Brachen at Adairsville, on his south-bound trip -before being met by Fuller, that he told him to hurry to Kingston, as -Fuller would wait there for him. This Brachen was doing, when Captain -Fuller met him a mile south of Adairsville. But if Fuller had not met and -stopped him, he would not have gone on to Kingston, but would have plunged -into the break in the railroad where the raiders had taken up the rails -at the point where the "Shorter" was abandoned. This was one of Andrews' -best moves. He hoped to occasion a disastrous wreck, and block the road.) - -As Captain Fuller with "The Texas" and her crew figure exclusively in the -remainder of this wonderful chase, he thinks it eminently due them that -the names of those actually engaged on the engine should be given. Federal -reports of the affair have put under the command of Fuller a regiment or -more of armed soldiers. Some illustrations show long trains of cars packed -to overflowing with armed men. - -From the time he stopped Brachen, a mile south of Adairsville, to the -point where Andrews abandoned "The General," three miles north of -Ringgold, he had with him only Peter J. Brachen as engineer, Henry Haney, -fireman of the engine (who, at the suggestion of Brachen, stood at the -brakes of the tender, and had for additional leverage a piece of timber -run through the spokes of the brake-wheel), Flem Cox, an engineer on the -road, who happened to be along, and fired the "Texas," and Alonzo Martin, -train hand of the freight train left at Adairsville, who passed wood to -Cox. Thus it is seen that Captain Fuller, Peter J. Brachen, Flem Cox, and -Alonzo Martin were the members of the pursuing party in toto, during the -last fifty-five miles of the chase. - -As has been stated, Mr. Anthony Murphy, of Atlanta, rode on "The Texas" -with Brachen from Adairsville to the point at which the Andrews raiders -were caught, and there is no doubt he would have aided in their capture -at the forfeit of his life had he been called upon to do so. - -As the pursuers ran past Calhoun, an enthusiastic old gentleman, Mr. -Richard Peters, himself a Northern man, and who died an honored citizen of -Atlanta, offered a reward of a hundred dollars each for all the raiders -captured. Had this promise been fulfilled Captain Fuller would have -received $2,300, which no doubt he would have divided with his comrades in -the pursuit. - -At Calhoun Captain Fuller met the south-bound "day passenger train," -delayed by his unexpected movements. He had his engine run slowly by the -depot, and exchanged a few words with the excited crowd of people, who -were amazed at the sudden appearance and disappearance of the runaway -train which had passed there a few moments before. Here he also saw Ed -Henderson, the telegraph operator at Dalton. Discovering that the line was -down below Dalton, Henderson had gone down on the passenger train to try -to repair the break in the wire. Seeing him, Fuller reached out his hand -as he was running by and took the operator into the tender, and as they -ran at the rate of a mile a minute he wrote the following dispatch: - -"_To General Ledbetter, Chattanooga_: - -My train was captured this morning at Big Shanty, evidently by Federal -soldiers in disguise. They are making rapidly for Chattanooga, and will no -doubt burn the Chickamauga bridges in their rear, if I should fail to -capture them. Please see that they do not pass Chattanooga. - - Signed, - W. A. FULLER." - -He handed this dispatch to the operator, and instructed him to put it -through at all hazards when he should arrive at Dalton. - -Just at that moment the pursuers came in sight of the raiders for the -first time. They had halted two miles north of Calhoun and were removing a -rail from the track. As the pursuers hove in sight, the raiders detached -their third car and left it before Captain Fuller could reach them. -Coupling this abandoned car to "The Texas," Captain Fuller got on top of -it and began the race again. The rails had only been loosened and the -intrepid conductor took the chances of running over them. From this point -the raiders ran at a fearful rate, and the pursuers followed after them as -fast as "The Texas" could go. - -One mile and a half further up, the raiders detached another car in the -front of the pursuers. This was witnessed by Fuller, who was standing on -the rear end of the car he had coupled to when the raiders were first -seen. He gave Brachen the signal, and he advanced slowly to the abandoned -car and coupled it to the first one obtained in this way. Then getting on -top of the newly captured one he was off again in the race with scarcely -the loss of a moment's time. - -Just in front of the raiders, and not more than a mile away, was an -important railroad bridge over the Oostanaula river at Resaca. The -pursuers had greatly feared that the raiders would gain time to burn this -bridge, after passing over it. But they were pressed so hotly and so -closely that they passed over the bridge as rapidly as the "General" could -carry them. The pursuers were, therefore, greatly rejoiced on their -arrival at Resaca to see that the bridge was standing, and that it had not -been set on fire. The two cars picked up as described were switched off at -Resaca, and the pursuers again had "The Texas" untrammeled. The race from -Resaca to Dalton has seldom been paralleled. It is impossible to describe -it. - -At Dalton the telegraph operator was dropped, with instructions to put the -dispatch to General Ledbetter through to the exclusion of all other -matter. All was excitement at this point. The unusual spectacle of a wild -engine flying through the town with only one car attached was bewildering -indeed; and when Captain Fuller arrived and ran through, slacking his -speed just enough to put the operator off the train, the excitement became -intense. The operator was besieged on every side for an explanation, but -he knew nothing save that contained in the dispatch. - -Two miles north of Dalton, Andrews stopped. Some of his men climbed -telegraph poles and cut the wire, while others were engaged in an effort -to take up the track behind them. The operator at Dalton had sent the -dispatch through to Ledbetter at Chattanooga; but just as he had finished -and was holding his finger on the key, waiting for the usual "O. K," click -went the key, and all was dead. He did not know until the next day that -Captain Fuller's dispatch had reached its destination. Had the raiders -been thirty seconds earlier in cutting the wire, the dispatch would not -have gone through. As it was Ledbetter received it, and not being able to -hear anything further by telegraph or otherwise he had a regiment placed -in ambush (some of the soldiers on either side of the track), and had a -considerable part of the track taken up. This was about a mile from -Chattanooga, so that by the intervention of the telegram Fuller had -Andrews both front and rear. - -Andrews was run away from the point where the wires were cut before any -material damage was done to the track. The rails had been partially -removed, but not so much as to prevent the safe passage over them of "The -Texas" and her crew. - -Now the last long race begins. The pursued and the pursuers are in sight -of one another. In every straight line of the road, Andrews was in plain -view. This tended to increase the interest and excitement, if, indeed, the -thrilling scenes and incidents of the seconds as they flitted by could -have been heightened. I say seconds, because minutes in this case would be -too large to use for a unit of time. The experience, practice, and -knowledge of machinery possessed by the engineers was brought into full -play. "The Texas" was kept at a rate of one hundred and sixty-five pounds -of steam, with the valve wide open. Brachen would appear a little pale -sometimes, but he was encouraged by Fuller standing the full length of the -tender before him, and watching around the curves. At every straight line -in the road Andrews was sighted, and a yell went up from the throats of -the pursuers, but they did not lose their wits. Their aim was forward, -onward, at all hazards. They were now convinced that Andrews had exhausted -his supply of obstructive material, and were not so uneasy on that -account. But as prudence is the better part of valor, and as they had so -few men on board, they dared not approach too close, lest their little -band should be fired upon; or what appeared to be a greater danger, -Andrews might suddenly stop and give fight. Captain Fuller had only five -person on "The Texas" besides himself, and all accounts heard by them at -points below had placed Andrews's party as high as twenty or twenty-five. -Fuller knew that the fire-arms he had gathered up early in the race, such -as "squirrel guns," and most of them unloaded, would have but little -showing in a hand-to-hand contest; so these things had to be considered as -they sped along so swiftly. Another danger was to be feared--Andrews might -stop, abandon "The General," let her drive back, and thus force a -collision with the pursuers. - -In approaching the tunnel, seven miles north of Dalton, our brave -conductor slackened speed until he could see dimly through the smoke of -"The General," which had only passed out of the further end by a few -seconds, and was in sight beyond. For the next seven miles from Tunnel -Hill to Ringgold, nothing occurred except a race between engines such as -has never been excelled. When Ringgold was reached, both engines literally -flew through the town, the "Texas" only about one-fourth of a mile behind. -When the pursuers were passing through the north end of the town, Captain -Fuller noticed a company of militia drilling. Their horses were hitched to -the small shade trees near the muster grounds, and this fact fastened -itself upon his mind. - -In a few minutes the pursuers swung around the second short curve north -of Ringgold, just in time to see Andrews slack his speed, and himself and -his men jump off the "General" to seek concealment in the dense woods. The -foliage of the trees and undergrowth was about half grown, and it would -have been an easy matter to hide in the forest. When the raiders were -first seen north of Ringgold, it was obvious that the heroic old "General" -was almost exhausted. Her smoke was nearly white, and ran up at an angle -of 45 degrees, while before that it lay flat, and appeared to the eyes of -the pursuers as if fresh from the stack. When Andrews abandoned the -"General," his engineer threw the lever back and gave the engine all the -steam it had, but in his haste the brake was left on, so the engine was -unable to drive back and collide with the "Texas," as Andrews had hoped it -would. - -The pursuers ran up to the "General" to which was attached one box -car--the one historians and statesmen have so often said was fired and -left to burn in a bridge below Ringgold. This car had been fired, but was -easily extinguished. It had never been uncoupled from the "General" since -Fuller left Atlanta with it that morning. Brachen hastily coupled the -"Texas" to this car and the "General." Captain Fuller reminded Brachen of -the militia company they had seen drilling at Ringgold a few minutes -before, and encouraged him to go back there as soon as possible and tell -of the capture of the "General," and to beseech the soldiers to mount -their horses and come to his aid, as he, Flem Cox, and Alonzo Martin were -already chasing through the woods after Andrews and his men. Mr. Murphy -and Henry Haney went back to Ringgold with Brachen after the militia. - -It was probably three minutes after the "General" was overtaken before -Captain Fuller and his two comrades were ready to take to the woods, as -they assisted in getting the car and two engines started back to Ringgold. -The raiders, therefore, had the advantage and were deep in the forest -before the woodland chase began. Besides, the reader will see at once that -the raiders were fresh--that they had done no really hard work, except the -fireman and engineer. They had not already run on foot more than twenty -miles, as Fuller had done. After the pursuing party had gone about two -miles through the woods, they came to a fifty-acre wheat field just in -time to see the raiders cross the fence at the further side. It had been -raining nearly all day, and the ground was wet. It was limestone soil, and -almost as sticky as tar. The boots of the pursuers would clog up, and the -mud on them would sometimes weigh doubtless two or three pounds. Another -source of annoyance was the growing wheat, which was half leg high and -very difficult to tread. Captain Fuller has said that it appeared to be -up-hill every way that he ran. - -Finally the woods beyond were reached, and, by accident, Captain Fuller -and his two comrades got separated. In the afternoon four of the raiders -were captured. About 8 P. M. Captain Fuller became completely exhausted. -Some old farmers put him on a mule and carried him back to Ringgold, -distant seven miles direct route, but by the one he was carried three -times that distance. He lay down on the mule's back, and a man on either -side held him on. - -Soon after they arrived at Ringgold the down night passenger train came, -and Captain Fuller was put on board and carried to Atlanta. At Tunnel -Hill, seven miles south, a train of soldiers passed them on the way to the -scene of interest. The Andrews Raiders had already been captured, and the -"General" was safe on the side track at Ringgold, eight hours before. And -this train of soldiers just spoken of is "the second pursuing train" that -Pittenger so often speaks of in his "Capturing a Locomotive," and "Daring -and Suffering." - -We have followed Captain Fuller and his wise and intrepid men, in the -pursuit of spies no less wise and intrepid, from the first step in an act -which, under the usages of war in all countries, meant death to them if -captured; and over that lamentable scene we drop the curtain. We have the -testimony of reliable men that they were humanely treated while in prison. -After a trial, conducted on the highest principles of military law and -honor, eight of these spies were condemned and executed. - -The following list gives the names of the Andrews raiders, all of whom -were captured in the manner described: - - J. J. Andrews, - Wilson Brown, - Marion Ross, - W. H. Campbell, - John Scott, - Perry G. Shadrack, - George D. Wilson, - Samuel Slavens. - -These were tried and executed. - - S. Robinson, - Ed. Mason, - Wm. Knight, - Robert Bruffum, - William Pittenger, - M. J. Hawkins, - I. Parroth, - W. Bensinger, - A. Wilson, - W. Reddie, - D. A. Dorsey, - I. R. Porter, - M. Wood, - W. W. Brown. - -The last named fourteen were never tried. - - - - -CONFEDERATE LOVE SONG. - - - Over the mountains of Winter, - And the cold, cold plains of snow, - Down in the valleys of Summer, - Calling my love I go. - - And strong in my woe and passion, - I climb up the hills of Spring, - To listen if I hear his voice - In songs he used to sing. - - I wait in the fields of Autumn, - And gather a feast of fruit, - And call my love to the banquet; - His lips are cold and mute. - - I say to the wild bird flying: - "My darling sang sweet as you; - Fly o'er the earth in search of him, - And to the skies of blue." - - I say to the wild-wood flowers: - "My love was a friend to you; - Send one of your fragrant spirits - To the cool Isles of Dew," - - "Gold-girt by a belt of moonbeams, - And seek on their gleaming shore - A breath of the vanished sweetness - For me his red lips bore." - - I stand at the gates of Morning, - When the radiant angel, Light, - Draws back the great bolt of darkness, - And by the gates of Night, - - When the hands of bright stars tremble - While clasping their lanterns bright; - And I hope to see him passing, - And touch his garments white. - - O, love! if you hear me calling, - Flee not from the wailing cry; - Come from the grottoes of Silence - And hear me, or I die! - - Stand out on the hills of Echo; - The sensitive, pulsing air - Will thrill at your softest whisper-- - Speak to me, love, from there! - - O, love, if I hear you calling, - Though far on the heavenly side, - My voice will float on the billow: - "Come to your spirit bride." - --MARY A. H. GAY. - - - - -TO THE READER, - - -Who has kindly perused these sketches, I would say, as they have already -attained length and breadth not anticipated from the beginning, I will -withhold the sequels to many of them for, perhaps, another volume of -reminiscences. - -Were I possessed of the Sam Weller genius and versatility, and the happy -faculty of making the reader wish I had written more, I would throw open -the doors of the store-house of my war memories, a structure as capacious -as the "Southern Confederacy" and canopied by the firmament, and invite -the public to enter and share with me the treasures hidden there. The -coruscations of wit and the profound displays of wisdom by many who donned -Confederate grey and went forth in manhood's prime to battle for the -principles of their country, would employ the minds and feast the -intellect of the most erudite. There are living, glowing pictures hanging -upon the walls which delineate the mysteries of humanity in all its varied -forms, and, by example, demonstrate that we often spurn with holy horror -that which is better far than that which we embrace with all the fervor of -affection. I would resurrect the loftest patriotism from the most humble -graves in the Southern land, and prove by heroic deeds and noble acts that -valor on the battle-field was as often illustrated by the humble soldier -whose name has not been preserved in "storied urn," as by the gallant son -of chivalrous ancestors who commanded the applause of an admiring -multitude. I would place by the side of those greatest of chieftains, -Robert E. Lee, and our impregnable "Stonewall" Jackson and Albert Sidney -Johnston, many of our soldiers "unknown to fame," in faded grey jackets -and war-worn pants, and challenge the world for the difference. I would -dwell with loving interest upon the innumerable sad, sweet faces of the -mighty throng of bereaved mothers, sisters and aunts, out of whose lives -all light had gone, and who, though hopeless, uttered no words of -complaint against our cause or its leader, but toiled on with unswerving -faith and souls that borrowed the lustre of heaven. All these sad things -in my gallery I would clothe in living form and glowing color. And, -saddest of all, I would live over with them that melancholy period when -the very few, comparatively, that were left of the noble defenders of our -principles, came back, not with buoyant step and victor crown, but with -blighted hopes and despondent mien to desolated homes and decimated -families. Under the new regime I would tell of despair and suicide, of -hope, energy and success; I would tell how I have lived in this -gallery--its silent occupants my companions and friends, my inspiration to -useful deeds. There is not a day that I do not arouse by muffled tread the -slumbering echoes of this past, and look upon the cherished souvenirs of -the patriotic friends now roaming the beautiful gardens of Paradise, or -sleeping the mystic waiting of the resurrection. I ponder upon their -lives, their ambitions, their disappointments, and it requires no effort -of the imagination to animate those dead forms and invest them with living -attributes. And daily, in imagination I weave for them a laurel crown that -shall grow greener and greener as the cycles of Time speed on to -Eternity. - - - - -APPENDIX. - - -The author has selected the article, "Gleanings from General Sherman's -Despatches," as an appendix for these sketches, not because of a desire to -keep up the issues of the war between the States (for she would gladly -bury them so deep they could never be resurrected until the great Judge of -all issues calls them up to receive sentence by his unerring judgment), -but rather, because of the persistent insistence of Northern Republicans -to make it appear to the world that the Southern people are a -semi-barbarous people, solely responsible for the war and altogether -unworthy fraternal consideration in the compact called the Union. - -The article mentioned, "Gleanings from General Sherman's Despatches," is -to be found, word for word, in The Southern Magazine, May, 1873, Vol. XII. -Baltimore: Turnbull Brothers. - - -GLEANINGS FROM GENERAL SHERMAN'S DESPATCHES. - -Those thick, loosely-bound octavos printed on soft and rather dingy paper, -which Congress publishes and distributes under the name of Public -Documents, are not generally considered very entertaining reading. But -there are exceptions; and one of these is the report of the joint -committee of Congress on the conduct of the war. Indeed, compared with -such mild pastorals as "Some Accounts of the Cheese Manufacture in Central -New York," or "Remarks on the Cultivation of Alfalfa in Western -Tennessee," it is quite luridly sensational, and in parts reminds us of -those striking reports of the Duke of Alva to his royal master, which have -been disinterred in the dusty archives of Simancas. As a study of -congressional nature, military nature, and human nature generally, in its -least attractive aspects, these eight stout volumes are richly worth -perusal. Here the reader is allowed to peep behind the scenes of that -portentous drama; here he may see the threads of the intrigues that -centered in Washington; may hear a petty newspaper correspondent -demonstrating, with an animation that we can scarcely ascribe to fervid -patriotism, the incapacity, the ignorance and even the doubtful "loyalty" -of the commander-in-chief; may see private malignity and vindictiveness -putting on grand Roman airs, and whispering debaters draping themselves in -the toga of Brutus. - -However, it is not with these aspects of the reports that we at present -have to do, but with the despatches of General Sherman on his march -through Georgia and South Carolina. A great deal of fiction and some -verse,[5] we believe, have been written about this famous march or grand -foray; but here we have the plain matter-of-fact statement of things as -they were, and they form a luminous illustration of the advance of -civilization in the nineteenth century as exemplified in the conduct of -invasions, showing how modern philanthropy and humanitarianism, while -acknowledging that for the present war is a necessary evil, still strive -to mitigate its horrors and spare all avoidable suffering to -non-combatants. For this purpose we have thought it worth while to -reproduce a few of the most striking extracts illustrating the man, his -spirit, and his work. - -A kind of keynote is sounded in the dispatches to General Stoneman, of May -14, which, after ordering him to "press down the valley strong," ends with -the words, "Pick up whatever provisions and plunder you can." - -On June 3, the question of torpedoes is discussed, and General Stedman -receives the following instructions: "If torpedoes are found in the -possession of an enemy to our rear, you may cause them to be put on the -ground and tested by wagon loads of prisoners, or, if need be, by citizens -implicated in their use. In like manner, if a torpedo is suspected on any -part of the railroad, order the point to be tested by a carload of -prisoners or citizens implicated, drawn by a long rope." "Implicated," we -suppose here meant "residing or captured in the neighborhood." - -On July 7, we have an interesting dispatch to General Garrard on the -subject of the destruction of the factories at Roswell. "Their utter -destruction is right, and meets my entire approval; and to make the matter -complete, you will arrest the owners and employees and send them under -guard charged with treason, to Marietta, and I will see as to any man in -America hoisting the French flag and then devoting his labor and capital -to supplying armies in open hostility to our government, and claiming the -benefit of his neutral flag. Should you, under the impulse of anger, -natural at contemplating such perfidy, hang the wretch, I approve the act -beforehand.... I repeat my orders that you arrest all people, male and -female, connected with those factories, no matter what the clamor, and let -them foot it, under guard, to Marietta, whence I will send them by cars to -the North. Destroy and make the same disposition of all mills, save small -flouring mills, manifestly for local use; but all saw mills and factories -dispose of effectually; and useful laborers, excused by reason of their -skill as manufacturers, from conscription, are as much prisoners as if -armed." On the same day he further enlarges on this subject in a despatch -to General Halleck: - -"General Garrard reports to me that he is in possession of Roswell, where -were several very valuable cotton and wool factories in full operation, -also paper mills, all of which, by my order, he destroyed by fire. They -had been for years engaged exclusively at work for the Confederate -government; and the owner of the woolen factory displayed the French flag, -but, as he failed to show the United States flag also, General Garrard -burned it also. The main cotton factory was valued at a million of United -States dollars. The cloth on hand is reserved for the use of the United -States hospitals; and I have ordered General Garrard to arrest for treason -all owners and employees, foreign and native, and send them to Marietta, -whence I will send them North. Being exempt from conscription, they are -as much governed by the rules of war as if in the ranks. The women can -find employment in Indiana. This whole region was devoted to -manufactories, but I will destroy everyone of them." There are two points -specially worth notice in this despatch. The first, that _since_ these men -and women, by reason of sex, or otherwise, are exempt from conscription, -they are, therefore, as much subject to the rules of war as if in the -ranks. Why not do less violence to logic and state frankly that factory -hands were in demand in Indiana? The next point is that the Roswell -factories, whether French property or not, were destroyed because they -were making cloth for the Confederate government, followed presently by -the declaration that every manufactory in that region shall be destroyed, -evidently without reference to its products or their destination. How much -franker it would have been to have added to this last sentence, "and thus -get rid of so many competitors to the factories of the North." The South -must learn that while she may bear the burden of protective tariffs, she -must not presume to share their benefits. Another despatch to General -Halleck, of July 9, again refers to these factories. After referring to -the English and French ownership, comes this remark: "I take it a neutral -is no better than one of our citizens, and we would not respect the -property of one of our own citizens engaged in supplying a hostile army." -This is the kind of logic proverbially used by the masters of legions. A -despatch to General Halleck, of July 13, gives General Sherman's opinion -of two great and philanthropic institutions. Speaking of "fellows hanging -about" the army, he says: "The Sanitary and Christian Commission are -enough to eradicate all traces of Christianity from our minds." - -July 14, to General J. E. Smith, at Allatoona: "If you entertain a bare -suspicion against any family, send it North. Any loafer or suspicious -person seen at any time should be imprisoned and sent off. If guerrillas -trouble the road or wires they should be shot without mercy." - -September 8, to General Webster after the capture of Atlanta: "Don't let -any citizens come to Atlanta; not one. I won't allow trade or manufactures -of any kind, but you will remove all the present population, and make -Atlanta a pure military town." To General Halleck he writes: "I am not -willing to have Atlanta encumbered by the families of our enemies." Of -this wholesale depopulation, General Hood complained, by flag of truce, as -cruel and contrary to the usages of civilized nations and customs of war, -receiving this courteous and gentlemanly reply (September 12): "I think I -understand the laws of civilized nations and the 'customs of war;' but, if -at a loss at any time, I know where to seek for information to refresh my -memory." General Hood made the correspondence, or part of it, public, on -which fact, General Sherman remarks to General Halleck: "Of course, he is -welcome, for the more he arouses the indignation of the Southern masses, -the bigger will be the pill of bitterness they will have to swallow." - -About the middle of September, General Sherman, being still in Atlanta, -endeavored to open private communication with Governor Brown and -Vice-President Stephens, whom he knew to be at variance with the -administration at Richmond on certain points of public policy. Mr. -Stephens refused to reply to a verbal message, but wrote to Mr. King, the -intermediary, that if the general would say that there was any prospect of -their agreeing upon "terms to be submitted to the action of their -respective governments," he would, as requested, visit him at Atlanta. The -motives urged by Mr. King were General Sherman's extreme desire for peace, -and to hit upon "some plan of terminating this fratricidal war without the -further effusion of blood." But in General Sherman's despatch of September -14, to Mr. Lincoln, referring to these attempted negotiations, the -humanitarian point of view is scarcely so prominent. He says: "It would be -a magnificent stroke of policy if I could, without surrendering a foot of -ground or principle, arouse the latent enmity to Davis." - -On October 20, he writes to General Thomas from Summerville, giving an -idea of his plan of operations: "Out of the forces now here and at -Atlanta, I propose to organize an efficient army of 60,000 to 65,000 men, -with which I propose to destroy Macon, Augusta, and it may be, Savannah -and Charleston. By this I propose to demonstrate the vulnerability of the -South, and make its inhabitants feel that war and individual ruin are -synonymous terms." - -Despatch of October 22, to General Grant: "I am now perfecting -arrangements to put into Tennessee a force able to hold the line of the -Tennessee, while I break up the railroad in front of Dalton, including -the city of Atlanta, and push into Georgia and break up all its railroads -and depots, capture its horses and negroes, make desolation everywhere; -destroy the factories at Macon, Milledgeville and Augusta, and bring up -with 60,000 men on the seashore about Savannah and Charleston." - -To General Thomas, from Kingston, November 2: "Last night we burned Rome, -and in two more days will burn Atlanta" (which he was then occupying). - -December 5: "Blair can burn the bridges and culverts and burn enough barns -to mark the progress of his head of columns." - -December 18, to General Grant, from near Savannah: "With Savannah in our -possession, at some future time, if not now, we can punish South Carolina -as she deserves, and as thousands of people in Georgia hope we will do. I -do sincerely believe that the whole United States, north and south, would -rejoice to have this army turned loose on South Carolina, to devastate -that State in the manner we have done in Georgia." - -A little before this he announces to Secretary Stanton that he knows what -the people of the South are fighting for. What do our readers suppose? To -ravage the North with sword and fire, and crush them under their heel? -Surely it must be some such delusion that inspires this ferocity of -hatred, unmitigated by even a word of compassion. He may speak for -himself: "Jefferson Davis has succeeded perfectly in inspiring his people -with the truth that liberty and government are worth fighting for." This -was their unpardonable crime. - -December 22, to General Grant: "If you can hold Lee, I could go on and -smash South Carolina all to pieces." - -On the 18th General Halleck writes: "Should you capture Charleston, I hope -that by some accident the place may be destroyed; and if a little salt -should be sown upon its site, it may prevent the growth of future crops of -nullification and secession." To this General Sherman replies, December -24: "This war differs from European wars in this particular--we are not -only fighting hostile armies, but hostile people; and must make old and -young, rich and poor, feel the hard hand of war, as well as their -organized armies. I will bear in mind your hint as to Charleston, and -don't think _salt_ will be necessary. When I move, the Fifteenth corps -will be on the right of the right wing, and their position will naturally -throw them into Charleston first; and, if you have studied the history of -that corps, you will have remarked that they generally do their work up -pretty well. The truth is, the whole army is burning with insatiable -desire to wreak vengeance upon South Carolina. I almost tremble for her -fate, but she deserves all that seems in store for her. - -"I look upon Columbia as quite as bad as Charleston, and I doubt if we -shall spare the public buildings there as we did at Milledgeville." - -And now we look with interest for the despatches that would settle the -vexed question as to whether Sherman or his officers, acting under his -orders, burned Columbia on the 17th of February. Unfortunately, a paternal -government, not thinking it good that the truth should be known, has -suppressed all the despatches between the 16th and the 21st, and every -other allusion to the transaction. - -On the 23d, he writes to General Kilpatrick: "Let the whole people know -the war is now against them, because their armies flee before us and do -not defend their country or frontier as they should. It is pretty nonsense -for Wheeler and Beauregard and such vain heroes to talk of our warring -against women and children and prevent us reaching their homes." - -If, therefore, an army defending their country can prevent invaders from -reaching their homes and families, the latter have a right to that -protection; but if the invaders can break through and reach these homes, -these are justified in destroying women and children. Certainly this is a -great advance on the doctrine and practice of the dark ages. Another -extraordinary moral consequence flows from this insufficiency of defence: -"If the enemy fails to defend his country, we may rightfully appropriate -what we want." Here, now, is a nice question of martial law or casuistry, -solved with the simplicity of an ancient Roman. In other words, when in -the enemy's country, the army shall be strictly careful not to seize, -capture or appropriate to military or private uses, any property--that it -cannot get. - -"They (the Southern people) have lost all title to property, and can lose -nothing not already forfeited." - -What, nothing? Not merely the houses we had built, the lands we had -tilled, the churches we worshipped in--had we forfeited the right to drink -of the streams, to behold the sun, to breathe the free air of heaven? -What unheard of, what inconceivable crime had we committed that thus -closed every gate of mercy and compassion against us, and provoked an -utterance which has but one parallel--the death warrant signed by Philip -II. against all Netherlanders? General Sherman has himself told us what it -was: We had dared to act on the "truth that liberty and government are -worth fighting for." - -On March 15, he writes to General Gillmore, advising him to draw forces -from Charleston and Savannah (both then in Federal hands) to destroy a -railroad, etc. "As to the garrisons of those places I don't feel disposed -to be over-generous, and should not hesitate to burn Savannah, Charleston -and Wilmington, or either of them, if the garrisons were needed." - -Such are some of the results of our gleanings in this field. Is it any -wonder that after reading them we fervently echo General Sherman's devout -aspiration: "I do wish the fine race of men that people the United States -should rule and determine the future destiny of America." - - - - -SHERMAN'S MARCH TO THE SEA. - -(Reprinted by Permission of the Illustrator Company. From the April, 1896, -Number of "The Illustrator." Copyrighted. All Rights Reserved.) - - -It is a proud thing for Americans to feel that there is little to bring -the blush of shame to their cheeks in the contemplation of their country's -history. It is a glorious thing for our young manhood to know that the -annals of their race tell of the earnest and upward progress of a people, -Christian from the first, toward an ever higher civilization. It is well -to reflect that when the ruthless hand of war has turned American -citizenship from the paths of peace it could do little more than array -strong man against sturdy foeman in an honest battle for principle, and -that outrage and pillage in our broad domain have been the almost -undisputed heritage of the Aborigines. - -Enduring with patient fortitude the raids of savage foes upon our early -frontiers, meeting the armed invasion of foreign hosts with a resistance -vigorous but manly, pressing our own victorious arms to the very citadel -of our Mexican neighbors without spoliation or rapine, it is sad to -realize that it remained for an internecine conflict, where brother stood -against brother, for an invasion by an army void of pretext of reprisal or -revenge, to write upon American warfare the stigma of vandalism, rapacity -and theft. - -The movement from Atlanta to Savannah, which figured in history as "The -March to the Sea," was, from the standpoint of the tactician, no great -achievement; it involved no more than the passage of an invincible army -across some three hundred miles of country, where it could gather supplies -upon its way, to effect a junction with its naval allies at a practically -defenceless city. It was peculiarly lacking in the daring which is -customarily ascribed to it, for it was made, practically, without -resistance and along a route where no considerable force of the enemy -could have been encountered. It was not a venture in the dark with a -conclusion to be determined by circumstances; for the authorities at -Washington were fully advised of its author's purpose, and Gen. Sherman -was assured that he would meet a formidable fleet at Savannah before he -undertook it. It was no more nor less than the yielding, by this most -typical barbarian conqueror of the Nineteenth century, to the spirit of -pillage and excess which distinguished his prototypes in the days of the -Goths and Vandals, when the homes and firesides of their enemies were at -their mercy. It was a campaign remarkable only for the revival of military -methods abandoned since Attila the Hun. It was, nevertheless, as carefully -planned as it was ruthlessly executed. It was no sudden impulse which laid -the torch to every roof-tree upon the invading army's path. It was no -spirit of retaliation for vigorous but ineffective resistance which goaded -these conquerors to excess, for out of 62,204 men who began the march but -103 lost their lives before they reached Savannah. It was simply the -grasping of the amplest opportunity by a man who glories in looting and -destruction, and to whom human misery was a subject for jest. - -At the outset let us understand that General Sherman, through all that -portion of his career which began with the destruction of Atlanta, was -acting upon a plan and a theory devised and adopted weeks before; that his -own actions and that of his army were in no sense impulsive, but in every -way controlled by premeditation, and that our authority for such a -conclusion lies in the repeated statements of the General himself. - -With the brutal frankness which was one of his characteristics, he wrote -on September 4th, 1864, in a letter to General Halleck, which he -reproduces in his autobiography: "If the people raise a howl against my -barbarity and cruelty, I will answer that war is war and not -popularity-seeking." "I knew, of course," he says, "that such a measure -would be strongly criticized, but made up my mind to do it with the -absolute certainty of its justness, and that time would sanction its -wisdom. I knew that the people of the South would read in this measure two -important conclusions; one that we were in earnest, and the other that if -they were sincere in their common and popular clamor 'to die in the last -ditch,' the opportunity would soon come." - -The cold-blooded candor of this statement leaves little doubt of the -temperature of the well-springs which fed that organ of General Sherman -corresponding to the heart of an ordinary man; but if evidence were -wanting of his absolute unconcern for the sufferings of others when his -own plans might be interfered with to the slightest degree, it might be -found in his answer to General Hood's proposition for an exchange of -prisoners. "Some of these prisoners," he says, "had already escaped and -got in, and had described the pitiable condition of the remainder." He had -at that time about two thousand Confederate prisoners available for -exchange. "These I offered to exchange for Stoneman, Buell, and such of my -own army as would make up the equivalent; but I would not exchange for his -prisoners generally, because I knew these would have to be sent to their -own regiments away from my army, whereas all we could give him could at -once be put to duty in his immediate army." No possible suffering which -his unfortunate companions in arms could be forced to bear by reason of -the Confederates' lack of supplies with which to feed and clothe them, -could induce him to exchange for men who would not strengthen his own -immediate army! - -Geneseric, the Vandal, is said to have been "cruel to blood thirstiness, -cunning, unscrupulous and grasping; but he possessed great military -talents and his manner of life was austere." Let the impartial reader of -history say how nearly the barbarian who marched to the sea in the -nineteenth century, approached to his prototype of the fifth century. One -is not surprised, therefore, to find this man writing to General Hood on -September 7th, 1864, that he "deemed it to the interest of the United -States that the citizens now residing in Atlanta should remove." - -In the midst of a region desolated by war, their fathers, husbands, -brothers, sons, in the army hundreds of miles away, it was "deemed to be -in the interest of the United States" that the helpless women and children -of Atlanta should be driven from their homes to find such shelter as God -gives the ravens and the beasts of the wood. It was a course that wrung -from General Hood these forceful words of reply: - -"Permit me to say that the unprecedented measure you propose transcends, -in studied and ingenious cruelty, all acts ever before brought to my -attention in the dark history of war. In the name of God and humanity I -protest, believing that you will find you are expelling from their homes -and firesides the wives and children of a brave people." To this burning -arraignment General Sherman could find no better answer than argument -concerning the right of States to secede. But it was followed on September -11th by an appeal from the mayor and councilmen of Atlanta which would -have touched a heart of stone. It was humble, it was earnest, it was -pitiful. It provoked these words in reply: "I have your letter of the 11th -in the nature of a petition to revoke my orders removing all the -inhabitants from Atlanta. I have read it carefully, and give full credit -to your statements of distress that will be occasioned, and yet shall not -revoke my orders, because they were not designed to meet the humanities of -the case, but to prepare for the future struggles in which millions of -good people outside of Atlanta have an interest." - -The same unalterable resolution must have dominated Geneseric, the Vandal, -when he prepared for his fourteen days sacking of Rome. The vandal of the -fifth century had at least the pretext of reprisal for his actions; the -vandal of the nineteenth century could find no better plea for his -barbarity than that it might wring the hearts of absent men until they -would sacrifice principle and honor for the relief of their loved ones. - -President Davis says: "Since Alva's atrocious cruelties to the -non-combatant population of the low countries in the sixteenth century, -the history of war records no instance of such barbarous cruelty as this -order designed to perpetrate. It involved the immediate expulsion from -their homes and only means of subsistence of thousands of unoffending -women and children, whose husbands and fathers were either in the army, in -Northern prisons, or had died in battle." - -At the time appointed the women and children were expelled from their -houses, and, before they were passed within our lines, complaint was -generally made that the Federal officers and men who were sent to guard -them had robbed them of the few articles of value they had been permitted -to take from their homes. The cowardly dishonesty of the men appointed to -carry out this order, was in perfect harmony with the temper and the -spirit of the order. - -It was on the 12th day of November, 1864, that "The March to the Sea" -began. Hood's army had been followed to Tennessee, and Sherman's forces -had destroyed the railroad during their return trip to Atlanta. They were -now ready to abandon the ruins of the Gate City for fresher and more -lucrative fields of havoc. It is fair to General Sherman to say that his -plans and intentions had been fully communicated to the authorities at -Washington, and that they met with the thorough approbation of General -Halleck, then Chief of Staff. - -General Halleck will be remembered as the hero who won immortal fame -before Corinth. With an immensely superior force he so thoroughly -entrenched himself before that city that he not only held his position -during General Beauregard's occupancy of the town, but retained it for -several days after the Confederate evacuation. He retired from active -service after this, his only piece of campaigning, to act in an advisory -capacity at Washington, and it was he who wrote these encouraging words to -Sherman at Atlanta: "The course which you have pursued in removing rebel -families from Atlanta, and in the exchange of prisoners, is fully approved -by the War Department.... Let the disloyal families thus stripped go to -their husbands, fathers, and natural protectors in the rebel ranks.... I -would destroy every mill and factory within reach, which I did not want -for my own use.... I have endeavored to impress these views upon our -commanders for the last two years. _You are almost the only one who has -properly applied them._" These words of encouragement fell upon willing -ears. No one knew better than Sherman how to read the sentiments between -those lines; he understood the motives which moved their doughty author as -thoroughly as when later the same hand gathered courage to advise him in -plain unvarnished words to wipe the city of Charleston off the face of the -earth, and sow her site with salt. The valiant Chief of Staff, who urged -on campaigns from a point sufficiently to the rear, had found at last a -man who would carry out his instructions, and the war upon women and -children was about to begin. - -General Halleck was not the sole confidant of General Sherman's plan. Less -than a month before the memorable march was undertaken, he telegraphed to -General Grant: "I propose that we break up the railroad from Chattanooga -forward, and that we strike out for Milledgeville, Millen and Savannah. -Until we can repopulate Georgia, it is useless for us to occupy it, but -the utter destruction of its roads, houses and people will cripple their -military resources. I can make this march, and make Georgia howl!" - -Sir Walter Raleigh conceived and attempted to execute the plan of -exterminating the Irish race, and colonizing their lands from England. The -Sultan of Turkey is about to carry out a similar policy with his -Armenians. - -The difference between these other exterminators and Sherman, is that they -expected to be met at the doors of the homes they intended to destroy by -men capable of offering resistance, while the American General knew he -would have to do with women and children alone. - -He evidently met with some expostulation from General Grant, for he -afterwards telegraphed him that he would "infinitely prefer to make a -wreck of the road and the country from Chattanooga and Atlanta, including -the latter city, send back all wounded and unserviceable men, and with the -effective army move through Georgia, smashing things to the sea." - -Receiving no answer to this latter dispatch, he did not hesitate to -execute the campaign as he had planned it, and in his own language -proceeded to "make the interior of Georgia feel the weight of war." - -Sherman and his staff rode out of the Gate City at 7 o'clock in the -morning of the 16th. "Behind us," he says, "lay Atlanta, smouldering and -in ruins, the black smoke rising high in the air and hanging like a pall -over the ruined city. Some band, by accident, struck up the anthem of -'John Brown's soul goes marching on'. The men caught up the strain, and -never before or since have I heard the chorus of 'Glory, glory, -hallelujah!' done with more spirit or in better harmony of time and -place." To the credit of the slandered soul of that other marauder, let us -say, that John Brown's lawless warfare was upon men alone, and that booty -formed no part of his incentive. - -Knowing that no effective resistance was to be expected, Sherman so -scattered his columns that the sixty-mile "swath" which it was his purpose -to devastate, was covered by them with ease. In order that the work might -be thoroughly and effectively done, a sufficient number of men were -detailed for that branch of military service peculiar to Sherman's army, -and known as "bummers." - -"These interesting individuals always," says the General, "arose before -day and preceded the army on its march." "Although this foraging was -attended with great danger and hard work, there seemed to be a charm about -it that attracted the soldiers, and it was a privilege to be detailed on -such a party." "No doubt," he adds with that same blunt frankness, "many -acts of pillage, robbery and violence were committed by these parties of -foragers usually called 'bummers'; for I have since heard of jewelry taken -from women, and the plunder of articles that never reached the -commissary." But these playful fellows, in spite of such indiscretions, -were never more to the General than an exhibition of that charming humor -invariably apparent in him in the presence of human suffering. - -We may gather an idea of them from the following description given by a -correspondent of the New York Herald, who accompanied the army: "Any man -who has seen the object that the name applies to will acknowledge that it -was admirably selected. Fancy a ragged man, bleached by the smoke of many -a pine-knot fire, mounted on a scraggy mule without a saddle, with a gun, -a knap-sack, a butcher-knife and a plug hat, stealing his way through the -pine forests far out in the flanks of a column, keen on the scent of -rebels, or bacon, or silver spoons, or coin, or anything valuable, and you -have him in your mind. Think how you would admire him if you were a lone -woman, with a family of small children, far from help, when he blandly -inquired where you kept your valuables! Think how you would smile when he -pried open your chests with his bayonet, or knocked to pieces your tables, -pianos and chairs, tore your bed clothing into three-inch strips and -scattered them about the yard. The 'bummers' say it takes too much time to -use keys. Color is no protection from the rough raiders. They go through a -negro cabin in search of diamonds and gold watches with just as much -freedom and vivacity as they 'loot' the dwelling of a wealthy planter. -They appear to be possessed of a spirit of 'pure cussedness.' One -incident, illustrative of many, will suffice. A bummer stepped into a -house and inquired for sorghum. The lady of the house presented a jug, -which he said was too heavy, so he merely filled his canteen. Then taking -a huge wad of tobacco from his mouth he thrust it into the jug. The lady -inquired, in wonder, why he spoiled that which he did not want. 'Oh, some -feller'll come along and taste that sorghum and think you've poisoned him, -then he'll burn your d----d old house.' There are hundreds of these -mounted men with the column, and they go everywhere. Some of them are -loaded down with silverware, gold coin, and other valuables. I hazard -nothing in saying three fifths (in value) of the personal property of the -country we have passed through was taken by Sherman's army." - -In an address delivered before the Association of the Maryland Line, -Senator Zeb Vance, of North Carolina, has laid the vigorous touch of his -characteristic English upon the void until it stands out in barbarous bold -relief, so far beyond the pencil of the present writer that he best serves -his readers by quoting: "With reference to his famous and infamous march, -I wish to say that I hope I am too much of a man to complain of the -natural and inevitable hardships, or even cruelties of war; but of the -manner in which this army treated the peaceful and defenseless inhabitants -in the reach of his columns, all civilization should complain. - -"There are always stragglers and desperadoes following in the wake of an -army, who do some damage to and inflict some outrages upon helpless -citizens, in spite of all efforts of commanding officers to restrain and -punish; but when a General organizes a corps of thieves and plunderers as -a part of his invading army, and licenses beforehand their outrages, he -and all who countenance, aid or abet, invite the execration of mankind. -This peculiar arm of military service, it is charged and believed, was -instituted by General Sherman in his invasion of the Southern States. -Certain it is that the operations of his 'Bummer Corps' were as regular -and as unrebuked, if not as much commended for efficiency, as any other -division of his army, and their atrocities are often justified or excused, -on the ground that 'such is war.' - -"In his own official report of his operations in Georgia, he says: 'We -consumed the corn and fodder in the region of country thirty miles either -side of a line from Atlanta to Savannah, also the sweet potatoes, hogs, -sheep and poultry, and carried off more than ten thousand horses and -mules. I estimate the damage done to Georgia at one-hundred million -dollars, at least twenty million of which inured to our benefit, and the -remainder was simply waste and destruction!'... The 'remainder' delicately -alluded to, that is say damage done the unresisting inhabitants to over -and above the seizing of necessary army supplies, consisted in private -houses burned, stock shot down and left to rot, bed clothes, money, -watches, spoons, plate and ladies' jewelry stolen, etc., etc. A lane of -desolation sixty miles wide through the heart of three great states, -marked by more burnings and destructions than ever followed in the wake of -the widest cyclone that ever laid forest low! And all done, not to support -an invading army, but for 'pure waste and destruction'; to punish the -crime of rebellion, not in the persons of those who had brought these -about, but of peaceful non-combatants, the tillers of the soil, the women -and the children, the aged and feeble, and the poor slaves! A silver spoon -was evidence of disloyalty, a ring on a lady's finger was a sure proof of -sympathy with rebellion, whilst a gold watch was _prima facie_ evidence of -the most damnable guilt on the part of the wearer. These obnoxious -earmarks of treason must be seized and confiscated for private use--for -'such is war!' If these failed, and they sometimes did, torture of the -inhabitants was freely employed to force disclosure. Sometimes with noble -rage at their disappointment, the victims were left dead, as a warning to -all others who should dare hide a jewel or a family trinket from the -cupidity of a soldier of the Union. No doubt the stern necessity for such -things caused great pain to those who inflicted, but the Union must be -restored, and how could that be done whilst a felonious gold watch or a -treasonable spoon was suffered to remain in the land, giving aid and -comfort to rebellion? For 'such is war.' Are such things war indeed? Let -us see. Eighty-four years before that time, there was a war, in that same -country; it was a rebellion, too, and an English nobleman led the troops -of Great Britain through that same region, over much of the same route, -in his efforts to subdue that rebellion. The people through whose land he -marched were bitterly hostile, they shot his foraging parties, his -sentinels and stragglers, they fired upon him from every wood. - -"He and his troops had every motive to hate and punish those rebellious -and hostile people. It so happens that the original order-book of Lord -Cornwallis is in possession of the North Carolina Historical Society. I -have seen and read it. Let us make a few extracts and see what he -considered war, and what he thought to be the duty of a civilized soldier -towards non-combatants and the helpless: - - "'CAMP NEAR BEATTY'S FORD, - January 28, 1781. - -"'Lord Cornwallis has so often expressed the zeal and good will of the -army that he has not the slightest doubt that the officers and soldiers -will most cheerfully submit to the ill conveniences that must naturally -attend war, so remote from water carriage and the magazines of the army. -The supply of rum for a time will be absolutely impossible, and that of -meal very uncertain. It is needless to point out to the officers the -necessity of preserving the strictest discipline, and of preventing the -oppressed people from suffering violence by the hands from whom they are -taught to look for protection.' - -"Now, General Sherman was fighting, as he said, for the sole purpose of -restoring the Union, and for making the people of the rebellious States -look to the United States alone for protection; does any act or order of -his anywhere indicate a similar desire of protecting the people from -suffering at the hands of those whose duty it was to protect them? Again: - - "'HEADQUARTERS, LANSLER'S PLANTATION, - February 2, 1781. - -"'Lord Cornwallis is highly displeased that several houses have been set -on fire to-day during the march--a disgrace to the army--and he will -punish with the utmost severity any person or persons who shall be found -guilty of committing so disgraceful an outrage. His lordship requests the -commanding officers of the corps will endeavor to find the persons who set -fire to the houses to-day.' - -"Now think of the march of Sherman's army which could be discovered a -great way off by the smoke of homesteads by day and the lurid glare of -flames by night, from Atlanta to Savannah, from Columbia to Fayetteville, -and suppose that such an order as this had been issued by its commanding -officers and rigidly executed, would not the mortality have been quite -equal to that of a great battle? - -"Arriving in Fayetteville on the 10th of January, 1865, he not only burned -the arsenal, one of the finest in the United States, which perhaps he -might properly have done, but also burned five private dwelling houses -near by; he burned the principal printing offices, that of the old -'Fayetteville Observer;' he burned the old Bank of North Carolina, eleven -large warehouses, five cotton mills and quite a number of private -dwellings in other parts of the town, whilst in the suburbs almost a clean -sweep was made; in one locality nine houses were burned. Universally -houses were gutted before they were burned, and after everything portable -was secured the furniture was ruthlessly destroyed, pianos on which -perhaps rebel tunes had been played--'Dixie' or 'My Maryland'--disloyal -bureaus, traitorous tables and chairs were cut to pieces with axes, and -frequently, after all this damage, fire was applied and all consumed. -Carriages and vehicles of all kinds were wantonly destroyed or burned; -instances could be given of old men who had the shoes taken from their -feet, the hats from their heads and clothes from their persons; and their -wives and children subjected to like treatment. In one instance, as the -marauders left they shot down a dozen cattle belonging to an old man, and -then left their carcasses lying in the yard. Think of that, and then -remember the grievance of the Pennsylvania Dutch farmers who came in all -seriousness to complain to General Longstreet in the Gettysburg campaign, -of the outrage which some of his ferocious rebels had committed upon them -_by_ '_milking their cows_.' On one occasion, at Fayetteville, four -gentlemen were hung up by the neck until nearly dead to force them to -disclose where their valuables were hidden, and one of them was shot to -death. Again: - - "'HEADQUARTERS DOBBINS HOUSE, - February 17, 1781. - -"'Lord Cornwallis is very sorry to be obliged to call the attention of the -officers of the army to the repeated orders against plundering, and he -assures the officers that if their duty to their King and country, and -their feelings for humanity are not sufficient to force their obedience -to them, he must, however reluctantly, make use of such powers as the -military laws have placed in his hands.... It is expected that Captains -will exert themselves to keep good order and to prevent plundering. Any -officer _who looks on with indifference and does not do his utmost to -prevent shameful marauding, will be considered in a more criminal light -than the persons who commit these scandalous crimes_, which must bring -disgrace and ruin on his Majesty's service. All foraging parties will give -receipts for supplies taken by them.' - -"Now, taking it for granted that Lord Cornwallis, a distinguished soldier -and a gentleman, is an authority on the rights of war, could there be -found any where a more damnatory comment upon the practices of General -Sherman and his army? Again: - - "'HEADQUARTERS, FREELANDS, - February 28, 1781. - -"'Memorandum:--A watch found by the regiment of Bose. The owner may have -it from the adjutant of the regiment upon proving property.' Another: - - "'SMITH'S PLANTATION, March 1, 1781. - -"'Brigade Orders. A woman having been robbed of a watch, a black silk -handkerchief, a gallon of peach brandy and a shirt, and as, by the -description, by a soldier of the guards, the camp and every man's kit is -to be immediately searched for the same by the officers of the Brigade.' - -"Are there any poets in the audience, or other persons in whom the -imaginative faculty has been largely cultivated? If so, let me beg him to -do me the favor of conceiving, if he can, and make manifest to me, the -idea of a notice of a lost watch being given, in general orders, by -William Tecumseh Sherman, and the offer to return it on proof of property -by the rebel owner! Let him imagine, if he can, the searching of every -man's kit in the army for a stolen watch, a shirt, a black silk -handkerchief and a gallon of peach brandy! Sherman says 'such is war.' I -venture to say that up to the period when that 'great march' taught us the -contrary, no humane general or civilized people in Christendom believed -_that_ '_such was_ war.' Has civilization gone backward since Lord -Cornwallis' day? Have arson and vulgar theft been ennobled into heroic -virtues? If so, when and by whom? Has the art of discovering a poor man's -hidden treasure by fraud or torture been elevated into the strategy which -wins a campaign? If so, when and by whom? - -"No, it will not do to slur over these things by a vague reference to the -inevitable cruelties of war. The time is fast coming when the conduct of -that campaign will be looked upon in the light of real humanity, and -investigated in the real historic spirit which evolves truth; and all the -partisan songs which have been sung, or orations which subservient orators -have spoken about that great march to the sea; and all the caricatures of -Southern leaders which the bitterness of a diseased sectional sentiment -has inspired; and all the glamour of a great success, shall not avail to -restrain the inexorable, the illuminating pen of history. Truth, like -charity, never faileth. Whether there be prophecies, they shall fail, -whether there be tongues they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it -shall vanish away; but when the truth, which is perfect, has come, then -that which is in part shall be done away. - -"Now let us contrast General Sherman with his greatest foe; likewise the -greatest, the most humane general of modern times, and see whether he -regarded the pitiless destruction of the substance of women and children -and inoffensive inhabitants a legitimate war: - - "'HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VA., - June 27, 1863. - -"'General Order No. 73. The commanding general has observed with marked -satisfaction the conduct of troops on this march. There have, however, -been instances of forgetfulness on the part of some that they have in -keeping the yet unsullied reputation of this army, and that the duties -exacted of us by civilization and Christianity are not less obligatory in -the country of an enemy than in our own. The commanding general considers -that no greater disgrace could befall the army and through it our whole -people, than the perpetration of barbarous outrages upon the unarmed and -defenceless, and the wanton destruction of private property, that have -marked the course of the enemy in our country.... It will be remembered -that we make war only upon armed men. - - R. E. LEE, General.' - -"The humanity and Christian spirit of this order was such as to challenge -the admiration of foreign nations. The 'London Times' commented upon it, -and its American correspondent said: 'The greatest surprise has been -expressed to me by officers from the Austrian, Prussian and English -armies, each of which has representatives here, that volunteer troops, -provoked by nearly twenty-seven months of unparalleled ruthlessness and -wantonness, of which their country has been the scene, should be under -such control, and willing to act in harmony with the long-suffering and -forbearance of President Davis and General Lee.' - -"To show how this order was executed, the same writer tells a story of how -he witnessed with his own eyes General Lee and a surgeon of his command -repairing the damage to a farmer's fence. Colonel McClure, of -Philadelphia, a Union soldier himself, bears witness to the good conduct -of Lee's ragged rebels in that famous campaign. He tells of hundreds of -them coming to him and asking for a little bread and coffee, and others -who were wet and shivering asking permission to enter a house, in which -they saw a bright fire, to warm themselves until their coffee should be -ready. Hundreds of similar instances could be given, substantiated by the -testimony of men on both sides, to show the splendid humanity of that -great invasion. Blessed be the good God, who, if in His wisdom denied us -success, yet gave to us and our children the rich inheritance of this -great example. - -"Major General Halleck, the commander-in-chief, under the President, of -the armies of the Union, on the 18th of December, 1864, dispatched as -follows to Sherman, then in Savannah: 'Should you capture Charleston, I -hope that by some accident the place may be destroyed; and if a little -salt should be sown upon its site it may prevent the growth of future -crops of nullification and secession.' On December 27th, 1864, Sherman -made the following answer: 'I will bear in mind your hint as to -Charleston, and don't think "salt" will be necessary. When I move, the -15th corps will be on the right of the right wing, and their position will -bring them naturally into Charleston first, and if you have watched the -history of the corps you will have remarked that they generally do their -work up pretty well. The truth is, the whole army is burning with -insatiable desire to wreak vengeance upon South Carolina. I almost tremble -at her fate; but feel that she deserves all that seems to be in store for -her.... I look upon Columbia as quite as bad as Charleston.' Therefore -Columbia was burned to ashes. And though he knew what was in store for -South Carolina, so horrible that he even trembled, he took no steps to -avert it, for he felt that she deserved it all. Did she, indeed? What -crime had she committed that placed her outside the protection of the law -of civilized nations? What unjust, or barbarous, or brutal conduct had she -been guilty of to bring her within the exceptions laid down by the writers -on the laws of war as authorizing extraordinary severity of punishment? -They are not even imputed to her. South Carolina's crime, and the crime of -all the seceding States, was that of a construction of the constitution of -the United States differing from that of General Sherman and the 15th -corps--which 'always did up its work pretty well.' Happily the Divine -Goodness has made the powers of recuperation superior to those of -destruction; and though their overthrow was so complete that 'salt' was -not needed as the type of utter desolation, Marietta and Atlanta are -thriving and prosperous cities." - -Governor Vance does not wish to confine himself, in quoting, to Southern -testimony. There are plenty of honest and truthful soldiers in the Federal -army, who served in its ranks, to tell all we want and more. This is what -one of them says, writing to the "Detroit Free Press" of that campaign: -"One of the most devilish acts of Sherman's campaign was the destruction -of Marietta. The Military Institute and such mills and factories as might -be a benefit to Hood could expect the torch, but Sherman was not content -with that; the torch was applied to everything, even the shanties occupied -by the negroes. No advance warning was given. The first alarm was followed -by the crackling of flames. Soldiers rode from house to house, entered -without ceremony and kindled fires in garrets and closets, and stood by to -see that they were not extinguished." Again he says: "Had one been able to -climb to such a height at Atlanta as to enable him to see for forty miles -around, the day Sherman marched out, he would have been appalled at the -destruction. Hundreds of houses had been burned; every rod of fence -destroyed; nearly every fruit tree cut down, and the face of the country -so changed that one born in that section could scarcely recognize it. The -vindictiveness of war would have trampled the very earth out of sight, had -such a thing been possible." - -One cold and drizzly night in the midst of this marching General Sherman -found shelter and warmth beneath the roof of a comfortable plantation -home. - -"In looking around the room," he says, "I saw a small box, like a candle -box, marked 'Howell Cobb,' and, on inquiring of a negro, found we were at -the plantation of General Howell Cobb, of Georgia, one of the leading -rebels of the South, then a General in the Southern army, and who had been -Secretary of the Treasury in Mr. Buchanan's time. Of course we confiscated -his property, and found it rich in corn, beans, peanuts, and sorghum -molasses. Extensive fields were all around the house. I sent word back to -General Davis to explain whose plantation it was, and to instruct him to -spare nothing. That night huge bonfires consumed the fence-rails, kept our -soldiers warm, and the teamsters and men, as well as slaves, carried off -an immense quantity of corn and provisions of all sorts." - -Do the records of civilized warfare furnish a parallel to this petty and -mercenary wreaking of spite upon the helpless home of a gallant foeman? - -The General furnished us with proof of how worthy of their selection his -staff-officers proved during that memorable raid. While camped that night -on Cobb's plantation, Lieutenant Snelling, who was a Georgian commanding -his escort, received permission to visit his uncle, who lived some six -miles away. - -"The next morning," says the General, "he described to me his visit. The -uncle was not cordial by any means to find his nephew in the ranks of the -host that was desolating the land, and Snelling came back, having -exchanged his tired horse for a fresher one out of his uncle's stables, -explaining that surely some of the 'bummers' would have got the horse had -he not." It was the eternal fitness of things that the staff-officers of -this prince of free-booters should be renegades capable of stealing from -their nearest kin. - -The unfailing jocosity of this merry marauder breaks out in his recital of -a negro's account of the destruction of Sandersville: "First, there came -along some cavalrymen, and they burned the depot; then came along some -infantrymen, and they tore up the track and burned it, and, just before -they left, they sot fire to the well!" The well, he explains, was a boxed -affair into which some of the debris was piled, and the customary torch -was applied, making the negro's statement literally true. This was one of -the incidents to leaving the pretty town of Sandersville a smoking mass of -ruins. - -But why enumerate further details of an unresisted movement which cost -Sherman one hundred and three lives, and the State of Georgia one hundred -million dollars, twenty millions of which he frankly states he carried -off, and eighty millions of which he destroyed? It began in shame at -Atlanta--it passed with a gathering burden of infamy to Savannah. -Starvation, terror, outrage hung upon its flanks and rear. Its days were -darkened by the smoking incense from unparalleled sacrifices upon the -altar of wantonness; its nights were lurid with flames licking the last -poor shelter from above the heads of subjugated wives and children. - -Its history is the strongest human argument for an orthodox hell. - - - - -TESTIMONIALS. - - - STATE OF GEORGIA, - EXECUTIVE OFFICE, - ATLANTA, September 1st, 1894. - -"Life in Dixie During the War," by Miss Mary A. H. Gay, presents a -striking picture of home life among our people during that dark period of -our history. - -While such presentation is hardly looked for in more elaborate history of -those times, Miss Gay's conception was a wise one, and the record she has -given will preserve a most desirable part of the history of our section. - -Her book deserves to be widely circulated. - - W. J. NORTHEN, - Governor. - - -"LIFE IN DIXIE DURING THE WAR." - -This handsome volume from the pen of Miss Mary A. H. Gay, whose many acts -of self-denial entitle her to the name of philanthropist, will meet with a -hearty welcome from her wide circle of friends. But a casual glance at the -volume leads us to conclude that outside of this circle, even with the -reader who will look into it as a key to the history of the "times that -tried men's souls," it will be a book of more than passing interest. The -author writes with the feelings of a partisan, but time has mellowed her -recollections of these stormy times, and even the reader whose sympathies -were with the other side will agree with Joel Chandler Harris in his -introduction to the book. In its mechanical get-up, the book is a -gem.--_Atlanta Constitution_, December 18, 1892. - - -"LIFE IN DIXIE." - -Miss Mary A. H. Gay has published a volume entitled "Life in Dixie During -the War," which should be in every Southern home. It is one of the truest -pictures of the life of our people during the war that has yet been drawn. -In fact, it could not be better, for it shows things just as they were. -The struggles and sufferings of the Southern people during that awful -period exhibited a heroism that has seldom been matched in the world's -history. Miss Gay was among them. She looked on their trials with -sympathetic eyes and suffered with them. Fortunately she is gifted with -the power of describing what she saw, and her book will be a classic of -war literature. Its every page is interesting. The story of Dixie during -the war reads like romance to the generation that has arisen since, but it -should have for generations an interest as deep as that with which it is -read by those who lived and acted amid the scenes it records. It shows how -grand was the courage and virtue, how sublime the faith and endurance of -the men and women of the South throughout that terrible ordeal. It is a -book that will live, and one that will give to the world a true -representation of the conduct of a noble people in affliction. Miss Gay -has made numerous contributions to our literature which mark her as a -woman of rare capacity and exquisite feelings, but she has done no work -that is worthier of gratitude and praise than that embodied in "Life in -Dixie."--_The Atlanta Journal_, January 17, 1893. - - -"LIFE IN DIXIE." - -Miss Mary Gay's recent book, "Life in Dixie During the War," is rapidly -winning favor with the public. Some of our most distinguished writers -speak of it in very high terms as a notable contribution to our history. -The Rev. Dr. J. William Jones says of it: - -"'Life in Dixie During the War' is a charming story of home-life during -those dark days when our noble women displayed a patient endurance, and -active zeal, a self-denying work in the hospitals, a genuine patriotism, a -true heroism which equalled the record of their fathers, husbands, sons -and brothers in the army. - -"But Decatur, near Atlanta, was the scene of stirring events during -Sherman's campaign against the doomed city, and Miss Gay's facile pen -vividly portrays historic events of deepest interest. - -"Visits from the soldier boy to the old home, letters from the camp, -visits to the camps and hospitals, the smoke and changing scenes of battle -in the enemy's lines, refugeeing, and many other events of those stirring -days, are told with the vividness of an eye-witness and the pen of an -accomplished writer. - -"It is, in a word, a vivid and true picture of 'Life in Dixie During the -War,' and should find a place not only in our Southern homes, but in the -homes of all who desire to see a true account of the life of our noble -women during those trying days. - - "REV. JOHN WILLIAM JONES." - -_The Constitution_, May 2nd, 1893. - - -The "Confederate Love Song," by Miss Mary A. H. Gay, of Decatur, was -written during the late war. It is a charming bit of verse, and forms one -of a galaxy of beautiful songs from the same true pen. In 1880, Miss Gay -published a volume of verses which received the unusual compliment of -public demand for no less than eleven editions. The author's life is one -of the most beautiful; it is, therefore, quite natural that her poetry -should partake of the simple truth and sincerity of that life, consecrated -as it is, and ever has been, to the noblest work.--_Atlanta Constitution._ - - -Miss Gay's Book, "Life in Dixie During the War."--Editor "_Sunny South_:" -Permit me to say a few words through the columns of your widely read and -popular paper about Miss Mary A. H. Gay's "Life in Dixie During the War," -the second and enlarged edition of which book has just been issued from -the press. - -The fact that a second and enlarged edition has been called for is proof -that the merits of this genuine Southern story has been appreciated by our -people. Not only has the author in her book perpetuated interesting and -historically valuable material of merely local character, but, to the -careful reader, she also presents matter that goes to the deep moral, -social and political roots of the cause of the people of the South, that -grew and flowered into the crimson rose of war, which the South plucked -and wore upon her heart during four of the most tragic yet glorious years -recorded in history. - -But the chief charms of the book are its simple, earnest, homely style, -its depth of womanly and loyal feeling, and the glimpses we get of the -homes and hearts of our people during these years of patient suffering and -"crucifixion of the soul;" and along with the passion and the pain, we are -presented with pictures of our people's frequently laughable "makeshifts" -to supply many of the common necessaries of life and household appliances -of which the stress and savage devastation deprived nearly every Southern -family. Above all we are impressed by the more than Spartan heroism, the -tender love, the unwavering loyalty, the devoted, self-sacrificing spirit -of our noble Southern womanhood, of which this book speaks so eloquently -in its _naive_ simplicity, and of which traits of character, the modest -author herself is a living and universally beloved example. - -The book deserves a place in the hearts and homes of our people. Surely -the patriotic motives that inspired its author to write it is the only -passport it needs to public favor and patronage. - - CHARLES W. HUBNER, - "_Sunny South_," Atlanta, Ga., November 3, 1894. - - -A WAR STORY. - -Even in these piping times of peace (peace as far as our own borders are -concerned, at any rate)--there is a relish in a war story. And when the -scene is laid right here in Georgia, in Decatur, in Atlanta; when familiar -names come up in the course of the narrative, and familiar events are -pictured by an honest eye-witness; when all through the little volume you -feel the truthfulness of the writer, and know that the incidents she -narrates happened just so; when, too, you see the writer herself--see her -to be an old lady now, who really was a heroine in her young days; and -then read the simple, personal narrative--now stirring, as the battle-guns -sound--now touching, as some dear one falls; with all this combination of -interest, a war story claims and holds the attention. - -Such is the little book, called "Life in Dixie," written by Miss Mary Gay, -and telling of those stirring times in and about Atlanta, back yonder in -the sixties. - -There are some vivid pictures in that modest little volume, as well as -some interesting facts. Miss Gay was in the thick of the strife, and tells -what she saw in those dark days. - -Among the well-known characters, associated with the recorded events, we -find Mrs. L. P. Grant, Mr. and Mrs. Posey Maddox, Dr. J. P. Logan and many -others. - -A most interesting fact disclosed in those pages is the surprising one -that two sisters of Mrs. Abraham Lincoln married Alabama officers in the -Confederate army; there is recorded the public presentation, by those two -ladies, of an elegant silk banner made for a gallant young company in -Georgia's daughter-State. Thus conspicuous were those women in the -Southern Confederacy, while their sister and her dearest interests lay on -the other side. - -Another matter of history which will be interesting to the present -generation of readers, however much we may have read of the mammoth prices -for the necessaries of life in those hard days, is the following list of -articles, with the cost thereof in Confederate money, bought by Miss Gay, -after a ride of forty miles to obtain them: - -One bushel of meal, $10.00; four bushels of corn, $40.00; fifteen pounds -of flour, $7.50; four pounds of dried apples, $5.00; one and a half pounds -of butter, $6.00; a bushel of sweet potatoes, $6.00; three gallons of -syrup, $15.00; for shoeing the horse, $25.00; for a night's lodging for -self and horse, at Mrs. Born's, $10.00. - -Then, the vehicle in which the trip for these supplies was made! - -It was contrived by "Uncle Mack," a dusky hero of those times. "It was a -something he had improvised which baffled description," writes Miss Gay, -"and which, for the sake of the faithful service I obtained from it, I -will not attempt to describe. Suffice it to say that it carried living -freight over many a bridge; and in honor of this, I will call it a wagon." - -The horse, which the author herself captured to draw this remarkable -vehicle, was equally remarkable, and his subsequent history is one of the -most interesting bits of narrative in the book. I wish I could give it -all in Miss Gay's own words, but my space does not admit of that. - -But there is not a child in your household who would not be interested in -the account of how the poor starved horse was lassoed and secured--how he -was fed and strengthened, and cared for, and finally harnessed up with -ropes and pieces of crocus sacks; how the letters, "U. S." were found -branded on each of his sides, causing his mistress to name him "Yankee"; -how she grew to love him so that she deemed that name ill-fitting, and -decided to re-christen him "Johnnie Reb.," which she did one day with -effective ceremonial by a brook-side; how he rendered invaluable service -to his mistress many and many a time, and was a treasured member of the -little family that passed such stormy times in the war-stricken village of -Decatur; all this is worth reading, told, as it is, with a gentle humor, -and a strict truthfulness which is the chief charm of that historic -picture. For it is historic. And it were well for the rising generation to -read its vivid portrayals of that period. - -And though Miss Gay was evidently an ardent secessionist, and is now, I -fancy, one of the altogether unreconstructed few, her book contains -records of more than one kindness received at the hands of officers of the -United States army--kindness proffered, too, in the face of her fearless -avowal of opinion. - -Some parts of the book (I will add, if the gentle author will allow me) -seem somewhat too bitter towards our brethren of the North. But this -criticism is from the standpoint of one who knew not the horrors of that -dreadful war. If I had seen the desolation and destruction which followed -it in the wake of Sherman's army, as Miss Gay saw it and suffered by it -(through mother and brother and friends, as well as through personal -privation),--if I had thus suffered, doubtless I, too, would be unable to -look impartially upon these Federal leaders and their actuating -motives--unable to see that, though Sherman was a most unmerciful -conqueror, he was not altogether a fiend. - -But there is only a touch of this severe judgment in Miss Gay's little -book. The greater portion of it is simply historic--a faithful chronicling -of events experienced by the writer herself, who was a veritable heroine -in those days of horrors. - -Miss Gay is to be congratulated upon the fact that "Life in Dixie" is -entering upon its second edition. Let me suggest that you get it for your -children, you parents. The rising generation should learn of the stirring -events which happened right here in Atlanta thirty years ago. - -The story will hold their attention and interest throughout--the -soldier-brother who fell in the strife, the faithful black Toby sketched -so tenderly, the perilous trip of Miss Gay herself, as she carried the -blankets and overcoats through the enemy's ranks to the boys in gray--all -this will vastly entertain those young folks, at the same time it teaches -them of the Battle of Atlanta, and the concurrent events.--EMEL JAY[6], in -_The Atlanta Journal_, November 24th, 1894. - -"Life in Dixie During the War" is the title of a volume just perused which -transcends in interest, truth and beauty all the historical tomes and -garlanded fiction to which that epoch has given birth. It embraces the -personal experiences and observations of a woman, gifted far beyond the -ordinary, who came in contact with the sadness, the bloodshed and the -misery of the unhappy struggle. A loved brother laid down his life on the -bloodiest battle-field, friends parted and vanished from her, and wealth -was swallowed in the maw of destruction. - -She tells her story--for story it is--with an exquisite grace, and with a -woman's tenderness and sympathy for the people she loved and the cause she -adored. Her language is lofty upon occasion, her memories perhaps too -keen, her gentleness possibly too exclusive to her own, but her work is -done with a fidelity and consistency beyond comparison. The scene is -Decatur, Ga., but threads, visible or invisible, reach to every hamlet and -entwine every heart in the evanished Confederacy. The heroism of men, the -daring of boys, the endurance of women, alike are painted with a skill -that requires no color. - -Those who wish to embalm their recollections of home-life during the war, -and those who desire to know what it was, should read this book. It is one -of the records of the past that should be in every library. It is -beautifully printed, neatly cloth-bound, and contains 300 pages.--_The -Tampa Daily Times_, January 17, 1895. - - -FROM THE OTHER SIDE. - -A UNION SOLDIER'S TRIBUTE TO A SOUTHERN WOMAN'S BOOK. - - EVANSTON, ILL., December 30th, 1895. - -_Mary A. H. Gay_: - -DEAR MADAM: Allow me to thank you for giving to the world inside home life -in the South during the war. All histories of the war that have been -written have been confined to battles and movements of armies, which are -so likened to the histories of other wars that when you have read one you -may say that you have read them all. But yours gives a local and romantic -description of real life, and I feel like congratulating you and calling -the scenes in which you played so important a part the heyday of your -existence. I take it you were the daughter, pampered and cuddled child, of -rich and influential people, and had it not been for the war you would -have been raised with much pomp, arrogance and importance of family, -which, in the very nature of your surroundings, would have destroyed all -the finer and nobler traits which want and misery have developed into a -grand, noble, self-sacrificing and heroic woman. And although you portray -the scenes freighted with misery, want and desolation, yet they were -halcyon days to one like you, romantic, energetic, patriotic and -self-sacrificing, and now, as you are passing down the shady lane of life, -you live in the memories of the past, the part you played in the heroic -struggle, and the noble womanhood developed; and the assurance that you -did well your part in the great tragedy strews roses and garlands along -the path of your declining years. - -"I follow you through all these stirring scenes; I sit beside you in your -hours of gloom and blighted hopes; I follow you beside the ox-cart that -drew its freight of human misery; I walk with you into the woody retreats -and sit beside you upon the banks of the limpid stream and mix my tears -with yours; I tramp with you over the scenes of desolation; I sorrow with -you over the death of Toby; I mourn with you over the sudden death of -noble Thomie; I sit beside the death-bed of your sainted mother and mingle -my tears with yours; I gladly accompany you on your weary tramp with your -much-loved 'Yankee' or Johnnie Reb; I gather with you the leaden missiles -of death to buy food for starving friends and fellow-sufferers; I pass -with you through all the scenes that are freighted with hope, love, -despair and expectation; I am your friend and sympathizer in all your -misfortunes, and yet I am one of those 'accursed' Yankee soldiers who have -been the bane of your life. - -"The strange blending of pathos and diplomacy on pages 91 and 92 may be -said to be amusingly expressive. Chapter 13 is intensely interesting, -dramatic and romantic; still I see no reason that I should speak of these -isolated passages, for the whole book is equally interesting, and would -foreshadow for it a large sale in the North if properly handled. As to the -mechanical construction of the book, I am much pleased with your language, -as it is free from Carlylism and ostentatious English, which mars so much -of the writings of many of our modern authors. I hold that when a book is -overloaded with this disgusting use of the dictionary it is what Goldsmith -terms 'display of book learned skill.' - -"The book was kindly sent me by a lady friend in Atlanta, Mrs. Delbridge, -and I hope when I visit Atlanta again I may have the pleasure of meeting -the authoress that nature has endowed with such wonderful power of -description." - - Most respectfully, - CHARLES AIKIN. - -Published in _The Atlanta Constitution_ January 5th, 1896. - - -"LIFE IN DIXIE DURING THE WAR, - -is the title of one of the best series of sketches that has been written -about the 'late unpleasantness.' It contains the record of one woman's -experience during the five years of warfare between the North and the -South. The author, Miss Mary A. H. Gay, of Decatur, Georgia, one of the -most graceful writers in the South, has handled the subject in a masterful -manner. 'Truth is stranger than fiction,' and the work abounds in truth. -The volume ought to be on sale at every news-stand in the South. The book -has been described as containing 'a living picture of those trying -times--not to stir up bitter feelings and hatred, but a history, and such -history as cannot be obtained in any other form.' Miss Gay was in the -thick of the strife, 'and in a modest way shows herself a heroine worthy -of any romance.' Her pen describes scenes that bring tears for the pain -and suffering, and laughter at the 'makeshifts' resorted to by those -noble people in the hour of actual need. 'Some parts of the narrative may -be judged as rather bitter towards the enemy by those who know not the -horrors of that war. But let such critics put themselves in the wake of -Sherman's army and suffer as the writer, and they will feel more -charitable towards her who, in recalling those experiences, finds it hard -to love all her enemies. There is only a touch of this old-time -bitterness, however; most of the book is simply historic, and Miss Gay -does not hesitate to record many kindnesses received at the hands of -Federal officers.' Such a valuable contribution to the history of the war -should be prized. It is a vivid chronicle, and the rising generation -should learn of those stirring events. They will read with unflagging -interest to the end of the narrative. We wish for it a wide -circulation."--_The Arkansas Gazette_, March 10th, 1896. - - -LIFE IN DIXIE DURING THE WAR. - -BY MARY A. H. GAY, DECATUR, GA. - -We endorse most heartily the praise bestowed on this modest volume by the -general press. Within the same scope we do not believe a truer or more -sympathetic picture of the ghastly war time has ever been written. It is -not fiction, but a faithful presentation of one woman's experience during -the five years that bounded the war between the States. - -The writer was in the very thick of the strife, and while with admirable -modesty she has endeavored to keep herself out of her book, it is clear -that she was one of the heroic and indefatigable women who brought into -scenes of suffering the ministry of tenderness. The recital of events as -they were, brings humor into the book, whose tenor in the main, however, -is necessarily sad. - -By those to whom the war is simply a tale that is told, there are parts of -the book in which the writer will be accused of undue bitterness. However, -no such critics, we think, will be found among the people to whom the war -was a reality. Miss Gay records, without hesitation, many kindnesses -received at the hands of the Federal officers. - -Texas soldiers of Granbury's brigade, Cleburne's division, and Hood's -corps, figure conspicuously and by name in the book. Miss Gay visited -Hood's headquarters twice while the brigade was encamped in Georgia, the -last time just before they left Georgia for the fatal march into -Tennessee. The night-scene she describes near Jonesboro, where they were -encamped, is most graphic and pathetic. Miss Gay is the woman who -collected the money to have the soldiers who fell at Franklin, Tennessee, -reburied, when she heard that the owners of the battlefield said their -graves should be ploughed over. She collected $7,000, and her name is -engraved on the silver plate on the entrance gate at the McGavock -cemetery, which she so largely helped to build.--_The Richmond Times_, -Feb. 16, 1896. - - -LIFE IN DIXIE DURING THE WAR. - -The following deserved complimentary notice of the book, "Life in Dixie -During the War," written by Miss Mary A. H. Gay, of Georgia, we clip from -the New York Times: "Joel Chandler Harris' brief introduction to Miss -Gay's reminiscences of the civil war tells of the authenticity of this -simple story, and how a book of this character is of that kind from whence -'history will get its supplies.' The dark days are described with absolute -fidelity, and this is a quality we may look for in vain 'in more elaborate -and ambitious publications.' Think of the strangeness of things, the -breaks in families, when the author tells how, at the presentation of a -flag, the banner was made for a company of Confederate soldiers by Miss -Ella Todd and Mrs. White, of Lexington, Kentucky, the sisters of Mrs. -Abraham Lincoln, the wife of the great President. - -It was in and around Decatur, Georgia, where the author now lives, that, -in the storm and heat of the war, heroically and unflinchingly the women -of the South did their duty in helping those in the field. You will find -no incidents of the war which do not show the colored man in the South at -his best. Miss Gay describes their devotion and what true friends they -were. The author tells how more than once she was near starvation. It -happened that the house in which she lived became the headquarters of a -troop of United States Cavalry. Very possibly bureau drawers became -convenient feed troughs for horses. After the cavalry had left there was -not a morsel to eat. The famished children, white and black, were crying -for food. The day was spent by the women picking up grains of corn from -the cracks and crevices in bureau drawers, and other improvised troughs -for Federal horses. In this way, by diligent and persevering work, about a -half bushel of corn was obtained. The corn, having been thoroughly washed -and dried, was taken to a small mill and coarsely ground, and served to -give the hungry ones their bread. The utter destitution of the people -after the fall of Atlanta is shown in this way: Lead was in demand, and on -the battlefields around Atlanta it could be picked up, pellet by pellet. -Delicately nurtured women dug up the spent minie balls from the frozen -clods and exchanged them for bread.--The Mechanicsburg, Pa., _Free Press_, -February, 20, 1896. - - -LIFE IN DIXIE DURING THE WAR. - -BY MARY A. H. GAY, DECATUR, GA. - -Of the numerous stories which have had as their basis the war between the -States, there are few truer pictures, in our opinion, than that presented -by a Southern woman in this volume, with a telling preface by Joel -Chandler Harris. The writer's home was in Decatur, but the stories include -the history of the entire section, and give much very interesting -information relative to life in Atlanta, particularly during the war era. -Miss Gay was in the very heart of the strife, and she describes with the -vigorous pen of one to whom the matter is a vital reality.--_The Southern -Churchman_, Richmond, Va., March 12, 1896. - - -LIFE IN DIXIE DURING THE WAR. - -The volume written and published by Miss Mary A. H. Gay, of Georgia, -entitled "Life in Dixie During the War," is one of the few books in the -flood tide of literature on the great civil conflict that many will read -with interest, because it is a woman's story of actual life in Dixie from -the beginning to the close of the great conflict. We have volumes in -abundance which tell of the great battles of the war, of the achievement -of heroes and the sacrifices which attended the victories, but the story -of the home life of Southern people during the war must ever be of -absorbing interest to every American. They are our people, our countrymen, -sharing the common inheritance of heroism in all the conflicts of the -Republic, and that part of the history of the war of the rebellion that is -least understood is the extraordinary sufferings and sacrifices of the -Southern women, who heroically aided their fathers, husbands, sons and -brothers in the unequal contest. Miss Gay gives a plain unvarnished story -of life in Georgia during the war, and of the many sad sacrifices to which -the families of Southern people were subjected. One of the noticeable -features of this story, commencing with the expression of confident hope -for the success of the Confederacy and ending in the starless midnight of -gloom that attended the surrender of Lee and his legions, is given in the -description of a presentation of a silken banner to the Magnolia Cadets -when the war began. The banner was prepared and finished by Mrs. Dr. -White, of Lexington, Kentucky, and her sister Miss Todd, sisters of Mrs. -President Lincoln, and they were presented to the enthusiastic audience by -Captain Dawson, who subsequently married Miss Todd. - -Miss Gay's volume is full of interesting incidents, showing the heroism -and sublime faith and endurance of the women of the South during the -terrible ordeal. Like all Southern women, she was intensely devoted to the -Southern Cause, and often exposed herself to great peril to serve the -Confederacy. More than once she took her life into her hand to aid the -hopeless cause in which the Southern armies had engaged. It was -principally by her efforts that money was raised to entomb the -Confederates that fell at the bloody battle of Franklin, Tennessee. Her -name is engraved on a silver plate that is mounted on the entrance gate of -the cemetery, and there are few who will not become readers of her book. -It is in every way interesting to people both North and South, and should -have a very wide circulation.--From _The Times_, Philadelphia, Pa., May -27, 1896. - - -LIFE IN DIXIE DURING THE WAR. - -Many stories of the late war have been written, some from the stand point -of the "Blue," and some from the "Grey," but we doubt whether a truer -picture of real war times in the South has ever been depicted than the one -found in this modest little volume. There is no fiction in it, but it is -the record of one woman's experiences during the war. - -Her home was in Decatur, Georgia, but her narrative includes the history -of all that portion of country. Very few persons who did not live in that -section know or remember to what extent those people suffered. And we -would commend them to this book--a living picture of those trying -times--not to stir up bitter feelings and hatred, but because it is -history, and such history as cannot be obtained in any other form. - -Miss Gay was in the thick of the strife, and in a modest way she shows -herself a heroine worthy of any romance. Her pen describes scenes that -bring tears for the pain and suffering, and laughter at the "makeshifts" -resorted to by these noble people in the hour of actual needs. Some parts -of the narrative may be regarded as rather bitter towards the enemy by -those who know not the horrors of that war. But let such critics put -themselves in the wake of Sherman's army, and suffer as the writer did, -and we think they will feel more charitably towards her, who, in recalling -those experiences, find it hard to love all her enemies. There is only a -touch of this old time bitterness, however; most of the book is simply -historic, and Miss Gay does not hesitate to record many kindnesses -received at the hands of the Federal officers. Such a valuable -contribution to the history of the war should be prized. It is a vivid -chronicle and the rising generation should learn of those stirring events. -They will read with unflagging interest to the end of the narrative. We -wish for it a wide circulation.--"_The Christian Observer_," Louisville, -Kentucky, May 8th, 1896. - - -Commendatory notices have also appeared in "The Hampton (Florida) -_Advocate_," "The Decatur _Record_," "The DeKalb County _New Era_," "The -Wesleyan _Christian Advocate_," etc. - - -The following letter was written to Mr. C. D. Mitchell, Secretary and -Treasurer of Chattanooga Plow Company, Chattanooga, Tennessee: - - CINCINNATI, OHIO, November 30, 1896. - -MY DEAR MITCHELL--I have read Miss Gay's book on "Life in Dixie During the -War," and thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to read it. I -fancy you will think I am a good deal of a "calf," but I couldn't help -choking up a good many times as I read of the terrible experience of the -poor women and children and helpless aged people when misfortune placed -them in the path of the armies during that bloody period, and we who were -at the front knew but little of the misery in the wake of the armies. - -I was glad to see that Miss Gay speaks kindly of our command, and that we -afforded protection to her family without leaving any harm to them in any -way. - -To-day is the anniversary of the death of her brother, killed in front of -our works at Franklin. When I read of his death the whole bloody scene was -revived, and how useless and fool-hardy that charge of Cleburne's over the -open cotton fields at Franklin upon our works. The dead were almost -countless, and one long grave was dug for all. I well remember this -immense trench where the Confederates were laid side by side. I commanded -the 1st Batallion that day at the battle of Franklin, and we had a very -warm time of it. We retreated on Nashville the following day, and I was -cut off from the Regiment for a while, but we finally made a big detour -and regained our lines. After the battle of Nashville we occupied the -Franklin battlefield, and I went carefully over the whole field. Hood's -charge upon our Franklin works, if successful, would have been a moderate -victory only, but unsuccessful, it was a most terrible loss to him. - -At 57 you and I look at things rather different than we did in our youth -of 22, and while scars of war may be healed, they are nevertheless not -forgotten. With kind regards. - - Yours very truly, - T. F. ALLEN. - -I think General Garrard would like to read this book, if he has not -already done so, and if you approve I will send it up to him and return it -to you later. At this season of the year he has time to read. - - T. F. A. - - - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[1] This lady, Miss "Frank" Whitney, is now the wife of Mr. Charles W. -Hubner, the well-known Atlanta poet. - -[2] This brave officer was killed near Nashville, Tennessee, Dec. 16th, -1864. - -[3] The fifth and seventh verses are criticisms upon four Southern -surgeons, who gave the Federal authorities a certificate that our -prisoners were well treated, and our sick well cared for, and that the -average loss by death was only four per day. - -[4] This gentleman, who married sweet Maggie Morgan, (the sister of Dewitt -and Billy), has now been Sunday school treasurer for twenty-seven years. - -[5] One of these poems, "Marching Through Georgia," we learn by the -evidence, was a favorite canticle of Murray, the kidnapper and butcher of -Captain Polynesius. - -[6] "Emel Jay" is Miss Mary L. Jackson, daughter of the late Hon. James -Jackson, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia. - - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's Life in Dixie during the War, by Mary A. H. Gay - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LIFE IN DIXIE DURING THE WAR *** - -***** This file should be named 41548-8.txt or 41548-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/1/5/4/41548/ - -Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at -http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images -generously made available by The Internet Archive.) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Gay - -Release Date: December 4, 2012 [EBook #41548] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LIFE IN DIXIE DURING THE WAR *** - - - - -Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at -http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images -generously made available by The Internet Archive.) - - - - - - -</pre> - - - +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 41548 ***</div> <p class="figcenter"><img src="images/cover.jpg" alt="" /></p> @@ -11009,383 +10969,7 @@ Captain Polynesius.</p> <p><a name='f_6' id='f_6' href='#fna_6'>[6]</a> “Emel Jay” is Miss Mary L. Jackson, daughter of the late Hon. James Jackson, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia.</p> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's Life in Dixie during the War, by Mary A. H. 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Life in Dixie during the War - 1861-1862-1863-1864-1865 - -Author: Mary A. H. Gay - -Release Date: December 4, 2012 [EBook #41548] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LIFE IN DIXIE DURING THE WAR *** - - - - -Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at -http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images -generously made available by The Internet Archive.) - - - - - - - - - - LIFE IN DIXIE DURING THE WAR. - - - 1861-1862-1863-1864-1865. - - - MARY A. H. GAY. - - - _THE THIRD EDITION. (ENLARGED.)_ - - - ATLANTA, GA: - CHARLES P. BYRD. - 1897. - - - - - Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1897, - By MARY A. H. GAY, - In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. - - - - -CONTENTS. - - - PAGE. - - INTRODUCTORY REMARKS 9 - - CHAPTER I.--The Magnolia Cadets 17 - - CHAPTER II.--The War Record of DeKalb County 22 - - CHAPTER III.--Labors of Love--Musical--Decatur 36 - - CHAPTER IV.--Labors of Love--Knitting and Sewing, and Writing - Letters to "Our Soldiers" 42 - - CHAPTER V.--The Third Maryland Artillery--Some Old Songs 48 - - CHAPTER VI.--A Daring and Unique Chase--The Capture and - Re-capture of the Railroad Engine, "The General" 52 - - CHAPTER VII.--Coming Home from Camp Chase--The Faithful - Servant's Gift--A Glimpse of Confederate Braves 58 - - CHAPTER VIII.--Some Social Features--Morgan's Men Rendezvous - at Decatur--Waddell's Artillery--Visits from the Texans-- - Surgeon Haynie and His Song 72 - - CHAPTER IX.--Thomie's Second Home Coming--He Leaves for the - Front--His Christian Labors in Camp--He Describes the - Battle of New Hope Church--The Great Revival in - Johnston's Army 77 - - CHAPTER X.--A Visit to Dalton--The Fidelity of an Oldtime - Slave 94 - - CHAPTER XI.--A Perilous Trust 104 - - CHAPTER XII.--A Scene in an Atlanta Confederate Hospital 108 - - CHAPTER XIII.--Concealing Confederate Clothing--Valuables - Carried to Atlanta--Toby Taken Ill 113 - - CHAPTER XIV.--The Advance Guard of the Yankee Army--I am - Ordered Out--A Noble Federal 124 - - CHAPTER XV.--The Battle of the 22d of July, 1864--The Death - of Toby 135 - - CHAPTER XVI.--Everett's Desertion 146 - - CHAPTER XVII.--A Visit to Confederate Lines--A Narrow Escape-- - My Return--The Fall of Atlanta 156 - - CHAPTER XVIII.--The Ten Days' Armistice--Going Out with the - Confederate Clothes--Scenes at Atlanta, and at Lovejoy's - Station--The Visit to Granbury's Brigade--The Last - Interview with Thomie 168 - - CHAPTER XIX.--The Return Home--From Jonesboro via Augusta-- - Scenes and Incidents by the Way--The Lonely Journey from - Stone Mountain to Decatur 193 - - CHAPTER XX.--On the Verge of Starvation--A Worn-out Army - Horse is Found--Uncle Mack Makes a Wagon--I Make a Unique - Trip--Starvation is Warded Off--Dangers and Scenes by the - Way 207 - - CHAPTER XXI.--A Second Trip for Supplies--Gathering "Fodder" - from a Cane-brake, as a Preliminary--The Lonely Journey-- - Changing Yankee's Name--I Meet the Federal Raiders 226 - - CHAPTER XXII.--News from the Absent Brother--He Marches into - Tennessee with Hood--Extracts from His Letters written on - the Way--Two Ears of Parched Corn--The Night Burial of a - Soldier 243 - - CHAPTER XXIII.--An Incident of the War--Related to the Writer - by Hon. Roger Q. Mills, of Texas 251 - - CHAPTER XXIV.--Picking up Minie Balls Around Atlanta-- - Exchanging Them for Bread 255 - - CHAPTER XXV.--The Decatur Women's Struggle for Bread--Sweet - Singing in Hard Places--Pleasant Visitors--I Make a Trip - to Alabama--The News of My Brother's Death 260 - - CHAPTER XXVI.--My Mother's Death--Rev. John S. Wilson - Performs the Funeral Service 274 - - CHAPTER XXVII.--A Reminiscence 281 - - CHAPTER XXVIII.--How the Decatur Women Kept Up the Sabbath - School 289 - - CHAPTER XXIX.--Postal Affairs--The Postmaster, Hiram J. - Williams--A Life that was a Reality, but Reads like a - Romance 298 - - CHAPTER XXX.--The Tragic Death of Sallie Durham--A Sketch of - the Durham Family 302 - - CHAPTER XXXI.--The Death of Melville Clark 310 - - CHAPTER XXXII.--The Morton Family--Incidents Thrilling and - Affecting 313 - - CHAPTER XXXIII.--Hon. Joseph E. Brown's Pikes and Guns 319 - - CHAPTER XXXIV.--The Pursuit and Capture of the Andrew's - Raiders 325 - - CONFEDERATE LOVE SONG 349 - - CONCLUSION 351 - - APPENDIX 354 - - - - -INTRODUCTION. - - -I am asked to write a few words of introduction to these reminiscences of -a lady who, in the pleasant afternoon of a life devoted to deeds of mercy -and charity, turns fondly and sympathetically to the past. But there is -nothing to be said. What word of mine could add to the interest that -inheres in this unpretentious record of a troubled and bloody period? The -chronicle speaks for itself, especially to those who remember something of -those wonderful days of war. It has the charm and the distinction of -absolute verity, a quality for which we may look in vain in more elaborate -and ambitious publications. Here indeed, is one of the sources from which -history must get its supplies, and it is informed with a simplicity which -history can never hope to attain. - -We have here reproduced in these records, with a faithfulness that is -amazing, the spirit of those dark days that are no more. Tragedy shakes -hands with what seems to be trivial, and the commonplaces of every-day -life seem to move forward with the gray battalions that went forth to war. - -It is a gentle, a faithful and a tender hand that guides the pen--a soul -nerved to sacrifice that tells the tale. For the rest, let the records -speak for themselves. - - JOEL CHANDLER HARRIS. - - - - -PREFACE. - - -By way of preface to "Life in Dixie During the War," I scarcely know what -to say. I have long felt that it was the duty of the South to bequeath to -posterity the traditions of that period; for if we do it not ourselves -they will be swallowed up in oblivion. Entertaining this opinion, I have -essayed the task of an individual effort, and hope that others may follow -my example. - -No woman who has seen what I have seen, and felt what I have felt, would -be apt to write with less asperity; and yet, now that we have come back to -the United States, and mean to stay in it, let the provocation to depart -be what it may, I would not put into practice an iota of the war-time -feeling. In thus expressing myself, I am sure I represent every Christian -in my own beautiful Southland. - -There was one for whom these sketches would have had a special interest. -An inspiring motive for writing them was that they would be read by my -nephew, Thomas H. Stokes, of Atlanta, the only child of the brother so -often mentioned. But, ere he had had more than a glimpse of them, he was -called away by an Inscrutable Providence, in his pure and beautiful young -manhood, as we trust to a Land of Peace more in keeping with his noble, -true, and tender heart, than earth with its sin and strife. "Blessed are -the pure in heart; for they shall see God." - - MARY A. H. GAY. - -Decatur, Georgia. - - - - -INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. - -THE TOCSIN OF WAR. - - -The tocsin of war has resounded from Mason and Dixon's line to the Gulf of -Mexico, from the snow-crested billows of the Atlantic to the tranquil -waves of the Pacific. - -War! War! War! is the battle cry of a people, who, long suffering and -patient, but now, goaded to desperation and thoroughly exasperated, are -determined, at all hazards, to protect the rights for which their -forefathers fought, bled and died; and which their own Thomas Jefferson -embodied in an instrument of writing which, for beauty of diction and -wisdom of thought, will go sounding down the corridors of time, so long as -time itself shall last--unequaled, unparalleled; and which was adopted -without a dissenting voice by the ablest convocation of men ever assembled -in national councils as their declaration of human rights and liberties. - -Thus, under auspices favorable to the happy and speedy development of a -new and glorious country, commenced the government of the freest and -happiest people on earth, under the administration of George -Washington--an administration which caught the eye of the world and called -forth its admiration; and which the most censorious never had the temerity -to attack; an administration which secured for the country the alluring -title, "The land of the free and the home of the brave." And its fame -went abroad in story and in song, and every nation on earth sought its -blessings and advantages, and it grew to be a mighty country. - -Coeval with the settlement of this beautiful continent by the white man, -there came, or rather, there was brought, a race of people which needed -the fostering care as well as the strong arm of slavery to kindle the -latent spark of intellectual fire which had smoldered for centuries, in, -as President Cleveland would say, "innocuous desuetude." - -This race of people came not as pioneers in the building up of this great -nation, but as a menial race, sold into bondage by their own kith and kin, -and not to be endowed with elective franchise nor representation in its -councils. It was held in bondage alike in Massachusetts and in South -Carolina. Under the auspices of slavery, it became a powerful factor in -the building up of the staple industries of the country--the Southern -portion of it directly, the Northern portion indirectly, and it received -in return more than any other people in bondage has ever received--as a -usual thing, good wholesome food, comfortable homes and raiment, and -tender treatment in sickness. When they failed to receive these benefits, -their masters were improvident and careless alike of the comfort of their -own wives and children, and they, too, showed hard usage and neglect. This -is not said by way of apology for any treatment received at the hands of -Southern slaveholders by this vassal race. I repeat that no people held in -bondage ever received so many benefits. - -Slavery, as all other institutions, had its evils, and those evils were -far greater to the slaveholder than to the slaves. Climatic and other -considerations rendered the system of slavery unprofitable in the Northern -States of this great and growing republic, and the men at the helm of -their respective governments agitated the subject of emancipation. - -Having given themselves time to bring the greater number of their slaves -South and sell them, they nominally freed the others by legislative -enactment; and by this great and magnanimous action, there were so few -left that to this day, as attested by Northern tourists, a "darkey," or a -"colored person," is an object of curiosity and great interest. - -The country, North and South, was too prosperous. The agitators could -stand it no longer. Discord and strife took the place of harmony and peace -in the halls of congress, and in the senate chamber of the United States. -Men who could in no other way acquire prominence, became conspicuous as -champions of an "oppressed and down trodden race," and were swift to -slander the white people of the South. Our slaves were taught that murder, -rapine, arson, and every species of wickedness known in the catalogue of -crime which, in any way, could weaken, yea, destroy the South, was service -most acceptable. - -The country was in the clutches of an organized mob, determined to -precipitate it into the jaws of dissolution. By way of confirming this -statement the following resolutions are reproduced. - -These resolutions were adopted by a large and representative body of men -at Worcester, Massachusetts, soon after Fremont's defeat in 1856, and -long before Governor Gist of South Carolina, and other Southern leaders, -began to take measures for a peaceable separation, rather than to be -forcibly expelled: - -"_Resolved_, That the meeting of a state disunion convention, attended by -men of various parties and affinities, gives occasion for a new statement -of principles and a new platform of action. - -"_Resolved_, That the conflict between this principle of liberty and this -fact of slavery has been the whole history of the nation for fifty years, -while the only result of this conflict has thus far been to strengthen -both parties, and prepare the way of a yet more desperate struggle. - -"_Resolved_, That in this emergency we can expect little or nothing from -the South itself, because it, too, is sinking deeper into barbarism every -year. Nor from a supreme court which is always ready to invent new -securities for slaveholders. Nor from a president elected almost solely by -Southern votes. Nor from a senate which is permanently controlled by the -slave power. Nor from a house of representatives which, in spite of our -agitation, will be more proslavery than the present one, though the -present one has at length granted all which slavery asked. Nor from -political action as now conducted. For the Republican leaders and press -freely admitted, in public and private, that the election of Fremont was, -politically speaking, the last hope of freedom, and even could the North -cast a united vote in 1860, the South has before it four years of -annexation previous to that time. - -"_Resolved_, That the fundamental difference between mere political -agitation and the action we propose is this, it requires the acquiescence -of the slave power, and the other only its opposite. - -"_Resolved_, That the necessity for disunion is written in the whole -existing character and condition of the two sections of the country--in -social organizations, education, habits and laws--in the dangers of our -white citizens of Kansas and of our colored ones in Boston, in the wounds -of Charles Sumner and the laurels of his assailant--and no government on -earth was ever strong enough to hold together such opposing forces. - -"_Resolved_, That this movement does not seek merely disunion, but the -more perfect union of the free States by the expulsion of the slave States -from the confederation in which they have ever been an element of discord, -danger and disgrace. - -"_Resolved_, That it is not probable that the ultimate severance of the -union will be an action of deliberation or discussion, but that a long -period of deliberation and discussion must precede it, and this we meet to -begin. - -"_Resolved_, That henceforward, instead of regarding it as an objection to -any system of policy that will lead to the separation of the States, we -will proclaim that to be the highest of all recommendations and the -grateful proof of statesmanship; and we will support politically and -otherwise, such men and measures as appear to tend most to this result. - -"_Resolved_, That by the repeated confession of Northern and Southern -statesmen, the existence of the union is the chief guarantee of slavery, -and that the despots of the whole world and the slaves of the whole world -have everything to hope from its destruction and the rise of a free -Northern republic. - -"_Resolved_, That the sooner the separation takes place the more peaceable -it will be; but that peace or war is a mere secondary consideration in -view of our present perils. Slavery must be conquered; peaceably if we -can, forcibly if we must." - -To keep before the people of the United States, North and South, the -hostility of the then controling spirit of the North towards the South, -the above resolutions cannot be repeated too often. Nor were they an -isolated example of party fanaticism. The stock and staple of the entire -republican press was slander of the Southern people; and like noxious -weeds it well nigh rooted out all that was elevating to man, and ennobling -to woman. The pulpit became a rostrum from which bitter invective of the -South flowed in Niagaran torrents; and the beautiful fields of Poesy were -made to yield an abundant crop of briar and bramble and deadly Upas. - -The burden of every song, of every prayer, of every sermon, was the "poor -down-trodden slave" of the South. What wonder that seed thus constantly -and malignantly sown sprang up and bore a crop of discontent which nothing -short of "separation" from the enemy could appease. We, too, felt that -under the existing circumstances peace or war was a mere secondary -consideration in view of our perils in the union, and took measures to -withdraw from a sectional union of States that had ceased to respect State -sovereignty outside of its own borders. - -The insults and taunts and the encroachments of fifty years had welded the -people of the South into a compact party organization, animated for all -substantial purposes by one sentiment and one glorious principle of -patriotism, and never was there a movement in the annals of nations that -had a more unanimous support. And when the tocsin of war resounded from -one end of the country to the other, and reverberated over hills and -through valleys, the sons and sires in the beautiful Sunny South, from the -high born and cultured gentleman in whose veins flowed the blue blood of -the cavalier, to the humblest tiller of the soil and the shepherd on the -mountain sides, buckled on the paraphernalia of warfare and reported for -duty. To arms! To arms! was the patriotic appeal of a people who had no -other redress; and I repeat with emphasis that never a people responded -with more chivalrous alacrity or more earnestness of purpose. - -I was too well versed in the politics of the country, too familiar with -the underground workings of the enemy, to hesitate. I, too, enlisted in -the struggle, and in the glorious efforts to establish "home rule and -domestic felicity," not literally in the ranks of the soldier, but in the -great army of women who were willing to toil and to suffer, and to die, if -need be, for the cause of the South. - -I had but one brother, a darling young half brother, Thomas J. Stokes, who -had gone to Texas to practice his chosen profession. With all the -intensity of my ardent nature I loved this brother, and would have died -that he might live; and yet with all the perils involved, it was with a -thrill of pride that I read his long letter breathing, pulsing, with the -patriotism illustrated by our ancestry in the revolutionary struggle for -American Independence. And now this noble brother and myself, though -widely separated, enlisted in aid of the same great cause; the perpetuity -of constitutional rights. He to serve on the battle-field, and I to care -for the sick and wounded soldiers, or to labor in any capacity that would -give greatest encouragement to our cause. - - - - -Life in Dixie During the War. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - -THE MAGNOLIA CADETS. - - -Notwithstanding the restful signification of "Alabama," the State bearing -that name had passed the ordinance of secession, and mingled her voice -with those of other States which had previously taken steps in that -direction. - -Then followed a call for a convention, having in view the election of a -President of a new Republic to take its place among the nations of the -earth, and to be known throughout the world as the Southern Confederacy. -As an intensely interested spectator I was at that convention; and will -remember, to my dying day, that grand spectacle. Yea, that was a grand and -solemn occasion--that of issuing a mandate "Let there be another nation, -and to all intents and purposes there was another nation." In the course -of human events it requires centuries to evolve such moral courage and -sublimity of thought and action; and the proceedings of that day will -stand out in bold relief as the acme of patriotic greatness. - -Ah! that scene at the capitol of the State of Alabama, when Jefferson -Davis, the chosen leader of the Southern people, took the oath of office -and pledged undying fidelity to the best interests of his own sunny land. - -On that momentous occasion not a word was uttered denunciatory of the -States we were seeking to leave in their fancied superiority, and the -great concourse of people there assembled was too familiar with the -history of the times to require recapitulation of the causes of the -alienation which led by rapid ascent to the summit of discontent, and -determination to no longer submit to the domination of an enemy. - -That scene being enacted as a preliminary, a call was made for Alabama's -quota of volunteers to defend the principles enunciated and the interests -involved. - -The Magnolia Cadets, under the leadership of Captain N. H. R. Dawson, of -Selma, were among the first to respond. I accompanied my cousins of -Alabama to see this company of noble, handsome young men mustered into the -military service of their country. It was a beautiful sight! Wealthy, -cultured young gentlemen voluntarily turning their backs upon the luxuries -and endearments of affluent homes, and accepting in lieu the privations -and hardships of warfare; thereby illustrating to the world that the -conflict of arms consequent upon the secession was not to be "a rich man's -war and a poor man's fight." - -I saw them as they stood in line to receive the elegant silken banner, -bearing the stars and bars of a new nation, made and presented to them by -Miss Ella Todd and her sister, Mrs. Dr. White, of Lexington, Kentucky, who -were introduced to the audience by Captain Dawson as the sisters of Mrs. -Abraham Lincoln, the wife of the president of the United States. - -I was thus made aware that Mrs. Lincoln and her illustrious husband were -Southerners. I have since been in the small, mud-chinked log cabin in -Elizabethtown, Kentucky, in which he was born, and in which his infancy -and little boyhood were domiciled. Mrs. White had married an Alabamian, -and as his wife became a citizen of his State. Her sister, Miss Todd, was -visiting her at the enactment of the scene described, and under like -circumstances, also became a citizen of Alabama. She married the valiant -gentleman who introduced her to the public on that memorable occasion. - -I have sought and obtained from Mrs. Mary Dawson Jordan, of Chattanooga, -Tennessee, a daughter of Captain Jordan, a complete record of the names of -the officers and members of this patriotic company of Alabama's noble -sons--native and adopted--which I subjoin as an item of history that will -be read with interest by all who revere the memory of the Lost Cause and -its noble defenders. - -_Muster Roll of the "Magnolia Cadets."_ - - N. H. R. DAWSON, Captain. - -(Enrolled for active service at Selma, Ala., on the 26th day of April, -1861. Mustered into service on the 7th day of May, 1861, at Lynchburg, -Va.) - -Commanded by Col. Ben Alston of the Fourth Alabama Regiment of Volunteers. - - 1. N. H. R. Dawson, Captain. - 1. Shortbridge, Jr., Geo. D., 1st Lieutenant. - 2. McCraw, S. Newton, 2nd Lieutenant. - 3. Wilson, John R. 3rd Lieutenant. - 1. Waddell, Ed. R., 1st Sergeant. - 2. Price, Alfred C., 2nd Sergeant. - 3. Daniel, Lucian A., 3rd Sergeant. - 4. Goldsby, Boykin, 4th Sergeant. - 1. Bell, Bush W., 1st Corporal. - 2. Garrett, Robert E., 2nd Corporal. - 3. Brown, James G., 3rd Corporal. - 4. Cohen, Lewis, 4th Corporal. - 1. Melton, George F., Musician. - 2. Marshall, Jacob, Musician. - -PRIVATES. - - 1. Adkins, Agrippa - 2. Adams, William S. - 3. Avery, William C. - 4. Byrd, William G. - 5. Beattie, Thomas K. - 6. Briggs, Charles H. - 7. Bohannon, Robert B. - 8. Baker, Eli W. - 9. Bradley, Hugh C. - 10. Cook, Thomas M. - 11. Cook, James W. - 12. Cook, Benson. - 13. Caughtry, Joseph R. - 14. Cole, George W. - 15. Cleveland, George W. - 16. Clevaland, Pulaski. - 17. Cunningham, Frank M. - 18. Coursey, William W. - 19. Daniel, John R. - 20. Densler, John E. - 21. Donegay, James G. - 22. Friday, Hilliard J. - 23. Friday, James L. - 24. Friday, John C. - 25. Ford, Joseph H. - 26. Grice, Henry F. - 27. Haden, James G. - 28. Harrill, Thornton R. - 29. Hannon, Wm. H., Sr. - 30. Hannon, Wm. H., Jr. - 31. Hooks, William A. - 32. Hodge, William L. - 33. Jones, William. - 34. Jordan, James M. - 35. Jackson, Felix W. - 36. King, William R. - 37. Kennedy, Arch. - 38. Kennedy, George D. - 39. Lamson, Frank R. - 40. Lane, William B. - 41. Lowry, Uriah. - 42. Lowry, William A. - 43. Littleton, Thomas B. - 44. Luske, John M. - 45. Lamar, John H. - 46. Mather, Thomas S. - 47. Martin, James B. - 48. May, Syd M. - 49. May, William V. - 50. Melton, Thomas J. - 51. Miller, Stephen J. - 52. Mimms, George A. - 53. Moody, William R. - 54. Mosely, Andrew B. - 55. McNeal, George S. - 56. McKerning, John W. - 57. Overton, John B. - 58. Overton, Thomas W. - 59. O'Neal, William. - 60. Paisley, Hugh S. - 61. Pryor, John W. - 62. Pryor, Robert O. - 63. Peeples, Frank W. - 64. Raiford, William C. - 65. Reinhardt, George L. - 66. Robbins, John L. - 67. Rucker, Lindsay. - 68. Rucker, Henry. - 69. Shiner, David H. - 70. Stokes, William C. - 71. Stone, John W. - 72. Stewett, Mayor D. - 73. Turner, Daniel M. - 74. Thomas, Lewis. - 75. Tarver, Ben J. - 76. Taylor, William E. - 77. Terry, Thomas B. - 78. Thompson, John S. - 79. Thompson, William E. - 80. Ursory, Edward G. - 81. Vaughn, Turner P. - 82. Wrenn, Theodore J. - 83. Whallon, Daniel. - - Copied from the original Muster Roll of the Magnolia Cadets, owned by - Henry R. Dawson, son of N. H. R. Dawson. - - - - -CHAPTER II. - -THE WAR RECORD OF DEKALB COUNTY. - - -DeKalb county, Georgia, of which Decatur is the county site, was among the -first to enroll troops for Confederate service. The first volunteers from -Decatur were James L. George, Hardy Randall, L. J. Winn and Beattie -Wilson, who went with the Atlanta Greys the last of May, 1861. - -The first company from DeKalb county was that of Captain John W. Fowler. -It was called the DeKalb Light Infantry, and was mustered into service in -Atlanta, as part of the 7th Georgia Volunteers, and left for Virginia on -the 1st of June, 1861. Those going from DeKalb county in this company -were: First Lieutenant, John J. Powell; Second Lieutenant, John M. -Hawkins; Third Lieutenant, James L. Wilson; First Sergeant, M. L. Brown; -Second Sergeant, D. C. Morgan; Third Sergeant, D. E. Jackson; Fourth -Sergeant, John W. Fowler, jr.; Corporals--H. H. Norman, R. F. Davis, C. W. -L. Powell; Privates--W. W. Bradbury (afterwards captain), E. M. -Chamberlain, W. W. Morgan, W. L. Herron, P. H. Pate, C. E. McCulloch, -James W. McCulloch, L. C. Powell, H. G. Woodall, J. S. Woodall, A. W. -Mashburn, V. A. Wilson, W. J. Mason, J. V. Austin, W. M. Austin, John -Eads, E. A. Davis, Dr. A. S. Mason, John W. Norman, E. L. Morton, Henry -Gentry, W. M. Cochran, J. B. Cochran, James Hunter (promoted captain), W. -W. Brimm, William Carroll, C. W. McAllister, J. O. McAllister, and many -others from the county, making it a full company. - -The second company from DeKalb was the Stephens Rifles, captain, L. J. -Glenn. They went into Cobb's Legion about August, 1861. Dr. Liddell, Frank -Herron, Norman Adams, John McCulloch, John J. McKoy, and some others, went -from Decatur in this company. - -The third company was the Murphey Guards, captain, John Y. Flowers. They -came from the upper part of the county, near Doraville. This company was -named in memory of Hon. Charles Murphey, of DeKalb county, a prominent -lawyer and member of Congress, but then recently deceased. The company had -been uniformed by the people of the county, a large share being -contributed by Mr. and Mrs. Milton A. Candler, and Mr. and Mrs. Ezekiel -Mason. Mrs. Candler, whose maiden name was Eliza Murphey, the only child -of Charles Murphey, gave the banner, upon which was inscribed, "The God of -Jacob is with us." - -The Fourth Company was The Bartow Avengers, Captain William Wright, from -the lower part of the county about South River. The Fifth Company, Captain -Rankin, was from Stone Mountain. These three last mentioned companies went -into the 38th Georgia Regiment, in September, 1861, and belonged to the -Virginia Army. The Sixth Company, Captain E. L. Morton's, entered service -the last of August, 1861, in the 36th Georgia Regiment, and was with the -Western Army under Johnston. The Seventh Company, the Fowler Guards, -Captain Clay, went into the 42nd Georgia Regiment in the early part of -1862, and was also in the Western Army. - -There were several companies, mostly composed of DeKalb County men, that -were made up and went from the camp of instruction near Decatur. Moses L. -Brown was Captain of one, and L. D. Belisle of another. Besides the -companies already named, all of which went into the infantry, there were -many soldiers from DeKalb that went into the Cavalry and Artillery service -of the regular army. - -In the year 1863, when Georgia was threatened by Rosecrans coming into the -State on its northern border, special troops were raised for its defence. -Major General Howell Cobb commanded the division; General Henry R. Jackson -one of the brigades. In Jackson's Brigade, in the 10th Georgia Regiment -State Guards (Col. John J. Glenn and Lieutenant-Colonel J. N. Glenn), we -find Company A of Cavalry troops. Of this company Milton A. Candler had -command. These troops served through 1863 and 1864. - -In April, 1863, Paul P. Winn, now a Presbyterian minister, then a mere -youth, went into the army in the 45th Georgia Regiment, commanded by Col. -Thomas J. Simmons. Other Decatur boys went into the service from other -sections where the war found them located. Among these were Dr. James J. -Winn, who enlisted at Clayton, Alabama, with the Barker Greys, and was in -the battle of Bull Run. After a year or two he received a surgeon's -commission, being the youngest surgeon in the army. - -John C. Kirkpatrick, just eighteen, went into the service from Augusta -with the Oglethorpe Infantry. With him were his cousin, William Dabney -(now a Presbyterian minister in Virginia), and his friend, Frank Stone. -This was in 1862, and John remained in the service until the close of the -war, having been in severe battles (for he was in Cleburne's Division), -including that of Jonesboro. In this engagement were other Decatur boys in -other commands. Mr. John B. Swanton, but seventeen years old, was in that -battle, and says that by his side stood, when mortally wounded, Franklin -Williams, the brother of Mr. Hiram J. Williams. Says Mr. Swanton: "He was -so near me I could have touched him with my hand." Three sons of Mrs. -Martha Morgan, and cousins of DeWitt Morgan, were all in the service, -Henry, Daniel, and Joseph Morgan. Jesse Chewning and Samuel Mann were in -the 64th Georgia. - -Josiah J. Willard, the only son of Mr. Levi Willard, while a sprightly, -active youth, was near-sighted. He had a position in the commissary -department at Camp Randolph, near Decatur, and went with it to Macon, July -11th, 1864, and remained there until the place surrendered after the fall -of Richmond. He, also, is mentioned in other sketches. - -There were also several companies of old men and boys who went into the -State service when the last call for troops was made by the Confederate -government. - -Before the DeKalb soldiers go to meet the fortunes of war, let us recall -some incidents that preceded their departure. On the northern side of the -court-house square there stood a large building, the residence of Mr. -Ezekiel Mason. Here, day after day, a band of devoted women met to make -the uniforms for the DeKalb Light Infantry. These uniforms had been cut by -a tailor, but they were to be made by women's hands. Among the leading and -directing spirits in this work were Mrs. Jonathan B. Wilson, Mrs. Jane -Morgan, Mrs. Ezekiel Mason, Mrs. Levi Willard, Miss Anna Davis, Mrs. James -McCulloch, and Miss Lou Fowler. The most of this sewing was done by hand. - -To the DeKalb Light Infantry, the day before its departure, a beautiful -silken banner was given. The ladies of the village furnished the material. -The address of presentation was made by Miss Mollie G. Brown. In -September, of that same year, my sister was invited to present a banner to -Captain William Wright's Company. Her modest little address was responded -to in behalf of the company by Rev. Mr. Mashburn, of the Methodist Church. -In March, 1862, there was another banner presented from the piazza of "the -Mason Corner"--this time to the Fowler Guards, by Miss Georgia Hoyle. This -banner was made by the fair hands of Miss Anna E. Davis. By this time the -spirit of independence of the outside world had begun to show itself in -the Southern-made grey jeans of the soldiers, and in the homespun dress of -Miss Hoyle. - -This banner, so skillfully made by Miss Anna Davis, had a circle of white -stars upon a field of blue, and the usual bars of red and white--two broad -red bars with a white one between. The banner of this pattern was known as -the "stars and bars," and was the first kind used by the Confederate -States. In May, 1863, the Confederate Congress adopted a National Flag, -which had a crimson field with white stars in a blue-grounded diagonal -cross, the remainder of the flag being white. But, when falling limp -around the staff, and only the white showing, it could easily be mistaken -for a flag of truce; therefore in March, 1865, the final change was made -by putting a red bar across the end of the flag. - -But what of the fate of these gallant young men, going forth so full of -hope and courage, with tender and loving farewells lingering in their -hearts? - -Soon, ah! so soon, some of them fell upon the crimson fields of Virginia. -James L. George ("Jimmie," as his friends lovingly called him) was killed -in the first battle of Manassas. "Billy" Morgan died soon after the -battle, and was buried with military honors in a private cemetery near -Manassas. Two years after, his brother, De Witt Morgan, worn out in the -siege of Vicksburg, was buried on an island in Mobile Bay. At the second -battle of Manassas, James W. McCulloch and James L. Davis were both -killed. Later on W. J. Mason, William Carroll, John M. Eads, H. H. Norman, -Billy Wilson, and Norman Adams, were numbered among the slain. Among the -wounded were Henry Gentry, Mose Brown, John McCulloch, W. W. Brimm, Dave -Chandler, Riley Lawhorn, and Bill Herring. - -A volume could easily be written concerning the bravery and the sufferings -of the DeKalb county troops; but I must forbear. Concerning Warren Morton, -of the 36th Georgia Regiment, who went into the service at the age of -fifteen, and suffered so severely, I will refer my readers to a sketch in -the latter part of this book. Of William M. Durham, so young, so gallant, -who enlisted in Company K., 42nd Georgia Regiment, much of interest will -be found in another chapter. - -Among the Decatur members of Cobb's Legion was Mr. John J. McKoy, who went -out in the Stephens Rifles when not more than nineteen years old. He was -in the battle of Yorktown, Seven Pines, and in the Seven Days Fight around -Richmond. Owing to illness, and to business arising from the attainment of -his majority, he came home in 1863, and, hiring a substitute when the -conscript law was passed, went to work at the Passport Office in Atlanta. -In this same year he was married to Miss Laura Williams of Decatur. Having -raised Company A., for the 64th Georgia Regiment, Mr. McKoy was with it -when it was sent to Florida, and was in the battle of Olustee or Ocean -Pond, in February 1864, where General Alfred H. Colquitt won the title of -"The Hero of Olustee." Mr. McKoy remembers to have seen on that eventful -day, Col. George W. Scott, then of Florida, but now of Decatur. At the -battle of Olustee, Col. Scott was in command of a regiment of Cavalry. The -banner of the regiment is now in possession of his daughter, Mrs. Thomas -Cooper. - -The 64th Georgia was then sent to Virginia in General Wright's brigade. A -few days after "The Mine Explosion," or undermining of the Confederate -works, an engagement occurred at Deep Bottom. Here, General Girardy, of -Augusta, was killed, and several hundred of the Confederates were -captured, among the number being Mr. McKoy. This was in July, 1864. He was -sent to Fort Delaware, where he remained in prison until the close of the -war. Here he spent a whole winter without a fire, and was subject to all -that Fort Delaware meant. To escape the horrors of that prison, many of -the two thousand officers there confined, took the oath not to fight -against the United States. But Mr. McKoy and thirty-four others remained -in prison, firm and loyal, even after the surrender, believing and hoping, -up to July, 1865, that the war would be carried on west of the Mississippi -river. - -The soldiers who went to Virginia knew from their own experience the -scenes of Manassas, Malvern Hill, Fort Harrison, Sharpsburg, -Fredericksburg, Gettysburg and the Wilderness. Yet some of them were left -to be surrendered by Lee at Appomatox Court House. The companies which -were in the Western Army were in the leading battles of that Division, and -were equally brave and abiding in their devotion to the cause. - -For many of the foregoing facts concerning the troops from DeKalb, I am -greatly indebted to Mr. Robert F. Davis, who went with DeKalb's first -company, and who, after braving the perils of the war, came off unscathed. -He still lives near Decatur, and is an elder in the Presbyterian Church. - -I greatly regret my inability, even if I had the space, to give the names -of all the soldiers who went from DeKalb, and to tell of their deeds of -bravery and endurance. It has not been intentional that many are wholly -omitted. It has been my privilege to see but one muster-roll of our county -troops--that of Company K, 38th Georgia Regiment, kindly furnished by Mr. -F. L. Hudgins, of Clarkston, a brave soldier who was in command of the -Company when Lee surrendered. This muster-roll shows that out of the 118 -names, forty-six were killed (or died), and seventeen were wounded; that -its first Captain, William Wright, resigned, and that three other Captains -by promotion were all killed, _i. e._, Gustin E. Goodwin, George W. Stubbs -and R. H. Fletcher. Indeed, in nearly every instance, promotion in this -Company meant death upon the battle field. And can we wonder that both the -commissioned and the noncommissioned fell, when some of the principal -battles in which they were engaged bore such names as Cold Harbor, Malvern -Hill, Second Manassas, Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, -Winchester, Gettysburg, The Wilderness, Spottsylvania Courthouse, -Mechanicsville, Fisher's Hill, Cedar Creek, Louise Courthouse and High -Bridge? - -In memory of the dead, for the sake of the living and for the descendants -of all mentioned therein, I copy the muster-roll of this company: - -_Company K., 38th Georgia Regiment_: - -Captain William Wright--resigned July, 1862. - -1st Lieutenant Julius J. Gober--Died July 26th, 1862. - -2nd Lieutenant Gustin E. Goodwin--Promoted captain; killed August 28th, -1862. - -3rd Lieutenant George W. Stubbs--Promoted captain; killed July 24th, -1864. - -1st Sergeant John S. Johnston--Killed June 27th, 1862. - -2nd Sergeant W. R. Henry--Promoted to 1st Lieutenant; lost a leg December -13th, 1862. - -3rd Sergeant J. A. Maddox--Killed at Wilderness, May 5th, 1864. - -4th Sergeant F. L. Hudgins--Promoted 1st Sergeant; wounded at Malvern -Hill; shot through the body at Gettysburg. - -5th Sergeant E. H. C. Morris--Promoted 3rd Lieutenant; killed at Second -Manassas, August, 1862. - -1st Corporal F. M. Gassaway--Killed at Second Manassas, August, 1862. - -2nd Corporal J. M. Walker--Died in camp. - -3rd Corporal W. A. Ward--Died in camp. - -4th Corporal James L. Anderson--Wounded at Manassas and Spottsylvania -court house. - -John H. Akers--Killed at Second Manassas, 1862. - -A. W. Allman--Killed at Cedar Creek, October 19th, 1864. - -John Adams--Died in camp. - -Enos Adams-- - -Isaac W. Awtry-- - -W. A. Awtry-- - -H. V. Bayne--Disabled by gunshot wound. Still living. - -Allen Brown-- - -Lewis Brown-- - -Killis Brown-- - -William M. Brooks-- - -H. M. Burdett-- - -J. S. Burdett-- - -John S. Boyd-- - -James E. Ball--Killed at Gettysburg, July, 1863. - -W. H. Brisendine-- - -L. R. Bailey--Transferred to Cobb's Legion. - -John E. J. Collier-- - -James Collier--Died at Charlottesville, Va., 1862. - -Z. J. Cowan-- - -J. J. Cowan-- - -G. G. Cook-- - -James E. Chandler--Killed at Sharpsburg, Md., September 17th, 1862. - -W. B. Chandler--Died in camp, May 31st, 1863. - -John W. Chandler--Killed at Second Manassas, August, 1862. - -W. A. Childress--A physician in Atlanta. - -J. H. Childers-- - -J. M. Dowis--Killed at Coal Harbor, June 27th, 1862. - -W. H. Ellis-- - -John Eunis-- - -R. H. Fletcher--Promoted Captain; killed in 1865. - -A. M. Gentry--Died at Savannah in 1862. - -W. F. Goodwin--Promoted 3rd Lieutenant; killed at Gettysburg in 1863. - -C. H. Goodwin--Killed at Coal Harbor. - -Joseph Grogan-- - -J. H. Grogan-- - -J. D. Grogan--Killed at Sharpsburg, Maryland, September 17th, 1862. - -Gideon Grogan--Killed at Sharpsburg, Maryland, September 17th, 1862. - -James H. Gasaway--Disabled by gunshot. - -William Gasaway--Disabled by gunshot. - -John Gasaway--Discharged. - -W. L. Goss-- - -F. L. Guess--Transferred to the 9th Georgia Artillery Battalion. - -H. L. Head-- - -J. L. Henry--Killed at Coal Harbor, June 27th, 1862. - -W. B. Heldebrand--Died recently. - -H. H. Hornbuckle--Killed at Coal Harbor, June 27th, 1862. - -Joshua Hammond--Killed at Sharpsburg, September 17th, 1862. - -R. F. Jones--Killed at Coal Harbor. - -J. W. Jones--Disabled by gunshot. - -C. S. Jones--Killed in Richmond. - -R. D. F. Jones--Disabled by gunshot. - -J. M. Jones-- - -J. H. Jones--Disabled by gunshot. - -James Jones-- - -John F. Kelley-- - -John H. Kelley-- - -James Kelley-- - -W. J. Little--Disabled by gunshot. - -George Lee--Died in camp. - -A. J. Lee--Discharged. - -Wiley Manghon-- - -J. R. Mitchell--Killed December 13th, 1862, at Fredericksburg. - -W. G. Mitchell--Disabled by gunshot. - -E. J. Mitchell-- - -W. R. Maguire--Disabled by gunshot. - -W. A. Morgan-- - -B. S. McClain--Died in camp. - -John W. Nash--Killed December 13th, 1862, at Fredericksburg. - -David N. Fair--Killed at Coal Harbor, June 27th, 1862. - -W. B. Owen-- - -J. J. Pruett--Discharged. - -John W. Phillips--Killed at Coal Harbor, June 27th, 1862. - -John B. Thompson-- - -Will Thompson-- - -W. M. Richardson--Disabled at Second Manassas. - -J. S. Richardson--Killed at Coal Harbor, June 27th, 1862. - -D. D. Richardson--Died at Hanover Junction, 1862. - -A. W. Stowers-- - -W. A. Smith-- - -J. M. Summey--Shot through at Coal Harbor. - -S. J. Summey--Killed at Winchester, Va., June 13th, 1863. - -James Toney--Musician. - -C. W. Toney--Musician. - -M. J. Tweedle--Wounded at Winchester, Va., September 19th, 1864. - -S. J. Thomas-- - -R. L. Vaughn--Died at Savannah, Ga. - -J. S. Vaughn--Wounded eight times at Coal Harbor. - -W. T. Vaughn--Had both hands blown off. - -J. C. Wiggins--Promoted Second Lieutenant; killed in June, 1864. - -J. M. Wiggins-- - -R. W. Wiggins--Killed at Petersburg, Va., March 27th, 1865. - -E. W. Wiggins--Killed at Sharpsburg, Maryland, September 17th, 1862. - -G. W. Wiggins-- - -M. O. Wiggins--Disabled at Cedar Creek, October 19th, 1864. - -G. W. Wade--Musician. - -E. D. Wade-- - -F. M. Wade-- - -B. L. Wilson--Killed at Marie's Heights, May 4th, 1863. - -W. A. Wright-- - -W. R. Wood-- - -Amos Wheeler--Killed at Spottsylvania, May 12th, 1864. - -J. H. Wilson--Killed at Gettysburg, July 1st, 1863. - -Jordan Wilson--Killed at Coal Harbor, June 27th, 1862. - - - - -CHAPTER III. - -LABORS OF LOVE. - - -Musical--Decatur. - -To a woman who lives and moves and has her being in the past, an -invocation to time to "turn backward in its flight," would seem -superfluous. The scenes of other years being ever present, it would also -seem that time, as a loving father, would linger fondly around her with -panaceas for decay, mental and physical; that her heart would never grow -old, and her person never lose the attractions of youth; but, in the -economy of Him who doeth all things well, such is not the decree regarding -aught that is mortal. And when the ravages incident to one's career have -destroyed personal charm, and divested the mind of sparkling gem, the soul -yearns for the protection of childhood and the companionship of youth. -Scenes of the past, though dyed with "the blood of martyrs," are ever -passing in kaleidoscopic beauty before the mind's eye, and tones too sweet -for mortal ear are ever thrilling the heart with strange, sweet, expectant -pleasure. This train of reflection, only far more elaborate, seizes for -its guiding star, on this occasion, a scene which at the time of its -enactment was indelibly impressed upon my mind, and left living, glowing -tints, illuming my pathway through subsequent life; a scene in which -lovely girlhood, arrayed in pure white robes, lent a helping hand in the -important work of supplying our soldiers with comforts, all the more -appreciated because of the source from which emanating. With closed eyes, -I see it now and listen to its enchanting melody. To render it more -realistic than could be done by any description of mine, I subjoin a copy -of the "Programme," the original of which I have preserved: - - GRAND MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT! - - RELIEF FUND - FOR OUR SOLDIERS, - THURSDAY, MAY 15, 1862, - AT THE COURTHOUSE. - -By the ladies of Decatur, Georgia, assisted by William H. Barnes, Colonel -Thomas F. Lowe, Professor Hanlon, W. A. Haynes, R. O. Haynes, Dr. -Geutebruck and Dr. Warmouth, of Atlanta. - -PROGRAMME. - -Part I. - -1. Opening Chorus--Company. - -2. Piano Duet--"March from Norma"--Miss Georgia Hoyle and Miss Missouri -Stokes. - -3. Solo--"Roy Neil"--Mrs. Robert Alston. - -4. Quartette--Atlanta Amateurs. - -5. "Tell Me, Ye Winged Winds"--Company. - -6. "Our Way Across the Sea"--Miss G. Hoyle and Professor Hanlon. - -7. March--Piano Duet--Miss Laura Williams and Miss Fredonia Hoyle. - -8. Solo--Professor Hanlon. - -9. Comic Song--W. H. Barnes. - -10. Violin Solo--Colonel Thomas F. Lowe. - -11. Solo--Dr. Warmouth. - -12. "When Night Comes O'er the Plain"--Miss M. Stokes and Professor -Hanlon. - -13. "The Mother's Farewell"--Mrs. Maggie Benedict. - -Part II. - -1. Chorus--"Away to the Prairie"--Company. - -2. Piano Solo--Miss G. Hoyle. - -3. Song--Atlanta Amateurs. - -4. Coquette Polka--Misses Hoyle and Stokes. - -5. Chorus--"Let us Live with a Hope"--Company. - -6. "Mountain Bugle"--Miss M. Stokes and Company. - -7. "Mazurka des Traineaux"--Piano Duet--Misses Hoyle and Stokes. - -8. Shiloh Retreat--Violin--Colonel Thomas F. Lowe. - -Concluding with the Battle Song: "Cheer, Boys, Cheer"--W. H. Barnes. - -Tickets, 50c. Children and Servants, half price. - -Doors open 7:30 o'clock. Commence at 8:15 o'clock. - - Atlanta Intelligencer Power Print. - - -Musical--Atlanta. - -The citizens of Decatur were always invited to entertainments, social, -literary, and musical, in Atlanta, that had in view the interest, pleasure -or comfort of our soldiers; therefore the invitation accompanying the -following programme received ready response: - - TWELFTH MUSICAL SOIREE - --of the-- - ATLANTA AMATEURS, - - Monday evening, June 24, 1861, - For the Benefit of - ATLANTA VOLUNTEERS, - Captain Woddail, - and the - CONFEDERATE CONTINENTALS, - Captain Seago, - Who Are Going to Defend Our Land. - - Let all attend and pay a parting tribute to our brave - soldiers. - -PROGRAMME. - -Part I. - -1. We Come Again--(Original)--Company. - -2. Dreams--(A Reverie)--Miss J. E. Whitney. - -3. Violin Solo--(Hash)--Colonel Thomas F. Lowe. - -4. "Not for Gold or Precious Stones"--Miss R. J. Hale. - -5. Yankee Doodle--According to W. A. Haynes. - -6. Dixie Variations--Mrs. W. T. Farrar. - -7. "Two Merry Alpine Maids"--Misses M. F. and J. E. Whitney. - -8. "When I Saw Sweet Nellie Home"--Misses Sasseen and Judson. - -9. "Root Hog or Die"--W. H. Barnes. - -Instrumental Trio, "La Fille du Regiment"--Messrs. Schoen and Heindl. -Vermicelli, (Variations)--W. H. Barnes and Openheimer. - -Part II. - -1. "Our Southern Land"--C. P. Haynes and Company. - -2. "Through Meadows Green"--Miss M. F. Whitney.[1] - -3. Solo--Thomas D. Wright. - -4. "Home, Sweet Home"--Miss R. J. Hale. - -5. Violin Exemplification--Col. Thomas F. Lowe. - -6. "Happy Days of Yore"--Mrs. Hibler. - -7. Quartette--(original)--Misses Whitney, Messrs. Barnes and Haynes. - -8. "Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep"--Prof. Hanlon. Encore--Ballad. - -9. "I Come, I Come"--Misses Sasseen, Westmoreland and Sims. - -The whole to conclude with the grand original. - -TABLEAU, - -(In Two Parts). - -The Women and Children of Dixie Rejoicing Over the Success of the -Confederate Banner. - -Scene 1. The Children of Dixie. - -Scene 2. The Women--The Soldiers--Our Flag--Brilliant Illumination. - -Doors open at half past 7 o'clock. Curtain will rise at half past 8 -o'clock. - -Tickets, Fifty Cents. Ushers will be on hand to seat audience. - - W. H. BARNES, Manager. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -LABORS OF LOVE. - -Knitting and Sewing, and Writing Letters to "Our Soldiers." - - -A patriotic co-operation between the citizens of Decatur and Atlanta soon -sprang up, and in that, as in all things else, a social and friendly -interchange of thought and feeling and deed existed; and we were never so -pleased as when aiding each other in the preparation of clothing and -edibles for "our soldiers," or in some way contributing to their comfort. - -Many of us who had never learned to sew became expert handlers of the -needle, and vied with each other in producing well-made garments; and I -became a veritable knitting machine. Besides the discharge of many duties -incident to the times and tending to useful results, I knitted a sock a -day, long and large, and not coarse, many days in succession. At the -midnight hour the weird click of knitting needles chasing each other round -and round in the formation of these useful garments for the nether limbs -of "our boys," was no unusual sound; and tears and orisons blended with -woof and warp and melancholy sighs. For at that dark hour, when other -sounds were shut out, we dared to listen with bated breath to "the still, -small voice" that whispered in no unmistakable language suggestions which -would have been rebuked in the glare of the noonday sun. - -No mother nor sister nor wife nor aunt of a Confederate soldier, need be -told what were the depressing suggestions of that "still, small voice" on -divers occasions. - -When the knitting of a dozen pairs of socks was completed, they were -washed, ironed and neatly folded by one of our faithful negro women, and I -then resumed the work of preparing them for their destination. Each pair -formed a distinct package. Usually a pretty necktie, a pair of gloves, a -handkerchief and letter, deposited in one of the socks, enlarged the -package. When all was ready, a card bearing the name of the giver, and a -request to "inquire within," was tacked on to each package. And then these -twelve packages were formed into a bundle, and addressed to an officer in -command of some company chosen to be the recipient of the contents. - -I will give a glimpse of the interior of my letters to our boys. These -letters were written for their spiritual edification, their mental -improvement and their amusement. - -"Never saw I the righteous forsaken." - - "Full many a gem of purest ray serene, - The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear; - Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, - And waste its sweetness on the desert air." - - P. S.--"Apples are good but peaches are better; - If you love me, you will write me a letter."--M. - -"Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth." - - "If in the early morn of life, - You give yourself to God, - He'll stand by you 'mid earthly strife, - And spare the chast'ning rod."-- - - P. S.--"Roses are red and violets blue, - Sugar is sweet and so are you."--M. - -"Love thy neighbor as thyself." - - "May every joy that earth can give - Around thee brightly shine; - Remote from sorrow may you live, - And all of heaven be thine."-- - - P. S.--Remember me when this you see, - Though many miles apart we be.--M - -"Love worketh no ill to his neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of -the law." - - "This above all--to thine own self be true, - And it must follow as night the day, - Thou canst not then be false to any one." - - P. S.--"Sure as the vine twines round the stump, - You are my darling sugar lump."--M. - -"The night is far spent, the day is at hand; let us, therefore, cast off -the works of darkness and let us put on the armour of light." - - "As for my life, it is but short, - When I shall be no more; - To part with life I am content, - As any heretofore. - Therefore, good people, all take heed, - This warning take by me-- - According to the lives you lead, - Rewarded you shall be." - - P. S.--"My pen is bad, my ink is pale, - My love for you shall never fail."--M. - -"Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of -God." - - "The harp that once through Tara's halls - The soul of music shed, - Now hangs as mute on Tara's wall, - As if that soul were fled. - So sleeps the pride of former days, - So glory's thrill is o'er; - And hearts that once beat high for praise - Now feel that pulse no more. - No more to chiefs and ladies bright - The harp of Tara swells; - The chord alone that breaks at night - Its tale of ruin tells. - Thus Freedom, now so seldom wakes, - The only throb she gives - Is when some heart indignant breaks - To show that still she lives."-- - - P. S.--"My love for you will ever flow, - Like water down a cotton row."--M - -"The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof; the world and they that -dwell therein. - -"For He hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. - -"Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord, or who shall stand in his -holy place? - -"He that hath clean hands and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his -soul unto vanity nor sworn deceitfully." - - "Know thyself, presume not God to scan. - The proper study of mankind is man." - - P. S.--"Round as the ring that has no end, - Is my love for you, my own sweet friend."--M. - -"God is love." - - "Poor soul, the centre of my sinful earth, - Fooled by those rebel powers that there array, - Why dost thou pine within and suffer dearth, - Painting thy outward walls so costly gay? - Why so large cost, having so short a lease, - Dost thou upon thy fading mansion spend? - Shall worms, inheritors of this excess, - Eat up thy charge? Is this thy body's end?" - - P. S.--"If you love me as I love you, - No knife can cut our love in two."--M. - -"But this I say, He that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and -he which soweth bountifully, shall reap also bountifully. Every man -according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give, not grudgingly, -or of necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver." - - "Before Jehovah's awful throne - Ye nations bow with sacred joy; - Know that the Lord is God alone; - He can create and He destroy." - - P. S.--"Above, below, in ocean, earth and skies, - Nothing's so pretty as your blue eyes."--M. - -"I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on Me should -not abide in darkness." - - "And neither the angels in heaven above, - Nor the demons down under the sea, - Can ever dissever my soul from the soul - Of the beautiful Annabel Lee." - - P. S.--"Remember me! Remember me! - When this you see--Remember me!"--M. - -"The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in the storehouses, and in -all that thou settest thine hand unto." - - "Lives of great men all remind us, - We can make our lives sublime, - And departing, leave behind us, - Footprints on the sands of Time." - - P. S.--"Remember well and bear in mind, - A pretty girl's not hard to find; - But when you find one nice and Gay - Hold on to her both night and day."--M. - -"He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and -forsaketh them shall have mercy." - - "I'd give my life to know thy art, - Sweet, simple, and divine; - I'd give this world to melt one heart, - As thou hast melted mine."--Mary. - - P. S.--"As the earth trots round the sun, - My love for you will ever run."--M. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - -THE THIRD MARYLAND ARTILLERY. - -Some Old Songs. - - -At some time in 1863, it was my privilege to meet a gallant band of men -whose faith in the justice of our cause was so strong that they were -constrained to turn their faces Southward and imperil their lives in its -defence. These men represented the highest type of manhood in Maryland. - -Sickness entered their camp, and the good ladies of Decatur insisted upon -providing the comforts of home for the sick and wounded. Those to whom it -was my privilege to minister belonged to the Third Maryland Artillery, -under command of Captain John B. Rowan.[2] - -Among them was one whose appreciation of kindness shown him ripened into -an undying friendship, Captain W. L. Ritter, a devoted Christian -gentleman, and now an elder in Doctor LeFevre's Church, Baltimore. - -His fondness for that beautiful Southern song, by James R. Randall, -entitled "Maryland, My Maryland!" was truly pathetic. - -I subjoin the words to stir up the souls of our people by way of -remembrance. - - MARYLAND, MY MARYLAND. - - The despot's heel is on thy shore, - Maryland, My Maryland! - His touch is on thy temple door, - Maryland, My Maryland. - Avenge the patriotic gore, - That flowed the streets of Baltimore, - And be the battle-queen of yore, - Maryland, My Maryland. - - Hark to a wand'ring son's appeal, - Maryland, My Maryland! - My mother state, to thee I kneel, - Maryland, My Maryland! - For life and death, for woe and weal, - Thy peerless chivalry reveal, - And gird thy beauteous limbs with steel, - Maryland, My Maryland. - - Thou wilt not cower in the dust, - Maryland, My Maryland! - Thy beaming sword shall never rust, - Maryland, My Maryland. - Remember Carroll's sacred trust, - Remember Howard's warlike thrust, - And all thy slumberers with the just, - Maryland, My Maryland. - - Come, 'tis the red dawn of the day, - Maryland, My Maryland! - Come with thy panoplied array, - Maryland, My Maryland. - With Ringold's spirit for the fray, - With Watson's blood at Monterey, - With fearless Lowe and dashing May; - Maryland, My Maryland. - - Dear Mother! burst thy tyrant's chain, - Maryland, My Maryland! - Virginia should not call in vain, - Maryland, My Maryland. - She meets her sisters on the plain, - "Sic Semper," 'tis the proud refrain - That baffles minions back again, - Maryland, My Maryland. - - Come! for thy shield is bright and strong, - Maryland, My Maryland! - Come! for thy dalliance does thee wrong, - Maryland, My Maryland. - Come to thy own heroic throng, - That stalks with liberty along, - And give a new Key to thy song, - Maryland, My Maryland. - - I see the blush upon thy cheek, - Maryland, My Maryland! - But thou wast ever bravely meek, - Maryland, My Maryland. - But, lo! there surges forth a shriek, - From hill to hill, from creek to creek, - Potomac calls to Chesapeake, - Maryland, My Maryland. - - Thou wilt not yield the vandal toll, - Maryland, My Maryland! - Thou wilt not crook to his control, - Maryland, My Maryland. - Better the fire upon thee roll, - Better the shot, the blade, the bowl, - Than crucifixion of the soul, - Maryland, My Maryland. - - I hear the distant thunder hum, - Maryland, My Maryland! - The Old Line bugle, fife and drum, - Maryland, My Maryland. - She is not dead, nor deaf, nor dumb-- - Huzza! she spurns the Northern scum; - She breathes! She burns! She'll come, she'll come! - Maryland, My Maryland. - -An additional verse as sung by Mrs. Jessie Clark, of Crisp's Co., Friday -night, Sept. 12th, 1862. - - Hark! tis the cannon's deaf'ning roar, - Maryland, My Maryland! - Old Stonewall's on thy hallow'd shore, - Maryland, My Maryland. - Methinks I hear the loud huzza - Ring through the streets of Baltimore-- - Slaves no longer--free once more - Maryland, My Maryland. - -There were other songs sung in those days. Some of the most popular were -"Bonnie Blue Flag," "Dixie," "Bob Roebuck is my Soldier Boy," "Who will -Care for Mother Now?" "Her Bright Smile Haunts me Still," "Let me Kiss Him -for his Mother," "All Quiet Along the Potomac To-Night," "Rock me to -Sleep, Mother," "When I Saw Sweet Nellie Home," "Just Before the Battle, -Mother." In a collection of old music, now never played, there lie before -me copies of these songs. They were published in various Southern cities -on paper not firm and smooth, but rather thin and coarse, but quite -presentable. What memories these songs awake! Where, oh where, are those -who sang them over thirty years ago! Who of the singers are now living? -How many have gone to the Eternal Shore? - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -A DARING AND UNIQUE CHASE. - -The Capture and Re-capture of the Railroad Engine, "The General." - - -In the early spring of 1862, there occurred an episode of the war which, -up to that date, was the most exciting that had happened in our immediate -section. The story has often been told; but instead of relying upon my -memory, I will condense from the written statement of Mr. Anthony Murphy, -of Atlanta, Georgia, who was one of the principal actors in the chase. - -Mr. Murphy begins his narrative by saying: "On Saturday morning, April -12th, 1862, about 4 o'clock, I went aboard a passenger train that started -then for Chattanooga, Tennessee. My business that day was to examine an -engine that furnished power to cut wood and pump water for the locomotives -at Allatoona, a station forty miles from Atlanta. As foreman of machine -and motive power, it became my duty to go that morning. This train was in -charge of Engineer Jeff Cain, and Conductor W. A. Fuller. It was known as -a freight and passenger train. The train arrived in Marietta, twenty miles -from Atlanta, shortly after daylight. I stepped from the coach and noticed -a number of men getting on the car forward of the one I rode in. They were -dressed like citizens from the country, and I supposed they were -volunteers for the army, going to Big Shanty, now known as Kennesaw, a -station about eighteen miles from Marietta, where troops were organized -and forwarded to the Confederate army in Virginia and other points. At -this station the train stopped for breakfast, and, as the engineer, -conductor, myself and other passengers went to get our meals, no one was -left in charge of the locomotive. I had about finished, when I heard a -noise as if steam were escaping. Looking through a window I saw the cars -move, saw the engineer and fireman at the table, and said to them: 'Some -one is moving your engine.' By this time I was at the front door, and saw -that the train was divided and passing out of sight." - -Mr. Murphy, the conductor, and the engineer then held a brief -consultation. He asked about the men who got on at Marietta (who -afterwards proved to be a Federal raiding party, Andrews and his men), and -remarked: "They were the men who took the engine and three cars." At the -time he thought they were Confederate deserters, who would run the engine -as far as it would have steam to run, and then abandon it. Mr. Murphy and -his two comrades concluded that it was their duty to proceed after them. A -Mr. Kendrick, connected with the railroad, coming up, they requested him -to go on horseback to Marietta, the nearest telegraph station, and -communicate with the superintendent at Atlanta, while they "put out on -foot after a locomotive under steam." Knowing they would reach a squad of -track-hands somewhere on the line, they had some hope, and they did, in a -few miles, meet a car and hands near Moon's Station, about two miles from -Big Shanty. They pressed the car, and two hands to propel it, which -propelling was done by poles pressed against the ties or ground, and not -by a crank. Soon they reached a pile of cross-ties on the track, and found -the telegraph wire cut. Clearing off the ties, they pressed on until they -reached Acworth Station, six miles from Big Shanty. There they learned -that the train they were pursuing had stopped some distance from the -depot, and having been carefully examined by its engineer, had moved off -at a rapid rate. This satisfied the pursuers that the capturers of the -engine "meant something more than deserters would attempt;" and then they -"thought of enemies from the Federal army." Says the narrator: "We moved -on to Allatoona. At this place we received two old guns, one for Fuller, -and one for the writer. I really did not know how long they had been -loaded, nor do I yet, for we never fired them. These were the only arms on -our engine during our chase. Two citizens went along from here, which made -about seven men on our little pole-car. As we proceeded toward Etowah, we -moved rapidly, being down grade, when suddenly we beheld an open place in -the track. A piece of rail had been taken up by the raiders. Having no -brake, we could not hold our car in check, and plunged into this gap, -turning over with all hands except Fuller and myself, who jumped before -the car left the track. The little car was put on again, and the poling -man sent back to the next track-gang to have repairs made for following -trains." - -Arriving at Etowah, the pursuers found the engine "Yonah," used by the -Cooper Iron Company, and pressed it into service. They got an open car, -and stocked it with rails, spikes and tools, and moved on to Cartersville. -Passing on to Rogers' Station, they learned that the raiders had stopped -there for wood and water, telling Mr. Rogers that they were under military -orders, and that the engine crew proper were coming on behind. At Kingston -the raiders had told that they were carrying ammunition to General -Beauregard, on the line of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, near -Huntsville, Alabama. At this point the "Yonah" was sent back to Etowah, -and the supply car of the pursuers coupled to the engine "New York." But -at Kingston the Rome Railroad connects with the Western & Atlantic road, -and the Rome engine and train were in the way. Instead of clearing the -track for the "New York," the crowd at the Kingston depot, having learned -the news, took possession of the Rome engine and some cars attached, and -pulled out for the chase, which compelled Mr. Murphy and his friends to -abandon their outfit and run to get on the same train. A few miles were -made, when they found a pile of cross-ties on the rails, and the telegraph -wires cut. Clearing the track they moved on, when they encountered another -gap. Here Messrs. Murphy and Fuller, believing that they would meet the -engine "Texas" with a freight train, left the obstructed train and pressed -on again on foot, advising the crowd to return, which they did. The -pursuers met the "Texas" two miles from Adairsville, and, motioning the -engineer to stop, they went aboard and turned him back. At Adairsville -they learned that Andrews had not been long gone. Says the narrator: -"About three miles from Calhoun we came in sight for the first time of the -captured engine, and three freight cars. They had stopped to remove -another rail, and were in the act of trying to get it out when we came in -sight. * * * As we reached them, they cut loose one car and started again. -We coupled this car to our engine, and moved after them. * * * From Resaca -to Tilton the road was very crooked, and we had to move cautiously. The -distance between us was short. * * * I feared ambushing by -Andrews--reversing the engine and starting it back under an open throttle -valve. * * * To prevent us closing in on them, the end of the box car was -broken out, and from this they threw cross-ties on the track to check our -speed and probably derail us. * * * I had a long bar fastened to the brake -wheel of the tender to give power so that four men could use it to help -check and stop the engine suddenly. I also stood by the reverse lever to -aid the engineer to reverse his engine, which he had to do many times to -avoid the cross-ties. - -"Passing through and beyond Tilton, we again came in sight. At this point -the road has a straight stretch of over a mile. A short distance from -Tilton and just as we rounded the curve, 'The General' with the raiders -was rounding another curve, leaving the straight line, giving us a fine -view for some distance across the angle. * * * The fastest run was made at -this point. * * * I imagine now, as I write this, I see the two great -locomotives with their human freight speeding on, one trying to escape, -the other endeavoring to overtake, and if such had happened none might -have been left to give the particulars of that exciting and daring -undertaking. The chances of battle were certainly against us if Andrews -had attempted fight." - -Just beyond Dalton the pursuers found the telegraph wire cut. On reaching -the "tunnel," they were satisfied that Andrews was short of wood, or the -tunnel would not have been so clear of smoke. Passing through the tunnel -they kept on, and beyond Ringgold, about two miles, the captors left "The -General" and made for the woods. The pursuers were in sight of them. Mr. -Fuller and others started after the raiders. Mr. Murphy went on the engine -to examine the cause of the stop. He found no wood in the furnace, but -plenty of water in the boiler. Says Mr. Murphy: "I took charge of the -engine, 'General,' had it placed on the side-track, and waited for the -first train from Chattanooga to Atlanta. I reached Ringgold about dark. I -went aboard, and reaching Dalton, the first telegraph station, I sent the -first news of our chase and re-capture of the 'General' to Atlanta." - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - -Coming Home from Camp Chase--The Faithful Servant's Gift--A Glimpse of -Confederate Braves. - - -"A letter from Marse Thomie," said our mail carrier, Toby, as he got in -speaking distance on his return from the post office. - -"What makes you think so?" I said, excitedly. - -"I know his hand-write, and this is it," selecting a letter from a large -package and handing it to me. The very first glimpse of the superscription -assured me of his confident assertion. - -The letter was addressed to our mother, and bore a United States postage -stamp, and the beloved signature of her only son, Thomas J. Stokes. A -thrill of gratitude and joy filled our hearts too full for utterance, as -we read: - -"MY DEAR MOTHER: I have learned that the soldiers of the 10th Texas -Infantry will be exchanged for the United States troops very soon, perhaps -to-morrow; and then, what happiness will be mine! I can scarcely wait its -realization. A visit home, a mother's embrace and kiss, the heart-felt -manifestations of the love of two sisters, and the joy and glad expression -of faithful servants. I may bring several friends with me, whom I know you -will welcome, both for my sake and theirs--they are valiant defenders of -the cause we love. Adieu, dear mother, and sisters, until I see you at -home, 'home, sweet home.'" - -"Thomie is coming home!" "Thomie Stokes is coming home!" was the glad -announcement of mother, sisters, and friends; and the servants took up the -intelligence, and told everybody that Marse Thomie was coming home, and -was going to bring some soldiers with him. - -Another day dawned and love's labor commenced in earnest. Doors were -opened, and rooms ventilated: bed-clothing aired and sunned, and dusting -brushes and brooms in willing hands removed every particle of that much -dreaded material of which man in all his glory, or ignominy, was created. -Furniture and picture frames were polished and artistically arranged. And -we beheld the work of the first day, and it was good. - -When another day dawned we were up with the lark, and his matin notes -found responsive melody in our hearts, the sweet refrain of which was, -"Thomie is coming"--the soldier son and brother. Light bread and rolls, -rusks and pies, cakes, etc., etc., were baked, and sweetmeats prepared, -and another day's work was ended and pronounced satisfactory. - -The third day, for a generous bonus, "Uncle Mack's" services were secured, -and a fine pig was slaughtered and prepared for the oven, and also a -couple of young hens, and many other luxuries too numerous to mention. - -When all was ready for the feast of thanksgiving for the return of the -loved one, the waiting seemed interminable. There was pathos in every -look, tone, and act of our mother--the lingering look at the calendar, -the frequent glance at the clock, told that the days were counted, yea, -that the hours were numbered. At length the weary waiting ended, and the -joyous meeting came of mother and son, of sisters and brother, after a -separation of four years of health and sickness, of joy and anguish, of -hope and fear. - -As we stood upon the platform of the Decatur depot, and saw him step from -the train, which we had been told by telegram would bring him to us, our -hearts were filled with consternation and pity, and tears unbidden coursed -down our cheeks, as we looked upon the brave and gallant brother, who had -now given three years of his early manhood to a cause rendered dear by -inheritance and the highest principles of patriotism, and, in doing so, -had himself become a physical wreck. He was lean to emaciation, and in his -pale face was not a suggestion of the ruddy color he had carried away. A -constant cough, which he tried in vain to repress, betrayed the deep -inroads which prison life had made upon his system; and in this respect he -represented his friends--in describing his appearance, we leave nothing -untold about theirs. In war-worn pants and faded grey coats, they -presented a spectacle never to be forgotten. - -Joy and grief contended for the supremacy. We did not realize that even a -brief period of good nursing and feeding would work a great change in the -physical being of men just out of the prison pens of the frigid North, and -wept to think that disease, apparently so deeply rooted, could not be -cured, and that they were restored to us but to die. Perceiving our grief -and divining the cause, our Thomie took us, our mother first, into his -arms and kissed us, and said in his old-time way, "I'll be all right -soon." - -And Toby and Telitha, the house servants, came in for their share of -kindly greeting. - -Thomie then introduced us to Captain Lauderdale, Captain Formwalt, and -Lieutenant McMurray, his Texas friends and comrades in arms. Our cordial, -heart-felt welcome was appreciated by this trio of gentlemen, and to this -day we receive from them messages of abiding friendship. Captain -Lauderdale was one of the most perfect gentlemen I ever saw--tall, -graceful, erect, and finely formed. His face, of Grecian mould, was -faultless; and his hair, black as a raven's plumage, and interspersed with -grey, would have adorned the head of a king. His bearing was dignified and -yet affable, and so polished and easy in manner as to invite most friendly -intercourse. - -Captain Formwalt was also a fine specimen of manhood--free and easy, gay -and rollicking. He seemed to think his mission on earth was to bring -cheerfulness and glee into every household he entered. - -Lieutenant McMurray was unlike either of his friends. Apparently cold, -apathetic and reserved, he repelled all advances tending to cordial -relations, until well acquainted, after which he was metamorphosed into a -kind and genial gentleman. - -Thomie, dear Thomie, was a boy again, and while our guests were refreshing -themselves preparatory to dinner, he was going all over the house, for -every nook and corner was endeared by association. He opened the piano, -and running his fingers over the keys with the grace and ease of his -boyhood, he played accompaniments to his favorite songs, "Home Again," and -"Way Down Upon the Suwanee River," trying to sing, but prevented by the -irrepressible coughing. Then, with nervous hand, he essayed "When this -Cruel War is Over." Turning away from the piano, he went to the library -and handled with tender care the books he had read in boyhood. -Shakespeare, Milton, Byron and Moore possessed no interest for him now; -and Blackstone and Chitty were equally ignored. The books his mother and -sister read to him in his childhood were, as if by intuition, selected, -and fondly conned and handled. His own name was written in them, and his -tearful eyes lingered long and lovingly upon these reminders of boyhood's -happy hours. With a sigh he left the library, and espying Toby, who kept -where he could see as much as possible of "Marse Thomie," he called the -boy and held an encouraging little conversation with him. - -Dinner being ready, our mother led the way to the dining room. Our guests -having taken the seats assigned them, Thomie took his near his mother--his -boyhood's seat at table. By request, Captain Lauderdale asked the -blessing. And, oh, what a blessing he invoked upon the "dear ones, who, -with loving hands, prepared this feast for the son and brother of the -household, and for his friends in peace and comrades in war." Pleasant -conversation ensued, and all enjoyed the repast. But the gentlemen seemed -to us to eat very little, and, in reply to our expression of -disappointment, they explained the importance of limiting themselves for -several days in this respect. - -As there was no trunk to send for, and no valise to carry, we rightly -surmised that the clothing of these good men was limited to the apparel in -which they were clad, and it was decided by my mother and myself that I -should go to Atlanta and get material for a suit of clothes for Thomie, -and good warm underclothing for them all. Arrived at Atlanta, I was -irresistibly led by that mystic power, which has often controlled for good -results the acts of man, to go to Dr. Taylor's drug store. Here I found -King, our faithful negro man, as busy as a bee, labeling and packing -medicine for shipment. I approached him and said: - -"King, Thomie has come." - -"Marse Thomie?" - -"Yes." - -"Thank God," he said, with fervor. - -When I was about leaving the store, he said: - -"Miss Mary, just wait a minute, please, and I will get something that I -want you to take to Marse Thomie, and tell him I don't want him to be hurt -with me for sending it to him. I just send it because I love him--me and -him was boys together, you know, and I always thought he ought to 'er took -me with him to the war." - -"What is it, King?" - -"Just a little article I got in trade, Miss Mary," was all the -satisfaction he vouchsafed. - -When he handed it to me, knowing by the sense of touch that it was a -package of dry goods, I took it to Mrs. O'Connor's millinery -establishment, and asked the privilege of opening it there. Imagine my -astonishment and delight, when I beheld a pattern of fine grey cassimere. -I felt of it, and held it up between my eyes and the light. There was -nothing shoddy about it. It was indeed a piece of fine cassimere, finer -and better than anything I could have procured in Atlanta at that time. -The circumstance was suggestive of Elijah and the ravens, and I thanked -God for the gift so opportune, and lost no time in returning to the drug -store, and thanking King, the raven employed by the Lord to clothe one of -His little ones. Nor did I lose any time in adding to the package other -articles of necessity, flannel and the best Georgia-made homespun I could -procure, and was then ready to take the return train to Decatur. Thomie -was deeply touched by the opportune gift, and said that King was a great -boy, and that he must see him. - -After supper I clandestinely left the house, and ran around to Todd -McAllister's and begged him to take the job of making the suit. He agreed -to cut the coat, vest and pantaloons by measure, and for that purpose went -home with me, shears and tape measure in hand. Having finished this -important part of the job, he told me he could not make the suit himself, -but he thought if I would "talk right pretty to the old lady," she would -do it. Next morning I lost no time in "talking pretty" to the old lady, -and, having secured her promise to undertake the work, it was soon in her -hands. With the help of faithful, efficient women, and I suspect of her -husband, too, the job was executed surprisingly soon. In the meantime the -making of flannel garments, and homespun shirts with bosoms made of linen -pillow-cases, was progressing with remarkable celerity. - -When all was finished, and Thomie was arrayed in his new suit, which set -admirably well notwithstanding the room allowed for increasing dimensions, -which we doubted not under good treatment he would attain--King Solomon, -in purple and fine linen, was not looked upon with more admiration than -was he by his loving mother and sisters. His cough had in a measure -yielded to remedies, and his cheeks bore the tinge of better blood. - -Good Mr. Levi Willard, his wife and children, had already been to see -Thomie and the strangers within our gates, and many others had sent kind -messages and substantial tokens of regard. And the young people of -Decatur, young ladies and little boys, were planning to give him a -surprise party. And among these loving attentions was a visit from King, -the faithful. - -The flowers bloomed prettier, the birds sang sweeter, because of their -presence; but time waits for no man, and we were admonished by low -conversations and suggestive looks that these men, officers in the army of -the Confederacy, were planning their departure. - -Many amusing incidents, as well as those of a horrible character, were -told of their prison life in Camp Chase. To illustrate the patriotism of -Southern men, Colonel Deshler, as a prisoner of war, figured -conspicuously; and many anecdotes, ludicrous and pathetic, quaint and -original, revealed the deep devotion of his love for the South. In one of -these word-paintings, he was represented as sitting on his legs, darning -the seat of his pantaloons, when a feminine curiosity seeker came along. -When she perceived his occupation, she said with a leer that would have -done credit to Lucifer: - -"You rebels find it pretty hard work to keep your gray duds in order, -don't you?" - -Without looking at her, he whistled in musical cadence the contempt he -felt for her and her ilk; and the imprecations, he would not have -expressed in words, were so distinct and well modulated as to leave no -doubt as to their meaning. - -The time had come for the nature of the low-toned conversations referred -to, to be revealed, and Thomie was chosen to make the revelation. Planning -to have mother and sisters present, he discussed the duties of patriotism, -and the odium men brought upon themselves by not discharging those duties. -Making the matter personal, he referred to himself and friends, to the -great pleasure and personal benefit derived from a week's sojourn at home; -of the love for us that would ever linger in their hearts; of the pleasant -memories that would nerve them in future conflicts; and in conclusion told -us that to-morrow they would leave us to join their command at Tullahoma, -where the decimated regiment was to stay until its numbers were -sufficiently recruited for service. - -Instead of yielding to grief, we repressed every evidence of it, and spoke -only words of encouragement to these noble men who had never shirked a -duty, or sought bomb-proof positions in the army of the Confederacy. After -this interview, Thomie abandoned himself to cheerfulness, to almost boyish -gaiety. He kept very close to his mother. She had grown old so rapidly -since the troubles began, that she needed all the support that could be -given her in this ordeal. This he perceived without seeming to do so, and -left nothing within his power undone for her encouragement. He even -discussed with perfect equanimity the probability, yea, the more than -probability, of his getting killed in battle; for, said he, "he that -taketh up the sword, by the sword shall he perish." And, he added, -"strong, irrepressible convictions constrained me to enter the army in -defense of mother, home, and country. My vote was cast for the secession -of my state from the union of states which existed only in name, and I -would not have accepted any position tendered me which would have secured -me from the dangers involved by that step. I was willing to give my life -if need be, for the cause which should be dear to every Southern heart." - -Every one present responded to these noble sentiments, for were we not -soldiers, too, working for the same noble cause, and aiding and abetting -those who fought its battles? - -Before retiring to our rooms, Captain Lauderdale, as usual, led in prayer, -fervent, deep and soul supporting, more for our mother and ourselves than -for himself and his comrades in their perilous positions. And dear Thomie, -whom I had never heard pray since his cradle invocation, - - "Now I lay me down to sleep, - I pray the Lord my soul to keep," - -finished in words thrilling and beautiful. The effect was electrical. -Tears and sobs were no longer repressed, and all found relief from long -pent-up feelings. O, the blessedness of tears! - -Morning came, clear as crystal, and cool and exhilarating. The household -were up at early dawn. A strong decoction of coffee was prepared, and -fresh cream toast and boiled eggs, meat relishes being served cold. -Knapsacks--there were knapsacks now--were packed, and blankets rolled and -buckled in straps, and our ebony Confederates, Toby and Telitha, stood -ready to convey them to the depot. In order to meet the morning train at -seven o'clock we started, but the services of Toby and Telitha were not -accepted. The gentlemen said it would never do for soldiers to start off -to report for service with negroes carrying their knapsacks and blankets. -They had no muskets to shoulder, for of these they had been divested at -Arkansas Post, months ago, when captured by the enemy. - -Lieutenant McMurray, who was in feeble health, announced himself unable to -report for duty, and remained with us several weeks longer. - -The parting at the depot did not betray the grief, almost without earthly -hope, that was rankling in our hearts, and the "good-bye's" and "God bless -you's" were uttered with a composure we little thought at our command. - -As the time of his departure had drawn near, Thomie had sought -opportunities to tell me much of the young girl in Texas, who had healed -the lacerations of his youthful heart, and won the admiration of his -manhood, and whom he had made his wife. Upon her devotion he dwelt with -peculiar pathos and gratitude; and he concluded these conversations with -the request that under any and all circumstances I would be a sister to -her. On one occasion we were standing near the piano, and, when we ceased -to talk, Thomie opened it, and in tones that came from the heart, and that -were tremulous with emotion, he sang, "When this Cruel War is Over." - - Why sings the swan its sweetest notes, - When life is near its close? - -Since writing the foregoing, I have had access to a journal kept during -the war by my half sister, Missouri Stokes, in which are the following -entries of historic value: "On the 11th of January, 1868, Arkansas Post, -the fort where Thomie was stationed, fell into the hands of Yankees. -General Churchhill's whole command, numbering about four thousand, were -captured, a few being killed and wounded. We knew that Thomie, if alive, -must be a prisoner, but could hear no tidings from him. Our suspense -continued until the latter part of March, when ma received a letter from -our loved one, written at Camp Chase (military prison), Ohio, February -10th. This letter she forwarded to me, and I received it March 21st, with -heart-felt emotions of gratitude to Him who had preserved his life. A few -weeks afterwards another letter came, saying he expected to be exchanged -in a few days, and then for several weeks we heard no more." - -From this journal I learn that the date of Thomie's arrival was May 16th, -1863. My sister wrote of him: "He seemed much changed, although only four -years and a half had elapsed since we parted. He looked older, thinner, -and more careworn, and gray hairs are sprinkled among his dark brown -curls. His health had been poor in the army, and then, when he left Camp -Chase, he, as well as the other prisoners, was stripped by the Yankees of -nearly all his warm clothing. He left the prison in April, and was -exchanged at City Point. How strange the dealings of Providence. Truly was -he led by a way he knew not. He went out to Texas by way of the West, and -returned home from the East. God be thanked for preserving his life, when -so many of his comrades have died. He is a miracle of mercy. After their -capture, they were put on boats from which Yankee small-pox patients had -been taken. Some died of small-pox, but Thomie has had varioloid and so -escaped. He was crowded on a boat with twenty-two hundred, and scarcely -had standing room. Many died on the passage up the river, one poor fellow -with his head in Thomie's lap. May he never go through similar scenes -again!" - -From this same journal I take the following, written after Missouri's -return to the school she was teaching in Bartow county: - -"Sabbath morning, June 14th. Went to Cartersville to church. Some time -elapsed before preaching commenced. A soldier came in, sat down rather -behind me, then, rising, approached me. _It was Thomie._ I soon found (for -we did talk in church) that he had an order to join Kirby Smith, with a -recommendation from Bragg that he be allowed to recruit for his regiment. -Fortunately there was a vacant seat in the carriage, so he went out home -with us. Monday 15th, Thomie left. I rode with him a little beyond the -school-house, then took my books and basket, and with one kiss, and, on my -part, a tearful good-bye, we parted. As I walked slowly back, I felt so -lonely. He had been with me just long enough for me to realize a brother's -kind protection, and now he's torn away, and I'm again alone. I turned and -looked. He was driving slowly along--he turned a corner and was hidden -from my view. Shall I see him no more? Or shall we meet again? God only -knows. After a fit of weeping, and one earnest prayer for him, I turned my -steps to my little school." - -And thus our brother went back to Texas, and gladly, too, for was not his -Mary there? - -Of Thomie's recall to join his command at Dalton; of his arrival at home -the next February, on his way to "the front;" of his participation in the -hard-fought battles that contested the way to Atlanta; and of his untimely -death at the fatal battle of Franklin, Tennessee, I may speak hereafter. - -Even in the spring and summer of 1863, the shadows began to deepen, and to -hearts less sanguine than mine, affairs were assuming a gloomy aspect. I -notice in this same journal from which I have quoted the foregoing -extracts, the following: - -"Our fallen braves, how numerous! Among our generals, Zollicoffer, Ben -McCulloch, Albert Sidney Johnston, and the saintly, dauntless Stonewall -Jackson, are numbered with the dead; while scarcely a household in our -land does not mourn the loss of a brave husband and father, son or -brother." - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -SOME SOCIAL FEATURES. - -Morgan's Men Rendezvous near Decatur--Waddell's Artillery--Visits from the -Texans--Surgeon Haynie and his Song. - - -In the winter of 1864 there seems to have been a lull of hostilities -between the armies at "the front." Morgan's men were rendezvousing near -Decatur. Their brave and dashing chief had been captured, but had made his -escape from the Ohio penitentiary, and was daily expected. Some artillery -companies were camping near, among them Waddell's. There was also a -conscript camp within a mile or two; so it is not to be wondered at that -the young ladies of Decatur availed themselves in a quiet way of the -social enjoyment the times afforded, and that there were little gatherings -at private houses at which "Morgan's men" and the other soldiers were -frequently represented. - -Our brother was absent in Texas, where he had been assigned to duty, but -my sister was at home, and many an hour's entertainment her music gave -that winter to the soldiers and to the young people of Decatur. My -mother's hospitality was proverbial, and much of our time these wintry -months was spent in entertaining our soldier guests, and in ministering to -the sick in the Atlanta hospitals, and in the camps and temporary -hospitals about Decatur. - -So near were we now to "the front" (about a hundred miles distant), that -several of my brother's Texas comrades obtained furloughs and came to see -us. Among these were Lieutenants Prendergast and Jewell, Captain Leonard -and Lieutenant Collins, Captain Bennett and Lieutenant Donathan. They -usually had substantial boots made while here, by Smith, the Decatur boot -and shoe maker, which cost less than those they could have bought in -Atlanta. We received some very pleasant calls from Morgan's men and -Waddell's Artillery. Among the latter we have always remembered a young -man from Alabama, James Duncan Calhoun, of remarkable intellectual -ability, refreshing candor and refinement of manner. Ever since the war -Mr. Calhoun has devoted himself to journalism. Among the former we recall -Lieutenant Adams, Messrs. Gill, Dupries, Clinkinbeard, Steele, Miller, -Fortune, Rowland, Baker, and Dr. Lewis. These gentlemen were courteous and -intelligent, and evidently came of excellent Kentucky and Tennessee -families. One evening several of these gentlemen had taken tea with us, -and after supper the number of our guests was augmented by the coming of -Dr. Ruth, of Kentucky, and Dr. H. B. Haynie, surgeon of the 14th Tennessee -Cavalry. Dr. Haynie was an elderly, gray-haired man, of fine presence, and -with the courtly manners of the old school. On being unanimously -requested, he sang us a song entitled: "The Wailings at Fort Delaware," -which he had composed when an inmate of that wretched prison. As one of -the gentlemen remarked, "there is more truth than poetry in it;" yet there -are in it some indications of poetic genius, and Dr. Haynie sang it with -fine effect. - - -"THE WAILINGS AT FORT DELAWARE." - -By B. H. HAYNIE, Surgeon 14th Tennessee Cavalry (Morgan's Division). - - Oh! here we are confined at Fort Delaware, - With nothing to drink but a little lager beer, - Infested by vermin as much as we can bear; - Oh Jeff, can't you help us to get away from here? - - CHORUS-- - - And it's home, dearest home, the place I ought to be, - Home, sweet home, way down in Tennessee, - Where the ash and the oak and the bonny willow tree, - Are all growing green way down in Tennessee. - - The Island itself will do well enough, - But the flat-footed Dutch are filthy and rough, - Oh! take us away from the vandal clan, - Down into Dixie among the gentlemen. - - CHORUS--And its home, dearest home, etc. - - Spoiled beef and bad soup is our daily fare, - And to complain is more than any dare; - They will buck us and gag us, and cast us in a cell, - There to bear the anguish and torments of hell. - - CHORUS-- - - The den for our eating is anything but clean, - And the filth upon the tables is plainly to be seen, - And the smell of putrefaction rises on the air, - "To fill out the bill" of our daily fare. - - CHORUS-- - - [3]"The sick are well treated," as Southern surgeons say, - "And the losses by death are scarcely four per day;" - It's diarrhoea mixture for scurvy and small-pox, - And every other disease of Pandora's box! - - CHORUS-- - - Oh! look at the graveyard on the Jersey shore, - At the hundreds and the thousands who'll return no more; - Oh! could they come back to testify - Against the lying devils, and live to see them die! - - CHORUS-- - - [3]"Our kindness to prisoners you cannot deny, - For we have the proof at hand upon which you can rely; - It's no Dutch falsehood, nor a Yankee trick, - But from Southern surgeons who daily see the sick." - - CHORUS-- - - Our chaplain, whose heart was filled with heavenly joys, - Asked leave to pray and preach to Southern boys; - "Oh, no!" says the General, "you are not the man, - You are a Southern rebel, the vilest of your clan!" - - CHORUS-- - - Oh! speak out, young soldier, and let your country hear, - All about your treatment at Fort Delaware; - How they worked you in their wagons when weary and sad, - With only half rations, when plenty they had. - - CHORUS-- - - The barracks were crowded to an overflow, - Without a single comfort on the soldier to bestow; - Oh, there they stood shivering in hopeless despair, - With insufficient diet or clothing to wear! - - CHORUS-- - - The mother stood weeping in sorrows of woe, - Mingling her tears with the waters that flow; - Her son was expiring at Fort Delaware, - Which could have been avoided with prudence and care. - - CHORUS-- - - Oh! take off my fetters and let me go free, - To roam o'er the mountains of old Tennessee; - To bathe in her waters and breathe her balmy air, - And look upon her daughters so lovely and fair. - - CHORUS-- - - Then, cheer up, my brave boys, your country will be free, - Your battles will be fought by Generals Bragg and Lee; - And the Yankees will fly with trembling and fear, - And we'll return to our wives and sweethearts so dear. - - CHORUS-- - - And it's home, dearest home, the place where I ought to be, - Home, sweet home way down in Tennessee, - Where the ash and the oak, and the bonny willow tree, - Are all growing green way down in Tennessee. - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - -THOMIE'S SECOND HOME COMING. - -He Leaves for "The Front"--His Christian Labors in Camp--He Describes the -Battle of New Hope Church--The Great Revival in Johnston's Army. - - -Early one morning in the February of the winter just referred to (that of -1864), as my sister lay awake, she heard some one step upon the portico -and knock. As Toby opened the door, she heard him exclaim: "Why howd'y, -Marse Thomie!" Her first thought was, "now he is back just in time to be -in the battle!" for a resumption of hostilities was daily looked for near -Dalton. We were all greatly surprised at Thomie's arrival on this side of -the Mississippi, as only a few days before we had received a letter from -him, written, it is true, so long as the November before, saying he had -been assigned to duty out in Texas by General Henry McCulloch. But the -consolidation of the regiments in Granbury's brigade having been broken -up, he had been ordered back to join his old command. He had left -Marshall, Texas, the 28th of January, having made the trip in one month, -and having walked four hundred miles of the way. Under the circumstances, -we were both glad and sorrowful at his return. After a stay of three days, -he left us for "the front." In the early morning of February 29th, we went -with him to the depot, the last time we four were ever together. Parting -from him was a bitter trial to our mother, who wept silently as we walked -back to the desolate home, no longer gladdened by the sunny presence of -the only son and brother. Perhaps nothing will give a more graphic -impression of some phases of army life at this time, nor a clearer insight -into our brother's character, than a few extracts from his letters written -at this period to his sister Missouri, and preserved by her to this day: - -"Dalton, Ga., March 15th, 1864.--* * * Our regiment takes its old -organization as the 10th Texas, and Colonel Young has been dispatched to -Texas to gather all the balance, under an order from the war department. -We are now in Dalton doing provost duty (our regiment), which is a very -unpleasant duty. It is my business to examine all papers whenever the cars -arrive, and it is very disagreeable to have to arrest persons who haven't -proper papers. The regulations about the town are very strict. No one -under a brigadier-general can pass without approval papers. My guard -arrested General Johnston himself, day before yesterday. Not knowing him -they wouldn't take his word for it, but demanded his papers. The old -General, very good-humoredly showed them some orders he had issued -himself, and, being satisfied, they let him pass. He took it -good-humoredly, while little colonels and majors become very indignant and -wrathy under such circumstances. From which we learn, first, the want of -good common sense, and, secondly, that a great man is an humble man, and -does not look with contempt upon his inferiors in rank, whatsoever that -rank may be. - -"There is a very interesting meeting in progress here. I get to go every -other night. I have seen several baptized since I have been here. There -are in attendance every evening from six to seven hundred soldiers. There -are many who go to the anxious seat. Three made a profession of religion -night before last. I am going to-night. There seems to be a deep interest -taken, and God grant the good work may go on until the whole army may be -made to feel where they stand before their Maker. Write soon. - - Your affectionate brother, - TOM STOKES." - -From another letter we take the following: - -"Near Dalton, April 5th, 1864.--We have had for some weeks back very -unsettled weather, which has rendered it very disagreeable, though we -haven't suffered; we have an old tent which affords a good deal of -protection from the weather. It has also interfered some with our -meetings, though there is preaching nearly every night that there is not -rain. Brother Hughes came up and preached for us last Friday night and -seemed to give general satisfaction. He was plain and practical, which is -the only kind of preaching that does good in the army. He promised to come -back again. I like him very much. Another old brother, named Campbell, -whom I heard when I was a boy, preached for us on Sabbath evening. There -was much feeling, and at the close of the services he invited mourners to -the anxious seat, and I shall never forget that blessed half-hour that -followed; from every part of that great congregation they came, many with -streaming eyes; and, as they gave that old patriarch their hands, asked -that God's people would pray for them. Yes, men who never shrank in battle -from any responsibility, came forward weeping. Such is the power of the -Gospel of Christ when preached in its purity. Oh, that all ministers of -Christ could, or would, realize the great responsibility resting upon them -as His ambassadors. - -"Sabbath night we had services again, and also last night, both well -attended, and to-night, weather permitting, I will preach. God help me and -give me grace from on high, that I may be enabled, as an humble instrument -in His hands, to speak the truth as it is in Jesus, for 'none but Jesus -can do helpless sinners good.' I preached last Sabbath was two weeks ago -to a large and attentive congregation. There seemed to be much -seriousness, and although much embarrassed, yet I tried, under God, to -feel that I was but in the discharge of my duty; and may I ever be found -battling for my Savior. Yes, my sister, I had rather be an humble follower -of Christ than to wear the crown of a monarch. Remember me at all times at -a Throne of Grace, that my life may be spared to become a useful minister -of Christ. - -"Since my return we have established a prayer-meeting in our company, or, -rather, a kind of family service, every night after roll call. There is -one other company which has prayer every night. Captain F. is very -zealous. There are four in our company who pray in public--one sergeant, a -private, Captain F. and myself. We take it time about. We have cleared up -a space, fixed a stand and seats, and have a regular preaching place. I -have never seen such a spirit as there is now in the army. Religion is -the theme. Everywhere, you hear around the camp-fires at night the sweet -songs of Zion. This spirit pervades the whole army. God is doing a -glorious work, and I believe it is but the beautiful prelude to peace. I -feel confident that if the enemy should attempt to advance, that God will -fight our battles for us, and the boastful foe be scattered and severely -rebuked. - -"I witnessed a scene the other evening, which did my heart good--the -baptism of three men in the creek near the encampment. To see those hardy -soldiers taking up their cross and following their Master in His -ordinance, being buried with Him in baptism, was indeed a beautiful sight. -I really believe, Missouri, that there is more religion now in the army -than among the thousands of skulkers, exempts and speculators at home. -There are but few now but who will talk freely with you upon the subject -of their soul's salvation. What a change, what a change! when one year ago -card playing and profane language seemed to be the order of the day. Now, -what is the cause of this change? Manifestly the working of God's spirit. -He has chastened His people, and this manifestation of His love seems to -be an earnest of the good things in store for us in not a far away future. -'Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He -receiveth.' Let all the people at home now, in unison with the army, -humbly bow, acknowledge the afflicting hand of the Almighty, ask Him to -remove the curse upon His own terms, and soon we will hear, so far as our -Nation is concerned, 'Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good -will toward men!' - -"I received the articles ma sent by Brother Hughes, which were much -relished on the top of the coarse fare of the army. * * * Write me often. -God bless you in your labors to do good. - - Your affectionate brother, - T. J. STOKES." - -From another of those time-stained, but precious letters, we cull the -following, under the heading of: - -"In Camp, Near Dalton, Ga., April 18, 1864.--* * * The good work still -goes on here. Thirty-one men were baptized at the creek below our brigade -yesterday, and I have heard from several other brigades in which the -proportion is equally large (though the thirty-one were not all members of -this brigade). Taking the proportion in the whole army as heard from (and -I have only heard from a part of one corps), there must have been baptized -yesterday 150 persons--maybe 200. This revival spirit is not confined to a -part only, but pervades the whole army. * * * * Brother Hughes was with us -the other night, but left again the next morning. The old man seemed to -have much more influence in the army than young men. I have preached twice -since writing to you, and the Spirit seemed to be with me. The second -sermon was upon the crucifixion of Christ: text in the 53d chapter of -Isaiah: 'He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our -iniquities.' It was the first time in my life, that is, in public -speaking, that my feelings got so much the mastery of me as to make me -weep like a child. In the conclusion I asked all who felt an interest in -the prayers of God's people to come to the anxious seat. Many presented -themselves, and I could hear many among them, with sobs and groans, -imploring God to have mercy upon them; and I think the Lord did have mercy -upon them, for when we opened the door of the church six united with us. -Every Sabbath you may see the multitude wending their way to the creek to -see the solemn ordinance typical of the death, burial and resurrection of -our Savior. Strange to say that a large number of those joining the -pedo-Baptist branches prefer being immersed; though in the preaching you -cannot tell to which denomination a man belongs. This is as it should be; -Christ and Him crucified should be the theme. It is time enough, I think, -after one is converted, to choose his church rule of faith. - -"If this state of things should continue for any considerable length of -time, we will have in the Army of Tennessee an army of believers. Does the -history of the world record anywhere the like? Even Cromwell's time sinks -into insignificance. A revival so vast in its proportions, and under all -the difficulties attending camp life, the bad weather this spring, and -innumerable difficulties, is certainly an earnest of better, brighter -times not far in the future." - -To the believer in Jesus, we feel sure that these extracts concerning this -remarkable work of grace, will prove of deep interest; so we make no -apologies for quoting in continuation the following from another of those -letters of our soldier brother, to whom the conquests of the cross were -the sweetest of all themes: - -"Near Dalton, April 28th, 1864.--My Dear Sister: I should have written -sooner but have been very much engaged, and when not engaged have felt -more like resting than writing, and, to add to this, Sister Mary very -agreeably surprised me by coming up on last Saturday. She left on Tuesday -morning for home. While she was at Dalton, I went down on each day and -remained until evening. I fear ma and sister are too much concerned about -me, and therefore render themselves unhappy. Would that they could trust -God calmly for the issue. And I fear, too, that they deny themselves of -many comforts, that they may furnish me with what I could do (as many have -to do) without. - - * * * * * - -"The great unexampled revival is fast increasing in interest. I have just -returned from the creek, where I saw thirty-three buried with Christ in -baptism, acknowledging there before two thousand persons that they were -not ashamed to follow Jesus in His ordinance. My soul was made happy in -witnessing the solemn scene. In that vast audience everything was as quiet -and respectful as in a village chapel; and, by the way, I have seen -village congregations who might come here and learn to behave. General -Lowry baptized about thirteen of them who were from his brigade. He is a -Christian, a soldier and a zealous preacher, and his influence is great. -It was truly a beautiful sight to see a general baptizing his men. He -preaches for our brigade next Sabbath. I preached for General Polk's -brigade night before last, and we had a very interesting meeting. They -have just begun there, yet I had a congregation of some 400. At the -conclusion of the services, I invited those who desired an interest in our -prayers to manifest their desire by coming to the altar. A goodly number -presented themselves, and we prayed with them. I shall preach for them -again very soon. The revival in our brigade has continued now for four -weeks, nearly, and many have found peace with their Savior. If we could -remain stationary a few weeks longer, I believe the greater portion of the -army would be converted. This is all the doings of the Lord, and is surely -the earnest of the great deliverance in store for us. It is the belief of -many, that this is the 'beginning of the end.' From all parts of the army -the glad tidings comes that a great revival is in progress. I wish I had -time to write to you at length. One instance of the power of His spirit: A -lieutenant of our regiment, and heretofore very wild, became interested, -and for nearly three weeks seemed groaning in agony. The other day he came -around to see me, and, with a face beaming with love, told me he had found -Christ, and that his only regret now was that he had not been a Christian -all his life. It is growing dark. I must close. More anon. - - Affectionately, - YOUR BROTHER." - -We take up the next letter in the order of time. It is numbered 25. The -envelope is of brown wrapping paper, but neatly made, and has a blue -Confederate 10 cent postage stamp. It is addressed to my sister, who was -then teaching at Corinth, Heard county, Georgia. It is dated: - -"Near Dalton, May 5th, 1864." After speaking of having to take charge -early the next morning of the brigade picket guard, Thomie goes on to say: - -"The sun's most down, but I think I can fill these little pages before -dark. Captain F., coming in at this time, tells me a dispatch has just -been received to the effect that the Yankees are advancing in the -direction of Tunnel Hill, but they have made so many feints in that -direction lately that we have become used to them, so don't become uneasy. - -"The great revival is going on with widening and deepening interest. Last -Sabbath I saw eighty-three immersed at the creek below our brigade. Four -were sprinkled at the stand before going down to the creek, and two down -there, making an aggregate within this vicinity of eighty-nine, while the -same proportion, I suppose, are turning to God in other parts of the army, -making the grand aggregate of many hundreds. Yesterday I saw sixty-five -more baptized, forty more who were to have been there failing to come -because of an order to be ready to move at any moment. They belong to a -more distant brigade. * * If we do not move before Monday, Sabbath will be -a day long to be remembered--'the water will,' indeed, 'be troubled.' -Should we remain three weeks longer, the glad tidings may go forth that -the Army of Tennessee is the army of the Lord. But He knoweth best what is -for our good, and if He sees proper can so order His providence as to keep -us here. His will be done." - -The next letter is addressed to me, but was sent to my sister at my -request, and is dated "Allatoona Mountains, Near Night, May 22nd." He -writes: - -"Oh, it grieved my very soul when coming through the beautiful Oothcaloga -valley, to think of the sad fate which awaited it when the foul invader -should occupy that 'vale of beauty.' We formed line of battle at the -creek, at the old Eads place; our brigade was to the left as you go up to -Mr. Law's old place on the hill, where we stayed once when pa was sick. -Right here, with a thousand dear recollections of by-gone days crowding my -mind, in the valley of my boyhood, I felt as if I could hurl a host back. -We fought them and whipped them, until, being-flanked, we were compelled -to fall back. We fought them again at Cass Station, driving them in our -front, but, as before, and for the same reason, we were compelled to -retreat. - - * * * * * - -"As I am requested to hold prayer-meeting this evening at sunset, I must -close." - -Thomie's next letter in this collection is addressed to his sister -Missouri, who had returned home, and is headed, simply, "Army of -Tennessee, May 31st." It is written in a round, legible, but somewhat -delicate hand, and gives no evidence of nervousness or hurry. To those -fond of war history, it will be of special interest: - -"Our brigade, in fact our division, is in a more quiet place now than -since the commencement of this campaign. We were ordered from the -battlefield on Sunday morning to go and take position in supporting -distance of the left wing of the army, where we arrived about the middle -of the forenoon, and remained there until yesterday evening, when our -division was ordered back in rear of the left centre, where we are now. -Contrary to all expectations, we have remained here perfectly quiet, there -being no heavy demonstration by the enemy on either wing. We were very -tired, and this rest has been a great help to us; for being a reserve and -flanking division, we have had to trot from one end of the wing of the -army to the other, and support other troops. - - * * * * * - -"Well, perhaps you would like to hear something from me of the battle of -New Hope Church, on Friday evening, 27th inst. We had been, since the day -before, supporting some other troops about the centre of the right wing, -when, I suppose about 2 o'clock, we were hurried off to the extreme right -to meet a heavy force of the enemy trying to turn our right. A few minutes -later the whole army might now have been in the vicinity of Atlanta, but, -as it was, we arrived in the nick of time, for before we were properly -formed the enemy were firing into us rapidly. We fronted to them, however, -and then commenced one of the hottest engagements, so far, of this -campaign. We had no support, and just one single line against a whole -corps of the enemy, and a lieutenant of the 19th Arkansas, wounded and -captured by them, and subsequently retaken by our brigade, stated that -another corps of the enemy came up about sundown. The fighting of our men, -to those who admire warfare, was magnificent. You could see a pleasant -smile playing upon the countenances of many of the men, as they would cry -out to the Yankees, 'Come on, we are demoralized!' - -"One little incident right here, so characteristic of the man. Major -Kennard (of whom I have told you often, lately promoted), was, as usual, -encouraging the men by his battle-cry of, 'Put your trust in God, men, for -He is with us,' but concluding to talk to the Yankees awhile, sang out to -them, 'Come on, we are demoralized,' when the Major was pretty severely -wounded in the head, though not seriously; raising himself up, he said: - -"'Boys, I told them a lie, and I believe that is the reason I got shot.' - -"The fighting was very close and desperate, and lasted until after dark. -About 11 o'clock at night, three regiments of our brigade charged the -enemy, our regiment among them. We went over ravines, rocks, almost -precipices, running the enemy entirely off the field. We captured many -prisoners, and all of their dead and many of their wounded fell into our -hands. This charge was a desperate and reckless thing, and if the enemy -had made any resistance they could have cut us all to pieces. I hurt my -leg slightly in falling down a cliff of rocks, and when we started back to -our original line of battle I thought I would go back alone and pick my -way; so I bore off to the left, got lost, and completely bewildered -between two armies. I copy from my journal: - -"'Here I was, alone in the darkness of midnight, with the wounded, the -dying, the dead. What an hour of horror! I hope never again to experience -such. I am not superstitious, but the great excitement of seven hours of -fierce conflict, ending with a bold, and I might say reckless, charge--for -we knew not what was in our front--and then left entirely alone, causes a -mental and physical depression that for one to fully appreciate he must be -surrounded by the same circumstances. My feelings in battle were nothing -to compare to this hour. After going first one way and then another, and -not bettering my case, I heard some one slipping along in the bushes. I -commanded him to halt, and inquired what regiment he belonged to, and was -answered, '15th Wisconsin,' so I took Mr. Wisconsin in, and ordered him to -march before me--a nice pickle for me then, had a prisoner and did not -know where to go. Moved on, however, and finally heard some more men -walking, hailed them, for I had become desperate, and was answered, -'Mississippians.' Oh, how glad I was! The moon at this time was just -rising, and, casting her pale silvery rays through the dense woods, made -every tree and shrub look like a spectre. I saw a tall, muscular Federal -lying dead and the moonlight shining in his face. His eyes were open and -seemed to be riveted on me. I could not help but shudder. I soon found my -regiment, and 'Richard was himself again.' - -"I went out again to see if I could do anything for their wounded. Soon -found one with his leg shot through, whom I told we would take care of. -Another, shot in the head, was crying out continually; 'Oh, my God! oh, my -God!!' I asked him if we could do anything for him, but he replied that it -would be of no use. I told him God would have mercy upon him, but his mind -seemed to be wandering. I could not have him taken care of that night, -and, poor fellow, there he lay all night. - -"The next morning I had the privilege of walking over the whole ground, -and such a scene! Here lay the wounded, the dying, and the dead, hundreds -upon hundreds, in every conceivable position; some with contorted -features, showing the agony of death, others as if quietly sleeping. I -noticed some soft beardless faces which ill comported with the savage -warfare in which they had been engaged. Hundreds of letters from mothers, -sisters, and friends were found upon them, and ambrotypes, taken singly -and in groups. Though they had been my enemies, my heart bled at the -sickening scene. The wounded nearly all expressed themselves tired of the -war. - -"For the numbers engaged upon our side, it is said to be the greatest -slaughter of the enemy of any recent battle. Captain Hearne, the old -adjutant of our regiment, was killed. Eight of our regiment were instantly -killed; two mortally wounded, since dead. - -"I did not think of writing so much when I began, but it is the first -opportunity of writing anything like a letter that I have had. Lieutenant -McMurray is now in charge of the Texas hospital at Auburn, Alabama. - - * * * * * - -"Well, you are now Aunt Missouri. Oh, that I could see my boy! Heaven has -protected me thus far and I hope that God will consider me through this -dreadful ordeal, and protect me for Christ's sake; not that there is any -merit that I can offer, but I do hope to live that I may be an humble -instrument in the hands of my God to lead others to Him. I hold prayer in -our company nearly every night when circumstances will permit, and the -men don't go to sleep before we are quiet. Poor fellows, they are ever -willing to join me, but often are so wearied I dislike to interrupt them. - -"My sister, let our trust be confidently in God. He can save or He can -destroy. Let us pray Him for peace. He can give it us; not pray as if we -were making an experiment, but pray believing God will answer our prayers, -for we have much to pray for." - -My sister subsequently copied into her journal the following extract, -taken from his, and written soon after the Battle of New Hope Church: - -"May 31st, 1864.--Here we rest by a little murmuring brook, singing along -as if the whole world was at peace. I lay down last night and gazed away -up in the peaceful heavens. All was quiet and serene up there, and the -stars seemed to vie with each other in brightness and were fulfilling -their allotted destiny. My comrades all asleep; nothing breaks the -silence. I leave earth for a time, and soar upon 'imagination's wings' far -away from this war-accursed land to where bright angels sing their -everlasting songs of peace and strike their harps along the golden streets -of the New Jerusalem, and the swelling music bursts with sweet accord -throughout vast Heaven's eternal space!" - - * * * * * - -Again on Sabbath, June 5th, he writes: "No music of church bells is heard -today summoning God's people to worship where the gospel is wont to be -heard. We are near a large log church called Gilgal. What a different -scene is presented to-day from a Sabbath four years ago when the aged -minister of God read to a large and attentive congregation: "The Lord is -my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures, -He leadeth me beside the still waters." O, God, wilt thou not interpose -Thy strong arm to stop the bloody strife? Wilt Thou not hear the prayers -of Thy people who daily say, Lord, give us peace? The Lord will answer, -and soon white-robed peace will smile upon our unhappy country. O God, -hasten the day, for we are sorely vexed, and thine shall be all the -glory." - -Ere peace was to dawn upon his beloved country, his own soul was to find -it through the portals of death; but ere that time, save a brief interval -of enforced rest, weary marchings and heart-breaking scenes and sorrows -were to intervene. - -Thomie's next letter is dated "In the Field, near Lost Mountain, June -14th," and the next "In the Ditches, June 22nd, 1864." The next, "Near -Chattahoochee River, July 6th, 1864," tells of the retreat of the army -from Kennesaw Mountain to Smyrna Church, and of his coming off safely from -another "small fight" the day before, in which several of his comrades -were killed. - -Owing to nervous prostration, and other illness, Thomie was soon after -sent to the hospital at Macon, transferred from there to Augusta, and from -the latter point given leave of absence to visit his sister, who had found -refuge with her cousin, Mrs. T. J. Hillsman, a daughter of Rev. Wm. H. -Stokes of blessed memory. Here, with his father's kindred, cheered by -beautiful hospitality and cousinly affection, our darling brother enjoyed -the last sweet rest and quiet earth was e'er to give him before he slept -beneath its sod. - - - - -CHAPTER X. - -A visit to Dalton--The fidelity of an old-time slave. - - -"From Atlanta to Dalton, $7.75. From the 23d to the 26th of April, 1864, -to Mrs. John Reynolds, for board, $20.00. From Dalton to Decatur, $8.00." - -The above statement of the expense attending a round trip to Dalton, -Georgia, is an excerpt from a book which contains a record of every item -of my expenditures for the year 1864. - -This trip was taken for the purpose of carrying provisions and articles of -clothing to my brother and his comrades in General Joseph E. Johnston's -command. In vain had our mother tried to send appetizing baskets of food -to her son, whose soldier rations consisted of salty bacon and hard tack; -some disaster, real or imaginary, always occurred to prevent them from -reaching their destination, and it was, therefore, determined at home that -I should carry the next consignment. - -After several days' preparation, jugs were filled with good sorghum syrup, -and baskets with bread, pies, cakes and other edibles at our command, and -sacks of potatoes, onions and peppers were included. My fond and loving -mother and I, and our faithful aid-de-camps of African descent, conveyed -them to the depot. In those days the depot was a favorite resort with the -ladies and children of Decatur. There they always heard something from the -front--wherever that might be. The obliging agent had a way, all his own, -of acquiring information from the army in all its varied commands, and -dealt it out galore to the encouragement or discouragement of his -auditors, as his prejudices or partialities prompted. On this occasion -many had gone there, who, like myself, were going to take the train for -Atlanta, and in the interim were eager to hear everything of a hopeful -character, even though reason urged that it was hoping against hope. - -I was the cynosure of all eyes, as I was going to "the front;" and every -mother who had a darling son in that branch of the army hoped that he -would be the first to greet me on my arrival there, and give me a message -for her. And I am sure, if the love consigned to me for transmission could -have assumed tangible form and weight, it would have been more than -fourteen tons to the square inch. - -Helpful, willing hands deposited with care my well-labeled jugs, baskets, -etc., and I deposited myself with equal care in an already well-filled -coach on the Georgia Railroad. Arrived in Atlanta I surreptitiously stowed -the jugs in the car with me, and then asked the baggage-master to transfer -the provisions to a Dalton freight train. Without seeming to do so, I -watched his every movement until I saw the last article safely placed in -the car, and then I went aboard myself. Surrounded by jugs and packages, I -again became an object of interest, and soon found myself on familiar -terms with all on board; for were we not friends and kindred bound to -each other by the closest ties? Every age and condition of Southern life -was represented in that long train of living, anxious freight. Young -wives, with wee bit tots chaperoned by their mothers and sometimes by -their grandmothers, were going to see their husbands, for, perhaps, the -last time on earth; and mothers, feeling that another fond embrace of -their sons would palliate the sting of final separation. The poor man and -the rich man, fathers alike of men fighting the same battles in defense of -the grandest principle that ever inspired mortal man to combat, on their -way to see those men and leave their benedictions with them; and sisters, -solitary and alone, going to see their beloved brothers and assure them -once more of the purest and most disinterested love that ever found -lodgment in the human heart. Many and pleasant were the brief -conversations between those dissimilar in manners, habits and conditions -in life; the great bond connecting them rendered every other consideration -subordinate, and the rich and poor, the educated and ignorant, met and -mingled in harmonious intercourse. - -Those were days of slow travel in the South. The roads were literally -blockaded with chartered cars, which contained the household goods of -refugees who had fled from the wrath and vandalism of the enemy, and not -unfrequently refugees themselves inhabited cars that seemed in fearful -proximity to danger. Ample opportunity of observation on either side was -furnished by this slow travel, and never did the fine, arable lands -bordering the Western & Atlantic road from the Chattahoochee river to -Dalton give greater promise of cereals, and trees in large variety were -literally abloom with embryo fruit. Alas! that such a land should be -destined to fall into the hands of despoilers. - -At Dalton I went immediately to the agent at the depot, whom I found to be -my old friend, John Reynolds, for the purpose of getting information -regarding boarding houses. He told me his wife was in that line and would -accommodate me, and, to render the application more easy, he gave me a -note of introduction to her. - -A beautiful, well-furnished room was given me, and a luscious supper -possessed exhilarating properties. - -In the meantime, Mr. Reynolds had, at my request, notified my brother, -whom he knew, of my presence in his house, and I awaited his coming -anxiously; but I was disappointed. A soldier's time is not his own, even -in seasons of tranquility, and he was on duty and could not come then, but -he assured me on a small scrap of paper, torn from his note-book, that he -would come as soon as he could get off "tomorrow morning." - -The waiting seemed very long, and yet it had its ending. The night was -succeeded by a typical April day, replete with sunshine and shower, and -the hopes and fears of a people struggling for right over wrong. - -At length the cheery voice of him, who always had a pleasant word for -every one, greeted me, and I hastened to meet him. That we might be quiet -and undisturbed, I conducted him to my room, and a long and pleasant -conversation ensued. I wish I had time and space to recapitulate the -conversation; for its every word and intonation are preserved in the -archives of memory, and will enter the grand eternities with me as free -from discord as when first uttered. Our mother's failing health gave him -concern, but his firm reliance in Him who doeth all things well, quieted -his sad forebodings and led the way to pleasanter themes. - -He loved to dwell upon the quaint and innocent peculiarities of his -younger sister, and, as for his older one, it was very evident that he -regarded her fully strong enough to "tote her own skillet," and "paddle -her own canoe." A rap upon the door indicated that some one wished to see -either one or the other of us. I responded, and was met by a negro boy -bearing a huge waiter, evidently well-filled, and covered over with a -snow-white cloth. The aroma from that waiter would have made a mummy -smile. I had it put upon a table, and then I removed the cover, and saw -with gratification the squab pie which I had ordered for dear Thomie, and -a greater gratification awaited me, _i. e._, seeing him eat it with a -relish. Nor was the pie the only luxury in that waiter. Fresh butter and -buttermilk, and a pone of good corn bread, etc., etc., supplemented by -baked apples and cream and sugar. - -"Come, dear Thomie, and let us eat together once more," was my invitation -to that dinner, and radiant with thanks he took the seat I offered him. I -did not have the Christian courage to ask him to invoke a blessing upon -this excellent food, but I saw that one was asked in silence, -nevertheless, and I am sure that an invocation went up from my own heart -none the less sincere. - -"Sister, I appreciate this compliment," he said. - -"I could do nothing that would compliment you, Thomie," I answered, and -added, "I hope you will enjoy your dinner as a love offering from me." - -We lingered long around that little table, and many topics were touched -upon during that period. - -After dinner I asked Thomie to lie down and rest awhile. He thanked me, -and said that the bed would tempt an anchorite to peaceful slumber, and he -could not resist its wooings. A few minutes after he lay down he was sound -asleep. He slept as a child--calm and peaceful. That a fly might not -disturb him, I improvised a brush--my handkerchief and a tender twig from -a tree near by being the component parts. As I sat by him and studied his -manly young face, and read its expression of good will to all mankind, I -wept to think that God had possibly required him as our sacrifice upon the -altar of our country. - -The slanting rays of the Western sun fell full and radiant upon his placid -face, and awakened him from this long and quiet slumber. With a smile he -arose and said: - -"This won't do for me." - -Hasty good-byes and a fervent "God bless you" were uttered, and another -one of the few partings that remained to be taken took place between the -soldier and his sister. - - * * * * * - -The day was bright and exhilarating, in the month of June, 1864. Gay -laughing Flora had tripped over woodland and lawn and scattered with -prodigal hands flowers of every hue and fragrance, and the balmy -atmosphere of early summer was redolent with their sweet perfume; and all -nature, animate and inanimate, seemed imbued with the spirit of adoration -towards the Giver of these perfect works. Although many hearts had been -saddened by the mighty conflict being waged for the supremacy of -Constitutional rights, there were yet in Decatur a large number to whom -personal sorrow for personal bereavement had not come, and they were in -sympathy with this beautiful scene, whose brilliant tints were but the -reflection of divine glory, and whose faintest odor was distilled in the -alchemy of heaven. - -I was contemplating this scene in grateful admiration, and blended with my -thoughts came the memory of my brother, who was in the foremost ranks of -the contest. He, too, loved the beautiful and the good, and "looked from -nature up to nature's God." All unconsciously I found myself plucking his -favorite flowers, and arranging a choice boquet, a spirit offering to him -who might even then be hovering over me and preparing my mind for the sad -denouement. With these reflections, I ascended the steps of my cottage -home, and turned to take another look upon the enchanting scene, when I -saw, approaching, one of my mother's faithful servants, who was hired to -Dr. Taylor, a well-known druggist of Atlanta. Ever apprehensive of evil -tidings from "the front," and "the front" being the portion of the army -that embraced my brother, I was almost paralyzed. I stood as if riveted to -the floor, and awaited developments. King, for that was the name of the -ebony-hued and faithful servant whose unexpected appearance had caused -such a heart-flutter, came nearer and nearer. On his approach I asked in -husky voice, "Have you heard anything from your Marse Thomie, King?" - -"No, ma'am; have you?" - -The light of heaven seemed to dispel the dark clouds which had gathered -over and around my horizon, and I remembered my duty to one, who, though -in a menial position, had doubtless come on some kind errand. - -"Come in, King, and sit down and rest yourself," I said, pointing to an -easy chair on the portico. - -"I am not tired, Miss Mary, and would rather stand," he replied. - -And he did stand, with his hat in his hand; and I thought for the first -time in my life, probably, that he evinced a true manhood, worthy of -Caucasian lineage; not that there was a drop of Caucasian blood in his -veins, for he was a perfect specimen of the African race and as black as -Erebus. - -The suspense was becoming painful, when it was broken by King asking: - -"Miss Mary, is Miss Polly at home?" - -"Yes, King, and I will tell her you are here." - -"Miss Polly," my mother and King's mistress, soon appeared and gave him a -genuine welcome. - -King now lost no time in making known the object of his visit, and thus -announced it: - -"Miss Polly, don't you want to sell me?" - -"No; why do you ask?" - -"Because, Miss Polly, Mr. Johnson wants to buy me, and he got me to come -to see you and ask you if you would sell me." - -"Do you want me to sell you, King? Would you rather belong to Mr. Johnson -than me?" - -"Now, Miss Polly, you come to the point, and I am going to try to answer -it. I love you, and you have always been a good mistuss to us all, and I -don't think there is one of us that would rather belong to some one else; -but I tell you how it is, Miss Polly, and you musn't get mad with me for -saying it; when this war is over none of us are going to belong to you. -We'll all be free, and I would a great deal rather Mr. Johnson would lose -me than you. He is always bragging about what he will do; hear him talk, -you would think he was a bigger man than Mr. Lincoln is, and had more to -back him; but I think he's a mighty little man myself, and I want him to -lose me. He says he'll give you his little old store on Peachtree street -for me. It don't mean much, I know, but, much or little, it's going to be -more than me after the war." - -And thus this unlettered man, who in the ordinary acceptation of the term -had never known what it was to be free, argued with his mistress the -importance of the exchange of property of which he himself was a part, for -her benefit and that of her children. - -"Remember, Miss Polly," he said, "that when Marse Thomie comes out of the -war, it will be mighty nice for him to have a store of his own to commence -business in, and if I was in your place I would take it for me, for I tell -you again, Miss Polly, when the war's over we'll all be free." - -But the good mistress, who had listened in silence to these arguments, was -unmoved. She saw before her a man who had been born a slave in her -family, and who had grown to man's estate under the fostering care of -slavery, whose high sense of honor and gratitude constrained him to give -advice intelligently, which, if followed, would rescue her and her -children from impending adversity; but she determined not to take it. She -preferred rather to trust their future well-being into the hands of -Providence. Her beautiful faith found expression in this consoling passage -of Scripture: "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." And this -blessed assurance must have determined her to pursue the course she did, -else it would have been reckless and improvident. She told King that when -our people became convinced that the troubles between the South and North -had to be settled by the sword, that she, in common with all good -citizens, staked her all upon the issues of the war, and that she would -not now, like a coward, flee from them, or seek to avert them by selling a -man, or men and women who had endeared themselves to her by service and -fidelity. - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - -A PERILOUS TRUST. - - -"It is most time to go to the post-office, ain't it, Miss Mary? We are -going to get a letter from Marse Thomie this morning." - -"What makes you so certain of it, Toby?" - -"I don't know'm, but I am; and every time I feels this way, I gets one; so -I'll just take my two little black calves and trot off to the office and -get it;" and suiting the action to the word he struck a pretty brisk gait -and was soon around the corner and out of sight. - -Then Decatur received but two mails per day--one from an easterly -direction and the other from a westerly direction. The northern, -northwestern, southern and southwestern, all coming in on the morning's -Georgia Railroad train. Therefore ever since Thomie's return to his -command, the western mail was the one around which our hopes and fears -daily clustered. - -General Joseph E. Johnston's army was, at the time of this incident, at -Dalton, obstructing the advance of Sherman's "three hundred thousand men" -on destruction bent. And though there had been no regular line of battle -formed for some time by the Confederate and Federal forces, there were -frequent skirmishes, disastrous alike to both sides. Hence the daily -alternation of hopes and fears in the hearts of those whose principal -occupation was waiting and watching for "news from the front." - -The team of which Toby was the proud possessor did its work quickly, and -in less time than it takes to tell it he appeared in sight, returning from -the post-office--one hand clasping a package of papers and letters, and -the other, raised high above his head, holding a letter. I could not wait, -and ran to meet him. - -"I've got a whole lot of letters, and every one of them is from Dalton, -and this one is from Marse Thomie!" - -Toby had read the Dalton post-mark, and had made a correct statement. The -well-known chirography of my brother had become so familiar to him that he -never mistook it for another, and was unerring in his declarations -regarding it. On this occasion Thomie's letter thus read: - -"MY DEAR SISTER:--Those acquainted with army tactics know that General -Johnston is on the eve of an important move, or change of base; and that -it should be the effort of the men, officers and privates, to be prepared -to make the change, whatever it may be, with as little loss of army -paraphernalia as possible. As the Confederate army has no repository -secure from the approach of the enemy, several of our friends suggest that -you might be willing to take care of anything which we might send to you, -that would be of future use to us--heavy overcoats, extra blankets, etc., -etc. Consider well the proposition before you consent. Should they be -found in your possession, by the enemy, then our home might be demolished, -and you perhaps imprisoned, or killed upon the spot. Are you willing to -take the risk, trusting to your ingenuity and bravery to meet the -consequences? Let me know as soon as possible, as war times admit of -little delay. General Granbury, Colonel Bob Young, and others may make -known to you their wishes by personal correspondence. Love to my mother -and sister, and to yourself, brave heart. - - Affectionately, your brother - T. J. STOKES." - -This letter was read aloud to my mother, and the faithful mail carrier was -not excluded. She listened and weighed every word of its contents. For -several moments a silence reigned, which was broken by her asking me what -I was going to do in the matter. - -"What would you have me do?" I asked in reply. - -"What would they do, Mary, in very cold weather, if they should lose their -winter clothing, overcoats and blankets, now that supplies are so -difficult to obtain?" - -This question, evasive as it was, convinced me that my mother's patriotism -was fully adequate to the occasion, and, fraught with peril as it might -be, she was willing to bear her part of the consequences of taking care of -the soldiers' clothes. - -The return mail bore the following letter addressed jointly to General -Granbury, Colonel Robert Young, Captains Lauderdale and Formwalt, -Lieutenant Stokes, and Major John Y. Rankin; - -"MY DEAR BROTHER AND FRIENDS:--I thank you for the estimate you have -placed upon my character and patriotism, as indicated by your request that -I should take care of your overcoats, blankets, etc., until you need -them. If I were willing to enjoy the fruits of your valor and sacrifices -without also being willing to share your perils, I would be unworthy -indeed. Yes, if I knew that for taking care of those things, I would -subject myself to real danger, I would essay the duty. Send them on. I -will meet them in Atlanta, and see that they continue their journey to -Decatur without delay. - - Your friend, - M. A. H. G." - -Another mail brought intelligence of the shipment of the goods, and I lost -no time in going to Atlanta and having them re-shipped to Decatur. There -were nine large dry goods boxes, and I went, immediately on their arrival, -to Mr. E. Mason's and engaged his two-horse wagon and driver to carry them -from the depot to our home. When they were brought, we had them placed in -our company dining-room. This room, by a sort of tacit understanding, had -become a storeroom for the army before this important lot of goods came, -and, as a dining-room, much incongruity of furniture existed, among which -was a large, high wardrobe. The blinds were now closed and secured, the -sash put down and fastened, the doors shut and locked, and this room given -up to the occupancy of Confederate articles; and thus it remained during -the eventful period intervening between the departure of General Joseph E. -Johnston's army from Dalton, and Sherman's infamous order to the people of -Atlanta and vicinity to leave their homes, that they might be destroyed by -his vandal hordes. - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - -A SCENE IN AN ATLANTA CONFEDERATE HOSPITAL. - - -"Well, my boy, our patients are all getting along nicely in the Fair -Ground hospital," was the comforting assurance I gave to Toby, who was my -faithful co-worker in all that pertained to the comfort of our soldiers. -"Suppose we go to the Empire hospital and see what we can do there." - -"Yes'm, I have always wanted to go there." - -Taking one of the baskets we had brought with us from Decatur, and which -contained biscuits, rusk, broiled and fried chicken, ground coffee and -blackberry wine, I handed it to him and we wended our way to the hospital. -Things were not in as good shape there as at the Fair Ground hospital. I -perceived this at a glance, and, upon asking and receiving permission from -the superintendent, I soon tidied up things considerably. Toby brought -pails of fresh water, and aided in bathing the faces, hands and arms of -the convalescing soldiers, while I hunted up the soldier lads who ought to -have been at home with their mothers, and bestowed the tender loving -service that woman only can give to the sick and suffering. - -Entering one of the wards I perceived a youth, or one I took to be a -youth, from his slender fragile figure, and his beardless face, lean and -swarthy in sickness, but beautiful in its fine texture and the marblelike -whiteness of the brow. That he was of French extraction there could be no -doubt. Quietly kneeling by the side of his cot, I contemplated his face, -his head, his figure--I listened to his breathing, and watched the -pulsations of his heart, and knew that his days, yea, his hours were -numbered. Taking his hand in mine, I perceived that the little vitality -that remained was fast burning up with fever. Putting back the beautiful -rings of raven hair that lay in disheveled clusters over his classic head, -and partly concealed his white brow, I thought of his mother, and -imprinted upon his forehead a kiss for her sake. The deep slumber induced -by anodynes was broken by that touch, and a dazed awakening ensued. -"Mother," was his pathetic and only utterance. - -"What can I do for you, my dear child?" - -There are looks and tones which are never forgotten, and never shall I -forget the utter despair in the eyes, lustrous and beautiful enough to -look upon the glory of heaven, and the anguish of the voice, musical -enough to sing the songs of everlasting bliss, as he said in tremulous -tone and broken sentences: - -"I want to see a Catholic priest. I have paid several men to go for me. -They have gone off and never returned. I have no money with which to pay -any one else." - -In silence I listened and wept. At length I said: - -"My dear young friend, can you not make confession to 'our Father which -art in Heaven,' and ask Him for Christ's sake to absolve you from all sins -of which you may think yourself guilty? He will do it without the -intervention of a priest, if you will only believe on Him and trust Him. -Can you not do this?" - -The pencil of Raphael would fail to depict the anguish of his face; all -hope left it, and, as he turned his despairing look upon the wall, tear -drops glistened in his eyes and filled the sunken hollows beneath them. -Again I took his passive hand in mine, and with the other hand upon his -white forehead, I told him he should see a priest--that I myself would go -for one, and just as soon as he could be found I would return with him. -Before leaving, however, I went to the ward where I had left Toby and the -basket, and filling a little glass with wine, I brought it to the sinking -youth. He could not be induced to taste it. In vain I plead with him, and -told him that it would strengthen him for the interview with the priest. -"I am going now, and will come back, too, as soon as I can," I said to the -dying youth, for to all intents and purposes he was dying then. Seeing the -other patients watching my every movement with pathetic interest, I was -reminded to give the rejected wine to the weakest looking one of them. - -Leaving Toby either to wait on, or amuse the soldiers of the ward first -entered (where I found him playing the latter role, much to their -delight), with hasty steps I went to the Catholic parsonage on Hunter -street. In response to my ring the door was opened by an Irish woman from -whom I learned that the priest was not in, and would not be until he came -to luncheon at 12 o'clock M. It was then 11 o'clock, and I asked the -privilege of waiting in the sitting room until he came. This being -granted, I entered the room consecrated to celibacy, and perhaps to holy -thoughts, judging from the pictures upon the walls and the other -ornaments. These things furnished food for reflection, and the waiting -would not have seemed so long but for the thought of the poor suffering -one who had given his young life for our cause. Intuitively I knew the -sound of clerical footsteps as they entered the hall, and hastening to -meet him I asked, "Is this Father O'Riley?" Receiving an affirmative -answer, I told him of the youth at the Empire hospital who refused to be -comforted other than by a Catholic priest, and of my promise to bring one -to him. Father O'Riley said he had been out since early morning, visiting -the sick, and would be obliged to refresh himself, both by food and -repose, but that I could say to the young man that he would be there by 3 -o'clock. "O, sir, you don't realize the importance of haste. Please let me -remain in your sitting room until you have eaten your luncheon, and then I -know you will go with me. I, too, have been out ever since early morning -engaged in the same Christ-like labors as yourself, and I do not require -either food or repose." - -My earnestness prevailed, and in a short while we were at our destination. -At my request, Father O'Riley waited in the passage-way leading to the -ward until I went in to prepare the young man for his coming. I found him -in that restless condition, neither awake nor asleep, which often precedes -the deep sleep that knows no waking. Wetting my handkerchief with cold -water, I bathed his face and hands, and spoke gently to him, and, when he -seemed sufficiently aroused to understand me, I told him in cheerful tones -that he could not guess who had come to see him. Catching his look of -inquiry, I told him it was Father O'Riley, and that I would bring him in. -Opening the door, I motioned to Father O'Riley to follow me. The dying -youth and the Catholic priest needed no introduction by me. There was a -mystic tie between them that I recognized as sacred, and I left them -alone. Telling Father O'Riley that I consigned my charge to him, and that -I would come back to-morrow, I bade them good-bye and left. - -The contents of the basket had been gratefully received and devoured by -those who deserved the best in the land, because they were the land's -defenders. - -To-morrow Toby and I, and the basket, were at the Empire hospital in due -time, but the poor suffering youth was not there. The emancipated spirit -had taken its flight to Heaven, and all that was mortal of that brave -young soldier had been consigned by the ceremonies of the church he loved -so well to the protecting care of mother earth. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. - -Concealing Confederate Clothing--Valuables Carried to Atlanta--Toby Taken -Ill. - - -On the way to the post-office early one morning in the sultry month of -July, 1864, to mail a number of letters which I deemed too important to be -entrusted to other hands, I was accosted as follows by "Uncle Mack," the -good negro blacksmith, whose shop was situated immediately upon the route: - -"Did you know, Miss Mary, that the Yankees have crossed the river, and are -now this side of the Chattahoochee." - -"Why, no!" I said, and added with as much calmness as I could affect, "I -do not know why I should be surprised--there is nothing to prevent them -from coming into Decatur." - -With an imprecation more expressive than elegant, that evil should -overtake them before getting here, he resumed hammering at the anvil, and -I my walk to the post-office. Nor was Uncle Mack the only one who -volunteered the information that "The Yankees are coming--they are this -side the river." - -The time had come to devise means and methods of concealing the winter -clothing and other accoutrements entrusted to my care by our dear -soldiers. In order to save them, what should I do with them?--was a -question which I found myself unable to answer. An attempt to retain and -defend them would be futile indeed. And I have no right to jeopardize my -mother's home by a rash effort to accomplish an impossibility. But what -shall I do with these precious things, is the question. A happy thought -struck me, and I pursued it only to find it delusive. The near approach of -Sherman's army developed the astounding fact that Dr. A. Holmes, of -Decatur, a Baptist minister of some prominence, claimed to be a Union man, -in full sympathy with any means that would soonest quell the rebellion. -This I had not heard, and in my dilemma I went to him to impart my plans -and ask advice. He was morose and reticent, and I hesitated; but, driven -by desperation, I finally said: "Dr. Holmes, as a minister of the gospel, -are you not safe? All civilized nations respect clerical robes, do they -not?" - -"I think so," he said, and continued by saying, "I have other claims upon -the Federal army which will secure me from molestation." - -A look of surprise and inquiry being my only answer, he said, "Amid the -secession craze, I have never given up my allegiance to the United -States." - -"Why, Dr. Holmes!" I said, in unfeigned surprise. - -"I repeat most emphatically that I have remained unshaken in my allegiance -to the United States. I have no respect for a little contemptible Southern -Confederacy, whose flag will never be recognized on land or on sea." - -This was a sad revelation to me. On more than one occasion I had heard Dr. -Holmes pray fervently for the success of the Southern cause, and to hear -such changed utterances from him now, pained me exceedingly. Heartsore and -discouraged, I turned from him, and was leaving without the usual -ceremony, when he said: - -"What can I do for you?" - -"I came, sir, to ask a great favor of you, but after hearing you express -yourself as you have, I deem it useless to make known my wishes. Good -morning." - -This interview with Dr. Holmes was very brief; it did not consume as much -time as it has done to tell it. - -I did not walk in those days, but ran, and it required only a few moments -to transfer the scene of action from Dr. Holmes' to my mother's residence. -A hurried, whispered conversation acquainted her with the situation; and -at my request, and upon a plausible pretense, she took Toby to the depot -where she remained until I sent for her. My confidence in Toby had not in -the least diminished, but, being a boy, I feared that he might have his -price, or be intimidated by threats into the betrayal of our secret; hence -the management as above related to get him off the place while I -consummated a plan, which, if successful, would be a great achievement, -but, if a failure, would be fraught with disaster. In those days "the -depot" was a place of popular resort--it was the emporium of news; and -either from the agent, or from the Confederate scouts that were ever and -anon dashing through Decatur with cheerful messages and words of hope, the -anxious mothers and sisters of the soldiers often wended their way there -in hope of hearing something from their loved ones. Therefore no suspicion -was aroused by this going to the depot. - -Watching the receding form of my mother until she had passed out of the -gate, and Toby had closed it after her, I then went to the rear door and -motioned to Telitha, who chanced to be in the right place, to come into -the house. After seeing that every outside door was thoroughly secure, I -took her into the dining room where the boxes were which contained the -winter clothing, blankets, etc., already mentioned as having been sent for -storage by our soldier friends at Dalton, and told her in pantomime that -the Yankees were coming, and if they saw these thing's they would kill us -and burn the house. She fully understood and repeated the pantomime -illustrative of possible--yea, probable--coming events, with pathetic -effect. I showed her that I wanted a hammer and chisel with which to take -off the lids of the boxes, and she brought them. The lids removed, each -article was carefully lifted from its repository and placed on chairs. -This important step being taken towards the concealment of the goods, I -raised the sash and opened the shutters of the window nearest the cellar, -which was unlocked and open, and Telitha, climbing out the window, -received the boxes as I handed them to her, and carried them into the -cellar. Old and soiled as the boxes were, they were not in a condition to -create suspicion of recent use, so from that source we had nothing to -fear. Telitha again in the house, shutters closed, and sash down, -preparation was resumed for the enactment of a feat dangerous and rash, -the thought of which, even at this remote period, almost produces a -tremor. The wardrobe mentioned in a former sketch as an incongruity in a -dining room, was emptied of its contents, and inch by inch placed as near -the center of the room as possible; then a large table was placed beside -it, and a chair upon that; and then with the help of another chair, which -served as a step, I got upon the table and then upon the chair that was -upon the table. As I went up, Telitha followed; standing upon the table -she grasped the wardrobe with her strong hands and held it securely. I -ascended from the chair to the top of it, stood up and steadied myself, -and waited, immovable as a statue, until she got down and brought the -chisel and hammer and placed them at my feet, and resumed her hold upon -the wardrobe. I stooped and picked up the utensils with which I had to -work, and straightened and steadied myself again. The chisel touched the -plastered ceiling and the hammering began. Very slow work it was at first, -as the licks had to be upward instead of downward, and the plastering was -very thick. Finally the chisel went through and was withdrawn and moved to -another place, and by repeated efforts I secured an aperture large enough -to insert my fingers, and a few well-directed licks round and about so -cracked and weakened the plastering that I was enabled to pull off some -large pieces. A new difficulty presented itself. The laths were long, much -longer than those of the present day, and I not only had to make a large -opening in the ceiling, but to take off the plastering without breaking -the laths. More than once the wardrobe had to be moved that I might pull -off the plastering, and then with the greatest care prize off the laths. -At length the feat was accomplished, and I laid the lids of the boxes, -which had been reserved for this purpose, across the joists, and made a -floor upon which to lay the goods more than once specified in these -sketches. When the last article had been laid on this improvised shelf, I -gazed upon them in silent anguish and wept. Telitha caught the melancholy -inspiration and also wept. Each lath was restored to its place and the -perilous work was completed, and how I thanked the Lord for the steady -nerve and level head that enabled me to do this service for those who were -fighting the battles of my country. - -But the debris must be removed. While the doors were yet closed and -fastened, we pounded and broke the plastering into very small pieces and -filled every vessel and basket in the house. I then went out and walked -very leisurely over the yard and lot, and lingered over every lowly flower -that sweetened the atmosphere by its fragrance, and when I was fully -persuaded that no spy was lurking nigh I re-entered the house and locked -the door. Picking up the largest vessel, and motioning Telitha to follow -suit, I led the way through a back door to a huge old ash hopper, and -emptied the pulverized plastering into it. In this way we soon had every -trace of it removed from the floor. The dust that had settled upon -everything was not so easily removed, but the frequent use of dusting -brushes and flannel cloths disposed of the most of it. - -I now wrote a note to my mother, inviting her to come home, and to bring -Toby with her. We kept the doors of the dining room closed, as had been -our wont for some time, and if Toby ever discovered the change, he never -betrayed the knowledge of it by word or look. After a light breakfast, -and the excitement of the day, I felt that we ought to have a good, -luscious dinner, and, with the help at my command, went to work preparing -it, and, as was my custom of late, I did not forget to provide for others -who might come in. More than once during the day Confederate scouts had -galloped in and spoken a few words of encouragement; and after taking a -drink of water from the old oaken bucket, had galloped out again, so I -hoped they would come back when the biscuit and tea-cakes were done, that -I might fill their pockets. - -After the last meal of the day had been eaten, I held another whispered -consultation with my mother, and in pursuance of the course agreed upon I -emptied several trunks, and with her help filled one with quilts and -blankets, and other bedding; another with china and cut glass, well -packed; and another with important papers, treasured relics, etc., and -locked and strapped them ready for shipment next morning. - -A night of unbroken rest and sleep prepared me for another day of -surprises and toil, and before dawn I was up, dressed, waiting for -daylight enough to justify me in the effort to see Mr. Ezekiel Mason, and -beg him to hire me his team and driver to carry the trunks to the depot. -After my ready compliance with his terms, he agreed to send them as soon -as possible. The delay caused me to go on a freight train to Atlanta, but -I congratulated myself upon that privilege, as the trunks and Toby went on -the same train. There was unusual commotion and activity about the depot -in Atlanta, and a superficial observer would have been impressed with the -business-like appearance of the little city at that important locality. -Men, women, and children moved about as if they meant business. Trains -came in rapidly, and received their complement of freight, either animate -or inanimate, and screamed themselves hoarse and departed, giving place to -others that went through with the same routine. Drays and every manner of -vehicles blocked the streets, and endangered life, limb, and property of -all who could not vie with them in push, vim, and dare-deviltry. In vain -did I appeal to scores of draymen, white and black, to carry my trunks to -the home of Mr. McArthur, on Pryor street--money was offered with -liberality, but to no avail. Despairing of aid, I bade Toby follow me, and -went to Mr. McArthur's. He and his good wife were willing to receive the -trunks and give them storage room, but could extend no aid in bringing -them there. At length, as a last resort, it was decided that Toby should -take their wheelbarrow and bring one trunk at a time. I returned with him -to the depot and had the most valuable trunk placed upon the wheelbarrow, -and, with my occasional aid, Toby got it to its destination. A second trip -was made in like manner, and the third was not a failure, although I saw -that Toby was very tired. Thanking my good friends for the favor they were -extending, I hurried back to the depot, myself and Toby, to take the first -train to Decatur. Imagine our consternation on learning that the Yankees -had dashed in and torn up the Georgia Railroad track from Atlanta to -Decatur, and were pursuing their destructive work towards Augusta. -Neither for love nor money could a seat in any kind of vehicle going in -that direction be obtained, nor were I and my attendant the only ones thus -cut off from home; and I soon discovered that a spirit of independence -pervaded the crowd. Many were the proud possessors of elegant spans of -"little white ponies" which they did not deem too good to propel them -homeward. Seeking to infuse a little more life and animation into Toby, I -said: - -"Well, my boy, what do you think of bringing out your little black ponies -and running a race with my white ones to Decatur? Do you think you can -beat in the race?" - -"I don't know'm," he said, without his usual smile, when I essayed a -little fun with him, and I evidently heard him sigh. But knowing there was -no alternative, I started in a brisk walk towards Decatur, and said to -him, "Come on, or I'll get home before you do." He rallied and kept very -close to me, and we made pretty good time. The gloaming was upon us, the -period of all others auspicious to thought, and to thought I abandoned -myself. The strife between the sections of a once glorious country was a -prolific theme, and I dwelt upon it in all of its ramifications, and -failed to find cause for blame in my peculiar people; and my step became -prouder, and my willingness to endure all things for their sakes and mine -was more confirmed. In the midst of these inspiring reflections, Toby, who -had somewhat lagged behind, came running up to me and said: - -"Oh! Miss Mary, just look at the soldiers. And they are ours, too!" - -To my dying day I shall never forget the scene to which he called my -attention. In the weird stillness it appeared as if the Lord had raised up -of the stones a mighty host to fight our battles. Not a sound was heard, -nor a word spoken, as those in the van passed opposite me, on and on, and -on, in the direction of Decatur, in what seemed to me an interminable line -of soldiery. Toby and I kept the track of the destroyed railroad, and were -somewhere between General Gartrell's residence and Mr. Pitts', the midway -station between Atlanta and Decatur, when the first of these soldiers -passed us, and we were at Kirkwood when that spectre-like band had fully -gone. Once the moon revealed me so plainly that a cheer, somewhat -repressed, but nevertheless hearty, resounded through the woods, and I -asked: - -"Whose command?" - -"Wheeler's Cavalry," was the simultaneous response of many who heard my -inquiry. - -"Don't you know me? I am the one you gave the best breakfast I ever ate, -that morning we dashed into Decatur before sun-up." - -"And I'm the one too." - -"O, don't mention it," I said. "You are giving your lives for me, and the -little I can do for you is nothing in comparison. May God be with you and -shield you from harm until this cruel war is over." - -I missed Toby, and looking back, saw him sitting down. I hurried to him, -saying, "What is it, my boy?" - -"O, Miss Mary, I am so sick. I can't go any further. You can go on home, -and let me stay here--when I feel better I'll go too." - -"No, my boy, I'll not leave you." And sitting by him I told him to rest -his head upon my lap, and maybe after awhile he would feel better, and -then we would go on. In the course of a half hour he vomited copiously, -and soon after he told me he felt better, and would try to go on. More -than once his steps were unsteady and he looked dazed; but under my -patient guidance and encouraging words he kept up and we pursued our -lonely walk until we reached Decatur. - -As soon as we entered the town, we perceived that we had overtaken -Wheeler's Cavalry. They were lying on the ground, asleep, all over the -place; and in most instances their horses were lying by them, sleeping -too. And I noticed that the soldiers, even though asleep, never released -their hold upon the bridles. At home I found my mother almost frantic. She -knew nothing of the causes detaining me, and supposed that some disaster -had befallen me individually. A good supper, including a strong cup of tea -prepared by her hands, awaited us, and I attested my appreciation of it by -eating heartily. Toby drank a cup of tea only, and said he "was very tired -and hurt all over." - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. - -The advance guard of the Yankee army--I am ordered out--A noble Federal. - - -The day clear, bright and beautiful, in July, 1864, and though a -midsummer's sun cast its vertical rays upon the richly-carpeted earth, -refreshing showers tempered the heat and preserved in freshness and beauty -the vernal robes of May and kept the atmosphere pure and delightful. -Blossoms of every hue and fragrance decked the landscape, and Ceres and -Pomona had been as lavish with their grains and fruits as Flora had been -with flowers. - -And I, assisted by Toby and Telitha, had gathered from the best of these -rich offerings, and prepared a feast for Wheeler's Cavalry. By the way, -strive against it as I would, I was more than once disturbed by the mental -inquiry: "What has become of Wheeler's Cavalry? I saw it enter Decatur -last night, and now there is not a soldier to be seen. It is true a large -number of scouts came in this morning, and spoke comforting words to my -mother, and reconnoitered around town fearlessly, but what has become of -them?" Hope whispered: "Some strategic movement that will culminate in the -capture of the entire Yankee army, no doubt is engaging its attention." -Yielding to these delusive reflections, and the seductive influence of -earth, air and sky, I became quite exhilarated and hummed little snatches -of the songs I used to sing in the happy days of childhood, before a hope -had been disappointed or a shadow cast over my pathway. - -These scenes and these songs were not in keeping with the impending -disasters even then at our portals. Crapen draperies and funeral dirges -would have been far more in keeping with the developments of the day. - -Distant roar of cannon and sharp report of musketry spoke in language -unmistakable the approach of the enemy, and the rapidity of that approach -was becoming fearfully alarming. Decatur offered many advantages as -headquarters to an invading, devastating foe, "and three hundred thousand -men" under the guidance of a merciless foe ought to have entered it long -before they did--and would have done so if their bravery had been -commensurate with their vandalism. - -"Yank! Yank!" exclaimed our deaf negro girl, Telitha, as she stroked her -face as if stroking beard, and ran to get a blue garment to indicate the -color of their apparel, and this was our first intimation of their -appearance in Decatur. If all the evil spirits had been loosed from Hades, -and Satan himself had been turned loose upon us, a more terrific, -revolting scene could not have been enacted. - -Advance guards, composed of every species of criminals ever incarcerated -in the prisons of the Northern States of America, swooped down upon us, -and every species of deviltry followed in their footsteps. My poor mother, -frightened and trembling, and myself, having locked the doors of the -house, took our stand with the servants in the yard, and witnessed the -grand _entre_ of the menagerie. One of the beasts got down upon his -all-fours and pawed up the dust and bellowed like an infuriated bull. And -another asked me if I did not expect to see them with hoofs and horns. I -told him, "No, I had expected to see some gentlemen among them, and was -sorry I should be disappointed." - -My entire exemption from fear on that occasion must have been our -safeguard, as no personal violence was attempted. He who personated a bull -must have been the king's fool, and was acting in collusion with the house -pillagers sent in advance of the main army to do their dirty work, and to -reduce the people to destitution and dependence. While he thought he was -entertaining us with his quadrupedal didos, a horde of thieves were -rummaging the house, and everything of value they could get their hands -upon they stole--locks and bolts having proved ineffectual barriers to -this nefarious work. By this time the outside marauders had killed every -chicken and other fowl upon the place, except one setting-hen. A fine cow, -and two calves, and twelve hogs shared a similar fate. - -Several hours had passed since the coming of the first installment of the -G. A. R., and a few scattering officers were perambulating the streets, -and an occasional cavalryman reconnoitering. Having surveyed the -situation, and discovered that only women and children and a few faithful -negroes occupied the town, the main army came in like an avalanche. Yea, -if an avalanche and a simoon had blended their fury and expended it upon -that defenceless locality, a greater change could scarcely have been -wrought. - -The morning's sun had shone upon a scene of luxuriant beauty, and -heightened its midsummer loveliness, but the same sun, only a few hours -later, witnessed a complete transformation, and blight and desolation -reigned supreme. My mother and myself, afraid to go in the house, still -maintained our outdoor position, and our two faithful servants clung very -close to us, notwithstanding repeated efforts to induce them to leave. Our -group had received addition. Emmeline, a negro girl whom we had hired out -in Decatur, had been discharged, and had now come home. She was not so -faithful as her kith and kin, and was soon on familiar terms with the -bummers. Toby complained of being very tired, and when we all came to -think about it, we discovered that we, too, were tired, and without being -asked took seats upon the capacious lap of mother earth. As we were not -overly particular about the position we assumed, we must have presented -quite an aboriginal appearance. But what mattered it--we were only rebels. -Notwithstanding the insignia of the conqueror was displayed on every hand, -we felt to a certain degree more protected by the presence of commissioned -officers, and ventured to go into the house. I will not attempt a -description of the change that had taken place since we had locked the -door, and, for better protection, had taken our stand in the yard. - -Garrard's Cavalry selected our lot, consisting of several acres, for -headquarters, and soon what appeared to us to be an immense army train of -wagons commenced rolling into it. In less than two hours our barn was -demolished and converted into tents, which were occupied by privates and -non-commissioned officers, and to the balusters of our portico and other -portions of the house were tied a number of large ropes, which, the other -ends being secured to trees and shrubbery, answered as a railing to which -at short intervals apart a number of smaller ropes were tied, and to these -were attached horses and mules, which were eating corn and oats out of -troughs improvised for the occasion out of bureau, washstand, and wardrobe -drawers. - -Men in groups were playing cards on tables of every size and shape; and -whisky and profanity held high carnival. Thus surrounded we could but be -apprehensive of danger; and, to assure ourselves of as much safety as -possible, we barricaded the doors and windows, and arranged to sit up all -night, that is, my mother and myself. - -Toby complained of being very tired, and "hurting all over," as he -expressed it. We assisted him in making the very best pallet that could be -made of the material at our command, and he lay down completely -prostrated. Telitha was wide awake, and whenever she could secure a -listener chattered like a magpie in unintelligible language, accompanied -by unmistakable gestures--gestures which an accomplished elocutionist -might adopt with effect--and the burden of her heart was for Emmeline. -Emmeline having repudiated our protection, had sought shelter, the Lord -only knows where. Alas, poor girl! - -As we sat on a lounge, every chair having been taken to the camps, we -heard the sound of footsteps entering the piazza, and in a moment, loud -rapping, which meant business. Going to the window nearest the door, I -removed the fastenings, raised the sash, and opened the blinds. Perceiving -by the light of a brilliant moon that at least a half-dozen men in -uniforms were on the piazza, I asked: - -"Who is there?" - -"Gentlemen," was the laconic reply. - -"If so, you will not persist in your effort to come into the house. There -is only a widow and one of her daughters, and two faithful servants in -it," I said. - -"We have orders from headquarters to interview Miss Gay. Is she the -daughter of whom you speak?" - -"She is, and I am she." - -"Well, Miss Gay, we demand seeing you, without intervening barriers. Our -orders are imperative," said he who seemed to be the spokesman of the -delegation. - -"Then wait a moment," I amiably responded. Going to my mother I repeated -in substance the above colloquy, and asked her if she would go with me out -of one of the back doors and around the house into the front yard. -Although greatly agitated and trembling, she readily assented, and we -noiselessly went out. In a few moments we announced our presence, and our -visitors descended the steps and joined us. And those men, occupying a -belligerent attitude towards ourselves and all that was dear to us, stood -face to face and in silence contemplated each other. When the silence was -broken the aforesaid officer introduced himself as Major Campbell, a -member of General Schofield's staff. He also introduced the accompanying -officers each by name and title. This ceremony over, Major Campbell said: - -"Miss Gay, our mission is a painful one, and yet we will have to carry it -out unless you satisfactorily explain acts reported to us." - -"What is the nature of those acts?" - -"We have been told that it is your proudest boast that you are a rebel, -and that you are ever on duty to aid and abet in every possible way the -would-be destroyers of the United States government. If this be so, we -cannot permit you to remain within our lines. Until Atlanta surrenders, -Decatur will be our headquarters, and every consideration of interest to -our cause requires that no one inimical to it should remain within our -boundaries established by conquest." - -In reply to these charges, I said: - -"Gentlemen, I have not been misrepresented, so far as the charges you -mention are concerned. If I were a man, I should be in the foremost ranks -of those who are fighting for rights guaranteed by the Constitution of the -United States. The Southern people have never broken that compact, nor -infringed upon it in any way. They have never organized mobs to -assassinate any portion of the people sharing the privileges granted by -that compact. They have constructed no underground railroads to bring into -our midst incendiaries and destroyers of the peace, and to carry off -stolen property. They have never sought to array the subordinate element -of the North in deadly hostility to the controlling element. No class of -the women of the South have ever sought positions at the North which -secured entrance into good households, and then betrayed the confidence -reposed by corrupting the servants and alienating the relations between -the master and the servant. No class of the women of the South have ever -mounted the rostrum and proclaimed falsehoods against the women of the -North--falsehoods which must have crimsoned with shame the very cheeks of -Beelzebub. - -"No class of the men of the South have ever tramped over the North with -humbugs, extorting money either through sympathy or credulity, and engaged -at the same time in the nefarious work of exciting the subordinate class -to insurrection, arson, rapine and murder. If the South is in rebellion, a -well-organized mob at the North has brought it about. Long years of -patient endurance accomplished nothing. The party founded on falsehood and -hate strengthened and grew to enormous proportions. And, by the way, mark -the cunning of that party. Finding that the Abolition party made slow -progress and had to work in the dark, it changed its name and took in new -issues, and by a systematic course of lying in its institutions of -learning, from the lowly school-house to Yale College, and from its -pulpits and rostrums, it inculcated lessons of hate towards the Southern -people whom it would hurl into the crater of Vesuvius if endowed with the -power. What was left us to do but to try to relieve that portion of the -country which had permitted this sentiment of hate to predominate, of all -connection with us, and of all responsibility for the sins of which it -proclaimed us guilty? This effort the South has made, and I have aided and -abetted in every possible manner, and will continue to do so just as long -as there is an armed man in the Southern ranks. If this be sufficient -cause to expel me from my home, I await your orders. I have no favors to -ask." - -Imagine my astonishment, admiration and gratitude, when that group of -Federal officers, with unanimity said: - -"I glory in your spunk, and am proud of you as my countrywoman; and so far -from banishing you from your home, we will vote for your retention within -our lines." - -Thus the truth prevailed; but a new phase of the conflict was inaugurated, -as proved by subsequent developments. - -Turning to my mother, Major Campbell said: - -"Mother, how did our advance guards treat you?" - -A quivering of the lips, and a tearful effort to speak, was all the -response she could make. The aggravation of already extreme nervousness -was doing its work. - -"Would you like to see?" I said. He indicated rather than expressed an -affirmative answer. - -I went around and entered the house, and, opening the front door, invited -him and his friends to come in. A hindrance to the exhibit I was anxious -to make presented itself--we had neither candle nor lamp, and this I told -to the officers. Calling to a man in the nearest camp, Major Campbell -asked him to bring a light. This being done, I led the way into the front -room, and there our distinguished guests were confronted by a huge pallet -occupied by a sixteen-year-old negro boy. A thrill of amusement evidently -passed through this group of western men, and electrical glances conveyed -messages of distrust when I told them of my walk yesterday afternoon, -accompanied by this boy, and his exhaustion before we got home, and his -complaints of "hurting all over" before he lay down an hour ago. - -A low consultation was held, and one of the officers left and soon -returned with another who proved to be a physician. He aroused the boy, -asked several questions, and examined his pulse and tongue. - -"That will do," said he, and turning to the others, he said: - -"He is a very sick boy, and needs medical treatment at once. I will -prescribe and go for the medicine, which I wish given according to -directions." - -Having received a statement of the boy's condition from a trusted source, -we were evidently re-instated into the good opinion of Major Campbell and -his friends. Telitha had retired from them to as great a distance as the -boundaries of the room would permit, and every time she caught my eye she -looked and acted what she could not express in words--utter aversion for -the "Yank." - -We now resumed our inspection of the interior of the house. The contents -of every drawer were on the floor, every article of value having been -abstracted. Crockery scattered all over the room, suggested to the eye -that it had been used to pelt the ghosts of the witches burned in -Massachusetts a century or two ago. Outrages and indignities too -revolting to mention met the eye at every turn. And the state of affairs -in the parlor baffled description. Not an article had escaped the -destroyer's touch but the piano, and circumstances which followed proved -that that was regarded as a trophy and only waited removal. - -"Vandals! Vandals!" Major Campbell sorrowfully exclaimed, and all his -friends echoed the opinion, and said: - -"If the parties who did this work could be identified, we would hang them -as high as Haman." - -But these parties were never identified. They were important adjuncts in -the process of subjugation. - -After wishing that the worst was over with us, these gentlemen, who had -come in no friendly mood, bade us good night and took their leave. Thus -the Lord of Hosts, in his infinite mercy, furnished a just tribunal to -pass judgment upon my acts as a Southern woman, and that judgment, -influenced by facts and surroundings, was just and the verdict humane. - - - - -CHAPTER XV. - -The Battle of the 22d of July, 1864--The Death of Toby. - - -The excitement incident to the morning and evening of yesterday left my -mother and myself in no frame of mind for repose, and we spent the night -in suspense and painful apprehension of trouble yet to come greater and -more dreadful than that through which we had passed. The medicine left for -Toby by the physician summoned last night was faithfully administered -according to direction, and the morning found him better, though able to -sit up only for a short while at a time. Measles had developed, and we -felt hopeful that it would prove to be a very slight attack; and such it -might have been could we have controlled him properly, but the excitement -and ever-varying scenes in the yard, and as far as vision extended, were -so new and strange to him that, when unobserved, he spent much of his time -at a window commanding the best view of the scene, and, thus exposed to a -current of air, the disease ceased to appear on the surface and a -troublesome cough ensued. - -Having been without food since the preceding morning, our thoughts turned -to the usual preparation for breakfast, but alas, those preparations had -to be dispensed of, as we had nothing to prepare. This state of affairs -furnished food for at least serious reflection, and the inquiry, "What are -we to do?" found audible expression. The inexorable demands of hunger -could not be stifled, and we knew that the sick boy needed hot tea and the -nourishment which food alone could give, and yet we had nothing for -ourselves or for him--so complete had been the robbery of the "advance -guards" of the Grand Army of the Republic that not a thing, animate or -inanimate, remained with which to appease our hunger. "What are we to do?" -was iterated and reiterated, and no solution of the question presented -itself. Even then appetizing odors from the camp-fires were diffusing -themselves upon the air and entering our house, but aliens were preparing -the food and we had no part in it. We debated this question, and finally -resolved not to expose ourselves to the jeers and insults of the enemy by -an act of ours that would seem to ask for food; but that we would go to -our Southern citizens in the war-stricken and almost deserted town, and, -if they were not completely robbed, ask them to share their supplies with -us until we could procure aid from outside of the lines so arbitrarily -drawn. - -In this dilemma an unexpected relief came to us, and convinced us that -there was good even in Nazareth. A large tray, evidently well-filled, and -covered with a snow-white cloth, was brought in by an Irishman, who handed -a card to my mother containing these words: - -"To Mrs. Stokes and daughter, Miss Gay, with compliments of - - (MAJOR) CAMPBELL. - -"Please accept this small testimonial of regard and respectful sympathy." - -The latter part of the brief message was the sesame that secured -acceptance of this offering, and my mother and myself jointly acknowledged -it with sincere thanks, and again we thought of Elijah and the ravens. The -contents of the tray--coffee, sugar, and tea, sliced ham and a variety of -canned relishes, butter, potatoes, and oatmeal and bread, were removed and -the tray returned. That tray on its humane mission, having found its way -into our house, more than once opportunely reappeared. We enjoyed the -repast thus furnished, although briny tears were mingled with it. - -The day passed without any immediate adventure. Great activity prevailed -in army ranks. The coming and going of cavalry; the clatter of sabre and -spur; the constant booming of cannon and report of musketry, all convinced -us that the surrender of Atlanta by the Confederates was quite a matter of -time. A few thousand men, however brave and gallant, could not cope -successfully with "three hundred thousand" who ignored every usage of -civilized warfare, and fought only for conquest. - -I cannot say how long this state of affairs lasted before Wheeler's -Cavalry, supported by Confederate infantry, stole a march upon the Yankees -and put them to flight. Garrard and his staff officers were in our -parlor--their parlor _pro tem._--holding a council; the teamsters and army -followers were lounging about promiscuously, cursing and swearing and -playing cards, and seeming not to notice the approaching artillery until -their attention was called to it, and then they contended that it was -their men firing off blank cartridges. I intuitively felt that a conflict -was on hand. Ma and I held whispered conversations and went from one -window to another, and finally rushed into the yard. Men in the camps -observed our excitement and said, "Don't be alarmed, it is only our men -firing off their blank cartridges." - -The irony of fate was never more signally illustrated than on this -occasion. I would have laid down my life, yea, a thousand breathing, -pulsing lives of my own, to have witnessed the overthrow of the Yankee -army, and yet, I may have been the means of saving a large portion of it -on that occasion. Dreading for my mother's sake and for the sake of the -deaf girl and the sick boy, an attack upon the forces which covered our -grounds, I ran to one of the parlor doors and knocked heavily and -excitedly. An officer unlocked the door and opening it said: - -"What is it?" - -"Our men must be nearly here," I replied. - -"Impossible," he said, and yet, with a bound he was in the yard, followed -in quick succession by each member of the conclave. - -A signal, long, loud, and shrill, awakened the drowsy, and scattered to -the four winds of heaven cards, books and papers; and, in a few minutes, -horses and mules were hitched to wagons, and the mules, wagons and men -were fairly flying from the approach of the Confederates. Women and -children came pouring in from every direction, and the house was soon -filled. Before Garrard's wagon train was three hundred yards away, our -yard was full of our men--our own dear "Johnnie Rebs." Oothcaloga Valley -boys, whom I had known from babyhood, kissed, in passing, the hand that -waved the handkerchief. An officer, ah, how grand he looked in gray -uniform, came dashing up and said: - -"Go in your cellar and lie down; the Federals are forming a line of -battle, and we, too, will form one that will reach across the grounds, and -your house will be between the two lines. Go at once." - -My mother ran and got Toby's shoes and put them on for him, and told him -to get up and come with her, and as he went out of the house, tottering, I -threw a blanket over him, and he and Telitha went with ma to our near -neighbor, Mrs. Williams, her cellar being considered safer than ours. I -remained in our house for the twofold purpose of taking care of it, if -possible, and of protecting, to the best of my ability, the precious women -and children who had fled to us for protection. Without thought of myself -I got them all into the room that I thought would be safest, and urged -them to lie down upon the floor and not to move during the battle. Shot -and shell flew in every direction, and the shingles on the roof were -following suit, and the leaves, and the limbs, and the bark of the trees -were descending in showers so heavy as almost to obscure the view of the -contending forces. The roaring of cannon and the sound of musketry blended -in harmony so full and so grand, and the scene was so absorbing, that I -thought not of personal danger, and more than once found myself outside of -the portals ready to rush into the conflict--for was not I a soldier, -enlisted for the war? Nor was I the only restless, intrepid person in the -house on that occasion. An old lady, in whose veins flowed the blood of -the Washingtons, was there, and it was with the greatest difficulty that I -restrained her from going out into the arena of warfare. The traditions of -her ancestors were so interwoven with her life, that, at an age bordering -on four score years and ten, they could not relax their hold upon her; and -she and I might have gone in opposite directions had we fled to the ranks -of the contending armies. - -Mine was, no doubt, the only feminine eye that witnessed the complete rout -of the Federals on that occasion. At first I could not realize what they -were doing, and feared some strategic movement; but the "rebel yell" and -the flying blue-coats brought me to a full realization of the situation, -and I too joined in the loud acclaim of victory. And the women and -children, until now panic-stricken and silent as death, joined in the -rejoicing. All the discouragement of the past few weeks fled from me, and -hope revived, and I was happy, oh, so happy! I had seen a splendidly -equipped army, Schofield's division, I think, ignominiously flee from a -little band of lean, lank, hungry, poorly-clad Confederate soldiers, and I -doubted not an over-ruling Providence would lead us to final victory. - -When the smoke of the battle cleared away, my mother and her ebony charge -returned home. Toby quickly sought his pallet, and burning fever soon -rendered him delirious the greater part of the time. In one of his lucid -intervals, he asked me to read the Bible to him, and he told me what he -wanted me to read about, and said: - -"Miss Missouri used to read it to me, and I thought it was so pretty." And -I read to him the story of the cross--of Jesus' dying love, and he -listened and believed. I said to him: - -"My boy, do you think you are going to die?" - -"Yes'm, I think I am." - -I bowed my head close to him and wept, oh, how bitterly. - -"Miss Mary, don't you think I'll go to heaven?" he anxiously asked. - -"Toby, my boy, there is one thing I want to tell you; can you listen to -me?" - -"Yes'm." - -"I have not always been just to you. I have often accused you of doing -things that I afterwards found you did not do, and then I was not good -enough to acknowledge that I had done wrong. And when you did wrong, I was -not forgiving enough; and more than once I have punished you for little -sins, when I, with all the light before me, was committing greater ones -every day, and going unpunished, save by a guilty conscience. And now, my -boy, I ask you to forgive me. Can you do it?" - -"Oh, yes'm!" - -"Are you certain that you do? Are you sure that there is no unforgiving -spirit in you towards your poor Miss Mary, who is sorry for all she has -ever done that was wrong towards you." - -"Oh, yes'm!" - -"Then, my boy, ask the Lord to forgive you for your sins just as I have -asked you to forgive me, and He will do it for the sake of Jesus, who died -on the cross that sinners might be redeemed from their sins and live with -Him in heaven." - -I can never forget the ineffable love, and faith, and gratitude, depicted -in that poor boy's face, while I live; and as I held his soft black hand -in mine, I thought of its willing service to "our boys," and wept to think -I could do no more for him, and that his young life was going out before -he knew the result of the cruel war that was waged by the Abolitionists! -He noticed my grief, and begged me not to feel so badly, and added that he -was willing to die. - -I arose from my position by his bed and asked him if there was anything in -the world I could do for him. In reply he said: - -"I would like to have a drink of water from the Floyd spring." - -"You shall have it, my boy, just as soon as I can go there and back," and -I took a pitcher and ran to the spring and filled and refilled it several -times, that it might be perfectly cool, and went back with it as quickly -as possible. He drank a goblet full of this delicious water and said it, -was "so good," and then added: - -"You drink some, too, Miss Mary, and give Miss Polly some." - -I did so, and he was pleased. He coughed less and complained less than he -had done since the change for the worse, and I deluded myself into the -hope that he might yet recover. In a short while he went to sleep, and his -breathing became very hard and his temperature indicated a high degree of -fever. I urged my mother to lie down, and assured her that if I thought -she could do anything for Toby at any time during the night I would call -her. - -I sat there alone by that dying boy. Not a movement on his part betrayed -pain. His breathing was hard and at intervals spasmodic. With tender hands -I changed the position of his head, and for a little while he seemed to -breathe easier. But it was only for a little while, and then it was -evident that soon he would cease to breathe at all. I went to my mother -and waked her gently and told her I thought the end was near with Toby, -and hurried back to him. I thought him dead even then; but, after an -interval, he breathed again and again, and all was over. The life had gone -back to the God who gave it, and I doubt not but that it will live with -Him forever. The pathos of the scene can never be understood by those who -have not witnessed one similar to it in all its details, and I will not -attempt to describe it. No timepiece marked the hour, but it was about -midnight, I ween, when death set the spirit of that youthful negro free. -Not a kindred being nor a member of his own race was near to lay loving -hand upon him, or prepare his little body for burial. We stood and gazed -upon him as he lay in death in that desolated house, and thought of his -fidelity and loving interest in our cause and its defenders, and of his -faithful service in our efforts to save something from vandal hands; and -the fountain of tears was broken up and we wept with a peculiar grief over -that lifeless form. - -My mother was the first to become calm, and she came very near me and -said, as if afraid to trust her voice: - -"Wouldn't it be well to ask Eliza Williams and others to come and 'lay him -out?'" - -Before acting on this suggestion I went into another room and waked -Telitha and took her into the chamber of death. A dim and glimmering light -prevented her from taking in the full import of the scene at first; but I -took her near the couch, and, pointing to him, I said: - -"Dead!--Dead!" - -She repeated interrogatively, and, when she fully realized that such was -the case, her cries were pitiable, oh, so pitiable. - -I sank down upon the floor and waited for the paroxysm of grief to -subside, and then went to her and made her understand that I was going out -and that she must stay with her mistress until I returned. An hour later, -under the manipulation of good "Eliza Williams"--known throughout Decatur -as Mrs. Ammi Williams' faithful servant--and one or two others whom she -brought with her, Toby was robed in a nice white suit of clothes prepared -for the occasion by the faithful hands of his "Miss Polly," whom he had -loved well and who had cared for him in his orphanage. - -We had had intimation that the Federals would again occupy Decatur, and as -soon as day dawned I went to see Mr. Robert Jones, Sen., and got him to -make a coffin for Toby, and I then asked "Uncle Mack," and "Henry"--now -known as Decatur's Henry Oliver--to dig the grave. Indeed, these two men -agreed to attend to the matter of his burial. After consultation with my -mother, it was agreed that that should take place as soon as all things -were in readiness. Mr. Jones made a pretty, well-shaped coffin out of -good heart pine, and the two faithful negro men already mentioned prepared -with care the grave. When all was in readiness, the dead boy was placed in -the coffin and borne to the grave by very gentle hands. - -Next to the pall-bearers my mother and myself and Telitha fell in line, -and then followed the few negroes yet remaining in the town, and that -funeral cortege was complete. - -At the grave an unexpected and most welcome stranger appeared. "Uncle -Mack" told me he was a minister, and would perform the funeral -service--and grandly did he do it. The very soul of prayer seemed embodied -in this negro preacher's invocation; nor did he forget Toby's "nurses," -and every consolation and blessing was besought for them. And thus our -Toby received a Christian burial. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI. - -EVERETT'S DESERTION. - - -During the early spring of that memorable year, 1864, it was announced to -the citizens of Decatur that Judge Hook and family, including his -accomplished daughter, Mrs. Whitesides, and her children, from -Chattanooga, had arrived at the depot, and were domiciled, _pro tem._, in -cars which had been switched off the main track of the famous old Georgia -Railroad. This novel mode of living, even in war times, by people in their -monetary condition and social standing, naturally attracted much -attention, and brought us to a full realization of approaching danger. -That this family, accustomed to all the luxuries of an elegant home, -should live in such an abode, with its attendant privations, was -convincing proof that the home they had abandoned had become intolerable -because of the proximity of the enemy; and it was also fearfully -suggestive that that ubiquitous enemy was extending his dominion and -bringing the fiery, bloody conflict into the very heart of the -"rebellion." - -A rebellion, by way of parenthesis, which impartial historians will put on -record as the grandest uprising of a long suffering people that was ever -known in the annals of nations; "a mutiny" (as that chief of Southern -haters, John Lathrop Motley, whose superb egotism impressed him with the -idea that his influence could change the political trend of Great Britain -towards the South, has seen proper to denominate it) in the camp of -American councils brought about by unceasing abuse of the Southern States -by political tricksters, whose only hope of survival lay in the hatred for -the South thus engendered. - -The coming of Judge Hook's family was hailed with pleasure by all good and -loyal citizens, and was a ligament connecting more closely states -suffering in a common cause; and we all called upon them and soon numbered -them with our intimate friends. Mrs. Whitesides and Miss Hook were -effective workers in all that benefited our soldiers or their families. - -Judge Hook was superintendent of the Government Iron Works, and literally -brought the foundry as well as the operatives with him. Among the latter -was a man by the name of Everett, who, with his family, consisting of his -wife and five children, occupied an old one-room house near a corner of -our home lot. Although a hearty, hale, and rather good-looking man, -Everett was very poor, and the first time I ever saw his wife she came to -borrow "a little flour." As my mother never turned away from a borrower, -Mrs. Everett's vessel was filled to overflowing, and, besides, a pitcher -of buttermilk and a plate of butter was given to her, for which she was -extremely grateful. - -An acquaintance thus begun continued during the spring and early summer -months, and there was not a day during that period that my mother did not -find it convenient to do something for this family. Mrs. Everett was more -than ordinarily intelligent for a person in her position, and the blush -which mantled her pretty cheeks when she asked for anything betrayed her -sensibility; and her children were pretty and sweet-mannered. I never saw -Everett, only as I met him going and coming from his work, and on those -occasions he showed the greatest respect for me by taking off his hat as -he approached me, and holding it in his hand until he had fully passed. He -seemed to be a steady worker, and if he ever lost a day I never heard of -it; and Mrs. Everett was industrious, but much of the time unemployed for -lack of material with which to work, and she often begged for something to -do. She was anxious to work for our soldiers, and told me that all of her -male relatives were in the Confederate army. This circumstance endeared -her very much to me; and I made the support of his family very much easier -to Everett than it would have been had he lived in a non-appreciative -neighborhood. And when the village girls met at our house to practice for -concerts for the benefit of our soldiers, which they did almost weekly, I -never forgot that Mrs. Everett's brothers were in our army fighting -valiantly, no doubt, for our cause, and I always asked her to come and -bring her children to my room and listen with me to the sweet music and -patriotic songs. - -As time sped, many opportunities for witnessing Mrs. Everett's devotion to -her native land presented themselves; and her service to its defenders, -though humble and unobtrusive, was valuable. Her children, too, always -spoke lovingly of our soldiers, and were never more happy than when doing -something for them. At length the time came for another move of the -foundry, and quietly, as if by magic, it and its appurtenants, under the -judicious management of Judge Hook, got on wheels and ran at the rate of -thirty-five miles an hour until it reached Augusta--another haven of rest -invested with heavenly beauty. After the departure of this important -adjunct to this portion of the Confederacy, it was discovered that Everett -and his family remained in Decatur. And a remarkable change came over -them. Instead of the free-spoken, unsophisticated woman that she had -always appeared to be, Mrs. Everett became reserved and taciturn, and -seldom left the enclosure by which her humble dwelling was surrounded. And -the children ceased to cheer us by their merry prattle and daily trip for -a pitcher of buttermilk, which, under the changed and unexplained -circumstances, my mother sent to them. - -On the never-to-be-forgotten 19th of July, 1864, when a portion of -Sherman's army dashed into Decatur, it obtained a recruit. In an -incredibly short time, Everett was arrayed in the uniform of a Yankee -private, and was hustling around with the Yankees as if "to the manner -born." - -On the 22d of July, when the Confederates ran the Yankees out of the -little village they had so pompously occupied for a few days, Everett -disappeared, and so did his family from the little house on the corner. I -supposed they had left Decatur, until I went out in town to see if I could -hear anything from the victors--their losses, etc.--when by chance I -discovered that they had taken shelter in the old post-office building on -the northeast corner of the court-house square. - -The morning after the hurried evacuation of Decatur by the Federal troops, -I arose, as was my custom, as day was dawning, and, as soon as I thought I -could distinguish objects, I opened the front door and stepped out on the -portico. As I stood looking upon the ruin and devastation of my -war-stricken home, imagine my surprise and consternation when I saw a -white handkerchief held by an invisible hand above a scuppernong grape -arbor. My first impulse was to seek security within closed doors, but the -thought occurred to me that some one might be in distress and needed aid. -I therefore determined to investigate the case. In pursuance of this -object I went down the steps, and advanced several yards in the direction -of the waving signal, and asked: - -"Who is there?" - -"Come a little nearer, please," was the distinct answer. - -"I am near enough to hear you; what can I do for you?" I said, and did go -a little nearer. - -"Miss Mary, don't be afraid of me; I would die for you and such as you, -but I cannot die for a lost cause"--and through an opening in the foliage -of the vines, which were more on the ground than on the scaffolding, a -head protruded--handsome brown eyes and dark whiskers included--Everett's -head, in all the naturalness of innocence. - -I thought of his wife and of his children, and of his wife's brother in -the Confederate army, and again asked with deliberation: - -"What can I do for you?" - -"Bless me or curse me," was the startling answer, and he continued: - -"Your kindness to my wife and children has nerved me to come to you and -ask that you will aid me in seeing them, especially her. Will you do it?" - -"Yes, though I despise you for the steps you have taken, I will grant your -request. Don't be afraid that I will betray you." - -"Where shall I go?" he asked, with a perceptible tremor in his voice. - -"While I am out here seeming to prop up these shrubs, make your way to the -kitchen and enter its front door, and don't close it after you, but let it -remain wide open. But be still until I tell you to start." - -As if going for something, I walked hastily around the house and kitchen, -and entering the latter brought out an old hoe, and seemed to use it quite -industriously in banking up earth around fallen shrubbery. Watching an -opportunity--for in those war times all things, animate and inanimate, -seemed to have ears--I said: - -"When I go into the house, you must go into the kitchen, and be certain to -let the doors remain open." - -I never knew how Everett made his journey, whether upright as a man, or -upon all-fours like a beast. - -From sheer exhaustion my poor mother was sleeping still, and Toby's -breathing and general appearance as he lay upon his pallet, plainly -indicated the presence of deep seated disease. I looked around for -Telitha, and not seeing her, went into the dining room where I found her -sitting by a window. By unmistakable signs she made me understand that she -had witnessed the entire proceeding connected with Everett through the -window blinds. - -Soon the loud tramping of horses' feet caused me to run again to the front -door, and I beheld a number of our scouts approaching. I went to meet them -and shook hands with every one of them. No demonstration, however -enthusiastic, could have been an exaggeration of my joy on again seeing -our men, our dear Confederate soldiers, and yet I thought of Everett and -trembled. - -"Have you seen any Billy Yanks this morning?" was asked by several of -them; and I replied: - -"No, I have not seen any since our men ran them out of Decatur yesterday." - -"How did they treat you while they were here?" - -"You see the devastation of the place," I replied. "Personally we escaped -violence; but I would like you to go into the house and see the condition -of affairs there." - -Said they: - -"It would not be new to us. We have seen the most wanton destruction of -property and household goods wherever they have gone." - -"Do wait and let me have a pot of coffee made for you. The Yankees gave -our negro girl quite a good deal of it, and not using it herself, she gave -it to my mother, and I want you to enjoy some of it," I said. They -replied. - -"Soldiers can't wait for luxuries." - -"Good-bye and God bless you," was their parting benediction. And then as -if impelled by some strange inspiration they galloped round to the well. I -ran into the house and got several tumblers and fairly flew out there with -them, as there was no gourd at the well. The kitchen was in close -proximity, and the door stood invitingly open. What if a bare suspicion -should prompt these brave men to enter? Alas! All would be up with the -poor miscreant who had thrown himself upon my mercy, and who was even then -lurking there under my direction. But, thank the good Lord, they did not -enter, and after again invoking God's blessings upon me, they galloped off -in a southerly direction; and never did retreating sounds give more -relief. - -I went into the house. My mother, thoroughly exhausted, and perhaps -discouraged, chose to remain in bed, and as she lay gazing intently upon -the wall above her, I doubt if she saw it, so intense was her meditation. -As Telitha by this time had a fire made in the dining room, I prepared a -pot of good strong coffee, and after partaking of the exhilarating -beverage myself, and seeing that each of the household was supplied, I -took the remainder with necessary adjuncts to Everett. Never will I forget -his appearance as we stood face to face--he a miserable deserter from the -cause I loved, and the recipient of favors I scorned myself for bestowing. -I told him I would go at once for his wife, and that after seeing her he -must make his way into the enemy's lines as soon as possible. - -A few minutes sufficed to carry me to Mrs. Everett's retreat, already -mentioned. I sat down on the front doorsteps and drew from my pocket a -newspaper, which chanced to be there, and commenced reading aloud. At -length I saw that my presence had attracted the notice of the children, -and I called them. One by one they came to me, and I shook hands with them -and asked them about their mother. Hearing my voice and inquiries, she -spoke to me most pleasantly. I asked her to come out and take a seat by me -on the steps. She did so, blushingly and timidly. I wrote on the margin of -the paper, "Send the children away," and handed it to her. She did so. -Assured that they were not in hearing distance, I held the paper before -me, and, as if reading, I told her the story of my early interview with -her husband; of his earnest desire to see her; of my consent, on her -account, to plan a meeting with her; of his secretion in our kitchen; and -the necessity of the greatest caution in our movements. I told her that -after walking around a little, and exchanging experiences with the brave -ladies of the village, she would see me, by keeping watch, going home, and -then she could take a little basket in her hand, as if going for -something, and come on to our house. She implicitly followed my -directions. My mother received her as if nothing of an unpleasant nature -had transpired; and, although it is a very difficult problem, and never -solved without the aid of necromancy, I undertook to deduct something from -nothing, and so far succeeded that I had several small packages to lay in -her basket as she started. Knowing that she knew the way to the kitchen, I -gave her a wish that all would end well, and bade her good-bye, never, -doubtless, to meet her again on earth. The tears flowed plenteously down -her cheeks, and her tongue refused to speak, but the pressure of her hand -attested gratitude, and affection, and farewell. I got a glimpse of her as -she went out of the alley gate; but I never knew when he abandoned his -hiding place. I heard that about dusk a Federal army wagon, under -protection of a company of troops, came and took her and her little -children out of Decatur. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII. - -A visit to Confederate lines--A narrow escape--My return--The fall of -Atlanta. - - -No news from "the front;" no tidings from the loved ones in gray; no -friendly spirit whispering words of cheer or consolation. Shut up within a -narrow space, and guarded by Federal bayonets! not a ray of friendly light -illuminated my environment. - -The constant roaring of cannon and rattling of musketry; the thousand, -yea, tens of thousands of shots blending into one grand continuous whole, -and reverberating in avalanchan volume over the hills of Fulton, and the -mountain heights of old DeKalb--told in thunder tones of the fierce -contest between Federal and Confederate forces being waged without -intermission for the possession of Atlanta. - -The haughty, insolent boast of the enemy, now that Joe Johnston was -removed from the command of the Army of the Tennessee, that they would -make quick work of the rebellion, and of the complete subjugation of the -South, had in no way a tendency to mitigate anxiety or to encourage hope. -Thus surrounded, I sought and obtained permission to read Federal -newspapers. The United States mail brought daily papers to the officers in -command of the forces quartered in our yard; and through this medium I -kept posted, from a Northern standpoint, concerning the situation of both -armies. While there was little in these dispatches gratifying to me, there -was much that I thought would be valuable to my people if I could only -convey it to them; and I racked my brain day and night, devising ways and -means by which to accomplish this feat. But the ways and means decided -upon were, upon reflection, invariably abandoned as being impracticable. - -In this dilemma, a most opportune circumstance offered an immediate -solution of the difficult problem. In the midst of a deep study of the -relative positions of the two armies, and of the hopes and fears animating -both, a tall, lank, honest-faced Yankee came to the door of the portico -and asked "if Miss Gay was in." - -I responded that I was she, and he handed me a letter addressed to myself. -I hastily tore it open and read the contents. It was written by a reverend -gentleman whose wife was a distant relative of my mother, and told that -she was very ill. "Indeed," wrote he, "I have but little hope of ever -seeing her any better, and I beg you to come to see her, and spend several -days." - -I showed the letter to my mother, who was sitting near by, and, like -myself, engaged in studying the situation. She strenuously objected to my -going, and advanced many good reasons for my not doing so; but my reasons -for going counteracted them all in my estimation, and I determined to go. - -Taking Telitha with me, I carried the letter to the Provost Marshal, and -asked him to read it and grant me the privilege of going. After reading -the letter, he asked me how I obtained it, and received my statement. He -then asked me if I could refer him to the party who brought it to me. -Leaving the letter with him, I ran home and soon returned with the desired -individual who had fortunately lingered in the yard in anticipation of -usefulness. Convinced that the invitation was genuine, and for a humane -purpose, this usually morose marshal granted me "a permit" to visit those -poor old sick people, for the husband was almost as feeble as his wife. I -told the obliging marshal that there was another favor I should like to -ask of him, if he would not think me too presumptuous. "Name it," he said. -I replied: - -"Will you detail one or more of the soldiers to act as an escort for me? I -am afraid to go with only this girl." - -To this he also assented, and said it was a wise precaution. He asked when -I wished to come home. - -"Day after to-morrow afternoon," I told him, and received assurance that -an escort would be in waiting for me at that time. - -It now became necessary to make some important preparations for the trip. -A great deal was involved, and if my plans were successful, important -events might accrue. A nice white petticoat was called into requisition, -and, when I got done with it, it was literally lined with Northern -newspapers. "The Cincinnati Enquirer," and "The New York Daily Times;" -"The Cincinnati Commercial Gazette," and "The Philadelphia Evening -Ledger," under the manipulation of my fingers, took their places on the -inner sides and rear of the skirt, and served as a very stylish "bustle," -an article much in vogue in those days. This preparatory work having been -accomplished, it required but a few moments to complete my toilet, and, -under the auspices of a clear conscience and a mother's blessing, -doubtless, I started on a perilous trip. The ever-faithful Telitha was by -my side, and the military escort a few feet in advance. - -After a walk of a mile and a half, I reached my destination for that day. -I found the old lady in question much better than I had expected. Nervous -and sick himself, her husband had greatly exaggerated her afflictions. By -degrees, and under protest, I communicated to these aged people my -intention of carrying information to Hood's headquarters, that might be of -use to our army. I knew that these good old people would not betray me, -even though they might not approve my course, and I confided to them my -every plan. Both were troubled about the possible result if I should be -detected; but my plans were laid, and nothing could deter me from pursuing -them. - -The rising sun of another day saw Telitha and me starting on our way to -run the gauntlet, so to speak, of Federal bayonets. These good old people -had given me much valuable information regarding the way to -Atlanta--information which enabled me to get there without conflict with -either Confederate or Federal pickets. Knowing the topography of the -country, I took a circuitous route to an old mill; Cobb's, I believe, and -from there I sought the McDonough road. I didn't venture to keep that -highway to the city, but I kept within sight of it, and under cover of -breast-works and other obstructions, managed to evade videttes and pickets -of both armies. After walking fourteen or fifteen miles, I entered Atlanta -at the beautiful home of Mrs. L. P. Grant, at the southern boundary of the -city. That estimable lady never lost an opportunity of doing good. The -lessons of humanity and Christian grace impressed upon her youthful mind, -and intensified by the life-long example of her devoted mother, Mrs. Ammi -Williams, of Decatur, had called into action all that is ennobling in -woman. On this occasion, as upon every other offering an opportunity, she -remembered to do good. She ordered an appetizing lunch, including a cup of -sure enough coffee, which refreshed and strengthened me after my long -walk. Her butler having become a familiar personage on the streets of -Atlanta, she sent him as a guide to important places. We entered the city -unchallenged, and moved about at will. The force of habit, probably, led -me to Mrs. McArthur's and to Mrs. Craig's on Pryor street; and, by the -way, these friends still own the same property, and occupy almost the same -homes. The head of neither of these families was willing to accompany me -to Confederate headquarters, and without a guide I started to hunt them -for myself. What had seemed an easy task now seemed insurmountable. I knew -not in what direction to go, and the few whom I asked seemed as ignorant -as myself. Starting from Mrs. Craig's, I went towards the depot. I had not -proceeded very far before I met Major John Y. Rankin. I could scarcely -restrain tears of joy. He was a member of the very same command to which -my brother belonged. From Major Rankin I learned that my brother, utterly -prostrated, had been sent to a hospital, either in Augusta or Madison. He -told me many other things of interest, which I cannot mention now, unless -I was compiling a history instead of a series of personal reminiscences. -Preferring not to stand upon the street, I asked Major Rankin to return -with me to Mrs. Craig's, which he did, and spent an hour in pleasant -conversation. Mrs. Craig was a delightful conversationalist, and while she -was entertaining the major with that fine art, I retired to a private -apartment, and with the aid of a pair of scissors ripped off the papers -from my underskirt and smoothed and folded them nicely, and after -re-arranging my toilet, took them into the parlor as a trophy of skill in -outwitting the Yankee. Telitha, too, had a trophy to which she had clung -ever since we left home with the tenacity of an eel, and which doubtless -she supposed to be an offering to "Marse Tom," and was evidently anxious -that he should receive it. Having dismissed Mrs. Grant's butler as no -longer necessary to my convenience, Major Rankin, myself and Telitha went -direct to the headquarters of his command. The papers seemed to be most -acceptable, but I noticed that the gleanings from conversation seemed far -more so. The hopefulness and enthusiasm of our soldiers were inspiring. -But alas! how little they knew of the situation, and how determined not to -be enlightened. Even then they believed that they would hold Atlanta -against Herculean odds, and scorned the idea of its surrender. At length -the opening of Telitha's package devolved on me. Shirts, socks and soap, -towels, gloves, etc., formed a compact bundle that my mother had sent to -our soldiers. Many cheery words were said, and good-byes uttered, and I -left them to meet once more under very different circumstances. - -I now turned my thoughts to our negroes, who were hired in different parts -of the city. Rachel, the mother of King, hired herself and rented a room -from Mr. John Silvey, who lived upon the same lot on Marietta street upon -which he has since erected his present elegant residence. In order that I -might have an interview with Rachel without disturbing Mr. Silvey's -family, I went to the side gate and called her. She answered and came -immediately. I asked her if she realized the great danger to which she was -continually exposed. Even then "shot and shell" were falling in every -direction, and the roaring of cannon was an unceasing sound. She replied -that she knew the danger, and thought I was doing wrong to be in Atlanta -when I had a home to be at. I insisted that she had the same home, and a -good vacant house was ready to receive her. But she was impervious to -every argument, and preferred to await the coming of Sherman in her -present quarters. Seeing that I had no influence over her, I bade her -good-bye and left. Telitha and I had not gone farther than the First -Presbyterian church (not a square away) from the gate upon which I had -leaned during this interview with Rachel, before a bombshell fell by that -gate and burst into a thousand fragments, literally tearing the gate into -pieces. Had I remained there one minute longer, my mortal being would have -been torn to atoms. After this fearfully impressive adventure, -unfortified by any "permit" I struck a bee line to Mrs. Grant's, having -promised her that I would go back that way and stop awhile. An old negro -man belonging to Mrs. Williams, who had "come out" on a previous occasion, -was there, and wanted to return under my protection to his home within the -enemy's lines. Very earnest assurances from Mrs. Grant to that effect -convinced me that I had nothing to fear from betrayal by him, and I -consented that he should be a member of my company homeward bound. Two -large packages were ready for the old man to take charge of, about which -Mrs. Grant gave him directions, _sotto voce_. Putting one of them on the -end of a walking cane he threw it over his right shoulder, and with his -left hand picked up the other bundle. Telitha and I were unencumbered. -With a good deal of trepidation I took the advance position in the line of -march, and walked briskly. We had not proceeded very far before we -encountered our pickets. No argument was weighty enough to secure for me -the privilege of passing the lines without an official permit. Baffled in -this effort, I approved the action of the pickets, and we turned and -retraced our steps in the direction of Atlanta, until entirely out of -sight of them, and then we turned southward and then eastward, verging a -little northward. Constant vigilance enabled me to evade the Yankee -pickets, and constant walking brought me safely to the home of my aged and -afflicted friends, from which I had started early in the morning of that -day. Not being tired, I could have gone home; but the policy of carrying -out the original programme is too apparent to need explanation. These -friends were conservative in every act and word, and, it may be, leaned a -little out of the perpendicular towards that "flaunting lie," the United -States flag; therefore they were favorites among the so-called defenders -of the Union, and were kept supplied with many palatable articles of food -that were entirely out of the reach of rebels who were avowed and "dyed in -the wool." - -A few minutes sufficed to furnish us with a fine pot of soup (and good -bread was not lacking), of which we ate heartily. The old negro man was -too anxious to get home to be willing to spend the night so near, just for -the privilege of walking into Decatur under Yankee escort, and said he was -"going home," and left me. - -The next day my escort was promptly on hand, and in due time I was in -Decatur, none the worse for having put into practice a favorite aphorism -of the Yankees, that "all things are fair in war." - -The old man had preceded me, and faithful to the behest of Mrs. Grant, had -turned over a valuable package to my mother. - -Not many mornings subsequent to the adventure just related, I discovered -upon opening the door that the Yankee tents seemed to be vacant. Not a -blue-coat was to be seen. What could it mean? Had they given up the -contest and ignominiously fled? As if confirmatory of the gratifying -suggestion, the booming of cannon in the direction of Atlanta was -evidently decreasing. Then again I thought perhaps the wagon train had -been sent out to forage upon the country, and as it would now have to go -forty-five and fifty miles to get anything, it required an immense -military escort to protect it from the dashing, sanguinary attacks of the -"rebels." The latter thought was soon dismissed and the former embraced, -and how consoling it was to me. Before the sun had attained its meridian -height, a number of our scouts appeared on the abandoned grounds; and what -joy their presence gave us! But they left us as suddenly as they came, and -on reflection we could not think of a single encouraging word uttered by -them during their stay. Suspense became intolerable. With occasional -lulls, the roaring of cannon was a continuous blending of ominous sound. - -In the midst of this awful suspense, an apparition, glorious and bright, -appeared in our presence. It was my brother. He had left Madison a few -days before, where he had been allowed to spend a part of his furlough, -instead of remaining at the Augusta hospital, and where he received the -tender ministrations of his estimable cousin, Mrs. Tom Hillsman, and her -pretty young daughters, and the loving care of his sister Missouri, who -was also at this time an inmate of her cousin's household. How I wished he -could have remained there until restored to health. One less patriotic and -conscientious would have done so. His mother's joy at meeting her beloved -son, and under such circumstances, was pathetic indeed, and I shall never -forget the effort she made to repress the tears and steady the voice as -she sought to nerve him for the arduous and perilous duties before him. -Much of his conversation, though hurried, was regarding his Mary, in -Texas, and the dear little boy dropped down from heaven, whom he had never -seen. The shades of night came on, and darker grew until complete -blackness enveloped the face of the earth, and still the low subdued tones -of conversation between mother, son and daughter, mingled with unabated -interest. Hark! Hark! An explosion! An earthquake? The angry bellowing -sound rises in deafening grandeur, and reverberates along the far-off -valleys and distant hilltops. What is it? This mighty thunder that never -ceases? The earth is ablaze--what can it be? This illumination that -reveals minutest objects? With blanched face and tearful eye, the soldier -said: - -"Atlanta has surrendered to the enemy. The mighty reports are occasioned -by the blowing up of the magazines and arsenals." - -Dumbfounded we stood, trying to realize the crushing fact. Woman's heart -could bear no more in silence, and a wail over departed hopes mingled with -the angry sounds without. - -Impelled by a stern resolve, and a spirit like to that of martyred saints, -our brother said: - -"This is no place for me. I must go." - -And then he put an arm around each of us, and kissed us with a fervor of -love that knew no bounds, and was quenching itself in unfathomable -hopeless tenderness. The quiet fortitude and patriotism of his mother gave -way in that dread hour, and she cried aloud in agonizing apprehension of -never again clasping to her bosom her greatest earthly joy. No pen can -describe the scene of that last parting between mother and son, and in -sheer impotency I drop the curtain. - -As he walked away from his sobbing mother, through the war-illuminated -village, I never beheld mortal man so handsome, so heroically grand. His -great tender heart, which I had seen heave and sway under less trying -circumstances, seemed to have ossified, and not an emotion was apparent. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII. - -THE TEN DAYS' ARMISTICE. - -Going out with the Confederate clothes--Scenes at Atlanta and at Lovejoy's -Station--The visit to Granbury's Brigade--The last interview with Thomie. - - -After every morsel of food had been taken from the people, and every -vestige of nutrition extracted from the earth, the following order, in -substance, was proclaimed throughout the land held by the right of -conquest: - -"All who cannot support themselves without applying to the United States -Commissary for assistance, must go outside of our lines, either north or -south, within the period of time mentioned in this order, etc., etc." - -And by this order, and by others even more oppressive and diabolical, the -Nero of the nineteenth century, alias William Tecumseh Sherman, was put -upon record as the born leader of the most ruthless, Godless band of men -ever organized in the name of patriotism--a band which, but for a few -noble spirits who, by the power of mind over matter, exerted a restraining -influence, would not have left a Southerner to tell the tale of -fiendishness on its route to the sea. - -And now, like Bill Nye, after one of his sententious and doubtless -truthful introductions to a Western sketch, I feel easier in my mind, and -will proceed with my reminiscences of that unholy period of this country, -and tell the truth about it, without favor or prejudice, if it kills me. -After this pronunciamento had been issued, all was bustle and rapid -movement in every household within the boundaries of usurpation. Under the -strong arm of military power, delay was not permitted. Homes were to be -abandoned, and household goods and household gods to be left for the -enemy, or destroyed; and liberty under our own vine and fig tree was to be -a thing of the past, and dependence upon strangers a thing of the future. -In preparation for this enforced change, much that should have been done -was left undone, but there was no time to correct mistakes--the armistice -was only for ten days. - -What were we to do, my mother and myself, was a question which presented -itself with startling seriousness, and had to be answered without delay. -Our farm in Gordon county had already been devastated by the invading -army, and every improvement destroyed, and if we should lose our home in -Decatur we would be poor indeed. But what were we to do? If we left our -home, we knew it would share the fate of all other "abandoned" property, -and furnish material for a bonfire for Nero to fiddle by; and if we -remained, by grace of better men than he, what assurance had we that by -any means within our grasp we could obtain even a scanty subsistence, or -be protected from personal abuse and insult by an alien army whose -gentlemen were vastly in the minority. - -We learned that our neighbors and friends, Mrs. Ammi Williams and her -estimable son, Mr. Frederick Williams, (an invalid from paralysis)--whose -influence over General Schofield prevented my banishment from Decatur the -very first night of its occupancy by the Federal army--and the venerable -Mr. and Mrs. Buchanan (the latter a Bostonian and educated in Emerson's -celebrated school for young ladies), and other families as true to the -South as the needle to the pole, were going to remain and take their -chances within the enemy's lines, and we determined to do so too. - -The officers in command of the post, especially the provost marshal, -interrogated us very closely regarding our plans and expectations during -the occupancy of the place by Federal forces. Having satisfied them that -our only remaining servant would do washing and ironing at reasonable -prices, and that we would do darning and repairing, we were given a -written permit to remain within the lines. - -I, however, had a work to do, a feat to perform, which for audacity and -courage, has seldom been surpassed, which would not admit of my staying at -home until I had made a little trip to Dixie. - -Knowing the value of his influence, I again went to Mr. Frederick -Williams, and confiding my plans to him, asked his assistance in getting -permission to go out and return during the armistice. I never knew what -argument he employed for the accomplishment of this object. I only know by -inference. But I received a letter from General Schofield, -adjutant-general, of which the subjoined is an exact transcript: - - "DECATUR, GA., Sept. 1, 1864. - -"MISS GAY--It was hard for me to reconcile my conscience to giving the -enclosed recommendation to one whose sentiments I cannot approve, but if I -have committed an error it has been on the side of mercy, and I hope I'll -be forgiven. Hereafter I hope you will not think of Yankees as all being -bad, and beyond the pale of redemption. - -"To-morrow I leave for my own home in the 'frozen North,' and when I -return it will be to fight for my country, and against your friends, so -that I suppose I shall not have the pleasure of again meeting you. - - Very respectfully, - J. W. CAMPBELL." - -And that Major Campbell's gallant act may be fully appreciated, I will add -the letter which secured for me the great favor which I had the temerity -to ask. - - "HEADQUARTERS, ARMY OF OHIO, - DECATUR, GA., Sept. 14, 1864. - -"MY DEAR COLONEL--I have the honor to introduce Miss Mary A. H. Gay, of -this village, and I recommend her case to your favorable consideration. I -do not know exactly what orders are now in force, but if you think you can -grant her desires without detriment to the public service, I am confident -the indulgence will not be abused. - - Very respectfully your obedient servant, - J. W. CAMPBELL. - -"To Colonel J. C. Parkhurst, Pro. Mar. Gen., Army of the Cumberland." - -Thus recommended by one high in army ranks, Colonel Parkhurst granted me -the privilege of going to see my young sister, then in Augusta, and -carrying anything I might have saved from the ravages of the war, -"unmolested." Fortified by these letters I went to the Provost Marshal in -Decatur and told him I would be ready to go to Atlanta to-morrow morning -at 8 o'clock, and I wanted to carry some old bed-clothing and other things -to my sister, and would be grateful for an ambulance, or an army wagon all -to myself, and an Irish driver. He promised that both should be at my -service at the time indicated--not, however, without the sarcastic remark -that "if the Yankees had been as bad as I had said they were, they would -not have left anything for me to carry." - -I ran to my mother and imparted to her the glad tidings of success, and in -a whispered conversation we soon had definite plans arranged for the -consummation of the perilous duty before me. I went to the Federal camp -and asked for some crocus sacks such as are used in the transportation of -grain, and quite a number were given to me. I shook them thoroughly inside -and out, and put them by. A ball of twine and some large needles had found -their way into the house. The needles were threaded and placed in -convenient proximity to the sacks. Telitha watched every movement with -interest and intuitively divined its import. The wardrobe was empty and my -very first touch moved it at least one inch in the desired direction, and -a helping hand from her soon placed it in favorable position. This much -being accomplished, I took a seat by my mother on the front door-steps -and engaged in a pleasant conversation with a group of young Federal -soldiers, who seemed much attached to us, and with whom I conversed with -unreserved candor, and often expressed regret that they were in hostile -array towards a people who had been goaded to desperation by infringement -upon constitutional rights by those who had pronounced the only ligament -that bound the two sections of the country together, "a league with hell, -and a covenant with the devil." This I proved to them by documents -published at the North, and by many other things of which they were -ignorant. - -While thus engaged, Captain Woodbury approached and said: "I learn that -you are going out into Dixie, Miss Gay." - -"Yes, for a few days," I replied. - -"I am prepared to furnish a more pleasant conveyance to Atlanta than the -one you have secured," said he, and continued, "I have a handsome new -buggy and a fine trotter, and it will take only a few minutes to reach -there. Will you accept a seat with me?" - -If all the blood within me had overflowed its proper channels, and rushed -to the surface, I could not have flushed more. I felt it in the commotion -of my hair, and in the nervous twitching of my feet. The indignation and -contempt that I felt for the man! That one who was aiding and abetting in -the devastation of my country and the spoliation of my home, should ask me -to take a seat with him in a buggy which he doubtless had taken, without -leave or license, from my countrymen, was presumptuous indeed, and -deserved a severe rebuke. But "prudence being the better part of valor," -I repressed all that would have been offensive in word and act, and -replied with suavity, "Thank you, Captain Woodbury, for the honor you -would have conferred upon me, but I cannot accept it." Receiving no reply, -I added: - -"Let me in candor make a statement to you, and I think you will approve -the motive that prompts my decision. I have not sought to conceal the fact -that my only brother is in the Confederate army; he is there from motives -purely patriotic, and not as a mercenary hireling. He is fighting for the -rights guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States, a constitution -so sacred that our people have never violated it in any particular, and of -which we have shown our highest appreciation by adopting it _verbatim_, as -the guiding star of the Southern Confederacy. You are in an army claiming -to be fighting for the Union, and yet the government that sent you out on -this glorious mission ignores every principle of fraternal relation -between the North and the South, and would subvert every fundamental -principle of self-government and establish upon the wreck a centralized -despotism. Could I, while you and I are so antagonistic, accept your offer -and retain your good opinion? I think not, and I prefer to go in the -conveyance already stipulated." - -Silence, without the slightest manifestation of anger, assured me that my -argument against taking a buggy drive with him to Atlanta had not been -lost on Captain Woodbury, of Ohio, a member of Garrard's Cavalry. - -After this episode we bade our callers "good-evening," went into the house -and busied ourselves with the important work before us--a work which -probably would not attract attention because of the darkness that would -surround the scene of its execution. The table and chair had been placed, -as once before, by the wardrobe already mentioned, and a little respite -was employed in viewing the situation. The door connecting our room and -this dining-room was generally kept shut. At length night came on with its -friendly, helpful darkness. The shutters of the windows had been closed -for weeks, and secured by nails, and the house had been too often searched -and plundered to be suspected of containing valuables. Therefore, we felt -that if no unusual sound attracted notice we would accomplish our object -unsuspected. But I was anxious and nervous in view of what was before me, -and wanted the perilous work over with. So when the darkness of night -fully enshrouded the earth, with no other light than that which found its -way from the camp-fires of the enemy through the latticed shutters, I -stepped into the chair and thence upon the table, and Telitha followed and -drew the chair up after her. Then with her strong dusky hands she seized -the wardrobe as if it had been a toy in her hands. I steadied the chair by -the wardrobe and stepped into it, and another step landed me on top of the -wardrobe. My fingers penetrated the crevice between the slats which I -wanted to pull off, and to a slight effort they yielded. Lest the noise -occasioned by dropping them might attract notice, I stooped and laid each -piece down as I drew it off the joist. When the aperture thus made was -sufficient, I began to draw from their hiding place the precious -Confederate overcoats and other winter apparel confided to my keeping (as -already related), by soldiers of General Joseph E. Johnston's army, when -they were at Dalton. One by one each piece was taken out and dropped down -upon the floor. But by a lamentable oversight we afterwards found that one -article had been left--a woolen scarf for the neck, knitted for my brother -by his loving young wife in Texas. - -Carefully I descended, and, with the aid of the girl, placed the chair, -the table, and the dear old wardrobe (which deserves to be immortalized in -song and story), in less suspicious positions, and then proceeded to pack -in the sacks, already mentioned, the precious articles. The thought -occurred to me that my mother would like to have a hand in this labor of -love, and I opened the door between us. I shall never forget her -appearance as she stood as if riveted to the spot, near a window, watching -the moving figures without. I approached her and in a cheerful whisper -told her that I was now putting the things in the sacks, and I knew she -would like to have an interest in the job. She tried to respond, but she -was too nervous to do so. Slowly but surely she was yielding to the -pressure upon nerve and brain. As each sack was filled, a threaded needle -securely closed the mouth. In a short while a number of these sacks stood -in a group, as erect as if on parade, and I verily believe that if the -host of profane, godless braggarts (with but few exceptions) who -surrounded the house could have seen them at that time and known their -contents, they would have evacuated Decatur in mortal fear of the ghosts -of "Johnnie Rebs." - -This important work having been accomplished without discovery or even a -shadow of suspicion, I felt vastly relieved, and thanked the Lord with all -my heart for the health, strength, and ingenuity which had enabled me to -consummate it. My mother and I lay down upon the same bed, and were soon -blessed with the invigorating influence of "tired nature's sweet -restorer." - -The song of the lark had ceased to be heard in this war-stricken locality; -chanticleer had long since furnished a savory meal for camp followers, and -the time-pieces had either been spoiled or stolen; but there was a silent, -unerring chronometer within that never deviated, and needed no alarm -attachment to arouse me from slumber, and the dawn found me up and -preparing for the duties and perhaps the dangers of the day. - -Telitha had become quite an attraction to a bevy of men who occupied -soldiers' quarters, and wore soldiers' uniforms, and drew pay for doing -so, from Uncle Sam's coffers; and as she had been trained to ideas of -virtue and morality she often came in frowning and much ruffled in temper -by their deportment towards her. Being almost entirely deaf and dumb, her -limited vocabulary was inadequate to supply epithets expressive of the -righteous indignation and contempt which she evidently felt--she could -only say, "Devil Yank, devil," and these words she used with telling -effect both to the amusement and chagrin of the Yankees. This state of -affairs convinced me that for her protection she would have to be kept -within doors, and I therefore assumed the task of drawing the water, and a -few other jobs indispensable even in life's rudest state. On this -occasion, when I went to the well for a bucket of water, before preparing -our frugal breakfast, I was asked by early marauders why I did not let -"that young colored lady draw the water." I candidly answered them, and -told them I was going to ask the officers of the encampment to protect her -while I was gone, and I also would ask them to report any misdemeanor -toward her, that they might witness, at headquarters. - -After a good night's rest my mother's nerves seemed all right again, and -by 7 o'clock we had finished our breakfast, which consisted of bread and -butter and coffee--the latter luxurious beverage being furnished by one -whose heart was in touch with humanity. That the aperture in the ceiling -of the dining room might not be discovered until I got the contraband -goods out of the house, I had brought the sacks containing them into the -adjoining room, and it was therefore the work of a very few minutes to -convey them to the wagon, when that vehicle, drawn by a span of fine -horses, under the guidance of the Irish driver, drove up to the front -door. "Put those sacks into the wagon," I said, pointing to them. When the -last one of them was stored away safely in that moving repository, one of -those feelings of relief and security came over me that had more than once -given me courage to brave successfully impending danger--and I donned my -hat, and bade my mother and the faithful girl an almost cheerful -"Good-bye," and took my seat by the driver, _en route_ for Dixie. Would I -get there? Ah! that was the question that had blanched my mother's cheek -when I said "Good-bye." But hope, etc., "eternal in the human breast," -whispered "yes," and thus encouraged, I spoke grateful words to the Irish -driver, and asked him many questions about the land of the shamrock and -sunny blue skies. He was evidently flattered by my favorable knowledge of -the Emerald Isle, and would have done anything within his power for me. -God bless the Irish forever! - -I asked him to drive under my direction to the residence of my estimable -friends, Mr. and Mrs. Posey Maddox, the parents of the accomplished and -erudite Charles K. Maddox, of Atlanta. To my great joy I saw wagons in the -yard, already laden with their household goods, to be carried to the depot -and turned over to the Federal authorities, who assumed the transportation -of them to Jonesboro and the safe delivery of them to the Confederate -authorities, who in turn assumed the transportation and delivery of them -to the nearest Confederate station. Mr. Maddox had secured the use of an -entire freight car, and gladly consented to take me and my baggage in with -theirs. Mrs. Maddox was particularly glad to have me go with them, and to -her I confided the character of my baggage, and received in return many -words of sympathy and approbation. Those who have studied mythical lore, -and dwelt in imagination upon the attributes of mythical characters, -especially those of an evil nature, can perhaps form some idea of the -confusion and disquiet of an entire city yielding its possession to an -alien army, which now, that success had been achieved by brute force, was -bent upon the utter impoverishment of the people, and their extreme -humiliation. Curses and imprecations too vile to repeat, and boisterous -laughter, and vulgar jests resounded through the streets of Atlanta. -Federal wagons followed in the tracks of Confederate wagons, and after a -few light articles were placed in the latter for Southern destination, the -former unblushingly moved up to receive pianos and other expensive -furniture which found its way into every section of the North. And this -highway robbery was permitted by William Tecumseh Sherman, the Grand Mogul -of the Army of the Republic. Truly had the city of Atlanta been turned -into a veritable pandemonium. - -At length our time came to move in the worse than death-like processions -going southward, and in a short while we were at Jonesboro, our -destination, so far as Federal aid extended. As soon as I stepped from the -car I wended my way to the Confederate officer of the day, whom I -recognized by his regalia, and told him of my success in concealing and -bringing out of Federal lines the winter clothing of our soldiers. He -listened with polite attention and said it was a wonderfully interesting -story, but altogether improbable. - -"Go with me and I will prove to you the truthfulness of it," I eagerly -said. - -As it was a bleak equinoctial day, and drizzling rain, Mr. and Mrs. Maddox -had not yet left their car (by way of parenthesis, I would say that the -favors shown to these excellent people was in consideration of Mr. Maddox -being a very prudent minister of the gospel), and, when we reached it, I -asked Mr. Maddox to roll one of my sacks to the door. He did so, and I -then asked the officer to examine its contents. A blade of a pen-knife -severed the twine with which the edges of the mouth had been sewed -together, and the loved familiar gray and brass buttons, and other -articles, verified the truth of my statement. He looked amazed, and -exhausted his vocabulary of flattering encomiums upon me, and, what was -more desirable and to the point, he asked what he could do in the matter, -and assured me that there was nothing within the range of his jurisdiction -that he would not do. I told him that the object of my coming to him was -to ask that he send me and my precious charge to General Granbury's -headquarters, as, among other overcoats, I had one of his in charge, as -well as many other things belonging to his staff officers. He told me the -finest span of Confederate horses and the best ambulance on the ground -should be at my service as soon as possible. - -During the interim, I opened wide my eyes and took in the situation in all -its horrible details. The entire Southern population of Atlanta, with but -an occasional exception, and that of many miles in its vicinity, were -dumped out upon the cold ground without shelter and without any of the -comforts of home, and an autumnal mist or drizzle slowly but surely -saturating every article of clothing upon them; and pulmonary diseases in -all stages admonishing them of the danger of such exposure. Aged -grandmothers tottering upon the verge of the grave, and tender maidens in -the first bloom of young womanhood, and little babes not three days old in -the arms of sick mothers, driven from their homes, were all out upon the -cold charity of the world. - -Apropos, I will relate an incident that came under my observation during -my brief stay at this station: When one of the long trains from Atlanta -rolled in with its living freight and stopped at the terminus, a queenly -girl, tall and lithe in figure and willowy in motion, emerged from one of -the cars, and stood, the embodiment of feminine grace, for a moment upon -the platform. In less time than it takes to chronicle the impression, her -Grecian beauty, classic expression and nobility of manner, had -daguerreotyped themselves upon the tablets of my memory never to be -effaced by mortal alchemy. The pretty plain debeige dress, trimmed with -Confederate buttons and corresponding ribbon, all conspired to make her -appear, even to a casual observer, just what she was--a typical Southern -girl who gloried in that honor. She stood only a moment, and then, as if -moved by some divine inspiration, she stepped from the car, and falling -upon her knees, bent forward and kissed the ground. This silent -demonstration of affection for the land of Dixie touched a vibrating -chord, and a score or more of beautiful girlish voices blended in sweetest -harmony while they told in song their love for Dixie. I listened -spellbound, and was not the only one thus enchanted. A United States -officer listened and was touched to tears. Approaching me, he asked if I -would do him the favor to tell him the name of the young lady who kissed -the ground. - -"I do not think she would approve of my telling you her name, and I -decline to do so," I said in reply. Not in the least daunted by this -rebuff he responded: "I shall learn it; and if she has not already become -the wife or the affianced of another, I shall offer her the devotion of my -life." - -The Confederate officer of the day, God forever bless him! came for me. -The army wagon was ready and standing by Mr. Posey Maddox's car, waiting -to receive its precious freight, and a few minutes sufficed to transfer it -from car to wagon, and, after waiting to see the last sack securely placed -in the wagon, I, too, got in and took my seat by the driver. A long cold -drive was before us, but I was so robust I had no fear of the result. - -The driver was a veritable young Jehu, and we got over the ground rapidly; -but, owing to a mistake in following directions, it was a long time before -we reached our destination, the course of which must have been due west -from Jonesboro, and through a dense forest. And oh, the beauty of that -forest! It will remain a living, vivid memory, as long as life endures. -Its rich and heavy foliage had been but lightly tinged by the frosts of -autumn, and it was rendered more beautiful by the constant dripping of -rain drops from every leaf and blossom. As the evening came on, dense, -impenetrable clouds canopied the earth, and shut out every ray of -sunlight, and almost every ray of hope. At length night came on, dark and -weird, and silent, and we were still in the woods, without compass or -star. - -Just as my brave heart was about to succumb to despair, a vision of -delight burst upon me--a beacon light, yea, hundreds of beacon lights, -appeared before me, and filled my soul with joy. The camp-fires of General -Cleburne's brave men beckoned us onward, and gave us friendly greeting. -Every revolution of the wagon wheels brought us perceptibly nearer the -haven of rest. Sabbath-like quiet reigned throughout the encampment. No -boisterous sounds nor profane imprecations broke the stillness. But there -was a sound that reached my ear, filling my soul with joy unspeakable. A -human voice it was. I had heard it before in the slight wail of infancy; -in the merry prattle of childhood; in the melodious songs of youth; in the -tender, well-modulated tones of manhood; and now--there was no mistaking -it--in the solemn, earnest invocation to the Lord of Hosts for the -salvation of the world, for the millenial dawn, and that "peace on earth, -and good will to men," which would never again be broken by the clarion of -war, or earth's rude alarms. No sweeter voice ever entered the courts of -Heaven. - -My obliging young driver stopped the horses at a favorable distance, and I -heard the greater part of that grand prayer, and wept for joy. When it was -finished, we moved on, and were hailed by a sentinel who demanded the -countersign, I believe it is called. The driver satisfied him, and calling -to a soldier, I asked him if he knew Lieutenant Stokes. "Like a book," he -answered. "Please tell him his sister Mary is here," I said. In a moment I -was clasped in his arms with the holy pressure of a brother's love. His -first thought on seeing me was that some calamity must have occurred, and -he said, "Sister, is Ma or Missouri dead?" "No, Thomie, but Toby is." - -His brave head bowed low and he wept--sobbed audibly. I told him of Toby's -loving mention of him, and of the boy's hope of Heaven. After his natural -paroxysm of grief had subsided, he looked up, and with an ineffable smile, -said: - -"Sister, I know you have a secret to tell--what is it?" - -"It is this; I have saved all those precious things that were sent to me -from Dalton, and I have brought them to deliver to their rightful owners. -Help me to do so as quickly as possible, that I may go back to Jonesboro -to-night." - -Had a bombshell exploded at his feet, the effect could not have been more -electrical. He bounded to General Granbury's tent with the agility of a -deer; he told the news to him and the others assembled there; and he came -back, and they all came with him; and had I been a magician, I could not -have been an object of greater interest. General Granbury protested -against my return to Jonesboro through the darkness of the night, and -offered his tent for my occupancy, saying he would go in with some of the -other officers. Colonel Robert Young, a friend of years' standing, was -also earnest in his efforts to keep me from carrying out my purpose to go -back, and I gave it up. I knew that I was with friends, and permitted -myself to be lifted out of the wagon and conducted to the General's tent. -I took a seat upon a camp stool which was placed for me about the center -of the tent. The General and his staff officers sat around, and my dear -brother was very near me. Thus arranged, a conversation was commenced -which continued with slight interruptions into the "wee sma' hours" of the -night. Colonel Young seemed to have something upon his mind which rendered -him indifferent to society, or some duty to perform which required his -attention outside the tent. At length, however, he came to the door and -asked my brother to come out awhile. In a short time both of them came in -together, and Colonel Young, after asking us to excuse the interruption of -the conversation, remarked that there was something outside that he would -like for us to see. My brother took me by the hand and led me out in front -of the tent, and all the officers stood in a group around. Imagine my -surprise when I perceived a long line of soldiers before us, and an -officer on horseback galloping from one end of the line to the other. I -ventured to ask my brother if they were going to have a moonlight drill -without the moon? He smiled, and a faint pressure of the hand indicated -that there was something on the tapis that would please me, but I must -wait until it was revealed to others as well. In much less time than it -has taken to record this episode a signal was given, and one of the -grandest cheers ever heard by mortal man resounded through the midnight -darkness and the dense forest, and was echoed over hill and dale. Another -signal and another cheer, and yet another of each, and I broke down -completely and cried heartily. What had I done that my name should thus be -honored by men enduring all the hardships of warfare and fighting for my -principles; and yet to me it was the most acceptable compliment ever paid -to living woman. I often fancy I hear those voices now blending in one -grand harmonious shout of praise to the great God of Heaven and earth, who -has doubtless given rest to many of those weary ones. - -Once more in General Granbury's tent, at the earnest solicitation of all -present, I continued the rehearsal of all the Federal army news that I had -gleaned from close perusal of the United States newspapers and from -careless and unsuspicious talkers. General Granbury was evidently startled -when I told him that I had heard Federal officers say "Hood was working to -their hand precisely in going back to Tennessee, as Thomas was there with -an army that was invincible, and would whip him so bad that there would -not be a Johnnie Reb left to tell the tale;" and they criticised severely -the "generalship" of giving an invading army unobstructed route to the -goal of their ambition, which, in this case, was South Carolina. I was -asked by one of my auditors to give my impression of the situation, and I -did so. As I described the magnitude of the Federal army, and its -vindictive spirit as I had seen it, and its implacable feeling towards the -South, I saw a shade of sadness pass over the noble faces of all present. -"Have you lost hope of the ultimate success of our cause?" was a question -I was compelled to answer, because anxiously asked. I, however, imitated a -Yankee by asking a question in reply, as to what our resources were, and -if they were deemed adequate to cope with a foe which had the world to -draw from, both for men and means? "But have you lost hope?" was the -question I was called upon to answer without equivocation. - -Silence and tears which would well up were interpreted to mean what my -tongue refused to speak. My brother perceiving this, put his hand on mine -as it lay motionless upon my lap, and said, "Cheer up, sister mine; if you -could have seen 'Old Pat's' men on drill this afternoon, you would think -we are some ourselves." - -Colonel Young continued to seem very much engaged outside, and, since the -demonstration in my honor, had given us only an occasional glimpse of -himself. At length he came to the door and said, "Lieutenant, I should -like to speak to you." My brother responded to the call, and soon returned -and said: "As there is a hard day's march before us for to-morrow, we must -let the General get a little sleep, and this brave sister of mine must -need it, too. Come, let me conduct you to your room." - -Good-byes were spoken that night which, in the providence of God, were -destined never to be repeated, and Thomie and Colonel Young led the way to -a bran new tent, never used before, and opened the door that I might -enter. Thomie said, "My room is next to yours, sister. Pleasant dreams, -and refreshing slumbers," and he kissed me good night. "Good night, dear -brother." "Good night, dear friend," said I, as he and Colonel Young left -the tent. By the dim light I surveyed the "room" and its furnishings, and -wept to think that dear Confederate soldiers had deprived themselves of -comforts that I might be comfortable. A handsome buffalo robe lay on the -ground; and a coat nicely folded for a pillow, and a gray blanket for a -cover, invited me to repose. A small pan of water for morning ablution, -and a towel, and a mirror about the size of a silver dollar, and a comb -and brush, furnished every needed convenience. I removed the skirt of my -dress that it might not be wrinkled in the morning, and my mantle for the -same cause, and lay down and slept, oh, how sweetly, under the protecting -care of those noble men, until awakened by the sweet familiar voice of my -brother, saying, "Get up, sister, or you will not be ready for the -roll-call," was his never-to-be-forgotten morning salutation. "As a short -horse is soon curried," it required only a few moments to make myself -presentable, and just as I was about announcing myself in that condition, -Thomie again appeared at the door with a plate containing my breakfast in -one hand, and a tin cup containing a decoction, which he called coffee, in -the other. "Here is your breakfast, sister;" and he added, "the ambulance -is waiting to carry you to Lovejoy's station. Lieutenant Jewell and myself -have been detailed to accompany you there." - -The army wagons were already falling in line one after another and moving -onward in a northwesterly direction; and what remained of the infantry and -cavalry of that once magnificent army, which so often had achieved -victory under General Joseph E. Johnston, had made their last grand -bivouac on Georgia soil, and were moving onward in the line of march to -Tennessee, under the command of Hood. They were leaving many a gallant -comrade who had bitten the dust and drenched the soil of Georgia with -their life-blood, and although they must have feared that the flag they -loved so well was now leading them to defeat, yet not one of those true -hearts would have deserted it for the wealth of India. As they marched in -a different direction from that I was going to take, and the demand for -rapid movement was imperative, I could not follow them long with my eye, -but the memory of the little I saw will ever be fresh, and, like an -inspiration yet to me, their bayonets glittered in a perfect halo of -glory, for the mists and clouds of the preceding day had passed away -during the night, and a blue sky and bright sun gladdened the earth. - -The two young lieutenants took seats opposite to me in the ambulance. Thus -arranged, I caught every movement and look of that dear brother from whom -I was so soon to part. He never looked more handsome, or appeared to -greater advantage. I was his guest, and he entertained me with a "feast of -reason and a flow of soul." At my request he sang some of the songs of -"auld lang syne," but he preferred to talk of our mother and our sister. -He recalled incidents of his childhood, and laughed heartily over some of -them. He spoke of his Mary in Texas and his love for her, and he took from -his vest pocket the impression of the foot and hand of his only child, a -dear little boy whom he had never seen, and kissed them, then folded them -carefully and put them back in his pocket and said: - -"I must hurry back to Texas." - -But back of all this glee and apparent hopefulness I saw, in characters -unmistakable, that he was almost bereft of hope, and sustained only by -Christian resignation. - -We knew, by the immense crowd of people standing and sitting around on -improvised seats, that we were approaching the station. The two soldiers -got out of the ambulance with the elasticity of youth and health, and -Thomie assisted me out. I stood for a moment, as if uncertain where to go, -and Lieutenant Jewell grasped my hand and said: - -"Good-bye, dear Miss Mary!" and stepped back into the wagon and resumed -his seat. - -Seeing a large, square old house, which appeared to be full of people, -Thomie and I advanced toward it a few steps. Suddenly, as if admonished -that a soldier's duties should have precedence over everything else, he -took me in his arms and kissed me fervently once, twice, thrice. I -understood for whom they were intended--that trio of kisses. Not a word -did he speak, and when he turned his back on me I saw him brush off the -silent tears, and more than one step was uneven before his nerves became -steady and he ready to report for duty. I felt intuitively that I should -never look upon his face again, and I watched him with riveted eyes until -I could no longer see him, and then I gazed upon the vehicle containing -him until it, too, disappeared forever from my sight. Then, and not till -then, I gave way to pent-up sorrow, and cried as one without -hope--unreservedly. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX. - -THE RETURN HOME. - -From Jonesboro via Augusta--Scenes and Incidents by the way--The lonely -journey from Stone Mountain to Decatur. - - -Dazed by a full realization that my brother and every male relative and -friend were in the octopus arms of war, cruel and relentless, I stood -riveted to the spot where my brother had parted from me, until a gentle -hand touched my shoulder, and a pleasant voice gave me friendly greeting. -Turning I saw Mrs. Anderson, sister of the brave and gallant Robert -Alston, whose tragic fate is known to every reader in this country. - -"I am glad to see you. I have just seen your brother Robert," I said. - -"Where? Where? Do tell me that I may go to him!" cried his devoted sister, -laughing and weeping alternately. - -Having ascertained that the long train of exiles would not leave the -station for several hours, I offered to conduct the tender-hearted woman -to the camp-fire of her brother. The route took me over the same ground -which only a few moments ago I had traveled with my own dear brother; and -along which I had seen so vividly a lean, gaunt, phantom hand pointing at -his retreating form. Even the horses' tracks and the ruts made by the -wheels could be plainly traced by their freshness and the yet quivering -sands; and as I gazed upon them, I fancied they were connecting links -between me and him which were binding our souls together, and which I -would never grow weary in following. These reflections were often -disturbed by questions about "my dear brother Robert," and by alternate -sobs and laughter. The distance seemed much greater, now that I was -walking it, but at length we attained our destination, the headquarters of -a few of General John Morgan's gallant defenders of Southern homes and -firesides. It would require the descriptive power of a Sims or a Paul -Hayne to give an adequate idea of the meeting on this occasion of this -demonstrative brother and sister. I will not undertake to do so. He, too, -was ready to move in that disastrous campaign, which lost to us the _creme -de la creme_ of the Army of the Tennessee, and which aided, as if planned -by the most astute Federal tactician, Sherman, in his "march to the sea." - -During the interview between Colonel Alston and his sister, it developed -to him that his pretty home had been abandoned to the tender mercies of -the enemy by the family in whose care he had left it, and that the Yankees -had shipped his wife's elegant European piano, mirrors and furniture, as -well as his library, cut glass and Dresden china to the North; and, -besides, in the very malignity of envy and sectional hate, had mutilated -and desecrated his house in a shameful manner. His imprecations were -fearful; and his vows to get even with the accursed Yankees were even -more so. The lamb of a few moments ago was transformed into a lion, -roaring and fierce. He accompanied his sister and myself on our return to -the station; and never will I forget that walk. - -The station reached, the scene of separation of brother and sister was -again enacted, and he, too, went to battle-fields, sanguinary and -relentless, she to peaceful retreats undisturbed by cannon's roar. - -Here, as at Jonesboro, the face of the earth was literally covered with -rude tents and side-tracked cars, which were occupied by exiles from -home--defenseless women and children, and an occasional old man tottering -on the verge of the grave, awaiting their turn to be transported by -over-taxed railroads farther into the constantly diminishing land of their -love. During the afternoon I boarded an already well-filled south-bound -train, and moved about among its occupants as if at home. For were we not -one people, the mothers, wives and sisters of Confederates? The diversity -of mind, disposition and temper of this long train of representative women -and children of Atlanta, and many miles contiguous, who were carrying -minds and hearts brimful of memories never to be obliterated, but rather -to harden into asphalt preservation, was illustrated in various ways. Some -laughed and talked and jested, and infused the light and warmth of their -own sunny natures into others less hopeful; some were morose and churlish, -and saw no hope in the future and were impatient with those who did see -the silver lining beyond the dark cloud suspended over us; and some very -plainly indicated that if our cause failed, they would lose all faith in a -prayer-answering God; and others saw wisdom and goodness in all His ways -and dispensations, and were willing to submit to any chastisement if it -only brought them nearer to the Mercy Seat. - -After many delays and adventures, not of sufficient importance to relate, -I reached Griswoldville. Here I was received with open arms by that good -old father and mother in Israel, Rev. Dr. John S. Wilson and his wife, and -his excellent family, whom I found residing in an old freight car. But -they were living in a palace compared to many of their neighbors and -friends, who had scarcely a shelter to protect them from the inclemency of -the weather. Every moment of time with these good people was spent in -answering questions and receiving blessings. Not long after this pleasant -meeting, Stoneman's raiders came into Griswoldville, and the household -effects of Dr. Wilson's family were consumed by devouring torches. All -their winter clothing, the doctor's library and his manuscript sermons, -were burned to ashes. These sermons were the result of the study and -experience of forty years. But this grand old soldier of the cross, -although on the verge of threescore years and ten, faltered not; for his -eye was fixed on the goal of his heavenly inheritance. Wherever he went, -he still preached, and died a few years afterwards at his post in Atlanta, -having missed but two preaching appointments in all his ministry, one of -these on the Sabbath before he died. - -By a circuitous route, which I can now scarcely recall, in the course of -time I reached Augusta, the beautiful. I wended my way through the -crowded thoroughfares to the residence of friends on Green street, where -my sister had sojourned for several weeks, far from the distracting -confusion of warfare. After all these long and varied years, I never see -that Elysian street without feeling as if I would like to kneel and kiss -the ground whereon she found surcease of hostile tread and rancorous foe. - -I could scarcely approach the house, in exterior beautiful in all that -makes a home attractive. I feared that within sorrowful tidings might -await me. No word of the absent sister had come through the enemy's lines -since they were first established, and now I dreaded to hear. More than -once I stood still and tried to nerve myself for the worst tidings that -could be communicated. And then I ascended the stone steps and rang the -door-bell. When the butler came, I hurriedly asked if Miss Stokes was in. -As if apprehending my state of feelings, he answered with a broad African -grin: "She is, ma'am." - -The pressure of a mountain was removed from my heart, and with a lighter -step than I had taken for some time I entered that friendly portal, a -welcome guest. A moment sufficed for him to carry the joyous tidings of my -presence to my sister, and, as if by magic, she was with me. O, the joy -and the sadness of our meeting! To say that each of us was glad beyond our -ability to express it, would be a tame statement; and yet neither of us -was happy. There was too much sadness connected with ourselves and our -country to admit of happiness; yet the report of our mother's fortitude -and usually good health, and the hopeful spirit of our brother, and his -numerous messages of love and playful phraseology, cheered my sister so -much that she rallied and did all she could to render my brief stay with -her as pleasant as possible. And there was a charm in her sweet voice and -pleasant words that were soothing to me, and did much to assuage my own -grief. Nor were our good friends wanting in efforts of like character. -They, too, had drank deep of Marah's bitter waters. Two noble boys, yet in -their teens, had been laid upon the sacrificial altar, an oblation to -their country. And a fair young girl had gone down into the tomb, as much -a sacrifice to Southern rights as if slain on the battle-field. One other -girl and her war-stricken parents survived, and they were devoting their -lives to the encouragement of those similarly bereaved. - -Although I knew it would pain her greatly, I thought it would be wrong to -leave without telling my sister about Toby's death, and, therefore, I told -her. Like our brother, she wept, but not as one without hope. She had been -his spiritual instructor, and thoroughly taught him the great and yet easy -plan of salvation; and I have never doubted that he caught on to it, and -was supported by the arm of Jesus, as he "passed through the dark valley -and the shadow of death." - -The time for leaving this peaceful retreat came, and was inexorable; nor -would I have stayed if I could. There was a widowed mother, whose head was -whitened, not so much by the frost of winters as by sorrow and care, grief -and bereavement, awaiting my coming--oh, so anxiously! Waiting to hear -from the soldier son, who, even for her sake, and that of his gentle -young wife and baby boy in Texas, would listen to no plan of escape from -the dangers involved by his first presidential vote. Waiting to hear from -the fair young daughter, whom she preferred to banish from home rather -than have her exposed to the rude chances of war. That she might not be -kept in painful suspense, I determined not to linger on the way. I, -therefore, took the morning train on the good old reliable Georgia -Railroad for Social Circle. The parting from my sister pained me -exceedingly; but I knew she had put her trust in the Lord, and He would -take care of her. It may be asked why I did not have the same faith -regarding the preservation of my brother. He, too, was a Christian. "He -that taketh the sword shall perish by the sword," is a divine assertion, -and it was constantly repeating itself in my ears; yea, I had heard him -repeat it with emphasis. - -The trip from Augusta to Social Circle was replete with melancholy -interest, and differed very materially from the trip from Atlanta to -Jonesboro. Here those who had the courage to do so were returning to their -homes, and were on the _qui vive_ for every item of news obtainable from -within the enemy's lines; but nothing satisfactory encouraged their hope -of better treatment. One marked difference appeared in the character of -those who were venturing homeward. There was scarcely any young -persons--not a single young lady. The good old mother railroad was very -deliberate in her movements, and gave her patrons time to get acquainted -and chat a little on the way, and this we did without restraint. - -We discussed the situation, and narrated our diversified experiences, and -this interchange of thought and feeling brought us very near together, and -made us wondrous kind to one another. At one of the stations at which the -train stopped, and had to wait a long while, I saw several of the young -soldiers from Decatur. Among them was Ryland Holmes, and, I think, Mose -Brown. - -About a dozen ladies were going within the enemy's lines and would there -separate for their respective homes. We agreed to hire a wagon team and -driver at Social Circle, that we might take it "turn about" in riding to -Stone Mountain. As I was the only one going beyond that point, I -determined to take my chance from there for getting to Decatur, and go on -foot if need be. Our plan was successful, as, after much effort, we -obtained an old rickety wagon, which had doubtless done good service in -its day, and a yoke of mis-mated oxen, and a negro driver. For this -equipage we paid an enormous sum, and, thinking we ought to have the full -benefit of it, we all got into the wagon to take a ride. Compassion for -the oxen, however, caused first one and then another to descend to the -ground, and march in the direction of home, sometimes two abreast and -sometimes in single file. Night overtook us at a house only a short -distance from the Circle, and in a body we appealed for shelter beneath -its roof. The man of the family was at home, under what circumstances I -have never heard, and to him we appealed, and from him we received an -ungracious "permit" to stay in his house. Seeing no inviting prospects for -rest and repose, I established myself in a corner and took out of my -reticule some nice German wool that had been given to me by my friends in -Augusta, and cast on the stitches for a throat-warmer, or, in the parlance -of that day, "a comforter." Mine host watched the process with much -interest. When the pattern developed, he admired it, and expressed a wish -to have one like it. Glad of the privilege to liquidate my indebtedness -for the prospective night's shelter, I told him if he would furnish the -material I would knit him one just like it. The material seemed to be in -waiting, and was brought forward, soft, pretty lambs' wool thread, and I -put it in my already well-filled hand satchel to await future -manipulation. The accommodation in the way of bedding was inadequate, and -more than one of our party passed a sleepless night; but what mattered it? -Were we not Confederate soldiers, or very near akin to them? - -As the first sunbeams were darting about among the tree tops, I donned my -bonnet and bade adieu to our entertainers, and started on my journey -homeward, walking. Being in the very vigor of womanhood, and in perfect -health, I never experienced the sensation of fatigue, and I verily believe -I could have walked to my desolated home sooner than the most of the -resources within our means could have carried me; and I was impatient -under the restraint and hindrance of slow teams. Hence my start in advance -of the other ladies. And I wanted to be alone. The pent-up tears were -constantly oozing out of my eyes and trickling down my face, and I wanted -to open the flood-gates and let them flow unrestrainedly. I wanted to cry -aloud like a baby. I plunged into the woods, for the seldom traveled road -was scarcely a barrier to perfect solitude. I walked rapidly, and closed -my eyes to all the attractions of nature lest they divert my mind, and -appease my hungry heart. I wanted to cry, and was even then doing so, -before I got ready for it. At length I came to a rivulet of crystal water, -as pure as the dew drops of Arcadia. I sat down beside it and mingled the -anguished tears of my very soul with its sparkling, ever-changing, -nectarian waters. I bathed my hot face and hands in the pellucid stream, -and still the lachrymal fountain flowed on. I thought of my lonely mother, -surrounded by those who were seeking the subversion of all that her heart -held dear, and I cried. I thought of my brother--of his toilsome marches -and weary limbs, and of his consecrated life--and I cried. I thought of -the fair young sister, still hopeful in early womanhood, and I refused to -be comforted, and wept bitterly. In this disconsolate frame of mind, I was -ready to give up all hope and yield to direful despair. At this fearful -crisis a still, small voice whispered, "Peace, be still!" The glamour of -love invested sky and earth with supernal glory. The fountain of tears -ceased to flow, and I looked around upon the handiwork of the Great -Supreme Being in whose creation I was but an atom, and wondered that He -should have been mindful of me--that He should have given surcease of -agony to my sorrowing soul. All nature changed as if by magic, and the -witchery of the scene was indescribable. The pretty wildwood flowers, as I -bent my admiring gaze upon them, seemed to say in beautiful silent -language, "Look aloft." The birds, as they trilled their morning -roundelay, said in musical numbers, "Look aloft;" and the merry rivulet at -my feet affected seriousness, and whispered, "Look aloft." Thus -admonished, "in that moment of darkness, with scarce hope in my heart," I -looked aloft--looked aloft. - -By and by the ladies came in sight, some walking and others riding in the -wagon; and I pitied most those who were in the wagon. As soon as they were -within speaking distance, one of the ladies said: "You should have stayed -for breakfast. It was quite appetizing." Reminded of what I had lost, I -was led to compare it with what I had gained, and I would not have -exchanged loss and gain for anything in the world. I had to admit, -however, that there was a vacuum that needed replenishing; but I was -inured to hunger, and, save a passing thought, I banished all desire for -food, and thought only of the loved ones, so near and yet so far, and in -spite of myself the fountain of tears was again running over. - -The long tramp to Stone Mountain was very lonely. Not a living thing -overtook or passed us, and we soon crossed over the line and entered a -war-stricken section of country where stood chimneys only, where lately -were pretty homes and prosperity, now departed. Ah, those chimneys -standing amid smoldering ruins! No wonder they were called "Sherman's -sentinels," as they seemed to be keeping guard over those scenes of -desolation. The very birds of the air and beasts of the field had fled to -other sections. By constant and unflagging locomotion we reached Stone -Mountain sometime during the night. We went to the hotel and asked shelter -and protection, and received both, but not where to lay our heads, as -those who had preceded us had filled every available place. I had friends -in the village, but I had no assurance that they had remained at home and -weathered the cyclone of war. Therefore, early in the morning, hungry and -footsore, I started all alone walking to Decatur. The solitude was -terrific, and the feeling of awe was so intense that I was startled by the -breaking of a twig, or the gruesome sound of my own footsteps. Constantly -reminded by ruined homes, I realized that I was indeed within the -arbitrary lines of a cruel, merciless foe, and but for my lonely mother, -anxiously awaiting my return, I should have turned and run for dear life -until again within the boundaries of Dixie. - -I must have walked very rapidly, for, before I was aware of it, I found -myself approaching Judge Bryce's once beautiful but now dilapidated home. -He and his good wife gave me affectionate greeting and something to -inflate a certain vacuum which had become painfully clamorous. And they -also gave me that which was even more acceptable--a large yam potato and a -piece of sausage to take to my mother. - -I begged Judge Bryce to go with me at least part of the way to Decatur, -but he was afraid to leave his wife. His experience with the Yankees had -not been an exceptional case. They had robbed him of everything of value, -silver, gold, etc., and what they could not carry away they had destroyed, -and he denied most emphatically that there was a single gentleman in the -Federal army. In vain did I tell him that we owed the preservation of our -lives to the protection extended us by the few gentlemen who were in it. - -After a brief rest, I resumed my way homeward, and oh, with what -heart-sickening forebodings I approached that sacred though desolate -abode! Anon the little town appeared in the distance, and upon its very -limits I met several of Colonel Garrard's cavalry officers. Among them a -diversity of temper was displayed. Some of them appeared very glad to see -me, and, to anxious inquires regarding my mother, they replied that they -had taken good care of her in my absence, and that I ought to have -rewarded them for having done so by bringing "my pretty young sister" home -with me. Although I did not entertain one iota of respect for the Federal -army as a whole, I knew there were a few in its ranks who were incapable -of the miserable conduct of the majority, and my heart went out in very -tender gratitude to them, especially those who had sought to lessen the -anguish of my mother. These men threw the reins into the hands of -out-riders, and got off their horses and walked with me to the door of my -home. Their headquarters were still in the yard and had been ever since -first established there, with the exception of a very few days. My return -was truly a memorable occasion. Manifestations assured me that the highest -as well as the lowest in that command was glad to see me, and in their -hearts welcomed me home. To good Mr. Fred Williams I was indebted, in a -large measure, for kindly feeling and uniform respect from that portion of -the Federal army with which I came in contact. - -My mother had seen me coming and had retreated into as secluded a place as -she could find, to compose herself for the meeting, but the effort was in -vain. She trembled like an aspen leaf, her lips quivered and her tongue -could not articulate the words she would have spoken. Alas! the tension -was more than she could bear. I dwelt upon the fact that Thomie and -Missouri were well and had sent her a world of love. I tried to infuse -hope and cheerfulness into everything I told her, but she could not see -it, and her poor over-taxed heart could bear up no longer, and she cried -as Rachel weeping for her children, long and piteously. No purer tears -were ever borne by heaven-commissioned Peri into the presence of a -compassionate Savior, than those shed by that patriotic though sorrowing -mother. - - - - -CHAPTER XX. - -ON THE VERGE OF STARVATION. - -A worn-out army horse is found--Uncle Mack makes a wagon--I make a unique -trip--Starvation is warded off--Dangers and scenes by the way. - - -"What is it, Ma? Has anything happened?" - -"No, only Maggie Benedict has been here crying as if her heart would -break, and saying that her children are begging for bread, and she has -none to give them. Give me a little of the meal or hominy that you have, -that we may not starve until we can get something else to eat, and then -take the remainder to her that she may cook it as quickly as possible for -her suffering children." - -We had spent the preceding day in picking out grains of corn from cracks -and crevices in bureau drawers, and other improvised troughs for Federal -horses, as well as gathering up what was scattered upon the ground. In -this way by diligent and persevering work, about a half bushel was -obtained from the now deserted camping ground of Garrard's cavalry, and -this corn was thoroughly washed and dried, and carried by me and Telitha -to a poor little mill (which had escaped conflagration, because too humble -to attract attention), and ground into coarse meal. Returning from this -mill, and carrying, myself, a portion of the meal, I saw in the distance -my mother coming to meet me. Apprehensive of evil, I ran to meet her and -asked: - -"What is it, Ma? Has anything happened?" - -With flushed face and tear-toned voice she replied as already stated. My -heart was touched and a division was soon made. Before starting on this -errand, I thought of the probable delay that inexperience and perhaps the -want of cooking utensils and fuel might occasion, and suggested that it -would hasten the relief to the children to cook some bread and mush and -carry it to them already for use. A boiling pot, left on the -camping-ground, was soon on the fire ready to receive the well-prepared -batter, which was to be converted into nutritious mush or porridge. Nor -was the bread forgotten. While the mush was cooking the hoe-cakes were -baking in good old plantation style. These were arranged one upon another, -and tied up in a snow-white cloth; and a tin bucket, also a trophy from -the company, was filled with hot mush. I took the bread, and Telitha the -bucket, and walked rapidly to Doctor Holmes' residence, where Maggie -Benedict, whose husband was away in the Confederate army, had rooms for -herself and her children. The Rev. Doctor and his wife had refugeed, -leaving this young mother and her children alone and unprotected. - -The scene which I witnessed will never be obliterated from my memory. On -the doorsteps sat the young mother, beautiful in desolation, with a baby -in her arms, and on either side of her a little one, piteously crying for -something to eat. "Oh, mama, I want something to eat, so bad." "Oh, mama, -I am so hungry--give me something to eat." Thus the children were begging -for what the mother had not to give. She could only give them soothing -words. But relief was at hand. Have you ever enjoyed the satisfaction of -appeasing the hunger of children who had been without food until on the -verge of starvation? If not, one of the keenest enjoyments of life has -been denied you. O, the thankfulness of such a privilege! And oh, the joy, -melancholy though it be, of hearing blessings invoked upon you and yours -by the mother of those children! - -While this needful food was being eaten with a zest known only to the -hungry, I was taking in the situation, and devising in my own mind means -by which to render more enduring relief. The meal we had on hand would -soon be exhausted, and, though more might be procured in the same way, it -would be hazardous to depend upon that way only. "God helps those who help -themselves," is a good old reliable proverb that cannot be too deeply -impressed upon the mind of every child. To leave this young mother in a -state of absolute helplessness, and her innocent little ones dependent -upon the precarious support which might be gleaned from a devastated -country, would be cruel indeed; but how to obviate this state of affairs -was a serious question. - -The railroad having been torn up in every direction communicating with -Decatur, there seemed to be but one alternative--to walk--and that was not -practicable with several small children. - -"Maggie, this state of affairs cannot be kept up; have you no friend to -whom you can go?" - -"Yes," she replied. "Mr. Benedict has a sister near Madison, who has -wanted me and the children to go and stay with her ever since he has been -in the army, but I was too independent to do it." - -"Absurd! Well, the time has come that you must go. Get the children ready, -and I will call for you soon," and without any positive or defined plan of -procedure, I took leave of Maggie and her children. I was working by -faith, and the Lord directed my footsteps. On my way home I hunted up -"Uncle Mack," a faithful old negro man, who preferred freedom in the midst -of privation with his own white people, to following the Federal army -around on "Uncle Sam's" pay-roll, and got from him a promise that he would -construct a wagon out of odds and ends left upon the streets of Decatur. -The next thing to be done was to provide a horse, and not being a -magician, nor possessed of Aladdin's lamp, this undertaking must have -seemed chimerical to those who had not known how often and how singularly -these scarcely formulated plans had developed into success. This day had -been one of constant and active service, and was only one of the many that -furnished from sixteen to eighteen working hours. No wonder, then, that -exhausted nature succumbed to sleep that knew no waking until the dawn of -another day. - -Next morning, before the sun rose, accompanied by the Morton girls, I was -on my way to "the cane-brakes." I had seen many horses, whose places had -been taken by others captured from farmers, abandoned and sent out to the -cane-brake to recuperate or to die, the latter being the more probable. -Without any definite knowledge of the locality, but guided by an -over-ruling providence, I went direct to the cane-brake, and there soon -made a selection of a horse, which, from the assortment at hand, could not -have been improved upon. By a dextrous throw of a lasso, constructed and -managed by the young friends already mentioned, he was soon captured and -on his way to Decatur to enter "rebel" service. His most conspicious -feature was a pair of as fine eyes as ever illuminated a horse's head, -large, brown and lustrous. There were other conspicuous things about him, -too; for instance, branded upon each of his sides were the tell-tale -letters, "U. S.," and on his back was an immense sore which also told -tales. By twelve o'clock, noon, Uncle Mack appeared upon the scene, -pulling something which he had improvised which baffled description, and -which, for the sake of the faithful service I obtained from it, I will not -attempt to describe, though it might provoke the risibilities of the -readers. Suffice it to say that as it carried living freight in safety -over many a bridge, in honor of this I will call it a wagon. Uncle Mack -soon had the horse secured to this vehicle by ropes and pieces of crocus -sack, for harness was as scarce a commodity as wagons and horses. I -surveyed the equipage from center to circumference, with emotions pathetic -and amusing. It was awfully suggestive. And as I viewed it in all its -grotesqueness my imagination pictured a collapse, and my return home from -no very distant point upon my all-fours, with one of the fours dragging -after me in a dilapidated condition. I distinctly heard the derisive -gibberish and laughter of old Momus, and thought I should explode in the -effort to keep from joining in his mirthfulness. As I turned my head to -take a sly glance at my mother, our eyes met, and all restraint was -removed. With both of us laughter and sobs contended for the mastery, and -merriment and tears literally blended. Thus equipped, and with a -benediction from my mother, expressed more by looks and acts than by -words, I gathered the ropes and started like Bayard Taylor to take "Views -Afoot," and at the same time accomplish an errand of mercy which would -lead me, as I led the horse, over a portion of country that in dreariness -and utter desolation baffles description--enough to know that Sherman's -foraging trains had been over it. Leading the horse, which was already -christened "Yankee," to Dr. Holmes' door, I called Maggie to come on with -her children. - -"I can't bring my things out, Miss Mary. Somebody must come to carry them -and put them in the wagon." - -"I can," I said, and suiting the action to the word, ran into the house -where, to my amazement, three large trunks confronted me. What was to be -done? If they could be got into the wagon, what guarantee was there that -poor Yankee could haul them in that tumblesome vehicle? However, I went -for Uncle Mack to put the trunks in the wagon, and in front of them, in -close proximity to the horse's heels, was placed a chair in which Maggie -seated herself and took her baby in her lap, the other children nestling -on rugs at her feet. - -Poor Yankee seemed to feel the importance of his mission, and jogged -along at a pretty fair speed, and I, who walked by his side and held the -ropes, found myself more than once obliged to strike a trot in order to -maintain control of him. Paradoxical as it may seem, I enjoyed this new -phase in my service to the Confederacy--none but a patriot could render -it, and the whole thing seemed invested with the glamour of romance, the -sequel of which would be redemption from all connection with a people who -could thus afflict another people of equal rights. While Maggie hummed a -sweet little lullaby to her children, I contemplated the devastation and -ruin on every side. Not a vestige of anything remained to mark the sites -of the pretty homes which had dotted this fair country before the -destroyer came, except, perhaps, a standing chimney now and then. And all -this struck me as the willing sacrifice of a peerless people for a great -principle, and looking through the dark vista I saw light ahead--I saw -white-robed peace proclaiming that the end of carnage had come. Even then, -as I jogged along at a snail's pace (for be it known Yankee was not -uniform in his gait, and as his mistress had relaxed the tension of the -ropes, he had relaxed the speed of his steps) up a pretty little hill from -whose summit I had often gazed with rapturous admiration upon the -beautiful mountain of granite near by, I had so completely materialized -the Queen of Peace that I saw her on the mountain's crest, scattering with -lavish hand blessings and treasures as a recompense for the destruction so -wantonly inflicted. Thus my hopeful temperament furnished consolation to -me, even under darkest circumstances. - -Maggie and the children became restive in their pent-up limits, and the -latter clamored for something to eat, but there was nothing to give them. -Night was upon us, and we had come only about eight miles, and not an -animate thing had we seen since we left Decatur, not even a bird, and the -silence was unbroken save by the sound of the horse's feet as he trod upon -the rocks, and the soft, sweet humming of the young mother to her dear -little ones. Step by step we seemed to descend into the caverns of -darkness, and my brave heart began to falter. The children, awestruck, had -ceased their appeal for bread, and nestled closer to their mother, and -that they might all the more feel her protecting presence, she kept up a -constant crooning sound, pathetic and sad. Step by step we penetrated the -darkness of night--a night without a moon, starless and murky. The -unerring instinct of an animal was all we had to guide us in the beaten -road, which had ceased to be visible to human ken. - -A faint glimmer of light, at apparently no very great distance, gave hope -that our day's journey was almost ended. Yankee also caught the -inspiration and walked a little faster. Though the time seemed long, the -cabin, for such it proved to be, was finally reached, and I dropped the -ropes, and, guided by the glimmer of light through the cracks, went to the -door and knocked, at the same time announcing my name. The door was -quickly opened. Imagine my surprise when recognized and cordially welcomed -by a sweet friend, whose most humble plantation cabin was a pretty -residence in comparison with the one she now occupied. Maggie, too, as the -daughter of a well-known physician, received cordial welcome for herself -and children. And thus a kind Providence provided a safe lodging place for -the night. - -Nature again asserted itself, and the children asked for something to eat. -The good lady of the house kissed them, and told them that supper would -soon be ready. The larger one of her little sons drew from a bed of ashes, -which had been covered by glowing coals, some large yam potatoes which he -took to a table and peeled. He then went outside the cabin and drew from a -keg an earthen-ware pitcher full of sparkling persimmon beer, which he -dispensed to us in cups, and then handed around the potatoes. And how much -this repast was enjoyed! Good sweet yams thoroughly cooked, and the -zestful persimmon beer! And I thought of the lonely mother at a desolated -home, whose only supper had been made of coarse meal, ground from corn -which her own hands had helped to pick from crevices and cracks in -improvised troughs, where Garrard's cavalry had fed their horses. After -awhile the sweet womanly spirit that presided over this little group, got -a quilt and a shawl or two, and made a pallet for the children. The boys -put more wood upon the fire, and some in the jambs of the fireplace, to be -used during the night; and then they went behind us and lay down upon the -floor, with seed cotton for pillows, and the roof for covering. Our kind -hostess placed additional wraps over the shoulders of Maggie and myself, -and we three sat up in our chairs and slept until the dawn. - -Accustomed to looking after outdoor interests, I went to see how Yankee -was coming on, and found him none the worse for the preceding day's toil. -Everything indicated that he had fared as sumptuously as we had--a -partly-eaten pumpkin, corn, whole ears yet in the trough, and fodder near -by, plainly showed the generosity of the noble little family that took us -in and gave us the best they had. After breakfast we bade adieu to the -good mother and her children, and went on our way, if not rejoicing, at -least feeling better for having seen and been with such good people. There -was a strong tie between us all. The husband and father was off in the -army, like our loved ones. The generous feeding given to our steed had so -braced him up that he began to walk faster, and was keenly appreciative of -every kind word; and I and he formed a friendship for each other that -continued to his dying day. The road was very rough and hilly, and more -than once he showed signs of fatigue; but a word of encouragement seemed -to renew his strength, and he walked bravely on. Maggie would perhaps have -lightened his load by walking now and then, but the jolting of the wagon -kept the trunks in perpetual motion, and the lives of the children would -thereby have been jeopardized. - -Nothing of special interest transpired this second day of our journey. The -same fiend of destruction had laid his ruthless hand upon everything -within his reach. The woods had been robbed of their beauty and the fields -of their products; not even a bird was left to sing a requiem over the -scene of desolation, or an animal to suggest where once had been a -habitation. Once, crouching near a standing chimney, there was a solitary -dog who kept at bay every attempt to approach--no kind word would -conciliate or put him off his guard. Poor, lonely sentinel! Did he -remember that around the once cheerful hearthstone he had been admitted to -a place with the family group? Was he awaiting his master's return? Ah, -who can know the emotions, or the dim reasonings of that faithful brute? - -Night again came on and I discovered that we were approaching the -hospitable mansion of Mr. Montgomery, an excellent, courtly country -gentleman, who was at home under circumstances not now remembered. He and -his interesting family gladly welcomed me and my little charge, and -entertained us most hospitably. The raiders had been here and helped -themselves bountifully, but they had spared the house for another time, -and that other time came soon, and nothing was left on the site of this -beautiful home but ubiquitous chimneys. - -An early start the next day enabled Yankee to carry Maggie and her -children and the trunks to Social Circle in time to take the noon train -for Madison. So far as Maggie and her children were concerned, I now felt -that I had done all that I could, and that I must hasten back to my lonely -mother at Decatur; but Maggie's tearful entreaties not to be left among -strangers prevailed with me, and I got aboard the train with her, and -never left her until I had placed her and her children in the care of good -Mr. Thrasher at Madison, to be conveyed by him to the home of Mrs. Reeves, -her husband's sister. - -In Madison, I too had dear friends and relatives, with whom I spent the -night, and the morning's train bore me back to Social Circle, then the -terminus of the Georgia Railroad--the war fiend having destroyed every -rail between there and Atlanta. Arriving there, imagine my surprise and -indignation when I learned that Mr. R----, whom I had paid in advance to -care for Yankee while I was gone to Madison, had sent him out to his -sorghum mill and put him to grinding cane; and it was with much difficulty -and delay that I got him in time to start on my homeward journey that -afternoon. Instead of his being rested, he was literally broken down, and -my pity for him constrained me to walk every step of the way back to -Decatur. While waiting for the horse, I purchased such articles of food as -I could find. For instance, a sack of flour, for which I paid a hundred -dollars, a bushel of potatoes, several gallons of sorghum, a few pounds of -butter, and a few pounds of meat. Even this was a heavy load for the poor -jaded horse. Starting so late I could only get to the hospitable home of -Mr. Crew, distant only about three miles from "The Circle." - -Before leaving Mr. Crew's the next morning, I learned that an immense -Yankee raid had come out from Atlanta, and had burned the bridge which I -had crossed only two days ago. This information caused me to take another -route to Decatur, and my heart lost much of its hope, and my step its -alacrity. Yet the Lord sustained me in the discharge of duty. I never -wavered when there was a principle to be guarded or a duty to be -performed. Those were praying days with me, and now I fervently invoked -God's aid and protection in my perilous undertaking, and I believed that -He would grant aid and protection. - -That I might give much needed encouragement to Yankee, I walked by his -side with my hand upon his shoulder much of the time, an act of endearment -which he greatly appreciated, and proved that he did so by the expression -of his large brown eyes. One of my idiosyncrasies through life has been -that of counting everything, and as I journeyed homeward, I found myself -counting my steps from one to a thousand and one. As there is luck in odd -numbers, says Rory O'Moore, I always ended with the traditional odd -number, and by telling Yankee how much nearer home we were. And I told him -many things, among them, _sotto voce_, that I did not believe he was a -Yankee, but a captured rebel. If a tuft of grass appeared on the road -side, he was permitted to crop it; or if a muscadine vine with its -tempting grapes was discovered, he cropped the leaves off the low -shrubbery, while I gathered the grapes for my mother at home with nothing -to eat save the one article of diet, of which I have told before. - -A minute description of this portion of the war-stricken country would -fill a volume; but only the leading incidents and events of the journey -are admissible in a reminiscence of war times. In the early part of the -day, during this solitary drive, I came to a cottage by the wayside that -was a perfect gem--an oasis, an everything that could thrill the heart by -its loveliness. Flowers of every hue beautified the grounds and sweetened -the air, and peace and plenty seemed to hold undisputed sway. The Fiend of -Destruction had not yet reached this little Eden. Two gentlemen were in -the yard conversing. I perceived at a glance that they were of the -clerical order, and would fain have spoken to them; but not wishing to -disturb them, or attract attention to myself, I was passing by as -unobtrusively as possible, when I was espied and recognized by one of -them, who proved to be that saintly man, Rev. Walter Branham. He -introduced me to his friend, Professor Shaw of Oxford. Their sympathy for -me was plainly expressed, and they gave me much needed instruction -regarding the route, and suggested that I would about get to Rev. Henry -Clark's to put up for the night. With a hearty shake of the hand, and "God -bless you, noble woman," I pursued my lonely way and they went theirs. No -other adventure enlivened the day, and poor patient Yankee did the best he -could, and so did I. It was obvious that he had done about all he could. -Grinding sorghum under a hard taskmaster, with an empty stomach, had told -on him, and he could no longer quicken his pace at the sound of a friendly -voice. - -At length we came in sight of "Uncle Henry Clark's" place. I stood amazed, -bewildered. I felt as if I would sink to the ground, yea, through it. I -was riveted to the spot on which I stood. I could not move. At length I -cried--cried like a woman in despair. Poor Yankee must have cried too (for -water ran out of his eyes), and in some measure I was quieted, for misery -loves company, and I began to take in the situation more calmly. Elegant -rosewood and mahogany furniture, broken into a thousand fragments, covered -the face of the ground as far as I could see; and china and glass looked -as if it had been sown. And the house, what of that? Alas! it too had -been scattered to the four winds of heaven in the form of smoke and -ashes. Not even a chimney stood to mark its site. Near by stood a row of -negro cabins, intact, showing that while the conflagration was going on -they had been sedulously guarded. And these cabins were occupied by the -slaves of the plantation. Men, women and children stalked about in -restless uncertainty, and in surly indifference. They had been led to -believe that the country would be apportioned to them, but they had sense -enough to know that such a mighty revolution involved trouble and delay, -and they were supinely waiting developments. Neither man, woman nor child -approached me. There was mutual distrust and mutual avoidance. - -It took less time to take in the situation than it has to describe it. The -sun was almost down, and as he turned his large red face upon me, I -fancied he fain would have stopped in his course to see me out of this -dilemma. What was I to do? The next nearest place that I could remember -that would perhaps give protection for the night was Mr. Fowler's, and -this was my only hope. With one hand upon Yankee's shoulder, and the ropes -in the other, I moved on, and not until my expiring breath will I forget -the pleading look which that poor dumb animal turned upon me when I -started. Utterly hopeless, and in my hands, he wondered how I could thus -exact more of him. I wondered myself. But what was I to do but to move on? -And with continuous supplication for the Lord to have mercy upon me, I -moved on. More than once the poor horse turned that look, beseeching and -pathetic, upon me. It frightened me, I did not understand it, and still -moved on. At last the hope of making himself understood forsook him, and -he deliberately laid himself down in the road. I knelt by his side and -told him the true state of affairs, and implored him not to desert me in -this terrible crisis. I told him how cruel it would be to do so, and used -many arguments of like character; but they availed nothing. He did not -move, and his large, lustrous brown eyes seemed to say for him: "I have -done all I can, and can do no more." And the sun could bear it no longer, -and hid his crimson face behind a great black cloud. - -What could I do but rise from my imploring attitude and face my perilous -situation? "Lord have mercy upon me," was my oft-repeated invocation. The -first thing which greeted my vision when I rose to my feet was a very -distant but evidently an advancing object. I watched it with bated breath, -and soon had the satisfaction of seeing a man on muleback. I ran to meet -him, saying: "O, sir, I know the good Lord has sent you here." And then I -recounted my trouble, and received most cordial sympathy from one who had -been a Confederate soldier, but who was now at home in consequence of -wounds that incapacitated him for further service. When he heard all, he -said: - -"I would take you home with me, but I have to cross a swimming creek -before getting there, and I am afraid to undertake to carry you. Wait here -until I see these negroes. They are a good set, and whatever they promise, -they will, I think, carry out faithfully." - -The time seemed interminable before he came back, and night, black night, -had set in; and yet a quiet resignation sustained me. - -When my benefactor returned, two negro men came with him, one of whom -brought a lantern, bright and cheery. "I have arranged for you to be cared -for here," said he. "Several of the old house servants of Mrs. Clark know -you, and they will prove themselves worthy of the trust we repose in -them." I accepted the arrangement made by this good man, and entrusted -myself to the care of the negroes for the night. This I did with great -trepidation, but as soon as I entered the cabin an assurance of safety -filled my mind with peace, and reconciled me to my surrounding's. The -"mammy" that presided over it met me with a cordial welcome, and assured -me that no trouble would befall me under her roof. An easy chair was -placed for me in one corner in comfortable proximity to a large plantation -fire. In a few minutes the men came in bringing my flour, potatoes, syrup, -bacon, etc. This sight gave me real satisfaction, as I thought of my poor -patient mother at home, and hoped that in some way I should yet be able to -convey to her this much needed freight. I soon espied a table on which was -piled many books and magazines; "Uncle Henry Clark's" theological books -were well represented. I proposed reading to the women, if they would like -to hear me, and soon had their undivided attention, as well as that of -several of the men, who sat on the doorsteps. In this way several hours -passed, and then "mammy" said, "You must be getting sleepy." "Oh, no," I -replied, "I frequently sit up all night reading." But this did not satisfy -her; she had devised in her own mind something more hospitable for her -guest, and she wanted to see it carried out. Calling into requisition the -assistance of the men, she had two large cedar chests placed side by side, -and out of these chests were taken nice clean quilts, and snow-white -counterpanes, and sheets, and pillows--Mrs. Clark's beautiful -bed-clothing--and upon those chests was made a pallet upon a which a queen -might have reposed with comfort. It was so tempting in its cleanliness -that I consented to lie down. The sole occupants of that room that night -were myself and my hostess--the aforesaid black "mammy." Rest, not sleep, -came to my relief. The tramping of feet, and now and then the muffled -sound of human voices, kept me in a listening attitude, and it must be -confessed in a state of painful apprehension. Thus the night passed. - -With the dawn of day I was up and ready to meet the day's requirements. -"Mammy's" first greeting was, "What's your hurry?" "I am accustomed to -early rising. May I open the door?" The first thing I saw was Yankee, and -he was standing eating; but he was evidently too weak to attempt the task -of getting that cumbersome vehicle and its freight to Decatur. So I -arranged with one of the men to put a steer to the wagon and carry them -home. This he was to do for the sum of one hundred dollars. After an -appetizing breakfast, I started homeward, leading Yankee in the rear of -this turnout. Be it remembered, I did not leave without making ample -compensation for my night's entertainment. - -No event of particular interest occurred on the way to Decatur. Yankee -walked surprisingly well, and the little steer acquitted himself nobly. In -due time Decatur appeared in sight, and then there ensued a scene which -for pathos defies description. Matron and maiden, mother and child, each -with a tin can, picked up off the enemy's camping-ground, ran after me and -begged for just a little something to eat--just enough to keep them from -starving. Not an applicant was refused, and by the time the poor, rickety, -cumbersome wagon reached its destination, its contents had been greatly -diminished. But there was yet enough left to last for some time the -patient, loving mother, the faithful Telitha, and myself. - -A summary of the trip developed these facts: To the faithfulness of Uncle -Mack was due the holding together of the most grotesque vehicle ever -dignified by the name of wagon; over all that road it remained intact, and -returned as good as when it started. And but for the sorghum grinding, -poor Yankee would have acted his part unfalteringly. As for myself, I -labored under the hallucination that I was a Confederate soldier, and -deemed no task too great for me to essay, if it but served either directly -or indirectly those who were fighting my battles. - - - - -CHAPTER XXI. - -A SECOND TRIP FOR SUPPLIES. - -Gathering "fodder" from a cane-brake as a preliminary--The lonely -journey--Changing Yankee's name--I meet the Federal raiders. - - -At an early hour in the morning of a bright autumnal day, that memorable -year 1864--the saddest of them all--Yankee was roped (not bridled, mark -you), and crocus sacks, four for him, one for Telitha, and one for myself, -thrown over his back, and we three, boon companions in diversified -industries, scampered off to a neighboring cane-brake--a favorite resort -in those days, but now, alas for human gratitude! never visited for the -sake of "auld lang syne." - -Perfect health--thanks to the parents who transmitted no constitutional -taint to my veins--unusual strength, and elasticity of motion, soon -carried me there, and having secured Yankee to a clump of canes luxuriant -with tender twig's and leaves, sweetened by the cool dew of the season, -Telitha and I entered upon the work of cutting twigs and pulling fodder. - -There being no drainage in those times, I often stepped upon little -hillocks, covered with grass or aquatic vegetation, that yielded to my -weight, and I sunk into the mud and water ankle deep, at least, and -Telitha was going through with similar experiences. I often laughed at her -grimaces and other expressions of disgust in the slough of despond, and -rejoiced with her when she displayed the trophies of success, consisting -of nice brittle twig's, generously clad in tender leaves and full growth; -Yankee, too, was unmindful of small difficulties, and did his "level" best -in providing for a rainy day by filling his capacious paunch brimful of -the good thing's so bountifully supplied by Providence in the marshes of -old DeKalb. By the time the aforesaid half dozen sacks were filled, the -enlargement of that organ of his anatomy suggested that he proposed -carrying home about as much inside of him as might be imposed upon his -back--of this sagacity he seemed conscious and very proud, and when the -sacks of cane were put over his back, pannier fashion, he pursued the path -homeward with prouder air and nobler mien than that which marked his -course to the cane-brake. - -When we three were fully equipped for starting back to the deserted -village, Yankee, as already described, and I with a sack of cane thrown -over my right shoulder, and reaching nearly to my heels, and Telitha, in -apparel and equipment an exact duplicate of myself, I was so overcome by -the ludicrous features of the scene that for the time I lost sight of the -pathetic and yielded to inordinate laughter. As memory, electrical and -veracious, recapitulated the facts and circumstances leading to this state -of affairs, I realized that there was but one alternative--to laugh or to -cry--but the revolutionary blood coursing through my veins decided in -favor of the former, and I laughed until I could no longer stand erect, -even though braced by an inflexible bag of cane, and I ignominiously -toppled over. As I lay upon the ground I laughed, not merrily, but grimly, -as I fancy a hyena would laugh. The more I sought the sympathy of Telitha -in this hilarious ebullition, the more uncontrollable it became. Her utter -want of appreciation of the fun, and a vague idea that she was in some way -implicated, embarrassed her, and, judging from her facial expression, ever -varying and often pathetic, wounded her also. In vain did I point to our -docile equine, whose tethering line she held. His enlarged proportions and -grotesque accoutrements failed to touch a single risible chord, or convey -to her utilitarian mind aught that was amusing, and she doubtless wondered -what could have so affected me. - -In due time we reached Decatur. After passing the Hoyle place, the -residence being then deserted, Telitha indicated by signs too intelligible -to be misunderstood that she would go home with her sack of stock -provender, leading the horse, and then come back for mine, and I could go -by a different route and not be known as a participant in the raid upon -the cane-brake; but I was too proud of my fidelity to the Southern -Confederacy to conceal any evidences of it that the necessities of the -times called into action, and I walked through the stricken village with -my sack of cane in my arms instead of upon my back; and would have walked -as proudly to the sacrificial altar, myself the offering, if by so doing I -could have retrieved the fortunes of my people and established for them a -government among the nations of earth. - -The lowing of our cow reached me as I entered the court-house square, and -I hastened my gait and soon displayed before her, in her stall in the -cellar, a tempting repast. And my mother, who possessed the faculty of -making something good out of that which was ordinary, displayed one -equally tempting to me and Telitha--milk and mush, supplemented by coffee -made of parched okra seed. - -"Tired nature's sweet restorer" faithfully performed its recuperative -service that night. When I opened my eyes upon the glorious light of -another day, I was so free from the usual attendants upon fatigue that I -involuntarily felt for my body--it seemed to have passed away during the -night, and left no trace of former existence. I found it, though, -perfectly intact, and ready to obey the behests of my will and serve me -through the requirements of another day. And my mother seemed to be in her -usual health and willing for me to do anything I thought I ought to do. -She could not close her eyes to the fact that our store of supplies was -nearly exhausted, and that there was only one way to replenish it; and she -had the wisdom and the Christian grace to acquiesce to the inevitable -without a discouraging word. Telitha, upon whose benighted mind the -ridiculous phases of the previous day's adventures had dawned sometime in -the interim, laughed as soon as she saw me, and in well-acted pantomime -made me fully aware that she enjoyed at this late hour the ludicrous scene -that had so amused me. And Yankee evidently smiled when he saw me, and -greeted me with a joyous little whicker that spoke volumes. - -A good breakfast for women and beast having been disposed of, I wended my -way in quest of Uncle Mack. He alone understood the complicated process -of harnessing Yankee in ropes to the primitive vehicle manufactured by his -own ingenious hands, and to him I always went when this important task had -to be performed. On this occasion, as upon others, it was soon executed. -When all was ready and the unbidden tears dashed away, as if out of place, -I seized the ropes and started? Where? Ah, that was the question. There -was only one place that offered hope of remuneration for the perilous -undertaking, and forty miles had to be traversed before reaching it. Forty -miles through a devastated country. Forty miles amid untold dangers. But -in all the walks of life it has been demonstrated that pluck and energy, -and a firm reliance upon Providence, are necessary to surmount -difficulties, and of all these essentials I had a goodly share, and never -doubted but that I would be taken care of, and my wants and those of -others supplied. "God helps those who help themselves," is an adage which -deserves to be emblazoned upon every tree, and imprinted upon every heart. -That vain presumption that folds the hands, and prays for benefits and -objects desired, without putting forth any effort to obtain them, ought to -be rebuked by all good men and women as a machination of Satan. - -These and similar reflections nerved me for the task before me, and I -started in earnest. When I got to the "blacksmith shop," I looked back and -saw my mother standing just where I left her, following me with her eyes. -I looked back no more, lest I dissolve in tears. As I passed the few -abodes that were tenanted, my mission "out" was apprehended, and I was -besought in tearful tones to bring back with me all I could, by those who -told me that they and their children were upon the verge of starvation. I -took all the sacks which were handed to me and rolled them together, and -by the aid of a string secured them to the cart, and amidst blessings and -good wishes pursued my devious way; for, be it remembered, many -obstructions, such as breast-works and thorny hedge-wood, presented -formidable barriers to rapid travel for a considerable distance from -Decatur. - -While leisurely walking beside Yankee, I was struck with the agility of -his motion and his improved figure since we traveled over these grounds a -few weeks before. He had taken on a degree of symmetry that I never -supposed attainable by the poor, emaciated animal which I captured in the -cane-brake. His hair had become soft and silky, and in the sunlight -displayed artistic shades of coloring from light to deepest brown; and his -long, black tail, which hung limp and perpendicular, now affected a curve -which even Hogarth might have admired, and his luxuriant and glossy mane -waved prettily as a maiden's tresses. And his face, perfect in every -lineament, and devoid of any indication of acerbity, lighted by large, -liquid, brown eyes, would have been a fit model--a thing of beauty--for -the pencil of Rosa Bonheur. Rubbing my hand over his silky coat and -enlarged muscles, I decided to enjoy the benefit of his increased strength -and gently ordered a halt. Stepping from the ground to the hub of the -wheel, another step landed me into the cart, vehicle, wagon or landau, -which ever you see proper to denominate it; I do not propose to confine -myself to any one of these terms. - -Yankee understood the movement, and doubtless felt complimented. As soon -as I took my seat in the chair--a concomitant part of the equipage--he -started off at a brisk gait, which, without a word of command, he kept up -until we came to the base of a long hill, and then he slackened his speed -and leisurely walked to the summit. I enjoyed going over ground without -muscular effort of my own, and determined to remain in the cart until he -showed some sign of fatigue. I had only to hold the ropes and speak an -encouraging word, and we traveled on right merrily. Ah, no! That was a -misnomer. Callous indeed would have been the heart who could have gone -merrily over that devastated and impoverished land. Sherman, with his -destructive host, had been there, and nothing remained within the -conquered boundary upon which "Sheridan's Crow" could have subsisted. -Nothing was left but standing chimneys, and an occasional house, to which -one would have supposed a battering ram had been applied. I looked up and -down, and in every direction, and saw nothing but destruction, and the -gaunt and malignant figure of General Starvation striding over our -beautiful country, as if he possessed it. I shook my head defiantly at him -and went on, musing upon these things. I never questioned the wisdom or -goodness of God in permitting them, but I pondered upon them, and have -never yet reached their unfathomable depths. - -At the end of the first day's journey, I found myself twenty miles, or -more, from the starting point, and tenderly cared for by a good family, -consisting, in these war times, only of a mother and several precious -little children, who were too glad to have company to consider my appeal -for a night's entertainment intrusive. This desolate mother and children -thought they had seen all the horror of warfare illustrated by the -premeditated cruelty of the Yankee raiders, and could not conceive how it -could have been worse. But when I got through with my recital of injuries, -they were willing that theirs should remain untold. A delicious supper, -like manna from Heaven, was enjoyed with a zest unknown to those who have -never been hungry. - -The light of another day found us all up in that hospitable household, and -an appetizing breakfast fortified me for another day's labor in any field -in which I might be called to perform it. The little boys, who had taken -Yankee out of the rope harness the evening before, remembered its -intricacies and had no difficulty in getting him back into that -complicated gear. When all was ready, and grateful good-byes had been -uttered, I again mounted "the hub," and got into the vehicle. After I had -taken my seat, the good lady handed me a package, which proved to be a -nice lunch for my dinner. She also had a sack of potatoes and pumpkins -stored away in the landau; and being a merciful woman, she thought of the -horse, and gave some home-cured hay for his noonday meal. - -All day I followed in the track of Sherman's minions, and found the -destruction greater than when I had passed in this direction before. -Coming to a hill, the long ascent of which would be fatiguing to Yankee, -I ordered a halt and got out of the wagon. Taking position by his side, we -climbed the hill together, and then we went down it together, and -continued to journey side by side, I oblivious to everything but the -destruction, either complete or partial, on every side. At length we came -to a lovely wee bit stream of water, exulting in its consciousness that no -enemy could arrest it in its course to the sea, or mar its beauty as it -rippled onward. We halted, and I loosened the ropes so that Yankee might -partake of the flowing water before eating his noonday meal. And I am sure -epicure never enjoyed luncheon at Delmonico's with more zest than I did -the frugal meal prepared for me by the friendly hands of that dear -Confederate woman. Much as I enjoyed it, I finished my dinner sometime -before Yankee did his, and employed the interim in laving my hands and -face in the pure water, and contemplating myself in the perfect mirror -formed by its surface. Not as Narcissus did I enjoy this pastime, but as -one startled by the revelation. Traces of care; sorrow, apprehension for -the future, were indelibly imprinted upon forehead and cheek, and most of -all upon that most tell-tale of all features, the mouth. I wept at the -change, and by way of diversion turned from the unsatisfactory -contemplation of myself to that of Yankee. This horse, instinct with -intelligence, appreciated every act of kindness, and often expressed his -gratitude in ways so human-like as to startle and almost affright me. I am -sure I have seen his face lighted by a smile, and radiant with gratitude. -And no human being ever expressed more forcibly by word or act his sorrow -at being unable to do all that was desired of him in emergency, than did -this dumb brute when he gave me that long, earnest, pathetic look -(mentioned in a former sketch) when, from sheer exhaustion, he lay down -near the heap of ashes where once stood the beautiful residence of my -friend of honored memory, Rev. Henry Clark. - -The more I contrasted the treatment which I, in common with my country -women and my country, had received at the hands of the Yankees (the then -exponents of the sentiment of the United States towards the Southern -people), and the gentle, friendly demeanor of the animal upon whom I had -unthoughtedly bestowed a name constantly suggestive of an enemy, the more -dissatisfied I became with it, and I determined then and there to change -it. Suiting the action to the decision, I gathered the ropes and led the -noble steed to the brink of that beautiful little brooklet, and paused for -a name. What should it be? "Democrat?" I believed him to be a democrat, -true and tried, and yet I did not much like the name. Had not the Northern -democrats allowed themselves to be allured into abolition ranks, and made -to do the fighting, while the abolitionists, under another name, -devastated the country and enriched themselves by the booty. "Copperhead?" -I did not like that much. It had a metallic ring that grated harshly upon -my nerves, and I was not then aware of their great service to the South in -restraining and keeping subordinate to humanity, as far as in them lay, -the hatred and evil passions of the abolitionists. "Johnny Reb?" Ah, I -had touched the keynote at last, and it awakened a responsive chord that -vibrated throughout my very being. I had a secret belief, more than once -expressed in words, that my noble equine was a captured rebel "held in -durance vile" until bereft of health and strength, then abandoned to die -upon the commons. "Johnny Reb!" I no longer hesitated. The name was -electrical, and the chord with which it came in contact was charged to its -utmost capacity. With the placid waters of that ever-flowing stream, in -the name of the Southern Confederacy, I christened one of the best friends -I ever had "Johnny Reb," a name ever dear to me. - -This ceremony having been performed to my satisfaction and to his, -too--judging by the complacent glances, and, as I fancied, by the -suggestion of an approving smile which he bestowed upon me--I mounted the -hub, stepped into the cart, seated myself, and with ropes in hand -continued my way to "The Circle," and arrived there before night, Not -being tired, I immediately struck out among the vendors of home-made -products--edibles, wearing apparel, etc.--for the purpose of purchasing a -wagon load to carry to Decatur, not for the ignoble purpose of -speculation, but to bestow, without money and without price, upon those -who, like my mother and myself, preferred hunger and privation rather than -give up our last earthly home to the destroying fiend that stalked over -our land and protected Federal bayonets. - -Before the shades of night came on I had accomplished my object. As a -matter of history I will enumerate some of the articles purchased, and -annex the prices paid for them in Confederate money: - - One bushel of meal $10 00 - Four bushels of corn 40 00 - Fifteen pounds of flour 7 50 - Four pounds dried apples 5 00 - One and half pounds of butter 6 00 - A bushel of sweet potatoes 6 00 - Three gallons of syrup 15 00 - Shoeing the horse 25 00 - For spending the night at Mrs. Born's, self and horse 10 00 - -Not knowing the capabilities of "Johnny Reb," I feared to add one hundred -and thirty-six pounds avoirdupois weight to a cart already loaded to -repletion, and the next morning on starting took my old familiar place by -his side. To my slightest touch or word of encouragement, he gave me an -appreciative look and obeyed to the letter my wishes with regard to his -gaits--slow or fast in adaptation to mine. In due time we again rested on -the banks of the beautiful little stream hallowed by the memory of -repudiating a name, rendered by the vandalism of its legitimate owners too -obnoxious to be borne by a noble horse, and by the bestowing upon him of -another more in keeping with his respect for ladies and other fine traits -of character which he possessed. Neither he nor I had lunch with which to -regale ourselves; and whilst he moved about at will cropping little tufts -of wild growth and tender leaves, which instinct taught him were good for -his species, I abandoned myself to my favorite pursuit--the contemplation -of nature. Like Aurora Leigh, I "found books among the hills and vales, -and running brooks," and held communion with their varied forms and -invisible influences. To me they ever spoke of the incomprehensible wisdom -and goodness of God. My heart, from my earliest recollection, always went -out in adoration to Him who could make alike the grand old Titans of the -forest and the humblest blade of grass; and now I beheld them under -circumstances peculiarly calculated to evoke admiration. Change had come -to everything else. The lofty trees stood in silent grandeur, undisturbed -by the enemy's step or the harsh clarion of war--as if defiant of -danger--and gave shelter and repose to the humblest of God's creatures who -sought their protecting arms. Beguiled by the loveliness of the woodland -scenery, I often found myself stopping to daguerreotype it upon the -tablets of my memory, and to feast my senses upon the aromatic perfume of -wildwood autumn flowers. "Strong words of counseling" I found in them and -in "the vocal pines and waters," and out of these books I learned the -"ignorance of men." - - "And how God laughs in Heaven when any man - Says, 'Here I'm learned; this I understand; - In that I am never caught at fault, or in doubt.'" - -A word of friendly greeting and renewed thanks to mine hostess of two -nights before, and her dear little children, detained me only a very short -and unbegrudged space of time; and during that time I did not forget to -refer to the potatoes and the pumpkin so kindly given to me by them on my -down trip, and which I could have left in their care until my return, had -I thought of it. - -Night again came on, and this time found me picking my way as best I could -over the rocks shadowed by Stone Mountain. On I plodded through the -darkness, guided rather by the unerring step of Johnny Reb than any -knowledge I had of the way. At length the poor faithful animal and myself -were rewarded for perseverance by seeing glimmering lights of the mountain -village. We struck a bee line for the nearest one, and were soon directed -to "a boarding house." I was too glad to get into it then, to descant upon -its demerits now. I assured the landlady that I needed no supper myself, -and would pay her what she would charge for both if she would see that the -horse was well fed. I think she did so. My valuable freight could not -remain in the cart all night, and there was no one to bring it in. In vain -did she assure me that I would find it all right if I left it there. I got -into the cart and lifted the sacks and other things out of it myself, and, -by the help of the aforesaid person, got everything into the house. I fain -would have lain down by these treasures, for they had increased in value -beyond computation since leaving Social Circle, and would have done so but -for repeated assurance of their safety. - -An early start next morning gave me the privilege of going over the ground -familiar to my youth in the loveliest part of the day, and when the sun -looked at me over the mountain's crest, I felt as if I was in the presence -of a veritable king, and wanted to take my bonnet off and make obeisance -to him. His beneficent rays fell alike upon the just and the unjust, and -lighted the pathway of the destroyer as brightly as that of the -benefactor. Amid destruction, wanton and complete, and over which angels -might weep, I stepped the distance off between Stone Mountain and Judge -Bryce's; not a living thing upon the face of the earth, or a sound of any -kind greeting me--the desolation of war reigned supreme. I again stopped -at Judge Bryce's, and implored his protection to Decatur, but, as on the -former occasion, he was afraid to leave his wife to the tender mercy (?) -of the enemy. He told me he feared I would not reach home with my cart of -edibles, as "Yankee raiders had been coming out from Atlanta every day -lately," and that the set that was now coming was more vindictive than any -that had preceded it. Good, dear Mrs. Bryce, trusting in the Lord for -future supplies, took a little from her scanty store of provisions and -added it to mine for her friend, my mother. - -With many forebodings of evil, I took up the line of march to Decatur. I -looked almost with regret upon my pretty horse. Had he remained the poor -ugly animal that was lassoed in the cane-brake, I would have had but -little fear of losing him, but under my fostering care, having become -pretty, plump and sprightly, I had but little hope of keeping him. Being -absorbed by these mournful reflections and not having the ever-watchful -Telitha with me to announce danger from afar, I was brought to a full -realization of its proximity by what appeared to be almost an army of -_blue-coats_, dashing up on spirited horses, and for the purpose of -humiliating me, hurrahing "for Jefferson Davis and the Southern -Confederacy." As a flag of truce, I frantically waved my bonnet, which act -was misapprehended and taken as a signal of approval of their "hurrah for -Jefferson Davis and the Southern Confederacy," which was resounding -without intermission. - -Seeing several very quiet, dignified looking gentlemen, who, although -apart from the others, seemed to be exercising a restraining influence, I -approached them and told them how I had gone out from Decatur unprotected -and all alone to get provisions to keep starvation from among our -defenseless women and children, and that I had to go all the way to Social -Circle before I could get anything, and that I had walked back in order to -save the horse as much as possible. These men, however, although seemingly -interested, questioned and cross-questioned me until I had but little hope -of their protection. One of them said, "I see you have one of our horses. -How did you come by him?" And then the story of how I came by him was -recapitulated without exaggeration or diminution. This narrative elicited -renewed hurrahs for Jefferson Davis and the Southern Confederacy. A few -minutes private conversation between these gentlemen ensued, and all of -them approached me, and the spokesman said, "Two of us will escort you to -Decatur, and see that no harm befalls you." It seemed, then, that no -greater boon could have been offered under the canopy of Heaven, and I am -sure no woman could have experienced more gratitude or been more profuse -in its expression. - -The sight of my nervous, gray-haired mother, and her pretty mother ways, -touched another tender chord in the hearts of these gentlemen, and if -constraint existed it was dispelled, and they became genial and very like -friends before they left. They even promised to send us some oats for -noble Johnny Reb, who displayed the greatest equanimity all through these -trying scenes. - - - - -CHAPTER XXII. - -NEWS FROM THE ABSENT BROTHER. - -He marches into Tennessee with Hood--Extracts from his letters written on -the way--Two ears of parched corn--The night burial of a soldier. - - -After the majority of these sketches were written, I was permitted by my -sister to take a few extracts from the cherished letters of our brother, -which she numbered and carefully laid away as her most precious treasure. -To these we are indebted for all that we know of his history during those -trying days and weeks of which I have just been writing. Where was he, and -how did he fare? Few and far between were the letters now, in these dark -days of the war. The soldiers themselves had but little opportunity to -write, and the mail facilities were poor. But I feel sure that to the -survivors of the "Lost Cause," these meagre scraps concerning that brave -but disastrous march into Tennessee will be read with melancholy interest: - - "On the Line of Alabama and Georgia, - Near Alpine, Ga., 8 o'clock at night, Oct. 17, 1874. - -"MY DEAR SISTER--As there is a probability of the mail courier leaving -here early in the morning, I hastily scratch you a few lines that you may -know that under the blessings of a kind Providence I am yet alive, and, -though somewhat wearied, enjoying good health. Yours of 28th of September -has been received, but under circumstances of hard marches, etc., there -has been but one opportunity of writing to you since leaving Palmetto, and -then had just finished one to Texas, and was fixing to write to you, when -the order came to 'fall in.' - -"Well, leaving camps near Palmetto on the 29th of September, we crossed -the Chattahoochee below, marched up to Powder Springs, threatened -Marietta, and at the same time threw Stewart's corps around above Big -Shanty to cut the railroad, which was torn up for about thirteen miles, -French's Division attacking Allatoona, where he sustained some loss, -having works to charge. Ector's Texas Brigade, and some Missourians, -carried their part of the works, but A----'s Brigade failed to do their -part, hence the advantage gained was lost. By this time the enemy were -concentrating at Marietta, and General Hood's object being accomplished, -he then marched rapidly towards Rome, flanking the place, and making a -heavy demonstration as if he intended crossing the river and attacking the -place. The enemy then commenced a concentration at Kingston and Rome. We -then moved around Rome and marched rapidly up the Oostanaula, and, on the -evening of the 11th inst., sent a division of infantry with some cavalry -across the river, and captured Calhoun with some stores. Moved on the next -morning by a forced march, flanking Resaca, and striking the railroad -immediately above, tearing it up to Tilton where there were about three -hundred Yankees in a block-house. A surrender was demanded. A reply was -returned: 'If you want us come and take us.' Our artillery was soon in -position and a few shots soon made them show the 'white rag.' We tore up -the road that night, and the next morning by nine o'clock, to Tunnel Hill, -burning every cross-tie and twisting the bars. Dalton surrendered without -a fight, with a full garrison of negroes and some white Yankees. The -block-house above, at a bridge, refused to surrender, and we had to bring -the artillery into requisition again, which made them succumb. They all -seemed to be taken by surprise and were hard to convince that it was a -cavalry raid. They evacuated Tunnel Hill. Thus after five months of -fighting and running, the Army of Tennessee re-occupied Dalton. Sherman -has been taken by surprise. He never dreamed of such a move. General -Hood's plans all being carried out, so far as the State road was -concerned, we marched across the mountains to LaFayette, in the vicinity -of which we camped last night, and have marched twenty-three miles to-day. -To-morrow we cross the Lookout Mountain, and will, I suppose, make -directly for the Tennessee river, though of this I'm not certain. Hood has -shown himself a general in strategy, and has secured the confidence of the -troops. Wherever we go, may God's blessing attend us. Pray for me. In -haste. - - Your affectionate brother, - TOM STOKES. - -"P. S.--Cherokee Co., Ala., Oct. 18, 1864. - -"The courier not leaving this morning, I have a little more time left. We -did not travel so far to-day as I heard we would, having come only ten -miles, and have stopped to rest the balance of the evening. I find you -dislike to have your communications cut off, so I see you are below -Madison. Would to Heaven that, in one sense of the word my communication -was cut off forever; yea, that every channel leading me in contact with -_the world_, in any other character than as a minister of 'the meek and -lowly Savior,' was to me forever blocked up. I am tired of confusion and -disorder--tired of living a life of continual excitement * * *. You spoke -of passing through a dark cloud. 'There is nothing true but Heaven,' and -it is to that rest for the weary, alone, to which we are to look for -perfect enjoyment. We are to walk by faith, and though the clouds of -trouble thicken, yet we should know that if we do our duty we shall see -and feel the genial sunshine of a happier time. Yes, my sister, though we -knew our lives should be lengthened one hundred years, and every day -should be full of trouble; yet if we have a hope of Heaven, that hope -should buoy up the soul to be cheerful, even under earth's saddest -calamities. - -"I think we will cross the Tennessee river and make for Tennessee, where -it seems to be understood that we will have large accessions to our army, -both there and from Kentucky * * *." - -The next letter is enclosed in an envelope which came through no -postoffice, as it was furnished by my sister, and upon it she wrote: "This -letter was sent to me on the 27th of November, by some one who picked it -up upon the street in Madison. The postoffice had been rifled by the -Federals who (under command of Slocum) passed through Madison, November -18th and 19th. Though found without an envelope, and much stained, it has -reached me, because signed with his full name." - -This letter is dated "Near Decatur, Ala., October 28th, 1864." We give a -few items: - -"We invested this place yesterday, and there has been some skirmishing and -artillery firing until an hour ago, when it seems to have measurably -ceased. We are in line of battle southwest of Decatur, about one and a -quarter miles. I went out reconnoitering this morning and saw the enemy's -position. They have a large fort immediately in the town, with the 'stars -and stripes' waving above. I hear occasional distant artillery firing -which I suppose is Forrest, near Huntsville. * * * We were several days -crossing Sand Mountain. Have had delightful weather until a day or two ago -it rained, making the roads very muddy, in consequence of which we have -been on small rations, the supply trains failing to get up. We had only -half rations yesterday, and have had none to-day (now nearly three -o'clock), but will get some to-night. We try to be cheerful. * * * No -letter from Texas yet. No one of our company has had any intelligence from -Johnson county since last May. I can't see what's the matter. I have been -absent nearly one year and have received but one letter." (Of course the -dear loved ones in Texas wrote to their soldier braves on this side the -Mississippi river; but such are the misfortunes of war that these missives -were long delayed in their passage). - -"Saturday, October 29th.--The condition of affairs this morning at sunrise -remains, so far as I know, unchanged. * * * Yesterday evening we drew two -ears of corn for a day's ration; so parched corn was all we had yesterday; -but we will get plenty to-day." - -And now we come to the last of the letters ever received. It is probable -it was among the last he ever wrote. It is dated "Tuscumbia, Ala., Nov. -10, 1864.--... We arrived at this place the 31st of October, and have been -here since, though what we are waiting for I can't tell. The pontoons are -across the river, and one corps on the other side at Florence. We have had -orders to be ready to move several times, but were countermanded. We were -to have moved to-day, and even our wagons started off, but for some cause -or other we have not gone. The river is rising very rapidly, which may -endanger the pontoons. - -"November 12th.--I thought to send this off yesterday morning, but, on -account of the rain a few days ago, the mail carrier was delayed until -last night, which brought your dear letter of date October 31st. It was -handed me on my return from the graveyard, where I had been to perform the -funeral ceremony of a member of the 6th Texas, who was killed yesterday -morning by the fall of a tree. He had been in every battle in which this -brigade was ever engaged; an interesting young man, only nineteen years of -age. - -"The scene at the graveyard was a solemn one, being some time in the night -before we arrived. The cold, pale moon shone down upon us, and the deep -stillness which pervaded the whole scene, with the rough, uncouth, though -tender-hearted soldiers with uncovered heads, forming a large circle -around the grave, made it, indeed, a scene solemnly impressive. The print -of my Bible being small, I could not read, but recited from memory a few -passages of Scripture suitable to the occasion, the one upon which I dwelt -chiefly being a declaration of Paul to the Corinthians, 'For we must all -appear before the judgment seat of Christ.' I then spoke of the certainty -of that change from life to death; that with the soldier, even, death is -not confined to the battlefield; spoke of our comrade, who but in the -morning bade as fair for long life as any of us, but within the space of a -few short hours was lying in the cold embrace of death; of another of our -brigade who was instantly killed a short time since by a stroke of -lightning; closed with an exhortation to all to live nearer to God, and be -prepared at all times to meet their God in peace. Oh, how sad! Far away -from his home to be buried in a land of strangers. How the hearts of his -father, mother and sisters must bleed when they receive the sad tidings. - -"I expect we will leave here for Middle Tennessee next Monday, as the -river will be falling by that time. There is much talk of this brigade -being sent home after this campaign. Major Rankin has been exchanged, and -is with us. I gave Lieutenant Collins' overcoat to his company to take -care of for him. - -"Am so glad to hear from ma and sister. We get no letters from Texas; but -are continually sending some over, as all the disabled of the last -campaign are being retired and sent across. Poor Uncle James! His Joseph -is gone.... Write to me often. - - Affectionately, - YOUR BROTHER." - -Ah, could the history of these brave men be written, what a record it -would be of endurance, of daring, of heroism, of sacrifice! And the -heart-breaking pathos of the last chapters of their experience, ere the -furling of the flag they followed! Pat Cleburne and his fallen braves-- - - "On fame's eternal camping ground, - Their silent tents are spread, - And glory marks with solemn round - The bivouac of the dead." - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII. - -AN INCIDENT OF THE WAR. - -Related to the writer by Hon. Roger Q. Mills, of Texas. - - -The night was black as Erebus. Not a scintillant of light from moon or -star penetrated the dense forest, and no eye save that of God discerned -the danger of the situation. Hill and dale, mountain and precipice, creek -and surging stream, presented barriers that none but men inured to -hardship, and unknown to fear, would have attempted to surmount. - -Obedient to the command of the superior officer, the remnant of that -magnificent and intrepid army, once guided by the unerring wisdom of -Joseph E. Johnston, plodded their way uncomplainingly over these trying -difficulties. The Lord must have been amazed at their temerity, and shook -the very earth in rebuke, and ever and anon by the lightning's flash -revealed glimpses of the peril to which they were exposed; and yet in -unbroken lines they groped their way, not knowing whither. At length -bewildered, and made aware of impending danger, the general in command -ordered a halt. The martial tread ceased, and all was still as death. In -the midst of this stillness a voice, sweet as that of a woman, was heard -repeating that grand old hymn, which has given comfort to many weary ones -treading the wine press: - - "How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, - Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word! - What more can He say than to you He hath said, - You who unto Jesus for refuge have fled. - - "In every condition, in sickness, in health, - In poverty's vale, or abounding in wealth, - At home and abroad, on the land, on the sea, - As thy days may demand shall thy strength ever be. - - "Fear not, I am with thee, O! be not dismayed, - I, I am thy God, and will still give thee aid; - I'll strengthen thee, help thee and cause thee to stand, - Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand. - - "When through the deep waters I call thee to go, - The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow; - For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless, - And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress. - - "When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie, - My grace all sufficient shall be thy supply; - The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design - Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine. - - "E'en down to old age, all My people shall prove - My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love; - And when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn, - Like lambs they shall still in My bosom be borne. - - "The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose, - I will not, I will not desert to his foes; - That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, - I'll never, no never, no never, forsake." - -General Mills said that during the rendition of this beautiful hymn, not -even the breaking of a twig, or the changing of a footstep broke the -silence of the midnight tranquillity. The rain drops ceased to fall; the -electricity darted harmlessly through the tree tops; and the muttering of -the thunder lulled. - -After a most impressive silence of several minutes, the same voice, which -had rendered the hymn so effectually, repeated from memory an appropriate -passage of Scripture and proceeded to expatiate upon it. He had not -uttered a dozen words before another flash of lightning revealed the -upturned heads and listening attitudes of the men composing that weird -congregation, and each one of them knew as if by instinct that he was -going to hear something that would help him on his journey to the Land of -Beulah. Strong in the faith, he carried many of the truths and promises of -the Holy Word within his mind, and now, as many times before, he opened -them by the magic key of memory and unfolded to view their unsearchable -riches. He begged his fellow-men and comrades in arms to accept them -without money and without price--to accept them that they might wear -kingly robes and royal diadems, and be with Jesus in His Father's regal -mansions throughout the grand eternities. And as he told the old, old -story of divine love, it assumed a contemporaneous interest and seemed a -living present reality. Every man who heard it felt the living force and -energizing influence of the theme. And thus by earnest, aggressive -appeals, he exerted a wonderful power for good over the minds of his -hearers; and those men, even now with phantom hands pointing gaunt fingers -at them, by their deep interest testified to the warm suffusing purpose -which made itself felt in every word that he uttered, as he told of the -Fatherhood of God and the ever-present sympathy of a benignant and -infinite parent, who delighted not in the death of sinners, but rather -that all should come to Him and have eternal life. General Mills added -that, as the fine resonant voice of the speaker penetrated the dense -forest and found its way to his hearers in distinct enunciation of -well-chosen words, the deep-toned thunder emphasized the impressive -points, and made it a scene which for grandeur and sublimity has never -been surpassed, while the vivid flashes of lightning revealed again and -again the earnest face and solemn mien of my brother, Lieutenant Thomas J. -Stokes, of the Tenth Texas Infantry of Cleburne's Division. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV. - -Picking up minie balls around Atlanta--Exchanging them for bread. - - -After mingling renewed vows of allegiance to our cause, and expressions of -a willing submission to the consequences of defeat--privations and evil -dire, if need be--with my morning orison; yet I could not be oblivious to -the fact that I was hungry, very hungry. And there was another, whose -footsteps were becoming more and more feeble day by day, and whose voice, -when heard at all, was full of the pathos of despair, who needed -nourishment that could not be obtained, and consolation, which it seemed a -mockery to offer. - -In vain did I look round for relief. There was nothing left in the country -to eat. Yea, a crow flying over it would have failed to discover a morsel -with which to appease its hunger; for a Sheridan by another name had been -there with his minions of destruction, and had ruthlessly destroyed every -vestige of food and every means of support. Every larder was empty, and -those with thousands and tens of thousands of dollars, were as poor as the -poorest, and as hungry too. Packing trunks, in every house to which -refugees had returned, contained large amounts of Confederate money. We -had invested all we possessed except our home, and land and negroes, in -Confederate bonds, and these were now inefficient for purchasing -purposes. Gold and silver had we none. A more favored few had a little of -those desirable mediums of purchase, and sent a great distance for -supplies; but they offered no relief to those who had stayed at home and -borne the brunt of battle, and saved their property from the destroyers' -torch. - -What was I to do? Sit down and wait for the inevitable starvation? No; I -was not made of such stuff. I had heard that there had been a provision -store opened in Atlanta for the purpose of bartering provisions for -munitions of war--anything that could be utilized in warfare. Minie balls -were particularly desirable. I therefore took Telitha by the apron, and -had a little talk with her, and when I was through she understood that -something was up that would bring relief to certain organs that had become -quite troublesome in their demands, and she was anxious to take part in -the performance, whatever that might be. I went also to my mother, and -imparted to her my plans of operation, and she took that pathetic little -backward step peculiar to herself on occasions which tried her soul, and -with quivering lip she assented in approving, though almost inaudible -words. - -With a basket in either hand, and accompanied by Telitha, who carried one -that would hold about a peck, and two old dull case-knives, I started to -the battle-fields around Atlanta to pick up the former missiles of death -to exchange for food to keep us from starving. - -It was a cold day. The wind was very sharp, and over the ground, denuded -of forest trees and undergrowth, the wind was blowing a miniature gale. -Our wraps were inadequate, and how chilled we became in that rude November -blast! Mark you, it was the 30th of November, 1864. But the colder we -were, the faster we walked, and in an incredibly short time we were upon -the battle-field searching for lead. - -I made it a point to keep very near the road in the direction of Atlanta, -and soon found myself on the very spot where the Confederate magazine -stood, the blowing up of which, by Confederate orders, shook the very -earth, and was distinctly heard thirty-five or forty miles distant. An -exclamation of glad surprise from Telitha carried me to her. She had found -a bonanza, and was rapidly filling her basket with that which was more -valuable to us than gold. In a marshy place, encrusted with ice, -innumerable bullets, minie balls, and pieces of lead seemed to have been -left by the irony of fate to supply sustenance to hungry ones, and -employment to the poor, as all the winter those without money to send to -more favored and distant points found sure returns from this lead mine. It -was so cold! our feet were almost frozen, and our hands had commenced to -bleed, and handling cold, rough lead cramped them so badly that I feared -we would have to desist from our work before filling the baskets. - -Lead! Blood! Tears! O how suggestive! Lead, blood and tears, mingled and -commingled. In vain did I try to dash the tears away. They would assert -themselves and fall upon lead stained with blood. "God of mercy, if this -be Thy holy will, give me fortitude to bear it uncomplainingly," was the -heart-felt invocation that went up to the throne of grace from over lead, -blood and tears, that fearful day. For relief, tears did not suffice. I -wanted to cry aloud; nature would not be satisfied with less, and I cried -like a baby, long and loud. Telitha caught the spirit of grief, and cried -too. This ebullition of feelings on her part brought me to a realization -of my duty to her, as well as to my poor patient mother to whom the day -must seem very long, and I tried to stifle my sobs and lamentations. I -wondered if she had the forebodings of coming bereavement that were -lacerating my own heart. I did not doubt but that she had, and I cried in -sympathy for her. - -At length our baskets were filled, and we took up our line of march to the -desolated city. There were no labyrinths to tread, no streets to follow, -and an occasional question secured information that enabled us to find the -"commissary" without delay. Telitha was very ambitious that I should -appear a lady, and wanted me to deposit my load of lead behind some place -of concealment, while we went on to deliver hers, and then let her go back -for mine. But I was too much a Confederate soldier for that, and walked -bravely in with my heavy, precious load. - -A courteous gentleman in a faded grey uniform, evidently discharged -because of wounds received in battle, approached and asked what he could -do for me. "I have heard that you give provisions for lead," I replied, -"and I have brought some to exchange." What seemed an interminable silence -ensued, and I felt without seeing that I was undergoing a sympathetic -scrutiny, and that I was recognized as a lady "to the manor born." - -"What would you like in exchange," he asked. "If you have sugar, and -coffee, and meal, a little of each if you please," I timidly said. "I left -nothing to eat at home." The baskets of lead were removed to the rear and -weighed, and in due time returned to me filled to the brim with sugar, -coffee, flour, meal, lard, and the nicest meat I had seen in a long time. - -"O, sir," I said, "I did not expect so much." - -"You have not yet received what is due you," this good man replied, and -handed me a certificate which he assured me would secure as much more on -presentation. - -Joy had gone out of my life, and I felt no thrill of that kind; but I can -never describe the satisfaction I experienced as I lifted two of those -baskets, and saw Telitha grasp the other one, and turned my face -homeward. - - - - -CHAPTER XXV. - -The Decatur women's struggle for bread--Sweet singing in hard -places--Pleasant visitors--I make a trip to Alabama--The news of my -brother's death. - - -The tug of war was upon us from the mountains to the sea-board, and -ingenious was the woman who devised means to keep the wolf, hungry and -ravenous, from the door. The depreciation of our currency, and its -constant diminution in value, had rendered it an unreliable purchasing -commodity, and we had nothing to give in exchange for food. I, therefore, -felt that I had literally rubbed against Aladdin's lamp when I saw much -needed food, good and palatable, given in exchange for minie balls, and -for any kind of metal convertible into destructive missiles, and I was -anxious that others should share the benefit accruing from the lead mines -mentioned in a former sketch. In pursuance of this humane desire, I -proclaimed its discovery and results from house to house; for, mark you, -we had no "Daily Courier," nor messenger boy to convey the glad tidings to -the half-famished women and children in and around Decatur. And if my -words could have been changed into diamonds by the magic wand of a fairy, -not one of those starving people would have accepted the change of -diamonds for bread. - -It required only a short time to raise a large company of women, girls and -little boys, who were ready to do service for themselves and their -country by digging lead with case-knives from mines providentially -furnished them. And was it not serving the cause of the Confederacy? I -thought so; and never walked with more independent step than when acting -as generalissimo of that band of devoted, patriotic women, _en route_ to -the "lead mines" around Atlanta. Telitha, too, evidently felt that she was -an important adjunct in the mining enterprise, and a conspicuous personage -in the scenes being enacted, and emphasized her opinion by strong and -suggestive gesticulation. On this occasion she playfully wrenched from my -hand the small vessel with which I had supplied myself and which I carried -on the former trip, and substituted a larger one, while for herself she -got at least a half-bushel measure. - -All who remember the month of December, 1864, know that it abounded in -clouds and rain and sleet, and was intensely cold in the Confederate -States of America; and in the latitude embracing Atlanta, such severity of -weather had never been known to the oldest inhabitant. But what mattered -it? Each one in that little band of women was connected by a bright link -to the illustrious armies that were enduring greater privation and -hardship than those to which she was exposed, and counted it a willing -oblation upon his country's altar, and why should she not prove faithful -to the end, and suffer the pangs of hunger and privation too? - -The work of picking up minie balls began as soon as we reached the -battle-field, and, consequently, we carried several pounds some distance -unnecessarily. The "mine" proper, I doubt not, could have filled several -wagons. As "a little fun now and then is relished by the wisest men," I -found a grim smile asserting itself at the quaint and ready wit of those -estimable girls, the Misses Morton, whose Christian names I have forgotten -and who, alas! have long since joined the silent majority. One of them -assumed the character of a Confederate soldier and the other that of a -Federal, and the conversation carried on between them, as they "exchanged -coffee and tobacco," was rich, rare and racy. The exchange having been -effected, the signal of combat was given. "Look out, Billy Yank!" "Look -out, Johnnie Reb!" were simultaneous warnings from opposing forces, and -minie balls whizzed through the air, much to the merriment of the little -boys who wished themselves men, that they might be with their fathers, -whizzing minie balls from musket mouths. - -The sham battle over, the work of digging lead was resumed, and in an -amazingly short time our vessels were filled to overflowing. I watched -Telitha with interest. She was eager to fill her basket, and more than -once she said, "Me full!" and added a little gutteral laugh that always -indicated pleasure. Her attempt to raise the basket from the ground, and -her utter failure to do so surprised her amazingly, and her disappointment -was pathetic. With great reluctance she saw her treasure reduced to her -capacity of handling. Each member of the party experienced similar -disappointment on attempting to raise her burden, and we left more exhumed -lead and other valuables than we carried away. - -We took up our line of march, and as there were no obstructions in the way -(for, be it remembered, Sherman had been there, and with torch and -explosive removed all obstructions save the standing chimneys and -carcasses of horses and cattle shot by his order to prevent the -possibility of use to the rebels), we struck a bee-line to the commissary. -As the first to take advantage of this industry, I took the lead, and the -vigor of young womanhood, and "a heart for every fate," gave elasticity to -my steps, and I soon outdistanced even the girls. In due time we reached -the commissary, and in a short while a most satisfactory exchange was -made, thanks to one whose great heart beat in unison with ours, and in -lieu of the heavy burden which we laid down, we picked up food for the -nourishment of our tired bodies and those of our loved ones at home. Oh, -how light, comparatively, it seemed! I verily believe if it had weighed -the same number of pounds, it would have seemed lighter, and the change -would have seemed restful. "Good-bye, noble ladies and sisters in a -righteous cause," was the parting salutation of our no less noble -benefactor. - -With our respective packages of food we again turned our faces homeward, -solemn as a funeral march, for, strive against them as we would, we all -had forebodings of ill, and the swaying of our bodies and our footsteps -kept time with the pulsations of our sad hearts. I fancied as I approached -standing chimneys and other evidences of destroyed homes, that the spirit -of Sherman, in the guise of an evil spirit, was laughing over the -destruction his diabolism had wrought. In the midst of these reflections -a song, which for sweetness and tranquilizing melody I have seldom heard -equalled and never surpassed, broke the stillness of the scene and added -to the melancholy interest of the occasion. It was the well known ballad, -then familiar to every child in the Confederacy, "When this Cruel War is -Over," and sung by those gifted sisters mentioned as a part of the lead -digging company. The pure, sweet soprano voice of one of the girls put to -flight the spirit of Sherman, and when it was joined by the flute-like -alto of the others, every evil spirit within and without was exorcised, -and the spirit of submission took its place. And yet as the words rang out -and found an echo in my own heart, I had to walk very straight, and turn -my head neither to the right nor to the left, lest I betray the copious -tears trickling down my cheeks. At length pent-up feelings burst the -fetters, and an audible sob removed restraint, and we cried as women -burdened with great sorrow. Precious tears! Nature's kind alleviator in -time of trouble. - - "The day was cold and dark and dreary, - And it rained and the winds were never weary," - -and yet I was nerved for its duties and toil by the consciousness of -having met, uncomplainingly, the work which the preservation of my own -principles made me willing to endure. Several days subsequent to this trip -to Atlanta, the Morton girls came running in and told me that we had some -delightful friends at the "Swanton place," who requested to see us. My -mother was too much exhausted by anxiety and waiting for that which never -came, to go, but approved my doing so. I, therefore, donned my sun-bonnet -and went; and whom should I meet but Mrs. Trenholm and her sweet young -daughters, Essie and Lila? I was delighted to see them, and invited them -to go home with me. Ma received them in a spirit of cordial hospitality, -and they were invited to remain at her house. Without hesitation, Mrs. -Trenholm accepted the proffered kindness, and returned to her wayside -rendezvous only to send her trunks, bedding and other household goods. And -truly the coming of that saintly woman and those lovely girls was a rare -benediction, especially at that time. Day by day ma looked in vain for -tidings from "the front"--wherever that might be--and day by day her -health and strength was perceptibly weakened by disappointment. Mrs. -Trenholm's sympathy with her in her suspense regarding the operations of -Hood's army, and the fate of her beloved son, was both touching and -consoling. Seeing that my mother and myself were hoping almost against -hope, she endeavored to bring us to a realization of that fact, and a -complete submission to the will of God, even though that will deprived us -of our loved one. All of her Christian arguments and consolations had been -pondered over and over by mother and daughter, but they never seemed so -sweet and potent as when coming in the chaste and simple language of a -precious saintly woman. - -With the tact peculiar to the refined of every clime and locality, Mrs. -Trenholm assumed management of the culinary department, and her dinner-pot -hung upon our crane several weeks, and daily sent forth appetizing odors -of bacon and peas. How we enjoyed those peas and that bacon, and the soup -seasoned with the only condiments at our command--salt and red pepper--and -the good hoe cakes! Mrs. Trenholm had a large sack of cow peas, and a sack -of dried fruit, and other articles of food which she had provided for -herself and her family before she left Southwest Georgia _en route_ to her -home in Marietta, which she left in obedience to the order of William -Tecumseh Sherman, and which she learned, before reaching Decatur, had -shared the fate of nearly all other homes which had to be thus abandoned. -Although magnanimously proffered, we were averse to sharing Mrs. -Trenholm's well-prepared and ofttimes tempting _cuisine_, unless our -proportion of food equaled hers; and fearing even the appearance of scanty -supplies, I set about to gather up "the miners," so that we might appoint -a day to again go lead digging, if that which we left in as many little -heaps as there were members of the company had been, in the interim, -gathered up by others. - -On former occasions I had led my company to victory over that malignant -general left by Sherman to complete his work, and styled by him "General -Starvation," and they were willing to go wherever I led. Now, I had two -recruits of whom I was very proud. Telitha, too, had gathered from -observation that the sweet young Trenholm girls were going with us, and -she set about to provide very small baskets for their use, which, with -gestures amusing and appropriate, she made us understand were large enough -to contain all the lead that girls so pretty and so ladylike ought to -carry. To their credit, however, they repudiated that idea, and carried -larger vessels. By appointment the "lead diggers" were to meet at the -tan-yard, those arriving first to wait until the entire number came. "Man -proposes and God disposes." Just as my last glove was drawn on, Telitha, -ever on the alert, said "Morton, Morton," and I looked and saw the girls -coming. "We needn't go--the commissary has folded its tents, and silently -stolen away," was the voluntary announcement. Imagine my consternation and -disappointment--the last hope of supply cut off! Ma saw the effect upon -me, and said in a more hopeful voice than was her wont, "The Lord is my -shepherd, I shall not want." And good Mrs. Trenholm said her sack of peas -was like the cruse of oil that never seemed to diminish in quantity, -however much was taken out of it. An examination, too, of our own -resources was quite gratifying; but I knew I ought to be "providing for a -rainy day." - -I pass now over an interval which brings me to the latter part of January, -1865. My sister returned home from Madison and spent several weeks with -us, but had accepted an offer to teach at Grantville, on the LaGrange and -West Point Railroad. I had a precious aunt, my mother's sister, Mrs. Annie -Watson, whom I loved dearly, and of whom I had not heard a word since the -interruption of the mail communication by the siege of Atlanta, and my -mother's frequent mention of her determined me to go and see if this -beloved aunt was living, and, if so, in what condition. I knew she was one -of the favored ones of earth, viewed from a worldly standpoint, but I -knew not what changes had come over her or her worldly possessions. Rumor -conveyed startling accounts of the atrocious deeds of Wilson's raiders, -and I knew that they were operating in that rich cotton belt of Alabama -which embraced my aunt's plantation and beautiful home. I could scarcely -hope that that home and its valuable appointments had escaped the cupidity -of an organized band of robbers protected by the United States Government. - -When I think of my mother's fond affection for her children, and her -tender solicitude for their welfare, I am constrained to think that she -thought I was endowed with a sort of charmed existence not subject to the -perils which beset the pathway of ordinary mortals, and hence her ready -acquiescence to my proposition to undertake a journey of many miles, under -circumstances of imminent danger, inspired with confidence amounting to -certainty that I would be preserved by an All-wise Providence for future -usefulness. I had very little preparation to make for the contemplated -trip. A pretty, small-checked dress, which had done service through many a -changing scene, and was good for as many more, and a hat--well, I beg to -be excused from describing it--and gloves upon which I had expended skill -in darning until it was difficult to perceive where the darning ceased and -the glove began, completed my toilet, and I bade to all appearance a -cheerful good-bye to my mother and kind friends, and went by private -conveyance to Fairburn. There I took the train for Cowles' Station, -Alabama. - -Nothing of particular interest transpired on the way. My country was -prostrate and bleeding from many lacerations, and my tears flowed so -freely that by the time I reached my railroad destination I had a very -sick headache. That "there is a providence that shapes our ends" was again -illustrated. Some of my aunt's neighbors, who knew me at least by name, -were at the station, and kindly offered to carry me to her residence, a -distance of ten miles. I found my aunt in feeble health, and all alone -save her usual dusky attendant. Her only child, Mrs. Mary E. Seaman, had -gone to Tuskeegee to see her little daughter, who was there going to -school in care of a friend and relative, Col. Smith Graham. My closest -scrutiny failed to detect any change in my aunt's mode of living. The same -retinue of servants came into the house to see and shake hands with -mistress' niece, and after many questions about "our white folks in -Georgia," retired from my presence with the same courtesy that had marked -their demeanor towards me in ante-bellum days. - -My aunt manifested her joy at seeing me in many ways, and wept and smiled -alternately, as I related my adventures with the Yankees. "And my sister, -what was their treatment of her?" My evasive answer, "It could have been -worse," heightened her desire to learn particulars, and I told them to -her. She was grateful for all leniency shown by them, and affected to -tears by unkindness. As the day waned, and the middle of the afternoon -came on, my aunt proposed walking "to meet Mary." I supported her fragile -form, and guided her footsteps in the best part of the road. How like her -beloved sister in Georgia she seemed! Accustomed to this little diversion, -for she always went to meet Mary, she had reckoned accurately regarding -the time of her daughter's coming, and we had not gone far when we saw the -carriage descending a declivity in the distance. Nelson, the coachman, had -also recognized "Mistress and Miss Mary," and announced his discovery to -my cousin. Increased speed in the gait of the horses soon brought us -together, and she opened the door and stepped to the ground. After kissing -her dear mother, she encircled me in her arms, and kissed me time and -again, and then assisted me into the carriage, and she and her mother -followed. I greeted the coachman in a cordial manner, because of past -service and present fidelity to "mistress and my white folks" generally. - -With my rapidity in conversation, I could scarcely keep up with my -cousin's questions. Happy woman! She had never seen any "Blue-coats," or, -in the parlance of the times, "Yankees," and she enjoyed my description of -them, especially when in answer to the question, "Do they look like our -men?" I attempted to define the difference. It was amusing to me to hear -her describe the preparations she made for the coming of Wilson and his -raiders. - -After reaching home, she left her mother and myself only a few minutes. I -scarcely perceived her absence, and yet when she returned the disparity in -our dress was not so apparent. The elegant traveling suit had been -exchanged for her plainest home attire, and every article of jewelry had -disappeared. The brief period spent with these dear relatives was spent -in mutual efforts to entertain and amuse each other. My aunt's -conversation was like sweet music in which minor chords abounded. Her love -for her sister, and apprehension of evil, gave a pathetic turn to every -conversation she attempted, and it was evident to me that she had given up -all hope of my brother's safety, and her resignation under similar -circumstances was a great support to me. - -Much as I enjoyed this luxurious home, and its refined appointments, there -was a controlling motive--a nearer tie--that made me willing to again take -up the hardships and perils of warfare, and battle for life with that -relentless enemy left by Sherman to complete his cruel work, the aforesaid -General Starvation. - -After many farewell words were spoken, I left my aunt, accompanied by her -daughter, who went with me to the station for the purpose of seeing me on -the train bound for Fairburn, then the terminus of the railroad. It was -past noon when the train left the station, and in those days of slow -railroad locomotion, it was all the afternoon reaching West Point. I -learned before reaching there that I would have to remain over until the -next morning, and, therefore, as soon as I stepped from the cars, started -to hunt a place at which to spend the night. Wending my way, solitary and -alone, through the twilight, I saw Mr. John Pate, the depot agent at -Decatur, coming towards me. - -"Oh, Mr. Pate, have you heard anything from ma in the last week?" - -"Yes; it went very hard with her, but she was some better this morning." - -I did not have to ask another question. I knew it all, and was dumb with -grief. The thought that I would never see my darling brother again -paralyzed me. I saw him in the mirror of my soul, in all the periods of -his existence. The beautiful little baby boy, looking at me the first time -out of his heavenly blue eyes, and his second look, as if not satisfied -with the first, followed by the suggestion of a smile. Ah, that smile! It -had never failed me through successive years and varying scenes. The -boyhood and youth--honest, truthful and generous to a fault--and the -noble, genial boyhood, had all developed within my recollection, and I -loved him with an intensity bordering on idolatry. These scenes and many -others rushed through my mind with kaleidoscopic rapidity and made me so -dizzy that I had no knowledge of how I reached the "hotel." My heart cried -and refused to be comforted. From the consolation of religion and -patriotism it recoiled and cried all the more. A great tie of nature had -been sundered, and the heart, bruised and crushed and bleeding, pulsated -still with vitality that would have flickered out but for the hope of -giving comfort to the poor bereaved mother and sister in our great sorrow. -Good ladies bathed my throbbing temples and kissed my cheeks and spoke -comforting words, for they were all drinking the bitter waters of Marah, -and knew how to reach the heart and speak of the balm of Gilead. - -"Killed on the battle-field, thirty steps from the breastworks at -Franklin, Tennessee, November 30th, 1864," was the definite information -regarding my brother's death, left for me by Mr. Pate. - -Interminable as the darkness of night appeared, it at length gave way to -the light of day, and I was ready with its dawn to take the train. But, -oh, the weight of this grief that was crushing me! Had the serpents which -attacked Laocoon, and crushed him to death by their dreadful strength, -reached out and embraced me in their complicated folds, I could not have -writhed in greater agony. I did not believe it was God's will that my -brother should die, and I could not say to that Holy Being, "Thy will be -done." In some way I felt a complicity in his death--a sort of personal -responsibility. When my brother wrote to me from his adopted home in Texas -that, having voted for secession, he believed it to be his duty to face -the danger involved by that step, and fight for the principles of -self-government vouchsafed by the Constitution of the United States, I -said nothing in reply to discourage him, but rather I indicated that if I -were eligible I should enter the contest. These, and such as these were -the harrowing reflections which accused me of personal responsibility for -the demon of war entering our household and carrying off the hope and prop -of a widowed mother. - -I found my poor stricken mother almost prostrate. The tidings of her son's -tragic death did the work apprehended by all who knew her nervous -temperament. Outwardly calm and resigned, yet almost paralyzed by the -blow, she was being tenderly cared for by our saintly neighbor, Mrs. Ammi -Williams and her family, who will always be held in grateful remembrance -by her daughters. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVI. - -MY MOTHER'S DEATH. - -Rev. Dr. John S. Wilson performs the funeral service - - -In sympathy with a disappointed people who had staked all and lost all in -the vain effort to defend the inherited rights of freemen, and had not yet -rallied from the depression occasioned by defeat, the spring of 1866 had -withheld her charms, and, instead of donning a mantle of green, decorated -with pansies, violets and primroses, hyacinths, bluebells and daffodils, -verbenas, phlox and geraniums, and bloom of vine and briar in endless -variety, the first day of April found her wounded, bleeding bosom wrapped -in the habiliments of sorrow and despondency. A few brave old apple trees, -as if to encourage the more timid, had budded and blossomed and sent forth -sweet fragrance as of yore, and a few daring sprigs of grass suggested -spring-time and sunny skies. Loneliness, oppressive and melancholy, and a -spirit of unrest, prompted me to go to the depot in quest of something -that never came, and my sister had stepped over to our neighbor, Mrs. -Williams'. - -Our mother loved the spring-time. It had always been her favorite season -of the year. Fifty-nine vernal suns had brought inspiration and hope to -her sensitive, tender heart, and given impulse to a checkered life; but -now no day-star of hope shed its effulgence for her. As I mentioned in a -former sketch, her only son had fallen mortally wounded upon the -sanguinary battle-field of Franklin, and she had never recovered from the -shock. - -After a few months of patient endurance, an attack of paralysis had -occurred, and during many days life and death contended for the victory. -But the skill of good physicians, among them Dr. Joseph P. Logan, and -faithful, efficient nursing, aided in giving her a comfortable state of -health lasting through several months. But the fiat had gone forth, and -now after a pathetic survey of earth, mingled with thankfulness even then -to the God of the spring-time, she succumbed to the inevitable. - -Returning from the depot, I espied in the distance the approaching figure -of Telitha. As she came up to me she was the very picture of despair. With -one hand clasped to her head, she fell on the ground and lay as if dead -for a moment. My worst apprehensions were more than realized. I found my -mother speechless, and never more heard her voice--never more heard any -sound emanating from her lips except labored, heavy breathing. It was all -so sudden and strange and sad, I cannot describe it. Neighbors and friends -came in by the score, and did all they could to mitigate our great sorrow. -"Johnnie" Hardeman stayed until all was over, and mother never received -from loving son kinder care or more unremitting attention. Paul Winn also -remained and manifested deep sympathy, and so did other neighbors. Oh, the -sorrow, the poignant sorrow, to see a mother in the embrace of death, and -to have no power over the monster! About thirty hours of unconsciousness, -and without a struggle, "life's fitful dream was over," about 9 o'clock p. -m., April 1st, 1866. The silent hush that ensued was sacred, and scarcely -broken by the sobs of those most deeply afflicted. - -Loving hands fashioned a shroud, and a beautiful casket was obtained from -Atlanta. When all was done, and our mother arrayed for the tomb, she -looked like the bride of Heaven. I gazed long and earnestly upon her face -and figure, and went away and came back, and gazed again admiringly. For -every lineament was formed into a mold that compelled admiration. - -During the two days that she lay there, I often lingered by her side; and -I recalled the many scenes, ofttimes perilous and sad, and ofttimes joyous -and gay, through which we had gone together. Although a wee bit girl, -scarcely turned in my fifth year at the time of my mother's second -marriage, I remembered her as a bride. I remembered our journey by gig and -wagon to Cassville, then, paradoxical as it may sound now, situated in the -heart of a wilderness of beauty and savagery. The war-whoop of an -uncivilized race of Indians, justly angry and resentful, reverberated -though the impenetrable forest that belted the little settlement of white -people that had the hardihood and bravery to make their homes among them. -I remembered how she soon became a favorite, and was beloved by every one -in that sparsely-settled locality, and won even the hearts of the Indians, -by kindness towards them. She taught them how to make frocks and shirts, -and clothes for their children, for the Cherokees were an ambitious -people, and aspired to assimilation with the white race; and, to please -them, she learned to bead moccasins, and other articles, ornamental and -useful, just as they did. She also learned their alphabet, and became able -to instruct them in their own language. - -I remembered how she had always worked for the poor; not so much in -societies (where the good that is accomplished in one way is often more -than counterbalanced by the harm that is done in others), as in the quiet -of her home, and in the humble habitations of God's poor. I remembered, -with a melancholy thrill, how she had worked for our soldiers, and had not -withheld good deeds from an invading alien army. Reverently I took in mine -her little, symmetrical hand as it lay peacefully over the heart that had -ever beat in unison with all that was good. It was weather-beaten, and I -could feel the rough places on the palm through the pretty white silk -glove in which it was encased. Cold and stark in death, it gave no -responsive pressure to my own. I thought of its past service to me in -which it never tired. It had trained my own from the rudimentary "straight -lines" and "pot hooks," through all the intricacies of skilled penmanship, -and from the picturesque letters on a sampler to the complete stitches of -advanced embroidery. The little motionless hand that I now held in my own -had picked corn from cracks and crevices in bureau drawers, which served -as troughs for Garrard's cavalry horses, to make bread with which to -appease her hunger and mine. I gazed upon the pallid face and -finely-chiseled features. The nose never seemed so perfect, or the brow so -fair, or the snow-white hair so beautiful. The daintiest of mull caps -heightened the effect of the perfect combination of feature, placidity and -intellectual expression. I fancied I had never seen her look so beautiful, -and felt that it was meet that we should lay her away in a tomb where she -could rest undisturbed until the resurrection morn, not doubting that the -verdict of a great and good God would assign her a place among His chosen -ones. - -Soothing to our bruised hearts was the sweet singing of those who watched -at night beside her lifeless form. With gratitude we remember them still: -Laura and Mary Williams, Emma and John Kirkpatrick, Josiah Willard and -John McKoy. One of the hymns they sang was "Jerusalem, My Happy Home." - -The hour for the funeral service came. Friends and neighbors and -fellow-citizens had been assembling for several hours, and now the house -was full, and the yard was thronged. Where did this concourse of people -come from--old men, war-stricken veterans, and a few young men who had -survived the bloody conflict that had decimated the youth of the South, -and boys and women and girls! All alike came to pay respect to the -deceased friend, and to show sympathy for the bereaved and lonely sisters. -That sainted man and friend of ours, Rev. John S. Wilson, took his stand -near the casket, and we sat near him, and those who loved us best got -very near to us. Ah, well do I remember them! I could call each by name -now, and the order in which they came. An impressive silence ensued, -broken by the man of God uttering in hopeful intonation and animated -manner, "She is not dead, but sleepeth," and a sermon followed upon the -resurrection of God's people, never surpassed in interest and pathos. All -felt the power of his theme, and the eloquence of his words. He also spoke -of the humble modesty of his friend, who had counted herself least in the -congregation of the righteous, and dispensed favors to others in an -unobtrusive manner, and who practically illustrated the divine command: -"Do unto others as ye would that others should do unto you." This -beautiful funeral tribute was succeeded by the hymn-- - - "Rock of ages, cleft for me," - -which was sung with an unction which none but Christians can feel. - -The last earthly look, solemn and earnest, was taken of our -long-suffering, patient, loving mother, and everybody in the house -followed our example and gazed reverently upon the pretty face, cold in -death. And then the pall-bearers, "Johnnie" Kirkpatrick, "Johnnie" -Hardeman, Virgil Wilson and Mr. G. W. Houston, bore her to the grave. - -With uncovered head and grey locks fluttering in the vernal breeze, Dr. -Wilson repeated the beautiful burial service of the Presbyterian Church. I -can never describe the utter desolation of feeling I experienced as I -stood clasped in the arms of my sister, and heard the first spadeful of -earth fall over the remains of our loved one. - -But we had heard above all the glorious words, "This mortal shall put on -immortality," and "O, death, where is thy sting? O, grave, where is thy -victory?" - - - - -CHAPTER XXVII. - -A REMINISCENCE. - - -"Sister, you are not paying any attention whatever to my reading, and you -are losing the most beautiful thoughts in this delightful book." - -"Yes, and I am sorry to do so; but I think I see one of Rachel's -children--Madaline or Frances." - -My sister closed her book, and, looking in the direction indicated, agreed -with me that the negro woman, clothed in the habiliments of widowhood, who -was coming up the avenue with a little boy by her side and one in her -arms, was one of Rachel's children; and, although she was scarcely in her -teens when she went away, she was a mother now, and traces of care were -visible in every lineament of her face. I recognized her, however, as -Rachel's youngest daughter, Frances, and went to meet her. - -"Is that you, Frances?" I asked. - -"Yes, Miss Mary, this is me; your same nigger Frances, and these are my -children." - -"I am glad to see you and your children;" and I extended my hand in -genuine cordiality to her who had once been a slave in my mother's family, -and I bade her welcome to her old home. Frances was too demonstrative to -be satisfied with simply hand-clasping, and putting her boy on the ground, -she threw her arms around me and literally overwhelmed me with kisses. My -hands, neck and face were covered with them, and she picked me up and -carried me in her arms to the house, her children following in amazed -astonishment. She now turned her attention to them, and, after -deliberately shaking the wrinkles out of their clothes, she as -deliberately introduced them to me. The older of the two she introduced as -"King by name," and the younger as "Lewis by name." - -"You see, Miss Mary, I named my children King and Lewis 'cause my white -folks named my brothers King and Lewis." - -The ceremony of introducing her sons to _her_ old _white folks_ being -performed to her satisfaction, she again turned her attention to me, and -again literally overwhelmed me with caresses. - -Entering the house, I asked Frances and her children to come in too. - -"Miss Mary, whar's Miss Polly?" - -"Have you not heard, Frances, that ma is dead?" - -"Seem to me I has heard somethin' about it, but some how I didn't believe -it. And my poor Miss Polly is dead! Well, she ain't dead, but she's gone -to heaven." - -And Frances became quite hysterical in demonstrations of grief. - -"And Marse Thomie, what about him, Miss Mary?" - -"He was killed by the enemy at Franklin, Tenn., the 30th of November, -1864." - -"Miss Mary, did them old Yankees kill him?" - -"Yes, he was killed in battle." - -And again, whether sincere or affected, Frances became hysterical in -demonstrations of grief. - -"Miss Mary, whar's Miss Missouri? Is she dead too?" - -"No; that was she who was sitting in the portico with me as you were -coming up the avenue. She always has to go off and compose herself before -meeting any of you--ma was that way, too--I suppose you remind her of -happier days, and the contrast is so sad that she is overcome by grief and -has to get relief in tears." - -"Yes'm, I have to cry, too, and it does me a monstous heap of good. I know -it's mighty childish, but I jest can't help it. Jest to think all my white -folks is done dead but Miss Mary and Miss Missouri!" - -"Our brother left a dear little boy in Texas, and I am going after him -next winter. He and his mother are going to live with us, and then we will -not be so lonely." - -"That's so, Miss Mary." - -Frances and her children having partaken of a bountiful supper, she -resumed, with renewed vigor, her erratic conversation, which consisted, -chiefly, of innumerable questions, interspersed with much miraculous -information regarding herself since she left her white folks and became a -wife, a mother, and a widow. - -"Miss Mary, whar's my children going to sleep tonight?" - -"With your help I will provide a comfortable place for them, and, also, -for you." - -And taking a lantern and leading the way to the kitchen, I entered and -pointed to a light bedstead, and told her to carry a portion of it at a -time to my room, and we would put it up in there. - -"Same old room, jest like it was when me and my mammy used to sleep in it. - -"Well, things do look mighty nateral if it has been a long time since I -seed it. - -"And Miss Mary is agoing to let me and my children sleep in her room. -Well!" - -The bedstead having been placed in position, a mattress and bed clothing -were furnished. And soon the little negro children were soundly sleeping -under the protecting roof of their mother's former young mistresses. - -"Whar's your teakettle, Miss Mary?" Having been told where to find it, -Frances took it to the well and filled it with water, and, by adding a -little more fuel to the fire, soon had it boiling. - -"Whar's your bath-tub, Miss Mary?" - -That, too, was soon produced and supplied with hot water, reduced to -proper temperature. Memories of the past left no doubt in my mind as to -the use to which the water was to be applied, and I determined to gratify -every fancy that would give pleasure to our former handmaid, and, -therefore, I made no resistance when garters were unbuckled, shoes and -stockings removed, and feet tenderly lifted into the tub. She knew just -how long to keep them there, and how to manipulate them so as to give the -most satisfaction and enjoyment; and how to dry them--a very important -process. And then the shoes and stockings were again put on, and giving -me an affectionate pat on the head she told me to sit still until she told -me to move. - -"Now, whar's your comb and brush?" - -The force of habit must have impelled her to ask this question, as, -without awaiting an answer, she went to the bureau and got the articles -about which she had asked, and in a few moments she had my long, luxuriant -black hair uncoiled and flowing over my shoulders. She was delighted; she -combed and braided it, and unbraided and combed it again and again, and -finally, as if reluctant to do so, arranged it for the night. - -"Now, whar's your gown?" - -"You will find it hanging in the wardrobe." - -Having undressed me, Frances insisted upon putting the gown on me, and -then wanted to carry and put me in bed; this service, however, I declined -with thanks. All these gentle manipulations had a soporific effect upon -me, and I fain would have slept, but no such pleasure was in store for me. -Frances had an axe to grind, and I had to turn the grindstone, or incur -her displeasure. Mark her proposition: - -"Miss Mary, I come to give you my children." - -"Your what?" - -"My children, these smart little boys. I'll go with you to the court-house -in the mornin' and you can have the papers drawn up and I'll sign 'em, and -these little niggers will belong to you 'til they's of age to do for -theyselves; and all I'll ever ask you to do for me for 'em is to raise -them like my Miss Polly raised me." - -"That you should be willing to give your children away, Frances, surprises -me exceedingly. If you are without a home, and would like to come here and -live, I will do all I can for you and your children. The kitchen is not -occupied, only as a lumber or baggage room, and you can have that without -paying rent; and you can take care of the cow and have all you can make -off of her milk and butter, except just enough for the table use of two; -and you can have a garden without paying rent, and many other -favors--indeed, I will favor you in every possible way." - -"Well, I tell you how it is, Miss Mary. You see, mammy wants to open up a -laundry, and she wants me to help her. She's done 'gaged several womens to -help her, and she wants me to go in with her sorter as a partner, you see. -And I wants to get my children a good home, for you knows if I had to take -care of 'em I couldn't do much in a laundry." - -"And you want me to take care of them?" - -"Yes'm; just like you used to take care of your own little niggers before -freedom, and after I sign the papers they'll belong to you, _don't you -know_." - -"I am sorry to disappoint you, Frances, but I cannot accept your offer. If -slavery were restored and every negro on the American continent were -offered to me, I should spurn the offer, and prefer poverty rather than -assume the cares and perplexities of the ownership of a people who have -shown very little gratitude for what has been done for them." Without -seeming to notice the last sentence, Frances exclaimed: - -"Well, it's mighty strange. White folks used to love little niggers, and -now they won't have them as a gracious gift." - -Under the cover of night she had made her proposition and received her -disappointment, after which she lay down by her children and was soon -sleeping at the rate of 2:40 per hour, if computed by the snoring she kept -up. In due time morning, cheerful, sun-lighted morning, came, and with it -many benign influences and good resolutions for the day. - -Frances asked where everything was, and having ascertained, went to work -and soon had a nice, appetizing breakfast for us, as well as for herself -and children. After that important meal had been enjoyed, she inquired -about the trains on the Georgia Railroad, and asked what time she could go -into Atlanta. I told her she could go at nine o'clock, but I preferred -that she should stay until twelve o'clock, m. - -"Miss Mary, what was in that trunk I saw in the kitchen last night?" - -"I scarcely know; odds and ends put there for safekeeping, I suppose." - -"May I have the trunk and the odds and ends in it? They can't be much, or -they wouldn't be put off there." - -"We will go and see." Again I took the kitchen key, and the trunk key as -well, and having unlocked both receptacles, I told Frances to turn the -contents of the trunks out upon the floor. When she saw them I noticed her -disappointment, and I told her to remain there until I called her. I went -in the house and got a pair of sheets, a pair of blankets, a quilt, -several dresses and underclothing, and many things that she could make -useful for her children, and put them together, and then called her and -told her to take them and put them in the trunk. - -"Look here, Miss Mary, you ain't going to give me all them things, is -you?" - -"Yes, put them in the trunk and lock it." - -A large sack of apples, a gift also, was soon gathered and a boy engaged -to carry it and the trunk over to the depot in a wheelbarrow. Promptly at -half-past eleven o'clock the trunk and apples, and Frances and her little -boys, were on the way to the depot, _en route_ to Atlanta, their future -home, and even a synopsis of the subsequent achievements of that woman and -her unlettered mother would be suggestive of Munchausen. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVIII. - -HOW THE DECATUR WOMEN KEPT UP THE SABBATH SCHOOL. - -A Brief Sketch of the Old Churches and the Union Sunday School--The -Resumption of Church Services. - - -Before the war there were in Decatur but two churches, the Methodist and -the Presbyterian; although Baptist and Episcopal services were -occasionally held. The churches first mentioned had been organized about -1825. The Presbyterians first worshipped in a log church, and afterwards -in a frame building, but in 1846 had erected a substantial brick church. -In this building was also taught the Decatur Union Sabbath School, -organized in 1831, and for twenty-five years preceding the summer of 1864 -it had been superintended by that godly man, Mr. Levi Willard. - -The Federals had now come in. The church had been rifled of all its -contents, including the pews. The faithful Sunday School superintendent -with his lovely family soon after went away. Being nearer to our house, I -remember more about the dismantling and refurnishing of the Presbyterian -church than of the Methodist. So far as can be ascertained, the last -sermon at the Presbyterian church had been preached by Rev. James C. -Patterson, who was then living at Griffin, but was the stated supply of -the pulpit here at that time. He will be remembered as a most godly man, -and as a sweet singer of sacred songs. - -The Sabbath before the entrance of the Federals, no service was held in -the dear old church. The last prayer service had been held on Wednesday -afternoon, led by Mr. Levi Willard, who was an efficient elder. - -In July, 1864, but few families remained in Decatur; but there was still a -goodly number of children and young people whose training must not be -neglected. On the southwest corner of the Courthouse stood, and still -stands, a long, narrow, two-story house. The lower story was occupied as a -residence--the upper story, for many years preceding and succeeding these -times, was the quarters of the Masonic Lodge. In the ante-room of this -lodge, Miss Lizzie Mortin taught a day school. The first story of the -building was now occupied by the family of Mr. John M. Hawkins. Mr. -Hawkins had enlisted in the army early in the war, but for some reason had -returned home and been elected clerk of the court, which position he held -until forced to leave before the advancing foe. - -Mrs. Hawkins, whose maiden name was Valeria A. Perkins, the eldest -daughter of Reuben Perkins of Franklin county, gladly opened her house on -Sunday mornings that the children might be taught in the Sacred -Scriptures. And thus a Sunday School was begun, and Mrs. Hawkins was made -the superintendent. - -Among the organizers and teachers may be mentioned Miss Cynthia Brown, -Mrs. H. H. Chivers, Mrs. Eddleman, Miss Lizzie Morton, and Miss Lizzie -McCrary. Mr. and Mrs. Buchanan, Mrs. Ammi Williams, and Mr. Fred Williams -acted as a sort of advisory board. Rev. Dr. Holmes and Rev. P. F. Hughes, -two elderly Baptist ministers, sometimes came; and Mr. R. J. Cooper, a -godly layman, came a few times. - -The names of some of these Sabbath school pupils can yet be -re-called:--Charley, Guss and Lizzie Hawkins; their Cousins John, Sam, -Ellen and Lizzie Hawkins, the children of Mr. Sam Hawkins, who is still -living in Summerville, Georgia; the children of Mr. R. J. Cooper, and of -Mrs. Eddleman, Mrs. Chivers, and of Mr. Ed Morton. There were others whose -names I cannot recall. - -The number of pupils increased to forty, and the school, having out-grown -its quarters, was moved to the Court House; but when the Federals chose to -occupy the Court House, the Sunday school was moved back to Mrs. Hawkins's -home. The Bible was the text book; for there were no Sunday-school papers -or song books. - -Imagine the scene, if you can. Says one of the participants, who was then -a young girl: "We were a peculiarly dressed lot. I had a stand-by suit, -the skirt made of a blanket shawl; with this I wore one of my brother's -white shirts and a red flannel jacket. I had grown so fast that I was -taller than my mother, and there was literally nothing large enough in our -house or circle of friends to make me a whole suit. One of the ladies wore -a gray plaid silk, a pair of brown jeans shoes, and a woven straw bonnet. -She had nothing else to wear. Many of the children were rigged out in -clothes made from thrown-away uniforms, picked up, washed, and cut down -by the mothers." - -Mrs. Hawkins is still living near Decatur. She remembers that on several -occasions the soldiers came in while the school was in session, much to -the demoralizing of good order and comfort of mind. On one occasion the -raiders piled barrels one on top of another, near the house, and set them -afire, frightening the children very much. - -When the war was over, the refugees began to return. Among the first were -the families of Mr. J. W. Kirkpatrick, Mr. Ezekiel Mason, Captain Milton -A. Candler, Dr. W. W. Durham, Dr. P. F. Hoyle, Mrs. Jane Morgan, Mrs. -Cynthia Stone, Mr. James Winn, Mr. Benjamin Swanton, Mr. Jonathan Wilson, -and Mr. J. N. Pate. But, alas! our faithful old Sunday-school -superintendent and his family returned not, but remained in Springfield, -Ohio, with the exception of Mr. Josiah J. Willard, who afterwards married -Miss Jessie Candler, a sister of Captain Candler. - -These returning refugees were devoted to the Sunday-school. Mr. John C. -Kirkpatrick, just from the war, and scarce twenty-one, undertook the task -of re-seating the Presbyterian church. He went out to a saw-mill and had -puncheons sawed and carried to Mr. Kirkpatrick's cabinet shop, where they -were fashioned into temporary seats. These were placed in the church, and -it was once more opened for the exercises of the union Sunday-school, and -also for divine worship. Who conducted those exercises, I can find no one -who now remembers. My mother had been stricken in July, 1865, with -paralysis, which confined her to her bed for many weeks. It was not to be -supposed that her daughters could leave her; so that neither one of them -can recollect these sessions of the resumed Sabbath-school. - -There lies before me "the Sunday-school register and minute-book of 1866," -kindly furnished for inspection by Mr. Hiram J. Williams, who had from -early youth been constantly identified with the Sunday-school and church. -The Superintendent was Mr. Ben T. Hunter; the librarian, Mr. John C. -Kirkpatrick; the treasurer, Mr. John J. McKoy. Mr. Kirkpatrick removed to -Atlanta in the August of that year, and Mr. Josiah Willard was elected to -fill his place, but resigned in December to go on to Ohio, from whence he -soon returned, and died a few years ago in Atlanta. - -But I must not forget that I am not writing a history of the -Sabbath-school, yet I cannot leave the theme without mentioning the fact -that all the faithful ones who had taught in the stormy days of war still -came in time of peace, and many others whose hearts had not grown cold by -their enforced absence. Let me mention the teachers: Mr. J. W. -Kirkpatrick, Dr. P. F. Hoyle, Rev. A. T. Holmes, Mr. W. W. Brimm, Captain -Milton A. Candler, Mr. G. A. Ramspeck[4], Dr. John L. Hardman, Mr. H. H. -Puckett, Mr. W. A. Moore (afterwards a Superintendent), Miss Cynthia -Brown, Mrs. H. H. Chivers, Mrs. Eddleman, Mrs. Catharine Winn, Mrs. Jane -Morgan, Miss Lizzie Swanton, Mrs. E. A. Mason, Mrs. Valeria A. Hawkins, -Mrs. J. J. McKoy and Miss Lee Moore. Miss M. H. Stokes had been appointed -one of the teachers, but her mother's feeble health, and the great shock -consequent upon her death, prevented this teacher from attending that year -with any regularity. - -Among the names of "visitors" we notice those of Mr. Bryce, Rev. P. F. -Hughes, Mr. Cooper, and Mr. L. J. Winn. - -The re-opening of the Sabbath school at the old church was doubtless a -great blessing to many. To one young man the joining of that school, and -the acceptance of a teacher's place, meant the first public step to a -profession of faith in Christ. Captain Milton A. Candler was the child of -pious parents, but so far as he knew, was at this time an unconverted man. -He reluctantly and with great diffidence accepted a teacher's place. Said -he quite recently: "I attribute my subsequent union with the church to the -study of the Bible which I made while teaching a class of little boys, -Sabbath after Sabbath, in the old church with its puncheon seats. I taught -my pupils, a class of little boys, to read from 'the blue-back speller,' -and, when that lesson was over, read to them from the Bible, explaining it -to them as best I could in all humility." In a few years he made a public -profession of his faith in Christ, and was elected to the Superintendency -of the Sabbath-school, (which office he still holds), and has labored for -its interests with a love and an unflagging zeal rarely ever equalled. - -How sweet were the voices of many of the teachers and pupils! John C. -Kirkpatrick sang a fine tenor; and clear and soft and true were the tones -of Josiah Willard, sweet as the lovely character of this sainted one. All -who knew Rev. J. D. Burkhead remember his singing, and he often led the -music. A little later came Mrs. Mary Jane Wood with her magnificent voice, -and the grand bass of Joseph Morgan, the son of one of the pioneer -teachers, Mrs. Martha Morgan. From this Sunday-school, and from its -ex-Confederate soldiers, there went into the ministry W. W. Brimm, Paul P. -Winn and Sam K. Winn. Promoted to the Glory Land long ago was Mrs. Jane -Morgan; and, more recently, Mrs. Catherine Winn. - -In the summer of 1866, a Sabbath-school was organized at the Methodist -church, which, while a step in the right direction, was the sundering, in -one sense, of ties that were very dear. - -I cannot ascertain when the first sermon was preached in the church after -the war, but think it must have been in August, as there is this entry in -the journal of my sister, Miss Stokes, already quoted from in a former -part of this volume: "Sunday, August 27th, 1865.--Dr. Holmes preached in -the Presbyterian church, which has been re-opened for divine service, -being furnished with puncheon seats without backs. There are a few benches -with backs. Next Sabbath, Dr. Wilson will administer the communion of the -Lord's supper." This was done at the time appointed--the first communion -held in the church after the war. (The Dr. Wilson referred to was the -venerable Rev. John S. Wilson, D. D., who had organized the church forty -years before.) - -So far as is known, the only part of the former church furnishings that -ever re-appeared was the melodeon (or "seraphine"), which Rosella Stone, a -negro woman, had preserved. She must have done this for the sake of Miss -Marian Stone, who had formerly played it in church, and who, if I remember -aright, played it again after the resumption of church services. - -In the winter of 1865 and 1866, there was preaching for a short while by -the Rev. Theodore Smith. Then followed Rev. J. D. Burkhead, and under his -preaching, in the early spring, there occurred a protracted meeting, at -which many persons were added to the church. - -Gladly would I recall, if I could, the preachers who supplied the -Methodist church at that time, but my memory fails me as to the exact -details. I believe, however, that the Rev. William Henry Clarke, referred -to in a preceding sketch, was the first Methodist minister who preached -there after the war; and that Rev. Mr. Morgan and Rev. William A. Dodge -were the first ministers in charge appointed by Conference. - -In ante-bellum times, on many of the large plantations, special services -were held for the negroes--some planters paying a regular salary for this -purpose. In pious families, members of the household often taught the -slaves, especially the house servants, the Bible and Catechism. So far as -I can recollect, certain seats were assigned to them in all churches at -all services, besides the special services usually held for them on -Sabbath afternoons. - -After the war, the negroes of Decatur and surrounding country were -organized into a Sabbath-school at the Presbyterian Church, They came in -large numbers, and were faithfully taught by the people of Decatur. To the -kind courtesy of Mr. George A. Ramspeck I am indebted for the loan of the -Minute-book of this school, which seems to have been organized in 1867. -The pastor was the Superintendent. The Vice-Superintendent was Mr. Samuel -K. Winn, the Treasurer, Mr. George A. Ramspeck, and the Librarian, Mr. -Moses S. Brown. But after several months the negroes went off to -themselves, and eventually founded the African Methodist Episcopal Church. -They have also a Baptist Church. In these undertakings they were assisted -by the people of the village. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIX. - -POSTAL AFFAIRS. - -The Postmaster, Hiram J. Williams--A life that was a reality, but reads -like a romance. - - -The north side of the court-house square at Decatur is intersected by a -public road leading to North Decatur, Silver Lake, the Chattahoochee -River, and points beyond. On the eastern corner of this intersection -stands the well-known Bradbury House. The house itself is an unsightly -object, being almost untenable through age and neglect, but occupying a -most desirable location. From its site lovely views of the surrounding -country may be obtained, as the eye sweeps the circle of the horizon which -is bounded on the north by distant hills, and on the northwest by the blue -peaks of the Kennesaw. In the west is a near-by plateau, crowned with oaks -and pines, beautiful in the morning when covered with a filmy mantle of -faint purple mist--gorgeous at evening, when overhung by sunset clouds. - -In 1860 the lower part of the Bradbury House was occupied as a store and -postoffice, the proprietor and postmaster being Mr. William Bradbury. His -assistant was Hiram J. Williams, then a lad of fourteen years. When Mr. -Bradbury enlisted in the DeKalb Light Infantry in 1861, Hiram became in -reality the postmaster. At that early age he manifested the same traits -which have characterized him to this day--unwearied attention to the -business before him, unvarying courtesy, beautiful modesty, calm unbroken -serenity of manner, and an unswerving honesty. - -During the four years of the war, the mail received and sent out from -Decatur was enormous in its quantity, and all the while it was handled by -this youth; for when, in 1862, Mr. Bradbury resigned and Mr. John N. Pate -was appointed postmaster in his place, Hiram Williams was retained in the -office, Mr. Pate simply bringing over the mail from the depot. So great -was the quantity of mail matter that sometimes Hiram had to call to his -assistance his young friend, John Bowie. - -During those war years, there were but few postoffices in DeKalb County, -and the people for miles around had their mail sent to Decatur. The -soldiers, unless writing to young ladies, rarely ever paid postage on -their letters, but left it to be done by their home folks. This unpaid -postage had to be collected and kept account of. Often a poor wife or -mother, after trudging weary miles to the postoffice, would receive a -letter from husband or son and, unwilling to return without answering it, -would request Hiram to answer it for her, which he always did. With every -package of letters sent out, a way-bill had to go, showing the number of -letters, how many were prepaid, how many unpaid, etc, etc. Imagine the -work this entailed! Imagine the great responsibility! Imagine the youth -who bore this labor and responsibility for four years! Small of stature, -quiet in manner, but with an undaunted spirit looking out from his steady -but softly bright brown eyes. How brave he must have been, and how his -good widowed mother and only sister must have doted on him. - -In July, 1864, when the booming of the Federal guns is heard from the -banks of the Chattahoochee, the postoffice is closed and for several -months thereafter letters, if sent for at all, are sent by hand. - -Our brave little postmaster now hies him away to Augusta, and there acts -as mailing clerk for "The Constitutionalist," and, after the surrender, -for "The Evening Transcript." In 1866 he returns to Decatur and engages in -mercantile business with Willard and McKoy, but soon after opens a store -of his own. - -Early in 1867, Mr. Williams, now arrived at the age of twenty-one, is -appointed postmaster at Decatur by Samuel W. Randall, postmaster general -of the United States Government. In 1869 Mr. Williams was elected clerk of -the Superior Court of DeKalb County, still retaining the office of -postmaster, but having an assistant in each position. - -In 1871, he was re-elected clerk of the court, and again in 1873. All this -time he continued to be postmaster, and was re-commissioned by Postmaster -General Jewell in 1875, holding the office up to 1880. - -Mr. Williams continued to be Clerk of the Superior Court until 1884, when -Mr. Robert Russell, a Confederate veteran, was elected. Mr. Williams then -returned for a while to mercantile pursuits. But while pursuing the even -tenor of his way, was called to a responsible position in Atlanta (which -he still holds) with the G. W. Scott Manufacturing Company, now known as -the Southern Fertilizer Company. - -From 1870 to 1886, Mr. Williams was a special correspondent of "The -Atlanta Constitution," thus preserving the history of Decatur and of -DeKalb county during that period. - -So much for a business career of remarkable success. But is this all? What -of the higher and nobler life? This has not been neglected. In 1866 Mr. -Williams united with the Decatur Presbyterian church. In 1868 he was -appointed Librarian of the Sabbath school, an office he still holds. In -1894 he was elected to the office of Deacon, and also appointed church -Treasurer. When the Agnes Scott Institute, for girls, was founded in 1891, -he was made Secretary and Treasurer. - -Mr. Williams has been twice married--in his early manhood to Miss Jennie -Hughes, who lived but a short while. His present wife was Miss Belle -Steward, who has been a true help-meet. They have a lovely and hospitable -home on Sycamore street, where her sweet face, ever beaming with -cheerfulness and loving kindness and sympathy for all, must be to him as a -guiding star to lead and bless him with its light, as he returns at -evening from the city and its business cares and toils, to the rest and -peace of home. - -If any one should say that this is not strictly a war sketch, I would -reply, "no, but who could resist following up at least the salient points -of such a life--a life that exemplifies the main elements of success." -Dear young readers, have you not seen what they are:--perseverance, -fidelity to trusts reposed, punctuality, courtesy, honesty and -conscientiousness--in other words, adherence to right principles and to -Christian duty. - - - - -CHAPTER XXX. - -THE TRAGIC DEATH OF SALLIE DURHAM. - -The closing days of the war--A sketch of the Durham family--The death of -Sallie. - - -On the 9th of April, 1865, at Appomattox Court House, Lee had surrendered -his army of twenty-five thousand men to Grant with his four-fold forces. -One after another of the Confederate Generals had been forced to yield to -superior numbers, and by the last of May the war was over. - -"The North had at the beginning of the strife a population of twenty-two -millions; the South had ten millions, four millions of whom were slaves. -The North had enlisted during the war two million six hundred thousand -troops--the South a little more than six hundred thousand. Now the North -had a million men to send home--the South but one hundred and fifty -thousand." - -Jefferson Davis had been captured, and imprisoned in Fortress Monroe. Our -worn and ragged soldiers had returned to a devastated country. Our entire -people were to begin life over again in the midst of poverty, uncertainty, -and under the watchful eye of the conqueror. The war was over, but -military rule was not. - -It was in these transition days, between the fall of "the Lost Cause" and -the more stirring events of "Reconstruction," that there occurred in our -little village a most appalling tragedy. To understand it fully, my -readers should know something of the young lady's family. Let us pause -here and take a backward glance. - -About a hundred years ago Lindsey Durham, a Georgia boy of English -descent, graduated from a Philadelphia Medical College and located in -Clarke county, in his native State. Drugs were expensive, as they could -not be obtained nearer than Savannah, Charleston or New York. Being -surrounded by frontiersmen and Indians, he could but notice the efficacy -of the native barks and roots used by them as medicines. He was thus led -to adopt to a large extent the theories of the Botanic School. He began to -cultivate his own medicinal plants, and to prosecute with much zeal his -botanical studies and researches. He even went to Europe and procured -seeds and plants of medicinal value, until finally his garden of medicinal -herbs and plants contained thirteen acres. So great was his fame that -patients began to come to him from adjoining States, and he had to build -cottages on his plantation in order to entertain them. His marvellous -success brought to him ample compensation. He became a millionaire, and -lived in all the old-time splendor. Once, by a loan of money, he rescued -the Athens bank from utter failure. - -Dr. Lindsey Durham left several sons, all of whom were physicians. The -eldest of these, and the most eminent, was Dr. William W. Durham, who was -born on his father's plantation in Clarke county, in 1823. After a -collegiate course at Mercer University, he graduated from the Jefferson -Medical College of Philadelphia, taking high honors, spending five years -in the hospital there, and perfecting himself in surgery. This talented -gentleman married Miss Sarah Lowe, of Clarke county, and, four years after -her death, he married Mrs. Georgia A. Allen, whose maiden name was Wood, -and who was a native of Franklin, Georgia. - -With the children of his first marriage and their fair young step-mother, -Dr. Durham came to Decatur in 1859. Well do I remember the children; two -handsome sons, John and William--two pretty brown-eyed girls, Sarah and -Catherine. It is needless to say that a large practice awaited the -skillful physician, whose eclectic methods were then comparatively new. - -William, the eldest son, went into the Confederate service at the age of -sixteen, remaining the entire four years, suffering severely at the siege -of Vicksburg, fighting valiantly at the Battle of Atlanta, and coming out -of the war the shadow of his former self, with nothing but an old army -mule and one silver dollar. - -Sarah Durham, called Sallie by her family and friends, was a lovely girl -of seventeen. She was tall and graceful; bright, and full of enthusiasm; -kind, loving and generous. She had just returned from her grandmother's -plantation, for her father had not sooner dared to have his daughters -return, such was the insolence of the straggling Federals. - -On the morning of September 1st, 1865, this dear girl arose early and -noiselessly with a scheme in her kind heart. The former servants were all -gone; her mother was not well, and she would surprise the household by -preparing for them a nice breakfast. In fancy we see her, as she treads -lightly, and chats softly with her tiny half-sister Jennie, and with a -little negro girl who in some way had remained with the family. - -The Durham residence, which was on Sycamore street, then stood just -eastward of where Col. G. W. Scott now lives. The rear of the house faced -the site where the depot had been before it was burned by the Federals, -the distance being about 350 yards. Hearing an incoming train, Sallie went -to the dining room window to look at the cars, as she had learned in some -way that they contained Federal troops. While standing at the window -resting against the sash, she was struck by a bullet fired from the train. -(It was afterwards learned that the cars were filled with negro troops on -their way to Savannah, who were firing off their guns in a random, -reckless manner.) The ball entered the left breast of this dear young -girl, ranging obliquely downward, coming out just below the waist, and -lodging in the door of a safe, or cupboard, which stood on the opposite -side of the room. (This old safe, with the mark of the ball, is still in -the village.) - -The wounded girl fell, striking her head against the dining table, but -arose, and walking up a long hall she threw open the door of her father's -room, calling to him in a voice of distress. Springing from bed, he said: - -"What is it, my child?" - -"Oh, father," she exclaimed, "the Yankees have killed me!" - -Laying her upon a small bed in the room, her father cut away from her -chest her homespun dress and made a hasty examination of the wound. Her -horror-stricken mother remembers to this day that awful scene in all its -details. But we will draw a veil over the grief of the smitten family, as -they stood half paralyzed at this sudden calamity, and looked upon the -loved one whom they were helpless to save. Mrs. Durham recalls the fact -that the first person who came in was Rev. Dr. Holmes, and that throughout -this great trial he and his family were very sympathetic and helpful. - -Every physician in the village and city, and her father's three brothers -were summoned, but nothing could be done except to alleviate her -sufferings. She could lie only on her right side, with her left arm in a -sling suspended from the ceiling. Every attention was given by relatives -and friends. Her grandmother Durham came and brought with her the old -family trained nurse. Sallie's schoolmates and friends were untiring in -their attentions. Some names that have appeared in previous sketches, will -now appear again, for they watched with anxious, loving hearts by the -couch where the young sufferer lay. Tenderly let us mention their names, -as we tread softly in memory's sacred halls. Among the constant attendants -at her bedside were Mrs. Martha Morgan, Mrs. Hughes, Mrs. Morton, Miss -Laura Williams (Mrs. J. J. McKoy), Lizzie and Anna Morton, Mrs. H. H. -Chivers, Dr. Jim Brown and John Hardeman. During the week that her life -slowly ebbed away, there was another who ever lingered near her, a -sleepless and tireless watcher, a young man of a well-known family, to -whom this sweet young girl was engaged to be married. - -Writes Mrs. P. W. Corr, of Hampton, Florida, (formerly Miss Lizzie -Morton): "Never can I forget the dreary night when Willie Durham, Kitty -Durham and Warren Morton left Decatur with Sallie's body, which was to be -buried in the old family cemetery in Clarke county. Mrs. Durham, who was -in delicate health, was utterly prostrated and the doctor could not leave -her." So Dr. Charles Durham managed the funeral arrangements, chartering -the car, and Sallie was buried from the old church her grandfather Lowe -had built on his own plantation in Clarke county, and laid to rest in the -Durham cemetery near by. - -Sallie was shot on Friday at 7:30 A. M., and died the following Friday at -3:30 A. M. While she had suffered untold agony, she was conscious to the -last. Throughout her illness she manifested a thoughtful consideration for -the comfort of others. Especially did she show tender solicitude for her -step-mother, insisting that she should not fatigue herself. While anxious -to live, she said she was not afraid to die. In her closing hours she told -her friends that she saw her own mother, her grandfather Durham, and her -uncle Henry Durham (who had died in the Confederate service), all of whom -she expected to meet in the bright beyond. - -General Stephenson was in command of the Federal Post at Atlanta. He was -notified of this tragedy, and sent an officer to investigate. This officer -refused to take anybody's word that Sallie had been shot by a United -States soldier from the train; but, dressed in full uniform, with spur and -sabre rattling upon the bare floor, he advanced to the bed where the -dying girl lay, and threw back the covering "to see if she had really been -shot." This intrusion almost threw her into a spasm. This officer and the -others at Atlanta promised to do all in their power to bring the guilty -party to justice, but nothing ever came of the promise, so far as we know. - -As a singular coincidence, as well as an illustration of the lovely -character of Sallie, I will relate a brief incident given by the gifted -pen already quoted from: "One of the most vivid pictures of the past in my -memory is that of Sallie Durham emptying her pail of blackberries into the -hands of Federal prisoners on a train that had just stopped for a moment -at Decatur, in 1863. We had all been gathering berries at Moss's Hill, and -stopped on our way home for the train to pass." - -Dr. W. W. Durham lived for nearly twenty years after Sallie's death. -During the war he had enlisted as a soldier, but was commissioned by Dr. -George S. Blackie, a Medical Director in the Western Division of the -Confederate Army, to the position of Inspector of Medicines for the Fifth -Depot. This position was given him because of his remarkable botanical -knowledge and power of identifying medicines. After the war he was -prominent in the reorganization of the Georgia Medical Eclectic College, -but refused to take a professorship on account of an almost overwhelming -practice. He was a quiet, earnest, thoughtful man; and highly sympathetic -and benevolent in his disposition. His widow, Mrs. Georgia A. Durham, and -their daughter, Mrs. Jennie Findley, still reside in Decatur. - -Dr. W. M. Durham is a successful physician in Atlanta. He holds a -professorship in the Georgia Eclectic Medical College, and edits the -Georgia Eclectic Medical Journal. Kitty is Mrs. W. P. Smith, of Maxey's; -and John L. Durham is a physician with a large practice, and a large -family, living at Woodville, Georgia. - -The Durham residence still stands in Decatur, though not upon the same -spot. For years a great stain of blood remained upon the floor, as a grim -and silent reminder of this most awful tragedy which so closely followed -the horrible and cruel war. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXI. - -THE DEATH OF MELVILLE CLARK. - - -The lamented death of Miss Durham was not the only one in our community to -be traced to the results of the war. - -The period of reconstruction, forcing upon the Southern states the -obnoxious Fourteenth Amendment, so humiliating and so unjust, especially -at that time, had intensified the prejudices of the negroes against the -white people--prejudices already sufficiently aroused by previous -abolition teachings and the results of the war. - -Several times in this little volume mention has been made of Rev. William -Henry Clarke, the staunch patriot and well known Methodist preacher. At -this period he had become a resident of Decatur. His son, Melville Clarke, -a noble, promising boy, while attempting to rescue a small white child -from the abuse of an overgrown negro youth, received wounds from which he -died. Memory recalls many other instances of like character, perpetrated -at this period, the most disgraceful in the annals of American history. - -The subjoined resolutions, passed by the Methodist Sabbath school of which -Melville was a beloved scholar, attest the many good traits of his -character, and the affection accorded him in the community: - -"The committee appointed to draft resolutions on the death of Melville -Clarke, one of our scholars, beg leave to submit the following: - -"In the wise dispensation of Him that doeth all things well, we are called -to pay the last tribute to departed worth. Melville Clark is no more. The -vacant seat says he is no more. The hushed voice says he is no more. Yes, -the impressive, solemn silence of this moment whispers that another light -which shone brightly the brief space allotted it here has flickered out. -The body which encased the spirit of the noble Christian boy has been laid -away in the silence of the grave, and his spirit, as we trust, escorted by -a convoy of angels, has gone to that bright and better world above. - -"_Therefore, Resolved_, That as we gather around the new-made grave and -drop a sympathetic tear (which speaks more eloquently than any words -mortal lips can utter), we deeply feel the loss of one so full of promise -and usefulness--that noble spirit just bursting into manhood, with a mind -that would grasp in a moment things that men have passed through life and -never comprehended--and a heart lit up with the love of God, and drawn out -by the tenderest cords of affection to do little acts of kindness. -Language fails us to give utterance to the anguish we feel at sustaining -so great a loss. But he has gone. No more shall we hang upon the eloquence -of his gentle, kind words, or see that face which was so often lit up with -an expressive sweetness that we could but recognize as the reflex of the -lamb-like Christian spirit that reigned within. He has gone, and as we -turn from the sad, solemn scene in that faith which 'hopeth all things, -believeth all things, endureth all things,' we can but exclaim: 'The Lord -gave--the Lord hath taken away--blessed be the name of the Lord!' - -"_Resolved_, That in the death of one of our members, so young, we -recognize an admonition that the young, as well as the old, are swiftly -passing away, and that we should pause and reflect seriously upon this -important subject. - -"_Resolved_, That as a school, our warmest sympathy and condolence be -tendered to the family of our dear deceased friend in this, their great -bereavement, and that a copy of these resolutions be furnished them." - - DR. AVERY, } - JOHN N. PATE, } - CAPTAIN RANDALL, } Committee - J. R. HAMPTON, } - -August 30th, 1868. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXII. - -THE MORTON FAMILY. - -Incidents thrilling and affecting. - - -In several previous sketches references have been made to the Misses -Morton. Not only they, but the whole family, bore an interesting and -heroic part in the scenes of the war. Mr. Edward L. Morton hoisted the -first Confederate flag that ever floated on the breeze in DeKalb county. -This he did as soon as he heard that Georgia had passed the ordinance of -secession. A few miles from Decatur there was a large mill known as -Williams's Mill, situated on Peachtree Creek. At the terminus of the -bridge that spanned the creek, near the little hamlet, there grew a tall, -graceful Lombardy poplar tree. The flag had been made by Mrs. Morton, Mrs. -James Hunter, and other ladies who lived in the neighborhood, and was -hoisted by Mr. Morton from the top of the lofty poplar. When the Federals -came in they cut down the tree, but another has grown from its roots. - -Mr. Morton enlisted with the first company that went from DeKalb, but -returned and organized one of his own--Company F, 36th Georgia. From this -command he was sent home on account of lung trouble, and placed on special -duty. When Hood fell back to Atlanta, Captain Morton joined White's -Scouts, a picked band of men. He was also at one time Morgan's guide. - -After Mr. J. W. Kirkpatrick refugeed, his home on Atlanta street was -occupied by Captain Morton's family. Here some stirring incidents -occurred. Says one of his daughters: "Pa tried to avoid coming within the -Yankee lines, but did several times get caught at home, owing to his -extreme weakness. Finally, after the 23d Army Corps was sent back to -Tennessee, a raiding party of Federals went out toward Stone Mountain, -were fired on a few miles from Decatur, and several killed. They were -furious when they got to our house (on their return). Here they found one -of 'White's Men' (Pa) ill in bed. They held a court-martial and sentenced -him to be hanged as soon as they finished eating dinner. Meanwhile they -left a guard in his bed-room. Ma asked the guard to sit in the parlor and -leave them alone the short time he had to live. The guard was a -kind-hearted man, the house surrounded, the whole detachment eating and -feeding their horses on all sides, and Pa was very feeble; so the guard -sat in the parlor." Captain Morton then disguised himself, armed himself, -and, passing out a side door, went unchallenged through the crowd of -soldiers, by Woodall's tan-yard and out into the woods. Continues his -daughter: "But when the guard thought he had better see the prisoner, it -was discovered that he was gone. They talked of burning the house and made -many other threats. For a long time we did not know whether he had escaped -or died in the woods. * * * No man that served in the Confederate army -more truly laid down his life for the cause than did my father. He never -recovered from the lung trouble brought on and aggravated by the exposure -and hardships he endured between '61 and '65." - -Warren Morton went into the army at the tender age of fifteen, as a -private in his father's company. He was in the siege of Vicksburg--was -paroled, and re-entered the army in Cumming's Brigade--and was shot at -Kennesaw, near Marietta, while acting as Sergeant-Major on Hood's retreat. -The ball struck the bone of the outer angle of the left eye, cutting away -the temple plate, and came out just over the ear, cutting off the upper -half of the ear. The torn nerves and arteries have always caused him pain. -The bullet, while it did not touch his eye-ball, paralyzed the optic nerve -on that side. The hardships endured when a growing boy, the long marches -in Kentucky, the starvation rations in Vicksburg, and the horrible wound, -ruined his constitution. Yet he has been an energetic man, and is living -now on a farm near Newnan. - -The young ladies--girls they all were at the time of which I write--were -Lizzie, Anna, Kelly, Fannie and Eddie. - -On the day that Wheeler's Cavalry routed the Federal wagon train at -Decatur, Lieutenant Farrar of the 63d Ohio Regiment was killed on a meadow -near Mrs. Swanton's residence, just opposite Mrs. Morton's. There was also -another Federal, a mere lad, who was mortally wounded. In some way I -discovered the dying boy, and, after carrying him some water, I left him -to the care of the nearer neighbors. Mrs. James Hunter, Mrs. Morton and -her daughters cared for him as best they could, and sat by him until he -died. Miss Lizzie Morton cut from his head a lock of hair and wrote some -verses, which Mrs. Swanton kindly sent to his people in Dayton, Ohio. In -some way this became known to the Federal officers, and future -developments showed that this tender act was much appreciated by them. - -On the morning of the 22nd of July, 1864, Mrs. Morton sat on the front -steps watching for an officer to whom she might appeal for protection. -"Very early General McPherson and his staff rode by. Mrs. Morton ran out -and called. General McPherson alighted from his horse, heard her story, -bare-headed, with his hat in hand, wrote an order and dispatched it, and -then mounting, rode away to his death." That order was to station a guard -at the house, and it was never disregarded as long as the Federal line was -near. This the family have always attributed to their caring for the dead, -and to the kind order of General McPherson. - -On the night of the 21st, Mrs. Morton had been badly frightened by some -Federal soldiers coming to her house with the accusation that her young -daughter "had given information that had led to the capture of their wagon -train." Threats of burning the residence were made by the Federals on -several occasions. The family feel persuaded that Bill Pittman, a faithful -negro, a sawyer who had lived many years at Williams's Mill, prevented -these threats from being put into execution. - -Soon after the close of the war Captain Morton and his family went to -Mississippi. Here he died, and one after another four of the girls, Anna, -Kelly, Fanny, and Eddie. Most touchingly Lizzie (Mrs. P. W. Corr) writes: -"When my sister and I were little girls in Decatur, we were very fond of -private literary entertainments. Anna's favorite declamation (which always -brought down the house) was: - - 'They grew in beauty side by side - Around one parent knee; - Their graves are scattered far and wide - O'er mountain, plain, and sea.' - -"Anna sleeps alone near an old church in Scott county, Mississippi; Kelly, -alone at Pickens; Pa, Fanny and Eddie side by side at Shiloh, in Holmes -county." Anna married Mr. Kearney; Kelly, Mr. W. S. Cole. Mrs. Morton is -still living in the home of her daughter Lizzie, who married Rev. P. W. -Corr, of Hampton, Florida. Mrs. Corr is very happily married, being fond -and proud of her husband, and her children filling her heart with comfort -and pleasure. To crown her earthly blessings, her mother has been spared -to her in all life's changing scenes. - -Here in her happy Florida home we leave our erstwhile lassie of the war -times--now an earnest wife and mother, busy ever with home duties, and -also a true helpmeet to her husband in his ministerial and editorial -labors. - -This sketch, with its incidents, both heroic and pathetic, cannot be more -appropriately concluded than by the touching words of Mrs. Corr in a -recent letter: "What you say of the 'empty places' is full of -suggestiveness. I think I never could have borne my losses and still have -moved about among the 'empty places.' But going always among strangers -after every loss, being removed at once from the scene of death and not -passing that way again, my sisters live in memory as part of the past, -always merry, happy girls, never to grow heart-weary, never to fade. We, -wandering among strangers in strange and unfamiliar scenes, have kept the -memory of our old Decatur home and friends intact. There are no empty -places there for us. - -"It seems sweet to me to think that in that home to which we are all -traveling, we shall find that those dear ones who have preceded us have -carried with them that same bright and precious picture, which, however, -is not there a picture of memory, but a reality of which the earthly -circle was only a shadow or prophecy; and the only empty places there are -those which shall be filled when we get home. Something there is in the -friendships, even, of other days, that has never died--something that will -live again--a root planted here that there blossoms and fruits eternally. -How much more true is this--it must be so--of those who were heart of our -hearts, our own loved ones. I doubt not that for one sad longing thought -of 'brother, mother, nephew,' all that you have loved and lost, they have -had many sweet and loving thoughts of you, and joyful anticipations of -your coming home 'Some Sweet Day.'" - - - - -CHAPTER XXXIII. - -HON. JOSEPH E. BROWN'S PIKES AND GUNS. - -(This chapter, and the succeeding one, were not placed in the -chronological order of events, because they would have broken the -continuity of personal experiences). - - -After an appeal to physical force, as the only means of redressing our -wrongs, was fully determined upon, we made many important discoveries, -chief of which was that we were not prepared for war. This fact had often -been impressively and earnestly set forth by our greatest statesmen, -Alexander Hamilton Stephens and Benjamin Harvey Hill, who, though reared -in different schools of politics, were fully agreed upon this point, and -who urged, with all the eloquence of patriotism and profound understanding -of existing facts, the importance of delaying the act of seceding from the -United States until we were better prepared for the mighty -consequences--either beneficial or disastrous. In no way was the wisdom of -this advice made more apparent than by our utter want of the appliances of -warfare on land and on sea. - -The ordinance of secession having been enacted, Georgia found itself -confronted by the scarcity of guns and other munitions of warfare. Hon. -Joseph E. Brown, our war Governor, finding it impossible to secure even -shot-guns to equip the many regiments eager for the fray, conceived the -idea of arming them with pikes; and, undaunted by the Herculean -undertaking, put a large force of the best blacksmiths at the W. & A. R. -R. shops to making these primitive weapons. To whose fertile brain belongs -the honor of evolving the plan or diagram by which they were to be made, -has never been revealed to the writer. The blade of the pike was to be -about 16 inches long and 2 inches wide, with a spur of about 3 inches on -either side, all of which was to be ground to a sharp edge. The shank was -to be about 12 inches long, and arranged to rivet in a staff 6 feet long. - -In the memorable year, 1861, J. C. Peck owned a planing mill and general -wood-working shop on Decatur street, Atlanta, Ga., on the grounds now -occupied by the Southern (old Richmond and Danville) R. R. freight depot. -There being no machinery at the railroad shops suitable for turning the -handles nor grinding the pikes, Mr. Peck contracted to grind and supply -with handles the entire number--he thinks ten thousand. Before he finished -this work, Governor Brown called a meeting of the mechanics of Atlanta for -the purpose of ascertaining if some arrangement could be made for the -manufacture of guns for the army. This meeting was adjourned two or three -times, and no one seemed willing to undertake the job. At the last meeting -a letter was received from the Ordnance Department of the Confederate -States, containing a "drawing" of a short heavy rifle to be supplied with -a Tripod rest, and an urgent request that the Governor would encourage the -making of twenty-five guns after this pattern, as soon as possible. A -liberal premium for the sample was offered by the Confederate Ordnance -Department. The barrels were to be thirty inches long with one inch bore, -and rifled with three grooves, so as to make one complete revolution in -the thirty inches. As no one else would undertake this complicated job, -Mr. Peck asked for the "drawing," and announced his willingness to do so. -He discovered that it would require iron 3/4 by 4-1/2 or 5 inches to make -the barrels, and for this purpose he procured enough Swede iron at a -hardware store on Whitehall street to make thirty barrels. He also -discovered that the common Smith bellows would not yield a blast -sufficient to secure welding heat on so large a piece, and it was -suggested that it could be done at W. & A. R. R. shops; he therefore -secured an order from Governor Brown authorizing this important work to be -done there under his instruction. An old German smith, whom Mr. Peck found -at the shops, rendered him valuable aid in the accomplishment of this -portion of the work. As rapidly as the welding was done he had them -carried to his shop, and a wood-turner, Mr. W. L. Smith, bored them on a -wood turning lath. This was a difficult job, as the boring bits caught in -the irregular hole and broke; finally he devised a sort of rose bit which -steadied itself, and he had no further trouble. After successfully -accomplishing this portion of the work, Mr. Peck found himself confronted -by another difficulty. He had no way of turning iron, but his indomitable -will shrank not from the task, and he threw out a search-light which -enabled him to discern a Savage, who had been superintendent of Pitts & -Cook's gin factory, and he engaged him to turn it. Mr. Peck then employed -an ingenious blacksmith, who did to his satisfaction all the smith work he -wanted. He made his own taps and dies for fitting the breech pieces, -putting in the nipples, etc., and forged the hammers, triggers, ramrods, -etc. The brass mountings were cast by Gullatte Brothers, who at that time -were running a brass foundry. The locks were purchased by Mr. Peck in -Macon, but, as already intimated, had to be supplied with new hammers and -triggers. As the plan called for the barrels to be rifled with three -grooves, and to make one complete revolution in the length of the barrel, -there was none in the employ of Mr. Peck who had any idea how it was to be -done. Much perplexed he went to Mr. Charles Heinz, the gunsmith on -Whitehall street, who explained the process of rifling done by hand. On -this idea Mr. Peck constructed a machine which he attached to a Daniels -planer. This was a wood machine, with a bed which traveled backward and -forward, similar to the bed of an iron planer--in such a manner that the -backward and forward motion of the bed gave, also, a rotary motion to the -cutters. By this process each barrel was rifled precisely alike. Mr. Peck -had thirty barrels forged, but some of them were defective and would not -bore through without breaking, and some were burnt in testing. Only -twenty-five of them were finished. He had an abundance of walnut lumber -and did not have to contend with any obstacle in making the stocks, but -some in clamping them to the barrels. The plan also showed the usual screw -in the extension of the breech pin, and two bands similar to those on the -old style musket. Mr. Peck forged iron bands, but with his best effort at -finishing them they appeared clumsy. Opportunely he chanced to see a wagon -on Pryor street containing a lot of hardware and other things, among which -was a large brass kettle. Thinking he could make bands out of this vessel, -he purchased it and cut it up into those indispensable parts of his famous -job, but another obstacle to success presented itself to his patient -vision. He could find no one to braze the joints. By reference to his -"Mechanic's Companion" he learned the art, and brazed the bands in a -skillful style. This being, done, he gave his finishing touches to the -rifles. - -The balls were like minie-balls, one inch in diameter, and two and -one-fourth inches long, and weighed four ounces. Mr. Peck made only one -set of bullet moulds, which run two bullets at the same time, and he -thinks he made only six of the tripod rests. They were--every lock, stock -and barrel--tested by several persons expert in the handling of muskets, -rifles, shot-guns, etc., among whom was Mr. Charles Heinz, still living in -Atlanta, and who will vouch for the accuracy of this important item of -Confederate history, and the utility of the shot emanating from these -wonderful guns. To put it mildly, the effect was almost equal to that of a -six-pounder. And the recoil! Well! Wonderful to relate! They must have had -infused into their mechanism supernatural or national prescience, and -peering through the dim vista of the future saw the beacon light of a -re-united country, and disdained partiality in the Fratricidal Contest, -for every time one of them was shot at a "Yankee," it kicked a "Rebel" -down. - -P. S.--Mr. Peck has the original "drawing" sent on from the Ordnance -Department at Richmond, and also the receipt for the payment for the -barrels. He also has a letter from the Chief of Ordnance at Washington, D. -C., informing him that the identical guns described in the above sketch -had been found in his department, and that two of them would be exhibited -in the Government Building of the Piedmont Exposition, Atlanta, Georgia, -in 1895. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXIV. - -THE PURSUIT AND CAPTURE OF THE ANDREWS RAIDERS. - -Captain William A. Fuller and his comrades of the pursuit.--The race of -the engines, "The General" and "The Texas." - - -In the early part of 1862 the army of the Cumberland and also that of the -Tennessee had grown to gigantic proportions. The history of that memorable -era establishes the fact that in the month of February of that year the -army of the Cumberland, commanded by General Buell, had captured Fort -Donaldson and several other strong strategic points on the Tennessee and -Mississippi Rivers. Numerically the Federal Army was so much stronger than -the Confederate that large detachments could easily be made for incursions -into the interior and unprotected sections of middle and West Tennessee, -while the main army steadily advanced down the Mississippi Valley. By the -first of April, General Mitchell had occupied Shelbyville and other -cities, including Nashville; and the larger towns and railroad stations in -the neighborhood South and East of Nashville had been occupied by the -Federals. - -Recognizing the importance of saving to the Confederate cause everything -necessary to sustain life both of man and beast, all that could be brought -out of Kentucky and Tennessee had been sent South--to Atlanta and other -important points--so that those States were literally stripped of all -surplus food. - -The army of the Tennessee, under the command of General Albert Sidney -Johnston, sought to meet General Buell and dispute his further advance. -Corinth, Mississippi, was selected by General Johnston as a point beyond -which the army of the Cumberland should not go. This position commanded -the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, as well as others running south of -that point. By the fifth of April General Buell's army had massed at -Pittsburg Landing, and along a line reaching south and parallel to that of -General Johnston. Relatively the armies stood about five to eight, the -Confederate of course being the smaller. They met in battle on the 6th day -of April at Shiloh, so-called by the Federals, but Southern historians -call it the battle of Corinth. The fight was a long and disastrous -one--disastrous to both armies--but the Federals, having an unbounded -supply of everything needed in war, and being immediately strengthened by -large reinforcements which literally poured in, were enabled to rapidly -recuperate. The Confederates lost heavily in killed and wounded, and -suffered irreparably by the death of General Albert Sidney Johnston. The -loss of this noble man was deeply felt and regretted by the entire South. -The week following this horrible carnage was mainly taken up by both -armies in burying the dead, caring for the wounded, fortifying, receiving -reinforcements and maneuvering for advantageous positions. - -General Mitchell, as already stated, had occupied Shelbyville, and had a -considerable force. Some cavalry had penetrated as far south-east as -Chattanooga, and had several times dropped a few shell into that town. - -After the death of General Johnston the Confederate Army at Corinth was -put under the command of General Beauregard. There were small detachments -of Confederate troops distributed along the Memphis and Charleston -Railroad to Stephenson, and from there to Chattanooga; also from -Chattanooga to Bristol, on the East Tennessee and Georgia Railroad, and on -the Virginia and Tennessee. These were to guard the railroad bridges, -depots, and government stores, etc. General Ledbetter was stationed at -Chattanooga with about three thousand men. There was a tolerably strong -guard at London bridge, where the East Tennessee railroad crosses the -Tennessee river; and General E. Kirby Smith occupied Knoxville, with a -sufficient force to protect that important point as against General Morgan -in his immediate front with a strong force. East Tennessee was very nearly -evenly divided between Federals and Confederate sympathizers. Neither side -was safe from betrayal. Those who were true to the Southern cause -distinguished themselves as officials and soldiers, and those who were -recreant to it were a source of great annoyance and disaster; and this -applies to Kentucky and West Virginia as well. During the month of April, -1862, Brownlow, and those of his opinion, were arrested, and imprisoned in -Knoxville. - -The strict rules of the passport system had not yet been adopted by -southern army commanders, and it was no difficult matter for friend or foe -to pass the lines. - -Thus matters stood at that time. The reader, therefore, may be prepared to -appreciate one of the most exciting, thrilling and interesting stories of -the Civil Contest. - -The Western and Atlantic Railroad (often called the State Road) at the -time discussed in the preceding pages, was the only line of communication -between the southern centre of the Confederate States and the Army of -Tennessee. It was worthy of notice that this road was not paralleled by -any of the roads now in existence. The Memphis and Charleston Railroad -came into the Nashville and Chattanooga at Stevenson as now, and the -latter road reached from Nashville to Chattanooga. The East Tennessee and -Georgia Road also came into Chattanooga then as now, and also into Dalton. -These three railroad lines were "the feeders" for the Western and Atlantic -Railroad at Chattanooga and Dalton. At the south or Atlanta end of that -line we had the old Macon & Western (now the Georgia Central), the Atlanta -and West Point, and the Georgia Railroad, as feeders for the Western and -Atlantic, which reached from Atlanta via Dalton to Chattanooga. As has -been stated, the Army of Tennessee, under General Beauregard at Corinth, -the army under General E. Kirby Smith at Knoxville, the army under General -Ledbetter at Chattanooga, and all detailed men on duty along the whole -front of the Confederates from Corinth to Bristol, depended upon this -single line (the old reliable Western and Atlantic Railroad) for army -supplies. There was no other road in the whole distance of eight hundred -miles, reaching from Mobile, Alabama, to Richmond, Virginia, that ran -north and south. These facts were well known to northern commanders, and -it has always seemed strange that the road should have been so -unprotected. The many bridges on the Western and Atlantic were guarded at -the time under consideration, April 1862, by a single watchman at each -bridge, and he was employed by the railroad authorities. The bridges were -of the Howe Tress pattern, weatherboarded with common wooden boards, and -covered with shingles. They were exceedingly inflammable and could easily -have been set on fire. - -One of the rules for the running of the trains was that "if any two trains -failed to make the meeting point they would be considered irregular -trains, and the conductor of each train should be required to send a -flagman ahead, and thus proceed until the two flagmen met." This -cumbersome rule frequently occasioned great disorder, and sometimes many -trains of all grades were massed together at one station. Railroad men -will understand this condition of affairs. These things were known and -understood not only by the Confederates, but by the Federals through their -spies. J. J. Andrews especially understood them, as the sequel will prove. - -It is beyond the scope of this article to discuss the plans adopted by -Captain J. J. Andrews and his twenty-two auxiliaries, to descend into the -heart of the South; suffice it to say, their plans were successful, and -they passed the Confederate lines and entered the pretty town of Marietta, -twenty miles north of Atlanta, unmolested and unsuspected. The solving of -the mystery will appear at the proper time. For present purposes it is -enough to state that they not only entered the town mentioned, but boarded -the north-bound train on the morning of April 12th, 1862. The well-known -and intrepid Captain William A. Fuller was the conductor in charge of that -train--the now celebrated "General" was his engine--and Jeff Cain his -engineer. There was nothing suspicious in the environments of the -occasion. In those days it was not unusual, even in a country town, for a -large number of men to board a train, and they were coming in from all -over the country to join the Confederate army. - -There was a Camp of Instruction at Big Shanty, seven miles north of -Marietta, and this fact, as well as many others more important, was known -to Andrews, who from the beginning of the war had been "a commercial -traveller," "in full sympathy with the South," and had ridden over this -line many times. The conductor, therefore, took up the tickets as usual, -some to one point and some to another, but the most of them to Big Shanty. -The raiders were dressed in various styles and appeared like a good class -of countrymen. They claimed to be "refugees from beyond the Lincoln -lines." - -Big Shanty was a mere station, having only one or two business houses, and -noted by the traveling public as having a most excellent "eating-house" -for the accommodation of the passenger trains. When Captain Fuller's train -arrived at Big Shanty, the passengers and train hands went into the hotel -for breakfast. The absence from the table of the large crowd that got on -the train at Marietta was noticed by the conductor, and just as he took -his seat, which commanded a view of his train, the gong on the old -"General" rang. It should be stated here that the train was as follows: -"The general," three freight cars, one second and two first-class coaches, -a baggage car and express car. Andrews had detached the entire passenger -train, put his surplus men into the three freight cars, and on "The -General" he had with himself his own engineer and fireman. - -The very moment the gong rang Captain Fuller sprang from the table, and -with a swift run reached the main track and pursued the flying train, -which was now fast disappearing around a curve in the road. As he ran out -of the hotel Captain Fuller called to his engineer, Jeff Cain: "Some one -who has no right to do so has taken our train!" Cain and Mr. Anthony -Murphy joined in the race, but were soon distanced by the fleet-footed -Fuller. The limestone soil between the tracks was wet and clung to his -feet so that fast running was very fatiguing to Captain Fuller, but he ran -with a determination that overcame all obstacles. Moon's Station, a little -more than two miles from Big Shanty, was reached by him in an incredibly -short time. Here he found that the Andrews raiders had stopped and had -taken all of the tools from the railroad section hands. They had climbed -the telegraph poles, cut the wire, and carried a hundred feet of it along -with them to prevent the repair of the line in time to thwart their plans. -The track hands were amazed at their conduct, and hurriedly told Captain -Fuller what had been done. Up to this time he had been in doubt as to the -true character of the raiders. He had thought that possibly some of the -Confederates at Camp McDonald, (the Camp of Instruction at Big Shanty), -tired of strict discipline and confinement, might have taken the train in -order to enable them to pass the environment of their camp. But from this -moment there was no room for doubt. As quickly as possible Captain Fuller -and two track hands placed upon the rails an old timber car used for -hauling crossties, iron, and other heavy material. This was an unwieldy -and cumbersome medium of locomotion, but it rendered good service, -nevertheless. Captain Fuller knew that every moment of time was most -valuable, as the raiders were speeding along up the road and his chances -for overtaking and capturing them were very doubtful. While putting on the -hand-car he debated with himself these questions: "Should he proceed -immediately in the pursuit, or would it be best to push back and get his -engineer?" He decided to push back for Cain, and when he had gone nearly a -mile he met Cain and Mr. Anthony Murphy. They were taken on the hand-car -and the pursuit of the raiders, now far ahead, was begun again. Captain -Fuller says that if he had not gone back, as above stated, he would have -captured the raiders at Kingston, as more than twenty minutes were lost, -and he was quite that close to them at Kingston. He says, however, he is -now glad he did not do so, as the run from that point furnished the most -thrilling event of his life. - -Murphy, Cain, the two track hands, and Fuller, pushed and ran, and ran and -pushed, alternately, and each and every man on the old hand-car did his -full duty. Soon after passing Moon's Station, where Captain Fuller got -the hand-car, the pursuers came upon a pile of cross-ties, but they were -soon removed from the track and the race resumed. - -The intelligent reader will not for a moment suppose that Captain Fuller -and his comrades entertained any hope of overtaking the raiders on foot, -or even by the hand-car. Captain Fuller's thoughts ran ahead of his -surroundings, and he disclosed his plans to his comrades in these words: -"If we can get to Etowah by 9:40, we will catch the old Yonah. This we can -do by very hard work, unless hindered by obstructions." This suggestion -doubled the energy of every man, and they abandoned themselves to the task -before them. It is difficult to write, with deliberation, a story so full -of push and haste. This run of twenty miles with an old clumsy hand-car, -under so many difficulties, is replete with interest. At length, after -Captain Fuller and his comrades were thoroughly exhausted, standing on the -turn-table at Etowah more than a mile away, "the old Yonah" was espied. A -yell and cry of great joy went up from these gallant men; but, alas, their -vision had extended beyond their immediate danger! The raiders had removed -an outside rail in a short curve, and unexpectedly the whole party was -thrown into a ditch full of water. This, however, was a small matter to -men of resolute will and iron nerve. The car was soon carried across the -break in the track and put upon the run again. One of the track hands was -left to watch this break, to prevent danger to following trains--the other -was left with the hand-car at Etowah. Although the old Yonah was standing -on the turn-table at Etowah, her tender was on another track. Willing and -eager hands soon had the engine and tender coupled together, and the Yonah -was "pressed into service." An empty coal car was taken on, and a few -Confederate soldiers, who were at the station waiting for a south-bound -train, volunteered to join in the chase. The engineer of the Yonah, Mr. -Marion Hilly, and his own hands, ran the Yonah from Etowah to Kingston, -and Captain Fuller gives them great credit for their loyalty and faithful -service. - -A more dangerous run was never made. The track was in a bad condition, and -the line quite crooked; and the pursuers could not tell at what moment -they might be thrown into a ditch by a removal of rails, or obstructions -placed upon the track; but they were absolutely blind to all personal -danger or considerations. The Yonah had only two drivers and they were six -feet, and she had a very short strike. She was built for fast running with -a small passenger train on an easy grade. Under all the difficulties by -which he was surrounded, Hilly ran the Yonah from Etowah to Kingston, -thirteen miles in fourteen minutes, and came to a full stop at -Cartersvile, and also at Kingston. Several crossties had been put upon the -track, but the pursuers said "they were literally blown away as the Yonah -split the wind." - -At Kingston, Captain Fuller learned that he was only twenty minutes behind -the raiders. At this point, Andrews had represented himself as a -Confederate officer. He told the railroad agent that he "passed Fuller's -train at Atlanta, and that the cars which he had contained fixed -ammunition for General Beauregard at Corinth." He carried a red flag on -"The General," and said that "Fuller's train was behind with the regular -passenger train." - -This plausible story induced the agent to give him his keys to unlock the -switch at the north end of the Kingston railroad yard. Several heavy -freight trains were at Kingston, bound southward. Those furthest behind -reached a mile or so north of the switch on the main line. Owing to -Andrews's "fixed ammunition" story, the agent, being a patriotic man, -ordered all trains to pull by, so as to let Andrews out at the north end -of the yard. This was done as quickly as possible, though it was difficult -to make the railroad men understand why the great haste, and why Andrews -should be let pass at so much trouble when Fuller's train would soon be -along, and both could be passed at the same time. But Andrews's business -was so urgent, and so vitally important, as a renewal of the fight between -Beauregard and Buell was expected at any hour, the freightmen were induced -to pull by and let him out. This delay gave Captain Fuller an inestimable -advantage, and but for the delay at Moon's Station, Andrews and his -raiders would have been captured at Kingston. - -When Fuller arrived at Kingston on the Yonah, he was stopped by a flagman -more than a mile south of the depot, on account of the trains that had -pulled by to let Andrews out. He saw at once that he would have to abandon -the Yonah, as he could not get her by without much delay. So taking to his -feet again, he ran around those freight trains to the depot and held a -short conversation with the agent from whom he learned the particulars of -Andrews's movements and representations, etc. He then ran to the north -prong of the Rome railroad "Y," where that road intersected with the -Western and Atlantic mainline. There he found "The Alfred Shorter," the -Rome railroad engine, fired up and ready to move. He hurriedly told Wyley -Harbin the engineer of "The Alfred Shorter," about the raiders, and he and -his fireman, noble fellows, at once put themselves and their engine at his -service. The pursuers were gone in thirty seconds. Captain Fuller says -that Jeff Cain got into the train, but that Mr. Murphy who was in another -part of the car yard, considering some other plan, came near being left; -but Fuller saw him and held Harbin up until he ran up and got on. - -Captain Fuller rode on the cowcatcher of the "Shorter," that he might -remove crossties and other obstructions that would probably be put on the -track. Further down the road, when Andrews was running more at leisure, he -loaded the three box cars with ties and other timber, and when he feared -pursuit he punched out the rear end of his hindermost car and dropped -obstructions in the way of his pursuers. The Alfred Shorter had drivers -only four feet--6--, and could make only ordinary time; but Captain Fuller -did not consider that of any great disadvantage, as she ran as fast as it -was safe to do on account of the many obstruction dropped by raiders upon -that part of the road. - -Six miles north of Kingston, Captain Fuller found it necessary to abandon -the "Shorter," because at that point several rails of the track had been -taken up and carried away by the raiders. Knowing the schedule as he did, -and seeing he could not get by in less time than thirty minutes, Captain -Fuller decided that the best thing to be done was to go to Adairsville, -four miles north, where he hoped to find a south-bound train, "tied up" -because of the delay of his train. Possibly he might meet this train -before reaching Adairsville. Leaving the "Shorter," he called upon all who -wished to join in one more effort to follow him, and started in a run on -foot for another four miles. There were none to follow--all preferred to -remain in the Rome passenger coach. (It is not amiss here to state that, -at Kingston, Fuller took on one coach belonging to the Rome Railroad, and -that some thirty or forty persons had volunteered and boarded the Rome -car; but, when invited to join in a four-mile foot race, they preferred to -remain in the coach.) - -When Fuller had run about two miles he looked back and saw Murphy just -rounding a curve about three hundred yards behind. When he had run about a -mile further, to his great delight he met the expected south-bound freight -train. Fuller gave the signal, and, having a gun in his hand, was -recognized by the conductor, who stopped as quickly as possible. -Fortunately Peter I. Brachen was the engineer of the freight, and had "The -Texas," a Danforth & Cook, 5 feet 10 driver, as his engine. Captain Fuller -knew that Brachen was a cool, level-headed man, and one of the best -runners that ever pulled a throttle. As soon as the train stopped, Fuller -mounted and was about to back it, when, seeing Murphy coming, he held -Brachen a few seconds until his comrade got on "The Texas." Then the long -train was pushed back to Adairsville, where Fuller changed the switch, -uncoupled the train from the engine, and pushed in upon the side track. In -the further pursuit of the raiders, Captain Fuller never changed his -engine or his crew again. - -From hence "The Texas" is after "The General"--both are new, both 5 feet -10 driver, with the same stroke--"The General" a Rogers, "The Texas" a -Danforth & Cook. But "The General" was forward, while "The Texas" had to -back. - -Captain Fuller rode on the back end of the tender, which was in front, and -swung from corner to corner, so that he could see round the curves and -signal to Brachen. His only chance to hold on was by two hooks, one at -each corner of the tender, such as were formerly used to secure "spark -catchers." Many times he bounced two feet high when the tender ran over -obstructions not seen in time to stop the engine. The ten miles from -Adairsville to Calhoun was made in twelve minutes, including the time -consumed in removing obstructions. (Here it may be in order to state that -when Andrews had met Brachen at Adairsville, on his south-bound trip -before being met by Fuller, that he told him to hurry to Kingston, as -Fuller would wait there for him. This Brachen was doing, when Captain -Fuller met him a mile south of Adairsville. But if Fuller had not met and -stopped him, he would not have gone on to Kingston, but would have plunged -into the break in the railroad where the raiders had taken up the rails -at the point where the "Shorter" was abandoned. This was one of Andrews' -best moves. He hoped to occasion a disastrous wreck, and block the road.) - -As Captain Fuller with "The Texas" and her crew figure exclusively in the -remainder of this wonderful chase, he thinks it eminently due them that -the names of those actually engaged on the engine should be given. Federal -reports of the affair have put under the command of Fuller a regiment or -more of armed soldiers. Some illustrations show long trains of cars packed -to overflowing with armed men. - -From the time he stopped Brachen, a mile south of Adairsville, to the -point where Andrews abandoned "The General," three miles north of -Ringgold, he had with him only Peter J. Brachen as engineer, Henry Haney, -fireman of the engine (who, at the suggestion of Brachen, stood at the -brakes of the tender, and had for additional leverage a piece of timber -run through the spokes of the brake-wheel), Flem Cox, an engineer on the -road, who happened to be along, and fired the "Texas," and Alonzo Martin, -train hand of the freight train left at Adairsville, who passed wood to -Cox. Thus it is seen that Captain Fuller, Peter J. Brachen, Flem Cox, and -Alonzo Martin were the members of the pursuing party in toto, during the -last fifty-five miles of the chase. - -As has been stated, Mr. Anthony Murphy, of Atlanta, rode on "The Texas" -with Brachen from Adairsville to the point at which the Andrews raiders -were caught, and there is no doubt he would have aided in their capture -at the forfeit of his life had he been called upon to do so. - -As the pursuers ran past Calhoun, an enthusiastic old gentleman, Mr. -Richard Peters, himself a Northern man, and who died an honored citizen of -Atlanta, offered a reward of a hundred dollars each for all the raiders -captured. Had this promise been fulfilled Captain Fuller would have -received $2,300, which no doubt he would have divided with his comrades in -the pursuit. - -At Calhoun Captain Fuller met the south-bound "day passenger train," -delayed by his unexpected movements. He had his engine run slowly by the -depot, and exchanged a few words with the excited crowd of people, who -were amazed at the sudden appearance and disappearance of the runaway -train which had passed there a few moments before. Here he also saw Ed -Henderson, the telegraph operator at Dalton. Discovering that the line was -down below Dalton, Henderson had gone down on the passenger train to try -to repair the break in the wire. Seeing him, Fuller reached out his hand -as he was running by and took the operator into the tender, and as they -ran at the rate of a mile a minute he wrote the following dispatch: - -"_To General Ledbetter, Chattanooga_: - -My train was captured this morning at Big Shanty, evidently by Federal -soldiers in disguise. They are making rapidly for Chattanooga, and will no -doubt burn the Chickamauga bridges in their rear, if I should fail to -capture them. Please see that they do not pass Chattanooga. - - Signed, - W. A. FULLER." - -He handed this dispatch to the operator, and instructed him to put it -through at all hazards when he should arrive at Dalton. - -Just at that moment the pursuers came in sight of the raiders for the -first time. They had halted two miles north of Calhoun and were removing a -rail from the track. As the pursuers hove in sight, the raiders detached -their third car and left it before Captain Fuller could reach them. -Coupling this abandoned car to "The Texas," Captain Fuller got on top of -it and began the race again. The rails had only been loosened and the -intrepid conductor took the chances of running over them. From this point -the raiders ran at a fearful rate, and the pursuers followed after them as -fast as "The Texas" could go. - -One mile and a half further up, the raiders detached another car in the -front of the pursuers. This was witnessed by Fuller, who was standing on -the rear end of the car he had coupled to when the raiders were first -seen. He gave Brachen the signal, and he advanced slowly to the abandoned -car and coupled it to the first one obtained in this way. Then getting on -top of the newly captured one he was off again in the race with scarcely -the loss of a moment's time. - -Just in front of the raiders, and not more than a mile away, was an -important railroad bridge over the Oostanaula river at Resaca. The -pursuers had greatly feared that the raiders would gain time to burn this -bridge, after passing over it. But they were pressed so hotly and so -closely that they passed over the bridge as rapidly as the "General" could -carry them. The pursuers were, therefore, greatly rejoiced on their -arrival at Resaca to see that the bridge was standing, and that it had not -been set on fire. The two cars picked up as described were switched off at -Resaca, and the pursuers again had "The Texas" untrammeled. The race from -Resaca to Dalton has seldom been paralleled. It is impossible to describe -it. - -At Dalton the telegraph operator was dropped, with instructions to put the -dispatch to General Ledbetter through to the exclusion of all other -matter. All was excitement at this point. The unusual spectacle of a wild -engine flying through the town with only one car attached was bewildering -indeed; and when Captain Fuller arrived and ran through, slacking his -speed just enough to put the operator off the train, the excitement became -intense. The operator was besieged on every side for an explanation, but -he knew nothing save that contained in the dispatch. - -Two miles north of Dalton, Andrews stopped. Some of his men climbed -telegraph poles and cut the wire, while others were engaged in an effort -to take up the track behind them. The operator at Dalton had sent the -dispatch through to Ledbetter at Chattanooga; but just as he had finished -and was holding his finger on the key, waiting for the usual "O. K," click -went the key, and all was dead. He did not know until the next day that -Captain Fuller's dispatch had reached its destination. Had the raiders -been thirty seconds earlier in cutting the wire, the dispatch would not -have gone through. As it was Ledbetter received it, and not being able to -hear anything further by telegraph or otherwise he had a regiment placed -in ambush (some of the soldiers on either side of the track), and had a -considerable part of the track taken up. This was about a mile from -Chattanooga, so that by the intervention of the telegram Fuller had -Andrews both front and rear. - -Andrews was run away from the point where the wires were cut before any -material damage was done to the track. The rails had been partially -removed, but not so much as to prevent the safe passage over them of "The -Texas" and her crew. - -Now the last long race begins. The pursued and the pursuers are in sight -of one another. In every straight line of the road, Andrews was in plain -view. This tended to increase the interest and excitement, if, indeed, the -thrilling scenes and incidents of the seconds as they flitted by could -have been heightened. I say seconds, because minutes in this case would be -too large to use for a unit of time. The experience, practice, and -knowledge of machinery possessed by the engineers was brought into full -play. "The Texas" was kept at a rate of one hundred and sixty-five pounds -of steam, with the valve wide open. Brachen would appear a little pale -sometimes, but he was encouraged by Fuller standing the full length of the -tender before him, and watching around the curves. At every straight line -in the road Andrews was sighted, and a yell went up from the throats of -the pursuers, but they did not lose their wits. Their aim was forward, -onward, at all hazards. They were now convinced that Andrews had exhausted -his supply of obstructive material, and were not so uneasy on that -account. But as prudence is the better part of valor, and as they had so -few men on board, they dared not approach too close, lest their little -band should be fired upon; or what appeared to be a greater danger, -Andrews might suddenly stop and give fight. Captain Fuller had only five -person on "The Texas" besides himself, and all accounts heard by them at -points below had placed Andrews's party as high as twenty or twenty-five. -Fuller knew that the fire-arms he had gathered up early in the race, such -as "squirrel guns," and most of them unloaded, would have but little -showing in a hand-to-hand contest; so these things had to be considered as -they sped along so swiftly. Another danger was to be feared--Andrews might -stop, abandon "The General," let her drive back, and thus force a -collision with the pursuers. - -In approaching the tunnel, seven miles north of Dalton, our brave -conductor slackened speed until he could see dimly through the smoke of -"The General," which had only passed out of the further end by a few -seconds, and was in sight beyond. For the next seven miles from Tunnel -Hill to Ringgold, nothing occurred except a race between engines such as -has never been excelled. When Ringgold was reached, both engines literally -flew through the town, the "Texas" only about one-fourth of a mile behind. -When the pursuers were passing through the north end of the town, Captain -Fuller noticed a company of militia drilling. Their horses were hitched to -the small shade trees near the muster grounds, and this fact fastened -itself upon his mind. - -In a few minutes the pursuers swung around the second short curve north -of Ringgold, just in time to see Andrews slack his speed, and himself and -his men jump off the "General" to seek concealment in the dense woods. The -foliage of the trees and undergrowth was about half grown, and it would -have been an easy matter to hide in the forest. When the raiders were -first seen north of Ringgold, it was obvious that the heroic old "General" -was almost exhausted. Her smoke was nearly white, and ran up at an angle -of 45 degrees, while before that it lay flat, and appeared to the eyes of -the pursuers as if fresh from the stack. When Andrews abandoned the -"General," his engineer threw the lever back and gave the engine all the -steam it had, but in his haste the brake was left on, so the engine was -unable to drive back and collide with the "Texas," as Andrews had hoped it -would. - -The pursuers ran up to the "General" to which was attached one box -car--the one historians and statesmen have so often said was fired and -left to burn in a bridge below Ringgold. This car had been fired, but was -easily extinguished. It had never been uncoupled from the "General" since -Fuller left Atlanta with it that morning. Brachen hastily coupled the -"Texas" to this car and the "General." Captain Fuller reminded Brachen of -the militia company they had seen drilling at Ringgold a few minutes -before, and encouraged him to go back there as soon as possible and tell -of the capture of the "General," and to beseech the soldiers to mount -their horses and come to his aid, as he, Flem Cox, and Alonzo Martin were -already chasing through the woods after Andrews and his men. Mr. Murphy -and Henry Haney went back to Ringgold with Brachen after the militia. - -It was probably three minutes after the "General" was overtaken before -Captain Fuller and his two comrades were ready to take to the woods, as -they assisted in getting the car and two engines started back to Ringgold. -The raiders, therefore, had the advantage and were deep in the forest -before the woodland chase began. Besides, the reader will see at once that -the raiders were fresh--that they had done no really hard work, except the -fireman and engineer. They had not already run on foot more than twenty -miles, as Fuller had done. After the pursuing party had gone about two -miles through the woods, they came to a fifty-acre wheat field just in -time to see the raiders cross the fence at the further side. It had been -raining nearly all day, and the ground was wet. It was limestone soil, and -almost as sticky as tar. The boots of the pursuers would clog up, and the -mud on them would sometimes weigh doubtless two or three pounds. Another -source of annoyance was the growing wheat, which was half leg high and -very difficult to tread. Captain Fuller has said that it appeared to be -up-hill every way that he ran. - -Finally the woods beyond were reached, and, by accident, Captain Fuller -and his two comrades got separated. In the afternoon four of the raiders -were captured. About 8 P. M. Captain Fuller became completely exhausted. -Some old farmers put him on a mule and carried him back to Ringgold, -distant seven miles direct route, but by the one he was carried three -times that distance. He lay down on the mule's back, and a man on either -side held him on. - -Soon after they arrived at Ringgold the down night passenger train came, -and Captain Fuller was put on board and carried to Atlanta. At Tunnel -Hill, seven miles south, a train of soldiers passed them on the way to the -scene of interest. The Andrews Raiders had already been captured, and the -"General" was safe on the side track at Ringgold, eight hours before. And -this train of soldiers just spoken of is "the second pursuing train" that -Pittenger so often speaks of in his "Capturing a Locomotive," and "Daring -and Suffering." - -We have followed Captain Fuller and his wise and intrepid men, in the -pursuit of spies no less wise and intrepid, from the first step in an act -which, under the usages of war in all countries, meant death to them if -captured; and over that lamentable scene we drop the curtain. We have the -testimony of reliable men that they were humanely treated while in prison. -After a trial, conducted on the highest principles of military law and -honor, eight of these spies were condemned and executed. - -The following list gives the names of the Andrews raiders, all of whom -were captured in the manner described: - - J. J. Andrews, - Wilson Brown, - Marion Ross, - W. H. Campbell, - John Scott, - Perry G. Shadrack, - George D. Wilson, - Samuel Slavens. - -These were tried and executed. - - S. Robinson, - Ed. Mason, - Wm. Knight, - Robert Bruffum, - William Pittenger, - M. J. Hawkins, - I. Parroth, - W. Bensinger, - A. Wilson, - W. Reddie, - D. A. Dorsey, - I. R. Porter, - M. Wood, - W. W. Brown. - -The last named fourteen were never tried. - - - - -CONFEDERATE LOVE SONG. - - - Over the mountains of Winter, - And the cold, cold plains of snow, - Down in the valleys of Summer, - Calling my love I go. - - And strong in my woe and passion, - I climb up the hills of Spring, - To listen if I hear his voice - In songs he used to sing. - - I wait in the fields of Autumn, - And gather a feast of fruit, - And call my love to the banquet; - His lips are cold and mute. - - I say to the wild bird flying: - "My darling sang sweet as you; - Fly o'er the earth in search of him, - And to the skies of blue." - - I say to the wild-wood flowers: - "My love was a friend to you; - Send one of your fragrant spirits - To the cool Isles of Dew," - - "Gold-girt by a belt of moonbeams, - And seek on their gleaming shore - A breath of the vanished sweetness - For me his red lips bore." - - I stand at the gates of Morning, - When the radiant angel, Light, - Draws back the great bolt of darkness, - And by the gates of Night, - - When the hands of bright stars tremble - While clasping their lanterns bright; - And I hope to see him passing, - And touch his garments white. - - O, love! if you hear me calling, - Flee not from the wailing cry; - Come from the grottoes of Silence - And hear me, or I die! - - Stand out on the hills of Echo; - The sensitive, pulsing air - Will thrill at your softest whisper-- - Speak to me, love, from there! - - O, love, if I hear you calling, - Though far on the heavenly side, - My voice will float on the billow: - "Come to your spirit bride." - --MARY A. H. GAY. - - - - -TO THE READER, - - -Who has kindly perused these sketches, I would say, as they have already -attained length and breadth not anticipated from the beginning, I will -withhold the sequels to many of them for, perhaps, another volume of -reminiscences. - -Were I possessed of the Sam Weller genius and versatility, and the happy -faculty of making the reader wish I had written more, I would throw open -the doors of the store-house of my war memories, a structure as capacious -as the "Southern Confederacy" and canopied by the firmament, and invite -the public to enter and share with me the treasures hidden there. The -coruscations of wit and the profound displays of wisdom by many who donned -Confederate grey and went forth in manhood's prime to battle for the -principles of their country, would employ the minds and feast the -intellect of the most erudite. There are living, glowing pictures hanging -upon the walls which delineate the mysteries of humanity in all its varied -forms, and, by example, demonstrate that we often spurn with holy horror -that which is better far than that which we embrace with all the fervor of -affection. I would resurrect the loftest patriotism from the most humble -graves in the Southern land, and prove by heroic deeds and noble acts that -valor on the battle-field was as often illustrated by the humble soldier -whose name has not been preserved in "storied urn," as by the gallant son -of chivalrous ancestors who commanded the applause of an admiring -multitude. I would place by the side of those greatest of chieftains, -Robert E. Lee, and our impregnable "Stonewall" Jackson and Albert Sidney -Johnston, many of our soldiers "unknown to fame," in faded grey jackets -and war-worn pants, and challenge the world for the difference. I would -dwell with loving interest upon the innumerable sad, sweet faces of the -mighty throng of bereaved mothers, sisters and aunts, out of whose lives -all light had gone, and who, though hopeless, uttered no words of -complaint against our cause or its leader, but toiled on with unswerving -faith and souls that borrowed the lustre of heaven. All these sad things -in my gallery I would clothe in living form and glowing color. And, -saddest of all, I would live over with them that melancholy period when -the very few, comparatively, that were left of the noble defenders of our -principles, came back, not with buoyant step and victor crown, but with -blighted hopes and despondent mien to desolated homes and decimated -families. Under the new regime I would tell of despair and suicide, of -hope, energy and success; I would tell how I have lived in this -gallery--its silent occupants my companions and friends, my inspiration to -useful deeds. There is not a day that I do not arouse by muffled tread the -slumbering echoes of this past, and look upon the cherished souvenirs of -the patriotic friends now roaming the beautiful gardens of Paradise, or -sleeping the mystic waiting of the resurrection. I ponder upon their -lives, their ambitions, their disappointments, and it requires no effort -of the imagination to animate those dead forms and invest them with living -attributes. And daily, in imagination I weave for them a laurel crown that -shall grow greener and greener as the cycles of Time speed on to -Eternity. - - - - -APPENDIX. - - -The author has selected the article, "Gleanings from General Sherman's -Despatches," as an appendix for these sketches, not because of a desire to -keep up the issues of the war between the States (for she would gladly -bury them so deep they could never be resurrected until the great Judge of -all issues calls them up to receive sentence by his unerring judgment), -but rather, because of the persistent insistence of Northern Republicans -to make it appear to the world that the Southern people are a -semi-barbarous people, solely responsible for the war and altogether -unworthy fraternal consideration in the compact called the Union. - -The article mentioned, "Gleanings from General Sherman's Despatches," is -to be found, word for word, in The Southern Magazine, May, 1873, Vol. XII. -Baltimore: Turnbull Brothers. - - -GLEANINGS FROM GENERAL SHERMAN'S DESPATCHES. - -Those thick, loosely-bound octavos printed on soft and rather dingy paper, -which Congress publishes and distributes under the name of Public -Documents, are not generally considered very entertaining reading. But -there are exceptions; and one of these is the report of the joint -committee of Congress on the conduct of the war. Indeed, compared with -such mild pastorals as "Some Accounts of the Cheese Manufacture in Central -New York," or "Remarks on the Cultivation of Alfalfa in Western -Tennessee," it is quite luridly sensational, and in parts reminds us of -those striking reports of the Duke of Alva to his royal master, which have -been disinterred in the dusty archives of Simancas. As a study of -congressional nature, military nature, and human nature generally, in its -least attractive aspects, these eight stout volumes are richly worth -perusal. Here the reader is allowed to peep behind the scenes of that -portentous drama; here he may see the threads of the intrigues that -centered in Washington; may hear a petty newspaper correspondent -demonstrating, with an animation that we can scarcely ascribe to fervid -patriotism, the incapacity, the ignorance and even the doubtful "loyalty" -of the commander-in-chief; may see private malignity and vindictiveness -putting on grand Roman airs, and whispering debaters draping themselves in -the toga of Brutus. - -However, it is not with these aspects of the reports that we at present -have to do, but with the despatches of General Sherman on his march -through Georgia and South Carolina. A great deal of fiction and some -verse,[5] we believe, have been written about this famous march or grand -foray; but here we have the plain matter-of-fact statement of things as -they were, and they form a luminous illustration of the advance of -civilization in the nineteenth century as exemplified in the conduct of -invasions, showing how modern philanthropy and humanitarianism, while -acknowledging that for the present war is a necessary evil, still strive -to mitigate its horrors and spare all avoidable suffering to -non-combatants. For this purpose we have thought it worth while to -reproduce a few of the most striking extracts illustrating the man, his -spirit, and his work. - -A kind of keynote is sounded in the dispatches to General Stoneman, of May -14, which, after ordering him to "press down the valley strong," ends with -the words, "Pick up whatever provisions and plunder you can." - -On June 3, the question of torpedoes is discussed, and General Stedman -receives the following instructions: "If torpedoes are found in the -possession of an enemy to our rear, you may cause them to be put on the -ground and tested by wagon loads of prisoners, or, if need be, by citizens -implicated in their use. In like manner, if a torpedo is suspected on any -part of the railroad, order the point to be tested by a carload of -prisoners or citizens implicated, drawn by a long rope." "Implicated," we -suppose here meant "residing or captured in the neighborhood." - -On July 7, we have an interesting dispatch to General Garrard on the -subject of the destruction of the factories at Roswell. "Their utter -destruction is right, and meets my entire approval; and to make the matter -complete, you will arrest the owners and employees and send them under -guard charged with treason, to Marietta, and I will see as to any man in -America hoisting the French flag and then devoting his labor and capital -to supplying armies in open hostility to our government, and claiming the -benefit of his neutral flag. Should you, under the impulse of anger, -natural at contemplating such perfidy, hang the wretch, I approve the act -beforehand.... I repeat my orders that you arrest all people, male and -female, connected with those factories, no matter what the clamor, and let -them foot it, under guard, to Marietta, whence I will send them by cars to -the North. Destroy and make the same disposition of all mills, save small -flouring mills, manifestly for local use; but all saw mills and factories -dispose of effectually; and useful laborers, excused by reason of their -skill as manufacturers, from conscription, are as much prisoners as if -armed." On the same day he further enlarges on this subject in a despatch -to General Halleck: - -"General Garrard reports to me that he is in possession of Roswell, where -were several very valuable cotton and wool factories in full operation, -also paper mills, all of which, by my order, he destroyed by fire. They -had been for years engaged exclusively at work for the Confederate -government; and the owner of the woolen factory displayed the French flag, -but, as he failed to show the United States flag also, General Garrard -burned it also. The main cotton factory was valued at a million of United -States dollars. The cloth on hand is reserved for the use of the United -States hospitals; and I have ordered General Garrard to arrest for treason -all owners and employees, foreign and native, and send them to Marietta, -whence I will send them North. Being exempt from conscription, they are -as much governed by the rules of war as if in the ranks. The women can -find employment in Indiana. This whole region was devoted to -manufactories, but I will destroy everyone of them." There are two points -specially worth notice in this despatch. The first, that _since_ these men -and women, by reason of sex, or otherwise, are exempt from conscription, -they are, therefore, as much subject to the rules of war as if in the -ranks. Why not do less violence to logic and state frankly that factory -hands were in demand in Indiana? The next point is that the Roswell -factories, whether French property or not, were destroyed because they -were making cloth for the Confederate government, followed presently by -the declaration that every manufactory in that region shall be destroyed, -evidently without reference to its products or their destination. How much -franker it would have been to have added to this last sentence, "and thus -get rid of so many competitors to the factories of the North." The South -must learn that while she may bear the burden of protective tariffs, she -must not presume to share their benefits. Another despatch to General -Halleck, of July 9, again refers to these factories. After referring to -the English and French ownership, comes this remark: "I take it a neutral -is no better than one of our citizens, and we would not respect the -property of one of our own citizens engaged in supplying a hostile army." -This is the kind of logic proverbially used by the masters of legions. A -despatch to General Halleck, of July 13, gives General Sherman's opinion -of two great and philanthropic institutions. Speaking of "fellows hanging -about" the army, he says: "The Sanitary and Christian Commission are -enough to eradicate all traces of Christianity from our minds." - -July 14, to General J. E. Smith, at Allatoona: "If you entertain a bare -suspicion against any family, send it North. Any loafer or suspicious -person seen at any time should be imprisoned and sent off. If guerrillas -trouble the road or wires they should be shot without mercy." - -September 8, to General Webster after the capture of Atlanta: "Don't let -any citizens come to Atlanta; not one. I won't allow trade or manufactures -of any kind, but you will remove all the present population, and make -Atlanta a pure military town." To General Halleck he writes: "I am not -willing to have Atlanta encumbered by the families of our enemies." Of -this wholesale depopulation, General Hood complained, by flag of truce, as -cruel and contrary to the usages of civilized nations and customs of war, -receiving this courteous and gentlemanly reply (September 12): "I think I -understand the laws of civilized nations and the 'customs of war;' but, if -at a loss at any time, I know where to seek for information to refresh my -memory." General Hood made the correspondence, or part of it, public, on -which fact, General Sherman remarks to General Halleck: "Of course, he is -welcome, for the more he arouses the indignation of the Southern masses, -the bigger will be the pill of bitterness they will have to swallow." - -About the middle of September, General Sherman, being still in Atlanta, -endeavored to open private communication with Governor Brown and -Vice-President Stephens, whom he knew to be at variance with the -administration at Richmond on certain points of public policy. Mr. -Stephens refused to reply to a verbal message, but wrote to Mr. King, the -intermediary, that if the general would say that there was any prospect of -their agreeing upon "terms to be submitted to the action of their -respective governments," he would, as requested, visit him at Atlanta. The -motives urged by Mr. King were General Sherman's extreme desire for peace, -and to hit upon "some plan of terminating this fratricidal war without the -further effusion of blood." But in General Sherman's despatch of September -14, to Mr. Lincoln, referring to these attempted negotiations, the -humanitarian point of view is scarcely so prominent. He says: "It would be -a magnificent stroke of policy if I could, without surrendering a foot of -ground or principle, arouse the latent enmity to Davis." - -On October 20, he writes to General Thomas from Summerville, giving an -idea of his plan of operations: "Out of the forces now here and at -Atlanta, I propose to organize an efficient army of 60,000 to 65,000 men, -with which I propose to destroy Macon, Augusta, and it may be, Savannah -and Charleston. By this I propose to demonstrate the vulnerability of the -South, and make its inhabitants feel that war and individual ruin are -synonymous terms." - -Despatch of October 22, to General Grant: "I am now perfecting -arrangements to put into Tennessee a force able to hold the line of the -Tennessee, while I break up the railroad in front of Dalton, including -the city of Atlanta, and push into Georgia and break up all its railroads -and depots, capture its horses and negroes, make desolation everywhere; -destroy the factories at Macon, Milledgeville and Augusta, and bring up -with 60,000 men on the seashore about Savannah and Charleston." - -To General Thomas, from Kingston, November 2: "Last night we burned Rome, -and in two more days will burn Atlanta" (which he was then occupying). - -December 5: "Blair can burn the bridges and culverts and burn enough barns -to mark the progress of his head of columns." - -December 18, to General Grant, from near Savannah: "With Savannah in our -possession, at some future time, if not now, we can punish South Carolina -as she deserves, and as thousands of people in Georgia hope we will do. I -do sincerely believe that the whole United States, north and south, would -rejoice to have this army turned loose on South Carolina, to devastate -that State in the manner we have done in Georgia." - -A little before this he announces to Secretary Stanton that he knows what -the people of the South are fighting for. What do our readers suppose? To -ravage the North with sword and fire, and crush them under their heel? -Surely it must be some such delusion that inspires this ferocity of -hatred, unmitigated by even a word of compassion. He may speak for -himself: "Jefferson Davis has succeeded perfectly in inspiring his people -with the truth that liberty and government are worth fighting for." This -was their unpardonable crime. - -December 22, to General Grant: "If you can hold Lee, I could go on and -smash South Carolina all to pieces." - -On the 18th General Halleck writes: "Should you capture Charleston, I hope -that by some accident the place may be destroyed; and if a little salt -should be sown upon its site, it may prevent the growth of future crops of -nullification and secession." To this General Sherman replies, December -24: "This war differs from European wars in this particular--we are not -only fighting hostile armies, but hostile people; and must make old and -young, rich and poor, feel the hard hand of war, as well as their -organized armies. I will bear in mind your hint as to Charleston, and -don't think _salt_ will be necessary. When I move, the Fifteenth corps -will be on the right of the right wing, and their position will naturally -throw them into Charleston first; and, if you have studied the history of -that corps, you will have remarked that they generally do their work up -pretty well. The truth is, the whole army is burning with insatiable -desire to wreak vengeance upon South Carolina. I almost tremble for her -fate, but she deserves all that seems in store for her. - -"I look upon Columbia as quite as bad as Charleston, and I doubt if we -shall spare the public buildings there as we did at Milledgeville." - -And now we look with interest for the despatches that would settle the -vexed question as to whether Sherman or his officers, acting under his -orders, burned Columbia on the 17th of February. Unfortunately, a paternal -government, not thinking it good that the truth should be known, has -suppressed all the despatches between the 16th and the 21st, and every -other allusion to the transaction. - -On the 23d, he writes to General Kilpatrick: "Let the whole people know -the war is now against them, because their armies flee before us and do -not defend their country or frontier as they should. It is pretty nonsense -for Wheeler and Beauregard and such vain heroes to talk of our warring -against women and children and prevent us reaching their homes." - -If, therefore, an army defending their country can prevent invaders from -reaching their homes and families, the latter have a right to that -protection; but if the invaders can break through and reach these homes, -these are justified in destroying women and children. Certainly this is a -great advance on the doctrine and practice of the dark ages. Another -extraordinary moral consequence flows from this insufficiency of defence: -"If the enemy fails to defend his country, we may rightfully appropriate -what we want." Here, now, is a nice question of martial law or casuistry, -solved with the simplicity of an ancient Roman. In other words, when in -the enemy's country, the army shall be strictly careful not to seize, -capture or appropriate to military or private uses, any property--that it -cannot get. - -"They (the Southern people) have lost all title to property, and can lose -nothing not already forfeited." - -What, nothing? Not merely the houses we had built, the lands we had -tilled, the churches we worshipped in--had we forfeited the right to drink -of the streams, to behold the sun, to breathe the free air of heaven? -What unheard of, what inconceivable crime had we committed that thus -closed every gate of mercy and compassion against us, and provoked an -utterance which has but one parallel--the death warrant signed by Philip -II. against all Netherlanders? General Sherman has himself told us what it -was: We had dared to act on the "truth that liberty and government are -worth fighting for." - -On March 15, he writes to General Gillmore, advising him to draw forces -from Charleston and Savannah (both then in Federal hands) to destroy a -railroad, etc. "As to the garrisons of those places I don't feel disposed -to be over-generous, and should not hesitate to burn Savannah, Charleston -and Wilmington, or either of them, if the garrisons were needed." - -Such are some of the results of our gleanings in this field. Is it any -wonder that after reading them we fervently echo General Sherman's devout -aspiration: "I do wish the fine race of men that people the United States -should rule and determine the future destiny of America." - - - - -SHERMAN'S MARCH TO THE SEA. - -(Reprinted by Permission of the Illustrator Company. From the April, 1896, -Number of "The Illustrator." Copyrighted. All Rights Reserved.) - - -It is a proud thing for Americans to feel that there is little to bring -the blush of shame to their cheeks in the contemplation of their country's -history. It is a glorious thing for our young manhood to know that the -annals of their race tell of the earnest and upward progress of a people, -Christian from the first, toward an ever higher civilization. It is well -to reflect that when the ruthless hand of war has turned American -citizenship from the paths of peace it could do little more than array -strong man against sturdy foeman in an honest battle for principle, and -that outrage and pillage in our broad domain have been the almost -undisputed heritage of the Aborigines. - -Enduring with patient fortitude the raids of savage foes upon our early -frontiers, meeting the armed invasion of foreign hosts with a resistance -vigorous but manly, pressing our own victorious arms to the very citadel -of our Mexican neighbors without spoliation or rapine, it is sad to -realize that it remained for an internecine conflict, where brother stood -against brother, for an invasion by an army void of pretext of reprisal or -revenge, to write upon American warfare the stigma of vandalism, rapacity -and theft. - -The movement from Atlanta to Savannah, which figured in history as "The -March to the Sea," was, from the standpoint of the tactician, no great -achievement; it involved no more than the passage of an invincible army -across some three hundred miles of country, where it could gather supplies -upon its way, to effect a junction with its naval allies at a practically -defenceless city. It was peculiarly lacking in the daring which is -customarily ascribed to it, for it was made, practically, without -resistance and along a route where no considerable force of the enemy -could have been encountered. It was not a venture in the dark with a -conclusion to be determined by circumstances; for the authorities at -Washington were fully advised of its author's purpose, and Gen. Sherman -was assured that he would meet a formidable fleet at Savannah before he -undertook it. It was no more nor less than the yielding, by this most -typical barbarian conqueror of the Nineteenth century, to the spirit of -pillage and excess which distinguished his prototypes in the days of the -Goths and Vandals, when the homes and firesides of their enemies were at -their mercy. It was a campaign remarkable only for the revival of military -methods abandoned since Attila the Hun. It was, nevertheless, as carefully -planned as it was ruthlessly executed. It was no sudden impulse which laid -the torch to every roof-tree upon the invading army's path. It was no -spirit of retaliation for vigorous but ineffective resistance which goaded -these conquerors to excess, for out of 62,204 men who began the march but -103 lost their lives before they reached Savannah. It was simply the -grasping of the amplest opportunity by a man who glories in looting and -destruction, and to whom human misery was a subject for jest. - -At the outset let us understand that General Sherman, through all that -portion of his career which began with the destruction of Atlanta, was -acting upon a plan and a theory devised and adopted weeks before; that his -own actions and that of his army were in no sense impulsive, but in every -way controlled by premeditation, and that our authority for such a -conclusion lies in the repeated statements of the General himself. - -With the brutal frankness which was one of his characteristics, he wrote -on September 4th, 1864, in a letter to General Halleck, which he -reproduces in his autobiography: "If the people raise a howl against my -barbarity and cruelty, I will answer that war is war and not -popularity-seeking." "I knew, of course," he says, "that such a measure -would be strongly criticized, but made up my mind to do it with the -absolute certainty of its justness, and that time would sanction its -wisdom. I knew that the people of the South would read in this measure two -important conclusions; one that we were in earnest, and the other that if -they were sincere in their common and popular clamor 'to die in the last -ditch,' the opportunity would soon come." - -The cold-blooded candor of this statement leaves little doubt of the -temperature of the well-springs which fed that organ of General Sherman -corresponding to the heart of an ordinary man; but if evidence were -wanting of his absolute unconcern for the sufferings of others when his -own plans might be interfered with to the slightest degree, it might be -found in his answer to General Hood's proposition for an exchange of -prisoners. "Some of these prisoners," he says, "had already escaped and -got in, and had described the pitiable condition of the remainder." He had -at that time about two thousand Confederate prisoners available for -exchange. "These I offered to exchange for Stoneman, Buell, and such of my -own army as would make up the equivalent; but I would not exchange for his -prisoners generally, because I knew these would have to be sent to their -own regiments away from my army, whereas all we could give him could at -once be put to duty in his immediate army." No possible suffering which -his unfortunate companions in arms could be forced to bear by reason of -the Confederates' lack of supplies with which to feed and clothe them, -could induce him to exchange for men who would not strengthen his own -immediate army! - -Geneseric, the Vandal, is said to have been "cruel to blood thirstiness, -cunning, unscrupulous and grasping; but he possessed great military -talents and his manner of life was austere." Let the impartial reader of -history say how nearly the barbarian who marched to the sea in the -nineteenth century, approached to his prototype of the fifth century. One -is not surprised, therefore, to find this man writing to General Hood on -September 7th, 1864, that he "deemed it to the interest of the United -States that the citizens now residing in Atlanta should remove." - -In the midst of a region desolated by war, their fathers, husbands, -brothers, sons, in the army hundreds of miles away, it was "deemed to be -in the interest of the United States" that the helpless women and children -of Atlanta should be driven from their homes to find such shelter as God -gives the ravens and the beasts of the wood. It was a course that wrung -from General Hood these forceful words of reply: - -"Permit me to say that the unprecedented measure you propose transcends, -in studied and ingenious cruelty, all acts ever before brought to my -attention in the dark history of war. In the name of God and humanity I -protest, believing that you will find you are expelling from their homes -and firesides the wives and children of a brave people." To this burning -arraignment General Sherman could find no better answer than argument -concerning the right of States to secede. But it was followed on September -11th by an appeal from the mayor and councilmen of Atlanta which would -have touched a heart of stone. It was humble, it was earnest, it was -pitiful. It provoked these words in reply: "I have your letter of the 11th -in the nature of a petition to revoke my orders removing all the -inhabitants from Atlanta. I have read it carefully, and give full credit -to your statements of distress that will be occasioned, and yet shall not -revoke my orders, because they were not designed to meet the humanities of -the case, but to prepare for the future struggles in which millions of -good people outside of Atlanta have an interest." - -The same unalterable resolution must have dominated Geneseric, the Vandal, -when he prepared for his fourteen days sacking of Rome. The vandal of the -fifth century had at least the pretext of reprisal for his actions; the -vandal of the nineteenth century could find no better plea for his -barbarity than that it might wring the hearts of absent men until they -would sacrifice principle and honor for the relief of their loved ones. - -President Davis says: "Since Alva's atrocious cruelties to the -non-combatant population of the low countries in the sixteenth century, -the history of war records no instance of such barbarous cruelty as this -order designed to perpetrate. It involved the immediate expulsion from -their homes and only means of subsistence of thousands of unoffending -women and children, whose husbands and fathers were either in the army, in -Northern prisons, or had died in battle." - -At the time appointed the women and children were expelled from their -houses, and, before they were passed within our lines, complaint was -generally made that the Federal officers and men who were sent to guard -them had robbed them of the few articles of value they had been permitted -to take from their homes. The cowardly dishonesty of the men appointed to -carry out this order, was in perfect harmony with the temper and the -spirit of the order. - -It was on the 12th day of November, 1864, that "The March to the Sea" -began. Hood's army had been followed to Tennessee, and Sherman's forces -had destroyed the railroad during their return trip to Atlanta. They were -now ready to abandon the ruins of the Gate City for fresher and more -lucrative fields of havoc. It is fair to General Sherman to say that his -plans and intentions had been fully communicated to the authorities at -Washington, and that they met with the thorough approbation of General -Halleck, then Chief of Staff. - -General Halleck will be remembered as the hero who won immortal fame -before Corinth. With an immensely superior force he so thoroughly -entrenched himself before that city that he not only held his position -during General Beauregard's occupancy of the town, but retained it for -several days after the Confederate evacuation. He retired from active -service after this, his only piece of campaigning, to act in an advisory -capacity at Washington, and it was he who wrote these encouraging words to -Sherman at Atlanta: "The course which you have pursued in removing rebel -families from Atlanta, and in the exchange of prisoners, is fully approved -by the War Department.... Let the disloyal families thus stripped go to -their husbands, fathers, and natural protectors in the rebel ranks.... I -would destroy every mill and factory within reach, which I did not want -for my own use.... I have endeavored to impress these views upon our -commanders for the last two years. _You are almost the only one who has -properly applied them._" These words of encouragement fell upon willing -ears. No one knew better than Sherman how to read the sentiments between -those lines; he understood the motives which moved their doughty author as -thoroughly as when later the same hand gathered courage to advise him in -plain unvarnished words to wipe the city of Charleston off the face of the -earth, and sow her site with salt. The valiant Chief of Staff, who urged -on campaigns from a point sufficiently to the rear, had found at last a -man who would carry out his instructions, and the war upon women and -children was about to begin. - -General Halleck was not the sole confidant of General Sherman's plan. Less -than a month before the memorable march was undertaken, he telegraphed to -General Grant: "I propose that we break up the railroad from Chattanooga -forward, and that we strike out for Milledgeville, Millen and Savannah. -Until we can repopulate Georgia, it is useless for us to occupy it, but -the utter destruction of its roads, houses and people will cripple their -military resources. I can make this march, and make Georgia howl!" - -Sir Walter Raleigh conceived and attempted to execute the plan of -exterminating the Irish race, and colonizing their lands from England. The -Sultan of Turkey is about to carry out a similar policy with his -Armenians. - -The difference between these other exterminators and Sherman, is that they -expected to be met at the doors of the homes they intended to destroy by -men capable of offering resistance, while the American General knew he -would have to do with women and children alone. - -He evidently met with some expostulation from General Grant, for he -afterwards telegraphed him that he would "infinitely prefer to make a -wreck of the road and the country from Chattanooga and Atlanta, including -the latter city, send back all wounded and unserviceable men, and with the -effective army move through Georgia, smashing things to the sea." - -Receiving no answer to this latter dispatch, he did not hesitate to -execute the campaign as he had planned it, and in his own language -proceeded to "make the interior of Georgia feel the weight of war." - -Sherman and his staff rode out of the Gate City at 7 o'clock in the -morning of the 16th. "Behind us," he says, "lay Atlanta, smouldering and -in ruins, the black smoke rising high in the air and hanging like a pall -over the ruined city. Some band, by accident, struck up the anthem of -'John Brown's soul goes marching on'. The men caught up the strain, and -never before or since have I heard the chorus of 'Glory, glory, -hallelujah!' done with more spirit or in better harmony of time and -place." To the credit of the slandered soul of that other marauder, let us -say, that John Brown's lawless warfare was upon men alone, and that booty -formed no part of his incentive. - -Knowing that no effective resistance was to be expected, Sherman so -scattered his columns that the sixty-mile "swath" which it was his purpose -to devastate, was covered by them with ease. In order that the work might -be thoroughly and effectively done, a sufficient number of men were -detailed for that branch of military service peculiar to Sherman's army, -and known as "bummers." - -"These interesting individuals always," says the General, "arose before -day and preceded the army on its march." "Although this foraging was -attended with great danger and hard work, there seemed to be a charm about -it that attracted the soldiers, and it was a privilege to be detailed on -such a party." "No doubt," he adds with that same blunt frankness, "many -acts of pillage, robbery and violence were committed by these parties of -foragers usually called 'bummers'; for I have since heard of jewelry taken -from women, and the plunder of articles that never reached the -commissary." But these playful fellows, in spite of such indiscretions, -were never more to the General than an exhibition of that charming humor -invariably apparent in him in the presence of human suffering. - -We may gather an idea of them from the following description given by a -correspondent of the New York Herald, who accompanied the army: "Any man -who has seen the object that the name applies to will acknowledge that it -was admirably selected. Fancy a ragged man, bleached by the smoke of many -a pine-knot fire, mounted on a scraggy mule without a saddle, with a gun, -a knap-sack, a butcher-knife and a plug hat, stealing his way through the -pine forests far out in the flanks of a column, keen on the scent of -rebels, or bacon, or silver spoons, or coin, or anything valuable, and you -have him in your mind. Think how you would admire him if you were a lone -woman, with a family of small children, far from help, when he blandly -inquired where you kept your valuables! Think how you would smile when he -pried open your chests with his bayonet, or knocked to pieces your tables, -pianos and chairs, tore your bed clothing into three-inch strips and -scattered them about the yard. The 'bummers' say it takes too much time to -use keys. Color is no protection from the rough raiders. They go through a -negro cabin in search of diamonds and gold watches with just as much -freedom and vivacity as they 'loot' the dwelling of a wealthy planter. -They appear to be possessed of a spirit of 'pure cussedness.' One -incident, illustrative of many, will suffice. A bummer stepped into a -house and inquired for sorghum. The lady of the house presented a jug, -which he said was too heavy, so he merely filled his canteen. Then taking -a huge wad of tobacco from his mouth he thrust it into the jug. The lady -inquired, in wonder, why he spoiled that which he did not want. 'Oh, some -feller'll come along and taste that sorghum and think you've poisoned him, -then he'll burn your d----d old house.' There are hundreds of these -mounted men with the column, and they go everywhere. Some of them are -loaded down with silverware, gold coin, and other valuables. I hazard -nothing in saying three fifths (in value) of the personal property of the -country we have passed through was taken by Sherman's army." - -In an address delivered before the Association of the Maryland Line, -Senator Zeb Vance, of North Carolina, has laid the vigorous touch of his -characteristic English upon the void until it stands out in barbarous bold -relief, so far beyond the pencil of the present writer that he best serves -his readers by quoting: "With reference to his famous and infamous march, -I wish to say that I hope I am too much of a man to complain of the -natural and inevitable hardships, or even cruelties of war; but of the -manner in which this army treated the peaceful and defenseless inhabitants -in the reach of his columns, all civilization should complain. - -"There are always stragglers and desperadoes following in the wake of an -army, who do some damage to and inflict some outrages upon helpless -citizens, in spite of all efforts of commanding officers to restrain and -punish; but when a General organizes a corps of thieves and plunderers as -a part of his invading army, and licenses beforehand their outrages, he -and all who countenance, aid or abet, invite the execration of mankind. -This peculiar arm of military service, it is charged and believed, was -instituted by General Sherman in his invasion of the Southern States. -Certain it is that the operations of his 'Bummer Corps' were as regular -and as unrebuked, if not as much commended for efficiency, as any other -division of his army, and their atrocities are often justified or excused, -on the ground that 'such is war.' - -"In his own official report of his operations in Georgia, he says: 'We -consumed the corn and fodder in the region of country thirty miles either -side of a line from Atlanta to Savannah, also the sweet potatoes, hogs, -sheep and poultry, and carried off more than ten thousand horses and -mules. I estimate the damage done to Georgia at one-hundred million -dollars, at least twenty million of which inured to our benefit, and the -remainder was simply waste and destruction!'... The 'remainder' delicately -alluded to, that is say damage done the unresisting inhabitants to over -and above the seizing of necessary army supplies, consisted in private -houses burned, stock shot down and left to rot, bed clothes, money, -watches, spoons, plate and ladies' jewelry stolen, etc., etc. A lane of -desolation sixty miles wide through the heart of three great states, -marked by more burnings and destructions than ever followed in the wake of -the widest cyclone that ever laid forest low! And all done, not to support -an invading army, but for 'pure waste and destruction'; to punish the -crime of rebellion, not in the persons of those who had brought these -about, but of peaceful non-combatants, the tillers of the soil, the women -and the children, the aged and feeble, and the poor slaves! A silver spoon -was evidence of disloyalty, a ring on a lady's finger was a sure proof of -sympathy with rebellion, whilst a gold watch was _prima facie_ evidence of -the most damnable guilt on the part of the wearer. These obnoxious -earmarks of treason must be seized and confiscated for private use--for -'such is war!' If these failed, and they sometimes did, torture of the -inhabitants was freely employed to force disclosure. Sometimes with noble -rage at their disappointment, the victims were left dead, as a warning to -all others who should dare hide a jewel or a family trinket from the -cupidity of a soldier of the Union. No doubt the stern necessity for such -things caused great pain to those who inflicted, but the Union must be -restored, and how could that be done whilst a felonious gold watch or a -treasonable spoon was suffered to remain in the land, giving aid and -comfort to rebellion? For 'such is war.' Are such things war indeed? Let -us see. Eighty-four years before that time, there was a war, in that same -country; it was a rebellion, too, and an English nobleman led the troops -of Great Britain through that same region, over much of the same route, -in his efforts to subdue that rebellion. The people through whose land he -marched were bitterly hostile, they shot his foraging parties, his -sentinels and stragglers, they fired upon him from every wood. - -"He and his troops had every motive to hate and punish those rebellious -and hostile people. It so happens that the original order-book of Lord -Cornwallis is in possession of the North Carolina Historical Society. I -have seen and read it. Let us make a few extracts and see what he -considered war, and what he thought to be the duty of a civilized soldier -towards non-combatants and the helpless: - - "'CAMP NEAR BEATTY'S FORD, - January 28, 1781. - -"'Lord Cornwallis has so often expressed the zeal and good will of the -army that he has not the slightest doubt that the officers and soldiers -will most cheerfully submit to the ill conveniences that must naturally -attend war, so remote from water carriage and the magazines of the army. -The supply of rum for a time will be absolutely impossible, and that of -meal very uncertain. It is needless to point out to the officers the -necessity of preserving the strictest discipline, and of preventing the -oppressed people from suffering violence by the hands from whom they are -taught to look for protection.' - -"Now, General Sherman was fighting, as he said, for the sole purpose of -restoring the Union, and for making the people of the rebellious States -look to the United States alone for protection; does any act or order of -his anywhere indicate a similar desire of protecting the people from -suffering at the hands of those whose duty it was to protect them? Again: - - "'HEADQUARTERS, LANSLER'S PLANTATION, - February 2, 1781. - -"'Lord Cornwallis is highly displeased that several houses have been set -on fire to-day during the march--a disgrace to the army--and he will -punish with the utmost severity any person or persons who shall be found -guilty of committing so disgraceful an outrage. His lordship requests the -commanding officers of the corps will endeavor to find the persons who set -fire to the houses to-day.' - -"Now think of the march of Sherman's army which could be discovered a -great way off by the smoke of homesteads by day and the lurid glare of -flames by night, from Atlanta to Savannah, from Columbia to Fayetteville, -and suppose that such an order as this had been issued by its commanding -officers and rigidly executed, would not the mortality have been quite -equal to that of a great battle? - -"Arriving in Fayetteville on the 10th of January, 1865, he not only burned -the arsenal, one of the finest in the United States, which perhaps he -might properly have done, but also burned five private dwelling houses -near by; he burned the principal printing offices, that of the old -'Fayetteville Observer;' he burned the old Bank of North Carolina, eleven -large warehouses, five cotton mills and quite a number of private -dwellings in other parts of the town, whilst in the suburbs almost a clean -sweep was made; in one locality nine houses were burned. Universally -houses were gutted before they were burned, and after everything portable -was secured the furniture was ruthlessly destroyed, pianos on which -perhaps rebel tunes had been played--'Dixie' or 'My Maryland'--disloyal -bureaus, traitorous tables and chairs were cut to pieces with axes, and -frequently, after all this damage, fire was applied and all consumed. -Carriages and vehicles of all kinds were wantonly destroyed or burned; -instances could be given of old men who had the shoes taken from their -feet, the hats from their heads and clothes from their persons; and their -wives and children subjected to like treatment. In one instance, as the -marauders left they shot down a dozen cattle belonging to an old man, and -then left their carcasses lying in the yard. Think of that, and then -remember the grievance of the Pennsylvania Dutch farmers who came in all -seriousness to complain to General Longstreet in the Gettysburg campaign, -of the outrage which some of his ferocious rebels had committed upon them -_by_ '_milking their cows_.' On one occasion, at Fayetteville, four -gentlemen were hung up by the neck until nearly dead to force them to -disclose where their valuables were hidden, and one of them was shot to -death. Again: - - "'HEADQUARTERS DOBBINS HOUSE, - February 17, 1781. - -"'Lord Cornwallis is very sorry to be obliged to call the attention of the -officers of the army to the repeated orders against plundering, and he -assures the officers that if their duty to their King and country, and -their feelings for humanity are not sufficient to force their obedience -to them, he must, however reluctantly, make use of such powers as the -military laws have placed in his hands.... It is expected that Captains -will exert themselves to keep good order and to prevent plundering. Any -officer _who looks on with indifference and does not do his utmost to -prevent shameful marauding, will be considered in a more criminal light -than the persons who commit these scandalous crimes_, which must bring -disgrace and ruin on his Majesty's service. All foraging parties will give -receipts for supplies taken by them.' - -"Now, taking it for granted that Lord Cornwallis, a distinguished soldier -and a gentleman, is an authority on the rights of war, could there be -found any where a more damnatory comment upon the practices of General -Sherman and his army? Again: - - "'HEADQUARTERS, FREELANDS, - February 28, 1781. - -"'Memorandum:--A watch found by the regiment of Bose. The owner may have -it from the adjutant of the regiment upon proving property.' Another: - - "'SMITH'S PLANTATION, March 1, 1781. - -"'Brigade Orders. A woman having been robbed of a watch, a black silk -handkerchief, a gallon of peach brandy and a shirt, and as, by the -description, by a soldier of the guards, the camp and every man's kit is -to be immediately searched for the same by the officers of the Brigade.' - -"Are there any poets in the audience, or other persons in whom the -imaginative faculty has been largely cultivated? If so, let me beg him to -do me the favor of conceiving, if he can, and make manifest to me, the -idea of a notice of a lost watch being given, in general orders, by -William Tecumseh Sherman, and the offer to return it on proof of property -by the rebel owner! Let him imagine, if he can, the searching of every -man's kit in the army for a stolen watch, a shirt, a black silk -handkerchief and a gallon of peach brandy! Sherman says 'such is war.' I -venture to say that up to the period when that 'great march' taught us the -contrary, no humane general or civilized people in Christendom believed -_that_ '_such was_ war.' Has civilization gone backward since Lord -Cornwallis' day? Have arson and vulgar theft been ennobled into heroic -virtues? If so, when and by whom? Has the art of discovering a poor man's -hidden treasure by fraud or torture been elevated into the strategy which -wins a campaign? If so, when and by whom? - -"No, it will not do to slur over these things by a vague reference to the -inevitable cruelties of war. The time is fast coming when the conduct of -that campaign will be looked upon in the light of real humanity, and -investigated in the real historic spirit which evolves truth; and all the -partisan songs which have been sung, or orations which subservient orators -have spoken about that great march to the sea; and all the caricatures of -Southern leaders which the bitterness of a diseased sectional sentiment -has inspired; and all the glamour of a great success, shall not avail to -restrain the inexorable, the illuminating pen of history. Truth, like -charity, never faileth. Whether there be prophecies, they shall fail, -whether there be tongues they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it -shall vanish away; but when the truth, which is perfect, has come, then -that which is in part shall be done away. - -"Now let us contrast General Sherman with his greatest foe; likewise the -greatest, the most humane general of modern times, and see whether he -regarded the pitiless destruction of the substance of women and children -and inoffensive inhabitants a legitimate war: - - "'HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VA., - June 27, 1863. - -"'General Order No. 73. The commanding general has observed with marked -satisfaction the conduct of troops on this march. There have, however, -been instances of forgetfulness on the part of some that they have in -keeping the yet unsullied reputation of this army, and that the duties -exacted of us by civilization and Christianity are not less obligatory in -the country of an enemy than in our own. The commanding general considers -that no greater disgrace could befall the army and through it our whole -people, than the perpetration of barbarous outrages upon the unarmed and -defenceless, and the wanton destruction of private property, that have -marked the course of the enemy in our country.... It will be remembered -that we make war only upon armed men. - - R. E. LEE, General.' - -"The humanity and Christian spirit of this order was such as to challenge -the admiration of foreign nations. The 'London Times' commented upon it, -and its American correspondent said: 'The greatest surprise has been -expressed to me by officers from the Austrian, Prussian and English -armies, each of which has representatives here, that volunteer troops, -provoked by nearly twenty-seven months of unparalleled ruthlessness and -wantonness, of which their country has been the scene, should be under -such control, and willing to act in harmony with the long-suffering and -forbearance of President Davis and General Lee.' - -"To show how this order was executed, the same writer tells a story of how -he witnessed with his own eyes General Lee and a surgeon of his command -repairing the damage to a farmer's fence. Colonel McClure, of -Philadelphia, a Union soldier himself, bears witness to the good conduct -of Lee's ragged rebels in that famous campaign. He tells of hundreds of -them coming to him and asking for a little bread and coffee, and others -who were wet and shivering asking permission to enter a house, in which -they saw a bright fire, to warm themselves until their coffee should be -ready. Hundreds of similar instances could be given, substantiated by the -testimony of men on both sides, to show the splendid humanity of that -great invasion. Blessed be the good God, who, if in His wisdom denied us -success, yet gave to us and our children the rich inheritance of this -great example. - -"Major General Halleck, the commander-in-chief, under the President, of -the armies of the Union, on the 18th of December, 1864, dispatched as -follows to Sherman, then in Savannah: 'Should you capture Charleston, I -hope that by some accident the place may be destroyed; and if a little -salt should be sown upon its site it may prevent the growth of future -crops of nullification and secession.' On December 27th, 1864, Sherman -made the following answer: 'I will bear in mind your hint as to -Charleston, and don't think "salt" will be necessary. When I move, the -15th corps will be on the right of the right wing, and their position will -bring them naturally into Charleston first, and if you have watched the -history of the corps you will have remarked that they generally do their -work up pretty well. The truth is, the whole army is burning with -insatiable desire to wreak vengeance upon South Carolina. I almost tremble -at her fate; but feel that she deserves all that seems to be in store for -her.... I look upon Columbia as quite as bad as Charleston.' Therefore -Columbia was burned to ashes. And though he knew what was in store for -South Carolina, so horrible that he even trembled, he took no steps to -avert it, for he felt that she deserved it all. Did she, indeed? What -crime had she committed that placed her outside the protection of the law -of civilized nations? What unjust, or barbarous, or brutal conduct had she -been guilty of to bring her within the exceptions laid down by the writers -on the laws of war as authorizing extraordinary severity of punishment? -They are not even imputed to her. South Carolina's crime, and the crime of -all the seceding States, was that of a construction of the constitution of -the United States differing from that of General Sherman and the 15th -corps--which 'always did up its work pretty well.' Happily the Divine -Goodness has made the powers of recuperation superior to those of -destruction; and though their overthrow was so complete that 'salt' was -not needed as the type of utter desolation, Marietta and Atlanta are -thriving and prosperous cities." - -Governor Vance does not wish to confine himself, in quoting, to Southern -testimony. There are plenty of honest and truthful soldiers in the Federal -army, who served in its ranks, to tell all we want and more. This is what -one of them says, writing to the "Detroit Free Press" of that campaign: -"One of the most devilish acts of Sherman's campaign was the destruction -of Marietta. The Military Institute and such mills and factories as might -be a benefit to Hood could expect the torch, but Sherman was not content -with that; the torch was applied to everything, even the shanties occupied -by the negroes. No advance warning was given. The first alarm was followed -by the crackling of flames. Soldiers rode from house to house, entered -without ceremony and kindled fires in garrets and closets, and stood by to -see that they were not extinguished." Again he says: "Had one been able to -climb to such a height at Atlanta as to enable him to see for forty miles -around, the day Sherman marched out, he would have been appalled at the -destruction. Hundreds of houses had been burned; every rod of fence -destroyed; nearly every fruit tree cut down, and the face of the country -so changed that one born in that section could scarcely recognize it. The -vindictiveness of war would have trampled the very earth out of sight, had -such a thing been possible." - -One cold and drizzly night in the midst of this marching General Sherman -found shelter and warmth beneath the roof of a comfortable plantation -home. - -"In looking around the room," he says, "I saw a small box, like a candle -box, marked 'Howell Cobb,' and, on inquiring of a negro, found we were at -the plantation of General Howell Cobb, of Georgia, one of the leading -rebels of the South, then a General in the Southern army, and who had been -Secretary of the Treasury in Mr. Buchanan's time. Of course we confiscated -his property, and found it rich in corn, beans, peanuts, and sorghum -molasses. Extensive fields were all around the house. I sent word back to -General Davis to explain whose plantation it was, and to instruct him to -spare nothing. That night huge bonfires consumed the fence-rails, kept our -soldiers warm, and the teamsters and men, as well as slaves, carried off -an immense quantity of corn and provisions of all sorts." - -Do the records of civilized warfare furnish a parallel to this petty and -mercenary wreaking of spite upon the helpless home of a gallant foeman? - -The General furnished us with proof of how worthy of their selection his -staff-officers proved during that memorable raid. While camped that night -on Cobb's plantation, Lieutenant Snelling, who was a Georgian commanding -his escort, received permission to visit his uncle, who lived some six -miles away. - -"The next morning," says the General, "he described to me his visit. The -uncle was not cordial by any means to find his nephew in the ranks of the -host that was desolating the land, and Snelling came back, having -exchanged his tired horse for a fresher one out of his uncle's stables, -explaining that surely some of the 'bummers' would have got the horse had -he not." It was the eternal fitness of things that the staff-officers of -this prince of free-booters should be renegades capable of stealing from -their nearest kin. - -The unfailing jocosity of this merry marauder breaks out in his recital of -a negro's account of the destruction of Sandersville: "First, there came -along some cavalrymen, and they burned the depot; then came along some -infantrymen, and they tore up the track and burned it, and, just before -they left, they sot fire to the well!" The well, he explains, was a boxed -affair into which some of the debris was piled, and the customary torch -was applied, making the negro's statement literally true. This was one of -the incidents to leaving the pretty town of Sandersville a smoking mass of -ruins. - -But why enumerate further details of an unresisted movement which cost -Sherman one hundred and three lives, and the State of Georgia one hundred -million dollars, twenty millions of which he frankly states he carried -off, and eighty millions of which he destroyed? It began in shame at -Atlanta--it passed with a gathering burden of infamy to Savannah. -Starvation, terror, outrage hung upon its flanks and rear. Its days were -darkened by the smoking incense from unparalleled sacrifices upon the -altar of wantonness; its nights were lurid with flames licking the last -poor shelter from above the heads of subjugated wives and children. - -Its history is the strongest human argument for an orthodox hell. - - - - -TESTIMONIALS. - - - STATE OF GEORGIA, - EXECUTIVE OFFICE, - ATLANTA, September 1st, 1894. - -"Life in Dixie During the War," by Miss Mary A. H. Gay, presents a -striking picture of home life among our people during that dark period of -our history. - -While such presentation is hardly looked for in more elaborate history of -those times, Miss Gay's conception was a wise one, and the record she has -given will preserve a most desirable part of the history of our section. - -Her book deserves to be widely circulated. - - W. J. NORTHEN, - Governor. - - -"LIFE IN DIXIE DURING THE WAR." - -This handsome volume from the pen of Miss Mary A. H. Gay, whose many acts -of self-denial entitle her to the name of philanthropist, will meet with a -hearty welcome from her wide circle of friends. But a casual glance at the -volume leads us to conclude that outside of this circle, even with the -reader who will look into it as a key to the history of the "times that -tried men's souls," it will be a book of more than passing interest. The -author writes with the feelings of a partisan, but time has mellowed her -recollections of these stormy times, and even the reader whose sympathies -were with the other side will agree with Joel Chandler Harris in his -introduction to the book. In its mechanical get-up, the book is a -gem.--_Atlanta Constitution_, December 18, 1892. - - -"LIFE IN DIXIE." - -Miss Mary A. H. Gay has published a volume entitled "Life in Dixie During -the War," which should be in every Southern home. It is one of the truest -pictures of the life of our people during the war that has yet been drawn. -In fact, it could not be better, for it shows things just as they were. -The struggles and sufferings of the Southern people during that awful -period exhibited a heroism that has seldom been matched in the world's -history. Miss Gay was among them. She looked on their trials with -sympathetic eyes and suffered with them. Fortunately she is gifted with -the power of describing what she saw, and her book will be a classic of -war literature. Its every page is interesting. The story of Dixie during -the war reads like romance to the generation that has arisen since, but it -should have for generations an interest as deep as that with which it is -read by those who lived and acted amid the scenes it records. It shows how -grand was the courage and virtue, how sublime the faith and endurance of -the men and women of the South throughout that terrible ordeal. It is a -book that will live, and one that will give to the world a true -representation of the conduct of a noble people in affliction. Miss Gay -has made numerous contributions to our literature which mark her as a -woman of rare capacity and exquisite feelings, but she has done no work -that is worthier of gratitude and praise than that embodied in "Life in -Dixie."--_The Atlanta Journal_, January 17, 1893. - - -"LIFE IN DIXIE." - -Miss Mary Gay's recent book, "Life in Dixie During the War," is rapidly -winning favor with the public. Some of our most distinguished writers -speak of it in very high terms as a notable contribution to our history. -The Rev. Dr. J. William Jones says of it: - -"'Life in Dixie During the War' is a charming story of home-life during -those dark days when our noble women displayed a patient endurance, and -active zeal, a self-denying work in the hospitals, a genuine patriotism, a -true heroism which equalled the record of their fathers, husbands, sons -and brothers in the army. - -"But Decatur, near Atlanta, was the scene of stirring events during -Sherman's campaign against the doomed city, and Miss Gay's facile pen -vividly portrays historic events of deepest interest. - -"Visits from the soldier boy to the old home, letters from the camp, -visits to the camps and hospitals, the smoke and changing scenes of battle -in the enemy's lines, refugeeing, and many other events of those stirring -days, are told with the vividness of an eye-witness and the pen of an -accomplished writer. - -"It is, in a word, a vivid and true picture of 'Life in Dixie During the -War,' and should find a place not only in our Southern homes, but in the -homes of all who desire to see a true account of the life of our noble -women during those trying days. - - "REV. JOHN WILLIAM JONES." - -_The Constitution_, May 2nd, 1893. - - -The "Confederate Love Song," by Miss Mary A. H. Gay, of Decatur, was -written during the late war. It is a charming bit of verse, and forms one -of a galaxy of beautiful songs from the same true pen. In 1880, Miss Gay -published a volume of verses which received the unusual compliment of -public demand for no less than eleven editions. The author's life is one -of the most beautiful; it is, therefore, quite natural that her poetry -should partake of the simple truth and sincerity of that life, consecrated -as it is, and ever has been, to the noblest work.--_Atlanta Constitution._ - - -Miss Gay's Book, "Life in Dixie During the War."--Editor "_Sunny South_:" -Permit me to say a few words through the columns of your widely read and -popular paper about Miss Mary A. H. Gay's "Life in Dixie During the War," -the second and enlarged edition of which book has just been issued from -the press. - -The fact that a second and enlarged edition has been called for is proof -that the merits of this genuine Southern story has been appreciated by our -people. Not only has the author in her book perpetuated interesting and -historically valuable material of merely local character, but, to the -careful reader, she also presents matter that goes to the deep moral, -social and political roots of the cause of the people of the South, that -grew and flowered into the crimson rose of war, which the South plucked -and wore upon her heart during four of the most tragic yet glorious years -recorded in history. - -But the chief charms of the book are its simple, earnest, homely style, -its depth of womanly and loyal feeling, and the glimpses we get of the -homes and hearts of our people during these years of patient suffering and -"crucifixion of the soul;" and along with the passion and the pain, we are -presented with pictures of our people's frequently laughable "makeshifts" -to supply many of the common necessaries of life and household appliances -of which the stress and savage devastation deprived nearly every Southern -family. Above all we are impressed by the more than Spartan heroism, the -tender love, the unwavering loyalty, the devoted, self-sacrificing spirit -of our noble Southern womanhood, of which this book speaks so eloquently -in its _naive_ simplicity, and of which traits of character, the modest -author herself is a living and universally beloved example. - -The book deserves a place in the hearts and homes of our people. Surely -the patriotic motives that inspired its author to write it is the only -passport it needs to public favor and patronage. - - CHARLES W. HUBNER, - "_Sunny South_," Atlanta, Ga., November 3, 1894. - - -A WAR STORY. - -Even in these piping times of peace (peace as far as our own borders are -concerned, at any rate)--there is a relish in a war story. And when the -scene is laid right here in Georgia, in Decatur, in Atlanta; when familiar -names come up in the course of the narrative, and familiar events are -pictured by an honest eye-witness; when all through the little volume you -feel the truthfulness of the writer, and know that the incidents she -narrates happened just so; when, too, you see the writer herself--see her -to be an old lady now, who really was a heroine in her young days; and -then read the simple, personal narrative--now stirring, as the battle-guns -sound--now touching, as some dear one falls; with all this combination of -interest, a war story claims and holds the attention. - -Such is the little book, called "Life in Dixie," written by Miss Mary Gay, -and telling of those stirring times in and about Atlanta, back yonder in -the sixties. - -There are some vivid pictures in that modest little volume, as well as -some interesting facts. Miss Gay was in the thick of the strife, and tells -what she saw in those dark days. - -Among the well-known characters, associated with the recorded events, we -find Mrs. L. P. Grant, Mr. and Mrs. Posey Maddox, Dr. J. P. Logan and many -others. - -A most interesting fact disclosed in those pages is the surprising one -that two sisters of Mrs. Abraham Lincoln married Alabama officers in the -Confederate army; there is recorded the public presentation, by those two -ladies, of an elegant silk banner made for a gallant young company in -Georgia's daughter-State. Thus conspicuous were those women in the -Southern Confederacy, while their sister and her dearest interests lay on -the other side. - -Another matter of history which will be interesting to the present -generation of readers, however much we may have read of the mammoth prices -for the necessaries of life in those hard days, is the following list of -articles, with the cost thereof in Confederate money, bought by Miss Gay, -after a ride of forty miles to obtain them: - -One bushel of meal, $10.00; four bushels of corn, $40.00; fifteen pounds -of flour, $7.50; four pounds of dried apples, $5.00; one and a half pounds -of butter, $6.00; a bushel of sweet potatoes, $6.00; three gallons of -syrup, $15.00; for shoeing the horse, $25.00; for a night's lodging for -self and horse, at Mrs. Born's, $10.00. - -Then, the vehicle in which the trip for these supplies was made! - -It was contrived by "Uncle Mack," a dusky hero of those times. "It was a -something he had improvised which baffled description," writes Miss Gay, -"and which, for the sake of the faithful service I obtained from it, I -will not attempt to describe. Suffice it to say that it carried living -freight over many a bridge; and in honor of this, I will call it a wagon." - -The horse, which the author herself captured to draw this remarkable -vehicle, was equally remarkable, and his subsequent history is one of the -most interesting bits of narrative in the book. I wish I could give it -all in Miss Gay's own words, but my space does not admit of that. - -But there is not a child in your household who would not be interested in -the account of how the poor starved horse was lassoed and secured--how he -was fed and strengthened, and cared for, and finally harnessed up with -ropes and pieces of crocus sacks; how the letters, "U. S." were found -branded on each of his sides, causing his mistress to name him "Yankee"; -how she grew to love him so that she deemed that name ill-fitting, and -decided to re-christen him "Johnnie Reb.," which she did one day with -effective ceremonial by a brook-side; how he rendered invaluable service -to his mistress many and many a time, and was a treasured member of the -little family that passed such stormy times in the war-stricken village of -Decatur; all this is worth reading, told, as it is, with a gentle humor, -and a strict truthfulness which is the chief charm of that historic -picture. For it is historic. And it were well for the rising generation to -read its vivid portrayals of that period. - -And though Miss Gay was evidently an ardent secessionist, and is now, I -fancy, one of the altogether unreconstructed few, her book contains -records of more than one kindness received at the hands of officers of the -United States army--kindness proffered, too, in the face of her fearless -avowal of opinion. - -Some parts of the book (I will add, if the gentle author will allow me) -seem somewhat too bitter towards our brethren of the North. But this -criticism is from the standpoint of one who knew not the horrors of that -dreadful war. If I had seen the desolation and destruction which followed -it in the wake of Sherman's army, as Miss Gay saw it and suffered by it -(through mother and brother and friends, as well as through personal -privation),--if I had thus suffered, doubtless I, too, would be unable to -look impartially upon these Federal leaders and their actuating -motives--unable to see that, though Sherman was a most unmerciful -conqueror, he was not altogether a fiend. - -But there is only a touch of this severe judgment in Miss Gay's little -book. The greater portion of it is simply historic--a faithful chronicling -of events experienced by the writer herself, who was a veritable heroine -in those days of horrors. - -Miss Gay is to be congratulated upon the fact that "Life in Dixie" is -entering upon its second edition. Let me suggest that you get it for your -children, you parents. The rising generation should learn of the stirring -events which happened right here in Atlanta thirty years ago. - -The story will hold their attention and interest throughout--the -soldier-brother who fell in the strife, the faithful black Toby sketched -so tenderly, the perilous trip of Miss Gay herself, as she carried the -blankets and overcoats through the enemy's ranks to the boys in gray--all -this will vastly entertain those young folks, at the same time it teaches -them of the Battle of Atlanta, and the concurrent events.--EMEL JAY[6], in -_The Atlanta Journal_, November 24th, 1894. - -"Life in Dixie During the War" is the title of a volume just perused which -transcends in interest, truth and beauty all the historical tomes and -garlanded fiction to which that epoch has given birth. It embraces the -personal experiences and observations of a woman, gifted far beyond the -ordinary, who came in contact with the sadness, the bloodshed and the -misery of the unhappy struggle. A loved brother laid down his life on the -bloodiest battle-field, friends parted and vanished from her, and wealth -was swallowed in the maw of destruction. - -She tells her story--for story it is--with an exquisite grace, and with a -woman's tenderness and sympathy for the people she loved and the cause she -adored. Her language is lofty upon occasion, her memories perhaps too -keen, her gentleness possibly too exclusive to her own, but her work is -done with a fidelity and consistency beyond comparison. The scene is -Decatur, Ga., but threads, visible or invisible, reach to every hamlet and -entwine every heart in the evanished Confederacy. The heroism of men, the -daring of boys, the endurance of women, alike are painted with a skill -that requires no color. - -Those who wish to embalm their recollections of home-life during the war, -and those who desire to know what it was, should read this book. It is one -of the records of the past that should be in every library. It is -beautifully printed, neatly cloth-bound, and contains 300 pages.--_The -Tampa Daily Times_, January 17, 1895. - - -FROM THE OTHER SIDE. - -A UNION SOLDIER'S TRIBUTE TO A SOUTHERN WOMAN'S BOOK. - - EVANSTON, ILL., December 30th, 1895. - -_Mary A. H. Gay_: - -DEAR MADAM: Allow me to thank you for giving to the world inside home life -in the South during the war. All histories of the war that have been -written have been confined to battles and movements of armies, which are -so likened to the histories of other wars that when you have read one you -may say that you have read them all. But yours gives a local and romantic -description of real life, and I feel like congratulating you and calling -the scenes in which you played so important a part the heyday of your -existence. I take it you were the daughter, pampered and cuddled child, of -rich and influential people, and had it not been for the war you would -have been raised with much pomp, arrogance and importance of family, -which, in the very nature of your surroundings, would have destroyed all -the finer and nobler traits which want and misery have developed into a -grand, noble, self-sacrificing and heroic woman. And although you portray -the scenes freighted with misery, want and desolation, yet they were -halcyon days to one like you, romantic, energetic, patriotic and -self-sacrificing, and now, as you are passing down the shady lane of life, -you live in the memories of the past, the part you played in the heroic -struggle, and the noble womanhood developed; and the assurance that you -did well your part in the great tragedy strews roses and garlands along -the path of your declining years. - -"I follow you through all these stirring scenes; I sit beside you in your -hours of gloom and blighted hopes; I follow you beside the ox-cart that -drew its freight of human misery; I walk with you into the woody retreats -and sit beside you upon the banks of the limpid stream and mix my tears -with yours; I tramp with you over the scenes of desolation; I sorrow with -you over the death of Toby; I mourn with you over the sudden death of -noble Thomie; I sit beside the death-bed of your sainted mother and mingle -my tears with yours; I gladly accompany you on your weary tramp with your -much-loved 'Yankee' or Johnnie Reb; I gather with you the leaden missiles -of death to buy food for starving friends and fellow-sufferers; I pass -with you through all the scenes that are freighted with hope, love, -despair and expectation; I am your friend and sympathizer in all your -misfortunes, and yet I am one of those 'accursed' Yankee soldiers who have -been the bane of your life. - -"The strange blending of pathos and diplomacy on pages 91 and 92 may be -said to be amusingly expressive. Chapter 13 is intensely interesting, -dramatic and romantic; still I see no reason that I should speak of these -isolated passages, for the whole book is equally interesting, and would -foreshadow for it a large sale in the North if properly handled. As to the -mechanical construction of the book, I am much pleased with your language, -as it is free from Carlylism and ostentatious English, which mars so much -of the writings of many of our modern authors. I hold that when a book is -overloaded with this disgusting use of the dictionary it is what Goldsmith -terms 'display of book learned skill.' - -"The book was kindly sent me by a lady friend in Atlanta, Mrs. Delbridge, -and I hope when I visit Atlanta again I may have the pleasure of meeting -the authoress that nature has endowed with such wonderful power of -description." - - Most respectfully, - CHARLES AIKIN. - -Published in _The Atlanta Constitution_ January 5th, 1896. - - -"LIFE IN DIXIE DURING THE WAR, - -is the title of one of the best series of sketches that has been written -about the 'late unpleasantness.' It contains the record of one woman's -experience during the five years of warfare between the North and the -South. The author, Miss Mary A. H. Gay, of Decatur, Georgia, one of the -most graceful writers in the South, has handled the subject in a masterful -manner. 'Truth is stranger than fiction,' and the work abounds in truth. -The volume ought to be on sale at every news-stand in the South. The book -has been described as containing 'a living picture of those trying -times--not to stir up bitter feelings and hatred, but a history, and such -history as cannot be obtained in any other form.' Miss Gay was in the -thick of the strife, 'and in a modest way shows herself a heroine worthy -of any romance.' Her pen describes scenes that bring tears for the pain -and suffering, and laughter at the 'makeshifts' resorted to by those -noble people in the hour of actual need. 'Some parts of the narrative may -be judged as rather bitter towards the enemy by those who know not the -horrors of that war. But let such critics put themselves in the wake of -Sherman's army and suffer as the writer, and they will feel more -charitable towards her who, in recalling those experiences, finds it hard -to love all her enemies. There is only a touch of this old-time -bitterness, however; most of the book is simply historic, and Miss Gay -does not hesitate to record many kindnesses received at the hands of -Federal officers.' Such a valuable contribution to the history of the war -should be prized. It is a vivid chronicle, and the rising generation -should learn of those stirring events. They will read with unflagging -interest to the end of the narrative. We wish for it a wide -circulation."--_The Arkansas Gazette_, March 10th, 1896. - - -LIFE IN DIXIE DURING THE WAR. - -BY MARY A. H. GAY, DECATUR, GA. - -We endorse most heartily the praise bestowed on this modest volume by the -general press. Within the same scope we do not believe a truer or more -sympathetic picture of the ghastly war time has ever been written. It is -not fiction, but a faithful presentation of one woman's experience during -the five years that bounded the war between the States. - -The writer was in the very thick of the strife, and while with admirable -modesty she has endeavored to keep herself out of her book, it is clear -that she was one of the heroic and indefatigable women who brought into -scenes of suffering the ministry of tenderness. The recital of events as -they were, brings humor into the book, whose tenor in the main, however, -is necessarily sad. - -By those to whom the war is simply a tale that is told, there are parts of -the book in which the writer will be accused of undue bitterness. However, -no such critics, we think, will be found among the people to whom the war -was a reality. Miss Gay records, without hesitation, many kindnesses -received at the hands of the Federal officers. - -Texas soldiers of Granbury's brigade, Cleburne's division, and Hood's -corps, figure conspicuously and by name in the book. Miss Gay visited -Hood's headquarters twice while the brigade was encamped in Georgia, the -last time just before they left Georgia for the fatal march into -Tennessee. The night-scene she describes near Jonesboro, where they were -encamped, is most graphic and pathetic. Miss Gay is the woman who -collected the money to have the soldiers who fell at Franklin, Tennessee, -reburied, when she heard that the owners of the battlefield said their -graves should be ploughed over. She collected $7,000, and her name is -engraved on the silver plate on the entrance gate at the McGavock -cemetery, which she so largely helped to build.--_The Richmond Times_, -Feb. 16, 1896. - - -LIFE IN DIXIE DURING THE WAR. - -The following deserved complimentary notice of the book, "Life in Dixie -During the War," written by Miss Mary A. H. Gay, of Georgia, we clip from -the New York Times: "Joel Chandler Harris' brief introduction to Miss -Gay's reminiscences of the civil war tells of the authenticity of this -simple story, and how a book of this character is of that kind from whence -'history will get its supplies.' The dark days are described with absolute -fidelity, and this is a quality we may look for in vain 'in more elaborate -and ambitious publications.' Think of the strangeness of things, the -breaks in families, when the author tells how, at the presentation of a -flag, the banner was made for a company of Confederate soldiers by Miss -Ella Todd and Mrs. White, of Lexington, Kentucky, the sisters of Mrs. -Abraham Lincoln, the wife of the great President. - -It was in and around Decatur, Georgia, where the author now lives, that, -in the storm and heat of the war, heroically and unflinchingly the women -of the South did their duty in helping those in the field. You will find -no incidents of the war which do not show the colored man in the South at -his best. Miss Gay describes their devotion and what true friends they -were. The author tells how more than once she was near starvation. It -happened that the house in which she lived became the headquarters of a -troop of United States Cavalry. Very possibly bureau drawers became -convenient feed troughs for horses. After the cavalry had left there was -not a morsel to eat. The famished children, white and black, were crying -for food. The day was spent by the women picking up grains of corn from -the cracks and crevices in bureau drawers, and other improvised troughs -for Federal horses. In this way, by diligent and persevering work, about a -half bushel of corn was obtained. The corn, having been thoroughly washed -and dried, was taken to a small mill and coarsely ground, and served to -give the hungry ones their bread. The utter destitution of the people -after the fall of Atlanta is shown in this way: Lead was in demand, and on -the battlefields around Atlanta it could be picked up, pellet by pellet. -Delicately nurtured women dug up the spent minie balls from the frozen -clods and exchanged them for bread.--The Mechanicsburg, Pa., _Free Press_, -February, 20, 1896. - - -LIFE IN DIXIE DURING THE WAR. - -BY MARY A. H. GAY, DECATUR, GA. - -Of the numerous stories which have had as their basis the war between the -States, there are few truer pictures, in our opinion, than that presented -by a Southern woman in this volume, with a telling preface by Joel -Chandler Harris. The writer's home was in Decatur, but the stories include -the history of the entire section, and give much very interesting -information relative to life in Atlanta, particularly during the war era. -Miss Gay was in the very heart of the strife, and she describes with the -vigorous pen of one to whom the matter is a vital reality.--_The Southern -Churchman_, Richmond, Va., March 12, 1896. - - -LIFE IN DIXIE DURING THE WAR. - -The volume written and published by Miss Mary A. H. Gay, of Georgia, -entitled "Life in Dixie During the War," is one of the few books in the -flood tide of literature on the great civil conflict that many will read -with interest, because it is a woman's story of actual life in Dixie from -the beginning to the close of the great conflict. We have volumes in -abundance which tell of the great battles of the war, of the achievement -of heroes and the sacrifices which attended the victories, but the story -of the home life of Southern people during the war must ever be of -absorbing interest to every American. They are our people, our countrymen, -sharing the common inheritance of heroism in all the conflicts of the -Republic, and that part of the history of the war of the rebellion that is -least understood is the extraordinary sufferings and sacrifices of the -Southern women, who heroically aided their fathers, husbands, sons and -brothers in the unequal contest. Miss Gay gives a plain unvarnished story -of life in Georgia during the war, and of the many sad sacrifices to which -the families of Southern people were subjected. One of the noticeable -features of this story, commencing with the expression of confident hope -for the success of the Confederacy and ending in the starless midnight of -gloom that attended the surrender of Lee and his legions, is given in the -description of a presentation of a silken banner to the Magnolia Cadets -when the war began. The banner was prepared and finished by Mrs. Dr. -White, of Lexington, Kentucky, and her sister Miss Todd, sisters of Mrs. -President Lincoln, and they were presented to the enthusiastic audience by -Captain Dawson, who subsequently married Miss Todd. - -Miss Gay's volume is full of interesting incidents, showing the heroism -and sublime faith and endurance of the women of the South during the -terrible ordeal. Like all Southern women, she was intensely devoted to the -Southern Cause, and often exposed herself to great peril to serve the -Confederacy. More than once she took her life into her hand to aid the -hopeless cause in which the Southern armies had engaged. It was -principally by her efforts that money was raised to entomb the -Confederates that fell at the bloody battle of Franklin, Tennessee. Her -name is engraved on a silver plate that is mounted on the entrance gate of -the cemetery, and there are few who will not become readers of her book. -It is in every way interesting to people both North and South, and should -have a very wide circulation.--From _The Times_, Philadelphia, Pa., May -27, 1896. - - -LIFE IN DIXIE DURING THE WAR. - -Many stories of the late war have been written, some from the stand point -of the "Blue," and some from the "Grey," but we doubt whether a truer -picture of real war times in the South has ever been depicted than the one -found in this modest little volume. There is no fiction in it, but it is -the record of one woman's experiences during the war. - -Her home was in Decatur, Georgia, but her narrative includes the history -of all that portion of country. Very few persons who did not live in that -section know or remember to what extent those people suffered. And we -would commend them to this book--a living picture of those trying -times--not to stir up bitter feelings and hatred, but because it is -history, and such history as cannot be obtained in any other form. - -Miss Gay was in the thick of the strife, and in a modest way she shows -herself a heroine worthy of any romance. Her pen describes scenes that -bring tears for the pain and suffering, and laughter at the "makeshifts" -resorted to by these noble people in the hour of actual needs. Some parts -of the narrative may be regarded as rather bitter towards the enemy by -those who know not the horrors of that war. But let such critics put -themselves in the wake of Sherman's army, and suffer as the writer did, -and we think they will feel more charitably towards her, who, in recalling -those experiences, find it hard to love all her enemies. There is only a -touch of this old time bitterness, however; most of the book is simply -historic, and Miss Gay does not hesitate to record many kindnesses -received at the hands of the Federal officers. Such a valuable -contribution to the history of the war should be prized. It is a vivid -chronicle and the rising generation should learn of those stirring events. -They will read with unflagging interest to the end of the narrative. We -wish for it a wide circulation.--"_The Christian Observer_," Louisville, -Kentucky, May 8th, 1896. - - -Commendatory notices have also appeared in "The Hampton (Florida) -_Advocate_," "The Decatur _Record_," "The DeKalb County _New Era_," "The -Wesleyan _Christian Advocate_," etc. - - -The following letter was written to Mr. C. D. Mitchell, Secretary and -Treasurer of Chattanooga Plow Company, Chattanooga, Tennessee: - - CINCINNATI, OHIO, November 30, 1896. - -MY DEAR MITCHELL--I have read Miss Gay's book on "Life in Dixie During the -War," and thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to read it. I -fancy you will think I am a good deal of a "calf," but I couldn't help -choking up a good many times as I read of the terrible experience of the -poor women and children and helpless aged people when misfortune placed -them in the path of the armies during that bloody period, and we who were -at the front knew but little of the misery in the wake of the armies. - -I was glad to see that Miss Gay speaks kindly of our command, and that we -afforded protection to her family without leaving any harm to them in any -way. - -To-day is the anniversary of the death of her brother, killed in front of -our works at Franklin. When I read of his death the whole bloody scene was -revived, and how useless and fool-hardy that charge of Cleburne's over the -open cotton fields at Franklin upon our works. The dead were almost -countless, and one long grave was dug for all. I well remember this -immense trench where the Confederates were laid side by side. I commanded -the 1st Batallion that day at the battle of Franklin, and we had a very -warm time of it. We retreated on Nashville the following day, and I was -cut off from the Regiment for a while, but we finally made a big detour -and regained our lines. After the battle of Nashville we occupied the -Franklin battlefield, and I went carefully over the whole field. Hood's -charge upon our Franklin works, if successful, would have been a moderate -victory only, but unsuccessful, it was a most terrible loss to him. - -At 57 you and I look at things rather different than we did in our youth -of 22, and while scars of war may be healed, they are nevertheless not -forgotten. With kind regards. - - Yours very truly, - T. F. ALLEN. - -I think General Garrard would like to read this book, if he has not -already done so, and if you approve I will send it up to him and return it -to you later. At this season of the year he has time to read. - - T. F. A. - - - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[1] This lady, Miss "Frank" Whitney, is now the wife of Mr. Charles W. -Hubner, the well-known Atlanta poet. - -[2] This brave officer was killed near Nashville, Tennessee, Dec. 16th, -1864. - -[3] The fifth and seventh verses are criticisms upon four Southern -surgeons, who gave the Federal authorities a certificate that our -prisoners were well treated, and our sick well cared for, and that the -average loss by death was only four per day. - -[4] This gentleman, who married sweet Maggie Morgan, (the sister of Dewitt -and Billy), has now been Sunday school treasurer for twenty-seven years. - -[5] One of these poems, "Marching Through Georgia," we learn by the -evidence, was a favorite canticle of Murray, the kidnapper and butcher of -Captain Polynesius. - -[6] "Emel Jay" is Miss Mary L. Jackson, daughter of the late Hon. James -Jackson, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia. - - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's Life in Dixie during the War, by Mary A. H. Gay - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LIFE IN DIXIE DURING THE WAR *** - -***** This file should be named 41548.txt or 41548.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/1/5/4/41548/ - -Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at -http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images -generously made available by The Internet Archive.) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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