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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..35d192e --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #50472 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/50472) diff --git a/old/50472-0.txt b/old/50472-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index e6cd7df..0000000 --- a/old/50472-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,7473 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Lone Star Defenders, by Samuel Benton -Barron - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - - -Title: The Lone Star Defenders - A Chronicle of the Third Texas Cavalry, Ross' Brigade - - -Author: Samuel Benton Barron - - - -Release Date: November 17, 2015 [eBook #50472] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - - -***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LONE STAR DEFENDERS*** - - -E-text prepared by Giovanni Fini and the Online Distributed Proofreading -Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by -Internet Archive (https://archive.org) - - - -Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this - file which includes the original illustrations. - See 50472-h.htm or 50472-h.zip: - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/50472/50472-h/50472-h.htm) - or - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/50472/50472-h.zip) - - - Images of the original pages are available through - Internet Archive. See - https://archive.org/details/lonestardefender00barr - - - - - -THE LONE STAR DEFENDERS - - -[Illustration: DECORATION] - -[Illustration: BATTLE-FLAG OF THE THIRD TEXAS CAVALRY REGIMENT] - - - -THE LONE STAR DEFENDERS - -A Chronicle of the Third Texas Cavalry, Ross’ Brigade - -by - -S. B. BARRON - -Of the Third Texas Cavalry - - - - - - - -[Illustration: LOGO] - - -New York and Washington -The Neale Publishing Company -1908 - - - - - TO - MY COMRADES - SURVIVORS OF ROSS’ BRIGADE OF TEXAS CAVALRY - AND - TO OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN - I AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATE - THIS VOLUME. - - - - - CONTENTS - - - PAGE - - INTRODUCTION 11 - - - CHAPTER I - - THE OUTBREAK OF THE WAR - - Journey to Texas—John Brown’s Raid—My Secession - Resolution—Presidential Election—Lincoln Elected—Excitement in - the South—Secession Ordinances—“The Lone Star Defenders”—Fort - Sumter Fired On—Camp Life—The Regiment Complete—Citizens’ - Kindness—Mustered In—The Third Texas Cavalry—Roster 15 - - - CHAPTER II - - OFF FOR THE FRONT - - Organization of Regiment—Officers—Accouterment—On the - March—Taming a Trouble-maker—Crossing the Red River—In the - Indian Territory—The Indian Maid—Fort Smith—The March to - Missouri—McCulloch’s Headquarters—Under Orders—Preparation for - First Battle 26 - - - CHAPTER III - - OUR FIRST BATTLE - - On the March—Little York Raid—Under Fire—Our First - Battle—Oak Hill (Wilson’s Creek)—Death of General - Lyon—Our First Charge—Enemy Retires—Impressions of First - Battle—Death of Young Willie—Horrors of a Battlefield—Troops - Engaged—Casualties 39 - - - CHAPTER IV - - THE WAR IN MISSOURI - - Personal Characteristics—Two Braggarts—Joe Welch—William - Hood—We Enter Springfield—Bitter Feeling in Missouri—Company - Elections—Measles and Typhoid—Carthage, and My Illness - There—We Leave Carthage—Death of Captain Taylor—Winter - Quarters—Furloughed—Home Again 52 - - - CHAPTER V - - THE WAR IN MISSOURI—_Continued_ - - I Rejoin the Command—Sleeping in Snow—Ambushed—Battle - of Elkhorn Tavern (Pea Ridge)—Capturing a Battery—Deaths - of Generals McCulloch and McIntosh—Battle - Continued—Casualties—Keetsville—Official Reports—March - Southward—Foraging—Lost Artillery—Illness Again 63 - - - CHAPTER VI - - THE SIEGE OF CORINTH - - Leave Winter Quarters—The Prairies—Duvall’s Bluff—Awaiting - Transportation—White River—The Mississippi—Memphis—Am - Detailed—En Route to Corinth—Corinth—Red Tape—Siege of - Corinth—“A Soldier’s Grave”—Digging for Water—Suffering and - Sickness—Regiment Reorganized—Evacuation of Corinth 79 - - - CHAPTER VII - - BATTLE OF IUKA - - Camp at Tupelo, Miss.—Furloughed—Report for Duty—Camp - Routine—“The Sick Call”—Saltillo—Personnel of the - Brigade—Baldwin “Contraband”—On to Iuka—Iuka—Battle of - Iuka—Casualties—Retreat 96 - - - CHAPTER VIII - - BATTLE OF CORINTH - - Captain Dunn, the “Mormon”—Paroles—Baldwin—On to - Corinth—Conscription—Looking for Breakfast—The Army - Trapped—A Skirmish—Escape—Holly Springs—Battle of - Corinth—Casualties—Cavalry Again 111 - - - CHAPTER IX - - HOLLY SPRINGS RAID - - At Grenada—Scouting—Engagement at Oakland—Chaplain Thompson’s - Adventure—Holly Springs Raid—Jake—The Bridge at Wolf River—I - Am Wounded—Bolivar—Attack on Middleburg—Christmas 127 - - - CHAPTER X - - THE ENGAGEMENT AT THOMPSON’S STATION - - January, 1863—Jake Arrested—Detailed—My Brother Visits - Me—Elected Second Lieutenant—Battle of Thompson’s Station—Duck - River—Capture of the Legion—The “Sick Camp”—Murder of General - Van Dorn 143 - - - CHAPTER XI - - THE SURRENDER OF VICKSBURG - - Moving Southward—I Lose My Horse—Meet Old Huntsville - Friends—A New Horse—In Mississippi—“Sneeze Weed”—Messenger’s - Ferry—Surrender of Vicksburg—Army Retires—Fighting at - Jackson—After Sherman’s Men—A Sick Horse—Black Prince—“Tax in - Kind”—Ross’ Brigade—Two Desertions 156 - - - CHAPTER XII - - BATTLE AT YAZOO CITY - - Midwinter—Through the Swamps—Gunboat Patrols—Crossing - the Mississippi—Through the Ice—Ferrying - Guns—Hardships—Engagement at Yazoo City—Harrying - Sherman—Under Suspicion—A Practical Joke—Battle at Yazoo - City—Casualties—A Social Call—Eastwood—Drowning Accident—A - Military Survey 173 - - - CHAPTER XIII - - UNDER FIRE FOR ONE HUNDRED DAYS - - Corduroy Breeches—Desolate Country—Conscript Headquarters—An - “Arrest”—Rome, Ga.—Under Fire for One Hundred Days—Big and - Little Kenesaw—Lost Mountain—Rain, Rain, Rain—Hazardous - Scouting—Green Troops—Shelled—Truce—Atlanta—Death of - General MacPherson—Ezra Church—McCook’s Retreat—Battle near - Newman—Results 190 - - - CHAPTER XIV - - KILPATRICK’S RAID - - Kilpatrick’s Raid—Attack on Kilpatrick—Lee’s Mill—Lovejoy’s - Station—The Brigade Demoralized—I Surrender—Playing ’Possum—I - Escape—The Brigade Reassembles—Casualties 205 - - - CHAPTER XV - - UNION SOLDIER’S ACCOUNT OF KILPATRICK’S RAID - - Kilpatrick’s Raid—Ordered to the Front—Enemy’s Artillery - Silenced—We Destroy the Railroad—Hot Work at the Railroad—Plan - of Our Formation—Stampeding the Horses—The Enemy - Charges—Sleeping on Horseback—Swimming the River—Camped at - Last 216 - - - CHAPTER XVI - - CLOSE OF THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN - - Sherman Changes His Tactics—Hood Deceived—Heavy - Fighting—Atlanta Surrenders—End of the - Campaign—Losses—Scouting—An Invader’s Devastation—Raiding - the Raiders—Hood Crosses the Coosa—A Reconnaissance—Negro - Spies—Raiding the Blacks—Crossing Indian Creek—A Conversion 228 - - - CHAPTER XVII - - MY LAST BATTLE - - Tories and Deserters—A Tragic Story—A Brutal Murder—The - Son’s Vow—Vengeance—A Southern Heroine—Seeking Our - Command—Huntsville—A Strange Meeting—We Find the Division—The - Battle in the Fog—My Last Battle 245 - - - CHAPTER XVIII - - ROSS’ REPORT OF BRIGADE’S LAST CAMPAIGN - - Ross’ Report—Repulse a Reconnoitering Party—Effective - Fighting Strength—Advance Guard—The Battle at - Campbellsville—Results—Thompson’s Station—Harpeth - River—Murfreesboro—Lynville—Pulaski—Sugar Creek—Losses - During Campaign—Captures—Acknowledgments 254 - - - CHAPTER XIX - - THE END OF THE WAR - - Christmas—I Lose All My Belongings—The “Owl Train”—A - Wedding—Furloughed—Start for Texas—Hospitality—A Night in the - Swamp—The Flooded Country—Swimming the Rivers—In Texas—Home - Again—Surrender of Lee, Johnston, and Kirby Smith—Copy of Leave - of Absence—Recapitulation—Valuation of Horses in 1864—Finis 267 - - - - -ILLUSTRATIONS - - - Battle Flag of the Third Texas Cavalry _Frontispiece_ - - FACING PAGE - - Lieutenant-Colonel P. F. Ross, Sixth Texas Cavalry 24 - - Jiles S. Boggess, Captain, Major; Lieutenant-Colonel Third Texas - Cavalry 50 - - Captain D. R. Gurley, Sixth Texas Cavalry, A. A. G. Ross’ Brigade 76 - - F. M. Taylor, first Captain of Company C, Third Texas Cavalry 100 - - John Germany, fourth and last Captain Company C, Third Texas - Cavalry 126 - - Jesse W. Wynne, Captain Company B, Third Texas Cavalry 150 - - Captain H. L. Taylor, Commander Ross’ Brigade Scouts 176 - - Leonidas Cartwright, Company E, Third Texas Cavalry; Member of - Taylor’s Scouts, Ross’ Brigade 200 - - G. A. McKee, Private Company C, Third Texas Cavalry 226 - - Lieutenant S. B. Barron, Third Texas Cavalry 250 - - - - -INTRODUCTION - - -AS my recollections of the war between the States, or the Confederate -War, in which four of the best years of my life (May, 1861, to May, -1865) were given to the service of the Confederate States of America, -are to be written at the earnest request of my children, and mainly for -their gratification, it is, perhaps, proper to preface the recital by -going back a few years in order to give a little family history. - -I was born in what is now the suburbs of the town of Gurley in Madison -County, Alabama, on the 9th day of November, 1834. My father, Samuel -Boulds Barron, was born in South Carolina in 1793. His father, James -Barron, as I understand, was a native of Ireland. My mother’s maiden -name was Martha Cotten, daughter of James Cotten, who was from Guilford -County, North Carolina, and who was in the battle of Guilford Court -House, at the age of sixteen. His future wife, Nancy Johnson, was -then a young girl living in hearing of the battle at the Court House. -About the beginning of the past century, 1800, my Grandfather Cotten, -with his wife, her brother Abner Johnson, and their relatives, Gideon -and William Pillow, and their sister, Mrs. Dew, moved out from North -Carolina into Tennessee, stopping in Davidson County, near Nashville. -Later Abner Johnson and the Pillows settled in Maury County, near -Columbia, and about the year 1808 my grandfather and his family came on -to Madison County, Alabama, and settled at what has always been known -as Cave Springs, about fifteen miles east or southeast from Huntsville. -In the second war with Great Britain (the War of 1812) my Grandfather -Cotten again answered the call to arms, and as a captain he served his -country with notable gallantry. - -It is like an almost forgotten dream, the recollection of my paternal -grandmother and my maternal grandfather, for both of them died when I -was a small child. My maternal grandmother, however, who lived to the -age of eighty-seven years, I remember well. In my earliest recollection -my father was a school-teacher, teaching at a village then called “The -Section,” afterwards “Lowsville,” being now the town of Maysville, -twelve miles east of Huntsville. He was well-educated and enjoyed the -reputation of being an excellent teacher. He quit teaching, however, -and settled on a small farm four miles east of Cave Springs, on what is -known as the “Cove road,” running from Huntsville to Bellefonte. Here -he died when I was about seven years of age, leaving my mother with -five children: John Ashworth, a son by her first husband; my brother, -William J. Barron, who now lives in Huntsville, Alabama; two sisters, -Tabitha and Nancy Jane; and myself. About nine years later our mother -died. In the meantime our half-brother had arrived at man’s estate and -left home. Soon after our mother’s death we sold the homestead, and -each one went his or her way, as it were, the sisters living with -our near-by relatives until they married. My brother and myself found -employment in Huntsville and lived there. Our older sister and her -husband came to Texas in about the year 1857, and settled first in -Nacogdoches County. In the fall of 1859 I came to Texas, to bring my -then widowed sister and her child to my sister already here. And so, as -the old song went, “I am away here in Texas.” - - - - -The Lone Star Defenders - - - - -CHAPTER I - -THE OUTBREAK OF THE WAR - - Journey to Texas—John Brown’s Raid—My Secession - Resolution—Presidential Election—Lincoln Elected—Excitement in - the South—Secession Ordinances—“The Lone Star Defenders”—Fort - Sumter Fired On—Camp Life—The Regiment Complete—Citizens’ - Kindness—Mustered In—The Third Texas Cavalry—Roster. - - -NO, I am not going to write, or attempt to write, a history of the -war, or even a detailed account of any campaign or battle in which I -participated, but only mean to set forth the things which I witnessed -or experienced myself in the four years of marching, camping, and -fighting, as I can now recall them—only, or mainly, personal -reminiscences. Incidentally I will give the names of my comrades of -Company C, Third Texas Cavalry, and tell, so far as I can remember, -what became of the individuals who composed the company. I will not -dwell on the causes of the war or anything which has been so often -and so well told relating thereto, but will merely state that I had -always been very conservative in my feelings in political matters, and -was so all through the exciting times just preceding the war while -Abolitionism and Secession were so much discussed by our statesmen, -orators, newspapers, and periodicals. I had witnessed the Kansas -troubles, which might be called a skirmish before the battle, with -much interest and anxiety, and without losing faith in the ability -and wisdom of our statesmen to settle the existing troubles without -disrupting the government. But on my journey to Texas, as we glided -down the Mississippi from Memphis to New Orleans, on board the _Lizzie -Simmons_, a new and beautiful steamer, afterwards converted into a -cotton-clad Confederate gunboat, we obtained New Orleans papers from -an up-river boat. The papers contained an account of John Brown’s raid -on Harper’s Ferry. I read this, and became a Secessionist. I saw, or -thought I saw, that the storm was coming, that it was inevitable, and -it seemed useless to shut my eyes longer to the fact. - -The year 1860, my first in Texas, was a memorable one in several -respects, not only to the newcomers but to the oldest inhabitant. The -severest drouth ever known in eastern Texas prevailed until after the -middle of August. It was the hottest summer ever known in Texas, the -temperature in July running up to 112 degrees in the shade. It was -a Presidential election year, and political excitement was intense. -The Democrats were divided, while the Abolitionists had nominated -Abraham Lincoln as their candidate for President, with a good prospect -of electing him by a sectional vote. Several towns in Texas being -almost destroyed by fire during the extreme heat of the summer, an -impression became generally prevalent that Northern incendiaries were -prowling through the State burning property and endeavoring to incite -the negroes to insurrection. The excitement, apprehension, unrest, -and the vague fear of unseen danger pervading the minds of the people -of Texas cannot be understood by persons who were not in the State -at that time. The citizens organized patrol forces and armed men -guarded the towns, day and night, for weeks. Every passing stranger -was investigated and his credentials examined. The poor peddler, -especially, was in imminent danger of being mobbed at any time on mere -suspicion. - -At the November election Abraham Lincoln was elected President. This -was considered by the Secessionists as an overt act on the part of -the North that would justify secession. I was out in the country when -the news of the election came, and when, on my return, I rode into -Rusk the Lone Star flag was floating over the court-house and Abraham -Lincoln, in effigy, was hanging to the limb of a sweet gum tree that -stood near the northwest corner of the court yard. From this time -excitement ran high. Immediate steps were taken by the extreme Southern -States to secede from the Union, an act that was consummated as soon as -practicable by the assembling of State conventions and the passage of -ordinances of secession. Now, too, volunteer companies began organizing -in order to be ready for the conflict which seemed to be inevitable. - -We soon raised a company in Rusk for the purpose of drilling and -placing ourselves in readiness for the first call for troops from -Texas. We organized by electing General Joseph L. Hogg, father of -Ex-Governor J. S. Hogg, as captain. The company was named “The Lone -Star Defenders,” for every company must needs have a name in those -days. Early in 1861, however, when it appeared necessary to prepare for -actual service, the company was reorganized and the gallant Frank M. -Taylor made captain, as General Hogg was not expected to enter the army -as captain. Several of the States had already seceded, the military -posts in the South were being captured by the Confederates and Fort -Sumter, in Charleston Harbor, was fired upon by our General Beauregard -on the 12th day of April, 1861. The dogs of war were turned loose. War -now became a stern reality, a war the magnitude of which no one then -had any conception. President Lincoln’s first call for volunteers was -for ninety-day men, and the Confederate volunteers were mustered in for -one year. - -Having learned that Elkanah Greer, of Marshall, had been commissioned -colonel and ordered to raise a regiment of Texas cavalry, we lost no -time in reporting ourselves ready to make one company of the regiment, -and soon received instructions to report at Dallas, on a certain day in -June, when a regiment would be formed. So on Monday morning, June 10, -in the year of our Lord, 1861, we were to leave, and did leave, Rusk -for Dallas—and beyond, as the exigencies of the war might determine. -The population of the town, men, women, and children, were on the -streets, in tears, to bid us farewell. Even rough, hard-faced men whose -appearance would lead one to believe they hadn’t shed a tear since -their boyhood, boo-hoo’d and were unable to speak the word “good-by.” -This day of leave-taking was the saddest of the war to many of us. - -After we had mounted our horses we assembled around the front of the -old Thompson Hotel, which stood where the Acme Hotel now stands, when -our old friend, General Hogg, standing on the front steps, delivered -us a formal and a very tender farewell address. War was not unknown to -him, for he had been a soldier in the early days of Texas, as well as a -member of the Texas Congress in the days of the republic. He was a fine -specimen of the best type of Southern manhood—tall, slender, straight -as an Indian, and exceedingly dignified in his manner. As brave as -“Old Hickory,” he often reminded me of the pictures I had seen of -General Jackson, and he certainly had many similar traits of character. -We venerated, admired, and loved him, and he was warmly attached to -the company. In his address he gave us much good advice, even to the -details of mess duties and the treatment of our messmates. Among other -things, he said, “Don’t ever jeer at or mock any of your comrades who -cannot stand the fire of the enemy. Some of you, perhaps, will find -yourselves unable to do so. Some men are thus constituted without -knowing it, until they are tried. So you should be charitable towards -such unfortunates.” Later I found these words of our old soldier friend -to be true. This ceremony ended, we sadly moved off by twos, over the -hill, and up the street leading into the Jacksonville road. - -As we marched forward sadness was soon succeeded by merriment and good -cheer. Some of the boys composed a little song, which was frequently -sung by I. K. Frazer and others as we went marching on. It began: - - “The Lone Star Defenders, a gallant little band, - On the tenth of June left their native land.” - -Before leaving home we had spent two weeks in a camp of instruction, -and learned something of the duties of camp life and the necessary art -of rolling and unrolling our blankets. We camped the first night near -Jorial Barnett’s, between Jacksonville and Larissa. Two of the Barnett -boys were going with us, and several from Larissa. When we reached -Larissa next morning we there found a young man, Charley Watts, who was -a bugler, and had been in the Federal Army, he said. He was willing and -anxious to go with us, and we wanted him, as he was young and active, -but he was afoot, and seemed to own nothing beyond his wearing apparel. -So we appealed to the citizens, as a goodly number had gathered into -the little village to see the soldiers pass, and in little more time -than it takes to tell it, we had him rigged with horse, bridle, saddle, -and blankets. Charley proved to be a fine bugler, the finest bugler I -ever heard in either army, and he was a most gallant young fellow. We -moved on, bidding farewell to Captain Taylor’s noble and patriotic old -mother, as we passed her residence. - -Fearing we might be left out of the regiment, we dispatched Captain -Taylor and one or two others well-mounted men to go ahead and secure -and hold our place for us. The ladies of Cherokee County having -presented us with a beautiful flag, this we unfurled and marched -through the towns and villages along the way in great style and -military pomp. At Kaufman we received quite an ovation. Arriving -there about ten o’clock in the morning, we were met by a deputation -of citizens, who invited us to dine at the hotel at the expense of -the town. This was very reluctantly declined, for we were afraid of -losing time. Poor fellows, we often regretted missing that good dinner, -and we really had plenty of time, if we had only known it. To show -our appreciation of their hospitality we marched around the public -square, displaying the flag and sounding the bugle. When we had arrived -in front of a saloon we were halted and all invited to dismount and -drink, without cost to us. We here spent perhaps an hour, during which -time numbers of the boys entered stores to purchase small necessary -articles, and in every instance pay was declined. - -In due time we went into camp in a post oak grove two miles east of -Dallas, a locality, by the way, which is now well within the city -limits. And here we remained for some time. - -Eight other organized companies were soon camped in different -localities in the neighborhood, but we were still one company short. -However, as there were many men, including a large squad from Kaufman -County, some from Cherokee and other counties, on the ground wishing to -go with us, and who could not get into the organized companies because -they were all full, they organized themselves into a tenth company, -which completed the necessary number for the regiment. - -We spent about four weeks in Dallas County, a delay caused in good part -by the necessity of waiting for the arrival of a train from San Antonio -carrying United States wagons and mules captured at that post by the -Confederates. The time, however, was well spent in daily drills, in -feeding, grazing and attending to our horses; and then, too, we were -learning valuable lessons in camp life. While here we had plenty of -rations for ourselves and plenty of forage for the horses. - -The citizens of Dallas County, as far as we came in contact with them, -were very kind to us. Our nearest neighbor was a German butcher by the -name of Nusbauman. We used water from the well in his yard and were -indebted to him and his family for many acts of kindness. - -On one occasion Mrs. Nusbauman complained to Captain Taylor that one of -his men had borrowed her shears to cut hair with, and would not bring -them back. No, she did not know the name of the offender. The captain -then said, “Madame, do you know the man when you see him?” “Oh, yes.” -“Well, when he comes to draw water again you sprinkle flour on his back -and I will find your shears.” In a few hours one of the men came out -from the well with his back covered with flour—and the shears were -promptly returned. - -Our next nearest neighbors were a family named Sheppard, who lived a -few hundred yards south of our camp, and whose kindness was unbounded. -Their house was our hospital for the time we were in their vicinity, -and the three young ladies of the family, Misses Jennie Wood, Maggie, -and another, were unremitting in their attentions to the sick. On one -damp, drizzly day when I had a chill they heard of it somehow, and in -the afternoon two of them drove up in a buggy and called for me to go -home with them, where I could be sheltered, as we yet had no tents. -I went, of course, recovered in one day, convalesced in about three -days, and reluctantly returned to camp. In an effort to do some washing -for myself, I had lost a plain gold ring from my finger, a present from -Miss Cattie Everett of Rusk, and Miss Jennie Wood Sheppard replaced it -with one of her own. This ring was worn by me continually, not only -during the war, but for several years after its close. - -I do not remember the date, but some day near the end of June “The Lone -Star Defenders,” that “gallant little band,” were formally mustered -into the service of the Confederate States of America, for one year. We -were subjected to no physical examination, or other foolishness, but -every fellow was taken for better or for worse, and no questions were -asked, except the formal, “Do you solemnly swear,” etc. The company was -lettered “C,” Greer’s Regiment, Texas Cavalry—afterwards numbered and -ever afterwards known as the Third Texas Cavalry. We were mustered in, -officers and men, as follows: - -Officers—Frank M. Taylor, captain; James J. A. Barker, first -lieutenant; Frank M. Daniel, second lieutenant; James A. Jones, second -lieutenant; Wallace M. Caldwell, orderly sergeant; John D. White, -second sergeant; S. B. Barron, third sergeant; Tom Petree, fourth -sergeant; William Pennington, first corporal; Thomas F. Woodall, second -corporal; C. C. Acker, third corporal; P. C. Coupland, fourth corporal; -Charles Watts, bugler; John A. Boyd, ensign. - -Privates—Peter Acker, John B. Armstrong, David H. Allen, James M. -Brittain, R. L. Barnett, James Barnett, Severe D. Box, A. A. Box, -William P. Bowers, John W. Baker, C. C. Brigman, George F. Buxton, -Jordan Bass, Carter Caldwell, William P. Crawley, A. G. Carmichael, A. -M. Croft, James P. Chester, Leander W. Cole, James W. Cooper, William -H. Carr, W. J. Davis, James E. Dillard, F. M. Dodson, John E. Dunn, O. -M. Doty, H. H. Donoho, B. C. Donald, Stock Ewin, John J. Felps, I. K. -Frazer, John Germany, Luther Grimes, E. M. Grimes, J. H. Gum, L. F. -Grisham, W. L. Gammage, W. D. Herndon, J. R. Halbert, W. T. Harris, D. -B. Harris, Thomas E. Hogg, John Honson, Warren H. Higginbotham, R. H. -Hendon, William Hammett, James B. Hardgrave, Felix G. Hardgrave, R. L. -Hood, William Hood, James Ivy, Thomas J. Johnson, J. H. Jones, John -B. Long, Ben A. Long, George C. Long, R. C. Lawrence, John Lambert, -J. B. Murphy, William P. Mosely, John Meyers, Harvey N. Milligan, -W. C. McCain, G. A. McKee, W. W. McDugald, Dan McCaskill, Samuel W. -Newberry, William A. Newton, George Noland, Baxter Newman, J. T. Park, -T. A. Putnam, Lemon R. Peacock, W. T. Phillips, Lemuel H. Reed, T. -W. Roberts, Cythe Robertson, Calvin M. Roark, John B. Reagan, A. B. -Summers, John W. Smith, Cicero H. Smith, Rufus Smith, Sam E. Scott, J. -R. Starr, James R. Taylor, Reuben G. Thompson, Dan H. Turney, Robert -F. Woodall, Woodson O. Wade, F. M. Wade, E. S. Wallace, R. S. Wallace, -John R. Watkins, C. C. Watkins, Joe L. Welch, Thomas H. Willson, N. J. -Yates. - -Total rank and file—112 men. - -In addition to the above list of original members, the following named -recruits were added to the company after we had lost several of our men -by death and discharge: - -[Illustration: PETER F. ROSS - -Major and Lieutenant-Colonel Sixth Texas Cavalry] - -A. J. Gray, Charles B. Harris, J. T. Halbert, John E. Jones, Wm. H. -Kellum, W. S. Keahey, S. N. Keahey, J. D. Miller, T. L. Newman, T. L. -Nosworthy, John W. Wade, Wyatt S. Williams, Eugene W. Williams. - -Total—125 men enlisted in the company. - - Of these the killed numbered 14 - Died of disease 16 - Discharged 31 - Commissioned officers resigned 3 - Missing and never heard of 2 - Deserted 7 - Survived (commissioned and non-commissioned - officers, 12; privates, 40) 52 - —— - 125 - -Of these recruits, six, the first on the list, came to us in February -and March, 1862; the next three joined us in April, 1862; the remaining -four joined us in 1863, while we were in Mississippi. - -The company consisted mainly of natives of the different Southern -States, with a few native Texans. Aside from these we had Buxton, from -the State of Maine; Milligan, from Indiana, and three foreigners, -William Hood, an Englishman; John Dunn, Irish, and John Honson, a -Swede. Milligan was a printer, and being too poor to buy his outfit -when he joined us, he was furnished with horse and accouterments by our -friend, B. Miller, a German citizen of Rusk. - - - - -CHAPTER II - -OFF FOR THE FRONT - - Organization of Regiment—Officers—Accouterment—On the March—Taming - a Trouble-maker—Crossing the Red River—In the Indian Territory—The - Indian Maid—Fort Smith—The March to Missouri—McCulloch’s - Headquarters—Under Orders—Preparation for First Battle. - - -AFTER the companies were mustered into the service the regiment was -organized. Colonel Elkanah Greer was commissioned by the Confederate -War Department. Walter P. Lane was elected lieutenant-colonel, and -George W. Chilton, father of United States Senator Horace Chilton, -was made major. M. D. Ecton, first lieutenant of Company B, was made -adjutant, Captain —— Harris, quartermaster, Jas. B. Armstrong, of -Henderson, commissary, and our Dr. W. W. McDugald, surgeon. - -Thus was organized the first regiment to leave the State of Texas, and -one of the best regiments ever in the Confederate service. I would -not say that it was the _best_ regiment, as in my opinion the best -regiment and the bravest man in the Confederate Army were hard to -find. That is to say, no one regiment was entitled to be designated -“the best regiment,” as no one of our brave men could rightly be -designated “the bravest man in the army.” Napoleon called Marshal Ney -“the bravest of the brave,” but no one could single out a Confederate -soldier and truthfully say, “He is the bravest man in the army.” It was -unfortunately true that all our men were not brave and trustworthy, -for we had men who were too cowardly to fight, and we had some men -unprincipled enough to desert; but taken all in all, for gallantry -and for fighting qualities under any and all circumstances, either in -advance or retreat, the regiment deservedly stood in the front rank in -all our campaigning. - -The regiment was well officered, field staff, and line. Colonel Greer -was a gallant man, but unfortunately his mind was too much bent on a -brigadier’s stars; Major Chilton, whenever an opportunity offered, -showed himself to be brave and gallant; but Walter P. Lane, our -lieutenant-colonel, was the life of the regiment during our first -year’s service. A more gallant man than he never wore a sword, bestrode -a war horse, or led a regiment in battle. He was one of the heroes of -San Jacinto, and a born soldier. In camps, in times when there was -little or nothing to do, he was not overly popular with the men, but -when the fighting time came he gained the admiration of everyone. - -At last the long-looked-for train came—United States wagons drawn -by six-mule teams, poor little Spanish or Mexican mules, driven by -Mexicans. They brought us tents, camp kettles, mess pans and such -things, and for arms, holster pistols. We were furnished with two -wagons to the company and were given Sibley tents,—large round tents -that would protect sixteen men with their arms and accouterments,—a -pair of holster pistols apiece, and a fair outfit of “cooking tricks.” -We were then formed into messes of sixteen men each, and each mess -was provided with the Sibley tent, the officers being provided with -wall tents. Fairly mounted, we were pretty well equipped now, our chief -deficiency being the very poor condition of the mules and the lack -of proper arms, for the men, in mustering, had gathered up shotguns, -rifles, and any kind of gun obtainable at home, many of them being -without a firearm of any kind. A large number had had huge knives made -in the blacksmith shops, with blade eighteen to twenty-four inches -long, shaped something like a butcher’s cleaver, keen-edged, with a -stout handle, a weapon after the order of a Cuban machete. These were -carried in leather scabbards, hung to the saddle, and with these deadly -weapons the boys expected to ride through the ranks of the Federal -armies and chop down the men right and left. Now, however, to this -equipment were added the pair of holster pistols. These very large, -brass-mounted, single-barreled pistols—with barrels about a foot -long—carried a large musket ball, and were suspended in holsters that -fitted over the horn of the saddle, thus placing them in a convenient -position for use. In addition to all this, every fellow carried a grass -rope at least forty feet long and an iron stake pin. These latter were -for staking out the horses to graze, and many was the untrained horse -that paid dear for learning the art of “walking the rope,” for an -educated animal would never injure himself in the least. - -All things being ready, we now started on our long march, accompanied -by Captain J. J. Goode’s battery, which had been organized at Dallas, -to join General Ben McCulloch in northwestern Arkansas, where he, -with what forces he had been able to gather, was guarding our Arkansas -frontier. Leaving Dallas on the—day of July, we moved via McKinney and -Sherman, crossing Red River at Colbert’s ferry, thence by the overland -mail route through the Indian Territory to Fort Smith, Ark., and -beyond. We made moderate marches, the weather being very warm, and we -then had no apparent reason for rapid movements. - -When near McKinney we stopped two or three days. Here our man from -the State of Maine began to give us trouble. When sober, Buxton -was manageable and a useful man to the company, but when he was in -liquor, which was any time he could get whisky, he was troublesome, -quarrelsome, and dangerous, especially to citizens. One afternoon -Captain Taylor and myself rode into McKinney, where we found Buxton -drunk and making trouble. The captain ordered him to camp, but he -contumaciously refused to go. We managed to get him back to the rear of -a livery stable, near a well, and Captain Taylor forced him down across -a mound of fertilizer—holding him there. Then he ordered me to pour -water on Buxton, which I did most copiously. I drew bucket after bucket -of cold water from the well and poured it upon Buxton’s prostrate, -soldierly form, until he was thoroughly cooled and partially sobered, -when the captain let him up and again ordered him to camp—and he went, -cursing and swearing vengeance. This man, after giving us a good deal -of trouble from time to time until after the battle of Elkhorn in the -spring of 1862, was jailed in Fort Smith for shooting a citizen in the -street, and here we left him and crossed the Mississippi River. He made -his escape from jail and followed us to the State of Mississippi, when -Lieutenant-Colonel Lane ordered him out of camp. He afterwards returned -to Rusk, where he was killed one day by a gunshot wound, but by whom no -one seemed to know. - -We passed through Sherman early in the morning, and I stopped to -have my horse shod, overtaking the command at Colbert’s ferry in the -afternoon, when they were crossing Red River. The day was fair, the -weather dry and hot. The river, very low now, had high banks, and in -riding down from the south side you came on to a wide sandbar extending -to a narrow channel running against the north bank, where a small -ferryboat was carrying the wagons and artillery across. A few yards -above the ferry the river was easily fordable, so the horsemen had all -crossed and gone into camp a mile beyond the river, as had most of the -wagons. I rode to the other side and stopped on the north bank to watch -operations. - -All the wagons but one had been ferried over, and this last one had -been driven down on the sandbar near the ferry landing, waiting for -the boat’s return, while two pieces of artillery were standing near -by on the sandbar. Suddenly I heard a roaring sound up the river, -as if a wind storm was coming. I looked in that direction and saw a -veritable flood rushing down like a mighty wave of the sea, roaring -and foaming as it came. The driver of the team standing near the water -saw it and instinctively began turning his team to drive out, but, -realizing that this would be impossible, he detached his mules and -with his utmost efforts was only able to save the team, while every -available man had to lend assistance in order to save the two pieces of -artillery. In five minutes’ time, perhaps, the water had risen fifteen -to eighteen feet, and the banks were full of muddy, rushing water, and -remained so as long as we were there. The wagon, which belonged to -the quartermaster, was swept off by the tide and lost, with all its -contents. It stood in its position until the water rose to the top of -the cover, when it floated off. - -After camping for the night, we moved on. As we were now in the Indian -Territory, the young men were all on the look-out for the beautiful -Indian girls of whom they had read so much, and I think some of them -had waived the matter of engagement before leaving home until they -could determine whether they would prefer marrying some of the pretty -girls that were so numerous in this Indian country. We had not gone -far on our march when we met a Chickasaw damsel. She was rather young -in appearance, of medium height, black unkempt hair, black eyes, -high cheekbones, and was bare-headed and barefooted. Her dress was -of some well-worn cotton fabric, of a color hard to define, rather -an earthy color. In style it was of the extreme low neck and short -kind, and a semi-bloomer. Of other wearing apparel it is unnecessary -to speak, unless you wish a description of another Indian. This one -was too sensible to weight herself with a multiplicity of garments in -July. She was a regular middle of the roader, as she stuck close to -that part of the Territory strictly. As we were marching by twos we -separated and left her to that part of the highway which she seemed to -like best. She continued her walk westwardly as we continued our march -eastwardly, turning her head right and left, to see what manner of -white soldiers the Confederate Government was sending out. This gave -all an opportunity to glimpse at her charms. Modestly she walked along -without speaking to any of us, as we had never been introduced to her. -Only one time did I hear her speak a word, and that was apparently to -herself. As Lieutenant Daniel passed her with his long saber rattling, -she exclaimed, in good English: “_Pretty white man!_—got big knife!” - -As we went marching on the conversation became more general; that is, -more was said about the beautiful country, the rich lands and fine -cattle, and not so much about beautiful Indian girls. But every fellow -kept his eye to the front, expecting we would meet scores of girls, -perhaps hundreds, but all were disappointed, as this was the only -full-blooded Indian we met in the highway from Colbert’s ferry to Fort -Smith. The fact is, the Indians shun white people who travel the main -road. Away out in the prairie some two hundred yards you will find -Indian trails running parallel with the road, and the Indians keep -to these trails to avoid meeting the whites. If they chance to live -in a hut near the road you find no opening toward the road, and, if -approached, they will deny that they can speak English, when, in fact, -they speak it readily and plainly. - -One day I came up with one of our teamsters in trouble. He needed an ax -to cut down a sapling, so I galloped back to an Indian’s hut near by, -and as there was no enclosure, rode around to the door. The Indian came -out and I asked him to lend me an ax a few minutes. He shook his head -and said, “Me no intender,” again and again, and this was the only word -I could get out of him until I dismounted and picked up the ax, which -was lying on the ground near the door. He then began, in good English, -to beg me not to take his ax. I carried it to the teamster, however, -but returned it to the Indian in a few minutes. - -There are, or were then, people of mixed blood living along the -road in good houses and in good style, where travelers could find -entertainment. Numbers of these had small Confederate flags flying over -the front gateposts—and all seemed to be loyal to our cause. Two young -Choctaws joined one of our companies and went with us, one of them -remaining with us during the war, and an excellent soldier he was, too. - -At Boggy Depot the ladies presented us with a beautiful flag, which was -carried until it was many times pierced with bullets, the staff shot in -two, and the flag itself torn into shreds. Arriving at Big Blue River, -we lost one or two horses in crossing, by drowning. But finally we -reached Fort Smith, on a Saturday, remaining there until Monday morning. - -While in the Choctaw Nation our men had the opportunity of attending an -Indian war dance, and added to their fitness for soldiers by learning -the warwhoop, which many of them were soon able to give just as real -Indians do. - -Fort Smith, a city of no mean proportions, is situated on the south -bank of the Arkansas River, very near the line of the Indian Territory. -Another good town, Van Buren, is situated on the north bank of the -river, five miles below Fort Smith. While we were at Fort Smith orders -came from General McCulloch, then in southwest Missouri, to cut loose -from all incumbrances and hasten to his assistance as rapidly as -possible, as a battle was imminent. Consequently, leaving all trains, -baggage, artillery, all sick and disabled men and horses to follow us -as best they could, we left on Monday morning in the lightest possible -marching order, for a forced march into Missouri. Our road led across -Boston Mountain, through Fayetteville and Cassville, on towards -Springfield. Crossing the river at Van Buren, we began the march over -the long, hot, dry, and fearfully dusty road. As we passed through Van -Buren I heard “Dixie” for the first time, played by a brass band. Some -of the boys obtained the words of the song, and then the singers gave -us “Dixie” morning, noon, and night, and sometimes between meals. This -march taxed my physical endurance to the utmost, and in the evening, -when orders came to break ranks and camp, I sometimes felt as if I -could not march one mile farther. The first or orderly sergeant and -second sergeant having been left behind with the train, the orderly -sergeant’s duties fell upon me, which involved looking after forage and -rations, and other offices, after the day’s march. - -On Saturday noon we were at Cassville, Mo. That night we marched nearly -all night, lying down in a stubble field awhile before daylight, where -we slept two or three hours. About ten o’clock Sunday morning, tired, -dusty, hungry, and sleepy, we went into camp in the neighborhood -of General McCulloch’s headquarters, in a grove of timber near a -beautiful, clear, little stream. The first thing we did was to look -after something to eat for ourselves and horses, as we had had no food -since passing Cassville, and only a very light lunch then. The next -thing was to go in bathing, and wash our clothes, as we had had no -change, and then to get some longed-for sleep. In the meantime Colonel -Greer had gone up to General McCulloch’s headquarters to report our -arrival. I was not present at the interview, but I imagine it ran -something like this, as they knew each other well. Colonel Greer would -say “Hello, General! How do you do, sir? Well, I am here to inform you -that I am on the ground, here in the enemy’s country, with my regiment -of Texas cavalry, eleven hundred strong, well mounted and armed to the -teeth with United States holster pistols, a good many chop knives, and -several double-barreled shotguns. Send Lyons word to turn out his Dutch -regulars, Kansas jayhawkers and Missouri home guards, and we’ll clean -’em up and drive ’em from the State of Missouri.” - -“Very well, very well, Colonel; go back and order your men to cook up -three days’ rations, get all the ammunition they can scrape up in the -neighborhood, and be in their saddles at eleven o’clock to-night, and I -will have them at Dug Springs at daylight to-morrow morning and turn -them loose on the gentlemen you speak of.” - -Any way, whatever the interview was, we had barely stretched out our -weary limbs and folded our arms to sleep when the sergeant-major, that -fellow that so often brings bad news, came tripping along through -the encampment, hurrying from one company’s headquarters to another, -saying: “Captain, it’s General McCulloch’s order that you have your men -cook up three days’ rations, distribute all the ammunition they can get -and be in their saddles, ready to march on the enemy, at eleven o’clock -to-night.” - -Sleep? Oh, no! Where’s the man who said he was sleepy? Cook three days’ -rations? Oh, my! And not a cooking vessel in the regiment! But never -mind about that, it’s a soldier’s duty to obey orders without asking -questions. I drew and distributed the flour and meat, and left the men -to do the cooking while I looked after the ammunition. Here the men -learned to roll out biscuit dough about the size and shape of a snake, -coil it around a ramrod or a small wooden stick, and bake it before the -fire. - -This Sunday afternoon and night, August 4, was a busy time in our camp. -Some were cooking the rations, some writing letters, some one thing, -and some another; all were busy until orders came to saddle up. We were -camped on the main Springfield road, and General Lyon, with his army, -was at Dug Springs, a few miles farther up the same road. We were to -march at eleven o’clock and attack him at daylight Monday morning. -There already had been some skirmishing between our outposts and his -scouts. We had never been in battle, and we were nervous, restless, -sleepless for the remainder of the day and night after receiving the -orders. - -Some of the things that occurred during the afternoon and night would -have been ludicrous had not the whole occasion been so serious. In my -efforts to obtain and distribute all the ammunition I could procure I -was around among the men from mess to mess during all this busy time. -Scores of letters were being written by firelight to loved ones at -home, said letters running something like this: - - CAMP ——, Mo., Aug. 4, 1861. - MY DEAR ——: - - We arrived at General McCulloch’s headquarters about 10 A. M. to-day, - tired, dusty, hungry, and sleepy, after a long, forced march from Fort - Smith, Ark. We are now preparing for our first battle. We are under - orders to march at eleven o’clock to attack General Lyon’s army at - daylight in the morning. All the boys are busy cooking up three days’ - rations. I am very well. If I survive to-morrow’s battle I will write - a postscript, giving you the result. Otherwise this will be mailed to - you as it is. - - Yours affectionately, - —— —— - -Numbers of the boys said to me: “Now, Barron, if I am killed to-morrow -please mail this letter for me.” One said: “Barron, here is my gold -watch. Take it, and if I am killed to-morrow please send it to my -mother.” Another said: “Barron, here is a gold ring. Please take -care of it, and if I am killed to-morrow I want you to send it to my -sister.” Another one said: “Barron, if I am killed to-morrow I want you -to send this back to my father.” At last it became funny to me that -each seemed to believe in the probability of his being killed the next -day, and were making nuncupative wills, naming me as executor in every -case, without seeming to think of the possibility of _my_ being killed. - -During the remainder of our four years’ service, with all the fighting -we had to do, I never again witnessed similar preparations for battle. - - - - -CHAPTER III - -OUR FIRST BATTLE - -On the March—Little York Raid—Under Fire—Our First Battle—Oak -Hill (Wilson’s Creek)—Death of General Lyon—Our First Charge—Enemy -Retires—Impressions of First Battle—Death of Young Willie—Horrors of -a Battlefield—Troops Engaged—Casualties. - - -WELL, eleven o’clock came, we mounted our horses and rode out on the -road to Dug Springs, under orders to move very quietly, and to observe -the strictest silence—and, when necessary, we were not even to talk -above a whisper. The night was dark and we moved very slowly. About -three o’clock in the morning an orderly came down the column carrying a -long sheet of white muslin, tearing off narrow strips, and handing them -to the men, one of which each man was required to tie around his left -arm. From our slow, silent movement I felt as if we were in a funeral -procession, and the white sheet reminded me of a winding sheet for the -dead. As we were not uniformed these strips were intended as a mark of -the Confederate soldiers, so we might avoid killing our own men in the -heat and confusion of battle. - -At daylight we were halted and informed that General Lyon’s forces had -withdrawn from Dug Springs. After some little delay our army moved on -in the direction of Springfield, infantry and artillery in the road and -the cavalry on the flank,—that is, we horsemen took the brush and -marched parallel with the road, in order to guard against ambush and -surprises. We moved slowly in this manner nearly all day without coming -up with the enemy—at noon we took a short rest, and dinner, and here -many of us consumed the last of our three days’ rations. - -Along in the afternoon, as we were considerably ahead of the infantry, -we filed into the road and were moving slowly along, when suddenly we -heard firing in our rear. Of course every one supposed the infantry -had come up with the enemy and they were fighting. We were immediately -halted, and Lieutenant-Colonel Lane came galloping back down the column -shouting, “Turn your horses around, men, and go like h——l the other -way.” Instantly the column was reversed, and the next minute we were -following Colonel Lane at full speed. For two or three miles we ran -our tired horses down the dusty road, only to learn that some of the -infantry, who had stopped to camp, were firing off their guns simply to -unload them. - -We then retraced our steps and moved on up the road to Wilson’s Creek, -nine miles from Springfield, and camped on the ground that was to be -our first battlefield. We came to the premises of a Mr. Sharp, situated -on the right hand or east side of the road. Just beyond his house, down -the hill, the creek crossed the road and ran down through his place, -back of his house and lot. On the left hand or west side of the road -were rough hills covered with black jack trees, rocks, and considerable -underbrush. Before coming to his dwelling we passed through his lot -gates down in the rear of his barn and premises, and camped in a strip -of small timber growing along the creek. In the same enclosure, in -front and south of us, was a wide, uncultivated field, with a gradual -upgrade all the way to the timber back of the field. Here we lived on -our meager rations for several days. In the meantime the whole army -then in Missouri, including General Sterling Price’s command, was -concentrated in the immediate vicinity. - -One day during the week we heard that a company of Missouri home -guards, well armed, were at Little York, a small village six or -seven miles west from our camps. Now, the home guards were Northern -sympathizers, so one afternoon our company and another of the regiment, -by permission, marched to Little York on a raid, intending to capture -the company and secure their arms. We charged into the town, but the -enemy we sought was not there, and we could find but four or five -supposed members of the company. Anyway, we chased and captured every -man in town who ran from us, including the surgeon of the command, who -was mounted on a good horse, being the only man mounted in the company. -Several of the boys had a chase after him, capturing his horse, which -was awarded to John B. Long, who, however, did not enjoy his ownership -very long, for the animal was killed in our first battle. We then -searched for arms, but found none. - -In one of the storehouses we found a large lot of pig lead, estimated -at 15,000 pounds. This we confiscated for the use of the Confederate -Army. In order to move it, we pressed into service the only two -wagons we could find with teams, but so over-loaded one of them -that the wheels broke down when we started off. We then carried the -lead on our horses,—except what we thought could be hauled in the -remaining wagon,—out some distance and hid it in a thicket of hazelnut -bushes. We then, with our prisoners and the one wagon, returned to -camp. When the prisoners were marched up to regimental headquarters -Lieutenant-Colonel Lane said, “Turn them out of the lines and let them -go. I would rather fight them than feed them.” - -This raiding party of two companies that made the descent upon -Little York was commanded by Captain Taylor, and the raid resulted, -substantially, as I have stated. Nevertheless, even the next day wild, -exaggerated stories of the affair were told, and believed by many -members of our own regiment as well as other portions of the army, and -in Victor Rose’s “History of Ross’s Brigade,” the following version -of the little exploit may be read: “Captain Frank Taylor, of Company -C, made a gallant dash into a detachment guarding a train loaded -with supplies for Lyon, routing the detachment, taking a number of -prisoners, and capturing the entire train.” And “the historian” was a -member of Company A, Third Texas Cavalry! From this language one would -infer that Captain Taylor, alone and unaided, had captured a supply -train with its escort! - -On Friday, August 9, the determination was reached to move on -Springfield and attack General Lyon. We received orders to cook -rations, have our horses saddled and be ready to march at nine o’clock -P. M. At nine o’clock we were ready to mount, but by this time a slight -rain was falling, and the night was very dark and threatening. We -“stood to horse,” as it were, all night, waiting for orders that never -came. The infantry, also under similar orders, slept on their arms. Of -course our men, becoming weary with standing and waiting, lay down at -the feet of their horses, reins in hand, and slept. Daylight found some -of the men up, starting little fires to prepare coffee for breakfast, -while the majority were sleeping on the ground, and numbers of our -horses, having slipped their reins from the hands of the sleeping -soldiers, were grazing in the field in front of the camp. - -Captain Taylor had ridden up to regimental headquarters to ask for -instructions or orders, when the enemy opened fire upon us with a -battery stationed in the timber just back of the field in our front, -and the shells came crashing through the small timber above our heads. -And as if this were a signal, almost instantly another battery opened -fire on General Price’s camp. Who was responsible for the blunder that -made it possible for us to be thus surprised in camp, I cannot say. -It was said that the pickets were ordered in, in view of our moving, -at nine o’clock the night before, and were not sent out again; but -this was afterwards denied. If we had any pickets on duty they were -certainly very inefficient. But there is no time now to inquire of the -whys and wherefores. - -Captain Taylor now came galloping back, shouting: “Mount your horses -and get into line!” There was a hustling for loose horses, a rapid -mounting and very soon the regiment was in line by companies in the -open field in front of the camps. It was my duty now to “form the -company,” the same as if we were going out to drill; that is, beginning -on the right, I rode down the line requiring each man to call out his -number, counting, one, two, three, four; one, two, three, four, until -the left was reached. This gave every man his place for the day, and -every man was required to keep his place. If ordered to march by twos, -the horses were wheeled to the right, number 2 forming on the right of -number 1; if order to for fours, numbers 3 and 4 moved rapidly up on -the right of numbers 1 and 2, and so on. This being done in the face of -the aforesaid battery, with no undue haste, was quite a trying ordeal -to new troops who had never before been under fire, but the men stood -it admirably. - -As soon as we were formed we moved out by twos, with orders to cross -the Springfield road to the hills beyond, where General Ben McCulloch’s -infantry, consisting of the noble Third Louisiana and the Arkansas -troops, some three thousand in all, were hotly engaged with General -Lyon’s command. General Lyon was personally in front of General -Sterling Price’s army of Missouri State Guards, being personally in -command of one wing of the Federal Army (three brigades), and Sigel, -who was senior colonel, commanded the other wing (one brigade). General -McCulloch was in command of the Confederate troops and General Price of -the Missourians. - -We moved out through Mr. Sharp’s premises as we had come in, but -coming to the road we were delayed by the moving trains and the -hundreds of unarmed men who were along with General Price’s army, -rushing in great haste from the battlefield. The road being so -completely filled with the mass of moving trains and men rushing -pell-mell southward, it cost us a heroic effort to make our way across. -In this movement the rear battalion of the regiment, under Major -Chilton, was cut off from us, and while they performed good service -during part of the day, we saw no more of them until the battle ended. - -By the time we crossed the road the battle had become general, and the -fire of both artillery and musketry was constant and terrific. The -morning was bright and clear and the weather excessively warm, and as -we had been rushed into battle without having time to get breakfast -or to fill our canteens, we consequently suffered from both hunger -and thirst. After crossing the road we moved up just in the rear of -our line of infantry, and for five hours or more were thus held in -reserve, slowly moving up in column as the infantry lines surged to -the left, while the brave Louisiana and Arkansas troops stood their -ground manfully against the heavy fire of musketry and artillery. As -our position was farther down the hill than that occupied by the line -of infantry, we were in no very great danger, as the enemy’s shot and -shell usually passed over us, but, nevertheless, during the whole time -the shots were passing very unpleasantly near our heads, with some -damage, too, as a number of the men were wounded about the head. One -member of Company C was clipped across the back of the neck with a -minie ball. After hours of a most stubborn contest our infantry showed -some signs of wavering. Colonel Greer at this critical moment led us -up rapidly past their extreme left,—had us wheel into line, and then -ordered us to charge the enemy’s infantry in our front. With a yell -all along the line, a yell largely mixed with the Indian warwhoop, we -dashed down that rough, rocky hillside at a full gallop right into the -face of that solid line of well-armed and disciplined infantry. It was -evidently a great surprise to them, for though they emptied their guns -at us, we moved so rapidly that they had no time to reload, and broke -their lines and fled in confusion. The battery that had been playing -on our infantry all day was now suddenly turned upon us, otherwise -we could have ridden their infantry down and killed or captured many -of them, but we were halted, and moved out by the left flank from -under the fire of their battery. Their guns were now limbered up and -moved off, and their whole command was soon in full retreat towards -Springfield. During the engagement General Nathaniel Lyon had been -killed, and the battle, after about seven hours’ hard fighting, was at -an end. The field was ours. - -Thus ended our first battle. Would to God it had been our last, and the -last of the war! General McCulloch called it “The Battle of Oak Hill,” -but the Federals called it “The Battle of Wilson’s Creek.” - -This first battle was interesting to me in many ways. I had been -reading of them since my childhood and looking at pictures of -battlefields during and after the conflict, but to see a battle in -progress, to hear the deafening roar of artillery, and the terrible, -ceaseless rattle of musketry; to see the rapid movements of troops, -hear the shouts of men engaged in mortal combat, and to realize the -sensation of being a participant, and then after hours of doubtful -contest to see the enemy fleeing from the field—all this was grand and -terrible. But while there is a grandeur in a battle, there are many -horrors, and unfortunately the horrors are wide-spread—they go home to -the wives, fathers, mothers, and sisters of the slain. - -After the battle was over we were slowly moving in column across -the field unmolested, but being fired on by some of the enemy’s -sharpshooters, who were keeping up a desultory fire at long range, -when young Mr. Willie, son of Judge A. H. Willie, a member of Company -A, which was in advance of us, came riding up the column, passing us. -I was riding with Captain Taylor at the head of our company, and just -as Willie was passing us a ball from one of the sharpshooters’ rifles -struck him in the left temple, and killed him. But for his position the -ball would have struck me in another instant. - -After all the Federals capable of locomotion had left the field, we -were moved up the road on which Sigel had retreated, as far as a mill -some five miles away, where we had ample witness of the execution -done by our cavalry—dead men in blue were strewn along the road in a -horrible manner. On returning, late in the afternoon, we were ordered -back to the camp we had left in the morning. As we had witnessed -the grandeur of the battle, Felps and myself concluded to ride over -the field and see some of its horrors. So we rode leisurely over the -field and reviewed the numerous dead, both men and horses, and the few -wounded who had not been carried to the field hospitals. General Lyon’s -body had been placed in an ambulance by order of General McCulloch, -and was on its way to Springfield, where it was left at the house of -Colonel Phelps. His horse lay dead on the field, and every lock of -his gray mane and tail was clipped off by our men and carried off as -souvenirs. - -Further on we found one poor old Missouri home guard who was wounded. -He had dragged himself up against a black jack tree and was waiting -patiently for some chance of being cared for. We halted and were -speaking to him, when one of his neighbors, a Southern sympathizer, -came up, recognized him and began to abuse him in a shameful manner. -“Oh, you d——d old scoundrel,” he said, “if you had been where you -ought to have been, you wouldn’t be in the fix you are in now.” They -were both elderly men, and evidently lived only a few miles away, as -the Southerner had had time to come from his home to see the result of -the battle. I felt tempted to shoot the old coward, and thus put them -on an equality, and let them quarrel it out. But as it seemed enough -men had been shot for one day, we could only shame him and tell him -that if he had had the manliness to take up his gun and fight for what -he thought was right, as his neighbor had done, he would not be there -to curse and abuse a helpless and wounded man, and that he should not -insult him or abuse him any more while we were there. We continued our -ride until satisfied for that time, and for all time, so far as I was -concerned, with viewing a battlefield just after the battle, unless -duty demands it. - -Our train came up at night, bringing us, oh, so many letters from -our post office at Fort Smith, but the day’s doings, the fatigue, -hunger, thirst, heat, and excitement had overcome me so completely -that I opened not a letter until the morning. Reckoning up the day’s -casualties in Company C, we found four men and fifteen horses had been -shot; Leander W. Cole was mortally wounded, and died in Springfield a -few days later; J. E. Dillard was shot in the leg and in allusion to -his long-leggedness it was said he was shot two and one half feet below -the knee and one and one half feet above the ankle; T. Wiley Roberts -was slightly wounded in the back of the head, and P. C. Coupland -slightly wounded. Some of the horses were killed and others wounded. -Roger Q. Mills and Dr. —— Malloy, two citizens of Corsicana, were -with us in this battle, having overtaken us on the march, and remained -with us until it was over, then returning home. Roger Q. Mills was -afterwards colonel of the Tenth Texas Infantry. Dr. Malloy was captain -of a company, and fell while gallantly fighting at the head of his -company in one of the battles west of the Mississippi River. - -I will not attempt to give the number of troops engaged, as the -official reports of the battle written by the officers in command fail -to settle that question. General Price reported that he had 5221 -effective men with 15 pieces of artillery. General McCulloch’s brigade -has been estimated at 4000 men, with no artillery, and this officer’s -conclusion was that the enemy had 9000 to 10,000 men, and that the -forces of the two armies were about equal. The Federal officers in -their reports greatly exaggerated our strength, and, I think, greatly -underestimated theirs, especially so since, General Lyon being killed, -it devolved upon the subordinates to make the reports. Major S. D. -Sturgis, who commanded one of Lyon’s brigades, says their 3700 men -attacked an army of 23,000 rebels under Price and McCulloch, that their -loss in killed, wounded, and missing was 1235, and he supposed the -rebel loss was 3000. Major J. M. Schofield, General Lyon’s adjutant, -says their 5000 men attacked the rebel army of 20,000. General Frémont, -afterwards, in congratulating the army on their splendid conduct in -this battle, says their 4300 men met the rebel army of 20,000. They -give the organization of their army without giving the numbers. General -Lyon had four brigades, consisting, as they report, of six regiments, -three battalions, seven companies, 200 Missouri home guards and three -batteries of artillery, many of their troops being regulars. Their army -came against us in two columns. - -[Illustration: LIEUTENANT-COLONEL JILES S. BOGGESS - -Third Texas Cavalry] - -General Lyon, with three brigades and two batteries, Totten’s six -pieces, and Dubois, with four, came down the Springfield road and -attacked our main army in front. Colonel Franz Sigel, with one brigade -and one light battery, marched down to the left, or east of the road -and into our rear, and attacked the cavalry camp with his artillery, as -has already been stated. Poor Sigel! it would be sufficient to describe -his disastrous defeat to merely repeat their official reports. But I -would only say that his battery was lost and his command scattered -and driven from the field in utter confusion and demoralization in -the early part of the day and that it was followed some five miles by -our cavalry and badly cut up, he himself escaping capture narrowly by -abandoning his carriage and colors and taking to a cornfield. It was -said by the Federals that he reached Springfield with one man before -the battle was ended. But the forces led by the brave and gallant Lyon -fought bravely. The losses are given officially as follows: Federals: -killed, 223; wounded, 721; missing, 291. Total, 1235. Confederates: -killed, 265; wounded, 800; missing, 30. Total, 1095. - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -THE WAR IN MISSOURI - - Personal Characteristics—Two Braggarts—Joe Welch—William - Hood—We Enter Springfield—Bitter Feeling in Missouri—Company - Elections—Measles and Typhoid—Carthage, and My Illness - There—We Leave Carthage—Death of Captain Taylor—Winter - Quarters—Furloughed—Home Again. - - -A BATTLE—or danger—will often develop some characteristics that -nothing else will bring out. - -One Gum was a shabby little man, mounted on a shabby little mustang -pony; in fact his horse was so shabby that he would tie him, while -we were at Dallas, away off in the brush in a ravine and carry his -forage half a mile to feed him rather than have him laughed at. Gum -was a Missourian, and got into the company somehow, with his fiddle, -and aside from his fiddling he was of little use in camps. During the -time we were kept slowly moving along in the rear of our infantry, -engaged mainly in the unprofitable business of dodging balls and -shells that were constantly whizzing near our heads, Captain Taylor -was very anxious that his company should act well under fire and -would frequently glance back, saying: “Keep your places, men.” Gum, -however, was out of place so often he finally became personal, “Keep -in your place, Gum.” At this Gum broke ranks and came trotting up on -his little pony, looking like a monkey with a red cap on, for, having -lost his hat, he had tied a red cotton handkerchief around his head. -When opposite the captain he reined up, and with a trembling frame -and in a quivering voice, almost crying, he said: “Captain, I _can’t_ -keep my place. I am a coward, and I can’t help it.” Captain Taylor -said, sympathetically: “Very well, Gum; go where you please.” It so -happened that a few days later we passed his father’s house, near -Mount Vernon, and the captain allowed him to stop and remain with his -father. And thus he was discharged. At this stage of the war we had -no army regulations, no “red tape” in our business. If a captain saw -fit to discharge one of his men he told him to go, and he went without -reference to army headquarters or the War Department. I met Gum in -November, fleeing from the wrath of the home guards, as a man who had -been in the Confederate Army could not live in safety in Missouri. - -One of our men, in the morning when I was forming the company, was so -agitated that it was a difficult matter to get him to call his number. -During the day a ball cut a gash about skin deep and two inches in -length across the back of his neck, just at the edge of his hair. As a -result of this we were two years in getting this man under fire again, -though he would not make an honest confession like Gum, but would -manage in some mysterious way to keep out of danger. When at last we -succeeded in getting him in battle at Thompson’s Station in 1863, he -ran his iron ramrod through the palm of his right hand and went to the -rear. Rather than risk himself in another engagement he deserted, in -the fall of that year, and went into the Federal breastworks in front -of Vicksburg and surrendered. This man was named Wiley Roberts. - -Captain Hale, of Company D, was rather rough-hewn, but a brave, -patriotic old man, having not the least patience with a thief, a -coward, or a braggart. While he had some of the bravest men in his -company that any army could boast of, he had one or two, at least, that -were not among these, as the two stalwart bullies who were exceedingly -boastful of their prowess, of the ease with which Southern men could -whip Northerners, five to one being about as little odds as they cared -to meet. This type of braggart was no novelty, for every soldier had -heard that kind of talk at the beginning of the war. While we were -moving out in the morning when Sigel’s battery was firing and Captain -Hale was coolly riding along at the head of his company, these two -men came riding rapidly up, one hand holding their reins while the -other was pressed across the stomach, as if they were in great misery, -saying, when they sighted their commander: “Captain Hale, where must we -go? we are sick.” Captain Hale looked around without uttering a word -for a moment, his countenance speaking more indignation than language -could express. At last he said, in his characteristic, emphatic manner: -“Go to h——l, you d——d cowards! You were the only two fighting men -I had until now we are in a battle, and you’re both sick. I don’t care -when you go.” Other incidents could be given where men in the regiment -were tried and found wanting, but the great majority were brave and -gallant men who never shirked duty or flinched from danger. - -An instance of the opposite character may be told of Joe Welch. Joe -was a blacksmith, almost a giant in stature. Roughly guessing, I would -say he was six feet two inches in height, weighing about 240 pounds, -broad-shouldered, raw-boned, with muscles that would laugh at a sledge. -Joe had incurred the contempt of the company by acting in a very -cowardly manner, as they thought, in one or two little personal affairs -before we reached Missouri. But when we went into battle Joe was there, -as unconcerned and cool, apparently, as if he was only going into his -shop to do a day’s work; and when we made our charge down that rough -hillside when the enemy’s bullets were coming as thick as hailstones, -one of Joe’s pistols jolted out of its holster and fell to the ground. -Joe reined in his horse, deliberately dismounted, recovered the pistol, -remounted, and rapidly moved up to his place in the ranks. Those who -witnessed the coolness and apparent disregard of danger with which he -performed this little feat felt their contempt suddenly converted into -admiration. - -Another one of our men was found wanting, but through no fault of his -own, as he was faithful as far as able. This was William Hood. Hood was -an Englishman, quite small, considerably advanced in years, destitute -of physical endurance and totally unfit for the hardships of a -soldier’s life. He was an old-womanish kind of a man, good for cooking, -washing dishes, scouring tin plates, and keeping everything nice -around the mess headquarters, but was unsuited for any other part of a -soldier’s duty. Hood strayed off from us somehow during the day, and -for some part of the day was a prisoner, losing his horse, but managed -to get back to camp afoot at night, very much depressed in spirits. The -next morning he was very proud to discover his horse grazing out in the -field two or three hundred yards from the camp. He almost flew to him, -but found he was wounded. He came back to Captain Taylor with a very -sad countenance, and said: “Captain Taylor, me little ’orse is wounded -right were the ’air girth goes on ’im.” The wound was only slight and -as soon as the little ’orse was in proper traveling condition little -Hood was discharged and allowed to return home. - -As already stated, we returned late in the evening to the camp we -had left in the morning to rest and sleep for the night, for after -the excitement of the day was over bodily fatigue was very much in -evidence. Our train came up about nightfall, but as I was very tired, -and our only chance for lights was in building up little brush fires, -the opening of my letters was postponed until the bright Sunday -morning, August 11, especially as my mail packet was quite bulky. -One large envelope from Huntsville, Ala., contained a letter and an -exquisite little Confederate flag some ten or twelve inches long. -This was from a valued young lady friend who, in the letter, gave me -much good advice, among other things warning me against being shot in -the back. And I never was. During the day the command marched into -Springfield, to find that the Federal Army had pushed forward Saturday -night. They had retreated to Rolla, the terminus of the railroad, and -thence returned to St. Louis, leaving us for a long time in undisputed -possession of southwest Missouri, where we had but little to do for -three months but gather forage and care for our horses and teams and -perform the routine duties incident to a permanent camp. - -From Springfield we moved out west a few miles, camping for a few days -at a large spring called Cave Spring. Here several of our men were -discharged and returned home. Among them James R. Taylor, brother of -Captain, subsequently Colonel, Taylor of the Seventeenth Texas Cavalry, -who was killed at the battle of Mansfield, La. - -Southwest Missouri is a splendid country, abounding in rich lands, -fine springs of pure water, and this year, 1861, an abundant crop of -corn, oats, hay, and such staples had been raised. Nevertheless, a -very unhappy state of things existed there during the war, for the -population was very much divided in sentiment and sympathy—some being -for the North and some for the South, and the antagonism between the -factions was very bitter. Indeed, so intense had the feeling run, -the man of one side seemed to long to see his neighbor of the other -side looted and his property destroyed. Men of Southern sympathy have -stealthily crept into our camps at midnight and in whispers told us -where some Union men were to be found in the neighborhood, evidently -wishing and expecting that we would raid them and kill or capture, -rob, plunder or do them damage in some terrible manner. Such reporters -seemed to be disappointed when we would tell them that we were not -there to make war on citizens, and the Union men themselves seemed to -think we were ready to do violence to all who were not loyal to the -Southern Confederacy. When we chanced to go to one of their houses -for forage, as frequently happened, we could never see the man of the -house, unless we caught a glimpse of him as he was running to some -place to hide, and no assurance to his family that we would not in -any manner mistreat him would overcome the deep conviction that we -would. This bitter feeling and animosity among the citizens grew to -such intensity, as the war advanced, that life became a misery to the -citizen of Missouri. - -We moved around leisurely over the country from place to place, -foraging and feeding a few days here and a few days there, and in the -early days of September, passing by way of Mount Vernon and Carthage, -we found ourselves at Scott’s Mill, on Cowskin River, near the border -of the Cherokee Nation. At Mount Vernon we witnessed a farce enacted -by Company D. Dan Dupree was their first lieutenant, and a very nice, -worthy fellow he was, too, but some of his men fell out with him about -some trivial matter, and petitioned him to resign, which he did. -Captain Hale, supposing possibly they might also be opposed to him, -and too diffident to say so, he resigned too, and the other officers -followed suit, even down to the fourth and last corporal, and for -the time the company was without an officer, either commissioned or -non-commissioned. At this early stage of the war, for an officer to -resign was a very simple and easy thing. He had only to say publicly -to his company, “I resign,” and it was so. The company was now formed -into line to prepare for the election of officers, and the mode of -procedure was as follows: The candidates would stand a few paces in -front of the line, their back to the men. The men were then instructed -to declare their choice, by standing behind him, one behind the other, -and when all votes were counted the result was declared. The outcome -on this occasion was that Captain Hale and all the old officers were -re-elected, except Dupree. Later in the year members of Company A -petitioned their captain to resign, but he respectfully declined, -and though many of his men were very indignant, we heard no more of -petitioning officers to resign. - -While we were camped on the beautiful little Cowskin River measles -attacked our men, and we moved up to Carthage, where we remained -about eight weeks, during which time we passed through a terrible -scourge of measles and typhoid fever. As a result Company C lost -five men, including Captain Taylor. Fortunately we were in a high, -healthy country, and met in Carthage a warm-hearted, generous people. -In addition to our competent and efficient surgeon and his assistant -during this affliction, we had a number of good physicians, privates in -the regiment, who rendered all the assistance in their power in caring -for the sick. The court house was appropriated as a hospital, and, -soon filled to its capacity, the generous citizens received the sick -men into their houses and had them cared for there. How many of the -regiment were sick at one time I do not know, but there were a great -many; the number of dead I never knew. Our surgeon went from house to -house visiting and prescribing for the sick both day and night, until -it seemed sometimes as if he could not make another round. - -The day after we reached Carthage I was taken down with a severe -case of measles, and glided easily into a case of typhoid fever. Dr. -McDugald went personally to find a home for me, and had me conveyed to -the residence of Mr. John J. Scott, a merchant and farmer, where for -seven weeks I wasted away with the fever, during all of which time I -was as kindly and tenderly cared for by Mrs. Scott as if I had been one -of her family; and her little girl Olympia, then about eleven years -old, was as kind and attentive to me as a little sister could have -been. My messmate and chum, Thomas J. Johnson, remained with me to wait -on me day and night during the entire time, and Dr. McDugald, and also -Dr. Dan Shaw, of Rusk County, were unremitting in their attention. A. -B. Summers took charge of my horse, and gave him better attention than -he did his own. Captain Taylor was also very low at the same time, and -was taken care of at the house of Colonel Ward. The fever had left me -and I had been able to sit up in a rocking chair by the fire a little -while at a time for a few days, when General Frémont, who had been -placed in command of the Federal Army in Missouri, began a movement -from Springfield in the direction of Fayetteville, Ark., and we were -suddenly ordered away from Carthage. All the available transportation -had to be used to remove the sick, who were taken to Scott’s Mill. A -buggy being procured for Captain Taylor and myself, our horses were -hitched to it and, with the assistance of Tom Johnson and John A. Boyd, -we moved out, following the march of the command into Arkansas. The -command moved south, via Neosho and Pineville, and dropped down on -Sugar Creek, near Cross Hollows, confronting General Frémont, who soon -retired to Springfield, and never returned. At Sugar Creek we stole -Ben A. Long out of camp, and made our way to Fayetteville, where we -stopped at the house of Martin D. Frazier, by whose family we were most -hospitably treated. Here Captain Taylor relapsed, and died. - -Captain Francis Marion Taylor was a noble, brave, and patriotic man, -and we were all much grieved at his death. He had been at death’s -door in Carthage, and Dr. McDugald then thought he was going to die, -telling him so, but he rallied, and when we left there he was much -stronger than I was, being able to drive, while that would have been -impossible with me. When he relapsed he did not seem to have much -hope of recovering, and after the surgeon, at his own request, had -told him his illness would terminate fatally, he talked very freely -of his approaching death. He had two little children, a mother, and a -mother-in-law, Mrs. Wiggins, all of whom he loved very much, and said -he loved his mother-in-law as much as he loved his mother. He gave -me messages for them, placed everything he had with him (his horse, -gold watch, gold rings, sword, and his trunk of clothes) in my charge, -with specific instructions as to whom to give them—his mother, his -mother-in-law and his two little children. - -I continued to improve, but recovered very slowly indeed, and remained -in Fayetteville until the early days of December. The regiment was -ordered to go into winter quarters at the mouth of Frog Bayou, on -the north bank of the Arkansas River, twelve miles below Van Buren, -and when they had passed through Fayetteville on their way to the -designated point, I followed, as I was now able to ride on horseback. -Cabins were soon erected for the men and stalls for the horses, and -here the main command was at home for the winter. I was furloughed -until March 1, but as the weather was fine I remained in the camp for -two weeks before starting on the long home journey to Rusk. Many other -convalescents were furloughed at this time, so finally, in company -with Dr. W. L. Gammage, who, by the way, had been made surgeon of an -Arkansas regiment, and two or three members of Company F who lived in -Cherokee County, I started to Rusk, reaching the end of my journey just -before Christmas. - -My first night in Cherokee County was spent at the home of Captain -Taylor’s noble mother, near Larissa, where I delivered her son’s last -messages to her, and told her of his last days. The next day I went -on to Rusk and delivered the messages, horse, watch, etc., to the -mother-in-law and children. Mr. Wiggins’s family offered me a home -for the winter, and as I had greatly improved and the winter was -exceedingly mild, I spent the time very pleasantly until ready to -return to the army. Among other things I brought home the ball that -killed Leander Cole, and sent it to his mother. - - - - -CHAPTER V - -THE WAR IN MISSOURI—_Continued_ - - I Rejoin the Command—Sleeping in Snow—Ambushed—Battle of Elkhorn - Tavern (Pea Ridge)—Capturing a Battery—Deaths of Generals McCulloch - and McIntosh—Battle Continued—Casualties—Keetsville—Official - Reports—March Southward—Foraging—Lost Artillery—Illness Again. - - -IN the latter part of February, 1862, I left Rusk in company with Tom -Hogg, John Germany, and perhaps one or two more of our furloughed men, -for our winter quarters on the Arkansas River. We crossed Red River and -took the road running along the line between Arkansas and the Indian -Territory to Fort Smith. After crossing Red River we began meeting -refugees from Missouri and north Arkansas, on their way to Texas, who -told us that our army was moving northward, and a battle was expected -very soon. This caused us to push on more rapidly, as we were due to -return March 1, and were anxious to be in our places with the command. -When we reached Van Buren we learned that our whole army was in motion, -that a battle was imminent and might occur any day. By this time the -weather had grown quite cold, and leaving Van Buren at 9 A. M., we had -to cross Boston Mountain, facing a north wind blowing snow in our faces -all day. Nevertheless, we slept fifty miles from there that night, -camping with some commissary wagons on the road, a few miles from -Fayetteville. Here we learned that the army was camped along the road -between there and Fayetteville. The next morning we started on at a -brisk gait, but before we could pass the infantry they were filing into -the road. We took to the brush and galloped our horses about six miles -and overtook the Third Texas, which was in the advance, now passing out -of the northern suburbs of Fayetteville, and found Company C in the -advance guard on the Bentonville road. - -We advanced slowly that day, without coming in contact with the enemy, -and camped that night at Elm Springs, where the snow fell on us all -night. Of course we had no tents, but slept on the ground without -shelter. This seemed pretty tough to a fellow who, except for a few -fine days in December, had not spent a day in camp since September, -during all that time occupying warm, comfortable rooms. Up to this time -I had never learned to sleep with my head covered, but finding it now -necessary, I would first cover my head and face to keep the snow out, -stand that as long as I could, then throw the blanket off, when the -snow would flutter down in my face, chilling me so that I could not -sleep. So between the two unpleasant conditions I was unable to get -any rest at all. Some time before daybreak we saddled up and moved on, -the snow being three or four inches deep, and early in the morning we -passed the burning fires of the Federal pickets. By nine o’clock the -storm had passed, the sun shining brightly, and about ten o’clock we -came in sight of Bentonville, a distance said to be two miles. We could -plainly see the Federal troops moving about the streets, their bright -guns glistening in the sunshine, afterwards ascertained to have been -Sigel’s column of General Curtis’ army. We were drawn up in line and -ordered to prepare for a charge. To illustrate what a magic influence -an order to charge upon the enemy has, how it sends the sluggish blood -rushing through the veins and livens up the new forces, I will say that -while we were standing in line preparing to charge those fellows, I was -so benumbed with cold that I could not cap my pistols. I tried ever -so hard to do so, but had my life depended upon it I could not have -succeeded. We were thrown into columns of fours and ordered to charge, -which we did at a brisk gallop, and before we had gone exceeding -one-half mile I had perfect use of my hands, was comfortably warm, and -did not suffer in the least with cold at any time during the rest of -the day. - -We charged into the town, but the enemy had all moved out. I suppose it -was the rear of the command that we had seen moving out. That afternoon -we were ambushed by a strong force, and were fired on in the right -flank from a steep, rough hill. We were ordered to charge, which order -we attempted to obey by wheeling and charging in line up a hill so -steep and rough that only a goat could have made any progress, only to -find our line broken into the utmost confusion and under a murderous -fire of infantry and artillery from an invisible enemy behind rocks -and trees. In the confusion I recognized the order “dismount and fall -into line!” I dismounted, but when I fell into what I supposed was -going to be the line I found Lieutenant J. E. Dillard and J. B. Murphy, -“us three, and no more.” While glancing back I saw the regiment was -charging around on horseback, while the captains of companies were -shouting orders to their men in the vain endeavor to get them into some -kind of shape. - -In the meantime the bullets were coming thick around us three -dismounted men, knocking the bark from the hickory trees in our -vicinity into our faces in a lively manner. Finally concluding we could -do no good without support, we returned to our horses, mounted, and -joined the confusion, and soon managed to move out of range of the -enemy’s guns. Brave old Captain Hale, very much chagrined and mortified -by this affair, considered the regiment disgraced, and said as much -in very emphatic, but not very choice, English. I do not remember the -precise language he used, but he was quoted as saying: “This here -regiment are disgraced forever! I’d ’a’ rather died right thar than to -a give airy inch!” I do not know how many men we lost in this affair, -but Vic. Rose says ten killed and twenty wounded. I remember that -Joe Welch was wounded in the thigh, but I do not remember any other -casualty in Company C. This was reckoned as the first day of the three -days’ battle of Elkhorn Tavern, or Pea Ridge. - -General Earl Van Dorn had taken command of the entire army on March -2, and conducted the remainder of the campaign to its close. General -Price’s division consisted of the Missouri troops. General McCulloch -was placed in command of the infantry of his old division, consisting -of the Third Louisiana, commanded by Colonel Louis Hebert (pronounced -Hebair), and the Arkansas infantry, and General James Mcintosh, who -had just been promoted to brigadier-general, commanded the cavalry. -Brigadier-General Samuel R. Curtis, who commanded the Federal Army in -our front, was concentrating his forces near Elkhorn Tavern and Pea -Ridge, near the Arkansas and Missouri line. - -After the ambush and skirmish alluded to above, General Sigel moved on -northward with his command and we moved on in the same direction, and -near nightfall camped by the roadside. Here, as we had neither food -for man nor forage for beast, I started out to procure a feed of corn -for my horse, if possible, riding west from camp, perhaps five miles, -before I succeeded. For a while at first I searched corncribs, but -finding them all empty I began searching under the beds, and succeeded -in obtaining fifteen or twenty ears. Part of this I fed to my horse, -part of it I ate myself, and carried part of it on for the next night. - -We were now near the enemy. Leaving camp about two hours before -daylight, we made a detour to the left, passed the enemy’s right -flank, and were in his rear near Pea Ridge. General Price, accompanied -by General Van Dorn, passed around his left and gained his rear near -Elkhorn Tavern, where General Van Dorn established his headquarters. -About 10.30 A. M. we heard General Price’s guns, as he began the -attack. Our cavalry was moving in a southeasterly direction toward -the position of General Sigel’s command, and near Leetown, in columns -of fours, abreast, the Third Texas on the right, then the Sixth and -Ninth Texas, Brook’s Arkansas battalion, and a battalion of Choctaw -Indians, forming in all, five columns. Passing slowly through an open -field, a Federal light battery, some five hundred or six hundred yards -to our right, supported by the Third Iowa Cavalry, opened fire upon -our flank, killing one or two of our horses with the first shot. The -battery was in plain view, being inside of a yard surrounding a little -log cabin enclosed with a rail fence three or four feet high. Just at -this time one of General McCulloch’s batteries, passing us on its way -to the front, was halted, the Third Texas was moved up in front of it, -and were ordered to remain and protect it. Lieutenant-Colonel Walter -P. Lane rode out to the front, facing the enemy’s battery, and calling -to Charley Watts, he said: “Come here, Charley, and blow the charge -until you are black in the face.” With Watts by his side blowing the -charge with all his might, Lane struck a gallop, when the other four -columns wheeled and followed him, the Texans yelling in the usual style -and the Indians repeating the warwhoop, dashing across the field in -handsome style. The Federal cavalry charged out and met them, when a -brisk fire ensued for a few minutes; but, scarcely checking their gait, -they brushed the cavalry, the Third Iowa, aside as if it was chaff, -charged on in face of the battery, over the little rail fence, and were -in possession of the guns in less time than it takes to tell the story. -In this little affair twenty-five of the Third Iowa Cavalry were killed -and a battery captured, but I do not know how many of the gunners were -killed. The Choctaws, true to their instinct, when they found the dead -on the field, began scalping them, but were soon stopped, as such -savagery could not be tolerated in civilized warfare. Still a great -deal was said by the Federal officers and newspapers about the scalping -of a few of these men, and it was reported that some bodies were -otherwise mutilated. Colonel Cyrus Bussey of the Third Iowa certified -that he found twenty-five of his men dead on the field, and that eight -of these had been scalped. - -General McCulloch’s infantry and artillery soon attacked General -Sigel’s command in our front, and the engagement became general all -along the line. The roar of artillery and the rattle of musketry were -terrific all day until dark, with no decisive advantage gained on -either side. The Third Texas was moved up behind Pea Ridge, dismounted, -and placed in line of battle just behind the crest of the ridge, to -support our infantry, a few hundred yards in front of us, with orders -not to abandon the ridge under any circumstances. Here we remained -until late in the afternoon without further orders, in no particular -danger except from the shells from the enemy’s artillery that came over -the ridge and fell around us pretty constantly. Generals McCulloch -and McIntosh had both been killed early in the day, and Colonel Louis -Hebert, who was senior colonel and next in rank, had been captured. All -this was unknown to us, and also unknown to General Van Dorn, who was -with General Price near Elkhorn Tavern, two or three miles east of our -position. Late in the afternoon Colonel Greer sent a courier in search -of General McIntosh or General McCulloch, to ask for instructions, or -orders, and the sad tidings came back that they were both killed; nor -could Colonel Hebert be found. - -The firing ceased at night, but we remained on the field, uncertain as -to the proper thing to do, until a courier who had been sent to General -Van Dorn returned about 2 A. M., with orders for all the forces to -move around to General Price’s position. When this was accomplished it -was near daylight, and we had spent the night without sleep, without -rations, and without water. General Curtis, perhaps discovering our -movement, was also concentrating his forces in General Price’s front. - -The Confederates made an attack on the enemy early in the morning, -and for an hour or two the firing was brisk and spirited, but as our -men were starved out and their ammunition about exhausted, they were -ordered to cease firing. As the Federals also ceased firing, the forces -were withdrawn quietly and in an orderly manner from the field, and we -moved off to the south, moving east of General Curtis, having passed -entirely around his army. - -The number of forces engaged in this battle were not definitely given. -General Van Dorn in his report stated that he had less than 14,000 men, -and estimated the Federal force at from 17,000 to 24,000, computing -our loss at 600 killed and wounded and 200 prisoners, a total of 800. -General Curtis reported that his forces engaged consisted of about -10,500 infantry and cavalry, with 49 pieces of artillery, and his -statement of losses, killed, wounded, and missing adds up a total of -1384. The future historian, the man who is so often spoken of, is going -to have a tough time if he undertakes to record the truths of the war. -When commanding officers will give some facts and then round up their -official reports with fiction, conflicts will arise that, it appears -to me, can never be reconciled. A private soldier or a subordinate -officer who participates in a battle can tell little about it beyond -what comes under his personal observation, which is not a great deal, -but he is apt to remember that little very distinctly. - -In reference to the close of the battle, General Curtis among other -things said: “Our guns continued some time after the rebel fire ceased -and the rebels had gone down into the deep caverns through which -they had begun their precipitate flight. Finally our firing ceased.” -Speaking of the pursuit he says: “General Sigel also followed in this -pursuit towards Keetsville.... General Sigel followed some miles north -towards Keetsville, firing on the retreating force that ran that way.” -Then adds: “The main force took the Huntsville road which is directly -south.” This is true. Now, I dare say, there never was a more quiet, -orderly, and uninterrupted retreat from a battlefield. The Third Texas -was ordered to cover the retreat, and in order to do this properly we -took an elevated position on the battlefield, where we had to remain -until our entire army moved off and everybody else was on the march -and out of the way. The army moved out, not precipitately, but in a -leisurely way, not through “deep caverns,” but over high ground in -plain view of the surrounding country. Company C was ordered to take -the position of rear guard, in rear of the regiment. The regiment -finally moved out, Company C waiting until it had gone some distance, -when the company filed into the road and moved off. And then James E. -Dillard and the writer of this remained on the field until the entire -Confederate army was out of sight. During all this time not a Federal -gun was fired, not a Federal soldier came in view. Nor were we molested -during the entire day or night, although we moved in a leisurely way -all day, and at night Company C was on picket duty in the rear until -midnight. - -Keetsville is a town in Missouri north of the battlefield. Sigel, it -was stated, “followed some miles north towards Keetsville, firing on -the retreating force that ran that way.” There were about twenty-four -pieces of our artillery that got into the Keetsville road through -mistake; they were without an escort, entirely unprotected. After we -had gone about three days’ march, leaving Huntsville to our left and -Fayetteville to the right, the Third Texas was sent in search of this -artillery, and, after marching all night and until noon next day, -passing through Huntsville, we met them, and escorted them in. They -had not been fired on or molested in the least. The Federal officers, -however, were not chargeable with all the inaccuracies that crept into -official reports. - -General Van Dorn in his report of this campaign, says: “On the 6th we -left Elm Springs for Bentonville.... I therefore endeavored to reach -Bentonville, eleven miles distant, by rapid march, but the troops -moved so slowly that it was 11 A. M. before the leading division -(Price’s)—reached the village, and we had the mortification to see -Sigel’s division, 7000 strong, leaving it as we entered.” - -Now, as I have already stated, the Third Texas was in advance, and -we saw Sigel leaving Bentonville long before 11 A. M., and Price’s -division never saw them in Bentonville nor anywhere else that day. -General Curtis reported that two of his divisions had just reached his -position, near Pea Ridge, when word came to him that General Sigel, who -had been left behind with a detachment of one regiment, was about to -be surrounded by a “vastly superior force,” when these two divisions -marched rapidly back and with infantry and artillery checked the rebel -advance, losing twenty-five men killed and wounded. So this was the -force that ambushed us, and according to this account, Sigel moved out -of Bentonville in the morning with one regiment, instead of 7000 men. -So the reader of history will never know just how much of fiction he is -getting along with the “history.” - -Leaving the battlefield in the manner stated, we moved very slowly all -day. In fact, fatigue, loss of sleep, and hunger had rendered a rapid -movement impossible with the infantry. Our men were so starved that -they would have devoured almost anything. During the day I saw some of -the infantry men shoot down a hog by the side of the road, and, cutting -off pieces of the meat, march on eating the raw bloody pork without -bread or salt. The country through which we were marching was a poor, -mountainous district, almost destitute of anything for the inhabitants -to subsist upon, to say nothing of feeding an army. Stock of any kind -appeared to be remarkably scarce. J. E. Dillard managed to get a small -razor-back pig, that would weigh perhaps twenty-five pounds, strapped -it on behind his saddle and thus carried it all day. When we were -relieved of picket duty and went into camp at midnight, he cut it up -and divided it among the men. I drew a shoulder-blade, with perhaps as -much as four ounces of meat on it. This I broiled and ate without salt -or bread. - -We continued the march southward, passing ten or twelve miles east -of Fayetteville. About the fourth day we had been resting, and the -commissary force was out hustling for something to eat, but before -we got any rations the Third Texas was suddenly ordered to mount -immediately and go in search of our missing artillery. This was in the -afternoon, perhaps four o’clock. Moving in a northeasterly direction, -we marched all night on to the headwaters of White River, where that -stream is a mere creek, and I do not think it would be an exaggeration -to say that we crossed it twenty times during the night. About 10 A. M. -we passed through Huntsville, county seat of Madison County, a small -town having the appearance of being destitute of everything. By this -time the matter of food had become a very serious question, and we -appeared to be in much greater danger of dying from starvation in the -mountains of northern Arkansas than by the enemy’s bullets. Our belts -had been tightened until there was no relief in that, and, as if to -enhance my own personal suffering, the tantalizing fact occurred to me -that I was treading my native heath, so to speak, for I am a native -of Madison County, and Huntsville had been my home for years, where -to enjoy three squares a day had been an unbroken habit of years. But -to-day I was literally starving in the town of Huntsville, County of -Madison, aforesaid, and not a friendly face could I see, nor could -a morsel of bread be procured for love or patriotism. Passing onward -two or three miles, and having learned that the guns were coming, we -rested, and privately made details to scour the country and beg for a -little food “for sick and wounded men.” Tom Johnson went out for our -mess, and the sorrowful tales that were told in behalf of the poor -sick and wounded soldiers we were hauling along in ambulances, with -nothing with which to feed them, would have melted a heart of stone. -The ruse was a success, as the details came in at night with divers -small contributions made from scant stores for “the poor sick and -wounded men,” which were ravenously consumed by the well ones. The -artillery shortly afterwards came up and was escorted by us to the -command. Camping that night a few miles from Huntsville, the artillery -had taken the wrong road as it left the battlefield, had gone up into -Missouri, and had had a long circuitous drive through the mountains, -but otherwise they were all right. - -After we returned with the guns, the army moved on southward. When we -were again in motion, as there was no further apprehension of being -followed by the enemy, hunger having nearly destroyed my respect -for discipline, I left the column by a byroad leading eastwardly, -determined to find something to eat. This proved a more difficult -errand than I had expected, for the mountaineers were very poor and -apparently almost destitute of supplies. I had traveled twelve or -fifteen miles when I rode down the mountain into a little valley, at -the head of Frog Bayou, coming to a good log house owned and occupied -by a Mr. Jones, formerly of Jackson County, Alabama, and a brother of -Hosea, Allen, William, and Jesse Jones, good and true men, all of whom -I knew. If he had been my uncle I could not have been prouder to find -him. Here I got a good square meal for myself and horse, seasoned with -a good hearty welcome. This good, true old man was afterwards murdered, -as I learned, for his loyalty to the Confederate cause. After enjoying -my dinner and a rest, I proceeded on my way, intending to rejoin the -command that evening; but, missing the road they were on, I met the -regiment at our old winter quarters. Thus about the middle of March -the Third Texas Cavalry was again housed in the huts we had erected on -the bank of the Arkansas River. I do not know the casualties of the -regiment, but as far as I remember Company C had only one man, Jos. -Welsh, wounded, and one man, Orderly Sergeant W. M. Caldwell, captured. -But as the prisoners were exchanged, our captured men soon returned to -us. - -Thus ended a short campaign which involved much suffering to me, as -well as others, and was the beginning of trouble which nearly cost -me my life, a trouble which was not fully recovered from until the -following winter. When I was taken with measles in Missouri, the -disease affected my bowels, and they became ulcerated, and all through -the long spell of typhoid fever and the very slow convalescence this -trouble was very hard to control. When I left Rusk to return to the -army I was apparently well, but having been comfortably housed all -winter was not in proper condition to enter such a campaign at this -season of the year. Before leaving winter quarters the men were ordered -to prepare ten days’ rations, and when we overtook the command at -Fayetteville they had been out nearly that length of time, and rations -were already growing scarce. We furloughed men and a number of recruits -who had accompanied us to join the command were not here to draw or -prepare rations, and our only chance for a living was to share rations -with our comrades, who were as liberal and generous as they could be, -but they were not able to do much. - -[Illustration: CAPTAIN D. R. GURLEY - -Sixth Texas Cavalry, A. A. G. Ross’ Brigade] - -From the time I overtook the command until we got back to winter -quarters was about ten days, and the few days we were in winter -quarters were spent in preparing to cross the Mississippi River. For -the first four or five days I managed to procure, on an average, about -one biscuit per day; for the other five days we were fortunate to get -anything at all to eat, and usually got nothing. We were in the snow -for two days and nights, and in a cold, drenching rain one night. On -the 7th it was impossible to get a drink of water, to say nothing of -food and sleep, and from the time the firing began in the morning until -the next morning we could get no water, although we were intensely -thirsty. While at winter quarters I had a chill, and started down grade -in health, a decline in physical condition that continued until I was -apparently nearly dead. - -In December parts of our cavalry regiments went with Colonel James -McIntosh into the Indian Territory to suppress Hopothlaohola, an -ex-chief of the Creek nation, who, with a considerable band of -disaffected followers, was making trouble, and part of the Third Texas -went on this expedition. They had a battle with the Indians in the -mountains on the headwaters of Chustenala Creek, defeated and scattered -the warriors, captured their squaws, ponies, and negroes, scattering -them so effectually that we had no further trouble with them. - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -THE SIEGE OF CORINTH - - Leaving Winter Quarters—The Prairies—Duvall’s Bluff—Awaiting - Transportation—White River—The Mississippi—Memphis—Am Detailed—En - Route to Corinth—Corinth—Red Tape—Siege of Corinth—“A Soldier’s - Grave”—Digging for Water—Suffering and Sickness—Regiment - Reorganized—Evacuation of Corinth. - - -CAPTAIN FRANK M. TAYLOR having died, First Lieutenant J. J. A. Barker -was promoted to captain and Private James E. Dillard was promoted to -second lieutenant. After remaining at our winter quarters for a few -days, resting and feeding up, we started on our long eastward journey, -leaving the wounded and sick in charge of Dr. I. K. Frazer. We moved -down on the north side of the Arkansas River, stopping two or three -days opposite Little Rock. During our stay here I availed myself of -the opportunity of seeing the capital of the State. From Little Rock -we crossed the country to Duvall’s Bluff on White River, where the men -were requested to dismount, send their horses back to Texas, and go -afoot for a time. This they agreed to without a murmur, on the promise -that, at a proper time, we should be remounted. - -On this march from Arkansas River to White River we crossed grand -prairie, and, though I had often heard of these great stretches of dead -level country, had never seen them. I do not know the distance that -we marched in this grand prairie, but it was a good many miles, as we -entered it early in the morning one day and had to camp in it that -night, and for almost the whole distance water stood on the ground to -the depth of about two or three inches, and it was a difficult matter -to find dry ground enough to camp on at night. - -Men having been detailed to take our horses back to Texas, the animals -were prepared for the journey, each detailed man having to manage a -number of horses; and to do this they tied the reins of one horse to -the tail of another, each man riding one horse and guiding the leader -of the others, strung out in pairs behind him. As they were recrossing -the grand prairie the buffalo-gnats attacked the horses, stampeding -them and scattering them for many miles over the country, and were with -much difficulty recaptured. - -We waited several days at Duvall’s Bluff for transportation to Memphis, -Tenn., on our way to Corinth, Miss. General Joseph L. Hogg, who had -been commissioned brigadier-general, accompanied by his staff, came -to us here, with orders to take command of a brigade, including the -Third Texas Cavalry at Memphis. General Hogg’s staff was composed of -civilians who had never seen service in the army, and this proved to -be an unfortunate time of the year for men not inured to camp life -to go into active service. His staff consisted of William T. Long, -quartermaster; Daniel P. Irby, commissary; H. H. Rogers, of Jefferson, -usually called General Rogers, ordnance officer; in addition there were -E. C. Williams, John T. Decherd, and H. S, Newland. - -After several days’ waiting a steamboat came up the river, landing at -the Bluff, and we were crowded upon it for our journey down White River -into the Mississippi and up to Memphis, and it was hard to realize -that the booming, navigable river we were now on was the same stream -we had forded so many times in the mountains of northern Arkansas on -the night we went in search of our lost artillery. When we got on the -Mississippi we found it very high, numbers of houses along the banks -being surrounded by water up to the front doorsteps, where numerous -small skiffs could be seen moored. These skiffs furnished the residents -their only means of going from house to house. - -Arriving at Memphis, we marched away up Poplar Street to the suburbs, -and camped in a grove, where we remained several days, spending the -time in preparation for the move to Corinth, Miss. Here General Hogg -took formal command of his brigade, and, having told me that he wanted -Tom Johnson and myself at his headquarters, he had us detailed,—Tom to -the ordnance department and me in the quartermaster’s department, while -John A. Boyd was detailed to work in the commissary department. - -Word having finally come for us to proceed to Corinth, we were crowded -into a train on the Memphis & Charleston Railroad, en route to that -city. On this train, as conductor, I found my former friend and -schoolmate, William Wingo. The trip to Corinth was a very slow and -tedious one, the train being loaded down with troops and supplies, and -unfortunately had lost so much time it had to be run very carefully -and make numerous stops. In consequence of this, some of our -over-suspicious “patriots” went to General Hogg and implied that the -enemy had forces but a short distance north of us and that the slow -running and the many stoppages of the train was done evidently through -treachery, and that the plan apparently was to give the enemy an -opportunity to capture the train with the men and munitions on board. - -I had been riding on a rear platform, conversing with Mr. Wingo, when I -proceeded to General Hogg’s coach, and found him considerably excited. -In answer to my inquiry he told me what had been intimated and said -the suggestion, he thought, was a plausible one, and that he had about -determined to order the train forward at all hazards. He was rather an -irritable man, and his suspicions were easily aroused. I endeavored -to quiet him, and did so for a time, by explaining the situation, and -pointed out the danger we would be in of colliding with some other -train unless the utmost caution was used, as was being done; and -finally told him that I had known the conductor since he was a small -boy, had gone to school with him, and was sure there was no treachery -in him. It was not a great while, however, before others came around -with similar evil suspicions, until the general was wrought up to such -a pitch that he peremptorily ordered the train run through to Corinth, -regardless of consequences, else some dire calamity would overtake -every person in charge of it. Well, we made the rest of the journey -in very good time, at the risk of many lives, but fortunately without -accident. For this our friend and new brigadier-general was on the next -day ordered under arrest by General Beauregard. But nothing more ever -came of it. - -After dragging along for more than thirty hours over a distance -ordinarily made in six or seven, we finally disembarked, in the middle -of the night, on the north side of the railroad, about two miles -west of Corinth. So here we were, without horses, to confront new -conditions, under new commanders, constrained to learn the art of war -in a different arm of the service, and to drill, to march, and fight as -infantry. - -The next morning after our arrival I mounted the quartermaster’s horse, -and rode into town, which was my duty as the quartermaster’s right-hand -man, to procure forage for our stock—that is, for the regimental and -brigade headquarters horses, artillery horses and the wagon teams. I -found the road leading from our camp to town almost impassable owing to -the mud, impassable even for a good horse and rider, and utterly and -absolutely impassable for a wagon at all, as the best team we had could -not have drawn an empty wagon over the road. - -I found Corinth all aglitter with brass buttons and gold lace, the -beautiful Confederate uniform being much in evidence everywhere. I -never had seen anything like it before. - -The Battle of Shiloh had been fought while we were on the steamer -between Duvall’s Bluff and Memphis, General Albert Sidney Johnston had -been killed, and the army under General Beauregard had fallen back to -Corinth, and the town was literally alive with officers and soldiers. -There were more headquarters, more sentinels, and more red tape here -than I had ever dreamed of. I had not seen uniformed officers or men -west of the Mississippi River, and had known nothing of red tape in -the army. Knowing nothing of the organization of the army beyond our -own brigade, I had everything to learn in reference to the proper -quartermaster, forage master, and master of transportation, as I must -needs have railroad transportation for my forage. - -So beginning at the top, I made my way to General Beauregard’s -headquarters; from there I was directed to division headquarters; -thence to a quartermaster; and from one quartermaster to another, -until I had about done the town—and finally found the right man. One -lesson learned not to be gone over. Finding there was no difficulty in -getting forage delivered in Corinth, I had now to hunt up the master -of transportation and satisfy him of the impossibility of hauling -it on wagons. Owing to the immense business just then crowding the -railroad and the scarcity of rolling stock, it was really a difficult -matter to get the transportation; but by dint of perseverance in the -best persuasive efforts I could bring to bear, I succeeded in having -one day’s rations sent out by rail. The next day the same thing as to -transportation had to be gone over, and the next, and the next, and -each succeeding day it became more difficult to accomplish, until a day -came when it was impossible to get the forage hauled out at all. - -I rode back to camp and notified the battery and the different -headquarters that I would issue forage in Corinth, which would have to -be brought out on horseback. All accepted the situation cheerfully -except Rogers, who didn’t seem to like me, and I suppose it was because -I called him _Mr._ Rogers, instead of General Rogers, as others did. -He went directly to General Hogg and said: “I think that fellow Barron -should be required to have the forage hauled out.” General Hogg said: -“I do not think you should say a word, sir; you have been trying for a -week to get a carload of ammunition brought out and have failed. This -is the first day Barron has failed to get the forage brought out; if -you want your horses to have corn, send your servant in after it.” I -had no further trouble with Mr. Rogers. - -I cannot remember exactly the time we spent at Corinth. It was from -the time of our landing there until about the 29th day of May, say six -or seven weeks; but to measure time by the suffering and indescribable -horrors of that never-to-be-forgotten siege, it would seem not less -than six or seven months. From the effects of malaria, bad water, and -other combinations of disease-producing causes, our friends from home -soon began to fall sick, and, becoming discouraged, the staff officers -began to resign and leave the service. Rogers, I believe, was the first -to go. He was soon followed by the quartermaster and commissary, and -soon all the gentlemen named as coming to the front with General Hogg -were gone, except John T. Decherd, who had been made quartermaster -in place of William T. Long, resigned. I bought Long’s horse and -rigging, and Decherd and myself continued to run that department for -a time, and Tom Johnson was made ordnance officer in place of Rogers, -resigned. General Hogg, being stricken down with disease, was removed -to the house of a citizen two or three miles in the country, where he -was nursed by his faithful servant Bob, General W. L. Cabell meantime -being placed in command of the brigade. General Hogg died a few days -later—on the day of the battle of Farmington. - -The following “pathetic story of Civil War times” having been published -in the Nashville (Tenn.) _Banner_, _Youth’s Companion_, Jacksonville -(Tex.) _Reformer_, and perhaps many other papers, I insert it here in -order to give its correction a sort of permanent standing: - - -A SOLDIER’S GRAVE - - A pathetic story of Civil War times is related to the older people of - Chester County in the western part of Tennessee by the recent death - of ex-Governor James S. Hogg of Texas. Some days after the battle of - Shiloh, one of the decisive and bloody engagements of the war, fought - on April 6-7, 1862, a lone and wounded Confederate soldier made his - way to a log cabin located in the woods four miles west of Corinth, - Miss., and begged for shelter and food. The man was weak from hunger - and loss of blood, and had evidently been wandering through the woods - of the sparsely settled section for several days after the battle. The - occupants of the cottage had little to give, but divided this little - with the soldier. They took the man in and administered to his wants - as best they could with their limited resources. They were unable to - secure medical attention, and the soldier, already emaciated from the - lack of food and proper attention, gradually grew weaker and weaker - until he died. Realizing his approaching end, the soldier requested - that his body be buried in the wood near the house, and marked with a - simple slab bearing his name, “General J. L. Hogg, Rusk, Texas.” - - The request was complied with, and in the years that passed the - family which had so nobly cared for this stranger moved away, the - grave became overgrown with wild weeds, and all that was left to - mark the soldier’s resting-place was the rough slab. This rotted by - degrees, but was reverently replaced by some passer-by, and in this - way the grave was kept marked; but it is doubtful if the few people - who chanced to pass that way and see the slab ever gave a thought to - the identity of the occupant of the grave, until after the election - of Hon. James S. Hogg to the governorship of the State of Texas. Then - someone of Chester County who had seen the grave wrote Governor Hogg - concerning the dead soldier. In a short time a letter was received, - stating that the soldier was Governor Hogg’s father, and that he - entered the Confederate army when the war first broke out, and had - never been heard of by relatives or friends. - - After more correspondence Governor Hogg caused the grave to be - enclosed by a neat iron fence, and erected a handsome plain marble - shaft over the grave. This monument bears the same simple inscription - which marked the rough slab which had stood over the grave of one of - the South’s heroic dead. - - Conceding the truth of the statement that General J. L. Hogg, of Rusk, - Texas, died at a private house four miles west of Corinth, Miss., in - the spring of 1862, was buried near by, and that his grave has been - properly marked by his son, ex-Governor James S. Hogg, not a word - of truth remains in the story, the remainder being fiction pure and - simple, and the same may be refuted by a simple relation of the facts - and circumstances of General Hogg’s brief service in the Confederate - army and his untimely death—facts that may easily be verified by the - most creditable witnesses. - - Joseph L. Hogg was appointed brigadier-general by the Confederate War - Department in February, 1862. When his commission came he was ordered - to report for duty at Memphis, Tenn., where he would be assigned to - the command of a brigade of Texas troops. After the battle of Elkhorn - a number of Texas regiments were ordered to cross the Mississippi - River, among them the Third and Tenth Texas Cavalry—Company C of the - Third and Company I of the Tenth were made up at Rusk. General Hogg’s - oldest son, Thomas E. Hogg, was a private in Company C, and these two - regiments formed part of the brigade. - - General Hogg met the Third Texas at Duvall’s Bluff on White River, - where we dismounted, sent horses home, and went by steamer to Memphis, - accompanied by General Hogg. (The battle of Shiloh was fought while we - were on this trip.) After the delay incident to the formation of the - brigade, getting up necessary supplies, etc., we were transported by - rail, in command of General Hogg, to Corinth, or rather we were dumped - off on the side of the railroad some two or three miles west of that - town. Here General Hogg remained in command of his brigade until he - was taken sick and removed by the assistance of our very efficient - surgeon, Dr. Wallace McDugald, attended by his negro body servant, - Bob ——, than whom a more devoted, a more faithful and trustworthy - slave never belonged to any man. - - General Hogg was taken to a private house some two miles west of our - camp, where he had every necessary attention until his death. The - faithful Bob was with him all the time. Dr. McDugald turned his other - sick over to young Dr. Frazer, his assistant, and spent the most of - his time with the General,—was with him when he died,—giving to him - during his illness every medical care known to the science of his - profession. - - Thomas E. Hogg also was frequently with his father—was there when he - passed away. I visited General Hogg only once during his illness, some - two or three days before his death. I was kept very busy during this - time, and owing to a change in our camps I had to ride six or seven - miles to see him, and only found one opportunity of doing so. I found - him as comfortably situated as could be expected for a soldier away - from home, and receiving every necessary attention. - - I will state that General Hogg came to us neatly dressed in citizen’s - clothes—never having had an opportunity of procuring his uniform, so - that in fact he never wore the Confederate gray. He was not wounded, - was not under fire of the enemy; neither was his brigade, until the - battle of Farmington, which occurred the day that General Hogg died. - After his death and after the army was reorganized, “for three years - or during the war,” Dr. McDugald,—who afterwards married General - Hogg’s daughter,—Dr. I. K. Frazer, Thomas J. Johnson, one of the - General’s staff, Thomas E. Hogg, and the ever-faithful Bob all came - home, and of course related minutely to the widow, the two daughters, - and the three minor boys, John Lewis, and James Stephen, all the - circumstances of the sickness, the lamented death and burial of the - husband and father, Brigadier-General Joseph Louis Hogg. - -Our camp was moved to a point about three miles east of Corinth. -Decherd, the quartermaster, resigned and W. F. Rapley was appointed -quartermaster by General Cabell. The rate at which our men fell sick -was remarkable, as well as appalling, and distressing in the extreme. -The water we had to drink was bad, very bad, and the rations none of -the best. The former we procured by digging for it; the earth around -Corinth being very light and porous, holding water like a sponge. -When we first went there the ground was full of water, and by digging -a hole two feet deep we could dip up plenty of a mean, milky-looking -fluid; but as the season advanced the water sank, so we dug deeper, and -continued to go down, until by the latter part of May our water holes -were from eight to twelve feet deep, still affording the same miserable -water. My horse would not drink a drop of the water the men had to use, -and if I failed to ride him to a small running branch some two miles -away he would go without drinking. The rations consisted mainly of -flour, made into poor camp biscuit, and the most unpalatable pickled -beef. - -As fared General Hogg and his staff, so fared all the new troops who -saw their first service at Corinth. While many of the old troops were -taken sick, it was much worse with the new. We had one or two new Texas -regiments come into our brigade, whose first morning report showed 1200 -men able for duty; two weeks from that day they could not muster more -than 200 men able to carry a musket to the front. The sick men were -shipped in carload lots down the Mobile & Ohio Railroad, some dying on -the trains, and hundreds of others succumbing at the different towns -and stations where they were put off along down that road south of -Corinth. It seemed impossible for the surgeons and their assistants -properly to care for the number of sick on their hands. Day after day -as I passed the Mobile & Ohio depot, I saw scores of the poor sick -fellows on the platform waiting to be hauled off. On the day we left -Corinth I passed Booneville, a station ten miles below Corinth, and -here were perhaps fifty sick men lying in the shade of the trees and -bushes. One of the attendants with whom I was acquainted told me he had -just returned from a tramp of two or three miles, after water for a -wounded man. At every house he came to the well buckets had been taken -off and hid, and he finally had to fill his canteen with brackish pond -water. Why these sick men had been put off here in the woods, when the -station was the only house in sight, where they could not even get a -drink of water, I do not know. The mere recollection of those scenes -causes a shudder to this day. I was told that two dead men were lying -on the platform at Booneville, and a Federal scouting party burned the -station during the day. If it was true, they were cremated. - -As for myself, I was sick, but was on duty all the time. I performed -all the active duties of the brigade quartermaster, being compelled -to go to Corinth and back from one to three times daily, looking -after forage and other supplies; carried all orders and instructions -to the regimental quartermasters; superintended the moving of the -trains whenever and wherever they had to be moved; and, in fact, almost -lived in my saddle. But, with the exception of two or three nights -spent with the troops at the front, when the day’s duties were over, I -was comfortably situated at headquarters, having a good wall tent, a -cot, and camp-stool, and was kindly treated by General Cabell and the -members of his staff. Dr. S. J. Lewis of Rusk was our brigade surgeon, -and did everything he could for my comfort and, had I been well, my -position would have been as pleasant as I could have desired in the -army, as my duties mainly involved active horseback exercise, while -my personal surroundings were very agreeable. Nevertheless, I lost my -appetite so completely that I was unable to eat any of the rations that -were issued to the army. I could no more eat one of our biscuits than I -could have eaten a stone, and as for the beef, I could as easily have -swallowed a piece of skunk. The mere sight of it was nauseating. Had I -not been at headquarters doubtless I would have starved to death, since -there we were able to get a ham or something else extra occasionally, -and I managed to eat, but barely enough to keep soul and body together. -Dr. Lewis saw me wasting away from day to day, and advised me to take -a discharge—and quit the service; but this I declined to do. I paid -General Hogg a short visit one afternoon during his illness, and -another afternoon I rode over to Colonel Bedford Forrest’s camp, to -see my brother and some other Huntsville, Ala., friends. I found that -my brother had gone, on sick leave, with Wallace Drake, one of his -comrades, to some of Drake’s relatives, down the railroad. With these -exceptions I was not away from my post at any time. I must have gained -some reputation for efficiency, as the quartermaster of our Arkansas -regiment offered to give me half his salary if I would assist him in -his office. - -All the time we were at Corinth Major-General Halleck, with a large -army, was moving forward from Pittsburgh Landing, on the Tennessee -River, near the Shiloh battlefield, by regular approaches. That is, he -would construct line after line of intrenchments, each successive line -being a little nearer to us. Hence our troops were often turned out -and marched rapidly to the front, in expectation of a pitched battle -that was never fought, sometimes being out twenty-four hours. On one -occasion an active movement was made to Farmington in an effort to cut -off a division of the enemy that had ventured across Hatchie River, -and the move was so nearly successful that the enemy, to escape, had -to abandon all their camp equipage. On one of the days when our troops -were rushing to the front in expectation of a battle, I came up with an -old patriot marching along through the heat and dust under an umbrella, -while a stout negro boy walking by his side carried his gun. This was -the only man I saw during the war that carried an umbrella to fight -under. As the battle failed to come off that day, I had no opportunity -of learning how he would have manipulated the umbrella and gun in an -engagement. - -After General Hogg’s death and the promotion of Colonel Louis Hebert -to brigadier-general, the Third Texas was transferred to Hebert’s -brigade, and I was temporarily separated from it. On May 8 our year’s -enlistment having expired, the men re-enlisted for three years, or -during the war, and the regiment was reorganized by the election of -regimental and company officers, when all the commissioned officers -not promoted in some way returned to Texas. Captain Robert H. Cumby, -of Henderson, was elected colonel, Captain H. P. Mabry, of Jefferson, -lieutenant-colonel, and our Captain J. J. A. Barker, major. James A. -Jones was elected captain of Company C, John Germany, first lieutenant, -William H. Carr and R. L. Hood, second lieutenants. I was not present -at the election. Dr. Dan Shaw, of Rusk County, was made surgeon of the -regiment. - -Finally, on May 28, we received orders to strike tents and have the -trains ready to move. General Cabell came to my tent and advised me to -go to the hospital, but I insisted that I could make it away from there -on horseback. The next morning the trains were ordered out. Dr. Lewis, -having procured about eight ounces of whisky for me, I mounted my horse -and followed, resting frequently, and using the stimulant. About noon I -bought a glass of buttermilk and a small piece of corn bread, for which -I paid one dollar. This I enjoyed more than all the food I had tasted -for several weeks. - -On the day of the evacuation of Corinth, May 29, the Third Texas, -being on outpost, was attacked by the enemy in force, and had quite -a sharp battle with them in a dense thicket of black jack brush, -but charged and gallantly repulsed them. Our new colonel and -lieutenant-colonel not being able for service, Major Barker had asked -our old Lieutenant-Colonel Lane to remain with us for the time, so the -regiment was commanded by him and Major Barker. The regiment sustained -considerable loss in this affair, in killed and wounded. Among the -killed was my friend, the gallant young Major J. J. A. Barker; our -orderly sergeant, Wallace Caldwell, was mortally wounded, and John -Lambert disabled, so that he was never fit for service again. For the -gallant conduct of the regiment on this occasion, General Beauregard -issued a special order complimenting the Third Texas, and specially -designating a young man by the name of Smith, from Rusk County. Smith -in the charge through the brush found himself with an empty gun -confronting a Federal with loaded musket a few feet from him. The -Federal threw his gun down on him and ordered him to surrender. Smith -told him he would see him in Hades first, and turned to move off when -the fellow fired, missed his body, but cut one of his arms off above -the elbow, with a buck and ball cartridge. This was the kind of pluck -that General Beauregard admired.[1] On that day the entire army was -withdrawn and moved out from Corinth and vicinity. The manner and -complete success of this movement of General Beauregard’s has been very -highly complimented by military critics. - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -BATTLE OF IUKA - - Camp at Tupelo, Miss.—Furloughed—Report for Duty—Camp - Routine—“The Sick Call”—Saltillo—Personnel of the - Brigade—Baldwin—“Contraband”—On to Iuka—Iuka—Battle of - Iuka—Casualties—Retreat. - - -IN the early days of June our command halted and went into camp -near Tupelo, Miss., where it remained for several weeks. Here, as I -was physically unfit for service, I voluntarily abandoned my place -at General Cabell’s headquarters and returned to my own regiment. -Obtaining, without difficulty, a thirty days’ furlough, I called on Dr. -Shaw for medicine, but he informed me that he had nothing but opium, -which would do me no good. But he added, “You need a tonic; if you -could only get some whisky, that would soon set you up.” Mounting my -horse I went down into Pontotoc County, and, finding a good-looking -farmhouse away from the public roads, I engaged board with Mr. Dunn, -the proprietor, for myself and horse for thirty days. Mr. Dunn told me -of a distillery away down somewhere below the town of Pontotoc, and -finding a convalescent in the neighborhood I sent him on my horse to -look for it, with the result that he brought me back four canteens of -“tonic.” - -Now Mr. Dunn’s family consisted of that clever elderly gentleman, his -wife, and a handsome, intelligent daughter, presumably about twenty -years of age. I soon realized that I had been very fortunate in the -selection of a boarding house and that my lot for the next thirty -days had been cast in a pleasant place, for every necessary attention -was cheerfully shown me by each member of the family. They had lost -a son and brother, who had wasted away with consumption, and in my -dilapidated and emaciated condition they said I favored him, so they -were constantly reminded of a loved one who had gone to his grave in -about the same manner I seemed to be going, and they felt almost as if -they were ministering to the wants of one of the family. They lived in -a comfortable house, and everything I saw indicated a happy, well-to-do -family. Their table, spread three times a day, was all that could be -desired. We had corn bread, fresh milk and butter, fresh eggs, last -year’s yam potatoes, a plentiful supply of garden vegetables and other -good things, everything brought on the table being well prepared. At -first I had little or no appetite, but thanks to Miss Dunn’s treatment, -it soon began to improve. She, using the “tonic,” gave me an egg-nog -just before each meal, and, blackberries being plentiful, she gave me -blackberries in every form, including pies and cordial, all of which, -for one in my condition, was the best possible treatment. - -So I improved and gained strength, not rapidly, but steadily, and -though the thirty days was not as much time as I needed for a complete -convalescence, it was all I had asked for. Mr. Dunn manifested a great -deal of interest in my welfare; he did not think I could recover my -health in the service, and urged me most earnestly to go back to camp, -get a discharge, and go to Cooper’s Well, a health resort down in -Mississippi, and I was almost compelled to promise him I would do so, -when in truth I had no such intention. The thirty days having expired, -I bade farewell to these good people who had taken in a stranger and so -kindly cared for him, and returned to camp, not strong or well by any -means, but improved, especially in the matter of an appetite. - -Going up to regimental headquarters upon my return to the command I let -out my horse for his board, procured a rifle and at once reported to -our company commander for duty. The strictest military discipline was -maintained by General Louis Hebert in every particular, and one day’s -duty was very much like the duties of every other day, with a variation -for Sunday. Of course the same men did not have the same duties to -perform every day, as guard duty and fatigue duty were regulated by -details made from the alphabetical rolls of the companies, but the -same round of duties came every day in the week. At reveille we must -promptly rise, dress, and hurry out into line for roll call; then -breakfast. After breakfast guard-mounting for the ensuing twenty-four -hours, these guards walking their posts day and night, two hours on and -four hours off. Before noon there were two hours’ drill for all men not -on guard or some other special duty; then dinner. In the afternoon it -was clean up camps, clean guns, dress parade at sundown; then supper, -to bed at taps. On Sunday no drill, but, instead, we had to go out for -a review, which was worse, as the men had to don all their armor, the -officers button up their uniforms to the chin, buckle on their swords, -and all march about two miles away through the dust and heat to an old -field, march around a circle at least a mile in circumference, and back -to camps. All that, including the halting and waiting, usually took up -the time until about noon. - -With the understanding and agreement that I would be excused from the -drill ground when I broke down, and when on guard be allowed to rest -when I had walked my post as long as I could, I went on duty as a -well man. For quite a while I was compelled to leave the drill ground -before the expiration of the two hours, and when I found I could not -walk my post through the two hours some one of my comrades usually took -my place. It was necessary for me to muster all my courage to do this -kind of soldiering, but the exertion demanded of me and the exercise -so improved my condition that soon I no longer had to be excused from -any part of my duties. We had men in the command afflicted with chronic -diarrhea who, yielding to the enervating influence of the disease, -would lie down and die, and that was what I determined to avoid if I -could. - -Among other bugle calls we had “the sick call.” Soon after breakfast -every morning this, the most doleful of all the calls, was sounded, -when the sick would march up and line themselves in front of the -surgeon’s tent for medical advice and treatment. Our surgeon, Dr. Dan -Shaw, was a character worthy of being affectionately remembered by all -the members of the Third Texas Cavalry. He was a fine physician, and -I had fallen in love with him while he was a private soldier because -he so generously ex-erted his best skill in assisting Dr. McDugald to -save my life at Carthage, Mo. He was a plain, unassuming, jolly old -fellow, brave, patriotic, and full of good impulses. He was the man who -indignantly declined an appointment as surgeon soon after the battle of -Oak Hills, preferring to remain a private in “Company B, Greer’s Texas -regiment,” to being surgeon of an Arkansas regiment. - -Knowing that he had no medicine except opium, I would go up some -mornings, through curiosity, to hear his prescriptions for the various -ailments that he had to encounter. He would walk out with an old -jackknife in his hand, and conveniently located just behind him could -be seen a lump of opium as big as a cannonball. Beginning at the head -of the line he would say to the first one: “Well, sir, what is the -matter with _you_?” “I don’t know, doctor; I’ve got a pain in my back, -a hurting in my stomach, or a misery in my head, or I had a chill last -night.” “Let me see your tongue. How’s your bowels?” He would then -turn around and vigorously attack the lump of opium with his knife, -and roll out from two to four pills to the man, remarking to each of -his waiting patients: “There, take one of these every two hours.” Thus -he would go, down the line to the end, and in it all there was little -variation—none to speak of except in the answers of the individuals, -the number of pills, or the manner of taking. And what else could he -do? He had told me frankly that he had nothing in his tent that would -do me any good, but these men had to have medicine. - -For water at Tupelo we dug wells, each company a well, using a sweep -to draw it. In this hilly portion of the State good water could be -obtained by digging from twenty to twenty-five feet. - -[Illustration: FRANK M. TAYLOR - -First Captain of Company C, Third Texas Cavalry] - -From the time of the reorganization at Corinth up to the middle of July -Company C had lost a number of men. Some, as McDugald and Dillard, were -commissioned officers, and did not re-enlist; some were discharged on -applications, and others under the conscription law then in force, -a law exempting all men under eighteen and over forty-five years of -age. Among those discharged I remember the two Ackers, Croft, I. K. -Frazer, Tom Hogg, Tom Johnson, W. A. Newton, William Pennington, -and R. G. Thompson, all of whom returned to Texas except William -Pennington, who remained with us a considerable time, notwithstanding -his discharge. In the regimental officers several changes had been -made. After the death of Major Barker, Captain Jiles S. Boggess, of -Company B, from Henderson, was promoted to major; Colonel R. H. Cumby -resigned, and Lieutenant-Colonel Mabry was made colonel. J. S. Boggess, -Lieutenant-Colonel, and Captain A. B. Stone, of Company A, from -Marshall, promoted to major. About the first of August we moved up the -railroad to Saltillo, about fifteen miles north of Tupelo, established -camps, dug wells, and remained about three weeks. Here the Fortieth (?) -or Mississippi regiment joined the brigade. This was a new regiment, -just out from home, and it seemed to us, from the amount of luggage -they had, that they had brought about all their household goods along. -This regiment is remembered for these distinct peculiarities. Aside -from the weight and bulk of its baggage they had the tallest man and -the largest boy in the army, and the colonel used a camel to carry -his private baggage. The tall man was rather slender, and looked to be -seven feet high; the boy was sixteen or eighteen years old, and weighed -more than three hundred pounds. - -The brigade now consisted of the Third Texas, Whitfield’s Texas Legion, -the Third Louisiana, the Fourteenth and Seventeenth Arkansas, and the -Fortieth Mississippi.[2] The army here, commanded by General Price, was -composed of two divisions commanded by Generals Little and D. H. Maury. -Many of the troops that came out of Corinth with General Beauregard had -gone with General Bragg into Kentucky. At the end of three weeks we -moved farther up the railroad to Baldwin. Here we dug more wells, and -it was my fortune to be on the second day’s detail that dug our company -well. The first detail went down some eight feet, about as deep as they -could throw the earth out. The next morning four of us, including C. C. -Watkins and myself, the two weakest men, physically, in the company, -were detailed to continue the digging. We arranged means for drawing -the earth out, and began work, two at the time, one to dig and one to -draw. At quitting time in the evening we had it down twenty-one feet, -and had plenty of water. But we were not to remain long at Baldwin, as -preparations for moving on Iuka were soon begun. As commissary supplies -were gathered in for the approaching campaign they were stored in the -freight department of the depot. One R. M. Tevis, of Galveston, was -acting as commissary of subsistence, and Charlie Dunn, of Shreveport, -was his assistant. They occupied a small room, the station agent’s -office, in the building during the day. A good many fatigue men were -usually about the place during the day, to handle the stuff that was -brought in. - -One day, while I was on the platform, a country wagon drove up. -Tevis and Dunn seemed to have expected its arrival, as they were -soon out looking after the unloading. Among the rest was a barrel, a -well-hooped, forty-gallon barrel, and instead of being sent in with -the other stores it was hurriedly rolled into the private office of -the commissary. This proved to be a barrel of peach brandy. Now, peach -brandy was “contraband.” The character and contents of the barrel -were shrewdly guessed by the bystanders as it was hurried into its -hiding-place, and its locality, after it had been stowed away, was -clearly observed and mental note made thereof. The depot building was -located at the north end of a cut and was elevated fully three feet -above the ground, platforms and all. The Third Texas was camped along -on the east side of the cut, say one hundred yards below the depot. The -supplies were guarded day and night, the guards walking their beats, -around on the platform. The next morning the guards were seen pacing -the beats all right enough, but in the bottom of that barrel was an -auger hole, and there was an auger hole through the depot floor, but -there was not a gill of brandy in the barrel. At dress parade that -morning it was unnecessary to call in an expert to determine that the -brandy, when it leaked out, had come down the railroad cut. The two -gentlemen most vitally interested in this occurrence dared not make -complaint, but bore their sad bereavement in profound silence, and no -one else ever mentioned it. - -This brief stay at Baldwin terminated our summer vacation and our study -of Hardie’s infantry tactics. The constant all-summer drilling and the -strict discipline we had been subjected to had rendered our dismounted -cavalry the most efficient troops in the army, as they were good in -either infantry or cavalry service, as was afterwards abundantly proved. - -All things being ready, the march to Iuka was begun under General -Price, with his two divisions. Up to this time the only infantry -marching I had done, beyond drilling and reviews, was the two moves, -Tupelo to Sattillo and Sattillo to Baldwin. As we were furnished -transportation for cooking utensils only, the men had to carry all -their worldly effects themselves and the knapsack must contain all -clothing, combs, brushes, writing material and all else the soldier -had or wished to carry, in addition to his gun, his cartridge box with -forty rounds of ammunition, his cap box, haversack, and canteen. The -weather was extremely hot, and the roads dry and fearfully dusty. While -I had been on full duty for some time I was very lean, physically weak, -and far from being well, and starting out to make a march of several -days, loaded down as I was, I had some misgivings as to my ability to -make it; but I did not hesitate to try. As the object of the expedition -was to move on Iuka and capture the force there before General Grant -could reinforce them from Corinth, a few miles west of that place, the -troops were moved rapidly as practicable, the trains being left behind -to follow on at their leisure. Unfortunately for me, I was on guard -duty the last night before reaching our destination, and as we moved on -soon after midnight I got no sleep. - -Next morning after daylight, being within six or seven miles of Iuka, -the Third Texas and Third Louisiana were placed in front, with orders -to march at quick time into Iuka. Now, literally, this means thirty -inches at a step and 116 steps per minute; practically it meant for us -to get over that piece of road as rapidly as our tired legs could carry -us. To keep up with this march was the supreme effort of the expedition -on my part. I do not think I could have kept up if Lieutenant Germany -had not relieved me of my gun for three or four miles of the distance. -We found the town clear of troops, but had come so near surprising them -that they had to abandon all their commissary stores, as they did not -have time to either remove or destroy them. At the end of the march my -strength was exhausted, and my vitality nearly so. The excitement being -at an end, I collapsed, as it were, and as soon as we went into camp I -fell down on the ground in the shade of a tree where I slept in a kind -of stupor until nearly midnight. - -We remained about a week in and around Iuka, in line of battle nearly -all the time, expecting an attack by forces from Corinth; and as it was -uncertain by which one of three roads they would come, we were hurried -out on first one road and then another. One afternoon we were hurriedly -moved out a mile or two on what proved to be a false alarm, and were -allowed to return to camps. On returning we found a poor soldier lying -in our company camp with a fearful hole in his head, where a buck and -ball cartridge had gone through it. A musket was lying near him, and -we could only suppose he was behind in starting on the march, and had -killed himself accidentally. - -On the night of September 18 we marched out about four miles on the -Corinth road, leading west, and lay in line of battle until about -4 P. M. the next day, when a courier came in great haste, with the -information that the enemy was advancing on the Bay Springs road from -the south, with only a company of our cavalry in front of them. We -had then to double quick back about three miles in order to get into -the road they were on. We found them among the hills about one and a -half miles from the town, a strong force of infantry, with nine or -ten pieces of artillery, and occupying a strong position of their own -selection. We formed on another hill in plain view of them, a little -valley intervening between the two lines. Our fighting force consisted -of General Little’s division of two brigades, Hebert’s, and a brigade -of Alabama and Mississippi troops commanded by Colonel John D. Martin, -and the Clark battery of four guns, Hebert’s brigade in front of their -center, with two of Martin’s regiments on our right and two on our -left. We began a skirmish fire, and kept it up until our battery was -in position, when we began a rapid fire with canister shot. We then -advanced in double line of battle, slowly at first, down the hill on -which we had formed, across the little valley and began the ascent of -the hill on which the enemy was posted, General W. S. Rosecrans in -command. As we ascended the hill we came in range of our own artillery, -and the guns had to be silenced. The entire Federal artillery fire was -soon turned on us, using grape and canister shot, and as their battery -was directly in front of the Third Texas, their grape shot and musketry -fire soon began to play havoc with our people, four of our men, the two -files just to my right, being killed. We charged the battery, and with -desperate fighting took nine pieces and one caisson. The horses hitched -to the caisson tried to run off, but we shot them down and took it, the -brave defenders standing nobly to their posts until they were nearly -all shot down around their guns,—one poor fellow being found lying -near his gun, with his ramrod grasped in both hands, as if he were in -the act of ramming down a cartridge when he was killed. The infantry -fought stubbornly, but after we captured their guns we drove them back -step by step, about six hundred yards, when darkness put an end to a -battle that had lasted a little more than two and a half hours, the -lines being within two hundred yards of each other. - -I cannot give the number of Federal troops engaged in the battle, -but General Rosecrans, in giving his casualties, enumerates eighteen -regiments of infantry, three of cavalry, one detached company, and -four batteries of artillery. The cavalry was not in the engagement, -and I think he had but two batteries engaged. One of these, the -Eleventh Ohio Light Battery, lost its guns and fifty-four men. The -total Federal loss, reported, was 790, including killed, wounded, and -missing. Hebert’s brigade, that did the main fighting, was composed -of six regiments, reporting 1774 for duty, and lost 63 killed, 305 -wounded, and 40 missing; total, 408. Colonel Martin had four regiments -(1405 men), and lost 22 killed and 95 wounded; total, 117. We had two -batteries with us, the Clark battery and the St. Louis battery, but -they only fired a few shots. The Third Texas had 388 men, and lost 22 -killed and 74 wounded; total, 96. Company C lost W. P. Bowers, Carter -Caldwell, W. P. Crawley, and W. T. Harris killed; and J. J. Felps -severely wounded. Crawley had a belt of gold around his waist, but only -four or five of us knew this, and I presume, of course, it was buried -with him. General Maury’s division was not engaged. General Henry -Little, our division commander, was killed. Lieutenant Odell, of the -Third Texas, who was acting regimental commissary, and who was mounted -on my horse, was killed, and the horse was also killed. Colonels Mabry -and Whitfield, and, I believe, all our other colonels were wounded. The -captured artillery was drawn by hand into town that night, where the -guns were left next morning, after being spiked, as we had no spare -horses to pull them away. Spiking guns means that round steel files -were driven hard into the touch-holes, giving the enemy the trouble of -drilling these out before the guns can be of any use again. - -As General Ord was marching rapidly with a strong force from Corinth -to reinforce General Rosecrans, General Price concluded to retreat. -Putting the trains in the road some time before daylight, early in -the morning the troops marched out southward, leaving our wounded -men in Iuka and sending a detail back to bury the dead. As General -Hebert’s brigade had stood the brunt of the battle the evening before, -we were put in front and, to clear the road for the other troops, we -had to move at double quick time for six miles. This used me up, and I -obtained permission to go as I pleased, which enabled me to outgo the -command and to rest occasionally while they were coming up. We made a -march of twenty-five miles that day on our way back to Baldwin. But -oh, how my feet were blistered! They felt as if I had my shoes filled -with hot embers. Late in the afternoon, when I was away ahead of the -command I came to Bay Springs. This little village stands on a bluff -of a wide, deep creek, and is crossed by a long, high bridge. At this -time, when the creek was low, the bridge was at least twenty-five feet -above the mud and water below. I climbed down under the bluff, just -below the bridge, to a spring, where I slaked my thirst, bathed my -burning feet and sat there resting and watching the wagons cross the -bridge. Presently a six-mule team, pulling a wagon heavily loaded with -ammunition in boxes, was driven onto the bridge, and as it was moving -slowly along one of the hind wheels, the right one, ran so close to the -edge that the end of the bridge flooring crumbled off and let the wheel -down. Gradually this wheel kept sliding until the other hind wheel was -off. This let the ammunition go to the bottom of the creek, followed by -the wagon bed. Soon off came one fore wheel. This pulled off the other -one, then the wagon tongue tripped the offwheel mule and he dangled by -the side of the bridge, and soon pulled the saddle mule off, and this -process gradually went on, until the last mule started, and as he fell -off his hamestring caught on the end of the bridge flooring, and for an -instant the whole outfit of wagon and six mules hung by the hamestring, -when it broke and down went the wagon and the six mules atop of it. The -driver had seen the danger in time to make his escape. - -We soon arrived at Baldwin, our starting point. Our wounded left at -Iuka fell into the hands of the enemy and were kindly treated and well -cared for. The good women of the town and surrounding country came to -their rescue nobly, and they received every necessary attention. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -BATTLE OF CORINTH - -Captain Dunn, the “Mormon”—Paroles—Baldwin—On to -Corinth—Conscription—Looking for Breakfast—The Army Trapped—A -Skirmish—Escape—Holly Springs—Battle of Corinth—Casualties—Cavalry -Again. - - -CAPTAIN DUNN, of Company F, was one of our badly wounded men, one of -his legs having been broken by a grape shot. Captain Dunn was a unique -character. He was a lawyer by profession, a very bright fellow, and -lived at Athens, Tex. The first I ever knew of him he came to Rusk just -before the war, to deliver an address to a Sunday-school convention. -He was a very small man. In fact, so diminutive in stature that he -was almost a dwarf. He was a brave, gallant soldier, a companionable, -pleasant associate, and much of a wag. He was a great lover of fun, so -much so that he would sacrifice comfort and convenience and risk his -reputation in order to perpetrate a joke. - -The ladies who came to nurse and care for our wounded soldiers at -Iuka were like other women in one particular respect, at least,—they -were desirous to know whether the soldiers were married or single, -religious or otherwise, and if religious, their church relationship, -denominational preferences and so on, and would converse with the boys -with a view of learning these particulars. The usual questions were -put to Captain Dunn by one of these self-sacrificing attendants. He -made no effort to deny that he was married and, with some hesitation, -frankly acknowledged that he was a member of the church of the Latter -Day Saints, usually called Mormons, which was enough information -for one interview. With the exclamation, “Why, _you_ a Mormon!” the -woman retired. In whispers she soon imparted to all the other ladies -who visited the hospital the astounding information that one of the -Texas soldiers was a Mormon. They were incredulous, but after being -vehemently assured by the interviewer that she had it from his own -lips, some believed it was true, while others believed it was a joke -or a mistake. To settle the question they appointed a committee -of discreet ladies to ascertain the truth of the matter, and the -committee promptly waited upon Captain Dunn. Without loss of time in -preliminaries, the spokeswoman of the committee said: “Captain Dunn, we -have heard that you are a Mormon and have come to you, as a committee, -to learn the truth of the matter. Are you a Mormon?” “Yes, madam,” -said Captain Dunn. “Have you more than one wife?” “Yes,” said Captain -Dunn, “I have four wives.” “Captain Dunn, don’t you think it awful -wrong? Don’t you think it’s monstrous to be a Mormon?” “No, madam,” -said Dunn, “that’s my religion, the religion I was brought up in from -childhood. All of my regiment are Mormons. All of them that are married -have two or more wives. The colonel has six; some have four, and some -five, just as they may feel able to take care of them.” A meeting of -the ladies was then called, an indignation meeting, and indignation was -expressed in unmeasured terms. The very idea! that they had scraped -lint, torn their best garments into bandages, had cooked and brought -soups and all the delicacies they could prepare to the hospital—done -all they could, even to the offering up their prayers, for a detestable -Mormon, with four wives! It was unanimously resolved that it could be -done no longer. From that good hour, in passing through the hospital -ministering to the wants of all the other wounded, they gave Dunn not -even as much as a look, to say nothing of smiles, cups of cold water, -soups, cakes, pies, and other more substantial comforts. - -This neglect of Captain Dunn was eventually noticed by the other -soldiers, talked of, and regretted by them and its cause inquired into. -They earnestly interceded with the ladies in his behalf, and urged -them that whatever Captain Dunn’s faults might be, he was a brave -Confederate soldier, and had been severely wounded in an attempt to -defend their homes, that he was suffering greatly from his wounds; that -if he was a Mormon he was a human being, and for humanity’s sake he -deserved some attention and sympathy, and should not be allowed to die -through neglect. This argument finally prevailed, the resolution was -rescinded, and the captain fared well for the rest of the time, even -better than he had before the matter came up. - -One day one of the ladies asked Captain Dunn how it happened that he -got his leg so badly crushed. In the most serious manner he said to -her: “Well, madam, I am captain of a company, and when we got into the -battle the Yankees began shooting cannonballs at us, and to protect my -men I got out in front of them and would catch the cannonballs as they -came and throw them back at the Yankees; but when the battle grew real -hot they came so fast I couldn’t catch all of them, and one of them -broke my leg.” - -As soon as our men thought they were able to travel they were paroled -and allowed to go free. When Captain Dunn was paroled he went to Texas -for a rest, until he supposed he might be exchanged. On his return, -he was traveling through Arkansas when a woman on the train asked him -where he was going? He replied, “Madam, I am going to Richmond in the -interest of the women of Texas. I am going to make an effort to induce -the Confederate congress, in view of the great number of men that are -being killed in the war, to pass a law providing that every man, after -the war ends, shall have two wives.” - -When paroling our people their paroles were filled out by a Federal -officer and presented to them for their signatures. The majority of the -men cared little about the form, but only of the fact that they were to -be allowed to go free until they were exchanged. But when they came to -Colonel Mabry he read the parole over very carefully. He was described -as H. P. Mabry, a colonel in the “so-called Confederate States Army.” -Mabry shook his head and said, “Sir, can you not leave out that -‘so-called?’” He was informed that it could not be done. “Then,” said -the colonel, “I will not sign it.” “In that case,” said the officer, -“you will have to go to prison.” “Well,” Mabry replied, “I will go to -prison and stay there until I rot before I will sign a parole with -that ‘so-called Confederate States’ in it.” - -Captain Lee, of the Third Texas, was of the same way of thinking, and -they both went to prison and remained there until they were exchanged, -being sent to some prison in Illinois. Some months after they were -exchanged and came back to us we captured some prisoners one day. One -of them inquired if the Third Texas was there, and was told that it -was. “Then,” said he, “take me to Colonel Mabry or Captain Lee, and -I’ll be all right.” This man was a “copperhead” whose acquaintance they -had made while in prison. He didn’t want to serve in the army against -us, but had been drafted in, and was glad of an opportunity of changing -his uniform. - -At Baldwin about two days was spent in preparation for a march to -Ripley, there to join General Van Dorn’s command for a move on Corinth. -I was on fatigue duty while at Baldwin, and had no time to recuperate -after the hard campaign to Iuka and back, having been on guard duty the -night before arriving at Ripley. We camped at that town one night and -started next morning, September 29, 1862, for Corinth, General Van Dorn -in command. On that morning I found myself with a fever, and feeling -unequal to a regular march I obtained permission to march at will, and -found Lieutenant R. L. Hood and F. M. Dodson in the same condition and -having a like permit. We joined our forces and moved up the hot, dusty -road about six miles. Being weary, footsore, and sick, we turned into -the woods, lay down and went to sleep under some oak trees and did not -wake until the beef cattle were passing us in the afternoon. This -meant that we had slept until the entire army was ahead of us—cavalry, -infantry, artillery, and wagon train. We moved on until night without -overtaking our command. Nearing the village of Ruckersville it occurred -to me that many years ago this had been the post office of Peter -Cotten, my mother’s brother. Stopping at a house to make inquiries, I -learned that Willis Cook, his son-in-law, lived only three-quarters of -a mile west of the village. We turned in that direction, and soon found -the place without difficulty. My call at the gate was answered by my -uncle at the front door. I recognized his voice, although I had not -heard it since I was a small boy. Going into the house I made myself -known to him and his daughter, Mrs. Crook, and received a cordial -welcome, such a welcome as made me and my comrades feel perfectly at -home. My good cousin, Tabitha, whose husband, Willis Crook, was in the -cavalry service, and in the army then on its way to Corinth, soon had -a splendid supper ready for us and in due time offered us a nice bed. -We begged out of occupying the beds, however, and with their permission -stretched our weary limbs under a shade tree in the yard and enjoyed a -good night’s sleep. - -Next morning one or two of the party had chills, and we rested for the -day. We soon learned that a Federal cavalry command had dropped in -behind our army, and so we were cut off. Had we gone on in the morning -we would probably have been captured during the day. Learning how we -could find parallel roads leading in the direction we wished to go, -late in the evening we started, traveled a few miles and slept in the -woods. The next morning we moved on until ten o’clock, and meeting a -ten-year-old boy on a pony in a lane, we asked him if he knew where we -could get something to eat. He said there was a potato patch right over -there in the field. We asked him to whom it belonged, and he answered: -“It belongs to my uncle; but he is laying out in the brush to keep out -of the army;” and told us that his uncle lived up on the hill a short -distance ahead of us. We did not go into the potato patch, but went -up to the uncle’s house. The house was a fairly good one, and in the -front were two good-sized rooms with a wide, open hall. As we marched -up to the rail fence in front of the house a woman came out into the -hall, and we could see that the very looks of us aggravated and annoyed -her. By way of getting acquainted with her, Dodson said: “Madam, -have you got any water?” In a sharp, cracked voice, she answered: “I -reckon I have. If I hain’t, I would be in a mighty bad fix!” Having it -understood that Dodson was to do the talking, we marched in and helped -ourselves to a drink of water each, from a bucket setting on a shelf -in the hall. During the next few minutes silence of the most profound -sort prevailed. We stood there as if waiting to be invited to sit down -and rest, but instead of inviting us to seats she stood scowling on us -as if she was wishing us in Davy Jones’ locker or some similar place. -Hood and myself finally moved a little towards the front of the hall, -and the following dialogue took place between Dodson and the woman: -Dodson: “Madam, we are soldiers and are tired and hungry. We have -been marching hard, and last night we slept in the woods and haven’t -had anything to eat. Could we get a little something here?” “No, you -can’t. I don’t feed none of your sort. You are just goin’ about over -the country eatin’ up what people’s got, and a-doin’ no good.” “Why, -madam, we are fighting for the country.” “Yes, you are fightin’ to keep -the niggers from bein’ freed, and they’ve just as much right to be free -as you have.” “Oh, no, madam; the Bible says they shall be slaves as -long as they live.” “The Bible don’t say no sech a thing.” “Oh, yes, it -does,” said Dodson, gently; “let me have your Bible and I’ll show it to -you.” “I hain’t got no Bible.” “Madam, where is your husband?” “That’s -none of your business, sir!” “Is he about the house, madam?” “No, he -ain’t.” “Is he in the army, madam?” “No, he ain’t. If you _must_ know, -he’s gone off to keep from bein’ tuk to Ripley and sold for twenty-five -dollars.” “Why, madam, is he a nigger?” “No, he ain’t a nigger; he’s -just as white as you air, sir.” “Well, madam, I didn’t know that they -sold white men in Mississippi.” “No, you don’t know what your own -people’s a-doin’.” During the conversation I kept my eye on the lowest -place in the fence. What she said about being sold for twenty-five -dollars was in allusion to a reward of that amount offered by the -conscript authorities for able-bodied men who were hiding in the brush -to keep out of the army. - -That night we lodged with a good old Confederate who treated us the -best he could. Next morning Dodson bought a pony from him, which we -used as a pack-horse to carry our luggage. We then moved much easier. -Late in the evening we crossed Hatchie River on the bridge over which -the army had passed on its way to Corinth. Here we found Adam’s Brigade -and Whitfield’s Legion guarding the bridge, that it might be used in -the event of the army’s being compelled to retreat. This bridge was -only a short distance south of the Memphis & Charleston Railroad, and a -few miles west of Corinth. We took the railroad and followed it nearly -all night, turning off to sleep a little while before daylight. Early -in the morning we struck across into the main-traveled road, and pushed -on in an effort to rejoin our command. About nine or ten o’clock we -came to a house, and determined to try for some breakfast, as we were -quite hungry. We afterwards learned that a poor old couple occupied the -house. Walking up to the front door we asked the old lady if we could -get some breakfast, telling her we had been out all night and were -hungry, and so on, the usual talk. She very readily said, yes, if we -would wait until she could prepare it. She then invited us to come in -and be seated, and said she would have the meal ready in a few minutes. - -In a little while she came back and invited us in to breakfast in a -little side room used for a kitchen and dining-room. As we started in -I was in front, and as we entered the little dining-room and came in -sight of the table she began to apologize because she was unable to -give us anything more. I glanced at the table and saw a small, thin -hoe-cake of corn bread and a few small slices of bacon, “only this -and nothing more.” I asked her if that was all she had. She answered -that it was. Then I said, “Where are you going to get more when that -is gone?” She did not know. Not doubting the truth of her statements, -I said: “Madam, while we are hungry and do not know when we will get -anything to eat, we could not take all you have. While we are just as -thankful to you as if you had given us a bountiful breakfast, we are -soldiers, and can manage to get something to eat somewhere, and will -leave this for you and your husband,” and we bade her good-by without -sitting down to the table or tasting her scanty offering. - -This poor old woman, who must have been sixty or more years old, had -said, without a murmur and without hesitation or excuse, that she would -prepare us some breakfast, and gone about it as cheerfully as if she -had had an abundance, cooking us all the provisions she had, and only -regretted she could not do more for us,—this, too, when not knowing -where she would get any more for herself. - -After leaving this humble abode we soon began to meet troops, -ambulances, and so on, and from them we learned that our army was -falling back. Instead of going farther we stopped on the roadside and -waited for our command. Noticing a squad of soldiers out some distance -from the road engaged apparently about something unusual, my curiosity -led me out to where they were. To my surprise I found they were Madison -County, Alabama, men, most of whom I knew. They were burying a poor -fellow by the name of Murry, whom I had known for years, and who lived -out near Maysville. They had rolled him up in his blanket and were -letting him down into a shallow grave when I approached, and they told -me that some of the boys that I knew were wounded—in a wagon just -across the road. I soon found my old friends, John M. Hunter and Peter -Beasley, of Huntsville, Ala., in a common, rough road-wagon. Poor -Hunter! he was being hauled over the long, rough road only that he -might die among his friends, which he did in a few days. Beasley was -not dangerously wounded. - -We soon after joined our command and marched westward toward Hatchie -bridge. But long before we got there Generals Ord and Hurlbut had -come down from Bolivar, Tenn., with a heavy force of fresh troops, -had driven our guards away, and were in undisputed possession of the -crossing. Whitfield’s Legion had been on the west side and had been so -closely crowded, with such a heavy fire concentrated on the bridge, -that they had to take to the water to make their escape. - -Here was a problem confronting General Van Dorn, a problem which must -be speedily solved, otherwise a dire calamity awaited his whole army. -These two divisions of fresh troops were in front of an army of tired, -hungry, worn-out Confederates, with General Grant’s victorious army -only a few miles in our rear. What was called the boneyard road ran -some miles south of us and crossed the river on a bridge at Crum’s -Mill; but this bridge, as a precautionary measure, had just been -burned, and even now its framework was still aflame. The route we were -on led west from Corinth parallel with, and but a little south of, the -Memphis & Charleston Railroad, crossing Hatchie only a short distance -south of Pocahontas. After crossing the river we would turn south on -the main Ripley road, and this road ran parallel with the river, -passing not far, three or four miles perhaps, west of Crum’s Mill, so -that a force might move rapidly from Corinth, on the boneyard road, -cross at Crum’s Mill and strike us in the flank and possibly capture -our trains. Hence the precaution of burning this bridge. Everything of -our army, whether on wheels, on foot, or on horseback, was now between -Ord and Hurlbut in front and Grant and Rosecrans in the rear, without a -crossing on Hatchie. The trains were parked, with a view, as I was told -at the time, to burning them, leaving the troops to get out as they -could, and we already had visions of swimming the stream. Personally I -was wondering how much of my luggage I could get over with, and whether -or not I could make it with a dry gun and cartridge box. General Price, -in this dilemma, undertook to get the trains out, and he succeeded -notably. - -We had a pretty heavy skirmish with the forces at the bridge, with -infantry and artillery, but only to divert attention from the trains -as they moved out to gain the boneyard road. General Price went to the -mill and, pulling down the gable end, cast it on the mill dam, and -thus made a temporary bridge over which the trains and artillery were -driven. Then that gallant old man, who had just proved himself to be -as much at home acting as chief wagon master as when commanding his -army corps, sat on his horse at the end of his unique bridge nearly -all night, hurrying the wagons and artillery across. On the west bank -of the stream he kept a bonfire alight, which threw a flickering glare -across the bridge. As each teamster drove on to the east end of the -queer bridge he would slow up his team and peer through the dim light -for the proper and safe route. Just as he would slow up one could hear -the loud, distinct voice of “Old Pap” shouting: “Drive up there! Drive -up! Drive up! Drive up!” And thus it continued until every wheel had -rolled across to the west side of the Hatchie. - -After we left the vicinity of the bridge and after the skirmishing -ceased, there was no time for order in marching, unless it was with the -rear-guard; no time to wait for the trains to stretch out into the road -and to follow it then in twos. We fell into the road pell-mell, and -moved in any style we wished to, in among the wagons, or any way just -so we moved along and kept out of the way of those behind us. During -the afternoon, in the middle of the road, I stumbled upon a small pile -of corn meal, half a gallon, maybe, that had sifted out of a commissary -wagon, and gathered part of it into my haversack, mixed with a little -dirt. I crossed the bridge away along, I suppose, about 11 P. M., after -which I stopped and watched General Price’s maneuvers and the crossing -of the wagons until after midnight. - -In the meantime I hunted around and found an old castaway tin cup, -dipped up some river water and made up some dough, and then spreading -it out on a board, I laid it on General Price’s fire until it was -partially cooked. Surely it was the most delicious piece of bread I -have ever tasted, even to this day. - -When a good portion of the Third Texas had come up we moved on into the -Ripley road and were sent northward for a mile or two, where we lay -in line of battle in ambush, near the road until the trains had all -passed. - -After daylight we moved on towards Ripley, being again permitted -to march at will, as we had marched the night before. Approaching -Ruckersville my heart turned again toward my good cousin, Tabitha -Crook. Taking little David Allen with me, I made haste to find her -home. Arriving there a short time before dinner, I said to her, -“Cousin, I am powerful hungry.” “Oh, yes,” she said, “I know you are, -Willis came by home last night, nearly starved to death.” Soon we were -invited into her dining-room and sat down to a dinner fit for a king. -Here I met her brother, George Cotten, whom I had never seen before. -After dinner Mrs. Crook insisted that we rest awhile, which we did, -and presently she brought in our haversacks filled up, pressed down, -and running over with the most palatable cooked rations, such as fine, -light biscuits, baked sweet potatoes, and such things, and my mess -rejoiced that night that I had good kins-people in that particular part -of Mississippi, as our camp rations that night were beef without bread. - -We then moved on to Holly Springs and rested for some days, after a -fatiguing and disastrous campaign, which cost us the loss of many brave -soldiers, and lost General Van Dorn his command, as he was superseded -by General J. C. Pemberton. - -The battle of Corinth was fought October 3 and 4, 1862. I do not know -the number of troops engaged, but our loss was heavy. According to -General Van Dorn our loss was: Killed, 594; wounded, 2162; missing, -2102. Total, 4858. The enemy reported: Killed, 355; wounded, 2841; -missing, 319. Total, 3515. But if General Rosecrans stated the -truth, our loss was much greater than General Van Dorn gave, as he -(General R.) stated that they buried 1423 of our dead, which I think -is erroneous. Company C lost our captain, James A. Jones, mortally -wounded; John B. Long and L. F. Grisham, captured. As Captain Jones -could not be carried off the field, Long remained with him and was -taken prisoner, being allowed to remain with Captain Jones until he -died. They were sent to Louisville, Ky., and then to Memphis, Tenn., -where Captain Jones lingered for three months or more. After his death, -Long, aided by some good women of Memphis, made his escape and returned -to us. - -It was at the battle of Corinth that the gallant William P. Rogers, -colonel of the Second Texas Infantry, fell in such a manner, and -under such circumstances, as to win the admiration of both friend and -foe. Even General Rosecrans, in his official report, complimented -him very highly. The Federals buried him with military honors. It -was at Corinth, too, that Colonel L. S. Ross, with the aid of his -superb regiment, the Sixth Texas Cavalry, won his brigadier-general’s -commission. - -The evening before reaching Holly Springs we had what in Texas would -be called a wet norther. Crawling in a gin-house I slept on the cotton -seed, and when we reached Holly Springs I had flux, with which I -suffered very severely for several days, as the surgeon had no medicine -that would relieve me in the least. In a few days we moved south to -Lumpkin’s Mill, where we met our horses and were remounted, the Third, -Sixth, Ninth and Whitfield’s Legion composing the cavalry brigade, -which organization was never changed. The army was soon falling back -again, and continued to do so until it reached Grenada, on the south -bank of Yalabusha River. - -As we were now in the cavalry service we did the outpost duty for the -army north of the Yalabusha. - -[Illustration: JOHN GERMANY - -Fourth and last Captain Company C, Third Texas Cavalry] - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -HOLLY SPRINGS RAID - - At Grenada—Scouting—Engagement at Oakland—Chaplain Thompson’s - Adventure—Holly Springs Raid—Jake—The Bridge at Wolf River—I Am - Wounded—Bolivar—Attack on Middleburg—Christmas. - - -WINTER weather came on us very early for the climate, snow having -fallen to the depth of two or three inches before the middle of -October, while the forests were still green, and the weather was -intensely cold all during the fall months. While in this part of the -field we had to be active and vigilant without having much fighting to -do, and we enjoyed life fairly well. - -General Washburn was sent out from Memphis with a force, estimated to -be 10,000 men, and crossing Cold Water he came in our direction. The -brigade in command of Lieutenant-Colonel John S. Griffith, of the Sixth -Texas, moved up northwest to the little town of Oakland to meet him. -Starting in the afternoon we marched through a cold rain which benumbed -us so that many of us were unable to tie our horses when we stopped -to camp at night. Next morning we passed through Oakland about ten -o’clock and met the enemy a mile or two beyond and had a lively little -engagement with them, lasting, perhaps, half an hour, in which our men -captured a baby cannon, somewhat larger than a pocket derringer. - -As we advanced in the morning, Major John H. Broocks, of the Legion, -commanded the advance guard composed of a squadron of which our company -was a part. About a half mile out of the little town, when we came to -where the road forked, he halted and ordered me to take five men and -go on the left-hand road a half or three-fourths of a mile, get a good -position for observation, and remain there until he ordered me away. We -went on and took our position, the main force moving on the right-hand -road. Very soon they met the enemy and got into an engagement with them -across a field nearly opposite our position. After awhile the firing -having ceased, we heard our bugle sound the retreat, heard the brigade -move out, and soon the Federals advanced until they had passed the -forks of the road, when a battery began throwing shells at us. But no -orders came from Major Broocks. Our position becoming untenable, and -knowing we had been forgotten, and being unable to regain the road, -we struck due south through the woods and rode all night, in order to -rejoin the command. Finding it next morning, Major Broocks was profuse -in his apologies for having forgotten us. - -In the fight at Oakland we had about ten men wounded, Chaplain R. W. -Thompson, of the Legion, voluntarily remaining to take care of them -and dress their wounds. He had gotten them into a house and was very -busy dressing the injury of one of them when a Federal soldier, with -a musket in his hand, walked in and purposed making him a prisoner. -Mr. Thompson was very indignant and stormed at the fellow in such a -manner as to intimidate him, and he walked out and left him, and -Thompson went on with his duties. Presently he was again accosted, and -straightening himself up, he looked around to confront an officer and -gaze into the muzzle of a cocked revolver. The officer asked, “Who are -you?” “I am a Confederate soldier,” said Thompson. “Then,” said the -officer, “I guess I’ll take you up to General Washburn’s quarters.” -“I guess you will not,” replied Thompson. “Well, but I guess I will,” -said the officer. By this time Thompson was very indignant and said: -“Sir, just take that pistol off me for half a minute and I’ll show you -whether I will go or not.” “But,” said the officer, “I am not going to -do that, and to avoid trouble, I guess you had better come on with me.” -So Rev. Mr. Thompson went, and was soon introduced to the general, who -said to him, “To what command do you belong, sir?” Thompson answered, -“I belong to a Texas cavalry brigade.” “Are you an officer or private?” -inquired the general. “I am a chaplain,” said Thompson. “You are a -d——d rough chaplain,” said the general. “Yes,” replied the chaplain, -“and you would say I was a d——d rough fighter if you were to meet me -on a battlefield with a musket in my hands.” “How many men have you in -your command, sir?” asked the general, meaning the force he had just -met. Mr. Thompson replied, “We have enough to fight, and we have enough -to run, and we use our discretion as to which we do.” The general -stamped his foot in anger and repeated the question, and got the same -answer. “You insolent fellow!” said the general, stamping his foot -again. “Now,” said Thompson in return, “let me say to you, General, -that if you wish to gain any information in regard to our forces that -will do you any good, you are interrogating the wrong man.” “Take this -insolent fellow out of my presence and place him under guard!” said -the general. This order was obeyed, when a crowd soon began to gather -around Thompson, growing larger and larger all the time and looking -so vicious that Thompson was actually afraid they were going to mob -him. Casting his eyes around he saw an officer, and, beckoning to him, -the officer made his way through the crowd and soon dispersed it. -Thompson’s “insolence” cost him a long march—from there to the bank of -the Mississippi River, where they released him, with blistered feet, to -make his way back to his command. - -Mr. Thompson was indiscreet, perhaps, in his manner, which was, no -doubt, detrimental to himself; but he felt conscious that they had no -right to detain him as a prisoner, or to interfere with his duties, -and their manner irritated him. He was a good, whole-souled man, bold -and fearless, and the best chaplain I knew in the army. What I could -say about army chaplains, so far as my observation went, would not -be flattering and, perhaps, had better be unsaid. But the Rev. R. W. -Thompson, as chaplain of Whitfield’s Texas Legion, was a success, and -he was with us in adversity as well as in prosperity. When at leisure -he preached to us and prayed for us; when in battle he was with the -infirmary corps, bearing the wounded from the field, or assisting the -surgeons in dressing their wounds and ministering to their wants. We -all loved him, and thank God he was spared to do noble work for his -Master and his church for many years after the Civil War was over, and -I believe he is still living. - -This Oakland affair occurred December 8, 1862. We had 1264 cavalry with -a battery of four guns. Brigadier-General C. C. Washburn had 2500 men -and two batteries. The engagement lasted about fifty minutes. - - * * * * * - -In the meantime General Grant had organized a fine army of about -75,000 men, including infantry, artillery, and cavalry, and was slowly -moving down the Mississippi Central Railway. His front had reached as -far south as Coffeeville, his objective point being Vicksburg, and he -intended to co-operate with the river forces in taking that Confederate -stronghold. General Pemberton’s small army was gradually falling back -before him. As the general depot of Federal supplies was at Holly -Springs, and to destroy Grant’s supplies might turn him back, or at -least would cripple him more than the best fighting we could do in his -front, this was determined on. - -General Earl Van Dorn, who was known to be a fine cavalry officer, -was just then without a command. Lieutenant-Colonel John S. Griffith, -commanding a brigade, joined by the officers of the regiments composing -the brigade, about the 5th of December petitioned General Pemberton to -organize a cavalry raid, to be commanded by General Van Dorn, for the -purpose of penetrating General Grant’s rear, with the idea of making an -effort to destroy the supplies at Holly Springs, and to do any other -possible injury to the enemy. In due time the raid was organized. We -took Holly Springs, captured the guards, destroyed the supplies, and -General Grant was compelled to abandon his campaign. - -From this time General Van Dorn commanded us until his untimely death -at the hands of an assassin. A more gallant soldier than Earl Van Dorn -was not to be found, and as a cavalry commander I do not believe he had -a superior in either army. What I may say about this, however, here -or elsewhere, I know is of little worth, as most people have formed -and expressed an opinion—some in favor of Forrest, some Stuart, and -some Joe Wheeler; but any man who was with us on this expedition and -at other times, and who watched General Van Dorn’s maneuvers closely, -studied his stratagems and noted the complete success of all his -movements, would have to admit that he was a master of the art of war -in this line of the service. At the head of an infantry column he moved -too rapidly, too many of his over-marched men failed to get into his -battles; but place him in front of good men well mounted, and he stood -at the head of the class of fine cavalry commanders. - -With three brigades, ours, General W. H. Jackson’s and Colonel -McCulloch’s, aggregating about 3500 men in light marching order, -without artillery, we moved from the vicinity of Grenada early after -dark, about the 18th of December, and marched rapidly all night. We -passed through Pontotoc next day, when the good ladies stood on the -street with dishes and baskets filled with all manner of good things -to eat, which we grabbed in our hands as we passed rapidly through the -town. After passing Pontotoc a command of Federal cavalry dropped in -on our rear, fired a few shots and picked up some of our men who had -dropped behind. Among those picked up was our Indiana man, Harvey N. -Milligan. Somehow the boys had come to doubt Milligan’s loyalty, and -suspected that he had fallen behind purposely to allow himself to be -captured. When the rear was fired on the colonel commanding the rear -regiment sent a courier up to notify General Van Dorn. The fellow came -up the column in a brisk gallop. Now, to pass from the rear to the -front of a column of 3500 cavalry rapidly marching by twos is quite -a feat, but he finally reached General Van Dorn, and with a military -salute he said: “General, Colonel —— sent me to inform you that the -Yankees have fired on his rear!” “Are they in the rear?” inquired the -general. “Yes, sir,” answered the courier. “Well, you go back,” said -the general, “and tell Colonel —— that that is exactly where I want -them.” It was interesting to note how adroitly he managed to keep in -our rear on the entire expedition all their forces that attempted in -any way to interfere with our movements. Their scouts were, of course, -watching us to determine, if possible, our destination. - -In going north from Pontotoc, General Van Dorn, instead of taking the -Holly Springs road, passing east of that place, headed his command -towards Bolivar, Tenn. Their conclusion then was, of course, that we -were aiming to attack Bolivar. Stopping long enough at night to feed, -we mounted our horses and by a quiet movement were placed on roads -leading into Holly Springs, dividing the command into two columns, so -as to strike the town by two roads. We moved slowly and very quietly -during the night, and while we were moving directly towards the town -guards were placed at the houses we passed lest some citizen might -be treacherous enough to inform the enemy of our movements. The road -our column was on was a rough, unworked, and little used one. At the -first appearance of dawn, being perhaps three miles from town, we -struck a gallop and, meeting no opposition, we were soon pouring into -the infantry camps near the railroad depot, situated in the eastern -suburbs. The infantry came running out of the tents in their night -clothes, holding up their hands and surrendered without firing a gun. -Our other column encountered the mounted cavalry pickets, and had a -little fight with them, but they soon galloped out of town, and on -this bright, frosty morning of December 20, A. D. 1862, the town, -with its immense stores of army supplies, was ours. Standing on the -track near the depot was a long train of box cars loaded with rations -and clothing only waiting for steam enough to pull out for the front. -This was burned as it stood. Leaving the Legion to guard the prisoners -until they could be paroled, the Third Texas galloped on uptown. The -people, as soon as it was known that we were Confederates, were wild -with joy. Women came running out of their houses, to their front gates -as we passed, in their night robes, their long hair streaming behind -and fluttering in the frosty morning air, shouting and clapping their -hands, forgetting everything except the fact that the Confederates were -in Holly Springs! On every hand could be heard shouts—“Hurrah for -Jeff Davis! Hurrah for Van Dorn! Hurrah for the Confederacy!” - -A mere glance at the stores—heaps upon heaps of clothing, blankets, -provisions, arms, ammunition, medicines, and hospital supplies for the -winter, all for the use and comfort of a vast army—was overwhelming -to us. We had never seen anything like it before. The depot, the depot -buildings, the machine shops, the roundhouse, and every available space -that could be used was packed full, and scores of the largest houses -uptown were in use for the same purpose, while a great number of bales -of cotton were piled up around the court-house yard. One large brick -livery stable on the public square was packed full, as high as they -could be stacked, with new, unopened cases of carbines and Colt’s -army six-shooters, and a large brick house near by was packed full of -artillery ammunition. - -For about ten hours, say from 6 A. M. to 4 P. M., we labored -destroying, burning, this property, and in order to do this effectually -we had to burn a good many houses. Riding out in the afternoon, to the -yard where the wagons were being cut down and burned, I found numbers -of mules and horses running at large, some of our men turning their -lean horses loose and taking big fat captured horses instead. Just then -it occurred to me that I had no horse of my own in Mississippi, my -mount having been killed at Iuka. John B. Long being in prison when the -horses came, I was using his. Now, if I only had some way of taking one -of these horses out. Starting back uptown, puzzling over this problem, -I met a negro boy coming out of a side street, and hailed him. In -answer to my inquiries he said his name was Jake, and belonged to -Mr. —— down at Toby Tubby’s ferry on the Tallahatchie. “What are you -doing here?” I inquired. “Dese Yankees has bin had me prisoner.” After -a little further colloquy he readily agreed to go with me. “Cause,” -said he, “you-all done whipped de Yankees now. Dey bin braggin’ all de -time how dey could whip de rebels so fast, and when you all come in -here dis mornin’ dey went runnin’ everywhere, looking back to see if -de rebels was comin’. I done see how it is now. I don’t want nothin’ -more to do with dese Yankees. I’se bin hid under de floor all day.” I -took one of the abandoned horses, procured a mule for Jake to ride, -with saddle, bridle and halter, and taking the outfit uptown said to -Jake: “Now, when we start you fall in with the other negroes, in the -rear, and keep right up, and when we camp you inquire for Company C, -Third Texas Cavalry—and hold on to the horse at all hazards.” I had no -further trouble with Jake. He carried my instructions out all right. -About 4 P. M., having finished our day’s work, we moved out of the -northeast part of the town, and looking back we saw the Federal cavalry -coming in from the southwest. - -In this raid we captured about 1500 prisoners, according to General Van -Dorn, and General Grant said the same. They were commanded by Colonel -R. C. Murphy of the Eighth Wisconsin Infantry. Poor Murphy! he was -peremptorily dismissed from the service without even a court martial. -General Grant estimated their loss in supplies destroyed at $400,000, -while General Van Dorn’s estimate was $1,500,000. Doubtless one was -too low and the other one too high. We marched out a few miles and -camped for the night, and all the evening we could hear the artillery -cartridges exploding in the burning buildings. - -The next day early we were on the march northward. That morning when I -awoke I felt a presentiment that if we had to fight during that day I -would be wounded, and no effort of mine was sufficient to remove the -impression, even for a moment. As the weather was quite cold, visions -of the horrors of going to prison in midwinter troubled me, since a -wound that would put me past riding my horse would mean that I would be -left to fall into the enemy’s hands. Near noon we came to Davis’ Mill, -near the Tennessee line, not far from Lagrange, Tenn., where we made -an effort to destroy a railroad bridge and trestle on Wolfe River. It -was guarded by 250 troops, commanded by Colonel William H. Morgan of -the Twenty-fifth Indiana Infantry. We were fooling about this place -three hours perhaps, and it was late before I understood the meaning -of our maneuvers. Our brigade was dismounted, double-quicked here and -double-quicked there, double-quicked back to our horses, remounted, -galloped off to another place, double-quicked again somewhere else -and back to our horses. Then, remounting, we took another gallop and -double-quicked again to the only tangible thing I saw during the day, -and that was to charge a blockhouse or stockade. - -The enemy was in what they called a blockhouse, constructed by -taking an old sawmill as a foundation and piling up cotton bales and -cross-ties, and throwing up some earthworks. Approaching this by a -wagon road we came to a bridge across a slough perhaps two hundred -yards from their fort. We met their first bullets here, as part of -their fire could be concentrated on this bridge. Crossing a little -river bottom, entirely open except for a few large white oak trees, -we came to a bridge across Wolfe River about seventy yards from their -works. To charge in column across this bridge under their concentrated -fire was the only chance to get to them, but coming to this bridge we -found that the floor was all gone, leaving only three stringers about -ten inches square, more or less, on which we could cross. Running -along the bank up the river to the right was a levee some three feet -high. The men in front, five or six impetuous fellows, running on to -the stringers, one of them fell as he started across, and the others -crossed the river. When I reached the bridge the command was deploying -behind the levee without attempting to cross. I remained near the -bridge. By this time I was more fatigued, I thought, than I had ever -been, with the perspiration streaming off my face, cold as the day -was. Here we kept up a fire at the smoke of the enemy’s guns, as we -could not see anything else, until a courier could find General Van -Dorn, inform him of the situation and ascertain his wishes as to the -advisability of our attempting to cross the river. Anxious to know what -had become of the men that went onto the bridge, I rose up and looked -over the levee. One of them had been killed and was lying in the edge -of the water, and the others were crouched under the opposite bank -of the river out of immediate danger. While this observation only -required a moment of time and a moment’s exposure above the levee, -I distinctly felt a minie ball fan my right cheek. While I had not -doubted for a moment that I was going to be shot somewhere sometime -during the day, this narrow escape of having a minie ball plow through -my cheek was very unpleasant. The thought of the ugly scar such a wound -would leave flashed into my mind, and wondering where I was to be -wounded I settled down behind the levee and continued firing my Sharps’ -rifle without exposing myself. Finally we were ordered to fall back. -As soon as we were on our feet, and while crossing the little bottom, -we would again be exposed to the enemy’s fire, so the command fell -back at double-quick. I rose and started, and, looking around, I saw -Lieutenant Germany fall, and turned back to assist him, supposing he -was shot; but as I approached him he jumped up and passed me, laughing, -having merely stumbled and fallen. This threw me behind everybody. I -soon found I was so fatigued that I could not double-quick at all, so -I slowed up into an ordinary walk. The command, in the meantime, to -avoid the fire that could be concentrated on the slough bridge, had -flanked off to the left some distance above, and crossed on chunks and -logs that had fallen in the slough. Very soon I was the only target for -the men in the blockhouse, and they shot at me for sheer amusement. At -last a ball struck me on the right thigh. Thinking it was broken, I -stopped, bearing all my weight on my left foot, and, selecting a large -white oak near by, intending, if I could not walk to manage somehow to -pull myself behind this to shield myself, I waited for “something to -turn up.” Soon learning, however, that my thigh was not broken, I moved -on. Rather than lose time in going up to where the command had crossed -and run the risk of being left behind, supposing that on reaching the -horses they would mount and move off, I determined to cross on the -bridge, which I did in a slow walk, and am sure there was no less than -a hundred shots fired at me. Somehow I felt that I was not going to be -shot more than once that day, so even after I got across the bridge -and lay down to drink out of a little pool of water in the road, their -bullets spattered water in my face. I managed to get off with the -command, and while my wound was slight it bled freely and caused me a -good deal of pain, as I had to ride constantly for several days, and -was unable to dismount to fight any more on this trip. - -We camped not far from Davis’ Mill, and crossed the Memphis & -Charleston Railroad early next morning, cutting the telegraph wires, -tearing up the track, burning cross-ties, and bending and twisting -the rails. Leaving, we struck a gallop towards Sommerville, Tenn., -and galloped nearly all day. Entering Sommerville unexpectedly, we -created a little consternation. There was a Union mass meeting in -the town, and, there being no thought that there was a Confederate -soldier in a hundred miles of them, they were having an enthusiastic -time. Some of the old gentlemen, pretty boozy on good Union whisky, -stood on the streets and gazed at us with open mouths. I heard one -old fellow yell out, “Hurrah for Sommerville!” Another one standing -near him yelled out, “Oh, d——n Sommerville to h——l; I say hurrah -for the soldiers!” The good ladies, however, when they learned who we -were, began bringing whatever they had to eat, handing it to us as we -passed along. Camping a few miles out, next morning we took the road -leading to Jackson, Tenn., a road which passes west of Bolivar. In the -afternoon, however, we changed our course, traveling by roads leading -eastward, and camped several miles north of Bolivar. - -Next morning, December 24, by making demonstrations against Bolivar, -General Van Dorn induced the enemy to gather all his forces in the -vicinity for its defense, including 1500 cavalry under Colonel -Grierson, sent by General Grant in pursuit of us. We moved down a main -road leading into Bolivar from the north, formed fours, driving in -their cavalry scouts and infantry pickets to the very suburbs of the -town, where the column was turned to the right through alleys, byways, -and vacant lots until we were south of the town, when moving quietly -out southward, we thus again had all our opposition in our rear. Moving -down the railroad seven miles, Middleburg was attacked. As our troops -dismounted and formed a line, Ed. Lewis, of Company B, was killed. I -remained mounted, with the horses. The command moved up into the town -and found the enemy in a brick house with portholes, through which they -fired. This was not taken. Of Company C, A. A. Box was killed here. -After staying for two hours, perhaps, we moved off just as the enemy’s -cavalry from Bolivar came up and fired on our rear. - -The next point threatened was Corinth, in order to concentrate the -forces in that neighborhood. Leaving Middleburg, we passed through -Purdy, took the Corinth road, and moved briskly until night, went into -camp, fed, and slept until 1 A. M., when we saddled up, mended up the -camp-fires and moved through neighborhood roads, into the Ripley road. -Reaching Ripley at noon we rested, fed, and ate our Christmas dinner. -In about two hours we moved out, and looking back we could see the -enemy’s cavalry from Corinth entering the town. They fired a piece of -artillery at us, but as they were in our rear we paid no attention to -them. Crossing the Tallahatchie at Rocky Ford we camped on the banks of -the stream. Here General Van Dorn waited for the enemy until noon the -next day, but Colonel Grierson, who was pretending to follow us, never -put in an appearance. In the afternoon we moved to Pontotoc and camped -there that night in a terrible drenching rain. We then moved leisurely -back into our lines, with “no one to molest us or make us afraid.” - - - - -CHAPTER X - -THE ENGAGEMENT AT THOMPSON’S STATION - - January, 1863—Jake Arrested—Detailed—My Brother Visits Me—Elected - Second Lieutenant—Battle of Thompson’s Station—Duck River—Capture - of the Legion—The “Sick Camp”—Murder of General Van Dorn. - - -“THE Holly Springs raid,” never to be forgotten by the participants -therein, having now become a matter of history, we rested for a time. -January, 1863, came, and with it a great deal of rain, making mud very -abundant and the roads very bad. During one of these cold rainy days, -who should come pulling through the mud nearly half a leg deep, but -the “aforesaid Harvey N. Milligan, late of Indiana.” He had made his -escape from the enemy, and, minus his horse, had made his way back to -us through the rain and mud afoot. “I told you Milligan was all right,” -was a remark now frequently to be heard. A day or two after this, -word came around that there were a half dozen horses at regimental -headquarters to be drawn for by the companies. I went up to represent -Company C, and drawing first choice, I selected a horse and gave him -to Milligan. During that same year he deserted on that very horse, and -rode him into the Federal lines. - -My boy Jake having brought my horse out of the enemy’s lines, of course -I expected he would wish to return home, and I proposed to give him -the mule and let him go to his master. But no, he begged me to allow -him to stay with me, to feed and attend to my horse, do my mess duties -and such work. Of course I could not drive him off. This boy, eighteen -or nineteen years old, perhaps, became a splendid servant, and as much -devoted to me, apparently, as if I had raised him. Some months after -this we were passing through Columbus, Miss., one day, and his owner, -happening to be there, saw him, arrested him and sent him home. When I -heard of it that night of course I supposed I would never see Jake any -more, but to my surprise he came back in a short time, mounted on a -splendid mule. When I started back to Texas in February, 1865, Jake was -anxious to go with me, but I gave him a horse and saddle, and told him -to take care of himself. - -The severe horseback service we had had since the battle of Corinth, -and our diet, principally sweet potatoes, had restored my health -completely, my wound had healed, and I was in good condition to do -cavalry service. At this time, too, I was detailed to work in the -regimental quartermaster’s department. We were ordered to middle -Tennessee, and started through the cold mud. My present position put -me with the trains on a march, and we had a great time pulling through -the mud, and in some places we found it almost impassable. Crossing the -Tennessee River a short distance below the foot of Mussell Shoals we -struck the turnpike at Pulaski, Tenn., proceeding thence to Columbia, -and then, crossing Duck River a few miles below that place, we moved -up and took position near Springhill in front of Franklin, and about -thirteen miles south of that place. - -One evening soon after we went into camp on the turnpike some ten -miles below Columbia, two men rode into the camp inquiring for me. I -soon learned that it was my brother, accompanied by “Pony” Pillow, -who had come for me to go with them to Colonel Billy Pillow’s, who -lived on a turnpike three or four miles west from the one we were on. -Obtaining permission, I then accompanied them. My brother had been -sick for some time, and had been cared for by the Pillows, first by -Granville Pillow’s family and then by Colonel Billy’s family. He had -now recovered and was about ready to return to his command, which was -on the right wing of General Bragg’s army, while we were camped on the -extreme left. - -I found Colonel Billy Pillow to be a man of ninety-four years, -remarkably stout and robust for a man of his age. His family consisted -of a widowed daughter, Mrs. Smith, who had a son in the army; his -son, “Pony” Pillow; and his wife. This old gentleman was a cousin -to my grandmother Cotten, and had moved with her family and his -from North Carolina when they were all young people. They told me -of my grandmother’s brother, Abner Johnson, who had lived in this -neighborhood a great many years, and died at the age of 104 years. The -next day we visited Colonel Pillow’s sister, Mrs. Dew, a bright, brisk -little body, aged ninety-two years, and the day following we spent the -day at Granville Pillow’s. Granville Pillow was a brother of General -Gideon J. Pillow, and nephew of Colonel Billy. He was not at home, but -we were welcomed and well entertained by Mrs. Pillow and her charming -young married daughter, whose husband was in the army. Mrs. Pillow -inquired to what command I belonged, and when I told her I belonged to -a Texas command, she asked me if I was an officer or private? When I -told her I was a private, she said it was a remarkable fact that she -had never been able to find an officer from Texas, and that the most -genteel, polite and well-bred soldier she had met during the war was a -Texas private. She added that while Forrest’s command had camped on her -premises for several weeks, and many of them had come into her yard and -into her house, she never had found a private soldier among them. This -was in keeping with the “taffy” that was continually given the Texas -soldiers as long as we were in Tennessee. - -In the afternoon, bidding my brother farewell, I left him, overtaking -my command, as it had finished crossing Duck River and was camped on -the north bank. - - * * * * * - -Franklin is situated on the south bank of Big Harpeth River, being -fortified on the hills north of the river overlooking the town. General -Van Dorn established his headquarters at Spring Hill, about thirteen -miles south of Franklin, on the Franklin and Columbia turnpike. -Brigadier-General W. H. Jackson was assigned to duty as commander of a -division composed of Whitfield’s Texas brigade and Frank C. Armstrong’s -brigade. Many of the Texas boys were very indignant, at first, that -General Jackson, a Tennessean, should be placed over them—so much -so that they hanged him in effigy. He was sensible enough to pay no -attention to this, but went on treating us so kindly and considerately -that we all learned to respect him and like him very much. - -Some time in the early part of this year, 1863, Colonels J. W. -Whitfield and Frank C. Armstrong were appointed brigadier-generals. -Near the end of February, I think, John B. Long returned to us, and -reported the death of our captain, James A. Jones, having remained -with him until he died in Memphis, after which J. B. made his escape. -First Lieutenant John Germany now being promoted to captain, and Second -Lieutenant W. H. Carr promoted to first lieutenant, this left a vacancy -in the officers, which was filled by my election by the company as -second lieutenant. So I gave up my position with the quartermaster and -returned to the company, quitting the most pleasant place I had ever -had in the army, for Captain E. P. Hill, our quartermaster, was one -of the best and most agreeable of men, my duties were light, and my -messmates and associates at headquarters good, jolly fellows. - -Our duties in front of Franklin were quite active, as we had several -important roads leading southward to guard, and frequent skirmishes -occurred, as the pickets usually stood in sight of each other on the -hills that were crossed by the turnpike roads, especially on the main -Columbian pike. In addition to the Columbia pike, running directly -south from Franklin, there was Carter’s Creek pike, leading southwest, -and the Lewisburg pike, leading southeast. Still no considerable -fighting was done until the 4th day of March, which culminated in -the battle of Thompson Station on the 5th. On the 4th, Colonel John -Coburn of the Thirty-third Indiana Volunteers was ordered out by -General Gilbert, with a force of nearly 3000 men, including infantry, -cavalry, and about six pieces of artillery, to proceed to Spring Hill -and ascertain what was there. About four miles from Franklin they -were met by a portion of General Van Dorn’s command, and pretty heavy -skirmishing resulted, when both armies fell back and camped for the -night. Our forces retired to Thompson’s Station, nine miles south of -Franklin, and went into camp south of a range of hills running across -the pike just south of the station. This is a very hilly country, and -the Nashville & Decatur Railroad runs through a little valley between -two ranges of hills, and the station is in the valley a short distance -west of Columbia pike. - -On the morning of the 5th the enemy was found to be advancing again, -and leaving our horses behind the hill, we crossed over to the north -side, and near a church just south of the station we were formed behind -a stone fence—that is, Whitfield’s brigade, other troops to our right -and left, our artillery being posted to our right on the hill near the -pike. The enemy advanced to the range of hills north of the station, -on which was a cedar brake. From our position back to the hill and -cedar brake was an open field with an upgrade about half a mile wide, -the station, with its few small buildings, standing in between the -lines, but much nearer to us. The Federal artillery was posted, part -on each side of the pike, directly in front of ours, and the batteries -soon began playing on each other. Colonel Coburn, not seeing our line -of dismounted men behind the stone fence, ordered two of his infantry -regiments to charge and take our batteries, and they came sweeping -across the field for that purpose. When they came to within a short -distance of our front, Whitfield’s brigade leaped over the fence, -and, joined by the Third Arkansas, of Armstrong’s brigade, charged -them, and soon drove them back across the open field, back to the hill -and cedar brake, their starting point. Here they rallied, and being -re-enforced they drove our forces back to the station and stone fence, -where, taking advantage of the houses and stone fence, our forces -rallied and, being joined by the remainder of General Armstrong’s -brigade, drove them back again. This attack and repulse occurred three -successive times. In the meantime General Forrest, with two regiments -of his brigade, had been ordered to move around to the right and gain -their rear, and as they retired to their hill and cedar brake the third -time, Forrest opened fire on their rear, and they threw down their guns -and surrendered—that is, those that were still upon the field. Their -artillery, cavalry, and one regiment of infantry had already left. - -The engagement lasted about five hours, say from 10 A. M. to 3 P. M. -Our loss was 56 killed, 289 wounded, and 12 missing; total, 357. The -enemy’s loss was 48 killed, 247 wounded, and 1151 captured; total, -1446. Among the captured were seventy-five officers, including Colonel -Coburn, the commander, and Major W. R. Shafter, of the Nineteenth -Michigan, who is now Major-General, and one of the heroes of the -Spanish-American war.[3] - -Company C lost Beecher Donald, mortally wounded. Among the killed -of the Third Texas of my acquaintances I remember Drew Polk (alias -“Redland Bully”), of Company E, and Sergeant Moses Wyndham, a friend of -mine, of Company A. From the day of the Oak Hill battle up to this day -we had never been able to get T. Wiley Roberts into even a skirmish, -but to-day he was kept close in hand and carried into the battle, but -ran his ramrod through his right hand and went to the rear as related -in this chronicle. Among the losses was Colonel S. G. Earle, of the -Third Arkansas, killed; and my friend H. C. Cleaver, an officer in -the same regiment, was wounded. Rev. B. T. Crouch of Mississippi, a -chaplain, was killed while acting as aide-de-camp to General Jackson. -Captain Broocks, brother of Lieutenant-Colonel John H. Broocks, was -also killed. - -The dwelling houses in the vicinity of Thompson’s Station were situated -in the surrounding hills overlooking the battlefield, but out of -danger, and from these houses a number of ladies witnessed the battle. -When they saw the enemy being driven back they would clap their hands -and shout, but when our forces were being driven back they would hide -their eyes and cry. Thus they were alternately shouting and crying all -day, until they saw nearly twelve hundred of the enemy marched out and -lined up as prisoners, and then they were permanently happy. - -Here we lost the beautiful flag presented to us in the Indian -Territory, the staff being shot in two, while in close proximity to -the enemy. The bearer picked it up, but as he had to make his escape -through a plum thicket the flag was torn into narrow ribbons and left -hanging on the bushes. - -[Illustration: JESSE W. WYNNE - -Captain Company B, Third Texas Cavalry] - -General Van Dorn had four brigades under his command at this -time—Forrest’s brigade of four regiments and a battalion, Martin’s -brigade of two regiments, Armstrong’s brigade of two regiments, one -battalion, and one squadron, and Whitfield’s brigade of four Texas -regiments. All these participated, more or less, in the battle, but as -Jackson’s division was in the center the brunt of the battle fell on -them, as the losses will show. Whitfield lost 170 men, Armstrong, 115, -Forrest, 69, and Martin, 3. - -General Gordon Granger took command at Franklin immediately after the -battle of Thompson Station. He and General Van Dorn were said to be -classmates at West Point, and good friends personally, but it seemed -that they made strenuous efforts to overreach or to out-general each -other. - -About March 8 another expedition was sent out by the enemy apparently -for the purpose of driving us out of the neighborhood. Skirmishing -began on the Columbia and Lewisburg pikes, some three or four miles -south of Franklin, and was continued on the Columbia road for about -three days, until we fell back across Rutherford Creek and took a -strong position behind a range of hills south of the creek, destroying -the bridges. In the meantime heavy rains were falling, the creek rising -so that General Granger’s forces were delayed about two days in their -efforts to cross, and all that could be done was to skirmish across -the creek. Duck River, just behind us, rose so high and ran so swift, -that pontoon bridges could not be maintained across it. A battle could -not be risked with only a small ferryboat in such a stream. Still -the skirmishing went on, until the trains and artillery were ferried -across, when, leaving skirmishers on the hill to deceive the enemy, -we moved up the river through cedar brakes to White’s bridge, twenty -miles, crossed to the south side of the river, and when the enemy -crossed Rutherford Creek they found no rebels in their front. We moved -down through Columbia, and five or six miles down the Mount Pleasant -turnpike and went into camp. - -“Pony” Pillow’s wife had been kind enough to knit me a pair of fine -yarn gauntlets, and having heard that we had crossed Duck River, she -sent them to me, by her husband, who came up soon after we struck camp. -While he was there I was ordered to take a squad of men whose horses -needed shoes, go into the country and press one or two blacksmith -shops, and run them for the purpose of having a lot of shoeing done. -I got my men and went home with Pillow, took charge of shops in the -neighborhood, and was kept on duty there about eight days, staying with -my old grand-cousin’s family every night. I enjoyed this opportunity of -talking with the old gentleman very much, as he had known my maternal -grandparents when they were all children in Guilford County, North -Carolina, before the Revolutionary War. He, himself, had been a soldier -for eight years of his life, and had been shot through the body with -a musket ball. In these war times he loved to talk about his exploits -as a soldier. While I was there he mounted his horse and rode several -miles through the neighborhood, to the tanyard and the shoe shop, to -procure leather and have a pair of boots made for his grandson, who was -in the army. - -The work of shoeing the horses having been completed, and Duck River -having subsided, we crossed back to the north side again, taking up -our old position near Spring Hill, and resumed our picketing and -skirmishing with General Granger’s forces. It is unnecessary, even if -it were possible, to allude to all these skirmishes. The picket post -on Carter’s Creek pike, eight miles from Franklin, was regarded as -important for some reason, and an entire regiment from our brigade was -kept there. One regiment for one week and then another regiment for the -next, and were sent there with strict orders to have horses saddled -and everything in readiness for action at daybreak in the morning. The -Third Texas had been on the post for a week, and was relieved by the -Legion under Lieutenant-Colonel Broocks. The Legion had been there two -or three days, and had grown a little careless, as nothing unusual -had ever happened to any of the other regiments while on duty there. -Just at daybreak one morning in the latter part of April Granger’s -cavalry came charging in upon them and completely surprised them in -their camps, before they were even up, and captured men, horses, mules, -wagons, cooking utensils—everything. Colonel Broocks and some of his -men made their escape, some on foot and some on horseback, but more -than a hundred were captured, their wagons cut down and burned, their -cooking utensils broken up, and their camp completely devastated. One -of the escaped men came at full speed to our camps, some three miles -away, and as quick as possible we were in our saddles and galloping -towards the scene of the disaster—but we were too late. We galloped -for miles over the hills in an effort to overtake the enemy and -recapture our friends, but failed. - -We all felt a keen sympathy for Colonel Broocks and his men, for no -officer in the army would have felt more mortification at such an -occurrence than the brave, gallant John H. Broocks. It was said that he -was so haunted by the sounds and scenes of the capture of his regiment -that he was almost like one demented, and that for days and days -afterwards he would sit away off alone on some log, with his head down, -muttering, “Halt! you d——d rebel, halt!” - -At one time during April General Van Dorn, with a goodly number of -his command, made a demonstration upon Franklin, drove in all their -outposts, and, selecting the Twenty-eighth Mississippi Cavalry and -leading it himself, he charged into the heart of the town. - -The night following the race we made after the Broocks’ captors, -my horse fell sick and became unfit for service. In consequence I -was ordered to send him to the pasture in charge of the command, a -few miles below Columbia, and take command of “the sick, lame, and -lazy camp” on Rutherford Creek, a temporary camp made up of slightly -disabled men, and men with disabled horses or without horses. I was on -duty here two weeks, with about as little to do as could be imagined. -It was while I was on duty here that General Van Dorn’s death occurred -at his headquarters at Spring Hill. He was assassinated by one Dr. -Peters, who was actuated by an insane jealousy. Dr. Peters was an -elderly man, with a pretty young wife; General Van Dorn was a gay, -dashing cavalier. Dr. Peters was in the general’s office when he came -in from breakfast, and asked the general to sign a pass permitting him -to pass through the picket lines. As General Van Dorn was writing his -signature to the paper, Dr. Peters stood behind him. When Van Dorn had -given the last stroke with the pen, the doctor shot him in the back of -the head, and, having his horse ready saddled, he mounted and galloped -up to our pickets, passed through, and made his escape. As soon as the -crime was known a number of the general’s escort mounted their horses -and gave chase, but they were too late to stop the doctor. - -In a few days after this very sad occurrence General Jackson’s division -was ordered to Mississippi by rapid marches, and about the middle of -May we reluctantly bade adieu to this beautiful, picturesque middle -Tennessee. - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -THE SURRENDER OF VICKSBURG - - Moving Southward—I Lose My Horse—Meet Old Huntsville Friends—A New - Horse—In Mississippi—“Sneeze Weed”—Messenger’s Ferry—Surrender of - Vicksburg—Army Retires—Fighting at Jackson—After Sherman’s Men—A - Sick Horse—Black Prince—“Tax in Kind”—Ross’ Brigade—Two Desertions. - - -I NOW disbanded my important command on Rutherford Creek, and telling -my men that every fellow must take care of himself, I joined the -movement towards Mississippi. Leaving in the afternoon, we camped -on the north bank of Duck River opposite Columbia. That night while -walking into a deep gully I sprained an ankle very badly. Next morning -my foot and ankle were so swollen I could not wear my boot, so I -exchanged it for an old rusty brogan shoe found in an ambulance, and -shipped all my luggage in the ambulance. I made my way to the pasture -eight miles below, mounted my horse and joined the command. - -Before reaching camp that night my horse was taken with a peculiar -lameness in one of his hind legs. Next morning soon after starting -he became lame again, and grew rapidly worse, so much so that I fell -behind, being unable to keep up. Soon I had to dismount and lead him, -driving him and urging him along in every possible way, spending the -day in that manner, and walking most of the time. In the afternoon -I saw that contingent called stragglers. One man rode up and said to -me, “Hello, Barron! you are gone up for a horse. You’ll have to have -another. Have you got any money?” “Not much,” I replied. Pulling out a -one hundred dollar bill, he said: “Here, take this; it will do you some -good.” During the afternoon another, and after a while still another -passed me, saying and doing precisely the same thing. Crossing Elk -River just before dark, I stopped to spend the night at the first house -on the road. The next morning my horse was dead. I had expected to -trade him, but now I was completely afoot, encumbered with my rigging, -fifteen miles behind the command, which had gone on the Athens, Ala., -road. - -After visiting the lot I went back to breakfast, feeling that I was a -good many miles from home, but not particularly daunted. I had all the -time believed that a soldier who volunteered in the Confederate army -in good faith and was honestly doing his duty would come out of all -kinds of difficulties in good shape. After breakfast I watched the road -until noon. At last a man of our brigade came along leading a horse, -and I inquired to whom he belonged. “One of the boys that was sent to -the hospital.” I then explained to him my situation. “All right,” said -he, “you take this pony, find you a horse, and leave the pony with -the wagon train when you come to it.” “The pony” was a shabby little -long-haired mustang with one hip bone knocked down, but I was mounted -for the time. - -It was now Saturday afternoon. I was only thirty miles from Huntsville -and might find a horse there, so it occurred to me, but I had no -desire to go there at this time. In the condition circumstances had -placed me, I only wished to procure a horse suitable for my necessities -and follow my command. I mounted the mustang and took the Huntsville -road, inquiring for horses along the way. I stayed all night at Madison -Cross roads, and was not recognized by the man at whose house I spent -the night, although I had been acquainted with him for several years. I -went out next morning, Sunday as it was, and examined and priced one or -two horses in the neighborhood, but found I could not pay for one even -if I had fancied him, which I did not. So I continued my course towards -Huntsville, jogging along very slowly on my borrowed horse, as the -weather was quite warm. When within two or three miles of town I left -the Pulaski road and turned in through some byways to the residence of -Mr. Tate Lowry, a friend of mine who lived near the Meridianville pike, -a mile or two out of town. I rode up to his place about noon, just as -he had returned from church. He extended me a very cordial welcome to -his house, which was only occupied by himself, his good old mother, -and little boy. We soon had a good dinner. Out in the office I enjoyed -a short sleep, a bath, and began dressing myself, Mr. Lowry coming in -and placing his entire wardrobe at my service. I was soon inside of a -nice white shirt and had a pair of brand new low-quartered calfskin -shoes on my feet. He then brought me a black broadcloth frock coat, but -there I drew the line. Having a neat gray flannel overshirt, I donned -that, buckled on my belt and felt somewhat genteel. As there were to -be religious services at the Cumberland church in the afternoon, we -agreed to go into town. We walked in, however, as I had no disposition -to show the mustang to my friends in town, and when we arrived at the -church we found the congregation assembled and services in progress. I -went quietly in and seated myself well back in the church, and when the -services ended everybody, male and female, came up to shake hands, all -glad to see me, among them my home folks, Mrs. Powers (“Aunt Tullie”), -and Miss Aggie Scott, her niece. I accompanied them home, and met Mr. -W. H. Powers, with whom I had lived and worked for several years, -and who was my best friend. I found it a delightful experience to be -here after an absence of more than three and half years. Of course I -explained to them why I was in Huntsville and how I became lame. On -Monday morning Mr. Powers called me in the parlor alone, and said to -me, “Do you need any money?” “That depends,” I said, “on the amount a -horse is going to cost me.” “Well,” he said, “if you need any, let me -know, and at any time that you need any money, and can communicate with -me, you can get all the Confederate money you need.” During the day our -L. H. Reed came in from the command, bringing me a leave of absence to -answer my purpose while away from the command. - -Here I met my friend (Rev. Lieutenant-Colonel W. D. Chadick), who said -to me upon learning my purpose in this neighborhood: “I have a good -horse I bought very cheap, to give my old horse time to recover from a -wound. He is about well now, and as I cannot keep two horses you can -have him for what he cost me.” “How much was that?” “Three hundred -dollars.” “All right,” said I, “the three one hundred dollar bills -are yours, and the horse is mine.” This animal was a splendid sorrel, -rather above medium size, about seven years old, sound as a dollar, and -a horse of a good gaits. When I had gone forty miles from Huntsville -one thousand dollars of the same currency would not have bought him. On -Tuesday I had him well shod, mounting him the next morning, and while -I was sorely tempted to remain longer, I started for Mississippi. I -really had a very bad ankle, and could have called on an army surgeon -and procured an extension of my leave and spent a few days more in this -delightful way, but hoping to be well enough to perform the duties that -came to my lot by the time I reached the command, I pulled myself away. - -I went out and got the pony, left the borrowed articles of clothing, -and crossing Tennessee River at Brown’s Ferry, I laid in corn enough -before I left the valley to carry me across the mountains where -forage was scarce. I strapped it on the pony and made good time to -Columbus, Miss. Here I was detained several hours by Captain Rice, the -post commander, much against my will. He claimed that he was ordered -by General Jackson, in case he found an officer in the rear of the -command, to detain him until he gathered up a lot of stragglers, who -were to be placed in charge of the officer, to be brought up to the -command. After worrying me several hours, he turned me over a squad of -men, and I started out with them. As soon as I crossed the Tombigbee -River I turned them all loose, and told them I hoped they would go to -their commands; as for me, I was going to mine, and I was not going to -allow a squad of men to detain me for an instant. - -I passed through Canton about dark one evening, and learning what road -the command was probably on, having left my pony as per instructions, -I rode into our camp just at midnight. The next morning we moved to -Mechanicsburg, loaded, capped, and formed fours, expecting to meet -the enemy, which, however, did not prove to be the case. I therefore -was able to be at my post by the time the first prospect of a fight -occurred. - -On my way down one day, I passed where the command had camped on a -small creek, and noticing several dead mules I inquired into the cause, -and was told they were killed from eating “Sneeze weed,” a poisonous -plant that grows in middle and southern Mississippi. I learned to -identify it, and as we had several horses killed by it afterwards, I -was very careful when we camped, to pull up every sprig of it within -reach of my horse. - -On the long march from Spring Hill, Tenn., to Canton, Miss., Company C -had the misfortune to lose four men—Dunn, Putnum, and Scott deserted, -and McCain was mysteriously missing, and never heard of by us again. - - * * * * * - -General U. S. Grant had swung round with a large army through Jackson, -Miss., fought a battle with General Pemberton at Raymond and another at -Baker’s Creek, Champion Hill, where General Pemberton was driven back, -having General Loring’s division and twenty pieces of his artillery -cut off. Pemberton was compelled to fall back across Big Black River -at Edward’s Depot into Vicksburg with the remainder of his army, and -General Grant had thrown his army completely around Vicksburg on the -land side, and that city was besieged. We were sent down here to hover -around the besieging army, to see that they “‘have deyselves, and keep -off our grass.” The large gunboats in the river, above and below, with -their heavy ordnance were bombarding the city. These huge guns could -be heard for many miles away, from early morning until night. When I -first heard them I inquired the distance to Vicksburg, and was told it -was a hundred miles. During the siege we had active service, driving -in foraging parties, picketing, scouting, and occasionally skirmishing -with the enemy. - -About the first of July we drove the enemy’s pickets from Messenger’s -Ferry, on Big Black River, and held that crossing until the 5th. -Vicksburg was surrendered on the 4th, and on the evening of the 5th -our pickets were driven from the ferry by a large force under General -Sherman, who began crossing the river and moving east. General Joseph -E. Johnston was in command of our army outside of Vicksburg, and at the -time the city was surrendered he was down on Big Black, with his forces -and a train loaded with pontoons—everything indicating his intention -to attempt a cut through the enemy’s line to relieve General Pemberton. -As soon as the surrender occurred General Johnston began falling back -towards Jackson, and we fought the advancing enemy several days while -he was making this retrogressive movement. We fought them daily, from -early in the morning until late in the afternoon, holding them in -check, though some days they advanced several miles and others only -two or three, owing to the nature of the ground and the more or less -favorable position afforded us. This detention gave General Johnston -time to move his trains and infantry back at leisure and to get his -army in position in front of Jackson. Finally falling back to Jackson, -we passed through our infantry lines in front of the city and took our -position on the extreme right wing of our army, beyond the northern -suburbs of the city. Jackson, it may be well to state, is located on -the west bank of Pearl River. General Sherman’s right wing rested on -Pearl River south of the city, and his lines extended in a semicircle -around the west of the city. Here we fought more or less for about -a week, with some pretty severe engagements, directly in front of -the city. In passing through the northern portion of the city to the -position assigned to us we passed the State Lunatic Asylum. After we -formed a line and everything was quiet, there being no enemy in our -front, Joe Guthery, of Company B, sauntered out and reconnoitered a -little and upon his return he approached Captain Jesse Wynne and said: -“Captain, you ought to see General Johnston’s fortifications down by -the asylum. He’s got a great big swiege gun planted there that demands -the whole country around.” - -One afternoon our works were assaulted by a brigade of General Lauman’s -division, who were almost annihilated. For this move he was promptly -superseded, as it was claimed he acted without orders. After some heavy -fighting in front of the city I chanced to pass our field hospital -where the surgeons were at work, and just behind the hospital I looked -into an old barrel about the size of a potato barrel and discovered it -was nearly full of stumps of arms and legs, bloody and maimed, just as -they had fallen under the knife and saw. This to me was so ghastly a -sight that I never remember it without a shudder. - -As we had heretofore been dismounting to fight, I had not had an -opportunity of trying my new horse under fire until now. We had a -long line of skirmishers in extension of our line to the right in -front of us and three or four hundred yards from a line of the enemy’s -skirmishers. They were in the brush not exposed to view, so a desultory -fire was kept up all along the line. I was sent up the line to deliver -some orders to our men, and as I had to ride up the entire line and -back, the enemy’s skirmishers soon began firing at me, and kept it up -until I made the round trip, the minie balls constantly clipping the -bushes very near me and my horse. This completely demoralized him, and -he would jump as high and as far as he possibly could every time he -heard them. Some horses seem to love a battle, while others are almost -unmanageable under fire. The first horse I rode in the army was lazy -and had to be spurred along ordinarily, but when we were going into -a battle and the firing began he would champ the bits, pull on the -bridle, and want to move up. - -After some four days in front we were sent to the rear of Sherman’s -army, where we captured a few wagons and ambulances and destroyed some -cotton, and upon returning encountered the enemy’s cavalry at Canton. -While we were on this enterprise General Johnston had retired from -Jackson and fallen back to Brandon, and General Sherman, after a few -days, returned to Vicksburg. Our brigade now moved out into Rankin -County for a rest. Here orders were issued for thirty-day furloughs to -one officer and three men of the company. As Lieutenant Hood was away -on sick leave, I proposed to Lieutenant Carr that we would concede -Captain Germany the first leave. No, he would not do that; he was as -much entitled to it as Captain Germany. “All right,” said I; “then -we’ll draw for it, and I will be sure to get it.” The drawing turned -out as I had prophesied, and I presented the furlough to Captain -Germany. The furloughs those days had a clause, written in red ink, -“provided he shall not enter the enemy’s lines,” and that meant that in -our case our men should not go to Texas. - -In this “Siege of Jackson,” as General Sherman called it (July 10-16, -1863), the enemy’s reported losses in killed, wounded and missing -numbered 1122. I am unable to give our losses, but in the assaults they -made we lost very few men. General Sherman had three army corps on this -expedition. - -Our rest near Pelahatchie Depot was of short duration, as we were -soon ordered back to guard the country near Vicksburg on the Big -Black and Yazoo Rivers, with headquarters at Bolton Station. During -Sherman’s occupation of Jackson he had destroyed miles of railroad -track, bridges, and depots, and had also destroyed rolling stock, -including passenger cars, flat cars, and locomotives. Now in August a -force of their cavalry came out from Memphis and undertook to steal -all the rolling stock on the Mississippi Central Railroad. They came -down about as far as Vaughan’s Station and gathered up the rolling -stock, including a number of first-class locomotives, intending to -run them into Memphis or Grand Junction. We were sent after them and -had a lively race. As they were about twenty-four hours ahead of us -they would have succeeded, doubtless, had not some one burned a bridge -across a small creek opposite Kosciusko. As may be imagined, we gave -them no time to repair the bridge. We moved about a hundred miles in -two days, with no feed for men or horses except green corn from the -fields. - -Reaching Durant very late at night in a drenching rain we were turned -loose to hunt shelter in the dark as best we could, and we had a great -time getting into vacant houses, under sheds, awnings, in stables or -any available place that we might save our ammunition. At Old Shongolo, -near Vaiden, the good ladies had prepared a splendid picnic dinner for -us, but as we could not stop to partake of it they lined up on each -side of the column as we passed, with waiters loaded with chicken, -ham, biscuit, cake, pies, and other tempting viands and the men helped -themselves as they passed, without halting. - -One evening we stopped just before night to feed, for the horses were -hot and tired, and our men hungry and in need of sleep. The horses were -hastily attended to, that we might get some sleep, as we were to remain -here until midnight, then resume the march. At starting time I found -my horse foundered. Groping my way through the darkness to General -Whitfield’s headquarters, I told him I could not go on, for my horse -was foundered. “Old Bob’s in the same fix,” he said. “Cross Big Black -River as soon as you can, and go back to the wagon train, and tell that -fellow that has got old Bob to take good care of him.” - -As the command moved off I started in the opposite direction. I had -only gone a short distance when I came up with Lieutenant Barkley of -the Legion, in the same sad condition. After daylight we stopped to -breakfast at a house on the road, then crossed the Big Black, and, as -our horses grew worse, we made a short day’s travel and spent the night -with Mr. Fullylove, a generous old gentleman. Next morning the horses -traveled still worse. About 10 A. M. we came to the residence of Hon. -Mr. Blunt, of Attalah County, and decided that, with the permission of -the family, we would remain here until morning. Consulting Mrs. Blunt, -she said: “Mr. Blunt is not at home. The only persons with me are my -daughter and a young lady visiting us; but if I knew you were gentlemen -I would not turn you off.” We told her we were Texans, and claimed -to be gentlemen—and we remained there until the next morning. After -caring for our horses we were invited into the parlor or sitting-room -and introduced to the young ladies. The visitor was Miss Hattie Savage, -who lived only a few miles away. Soon the usual interrogatory was -propounded. “Are you gentlemen married?” Barclay answered: “Yes, I am -married. I have a wife and baby at home,” and exhibited the little -one’s picture. I told them I was not so fortunate as to be married. -Soon we had a good dinner and spent quite a pleasant day. The next -morning, with many thanks for the generous hospitality we had enjoyed, -we said good-by to the three ladies. - -I found that my horse’s condition grew constantly worse, so that now -he could scarcely get along at all. After traveling about three miles -we came to the house of Mr. Leftwich Ayres, who proved to be a very -excellent man. Seeing the condition of our horses, he invited us to -remain with him until morning, which we did. At this time and ever -afterward I received only kind and generous treatment from all the -members of this family, which consisted of Mr. Ayres, his wife and her -grown daughter, Miss Joe Andrews. A Mr. Richburg owned and operated -a tanyard and boot shop near the Ayres place. I visited his shop and -left my measure for a pair of boots, and found Mr. Richburg to be a -most excellent man. He made me several pairs of boots afterwards. Next -morning Mr. Ayres said to me: “Your horse cannot travel. Old Arkansaw -is the only horse I have; take him and ride him, and I will take care -of your horse until he is well.” I accepted the proposition, and -Barclay and myself returned to our commands. - -General Whitfield followed the Federals to Duck Hill, near Grenada, -without overtaking them, and returned to Canton, and to Big Black and -Yazoo Rivers. - -When I supposed from the lapse of time that my horse had recovered, I -obtained permission and went after him. Reaching Mr. Ayres’ home about -ten o’clock one morning, he met me at the gate and told me that my -horse was about well, that he had just turned him out for the first -time to graze. I immediately felt uneasy, and being anxious to see -him we walked around his inclosure and soon found him; but as soon as -I came near him I saw the effects of the deadly sneeze weed, and in -spite of all we could do for him in a few hours he was dead. Mr. Ayres -was very much grieved and said, “I would not have had your horse die -at my house under the circumstances for a thousand dollars. There’s -old Arkansaw; take him and make the best you can of him—ride him, -trade him off, or anything.” I therefore returned to the command on Old -Arkansaw, a pretty good old one-eyed horse. - -It is not possible now to remember all the movements made by us during -the next two or three months, the number of foraging parties we drove -back or the number of skirmishes with the enemy. As I have said I -returned to the command mounted on Old Arkansaw, but did not keep him -long, as I traded him for a pony, and traded the pony for a mule, a -splendid young mule, good under the saddle, but not the kind of a mount -I desired. Awaiting for a favorable time, I obtained leave to go to -Huntsville, where I could obtain money to buy another horse. I soon -made the distance over the long road at the rate of forty miles per -day on my mule. Passing through Tuscaloosa one morning, after a travel -of thirty-two miles, I put up with Mr. Moses McMath, father-in-law of -General Joseph L. Hogg. Here I found General L. P. Walker, our first -Secretary of War, who had started to Huntsville. We traveled together -as far as Blountsville, he relating to me many interesting facts about -the early days of the Confederate army, and here we learned that a -division of Federal cavalry was then in Madison County. - -At Warrenton, in Marshall County, I met Hop Beard, son of Arthur Beard, -who had lost one of his hands in Forrest’s cavalry, and had a horse -which he was now willing to sell. From Warrenton I went to Lewis’ Ferry -on Tennessee River, fifteen miles below Huntsville. Here I found my -half-brother, J. J. Ashworth. Crossing the river at this place I went -up on the Triana road as far as William Matkin’s, about seven miles -from Huntsville. Here I found Miss Aggie Scott, of the household of my -friend, W. H. Powers, and was advised that it was unsafe to go to town. -I therefore sent a message to Mr. Powers by Dr. Leftwich, who lived in -the neighborhood, and he brought me seven hundred dollars. With this -I returned to Warrenton and purchased a splendid black horse of Mr. -Beard, really the best horse for the service that I had owned. I called -him Black Prince. With the horse and mule I returned to Mississippi. I -had met several Huntsville people at Warrenton, among them my friend -Tate Lowry. He insisted that when I got back to Noxubee County, -Mississippi, that I stop and rest at his plantation. I reached there -about ten o’clock one rainy day, and remained there until next morning. -I found his overseer a clever, agreeable man, and the plantation a -very valuable property, and was shown the fine stock and everything -of interest on the place. Noticing a long row of very high rail pens -filled with corn, I remarked on the fine crop of corn he had made. -“Oh,” said he, “that is only the tax in kind where I throw every tenth -load for the Government.” And that was really only one-tenth of his -crop! Our government claimed one-tenth of all produce, which was called -“tax in kind.” - -As I passed through Macon I was offered five hundred dollars for my -mule, but I had determined to carry it back and give it to Mr. Ayres -in place of Old Arkansaw. I rode up to Mr. Ayres’ house about three -o’clock in the afternoon, presented him with the mule, and remained -there until morning. While there Mrs. Ayres gave me enough of the -prettiest gray jeans I ever saw, spun and woven by her own hands, to -make a suit of clothes. I sent to Mobile and paid eighty-five dollars -for trimming, such as buttons, gold lace, etc., and had a tailor make -me a uniform of which I justly felt proud. - -In September, perhaps it was, General Whitfield, on account of failing -health, was transferred to the trans-Mississippi department, and the -Rev. R. W. Thompson, the Legion’s brave chaplain, also left us and -recrossed the Mississippi. The brigade was commanded alternately by -Colonel H. P. Mabry, of the Third Texas, and Colonel D. W. Jones, of -the Ninth, until Colonel L. S. Ross, of the Sixth Texas, was appointed -brigadier-general and took permanent command of us, and the brigade was -ever after known as Ross’ Brigade. Colonel Mabry was given command of a -Mississippi brigade and sent down on the river below Vicksburg. - -Early in December we attempted to capture a foraging party that came -out from Vicksburg. Starting early in the night, Colonel Jones was sent -with the Ninth Texas around to intercept them by coming into the road -they were on near the outside breastworks. The command moved slowly -until morning, when coming near the enemy we gave chase, galloping ten -miles close at their heels. When they passed the point Colonel Jones -was trying to reach he was in sight. We ran them through the outer -breastworks and heard their drums beat the long roll. When we turned -about to retire two of our men, Milligan and Roberts, fell back and -entered the enemy’s breastworks and surrendered. - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -BATTLE AT YAZOO CITY - - Midwinter—Through the Swamps—Gunboat Patrols—Crossing the - Mississippi—Through the Ice—Ferrying Guns—Hardships—Engagement - at Yazoo City—Harrying Sherman—Under Suspicion—A - Practical Joke—Battle at Yazoo City—Casualties—A Social - Call—Eastwood—Drowning Accident—A Military Survey. - - -THE early days of January, 1864, found us floundering through the -swamps in an effort to deliver to the trans-Mississippi department -a lot of small arms, rifles, and bayonets. General Stephen D. Lee, -commander of the cavalry in our department, wrote General Ross that -there had been two or three unsuccessful efforts to put two thousand -stands of arms across the Mississippi, and asking whether he thought -his command could put them over. General Ross replied, “We will try.” -So the brigade started with several wagons loaded with the arms and a -battery of four pieces. This January proved to be the coldest month of -the war, and for downright acute suffering from exposure and privation -probably no month of our campaigning equalled this. - -We crossed Yazoo River at Murdock’s ferry, and pretty soon were in -Sunflower Swamp, about eight miles across. A slow rain was falling -and the weather very threatening. With all the teams we had and all -the oxen that could be procured in the vicinity, an all-day’s job, -we reached Sunflower with one lone piece of artillery, every other -wheeled vehicle being hopelessly bogged down in the swamp from two -to five miles in our rear. While the command was crossing the river -a blizzard swooped down upon us. By the time we reached a camp two -miles beyond, icicles were hanging from our horses, and everything we -possessed that was damp was freezing. The cold continued to increase, -next morning everything was frozen stiff, and it would have been -possible to skate on the ponds near the camps. In this state of affairs -General Ross said to us: “What shall we do, give up the expedition or -take these guns on our horses and carry them through?” The boys said: -“Carry them through.” We mounted and rode back to the river, left the -horses on the bank and crossed in a ferryboat, where ensued a grand -race for the wagons across the rough, frozen ground and ice, for on -a fellow’s speed depended the distance he would have to go for the -load of guns he was to carry back to the horses. Warren Higginbothom, -an athletic messmate of mine, passed me, and I asked him to save me -some guns at the first wagon, which he did, and I returned to camp -with other fortunate ones; but some of them were late in the night -returning. So we remained in the same camp for another night. Many of -the men were thinly clad and poorly shod for such a trip in the bitter -cold weather, I myself being clad in a thin homespun gray jean jacket, -without an overcoat; and having hung my gloves before the fire to dry -and gotten them burned to a crisp, I was barehanded as well. - -The next morning every man, including General Ross himself, took his -quota of the guns, usually four apiece, and started to Gaines’ ferry, -on the Mississippi, about fifty miles distant. Passing through Bogue -Folio Swamp about seven miles, crossing the stream of that name and -passing through the Deer Creek country, the garden spot of Mississippi, -we came to within about three miles of the river and camped in a dry -cypress swamp. As the river was closely patrolled by gunboats our aim -was to cross the guns over at night. As no craft that a man could cross -the river in was allowed to remain in the river, we found a small -flatboat and dragged it with oxen over the frozen ground to the river, -walking with loads of guns to meet it. The river here was running -south and the cold north wind was coming down stream in almost a gale. -The water was low and we approached it on a wide sandbar. Having slid -the boat into the water, John B. Long, Nathan Gregg, of Company A, Si -James, the Choctaw, and one other of the command volunteered to row -it over. After it was well loaded with guns the boat was pushed off, -but the strong wind drifted them down the river some distance, and, -returning, they drifted down still farther, so that it was nine o’clock -next morning when they returned to camp, with their clothes from their -waists down covered with a sheet of ice so thick that they could not -sit down. The first gunboat that passed destroyed the little flat. We -then built another small boat, but before we could get it ready for use -all the eddy portion of the river near the bank was frozen over and the -current a mass of floating ice, so that it was impossible to cross in -such a craft at night. Procuring two skiffs in addition to the boat, we -crossed the remainder of the guns over in daylight, pushing through -the floating ice with poles, the guns being delivered to Colonel -Harrison’s command on the west bank of the river. For the days and -nights we were engaged in crossing these guns we lived on fresh pork -found in the woods, eating this without salt, and a little corn parched -in the ashes of our fires. The weather continued to grow colder, until -the ice was four inches thick on the ponds. The guns being disposed of, -the piece of artillery was run down to the bank of the river, when soon -a small transport came steaming up the river. It was given one or two -shots, when it blew a signal of distress and steamed to the opposite -shore and landed, and was soon towed off by a large boat going up the -river. With some of our men barefooted and many of them more or less -frost-bitten we returned to Deer Creek, where we could get rations -and forage. As for forage there were thousands of acres of fine corn -ungathered, and we only had to go into the fields and gather what we -wanted. The Federals had carried off the able-bodied negroes, and the -corn was still in the fields, and along the creek and through the farms -there were thousands and thousands of wild ducks. I am sure I saw more -ducks at one glance than I had seen all my life before. We retraced our -steps through the swamps and the canebrakes and recrossed the Yazoo -River in time to meet a fleet of twelve transports, loaded with white -and black troops, escorted by two gunboats, ascending that river, -evidently making for Yazoo City. - -[Illustration: CAPTAIN H. L. TAYLOR - -Commander Ross’ Brigade Scouts] - -The Third Texas was sent out to meet a detachment of the enemy moving -up the Mechanicsburg and Yazoo City road, and drove them back towards -Vicksburg, the rest of the brigade, in the meantime, fighting the river -force at Satartia and Liverpool. The Third rejoined the brigade at -Liverpool, but being unable to prevent the passage of the enemy, we -moved rapidly up the river and beat them to Yazoo City. Placing our -artillery in some earthworks thrown up by Confederates in the early -part of the war, we formed a line of riflemen down at the water’s edge. -The fleet soon came steaming up the river, and when the front gunboat -came opposite to us the battery began playing upon it, while the rifles -kept their portholes closed so that they could not reply. It was not -long before they abandoned the effort to land, dropped back and were -soon out of sight down the river. Later in the day, from the smoke, we -could see that they were steaming up Sunflower River, west of us. - -When the people of Yazoo City saw that we had saved their town from -occupation by negro troops, their gratitude knew no bounds, and this -gratitude was shown practically by as great a hospitality as was ever -extended by any people to a command of Confederate soldiers. In the -evening a squadron, including Company C, was left on picket below the -city for the night, at the point occupied during the day, while the -command moved out on the Benton road to camp. To the pickets during the -evening the citizens sent out cooked provisions of the nicest and most -substantial character, sufficient to have lasted them for a week. - -The next morning the brigade returned and as everything remained -quiet, with no prospect of an early return of the enemy’s fleet, I -rode uptown to take a view of the city. Numbers of others had done the -same, and as the hour of noon approached we began to get invitations -to dinner. Meeting a little white boy, he would accost you thus: “Mr. -Soldier, Mamma says come and eat dinner with her.” Next a little negro -boy would run up and say: “Mr. Soldier, Mistis say come and eat dinner -with her.” And this manner of invitation was met on every corner, and -between the corners. I finally accepted an invitation to dine with the -family of Congressman Barksdale. - -We were not allowed to enjoy the hospitality of this grateful city -long on this visit, as General Sherman, who had planned a march to -the sea, moved eastwardly out from Vicksburg, with a formidable force -of infantry and artillery, and we were ordered to follow him. This -we did, and kept his infantry closed up and his men from straggling. -His cavalry, moving out from Memphis, was to form a junction with -his main force at Meridian. Reaching that place, he halted, and we -camped in the pine wood three or four miles north of the town. General -Forrest was between us and the enemy’s cavalry, and our object was to -prevent a junction, thus defeating the purpose of the expedition, and -if Forrest was unable to drive the cavalry back we were to go to his -assistance—that is, Jackson’s division was to do this. - -One very cold, cloudy evening near sundown I was ordered to report to -General Ross, mounted. When I reached headquarters I received verbal -orders to proceed to Macon with the least possible delay, take charge -of some couriers already there, use the telegraph, ascertain General -Forrest’s movements, and report from time to time by courier. The -distance to Macon was, say, forty-five or fifty miles, and the way -led mainly through forests, with a few houses on the road. Clad in my -gray jean jacket, without overcoat or gloves, but well mounted and -armed, I started, alone. Soon after dark a light snow began to fall -and continued all night. About midnight I reached DeKalb, the county -seat of Kemper County, where I spent half an hour in an effort to rouse -somebody who could put me on the road to Macon. At daylight I was -several miles from my destination. Stopping at a house for breakfast -I lay down before the fire and slept while it was being prepared, and -after breakfast finished my journey. - -Approaching Macon from the south I crossed Noxubee River, spanned by -a splendid covered bridge, and noticed that it was so filled with -tinder that it easily might be fired if the Federal troops should come -in sight. As I rode into the town and halted to make some inquiries, -quite a number of citizens gathered around me to learn who I was, -and ask for the news. One sympathetic old gentleman, seeing that my -hands were bare and cold, stepped up and presented me with a pair of -gloves. I found that the citizens were scared and excited, as they were -situated between Sherman and his cavalry. I endeavored to allay their -uneasiness, and advised them not to burn the bridge, even if the enemy -should appear, as that would only cause a temporary delay, and would be -a serious loss to the town and country. From this they concluded I was -a spy in the interest of the enemy, as I learned later, and for a day -or two my every movement was closely watched. - -I now put up my horse, found my couriers, repaired to the telegraph -office, and informed the operator of my instructions. I spent most of -the time in the telegraph office, when late at night the operator told -me of the suspicion that I was a spy, and that he had cleared it up by -asking General Jackson over the wires who I was. After this, while on -this duty, I was treated with great kindness. - -General Jackson now moved up to re-enforce General Forrest, and -I rejoined the command as it passed Macon. We moved up as far as -Starkville, but, learning that the enemy’s cavalry had been driven -back, we returned to the vicinity of Meridian. As was expected, General -Sherman began falling back towards Vicksburg, we following him. -Arriving at Canton, Sherman, taking an escort, returned to Vicksburg, -leaving his army to follow in command of General MacPherson. Under -his command the Federal army moved without straggling and without -further depredations. We learned from this improved condition of army -discipline to respect MacPherson, and regretted to learn of his being -killed in battle in front of Atlanta in July. - -It was as the enemy returned on this trip that a battalion of Federal -cavalry passed through Kosciusko, and their commander played a -practical joke on the Union merchants there. These merchants, when they -learned the Federals were coming, closed their doors and met them in -the outskirts of town, and were loud in their assertions of loyalty to -the Union. The officer asked them if they had done anything for the -Union they loved so much. “No,” said they, “we have had no opportunity -of doing anything, being surrounded by rebels as we are.” “Well,” said -the officer, “we’ll see. Maybe I can give you a chance to do a little -something for the Union.” Moving on uptown he found the rebels with -open doors, and, in riding round, he would ask them why they had not -closed up. They answered that they were so-called rebels, and were at -the mercy of him and his men, and if their houses were to be plundered -they did not wish the doors broken, and so they would offer no -resistance. He placed guards in all the open doors, with instructions -to permit no one to enter; then turning to his men, he told them if -they could find anything they wanted in the houses that were closed, to -help themselves, which they did. And thus an opportunity was given the -“loyal” proprietors to do something for the Union. - -Ross’ brigade returned to Benton on the 28th of February, and was in -the act of going into camps at Ponds, four miles down the plank road -towards Yazoo City, when a squadron of negro cavalry from the city came -in sight. General Ross ordered detachments of the Sixth and Ninth Texas -to charge them. The negroes after the first fire broke in disorder and -ran for dear life. The negro troops, a short time previous to this, -had caught and murdered two of the Sixth Texas, and as these fellows -were generally mounted on mules very few of them got back inside the -breastworks, these few being mostly the white officers, who were better -mounted than the negroes. Among the killed along the road was found a -negro that belonged to Charley Butts, of Company B, he having run away -to join the First Mississippi Colored Cavalry. - -On the evening of March 4 Brigadier-General Richardson, with his -brigade of West Tennessee Cavalry, joined General Ross for the purpose -of assisting in driving the enemy from Yazoo City, which is situated -on the east bank of Yazoo River. The city with its surroundings was -occupied by a force of about 2000 white and negro troops, commanded -by Colonel James H. Coats, supported by three gunboats. About eight -o’clock on the morning of March 5, 1864, the city was attacked by Ross’ -and Richardson’s brigades, Brigadier-General L. S. Ross in command. -Our fighting strength was about 1300 men, with two or three batteries; -but as we dismounted to fight, taking out the horse-holders, every -fourth man, this would reduce our fighting strength to about 1000 men. -The enemy had the advantage of several redoubts and rifle-pits, the -main central redoubt being situated on the plank road leading from -Benton to Yazoo City. We fought them nearly all day, and at times the -fighting was terrific. With the Third Texas in advance we drove in -their pickets and took possession of all the redoubts but the larger -central one. This one was in command of Major George C. McKee, of the -Eleventh Illinois Regiment with nine companies: about four companies of -the Eighth Louisiana negro regiment; Major Cook, with part of his First -Mississippi negro cavalry, the same that had murdered the two Sixth -Texas men; and one piece of artillery. The Third and Ninth Texas and -Fourteenth Tennessee cavalry found themselves confronting this redoubt. -Two of our batteries were placed so as to obtain an enfilading fire -at easy range, and threw many shells into the redoubt, but failed to -drive the enemy out. In the meantime General Richardson, with the rest -of his brigade, the Sixth Texas and the Legion, drove the remainder -of the enemy’s forces entirely through the city to the protection of -their gunboats, and gained possession of the entire place except one -or two brick warehouses near the bank of the river, behind which their -troops had huddled near the gunboats. The Sixth Texas and Legion took -position on the plank road in rear of the large redoubt, and thus at -four o’clock in the afternoon we had it entirely surrounded, we being -in front some 150 yards distant. At this juncture General Ross sent -Major McKee a flag of truce and demanded an unconditional surrender. -The firing ceased and the matter was parleyed over for some time. The -first message was verbal, and Major McKee declined to receive it unless -it was in writing. It was then sent in writing, and from the movements -we could see, we thought they were preparing to surrender. But they -refused, owing perhaps to the fact that General Ross declined to -recognize the negro troops as soldiers; and how they would have fared -at the hands of an incensed brigade of Texas troops after they had -murdered two of our men in cold blood was not pleasant to contemplate. -As for the negro troops,—well, for some time the fighting was under -the black flag—no quarter being asked or given. Retaliation is one of -the horrors of war, when the innocent are often sacrificed for the -inhuman crimes of the mean and bloodthirsty. - -The parley in reference to surrendering being at an end, little more -firing was indulged in, as both parties seemed to have grown tired of -shooting at each other. The troops were under the impression that we -were to assault the redoubt, but instead of doing so we quietly retired -just before nightfall, and returned to our camp on the Benton road. -This was explained by General Ross in his report in this way: “To have -taken the place by assault would have cost us the loss of many men, -more, we concluded, than the good that would result from the capture -of the enemy would justify.” Our loss in this engagement was: Ross’ -brigade, 3 killed and 24 wounded; Richardson’s brigade, 2 killed and 27 -wounded; total, 56. The enemy reported: 31 killed, 121 wounded, and 31 -missing; total, 183. - -Among our severely wounded was John B. Long, of Company C. Early in the -day, ten o’clock perhaps, he was shot down on the skirmish line and was -carried off the field and the word came down the line: “John B. Long -is killed.—John B. Long is killed.” This was heard with many regrets, -as he was a favorite soldier in the command. This report was regarded -as true by all of us at the front, until we returned to our camp. The -next morning I found him in Benton, wounded in the head; unconscious, -but not dead, and he is not dead to this day (August, 1899). The next -morning all the enemy’s forces left Yazoo City, and again Ross’ brigade -was regarded as an aggregation of great heroes by these good people. - -One morning while we were camped in this neighborhood, one of the -boys came to me with an invitation to visit a lady residing between -our camps and Benton. She wished to see me because I had lived in -Huntsville, Ala. When I called I found Mrs. Walker, daughter-in-law of -General L. P. Walker, of Huntsville. She was a beautiful young woman, -bright, educated and refined, easy and self-possessed in manner, and -a great talker. She lived with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Simpson, her -husband being in the army. Mrs. Walker was an enthusiastic friend of -the brigade, and would not admit that they had ever done anything -wrong, and contended that, inasmuch as they had defended the city -and county so gallantly, anything they needed or wanted belonged to -them, and the taking it without leave was not theft. And this was the -sentiment of many of these people. - -For the remaining days of March we occupied practically the same -territory we had been guarding from the fall of Vicksburg. On or about -the last of March General Ross sent Colonel Dudley W. Jones, in command -of the Third and Ninth Texas regiments, to attack the outpost of the -force at Snyder’s Bluff, destroy Yankee plantations, etc., etc. I did -not accompany this expedition, I am sure, as I have no recollection of -being with it; nor do I now remember why I did not do so. The Yankee -plantations alluded to were farms that had been taken possession of -by Northern adventurers, and were being worked under the shadow of -the Federal army by slaves belonging to the citizens. Cotton being -high, they expected to avail themselves of confiscated plantations -and slaves to make fortunes raising cotton. Colonel Jones captured and -destroyed at least one such plantation, captured one hundred mules, -some negroes, and also burned their quarters. - -Early in April we started east, with the ultimate purpose of joining -General Joseph E. Johnston’s forces in Georgia, moving by easy marches. -There was some dissatisfaction among the men on account of heading our -column toward the rising sun, as they had been promised furloughs on -the first opportunity, and this looked like an indefinite postponement -of the promised boon. Arriving at Columbus, Miss., we rested, and here -Lieutenant-General Leonidas Polk, then commanding the department, -made a speech to the brigade, alluding to the fact that they had been -promised furloughs, postponed from time to time, and assured us that as -soon as the present emergency ended Ross’ brigade should be furloughed. -He assured the men that he had the utmost confidence in their bravery -and patriotism, and though it had been hinted to him, he said, that if -he allowed these Texans to cross the Mississippi River they would never -return, he entertained no such opinion of them. - -We now moved from Columbus to Tuscaloosa, Ala., the former capital of -that grand old State. The good people of this beautiful little city -on the banks of the Black Warrior had never before seen an organized -command of soldiers, except the volunteer companies that had been -organized here and left the city and vicinity, and their terror and -apprehensions when they learned that a brigade of Texans had arrived -was amusing. They would not have been in the least surprised if we -had looted the town in twenty-four hours after reaching it. As we -remained here several days, and went in and out of the city in a quiet -orderly manner, they soon got over their fears. There were numbers of -refugees here from Huntsville, Florence, and other north Alabama towns, -and some of us found acquaintances, especially General Ross and his -adjutant-general, Davis R. Gurley, who had been in college at Florence. -During our stay the ladies gave several nice parties for the benefit -of the brigade. While we were here a great many fish were being caught -in a trap above the city, and the men would sometimes go at night in -skiffs up to the trap and get the fish. On one occasion Lieutenant -Cavin, Harvey Gregg, and a man named Gray, of Company A, went up, and -getting their boat into a whirlpool, it was capsized and the men thrown -out into the cold water, with overcoats and pistols on. Gregg and Gray -were drowned and Cavin was barely able to get out alive. - -After several days we moved some miles south of the city, where forage -was more convenient. In the meantime General Loring, with his division, -had come on from Mississippi. Receiving an invitation through Captain -Gurley to attend a party given by a Florence lady to him and General -Ross, I went up and spent two or three days in the city. While there -I visited my friends in Loring’s division, and also visited the State -Lunatic Asylum, where I found in one of the inmates, Button Robinson, -of Huntsville, a boy I had known for years. I also attended a drill of -the cadets at the university. Friends of the two young men that were -drowned had been here dragging the river for their bodies for some -days, and finally they got one of General Loring’s batteries to fire -blank cartridges into the water, and their bodies rose to the surface, -when they were taken out and buried. - -The mountainous country lying north of Tuscaloosa and south of the -Tennessee valley was at this time infested with Tories, deserters, -“bushwhackers,” and all manner of bad characters, and it was reported -that the Tories in Marion County were in open resistance. So on the -morning of the 19th of April Colonel D. W. Jones, of the Ninth, was -sent with detachments of the Sixth and Ninth Texas and a squadron -from the Third, under Captain Lee, amounting in all to about 300 men, -up into that county to operate against these Tories. On the same -morning I was ordered to take fifteen men of Company C and accompany -Lieutenant De Sauls, of the Engineers’ Corps, from Tuscaloosa, up -the Byler road to Decatur, on the Tennessee River, and return by way -of the old Robertson road, leading through Moulton and Jasper to the -starting point, for the purpose of tracing out those roads to complete -a military map then in preparation. Applying to the quartermaster and -commissary for subsistence for my men and horses, I was instructed -to collect “tax in kind.” We moved out in advance of Colonel Jones’ -command. Our duties on this expedition necessitated our stopping at -every house on the road to obtain the numbers of the lands,—that is, -the section, township, and the range,—ascertain the quarter section on -which the house stood, learn the names of all creeks, note all cross -roads, etc., etc. I subsisted the men and horses on tax in kind, which -I had to explain to the poor people in the mountains, as they had never -heard of the law. There was not much produced in this country, and -there were so many lawless characters in the mountains that the tax -collectors were afraid to attempt to collect the impost. The people -offered me no resistance, however, and to make the burden as light as -possible I would collect a little from one and a little from another. -I had the horses guarded every night, but really had no trouble. I met -with one misfortune, much deplored by me, and that was the killing of -James Ivey by Luther Grimes, but under circumstances that attached no -blame to Grimes in the eyes of those who saw the occurrence, as Ivey -made the attack and shot Grimes first, inflicting a scalp wound on the -top of his head. I reported the facts when I reached the command, and -there was never any investigation ordered. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII - -UNDER FIRE FOR ONE HUNDRED DAYS - - Corduroy Breeches—Desolate Country—Conscript Headquarters—An - “Arrest”—Rome, Ga.—Under Fire for One Hundred Days—Big and Little - Kenesaw—Lost Mountain—Rain, Rain, Rain—Hazardous Scouting—Green - Troops—Shelled—Truce—Atlanta—Death of General MacPherson—Ezra - Church—McCook’s Retreat—Battle Near Newnan—Results. - - -WE reached General Roddy’s headquarters near Decatur, on Saturday, and -rested until Monday noon. Starting back we passed through Moulton, were -caught in a cold rain, sheltered our horses under a gin-shed, and slept -in the cotton seed without forage or rations. Next morning I instructed -the men to find breakfast for themselves and horses, and meet me at -Mr. Walker’s, down on the road. Taking DeSauls and one or two others, -I went on to Mr. Walker’s, a well-to-do man, who owned a mill, where I -hoped to get breakfast and some rations and forage to carry us across -the mountain. Arriving at Walker’s, he came out to the gate and I -asked him first about forage and rations to take with us, and he said -we could get them. Leaving DeSauls to question him about his land, I -sought the lady of the house to arrange for breakfast. I found her -very willing to feed us, as we were from eastern Texas, and knew of -her father, who lived in Rusk County. Now DeSauls was a resident of -New Orleans, was dressed in a Confederate gray jacket and cap, and -wore a pair of corduroy trousers. Soon after the lady left the front -room to have breakfast prepared, DeSauls came in with a fearful frown -on his face and said to me: “Barron, don’t you think that d——d old -scoundrel called me a Yankee?” “Oh,” said I, “I guess he was joking.” -Just at this time Mr. Walker came up, looking about as mad as DeSauls, -and said, “No, I am not joking. I believe you are _all_ Yankees; look -at them corduroy breeches! There hasn’t been a piece of corduroy in the -South since the war began, without a Yankee wore it.” I treated the -matter as a joke at first, until finding that the old gentleman was in -dead earnest, I undertook to convince him that he was wrong, but found -it no easy matter. Finally I asked him the distance to Huntsville? -Forty miles. Then through my familiarity with the people and country in -and around Huntsville I satisfied him that he was wrong, and then we -were treated kindly by him and his family. - -After leaving Tennessee valley we passed through the most desolate -country I ever saw. For more than a day’s march I found but one or two -houses inhabited, and passing through the county seat of Winston County -I was unable to find any person to tell me the road to Jasper. Arriving -at Tuscaloosa I learned that Colonel Jones had returned and that the -brigade had gone to Georgia, and I followed it, passing through Elyton, -Blountsville, Talledega, and Blue Mountain. Camping one night at -Blountsville, I met my friend Bluford M. Faris, formerly of Huntsville. -Arriving at Talledega, I determined to spend one day, Saturday, there -in order to have some shoeing done. This was conscript headquarters -for a large area of country, with a major commanding, and there was -post-quartermaster, commissary, a provost marshal, and all the pomp and -circumstance of a military post. I thought at one time I would have -some trouble, but fortunately I came out all right. - -In the first place I camped in a grove of timber convenient to water, -but soon received a message from the commander that I had camped near -his residence, and would I move somewhere else? He did not want men to -depredate upon his premises. I replied that I would make good every -depredation my men committed, and that it was not convenient for me to -move. I was busy for some time in procuring rations, forage, and an -order for horseshoeing, and about the time I had these matters arranged -I got a message requesting me to come to the provost marshal’s office. -On my way I saw my men out in line of battle near the court-house, with -guns loaded and capped. Calling one of them to me, I learned that one -or two of them had gone into the provost’s office and he had cursed -them as d——d stragglers belonging to a straggling brigade, and they -gave him back some rough words, whereupon he had threatened to arrest -them, and they were waiting to be arrested. Coming to the office I -found the man in charge was a deputy. Introducing myself, I inquired -what he wanted. He said some of my men had been to his office and -cursed him, and he had threatened to arrest them and wished to know -if I could control them. I told him I could control them as easily as -I could control that many little children, but if he wished to arrest -any of them, the men were just out there and he might send his men -out to attempt it—if he could. I asked him what provocation he had -offered, and made him acknowledge that he had called them “stragglers.” -I then told him they were not stragglers, but good soldiers and, -besides, they were all gentlemen, and if he had not first insulted them -they would have treated him in a gentlemanly way; that if he wished to -deal with them to proceed, otherwise I would take charge of them. Oh, -no, he did not wish to have any trouble. If I was willing for my men -to take a drink, I had his permission, and the poor fellow was more -than willing to turn the “stragglers” over to me. I called them all -up, accompanied them to a saloon, and told them that those who wished -it could take a drink. We then went about our business without further -trouble. - -From Talladega I proceeded to Blue Mountain, intending to go from there -to Rome, but learning that our army was gradually falling back, and -being unable to learn its position or when I could safely calculate on -striking it in the flank, I turned my course southward, passed through -Carrolton, crossed the Chattahoochee River, followed the river up to -Campbellton, recrossed it and found my command fighting near new New -Hope church on the —— day of May, 1864. - - * * * * * - -A detailed account of this campaign would make a large volume, and -of course cannot be undertaken in these brief recollections. Our -division of cavalry reached Rome, Ga., about the middle of May, and -fought the Federal advance the same day, and then for one hundred -days were under fire, with the exception that on two occasions we were -ordered to follow cavalry raids sent to our rear. But for this brief -respite we were under constant fire for this period, each day and -every day. We were assigned a position on the extreme left of General -J. E. Johnston’s army, a position occupied by us during the entire -campaigning, while General Joe Wheeler’s cavalry was on the extreme -right. - -To give one day’s duty is practically to give the duties of many other -days. We always fought on foot. Sometimes behind breastworks, sometimes -not, sometimes confronting infantry and sometimes cavalry. We would -be up, have our horses equipped, form a line, detail horse-holders, -and march to the front by daybreak, and take our position on the -fighting line. About nine o’clock our cooked rations, consisting of -one small pone of corn bread and three-eighths of a pound of bacon, -was distributed to each man as we stood or lay in line of battle. -While these rations would not have made a good hearty breakfast, they -had to last us twenty-four hours. The skirmishing might be light or -heavy, we might charge the enemy’s works in our front, or we might be -charged by them. Usually the musket-firing, and often artillery-firing, -would be kept up until night, when leaving a skirmish line at the -front, we would retire to our horses. We often changed position after -night, which involved night marching, always changing in a retrograde -movement. Sometimes the fighting would become terrific, for at times -General Sherman would attack our whole line, miles and miles in length, -and, under General Johnston these attacks were made with heavy loss to -Sherman’s army. Particularly was this the case in front of Big Kenesaw, -Little Kenesaw, and Lost Mountain. - -In this campaign the cavalry service was much harder than the infantry -service. When night came on the infantry could fall down and sleep all -night unless they had to change their position, while the cavalry were -burdened with their horses. Marching back to our horses we hustled for -all the forage the Government could furnish us, which was usually about -one quart of shelled corn, and we were compelled to supplement this -with something else, whatever we could find; sometimes it was oats, -often green crab grass from the fields, and later, green fodder or pea -vines. Often this gathering of horse feed lasted until ten or eleven -o’clock, when the horses would be stripped and we could sleep, provided -we were not to move. - -Early in June it began to rain, and continued raining day and night -for about twenty-five days, until the country was so boggy that it was -almost impossible to move artillery or cavalry outside of the beaten -roads. Sometimes when the rain was pouring down in torrents the enemy -would be throwing shrapnels at us, and hundreds, perhaps thousands, of -them without exploding, plunged into the soft earth and are doubtless -there yet. During the rainy season there was a great deal of thunder -and lightning, and artillery duels would occur either day or night, and -sometimes it was difficult to distinguish between the thunder of heaven -and the thunder of cannon and bursting shells. On one of those very -rainy days we were in some timber south of a farm, while the enemy was -in the timber north of it, only a few hundred yards distant, and had -been firing at us in a pretty lively manner. General Ross sent for me -and told me to go ascertain how far the enemy’s line extended beyond -our left. I mounted my horse and rode off, conning over in my mind the -perplexing question as to how I was to gain the desired information, as -the enemy in the thick woods could not be seen, and I could think of no -other method than to ride into the field in view of their skirmishers, -draw their fire and move on until the end of their line was apparent. -Accordingly I rode into the open field and moved along some distance -without being shot at; looking across the field near the opposite -fence, I fancied I saw a line of skirmishers just inside of it, and -tried in vain to attract their attention at long range. I rode back and -forth, getting nearer to them all the time, until I got close enough -to discover that the fancied pickets were black stumps, an illusion -occasioned by the fact that a man in dark blue uniform on a rainy day -looks black at a distance of two or three hundred yards. I was then -worse puzzled than at first, for to go back and tell General Ross that -I could not learn anything about their lines would never do. After -a little hesitation I threw down the fence and rode into the thick -undergrowth, expecting every minute to meet a volley of bullets. Going -on some little distance I heard the word “Halt!” I halted, and was soon -gratified to learn that I was confronting a small Confederate scouting -party. Informing them of my object, they proposed showing me what I -was looking for, and I was therefore able to return and report to my -general, sound in body and much easier in mind. - -During this long rainy spell we rarely slept two nights on the same -ground and never had a dry blanket to sleep on. On the 3d day of -July we fought General Schofield’s Corps nearly all day, fighting -and falling back (as they were pushing down a road leading to Sand -Town, a crossing on the Chattahoochee River), passing through a line -of breastworks on the crest of a ridge crossing the road at right -angles, erected and occupied by the Georgia Militia, about the middle -of the afternoon. As we passed into the breastworks one of our men was -killed by a long-range ball. The militia had never been under fire -and had never seen a man killed before. We were instructed to form a -line immediately in their rear and rest, and to support them if the -enemy should come; but beyond throwing a few shells over the works and -skirmishing at long range, we had no farther trouble with the enemy -that afternoon. Our men were very much amused at the sayings and doings -of the militia at this time, but subsequently the Georgia militia were -commanded by General G. W. Smith, an experienced officer, and after -this they acted very gallantly in battle. They retired at night and we, -leaving skirmishers in the works, went into camp. The next morning the -Third Texas went into these breastworks, and while Captain Germany and -myself were out in front deploying skirmishers he was severely wounded -just below the knee, and was unfit for duty for several months. - -General Schofield’s Corps advanced in solid line of battle, and were -allowed to take the works while we fell back a short distance into -the timber and heard them give three cheers for Abe Lincoln, three -cheers for General Sherman and three cheers for General Schofield! We -then fought them again back through the timber until we came to a lane -leading between farms across a little valley nearly a mile wide. On -the hill beyond was our infantry in breastworks, and just beyond the -breastworks was the narrow river bottom and Sand Town crossing, and -down in this little bottom were our horses. As we entered the lane the -enemy ran a battery up to the edge of the timber and shelled us every -step of the way as we pulled through the long lane, tired and dusty, -about noon, that hot 4th of July. Passing through the breastworks we -mounted our horses in a shower of shells and crossed the river. Here we -rested for twenty-four hours. - -I went into Atlanta on the morning of the 5th, and skirmishing across -the river again began in the afternoon. Here for some days we had a -comparatively easy time, only picketing and skirmishing across the -river. As this seemed void of results, the men on the north and south -side of the river would agree upon a truce and go in bathing together. -They would discuss the pending race for President between Lincoln -and McClellan. The Confederates would trade tobacco for molasses and -exchange newspapers, and when the truce was at an end each side would -resume its respective position, and the firing would be renewed. - -There continued to be more or less fighting north of the river until -July 9, when General Johnston fell back into the defenses immediately -in front of Atlanta. General Sherman’s army also crossed the river and -confronted General Johnston’s lines near the city. On or about the 19th -General Johnston was superseded by General John B. Hood, and then began -a series of hard battles around Atlanta, which were continued on the -20th, 21st, 22d, and other days, in which the losses on both sides were -heavy. The Federal general, James B. MacPherson, was killed on the 22d. -On the 28th was fought the battle of Ezra Church. On this day Companies -C and D of the Third Texas were on picket in front of our command, and -in the afternoon were driven back by overwhelming numbers, John B. -Armstrong being slightly wounded and R. H. Henden very severely wounded. - -We were soon met with orders to mount and move out to Owl Rock church -on the Campbellton and Atlanta road, to assist Colonel Harrison, who -was understood to be contending with General McCook’s division of -cavalry. General McCook had crossed the river near Rivertown, not far -from Campbellton, for the purpose of raiding in our rear, and General -Stoneman, with another division, had simultaneously moved out around -the right wing of our army. The purpose was for these two commands to -co-operate and destroy the railroad in our rear. General Wheeler’s -cavalry was sent after Stoneman. As General McCook had at least twelve -hours the start of us we were unable to overtake him until afternoon -of the next day. In the meantime, before daylight, he struck the wagon -train belonging to our division, burned ninety-two wagons and captured -the teamsters, blacksmiths, the chaplain of the Third Texas, and the -inevitable squad that managed under all circumstances to stay with the -train. We came up with McCook’s command near Lovejoy Station, which -is on the railroad thirty miles below Atlanta. We learned with joy -that General Wheeler had overtaken Stoneman, captured him and a large -portion of his command, and was able to come with a portion of his -troops to assist in the operations against McCook. McCook now abandoned -all effort to destroy railroad property, and began a retreat in order -to get back into the Federal lines. We followed him until night when, -as we had been in our saddles twenty-eight hours, we stopped, fed on -green corn and rested a few hours. Some time before daylight next -morning we mounted and moved on briskly. Early in the day we came close -upon the enemy’s rear and pressed them all day, during which time we -passed scores of their horses, which from sheer exhaustion had been -abandoned. Many of our horses, too, had become so jaded that they were -unable to keep up. - -[Illustration: LEONIDAS CARTWRIGHT - -Company E, Third Texas Cavalry; Member of Taylor’s Scouts, Ross’ -Brigade] - -About the middle of the afternoon, when near Newnan, the Federals -stopped to give us battle. They had chosen a position in a dense skirt -of timber back of some farms near the Chattahoochee River bottom, and -here followed a battle which I could not describe if I would. I can -only tell what the Third Texas did and sum up the general result. We -were moved rapidly into the timber and ordered to dismount to fight. As -many of our men were behind, instead of detailing the usual number of -horse-holders, we tied the horses, leaving two men of the company to -watch them. Almost immediately we were ordered into line, and before we -could be properly formed were ordered to charge, through an undergrowth -so dense that we could only see a few paces in any direction. As I was -moving to my place in line I passed John Watkins, who was to remain -with the horses, and on a sudden impulse I snatched his Sharpe’s -carbine and a half dozen cartridges. On we went in the charge, whooping -and running, stooping and creeping, as best we could through the -tangled brush. I had seen no enemy in our front, but supposed they -must be in the brush or beyond it. Lieutenant Sim Terrell, of Company -F, and myself had got in advance of the regiment, as it was impossible -to maintain a line in the brush, Terrell only a few paces to my right. -Terrell was an ideal soldier, courageous, cool, and self-possessed in -battle. Seeing him stop I did likewise, casting my eyes to the front, -and there, less than twenty-five yards from me, stood a fine specimen -of a Federal soldier, behind a black jack tree, some fifteen inches in -diameter, with his seven-shooting Spencer rifle resting against the -tree, coolly and deliberately taking aim at me. Only his face, right -shoulder, and part of his right breast were exposed. I could see his -eyes and his features plainly, and have always thought that I looked at -least two feet down his gun barrel. As quick as thought I threw up the -carbine and fired at his face. He fired almost at the same instant and -missed me. Of course I missed him, as I expected I would, but my shot -had the desired effect of diverting his aim and it evidently saved my -life. - -Directly in front of Terrell was another man, whom Terrell shot in the -arm with his pistol. The Federals both turned around and were in the -act of retreating when two or three of Terrell’s men came up and in -less time than it takes to tell it two dead bodies lay face downwards -where, a moment before, two brave soldiers had stood. I walked up to -the one who had confronted me, examined his gun, and found he had fired -his last cartridge at me. Somehow I could not feel glad to see these -two brave fellows killed. Their whole line had fallen back, demoralized -by the racket we had made, while these two had bravely stood at their -posts. I have often wondered what became of their remains, lying away -out in the brush thicket, as it was not likely that their comrades ever -looked after them. And did their friends and kindred at home ever learn -their fate? - -We moved forward in pursuit of the line of dismounted men we had -charged, and came in sight of them only to see them retreating across -a field. Returning to our horses we saw them stampeding, as Colonel -Jim Brownlow, with his regiment of East Tennesseans, had gotten among -them, appropriated a few of the best ones, stampeded some, while the -rest remained as we had left them. We charged and drove them away from -the horses and they charged us three times in succession in return, -but each time were repulsed, though in these charges one or two of the -best horses in the regiment were killed under Federal riders. These -men were, however, only making a desperate effort to escape, and were -endeavoring to break through our lines for that purpose, as by this -time General McCook’s command was surrounded and he had told his -officers to get out the best they could. In consequence his army had -become demoralized and badly scattered in their effort to escape. The -prisoners they had captured, their ambulances, and all heavy baggage -were abandoned, everything forgotten except the desire to return to -their own lines. General Stoneman had started out with 5000 men and -General E. M. McCook had 4000. Their object was to meet at Lovejoy -Station, on the Macon Railroad, destroy the road, proceed to Macon and -Andersonville and release the Federal prisoners confined at those two -places. This engagement lasted about two hours, at the end of which we -were badly mixed and scattered in the brush, many of the Confederates -as well as Federals not knowing where their commands were. - -General Ross summed up the success of his brigade on this expedition -as follows: Captured, 587, including two brigade commanders, with -their staffs; colors of the Eighth Iowa and Second Indiana; eleven -ambulances, and two pieces of artillery. General Wheeler’s men also -captured many prisoners. Our loss on the expedition was 5 killed and -27 wounded. Among the wounded I remember the gallant Lieutenant Tom -Towles, of the Third. The command now returned to its position in -General Hood’s line of battle, the prisoners being sent to Newnan, -while I was ordered to take a sufficient guard to take care of them -until transportation could be procured to send them to Andersonville. -I had about 1250 enlisted men and 35 officers, who were kept here for -several days. I confined them in a large brick warehouse, separating -the officers from the privates by putting the officers in two rooms -used for offices at the warehouse. I made them as comfortable as I -could, and fed them well. I would turn the officers out every day into -the front porch or vestibule of the warehouse, where they could get -fresh air. They were quite a lively lot of fellows, except one old man, -Colonel Harrison, I believe, of the Eighth Iowa. They appreciated my -kindness and made me quite a number of small presents when the time -came for them to leave. - -This Newnan affair occurred July 30, 1864. General Hood had apparently -grown tired of assaulting the lines in our front, and resumed the -defensive. Our duties, until the 18th of August, were about the same -as they had been formerly—heavy picketing and daily skirmishing. The -casualties, however, were continually depleting our ranks: the dead -were wrapped in their blankets and buried; the badly wounded sent to -the hospitals in Atlanta, while the slightly wounded were sent off -to take care of themselves; in other words, were given an indefinite -furlough to go where they pleased, so that a slight wound became a boon -greatly to be prized. Many returned to Mississippi to be cared for by -some friend or acquaintance, while some remained in Georgia. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV - -KILPATRICK’S RAID - - Kilpatrick’s Raid—Attack on Kilpatrick—Lee’s Mill—Lovejoy’s - Station—The Brigade Demoralized—I Surrender—Playing ’Possum—I - Escape—The Brigade Reassembles—Casualties. - - -ON the night of August 18 Ross’ brigade was bivouacked a short distance -east of the road leading from Sand Town, on the Chattahoochee River, to -Fairburn, on the West Point Railroad, eighteen miles west of Atlanta, -thence to Jonesboro, on the Macon Railroad, some twenty miles south of -Atlanta. This latter was the only railroad we then had which was of any -material value to us, and we knew that General Sherman was anxious to -destroy it, as an unsuccessful effort in that direction had been made -only a few days previous. - -We had a strong picket on the Sand Town and Fairburn road, and, as all -was quiet in front, we “laid us down to sleep,” and, perchance, to -dream—of home, of the independence of the Confederate States, and all -that was most dear to us. It was one of those times of fair promises, -to the weary soldier, of a solid night’s rest, so often and so rudely -broken. Scarcely had we straightened out our weary limbs and folded -our arms to sleep, when we were aroused by the shrill notes of the -bugle sounding “boots and saddles.” Our pickets were being driven in -rapidly, and before we were in our saddles General Judson Kilpatrick, -with a force of five thousand cavalry, with artillery, ambulances, -pack mules and all else that goes to constitute a first-class cavalry -raiding force, had passed our flank and was moving steadily down the -Fairburn road. The Third Texas were directed to move out first and gain -their front, to be followed by the other regiments of the brigade. - -For the remainder of the night we moved as best we could down such -roads as we could find parallel to Kilpatrick’s line of march—so near, -in fact, that we could distinctly hear the clatter of their horses’ -hoofs, the rumbling of their artillery, and the familiar rattle of -sabers and canteens. Soon after daylight we came in sight of his column -crossing the railroad at Fairburn, charged into it and cut it in two -for the time. They halted, formed a line of battle, and we detained -them in skirmishing until we managed to effect our object,—the gaining -their front,—and during the day, until late in the afternoon, detained -them as much as possible on their march. - -Below Fairburn Kilpatrick’s main column took the Jonesboro road, while -a small column took the road leading to Fayetteville, a town about ten -miles west of Jonesboro. Ross’ brigade, continuing in front of the -main column and that of Armstrong, followed the Fayetteville road. -Just before night we passed through Jonesboro, which is ten or twelve -miles from Fairburn, and allowed Kilpatrick to occupy the town for the -night. Ross’ brigade occupied a position south of the town near the -railroad, while Armstrong was west; General Ferguson, whose brigade -was numerically stronger than either of the others, being directed to -go out on a road leading east. As we afterwards learned, they failed -to find their road, or got lost, and, so far as I remember, were not -heard from for a day or two. Thus posted, or intended to be posted, the -understanding and agreement was that we should make a triangular attack -on Kilpatrick at daylight the next morning. - -Our brigade moved on time and marched into the town, only to learn -that, with the exception of a few stragglers who had overslept -themselves, not a Federal soldier was to be found. The brigade followed -them eastwardly from Jonesboro, and in due time came up with their -rear-guard at breakfast behind some railworks near Lee’s Mill, and from -this time until along in the afternoon we had a pretty warm time with -their rear. They were moving on a road that intersects the McDonough -and Lovejoy road, and when they struck this road they turned in the -direction of Lovejoy Station. - -We finally came up with the main force ensconced behind some heavy -railworks on a hill near a farmhouse a short distance east of the -station. We had to approach them, after leaving the timber, through -a lane probably three-quarters of a mile in length. The farm was -mostly uncultivated, and had been divided into three fields by two -cross-fences, built of rails running at right angles with the lane, -and these were thrown right and left to admit of the free passage of -cavalry. In the eastern cross fence, however, a length some twenty or -thirty yards, and but a few rails high, was left standing, when a ditch -or ravine running along on the west side was too deep to be safely -crossed by cavalry. In this lane the command dismounted, leaving the -horses in the hands of holders, and deployed in line in the open field, -to the left or south side of the lane, and a section of Croft’s Georgia -battery was placed on an elevation to the right of the lane. - -I had been sent back to Lee’s Mill to hurry up a detail left to bury -one of our dead, so was behind when the line was formed. Having, on -the day we fought McCook, picked up a mule for my boy Jake to ride, I -now had him leading my horse to rest his back, while I rode the mule. -I rode up and gave my rein to a horse-holder, and was hurrying on to -join the line when they charged the railworks, and when I got up with -them they had begun to fall back. The brigade, not having more than -four hundred men for duty, was little more than a skirmish line. During -the day General Hood had managed to place General Reynolds’ Arkansas -brigade at Lovejoy Station, which fact Kilpatrick had discovered, -and while we were showing our weakness in an open field on one side, -General Reynolds managed to keep his men under cover of timber on the -other. Thus Kilpatrick found himself between an unknown infantry force -in front and a skirmish-line of dismounted cavalry and a section of -artillery in his rear. He concluded to get out of this situation—and -he succeeded. Being repulsed in the charge on the railworks, by a -heavy fire of artillery and small arms, we fell back and re-formed our -line behind the first cross fence. Three regiments of the enemy then -rapidly moved out from behind their works, the Fourth United States, -Fourth Michigan, and Seventh Pennsylvania, and charged with sabers, -in columns of fours, the three columns abreast. As they came on us at -a sweeping gallop, with their bright sabers glittering, it was a grand -display. And Ross’ brigade was there and then literally run over, -trampled under foot, and, apparently annihilated. Just before the -charge they had shelled our horses in the lane, which, consequently, -had been moved back into the timber. - -What could we do under the circumstances? If we had had time to hold -a council of war and had deliberated over the matter ever so long, -we would probably have acted just as we did; that is, acted upon the -instinct of self-preservation, rather than upon judgment. No order -was heard; not a word spoken; every officer and every man took in -the whole situation at a glance: no one asked or gave advice: no one -waited for orders. The line was maintained intact for a few seconds, -the men emptying their pieces at the heads of the columns. This -created a momentary flutter without checking their speed, and on they -came in fine style. There was no time for reloading, and every one -instinctively started for the horses a mile in the rear, a half mile -of open field behind us, and all of us much fatigued with the active -duties performed on the sultry summer day. Being very much fatigued -myself and never being fleet of foot, I outran only two men in the -brigade, Lieutenant W. H. Carr, of Company C, and W. S. Coleman, of -Company A, of the Third Texas, who were both captured, and I kept up -with only two others, Captain Noble and Lieutenant Soap, also of the -Third Texas. We three came to the ravine already described, at the same -instant. Soap dropped into it, Noble jumped over and squatted in the -sage grass in the corner of the fence. I instantly leaped the ravine -and the rail fence, and had gone perhaps ten or fifteen steps when the -clatter of horses’ hoofs became painfully distinct, and “Surrender, -sir!” rang in my ear like thunder. - -Now, I had had no thought of the necessity of surrendering, as I had -fondly hoped and believed I would escape. Halting, I looked up to -ascertain whether these words were addressed to me, and instantly -discovered that the column directly in my wake was dividing, two and -two, to cross the ravine, coming together again just in front of me, -so that I was completely surrounded. This _was_ an emergency. As I -looked up my eyes met those of a stalwart rider as he stood up in his -stirrups, his drawn saber glittering just over my head; and, as I -hesitated, he added in a kind tone: “That’s all I ask of you, sir.” I -had a rifle in my hand which had belonged to one of our men who had -been killed near me during the day. Without speaking a word, I dropped -this on the ground in token of my assent. “All right,” said he, as he -spurred his horse to overtake some of the other men. - -Just at this time our artillery began throwing shells across the -charging columns, and the first one exploded immediately above our -heads, the pieces falling promiscuously around in my neighborhood, -creating some consternation in their ranks. Taking advantage of this, -I placed my left hand above my hip, as if struck, and fell as long a -fall as I could towards the center of the little space between the -columns, imitating as best I could the action of a mortally wounded -man,—carefully falling on my right side to hide my pistol, which I -still had on. Here I lay, as dead to all outward appearances as any -soldier that fell during the war, and remained in this position without -moving a muscle, until the field was clear of all of Kilpatrick’s -men who were able to leave it. To play the rôle of a dead man for a -couple of hours and then make my escape may sound like a joke to the -inexperienced, and it was really a practical joke on the raiders; -but to me, to lie thus exposed on the bare ground, with a column of -hostile cavalry passing on either side all the time, and so near me -that I could distinctly hear any ordinary conversation, was far from -enjoyable. I am no stranger to the hardships of a soldier’s life; I -have endured the coldest weather with scant clothing, marched day after -day and night after night without food or sleep; have been exposed -to cold, hunger, inclement weather and fatigue until the power of -endurance was well-nigh exhausted, but never did I find anything quite -so tedious and trying as playing dead. I had no idea of time, except -that I knew that I had not lain there all night. The first shell our -men threw after I fell came near killing me, as a large piece plowed -up the ground near enough to my back to throw dirt all over me. Their -ammunition, however, was soon exhausted, the guns abandoned, and that -danger at an end. - -As things grew more quiet the awful fear seized me that my ruse would -be discovered and I be abused for my deception, and driven up and -carried to prison. This fear haunted me until the last. Now, to add -to the discomfort of my situation, it began to rain, and never in my -life had I felt such a rain. When in my fall I struck the ground my -hat had dropped off, and this terrible rain beat down in my face until -the flesh was sore. But to move an arm or leg, or to turn my face over -for protection was to give my case completely away, and involved, -as I felt, the humiliation of a prison life; than which nothing in -the bounds of probability in my life as a Confederate soldier was so -horrible, in which there was but one grain of consolation, and that was -that I would see my brother and other friends who had been on Johnson’s -Island for some months. - -The last danger encountered was when some dismounted men came near -driving some pack mules over me. Finally everything became so quiet -that I ventured to raise my head, very slowly and cautiously at first, -and as not a man could be seen I finally rose to my feet. Walking up to -a wounded Pennsylvania cavalryman I held a short conversation with him. -Surveying the now deserted field, so lately the scene of such activity, -and supposing as I did that Ross’ brigade as an organization was broken -up and destroyed, I was much distressed. I was left alone and afoot, -and never expected to see my horse or mule any more, which in fact I -never did, as Kilpatrick’s cavalry, after charging through the field, -had turned into the road and stampeded our horses. - -I now started out over the field in the hope of picking up enough -plunder to fit myself for service in some portion of the army. In -this I succeeded beyond my expectation, as I found a pretty good, -completely rigged horse, only slightly wounded, and a pack-mule with -pack intact, and I soon loaded the mule well with saddles, bridles, -halters, blankets, and oil cloths. Among other things I picked up a -Sharp’s carbine, which I recognized as belonging to a messmate. While I -was casting about in my mind as to what command I would join, I heard -the brigade bugle sounding the assembly! Sweeter music never was heard -by me. Mounting my newly-acquired horse and leading my pack-mule, I -proceeded in the direction from which the bugle notes came, and on -the highest elevation in the field, on the opposite side of the lane, -I found General Ross and the bugler. I told my experience, and heard -our gallant brigadier’s laughable story of his escape. I sat on my -new horse and looked over the field as the bugle continued to sound -the assembly occasionally, and was rejoiced to see so many of our men -straggling in from different directions, coming apparently out of the -ground, some of them bringing up prisoners, one of whom was so drunk -that he didn’t know he was a prisoner until the next morning. - -Near night we went into camp with the remnant collected, and the men -continued coming in during the night and during all the next day. To -say that we were crestfallen and heartily ashamed of being run over -is to put it mildly; but we were not so badly damaged, after all. The -horse-holders, when the horses stampeded, had turned as many as they -could out of the road and saved them. But as for me, I had suffered -almost a total loss, including the fine sword that John B. Long had -presented me at Thompson’s Station, and which I had tied on my saddle. -My faithful Jake came in next morning, and although he could not save -my horse, he had saved himself, his little McCook mule and some of my -soldier clothes. My pack-mule and surplus rigging I now distributed -among those who seemed to need them most. - -Including officers, we had eighty-four or eighty-five men captured, and -only sixteen or eighteen of these were carried to Northern prisons. -Among them were seven officers, including my friend Captain Noble, who -was carried to Johnson’s Island, and messed with my brother until the -close of the war. Captain Noble had an eye for resemblances. When he -first saw my brother he walked up to him and said, “I never saw you -before, but I will bet your name is Barron, and I know your brother -well.” The other prisoners who escaped that night and returned to us -next day included my friend Lieutenant Soap, who brought in a prisoner, -and Luther Grimes, owner of the Sharp’s carbine, already mentioned, who -had an ugly saber wound in the head. I remember only two men of the -Third Texas who were killed during the day—William Kellum of Company -C, near Lee’s Mill; and John Hendricks, of Company B, in the charge on -the railworks. These two men had managed to keep on details from one -to two years, being brought to the front under orders to cut down all -details to increase the fighting strength, and they were both killed on -the field the first day they were under the enemy’s fire. - -Among the wounded was Captain S. S. Johnson, of Company K, Third Texas, -gunshot wound, while a number of the men were pretty badly hacked with -sabers. Next day General Ross went up to General Hood’s headquarters -and said to him: “General, I got my brigade run over yesterday.” -General Hood replied, “General Ross, you have lost nothing by that, -sir. If others who should have been there had been near enough to the -enemy to be run over, your men would not have been run over.” This -greatly relieved our feelings, and the matter became only an incident -of the campaign, and on the 22d day of August Ross’ brigade was back in -its position ready for duty. - - - - -CHAPTER XV - -UNION SOLDIER’S ACCOUNT OF KILPATRICK’S RAID - - Kilpatrick’s Raid—Ordered to the Front—Enemy’s Artillery - Silenced—We Destroy the Railroad—Hot Work at the Railroad—Plan of - Our Formation—Stampeding the Horses—The Enemy Charges—Sleeping on - Horseback—Swimming the River—Camped at Last. - - -AFTER the war ended I made a friend of Robert M. Wilson of Illinois, -who served in the Fourth United States Cavalry, and he kindly wrote out -and sent me his account of this raid, and by way of parenthesis I here -insert it, as it may be of interest. - - * * * * * - -“The following is an account of the Kilpatrick raid, made in -August, 1864, written partly from memory and partly from a letter -written August 28, 1864, by Captain Robert Burns, acting assistant -adjutant-general of the First Brigade, Second Cavalry Division, I -acting as orderly for him part of the time on the raid. I was detailed -at brigade headquarters as a scout during the Atlanta campaign and -until General Wilson took our regiment as his escort. On the 17th of -August, 1864, at one o’clock, A. M., ours and Colonel Long’s Brigade -(the First and Second), of Second Cavalry Division, all under the -command of Colonel Minty, left our camp on Peach Tree Creek, on the -left of our army northeast of Atlanta, at seven o’clock next morning; -reported to General Kilpatrick at Sand Town on the right of our army, -having during the night passed from one end or flank of our army to -the other. We remained at Sand Town until sundown of the 18th, when we -started out to cut the enemy’s communications south of Atlanta. Two -other expeditions, Stoneman’s and McCook’s, well equipped, before this -had been ruined in attempting the same thing. We, however, imagined -we were made of sterner stuff, and started off in good spirits. The -command consisted of Third Cavalry Division (Kilpatrick’s), under -Colonel Murray, about 2700 men, and two brigades of our division (the -Second), under command of Colonel Minty, about 2700 men also—the whole -commanded by Kilpatrick (or Kill Cavalry, as we always called him). - -“Away we went, Third Division in advance. The night was a beautiful -moonlight one, and we would have enjoyed it more if we had not been up -all the night preceding. We did not go more than three miles before we -ran into the enemy’s pickets, when we had to go more slowly, driving -them before us, dismounting to feel the woods on both sides, etc., etc. -Consequently it was morning when we reached the Atlanta & West Point -Railroad near Fairburn. At Red Oak we had torn up about half a mile of -the track when the rear battalion of Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry was -suddenly attacked by a force of dismounted men and artillery. Just back -of where our column was struck were the ambulances, the darkies leading -officers’ horses, pack-mules, etc., etc. Several shells dropped among -them, and they thought the kingdom had come, sure. The Fourth United -States Cavalry, being in rear of the ambulances, soon drove the enemy -away. All this time the head of the column kept moving on, as time was -precious and we could not stop for slight scrimmages. - -“General Kilpatrick, not being satisfied with the progress made by his -advance, ordered our brigades to take the front and Murray the rear. -(We had learned before starting that it was expected we, our division, -would do all the fighting.) Long’s brigade, in advance, had not gone -more than half a mile when he found a strong force of the enemy in his -front. He had to dismount his men to drive the enemy from the rail -barricades they had made, but he would find them in the same position -half a mile farther on. Long kept his men dismounted, having number -four lead the horses. I was close up with the advance with Colonel -Minty. We drove the enemy steadily but slowly back, until we came to -the valley through which Flint River runs, when they were reinforced -by Ferguson’s brigade of cavalry (we had been fighting Ross’ brigade -thus far), and opened on us sharply with artillery when we commenced -descending the hill, the shells and bullets rattling lively around us. -Two guns of our battery—we had with us four guns of Chicago Board of -Trade which belonged to our division, and Murray had with him four guns -of the Eleventh Wisconsin Battery—were soon brought up and succeeded -in silencing the enemy’s artillery, the first striking an artilleryman -and blowing him to pieces. Our division were then all dismounted and -moved forward at the double-quick under fire of our eight guns, and -drove the enemy clear through Jonesboro, crossing the bridge on the -stringer. Our brigade (First) had the advance, being nearly all -deployed as skirmishers. We then seized the railroad for which we had -started, and we commenced to smash things generally. The track was torn -up for about two miles, the depot and public buildings burned, and -destruction was let loose. While this was going on the enemy returned -to the attack, and our division was sent to meet them, the Third -Division turning the rails. The enemy were driven southward and we were -pushed that way, to shove them farther back. Before was darkness and -death, behind the burning buildings and smoking ruins, and now it also -began to thunder, lightning, and pour down rain in torrents. All this -time General Kilpatrick had one of his bands behind us playing ‘Yankee -Doodle’ and other patriotic airs. It appeared as if defeat was coming, -for we could hear the whistle of the cars in front of us and knew that -the enemy were being reinforced from below. We then determined to flank -them, so about midnight our brigade, followed by the Third Division, -moved in a southeasterly direction about seven miles, Long’s brigade -being left to cover the rear. - -“When seven miles out we stopped to feed, close to 6 A. M., about a -mile from Murray’s Division, but were little protected, as both hills -were cleared and the valley had but few trees in it. Our brigade was -ordered to mount and move forward when Colonel Long’s brigade was -attacked by the cavalry that followed us from Jonesboro. The enemy’s -forces consisted of the brigades of Ross, Ferguson, and Armstrong, -about 4500 men. Our brigade moved on and turned sharply to the right, -in a southwesterly direction, to strike the railroad again about eight -miles below Jonesboro. I stayed on the hill with Captain Burns, for a -short time, to witness the skirmishing between Long and the enemy. From -where we were all our maneuvers could be distinctly seen, as also the -enemy, who would advance upon our men, only to be driven back. It was -a beautiful sight. ‘By Heaven, it was a noble sight to see—by one who -had no friend or brother there.’ - -“Captain Burns, myself following, now galloped off to overtake our -brigade, which we soon did. Colonel Long had orders to follow as -quickly as possible, Colonel Murray to come after. We (our brigade) -pushed for Lovejoy Station. When within a mile and a half of the -railroad we halted for the rest of the command to join us. About a mile -from the railroad the road forks, the two prongs striking the railroad -about a half a mile apart. A few hundred feet in front of and parallel -to the railroad another road ran. The Fourth Michigan was sent by the -right-hand road to the railroad, which it reached without any trouble; -the rest of the brigade took the left-hand prong of the road, having -for the last mile or two been driving off about a dozen cavalrymen. As -we neared the railroad the firing became hotter and hotter. The Seventh -Pennsylvania Cavalry was dismounted and sent forward to the woods—one -battalion, four companies, of it had been advance guard. Hotter grew -the firing, and the horses of the advance who had dismounted came -hurrying back. The Fourth United States (Regulars) were then dismounted -and sent in. Captain Burns was sent back to hurry up two of Long’s -regiments, but before this could be done the Seventh Pennsylvania -and Fourth Regulars were driven from the woods in some confusion. We -had run on a brigade of infantry who were lying in the woods behind -barricades at the side of the railroad, and a force of the enemy was -also pushed in on the right, where the Fourth Michigan were at work. -Long’s brigade was put in position to check the advancing Confederates, -and our battery brought up, as the woods in front and on our left -were swarming with the enemy, and the Fourth Regulars and Seventh -Pennsylvania were placed in support of the battery. Poor fellows, they -were badly cut up! - -“One of Long’s regiments was formed near the fork of the road, the -Fourth Michigan was being placed there, and the enemy tried again -and again to take our battery. It fought magnificently, and the guns -were made to radiate in all directions and did splendid work, our men -supporting them well. One of the guns, by the rebound, had broken its -trail off short, so that it could not be drawn from the field. When the -rest of the pieces had been withdrawn Colonel Minty called for men to -draw off the piece by hand. Captain Burns took about twenty men of the -Fourth Michigan Cavalry down and helped pull it off, though the enemy -were very close to us. While this was taking place, heavy firing was -heard in our rear, for the cavalry with which we had been fighting had -followed us, and had us in a pretty tight box, as follows: a brigade of -infantry in our front and partly on our left; a division moving on our -right and but a short distance off; three brigades of cavalry in our -rear. Stoneman and McCook threw up the sponge under like circumstances. -We decided we must leave the railroad alone, and crush the enemy’s -cavalry, and consequently withdrew from fighting the infantry, who now -became very quiet, probably expecting to soon take us all in. - -“The command was faced to the rear as follows: Our brigade was formed -on the right hand side of the road, each regiment in columns of fours -(four men abreast); the Fourth Regulars on the left; Fourth Michigan -center; Seventh Pennsylvania on the right, Long’s brigade formed in -close columns with regimental front, that is, each regiment formed in -line, the men side by side, boot to boot, thus: - - MINTY’S BRIGADE - - FOURTH FOURTH SEVENTH - U. S. MICH. PENN. - - o o o o o o o o o o o o - o o o o o o o o o o o o - o o o o o o o o o o o o - o o o o o o o o o o o o - o o o o o o o o o o o o - - - LONG’S BRIGADE - - FIRST OHIO - - o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o - - THIRD OHIO - - o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o - - OHIO - - o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o - -“The last regiment was deployed in rear of the others so as to take in -a large space of ground and pick up prisoners and trophies. You see, -we were to break through the enemy, smashing them, and Long was to -sweep over the ground and pick them up. This was soon determined on, -for there was no time to lose. A few of our men were in front of us, -dismounted, skirmishing with the enemy, and they were told to throw -down the fence where they were. The enemy all this time was keeping -them engaged as much as possible, while a large force of them were -building rail barricades. We were formed just below the brow of the -hill, skirmishers on the crest of it, the enemy’s artillery to our left -and front playing over us, and bullets and shells flying thick over our -heads. We drew saber, trotted until we came to the crest of the hill -and then started at a gallop. Down the hill we went, the enemy turning -canister upon us, while the bullets whistled fiercely, and the battery -away on our right threw shells. We leaped fences, ditches, barricades, -and were among them, the artillery being very hot at this time. You -could almost feel the balls as they passed by. The Fourth Michigan and -Seventh Pennsylvania went straight forward to the woods, the field over -which they passed being at least a half a mile wide, with three fences, -one partially built barricade, and a number of ditches and gullies, -some very wide and deep. Of course many of the men were dismounted, and -upon reaching the woods they (our men) could not move fast, and they -turned to the right and joined the main column in the road about one -and a half miles from the start. The Fourth Regulars (my regiment, as -I joined it when the charge was ordered) could not keep parallel with -the rest of the brigade on account of high fences in our front, and -seeing an opening in the fence we turned to the left, and struck out on -the main road, coming upon the enemy in the road near their battery, -and sending them flying. We were soon among the led horses of the -dismounted men in their rear and among the ambulances, and a perfect -stampede took place, riderless horses and ambulances being scattered in -all directions, we in the midst of them, shooting and cutting madly. -A part of our regiment, with some of the Fourth Michigan and Seventh -Pennsylvania, dashed at the battery, drove the men from the pieces, and -captured three of the guns. Private William Bailey, a young Tennessean -from near McMinnville, who belonged to Fourth Michigan Cavalry (he was -associated with me at headquarters as scout), shot the captain. We -brought away the guns, and the charge continued for about two miles, -when we halted for the command to close up. Colonel Long’s brigade did -not charge in line as it was intended, for, finding that the ground was -impracticable, it formed in column and followed the Fourth Regulars. -Colonel Murray’s command, instead of sweeping all to the left, as we -supposed they would do, turned to the right and followed Long. Had -Murray done what was expected, both sides of the road would have been -cleaned out. - -“Immediately after the charge and while we were pushing through the -woods it commenced to rain, and poured in torrents. The command was -now started for McDonough, but before the whole of it had moved off, -Long’s brigade, which had been moved to cover the rear, was fiercely -attacked by the infantry of the enemy. Colonel Long fought them for -about two hours, when, his ammunition giving out, he was obliged to -retire. (Here Long was wounded twice.) The Fourth Michigan and Seventh -Pennsylvania were formed in the rear, Long behind rail barricades which -had been hastily thrown up. The Fourth United States Regulars being -out of ammunition were sent on to McDonough, where the Ninety-second -Illinois Mounted Infantry divided ammunition with some of us near this -town. One of Long’s regiments assisted the Fourth Michigan and Seventh -Pennsylvania. Long passed his men through when the enemy came on us. -Then we had it hot and heavy, the enemy charging several times, but -were repulsed. All this fighting here was done dismounted, and was for -the purpose of holding back the enemy until our main column could get -out of the way. Our battery (three pieces) during this fight burst -one gun and wedged another, getting a shell part way down it, so it -could not be moved either way, so we had one gun only, but that was -used with effect, the enemy meanwhile playing their artillery into our -columns all along the road. You see our two brigades had to do all the -fighting, lead the charge, and cover the retreat. As soon as our men -had passed on about a mile, our rear-guard followed, and we were not -molested again. We pushed slowly on to McDonough, crossed Walnut Creek, -and near morning lay down in the mud for sleep. How tired we were I -cannot tell, and men would tumble prone from their horses, and it was -next to impossible to awaken them. Frequently two or three men would -fall asleep upon their horses, who would stop, and the whole column -behind them would naturally do the same, too, supposing that there -was obstruction ahead. Hundreds of men were sometimes asleep in that -way upon their horses in the mud for an hour or so at a time. During -this time I fell asleep for about two hours, and awoke drenched to the -skin, for it was raining, and fearfully dark and very disagreeable. -About two o’clock we found a place to stop. I never before that knew -what fatigue meant, for I had not slept a wink for the nights of the -17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th until the morning (about 2 A. M.) of the -21st, except what I had when riding along. We had had but three meals, -and but little time to eat them, had fought seven pretty hard fights, -besides skirmishing, etc., etc. At daybreak the next morning we started -on again. At Cotton River the bridge was gone, the stream much swollen -by rain, so that it could not be forded and the horses were obliged to -swim it. As the current was very swift, we had a terrible time crossing -it. We, our brigade, lost one man and about sixty horses drowned here, -and nearly all our pack-mules also. We could not get the wagon with the -two disabled guns across at all, and rumor said they were buried here, -and the site marked as the graves of two soldiers of the Fourth United -States Cavalry. It was terrible to see the poor wounded carried across, -some fastened on horses, while others were taken over in ambulances. -We all finally got over, but if the enemy had pushed us here most of -the command would have been captured. We were now nearly all out of -ammunition, and many an anxious glance I gave to the rear, it being a -relief when all were over. We then crossed South River bridge, burning -all the bridges for ten miles each side, and camped that night at -Lithonia. The next day we returned to our camp at Peach Tree Creek, -having made a complete circuit of the two armies of Hood and Sherman. -We did not do all we hoped we could when we started, but _we did all we -could_. Notwithstanding what we had suffered, General Sherman was much -dissatisfied with us, expecting more from us than lay in our power (or -his either) to accomplish. - -[Illustration: G. A. MCKEE - -Private Company C, Third Texas Cavalry] - -“In the above narrative I have drawn very largely from a letter written -August 28, 1864, by Captain Burns (as stated before), printed in a -work called ‘Minty and the Cavalry,’ though about all I have written -occurred under my own observation. We captured three stands of colors -claimed to belong to the Third Texas Cavalry,[4] Zachariah Rangers, and -Benjamin’s Infantry. - - “Our aggregate loss in First and Second Brigades, killed, wounded, and - missing, was 14 officers, 192 men.”[5] - - “ROBERT M. WILSON, - “Company M, Fourth United States Cavalry.” - - - - -CHAPTER XVI - -CLOSE OF THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN - - Sherman Changes His Tactics—Hood Deceived—Heavy Fighting—Atlanta - Surrenders—End of the Campaign—Losses—Scouting—An Invader’s - Devastation—Raiding the Raiders—Hood Crosses the Coosa—A - Reconnoissance—Negro Spies—Raiding the Blacks—Crossing Indian - Creek—A Conversion. - - -GENERAL SHERMAN had been impatient and dissatisfied that his cavalry -was unable to destroy the Macon or Brunswick Railroad, and now changed -his tactics. He had been in front of Atlanta, since General Hood had -been in command, a period of about five weeks. In a few days after -Kilpatrick’s return, he began withdrawing his forces from the front of -that beleaguered city, crossed to the north side of the Chattahoochee, -marched his main force down to Sand Town, recrossed the river, and -moved directly on Jonesboro, some twenty miles below Atlanta. - -I do not believe, and never have believed, that General Hood understood -this maneuver until it was too late to save even his stores, arms, -and ammunition in Atlanta. His infantry scouts, it was understood and -believed at the time, watched the enemy’s movements, to the point of -their crossing to the north side of the Chattahoochee, and reported -that they were retreating, while our cavalry scouts reported that they -were recrossing at Sand Town, in heavy force in our front. - -We, that is, our cavalry, began fighting the head of their column -as soon as they crossed the river, and fought them for detention and -delay, as best we could, all the way to the Flint River Crossing -near Jonesboro, just as we had fought Kilpatrick’s force a few days -before. General Hood, being advised that a heavy force of infantry -and artillery was moving on Jonesboro, sent a portion of his army -down there, and they fought the enemy most gallantly, but it seemed -to me that our army should have been in their front long before they -crossed Flint River. As it was, General Sherman threw his army across -the railroad, on the first day of September, between us and Atlanta, -and, while the fighting was terrific, we were unable to drive them -off. A terrible battle, in which there were no breastworks, was fought -late in the evening, and General Cleburne’s division was cut in two, -for the first time during the war, when General Govan of his division -was captured and Colonel Govan killed. We were in line, dismounted, -just on General Cleburne’s right, forming a mere skirmish line, in -order to cover the enemy’s front. The welcome shades of night soon -gathered around us, and the fighting ceased when the opposing lines -were almost together. I was on picket two or three hundred yards back -of the enemy’s line until one or two o’clock in the morning. All -this time they were felling timber and strengthening their position -for the fighting they expected in the morning. During the evening -Lieutenant-Colonel Berry of the Ninth Texas Cavalry was killed. - -Soon after midnight a courier from General Hood passed us and informed -us that Atlanta was given up. As soon as he reached our headquarters -a courier was sent to order us to fall back. And thus ended the -last battle of the long campaign about Atlanta, a campaign involving -continuous fighting for three and a half months. - -Very soon after General Hood’s courier passed us we began to hear -the artillery ammunition exploding in Atlanta. All was burned that -could not be carried away on the march, as we now had no railroad -transportation. After burning the arms, ammunition, and stores that -could not be transported, General Hood moved out with his army, and -the Federals took undisputed possession of the city the next day. -General Hood, after burning his supplies, had moved out during the -night eastwardly and by a circuitous march joined his other forces -near Lovejoy Station. General Sherman soon abandoned Jonesboro, moved -his army into and around Atlanta and two tired armies rested. Sherman -reported his loss in this campaign at 34,514, quite a large army in -itself. - -Our army settled down for the time being near Jonesboro, Ross’ brigade -doing outpost duty. The ranks of the brigade had become very much -depleted by the losses in killed, wounded, and captured during the -Atlanta campaign, and the companies were temporarily consolidated. This -caused the regiments of the brigade, except the Third Texas, to have -on hand a number of supernumerary company officers. The Third having -more officers in prisons and hospitals than the others, only had about -enough officers after consolidation. These officers, with consent of -the commanders, agreed to organize themselves into a scouting party. I -had permission to join them, and as this offered some recreation, or -at least a diversion, I did so, being the only member from the Third. -They were all gallant and experienced officers and jovial companionable -fellows. - -We organized by selecting Captain H. W. Wade of the Sixth Texas -commander. I cannot now recall all of them, but among them were -Captains O. P. Preston, Reuben Simpson, Cook, and Broughton, and -Lieutenants W. J. Swain, Thompson Morris, W. W. McClathie, Bridges, -and Park. We were joined by the gallant Captain Reams, of Missouri, -whose command had surrendered at the fall of Vicksburg, and who, having -gone to Missouri to recruit his command, was captured and imprisoned, -but had escaped into Canada, and from there made his way back to -General Hood’s army. We were sent on duty in the country lying north -of the West Point Railroad and south of the Chattahoochee River, west -and northwest of Atlanta—this being a large scope of country not -occupied by either army and liable to be depredated upon by the enemy. -Campbellton, the county seat of Campbell County, was a town of some -importance situated on the south bank of the Chattahoochee River, some -thirty miles northwestwardly from Atlanta. The Federal outpost in this -direction was twelve or fifteen miles out from the city. - -Our duties were performed for several weeks without incident worthy of -mention. We were sometimes in the territory over which we had fought -during the summer, and a more desolate country I never saw; not a -domestic animal or fowl, and scarcely a bird, could be seen; the woods, -where we had fed our horses shelled corn, had grown up in green corn -more than knee high, and there were no animals to crop it down; the -fences had all been torn down to build barricades, and the crops had -been without cultivation or protection since the early summer; the corn -had made small ears and the sorghum had grown up into little trifling -stalks, and the people who lived hereabouts were subsisting on corn -bread made of grated meal and syrup made in the crudest manner. Oh, the -devastation and horrors of war! They must be seen to be realized. - -One morning we met Lieutenant Bob Lee, with his scouts, and it was -agreed that we would spend the day together on a trip towards the river -between Campbellton and Sherman’s outpost. Bob Lee was a fine scout, a -member of the Ninth Texas Cavalry who had been promoted from the ranks -to first lieutenant for his efficiency. Lee’s scouts numbered twenty, -while we numbered twenty-one, all well armed with Colt’s revolvers and -well mounted. On our way we picked up Pem Jarvis, of Company K, Third -Texas, who was glad to join us. Pem had the only gun in the company, -and no pistol. - -We moved north by any road or trail found to lead to the right -direction, until about noon, when we struck the rear of a farm lying -in a little valley. Along the opposite ridge ran the “ridge road” from -Atlanta to Campbellton, probably half a mile distant. Near the road, -in a strip of timber, stood a farmhouse. Near the house we heard a gun -fire and a hog squeal. Throwing down the fence we rode in and moved -across cautiously, so as not to be seen from the house. Passing out -through a pair of draw-bars, three or four of the men galloped up to -the house and into the yard, where they found two Federal soldiers in -the act of dressing a hog they had just killed. From them we learned -that a party of about sixty cavalrymen, in charge of an officer, and -having with them two four-mule wagons, had just passed, going in the -direction of Campbellton. We started off, leaving the hog killers in -charge of two of our men, and filed into the road. At the first house -on the road, supposed to be Dr. Hornsby’s, two ladies were in the act -of mounting their horses at the gate. They were crying, and told us -that some Yankee soldiers had passed there and insulted them, and that -they were going to headquarters to ask for protection. They estimated -the number at about sixty, with two wagons. This was about five miles -from Campbellton. - -We sent two of our scouts ahead to look for them, as there is also -a road from Campbellton to Atlanta called the river road. If they -returned by the ridge road we would meet them, if by the river road we -would miss them. The scouts were to ascertain this matter and report. -We moved on to within about two miles of the town and formed a line in -the brush, a few steps south of the road and parallel with it, where, -with bridles and pistols well in hand, we patiently waited the return -of our scouts. The road from our position, towards town as far as we -could see it, ran on a rough down grade and was lined with thick black -jack brush. From here it was impossible for a horseman to get into the -river road without going into town. The intention was, if they came our -way, to wait until their column came up in our front and charge them in -flank. - -In due time we heard our scouts coming at a gallop, and looking up -we saw they were being pursued by two Federals. One of the Federals -reined up and stopped before he got in our front, while the other rode -along nearly the entire front of our line, fired his gun at our scouts, -cussed the d——d rebels, then stopped, and stood as if waiting for the -column, which was then slowly moving up the hill. We could hear them -driving milch cows, which they had taken from citizens, and accompanied -by wagons loaded with the fruits of their day’s robbery, such as -tobacco, chickens, and turkeys. The fellow in our front furnished -such a tempting target that one of our men fired, and the Federal -dropped from his horse. This was sufficient to spoil the ambush, and -we instantly spurred our horses into the road, gave a loud yell, and -charged at full speed down the rough road, into the head of their -column. As we approached them they seemed almost to forget the use of -their seven-shooting rifles in an effort to reverse their column, and -before they could accomplish this we were in among them, and they ran -for dear life back to gain the river road. We went along with them to -town, and they fired back at us vigorously, and powder burned some -of our men in the face, but no one of our men received as much as a -scratch. We were better armed for such a contest than they were, for -though they had good rifles, their pistols were few, while we carried -from two to four Colt’s revolvers apiece. - -Jarvis’ horse became unmanageable in the excitement and ran under some -black jack, and knocked Jarvis’ gun out of his hand and plunged in -among the enemy, passing by several of them while Jarvis had nothing -to defend himself with. Some of them were in the act of shooting him -in the back, but invariably Bob Lee or someone else would save him by -shooting his assailant in the back of the head. The foremost and best -mounted men, about twenty in number, with one wagon, got through the -town. We followed them a few hundred yards and turned back. We had -twelve prisoners unhurt, and going back over the road we found fourteen -dead and fifteen wounded. We had in our possession one wagon and team, -thirty or forty rifles, a few pistols, and a number of horses with -their rigging. - -As I was going back on the road I came to an elderly wounded man just -outside of the road. I reined up my horse, and as I did so he reached -out a trembling hand, in which he held a greasy leather pocketbook, and -said: “Here, take this, but please don’t kill me.” I told him to put -up his pocketbook; that I would neither take that nor his life; that I -only wanted his arms. - -The slightly wounded men, who would likely be able to fight again -very soon, we put into the wagon, and mounting the unhurt ones on the -captured horses we paired off with them, and thus started for our own -lines. I rode with one of the prisoners, who was quite a talkative -fellow. Upon asking him why it was that so many of their men refused to -surrender, and allowed themselves to be shot, he said: “Our officers -have told us that Ross’s brigade never shows prisoners any quarter, but -will rob and murder them; and we knew it was Ross’s brigade as soon -as you yelled that way.” I told him that was a great slander on the -brigade; that no men would treat prisoners more kindly; that sometimes -we were hard up for clothes and would take an overcoat, or blanket, or -something of the kind from a fellow that was well supplied. “Oh,” said -he, “that’s nothing; _we_ do that.” I then said to him: “I believe your -boots will fit me, and these brogans of mine will do you just as well -at Andersonville.” He said, “All right,” and instantly he dismounted -and pulled his boots off. We traded, and I had a good pair of kip boots -that fit me, and he had brogan shoes, and was apparently happy. He -asked me how it was that we were so much better mounted than they were. -I explained that we furnished our own horses, and we must keep them or -go to the infantry, and that made our men good horsemasters; while the -United States Government furnished them with horses and they knew that -when they rode one to death they would get another. - -We continued our scouting duties in the same section of country until -the early days of October, when General Hood moved around in General -Sherman’s rear, and began destroying his communications, capturing -supplies and provisions. Sherman moved out of Atlanta and followed Hood -until the latter came to the vicinity of Rome. General Hood unwilling -to risk a battle in the open field, crossed the Coosa River, moving -by way of Gadsden, Ala., towards Guntersville on the Tennessee River. -When General Sherman discovered this movement he turned back towards -Atlanta, devastating the country and despoiling the citizens as he went. - -With General Hood’s movement across the Coosa River he began his last -campaign, and the last campaign for the Army of the Tennessee. His -intention was to cross the Tennessee at Guntersville and march on -Nashville, but he changed his mind and moved down the river to near -Decatur, Tuscumbia, and Florence, Ross’s brigade being in front of -Decatur, then occupied by the Federals. General Sherman returning to -Atlanta, that city was burned, and leaving the smoking ruins behind -him, he entered upon his grand march to the sea, with none of General -Hood’s army, save General Wheeler’s cavalry, to molest him in his work -of devastation. - -A day or two after we got to Decatur General Ross ordered our scouting -party back up the river to ascertain, if we could, what the enemy was -doing in the rear of that place. We moved up on the south side of the -river and stopped between Triana and Whitesburg. These towns were -garrisoned and the river patrolled by gunboats. We remained in this -neighborhood without any further instructions for some weeks. Here I -found my half-brother, J. J. Ashworth, who lived on the south bank of -the river about fifteen miles from Huntsville, and about three miles -above Triana. In this neighborhood were a number of my acquaintances -from Madison County, refugeeing, as Huntsville, Brownsboro, and -other towns were also garrisoned by the enemy. Several of us crossed -the river afoot and remained some days in Madison County. But for -the negroes we could have had a pleasant time, as every negro in -the country was a spy who would run to report anything that looked -suspicious to them, to one of the near-by garrisons, so we dared not -allow them to see us. I knew the white people, and knew that they were -loyal to our cause, but they could not allow their own negroes to know -that they did anything for us, so that we, and they, too, had to be -exceedingly careful. - -In crossing the river we had to watch for gunboats, make the passage -during the night in a canoe, which must be drawn out and hidden, else -the first passing gunboat would destroy it. Some three miles north -of the river, in the bottom, lived Alexander Penland, a Presbyterian -minister, a true and loyal friend to the Confederacy, and three or four -miles further on, towards Huntsville, lived William Lanier, Burwell -Lanier and William Matkins, the two latter on the Huntsville and Triana -road. Dr. William Leftwich also lived in the same neighborhood. All -were good, trustworthy men, whom I knew well. Since some of them had -taken the non-combatant’s oath they were allowed to go in and out -of town at will, and from them I could learn of any movements along -the M. & C. Railroad. We crossed the river after night, and being -in possession of Mr. Penland’s countersign, we found our way to his -house, late at night, after the household was all asleep. I went to a -certain front window, tapped lightly and whistled like a partridge. -Soon Mr. Penland thrust his head out and in a whisper inquired who -we were and what was wanted. I explained to him briefly, and retired -to a brush thicket near by, where early next morning he brought us -cooked provisions. In order to do this he had to get up and cook for -us himself before any of his negroes were awake. The next night we -slept in William Lanier’s farm and were fed by him in the same way. -We crossed the Triana road and went to the top of a small mountain, -from which we could see Huntsville. A rainy season set in and we found -shelter in Burwell Lanier’s gin-house, where he fed us. When we thought -of recrossing the Tennessee we found that Indian Creek, which we had -to cross, was outrageously high, spreading away out over the bottom. -We spent a good part of an afternoon in constructing a raft by tying -logs together with vines to enable us to cross that night. Just east -of William Lanier’s farm there was a large negro quarter, where idle -and vicious negroes were in the habit of congregating, and inasmuch as -their system of espionage upon the white people of the neighborhood was -very annoying, upon the suggestion of some of our friends we determined -to raid this place before we left, carry off some of these meddlesome -blacks and send them to some government works in south Alabama. - -Accordingly after dark we visited the quarter under the guise of -recruiting officers from Whitesburg, told them we had been fighting -for their freedom for about three years, and the time had now come for -them to help us, and we had come for every able-bodied man to go with -us to Whitesburg and join the army. I had our men call me Brown, for -fear some of them might know me. It was laughable to hear the various -excuses rendered for not going into the service. A lot of Confederate -conscripts could not have thought up more physical ailments. We finally -gathered up six that we decided were able for service, promising they -should have a medical examination, and if they were really unfit for -service they would be excused. Among them was a powerful, large, -muscular black fellow that belonged to Jink Jordan. He had joined the -army and, tiring of his job, was now a deserter, and we could see that -he was greatly scared and very much opposed to going with us. - -Upon leaving the negro houses we went through the field and the woods -directly to our raft on the creek and had a great time getting across. -The clouds were thick, it was intensely dark, and our means of crossing -very poor. We had to make a number of trips, as we could only float -three or four men, including the two that used the poles, at one time. -In the confusion and darkness two of the prisoners had escaped, and -two had just crossed, including the big deserter, when it became my -duty to guard them with a short Enfield rifle belonging to one of the -men. Having their hands tied with a cord and then tied together back to -back, I was not uneasy about keeping them, but before I realized what -they were doing they had slipped their hands through the cord and were -running through the brush. When the big deserter had gone some twelve -or fifteen steps I shot him. He fell at the fire of the gun, but before -I could get to him he scrambled up and went crashing through the brush -like a stampeding ox. I learned afterwards that he went into Huntsville -to a hospital for treatment, and that the ball had gone through the -muscle of his arm and plowed into his breast, but not deep enough to -be fatal. We finally reached the bank of the river about one or two -o’clock in the morning, with two of our prisoners. We then had to hoot -like an owl until some one on the other side should wake up, and, -hearing the signal, would bring us a canoe, which was finally done, and -we crossed over in safety. - -We crossed the river several times during our stay in the neighborhood, -particularly one very cold night, when several of us passed over, at -the request of Mr. Penland, to transfer his pork to the south side. He -had killed a lot of hogs, and was afraid the meat might be taken from -him, or that he would be ordered out of the Federal lines as others -had been, and he wished to place it in the hands of a friend south of -the river for safety. We managed to get an old rickety canoe opposite -his place, and crossed early in the night, and again played the rôle -of Federal soldiers, as no one on his place but himself must know our -real mission. Mrs. Penland had known me from childhood, but as she had -lost her mind I did not fear recognition, and while Nancy, their negro -woman, also had known me, she failed to recognize me, as I was Mr. -Brown of the Federal army. We marched up and called for the man of the -house, and when Mr. Penland came forward we told him we were rather -short of rations down in Triana, and were out looking for meat, and -wished to know if he had any. He acknowledged that he had just killed -some meat, but only enough for his family use, and had none to spare. -We were bound to have meat, and agreed to leave him one hog, and then -yoked up a pair of oxen and hitched them to a wagon. While we were in -the smokehouse preparing to take the meat out, Mr. Penland’s two little -girls, about nine and eleven, came crying around us, and in a most -pitiful manner begged us not to take all of papa’s meat; and poor Mrs. -Penland came to the door and said: “Men, please don’t take my little -boy’s pony.” When we had hauled all the meat to the river bank and -returned the wagon, it was nearly midnight, and we compelled the woman -Nancy to get up and prepare us a warm supper. After supper we returned -to the river and floated the hogs across in our old canoe. - -At this time my brother’s son, George Ashworth, a gallant boy about -sixteen years old, who had taken his father’s place in General Roddy’s -command, was at home on furlough. One day a thief, believed to be -a straggler from General Wheeler’s command, took his horse from a -lot some distance from the house, and carried him off. Lieutenant -McClatchie and myself mounted a pony and a mule of my brother’s and -attempted to overtake him. We followed him as far as Atlanta, but -failed to catch him, and then went into the city and viewed the wreck -that Sherman had left behind him: thirty-six hundred houses were in -ruins, including the best part of the city. This was Saturday, and -being tired we went down to the neighborhood of Jonesboro and remained -with some of McClatchie’s acquaintances until Monday morning. We were -hospitably entertained at the home of Colonel Tidwell, and enjoyed a -quiet rest in the company of Miss Mattie Tidwell and Miss Eva Camp. - -One evening we passed through the town of Cave Springs, a locality with -which I had become familiar while we were campaigning here. On the road -we were to travel, at the first house after leaving town, two or three -miles out, there lived a tall dignified old gentleman and his handsome -young married daughter whose husband was in the army. They lived in -a large two-story house, and a large commodious barn, with all other -necessary out houses for comfort and convenience, had stood on his -premises when I was there before—the barn filled to overflowing with -wheat, oats, and corn. Just across the road in front of the house, and -stretching across the valley, was his large productive farm, covered -with a heavy crop of ungathered corn. While this was the condition, I -had come to this house at night, traveling in the same direction, and -talked myself almost hoarse without being able to procure from this old -gentleman a single ear of corn for my horse or a morsel of food for -myself, although he knew I must go eight miles to the next house on the -road. I didn’t ask, nor did I wish, to enter his house, but only wanted -a feed of corn and a little bread and meat. As we approached the house -McClatchie proposed halting, to stay all night—provided we could. I -related my earlier experience, but we stopped nevertheless. - -Upon seeing us halt, the old gentleman came stepping down to the gate -and spoke very kindly, and we asked him if we could spend the night -with him. He said such accommodations as he could offer us we would be -welcome to, adding: “I have no stables for your horses. Sherman’s army -passed this way and burned my barn, with its contents, my stables, and -in fact carried off or destroyed everything I had to eat or feed on, -and left me and my daughter without a mouthful of anything to eat. They -carried every hog, every fowl, and every pound of meat, and even rolled -my syrup out of the cellar, knocked the heads out of the barrels and -poured the syrup out on the ground, but I will do the best I can for -you.” His daughter, too, was very hospitable. At the supper table -she detailed all the horrors of Sherman’s visit, and the distressful -condition they were left in, how they had to go to a neighbor’s to -borrow a few ears of corn to grate them for bread, and concluded by -saying: “But as long as I have a piece of bread I will divide it with -a Confederate soldier.” After supper she invited us into the parlor, -where she had a nice piano and treated us to music. Verily “our -friends, the enemy,” had converted one family! - - - - -CHAPTER XVII - -MY LAST BATTLE - - Tories and Deserters—A Tragic Story—A Brutal Murder—The Son’s - Vow—Vengeance—A Southern Heroine—Seeking Our Command—Huntsville—A - Strange Meeting—We Find the Division—The Battle in the Fog—My Last - Battle. - - -HADEN PRYOR, who lived eight miles west on the same road, was a -whole-souled, big-hearted old gentleman, who also had a large place -and plenty of everything to live on, and whose hospitality towards -a Confederate soldier was unbounded. His boys were in the army in -Virginia, and he and his wife were at home alone. I had stayed with him -while hunting a blacksmith shop, and found that a tired Confederate -soldier was more than welcome to his home. Lonely, and impatient for -the war to close, that his gallant boys might come home, he would -sit out on his front veranda and play solitaire, and was glad to see -a soldier come, and sorry to see him leave. He had a nephew in our -regiment that I knew and liked, and I had fallen in love with this old -gentleman. Next morning McClatchie and I, when we came to his house, -called to pay him our respects and to tell him good-by. - -This neighborhood, or rather the neighborhood just south of this, and a -considerable scope of country lying along the western border of Georgia -and the eastern border of Alabama, was infested with a class of the -meanest white men on earth—Tories and deserters, men too cowardly to -fight in either army, but mean and unscrupulous enough to do anything. -We knew they were there, but while our army was in the neighborhood -they were never seen. Since the armies had left they were growing -bolder, and we were told at Mr. Pryor’s that morning about some of -their thievery and robbery. Providence protected us that day. Here were -two roads, one to the left and one to the right, and we could follow -one or the other and reach our destination in the same number of miles. -The matter was left to me, and, without thinking of danger, I selected -the right-hand road. On that day the left-hand road was waylaid by a -band of these infamous characters and every Confederate soldier who -attempted to pass the road was robbed of horse, arms, and everything -of any value, and one or two of them murdered. These soldiers had been -left behind slightly wounded or sick, and were on their way to overtake -their commands. One of the murdered ones belonged to Ross’s brigade. - - * * * * * - -Since the war I have heard, from a reliable source, a tragic story of -this Pryor family, which, if told in detail, would sound like fiction. -It seems that in the spring of 1865 a band of these cut-throats, eight -in number, rode up to Haden Pryor’s gate and without provocation shot -him while he was standing in his front yard in presence of his wife; -as he turned and was in the act of returning to his house he fell in -his front veranda, a corpse. This was a few days after General Lee’s -surrender. His oldest son, John, and a younger one, with eight or ten -other Confederates, on their way home that night came within eight or -ten miles of their homes, when, tired and footsore, they lay down to -rest until morning. - -John Pryor, haunted by a strange presentiment, could not sleep, and -determined he would quietly leave the camp and go on to his father’s -house. While he was dressing one of the others woke and said: “Hello, -John, what are you up to?” “I am going home,” said John. “Wait a -minute,” said the other, “and I’ll go too.” From that one by one they -all roused up and were soon on the road again. Arriving at home, John -Pryor found his father a bloody corpse and his mother a widow. His -mother told him how it all happened, and gave him the names of his -father’s murderers. The next day the funeral took place, and the noble -father who had so patiently waited and longed for the return of his -soldier boys was laid under the sod. - -Over his father’s grave John Pryor made a vow that he would not engage -in any business whatever as long as one of his father’s murderers was -alive, and starting out upon his fixed purpose he killed one or two of -them before the gang became alarmed. The rest now became panic-stricken -and fled the country, hiding in different States. John hunted them -constantly and relentlessly for weeks and months, until the weeks grew -into years, and as he found them they were sent to their final account, -one by one, until finally he found the last and least guilty one in -Travis County, Texas, a few miles from Austin. It was in the spring of -the year, and the man was plowing when John walked into the field where -he was. Seeing John coming and recognizing him, he stopped his horse -and, waiting until he was within a few steps of him, he said, “John, -I know what you have come for; but I will ask you to let me go to the -house and tell my wife and children good-by.” John consented, and they -went to the house, where were the innocent wife and two small children -in a comfortable little home. The husband and father then said: “John, -I never hurt your father; I didn’t want those fellows to kill him, and -told them not to do it.” “I remember that my mother told me something -about this,” replied John, “and said you were the only one who said a -word against the murder of my father; and now I will retract my vow as -to you, and leave you with your wife and children.” - -Now feeling that he had fulfilled his mission, Pryor returned to his -home, and devoting his attention to business became a prosperous and -successful man. - - * * * * * - -As we continued our way back to north Alabama, crossing Black Creek, we -came to the residence of Mrs. Sansom. Here we stopped under pretense of -lighting our pipes, and remained for an hour, merely to get a look at -the young heroine, Miss Emily Sansom, the young girl who rode behind -General Forrest and piloted him to a ford on the creek where he was -in hot pursuit of Colonel Straight and his men. This story of Emily -Sansom’s heroism has been published so often that most people are -familiar with it. She now lives, a widow, in Upshur County, Texas.[6] - -We pushed on to our former headquarters on the Tennessee River, to find -that our people had been gone ever so long. General Hood had crossed -the river about the last of November, Decatur, Huntsville, Triana, and -Whitesburg had all been evacuated by the enemy, and our army was in -middle Tennessee. Our scouts, as we afterwards learned, had crossed -the river, passed through Huntsville and moved up to the vicinity -of Shelbyville. Our command had participated in the fighting on the -advance into Tennessee, had been in the battle of Franklin, and was -then sent to Murfreesboro. - -McClatchie and myself crossed the river and spent the night at the -home of our friend, Rev. Alexander Penland. Next day we went into -Huntsville, and while waiting for our horses to be shod I had time to -see a number of my friends, among them Miss Aggie Scott, from whom I -learned that my old friend, W. H. Powers, and his wife, were sojourning -in New London, Conn. We went out in the evening and spent the night -at the home of Mr. William Matkin, a few miles down the Triana road. -Late at night Rev. Lieutenant-Colonel William D. Chadick came to Mr. -Matkin’s, afoot, tired and somewhat excited, and informed us that a -division of Federal cavalry had entered Huntsville that afternoon. He -had been at home with his family, and told an interesting story of -his escape. He had left his home, gone across lots, and reaching the -Female seminary lot, had hidden under the floor of the seminary until -nightfall, when he had made his way through back lots and fields until -he was well out of town. He then found his way around to the Triana -road and here he was. - -General McCook was in command of the forces that had come in so -unexpectedly, and learning that Colonel Chadick was at home, showed -great anxiety to capture him, so much so that he visited his home in -person. Finding Mrs. Chadick there, he interrogated her as to the -whereabouts of her husband. She told him that Colonel Chadick was not -at home. He seemed incredulous, and cross-questioned her closely, when -something in her tone or her favor led him to change the conversation, -and he said to her: “Madam, where are you from?” She answered, “I am -from Steubenville, Ohio.” “I am also from Steubenville, Ohio. What was -your maiden name?” She answered, “My maiden name was Cook.” “Were you -Miss Jane Cook?” said he. She answered, “I was.” Then said he: “Do you -remember, many years ago, one Sunday morning, when you were on your -way to Sunday school, that some little boys were cutting up in the -street near the Episcopal church and a policeman was about to take -them up when you interceded in their behalf and he let them off?” She -answered, “I do.” “I was one of those boys,” said he, “and now, madam, -I am ready to do anything in my power for your protection and comfort.” -Guards were placed at her gates, and not a soldier allowed to enter the -premises while General McCook’s command remained there. - -[Illustration: LIEUTENANT S. B. BARRON - -Third Texas Cavalry - -Photo 1882] - -Colonel Chadick was well known to me, he having been pastor of the -Cumberland Presbyterian church in Huntsville for several years while -I lived there. He first entered the army as chaplain of the Fourth -Alabama Infantry, and was with that famous regiment in the first battle -of Manassas. He was afterwards made major of an Alabama battalion, -of which Nick Davis was lieutenant-colonel, later consolidated with -Coltart’s battalion, to become the Fiftieth Alabama Infantry, when John -G. Coltart became colonel and William D. Chadick lieutenant-colonel. -At this time he had an idea of raising a new regiment of cavalry, and -wished me to return and raise a company for the regiment or else take a -position on his staff, but we were now too near the end. - -McClatchie and myself started out next morning and went up the -Huntsville road a short distance, when we came in sight of a small -party of Federal cavalry in the act of turning back. We took a road -that led us into the Athens road at John N. Drake’s place, where we -learned that another party had come out there, and turned back. We -then made our way directly to Pulaski, Tenn., on towards Columbia, and -found the division on the Columbia pike hotly engaged with the enemy, -who was pushing General Hood’s retreat. Our rear-guard was commanded by -General Forrest, and consisted of his own cavalry, Jackson’s cavalry -division, and about fifteen hundred infantry, under Major-General -Walthal. The infantry were trans-Mississippi troops, including Ector’s -and Granberry’s brigades. General Hood’s main army was retreating -by different roads towards Bainbridge, where we were to cross the -Tennessee River. Jackson’s division of cavalry and the infantry of the -rear-guard were on the main road, while General Forrest’s cavalry was -protecting other roads. We were uncomfortably crowded on the turnpike, -but we left it at Pulaski, crossed Richland Creek on a bridge, and -fired the bridge. The Federals soon came up and extinguished the fire, -however, and then came pouring across the bridge, but as it was now -late in the afternoon they did not attack any more for the day. - -The next morning General Forrest selected a favorable position in the -hills a few miles below Pulaski, masked his batteries, and formed his -infantry in ambush, and, when the enemy came on us, attacked them with -artillery, infantry, and cavalry, and after a sharp little battle drove -them back handsomely, with some loss, capturing one piece of artillery -and taught them that in the hills it was imprudent to rush upon an -enemy recklessly. For the remainder of that day we were permitted to -move quietly down the road unmolested. - -That night one of General Frank Armstrong’s Mississippi cavalry -regiments was left on picket, and we moved on a mile or two and camped -by the roadside. Just after daylight the next morning our Mississippi -regiments came clattering in, closely pursued by the enemy’s cavalry. -We hastily formed a line across the road and checked the enemy, and -then moved on to Sugar Creek and formed another ambush. There was a -dense fog along the creek, such as I never saw in the interior. Our -infantry were formed along the creek bank just above the crossing, and -the cavalry in column of fours in the road forty or fifty yards back -from the ford of the creek, and thus, in the fog, we were as completely -concealed as if midnight darkness had prevailed. The infantry remained -perfectly quiet until the head of the enemy’s column was in the act of -crossing the creek, when suddenly, with a yell they plunged through -the creek and charged them. This threw the head of their column into -confusion, when our cavalry charged them in column at a gallop, and -pressed them back two or three miles. _And this was the last fight I -was ever in!_ - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII - -ROSS’ REPORT OF BRIGADE’S LAST CAMPAIGN - - Ross’ Report—Repulse a Reconnoitering Party—Effective - Fighting Strength—Advance Guard—The Battle at - Campbellsville—Results—Thompson’s Station—Harpeth - River—Murfreesboro—Lynville—Pulaski—Sugar Creek—Losses During - Campaign—Captures—Acknowledgments. - - - HEADQUARTERS ROSS’ BRIGADE, J. C. D. - CORINTH, MISS., Jan. 12, 1865. - - CAPTAIN: - -I have the honor to submit the following report of the part performed -by my brigade in the late campaign into Middle Tennessee. - -First, however, and by way of introduction, it is proper to premise -that we bore a full share in the arduous duties required of the cavalry -in the Georgia campaign, and were particularly active during the -operations of the army upon the enemy’s line of communication. - -October 24, in compliance with orders from division commander, I -withdrew from my position near Cave Springs, Ga., crossed the Coosa -River at Gadsden the day following, and by rapid marches arrived in -front of Decatur, Ala., on the evening of the 29th. Was here halted to -observe the movements of the enemy while the army rested at Tuscumbia. -On the morning of November 8 a strong reconnoitering party, consisting -of three regiments of infantry and one of cavalry, coming out from -Decatur on the Courtland road, was promptly met, and after a sharp -skirmish driven back with some loss. The next day, being relieved by a -portion of General Roddy’s command, we retired down the valley to Town -Creek and rested until the 18th, when we were ordered across the river -at Florence, and moving at once to the front of the army, took position -with the other cavalry commands on Shoal Creek. - -November 21, all things being ready for the advance, we were ordered -forward, following in the rear of Armstrong’s Brigade. The effective -fighting strength of my command at this time was as follows: Third -Regiment Texas Cavalry, 218; Sixth Regiment Texas Cavalry, 218; Ninth -Regiment Texas Cavalry, 110; Twenty-seventh Regiment Texas Cavalry, -140; making a total of 686. With this small force we joined the -advance into Tennessee, strong in heart and resolved to make up in -zeal and courage what was wanting in numbers. The day after crossing -Shoal Creek, General Armstrong, having still the advance, came up -with Federal cavalry at Lawrenceburg. The fighting was chiefly with -artillery, Captain Young’s battery being freely used, and to good -effect. About sunset the enemy withdrew in the direction of Pulaski. -Early the next morning I was ordered to take the advance and move out -on the Pulaski road. About twelve miles from Lawrenceburg we came upon -the Federal pickets and drove them in. The Third Texas now dismounted -and with two squadrons from the Twenty-seventh Texas moved forward -and attacked the enemy, forcing him from his successive positions -and following him up so vigorously as to compel the precipitate -abandonment of his camps and all his forage. The next day, having still -the advance, when within five miles of Pulaski, we changed direction -to the left, following the route taken by the enemy in his retreat the -evening before, and arriving about noon in sight of the little village, -Campbellsville, I found a large force of cavalry, which proved to be -Hatch’s division, drawn up to resist us. Lieutenant-Colonel Boggess was -ordered promptly to dismount his regiment, the Third Texas, and move -it to the front. Young’s battery was hurried up from the rear, placed -in position and, supported by the Sixth Texas (Colonel Jack Wharton, -commanding), commenced shelling the enemy’s lines. In the meanwhile -the Ninth Texas and the Legion were drawn up in column, in the field -to the right of the wood, to be used as circumstances might require. -These dispositions completed, I watched with interest the effect of the -shelling from our battery, and very soon discovered from the movements -of the enemy, an intention to withdraw, whereupon, believing this -to be the proper movement, I ordered everything forward. The Ninth -Texas and Legion, led by their respective commanders, Colonel Jones -and Lieutenant-Colonel Whitfield, rushed forward at a gallop, and -passing through the village, fell upon the enemy’s moving squadrons -with such irresistible force as to scatter them in every direction, -pursuing and capturing numbers of prisoners, horses, equipment, small -arms, accouterments, and four (4) stands of colors. The enemy made -no effort to regain the field from which he had been driven, but -while endeavoring to withdraw his broken and discomfited squadrons -was attacked vigorously in flank by a portion of General Armstrong’s -brigade, and his rout made complete. The last of his forces, in full -flight, disappeared in the direction of Lynville about sunset, and -we saw no more of them south of Duck River. Our loss in the fight at -Campbellsville was only five (5) men wounded, while our captures (I -found upon investigation) summed up to be eighty-four (84) prisoners, -and all their horses, equipments, and small arms, four (4) stands of -colors and sixty-five (65) beef cattle. Without further opposition -we arrived the next day in front of Columbia, and took the position -assigned us on the Chapel Hill pike. - -November 26, we remained in front of the enemy’s works, skirmishing -freely and keeping up a lively demonstration. On the morning of -the 27th, being relieved by the infantry, we were ordered over to -Shelbyville pike, and camped the following night on Fountain Creek. -Crossing Duck River the next morning, at the mill, nine miles above -Columbia, we were directed thence to the right (on the Shelbyville -road), and when near the Lewisburg and Franklin pike, again encountered -the Federal cavalry. A spirited engagement ensued, begun by the Third -Texas, which being detached to attack a train of wagons moving in the -direction of Franklin, succeeded in reaching the pike, but was there -met by a superior force of Yankees and driven back. Seeing this, I had -Colonel Hawkins to hurry his regiment (the Legion) to the assistance -of the Third, and ordered a charge, which was made in gallant style, -and resulted in forcing the Yankees from the field in confusion, -and with the loss of several prisoners and the colors of the Seventh -Ohio Cavalry. In the meanwhile Colonel Wharton, with the Sixth Texas, -charged into the pike to the right of where the Third and Legion were -engaged, capturing an entire company of the Seventh Ohio Cavalry, three -(3) stands of colors, several wagons loaded with ordnances, and a -considerable number of horses, with their equipments. The Ninth Texas -(Colonel Jones), having been detached early in the evening to guard -the road leading to our right, with the exception of a slight skirmish -with the enemy’s pickets, in which several prisoners were taken, was -not otherwise engaged during the evening. It was now after night and -very dark. The enemy had disappeared from our front in direction of -Franklin, but before establishing camps it was thought prudent to -ascertain if any force had been cut off and yet remained between us and -the river. Colonel Hawkins was therefore ordered up the pike with his -regiment to reconnoiter, and had proceeded but a short distance before -he was met by a brigade of Federal cavalry. An exciting fight ensued, -lasting about half an hour, when the enemy, having much the larger -force, succeeded in passing by us, receiving as he did so a severe fire -into his flanks. This ceased the operations for the day, and we were -allowed to bivouac, well pleased with the prospect of rest, after so -much fatiguing exercise. - -At Hunts cross roads the next day, when the other commands of cavalry -took the left and moved upon Spring Hill, my brigade was advanced -upon the road to Franklin. Afterwards, in obedience to orders of the -division commander, we turned towards Thompson’s Station, being now in -rear of the Federal army, which still held its position on Rutherford’s -Creek. The Yankee cavalry, completely whipped, had disappeared in the -direction of Franklin, and did not again show itself that day. When -near Thompson’s Station I discovered a few wagons moving on the pike, -and sent Colonel Jones, with the Ninth and Legion, to intercept and -capture them. At the same time the Sixth and Third Texas were drawn -up in line, and a squadron from the latter dispatched to destroy the -depot. Colonel Jones was partially successful, capturing and destroying -one wagon and securing the team. He then charged a train of cars which -came up from the direction of Franklin, when the engineer becoming -frightened, cut the engine loose and ran off southward. The train, thus -freed, began to retrograde, and in spite of the obstructions thrown in -its way and the efforts of the men to stop it, rolled back under the -guns of a blockhouse and was saved. The guard, however, and all the -men on the train were forced to jump off, and became our prisoners. -I now had the railroad bridge destroyed, in consequence of which the -engine that escaped from us, and another, became the prizes of our -army the next day. In the meantime the enemy at the depot, observing -the approach of the squadron from the Third Texas, set fire to all of -his valuables, including a train of cars loaded with ordnance, and -evacuated the place. Having accomplished all that could be effected in -the station, we withdrew late in the evening, dropping back to the left -of Spring Hill and halted until I could communicate with the division -commander. About midnight I received the order directing me to again -“Strike the pike” and attack the enemy’s train, then in full retreat -to Franklin; moved out at once to obey the order, guided by an officer -of General Forrest’s staff who knew the country. When within half a -mile of the pike I dismounted three (3) of my regiments, leaving the -Ninth Texas mounted to guard their horses, and cautiously advancing -on foot, got within one hundred yards of the enemy’s train without -being discovered. The Legion (Colonel Hawkins commanding) having the -advance, fronted into line, fired a well-directed volley, killing -several Yankees and mules, and rushed forward with a yell, producing -among the teamsters and wagon guards a perfect stampede. The Yankees -lost thirty-nine (39) wagons, some of which were destroyed, and others -abandoned for the want of the teams, which we brought off. Remaining in -possession of the pike for half an hour, we withdrew upon the approach -of several bodies of infantry, which coming up in opposite directions, -by mistake got to shooting into each other, and fired several volleys -before finding out their error. Having remounted our horses, we -remained on the hill overlooking the pike until daylight, and saw the -Yankee army in full retreat. While this was passing a regiment of -cavalry appearing in the open field in our front was charged by the -Sixth Texas, completely routed and driven to his infantry column. Soon -after this we again pushed forward, keeping parallel with the pike, -upon which our infantry was moving, crossed Harpeth River in the -evening, about three miles above Franklin, only a small force of the -enemy appearing to dispute the passage. Half a mile from the river we -came upon a regiment of Yankee cavalry drawn up in line. This the Ninth -Texas at once charged and routed, but was met by a larger force, and in -turn compelled to give back, the enemy following in close pursuit. The -Third Texas now rushed forward, checked the advancing squadrons of the -Yankees, and then hurled them back, broken and disorganized, capturing -several prisoners and driving the others back upon their heavier lines. -The gallant bearing of the men and officers of the Third and Ninth -Texas on this occasion is deserving of special commendation, and it -affords me much gratification to record to the honor of these noble -regiments that charges made by them at Harpeth River have never been, -and cannot be, surpassed by cavalry of any nation. By the charge of the -Third Texas we gained possession of an eminence overlooking the enemy’s -position and held it until late in the evening, when discovering an -intention on the part of the Yankee commander to advance his entire -force, and being without any support, I withdrew to the south side -of the river again. Very soon the enemy advanced his whole line, but -finding we had recrossed the river again, retreated, and during the -night withdrew from our front. The next day we moved forward, arrived -in front of Nashville December 3, and took position on the Nolensville -pike three miles from the city. Just in our front was a line of works, -and wishing to ascertain what force occupied them, I had two squadrons -of the Sixth Texas to dismount, deploy as skirmishers, and advance. -We found the works held only by the enemy’s skirmishers, who withdrew -upon our approach. After this, being relieved by our infantry, we -returned to the rear with orders to cook up rations. On the morning -of December 5 the brigade was ordered to Lavergne; found there a -small force of infantry, which took refuge inside the fort, and after -slight resistance surrendered upon demand of the division commander. -Moving thence to Murfreesboro, where within a few miles of the city -the enemy’s pickets were encountered, and after a stubborn resistance -driven back by the Sixth and Third Texas, dismounted. A few days after -this Major-General Forrest invested Murfreesboro with his cavalry and -one (1) division of infantry. The duty assigned my brigade being to -guard all the approaches to the city, from the Salem to the Woodbury -pike inclusive, was very severe for so small a force, and almost every -day there was heavy skirmishing on some portion of our line. - -December 15, a train of cars from Stevenson, heavily laden with -supplies for the garrison at Murfreesboro, was attacked about seven -miles south of the city, and although guarded by a regiment of -infantry, two hundred strong, was captured and burned. The train was -loaded with sugar, coffee, hard bread, and bacon, and carried full -two hundred thousand rations. The men guarding it fought desperately -for about an hour, having a strong position in a cut of the railroad, -but were finally routed by a most gallant charge of the Sixth Texas, -supported by the Third Texas, and 150 of them captured. The others -escaped to blockhouses near by. The next day, in consequence of the -reverses to our arms at Nashville, we were withdrawn from the front -of Murfreesboro, ordered across to Triana, and thence to Columbia, -crossing Duck River in the evening of the 18th. - -December 24, while being in the rear of our army, the enemy charged my -rear-guard at Lynville, with a heavy force, and threatened to break -over all opposition, when the Sixth Texas hastily forming, met and -hurled them back, administering a most wholesome check to their ardor. -At the moment this occurred our columns were all in motion, and it -was of the utmost importance to break the charge of the enemy on our -rear. Too much credit, therefore, cannot be given the Sixth Texas, for -gallant bearing on this occasion. Had it failed to check the enemy, -my brigade, and probably the entire division, taken at disadvantage, -might have suffered severely. At Richland Creek, when the cavalry took -position later in the day, I was assigned a position on the right of -the railroad, and in front of the creek. Soon afterwards, however, -the enemy moving as if to cross above the bridge, I was withdrawn to -the south side of the creek and took position on the hill near the -railroad, skirmishing with the enemy in my front, holding him in check -until our forces had all crossed the creek. We were then ordered to -withdraw, and passing through Pulaski, again crossed Richland Creek -and camped near Mr. Carter’s for the night. The next day my brigade, -alternating with General Armstrong in bringing up the rear, had -frequent skirmishes with the enemy’s advance. Nine miles from Pulaski, -when the infantry halted and formed, I was ordered on the right. Soon -after this the enemy made a strong effort to turn our right flank, but -failed, and was driven back. About the same time the infantry charged -and captured his artillery, administering such an effectual check that -he did not again show himself that day. - -This done, we retired leisurely, and after night bivouacked on Sugar -Creek. Early the following morning the Yankees, still not satisfied, -made their appearance, and our infantry again made dispositions to -receive them. Reynolds’ and Ector’s brigades took position, and -immediately in their rear I had the Legion and Ninth Texas drawn up in -column of fours to charge, if an opportunity should occur. The fog was -very dense and the enemy therefore approached very cautiously. When -near enough to be seen, the infantry fired a volley and charged. At the -same time the Legion and Ninth Texas were ordered forward, and passing -through our infantry, crossed the creek in the face of a terrible -fire, overthrew all opposition on the further side, and pursued the -thoroughly routed foe near a mile, capturing twelve (12) prisoners and -as many horses, besides killing numbers of others. The force opposed -to us here was completely whipped,—proved from the statements of the -prisoners to be Hammond’s brigade of cavalry. After this the Yankees -did not again show themselves, and without further interruption we -recrossed the Tennessee River at Bainbridge on the evening of the 27th -of December. Our entire loss during the campaign sums up as follows: - - ═══════════════════╤════════════╤════════════╤════════════╤═══════════ - │ KILLED │ WOUNDED │ CAPTURED │ - COMMAND ├────────┬───┼────────┬───┼────────┬───┤ AGGREGATE - │OFFICERS│EN.│OFFICERS│EN.│OFFICERS│EN.│ - │ │MEN│ │MEN│ │MEN│ - ───────────────────┼────────┼───┼────────┼───┼────────┼───┼─────────── - Third Texas Cavalry│ │ 2│ 3 │ 22│ 1 │ 2│ 30 - Sixth Texas Cavalry│ │ 6│ 3 │ 19│ │ 1│ 29 - Ninth Texas Cavalry│ │ 4│ │ 17│ │ 1│ 22 - Texas Texas Legion │ │ │ │ 6│ │ │ 6 - ───────────────────┼────────┼───┼────────┼───┼────────┼───┼─────────── - Total │ │ 12│ 6 │ 64│ 1 │ 4│ 87 - ───────────────────┴────────┴───┴────────┴───┴────────┴───┴─────────── - -We captured on the trip and brought off five hundred and fifty (550) -prisoners, as shown by the records of my provost-marshal, nine (9) -stands of colors, several hundred horses and their equipments, and -overcoats and blankets sufficient to supply my command. We destroyed, -besides, two trains of cars, loaded, one with ordnance, and the other -with commissary stores; forty or fifty wagons and mules; and much -other valuable property belonging to the Federal army. My brigade -returned from Tennessee with horses very much jaded, but otherwise in -no worse condition than when it started, its morale not in the least -affected nor impaired by the evident demoralization which prevailed to -a considerable extent throughout the larger portion of the army. - -Before closing my report I desire to record an acknowledgment of -grateful obligations to the gallant officers and brave men whom I have -the honor to command. Entering upon the campaign poorly clad and illy -prepared for undergoing its hardships, these worthy votaries of freedom -nevertheless bore themselves bravely, and I did not hear a murmur, -nor witness the least reluctance in the discharge of duty, however -unpleasant. All did well, and to this I attribute in a great measure -the unparalleled success which attended all our efforts during the -campaign. - -To Colonel D. W. Jones, Colonel E. R. Hawkins, Colonel Jack Wharton, -Lieutenant-Colonel J. S. Boggess, who commanded their respective -regiments; and Lieutenant-Colonel P. F. Ross and Major S. B. Wilson, -Sixth Texas; Lieutenant-Colonel J. T. Whitfield and Major B. H. -Nosworthy, of Legion; Major A. B. Stone, Third Texas; and Major H. C. -Dial, Ninth Texas; also Captains Gurly, Plummer, Killough and Preston; -Lieutenants Alexander and Sykes; members of my staff: I feel especially -indebted for earnest, zealous, and efficient co-operation. These -officers upon many trying occasions acquitted themselves with honor, -and it affords me pleasure to be able to commend to the favorable -notice of the Brigadier-General commanding. - -I have the honor to be, Captain, very resp’t, - - Your obedient Servant, - Official: L. S. ROSS, - A. A. G. “59” _Brig. Gen’l., J. C._ - - - - -CHAPTER XIX - -THE END OF THE WAR - - Christmas—I Lose All My Belongings—The “Owl Train”—A - Wedding—Furloughed—Start for Texas—Hospitality—A Night in the - Swamp—The Flooded Country—Swimming the Rivers—In Texas—Home - Again—Surrender of Lee, Johnston, and Kirby Smith—Copy of Leave of - Absence—Recapitulation—Valuation of Horses in 1864—Finis. - - -ALTHOUGH we moved in a very leisurely manner in order to give General -Hood a chance to put a pontoon bridge across Tennessee River and cross -his infantry, artillery, and wagon trains, the enemy never came in -sight of us again. - -Our Christmas was spent on this march. The weather was quite cold and -many of our poor soldiers had to march over frozen ground barefooted. -Between the 25th day of December, 1864, and the 1st day of January, -1865, everything had crossed to the south side of the river, during -a little more than a month having seen much hard service, severe -fighting, and demoralizing disaster. We continued to move leisurely -southward. The main army moved to Tupelo, Miss., while our command -moved to Egypt Station on the Mobile & Ohio Railroad. After crossing -the river General Ross detailed Captain H. W. Wade, of the Sixth Texas, -Lieutenant Thompson Morris, of the Legion, and myself as a permanent -brigade court-martial. - -Egypt Station is situated in one of the richest of the black land -districts. Corn was abundant, and we remained there several days, -during which time it rained almost incessantly, but the court-martial -procured quarters in a house and was able to keep out of the black -mud, which was very trying on the men in camp. Being scarce of -transportation for baggage when we started to Georgia, the officers’ -trunks and valises, containing all their best clothes, were left in -Mississippi in charge of a detail of two men, afterwards reduced to -one. While we were moving out of Tennessee the baggage was run up to a -small station on the Mobile & Ohio Railroad, and just before we reached -it a small scouting party of the enemy’s cavalry swooped down, fired -the station, and all our good clothes went up in smoke. In fact, this -and Kilpatrick’s raid left me with almost “nothing to wear.” - -Leaving Egypt, we moved slowly back to our old stamping-ground in the -Yazoo country. We camped one night some seventy-five miles north of -Kosciusko, and in the morning, before the command was ready to move, -about 180 men from the brigade, including several from Company C, Third -Texas, mounted their horses and moved out, without leave, and started -for the west side of the Mississippi River. They had organized what -they were pleased to call an “owl train,” a term of no significance -worth explaining. It meant that they had become demoralized and -impatient for the promised furlough, and had determined to go home -without leave. It was a source of great regret to see numbers of men -who had been good soldiers for fully three and a half years thus -defiantly quit the command with which they had so faithfully served, -but not a harsh word was said to them, nor was effort made to stop -them. Whether they would have returned or not, I do not know; perhaps -many of them would, but circumstances were such that they never did. To -this day many of them, perhaps all, live in constant regret that they -were induced to take this one false step when we were so near the end. - -On the same morning Lieutenant William H. Carr and myself obtained -permission to go ahead of the command, to have some boots made, and -started for Mr. Richburg’s shop. A little after night the second day -we reached the house of Mr. Savage, and obtained permission to spend -the night. Soon after we were seated by a splendid blazing fire, his -daughter, Miss Hattie, whom I had met at Mr. Blunt’s about eighteen -months before, came into the room. She recognized me very readily, and -was apparently glad to meet me again. As there was to be a wedding -at their house in about three days, she very cordially invited us to -attend, which we agreed to do, provided we remained in the neighborhood -that long. We hurried on to Richburg’s shop, ordered our boots, which -he promised to make right away—that is, in about three days. We then -went to the home of my friends, the Ayres family, and made that our -home for the time being. The wedding was attended by us, in company -with Miss Andrews, the step-daughter, and our boots were finished just -in time to enable us to join the wedding party at the dinner given -the next day in Kosciusko, ten miles on our way. Here we dined, after -which, bidding farewell to our friends and acquaintances, we hastened -on to overtake our command. - -Unexpectedly, a little later, we were favored with an order to furlough -one-half of the command, officers and men, it being my fortune to be -of the “one-half.” Selecting and sending up the names of those to -be furloughed, writing up and returning the papers, consumed time, -so that it was February before we were ready to start to Texas. -Lieutenant-Colonel Jiles S. Boggess, of the Third Texas, being the -ranking field officer to go, was to be nominally in charge of the -furloughed men, and as he lived in Henderson, my expectation was to -go home with him; but it turned out otherwise. The day for starting -was agreed on, leaving Colonel Boggess to bring my papers and meet -me at Murdock’s ferry on Yazoo River. I left camp the day before and -went up to the home of John F. Williams and spent the night. John -F. Williams had been sheriff of Cherokee County, Texas, in an early -day, but had moved back to Mississippi. His two sons had joined our -company, but Wyatt, the older one, being physically disqualified, had -been discharged. He was anxious to come to his grandfather in Marshall, -Texas, and I loaned him a horse on which to make the trip; and, -declining to bring my boy Jake on so long a ride, to return so soon (as -I then believed), I gave him a horse and saddle and told him to take -care of himself. - -Starting next morning with Wyatt Williams, I came on to Lexington and -spent the night at the residence of our “Aunt Emma Hays.” Mrs. Hays -was one of the noblest women we met in Mississippi, a great friend to -Ross’s brigade collectively, and a special friend to a good many of us -individually. Her good old mother, Mrs. West, was there. She had lived -in Marion, Ala., and was strongly attached to persons of my name there, -and would always insist that I favored them, and was related to them; -and the good, kind-hearted creature would do all she could for me and -seemed to regret that she could not do more. These two kindly ladies -furnished me luncheon enough to have lasted me, individually, almost to -Rusk. - -The next day we rode in the rain all day to Murdock’s ferry, where, as -we arrived after dark, it required a good deal of yelling and waiting -to get a boat to cross in. Finally we stopped at Colonel Murdock’s -gate and, although his house appeared to be full of soldiers, we were -welcome. Murdock was the big-hearted man who, when the brigade camped -on his premises for a day and night, refused to sell the man sweet -potatoes, but said: “Go back and tell the boys to come up to the house -and get as many as they want.” I had made the acquaintance of Mrs. -Murdock and her sister, Miss Ford, of Louisiana, who was visiting her, -at Lexington some months previous. I found Captain Sid Johnson, of -Tyler, was at Mrs. Murdock’s home. Mrs. Murdock whispered to me and -said: “Supper will soon be ready for the company, but I wish you and -Captain Johnson to wait and eat with the family.” This we did, and -afterwards were invited into the parlor, and pleasantly entertained by -the ladies, Mrs. Murdock the while urging me to remain and spend my -leave of absence with them instead of going to Texas. - -In the meantime the rain continued to pour down, and increased in -violence, continuing all next day and the next night. While the others -all pushed on except Williams and myself, I remained there until -afternoon. About noon Colonel Boggess reined up at the gate long enough -to say “Come ahead,” and rode off in a torrent of rain, and the next -time I saw him he was in Henderson, his home. Finally Williams and I -started, intending to cross Sunflower Swamp and Sunflower River that -evening, but soon found the whole country was overflowed, and losing -much valuable time in trying to cross a creek without swimming it we -had to lay out in the swamp that night. We cut a lot of cane for our -horses to stand on, and piled a lot up by an old tree, and on that we -sat down all night in the rain. - -Next morning by swimming a large creek we reached Sunflower River, -found it bank full, the ferryboat on the west side, and the ferryman -gone. By going down the river three or four miles we found a farm and -a private ferry, but it was afternoon when we crossed. Reaching the -Mississippi we found a number of the men waiting to get over, but -Colonel Boggess had crossed and gone on. The crossing was tedious in -the extreme, as the only means of doing so was to swim the horses by -the side of a skiff, and this had to be done in the daytime, when you -had to look out for gunboats. When over, it was very uncertain with -whom you were going to travel, as every fellow, when he got his horse -up the bank and over the levee on the west side, at once struck out for -Texas. I lost Williams and never saw him afterwards. - -The country between the Mississippi and Red River was practically -afloat. We crossed a great many streams, how many I do not remember, -and we found but one stream, Little River, where the bridge was not -washed away. We traveled along near the Arkansas and Louisiana line, -sometimes in one State and sometimes in the other. The first stream -encountered after crossing the Mississippi was a large bayou in the -bottom, which we crossed on a raft constructed of logs tied together. -We ferried Ouachita River, two miles, crossed Little River on a bridge, -and had to swim every other stream, averaging something like three a -day. We struck Red River at Carolina Bluff, some twenty miles above -Shreveport, and had to swim the overflow in several places to get down -to Shreveport, where we found dry ground. We came through it all with -but one serious accident, and that was the drowning of a negro boy. I -traveled mostly with Dr. Blocker, of Harrison County, and three or four -of the Third Texas from Smith County. - -One morning I found my horse badly foundered, so that I could not keep -up with my crowd. Coming to Magnolia, Ark., about noon, I had to sell -one of my pistols in order to trade for a horse that was able to bring -me on. - -Upon reaching Henderson, about eleven o’clock one day, the first man I -recognized on the street was Lieutenant-Colonel Jiles S. Boggess, of -the Third Texas Cavalry. He abused me roundly for being behind, and -threatened that I should never leave the town with whole bones unless -I went down to his house and took a rest and dinner with him, and I -yielded. Here I learned that the “owl train” gang had not yet reached -Texas, that they crossed the river, had been arrested at Alexandria, -perhaps, and were detained under guard at Shreveport. Through the -influence of Colonel Boggess, however, they were soon afterwards -released by General Smith and allowed to come home. - -I reached Rusk a little before noon the next day. - -The following is a true copy of the paper on which I came to Texas: - - HD. QTS. ROSS BRIG. CAV., - Deasonville, Miss., Feb. 20, 1865. - - Special orders - No. 2. Ext. - - By authority from Lieutenant-General Taylor Leaves of absence are - granted to the following named officers for Sixty (60) days. - - * * * * * - - XXVII Lieutenant S. B. Barron, Company “C” Third Texas. - - L. S. ROSS, - _Brig. Gen’l._ - -At the proper time I presented myself to Colonel Boggess at Henderson, -and reported to him that I was ready to start back. He told me he had -no idea that we could cross the river, as it was reported to be from -five to twenty-five miles wide; that he had sent a man to ascertain -whether it was possible for us to cross it, and if so he would let -me know, and directed me to return to Rusk and remain until I heard -from him. Thus matters stood until the startling news reached us -that General R. E. Lee had surrendered his army in Virginia. This -was followed in quick succession by the surrender of General Joseph -E. Johnston in North Carolina, the other commanding officer, and -finally by General E. Kirby Smith’s surrender of the trans-Mississippi -department. - -And then—then the four years’ war, with all its fun and frolic, all -its hardships and privations, its advances and retreats, its victories -and defeats, its killing and maiming, was at an end. - -I am unable to give the losses of Ross’ brigade sustained in the -Atlanta campaign. If it was ever given out officially I never saw -it. But our ranks were very much depleted as the result of this -long campaign. Some went to the hospitals badly wounded, some were -furloughed with wounds not considered dangerous, some were rolled in -their blankets and buried where they fell, and others were carried to -Northern prisons, there to die or remain until the close of the war. - -Nor can I now give the loss we sustained in the Nashville campaign. It -was carefully made up in detail, but I do not remember it. I remember -that John B. Long, of Company C, was shot through both thighs, and -I remember two gallant members of Company B, Bud McClure and Joe -Robinson, were killed near Pulaski on the retreat. - - * * * * * - -The regulation that our horses should be listed and valued now and -then, to show the estimation placed upon horseflesh in the currency of -our Government, I give the following valuations made in the early part -of the year 1864, of the officers and men then present for duty, viz.: - -Captain John Germany, one bay horse, $2000; Lieutenant W. H. Carr, one -sorrel horse, $1200; Lieutenant R. L. Hood, one sorrel horse, $1600; -Lieutenant S. B. Barron, one black horse, $1400; one bay mule, $1000; -First Sergeant John B. Long, one bay horse, $900; Second Sergeant R. -L. Barnett, one sorrel mare, $1500; First Corporal D. H. Allen, one -sorrel horse, $1600; S. D. Box, one bay horse, $1500; Stock Ewin, one -sorrel horse, $2500; J. J. Felps, one brown mule, $900; Luther Grimes, -one sorrel horse, $1400; J. B. Hardgraves, one sorrel horse, $1500; -J. R. Halbert, one sorrel mare, $1200; J. T. Halbert, one gray horse, -$1500; W. H. Higginbotham, one gray horse, $1200; J. H. Jones, one bay -mare, $1000; W. H. Kellum, one brown mule, $900; S. N. Keahey, one -gray horse, $1100; G. A. McKee, one sorrel mule, $1400; Jno. Meyers, -one dark roan horse, $800; Tom Petree, one sorrel horse, $1100; J. B. -Reagan, one black mule, $900; C. M. Roark, one sorrel horse, $1200; -A. B. Summers, one black horse, $1500; J. W. Smith, one brown horse, -$1600; E. S. Wallace, one bay horse, $1600; J. R. Watkins, one sorrel -horse, $2000; C. Watkins, one cream horse, $1200; T. F. Woodall, one -sorrel horse, $1000; R. F. Woodall, one sorrel horse, $1600; J. W. -Wade, one gray horse, $1800; T. H. Willson, one gray mule, $1000; E. W. -Williams, one sorrel horse, $1400; N. J. Yates, one black mule, $1000. - - - THE END - - - - - FOOTNOTES: - -[1] HEADQUARTERS WEST’N DEP’T. BALDWIN, June 4, 1862. -General Order No. 62: - -The General commanding takes great pleasure in calling the attention -of the army to the brave, skillful and gallant conduct of Lieut. Col. -Lane, of the Third Regt. Texas Dismounted Cavalry, who with two hundred -and forty-six men, on the 29th ult., charged a largely superior force -of the enemy, drove him from his position, and forced him to leave a -number of his dead and wounded on the field. The conduct of this brave -regiment is worthy of all honor and imitation. In this affair, Private -J. N. Smith was particularly distinguished for brave and gallant -conduct in the discharge of his duty, and was severely wounded. To him, -on some future occasion, will be awarded a suitable “Badge of Honor.” - -By command of Gen’l Beauregard. - -(Signed): GEORGE W. BRENT, Acting Chief of Staff. -Private J. N. Smith, Third Texas Dismounted Cavalry. -Official copy. M. M. Kimmell, Maj. & A. A. G. - -[2] Of this last I am not positive, but believe I am correct. - -[3] Since the above was written Major-General William Rufus Shafter had -been placed upon the retired list. In the fall of 1906 he was stricken -with pneumonia, near Bakersfield, Cal., where he died November 12, -after a short illness. - -[4] If the Third Texas colors were captured by them, they were found in -an ambulance, as we did not have the flag unfurled on this expedition. - -[5] It will be noted here that the aggregate loss of 206 men is only -the loss of one division, not including Kilpatrick’s Division and the -two batteries. - -[6] Since the above was written, this Southern heroine has passed to -that bourne from which no traveler returns. - - - - - * * * * * * - - - - -Transcriber’s note: - -—Obvious errors were corrected. - - - - -***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LONE STAR DEFENDERS*** - - -******* This file should be named 50472-0.txt or 50472-0.zip ******* - - -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: -http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/5/0/4/7/50472 - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law 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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} - - hr.full { width: 100%; - margin-top: 3em; - margin-bottom: 0em; - margin-left: auto; - margin-right: auto; - height: 4px; - border-width: 4px 0 0 0; /* remove all borders except the top one */ - border-style: solid; - border-color: #000000; - clear: both; } - </style> -</head> -<body> -<h1>The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Lone Star Defenders, by Samuel Benton -Barron</h1> -<p>This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States -and most other parts of the world 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 <a -href="http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you are not -located in the United States, you'll have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this ebook.</p> -<p>Title: The Lone Star Defenders</p> -<p> A Chronicle of the Third Texas Cavalry, Ross' Brigade</p> -<p>Author: Samuel Benton Barron</p> -<p>Release Date: November 17, 2015 [eBook #50472]</p> -<p>Language: English</p> -<p>Character set encoding: UTF-8</p> -<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LONE STAR DEFENDERS***</p> -<p> </p> -<h4>E-text prepared by Giovanni Fini<br /> - and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team<br /> - (<a href="http://www.pgdp.net">http://www.pgdp.net</a>)<br /> - from page images generously made available by<br /> - Internet Archive<br /> - (<a href="https://archive.org">https://archive.org</a>)</h4> -<p> </p> -<table border="0" style="background-color: #ccccff;margin: 0 auto;" cellpadding="10"> - <tr> - <td valign="top"> - Note: - </td> - <td> - Images of the original pages are available through - Internet Archive. See - <a href="https://archive.org/details/lonestardefender00barr"> - https://archive.org/details/lonestardefender00barr</a> - </td> - </tr> -</table> -<p> </p> -<hr class="full" /> -<p> </p> -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<div class="limit"> -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/cover.jpg" width="350" height="559" alt="cover" /> -</div> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_i" id="Page_i">[i]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p class="pc4 elarge">THE LONE STAR DEFENDERS</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_ii" id="Page_ii">[ii]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/ill-002.jpg" width="200" height="210" - alt="DECORATION" - title="" /> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_iii" id="Page_iii">[iii]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/ill-003.jpg" width="400" height="333" id="fr" - alt="" - title="" /> - <div class="caption"><p class="pc"><span class="smcap">Battle-flag of the Third Texas Cavalry Regiment</span></p> -</div></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> - -<h1 class="p4">THE LONE STAR<br /> -DEFENDERS</h1> - - -<p class="pc2 mid">A CHRONICLE OF THE THIRD TEXAS<br /> -CAVALRY, ROSS’ BRIGADE</p> - - -<p class="pc2">BY</p> -<p class="pc2 large">S. B. BARRON</p> -<p class="pc2 reduct">OF THE</p> -<p class="pc2">THIRD TEXAS CAVALRY</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/ill-005.jpg" width="200" height="303" - alt="" - title="" /> -</div> - -<p class="pc4"><span class="smcap">New York and Washington</span><br /> -THE NEALE PUBLISHING COMPANY<br /> -1908</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span></p> - -<p class="pc4"><span class="smcap">To<br /> -my comrades<br /> -Survivors of Ross’ Brigade of Texas Cavalry<br /> -and<br /> -to our children and grandchildren<br /> -I affectionately dedicate<br /> -this Volume.</span></p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">CONTENTS</h2> - -<table id="toc" summary="cont"> - - <tr> - <td> </td> - <td class="tdrl"><span class="small">PAGE</span></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdll"><span class="smcap">Introduction</span></td> - <td class="tdrx"><a href="#Page_11">11</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdch">CHAPTER I</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdsec"><span class="smcap">The Outbreak of the War</span></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">Journey to Texas—John Brown’s Raid—My Secession -Resolution—Presidential Election—Lincoln Elected—Excitement -in the South—Secession Ordinances—“The -Lone Star Defenders”—Fort Sumter Fired -On—Camp Life—The Regiment Complete—Citizens’ -Kindness—Mustered In—The Third Texas Cavalry—Roster</td> - <td class="tdrl"><a href="#Page_15">15</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdch">CHAPTER II</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdsec"><span class="smcap">Off for the Front</span></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">Organization of Regiment—Officers—Accouterment—On -the March—Taming a Trouble-maker—Crossing -the Red River—In the Indian Territory—The Indian -Maid—Fort Smith—The March to Missouri—McCulloch’s -Headquarters—Under Orders—Preparation -for First Battle</td> - <td class="tdrl"><a href="#Page_26">26</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdch">CHAPTER III</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdsec"><span class="smcap">Our First Battle</span></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">On the March—Little York Raid—Under Fire—Our -First Battle—Oak Hill (Wilson’s Creek)—Death of -General Lyon—Our First Charge—Enemy Retires—Impressions of First - Battle—Death of Young Willie—Horrors of a Battlefield—Troops Engaged—Casualties</td> - <td class="tdrl"><a href="#Page_39">39</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdch">CHAPTER IV<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[<span class="small">4</span>]</a></span></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdsec"><span class="smcap">The War in Missouri</span></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">Personal Characteristics—Two Braggarts—Joe Welch—William -Hood—We Enter Springfield—Bitter Feeling -in Missouri—Company Elections—Measles and -Typhoid—Carthage, and My Illness There—We Leave -Carthage—Death of Captain Taylor—Winter Quarters—Furloughed—Home -Again</td> - <td class="tdrl"><a href="#Page_52">52</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdch">CHAPTER V</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdsec"><span class="smcap">The War in Missouri</span>—<i>Continued</i></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">I Rejoin the Command—Sleeping in Snow—Ambushed—Battle -of Elkhorn Tavern (Pea Ridge)—Capturing -a Battery—Deaths of Generals McCulloch and McIntosh—Battle -Continued—Casualties—Keetsville—Official -Reports—March Southward—Foraging—Lost -Artillery—Illness Again</td> - <td class="tdrl"><a href="#Page_63">63</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdch">CHAPTER VI</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdsec"><span class="smcap">The Siege of Corinth</span></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">Leave Winter Quarters—The Prairies—Duvall’s Bluff—Awaiting -Transportation—White River—The Mississippi—Memphis—Am -Detailed—En Route to Corinth—Corinth—Red -Tape—Siege of Corinth—“A Soldier’s -Grave”—Digging for Water—Suffering and -Sickness—Regiment Reorganized—Evacuation of -Corinth</td> - <td class="tdrl"><a href="#Page_79">79</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdch">CHAPTER VII</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdsec"><span class="smcap">Battle of Iuka</span></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">Camp at Tupelo, Miss.—Furloughed—Report for Duty—Camp -Routine—“The Sick Call”—Saltillo—Personnel -of the Brigade—Baldwin “Contraband”—On to -Iuka—Iuka—Battle of Iuka—Casualties—Retreat</td> - <td class="tdrl"><a href="#Page_96">96</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdch">CHAPTER VIII<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[<span class="small">5</span>]</a></span></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdsec"><span class="smcap">Battle of Corinth</span></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">Captain Dunn, the “Mormon”—Paroles—Baldwin—On -to Corinth—Conscription—Looking for Breakfast—The -Army Trapped—A Skirmish—Escape—Holly -Springs—Battle of Corinth—Casualties—Cavalry -Again</td> - <td class="tdrl"><a href="#Page_111">111</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdch">CHAPTER IX</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdsec"><span class="smcap">Holly Springs Raid</span></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">At Grenada—Scouting—Engagement at Oakland—Chaplain -Thompson’s Adventure—Holly Springs Raid—Jake—The -Bridge at Wolf River—I Am Wounded—Bolivar—Attack -on Middleburg—Christmas</td> - <td class="tdrl"><a href="#Page_127">127</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdch">CHAPTER X</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdsec"><span class="smcap">The Engagement at Thompson’s Station</span></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">January, 1863—Jake Arrested—Detailed—My Brother -Visits Me—Elected Second Lieutenant—Battle of -Thompson’s Station—Duck River—Capture of the -Legion—The “Sick Camp”—Murder of General -Van Dorn</td> - <td class="tdrl"><a href="#Page_143">143</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdch">CHAPTER XI</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdsec"><span class="smcap">The Surrender of Vicksburg</span></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">Moving Southward—I Lose My Horse—Meet Old Huntsville -Friends—A New Horse—In Mississippi—“Sneeze -Weed”—Messenger’s Ferry—Surrender of Vicksburg—Army -Retires—Fighting at Jackson—After -Sherman’s Men—A Sick Horse—Black Prince—“Tax -in Kind”—Ross’ Brigade—Two Desertions</td> - <td class="tdrl"><a href="#Page_156">156</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdch">CHAPTER XII<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[<span class="small">6</span>]</a></span></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdsec"><span class="smcap">Battle at Yazoo City</span></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">Midwinter—Through the Swamps—Gunboat Patrols—Crossing -the Mississippi—Through the Ice—Ferrying -Guns—Hardships—Engagement at Yazoo City—Harrying -Sherman—Under Suspicion—A Practical -Joke—Battle at Yazoo City—Casualties—A Social -Call—Eastwood—Drowning Accident—A Military -Survey</td> - <td class="tdrl"><a href="#Page_173">173</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdch">CHAPTER XIII</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdsec"><span class="smcap">Under Fire for One Hundred Days</span></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">Corduroy Breeches—Desolate Country—Conscript Headquarters—An -“Arrest”—Rome, Ga.—Under Fire -for One Hundred Days—Big and Little Kenesaw—Lost -Mountain—Rain, Rain, Rain—Hazardous -Scouting—Green Troops—Shelled—Truce—Atlanta—Death -of General MacPherson—Ezra Church—McCook’s -Retreat—Battle near Newman—Results</td> - <td class="tdrl"><a href="#Page_190">190</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdch">CHAPTER XIV</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdsec"><span class="smcap">Kilpatrick’s Raid</span></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">Kilpatrick’s Raid—Attack on Kilpatrick—Lee’s Mill—Lovejoy’s -Station—The Brigade Demoralized—I -Surrender—Playing ’Possum—I Escape—The Brigade -Reassembles—Casualties</td> - <td class="tdrl"><a href="#Page_205">205</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdch">CHAPTER XV</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdsec"><span class="smcap">Union Soldier’s Account of Kilpatrick’s Raid</span></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">Kilpatrick’s Raid—Ordered to the Front—Enemy’s -Artillery Silenced—We Destroy the Railroad—Hot -Work at the Railroad—Plan of Our Formation—Stampeding -the Horses—The Enemy Charges—Sleeping -on Horseback—Swimming the River—Camped -at Last</td> - <td class="tdrl"><a href="#Page_216">216</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdch">CHAPTER XVI<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[<span class="small">7</span>]</a></span></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdsec"><span class="smcap">Close of the Atlanta Campaign</span></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">Sherman Changes His Tactics—Hood Deceived—Heavy -Fighting—Atlanta Surrenders—End of the Campaign—Losses—Scouting—An -Invader’s Devastation—Raiding -the Raiders—Hood Crosses the Coosa—A -Reconnaissance—Negro Spies—Raiding the Blacks—Crossing -Indian Creek—A Conversion</td> - <td class="tdrl"><a href="#Page_228">228</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdch">CHAPTER XVII</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdsec"><span class="smcap">My Last Battle</span></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">Tories and Deserters—A Tragic Story—A Brutal Murder—The -Son’s Vow—Vengeance—A Southern Heroine—Seeking -Our Command—Huntsville—A Strange -Meeting—We Find the Division—The Battle in the -Fog—My Last Battle</td> - <td class="tdrl"><a href="#Page_245">245</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdch">CHAPTER XVIII</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdsec"><span class="smcap">Ross’ Report of Brigade’s Last Campaign</span></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">Ross’ Report—Repulse a Reconnoitering Party—Effective -Fighting Strength—Advance Guard—The Battle -at Campbellsville—Results—Thompson’s Station—Harpeth -River—Murfreesboro—Lynville—Pulaski—Sugar -Creek—Losses During Campaign—Captures—Acknowledgments</td> - <td class="tdrl"><a href="#Page_254">254</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdch">CHAPTER XIX</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="tdsec"><span class="smcap">The End of the War</span></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">Christmas—I Lose All My Belongings—The “Owl -Train”—A Wedding—Furloughed—Start for Texas—Hospitality—A -Night in the Swamp—The Flooded -Country—Swimming the Rivers—In Texas—Home -Again—Surrender of Lee, Johnston, and Kirby -Smith—Copy of Leave of Absence—Recapitulation—Valuation -of Horses in 1864—Finis</td> - <td class="tdrl"><a href="#Page_267">267</a></td> - </tr> - -</table> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span></p> -<p> </p> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> - -<table id="toi1" summary="illustration1"> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">Battle Flag of the Third Texas Cavalry</td> - <td class="tdrl"><a href="#fr"><i>Frontispiece</i></a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td> </td> - <td class="tdrl"><span class="small">FACING PAGE</span></td> - </tr> - -</table> - -<table id="toi2" summary="illustration2"> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">Lieutenant-Colonel P. F. Ross, Sixth Texas -Cavalry</td> - <td class="tdrx"><a href="#i24">24</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">Jiles S. Boggess, Captain, Major; Lieutenant-Colonel -Third Texas Cavalry</td> - <td class="tdrl"><a href="#i50">50</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">Captain D. R. Gurley, Sixth Texas Cavalry, A. -A. G. Ross’ Brigade</td> - <td class="tdrl"><a href="#i76">76</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">F. M. Taylor, first Captain of Company C, Third -Texas Cavalry</td> - <td class="tdrl"><a href="#i100">100</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">John Germany, fourth and last Captain Company -C, Third Texas Cavalry</td> - <td class="tdrl"><a href="#i126">126</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">Jesse W. Wynne, Captain Company B, Third -Texas Cavalry</td> - <td class="tdrl"><a href="#i150">150</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">Captain H. L. Taylor, Commander Ross’ Brigade -Scouts</td> - <td class="tdrl"><a href="#i176">176</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">Leonidas Cartwright, Company E, Third Texas -Cavalry; Member of Taylor’s Scouts, Ross’ -Brigade</td> - <td class="tdrl"><a href="#i200">200</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">G. A. McKee, Private Company C, Third Texas -Cavalry</td> - <td class="tdrl"><a href="#i226">226</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">Lieutenant S. B. Barron, Third Texas Cavalry</td> - <td class="tdrl"><a href="#i250">250</a></td> - </tr> - -</table> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span></p> -<p> </p> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p2">INTRODUCTION</h2> - -<p class="pn2"><span class="smcap">As</span> my recollections of the war between the States, -or the Confederate War, in which four of the best -years of my life (May, 1861, to May, 1865) were -given to the service of the Confederate States of -America, are to be written at the earnest request of -my children, and mainly for their gratification, it is, -perhaps, proper to preface the recital by going -back a few years in order to give a little family -history.</p> - -<p>I was born in what is now the suburbs of the town -of Gurley in Madison County, Alabama, on the 9th -day of November, 1834. My father, Samuel Boulds -Barron, was born in South Carolina in 1793. His -father, James Barron, as I understand, was a native -of Ireland. My mother’s maiden name was Martha -Cotten, daughter of James Cotten, who was from -Guilford County, North Carolina, and who was in -the battle of Guilford Court House, at the age of -sixteen. His future wife, Nancy Johnson, was then -a young girl living in hearing of the battle at the -Court House. About the beginning of the past -century, 1800, my Grandfather Cotten, with his -wife, her brother Abner Johnson, and their relatives, -Gideon and William Pillow, and their sister, -Mrs. Dew, moved out from North Carolina into -Tennessee, stopping in Davidson County, near -Nashville. Later Abner Johnson and the Pillows<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> -settled in Maury County, near Columbia, and about -the year 1808 my grandfather and his family came -on to Madison County, Alabama, and settled at what -has always been known as Cave Springs, about fifteen -miles east or southeast from Huntsville. In -the second war with Great Britain (the War of -1812) my Grandfather Cotten again answered the -call to arms, and as a captain he served his country -with notable gallantry.</p> - -<p>It is like an almost forgotten dream, the recollection -of my paternal grandmother and my maternal -grandfather, for both of them died when I was a -small child. My maternal grandmother, however, -who lived to the age of eighty-seven years, I remember -well. In my earliest recollection my father was -a school-teacher, teaching at a village then called -“The Section,” afterwards “Lowsville,” being -now the town of Maysville, twelve miles east of -Huntsville. He was well-educated and enjoyed the -reputation of being an excellent teacher. He quit -teaching, however, and settled on a small farm four -miles east of Cave Springs, on what is known as the -“Cove road,” running from Huntsville to Bellefonte. -Here he died when I was about seven years -of age, leaving my mother with five children: John -Ashworth, a son by her first husband; my brother, -William J. Barron, who now lives in Huntsville, -Alabama; two sisters, Tabitha and Nancy Jane; and -myself. About nine years later our mother died. -In the meantime our half-brother had arrived at -man’s estate and left home. Soon after our -mother’s death we sold the homestead, and each one -went his or her way, as it were, the sisters living<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> -with our near-by relatives until they married. My -brother and myself found employment in Huntsville -and lived there. Our older sister and her husband -came to Texas in about the year 1857, and settled -first in Nacogdoches County. In the fall of 1859 -I came to Texas, to bring my then widowed sister -and her child to my sister already here. And so, -as the old song went, “I am away here in Texas.”</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span></p> -<p> </p> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p class="pc2 elarge">The Lone Star Defenders</p> - -<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER I</h2> - -<p class="pch">THE OUTBREAK OF THE WAR</p> - -<p class="pcs">Journey to Texas—John Brown’s Raid—My Secession -Resolution—Presidential Election—Lincoln Elected—Excitement -in the South—Secession Ordinances—“The Lone Star -Defenders”—Fort Sumter Fired On—Camp Life—The Regiment -Complete—Citizens’ Kindness—Mustered In—The Third -Texas Cavalry—Roster.</p> - -<p class="pn"><span class="smcap">No</span>, I am not going to write, or attempt to write, -a history of the war, or even a detailed account of -any campaign or battle in which I participated, but -only mean to set forth the things which I witnessed -or experienced myself in the four years of marching, -camping, and fighting, as I can now recall them—only, -or mainly, personal reminiscences. Incidentally -I will give the names of my comrades of Company -C, Third Texas Cavalry, and tell, so far as I -can remember, what became of the individuals who -composed the company. I will not dwell on the -causes of the war or anything which has been so -often and so well told relating thereto, but will -merely state that I had always been very conservative -in my feelings in political matters, and was so -all through the exciting times just preceding the -war while Abolitionism and Secession were so much -discussed by our statesmen, orators, newspapers, and -periodicals. I had witnessed the Kansas troubles, -which might be called a skirmish before the battle, -with much interest and anxiety, and without losing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> -faith in the ability and wisdom of our statesmen to -settle the existing troubles without disrupting the -government. But on my journey to Texas, as we -glided down the Mississippi from Memphis to New -Orleans, on board the <i>Lizzie Simmons</i>, a new and -beautiful steamer, afterwards converted into a cotton-clad -Confederate gunboat, we obtained New -Orleans papers from an up-river boat. The papers -contained an account of John Brown’s raid on -Harper’s Ferry. I read this, and became a Secessionist. -I saw, or thought I saw, that the storm -was coming, that it was inevitable, and it seemed -useless to shut my eyes longer to the fact.</p> - -<p>The year 1860, my first in Texas, was a memorable -one in several respects, not only to the newcomers -but to the oldest inhabitant. The severest -drouth ever known in eastern Texas prevailed until -after the middle of August. It was the hottest -summer ever known in Texas, the temperature in -July running up to 112 degrees in the shade. It -was a Presidential election year, and political excitement -was intense. The Democrats were divided, -while the Abolitionists had nominated Abraham Lincoln -as their candidate for President, with a good -prospect of electing him by a sectional vote. Several -towns in Texas being almost destroyed by fire -during the extreme heat of the summer, an impression -became generally prevalent that Northern incendiaries -were prowling through the State burning -property and endeavoring to incite the negroes to -insurrection. The excitement, apprehension, unrest, -and the vague fear of unseen danger pervading -the minds of the people of Texas cannot be understood<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> -by persons who were not in the State at -that time. The citizens organized patrol forces -and armed men guarded the towns, day and night, -for weeks. Every passing stranger was investigated -and his credentials examined. The poor peddler, -especially, was in imminent danger of being -mobbed at any time on mere suspicion.</p> - -<p>At the November election Abraham Lincoln was -elected President. This was considered by the Secessionists -as an overt act on the part of the North -that would justify secession. I was out in the country -when the news of the election came, and when, -on my return, I rode into Rusk the Lone Star flag -was floating over the court-house and Abraham Lincoln, -in effigy, was hanging to the limb of a sweet -gum tree that stood near the northwest corner of -the court yard. From this time excitement ran -high. Immediate steps were taken by the extreme -Southern States to secede from the Union, an act -that was consummated as soon as practicable by the -assembling of State conventions and the passage of -ordinances of secession. Now, too, volunteer companies -began organizing in order to be ready for -the conflict which seemed to be inevitable.</p> - -<p>We soon raised a company in Rusk for the purpose -of drilling and placing ourselves in readiness -for the first call for troops from Texas. We organized -by electing General Joseph L. Hogg, father -of Ex-Governor J. S. Hogg, as captain. The company -was named “The Lone Star Defenders,” for -every company must needs have a name in those -days. Early in 1861, however, when it appeared -necessary to prepare for actual service, the company<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> -was reorganized and the gallant Frank M. Taylor -made captain, as General Hogg was not expected -to enter the army as captain. Several of the States -had already seceded, the military posts in the South -were being captured by the Confederates and Fort -Sumter, in Charleston Harbor, was fired upon by -our General Beauregard on the 12th day of April, -1861. The dogs of war were turned loose. War -now became a stern reality, a war the magnitude of -which no one then had any conception. President -Lincoln’s first call for volunteers was for ninety-day -men, and the Confederate volunteers were mustered -in for one year.</p> - -<p>Having learned that Elkanah Greer, of Marshall, -had been commissioned colonel and ordered to raise -a regiment of Texas cavalry, we lost no time in reporting -ourselves ready to make one company of -the regiment, and soon received instructions to report -at Dallas, on a certain day in June, when a -regiment would be formed. So on Monday morning, -June 10, in the year of our Lord, 1861, we -were to leave, and did leave, Rusk for Dallas—and -beyond, as the exigencies of the war might determine. -The population of the town, men, women, -and children, were on the streets, in tears, to bid us -farewell. Even rough, hard-faced men whose appearance -would lead one to believe they hadn’t shed -a tear since their boyhood, boo-hoo’d and were unable -to speak the word “good-by.” This day of -leave-taking was the saddest of the war to many -of us.</p> - -<p>After we had mounted our horses we assembled -around the front of the old Thompson Hotel, which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> -stood where the Acme Hotel now stands, when our old -friend, General Hogg, standing on the front steps, -delivered us a formal and a very tender farewell address. -War was not unknown to him, for he had -been a soldier in the early days of Texas, as well as -a member of the Texas Congress in the days of the -republic. He was a fine specimen of the best type -of Southern manhood—tall, slender, straight as an -Indian, and exceedingly dignified in his manner. As -brave as “Old Hickory,” he often reminded me of -the pictures I had seen of General Jackson, and he -certainly had many similar traits of character. We -venerated, admired, and loved him, and he was -warmly attached to the company. In his address -he gave us much good advice, even to the details of -mess duties and the treatment of our messmates. -Among other things, he said, “Don’t ever jeer at or -mock any of your comrades who cannot stand the -fire of the enemy. Some of you, perhaps, will find -yourselves unable to do so. Some men are thus -constituted without knowing it, until they are tried. -So you should be charitable towards such unfortunates.” -Later I found these words of our old -soldier friend to be true. This ceremony ended, we -sadly moved off by twos, over the hill, and up the -street leading into the Jacksonville road.</p> - -<p>As we marched forward sadness was soon succeeded -by merriment and good cheer. Some of the -boys composed a little song, which was frequently -sung by I. K. Frazer and others as we went marching -on. It began:</p> - -<p class="ppq4 p1">“The Lone Star Defenders, a gallant little band,<br /> -On the tenth of June left their native land.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span></p> - -<p class="p1">Before leaving home we had spent two weeks in a -camp of instruction, and learned something of the -duties of camp life and the necessary art of rolling -and unrolling our blankets. We camped the first -night near Jorial Barnett’s, between Jacksonville -and Larissa. Two of the Barnett boys were going -with us, and several from Larissa. When we -reached Larissa next morning we there found a -young man, Charley Watts, who was a bugler, and -had been in the Federal Army, he said. He was -willing and anxious to go with us, and we wanted -him, as he was young and active, but he was afoot, -and seemed to own nothing beyond his wearing apparel. -So we appealed to the citizens, as a goodly -number had gathered into the little village to see the -soldiers pass, and in little more time than it takes -to tell it, we had him rigged with horse, bridle, saddle, -and blankets. Charley proved to be a fine -bugler, the finest bugler I ever heard in either army, -and he was a most gallant young fellow. We moved -on, bidding farewell to Captain Taylor’s noble and -patriotic old mother, as we passed her residence.</p> - -<p>Fearing we might be left out of the regiment, we -dispatched Captain Taylor and one or two others -well-mounted men to go ahead and secure and hold -our place for us. The ladies of Cherokee County -having presented us with a beautiful flag, this we -unfurled and marched through the towns and villages -along the way in great style and military -pomp. At Kaufman we received quite an ovation. -Arriving there about ten o’clock in the morning, we -were met by a deputation of citizens, who invited us -to dine at the hotel at the expense of the town.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> -This was very reluctantly declined, for we were -afraid of losing time. Poor fellows, we often regretted -missing that good dinner, and we really had -plenty of time, if we had only known it. To show -our appreciation of their hospitality we marched -around the public square, displaying the flag and -sounding the bugle. When we had arrived in front -of a saloon we were halted and all invited to dismount -and drink, without cost to us. We here -spent perhaps an hour, during which time numbers -of the boys entered stores to purchase small necessary -articles, and in every instance pay was declined.</p> - -<p>In due time we went into camp in a post oak -grove two miles east of Dallas, a locality, by the -way, which is now well within the city limits. And -here we remained for some time.</p> - -<p>Eight other organized companies were soon -camped in different localities in the neighborhood, -but we were still one company short. However, as -there were many men, including a large squad from -Kaufman County, some from Cherokee and other -counties, on the ground wishing to go with us, and -who could not get into the organized companies because -they were all full, they organized themselves -into a tenth company, which completed the necessary -number for the regiment.</p> - -<p>We spent about four weeks in Dallas County, -a delay caused in good part by the necessity of waiting -for the arrival of a train from San Antonio -carrying United States wagons and mules captured -at that post by the Confederates. The time, however, -was well spent in daily drills, in feeding, grazing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> -and attending to our horses; and then, too, we -were learning valuable lessons in camp life. While -here we had plenty of rations for ourselves and -plenty of forage for the horses.</p> - -<p>The citizens of Dallas County, as far as we came -in contact with them, were very kind to us. Our -nearest neighbor was a German butcher by the name -of Nusbauman. We used water from the well in -his yard and were indebted to him and his family -for many acts of kindness.</p> - -<p>On one occasion Mrs. Nusbauman complained to -Captain Taylor that one of his men had borrowed -her shears to cut hair with, and would not bring -them back. No, she did not know the name of the -offender. The captain then said, “Madame, do you -know the man when you see him?” “Oh, yes.” -“Well, when he comes to draw water again you -sprinkle flour on his back and I will find your -shears.” In a few hours one of the men came out -from the well with his back covered with flour—and -the shears were promptly returned.</p> - -<p>Our next nearest neighbors were a family named -Sheppard, who lived a few hundred yards south of -our camp, and whose kindness was unbounded. -Their house was our hospital for the time we were -in their vicinity, and the three young ladies of the -family, Misses Jennie Wood, Maggie, and another, -were unremitting in their attentions to the sick. On -one damp, drizzly day when I had a chill they heard -of it somehow, and in the afternoon two of them -drove up in a buggy and called for me to go home -with them, where I could be sheltered, as we yet had -no tents. I went, of course, recovered in one day,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> -convalesced in about three days, and reluctantly returned -to camp. In an effort to do some washing -for myself, I had lost a plain gold ring from my -finger, a present from Miss Cattie Everett of Rusk, -and Miss Jennie Wood Sheppard replaced it with -one of her own. This ring was worn by me continually, -not only during the war, but for several -years after its close.</p> - -<p>I do not remember the date, but some day near the -end of June “The Lone Star Defenders,” that “gallant -little band,” were formally mustered into the -service of the Confederate States of America, for -one year. We were subjected to no physical examination, -or other foolishness, but every fellow was -taken for better or for worse, and no questions were -asked, except the formal, “Do you solemnly swear,” -etc. The company was lettered “C,” Greer’s Regiment, -Texas Cavalry—afterwards numbered and -ever afterwards known as the Third Texas Cavalry. -We were mustered in, officers and men, as follows:</p> - -<p>Officers—Frank M. Taylor, captain; James J. A. -Barker, first lieutenant; Frank M. Daniel, second -lieutenant; James A. Jones, second lieutenant; Wallace -M. Caldwell, orderly sergeant; John D. White, -second sergeant; S. B. Barron, third sergeant; Tom -Petree, fourth sergeant; William Pennington, first -corporal; Thomas F. Woodall, second corporal; C. -C. Acker, third corporal; P. C. Coupland, fourth -corporal; Charles Watts, bugler; John A. Boyd, -ensign.</p> - -<p>Privates—Peter Acker, John B. Armstrong, -David H. Allen, James M. Brittain, R. L. Barnett, -James Barnett, Severe D. Box, A. A. Box, William<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> -P. Bowers, John W. Baker, C. C. Brigman, George -F. Buxton, Jordan Bass, Carter Caldwell, William -P. Crawley, A. G. Carmichael, A. M. Croft, James -P. Chester, Leander W. Cole, James W. Cooper, -William H. Carr, W. J. Davis, James E. Dillard, -F. M. Dodson, John E. Dunn, O. M. Doty, H. H. -Donoho, B. C. Donald, Stock Ewin, John J. Felps, -I. K. Frazer, John Germany, Luther Grimes, E. M. -Grimes, J. H. Gum, L. F. Grisham, W. L. Gammage, -W. D. Herndon, J. R. Halbert, W. T. Harris, -D. B. Harris, Thomas E. Hogg, John Honson, -Warren H. Higginbotham, R. H. Hendon, William -Hammett, James B. Hardgrave, Felix G. Hardgrave, -R. L. Hood, William Hood, James Ivy, -Thomas J. Johnson, J. H. Jones, John B. Long, -Ben A. Long, George C. Long, R. C. Lawrence, -John Lambert, J. B. Murphy, William P. Mosely, -John Meyers, Harvey N. Milligan, W. C. McCain, -G. A. McKee, W. W. McDugald, Dan McCaskill, -Samuel W. Newberry, William A. Newton, George -Noland, Baxter Newman, J. T. Park, T. A. Putnam, -Lemon R. Peacock, W. T. Phillips, Lemuel H. -Reed, T. W. Roberts, Cythe Robertson, Calvin M. -Roark, John B. Reagan, A. B. Summers, John W. -Smith, Cicero H. Smith, Rufus Smith, Sam E. Scott, -J. R. Starr, James R. Taylor, Reuben G. Thompson, -Dan H. Turney, Robert F. Woodall, Woodson -O. Wade, F. M. Wade, E. S. Wallace, R. S. Wallace, -John R. Watkins, C. C. Watkins, Joe L. -Welch, Thomas H. Willson, N. J. Yates.</p> - -<p>Total rank and file—112 men.</p> - -<p>In addition to the above list of original members, -the following named recruits were added to the company -after we had lost several of our men by death -and discharge:</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/ill-031.jpg" width="400" height="557" id="i24" - alt="" - title="" /> - <div class="caption"><p class="pc"><span class="smcap">Peter F. Ross</span></p> - <p class="cap1">Major and Lieutenant-Colonel Sixth Texas Cavalry</p> -</div></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span></p> - -<p>A. J. Gray, Charles B. Harris, J. T. Halbert, -John E. Jones, Wm. H. Kellum, W. S. Keahey, S. -N. Keahey, J. D. Miller, T. L. Newman, T. L. Nosworthy, -John W. Wade, Wyatt S. Williams, Eugene -W. Williams.</p> - -<p>Total—125 men enlisted in the company.</p> - -<table id="t01" summary="t01"> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">Of these the killed numbered</td> - <td class="tdrl">14</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">Died of disease</td> - <td class="tdrl">16</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">Discharged</td> - <td class="tdrl">31</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">Commissioned officers resigned</td> - <td class="tdrl">3</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">Missing and never heard of</td> - <td class="tdrl">2</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">Deserted</td> - <td class="tdrl">7</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdt">Survived (commissioned and non-commissioned officers, 12; privates, 40)</td> - <td class="tdrl">52</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td rowspan="2"> </td> - <td class="tdrl">—–</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdrl">125</td> - </tr> - -</table> - -<p class="p1">Of these recruits, six, the first on the list, came to -us in February and March, 1862; the next three -joined us in April, 1862; the remaining four joined -us in 1863, while we were in Mississippi.</p> - -<p>The company consisted mainly of natives of the -different Southern States, with a few native Texans. -Aside from these we had Buxton, from the State -of Maine; Milligan, from Indiana, and three -foreigners, William Hood, an Englishman; John -Dunn, Irish, and John Honson, a Swede. Milligan -was a printer, and being too poor to buy his outfit -when he joined us, he was furnished with horse and -accouterments by our friend, B. Miller, a German -citizen of Rusk.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER II</h2> - -<p class="pch">OFF FOR THE FRONT</p> - -<p class="pcs">Organization of Regiment—Officers—Accouterment—On -the March—Taming a Trouble-maker—Crossing the Red River—In -the Indian Territory—The Indian Maid—Fort Smith—The -March to Missouri—McCulloch’s Headquarters—Under -Orders—Preparation for First Battle.</p> - -<p class="pn"><span class="smcap">After</span> the companies were mustered into the service -the regiment was organized. Colonel Elkanah -Greer was commissioned by the Confederate War -Department. Walter P. Lane was elected lieutenant-colonel, -and George W. Chilton, father of -United States Senator Horace Chilton, was made -major. M. D. Ecton, first lieutenant of Company -B, was made adjutant, Captain —— Harris, -quartermaster, Jas. B. Armstrong, of Henderson, -commissary, and our Dr. W. W. McDugald, surgeon.</p> - -<p>Thus was organized the first regiment to leave -the State of Texas, and one of the best regiments -ever in the Confederate service. I would not -say that it was the <i>best</i> regiment, as in my opinion -the best regiment and the bravest man in the Confederate -Army were hard to find. That is to say, -no one regiment was entitled to be designated “the -best regiment,” as no one of our brave men could -rightly be designated “the bravest man in the -army.” Napoleon called Marshal Ney “the bravest -of the brave,” but no one could single out a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> -Confederate soldier and truthfully say, “He is the -bravest man in the army.” It was unfortunately -true that all our men were not brave and trustworthy, -for we had men who were too cowardly to fight, -and we had some men unprincipled enough to desert; -but taken all in all, for gallantry and for fighting -qualities under any and all circumstances, either -in advance or retreat, the regiment deservedly stood -in the front rank in all our campaigning.</p> - -<p>The regiment was well officered, field staff, and -line. Colonel Greer was a gallant man, but unfortunately -his mind was too much bent on a brigadier’s -stars; Major Chilton, whenever an opportunity offered, -showed himself to be brave and gallant; but -Walter P. Lane, our lieutenant-colonel, was the life -of the regiment during our first year’s service. A -more gallant man than he never wore a sword, bestrode -a war horse, or led a regiment in battle. He -was one of the heroes of San Jacinto, and a born -soldier. In camps, in times when there was little -or nothing to do, he was not overly popular with -the men, but when the fighting time came he gained -the admiration of everyone.</p> - -<p>At last the long-looked-for train came—United -States wagons drawn by six-mule teams, poor little -Spanish or Mexican mules, driven by Mexicans. -They brought us tents, camp kettles, mess pans and -such things, and for arms, holster pistols. We were -furnished with two wagons to the company and were -given Sibley tents,—large round tents that would -protect sixteen men with their arms and accouterments,—a -pair of holster pistols apiece, and a fair -outfit of “cooking tricks.” We were then formed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> -into messes of sixteen men each, and each mess was -provided with the Sibley tent, the officers being -provided with wall tents. Fairly mounted, we were -pretty well equipped now, our chief deficiency being -the very poor condition of the mules and the lack of -proper arms, for the men, in mustering, had gathered -up shotguns, rifles, and any kind of gun obtainable -at home, many of them being without a firearm of -any kind. A large number had had huge knives -made in the blacksmith shops, with blade eighteen -to twenty-four inches long, shaped something like a -butcher’s cleaver, keen-edged, with a stout handle, a -weapon after the order of a Cuban machete. These -were carried in leather scabbards, hung to the saddle, -and with these deadly weapons the boys expected -to ride through the ranks of the Federal armies and -chop down the men right and left. Now, however, -to this equipment were added the pair of holster pistols. -These very large, brass-mounted, single-barreled -pistols—with barrels about a foot long—carried -a large musket ball, and were suspended in holsters -that fitted over the horn of the saddle, thus -placing them in a convenient position for use. In -addition to all this, every fellow carried a grass -rope at least forty feet long and an iron stake pin. -These latter were for staking out the horses to -graze, and many was the untrained horse that paid -dear for learning the art of “walking the rope,” -for an educated animal would never injure himself -in the least.</p> - -<p>All things being ready, we now started on our -long march, accompanied by Captain J. J. Goode’s -battery, which had been organized at Dallas, to join<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span> -General Ben McCulloch in northwestern Arkansas, -where he, with what forces he had been able to -gather, was guarding our Arkansas frontier. Leaving -Dallas on the—day of July, we moved via -McKinney and Sherman, crossing Red River at Colbert’s -ferry, thence by the overland mail route -through the Indian Territory to Fort Smith, Ark., -and beyond. We made moderate marches, the -weather being very warm, and we then had no apparent -reason for rapid movements.</p> - -<p>When near McKinney we stopped two or three -days. Here our man from the State of Maine began -to give us trouble. When sober, Buxton was -manageable and a useful man to the company, but -when he was in liquor, which was any time he could -get whisky, he was troublesome, quarrelsome, and -dangerous, especially to citizens. One afternoon -Captain Taylor and myself rode into McKinney, -where we found Buxton drunk and making trouble. -The captain ordered him to camp, but he contumaciously -refused to go. We managed to get him back -to the rear of a livery stable, near a well, and Captain -Taylor forced him down across a mound of -fertilizer—holding him there. Then he ordered me -to pour water on Buxton, which I did most copiously. -I drew bucket after bucket of cold water -from the well and poured it upon Buxton’s prostrate, -soldierly form, until he was thoroughly cooled and -partially sobered, when the captain let him up and -again ordered him to camp—and he went, cursing -and swearing vengeance. This man, after giving us -a good deal of trouble from time to time until after -the battle of Elkhorn in the spring of 1862, was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> -jailed in Fort Smith for shooting a citizen in the -street, and here we left him and crossed the Mississippi -River. He made his escape from jail and followed -us to the State of Mississippi, when Lieutenant-Colonel -Lane ordered him out of camp. He -afterwards returned to Rusk, where he was killed -one day by a gunshot wound, but by whom no one -seemed to know.</p> - -<p>We passed through Sherman early in the morning, -and I stopped to have my horse shod, overtaking -the command at Colbert’s ferry in the afternoon, -when they were crossing Red River. The day -was fair, the weather dry and hot. The river, very -low now, had high banks, and in riding down from -the south side you came on to a wide sandbar extending -to a narrow channel running against the north -bank, where a small ferryboat was carrying the -wagons and artillery across. A few yards above the -ferry the river was easily fordable, so the horsemen -had all crossed and gone into camp a mile beyond the -river, as had most of the wagons. I rode to the -other side and stopped on the north bank to watch -operations.</p> - -<p>All the wagons but one had been ferried over, and -this last one had been driven down on the sandbar -near the ferry landing, waiting for the boat’s return, -while two pieces of artillery were standing -near by on the sandbar. Suddenly I heard a roaring -sound up the river, as if a wind storm was coming. -I looked in that direction and saw a veritable -flood rushing down like a mighty wave of the sea, -roaring and foaming as it came. The driver of the -team standing near the water saw it and instinctively<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> -began turning his team to drive out, but, realizing -that this would be impossible, he detached his mules -and with his utmost efforts was only able to save the -team, while every available man had to lend assistance -in order to save the two pieces of artillery. -In five minutes’ time, perhaps, the water had risen -fifteen to eighteen feet, and the banks were full of -muddy, rushing water, and remained so as long as -we were there. The wagon, which belonged to the -quartermaster, was swept off by the tide and lost, -with all its contents. It stood in its position until -the water rose to the top of the cover, when it -floated off.</p> - -<p>After camping for the night, we moved on. As -we were now in the Indian Territory, the young men -were all on the look-out for the beautiful Indian -girls of whom they had read so much, and I think -some of them had waived the matter of engagement -before leaving home until they could determine -whether they would prefer marrying some of the -pretty girls that were so numerous in this Indian -country. We had not gone far on our march when -we met a Chickasaw damsel. She was rather young -in appearance, of medium height, black unkempt -hair, black eyes, high cheekbones, and was bare-headed -and barefooted. Her dress was of some -well-worn cotton fabric, of a color hard to define, -rather an earthy color. In style it was of the extreme -low neck and short kind, and a semi-bloomer. -Of other wearing apparel it is unnecessary to speak, -unless you wish a description of another Indian. -This one was too sensible to weight herself with a -multiplicity of garments in July. She was a regular<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> -middle of the roader, as she stuck close to that -part of the Territory strictly. As we were marching -by twos we separated and left her to that part -of the highway which she seemed to like best. She -continued her walk westwardly as we continued our -march eastwardly, turning her head right and left, -to see what manner of white soldiers the Confederate -Government was sending out. This gave all -an opportunity to glimpse at her charms. Modestly -she walked along without speaking to any of us, as -we had never been introduced to her. Only one time -did I hear her speak a word, and that was apparently -to herself. As Lieutenant Daniel passed her -with his long saber rattling, she exclaimed, in good -English: “<i>Pretty white man!</i>—got big knife!”</p> - -<p>As we went marching on the conversation became -more general; that is, more was said about the -beautiful country, the rich lands and fine cattle, -and not so much about beautiful Indian girls. But -every fellow kept his eye to the front, expecting -we would meet scores of girls, perhaps hundreds, -but all were disappointed, as this was the only full-blooded -Indian we met in the highway from Colbert’s -ferry to Fort Smith. The fact is, the Indians -shun white people who travel the main road. -Away out in the prairie some two hundred yards -you will find Indian trails running parallel with -the road, and the Indians keep to these trails to -avoid meeting the whites. If they chance to live -in a hut near the road you find no opening toward -the road, and, if approached, they will deny that -they can speak English, when, in fact, they speak it -readily and plainly.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span></p> - -<p>One day I came up with one of our teamsters in -trouble. He needed an ax to cut down a sapling, -so I galloped back to an Indian’s hut near by, and -as there was no enclosure, rode around to the door. -The Indian came out and I asked him to lend me -an ax a few minutes. He shook his head and said, -“Me no intender,” again and again, and this was the -only word I could get out of him until I dismounted -and picked up the ax, which was lying on the ground -near the door. He then began, in good English, -to beg me not to take his ax. I carried it to the -teamster, however, but returned it to the Indian in -a few minutes.</p> - -<p>There are, or were then, people of mixed blood -living along the road in good houses and in good -style, where travelers could find entertainment. -Numbers of these had small Confederate flags flying -over the front gateposts—and all seemed to be -loyal to our cause. Two young Choctaws joined -one of our companies and went with us, one of -them remaining with us during the war, and an -excellent soldier he was, too.</p> - -<p>At Boggy Depot the ladies presented us with a -beautiful flag, which was carried until it was many -times pierced with bullets, the staff shot in two, and -the flag itself torn into shreds. Arriving at Big -Blue River, we lost one or two horses in crossing, -by drowning. But finally we reached Fort Smith, -on a Saturday, remaining there until Monday morning.</p> - -<p>While in the Choctaw Nation our men had the opportunity -of attending an Indian war dance, and -added to their fitness for soldiers by learning the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> -warwhoop, which many of them were soon able to -give just as real Indians do.</p> - -<p>Fort Smith, a city of no mean proportions, is -situated on the south bank of the Arkansas River, -very near the line of the Indian Territory. Another -good town, Van Buren, is situated on the north bank -of the river, five miles below Fort Smith. While -we were at Fort Smith orders came from General -McCulloch, then in southwest Missouri, to cut loose -from all incumbrances and hasten to his assistance -as rapidly as possible, as a battle was imminent. -Consequently, leaving all trains, baggage, artillery, -all sick and disabled men and horses to follow us -as best they could, we left on Monday morning in -the lightest possible marching order, for a forced -march into Missouri. Our road led across Boston -Mountain, through Fayetteville and Cassville, on -towards Springfield. Crossing the river at Van Buren, -we began the march over the long, hot, dry, and -fearfully dusty road. As we passed through Van -Buren I heard “Dixie” for the first time, played -by a brass band. Some of the boys obtained the -words of the song, and then the singers gave us -“Dixie” morning, noon, and night, and sometimes -between meals. This march taxed my physical endurance -to the utmost, and in the evening, when -orders came to break ranks and camp, I sometimes -felt as if I could not march one mile farther. The -first or orderly sergeant and second sergeant having -been left behind with the train, the orderly sergeant’s -duties fell upon me, which involved looking after -forage and rations, and other offices, after the day’s -march.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span></p> - -<p>On Saturday noon we were at Cassville, Mo. -That night we marched nearly all night, lying down -in a stubble field awhile before daylight, where we -slept two or three hours. About ten o’clock Sunday -morning, tired, dusty, hungry, and sleepy, we went -into camp in the neighborhood of General McCulloch’s -headquarters, in a grove of timber near a -beautiful, clear, little stream. The first thing we -did was to look after something to eat for ourselves -and horses, as we had had no food since passing -Cassville, and only a very light lunch then. The -next thing was to go in bathing, and wash our -clothes, as we had had no change, and then to get -some longed-for sleep. In the meantime Colonel -Greer had gone up to General McCulloch’s headquarters -to report our arrival. I was not present -at the interview, but I imagine it ran something like -this, as they knew each other well. Colonel Greer -would say “Hello, General! How do you do, sir? -Well, I am here to inform you that I am on the -ground, here in the enemy’s country, with my regiment -of Texas cavalry, eleven hundred strong, well -mounted and armed to the teeth with United States -holster pistols, a good many chop knives, and several -double-barreled shotguns. Send Lyons word to turn -out his Dutch regulars, Kansas jayhawkers and Missouri -home guards, and we’ll clean ’em up and drive -’em from the State of Missouri.”</p> - -<p>“Very well, very well, Colonel; go back and order -your men to cook up three days’ rations, get all the -ammunition they can scrape up in the neighborhood, -and be in their saddles at eleven o’clock to-night, -and I will have them at Dug Springs at daylight<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> -to-morrow morning and turn them loose on the gentlemen -you speak of.”</p> - -<p>Any way, whatever the interview was, we had -barely stretched out our weary limbs and folded -our arms to sleep when the sergeant-major, that fellow -that so often brings bad news, came tripping -along through the encampment, hurrying from one -company’s headquarters to another, saying: “Captain, -it’s General McCulloch’s order that you have -your men cook up three days’ rations, distribute all -the ammunition they can get and be in their saddles, -ready to march on the enemy, at eleven o’clock to-night.”</p> - -<p>Sleep? Oh, no! Where’s the man who said he -was sleepy? Cook three days’ rations? Oh, my! -And not a cooking vessel in the regiment! But -never mind about that, it’s a soldier’s duty to obey -orders without asking questions. I drew and distributed -the flour and meat, and left the men to do -the cooking while I looked after the ammunition. -Here the men learned to roll out biscuit dough about -the size and shape of a snake, coil it around a ramrod -or a small wooden stick, and bake it before the -fire.</p> - -<p>This Sunday afternoon and night, August 4, was -a busy time in our camp. Some were cooking the -rations, some writing letters, some one thing, and -some another; all were busy until orders came to -saddle up. We were camped on the main Springfield -road, and General Lyon, with his army, was -at Dug Springs, a few miles farther up the same -road. We were to march at eleven o’clock and attack -him at daylight Monday morning. There already<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> -had been some skirmishing between our outposts -and his scouts. We had never been in battle, -and we were nervous, restless, sleepless for the remainder -of the day and night after receiving the -orders.</p> - -<p>Some of the things that occurred during the afternoon -and night would have been ludicrous had -not the whole occasion been so serious. In my efforts -to obtain and distribute all the ammunition I could -procure I was around among the men from mess -to mess during all this busy time. Scores of letters -were being written by firelight to loved ones at -home, said letters running something like this:</p> - -<div class="pbq"> -<p class="pr2 p1"><span class="smcap">Camp</span> ——, Mo., Aug. 4, 1861.</p> -<p class="pn"><span class="smcap">My Dear</span> ——:</p> - -<p>We arrived at General McCulloch’s headquarters -about 10 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span> to-day, tired, dusty, hungry, and -sleepy, after a long, forced march from Fort Smith, -Ark. We are now preparing for our first battle. -We are under orders to march at eleven o’clock to -attack General Lyon’s army at daylight in the -morning. All the boys are busy cooking up three -days’ rations. I am very well. If I survive to-morrow’s -battle I will write a postscript, giving you -the result. Otherwise this will be mailed to you as -it is.</p> - -<p class="pr6">Yours affectionately,</p> -<p class="pr2">—— ——</p> -</div> - -<p class="p1">Numbers of the boys said to me: “Now, Barron, -if I am killed to-morrow please mail this letter for -me.” One said: “Barron, here is my gold watch.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> -Take it, and if I am killed to-morrow please send -it to my mother.” Another said: “Barron, here -is a gold ring. Please take care of it, and if I am -killed to-morrow I want you to send it to my sister.” -Another one said: “Barron, if I am killed -to-morrow I want you to send this back to my -father.” At last it became funny to me that each -seemed to believe in the probability of his being killed -the next day, and were making nuncupative wills, -naming me as executor in every case, without seeming -to think of the possibility of <i>my</i> being killed.</p> - -<p>During the remainder of our four years’ service, -with all the fighting we had to do, I never again witnessed -similar preparations for battle.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER III</h2> - -<p class="pch">OUR FIRST BATTLE</p> - -<p class="pcs">On the March—Little York Raid—Under Fire—Our First -Battle—Oak Hill (Wilson’s Creek)—Death of General Lyon—Our -First Charge—Enemy Retires—Impressions of First Battle—Death -of Young Willie—Horrors of a Battlefield—Troops -Engaged—Casualties.</p> - -<p class="pn"><span class="smcap">Well</span>, eleven o’clock came, we mounted our horses -and rode out on the road to Dug Springs, under -orders to move very quietly, and to observe the -strictest silence—and, when necessary, we were not -even to talk above a whisper. The night was dark -and we moved very slowly. About three o’clock in -the morning an orderly came down the column carrying -a long sheet of white muslin, tearing off narrow -strips, and handing them to the men, one of -which each man was required to tie around his left -arm. From our slow, silent movement I felt as if -we were in a funeral procession, and the white sheet -reminded me of a winding sheet for the dead. As -we were not uniformed these strips were intended as -a mark of the Confederate soldiers, so we might -avoid killing our own men in the heat and confusion -of battle.</p> - -<p>At daylight we were halted and informed that -General Lyon’s forces had withdrawn from Dug -Springs. After some little delay our army moved -on in the direction of Springfield, infantry and artillery -in the road and the cavalry on the flank,—that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> -is, we horsemen took the brush and marched -parallel with the road, in order to guard against -ambush and surprises. We moved slowly in this -manner nearly all day without coming up with the -enemy—at noon we took a short rest, and dinner, -and here many of us consumed the last of our three -days’ rations.</p> - -<p>Along in the afternoon, as we were considerably -ahead of the infantry, we filed into the road and -were moving slowly along, when suddenly we heard -firing in our rear. Of course every one supposed the -infantry had come up with the enemy and they were -fighting. We were immediately halted, and Lieutenant-Colonel -Lane came galloping back down the -column shouting, “Turn your horses around, men, -and go like h——l the other way.” Instantly the -column was reversed, and the next minute we were -following Colonel Lane at full speed. For two or -three miles we ran our tired horses down the dusty -road, only to learn that some of the infantry, who -had stopped to camp, were firing off their guns simply -to unload them.</p> - -<p>We then retraced our steps and moved on up the -road to Wilson’s Creek, nine miles from Springfield, -and camped on the ground that was to be our first -battlefield. We came to the premises of a Mr. -Sharp, situated on the right hand or east side of -the road. Just beyond his house, down the hill, -the creek crossed the road and ran down through his -place, back of his house and lot. On the left hand -or west side of the road were rough hills covered -with black jack trees, rocks, and considerable underbrush. -Before coming to his dwelling we passed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> -through his lot gates down in the rear of his barn -and premises, and camped in a strip of small timber -growing along the creek. In the same enclosure, -in front and south of us, was a wide, uncultivated -field, with a gradual upgrade all the way to the -timber back of the field. Here we lived on our -meager rations for several days. In the meantime -the whole army then in Missouri, including General -Sterling Price’s command, was concentrated in the -immediate vicinity.</p> - -<p>One day during the week we heard that a company -of Missouri home guards, well armed, were at -Little York, a small village six or seven miles west -from our camps. Now, the home guards were -Northern sympathizers, so one afternoon our company -and another of the regiment, by permission, -marched to Little York on a raid, intending to capture -the company and secure their arms. We -charged into the town, but the enemy we sought -was not there, and we could find but four or five supposed -members of the company. Anyway, we chased -and captured every man in town who ran from us, -including the surgeon of the command, who was -mounted on a good horse, being the only man -mounted in the company. Several of the boys had -a chase after him, capturing his horse, which was -awarded to John B. Long, who, however, did not -enjoy his ownership very long, for the animal was -killed in our first battle. We then searched for -arms, but found none.</p> - -<p>In one of the storehouses we found a large lot of -pig lead, estimated at 15,000 pounds. This we -confiscated for the use of the Confederate Army.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> -In order to move it, we pressed into service the only -two wagons we could find with teams, but so over-loaded -one of them that the wheels broke down when -we started off. We then carried the lead on our -horses,—except what we thought could be hauled -in the remaining wagon,—out some distance and -hid it in a thicket of hazelnut bushes. We then, -with our prisoners and the one wagon, returned to -camp. When the prisoners were marched up to -regimental headquarters Lieutenant-Colonel Lane -said, “Turn them out of the lines and let them go. -I would rather fight them than feed them.”</p> - -<p>This raiding party of two companies that made -the descent upon Little York was commanded by -Captain Taylor, and the raid resulted, substantially, -as I have stated. Nevertheless, even the next day -wild, exaggerated stories of the affair were told, and -believed by many members of our own regiment as -well as other portions of the army, and in Victor -Rose’s “History of Ross’s Brigade,” the following -version of the little exploit may be read: “Captain -Frank Taylor, of Company C, made a gallant dash -into a detachment guarding a train loaded with supplies -for Lyon, routing the detachment, taking a -number of prisoners, and capturing the entire -train.” And “the historian” was a member of -Company A, Third Texas Cavalry! From this language -one would infer that Captain Taylor, alone -and unaided, had captured a supply train with its -escort!</p> - -<p>On Friday, August 9, the determination was -reached to move on Springfield and attack General -Lyon. We received orders to cook rations, have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> -our horses saddled and be ready to march at nine -o’clock <span class="smcap">P. M.</span> At nine o’clock we were ready to -mount, but by this time a slight rain was falling, -and the night was very dark and threatening. We -“stood to horse,” as it were, all night, waiting for -orders that never came. The infantry, also under -similar orders, slept on their arms. Of course our -men, becoming weary with standing and waiting, -lay down at the feet of their horses, reins in hand, -and slept. Daylight found some of the men up, -starting little fires to prepare coffee for breakfast, -while the majority were sleeping on the ground, and -numbers of our horses, having slipped their reins -from the hands of the sleeping soldiers, were grazing -in the field in front of the camp.</p> - -<p>Captain Taylor had ridden up to regimental headquarters -to ask for instructions or orders, when the -enemy opened fire upon us with a battery stationed -in the timber just back of the field in our front, and -the shells came crashing through the small timber -above our heads. And as if this were a signal, almost -instantly another battery opened fire on General -Price’s camp. Who was responsible for the -blunder that made it possible for us to be thus surprised -in camp, I cannot say. It was said that -the pickets were ordered in, in view of our moving, -at nine o’clock the night before, and were not sent -out again; but this was afterwards denied. If we -had any pickets on duty they were certainly very -inefficient. But there is no time now to inquire of -the whys and wherefores.</p> - -<p>Captain Taylor now came galloping back, shouting: -“Mount your horses and get into line!<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span>” -There was a hustling for loose horses, a rapid -mounting and very soon the regiment was in line -by companies in the open field in front of the camps. -It was my duty now to “form the company,” the -same as if we were going out to drill; that is, beginning -on the right, I rode down the line requiring -each man to call out his number, counting, one, two, -three, four; one, two, three, four, until the left was -reached. This gave every man his place for the -day, and every man was required to keep his place. -If ordered to march by twos, the horses were -wheeled to the right, number 2 forming on the right -of number 1; if order to for fours, numbers 3 -and 4 moved rapidly up on the right of numbers -1 and 2, and so on. This being done in the face -of the aforesaid battery, with no undue haste, was -quite a trying ordeal to new troops who had never -before been under fire, but the men stood it admirably.</p> - -<p>As soon as we were formed we moved out by twos, -with orders to cross the Springfield road to the hills -beyond, where General Ben McCulloch’s infantry, -consisting of the noble Third Louisiana and the -Arkansas troops, some three thousand in all, were -hotly engaged with General Lyon’s command. General -Lyon was personally in front of General Sterling -Price’s army of Missouri State Guards, being -personally in command of one wing of the Federal -Army (three brigades), and Sigel, who was senior -colonel, commanded the other wing (one brigade). -General McCulloch was in command of the Confederate -troops and General Price of the Missourians.</p> - -<p>We moved out through Mr. Sharp’s premises as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span> -we had come in, but coming to the road we were delayed -by the moving trains and the hundreds of -unarmed men who were along with General Price’s -army, rushing in great haste from the battlefield. -The road being so completely filled with the mass -of moving trains and men rushing pell-mell southward, -it cost us a heroic effort to make our way -across. In this movement the rear battalion of the -regiment, under Major Chilton, was cut off from -us, and while they performed good service during -part of the day, we saw no more of them until the -battle ended.</p> - -<p>By the time we crossed the road the battle had -become general, and the fire of both artillery and -musketry was constant and terrific. The morning -was bright and clear and the weather excessively -warm, and as we had been rushed into battle without -having time to get breakfast or to fill our canteens, -we consequently suffered from both hunger and -thirst. After crossing the road we moved up just -in the rear of our line of infantry, and for five -hours or more were thus held in reserve, slowly moving -up in column as the infantry lines surged to the -left, while the brave Louisiana and Arkansas troops -stood their ground manfully against the heavy fire -of musketry and artillery. As our position was -farther down the hill than that occupied by the line -of infantry, we were in no very great danger, as -the enemy’s shot and shell usually passed over us, -but, nevertheless, during the whole time the shots -were passing very unpleasantly near our heads, with -some damage, too, as a number of the men were -wounded about the head. One member of Company<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> -C was clipped across the back of the neck with a -minie ball. After hours of a most stubborn contest -our infantry showed some signs of wavering. Colonel -Greer at this critical moment led us up rapidly -past their extreme left,—had us wheel into line, and -then ordered us to charge the enemy’s infantry in -our front. With a yell all along the line, a yell -largely mixed with the Indian warwhoop, we dashed -down that rough, rocky hillside at a full gallop -right into the face of that solid line of well-armed -and disciplined infantry. It was evidently a great -surprise to them, for though they emptied their -guns at us, we moved so rapidly that they had no -time to reload, and broke their lines and fled in confusion. -The battery that had been playing on our -infantry all day was now suddenly turned upon us, -otherwise we could have ridden their infantry down -and killed or captured many of them, but we were -halted, and moved out by the left flank from under -the fire of their battery. Their guns were now limbered -up and moved off, and their whole command -was soon in full retreat towards Springfield. During -the engagement General Nathaniel Lyon had -been killed, and the battle, after about seven hours’ -hard fighting, was at an end. The field was ours.</p> - -<p>Thus ended our first battle. Would to God it -had been our last, and the last of the war! General -McCulloch called it “The Battle of Oak Hill,” but -the Federals called it “The Battle of Wilson’s -Creek.”</p> - -<p>This first battle was interesting to me in many -ways. I had been reading of them since my childhood -and looking at pictures of battlefields during<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> -and after the conflict, but to see a battle in progress, -to hear the deafening roar of artillery, and the terrible, -ceaseless rattle of musketry; to see the rapid -movements of troops, hear the shouts of men engaged -in mortal combat, and to realize the sensation -of being a participant, and then after hours of -doubtful contest to see the enemy fleeing from the -field—all this was grand and terrible. But while -there is a grandeur in a battle, there are many horrors, -and unfortunately the horrors are wide-spread—they -go home to the wives, fathers, mothers, and -sisters of the slain.</p> - -<p>After the battle was over we were slowly moving -in column across the field unmolested, but being -fired on by some of the enemy’s sharpshooters, -who were keeping up a desultory fire at long range, -when young Mr. Willie, son of Judge A. H. Willie, -a member of Company A, which was in advance of -us, came riding up the column, passing us. I was -riding with Captain Taylor at the head of our -company, and just as Willie was passing us a ball -from one of the sharpshooters’ rifles struck him in -the left temple, and killed him. But for his position -the ball would have struck me in another instant.</p> - -<p>After all the Federals capable of locomotion had -left the field, we were moved up the road on which -Sigel had retreated, as far as a mill some five miles -away, where we had ample witness of the execution -done by our cavalry—dead men in blue were strewn -along the road in a horrible manner. On returning, -late in the afternoon, we were ordered back to the -camp we had left in the morning. As we had witnessed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> -the grandeur of the battle, Felps and myself -concluded to ride over the field and see some of -its horrors. So we rode leisurely over the field and -reviewed the numerous dead, both men and horses, -and the few wounded who had not been carried to -the field hospitals. General Lyon’s body had been -placed in an ambulance by order of General McCulloch, -and was on its way to Springfield, where it -was left at the house of Colonel Phelps. His horse -lay dead on the field, and every lock of his gray -mane and tail was clipped off by our men and carried -off as souvenirs.</p> - -<p>Further on we found one poor old Missouri home -guard who was wounded. He had dragged himself -up against a black jack tree and was waiting patiently -for some chance of being cared for. We -halted and were speaking to him, when one of his -neighbors, a Southern sympathizer, came up, recognized -him and began to abuse him in a shameful -manner. “Oh, you d——d old scoundrel,” he said, -“if you had been where you ought to have been, -you wouldn’t be in the fix you are in now.” They -were both elderly men, and evidently lived only a -few miles away, as the Southerner had had time to -come from his home to see the result of the battle. -I felt tempted to shoot the old coward, and thus put -them on an equality, and let them quarrel it out. -But as it seemed enough men had been shot for one -day, we could only shame him and tell him that if he -had had the manliness to take up his gun and fight -for what he thought was right, as his neighbor had -done, he would not be there to curse and abuse a -helpless and wounded man, and that he should not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> -insult him or abuse him any more while we were -there. We continued our ride until satisfied for that -time, and for all time, so far as I was concerned, -with viewing a battlefield just after the battle, unless -duty demands it.</p> - -<p>Our train came up at night, bringing us, oh, so -many letters from our post office at Fort Smith, but -the day’s doings, the fatigue, hunger, thirst, heat, -and excitement had overcome me so completely that -I opened not a letter until the morning. Reckoning -up the day’s casualties in Company C, we found -four men and fifteen horses had been shot; Leander -W. Cole was mortally wounded, and died in Springfield -a few days later; J. E. Dillard was shot in the -leg and in allusion to his long-leggedness it was said -he was shot two and one half feet below the knee -and one and one half feet above the ankle; T. Wiley -Roberts was slightly wounded in the back of the -head, and P. C. Coupland slightly wounded. Some -of the horses were killed and others wounded. Roger -Q. Mills and Dr. —— Malloy, two citizens of -Corsicana, were with us in this battle, having overtaken -us on the march, and remained with us until -it was over, then returning home. Roger Q. Mills -was afterwards colonel of the Tenth Texas Infantry. -Dr. Malloy was captain of a company, and -fell while gallantly fighting at the head of his company -in one of the battles west of the Mississippi -River.</p> - -<p>I will not attempt to give the number of troops -engaged, as the official reports of the battle written -by the officers in command fail to settle that -question. General Price reported that he had 5221<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> -effective men with 15 pieces of artillery. General -McCulloch’s brigade has been estimated at 4000 men, -with no artillery, and this officer’s conclusion was -that the enemy had 9000 to 10,000 men, and that -the forces of the two armies were about equal. The -Federal officers in their reports greatly exaggerated -our strength, and, I think, greatly underestimated -theirs, especially so since, General Lyon being killed, -it devolved upon the subordinates to make the reports. -Major S. D. Sturgis, who commanded one -of Lyon’s brigades, says their 3700 men attacked -an army of 23,000 rebels under Price and McCulloch, -that their loss in killed, wounded, and missing -was 1235, and he supposed the rebel loss was 3000. -Major J. M. Schofield, General Lyon’s adjutant, -says their 5000 men attacked the rebel army of -20,000. General Frémont, afterwards, in congratulating -the army on their splendid conduct in this -battle, says their 4300 men met the rebel army of -20,000. They give the organization of their army -without giving the numbers. General Lyon had -four brigades, consisting, as they report, of six regiments, -three battalions, seven companies, 200 Missouri -home guards and three batteries of artillery, -many of their troops being regulars. Their army -came against us in two columns.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/ill-059.jpg" width="400" height="571" id="i50" - alt="" - title="" /> - <div class="caption"><p class="pc"><span class="smcap">Lieutenant-Colonel Jiles S. Boggess</span></p> - <p class="cap1">Third Texas Cavalry</p> -</div></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span></p> - -<p>General Lyon, -with three brigades and two batteries, Totten’s six -pieces, and Dubois, with four, came down the Springfield -road and attacked our main army in front. -Colonel Franz Sigel, with one brigade and one light -battery, marched down to the left, or east of the -road and into our rear, and attacked the cavalry -camp with his artillery, as has already been stated. -Poor Sigel! it would be sufficient to describe his disastrous -defeat to merely repeat their official reports. -But I would only say that his battery was lost and -his command scattered and driven from the field in -utter confusion and demoralization in the early part -of the day and that it was followed some five miles -by our cavalry and badly cut up, he himself escaping -capture narrowly by abandoning his carriage -and colors and taking to a cornfield. It was said -by the Federals that he reached Springfield with one -man before the battle was ended. But the forces -led by the brave and gallant Lyon fought bravely. -The losses are given officially as follows: Federals: -killed, 223; wounded, 721; missing, 291. Total, -1235. Confederates: killed, 265; wounded, 800; -missing, 30. Total, 1095.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER IV</h2> - -<p class="pch">THE WAR IN MISSOURI</p> - - -<p class="pcs">Personal Characteristics—Two Braggarts—Joe Welch—William -Hood—We Enter Springfield—Bitter Feeling in Missouri—Company -Elections—Measles and Typhoid—Carthage, -and My Illness There—We Leave Carthage—Death of Captain -Taylor—Winter Quarters—Furloughed—Home Again.</p> - - -<p class="pn"><span class="smcap">A battle</span>—or danger—will often develop some -characteristics that nothing else will bring out.</p> - -<p>One Gum was a shabby little man, mounted on -a shabby little mustang pony; in fact his horse was -so shabby that he would tie him, while we were at -Dallas, away off in the brush in a ravine and carry -his forage half a mile to feed him rather than have -him laughed at. Gum was a Missourian, and got -into the company somehow, with his fiddle, and aside -from his fiddling he was of little use in camps. -During the time we were kept slowly moving along -in the rear of our infantry, engaged mainly in the -unprofitable business of dodging balls and shells -that were constantly whizzing near our heads, Captain -Taylor was very anxious that his company -should act well under fire and would frequently -glance back, saying: “Keep your places, men.” -Gum, however, was out of place so often he finally -became personal, “Keep in your place, Gum.” At -this Gum broke ranks and came trotting up on -his little pony, looking like a monkey with a red -cap on, for, having lost his hat, he had tied a red<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> -cotton handkerchief around his head. When opposite -the captain he reined up, and with a trembling -frame and in a quivering voice, almost crying, he -said: “Captain, I <i>can’t</i> keep my place. I am a -coward, and I can’t help it.” Captain Taylor said, -sympathetically: “Very well, Gum; go where you -please.” It so happened that a few days later we -passed his father’s house, near Mount Vernon, and -the captain allowed him to stop and remain with his -father. And thus he was discharged. At this stage -of the war we had no army regulations, no “red -tape” in our business. If a captain saw fit to discharge -one of his men he told him to go, and he -went without reference to army headquarters or the -War Department. I met Gum in November, fleeing -from the wrath of the home guards, as a man who -had been in the Confederate Army could not live -in safety in Missouri.</p> - -<p>One of our men, in the morning when I was forming -the company, was so agitated that it was a difficult -matter to get him to call his number. During -the day a ball cut a gash about skin deep and two -inches in length across the back of his neck, just -at the edge of his hair. As a result of this we were -two years in getting this man under fire again, -though he would not make an honest confession like -Gum, but would manage in some mysterious way to -keep out of danger. When at last we succeeded in -getting him in battle at Thompson’s Station in -1863, he ran his iron ramrod through the palm of -his right hand and went to the rear. Rather than -risk himself in another engagement he deserted, in -the fall of that year, and went into the Federal<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> -breastworks in front of Vicksburg and surrendered. -This man was named Wiley Roberts.</p> - -<p>Captain Hale, of Company D, was rather rough-hewn, -but a brave, patriotic old man, having not the -least patience with a thief, a coward, or a braggart. -While he had some of the bravest men in his company -that any army could boast of, he had one or -two, at least, that were not among these, as the two -stalwart bullies who were exceedingly boastful of -their prowess, of the ease with which Southern men -could whip Northerners, five to one being about as -little odds as they cared to meet. This type of braggart -was no novelty, for every soldier had heard -that kind of talk at the beginning of the war. While -we were moving out in the morning when Sigel’s -battery was firing and Captain Hale was coolly -riding along at the head of his company, these two -men came riding rapidly up, one hand holding their -reins while the other was pressed across the stomach, -as if they were in great misery, saying, when they -sighted their commander: “Captain Hale, where -must we go? we are sick.” Captain Hale looked -around without uttering a word for a moment, his -countenance speaking more indignation than language -could express. At last he said, in his characteristic, -emphatic manner: “Go to h——l, you -d——d cowards! You were the only two fighting -men I had until now we are in a battle, and you’re -both sick. I don’t care when you go.” Other incidents -could be given where men in the regiment were -tried and found wanting, but the great majority -were brave and gallant men who never shirked duty -or flinched from danger.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span></p> - -<p>An instance of the opposite character may be -told of Joe Welch. Joe was a blacksmith, almost -a giant in stature. Roughly guessing, I would say -he was six feet two inches in height, weighing about -240 pounds, broad-shouldered, raw-boned, with muscles -that would laugh at a sledge. Joe had incurred -the contempt of the company by acting in a very -cowardly manner, as they thought, in one or two -little personal affairs before we reached Missouri. -But when we went into battle Joe was there, as unconcerned -and cool, apparently, as if he was only -going into his shop to do a day’s work; and when -we made our charge down that rough hillside when -the enemy’s bullets were coming as thick as hailstones, -one of Joe’s pistols jolted out of its holster -and fell to the ground. Joe reined in his horse, deliberately -dismounted, recovered the pistol, remounted, -and rapidly moved up to his place in the -ranks. Those who witnessed the coolness and apparent -disregard of danger with which he performed -this little feat felt their contempt suddenly converted -into admiration.</p> - -<p>Another one of our men was found wanting, but -through no fault of his own, as he was faithful as far -as able. This was William Hood. Hood was an -Englishman, quite small, considerably advanced in -years, destitute of physical endurance and totally -unfit for the hardships of a soldier’s life. He was an -old-womanish kind of a man, good for cooking, washing -dishes, scouring tin plates, and keeping everything -nice around the mess headquarters, but was unsuited -for any other part of a soldier’s duty. Hood -strayed off from us somehow during the day, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span> -for some part of the day was a prisoner, losing his -horse, but managed to get back to camp afoot at -night, very much depressed in spirits. The next -morning he was very proud to discover his horse grazing -out in the field two or three hundred yards from -the camp. He almost flew to him, but found he was -wounded. He came back to Captain Taylor with a -very sad countenance, and said: “Captain Taylor, -me little ’orse is wounded right were the ’air girth -goes on ’im.” The wound was only slight and as -soon as the little ’orse was in proper traveling condition -little Hood was discharged and allowed to -return home.</p> - -<p>As already stated, we returned late in the evening -to the camp we had left in the morning to rest -and sleep for the night, for after the excitement of -the day was over bodily fatigue was very much in -evidence. Our train came up about nightfall, but -as I was very tired, and our only chance for lights -was in building up little brush fires, the opening of -my letters was postponed until the bright Sunday -morning, August 11, especially as my mail packet -was quite bulky. One large envelope from Huntsville, -Ala., contained a letter and an exquisite little -Confederate flag some ten or twelve inches long. This -was from a valued young lady friend who, in the -letter, gave me much good advice, among other -things warning me against being shot in the back. -And I never was. During the day the command -marched into Springfield, to find that the Federal -Army had pushed forward Saturday night. They -had retreated to Rolla, the terminus of the railroad, -and thence returned to St. Louis, leaving us for a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> -long time in undisputed possession of southwest -Missouri, where we had but little to do for three -months but gather forage and care for our horses -and teams and perform the routine duties incident to -a permanent camp.</p> - -<p>From Springfield we moved out west a few miles, -camping for a few days at a large spring called -Cave Spring. Here several of our men were discharged -and returned home. Among them James -R. Taylor, brother of Captain, subsequently Colonel, -Taylor of the Seventeenth Texas Cavalry, who was -killed at the battle of Mansfield, La.</p> - -<p>Southwest Missouri is a splendid country, abounding -in rich lands, fine springs of pure water, and -this year, 1861, an abundant crop of corn, oats, -hay, and such staples had been raised. Nevertheless, -a very unhappy state of things existed there -during the war, for the population was very much -divided in sentiment and sympathy—some being for -the North and some for the South, and the antagonism -between the factions was very bitter. Indeed, -so intense had the feeling run, the man of one side -seemed to long to see his neighbor of the other side -looted and his property destroyed. Men of Southern -sympathy have stealthily crept into our camps -at midnight and in whispers told us where some Union -men were to be found in the neighborhood, evidently -wishing and expecting that we would raid them and -kill or capture, rob, plunder or do them damage in -some terrible manner. Such reporters seemed to be -disappointed when we would tell them that we were -not there to make war on citizens, and the Union -men themselves seemed to think we were ready to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> -do violence to all who were not loyal to the Southern -Confederacy. When we chanced to go to one of -their houses for forage, as frequently happened, -we could never see the man of the house, unless we -caught a glimpse of him as he was running to -some place to hide, and no assurance to his family -that we would not in any manner mistreat him -would overcome the deep conviction that we would. -This bitter feeling and animosity among the citizens -grew to such intensity, as the war advanced, -that life became a misery to the citizen of Missouri.</p> - -<p>We moved around leisurely over the country from -place to place, foraging and feeding a few days -here and a few days there, and in the early days of -September, passing by way of Mount Vernon and -Carthage, we found ourselves at Scott’s Mill, on -Cowskin River, near the border of the Cherokee -Nation. At Mount Vernon we witnessed a farce enacted -by Company D. Dan Dupree was their first -lieutenant, and a very nice, worthy fellow he was, -too, but some of his men fell out with him about -some trivial matter, and petitioned him to resign, -which he did. Captain Hale, supposing possibly -they might also be opposed to him, and too diffident -to say so, he resigned too, and the other officers -followed suit, even down to the fourth and last corporal, -and for the time the company was without -an officer, either commissioned or non-commissioned. -At this early stage of the war, for an officer to -resign was a very simple and easy thing. He had -only to say publicly to his company, “I resign,” -and it was so. The company was now formed into<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> -line to prepare for the election of officers, and the -mode of procedure was as follows: The candidates -would stand a few paces in front of the line, their -back to the men. The men were then instructed to -declare their choice, by standing behind him, one behind -the other, and when all votes were counted the -result was declared. The outcome on this occasion -was that Captain Hale and all the old officers were -re-elected, except Dupree. Later in the year members -of Company A petitioned their captain to resign, -but he respectfully declined, and though many -of his men were very indignant, we heard no more -of petitioning officers to resign.</p> - -<p>While we were camped on the beautiful little Cowskin -River measles attacked our men, and we moved -up to Carthage, where we remained about eight -weeks, during which time we passed through a terrible -scourge of measles and typhoid fever. As a -result Company C lost five men, including Captain -Taylor. Fortunately we were in a high, healthy -country, and met in Carthage a warm-hearted, generous -people. In addition to our competent and efficient -surgeon and his assistant during this affliction, -we had a number of good physicians, privates in the -regiment, who rendered all the assistance in their -power in caring for the sick. The court house was -appropriated as a hospital, and, soon filled to its -capacity, the generous citizens received the sick men -into their houses and had them cared for there. -How many of the regiment were sick at one time I -do not know, but there were a great many; the number -of dead I never knew. Our surgeon went from -house to house visiting and prescribing for the sick<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> -both day and night, until it seemed sometimes as -if he could not make another round.</p> - -<p>The day after we reached Carthage I was taken -down with a severe case of measles, and glided easily -into a case of typhoid fever. Dr. McDugald went -personally to find a home for me, and had me conveyed -to the residence of Mr. John J. Scott, a merchant -and farmer, where for seven weeks I wasted -away with the fever, during all of which time I was -as kindly and tenderly cared for by Mrs. Scott as -if I had been one of her family; and her little girl -Olympia, then about eleven years old, was as kind -and attentive to me as a little sister could have been. -My messmate and chum, Thomas J. Johnson, remained -with me to wait on me day and night during -the entire time, and Dr. McDugald, and also Dr. -Dan Shaw, of Rusk County, were unremitting in -their attention. A. B. Summers took charge of my -horse, and gave him better attention than he did his -own. Captain Taylor was also very low at the same -time, and was taken care of at the house of Colonel -Ward. The fever had left me and I had been able -to sit up in a rocking chair by the fire a little while -at a time for a few days, when General Frémont, who -had been placed in command of the Federal Army in -Missouri, began a movement from Springfield in the -direction of Fayetteville, Ark., and we were suddenly -ordered away from Carthage. All the available -transportation had to be used to remove the sick, who -were taken to Scott’s Mill. A buggy being procured -for Captain Taylor and myself, our horses -were hitched to it and, with the assistance of Tom -Johnson and John A. Boyd, we moved out, following<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> -the march of the command into Arkansas. The -command moved south, via Neosho and Pineville, and -dropped down on Sugar Creek, near Cross Hollows, -confronting General Frémont, who soon retired to -Springfield, and never returned. At Sugar Creek -we stole Ben A. Long out of camp, and made our -way to Fayetteville, where we stopped at the house -of Martin D. Frazier, by whose family we were most -hospitably treated. Here Captain Taylor relapsed, -and died.</p> - -<p>Captain Francis Marion Taylor was a noble, -brave, and patriotic man, and we were all much -grieved at his death. He had been at death’s door -in Carthage, and Dr. McDugald then thought he -was going to die, telling him so, but he rallied, and -when we left there he was much stronger than I was, -being able to drive, while that would have been impossible -with me. When he relapsed he did not seem -to have much hope of recovering, and after the surgeon, -at his own request, had told him his illness -would terminate fatally, he talked very freely of his -approaching death. He had two little children, a -mother, and a mother-in-law, Mrs. Wiggins, all of -whom he loved very much, and said he loved his -mother-in-law as much as he loved his mother. He -gave me messages for them, placed everything he -had with him (his horse, gold watch, gold rings, -sword, and his trunk of clothes) in my charge, with -specific instructions as to whom to give them—his -mother, his mother-in-law and his two little children.</p> - -<p>I continued to improve, but recovered very slowly -indeed, and remained in Fayetteville until the early<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> -days of December. The regiment was ordered to -go into winter quarters at the mouth of Frog -Bayou, on the north bank of the Arkansas River, -twelve miles below Van Buren, and when they had -passed through Fayetteville on their way to the designated -point, I followed, as I was now able to ride -on horseback. Cabins were soon erected for the men -and stalls for the horses, and here the main command -was at home for the winter. I was furloughed -until March 1, but as the weather was fine I remained -in the camp for two weeks before starting on the -long home journey to Rusk. Many other convalescents -were furloughed at this time, so finally, in -company with Dr. W. L. Gammage, who, by the -way, had been made surgeon of an Arkansas regiment, -and two or three members of Company F who -lived in Cherokee County, I started to Rusk, reaching -the end of my journey just before Christmas.</p> - -<p>My first night in Cherokee County was spent at -the home of Captain Taylor’s noble mother, near Larissa, -where I delivered her son’s last messages to her, -and told her of his last days. The next day I went -on to Rusk and delivered the messages, horse, watch, -etc., to the mother-in-law and children. Mr. Wiggins’s -family offered me a home for the winter, and -as I had greatly improved and the winter was exceedingly -mild, I spent the time very pleasantly -until ready to return to the army. Among other -things I brought home the ball that killed Leander -Cole, and sent it to his mother.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER V</h2> - -<p class="pch">THE WAR IN MISSOURI—<i>Continued</i></p> - -<p class="pcs">I Rejoin the Command—Sleeping in Snow—Ambushed—Battle -of Elkhorn Tavern (Pea Ridge)—Capturing a Battery—Deaths -of Generals McCulloch and McIntosh—Battle Continued—Casualties—Keetsville—Official -Reports—March Southward—Foraging—Lost -Artillery—Illness Again.</p> - -<p class="pn"><span class="smcap">In</span> the latter part of February, 1862, I left Rusk in -company with Tom Hogg, John Germany, and perhaps -one or two more of our furloughed men, for -our winter quarters on the Arkansas River. We -crossed Red River and took the road running along -the line between Arkansas and the Indian Territory -to Fort Smith. After crossing Red River we began -meeting refugees from Missouri and north Arkansas, -on their way to Texas, who told us that our army was -moving northward, and a battle was expected very -soon. This caused us to push on more rapidly, as we -were due to return March 1, and were anxious to be -in our places with the command. When we reached -Van Buren we learned that our whole army was in -motion, that a battle was imminent and might occur -any day. By this time the weather had grown -quite cold, and leaving Van Buren at 9 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span>, we had -to cross Boston Mountain, facing a north wind blowing -snow in our faces all day. Nevertheless, we slept -fifty miles from there that night, camping with some -commissary wagons on the road, a few miles from -Fayetteville. Here we learned that the army was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> -camped along the road between there and Fayetteville. -The next morning we started on at a brisk -gait, but before we could pass the infantry they were -filing into the road. We took to the brush and galloped -our horses about six miles and overtook the -Third Texas, which was in the advance, now passing -out of the northern suburbs of Fayetteville, and -found Company C in the advance guard on the Bentonville -road.</p> - -<p>We advanced slowly that day, without coming in -contact with the enemy, and camped that night at -Elm Springs, where the snow fell on us all night. -Of course we had no tents, but slept on the ground -without shelter. This seemed pretty tough to a fellow -who, except for a few fine days in December, -had not spent a day in camp since September, during -all that time occupying warm, comfortable -rooms. Up to this time I had never learned to sleep -with my head covered, but finding it now necessary, -I would first cover my head and face to keep the -snow out, stand that as long as I could, then throw -the blanket off, when the snow would flutter down in -my face, chilling me so that I could not sleep. So -between the two unpleasant conditions I was unable -to get any rest at all. Some time before daybreak -we saddled up and moved on, the snow being three -or four inches deep, and early in the morning we -passed the burning fires of the Federal pickets. By -nine o’clock the storm had passed, the sun shining -brightly, and about ten o’clock we came in sight of -Bentonville, a distance said to be two miles. We -could plainly see the Federal troops moving about -the streets, their bright guns glistening in the sunshine,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> -afterwards ascertained to have been Sigel’s -column of General Curtis’ army. We were drawn up -in line and ordered to prepare for a charge. To -illustrate what a magic influence an order to charge -upon the enemy has, how it sends the sluggish blood -rushing through the veins and livens up the new -forces, I will say that while we were standing in line -preparing to charge those fellows, I was so benumbed -with cold that I could not cap my pistols. I tried -ever so hard to do so, but had my life depended upon -it I could not have succeeded. We were thrown into -columns of fours and ordered to charge, which we -did at a brisk gallop, and before we had gone exceeding -one-half mile I had perfect use of my hands, -was comfortably warm, and did not suffer in the least -with cold at any time during the rest of the day.</p> - -<p>We charged into the town, but the enemy had all -moved out. I suppose it was the rear of the command -that we had seen moving out. That afternoon -we were ambushed by a strong force, and -were fired on in the right flank from a steep, rough -hill. We were ordered to charge, which order we -attempted to obey by wheeling and charging in -line up a hill so steep and rough that only a goat -could have made any progress, only to find our line -broken into the utmost confusion and under a murderous -fire of infantry and artillery from an invisible -enemy behind rocks and trees. In the confusion -I recognized the order “dismount and fall -into line!” I dismounted, but when I fell into what -I supposed was going to be the line I found Lieutenant -J. E. Dillard and J. B. Murphy, “us three, -and no more.” While glancing back I saw the regiment<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> -was charging around on horseback, while the -captains of companies were shouting orders to their -men in the vain endeavor to get them into some -kind of shape.</p> - -<p>In the meantime the bullets were coming thick -around us three dismounted men, knocking the bark -from the hickory trees in our vicinity into our -faces in a lively manner. Finally concluding we -could do no good without support, we returned to -our horses, mounted, and joined the confusion, and -soon managed to move out of range of the enemy’s -guns. Brave old Captain Hale, very much chagrined -and mortified by this affair, considered the -regiment disgraced, and said as much in very emphatic, -but not very choice, English. I do not remember -the precise language he used, but he was -quoted as saying: “This here regiment are disgraced -forever! I’d ’a’ rather died right thar than -to a give airy inch!” I do not know how many men -we lost in this affair, but Vic. Rose says ten killed -and twenty wounded. I remember that Joe Welch -was wounded in the thigh, but I do not remember -any other casualty in Company C. This was reckoned -as the first day of the three days’ battle of Elkhorn -Tavern, or Pea Ridge.</p> - -<p>General Earl Van Dorn had taken command of -the entire army on March 2, and conducted the remainder -of the campaign to its close. General -Price’s division consisted of the Missouri troops. -General McCulloch was placed in command of the -infantry of his old division, consisting of the Third -Louisiana, commanded by Colonel Louis Hebert (pronounced -Hebair), and the Arkansas infantry, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> -General James Mcintosh, who had just been promoted -to brigadier-general, commanded the cavalry. -Brigadier-General Samuel R. Curtis, who commanded -the Federal Army in our front, was concentrating -his forces near Elkhorn Tavern and Pea -Ridge, near the Arkansas and Missouri line.</p> - -<p>After the ambush and skirmish alluded to above, -General Sigel moved on northward with his command -and we moved on in the same direction, and near -nightfall camped by the roadside. Here, as we -had neither food for man nor forage for beast, I -started out to procure a feed of corn for my horse, -if possible, riding west from camp, perhaps five -miles, before I succeeded. For a while at first -I searched corncribs, but finding them all empty I -began searching under the beds, and succeeded in -obtaining fifteen or twenty ears. Part of this I fed -to my horse, part of it I ate myself, and carried -part of it on for the next night.</p> - -<p>We were now near the enemy. Leaving camp about -two hours before daylight, we made a detour to the -left, passed the enemy’s right flank, and were in his -rear near Pea Ridge. General Price, accompanied -by General Van Dorn, passed around his left and -gained his rear near Elkhorn Tavern, where General -Van Dorn established his headquarters. About 10.30 -<span class="smcap">A. M.</span> we heard General Price’s guns, as he began the -attack. Our cavalry was moving in a southeasterly -direction toward the position of General Sigel’s command, -and near Leetown, in columns of fours, abreast, -the Third Texas on the right, then the Sixth and -Ninth Texas, Brook’s Arkansas battalion, and a -battalion of Choctaw Indians, forming in all, five<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> -columns. Passing slowly through an open field, a -Federal light battery, some five hundred or six hundred -yards to our right, supported by the Third -Iowa Cavalry, opened fire upon our flank, killing one -or two of our horses with the first shot. The battery -was in plain view, being inside of a yard surrounding -a little log cabin enclosed with a rail fence -three or four feet high. Just at this time one of -General McCulloch’s batteries, passing us on its way -to the front, was halted, the Third Texas was moved -up in front of it, and were ordered to remain and -protect it. Lieutenant-Colonel Walter P. Lane rode -out to the front, facing the enemy’s battery, and -calling to Charley Watts, he said: “Come here, -Charley, and blow the charge until you are black in -the face.” With Watts by his side blowing the -charge with all his might, Lane struck a gallop, when -the other four columns wheeled and followed him, the -Texans yelling in the usual style and the Indians repeating -the warwhoop, dashing across the field in -handsome style. The Federal cavalry charged out -and met them, when a brisk fire ensued for a few minutes; -but, scarcely checking their gait, they brushed -the cavalry, the Third Iowa, aside as if it was chaff, -charged on in face of the battery, over the little rail -fence, and were in possession of the guns in less -time than it takes to tell the story. In this little -affair twenty-five of the Third Iowa Cavalry were -killed and a battery captured, but I do not know -how many of the gunners were killed. The -Choctaws, true to their instinct, when they found the -dead on the field, began scalping them, but were soon -stopped, as such savagery could not be tolerated in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span> -civilized warfare. Still a great deal was said by the -Federal officers and newspapers about the scalping of -a few of these men, and it was reported that some -bodies were otherwise mutilated. Colonel Cyrus Bussey -of the Third Iowa certified that he found twenty-five -of his men dead on the field, and that eight of -these had been scalped.</p> - -<p>General McCulloch’s infantry and artillery soon -attacked General Sigel’s command in our front, and -the engagement became general all along the line. -The roar of artillery and the rattle of musketry were -terrific all day until dark, with no decisive advantage -gained on either side. The Third Texas was -moved up behind Pea Ridge, dismounted, and placed -in line of battle just behind the crest of the ridge, -to support our infantry, a few hundred yards in -front of us, with orders not to abandon the ridge -under any circumstances. Here we remained until -late in the afternoon without further orders, in no -particular danger except from the shells from the -enemy’s artillery that came over the ridge and fell -around us pretty constantly. Generals McCulloch -and McIntosh had both been killed early in the day, -and Colonel Louis Hebert, who was senior colonel and -next in rank, had been captured. All this was unknown -to us, and also unknown to General Van -Dorn, who was with General Price near Elkhorn -Tavern, two or three miles east of our position. -Late in the afternoon Colonel Greer sent a courier in -search of General McIntosh or General McCulloch, -to ask for instructions, or orders, and the sad tidings -came back that they were both killed; nor could -Colonel Hebert be found.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span></p> - -<p>The firing ceased at night, but we remained on the -field, uncertain as to the proper thing to do, until a -courier who had been sent to General Van Dorn returned -about 2 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span>, with orders for all the forces -to move around to General Price’s position. When -this was accomplished it was near daylight, and we -had spent the night without sleep, without rations, -and without water. General Curtis, perhaps discovering -our movement, was also concentrating his -forces in General Price’s front.</p> - -<p>The Confederates made an attack on the enemy -early in the morning, and for an hour or two the -firing was brisk and spirited, but as our men were -starved out and their ammunition about exhausted, -they were ordered to cease firing. As the Federals -also ceased firing, the forces were withdrawn quietly -and in an orderly manner from the field, and we -moved off to the south, moving east of General -Curtis, having passed entirely around his army.</p> - -<p>The number of forces engaged in this battle were -not definitely given. General Van Dorn in his report -stated that he had less than 14,000 men, and estimated -the Federal force at from 17,000 to 24,000, -computing our loss at 600 killed and wounded and -200 prisoners, a total of 800. General Curtis reported -that his forces engaged consisted of about -10,500 infantry and cavalry, with 49 pieces of artillery, -and his statement of losses, killed, wounded, and -missing adds up a total of 1384. The future historian, -the man who is so often spoken of, is going -to have a tough time if he undertakes to record the -truths of the war. When commanding officers will -give some facts and then round up their official reports<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> -with fiction, conflicts will arise that, it appears -to me, can never be reconciled. A private soldier -or a subordinate officer who participates in a battle -can tell little about it beyond what comes under his -personal observation, which is not a great deal, but -he is apt to remember that little very distinctly.</p> - -<p>In reference to the close of the battle, General -Curtis among other things said: “Our guns continued -some time after the rebel fire ceased and the -rebels had gone down into the deep caverns through -which they had begun their precipitate flight. Finally -our firing ceased.” Speaking of the pursuit he says: -“General Sigel also followed in this pursuit towards -Keetsville.... General Sigel followed some miles -north towards Keetsville, firing on the retreating -force that ran that way.” Then adds: “The main -force took the Huntsville road which is directly -south.” This is true. Now, I dare say, there never -was a more quiet, orderly, and uninterrupted retreat -from a battlefield. The Third Texas was ordered to -cover the retreat, and in order to do this properly we -took an elevated position on the battlefield, where we -had to remain until our entire army moved off and -everybody else was on the march and out of the way. -The army moved out, not precipitately, but in a -leisurely way, not through “deep caverns,” but over -high ground in plain view of the surrounding country. -Company C was ordered to take the position -of rear guard, in rear of the regiment. The regiment -finally moved out, Company C waiting until -it had gone some distance, when the company filed -into the road and moved off. And then James E. -Dillard and the writer of this remained on the field<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> -until the entire Confederate army was out of sight. -During all this time not a Federal gun was fired, not -a Federal soldier came in view. Nor were we -molested during the entire day or night, although -we moved in a leisurely way all day, and at night -Company C was on picket duty in the rear until -midnight.</p> - -<p>Keetsville is a town in Missouri north of the battlefield. -Sigel, it was stated, “followed some miles -north towards Keetsville, firing on the retreating -force that ran that way.” There were about twenty-four -pieces of our artillery that got into the Keetsville -road through mistake; they were without an -escort, entirely unprotected. After we had gone -about three days’ march, leaving Huntsville to our -left and Fayetteville to the right, the Third Texas -was sent in search of this artillery, and, after marching -all night and until noon next day, passing -through Huntsville, we met them, and escorted them -in. They had not been fired on or molested in the -least. The Federal officers, however, were not -chargeable with all the inaccuracies that crept into -official reports.</p> - -<p>General Van Dorn in his report of this campaign, -says: “On the 6th we left Elm Springs for Bentonville.... -I therefore endeavored to reach Bentonville, -eleven miles distant, by rapid march, but the -troops moved so slowly that it was 11 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span> before -the leading division (Price’s)—reached the village, -and we had the mortification to see Sigel’s division, -7000 strong, leaving it as we entered.”</p> - -<p>Now, as I have already stated, the Third Texas -was in advance, and we saw Sigel leaving Bentonville<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> -long before 11 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span>, and Price’s division never -saw them in Bentonville nor anywhere else that day. -General Curtis reported that two of his divisions -had just reached his position, near Pea Ridge, when -word came to him that General Sigel, who had been -left behind with a detachment of one regiment, was -about to be surrounded by a “vastly superior force,” -when these two divisions marched rapidly back and -with infantry and artillery checked the rebel advance, -losing twenty-five men killed and wounded. -So this was the force that ambushed us, and according -to this account, Sigel moved out of Bentonville -in the morning with one regiment, instead of 7000 -men. So the reader of history will never know just -how much of fiction he is getting along with the -“history.”</p> - -<p>Leaving the battlefield in the manner stated, we -moved very slowly all day. In fact, fatigue, loss of -sleep, and hunger had rendered a rapid movement impossible -with the infantry. Our men were so starved -that they would have devoured almost anything. -During the day I saw some of the infantry men shoot -down a hog by the side of the road, and, cutting off -pieces of the meat, march on eating the raw bloody -pork without bread or salt. The country through -which we were marching was a poor, mountainous -district, almost destitute of anything for the inhabitants -to subsist upon, to say nothing of feeding an -army. Stock of any kind appeared to be remarkably -scarce. J. E. Dillard managed to get a small -razor-back pig, that would weigh perhaps twenty-five -pounds, strapped it on behind his saddle and -thus carried it all day. When we were relieved of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> -picket duty and went into camp at midnight, he cut -it up and divided it among the men. I drew a -shoulder-blade, with perhaps as much as four ounces -of meat on it. This I broiled and ate without salt -or bread.</p> - -<p>We continued the march southward, passing ten -or twelve miles east of Fayetteville. About the -fourth day we had been resting, and the commissary -force was out hustling for something to eat, but -before we got any rations the Third Texas was suddenly -ordered to mount immediately and go in search -of our missing artillery. This was in the afternoon, -perhaps four o’clock. Moving in a northeasterly -direction, we marched all night on to -the headwaters of White River, where that stream is -a mere creek, and I do not think it would be an exaggeration -to say that we crossed it twenty times during -the night. About 10 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span> we passed through -Huntsville, county seat of Madison County, a small -town having the appearance of being destitute of -everything. By this time the matter of food had -become a very serious question, and we appeared to -be in much greater danger of dying from starvation -in the mountains of northern Arkansas than by -the enemy’s bullets. Our belts had been tightened -until there was no relief in that, and, as if to enhance -my own personal suffering, the tantalizing fact -occurred to me that I was treading my native heath, -so to speak, for I am a native of Madison County, -and Huntsville had been my home for years, where -to enjoy three squares a day had been an unbroken -habit of years. But to-day I was literally starving -in the town of Huntsville, County of Madison, aforesaid,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span> -and not a friendly face could I see, nor could -a morsel of bread be procured for love or patriotism. -Passing onward two or three miles, and having -learned that the guns were coming, we rested, and -privately made details to scour the country and beg -for a little food “for sick and wounded men.” Tom -Johnson went out for our mess, and the sorrowful -tales that were told in behalf of the poor sick and -wounded soldiers we were hauling along in ambulances, -with nothing with which to feed them, would -have melted a heart of stone. The ruse was a success, -as the details came in at night with divers small -contributions made from scant stores for “the poor -sick and wounded men,” which were ravenously consumed -by the well ones. The artillery shortly afterwards -came up and was escorted by us to the command. -Camping that night a few miles from Huntsville, -the artillery had taken the wrong road as it -left the battlefield, had gone up into Missouri, and -had had a long circuitous drive through the mountains, -but otherwise they were all right.</p> - -<p>After we returned with the guns, the army moved -on southward. When we were again in motion, as -there was no further apprehension of being followed -by the enemy, hunger having nearly destroyed my -respect for discipline, I left the column by a byroad -leading eastwardly, determined to find something -to eat. This proved a more difficult errand than -I had expected, for the mountaineers were very poor -and apparently almost destitute of supplies. I had -traveled twelve or fifteen miles when I rode down the -mountain into a little valley, at the head of Frog -Bayou, coming to a good log house owned and occupied<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> -by a Mr. Jones, formerly of Jackson County, -Alabama, and a brother of Hosea, Allen, William, -and Jesse Jones, good and true men, all of whom I -knew. If he had been my uncle I could not have -been prouder to find him. Here I got a good square -meal for myself and horse, seasoned with a good -hearty welcome. This good, true old man was afterwards -murdered, as I learned, for his loyalty to the -Confederate cause. After enjoying my dinner and -a rest, I proceeded on my way, intending to rejoin -the command that evening; but, missing the road -they were on, I met the regiment at our old winter -quarters. Thus about the middle of March the -Third Texas Cavalry was again housed in the huts -we had erected on the bank of the Arkansas River. -I do not know the casualties of the regiment, but as -far as I remember Company C had only one man, -Jos. Welsh, wounded, and one man, Orderly Sergeant -W. M. Caldwell, captured. But as the prisoners -were exchanged, our captured men soon returned -to us.</p> - -<p>Thus ended a short campaign which involved much -suffering to me, as well as others, and was the beginning -of trouble which nearly cost me my life, a -trouble which was not fully recovered from until the -following winter. When I was taken with measles -in Missouri, the disease affected my bowels, and they -became ulcerated, and all through the long spell of -typhoid fever and the very slow convalescence this -trouble was very hard to control. When I left Rusk -to return to the army I was apparently well, but -having been comfortably housed all winter was not -in proper condition to enter such a campaign at this -season of the year. Before leaving winter quarters -the men were ordered to prepare ten days’ rations, -and when we overtook the command at Fayetteville -they had been out nearly that length of time, and -rations were already growing scarce. We furloughed -men and a number of recruits who had accompanied -us to join the command were not here -to draw or prepare rations, and our only chance for -a living was to share rations with our comrades, who -were as liberal and generous as they could be, but -they were not able to do much.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/ill-087.jpg" width="400" height="575" id="i76" - alt="" - title="" /> - <div class="caption"><p class="pc"><span class="smcap">Captain D. R. Gurley</span></p> - <p class="cap1">Sixth Texas Cavalry, A. A. G. Ross’ Brigade</p> -</div></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span></p> - -<p>From the time I overtook the command until we -got back to winter quarters was about ten days, and -the few days we were in winter quarters were spent -in preparing to cross the Mississippi River. For -the first four or five days I managed to procure, on -an average, about one biscuit per day; for the other -five days we were fortunate to get anything at all -to eat, and usually got nothing. We were in the -snow for two days and nights, and in a cold, drenching -rain one night. On the 7th it was impossible -to get a drink of water, to say nothing of food and -sleep, and from the time the firing began in the morning -until the next morning we could get no water, -although we were intensely thirsty. While at winter -quarters I had a chill, and started down grade in -health, a decline in physical condition that continued -until I was apparently nearly dead.</p> - -<p>In December parts of our cavalry regiments went -with Colonel James McIntosh into the Indian Territory -to suppress Hopothlaohola, an ex-chief of -the Creek nation, who, with a considerable band of -disaffected followers, was making trouble, and part<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> -of the Third Texas went on this expedition. They -had a battle with the Indians in the mountains on -the headwaters of Chustenala Creek, defeated and -scattered the warriors, captured their squaws, ponies, -and negroes, scattering them so effectually that we -had no further trouble with them.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER VI</h2> - -<p class="pch">THE SIEGE OF CORINTH</p> - -<p class="pcs">Leaving Winter Quarters—The Prairies—Duvall’s Bluff—Awaiting -Transportation—White River—The Mississippi—Memphis—Am -Detailed—En Route to Corinth—Corinth—Red -Tape—Siege of Corinth—“A Soldier’s Grave”—Digging for -Water—Suffering and Sickness—Regiment Reorganized—Evacuation -of Corinth.</p> - -<p class="pn"><span class="smcap">Captain Frank M. Taylor</span> having died, First Lieutenant -J. J. A. Barker was promoted to captain and -Private James E. Dillard was promoted to second -lieutenant. After remaining at our winter quarters -for a few days, resting and feeding up, we started on -our long eastward journey, leaving the wounded and -sick in charge of Dr. I. K. Frazer. We moved down -on the north side of the Arkansas River, stopping -two or three days opposite Little Rock. During our -stay here I availed myself of the opportunity of -seeing the capital of the State. From Little Rock -we crossed the country to Duvall’s Bluff on White -River, where the men were requested to dismount, -send their horses back to Texas, and go afoot for a -time. This they agreed to without a murmur, on -the promise that, at a proper time, we should be remounted.</p> - -<p>On this march from Arkansas River to White -River we crossed grand prairie, and, though I had -often heard of these great stretches of dead level -country, had never seen them. I do not know the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> -distance that we marched in this grand prairie, but -it was a good many miles, as we entered it early in -the morning one day and had to camp in it that -night, and for almost the whole distance water stood -on the ground to the depth of about two or three -inches, and it was a difficult matter to find dry -ground enough to camp on at night.</p> - -<p>Men having been detailed to take our horses back -to Texas, the animals were prepared for the journey, -each detailed man having to manage a number -of horses; and to do this they tied the reins of one -horse to the tail of another, each man riding one -horse and guiding the leader of the others, strung -out in pairs behind him. As they were recrossing -the grand prairie the buffalo-gnats attacked the -horses, stampeding them and scattering them for -many miles over the country, and were with much -difficulty recaptured.</p> - -<p>We waited several days at Duvall’s Bluff for transportation -to Memphis, Tenn., on our way to Corinth, -Miss. General Joseph L. Hogg, who had been commissioned -brigadier-general, accompanied by his -staff, came to us here, with orders to take command -of a brigade, including the Third Texas Cavalry at -Memphis. General Hogg’s staff was composed of -civilians who had never seen service in the army, and -this proved to be an unfortunate time of the year -for men not inured to camp life to go into active -service. His staff consisted of William T. Long, -quartermaster; Daniel P. Irby, commissary; H. H. -Rogers, of Jefferson, usually called General Rogers, -ordnance officer; in addition there were E. C. Williams, -John T. Decherd, and H. S, Newland.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span></p> - -<p>After several days’ waiting a steamboat came up -the river, landing at the Bluff, and we were crowded -upon it for our journey down White River into the -Mississippi and up to Memphis, and it was hard to -realize that the booming, navigable river we were -now on was the same stream we had forded so many -times in the mountains of northern Arkansas on the -night we went in search of our lost artillery. When -we got on the Mississippi we found it very high, -numbers of houses along the banks being surrounded -by water up to the front doorsteps, where numerous -small skiffs could be seen moored. These skiffs furnished -the residents their only means of going from -house to house.</p> - -<p>Arriving at Memphis, we marched away up Poplar -Street to the suburbs, and camped in a grove, where -we remained several days, spending the time in preparation -for the move to Corinth, Miss. Here General -Hogg took formal command of his brigade, and, -having told me that he wanted Tom Johnson and -myself at his headquarters, he had us detailed,—Tom -to the ordnance department and me in the quartermaster’s -department, while John A. Boyd was detailed -to work in the commissary department.</p> - -<p>Word having finally come for us to proceed to -Corinth, we were crowded into a train on the Memphis -& Charleston Railroad, en route to that city. -On this train, as conductor, I found my former -friend and schoolmate, William Wingo. The trip to -Corinth was a very slow and tedious one, the train -being loaded down with troops and supplies, and unfortunately -had lost so much time it had to be run -very carefully and make numerous stops. In consequence<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> -of this, some of our over-suspicious “patriots” -went to General Hogg and implied that the -enemy had forces but a short distance north of us -and that the slow running and the many stoppages -of the train was done evidently through treachery, -and that the plan apparently was to give the enemy -an opportunity to capture the train with the men -and munitions on board.</p> - -<p>I had been riding on a rear platform, conversing -with Mr. Wingo, when I proceeded to General -Hogg’s coach, and found him considerably excited. -In answer to my inquiry he told me what had been -intimated and said the suggestion, he thought, was -a plausible one, and that he had about determined -to order the train forward at all hazards. He was -rather an irritable man, and his suspicions were easily -aroused. I endeavored to quiet him, and did so for -a time, by explaining the situation, and pointed out -the danger we would be in of colliding with some -other train unless the utmost caution was used, as -was being done; and finally told him that I had -known the conductor since he was a small boy, had -gone to school with him, and was sure there was no -treachery in him. It was not a great while, however, -before others came around with similar evil suspicions, -until the general was wrought up to such a -pitch that he peremptorily ordered the train run -through to Corinth, regardless of consequences, else -some dire calamity would overtake every person in -charge of it. Well, we made the rest of the journey -in very good time, at the risk of many lives, but fortunately -without accident. For this our friend and -new brigadier-general was on the next day ordered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> -under arrest by General Beauregard. But nothing -more ever came of it.</p> - -<p>After dragging along for more than thirty hours -over a distance ordinarily made in six or seven, we -finally disembarked, in the middle of the night, on -the north side of the railroad, about two miles west -of Corinth. So here we were, without horses, to -confront new conditions, under new commanders, -constrained to learn the art of war in a different -arm of the service, and to drill, to march, and fight -as infantry.</p> - -<p>The next morning after our arrival I mounted -the quartermaster’s horse, and rode into town, which -was my duty as the quartermaster’s right-hand man, -to procure forage for our stock—that is, for the -regimental and brigade headquarters horses, artillery -horses and the wagon teams. I found the road leading -from our camp to town almost impassable owing -to the mud, impassable even for a good horse and -rider, and utterly and absolutely impassable for a -wagon at all, as the best team we had could not -have drawn an empty wagon over the road.</p> - -<p>I found Corinth all aglitter with brass buttons and -gold lace, the beautiful Confederate uniform being -much in evidence everywhere. I never had seen anything -like it before.</p> - -<p>The Battle of Shiloh had been fought while we -were on the steamer between Duvall’s Bluff and Memphis, -General Albert Sidney Johnston had been killed, -and the army under General Beauregard had fallen -back to Corinth, and the town was literally alive -with officers and soldiers. There were more headquarters, -more sentinels, and more red tape here<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> -than I had ever dreamed of. I had not seen uniformed -officers or men west of the Mississippi River, -and had known nothing of red tape in the army. -Knowing nothing of the organization of the army -beyond our own brigade, I had everything to learn -in reference to the proper quartermaster, forage -master, and master of transportation, as I must -needs have railroad transportation for my forage.</p> - -<p>So beginning at the top, I made my way to General -Beauregard’s headquarters; from there I was -directed to division headquarters; thence to a quartermaster; -and from one quartermaster to another, -until I had about done the town—and finally found -the right man. One lesson learned not to be gone -over. Finding there was no difficulty in getting forage -delivered in Corinth, I had now to hunt up the -master of transportation and satisfy him of the impossibility -of hauling it on wagons. Owing to the -immense business just then crowding the railroad -and the scarcity of rolling stock, it was really a difficult -matter to get the transportation; but by dint -of perseverance in the best persuasive efforts I -could bring to bear, I succeeded in having one day’s -rations sent out by rail. The next day the same -thing as to transportation had to be gone over, and -the next, and the next, and each succeeding day it -became more difficult to accomplish, until a day came -when it was impossible to get the forage hauled out -at all.</p> - -<p>I rode back to camp and notified the battery and -the different headquarters that I would issue forage -in Corinth, which would have to be brought out on -horseback. All accepted the situation cheerfully<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> -except Rogers, who didn’t seem to like me, and I suppose -it was because I called him <i>Mr.</i> Rogers, instead -of General Rogers, as others did. He went directly -to General Hogg and said: “I think that fellow -Barron should be required to have the forage hauled -out.” General Hogg said: “I do not think you -should say a word, sir; you have been trying for a -week to get a carload of ammunition brought out -and have failed. This is the first day Barron has -failed to get the forage brought out; if you want -your horses to have corn, send your servant in after -it.” I had no further trouble with Mr. Rogers.</p> - -<p>I cannot remember exactly the time we spent at -Corinth. It was from the time of our landing there -until about the 29th day of May, say six or seven -weeks; but to measure time by the suffering and indescribable -horrors of that never-to-be-forgotten -siege, it would seem not less than six or seven months. -From the effects of malaria, bad water, and other -combinations of disease-producing causes, our -friends from home soon began to fall sick, and, becoming -discouraged, the staff officers began to resign -and leave the service. Rogers, I believe, was -the first to go. He was soon followed by the quartermaster -and commissary, and soon all the gentlemen -named as coming to the front with General -Hogg were gone, except John T. Decherd, who had -been made quartermaster in place of William T. -Long, resigned. I bought Long’s horse and rigging, -and Decherd and myself continued to run that -department for a time, and Tom Johnson was made -ordnance officer in place of Rogers, resigned. General -Hogg, being stricken down with disease, was removed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> -to the house of a citizen two or three miles in -the country, where he was nursed by his faithful servant -Bob, General W. L. Cabell meantime being placed -in command of the brigade. General Hogg died -a few days later—on the day of the battle of Farmington.</p> - -<p>The following “pathetic story of Civil War -times” having been published in the Nashville -(Tenn.) <i>Banner</i>, <i>Youth’s Companion</i>, Jacksonville -(Tex.) <i>Reformer</i>, and perhaps many other papers, -I insert it here in order to give its correction a sort -of permanent standing:</p> - -<div class="pbq"> - -<p class="pc1">A SOLDIER’S GRAVE</p> - -<p>A pathetic story of Civil War times is related to the older -people of Chester County in the western part of Tennessee by -the recent death of ex-Governor James S. Hogg of Texas. -Some days after the battle of Shiloh, one of the decisive and -bloody engagements of the war, fought on April 6-7, 1862, a -lone and wounded Confederate soldier made his way to a log -cabin located in the woods four miles west of Corinth, Miss., -and begged for shelter and food. The man was weak from -hunger and loss of blood, and had evidently been wandering -through the woods of the sparsely settled section for several -days after the battle. The occupants of the cottage had little -to give, but divided this little with the soldier. They took the -man in and administered to his wants as best they could with -their limited resources. They were unable to secure medical -attention, and the soldier, already emaciated from the lack of -food and proper attention, gradually grew weaker and weaker -until he died. Realizing his approaching end, the soldier requested -that his body be buried in the wood near the house, -and marked with a simple slab bearing his name, “General J. -L. Hogg, Rusk, Texas.”</p> - -<p>The request was complied with, and in the years that passed -the family which had so nobly cared for this stranger moved<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> -away, the grave became overgrown with wild weeds, and all -that was left to mark the soldier’s resting-place was the rough -slab. This rotted by degrees, but was reverently replaced -by some passer-by, and in this way the grave was kept marked; -but it is doubtful if the few people who chanced to pass that -way and see the slab ever gave a thought to the identity of the -occupant of the grave, until after the election of Hon. James -S. Hogg to the governorship of the State of Texas. Then someone -of Chester County who had seen the grave wrote Governor -Hogg concerning the dead soldier. In a short time a letter was -received, stating that the soldier was Governor Hogg’s father, -and that he entered the Confederate army when the war first -broke out, and had never been heard of by relatives or friends.</p> - -<p>After more correspondence Governor Hogg caused the grave -to be enclosed by a neat iron fence, and erected a handsome -plain marble shaft over the grave. This monument bears the -same simple inscription which marked the rough slab which -had stood over the grave of one of the South’s heroic dead.</p> - -<p>Conceding the truth of the statement that General J. L. -Hogg, of Rusk, Texas, died at a private house four miles west -of Corinth, Miss., in the spring of 1862, was buried near by, -and that his grave has been properly marked by his son, ex-Governor -James S. Hogg, not a word of truth remains in the -story, the remainder being fiction pure and simple, and the -same may be refuted by a simple relation of the facts and -circumstances of General Hogg’s brief service in the Confederate -army and his untimely death—facts that may easily be -verified by the most creditable witnesses.</p> - -<p>Joseph L. Hogg was appointed brigadier-general by the Confederate -War Department in February, 1862. When his commission -came he was ordered to report for duty at Memphis, -Tenn., where he would be assigned to the command of a brigade -of Texas troops. After the battle of Elkhorn a number -of Texas regiments were ordered to cross the Mississippi -River, among them the Third and Tenth Texas Cavalry—Company -C of the Third and Company I of the Tenth were -made up at Rusk. General Hogg’s oldest son, Thomas E. -Hogg, was a private in Company C, and these two regiments -formed part of the brigade.</p> - -<p>General Hogg met the Third Texas at Duvall’s Bluff on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> -White River, where we dismounted, sent horses home, and -went by steamer to Memphis, accompanied by General Hogg. -(The battle of Shiloh was fought while we were on this trip.) -After the delay incident to the formation of the brigade, getting -up necessary supplies, etc., we were transported by rail, -in command of General Hogg, to Corinth, or rather we were -dumped off on the side of the railroad some two or three miles -west of that town. Here General Hogg remained in command -of his brigade until he was taken sick and removed by the assistance -of our very efficient surgeon, Dr. Wallace McDugald, -attended by his negro body servant, Bob ——, than whom -a more devoted, a more faithful and trustworthy slave never -belonged to any man.</p> - -<p>General Hogg was taken to a private house some two miles -west of our camp, where he had every necessary attention -until his death. The faithful Bob was with him all the time. -Dr. McDugald turned his other sick over to young Dr. Frazer, -his assistant, and spent the most of his time with the General,—was -with him when he died,—giving to him during his illness -every medical care known to the science of his profession.</p> - -<p>Thomas E. Hogg also was frequently with his father—was -there when he passed away. I visited General Hogg only once -during his illness, some two or three days before his death. -I was kept very busy during this time, and owing to a change -in our camps I had to ride six or seven miles to see him, and -only found one opportunity of doing so. I found him as comfortably -situated as could be expected for a soldier away from -home, and receiving every necessary attention.</p> - -<p>I will state that General Hogg came to us neatly dressed in -citizen’s clothes—never having had an opportunity of procuring -his uniform, so that in fact he never wore the Confederate -gray. He was not wounded, was not under fire of the enemy; -neither was his brigade, until the battle of Farmington, which -occurred the day that General Hogg died. After his death -and after the army was reorganized, “for three years or during -the war,” Dr. McDugald,—who afterwards married General -Hogg’s daughter,—Dr. I. K. Frazer, Thomas J. Johnson, -one of the General’s staff, Thomas E. Hogg, and the ever-faithful -Bob all came home, and of course related minutely to -the widow, the two daughters, and the three minor boys, John<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span> -Lewis, and James Stephen, all the circumstances of the sickness, -the lamented death and burial of the husband and father, -Brigadier-General Joseph Louis Hogg.</p></div> - -<p class="p1">Our camp was moved to a point about three miles -east of Corinth. Decherd, the quartermaster, resigned -and W. F. Rapley was appointed quartermaster -by General Cabell. The rate at which our men -fell sick was remarkable, as well as appalling, and -distressing in the extreme. The water we had to -drink was bad, very bad, and the rations none of the -best. The former we procured by digging for it; -the earth around Corinth being very light and -porous, holding water like a sponge. When we first -went there the ground was full of water, and by digging -a hole two feet deep we could dip up plenty of -a mean, milky-looking fluid; but as the season advanced -the water sank, so we dug deeper, and continued -to go down, until by the latter part of May -our water holes were from eight to twelve feet deep, -still affording the same miserable water. My horse -would not drink a drop of the water the men had to -use, and if I failed to ride him to a small running -branch some two miles away he would go without -drinking. The rations consisted mainly of flour, -made into poor camp biscuit, and the most unpalatable -pickled beef.</p> - -<p>As fared General Hogg and his staff, so fared all -the new troops who saw their first service at Corinth. -While many of the old troops were taken sick, it -was much worse with the new. We had one or two -new Texas regiments come into our brigade, whose -first morning report showed 1200 men able for duty;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> -two weeks from that day they could not muster more -than 200 men able to carry a musket to the front. -The sick men were shipped in carload lots down the -Mobile & Ohio Railroad, some dying on the trains, -and hundreds of others succumbing at the different -towns and stations where they were put off along -down that road south of Corinth. It seemed impossible -for the surgeons and their assistants properly -to care for the number of sick on their hands. -Day after day as I passed the Mobile & Ohio depot, -I saw scores of the poor sick fellows on the platform -waiting to be hauled off. On the day we left -Corinth I passed Booneville, a station ten miles below -Corinth, and here were perhaps fifty sick men lying -in the shade of the trees and bushes. One of the attendants -with whom I was acquainted told me he -had just returned from a tramp of two or three -miles, after water for a wounded man. At every -house he came to the well buckets had been taken -off and hid, and he finally had to fill his canteen with -brackish pond water. Why these sick men had been -put off here in the woods, when the station was the -only house in sight, where they could not even get -a drink of water, I do not know. The mere recollection -of those scenes causes a shudder to this day. -I was told that two dead men were lying on the platform -at Booneville, and a Federal scouting party -burned the station during the day. If it was true, -they were cremated.</p> - -<p>As for myself, I was sick, but was on duty all the -time. I performed all the active duties of the -brigade quartermaster, being compelled to go to -Corinth and back from one to three times daily, looking<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> -after forage and other supplies; carried all -orders and instructions to the regimental quartermasters; -superintended the moving of the trains -whenever and wherever they had to be moved; and, -in fact, almost lived in my saddle. But, with the -exception of two or three nights spent with the troops -at the front, when the day’s duties were over, I was -comfortably situated at headquarters, having a good -wall tent, a cot, and camp-stool, and was kindly -treated by General Cabell and the members of his -staff. Dr. S. J. Lewis of Rusk was our brigade -surgeon, and did everything he could for my comfort -and, had I been well, my position would have -been as pleasant as I could have desired in the army, -as my duties mainly involved active horseback exercise, -while my personal surroundings were very agreeable. -Nevertheless, I lost my appetite so completely -that I was unable to eat any of the rations that -were issued to the army. I could no more eat one -of our biscuits than I could have eaten a stone, and -as for the beef, I could as easily have swallowed a -piece of skunk. The mere sight of it was nauseating. -Had I not been at headquarters doubtless I -would have starved to death, since there we were able -to get a ham or something else extra occasionally, -and I managed to eat, but barely enough to keep soul -and body together. Dr. Lewis saw me wasting away -from day to day, and advised me to take a discharge—and -quit the service; but this I declined to do. I -paid General Hogg a short visit one afternoon during -his illness, and another afternoon I rode over to -Colonel Bedford Forrest’s camp, to see my brother -and some other Huntsville, Ala., friends. I found<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> -that my brother had gone, on sick leave, with Wallace -Drake, one of his comrades, to some of Drake’s -relatives, down the railroad. With these exceptions -I was not away from my post at any time. I must -have gained some reputation for efficiency, as the -quartermaster of our Arkansas regiment offered to -give me half his salary if I would assist him in his -office.</p> - -<p>All the time we were at Corinth Major-General -Halleck, with a large army, was moving forward -from Pittsburgh Landing, on the Tennessee River, -near the Shiloh battlefield, by regular approaches. -That is, he would construct line after line of intrenchments, -each successive line being a little nearer -to us. Hence our troops were often turned out and -marched rapidly to the front, in expectation of a -pitched battle that was never fought, sometimes being -out twenty-four hours. On one occasion an active -movement was made to Farmington in an effort -to cut off a division of the enemy that had ventured -across Hatchie River, and the move was so nearly -successful that the enemy, to escape, had to abandon -all their camp equipage. On one of the days when -our troops were rushing to the front in expectation -of a battle, I came up with an old patriot marching -along through the heat and dust under an umbrella, -while a stout negro boy walking by his side carried -his gun. This was the only man I saw during the -war that carried an umbrella to fight under. As -the battle failed to come off that day, I had no opportunity -of learning how he would have manipulated -the umbrella and gun in an engagement.</p> - -<p>After General Hogg’s death and the promotion of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> -Colonel Louis Hebert to brigadier-general, the Third -Texas was transferred to Hebert’s brigade, and I -was temporarily separated from it. On May 8 our -year’s enlistment having expired, the men re-enlisted -for three years, or during the war, and the regiment -was reorganized by the election of regimental and -company officers, when all the commissioned officers -not promoted in some way returned to Texas. Captain -Robert H. Cumby, of Henderson, was elected -colonel, Captain H. P. Mabry, of Jefferson, lieutenant-colonel, -and our Captain J. J. A. Barker, -major. James A. Jones was elected captain of Company -C, John Germany, first lieutenant, William H. -Carr and R. L. Hood, second lieutenants. I was not -present at the election. Dr. Dan Shaw, of Rusk -County, was made surgeon of the regiment.</p> - -<p>Finally, on May 28, we received orders to strike -tents and have the trains ready to move. General -Cabell came to my tent and advised me to go to the -hospital, but I insisted that I could make it away -from there on horseback. The next morning the -trains were ordered out. Dr. Lewis, having procured -about eight ounces of whisky for me, I mounted my -horse and followed, resting frequently, and using the -stimulant. About noon I bought a glass of buttermilk -and a small piece of corn bread, for which I paid -one dollar. This I enjoyed more than all the food -I had tasted for several weeks.</p> - -<p>On the day of the evacuation of Corinth, May 29, -the Third Texas, being on outpost, was attacked by -the enemy in force, and had quite a sharp battle with -them in a dense thicket of black jack brush, but -charged and gallantly repulsed them. Our new colonel<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> -and lieutenant-colonel not being able for service, -Major Barker had asked our old Lieutenant-Colonel -Lane to remain with us for the time, so the regiment -was commanded by him and Major Barker. The -regiment sustained considerable loss in this affair, in -killed and wounded. Among the killed was my -friend, the gallant young Major J. J. A. Barker; our -orderly sergeant, Wallace Caldwell, was mortally -wounded, and John Lambert disabled, so that he -was never fit for service again. For the gallant conduct -of the regiment on this occasion, General Beauregard -issued a special order complimenting the -Third Texas, and specially designating a young man -by the name of Smith, from Rusk County. Smith -in the charge through the brush found himself with -an empty gun confronting a Federal with loaded -musket a few feet from him. The Federal threw his -gun down on him and ordered him to surrender. -Smith told him he would see him in Hades first, and -turned to move off when the fellow fired, missed his -body, but cut one of his arms off above the elbow, -with a buck and ball cartridge. This was the kind -of pluck that General Beauregard admired.<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> On that -day the entire army was withdrawn and moved out -from Corinth and vicinity. The manner and complete -success of this movement of General Beauregard’s -has been very highly complimented by military -critics.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a><br /><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER VII</h2> - -<p class="pch">BATTLE OF IUKA</p> - -<p class="pcs">Camp at Tupelo, Miss.—Furloughed—Report for Duty—Camp -Routine—“The Sick Call”—Saltillo—Personnel of the -Brigade—Baldwin—“Contraband”—On to Iuka—Iuka—Battle -of Iuka—Casualties—Retreat.</p> - -<p class="pn"><span class="smcap">In</span> the early days of June our command halted and -went into camp near Tupelo, Miss., where it remained -for several weeks. Here, as I was physically unfit -for service, I voluntarily abandoned my place at -General Cabell’s headquarters and returned to my -own regiment. Obtaining, without difficulty, a -thirty days’ furlough, I called on Dr. Shaw for -medicine, but he informed me that he had nothing -but opium, which would do me no good. But he -added, “You need a tonic; if you could only get -some whisky, that would soon set you up.” Mounting -my horse I went down into Pontotoc County, -and, finding a good-looking farmhouse away from -the public roads, I engaged board with Mr. Dunn, -the proprietor, for myself and horse for thirty days. -Mr. Dunn told me of a distillery away down somewhere -below the town of Pontotoc, and finding a -convalescent in the neighborhood I sent him on my -horse to look for it, with the result that he brought -me back four canteens of “tonic.”</p> - -<p>Now Mr. Dunn’s family consisted of that clever -elderly gentleman, his wife, and a handsome, intelligent -daughter, presumably about twenty years of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> -age. I soon realized that I had been very fortunate -in the selection of a boarding house and that my lot -for the next thirty days had been cast in a pleasant -place, for every necessary attention was cheerfully -shown me by each member of the family. They had -lost a son and brother, who had wasted away with -consumption, and in my dilapidated and emaciated -condition they said I favored him, so they were constantly -reminded of a loved one who had gone to his -grave in about the same manner I seemed to be going, -and they felt almost as if they were ministering to -the wants of one of the family. They lived in a -comfortable house, and everything I saw indicated a -happy, well-to-do family. Their table, spread three -times a day, was all that could be desired. We had -corn bread, fresh milk and butter, fresh eggs, last -year’s yam potatoes, a plentiful supply of garden -vegetables and other good things, everything brought -on the table being well prepared. At first I had -little or no appetite, but thanks to Miss Dunn’s -treatment, it soon began to improve. She, using the -“tonic,” gave me an egg-nog just before each meal, -and, blackberries being plentiful, she gave me blackberries -in every form, including pies and cordial, -all of which, for one in my condition, was the best -possible treatment.</p> - -<p>So I improved and gained strength, not rapidly, -but steadily, and though the thirty days was not as -much time as I needed for a complete convalescence, -it was all I had asked for. Mr. Dunn manifested a -great deal of interest in my welfare; he did not -think I could recover my health in the service, and -urged me most earnestly to go back to camp, get<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> -a discharge, and go to Cooper’s Well, a health -resort down in Mississippi, and I was almost compelled -to promise him I would do so, when in truth -I had no such intention. The thirty days having -expired, I bade farewell to these good people -who had taken in a stranger and so kindly cared for -him, and returned to camp, not strong or well by -any means, but improved, especially in the matter of -an appetite.</p> - -<p>Going up to regimental headquarters upon my -return to the command I let out my horse for his -board, procured a rifle and at once reported to -our company commander for duty. The strictest -military discipline was maintained by General Louis -Hebert in every particular, and one day’s duty was -very much like the duties of every other day, with a -variation for Sunday. Of course the same men did -not have the same duties to perform every day, as -guard duty and fatigue duty were regulated by details -made from the alphabetical rolls of the companies, -but the same round of duties came every day -in the week. At reveille we must promptly rise, -dress, and hurry out into line for roll call; then -breakfast. After breakfast guard-mounting for the -ensuing twenty-four hours, these guards walking -their posts day and night, two hours on and four -hours off. Before noon there were two hours’ drill -for all men not on guard or some other special duty; -then dinner. In the afternoon it was clean up camps, -clean guns, dress parade at sundown; then supper, -to bed at taps. On Sunday no drill, but, instead, -we had to go out for a review, which was worse, as -the men had to don all their armor, the officers button<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span> -up their uniforms to the chin, buckle on their swords, -and all march about two miles away through the dust -and heat to an old field, march around a circle at -least a mile in circumference, and back to camps. -All that, including the halting and waiting, usually -took up the time until about noon.</p> - -<p>With the understanding and agreement that I -would be excused from the drill ground when I broke -down, and when on guard be allowed to rest when I -had walked my post as long as I could, I went on -duty as a well man. For quite a while I was compelled -to leave the drill ground before the expiration of -the two hours, and when I found I could not walk -my post through the two hours some one of my -comrades usually took my place. It was necessary -for me to muster all my courage to do this kind of -soldiering, but the exertion demanded of me and the -exercise so improved my condition that soon I no -longer had to be excused from any part of my -duties. We had men in the command afflicted with -chronic diarrhea who, yielding to the enervating influence -of the disease, would lie down and die, and -that was what I determined to avoid if I could.</p> - -<p>Among other bugle calls we had “the sick call.” -Soon after breakfast every morning this, the most -doleful of all the calls, was sounded, when the sick -would march up and line themselves in front of the -surgeon’s tent for medical advice and treatment. -Our surgeon, Dr. Dan Shaw, was a character worthy -of being affectionately remembered by all the members -of the Third Texas Cavalry. He was a fine -physician, and I had fallen in love with him while -he was a private soldier because he so generously ex-erted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> -his best skill in assisting Dr. McDugald to -save my life at Carthage, Mo. He was a plain, unassuming, -jolly old fellow, brave, patriotic, and full -of good impulses. He was the man who indignantly -declined an appointment as surgeon soon after the -battle of Oak Hills, preferring to remain a private -in “Company B, Greer’s Texas regiment,” to being -surgeon of an Arkansas regiment.</p> - -<p>Knowing that he had no medicine except opium, -I would go up some mornings, through curiosity, to -hear his prescriptions for the various ailments that -he had to encounter. He would walk out with an -old jackknife in his hand, and conveniently located -just behind him could be seen a lump of opium as -big as a cannonball. Beginning at the head of the -line he would say to the first one: “Well, sir, what is -the matter with <i>you</i>?” “I don’t know, doctor; I’ve -got a pain in my back, a hurting in my stomach, or a -misery in my head, or I had a chill last night.” -“Let me see your tongue. How’s your bowels?” -He would then turn around and vigorously attack -the lump of opium with his knife, and roll out from -two to four pills to the man, remarking to each of -his waiting patients: “There, take one of these -every two hours.” Thus he would go, down the line -to the end, and in it all there was little variation—none -to speak of except in the answers of the individuals, -the number of pills, or the manner of -taking. And what else could he do? He had told -me frankly that he had nothing in his tent that would -do me any good, but these men had to have medicine.</p> - -<p>For water at Tupelo we dug wells, each company -a well, using a sweep to draw it. In this hilly portion -of the State good water could be obtained by -digging from twenty to twenty-five feet.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/ill-113.jpg" width="400" height="581" id="i100" - alt="" - title="" /> - <div class="caption"><p class="pc"><span class="smcap">Frank M. Taylor</span></p> - <p class="pc">First Captain of Company C, Third Texas Cavalry</p> -</div></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span></p> - -<p>From the time of the reorganization at Corinth -up to the middle of July Company C had lost a number -of men. Some, as McDugald and Dillard, were -commissioned officers, and did not re-enlist; some were -discharged on applications, and others under the -conscription law then in force, a law exempting all -men under eighteen and over forty-five years of age. -Among those discharged I remember the two Ackers, -Croft, I. K. Frazer, Tom Hogg, Tom Johnson, W. -A. Newton, William Pennington, and R. G. Thompson, -all of whom returned to Texas except William -Pennington, who remained with us a considerable -time, notwithstanding his discharge. In the regimental -officers several changes had been made. After -the death of Major Barker, Captain Jiles S. Boggess, -of Company B, from Henderson, was promoted -to major; Colonel R. H. Cumby resigned, and Lieutenant-Colonel -Mabry was made colonel. J. S. Boggess, -Lieutenant-Colonel, and Captain A. B. Stone, -of Company A, from Marshall, promoted to major. -About the first of August we moved up the railroad -to Saltillo, about fifteen miles north of Tupelo, -established camps, dug wells, and remained about -three weeks. Here the Fortieth (?) or Mississippi -regiment joined the brigade. This was a new regiment, -just out from home, and it seemed to us, from -the amount of luggage they had, that they had -brought about all their household goods along. This -regiment is remembered for these distinct peculiarities. -Aside from the weight and bulk of its baggage -they had the tallest man and the largest boy in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> -army, and the colonel used a camel to carry his private -baggage. The tall man was rather slender, and -looked to be seven feet high; the boy was sixteen or -eighteen years old, and weighed more than three -hundred pounds.</p> - -<p>The brigade now consisted of the Third Texas, -Whitfield’s Texas Legion, the Third Louisiana, -the Fourteenth and Seventeenth Arkansas, and -the Fortieth Mississippi.<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a> The army here, commanded -by General Price, was composed of two divisions -commanded by Generals Little and D. H. -Maury. Many of the troops that came out of Corinth -with General Beauregard had gone with General -Bragg into Kentucky. At the end of three -weeks we moved farther up the railroad to Baldwin. -Here we dug more wells, and it was my fortune to be -on the second day’s detail that dug our company -well. The first detail went down some eight feet, -about as deep as they could throw the earth out. -The next morning four of us, including C. C. Watkins -and myself, the two weakest men, physically, in -the company, were detailed to continue the digging. -We arranged means for drawing the earth out, and -began work, two at the time, one to dig and one to -draw. At quitting time in the evening we had it -down twenty-one feet, and had plenty of water. But -we were not to remain long at Baldwin, as preparations -for moving on Iuka were soon begun. As commissary -supplies were gathered in for the approaching -campaign they were stored in the freight department -of the depot. One R. M. Tevis, of Galveston, -was acting as commissary of subsistence, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> -Charlie Dunn, of Shreveport, was his assistant. They -occupied a small room, the station agent’s office, in -the building during the day. A good many fatigue -men were usually about the place during the day, to -handle the stuff that was brought in.</p> - -<p>One day, while I was on the platform, a country -wagon drove up. Tevis and Dunn seemed to have -expected its arrival, as they were soon out looking -after the unloading. Among the rest was a barrel, -a well-hooped, forty-gallon barrel, and instead of -being sent in with the other stores it was hurriedly -rolled into the private office of the commissary. -This proved to be a barrel of peach brandy. Now, -peach brandy was “contraband.” The character -and contents of the barrel were shrewdly guessed by -the bystanders as it was hurried into its hiding-place, -and its locality, after it had been stowed away, was -clearly observed and mental note made thereof. The -depot building was located at the north end of a -cut and was elevated fully three feet above the -ground, platforms and all. The Third Texas was -camped along on the east side of the cut, say one -hundred yards below the depot. The supplies were -guarded day and night, the guards walking their -beats, around on the platform. The next morning -the guards were seen pacing the beats all right -enough, but in the bottom of that barrel was an -auger hole, and there was an auger hole through the -depot floor, but there was not a gill of brandy in the -barrel. At dress parade that morning it was unnecessary -to call in an expert to determine that the -brandy, when it leaked out, had come down the railroad -cut. The two gentlemen most vitally interested<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span> -in this occurrence dared not make complaint, but -bore their sad bereavement in profound silence, and -no one else ever mentioned it.</p> - -<p>This brief stay at Baldwin terminated our summer -vacation and our study of Hardie’s infantry tactics. -The constant all-summer drilling and the strict discipline -we had been subjected to had rendered our -dismounted cavalry the most efficient troops in the -army, as they were good in either infantry or cavalry -service, as was afterwards abundantly proved.</p> - -<p>All things being ready, the march to Iuka was -begun under General Price, with his two divisions. -Up to this time the only infantry marching -I had done, beyond drilling and reviews, was the two -moves, Tupelo to Sattillo and Sattillo to Baldwin. -As we were furnished transportation for cooking -utensils only, the men had to carry all their worldly -effects themselves and the knapsack must contain -all clothing, combs, brushes, writing material and -all else the soldier had or wished to carry, in addition -to his gun, his cartridge box with forty rounds of -ammunition, his cap box, haversack, and canteen. The -weather was extremely hot, and the roads dry and -fearfully dusty. While I had been on full duty for -some time I was very lean, physically weak, and far -from being well, and starting out to make a march -of several days, loaded down as I was, I had some -misgivings as to my ability to make it; but I did -not hesitate to try. As the object of the expedition -was to move on Iuka and capture the force there -before General Grant could reinforce them from -Corinth, a few miles west of that place, the troops -were moved rapidly as practicable, the trains being<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> -left behind to follow on at their leisure. Unfortunately -for me, I was on guard duty the last night -before reaching our destination, and as we moved -on soon after midnight I got no sleep.</p> - -<p>Next morning after daylight, being within six -or seven miles of Iuka, the Third Texas and Third -Louisiana were placed in front, with orders to march -at quick time into Iuka. Now, literally, this means -thirty inches at a step and 116 steps per minute; -practically it meant for us to get over that piece -of road as rapidly as our tired legs could carry us. -To keep up with this march was the supreme effort -of the expedition on my part. I do not think I could -have kept up if Lieutenant Germany had not relieved -me of my gun for three or four miles of the -distance. We found the town clear of troops, but -had come so near surprising them that they had to -abandon all their commissary stores, as they did not -have time to either remove or destroy them. At the -end of the march my strength was exhausted, and -my vitality nearly so. The excitement being at an -end, I collapsed, as it were, and as soon as we went -into camp I fell down on the ground in the shade of -a tree where I slept in a kind of stupor until nearly -midnight.</p> - -<p>We remained about a week in and around Iuka, -in line of battle nearly all the time, expecting an attack -by forces from Corinth; and as it was uncertain -by which one of three roads they would come, we -were hurried out on first one road and then another. -One afternoon we were hurriedly moved out a mile -or two on what proved to be a false alarm, and were -allowed to return to camps. On returning we found<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> -a poor soldier lying in our company camp with a -fearful hole in his head, where a buck and ball cartridge -had gone through it. A musket was lying -near him, and we could only suppose he was behind -in starting on the march, and had killed himself -accidentally.</p> - -<p>On the night of September 18 we marched out -about four miles on the Corinth road, leading west, -and lay in line of battle until about 4 <span class="smcap">P. M.</span> the next -day, when a courier came in great haste, with the -information that the enemy was advancing on the -Bay Springs road from the south, with only a company -of our cavalry in front of them. We had then -to double quick back about three miles in order to -get into the road they were on. We found them -among the hills about one and a half miles from the -town, a strong force of infantry, with nine or ten -pieces of artillery, and occupying a strong position -of their own selection. We formed on another hill in -plain view of them, a little valley intervening between -the two lines. Our fighting force consisted of General -Little’s division of two brigades, Hebert’s, and -a brigade of Alabama and Mississippi troops commanded -by Colonel John D. Martin, and the Clark -battery of four guns, Hebert’s brigade in front of -their center, with two of Martin’s regiments on our -right and two on our left. We began a skirmish -fire, and kept it up until our battery was in position, -when we began a rapid fire with canister shot. We -then advanced in double line of battle, slowly at first, -down the hill on which we had formed, across the -little valley and began the ascent of the hill on which -the enemy was posted, General W. S. Rosecrans in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span> -command. As we ascended the hill we came in range -of our own artillery, and the guns had to be silenced. -The entire Federal artillery fire was soon turned on -us, using grape and canister shot, and as their battery -was directly in front of the Third Texas, their -grape shot and musketry fire soon began to play -havoc with our people, four of our men, the two files -just to my right, being killed. We charged the battery, -and with desperate fighting took nine pieces -and one caisson. The horses hitched to the caisson -tried to run off, but we shot them down and took it, -the brave defenders standing nobly to their posts until -they were nearly all shot down around their guns,—one -poor fellow being found lying near his gun, -with his ramrod grasped in both hands, as if he -were in the act of ramming down a cartridge when -he was killed. The infantry fought stubbornly, but -after we captured their guns we drove them back -step by step, about six hundred yards, when darkness -put an end to a battle that had lasted a little -more than two and a half hours, the lines being -within two hundred yards of each other.</p> - -<p>I cannot give the number of Federal troops engaged -in the battle, but General Rosecrans, in giving -his casualties, enumerates eighteen regiments of -infantry, three of cavalry, one detached company, -and four batteries of artillery. The cavalry was -not in the engagement, and I think he had but two -batteries engaged. One of these, the Eleventh Ohio -Light Battery, lost its guns and fifty-four men. -The total Federal loss, reported, was 790, including -killed, wounded, and missing. Hebert’s brigade, that -did the main fighting, was composed of six regiments,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span> -reporting 1774 for duty, and lost 63 killed, 305 -wounded, and 40 missing; total, 408. Colonel Martin -had four regiments (1405 men), and lost 22 -killed and 95 wounded; total, 117. We had two batteries -with us, the Clark battery and the St. Louis -battery, but they only fired a few shots. The -Third Texas had 388 men, and lost 22 killed and 74 -wounded; total, 96. Company C lost W. P. Bowers, -Carter Caldwell, W. P. Crawley, and W. T. Harris -killed; and J. J. Felps severely wounded. Crawley -had a belt of gold around his waist, but only four -or five of us knew this, and I presume, of course, it -was buried with him. General Maury’s division was -not engaged. General Henry Little, our division -commander, was killed. Lieutenant Odell, of the -Third Texas, who was acting regimental commissary, -and who was mounted on my horse, was killed, and -the horse was also killed. Colonels Mabry and Whitfield, -and, I believe, all our other colonels were -wounded. The captured artillery was drawn by hand -into town that night, where the guns were left next -morning, after being spiked, as we had no spare -horses to pull them away. Spiking guns means -that round steel files were driven hard into the -touch-holes, giving the enemy the trouble of drilling -these out before the guns can be of any use again.</p> - -<p>As General Ord was marching rapidly with a -strong force from Corinth to reinforce General -Rosecrans, General Price concluded to retreat. Putting -the trains in the road some time before daylight, -early in the morning the troops marched out southward, -leaving our wounded men in Iuka and sending -a detail back to bury the dead. As General<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span> -Hebert’s brigade had stood the brunt of the battle -the evening before, we were put in front and, to clear -the road for the other troops, we had to move at -double quick time for six miles. This used me up, -and I obtained permission to go as I pleased, which -enabled me to outgo the command and to rest occasionally -while they were coming up. We made a -march of twenty-five miles that day on our way back -to Baldwin. But oh, how my feet were blistered! -They felt as if I had my shoes filled with hot embers. -Late in the afternoon, when I was away -ahead of the command I came to Bay Springs. This -little village stands on a bluff of a wide, deep creek, -and is crossed by a long, high bridge. At this time, -when the creek was low, the bridge was at least twenty-five -feet above the mud and water below. I -climbed down under the bluff, just below the bridge, -to a spring, where I slaked my thirst, bathed my -burning feet and sat there resting and watching the -wagons cross the bridge. Presently a six-mule team, -pulling a wagon heavily loaded with ammunition in -boxes, was driven onto the bridge, and as it was -moving slowly along one of the hind wheels, the right -one, ran so close to the edge that the end of the -bridge flooring crumbled off and let the wheel down. -Gradually this wheel kept sliding until the other -hind wheel was off. This let the ammunition go to -the bottom of the creek, followed by the wagon bed. -Soon off came one fore wheel. This pulled off the -other one, then the wagon tongue tripped the offwheel -mule and he dangled by the side of the bridge, -and soon pulled the saddle mule off, and this process -gradually went on, until the last mule started, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span> -as he fell off his hamestring caught on the end of -the bridge flooring, and for an instant the whole -outfit of wagon and six mules hung by the hamestring, -when it broke and down went the wagon -and the six mules atop of it. The driver had seen -the danger in time to make his escape.</p> - -<p>We soon arrived at Baldwin, our starting point. -Our wounded left at Iuka fell into the hands of the -enemy and were kindly treated and well cared for. -The good women of the town and surrounding country -came to their rescue nobly, and they received -every necessary attention.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER VIII</h2> - -<p class="pch">BATTLE OF CORINTH</p> - -<p class="pcs">Captain Dunn, the “Mormon”—Paroles—Baldwin—On to -Corinth—Conscription—Looking for Breakfast—The Army -Trapped—A Skirmish—Escape—Holly Springs—Battle of Corinth—Casualties—Cavalry -Again.</p> - -<p class="pn"><span class="smcap">Captain Dunn</span>, of Company F, was one of our badly -wounded men, one of his legs having been broken -by a grape shot. Captain Dunn was a unique character. -He was a lawyer by profession, a very bright -fellow, and lived at Athens, Tex. The first I ever -knew of him he came to Rusk just before the war, -to deliver an address to a Sunday-school convention. -He was a very small man. In fact, so diminutive in -stature that he was almost a dwarf. He was a brave, -gallant soldier, a companionable, pleasant associate, -and much of a wag. He was a great lover of fun, -so much so that he would sacrifice comfort and convenience -and risk his reputation in order to perpetrate -a joke.</p> - -<p>The ladies who came to nurse and care for our -wounded soldiers at Iuka were like other women in -one particular respect, at least,—they were desirous -to know whether the soldiers were married or single, -religious or otherwise, and if religious, their church -relationship, denominational preferences and so on, -and would converse with the boys with a view of -learning these particulars. The usual questions were -put to Captain Dunn by one of these self-sacrificing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> -attendants. He made no effort to deny that he was -married and, with some hesitation, frankly acknowledged -that he was a member of the church of the -Latter Day Saints, usually called Mormons, which -was enough information for one interview. With -the exclamation, “Why, <i>you</i> a Mormon!” the woman -retired. In whispers she soon imparted to all the -other ladies who visited the hospital the astounding -information that one of the Texas soldiers was a -Mormon. They were incredulous, but after being vehemently -assured by the interviewer that she had it -from his own lips, some believed it was true, while -others believed it was a joke or a mistake. To settle -the question they appointed a committee of discreet -ladies to ascertain the truth of the matter, and -the committee promptly waited upon Captain Dunn. -Without loss of time in preliminaries, the spokeswoman -of the committee said: “Captain Dunn, we -have heard that you are a Mormon and have come -to you, as a committee, to learn the truth of the -matter. Are you a Mormon?” “Yes, madam,” -said Captain Dunn. “Have you more than one -wife?” “Yes,” said Captain Dunn, “I have four -wives.” “Captain Dunn, don’t you think it awful -wrong? Don’t you think it’s monstrous to be a Mormon?” -“No, madam,” said Dunn, “that’s my religion, -the religion I was brought up in from childhood. -All of my regiment are Mormons. All of -them that are married have two or more wives. The -colonel has six; some have four, and some five, just -as they may feel able to take care of them.” A -meeting of the ladies was then called, an indignation -meeting, and indignation was expressed in unmeasured<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> -terms. The very idea! that they had scraped -lint, torn their best garments into bandages, had -cooked and brought soups and all the delicacies they -could prepare to the hospital—done all they could, -even to the offering up their prayers, for a detestable -Mormon, with four wives! It was unanimously resolved -that it could be done no longer. From that -good hour, in passing through the hospital ministering -to the wants of all the other wounded, they -gave Dunn not even as much as a look, to say nothing -of smiles, cups of cold water, soups, cakes, pies, and -other more substantial comforts.</p> - -<p>This neglect of Captain Dunn was eventually noticed -by the other soldiers, talked of, and regretted -by them and its cause inquired into. They earnestly -interceded with the ladies in his behalf, and urged -them that whatever Captain Dunn’s faults might -be, he was a brave Confederate soldier, and had been -severely wounded in an attempt to defend their homes, -that he was suffering greatly from his wounds; that -if he was a Mormon he was a human being, and for -humanity’s sake he deserved some attention and sympathy, -and should not be allowed to die through neglect. -This argument finally prevailed, the resolution -was rescinded, and the captain fared well for the -rest of the time, even better than he had before the -matter came up.</p> - -<p>One day one of the ladies asked Captain Dunn -how it happened that he got his leg so badly crushed. -In the most serious manner he said to her: “Well, -madam, I am captain of a company, and when we -got into the battle the Yankees began shooting cannonballs -at us, and to protect my men I got out in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> -front of them and would catch the cannonballs as -they came and throw them back at the Yankees; but -when the battle grew real hot they came so fast I -couldn’t catch all of them, and one of them broke -my leg.”</p> - -<p>As soon as our men thought they were able to -travel they were paroled and allowed to go free. -When Captain Dunn was paroled he went to Texas -for a rest, until he supposed he might be exchanged. -On his return, he was traveling through Arkansas -when a woman on the train asked him where he was -going? He replied, “Madam, I am going to Richmond -in the interest of the women of Texas. I am -going to make an effort to induce the Confederate -congress, in view of the great number of men that -are being killed in the war, to pass a law providing -that every man, after the war ends, shall have two -wives.”</p> - -<p>When paroling our people their paroles were filled -out by a Federal officer and presented to them for -their signatures. The majority of the men cared -little about the form, but only of the fact that they -were to be allowed to go free until they were exchanged. -But when they came to Colonel Mabry he -read the parole over very carefully. He was described -as H. P. Mabry, a colonel in the “so-called -Confederate States Army.” Mabry shook his head -and said, “Sir, can you not leave out that ‘so-called?’” -He was informed that it could not be -done. “Then,” said the colonel, “I will not sign it.” -“In that case,” said the officer, “you will have to -go to prison.” “Well,” Mabry replied, “I will go -to prison and stay there until I rot before I will<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> -sign a parole with that ‘so-called Confederate States’ -in it.”</p> - -<p>Captain Lee, of the Third Texas, was of the same -way of thinking, and they both went to prison and -remained there until they were exchanged, being sent -to some prison in Illinois. Some months after they -were exchanged and came back to us we captured -some prisoners one day. One of them inquired if -the Third Texas was there, and was told that it was. -“Then,” said he, “take me to Colonel Mabry or -Captain Lee, and I’ll be all right.” This man was -a “copperhead” whose acquaintance they had made -while in prison. He didn’t want to serve in the army -against us, but had been drafted in, and was glad of -an opportunity of changing his uniform.</p> - -<p>At Baldwin about two days was spent in preparation -for a march to Ripley, there to join General -Van Dorn’s command for a move on Corinth. I was -on fatigue duty while at Baldwin, and had no time -to recuperate after the hard campaign to Iuka and -back, having been on guard duty the night before -arriving at Ripley. We camped at that town one -night and started next morning, September 29, 1862, -for Corinth, General Van Dorn in command. On -that morning I found myself with a fever, and feeling -unequal to a regular march I obtained permission -to march at will, and found Lieutenant R. L. Hood -and F. M. Dodson in the same condition and having -a like permit. We joined our forces and moved up -the hot, dusty road about six miles. Being weary, -footsore, and sick, we turned into the woods, lay -down and went to sleep under some oak trees and did -not wake until the beef cattle were passing us in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span> -the afternoon. This meant that we had slept until -the entire army was ahead of us—cavalry, infantry, -artillery, and wagon train. We moved on until night -without overtaking our command. Nearing the village -of Ruckersville it occurred to me that many -years ago this had been the post office of Peter Cotten, -my mother’s brother. Stopping at a house to -make inquiries, I learned that Willis Cook, his -son-in-law, lived only three-quarters of a mile west -of the village. We turned in that direction, and soon -found the place without difficulty. My call at the -gate was answered by my uncle at the front door. -I recognized his voice, although I had not heard it -since I was a small boy. Going into the house I made -myself known to him and his daughter, Mrs. Crook, -and received a cordial welcome, such a welcome as -made me and my comrades feel perfectly at home. -My good cousin, Tabitha, whose husband, Willis -Crook, was in the cavalry service, and in the army -then on its way to Corinth, soon had a splendid supper -ready for us and in due time offered us a nice -bed. We begged out of occupying the beds, however, -and with their permission stretched our weary -limbs under a shade tree in the yard and enjoyed a -good night’s sleep.</p> - -<p>Next morning one or two of the party had chills, -and we rested for the day. We soon learned that a -Federal cavalry command had dropped in behind our -army, and so we were cut off. Had we gone on in -the morning we would probably have been captured -during the day. Learning how we could find parallel -roads leading in the direction we wished to go, late -in the evening we started, traveled a few miles and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span> -slept in the woods. The next morning we moved on -until ten o’clock, and meeting a ten-year-old boy on -a pony in a lane, we asked him if he knew where we -could get something to eat. He said there was a -potato patch right over there in the field. We asked -him to whom it belonged, and he answered: “It -belongs to my uncle; but he is laying out in the -brush to keep out of the army;” and told us that -his uncle lived up on the hill a short distance ahead -of us. We did not go into the potato patch, but -went up to the uncle’s house. The house was a -fairly good one, and in the front were two good-sized -rooms with a wide, open hall. As we marched -up to the rail fence in front of the house a woman -came out into the hall, and we could see that the -very looks of us aggravated and annoyed her. By -way of getting acquainted with her, Dodson said: -“Madam, have you got any water?” In a sharp, -cracked voice, she answered: “I reckon I have. If -I hain’t, I would be in a mighty bad fix!” Having it -understood that Dodson was to do the talking, we -marched in and helped ourselves to a drink of water -each, from a bucket setting on a shelf in the hall. -During the next few minutes silence of the most -profound sort prevailed. We stood there as if waiting -to be invited to sit down and rest, but instead -of inviting us to seats she stood scowling on us as if -she was wishing us in Davy Jones’ locker or some -similar place. Hood and myself finally moved a little -towards the front of the hall, and the following -dialogue took place between Dodson and the woman: -Dodson: “Madam, we are soldiers and are tired -and hungry. We have been marching hard, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> -last night we slept in the woods and haven’t had anything -to eat. Could we get a little something here?” -“No, you can’t. I don’t feed none of your sort. -You are just goin’ about over the country eatin’ -up what people’s got, and a-doin’ no good.” “Why, -madam, we are fighting for the country.” “Yes, -you are fightin’ to keep the niggers from bein’ freed, -and they’ve just as much right to be free as you -have.” “Oh, no, madam; the Bible says they shall -be slaves as long as they live.” “The Bible don’t say -no sech a thing.” “Oh, yes, it does,” said Dodson, -gently; “let me have your Bible and I’ll show it -to you.” “I hain’t got no Bible.” “Madam, where -is your husband?” “That’s none of your business, -sir!” “Is he about the house, madam?” “No, he -ain’t.” “Is he in the army, madam?” “No, he -ain’t. If you <i>must</i> know, he’s gone off to keep from -bein’ tuk to Ripley and sold for twenty-five dollars.” -“Why, madam, is he a nigger?” “No, he ain’t a -nigger; he’s just as white as you air, sir.” “Well, -madam, I didn’t know that they sold white men in -Mississippi.” “No, you don’t know what your own -people’s a-doin’.” During the conversation I kept -my eye on the lowest place in the fence. What she -said about being sold for twenty-five dollars was -in allusion to a reward of that amount offered by the -conscript authorities for able-bodied men who were -hiding in the brush to keep out of the army.</p> - -<p>That night we lodged with a good old Confederate -who treated us the best he could. Next morning -Dodson bought a pony from him, which we used as -a pack-horse to carry our luggage. We then moved -much easier. Late in the evening we crossed Hatchie<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span> -River on the bridge over which the army had -passed on its way to Corinth. Here we found Adam’s -Brigade and Whitfield’s Legion guarding the bridge, -that it might be used in the event of the army’s being -compelled to retreat. This bridge was only a -short distance south of the Memphis & Charleston -Railroad, and a few miles west of Corinth. We took -the railroad and followed it nearly all night, turning -off to sleep a little while before daylight. Early -in the morning we struck across into the main-traveled -road, and pushed on in an effort to rejoin our -command. About nine or ten o’clock we came to -a house, and determined to try for some breakfast, -as we were quite hungry. We afterwards learned -that a poor old couple occupied the house. Walking -up to the front door we asked the old lady if we -could get some breakfast, telling her we had been -out all night and were hungry, and so on, the usual -talk. She very readily said, yes, if we would wait -until she could prepare it. She then invited us to -come in and be seated, and said she would have -the meal ready in a few minutes.</p> - -<p>In a little while she came back and invited us in to -breakfast in a little side room used for a kitchen -and dining-room. As we started in I was in front, -and as we entered the little dining-room and came -in sight of the table she began to apologize because -she was unable to give us anything more. I glanced -at the table and saw a small, thin hoe-cake of corn -bread and a few small slices of bacon, “only this and -nothing more.” I asked her if that was all she had. -She answered that it was. Then I said, “Where are -you going to get more when that is gone?” She<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span> -did not know. Not doubting the truth of her statements, -I said: “Madam, while we are hungry and -do not know when we will get anything to eat, we -could not take all you have. While we are just as -thankful to you as if you had given us a bountiful -breakfast, we are soldiers, and can manage to get -something to eat somewhere, and will leave this for -you and your husband,” and we bade her good-by -without sitting down to the table or tasting her -scanty offering.</p> - -<p>This poor old woman, who must have been sixty -or more years old, had said, without a murmur and -without hesitation or excuse, that she would prepare -us some breakfast, and gone about it as cheerfully -as if she had had an abundance, cooking us all the -provisions she had, and only regretted she could not -do more for us,—this, too, when not knowing where -she would get any more for herself.</p> - -<p>After leaving this humble abode we soon began to -meet troops, ambulances, and so on, and from them -we learned that our army was falling back. Instead -of going farther we stopped on the roadside -and waited for our command. Noticing a squad of -soldiers out some distance from the road engaged -apparently about something unusual, my curiosity -led me out to where they were. To my surprise I -found they were Madison County, Alabama, men, -most of whom I knew. They were burying a poor -fellow by the name of Murry, whom I had known for -years, and who lived out near Maysville. They -had rolled him up in his blanket and were letting -him down into a shallow grave when I approached, -and they told me that some of the boys that I knew<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span> -were wounded—in a wagon just across the road. I -soon found my old friends, John M. Hunter and -Peter Beasley, of Huntsville, Ala., in a common, -rough road-wagon. Poor Hunter! he was being -hauled over the long, rough road only that he might -die among his friends, which he did in a few days. -Beasley was not dangerously wounded.</p> - -<p>We soon after joined our command and marched -westward toward Hatchie bridge. But long before -we got there Generals Ord and Hurlbut had come -down from Bolivar, Tenn., with a heavy force of -fresh troops, had driven our guards away, and were -in undisputed possession of the crossing. Whitfield’s -Legion had been on the west side and had -been so closely crowded, with such a heavy fire concentrated -on the bridge, that they had to take to -the water to make their escape.</p> - -<p>Here was a problem confronting General Van -Dorn, a problem which must be speedily solved, otherwise -a dire calamity awaited his whole army. These -two divisions of fresh troops were in front of an -army of tired, hungry, worn-out Confederates, with -General Grant’s victorious army only a few miles in -our rear. What was called the boneyard road ran -some miles south of us and crossed the river on a -bridge at Crum’s Mill; but this bridge, as a precautionary -measure, had just been burned, and even -now its framework was still aflame. The route we -were on led west from Corinth parallel with, and but -a little south of, the Memphis & Charleston Railroad, -crossing Hatchie only a short distance south of Pocahontas. -After crossing the river we would turn -south on the main Ripley road, and this road ran<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> -parallel with the river, passing not far, three or four -miles perhaps, west of Crum’s Mill, so that a force -might move rapidly from Corinth, on the boneyard -road, cross at Crum’s Mill and strike us in the flank -and possibly capture our trains. Hence the precaution -of burning this bridge. Everything of our -army, whether on wheels, on foot, or on horseback, -was now between Ord and Hurlbut in front and Grant -and Rosecrans in the rear, without a crossing on -Hatchie. The trains were parked, with a view, as -I was told at the time, to burning them, leaving the -troops to get out as they could, and we already had -visions of swimming the stream. Personally I was -wondering how much of my luggage I could get over -with, and whether or not I could make it with a dry -gun and cartridge box. General Price, in this dilemma, -undertook to get the trains out, and he succeeded -notably.</p> - -<p>We had a pretty heavy skirmish with the forces at -the bridge, with infantry and artillery, but only to -divert attention from the trains as they moved out -to gain the boneyard road. General Price went to -the mill and, pulling down the gable end, cast it on -the mill dam, and thus made a temporary bridge over -which the trains and artillery were driven. Then -that gallant old man, who had just proved himself to -be as much at home acting as chief wagon master -as when commanding his army corps, sat on his -horse at the end of his unique bridge nearly all -night, hurrying the wagons and artillery across. On -the west bank of the stream he kept a bonfire alight, -which threw a flickering glare across the bridge. -As each teamster drove on to the east end of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span> -queer bridge he would slow up his team and peer -through the dim light for the proper and safe route. -Just as he would slow up one could hear the loud, -distinct voice of “Old Pap” shouting: “Drive up -there! Drive up! Drive up! Drive up!” And -thus it continued until every wheel had rolled across -to the west side of the Hatchie.</p> - -<p>After we left the vicinity of the bridge and after -the skirmishing ceased, there was no time for order -in marching, unless it was with the rear-guard; no -time to wait for the trains to stretch out into the -road and to follow it then in twos. We fell into the -road pell-mell, and moved in any style we wished to, -in among the wagons, or any way just so we moved -along and kept out of the way of those behind us. -During the afternoon, in the middle of the road, I -stumbled upon a small pile of corn meal, half a -gallon, maybe, that had sifted out of a commissary -wagon, and gathered part of it into my haversack, -mixed with a little dirt. I crossed the bridge away -along, I suppose, about 11 <span class="smcap">P. M.</span>, after which I -stopped and watched General Price’s maneuvers and -the crossing of the wagons until after midnight.</p> - -<p>In the meantime I hunted around and found an -old castaway tin cup, dipped up some river water -and made up some dough, and then spreading it out -on a board, I laid it on General Price’s fire until it -was partially cooked. Surely it was the most delicious -piece of bread I have ever tasted, even to this -day.</p> - -<p>When a good portion of the Third Texas had come -up we moved on into the Ripley road and were sent -northward for a mile or two, where we lay in line<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> -of battle in ambush, near the road until the trains -had all passed.</p> - -<p>After daylight we moved on towards Ripley, being -again permitted to march at will, as we had -marched the night before. Approaching Ruckersville -my heart turned again toward my good cousin, -Tabitha Crook. Taking little David Allen with me, -I made haste to find her home. Arriving there a -short time before dinner, I said to her, “Cousin, I -am powerful hungry.” “Oh, yes,” she said, “I -know you are, Willis came by home last night, nearly -starved to death.” Soon we were invited into her -dining-room and sat down to a dinner fit for a king. -Here I met her brother, George Cotten, whom I -had never seen before. After dinner Mrs. Crook insisted -that we rest awhile, which we did, and presently -she brought in our haversacks filled up, pressed down, -and running over with the most palatable cooked rations, -such as fine, light biscuits, baked sweet potatoes, -and such things, and my mess rejoiced that -night that I had good kins-people in that particular -part of Mississippi, as our camp rations that night -were beef without bread.</p> - -<p>We then moved on to Holly Springs and rested -for some days, after a fatiguing and disastrous -campaign, which cost us the loss of many brave soldiers, -and lost General Van Dorn his command, as -he was superseded by General J. C. Pemberton.</p> - -<p>The battle of Corinth was fought October 3 and -4, 1862. I do not know the number of troops engaged, -but our loss was heavy. According to General -Van Dorn our loss was: Killed, 594; wounded, -2162; missing, 2102. Total, 4858. The enemy reported:<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span> -Killed, 355; wounded, 2841; missing, 319. -Total, 3515. But if General Rosecrans stated the -truth, our loss was much greater than General Van -Dorn gave, as he (General R.) stated that they -buried 1423 of our dead, which I think is erroneous. -Company C lost our captain, James A. Jones, mortally -wounded; John B. Long and L. F. Grisham, -captured. As Captain Jones could not be carried -off the field, Long remained with him and was taken -prisoner, being allowed to remain with Captain Jones -until he died. They were sent to Louisville, Ky., and -then to Memphis, Tenn., where Captain Jones lingered -for three months or more. After his death, -Long, aided by some good women of Memphis, made -his escape and returned to us.</p> - -<p>It was at the battle of Corinth that the gallant -William P. Rogers, colonel of the Second Texas Infantry, -fell in such a manner, and under such circumstances, -as to win the admiration of both friend and -foe. Even General Rosecrans, in his official report, -complimented him very highly. The Federals buried -him with military honors. It was at Corinth, too, -that Colonel L. S. Ross, with the aid of his superb -regiment, the Sixth Texas Cavalry, won his brigadier-general’s -commission.</p> - -<p>The evening before reaching Holly Springs we -had what in Texas would be called a wet norther. -Crawling in a gin-house I slept on the cotton seed, -and when we reached Holly Springs I had flux, with -which I suffered very severely for several days, as -the surgeon had no medicine that would relieve me in -the least. In a few days we moved south to Lumpkin’s -Mill, where we met our horses and were remounted,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> -the Third, Sixth, Ninth and Whitfield’s Legion -composing the cavalry brigade, which organization -was never changed. The army was soon falling -back again, and continued to do so until it reached -Grenada, on the south bank of Yalabusha River.</p> - -<p>As we were now in the cavalry service we did the -outpost duty for the army north of the Yalabusha.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/ill-141.jpg" width="400" height="617" id="i126" - alt="" - title="" /> - <div class="caption"><p class="pc"><span class="smcap">John Germany</span></p> - <p class="cap1">Fourth and last Captain Company C, Third Texas Cavalry</p> -</div></div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER IX</h2> - -<p class="pch">HOLLY SPRINGS RAID</p> - -<p class="pcs">At Grenada—Scouting—Engagement at Oakland—Chaplain -Thompson’s Adventure—Holly Springs Raid—Jake—The -Bridge at Wolf River—I Am Wounded—Bolivar—Attack on -Middleburg—Christmas.</p> - - -<p class="pn"><span class="smcap">Winter</span> weather came on us very early for the climate, -snow having fallen to the depth of two or -three inches before the middle of October, while the -forests were still green, and the weather was intensely -cold all during the fall months. While in -this part of the field we had to be active and vigilant -without having much fighting to do, and we enjoyed -life fairly well.</p> - -<p>General Washburn was sent out from Memphis -with a force, estimated to be 10,000 men, and crossing -Cold Water he came in our direction. The -brigade in command of Lieutenant-Colonel John S. -Griffith, of the Sixth Texas, moved up northwest to -the little town of Oakland to meet him. Starting in -the afternoon we marched through a cold rain which -benumbed us so that many of us were unable to tie -our horses when we stopped to camp at night. Next -morning we passed through Oakland about ten o’clock -and met the enemy a mile or two beyond and had -a lively little engagement with them, lasting, perhaps, -half an hour, in which our men captured a baby -cannon, somewhat larger than a pocket derringer.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span></p> - -<p>As we advanced in the morning, Major John H. -Broocks, of the Legion, commanded the advance -guard composed of a squadron of which our company -was a part. About a half mile out of the little -town, when we came to where the road forked, he -halted and ordered me to take five men and go on -the left-hand road a half or three-fourths of a -mile, get a good position for observation, and remain -there until he ordered me away. We went on and -took our position, the main force moving on the -right-hand road. Very soon they met the enemy -and got into an engagement with them across a field -nearly opposite our position. After awhile the firing -having ceased, we heard our bugle sound the retreat, -heard the brigade move out, and soon the Federals -advanced until they had passed the forks of the -road, when a battery began throwing shells at us. -But no orders came from Major Broocks. Our position -becoming untenable, and knowing we had been -forgotten, and being unable to regain the road, we -struck due south through the woods and rode all -night, in order to rejoin the command. Finding it -next morning, Major Broocks was profuse in his -apologies for having forgotten us.</p> - -<p>In the fight at Oakland we had about ten men -wounded, Chaplain R. W. Thompson, of the Legion, -voluntarily remaining to take care of them and dress -their wounds. He had gotten them into a house -and was very busy dressing the injury of one of -them when a Federal soldier, with a musket in his -hand, walked in and purposed making him a prisoner. -Mr. Thompson was very indignant and stormed at -the fellow in such a manner as to intimidate him, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span> -he walked out and left him, and Thompson went on -with his duties. Presently he was again accosted, -and straightening himself up, he looked around to -confront an officer and gaze into the muzzle of a -cocked revolver. The officer asked, “Who are you?” -“I am a Confederate soldier,” said Thompson. -“Then,” said the officer, “I guess I’ll take you up -to General Washburn’s quarters.” “I guess you will -not,” replied Thompson. “Well, but I guess I will,” -said the officer. By this time Thompson was very -indignant and said: “Sir, just take that pistol off -me for half a minute and I’ll show you whether I will -go or not.” “But,” said the officer, “I am not -going to do that, and to avoid trouble, I guess you -had better come on with me.” So Rev. Mr. Thompson -went, and was soon introduced to the general, -who said to him, “To what command do you belong, -sir?” Thompson answered, “I belong to a Texas -cavalry brigade.” “Are you an officer or private?” -inquired the general. “I am a chaplain,” said -Thompson. “You are a d——d rough chaplain,” -said the general. “Yes,” replied the chaplain, “and -you would say I was a d——d rough fighter if you -were to meet me on a battlefield with a musket in my -hands.” “How many men have you in your command, -sir?” asked the general, meaning the force he -had just met. Mr. Thompson replied, “We have -enough to fight, and we have enough to run, and we -use our discretion as to which we do.” The general -stamped his foot in anger and repeated the question, -and got the same answer. “You insolent fellow!” -said the general, stamping his foot again. “Now,” -said Thompson in return, “let me say to you, General,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span> -that if you wish to gain any information in -regard to our forces that will do you any good, you -are interrogating the wrong man.” “Take this insolent -fellow out of my presence and place him under -guard!” said the general. This order was -obeyed, when a crowd soon began to gather around -Thompson, growing larger and larger all the time -and looking so vicious that Thompson was actually -afraid they were going to mob him. Casting his eyes -around he saw an officer, and, beckoning to him, the -officer made his way through the crowd and soon dispersed -it. Thompson’s “insolence” cost him a long -march—from there to the bank of the Mississippi -River, where they released him, with blistered feet, -to make his way back to his command.</p> - -<p>Mr. Thompson was indiscreet, perhaps, in his manner, -which was, no doubt, detrimental to himself; but -he felt conscious that they had no right to detain -him as a prisoner, or to interfere with his duties, -and their manner irritated him. He was a good, -whole-souled man, bold and fearless, and the best -chaplain I knew in the army. What I could say about -army chaplains, so far as my observation went, would -not be flattering and, perhaps, had better be unsaid. -But the Rev. R. W. Thompson, as chaplain of Whitfield’s -Texas Legion, was a success, and he was with -us in adversity as well as in prosperity. When at -leisure he preached to us and prayed for us; when -in battle he was with the infirmary corps, bearing -the wounded from the field, or assisting the surgeons -in dressing their wounds and ministering to their -wants. We all loved him, and thank God he was -spared to do noble work for his Master and his church<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span> -for many years after the Civil War was over, and -I believe he is still living.</p> - -<p>This Oakland affair occurred December 8, 1862. -We had 1264 cavalry with a battery of four guns. -Brigadier-General C. C. Washburn had 2500 men -and two batteries. The engagement lasted about -fifty minutes.</p> - -<p class="p2">In the meantime General Grant had organized a -fine army of about 75,000 men, including infantry, -artillery, and cavalry, and was slowly moving down -the Mississippi Central Railway. His front had -reached as far south as Coffeeville, his objective -point being Vicksburg, and he intended to co-operate -with the river forces in taking that Confederate -stronghold. General Pemberton’s small army was -gradually falling back before him. As the general -depot of Federal supplies was at Holly Springs, -and to destroy Grant’s supplies might turn him back, -or at least would cripple him more than the best -fighting we could do in his front, this was determined -on.</p> - -<p>General Earl Van Dorn, who was known to be -a fine cavalry officer, was just then without a command. -Lieutenant-Colonel John S. Griffith, commanding -a brigade, joined by the officers of the regiments -composing the brigade, about the 5th of December -petitioned General Pemberton to organize a cavalry -raid, to be commanded by General Van Dorn, for the -purpose of penetrating General Grant’s rear, with -the idea of making an effort to destroy the supplies -at Holly Springs, and to do any other possible injury -to the enemy. In due time the raid was organized.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span> -We took Holly Springs, captured the -guards, destroyed the supplies, and General Grant -was compelled to abandon his campaign.</p> - -<p>From this time General Van Dorn commanded us -until his untimely death at the hands of an assassin. -A more gallant soldier than Earl Van Dorn was not -to be found, and as a cavalry commander I do not -believe he had a superior in either army. What I -may say about this, however, here or elsewhere, I -know is of little worth, as most people have formed -and expressed an opinion—some in favor of Forrest, -some Stuart, and some Joe Wheeler; but any man -who was with us on this expedition and at other -times, and who watched General Van Dorn’s maneuvers -closely, studied his stratagems and noted the -complete success of all his movements, would have -to admit that he was a master of the art of war in -this line of the service. At the head of an infantry -column he moved too rapidly, too many of his over-marched -men failed to get into his battles; but place -him in front of good men well mounted, and he -stood at the head of the class of fine cavalry commanders.</p> - -<p>With three brigades, ours, General W. H. Jackson’s -and Colonel McCulloch’s, aggregating about -3500 men in light marching order, without artillery, -we moved from the vicinity of Grenada early after -dark, about the 18th of December, and marched rapidly -all night. We passed through Pontotoc next -day, when the good ladies stood on the street with -dishes and baskets filled with all manner of good -things to eat, which we grabbed in our hands as we -passed rapidly through the town. After passing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span> -Pontotoc a command of Federal cavalry dropped -in on our rear, fired a few shots and picked up some -of our men who had dropped behind. Among those -picked up was our Indiana man, Harvey N. Milligan. -Somehow the boys had come to doubt Milligan’s -loyalty, and suspected that he had fallen behind purposely -to allow himself to be captured. When the -rear was fired on the colonel commanding the rear -regiment sent a courier up to notify General Van -Dorn. The fellow came up the column in a brisk -gallop. Now, to pass from the rear to the front -of a column of 3500 cavalry rapidly marching by -twos is quite a feat, but he finally reached General -Van Dorn, and with a military salute he said: “General, -Colonel —— sent me to inform you that the -Yankees have fired on his rear!” “Are they in the -rear?” inquired the general. “Yes, sir,” answered -the courier. “Well, you go back,” said the general, -“and tell Colonel —— that that is exactly where -I want them.” It was interesting to note how -adroitly he managed to keep in our rear on the entire -expedition all their forces that attempted in any -way to interfere with our movements. Their scouts -were, of course, watching us to determine, if possible, -our destination.</p> - -<p>In going north from Pontotoc, General Van Dorn, -instead of taking the Holly Springs road, passing -east of that place, headed his command towards Bolivar, -Tenn. Their conclusion then was, of course, -that we were aiming to attack Bolivar. Stopping -long enough at night to feed, we mounted our horses -and by a quiet movement were placed on roads leading -into Holly Springs, dividing the command into<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span> -two columns, so as to strike the town by two roads. -We moved slowly and very quietly during the night, -and while we were moving directly towards the town -guards were placed at the houses we passed lest some -citizen might be treacherous enough to inform the -enemy of our movements. The road our column was -on was a rough, unworked, and little used one. At -the first appearance of dawn, being perhaps three -miles from town, we struck a gallop and, meeting -no opposition, we were soon pouring into the infantry -camps near the railroad depot, situated in the -eastern suburbs. The infantry came running out of -the tents in their night clothes, holding up their -hands and surrendered without firing a gun. Our -other column encountered the mounted cavalry -pickets, and had a little fight with them, but they -soon galloped out of town, and on this bright, frosty -morning of December 20, <span class="smcap">A. D.</span> 1862, the town, with -its immense stores of army supplies, was ours. Standing -on the track near the depot was a long train of -box cars loaded with rations and clothing only waiting -for steam enough to pull out for the front. -This was burned as it stood. Leaving the Legion to -guard the prisoners until they could be paroled, the -Third Texas galloped on uptown. The people, as -soon as it was known that we were Confederates, -were wild with joy. Women came running out of -their houses, to their front gates as we passed, in -their night robes, their long hair streaming behind -and fluttering in the frosty morning air, shouting -and clapping their hands, forgetting everything except -the fact that the Confederates were in Holly -Springs! On every hand could be heard shouts—“Hurrah<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span> -for Jeff Davis! Hurrah for Van Dorn! -Hurrah for the Confederacy!”</p> - -<p>A mere glance at the stores—heaps upon heaps of -clothing, blankets, provisions, arms, ammunition, -medicines, and hospital supplies for the winter, all -for the use and comfort of a vast army—was overwhelming -to us. We had never seen anything like it -before. The depot, the depot buildings, the machine -shops, the roundhouse, and every available space -that could be used was packed full, and scores of the -largest houses uptown were in use for the same purpose, -while a great number of bales of cotton were -piled up around the court-house yard. One large -brick livery stable on the public square was packed -full, as high as they could be stacked, with new, unopened -cases of carbines and Colt’s army six-shooters, -and a large brick house near by was packed -full of artillery ammunition.</p> - -<p>For about ten hours, say from 6 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span> to 4 <span class="smcap">P. M.</span>, -we labored destroying, burning, this property, and -in order to do this effectually we had to burn a good -many houses. Riding out in the afternoon, to the -yard where the wagons were being cut down and -burned, I found numbers of mules and horses running -at large, some of our men turning their lean -horses loose and taking big fat captured horses instead. -Just then it occurred to me that I had no -horse of my own in Mississippi, my mount having -been killed at Iuka. John B. Long being in prison -when the horses came, I was using his. Now, if I -only had some way of taking one of these horses out. -Starting back uptown, puzzling over this problem, I -met a negro boy coming out of a side street, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span> -hailed him. In answer to my inquiries he said his -name was Jake, and belonged to Mr. —— down -at Toby Tubby’s ferry on the Tallahatchie. “What -are you doing here?” I inquired. “Dese Yankees -has bin had me prisoner.” After a little further -colloquy he readily agreed to go with me. “Cause,” -said he, “you-all done whipped de Yankees now. Dey -bin braggin’ all de time how dey could whip de rebels -so fast, and when you all come in here dis mornin’ -dey went runnin’ everywhere, looking back to see if -de rebels was comin’. I done see how it is now. I -don’t want nothin’ more to do with dese Yankees. -I’se bin hid under de floor all day.” I took one of -the abandoned horses, procured a mule for Jake to -ride, with saddle, bridle and halter, and taking the -outfit uptown said to Jake: “Now, when we start -you fall in with the other negroes, in the rear, and -keep right up, and when we camp you inquire for -Company C, Third Texas Cavalry—and hold on to -the horse at all hazards.” I had no further trouble -with Jake. He carried my instructions out all right. -About 4 <span class="smcap">P. M.</span>, having finished our day’s work, we -moved out of the northeast part of the town, and -looking back we saw the Federal cavalry coming in -from the southwest.</p> - -<p>In this raid we captured about 1500 prisoners, according -to General Van Dorn, and General Grant -said the same. They were commanded by Colonel R. -C. Murphy of the Eighth Wisconsin Infantry. Poor -Murphy! he was peremptorily dismissed from the -service without even a court martial. General Grant -estimated their loss in supplies destroyed at $400,000, -while General Van Dorn’s estimate was $1,500,000.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span> -Doubtless one was too low and the other one -too high. We marched out a few miles and camped -for the night, and all the evening we could hear the -artillery cartridges exploding in the burning buildings.</p> - -<p>The next day early we were on the march northward. -That morning when I awoke I felt a presentiment -that if we had to fight during that day I -would be wounded, and no effort of mine was sufficient -to remove the impression, even for a moment. -As the weather was quite cold, visions of the horrors -of going to prison in midwinter troubled me, since -a wound that would put me past riding my horse -would mean that I would be left to fall into the -enemy’s hands. Near noon we came to Davis’ Mill, -near the Tennessee line, not far from Lagrange, -Tenn., where we made an effort to destroy a railroad -bridge and trestle on Wolfe River. It was guarded -by 250 troops, commanded by Colonel William H. -Morgan of the Twenty-fifth Indiana Infantry. We -were fooling about this place three hours perhaps, -and it was late before I understood the meaning -of our maneuvers. Our brigade was dismounted, -double-quicked here and double-quicked there, double-quicked -back to our horses, remounted, galloped off -to another place, double-quicked again somewhere -else and back to our horses. Then, remounting, we -took another gallop and double-quicked again to the -only tangible thing I saw during the day, and that -was to charge a blockhouse or stockade.</p> - -<p>The enemy was in what they called a blockhouse, -constructed by taking an old sawmill as a foundation -and piling up cotton bales and cross-ties, and throwing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> -up some earthworks. Approaching this by a -wagon road we came to a bridge across a slough perhaps -two hundred yards from their fort. We met -their first bullets here, as part of their fire could be -concentrated on this bridge. Crossing a little river -bottom, entirely open except for a few large white -oak trees, we came to a bridge across Wolfe River -about seventy yards from their works. To charge -in column across this bridge under their concentrated -fire was the only chance to get to them, but coming -to this bridge we found that the floor was all gone, -leaving only three stringers about ten inches square, -more or less, on which we could cross. Running -along the bank up the river to the right was a levee -some three feet high. The men in front, five or six -impetuous fellows, running on to the stringers, one -of them fell as he started across, and the others -crossed the river. When I reached the bridge the -command was deploying behind the levee without attempting -to cross. I remained near the bridge. By -this time I was more fatigued, I thought, than I had -ever been, with the perspiration streaming off my -face, cold as the day was. Here we kept up a fire -at the smoke of the enemy’s guns, as we could not -see anything else, until a courier could find General -Van Dorn, inform him of the situation and ascertain -his wishes as to the advisability of our attempting -to cross the river. Anxious to know what had -become of the men that went onto the bridge, I rose -up and looked over the levee. One of them had been -killed and was lying in the edge of the water, and -the others were crouched under the opposite bank of -the river out of immediate danger. While this observation<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span> -only required a moment of time and a -moment’s exposure above the levee, I distinctly felt -a minie ball fan my right cheek. While I had not -doubted for a moment that I was going to be shot -somewhere sometime during the day, this narrow -escape of having a minie ball plow through my -cheek was very unpleasant. The thought of the -ugly scar such a wound would leave flashed into my -mind, and wondering where I was to be wounded I -settled down behind the levee and continued firing -my Sharps’ rifle without exposing myself. Finally -we were ordered to fall back. As soon as we were on -our feet, and while crossing the little bottom, we -would again be exposed to the enemy’s fire, so the -command fell back at double-quick. I rose and -started, and, looking around, I saw Lieutenant Germany -fall, and turned back to assist him, supposing -he was shot; but as I approached him he jumped up -and passed me, laughing, having merely stumbled and -fallen. This threw me behind everybody. I soon -found I was so fatigued that I could not double-quick -at all, so I slowed up into an ordinary walk. -The command, in the meantime, to avoid the fire that -could be concentrated on the slough bridge, had -flanked off to the left some distance above, and -crossed on chunks and logs that had fallen in the -slough. Very soon I was the only target for the -men in the blockhouse, and they shot at me for sheer -amusement. At last a ball struck me on the right -thigh. Thinking it was broken, I stopped, bearing -all my weight on my left foot, and, selecting a large -white oak near by, intending, if I could not walk to -manage somehow to pull myself behind this to shield<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> -myself, I waited for “something to turn up.” Soon -learning, however, that my thigh was not broken, I -moved on. Rather than lose time in going up to -where the command had crossed and run the risk of -being left behind, supposing that on reaching the -horses they would mount and move off, I determined -to cross on the bridge, which I did in a slow walk, -and am sure there was no less than a hundred shots -fired at me. Somehow I felt that I was not going to -be shot more than once that day, so even after I got -across the bridge and lay down to drink out of a -little pool of water in the road, their bullets spattered -water in my face. I managed to get off with the -command, and while my wound was slight it bled -freely and caused me a good deal of pain, as I had -to ride constantly for several days, and was unable -to dismount to fight any more on this trip.</p> - -<p>We camped not far from Davis’ Mill, and crossed -the Memphis & Charleston Railroad early next morning, -cutting the telegraph wires, tearing up the -track, burning cross-ties, and bending and twisting -the rails. Leaving, we struck a gallop towards Sommerville, -Tenn., and galloped nearly all day. Entering -Sommerville unexpectedly, we created a little -consternation. There was a Union mass meeting in -the town, and, there being no thought that there -was a Confederate soldier in a hundred miles of them, -they were having an enthusiastic time. Some of the -old gentlemen, pretty boozy on good Union whisky, -stood on the streets and gazed at us with open -mouths. I heard one old fellow yell out, “Hurrah -for Sommerville!” Another one standing near him -yelled out, “Oh, d——n Sommerville to h——l; I say<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span> -hurrah for the soldiers!” The good ladies, however, -when they learned who we were, began bringing -whatever they had to eat, handing it to us as we -passed along. Camping a few miles out, next morning -we took the road leading to Jackson, Tenn., a -road which passes west of Bolivar. In the afternoon, -however, we changed our course, traveling by roads -leading eastward, and camped several miles north of -Bolivar.</p> - -<p>Next morning, December 24, by making demonstrations -against Bolivar, General Van Dorn induced -the enemy to gather all his forces in the vicinity for -its defense, including 1500 cavalry under Colonel -Grierson, sent by General Grant in pursuit of us. -We moved down a main road leading into Bolivar -from the north, formed fours, driving in their cavalry -scouts and infantry pickets to the very suburbs of -the town, where the column was turned to the right -through alleys, byways, and vacant lots until we -were south of the town, when moving quietly out -southward, we thus again had all our opposition -in our rear. Moving down the railroad seven miles, -Middleburg was attacked. As our troops dismounted -and formed a line, Ed. Lewis, of Company -B, was killed. I remained mounted, with the horses. -The command moved up into the town and found -the enemy in a brick house with portholes, through -which they fired. This was not taken. Of Company -C, A. A. Box was killed here. After staying -for two hours, perhaps, we moved off just as the -enemy’s cavalry from Bolivar came up and fired on -our rear.</p> - -<p>The next point threatened was Corinth, in order<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span> -to concentrate the forces in that neighborhood. -Leaving Middleburg, we passed through Purdy, took -the Corinth road, and moved briskly until night, went -into camp, fed, and slept until 1 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span>, when we -saddled up, mended up the camp-fires and moved -through neighborhood roads, into the Ripley road. -Reaching Ripley at noon we rested, fed, and ate our -Christmas dinner. In about two hours we moved out, -and looking back we could see the enemy’s cavalry -from Corinth entering the town. They fired a piece -of artillery at us, but as they were in our rear we -paid no attention to them. Crossing the Tallahatchie -at Rocky Ford we camped on the banks of -the stream. Here General Van Dorn waited for the -enemy until noon the next day, but Colonel Grierson, -who was pretending to follow us, never put in an -appearance. In the afternoon we moved to Pontotoc -and camped there that night in a terrible drenching -rain. We then moved leisurely back into our lines, -with “no one to molest us or make us afraid.”</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER X</h2> - -<p class="pch">THE ENGAGEMENT AT THOMPSON’S STATION</p> - -<p class="pcs">January, 1863—Jake Arrested—Detailed—My Brother -Visits Me—Elected Second Lieutenant—Battle of Thompson’s -Station—Duck River—Capture of the Legion—The “Sick -Camp”—Murder of General Van Dorn.</p> - -<p class="pn">“<span class="smcap">The</span> Holly Springs raid,” never to be forgotten -by the participants therein, having now become a -matter of history, we rested for a time. January, -1863, came, and with it a great deal of rain, making -mud very abundant and the roads very bad. During -one of these cold rainy days, who should come pulling -through the mud nearly half a leg deep, but the -“aforesaid Harvey N. Milligan, late of Indiana.” -He had made his escape from the enemy, and, minus -his horse, had made his way back to us through the -rain and mud afoot. “I told you Milligan was all -right,” was a remark now frequently to be heard. -A day or two after this, word came around that there -were a half dozen horses at regimental headquarters -to be drawn for by the companies. I went up to -represent Company C, and drawing first choice, I -selected a horse and gave him to Milligan. During -that same year he deserted on that very horse, -and rode him into the Federal lines.</p> - -<p>My boy Jake having brought my horse out of the -enemy’s lines, of course I expected he would wish to -return home, and I proposed to give him the mule and -let him go to his master. But no, he begged me to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span> -allow him to stay with me, to feed and attend to my -horse, do my mess duties and such work. Of course -I could not drive him off. This boy, eighteen or -nineteen years old, perhaps, became a splendid servant, -and as much devoted to me, apparently, as if I -had raised him. Some months after this we were -passing through Columbus, Miss., one day, and his -owner, happening to be there, saw him, arrested him -and sent him home. When I heard of it that night -of course I supposed I would never see Jake any -more, but to my surprise he came back in a short -time, mounted on a splendid mule. When I started -back to Texas in February, 1865, Jake was anxious -to go with me, but I gave him a horse and saddle, -and told him to take care of himself.</p> - -<p>The severe horseback service we had had since the -battle of Corinth, and our diet, principally sweet -potatoes, had restored my health completely, my -wound had healed, and I was in good condition to -do cavalry service. At this time, too, I was detailed -to work in the regimental quartermaster’s department. -We were ordered to middle Tennessee, and -started through the cold mud. My present position -put me with the trains on a march, and we had a -great time pulling through the mud, and in some -places we found it almost impassable. Crossing the -Tennessee River a short distance below the foot of -Mussell Shoals we struck the turnpike at Pulaski, -Tenn., proceeding thence to Columbia, and then, -crossing Duck River a few miles below that place, we -moved up and took position near Springhill in front -of Franklin, and about thirteen miles south of that -place.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span></p> - -<p>One evening soon after we went into camp on the -turnpike some ten miles below Columbia, two men -rode into the camp inquiring for me. I soon learned -that it was my brother, accompanied by “Pony” -Pillow, who had come for me to go with them to -Colonel Billy Pillow’s, who lived on a turnpike three -or four miles west from the one we were on. Obtaining -permission, I then accompanied them. My -brother had been sick for some time, and had been -cared for by the Pillows, first by Granville Pillow’s -family and then by Colonel Billy’s family. He had -now recovered and was about ready to return to his -command, which was on the right wing of General -Bragg’s army, while we were camped on the extreme -left.</p> - -<p>I found Colonel Billy Pillow to be a man of ninety-four -years, remarkably stout and robust for a man -of his age. His family consisted of a widowed -daughter, Mrs. Smith, who had a son in the army; -his son, “Pony” Pillow; and his wife. This old -gentleman was a cousin to my grandmother Cotten, -and had moved with her family and his from North -Carolina when they were all young people. They -told me of my grandmother’s brother, Abner Johnson, -who had lived in this neighborhood a great many -years, and died at the age of 104 years. The next -day we visited Colonel Pillow’s sister, Mrs. Dew, a -bright, brisk little body, aged ninety-two years, and -the day following we spent the day at Granville Pillow’s. -Granville Pillow was a brother of General -Gideon J. Pillow, and nephew of Colonel Billy. He -was not at home, but we were welcomed and well -entertained by Mrs. Pillow and her charming young<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span> -married daughter, whose husband was in the army. -Mrs. Pillow inquired to what command I belonged, -and when I told her I belonged to a Texas command, -she asked me if I was an officer or private? When -I told her I was a private, she said it was a remarkable -fact that she had never been able to find an -officer from Texas, and that the most genteel, polite -and well-bred soldier she had met during the war was -a Texas private. She added that while Forrest’s -command had camped on her premises for several -weeks, and many of them had come into her yard and -into her house, she never had found a private soldier -among them. This was in keeping with the “taffy” -that was continually given the Texas soldiers as long -as we were in Tennessee.</p> - -<p>In the afternoon, bidding my brother farewell, I -left him, overtaking my command, as it had finished -crossing Duck River and was camped on the north -bank.</p> - -<p class="p2">Franklin is situated on the south bank of Big -Harpeth River, being fortified on the hills north of -the river overlooking the town. General Van Dorn -established his headquarters at Spring Hill, about -thirteen miles south of Franklin, on the Franklin -and Columbia turnpike. Brigadier-General W. H. -Jackson was assigned to duty as commander of a -division composed of Whitfield’s Texas brigade and -Frank C. Armstrong’s brigade. Many of the Texas -boys were very indignant, at first, that General Jackson, -a Tennessean, should be placed over them—so -much so that they hanged him in effigy. He was sensible -enough to pay no attention to this, but went on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span> -treating us so kindly and considerately that we all -learned to respect him and like him very much.</p> - -<p>Some time in the early part of this year, 1863, Colonels -J. W. Whitfield and Frank C. Armstrong were -appointed brigadier-generals. Near the end of -February, I think, John B. Long returned to us, and -reported the death of our captain, James A. Jones, -having remained with him until he died in Memphis, -after which J. B. made his escape. First Lieutenant -John Germany now being promoted to captain, -and Second Lieutenant W. H. Carr promoted to -first lieutenant, this left a vacancy in the officers, -which was filled by my election by the company as -second lieutenant. So I gave up my position with -the quartermaster and returned to the company, -quitting the most pleasant place I had ever had in -the army, for Captain E. P. Hill, our quartermaster, -was one of the best and most agreeable of men, my -duties were light, and my messmates and associates -at headquarters good, jolly fellows.</p> - -<p>Our duties in front of Franklin were quite active, -as we had several important roads leading southward -to guard, and frequent skirmishes occurred, as the -pickets usually stood in sight of each other on the -hills that were crossed by the turnpike roads, especially -on the main Columbian pike. In addition to the -Columbia pike, running directly south from Franklin, -there was Carter’s Creek pike, leading southwest, -and the Lewisburg pike, leading southeast. Still no -considerable fighting was done until the 4th day of -March, which culminated in the battle of Thompson -Station on the 5th. On the 4th, Colonel John Coburn -of the Thirty-third Indiana Volunteers was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span> -ordered out by General Gilbert, with a force of -nearly 3000 men, including infantry, cavalry, and -about six pieces of artillery, to proceed to Spring -Hill and ascertain what was there. About four miles -from Franklin they were met by a portion of General -Van Dorn’s command, and pretty heavy skirmishing -resulted, when both armies fell back and camped -for the night. Our forces retired to Thompson’s -Station, nine miles south of Franklin, and went into -camp south of a range of hills running across the -pike just south of the station. This is a very hilly -country, and the Nashville & Decatur Railroad runs -through a little valley between two ranges of hills, -and the station is in the valley a short distance west -of Columbia pike.</p> - -<p>On the morning of the 5th the enemy was found to -be advancing again, and leaving our horses behind -the hill, we crossed over to the north side, and near a -church just south of the station we were formed behind -a stone fence—that is, Whitfield’s brigade, other -troops to our right and left, our artillery being -posted to our right on the hill near the pike. The -enemy advanced to the range of hills north of the -station, on which was a cedar brake. From our position -back to the hill and cedar brake was an open -field with an upgrade about half a mile wide, the -station, with its few small buildings, standing in -between the lines, but much nearer to us. The -Federal artillery was posted, part on each side of -the pike, directly in front of ours, and the batteries -soon began playing on each other. Colonel Coburn, -not seeing our line of dismounted men behind the -stone fence, ordered two of his infantry regiments to -charge and take our batteries, and they came sweeping<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span> -across the field for that purpose. When they -came to within a short distance of our front, Whitfield’s -brigade leaped over the fence, and, joined by -the Third Arkansas, of Armstrong’s brigade, charged -them, and soon drove them back across the open -field, back to the hill and cedar brake, their starting -point. Here they rallied, and being re-enforced they -drove our forces back to the station and stone fence, -where, taking advantage of the houses and stone -fence, our forces rallied and, being joined by the remainder -of General Armstrong’s brigade, drove them -back again. This attack and repulse occurred three -successive times. In the meantime General Forrest, -with two regiments of his brigade, had been ordered -to move around to the right and gain their rear, and -as they retired to their hill and cedar brake the third -time, Forrest opened fire on their rear, and they -threw down their guns and surrendered—that is, -those that were still upon the field. Their artillery, -cavalry, and one regiment of infantry had already -left.</p> - -<p>The engagement lasted about five hours, say from -10 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span> to 3 <span class="smcap">P. M.</span> Our loss was 56 killed, 289 -wounded, and 12 missing; total, 357. The enemy’s -loss was 48 killed, 247 wounded, and 1151 captured; -total, 1446. Among the captured were seventy-five -officers, including Colonel Coburn, the commander, -and Major W. R. Shafter, of the Nineteenth Michigan, -who is now Major-General, and one of the -heroes of the Spanish-American war.<a name="FNanchor_3_3" id="FNanchor_3_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a></p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span></p> - -<p>Company C lost Beecher Donald, mortally -wounded. Among the killed of the Third Texas of -my acquaintances I remember Drew Polk (alias -“Redland Bully”), of Company E, and Sergeant -Moses Wyndham, a friend of mine, of Company A. -From the day of the Oak Hill battle up to this day -we had never been able to get T. Wiley Roberts into -even a skirmish, but to-day he was kept close in hand -and carried into the battle, but ran his ramrod -through his right hand and went to the rear as related -in this chronicle. Among the losses was Colonel -S. G. Earle, of the Third Arkansas, killed; and -my friend H. C. Cleaver, an officer in the same -regiment, was wounded. Rev. B. T. Crouch of -Mississippi, a chaplain, was killed while acting as -aide-de-camp to General Jackson. Captain Broocks, -brother of Lieutenant-Colonel John H. Broocks, was -also killed.</p> - -<p>The dwelling houses in the vicinity of Thompson’s -Station were situated in the surrounding hills overlooking -the battlefield, but out of danger, and from -these houses a number of ladies witnessed the battle. -When they saw the enemy being driven back they -would clap their hands and shout, but when our forces -were being driven back they would hide their eyes -and cry. Thus they were alternately shouting and -crying all day, until they saw nearly twelve hundred -of the enemy marched out and lined up as prisoners, -and then they were permanently happy.</p> - -<p>Here we lost the beautiful flag presented to us in -the Indian Territory, the staff being shot in two, -while in close proximity to the enemy. The bearer -picked it up, but as he had to make his escape through -a plum thicket the flag was torn into narrow ribbons -and left hanging on the bushes.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/ill-167.jpg" width="400" height="606" id="i150" - alt="" - title="" /> - <div class="caption"><p class="pc"><span class="smcap">Jesse W. Wynne</span></p> - <p class="cap1">Captain Company B, Third Texas Cavalry</p> -</div></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span></p> - -<p>General Van Dorn had four brigades under his -command at this time—Forrest’s brigade of four -regiments and a battalion, Martin’s brigade of two -regiments, Armstrong’s brigade of two regiments, -one battalion, and one squadron, and Whitfield’s -brigade of four Texas regiments. All these participated, -more or less, in the battle, but as Jackson’s -division was in the center the brunt of the battle fell -on them, as the losses will show. Whitfield lost 170 -men, Armstrong, 115, Forrest, 69, and Martin, 3.</p> - -<p>General Gordon Granger took command at Franklin -immediately after the battle of Thompson Station. -He and General Van Dorn were said to be classmates -at West Point, and good friends personally, but it -seemed that they made strenuous efforts to overreach -or to out-general each other.</p> - -<p>About March 8 another expedition was sent out -by the enemy apparently for the purpose of driving -us out of the neighborhood. Skirmishing began on -the Columbia and Lewisburg pikes, some three or four -miles south of Franklin, and was continued on the -Columbia road for about three days, until we fell -back across Rutherford Creek and took a strong position -behind a range of hills south of the creek, destroying -the bridges. In the meantime heavy rains -were falling, the creek rising so that General Granger’s -forces were delayed about two days in their -efforts to cross, and all that could be done was to -skirmish across the creek. Duck River, just behind -us, rose so high and ran so swift, that pontoon -bridges could not be maintained across it. A battle<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span> -could not be risked with only a small ferryboat in -such a stream. Still the skirmishing went on, until -the trains and artillery were ferried across, when, -leaving skirmishers on the hill to deceive the enemy, -we moved up the river through cedar brakes to -White’s bridge, twenty miles, crossed to the south -side of the river, and when the enemy crossed Rutherford -Creek they found no rebels in their front. We -moved down through Columbia, and five or six miles -down the Mount Pleasant turnpike and went into -camp.</p> - -<p>“Pony” Pillow’s wife had been kind enough to -knit me a pair of fine yarn gauntlets, and having -heard that we had crossed Duck River, she sent them -to me, by her husband, who came up soon after we -struck camp. While he was there I was ordered to -take a squad of men whose horses needed shoes, go -into the country and press one or two blacksmith -shops, and run them for the purpose of having a lot -of shoeing done. I got my men and went home with -Pillow, took charge of shops in the neighborhood, -and was kept on duty there about eight days, staying -with my old grand-cousin’s family every night. I -enjoyed this opportunity of talking with the old gentleman -very much, as he had known my maternal -grandparents when they were all children in Guilford -County, North Carolina, before the Revolutionary -War. He, himself, had been a soldier for eight years -of his life, and had been shot through the body with -a musket ball. In these war times he loved to talk -about his exploits as a soldier. While I was there he -mounted his horse and rode several miles through the -neighborhood, to the tanyard and the shoe shop, to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span> -procure leather and have a pair of boots made for his -grandson, who was in the army.</p> - -<p>The work of shoeing the horses having been completed, -and Duck River having subsided, we crossed -back to the north side again, taking up our old position -near Spring Hill, and resumed our picketing -and skirmishing with General Granger’s forces. It -is unnecessary, even if it were possible, to allude to -all these skirmishes. The picket post on Carter’s -Creek pike, eight miles from Franklin, was regarded -as important for some reason, and an entire regiment -from our brigade was kept there. One regiment for -one week and then another regiment for the next, -and were sent there with strict orders to have horses -saddled and everything in readiness for action at daybreak -in the morning. The Third Texas had been -on the post for a week, and was relieved by the Legion -under Lieutenant-Colonel Broocks. The Legion had -been there two or three days, and had grown a little -careless, as nothing unusual had ever happened to -any of the other regiments while on duty there. Just -at daybreak one morning in the latter part of April -Granger’s cavalry came charging in upon them and -completely surprised them in their camps, before they -were even up, and captured men, horses, mules, -wagons, cooking utensils—everything. Colonel -Broocks and some of his men made their escape, -some on foot and some on horseback, but more than -a hundred were captured, their wagons cut down and -burned, their cooking utensils broken up, and their -camp completely devastated. One of the escaped men -came at full speed to our camps, some three miles -away, and as quick as possible we were in our saddles<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span> -and galloping towards the scene of the disaster—but -we were too late. We galloped for miles over -the hills in an effort to overtake the enemy and recapture -our friends, but failed.</p> - -<p>We all felt a keen sympathy for Colonel Broocks -and his men, for no officer in the army would have -felt more mortification at such an occurrence than -the brave, gallant John H. Broocks. It was said -that he was so haunted by the sounds and scenes of -the capture of his regiment that he was almost like -one demented, and that for days and days afterwards -he would sit away off alone on some log, with -his head down, muttering, “Halt! you d——d rebel, -halt!”</p> - -<p>At one time during April General Van Dorn, with -a goodly number of his command, made a demonstration -upon Franklin, drove in all their outposts, and, -selecting the Twenty-eighth Mississippi Cavalry and -leading it himself, he charged into the heart of the -town.</p> - -<p>The night following the race we made after the -Broocks’ captors, my horse fell sick and became unfit -for service. In consequence I was ordered to send -him to the pasture in charge of the command, a few -miles below Columbia, and take command of “the -sick, lame, and lazy camp” on Rutherford Creek, a -temporary camp made up of slightly disabled men, -and men with disabled horses or without horses. I -was on duty here two weeks, with about as little to -do as could be imagined. It was while I was on duty -here that General Van Dorn’s death occurred at his -headquarters at Spring Hill. He was assassinated -by one Dr. Peters, who was actuated by an insane<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span> -jealousy. Dr. Peters was an elderly man, with a -pretty young wife; General Van Dorn was a gay, -dashing cavalier. Dr. Peters was in the general’s -office when he came in from breakfast, and asked the -general to sign a pass permitting him to pass through -the picket lines. As General Van Dorn was writing -his signature to the paper, Dr. Peters stood behind -him. When Van Dorn had given the last stroke with -the pen, the doctor shot him in the back of the head, -and, having his horse ready saddled, he mounted and -galloped up to our pickets, passed through, and made -his escape. As soon as the crime was known a number -of the general’s escort mounted their horses and -gave chase, but they were too late to stop the doctor.</p> - -<p>In a few days after this very sad occurrence General -Jackson’s division was ordered to Mississippi -by rapid marches, and about the middle of May we -reluctantly bade adieu to this beautiful, picturesque -middle Tennessee.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER XI</h2> - -<p class="pch">THE SURRENDER OF VICKSBURG</p> - -<p class="pcs">Moving Southward—I Lose My Horse—Meet Old Huntsville -Friends—A New Horse—In Mississippi—“Sneeze Weed”—Messenger’s -Ferry—Surrender of Vicksburg—Army Retires—Fighting -at Jackson—After Sherman’s Men—A Sick Horse—Black -Prince—“Tax in Kind”—Ross’ Brigade—Two Desertions.</p> - -<p class="pn"><span class="smcap">I now</span> disbanded my important command on Rutherford -Creek, and telling my men that every fellow -must take care of himself, I joined the movement towards -Mississippi. Leaving in the afternoon, we -camped on the north bank of Duck River opposite -Columbia. That night while walking into a deep -gully I sprained an ankle very badly. Next morning -my foot and ankle were so swollen I could not -wear my boot, so I exchanged it for an old rusty -brogan shoe found in an ambulance, and shipped all -my luggage in the ambulance. I made my way to -the pasture eight miles below, mounted my horse and -joined the command.</p> - -<p>Before reaching camp that night my horse was -taken with a peculiar lameness in one of his hind legs. -Next morning soon after starting he became lame -again, and grew rapidly worse, so much so that I -fell behind, being unable to keep up. Soon I had to -dismount and lead him, driving him and urging him -along in every possible way, spending the day in that -manner, and walking most of the time. In the afternoon<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span> -I saw that contingent called stragglers. One -man rode up and said to me, “Hello, Barron! you -are gone up for a horse. You’ll have to have another. -Have you got any money?” “Not much,” -I replied. Pulling out a one hundred dollar bill, he -said: “Here, take this; it will do you some good.” -During the afternoon another, and after a while still -another passed me, saying and doing precisely the -same thing. Crossing Elk River just before dark, -I stopped to spend the night at the first house on -the road. The next morning my horse was dead. I -had expected to trade him, but now I was completely -afoot, encumbered with my rigging, fifteen miles behind -the command, which had gone on the Athens, -Ala., road.</p> - -<p>After visiting the lot I went back to breakfast, -feeling that I was a good many miles from home, but -not particularly daunted. I had all the time believed -that a soldier who volunteered in the Confederate -army in good faith and was honestly doing his duty -would come out of all kinds of difficulties in good -shape. After breakfast I watched the road until -noon. At last a man of our brigade came along -leading a horse, and I inquired to whom he belonged. -“One of the boys that was sent to the hospital.” I -then explained to him my situation. “All right,” -said he, “you take this pony, find you a horse, and -leave the pony with the wagon train when you come -to it.” “The pony” was a shabby little long-haired -mustang with one hip bone knocked down, but I was -mounted for the time.</p> - -<p>It was now Saturday afternoon. I was only thirty -miles from Huntsville and might find a horse there,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span> -so it occurred to me, but I had no desire to go there -at this time. In the condition circumstances had -placed me, I only wished to procure a horse suitable -for my necessities and follow my command. I -mounted the mustang and took the Huntsville road, -inquiring for horses along the way. I stayed all -night at Madison Cross roads, and was not recognized -by the man at whose house I spent the night, -although I had been acquainted with him for several -years. I went out next morning, Sunday as it was, -and examined and priced one or two horses in the -neighborhood, but found I could not pay for one -even if I had fancied him, which I did not. So I -continued my course towards Huntsville, jogging -along very slowly on my borrowed horse, as the -weather was quite warm. When within two or three -miles of town I left the Pulaski road and turned in -through some byways to the residence of Mr. Tate -Lowry, a friend of mine who lived near the Meridianville -pike, a mile or two out of town. I rode up to -his place about noon, just as he had returned from -church. He extended me a very cordial welcome to -his house, which was only occupied by himself, his -good old mother, and little boy. We soon had a -good dinner. Out in the office I enjoyed a short -sleep, a bath, and began dressing myself, Mr. Lowry -coming in and placing his entire wardrobe at my -service. I was soon inside of a nice white shirt and -had a pair of brand new low-quartered calfskin shoes -on my feet. He then brought me a black broadcloth -frock coat, but there I drew the line. Having a neat -gray flannel overshirt, I donned that, buckled on my -belt and felt somewhat genteel. As there were to be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span> -religious services at the Cumberland church in the -afternoon, we agreed to go into town. We walked -in, however, as I had no disposition to show the mustang -to my friends in town, and when we arrived at -the church we found the congregation assembled and -services in progress. I went quietly in and seated -myself well back in the church, and when the services -ended everybody, male and female, came up to shake -hands, all glad to see me, among them my home folks, -Mrs. Powers (“Aunt Tullie”), and Miss Aggie -Scott, her niece. I accompanied them home, and met -Mr. W. H. Powers, with whom I had lived and worked -for several years, and who was my best friend. I -found it a delightful experience to be here after an -absence of more than three and half years. Of -course I explained to them why I was in Huntsville -and how I became lame. On Monday morning Mr. -Powers called me in the parlor alone, and said to me, -“Do you need any money?” “That depends,” I -said, “on the amount a horse is going to cost me.” -“Well,” he said, “if you need any, let me know, and -at any time that you need any money, and can communicate -with me, you can get all the Confederate -money you need.” During the day our L. H. Reed -came in from the command, bringing me a leave of -absence to answer my purpose while away from the -command.</p> - -<p>Here I met my friend (Rev. Lieutenant-Colonel W. -D. Chadick), who said to me upon learning my purpose -in this neighborhood: “I have a good horse I -bought very cheap, to give my old horse time to recover -from a wound. He is about well now, and as -I cannot keep two horses you can have him for what<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span> -he cost me.” “How much was that?” “Three -hundred dollars.” “All right,” said I, “the three -one hundred dollar bills are yours, and the horse is -mine.” This animal was a splendid sorrel, rather above -medium size, about seven years old, sound as a dollar, -and a horse of a good gaits. When I had gone forty -miles from Huntsville one thousand dollars of the -same currency would not have bought him. On -Tuesday I had him well shod, mounting him the next -morning, and while I was sorely tempted to remain -longer, I started for Mississippi. I really had a -very bad ankle, and could have called on an army surgeon -and procured an extension of my leave and -spent a few days more in this delightful way, but -hoping to be well enough to perform the duties that -came to my lot by the time I reached the command, -I pulled myself away.</p> - -<p>I went out and got the pony, left the borrowed -articles of clothing, and crossing Tennessee River at -Brown’s Ferry, I laid in corn enough before I left -the valley to carry me across the mountains where -forage was scarce. I strapped it on the pony and -made good time to Columbus, Miss. Here I was -detained several hours by Captain Rice, the post commander, -much against my will. He claimed that he -was ordered by General Jackson, in case he found -an officer in the rear of the command, to detain him -until he gathered up a lot of stragglers, who were -to be placed in charge of the officer, to be brought -up to the command. After worrying me several -hours, he turned me over a squad of men, and I -started out with them. As soon as I crossed the -Tombigbee River I turned them all loose, and told<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span> -them I hoped they would go to their commands; as -for me, I was going to mine, and I was not going -to allow a squad of men to detain me for an instant.</p> - -<p>I passed through Canton about dark one evening, -and learning what road the command was probably -on, having left my pony as per instructions, I rode -into our camp just at midnight. The next morning -we moved to Mechanicsburg, loaded, capped, and -formed fours, expecting to meet the enemy, which, -however, did not prove to be the case. I therefore -was able to be at my post by the time the first prospect -of a fight occurred.</p> - -<p>On my way down one day, I passed where the command -had camped on a small creek, and noticing several -dead mules I inquired into the cause, and was -told they were killed from eating “Sneeze weed,” a -poisonous plant that grows in middle and southern -Mississippi. I learned to identify it, and as we had -several horses killed by it afterwards, I was very -careful when we camped, to pull up every sprig of it -within reach of my horse.</p> - -<p>On the long march from Spring Hill, Tenn., to -Canton, Miss., Company C had the misfortune to -lose four men—Dunn, Putnum, and Scott deserted, -and McCain was mysteriously missing, and never -heard of by us again.</p> - -<p class="p2">General U. S. Grant had swung round with a large -army through Jackson, Miss., fought a battle with -General Pemberton at Raymond and another at -Baker’s Creek, Champion Hill, where General Pemberton -was driven back, having General Loring’s -division and twenty pieces of his artillery cut off.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span> -Pemberton was compelled to fall back across Big -Black River at Edward’s Depot into Vicksburg with -the remainder of his army, and General Grant had -thrown his army completely around Vicksburg on the -land side, and that city was besieged. We were sent -down here to hover around the besieging army, to -see that they “‘have deyselves, and keep off our -grass.” The large gunboats in the river, above and -below, with their heavy ordnance were bombarding -the city. These huge guns could be heard for many -miles away, from early morning until night. When -I first heard them I inquired the distance to Vicksburg, -and was told it was a hundred miles. During -the siege we had active service, driving in foraging -parties, picketing, scouting, and occasionally skirmishing -with the enemy.</p> - -<p>About the first of July we drove the enemy’s -pickets from Messenger’s Ferry, on Big Black River, -and held that crossing until the 5th. Vicksburg was -surrendered on the 4th, and on the evening of the 5th -our pickets were driven from the ferry by a large -force under General Sherman, who began crossing -the river and moving east. General Joseph E. -Johnston was in command of our army outside of -Vicksburg, and at the time the city was surrendered -he was down on Big Black, with his forces and a train -loaded with pontoons—everything indicating his intention -to attempt a cut through the enemy’s line -to relieve General Pemberton. As soon as the surrender -occurred General Johnston began falling back -towards Jackson, and we fought the advancing enemy -several days while he was making this retrogressive -movement. We fought them daily, from early in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span> -morning until late in the afternoon, holding them in -check, though some days they advanced several miles -and others only two or three, owing to the nature -of the ground and the more or less favorable position -afforded us. This detention gave General -Johnston time to move his trains and infantry back -at leisure and to get his army in position in front of -Jackson. Finally falling back to Jackson, we passed -through our infantry lines in front of the city and -took our position on the extreme right wing of our -army, beyond the northern suburbs of the city. -Jackson, it may be well to state, is located on the west -bank of Pearl River. General Sherman’s right wing -rested on Pearl River south of the city, and his lines -extended in a semicircle around the west of the city. -Here we fought more or less for about a week, with -some pretty severe engagements, directly in front -of the city. In passing through the northern portion -of the city to the position assigned to us we -passed the State Lunatic Asylum. After we formed -a line and everything was quiet, there being no enemy -in our front, Joe Guthery, of Company B, sauntered -out and reconnoitered a little and upon his return he -approached Captain Jesse Wynne and said: “Captain, -you ought to see General Johnston’s fortifications -down by the asylum. He’s got a great big -swiege gun planted there that demands the whole -country around.”</p> - -<p>One afternoon our works were assaulted by a -brigade of General Lauman’s division, who were almost -annihilated. For this move he was promptly -superseded, as it was claimed he acted without orders. -After some heavy fighting in front of the city I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span> -chanced to pass our field hospital where the surgeons -were at work, and just behind the hospital I looked -into an old barrel about the size of a potato barrel -and discovered it was nearly full of stumps of arms -and legs, bloody and maimed, just as they had fallen -under the knife and saw. This to me was so ghastly -a sight that I never remember it without a shudder.</p> - -<p>As we had heretofore been dismounting to fight, -I had not had an opportunity of trying my new horse -under fire until now. We had a long line of skirmishers -in extension of our line to the right in front -of us and three or four hundred yards from a line -of the enemy’s skirmishers. They were in the brush -not exposed to view, so a desultory fire was kept up -all along the line. I was sent up the line to deliver -some orders to our men, and as I had to ride up the -entire line and back, the enemy’s skirmishers soon -began firing at me, and kept it up until I made the -round trip, the minie balls constantly clipping the -bushes very near me and my horse. This completely -demoralized him, and he would jump as high and as -far as he possibly could every time he heard them. -Some horses seem to love a battle, while others are -almost unmanageable under fire. The first horse -I rode in the army was lazy and had to be spurred -along ordinarily, but when we were going into a -battle and the firing began he would champ the bits, -pull on the bridle, and want to move up.</p> - -<p>After some four days in front we were sent to the -rear of Sherman’s army, where we captured a few -wagons and ambulances and destroyed some cotton, -and upon returning encountered the enemy’s cavalry -at Canton. While we were on this enterprise General<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span> -Johnston had retired from Jackson and fallen -back to Brandon, and General Sherman, after a few -days, returned to Vicksburg. Our brigade now -moved out into Rankin County for a rest. Here -orders were issued for thirty-day furloughs to one -officer and three men of the company. As Lieutenant -Hood was away on sick leave, I proposed to Lieutenant -Carr that we would concede Captain Germany -the first leave. No, he would not do that; he was -as much entitled to it as Captain Germany. “All -right,” said I; “then we’ll draw for it, and I will be -sure to get it.” The drawing turned out as I had -prophesied, and I presented the furlough to Captain -Germany. The furloughs those days had a clause, -written in red ink, “provided he shall not enter the -enemy’s lines,” and that meant that in our case our -men should not go to Texas.</p> - -<p>In this “Siege of Jackson,” as General Sherman -called it (July 10-16, 1863), the enemy’s reported -losses in killed, wounded and missing numbered 1122. -I am unable to give our losses, but in the assaults -they made we lost very few men. General Sherman -had three army corps on this expedition.</p> - -<p>Our rest near Pelahatchie Depot was of short -duration, as we were soon ordered back to guard the -country near Vicksburg on the Big Black and Yazoo -Rivers, with headquarters at Bolton Station. During -Sherman’s occupation of Jackson he had -destroyed miles of railroad track, bridges, and -depots, and had also destroyed rolling stock, including -passenger cars, flat cars, and locomotives. Now -in August a force of their cavalry came out from -Memphis and undertook to steal all the rolling stock<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span> -on the Mississippi Central Railroad. They came -down about as far as Vaughan’s Station and gathered -up the rolling stock, including a number of first-class -locomotives, intending to run them into Memphis -or Grand Junction. We were sent after them -and had a lively race. As they were about twenty-four -hours ahead of us they would have succeeded, -doubtless, had not some one burned a bridge across -a small creek opposite Kosciusko. As may be imagined, -we gave them no time to repair the bridge. -We moved about a hundred miles in two days, with -no feed for men or horses except green corn from the -fields.</p> - -<p>Reaching Durant very late at night in a drenching -rain we were turned loose to hunt shelter in the dark -as best we could, and we had a great time getting -into vacant houses, under sheds, awnings, in stables -or any available place that we might save our ammunition. -At Old Shongolo, near Vaiden, the good -ladies had prepared a splendid picnic dinner for us, -but as we could not stop to partake of it they lined -up on each side of the column as we passed, with -waiters loaded with chicken, ham, biscuit, cake, pies, -and other tempting viands and the men helped themselves -as they passed, without halting.</p> - -<p>One evening we stopped just before night to feed, -for the horses were hot and tired, and our men -hungry and in need of sleep. The horses were -hastily attended to, that we might get some sleep, as -we were to remain here until midnight, then resume -the march. At starting time I found my horse -foundered. Groping my way through the darkness -to General Whitfield’s headquarters, I told him I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span> -could not go on, for my horse was foundered. “Old -Bob’s in the same fix,” he said. “Cross Big Black -River as soon as you can, and go back to the wagon -train, and tell that fellow that has got old Bob to -take good care of him.”</p> - -<p>As the command moved off I started in the opposite -direction. I had only gone a short distance -when I came up with Lieutenant Barkley of the -Legion, in the same sad condition. After daylight -we stopped to breakfast at a house on the road, then -crossed the Big Black, and, as our horses grew worse, -we made a short day’s travel and spent the night -with Mr. Fullylove, a generous old gentleman. Next -morning the horses traveled still worse. About 10 -<span class="smcap">A. M.</span> we came to the residence of Hon. Mr. Blunt, of -Attalah County, and decided that, with the permission -of the family, we would remain here until morning. -Consulting Mrs. Blunt, she said: “Mr. Blunt -is not at home. The only persons with me are my -daughter and a young lady visiting us; but if I -knew you were gentlemen I would not turn you off.” -We told her we were Texans, and claimed to be gentlemen—and -we remained there until the next morning. -After caring for our horses we were invited -into the parlor or sitting-room and introduced to -the young ladies. The visitor was Miss Hattie Savage, -who lived only a few miles away. Soon the usual -interrogatory was propounded. “Are you gentlemen -married?” Barclay answered: “Yes, I am -married. I have a wife and baby at home,” and exhibited -the little one’s picture. I told them I was not -so fortunate as to be married. Soon we had a good -dinner and spent quite a pleasant day. The next<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span> -morning, with many thanks for the generous hospitality -we had enjoyed, we said good-by to the three -ladies.</p> - -<p>I found that my horse’s condition grew constantly -worse, so that now he could scarcely get along at all. -After traveling about three miles we came to the -house of Mr. Leftwich Ayres, who proved to be a very -excellent man. Seeing the condition of our horses, -he invited us to remain with him until morning, which -we did. At this time and ever afterward I received -only kind and generous treatment from all the members -of this family, which consisted of Mr. Ayres, his -wife and her grown daughter, Miss Joe Andrews. A -Mr. Richburg owned and operated a tanyard and -boot shop near the Ayres place. I visited his shop -and left my measure for a pair of boots, and found -Mr. Richburg to be a most excellent man. He made -me several pairs of boots afterwards. Next morning -Mr. Ayres said to me: “Your horse cannot -travel. Old Arkansaw is the only horse I have; take -him and ride him, and I will take care of your horse -until he is well.” I accepted the proposition, and -Barclay and myself returned to our commands.</p> - -<p>General Whitfield followed the Federals to Duck -Hill, near Grenada, without overtaking them, and -returned to Canton, and to Big Black and Yazoo -Rivers.</p> - -<p>When I supposed from the lapse of time that my -horse had recovered, I obtained permission and went -after him. Reaching Mr. Ayres’ home about ten -o’clock one morning, he met me at the gate and told -me that my horse was about well, that he had just -turned him out for the first time to graze. I immediately<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span> -felt uneasy, and being anxious to see him -we walked around his inclosure and soon found him; -but as soon as I came near him I saw the effects of -the deadly sneeze weed, and in spite of all we could -do for him in a few hours he was dead. Mr. Ayres -was very much grieved and said, “I would not have -had your horse die at my house under the circumstances -for a thousand dollars. There’s old Arkansaw; -take him and make the best you can of him—ride -him, trade him off, or anything.” I therefore -returned to the command on Old Arkansaw, a pretty -good old one-eyed horse.</p> - -<p>It is not possible now to remember all the movements -made by us during the next two or three -months, the number of foraging parties we drove -back or the number of skirmishes with the enemy. -As I have said I returned to the command mounted -on Old Arkansaw, but did not keep him long, as I -traded him for a pony, and traded the pony for a -mule, a splendid young mule, good under the saddle, -but not the kind of a mount I desired. Awaiting for -a favorable time, I obtained leave to go to Huntsville, -where I could obtain money to buy another horse. -I soon made the distance over the long road at the -rate of forty miles per day on my mule. Passing -through Tuscaloosa one morning, after a travel of -thirty-two miles, I put up with Mr. Moses McMath, -father-in-law of General Joseph L. Hogg. Here -I found General L. P. Walker, our first Secretary -of War, who had started to Huntsville. We -traveled together as far as Blountsville, he relating -to me many interesting facts about the early days of -the Confederate army, and here we learned that a division<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span> -of Federal cavalry was then in Madison -County.</p> - -<p>At Warrenton, in Marshall County, I met Hop -Beard, son of Arthur Beard, who had lost one of his -hands in Forrest’s cavalry, and had a horse which -he was now willing to sell. From Warrenton I went -to Lewis’ Ferry on Tennessee River, fifteen miles below -Huntsville. Here I found my half-brother, J. J. -Ashworth. Crossing the river at this place I went -up on the Triana road as far as William Matkin’s, -about seven miles from Huntsville. Here I found -Miss Aggie Scott, of the household of my friend, W. -H. Powers, and was advised that it was unsafe to go -to town. I therefore sent a message to Mr. Powers -by Dr. Leftwich, who lived in the neighborhood, and -he brought me seven hundred dollars. With this I -returned to Warrenton and purchased a splendid -black horse of Mr. Beard, really the best horse for -the service that I had owned. I called him Black -Prince. With the horse and mule I returned to -Mississippi. I had met several Huntsville people at -Warrenton, among them my friend Tate Lowry. He -insisted that when I got back to Noxubee County, -Mississippi, that I stop and rest at his plantation. -I reached there about ten o’clock one rainy day, and -remained there until next morning. I found his -overseer a clever, agreeable man, and the plantation -a very valuable property, and was shown the fine -stock and everything of interest on the place. Noticing -a long row of very high rail pens filled with -corn, I remarked on the fine crop of corn he had -made. “Oh,” said he, “that is only the tax in kind -where I throw every tenth load for the Government.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span>” -And that was really only one-tenth of his crop! Our -government claimed one-tenth of all produce, which -was called “tax in kind.”</p> - -<p>As I passed through Macon I was offered five -hundred dollars for my mule, but I had determined to -carry it back and give it to Mr. Ayres in place of -Old Arkansaw. I rode up to Mr. Ayres’ house about -three o’clock in the afternoon, presented him with the -mule, and remained there until morning. While -there Mrs. Ayres gave me enough of the prettiest -gray jeans I ever saw, spun and woven by her own -hands, to make a suit of clothes. I sent to Mobile -and paid eighty-five dollars for trimming, such as -buttons, gold lace, etc., and had a tailor make me -a uniform of which I justly felt proud.</p> - -<p>In September, perhaps it was, General Whitfield, -on account of failing health, was transferred to the -trans-Mississippi department, and the Rev. R. W. -Thompson, the Legion’s brave chaplain, also left us -and recrossed the Mississippi. The brigade was -commanded alternately by Colonel H. P. Mabry, of -the Third Texas, and Colonel D. W. Jones, of the -Ninth, until Colonel L. S. Ross, of the Sixth Texas, -was appointed brigadier-general and took permanent -command of us, and the brigade was ever after known -as Ross’ Brigade. Colonel Mabry was given command -of a Mississippi brigade and sent down on the -river below Vicksburg.</p> - -<p>Early in December we attempted to capture a -foraging party that came out from Vicksburg. -Starting early in the night, Colonel Jones was sent -with the Ninth Texas around to intercept them by -coming into the road they were on near the outside<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span> -breastworks. The command moved slowly until -morning, when coming near the enemy we gave chase, -galloping ten miles close at their heels. When they -passed the point Colonel Jones was trying to reach -he was in sight. We ran them through the outer -breastworks and heard their drums beat the long -roll. When we turned about to retire two of our -men, Milligan and Roberts, fell back and entered the -enemy’s breastworks and surrendered.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER XII</h2> - -<p class="pch">BATTLE AT YAZOO CITY</p> - -<p class="pcs">Midwinter—Through the Swamps—Gunboat Patrols—Crossing -the Mississippi—Through the Ice—Ferrying Guns—Hardships—Engagement -at Yazoo City—Harrying Sherman—Under -Suspicion—A Practical Joke—Battle at Yazoo City—Casualties—A -Social Call—Eastwood—Drowning Accident—A -Military Survey.</p> - -<p class="pn"><span class="smcap">The</span> early days of January, 1864, found us floundering -through the swamps in an effort to deliver to -the trans-Mississippi department a lot of small arms, -rifles, and bayonets. General Stephen D. Lee, commander -of the cavalry in our department, wrote General -Ross that there had been two or three unsuccessful -efforts to put two thousand stands of arms -across the Mississippi, and asking whether he thought -his command could put them over. General Ross -replied, “We will try.” So the brigade started with -several wagons loaded with the arms and a battery -of four pieces. This January proved to be the coldest -month of the war, and for downright acute suffering -from exposure and privation probably no -month of our campaigning equalled this.</p> - -<p>We crossed Yazoo River at Murdock’s ferry, and -pretty soon were in Sunflower Swamp, about eight -miles across. A slow rain was falling and the weather -very threatening. With all the teams we had and -all the oxen that could be procured in the vicinity, -an all-day’s job, we reached Sunflower with one lone<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span> -piece of artillery, every other wheeled vehicle being -hopelessly bogged down in the swamp from two to -five miles in our rear. While the command was crossing -the river a blizzard swooped down upon us. By -the time we reached a camp two miles beyond, icicles -were hanging from our horses, and everything we -possessed that was damp was freezing. The cold -continued to increase, next morning everything was -frozen stiff, and it would have been possible to skate -on the ponds near the camps. In this state of affairs -General Ross said to us: “What shall we do, give -up the expedition or take these guns on our horses -and carry them through?” The boys said: “Carry -them through.” We mounted and rode back to the -river, left the horses on the bank and crossed in a -ferryboat, where ensued a grand race for the wagons -across the rough, frozen ground and ice, for on a -fellow’s speed depended the distance he would have to -go for the load of guns he was to carry back to the -horses. Warren Higginbothom, an athletic messmate -of mine, passed me, and I asked him to save me some -guns at the first wagon, which he did, and I returned -to camp with other fortunate ones; but some of them -were late in the night returning. So we remained -in the same camp for another night. Many of the -men were thinly clad and poorly shod for such a -trip in the bitter cold weather, I myself being clad -in a thin homespun gray jean jacket, without an -overcoat; and having hung my gloves before the -fire to dry and gotten them burned to a crisp, I -was barehanded as well.</p> - -<p>The next morning every man, including General -Ross himself, took his quota of the guns, usually<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span> -four apiece, and started to Gaines’ ferry, on the -Mississippi, about fifty miles distant. Passing -through Bogue Folio Swamp about seven miles, crossing -the stream of that name and passing through the -Deer Creek country, the garden spot of Mississippi, -we came to within about three miles of the river and -camped in a dry cypress swamp. As the river was -closely patrolled by gunboats our aim was to cross -the guns over at night. As no craft that a man -could cross the river in was allowed to remain in -the river, we found a small flatboat and dragged it -with oxen over the frozen ground to the river, -walking with loads of guns to meet it. The river -here was running south and the cold north wind was -coming down stream in almost a gale. The water -was low and we approached it on a wide sandbar. -Having slid the boat into the water, John B. Long, -Nathan Gregg, of Company A, Si James, the Choctaw, -and one other of the command volunteered to -row it over. After it was well loaded with guns the -boat was pushed off, but the strong wind drifted -them down the river some distance, and, returning, -they drifted down still farther, so that it was nine -o’clock next morning when they returned to camp, -with their clothes from their waists down covered -with a sheet of ice so thick that they could not sit -down. The first gunboat that passed destroyed the -little flat. We then built another small boat, but -before we could get it ready for use all the eddy -portion of the river near the bank was frozen over -and the current a mass of floating ice, so that it was -impossible to cross in such a craft at night. Procuring -two skiffs in addition to the boat, we crossed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span> -the remainder of the guns over in daylight, pushing -through the floating ice with poles, the guns being -delivered to Colonel Harrison’s command on the west -bank of the river. For the days and nights we were -engaged in crossing these guns we lived on fresh -pork found in the woods, eating this without salt, -and a little corn parched in the ashes of our fires. -The weather continued to grow colder, until the ice -was four inches thick on the ponds. The guns being -disposed of, the piece of artillery was run down -to the bank of the river, when soon a small transport -came steaming up the river. It was given one or -two shots, when it blew a signal of distress and -steamed to the opposite shore and landed, and was -soon towed off by a large boat going up the river. -With some of our men barefooted and many of -them more or less frost-bitten we returned to Deer -Creek, where we could get rations and forage. As -for forage there were thousands of acres of fine corn -ungathered, and we only had to go into the fields -and gather what we wanted. The Federals had carried -off the able-bodied negroes, and the corn was -still in the fields, and along the creek and through -the farms there were thousands and thousands of -wild ducks. I am sure I saw more ducks at one -glance than I had seen all my life before. We retraced -our steps through the swamps and the canebrakes -and recrossed the Yazoo River in time to -meet a fleet of twelve transports, loaded with white -and black troops, escorted by two gunboats, ascending -that river, evidently making for Yazoo City.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/ill-195.jpg" width="400" height="568" id="i176" - alt="" - title="" /> - <div class="caption"><p class="pc"><span class="smcap">Captain H. L. Taylor</span></p> - <p class="cap1">Commander Ross’ Brigade Scouts</p> -</div></div> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[177]</a></span></p> - -<p>The Third Texas was sent out to meet a detachment -of the enemy moving up the Mechanicsburg and -Yazoo City road, and drove them back towards Vicksburg, -the rest of the brigade, in the meantime, fighting -the river force at Satartia and Liverpool. The -Third rejoined the brigade at Liverpool, but being -unable to prevent the passage of the enemy, we moved -rapidly up the river and beat them to Yazoo City. -Placing our artillery in some earthworks thrown up -by Confederates in the early part of the war, we -formed a line of riflemen down at the water’s edge. -The fleet soon came steaming up the river, and when -the front gunboat came opposite to us the battery -began playing upon it, while the rifles kept their -portholes closed so that they could not reply. It -was not long before they abandoned the effort to -land, dropped back and were soon out of sight down -the river. Later in the day, from the smoke, we -could see that they were steaming up Sunflower -River, west of us.</p> - -<p>When the people of Yazoo City saw that we had -saved their town from occupation by negro troops, -their gratitude knew no bounds, and this gratitude -was shown practically by as great a hospitality as -was ever extended by any people to a command of -Confederate soldiers. In the evening a squadron, including -Company C, was left on picket below the -city for the night, at the point occupied during the -day, while the command moved out on the Benton -road to camp. To the pickets during the evening the -citizens sent out cooked provisions of the nicest and -most substantial character, sufficient to have lasted -them for a week.</p> - -<p>The next morning the brigade returned and as -everything remained quiet, with no prospect of an<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[178]</a></span> -early return of the enemy’s fleet, I rode uptown to -take a view of the city. Numbers of others had done -the same, and as the hour of noon approached we -began to get invitations to dinner. Meeting a little -white boy, he would accost you thus: “Mr. Soldier, -Mamma says come and eat dinner with her.” Next -a little negro boy would run up and say: “Mr. -Soldier, Mistis say come and eat dinner with her.” -And this manner of invitation was met on every -corner, and between the corners. I finally accepted -an invitation to dine with the family of Congressman -Barksdale.</p> - -<p>We were not allowed to enjoy the hospitality of -this grateful city long on this visit, as General Sherman, -who had planned a march to the sea, moved -eastwardly out from Vicksburg, with a formidable -force of infantry and artillery, and we were ordered -to follow him. This we did, and kept his infantry -closed up and his men from straggling. His cavalry, -moving out from Memphis, was to form a junction -with his main force at Meridian. Reaching that -place, he halted, and we camped in the pine wood -three or four miles north of the town. General Forrest -was between us and the enemy’s cavalry, and our -object was to prevent a junction, thus defeating the -purpose of the expedition, and if Forrest was unable -to drive the cavalry back we were to go to his -assistance—that is, Jackson’s division was to do this.</p> - -<p>One very cold, cloudy evening near sundown I was -ordered to report to General Ross, mounted. When -I reached headquarters I received verbal orders to -proceed to Macon with the least possible delay, -take charge of some couriers already there, use<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span> -the telegraph, ascertain General Forrest’s movements, -and report from time to time by courier. The distance -to Macon was, say, forty-five or fifty miles, -and the way led mainly through forests, with a few -houses on the road. Clad in my gray jean jacket, -without overcoat or gloves, but well mounted and -armed, I started, alone. Soon after dark a light snow -began to fall and continued all night. About midnight -I reached DeKalb, the county seat of Kemper -County, where I spent half an hour in an effort to -rouse somebody who could put me on the road to -Macon. At daylight I was several miles from my -destination. Stopping at a house for breakfast I -lay down before the fire and slept while it was being -prepared, and after breakfast finished my -journey.</p> - -<p>Approaching Macon from the south I crossed -Noxubee River, spanned by a splendid covered bridge, -and noticed that it was so filled with tinder that it -easily might be fired if the Federal troops should -come in sight. As I rode into the town and halted -to make some inquiries, quite a number of citizens -gathered around me to learn who I was, and ask -for the news. One sympathetic old gentleman, seeing -that my hands were bare and cold, stepped up -and presented me with a pair of gloves. I found -that the citizens were scared and excited, as they -were situated between Sherman and his cavalry. I -endeavored to allay their uneasiness, and advised -them not to burn the bridge, even if the enemy -should appear, as that would only cause a temporary -delay, and would be a serious loss to the town and -country. From this they concluded I was a spy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span> -in the interest of the enemy, as I learned later, -and for a day or two my every movement was closely -watched.</p> - -<p>I now put up my horse, found my couriers, repaired -to the telegraph office, and informed the operator -of my instructions. I spent most of the time -in the telegraph office, when late at night the operator -told me of the suspicion that I was a spy, and -that he had cleared it up by asking General Jackson -over the wires who I was. After this, while on -this duty, I was treated with great kindness.</p> - -<p>General Jackson now moved up to re-enforce General -Forrest, and I rejoined the command as it -passed Macon. We moved up as far as Starkville, -but, learning that the enemy’s cavalry had been -driven back, we returned to the vicinity of Meridian. -As was expected, General Sherman began falling -back towards Vicksburg, we following him. Arriving -at Canton, Sherman, taking an escort, returned -to Vicksburg, leaving his army to follow in command -of General MacPherson. Under his command the -Federal army moved without straggling and without -further depredations. We learned from this improved -condition of army discipline to respect MacPherson, -and regretted to learn of his being killed -in battle in front of Atlanta in July.</p> - -<p>It was as the enemy returned on this trip that -a battalion of Federal cavalry passed through Kosciusko, -and their commander played a practical joke -on the Union merchants there. These merchants, -when they learned the Federals were coming, closed -their doors and met them in the outskirts of town, -and were loud in their assertions of loyalty to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span> -Union. The officer asked them if they had done -anything for the Union they loved so much. “No,” -said they, “we have had no opportunity of doing -anything, being surrounded by rebels as we are.” -“Well,” said the officer, “we’ll see. Maybe I can -give you a chance to do a little something for the -Union.” Moving on uptown he found the rebels -with open doors, and, in riding round, he would -ask them why they had not closed up. They answered -that they were so-called rebels, and were at -the mercy of him and his men, and if their houses -were to be plundered they did not wish the doors -broken, and so they would offer no resistance. He -placed guards in all the open doors, with instructions -to permit no one to enter; then turning to his -men, he told them if they could find anything they -wanted in the houses that were closed, to help themselves, -which they did. And thus an opportunity -was given the “loyal” proprietors to do something -for the Union.</p> - -<p>Ross’ brigade returned to Benton on the 28th of -February, and was in the act of going into camps -at Ponds, four miles down the plank road towards -Yazoo City, when a squadron of negro cavalry from -the city came in sight. General Ross ordered detachments -of the Sixth and Ninth Texas to charge -them. The negroes after the first fire broke in disorder -and ran for dear life. The negro troops, a -short time previous to this, had caught and murdered -two of the Sixth Texas, and as these fellows -were generally mounted on mules very few of them -got back inside the breastworks, these few being -mostly the white officers, who were better mounted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span> -than the negroes. Among the killed along the road -was found a negro that belonged to Charley Butts, -of Company B, he having run away to join the First -Mississippi Colored Cavalry.</p> - -<p>On the evening of March 4 Brigadier-General -Richardson, with his brigade of West Tennessee -Cavalry, joined General Ross for the purpose -of assisting in driving the enemy from Yazoo City, -which is situated on the east bank of Yazoo River. -The city with its surroundings was occupied by a -force of about 2000 white and negro troops, commanded -by Colonel James H. Coats, supported by -three gunboats. About eight o’clock on the morning -of March 5, 1864, the city was attacked by -Ross’ and Richardson’s brigades, Brigadier-General -L. S. Ross in command. Our fighting strength was -about 1300 men, with two or three batteries; but -as we dismounted to fight, taking out the horse-holders, -every fourth man, this would reduce our -fighting strength to about 1000 men. The enemy -had the advantage of several redoubts and rifle-pits, -the main central redoubt being situated on the -plank road leading from Benton to Yazoo City. -We fought them nearly all day, and at times the -fighting was terrific. With the Third Texas in advance -we drove in their pickets and took possession -of all the redoubts but the larger central one. This -one was in command of Major George C. McKee, -of the Eleventh Illinois Regiment with nine companies: -about four companies of the Eighth Louisiana -negro regiment; Major Cook, with part of his -First Mississippi negro cavalry, the same that had -murdered the two Sixth Texas men; and one piece<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span> -of artillery. The Third and Ninth Texas and Fourteenth -Tennessee cavalry found themselves confronting -this redoubt. Two of our batteries were placed -so as to obtain an enfilading fire at easy range, and -threw many shells into the redoubt, but failed to -drive the enemy out. In the meantime General Richardson, -with the rest of his brigade, the Sixth Texas -and the Legion, drove the remainder of the enemy’s -forces entirely through the city to the protection -of their gunboats, and gained possession of the entire -place except one or two brick warehouses near -the bank of the river, behind which their troops -had huddled near the gunboats. The Sixth Texas -and Legion took position on the plank road in rear -of the large redoubt, and thus at four o’clock in -the afternoon we had it entirely surrounded, we -being in front some 150 yards distant. At this -juncture General Ross sent Major McKee a flag of -truce and demanded an unconditional surrender. The -firing ceased and the matter was parleyed over for -some time. The first message was verbal, and Major -McKee declined to receive it unless it was in writing. -It was then sent in writing, and from the movements -we could see, we thought they were preparing to -surrender. But they refused, owing perhaps to the -fact that General Ross declined to recognize the -negro troops as soldiers; and how they would have -fared at the hands of an incensed brigade of Texas -troops after they had murdered two of our men -in cold blood was not pleasant to contemplate. As -for the negro troops,—well, for some time the -fighting was under the black flag—no quarter being -asked or given. Retaliation is one of the horrors<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span> -of war, when the innocent are often sacrificed for -the inhuman crimes of the mean and bloodthirsty.</p> - -<p>The parley in reference to surrendering being at -an end, little more firing was indulged in, as both -parties seemed to have grown tired of shooting at -each other. The troops were under the impression -that we were to assault the redoubt, but instead of -doing so we quietly retired just before nightfall, and -returned to our camp on the Benton road. This -was explained by General Ross in his report in this -way: “To have taken the place by assault would -have cost us the loss of many men, more, we concluded, -than the good that would result from the capture -of the enemy would justify.” Our loss in this -engagement was: Ross’ brigade, 3 killed and 24 -wounded; Richardson’s brigade, 2 killed and 27 -wounded; total, 56. The enemy reported: 31 -killed, 121 wounded, and 31 missing; total, 183.</p> - -<p>Among our severely wounded was John B. Long, -of Company C. Early in the day, ten o’clock perhaps, -he was shot down on the skirmish line and -was carried off the field and the word came down -the line: “John B. Long is killed.—John B. Long -is killed.” This was heard with many regrets, as -he was a favorite soldier in the command. This report -was regarded as true by all of us at the front, -until we returned to our camp. The next morning -I found him in Benton, wounded in the head; unconscious, -but not dead, and he is not dead to this day -(August, 1899). The next morning all the enemy’s -forces left Yazoo City, and again Ross’ brigade was -regarded as an aggregation of great heroes by these -good people.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span></p> - -<p>One morning while we were camped in this neighborhood, -one of the boys came to me with an invitation -to visit a lady residing between our camps -and Benton. She wished to see me because I had -lived in Huntsville, Ala. When I called I found -Mrs. Walker, daughter-in-law of General L. P. -Walker, of Huntsville. She was a beautiful young -woman, bright, educated and refined, easy and self-possessed -in manner, and a great talker. She lived -with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Simpson, her husband -being in the army. Mrs. Walker was an enthusiastic -friend of the brigade, and would not admit -that they had ever done anything wrong, and -contended that, inasmuch as they had defended the -city and county so gallantly, anything they needed -or wanted belonged to them, and the taking it without -leave was not theft. And this was the sentiment -of many of these people.</p> - -<p>For the remaining days of March we occupied -practically the same territory we had been guarding -from the fall of Vicksburg. On or about the last of -March General Ross sent Colonel Dudley W. Jones, -in command of the Third and Ninth Texas regiments, -to attack the outpost of the force at Snyder’s -Bluff, destroy Yankee plantations, etc., etc. I did -not accompany this expedition, I am sure, as I have -no recollection of being with it; nor do I now remember -why I did not do so. The Yankee plantations -alluded to were farms that had been taken -possession of by Northern adventurers, and were -being worked under the shadow of the Federal army -by slaves belonging to the citizens. Cotton being -high, they expected to avail themselves of confiscated<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span> -plantations and slaves to make fortunes raising cotton. -Colonel Jones captured and destroyed at least -one such plantation, captured one hundred mules, -some negroes, and also burned their quarters.</p> - -<p>Early in April we started east, with the ultimate -purpose of joining General Joseph E. Johnston’s -forces in Georgia, moving by easy marches. There -was some dissatisfaction among the men on account -of heading our column toward the rising sun, as -they had been promised furloughs on the first opportunity, -and this looked like an indefinite postponement -of the promised boon. Arriving at Columbus, -Miss., we rested, and here Lieutenant-General -Leonidas Polk, then commanding the department, -made a speech to the brigade, alluding to the fact -that they had been promised furloughs, postponed -from time to time, and assured us that as soon as -the present emergency ended Ross’ brigade should -be furloughed. He assured the men that he had the -utmost confidence in their bravery and patriotism, -and though it had been hinted to him, he said, that if -he allowed these Texans to cross the Mississippi -River they would never return, he entertained no -such opinion of them.</p> - -<p>We now moved from Columbus to Tuscaloosa, -Ala., the former capital of that grand old State. -The good people of this beautiful little city on the -banks of the Black Warrior had never before seen -an organized command of soldiers, except the volunteer -companies that had been organized here and -left the city and vicinity, and their terror and apprehensions -when they learned that a brigade of -Texans had arrived was amusing. They would not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span> -have been in the least surprised if we had looted the -town in twenty-four hours after reaching it. As -we remained here several days, and went in and out -of the city in a quiet orderly manner, they soon -got over their fears. There were numbers of refugees -here from Huntsville, Florence, and other north -Alabama towns, and some of us found acquaintances, -especially General Ross and his adjutant-general, -Davis R. Gurley, who had been in college at Florence. -During our stay the ladies gave several nice -parties for the benefit of the brigade. While we were -here a great many fish were being caught in a trap -above the city, and the men would sometimes go at -night in skiffs up to the trap and get the fish. On -one occasion Lieutenant Cavin, Harvey Gregg, and -a man named Gray, of Company A, went up, and -getting their boat into a whirlpool, it was capsized -and the men thrown out into the cold water, with -overcoats and pistols on. Gregg and Gray were -drowned and Cavin was barely able to get out alive.</p> - -<p>After several days we moved some miles south of -the city, where forage was more convenient. In the -meantime General Loring, with his division, had come -on from Mississippi. Receiving an invitation through -Captain Gurley to attend a party given by a Florence -lady to him and General Ross, I went up and -spent two or three days in the city. While there I -visited my friends in Loring’s division, and also -visited the State Lunatic Asylum, where I found in -one of the inmates, Button Robinson, of Huntsville, -a boy I had known for years. I also attended a -drill of the cadets at the university. Friends of -the two young men that were drowned had been<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span> -here dragging the river for their bodies for some -days, and finally they got one of General Loring’s -batteries to fire blank cartridges into the water, and -their bodies rose to the surface, when they were taken -out and buried.</p> - -<p>The mountainous country lying north of Tuscaloosa -and south of the Tennessee valley was at this -time infested with Tories, deserters, “bushwhackers,” -and all manner of bad characters, and it was reported -that the Tories in Marion County were in open resistance. -So on the morning of the 19th of April -Colonel D. W. Jones, of the Ninth, was sent with -detachments of the Sixth and Ninth Texas and a -squadron from the Third, under Captain Lee, -amounting in all to about 300 men, up into that -county to operate against these Tories. On the -same morning I was ordered to take fifteen men of -Company C and accompany Lieutenant De Sauls, -of the Engineers’ Corps, from Tuscaloosa, up the -Byler road to Decatur, on the Tennessee River, and -return by way of the old Robertson road, leading -through Moulton and Jasper to the starting point, -for the purpose of tracing out those roads to complete -a military map then in preparation. Applying -to the quartermaster and commissary for subsistence -for my men and horses, I was instructed to collect -“tax in kind.” We moved out in advance of Colonel -Jones’ command. Our duties on this expedition necessitated -our stopping at every house on the road -to obtain the numbers of the lands,—that is, the -section, township, and the range,—ascertain the -quarter section on which the house stood, learn the -names of all creeks, note all cross roads, etc., etc.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[189]</a></span> -I subsisted the men and horses on tax in kind, which -I had to explain to the poor people in the mountains, -as they had never heard of the law. There was not -much produced in this country, and there were so -many lawless characters in the mountains that the -tax collectors were afraid to attempt to collect -the impost. The people offered me no resistance, -however, and to make the burden as light as possible -I would collect a little from one and a little from -another. I had the horses guarded every night, -but really had no trouble. I met with one misfortune, -much deplored by me, and that was the killing of -James Ivey by Luther Grimes, but under circumstances -that attached no blame to Grimes in the -eyes of those who saw the occurrence, as Ivey made -the attack and shot Grimes first, inflicting a scalp -wound on the top of his head. I reported the facts -when I reached the command, and there was never -any investigation ordered.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[190]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER XIII</h2> - -<p class="pch">UNDER FIRE FOR ONE HUNDRED DAYS</p> - -<p class="pcs">Corduroy Breeches—Desolate Country—Conscript Headquarters—An -“Arrest”—Rome, Ga.—Under Fire for One -Hundred Days—Big and Little Kenesaw—Lost Mountain—Rain, -Rain, Rain—Hazardous Scouting—Green Troops—Shelled—Truce—Atlanta—Death -of General MacPherson—Ezra -Church—McCook’s Retreat—Battle Near Newnan—Results.</p> - - -<p class="pn"><span class="smcap">We</span> reached General Roddy’s headquarters near Decatur, -on Saturday, and rested until Monday noon. -Starting back we passed through Moulton, were -caught in a cold rain, sheltered our horses under a -gin-shed, and slept in the cotton seed without forage -or rations. Next morning I instructed the men to -find breakfast for themselves and horses, and meet -me at Mr. Walker’s, down on the road. Taking DeSauls -and one or two others, I went on to Mr. -Walker’s, a well-to-do man, who owned a mill, where -I hoped to get breakfast and some rations and forage -to carry us across the mountain. Arriving at Walker’s, -he came out to the gate and I asked him first -about forage and rations to take with us, and he said -we could get them. Leaving DeSauls to question -him about his land, I sought the lady of the house -to arrange for breakfast. I found her very willing -to feed us, as we were from eastern Texas, and knew -of her father, who lived in Rusk County. Now DeSauls -was a resident of New Orleans, was dressed in -a Confederate gray jacket and cap, and wore a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span> -pair of corduroy trousers. Soon after the lady left -the front room to have breakfast prepared, DeSauls -came in with a fearful frown on his face and -said to me: “Barron, don’t you think that d——d -old scoundrel called me a Yankee?” “Oh,” said I, -“I guess he was joking.” Just at this time Mr. -Walker came up, looking about as mad as DeSauls, -and said, “No, I am not joking. I believe you are -<i>all</i> Yankees; look at them corduroy breeches! There -hasn’t been a piece of corduroy in the South since -the war began, without a Yankee wore it.” I treated -the matter as a joke at first, until finding that the -old gentleman was in dead earnest, I undertook to -convince him that he was wrong, but found it no -easy matter. Finally I asked him the distance to -Huntsville? Forty miles. Then through my familiarity -with the people and country in and around Huntsville -I satisfied him that he was wrong, and then we -were treated kindly by him and his family.</p> - -<p>After leaving Tennessee valley we passed through -the most desolate country I ever saw. For more than -a day’s march I found but one or two houses inhabited, -and passing through the county seat of Winston -County I was unable to find any person to -tell me the road to Jasper. Arriving at Tuscaloosa -I learned that Colonel Jones had returned and that -the brigade had gone to Georgia, and I followed it, -passing through Elyton, Blountsville, Talledega, and -Blue Mountain. Camping one night at Blountsville, -I met my friend Bluford M. Faris, formerly of -Huntsville. Arriving at Talledega, I determined to -spend one day, Saturday, there in order to have some -shoeing done. This was conscript headquarters for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[192]</a></span> -a large area of country, with a major commanding, -and there was post-quartermaster, commissary, a -provost marshal, and all the pomp and circumstance -of a military post. I thought at one time I would -have some trouble, but fortunately I came out all -right.</p> - -<p>In the first place I camped in a grove of timber -convenient to water, but soon received a message -from the commander that I had camped near his -residence, and would I move somewhere else? He did -not want men to depredate upon his premises. I -replied that I would make good every depredation -my men committed, and that it was not convenient -for me to move. I was busy for some time in procuring -rations, forage, and an order for horseshoeing, -and about the time I had these matters arranged -I got a message requesting me to come to -the provost marshal’s office. On my way I saw my -men out in line of battle near the court-house, with -guns loaded and capped. Calling one of them to me, -I learned that one or two of them had gone into -the provost’s office and he had cursed them as d——d -stragglers belonging to a straggling brigade, and -they gave him back some rough words, whereupon he -had threatened to arrest them, and they were waiting -to be arrested. Coming to the office I found -the man in charge was a deputy. Introducing myself, -I inquired what he wanted. He said some of -my men had been to his office and cursed him, and -he had threatened to arrest them and wished to know -if I could control them. I told him I could control -them as easily as I could control that many -little children, but if he wished to arrest any<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[193]</a></span> -of them, the men were just out there and he -might send his men out to attempt it—if he could. -I asked him what provocation he had offered, and -made him acknowledge that he had called them -“stragglers.” I then told him they were not stragglers, -but good soldiers and, besides, they were all -gentlemen, and if he had not first insulted them they -would have treated him in a gentlemanly way; that -if he wished to deal with them to proceed, otherwise -I would take charge of them. Oh, no, he did not -wish to have any trouble. If I was willing for -my men to take a drink, I had his permission, and the -poor fellow was more than willing to turn the “stragglers” -over to me. I called them all up, accompanied -them to a saloon, and told them that those -who wished it could take a drink. We then went -about our business without further trouble.</p> - -<p>From Talladega I proceeded to Blue Mountain, -intending to go from there to Rome, but learning -that our army was gradually falling back, and being -unable to learn its position or when I could safely -calculate on striking it in the flank, I turned my -course southward, passed through Carrolton, crossed -the Chattahoochee River, followed the river up to -Campbellton, recrossed it and found my command -fighting near new New Hope church on the —— day -of May, 1864.</p> - -<p class="p2">A detailed account of this campaign would make -a large volume, and of course cannot be undertaken -in these brief recollections. Our division of cavalry -reached Rome, Ga., about the middle of May, and -fought the Federal advance the same day, and then<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[194]</a></span> -for one hundred days were under fire, with the exception -that on two occasions we were ordered to -follow cavalry raids sent to our rear. But for this -brief respite we were under constant fire for this -period, each day and every day. We were assigned -a position on the extreme left of General J. E. Johnston’s -army, a position occupied by us during the -entire campaigning, while General Joe Wheeler’s cavalry -was on the extreme right.</p> - -<p>To give one day’s duty is practically to give the -duties of many other days. We always fought on -foot. Sometimes behind breastworks, sometimes not, -sometimes confronting infantry and sometimes cavalry. -We would be up, have our horses equipped, -form a line, detail horse-holders, and march to the -front by daybreak, and take our position on the -fighting line. About nine o’clock our cooked rations, -consisting of one small pone of corn bread and three-eighths -of a pound of bacon, was distributed to each -man as we stood or lay in line of battle. While -these rations would not have made a good hearty -breakfast, they had to last us twenty-four hours. -The skirmishing might be light or heavy, we might -charge the enemy’s works in our front, or we might -be charged by them. Usually the musket-firing, and -often artillery-firing, would be kept up until night, -when leaving a skirmish line at the front, we would -retire to our horses. We often changed position -after night, which involved night marching, always -changing in a retrograde movement. Sometimes the -fighting would become terrific, for at times General -Sherman would attack our whole line, miles and miles -in length, and, under General Johnston these attacks<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[195]</a></span> -were made with heavy loss to Sherman’s army. -Particularly was this the case in front of Big Kenesaw, -Little Kenesaw, and Lost Mountain.</p> - -<p>In this campaign the cavalry service was much -harder than the infantry service. When night came -on the infantry could fall down and sleep all night -unless they had to change their position, while the -cavalry were burdened with their horses. Marching -back to our horses we hustled for all the forage the -Government could furnish us, which was usually -about one quart of shelled corn, and we were compelled -to supplement this with something else, whatever -we could find; sometimes it was oats, often green -crab grass from the fields, and later, green fodder -or pea vines. Often this gathering of horse feed -lasted until ten or eleven o’clock, when the horses -would be stripped and we could sleep, provided we -were not to move.</p> - -<p>Early in June it began to rain, and continued raining -day and night for about twenty-five days, until -the country was so boggy that it was almost impossible -to move artillery or cavalry outside of the -beaten roads. Sometimes when the rain was pouring -down in torrents the enemy would be throwing shrapnels -at us, and hundreds, perhaps thousands, of them -without exploding, plunged into the soft earth and -are doubtless there yet. During the rainy season -there was a great deal of thunder and lightning, and -artillery duels would occur either day or night, and -sometimes it was difficult to distinguish between the -thunder of heaven and the thunder of cannon and -bursting shells. On one of those very rainy days we -were in some timber south of a farm, while the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[196]</a></span> -enemy was in the timber north of it, only a few -hundred yards distant, and had been firing at us -in a pretty lively manner. General Ross sent for -me and told me to go ascertain how far the enemy’s -line extended beyond our left. I mounted my horse -and rode off, conning over in my mind the perplexing -question as to how I was to gain the desired information, -as the enemy in the thick woods could not -be seen, and I could think of no other method than -to ride into the field in view of their skirmishers, -draw their fire and move on until the end of their -line was apparent. Accordingly I rode into the -open field and moved along some distance without -being shot at; looking across the field near the opposite -fence, I fancied I saw a line of skirmishers -just inside of it, and tried in vain to attract their -attention at long range. I rode back and forth, getting -nearer to them all the time, until I got close -enough to discover that the fancied pickets were -black stumps, an illusion occasioned by the fact that -a man in dark blue uniform on a rainy day looks -black at a distance of two or three hundred yards. -I was then worse puzzled than at first, for to go -back and tell General Ross that I could not learn -anything about their lines would never do. After a -little hesitation I threw down the fence and rode -into the thick undergrowth, expecting every minute -to meet a volley of bullets. Going on some little -distance I heard the word “Halt!” I halted, and was -soon gratified to learn that I was confronting a -small Confederate scouting party. Informing them -of my object, they proposed showing me what I was -looking for, and I was therefore able to return and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[197]</a></span> -report to my general, sound in body and much easier -in mind.</p> - -<p>During this long rainy spell we rarely slept two -nights on the same ground and never had a dry blanket -to sleep on. On the 3d day of July we fought -General Schofield’s Corps nearly all day, fighting and -falling back (as they were pushing down a road -leading to Sand Town, a crossing on the Chattahoochee -River), passing through a line of breastworks -on the crest of a ridge crossing the road at right -angles, erected and occupied by the Georgia Militia, -about the middle of the afternoon. As we passed -into the breastworks one of our men was killed by a -long-range ball. The militia had never been under -fire and had never seen a man killed before. We were -instructed to form a line immediately in their rear -and rest, and to support them if the enemy should -come; but beyond throwing a few shells over the -works and skirmishing at long range, we had no -farther trouble with the enemy that afternoon. Our -men were very much amused at the sayings and doings -of the militia at this time, but subsequently the -Georgia militia were commanded by General G. W. -Smith, an experienced officer, and after this they -acted very gallantly in battle. They retired at -night and we, leaving skirmishers in the works, went -into camp. The next morning the Third Texas -went into these breastworks, and while Captain Germany -and myself were out in front deploying skirmishers -he was severely wounded just below the knee, -and was unfit for duty for several months.</p> - -<p>General Schofield’s Corps advanced in solid line -of battle, and were allowed to take the works while<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[198]</a></span> -we fell back a short distance into the timber and -heard them give three cheers for Abe Lincoln, three -cheers for General Sherman and three cheers for -General Schofield! We then fought them again back -through the timber until we came to a lane leading -between farms across a little valley nearly a mile -wide. On the hill beyond was our infantry in breastworks, -and just beyond the breastworks was the -narrow river bottom and Sand Town crossing, and -down in this little bottom were our horses. As we -entered the lane the enemy ran a battery up to the -edge of the timber and shelled us every step of the -way as we pulled through the long lane, tired and -dusty, about noon, that hot 4th of July. Passing -through the breastworks we mounted our horses in -a shower of shells and crossed the river. Here we -rested for twenty-four hours.</p> - -<p>I went into Atlanta on the morning of the 5th, -and skirmishing across the river again began in the -afternoon. Here for some days we had a comparatively -easy time, only picketing and skirmishing -across the river. As this seemed void of results, the -men on the north and south side of the river would -agree upon a truce and go in bathing together. -They would discuss the pending race for President -between Lincoln and McClellan. The Confederates -would trade tobacco for molasses and exchange newspapers, -and when the truce was at an end each side -would resume its respective position, and the firing -would be renewed.</p> - -<p>There continued to be more or less fighting north -of the river until July 9, when General Johnston -fell back into the defenses immediately in front of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[199]</a></span> -Atlanta. General Sherman’s army also crossed the -river and confronted General Johnston’s lines near -the city. On or about the 19th General Johnston -was superseded by General John B. Hood, and then -began a series of hard battles around Atlanta, which -were continued on the 20th, 21st, 22d, and other -days, in which the losses on both sides were heavy. -The Federal general, James B. MacPherson, was -killed on the 22d. On the 28th was fought the battle -of Ezra Church. On this day Companies C and -D of the Third Texas were on picket in front of -our command, and in the afternoon were driven back -by overwhelming numbers, John B. Armstrong being -slightly wounded and R. H. Henden very severely -wounded.</p> - -<p>We were soon met with orders to mount and move -out to Owl Rock church on the Campbellton and Atlanta -road, to assist Colonel Harrison, who was understood -to be contending with General McCook’s -division of cavalry. General McCook had crossed -the river near Rivertown, not far from Campbellton, -for the purpose of raiding in our rear, and -General Stoneman, with another division, had simultaneously -moved out around the right wing of our -army. The purpose was for these two commands -to co-operate and destroy the railroad in our rear. -General Wheeler’s cavalry was sent after Stoneman. -As General McCook had at least twelve hours the -start of us we were unable to overtake him until -afternoon of the next day. In the meantime, before -daylight, he struck the wagon train belonging to -our division, burned ninety-two wagons and captured -the teamsters, blacksmiths, the chaplain of the Third<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[200]</a></span> -Texas, and the inevitable squad that managed under -all circumstances to stay with the train. We came -up with McCook’s command near Lovejoy Station, -which is on the railroad thirty miles below Atlanta. -We learned with joy that General Wheeler had -overtaken Stoneman, captured him and a large portion -of his command, and was able to come with a -portion of his troops to assist in the operations -against McCook. McCook now abandoned all effort -to destroy railroad property, and began a retreat -in order to get back into the Federal lines. -We followed him until night when, as we had been in -our saddles twenty-eight hours, we stopped, fed on -green corn and rested a few hours. Some time before -daylight next morning we mounted and moved on -briskly. Early in the day we came close upon the -enemy’s rear and pressed them all day, during which -time we passed scores of their horses, which from -sheer exhaustion had been abandoned. Many of our -horses, too, had become so jaded that they were unable -to keep up.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/ill-221.jpg" width="400" height="555" id="i200" - alt="" - title="" /> - <div class="caption"><p class="pc"><span class="smcap">Leonidas Cartwright</span></p> - <p class="cap1">Company E, Third Texas Cavalry; Member of -Taylor’s Scouts, Ross’ Brigade</p> -</div></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[201]</a></span></p> - -<p>About the middle of the afternoon, when near -Newnan, the Federals stopped to give us battle. -They had chosen a position in a dense skirt of timber -back of some farms near the Chattahoochee -River bottom, and here followed a battle which I -could not describe if I would. I can only tell what -the Third Texas did and sum up the general result. -We were moved rapidly into the timber and ordered -to dismount to fight. As many of our men were -behind, instead of detailing the usual number of -horse-holders, we tied the horses, leaving two men of -the company to watch them. Almost immediately -we were ordered into line, and before we could be -properly formed were ordered to charge, through -an undergrowth so dense that we could only see a -few paces in any direction. As I was moving to my -place in line I passed John Watkins, who was to -remain with the horses, and on a sudden impulse I -snatched his Sharpe’s carbine and a half dozen cartridges. -On we went in the charge, whooping and -running, stooping and creeping, as best we could -through the tangled brush. I had seen no enemy in -our front, but supposed they must be in the brush or -beyond it. Lieutenant Sim Terrell, of Company F, -and myself had got in advance of the regiment, as it -was impossible to maintain a line in the brush, Terrell -only a few paces to my right. Terrell was an ideal -soldier, courageous, cool, and self-possessed in battle. -Seeing him stop I did likewise, casting my eyes -to the front, and there, less than twenty-five yards -from me, stood a fine specimen of a Federal soldier, -behind a black jack tree, some fifteen inches in diameter, -with his seven-shooting Spencer rifle resting -against the tree, coolly and deliberately taking aim -at me. Only his face, right shoulder, and part of -his right breast were exposed. I could see his eyes -and his features plainly, and have always thought -that I looked at least two feet down his gun barrel. -As quick as thought I threw up the carbine and -fired at his face. He fired almost at the same instant -and missed me. Of course I missed him, as -I expected I would, but my shot had the desired -effect of diverting his aim and it evidently saved -my life.</p> - -<p>Directly in front of Terrell was another man,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[202]</a></span> -whom Terrell shot in the arm with his pistol. The -Federals both turned around and were in the act of -retreating when two or three of Terrell’s men came -up and in less time than it takes to tell it two dead -bodies lay face downwards where, a moment before, -two brave soldiers had stood. I walked up to the -one who had confronted me, examined his gun, and -found he had fired his last cartridge at me. Somehow -I could not feel glad to see these two brave -fellows killed. Their whole line had fallen back, -demoralized by the racket we had made, while these -two had bravely stood at their posts. I have often -wondered what became of their remains, lying away -out in the brush thicket, as it was not likely that -their comrades ever looked after them. And did -their friends and kindred at home ever learn their -fate?</p> - -<p>We moved forward in pursuit of the line of dismounted -men we had charged, and came in sight -of them only to see them retreating across a field. -Returning to our horses we saw them stampeding, -as Colonel Jim Brownlow, with his regiment of East -Tennesseans, had gotten among them, appropriated -a few of the best ones, stampeded some, while the -rest remained as we had left them. We charged and -drove them away from the horses and they charged -us three times in succession in return, but each time -were repulsed, though in these charges one or two -of the best horses in the regiment were killed under -Federal riders. These men were, however, only -making a desperate effort to escape, and were endeavoring -to break through our lines for that purpose, -as by this time General McCook’s command<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[203]</a></span> -was surrounded and he had told his officers to get -out the best they could. In consequence his army -had become demoralized and badly scattered in their -effort to escape. The prisoners they had captured, -their ambulances, and all heavy baggage were abandoned, -everything forgotten except the desire to return -to their own lines. General Stoneman had -started out with 5000 men and General E. M. McCook -had 4000. Their object was to meet at Lovejoy -Station, on the Macon Railroad, destroy the -road, proceed to Macon and Andersonville and release -the Federal prisoners confined at those two -places. This engagement lasted about two hours, -at the end of which we were badly mixed and scattered -in the brush, many of the Confederates as well -as Federals not knowing where their commands were.</p> - -<p>General Ross summed up the success of his brigade -on this expedition as follows: Captured, 587, including -two brigade commanders, with their staffs; -colors of the Eighth Iowa and Second Indiana; -eleven ambulances, and two pieces of artillery. General -Wheeler’s men also captured many prisoners. -Our loss on the expedition was 5 killed and 27 -wounded. Among the wounded I remember the gallant -Lieutenant Tom Towles, of the Third. The -command now returned to its position in General -Hood’s line of battle, the prisoners being sent to -Newnan, while I was ordered to take a sufficient -guard to take care of them until transportation -could be procured to send them to Andersonville. I -had about 1250 enlisted men and 35 officers, who -were kept here for several days. I confined them -in a large brick warehouse, separating the officers<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[204]</a></span> -from the privates by putting the officers in two -rooms used for offices at the warehouse. I made -them as comfortable as I could, and fed them well. -I would turn the officers out every day into the front -porch or vestibule of the warehouse, where they -could get fresh air. They were quite a lively lot of -fellows, except one old man, Colonel Harrison, I -believe, of the Eighth Iowa. They appreciated my -kindness and made me quite a number of small presents -when the time came for them to leave.</p> - -<p>This Newnan affair occurred July 30, 1864. -General Hood had apparently grown tired of assaulting -the lines in our front, and resumed the defensive. -Our duties, until the 18th of August, were -about the same as they had been formerly—heavy -picketing and daily skirmishing. The casualties, -however, were continually depleting our ranks: the -dead were wrapped in their blankets and buried; the -badly wounded sent to the hospitals in Atlanta, -while the slightly wounded were sent off to take care -of themselves; in other words, were given an indefinite -furlough to go where they pleased, so that a slight -wound became a boon greatly to be prized. Many -returned to Mississippi to be cared for by some -friend or acquaintance, while some remained in -Georgia.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[205]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER XIV</h2> - -<p class="pch">KILPATRICK’S RAID</p> - -<p class="pcs">Kilpatrick’s Raid—Attack on Kilpatrick—Lee’s Mill—Lovejoy’s -Station—The Brigade Demoralized—I Surrender—Playing -’Possum—I Escape—The Brigade Reassembles—Casualties.</p> - -<p class="pn"><span class="smcap">On</span> the night of August 18 Ross’ brigade was -bivouacked a short distance east of the road leading -from Sand Town, on the Chattahoochee River, to -Fairburn, on the West Point Railroad, eighteen miles -west of Atlanta, thence to Jonesboro, on the Macon -Railroad, some twenty miles south of Atlanta. This -latter was the only railroad we then had which was -of any material value to us, and we knew that General -Sherman was anxious to destroy it, as an unsuccessful -effort in that direction had been made only -a few days previous.</p> - -<p>We had a strong picket on the Sand Town and -Fairburn road, and, as all was quiet in front, we -“laid us down to sleep,” and, perchance, to dream—of -home, of the independence of the Confederate -States, and all that was most dear to us. It was one -of those times of fair promises, to the weary soldier, -of a solid night’s rest, so often and so rudely broken. -Scarcely had we straightened out our weary limbs -and folded our arms to sleep, when we were aroused -by the shrill notes of the bugle sounding “boots and -saddles.” Our pickets were being driven in rapidly,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[206]</a></span> -and before we were in our saddles General Judson -Kilpatrick, with a force of five thousand cavalry, -with artillery, ambulances, pack mules and all -else that goes to constitute a first-class cavalry raiding -force, had passed our flank and was moving -steadily down the Fairburn road. The Third Texas -were directed to move out first and gain their front, -to be followed by the other regiments of the brigade.</p> - -<p>For the remainder of the night we moved as best -we could down such roads as we could find parallel -to Kilpatrick’s line of march—so near, in fact, that -we could distinctly hear the clatter of their horses’ -hoofs, the rumbling of their artillery, and the familiar -rattle of sabers and canteens. Soon after -daylight we came in sight of his column crossing the -railroad at Fairburn, charged into it and cut it in -two for the time. They halted, formed a line of -battle, and we detained them in skirmishing until -we managed to effect our object,—the gaining their -front,—and during the day, until late in the afternoon, -detained them as much as possible on their -march.</p> - -<p>Below Fairburn Kilpatrick’s main column took -the Jonesboro road, while a small column took the -road leading to Fayetteville, a town about ten miles -west of Jonesboro. Ross’ brigade, continuing in -front of the main column and that of Armstrong, -followed the Fayetteville road. Just before night -we passed through Jonesboro, which is ten or twelve -miles from Fairburn, and allowed Kilpatrick to occupy -the town for the night. Ross’ brigade occupied -a position south of the town near the railroad, -while Armstrong was west; General Ferguson, whose<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[207]</a></span> -brigade was numerically stronger than either of the -others, being directed to go out on a road leading -east. As we afterwards learned, they failed to find -their road, or got lost, and, so far as I remember, -were not heard from for a day or two. Thus posted, -or intended to be posted, the understanding and -agreement was that we should make a triangular attack -on Kilpatrick at daylight the next morning.</p> - -<p>Our brigade moved on time and marched into the -town, only to learn that, with the exception of a -few stragglers who had overslept themselves, not a -Federal soldier was to be found. The brigade followed -them eastwardly from Jonesboro, and in due -time came up with their rear-guard at breakfast behind -some railworks near Lee’s Mill, and from this -time until along in the afternoon we had a pretty -warm time with their rear. They were moving on a -road that intersects the McDonough and Lovejoy -road, and when they struck this road they turned in -the direction of Lovejoy Station.</p> - -<p>We finally came up with the main force ensconced -behind some heavy railworks on a hill near a farmhouse -a short distance east of the station. We had -to approach them, after leaving the timber, through -a lane probably three-quarters of a mile in length. -The farm was mostly uncultivated, and had been -divided into three fields by two cross-fences, built of -rails running at right angles with the lane, and these -were thrown right and left to admit of the free passage -of cavalry. In the eastern cross fence, however, -a length some twenty or thirty yards, and but a few -rails high, was left standing, when a ditch or ravine -running along on the west side was too deep to be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[208]</a></span> -safely crossed by cavalry. In this lane the command -dismounted, leaving the horses in the hands of -holders, and deployed in line in the open field, to the -left or south side of the lane, and a section of -Croft’s Georgia battery was placed on an elevation -to the right of the lane.</p> - -<p>I had been sent back to Lee’s Mill to hurry up a -detail left to bury one of our dead, so was behind -when the line was formed. Having, on the day we -fought McCook, picked up a mule for my boy Jake -to ride, I now had him leading my horse to rest his -back, while I rode the mule. I rode up and gave my -rein to a horse-holder, and was hurrying on to join -the line when they charged the railworks, and when -I got up with them they had begun to fall back. The -brigade, not having more than four hundred men for -duty, was little more than a skirmish line. During -the day General Hood had managed to place General -Reynolds’ Arkansas brigade at Lovejoy Station, -which fact Kilpatrick had discovered, and while we -were showing our weakness in an open field on one -side, General Reynolds managed to keep his men -under cover of timber on the other. Thus Kilpatrick -found himself between an unknown infantry -force in front and a skirmish-line of dismounted -cavalry and a section of artillery in his rear. He -concluded to get out of this situation—and he succeeded. -Being repulsed in the charge on the railworks, -by a heavy fire of artillery and small arms, -we fell back and re-formed our line behind the first -cross fence. Three regiments of the enemy then -rapidly moved out from behind their works, the -Fourth United States, Fourth Michigan, and Seventh<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[209]</a></span> -Pennsylvania, and charged with sabers, in columns of -fours, the three columns abreast. As they came on -us at a sweeping gallop, with their bright sabers glittering, -it was a grand display. And Ross’ brigade -was there and then literally run over, trampled under -foot, and, apparently annihilated. Just before the -charge they had shelled our horses in the lane, which, -consequently, had been moved back into the timber.</p> - -<p>What could we do under the circumstances? If -we had had time to hold a council of war and had -deliberated over the matter ever so long, we would -probably have acted just as we did; that is, acted -upon the instinct of self-preservation, rather than -upon judgment. No order was heard; not a word -spoken; every officer and every man took in the whole -situation at a glance: no one asked or gave advice: -no one waited for orders. The line was maintained -intact for a few seconds, the men emptying their -pieces at the heads of the columns. This created a -momentary flutter without checking their speed, and -on they came in fine style. There was no time for -reloading, and every one instinctively started for the -horses a mile in the rear, a half mile of open field -behind us, and all of us much fatigued with the active -duties performed on the sultry summer day. Being -very much fatigued myself and never being fleet of -foot, I outran only two men in the brigade, Lieutenant -W. H. Carr, of Company C, and W. S. Coleman, -of Company A, of the Third Texas, who were both -captured, and I kept up with only two others, Captain -Noble and Lieutenant Soap, also of the Third -Texas. We three came to the ravine already described, -at the same instant. Soap dropped into<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[210]</a></span> -it, Noble jumped over and squatted in the sage grass -in the corner of the fence. I instantly leaped the -ravine and the rail fence, and had gone perhaps ten -or fifteen steps when the clatter of horses’ hoofs -became painfully distinct, and “Surrender, sir!” -rang in my ear like thunder.</p> - -<p>Now, I had had no thought of the necessity of surrendering, -as I had fondly hoped and believed I -would escape. Halting, I looked up to ascertain -whether these words were addressed to me, and instantly -discovered that the column directly in my -wake was dividing, two and two, to cross the ravine, -coming together again just in front of me, so that -I was completely surrounded. This <i>was</i> an emergency. -As I looked up my eyes met those of a stalwart -rider as he stood up in his stirrups, his drawn -saber glittering just over my head; and, as I hesitated, -he added in a kind tone: “That’s all I ask -of you, sir.” I had a rifle in my hand which had -belonged to one of our men who had been killed near -me during the day. Without speaking a word, I -dropped this on the ground in token of my assent. -“All right,” said he, as he spurred his horse to overtake -some of the other men.</p> - -<p>Just at this time our artillery began throwing -shells across the charging columns, and the first one -exploded immediately above our heads, the pieces -falling promiscuously around in my neighborhood, -creating some consternation in their ranks. Taking -advantage of this, I placed my left hand above my -hip, as if struck, and fell as long a fall as I could -towards the center of the little space between the -columns, imitating as best I could the action of a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[211]</a></span> -mortally wounded man,—carefully falling on my -right side to hide my pistol, which I still had on. -Here I lay, as dead to all outward appearances as -any soldier that fell during the war, and remained -in this position without moving a muscle, until the -field was clear of all of Kilpatrick’s men who were -able to leave it. To play the rôle of a dead man for -a couple of hours and then make my escape may -sound like a joke to the inexperienced, and it was -really a practical joke on the raiders; but to me, to -lie thus exposed on the bare ground, with a column -of hostile cavalry passing on either side all the time, -and so near me that I could distinctly hear any -ordinary conversation, was far from enjoyable. I -am no stranger to the hardships of a soldier’s life; -I have endured the coldest weather with scant clothing, -marched day after day and night after night -without food or sleep; have been exposed to cold, -hunger, inclement weather and fatigue until the -power of endurance was well-nigh exhausted, but -never did I find anything quite so tedious and trying -as playing dead. I had no idea of time, except that -I knew that I had not lain there all night. The first -shell our men threw after I fell came near killing -me, as a large piece plowed up the ground near -enough to my back to throw dirt all over me. Their -ammunition, however, was soon exhausted, the guns -abandoned, and that danger at an end.</p> - -<p>As things grew more quiet the awful fear seized me -that my ruse would be discovered and I be abused for -my deception, and driven up and carried to prison. -This fear haunted me until the last. Now, to add to -the discomfort of my situation, it began to rain, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[212]</a></span> -never in my life had I felt such a rain. When in -my fall I struck the ground my hat had dropped off, -and this terrible rain beat down in my face until the -flesh was sore. But to move an arm or leg, or to -turn my face over for protection was to give my case -completely away, and involved, as I felt, the humiliation -of a prison life; than which nothing in the bounds -of probability in my life as a Confederate soldier -was so horrible, in which there was but one grain of -consolation, and that was that I would see my -brother and other friends who had been on Johnson’s -Island for some months.</p> - -<p>The last danger encountered was when some dismounted -men came near driving some pack mules over -me. Finally everything became so quiet that I ventured -to raise my head, very slowly and cautiously -at first, and as not a man could be seen I finally rose -to my feet. Walking up to a wounded Pennsylvania -cavalryman I held a short conversation with him. -Surveying the now deserted field, so lately the scene -of such activity, and supposing as I did that Ross’ -brigade as an organization was broken up and destroyed, -I was much distressed. I was left alone and -afoot, and never expected to see my horse or mule any -more, which in fact I never did, as Kilpatrick’s -cavalry, after charging through the field, had turned -into the road and stampeded our horses.</p> - -<p>I now started out over the field in the hope of -picking up enough plunder to fit myself for service -in some portion of the army. In this I succeeded -beyond my expectation, as I found a pretty good, -completely rigged horse, only slightly wounded, and -a pack-mule with pack intact, and I soon loaded the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[213]</a></span> -mule well with saddles, bridles, halters, blankets, and -oil cloths. Among other things I picked up a -Sharp’s carbine, which I recognized as belonging to a -messmate. While I was casting about in my mind as -to what command I would join, I heard the brigade -bugle sounding the assembly! Sweeter music never -was heard by me. Mounting my newly-acquired -horse and leading my pack-mule, I proceeded in the -direction from which the bugle notes came, and on -the highest elevation in the field, on the opposite side -of the lane, I found General Ross and the bugler. I -told my experience, and heard our gallant brigadier’s -laughable story of his escape. I sat on my new horse -and looked over the field as the bugle continued to -sound the assembly occasionally, and was rejoiced to -see so many of our men straggling in from different -directions, coming apparently out of the ground, -some of them bringing up prisoners, one of whom -was so drunk that he didn’t know he was a prisoner -until the next morning.</p> - -<p>Near night we went into camp with the remnant -collected, and the men continued coming in during -the night and during all the next day. To say that -we were crestfallen and heartily ashamed of being -run over is to put it mildly; but we were not so -badly damaged, after all. The horse-holders, when -the horses stampeded, had turned as many as they -could out of the road and saved them. But as for -me, I had suffered almost a total loss, including the -fine sword that John B. Long had presented me at -Thompson’s Station, and which I had tied on my -saddle. My faithful Jake came in next morning, -and although he could not save my horse, he had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[214]</a></span> -saved himself, his little McCook mule and some of -my soldier clothes. My pack-mule and surplus rigging -I now distributed among those who seemed to -need them most.</p> - -<p>Including officers, we had eighty-four or eighty-five -men captured, and only sixteen or eighteen of -these were carried to Northern prisons. Among -them were seven officers, including my friend Captain -Noble, who was carried to Johnson’s Island, and -messed with my brother until the close of the war. -Captain Noble had an eye for resemblances. When -he first saw my brother he walked up to him and said, -“I never saw you before, but I will bet your name -is Barron, and I know your brother well.” The -other prisoners who escaped that night and returned -to us next day included my friend Lieutenant Soap, -who brought in a prisoner, and Luther Grimes, owner -of the Sharp’s carbine, already mentioned, who had -an ugly saber wound in the head. I remember only -two men of the Third Texas who were killed during -the day—William Kellum of Company C, near Lee’s -Mill; and John Hendricks, of Company B, in the -charge on the railworks. These two men had managed -to keep on details from one to two years, being -brought to the front under orders to cut down all -details to increase the fighting strength, and they -were both killed on the field the first day they were -under the enemy’s fire.</p> - -<p>Among the wounded was Captain S. S. Johnson, -of Company K, Third Texas, gunshot wound, while -a number of the men were pretty badly hacked with -sabers. Next day General Ross went up to General -Hood’s headquarters and said to him: “General, I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[215]</a></span> -got my brigade run over yesterday.” General Hood -replied, “General Ross, you have lost nothing by -that, sir. If others who should have been there had -been near enough to the enemy to be run over, your -men would not have been run over.” This greatly -relieved our feelings, and the matter became only an -incident of the campaign, and on the 22d day of -August Ross’ brigade was back in its position ready -for duty.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[216]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER XV</h2> - -<p class="pch">UNION SOLDIER’S ACCOUNT OF KILPATRICK’S -RAID</p> - -<p class="pcs">Kilpatrick’s Raid—Ordered to the Front—Enemy’s Artillery -Silenced—We Destroy the Railroad—Hot Work at the -Railroad—Plan of Our Formation—Stampeding the Horses—The -Enemy Charges—Sleeping on Horseback—Swimming the -River—Camped at Last.</p> - -<p class="pn"><span class="smcap">After</span> the war ended I made a friend of Robert M. -Wilson of Illinois, who served in the Fourth United -States Cavalry, and he kindly wrote out and sent me -his account of this raid, and by way of parenthesis -I here insert it, as it may be of interest.</p> - -<p class="p2">“The following is an account of the Kilpatrick -raid, made in August, 1864, written partly from -memory and partly from a letter written August -28, 1864, by Captain Robert Burns, acting assistant -adjutant-general of the First Brigade, Second -Cavalry Division, I acting as orderly for him part -of the time on the raid. I was detailed at brigade -headquarters as a scout during the Atlanta campaign -and until General Wilson took our regiment as his -escort. On the 17th of August, 1864, at one o’clock, -<span class="smcap">A. M.</span>, ours and Colonel Long’s Brigade (the First -and Second), of Second Cavalry Division, all under -the command of Colonel Minty, left our camp on -Peach Tree Creek, on the left of our army northeast -of Atlanta, at seven o’clock next morning; reported<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[217]</a></span> -to General Kilpatrick at Sand Town on the right of -our army, having during the night passed from one -end or flank of our army to the other. We remained -at Sand Town until sundown of the 18th, when we -started out to cut the enemy’s communications south -of Atlanta. Two other expeditions, Stoneman’s and -McCook’s, well equipped, before this had been ruined -in attempting the same thing. We, however, imagined -we were made of sterner stuff, and started off -in good spirits. The command consisted of Third -Cavalry Division (Kilpatrick’s), under Colonel Murray, -about 2700 men, and two brigades of our division -(the Second), under command of Colonel Minty, -about 2700 men also—the whole commanded by Kilpatrick -(or Kill Cavalry, as we always called him).</p> - -<p>“Away we went, Third Division in advance. The -night was a beautiful moonlight one, and we would -have enjoyed it more if we had not been up all the -night preceding. We did not go more than three -miles before we ran into the enemy’s pickets, when -we had to go more slowly, driving them before us, -dismounting to feel the woods on both sides, etc., etc. -Consequently it was morning when we reached the -Atlanta & West Point Railroad near Fairburn. At -Red Oak we had torn up about half a mile of the -track when the rear battalion of Seventh Pennsylvania -Cavalry was suddenly attacked by a force of -dismounted men and artillery. Just back of where -our column was struck were the ambulances, the -darkies leading officers’ horses, pack-mules, etc., etc. -Several shells dropped among them, and they thought -the kingdom had come, sure. The Fourth United -States Cavalry, being in rear of the ambulances, soon<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[218]</a></span> -drove the enemy away. All this time the head of the -column kept moving on, as time was precious and we -could not stop for slight scrimmages.</p> - -<p>“General Kilpatrick, not being satisfied with the -progress made by his advance, ordered our brigades -to take the front and Murray the rear. (We had -learned before starting that it was expected we, our -division, would do all the fighting.) Long’s brigade, -in advance, had not gone more than half a mile when -he found a strong force of the enemy in his front. -He had to dismount his men to drive the enemy from -the rail barricades they had made, but he would find -them in the same position half a mile farther on. -Long kept his men dismounted, having number four -lead the horses. I was close up with the advance -with Colonel Minty. We drove the enemy steadily -but slowly back, until we came to the valley through -which Flint River runs, when they were reinforced by -Ferguson’s brigade of cavalry (we had been fighting -Ross’ brigade thus far), and opened on us -sharply with artillery when we commenced descending -the hill, the shells and bullets rattling lively -around us. Two guns of our battery—we had with -us four guns of Chicago Board of Trade which belonged -to our division, and Murray had with him -four guns of the Eleventh Wisconsin Battery—were -soon brought up and succeeded in silencing the -enemy’s artillery, the first striking an artilleryman -and blowing him to pieces. Our division were then -all dismounted and moved forward at the double-quick -under fire of our eight guns, and drove the -enemy clear through Jonesboro, crossing the bridge -on the stringer. Our brigade (First) had the advance,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[219]</a></span> -being nearly all deployed as skirmishers. We -then seized the railroad for which we had started, -and we commenced to smash things generally. The -track was torn up for about two miles, the depot -and public buildings burned, and destruction was let -loose. While this was going on the enemy returned -to the attack, and our division was sent to meet them, -the Third Division turning the rails. The enemy -were driven southward and we were pushed that way, -to shove them farther back. Before was darkness -and death, behind the burning buildings and smoking -ruins, and now it also began to thunder, lightning, -and pour down rain in torrents. All this time General -Kilpatrick had one of his bands behind us playing -‘Yankee Doodle’ and other patriotic airs. It -appeared as if defeat was coming, for we could hear -the whistle of the cars in front of us and knew that -the enemy were being reinforced from below. We -then determined to flank them, so about midnight our -brigade, followed by the Third Division, moved in -a southeasterly direction about seven miles, Long’s -brigade being left to cover the rear.</p> - -<p>“When seven miles out we stopped to feed, close -to 6 <span class="smcap">A. M.</span>, about a mile from Murray’s Division, but -were little protected, as both hills were cleared and -the valley had but few trees in it. Our brigade was -ordered to mount and move forward when Colonel -Long’s brigade was attacked by the cavalry that -followed us from Jonesboro. The enemy’s forces -consisted of the brigades of Ross, Ferguson, and -Armstrong, about 4500 men. Our brigade moved -on and turned sharply to the right, in a southwesterly -direction, to strike the railroad again about eight<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[220]</a></span> -miles below Jonesboro. I stayed on the hill with -Captain Burns, for a short time, to witness the -skirmishing between Long and the enemy. From -where we were all our maneuvers could be distinctly -seen, as also the enemy, who would advance upon our -men, only to be driven back. It was a beautiful -sight. ‘By Heaven, it was a noble sight to see—by -one who had no friend or brother there.’</p> - -<p>“Captain Burns, myself following, now galloped -off to overtake our brigade, which we soon did. Colonel -Long had orders to follow as quickly as possible, -Colonel Murray to come after. We (our brigade) -pushed for Lovejoy Station. When within a mile -and a half of the railroad we halted for the rest of -the command to join us. About a mile from the -railroad the road forks, the two prongs striking the -railroad about a half a mile apart. A few hundred -feet in front of and parallel to the railroad another -road ran. The Fourth Michigan was sent by the -right-hand road to the railroad, which it reached -without any trouble; the rest of the brigade took the -left-hand prong of the road, having for the last mile -or two been driving off about a dozen cavalrymen. As -we neared the railroad the firing became hotter and -hotter. The Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry was dismounted -and sent forward to the woods—one battalion, -four companies, of it had been advance -guard. Hotter grew the firing, and the horses of -the advance who had dismounted came hurrying -back. The Fourth United States (Regulars) were -then dismounted and sent in. Captain Burns was -sent back to hurry up two of Long’s regiments, but -before this could be done the Seventh Pennsylvania<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[221]</a></span> -and Fourth Regulars were driven from the woods in -some confusion. We had run on a brigade of infantry -who were lying in the woods behind barricades -at the side of the railroad, and a force of the enemy -was also pushed in on the right, where the Fourth -Michigan were at work. Long’s brigade was put in -position to check the advancing Confederates, and -our battery brought up, as the woods in front and -on our left were swarming with the enemy, and the -Fourth Regulars and Seventh Pennsylvania were -placed in support of the battery. Poor fellows, -they were badly cut up!</p> - -<p>“One of Long’s regiments was formed near the -fork of the road, the Fourth Michigan was being -placed there, and the enemy tried again and again to -take our battery. It fought magnificently, and the -guns were made to radiate in all directions and did -splendid work, our men supporting them well. One -of the guns, by the rebound, had broken its trail off -short, so that it could not be drawn from the field. -When the rest of the pieces had been withdrawn Colonel -Minty called for men to draw off the piece by -hand. Captain Burns took about twenty men of the -Fourth Michigan Cavalry down and helped pull it -off, though the enemy were very close to us. While -this was taking place, heavy firing was heard in our -rear, for the cavalry with which we had been fighting -had followed us, and had us in a pretty tight -box, as follows: a brigade of infantry in our front -and partly on our left; a division moving on our -right and but a short distance off; three brigades of -cavalry in our rear. Stoneman and McCook threw -up the sponge under like circumstances. We decided<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[222]</a></span> -we must leave the railroad alone, and crush the -enemy’s cavalry, and consequently withdrew from -fighting the infantry, who now became very quiet, -probably expecting to soon take us all in.</p> - -<p>“The command was faced to the rear as follows: -Our brigade was formed on the right hand side of the -road, each regiment in columns of fours (four men -abreast); the Fourth Regulars on the left; Fourth -Michigan center; Seventh Pennsylvania on the right, -Long’s brigade formed in close columns with regimental -front, that is, each regiment formed in line, -the men side by side, boot to boot, thus:</p> - -<p class="pc1 lmid">MINTY’S BRIGADE</p> - -<table id="t02" summary="t02"> - - <tr> - <td class="tdc1">FOURTH<br />U. S.</td> - <td class="tdc2">FOURTH<br />MICH.</td> - <td class="tdc1">SEVENTH<br />PENN.</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdc">o o o o</td> - <td class="tdc">o o o o</td> - <td class="tdc">o o o o</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdc">o o o o</td> - <td class="tdc">o o o o</td> - <td class="tdc">o o o o</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdc">o o o o</td> - <td class="tdc">o o o o</td> - <td class="tdc">o o o o</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdc">o o o o</td> - <td class="tdc">o o o o</td> - <td class="tdc">o o o o</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdc">o o o o</td> - <td class="tdc">o o o o</td> - <td class="tdc">o o o o</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="3" class="tdc"><span class="lmid">LONG’S BRIGADE</span></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="3" class="tdc">FIRST OHIO</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="3" class="tdc">o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="3" class="tdc">THIRD OHIO</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="3" class="tdc ls1">o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="3" class="tdc">FOURTH OHIO</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td colspan="3" class="tdc ls2">o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o</td> - </tr> - -</table> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[223]</a></span></p> - -<p class="p1">“The last regiment was deployed in rear of the -others so as to take in a large space of ground and -pick up prisoners and trophies. You see, we were to -break through the enemy, smashing them, and Long -was to sweep over the ground and pick them up. -This was soon determined on, for there was no time -to lose. A few of our men were in front of us, dismounted, -skirmishing with the enemy, and they were -told to throw down the fence where they were. The -enemy all this time was keeping them engaged as -much as possible, while a large force of them were -building rail barricades. We were formed just below -the brow of the hill, skirmishers on the crest of -it, the enemy’s artillery to our left and front playing -over us, and bullets and shells flying thick over -our heads. We drew saber, trotted until we came to -the crest of the hill and then started at a gallop. -Down the hill we went, the enemy turning canister -upon us, while the bullets whistled fiercely, and the -battery away on our right threw shells. We leaped -fences, ditches, barricades, and were among them, -the artillery being very hot at this time. You could -almost feel the balls as they passed by. The Fourth -Michigan and Seventh Pennsylvania went straight -forward to the woods, the field over which they passed -being at least a half a mile wide, with three fences, -one partially built barricade, and a number of ditches -and gullies, some very wide and deep. Of course -many of the men were dismounted, and upon reaching -the woods they (our men) could not move fast, -and they turned to the right and joined the main -column in the road about one and a half miles from -the start. The Fourth Regulars (my regiment, as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[224]</a></span> -I joined it when the charge was ordered) could not -keep parallel with the rest of the brigade on account -of high fences in our front, and seeing an opening -in the fence we turned to the left, and struck out on -the main road, coming upon the enemy in the road -near their battery, and sending them flying. We -were soon among the led horses of the dismounted -men in their rear and among the ambulances, and a -perfect stampede took place, riderless horses and ambulances -being scattered in all directions, we in the -midst of them, shooting and cutting madly. A part -of our regiment, with some of the Fourth Michigan -and Seventh Pennsylvania, dashed at the battery, -drove the men from the pieces, and captured three -of the guns. Private William Bailey, a young -Tennessean from near McMinnville, who belonged -to Fourth Michigan Cavalry (he was associated with -me at headquarters as scout), shot the captain. We -brought away the guns, and the charge continued -for about two miles, when we halted for the command -to close up. Colonel Long’s brigade did not -charge in line as it was intended, for, finding that -the ground was impracticable, it formed in column -and followed the Fourth Regulars. Colonel Murray’s -command, instead of sweeping all to the left, -as we supposed they would do, turned to the right -and followed Long. Had Murray done what was -expected, both sides of the road would have been -cleaned out.</p> - -<p>“Immediately after the charge and while we were -pushing through the woods it commenced to rain, -and poured in torrents. The command was now -started for McDonough, but before the whole of it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[225]</a></span> -had moved off, Long’s brigade, which had been moved -to cover the rear, was fiercely attacked by the infantry -of the enemy. Colonel Long fought them -for about two hours, when, his ammunition giving -out, he was obliged to retire. (Here Long was -wounded twice.) The Fourth Michigan and Seventh -Pennsylvania were formed in the rear, Long behind -rail barricades which had been hastily thrown up. -The Fourth United States Regulars being out of -ammunition were sent on to McDonough, where the -Ninety-second Illinois Mounted Infantry divided -ammunition with some of us near this town. One -of Long’s regiments assisted the Fourth Michigan -and Seventh Pennsylvania. Long passed his men -through when the enemy came on us. Then we had -it hot and heavy, the enemy charging several times, -but were repulsed. All this fighting here was done -dismounted, and was for the purpose of holding back -the enemy until our main column could get out of the -way. Our battery (three pieces) during this fight -burst one gun and wedged another, getting a shell -part way down it, so it could not be moved either -way, so we had one gun only, but that was used with -effect, the enemy meanwhile playing their artillery -into our columns all along the road. You see our -two brigades had to do all the fighting, lead the -charge, and cover the retreat. As soon as our men -had passed on about a mile, our rear-guard followed, -and we were not molested again. We pushed slowly -on to McDonough, crossed Walnut Creek, and near -morning lay down in the mud for sleep. How tired -we were I cannot tell, and men would tumble prone -from their horses, and it was next to impossible to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[226]</a></span> -awaken them. Frequently two or three men would -fall asleep upon their horses, who would stop, and -the whole column behind them would naturally do the -same, too, supposing that there was obstruction -ahead. Hundreds of men were sometimes asleep in -that way upon their horses in the mud for an hour -or so at a time. During this time I fell asleep for -about two hours, and awoke drenched to the skin, -for it was raining, and fearfully dark and very disagreeable. -About two o’clock we found a place to -stop. I never before that knew what fatigue meant, -for I had not slept a wink for the nights of the 17th, -18th, 19th, and 20th until the morning (about 2 -<span class="smcap">A. M.</span>) of the 21st, except what I had when riding -along. We had had but three meals, and but little -time to eat them, had fought seven pretty hard -fights, besides skirmishing, etc., etc. At daybreak -the next morning we started on again. At Cotton -River the bridge was gone, the stream much swollen -by rain, so that it could not be forded and the horses -were obliged to swim it. As the current was very -swift, we had a terrible time crossing it. We, our -brigade, lost one man and about sixty horses drowned -here, and nearly all our pack-mules also. We could -not get the wagon with the two disabled guns across -at all, and rumor said they were buried here, and the -site marked as the graves of two soldiers of the -Fourth United States Cavalry. It was terrible to -see the poor wounded carried across, some fastened -on horses, while others were taken over in ambulances. -We all finally got over, but if the enemy -had pushed us here most of the command would have -been captured. We were now nearly all out of ammunition, -and many an anxious glance I gave to the -rear, it being a relief when all were over. We -then crossed South River bridge, burning all the -bridges for ten miles each side, and camped that -night at Lithonia. The next day we returned to our -camp at Peach Tree Creek, having made a complete -circuit of the two armies of Hood and Sherman. -We did not do all we hoped we could when we started, -but <i>we did all we could</i>. Notwithstanding what we -had suffered, General Sherman was much dissatisfied -with us, expecting more from us than lay in our -power (or his either) to accomplish.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/ill-249.jpg" width="400" height="528" id="i226" - alt="" - title="" /> - <div class="caption"><p class="pc"><span class="smcap">G. A. McKee</span></p> - <p class="cap1">Private Company C, Third Texas Cavalry</p> -</div></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[227]</a></span></p> - -<p>“In the above narrative I have drawn very largely -from a letter written August 28, 1864, by Captain -Burns (as stated before), printed in a work called -‘Minty and the Cavalry,’ though about all I have -written occurred under my own observation. We -captured three stands of colors claimed to belong to -the Third Texas Cavalry,<a name="FNanchor_4_4" id="FNanchor_4_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_4_4" class="fnanchor">[4]</a> Zachariah Rangers, and -Benjamin’s Infantry.</p> - -<div class="pbq"> - -<p class="p1">“Our aggregate loss in First and Second Brigades, -killed, wounded, and missing, was 14 officers, -192 men.”<a name="FNanchor_5_5" id="FNanchor_5_5"></a><a href="#Footnote_5_5" class="fnanchor">[5]</a></p> - -<p class="pc1"> -“<span class="smcap">Robert M. Wilson</span>,<br /> -“Company M, Fourth United States Cavalry.”</p></div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[228]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER XVI</h2> - -<p class="pch">CLOSE OF THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN</p> - -<p class="pcs">Sherman Changes His Tactics—Hood Deceived—Heavy -Fighting—Atlanta Surrenders—End of the Campaign—Losses—Scouting—An -Invader’s Devastation—Raiding the Raiders—Hood -Crosses the Coosa—A Reconnoissance—Negro Spies—Raiding -the Blacks—Crossing Indian Creek—A Conversion.</p> - -<p class="pn"><span class="smcap">General Sherman</span> had been impatient and dissatisfied -that his cavalry was unable to destroy the -Macon or Brunswick Railroad, and now changed his -tactics. He had been in front of Atlanta, since General -Hood had been in command, a period of about -five weeks. In a few days after Kilpatrick’s return, -he began withdrawing his forces from the front of -that beleaguered city, crossed to the north side of -the Chattahoochee, marched his main force down to -Sand Town, recrossed the river, and moved directly -on Jonesboro, some twenty miles below Atlanta.</p> - -<p>I do not believe, and never have believed, that General -Hood understood this maneuver until it was too -late to save even his stores, arms, and ammunition in -Atlanta. His infantry scouts, it was understood and -believed at the time, watched the enemy’s movements, -to the point of their crossing to the north side of -the Chattahoochee, and reported that they were retreating, -while our cavalry scouts reported that they -were recrossing at Sand Town, in heavy force in -our front.</p> - -<p>We, that is, our cavalry, began fighting the head<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[229]</a></span> -of their column as soon as they crossed the river, -and fought them for detention and delay, as best we -could, all the way to the Flint River Crossing near -Jonesboro, just as we had fought Kilpatrick’s force -a few days before. General Hood, being advised -that a heavy force of infantry and artillery was -moving on Jonesboro, sent a portion of his army -down there, and they fought the enemy most gallantly, -but it seemed to me that our army should have -been in their front long before they crossed Flint -River. As it was, General Sherman threw his army -across the railroad, on the first day of September, -between us and Atlanta, and, while the fighting was -terrific, we were unable to drive them off. A terrible -battle, in which there were no breastworks, was -fought late in the evening, and General Cleburne’s -division was cut in two, for the first time during the -war, when General Govan of his division was captured -and Colonel Govan killed. We were in line, dismounted, -just on General Cleburne’s right, forming -a mere skirmish line, in order to cover the enemy’s -front. The welcome shades of night soon gathered -around us, and the fighting ceased when the opposing -lines were almost together. I was on picket -two or three hundred yards back of the enemy’s -line until one or two o’clock in the morning. All this -time they were felling timber and strengthening their -position for the fighting they expected in the morning. -During the evening Lieutenant-Colonel Berry -of the Ninth Texas Cavalry was killed.</p> - -<p>Soon after midnight a courier from General Hood -passed us and informed us that Atlanta was given -up. As soon as he reached our headquarters a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[230]</a></span> -courier was sent to order us to fall back. And thus -ended the last battle of the long campaign about Atlanta, -a campaign involving continuous fighting for -three and a half months.</p> - -<p>Very soon after General Hood’s courier passed us -we began to hear the artillery ammunition exploding -in Atlanta. All was burned that could not be carried -away on the march, as we now had no railroad transportation. -After burning the arms, ammunition, -and stores that could not be transported, General -Hood moved out with his army, and the Federals took -undisputed possession of the city the next day. General -Hood, after burning his supplies, had moved out -during the night eastwardly and by a circuitous -march joined his other forces near Lovejoy Station. -General Sherman soon abandoned Jonesboro, moved -his army into and around Atlanta and two tired -armies rested. Sherman reported his loss in this -campaign at 34,514, quite a large army in itself.</p> - -<p>Our army settled down for the time being near -Jonesboro, Ross’ brigade doing outpost duty. The -ranks of the brigade had become very much depleted -by the losses in killed, wounded, and captured during -the Atlanta campaign, and the companies were temporarily -consolidated. This caused the regiments of -the brigade, except the Third Texas, to have on hand -a number of supernumerary company officers. The -Third having more officers in prisons and hospitals -than the others, only had about enough officers after -consolidation. These officers, with consent of the -commanders, agreed to organize themselves into a -scouting party. I had permission to join them, and -as this offered some recreation, or at least a diversion,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[231]</a></span> -I did so, being the only member from the Third. -They were all gallant and experienced officers and -jovial companionable fellows.</p> - -<p>We organized by selecting Captain H. W. Wade -of the Sixth Texas commander. I cannot now recall -all of them, but among them were Captains O. P. -Preston, Reuben Simpson, Cook, and Broughton, and -Lieutenants W. J. Swain, Thompson Morris, W. W. -McClathie, Bridges, and Park. We were joined by -the gallant Captain Reams, of Missouri, whose command -had surrendered at the fall of Vicksburg, and -who, having gone to Missouri to recruit his command, -was captured and imprisoned, but had escaped -into Canada, and from there made his way back to -General Hood’s army. We were sent on duty in the -country lying north of the West Point Railroad and -south of the Chattahoochee River, west and northwest -of Atlanta—this being a large scope of country -not occupied by either army and liable to be depredated -upon by the enemy. Campbellton, the county -seat of Campbell County, was a town of some importance -situated on the south bank of the Chattahoochee -River, some thirty miles northwestwardly -from Atlanta. The Federal outpost in this direction -was twelve or fifteen miles out from the city.</p> - -<p>Our duties were performed for several weeks without -incident worthy of mention. We were sometimes -in the territory over which we had fought during -the summer, and a more desolate country I never -saw; not a domestic animal or fowl, and scarcely a -bird, could be seen; the woods, where we had fed our -horses shelled corn, had grown up in green corn more -than knee high, and there were no animals to crop<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[232]</a></span> -it down; the fences had all been torn down to build -barricades, and the crops had been without cultivation -or protection since the early summer; the corn -had made small ears and the sorghum had grown up -into little trifling stalks, and the people who lived -hereabouts were subsisting on corn bread made of -grated meal and syrup made in the crudest manner. -Oh, the devastation and horrors of war! They must -be seen to be realized.</p> - -<p>One morning we met Lieutenant Bob Lee, with his -scouts, and it was agreed that we would spend the -day together on a trip towards the river between -Campbellton and Sherman’s outpost. Bob Lee was -a fine scout, a member of the Ninth Texas Cavalry -who had been promoted from the ranks to first lieutenant -for his efficiency. Lee’s scouts numbered -twenty, while we numbered twenty-one, all well -armed with Colt’s revolvers and well mounted. On -our way we picked up Pem Jarvis, of Company K, -Third Texas, who was glad to join us. Pem had -the only gun in the company, and no pistol.</p> - -<p>We moved north by any road or trail found to -lead to the right direction, until about noon, when -we struck the rear of a farm lying in a little valley. -Along the opposite ridge ran the “ridge road” from -Atlanta to Campbellton, probably half a mile distant. -Near the road, in a strip of timber, stood a -farmhouse. Near the house we heard a gun fire and -a hog squeal. Throwing down the fence we rode in -and moved across cautiously, so as not to be seen -from the house. Passing out through a pair of -draw-bars, three or four of the men galloped up to -the house and into the yard, where they found two<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[233]</a></span> -Federal soldiers in the act of dressing a hog they -had just killed. From them we learned that a party -of about sixty cavalrymen, in charge of an officer, -and having with them two four-mule wagons, had -just passed, going in the direction of Campbellton. -We started off, leaving the hog killers in charge of -two of our men, and filed into the road. At the first -house on the road, supposed to be Dr. Hornsby’s, -two ladies were in the act of mounting their horses -at the gate. They were crying, and told us that -some Yankee soldiers had passed there and insulted -them, and that they were going to headquarters to -ask for protection. They estimated the number at -about sixty, with two wagons. This was about five -miles from Campbellton.</p> - -<p>We sent two of our scouts ahead to look for them, -as there is also a road from Campbellton to Atlanta -called the river road. If they returned by the ridge -road we would meet them, if by the river road we -would miss them. The scouts were to ascertain this -matter and report. We moved on to within about -two miles of the town and formed a line in the brush, -a few steps south of the road and parallel with it, -where, with bridles and pistols well in hand, we -patiently waited the return of our scouts. The road -from our position, towards town as far as we could -see it, ran on a rough down grade and was lined with -thick black jack brush. From here it was impossible -for a horseman to get into the river road without -going into town. The intention was, if they came -our way, to wait until their column came up in our -front and charge them in flank.</p> - -<p>In due time we heard our scouts coming at a gallop,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[234]</a></span> -and looking up we saw they were being pursued -by two Federals. One of the Federals reined up and -stopped before he got in our front, while the other -rode along nearly the entire front of our line, fired -his gun at our scouts, cussed the d——d rebels, -then stopped, and stood as if waiting for the column, -which was then slowly moving up the hill. We could -hear them driving milch cows, which they had taken -from citizens, and accompanied by wagons loaded -with the fruits of their day’s robbery, such as -tobacco, chickens, and turkeys. The fellow in our -front furnished such a tempting target that one of -our men fired, and the Federal dropped from his -horse. This was sufficient to spoil the ambush, and -we instantly spurred our horses into the road, gave -a loud yell, and charged at full speed down the rough -road, into the head of their column. As we approached -them they seemed almost to forget the use -of their seven-shooting rifles in an effort to reverse -their column, and before they could accomplish this -we were in among them, and they ran for dear life -back to gain the river road. We went along with -them to town, and they fired back at us vigorously, -and powder burned some of our men in the face, but -no one of our men received as much as a scratch. -We were better armed for such a contest than they -were, for though they had good rifles, their pistols -were few, while we carried from two to four Colt’s -revolvers apiece.</p> - -<p>Jarvis’ horse became unmanageable in the excitement -and ran under some black jack, and knocked -Jarvis’ gun out of his hand and plunged in among -the enemy, passing by several of them while Jarvis<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[235]</a></span> -had nothing to defend himself with. Some of them -were in the act of shooting him in the back, but invariably -Bob Lee or someone else would save him by -shooting his assailant in the back of the head. The -foremost and best mounted men, about twenty in -number, with one wagon, got through the town. -We followed them a few hundred yards and turned -back. We had twelve prisoners unhurt, and going -back over the road we found fourteen dead and fifteen -wounded. We had in our possession one wagon -and team, thirty or forty rifles, a few pistols, and a -number of horses with their rigging.</p> - -<p>As I was going back on the road I came to an -elderly wounded man just outside of the road. I -reined up my horse, and as I did so he reached out -a trembling hand, in which he held a greasy leather -pocketbook, and said: “Here, take this, but please -don’t kill me.” I told him to put up his pocketbook; -that I would neither take that nor his life; -that I only wanted his arms.</p> - -<p>The slightly wounded men, who would likely be -able to fight again very soon, we put into the wagon, -and mounting the unhurt ones on the captured horses -we paired off with them, and thus started for our -own lines. I rode with one of the prisoners, who -was quite a talkative fellow. Upon asking him why -it was that so many of their men refused to surrender, -and allowed themselves to be shot, he said: -“Our officers have told us that Ross’s brigade never -shows prisoners any quarter, but will rob and murder -them; and we knew it was Ross’s brigade as soon as -you yelled that way.” I told him that was a great -slander on the brigade; that no men would treat<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[236]</a></span> -prisoners more kindly; that sometimes we were hard -up for clothes and would take an overcoat, or blanket, -or something of the kind from a fellow that was well -supplied. “Oh,” said he, “that’s nothing; <i>we</i> do -that.” I then said to him: “I believe your boots -will fit me, and these brogans of mine will do you -just as well at Andersonville.” He said, “All -right,” and instantly he dismounted and pulled his -boots off. We traded, and I had a good pair of kip -boots that fit me, and he had brogan shoes, and was -apparently happy. He asked me how it was that we -were so much better mounted than they were. I explained -that we furnished our own horses, and we -must keep them or go to the infantry, and that made -our men good horsemasters; while the United States -Government furnished them with horses and they -knew that when they rode one to death they would -get another.</p> - -<p>We continued our scouting duties in the same section -of country until the early days of October, -when General Hood moved around in General Sherman’s -rear, and began destroying his communications, -capturing supplies and provisions. Sherman moved -out of Atlanta and followed Hood until the latter -came to the vicinity of Rome. General Hood unwilling -to risk a battle in the open field, crossed the -Coosa River, moving by way of Gadsden, Ala., towards -Guntersville on the Tennessee River. When -General Sherman discovered this movement he turned -back towards Atlanta, devastating the country and -despoiling the citizens as he went.</p> - -<p>With General Hood’s movement across the Coosa -River he began his last campaign, and the last campaign<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[237]</a></span> -for the Army of the Tennessee. His intention -was to cross the Tennessee at Guntersville and -march on Nashville, but he changed his mind and -moved down the river to near Decatur, Tuscumbia, -and Florence, Ross’s brigade being in front of -Decatur, then occupied by the Federals. General -Sherman returning to Atlanta, that city was burned, -and leaving the smoking ruins behind him, he entered -upon his grand march to the sea, with none of General -Hood’s army, save General Wheeler’s cavalry, -to molest him in his work of devastation.</p> - -<p>A day or two after we got to Decatur General -Ross ordered our scouting party back up the river -to ascertain, if we could, what the enemy was doing -in the rear of that place. We moved up on the south -side of the river and stopped between Triana and -Whitesburg. These towns were garrisoned and the -river patrolled by gunboats. We remained in this -neighborhood without any further instructions for -some weeks. Here I found my half-brother, J. J. -Ashworth, who lived on the south bank of the river -about fifteen miles from Huntsville, and about three -miles above Triana. In this neighborhood were a -number of my acquaintances from Madison County, -refugeeing, as Huntsville, Brownsboro, and other -towns were also garrisoned by the enemy. Several -of us crossed the river afoot and remained some days -in Madison County. But for the negroes we could -have had a pleasant time, as every negro in the -country was a spy who would run to report anything -that looked suspicious to them, to one of the near-by -garrisons, so we dared not allow them to see us. I -knew the white people, and knew that they were loyal<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[238]</a></span> -to our cause, but they could not allow their own -negroes to know that they did anything for us, -so that we, and they, too, had to be exceedingly -careful.</p> - -<p>In crossing the river we had to watch for gunboats, -make the passage during the night in a canoe, -which must be drawn out and hidden, else the first -passing gunboat would destroy it. Some three miles -north of the river, in the bottom, lived Alexander -Penland, a Presbyterian minister, a true and loyal -friend to the Confederacy, and three or four miles -further on, towards Huntsville, lived William Lanier, -Burwell Lanier and William Matkins, the two latter -on the Huntsville and Triana road. Dr. William -Leftwich also lived in the same neighborhood. All -were good, trustworthy men, whom I knew well. -Since some of them had taken the non-combatant’s -oath they were allowed to go in and out of town at -will, and from them I could learn of any movements -along the M. & C. Railroad. We crossed the river -after night, and being in possession of Mr. Penland’s -countersign, we found our way to his house, late at -night, after the household was all asleep. I went to -a certain front window, tapped lightly and whistled -like a partridge. Soon Mr. Penland thrust his head -out and in a whisper inquired who we were and what -was wanted. I explained to him briefly, and retired -to a brush thicket near by, where early next morning -he brought us cooked provisions. In order to do -this he had to get up and cook for us himself before -any of his negroes were awake. The next night we -slept in William Lanier’s farm and were fed by him -in the same way. We crossed the Triana road and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[239]</a></span> -went to the top of a small mountain, from which we -could see Huntsville. A rainy season set in and we -found shelter in Burwell Lanier’s gin-house, where -he fed us. When we thought of recrossing the -Tennessee we found that Indian Creek, which we had -to cross, was outrageously high, spreading away out -over the bottom. We spent a good part of an afternoon -in constructing a raft by tying logs together -with vines to enable us to cross that night. Just -east of William Lanier’s farm there was a large -negro quarter, where idle and vicious negroes were -in the habit of congregating, and inasmuch as their -system of espionage upon the white people of the -neighborhood was very annoying, upon the suggestion -of some of our friends we determined to raid -this place before we left, carry off some of these -meddlesome blacks and send them to some government -works in south Alabama.</p> - -<p>Accordingly after dark we visited the quarter -under the guise of recruiting officers from Whitesburg, -told them we had been fighting for their freedom -for about three years, and the time had now -come for them to help us, and we had come for every -able-bodied man to go with us to Whitesburg and -join the army. I had our men call me Brown, for -fear some of them might know me. It was laughable -to hear the various excuses rendered for not going -into the service. A lot of Confederate conscripts -could not have thought up more physical ailments. -We finally gathered up six that we decided were able -for service, promising they should have a medical -examination, and if they were really unfit for service -they would be excused. Among them was a powerful,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[240]</a></span> -large, muscular black fellow that belonged to -Jink Jordan. He had joined the army and, tiring -of his job, was now a deserter, and we could see that -he was greatly scared and very much opposed to -going with us.</p> - -<p>Upon leaving the negro houses we went through -the field and the woods directly to our raft on the -creek and had a great time getting across. The -clouds were thick, it was intensely dark, and our -means of crossing very poor. We had to make a -number of trips, as we could only float three or -four men, including the two that used the poles, at -one time. In the confusion and darkness two of the -prisoners had escaped, and two had just crossed, including -the big deserter, when it became my duty to -guard them with a short Enfield rifle belonging to -one of the men. Having their hands tied with a -cord and then tied together back to back, I was not -uneasy about keeping them, but before I realized -what they were doing they had slipped their hands -through the cord and were running through the -brush. When the big deserter had gone some twelve -or fifteen steps I shot him. He fell at the fire of the -gun, but before I could get to him he scrambled up -and went crashing through the brush like a stampeding -ox. I learned afterwards that he went into -Huntsville to a hospital for treatment, and that the -ball had gone through the muscle of his arm and -plowed into his breast, but not deep enough to be -fatal. We finally reached the bank of the river -about one or two o’clock in the morning, with two of -our prisoners. We then had to hoot like an owl until -some one on the other side should wake up, and,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[241]</a></span> -hearing the signal, would bring us a canoe, which -was finally done, and we crossed over in safety.</p> - -<p>We crossed the river several times during our stay -in the neighborhood, particularly one very cold -night, when several of us passed over, at the request -of Mr. Penland, to transfer his pork to the south -side. He had killed a lot of hogs, and was afraid the -meat might be taken from him, or that he would be -ordered out of the Federal lines as others had been, -and he wished to place it in the hands of a friend -south of the river for safety. We managed to get -an old rickety canoe opposite his place, and crossed -early in the night, and again played the rôle of -Federal soldiers, as no one on his place but himself -must know our real mission. Mrs. Penland had -known me from childhood, but as she had lost her -mind I did not fear recognition, and while Nancy, -their negro woman, also had known me, she failed to -recognize me, as I was Mr. Brown of the Federal -army. We marched up and called for the man of -the house, and when Mr. Penland came forward we -told him we were rather short of rations down in -Triana, and were out looking for meat, and wished to -know if he had any. He acknowledged that he had -just killed some meat, but only enough for his family -use, and had none to spare. We were bound to have -meat, and agreed to leave him one hog, and then -yoked up a pair of oxen and hitched them to a -wagon. While we were in the smokehouse preparing -to take the meat out, Mr. Penland’s two little girls, -about nine and eleven, came crying around us, and -in a most pitiful manner begged us not to take all -of papa’s meat; and poor Mrs. Penland came to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[242]</a></span> -door and said: “Men, please don’t take my little -boy’s pony.” When we had hauled all the meat to -the river bank and returned the wagon, it was nearly -midnight, and we compelled the woman Nancy to get -up and prepare us a warm supper. After supper -we returned to the river and floated the hogs across -in our old canoe.</p> - -<p>At this time my brother’s son, George Ashworth, -a gallant boy about sixteen years old, who had taken -his father’s place in General Roddy’s command, was -at home on furlough. One day a thief, believed to be -a straggler from General Wheeler’s command, took -his horse from a lot some distance from the house, -and carried him off. Lieutenant McClatchie and myself -mounted a pony and a mule of my brother’s and -attempted to overtake him. We followed him as far -as Atlanta, but failed to catch him, and then went -into the city and viewed the wreck that Sherman -had left behind him: thirty-six hundred houses were -in ruins, including the best part of the city. This -was Saturday, and being tired we went down to -the neighborhood of Jonesboro and remained with -some of McClatchie’s acquaintances until Monday -morning. We were hospitably entertained at the -home of Colonel Tidwell, and enjoyed a quiet rest in -the company of Miss Mattie Tidwell and Miss Eva -Camp.</p> - -<p>One evening we passed through the town of Cave -Springs, a locality with which I had become familiar -while we were campaigning here. On the road we -were to travel, at the first house after leaving town, -two or three miles out, there lived a tall dignified old -gentleman and his handsome young married daughter<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[243]</a></span> -whose husband was in the army. They lived in a -large two-story house, and a large commodious barn, -with all other necessary out houses for comfort and -convenience, had stood on his premises when I was -there before—the barn filled to overflowing with -wheat, oats, and corn. Just across the road in front -of the house, and stretching across the valley, was -his large productive farm, covered with a heavy crop -of ungathered corn. While this was the condition, -I had come to this house at night, traveling in the -same direction, and talked myself almost hoarse -without being able to procure from this old gentleman -a single ear of corn for my horse or a morsel -of food for myself, although he knew I must go -eight miles to the next house on the road. I didn’t -ask, nor did I wish, to enter his house, but only -wanted a feed of corn and a little bread and meat. -As we approached the house McClatchie proposed -halting, to stay all night—provided we could. I -related my earlier experience, but we stopped nevertheless.</p> - -<p>Upon seeing us halt, the old gentleman came -stepping down to the gate and spoke very kindly, -and we asked him if we could spend the night with -him. He said such accommodations as he could offer -us we would be welcome to, adding: “I have no -stables for your horses. Sherman’s army passed -this way and burned my barn, with its contents, my -stables, and in fact carried off or destroyed everything -I had to eat or feed on, and left me and my -daughter without a mouthful of anything to eat. -They carried every hog, every fowl, and every pound -of meat, and even rolled my syrup out of the cellar,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[244]</a></span> -knocked the heads out of the barrels and poured the -syrup out on the ground, but I will do the best I -can for you.” His daughter, too, was very hospitable. -At the supper table she detailed all the horrors -of Sherman’s visit, and the distressful condition -they were left in, how they had to go to a neighbor’s -to borrow a few ears of corn to grate them for bread, -and concluded by saying: “But as long as I have -a piece of bread I will divide it with a Confederate -soldier.” After supper she invited us into the parlor, -where she had a nice piano and treated us to -music. Verily “our friends, the enemy,” had converted -one family!</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[245]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER XVII</h2> - -<p class="pch">MY LAST BATTLE</p> - -<p class="pcs">Tories and Deserters—A Tragic Story—A Brutal Murder—The -Son’s Vow—Vengeance—A Southern Heroine—Seeking -Our Command—Huntsville—A Strange Meeting—We Find the -Division—The Battle in the Fog—My Last Battle.</p> - -<p class="pn"><span class="smcap">Haden Pryor</span>, who lived eight miles west on the -same road, was a whole-souled, big-hearted old gentleman, -who also had a large place and plenty of -everything to live on, and whose hospitality towards -a Confederate soldier was unbounded. His boys -were in the army in Virginia, and he and his wife -were at home alone. I had stayed with him while -hunting a blacksmith shop, and found that a tired -Confederate soldier was more than welcome to his -home. Lonely, and impatient for the war to close, -that his gallant boys might come home, he would -sit out on his front veranda and play solitaire, and -was glad to see a soldier come, and sorry to see him -leave. He had a nephew in our regiment that I -knew and liked, and I had fallen in love with this old -gentleman. Next morning McClatchie and I, when -we came to his house, called to pay him our respects -and to tell him good-by.</p> - -<p>This neighborhood, or rather the neighborhood -just south of this, and a considerable scope of country -lying along the western border of Georgia and -the eastern border of Alabama, was infested with a -class of the meanest white men on earth—Tories and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[246]</a></span> -deserters, men too cowardly to fight in either army, -but mean and unscrupulous enough to do anything. -We knew they were there, but while our army was in -the neighborhood they were never seen. Since the -armies had left they were growing bolder, and we -were told at Mr. Pryor’s that morning about some -of their thievery and robbery. Providence protected -us that day. Here were two roads, one to the left -and one to the right, and we could follow one or the -other and reach our destination in the same number -of miles. The matter was left to me, and, without -thinking of danger, I selected the right-hand road. -On that day the left-hand road was waylaid by a -band of these infamous characters and every Confederate -soldier who attempted to pass the road was -robbed of horse, arms, and everything of any value, -and one or two of them murdered. These soldiers -had been left behind slightly wounded or sick, and -were on their way to overtake their commands. One -of the murdered ones belonged to Ross’s brigade.</p> - -<p class="p2">Since the war I have heard, from a reliable source, -a tragic story of this Pryor family, which, if told -in detail, would sound like fiction. It seems that -in the spring of 1865 a band of these cut-throats, -eight in number, rode up to Haden Pryor’s gate and -without provocation shot him while he was standing -in his front yard in presence of his wife; as he turned -and was in the act of returning to his house he fell -in his front veranda, a corpse. This was a few -days after General Lee’s surrender. His oldest son, -John, and a younger one, with eight or ten other -Confederates, on their way home that night came<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[247]</a></span> -within eight or ten miles of their homes, when, tired -and footsore, they lay down to rest until morning.</p> - -<p>John Pryor, haunted by a strange presentiment, -could not sleep, and determined he would quietly -leave the camp and go on to his father’s house. -While he was dressing one of the others woke and -said: “Hello, John, what are you up to?” “I am -going home,” said John. “Wait a minute,” said -the other, “and I’ll go too.” From that one by -one they all roused up and were soon on the road -again. Arriving at home, John Pryor found his -father a bloody corpse and his mother a widow. His -mother told him how it all happened, and gave him -the names of his father’s murderers. The next day -the funeral took place, and the noble father who -had so patiently waited and longed for the return -of his soldier boys was laid under the sod.</p> - -<p>Over his father’s grave John Pryor made a vow -that he would not engage in any business whatever -as long as one of his father’s murderers was alive, -and starting out upon his fixed purpose he killed -one or two of them before the gang became alarmed. -The rest now became panic-stricken and fled the -country, hiding in different States. John hunted -them constantly and relentlessly for weeks and -months, until the weeks grew into years, and as he -found them they were sent to their final account, -one by one, until finally he found the last and least -guilty one in Travis County, Texas, a few miles -from Austin. It was in the spring of the year, and -the man was plowing when John walked into the -field where he was. Seeing John coming and recognizing -him, he stopped his horse and, waiting until<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[248]</a></span> -he was within a few steps of him, he said, “John, -I know what you have come for; but I will ask -you to let me go to the house and tell my wife and -children good-by.” John consented, and they went -to the house, where were the innocent wife and two -small children in a comfortable little home. The -husband and father then said: “John, I never hurt -your father; I didn’t want those fellows to kill him, -and told them not to do it.” “I remember that -my mother told me something about this,” replied -John, “and said you were the only one who said a -word against the murder of my father; and now I -will retract my vow as to you, and leave you with -your wife and children.”</p> - -<p>Now feeling that he had fulfilled his mission, -Pryor returned to his home, and devoting his attention -to business became a prosperous and successful -man.</p> - -<p class="p2">As we continued our way back to north Alabama, -crossing Black Creek, we came to the residence of -Mrs. Sansom. Here we stopped under pretense of -lighting our pipes, and remained for an hour, merely -to get a look at the young heroine, Miss Emily Sansom, -the young girl who rode behind General Forrest -and piloted him to a ford on the creek where he -was in hot pursuit of Colonel Straight and his -men. This story of Emily Sansom’s heroism has -been published so often that most people are familiar -with it. She now lives, a widow, in Upshur County, -Texas.<a name="FNanchor_6_6" id="FNanchor_6_6"></a><a href="#Footnote_6_6" class="fnanchor">[6]</a></p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[249]</a></span></p> - -<p>We pushed on to our former headquarters on the -Tennessee River, to find that our people had been -gone ever so long. General Hood had crossed the -river about the last of November, Decatur, Huntsville, -Triana, and Whitesburg had all been evacuated -by the enemy, and our army was in middle Tennessee. -Our scouts, as we afterwards learned, had -crossed the river, passed through Huntsville and -moved up to the vicinity of Shelbyville. Our command -had participated in the fighting on the advance -into Tennessee, had been in the battle of Franklin, -and was then sent to Murfreesboro.</p> - -<p>McClatchie and myself crossed the river and spent -the night at the home of our friend, Rev. Alexander -Penland. Next day we went into Huntsville, and -while waiting for our horses to be shod I had time to -see a number of my friends, among them Miss Aggie -Scott, from whom I learned that my old friend, W. -H. Powers, and his wife, were sojourning in New -London, Conn. We went out in the evening and -spent the night at the home of Mr. William Matkin, -a few miles down the Triana road. Late at -night Rev. Lieutenant-Colonel William D. Chadick -came to Mr. Matkin’s, afoot, tired and somewhat -excited, and informed us that a division of Federal -cavalry had entered Huntsville that afternoon. He -had been at home with his family, and told an interesting -story of his escape. He had left his home, -gone across lots, and reaching the Female seminary -lot, had hidden under the floor of the seminary until -nightfall, when he had made his way through back -lots and fields until he was well out of town. He then -found his way around to the Triana road and here -he was.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[250]</a></span></p> - -<p>General McCook was in command of the forces -that had come in so unexpectedly, and learning that -Colonel Chadick was at home, showed great anxiety -to capture him, so much so that he visited his home -in person. Finding Mrs. Chadick there, he interrogated -her as to the whereabouts of her husband. -She told him that Colonel Chadick was not at home. -He seemed incredulous, and cross-questioned her -closely, when something in her tone or her favor -led him to change the conversation, and he said to -her: “Madam, where are you from?” She answered, -“I am from Steubenville, Ohio.” “I am also -from Steubenville, Ohio. What was your maiden -name?” She answered, “My maiden name was -Cook.” “Were you Miss Jane Cook?” said he. She -answered, “I was.” Then said he: “Do you remember, -many years ago, one Sunday morning, when -you were on your way to Sunday school, that -some little boys were cutting up in the street near -the Episcopal church and a policeman was about -to take them up when you interceded in their behalf -and he let them off?” She answered, “I do.” “I -was one of those boys,” said he, “and now, madam, -I am ready to do anything in my power for your protection -and comfort.” Guards were placed at her -gates, and not a soldier allowed to enter the premises -while General McCook’s command remained there.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/ill-275.jpg" width="400" height="658" id="i250" - alt="" - title="" /> - <div class="caption"><p class="pc"><span class="smcap">Lieutenant S. B. Barron</span></p> - <p class="cap1">Third Texas Cavalry<br />Photo 1882</p> -</div></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[251]</a></span></p> - -<p>Colonel Chadick was well known to me, he having -been pastor of the Cumberland Presbyterian church -in Huntsville for several years while I lived there. -He first entered the army as chaplain of the Fourth -Alabama Infantry, and was with that famous regiment -in the first battle of Manassas. He was afterwards -made major of an Alabama battalion, of which -Nick Davis was lieutenant-colonel, later consolidated -with Coltart’s battalion, to become the Fiftieth Alabama -Infantry, when John G. Coltart became colonel -and William D. Chadick lieutenant-colonel. At this -time he had an idea of raising a new regiment of -cavalry, and wished me to return and raise a company -for the regiment or else take a position on -his staff, but we were now too near the end.</p> - -<p>McClatchie and myself started out next morning -and went up the Huntsville road a short distance, -when we came in sight of a small party of Federal -cavalry in the act of turning back. We took a road -that led us into the Athens road at John N. Drake’s -place, where we learned that another party had come -out there, and turned back. We then made our way -directly to Pulaski, Tenn., on towards Columbia, and -found the division on the Columbia pike hotly engaged -with the enemy, who was pushing General -Hood’s retreat. Our rear-guard was commanded by -General Forrest, and consisted of his own cavalry, -Jackson’s cavalry division, and about fifteen hundred -infantry, under Major-General Walthal. The -infantry were trans-Mississippi troops, including -Ector’s and Granberry’s brigades. General Hood’s -main army was retreating by different roads towards -Bainbridge, where we were to cross the Tennessee -River. Jackson’s division of cavalry and the infantry -of the rear-guard were on the main road, while -General Forrest’s cavalry was protecting other -roads. We were uncomfortably crowded on the turnpike, -but we left it at Pulaski, crossed Richland -Creek on a bridge, and fired the bridge. The Federals<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[252]</a></span> -soon came up and extinguished the fire, however, -and then came pouring across the bridge, but -as it was now late in the afternoon they did not -attack any more for the day.</p> - -<p>The next morning General Forrest selected a -favorable position in the hills a few miles below Pulaski, -masked his batteries, and formed his infantry -in ambush, and, when the enemy came on us, attacked -them with artillery, infantry, and cavalry, -and after a sharp little battle drove them back handsomely, -with some loss, capturing one piece of artillery -and taught them that in the hills it was imprudent -to rush upon an enemy recklessly. For the -remainder of that day we were permitted to move -quietly down the road unmolested.</p> - -<p>That night one of General Frank Armstrong’s -Mississippi cavalry regiments was left on picket, -and we moved on a mile or two and camped by the -roadside. Just after daylight the next morning -our Mississippi regiments came clattering in, closely -pursued by the enemy’s cavalry. We hastily formed -a line across the road and checked the enemy, and -then moved on to Sugar Creek and formed another -ambush. There was a dense fog along the creek, -such as I never saw in the interior. Our infantry -were formed along the creek bank just above the -crossing, and the cavalry in column of fours in the -road forty or fifty yards back from the ford of -the creek, and thus, in the fog, we were as completely -concealed as if midnight darkness had prevailed. -The infantry remained perfectly quiet until -the head of the enemy’s column was in the act of -crossing the creek, when suddenly, with a yell they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[253]</a></span> -plunged through the creek and charged them. This -threw the head of their column into confusion, when -our cavalry charged them in column at a gallop, -and pressed them back two or three miles. <i>And this -was the last fight I was ever in!</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[254]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER XVIII</h2> - -<p class="pch">ROSS’ REPORT OF BRIGADE’S LAST CAMPAIGN</p> - -<p class="pcs">Ross’ Report—Repulse a Reconnoitering Party—Effective -Fighting Strength—Advance Guard—The Battle at Campbellsville—Results—Thompson’s -Station—Harpeth River—Murfreesboro—Lynville—Pulaski—Sugar -Creek—Losses During Campaign—Captures—Acknowledgments.</p> - -<div class="pbq"> - -<p class="pr4"><span class="smcap">Headquarters Ross’ Brigade, J. C. D.</span></p> -<p class="pr"><span class="smcap">Corinth, Miss.</span>, Jan. 12, 1865.</p> - -<p class="pn"><span class="smcap">Captain</span>:</p> - -<p>I have the honor to submit the following report -of the part performed by my brigade in the late -campaign into Middle Tennessee.</p> - -<p>First, however, and by way of introduction, it is -proper to premise that we bore a full share in the -arduous duties required of the cavalry in the Georgia -campaign, and were particularly active during the -operations of the army upon the enemy’s line of -communication.</p> - -<p>October 24, in compliance with orders from division -commander, I withdrew from my position near -Cave Springs, Ga., crossed the Coosa River at Gadsden -the day following, and by rapid marches arrived -in front of Decatur, Ala., on the evening of the 29th. -Was here halted to observe the movements of the -enemy while the army rested at Tuscumbia. On the -morning of November 8 a strong reconnoitering -party, consisting of three regiments of infantry and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[255]</a></span> -one of cavalry, coming out from Decatur on the -Courtland road, was promptly met, and after a -sharp skirmish driven back with some loss. The -next day, being relieved by a portion of General -Roddy’s command, we retired down the valley to -Town Creek and rested until the 18th, when we were -ordered across the river at Florence, and moving -at once to the front of the army, took position -with the other cavalry commands on Shoal Creek.</p> - -<p>November 21, all things being ready for the -advance, we were ordered forward, following in the -rear of Armstrong’s Brigade. The effective fighting -strength of my command at this time was as follows: -Third Regiment Texas Cavalry, 218; Sixth Regiment -Texas Cavalry, 218; Ninth Regiment Texas -Cavalry, 110; Twenty-seventh Regiment Texas -Cavalry, 140; making a total of 686. With this -small force we joined the advance into Tennessee, -strong in heart and resolved to make up in zeal and -courage what was wanting in numbers. The day after -crossing Shoal Creek, General Armstrong, having -still the advance, came up with Federal cavalry at -Lawrenceburg. The fighting was chiefly with artillery, -Captain Young’s battery being freely used, -and to good effect. About sunset the enemy withdrew -in the direction of Pulaski. Early the next -morning I was ordered to take the advance and move -out on the Pulaski road. About twelve miles from -Lawrenceburg we came upon the Federal pickets and -drove them in. The Third Texas now dismounted -and with two squadrons from the Twenty-seventh -Texas moved forward and attacked the enemy, forcing -him from his successive positions and following<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[256]</a></span> -him up so vigorously as to compel the precipitate -abandonment of his camps and all his forage. The -next day, having still the advance, when within five -miles of Pulaski, we changed direction to the left, following -the route taken by the enemy in his retreat -the evening before, and arriving about noon in sight -of the little village, Campbellsville, I found a large -force of cavalry, which proved to be Hatch’s division, -drawn up to resist us. Lieutenant-Colonel -Boggess was ordered promptly to dismount his regiment, -the Third Texas, and move it to the front. -Young’s battery was hurried up from the rear, placed -in position and, supported by the Sixth Texas -(Colonel Jack Wharton, commanding), commenced -shelling the enemy’s lines. In the meanwhile the -Ninth Texas and the Legion were drawn up in column, -in the field to the right of the wood, to be used -as circumstances might require. These dispositions -completed, I watched with interest the effect of the -shelling from our battery, and very soon discovered -from the movements of the enemy, an intention to -withdraw, whereupon, believing this to be the proper -movement, I ordered everything forward. The -Ninth Texas and Legion, led by their respective -commanders, Colonel Jones and Lieutenant-Colonel -Whitfield, rushed forward at a gallop, and passing -through the village, fell upon the enemy’s moving -squadrons with such irresistible force as to scatter -them in every direction, pursuing and capturing -numbers of prisoners, horses, equipment, small arms, -accouterments, and four (4) stands of colors. The -enemy made no effort to regain the field from which -he had been driven, but while endeavoring to withdraw<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[257]</a></span> -his broken and discomfited squadrons was attacked -vigorously in flank by a portion of General -Armstrong’s brigade, and his rout made complete. -The last of his forces, in full flight, disappeared in -the direction of Lynville about sunset, and we saw -no more of them south of Duck River. Our loss -in the fight at Campbellsville was only five (5) men -wounded, while our captures (I found upon investigation) -summed up to be eighty-four (84) prisoners, -and all their horses, equipments, and small arms, four -(4) stands of colors and sixty-five (65) beef cattle. -Without further opposition we arrived the next day -in front of Columbia, and took the position assigned -us on the Chapel Hill pike.</p> - -<p>November 26, we remained in front of the enemy’s -works, skirmishing freely and keeping up a lively -demonstration. On the morning of the 27th, being -relieved by the infantry, we were ordered over to -Shelbyville pike, and camped the following night -on Fountain Creek. Crossing Duck River the next -morning, at the mill, nine miles above Columbia, we -were directed thence to the right (on the Shelbyville -road), and when near the Lewisburg and Franklin -pike, again encountered the Federal cavalry. A -spirited engagement ensued, begun by the Third -Texas, which being detached to attack a train of -wagons moving in the direction of Franklin, succeeded -in reaching the pike, but was there met by a -superior force of Yankees and driven back. Seeing -this, I had Colonel Hawkins to hurry his regiment -(the Legion) to the assistance of the Third, and ordered -a charge, which was made in gallant style, and -resulted in forcing the Yankees from the field in confusion,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[258]</a></span> -and with the loss of several prisoners and -the colors of the Seventh Ohio Cavalry. In the -meanwhile Colonel Wharton, with the Sixth Texas, -charged into the pike to the right of where the -Third and Legion were engaged, capturing an entire -company of the Seventh Ohio Cavalry, three (3) -stands of colors, several wagons loaded with ordnances, -and a considerable number of horses, with -their equipments. The Ninth Texas (Colonel Jones), -having been detached early in the evening to guard -the road leading to our right, with the exception of -a slight skirmish with the enemy’s pickets, in which -several prisoners were taken, was not otherwise engaged -during the evening. It was now after night -and very dark. The enemy had disappeared from -our front in direction of Franklin, but before establishing -camps it was thought prudent to ascertain -if any force had been cut off and yet remained between -us and the river. Colonel Hawkins was therefore -ordered up the pike with his regiment to reconnoiter, -and had proceeded but a short distance before -he was met by a brigade of Federal cavalry. -An exciting fight ensued, lasting about half an hour, -when the enemy, having much the larger force, succeeded -in passing by us, receiving as he did so a -severe fire into his flanks. This ceased the operations -for the day, and we were allowed to bivouac, -well pleased with the prospect of rest, after so much -fatiguing exercise.</p> - -<p>At Hunts cross roads the next day, when the -other commands of cavalry took the left and moved -upon Spring Hill, my brigade was advanced upon -the road to Franklin. Afterwards, in obedience to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[259]</a></span> -orders of the division commander, we turned towards -Thompson’s Station, being now in rear of -the Federal army, which still held its position on -Rutherford’s Creek. The Yankee cavalry, completely -whipped, had disappeared in the direction -of Franklin, and did not again show itself that day. -When near Thompson’s Station I discovered a few -wagons moving on the pike, and sent Colonel Jones, -with the Ninth and Legion, to intercept and capture -them. At the same time the Sixth and Third -Texas were drawn up in line, and a squadron from -the latter dispatched to destroy the depot. Colonel -Jones was partially successful, capturing and destroying -one wagon and securing the team. He then -charged a train of cars which came up from the -direction of Franklin, when the engineer becoming -frightened, cut the engine loose and ran off southward. -The train, thus freed, began to retrograde, -and in spite of the obstructions thrown in its way -and the efforts of the men to stop it, rolled back under -the guns of a blockhouse and was saved. The -guard, however, and all the men on the train were -forced to jump off, and became our prisoners. I -now had the railroad bridge destroyed, in consequence -of which the engine that escaped from us, -and another, became the prizes of our army the -next day. In the meantime the enemy at the depot, -observing the approach of the squadron from the -Third Texas, set fire to all of his valuables, including -a train of cars loaded with ordnance, and evacuated -the place. Having accomplished all that could be -effected in the station, we withdrew late in the evening, -dropping back to the left of Spring Hill and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[260]</a></span> -halted until I could communicate with the division -commander. About midnight I received the order -directing me to again “Strike the pike” and attack -the enemy’s train, then in full retreat to Franklin; -moved out at once to obey the order, guided -by an officer of General Forrest’s staff who knew -the country. When within half a mile of the pike -I dismounted three (3) of my regiments, leaving -the Ninth Texas mounted to guard their horses, -and cautiously advancing on foot, got within one -hundred yards of the enemy’s train without being -discovered. The Legion (Colonel Hawkins commanding) -having the advance, fronted into line, fired a -well-directed volley, killing several Yankees and -mules, and rushed forward with a yell, producing -among the teamsters and wagon guards a perfect -stampede. The Yankees lost thirty-nine (39) -wagons, some of which were destroyed, and others -abandoned for the want of the teams, which we -brought off. Remaining in possession of the pike -for half an hour, we withdrew upon the approach -of several bodies of infantry, which coming up in -opposite directions, by mistake got to shooting into -each other, and fired several volleys before finding -out their error. Having remounted our horses, we -remained on the hill overlooking the pike until -daylight, and saw the Yankee army in full retreat. -While this was passing a regiment of cavalry appearing -in the open field in our front was charged -by the Sixth Texas, completely routed and driven -to his infantry column. Soon after this we again -pushed forward, keeping parallel with the pike, -upon which our infantry was moving, crossed Harpeth<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[261]</a></span> -River in the evening, about three miles above -Franklin, only a small force of the enemy appearing -to dispute the passage. Half a mile from the river -we came upon a regiment of Yankee cavalry drawn -up in line. This the Ninth Texas at once charged -and routed, but was met by a larger force, and in -turn compelled to give back, the enemy following in -close pursuit. The Third Texas now rushed forward, -checked the advancing squadrons of the Yankees, -and then hurled them back, broken and disorganized, -capturing several prisoners and driving the others -back upon their heavier lines. The gallant bearing -of the men and officers of the Third and Ninth Texas -on this occasion is deserving of special commendation, -and it affords me much gratification to record -to the honor of these noble regiments that charges -made by them at Harpeth River have never been, -and cannot be, surpassed by cavalry of any nation. -By the charge of the Third Texas we gained possession -of an eminence overlooking the enemy’s position -and held it until late in the evening, when discovering -an intention on the part of the Yankee -commander to advance his entire force, and being -without any support, I withdrew to the south side -of the river again. Very soon the enemy advanced -his whole line, but finding we had recrossed the river -again, retreated, and during the night withdrew -from our front. The next day we moved forward, -arrived in front of Nashville December 3, and took -position on the Nolensville pike three miles from the -city. Just in our front was a line of works, and -wishing to ascertain what force occupied them, I -had two squadrons of the Sixth Texas to dismount,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[262]</a></span> -deploy as skirmishers, and advance. We found the -works held only by the enemy’s skirmishers, who withdrew -upon our approach. After this, being relieved -by our infantry, we returned to the rear with orders -to cook up rations. On the morning of December 5 -the brigade was ordered to Lavergne; found there a -small force of infantry, which took refuge inside the -fort, and after slight resistance surrendered upon -demand of the division commander. Moving thence -to Murfreesboro, where within a few miles of the city -the enemy’s pickets were encountered, and after a -stubborn resistance driven back by the Sixth and -Third Texas, dismounted. A few days after this -Major-General Forrest invested Murfreesboro with -his cavalry and one (1) division of infantry. The -duty assigned my brigade being to guard all the -approaches to the city, from the Salem to the Woodbury -pike inclusive, was very severe for so small a -force, and almost every day there was heavy skirmishing -on some portion of our line.</p> - -<p>December 15, a train of cars from Stevenson, -heavily laden with supplies for the garrison at Murfreesboro, -was attacked about seven miles south of -the city, and although guarded by a regiment of -infantry, two hundred strong, was captured and -burned. The train was loaded with sugar, coffee, -hard bread, and bacon, and carried full two hundred -thousand rations. The men guarding it fought desperately -for about an hour, having a strong position -in a cut of the railroad, but were finally routed by -a most gallant charge of the Sixth Texas, supported -by the Third Texas, and 150 of them captured.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[263]</a></span> -The others escaped to blockhouses near by. The -next day, in consequence of the reverses to our arms -at Nashville, we were withdrawn from the front of -Murfreesboro, ordered across to Triana, and thence -to Columbia, crossing Duck River in the evening of -the 18th.</p> - -<p>December 24, while being in the rear of our army, -the enemy charged my rear-guard at Lynville, with -a heavy force, and threatened to break over all opposition, -when the Sixth Texas hastily forming, met -and hurled them back, administering a most wholesome -check to their ardor. At the moment this occurred -our columns were all in motion, and it was of -the utmost importance to break the charge of the -enemy on our rear. Too much credit, therefore, -cannot be given the Sixth Texas, for gallant bearing -on this occasion. Had it failed to check the enemy, -my brigade, and probably the entire division, taken -at disadvantage, might have suffered severely. At -Richland Creek, when the cavalry took position later -in the day, I was assigned a position on the right -of the railroad, and in front of the creek. Soon -afterwards, however, the enemy moving as if to -cross above the bridge, I was withdrawn to the -south side of the creek and took position on the -hill near the railroad, skirmishing with the enemy -in my front, holding him in check until our forces -had all crossed the creek. We were then ordered to -withdraw, and passing through Pulaski, again crossed -Richland Creek and camped near Mr. Carter’s for -the night. The next day my brigade, alternating -with General Armstrong in bringing up the rear,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">[264]</a></span> -had frequent skirmishes with the enemy’s advance. -Nine miles from Pulaski, when the infantry halted -and formed, I was ordered on the right. Soon -after this the enemy made a strong effort to turn -our right flank, but failed, and was driven back. -About the same time the infantry charged and -captured his artillery, administering such an effectual -check that he did not again show himself that -day.</p> - -<p>This done, we retired leisurely, and after night -bivouacked on Sugar Creek. Early the following -morning the Yankees, still not satisfied, made their -appearance, and our infantry again made dispositions -to receive them. Reynolds’ and Ector’s brigades -took position, and immediately in their rear -I had the Legion and Ninth Texas drawn up in -column of fours to charge, if an opportunity should -occur. The fog was very dense and the enemy therefore -approached very cautiously. When near enough -to be seen, the infantry fired a volley and charged. -At the same time the Legion and Ninth Texas were -ordered forward, and passing through our infantry, -crossed the creek in the face of a terrible fire, overthrew -all opposition on the further side, and pursued -the thoroughly routed foe near a mile, capturing -twelve (12) prisoners and as many horses, besides -killing numbers of others. The force opposed -to us here was completely whipped,—proved from -the statements of the prisoners to be Hammond’s -brigade of cavalry. After this the Yankees did not -again show themselves, and without further interruption -we recrossed the Tennessee River at Bainbridge -on the evening of the 27th of December.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">[265]</a></span> -Our entire loss during the campaign sums up as -follows:</p> - -<table cellspacing="0" id="t03" summary="t03"> - - <tr> - <td colspan="8" class="tdct"> </td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td rowspan="2" class="tdc4">COMMAND</td> - <td colspan="2" class="tdb">KILLED</td> - <td colspan="2" class="tdb">WOUNDED</td> - <td colspan="2" class="tdb">CAPTURED</td> - <td rowspan="2" class="tdc6">AGGREGATE</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdb">OFFICERS</td> - <td class="tdb">EN.<br />MEN</td> - <td class="tdb">OFFICERS</td> - <td class="tdb">EN.<br />MEN</td> - <td class="tdb">OFFICERS</td> - <td class="tdb">EN.<br />MEN</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdc5">Third Texas Cavalry<br />Sixth Texas Cavalry<br /> -Ninth Texas Cavalry<br />Texas Texas Legion</td> - <td class="tdb1"> </td> - <td class="tdb1">2<br />6<br />4</td> - <td class="tdb1">3<br />3</td> - <td class="tdb1">22<br />19<br />17<br />6</td> - <td class="tdb1">1</td> - <td class="tdb1">2<br />1<br />1</td> - <td class="tdc6">30<br />29<br />22<br />6</td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="tdc4">Total</td> - <td class="tdb1"> </td> - <td class="tdb1">12</td> - <td class="tdb1">6</td> - <td class="tdb1">64</td> - <td class="tdb1">1</td> - <td class="tdb1">4</td> - <td class="tdc6">87</td> - </tr> - -</table> - -<p class="p1">We captured on the trip and brought off five hundred -and fifty (550) prisoners, as shown by the records -of my provost-marshal, nine (9) stands of -colors, several hundred horses and their equipments, -and overcoats and blankets sufficient to supply my -command. We destroyed, besides, two trains of cars, -loaded, one with ordnance, and the other with commissary -stores; forty or fifty wagons and mules; -and much other valuable property belonging to -the Federal army. My brigade returned from Tennessee -with horses very much jaded, but otherwise -in no worse condition than when it started, its -morale not in the least affected nor impaired by the -evident demoralization which prevailed to a considerable -extent throughout the larger portion of the -army.</p> - -<p>Before closing my report I desire to record an -acknowledgment of grateful obligations to the gallant<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">[266]</a></span> -officers and brave men whom I have the honor -to command. Entering upon the campaign poorly -clad and illy prepared for undergoing its hardships, -these worthy votaries of freedom nevertheless bore -themselves bravely, and I did not hear a murmur, nor -witness the least reluctance in the discharge of duty, -however unpleasant. All did well, and to this I attribute -in a great measure the unparalleled success -which attended all our efforts during the campaign.</p> - -<p>To Colonel D. W. Jones, Colonel E. R. Hawkins, -Colonel Jack Wharton, Lieutenant-Colonel J. S. -Boggess, who commanded their respective regiments; -and Lieutenant-Colonel P. F. Ross and Major S. B. -Wilson, Sixth Texas; Lieutenant-Colonel J. T. Whitfield -and Major B. H. Nosworthy, of Legion; Major -A. B. Stone, Third Texas; and Major H. C. Dial, -Ninth Texas; also Captains Gurly, Plummer, Killough -and Preston; Lieutenants Alexander and -Sykes; members of my staff: I feel especially indebted -for earnest, zealous, and efficient co-operation. -These officers upon many trying occasions acquitted -themselves with honor, and it affords me -pleasure to be able to commend to the favorable notice -of the Brigadier-General commanding.</p> - -<p>I have the honor to be, Captain, very resp’t,</p> - -<p class="pr4">Your obedient Servant,</p> -<p class="pr6">Official:</p> -<p class="pr2"><span class="smcap">L. S. Ross</span>,</p> -<p class="pi4">A. A. G. “59”</p> -<p class="pr"><i>Brig. Gen’l., J. C.</i></p> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">[267]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER XIX</h2> - -<p class="pch">THE END OF THE WAR</p> - -<p class="pcs">Christmas—I Lose All My Belongings—The “Owl Train”—A -Wedding—Furloughed—Start for Texas—Hospitality—A -Night in the Swamp—The Flooded Country—Swimming the -Rivers—In Texas—Home Again—Surrender of Lee, Johnston, -and Kirby Smith—Copy of Leave of Absence—Recapitulation—Valuation -of Horses in 1864—Finis.</p> - -<p class="pn"><span class="smcap">Although</span> we moved in a very leisurely manner in -order to give General Hood a chance to put a pontoon -bridge across Tennessee River and cross his infantry, -artillery, and wagon trains, the enemy never -came in sight of us again.</p> - -<p>Our Christmas was spent on this march. The -weather was quite cold and many of our poor soldiers -had to march over frozen ground barefooted. -Between the 25th day of December, 1864, and the -1st day of January, 1865, everything had crossed -to the south side of the river, during a little more -than a month having seen much hard service, severe -fighting, and demoralizing disaster. We continued -to move leisurely southward. The main army moved -to Tupelo, Miss., while our command moved to -Egypt Station on the Mobile & Ohio Railroad. -After crossing the river General Ross detailed -Captain H. W. Wade, of the Sixth Texas, Lieutenant -Thompson Morris, of the Legion, and myself as -a permanent brigade court-martial.</p> - -<p>Egypt Station is situated in one of the richest -of the black land districts. Corn was abundant, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">[268]</a></span> -we remained there several days, during which time -it rained almost incessantly, but the court-martial -procured quarters in a house and was able to keep -out of the black mud, which was very trying on the -men in camp. Being scarce of transportation for -baggage when we started to Georgia, the officers’ -trunks and valises, containing all their best clothes, -were left in Mississippi in charge of a detail of two -men, afterwards reduced to one. While we were moving -out of Tennessee the baggage was run up to a -small station on the Mobile & Ohio Railroad, and just -before we reached it a small scouting party of the -enemy’s cavalry swooped down, fired the station, and -all our good clothes went up in smoke. In fact, -this and Kilpatrick’s raid left me with almost “nothing -to wear.”</p> - -<p>Leaving Egypt, we moved slowly back to our old -stamping-ground in the Yazoo country. We camped -one night some seventy-five miles north of Kosciusko, -and in the morning, before the command was ready -to move, about 180 men from the brigade, including -several from Company C, Third Texas, mounted -their horses and moved out, without leave, and started -for the west side of the Mississippi River. They had -organized what they were pleased to call an “owl -train,” a term of no significance worth explaining. -It meant that they had become demoralized and impatient -for the promised furlough, and had determined -to go home without leave. It was a source of -great regret to see numbers of men who had been -good soldiers for fully three and a half years thus -defiantly quit the command with which they had so -faithfully served, but not a harsh word was said to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">[269]</a></span> -them, nor was effort made to stop them. Whether -they would have returned or not, I do not know; -perhaps many of them would, but circumstances were -such that they never did. To this day many of them, -perhaps all, live in constant regret that they were -induced to take this one false step when we were so -near the end.</p> - -<p>On the same morning Lieutenant William H. -Carr and myself obtained permission to go ahead of -the command, to have some boots made, and started -for Mr. Richburg’s shop. A little after night the -second day we reached the house of Mr. Savage, and -obtained permission to spend the night. Soon after -we were seated by a splendid blazing fire, his daughter, -Miss Hattie, whom I had met at Mr. Blunt’s -about eighteen months before, came into the room. -She recognized me very readily, and was apparently -glad to meet me again. As there was to be a wedding -at their house in about three days, she very cordially -invited us to attend, which we agreed to do, provided -we remained in the neighborhood that long. -We hurried on to Richburg’s shop, ordered our boots, -which he promised to make right away—that is, in -about three days. We then went to the home of my -friends, the Ayres family, and made that our home -for the time being. The wedding was attended by -us, in company with Miss Andrews, the step-daughter, -and our boots were finished just in time to enable -us to join the wedding party at the dinner -given the next day in Kosciusko, ten miles on our -way. Here we dined, after which, bidding farewell -to our friends and acquaintances, we hastened on -to overtake our command.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">[270]</a></span></p> - -<p>Unexpectedly, a little later, we were favored with -an order to furlough one-half of the command, officers -and men, it being my fortune to be of the “one-half.” -Selecting and sending up the names of those -to be furloughed, writing up and returning the papers, -consumed time, so that it was February before -we were ready to start to Texas. Lieutenant-Colonel -Jiles S. Boggess, of the Third Texas, being the -ranking field officer to go, was to be nominally in -charge of the furloughed men, and as he lived in -Henderson, my expectation was to go home with -him; but it turned out otherwise. The day for starting -was agreed on, leaving Colonel Boggess to bring -my papers and meet me at Murdock’s ferry on -Yazoo River. I left camp the day before and went -up to the home of John F. Williams and spent the -night. John F. Williams had been sheriff of Cherokee -County, Texas, in an early day, but had moved -back to Mississippi. His two sons had joined our -company, but Wyatt, the older one, being physically -disqualified, had been discharged. He was anxious -to come to his grandfather in Marshall, Texas, and -I loaned him a horse on which to make the trip; and, -declining to bring my boy Jake on so long a ride, -to return so soon (as I then believed), I gave -him a horse and saddle and told him to take care of -himself.</p> - -<p>Starting next morning with Wyatt Williams, I -came on to Lexington and spent the night at the -residence of our “Aunt Emma Hays.” Mrs. Hays -was one of the noblest women we met in Mississippi, -a great friend to Ross’s brigade collectively, and a -special friend to a good many of us individually.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">[271]</a></span> -Her good old mother, Mrs. West, was there. She -had lived in Marion, Ala., and was strongly attached -to persons of my name there, and would always insist -that I favored them, and was related to them; and -the good, kind-hearted creature would do all she -could for me and seemed to regret that she could -not do more. These two kindly ladies furnished me -luncheon enough to have lasted me, individually, almost -to Rusk.</p> - -<p>The next day we rode in the rain all day to Murdock’s -ferry, where, as we arrived after dark, it -required a good deal of yelling and waiting to get -a boat to cross in. Finally we stopped at Colonel -Murdock’s gate and, although his house appeared -to be full of soldiers, we were welcome. Murdock -was the big-hearted man who, when the brigade -camped on his premises for a day and night, refused -to sell the man sweet potatoes, but said: “Go -back and tell the boys to come up to the house and -get as many as they want.” I had made the acquaintance -of Mrs. Murdock and her sister, Miss -Ford, of Louisiana, who was visiting her, at Lexington -some months previous. I found Captain Sid -Johnson, of Tyler, was at Mrs. Murdock’s home. -Mrs. Murdock whispered to me and said: “Supper -will soon be ready for the company, but I wish you -and Captain Johnson to wait and eat with the family.” -This we did, and afterwards were invited into -the parlor, and pleasantly entertained by the ladies, -Mrs. Murdock the while urging me to remain and -spend my leave of absence with them instead of going -to Texas.</p> - -<p>In the meantime the rain continued to pour down,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">[272]</a></span> -and increased in violence, continuing all next day and -the next night. While the others all pushed on except -Williams and myself, I remained there until -afternoon. About noon Colonel Boggess reined up -at the gate long enough to say “Come ahead,” and -rode off in a torrent of rain, and the next time -I saw him he was in Henderson, his home. Finally -Williams and I started, intending to cross Sunflower -Swamp and Sunflower River that evening, but soon -found the whole country was overflowed, and losing -much valuable time in trying to cross a creek without -swimming it we had to lay out in the swamp that -night. We cut a lot of cane for our horses to stand -on, and piled a lot up by an old tree, and on that we -sat down all night in the rain.</p> - -<p>Next morning by swimming a large creek we -reached Sunflower River, found it bank full, the -ferryboat on the west side, and the ferryman gone. -By going down the river three or four miles we found -a farm and a private ferry, but it was afternoon -when we crossed. Reaching the Mississippi we found -a number of the men waiting to get over, but Colonel -Boggess had crossed and gone on. The crossing -was tedious in the extreme, as the only means of -doing so was to swim the horses by the side of a -skiff, and this had to be done in the daytime, when -you had to look out for gunboats. When over, it -was very uncertain with whom you were going to -travel, as every fellow, when he got his horse up the -bank and over the levee on the west side, at once -struck out for Texas. I lost Williams and never -saw him afterwards.</p> - -<p>The country between the Mississippi and Red<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">[273]</a></span> -River was practically afloat. We crossed a great -many streams, how many I do not remember, and -we found but one stream, Little River, where the -bridge was not washed away. We traveled along -near the Arkansas and Louisiana line, sometimes in -one State and sometimes in the other. The first -stream encountered after crossing the Mississippi -was a large bayou in the bottom, which we crossed -on a raft constructed of logs tied together. We -ferried Ouachita River, two miles, crossed Little -River on a bridge, and had to swim every other -stream, averaging something like three a day. We -struck Red River at Carolina Bluff, some twenty -miles above Shreveport, and had to swim the overflow -in several places to get down to Shreveport, -where we found dry ground. We came through it -all with but one serious accident, and that was the -drowning of a negro boy. I traveled mostly with -Dr. Blocker, of Harrison County, and three or four -of the Third Texas from Smith County.</p> - -<p>One morning I found my horse badly foundered, -so that I could not keep up with my crowd. Coming -to Magnolia, Ark., about noon, I had to sell one of -my pistols in order to trade for a horse that was able -to bring me on.</p> - -<p>Upon reaching Henderson, about eleven o’clock -one day, the first man I recognized on the street -was Lieutenant-Colonel Jiles S. Boggess, of the -Third Texas Cavalry. He abused me roundly for -being behind, and threatened that I should never leave -the town with whole bones unless I went down to -his house and took a rest and dinner with him, and -I yielded. Here I learned that the “owl train<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274">[274]</a></span>” -gang had not yet reached Texas, that they crossed -the river, had been arrested at Alexandria, perhaps, -and were detained under guard at Shreveport. -Through the influence of Colonel Boggess, however, -they were soon afterwards released by General -Smith and allowed to come home.</p> - -<p>I reached Rusk a little before noon the next day.</p> - -<p>The following is a true copy of the paper on which -I came to Texas:</p> - -<div class="pbq"> -<p class="pr6 p1"><span class="smcap">Hd. Qts. Ross Brig. Cav.</span>,</p> -<p class="pr">Deasonville, Miss., Feb. 20, 1865.</p> -<p class="pn">Special orders</p> -<p class="pi4">No. 2. Ext.</p> - -<p>By authority from Lieutenant-General Taylor -Leaves of absence are granted to the following named -officers for Sixty (60) days.</p> - -<table id="t04" summary="t04"> - - <tr> - <td class="tdc">•</td> - <td class="tdc">•</td> - <td class="tdc">•</td> - <td class="tdc">•</td> - <td class="tdc">•</td> - <td class="tdc">•</td> - </tr> - -</table> - -<p class="pn">XXVII Lieutenant S. B. Barron, Company “C”</p> -<p class="pi4">Third Texas.</p> - -<p class="pr6"><span class="smcap">L. S. Ross</span>,</p> -<p class="pr6"><i>Brig. Gen’l.</i></p> -</div> - -<p class="p1">At the proper time I presented myself to Colonel -Boggess at Henderson, and reported to him that -I was ready to start back. He told me he had no -idea that we could cross the river, as it was reported -to be from five to twenty-five miles wide; that he -had sent a man to ascertain whether it was possible -for us to cross it, and if so he would let me know, -and directed me to return to Rusk and remain until -I heard from him. Thus matters stood until the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275">[275]</a></span> -startling news reached us that General R. E. Lee had -surrendered his army in Virginia. This was followed -in quick succession by the surrender of General -Joseph E. Johnston in North Carolina, the other -commanding officer, and finally by General E. Kirby -Smith’s surrender of the trans-Mississippi department.</p> - -<p>And then—then the four years’ war, with all its -fun and frolic, all its hardships and privations, its -advances and retreats, its victories and defeats, its -killing and maiming, was at an end.</p> - -<p>I am unable to give the losses of Ross’ brigade -sustained in the Atlanta campaign. If it was ever -given out officially I never saw it. But our ranks -were very much depleted as the result of this long -campaign. Some went to the hospitals badly -wounded, some were furloughed with wounds not -considered dangerous, some were rolled in their blankets -and buried where they fell, and others were carried -to Northern prisons, there to die or remain until -the close of the war.</p> - -<p>Nor can I now give the loss we sustained in the -Nashville campaign. It was carefully made up in -detail, but I do not remember it. I remember that -John B. Long, of Company C, was shot through -both thighs, and I remember two gallant members -of Company B, Bud McClure and Joe Robinson, -were killed near Pulaski on the retreat.</p> - -<p class="p2">The regulation that our horses should be listed -and valued now and then, to show the estimation -placed upon horseflesh in the currency of our Government, -I give the following valuations made in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276">[276]</a></span> -the early part of the year 1864, of the officers and -men then present for duty, viz.:</p> - -<p>Captain John Germany, one bay horse, $2000; -Lieutenant W. H. Carr, one sorrel horse, $1200; -Lieutenant R. L. Hood, one sorrel horse, $1600; -Lieutenant S. B. Barron, one black horse, $1400; -one bay mule, $1000; First Sergeant John B. Long, -one bay horse, $900; Second Sergeant R. L. Barnett, -one sorrel mare, $1500; First Corporal D. H. Allen, -one sorrel horse, $1600; S. D. Box, one bay horse, -$1500; Stock Ewin, one sorrel horse, $2500; J. J. -Felps, one brown mule, $900; Luther Grimes, one -sorrel horse, $1400; J. B. Hardgraves, one -sorrel horse, $1500; J. R. Halbert, one sorrel mare, -$1200; J. T. Halbert, one gray horse, $1500; W. H. -Higginbotham, one gray horse, $1200; J. H. Jones, -one bay mare, $1000; W. H. Kellum, one brown -mule, $900; S. N. Keahey, one gray horse, $1100; -G. A. McKee, one sorrel mule, $1400; Jno. Meyers, -one dark roan horse, $800; Tom Petree, one sorrel -horse, $1100; J. B. Reagan, one black mule, $900; -C. M. Roark, one sorrel horse, $1200; A. B. Summers, -one black horse, $1500; J. W. Smith, one brown -horse, $1600; E. S. Wallace, one bay horse, $1600; -J. R. Watkins, one sorrel horse, $2000; C. Watkins, -one cream horse, $1200; T. F. Woodall, one sorrel -horse, $1000; R. F. Woodall, one sorrel horse, -$1600; J. W. Wade, one gray horse, $1800; T. H. -Willson, one gray mule, $1000; E. W. Williams, -one sorrel horse, $1400; N. J. Yates, one black -mule, $1000.</p> - -<p class="pc2 lmid">THE END</p> - -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="p4">FOOTNOTES:</h2> - -<div class="footnotes"> - -<p class="pfn4"><span class="ln1"><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a></span></p> -<p class="pfr"><span class="smcap">Headquarters West’n Dep’t.</span></p> -<p class="pfr2"><span class="smcap">Baldwin</span>, June 4, 1862.</p> -<p class="pfc4">General Order No. 62:</p> -<p class="pfc4">The General commanding takes great pleasure in calling the -attention of the army to the brave, skillful and gallant conduct -of Lieut. Col. Lane, of the Third Regt. Texas Dismounted -Cavalry, who with two hundred and forty-six men, on the 29th -ult., charged a largely superior force of the enemy, drove him -from his position, and forced him to leave a number of his -dead and wounded on the field. The conduct of this brave regiment -is worthy of all honor and imitation. In this affair, Private -J. N. Smith was particularly distinguished for brave and -gallant conduct in the discharge of his duty, and was severely -wounded. To him, on some future occasion, will be awarded -a suitable “Badge of Honor.”</p> -<p class="pfr4">By command of Gen’l Beauregard.</p> -<p class="pfr2">(Signed): <span class="smcap">George W. Brent</span>, Acting Chief of Staff.</p> -<p class="pfn4">Private J. N. Smith, Third Texas Dismounted Cavalry.</p> -<p class="pfc4">Official copy. M. M. Kimmell, Maj. & A. A. G.</p> - -<p class="pfn4"><span class="ln1"><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a></span> -Of this last I am not positive, but believe I am correct.</p> - -<p class="pfn4"><span class="ln1"><a name="Footnote_3_3" id="Footnote_3_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a></span> -Since the above was written Major-General William Rufus -Shafter had been placed upon the retired list. In the fall of -1906 he was stricken with pneumonia, near Bakersfield, Cal., -where he died November 12, after a short illness.</p> - -<p class="pfn4"><span class="ln1"><a name="Footnote_4_4" id="Footnote_4_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_4_4"><span class="label">[4]</span></a></span> -If the Third Texas colors were captured by them, they -were found in an ambulance, as we did not have the flag -unfurled on this expedition.</p> - -<p class="pfn4"><span class="ln1"><a name="Footnote_5_5" id="Footnote_5_5"></a><a href="#FNanchor_5_5"><span class="label">[5]</span></a></span> -It will be noted here that the aggregate loss of 206 men -is only the loss of one division, not including Kilpatrick’s -Division and the two batteries.</p> - -<p class="pfn4"><span class="ln1"><a name="Footnote_6_6" id="Footnote_6_6"></a><a href="#FNanchor_6_6"><span class="label">[6]</span></a></span> -Since the above was written, this Southern heroine has -passed to that bourne from which no traveler returns.</p> -</div></div> - -<div class="chapter"> -<div class="transnote p4"> -<p class="pc large">TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE:</p> -<p class="ptn">—Obvious errors were corrected.</p> -</div></div> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> -<hr class="full" /> -<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LONE STAR DEFENDERS***</p> -<p>******* This file should be named 50472-h.htm or 50472-h.zip *******</p> -<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> -<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/5/0/4/7/50472">http://www.gutenberg.org/5/0/4/7/50472</a></p> -<p> -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed.</p> - -<p>Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law 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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