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+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.
+
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+
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+Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for
+eBook #68392 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/68392)
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-The Project Gutenberg eBook of Reminiscences of the Civil War,
-1861-1865, by P. L. Ledford
-
-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
-will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before
-using this eBook.
-
-Title: Reminiscences of the Civil War, 1861-1865
-
-Author: P. L. Ledford
-
-Release Date: June 24, 2022 [eBook #68392]
-
-Language: English
-
-Produced by: David E. Brown and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team
- at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images
- generously made available by The Internet Archive)
-
-*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK REMINISCENCES OF THE CIVIL
-WAR, 1861-1865 ***
-
-
-
-
-
- REMINISCENCES
- OF
- THE CIVIL WAR
- 1861-1865
-
- BY
- P. L. LEDFORD
- THOMASVILLE, N. C.
- JULY 1909
-
- NEWS PRINTING HOUSE
- THOMASVILLE, N. C.
-
-
-
-
- Copyright 1909
- By P. L. LEDFORD
-
-
-
-
-PREFACE.
-
-
-Although many histories have been written and tradition has furnished
-its part toward the perpetuation of the memory of the exciting times
-of the civil war, very much occurred that has never been recorded.
-Monuments may be erected and histories written, but unless the veterans
-now living get busy and refresh their memories, and the memories of
-their comrades very much that happened, and ought to be preserved
-in durable form will with the passing of the main actors pass into
-oblivion. The Confederate Soldiers now living are all old men, and each
-one could, and ought to contribute items of information that would be
-interesting to the children and adults of future generations. These
-scenes, anecdotes, incidents and historical facts ought to be written
-by the soldiers themselves, for by no other means can a correct history
-of the war period be handed down to posterity.
-
-I undertake my part of the task well knowing the information that I
-shall try to give will not be pictured in a graphic style to please
-the overeducated critic, but I feel assured that though written in a
-plain style the facts narrated will be read and appreciated by many
-who will not depreciate the information given, on account of the lack
-of embellishment or absence of the style so pleasing to the lovers of
-eloquence, poetry, song and graphic story.
-
-The following pages written by a plain confederate soldier who spent
-three years in the war instead of at college are submitted to the
-public upon the merits of the information given, without claiming
-any literary merit. Feeling that I am performing an imperative duty
-that I owe to the cause and my country, I respectfully dedicate the
-reminiscences to the soldiers of the late war who were my comrades
-while passing through the trying ordeal.
-
- In another decade by the sweep of time,
- Many of the Veterans will fall out of line;
- After a score of years very few there will be
- For people then living to entertain or see.
- The few that are left will be old and alone,
- And quietly waiting for the summons to come;
- Not until the last one shall have passed away
- Will justice be done to the heroes of that day
- Monuments will be erected on the ground where they sleep
- And generations to come will their memory keep,
- Patriots will pause with trembling and fear
- And reverently on their graves drop a tear.
- A responsibility now rests on veterans passing away
- To rescue from oblivion the doings of that day.
- We may not with a facile pen
- Give a glowing description of scenes and men.
- We can in a plain and plausible way
- Give a rough sketch of the doings of that day.
- After we have gone to our final home,
- These sketches will be read by generations to come.
- Let us be up and doing and work with might
- And though late in the day commemorate the right.
-
-
-
-
-CONTENTS.
-
-
- CHAPTER I.
-
- Causes Leading up to the Civil War.
-
- Origin of the War 9
- Party Lines 10
- States Secede 11
-
-
- CHAPTER II.
-
- Beginning of Hostilities.
-
- The War Begins 11
- Young Men Volunteer 12
- Parting Scenes 13
- Recusant Conscripts and Deserters 14
- Loss of Loved Ones 15
- Roll Call of the Dead 15
-
-
- CHAPTER III.
-
- Condition of People Left at Home.
-
- Affairs at Home 17
- Civil Officers at Home 18
- Money in Circulation 18
- Farming Interests 19
- Women of the War 20
- Cotton King 21
- Soldiers on Furlough 21
- Homespun Dresses 21
-
-
- CHAPTER IV.
-
- Peace Demonstration Among the People.
-
- Peace Movement 22
- Young Man Pilot 23
- Soldiers Break Up Meeting 23
- Leader of Movement 23
- Old Men Released 24
- Peace Sentiment not Suppressed 25
-
-
- CHAPTER V.
-
- Bill of Fare in the Southern Army.
-
- Soldiers Rations 25
- Rations Supplemented 26
- Extra Rations Found 26
- Coons and Foxes 27
- Unripe Persimmons 27
- The Army not Starving 28
- Rations of Whiskey 28
- Short Rations 29
- Soldiers Forage 29
- Questionable Methods 30
- Detail to Cook 30
- Reproof of Conscience 32
- Mince Pie 32
- Chaplain’s Lecture 33
-
-
- CHAPTER VI.
-
- Surroundings of Soldiers and Soldier Life.
-
- Phases of Soldier Life 33
- Southern Soldiers 34
- Many Surprises 35
- Appearances Deceptive 35
- Soldiers in Camp 35
- Congenial Companions 36
- Disputes and Quarrels 37
- Winter Quarters 37
- Demoralizing Influences 38
- Religious Worship 38
-
-
- CHAPTER VII.
-
- Characteristics of Soldiers.
-
- Difference of Soldiers 39
- The Homesick Soldier 40
- Strenuous Soldiers 41
- Conservative Soldiers 41
-
-
- CHAPTER VIII.
-
- Citizens Visiting in Camp and the
- Sick Soldier.
-
- The Sick Soldier 42
- Surgeon’s Call 42
- Simple Minded Sick Soldier 43
- Despondent Sick Soldier 43
- Visiting 45
- Portly Gentleman 45
- Lady Visitors 46
-
-
- CHAPTER IX.
-
- Incidents of Camp and Prison Life.
-
- Soldiers in Prison 46
- Exchange of Prisoners 47
- Punishment 48
- Rations 48
- Camp Life 49
- Soldier on Inspection 50
- Recruit on Guard 51
- An Economical Soldier 53
- A Soldier’s Retort 53
- A Boisterous Soldier 54
- Recruit Detailed 56
-
-
- CHAPTER X.
-
- Picket Lines, Battles and Battlefields.
-
- Picket Line 57
- Picket or Scout 57
- On the Picket Line 58
- Exchange of Courtesies 59
- Fearful Experience 60
- Burned Bodies of the Dead 61
- Test of Valor 61
- Escape to the Enemy 62
- Welcome Peace 62
- On the War Path 62
- Unreliable Soldiers 63
- Music in Battle 63
- Battles 64
- Battlefields 65
- After the Battle 67
-
-
- CHAPTER XI.
-
- Fourteenth Regiment N. C. Infantry
- and General Officers of the Army
- of Northern Va.
-
- Fourteenth N. C. Regiments 67
- Officers 68
- Unique Characters 69
- A Brave Soldier 70
- Color Bearer 70
- Amusing Scenes 70
- On the Campaign 71
- Distressing Scenes 72
- Battles Engaged in 73
- Victory and Defeat 73
- Decisive Battle 75
- The Enemy Surprised 75
- Battle of Chancellorsville 75
- At Apomattox 76
- General Officers 77
- General Cox 77
- General Grimes 78
- General Ramseur 78
- General Rodes 79
- General D. H. Hill 79
- General A. P. Hill 80
- General Ewell 80
- General Early 81
- General Stuart 81
- General Longstreet 82
- General Breckenridge 82
- General Gordon 82
- General Wheeler 82
- General Jackson 83
- General Robert E. Lee 84
- Recapitulation 85
-
-
- CHAPTER XII.
-
- Reconstruction Period.
-
- Surrender of Lee 86
- Right to Secede 87
- Sherman’s March to the Sea 87
- Home Coming of Soldiers 88
- Assassination of Lincoln 89
- Federal Officers 90
- Conduct of Yankee Soldiers 90
- Looters Follow Yankee Army 91
- Provisional Government 91
- The Negro Enfranchised 91
- Carpetbaggers 92
- The Negro Politician 92
- Election a Farce 93
- Legislature 93
- County Officers 94
- Crimes Committed 96
- Negroes Offensive 96
- Ku Klux Klan 97
- Holden and Kirk 97
- Judiciary Exhausted 98
- Judge Brooks 99
- Negro Problem 99
- The Oldtime Darkey 100
- The Emancipated Negro 101
- The Coming South 103
-
-
-
-
-Reminiscences of the Civil War, 1861-1865.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER I.
-
-CAUSES LEADING UP TO THE CIVIL WAR.
-
-
-ORIGIN OF THE WAR.--At this time, more than forty years removed from
-the date of the exciting scenes enacted in the sixties, I desire for
-the benefit and edification of my relatives, soldier friends and other
-special friends, in a plain unvarnished style to record a few of the
-incidents and doings of the people, who were active participants in
-the drama of those strenuous times. I shall not confine myself to
-dates or specially comment on the personal history of anyone, but
-merely wish to rescue from oblivion such items of information as occur
-to me, quoting entirely from memory, not having any notes taken at
-the time to refer to. I propose to deal in facts, and any reference
-I may make will reflect my views from the stand point of a young man
-of that period. For a few years prior to the beginning of the war,
-I by reading the current literature or newspaper productions of the
-country, and listening to discussions of leading men of the times, had
-kept myself fairly well posted. The signs of the times were ominous
-and indications pointed to a disruption. Dark, threatening clouds of
-war seemed to hover over our fair land that had so long enjoyed the
-blessings of peace and prosperity. Perhaps we did not appreciate or
-failed to realize it, we were really living in a land that flowed with
-milk and honey.
-
-
-PARTY LINES.--Like every other great revolution the awful calamity
-was preceded by a political revolution. Party lines were broken and
-sectional issues caused an alignment of parties North and South. The
-burning questions of Slavery and State Rights were brought prominently
-to the front. Incendiary speeches were made and incendiary literature
-scattered broadcast over the land. The National Democratic Party
-assembled in convention, disagreed upon a platform, and the result was
-a division of the delegates and the placing of two candidates in the
-field for president viz.: Douglas and Breckenridge. The old Whig Party
-was defunct and its scattered forces rallied with Bell for its standard
-bearer, assuming the name of Knownothing, or American Party. North of
-Mason and Dixon’s line a strong sectional party had been organized
-known as the Republican Party, with Abraham Lincoln for its candidate
-for the presidency. The campaign was fierce and bitter to the extreme.
-The leaders advocating the claims of their respective candidates were
-aggressive and abusive, and the people wrought up to a high pitch of
-excitement. The canvassing and comparing: the votes in the Electoral
-College gave Lincoln the requisite number, and he was declared elected.
-On the fourth day of March 1861 he became president of the United
-States. The fanatics of the North and fire eaters of the South at once
-got busy, and by their officious activity precipitated the war.
-
-
-STATES SECEDE.--The Cotton States seceded and set up a government
-of their own. Jefferson Davis was elected president of the Southern
-Confederacy. North Carolina with other border States waited for some
-overt act of Lincoln before passing the Ordinance of Secession. A
-convention was called, delegates elected and assembled. The convention
-was composed of delegates, a majority of whom were elected as union
-delegates, and of course the delegates were backed by a constituency
-of the same sentiment. The people of the old North State clung to the
-Union as long as there was a vestige of hope of its preservation.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER II.
-
-BEGINNING OF HOSTILITIES.
-
-
-THE WAR BEGINS.--Fort Sumpter was fired upon and surrendered. Lincoln
-called for troops from North Carolina to help to subjugate her Southern
-sister States. Governor Ellis promptly informed the president that no
-troops would be furnished from the State for such a purpose, and at
-once called for volunteers to assist the South in its struggle for
-independence. The state followed the lead of Virginia, identified
-herself with the South, and the war was on.
-
-The most loyal friends of the Union now plainly saw that war was
-inevitable, and that there was no neutral ground to occupy. This plain
-proposition presented itself that all must fight, and to fight for
-the perpetuation or restoration of the Union meant crossing the lines
-and taking up arms against our own homes and our own people. Very few
-were willing to take this step or assume such a responsibility. Past
-differences of opinion were to a great extent reconciled, the bulk of
-the people stood together, joined the Southern forces, fought under
-the same flag, and startled the civilized world with their wonderful
-achievements.
-
-
-YOUNG MEN VOLUNTEER.--Young men of my immediate neighborhood
-volunteered, some of them deceived by the spell-binders who in their
-harangues asserted that all of the blood lost in the war could be
-wiped up with a silk handkerchief. These impetuous uncompromising
-war men soon began to maneuver to screen themselves and their sons
-from serving as soldiers in the army, and were busy trying to secure
-bomb proof positions or hire substitutes. The conservative element
-composed largely of the honest yeomanry of the country, including many
-of its best citizens, although not ambitious for military honors, or
-overanxious to become soldiers, held themselves in readiness to join
-the army when they considered it time for them to go or their country
-demanded their services. As time moved on the army was enlarged and the
-home force depleted. From time to time citizens left their homes to
-exchange the garb of the citizen for the uniform of the soldier.
-
-
-PARTING SCENES.--There were many pathetic scenes at the parting of
-loved ones. The mother reluctantly gave up her sons that she had fondly
-hoped would be to her a solace, comfort and support in her declining
-years. The boys in their vigorous young manhood went to the war, but
-many or them never crossed the threshold of home again. The faithful
-wife kissed her husband good-bye fondly hoping, wishing and praying
-that he would be spared to return home again, perhaps in a short time
-she was left a lonely widow with the double responsibility resting upon
-her of training the little family of more than orphan children that
-with her were left to mourn their irreparable loss. The affectionate
-sister who had grown up in the same home with a brother she was proud
-of, helped him to get ready to go to the war, feeling sure he would
-return home with honors in a short time, but the ravages of disease,
-the exposures of the camp or march, or a fatal shot from the enemy
-caused him to fill a soldier’s grave. The sweet young girl enjoying
-the ecstatic bliss of loves bright, young dream, cheered her lover as
-he moved on to the war, and perhaps at parting they exchanged vows of
-undying affection, but cruel fate deprived the gallant young soldier of
-the privilege of returning to claim his bride. He too, had to give up
-his life on the fatal field of battle.
-
-Ere the war was half over the most of the ablebodied men were required
-to join the army. Many of them promptly responded, while others not
-willing to risk the dangers to which soldiers were exposed refused to
-go and concealed themselves.
-
-
-RECUSANT CONSCRIPTS AND DESERTERS.--In some sections of the country
-there were recusant conscripts and deserters consisting of two
-classes. There were some substantial citizens at home that were doing
-well, quietly attending to their own home affairs, without paying
-much attention to the politics of the country. These citizens were
-uncompromising union men, opposed to the war, quietly concealed
-themselves and failed to report for duty when called upon. They were
-not outlaws in the full acceptation of the term, were supported by
-homefolks and friendly sympathizers, and did not interfere with the
-personal rights or property of anyone. There were others though who
-were vindictive and terrorized the people by pillaging, stealing,
-robbing, doing private injury and sometimes threatening the lives of
-people at home. In places infested by such gangs a fearful state of
-affairs existed. These recusant conscripts and deserters were hunted
-by details of soldiers already in the service, assisted by militia
-officers at home. Some of the militia officers rendered themselves very
-unpopular by offensive methods used to capture men who were dodging,
-consequently a very bitter feeling was engendered between neighbors and
-sometimes between members of the same family. The power of the civil
-government and military was used to induce all to join the army, and
-the most of the men subject to military duty had to go, although some
-went under protest.
-
-
-LOSS OF LOVED ONES.--As the war advanced there was mourning in many
-homes, on account of the loss of loved ones. Within a radius of a very
-few miles of my home many stalwart young men were brought home dead,
-having sickened and died in camp, on the march, in the hospital, or
-having been slain in battle. Many a poor boy the idol of a good mother
-gave up his life on the gory battlefield, deprived of the tender care
-and affectionate ministrations of a mother, sister or wife to comfort
-him in his dying hour. Some were left with their bones to bleach on the
-gory field of battle, others were never accounted for and if buried at
-all were buried by strangers that did not know them and perhaps did not
-want to know them.
-
-
-ROLL CALL OF THE DEAD.--The following principally young men are the
-names of some of my relations, playmates, schoolmates, acquaintances or
-soldier comrades that lost their lives during the war:
-
-
-NAMES.
-
-Henry Burough, Alsan Burough, Franklin Burough, David Bowers, Zadoc
-Burton, Basil Burton, Frank Britt, John Clinard, Henry Clinard, John
-Clinard, Francis Clinard, William Collett, Franklin Collett, Jacob
-Crouch, John Crouch, Hugh Clodfelter, David Clodfelter, Alfred Cecil,
-Nelson Cecil, William Craven, Ransom Edinger, George Edinger, Phillip
-Edinger, Jesse Edwards, William Fowler, Benjamin Faulkner, Nicholas
-Fouts, Henry Fritts, Jesse Green, Shepherd Green, Daniel Green,
-Harrison Green, John Gardner, John Gillem, Madison Harmon, Charles
-Harmon, Elwood Haines, Sanford Hammer, Jacob Hedgcock, John Hiatt,
-Fred Hiatt, Jesse Hilton, Evan Hilton, Jacob Hilton, Henry Hilton,
-Barnabas Hayworth, C. P. Jones, Purvis Jackson, Joseph Jackson, Joseph
-Jones, William Kanoy, John Kanoy, Henderson Kanoy, John Kanoy, Charles
-Kennedy, John L. Long, Henry F. Ledford, Charles Lines, Joseph Murphy,
-William Miller, Franklin Motsinger, John Meredith, Winborn Mendenhall,
-Robert McCutcheon, Mack Myers, Harrison Porter, Charles Payne, Thomas
-Payne, Shubel Payne, Sanford Payne, Solomon Roberts, John Stone,
-William Stone, Milton Sledge, Hiram Sowers, Humphrey Sowers, Robert
-Small, Samuel Sink, John Sink, Adam Sink, Valentine Sink, Jesse Sink,
-Solomon Sink, George Sink, John Sink, Joseph Sink, David Shuler,
-William Traynham, McKindre Veach, John Wagner, Charlie Willie, William
-Wagner, John Welborn, Madison Welborn, William Whitehart, Willis
-Whitehart, and John Yokley.
-
-Comparatively few of my acquaintances or young men with whom I
-associated prior to the beginning of hostilities, went to the war
-and returned to their homes at the close. Some of them returned on
-crutches, some with empty sleeves, and some with scars of wounds
-received in battle that they will carry to their graves.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER III.
-
-CONDITION OF PEOPLE LEFT AT HOME.
-
-
-AFFAIRS AT HOME.--The women, children, old men and servants left at
-home passed through an ordeal sad indeed to contemplate. The servants
-or negroes deserved much credit for their loyalty to their then legal
-owners. Instead of being a menace as was feared and expected, they were
-a protection to the helpless white population, and did much for the
-support of the people at home, and for the support of the soldiers in
-the field. To the very old people the blow fell with a crushing force.
-In addition to the accumulated burdens that naturally fall to the lot
-of old people, the loss of their sons, grand sons, and neighbors so
-prostrated them with grief that the gray hairs of many of them were
-brought down in sorrow to the grave. The little children for four years
-being deprived of the protection, support, counsel and assistance
-of fathers suffered an irreparable loss, a loss that no subsequent
-attention, education or opportunity could possibly restore.
-
-
-CIVIL OFFICERS AT HOME.--After the war had somewhat advanced, the civil
-officers, railroad and mail service and public places were to a great
-extent managed by old men. Young men at home were lonesome and did not
-stand as high in the estimation of the people as the young men who
-went to the war. They too had to submit to the taunts of the soldiers,
-on account of their maneuvering to keep out of danger. It was not
-considered patriotic for young men to screen themselves, because there
-seemed to be a necessity for all to enter the service, or at least as
-some had to go it was argued that all should fare alike. Schools and
-churches suffered in the general wreck and the morals and intelligence
-of the rising generation was at a low ebb. Teachers and preachers’
-salaries and physicians’ fees were paid in kind. Corn, wheat, beans,
-peas, pork, bacon, lard, butter, homemade cloth, and anything that
-answered for clothing or provision was gladly received as a substitute
-for money.
-
-
-MONEY IN CIRCULATION.--The only money in circulation was Confederate
-money or State treasury notes which depreciated in value until worth
-scarcely the paper upon which it was printed. The gold and silver coin
-in the hands of the people was hidden or buried in the ground not to be
-resurrected unless in case of extreme necessity. Very little building
-or improvement of any kind was going on.
-
-
-FARMING INTERESTS.--For the want of laborers farms were neglected and
-many fertile fields growed up with sprouts and briers. Fences gave
-out or fence rows growed up with weeds and briers. Gulleys washed in
-the roads and some places were almost impassable. Everything in the
-way of improvement was on the decline. But few new houses were built
-and homefolks were sometimes driven to the necessity of sheltering
-in houses not very comfortable. Farm implements gave out and it was
-a difficult matter to replace them. Old plows and hoes that had been
-thrown away were hunted up and repaired so as to answer the purpose,
-and many rude substitutes used for farming tools that had been formerly
-used. It was a turning back to usages of generations past. Rawhides
-were tanned in the country and coblers made shoes out of the homemade
-leather. In place of the New Orleans or Cuba molasses a syrup was
-manufactured from sugar cane grown on the farm. Some enterprising
-boys gathered persimmons and had them distilled into brandy which
-supplemented the supply made from the surplus fruit. Corn and rye were
-not distilled into whiskey on account of the scarcity of breadstuff. A
-little of everything made on the farm was collected and placed in the
-hands of a commissary and was used to help support the soldiers in the
-army.
-
-
-WOMEN OF THE WAR.--The noble women took upon themselves a burden
-that was borne with fortitude or heroism that is without a parallel
-in the annals of the history of any country or any people. They
-achieved wonders in the homes by their ready inventive powers, which
-enabled them to substitute many useful articles from which they were
-cut off, on account of the blockade, rigidly enforced by the Federal
-authorities. Spicewood tea, Sassafras tea, a beverage made of parched
-corn, rye, chestnuts, dried slices of sweet potatoes and many other
-things were used as a substitute for coffee. Dried persimmons were
-used for puddings after the season for them had passed, and a very
-good bread was made with a mixture of potatoes with meal or flour. On
-many farms women and children cultivated the crops making a support
-for homefolks. Women would hoe corn, sometimes plow, make hay, bind
-and haul in wheat, sometimes help to thresh, gather, shuck and crib
-corn and do almost any kind of farm work. The little girls would put
-the bridles on old horses or mules and with grists of corn or wheat
-ride several miles to mill. The old man at the mill would pleasantly
-speak to the little girls, addressing them as his smart little boys.
-The little girls proud of the distinction would saucily and laughingly
-answer him saying, “Yes we are Tomboys.”
-
-
-COTTON KING.--Cotton proved to be king indeed, and upon this staple
-the south depended largely for clothing, bed clothing, tent cloths and
-indeed everything for which cloth was used. The women took the lint
-or raw material and by carding, spinning, weaving, cutting and sewing
-converted it into clothing, bed clothing and many other articles. In
-place of dyestuffs usually purchased at the stores and brought from
-other countries, they used Walnut, Redoak, or Maple bark, Sumac and
-other things that they discovered they could substitute and utilize.
-From wheat straw they manufactured hats that answered the purpose and
-were worn by men, women and children.
-
-
-SOLDIERS ON FURLOUGH.--The girls were proud of the boys who were in the
-army, always glad to see them come home and always gave them a cordial
-welcome when they came home on furlough. Several girls would get
-together and give the boys a reception which amounted to an ovation.
-The girls and soldier boys mutually enjoyed these gatherings and would
-together sing war songs or popular airs such as, Dixie, Southern Girl,
-Stars and Bars, Homespun dress etc.
-
-
-HOMESPUN DRESSES.--The girls wore homespun dresses and in the
-estimation of the boys were just as pretty, neat and sweet as if they
-had been arrayed in silk and purple.
-
- Pretty girls vacated the parlor and sitting room
- To operate the spinning wheel and old fashioned loom,
- The lint of the cotton was carded to a shred,
- Then carded into rolls and spun into thread.
- Thread was placed on a reel which turned round again and again
- Until the dial plate registered enough cuts for a skein.
- The thread was then placed in homemade dye
- And changed into any color that was desired.
- On the warping bars the thread was handled again
- And the piece laid off for so many yards of chain.
- On the spindle of the little wheel was placed the reed quill,
- And enough thread placed around it the reed to fill
- The thread then around the beam was strung
- And the quills in the shuttle nicely hung.
- Two pretty girls were busy working all day
- Placing the thread through a six hundred sley,
- Then the battle with the baton begun
- And erelong the bolt of cloth was done.
- Then with the skill of an artists hand
- The cutting of the garments by the girls began;
- Very soon the little girls were dressed up neat
- In homespun dresses looking pretty and sweet.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER IV.
-
-PEACE DEMONSTRATIONS AMONG THE PEOPLE.
-
-
-PEACE MOVEMENT.--In 1862 a very decided sentiment in favor of a peace
-movement was inaugurated, and attained to some prominence in the state,
-especially among the original union men and parties dissatisfied with
-the existing state of affairs. Announcement of a meeting was made to
-be held at a place near Thomasville known as Kennedy’s School House.
-Publicity was given to the report that speakers would be present to
-address the meeting and discuss the proposed issue. A good crowd
-assembled, the most of them prompted by honorable motives, merely
-wishing to hear discussed or explained the plan proposed by the leaders
-of the movement. With the exception of a very few of the leaders no
-one entertained any treasonable intentions. The authorities had been
-notified of the proposed meeting and a detail of soldiers was sent to
-break it up.
-
-
-YOUNG MAN PILOT.--A young man who happened to be in the neighborhood
-was pressed into service by the soldiers to pilot them to the place. He
-did not relish the idea of going with them, but the unusual sight of
-bayonets and guns in the hands of the belligerent soldiers was a very
-persuasive argument to him to induce him to comply with their demands.
-He does not deny the fact that he was badly scared, and although he
-laughs about it now, says that it was a serious matter then, and that
-he distinctly remembers his hair stood up stiff and straight giving him
-trouble to keep his hat on his head.
-
-
-SOLDIERS BREAK UP MEETING.--Without any previous notice the soldiers
-charged upon the meeting and the crowd dispersed and retreated at the
-first intimation of their approach. The citizens hit the grit and ran
-with a speed that would put to shame the exploits of the Yankees and
-Rebels in the valley of Virginia.
-
-
-LEADER OF MOVEMENT.--The leader who was mainly responsible for the
-meeting was the first one to absent himself upon the approach of the
-soldiers. He got away as fast as his legs could carry him, and that was
-about as fast as anyone could go, for he had the reputation of being
-a champion runner. A tall young man made a break for the tall timber
-and was in the act of unhitching his horse, when a limb very close to
-him was cut off by a minnie ball. It was supposed that he was shot at
-through mistake, and that the soldiers shooting at him were under the
-impression that he was the leader, who had been represented to them
-as a tall man. A friend of the victim of this close call who was also
-near by unhitching his horse was treated to music made by the hissing
-of minnie balls, passing uncomfortably near him. Both of them left the
-place as fast as their horses could carry them. A good portion of the
-crowd was captured and taken to Camp Holmes, near Raleigh. The most of
-the young men captured volunteered and joined the Southern Army and the
-old men were finally released.
-
-
-OLD MEN RELEASED.--It was especially severe on the very old men who
-were without warning taken and compelled to endure the privations of
-prison and camp life. The poor old men innocently feeling that they
-had done no wrong were kept in suspense and in constant dread for many
-days fearing that they would be court-marshalled and perhaps executed.
-Among them was an eccentric old fellow not overly preposessing in
-appearance. After being in camp for many days without a change of
-clothing and his white beard stained with tobacco juice, he presented
-a rather grotesque and by no means attractive appearance, but he took
-a philosophical view of the situation and looked on the sunny side.
-He amused the soldiers in camp with his wit and humor, and although
-perhaps eighty years old would sing gay songs and with a little
-encouragement from the boys dance a jig. At the close of the day he
-would seriously say to his old comrades that although they had passed
-through another day it would be their last, and that they would all be
-executed tomorrow. His comrades knew that he indulged in a great deal
-of levity, but being apprehensive themselves feared the old man was
-correct in his surmises, and retired not to sleep but to think of loved
-ones at home that they would perhaps never see again.
-
-
-PEACE SENTIMENT NOT SUPPRESSED.--The incident did not entirely suppress
-the sentiment in the community in favor of peace, but did prevent any
-further public demonstration.
-
- A blessed hope of peace permeated the throng,
- To them it cooed like a dove with its siren song,
- But it proved a delusion and a snare
- To get them in trouble of which they were not aware.
- They innocently cried peace when there was no peace,
- Their unfortunate meeting was imprudent at least;
- The meeting culminated in a tragic end
- And made them wiser and perhaps better men.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER V.
-
-BILL OF FARE IN THE SOUTHERN ARMY.
-
-
-SOLDIERS’ RATIONS.--Soldiers in the Southern army did not live on the
-fat of the land fareing sumptuously every day. They often had to live
-on a stinted allowance, and articles of food placed before them that
-would not have been accepted with thanks at home. A day’s allowance
-to a soldier consisted of a small cake of wheat or corn bread, or six
-hard tacks, a small piece of beef or pickled pork, sometimes a little
-rice or small amount of beans or peas. A hearty man that gave way to
-his appetite often ate an entire day’s rations at one meal and then was
-hungry the balance of the day. The judicious soldier though divided his
-allowance into three parts and fared better by adhering strictly to the
-custom of eating three times a day.
-
-
-RATIONS SUPPLEMENTED.--Anything in sight was devoured with avidity to
-supplement rations issued. Parched corn on a march when the supply
-was scarce was not a poor substitute for bread. If a soldier found a
-persimmon tree loaded with fruit it was gathered with as much eagerness
-as a miner would pick up a gold nugget. Such a find was regarded as a
-bonanza. Walnuts, hickory nuts or even acorns were carefully saved to
-supplement rations issued.
-
-
-EXTRA RATIONS FOUND.--A squad of men was detailed to tear down an old
-building and removing the rubbish captured and killed several big fat
-rats which were skinned, dressed, cooked and ate with a relish. Around
-the old building was a luxurious growth of cresses and wild onions,
-which were carefully gathered by the soldiers and cooked and considered
-very palatable.
-
-
-COONS AND FOXES.--One evening after the army stopped to go in camp a
-tree was cut down for fire wood and the soldiers were surprised and
-pleased to find and catch two nice coons which were cooked for supper
-and made a very savory dish. At another time while going into camp a
-rush was made for a tree top and a red fox was jumped. The chase was
-very much enjoyed by the boys. The fox in its frantic efforts to escape
-sometimes jumped as high as the heads of the soldiers who surrounded it
-and was knocked back by them. Finally the fox was captured and the boys
-said it tasted much better than beef or pork they were accustomed to.
-
-
-UNRIPE PERSIMMONS.--On a march a soldier dropped out of line, climbed
-a tree and was helping himself to unripe persimmons. An officer
-coming along, reprimanded him, ordered him back in line and asked him
-why he was so greedily devouring such unwholesome food? The soldier
-innocently replied that he had discovered that green persimmons had a
-drawing effect and thought perhaps by using them he could shrink his
-stomach to the capacity of amount of rations issued. The officer seemed
-to comprehend the logic of his reasoning and left him to test the
-practical value of his theory.
-
-
-THE ARMY NOT STARVING.--It is not the intention to try to make the
-impression that the Southern army was in a starving condition. Such an
-intimation would be misleading. The only wonder is that the soldiers
-were provided for as well as they really were. Perhaps all armies
-sometimes suffer the inconvenience of short rations. The kind reader
-must charitably in imagination take the place of the soldier to be
-fully competent to sympathize with him.
-
- The overscrupulous reader with pious thought
- May condemn the soldier for using thing’s not bought,
- And may in his honest heart feel
- That under no circumstances should anyone steal.
- Better get down on repentance stool
- And figure out the golden rule;
- Go to bed hungry and fail to sleep
- Then get up courage the eighth commandment to keep.
-
-
-RATIONS OF WHISKEY.--Rations of whiskey were occasionally issued and
-the effects of the stimulant were very soon apparent, for soldiers
-had nothing to put the liquid in to save, and were obliged to use
-it to keep it from wasting and then for awhile there was plenty of
-fun in which officers and soldiers joined. If an officer happened to
-get enough to make him too hilarious he was placed in arrest until
-he sobered up. If a soldier in the ranks imbibed to freely and in
-consequence wanted to monopolize control of things and indulged in
-conversation boisterous or unbecoming he was quietly assigned to
-quarters in the guard house until he had time to cool off.
-
-
-SHORT RATIONS.--Sometimes rations were short and hungry soldiers are
-not apt to be in the best of humor. At such times grumbling was in
-order or at least freely indulged in, but grumbling did not bring the
-beef and corn bread. If adjacent to orchards, potato patches, corn
-fields or hen roosts, some of the boys would manage to supplement their
-rations, put on an innocent look and apparently become indignant if
-accused of crossing the guard line of the camps.
-
-
-SOLDIERS FORAGE.--Soldiers would forage for something to eat. They
-would visit farm houses and put in a plausible plea, with money, cheek
-or chin music, get on the good side of the good women and prevail on
-them to furnish them with fruit, potatoes, butter, apple butter, bread,
-pies or anything that could be used and a soldier could use anything
-that anybody could eat. A shrewd forager failing to get anything at
-farm houses would take a mental survey of the different places and
-at night would by bribing the sentinel or slipping across the guard
-line go straight to potato patches, orchards or corn fields and borrow
-fruit, potatoes, roasting ears and sometimes induce a fat hen to go to
-camp. This process of borrowing was so skillfuly manipulated that the
-owner of the premises was kept in blissful ignorance of the way the
-articles were appropriated. There were company officers who would deal
-very gentle with a soldier that stole out of camp to forage, provided
-the officer shared in the find whatever it might be.
-
-
-QUESTIONABLE METHODS.--A big burly soldier went a short distance from
-camp and deliberately shot down a good sized fat pig, being caught in
-the act by some soldiers, he said he killed it in self defense and that
-no hog should bite him. He skinned the hog, carried it to camp, late
-in the night borrowed a camp kettle and cooked the pork. Some officers
-passing along reproved the soldier and threatened to put him in the
-guard house, but were persuaded to be lenient by promising them a good
-slice of the pork which tasted as good to an officer as a private. The
-good old citizen had a drove of fat hogs, missed one and reported to
-the colonel of the regiment. An order was at once issued to the captain
-of each company to search the tents. An officer passed round, peeped
-into the tents, saw no pork or even smelled any and reported nothing
-found in the company. The most of the boys of the company though had a
-good breakfast and pork was part of the bill of fare.
-
-
-DETAIL TO COOK.--On a march one evening the army halted to take up camp
-for the night; rations were issued and a detail made to do the cooking.
-Among the soldiers detailed was one who though very much fatigued
-worked faithfully until the two days rations were cooked and issued to
-the men. His partner immediately after going in camp had gone to a
-farm house not far distant and had succeeded in getting two canteens
-full of good fresh milk. After the cooking was done the soldier who had
-been detailed being very hungry, took the canteen of milk, two day’s
-rations and ate it all for supper, not leaving a crumb for the next two
-days. He then took in the situation, jumped at a conclusion, struck a
-bee line across a piece of woods and accidentally met a comrade whose
-breath betrayed the fact that he had been drinking brandy. It suddenly
-occurred to the soldier that he needed a little for his stomach’s
-sake, although it was loaded with two day’s rations, and they together
-went a short distance across the country and was face to face with the
-maker and vender of the liquid. Making their wants known he took their
-canteens and a pitcher supposed to be full of water and started for
-the liquor house. The boys followed him going through a dining room.
-The quick eye of the soldier noticed a clean table cloth on the table
-covering something. Without stopping as he passed along he quietly
-raised the cloth and made a discovery. One of the boys canteens was
-filled and handed back to him. Upon sampling it they found it had been
-well watered. The citizen was politely informed that it was brandy not
-water the boys wanted. Without arguing the case he poured the grog out
-of the canteen and filled them up with the pure unadulterated article.
-After filling the vessels he lead the way starting out and the boys
-followed, the boy who had been detailed to cook in the rear. Passing
-through the dining room by some unaccountable manipulation the rations
-moved from the table and bread, meat, pickles, pies and cakes found a
-resting place in the capacious haversack of the soldier and there was
-no more solicitude about rations for the next two days.
-
-
-REPROOF OF CONSCIENCE.--Late one evening the army marched by a
-luxurious field of corn. A soldier who was hungry and whose haversack
-was empty thought it would be real nice to have roasting ears for
-supper. As soon as the army halted to go into camp, he with two
-comrades though quite a distance started for the field of corn. When
-they got to the field it seemed to be full of soldiers on the same
-mission as they were. The soldier though hungry and very much fatigued
-proposed to his companions to return to camp and trust to providence,
-declaring that his conscience would not allow him to join the crowd
-and take the corn. They returned to camp and were agreeably surprised
-to find in their tent a box from home full of good things to eat. The
-soldier was fully convinced by the circumstance that “Conscience is in
-all cases a correct moral guide.”
-
-
-MINCE PIE.--Two boys came into camp one day selling mince pies. Two
-soldiers bought one, ate, smacked their lips, pronouncing it good and
-wished for more. Before the boys got out of hearing they got into a
-dispute about the division of the money. The smaller boy cried and said
-it was his puppy that was killed to furnish material for the pie and he
-was entitled to his part of the proceeds. The soldier boys would have
-been glad to have parted with the puppy dog, but it had come to stay.
-
-
-CHAPLAIN’S LECTURE.--On one occasion on a march rations were scarce and
-the soldiers were hungry. Some of the boys invaded a corn field and
-were plucking ears of corn expecting at night to feast on roasting ears
-for supper. The chaplain of a regiment rode along and began to give
-the boys a moral lecture, telling them it was wrong to steal and that
-the corn did not belong to them. The soldiers paid no attention to his
-talk and quietly filled their sacks. The chaplain seeing that they were
-determined to take the corn said to them, if they were going to take
-the corn anyway to throw him over a few ears for his pony.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER VI.
-
-SURROUNDINGS OF SOLDIERS AND SOLDIER LIFE.
-
-
-PHASES OF SOLDIER LIFE.--The many phases of soldier life furnish the
-inquiring mind food for thought and research. The mere fact that an
-army is an aggregation of discordant elements made up from different
-parts of the country is a sufficient basis for an interesting subject
-for investigation. The soldiers representing the different sections of
-the country represent the manners, customs, habits and characteristics
-of the inhabitants of the communities from which they came. In
-addition to this if we take into consideration the personal habits,
-characteristics and eccentricities of the individual, analyzing the
-attitude, latitude, aptitude, and magnitude of the capabilities and
-wonderful scope of each one we find ourselves exploring a wonderful
-field that startles us.
-
-
-SOUTHERN SOLDIERS.--The Southern army was not only made up of soldiers
-from different parts of the country, but from the different pursuits
-and conditions of life. Our army of which the South has cause to be
-proud contained the most of the ablebodied men of the South, and it is
-no reflection upon the fair name and fame of the gallant soldiers of
-the army that there were among them some enrolled that were failures.
-There were figureheads, deadbeats, skulkers, hospital rats and others
-who were drawbacks to the army. There were men enrolled who at home
-were successful and regarded as good citizens, but as soldiers were
-failures because they had no turn, taste, tact, inclination or
-adaptability for soldier life. It was unfortunate for our army, our
-country and for such soldiers that there was a necessity to enroll
-them.
-
-
-MANY SURPRISES.--Very often the palest, thinnest, weakliest, scrawniest
-looking fellow stood the exposure and hardships of the camp, march
-and battlefield much better than a stalwart looking boy. Sometimes
-the most timid lad, who seemed to shrink from any duty likely to give
-him notoriety, developed into the most aggressive, daring soldier
-and astonished officers and comrades with his reckless ventures and
-achievements. There were officers and men who would for the sake of
-promotion unnecessarily expose to imminent danger themselves or men
-under them. The truly brave soldier will shelter or protect himself
-when he can do so without jeopardizing the cause he represents, but
-when necessary will expose himself and face danger like a man. The
-truly brave officer will lead and not undertake to drive his men in
-battle and screen himself.
-
-
-APPEARANCES DECEPTIVE.--Appearances are often deceptive. Sometimes a
-man of fine physique, good looking, stalwart, having the appearance of
-being a brave soldier that would sacrifice his life rather than show
-the white feather collapses in the hour of danger, entirely unable to
-control his nervous system, proving himself to be constitutionally a
-coward. Such men ought to be pitied instead of being persecuted.
-
-
-SOLDIERS IN CAMP.--The self-constituted bully of the camp who wants
-to engage in a fisticuff with anyone that dares to cross his path
-will often tremble with fear when going into battle. The soldier that
-delights in giving exaggerated accounts of his exploits and hairbreadth
-escapes usually is an artful dodger and an expert in framing excuses to
-keep out of danger when the battle is on. In the army were soldiers who
-died of grief or homesickness. However much a soldier may be attached
-to his home surroundings it is a mistake to give up and brood over a
-separation that is inevitable. The soldier who takes a sensible view
-of the situation, keeps up his courage and as far as possible keeps in
-good heart by looking on the sunny side of life always fares the best.
-One who always seems lowspirited, out of heart, and cultivates such
-a feeling receives scant sympathy from his comrades, but one who is
-cheerful, apparently happy whether really feeling so or not does not
-have to hunt for kindred spirits to share his happiness with him. To a
-soldier in camp virtually performing the same round of duty every day,
-life is likely to become monotonous, and moodiness or gloom intrudes
-its unwelcome presence, then the thing to do is to seek a change and
-look for something to divert his attention and cause him for the time
-being to forget his real or imaginary trouble.
-
-
-CONGENIAL COMPANIONS.--In the Southern army a soldier could always
-find congenial company for there was variety to choose from. In the
-different tents or around the camp fires were crowds making merry
-with music and dancing, crowds spinning yarns or telling anecdotes or
-stories, classes singing sacred songs or squads engaged in conversation
-on subjects to suit anyone. Nothing to do but to make a choice of the
-place and be entertained.
-
-
-DISPUTES AND QUARRELS.--In camp everything was not always harmonious.
-Among the boys there were sometimes misunderstandings, which gave rise
-to disputes or quarrels, occasionally culminating in fisticuffs or
-fights which often landed the participants in the guard house.
-
-
-WINTER QUARTERS.--A soldier in the Southern army had no abiding place
-to stay or at least only temporary. In winter quarters in the dugout,
-rude cabin, tent, or bivouacing primitive life was fairly illustrated
-and it is surprising to people accustomed to the conveniences of life
-to realize how few of these conveniences soldiers are supplied with.
-Very often one little frying pan or kettle performs its round of
-service for an entire village of cabins or tents, and it is not unusual
-in camp to hear the owner of an implement or vessel cry out “come home
-frying pan” or “come home coffee pot.” The call was a peremptory order
-to the borrower to return the missing article which was perhaps by
-the careless soldier thrown aside. The reminder generally caused the
-occupants of the tents to institute a search, usually resulting in the
-return of the missing article. Soldiers’ temporary homes exemplified
-their home training. Some of their places were comfortable, neat
-and attractive, while others were just to the reverse. Some of the
-occupants kept themselves and their clothing clean and neat, while
-others were contented to wrap themselves up in their filthy rags
-sometimes infested with vermin. There were though police and sanitary
-regulations that all were obliged to observe or pay the penalty, and
-there was an etiquette among soldiers that was generally observed. Many
-a soldier would forage for something to eat, but would suffer with
-hunger to the extreme limit rather than appropriate to himself the
-rations issued to another. A soldier who would steal the rations of
-another sacrificed his honor and self respect and was regarded by his
-comrades as a sneak thief at home.
-
-
-DEMORALIZING INFLUENCES.--While an army always carries with it many
-demoralizing influences, a man can be a soldier and a gentleman too,
-but one who is not a gentleman at home, in the army is sure to show
-the cloven foot. In winter quarters more attention is paid to social
-features than at any other time. Hostilities to a great extent cease
-during the winter though sometimes the armies clash.
-
-
-RELIGIOUS WORSHIP.--Sometimes while in winter quarters soldiers got
-together and built rude log houses for places of worship. Protected
-from the cold in these houses soldiers gathered together usually for
-regular Sunday preaching and sometimes prayer meetings were held during
-the week. Perhaps as large a per cent. of soldiers attended preaching
-as people at home who had more convenient and comfortable places of
-worship. In summertime soldiers usually assembled in a grove to listen
-to sermons preached by their chaplain or visiting ministers.
-
-In the Southern army occasionally very much religious interest was
-manifested and revivals were not unusual. Singing, prayer and sometimes
-shouting were heard in the camp.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER VII.
-
-CHARACTERISTICS OF SOLDIERS.
-
-
-DIFFERENCE OF SOLDIERS.--There is as much difference in the make up
-of the average soldier as in the average citizen at home. It is said
-that variety is the spice of life and in the army we get variety with
-a vengeance, and the spice is sometimes a little bit peppery. The home
-training and habits as well as the natural disposition of the men will
-show itself in the army, and no amount of diplomacy can relegate these
-acquired or inherent qualities to the back ground. It is not everyone
-that can join heartily in a course of life that is distasteful, and one
-who does will be very apt to adopt the requirements of the new life
-to the exclusion of long established habits and customs, and will
-sometimes overdo himself in exercising uncalled for and unnecessary
-stunts.
-
- The life of a soldier in a strenuous channel does run.
- And the life is by no means a pleasant one;
- The attractions that lure young men to the field
- Are very seductive and to them many yield.
- When they don the uniform and fall in line
- They surrender their freedom and in servitude are confined.
- It requires the decision of character and nerve of the brave
- To imperil ones life his country to save.
- This heroism throws aside all fear and dread,
- But is never appreciated till the victim is dead,
- We may eulogize the hero with eloquence, poetry and song,
- But he quietly sleeps while the pageantry is going on,
- The odor of the flowers that we place on the grave
- Is lost to the hero who gave his life his country to save.
-
-
-THE HOMESICK SOLDIER.--The timid homesick soldier grieves himself to
-death, and if perchance he has to engage in a battle he welcomes the
-friendly missile that puts an end to his forlorn condition. He thinks
-of nothing but home and rather than drag out, to him, a miserable
-existence in the army surrenders his life freely and willingly.
-The following lines are intended to picture the end of one of this
-unfortunate class:
-
- I am weary to-night and as lonely as can be,
- I am far from my friends that I may never see,
-
- I am hungry and cold; how can I my time employ?
- I know my good christian mother is praying for her boy.
-
- I on the cold ground must lie down to sleep,
- If mother knew my condition how bitterly she would weep;
-
- In camp I hear stories laughter and song,
- I am longing for home and cannot join.
-
- They tell me I am homesick perhaps it is true
- I must shake off this despondency or I will never pull through
-
- I am wishing for anything that can be arranged
- Anything, just anything, anything for a change,
-
- I hear the report of a signal gun,
- Now we may listen for the sound of the old bass drum.
-
- Fall in, fall in is the command to all,
- And now we must answer at once to rollcall;
-
- “Attention Company;” says the officer in time:
- Forward double quick is the command that is passed down the line.
-
- I hear the boom of cannon and rattle of smallarms,
- The screams of the wounded show that the battle is on,
-
- I am mortally wounded see how my blood flows,
- I am sinking to rest, my troubles are o’er.
-
- I am thirsty, feel chilly and cold and must sleep,
- Farewell my dear mother, please do not weep.
-
- I see you yes ’tis you, I knew you would come,
- Now take me dear mother again to our home.
-
- As the last word was spoken he drew the last breath,
- And no mother there to sooth him in death,
-
- The poor homesick boy in battle did fall,
- He had listened and answered to the last rollcall.
-
-
-STRENUOUS SOLDIERS.--Soldiers like citizens are sometime extremists,
-and are likely to say and do some very unreasonable things. They work
-themselves up to a high pitch of excitement, see but one side of a
-question and are intolerant. Soldiers of this class are usually not the
-most reliable and their rashness is liable to lead them to do things
-detrimental to the cause they represent. The following lines illustrate
-this objectionable element.
-
- Sound the bugle and beat the drum,
- Fall in line, let the enemy come,
- Let us charge the Yankees and let them know
- We can shoot them down and over their dead bodies go.
- If they contest the ground we will make them feel
- That there is some virtue in cold steel;
- We will give up our lives our country to save,
- We will be freemen or fill bloody graves.
- Give them no quarter--we ask for none--
- Shoot them down as fast as they come.
-
-
-CONSERVATIVE SOLDIERS.--The conservative soldier usually possesses
-nerve, pluck, humane feeling and a busy brain. He is cool and level
-headed and is not thrown off his guard by any sudden changes in his
-surrounding. He is generally a good citizen at home, has a sharp
-lookout for the betterment of his home and people and carries with him
-to the army the same conservatism that distinguishes him as a good
-citizens at home.
-
- A quiet industrious citizen enjoying the comforts of home
- Has no disposition a soldier to become,
- Unless called upon by his country’s needs and demands,
- For the protection of his home and his liberties to stand,
- He then takes his place in line in a deliberate way
- And not like a fanatic panting for the fray.
- He leaves at home property and loved ones to face an invading foe,
- Because his country commands him and duty requires him to go;
- The best element of an army does not fight for plunder or fame,
- Because such soldiers possess courage, nerve, heart and brain.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER VIII.
-
-CITIZENS VISITING IN CAMP AND THE SICK SOLDIER.
-
-
-THE SICK SOLDIER.--Exposure, irregular and unwholesome diet, constant
-changing, uncomfortable lodgings and many other things caused soldiers
-to contract diseases which often terminated in death. Notwithstanding
-everything was done for the poor sick soldier that could be done under
-the circumstances, he missed the affectionate attentions of loved ones
-at home. On account of inadequate facilities to furnish the necessary
-means the unfortunate victim was often neglected.
-
-
-SURGEON’S CALL.--While in camp every morning at a certain hour
-Surgeon’s call was announced by the beating of the drum. Sick soldiers
-in camp who were able to walk were required to report to the doctor
-for treatment and to be excused from duty. Such as were not too sick
-remained in camp and were treated at their tents, and soldiers who
-were very sick were sent to a hospital. Soldiers sick in camp generally
-received scant sympathy and poor attention. A soldier though who was
-known to be faithful in the discharge of duty if unfortunately became
-sick was cared for by his friends.
-
-In every command there were soldiers who were experts in playing off
-sick, and of course such were not respected. There was always some
-one ready to ridicule the sick squad reporting. When the drums beat
-sometimes a wag would cry out. “Come up dead” or “Come up and get your
-Dovers powders or Camphor and Opium pills.” Soldiers really sick have
-been known to throw away medicine given them and take their chances.
-
-
-SIMPLE MINDED SICK SOLDIER.--In a certain regiment a simple minded
-soldier who was really sick would slowly make his way to the doctor’s
-tent and when asked “what is your trouble?” he would invariably give
-the same answer, “The same old complaint, ‘Sumption.’” The doctor would
-excuse him and he would return to his tent, lie down and suffer as much
-with homesickness as with the disease itself.
-
-Many a poor soldier lost his life in camp, in a hospital, on the march
-or on the battlefield, who would have rallied from a very slight
-indisposition that developed into a fatal disease could he have been
-transferred to his home.
-
-
-DESPONDENT, SICK SOLDIER.--After serving in the army for about a year
-a soldier was stricken down with a severe spell of sickness and sent
-to a hospital to recuperate. Having a horror for hospital life he
-plead earnestly with the physician in charge to recommend the issuing
-of a furlough for him to return home. He was informed that he was too
-weak and must wait until he got able to travel. The next day he told
-the doctor that he was getting worse and weaker and plead with him
-to allow him to go before the board to meet in a few minutes in the
-hospital, but received no encouragement. A few minutes later a message
-came summonsing some other sick soldiers in the same room to appear
-before the board. He had about given up in despair when another message
-came ordering him to report to the board at once. He obeyed the order
-without delay, and had scarcely gotten inside of the door when the
-chairman said, “Give him fifty days.” He returned home one beautiful
-Sunday morning. A good mother saw him slowly approaching the house and
-seeing his uniform, it occurred to her that the stranger was a soldier
-and for the sake of her own boys in the field she would treat him as
-well as she could. Being pale, weak, emaciated, reduced almost to a
-skeleton and nearly exhausted, he with difficulty climbed up the steps
-that lead up to the door. As soon as he got inside of the door his
-mother and sister assisted him to a chair, thinking they were helping
-some poor unfortunate soldier unknown to them. Finally they recognized
-him but did not know whether to rejoice or weep for it looked very much
-like his life was fast ebbing out. In a few weeks he was well again and
-returned to the army.
-
-
-VISITING.--Soldiers very much enjoyed a visit from friends at home, and
-a visitor after getting in camp and located among the friends he was
-especially visiting was regarded as guest of the soldiers and treated
-with deference by all he chanced to meet. Soldiers were always ready
-for some fun and any incident outside of the common broke the monotony
-and gave them a change. Citizens with few exceptions after their first
-experience enjoyed a joke even at their expense. If a citizen passed
-through camp wearing a long tailed coat or plug hat, some one would
-tauntingly cry out, “Come down out of that coat or come out of that
-hat, I know you are in there I see your legs,” and the boys would
-repeat until the poor fellow got through and of course the citizen felt
-relieved when the boys quieted down. The boys meant no disrespect and
-the citizens generally took it all good naturedly.
-
-
-PORTLY GENTLEMAN.--At one time a portly gentleman passed through
-camp and as soon as he came in sight a soldier cried out, “Here he
-comes: and here he comes” was repeated along the line. Finally the old
-gentleman chagrined, stopped, pulled off his hat and politely asked
-the boys what he had done, they promptly told him that he had stolen
-their big bass drum and swallowed it. The good natured old fellow
-caught on to the joke and told the boys that their drum should be
-returned and he was permitted to pass on enjoying the laugh as much as
-any of them.
-
-
-LADY VISITORS.--A lady visiting in the camp always had a refining
-influence upon the soldiers who were pleased to have an opportunity to
-treat such a visitor as an honored guest. The mere announcement that
-lady visitors were expected would cause soldiers to get busy and police
-the camp making everything around the tents look tidy and attractive.
-The conduct and conversation of the soldiers were always improved by
-visits of the ladies. Unfortunately though their visits were few and
-far between times. There was in the valley of Virginia a beautiful
-young lady who acted as a courier for some of the officers and was said
-to sometimes pass through the lines where a man would not be allowed
-to go, and to return bringing valuable information. She was a graceful
-horseback rider and created a sensation when she rode along the lines.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER IX.
-
-INCIDENTS OF CAMP AND PRISON LIFE.
-
-
-SOLDIERS IN PRISON.--A soldier belonging to an army in war times
-necessarily lives a strenuous life, and if unfortunately captured by
-the enemy and has to be incarcerated in prison it makes life to the
-average soldier almost unendurable. A soldier obliged to obey strictly
-army rules and regulations enforced by officers fighting for the same
-cause he is contending for surrenders seemingly about all of his
-liberties, but when reduced to the humiliation of having a sentinel
-standing over him all of the time to see that he does not violate
-orders given by an enemy reduces him to the most abject slavery. Many
-Northern and Southern soldiers were captured and placed in prison,
-and a judicious and rapid system of exchange of prisoners would have
-alleviated much suffering among these poor fellows.
-
-
-EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS.--The Federal authorities perhaps were dilatory
-in effecting exchanges because their captured men could be replaced
-by others, and they had not only the Northern states but the world to
-draw from, and knew the soldiers taken out of line in the Southern army
-could not be replaced with others on account of the scarcity of men.
-
-It is said that everything is fair in war, but the peremptory demands
-of war ought not to suppress every vestige of feeling of humanity. An
-experience in prison however humiliating that experience may be, cannot
-fail to convince anyone that implicit obedience to orders from the
-powers that be is the only safeguard as a shelter or protection from
-unreasonable punishment.
-
-
-PUNISHMENT.--Severe punishment such as bucking and gagging, hanging
-up by the thumbs, walking the beat carrying heavy loads, sometimes
-whipping and even shooting, to the death practiced in the army and
-prison almost invariably falls to the lot of a soldier who wilfully
-disobeys known rules and regulations, but these punishments are
-sometimes administered by tyrannical officers, puffed up with a little
-brief authority, to gratify their own personal spites and prejudices.
-Strict adherence to discipline will nearly always screen the victim
-from such suffering. In prison officers may be exacting, but from their
-arbitrary rulings there is really no appeal.
-
-
-RATIONS.--Much complaint was made by soldiers in Southern prisons
-about the scarcity and quality of rations, perhaps these complaints
-in some instances were well founded, for the Southern soldier in camp
-or on the march did not have an abundant supply. The same complaint
-was made against the Northern prison and it was argued that the
-Federal authorities had the means to provide more and had no moral
-right to retaliate upon the South for a deficiency in prison that was
-unavoidable. Many Southern soldiers in Northern prisons went to bed
-of nights and could not sleep on account of being hungry. Prisoners
-captured a short time before the surrender of Lee, soon heard of the
-surrender, and of the assassination of Lincoln and were frightened by
-a report circulated in the prison camp that Southern soldiers would
-be kept as hostages and perhaps executed in retaliations for the
-assassination of the president. The personal experience of soldiers
-incarcerated in the prisons of the late war would make interesting
-reading to coming generations but perhaps it is better to let this part
-of the history pass into oblivion. Contending armies engaged in battle
-would fight to the finish, damaging each other in every honorable way
-they could even to extermination, but when a soldier surrendered and
-became a prisoner he was treated courteously by his captors on either
-side. A soldier that would offer an insult or indignity to a prisoner
-was looked upon with contempt and his conduct regarded as cowardly by
-his own comrades.
-
-
-CAMP LIFE.--To undertake to portray the multiplicity of phases of
-soldier life as exhibited in the Southern army would be a herculean
-task from which the stoutest heart, best equipped mind and most
-experienced hand would shrink. It is enough for one to record the
-doings, transactions, incidents, and reflections drawn from historical
-facts connected with the section and army, the one undertaking the
-task was familiar with, on account of being present to witness much
-that occurred, and in a position to gather items of information from
-parties who were eye witnesses. Every day on the march, in camp, on
-the battlefield or in prison was replete with thrilling, interesting,
-ludicrous or pathetic scenes which were worthy of notice and ought to
-be handed down to posterity in a more durable way than by tradition.
-Duty, patriotism and an earnest desire to rescue from oblivion much
-of the war history ought to appeal to the few old soldiers now living
-whose passing from the stage of action must necessarily cut out forever
-any chance of a correct history. The certainty that they will soon
-be gone ought to be an incentive to induce each one to contribute
-his part. An army like our Southern army presents to the mind of the
-curious an inviting field for study and investigation.
-
-In camp the home life of the soldier is clearly delineated and by
-associating in the camp soldiers learn more about each other than
-anywhere else.
-
-
-SOLDIER ON INSPECTION.--There was in camp a little scrawny fellow that
-took the world easy when things went his way, but when he got wrong he
-was very much wrong and was at war with everybody and seemed to think
-that everybody’s hand was raised against him. He was a faithful, loyal
-soldier and would have died rather than play off to screen himself from
-a fight. He was always out of clothing, rations, money and everything
-that a soldier needed and was out with everyone who would not divide
-with him, but was liberal and honest and would pay his debts if it took
-his last dollar. At pay day it usually took all he received to pay his
-debts and then he was borrowing again. He paid very little attention
-to cleanliness, consequently no one cared to tent or bunk with him and
-he was often by himself although socially inclined. At such times he
-would sing songs sometimes a little smutty and whistle popular airs.
-He would say some very harsh things about officers and some of them
-very much wished for a chance to get even with him. On one occasion
-on inspection, the inspecting officer complained that his gun was not
-properly cleaned and ordered him to his quarters, putting on him the
-punishment of thirty minutes work cleaning his gun. He returned to his
-quarters with the rest of the company, feeling resentful, and with an
-oath slammed the gun to the ground, consigning it with the inspector
-to a region supposed to be hot and heavily charged with the odor of
-sulphur. He gloomily sulked for thirty minutes and in sheer desperation
-picked up his gun and reported as ordered to the inspector, expecting
-to be sent to the guard house, but was surprised when told by the
-officer that his gun looked much better, admonishing him to hereafter
-do as the others did and he would not have to do extra work on his gun
-and pleasantly excused him.
-
-
-RECRUIT ON GUARD.--On one occasion the officer of the guard around
-camp was a young lieutenant who had a very exalted opinion of himself
-and was glad of an opportunity to show his authority. One of the
-guard was a recruit detailed for the first time to do guard duty. He
-had fallen on the third relief and had lain down to rest until his
-time came. Nothing unusual occurred the first two hours, but after the
-second relief was posted the lieutenant made his rounds and returned
-to the camp fire and had a big laugh with the old soldiers present.
-He had taken the gun from a timid recruit, had the poor fellow badly
-scared and boastingly said that he would take every recruits’ gun that
-belonged to the guard. The third relief was placed and the recruit
-stationed at his post, walked his beat and kept a sharp lookout,
-especially for the lieutenant. Finally he heard the rattle of his
-sword as he approached and when he got in challenging distance, said:
-“Halt who comes there?” The lieutenant answered: “Friend with the
-countersign.” The sentinel then said “Advance friend and give the
-countersign.” The officer corrected him saying “Advance friend with
-the countersign,” and was briskly walking right up to him. The recruit
-quickly brought his gun to the position of charge bayonets, and again
-demanded the countersign. He was then almost in bayonet reach, gave the
-countersign and expecting to throw the sentinel off his guard, made
-a movement as if to pass on but really intended to take his gun. The
-sentinel made him pass around him at a distance not in bayonet reach
-which he did without further parley. After he had passed he said, “If
-you don’t mind you will get in the guard house.” The recruit replied
-saying, “I know my duty,” but was getting some thrilling experience
-while being initiated.
-
-
-AN ECONOMICAL SOLDIER.--A quiet careful soldier for several days saved
-of his rations scraps of beef and scrapings of flour until he collected
-enough to make a beef pie which was regarded as a luxury in camp.
-
- The pie was nicely made and spicely cooked,
- And the boys at it greedily looked;
- The soldier happy with a broad grin
- Commenced taking the rich pie in.
- Near by in the crowd was a hungry boy looking about
- As if he could breed a famine and starve it out;
- He stood the test for a little while
- Then stepped up to the soldier on his face a smile
- Saying, “If you please I would like your pie to taste;”
- “Help Yourself” said the soldier with very good grace.
- For a second invitation he did not wait
- But commenced eating pie at a rapid rate,
- At last he suddenly quit eating and said with a sigh,
- I guess I have taken enough of your pie.
- “Have some more” said the soldier polite as could be;
- The boy said, “Thank you, if you insist I will--it tastes good to me,”
- The hungry boy hung on while others stood by
- And saw the two together finish eating the pie.
-
-
-A SOLDIER’S RETORT.--On the Maryland march on account of marching
-for many consecutive days, soldiers were ragged, dirty and some of
-them barefooted. An army in such a plight does not present a very
-attractive appearance. In the column was a brave, faithful soldier
-always ready to fight to the finish. He had just passed through a
-series of battles and looked very much worsted, wearing old clothes
-and limping on account of old shoes making his feet sore. The army was
-marching through a town whose inhabitants were of very decided Union
-proclivities. A crowd of pretty, well dressed ladies were conspicuously
-standing on the sidewalk, indulging in cutting remarks, using such
-expressions as rebel and traitor very freely. One of them pointed
-out this uncouth looking soldier saying, “Look at that ragged, dirty
-rebel.” He coolly retorted looking her in the eye saying, “Madam, we
-always put on our old clothes when we go out to kill hogs.” His retort
-was not very courteous, but it put a quietus on the use of any further
-uncomplimentary remarks. The soldiers were usually treated very nicely
-by the ladies, even when invading the enemy’s territory, and were in
-turn as courteous as could be.
-
-
-A BOISTEROUS SOLDIER.--In camp there was a boisterous fellow whose
-early education and training had been very much neglected, and although
-illiterate he was fully convinced that he was a man of considerable
-importance. His quaint sayings and doings furnished no small amount
-of amusement for the officers and men. He did not mean to exaggerate
-but apparently looked at things through magnifying glasses. He was a
-fearless, brave soldier and was never happier than when called upon
-by an officer to perform some task. He did not hesitate to go or try
-to go anywhere his commanders ordered or requested him to go. On one
-occasion he was detailed as a picket to reconnoiter and ascertain some
-points about the position and strength of the enemy’s forces. Under the
-direction of the officer in command of the picket line, he with others
-stealthily approached as near as possible to the enemy’s line to get
-the desired information. In their eagerness they crossed the danger
-line and were saluted with a volley of shot and shell and of course
-were obliged to hastily retreat. The soldier came rushing back to camp
-puffing and blowing, burdened with the weight of responsibility that
-had been entrusted to him and hurried up to the colonel’s headquarters
-to report the result of the investigation. The colonel listened to him
-attentively while he excitedly gave his report and seriously asked his
-opinion about the strength of the enemy’s force. With forceful gestures
-and placing strong emphasis on his answer he replied: “About two
-hundred thousand!” The colonel amused at his estimate of the enemy’s
-strength, and his earnestness in reporting, respectfully thanked him
-and excused him. The same soldier incensed at his brother, seventeen
-years old, joining the army wished with an oath that the boy would
-get killed in the very first engagement he got in. In a few days
-the command got in a fight and the poor boy was killed. The wish was
-thoughtlessly made and the soldier felt sorry for the fate of his
-brother. One day glibly talking to the boys he pointed out a place on
-his arm and expressed the wish that a minnie ball would strike him
-there the next battle he got in and the bone would have to be resected
-so he could get on the retired list. In the very next fight a minnie
-ball struck the identical place pointed out and the bone had to be
-resected. He could have been placed on the retired list, but preferred
-to remain in service.
-
-
-RECRUIT DETAILED.--Early one morning a recruit who had just been
-enrolled, while he was at breakfast, was informed by the sergeant
-that he was on guard for the day and told to report at once to the
-colonel’s headquarters. Very much to the amusement of the old soldiers
-he replied: “All right, wait till I eat a bite” and leisurely finished
-his breakfast, prepared for duty and reported to headquarters without
-realizing that he had subjected himself to the danger of being
-disciplined for not at once reporting.
-
-It was very embarrassing to recruits especially when joining a command
-already in the service. A recruit reporting for duty was dazed at the
-array of stripes, bars, stars and wreaths, being assigned to a certain
-regiment was asked if he had any reason to give for being assigned to
-any special company, stammeringly replied that he had a second company
-in cousin I. The boys laughed at his mistake, but the officers kindly
-let him join the company of his choice.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER X.
-
-PICKET LINES, BATTLES AND BATTLEFIELDS.
-
-
-PICKET LINES.
-
- A soldier placed on the picket line
- Has a responsible duty to him assigned;
- To perform this duty with judgment and skill
- Requires nerve, pluck, brain and deliberate will.
- He protects the main army back in the rear,
- And watches each movement with trembling and fear;
- If the enemy makes a hostile move he does not run
- But warns his friends in the rear by firing his gun.
- Then the pickets exchange some hasty shots,
- Fall back in line and things get hot.
-
-
-PICKET OR SCOUT.--Different phases of soldier life have been partially
-explained, but the elements that enter into the make up or the
-varied experience of the successful sharpshooter or scout are beyond
-description. Take the foremost soldier in the army whose energy, pluck
-and daring deeds of valor have aided him in forging his way to the
-front, then add all the nerve, fearlessness, disregard of danger,
-determination to surmount all obstacles and you get only a faint idea
-of the sturdy firm, intrepid picket or scout, looking not for trouble
-but for adventure. History often records raids made by such dashing
-leaders as Jackson, Stuart, Morgan or leaders of that character with
-picked men. Such leaders select from different commands men who have
-passed through firey ordeals and have been weighed in the balance and
-found not wanting. With such soldiers wonderful victories have been
-achieved that would have been failures with a different class of men.
-The common soldier on the skirmish line however courageous he may be
-finds himself facing a problem that calls into play some traits of the
-soldier that he does not possess. The picket lines were often very
-close together, sometimes on friendly terms and sometimes hostile to
-each other.
-
-
-ON THE PICKET LINE.--In the night time the lines have been near enough
-to hear pickets in the opposite line talking in a low tone, but usually
-the lines were further apart. A very slight demonstration on the picket
-line sometimes precipitated a fight. The sentinels on the lines of
-the two armies were at one time respectively walking their beats on
-opposite sides of the Rapahannock river in plain view of each other.
-A sentinel on post on one of the lines playfully pointed his gun at
-the sentinel on post opposite him on the other side and was at once
-shot at by the sentinel, who took the matter seriously. There was
-something doing along the line for a little while but the situation
-was soon understood, the excitement subsided and the sentinels resumed
-their places, walking their beats but refrained from quite so much
-familiarity.
-
-
-EXCHANGE OF COURTESIES.--Sentinels on post on the picket lines
-representing the opposing armies often exchanged courtesies and
-greetings and on the sly met between the lines, exchanged daily papers,
-swapped tobacco for coffee, had a pleasant chat with each other and
-returned to their respective posts with the kindliest feelings. The
-following lines demonstrate or illustrate the friendly feeling that
-prevailed among the soldiers of the two opposing armies.
-
- “Good morning: Johnnie. Good morning Pat,”
- Come across and we will have a social chat
- We can be friendly loyal and true,
- Although I wear the grey and you the blue.
- I feel somewhat lonely walking my beat,
- And to visit you would be quite a treat.
- I will pledge my word upon the honor of a man
- That I will come half way and treat you well as I can.
- Your proposal seems very fair to me
- Let us meet in the shade of that old oak tree.
- The sentinels moved forward not in battle array,
- But approached each other in a friendly way.
- In consequence of the vigorous exercise walking their beats
- They were much fatigued suffering with heat
- Johnnie’s canteen was full of water cool as could be
- Which he shared with Pat in the shade of the tree.
- Pat smiling said it tastes like water from the lake
- Away up North in Michigan State.
- Then said in my canteen is some of the elixir of life
- That will make us forget our sorrows and strife.
- Will you not a little bit of it take
- As Paul would say for your stomach sake,
- Johnnie said thank you holding out an empty tin cup,
- Which they filled with Southern water Northern sugar and other stuff,
- Then of the mixture each one took a sup
- Drinking out of the same tin cup,
- It tasted pleasant and they repeated the dose
- ’Till they both felt gay and very jocose.
- Finally conversation in a confidential channel did run
- They talked of their home life both anxious to return,
- Pat said he had a wife and children at his home near the lake
- That were anxiously looking for him wishing for the war to break.
- Johnnie showed the picture of a sweet looking girl,
- That he declared was the sweetest best girl in the world,
- Saying she lives in a cottage among the hills in a North Carolina home.
- And will be true to me until I return.
- When this cruel war is over I will be by her side
- And claim a fulfillment of her promise to be my bride,
- They were talking confidentially in this beautiful strain,
- Commenting on their loved ones again and again.
- Suddenly they heard the report of a signal gun
- And to their respective posts did quickly run.
- After the signal gun fired in a very short time
- There was brisk firing all along the picket line.
- At these two posts firing was rapid and sharp,
- But the aim was above or below the mark,
- Finally the pickets were ordered to fall back,
- The two waved hands saying, “Good-bye Johnnie, Good-bye Pat.”
-
-
-FEARFUL EXPERIENCE.--During the time of the engagements in the
-wilderness a soldier on the picket line one night had a fearful
-experience. The lines were very close and the sentinels on post had
-strict orders to walk their beats, keep a sharp lookout and let no
-one approach or cross the line without giving the countersign. It was
-very dark and the thick underbrush made the darkness more dense. The
-officers making their rounds were embarrassed not knowing how soon they
-might march into the enemy’s lines. The sentinel quietly walking his
-beat heard a soldier approaching and soon as he came near enough in as
-low a tone as possible challenged him and asked for the countersign.
-The soldier approaching apparently like the soldier on post was
-uncertain whether he was in the presence of a friend or an enemy. In
-an evasive way they made inquiries with a view of ascertaining each
-others identity. Each one was afraid to fire on the other fearing
-he would be firing on a friend instead of an enemy, knowing too that
-the least disturbance would precipitate a movement of both armies and
-perhaps cause a battle which in the darkness would have been horrible
-to contemplate. Without understanding their true relationship to each
-other, they simultaneously turned and walked in opposite directions and
-to this day the soldier does not know whether he challenged a friend or
-a foe.
-
-
-BURNED BODIES OF THE DEAD.--To augment the horrors of the Wilderness
-battles a fire broke out immediately following the retreat of the enemy
-in an engagement and swept over the battlefield before the dead could
-be moved. The picket line reconnoitering moving forward to discover
-the position taken by the retreating army was obliged to run over the
-crisp burned bodies of Yankee soldiers lying dead on the field. It was
-an awful sight illustrating the horrors of war. The soldiers on the
-picket line in consequence of the heat, smoke and stench were very
-nearly overcome and were driven to the extreme necessity of drinking
-the turbid waters of a ditch where dead bodies of Yankee soldiers were
-lying very close.
-
-
-TEST OF VALOR.--On the skirmish line was the place to test the real
-powers of the soldier. In the Southern army were plain unassuming men,
-without reward or the hope of reward, or even realizing that they
-were doing anything extraordinary, that performed deeds of daring that
-stamped them as heroes of the highest type.
-
-
-ESCAPE OF THE ENEMY.--Near the close of the war an inducement was
-offered by the Yankees to dissatisfied Southern soldiers to pass
-through the lines, and occasionally a sentinel would leave his post
-and with his gun and equipments make a dash for the lines on the other
-side. As he approached the picket post on the other side the Yankee
-sentinel would call out, “Come in Johnnie.” A few soldiers escaped
-sometimes under the fire of sentinels at contiguous posts. While a few
-citizens and soldiers crossed over the line but few joined the Northern
-army.
-
-
-WELCOME PEACE.--Soldiers on both sides were tired of war and welcomed
-the treaty of peace, and were glad to return to their homes and again
-engage in the quiet peaceful pursuits of life.
-
- Four years of exposure suffering and strife
- Ruined many a home and many a life,
- At the end of the war many soldiers brave
- Were peacefully sleeping in heroes graves.
-
-
-ON THE WARPATH.--The campaigns of the civil war were generally
-vigorously prosecuted in warm weather. In the good old Summer time
-soldiers slept on blankets thrown on the ground with nothing but the
-canopy of heaven as a covering, and then if they received marching
-orders the boys had nothing to do but to take up their beds and walk at
-quick step or if in case of urgent necessity at double quick time.
-
-Often while sweetly sleeping not disturbed by the fear of Yankees
-or anything else, the drum would beat and soldiers would be aroused
-from sleep and then there would be something doing, and very soon the
-command would be moving.
-
- Though densely dark with no moon or star light,
- The Southern boys were always ready for fight;
- Although the Yankees did their methods despise,
- They pounced upon them and took them by surprise.
-
-
-UNRELIABLE SOLDIERS.--On the warpath the artful skulker did clever
-maneuvering worthy of a better cause to sustain his position that for
-plausible reasons he ought to be an immune and not required to join at
-the critical time when the battle was on.
-
- Soldiers destitute of principle, morals or brain
- Upon the fair name of an army cast a stain.
- An army made up of figureheads, thugs and bums,
- To an intelligent force is obliged to succumb,
-
-Fortunately the Southern army did not have many of this class, and the
-few placed as they were among soldiers disposed to do their duty, were
-obliged to take their places in line.
-
-
-MUSIC IN BATTLE.--Before the beginning of hostilities the average
-citizens were under the impression that soldiers marched into battle
-to the tune of martial music and to cheer them on the drums would beat
-and the bands play, but soldiers’ first experience convinced them that
-a very different kind of music prevailed. It was the terrific sound of
-bursting shells, the hateful, hissing, singing of minnie balls, mingled
-with commands of officers occasionally heard above the din, and the
-screams and groans of wounded and dying soldiers crying for help and
-calling for water to quench their burning thirst.
-
-Instead of selecting a certain soldier in the enemy’s line as a target
-to shoot at, a soldier merely leveled his gun and fired at the line of
-battle of the enemy, dimly seen through the smoke and dust, then loaded
-his gun with another cartridge and repeated. In a hotly contested fight
-soldiers often shot fifty rounds of cartridges and their guns got so
-hot that they could scarcely grasp them with their hands.
-
-
-BATTLES.--A succession of battles is by no means a monotonous
-repetition. Each battle has its peculiar phases. A battle is often
-an exhibition of the artistic skill of officers in arranging and
-maneuvering, and of men carefully executing, and may be a trial of
-physical endurance and the well trained handling of the weapons of
-warfare used. In any event a battle is a spectacular scene imposing and
-grand.
-
-Opposing armies, on the warpath, require but little provocation to
-induce them to get up a rumpus. Battles are by no means precipitated
-in a uniform cut and dried way, but are brought about in as many ways
-as there are battles fought. A single shot fired by a picket from his
-post may cause the picket lines to exchange shots and fall back, and
-the commands represented by them to settle the disturbance by engaging
-in a battle. Cavalrymen sometimes make a raid and start a fight into
-which the entire armies are drawn. Cannonading is a very common way
-to start a fight. Sometimes a command is surprised by a detachment
-from the opposite army and a battle ensues, and sometimes the armies
-come together apparently without any preconcerted plan on either side,
-simultaneously line up and get busy, with their work of carnage.
-
-On the battlefield soldier life is delineated in its most revolting
-phase. Two contending armies present a spectacle grand and awful to
-contemplate. The surging masses of human beings intent on each others
-destruction with the death dealing artillery with its terrific roar
-and the more destructive missiles of small armies with their hateful
-hissing sounds, together with the deafening cheers of the moving
-armies, and the heartrending screams and moans of the wounded and dying
-make the scene agonizing to the extreme. Two contending armies engaged
-in battle present to the eye of the beholder an indescribable panorama.
-
- Two contending: armies aligned for a fight
- Present to the eye an imposing-sight,
-
- When the pickets begin to exchange their shots,
- The battle is on and soon gets hot.
-
- With terrific noise of destructive shells
- And hissing minnie balls and soldiers’ yells,
-
- Such noise and confusion make a stunning din,
- And in the smoke of battle there is a contest to win
-
- The lines firm and steady throughout their length,
- With stubborn persistence measure their strength.
-
- Officers and men artful tactics display
- Until one of the lines is forced to give way,
-
- Charge after charge, Greek meets Greek,
- The two contending armies in deadly strife meet.
-
- The powers of the soldier both sides feel
- As they force their way with steel against steel,
-
- Or perchance one line or the other overpowered gives way,
- And the contest is ended, the victors win the day.
-
- The vanquished sometimes eager to be freed
- Run for their lives in a disgraceful stampede.
-
-
-BATTLE FIELDS.--Nature in some places has provided spots of ground
-that answer the purpose of belligerent armies where one line has the
-advantage of protection or shelter from the onslaughts of the other.
-Where grounds have been selected not affording safe protection against
-the invading force, soldiers are subjected to hard work throwing up
-breastworks, digging intrenchments or placing abatis to entangle
-the advancing army so as to detain it and shoot down the soldiers
-while extricating themselves from the entanglement. Every device or
-subterfuge that the fertile brain or imagination of man can discover
-or invent is called into requisition to give an advantage considered
-honorable in war. Sometimes though contending armies meet in open field
-in plain view of each other and fight to the finish and retire from the
-field leaving there a harrowing scene of suffering and destruction.
-Sometimes soldiers engage in hand to hand encounters, display physical
-force, power of endurance, and their expertness in handling the weapons
-of warfare, sustained by indomitable courage and stubborn willpower.
-
-
-AFTER THE BATTLE.--The heat and excitement of the battle having
-subsided and the smoke cleared away, the battlefield presents a
-harrowing scene that beggars description. The grim monster death
-having done its terrible work leaves its impress on the faces of its
-unfortunate victims. Passion, determination and conflicting emotions
-plainly stamped on the faces of the victims now wrapt in the cold
-embrace of death.
-
- After the battle is over a survey of the field
- Will melt a heart as hard as steel;
-
- The wounded with heartrending screams and moans
- And pitiful calls for loved ones at home,
-
- Appeal to the sympathies causing one to grieve,
- On account of being powerless the victims to relieve,
-
- A quiet look at the faces of the dead
- Fills ones soul with horror and dread.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER XI.
-
-FOURTEENTH REGIMENT NORTH CAROLINA INFANTRY AND GENERAL OFFICERS OF THE
-ARMY OF NORTHERN VA.
-
-
-FOURTEENTH N. C. REGIMENT.--
-
- The beginning of the war was to some a surprise,
- But the old Fourteenth at once organized;
-
- The regiment marched to the front along with the first.
- And was on the front line when shells began to burst.
-
- It was composed of ten companies of stalwart men,
- Who were determined with the enemy to contend;
-
- At Seven Pines and battles below Richmond to Malvern Hill,
- The regiment fought with a determined will,
-
- Many of the men gallant and brave
- On these battle fields filled bloody graves,
-
- Receiving recruits the regiment again took a start,
- Displaying courage and endurance on the Maryland march,
-
- Near Sharpsburg the regiment was in an old road aligned,
- And fought the Yankees advancing in three lines;
-
- The boys were conspicuous at the Wilderness, Chancellorsville and Mine Run
- And at Spotsylvania and Gettysburg handled their guns,
-
- In the thickest of the fight the regiment would be,
- Fought to the finish and surrendered with Lee,
-
-While not pretending to write the history of any special command, the
-writer belonged to Co. B. 14th Regiment N. C. Infantry which accounts
-for a casual reference to the regiment in these sketches. The regiment
-was composed of the following companies--all North Carolinians:
-
- Company A, Halifax County
- ” B, Davidson ”
- ” C, Anson ”
- ” D, Cleveland ”
- ” E, Wake ”
- ” F, Buncombe ”
- ” G, Rockingham ”
- ” H, Stanley ”
- ” I, Davidson ”
- ” K, Wake ”
-
-
-COMPANY OFFICERS.--Company B, of which I was a member was made up at
-Thomasville and the immediate surrounding country. The company was
-at first commanded by Capt. Miller, but when the company reorganized
-J. H. Lambeth was elected captain, S. Hepler first lieutenant, C.
-P. Jones second lieutenant and Alex Leach third lieutenant. Captain
-Lambeth was promoted to the position of major and served in that
-capacity, until the close of the war. Lieutenant Hepler was wounded
-at Sharpsburg, lost an arm and was not with the company very much
-afterward. To fill a vacancy M. H. Cross was elected lieutenant.
-Lieutenant Jones was killed in battle, Lieutenant Leach’s health failed
-in consequence of which he was absent a great deal of the time and
-the command of the company devolved upon Lieutenant Cross. Neither
-of the lieutenants were promoted to the captaincy. The regiment was
-at first commanded by Colonel Daniel, Lieutenant Colonel Lovejoy,
-Major Faison and Adjutant Seaton Gales. When the regiment reorganized
-Roberts was elected colonel, Bennett lieutenant colonel, Dixon major,
-and Marshall adjutant. Roberts and Dixon died and Bennett became
-colonel. Johnson lieutenant colonel and J. H. Lambeth major. Rev.
-Powers was chaplain all the time. The 2nd, 4th, 14th, 30th and 1st and
-3rd consolidated--all N. C. regiments composed a brigade commanded
-by Pemberton, Colston, Anderson, Ramseur and Cox consecutively. The
-brigade belonged to a Division, commanded by D. H. Hill, Rodes and
-Grimes consecutively. The regiment served through the war and was under
-the invincible Jackson until his death and was proud of the distinction
-of being in an army commanded by the immortal Lee.
-
-
-UNIQUE CHARACTERS.--In every command there are unique characters,
-and the Fourteenth was by no means an exception to the general rule,
-for in the regiment were members noted for varied peculiarities or
-eccentricities. Surviving soldiers of the regiment will pleasantly
-remember Webb of Co. A and Crow of Co. K, Charlie Hall of Co. B and Lee
-of Co. G.
-
-There were two great big fellows in the regiment that did not look
-hungry but a double daily ration had no charms for them. Their names
-were Sergeant Rawly of Co. G and Lieutenant Mitchell of Co. E.
-
-
-A BRAVE SOLDIER.--At South Mountain the regiment was exposed to a
-shower of minnie balls, and was located at the foot of a hill in a
-thicket of sprouts, weeds and briers. A call was made for a volunteer
-to carry a message through the thick underbrush. In Co. B was an
-obscure soldier named Morgan considered a kind of a go easy good for
-nothing kind of a fellow, although barefooted he at once responded and
-stepped to the front to perform the task without considering it to be
-a perilous brave undertaking. He was sustained by nerve and pluck that
-stamped him as a brave man worthy of admiration.
-
-
-COLOR BEARER.--Bennett Russell color bearer of the regiment, who
-carried the colors in many hard fought battles, though not a
-commissioned officer deserves honorable mention. Although illiterate,
-unassuming in manners, plain and not preposessing in appearance.
-
- He was noble, generous and brave,
- And imperiled his life his country to save.
-
-
-AMUSING SCENES.--The wit or humorist was there to contribute his
-enlivening influence to vary the sometimes sombre or gloomy conditions
-existing in the camp. Sometimes ludicrous incidents would occur to
-excite laughter and amusement even when danger was threateningly near.
-Imagine soldiers running for life to keep from being captured and
-thinking themselves out of danger, swearing that they would not move
-another inch if the entire Yankee army pounced down upon them, and a
-few shells burst throwing dirt upon them and hissing singing minnie
-balls like swarms of bees humming uncomfortably near them, then think
-how soon they forget their decided resolution to discontinue running,
-start again and fairly burn the wind until again out of harms way. To
-one looking on, it is amusing to see the movements and afterwards to
-hear their quaint sayings. To the participants it is anything else but
-funny, but after it is all over they laugh about it and joke and jeer
-each other unmercifully.
-
-In the campaign in the valley the Rebels ran the Yankees many a time,
-and occasionally their speed was very much accelerated by their being
-in front and the Yankees keeping up close in the rear, and treating
-them to volleys of shot and shell.
-
-
-ON THE CAMPAIGN.--The regiment was conspicuous in the battles of
-Williamsburg, Seven Pines, through the battles below Richmond to
-Malvern Hill. After coming out of this strenuous campaign the regiment
-very much worsted by exposure, disease and loss of killed, wounded and
-missing in battle went into camp near Richmond and rested awhile. Many
-of its gallant officers and men had fallen to rise no more, and others
-were sick or wounded in the hospitals or at home on furlough. Recruits
-came to take the places of the absent ones, and very soon the regiment
-with the command started on the famous march to Maryland. The regiment
-passed through the battlefield of the second Manassas fight and a
-gruesome, sickening sight presented itself.
-
-
-DISTRESSING SCENES.--Dead bodies of Yankee soldiers were strewn thickly
-over the field, that in the hasty retreat of the Yankee army and
-pursuit of the Southern forces, were left unburied on the field. The
-boys endured exposures and hardships galore and many of them had to
-succumb. It was necessary to enforce rigid discipline which under the
-circumstances was a difficult matter. Many hardships had to be endured
-that were apparently unfair and uncalled for but the demands of war
-are imperative and must be submitted to. Soldiers in the ranks and
-officers in command were compelled to witness distressing scenes, and
-were powerless to render assistance to the suffering and dying. On the
-march soldiers exhausted fell out of ranks sometimes when there were
-no facilities to provide for them, were obliged to take their chances
-and often lost their lives for want of attention. On the battlefield
-the surging masses intent on the destruction of each other had no
-time to give to personal friends however near and dear they might be.
-Distressing scenes were witnessed and assistance given when possible to
-do so. Sometimes near friends or even brothers were shot down in battle
-and the demands so urgent to move forward that the poor dying comrade
-had to die without being permitted to listen to the voice of a friend
-to comfort him while passing to the unknown land. On two occasions
-the Fourteenth was called out to witness the execution of some poor
-soldiers belonging to the army pay the penalty of desertion. It is
-heartrending to see a comrade shot down in the heat of battle, but it
-is a more distressing scene to see a soldier shot at the stake.
-
-
-BATTLES ENGAGED IN.--At Sharpsburg the regiment was aligned in an old
-road near the village and fought the Yankees advancing in three lines
-of battle. The regiment was cut to pieces and many were killed, wounded
-or missing. The regiment also figured conspicuously in the battles of
-Gettysburg, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wilderness, Hatchers Run,
-Winchester, Mine Run, Cedar Creek and many other battles and skirmishes
-down to the surrender at Apomattox.
-
-
-VICTORY AND DEFEAT.--At Cedar Creek the Fourteenth in one day
-experienced the exultation of victory and the humiliation of defeat.
-The following lines give a partial description of the exciting
-transactions of the day:
-
- Just after dark an order came
- To fall in line and answer to our names;
-
- An order then came to move without delay,
- And very soon we were marching on the way.
-
- Around the hill our line was strung,
- There was no blowing of the fife or beating of the drum,
-
- An order in a whisper came down the line
- That no one must talk even in a whisper at any time.
-
- We marched all night with scarcely a stop
- So still we could have heard a pencil drop;
-
- We were marching on to a certain doom,
- Destined to engage in a battle very soon.
-
- Far to the right we heard the report of a signal gun
- And to the left the report of another one,
-
- In front we saw the flash and heard the report of a gun,
- And was ordered to move forward in a run.
-
- Forward double quick march was the cry,
- And the surprised Yankees did swiftly fly;
-
- They were in their tents their breakfasts cooking
- And were by no means for the Rebels looking;
-
- They left meat and vegetables cooking in the pot
- And cans of coffee smoking hot.
-
- When they heard the familiar Rebel Yell
- There was not one left the tale to tell;
-
- We captured wagon trains, ammunition and men,
- Drove prisoners to the rear and put them in a pen,
-
- It was fun to see the Yankees run,
- And we hurried them on by firing our guns.
-
- We emptied our cartridge boxes of fifty rounds;
- The continued firing made the hills resound,
-
- We ran the Yankees down and pulled them in,
- And the way we captured prisoners was a sin,
-
- It is said it is a long lane that has no turning,
- And we finally got to the end of our journey,
-
- The enemy was reenforced by another command,
- Then we turned and run and raised the sand.
-
- For five long miles under shot and shell
- For real swift running we made it tell,
-
- Finally the sun went down and darkness came
- And the Yankees ceased their fiery flame.
-
- The armies scattered, ran to and fro,
- Not knowing how or where to go,
-
- The enemy halted in the darkness of the night
- And our scattered forces continued the flight.
-
- In our hasty retreat we lost in our flight
- All we had gained in the morning fight.
-
- The surprise was successful and our victory complete,
- If we had been able the prisoners guns and wagon trains to keep.
-
- Fortunes are made and lost in a day,
- And battles sometimes won and lost in the same time and way.
-
- After the battle was over we had cause to weep,
- And regretted meeting the enemy at Cedar Creek.
-
-
-DECISIVE BATTLE.--At Gettysburg perhaps a battle which was the turning
-point of the war, the elements seemed to be a lurid flame of fire, so
-desperate was the conflict and so hot and appalling the work of death
-and destruction. The machinery of warfare seemed to be turned loose
-and its operators proud of the distinction of handling it in such an
-effective manner, enabling it to do its deadly work.
-
-
-THE ENEMY SURPRISED.--One sultry morning marching orders were received
-and the Fourteenth in column with other portions of the command, for
-hours marched at quicktime, and sometimes double-quicking. Men overcome
-with heat fainted by the wayside, but positive orders to continue
-the march were rigidly enforced. Late in the evening the enemy was
-surprised and attacked in the rear and a fight ensued beginning the
-Chancellorsville engagements.
-
-
-BATTLE AT CHANCELLORSVILLE.--After dark Jackson and his staff rode
-through a piece of woods and was fired upon by his own men, obeying
-his own orders, receiving a wound which was the indirect cause of
-his death. The soldiers in the regiment distinctly heard the volley
-that caused the death of their loved commander. It is said that Lee
-seriously remarked upon the death of Jackson that it was a loss of his
-right arm. When the fatal shot was fired and Jackson received the death
-blow, the hopes of the Confederacy began to wane. General Stewart was
-put in command in Jackson’s place and the next day a hotly contested
-battle was fought. After being engaged in the battle several hours we
-were relieved and orderly falling back. The general came along and
-thinking there was a stampede ordered the forces back to the front.
-Col. Bennett said to him, “Gen. Stewart we have been relieved by the
-Stonewall brigade” adding “I have the most gallant regiment in the
-field.” The general then said, “I beg ten thousand pardons” and moved
-on leaving the impression on the minds of the soldiers that he was a
-chivalrous brave commander. After we had gotten to the foot of the hill
-Gen. Ramseur undertook to congratulate the men but was so overcome
-with emotion that he said he could not talk. Col. Bennett came to the
-rescue saying “I can talk” and in a stentorian tone began to praise the
-men. He was cheered to the echo and the surrounding hills and valleys
-resounded with the Rebel Yell.
-
-
-AT APOMATTOX.--The gallant Fourteenth was a fighting regiment and
-fought to the finish. At Apomattox though it did not retain the
-appearance of its former glory. But few of the tried and true were left
-to see for the last time the immortal Lee and with tears in their eyes
-hear his farewell address. The regiment broke ranks and turned their
-faces southward glad to return to their homes and loved ones, but sad
-at the thought of the humiliation of defeat and uncertain about how
-they would be treated by their conquerors.
-
-
-GENERAL OFFICERS.--The short sketch of the few officers of the army of
-Northern Virginia who were distinguished for their generalship, heroism
-and bravery could be continued by the addition of other names equally
-as brave and equally as famous. Scores of them who wore the stars or
-bars did many acts of daring and gained many victories by their good
-judgment, cool and deliberate maneuvering, but we must not forget the
-rank and file for upon the private soldiers the heavy burden fell, and
-they usually responded in a manner entirely satisfactory. Honor is due
-to the brave men in the ranks who were prompted by duty alone and who
-fought so gallantly without reward or the hope of reward.
-
-
-GENERAL COX was a young man and as an officer presented a fine
-appearance, dressed up to date and one not familiar with his ways
-would come to the conclusion that he was vain or selfconceited, but
-seeing him in the performance of duty in his every day soldier life
-would dispel any such illusion. He set an example of neatness, and his
-military bearing was not put on but natural. His nature and disposition
-were generous, and he looked after the welfare of the men under him and
-was not tyrannical in his discipline. When the time came for action
-he did not think of soiling his clothes but entered into the thickest
-of the fight and unwaveringly stayed with his command and fought to
-the finish. He survived the war and has figured conspicuously in the
-management of affairs to perpetuate good government and the enforcement
-of the law as a just judge on the bench.
-
-
-GENERAL GRIMES by the casual observer, would not have been selected
-from a crowd of officers as a man of extraordinary ability or above the
-average as a military commander. Though plain and unassuming he was
-a soldier of fighting proclivities and his shrill, clear, fine voice
-heard above the din common in the beginning of an engagement was an
-inspiration to his men. He was the hero of many battles and lived to
-witness the closing scenes of the war and near his home was the victim
-of assassination from ambush by parties lying concealed waiting for him.
-
-
-GENERAL RAMSUER was impetuous, impatient, aggressive and by some
-regarded as foolhardy. If fighting was going on he was not satisfied
-if he was not permitted to take a hand. He has been known to ride
-between our own and the enemy’s picket lines apparently insensible of
-danger, and at a time too when a fight was momentarily expected. He was
-known and acknowledged as a fighter and his men followed him without
-questioning the expediency of his movements. He was tender-hearted to
-the extreme and in the presence of his men has been seen to break down
-and weep like a child, verifying the old adage that “The brave are
-tender-hearted.”
-
-
-GENERAL RODES was an officer having a commanding appearance. Decision
-of character was plainly depicted upon his countenance. It is often
-said that a man’s face is an index to his character. The casual
-observer looking into the face of the general could not fail to see
-stamped there a plain indication of a generous disposition. His cordial
-and lovable disposition drew men to him, and his deportment in battle
-stamped him as a fearless brave soldier. Cool and collected as he was
-in battle, in the engagement in which he was killed just before he
-was slain he seemed to be excited as if he had a premonition of his
-impending doom, but his sun set in a halo of glory and his name will go
-down in history as a hero.
-
-
-GENERAL D. H. HILL, was a brave commander, had a tender regard for
-the welfare of his men and being of a humane disposition looked after
-minor details that the most of officers of his rank left entirely to
-subordinates. At one time on a march he discovered that many of the
-men were barefooted and their feet sore--some of them bleeding. He was
-powerless to furnish shoes and issued an order for the soldiers to make
-shoes out of rawhides. The order was given with a view of ameliorating
-the condition of the men and really did to some extent, but was not
-received by the men in the same spirit it was given and they in
-ridicule named him “Rawhide.” He was held in high esteem by his men,
-and they admired his fighting qualities. In battle he was firm as an
-unshaken rock, and the boys said that not a muscle would quiver even
-when shells were bursting around him and bullets were cutting close.
-
-
-GENERAL A. P. HILL was a peer of the bravest and most successful
-general officers of his rank who were co-workers with him in the
-army of Northern Virginia. He commanded with judgment; maneuvered
-and executed with skill and proved himself worthy of the position he
-occupied. In the hour of danger he did not waver and in the heat of
-battle stood firmly with his men.
-
-
-GENERAL EWELL was a little, scrawny, weakly looking fellow but a
-fighter with a reputation. He succeeded Jackson in command and while
-he did not claim to be his equal. The mantle of the famous general
-fell upon a worthy one, who did not degrade but kept the command
-up to a respectable standard. In an engagement when perhaps many a
-commanding officer would have been far enough to the rear to have
-protected himself, he was wounded and in consequence of the wound had
-to submit to an operation and had his leg amputated, but did not make
-his misfortune an excuse to retire from service, but remained with his
-command and fought to the finish.
-
-
-GENERAL EARLY was regarded as rather eccentric, and acquired a
-reputation for gaining many battles and losing out in the end. After
-bagging his game he seemed not to have the ability to retain it. On one
-occasion after driving the Yankees unceremoniously from their position
-he passed along and familiarly said to the soldiers, “Boys you walloped
-it to ’em this time.” For many weeks he kept his command on the run
-either in hot pursuit of the Yankees or running in a stampede from
-them. He kept the Yankees in constant dread and did some very effective
-work as a commanding officer.
-
-
-GENERAL STUART was a dashy cavalry general and when he went on the
-warpath there was something doing. He with other cavalry officers, such
-as Hampton, Mosby, Imboden and others terrorized the Yankees and often
-made them hit the grit and burn the wind to get out of the way. The
-cavalry force under his leadership very materially assisted the main
-army in successfully carrying out its plans on the campaign. General
-Stuart took Jackson’s place at Chancellorsville, and successfully
-prosecuted the engagement that occurred the day after Jackson’s
-unfortunate adventure while riding along the lines, resulting in his
-serious wound that disabled him and finally caused his death. He was a
-fine looking man and a gallant commanding officer and lost his life in
-a cavalry engagement at the Yellow Tavern.
-
-
-GENERAL LONGSTREET held a high position among the officers of the
-army, and in its counsels his fine military mind exerted an influence
-towards shaping aggressive campaigns. His command did some hard and
-effective fighting. Wherever the tramp of the soldiers in his corps was
-heard, Southern soldiers were encouraged and the Federal troops terror
-stricken. The Yankees learned of his name and fame and feared him
-accordingly.
-
-
-GENERAL BRECKENRIDGE was tall symmetrical and impressed one in his
-presence with his attractive personality. He belonged to a leading
-Kentucky family and was in the war prompted by a sense of duty and
-loyalty to his country. He was a leading factor in the counsels of the
-officers in shaping the character of the military movements.
-
-
-GENERAL GORDON was a fair type of the Southern gentleman, and his
-very appearance indicated soldier qualities of a high order. He was
-an educated man and his literary attainments gave him prominence in
-the counsels of war held by the general officers. In prosecuting
-military movements he called into requisition his fine military talent,
-experience, good judgment and discretion. After the war he became
-distinguished for his eloquence and became a fine platform lecturer.
-
-
-GENERAL WHEELER, better known as fighting Jo Wheeler, a good portion
-of the time had his headquarters in his saddle, and his command was
-expert horseback riders. With his boys he was in his proper element
-when chastising the Yankees. It was said that he slipped upon their
-blind side and it seemed that all sides were blind for he was liable to
-attack them from any point of the compass, and his raids were a great
-help to the main army. His command returning home after the surrender
-was followed by a gang of looters that stole horses and committed other
-depredations claiming to be Wheeler’s men. General Wheeler figured
-conspicuously in the Spanish-Cuban war retaining in his old age his
-fire and courage as a soldier.
-
-
-GENERAL JACKSON was a military chieftain whose equal in his special
-line or plan of conducting a campaign could not be found in the army.
-He never tried to evade a battle when it was in the interest of the
-cause he represented to fight, but by his dashing movements often
-accomplished by strategy victories that could not have been achieved
-in battle. He was loved by officers and men in his command, and they
-placed implicit confidence in him. His name and presence cheered them
-on to deeds of valor, and the mere rumor in the camp of the enemy that
-Jackson was coming made officers and soldiers tremble in their boots.
-They feared him as a foe, but respected him for his clever management,
-and admired him for his heroism and wonderful achievements.
-
- The name of the illustrious Jackson should have a place
- In the history of heroes on the brightest page,
- He was a born commander and leader of men,
- A terror to his enemies--a beacon light to his friends.
- On the march or in battle he moved without fear
- Of the world’s greatest generals he was a peer;
- His artful maneuvering and quick movements did save
- The live of many a soldier brave.
- Passing down the line soldiers always could tell
- That Jackson was coming by the Rebel yell;
- His name and heroism gave hope to the Nation,
- And his presence among the soldiers caused an ovation,
- When the fatal shot was fired that struck the hero down,
- The cause of Southern independence waned and gloom did abound;
- The sad news of his wound gave to Lee alarm,
- And he mournfully said, I have lost my right arm.
-
-
-GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE, commander of the army of Northern Virginia,
-was in many respects superior to any military chieftain the world has
-ever produced. He was a patriot, statesman, scholar, military hero
-and consecrated christian gentleman. On one occasion a portion of the
-Southern army was facing the enemy in full view of the line of battle.
-Dark threatening clouds were near and pelting hailstones and fleaks of
-snow were beginning to fall. The soldiers were shivering with cold,
-obeying orders issued not to move from their position or build any
-fires. The general in a soft tender voice so characteristic of the man
-ordered the officers to allow the soldiers to build temporary shelters
-with pine brush to shelter them from the hail and snow and to build
-fires. In a very short time they were protected from the storm and
-fairly comfortable by the blazing fire prepared. He lead the grand
-army to victory in battles, and when at last overpowered by superior
-numbers he was obliged to surrender, he went down not in disgrace but
-glorious in defeat, and when history gives a true record comparing him
-with the greatest of military heroes his name will be emblazoned on the
-brightest page outshining them all.
-
- In our country’s broad arena no generation ever will see
- A military chieftain--an equal of the immortal Lee;
- He could have commanded armies backed by wealth and display,
- And have been recognized as the greatest general of the day.
- While over that army the Stars and Stripes waved
- He could have commanded soldiers gallant and brave,
- But he sacrificed wealth, position and fame,
- And to the rescue of his native home gallantly came.
- In victory he was magnanimous heroic and great,
- But his luster shined more brilliantly in defeat.
- Among the world’s greatest generals he stands at the head,
- The greatest military chieftain living or dead.
- When his sun went down there was sorrow and gloom
- Among the inmates of every Southern home;
- He commanded an army of soldiers without a peer
- And to every Southern soldier his memory is dear.
-
-
-RECAPITULATION.--The short sketch of the general officers named closes
-the Reminiscences of the war period. There may be some discrepancies
-and possibly some errors as everything noticed is quoted from memory,
-and a lapse of more than forty years ought to be accepted as a valid
-excuse for any mistakes. The narrative is claimed to be true, and the
-object of the writer has been to deal fairly and impartially with all
-classes referred to.
-
- These general officers leaders in their time,
- With gallant subordinates all along the line,
-
- Commanded an army that was complete,
- Glorious in victory and defeat.
-
- The world never saw and there never will be
- An army to equal the one commanded by Jackson and Lee,
-
- Soldiers in the ranks from the best families came,
- And fought for their country and not for a name;
-
- At home they left property, mothers, sisters, sweethearts and wives
- To protect these treasures they imperiled their lives
-
- The Union was preserved not alone by Union men,
- But by Aliens that came across the cause to defend,
-
- The Stars and Bars folded trailed in the dust,
- And the Stars and Stripes waved as it waved at first.
-
- The Southern army overpowered in the struggle lost out,
- But left to Southern people an inheritance of which they are proud.
-
- Now all sections of our country fight under one flag,
- And when the Southern boy is called for he does not lag.
-
- We love our country no less than before,
- But fight for it because we love the Sunny South more.
-
-
-
-
-CHAPTER XII.
-
-RECONSTRUCTION PERIOD.
-
-
-SURRENDER OF LEE.--On the ninth day of April 1865 at Apomattox Virginia
-General Lee surrendered to General Grant, after four years struggle
-in perhaps the most awful war of modern times. Only a remnant of the
-once powerful and vigorous army was left to share in the humiliation.
-A large proportion of the gallant soldiers of the army over which the
-immortal Lee was the commander had fallen to rise no more, and the few
-remaining were broken down by the continued hardships of the four years
-struggle. Being overpowered they humbly submitted to the inevitable and
-in good faith accepted the terms given by their conquerors and returned
-to their homes, thousands of which were broken up, and thousands more
-in mourning for loved ones who had perished in the war.
-
-
-RIGHT TO SECEDE.--The question as to whether a State had a right to
-secede from the General Government could not be settled by arbitration
-or legislation, and had been submitted to the arbitrament of the sword
-and decided in the negative. The Federal government through its civil
-representatives and military hosts claimed and proclaimed a State had
-no right to secede. An overwhelming majority of the people north of
-Mason and Dixon’s line embraced this theory. Southern people embraced
-the opinion that States had the inalienable right to rebel against the
-government, if the rights vouchsafed to said states by the constitution
-were infringed upon. After four years of civil war unparalleled for
-its severity and extent of loss of life and property, the issue was
-settled in favor of the Northern idea, and Southern soldiers accepted
-their parole, took the oath of allegiance to the government of the
-United States in good faith, and returned home to take up life again as
-peaceable, loyal citizens.
-
-
-SHERMAN’S MARCH TO THE SEA.--A few days previous and subsequent to
-the surrender of Lee, Johnson with his army was retreating towards
-North Carolina, with Sherman in hot pursuit, on his famous march to
-the sea. General Sherman, talented, as he was, holding a key to the
-situation, must have known that the end of the so called rebellion was
-near at hand, but leading his Vandal hosts with pine torch in hand,
-careless with fire, seemed to take a fiendish pleasure listening to
-the crackling conflagrations and witnessing the lurid sheets of flame
-as it swallowed up barns full of feed and stock and palaces, cottages
-and all kinds of residences with the accumulation of the lifetime of
-the occupants, and the inmates themselves, helpless women and children
-driven out of doors, groping their way through the dense smoke and
-darkness, hurried on with agonizing fear and dread of personal harm
-that was terrible beyond description. A man of intelligence raised in
-a land of Bibles under christian influence that could gloat over such
-orgies is more in need of missionary influence than the inhabitants of
-Greenland’s icy mountain or India’s coral strand.
-
-
-HOME COMING OF SOLDIERS.--For several weeks after the surrender of
-Lee and Johnson, the soldiers continued to return to their homes and
-returning divested themselves of their army clothes worn, dirty and
-sometimes infested with vermin sad reminders of camp and prison life.
-The old clothes were burned and the soldiers dressed in citizens
-clothes that had been laid aside four years before, or in new clothes
-that thoughtful mothers, sisters or wives had prepared in anticipation
-of their home coming. The soldiers were welcomed home by their people
-who rejoiced to see them return. On some occasions they were met by
-mothers, sisters or wives who had passed through four years of great
-tribulation, and sometimes by hungry, ragged children, made more than
-orphans by the war. To welcome the return of the soldiers. Nature
-seemed to smile in extravagant luxuriance. Flowers were blooming,
-growing crops were springing up in a prolific growth, promising a
-bountiful harvest. The soldiers became citizens and relieved women and
-children of burdens of farm work that their forced absence had put upon
-them, and under the changed condition of affairs everything was in a
-fair way to resume normal conditions.
-
-
-ASSASSINATION OF LINCOLN.--Very soon after the surrender of Lee,
-Abraham Lincoln, president of the United States, was assassinated and
-Southern people deplored the sad event. Although the leaders and common
-people of the South had nothing to do with the awful crime, it had a
-tendency to intensify the already bitter feeling of the radical element
-North, and this element began to clamor for revenge, demanding the
-punishment of innocent people of the South for a crime for which they
-were in no way responsible but entirely innocent. If Lincoln had not
-have been removed by death from the presidency and could have exerted
-an influence that the promptings of his really generous nature would
-have caused him to endeavor to use, it would have been a boon to the
-downtrodden people of the Southland. The average soldier was disposed
-to get to work and really did get to work with an honest endeavor to
-repair the damage done, and to build up the waste places.
-
-
-FEDERAL OFFICERS.--The rulers or representatives of the general
-government could have immortalize themselves and their names would have
-gone down in history as benefactors, but instead they took a different
-view of the situation and apparently actuated by a revengeful spirit
-heaped up burdens that made the suffering people cry out in agony “How
-long will this state of affairs exist.”
-
-
-CONDUCT OF YANKEE SOLDIERS.--Early in the Spring of 1865 the war was
-rapidly coming to a close and the Yankee soldiers were invading every
-nook and corner. Some of them acted very gentlemanly and did what they
-could to protect private property, but others committed depredations,
-terrified the people and stole or impressed, as they called it, the
-most of the good horses, sometimes leaving worn out old scrubby plugs
-for farmers to make their crops with, and then other gangs would come
-along and take these leaving farmers without horses. In the Summer the
-army horses were corralled at different places, sold at auction to the
-highest bidder and brought from one to fifty dollars a piece. In this
-way they got about all the money the citizens had managed to get hold
-of.
-
-
-LOOTERS FOLLOW YANKEE ARMY.--In the rear of the Yankee army there
-followed a motley gang of looters that were ignorant, vicious and
-some of them penitentiary convicts. This despicable class, that would
-not have been invited into the homes of respectable people where they
-lived, set themselves up as leaders to plunder, steal and overawe the
-good citizens of the desolated country.
-
-
-PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT.--The Southern people soon learned to their
-sorrow that if a state did not have a right to secede that the states
-which were in rebellion were not considered in the union. Provisional
-Governments were forced upon the Southern States and in North Carolina
-W. W. Holden, who perhaps had done more to bring about, foster and
-encourage the secession of the state than any other man within her
-borders, was made governor of the state, and a reign of terror, misrule
-and tyranny began. A governor with a retinue of ignorant, vicious,
-dishonest followers, willing and anxious to humiliate and punish the
-leading and best citizens of the state, caused a distressing state of
-affairs to exist.
-
-
-THE NEGRO ENFRANCHISED.--To still further humiliate the Southern
-people an amendment was added to the constitution which placed the
-ballot in the hands of every negro man in the South twenty-one
-years old, and not satisfied with this leading citizens of the South
-were disfranchised. Thousands of the most prominent and influential
-citizens of the State of North Carolina were disfranchised. An election
-was ordered and held but everything was one way, and many of the
-poll holders were big “buck niggers” that would not have known the
-Constitution of the United States from the Ten Commandments.
-
-
-CARPETBAGGERS.--The carpetbaggers and low down thieves, thugs and
-bums that were tacked on to the tail end of the Yankee army and left
-to torture, torment and terrorize the peaceable, law-abiding citizens
-of the South were now busy with their fiendish work. They had already
-done effective preparatory work by visiting and mingling freely with
-an element congenial to their degraded and vitiated tastes. They had
-frequented negro cabins which were thickly scattered over the country.
-These ignorant, confiding negroes were easily prevailed upon to meet in
-old fields, woods, or old houses located in obscure places where they
-organized and instructed them.
-
-
-THE NEGRO POLITICIANS.--The negro politician loomed up and these
-self-constituted bosses pictured to them in glowing colors the beauty
-and grandeur of a position they would occupy where their former
-owners and other leading white citizens would have to bow the knee
-and acknowledge their royal authority. They were informed that the
-lands owned by Southern white people would be confiscated and divided
-out among them. Some of them in obedience to instructions went so far
-as to stake off forty acres of land where they wanted it, with the
-assurance that it would be given them. They were also promised with the
-forty acres of land and a mule, and were happy in anticipation in the
-near future of being in possession of immense wealth. Their political
-aspirations were if possible more extravagant. Offices not wanted by
-these designing political robbers were parcelled out to negroes that
-they could use to do their bidding.
-
-
-ELECTION A FARCE.--An election was held that was worse than a farce.
-The negroes marched up to the polls like droves of sheep and deposited
-a piece of paper in a box that they could not have told by looking
-at it whether it was a ballot or ticket for passage on a railroad or
-admission into a theatre. In North Carolina the ballot boxes were sent
-to Charleston, S. C., for the ballots to be counted by a military
-commander. To the legislature were elected a few good citizens and a
-host of carpetbaggers, scalawags, and negroes, the last three named
-having overwhelming majorities.
-
-
-LEGISLATURE.--The legislature met composed of this motley crew to
-enact laws for the government of the people of our loved State. In
-the legislature were a few representative members mixed in with the
-disreputable carpetbaggers, scalawags and ignorant negroes, and an
-organization effected by a few sharp unprincipled alien adventurers
-who at once began to plan a system of robbery bold, insolent and
-disgraceful, and their corrupt ignorant tools were ready to do anything
-dictated by them. The legislature remained in session an entire year,
-the members voting themselves seven dollars per day, and some of them
-computing their mileage over a roundabout way to give them an excuse to
-augment their mileage accounts. The public school fund that had been
-sacredly preserved through the four years vicissitudes of war was taken
-to pay the per diem of the members of the mob that had convened under
-the name of legislature. State bonds were voted and issued for millions
-of dollars ostensibly to build railroads, but the proceeds of the bonds
-were gobbled up by money sharks and no railroads built. Many of these
-bonds were later repudiated by the state as fraudulent. A system of
-state, county and municipal government prevailed that was oppressive,
-and the good people of the state were humiliated and felt outraged
-without having any chance to remedy the evil existing.
-
-
-COUNTY OFFICERS.--In the legislature were several negroes and in some
-counties were negro sheriffs, registers of deeds, county commissioners,
-magistrates and school committees. While such a state of affairs
-was humiliating, perhaps the carpetbaggers and some of the homemade
-scalawags who forgetting and forsaking their race and color, acting
-with them were, if possible, a worse curse to the state than the negro
-himself. White people were arrested upon warrants issued by negro
-magistrates who tried their cases and gloated over an opportunity
-to punish them. Extortionate taxes were levied and collected and in
-some counties claims were held by officers and people were obliged
-to sell them at a tremendous discount and the officers and their pet
-partners would buy them in and pay themselves full value from the
-county fund. Their outrageous extravagance disgusted all decent white
-people and their methods were universally condemned. The negro as a
-politician became aggressive and the bosses were obliged to put their
-names on the ticket because in many places they furnished the voting
-population. Negroes became offensive and entirely ignored their former
-owners and other white friends who were disposed to treat them fairly,
-and accepted as their advisers these low down carpetbaggers and if
-possible lower scalawags. The negro depended almost entirely for his
-living upon the better class of white people and notwithstanding all
-his prejudice and bitterness, acknowledged this fact, but a dirty thief
-or a dirty, no account white man of the class used to do their dirty
-work would tell them if they voted with the old secession crowd, as
-they called them, they would be put back in slavery, but if they voted
-as they suggested they would surely get the forty acres of land and a
-mule, and what was still more pleasing to them would place themselves
-in a position to wreak revenge on this now despised class. Some of the
-hireling serfs were willing to sell their birthright for less than
-a miserable mess of potage, and went so far as to advise the poor,
-ignorant, confiding negro, in case he was refused work by this class
-of white people, to steal such as he needed from the corn cribs, wheat
-houses, smoke houses and if that would not suffice to burn their barns
-or to burn them out of house and home.
-
-
-CRIMES COMMITTED.--Under this wicked teaching or training crimes galore
-were committed and men were unsafe and women insecure to go along the
-streets or highways. Instead of law and order anarchy reigned supreme
-and crime stalked boldly in the land heretofore noted for peace,
-happiness and prosperity.
-
-
-NEGROES OFFENSIVE.--Young negroes became offensive as a result of the
-false training of this vicious class of men and some women, pretended
-religious enthusiasts, who knew nothing of the class of people to whom
-they were teaching a doctrine of direct or indirect social equality.
-Ambitious notions took possession of the bestial natures of some of the
-worst element of the race and results revolting to think of blackened
-the page of history of this fearful period.
-
-W. W. Holden was then governor of North Carolina, and could have used
-his fine talent, directed in a proper channel, to have been a blessing
-instead of a curse to the people of the State whom it was his sworn
-duty to protect instead of persecuting. The Executive and Judicial
-powers of the State were silent as the grave and by their silence put
-their seal of approval upon the disgraceful transactions, thus staining
-their administration with crime and the approval of crime and becoming
-a party seeking and wreaking revenge.
-
-
-KU KLUX KLAN.--The ferocious wretches became so bold in the commission
-of their outrages that in defense of life and property the good
-people of the country organized a society called by different names
-in different places but known every where as the “Ku Klux Klan.” The
-object of the organization was to secure protection that the pretended
-officers of the law failed to give to the oppressed people.
-
-
-HOLDEN AND KIRK.--Governor Holden prevailed with his gang of blind
-partizans in the legislature to pass a law authorizing him to declare
-martial law in any part of the state. This he proceeded to do in a few
-counties and had some citizens of the highest character, accused of
-committing heinous crimes. Federal troops were sent to these counties,
-not troops made up in the state, but a gang of cut-throats from
-Tennessee, commanded by an acknowledged vicious wretch by the name of
-Kirk.
-
-Governor Holden was not satisfied with the scope of power given him,
-but wrote to the president asking for Federal authority allowing
-arrests to be made and parties tried before a military tribunal hoping
-to have some of the best citizens of the state shot at the stake.
-Congress refused to confer on the president the power to declare
-martial law. The governor and his crowd had to depend on such state
-authority as they had managed to usurp. Col. Kirk with his gang had
-invaded the state under the direction of the governor and more than one
-hundred citizens were arrested and imprisoned by Kirk and his minions.
-
-
-JUDICIARY EXHAUSTED.--Chief Justice Pearson had until this time been
-regarded as a just judge, and application was made to him for a writ of
-habeas corpus that men in prison might know why they were imprisoned.
-Judge Pearson granted the writ but when an attempt was made to serve it
-on Kirk he ignored it under the plea that he was acting under orders
-from Governor Holden. Counsel of the prisoners asked for further
-process to punish Kirk but the Chief Justice held that his power was
-exhausted and that the Judiciary could not contend with the Executive.
-The highest judges in the state claimed to be powerless and the Holden
-Kirk conspirators, although panting to get recognition from the
-Federal Government, began to make preparations to form a Drumhead court
-to consist of thirteen members--seven to be appointed by the governor
-and six by Colonel Kirk. The Chief Executive of the state expecting to
-preside over this court and try cases with the Judiciary in sight and
-hearing, declaring itself helpless.
-
-
-JUDGE BROOKS.--The right will usually prevail and Judge Brooks a
-Federal Judge listened to the cry of the distressed and oppressed
-and gave them relief. Governor Holden and Colonel Kirk could not
-intimidate him with their scarecrow cries of war and bloodshed. He
-gave Kirk peremptory orders to allow his prisoners to come before him
-at Salisbury within ten days. Governor Holden asked the president to
-interfere and he promptly informed him that Judge Brook’s order must be
-obeyed. Nothing was against the prisoners and they were released, and
-the state was soon relieved of the presence of the Kirk mob. Governor
-Holden was impeached, convicted and expelled from his high office. The
-people rose in their might and partially redeemed the state, but it
-took years to accomplish the desired effect.
-
-One hundred thousand ignorant negroes were enfranchised and their
-proportional numerical strength of the voting population enabled them
-to exert a baneful influence which very much afflicted the counsels of
-our state.
-
-
-NEGRO PROBLEM.--This brings to the surface the negro problem,
-which will not be discussed here, but the different phases of negro
-life at different periods of time will be noticed. The negro was
-brought to this country from a heathen land centuries ago and it was
-soon discovered that a Southern climate was suitable to his health
-and growth and as a commercial commodity in the South he would be
-profitable. The negro living as a servant of the white families
-developed many commendable traits of character. Under the influence
-of an acknowledged superior race he became partially civilized and
-became very much attached as a servant to his master and mistress as he
-was pleased to call them. He brought with him from the dark continent
-some traits of character that were inherent and hard to eradicate. As
-a slave he was faithful and the great mass of them were happy, and
-growing up with white children loved and respected them without once
-thinking himself their social equal. Before the war and during the war
-it was a very rare case to hear of an outrage being committed. The
-negro was happy in his surroundings, having no cares for the future,
-knowing he would be provided for even in sickness and old age. During
-the war he cared for and as far as he was capable protected the white
-women and children at home while their fathers, brothers and husbands
-were in the army.
-
-
-THE OLD TIME DARKEY.--
-
- The old time darkey is in the evening of his life,
- After the passing of the last one with the race there will be strife,
- He is a colored gentleman in company or at home
- And when asked to do a favor always will come.
- If his people are suffering with hunger or in distress
- He will divide his last slice of bacon or last crumb of bread;
- If at any time employed in the field at work
- He does not have to be watched for he will not shirk.
- He is polite in company, at home, on the road, or street
- And will pull of his hat to anyone he may meet;
- He is proud of his freedom, and glad he is not a slave
- But remembers his early training and knows how to behave,
- He has bought his acre of land that he claims as his own
- Has built a rude cabin and lives at home,
- When a slave he worked through the week and on Saturday night
- Danced to the tune of the banjo till broad daylight
- Then on Sunday all through the day
- Courted his dusky damsel in the old time way.
- If asked how he liked roasted potatoes, opossum or chicken to eat
- With a broad grin he answers “Dem things is sweet.”
- He said poor nigger got tired of bacon and corn bread,
- And relished good eating before he went to bed.
- He owns he was fond of nice good picking
- And thought it was no harm for mister’s niggers to eat master’s chickens,
- His mouth still waters and he sighs for the luxury so fine
- When he feasted on watermelons in the good old Summer time.
- During the war he was industrious, polite and genteel
- And took care of women and children while the men were in the field.
- He was loyal to the South as any Southern son
- And his conduct should be classed with Southern victory won.
- The old black mamma that stayed around the home
- And took care of the children the same as her own,
- The children remember her kindness and care
- Though now growing old they are children to her,
- The old time darkeys are well meaning and try to check
- The young generation that are losing self respect.
-
-
-THE EMANCIPATED NEGRO.--To do the negro race justice, there is no
-doubt if they had been let alone to follow their own inclinations and
-judgment they would have been largely influenced in their conduct after
-being emancipated by their former owners and the better class of white
-people of the South who were then and are now their best friends,
-because having grown up with them in an entirely different social scale
-are better calculated to advise them for their good. Two classes of
-people accepted by them as their advisers are responsible for present
-conditions. A low class of avaricious, ignorant, known enemies of the
-South who have used them to advance their own selfish interests, and
-another equally objectionable class of Northern religious fanatics,
-whose training lead them to believe that the Southern people treated
-them inhumanly. By mingling with them socially and teaching them that
-they were entitled to recognition in the social circle of the whites,
-caused them to have aspirations and ambitions to which they can never
-attain.
-
-The Southern people at once acknowledged their freedom, and were ready
-to help them in their struggle for a more prosperous career, and were
-willing to give them their rights before the law but not willing to
-place the ballot in their hands or give them a place in the counsels
-of the government. Negroes who have followed the advice of their real
-friends are now doing well, accumulating property and are in possession
-of homes of their own and their children are being educated, but those
-who have gone astray under the teaching and advice of aliens who know
-nothing about them and care less have become vagrants and criminals and
-are a menace to the communities in which they live. The negro problem
-will be solved by Southern people who know the characteristics of the
-race and will treat them in such a way as to enable them to build up
-as a race. If listened to their condition will be bettered and the two
-races will live in the Southland together harmoniously, but if the
-advice of their only true friends is ignored it will be a survival
-of the fittest and like the Indians they will by the management
-of Southern people be provided with a home elsewhere and live to
-themselves and enjoy the fullness of their freedom.
-
- The sun may be darkened and the moon stream in blood
- But the voice of the Anglo Saxons in our counsels will be heard,
-
- The stars may fall and the earth with fervent heat melt,
- But the influence of an inferior race in our counsels will not be felt.
-
- They may come from Greenland’s icy mountain or India’s coral strand,
- From the black continent of Africa or other heathen lands:
-
- We will humanely treat the savage, and give them their rights before the law,
- But before they undertake to rule they had better quietly withdraw.
-
- In our own Sunny South we will give them a home
- And teach them civilization and to no longer roam,
-
- We have a knotty problem to solve in our own Sunny Southland,
- But will resist any interference from any alien band.
-
-
-THE COMING SOUTH.--For forty years the oppressed South has been under
-a cloud groping its way in the wilderness, a part of the time without
-even a feint hope of reaching the promised land, but the clouds are
-breaking and through the dense darkness can be traced at least the
-outline of a silver lining. To the most obscure vision a light appears,
-and the dullest prophet can forecast the sunshine soon to burst forth
-in magnificent splendor. Neither heights, lengths, breadths, depths,
-principalities nor all the powers that be can stop the onward march
-of education, industrial development and universal wave of prosperity
-destined erelong to place the people of this, by nature favored land,
-in possession of their own. In the scientific, religious, industrial
-and political world, the South is forging its way to the front rank,
-and our grand old state of North Carolina with its variety of soil,
-climate, minerals, timbers and its progressive people is coming. From
-the foundation of the government till the sixties the native born
-talent of the South shaped and managed the affairs of the nation,
-and now she is coming, after passing through a fiery ordeal, to again
-resume a place that other sections of the country will be compelled to
-concede to her.
-
- We no longer hear the bellowing cannon or clash of arms,
- Or the tramp of soldiers marching raising alarm.
-
- But instead the busy hum of machinery and tramp of children to school on their way,
- And the blessings of peace and prosperity making triumphant strides in their day.
-
-
-
-
-TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES:
-
-
- Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.
-
- Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized.
-
- Archaic or variant spelling has been retained.
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-<p style='text-align:center; font-size:1.2em; font-weight:bold'>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Reminiscences of the Civil War, 1861-1865, by P. L. Ledford</p>
-<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>
-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="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you
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-country where you are located before using this eBook.
-</div>
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-<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: Reminiscences of the Civil War, 1861-1865</p>
-<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: P. L. Ledford</p>
-<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: June 24, 2022 [eBook #68392]</p>
-<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</p>
- <p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em; text-align:left'>Produced by: David E. Brown and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)</p>
-<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK REMINISCENCES OF THE CIVIL WAR, 1861-1865 ***</div>
-
-<div class="figcenter hide"><img src="images/coversmall.jpg" width="450" alt="" /></div>
-
-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
-
-
-<div class="chapter">
-<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_title.jpg" alt="" /></div>
-</div>
-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
-
-<div class="titlepage">
-
-<h1><small>REMINISCENCES<br />
-
-OF</small><br />
-
-THE CIVIL WAR<br />
-
-1861-1865</h1>
-
-<p>BY<br />
-<span class="large">P. L. LEDFORD<br />
-THOMASVILLE, N. C.</span><br />
-JULY 1909</p>
-
-<p><span class="smcap">News Printing House</span><br />
-<span class="smcap">Thomasville, N. C.</span>
-</p>
-</div>
-
-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
-<div class="chapter">
-<p class="center">
-Copyright 1909<br />
-By P. L. LEDFORD</p>
-</div>
-
-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
-
-<div class="chapter">
-<span class="pagenum" id="Page_3">[3]</span>
-<h2 class="nobreak">PREFACE.</h2>
-</div>
-
-
-<p>Although many histories have been written
-and tradition has furnished its part
-toward the perpetuation of the memory of
-the exciting times of the civil war, very
-much occurred that has never been recorded.
-Monuments may be erected and histories
-written, but unless the veterans now living
-get busy and refresh their memories, and
-the memories of their comrades very much
-that happened, and ought to be preserved
-in durable form will with the passing of
-the main actors pass into oblivion. The
-Confederate Soldiers now living are all
-old men, and each one could, and ought
-to contribute items of information that
-would be interesting to the children and
-adults of future generations. These scenes,
-anecdotes, incidents and historical facts
-ought to be written by the soldiers themselves,
-for by no other means can a correct
-history of the war period be handed down
-to posterity.</p>
-
-<p>I undertake my part of the task well
-knowing the information that I shall try
-to give will not be pictured in a graphic
-style to please the overeducated critic, but
-I feel assured that though written in a
-plain style the facts narrated will be read
-and appreciated by many who will not
-depreciate the information given, on
-account of the lack of embellishment or
-absence of the style so pleasing to the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_4">[4]</span>
-lovers of eloquence, poetry, song and
-graphic story.</p>
-
-<p>The following pages written by a plain
-confederate soldier who spent three years
-in the war instead of at college are submitted
-to the public upon the merits of
-the information given, without claiming
-any literary merit. Feeling that I am
-performing an imperative duty that I owe
-to the cause and my country, I respectfully
-dedicate the reminiscences to the soldiers
-of the late war who were my comrades
-while passing through the trying ordeal.</p>
-
-<div class="poetry-container">
-<div class="poetry">
-<div class="verse">In another decade by the sweep of time,</div>
-<div class="verse">Many of the Veterans will fall out of line;</div>
-<div class="verse">After a score of years very few there will be</div>
-<div class="verse">For people then living to entertain or see.</div>
-<div class="verse">The few that are left will be old and alone,</div>
-<div class="verse">And quietly waiting for the summons to come;</div>
-<div class="verse">Not until the last one shall have passed away</div>
-<div class="verse">Will justice be done to the heroes of that day</div>
-<div class="verse">Monuments will be erected on the ground where they sleep</div>
-<div class="verse">And generations to come will their memory keep,</div>
-<div class="verse">Patriots will pause with trembling and fear</div>
-<div class="verse">And reverently on their graves drop a tear.</div>
-<div class="verse">A responsibility now rests on veterans passing away</div>
-<div class="verse">To rescue from oblivion the doings of that day.</div>
-<div class="verse">We may not with a facile pen</div>
-<div class="verse">Give a glowing description of scenes and men.</div>
-<div class="verse">We can in a plain and plausible way</div>
-<div class="verse">Give a rough sketch of the doings of that day.</div>
-<div class="verse">After we have gone to our final home,</div>
-<div class="verse">These sketches will be read by generations to come.</div>
-<div class="verse">Let us be up and doing and work with might</div>
-<div class="verse">And though late in the day commemorate the right.</div>
-</div></div>
-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
-
-<div class="chapter">
-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_5">[5]</span></p>
-
-<h2 class="nobreak">CONTENTS.</h2>
-</div>
-
-
-<table>
-
-
-<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2">Causes Leading up to the Civil War.</td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Origin of the War</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_9"> 9</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Party Lines</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_10"> 10</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>States Secede </td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_11"> 11</a></td></tr>
-
-
-<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2">Beginning of Hostilities.</td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>The War Begins</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_11"> 11</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Young Men Volunteer</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_12"> 12</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Parting Scenes</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_13"> 13</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Recusant Conscripts and Deserters</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_14"> 14</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Loss of Loved Ones</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_15"> 15</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Roll Call of the Dead</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_15"> 15</a></td></tr>
-
-
-<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2">Condition of People Left at Home.</td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Affairs at Home</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_17"> 17</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Civil Officers at Home</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_18"> 18</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Money in Circulation</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_18"> 18</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Farming Interests</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_19"> 19</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Women of the War</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_20"> 20</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Cotton King</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_21"> 21</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Soldiers on Furlough</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_21"> 21</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Homespun Dresses</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_21"> 21</a></td></tr>
-
-
-<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2">Peace Demonstration Among the People.</td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Peace Movement</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_22"> 22</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Young Man Pilot</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_23"> 23</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Soldiers Break Up Meeting</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_23"> 23</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Leader of Movement</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_23"> 23</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Old Men Released</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_24"> 24</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Peace Sentiment not Suppressed</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_25"> 25</a></td></tr>
-
-
-<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2">Bill of Fare in the Southern Army.</td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Soldiers Rations</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_25"> 25</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Rations Supplemented</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_26"> 26</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Extra Rations Found</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_26"> 26</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Coons and Foxes</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_27"> 27</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Unripe Persimmons</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_27"> 27</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>The Army not Starving</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_28"> 28</a><span class="pagenum" id="Page_6">[6]</span></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Rations of Whiskey</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_28"> 28</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Short Rations</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_29"> 29</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Soldiers Forage</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_29"> 29</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Questionable Methods</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_30"> 30</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Detail to Cook</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_30"> 30</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Reproof of Conscience</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_32"> 32</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Mince Pie</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_32"> 32</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Chaplain’s Lecture</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_33"> 33</a></td></tr>
-
-
-<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2">Surroundings of Soldiers and Soldier Life.</td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Phases of Soldier Life</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_33"> 33</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Southern Soldiers</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_34"> 34</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Many Surprises</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_35"> 35</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Appearances Deceptive</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_35"> 35</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Soldiers in Camp</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_35"> 35</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Congenial Companions</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_36"> 36</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Disputes and Quarrels</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_37"> 37</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Winter Quarters</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_37"> 37</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Demoralizing Influences</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_38"> 38</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Religious Worship</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_38"> 38</a></td></tr>
-
-
-<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2">Characteristics of Soldiers.</td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Difference of Soldiers</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_39"> 39</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>The Homesick Soldier</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_40"> 40</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Strenuous Soldiers</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_41"> 41</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Conservative Soldiers</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_41"> 41</a></td></tr>
-
-
-<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII.</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2">Citizens Visiting in Camp and the Sick Soldier.</td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>The Sick Soldier</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_42"> 42</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Surgeon’s Call</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_42"> 42</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Simple Minded Sick Soldier</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_43"> 43</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Despondent Sick Soldier</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_43"> 43</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Visiting</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_45"> 45</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Portly Gentleman</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_45"> 45</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Lady Visitors</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_46"> 46</a></td></tr>
-
-
-<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX.</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2">Incidents of Camp and Prison Life.</td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Soldiers in Prison</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_46"> 46</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Exchange of Prisoners</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_47"> 47</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Punishment</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_48"> 48</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Rations</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_48"> 48</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Camp Life</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_49"> 49</a><span class="pagenum" id="Page_7">[7]</span></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Soldier on Inspection</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_50"> 50</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Recruit on Guard</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_51"> 51</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>An Economical Soldier</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_53"> 53</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>A Soldier’s Retort</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_53"> 53</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>A Boisterous Soldier</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_54"> 54</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Recruit Detailed</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_56"> 56</a></td></tr>
-
-
-<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X.</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2">Picket Lines, Battles and Battlefields.</td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Picket Line</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_57"> 57</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Picket or Scout</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_57"> 57</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>On the Picket Line</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_58"> 58</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Exchange of Courtesies</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_59"> 59</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Fearful Experience</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_60"> 60</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Burned Bodies of the Dead</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_61"> 61</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Test of Valor</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_61"> 61</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Escape to the Enemy</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_62"> 62</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Welcome Peace</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_62"> 62</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>On the War Path</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_62"> 62</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Unreliable Soldiers</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_63"> 63</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Music in Battle</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_63"> 63</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Battles</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_64"> 64</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Battlefields</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_65"> 65</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>After the Battle</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_67"> 67</a></td></tr>
-
-
-<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI.</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2">Fourteenth Regiment N. C. Infantry and General<br />
-Officers of the Army of Northern Va.</td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Fourteenth N. C. Regiments</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_67"> 67</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Officers</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_68"> 68</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Unique Characters</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_69"> 69</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>A Brave Soldier</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_70"> 70</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Color Bearer</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_70"> 70</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Amusing Scenes</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_70"> 70</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>On the Campaign</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_71"> 71</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Distressing Scenes</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_72"> 72</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Battles Engaged in</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_73"> 73</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Victory and Defeat</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_73"> 73</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Decisive Battle</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_75"> 75</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>The Enemy Surprised</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_75"> 75</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Battle of Chancellorsville</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_75"> 75</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>At Apomattox</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_76"> 76</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>General Officers</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_77"> 77</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>General Cox</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_77"> 77</a><span class="pagenum" id="Page_8">[8]</span></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>General Grimes</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_78"> 78</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>General Ramseur</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_78"> 78</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>General Rodes</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_79"> 79</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>General D. H. Hill</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_79"> 79</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>General A. P. Hill</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_80"> 80</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>General Ewell</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_80"> 80</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>General Early</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_81"> 81</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>General Stuart</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_81"> 81</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>General Longstreet</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_82"> 82</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>General Breckenridge</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_82"> 82</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>General Gordon</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_82"> 82</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>General Wheeler</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_82"> 82</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>General Jackson</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_83"> 83</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>General Robert E. Lee</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_84"> 84</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Recapitulation</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_85"> 85</a></td></tr>
-
-
-<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII.</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2">Reconstruction Period.</td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Surrender of Lee</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_86"> 86</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Right to Secede</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_87"> 87</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Sherman’s March to the Sea</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_87"> 87</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Home Coming of Soldiers</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_88"> 88</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Assassination of Lincoln</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_89"> 89</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Federal Officers</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_90"> 90</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Conduct of Yankee Soldiers</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_90"> 90</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Looters Follow Yankee Army</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_91"> 91</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Provisional Government</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_91"> 91</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>The Negro Enfranchised</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_91"> 91</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Carpetbaggers</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_92"> 92</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>The Negro Politician</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_92"> 92</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Election a Farce</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_93"> 93</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Legislature</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_93"> 93</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>County Officers</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_94"> 94</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Crimes Committed</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_96"> 96</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Negroes Offensive</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_96"> 96</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Ku Klux Klan</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_97"> 97</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Holden and Kirk</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_97"> 97</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Judiciary Exhausted</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_98"> 98</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Judge Brooks</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_99"> 99</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>Negro Problem</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_99"> 99</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>The Oldtime Darkey</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_100"> 100</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>The Emancipated Negro</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_101"> 101</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td>The Coming South</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_103"> 103</a></td></tr>
-</table>
-
-
-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
-
-<div class="chapter">
-<span class="pagenum" id="Page_9">[9]</span>
-
-<p class="ph2">Reminiscences of the Civil War, 1861-1865.</p>
-
-<hr class="tiny" />
-
-<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.<br />
-
-
-<small>CAUSES LEADING UP TO THE CIVIL WAR.</small></h2>
-</div>
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Origin of the War.</span>—At this time,
-more than forty years removed from the
-date of the exciting scenes enacted in the
-sixties, I desire for the benefit and edification
-of my relatives, soldier friends and
-other special friends, in a plain unvarnished
-style to record a few of the incidents and
-doings of the people, who were active participants
-in the drama of those strenuous
-times. I shall not confine myself to dates
-or specially comment on the personal history
-of anyone, but merely wish to rescue
-from oblivion such items of information
-as occur to me, quoting entirely from
-memory, not having any notes taken at
-the time to refer to. I propose to deal in
-facts, and any reference I may make will
-reflect my views from the stand point of a
-young man of that period. For a few years
-prior to the beginning of the war, I by
-reading the current literature or newspaper
-productions of the country, and listening
-to discussions of leading men of the times,
-had kept myself fairly well posted. The
-signs of the times were ominous and indications<span class="pagenum" id="Page_10">[10]</span>
-pointed to a disruption. Dark,
-threatening clouds of war seemed to
-hover over our fair land that had so long
-enjoyed the blessings of peace and prosperity.
-Perhaps we did not appreciate or
-failed to realize it, we were really living in
-a land that flowed with milk and honey.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Party Lines.</span>—Like every other great
-revolution the awful calamity was preceded
-by a political revolution. Party lines
-were broken and sectional issues caused an
-alignment of parties North and South.
-The burning questions of Slavery and
-State Rights were brought prominently to
-the front. Incendiary speeches were made
-and incendiary literature scattered broadcast
-over the land. The National Democratic
-Party assembled in convention, disagreed
-upon a platform, and the result
-was a division of the delegates and the
-placing of two candidates in the field for
-president viz.: Douglas and Breckenridge.
-The old Whig Party was defunct and its
-scattered forces rallied with Bell for its
-standard bearer, assuming the name of
-Knownothing, or American Party. North
-of Mason and Dixon’s line a strong sectional
-party had been organized known as
-the Republican Party, with Abraham
-Lincoln for its candidate for the presidency.
-The campaign was fierce and bitter to the
-extreme. The leaders advocating the
-claims of their respective candidates were
-aggressive and abusive, and the people
-wrought up to a high pitch of excitement.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_11">[11]</span>
-The canvassing and comparing: the votes
-in the Electoral College gave Lincoln the
-requisite number, and he was declared
-elected. On the fourth day of March 1861
-he became president of the United States.
-The fanatics of the North and fire eaters
-of the South at once got busy, and by
-their officious activity precipitated the war.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">States Secede.</span>—The Cotton States
-seceded and set up a government of their
-own. Jefferson Davis was elected president
-of the Southern Confederacy. North
-Carolina with other border States waited
-for some overt act of Lincoln before passing
-the Ordinance of Secession. A convention
-was called, delegates elected and
-assembled. The convention was composed
-of delegates, a majority of whom were
-elected as union delegates, and of course
-the delegates were backed by a constituency
-of the same sentiment. The people
-of the old North State clung to the
-Union as long as there was a vestige of
-hope of its preservation.</p>
-
-
-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
-
-<div class="chapter">
-<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.<br />
-
-
-<small>BEGINNING OF HOSTILITIES.</small></h2>
-</div>
-
-<p><span class="smcap">The War Begins.</span>—Fort Sumpter was
-fired upon and surrendered. Lincoln
-called for troops from North Carolina to
-help to subjugate her Southern sister
-States. Governor Ellis promptly informed
-the president that no troops would be furnished
-from the State for such a purpose,
-and at once called for volunteers to assist
-the South in its struggle for independence.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_12">[12]</span>
-The state followed the lead of Virginia,
-identified herself with the South, and the
-war was on.</p>
-
-<p>The most loyal friends of the Union
-now plainly saw that war was inevitable,
-and that there was no neutral ground to
-occupy. This plain proposition presented
-itself that all must fight, and to fight for
-the perpetuation or restoration of the
-Union meant crossing the lines and taking
-up arms against our own homes and
-our own people. Very few were willing
-to take this step or assume such a responsibility.
-Past differences of opinion were
-to a great extent reconciled, the bulk of
-the people stood together, joined the Southern
-forces, fought under the same flag, and
-startled the civilized world with their wonderful
-achievements.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Young Men Volunteer.</span>—Young men
-of my immediate neighborhood volunteered,
-some of them deceived by the spell-binders
-who in their harangues asserted that
-all of the blood lost in the war could be
-wiped up with a silk handkerchief. These
-impetuous uncompromising war men soon
-began to maneuver to screen themselves
-and their sons from serving as soldiers in
-the army, and were busy trying to secure
-bomb proof positions or hire substitutes.
-The conservative element composed largely
-of the honest yeomanry of the country,
-including many of its best citizens, although
-not ambitious for military honors, or
-overanxious to become soldiers, held<span class="pagenum" id="Page_13">[13]</span>
-themselves in readiness to join the army
-when they considered it time for them to
-go or their country demanded their services.
-As time moved on the army was
-enlarged and the home force depleted.
-From time to time citizens left their homes
-to exchange the garb of the citizen for the
-uniform of the soldier.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Parting Scenes.</span>—There were many
-pathetic scenes at the parting of loved
-ones. The mother reluctantly gave up
-her sons that she had fondly hoped would
-be to her a solace, comfort and support in
-her declining years. The boys in their
-vigorous young manhood went to the war,
-but many or them never crossed the
-threshold of home again. The faithful
-wife kissed her husband good-bye fondly
-hoping, wishing and praying that he would
-be spared to return home again, perhaps
-in a short time she was left a lonely widow
-with the double responsibility resting upon
-her of training the little family of more
-than orphan children that with her were
-left to mourn their irreparable loss. The
-affectionate sister who had grown up in
-the same home with a brother she was
-proud of, helped him to get ready to go
-to the war, feeling sure he would return
-home with honors in a short time, but
-the ravages of disease, the exposures of the
-camp or march, or a fatal shot from the
-enemy caused him to fill a soldier’s grave.
-The sweet young girl enjoying the ecstatic
-bliss of loves bright, young dream, cheered<span class="pagenum" id="Page_14">[14]</span>
-her lover as he moved on to the war, and
-perhaps at parting they exchanged vows
-of undying affection, but cruel fate deprived
-the gallant young soldier of the privilege
-of returning to claim his bride. He
-too, had to give up his life on the fatal
-field of battle.</p>
-
-<p>Ere the war was half over the most of
-the ablebodied men were required to join
-the army. Many of them promptly
-responded, while others not willing to
-risk the dangers to which soldiers were
-exposed refused to go and concealed themselves.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Recusant Conscripts and Deserters.</span>—In
-some sections of the country there were
-recusant conscripts and deserters consisting
-of two classes. There were some
-substantial citizens at home that were
-doing well, quietly attending to their own
-home affairs, without paying much attention
-to the politics of the country. These
-citizens were uncompromising union men,
-opposed to the war, quietly concealed
-themselves and failed to report for duty
-when called upon. They were not outlaws
-in the full acceptation of the term,
-were supported by homefolks and friendly
-sympathizers, and did not interfere with
-the personal rights or property of anyone.
-There were others though who were vindictive
-and terrorized the people by pillaging,
-stealing, robbing, doing private
-injury and sometimes threatening the lives
-of people at home. In places infested by<span class="pagenum" id="Page_15">[15]</span>
-such gangs a fearful state of affairs existed.
-These recusant conscripts and deserters
-were hunted by details of soldiers already
-in the service, assisted by militia officers
-at home. Some of the militia officers rendered
-themselves very unpopular by offensive
-methods used to capture men who
-were dodging, consequently a very bitter
-feeling was engendered between neighbors
-and sometimes between members of the
-same family. The power of the civil
-government and military was used to
-induce all to join the army, and the most
-of the men subject to military duty had to
-go, although some went under protest.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Loss of Loved Ones.</span>—As the war
-advanced there was mourning in many
-homes, on account of the loss of loved
-ones. Within a radius of a very few miles
-of my home many stalwart young men
-were brought home dead, having sickened
-and died in camp, on the march, in the
-hospital, or having been slain in battle.
-Many a poor boy the idol of a good mother
-gave up his life on the gory battlefield,
-deprived of the tender care and affectionate
-ministrations of a mother, sister or wife to
-comfort him in his dying hour. Some
-were left with their bones to bleach on the
-gory field of battle, others were never
-accounted for and if buried at all were
-buried by strangers that did not know
-them and perhaps did not want to know
-them.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Roll Call of The Dead.</span>—The following<span class="pagenum" id="Page_16">[16]</span>
-principally young men are the
-names of some of my relations, playmates,
-schoolmates, acquaintances or soldier comrades
-that lost their lives during the war:</p>
-
-
-<h3>NAMES.</h3>
-
-<p>Henry Burough, Alsan Burough, Franklin
-Burough, David Bowers, Zadoc Burton,
-Basil Burton, Frank Britt, John Clinard,
-Henry Clinard, John Clinard, Francis
-Clinard, William Collett, Franklin Collett,
-Jacob Crouch, John Crouch, Hugh Clodfelter,
-David Clodfelter, Alfred Cecil, Nelson
-Cecil, William Craven, Ransom Edinger,
-George Edinger, Phillip Edinger,
-Jesse Edwards, William Fowler, Benjamin
-Faulkner, Nicholas Fouts, Henry Fritts,
-Jesse Green, Shepherd Green, Daniel
-Green, Harrison Green, John Gardner,
-John Gillem, Madison Harmon, Charles
-Harmon, Elwood Haines, Sanford Hammer,
-Jacob Hedgcock, John Hiatt, Fred
-Hiatt, Jesse Hilton, Evan Hilton, Jacob
-Hilton, Henry Hilton, Barnabas Hayworth,
-C. P. Jones, Purvis Jackson,
-Joseph Jackson, Joseph Jones, William
-Kanoy, John Kanoy, Henderson Kanoy,
-John Kanoy, Charles Kennedy, John L.
-Long, Henry F. Ledford, Charles Lines,
-Joseph Murphy, William Miller, Franklin
-Motsinger, John Meredith, Winborn Mendenhall,
-Robert McCutcheon, Mack Myers,
-Harrison Porter, Charles Payne, Thomas
-Payne, Shubel Payne, Sanford Payne,
-Solomon Roberts, John Stone, William
-Stone, Milton Sledge, Hiram Sowers,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_17">[17]</span>
-Humphrey Sowers, Robert Small, Samuel
-Sink, John Sink, Adam Sink, Valentine
-Sink, Jesse Sink, Solomon Sink, George
-Sink, John Sink, Joseph Sink, David Shuler,
-William Traynham, McKindre Veach,
-John Wagner, Charlie Willie, William
-Wagner, John Welborn, Madison Welborn,
-William Whitehart, Willis Whitehart,
-and John Yokley.</p>
-
-<p>Comparatively few of my acquaintances
-or young men with whom I associated
-prior to the beginning of hostilities, went
-to the war and returned to their homes at
-the close. Some of them returned on
-crutches, some with empty sleeves, and
-some with scars of wounds received in
-battle that they will carry to their graves.</p>
-
-
-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
-
-<div class="chapter">
-<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.<br />
-
-
-<small>CONDITION OF PEOPLE LEFT AT HOME.</small></h2>
-</div>
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Affairs at Home.</span>—The women, children,
-old men and servants left at home
-passed through an ordeal sad indeed to
-contemplate. The servants or negroes
-deserved much credit for their loyalty to
-their then legal owners. Instead of being
-a menace as was feared and expected, they
-were a protection to the helpless white
-population, and did much for the support
-of the people at home, and for the support
-of the soldiers in the field. To the very
-old people the blow fell with a crushing
-force. In addition to the accumulated
-burdens that naturally fall to the lot of
-old people, the loss of their sons, grand
-sons, and neighbors so prostrated them<span class="pagenum" id="Page_18">[18]</span>
-with grief that the gray hairs of many of
-them were brought down in sorrow to the
-grave. The little children for four years
-being deprived of the protection, support,
-counsel and assistance of fathers suffered
-an irreparable loss, a loss that no subsequent
-attention, education or opportunity
-could possibly restore.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Civil Officers at Home.</span>—After the
-war had somewhat advanced, the civil
-officers, railroad and mail service and public
-places were to a great extent managed
-by old men. Young men at home were
-lonesome and did not stand as high in the
-estimation of the people as the young men
-who went to the war. They too had to
-submit to the taunts of the soldiers, on
-account of their maneuvering to keep out
-of danger. It was not considered patriotic
-for young men to screen themselves, because
-there seemed to be a necessity for
-all to enter the service, or at least as some
-had to go it was argued that all should
-fare alike. Schools and churches suffered
-in the general wreck and the morals and
-intelligence of the rising generation was
-at a low ebb. Teachers and preachers’
-salaries and physicians’ fees were paid in
-kind. Corn, wheat, beans, peas, pork,
-bacon, lard, butter, homemade cloth, and
-anything that answered for clothing or
-provision was gladly received as a substitute
-for money.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Money in Circulation.</span>—The only
-money in circulation was Confederate<span class="pagenum" id="Page_19">[19]</span>
-money or State treasury notes which
-depreciated in value until worth scarcely
-the paper upon which it was printed. The
-gold and silver coin in the hands of the
-people was hidden or buried in the ground
-not to be resurrected unless in case of
-extreme necessity. Very little building
-or improvement of any kind was going on.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Farming Interests.</span>—For the want of
-laborers farms were neglected and many
-fertile fields growed up with sprouts and
-briers. Fences gave out or fence rows
-growed up with weeds and briers. Gulleys
-washed in the roads and some places were
-almost impassable. Everything in the
-way of improvement was on the decline.
-But few new houses were built and homefolks
-were sometimes driven to the necessity
-of sheltering in houses not very comfortable.
-Farm implements gave out and
-it was a difficult matter to replace them.
-Old plows and hoes that had been thrown
-away were hunted up and repaired so as
-to answer the purpose, and many rude
-substitutes used for farming tools that had
-been formerly used. It was a turning back
-to usages of generations past. Rawhides
-were tanned in the country and coblers
-made shoes out of the homemade leather.
-In place of the New Orleans or Cuba
-molasses a syrup was manufactured from
-sugar cane grown on the farm. Some
-enterprising boys gathered persimmons
-and had them distilled into brandy which
-supplemented the supply made from the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_20">[20]</span>
-surplus fruit. Corn and rye were not distilled
-into whiskey on account of the scarcity
-of breadstuff. A little of everything
-made on the farm was collected and placed
-in the hands of a commissary and was used
-to help support the soldiers in the army.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Women of the War.</span>—The noble
-women took upon themselves a burden
-that was borne with fortitude or heroism
-that is without a parallel in the annals of
-the history of any country or any people.
-They achieved wonders in the homes by
-their ready inventive powers, which enabled
-them to substitute many useful articles
-from which they were cut off, on account
-of the blockade, rigidly enforced by the
-Federal authorities. Spicewood tea, Sassafras
-tea, a beverage made of parched
-corn, rye, chestnuts, dried slices of sweet
-potatoes and many other things were used
-as a substitute for coffee. Dried persimmons
-were used for puddings after the
-season for them had passed, and a very
-good bread was made with a mixture of
-potatoes with meal or flour. On many
-farms women and children cultivated the
-crops making a support for homefolks.
-Women would hoe corn, sometimes plow,
-make hay, bind and haul in wheat, sometimes
-help to thresh, gather, shuck and
-crib corn and do almost any kind of farm
-work. The little girls would put the
-bridles on old horses or mules and with
-grists of corn or wheat ride several miles
-to mill. The old man at the mill would<span class="pagenum" id="Page_21">[21]</span>
-pleasantly speak to the little girls, addressing
-them as his smart little boys. The
-little girls proud of the distinction would
-saucily and laughingly answer him saying,
-“Yes we are Tomboys.”</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Cotton King.</span>—Cotton proved to be
-king indeed, and upon this staple the south
-depended largely for clothing, bed clothing,
-tent cloths and indeed everything for
-which cloth was used. The women took
-the lint or raw material and by carding,
-spinning, weaving, cutting and sewing converted
-it into clothing, bed clothing and
-many other articles. In place of dyestuffs
-usually purchased at the stores and
-brought from other countries, they used
-Walnut, Redoak, or Maple bark, Sumac
-and other things that they discovered they
-could substitute and utilize. From wheat
-straw they manufactured hats that answered
-the purpose and were worn by men, women
-and children.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Soldiers on Furlough.</span>—The girls
-were proud of the boys who were in the
-army, always glad to see them come home
-and always gave them a cordial welcome
-when they came home on furlough. Several
-girls would get together and give the
-boys a reception which amounted to an
-ovation. The girls and soldier boys mutually
-enjoyed these gatherings and would
-together sing war songs or popular airs
-such as, Dixie, Southern Girl, Stars and
-Bars, Homespun dress etc.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Homespun Dresses.</span>—The girls wore<span class="pagenum" id="Page_22">[22]</span>
-homespun dresses and in the estimation
-of the boys were just as pretty, neat and
-sweet as if they had been arrayed in silk
-and purple.</p>
-
-<div class="poetry-container">
-<div class="poetry">
-<div class="verse">Pretty girls vacated the parlor and sitting room</div>
-<div class="verse">To operate the spinning wheel and old fashioned loom,</div>
-<div class="verse">The lint of the cotton was carded to a shred,</div>
-<div class="verse">Then carded into rolls and spun into thread.</div>
-<div class="verse">Thread was placed on a reel which turned round again and again</div>
-<div class="verse">Until the dial plate registered enough cuts for a skein.</div>
-<div class="verse">The thread was then placed in homemade dye</div>
-<div class="verse">And changed into any color that was desired.</div>
-<div class="verse">On the warping bars the thread was handled again</div>
-<div class="verse">And the piece laid off for so many yards of chain.</div>
-<div class="verse">On the spindle of the little wheel was placed the reed quill,</div>
-<div class="verse">And enough thread placed around it the reed to fill</div>
-<div class="verse">The thread then around the beam was strung</div>
-<div class="verse">And the quills in the shuttle nicely hung.</div>
-<div class="verse">Two pretty girls were busy working all day</div>
-<div class="verse">Placing the thread through a six hundred sley,</div>
-<div class="verse">Then the battle with the baton begun</div>
-<div class="verse">And erelong the bolt of cloth was done.</div>
-<div class="verse">Then with the skill of an artists hand</div>
-<div class="verse">The cutting of the garments by the girls began;</div>
-<div class="verse">Very soon the little girls were dressed up neat</div>
-<div class="verse">In homespun dresses looking pretty and sweet.</div>
-</div></div>
-
-
-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
-
-<div class="chapter">
-<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.<br />
-
-
-<small>PEACE DEMONSTRATIONS AMONG THE
-PEOPLE.</small></h2>
-</div>
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Peace Movement.</span>—In 1862 a very
-decided sentiment in favor of a peace
-movement was inaugurated, and attained
-to some prominence in the state, especially
-among the original union men and parties
-dissatisfied with the existing state of
-affairs. Announcement of a meeting was
-made to be held at a place near Thomasville
-known as Kennedy’s School House.
-Publicity was given to the report that
-speakers would be present to address the
-meeting and discuss the proposed issue.
-A good crowd assembled, the most of them
-prompted by honorable motives, merely
-wishing to hear discussed or explained
-the plan proposed by the leaders of the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_23">[23]</span>
-movement. With the exception of a very
-few of the leaders no one entertained any
-treasonable intentions. The authorities
-had been notified of the proposed meeting
-and a detail of soldiers was sent to break
-it up.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Young Man Pilot.</span>—A young man
-who happened to be in the neighborhood
-was pressed into service by the soldiers to
-pilot them to the place. He did not relish
-the idea of going with them, but the unusual
-sight of bayonets and guns in the hands
-of the belligerent soldiers was a very persuasive
-argument to him to induce him to
-comply with their demands. He does not
-deny the fact that he was badly scared, and
-although he laughs about it now, says
-that it was a serious matter then, and that
-he distinctly remembers his hair stood up
-stiff and straight giving him trouble to
-keep his hat on his head.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Soldiers Break up Meeting.</span>—Without
-any previous notice the soldiers charged
-upon the meeting and the crowd dispersed
-and retreated at the first intimation of their
-approach. The citizens hit the grit and
-ran with a speed that would put to shame
-the exploits of the Yankees and Rebels in
-the valley of Virginia.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Leader of Movement.</span>—The leader
-who was mainly responsible for the meeting
-was the first one to absent himself
-upon the approach of the soldiers. He
-got away as fast as his legs could carry
-him, and that was about as fast as anyone<span class="pagenum" id="Page_24">[24]</span>
-could go, for he had the reputation of
-being a champion runner. A tall young
-man made a break for the tall timber and
-was in the act of unhitching his horse,
-when a limb very close to him was cut off
-by a minnie ball. It was supposed that
-he was shot at through mistake, and that
-the soldiers shooting at him were under
-the impression that he was the leader, who
-had been represented to them as a tall
-man. A friend of the victim of this close
-call who was also near by unhitching
-his horse was treated to music made by
-the hissing of minnie balls, passing uncomfortably
-near him. Both of them left the
-place as fast as their horses could carry
-them. A good portion of the crowd was
-captured and taken to Camp Holmes, near
-Raleigh. The most of the young men
-captured volunteered and joined the
-Southern Army and the old men were
-finally released.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Old Men Released.</span>—It was especially
-severe on the very old men who were without
-warning taken and compelled to endure
-the privations of prison and camp life.
-The poor old men innocently feeling that
-they had done no wrong were kept in suspense
-and in constant dread for many days
-fearing that they would be court-marshalled
-and perhaps executed. Among them was
-an eccentric old fellow not overly preposessing
-in appearance. After being in
-camp for many days without a change of
-clothing and his white beard stained with<span class="pagenum" id="Page_25">[25]</span>
-tobacco juice, he presented a rather
-grotesque and by no means attractive
-appearance, but he took a philosophical
-view of the situation and looked on the
-sunny side. He amused the soldiers in
-camp with his wit and humor, and although
-perhaps eighty years old would sing gay
-songs and with a little encouragement from
-the boys dance a jig. At the close of the
-day he would seriously say to his old comrades
-that although they had passed
-through another day it would be their last,
-and that they would all be executed tomorrow.
-His comrades knew that he indulged
-in a great deal of levity, but being apprehensive
-themselves feared the old man was
-correct in his surmises, and retired not to
-sleep but to think of loved ones at home
-that they would perhaps never see again.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Peace Sentiment not Suppressed.</span>—The
-incident did not entirely suppress the
-sentiment in the community in favor of
-peace, but did prevent any further public
-demonstration.</p>
-
-<div class="poetry-container">
-<div class="poetry">
-<div class="verse">A blessed hope of peace permeated the throng,</div>
-<div class="verse">To them it cooed like a dove with its siren song,</div>
-<div class="verse">But it proved a delusion and a snare</div>
-<div class="verse">To get them in trouble of which they were not aware.</div>
-<div class="verse">They innocently cried peace when there was no peace,</div>
-<div class="verse">Their unfortunate meeting was imprudent at least;</div>
-<div class="verse">The meeting culminated in a tragic end</div>
-<div class="verse">And made them wiser and perhaps better men.</div>
-</div></div>
-
-
-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
-
-<div class="chapter">
-<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.<br />
-
-
-<small>BILL OF FARE IN THE SOUTHERN ARMY.</small></h2>
-</div>
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Soldiers’ Rations.</span>—Soldiers in the
-Southern army did not live on the fat of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_26">[26]</span>
-the land fareing sumptuously every day.
-They often had to live on a stinted allowance,
-and articles of food placed before
-them that would not have been accepted
-with thanks at home. A day’s allowance
-to a soldier consisted of a small cake of
-wheat or corn bread, or six hard tacks, a
-small piece of beef or pickled pork, sometimes
-a little rice or small amount of beans
-or peas. A hearty man that gave way to
-his appetite often ate an entire day’s
-rations at one meal and then was hungry
-the balance of the day. The judicious
-soldier though divided his allowance into
-three parts and fared better by adhering
-strictly to the custom of eating three times
-a day.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Rations Supplemented.</span>—Anything
-in sight was devoured with avidity to supplement
-rations issued. Parched corn on
-a march when the supply was scarce was
-not a poor substitute for bread. If a soldier
-found a persimmon tree loaded with
-fruit it was gathered with as much eagerness
-as a miner would pick up a gold nugget.
-Such a find was regarded as a bonanza.
-Walnuts, hickory nuts or even acorns were
-carefully saved to supplement rations
-issued.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Extra Rations Found.</span>—A squad of
-men was detailed to tear down an old
-building and removing the rubbish captured
-and killed several big fat rats which
-were skinned, dressed, cooked and ate
-with a relish. Around the old building<span class="pagenum" id="Page_27">[27]</span>
-was a luxurious growth of cresses and
-wild onions, which were carefully gathered
-by the soldiers and cooked and considered
-very palatable.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Coons and Foxes.</span>—One evening after
-the army stopped to go in camp a tree
-was cut down for fire wood and the soldiers
-were surprised and pleased to find
-and catch two nice coons which were
-cooked for supper and made a very savory
-dish. At another time while going into
-camp a rush was made for a tree top and a
-red fox was jumped. The chase was very
-much enjoyed by the boys. The fox in
-its frantic efforts to escape sometimes
-jumped as high as the heads of the soldiers
-who surrounded it and was knocked back
-by them. Finally the fox was captured
-and the boys said it tasted much better
-than beef or pork they were accustomed
-to.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Unripe Persimmons.</span>—On a march a
-soldier dropped out of line, climbed a tree
-and was helping himself to unripe persimmons.
-An officer coming along, reprimanded
-him, ordered him back in line and
-asked him why he was so greedily devouring
-such unwholesome food? The soldier
-innocently replied that he had discovered
-that green persimmons had a drawing
-effect and thought perhaps by using them
-he could shrink his stomach to the capacity
-of amount of rations issued. The officer
-seemed to comprehend the logic of his reasoning
-and left him to test the practical<span class="pagenum" id="Page_28">[28]</span>
-value of his theory.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">The Army Not Starving.</span>—It is not
-the intention to try to make the impression
-that the Southern army was in a starving
-condition. Such an intimation would be
-misleading. The only wonder is that the
-soldiers were provided for as well as they
-really were. Perhaps all armies sometimes
-suffer the inconvenience of short
-rations. The kind reader must charitably
-in imagination take the place of the soldier
-to be fully competent to sympathize with
-him.</p>
-
-<div class="poetry-container">
-<div class="poetry">
-<div class="verse">The overscrupulous reader with pious thought</div>
-<div class="verse">May condemn the soldier for using thing’s not bought,</div>
-<div class="verse">And may in his honest heart feel</div>
-<div class="verse">That under no circumstances should anyone steal.</div>
-<div class="verse">Better get down on repentance stool</div>
-<div class="verse">And figure out the golden rule;</div>
-<div class="verse">Go to bed hungry and fail to sleep</div>
-<div class="verse">Then get up courage the eighth commandment to keep.</div>
-</div></div>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Rations of Whiskey.</span>—Rations of
-whiskey were occasionally issued and the
-effects of the stimulant were very soon
-apparent, for soldiers had nothing to put
-the liquid in to save, and were obliged to
-use it to keep it from wasting and then for
-awhile there was plenty of fun in which
-officers and soldiers joined. If an officer
-happened to get enough to make him too
-hilarious he was placed in arrest until he
-sobered up. If a soldier in the ranks
-imbibed to freely and in consequence
-wanted to monopolize control of things
-and indulged in conversation boisterous or
-unbecoming he was quietly assigned to
-quarters in the guard house until he had
-time to cool off.</p>
-
-
-
-
-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_29">[29]</span><span class="smcap">Short Rations.</span>—Sometimes rations
-were short and hungry soldiers are not apt
-to be in the best of humor. At such times
-grumbling was in order or at least freely
-indulged in, but grumbling did not bring
-the beef and corn bread. If adjacent to
-orchards, potato patches, corn fields or
-hen roosts, some of the boys would manage
-to supplement their rations, put on an
-innocent look and apparently become
-indignant if accused of crossing the guard
-line of the camps.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Soldiers Forage.</span>—Soldiers would forage
-for something to eat. They would
-visit farm houses and put in a plausible
-plea, with money, cheek or chin music,
-get on the good side of the good women
-and prevail on them to furnish them with
-fruit, potatoes, butter, apple butter, bread,
-pies or anything that could be used and a
-soldier could use anything that anybody
-could eat. A shrewd forager failing to
-get anything at farm houses would take
-a mental survey of the different places and
-at night would by bribing the sentinel or
-slipping across the guard line go straight
-to potato patches, orchards or corn fields
-and borrow fruit, potatoes, roasting ears
-and sometimes induce a fat hen to go to
-camp. This process of borrowing was so
-skillfuly manipulated that the owner of the
-premises was kept in blissful ignorance of
-the way the articles were appropriated.
-There were company officers who would
-deal very gentle with a soldier that stole<span class="pagenum" id="Page_30">[30]</span>
-out of camp to forage, provided the officer
-shared in the find whatever it might be.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Questionable Methods.</span>—A big burly
-soldier went a short distance from camp
-and deliberately shot down a good sized
-fat pig, being caught in the act by some
-soldiers, he said he killed it in self defense
-and that no hog should bite him. He
-skinned the hog, carried it to camp, late in
-the night borrowed a camp kettle and
-cooked the pork. Some officers passing
-along reproved the soldier and threatened
-to put him in the guard house, but were
-persuaded to be lenient by promising them
-a good slice of the pork which tasted as
-good to an officer as a private. The good
-old citizen had a drove of fat hogs, missed
-one and reported to the colonel of the
-regiment. An order was at once issued to
-the captain of each company to search the
-tents. An officer passed round, peeped
-into the tents, saw no pork or even smelled
-any and reported nothing found in the
-company. The most of the boys of the
-company though had a good breakfast and
-pork was part of the bill of fare.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Detail to Cook.</span>—On a march one
-evening the army halted to take up camp
-for the night; rations were issued and a
-detail made to do the cooking. Among
-the soldiers detailed was one who though
-very much fatigued worked faithfully until
-the two days rations were cooked and
-issued to the men. His partner immediately
-after going in camp had gone to a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_31">[31]</span>
-farm house not far distant and had succeeded
-in getting two canteens full of good
-fresh milk. After the cooking was done
-the soldier who had been detailed being
-very hungry, took the canteen of milk,
-two day’s rations and ate it all for supper,
-not leaving a crumb for the next two days.
-He then took in the situation, jumped at
-a conclusion, struck a bee line across a
-piece of woods and accidentally met a comrade
-whose breath betrayed the fact that
-he had been drinking brandy. It suddenly
-occurred to the soldier that he needed a little
-for his stomach’s sake, although it was
-loaded with two day’s rations, and they
-together went a short distance across the
-country and was face to face with the
-maker and vender of the liquid. Making
-their wants known he took their canteens
-and a pitcher supposed to be full of water
-and started for the liquor house. The
-boys followed him going through a dining
-room. The quick eye of the soldier
-noticed a clean table cloth on the table
-covering something. Without stopping
-as he passed along he quietly raised the
-cloth and made a discovery. One of the
-boys canteens was filled and handed back
-to him. Upon sampling it they found it
-had been well watered. The citizen was
-politely informed that it was brandy not
-water the boys wanted. Without arguing
-the case he poured the grog out of the
-canteen and filled them up with the pure
-unadulterated article. After filling the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_32">[32]</span>
-vessels he lead the way starting out and
-the boys followed, the boy who had been
-detailed to cook in the rear. Passing
-through the dining room by some unaccountable
-manipulation the rations moved
-from the table and bread, meat, pickles,
-pies and cakes found a resting place in the
-capacious haversack of the soldier and
-there was no more solicitude about rations
-for the next two days.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Reproof of Conscience.</span>—Late one evening
-the army marched by a luxurious field
-of corn. A soldier who was hungry and
-whose haversack was empty thought it
-would be real nice to have roasting ears
-for supper. As soon as the army halted
-to go into camp, he with two comrades
-though quite a distance started for the field
-of corn. When they got to the field it
-seemed to be full of soldiers on the same
-mission as they were. The soldier though
-hungry and very much fatigued proposed
-to his companions to return to camp and
-trust to providence, declaring that his conscience
-would not allow him to join the
-crowd and take the corn. They returned
-to camp and were agreeably surprised to
-find in their tent a box from home full of
-good things to eat. The soldier was fully
-convinced by the circumstance that “Conscience
-is in all cases a correct moral
-guide.”</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Mince Pie.</span>—Two boys came into camp
-one day selling mince pies. Two soldiers
-bought one, ate, smacked their lips, pronouncing<span class="pagenum" id="Page_33">[33]</span>
-it good and wished for more.
-Before the boys got out of hearing they
-got into a dispute about the division of
-the money. The smaller boy cried and
-said it was his puppy that was killed to
-furnish material for the pie and he was
-entitled to his part of the proceeds. The
-soldier boys would have been glad to have
-parted with the puppy dog, but it had
-come to stay.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Chaplain’s Lecture.</span>—On one occasion
-on a march rations were scarce and
-the soldiers were hungry. Some of the
-boys invaded a corn field and were plucking
-ears of corn expecting at night to feast
-on roasting ears for supper. The chaplain
-of a regiment rode along and began to
-give the boys a moral lecture, telling them
-it was wrong to steal and that the corn
-did not belong to them. The soldiers paid
-no attention to his talk and quietly filled
-their sacks. The chaplain seeing that they
-were determined to take the corn said to
-them, if they were going to take the corn
-anyway to throw him over a few ears for
-his pony.</p>
-
-
-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
-
-<div class="chapter">
-<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.<br />
-
-
-<small>SURROUNDINGS OF SOLDIERS AND SOLDIER
-LIFE.</small></h2>
-</div>
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Phases of Soldier Life.</span>—The many
-phases of soldier life furnish the inquiring
-mind food for thought and research. The
-mere fact that an army is an aggregation
-of discordant elements made up from different<span class="pagenum" id="Page_34">[34]</span>
-parts of the country is a sufficient
-basis for an interesting subject for investigation.
-The soldiers representing the different
-sections of the country represent the
-manners, customs, habits and characteristics
-of the inhabitants of the communities from
-which they came. In addition to this if
-we take into consideration the personal
-habits, characteristics and eccentricities of
-the individual, analyzing the attitude, latitude,
-aptitude, and magnitude of the capabilities
-and wonderful scope of each
-one we find ourselves exploring a wonderful
-field that startles us.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Southern Soldiers.</span>—The Southern
-army was not only made up of soldiers
-from different parts of the country, but
-from the different pursuits and conditions
-of life. Our army of which the South has
-cause to be proud contained the most of
-the ablebodied men of the South, and it is
-no reflection upon the fair name and fame
-of the gallant soldiers of the army that
-there were among them some enrolled that
-were failures. There were figureheads,
-deadbeats, skulkers, hospital rats and others
-who were drawbacks to the army.
-There were men enrolled who at home
-were successful and regarded as good citizens,
-but as soldiers were failures because
-they had no turn, taste, tact, inclination
-or adaptability for soldier life. It was
-unfortunate for our army, our country and
-for such soldiers that there was a necessity
-to enroll them.</p>
-
-
-
-
-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_35">[35]</span><span class="smcap">Many Surprises.</span>—Very often the
-palest, thinnest, weakliest, scrawniest looking
-fellow stood the exposure and hardships
-of the camp, march and battlefield
-much better than a stalwart looking boy.
-Sometimes the most timid lad, who seemed
-to shrink from any duty likely to give him
-notoriety, developed into the most aggressive,
-daring soldier and astonished officers
-and comrades with his reckless ventures
-and achievements. There were officers and
-men who would for the sake of promotion
-unnecessarily expose to imminent danger
-themselves or men under them. The truly
-brave soldier will shelter or protect himself
-when he can do so without jeopardizing
-the cause he represents, but when
-necessary will expose himself and face danger
-like a man. The truly brave officer
-will lead and not undertake to drive his
-men in battle and screen himself.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Appearances Deceptive.</span>—Appearances
-are often deceptive. Sometimes a man of
-fine physique, good looking, stalwart, having
-the appearance of being a brave soldier
-that would sacrifice his life rather than
-show the white feather collapses in the
-hour of danger, entirely unable to control
-his nervous system, proving himself to be
-constitutionally a coward. Such men
-ought to be pitied instead of being persecuted.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Soldiers in Camp.</span>—The self-constituted
-bully of the camp who wants to engage in
-a fisticuff with anyone that dares to cross<span class="pagenum" id="Page_36">[36]</span>
-his path will often tremble with fear when
-going into battle. The soldier that delights
-in giving exaggerated accounts of his
-exploits and hairbreadth escapes usually is
-an artful dodger and an expert in framing
-excuses to keep out of danger when the
-battle is on. In the army were soldiers
-who died of grief or homesickness. However
-much a soldier may be attached to his
-home surroundings it is a mistake to give
-up and brood over a separation that is
-inevitable. The soldier who takes a sensible
-view of the situation, keeps up his
-courage and as far as possible keeps in
-good heart by looking on the sunny side
-of life always fares the best. One who
-always seems lowspirited, out of heart,
-and cultivates such a feeling receives scant
-sympathy from his comrades, but one who
-is cheerful, apparently happy whether
-really feeling so or not does not have to
-hunt for kindred spirits to share his happiness
-with him. To a soldier in camp
-virtually performing the same round of
-duty every day, life is likely to become
-monotonous, and moodiness or gloom
-intrudes its unwelcome presence, then the
-thing to do is to seek a change and look
-for something to divert his attention and
-cause him for the time being to forget his
-real or imaginary trouble.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Congenial Companions.</span>—In the Southern
-army a soldier could always find congenial
-company for there was variety to
-choose from. In the different tents or<span class="pagenum" id="Page_37">[37]</span>
-around the camp fires were crowds making
-merry with music and dancing, crowds
-spinning yarns or telling anecdotes or
-stories, classes singing sacred songs or
-squads engaged in conversation on subjects
-to suit anyone. Nothing to do but to
-make a choice of the place and be entertained.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Disputes and Quarrels.</span>—In camp
-everything was not always harmonious.
-Among the boys there were sometimes
-misunderstandings, which gave rise to disputes
-or quarrels, occasionally culminating
-in fisticuffs or fights which often landed
-the participants in the guard house.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Winter Quarters.</span>—A soldier in the
-Southern army had no abiding place to
-stay or at least only temporary. In winter
-quarters in the dugout, rude cabin, tent,
-or bivouacing primitive life was fairly illustrated
-and it is surprising to people accustomed
-to the conveniences of life to realize
-how few of these conveniences soldiers
-are supplied with. Very often one little
-frying pan or kettle performs its round of
-service for an entire village of cabins or
-tents, and it is not unusual in camp to hear
-the owner of an implement or vessel cry
-out “come home frying pan” or “come
-home coffee pot.” The call was a peremptory
-order to the borrower to return the
-missing article which was perhaps by the
-careless soldier thrown aside. The reminder
-generally caused the occupants of the
-tents to institute a search, usually resulting<span class="pagenum" id="Page_38">[38]</span>
-in the return of the missing article.
-Soldiers’ temporary homes exemplified
-their home training. Some of their places
-were comfortable, neat and attractive,
-while others were just to the reverse.
-Some of the occupants kept themselves
-and their clothing clean and neat, while
-others were contented to wrap themselves up
-in their filthy rags sometimes infested with
-vermin. There were though police and
-sanitary regulations that all were obliged
-to observe or pay the penalty, and there
-was an etiquette among soldiers that was
-generally observed. Many a soldier would
-forage for something to eat, but would suffer
-with hunger to the extreme limit rather
-than appropriate to himself the rations
-issued to another. A soldier who would
-steal the rations of another sacrificed his
-honor and self respect and was regarded
-by his comrades as a sneak thief at home.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Demoralizing Influences.</span>—While an
-army always carries with it many demoralizing
-influences, a man can be a soldier
-and a gentleman too, but one who is not
-a gentleman at home, in the army is sure
-to show the cloven foot. In winter quarters
-more attention is paid to social features
-than at any other time. Hostilities to a
-great extent cease during the winter though
-sometimes the armies clash.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Religious Worship.</span>—Sometimes while
-in winter quarters soldiers got together and
-built rude log houses for places of worship.
-Protected from the cold in these<span class="pagenum" id="Page_39">[39]</span>
-houses soldiers gathered together usually for
-regular Sunday preaching and sometimes
-prayer meetings were held during the week.
-Perhaps as large a per cent. of soldiers
-attended preaching as people at home who
-had more convenient and comfortable
-places of worship. In summertime soldiers
-usually assembled in a grove to listen to
-sermons preached by their chaplain or visiting
-ministers.</p>
-
-<p>In the Southern army occasionally very
-much religious interest was manifested and
-revivals were not unusual. Singing, prayer
-and sometimes shouting were heard in the
-camp.</p>
-
-
-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
-
-<div class="chapter">
-<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.<br />
-
-
-<small>CHARACTERISTICS OF SOLDIERS.</small></h2>
-</div>
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Difference of Soldiers.</span>—There is as
-much difference in the make up of the
-average soldier as in the average citizen
-at home. It is said that variety is the
-spice of life and in the army we get variety
-with a vengeance, and the spice is sometimes
-a little bit peppery. The home training
-and habits as well as the natural
-disposition of the men will show itself in
-the army, and no amount of diplomacy
-can relegate these acquired or inherent
-qualities to the back ground. It is not
-everyone that can join heartily in a course
-of life that is distasteful, and one who does
-will be very apt to adopt the requirements
-of the new life to the exclusion of long
-established habits and customs, and will<span class="pagenum" id="Page_40">[40]</span>
-sometimes overdo himself in exercising
-uncalled for and unnecessary stunts.</p>
-
-<div class="poetry-container">
-<div class="poetry">
-<div class="verse">The life of a soldier in a strenuous channel does run.</div>
-<div class="verse">And the life is by no means a pleasant one;</div>
-<div class="verse">The attractions that lure young men to the field</div>
-<div class="verse">Are very seductive and to them many yield.</div>
-<div class="verse">When they don the uniform and fall in line</div>
-<div class="verse">They surrender their freedom and in servitude are confined.</div>
-<div class="verse">It requires the decision of character and nerve of the brave</div>
-<div class="verse">To imperil ones life his country to save.</div>
-<div class="verse">This heroism throws aside all fear and dread,</div>
-<div class="verse">But is never appreciated till the victim is dead,</div>
-<div class="verse">We may eulogize the hero with eloquence, poetry and song,</div>
-<div class="verse">But he quietly sleeps while the pageantry is going on,</div>
-<div class="verse">The odor of the flowers that we place on the grave</div>
-<div class="verse">Is lost to the hero who gave his life his country to save.</div>
-</div></div>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">The Homesick Soldier.</span>—The timid
-homesick soldier grieves himself to death,
-and if perchance he has to engage in a
-battle he welcomes the friendly missile
-that puts an end to his forlorn condition.
-He thinks of nothing but home and rather
-than drag out, to him, a miserable existence
-in the army surrenders his life freely
-and willingly. The following lines are
-intended to picture the end of one of this
-unfortunate class:</p>
-
-<div class="poetry-container">
-<div class="poetry">
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">I am weary to-night and as lonely as can be,</div>
-<div class="verse">I am far from my friends that I may never see,</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">I am hungry and cold; how can I my time employ?</div>
-<div class="verse">I know my good christian mother is praying for her boy.</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">I on the cold ground must lie down to sleep,</div>
-<div class="verse">If mother knew my condition how bitterly she would weep;</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">In camp I hear stories laughter and song,</div>
-<div class="verse">I am longing for home and cannot join.</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">They tell me I am homesick perhaps it is true</div>
-<div class="verse">I must shake off this despondency or I will never pull through</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">I am wishing for anything that can be arranged</div>
-<div class="verse">Anything, just anything, anything for a change,</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">I hear the report of a signal gun,</div>
-<div class="verse">Now we may listen for the sound of the old bass drum.</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">Fall in, fall in is the command to all,</div>
-<div class="verse">And now we must answer at once to rollcall;</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza"><span class="pagenum" id="Page_41">[41]</span>
-<div class="verse">“Attention Company;” says the officer in time:</div>
-<div class="verse">Forward double quick is the command that is passed down the line.</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">I hear the boom of cannon and rattle of smallarms,</div>
-<div class="verse">The screams of the wounded show that the battle is on,</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">I am mortally wounded see how my blood flows,</div>
-<div class="verse">I am sinking to rest, my troubles are o’er.</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">I am thirsty, feel chilly and cold and must sleep,</div>
-<div class="verse">Farewell my dear mother, please do not weep.</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">I see you yes ’tis you, I knew you would come,</div>
-<div class="verse">Now take me dear mother again to our home.</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">As the last word was spoken he drew the last breath,</div>
-<div class="verse">And no mother there to sooth him in death,</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">The poor homesick boy in battle did fall,</div>
-<div class="verse">He had listened and answered to the last rollcall.</div>
-</div></div></div>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Strenuous Soldiers.</span>—Soldiers like
-citizens are sometime extremists, and are
-likely to say and do some very unreasonable
-things. They work themselves up to
-a high pitch of excitement, see but one
-side of a question and are intolerant.
-Soldiers of this class are usually not the
-most reliable and their rashness is liable
-to lead them to do things detrimental to
-the cause they represent. The following
-lines illustrate this objectionable element.</p>
-
-<div class="poetry-container">
-<div class="poetry">
-<div class="verse">Sound the bugle and beat the drum,</div>
-<div class="verse">Fall in line, let the enemy come,</div>
-<div class="verse">Let us charge the Yankees and let them know</div>
-<div class="verse">We can shoot them down and over their dead bodies go.</div>
-<div class="verse">If they contest the ground we will make them feel</div>
-<div class="verse">That there is some virtue in cold steel;</div>
-<div class="verse">We will give up our lives our country to save,</div>
-<div class="verse">We will be freemen or fill bloody graves.</div>
-<div class="verse">Give them no quarter—we ask for none—</div>
-<div class="verse">Shoot them down as fast as they come.</div>
-</div></div>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Conservative Soldiers.</span>—The conservative
-soldier usually possesses nerve, pluck,
-humane feeling and a busy brain. He is
-cool and level headed and is not thrown
-off his guard by any sudden changes in his
-surrounding. He is generally a good
-citizen at home, has a sharp lookout for
-the betterment of his home and people and
-carries with him to the army the same<span class="pagenum" id="Page_42">[42]</span>
-conservatism that distinguishes him as a
-good citizens at home.</p>
-
-<div class="poetry-container">
-<div class="poetry">
-<div class="verse">A quiet industrious citizen enjoying the comforts of home</div>
-<div class="verse">Has no disposition a soldier to become,</div>
-<div class="verse">Unless called upon by his country’s needs and demands,</div>
-<div class="verse">For the protection of his home and his liberties to stand,</div>
-<div class="verse">He then takes his place in line in a deliberate way</div>
-<div class="verse">And not like a fanatic panting for the fray.</div>
-<div class="verse">He leaves at home property and loved ones to face an invading foe,</div>
-<div class="verse">Because his country commands him and duty requires him to go;</div>
-<div class="verse">The best element of an army does not fight for plunder or fame,</div>
-<div class="verse">Because such soldiers possess courage, nerve, heart and brain.</div>
-</div></div>
-
-
-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
-
-<div class="chapter">
-<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII.<br />
-
-
-<small>CITIZENS VISITING IN CAMP AND THE SICK
-SOLDIER.</small></h2>
-</div>
-
-<p><span class="smcap">The Sick Soldier.</span>—Exposure, irregular
-and unwholesome diet, constant changing,
-uncomfortable lodgings and many
-other things caused soldiers to contract
-diseases which often terminated in death.
-Notwithstanding everything was done for
-the poor sick soldier that could be done
-under the circumstances, he missed the
-affectionate attentions of loved ones at
-home. On account of inadequate facilities
-to furnish the necessary means the unfortunate
-victim was often neglected.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Surgeon’s Call.</span>—While in camp every
-morning at a certain hour Surgeon’s call
-was announced by the beating of the drum.
-Sick soldiers in camp who were able to
-walk were required to report to the doctor
-for treatment and to be excused from duty.
-Such as were not too sick remained in camp
-and were treated at their tents, and soldiers<span class="pagenum" id="Page_43">[43]</span>
-who were very sick were sent to a
-hospital. Soldiers sick in camp generally
-received scant sympathy and poor attention.
-A soldier though who was known
-to be faithful in the discharge of duty if
-unfortunately became sick was cared for
-by his friends.</p>
-
-<p>In every command there were soldiers
-who were experts in playing off sick, and
-of course such were not respected. There
-was always some one ready to ridicule the
-sick squad reporting. When the drums
-beat sometimes a wag would cry out.
-“Come up dead” or “Come up and get
-your Dovers powders or Camphor and
-Opium pills.” Soldiers really sick have
-been known to throw away medicine given
-them and take their chances.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Simple Minded Sick Soldier.</span>—In a
-certain regiment a simple minded soldier
-who was really sick would slowly make
-his way to the doctor’s tent and when
-asked “what is your trouble?” he would
-invariably give the same answer, “The
-same old complaint, ‘Sumption.’” The doctor
-would excuse him and he would return to
-his tent, lie down and suffer as much with
-homesickness as with the disease itself.</p>
-
-<p>Many a poor soldier lost his life in
-camp, in a hospital, on the march or on
-the battlefield, who would have rallied
-from a very slight indisposition that
-developed into a fatal disease could he
-have been transferred to his home.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Despondent, Sick Soldier.</span>—After<span class="pagenum" id="Page_44">[44]</span>
-serving in the army for about a year a soldier
-was stricken down with a severe spell
-of sickness and sent to a hospital to recuperate.
-Having a horror for hospital life
-he plead earnestly with the physician in
-charge to recommend the issuing of a furlough
-for him to return home. He was
-informed that he was too weak and must
-wait until he got able to travel. The next
-day he told the doctor that he was getting
-worse and weaker and plead with him to
-allow him to go before the board to meet
-in a few minutes in the hospital, but received
-no encouragement. A few minutes
-later a message came summonsing some
-other sick soldiers in the same room to
-appear before the board. He had about
-given up in despair when another message
-came ordering him to report to the board
-at once. He obeyed the order without
-delay, and had scarcely gotten inside of
-the door when the chairman said, “Give
-him fifty days.” He returned home one
-beautiful Sunday morning. A good mother
-saw him slowly approaching the house
-and seeing his uniform, it occurred to her
-that the stranger was a soldier and for the
-sake of her own boys in the field she would
-treat him as well as she could. Being
-pale, weak, emaciated, reduced almost to
-a skeleton and nearly exhausted, he with
-difficulty climbed up the steps that lead up
-to the door. As soon as he got inside of
-the door his mother and sister assisted him
-to a chair, thinking they were helping<span class="pagenum" id="Page_45">[45]</span>
-some poor unfortunate soldier unknown to
-them. Finally they recognized him but
-did not know whether to rejoice or weep
-for it looked very much like his life was
-fast ebbing out. In a few weeks he was
-well again and returned to the army.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Visiting.</span>—Soldiers very much enjoyed
-a visit from friends at home, and a visitor
-after getting in camp and located among
-the friends he was especially visiting was
-regarded as guest of the soldiers and
-treated with deference by all he chanced
-to meet. Soldiers were always ready for
-some fun and any incident outside of the
-common broke the monotony and gave
-them a change. Citizens with few exceptions
-after their first experience enjoyed a
-joke even at their expense. If a citizen
-passed through camp wearing a long tailed
-coat or plug hat, some one would tauntingly
-cry out, “Come down out of that
-coat or come out of that hat, I know you
-are in there I see your legs,” and the boys
-would repeat until the poor fellow got
-through and of course the citizen felt
-relieved when the boys quieted down. The
-boys meant no disrespect and the citizens
-generally took it all good naturedly.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Portly Gentleman.</span>—At one time a
-portly gentleman passed through camp
-and as soon as he came in sight a soldier
-cried out, “Here he comes: and here he
-comes” was repeated along the line. Finally
-the old gentleman chagrined, stopped,
-pulled off his hat and politely asked the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_46">[46]</span>
-boys what he had done, they promptly
-told him that he had stolen their big bass
-drum and swallowed it. The good natured
-old fellow caught on to the joke and
-told the boys that their drum should be
-returned and he was permitted to pass on
-enjoying the laugh as much as any of
-them.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Lady Visitors.</span>—A lady visiting in the
-camp always had a refining influence upon
-the soldiers who were pleased to have an
-opportunity to treat such a visitor as an
-honored guest. The mere announcement
-that lady visitors were expected would
-cause soldiers to get busy and police the
-camp making everything around the tents
-look tidy and attractive. The conduct
-and conversation of the soldiers were
-always improved by visits of the ladies.
-Unfortunately though their visits were few
-and far between times. There was in the
-valley of Virginia a beautiful young lady
-who acted as a courier for some of the
-officers and was said to sometimes pass
-through the lines where a man would not
-be allowed to go, and to return bringing
-valuable information. She was a graceful
-horseback rider and created a sensation
-when she rode along the lines.</p>
-
-
-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
-
-<div class="chapter">
-<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX.<br />
-
-
-<small>INCIDENTS OF CAMP AND PRISON LIFE.</small></h2>
-</div>
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Soldiers in Prison.</span>—A soldier belonging
-to an army in war times necessarily
-lives a strenuous life, and if unfortunately
-captured by the enemy and has to be<span class="pagenum" id="Page_47">[47]</span>
-incarcerated in prison it makes life to the
-average soldier almost unendurable. A
-soldier obliged to obey strictly army rules
-and regulations enforced by officers fighting
-for the same cause he is contending for
-surrenders seemingly about all of his
-liberties, but when reduced to the humiliation
-of having a sentinel standing over
-him all of the time to see that he does not
-violate orders given by an enemy reduces
-him to the most abject slavery. Many
-Northern and Southern soldiers were captured
-and placed in prison, and a judicious
-and rapid system of exchange of prisoners
-would have alleviated much suffering
-among these poor fellows.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Exchange of Prisoners.</span>—The Federal
-authorities perhaps were dilatory in effecting
-exchanges because their captured men
-could be replaced by others, and they had
-not only the Northern states but the world
-to draw from, and knew the soldiers taken
-out of line in the Southern army could not
-be replaced with others on account of the
-scarcity of men.</p>
-
-<p>It is said that everything is fair in war,
-but the peremptory demands of war ought
-not to suppress every vestige of feeling of
-humanity. An experience in prison however
-humiliating that experience may be,
-cannot fail to convince anyone that implicit
-obedience to orders from the powers
-that be is the only safeguard as a shelter
-or protection from unreasonable punishment.</p>
-
-
-
-
-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_48">[48]</span><span class="smcap">Punishment.</span>—Severe punishment such
-as bucking and gagging, hanging up by
-the thumbs, walking the beat carrying
-heavy loads, sometimes whipping and even
-shooting, to the death practiced in the
-army and prison almost invariably falls
-to the lot of a soldier who wilfully disobeys
-known rules and regulations, but
-these punishments are sometimes administered
-by tyrannical officers, puffed up with
-a little brief authority, to gratify their own
-personal spites and prejudices. Strict adherence
-to discipline will nearly always screen
-the victim from such suffering. In prison
-officers may be exacting, but from their
-arbitrary rulings there is really no appeal.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Rations.</span>—Much complaint was made
-by soldiers in Southern prisons about the
-scarcity and quality of rations, perhaps
-these complaints in some instances were
-well founded, for the Southern soldier in
-camp or on the march did not have an
-abundant supply. The same complaint
-was made against the Northern prison and
-it was argued that the Federal authorities
-had the means to provide more and had
-no moral right to retaliate upon the South
-for a deficiency in prison that was unavoidable.
-Many Southern soldiers in Northern
-prisons went to bed of nights and could
-not sleep on account of being hungry.
-Prisoners captured a short time before the
-surrender of Lee, soon heard of the surrender,
-and of the assassination of Lincoln
-and were frightened by a report circulated<span class="pagenum" id="Page_49">[49]</span>
-in the prison camp that Southern soldiers
-would be kept as hostages and perhaps
-executed in retaliations for the assassination
-of the president. The personal experience
-of soldiers incarcerated in the prisons
-of the late war would make interesting
-reading to coming generations but perhaps
-it is better to let this part of the history
-pass into oblivion. Contending armies
-engaged in battle would fight to the finish,
-damaging each other in every honorable
-way they could even to extermination, but
-when a soldier surrendered and became a
-prisoner he was treated courteously by his
-captors on either side. A soldier that would
-offer an insult or indignity to a prisoner
-was looked upon with contempt and his
-conduct regarded as cowardly by his own
-comrades.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Camp Life.</span>—To undertake to portray
-the multiplicity of phases of soldier life as
-exhibited in the Southern army would be
-a herculean task from which the stoutest
-heart, best equipped mind and most experienced
-hand would shrink. It is enough
-for one to record the doings, transactions,
-incidents, and reflections drawn from historical
-facts connected with the section
-and army, the one undertaking the task
-was familiar with, on account of being
-present to witness much that occurred,
-and in a position to gather items of information
-from parties who were eye witnesses.
-Every day on the march, in camp,
-on the battlefield or in prison was replete<span class="pagenum" id="Page_50">[50]</span>
-with thrilling, interesting, ludicrous or
-pathetic scenes which were worthy of
-notice and ought to be handed down to
-posterity in a more durable way than by
-tradition. Duty, patriotism and an earnest
-desire to rescue from oblivion much of
-the war history ought to appeal to the
-few old soldiers now living whose passing
-from the stage of action must necessarily
-cut out forever any chance of a correct
-history. The certainty that they will soon
-be gone ought to be an incentive to induce
-each one to contribute his part. An army
-like our Southern army presents to the
-mind of the curious an inviting field for
-study and investigation.</p>
-
-<p>In camp the home life of the soldier is
-clearly delineated and by associating in
-the camp soldiers learn more about each
-other than anywhere else.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Soldier on Inspection.</span>—There was in
-camp a little scrawny fellow that took the
-world easy when things went his way, but
-when he got wrong he was very much
-wrong and was at war with everybody and
-seemed to think that everybody’s hand was
-raised against him. He was a faithful,
-loyal soldier and would have died rather
-than play off to screen himself from a
-fight. He was always out of clothing,
-rations, money and everything that a soldier
-needed and was out with everyone
-who would not divide with him, but was
-liberal and honest and would pay his debts
-if it took his last dollar. At pay day it<span class="pagenum" id="Page_51">[51]</span>
-usually took all he received to pay his
-debts and then he was borrowing again.
-He paid very little attention to cleanliness,
-consequently no one cared to tent or bunk
-with him and he was often by himself
-although socially inclined. At such times
-he would sing songs sometimes a little
-smutty and whistle popular airs. He
-would say some very harsh things about
-officers and some of them very much
-wished for a chance to get even with him.
-On one occasion on inspection, the inspecting
-officer complained that his gun was
-not properly cleaned and ordered him to
-his quarters, putting on him the punishment
-of thirty minutes work cleaning his
-gun. He returned to his quarters with
-the rest of the company, feeling resentful,
-and with an oath slammed the gun to the
-ground, consigning it with the inspector
-to a region supposed to be hot and heavily
-charged with the odor of sulphur. He
-gloomily sulked for thirty minutes and in
-sheer desperation picked up his gun and
-reported as ordered to the inspector, expecting
-to be sent to the guard house, but
-was surprised when told by the officer that
-his gun looked much better, admonishing
-him to hereafter do as the others did and
-he would not have to do extra work on his
-gun and pleasantly excused him.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Recruit on Guard.</span>—On one occasion
-the officer of the guard around camp was
-a young lieutenant who had a very exalted
-opinion of himself and was glad of an<span class="pagenum" id="Page_52">[52]</span>
-opportunity to show his authority. One
-of the guard was a recruit detailed for the
-first time to do guard duty. He had fallen
-on the third relief and had lain down to
-rest until his time came. Nothing unusual
-occurred the first two hours, but after the
-second relief was posted the lieutenant
-made his rounds and returned to the camp
-fire and had a big laugh with the old soldiers
-present. He had taken the gun from
-a timid recruit, had the poor fellow badly
-scared and boastingly said that he would
-take every recruits’ gun that belonged to
-the guard. The third relief was placed
-and the recruit stationed at his post, walked
-his beat and kept a sharp lookout,
-especially for the lieutenant. Finally he
-heard the rattle of his sword as he approached
-and when he got in challenging
-distance, said: “Halt who comes there?”
-The lieutenant answered: “Friend with the
-countersign.” The sentinel then said
-“Advance friend and give the countersign.”
-The officer corrected him saying “Advance
-friend with the countersign,” and was
-briskly walking right up to him. The
-recruit quickly brought his gun to the position
-of charge bayonets, and again demanded
-the countersign. He was then
-almost in bayonet reach, gave the countersign
-and expecting to throw the sentinel
-off his guard, made a movement as if to
-pass on but really intended to take his gun.
-The sentinel made him pass around him
-at a distance not in bayonet reach which<span class="pagenum" id="Page_53">[53]</span>
-he did without further parley. After he
-had passed he said, “If you don’t mind
-you will get in the guard house.” The
-recruit replied saying, “I know my duty,”
-but was getting some thrilling experience
-while being initiated.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">An Economical Soldier.</span>—A quiet
-careful soldier for several days saved of
-his rations scraps of beef and scrapings of
-flour until he collected enough to make a
-beef pie which was regarded as a luxury
-in camp.</p>
-
-<div class="poetry-container">
-<div class="poetry">
-<div class="verse">The pie was nicely made and spicely cooked,</div>
-<div class="verse">And the boys at it greedily looked;</div>
-<div class="verse">The soldier happy with a broad grin</div>
-<div class="verse">Commenced taking the rich pie in.</div>
-<div class="verse">Near by in the crowd was a hungry boy looking about</div>
-<div class="verse">As if he could breed a famine and starve it out;</div>
-<div class="verse">He stood the test for a little while</div>
-<div class="verse">Then stepped up to the soldier on his face a smile</div>
-<div class="verse">Saying, “If you please I would like your pie to taste;”</div>
-<div class="verse">“Help Yourself” said the soldier with very good grace.</div>
-<div class="verse">For a second invitation he did not wait</div>
-<div class="verse">But commenced eating pie at a rapid rate,</div>
-<div class="verse">At last he suddenly quit eating and said with a sigh,</div>
-<div class="verse">I guess I have taken enough of your pie.</div>
-<div class="verse">“Have some more” said the soldier polite as could be;</div>
-<div class="verse">The boy said, “Thank you, if you insist I will—it tastes good to me,”</div>
-<div class="verse">The hungry boy hung on while others stood by</div>
-<div class="verse">And saw the two together finish eating the pie.</div>
-</div></div>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">A Soldier’s Retort.</span>—On the Maryland
-march on account of marching for
-many consecutive days, soldiers were
-ragged, dirty and some of them barefooted.
-An army in such a plight does not present
-a very attractive appearance. In the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_54">[54]</span>
-column was a brave, faithful soldier always
-ready to fight to the finish. He had just
-passed through a series of battles and
-looked very much worsted, wearing old
-clothes and limping on account of old
-shoes making his feet sore. The army
-was marching through a town whose
-inhabitants were of very decided Union
-proclivities. A crowd of pretty, well
-dressed ladies were conspicuously standing
-on the sidewalk, indulging in cutting remarks,
-using such expressions as rebel
-and traitor very freely. One of them
-pointed out this uncouth looking soldier
-saying, “Look at that ragged, dirty rebel.”
-He coolly retorted looking her in the eye
-saying, “Madam, we always put on our
-old clothes when we go out to kill hogs.”
-His retort was not very courteous, but it
-put a quietus on the use of any further
-uncomplimentary remarks. The soldiers
-were usually treated very nicely by the
-ladies, even when invading the enemy’s
-territory, and were in turn as courteous as
-could be.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">A Boisterous Soldier.</span>—In camp there
-was a boisterous fellow whose early education
-and training had been very much neglected,
-and although illiterate he was fully
-convinced that he was a man of considerable
-importance. His quaint sayings and
-doings furnished no small amount of
-amusement for the officers and men. He
-did not mean to exaggerate but apparently
-looked at things through magnifying<span class="pagenum" id="Page_55">[55]</span>
-glasses. He was a fearless, brave soldier
-and was never happier than when called
-upon by an officer to perform some task.
-He did not hesitate to go or try to go
-anywhere his commanders ordered or
-requested him to go. On one occasion
-he was detailed as a picket to reconnoiter
-and ascertain some points about the position
-and strength of the enemy’s forces.
-Under the direction of the officer in command
-of the picket line, he with others
-stealthily approached as near as possible
-to the enemy’s line to get the desired information.
-In their eagerness they crossed
-the danger line and were saluted with a
-volley of shot and shell and of course were
-obliged to hastily retreat. The soldier
-came rushing back to camp puffing and
-blowing, burdened with the weight of
-responsibility that had been entrusted to
-him and hurried up to the colonel’s headquarters
-to report the result of the investigation.
-The colonel listened to him
-attentively while he excitedly gave his
-report and seriously asked his opinion
-about the strength of the enemy’s force.
-With forceful gestures and placing strong
-emphasis on his answer he replied: “About
-two hundred thousand!” The colonel
-amused at his estimate of the enemy’s
-strength, and his earnestness in reporting,
-respectfully thanked him and excused him.
-The same soldier incensed at his brother,
-seventeen years old, joining the army
-wished with an oath that the boy would get<span class="pagenum" id="Page_56">[56]</span>
-killed in the very first engagement he got
-in. In a few days the command got in a
-fight and the poor boy was killed. The
-wish was thoughtlessly made and the soldier
-felt sorry for the fate of his brother. One
-day glibly talking to the boys he pointed
-out a place on his arm and expressed the
-wish that a minnie ball would strike him
-there the next battle he got in and the
-bone would have to be resected so he could
-get on the retired list. In the very next
-fight a minnie ball struck the identical
-place pointed out and the bone had to be
-resected. He could have been placed on
-the retired list, but preferred to remain in
-service.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Recruit Detailed.</span>—Early one morning
-a recruit who had just been enrolled,
-while he was at breakfast, was informed
-by the sergeant that he was on guard for
-the day and told to report at once to the
-colonel’s headquarters. Very much to
-the amusement of the old soldiers he
-replied: “All right, wait till I eat a bite”
-and leisurely finished his breakfast, prepared
-for duty and reported to headquarters
-without realizing that he had subjected
-himself to the danger of being disciplined
-for not at once reporting.</p>
-
-<p>It was very embarrassing to recruits
-especially when joining a command already
-in the service. A recruit reporting for
-duty was dazed at the array of stripes,
-bars, stars and wreaths, being assigned to
-a certain regiment was asked if he had any<span class="pagenum" id="Page_57">[57]</span>
-reason to give for being assigned to any
-special company, stammeringly replied
-that he had a second company in cousin I.
-The boys laughed at his mistake, but the
-officers kindly let him join the company of
-his choice.</p>
-
-
-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
-
-<div class="chapter">
-<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X.<br />
-
-
-<small>PICKET LINES, BATTLES AND BATTLEFIELDS.</small></h2>
-</div>
-
-<h3>PICKET LINES.</h3>
-
-<div class="poetry-container">
-<div class="poetry">
-<div class="verse">A soldier placed on the picket line</div>
-<div class="verse">Has a responsible duty to him assigned;</div>
-<div class="verse">To perform this duty with judgment and skill</div>
-<div class="verse">Requires nerve, pluck, brain and deliberate will.</div>
-<div class="verse">He protects the main army back in the rear,</div>
-<div class="verse">And watches each movement with trembling and fear;</div>
-<div class="verse">If the enemy makes a hostile move he does not run</div>
-<div class="verse">But warns his friends in the rear by firing his gun.</div>
-<div class="verse">Then the pickets exchange some hasty shots,</div>
-<div class="verse">Fall back in line and things get hot.</div>
-</div></div>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Picket or Scout.</span>—Different phases of
-soldier life have been partially explained,
-but the elements that enter into the make
-up or the varied experience of the successful
-sharpshooter or scout are beyond
-description. Take the foremost soldier in
-the army whose energy, pluck and daring
-deeds of valor have aided him in forging
-his way to the front, then add all the
-nerve, fearlessness, disregard of danger,
-determination to surmount all obstacles
-and you get only a faint idea of the sturdy
-firm, intrepid picket or scout, looking not
-for trouble but for adventure. History
-often records raids made by such dashing
-leaders as Jackson, Stuart, Morgan or<span class="pagenum" id="Page_58">[58]</span>
-leaders of that character with picked men.
-Such leaders select from different commands
-men who have passed through firey
-ordeals and have been weighed in the balance
-and found not wanting. With such
-soldiers wonderful victories have been
-achieved that would have been failures
-with a different class of men. The common
-soldier on the skirmish line however
-courageous he may be finds himself facing
-a problem that calls into play some traits
-of the soldier that he does not possess.
-The picket lines were often very close
-together, sometimes on friendly terms and
-sometimes hostile to each other.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">On The Picket Line.</span>—In the night
-time the lines have been near enough to
-hear pickets in the opposite line talking in
-a low tone, but usually the lines were
-further apart. A very slight demonstration
-on the picket line sometimes precipitated
-a fight. The sentinels on the
-lines of the two armies were at one time
-respectively walking their beats on opposite
-sides of the Rapahannock river in plain
-view of each other. A sentinel on post
-on one of the lines playfully pointed his
-gun at the sentinel on post opposite him
-on the other side and was at once shot at
-by the sentinel, who took the matter seriously.
-There was something doing along
-the line for a little while but the situation
-was soon understood, the excitement subsided
-and the sentinels resumed their
-places, walking their beats but refrained<span class="pagenum" id="Page_59">[59]</span>
-from quite so much familiarity.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Exchange of Courtesies.</span>—Sentinels
-on post on the picket lines representing
-the opposing armies often exchanged
-courtesies and greetings and on the sly
-met between the lines, exchanged daily
-papers, swapped tobacco for coffee, had a
-pleasant chat with each other and returned
-to their respective posts with the kindliest
-feelings. The following lines demonstrate
-or illustrate the friendly feeling that prevailed
-among the soldiers of the two opposing
-armies.</p>
-
-<div class="poetry-container">
-<div class="poetry">
-<div class="verse">“Good morning: Johnnie. Good morning Pat,”</div>
-<div class="verse">Come across and we will have a social chat</div>
-<div class="verse">We can be friendly loyal and true,</div>
-<div class="verse">Although I wear the grey and you the blue.</div>
-<div class="verse">I feel somewhat lonely walking my beat,</div>
-<div class="verse">And to visit you would be quite a treat.</div>
-<div class="verse">I will pledge my word upon the honor of a man</div>
-<div class="verse">That I will come half way and treat you well as I can.</div>
-<div class="verse">Your proposal seems very fair to me</div>
-<div class="verse">Let us meet in the shade of that old oak tree.</div>
-<div class="verse">The sentinels moved forward not in battle array,</div>
-<div class="verse">But approached each other in a friendly way.</div>
-<div class="verse">In consequence of the vigorous exercise walking their beats</div>
-<div class="verse">They were much fatigued suffering with heat</div>
-<div class="verse">Johnnie’s canteen was full of water cool as could be</div>
-<div class="verse">Which he shared with Pat in the shade of the tree.</div>
-<div class="verse">Pat smiling said it tastes like water from the lake</div>
-<div class="verse">Away up North in Michigan State.</div>
-<div class="verse">Then said in my canteen is some of the elixir of life</div>
-<div class="verse">That will make us forget our sorrows and strife.</div>
-<div class="verse">Will you not a little bit of it take</div>
-<div class="verse">As Paul would say for your stomach sake,</div>
-<div class="verse">Johnnie said thank you holding out an empty tin cup,</div>
-<div class="verse">Which they filled with Southern water Northern sugar and other stuff,</div>
-<div class="verse">Then of the mixture each one took a sup</div>
-<div class="verse">Drinking out of the same tin cup,</div>
-<div class="verse">It tasted pleasant and they repeated the dose</div>
-<div class="verse">’Till they both felt gay and very jocose.</div>
-<div class="verse">Finally conversation in a confidential channel did run</div>
-<div class="verse">They talked of their home life both anxious to return,</div>
-<div class="verse">Pat said he had a wife and children at his home near the lake</div>
-<div class="verse">That were anxiously looking for him wishing for the war to break.</div><span class="pagenum" id="Page_60">[60]</span>
-<div class="verse">Johnnie showed the picture of a sweet looking girl,</div>
-<div class="verse">That he declared was the sweetest best girl in the world,</div>
-<div class="verse">Saying she lives in a cottage among the hills in a North Carolina home.</div>
-<div class="verse">And will be true to me until I return.</div>
-<div class="verse">When this cruel war is over I will be by her side</div>
-<div class="verse">And claim a fulfillment of her promise to be my bride,</div>
-<div class="verse">They were talking confidentially in this beautiful strain,</div>
-<div class="verse">Commenting on their loved ones again and again.</div>
-<div class="verse">Suddenly they heard the report of a signal gun</div>
-<div class="verse">And to their respective posts did quickly run.</div>
-<div class="verse">After the signal gun fired in a very short time</div>
-<div class="verse">There was brisk firing all along the picket line.</div>
-<div class="verse">At these two posts firing was rapid and sharp,</div>
-<div class="verse">But the aim was above or below the mark,</div>
-<div class="verse">Finally the pickets were ordered to fall back,</div>
-<div class="verse">The two waved hands saying, “Good-bye Johnnie, Good-bye Pat.”</div>
-</div></div>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Fearful Experience.</span>—During the
-time of the engagements in the wilderness
-a soldier on the picket line one night had
-a fearful experience. The lines were very
-close and the sentinels on post had strict
-orders to walk their beats, keep a sharp
-lookout and let no one approach or cross
-the line without giving the countersign.
-It was very dark and the thick underbrush
-made the darkness more dense. The
-officers making their rounds were embarrassed
-not knowing how soon they might
-march into the enemy’s lines. The sentinel
-quietly walking his beat heard a soldier
-approaching and soon as he came
-near enough in as low a tone as possible
-challenged him and asked for the countersign.
-The soldier approaching apparently
-like the soldier on post was uncertain
-whether he was in the presence of a friend
-or an enemy. In an evasive way they
-made inquiries with a view of ascertaining
-each others identity. Each one was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_61">[61]</span>
-afraid to fire on the other fearing he would
-be firing on a friend instead of an enemy,
-knowing too that the least disturbance
-would precipitate a movement of both
-armies and perhaps cause a battle which
-in the darkness would have been horrible
-to contemplate. Without understanding
-their true relationship to each other, they
-simultaneously turned and walked in opposite
-directions and to this day the soldier
-does not know whether he challenged a
-friend or a foe.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Burned Bodies of the Dead.</span>—To
-augment the horrors of the Wilderness
-battles a fire broke out immediately following
-the retreat of the enemy in an
-engagement and swept over the battlefield
-before the dead could be moved. The
-picket line reconnoitering moving forward
-to discover the position taken by the
-retreating army was obliged to run over
-the crisp burned bodies of Yankee soldiers
-lying dead on the field. It was an awful
-sight illustrating the horrors of war. The
-soldiers on the picket line in consequence
-of the heat, smoke and stench were very
-nearly overcome and were driven to the
-extreme necessity of drinking the turbid
-waters of a ditch where dead bodies of
-Yankee soldiers were lying very close.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Test of Valor.</span>—On the skirmish line
-was the place to test the real powers of
-the soldier. In the Southern army were
-plain unassuming men, without reward or
-the hope of reward, or even realizing that<span class="pagenum" id="Page_62">[62]</span>
-they were doing anything extraordinary,
-that performed deeds of daring that
-stamped them as heroes of the highest
-type.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Escape of the Enemy.</span>—Near the close
-of the war an inducement was offered by
-the Yankees to dissatisfied Southern soldiers
-to pass through the lines, and occasionally
-a sentinel would leave his post and
-with his gun and equipments make a dash
-for the lines on the other side. As he
-approached the picket post on the other
-side the Yankee sentinel would call out,
-“Come in Johnnie.” A few soldiers
-escaped sometimes under the fire of sentinels
-at contiguous posts. While a few
-citizens and soldiers crossed over the line
-but few joined the Northern army.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Welcome Peace.</span>—Soldiers on both
-sides were tired of war and welcomed the
-treaty of peace, and were glad to return to
-their homes and again engage in the quiet
-peaceful pursuits of life.</p>
-
-<div class="poetry-container">
-<div class="poetry">
-<div class="verse">Four years of exposure suffering and strife</div>
-<div class="verse">Ruined many a home and many a life,</div>
-<div class="verse">At the end of the war many soldiers brave</div>
-<div class="verse">Were peacefully sleeping in heroes graves.</div>
-</div></div>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">On the Warpath.</span>—The campaigns of
-the civil war were generally vigorously
-prosecuted in warm weather. In the good
-old Summer time soldiers slept on blankets
-thrown on the ground with nothing
-but the canopy of heaven as a covering,
-and then if they received marching orders
-the boys had nothing to do but to take up
-their beds and walk at quick step or if<span class="pagenum" id="Page_63">[63]</span>
-in case of urgent necessity at double quick
-time.</p>
-
-<p>Often while sweetly sleeping not disturbed
-by the fear of Yankees or anything
-else, the drum would beat and soldiers
-would be aroused from sleep and then
-there would be something doing, and very
-soon the command would be moving.</p>
-
-<div class="poetry-container">
-<div class="poetry">
-<div class="verse">Though densely dark with no moon or star light,</div>
-<div class="verse">The Southern boys were always ready for fight;</div>
-<div class="verse">Although the Yankees did their methods despise,</div>
-<div class="verse">They pounced upon them and took them by surprise.</div>
-</div></div>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Unreliable Soldiers.</span>—On the warpath
-the artful skulker did clever maneuvering
-worthy of a better cause to sustain
-his position that for plausible reasons he
-ought to be an immune and not
-required to join at the critical time when
-the battle was on.</p>
-
-<div class="poetry-container">
-<div class="poetry">
-<div class="verse">Soldiers destitute of principle, morals or brain</div>
-<div class="verse">Upon the fair name of an army cast a stain.</div>
-<div class="verse">An army made up of figureheads, thugs and bums,</div>
-<div class="verse">To an intelligent force is obliged to succumb,</div>
-</div></div>
-
-<p>Fortunately the Southern army did not
-have many of this class, and the few placed
-as they were among soldiers disposed to
-do their duty, were obliged to take their
-places in line.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Music in Battle.</span>—Before the beginning
-of hostilities the average citizens
-were under the impression that soldiers
-marched into battle to the tune of martial
-music and to cheer them on the drums
-would beat and the bands play, but soldiers’
-first experience convinced them that
-a very different kind of music prevailed.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_64">[64]</span>
-It was the terrific sound of bursting shells,
-the hateful, hissing, singing of minnie balls,
-mingled with commands of officers occasionally
-heard above the din, and the
-screams and groans of wounded and dying
-soldiers crying for help and calling for
-water to quench their burning thirst.</p>
-
-<p>Instead of selecting a certain soldier in
-the enemy’s line as a target to shoot at,
-a soldier merely leveled his gun and fired
-at the line of battle of the enemy, dimly
-seen through the smoke and dust, then
-loaded his gun with another cartridge
-and repeated. In a hotly contested fight
-soldiers often shot fifty rounds of cartridges
-and their guns got so hot that they
-could scarcely grasp them with their
-hands.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Battles.</span>—A succession of battles is by
-no means a monotonous repetition. Each
-battle has its peculiar phases. A battle is
-often an exhibition of the artistic skill of
-officers in arranging and maneuvering, and
-of men carefully executing, and may be a
-trial of physical endurance and the well
-trained handling of the weapons of warfare
-used. In any event a battle is a spectacular
-scene imposing and grand.</p>
-
-<p>Opposing armies, on the warpath,
-require but little provocation to induce
-them to get up a rumpus. Battles are by
-no means precipitated in a uniform cut
-and dried way, but are brought about in
-as many ways as there are battles fought.
-A single shot fired by a picket from his<span class="pagenum" id="Page_65">[65]</span>
-post may cause the picket lines to exchange
-shots and fall back, and the commands
-represented by them to settle the disturbance
-by engaging in a battle. Cavalrymen
-sometimes make a raid and start a
-fight into which the entire armies are
-drawn. Cannonading is a very common
-way to start a fight. Sometimes a command
-is surprised by a detachment from
-the opposite army and a battle ensues, and
-sometimes the armies come together
-apparently without any preconcerted plan
-on either side, simultaneously line up and
-get busy, with their work of carnage.</p>
-
-<p>On the battlefield soldier life is delineated
-in its most revolting phase. Two
-contending armies present a spectacle
-grand and awful to contemplate. The
-surging masses of human beings intent on
-each others destruction with the death
-dealing artillery with its terrific roar and
-the more destructive missiles of small
-armies with their hateful hissing sounds,
-together with the deafening cheers of the
-moving armies, and the heartrending
-screams and moans of the wounded and
-dying make the scene agonizing to the
-extreme. Two contending armies engaged
-in battle present to the eye of the beholder
-an indescribable panorama.</p>
-
-<div class="poetry-container">
-<div class="poetry">
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">Two contending: armies aligned for a fight</div>
-<div class="verse">Present to the eye an imposing-sight,</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">When the pickets begin to exchange their shots,</div>
-<div class="verse">The battle is on and soon gets hot.</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">With terrific noise of destructive shells</div>
-<div class="verse">And hissing minnie balls and soldiers’ yells,</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">Such noise and confusion make a stunning din,</div>
-<div class="verse">And in the smoke of battle there is a contest to win</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza"><span class="pagenum" id="Page_66">[66]</span>
-<div class="verse">The lines firm and steady throughout their length,</div>
-<div class="verse">With stubborn persistence measure their strength.</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">Officers and men artful tactics display</div>
-<div class="verse">Until one of the lines is forced to give way,</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">Charge after charge, Greek meets Greek,</div>
-<div class="verse">The two contending armies in deadly strife meet.</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">The powers of the soldier both sides feel</div>
-<div class="verse">As they force their way with steel against steel,</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">Or perchance one line or the other overpowered gives way,</div>
-<div class="verse">And the contest is ended, the victors win the day.</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">The vanquished sometimes eager to be freed</div>
-<div class="verse">Run for their lives in a disgraceful stampede.</div>
-</div></div></div>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Battle Fields.</span>—Nature in some places
-has provided spots of ground that answer
-the purpose of belligerent armies where
-one line has the advantage of protection
-or shelter from the onslaughts of the other.
-Where grounds have been selected not
-affording safe protection against the invading
-force, soldiers are subjected to hard
-work throwing up breastworks, digging
-intrenchments or placing abatis to entangle
-the advancing army so as to detain it and
-shoot down the soldiers while extricating
-themselves from the entanglement. Every
-device or subterfuge that the fertile brain
-or imagination of man can discover or
-invent is called into requisition to give an
-advantage considered honorable in war.
-Sometimes though contending armies
-meet in open field in plain view of each
-other and fight to the finish and retire from
-the field leaving there a harrowing scene
-of suffering and destruction. Sometimes
-soldiers engage in hand to hand encounters,
-display physical force, power of
-endurance, and their expertness in handling
-the weapons of warfare, sustained by
-indomitable courage and stubborn willpower.</p>
-
-
-
-
-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_67">[67]</span><span class="smcap">After the Battle.</span>—The heat and
-excitement of the battle having subsided
-and the smoke cleared away, the battlefield
-presents a harrowing scene that beggars
-description. The grim monster death
-having done its terrible work leaves its
-impress on the faces of its unfortunate
-victims. Passion, determination and conflicting
-emotions plainly stamped on the
-faces of the victims now wrapt in the cold
-embrace of death.</p>
-
-<div class="poetry-container">
-<div class="poetry">
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">After the battle is over a survey of the field</div>
-<div class="verse">Will melt a heart as hard as steel;</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">The wounded with heartrending screams and moans</div>
-<div class="verse">And pitiful calls for loved ones at home,</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">Appeal to the sympathies causing one to grieve,</div>
-<div class="verse">On account of being powerless the victims to relieve,</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">A quiet look at the faces of the dead</div>
-<div class="verse">Fills ones soul with horror and dread.</div>
-</div></div></div>
-
-
-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
-
-<div class="chapter">
-<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI.<br />
-
-
-<small>FOURTEENTH REGIMENT NORTH CAROLINA<br />
-INFANTRY AND GENERAL OFFICERS<br />
-OF THE ARMY OF NORTHERN VA.</small></h2>
-</div>
-
-<h3><span class="smcap">Fourteenth N. C. Regiment.</span>—</h3>
-
-<div class="poetry-container">
-<div class="poetry">
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">The beginning of the war was to some a surprise,</div>
-<div class="verse">But the old Fourteenth at once organized;</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">The regiment marched to the front along with the first.</div>
-<div class="verse">And was on the front line when shells began to burst.</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">It was composed of ten companies of stalwart men,</div>
-<div class="verse">Who were determined with the enemy to contend;</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">At Seven Pines and battles below Richmond to Malvern Hill,</div>
-<div class="verse">The regiment fought with a determined will,</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">Many of the men gallant and brave</div>
-<div class="verse">On these battle fields filled bloody graves,</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">Receiving recruits the regiment again took a start,</div>
-<div class="verse">Displaying courage and endurance on the Maryland march,</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<span class="pagenum" id="Page_68">[68]</span>
-<div class="verse">Near Sharpsburg the regiment was in an old road aligned,</div>
-<div class="verse">And fought the Yankees advancing in three lines;</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">The boys were conspicuous at the Wilderness, Chancellorsville and Mine Run</div>
-<div class="verse">And at Spotsylvania and Gettysburg handled their guns,</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">In the thickest of the fight the regiment would be,</div>
-<div class="verse">Fought to the finish and surrendered with Lee,</div>
-</div></div></div>
-
-<p>While not pretending to write the history
-of any special command, the writer
-belonged to Co. B. 14th Regiment N. C.
-Infantry which accounts for a casual reference
-to the regiment in these sketches.
-The regiment was composed of the following
-companies—all North Carolinians:</p>
-
-<table>
-<tr><td>Company</td><td class="tdl"> A, Halifax</td><td> County </td></tr>
-<tr><td class="tdc">”</td><td class="tdl"> B, Davidson</td><td class="tdc"> ” </td></tr>
-<tr><td class="tdc">”</td><td class="tdl"> C, Anson</td><td class="tdc"> ”</td></tr>
-<tr><td class="tdc">”</td><td class="tdl"> D, Cleveland</td><td class="tdc"> ”</td></tr>
-<tr><td class="tdc">”</td><td class="tdl"> E, Wake</td><td class="tdc"> ”</td></tr>
-<tr><td class="tdc">”</td><td class="tdl"> F, Buncombe</td><td class="tdc"> ”</td></tr>
-<tr><td class="tdc">”</td><td class="tdl"> G, Rockingham</td><td class="tdc"> ”</td></tr>
-<tr><td class="tdc">”</td><td class="tdl"> H, Stanley</td><td class="tdc"> ”</td></tr>
-<tr><td class="tdc">”</td><td class="tdl"> I, Davidson</td><td class="tdc"> ”</td></tr>
-<tr><td class="tdc">”</td><td class="tdl"> K, Wake</td><td class="tdc"> ”</td></tr>
-</table>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Company Officers.</span>—Company B, of
-which I was a member was made up at
-Thomasville and the immediate surrounding
-country. The company was at first
-commanded by Capt. Miller, but when
-the company reorganized J. H. Lambeth
-was elected captain, S. Hepler first lieutenant,
-C. P. Jones second lieutenant and
-Alex Leach third lieutenant. Captain
-Lambeth was promoted to the position of
-major and served in that capacity, until
-the close of the war. Lieutenant Hepler
-was wounded at Sharpsburg, lost an arm<span class="pagenum" id="Page_69">[69]</span>
-and was not with the company very much
-afterward. To fill a vacancy M. H. Cross
-was elected lieutenant. Lieutenant Jones
-was killed in battle, Lieutenant Leach’s
-health failed in consequence of which he
-was absent a great deal of the time and
-the command of the company devolved
-upon Lieutenant Cross. Neither of the
-lieutenants were promoted to the captaincy.
-The regiment was at first commanded by
-Colonel Daniel, Lieutenant Colonel Lovejoy,
-Major Faison and Adjutant Seaton
-Gales. When the regiment reorganized
-Roberts was elected colonel, Bennett
-lieutenant colonel, Dixon major, and
-Marshall adjutant. Roberts and Dixon
-died and Bennett became colonel. Johnson
-lieutenant colonel and J. H. Lambeth
-major. Rev. Powers was chaplain all the
-time. The 2nd, 4th, 14th, 30th and 1st
-and 3rd consolidated—all N. C. regiments
-composed a brigade commanded by Pemberton,
-Colston, Anderson, Ramseur and
-Cox consecutively. The brigade belonged
-to a Division, commanded by D. H. Hill,
-Rodes and Grimes consecutively. The
-regiment served through the war and was
-under the invincible Jackson until his
-death and was proud of the distinction of
-being in an army commanded by the immortal
-Lee.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Unique Characters.</span>—In every command
-there are unique characters, and the
-Fourteenth was by no means an exception
-to the general rule, for in the regiment<span class="pagenum" id="Page_70">[70]</span>
-were members noted for varied peculiarities
-or eccentricities. Surviving soldiers of
-the regiment will pleasantly remember
-Webb of Co. A and Crow of Co. K, Charlie
-Hall of Co. B and Lee of Co. G.</p>
-
-<p>There were two great big fellows in the
-regiment that did not look hungry but a
-double daily ration had no charms for
-them. Their names were Sergeant Rawly
-of Co. G and Lieutenant Mitchell of Co. E.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">A Brave Soldier.</span>—At South Mountain
-the regiment was exposed to a shower
-of minnie balls, and was located at the
-foot of a hill in a thicket of sprouts, weeds
-and briers. A call was made for a volunteer
-to carry a message through the thick
-underbrush. In Co. B was an obscure
-soldier named Morgan considered a kind
-of a go easy good for nothing kind of a
-fellow, although barefooted he at once
-responded and stepped to the front to perform
-the task without considering it to be
-a perilous brave undertaking. He was
-sustained by nerve and pluck that stamped
-him as a brave man worthy of admiration.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Color Bearer.</span>—Bennett Russell color
-bearer of the regiment, who carried the
-colors in many hard fought battles, though
-not a commissioned officer deserves honorable
-mention. Although illiterate, unassuming
-in manners, plain and not preposessing
-in appearance.</p>
-
-<div class="poetry-container">
-<div class="poetry">
-<div class="verse">He was noble, generous and brave,</div>
-<div class="verse">And imperiled his life his country to save.</div>
-</div></div>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Amusing Scenes.</span>—The wit or humorist<span class="pagenum" id="Page_71">[71]</span>
-was there to contribute his enlivening
-influence to vary the sometimes sombre or
-gloomy conditions existing in the camp.
-Sometimes ludicrous incidents would occur
-to excite laughter and amusement even
-when danger was threateningly near.
-Imagine soldiers running for life to keep
-from being captured and thinking themselves
-out of danger, swearing that they
-would not move another inch if the entire
-Yankee army pounced down upon them,
-and a few shells burst throwing dirt upon
-them and hissing singing minnie balls like
-swarms of bees humming uncomfortably
-near them, then think how soon they forget
-their decided resolution to discontinue
-running, start again and fairly burn the
-wind until again out of harms way. To
-one looking on, it is amusing to see the
-movements and afterwards to hear their
-quaint sayings. To the participants it is
-anything else but funny, but after it is all
-over they laugh about it and joke and jeer
-each other unmercifully.</p>
-
-<p>In the campaign in the valley the Rebels
-ran the Yankees many a time, and occasionally
-their speed was very much accelerated
-by their being in front and the Yankees
-keeping up close in the rear, and
-treating them to volleys of shot and shell.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">On the Campaign.</span>—The regiment was
-conspicuous in the battles of Williamsburg,
-Seven Pines, through the battles below
-Richmond to Malvern Hill. After coming
-out of this strenuous campaign the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_72">[72]</span>
-regiment very much worsted by exposure,
-disease and loss of killed, wounded and
-missing in battle went into camp near
-Richmond and rested awhile. Many of its
-gallant officers and men had fallen to rise
-no more, and others were sick or wounded
-in the hospitals or at home on furlough.
-Recruits came to take the places of the
-absent ones, and very soon the regiment
-with the command started on the famous
-march to Maryland. The regiment passed
-through the battlefield of the second
-Manassas fight and a gruesome, sickening
-sight presented itself.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Distressing Scenes.</span>—Dead bodies of
-Yankee soldiers were strewn thickly over
-the field, that in the hasty retreat of the
-Yankee army and pursuit of the Southern
-forces, were left unburied on the field. The
-boys endured exposures and hardships
-galore and many of them had to succumb.
-It was necessary to enforce rigid discipline
-which under the circumstances was a difficult
-matter. Many hardships had to be
-endured that were apparently unfair and
-uncalled for but the demands of war are
-imperative and must be submitted to. Soldiers
-in the ranks and officers in command
-were compelled to witness distressing
-scenes, and were powerless to render assistance
-to the suffering and dying. On the
-march soldiers exhausted fell out of ranks
-sometimes when there were no facilities to
-provide for them, were obliged to take
-their chances and often lost their lives for<span class="pagenum" id="Page_73">[73]</span>
-want of attention. On the battlefield the
-surging masses intent on the destruction
-of each other had no time to give to personal
-friends however near and dear they
-might be. Distressing scenes were witnessed
-and assistance given when possible
-to do so. Sometimes near friends or even
-brothers were shot down in battle and the
-demands so urgent to move forward that
-the poor dying comrade had to die without
-being permitted to listen to the voice
-of a friend to comfort him while passing
-to the unknown land. On two occasions
-the Fourteenth was called out to witness
-the execution of some poor soldiers
-belonging to the army pay the penalty of
-desertion. It is heartrending to see a comrade
-shot down in the heat of battle, but
-it is a more distressing scene to see a soldier
-shot at the stake.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Battles Engaged In.</span>—At Sharpsburg
-the regiment was aligned in an old road
-near the village and fought the Yankees
-advancing in three lines of battle. The
-regiment was cut to pieces and many were
-killed, wounded or missing. The regiment
-also figured conspicuously in the battles
-of Gettysburg, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville,
-Wilderness, Hatchers Run, Winchester,
-Mine Run, Cedar Creek and many
-other battles and skirmishes down to the
-surrender at Apomattox.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Victory and Defeat.</span>—At Cedar Creek
-the Fourteenth in one day experienced the
-exultation of victory and the humiliation<span class="pagenum" id="Page_74">[74]</span>
-of defeat. The following lines give a partial
-description of the exciting transactions
-of the day:</p>
-
-<div class="poetry-container">
-<div class="poetry">
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">Just after dark an order came</div>
-<div class="verse">To fall in line and answer to our names;</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">An order then came to move without delay,</div>
-<div class="verse">And very soon we were marching on the way.</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">Around the hill our line was strung,</div>
-<div class="verse">There was no blowing of the fife or beating of the drum,</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">An order in a whisper came down the line</div>
-<div class="verse">That no one must talk even in a whisper at any time.</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">We marched all night with scarcely a stop</div>
-<div class="verse">So still we could have heard a pencil drop;</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">We were marching on to a certain doom,</div>
-<div class="verse">Destined to engage in a battle very soon.</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">Far to the right we heard the report of a signal gun</div>
-<div class="verse">And to the left the report of another one,</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">In front we saw the flash and heard the report of a gun,</div>
-<div class="verse">And was ordered to move forward in a run.</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">Forward double quick march was the cry,</div>
-<div class="verse">And the surprised Yankees did swiftly fly;</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">They were in their tents their breakfasts cooking</div>
-<div class="verse">And were by no means for the Rebels looking;</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">They left meat and vegetables cooking in the pot</div>
-<div class="verse">And cans of coffee smoking hot.</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">When they heard the familiar Rebel Yell</div>
-<div class="verse">There was not one left the tale to tell;</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">We captured wagon trains, ammunition and men,</div>
-<div class="verse">Drove prisoners to the rear and put them in a pen,</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">It was fun to see the Yankees run,</div>
-<div class="verse">And we hurried them on by firing our guns.</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">We emptied our cartridge boxes of fifty rounds;</div>
-<div class="verse">The continued firing made the hills resound,</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">We ran the Yankees down and pulled them in,</div>
-<div class="verse">And the way we captured prisoners was a sin,</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">It is said it is a long lane that has no turning,</div>
-<div class="verse">And we finally got to the end of our journey,</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">The enemy was reenforced by another command,</div>
-<div class="verse">Then we turned and run and raised the sand.</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">For five long miles under shot and shell</div>
-<div class="verse">For real swift running we made it tell,</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">Finally the sun went down and darkness came</div>
-<div class="verse">And the Yankees ceased their fiery flame.</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">The armies scattered, ran to and fro,</div>
-<div class="verse">Not knowing how or where to go,</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">The enemy halted in the darkness of the night</div>
-<div class="verse">And our scattered forces continued the flight.</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">In our hasty retreat we lost in our flight</div>
-<div class="verse">All we had gained in the morning fight.</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">The surprise was successful and our victory complete,</div>
-<div class="verse">If we had been able the prisoners guns and wagon trains to keep.</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">Fortunes are made and lost in a day,</div>
-<div class="verse">And battles sometimes won and lost in the same time and way.</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">After the battle was over we had cause to weep,</div>
-<div class="verse">And regretted meeting the enemy at Cedar Creek.</div>
-</div></div></div>
-
-
-
-
-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_75">[75]</span><span class="smcap">Decisive Battle.</span>—At Gettysburg perhaps
-a battle which was the turning point
-of the war, the elements seemed to be a
-lurid flame of fire, so desperate was the
-conflict and so hot and appalling the work
-of death and destruction. The machinery
-of warfare seemed to be turned loose and
-its operators proud of the distinction of
-handling it in such an effective manner,
-enabling it to do its deadly work.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">The Enemy Surprised.</span>—One sultry
-morning marching orders were received
-and the Fourteenth in column with other
-portions of the command, for hours marched
-at quicktime, and sometimes double-quicking.
-Men overcome with heat
-fainted by the wayside, but positive orders
-to continue the march were rigidly enforced.
-Late in the evening the enemy
-was surprised and attacked in the rear and
-a fight ensued beginning the Chancellorsville
-engagements.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Battle at Chancellorsville.</span>—After
-dark Jackson and his staff rode through a
-piece of woods and was fired upon by his
-own men, obeying his own orders, receiving
-a wound which was the indirect cause
-of his death. The soldiers in the regiment
-distinctly heard the volley that caused the
-death of their loved commander. It is said
-that Lee seriously remarked upon the death
-of Jackson that it was a loss of his right
-arm. When the fatal shot was fired and
-Jackson received the death blow, the hopes
-of the Confederacy began to wane. General<span class="pagenum" id="Page_76">[76]</span>
-Stewart was put in command in Jackson’s
-place and the next day a hotly contested
-battle was fought. After being
-engaged in the battle several hours we
-were relieved and orderly falling back.
-The general came along and thinking there
-was a stampede ordered the forces back to
-the front. Col. Bennett said to him,
-“Gen. Stewart we have been relieved by
-the Stonewall brigade” adding “I have
-the most gallant regiment in the field.”
-The general then said, “I beg ten thousand
-pardons” and moved on leaving the impression
-on the minds of the soldiers that
-he was a chivalrous brave commander.
-After we had gotten to the foot of the hill
-Gen. Ramseur undertook to congratulate
-the men but was so overcome with emotion
-that he said he could not talk. Col. Bennett
-came to the rescue saying “I can talk”
-and in a stentorian tone began to praise
-the men. He was cheered to the echo and
-the surrounding hills and valleys resounded
-with the Rebel Yell.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">At Apomattox.</span>—The gallant Fourteenth
-was a fighting regiment and fought to the
-finish. At Apomattox though it did not
-retain the appearance of its former glory.
-But few of the tried and true were left to
-see for the last time the immortal Lee and
-with tears in their eyes hear his farewell
-address. The regiment broke ranks and
-turned their faces southward glad to return
-to their homes and loved ones, but sad at
-the thought of the humiliation of defeat<span class="pagenum" id="Page_77">[77]</span>
-and uncertain about how they would be
-treated by their conquerors.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">General Officers.</span>—The short sketch
-of the few officers of the army of Northern
-Virginia who were distinguished for their
-generalship, heroism and bravery could be
-continued by the addition of other names
-equally as brave and equally as famous.
-Scores of them who wore the stars or bars
-did many acts of daring and gained many
-victories by their good judgment, cool and
-deliberate maneuvering, but we must not
-forget the rank and file for upon the private
-soldiers the heavy burden fell, and
-they usually responded in a manner entirely
-satisfactory. Honor is due to the
-brave men in the ranks who were prompted
-by duty alone and who fought so gallantly
-without reward or the hope of reward.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">General Cox</span> was a young man and as
-an officer presented a fine appearance,
-dressed up to date and one not familiar
-with his ways would come to the conclusion
-that he was vain or selfconceited, but
-seeing him in the performance of duty in
-his every day soldier life would dispel any
-such illusion. He set an example of neatness,
-and his military bearing was not put
-on but natural. His nature and disposition
-were generous, and he looked after
-the welfare of the men under him and was
-not tyrannical in his discipline. When the
-time came for action he did not think of
-soiling his clothes but entered into the
-thickest of the fight and unwaveringly<span class="pagenum" id="Page_78">[78]</span>
-stayed with his command and fought to
-the finish. He survived the war and has
-figured conspicuously in the management
-of affairs to perpetuate good government
-and the enforcement of the law as a just
-judge on the bench.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">General Grimes</span> by the casual observer,
-would not have been selected from a
-crowd of officers as a man of extraordinary
-ability or above the average as a military
-commander. Though plain and unassuming
-he was a soldier of fighting proclivities
-and his shrill, clear, fine voice heard above
-the din common in the beginning of an
-engagement was an inspiration to his men.
-He was the hero of many battles and lived
-to witness the closing scenes of the war
-and near his home was the victim of
-assassination from ambush by parties
-lying concealed waiting for him.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">General Ramsuer</span> was impetuous,
-impatient, aggressive and by some regarded
-as foolhardy. If fighting was going on
-he was not satisfied if he was not permitted
-to take a hand. He has been known to
-ride between our own and the enemy’s
-picket lines apparently insensible of danger,
-and at a time too when a fight was
-momentarily expected. He was known
-and acknowledged as a fighter and his
-men followed him without questioning the
-expediency of his movements. He was
-tender-hearted to the extreme and in the
-presence of his men has been seen to break
-down and weep like a child, verifying the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_79">[79]</span>
-old adage that “The brave are tender-hearted.”</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">General Rodes</span> was an officer having
-a commanding appearance. Decision
-of character was plainly depicted upon his
-countenance. It is often said that a man’s
-face is an index to his character. The
-casual observer looking into the face of
-the general could not fail to see stamped
-there a plain indication of a generous disposition.
-His cordial and lovable disposition
-drew men to him, and his deportment
-in battle stamped him as a fearless brave
-soldier. Cool and collected as he was in
-battle, in the engagement in which he was
-killed just before he was slain he seemed
-to be excited as if he had a premonition
-of his impending doom, but his sun set
-in a halo of glory and his name will go
-down in history as a hero.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">General D. H. Hill</span>, was a brave commander,
-had a tender regard for the welfare
-of his men and being of a humane disposition
-looked after minor details that the
-most of officers of his rank left entirely to
-subordinates. At one time on a march he
-discovered that many of the men were
-barefooted and their feet sore—some of
-them bleeding. He was powerless to furnish
-shoes and issued an order for the soldiers
-to make shoes out of rawhides. The
-order was given with a view of ameliorating
-the condition of the men and really
-did to some extent, but was not received
-by the men in the same spirit it was given<span class="pagenum" id="Page_80">[80]</span>
-and they in ridicule named him “Rawhide.”
-He was held in high esteem by
-his men, and they admired his fighting
-qualities. In battle he was firm as an
-unshaken rock, and the boys said that not
-a muscle would quiver even when shells
-were bursting around him and bullets were
-cutting close.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">General A. P. Hill</span> was a peer of the
-bravest and most successful general officers
-of his rank who were co-workers with him
-in the army of Northern Virginia. He
-commanded with judgment; maneuvered
-and executed with skill and proved himself
-worthy of the position he occupied. In
-the hour of danger he did not waver and
-in the heat of battle stood firmly with his
-men.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">General Ewell</span> was a little, scrawny,
-weakly looking fellow but a fighter with
-a reputation. He succeeded Jackson in
-command and while he did not claim to
-be his equal. The mantle of the famous
-general fell upon a worthy one, who did
-not degrade but kept the command up to
-a respectable standard. In an engagement
-when perhaps many a commanding officer
-would have been far enough to the rear to
-have protected himself, he was wounded
-and in consequence of the wound had to
-submit to an operation and had his leg
-amputated, but did not make his misfortune
-an excuse to retire from service, but
-remained with his command and fought to
-the finish.</p>
-
-
-
-
-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_81">[81]</span><span class="smcap">General Early</span> was regarded as rather
-eccentric, and acquired a reputation for
-gaining many battles and losing out in the
-end. After bagging his game he seemed
-not to have the ability to retain it. On
-one occasion after driving the Yankees
-unceremoniously from their position he
-passed along and familiarly said to the
-soldiers, “Boys you walloped it to ’em
-this time.” For many weeks he kept his
-command on the run either in hot pursuit
-of the Yankees or running in a stampede
-from them. He kept the Yankees in constant
-dread and did some very effective
-work as a commanding officer.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">General Stuart</span> was a dashy cavalry
-general and when he went on the warpath
-there was something doing. He with other
-cavalry officers, such as Hampton, Mosby,
-Imboden and others terrorized the Yankees
-and often made them hit the grit and burn
-the wind to get out of the way. The
-cavalry force under his leadership very
-materially assisted the main army in
-successfully carrying out its plans on
-the campaign. General Stuart took
-Jackson’s place at Chancellorsville, and
-successfully prosecuted the engagement
-that occurred the day after Jackson’s
-unfortunate adventure while riding along
-the lines, resulting in his serious wound
-that disabled him and finally caused his
-death. He was a fine looking man and a
-gallant commanding officer and lost his
-life in a cavalry engagement at the Yellow<span class="pagenum" id="Page_82">[82]</span>
-Tavern.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">General Longstreet</span> held a high position
-among the officers of the army, and
-in its counsels his fine military mind exerted
-an influence towards shaping aggressive
-campaigns. His command did some hard
-and effective fighting. Wherever the tramp
-of the soldiers in his corps was heard,
-Southern soldiers were encouraged and the
-Federal troops terror stricken. The Yankees
-learned of his name and fame and
-feared him accordingly.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">General Breckenridge</span> was tall symmetrical
-and impressed one in his presence
-with his attractive personality. He belonged
-to a leading Kentucky family and
-was in the war prompted by a sense of
-duty and loyalty to his country. He was
-a leading factor in the counsels of the
-officers in shaping the character of the
-military movements.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">General Gordon</span> was a fair type of the
-Southern gentleman, and his very appearance
-indicated soldier qualities of a high
-order. He was an educated man and his
-literary attainments gave him prominence
-in the counsels of war held by the general
-officers. In prosecuting military movements
-he called into requisition his fine
-military talent, experience, good judgment
-and discretion. After the war he became
-distinguished for his eloquence and became
-a fine platform lecturer.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">General Wheeler</span>, better known as
-fighting Jo Wheeler, a good portion of the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_83">[83]</span>
-time had his headquarters in his saddle,
-and his command was expert horseback
-riders. With his boys he was in his proper
-element when chastising the Yankees. It
-was said that he slipped upon their blind
-side and it seemed that all sides were blind
-for he was liable to attack them from any
-point of the compass, and his raids were a
-great help to the main army. His command
-returning home after the surrender
-was followed by a gang of looters that
-stole horses and committed other depredations
-claiming to be Wheeler’s men. General
-Wheeler figured conspicuously in the
-Spanish-Cuban war retaining in his old
-age his fire and courage as a soldier.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">General Jackson</span> was a military chieftain
-whose equal in his special line or plan
-of conducting a campaign could not be
-found in the army. He never tried to
-evade a battle when it was in the interest
-of the cause he represented to fight, but by
-his dashing movements often accomplished
-by strategy victories that could not have
-been achieved in battle. He was loved by
-officers and men in his command, and they
-placed implicit confidence in him. His
-name and presence cheered them on to
-deeds of valor, and the mere rumor in the
-camp of the enemy that Jackson was coming
-made officers and soldiers tremble in
-their boots. They feared him as a foe, but
-respected him for his clever management,
-and admired him for his heroism and wonderful
-achievements.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_84">[84]</span></p>
-
-<div class="poetry-container">
-<div class="poetry">
-<div class="verse">The name of the illustrious Jackson should have a place</div>
-<div class="verse">In the history of heroes on the brightest page,</div>
-<div class="verse">He was a born commander and leader of men,</div>
-<div class="verse">A terror to his enemies—a beacon light to his friends.</div>
-<div class="verse">On the march or in battle he moved without fear</div>
-<div class="verse">Of the world’s greatest generals he was a peer;</div>
-<div class="verse">His artful maneuvering and quick movements did save</div>
-<div class="verse">The live of many a soldier brave.</div>
-<div class="verse">Passing down the line soldiers always could tell</div>
-<div class="verse">That Jackson was coming by the Rebel yell;</div>
-<div class="verse">His name and heroism gave hope to the Nation,</div>
-<div class="verse">And his presence among the soldiers caused an ovation,</div>
-<div class="verse">When the fatal shot was fired that struck the hero down,</div>
-<div class="verse">The cause of Southern independence waned and gloom did abound;</div>
-<div class="verse">The sad news of his wound gave to Lee alarm,</div>
-<div class="verse">And he mournfully said, I have lost my right arm.</div>
-</div></div>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">General Robert E. Lee</span>, commander
-of the army of Northern Virginia, was in
-many respects superior to any military
-chieftain the world has ever produced. He
-was a patriot, statesman, scholar, military
-hero and consecrated christian gentleman.
-On one occasion a portion of the Southern
-army was facing the enemy in full view of
-the line of battle. Dark threatening clouds
-were near and pelting hailstones and fleaks
-of snow were beginning to fall. The soldiers
-were shivering with cold, obeying
-orders issued not to move from their position
-or build any fires. The general in a
-soft tender voice so characteristic of the
-man ordered the officers to allow the soldiers
-to build temporary shelters with pine
-brush to shelter them from the hail and
-snow and to build fires. In a very short
-time they were protected from the storm
-and fairly comfortable by the blazing fire
-prepared. He lead the grand army to victory
-in battles, and when at last overpowered<span class="pagenum" id="Page_85">[85]</span>
-by superior numbers he was obliged
-to surrender, he went down not in disgrace
-but glorious in defeat, and when history
-gives a true record comparing him with
-the greatest of military heroes his name
-will be emblazoned on the brightest page
-outshining them all.</p>
-
-<div class="poetry-container">
-<div class="poetry">
-<div class="verse">In our country’s broad arena no generation ever will see</div>
-<div class="verse">A military chieftain—an equal of the immortal Lee;</div>
-<div class="verse">He could have commanded armies backed by wealth and display,</div>
-<div class="verse">And have been recognized as the greatest general of the day.</div>
-<div class="verse">While over that army the Stars and Stripes waved</div>
-<div class="verse">He could have commanded soldiers gallant and brave,</div>
-<div class="verse">But he sacrificed wealth, position and fame,</div>
-<div class="verse">And to the rescue of his native home gallantly came.</div>
-<div class="verse">In victory he was magnanimous heroic and great,</div>
-<div class="verse">But his luster shined more brilliantly in defeat.</div>
-<div class="verse">Among the world’s greatest generals he stands at the head,</div>
-<div class="verse">The greatest military chieftain living or dead.</div>
-<div class="verse">When his sun went down there was sorrow and gloom</div>
-<div class="verse">Among the inmates of every Southern home;</div>
-<div class="verse">He commanded an army of soldiers without a peer</div>
-<div class="verse">And to every Southern soldier his memory is dear.</div>
-</div></div>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Recapitulation.</span>—The short sketch of
-the general officers named closes the
-Reminiscences of the war period. There
-may be some discrepancies and possibly
-some errors as everything noticed is quoted
-from memory, and a lapse of more than
-forty years ought to be accepted as a valid
-excuse for any mistakes. The narrative is
-claimed to be true, and the object of the
-writer has been to deal fairly and impartially
-with all classes referred to.</p>
-
-<div class="poetry-container">
-<div class="poetry">
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">These general officers leaders in their time,</div>
-<div class="verse">With gallant subordinates all along the line,</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">Commanded an army that was complete,</div>
-<div class="verse">Glorious in victory and defeat.</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<span class="pagenum" id="Page_86">[86]</span>
-<div class="verse">The world never saw and there never will be</div>
-<div class="verse">An army to equal the one commanded by Jackson and Lee,</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">Soldiers in the ranks from the best families came,</div>
-<div class="verse">And fought for their country and not for a name;</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">At home they left property, mothers, sisters, sweethearts and wives</div>
-<div class="verse">To protect these treasures they imperiled their lives</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">The Union was preserved not alone by Union men,</div>
-<div class="verse">But by Aliens that came across the cause to defend,</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">The Stars and Bars folded trailed in the dust,</div>
-<div class="verse">And the Stars and Stripes waved as it waved at first.</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">The Southern army overpowered in the struggle lost out,</div>
-<div class="verse">But left to Southern people an inheritance of which they are proud.</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">Now all sections of our country fight under one flag,</div>
-<div class="verse">And when the Southern boy is called for he does not lag.</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">We love our country no less than before,</div>
-<div class="verse">But fight for it because we love the Sunny South more.</div>
-</div></div></div>
-
-
-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
-
-<div class="chapter">
-<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII.<br />
-
-
-<small>RECONSTRUCTION PERIOD.</small></h2>
-</div>
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Surrender of Lee.</span>—On the ninth day
-of April 1865 at Apomattox Virginia General
-Lee surrendered to General Grant,
-after four years struggle in perhaps the
-most awful war of modern times. Only
-a remnant of the once powerful and vigorous
-army was left to share in the humiliation.
-A large proportion of the gallant
-soldiers of the army over which the
-immortal Lee was the commander had
-fallen to rise no more, and the few remaining
-were broken down by the continued
-hardships of the four years struggle. Being
-overpowered they humbly submitted to
-the inevitable and in good faith accepted
-the terms given by their conquerors and
-returned to their homes, thousands of which<span class="pagenum" id="Page_87">[87]</span>
-were broken up, and thousands more in
-mourning for loved ones who had perished
-in the war.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Right to Secede.</span>—The question as to
-whether a State had a right to secede from
-the General Government could not be settled
-by arbitration or legislation, and had
-been submitted to the arbitrament of the
-sword and decided in the negative. The
-Federal government through its civil representatives
-and military hosts claimed and
-proclaimed a State had no right to secede.
-An overwhelming majority of the people
-north of Mason and Dixon’s line embraced
-this theory. Southern people embraced
-the opinion that States had the inalienable
-right to rebel against the government, if
-the rights vouchsafed to said states by
-the constitution were infringed upon. After
-four years of civil war unparalleled for its
-severity and extent of loss of life and property,
-the issue was settled in favor of the
-Northern idea, and Southern soldiers
-accepted their parole, took the oath of
-allegiance to the government of the United
-States in good faith, and returned home
-to take up life again as peaceable, loyal
-citizens.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Sherman’s March to the Sea.</span>—A few
-days previous and subsequent to the surrender
-of Lee, Johnson with his army was
-retreating towards North Carolina, with
-Sherman in hot pursuit, on his famous
-march to the sea. General Sherman,
-talented, as he was, holding a key to the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_88">[88]</span>
-situation, must have known that the end
-of the so called rebellion was near at hand,
-but leading his Vandal hosts with pine
-torch in hand, careless with fire, seemed to
-take a fiendish pleasure listening to the
-crackling conflagrations and witnessing
-the lurid sheets of flame as it swallowed up
-barns full of feed and stock and palaces,
-cottages and all kinds of residences with
-the accumulation of the lifetime of the
-occupants, and the inmates themselves,
-helpless women and children driven out
-of doors, groping their way through the
-dense smoke and darkness, hurried on with
-agonizing fear and dread of personal harm
-that was terrible beyond description. A
-man of intelligence raised in a land of
-Bibles under christian influence that could
-gloat over such orgies is more in need of
-missionary influence than the inhabitants
-of Greenland’s icy mountain or India’s
-coral strand.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Home Coming of Soldiers.</span>—For several
-weeks after the surrender of Lee and
-Johnson, the soldiers continued to return
-to their homes and returning divested
-themselves of their army clothes worn,
-dirty and sometimes infested with vermin
-sad reminders of camp and prison life.
-The old clothes were burned and the soldiers
-dressed in citizens clothes that had
-been laid aside four years before, or in new
-clothes that thoughtful mothers, sisters or
-wives had prepared in anticipation of their
-home coming. The soldiers were welcomed<span class="pagenum" id="Page_89">[89]</span>
-home by their people who rejoiced
-to see them return. On some occasions
-they were met by mothers, sisters or wives
-who had passed through four years of great
-tribulation, and sometimes by hungry,
-ragged children, made more than orphans
-by the war. To welcome the return of the
-soldiers. Nature seemed to smile in
-extravagant luxuriance. Flowers were
-blooming, growing crops were springing
-up in a prolific growth, promising a bountiful
-harvest. The soldiers became citizens
-and relieved women and children of burdens
-of farm work that their forced absence
-had put upon them, and under the changed
-condition of affairs everything was in a
-fair way to resume normal conditions.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Assassination of Lincoln.</span>—Very
-soon after the surrender of Lee, Abraham
-Lincoln, president of the United States,
-was assassinated and Southern people
-deplored the sad event. Although the
-leaders and common people of the South
-had nothing to do with the awful crime, it
-had a tendency to intensify the already
-bitter feeling of the radical element North,
-and this element began to clamor for
-revenge, demanding the punishment of
-innocent people of the South for a crime
-for which they were in no way responsible
-but entirely innocent. If Lincoln had not
-have been removed by death from the presidency
-and could have exerted an influence
-that the promptings of his really generous
-nature would have caused him to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_90">[90]</span>
-endeavor to use, it would have been a
-boon to the downtrodden people of the
-Southland. The average soldier was disposed
-to get to work and really did get to
-work with an honest endeavor to repair
-the damage done, and to build up the
-waste places.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Federal Officers.</span>—The rulers or
-representatives of the general government
-could have immortalize themselves and
-their names would have gone down in history
-as benefactors, but instead they took
-a different view of the situation and apparently
-actuated by a revengeful spirit heaped
-up burdens that made the suffering people
-cry out in agony “How long will this
-state of affairs exist.”</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Conduct of Yankee Soldiers.</span>—Early
-in the Spring of 1865 the war was rapidly
-coming to a close and the Yankee soldiers
-were invading every nook and corner.
-Some of them acted very gentlemanly and
-did what they could to protect private
-property, but others committed depredations,
-terrified the people and stole or
-impressed, as they called it, the most of
-the good horses, sometimes leaving worn
-out old scrubby plugs for farmers to make
-their crops with, and then other gangs
-would come along and take these leaving
-farmers without horses. In the Summer
-the army horses were corralled at different
-places, sold at auction to the highest bidder
-and brought from one to fifty dollars
-a piece. In this way they got about all<span class="pagenum" id="Page_91">[91]</span>
-the money the citizens had managed to get
-hold of.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Looters Follow Yankee Army.</span>—In
-the rear of the Yankee army there followed
-a motley gang of looters that were ignorant,
-vicious and some of them penitentiary
-convicts. This despicable class, that
-would not have been invited into the
-homes of respectable people where they
-lived, set themselves up as leaders to plunder,
-steal and overawe the good citizens
-of the desolated country.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Provisional Government.</span>—The Southern
-people soon learned to their sorrow
-that if a state did not have a right to
-secede that the states which were in
-rebellion were not considered in the union.
-Provisional Governments were forced upon
-the Southern States and in North Carolina
-W. W. Holden, who perhaps had done
-more to bring about, foster and encourage
-the secession of the state than any other
-man within her borders, was made governor
-of the state, and a reign of terror, misrule
-and tyranny began. A governor with
-a retinue of ignorant, vicious, dishonest
-followers, willing and anxious to humiliate
-and punish the leading and best citizens of
-the state, caused a distressing state of
-affairs to exist.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">The Negro Enfranchised.</span>—To still
-further humiliate the Southern people an
-amendment was added to the constitution
-which placed the ballot in the hands of
-every negro man in the South twenty-one<span class="pagenum" id="Page_92">[92]</span>
-years old, and not satisfied with this leading
-citizens of the South were disfranchised.
-Thousands of the most prominent and
-influential citizens of the State of North
-Carolina were disfranchised. An election
-was ordered and held but everything was
-one way, and many of the poll holders
-were big “buck niggers” that would not
-have known the Constitution of the United
-States from the Ten Commandments.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Carpetbaggers.</span>—The carpetbaggers
-and low down thieves, thugs and bums
-that were tacked on to the tail end of the
-Yankee army and left to torture, torment
-and terrorize the peaceable, law-abiding
-citizens of the South were now busy with
-their fiendish work. They had already
-done effective preparatory work by visiting
-and mingling freely with an element
-congenial to their degraded and vitiated
-tastes. They had frequented negro cabins
-which were thickly scattered over the
-country. These ignorant, confiding negroes
-were easily prevailed upon to meet in old
-fields, woods, or old houses located in
-obscure places where they organized and
-instructed them.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">The Negro Politicians.</span>—The negro
-politician loomed up and these self-constituted
-bosses pictured to them in glowing
-colors the beauty and grandeur of a position
-they would occupy where their former
-owners and other leading white citizens
-would have to bow the knee and acknowledge
-their royal authority. They were<span class="pagenum" id="Page_93">[93]</span>
-informed that the lands owned by Southern
-white people would be confiscated and
-divided out among them. Some of them
-in obedience to instructions went so far as
-to stake off forty acres of land where they
-wanted it, with the assurance that it would
-be given them. They were also promised
-with the forty acres of land and a mule, and
-were happy in anticipation in the near
-future of being in possession of immense
-wealth. Their political aspirations were if
-possible more extravagant. Offices not
-wanted by these designing political robbers
-were parcelled out to negroes that
-they could use to do their bidding.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Election a Farce.</span>—An election was
-held that was worse than a farce. The
-negroes marched up to the polls like droves
-of sheep and deposited a piece of paper in
-a box that they could not have told by
-looking at it whether it was a ballot or
-ticket for passage on a railroad or admission
-into a theatre. In North Carolina
-the ballot boxes were sent to Charleston,
-S. C., for the ballots to be counted by a
-military commander. To the legislature
-were elected a few good citizens and a host
-of carpetbaggers, scalawags, and negroes,
-the last three named having overwhelming
-majorities.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Legislature.</span>—The legislature met
-composed of this motley crew to enact
-laws for the government of the people of
-our loved State. In the legislature were
-a few representative members mixed in<span class="pagenum" id="Page_94">[94]</span>
-with the disreputable carpetbaggers, scalawags
-and ignorant negroes, and an organization
-effected by a few sharp unprincipled
-alien adventurers who at once began
-to plan a system of robbery bold, insolent
-and disgraceful, and their corrupt ignorant
-tools were ready to do anything dictated
-by them. The legislature remained in session
-an entire year, the members voting
-themselves seven dollars per day, and some
-of them computing their mileage over a
-roundabout way to give them an excuse
-to augment their mileage accounts. The
-public school fund that had been
-sacredly preserved through the four years
-vicissitudes of war was taken to pay the
-per diem of the members of the mob that
-had convened under the name of legislature.
-State bonds were voted and issued
-for millions of dollars ostensibly to build
-railroads, but the proceeds of the bonds
-were gobbled up by money sharks and no
-railroads built. Many of these bonds were
-later repudiated by the state as fraudulent.
-A system of state, county and municipal
-government prevailed that was oppressive,
-and the good people of the state were
-humiliated and felt outraged without having
-any chance to remedy the evil existing.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">County Officers.</span>—In the legislature
-were several negroes and in some counties
-were negro sheriffs, registers of deeds,
-county commissioners, magistrates and
-school committees. While such a state of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_95">[95]</span>
-affairs was humiliating, perhaps the carpetbaggers
-and some of the homemade
-scalawags who forgetting and forsaking
-their race and color, acting with them
-were, if possible, a worse curse to the
-state than the negro himself. White people
-were arrested upon warrants issued by
-negro magistrates who tried their cases
-and gloated over an opportunity to punish
-them. Extortionate taxes were levied and
-collected and in some counties claims were
-held by officers and people were obliged to
-sell them at a tremendous discount and
-the officers and their pet partners would
-buy them in and pay themselves full value
-from the county fund. Their outrageous
-extravagance disgusted all decent white
-people and their methods were universally
-condemned. The negro as a politician
-became aggressive and the bosses were
-obliged to put their names on the ticket
-because in many places they furnished the
-voting population. Negroes became offensive
-and entirely ignored their former
-owners and other white friends who were
-disposed to treat them fairly, and accepted
-as their advisers these low down carpetbaggers
-and if possible lower scalawags.
-The negro depended almost entirely for
-his living upon the better class of white
-people and notwithstanding all his prejudice
-and bitterness, acknowledged this
-fact, but a dirty thief or a dirty, no account
-white man of the class used to do their
-dirty work would tell them if they voted<span class="pagenum" id="Page_96">[96]</span>
-with the old secession crowd, as they called
-them, they would be put back in slavery,
-but if they voted as they suggested they
-would surely get the forty acres of land
-and a mule, and what was still more pleasing
-to them would place themselves in a
-position to wreak revenge on this now
-despised class. Some of the hireling serfs
-were willing to sell their birthright for less
-than a miserable mess of potage, and went
-so far as to advise the poor, ignorant, confiding
-negro, in case he was refused work
-by this class of white people, to steal such
-as he needed from the corn cribs, wheat
-houses, smoke houses and if that would
-not suffice to burn their barns or to burn
-them out of house and home.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Crimes Committed.</span>—Under this wicked
-teaching or training crimes galore were
-committed and men were unsafe and women
-insecure to go along the streets or
-highways. Instead of law and order
-anarchy reigned supreme and crime stalked
-boldly in the land heretofore noted for
-peace, happiness and prosperity.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Negroes Offensive.</span>—Young negroes
-became offensive as a result of the false
-training of this vicious class of men and
-some women, pretended religious enthusiasts,
-who knew nothing of the class of
-people to whom they were teaching a
-doctrine of direct or indirect social equality.
-Ambitious notions took possession of
-the bestial natures of some of the worst
-element of the race and results revolting<span class="pagenum" id="Page_97">[97]</span>
-to think of blackened the page of history
-of this fearful period.</p>
-
-<p>W. W. Holden was then governor of
-North Carolina, and could have used his
-fine talent, directed in a proper channel, to
-have been a blessing instead of a curse to
-the people of the State whom it was his
-sworn duty to protect instead of persecuting.
-The Executive and Judicial powers
-of the State were silent as the grave and
-by their silence put their seal of approval
-upon the disgraceful transactions, thus
-staining their administration with crime
-and the approval of crime and becoming a
-party seeking and wreaking revenge.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Ku Klux Klan.</span>—The ferocious
-wretches became so bold in the commission
-of their outrages that in defense of life and
-property the good people of the country
-organized a society called by different
-names in different places but known every
-where as the “Ku Klux Klan.” The object
-of the organization was to secure protection
-that the pretended officers of the
-law failed to give to the oppressed people.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Holden and Kirk.</span>—Governor Holden
-prevailed with his gang of blind partizans
-in the legislature to pass a law authorizing
-him to declare martial law in any part of
-the state. This he proceeded to do in a
-few counties and had some citizens of the
-highest character, accused of committing
-heinous crimes. Federal troops were sent
-to these counties, not troops made up in
-the state, but a gang of cut-throats from<span class="pagenum" id="Page_98">[98]</span>
-Tennessee, commanded by an acknowledged
-vicious wretch by the name of Kirk.</p>
-
-<p>Governor Holden was not satisfied with
-the scope of power given him, but wrote
-to the president asking for Federal authority
-allowing arrests to be made and parties
-tried before a military tribunal hoping to
-have some of the best citizens of the state
-shot at the stake. Congress refused to
-confer on the president the power to declare
-martial law. The governor and his
-crowd had to depend on such state authority
-as they had managed to usurp. Col.
-Kirk with his gang had invaded the state
-under the direction of the governor and
-more than one hundred citizens were
-arrested and imprisoned by Kirk and his
-minions.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Judiciary Exhausted.</span>—Chief Justice
-Pearson had until this time been regarded
-as a just judge, and application was made
-to him for a writ of habeas corpus that
-men in prison might know why they were
-imprisoned. Judge Pearson granted the
-writ but when an attempt was made to
-serve it on Kirk he ignored it under the
-plea that he was acting under orders from
-Governor Holden. Counsel of the prisoners
-asked for further process to punish Kirk
-but the Chief Justice held that his power
-was exhausted and that the Judiciary could
-not contend with the Executive. The highest
-judges in the state claimed to be powerless
-and the Holden Kirk conspirators,
-although panting to get recognition from<span class="pagenum" id="Page_99">[99]</span>
-the Federal Government, began to make
-preparations to form a Drumhead court to
-consist of thirteen members—seven to be
-appointed by the governor and six by
-Colonel Kirk. The Chief Executive of the
-state expecting to preside over this court
-and try cases with the Judiciary in sight
-and hearing, declaring itself helpless.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Judge Brooks.</span>—The right will usually
-prevail and Judge Brooks a Federal Judge
-listened to the cry of the distressed and
-oppressed and gave them relief. Governor
-Holden and Colonel Kirk could not intimidate
-him with their scarecrow cries of war
-and bloodshed. He gave Kirk peremptory
-orders to allow his prisoners to come before
-him at Salisbury within ten days.
-Governor Holden asked the president to
-interfere and he promptly informed him
-that Judge Brook’s order must be obeyed.
-Nothing was against the prisoners and
-they were released, and the state was soon
-relieved of the presence of the Kirk mob.
-Governor Holden was impeached, convicted
-and expelled from his high office.
-The people rose in their might and partially
-redeemed the state, but it took years
-to accomplish the desired effect.</p>
-
-<p>One hundred thousand ignorant negroes
-were enfranchised and their proportional
-numerical strength of the voting population
-enabled them to exert a baneful influence
-which very much afflicted the counsels of
-our state.</p>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Negro Problem.</span>—This brings to the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_100">[100]</span>
-surface the negro problem, which will not
-be discussed here, but the different phases
-of negro life at different periods of time
-will be noticed. The negro was brought
-to this country from a heathen land centuries
-ago and it was soon discovered that
-a Southern climate was suitable to his
-health and growth and as a commercial
-commodity in the South he would be profitable.
-The negro living as a servant of
-the white families developed many commendable
-traits of character. Under the
-influence of an acknowledged superior race
-he became partially civilized and became
-very much attached as a servant to his
-master and mistress as he was pleased to
-call them. He brought with him from the
-dark continent some traits of character
-that were inherent and hard to eradicate.
-As a slave he was faithful and the great
-mass of them were happy, and growing up
-with white children loved and respected
-them without once thinking himself their
-social equal. Before the war and during
-the war it was a very rare case to hear
-of an outrage being committed. The
-negro was happy in his surroundings, having
-no cares for the future, knowing he
-would be provided for even in sickness
-and old age. During the war he cared for
-and as far as he was capable protected the
-white women and children at home while
-their fathers, brothers and husbands were
-in the army.</p>
-
-
-<h3><span class="smcap">The Old Time Darkey.</span>—</h3>
-
-<div class="poetry-container">
-<div class="poetry">
-<div class="verse">The old time darkey is in the evening of his life,</div>
-<div class="verse">After the passing of the last one with the race there will be strife,</div>
-<div class="verse">He is a colored gentleman in company or at home</div>
-<div class="verse">And when asked to do a favor always will come.</div>
-<div class="verse">If his people are suffering with hunger or in distress</div>
-<div class="verse">He will divide his last slice of bacon or last crumb of bread;</div><span class="pagenum" id="Page_101">[101]</span>
-<div class="verse">If at any time employed in the field at work</div>
-<div class="verse">He does not have to be watched for he will not shirk.</div>
-<div class="verse">He is polite in company, at home, on the road, or street</div>
-<div class="verse">And will pull of his hat to anyone he may meet;</div>
-<div class="verse">He is proud of his freedom, and glad he is not a slave</div>
-<div class="verse">But remembers his early training and knows how to behave,</div>
-<div class="verse">He has bought his acre of land that he claims as his own</div>
-<div class="verse">Has built a rude cabin and lives at home,</div>
-<div class="verse">When a slave he worked through the week and on Saturday night</div>
-<div class="verse">Danced to the tune of the banjo till broad daylight</div>
-<div class="verse">Then on Sunday all through the day</div>
-<div class="verse">Courted his dusky damsel in the old time way.</div>
-<div class="verse">If asked how he liked roasted potatoes, opossum or chicken to eat</div>
-<div class="verse">With a broad grin he answers “Dem things is sweet.”</div>
-<div class="verse">He said poor nigger got tired of bacon and corn bread,</div>
-<div class="verse">And relished good eating before he went to bed.</div>
-<div class="verse">He owns he was fond of nice good picking</div>
-<div class="verse">And thought it was no harm for mister’s niggers to eat master’s chickens,</div>
-<div class="verse">His mouth still waters and he sighs for the luxury so fine</div>
-<div class="verse">When he feasted on watermelons in the good old Summer time.</div>
-<div class="verse">During the war he was industrious, polite and genteel</div>
-<div class="verse">And took care of women and children while the men were in the field.</div>
-<div class="verse">He was loyal to the South as any Southern son</div>
-<div class="verse">And his conduct should be classed with Southern victory won.</div>
-<div class="verse">The old black mamma that stayed around the home</div>
-<div class="verse">And took care of the children the same as her own,</div>
-<div class="verse">The children remember her kindness and care</div>
-<div class="verse">Though now growing old they are children to her,</div>
-<div class="verse">The old time darkeys are well meaning and try to check</div>
-<div class="verse">The young generation that are losing self respect.</div>
-</div></div>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">The Emancipated Negro.</span>—To do the
-negro race justice, there is no doubt if they
-had been let alone to follow their own inclinations
-and judgment they would have
-been largely influenced in their conduct
-after being emancipated by their former
-owners and the better class of white people
-of the South who were then and are
-now their best friends, because having
-grown up with them in an entirely different
-social scale are better calculated to
-advise them for their good. Two classes
-of people accepted by them as their advisers<span class="pagenum" id="Page_102">[102]</span>
-are responsible for present conditions.
-A low class of avaricious, ignorant, known
-enemies of the South who have used them
-to advance their own selfish interests, and
-another equally objectionable class of
-Northern religious fanatics, whose training
-lead them to believe that the Southern
-people treated them inhumanly. By mingling
-with them socially and teaching them
-that they were entitled to recognition in
-the social circle of the whites, caused them
-to have aspirations and ambitions to which
-they can never attain.</p>
-
-<p>The Southern people at once acknowledged
-their freedom, and were ready to
-help them in their struggle for a more prosperous
-career, and were willing to give
-them their rights before the law but not
-willing to place the ballot in their hands or
-give them a place in the counsels of the
-government. Negroes who have followed
-the advice of their real friends are now
-doing well, accumulating property and are
-in possession of homes of their own and
-their children are being educated, but those
-who have gone astray under the teaching
-and advice of aliens who know nothing
-about them and care less have become vagrants
-and criminals and are a menace to
-the communities in which they live. The
-negro problem will be solved by Southern
-people who know the characteristics of the
-race and will treat them in such a way as
-to enable them to build up as a race. If
-listened to their condition will be bettered
-and the two races will live in the Southland
-together harmoniously, but if the
-advice of their only true friends is ignored
-it will be a survival of the fittest and like
-the Indians they will by the management
-of Southern people be provided with a
-home elsewhere and live to themselves and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_103">[103]</span>
-enjoy the fullness of their freedom.</p>
-
-<div class="poetry-container">
-<div class="poetry">
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">The sun may be darkened and the moon stream in blood</div>
-<div class="verse">But the voice of the Anglo Saxons in our counsels will be heard,</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">The stars may fall and the earth with fervent heat melt,</div>
-<div class="verse">But the influence of an inferior race in our counsels will not be felt.</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">They may come from Greenland’s icy mountain or India’s coral strand,</div>
-<div class="verse">From the black continent of Africa or other heathen lands:</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">We will humanely treat the savage, and give them their rights before the law,</div>
-<div class="verse">But before they undertake to rule they had better quietly withdraw.</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">In our own Sunny South we will give them a home</div>
-<div class="verse">And teach them civilization and to no longer roam,</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">We have a knotty problem to solve in our own Sunny Southland,</div>
-<div class="verse">But will resist any interference from any alien band.</div>
-</div></div></div>
-
-
-<p><span class="smcap">The Coming South.</span>—For forty years
-the oppressed South has been under a cloud
-groping its way in the wilderness, a part of
-the time without even a feint hope of
-reaching the promised land, but the clouds
-are breaking and through the dense darkness
-can be traced at least the outline of a
-silver lining. To the most obscure vision
-a light appears, and the dullest prophet
-can forecast the sunshine soon to burst
-forth in magnificent splendor. Neither
-heights, lengths, breadths, depths, principalities
-nor all the powers that be can stop
-the onward march of education, industrial
-development and universal wave of prosperity
-destined erelong to place the people
-of this, by nature favored land, in possession
-of their own. In the scientific, religious,
-industrial and political world, the
-South is forging its way to the front rank,
-and our grand old state of North Carolina
-with its variety of soil, climate, minerals,
-timbers and its progressive people is coming.
-From the foundation of the government
-till the sixties the native born talent of the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_104">[104]</span>
-South shaped and managed the affairs of
-the nation, and now she is coming, after
-passing through a fiery ordeal, to again
-resume a place that other sections of the
-country will be compelled to concede to
-her.</p>
-
-<div class="poetry-container">
-<div class="poetry">
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">We no longer hear the bellowing cannon or clash of arms,</div>
-<div class="verse">Or the tramp of soldiers marching raising alarm.</div>
-</div>
-<div class="stanza">
-<div class="verse">But instead the busy hum of machinery and tramp of children to school on their way,</div>
-<div class="verse">And the blessings of peace and prosperity making triumphant strides in their day.</div>
-</div></div></div>
-
-
-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
-
-<div class="chapter">
-<div class="transnote">
-<p class="ph1">TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES:</p>
-
-<p>Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.</p>
-
-<p>Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized.</p>
-
-<p>Archaic or variant spelling has been retained.</p>
-</div></div>
-
-
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