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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/13202-0.txt b/13202-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..96253a2 --- /dev/null +++ b/13202-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8076 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13202 *** + +This eBook was produced by Ken Reeder <kreeder@mailsnare.net> + + + + +PUBLISHER'S NOTICE. + +Eighteen years ago, the first edition of this book, "Co. H., First +Tennessee Regiment," was published by the author, Mr. Sam. R. Watkins, +of Columbia, Tenn. A limited edition of two thousand copies was printed +and sold. For nearly twenty years this work has been out of print and +the owners of copies of it hold them so precious that it is impossible to +purchase one. To meet a demand, so strong as to be almost irresistable +the Chattanooga Times has printed a second edition of 2000 copies, +which to soldiers of the Army of the Tennessee and the Army of the +Cumberland, between whom many battles were fought, it will prove of +intense interest, serving to recall many scenes and incidents of battle +field and camp in which they were the chief actors. To them and to all +other readers we respectfully commend this book as being the best and +most impersonal history of any army ever written. + + THE CHATTANOOGA TIMES. + + Chattanooga, Tenn., Oct. 1, 1900. + + + + + "CO. AYTCH," + + MAURY GRAYS, + + FIRST TENNESSEE REGIMENT; + + OR, + + A SIDE SHOW OF THE BIG SHOW. + + + By SAM. R. WATKINS, + + COLUMBIA, TENN. + + + "Quaeque ipse miserima vidi, + Et quorum pars magna fui." + + + + + TO THE MEMORY + OF MY DEAD + COMRADES OF + THE MAURY GRAYS, + AND THE FIRST TENNESSEE REGIMENT, WHO + DIED IN DEFENSE OF SOUTHERN HOMES AND + LIBERTIES: ALSO TO MY LIVING COMRADES, + NEARLY ALL OF + WHOM SHED THEIR + BLOOD IN DEFENSE + OF THE SAME + CAUSE, THIS BOOK + IS RESPECTFULLY + DEDICATED BY THE + AUTHOR . . . . . + + + + +CONTENTS + +CHAPTER I--RETROSPECTIVE + WE ARE ONE AND UNDIVIDED + THE BLOODY CHASM + EIGHTEEN HUNDRED AND SIXTY-ONE + CAMP CHEATHAM + ON THE ROAD + STAUNTON + WARM SPRINGS + CHEAT MOUNTAIN + ROMNEY + STANDING PICKET ON THE POTOMAC + SCHWARTZ AND PFIFER + THE COURT-MARTIAL + THE DEATH WATCH + VIRGINIA, FAREWELL + +CHAPTER II--SHILOH + SHILOH + +CHAPTER III--CORINTH + CORINTH + ROWLAND SHOT TO DEATH + KILLING A YANKEE SHARPSHOOTER + COLONEL FIELD + CAPTAIN JOE P. LEE + CORINTH FORSAKEN + +CHAPTER IV--TUPELO + TUPELO + THE COURT-MARTIAL AT TUPELO + RAIDING ON ROASTINGEARS + +CHAPTER V--KENTUCKY + WE GO INTO KENTUCKY + THE BATTLE OF PERRYVILLE + THE RETREAT OUT OF KENTUCKY + KNOXVILLE + AH, SNEAK + I JINE THE CAVALRY + +CHAPTER VI--MURFREESBORO + MURFREESBORO + BATTLE OF MURFREESBORO + ROBBING A DEAD YANKEE + +CHAPTER VII--SHELBYVILLE + SHELBYVILLE + A FOOT RACE + EATING MUSSELS + POOR BERRY MORGAN + WRIGHT SHOT TO DEATH WITH MUSKETRY + DAVE SUBLETT PROMOTED + DOWN DUCK RIVER IN A CANOE + SHENERAL OWLEYDOUSKY + +CHAPTER VIII--CHATTANOOGA + BACK TO CHATTANOOGA + AM VISITED BY MY FATHER + OUT A LARKING + HANGING TWO SPIES + EATING RATS + SWIMMING THE TENN. WITH ROASTINGEARS + AM DETAILED TO GO FORAGING + PLEASE PASS THE BUTTER + WE EVACUATE CHATTANOOGA + THE BULL OF THE WOODS + THE WING OF THE "ANGEL OF DEATH" + +CHAPTER IX--CHICKAMAUGA + BATTLE OF CHICKAMAUGA + AFTER THE BATTLE + A NIGHT AMONG THE DEAD + +CHAPTER X--MISSIONARY RIDGE + MISSIONARY RIDGE + SERGEANT TUCKER AND GEN. WILDER + MOCCASIN POINT + BATTLE OF MISSIONARY RIDGE + GOOD-BYE, TOM WEBB + THE REAR GUARD + CHICKAMAUGA STATION + THE BATTLE OF CAT CREEK + RINGGOLD GAP + +CHAPTER XI--DALTON + GEN. JOE JOHNSTON TAKES COMMAND + COMMISSARIES + DALTON + SHOOTING A DESERTER + TEN MEN KILLED AT MOURNER'S-BENCH + DR. C. T. QUINTARD + Y'S YOU GOT MY HOG? + TARGET SHOOTING + UNCLE ZACK AND AUNT DAPHNE + RED TAPE + I GET A FURLOUGH + +CHAPTER XII--HUNDRED DAYS BATTLE + ROCKY FACE RIDGE + FALLING BACK + BATTLE OF RESACCA + ADAIRSVILLE OCTAGON HOUSE + KENNESAW LINE + DETAILED TO GO INTO ENEMY'S LINES + DEATH OF GENERAL LEONIDAS POLK + GENERAL LUCIUS E. POLK WOUNDED + DEAD ANGLE + BATTLE OF NEW HOPE CHURCH + BATTLE OF DALLAS + BATTLE OF ZION CHURCH + KINGSTON + CASSVILLE + ON THE BANKS OF THE CHATTAHOOCHEE + REMOVAL OF GEN. JOE E. JOHNSTON + GEN. HOOD TAKES COMMAND + +CHAPTER XIII--ATLANTA + HOOD STRIKES + KILLING A YANKEE SCOUT + AN OLE CITIZEN + MY FRIENDS + AN ARMY WITHOUT CAVALRY + BATTLE OF JULY 22ND, 1864 + THE ATTACK + AM PROMOTED + 28TH OF JULY AT ATLANTA + I VISIT MONTGOMERY + THE HOSPITAL + THE CAPITOL + AM ARRESTED + THOSE GIRLS + THE TALISMAN + THE BRAVE CAPTAIN + HOW I GOT BACK TO ATLANTA + THE DEATH OF TOM TUCK'S ROOSTER + OLD JOE BROWN'S PETS + WE GO AFTER STONEMAN + BELLUM LETHALE + DEATH OF A YANKEE LIEUTENANT + ATLANTA FORSAKEN + +CHAPTER XIV--JONESBORO + BATTLE OF JONESBORO + DEATH OF LIEUT. JOHN WHITTAKER + THEN COMES THE FARCE + PALMETTO + JEFF DAVIS MAKES A SPEECH + ARMISTICE ONLY IN NAME + A SCOUT + WHAT IS THIS REBEL DOING HERE? + LOOK OUT, BOYS + AM CAPTURED + +CHAPTER XV--ADVANCE INTO TENNESSEE + GEN. HOOD MAKES A FLANK MOVEMENT + WE CAPTURE DALTON + A MAN IN THE WELL + TUSCUMBIA + EN ROUTE FOR COLUMBIA + +CHAPTER XVI--BATTLES IN TENNESSEE + COLUMBIA + A FIASCO + FRANKLIN + NASHVILLE + +CHAPTER XVII--THE SURRENDER + THE LAST ACT OF THE DRAMA + ADIEU + + + + +CHAPTER I + +RETROSPECTIVE + + +"WE ARE ONE AND UNDIVIDED" + +About twenty years ago, I think it was--I won't be certain, though-- +a man whose name, if I remember correctly, was Wm. L. Yancy--I write only +from memory, and this was a long time ago--took a strange and peculiar +notion that the sun rose in the east and set in the west, and that the +compass pointed north and south. Now, everybody knew at the time that +it was but the idiosyncrasy of an unbalanced mind, and that the United +States of America had no north, no south, no east, no west. Well, +he began to preach the strange doctrine of there being such a thing. +He began to have followers. As you know, it matters not how absurd, +ridiculous and preposterous doctrines may be preached, there will be some +followers. Well, one man by the name of (I think it was) Rhett, said it +out loud. He was told to "s-h-e-e." Then another fellow by the name (I +remember this one because it sounded like a graveyard) Toombs said so, +and he was told to "sh-sh-ee-ee." Then after a while whole heaps of +people began to say that they thought that there was a north and a south; +and after a while hundreds and thousands and millions said that there was +a south. But they were the persons who lived in the direction that the +water courses run. Now, the people who lived where the water courses +started from came down to see about it, and they said, "Gents, you are +very much mistaken. We came over in the Mayflower, and we used to burn +witches for saying that the sun rose in the east and set in the west, +because the sun neither rises nor sets, the earth simply turns on its +axis, and we know, because we are Pure(i)tans." The spokesman of the +party was named (I think I remember his name because it always gave me +the blues when I heard it) Horrors Greeley; and another person by the +name of Charles Sumner, said there ain't any north or south, east or west, +and you shan't say so, either. Now, the other people who lived in the +direction that the water courses run, just raised their bristles and +continued saying that there is a north and there is a south. When those +at the head of the water courses come out furiously mad, to coerce those +in the direction that water courses run, and to make them take it back. +Well, they went to gouging and biting, to pulling and scratching at a +furious rate. One side elected a captain by the name of Jeff Davis, +and known as one-eyed Jeff, and a first lieutenant by the name of Aleck +Stephens, commonly styled Smart Aleck. The other side selected as +captain a son of Nancy Hanks, of Bowling Green, and a son of old Bob +Lincoln, the rail-splitter, and whose name was Abe. Well, after he +was elected captain, they elected as first lieutenant an individual of +doubtful blood by the name of Hannibal Hamlin, being a descendant of the +generation of Ham, the bad son of old Noah, who meant to curse him blue, +but overdid the thing, and cursed him black. + +Well, as I said before, they went to fighting, but old Abe's side got +the best of the argument. But in getting the best of the argument they +called in all the people and wise men of other nations of the earth, +and they, too, said that America had no cardinal points, and that the sun +did not rise in the east and set in the west, and that the compass did +not point either north or south. + +Well, then, Captain Jeff Davis' side gave it up and quit, and they, too, +went to saying that there is no north, no south, no east, no west. +Well, "us boys" all took a small part in the fracas, and Shep, the +prophet, remarked that the day would come when those who once believed +that the American continent had cardinal points would be ashamed to own +it. That day has arrived. America has no north, no south, no east, +no west; the sun rises over the hills and sets over the mountains, +the compass just points up and down, and we can laugh now at the absurd +notion of there being a north and a south. + +Well, reader, let me whisper in your ear. I was in the row, and the +following pages will tell what part I took in the little unpleasant +misconception of there being such a thing as a north and south. + + +THE BLOODY CHASM + +In these memoirs, after the lapse of twenty years, we propose to fight +our "battles o'er again." + +To do this is but a pastime and pleasure, as there is nothing that so +much delights the old soldier as to revisit the scenes and battlefields +with which he was once so familiar, and to recall the incidents, though +trifling they may have been at the time. + +The histories of the Lost Cause are all written out by "big bugs," +generals and renowned historians, and like the fellow who called a turtle +a "cooter," being told that no such word as cooter was in Webster's +dictionary, remarked that he had as much right to make a dictionary as +Mr. Webster or any other man; so have I to write a history. + +But in these pages I do not pretend to write the history of the war. +I only give a few sketches and incidents that came under the observation +of a "high private" in the rear ranks of the rebel army. Of course, +the histories are all correct. They tell of great achievements of great +men, who wear the laurels of victory; have grand presents given them; +high positions in civil life; presidents of corporations; governors of +states; official positions, etc., and when they die, long obituaries are +published, telling their many virtues, their distinguished victories, +etc., and when they are buried, the whole country goes in mourning and is +called upon to buy an elegant monument to erect over the remains of so +distinguished and brave a general, etc. But in the following pages I +propose to tell of the fellows who did the shooting and killing, the +fortifying and ditching, the sweeping of the streets, the drilling, +the standing guard, picket and videt, and who drew (or were to draw) +eleven dollars per month and rations, and also drew the ramrod and tore +the cartridge. Pardon me should I use the personal pronoun "I" too +frequently, as I do not wish to be called egotistical, for I only write +of what I saw as an humble private in the rear rank in an infantry +regiment, commonly called "webfoot." Neither do I propose to make this +a connected journal, for I write entirely from memory, and you must +remember, kind reader, that these things happened twenty years ago, +and twenty years is a long time in the life of any individual. + +I was twenty-one years old then, and at that time I was not married. +Now I have a house full of young "rebels," clustering around my knees and +bumping against my elbow, while I write these reminiscences of the war +of secession, rebellion, state rights, slavery, or our rights in the +territories, or by whatever other name it may be called. These are all +with the past now, and the North and South have long ago "shaken hands +across the bloody chasm." The flag of the Southern cause has been furled +never to be again unfurled; gone like a dream of yesterday, and lives +only in the memory of those who lived through those bloody days and times. + + +EIGHTEEN HUNDRED AND SIXTY-ONE + +Reader mine, did you live in that stormy period? In the year of our Lord +eighteen hundred and sixty-one, do you remember those stirring times? +Do you recollect in that year, for the first time in your life, of +hearing Dixie and the Bonnie Blue Flag? Fort Sumter was fired upon +from Charleston by troops under General Beauregard, and Major Anderson, +of the Federal army, surrendered. The die was cast; war was declared; +Lincoln called for troops from Tennessee and all the Southern states, +but Tennessee, loyal to her Southern sister states, passed the ordinance +of secession, and enlisted under the Stars and Bars. From that day on, +every person, almost, was eager for the war, and we were all afraid it +would be over and we not be in the fight. Companies were made up, +regiments organized; left, left, left, was heard from morning till night. +By the right flank, file left, march, were familiar sounds. Everywhere +could be seen Southern cockades made by the ladies and our sweethearts. +And some who afterwards became Union men made the most fiery secession +speeches. Flags made by the ladies were presented to companies, and to +hear the young orators tell of how they would protect that flag, and that +they would come back with the flag or come not at all, and if they fell +they would fall with their backs to the field and their feet to the foe, +would fairly make our hair stand on end with intense patriotism, and we +wanted to march right off and whip twenty Yankees. But we soon found out +that the glory of war was at home among the ladies and not upon the field +of blood and carnage of death, where our comrades were mutilated and torn +by shot and shell. And to see the cheek blanch and to hear the fervent +prayer, aye, I might say the agony of mind were very different indeed +from the patriotic times at home. + + +CAMP CHEATHAM + +After being drilled and disciplined at Camp Cheatham, under the +administrative ability of General R. C. Foster, 3rd, for two months, we, +the First, Third and Eleventh Tennessee Regiments--Maney, Brown and Rains-- +learned of the advance of McClelland's army into Virginia, toward +Harper's Ferry and Bull Run. + +The Federal army was advancing all along the line. They expected to +march right into the heart of the South, set the negroes free, take our +property, and whip the rebels back into the Union. But they soon found +that secession was a bigger mouthful than they could swallow at one +gobble. They found the people of the South in earnest. + +Secession may have been wrong in the abstract, and has been tried and +settled by the arbitrament of the sword and bayonet, but I am as firm in +my convictions today of the right of secession as I was in 1861. The +South is our country, the North is the country of those who live there. +We are an agricultural people; they are a manufacturing people. They are +the descendants of the good old Puritan Plymouth Rock stock, and we of +the South from the proud and aristocratic stock of Cavaliers. We believe +in the doctrine of State rights, they in the doctrine of centralization. + +John C. Calhoun, Patrick Henry, and Randolph, of Roanoke, saw the venom +under their wings, and warned the North of the consequences, but they +laughed at them. We only fought for our State rights, they for Union and +power. The South fell battling under the banner of State rights, but +yet grand and glorious even in death. Now, reader, please pardon the +digression. It is every word that we will say in behalf of the rights of +secession in the following pages. The question has been long ago settled +and is buried forever, never in this age or generation to be resurrected. + +The vote of the regiment was taken, and we all voted to go to Virginia. +The Southern Confederacy had established its capital at Richmond. + +A man by the name of Jackson, who kept a hotel in Maryland, had raised +the Stars and Bars, and a Federal officer by the name of Ellsworth tore +it down, and Jackson had riddled his body with buckshot from a double- +barreled shotgun. First blood for the South. + +Everywhere the enemy were advancing; the red clouds of war were booming +up everywhere, but at this particular epoch, I refer you to the history +of that period. + +A private soldier is but an automaton, a machine that works by the +command of a good, bad, or indifferent engineer, and is presumed to know +nothing of all these great events. His business is to load and shoot, +stand picket, videt, etc., while the officers sleep, or perhaps die on +the field of battle and glory, and his obituary and epitaph but "one" +remembered among the slain, but to what company, regiment, brigade or +corps he belongs, there is no account; he is soon forgotten. + +A long line of box cars was drawn up at Camp Cheatham one morning in July, +the bugle sounded to strike tents and to place everything on board the +cars. We old comrades have gotten together and laughed a hundred times +at the plunder and property that we had accumulated, compared with our +subsequent scanty wardrobe. Every soldier had enough blankets, shirts, +pants and old boots to last a year, and the empty bottles and jugs would +have set up a first-class drug store. In addition, every one of us had +his gun, cartridge-box, knapsack and three days' rations, a pistol on +each side and a long Bowie knife, that had been presented to us by +William Wood, of Columbia, Tenn. We got in and on top of the box cars, +the whistle sounded, and amid the waving of hats, handkerchiefs and flags, +we bid a long farewell and forever to old Camp Cheatham. + +Arriving at Nashville, the citizens turned out _en masse_ to receive us, +and here again we were reminded of the good old times and the "gal we +left behind us." Ah, it is worth soldiering to receive such welcomes as +this. + +The Rev. Mr. Elliott invited us to his college grove, where had been +prepared enough of the good things of earth to gratify the tastes of the +most fastidious epicure. And what was most novel, we were waited on by +the most beautiful young ladies (pupils of his school). It was charming, +I tell you. Rev. C. D. Elliott was our Brigade Chaplain all through the +war, and Dr. C. T. Quintard the Chaplain of the First Tennessee Regiment-- +two of the best men who ever lived. (Quintard is the present Bishop of +Tennessee). + + +ON THE ROAD + +Leaving Nashville, we went bowling along twenty or thirty miles an hour, +as fast as steam could carry us. At every town and station citizens and +ladies were waving their handkerchiefs and hurrahing for Jeff Davis and +the Southern Confederacy. Magnificent banquets were prepared for us all +along the entire route. It was one magnificent festival from one end of +the line to the other. At Chattanooga, Knoxville, Bristol, Farmville, +Lynchburg, everywhere, the same demonstrations of joy and welcome greeted +us. Ah, those were glorious times; and you, reader, see why the old +soldier loves to live over again that happy period. + +But the Yankees are advancing on Manassas. July 21st finds us a hundred +miles from that fierce day's battle. That night, after the battle is +fought and won, our train draws up at Manassas Junction. + +Well, what news? Everyone was wild, nay, frenzied with the excitement +of victory, and we felt very much like the "boy the calf had run over." +We felt that the war was over, and we would have to return home without +even seeing a Yankee soldier. Ah, how we envied those that were wounded. +We thought at that time that we would have given a thousand dollars to +have been in the battle, and to have had our arm shot off, so we could +have returned home with an empty sleeve. But the battle was over, +and we left out. + + +STAUNTON + +From Manassas our train moved on to Staunton, Virginia. Here we again +went into camp, overhauled kettles, pots, buckets, jugs and tents, +and found everything so tangled up and mixed that we could not tell +tuther from which. + +We stretched our tents, and the soldiers once again felt that restraint +and discipline which we had almost forgotten en route to this place. +But, as the war was over now, our captains, colonels and generals were +not "hard on the boys;" in fact, had begun to electioneer a little for +the Legislature and for Congress. In fact, some wanted, and were looking +forward to the time, to run for Governor of Tennessee. + +Staunton was a big place; whisky was cheap, and good Virginia tobacco was +plentiful, and the currency of the country was gold and silver. + +The State Asylums for the blind and insane were here, and we visited all +the places of interest. + +Here is where we first saw the game called "chuck-a-luck," afterwards +so popular in the army. But, I always noticed that chuck won, and luck +always lost. + +Faro and roulette were in full blast; in fact, the skum had begun to come +to the surface, and shoddy was the gentleman. By this, I mean that civil +law had been suspended; the ermine of the judges had been overridden by +the sword and bayonet. In other words, the military had absorbed the +civil. Hence the gambler was in his glory. + + +WARM SPRINGS, VIRGINIA + +One day while we were idling around camp, June Tucker sounded the +assembly, and we were ordered aboard the cars. We pulled out for +Millboro; from there we had to foot it to Bath Alum and Warm Springs. +We went over the Allegheny Mountains. + +I was on every march that was ever made by the First Tennessee Regiment +during the whole war, and at this time I cannot remember of ever +experiencing a harder or more fatiguing march. It seemed that mountain +was piled upon mountain. No sooner would we arrive at a place that +seemed to be the top than another view of a higher, and yet higher +mountain would rise before us. From the foot to the top of the mountain +the soldiers lined the road, broken down and exhausted. First one +blanket was thrown away, and then another; now and then a good pair of +pants, old boots and shoes, Sunday hats, pistols and Bowie knives strewed +the road. Old bottles and jugs and various and sundry articles were +lying pell-mell everywhere. Up and up, and onward and upward we pulled +and toiled, until we reached the very top, when there burst upon our +view one of the grandest and most beautiful landscapes we ever beheld. + +Nestled in the valley right before us is Bath Alum and Warm Springs. +It seemed to me at that time, and since, a glimpse of a better and +brighter world beyond, to the weary Christian pilgrim who may have been +toiling on his journey for years. A glad shout arose from those who had +gained the top, which cheered and encouraged the others to persevere. +At last we got to Warm Springs. Here they had a nice warm dinner waiting +for us. They had a large bath-house at Warm Springs. A large pool of +water arranged so that a person could go in any depth he might desire. +It was a free thing, and we pitched in. We had no idea of the enervating +effect it would have upon our physical systems, and as the water was but +little past tepid, we stayed in a good long time. But when we came out +we were as limp as dishrags. About this time the assembly sounded and we +were ordered to march. But we couldn't march worth a cent. There we had +to stay until our systems had had sufficient recuperation. And we would +wonder what all this marching was for, as the war was over anyhow. + +The second day after leaving Warm Springs we came to Big Springs. +It was in the month of August, and the biggest white frost fell that I +ever saw in winter. + +The Yankees were reported to be in close proximity to us, and Captain +Field with a detail of ten men was sent forward on the scout. I was on +the detail, and when we left camp that evening, it was dark and dreary +and drizzling rain. After a while the rain began to come down harder +and harder, and every one of us was wet and drenched to the skin--guns, +cartridges and powder. The next morning about daylight, while standing +videt, I saw a body of twenty-five or thirty Yankees approaching, and I +raised my gun for the purpose of shooting, and pulled down, but the cap +popped. They discovered me and popped three or four caps at me; their +powder was wet also. Before I could get on a fresh cap, Captain Field +came running up with his seven-shooting rifle, and the first fire he +killed a Yankee. They broke and run. Captain Field did all the firing, +but every time he pulled down he brought a Yankee. I have forgotten the +number that he did kill, but if I am not mistaken it was either twenty +or twenty-one, for I remember the incident was in almost every Southern +paper at that time, and the general comments were that one Southern man +was equal to twenty Yankees. While we were in hot pursuit, one truly +brave and magnanimous Yankee, who had been badly wounded, said, +"Gentlemen, you have killed me, but not a hundred yards from here is the +main line." We did not go any further, but halted right there, and after +getting all the information that we could out of the wounded Yankee, +we returned to camp. + +One evening, General Robert E. Lee came to our camp. He was a fine- +looking gentleman, and wore a moustache. He was dressed in blue +cottonade and looked like some good boy's grandpa. I felt like going up +to him and saying good evening, Uncle Bob! I am not certain at this late +day that I did not do so. I remember going up mighty close and sitting +there and listening to his conversation with the officers of our +regiment. He had a calm and collected air about him, his voice was kind +and tender, and his eye was as gentle as a dove's. His whole make-up +of form and person, looks and manner had a kind of gentle and soothing +magnetism about it that drew every one to him and made them love, respect, +and honor him. I fell in love with the old gentleman and felt like going +home with him. I know I have never seen a finer looking man, nor one +with more kind and gentle features and manners. His horse was standing +nipping the grass, and when I saw that he was getting ready to start I +ran and caught his horse and led him up to him. He took the reins of the +bridle in his hand and said, "thank you, my son," rode off, and my heart +went with him. There was none of his staff with him; he had on no sword +or pistol, or anything to show his rank. The only thing that I remember +he had was an opera-glass hung over his shoulder by a strap. + +Leaving Big Springs, we marched on day by day, across Greenbrier and +Gauley rivers to Huntersville, a little but sprightly town hid in the +very fastnesses of the mountains. The people live exceedingly well in +these mountains. They had plenty of honey and buckwheat cakes, and +they called buttermilk "sour-milk," and sour-milk weren't fit for pigs; +they couldn't see how folks drank sour-milk. But sour-kraut was good. +Everything seemed to grow in the mountains--potatoes, Irish and sweet; +onions, snap beans, peas--though the country was very thinly populated. +Deer, bear, and foxes, as well as wild turkeys, and rabbits and squirrels +abounded everywhere. Apples and peaches were abundant, and everywhere +the people had apple-butter for every meal; and occasionally we would +come across a small-sized distillery, which we would at once start to +doing duty. We drank the singlings while they were hot, but like the old +woman who could not eat corn bread until she heard that they made whisky +out of corn, then she could manage to "worry a little of it down;" +so it was with us and the singlings. + +From this time forward, we were ever on the march--tramp, tramp, tramp-- +always on the march. Lee's corps, Stonewall Jackson's division--I refer +you to the histories for the marches and tramps made by these commanders +the first year of the war. Well, we followed them. + + +CHEAT MOUNTAIN + +One evening about 4 o'clock, the drummers of the regiment began to beat +their drums as hard as they could stave, and I saw men running in every +direction, and the camp soon became one scene of hurry and excitement. +I asked some one what all this hubbub meant. He looked at me with utter +astonishment. I saw soldiers running to their tents and grabbing their +guns and cartridge-boxes and hurry out again, the drums still rolling and +rattling. I asked several other fellows what in the dickens did all this +mean? Finally one fellow, who seemed scared almost out of his wits, +answered between a wail and a shriek, "Why, sir, they are beating the +long roll." Says I, "What is the long roll for?" "The long roll, man, +the long roll! Get your gun; they are beating the long roll!" This was +all the information that I could get. It was the first, last, and only +long roll that I ever heard. But, then everything was new, and Colonel +Maney, ever prompt, ordered the assembly. Without any command or bugle +sound, or anything, every soldier was in his place. Tents, knapsacks and +everything was left indiscriminately. + +We were soon on the march, and we marched on and on and on. About night +it began to rain. All our blankets were back in camp, but we were +expected every minute to be ordered into action. That night we came +to Mingo Flats. The rain still poured. We had no rations to eat and +nowhere to sleep. Some of us got some fence rails and piled them +together and worried through the night as best we could. The next +morning we were ordered to march again, but we soon began to get hungry, +and we had about half halted and about not halted at all. Some of the +boys were picking blackberries. The main body of the regiment was +marching leisurely along the road, when bang, debang, debang, bang, +and a volley of buck and ball came hurling right through the two advance +companies of the regiment--companies H and K. We had marched into a +Yankee ambuscade. + +All at once everything was a scene of consternation and confusion; +no one seemed equal to the emergency. We did not know whether to run or +stand, when Captain Field gave the command to fire and charge the bushes. +We charged the bushes and saw the Yankees running through them, and we +fired on them as they retreated. I do not know how many Yankees were +killed, if any. Our company (H) had one man killed, Pat Hanley, an +Irishman, who had joined our company at Chattanooga. Hugh Padgett and +Dr. Hooper, and perhaps one or two others, were wounded. + +After the fighting was over, where, O where, was all the fine rigging +heretofore on our officers? They could not be seen. Corporals, +sergeants, lieutenants, captains, all had torn all the fine lace off +their clothing. I noticed that at the time and was surprised and hurt. +I asked several of them why they had torn off the insignia of their rank, +and they always answered, "Humph, you think that I was going to be a +target for the Yankees to shoot at?" You see, this was our first battle, +and the officers had not found out that minnie as well as cannon balls +were blind; that they had no eyes and could not see. They thought that +the balls would hunt for them and not hurt the privates. I always shot +at privates. It was they that did the shooting and killing, and if I +could kill or wound a private, why, my chances were so much the better. +I always looked upon officers as harmless personages. Colonel Field, +I suppose, was about the only Colonel of the war that did as much +shooting as the private soldier. If I shot at an officer, it was at long +range, but when we got down to close quarters I always tried to kill +those that were trying to kill me. + + +SEWELL MOUNTAIN + +From Cheat Mountain we went by forced marches day and night, over hill +and everlasting mountains, and through lovely and smiling valleys, +sometimes the country rich and productive, sometimes rough and broken, +through towns and villages, the names of which I have forgotten, crossing +streams and rivers, but continuing our never ceasing, unending march, +passing through the Kanawha Valley and by the salt-works, and nearly back +to the Ohio river, when we at last reached Sewell Mountain. Here we +found General John B. Floyd strongly entrenched and fortified and facing +the advance of the Federal army. Two days before our arrival he had +charged and captured one line of the enemy's works. I know nothing of +the battle. See the histories for that. I only write from memory, +and that was twenty years ago, but I remember reading in the newspapers +at that time of some distinguished man, whether he was captain, colonel +or general, I have forgotten, but I know the papers said "he sought the +bauble, reputation, at the cannon's mouth, and went to glory from the +death-bed of fame." I remember it sounded gloriously in print. Now, +reader, this is all I know of this grand battle. I only recollect what +the newspapers said about it, and you know that a newspaper always tells +the truth. I also know that beef livers sold for one dollar apiece in +gold; and here is where we were first paid off in Confederate money. +Remaining here a few days, we commenced our march again. + +Sewell Mountain, Harrisonburg, Lewisburg, Kanawha Salt-works, first four, +forward and back, seemed to be the programme of that day. Rosecrans, +that wiley old fox, kept Lee and Jackson both busy trying to catch him, +but Rosey would not be caught. March, march, march; tramp, tramp, tramp, +back through the valley to Huntersville and Warm Springs, and up through +the most beautiful valley--the Shenandoah--in the world, passing towns +and elegant farms and beautiful residences, rich pastures and abundant +harvests, which a Federal General (Fighting Joe Hooker), later in the war, +ordered to be so sacked and destroyed that a "crow passing over this +valley would have to carry his rations." Passing on, we arrived at +Winchester. The first night we arrived at this place, the wind blew a +perfect hurricane, and every tent and marquee in Lee's and Jackson's army +was blown down. This is the first sight we had of Stonewall Jackson, +riding upon his old sorrel horse, his feet drawn up as if his stirrups +were much too short for him, and his old dingy military cap hanging well +forward over his head, and his nose erected in the air, his old rusty +sabre rattling by his side. This is the way the grand old hero of a +hundred battles looked. His spirit is yonder with the blessed ones that +have gone before, but his history is one that the country will ever be +proud of, and his memory will be cherished and loved by the old soldiers +who followed him through the war. + + +ROMNEY + +Our march to and from Romney was in midwinter in the month of January, +1862. It was the coldest winter known to the oldest inhabitant of these +regions. Situated in the most mountainous country in Virginia, and away +up near the Maryland and Pennsylvania line, the storm king seemed to rule +in all of his majesty and power. Snow and rain and sleet and tempest +seemed to ride and laugh and shriek and howl and moan and groan in +all their fury and wrath. The soldiers on this march got very much +discouraged and disheartened. As they marched along icicles hung from +their clothing, guns, and knapsacks; many were badly frost bitten, +and I heard of many freezing to death along the road side. My feet +peeled off like a peeled onion on that march, and I have not recovered +from its effects to this day. The snow and ice on the ground being +packed by the soldiers tramping, the horses hitched to the artillery +wagons were continually slipping and sliding and falling and wounding +themselves and sometimes killing their riders. The wind whistling with +a keen and piercing shriek, seemed as if they would freeze the marrow +in our bones. The soldiers in the whole army got rebellious--almost +mutinous--and would curse and abuse Stonewall Jackson; in fact, they +called him "Fool Tom Jackson." They blamed him for the cold weather; +they blamed him for everything, and when he would ride by a regiment they +would take occasion, _sotto voce_, to abuse him, and call him "Fool Tom +Jackson," and loud enough for him to hear. Soldiers from all commands +would fall out of ranks and stop by the road side and swear that they +would not follow such a leader any longer. + +When Jackson got to Romney, and was ready to strike Banks and Meade in a +vital point, and which would have changed, perhaps, the destiny of the +war and the South, his troops refused to march any further, and he turned, +marched back to Winchester and tendered his resignation to the +authorities at Richmond. But the great leader's resignation was not +accepted. It was in store for him to do some of the hardest fighting +and greatest generalship that was done during the war. + +One night at this place (Romney), I was sent forward with two other +soldiers across the wire bridge as picket. One of them was named +Schwartz and the other Pfifer--he called it Fifer, but spelled it with a +P--both full-blooded Dutchmen, and belonging to Company E, or the German +Yagers, Captain Harsh, or, as he was more generally called, "God-for-dam." + +When we had crossed the bridge and taken our station for the night, +I saw another snow storm was coming. The zig-zag lightnings began to +flare and flash, and sheet after sheet of wild flames seemed to burst +right over our heads and were hissing around us. The very elements +seemed to be one aurora borealis with continued lightning. Streak after +streak of lightning seemed to be piercing each the other, the one from +the north and the other from the south. The white clouds would roll up, +looking like huge snow balls, encircled with living fires. The earth and +hills and trees were covered with snow, and the lightnings seemed to be +playing "King, King Canico" along its crusted surface. If it thundered +at all, it seemed to be between a groaning and a rumbling sound. The +trees and hills seemed white with livid fire. I can remember that storm +now as the grandest picture that has ever made any impression on my +memory. As soon as it quit lightning, the most blinding snow storm fell +that I ever saw. It fell so thick and fast that I got hot. I felt like +pulling off my coat. I was freezing. The winds sounded like sweet +music. I felt grand, glorious, peculiar; beautiful things began to play +and dance around my head, and I supposed I must have dropped to sleep or +something, when I felt Schwartz grab me, and give me a shake, and at the +same time raised his gun and fired, and yelled out at the top of his +voice, "Here is your mule." The next instant a volley of minnie balls +was scattering the snow all around us. I tried to walk, but my pants and +boots were stiff and frozen, and the blood had ceased to circulate in my +lower limbs. But Schwartz kept on firing, and at every fire he would +yell out, "Yer is yer mool!" Pfifer could not speak English, and I +reckon he said "Here is your mule" in Dutch. About the same time we were +hailed from three Confederate officers, at full gallop right toward us, +not to shoot. And as they galloped up to us and thundered right across +the bridge, we discovered it was Stonewall Jackson and two of his staff. +At the same time the Yankee cavalry charged us, and we, too, ran back +across the bridge. + + +STANDING PICKET ON THE POTOMAC + +Leaving Winchester, we continued up the valley. + +The night before the attack on Bath or Berkly Springs, there fell the +largest snow I ever saw. + +Stonewall Jackson had seventeen thousand soldiers at his command. +The Yankees were fortified at Bath. An attack was ordered, our regiment +marched upon top of a mountain overlooking the movements of both armies +in the valley below. About 4 o'clock one grand charge and rush was made, +and the Yankees were routed and skedaddled. + +By some circumstance or other, Lieutenant J. Lee Bullock came in command +of the First Tennessee Regiment. But Lee was not a graduate of West +Point, you see. + +The Federals had left some spiked batteries on the hill side, as we +were informed by an old citizen, and Lee, anxious to capture a battery, +gave the new and peculiar command of, "Soldiers, you are ordered to go +forward and capture a battery; just piroute up that hill; piroute, march. +Forward, men; piroute carefully." The boys "pirouted" as best they +could. It may have been a new command, and not laid down in Hardee's or +Scott's tactics; but Lee was speaking plain English, and we understood +his meaning perfectly, and even at this late day I have no doubt that +every soldier who heard the command thought it a legal and technical term +used by military graduates to go forward and capture a battery. + +At this place (Bath), a beautiful young lady ran across the street. +I have seen many beautiful and pretty women in my life, but she was +the prettiest one I ever saw. Were you to ask any member of the First +Tennessee Regiment who was the prettiest woman he ever saw, he would +unhesitatingly answer that he saw her at Berkly Springs during the war, +and he would continue the tale, and tell you of Lee Bullock's piroute +and Stonewall Jackson's charge. + +We rushed down to the big spring bursting out of the mountain side, +and it was hot enough to cook an egg. Never did I see soldiers more +surprised. The water was so hot we could not drink it. + +The snow covered the ground and was still falling. + +That night I stood picket on the Potomac with a detail of the Third +Arkansas Regiment. I remember how sorry I felt for the poor fellows, +because they had enlisted for the war, and we for only twelve months. +Before nightfall I took in every object and commenced my weary vigils. +I had to stand all night. I could hear the rumblings of the Federal +artillery and wagons, and hear the low shuffling sound made by troops on +the march. The snow came pelting down as large as goose eggs. About +midnight the snow ceased to fall, and became quiet. Now and then the +snow would fall off the bushes and make a terrible noise. While I was +peering through the darkness, my eyes suddenly fell upon the outlines of +a man. The more I looked the more I was convinced that it was a Yankee +picket. I could see his hat and coat--yes, see his gun. I was sure +that it was a Yankee picket. What was I to do? The relief was several +hundred yards in the rear. The more I looked the more sure I was. +At last a cold sweat broke out all over my body. Turkey bumps rose. +I summoned all the nerves and bravery that I could command, and said: +"Halt! who goes there?" There being no response, I became resolute. +I did not wish to fire and arouse the camp, but I marched right up to it +and stuck my bayonet through and through it. It was a stump. I tell the +above, because it illustrates a part of many a private's recollections +of the war; in fact, a part of the hardships and suffering that they go +through. + +One secret of Stonewall Jackson's success was that he was such a strict +disciplinarian. He did his duty himself and was ever at his post, +and he expected and demanded of everybody to do the same thing. He would +have a man shot at the drop of a hat, and drop it himself. The first +army order that was ever read to us after being attached to his corps, +was the shooting to death by musketry of two men who had stopped on the +battlefield to carry off a wounded comrade. It was read to us in line +of battle at Winchester. + + +SCHWARTZ AND PFIFER + +At Valley Mountain the finest and fattest beef I ever saw was issued to +the soldiers, and it was the custom to use tallow for lard. Tallow made +good shortening if the biscuits were eaten hot, but if allowed to get +cold they had a strong taste of tallow in their flavor that did not +taste like the flavor of vanilla or lemon in ice cream and strawberries; +and biscuits fried in tallow were something upon the principle of 'possum +and sweet potatoes. Well, Pfifer had got the fat from the kidneys of +two hind quarters and made a cake of tallow weighing about twenty-five +pounds. He wrapped it up and put it carefully away in his knapsack. +When the assembly sounded for the march, Pfifer strapped on his knapsack. +It was pretty heavy, but Pfifer was "well heeled." He knew the good +frying he would get out of that twenty-five pounds of nice fat tallow, +and he was willing to tug and toil all day over a muddy and sloppy road +for his anticipated hot tallow gravy for supper. We made a long and hard +march that day, and about dark went into camp. Fires were made up and +water brought, and the soldiers began to get supper. Pfifer was in a +good humor. He went to get that twenty-five pounds of good, nice, +fat tallow out of his knapsack, and on opening it, lo and behold! it was +a rock that weighed about thirty pounds. Pfifer was struck dumb with +amazement. He looked bewildered, yea, even silly. I do not think he +cursed, because he could not do the subject justice. He looked at that +rock with the death stare of a doomed man. But he suspected Schwartz. +He went to Schwartz's knapsack, and there he found his cake of tallow. +He went to Schwartz and would have killed him had not soldiers interfered +and pulled him off by main force. His eyes blazed and looked like those +of a tiger when he has just torn his victim limb from limb. I would +not have been in Schwartz's shoes for all the tallow in every beef in +Virginia. Captain Harsh made Schwartz carry that rock for two days to +pacify Pfifer. + + +THE COURT-MARTIAL + +One incident came under my observation while in Virginia that made a deep +impression on my mind. One morning, about daybreak, the new guard was +relieving the old guard. It was a bitter cold morning, and on coming to +our extreme outpost, I saw a soldier--he was but a mere boy--either dead +or asleep at his post. The sergeant commanding the relief went up to him +and shook him. He immediately woke up and seemed very much frightened. +He was fast asleep at his post. The sergeant had him arrested and +carried to the guard-house. + +Two days afterwards I received notice to appear before a court-martial at +nine. I was summoned to appear as a witness against him for being asleep +at his post in the enemy's country. An example had to be made of some +one. He had to be tried for his life. The court-martial was made up +of seven or eight officers of a different regiment. The witnesses all +testified against him, charges and specifications were read, and by the +rules of war he had to be shot to death by musketry. The Advocate- +General for the prosecution made the opening speech. He read the law in +a plain, straightforward manner, and said that for a soldier to go to +sleep at his post of duty, while so much depended upon him, was the most +culpable of all crimes, and the most inexcusable. I trembled in my boots, +for on several occasions I knew I had taken a short nap, even on the very +outpost. The Advocate-General went on further to say, that the picket +was the sentinel that held the lives of his countrymen and the liberty +of his country in his hands, and it mattered not what may have been his +record in the past. At one moment he had forfeited his life to his +country. For discipline's sake, if for nothing else, you gentlemen that +make up this court-martial find the prisoner guilty. It is necessary for +you to be firm, gentlemen, for upon your decision depends the safety of +our country. When he had finished, thinks I to myself, "Gone up the +spout, sure; we will have a first-class funeral here before night." + +Well, as to the lawyer who defended him, I cannot now remember his +speeches; but he represented a fair-haired boy leaving his home and +family, telling his father and aged mother and darling little sister +farewell, and spoke of his proud step, though a mere boy, going to defend +his country and his loved ones; but at one weak moment, when nature, +tasked and taxed beyond the bounds of human endurance, could stand no +longer, and upon the still and silent picket post, when the whole army +was hushed in slumber, what wonder is it that he, too, may have fallen +asleep while at his post of duty. + +Some of you gentlemen of this court-martial may have sons, may have +brothers; yes, even fathers, in the army. Where are they tonight? +You love your children, or your brother or father. This mere youth has +a father and mother and sister away back in Tennessee. They are willing +to give him to his country. But oh! gentlemen, let the word go back to +Tennessee that he died upon the battlefield, and not by the hands of his +own comrades for being asleep at his post of duty. I cannot now remember +the speeches, but one thing I do know, that he was acquitted, and I was +glad of it. + + +"THE DEATH WATCH" + +One more scene I can remember. Kind friends--you that know nothing of a +soldier's life--I ask you in all candor not to doubt the following lines +in this sketch. You have no doubt read of the old Roman soldier found +amid the ruins of Pompeii, who had stood there for sixteen hundred years, +and when he was excavated was found at his post with his gun clasped in +his skeleton hands. You believe this because it is written in history. +I have heard politicians tell it. I have heard it told from the sacred +desk. It is true; no one doubts it. + +Now, were I to tell something that happened in this nineteenth century +exactly similar, you would hardly believe it. But whether you believe +it or not, it is for you to say. At a little village called Hampshire +Crossing, our regiment was ordered to go to a little stream called +St. John's Run, to relieve the 14th Georgia Regiment and the 3rd +Arkansas. I cannot tell the facts as I desire to. In fact, my hand +trembles so, and my feelings are so overcome, that it is hard for me to +write at all. But we went to the place that we were ordered to go to, +and when we arrived there we found the guard sure enough. If I remember +correctly, there were just eleven of them. Some were sitting down and +some were lying down; but each and every one was as cold and as hard +frozen as the icicles that hung from their hands and faces and clothing-- +dead! They had died at their post of duty. Two of them, a little in +advance of the others, were standing with their guns in their hands, +as cold and as hard frozen as a monument of marble--standing sentinel +with loaded guns in their frozen hands! The tale is told. Were they +true men? Does He who noteth the sparrow's fall, and numbers the hairs +of our heads, have any interest in one like ourselves? Yes; He doeth +all things well. Not a sparrow falls to the ground without His consent. + + +VIRGINIA, FAREWELL + +After having served through all the valley campaign, and marched through +all the wonders of Northwest Virginia, and being associated with the army +of Virginia, it was with sorrow and regret that we bade farewell to "Old +Virginia's shore," to go to other fields of blood and carnage and death. +We had learned to love Virginia; we love her now. The people were kind +and good to us. They divided their last crust of bread and rasher of +bacon with us. We loved Lee, we loved Jackson; we loved the name, +association and people of Virginia. Hatton, Forbes, Anderson, Gilliam, +Govan, Loring, Ashby and Schumaker were names with which we had been long +associated. We hated to leave all our old comrades behind us. We felt +that we were proving recreant to the instincts of our own manhood, +and that we were leaving those who had stood by us on the march and +battlefield when they most needed our help. We knew the 7th and 14th +Tennessee regiments; we knew the 3rd Arkansas, the 14th Georgia, and 42nd +Virginia regiments. Their names were as familiar as household words. +We were about to leave the bones of Joe Bynum and Gus Allen and Patrick +Hanly. We were about to bid farewell to every tender association that we +had formed with the good people of Virginia, and to our old associates +among the soldiers of the Grand Army of Virginia. _Virginia, farewell!_ +Away back yonder, in good old Tennessee, our homes and loved ones are +being robbed and insulted, our fields laid waste, our cities sacked, +and our people slain. Duty as well as patriotism calls us back to our +native home, to try and defend it, as best we can, against an invading +army of our then enemies; and, Virginia, once more we bid you a long +farewell! + + + + +CHAPTER II + +SHILOH + + +This was the first big battle in which our regiment had ever been +engaged. I do not pretend to tell of what command distinguished itself; +of heroes; of blood and wounds; of shrieks and groans; of brilliant +charges; of cannon captured, etc. I was but a private soldier, and if +I happened to look to see if I could find out anything, "Eyes right, +guide center," was the order. "Close up, guide right, halt, forward, +right oblique, left oblique, halt, forward, guide center, eyes right, +dress up promptly in the rear, steady, double quick, charge bayonets, +fire at will," is about all that a private soldier ever knows of a +battle. He can see the smoke rise and the flash of the enemy's guns, +and he can hear the whistle of the minnie and cannon balls, but he has +got to load and shoot as hard as he can tear and ram cartridge, or he +will soon find out, like the Irishman who had been shooting blank +cartridges, when a ball happened to strike him, and he halloed out, +"Faith, Pat, and be jabbers, them fellows are shooting bullets." But I +nevertheless remember many things that came under my observation in this +battle. I remember a man by the name of Smith stepping deliberately +out of the ranks and shooting his finger off to keep out of the fight; +of another poor fellow who was accidentally shot and killed by the +discharge of another person's gun, and of others suddenly taken sick with +colic. Our regiment was the advance guard on Saturday evening, and did a +little skirmishing; but General Gladden's brigade passed us and assumed +a position in our immediate front. About daylight on Sunday morning, +Chalmers' brigade relieved Gladden's. As Gladden rode by us, a courier +rode up and told him something. I do not know what it was, but I heard +Gladden say, "Tell General Bragg that I have as keen a scent for Yankees +as General Chalmers has." + +On Sunday morning, a clear, beautiful, and still day, the order was +given for the whole army to advance, and to attack immediately. We +were supporting an Alabama brigade. The fire opened--bang, bang, bang, +a rattle de bang, bang, bang, a boom, de bang, bang, bang, boom, bang, +boom, bang, boom, bang, boom, bang, boom, whirr-siz-siz-siz--a ripping, +roaring boom, bang! The air was full of balls and deadly missiles. +The litter corps was carrying off the dying and wounded. We could hear +the shout of the charge and the incessant roar of the guns, the rattle +of the musketry, and knew that the contending forces were engaged in a +breast to breast struggle. But cheering news continued to come back. +Every one who passed would be hailed with, "Well, what news from the +front?" "Well, boys, we are driving 'em. We have captured all their +encampments, everything that they had, and all their provisions and army +stores, and everything." + +As we were advancing to the attack and to support the Alabama brigade in +our front, and which had given way and were stricken with fear, some of +the boys of our regiment would laugh at them, and ask what they were +running for, and would commence to say "Flicker! flicker! flicker!" +like the bird called the yellowhammer, "Flicker! flicker! flicker!" +As we advanced, on the edge of the battlefield, we saw a big fat colonel +of the 23rd Tennessee regiment badly wounded, whose name, if I remember +correctly, was Matt. Martin. He said to us, "Give 'em goss, boys. +That's right, my brave First Tennessee. Give 'em Hail Columbia!" +We halted but a moment, and said I, "Colonel, where are you wounded?" +He answered in a deep bass voice, "My son, I am wounded in the arm, +in the leg, in the head, in the body, and in another place which I have +a delicacy in mentioning." That is what the gallant old Colonel said. +Advancing a little further on, we saw General Albert Sidney Johnson +surrounded by his staff and Governor Harris, of Tennessee. We saw some +little commotion among those who surrounded him, but we did not know at +the time that he was dead. The fact was kept from the troops. + +About noon a courier dashed up and ordered us to go forward and support +General Bragg's center. We had to pass over the ground where troops had +been fighting all day. + +I had heard and read of battlefields, seen pictures of battlefields, +of horses and men, of cannon and wagons, all jumbled together, while the +ground was strewn with dead and dying and wounded, but I must confess +that I never realized the "pomp and circumstance" of the thing called +glorious war until I saw this. Men were lying in every conceivable +position; the dead lying with their eyes wide open, the wounded begging +piteously for help, and some waving their hats and shouting to us to go +forward. It all seemed to me a dream; I seemed to be in a sort of haze, +when siz, siz, siz, the minnie balls from the Yankee line began to +whistle around our ears, and I thought of the Irishman when he said, +"Sure enough, those fellows are shooting bullets!" + +Down would drop first one fellow and then another, either killed or +wounded, when we were ordered to charge bayonets. I had been feeling +mean all the morning as if I had stolen a sheep, but when the order to +charge was given, I got happy. I felt happier than a fellow does when he +professes religion at a big Methodist camp-meeting. I shouted. It was +fun then. Everybody looked happy. We were crowding them. One more +charge, then their lines waver and break. They retreat in wild +confusion. We were jubilant; we were triumphant. Officers could not +curb the men to keep in line. Discharge after discharge was poured into +the retreating line. The Federal dead and wounded covered the ground. + +When in the very midst of our victory, here comes an order to halt. +What! halt after today's victory? Sidney Johnson killed, General Gladden +killed, and a host of generals and other brave men killed, and the whole +Yankee army in full retreat. + +These four letters, h-a-l-t, O, how harsh they did break upon our ears. +The victory was complete, but the word "halt" turned victory into defeat. + +The soldiers had passed through the Yankee camps and saw all the good +things that they had to eat in their sutlers' stores and officers' +marquees, and it was but a short time before every soldier was rummaging +to see what he could find. + +The harvest was great and the laborers were not few. + +The negro boys, who were with their young masters as servants, got rich. +Greenbacks were plentiful, good clothes were plentiful, rations were not +in demand. The boys were in clover. + +This was Sunday. + +On Monday the tide was reversed. + +Now, those Yankees were whipped, fairly whipped, and according to all the +rules of war they ought to have retreated. But they didn't. Flushed +with their victories at Fort Henry and Fort Donelson and the capture of +Nashville, and the whole State of Tennessee having fallen into their +hands, victory was again to perch upon their banners, for Buell's army, +by forced marches, had come to Grant's assistance at the eleventh hour. + +Gunboats and transports were busily crossing Buell's army all of Sunday +night. We could hear their boats ringing their bells, and hear the puff +of smoke and steam from their boilers. Our regiment was the advance +outpost, and we saw the skirmish line of the Federals advancing and then +their main line and then their artillery. We made a good fight on Monday +morning, and I was taken by surprise when the order came for us to +retreat instead of advance. But as I said before, reader, a private +soldier is but an automaton, and knows nothing of what is going on among +the generals, and I am only giving the chronicles of little things and +events that came under my own observation as I saw them then and remember +them now. Should you desire to find out more about the battle, I refer +you to history. + +One incident I recollect very well. A Yankee colonel, riding a fine gray +mare, was sitting on his horse looking at our advance as if we were on +review. W. H. rushed forward and grabbed his horse by the bridle, +telling him at the same time to surrender. The Yankee seized the reins, +set himself back in the saddle, put the muzzle of his pistol in W. H.'s +face and fired. About the time he pulled trigger, a stray ball from some +direction struck him in the side and he fell off dead, and his horse +becoming frightened, galloped off, dragging him through the Confederate +lines. His pistol had missed its aim. + +I have heard hundreds of old soldiers tell of the amount of greenback +money they saw and picked up on the battlefield of Shiloh, but they +thought it valueless and did not trouble themselves with bringing it off +with them. + +One fellow, a courier, who had had his horse killed, got on a mule he had +captured, and in the last charge, before the final and fatal halt was +made, just charged right ahead by his lone self, and the soldiers said, +"Just look at that brave man, charging right in the jaws of death." +He began to seesaw the mule and grit his teeth, and finally yelled out, +"It arn't me, boys, it's this blarsted old mule. Whoa! Whoa!" + +On Monday morning I too captured me a mule. He was not a fast mule, +and I soon found out that he thought he knew as much as I did. He was +wise in his own conceit. He had a propensity to take every hog path he +came to. All the bombasting that I could give him would not make him +accelerate his speed. If blood makes speed, I do not suppose he had a +drop of any kind in him. If I wanted him to go on one side of the road +he was sure to be possessed of an equal desire to go on the other side. +Finally I and my mule fell out. I got a big hickory and would frail +him over the head, and he would only shake his head and flop his ears, +and seem to say, "Well, now, you think you are smart, don't you?" +He was a resolute mule, slow to anger, and would have made an excellent +merchant to refuse bad pay, or I will pay your credit, for his whole +composition seemed to be made up the one word--no. I frequently thought +it would be pleasant to split the difference with that mule, and I would +gladly have done so if I could have gotten one-half of his no. Me and +mule worried along until we came to a creek. Mule did not desire to +cross, while I was trying to persuade him with a big stick, a rock in his +ear, and a twister on his nose. The caisson of a battery was about to +cross. The driver said, "I'll take your mule over for you." So he got a +large two-inch rope, tied one end around the mule's neck and the other to +the caisson, and ordered the driver to whip up. The mule was loath to +take to the water. He was no Baptist, and did not believe in immersion, +and had his views about crossing streams, but the rope began to tighten, +the mule to squeal out his protestations against such villainous +proceedings. The rope, however, was stronger than the mule's "no," +and he was finally prevailed upon by the strength of the rope to cross +the creek. On my taking the rope off he shook himself and seemed to say, +"You think that you are mighty smart folks, but you are a leetle too +smart." I gave it up that that mule's "no" was a little stronger than my +determination. He seemed to be in deep meditation. I got on him again, +when all of a sudden he lifted his head, pricked up his ears, began to +champ his bit, gave a little squeal, got a little faster, and finally +into a gallop and then a run. He seemed all at once to have remembered +or to have forgotten something, and was now making up for lost time. +With all my pulling and seesawing and strength I could not stop him until +he brought up with me at Corinth, Mississippi. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +CORINTH + + +Well, here we were, again "reorganizing," and after our lax discipline +on the road to and from Virginia, and after a big battle, which always +disorganizes an army, what wonder is it that some men had to be shot, +merely for discipline's sake? And what wonder that General Bragg's name +became a terror to deserters and evil doers? Men were shot by scores, +and no wonder the army had to be reorganized. Soldiers had enlisted for +twelve months only, and had faithfully complied with their volunteer +obligations; the terms for which they had enlisted had expired, and they +naturally looked upon it that they had a right to go home. They had +done their duty faithfully and well. They wanted to see their families; +in fact, wanted to go home anyhow. War had become a reality; they were +tired of it. A law had been passed by the Confederate States Congress +called the conscript act. A soldier had no right to volunteer and to +choose the branch of service he preferred. He was conscripted. + +From this time on till the end of the war, a soldier was simply a machine, +a conscript. It was mighty rough on rebels. We cursed the war, we +cursed Bragg, we cursed the Southern Confederacy. All our pride and +valor had gone, and we were sick of war and the Southern Confederacy. + +A law was made by the Confederate States Congress about this time +allowing every person who owned twenty negroes to go home. It gave us +the blues; we wanted twenty negroes. Negro property suddenly became very +valuable, and there was raised the howl of "rich man's war, poor man's +fight." The glory of the war, the glory of the South, the glory and the +pride of our volunteers had no charms for the conscript. + +We were directed to re-elect our officers, and the country was surprised +to see the sample of a conscript's choice. The conscript had no choice. +He was callous, and indifferent whether he had a captain or not. Those +who were at first officers had resigned and gone home, because they were +officers. The poor private, a contemptible conscript, was left to howl +and gnash his teeth. The war might as well have ended then and there. +The boys were "hacked," nay, whipped. They were shorn of the locks of +their glory. They had but one ambition now, and that was to get out +of the army in some way or other. They wanted to join the cavalry or +artillery or home guards or pioneer corps or to be "yaller dogs," or +anything. + +[The average staff officer and courier were always called "yaller dogs," +and were regarded as non-combatants and a nuisance, and the average +private never let one pass without whistling and calling dogs. In fact, +the general had to issue an army order threatening punishment for the +ridicule hurled at staff officers and couriers. They were looked upon +as simply "hangers on," or in other words, as yellow sheep-killing dogs, +that if you would say "booh" at, would yelp and get under their master's +heels. Mike Snyder was General George Maney's "yaller dog," and I +believe here is where Joe Jefferson, in Rip Van Winkle, got the name of +Rip's dog Snyder. At all times of day or night you could hear, "wheer, +hyat, hyat, haer, haer, hugh, Snyder, whoopee, hyat, whoopee, Snyder, +here, here," when a staff officer or courier happened to pass. The +reason of this was that the private knew and felt that there was just +that much more loading, shooting and fighting for him; and there are the +fewest number of instances on record where a staff officer or courier +ever fired a gun in their country's cause; and even at this late day, +when I hear an old soldier telling of being on some general's staff, +I always think of the letter "E." In fact, later in the war I was +detailed as special courier and staff officer for General Hood, which +office I held three days. But while I held the office in passing a guard +I always told them I was on Hood's staff, and ever afterwards I made +those three days' staff business last me the balance of the war. I could +pass any guard in the army by using the magic words, "staff officer." +It beat all the countersigns ever invented. It was the "open sesame" +of war and discipline. ] + +Their last hope had set. They hated war. To their minds the South was +a great tyrant, and the Confederacy a fraud. They were deserting by +thousands. They had no love or respect for General Bragg. When men were +to be shot or whipped, the whole army was marched to the horrid scene to +see a poor trembling wretch tied to a post and a platoon of twelve men +drawn up in line to put him to death, and the hushed command of "Ready, +aim, fire!" would make the soldier, or conscript, I should say, loathe +the very name of Southern Confederacy. And when some miserable wretch +was to be whipped and branded for being absent ten days without leave, +we had to see him kneel down and have his head shaved smooth and slick as +a peeled onion, and then stripped to the naked skin. Then a strapping +fellow with a big rawhide would make the blood flow and spurt at every +lick, the wretch begging and howling like a hound, and then he was +branded with a red hot iron with the letter D on both hips, when he was +marched through the army to the music of the "Rogue's March." It was +enough. None of General Bragg's soldiers ever loved him. They had no +faith in his ability as a general. He was looked upon as a merciless +tyrant. The soldiers were very scantily fed. Bragg never was a good +feeder or commissary-general. Rations with us were always scarce. +No extra rations were ever allowed to the negroes who were with us as +servants. No coffee or whisky or tobacco were ever allowed to be issued +to the troops. If they obtained these luxuries, they were not from the +government. These luxuries were withheld in order to crush the very +heart and spirit of his troops. We were crushed. Bragg was the great +autocrat. In the mind of the soldier, his word was law. He loved to +crush the spirit of his men. The more of a hang-dog look they had about +them the better was General Bragg pleased. Not a single soldier in the +whole army ever loved or respected him. But he is dead now. + +Peace to his ashes! + +We became starved skeletons; naked and ragged rebels. The chronic +diarrhoea became the scourge of the army. Corinth became one vast +hospital. Almost the whole army attended the sick call every morning. +All the water courses went dry, and we used water out of filthy pools. + +Halleck was advancing; we had to fortify Corinth. A vast army, Grant, +Buell, Halleck, Sherman, all were advancing on Corinth. Our troops +were in no condition to fight. In fact, they had seen enough of this +miserable yet tragic farce. They were ready to ring down the curtain, +put out the footlights and go home. They loved the Union anyhow, and +were always opposed to this war. But breathe softly the name of Bragg. +It had more terror than the advancing hosts of Halleck's army. The shot +and shell would come tearing through our ranks. Every now and then a +soldier was killed or wounded, and we thought what "magnificent" folly. +Death was welcome. Halleck's whole army of blue coats had no terror now. +When we were drawn up in line of battle, a detail of one-tenth of the +army was placed in our rear to shoot us down if we ran. No pack of +hounds under the master's lash, or body of penitentiary convicts were +ever under greater surveillance. We were tenfold worse than slaves; +our morale was a thing of the past; the glory of war and the pride of +manhood had been sacrificed upon Bragg's tyrannical holocaust. But +enough of this. + + +ROWLAND SHOT TO DEATH + +One morning I went over to the 23rd Tennessee Regiment on a visit to +Captain Gray Armstrong and Colonel Jim Niel, both of whom were glad to +see me, as we were old ante-bellum friends. While at Colonel Niel's +marquee I saw a detail of soldiers bring out a man by the name of Rowland, +whom they were going to shoot to death with musketry, by order of a +court-martial, for desertion. I learned that he had served out the term +for which he had originally volunteered, had quit our army and joined +that of the Yankees, and was captured with Prentiss' Yankee brigade +at Shiloh. He was being hauled to the place of execution in a wagon, +sitting on an old gun box, which was to be his coffin. When they got to +the grave, which had been dug the day before, the water had risen in it, +and a soldier was baling it out. Rowland spoke up and said, "Please hand +me a drink of that water, as I want to drink out of my own grave so the +boys will talk about it when I am dead, and remember Rowland." They +handed him the water and he drank all there was in the bucket, and +handing it back asked them to please hand him a little more, as he had +heard that water was very scarce in hell, and it would be the last he +would ever drink. He was then carried to the death post, and there he +began to cut up jack generally. He began to curse Bragg, Jeff. Davis, +and the Southern Confederacy, and all the rebels at a terrible rate. +He was simply arrogant and very insulting. I felt that he deserved +to die. He said he would show the rebels how a Union man could die. +I do not know what all he did say. When the shooting detail came up, +he went of his own accord and knelt down at the post. The Captain +commanding the squad gave the command, "Ready, aim, fire!" and Rowland +tumbled over on his side. It was the last of Rowland. + + +KILLING A YANKEE SHARPSHOOTER + +In our immediate front, at Corinth, Mississippi, our men were being +picked off by sharpshooters, and a great many were killed, but no one +could tell where the shots came from. At one particular post it was +sure death. Every detail that had been sent to this post for a week had +been killed. In distributing the detail this post fell to Tom Webb and +myself. They were bringing off a dead boy just as we went on duty. +Colonel George C. Porter, of the 6th Tennessee, warned us to keep a good +lookout. We took our stands. A minnie ball whistled right by my head. +I don't think it missed me an eighth of an inch. Tom had sat down on an +old chunk of wood, and just as he took his seat, zip! a ball took the +chunk of wood. Tom picked it up and began laughing at our tight place. +Happening to glance up towards the tree tops, I saw a smoke rising above +a tree, and about the same time I saw a Yankee peep from behind the tree, +up among the bushes. I quickly called Tom's attention to it, and pointed +out the place. We could see his ramrod as he handled it while loading +his gun; saw him raise his gun, as we thought, to put a cap on it. +Tom in the meantime had lain flat on his belly and placed his gun across +the chunk he had been sitting on. I had taken a rest for my gun by the +side of a sapling, and both of us had dead aim at the place where the +Yankee was. Finally we saw him sort o' peep round the tree, and we moved +about a little so that he might see us, and as we did so, the Yankee +stepped out in full view, and bang, bang! Tom and I had both shot. +We saw that Yankee tumble out like a squirrel. It sounded like distant +thunder when that Yankee struck the ground. We heard the Yankees carry +him off. One thing I am certain of, and that is, not another Yankee went +up that tree that day, and Colonel George C. Porter complimented Tom and +I very highly on our success. This is where I first saw a jack o'lantern +(ignis fatui). That night, while Tom and I were on our posts, we saw a +number of very dim lights, which seemed to be in motion. At first we +took them to be Yankees moving about with lights. Whenever we could get +a shot we would blaze away. At last one got up very close, and passed +right between Tom and I. I don't think I was ever more scared in my +life. My hair stood on end like the quills of the fretful porcupine; +I could not imagine what on earth it was. I took it to be some hellish +machination of a Yankee trick. I did not know whether to run or stand, +until I heard Tom laugh and say, "Well, well, that's a jack o'lantern." + + +COLONEL FIELD + +Before proceeding further with these memoirs, I desire to give short +sketches of two personages with whom we were identified and closely +associated until the winding up of the ball. The first is Colonel +Hume R. Field. Colonel Field was born a soldier. I have read many +descriptions of Stonewall Jackson. Colonel Field was his exact +counterpart. They looked somewhat alike, spoke alike, and alike were +trained military soldiers. The War Department at Richmond made a +grand mistake in not making him a "commander of armies." He was not +a brilliant man; could not talk at all. He was a soldier. His +conversation was yea and nay. But when you could get "yes, sir," and "no, +sir," out of him his voice was as soft and gentle as a maid's when she +says "yes" to her lover. Fancy, if you please, a man about thirty years +old, a dark skin, made swarthy by exposure to sun and rain, very black +eyes that seemed to blaze with a gentle luster. I never saw him the +least excited in my life. His face was a face of bronze. His form was +somewhat slender, but when you looked at him you saw at the first glance +that this would be a dangerous man in a ground skuffle, a foot race, +or a fight. There was nothing repulsive or forbidding or even +domineering in his looks. A child or a dog would make up with him on +first sight. He knew not what fear was, or the meaning of the word fear. +He had no nerves, or rather, has a rock or tree any nerves? You might as +well try to shake the nerves of a rock or tree as those of Colonel Field. +He was the bravest man, I think, I ever knew. Later in the war he was +known by every soldier in the army; and the First Tennessee Regiment, +by his manipulations, became the regiment to occupy "tight places." +He knew his men. When he struck the Yankee line they felt the blow. +He had, himself, set the example, and so trained his regiment that all +the armies in the world could not whip it. They might kill every man in +it, is true, but they would die game to the last man. His men all loved +him. He was no disciplinarian, but made his regiment what it was by his +own example. And every day on the march you would see some poor old +ragged rebel riding his fine gray mare, and he was walking. + + +CAPTAIN JOE P. LEE + +The other person I wish to speak of is Captain Joe P. Lee. Captain Henry +J. Webster was our regular captain, but was captured while on furlough, +sent to a northern prison and died there, and Joe went up by promotion. +He was quite a young man, about twenty-one years old, but as brave as +any old Roman soldier that ever lived. Joe's face was ever wreathed in +smiles, and from the beginning to the end he was ever at the head of his +company. I do not think that any member of the company ever did call him +by his title. He was called simply "Joe Lee," or more frequently "Black +Perch." While on duty he was strict and firm, but off duty he was "one +of us boys." We all loved and respected him, but everybody knows Joe, +and further comment is unnecessary. + +I merely mention these two persons because in this rapid sketch I may +have cause occasionally to mention them, and only wish to introduce them +to the reader, so he may understand more fully my ideas. But, reader, +please remember that I am not writing a history at all, and do not +propose in these memoirs to be anybody's biographer. I am only giving my +own impressions. If other persons think differently from me it is all +right, and I forgive them. + + +CORINTH FORSAKEN + +One morning a detail was sent to burn up and destroy all the provisions +and army stores, and to blow up the arsenal. The town was in a blaze +of fire and the arsenal was roaring and popping and bellowing like +pandemonium turned loose as we marched through Corinth on the morning of +the evacuation. We bade farewell to Corinth. Its history was black and +dark and damning. No little speck of green oasis ever enlivened the dark +recesses of our memory while at this place. It's a desert that lives +only in bitter memories. It was but one vast graveyard that entombed +the life and spirit of once brave and chivalrous men. We left it to +the tender mercies of the Yankees without one tear of sorrow or regret, +and bade it farewell forever. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +TUPELO + + +We went into summer quarters at Tupelo. Our principal occupation at this +place was playing poker, chuck-a-luck and cracking graybacks (lice). +Every soldier had a brigade of lice on him, and I have seen fellows so +busily engaged in cracking them that it reminded me of an old woman +knitting. At first the boys would go off in the woods and hide to louse +themselves, but that was unnecessary, the ground fairly crawled with +lice. Pharaoh's people, when they were resisting old Moses, never +enjoyed the curse of lice more than we did. The boys would frequently +have a louse race. There was one fellow who was winning all the money; +his lice would run quicker and crawl faster than anybody's lice. We +could not understand it. If some fellow happened to catch a fierce- +looking louse, he would call on Dornin for a race. Dornin would come and +always win the stake. The lice were placed in plates--this was the race +course--and the first that crawled off was the winner. At last we found +out D.'s trick; he always heated his plate. + +Billy P. said he had no lice on him. + +"Did you ever look?" + +"No." + +"How do you know then?" + +"If ignorance is bliss 'tis folly to be wise," said Billy. + +"Why, there is one crawling on your bosom now." + +Billy took him and put him back in his bosom and said to the louse, +"You stay there now; this makes the fourth time I have put you back, +and if I catch you out again today I'll martyr you." + +Billy was philosophic--the death of one louse did not stop the breed. + + +THE COURT MARTIAL AT TUPELO + +At this place was held the grand court-martial. Almost every day we +would hear a discharge of musketry, and knew that some poor, trembling +wretch had bid farewell to mortal things here below. It seemed to be +but a question of time with all of us as to when we too would be shot. +We were afraid to chirp. So far now as patriotism was concerned, we had +forgotten all about that, and did not now so much love our country as we +feared Bragg. Men were being led to the death stake every day. I heard +of many being shot, but did not see but two men shot myself. I do not +know to what regiment they belonged, but I remember that they were mere +beardless boys. I did not learn for what crime or the magnitude of their +offenses. They might have deserved death for all I know. + +I saw an old man, about sixty years old, whose name was Dave Brewer, +and another man, about forty-five, by the name of Rube Franklin, whipped. +There was many a man whipped and branded that I never saw or heard tell +of. But the reason I remembered these two was that they belonged to +Company A of the 23rd Tennessee Regiment, and I knew many men in the +regiment. + +These two men were hung up by the hands, after having their heads shaved, +to a tree, put there for the purpose, with the prongs left on them, +and one hand was stretched toward one prong and the other hand to another +prong, their feet, perhaps, just touching the ground. The man who did +the whipping had a thick piece of sole-leather, the end of which was cut +in three strips, and this tacked on to the end of a paddle. After the +charges and specifications had been read (both men being stark naked), +the whipper "lit in" on Rube, who was the youngest. I do not think he +intended to hit as hard as he did, but, being excited himself, he +blistered Rube from head to foot. Thirty-nine lashes was always the +number. Now, three times thirty-nine makes one hundred and seventeen. +When he struck at all, one lick would make three whelps. When he had +finished Rube, the Captain commanding the whipping squad told him to lay +it on old man Brewer as light as the law would allow, that old man Brewer +was so old that he would die--that he could not stand it. He struck old +man Dave Brewer thirty-nine lashes, but they were laid on light. Old +Dave didn't beg and squall like Rube did. He j-e-s-t did whip old man +Dave. Like the old preacher who caught the bear on Sunday. They had him +up before the church, agreed to let him off if he did not again set his +trap. "Well," he said, "brethren, I j-e-s-t did set it." + + +RAIDING ON ROASTINGEARS + +At this place General Bragg issued an order authorizing citizens to +defend themselves against the depredations of soldiers--to shoot them +down if caught depredating. + +Well, one day Byron Richardson and myself made a raid on an old citizen's +roastingear patch. We had pulled about all the corn that we could carry. +I had my arms full and was about starting for camp, when an old citizen +raised up and said, "Stop there! drop that corn." He had a double- +barreled shotgun cocked and leveled at my breast. + +"Come and go with me to General Bragg's headquarters. I intend to take +you there, by the living God!" + +I was in for it. Directed to go in front, I was being marched to Bragg's +headquarters. I could see the devil in the old fellow's eye. I tried to +beg off with good promises, but the old fellow was deaf to all entreaty. +I represented to him all of our hardships and suffering. But the old +fellow was inexorable. I was being steadily carried toward Bragg's +headquarters. I was determined not to see General Bragg, even if the old +citizen shot me in the back. When all at once a happy thought struck me. +Says I, "Mister, Byron Richardson is in your field, and if you will go +back we can catch him and you can take both of us to General Bragg." +The old fellow's spunk was up. He had captured me so easy, he no doubt +thought he could whip a dozen. We went back a short distance, and there +was Byron, who had just climbed over the fence and had his arms full, +when the old citizen, diverted from me, leveled his double-barrel at +Byron, when I made a grab for his gun, which was accidentally discharged +in the air, and with the assistance of Byron, we had the old fellow and +his gun both. The table was turned. We made the old fellow gather as +much as he could carry, and made him carry it nearly to camp, when we +dismissed him, a wiser if not a better and richer man. We took his gun +and bent it around a black jack tree. He was at the soldiers' mercy. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +KENTUCKY + + +WE GO INTO KENTUCKY + +After being thoroughly reorganized at Tupelo, and the troops had +recovered their health and spirits, we made an advance into Kentucky. +We took the cars at Tupelo and went to Mobile, from thence across Mobile +Bay to Montgomery, Alabama, then to Atlanta, from there to Chattanooga, +and then over the mountains afoot to the blue-grass regions of Kentucky-- +the dark and bloody ground. Please remember, patient reader, that I +write entirely from memory. I have no data or diary or anything to go by, +and memory is a peculiar faculty. I find that I cannot remember towns +and battles, and remember only the little things. I remember how gladly +the citizens of Kentucky received us. I thought they had the prettiest +girls that God ever made. They could not do too much for us. They had +heaps and stacks of cooked rations along our route, with wine and cider +everywhere, and the glad shouts of "Hurrah for our Southern boys!" +greeted and welcomed us at every house. Ah, the boys felt like soldiers +again. The bands played merrier and livelier tunes. It was the patient +convalescing; the fever had left him, he was getting fat and strong; +the old fire was seen to illuminate his eyes; his step was buoyant and +proud; he felt ashamed that he had ever been "hacked"; he could fight +now. It was the same old proud soldier of yore. The bands played "Dixie" +and the "Bonnie Blue Flag," the citizens cheered, and the ladies waved +their handkerchiefs and threw us bouquets. Ah, those were halcyon days, +and your old soldier, kind reader, loves to recall that happy period. +Mumfordsville had been captured with five thousand prisoners. New +recruits were continually joining our ranks. + +Camp Dick Robinson, that immense pile of army stores, had fallen into our +hands. We rode upon the summit of the wave of success. The boys had got +clean clothes, and had their faces washed. I saw then what I had long +since forgotten--a "cockade." The Kentucky girls made cockades for us, +and almost every soldier had one pinned on his hat. But stirring events +were hastening on, the black cloud of battle and war had begun then to +appear much larger than a man's hand, in fact we could see the lightning +flash and hear the thunder roar. + +We were at Harrodsburg; the Yankees were approaching Perryville under +General Buell. The Yankees had been dogging our rear, picking up our +stragglers and capturing some of our wagon trains. + +This good time that we were having was too good to last. We were in an +ecstasy akin to heaven. We were happy; the troops were jubilant; our +manhood blood pulsated more warmly; our patriotism was awakened; our +pride was renewed and stood ready for any emergency; we felt that one +Southern man could whip twenty Yankees. All was lovely and the goose +hung high. We went to dances and parties every night. + +When General Chalmers marched to Perryville, in flanking and surrounding +Mumfordsville, we marched the whole night long. We, the private soldiers, +did not know what was going on among the generals. All that we had to do +was march, march, march. It mattered not how tired, hungry, or thirsty +we were. All that we had to do was to march that whole night long, +and every staff officer who would pass, some fellow would say, "Hey, +mister, how far is it to Mumfordsville?" He would answer, "five miles." +It seemed to me we traveled a hundred miles and were always within five +miles of Mumfordsville. That night we heard a volley of musketry in our +immediate front, and did not know what it meant, but soon we came to +where a few soldiers had lighted some candles and were holding them +over the body of a dead soldier. It was Captain Allison, if I remember +rightly, of General Cheatham's staff. He was very bloody, and had his +clothes riddled with balls. I heard that he rode on in front of the +advance guard of our army, and had no doubt discovered the Yankee picket, +and came galloping back at full speed in the dark, when our advance guard +fired on and killed him. + +We laid down in a graveyard that night and slept, and when we awoke the +sun was high in the heavens, shining in our faces. Mumfordsville had +surrendered. The next day Dr. C. T. Quintard let me ride his horse +nearly all day, while he walked with the webfeet. + + +THE BATTLE OF PERRYVILLE + +In giving a description of this most memorable battle, I do not pretend +to give you figures, and describe how this general looked and how that +one spoke, and the other one charged with drawn sabre, etc. I know +nothing of these things--see the history for that. I was simply a +soldier of the line, and I only write of the things I saw. I was in +every battle, skirmish and march that was made by the First Tennessee +Regiment during the war, and I do not remember of a harder contest and +more evenly fought battle than that of Perryville. If it had been two +men wrestling, it would have been called a "dog fall." Both sides claim +the victory--both whipped. + +I stood picket in Perryville the night before the battle--a Yankee on +one side of the street, and I on the other. We got very friendly during +the night, and made a raid upon a citizen's pantry, where we captured +a bucket of honey, a pitcher of sweet milk, and three or four biscuit. +The old citizen was not at home--he and his whole household had gone +visiting, I believe. In fact, I think all of the citizens of Perryville +were taken with a sudden notion of promiscuous visiting about this time; +at least they were not at home to all callers. + +At length the morning dawned. Our line was drawn up on one side of +Perryville, the Yankee army on the other. The two enemies that were soon +to meet in deadly embrace seemed to be eyeing each other. The blue coats +lined the hillside in plain view. You could count the number of their +regiments by the number of their flags. We could see the huge war dogs +frowning at us, ready at any moment to belch forth their fire and smoke, +and hurl their thunderbolts of iron and death in our very midst. + +I wondered why the fighting did not begin. Never on earth were our +troops more eager for the engagement to open. The Yankees commenced to +march toward their left, and we marched almost parallel to our right-- +both sides watching each other's maneuvers and movements. It was but the +lull that precedes the storm. Colonel Field was commanding our brigade, +and Lieutenant-Colonel Patterson our regiment. About 12 o'clock, while +we were marching through a corn field, in which the corn had been shocked, +they opened their war dogs upon us. The beginning of the end had come. +Here is where Captain John F. Wheless was wounded, and three others, +whose names I have forgotten. The battle now opened in earnest, and from +one end of the line to the other seemed to be a solid sheet of blazing +smoke and fire. Our regiment crossed a stream, being preceded by +Wharton's Texas Rangers, and we were ordered to attack at once with +vigor. Here General Maney's horse was shot. From this moment the battle +was a mortal struggle. Two lines of battle confronted us. We killed +almost every one in the first line, and were soon charging over the +second, when right in our immediate front was their third and main line +of battle from which four Napoleon guns poured their deadly fire. + +We did not recoil, but our line was fairly hurled back by the leaden hail +that was poured into our very faces. Eight color-bearers were killed at +one discharge of their cannon. We were right up among the very wheels +of their Napoleon guns. It was death to retreat now to either side. +Our Lieutenant-Colonel Patterson halloed to charge and take their guns, +and we were soon in a hand-to-hand fight--every man for himself--using +the butts of our guns and bayonets. One side would waver and fall back a +few yards, and would rally, when the other side would fall back, leaving +the four Napoleon guns; and yet the battle raged. Such obstinate +fighting I never had seen before or since. The guns were discharged +so rapidly that it seemed the earth itself was in a volcanic uproar. +The iron storm passed through our ranks, mangling and tearing men to +pieces. The very air seemed full of stifling smoke and fire which seemed +the very pit of hell, peopled by contending demons. + +Our men were dead and dying right in the very midst of this grand havoc +of battle. It was a life to life and death to death grapple. The sun +was poised above us, a great red ball sinking slowly in the west, yet the +scene of battle and carnage continued. I cannot describe it. The mantle +of night fell upon the scene. I do not know which side whipped, but I +know that I helped bring off those four Napoleon guns that night though +we were mighty easy about it. + +They were given to Turner's Battery of our brigade and had the name of +our Lieutenant-Colonel Patterson and our color-bearer, Mitchell, both of +whom were killed, inscribed on two of the pieces. I have forgotten the +names inscribed on the other two pieces. I saw these very four guns +surrendered at Missionary Ridge. But of this another time. + +The battle of Perryville presented a strange scene. The dead, dying, +and wounded of both armies, Confederate and Federal, were blended in +inextricable confusion. Now and then a cluster of dead Yankees and close +by a cluster of dead Rebels. It was like the Englishman's grog--'alf and +'alf. Now, if you wish, kind reader, to find out how many were killed +and wounded, I refer you to the histories. + +I remember one little incident that I laughed at while in the very midst +of battle. We were charging through an old citizen's yard, when a big +yellow cur dog ran out and commenced snapping at the soldiers' legs-- +they kicking at him to keep him off. The next morning he was lying near +the same place, but he was a dead dog. + +I helped bring off our wounded that night. We worked the whole night. +The next morning about daylight a wounded comrade, Sam Campbell, +complained of being cold, and asked me to lie down beside him. I did so, +and was soon asleep; when I awoke the poor fellow was stiff and cold in +death. His spirit had flown to its home beyond the skies. + +After the battle was over, John T. Tucker, Scott Stephens, A. S. Horsley +and I were detailed to bring off our wounded that night, and we helped +to bring off many a poor dying comrade--Joe Thompson, Billy Bond, Byron +Richardson, the two Allen boys--brothers, killed side by side--and +Colonel Patterson, who was killed standing right by my side. He was +first shot through the hand, and was wrapping his handkerchief around it, +when another ball struck and killed him. I saw W. J. Whittorne, then a +strippling boy of fifteen years of age, fall, shot through the neck and +collar-bone. He fell apparently dead, when I saw him all at once jump up, +grab his gun and commence loading and firing, and I heard him say, +"D--n 'em, I'll fight 'em as long as I live." Whit thought he was killed, +but he is living yet. We helped bring off a man by the name of Hodge, +with his under jaw shot off, and his tongue lolling out. We brought off +Captain Lute B. Irvine. Lute was shot through the lungs and was vomiting +blood all the while, and begging us to lay him down and let him die. +But Lute is living yet. Also, Lieutenant Woldridge, with both eyes shot +out. I found him rambling in a briar-patch. About fifty members of the +Rock City Guards were killed and nearly one hundred wounded. They were +led by Captains W. D. Kelley, Wheless, and Steele. Lieutenant Thomas +H. Maney was badly wounded. I saw dead on the battlefield a Federal +General by the name of Jackson. It was his brigade that fought us so +obstinately at this place, and I did hear that they were made up in +Kentucky. Colonel Field, then commanding our brigade, and on his fine +gray mare, rode up almost face to face with General Jackson, before +he was killed, and Colonel Field was shooting all the time with his +seven-shooting rifle. I cannot tell the one-half, or even remember at +this late date, the scenes of blood and suffering that I witnessed on +the battlefield of Perryville. But its history, like all the balance, +has gone into the history of the war, and it has been twenty years ago, +and I write entirely from memory. I remember Lieutenant Joe P. Lee and +Captain W. C. Flournoy standing right at the muzzle of the Napoleon guns, +and the next moment seemed to be enveloped in smoke and fire from the +discharge of the cannon. When the regiment recoiled under the heavy +firing and at the first charge, Billy Webster and I stopped behind a +large oak tree and continued to fire at the Yankees until the regiment +was again charging upon the four Napoleon guns, heavily supported by +infantry. We were not more than twenty paces from them; and here I was +shot through the hat and cartridge-box. I remember this, because at +that time Billy and I were in advance of our line, and whenever we saw +a Yankee rise to shoot, we shot him; and I desire to mention here that +a braver or more noble boy was never created on earth than was Billy +Webster. Everybody liked him. He was the flower and chivalry of our +regiment. His record as a brave and noble boy will ever live in the +hearts of his old comrades that served with him in Company H. He is up +yonder now, and we shall meet again. In these memoirs I only tell what I +saw myself, and in this way the world will know the truth. Now, citizen, +let me tell you what you never heard before, and this is this--there were +many men with the rank and pay of general, who were not generals; there +were many men with the rank and pay of privates who would have honored +and adorned the name of general. Now, I will state further that a +private soldier was a private. + +It mattered not how ignorant a corporal might be, he was always right; +it mattered not how intelligent the private might be (and so on up); +the sergeant was right over the corporal, the sergeant-major over the +sergeant, the lieutenant over him, and the captain over him, and the +major over him, and the colonel over him, and the general over him, +and so on up to Jeff Davis. You see, a private had no right to know +anything, and that is why generals did all the fighting, and that is +today why generals and colonels and captains are great men. They fought +the battles of our country. The privates did not. The generals risked +their reputation, the private soldier his life. No one ever saw a +private in battle. His history would never be written. It was the +generals that everybody saw charge such and such, with drawn sabre, +his eyes flashing fire, his nostrils dilated, and his clarion voice +ringing above the din of battle--"in a horn," over the left. + +Bill Johns and Marsh Pinkard would have made Generals that would have +distinguished themselves and been an honor to the country. + +I know today many a private who would have made a good General. I know +of many a General who was better fitted to be excused from detail and +fights, to hang around a camp and draw rations for the company. A +private had no way to distinguish himself. He had to keep in ranks, +either in a charge or a retreat. But now, as the Generals and Colonels +fill all the positions of honor and emoluments, the least I say, the +better. + + +THE RETREAT OUT OF KENTUCKY + +From Perryville we went to Camp Dick Robinson and drew three days' +rations, and then set fire to and destroyed all those great deposits of +army stores which would have supplied the South for a year. We ate those +rations and commenced our retreat out of Kentucky with empty haversacks +and still emptier stomachs. + +We supposed our general and commissaries knew what they were doing, +and at night we would again draw rations, but we didn't. + +The Yankee cavalry are worrying our rear guards. There is danger of an +attack at any moment. No soldier is allowed to break ranks. + +We thought, well surely we will draw rations tonight. But we didn't. +We are marching for Cumberland Gap; the country has long ago been made +desolate by the alternate occupation of both armies. There are no +provisions in the country. It has long since been laid waste. We wanted +rations, but we did not get them. + +Fourth day out--Cumberland Gap in the distance--a great indenture in the +ranges of Cumberland mountains. The scene was grand. But grand scenery +had but little attraction for a hungry soldier. Surely we will get +rations at Cumberland Gap. Toil on up the hill, and when half way up +the hill, "Halt!"--march back down to the foot of the hill to defend the +cavalry. I was hungry. A cavalryman was passing our regiment with a +pile of scorched dough on the pummel of his saddle. Says I, "Halt! +I am going to have a pattock of that bread." "Don't give it to him! +don't give it to him!" was yelled out from all sides. I cocked my gun +and was about to raise it to my shoulder, when he handed me over a +pattock of scorched dough, and every fellow in Company H made a grab +for it, and I only got about two or three mouthfuls. About dark a wild +heifer ran by our regiment, and I pulled down on her. We killed and +skinned her, and I cut off about five pounds of hindquarter. In three +minutes there was no sign of that beef left to tell the tale. We ate +that beef raw and without salt. + +Only eight miles now to Cumberland Gap, and we will get rations now. +But we didn't. We descended the mountain on the southern side. No +rations yet. + +Well, says I, this won't do me. I am going to hunt something to eat, +Bragg or no Bragg. I turned off the road and struck out through the +country, but had gone but a short distance before I came across a group +of soldiers clambering over something. It was Tom Tuck with a barrel of +sorghum that he had captured from a good Union man. He was selling it +out at five dollars a quart. I paid my five dollars, and by pushing and +scrouging I finally got my quart. I sat down and drank it; it was bully; +it was not so good; it was not worth a cent; I was sick, and have never +loved sorghum since. + +Along the route it was nothing but tramp, tramp, tramp, and no sound or +noise but the same inevitable, monotonous tramp, tramp, tramp, up hill +and down hill, through long and dusty lanes, weary, wornout and hungry. +No cheerful warble of a merry songster would ever greet our ears. +It was always tramp, tramp, tramp. You might, every now and then, +hear the occasional words, "close up;" but outside of that, it was but +the same tramp, tramp, tramp. I have seen soldiers fast asleep, and no +doubt dreaming of home and loved ones there, as they staggered along in +their places in the ranks. I know that on many a weary night's march I +have slept, and slept soundly, while marching along in my proper place +in the ranks of the company, stepping to the same step as the soldier +in front of me did. Sometimes, when weary, broken down and worn out, +some member of the regiment would start a tune, and every man would join +in. John Branch was usually the leader of the choir. He would commence +a beautiful tune. The words, as I remember them now, were "Dear Paul, +Just Twenty Years Ago." After singing this piece he would commence on a +lively, spirit-stirring air to the tune of "Old Uncle Ned." Now, reader, +it has been twenty years ago since I heard it, but I can remember a part +of it now. Here it is: + + "There was an ancient individual whose cognomen was Uncle Edward. + He departed this life long since, long since. + He had no capillary substance on the top of his cranium, + The place where the capillary substance ought to vegetate. + + His digits were as long as the bamboo piscatorial implement of the + Southern Mississippi. + He had no oculars to observe the beauties of nature. + He had no ossified formation to masticate his daily rations, + So he had to let his daily rations pass by with impunity." + +Walker Coleman raises the tune of "I'se a gwine to jine the rebel band, +a fightin' for my home." + +Now, reader, the above is all I can now remember of that very beautiful +and soul-stirring air. But the boys would wake up and step quicker and +livelier for some time, and Arthur Fulghum would holloa out, "All right; +go ahead!" and then would toot! toot! as if the cars were starting-- +puff! puff! puff and then he would say, "Tickets, gentlemen; tickets, +gentlemen." like he was conductor on a train of cars. This little +episode would be over, and then would commence the same tramp, tramp, +tramp, all night long. Step by step, step by step, we continued to plod +and nod and stagger and march, tramp, tramp, tramp. After a while we +would see the morning star rise in the east, and then after a while the +dim gray twilight, and finally we could discover the outlines of our file +leader, and after a while could make out the outlines of trees and other +objects. And as it would get lighter and lighter, and day would be about +to break, cuckoo, cuckoo, cuckoo, would come from Tom Tuck's rooster. +[Tom carried a game rooster, that he called "Fed" for Confederacy, +all through the war in a haversack.] And then the sun would begin to +shoot his slender rays athwart the eastern sky, and the boys would wake +up and begin laughing and talking as if they had just risen from a good +feather bed, and were perfectly refreshed and happy. We would usually +stop at some branch or other about breakfast time, and all wash our hands +and faces and eat breakfast, if we had any, and then commence our weary +march again. If we were halted for one minute, every soldier would drop +down, and resting on his knapsack, would go to sleep. Sometimes the +sleeping soldiers were made to get up to let some general and his staff +pass by. But whenever that was the case, the general always got a worse +cursing than when Noah cursed his son Ham black and blue. I heard Jessee +Ely do this once. + +We march on. The scene of a few days ago comes unbidden to my mind. +Tramp, tramp, tramp, the soldiers are marching. Where are many of my old +friends and comrades, whose names were so familiar at every roll call, +and whose familiar "Here" is no more? They lie yonder at Perryville, +unburied, on the field of battle. They lie where they fell. More than +three hundred and fifty members of my regiment, the First Tennessee, +numbered among the killed and wounded--one hundred and eighty-five slain +on the field of battle. Who are they? Even then I had to try to think +up the names of all the slain of Company H alone. Their spirits seemed +to be with us on the march, but we know that their souls are with their +God. Their bones, today, no doubt, bleach upon the battlefield. They +left their homes, families, and loved ones a little more than one short +twelve months ago, dressed in their gray uniforms, amid the applause and +cheering farewells of those same friends. They lie yonder; no friendly +hands ever closed their eyes in death; no kind, gentle, and loving mother +was there to shed a tear over and say farewell to her darling boy; +no sister's gentle touch ever wiped the death damp from off their dying +brows. Noble boys; brave boys! They willingly gave their lives to their +country's cause. Their bodies and bones are mangled and torn by the rude +missiles of war. They sleep the sleep of the brave. They have given +their all to their country. We miss them from our ranks. There are no +more hard marches and scant rations for them. They have accomplished all +that could be required of them. They are no more; their names are soon +forgotten. They are put down in the roll-book as killed. They are +forgotten. We will see them no more until the last reveille on the last +morning of the final resurrection. Soldiers, comrades, friends, noble +boys, farewell we will meet no more on earth, but up yonder some day we +will have a grand reunion. + + +KNOXVILLE + +The first night after crossing Cumberland Gap--I have forgotten the date, +but I know it was very early in the fall of the year; we had had no +frost or cold weather, and our marches all through Kentucky had been +characterized by very dry weather, it not having rained a drop on us +during the whole time--about four o'clock in the morning it began to snow, +and the next morning the ground was covered with a deep snow; the trees +and grass and everything of the vegetable kingdom still green. + +When we got back to Knoxville we were the lousiest, dirtiest, raggedest +looking Rebels you ever saw. I had been shot through the hat and +cartridge-box at Perryville, and had both on, and the clothing I then had +on was all that I had in the world. William A. Hughes and I were walking +up the street looking at the stores, etc., when we met two of the +prettiest girls I ever saw. They ran forward with smiling faces, and +seemed very glad to see us. I thought they were old acquaintances of +Hughes, and Hughes thought they were old acquaintances of mine. We were +soon laughing and talking as if we had been old friends, when one of the +young ladies spoke up and said, "Gentlemen, there is a supper for the +soldiers at the Ladies' Association rooms, and we are sent out to bring +in all the soldiers we can find." We spoke up quickly and said, "Thank +you, thank you, young ladies," and I picked out the prettiest one and +said, "Please take my arm," which she did, and Hughes did the same with +the other one, and we went in that style down the street. I imagine we +were a funny looking sight. I know one thing, I felt good all over, +and as proud as a boy with his first pants, and when we got to that +supper room those young ladies waited on us, and we felt as grand as +kings. To you, ladies, I say, God bless you! + + +AH, "SNEAK" + +Almost every soldier in the army--generals, colonels, captains, as well +as privates--had a nick-name; and I almost believe that had the war +continued ten years, we would have forgotten our proper names. John +T. Tucker was called "Sneak," A. S. Horsley was called "Don Von One +Horsley," W. A. Hughes was called "Apple Jack," Green Rieves was called +"Devil Horse," the surgeon of our regiment was called "Old Snake," +Bob Brank was called "Count," the colonel of the Fourth was called "Guide +Post," E. L. Lansdown was called "Left Tenant," some were called by +the name of "Greasy," some "Buzzard," others "Hog," and "Brutus," and +"Cassius," and "Caesar," "Left Center," and "Bolderdust," and "Old +Hannah;" in fact, the nick-names were singular and peculiar, and when a +man got a nick-name it stuck to him like the Old Man of the Sea did to +the shoulders of Sinbad, the sailor. + +On our retreat the soldiers got very thirsty for tobacco (they always +used the word thirsty), and they would sometimes come across an old field +off which the tobacco had been cut and the suckers had re-sprouted from +the old stalk, and would cut off these suckers and dry them by the fire +and chew them. "Sneak" had somehow or other got hold of a plug or two, +and knowing that he would be begged for a chew, had cut it up in little +bits of pieces about one-fourth of a chew. Some fellow would say, "Sneak, +please give me a chew of tobacco." Sneak would say, "I don't believe +I have a piece left," and then he would begin to feel in his pockets. +He would pull that hand out and feel in another pocket, and then in his +coat pockets, and hid away down in an odd corner of his vest pocket he +would accidentally find a little chew, just big enough to make "spit +come." Sneak had his pockets full all the time. The boys soon found +out his inuendoes and subterfuges, but John would all the time appear as +innocent of having tobacco as a pet lamb that has just torn down a nice +vine that you were so careful in training to run over the front porch. +Ah, John, don't deny it now! + + +I JINE THE CAVALRY + +When we got to Charleston, on the Hiwassee river, there we found the +First Tennessee Cavalry and Ninth Battalion, both of which had been made +up principally in Maury county, and we knew all the boys. We had a +good old-fashioned handshaking all around. Then I wanted to "jine the +cavalry." Captain Asa G. Freeman had an extra horse, and I got on him +and joined the cavalry for several days, but all the time some passing +cavalryman would make some jocose remark about "Here is a webfoot who +wants to jine the cavalry, and has got a bayonet on his gun and a +knapsack on his back." I felt like I had got into the wrong pen, but +anyhow I got to ride all of three days. I remember that Mr. Willis +B. Embry gave me a five-pound package of Kallickanick smoking tobacco, +for which I was very grateful. I think he was quartermaster of the First +Tennessee Cavalry, and as good a man and as clever a person as I ever +knew. None knew him but to love him. I was told that he was killed by +a lot of Yankee soldiers after he had surrendered to them, all the time +begging for his life, asking them please not kill him. But He that +noteth the sparrow's fall doeth all things well. Not one ever falls to +the ground with His consent. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +MURFREESBORO + + +We came from Knoxville to Chattanooga, and seemed destined to make a +permanent stay here. We remained several months, but soon we were on the +tramp again. + +From Chattanooga, Bragg's army went to Murfreesboro. + +The Federal army was concentrating at Nashville. There was no rest for +the weary. Marches and battles were the order of the day. + +Our army stopped at Murfreesboro. Our advanced outpost was established +at Lavergne. From time to time different regiments were sent forward +to do picket duty. I was on picket at the time the advance was made by +Rosecrans. At the time mentioned, I was standing about two hundred yards +off the road, the main body of the pickets being on the Nashville and +Murfreesboro turnpike, and commanded by Lieutenant Hardy Murfree, of the +Rutherford Rifles. + +I had orders to allow no one to pass. In fact, no one was expected to +pass at this point, but while standing at my post, a horseman rode up +behind me. I halted him, and told him to go down to the main picket on +the road and pass, but he seemed so smiling that I thought he knew me, +or had a good joke to tell me. He advanced up, and pulling a piece of +paper out of his pocket, handed it to me to read. It was an order from +General Leonidas Polk to allow the bearer to pass. I read it, and looked +up to hand it back to him, when I discovered that he had a pistol cocked +and leveled in my face, and says he, "Drop that gun; you are my prisoner." +I saw there was no use in fooling about it. I knew if I resisted he +would shoot me, and I thought then that he was about to perform that +detestable operation. I dropped the gun. + +I did not wish to spend my winter in a Northern prison, and what was +worse, I would be called a deserter from my post of duty. + +The Yankee picket lines were not a half mile off. I was perfectly +willing to let the spy go on his way rejoicing--for such he was--but he +wanted to capture a Rebel. + +And I had made up my mind to think likewise. There I was, a prisoner +sure, and no mistake about it. + +His pistol was leveled, and I was ordered to march. I was afraid to +halloo to the relief, and you may be sure I was in a bad fix. + +Finally says I, "Let's play quits. I think you are a soldier; you look +like a gentleman. I am a videt; you know the responsibility resting on +me. You go your way, and leave me here. Is it a bargain?" + +Says he, "I would not trust a Secesh on his word, oath, or bond. March, +I say." + +I soon found out that he had caught sight of the relief on the road, +and was afraid to shoot. I quickly made up my mind. My gun was at my +feet, and one step would get it. I made a quick glance over my shoulder, +and grabbed at my gun. He divined my motive, and fired. The ball missed +its aim. He put spurs to his horse, but I pulled down on him, and almost +tore the fore shoulder of his horse entirely off, but I did not capture +the spy, though I captured the horse, bridle and saddle. Major Allen, +of the Twenty-seventh Tennessee Regiment, took the saddle and bridle, +and gave me the blanket. I remember the blanket had the picture of a +"big lion" on it, and it was almost new. When we fell back, as the +Yankee sharpshooters advanced, we left the poor old horse nipping the +short, dry grass. I saw a Yankee skirmisher run up and grab the horse +and give a whoop as if he had captured a Rebel horse. But they continued +to advance upon us, we firing and retreating slowly. We had several +pretty sharp brushes with them that day. I remember that they had to +cross an open field in our front, and we were lying behind a fence, +and as they advanced, we kept up firing, and would run them back every +time, until they brought up a regiment that whooped, and yelled, and +charged our skirmish line, and then we fell back again. I think we must +have killed a good many in the old field, because we were firing all the +time at the solid line as they advanced upon us. + + +BATTLE OF MURFREESBORO + +The next day, the Yankees were found out to be advancing. Soon they came +in sight of our picket. We kept falling back and firing all day, and +were relieved by another regiment about dark. We rejoined our regiment. +Line of battle was formed on the north bank of Stone's River--on the +Yankee side. Bad generalship, I thought. + +It was Christmas. John Barleycorn was general-in-chief. Our generals, +and colonels, and captains, had kissed John a little too often. They +couldn't see straight. It was said to be buckeye whisky. They couldn't +tell our own men from Yankees. The private could, but he was no general, +you see. But here they were--the Yankees--a battle had to be fought. +We were ordered forward. I was on the skirmish line. We marched plumb +into the Yankee lines, with their flags flying. + +I called Lieutenant-Colonel Frierson's attention to the Yankees, and he +remarked, "Well, I don't know whether they are Yankees or not, but if +they are, they will come out of there mighty quick." + +The Yankees marched over the hill out of sight. + +We were ordered forward to the attack. We were right upon the Yankee +line on the Wilkerson turnpike. The Yankees were shooting our men down +by scores. A universal cry was raised, "You are firing on your own men." +"Cease firing, cease firing," I hallooed; in fact, the whole skirmish +line hallooed, and kept on telling them that they were Yankees, and to +shoot; but the order was to cease firing, you are firing on your own men. + +Captain James, of Cheatham's staff, was sent forward and killed in his +own yard. We were not twenty yards off from the Yankees, and they were +pouring the hot shot and shells right into our ranks; and every man was +yelling at the top of his voice, "Cease firing, you are firing on your +own men; cease firing, you are firing on your own men." + +Oakley, color-bearer of the Fourth Tennessee Regiment, ran right up in +the midst of the Yankee line with his colors, begging his men to follow. +I hallooed till I was hoarse, "They are Yankees, they are Yankees; shoot, +they are Yankees." + +The crest occupied by the Yankees was belching loud with fire and smoke, +and the Rebels were falling like leaves of autumn in a hurricane. +The leaden hail storm swept them off the field. They fell back and +re-formed. General Cheatham came up and advanced. I did not fall back, +but continued to load and shoot, until a fragment of a shell struck me on +the arm, and then a minnie ball passed through the same paralyzing my arm, +and wounded and disabled me. General Cheatham, all the time, was calling +on the men to go forward, saying, "Come on, boys, and follow me." + +The impression that General Frank Cheatham made upon my mind, leading +the charge on the Wilkerson turnpike, I will never forget. I saw either +victory or death written on his face. When I saw him leading our brigade, +although I was wounded at the time, I felt sorry for him, he seemed so +earnest and concerned, and as he was passing me I said, "Well, General, +if you are determined to die, I'll die with you." We were at that time +at least a hundred yards in advance of the brigade, Cheatham all the time +calling upon the men to come on. He was leading the charge in person. +Then it was that I saw the power of one man, born to command, over a +multitude of men then almost routed and demoralized. I saw and felt that +he was not fighting for glory, but that he was fighting for his country +because he loved that country, and he was willing to give his life for +his country and the success of our cause. He deserves a wreath of +immortality, and a warm place in every Southron's heart, for his brave +and glorious example on that bloody battlefield of Murfreesboro. Yes, +his history will ever shine in beauty and grandeur as a name among the +brightest in all the galaxy of leaders in the history of our cause. + +Now, another fact I will state, and that is, when the private soldier was +ordered to charge and capture the twelve pieces of artillery, heavily +supported by infantry, Maney's brigade raised a whoop and yell, and +swooped down on those Yankees like a whirl-a-gust of woodpeckers in a +hail storm, paying the blue coated rascals back with compound interest; +for when they did come, every man's gun was loaded, and they marched upon +the blazing crest in solid file, and when they did fire, there was a +sudden lull in the storm of battle, because the Yankees were nearly all +killed. I cannot remember now of ever seeing more dead men and horses +and captured cannon, all jumbled together, than that scene of blood and +carnage and battle on the Wilkerson turnpike. The ground was literally +covered with blue coats dead; and, if I remember correctly, there were +eighty dead horses. + +By this time our command had re-formed, and charged the blazing crest. + +The spectacle was grand. With cheers and shouts they charged up the hill, +shooting down and bayoneting the flying cannoneers, General Cheatham, +Colonel Field and Joe Lee cutting and slashing with their swords. +The victory was complete. The whole left wing of the Federal army was +driven back five miles from their original position. Their dead and +wounded were in our lines, and we had captured many pieces of artillery, +small arms, and prisoners. + +When I was wounded, the shell and shot that struck me, knocked me +winding. I said, "O, O, I'm wounded," and at the same time I grabbed +my arm. I thought it had been torn from my shoulder. The brigade had +fallen back about two hundred yards, when General Cheatham's presence +reassured them, and they soon were in line and ready to follow so brave +and gallant a leader, and had that order of "cease firing, you are firing +on your own men," not been given, Maney's brigade would have had the +honor of capturing eighteen pieces of artillery, and ten thousand +prisoners. This I do know to be a fact. + +As I went back to the field hospital, I overtook another man walking +along. I do not know to what regiment he belonged, but I remember of +first noticing that his left arm was entirely gone. His face was as +white as a sheet. The breast and sleeve of his coat had been torn away, +and I could see the frazzled end of his shirt sleeve, which appeared to +be sucked into the wound. I looked at it pretty close, and I said "Great +God!" for I could see his heart throb, and the respiration of his lungs. +I was filled with wonder and horror at the sight. He was walking along, +when all at once he dropped down and died without a struggle or a groan. +I could tell of hundreds of such incidents of the battlefield, but tell +only this one, because I remember it so distinctly. + + +ROBBING A DEAD YANKEE + +In passing over the battlefield, I came across a dead Yankee colonel. +He had on the finest clothes I ever saw, a red sash and fine sword. +I particularly noticed his boots. I needed them, and had made up my mind +to wear them out for him. But I could not bear the thought of wearing +dead men's shoes. I took hold of the foot and raised it up and made one +trial at the boot to get it off. I happened to look up, and the colonel +had his eyes wide open, and seemed to be looking at me. He was stone +dead, but I dropped that foot quick. It was my first and last attempt +to rob a dead Yankee. + +After the battle was over at Murfreesboro, that night, John Tucker and +myself thought that we would investigate the contents of a fine brick +mansion in our immediate front, but between our lines and the Yankees', +and even in advance of our videts. Before we arrived at the house we saw +a body of Yankees approaching, and as we started to run back they fired +upon us. Our pickets had run in and reported a night attack. We ran +forward, expecting that our men would recognize us, but they opened fire +upon us. I never was as bad scared in all my whole life, and if any +poor devil ever prayed with fervency and true piety, I did it on that +occasion. I thought, "I am between two fires." I do not think that a +flounder or pancake was half as flat as I was that night; yea, it might +be called in music, low flat. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +SHELBYVILLE + + +It is a bad thing for an army to remain too long at one place. The men +soon become discontented and unhappy, and we had no diversion or pastime +except playing poker and chuck-a-luck. All the money of the regiment had +long ago been spent, but grains of corn represented dollars, and with +these we would play as earnestly and as zealously as if they were so much +money, sure enough. + + +A FOOT RACE + +One of those amusing episodes that frequently occur in the army, happened +at this place. A big strapping fellow by the name of Tennessee Thompson, +always carried bigger burdens than any other five men in the army. +For example, he carried two quilts, three blankets, one gum oil cloth, +one overcoat, one axe, one hatchet, one camp-kettle, one oven and lid, +one coffee pot, besides his knapsack, haversack, canteen, gun, cartridge- +box, and three days' rations. He was a rare bird, anyhow. Tennessee +usually had his hair cut short on one side and left long on the other, +so that he could give his head a bow and a toss and throw the long hairs +over on the other side, and it would naturally part itself without a +comb. Tennessee was the wit and good nature of the company; always in +a good humor, and ever ready to do any duty when called upon. In fact, +I would sometimes get out of heart and low spirited, and would hunt up +Tennessee to have a little fun. His bye-word was "Bully for Bragg; +he's hell on retreat, and will whip the Yankees yet." He was a good and +brave soldier, and followed the fortunes of Company H from the beginning +to the end. + +Well, one day he and Billy Webster bet twenty-five dollars, put up in +Bill Martin's hands, as to which could run the faster. John Tucker, +Joe Lee, Alf. Horsley and myself were appointed judges. The distance +was two hundred yards. The ground was measured off, and the judges +stationed. Tennessee undressed himself, even down to his stocking feet, +tied a red handkerchief around his head, and another one around his waist, +and walked deliberately down the track, eyeing every little rock and +stick and removing them off the track. Comes back to the starting point +and then goes down the track in half canter; returns again, his eyes +flashing, his nostrils dilated, looking the impersonation of the champion +courser of the world; makes two or three apparently false starts; turns +a somersault by placing his head on the ground and flopping over on his +back; gets up and whickers like a horse; goes half-hammered, hop, step, +and jump--he says, to loosen up his joints--scratches up the ground with +his hands and feet, flops his arms and crows like a rooster, and says, +"Bully for Bragg; he's hell on a retreat," and announces his readiness. +The drum is tapped, and off they start. Well, Billy Webster beat him one +hundred yards in the two hundred, and Tennessee came back and said, "Well, +boys, I'm beat; Billy Martin, hand over the stakes to Billy Webster. +I'm beat, but hang me if I didn't outrun the whole Yankee army coming out +of Kentucky; got away from Lieutenant Lansdown and the whole detail at +Chattanooga with half a hog, a fifty pound sack of flour, a jug of +Meneesee commissary whisky, and a camp-kettle full of brown sugar. +I'm beat. Billy Martin, hand over the stakes. Bully for Bragg; he's +hell on a retreat." Tennessee was trying bluff. He couldn't run worth a +cent; but there was no braver or truer man ever drew a ramrod or tore a +cartridge than Tennessee. + + +EATING MUSSELS + +Reader, did you ever eat a mussel? Well, we did, at Shelbyville. +We were camped right upon the bank of Duck river, and one day Fred Dornin, +Ed Voss, Andy Wilson and I went in the river mussel hunting. Every one +of us had a meal sack. We would feel down with our feet until we felt a +mussel and then dive for it. We soon filled our sacks with mussels in +their shells. When we got to camp we cracked the shells and took out the +mussels. We tried frying them, but the longer they fried the tougher +they got. They were a little too large to swallow whole. Then we stewed +them, and after a while we boiled them, and then we baked them, but every +flank movement we would make on those mussels the more invulnerable they +would get. We tried cutting them up with a hatchet, but they were so +slick and tough the hatchet would not cut them. Well, we cooked them, +and buttered them, and salted them, and peppered them, and battered them. +They looked good, and smelt good, and tasted good; at least the fixings +we put on them did, and we ate the mussels. I went to sleep that night. +I dreamed that my stomach was four grindstones, and that they turned in +four directions, according to the four corners of the earth. I awoke +to hear four men yell out, "O, save, O, save me from eating any more +mussels!" + + +"POOR" BERRY MORGAN + +One of those sad, unexpected affairs, that remind the living that even in +life we are in the midst of death, happened at Shelbyville. Our regiment +had been out to the front, on duty, and was returning to camp. It was +nearly dark, and we saw a black wind cloud rising. The lightning's flash +and the deep muttering thunders warned us to seek shelter as speedily as +possible. Some of us ran in under the old depot shed, and soon the storm +struck us. It was a tornado that made a track through the woods beyond +Shelbyville, and right through the town, and we could follow its course +for miles where it had blown down the timber, twisting and piling it in +every shape. Berry Morgan and I had ever been close friends, and we +threw down our blankets and were lying side by side, when I saw roofs of +houses, sign boards, and brickbats flying in every direction. Nearly +half of the town was blown away in the storm. While looking at the storm +without, I felt the old shed suddenly jar and tremble, and suddenly +become unroofed, and it seemed to me that ten thousand brickbats had +fallen in around us. I could hear nothing for the roaring of the storm, +and could see nothing for the blinding rain and flying dirt and bricks +and other rubbish. The storm lasted but a few minutes, but those minutes +seemed ages. When it had passed, I turned to look at "poor Berry." +Poor fellow! his head was crushed in by a brickbat, his breast crushed +in by another, and I think his arm was broken, and he was otherwise +mutilated. It was a sad sight. Many others of our regiment were wounded. + +Berry was a very handsome boy. He was what everybody would call a +"pretty man." He had fair skin, blue eyes, and fine curly hair, which +made him look like an innocent child. I loved Berry. He was my friend-- +as true as the needle to the pole. But God, who doeth all things well, +took his spirit in the midst of the storm to that beautiful home beyond +the skies. I thank God I am no infidel. We will meet again. + + +WRIGHT SHOT TO DEATH WITH MUSKETRY + +I saw a young boy about seventeen or eighteen years old, by the name of +Wright, and belonging to General Marcus J. Wright's brigade, shot to +death with musketry at this place. The whole of Cheatham's division had +to march out and witness the horrid scene. Now, I have no doubt that +many, if not all, would have gone without being forced to do so, but then +you know that was Bragg's style. He wanted always to display his tyranny, +and to intimidate his privates as much as possible. The young man was +hauled in a wagon, sitting on his coffin, to the place where the grave +was to be dug, and a post was planted in the ground. He had to sit there +for more than two hours, looking on at the preparations for his death. +I went up to the wagon, like many others, to have a look at the doomed +man. He had his hat pulled down over his eyes, and was busily picking at +the ends of his fingers. The guard who then had him in charge told me +that one of the culprit's own brothers was one of the detail to shoot +him. I went up to the wagon and called him, "Wright!" He made no reply, +and did not even look up. Then I said, "Wright, why don't you jump out +of that wagon and run?" He was callous to everything. I was sorry for +him. When the division was all assembled, and the grave dug, and the +post set, he was taken out of the wagon, and tied to the post. He was +first tied facing the post, and consequently would have been shot in the +back, but was afterwards tied with his back to the post. The chaplain of +the regiment read a chapter in the Bible, sang a hymn, and then all knelt +down and prayed. General Wright went up to the pinioned man, shook +hands with him, and told him good-bye, as did many others, and then the +shooting detail came up, and the officer in charge gave the command, +"Ready, aim, fire!" The crash of musketry broke upon the morning air. +I was looking at Wright. I heard him almost shriek, "O, O, God!" +His head dropped forward, the rope with which he was pinioned keeping him +from falling. I turned away and thought how long, how long will I have +to witness these things? + + +DAVE SUBLETT PROMOTED + +While at Shelbyville, a vacancy occurring in Captain Ledbetter's company, +the Rutherford Rifles, for fourth corporal, Dave Sublett became a +candidate for the position. Now, Dave was a genius. He was a noble and +brave fellow, and at one time had been a railroad director. He had a +distinguished air always about him, but Dave had one fault, and that was, +he was ever prone to get tight. He had been a Union man, and even now +he always had a good word for the Union. He was sincere, but eccentric. +The election for fourth corporal was drawing nigh. Dave sent off and got +two jugs of _spirits vini frumenti_, and treated the boys. Of course, +his vote would be solid. Every man in that company was going to cast his +vote for him. Dave got happy and wanted to make a speech. He went to +the butcher's block which was used to cut up meat on--he called it +Butchers' Hall--got upon it amid loud cheering and hurrahs of the boys. +He spoke substantially as follows: + +"Fellow Citizens--I confess that it is with feelings of diffidence and +great embarrassment on my part that I appear before you on this occasion. +But, gentlemen and fellow-citizens, I desire to serve you in an humble +capacity, as fourth corporal of Company I. Should you see cause to elect +me, no heart will beat with more gratitude than my own. Gentlemen, +you well know that I was ever a Union man: + "'A union of lakes, and a union of lands, + A union that no one can sever; + A union of hearts, and a union of hands, + A glorious union forever.' + +[Cheers and applause.] + +"Fellow-citizens, I can look through the dim telescope of the past and +see Kansas, bleeding Kansas, coming like a fair young bride, dressed in +her bridal drapery, her cheek wet and moistened with the tears of love. +I can see her come and knock gently at the doors of the Union, asking +for admittance. [Wild cheering.] Looking further back, I can see our +forefathers of the revolution baring their bosoms to the famine of a +seven years' war, making their own bosoms a breastwork against the whole +hosts of King George III. But, gentlemen, as I before remarked, I desire +to ask at your hands the high, distinguished and lucrative office, +my fellow-citizens, and for which I will ever feel grateful--the office +of fourth corporal in your company." [Cheers.] + +Now, Dave had a competitor who was a states' rights democrat. If I +mistake not, his name was Frank Haliburton. Now, Frank was an original +secessionist. He felt that each state was a separate, sovereign +government of itself, and that the South had the same rights in the +territories as they of the North. He was fighting for secession and +state rights upon principle. When Sublett had finished his speech, +Frank took the stand and said: + +"Gentlemen and Fellow-Citizens--I am a candidate for fourth corporal, +and if you will elect me I will be grateful, and will serve you to the +best of my ability. My competitor seems to harp considerably upon his +Union record, and Union love. If I mistake not, my fellow-citizens, +it was old George McDuffie that stood up in the senate chamber of the +United States and said, 'When I hear the shout of "glorious Union," +methinks I hear the shout of a robber gang.' McDuffie saw through his +prophetic vision the evils that would result, and has foretold them as +if by inspiration from above. + +"Fellow-citizens, under the name of Union our country is invaded today. + +"These cursed Yankees are invading our country, robbing our people, +and desolating our land, and all under the detestable and damning name +of Union. Our representatives in congress have been fighting them for +fifty years. Compromise after compromise has been granted by the South. +We have used every effort to conciliate those at the North. They +have turned a deaf ear to every plea. They saw our country rich and +prosperous, and have come indeed, like a gang of robbers, to steal our +property and murder our people. But, fellow-citizens, I for one am ready +to meet them, and desire that you elect me fourth corporal of Company I, +so that I can serve you in a more efficient manner, while we meet as a +band of brothers, the cursed horde of Northern Hessians and hirelings. +I thank you for your attention, gentlemen, and would thank you for your +votes." + +Well, the election came off, and Dave was elected by an overwhelming +majority. But the high eminence of military distinction enthralled him. +He seemed to live in an atmosphere of greatness and glory, and was +looking eagerly forward to the time when he would command armies. +He had begun to climb the ladder of glory under most favorable and +auspicious circumstances. He felt his consequence and keeping. He was +detailed once, and only once, to take command of the third relief of camp +guard. Ah, this thing of office was a big thing. He desired to hold +a council of war with Generals Bragg, Polk, Hardee, and Kirby Smith. +He first visited General Polk. His war metal was up. He wanted a fight +just then and there, and a fight he must have, at all hazards, and to the +last extremity. He became obstreperous, when General Polk called a guard +and had him marched off to the guard-house. It was then ordered that he +should do extra fatigue duty for a week. The guard would take him to the +woods with an ax, and he would make two or three chops on a tree and look +up at it and say: + + "Woodman, spare that tree; touch not a single bough; + In youth it sheltered me, and I'll protect it now." + +He would then go to another tree; but at no tree would he make more than +two or three licks before he would go to another. He would hit a limb +and then a log; would climb a tree and cut at a limb or two, and keep +on this way until he came to a hard old stump, which on striking his ax +would bound and spring back. He had found his desire; the top of that +stump became fun and pleasure. Well, his time of misdemeanor expired +and he was relieved. He went back and reported to Colonel Field, who +informed him that he had been reduced to the ranks. He drew himself up +to his full height and said: "Colonel, I regret exceedingly to be so +soon deprived of my new fledged honors that I have won on so many a hard +fought and bloody battlefield, but if I am reduced to the ranks as a +private soldier, I can but exclaim, like Moses of old, when he crossed +the Red sea in defiance of Pharaoh's hosts, 'O, how the mighty have +fallen!'" He then marched off with the air of the born soldier. + + +DOWN DUCK RIVER IN A CANOE + +"Ora pro nobis." + +At this place, Duck river wended its way to Columbia. On one occasion it +was up--had on its Sunday clothes--a-booming. Andy Wilson and I thought +that we would slip off and go down the river in a canoe. We got the +canoe and started. It was a leaky craft. We had not gone far before the +thing capsized, and we swam ashore. But we were outside of the lines now, +and without passes. (We would have been arrested anyhow.) So we put our +sand paddles to work and landed in Columbia that night. I loved a maid, +and so did Andy, and some poet has said that love laughs at grates, bars, +locksmiths, etc. I do not know how true this is, but I do know that +when I went to see my sweetheart that night I asked her to pray for me, +because I thought the prayers of a pretty woman would go a great deal +further "up yonder" than mine would. I also met Cousin Alice, another +beautiful woman, at my father's front gate, and told her that she must +pray for me, because I knew I would be court-martialed as soon as I got +back; that I had no idea of deserting the army and only wanted to see the +maid I loved. It took me one day to go to Columbia and one day to return, +and I stayed at home only one day, and went back of my own accord. +When I got back to Shelbyville, I was arrested and carried to the +guard-house, and when court-martialed was sentenced to thirty days' +fatigue duty and to forfeit four months' pay at eleven dollars per month, +making forty-four dollars. Now, you see how dearly I paid for that trip. +But, fortunately for me, General Leonidas Polk has issued an order that +very day promising pardon to all soldiers absent without leave if they +would return. I got the guard to march me up to his headquarters and +told him of my predicament, and he ordered my release, but said nothing +of remitting the fine. So when we were paid off at Chattanooga I was +left out. The Confederate States of America were richer by forty-four +dollars. + + +"SHENERAL OWLEYDOUSKY" + +General Owleydousky, lately imported from Poland, was Bragg's inspector +general. I remember of reading in the newspapers of where he tricked +Bragg at last. The papers said he stole all of Bragg's clothes one day +and left for parts unknown. It is supposed he went back to Poland to act +as "Ugh! Big Indian; fight heap mit Bragg." But I suppose it must have +left Bragg in a bad fix--somewhat like Mr. Jones, who went to ask the +old folks for Miss Willis. On being told that she was a very poor girl, +and had no property for a start in life, he simply said, "All right; +all I want is the naked girl." + +On one occasion, while inspecting the arms and accoutrements of our +regiments, when he came to inspect Company H he said, "Shentlemens, +vatfor you make de pothook out of de sword and de bayonet, and trow de +cartridge-box in de mud? I dust report you to Sheneral Bragg. Mine +gracious!" Approaching Orderly Sergeant John T. Tucker, and lifting the +flap of his cartridge box, which was empty, he said, "Bah, bah, mon Dieu; +I dust know dot you ish been hunting de squirrel and de rabbit. Mon +Dieu! you sharge yourself mit fifteen tollars for wasting sixty +cartridges at twenty-five cents apiece. Bah, bah, mon Dieu; I dust +report you to Sheneral Bragg." Approaching Sergeant A. S. Horsley, +he said, "Vy ish you got nodings mit your knapsack? Sir, you must have +somedings mit your knapsack." Alf ran into his tent and came back with +his knapsack in the right shape. Well, old Owleydousky thought he would +be smart and make an example of Alf, and said, "I vish to inspect your +clodings." He took Alf's knapsack and on opening it, what do you suppose +was in it? Well, if you are not a Yankee and good at guessing, I will +tell you, if you won't say anything about it, for Alf might get mad if +he were to hear it. He found Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, Cruden's +Concordance, Macauley's History of England, Jean Valjean, Fantine, Cosset, +Les Miserables, The Heart of Midlothian, Ivanhoe, Guy Mannering, Rob Roy, +Shakespeare, the History of Ancient Rome, and many others which I have +now forgotten. He carried literature for the regiment. He is in the +same old business yet, only now he furnishes literature by the car load. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +CHATTANOOGA + + +BACK TO CHATTANOOGA + +Rosecrans' army was in motion. The Federals were advancing, but as yet +they were afar off. Chattanooga must be fortified. Well do we remember +the hard licks and picks that we spent on these same forts, to be +occupied afterwards by Grant and his whole army, and we on Lookout +Mountain and Missionary Ridge looking at them. + + +AM VISITED BY MY FATHER + +About this time my father paid me a visit. Rations were mighty scarce. +I was mighty glad to see him, but ashamed to let him know how poorly off +for something to eat we were. We were living on parched corn. I thought +of a happy plan to get him a good dinner, so I asked him to let us go up +to the colonel's tent. Says I, "Colonel Field, I desire to introduce you +to my father, and as rations are a little short in my mess, I thought you +might have a little better, and could give him a good dinner." "Yes," +says Colonel Field, "I am glad to make the acquaintance of your father, +and will be glad to divide my rations with him. Also, I would like you +to stay and take dinner with me," which I assure you, O kind reader, +I gladly accepted. About this time a young African, Whit, came in with a +frying-pan of parched corn and dumped it on an old oil cloth, and said, +"Master, dinner is ready." That was all he had. He was living like +ourselves--on parched corn. + +We continued to fortify and build breastworks at Chattanooga. It was +the same drudge, drudge day by day. Occasionally a Sunday would come; +but when it did come, there came inspection of arms, knapsacks and +cartridge-boxes. Every soldier had to have his gun rubbed up as bright +as a new silver dollar. W. A. Hughes had the brightest gun in the army, +and always called it "Florence Fleming." The private soldier had to +have on clean clothes, and if he had lost any cartridges he was charged +twenty-five cents each, and had to stand extra duty for every cartridge +lost. We always dreaded Sunday. The roll was called more frequently on +this than any other day. Sometimes we would have preaching. I remember +one text that I thought the bottom had been knocked out long before: +"And Peter's wife's mother lay sick of fever." That text always did make +a deep impression on me. I always thought of a young divine who preached +it when first entering the ministry, and in about twenty years came back, +and happening to preach from the same text again, an old fellow in +the congregation said, "Mr. Preacher, ain't that old woman dead yet?" +Well, that was the text that was preached to us soldiers one Sunday at +Chattanooga. I could not help thinking all the time, "Ain't that old +woman dead yet?" But he announced that he would preach again at 3 +o'clock. We went to hear him preach at 3 o'clock, as his sermon was +so interesting about "Peter's wife's mother lay sick of a fever." We +thought, maybe it was a sort of sickly subject, and he would liven us +up a little in the afternoon service. + +Well, he took his text, drawled out through his nose like "small +sweetness long drawn out:" "M-a-r-t-h-a, thou art w-e-a-r-i-e-d and +troubled about many things, but M-a-r-y hath chosen that good part that +shall never be taken from her." Well, you see, O gentle and fair reader, +that I remember the text these long gone twenty years. I do not remember +what he preached about, but I remember thinking that he was a great +ladies' man, at any rate, and whenever I see a man who loves and respects +the ladies, I think him a good man. + +The next sermon was on the same sort of a text: "And the Lord God caused +a deep sleep to fall on Adam and took out of"--he stopped here and said +_e_ meant out of, that _e_, being translated from the Latin and Greek, +meant out of, and took _e_, or rather out of a rib and formed woman. +I never did know why he expaciated so largely on _e_; don't understand it +yet, but you see, reader mine, that I remember but the little things that +happened in that stormy epoch. I remember the _e_ part of the sermon +more distinctly than all of his profound eruditions of theology, dogmas, +creeds and evidences of Christianity, and I only write at this time from +memory of things that happened twenty years ago. + + +"OUT A LARKING" + +At this place, we took Walter Hood out "a larking." The way to go "a +larking" is this: Get an empty meal bag and about a dozen men and go to +some dark forest or open field on some cold, dark, frosty or rainy night, +about five miles from camp. Get someone who does not understand the game +to hold the bag in as stooping and cramped a position as is possible, +to keep perfectly still and quiet, and when he has got in the right fix, +the others to go off to drive in the larks. As soon as they get out of +sight, they break in a run and go back to camp, and go to sleep, leaving +the poor fellow all the time holding the bag. + +Well, Walter was as good and as clever a fellow as you ever saw, was +popular with everybody, and as brave and noble a fellow as ever tore a +cartridge, or drew a ramrod, or pulled a trigger, but was the kind of a +boy that was easily "roped in" to fun or fight or anything that would +come up. We all loved him. Poor fellow, he is up yonder--died on the +field of glory and honor. He gave his life, 'twas all he had, for his +country. Peace to his memory. That night we went "a larking," and +Walter held the bag. I did not see him till next morning. While I was +gulping down my coffee, as well as laughter, Walter came around, looking +sort of sheepish and shy like, and I was trying to look as solemn as a +judge. Finally he came up to the fire and kept on eyeing me out of one +corner of his eye, and I was afraid to look at him for fear of breaking +out in a laugh. When I could hold in no longer, I laughed out, and said, +"Well, Walter, what luck last night?" He was very much disgusted, +and said, "Humph! you all think that you are smart. I can't see anything +to laugh at in such foolishness as that." He said, "Here; I have brought +your bag back." That conquered me. After that kind of magnanimous +act in forgiving me and bringing my bag back so pleasantly and kindly, +I was his friend, and would have fought for him. I felt sorry that we +had taken him out "a larking." + + +HANGING TWO SPIES + +I can now recall to memory but one circumstance that made a deep +impression on my mind at the time. I heard that two spies were going to +be hung on a certain day, and I went to the hanging. The scaffold was +erected, two coffins were placed on the platform, the ropes were dangling +from the cross beam above. I had seen men shot, and whipped, and shaved, +and branded at Corinth and Tupelo, and one poor fellow named Wright shot +at Shelbyville. They had all been horrid scenes to me, but they were +Rebels, and like begets like. I did not know when it would be my time to +be placed in the same position, you see, and "a fellow feeling makes us +wondrous kind." I did not know what was in store in the future for me. +Ah, there was the rub, don't you see. This shooting business wasn't a +pleasant thing to think about. But Yankees--that was different. I +wanted to see a Yankee spy hung. I wouldn't mind that. I would like to +see him agonize. A spy; O, yes, they had hung one of our regiment at +Pulaski--Sam Davis. Yes, I would see the hanging. After a while I saw a +guard approach, and saw two little boys in their midst, but did not see +the Yankees that I had been looking for. The two little boys were rushed +upon the platform. I saw that they were handcuffed. "Are they spies?" +I was appalled; I was horrified; nay, more, I was sick at heart. One was +about fourteen and the other about sixteen years old, I should judge. +The ropes were promptly adjusted around their necks by the provost +marshal. The youngest one began to beg and cry and plead most piteously. +It was horrid. The older one kicked him, and told him to stand up and +show the Rebels how a Union man could die for his country. Be a man! +The charges and specifications were then read. The props were knocked +out and the two boys were dangling in the air. I turned off sick at +heart. + + +EATING RATS + +While stationed at this place, Chattanooga, rations were very scarce and +hard to get, and it was, perhaps, economy on the part of our generals and +commissaries to issue rather scant rations. + +About this time we learned that Pemberton's army, stationed at Vicksburg, +were subsisting entirely on rats. Instead of the idea being horrid, +we were glad to know that "necessity is the mother of invention," and +that the idea had originated in the mind of genius. We at once acted +upon the information, and started out rat hunting; but we couldn't find +any rats. Presently we came to an old outhouse that seemed to be a +natural harbor for this kind of vermin. The house was quickly torn down +and out jumped an old residenter, who was old and gray. I suppose that +he had been chased before. But we had jumped him and were determined to +catch him, or "burst a boiler." After chasing him backwards and forwards, +the rat finally got tired of this foolishness and started for his hole. +But a rat's tail is the last that goes in the hole, and as he went in we +made a grab for his tail. Well, tail hold broke, and we held the skin of +his tail in our hands. But we were determined to have that rat. After +hard work we caught him. We skinned him, washed and salted him, buttered +and peppered him, and fried him. He actually looked nice. The delicate +aroma of the frying rat came to our hungry nostrils. We were keen to eat +a piece of rat; our teeth were on edge; yea, even our mouth watered to +eat a piece of rat. Well, after a while, he was said to be done. +I got a piece of cold corn dodger, laid my piece of the rat on it, +eat a little piece of bread, and raised the piece of rat to my mouth, +when I happened to think of how that rat's tail did slip. I had lost my +appetite for dead rat. I did not eat any rat. It was my first and last +effort to eat dead rats. + + +SWIMMING THE TENNESSEE WITH ROASTINGEARS + +The Tennessee river is about a quarter of a mile wide at Chattanooga. +Right across the river was an immense corn-field. The green corn was +waving with every little breeze that passed; the tassels were bowing and +nodding their heads; the pollen was flying across the river like little +snowdrops, and everything seemed to say, "Come hither, Johnny Reb; +come hither, Johnny; come hither." The river was wide, but we were +hungry. The roastingears looked tempting. We pulled off our clothes +and launched into the turbid stream, and were soon on the other bank. +Here was the field, and here were the roastingears; but where was the +raft or canoe? + +We thought of old Abraham and Isaac and the sacrifice: "My son, gather +the roastingears, there will be a way provided." + +We gathered the roastingears; we went back and gathered more roastingears, +time and again. The bank was lined with green roastingears. Well, +what was to be done? We began to shuck the corn. We would pull up a few +shucks on one ear, and tie it to the shucks of another--first one and +then another--until we had at least a hundred tied together. We put the +train of corn into the river, and as it began to float off we jumped in, +and taking the foremost ear in our mouth, struck out for the other bank. +Well, we made the landing all correct. + +I merely mention the above incident to show to what extremity soldiers +would resort. Thousands of such occurrences were performed by the +private soldiers of the Rebel army. + + +AM DETAILED TO GO FORAGING + +One day I was detailed to go with a wagon train way down in Georgia on +a foraging expedition. It was the first time since I had enlisted as +a private that I had struck a good thing. No roll call, no drilling, +no fatigue duties, building fortifications, standing picket, dress parade, +reviews, or retreats, had to be answered to--the same old monotonous roll +call that had been answered five thousand times in these three years. +I felt like a free man. The shackles of discipline had for a time been +unfettered. This was bliss, this was freedom, this was liberty. The +sky looked brighter, the birds sang more beautiful and sweeter than I +remember to have ever heard them. Even the little streamlets and +branches danced and jumped along the pebbly beds, while the minnows +sported and frollicked under the shining ripples. The very flocks and +herds in the pasture looked happy and gay. Even the screech of the +wagons, that needed greasing, seemed to send forth a happy sound. +It was fine, I tell you. + +The blackberries were ripe, and the roadsides were lined with this +delicious fruit. The Lord said that he would curse the ground for the +disobedience of man, and henceforth it should bring forth thorns and +briars; but the very briars that had been cursed were loaded with the +abundance of God's goodness. I felt, then, like David in one of his +psalms--"The Lord is good, the Lord is good, for his mercy endureth +forever." + + +PLEASE PASS THE BUTTER + +For several days the wagon train continued on until we had arrived at the +part of country to which we had been directed. Whether they bought or +pressed the corn, I know not, but the old gentleman invited us all to +take supper with him. If I have ever eaten a better supper than that +I have forgotten it. They had biscuit for supper. What! flour bread? +Did my eyes deceive me? Well, there were biscuit--sure enough flour +bread--and sugar and coffee--genuine Rio--none of your rye or potato +coffee, and butter--regular butter--and ham and eggs, and turnip greens, +and potatoes, and fried chicken, and nice clean plates--none of your tin +affairs--and a snow-white table-cloth and napkins, and white-handled +knives and silver forks. At the head of the table was the madam, having +on a pair of golden spectacles, and at the foot the old gentleman. +He said grace. And, to cap the climax, two handsome daughters. I know +that I had never seen two more beautiful ladies. They had on little +white aprons, trimmed with jaconet edging, and collars as clean and white +as snow. They looked good enough to eat, and I think at that time I +would have given ten years of my life to have kissed one of them. +We were invited to help ourselves. Our plates were soon filled with the +tempting food and our tumblers with California beer. We would have liked +it better had it been twice as strong, but what it lacked in strength we +made up in quantity. The old lady said, "Daughter, hand the gentleman +the butter." It was the first thing that I had refused, and the reason +that I did so was because my plate was full already. Now, there is +nothing that will offend a lady so quick as to refuse to take butter +when handed to you. If you should say, "No, madam, I never eat butter," +it is a direct insult to the lady of the house. Better, far better, +for you to have remained at home that day. If you don't eat butter, +it is an insult; if you eat too much, she will make your ears burn after +you have left. It is a regulator of society; it is a civilizer; it is +a luxury and a delicacy that must be touched and handled with care and +courtesy on all occasions. Should you desire to get on the good side of +a lady, just give a broad, sweeping, slathering compliment to her butter. +It beats kissing the dirty-faced baby; it beats anything. Too much +praise cannot be bestowed upon the butter, be it good, bad, or +indifferent to your notions of things, but to her, her butter is always +good, superior, excellent. I did not know this characteristic of the +human female at the time, or I would have taken a delicate slice of the +butter. Here is a sample of the colloquy that followed: + +"Mister, have some butter?" + +"Not any at present, thank you, madam." + +"Well, I insist upon it; our butter is nice." + +"O, I know it's nice, but my plate is full, thank you." + +"Well, take some anyhow." + +One of the girls spoke up and said: + +"Mother, the gentleman don't wish butter." + +"Well, I want him to know that our butter is clean, anyhow." + +"Well, madam, if you insist upon it, there is nothing that I love so well +as warm biscuit and butter. I'll thank you for the butter." + +I dive in. I go in a little too heavy. The old lady hints in a delicate +way that they sold butter. I dive in heavier. That cake of butter was +melting like snow in a red hot furnace. The old lady says, "We sell +butter to the soldiers at a mighty good price." + +I dive in afresh. She says, "I get a dollar a pound for that butter," +and I remark with a good deal of nonchalance, "Well, madam, it is worth +it," and dive in again. I did not marry one of the girls. + + +WE EVACUATE CHATTANOOGA + +One morning while sitting around our camp fires we heard a boom, and a +bomb shell passed over our heads. The Yankee army was right on the other +bank of the Tennessee river. Bragg did not know of their approach until +the cannon fired. + +Rosecrans' army is crossing the Tennessee river. A part are already on +Lookout Mountain. Some of their cavalry scouts had captured some of our +foraging parties in Wills valley. The air was full of flying rumors. +Wagons are being packed, camps are broken up, and there is a general +hubbub everywhere. But your old soldier is always ready at a moment's +notice. The assembly is sounded; form companies, and we are ready for +a march, or a fight, or a detail, or anything. If we are marched a +thousand miles or twenty yards, it is all the same. The private soldier +is a machine that has no right to know anything. He is a machine that +moves without any volition of his own. If Edison could invent a wooden +man that could walk and load and shoot, then you would have a good sample +of the private soldier, and it would have this advantage--the private +soldier eats and the wooden man would not. + +We left Chattanooga, but whither bound we knew not, and cared not; +but we marched toward Chickamauga and crossed at Lee & Gordon's mill. + + +THE BULL OF THE WOODS + +On our way to Lafayette from Lee & Gordon's mill, I remember a ludicrous +scene, almost bordering on sacrilege. Rosecrans' army was very near us, +and we expected before three days elapsed to be engaged in battle. +In fact, we knew there must be a fight or a foot race, one or the other. +We could smell, as it were, "the battle afar off." + +One Sabbath morning it was announced that an eloquent and able LL. D., +from Nashville, was going to preach, and as the occasion was an +exceedingly solemn one, we were anxious to hear this divine preach from +God's Holy Word; and as he was one of the "big ones," the whole army was +formed in close column and stacked their arms. The cannon were parked, +all pointing back toward Chattanooga. The scene looked weird and +picturesque. It was in a dark wilderness of woods and vines and +overhanging limbs. In fact, it seemed but the home of the owl and the +bat, and other varmints that turn night into day. Everything looked +solemn. The trees looked solemn, the scene looked solemn, the men looked +solemn, even the horses looked solemn. You may be sure, reader, that we +felt solemn. + +The reverend LL. D. had prepared a regular war sermon before he left home, +and of course had to preach it, appropriate or not appropriate; it was +in him and had to come out. He opened the service with a song. I did +remember the piece that was sung, but right now I cannot recall it to +memory; but as near as I can now recollect here is his prayer, _verbatim +et literatim_: + +"Oh, Thou immaculate, invisible, eternal and holy Being, the exudations +of whose effulgence illuminates this terrestrial sphere, we approach Thy +presence, being covered all over with wounds and bruises and putrifying +sores, from the crowns of our heads to the soles of our feet. And Thou, +O Lord, art our dernier resort. The whole world is one great machine, +managed by Thy puissance. The beautific splendors of Thy face irradiate +the celestial region and felicitate the saints. There are the most +exuberant profusions of Thy grace, and the sempiternal efflux of Thy +glory. God is an abyss of light, a circle whose center is everywhere and +His circumference nowhere. Hell is the dark world made up of spiritual +sulphur and other ignited ingredients, disunited and unharmonized, +and without that pure balsamic oil that flows from the heart of God." + +When the old fellow got this far, I lost the further run of his prayer, +but regret very much that I did so, because it was so grand and fine that +I would have liked very much to have kept such an appropriate prayer for +posterity. In fact, it lays it on heavy over any prayer I ever heard, +and I think the new translators ought to get it and have it put in their +book as a sample prayer. But they will have to get the balance of it +from the eminent LL. D. In fact, he was so "high larnt" that I don't +think anyone understood him but the generals. The colonels might every +now and then have understood a word, and maybe a few of the captains and +lieutenants, because Lieutenant Lansdown told me he understood every +word the preacher said, and further informed me that it was none of your +one-horse, old-fashioned country prayers that privates knew anything +about, but was bang-up, first-rate, orthodox. + +Well, after singing and praying, he took his text. I quote entirely from +memory. "Blessed be the Lord God, who teaches my hands to war and my +fingers to fight." Now, reader, that was the very subject we boys did +not want to hear preached on--on that occasion at least. We felt like +some other subject would have suited us better. I forget how he +commenced his sermon, but I remember that after he got warmed up a little, +he began to pitch in on the Yankee nation, and gave them particular fits +as to their geneology. He said that we of the South had descended from +the royal and aristocratic blood of the Huguenots of France, and of the +cavaliers of England, etc.; but that the Yankees were the descendents of +the crop-eared Puritans and witch burners, who came over in the Mayflower, +and settled at Plymouth Rock. He was warm on this subject, and waked up +the echoes of the forest. He said that he and his brethren would fight +the Yankees in this world, and if God permit, chase their frightened +ghosts in the next, through fire and brimstone. + +About this time we heard the awfullest racket, produced by some wild +animal tearing through the woods toward us, and the cry, "Look out! look +out! hooie! hooie! hooie! look out!" and there came running right through +our midst a wild bull, mad with terror and fright, running right over and +knocking down the divine, and scattering Bibles and hymn books in every +direction. The services were brought to a close without the doxology. + +This same brave chaplain rode along with our brigade, on an old +string-haltered horse, as we advanced to the attack at Chickamauga, +exhorting the boys to be brave, to aim low, and to kill the Yankees as if +they were wild beasts. He was eloquent and patriotic. He stated that if +he only had a gun he too would go along as a private soldier. You could +hear his voice echo and re-echo over the hills. He had worked up his +patriotism to a pitch of genuine bravery and daring that I had never +seen exhibited, when fliff, fluff, fluff, _fluff_, FLUFF, FLUFF--a whir, +a BOOM! and a shell screams through the air. The reverend LL. D. stops +to listen, like an old sow when she hears the wind, and says, "Remember, +boys, that he who is killed will sup tonight in Paradise." Some soldier +hallooed at the top of his voice, "Well, parson, you come along and take +supper with us." Boom! whir! a bomb burst, and the parson at that moment +put spurs to his horse and was seen to limber to the rear, and almost +every soldier yelled out, "The parson isn't hungry, and never eats +supper." I remember this incident, and so does every member of the First +Tennessee Regiment. + + +PRESENTMENT, OR THE WING OF THE ANGEL OF DEATH + +Presentment is always a mystery. The soldier may at one moment be in +good spirits, laughing and talking. The wing of the death angel touches +him. He knows that his time has come. It is but a question of time with +him then. He knows that his days are numbered. I cannot explain it. +God has numbered the hairs of our heads, and not a sparrow falls without +His knowledge. How much more valuable are we than many sparrows? + +We had stopped at Lee & Gordon's mill, and gone into camp for the night. +Three days' rations were being issued. When Bob Stout was given his +rations he refused to take them. His face wore a serious, woe-begone +expression. He was asked if he was sick, and said "No," but added, "Boys, +my days are numbered, my time has come. In three days from today, +I will be lying right yonder on that hillside a corpse. Ah, you may +laugh; my time has come. I've got a twenty dollar gold piece in my +pocket that I've carried through the war, and a silver watch that my +father sent me through the lines. Please take them off when I am dead, +and give them to Captain Irvine, to give to my father when he gets back +home. Here are my clothing and blanket that any one who wishes them +may have. My rations I do not wish at all. My gun and cartridge-box I +expect to die with." + +The next morning the assembly sounded about two o'clock. We commenced +our march in the darkness, and marched twenty-five miles to a little town +by the name of Lafayette, to the relief of General Pillow, whose command +had been attacked at that place. After accomplishing this, we marched +back by another road to Chickamauga. We camped on the banks of +Chickamauga on Friday night, and Saturday morning we commenced to cross +over. About twelve o'clock we had crossed. No sooner had we crossed +than an order came to double quick. General Forrest's cavalry had opened +the battle. Even then the spent balls were falling amongst us with that +peculiar thud so familiar to your old soldier. + +Double quick! There seemed to be no rest for us. Forrest is needing +reinforcements. Double quick, close up in the rear! siz, siz, double +quick, boom, hurry up, bang, bang, a rattle de bang, bang, siz, boom, +boom, boom, hurry up, double quick, boom, bang, halt, front, right dress, +boom, boom, and three soldiers are killed and twenty wounded. Billy +Webster's arm was torn out by the roots and he killed, and a fragment of +shell buried itself in Jim McEwin's side, also killing Mr. Fain King, +a conscript from Mount Pleasant. Forward, guide center, march, charge +bayonets, fire at will, commence firing. (This is where the LL. D. ran.) +We debouched through the woods, firing as we marched, the Yankee line +about two hundred yards off. Bang, bang, siz, siz. It was a sort of +running fire. We kept up a constant fire as we advanced. In ten minutes +we were face to face with the foe. It was but a question as to who could +load and shoot the fastest. The army was not up. Bragg was not ready +for a general battle. The big battle was fought the next day, Sunday. +We held our position for two hours and ten minutes in the midst of a +deadly and galling fire, being enfiladed and almost surrounded, when +General Forrest galloped up and said, "Colonel Field, look out, you are +almost surrounded; you had better fall back." The order was given to +retreat. I ran through a solid line of blue coats. As I fell back, +they were upon the right of us, they were upon the left of us, they were +in front of us, they were in the rear of us. It was a perfect hornets' +nest. The balls whistled around our ears like the escape valves of ten +thousand engines. The woods seemed to be blazing; everywhere, at every +jump, would rise a lurking foe. But to get up and dust was all we could +do. I was running along by the side of Bob Stout. General Preston Smith +stopped me and asked if our brigade was falling back. I told him it was. +He asked me the second time if it was Maney's brigade that was falling +back. I told him it was. I heard him call out, "Attention, forward!" +One solid sheet of leaden hail was falling around me. I heard General +Preston Smith's brigade open. It seemed to be platoons of artillery. +The earth jarred and trembled like an earthquake. Deadly missiles were +flying in every direction. It was the very incarnation of death itself. +I could almost hear the shriek of the death angel passing over the scene. +General Smith was killed in ten minutes after I saw him. Bob Stout and +myself stopped. Said I, "Bob, you wern't killed, as you expected." +He did not reply, for at that very moment a solid shot from the Federal +guns struck him between the waist and the hip, tearing off one leg and +scattering his bowels all over the ground. I heard him shriek out, "O, O, +God!" His spirit had flown before his body struck the ground. Farewell, +friend; we will meet over yonder. + +When the cannon ball struck Billy Webster, tearing his arm out of the +socket, he did not die immediately, but as we were advancing to the +attack, we left him and the others lying where they fell upon the +battlefield; but when we fell back to the place where we had left our +knapsacks, Billy's arm had been dressed by Dr. Buist, and he seemed to be +quite easy. He asked Jim Fogey to please write a letter to his parents +at home. He wished to dictate the letter. He asked me to please look in +his knapsack and get him a clean shirt, and said that he thought he would +feel better if he could get rid of the blood that was upon him. I went +to hunt for his knapsack and found it, but when I got back to where he +was, poor, good Billy Webster was dead. He had given his life to his +country. His spirit is with the good and brave. No better or braver man +than Billy Webster ever drew the breath of life. His bones lie yonder +today, upon the battlefield of Chickamauga. I loved him; he was my +friend. Many and many a dark night have Billy and I stood together upon +the silent picket post. Ah, reader, my heart grows sick and I feel sad +while I try to write my recollections of that unholy and uncalled for +war. But He that ruleth the heavens doeth all things well. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +CHICKAMAUGA + + +BATTLE OF CHICKAMAUGA + +Sunday morning of that September day, the sun rose over the eastern hills +clear and beautiful. The day itself seemed to have a Sabbath-day look +about it. The battlefield was in a rough and broken country, with trees +and undergrowth, that ever since the creation had never been disturbed by +the ax of civilized man. It looked wild, weird, uncivilized. + +Our corps (Polk's), being in the engagement the day before, were held in +reserve. Reader, were you ever held in reserve of an attacking army? +To see couriers dashing backward and forward; to hear the orders given +to the brigades, regiments and companies; to see them forward in line of +battle, the battle-flags waving; to hear their charge, and then to hear +the shock of battle, the shot and shell all the while sizzing, and +zipping, and thudding, and screaming, and roaring, and bursting, and +passing right over your heads; to see the litter corps bringing back the +wounded continually, and hear them tell how their command was being cut +to pieces, and that every man in a certain regiment was killed, and to +see a cowardly colonel (as we saw on this occasion--he belonged to +Longstreet's corps) come dashing back looking the very picture of terror +and fear, exclaiming, "O, men, men, for God's sake go forward and help +my men! they are being cut all to pieces! we can't hold our position. +O, for God's sake, please go and help my command!" To hear some of our +boys ask, "What regiment is that? What regiment is that?" He replies, +such and such regiment. And then to hear some fellow ask, "Why ain't +you with them, then, you cowardly puppy? Take off that coat and those +chicken guts; coo, sheep; baa, baa, black sheep; flicker, flicker; +ain't you ashamed of yourself? flicker, flicker; I've got a notion to +take my gun and kill him," etc. Every word of this is true; it actually +happened. But all that could demoralize, and I may say intimidate a +soldier, was being enacted, and he not allowed to participate. How we +were moved from one position to another, but always under fire; our +nerves strung to their utmost tension, listening to the roar of battle in +our immediate front, to hear it rage and then get dimmer until it seems +to die out entirely; then all at once it breaks out again, and you think +now in a very few minutes you will be ordered into action, and then all +at once we go double-quicking to another portion of the field, the battle +raging back from the position we had left. General Leonidas Polk rides +up and happening to stop in our front, some of the boys halloo out, "Say, +General, what command is that which is engaged now?" The general kindly +answers, "That is Longstreet's corps. He is driving them this way, +and we will drive them that way, and crush them between the 'upper and +nether millstone.'" Turning to General Cheatham, he said, "General, +move your division and attack at once." Everything is at once set in +motion, and General Cheatham, to give the boys a good send-off, says, +"Forward, boys, and give 'em h--l." General Polk also says a good word, +and that word was, "Do as General Cheatham says, boys." (You know he was +a preacher and couldn't curse.) After marching in solid line, see-sawing, +right obliqueing, left obliqueing, guide center and close up; commence +firing--fire at will; charge and take their breastworks; our pent-up +nervousness and demoralization of all day is suddenly gone. We raise +one long, loud, cheering shout and charge right upon their breastworks. +They are pouring their deadly missiles into our advancing ranks from +under their head-logs. We do not stop to look around to see who is +killed and wounded, but press right up their breastworks, and plant our +battle-flag upon it. They waver and break and run in every direction, +when General John C. Breckinridge's division, which had been supporting +us, march up and pass us in full pursuit of the routed and flying Federal +army. + + +AFTER THE BATTLE + +We remained upon the battlefield of Chickamauga all night. Everything +had fallen into our hands. We had captured a great many prisoners and +small arms, and many pieces of artillery and wagons and provisions. +The Confederate and Federal dead, wounded, and dying were everywhere +scattered over the battlefield. Men were lying where they fell, shot in +every conceivable part of the body. Some with their entrails torn out +and still hanging to them and piled up on the ground beside them, and +they still alive. Some with their under jaw torn off, and hanging by a +fragment of skin to their cheeks, with their tongues lolling from their +mouth, and they trying to talk. Some with both eyes shot out, with +one eye hanging down on their cheek. In fact, you might walk over the +battlefield and find men shot from the crown of the head to the tip end +of the toe. And then to see all those dead, wounded and dying horses, +their heads and tails drooping, and they seeming to be so intelligent as +if they comprehended everything. I felt like shedding a tear for those +innocent dumb brutes. + +Reader, a battlefield, after the battle, is a sad and sorrowful sight +to look at. The glory of war is but the glory of battle, the shouts, +and cheers, and victory. + +A soldier's life is not a pleasant one. It is always, at best, one of +privations and hardships. The emotions of patriotism and pleasure hardly +counterbalance the toil and suffering that he has to undergo in order +to enjoy his patriotism and pleasure. Dying on the field of battle and +glory is about the easiest duty a soldier has to undergo. It is the +living, marching, fighting, shooting soldier that has the hardships of +war to carry. When a brave soldier is killed he is at rest. The living +soldier knows not at what moment he, too, may be called on to lay down +his life on the altar of his country. The dead are heroes, the living +are but men compelled to do the drudgery and suffer the privations +incident to the thing called "glorious war." + + +A NIGHT AMONG THE DEAD + +We rested on our arms where the battle ceased. All around us everywhere +were the dead and wounded, lying scattered over the ground, and in many +places piled in heaps. Many a sad and heart-rending scene did I witness +upon this battlefield of Chickamauga. Our men died the death of heroes. +I sometimes think that surely our brave men have not died in vain. +It is true, our cause is lost, but a people who loved those brave and +noble heroes should ever cherish their memory as men who died for them. +I shed a tear over their memory. They gave their all to their country. +Abler pens than mine must write their epitaphs, and tell of their glories +and heroism. I am but a poor writer, at best, and only try to tell of +the events that I saw. + +One scene I now remember, that I can imperfectly relate. While a detail +of us were passing over the field of death and blood, with a dim lantern, +looking for our wounded soldiers to carry to the hospital, we came +across a group of ladies, looking among the killed and wounded for their +relatives, when I heard one of the ladies say, "There they come with +their lanterns." I approached the ladies and asked them for whom they +were looking. They told me the name, but I have forgotten it. We passed +on, and coming to a pile of our slain, we had turned over several of our +dead, when one of the ladies screamed out, "O, there he is! Poor fellow! +Dead, dead, dead!" She ran to the pile of slain and raised the dead +man's head and placed it on her lap and began kissing him and saying, "O, +O, they have killed my darling, my darling, my darling! O, mother, +mother, what must I do! My poor, poor darling! O, they have killed him, +they have killed him!" I could witness the scene no longer. I turned +and walked away, and William A. Hughes was crying, and remarked, "O, +law me; this war is a terrible thing." We left them and began again +hunting for our wounded. All through that long September night we +continued to carry off our wounded, and when the morning sun arose over +the eastern hills, the order came to march to Missionary Ridge. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +MISSIONARY RIDGE + + +After retreating from Chickamauga, the Yankees attempted to re-form their +broken lines on Missionary Ridge. We advanced to attack them, but they +soon fell back to Chattanooga. We knew they were in an impregnable +position. We had built those breastworks and forts, and knew whereof +we spoke. We stopped on Missionary Ridge, and gnashed our teeth at +Chattanooga. I do not know what our generals thought; I do not know what +the authorities at Richmond thought, but I can tell you what the privates +thought. But here we were on Missionary Ridge and Lookout Mountain, +looking right down into Chattanooga. We had but to watch and wait. +We would starve them out. + +The Federal army had accomplished their purpose. They wanted +Chattanooga. They laughed at our triumph, and mocked at our victory. +They got Chattanooga. "Now, where are you, Johnny Reb? What are you +going to do about it? You've got the dry grins, arn't you? We've got +the key; when the proper time comes we'll unlock your doors and go in. +You are going to starve us out, eh? We are not very hungry at present, +and we don't want any more pie. When we starve out we'll call on you for +rations, but at present we are not starving, by a jug full; but if you +want any whisky or tobacco, send over and we'll give you some. We've +got all we wanted, and assure you we are satisfied." + +The above remarks are the supposed colloquy that took place between the +two armies. Bragg, in trying to starve the Yankees out, was starved out +himself. Ask any old Rebel as to our bill of fare at Missionary Ridge. + +In all the history of the war, I cannot remember of more privations and +hardships than we went through at Missionary Ridge. And when in the very +acme of our privations and hunger, when the army was most dissatisfied +and unhappy, we were ordered into line of battle to be reviewed by +Honorable Jefferson Davis. When he passed by us, with his great retinue +of staff officers and play-outs at full gallop, cheers greeted them, +with the words, "Send us something to eat, Massa Jeff. Give us something +to eat, Massa Jeff. I'm hungry! I'm hungry!" + + +SERGEANT TUCKER AND GENERAL WILDER + +At this place the Yankee outpost was on one side of the Tennessee river, +and ours on the other. I was on the detail one Sunday commanded by +Sergeant John T. Tucker. When we were approaching we heard the old guard +and the Yankee picket talking back and forth across the river. The new +guard immediately resumed the conversation. We had to halloo at the top +of our voices, the river being about three hundred yards wide at this +point. But there was a little island about the middle of the river. +A Yankee hallooed out, "O, Johnny, Johnny, meet me half way in the river +on the island." "All right," said Sergeant Tucker, who immediately +undressed all but his hat, in which he carried the Chattanooga Rebel and +some other Southern newspapers, and swam across to the island. When he +got there the Yankee was there, but the Yankee had waded. I do not know +what he and John talked about, but they got very friendly, and John +invited him to come clear across to our side, which invitation he +accepted. I noticed at the time that while John swam, the Yankee waded, +remarking that he couldn't swim. The river was but little over waist +deep. Well, they came across and we swapped a few lies, canteens and +tobacco, and then the Yankee went back, wading all the way across the +stream. That man was General Wilder, commanding the Federal cavalry, +and at the battle of Missionary Ridge he threw his whole division of +cavalry across the Tennessee river at that point, thus flanking Bragg's +army, and opening the battle. He was examining the ford, and the +swapping business was but a mere by-play. He played it sharp, and Bragg +had to get further. + + +MOCCASIN POINT + +Maney's brigade fortified on top of Lookout Mountain. From this position +we could see five states. The Yankees had built a fort across the river, +on Moccasin Point, and were throwing shells at us continually. I have +never seen such accurate shooting in my life. It was upon the principle +of shooting a squirrel out of a tree, and they had become so perfect in +their aim, that I believe they could have killed a squirrel a mile off. +We could have killed a great many artillery men if we had been allowed to +shoot, but no private soldier was ever allowed to shoot a gun on his own +hook. If he shot at all, it must by the order of an officer, for if just +one cartridge was shot away or lost, the private was charged twenty-five +cents for it, and had to do extra duty, and I don't think our artillery +was ever allowed to fire a single shot under any circumstances. Our +rations were cooked up by a special detail ten miles in the rear, and +were sent to us every three days, and then those three days' rations were +generally eaten up at one meal, and the private soldier had to starve the +other two days and a half. Never in all my whole life do I remember of +ever experiencing so much oppression and humiliation. The soldiers were +starved and almost naked, and covered all over with lice and camp itch +and filth and dirt. The men looked sick, hollow-eyed, and heart-broken, +living principally upon parched corn, which had been picked out of the +mud and dirt under the feet of officers' horses. We thought of nothing +but starvation. + +The battle of Missionary Ridge was opened from Moccasin Point, while +we were on Lookout Mountain, but I knew nothing of the movements or +maneuvers of either army, and only tell what part I took in the battle. + + +BATTLE OF MISSIONARY RIDGE + +One morning Theodore Sloan, Hog Johnson and I were standing picket at the +little stream that runs along at the foot of Lookout Mountain. In fact, +I would be pleased to name our captain, Fulcher, and Lieutenant Lansdown, +of the guard on this occasion, because we acted as picket for the whole +three days' engagement without being relieved, and haven't been relieved +yet. But that battle has gone into history. We heard a Yankee call, "O, +Johnny, Johnny Reb!" I started out to meet him as formerly, when he +hallooed out, "Go back, Johnny, go back; we are ordered to fire on you." +"What is the matter? Is your army going to advance on us?" "I don't +know; we are ordered to fire." I jumped back into the picket post, +and a minnie ball ruined the only hat I had; another and another followed +in quick succession, and the dirt flew up in our faces off our little +breastworks. Before night the picket line was engaged from one end to +the other. If you had only heard it, dear reader. It went like ten +thousand wood-choppers, and an occasional boom of a cannon would remind +you of a tree falling. We could hear colonels giving commands to their +regiments, and could see very plainly the commotion and hubbub, but what +was up, we were unable to tell. The picket line kept moving to our +right. The second night found us near the tunnel, and right where two +railroads cross each other, or rather one runs over the other high enough +for the cars to pass under. We could see all over Chattanooga, and it +looked like myriads of blue coats swarming. + +Day's and Mannigault's brigades got into a night attack at the foot of +Lookout Mountain. I could see the whole of it. It looked like lightning +bugs on a dark night. But about midnight everything quieted down. +Theodore Sloan, Hog Johnson and myself occupied an old log cabin as +vidette. We had not slept any for two nights, and were very drowsy, +I assure you, but we knew there was something up, and we had to keep +awake. The next morning, nearly day, I think I had dropped off into a +pleasant doze, and was dreaming of more pretty things than you ever saw +in your life, when Johnson touched me and whispered, "Look, look, there +are three Yankees; must I shoot?" I whispered back "Yes." A bang; +"a waugh" went a shriek. He had got one, sure. Everything got quiet +again, and we heard nothing more for an hour. Johnson touched me again +and whispered, "Yonder they come again; look, look!" I could not see +them; was too sleepy for that. Sloan could not see them, either. +Johnson pulled down, and another unearthly squall rended the night air. +The streaks of day had begun to glimmer over Missionary Ridge, and I +could see in the dim twilight the Yankee guard not fifty yards off. +Said I, "Boys, let's fire into them and run." We took deliberate aim and +fired. At that they raised, I thought, a mighty sickly sort of yell and +charged the house. We ran out, but waited on the outside. We took a +second position where the railroads cross each other, but they began +shelling us from the river, when we got on the opposite side of the +railroad and they ceased. + +I know nothing about the battle; how Grant, with one wing, went up the +river, and Hooker's corps went down Wills valley, etc. I heard fighting +and commanding and musketry all day long, but I was still on picket. +Balls were passing over our heads, both coming and going. I could not +tell whether I was standing picket for Yankees or Rebels. I knew that +the Yankee line was between me and the Rebel line, for I could see the +battle right over the tunnel. We had been placed on picket at the foot +of Lookout Mountain, but we were five miles from that place now. If +I had tried to run in I couldn't. I had got separated from Sloan and +Johnson somehow; in fact, was waiting either for an advance of the +Yankees, or to be called in by the captain of the picket. I could see +the blue coats fairly lining Missionary Ridge in my head. The Yankees +were swarming everywhere. They were passing me all day with their dead +and wounded, going back to Chattanooga. No one seemed to notice me; +they were passing to and fro, cannon, artillery, and everything. I +was willing to be taken prisoner, but no one seemed disposed to do it. +I was afraid to look at them, and I was afraid to hide, for fear some +one's attention would be attracted toward me. I wished I could make +myself invisible. I think I was invisible. I felt that way anyhow. +I felt like the boy who wanted to go to the wedding, but had no shoes. +Cassabianca never had such feelings as I had that livelong day. + + Say, captain, say, if yet my task be done? + And yet the sweeping waves rolled on, + And answered neither yea nor nay. + +About two or three o'clock, a column of Yankees advancing to the attack +swept right over where I was standing. I was trying to stand aside to +get out of their way, but the more I tried to get out of their way, +the more in their way I got. I was carried forward, I knew not whither. +We soon arrived at the foot of the ridge, at our old breastworks. +I recognized Robert Brank's old corn stalk house, and Alf Horsley's fort, +an old log house called Fort Horsley. I was in front of the enemy's line, +and was afraid to run up the ridge, and afraid to surrender. They were +ordered to charge up the hill. There was no firing from the Rebel lines +in our immediate front. They kept climbing and pulling and scratching +until I was in touching distance of the old Rebel breastworks, right on +the very apex of Missionary Ridge. I made one jump, and I heard Captain +Turner, who had the very four Napoleon guns we had captured at Perryville, +halloo out, "Number four, solid!" and then a roar. The next order was +"Limber to the rear." The Yankees were cutting and slashing, and the +cannoneers were running in every direction. I saw Day's brigade throw +down their guns and break like quarter horses. Bragg was trying to +rally them. I heard him say, "Here is your commander," and the soldiers +hallooed back, "here is your mule." + +The whole army was routed. I ran on down the ridge, and there was our +regiment, the First Tennessee, with their guns stacked, and drawing +rations as if nothing was going on. Says I, "Colonel Field, what's the +matter? The whole army is routed and running; hadn't you better be +getting away from here? The Yankees are not a hundred yards from here. +Turner's battery has surrendered, Day's brigade has thrown down their +arms; and look yonder, that is the Stars and Stripes." He remarked very +coolly, "You seem to be demoralized. We've whipped them here. We've +captured two thousand prisoners and five stands of colors." + +Just at this time General Bragg and staff rode up. Bragg had joined the +church at Shelbyville, but he had back-slid at Missionary Ridge. He was +cursing like a sailor. Says he, "What's this? Ah, ha, have you stacked +your arms for a surrender?" "No, sir," says Field. "Take arms, shoulder +arms, by the right flank, file right, march," just as cool and deliberate +as if on dress parade. Bragg looked scared. He had put spurs to his +horse, and was running like a scared dog before Colonel Field had a +chance to answer him. Every word of this is a fact. We at once became +the rear guard of the whole army. + +[ Author's Note: I remember of General Maney meeting Gary. I do not +know who Gary was, but Maney and Gary seemed to be very glad to see each +other. Every time I think of that retreat I think of Gary. ] + +I felt sorry for General Bragg. The army was routed, and Bragg looked so +scared. Poor fellow, he looked so hacked and whipped and mortified and +chagrined at defeat, and all along the line, when Bragg would pass, +the soldiers would raise the yell, "Here is your mule;" "Bully for Bragg, +he's h--l on retreat." + +Bragg was a good disciplinarian, and if he had cultivated the love and +respect of his troops by feeding and clothing them better than they were, +the result would have been different. More depends on a good general +than the lives of many privates. The private loses his life, the general +his country. + + +GOOD-BYE, TOM WEBB + +As soon as the order was given to march, we saw poor Tom Webb lying on +the battlefield shot through the head, his blood and brains smearing his +face and clothes, and he still alive. He was as brave and noble a man as +our Heavenly Father, in His infinite wisdom, ever made. Everybody loved +him. He was a universal favorite of the company and regiment; was brave +and generous, and ever anxious to take some other man's place when there +was any skirmishing or fighting to be done. We did not wish to leave +the poor fellow in that condition, and A. S. Horsley, John T. Tucker, +Tennessee Thompson and myself got a litter and carried him on our +shoulders through that livelong night back to Chickamauga Station. +The next morning Dr. J. E. Dixon, of Deshler's brigade, passed by and +told us that it would be useless for us to carry him any further, and +that it was utterly impossible for him ever to recover. The Yankees were +then advancing and firing upon us. What could we do? We could not carry +him any further, and we could not bury him, for he was still alive. +To leave him where he was we thought best. We took hold of his hand, +bent over him and pressed our lips to his--all four of us. We kissed +him good-bye and left him to the tender mercies of the advancing foe, in +whose hands he would be in a few moments. No doubt they laughed and +jeered at the dying Rebel. It mattered not what they did, for poor +Tom Webb's spirit, before the sun went down, was with God and the holy +angels. He had given his all to his country. O, how we missed him. +It seemed that the very spirit and life of Company H had died with the +death of good, noble and brave Tom Webb. + +I thank God that I am no infidel, and I feel and believe that I will +again see Tom Webb. Just as sure and certain, reader, as you are now +reading these lines, I will meet him up yonder--I know I will. + + +THE REAR GUARD + +When we had marched about a mile back in the rear of the battlefield, +we were ordered to halt so that all stragglers might pass us, as we were +detailed as the rear guard. While resting on the road side we saw Day's +brigade pass us. They were gunless, cartridge-boxless, knapsackless, +canteenless, and all other military accoutermentsless, and swordless, +and officerless, and they all seemed to have the 'possum grins, like +Bragg looked, and as they passed our regiment, you never heard such fun +made of a parcel of soldiers in your life. Every fellow was yelling at +the top of his voice, "Yaller-hammer, Alabama, flicker, flicker, flicker, +yaller-hammer, Alabama, flicker, flicker, flicker." I felt sorry for +the yellow-hammer Alabamians, they looked so hacked, and answered back +never a word. When they had passed, two pieces of artillery passed us. +They were the only two pieces not captured at Missionary Ridge, and they +were ordered to immediately precede us in bringing up the rear. The +whole rear guard was placed under the command of the noble, generous, +handsome and brave General Gist, of South Carolina. I loved General Gist, +and when I mention his name tears gather in my eyes. I think he was the +handsomest man I ever knew. + +Our army was a long time crossing the railroad bridge across Chickamauga +river. Maney's brigade, of Cheatham's division, and General L. E. Polk's +brigade, of Cleburne's division, formed a sort of line of battle, and had +to wait until the stragglers had all passed. I remember looking at them, +and as they passed I could read the character of every soldier. Some +were mad, others cowed, and many were laughing. Some were cursing Bragg, +some the Yankees, and some were rejoicing at the defeat. I cannot +describe it. It was the first defeat our army had ever suffered, but the +prevailing sentiment was anathemas and denunciations hurled against Jeff +Davis for ordering Longstreet's corps to Knoxville, and sending off +Generals Wheeler's and Forrest's cavalry, while every private soldier in +the whole army knew that the enemy was concentrating at Chattanooga. + + +CHICKAMAUGA STATION + +When we arrived at Chickamauga Station, our brigade and General Lucius +E. Polk's brigade, of Cleburne's division, were left to set fire to the +town and to burn up and destroy all those immense piles of army stores +and provisions which had been accumulated there to starve the Yankees out +of Chattanooga. Great piles of corn in sacks, and bacon, and crackers, +and molasses, and sugar, and coffee, and rice, and potatoes, and onions, +and peas, and flour by the hundreds of barrels, all now to be given to +the flames, while for months the Rebel soldiers had been stinted and +starved for the want of these same provisions. It was enough to make the +bravest and most patriotic soul that ever fired a gun in defense of any +cause on earth, think of rebelling against the authorities as they then +were. Every private soldier knew these stores were there, and for the +want of them we lost our cause. + +Reader, I ask you who you think was to blame? Most of our army had +already passed through hungry and disheartened, and here were all these +stores that had to be destroyed. Before setting fire to the town, +every soldier in Maney's and Polk's brigades loaded himself down with +rations. It was a laughable looking rear guard of a routed and +retreating army. Every one of us had cut open the end of a corn sack, +emptied out the corn, and filled it with hard-tack, and, besides, every +one of us had a side of bacon hung to our bayonets on our guns. Our +canteens, and clothes, and faces, and hair were all gummed up with +molasses. Such is the picture of our rear guard. Now, reader, if you +were ever on the rear guard of a routed and retreating army, you know how +tedious it is. You don't move more than ten feet at furthest before you +have to halt, and then ten feet again a few minutes afterwards, and so +on all day long. You haven't time to sit down a moment before you are +ordered to move on again. And the Yankees dash up every now and then, +and fire a volley into your rear. Now that is the way we were marched +that livelong day, until nearly dark, and then the Yankees began to crowd +us. We can see their line forming, and know we have to fight. + + +THE BATTLE OF CAT CREEK + +About dark a small body of cavalry dashed in ahead of us and captured and +carried off one piece of artillery and Colonel John F. House, General +Maney's assistant adjutant-general. We will have to form line of battle +and drive them back. Well, we quickly form line of battle, and the +Yankees are seen to emerge from the woods about two hundred yards from +us. We promptly shell off those sides of bacon and sacks of hard-tack +that we had worried and tugged with all day long. Bang, bang, siz, siz. +We are ordered to load and fire promptly and to hold our position. +Yonder they come, a whole division. Our regiment is the only regiment +in the action. They are crowding us; our poor little handful of men are +being killed and wounded by scores. There is General George Maney badly +wounded and being carried to the rear, and there is Moon, of Fulcher's +battalion, killed dead in his tracks. We can't much longer hold our +position. A minnie ball passes through my Bible in my side pocket. +All at once we are ordered to open ranks. Here comes one piece of +artillery from a Mississippi battery, bouncing ten feet high, over brush +and logs and bending down little trees and saplings, under whip and spur, +the horses are champing the bits, and are muddied from head to foot. +Now, quick, quick; look, the Yankees have discovered the battery and +are preparing to charge it. Unlimber, horses and caisson to the rear. +No. 1 shrapnel, load, fire--boom, boom; load, ablouyat--boom, boom. +I saw Sam Seay fall badly wounded and carried to the rear. I stopped +firing to look at Sergeant Doyle how he handled his gun. At every +discharge it would bounce, and turn its muzzle completely to the rear, +when those old artillery soldiers would return it to its place--and it +seemed they fired a shot almost every ten seconds. Fire, men. Our +muskets roll and rattle, making music like the kettle and bass drum +combined. They are checked; we see them fall back to the woods, and +night throws her mantle over the scene. We fell back now, and had to +strip and wade Chickamauga river. It was up to our armpits, and was as +cold as charity. We had to carry our clothes across on the points of +our bayonets. Fires had been kindled every few yards on the other side, +and we soon got warmed up again. + + +RINGGOLD GAP + +I had got as far as Ringgold Gap, when I had unconsciously fallen asleep +by a fire, it being the fourth night that I had not slept a wink. +Before I got to this fire, however, a gentleman whom I never saw in my +life--because it was totally dark at the time--handed me a letter from +the old folks at home, and a good suit of clothes. He belonged to +Colonel Breckinridge's cavalry, and if he ever sees these lines, I wish +to say to him, "God bless you, old boy." I had lost every blanket and +vestige of clothing, except those I had on, at Missionary Ridge. I laid +down by the fire and went to sleep, but how long I had slept I knew not, +when I felt a rough hand grab me and give me a shake, and the fellow said, +"Are you going to sleep here, and let the Yankees cut your throat?" +I opened my eyes, and asked, "Who are you?" He politely and pleasantly, +yet profanely, told me that he was General Walker (the poor fellow was +killed the 22nd of July, at Atlanta), and that I had better get further. +He passed on and waked others. Just then, General Cleburne and staff +rode by me, and I heard one of his staff remark, "General, here is a +ditch, or gully, that will make a natural breastwork." All I heard +General Cleburne say was, "Er, eh, eh!" I saw General Lucius E. Polk's +brigade form on the crest of the hill. + +I went a little further and laid down again and went to sleep. How long +I had lain there, and what was passing over me, I know nothing about, +but when I awoke, here is what I saw: I saw a long line of blue coats +marching down the railroad track. The first thought I had was, well, +I'm gone up now, sure; but on second sight, I discovered that they were +prisoners. Cleburne had had the doggondest fight of the war. The ground +was piled with dead Yankees; they were piled in heaps. The scene looked +unlike any battlefield I ever saw. From the foot to the top of the hill +was covered with their slain, all lying on their faces. It had the +appearance of the roof of a house shingled with dead Yankees. They were +flushed with victory and success, and had determined to push forward and +capture the whole of the Rebel army, and set up their triumphant standard +at Atlanta--then exit Southern Confederacy. But their dead were so +piled in their path at Ringgold Gap that they could not pass them. The +Spartans gained a name at Thermopylae, in which Leonidas and the whole +Spartan army were slain while defending the pass. Cleburne's division +gained a name at Ringgold Gap, in which they not only slew the victorious +army, but captured five thousand prisoners besides. That brilliant +victory of Cleburne's made him not only the best general of the army +of Tennessee, and covered his men with glory and honor of heroes, but +checked the advance of Grant's whole army. + +We did not budge an inch further for many a long day, but we went into +winter quarters right here at Ringgold Gap, Tunnel Hill and Dalton. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +DALTON + + +GENERAL JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON + +General Joseph E. Johnston now took command of the army. General Bragg +was relieved, and had become Jeff Davis' war adviser at Richmond, +Virginia. We had followed General Bragg all through this long war. +We had got sorter used to his ways, but he was never popular with his +troops. I felt sorry for him. Bragg's troops would have loved him, +if he had allowed them to do so, for many a word was spoken in his behalf, +after he had been relieved of the command. As a general I have spoken of +him in these memoirs, not personally. I try to state facts, so that you +may see, reader, why our cause was lost. I have no doubt that Bragg ever +did what he thought was best. He was but a man, under the authority of +another. + +But now, allow me to introduce you to old Joe. Fancy, if you please, +a man about fifty years old, rather small of stature, but firmly and +compactly built, an open and honest countenance, and a keen but restless +black eye, that seemed to read your very inmost thoughts. In his dress +he was a perfect dandy. He ever wore the very finest clothes that could +be obtained, carrying out in every point the dress and paraphernalia of +the soldier, as adopted by the war department at Richmond, never omitting +anything, even to the trappings of his horse, bridle and saddle. His +hat was decorated with a star and feather, his coat with every star and +embellishment, and he wore a bright new sash, big gauntlets, and silver +spurs. He was the very picture of a general. + +But he found the army depleted by battles; and worse, yea, much worse, +by desertion. The men were deserting by tens and hundreds, and I might +say by thousands. The morale of the army was gone. The spirit of the +soldiers was crushed, their hope gone. The future was dark and gloomy. +They would not answer at roll call. Discipline had gone. A feeling of +mistrust pervaded the whole army. + +A train load of provisions came into Dalton. The soldiers stopped it +before it rolled into the station, burst open every car, and carried off +all the bacon, meal and flour that was on board. Wild riot was the order +of the day; everything was confusion, worse confounded. When the news +came, like pouring oil upon the troubled waters, that General Joe +E. Johnston, of Virginia, had taken command of the Army of Tennessee, +men returned to their companies, order was restored, and "Richard was +himself again." General Johnston issued a universal amnesty to all +soldiers absent without leave. Instead of a scrimp pattern of one day's +rations, he ordered two days' rations to be issued, being extra for +one day. He ordered tobacco and whisky to be issued twice a week. He +ordered sugar and coffee and flour to be issued instead of meal. He +ordered old bacon and ham to be issued instead of blue beef. He ordered +new tents and marquees. He ordered his soldiers new suits of clothes, +shoes and hats. In fact, there had been a revolution, sure enough. +He allowed us what General Bragg had never allowed mortal man--a +furlough. He gave furloughs to one-third of his army at a time, until +the whole had been furloughed. A new era had dawned; a new epoch had +been dated. He passed through the ranks of the common soldiers, shaking +hands with every one he met. He restored the soldier's pride; he +brought the manhood back to the private's bosom; he changed the order +of roll-call, standing guard, drill, and such nonsense as that. The +revolution was complete. He was loved, respected, admired; yea, almost +worshipped by his troops. I do not believe there was a soldier in his +army but would gladly have died for him. With him everything was his +soldiers, and the newspapers, criticising him at the time, said, "He +would feed his soldiers if the country starved." + +We soon got proud; the blood of the old Cavaliers tingled in our veins. +We did not feel that we were serfs and vagabonds. We felt that we had a +home and a country worth fighting for, and, if need be, worth dying for. +One regiment could whip an army, and did do it, in every instance, +before the command was taken from him at Atlanta. But of this another +time. + +Chaplains were brought back to their regiments. Dr. C. T. Quintard and +Rev. C. D. Elliott, and other chaplains, held divine services every +Sabbath, prayer was offered every evening at retreat, and the morale of +the army was better in every respect. The private soldier once more +regarded himself a gentleman and a man of honor. We were willing to do +and die and dare anything for our loved South, and the Stars and Bars +of the Confederacy. In addition to this, General Johnston ordered his +soldiers to be paid up every cent that was due them, and a bounty of +fifty dollars besides. He issued an order to his troops offering +promotion and a furlough for acts of gallantry and bravery on the field +of battle. + +The cloven foot of tyranny and oppression was not discernible in the acts +of officers, from general down to corporal, as formerly. Notwithstanding +all this grand transformation in our affairs, old Joe was a strict +disciplinarian. Everything moved like clockwork. Men had to keep their +arms and clothing in good order. The artillery was rubbed up and put in +good condition. The wagons were greased, and the harness and hamestrings +oiled. Extra rations were issued to negroes who were acting as servants, +a thing unprecedented before in the history of the war. + +Well, old Joe was a yerker. He took all the tricks. He was a commander. +He kept everything up and well in hand. His lines of battle were +invulnerable. The larger his command, the easier he could handle it. +When his army moved, it was a picture of battle, everything in its place, +as laid down by scientific military rules. When a man was to be shot, +he was shot for the crimes he had done, and not to intimidate and cow the +living, and he had ten times as many shot as Bragg had. He had seventeen +shot at Tunnel Hill, and a whole company at Rockyface Ridge, and two +spies hung at Ringgold Gap, but they were executed for their crimes. +No one knew of it except those who had to take part as executioners of +the law. Instead of the whipping post, he instituted the pillory and +barrel shirt. Get Brutus to whistle the barrel shirt for you. The +pillory was a new-fangled concern. If you went to the guard-house of +almost any regiment, you would see some poor fellow with his head and +hands sticking through a board. It had the appearance of a fellow taking +a running start, at an angle of forty-five degrees, with a view of +bursting a board over his head, but when the board burst his head and +both his hands were clamped in the bursted places. The barrel shirt +brigade used to be marched on drill and parade. You could see a fellow's +head and feet, and whenever one of the barrels would pass, you would hear +the universal cry, "Come out of that barrel, I see your head and feet +sticking out." There might have been a mortification and a disgrace in +the pillory and barrel shirt business to those that had to use them, +but they did not bruise and mutilate the physical man. When one of them +had served out his time he was as good as new. Old Joe had greater +military insight than any general of the South, not excepting even Lee. +He was the born soldier; seemed born to command. When his army moved it +moved solid. Cavalry, artillery, wagon train, and infantry stepped the +same tread to the music of the march. His men were not allowed to be +butchered for glory, and to have his name and a battle fought, with the +number of killed and wounded, go back to Richmond for his own glory. +When he fought, he fought for victory, not for glory. He could fall back +right in the face of the foe as quietly and orderly as if on dress parade; +and when his enemies crowded him a little too closely, he would about +face and give them a terrible chastisement. He could not be taken by +surprise by any flank movement of the enemy. His soldiers were to him +his children. He loved them. They were never needlessly sacrificed. +He was always ready to meet the attack of the enemy. When his line of +battle was formed it was like a wall of granite. His adversaries knew +him, and dreaded the certain death that awaited them. His troops were +brave; they laughed in the face of battle. He had no rear guard to +shoot down any one who ran. They couldn't run; the army was solid. The +veriest coward that was ever born became a brave man and a hero under his +manipulation. His troops had the utmost confidence in him, and feared no +evil. They became an army of veterans, whose lines could not be broken +by the armies of the world. Battle became a pastime and a pleasure, +and the rattle of musketry and roar of cannon were but the music of +victory and success. + + +COMMISSARIES + +Before General Joseph E. Johnston took command of the Army of Tennessee, +the soldiers were very poorly fed, it is true, but the blame was not +entirely attributable to General Bragg. He issued enough and more than +enough to have bountifully fed his army, but there was a lot of men in +the army, generally denominated commissaries, and their "gizzards," +as well as fingers, had to be greased. There was commissary-general, +then corps commissary, then division commissary, then brigade commissary, +then regimental commissary, then company commissary. Now, you know were +you to start a nice hindquarter of beef, which had to pass through all +these hands, and every commissary take a choice steak and roast off it, +there would be but little ever reach the company, and the poor man among +the Johnnies had to feast like bears in winter--they had to suck their +paws--but the rich Johnnies who had money could go to almost any of +the gentlemen denominated commissaries (they ought to have been called +cormorants) and buy of them much nice fat beef and meal and flour and +sugar and coffee and nice canvassed hams, etc. I have done it many +times. They were keeping back the rations that had been issued to the +army, and lining their own pockets. But when General Johnston took +command, this manipulating business played out. Rations would "spile" +on their hands. Othello's occupation was gone. They received only one +hundred and forty dollars a month then, and the high private got plenty +to eat, and Mr. Cormorant quit making as much money as he had heretofore +done. Were you to go to them and make complaint, they would say, "I have +issued regular army rations to your company, and what is left over is +mine," and they were mighty exact about it. + + +DALTON + +We went into winter quarters at Dalton, and remained there during the +cold, bad winter of 1863-64, about four months. The usual routine of +army life was carried on day by day, with not many incidents to vary the +monotony of camp life. But occasionally the soldiers would engage in +a snow ball battle, in which generals, colonels, captains and privates +all took part. They would usually divide off into two grand divisions, +one line naturally becoming the attacking party, and the other the +defensive. The snow balls would begin to fly hither and thither, with +an occasional knock down, and sometimes an ugly wound, where some mean +fellow had enclosed a rock in his snow ball. It was fun while it lasted, +but after it was over the soldiers were wet, cold and uncomfortable. +I have seen charges and attacks and routes and stampedes, etc., but +before the thing was over, one side did not know one from the other. +It was a general knock down and drag out affair. + + +SHOOTING A DESERTER + +One morning I went over to Deshler's brigade of Cleburne's division to +see my brother-in-law, Dr. J. E. Dixon. The snow was on the ground, +and the boys were hard at it, "snow balling." While I was standing +looking on, a file of soldiers marched by me with a poor fellow on +his way to be shot. He was blindfolded and set upon a stump, and the +detail formed. The command, "Ready, aim, fire!" was given, the volley +discharged, and the prisoner fell off the stump. He had not been killed. +It was the sergeant's duty to give the _coup d'etat_, should not the +prisoner be slain. The sergeant ran up and placed the muzzle of his gun +at the head of the poor, pleading, and entreating wretch, his gun was +discharged, and the wretched man only powder-burned, the gun being one +that had been loaded with powder only. The whole affair had to be gone +over again. The soldiers had to reload and form and fire. The culprit +was killed stone dead this time. He had no sooner been taken up and +carried off to be buried, than the soldiers were throwing snow balls as +hard as ever, as if nothing had happened. + + +TEN MEN KILLED AT THE MOURNERS' BENCH + +At this place (Dalton) a revival of religion sprang up, and there was +divine service every day and night. Soldiers became serious on the +subject of their souls' salvation. In sweeping the streets and cleaning +up, an old tree had been set on fire, and had been smoking and burning +for several days, and nobody seemed to notice it. That night there was +service as usual, and the singing and sermon were excellent. The sermon +was preached by Rev. J. G. Bolton, chaplain of the Fiftieth Tennessee +Regiment, assisted by Rev. C. D. Elliott, the services being held in the +Fourth Tennessee Regiment. As it was the custom to "call up mourners," +a long bench had been placed in proper position for them to kneel down +at. Ten of them were kneeling at this mourners' bench, pouring out their +souls in prayer to God, asking Him for the forgiveness of their sins, +and for the salvation of their souls, for Jesus Christ their Redeemer's +sake, when the burning tree, without any warning, fell with a crash right +across the ten mourners, crushing and killing them instantly. God had +heard their prayers. Their souls had been carried to heaven. Hereafter, +henceforth, and forevermore, there was no more marching, battling, +or camp duty for them. They had joined the army of the hosts of heaven. + +By order of the general, they were buried with great pomp and splendor, +that is, for those times. Every one of them was buried in a coffin. +Brass bands followed, playing the "Dead March," and platoons fired over +their graves. It was a soldier's funeral. The beautiful burial service +of the Episcopal church was read by Rev. Allen Tribble. A hymn was sung, +and prayer offered, and then their graves were filled as we marched sadly +back to camp. + + +DR. C. T. QUINTARD + +Dr. C. T. Quintard was our chaplain for the First Tennessee Regiment +during the whole war, and he stuck to us from the beginning even unto the +end. During week days he ministered to us physically, and on Sundays +spiritually. He was one of the purest and best men I ever knew. He +would march and carry his knapsack every day the same as any soldier. +He had one text he preached from which I remember now. It was "the +flying scroll." He said there was a flying scroll continually passing +over our heads, which was like the reflections in a looking-glass, +and all of our deeds, both good and bad, were written upon it. He was a +good doctor of medicine, as well as a good doctor of divinity, and above +either of these, he was a good man per se. Every old soldier of the +First Tennessee Regiment will remember Dr. C. T. Quintard with the +kindest and most sincere emotions of love and respect. He would go off +into the country and get up for our regiment clothing and provisions, +and wrote a little prayer and song book, which he had published, and gave +it to the soldiers. I learned that little prayer and song book off by +heart, and have a copy of it in my possession yet, which I would not +part with for any consideration. Dr. Quintard's nature was one of love. +He loved the soldiers, and the soldiers loved him, and deep down in +his heart of hearts was a deep and lasting love for Jesus Christ, the +Redeemer of the world, implanted there by God the Father Himself. + + +Y'S YOU GOT MY HOG? + +One day, a party of "us privates" concluded we would go across the +Conasauga river on a raid. We crossed over in a canoe. After traveling +for some time, we saw a neat looking farm house, and sent one of the +party forward to reconnoiter. He returned in a few minutes and announced +that he had found a fine fat sow in a pen near the house. Now, the plan +we formed was for two of us to go into the house and keep the inmates +interested and the other was to toll and drive off the hog. I was one +of the party which went into the house. There was no one there but an +old lady and her sick and widowed daughter. They invited us in very +pleasantly and kindly, and soon prepared us a very nice and good dinner. +The old lady told us of all her troubles and trials. Her husband had +died before the war, and she had three sons in the army, two of whom had +been killed, and the youngest, who had been conscripted, was taken with +the camp fever and died in the hospital at Atlanta, and she had nothing +to subsist upon, after eating up what they then had. I was much +interested, and remained a little while after my comrade had left. +I soon went out, having made up my mind to have nothing to do with the +hog affair. I did not know how to act. I was in a bad fix. I had heard +the gun fire and knew its portent. I knew the hog was dead, and went on +up the road, and soon overtook my two comrades with the hog, which had +been skinned and cut up, and was being carried on a pole between them. +I did not know what to do. On looking back I saw the old lady coming and +screaming at the top of her voice, "You got my hog! You got my hog!" +It was too late to back out now. We had the hog, and had to make the +most of it, even if we did ruin a needy and destitute family. We went on +until we came to the Conasauga river, when lo and behold! the canoe was +on the other side of the river. It was dark then, and getting darker, +and what was to be done we did not know. The weather was as cold as +blue blazes, and spitting snow from the northwest. That river had to be +crossed that night. I undressed and determined to swim it, and went in, +but the little thin ice at the bank cut my feet. I waded in a little +further, but soon found I would cramp if I tried to swim it. I came out +and put my clothes on, and thought of a gate about a mile back. We went +back and took the gate off its hinges and carried it to the river and put +it in the water, but soon found out that all three of us could not ride +on it; so one of the party got on it and started across. He did very +well until he came to the other bank, which was a high bluff, and if +he got off the center of the gate it would capsize and he would get a +ducking. He could not get off the gate. I told him to pole the gate up +to the bank, so that one side would rest on the bank, and then make a +quick run for the bank. He thought he had got the gate about the right +place, and then made a run, and the gate went under and so did he, +in water ten feet deep. My comrade, Fount C., who was with me on the +bank, laughed, I thought, until he had hurt himself; but with me, I +assure you, it was a mighty sickly grin, and with the other one, Barkley +J., it was anything but a laughing matter. To me he seemed a hero. +Barkley did about to liberate me from a very unpleasant position. +He soon returned with the canoe, and we crossed the river with the hog. +We worried and tugged with it, and got it to camp just before daylight. + +I had a guilty conscience, I assure you. The hog was cooked, but I did +not eat a piece of it. I felt that I had rather starve, and I believe +that it would have choked me to death if I had attempted it. + +A short time afterward an old citizen from Maury county visited me. +My father sent me, by him, a silver watch--which I am wearing today-- +and eight hundred dollars in old issue Confederate money. I took two +hundred dollars of the money, and had it funded for new issue, 33 1/3 +cents discount. The other six hundred I sent to Vance Thompson, then +on duty at Montgomery, with instructions to send it to my brother, Dave +Watkins, Uncle Asa Freeman, and J. E. Dixon, all of whom were in +Wheeler's cavalry, at some other point--I knew not where. After getting +my money, I found that I had $133.33 1/3. I could not rest. I took one +hundred dollars, new issue, and going by my lone self back to the old +lady's house, I said, "Madam, some soldiers were here a short time ago, +and took your hog. I was one of that party, and I wish to pay you for +it. What was it worth?" "Well, sir," says she, "money is of no value to +me; I cannot get any article that I wish; I would much rather have the +hog." Says I, "Madam, that is an impossibility; your hog is dead and eat +up, and I have come to pay you for it." The old lady's eyes filled with +tears. She said that she was perfectly willing to give the soldiers +everything she had, and if she thought it had done us any good, she would +not charge anything for it. + +"Well," says I, "Madam, here is a hundred dollar, new issue, Confederate +bill. Will this pay you for your hog?" "Well, sir," she says, drawing +herself up to her full height, her cheeks flushed and her eyes flashing, +"I do not want your money. I would feel that it was blood money." +I saw that there was no further use to offer it to her. I sat down by +the fire and the conversation turned upon other subjects. + +I helped the old lady catch a chicken (an old hen--about the last she had) +for dinner, went with her in the garden and pulled a bunch of eschalots, +brought two buckets of water, and cut and brought enough wood to last +several days. + +After awhile, she invited me to dinner, and after dinner I sat down by +her side, took her old hand in mine, and told her the whole affair of the +hog, from beginning to end; how sorry I was, and how I did not eat any +of that hog; and asked her as a special act of kindness and favor to me, +to take the hundred dollars; that I felt bad about it, and if she would +take it, it would ease my conscience. I laid the money on the table and +left. I have never in my life made a raid upon anybody else. + + +TARGET SHOOTING + +By some hook, or crook, or blockade running, or smuggling, or Mason and +Slidell, or Raphael Semmes, or something of the sort, the Confederate +States government had come in possession of a small number of Whitworth +guns, the finest long range guns in the world, and a monopoly by the +English government. They were to be given to the best shots in the army. +One day Captain Joe P. Lee and Company H went out to shoot at a target +for the gun. We all wanted the gun, because if we got it we would be +sharpshooters, and be relieved from camp duty, etc. + +All the generals and officers came out to see us shoot. The mark was put +up about five hundred yards on a hill, and each of us had three shots. +Every shot that was fired hit the board, but there was one man who came +a little closer to the spot than any other one, and the Whitworth was +awarded him; and as we just turned round to go back to camp, a buck +rabbit jumped up, and was streaking it as fast as he could make tracks, +all the boys whooping and yelling as hard as they could, when Jimmy +Webster raised his gun and pulled down on him, and cut the rabbit's head +entirely off with a minnie ball right back of his ears. He was about +two hundred and fifty yards off. It might have been an accidental shot, +but General Leonidas Polk laughed very heartily at the incident, and I +heard him ask one of his staff if the Whitworth gun had been awarded. +The staff officer responded that it had, and that a certain man in +Colonel Farquharson's regiment--the Fourth Tennessee--was the successful +contestant, and I heard General Polk remark, "I wish I had another gun to +give, I would give it to the young man that shot the rabbit's head off." + +None of our regiment got a Whitworth, but it has been subsequently +developed that our regiment had some of the finest shots in it the world +ever produced. For instance, George and Mack Campbell, of Maury county; +Billy Watkins, of Nashville, and Colonel H. R. Field, and many others, +who I cannot now recall to mind in this rapid sketch. + + +UNCLE ZACK AND AUNT DAPHNE + +While at this place, I went out one day to hunt someone to wash my +clothes for me. I never was a good washerwoman. I could cook, bring +water and cut wood, but never was much on the wash. In fact, it was an +uphill business for me to wash up "the things" after "grub time" in our +mess. + +I took my clothes and started out, and soon came to a little old negro +hut. I went in and says to an old negress, "Aunty, I would like for you +to do a little washing for me." The old creature was glad to get it, +as I agreed to pay her what it was worth. Her name was Aunt Daphne, +and if she had been a politician, she would have been a success. I do +not remember of a more fluent "conversationalist" in my life. Her tongue +seemed to be on a balance, and both ends were trying to out-talk the +other--but she was a good woman. Her husband was named Uncle Zack, +and was the exact counterpart of Aunt Daphne. He always sat in the +chimney corner, his feet in the ashes, and generally fast asleep. +I am certain I never saw an uglier or more baboonish face in my life, +but Uncle Zack was a good Christian, and I would sometimes wake him up +to hear him talk Christian. + +He said that when he "fessed 'ligin, de debil come dare one nite, and say, +'Zack, come go wid me,' and den de debil tek me to hell, and jes stretch +a wire across hell, and hang me up jes same like a side of bacon, through +the tongue. Well, dar I hang like de bacon, and de grease kept droppin' +down, and would blaze up all 'round me. I jes stay dar and burn; and +after while de debil come 'round wid his gun, and say, 'Zack, I gwine to +shoot you,' and jes as he raise de gun, I jes jerk loose from dat wire, +and I jes fly to heben." + +"Fly! did you have wings?" + +"O, yes, sir, I had wings." + +"Well, after you got to heaven, what did you do then?" + +"Well, I jes went to eatin' grass like all de balance of de lams." + +"What! were they eating grass?" + +"O, yes, sir." + +"Well, what color were the lambs, Uncle Zack?" + +"Well, sir, some of dem was white, and some black, and some spotted." + +"Were there no old rams or ewes among them?" + +"No, sir; dey was all lams." + +"Well, Uncle Zack, what sort of a looking lamb were you?" + +"Well, sir, I was sort of specklish and brown like." + +Old Zack begins to get sleepy. + +"Did you have horns, Uncle Zack?" + +"Well, some of dem had little horns dat look like dey was jes sorter +sproutin' like." + +Zack begins to nod and doze a little. + +"Well, how often did they shear the lambs, Uncle Zack?" + +"Well, w-e-l-l, w--e--l--l--," and Uncle Zack was fast asleep and snoring, +and dreaming no doubt of the beautiful pastures glimmering above the +clouds of heaven. + + +RED TAPE + +While here I applied for a furlough. Now, reader, here commenced a +series of red tapeism that always had characterized the officers under +Braggism. It had to go through every officer's hands, from corporal up, +before it was forwarded to the next officer of higher grade, and so it +passed through every officer's hands. He felt it his sworn and bound +duty to find some informality in it, and it was brought back for +correction according to his notions, you see. Well, after getting the +corporal's consent and approval, it goes up to the sergeant. It ain't +right! Some informality, perhaps, in the wording and spelling. Then +the lieutenants had to have a say in it, and when it got to the captain, +it had to be read and re-read, to see that every "i" was dotted and "t" +crossed, but returned because there was one word that he couldn't make +out. Then it was forwarded to the colonel. He would snatch it out of +your hand, grit his teeth, and say, "D--n it;" feel in his vest pocket +and take out a lead pencil, and simply write "app." for approved. +This would also be returned, with instructions that the colonel must +write "approved" in a plain hand, and with pen and ink. Then it went to +the brigadier-general. He would be engaged in a game of poker, and would +tell you to call again, as he didn't have time to bother with those small +affairs at present. "I'll see your five and raise you ten." "I have a +straight flush." "Take the pot." After setting him out, and when it +wasn't his deal, I get up and walk around, always keeping the furlough +in sight. After reading carefully the furlough, he says, "Well, sir, +you have failed to get the adjutant's name to it. You ought to have the +colonel and adjutant, and you must go back and get their signatures." +After this, you go to the major-general. He is an old aristocratic +fellow, who never smiles, and tries to look as sour as vinegar. He looks +at the furlough, and looks down at the ground, holding the furlough in +his hand in a kind of dreamy way, and then says, "Well, sir, this is +all informal." You say, "Well, General, what is the matter with it?" +He looks at you as if he hadn't heard you, and repeats very slowly, "Well, +sir, this is informal," and hands it back to you. You take it, feeling +all the while that you wished you had not applied for a furlough, and +by summoning all the fortitude that you possess, you say in a husky and +choking voice, "Well, general (you say the "general" in a sort of gulp +and dry swallow), what's the matter with the furlough?" You look askance, +and he very languidly re-takes the furlough and glances over it, orders +his negro boy to go and feed his horse, asks his cook how long it will be +before dinner, hallooes at some fellow away down the hill that he would +like for him to call at 4 o'clock this evening, and tells his adjutant to +sign the furlough. The adjutant tries to be smart and polite, smiles a +smole both child-like and bland, rolls up his shirt-sleeves, and winks +one eye at you, gets astraddle of a camp-stool, whistles a little stanza +of schottische, and with a big flourish of his pen, writes the major- +general's name in small letters, and his own--the adjutant's--in very +large letters, bringing the pen under it with tremendous flourishes, +and writes approved and forwarded. You feel relieved. You feel that the +anaconda's coil had been suddenly relaxed. Then you start out to the +lieutenant-general; you find him. He is in a very learned and dignified +conversation about the war in Chili. Well, you get very anxious for the +war in Chili to get to an end. The general pulls his side-whiskers, +looks wise, and tells his adjutant to look over it, and, if correct, +sign it. The adjutant does not deign to condescend to notice you. +He seems to be full of gumbo or calf-tail soup, and does not wish his +equanimity disturbed. He takes hold of the document, and writes the +lieutenant-general's name, and finishes his own name while looking in +another direction--approved and forwarded. Then you take it up to the +general; the guard stops you in a very formal way, and asks, "What do you +want?" You tell him. He calls for the orderly; the orderly gives it to +the adjutant, and you are informed that it will be sent to your colonel +tonight, and given to you at roll-call in the morning. Now, reader, +the above is a pretty true picture of how I got my furlough. + + +I GET A FURLOUGH + +After going through all the formality of red-tapeism, and being snubbed +with tweedle-dum and tweedle-dee, I got my furlough. When it started out, +it was on the cleanest piece of paper that could be found in Buck +Lanier's sutler's store. After it came back, it was pretty well used up, +and looked as if it had gone through a very dark place, and been beat +with a soot-bag. But, anyhow, I know that I did not appreciate my +furlough half as much as I thought I would. I felt like returning it to +the gentlemen with my compliments, declining their kind favors. I felt +that it was unwillingly given, and, as like begets like, it was very +unwillingly received. Honestly, I felt as if I had made a bad bargain, +and was keen to rue the trade. I did not know what to do with it; but, +anyhow, I thought I would make the best of a bad bargain. I got on the +cars at Dalton--now, here is a thing that I had long since forgotten +about--it was the first first-class passenger car that I had been in +since I had been a soldier. The conductor passed around, and handed me +a ticket with these words on it: + + "If you wish to travel with ease, + Keep this ticket in sight, if you please; + And if you wish to take a nap, + Just stick this in your hat or cap." + +This was the poetry, reader, that was upon the ticket. The conductor +called around every now and then, especially if you were asleep, to look +at your ticket, and every now and then a captain and a detail of three +soldiers would want to look at your furlough. I thought before I got to +Selma, Alabama, that I wished the ticket and furlough both were in the +bottom of the ocean, and myself back in camp. Everywhere I went someone +wanted to see my furlough. Before I got my furlough, I thought it +sounded big. Furlough was a war word, and I did not comprehend its +meaning until I got one. The very word "furlough" made me sick then. +I feel fainty now whenever I think of furlough. It has a sickening sound +in the ring of it--"furlough!" "Furloch," it ought to have been called. +Every man I met had a furlough; in fact, it seemed to have the very +double-extract of romance about it--"fur too, eh?" Men who I knew had +never been in the army in their lives, all had furloughs. Where so many +men ever got furloughs from I never knew; but I know now. They were like +the old bachelor who married the widow with ten children--he married a +"ready-made" family. They had ready-made furloughs. But I have said +enough on the furlough question; it enthralled me--let it pass; don't +want any more furloughs. But while on my furlough, I got with Captain +G. M. V. Kinzer, a fine-dressed and handsome cavalry captain, whom all +the ladies (as they do at the present day), fell in love with. The +captain and myself were great friends. The captain gave me his old coat +to act captain in, but the old thing wouldn't act. I would keep the +collar turned down. One night we went to call on a couple of beautiful +and interesting ladies near Selma. We chatted the girls until the "wee +sma' hours" of morning, and when the young ladies retired, remarked that +they would send a servant to show us to our room. We waited; no servant +came. The captain and myself snoozed it out as best we could. About +daylight the next morning the captain and myself thought that we would +appear as if we had risen very early, and began to move about, and +opening the door, there lay a big black negro on his knees and face. +Now, reader, what do you suppose that negro was doing? You could not +guess in a week. The black rascal! hideous! terrible to contemplate! +vile! outrageous! Well, words cannot express it. What do you suppose he +was doing? He was fast asleep. He had come thus far, and could go no +further, and fell asleep. There is where the captain and myself found +him at daylight the next morning. We left for Selma immediately after +breakfast, leaving the family in ignorance of the occurrence. The +captain and myself had several other adventures, but the captain always +had the advantage of me; he had the good clothes, and the good looks, +and got all the good presents from the pretty young ladies--well, you +might say, "cut me out" on all occasions. "That's what makes me 'spise +a furlough." But then furlough sounds big, you know. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +HUNDRED DAYS BATTLE + + +ROCKY FACE RIDGE + +When I got back to Dalton, I found the Yankee army advancing; they were +at Rocky Face Ridge. Now, for old Joe's generalship. We have seen him +in camp, now we will see him in action. We are marched to meet the enemy; +we occupy Turner's Gap at Tunnel Hill. Now, come on, Mr. Yank--we are +keen for an engagement. It is like a picnic; the soldiers are ruddy and +fat, and strong; whoop! whoop! hurrah! come on, Mr. Yank. We form line +of battle on top of Rocky Face Ridge, and here we are face to face with +the enemy. Why don't you unbottle your thunderbolts and dash us to +pieces? Ha! here it comes; the boom of cannon and the bursting of a +shell in our midst. Ha! ha! give us another blizzard! Boom! boom! +That's all right, you ain't hurting nothing. + +"Hold on, boys," says a sharpshooter, armed with a Whitworth gun, "I'll +stop that racket. Wait until I see her smoke again." Boom, boom! the +keen crack of the Whitworth rings upon the frosty morning air; the +cannoneers are seen to lie down; something is going on. "Yes, yonder is +a fellow being carried off on a litter." Bang! bang! goes the Whitworth, +and the battery is seen to limber to the rear. What next? a yell! +What does this yell mean? A charge right up the hill, and a little +sharp skirmish for a few moments. We can see the Yankee line. They are +resting on their arms. The valley below is full of blue coats, but a +little too far off to do any execution. + +Old Joe walks along the line. He happens to see the blue coats in the +valley, in plain view. Company H is ordered to fire on them. We take +deliberate aim and fire a solid volley of minnie balls into their midst. +We see a terrible consplutterment among them, and know that we have +killed and wounded several of Sherman's incendiaries. They seem to get +mad at our audacity, and ten pieces of cannon are brought up, and pointed +right toward us. We see the smoke boil up, and a moment afterwards the +shell is roaring and bursting right among us. Ha! ha! ha! that's funny-- +we love the noise of battle. Captain Joe P. Lee orders us to load and +fire at will upon these batteries. Our Enfields crack, keen and sharp; +and ha, ha, ha, look yonder! The Yankees are running away from their +cannon, leaving two pieces to take care of themselves. Yonder goes a +dash of our cavalry. They are charging right up in the midst of the +Yankee line. Three men are far in advance. Look out, boys! What does +that mean? Our cavalry are falling back, and the three men are cut off. +They will be captured, sure. They turn to get back to our lines. +We can see the smoke boil up, and hear the discharge of musketry from the +Yankee lines. One man's horse is seen to blunder and fall, one man reels +in his saddle, and falls a corpse, and the other is seen to surrender. +But, look yonder! the man's horse that blundered and fell is up again; +he mounts his horse in fifty yards of the whole Yankee line, is seen to +lie down on his neck, and is spurring him right on toward the solid line +of blue coats. Look how he rides, and the ranks of the blue coats open. +Hurrah for the brave rebel boy! He has passed and is seen to regain his +regiment. I afterwards learned that that brave Rebel boy was my own +brother, Dave, who at that time was not more than sixteen years old. +The one who was killed was named Grimes, and the one captured was named +Houser, and the regiment was the First Tennessee Cavalry, then commanded +by Colonel J. H. Lewis. You could have heard the cheers from both sides, +it seemed, for miles. + +John Branch raised the tune, in which the whole First and Twenty-seventh +Regiments joined in: + + "Cheer, boys, cheer, we are marching on to battle! + Cheer, boys, cheer, for our sweethearts and our wives! + Cheer, boys, cheer, we'll nobly do our duty, + And give to the South our hearts, our arms, our lives. + Old Lincoln, with his hireling hosts, + Will never whip the South, + Shouting the battle cry of freedom." + +All this is taking place while the Yankees are fully one thousand yards +off. We can see every movement that is made, and we know that Sherman's +incendiaries are already hacked. Sherman himself is a coward, and dares +not try his strength with old Joe. Sherman never fights; all that he +is after is marching to the sea, while the world looks on and wonders: +"What a flank movement!" Yes, Sherman is afraid of minnie balls, and +tries the flank movement. We are ordered to march somewhere. + + +"FALLING BACK" + +Old Joe knows what he is up to. Every night we change our position. +The morrow's sun finds us face to face with the Yankee lines. The troops +are in excellent spirits. Yonder are our "big guns," our cavalry-- +Forrest and Wheeler--our sharpshooters, and here is our wagon and supply +train, right in our midst. The private's tread is light--his soul is +happy. + +Another flank movement. Tomorrow finds us face to face. Well, you have +come here to fight us; why don't you come on? We are ready; always +ready. Everything is working like clockwork; machinery is all in order. +Come, give us a tilt, and let us try our metal. You say old Joe has got +the brains and you have got the men; you are going to flank us out of the +Southern Confederacy. That's your plan, is it? Well, look out; we are +going to pick off and decimate your men every day. You will be a picked +chicken before you do that. + +What? The Yankees are at Resacca, and have captured the bridge across +the Oostanaula river. Well, now, that's business; that has the old ring +in it. Tell it to us again; we're fond of hearing such things. + +The Yankees are tearing up the railroad track between the tank and +Resacca. Let's hear it again. The Yankees have opened the attack; +we are going to have a battle; we are ordered to strip for the fight. +(That is, to take off our knapsacks and blankets, and to detail Bev. +White to guard them.) Keep closed up, men. The skirmish line is firing +like popping fire-crackers on a Christmas morning. Every now and then +the boom of a cannon and the screaming of a shell. Ha, ha, ha! that has +the right ring. We will make Sherman's incendiaries tell another tale in +a few moments, when--"Halt! about face." Well, what's the matter now? +Simply a flank movement. All right; we march back, retake our knapsacks +and blankets, and commence to march toward Resacca. Tom Tucker's rooster +crows, and John Branch raises the tune, "Just Twenty Years Ago," and +after we sing that out, he winds up with, "There Was an Ancient +Individual Whose Cognomen Was Uncle Edward," and + + "The old woman who kept a peanut stand, + And a big policeman stood by with a big stick in his hand," + +And Arthur Fulghum halloes out, "All right; go ahead! toot, toot, toot! +puff, puff, puff! Tickets, gentlemen, tickets!" and the Maury Grays +raise the yell, "All aboard for Culleoka," while Walker Coleman commences +the song, "I'se gwine to jine the rebel band, fightin' for my home." +Thus we go, marching back to Resacca. + + +BATTLE OF RESACCA + +Well, you want to hear about shooting and banging, now, gentle reader, +don't you? I am sorry I cannot interest you on this subject--see history. + +The Yankees had got breeches hold on us. They were ten miles in our rear; +had cut off our possibility of a retreat. The wire bridge was in their +hands, and they were on the railroad in our rear; but we were moving, +there was no mistake in that. Our column was firm and strong. There was +no excitement, but we were moving along as if on review. We passed old +Joe and his staff. He has on a light or mole colored hat, with a black +feather in it. He is listening to the firing going on at the front. +One little cheer, and the very ground seems to shake with cheers. +Old Joe smiles as blandly as a modest maid, raises his hat in +acknowledgement, makes a polite bow, and rides toward the firing. +Soon we are thrown into line of battle, in support of Polk's corps. +We belong to Hardee's corps. Now Polk's corps advances to the attack, +and Hardee's corps fifty or seventy-five yards in the rear. A thug, thug, +thug; the balls are decimating our men; we can't fire; Polk's corps is in +front of us; should it give way, then it will be our time. The air is +full of deadly missiles. We can see the two lines meet, and hear the +deadly crash of battle; can see the blaze of smoke and fire. The earth +trembles. Our little corps rush in to carry off our men as they are shot +down, killed and wounded. Lie down! thug, thug! General Hardee passes +along the line. "Steady, boys!" (The old general had on a white cravat; +he had been married to a young wife not more than three weeks). "Go back, +general, go back, go back, go back," is cried all along the line. +He passes through the missiles of death unscathed; stood all through that +storm of bullets indifferent to their proximity (we were lying down, +you know). The enemy is checked; yonder they fly, whipped and driven +from the field. "Attention! By the right flank, file left, march! +Double quick!" and we were double quicking, we knew not whither, but +that always meant fight. We pass over the hill, and through the valley, +and there is old Joe pointing toward the tank with his sword. (He looked +like the pictures you see hung upon the walls). We cross the railroad. +Halloo! here comes a cavalry charge from the Yankee line. Now for it; +we will see how Yankee cavalry fight. We are not supported; what is +the matter? Are we going to be captured? They thunder down upon us. +Their flat-footed dragoons shake and jar the earth. They are all around +us--we are surrounded. "Form square! Platoons, right and left wheel! +Kneel and fire!" There we were in a hollow square. The Yankees had +never seen anything like that before. It was something new. They +charged right upon us. Colonel Field, sitting on his gray mare, right in +the center of the hollow square, gives the command, "Front rank, kneel +and present bayonet against cavalry." The front rank knelt down, placing +the butts of their guns against their knees. "Rear rank, fire at will; +commence firing." Now, all this happened in less time than it has taken +me to write it. They charged right upon us, no doubt expecting to ride +right over us, and trample us to death with the hoofs of their horses. +They tried to spur and whip their horses over us, but the horses had more +sense than that. We were pouring a deadly fire right into their faces, +and soon men and horses were writhing in the death agonies; officers were +yelling at the top of their voices, "Surrender! surrender!" but we were +having too good a thing of it. We were killing them by scores, and they +could not fire at us; if they did they either overshot or missed their +aim. Their ranks soon began to break and get confused, and finally they +were routed, and broke and ran in all directions, as fast as their horses +could carry them. + +When we re-formed our regiment and marched back, we found that General +Johnston's army had all passed over the bridge at Resacca. Now, reader, +this was one of our tight places. The First Tennessee Regiment was +always ordered to hold tight places, which we always did. We were about +the last troops that passed over. + +Now, gentle reader, that is all I know of the battle of Resacca. We +had repulsed every charge, had crossed the bridge with every wagon, and +cannon, and everything, and had nothing lost or captured. It beat +anything that has ever been recorded in history. I wondered why old Joe +did not attack in their rear. The explanation was that Hood's line was +being enfiladed, his men decimated, and he could not hold his position. + +We are still fighting; battles innumerable. The Yankees had thrown +pontoons across the river below Resacca, in hopes to intercept us on the +other side. We were marching on the road; they seemed to be marching +parallel with us. It was fighting, fighting, every day. When we awoke +in the morning, the firing of guns was our reveille, and when the sun +went down it was our "retreat and our lights out." Fighting, fighting, +fighting, all day and all night long. Battles were fought every day, +and in one respect we always had the advantage; they were the attacking +party, and we always had good breastworks thrown up during the night. + +Johnston's army was still intact. The soldiers drew their regular +rations of biscuit and bacon, sugar and coffee, whisky and tobacco. +When we went to sleep we felt that old Joe, the faithful old watch dog, +had his eye on the enemy. No one was disposed to straggle and go back to +Company Q. (Company Q was the name for play-outs). They even felt safer +in the regular line than in the rear with Company Q. + +Well as stated previously, it was battle, battle, battle, every day, +for one hundred days. The boom of cannon, and the rattle of musketry was +our reveille and retreat, and Sherman knew that it was no child's play. + +Today, April 14, 1882, I say, and honestly say, that I sincerely believe +the combined forces of the whole Yankee nation could never have broken +General Joseph E. Johnston's line of battle, beginning at Rocky Face +Ridge, and ending on the banks of the Chattahoochee. + + +ADAIRSVILLE--OCTAGON HOUSE--THE FIRST TENNESSEE ALWAYS OCCUPIES TIGHT +PLACES + +We had stacked our arms and gone into camp, and had started to build +fires to cook supper. I saw our cavalry falling back, I thought, rather +hurriedly. I ran to the road and asked them what was the matter? +They answered, "Matter enough; yonder are the Yankees, are you infantry +fellows going to make a stand here?" I told Colonel Field what had been +told to me, and he hooted at the idea; but balls that had shucks tied to +their tails were passing over, and our regiment was in the rear of the +whole army. I could hardly draw anyone's attention to the fact that the +cavalry had passed us, and that we were on the outpost of the whole army, +when an order came for our regiment to go forward as rapidly as possible +and occupy an octagon house in our immediate front. The Yankees were +about a hundred yards from the house on one side and we about a hundred +yards on the other. The race commenced as to which side would get to +the house first. We reached it, and had barely gotten in, when they were +bursting down the paling of the yard on the opposite side. The house +was a fine brick, octagon in shape, and as perfect a fort as could be +desired. We ran to the windows, upstairs, downstairs and in the cellar. +The Yankees cheered and charged, and our boys got happy. Colonel Field +told us he had orders to hold it until every man was killed, and never +to surrender the house. It was a forlorn hope. We felt we were +"gone fawn skins," sure enough. At every discharge of our guns, +we would hear a Yankee squall. The boys raised a tune-- + + "I'se gwine to jine the Rebel band, + A fighting for my home"-- + +as they loaded and shot their guns. Then the tune of-- + + "Cheer, boys, cheer, we are marching on to battle! + Cheer, boys, cheer, for our sweethearts and our wives! + Cheer, boys, cheer, we'll nobly do our duty, + And give to the South our hearts, our arms, our lives." + +Our cartridges were almost gone, and Lieutenant Joe Carney, Joe Sewell, +and Billy Carr volunteered to go and bring a box of one thousand +cartridges. They got out of the back window, and through that hail of +iron and lead, made their way back with the box of cartridges. Our +ammunition being renewed, the fight raged on. Captain Joe P. Lee touched +me on the shoulder and said, "Sam, please let me have your gun for one +shot." He raised it to his shoulder and pulled down on a fine-dressed +cavalry officer, and I saw that Yankee tumble. He handed it back to me +to reload. About twelve o'clock, midnight, the Hundred and Fifty-fourth +Tennessee, commanded by Colonel McGevney, came to our relief. + +The firing had ceased, and we abandoned the octagon house. Our dead and +wounded--there were thirty of them--were in strange contrast with the +furniture of the house. Fine chairs, sofas, settees, pianos and Brussels +carpeting being made the death-bed of brave and noble boys, all saturated +with blood. Fine lace and damask curtains, all blackened by the smoke +of battle. Fine bureaus and looking-glasses and furniture being riddled +by the rude missiles of war. Beautiful pictures in gilt frames, and a +library of valuable books, all shot and torn by musket and cannon balls. +Such is war. + + +KENNESAW LINE + +The battles of the Kennesaw line were fought for weeks. Cannonading and +musketry firing was one continual thing. It seemed that shooting was the +order of the day, and pickets on both sides kept up a continual firing, +that sounded like ten thousand wood-choppers. Sometimes the wood- +choppers would get lazy or tired and there was a lull. But you could +always tell when the old guard had been relieved, by the accelerated +chops of the wood-choppers. + + +AM DETAILED TO GO INTO THE ENEMY'S LINES + +One day our orderly sergeant informed me that it was my regular time to +go on duty, and to report to Captain Beasley, of the Twenty-seventh. +I reported to the proper place, and we were taken to the headquarters of +General Leonidas Polk. We had to go over into the enemy's lines, and +make such observations as we could, and report back by daylight in the +morning. Our instructions were to leave everything in camp except our +guns and cartridge-boxes. These were to be carried, but, under no +circumstances, to be used, except in case of death itself. We were +instructed to fall in in the rear of our relief guard, which would go out +about sunset; not to attract their attention, but to drop out one or two +at a time; to pass the Yankee picket as best we could, even if we had to +crawl on our bellies to do so; to go over in the Yankee lines, and to +find out all we could, without attracting attention, if possible. +These were our instructions. You may be sure my heart beat like a +muffled drum when I heard our orders. + +I felt like making my will. But, like the boy who was passing the +graveyard, I tried to whistle to keep my spirits up. We followed the +relief guard, and one by one stepped off from the rear. I was with two +others, Arnold Zellner and T. C. Dornin. We found ourselves between the +picket lines of the two armies. Fortune seemed to favor us. It was just +getting dusky twilight, and we saw the relief guard of the Yankees just +putting on their picket. They seemed to be very mild, inoffensive +fellows. They kept a looking over toward the Rebel lines, and would +dodge if a twig cracked under their feet. I walked on as if I was just +relieved, and had passed their lines, when I turned back, and says I, +"Captain, what guard is this?" He answered, "Nien bocht, you bet," +is what I understood him to say. "What regiment are you from?" "Ben +bicht mir ein riefel fab bien." "What regiment is your detail from?" +"Iet du mein got Donnermetter stefel switzer." I had to give it up-- +I had run across the detail of a Dutch regiment. I passed on, and came +to the regular line of breastworks, and there was an old Irishman sitting +on a stump grinding coffee. "General McCook's brigade, be jabbers," +he answered to my inquiry as to what regiment it was. Right in front of +me the line was full of Irish soldiers, and they were cooking supper. +I finally got over their breastworks, and was fearful I would run into +some camp or headquarter guard, and the countersign would be demanded of +me. I did not know what to do in that case--but I thought of the way +that I had gotten in hundreds of times before in our army, when I wanted +to slip the guard, and that was to get a gun, go to some cross street or +conspicuous place, halt the officer, and get the countersign. And while +standing near General Sherman's headquarters, I saw a courier come out +of his tent, get on his horse, and ride toward where I stood. As he +approached, says I, "Halt! who goes there?" "A friend with the +countersign." He advanced, and whispered in my ear the word "United." +He rode on. I had gotten their countersign, and felt I was no longer a +prisoner. I went all over their camp, and saw no demonstration of any +kind. Night had thrown her mantle over the encampment. I could plainly +see the sentinels on their weary vigils along the lines, but there was +none in their rear. I met and talked with a great many soldiers, but +could get no information from them. + +About 2 o'clock at night, I saw a body of men approaching where I was. +Something told me that I had better get out of their way, but I did not. +The person in command said, "Say, there! you, sir; say, you, sir!" +Says I, "Are you speaking to me?" "Yes," very curtly and abruptly. +"What regiment do you belong to?" Says I, "One hundred and twenty- +seventh Illinois." "Well, sir, fall in here; I am ordered to take up all +stragglers. Fall in, fall in promptly!" Says I, "I am instructed by +General McCook to remain here and direct a courier to General Williams' +headquarters." He says, "It's a strange place for a courier to come to." +His command marched on. About an hour afterwards--about 3 o'clock-- +I heard the assembly sound. I knew then that it was about time for me +to be getting out of the way. Soon their companies were forming, and +they were calling the roll everywhere. Everything had begun to stir. +Artillery men were hitching up their horses. Men were dashing about in +every direction. I saw their army form and move off. I got back into +our lines, and reported to General Polk. + +He was killed that very day on the Kennesaw line. General Stephens was +killed the very next day. + +Every now and then a dead picket was brought in. Times had begun to look +bilious, indeed. Their cannon seemed to be getting the best of ours in +every fight. The cannons of both armies were belching and bellowing at +each other, and the pickets were going it like wood choppers, in earnest. +We were entrenched behind strong fortifications. Our rations were cooked +and brought to us regularly, and the spirits of the army were in good +condition. + +We continued to change position, and build new breastworks every night. +One-third of the army had to keep awake in the trenches, while the other +two-thirds slept. But everything was so systematized, that we did not +feel the fatigue. + + +PINE MOUNTAIN--DEATH OF GENERAL LEONIDAS POLK + +General Leonidas Polk, our old leader, whom we had followed all through +that long war, had gone forward with some of his staff to the top of Pine +Mountain, to reconnoiter, as far as was practicable, the position of the +enemy in our front. While looking at them with his field glass, a solid +shot from the Federal guns struck him on his left breast, passing through +his body and through his heart. I saw him while the infirmary corps +were bringing him off the field. He was as white as a piece of marble, +and a most remarkable thing about him was, that not a drop of blood was +ever seen to come out of the place through which the cannon ball had +passed. My pen and ability is inadequate to the task of doing his memory +justice. Every private soldier loved him. Second to Stonewall Jackson, +his loss was the greatest the South ever sustained. When I saw him there +dead, I felt that I had lost a friend whom I had ever loved and respected, +and that the South had lost one of her best and greatest generals. + +His soldiers always loved and honored him. They called him "Bishop Polk." +"Bishop Polk" was ever a favorite with the army, and when any position +was to be held, and it was known that "Bishop Polk" was there, we knew +and felt that "all was well." + + +GOLGOTHA CHURCH--GENERAL LUCIUS E. POLK WOUNDED + +On this Kennesaw line, near Golgotha Church, one evening about 4 o'clock, +our Confederate line of battle and the Yankee line came in close +proximity. If I mistake not, it was a dark, drizzly, rainy evening. +The cannon balls were ripping and tearing through the bushes. The two +lines were in plain view of each other. General Pat Cleburne was at this +time commanding Hardee's corps, and General Lucius E. Polk was in command +of Cleburne's division. General John C. Brown's division was supporting +Cleburne's division, or, rather, "in echelon." Every few moments, +a raking fire from the Yankee lines would be poured into our lines, +tearing limbs off the trees, and throwing rocks and dirt in every +direction; but I never saw a soldier quail, or even dodge. We had +confidence in old Joe, and were ready to march right into the midst of +battle at a moment's notice. While in this position, a bomb, loaded +with shrapnel and grapeshot, came ripping and tearing through our ranks, +wounding General Lucius E. Polk, and killing some of his staff. And, +right here, I deem it not inappropriate to make a few remarks as to the +character and appearance of so brave and gallant an officer. At this +time he was about twenty-five years old, with long black hair, that +curled, a gentle and attractive black eye that seemed to sparkle with +love rather than chivalry, and were it not for a young moustache and +goatee that he usually wore, he would have passed for a beautiful girl. +In his manner he was as simple and guileless as a child, and generous +almost to a fault. Enlisting in the First Arkansas Regiment as a private +soldier, and serving for twelve months as orderly sergeant; at the +reorganization he was elected colonel of the regiment, and afterwards, +on account of merit and ability, was commissioned brigadier-general; +distinguishing himself for conspicuous bravery and gallantry on every +battlefield, and being "scalped" by a minnie ball at Richmond, Kentucky-- +which scar marks its furrow on top of his head today. In every battle +he was engaged in, he led his men to victory, or held the enemy at bay, +while the surge of battle seemed against us; he always seemed the +successful general, who would snatch victory out of the very jaws of +defeat. In every battle, Polk's brigade, of Cleburne's division, +distinguished itself, almost making the name of Cleburne as the Stonewall +of the West. Polk was to Cleburne what Murat or the old guard was to +Napoleon. And, at the battle of Chickamauga, when it seemed that the +Southern army had nearly lost the battle, General Lucius E. Polk's +brigade made the most gallant charge of the war, turning the tide of +affairs, and routing the Yankee army. General Polk himself led the +charge in person, and was the first man on top of the Yankee breastworks +(_vide_ General D. H. Hill's report of the battle of Chickamauga), +and in every attack he had the advance guard, and in every retreat, +the rear guard of the army. Why? Because General Lucius E. Polk and +his brave soldiers _never_ faltered, and with him as leader, the general +commanding the army knew that "all was well." + +Well, this evening of which I now write, the litter corps ran up and +placed him on a litter, and were bringing him back through Company H, +of our regiment, when one of the men was wounded, and I am not sure but +another one was killed, and they let him fall to the ground. At that +time, the Yankees seemed to know that they had killed or wounded a +general, and tore loose their batteries upon this point. The dirt and +rocks were flying in every direction, when Captain Joe P. Lee, Jim +Brandon and myself, ran forward, grabbed up the litter, brought General +Polk off the crest of the hill, and assisted in carrying him to the +headquarters of General Cleburne. When we got to General Cleburne, +he came forward and asked General Polk if he was badly wounded, and +General Polk remarked, laughingly: "Well, I think I will be able to get a +furlough now." This is a fact. General Polk's leg had been shot almost +entirely off. I remember the foot part being twisted clear around, +and lying by his side, while the blood was running through the litter in +a perfect stream. I remember, also, that General Cleburne dashed a tear +from his eye with his hand, and saying, "Poor fellow," at once galloped +to the front, and ordered an immediate advance of our lines. Cleburne's +division was soon engaged. Night coming on, prevented a general +engagement, but we drove the Yankee line two miles. + + +"DEAD ANGLE" + +The First and Twenty-seventh Tennessee Regiments will ever remember the +battle of "Dead Angle," which was fought June 27th, on the Kennesaw line, +near Marietta, Georgia. It was one of the hottest and longest days of +the year, and one of the most desperate and determinedly resisted battles +fought during the whole war. Our regiment was stationed on an angle, +a little spur of the mountain, or rather promontory of a range of hills, +extending far out beyond the main line of battle, and was subject to the +enfilading fire of forty pieces of artillery of the Federal batteries. +It seemed fun for the guns of the whole Yankee army to play upon this +point. We would work hard every night to strengthen our breastworks, +and the very next day they would be torn down smooth with the ground +by solid shots and shells from the guns of the enemy. Even the little +trees and bushes which had been left for shade, were cut down as so much +stubble. For more than a week this constant firing had been kept up +against this salient point. In the meantime, the skirmishing in the +valley below resembled the sounds made by ten thousand wood-choppers. + +Well, on the fatal morning of June 27th, the sun rose clear and cloudless, +the heavens seemed made of brass, and the earth of iron, and as the sun +began to mount toward the zenith, everything became quiet, and no sound +was heard save a peckerwood on a neighboring tree, tapping on its old +trunk, trying to find a worm for his dinner. We all knew it was but the +dead calm that precedes the storm. On the distant hills we could plainly +see officers dashing about hither and thither, and the Stars and Stripes +moving to and fro, and we knew the Federals were making preparations for +the mighty contest. We could hear but the rumbling sound of heavy guns, +and the distant tread of a marching army, as a faint roar of the coming +storm, which was soon to break the ominous silence with the sound of +conflict, such as was scarcely ever before heard on this earth. It +seemed that the archangel of Death stood and looked on with outstretched +wings, while all the earth was silent, when all at once a hundred guns +from the Federal line opened upon us, and for more than an hour they +poured their solid and chain shot, grape and shrapnel right upon this +salient point, defended by our regiment alone, when, all of a sudden, +our pickets jumped into our works and reported the Yankees advancing, +and almost at the same time a solid line of blue coats came up the hill. +I discharged my gun, and happening to look up, there was the beautiful +flag of the Stars and Stripes flaunting right in my face, and I heard +John Branch, of the Rock City Guards, commanded by Captain W. D. Kelly, +who were next Company H, say, "Look at that Yankee flag; shoot that +fellow; snatch that flag out of his hand!" My pen is unable to describe +the scene of carnage and death that ensued in the next two hours. +Column after column of Federal soldiers were crowded upon that line, +and by referring to the history of the war you will find they were massed +in column forty columns deep; in fact, the whole force of the Yankee army +was hurled against this point, but no sooner would a regiment mount our +works than they were shot down or surrendered, and soon we had every +"gopher hole" full of Yankee prisoners. Yet still the Yankees came. +It seemed impossible to check the onslaught, but every man was true +to his trust, and seemed to think that at that moment the whole +responsibility of the Confederate government was rested upon his +shoulders. Talk about other battles, victories, shouts, cheers, and +triumphs, but in comparison with this day's fight, all others dwarf +into insignificance. The sun beaming down on our uncovered heads, the +thermometer being one hundred and ten degrees in the shade, and a solid +line of blazing fire right from the muzzles of the Yankee guns being +poured right into our very faces, singeing our hair and clothes, the hot +blood of our dead and wounded spurting on us, the blinding smoke and +stifling atmosphere filling our eyes and mouths, and the awful concussion +causing the blood to gush out of our noses and ears, and above all, +the roar of battle, made it a perfect pandemonium. Afterward I heard a +soldier express himself by saying that he thought "Hell had broke loose +in Georgia, sure enough." + +I have heard men say that if they ever killed a Yankee during the war +they were not aware of it. I am satisfied that on this memorable day, +every man in our regiment killed from one score to four score, yea, +five score men. I mean from twenty to one hundred each. All that was +necessary was to load and shoot. In fact, I will ever think that the +reason they did not capture our works was the impossibility of their +living men passing over the bodies of their dead. The ground was piled +up with one solid mass of dead and wounded Yankees. I learned afterwards +from the burying squad that in some places they were piled up like cord +wood, twelve deep. + +After they were time and time again beaten back, they at last were +enabled to fortify a line under the crest of the hill, only thirty yards +from us, and they immediately commenced to excavate the earth with the +purpose of blowing up our line. + +We remained here three days after the battle. In the meantime the woods +had taken fire, and during the nights and days of all that time continued +to burn, and at all times, every hour of day and night, you could hear +the shrieks and screams of the poor fellows who were left on the field, +and a stench, so sickening as to nauseate the whole of both armies, +arose from the decaying bodies of the dead left lying on the field. + +On the third morning the Yankees raised a white flag, asked an armistice +to bury their dead, not for any respect either army had for the dead, +but to get rid of the sickening stench. I get sick now when I happen to +think about it. Long and deep trenches were dug, and hooks made from +bayonets crooked for the purpose, and all the dead were dragged and +thrown pell mell into these trenches. Nothing was allowed to be taken +off the dead, and finely dressed officers, with gold watch chains +dangling over their vests, were thrown into the ditches. During the +whole day both armies were hard at work, burying the Federal dead. + +Every member of the First and Twenty-seventh Tennessee Regiments deserves +a wreath of imperishable fame, and a warm place in the hearts of their +countrymen, for their gallant and heroic valor at the battle of Dead +Angle. No man distinguished himself above another. All did their duty, +and the glory of one is but the glory and just tribute of the others. + +After we had abandoned the line, and on coming to a little stream of +water, I undressed for the purpose of bathing, and after undressing +found my arm all battered and bruised and bloodshot from my wrist to my +shoulder, and as sore as a blister. I had shot one hundred and twenty +times that day. My gun became so hot that frequently the powder would +flash before I could ram home the ball, and I had frequently to exchange +my gun for that of a dead comrade. + +Colonel H. R. Field was loading and shooting the same as any private in +the ranks when he fell off the skid from which he was shooting right +over my shoulder, shot through the head. I laid him down in the trench, +and he said, "Well, they have got me at last, but I have killed fifteen +of them; time about is fair play, I reckon." But Colonel Field was +not killed--only wounded, and one side paralyzed. Captain Joe P. Lee, +Captain Mack Campbell, Lieutenant T. H. Maney, and other officers of the +regiment, threw rocks and beat them in their faces with sticks. The +Yankees did the same. The rocks came in upon us like a perfect hail +storm, and the Yankees seemed very obstinate, and in no hurry to get away +from our front, and we had to keep up the firing and shooting them down +in self-defense. They seemed to walk up and take death as coolly as if +they were automatic or wooden men, and our boys did not shoot for the fun +of the thing. It was, verily, a life and death grapple, and the least +flicker on our part, would have been sure death to all. We could not be +reinforced on account of our position, and we had to stand up to the rack, +fodder or no fodder. When the Yankees fell back, and the firing ceased, +I never saw so many broken down and exhausted men in my life. I was as +sick as a horse, and as wet with blood and sweat as I could be, and many +of our men were vomiting with excessive fatigue, over-exhaustion, and +sunstroke; our tongues were parched and cracked for water, and our faces +blackened with powder and smoke, and our dead and wounded were piled +indiscriminately in the trenches. There was not a single man in the +company who was not wounded, or had holes shot through his hat and +clothing. Captain Beasley was killed, and nearly all his company killed +and wounded. The Rock City Guards were almost piled in heaps and so was +our company. Captain Joe P. Lee was badly wounded. Poor Walter Hood and +Jim Brandon were lying there among us, while their spirits were in heaven; +also, William A. Hughes, my old mess-mate and friend, who had clerked +with me for S. F. & J. M. Mayes, and who had slept with me for lo! these +many years, and a boy who loved me more than any other person on earth +has ever done. I had just discharged the contents of my gun into the +bosoms of two men, one right behind the other, killing them both, and was +re-loading, when a Yankee rushed upon me, having me at a disadvantage, +and said, "You have killed my two brothers, and now I've got you." +Everything I had ever done rushed through my mind. I heard the roar, +and felt the flash of fire, and saw my more than friend, William +A. Hughes, grab the muzzle of the gun, receiving the whole contents in +his hand and arm, and mortally wounding him. Reader, he died for me. +In saving my life, he lost his own. When the infirmary corps carried him +off, all mutilated and bleeding he told them to give me "Florence Fleming" +(that was the name of his gun, which he had put on it in silver letters), +and to give me his blanket and clothing. He gave his life for me, +and everything that he had. It was the last time that I ever saw him, +but I know that away up yonder, beyond the clouds, blackness, tempest +and night, and away above the blue vault of heaven, where the stars keep +their ceaseless vigils, away up yonder in the golden city of the New +Jerusalem, where God and Jesus Christ, our Savior, ever reign, we will +sometime meet at the marriage supper of the Son of God, who gave His life +for the redemption of the whole world. + +For several nights they made attacks upon our lines, but in every attempt, +they were driven back with great slaughter. They would ignite the tape +of bomb shells, and throw them over in our lines, but, if the shell did +not immediately explode, they were thrown back. They had a little shell +called _hand grenade_, but they would either stop short of us, or go +over our heads, and were harmless. General Joseph E. Johnston sent us a +couple of _chevaux-de-frise_. When they came, a detail of three men had +to roll them over the works. Those three men were heroes. Their names +were Edmund Brandon, T. C. Dornin, and Arnold Zellner. Although it was +a solemn occasion, every one of us was convulsed with laughter at the +ridiculous appearance and actions of the detail. Every one of them made +their wills and said their prayers truthfully and honestly, before they +undertook the task. I laugh now every time I think of the ridiculous +appearance of the detail, but to them it was no laughing matter. I +will say that they were men who feared not, nor faltered in their duty. +They were men, and today deserve the thanks of the people of the South. +That night about midnight, an alarm was given that the Yankees were +advancing. They would only have to run about twenty yards before they +would be in our works. We were ordered to "shoot." Every man was +hallooing at the top of his voice, "Shoot, shoot, tee, shoot, shootee." +On the alarm, both the Confederate and Federal lines opened, with both +small arms and artillery, and it seemed that the very heavens and earth +were in a grand conflagration, as they will be at the final judgment, +after the resurrection. I have since learned that this was a false alarm, +and that no attack had been meditated. + +Previous to the day of attack, the soldiers had cut down all the trees in +our immediate front, throwing the tops down hill and sharpening the limbs +of the same, thus making, as we thought, an impenetrable abattis of vines +and limbs locked together; but nothing stopped or could stop the advance +of the Yankee line, but the hot shot and cold steel that we poured into +their faces from under our head-logs. + +One of the most shameful and cowardly acts of Yankee treachery was +committed there that I ever remember to have seen. A wounded Yankee was +lying right outside of our works, and begging most piteously for water, +when a member of the railroad company (his name was Hog Johnson, and +the very man who stood videt with Theodore Sloan and I at the battle of +Missionary Ridge, and who killed the three Yankees, one night, from Fort +Horsley), got a canteen of water, and gave the dying Yankee a drink, +and as he started back, he was killed dead in his tracks by a treacherous +Yankee hid behind a tree. It matters not, for somewhere in God's Holy +Word, which cannot lie, He says that "He that giveth a cup of cold water +in my name, shall not lose his reward." And I have no doubt, reader, +in my own mind, that the poor fellow is reaping his reward in Emanuel's +land with the good and just. In every instance where we tried to assist +their wounded, our men were killed or wounded. A poor wounded and dying +boy, not more than sixteen years of age, asked permission to crawl over +our works, and when he had crawled to the top, and just as Blair Webster +and I reached up to help the poor fellow, he, the Yankee, was killed by +his own men. In fact, I have ever thought that is why the slaughter was +so great in our front, that nearly, if not as many, Yankees were killed +by their own men as by us. The brave ones, who tried to storm and carry +our works, were simply between two fires. It is a singular fanaticism, +and curious fact, that enters the mind of a soldier, that it is a grand +and glorious death to die on a victorious battlefield. One morning the +Sixth and Ninth Regiments came to our assistance--not to relieve us-- +but only to assist us, and every member of our regiment--First and +Twenty-seventh--got as mad as a "wet hen." They felt almost insulted, +and I believe we would soon have been in a free fight, had they not been +ordered back. As soon as they came up every one of us began to say, +"Go back! go back! we can hold this place, and by the eternal God we +are not going to leave it." General Johnston came there to look at the +position, and told us that a transverse line was about one hundred yards +in our rear, and should they come on us too heavy to fall back to that +line, when almost every one of us said, "You go back and look at other +lines, this place is safe, and can never be taken." And then when they +had dug a tunnel under us to blow us up, we laughed, yea, even rejoiced, +at the fact of soon being blown sky high. Yet, not a single man was +willing to leave his post. When old Joe sent us the two _chevaux-de- +frise_, and kept on sending us water, and rations, and whisky, and +tobacco, and word to hold our line, we would invariably send word back to +rest easy, and that all is well at Dead Angle. I have ever thought that +is one reason why General Johnston fell back from this Kennesaw line, +and I will say today, in 1882, that while we appreciated his sympathies +and kindness toward us, yet we did not think hard of old Joe for having +so little confidence in us at that time. A perfect hail of minnie +balls was being continually poured into our head-logs the whole time we +remained here. The Yankees would hold up small looking-glasses, so that +our strength and breastworks could be seen in the reflection in the glass; +and they also had small mirrors on the butts of their guns, so arranged +that they could hight up the barrels of their guns by looking through +these glasses, while they themselves would not be exposed to our fire, +and they kept up this continual firing day and night, whether they could +see us or not. Sometimes a glancing shot from our head-logs would wound +some one. + +But I cannot describe it as I would wish. I would be pleased to mention +the name of every soldier, not only of Company H alone, but every man in +the First and Twenty-seventh Tennessee Consolidated Regiments on this +occasion, but I cannot now remember their names, and will not mention +any one in particular, fearing to do injustice to some whom I might +inadvertently omit. Every man and every company did their duty. Company +G, commanded by Captain Mack Campbell, stood side by side with us on this +occasion, as they ever had during the whole war. But soldiers of the +First and Twenty-seventh Regiments, it is with a feeling of pride and +satisfaction to me, today, that I was associated with so many noble and +brave men, and who were subsequently complimented by Jeff Davis, then +President of the Confederate States of America, in person, who said, +"That every member of our regiment was fit to be a captain"--his very +words. I mention Captain W. C. Flournoy, of Company K, the Martin Guards; +Captain Ledbetter, of the Rutherford Rifles; Captains Kelly and Steele, +of the Rock City Guards, and Captain Adkisson, of the Williamson Grays, +and Captain Fulcher, and other names of brave and heroic men, some of +whom live today, but many have crossed the dark river and are "resting +under the shade of the trees" on the other shore, waiting and watching +for us, who are left to do justice to their memory and our cause, and +when we old Rebels have accomplished God's purpose on earth, we, too, +will be called to give an account of our battles, struggles, and triumphs. + +Reader mine, I fear that I have wearied you with too long a description +of the battle of "Dead Angle," if so, please pardon me, as this is +but a sample of the others which will now follow each other in rapid +succession. And, furthermore, in stating the above facts, the half has +not been told, but it will give you a faint idea of the hard battles and +privations and hardships of the soldiers in that stormy epoch--who died, +grandly, gloriously, nobly; dyeing the soil of old mother earth, and +enriching the same with their crimson life's blood, while doing what? +Only trying to protect their homes and families, their property, their +constitution and their laws, that had been guaranteed to them as a +heritage forever by their forefathers. They died for the faith that +each state was a separate sovereign government, as laid down by the +Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of our fathers. + + +BATTLE OF NEW HOPE CHURCH + +We were on a forced march along a dusty road. I never in my whole life +saw more dust. The dust fairly popped under our feet, like tramping in +a snow-drift, and our eyes, and noses, and mouths, were filled with the +dust that arose from our footsteps, and to make matters worse, the boys +all tried to kick up a "bigger dust." Cavalry and artillery could not be +seen at ten paces, being perfectly enveloped in dust. It was a perfect +fog of dust. We were marching along, it then being nearly dark, when we +heard the hoarse boom of a cannon in our rear. It sounded as if it had +a bad attack of croup. It went, "Croup, croup, croup." The order was +given to "about face, double quick, march." We double quicked back to +the old church on the road side, when the First Tennessee Cavalry, +commanded by Colonel Lewis, and the Ninth Battalion, commanded by Major +James H. Akin, passed us, and charged the advance of the Federal forces. +We were supporting the cavalry. We heard them open. Deadly missiles +were flying in every direction. The peculiar thud of spent balls and +balls with shucks tied to their tails were passing over our heads. +We were expecting that the cavalry would soon break, and that we would be +ordered into action. But the news came from the front, that the cavalry +were not only holding their position, but were driving the enemy. +The earth jarred and trembled; the fire fiend seemed unchained; wounded +men were coming from the front. I asked the litter corps, "Who have you +there?" And one answered, "Captain Asa G. Freeman." I asked if he was +dangerously wounded, and he simply said, "Shot through both thighs," +and passed on. About this time we heard the whoops and cheers of the +cavalry, and knew that the Yankees were whipped and falling back. +We marched forward and occupied the place held by the cavalry. The trees +looked as if they had been cut down for new ground, being mutilated and +shivered by musket and cannon balls. Horses were writhing in their death +agony, and the sickening odor of battle filled the air. Well, well, +those who go to battle may expect to die. An halo ever surrounds the +soldier's life, because he is ever willing to die for his country. + + +BATTLE OF DALLAS--BRECKINRIDGE CHARGES THE HEIGHTS + +We are ordered to march to Dallas. + +Reader, somehow the name and character of General John C. Breckinridge +charms me. That morning he looked grand and glorious. His infantry, +artillery, and cavalry were drawn up in line of battle in our immediate +front. He passed along the line, and stopping about the center of the +column, said, "Soldiers, we have been selected to go forward and capture +yon heights. Do you think we can take them? I will lead the attack." +The men whooped, and the cry, "We can, we can," was heard from one end of +the line to the other. Then, "Forward, guide center, march!" were words +re-repeated by colonels and captains. They debouched through the woods, +and passed out of sight in a little ravine, when we saw them emerge in an +open field and advance right upon the Federal breastworks. It was the +grandest spectacle I ever witnessed. We could see the smoke and dust +of battle, and hear the shout of the charge, and the roar and rattle of +cannon and musketry. But Breckinridge's division continued to press +forward, without wavering or hesitating. We can see the line of dead +and wounded along the track over which he passed, and finally we see our +battle flag planted upon the Federal breastworks. I cannot describe the +scene. If you, reader, are an old soldier, you can appreciate my failure +to give a pen picture of battle. But Breckinridge could not long hold +his position. Why we were not ordered forward to follow up his success, +I do not know; but remember, reader, I am not writing history. I try +only to describe events as I witnessed them. + +We marched back to the old church on the roadside, called New Hope church, +and fortified, occupying the battlefield of the day before. The stench +and sickening odor of dead men and horses were terrible. We had to +breathe the putrid atmosphere. + +The next day, Colonel W. M. Voorhies' Forty-eighth Tennessee Regiment +took position on our right. Now, here were all the Maury county boys got +together at New Hope church. I ate dinner with Captain Joe Love, and +Frank Frierson filled my haversack with hardtack and bacon. + + +BATTLE OF ZION CHURCH, JULY 4TH, 1864 + +The 4th day of July, twelve months before, Pemberton had surrendered +twenty-five thousand soldiers, two hundred pieces of artillery, and other +munitions of war in proportion, at Vicksburg. The Yankees wanted to +celebrate the day. They thought it was their lucky day; but old Joe +thought he had as much right to celebrate the Sabbath day of American +Independence as the Yankees had, and we celebrated it. About dawn, +continued boom of cannon reverberated over the hills as if firing a +Fourth of July salute. I was standing on top of our works, leveling them +off with a spade. A sharpshooter fired at me, but the ball missed me +and shot William A. Graham through the heart. He was as noble and brave +a soldier as ever drew the breath of life, and lacked but a few votes +of being elected captain of Company H, at the reorganization. He was +smoking his pipe when he was shot. We started to carry him to the rear, +but he remarked, "Boys, it is useless; please lay me down and let me die." +I have never in my life seen any one meet death more philosophically. +He was dead in a moment. General A. J. Vaughan, commanding General +Preston Smith's brigade, had his foot shot off by a cannon ball a few +minutes afterwards. + +It seemed that both Confederate and Federal armies were celebrating the +Fourth of July. I cannot now remember a more severe artillery duel. +Two hundred cannon were roaring and belching like blue blazes. It was +but a battle of cannonade all day long. It seemed as though the +Confederate and Federal cannons were talking to each other. Sometimes a +ball passing over would seem to be mad, then again some would seem to be +laughing, some would be mild, some sad, some gay, some sorrowful, some +rollicking and jolly; and then again some would scream like the ghosts of +the dead. In fact, they gave forth every kind of sound that you could +imagine. It reminded one of when two storms meet in mid-ocean--the +mountain billows of waters coming from two directions, lash against the +vessel's side, while the elements are filled with roaring, thundering and +lightning. You could almost feel the earth roll and rock like a drunken +man, or a ship, when she rides the billows in an awful storm. It seemed +that the earth was frequently moved from its foundations, and you could +hear it grate as it moved. But all through that storm of battle, every +soldier stood firm, for we knew that old Joe was at the helm. + + +KINGSTON + +Here General Johnston issued his first battle order, that thus far he +had gone and intended to go no further. His line of battle was formed; +his skirmish line was engaged; the artillery was booming from the Rebel +lines. Both sides were now face to face. There were no earthworks on +either side. It was to be an open field and a fair fight, when--"Fall +back!" What's the matter? I do not know how we got the news, but here +is what is told us--and so it was, every position we ever took. When we +fell back the news would be, "Hood's line is being enfiladed, and they +are decimating his men, and he can't hold his position." But we fell +back and took a position at + + +CASSVILLE + +Our line of battle was formed at Cassville. I never saw our troops +happier or more certain of success. A sort of grand halo illumined every +soldier's face. You could see self-confidence in the features of every +private soldier. We were confident of victory and success. It was like +going to a frolic or a wedding. Joy was welling up in every heart. +We were going to whip and rout the Yankees. It seemed to be anything +else than a fight. The soldiers were jubilant. Gladness was depicted on +every countenance. I honestly believe that had a battle been fought at +this place, every soldier would have distinguished himself. I believe +a sort of fanaticism had entered their souls, that whoever was killed +would at once be carried to the seventh heaven. I am sure of one thing, +that every soldier had faith enough in old Joe to have charged Sherman's +whole army. When "Halt!" "Retreat!" What is the matter? General Hood +says they are enfilading his line, and are decimating his men, and he +can't hold his position. + +The same old story repeats itself. Old Joe's army is ever face to face +with Sherman's incendiaries. We have faith in old Joe's ability to meet +Sherman whenever he dares to attack. The soldiers draw their regular +rations. Every time a blue coat comes in sight, there is a dead Yankee +to bury. Sherman is getting cautious, his army hacked. Thus we continue +to fall back for four months, day by day, for one hundred and ten days, +fighting every day and night. + + +ON THE BANKS OF THE CHATTAHOOCHEE + +Our army had crossed the Chattahoochee. The Federal army was on the +other side; our pickets on the south side, the Yankees on the north side. +By a tacit agreement, as had ever been the custom, there was no firing +across the stream. That was considered the boundary. It mattered not +how large or small the stream, pickets rarely fired at each other. +We would stand on each bank, and laugh and talk and brag across the +stream. + +One day, while standing on the banks of the Chattahoochee, a Yankee +called out: + +"Johnny, O, Johnny, O, Johnny Reb." + +Johnny answered, "What do you want?" + +"You are whipped, aren't you?" + +"No. The man who says that is a liar, a scoundrel, and a coward." + +"Well, anyhow, Joe Johnston is relieved of the command." + +"What?" + +"General Joseph E. Johnston is relieved." + +"What is that you say?" + +"General Joseph E. Johnston is relieved, and Hood appointed in his place." + +"You are a liar, and if you will come out and show yourself I will shoot +you down in your tracks, you lying Yankee galloot." + +"That's more than I will stand. If the others will hands off, I will +fight a duel with you. Now, show your manhood." + +Well, reader, every word of this is true, as is everything in this book. +Both men loaded their guns and stepped out to their plates. They were +both to load and fire at will, until one or both were killed. They took +their positions without either trying to get the advantage of the other. +Then some one gave the command to "Fire at will; commence firing." +They fired seven shots each; at the seventh shot, poor Johnny Reb fell a +corpse, pierced through the heart. + + +REMOVAL OF GENERAL JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON + +Such was the fact. General Joseph E. Johnston had been removed and +General J. B. Hood appointed to take command. Generals Hardee and +Kirby Smith, two old veterans, who had been identified with the Army of +Tennessee from the beginning, resigned. We had received the intelligence +from the Yankees. + +The relief guard confirmed the report. + +All the way from Rocky Face Ridge to Atlanta was a battle of a hundred +days, yet Hood's line was all the time enfiladed and his men decimated, +and he could not hold his position. Old Joe Johnston had taken command +of the Army of Tennessee when it was crushed and broken, at a time when +no other man on earth could have united it. He found it in rags and +tatters, hungry and heart-broken, the morale of the men gone, their +manhood vanished to the winds, their pride a thing of the past. Through +his instrumentality and skillful manipulation, all these had been +restored. We had been under his command nearly twelve months. He was +more popular with his troops day by day. We had made a long and arduous +campaign, lasting four months; there was not a single day in that four +months that did not find us engaged in battle with the enemy. History +does not record a single instance of where one of his lines was ever +broken--not a single rout. He had not lost a single piece of artillery; +he had dealt the enemy heavy blows; he was whipping them day by day, +yet keeping his own men intact; his men were in as good spirits and as +sure of victory at the end of four months as they were at the beginning; +instead of the army being depleted, it had grown in strength. 'Tis true, +he had fallen back, but it was to give his enemy the heavier blows. +He brought all the powers of his army into play; ever on the defensive, +'tis true, yet ever striking his enemy in his most vulnerable part. +His face was always to the foe. They could make no movement in which +they were not anticipated. Such a man was Joseph E. Johnston, and such +his record. Farewell, old fellow! We privates loved you because you +made us love ourselves. Hardee, our old corps commander, whom we had +followed for nearly four years, and whom we had loved and respected from +the beginning, has left us. Kirby Smith has resigned and gone home. +The spirit of our good and honored Leonidas Polk is in heaven, and his +body lies yonder on the Kennesaw line. General Breckinridge and other +generals resigned. I lay down my pen; I can write no more; my heart is +too full. Reader, this is the saddest chapter I ever wrote. + +But now, after twenty years, I can see where General Joseph E. Johnston +made many blunders in not attacking Sherman's line at some point. +He was better on the defensive than the aggressive, and hence, _bis +peccare in bello non licet_. + + +GENERAL HOOD TAKES COMMAND + +It came like a flash of lightning, staggering and blinding every one. +It was like applying a lighted match to an immense magazine. It was like +the successful gambler, flushed with continual winnings, who staked his +all and lost. It was like the end of the Southern Confederacy. Things +that were, were not. It was the end. The soldier of the relief guard +who brought us the news while picketing on the banks of the Chattahoochee, +remarked, by way of imparting gently the information-- + +"Boys, we've fought all the war for nothing. There is nothing for us in +store now." + +"What's the matter now?" + +"General Joe Johnston is relieved, Generals Hardee and Kirby Smith has +resigned, and General Hood is appointed to take command of the Army of +Tennessee." + +"My God! is that so?" + +"It is certainly a fact." + +"Then I'll never fire another gun. Any news or letters that you +wish carried home? I've quit, and am going home. Please tender my +resignation to Jeff Davis as a private soldier in the C. S. Army." + +Five men of that picket--there were just five--as rapidly as they could, +took off their cartridge-boxes, after throwing down their guns, and +then their canteens and haversacks, taking out of their pockets their +gun-wipers, wrench and gun-stoppers, and saying they would have no more +use for "them things." They marched off, and it was the last we ever saw +of them. In ten minutes they were across the river, and no doubt had +taken the oath of allegiance to the United States government. Such was +the sentiment of the Army of Tennessee at that time. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +ATLANTA + + +HOOD STRIKES + +General John B. Hood had the reputation of being a fighting man, and +wishing to show Jeff Davis what a "bully" fighter he was, lights in on +the Yankees on Peachtree creek. But that was "I give a dare" affair. +General William B. Bate's division gained their works, but did not long +hold them. + +Our division, now commanded by General John C. Brown, was supporting +Bate's division; our regiment supporting the Hundred and Fifty-fourth +Tennessee, which was pretty badly cut to pieces, and I remember how mad +they seemed to be, because they had to fall back. + +Hood thought he would strike while the iron was hot, and while it could +be hammered into shape, and make the Yankees believe that it was the +powerful arm of old Joe that was wielding the sledge. + +But he was like the fellow who took a piece of iron to the shop, +intending to make him an ax. After working for some time and failing, +he concluded he would make him a wedge, and, failing in this, said, +"I'll make a skeow." So he heats the iron red-hot and drops it into the +slack-tub, and it went s-k-e-o-w, bubble, bubble, s-k-e-o-w, bust. + + +KILLING A YANKEE SCOUT + +On the night of the 20th, the Yankees were on Peachtree creek, advancing +toward Atlanta. I was a videt that night, on the outpost of the army. +I could plainly hear the moving of their army, even the talking and +laughing of the Federal soldiers. I was standing in an old sedge field. +About midnight everything quieted down. I was alone in the darkness, +left to watch while the army slept. The pale moon was on the wane, +a little yellow arc, emitting but a dim light, and the clouds were lazily +passing over it, while the stars seemed trying to wink and sparkle and +make night beautiful. I thought of God, of heaven, of home, and I +thought of Jennie--her whom I had ever loved, and who had given me her +troth in all of her maiden purity, to be my darling bride so soon as the +war was over. I thought of the scenes of my childhood, my school-boy +days. I thought of the time when I left peace and home, for war and +privations. I had Jennie's picture in my pocket Bible, alongside of a +braid of her beautiful hair. And I thought of how good, how pure, +and how beautiful was the woman, who, if I lived, would share my hopes +and struggles, my happiness as well as troubles, and who would be my +darling bride, and happiness would ever be mine. An owl had lit on an +old tree near me and began to "hoo, hoo, hoo are you," and his mate would +answer back from the lugubrious depths of the Chattahoochee swamps. +A shivering owl also sat on the limb of a tree and kept up its dismal +wailings. And ever now and then I could hear the tingle, tingle, tingle +of a cow bell in the distance, and the shrill cry of the whip-poor-will. +The shivering owl and whip-poor-will seemed to be in a sort of talk, +and the jack-o'-lanterns seemed to be playing spirits--when, hush! what +is that? listen! It might have been two o'clock, and I saw, or thought I +saw, the dim outlines of a Yankee soldier, lying on the ground not more +than ten steps from where I stood. I tried to imagine it was a stump +or hallucination of the imagination. I looked at it again. The more I +looked the more it assumed the outlines of a man. Something glistens in +his eyes. Am I mistaken? Tut, tut, it's nothing but a stump; you are +getting demoralized. What! it seems to be getting closer. There are two +tiny specks that shine like the eyes of a cat in the dark. Look here, +thought I, you are getting nervous. Well, I can stand this doubt and +agony no longer; I am going to fire at that object anyhow, let come what +will. I raised my gun, placed it to my shoulder, took deliberate aim, +and fired, and waugh-weouw, the most unearthly scream I ever heard, +greeted my ears. I broke and run to a tree nearby, and had just squatted +behind it, when zip, zip, two balls from our picket post struck the tree +in two inches of my head. I hallooed to our picket not to fire that +it was "me," the videt. I went back, and says I, "Who fired those two +shots?" Two fellows spoke up and said that they did it. No sooner was +it spoken, than I was on them like a duck on a june-bug, _pugnis et +calcibus_. We "fout and fit, and gouged and bit," right there in that +picket post. I have the marks on my face and forehead where one of them +struck me with a Yankee zinc canteen, filled with water. I do not know +which whipped. My friends told me that I whipped both of them, and I +suppose their friends told them that they had whipped me. All I know is, +they both run, and I was bloody from head to foot, from where I had been +cut in the forehead and face by the canteens. This all happened one dark +night in the month of July, 1864, in the rifle pit in front of Atlanta. +When day broke the next morning, I went forward to where I had shot at +the "boogaboo" of the night before, and right there I found a dead Yankee +soldier, fully accoutered for any emergency, his eyes wide open. I +looked at him, and I said, "Old fellow, I am sorry for you; didn't know +it was you, or I would have been worse scared than I was. You are +dressed mighty fine, old fellow, but I don't want anything you have got, +but your haversack." It was a nice haversack, made of chamois skin. +I kept it until the end of the war, and when we surrendered at Greensboro, +N. C., I had it on. But the other soldiers who were with me, went +through him and found twelve dollars in greenback, a piece of tobacco, +a gun-wiper and gun-stopper and wrench, a looking-glass and pocket-comb, +and various and sundry other articles. I came across that dead Yankee +two days afterwards, and he was as naked as the day he came into the +world, and was as black as a negro, and was as big as a skinned horse. +He had mortified. I recollect of saying, "Ugh, ugh," and of my hat being +lifted off my head, by my hair, which stood up like the quills of the +fretful porcupine. He scared me worse when dead than when living. + + +AN OLD CITIZEN + +But after the little unpleasant episode in the rifle pit, I went back and +took my stand. When nearly day, I saw the bright and beautiful star in +the east rise above the tree tops, and the gray fog from off the river +begun to rise, and every now and then could hear a far off chicken crow. + +While I was looking toward the Yankee line, I saw a man riding leisurely +along on horseback, and singing a sort of humdrum tune. I took him to be +some old citizen. He rode on down the road toward me, and when he had +approached, "Who goes there?" He immediately answered, "A friend." +I thought that I recognized the voice in the darkness--and said I, +"Who are you?" He spoke up, and gave me his name. Then, said I, +"Advance, friend, but you are my prisoner." He rode on toward me, +and I soon saw that it was Mr. Mumford Smith, the old sheriff of Maury +county. I was very glad to see him, and as soon as the relief guard came, +I went back to camp with him. I do not remember of ever in my life being +more glad to see any person. He had brought a letter from home, from my +father, and some Confederate old issue bonds, which I was mighty glad +to get, and also a letter from "the gal I left behind me," enclosing a +rosebud and two apple blossoms, resting on an arbor vita leaf, and this +on a little piece of white paper, and on this was written a motto (which +I will have to tell for the young folks), "Receive me, such as I am; +would that I were of more use for your sake. Jennie." Now, that was +the bouquet part. I would not like to tell you what was in that letter, +but I read that letter over five hundred times, and remember it today. +I think I can repeat the poetry _verbatim et literatim_, and will do so, +gentle reader, if you don't laugh at me. I'm married now, and only +write from memory, and never in my life have I read it in book or paper, +and only in that letter-- + + "I love you, O, how dearly, + Words too faintly but express; + This heart beats too sincerely, + E'er in life to love you less; + No, my fancy never ranges, + Hopes like mine, can never soar; + If the love I cherish, changes, + 'Twill only be to love you more." + +Now, fair and gentle reader, this was the poetry, and you see for +yourself that there was no "shenanigan" in that letter; and if a fellow +"went back" on that sort of a letter, he would strike his "mammy." +And then the letter wound up with "May God shield and protect you, +and prepare you for whatever is in store for you, is the sincere prayer +of Jennie." You may be sure that I felt good and happy, indeed. + + +MY FRIENDS + +Reader mine, in writing these rapid and imperfect recollections, I find +that should I attempt to write up all the details that I would not only +weary you, but that these memoirs would soon become monotonous and +uninteresting. I have written only of what I saw. Many little acts of +kindness shown me by ladies and old citizens, I have omitted. I remember +going to an old citizen's house, and he and the old lady were making +clay pipes. I recollect how they would mold the pipes and put them +in a red-hot stove to burn hard. Their kindness to me will never be +forgotten. The first time that I went there they seemed very glad to see +me, and told me that I looked exactly like their son who was in the army. +I asked them what regiment he belonged to. After a moment's silence the +old lady, her voice trembling as she spoke, said the Fourteenth Georgia, +and then she began to cry. Then the old man said, "Yes, we have a son +in the army. He went to Virginia the first year of the war, and we have +never heard of him since. These wars are terrible, sir. The last time +that we heard of him, he went with Stonewall Jackson away up in the +mountains of West Virginia, toward Romney, and I did hear that while +standing picket at a little place called Hampshire Crossing, on a little +stream called St. John's Run, he and eleven others froze to death. +We have never heard of him since." He got up and began walking up and +down the room, his hands crossed behind his back. I buckled on my +knapsack to go back to camp, and I shook hands with the two good old +people, and they told me good-bye, and both said, "God bless you, God +bless you." I said the same to them, and said, "I pray God to reward you, +and bring your son safe home again." When I got back to camp I found +cannon and caissons moving, and I knew and felt that General Hood was +going to strike the enemy again. Preparations were going on, but +everything seemed to be out of order and system. Men were cursing, +and seemed to be dissatisfied and unhappy, but the army was moving. + + +A BODY WITHOUT LIMBS--AN ARMY WITHOUT CAVALRY + +Forrest's cavalry had been sent to Mississippi; Wheeler's cavalry had +been sent to North Carolina and East Tennessee. Hood had sent off both +of his "arms"--for cavalry was always called the most powerful "arm" +of the service. The infantry were the feet, and the artillery the body. +Now, Hood himself had no legs, and but one arm, and that one in a sling. +The most terrible and disastrous blow that the South ever received was +when Hon. Jefferson Davis placed General Hood in command of the Army of +Tennessee. I saw, I will say, thousands of men cry like babies--regular, +old-fashioned boohoo, boohoo, boohoo. + +Now, Hood sent off all his cavalry right in the face of a powerful army, +by order and at the suggestion of Jeff Davis, and was using his cannon as +"feelers." O, God! Ye gods! I get sick at heart even at this late day +when I think of it. + +I remember the morning that General Wheeler's cavalry filed by our +brigade, and of their telling us, "Good-bye, boys, good-bye, boys." +The First Tennessee Cavalry and Ninth Battalion were both made up in +Maury county. I saw John J. Stephenson, my friend and step-brother, +and David F. Watkins my own dear brother, and Arch Lipscomb, Joe Fussell, +Captain Kinzer, Jack Gordon, George Martin, Major Dobbins, Colonel Lewis, +Captain Galloway, Aaron and Sims Latta, Major J. H. Akin, S. H. Armstrong, +Albert Dobbins, Alex Dobbins, Jim Cochran, Rafe Grisham, Captain Jim Polk, +and many others with whom I was acquainted. They all said, "Good-bye, +Sam, good-bye, Sam." I cried. I remember stopping the whole command +and begging them to please not leave us; that if they did, Atlanta, and +perhaps Hood's whole army, would surrender in a few days; but they told +me, as near as I can now remember, "We regret to leave you, but we +have to obey orders." The most ignorant private in the whole army saw +everything that we had been fighting for for four years just scattered +like chaff to the winds. All the Generals resigned, and those who did +not resign were promoted; colonels were made brigadier-generals, captains +were made colonels, and the private soldier, well, he deserted, don't you +see? The private soldiers of the Army of Tennessee looked upon Hood as +an over-rated general, but Jeff Davis did not. + + +BATTLE OF JULY 22, 1864 + +Cannon balls, at long range, were falling into the city of Atlanta. +Details of citizens put out the fires as they would occur from the +burning shells. We could see the smoke rise and hear the shells pass +away over our heads as they went on toward the doomed city. + +One morning Cheatham's corps marched out and through the city, we knew +not whither, but we soon learned that we were going to make a flank +movement. After marching four or five miles, we "about faced" and +marched back again to within two hundred yards of the place from whence +we started. It was a "flank movement," you see, and had to be counted +that way anyhow. Well, now as we had made the flank movement, we had to +storm and take the Federal lines, because we had made a flank movement, +you see. When one army makes a flank movement it is courtesy on the part +of the other army to recognize the flank movement, and to change his +base. Why, sir, if you don't recognize a flank movement, you ain't a +graduate of West Point. Hood was a graduate of West Point, and so +was Sherman. But unfortunately there was Mynheer Dutchman commanding +(McPherson had gone to dinner) the corps that had been flanked, and he +couldn't speak English worth a cent. He, no doubt, had on board mein +lager beer, so goot as vat never vas. I sweitzer, mein Got, you bet. +Bang, bang, bang, goes our skirmish line advancing to the attack. +Hans, vat fer ish dot shooting mit mein left wing? Ish dot der Repels, +Hans? + + +THE ATTACK + +The plan of battle, as conceived and put into action by General Cleburne, +was one of the boldest conceptions, and, at the same time, one of the +most hazardous that ever occurred in our army during the war, but it only +required nerve and pluck to carry it out, and General Cleburne was equal +to the occasion. The Yankees had fortified on two ranges of hills, +leaving a gap in their breastworks in the valley entirely unfortified and +unprotected. They felt that they could enfilade the valley between the +two lines so that no troop would or could attack at this weak point. +This valley was covered with a dense undergrowth of trees and bushes. +General Walker, of Georgia, was ordered to attack on the extreme right, +which he did nobly and gallantly, giving his life for his country while +leading his men, charging their breastworks. He was killed on the very +top of their works. In the meantime General Cleburne's division was +marching by the right flank in solid column, the same as if they were +marching along the road, right up this valley, and thus passing between +the Yankee lines and cutting them in two, when the command by the left +flank was given, which would throw them into line of battle. By this +maneuver, Cleburne's men were right upon their flank, and enfilading +their lines, while they were expecting an attack in their front. It was +the finest piece of generalship and the most successful of the war. + +Shineral Mynheer Dutchman says, "Hans, mein Got! mein Got! vare ish +Shineral Mackferson, eh? Mein Got, mein Got! I shust pelieve dot der +Repel ish cooming. Hans, go cotch der filly colt. Now, Hans, I vants +to see vedder der filly colt mid stand fire. You get on der filly colt, +und I vill get pehind der house, und ven you shust coome galloping py, +I vill say 'B-o-o-h,' und if der filly colt don't shump, den I vill know +dot der filly colt mid stand fire." Hans says, "Pap, being as you have +to ride her in the battle, you get on her, and let me say booh." Well, +Shineral Mynheer gets on the colt, and Hans gets behind the house, +and as the general comes galloping by, Hans had got an umbrella, and on +seeing his father approach, suddenly opens the umbrella, and hallowing +at the top of his voice b-o-o-h! _b-o-o-h!_ B-O-O-H! The filly makes a +sudden jump and ker-flop comes down Mynheer. He jumps up and says, "Hans, +I alvays knowed dot you vas a vool. You make too pig a booh; vy, you +said booh loud enuff to scare der ole horse. Hans, go pring out der ole +horse. Der tam Repel vill be here pefore Mackferson gits pack from der +dinner time. I shust peleve dot der Repel ish flanking, und dem tam fool +curnells of mein ish not got sense enuff to know ven Sheneral Hood is +flanking. Hans, bring out der old horse, I vant to find out vedder +Mackferson ish got pack from der dinner time or not." + +We were supporting General Cleburne's division. Our division (Cheatham's) +was commanded by General John C. Brown. Cleburne's division advanced to +the attack. I was marching by the side of a soldier by the name of James +Galbreath, and a conscript from the Mt. Pleasant country. I never heard +a man pray and "go on" so before in my life. It actually made me feel +sorry for the poor fellow. Every time that our line would stop for a few +minutes, he would get down on his knees and clasp his hands and commence +praying. He kept saying, "O, my poor wife and children! God have mercy +on my poor wife and children! God pity me and have mercy on my soul!" +Says I, "Galbreath, what are you making a fool of yourself that way for? +If you are going to be killed, why you are as ready now as you ever will +be, and you are making everybody feel bad; quit that nonsense." He quit, +but kept mumbling to himself, "God have mercy! God have mercy!" +Cleburne had reached the Yankee breastworks; the firing had been and was +then terrific. The earth jarred, and shook, and trembled, at the shock +of battle as the two armies met. Charge men! And I saw the Confederate +flag side by side with the Federal flag. A courier dashed up and said, +"General Cleburne has captured their works--advance and attack upon his +immediate left. Attention, forward!" A discharge of cannon, and a ball +tore through our ranks. I heard Galbreath yell out, "O, God, have mercy +on my poor soul." The ball had cut his body nearly in two. Poor fellow, +he had gone to his reward. + +We advanced to the attack on Cleburne's immediate left. Cleburne himself +was leading us in person, so that we would not fire upon his men, who +were then inside the Yankee line. His sword was drawn. I heard him say, +"Follow me, boys." He ran forward, and amid the blazing fires of the +Yankee guns was soon on top of the enemy's works. He had on a bob-tail +Confederate coat, which looked as if it had been cut out of a scrimp +pattern. (You see I remember the little things). We were but a few +paces behind, following close upon him, and soon had captured their line +of works. We were firing at the flying foe--astraddle of their lines of +battle. This would naturally throw us in front, and Cleburne's corps +supporting us. The Yankee lines seemed routed. We followed in hot +pursuit; but from their main line of entrenchment--which was diagonal to +those that we had just captured, and also on which they had built forts +and erected batteries--was their artillery, raking us fore and aft. +We passed over a hill and down into a valley being under the muzzles of +this rampart of death. We had been charging and running, and had stopped +to catch our breath right under their reserve and main line of battle. +When General George Maney said, "Soldiers, you are ordered to go forward +and charge that battery. When you start upon the charge I want you to go, +as it were, upon the wings of the wind. Shoot down and bayonet the +cannoneers, and take their guns at all hazards." Old Pat Cleburne +thought he had better put in a word to his soldiers. He says, "You hear +what General Maney says, boys. If they don't take it, by the eternal God, +you have got to take it!" I heard an Irishman of the "bloody Tinth," +and a "darn good regiment, be jabbers," speak up, and say, "Faith, +gineral, we'll take up a collection and buy you a batthery, be Jasus." +About this time our regiment had re-formed, and had got their breath, +and the order was given to charge, and take their guns even at the point +of the bayonet. We rushed forward up the steep hill sides, the seething +fires from ten thousand muskets and small arms, and forty pieces of +cannon hurled right into our very faces, scorching and burning our +clothes, and hands, and faces from their rapid discharges, and piling the +ground with our dead and wounded almost in heaps. It seemed that the hot +flames of hell were turned loose in all their fury, while the demons of +damnation were laughing in the flames, like seething serpents hissing +out their rage. We gave one long, loud cheer, and commenced the charge. +As we approached their lines, like a mighty inundation of the river +Acheron in the infernal regions, Confederate and Federal meet. Officers +with drawn swords meet officers with drawn swords, and man to man meets +man to man with bayonets and loaded guns. The continued roar of battle +sounded like unbottled thunder. Blood covered the ground, and the dense +smoke filled our eyes, and ears, and faces. The groans of the wounded +and dying rose above the thunder of battle. But being heavily supported +by Cleburne's division, and by General L. E. Polk's brigade, headed +and led by General Cleburne in person, and followed by the First and +Twenty-seventh up the blazing crest, the Federal lines waver, and +break and fly, leaving us in possession of their breastworks, and the +battlefield, and I do not know how many pieces of artillery, prisoners +and small arms. + +Here is where Major Allen, Lieutenant Joe Carney, Captain Joe Carthell, +and many other good and brave spirits gave their lives for the cause of +their country. They lie today, weltering in their own life's blood. +It was one of the bloody battles that characterized that stormy epoch, +and it was the 22nd of July, and one of the hottest days I ever felt. + +General George Maney led us in the heat of battle, and no general of the +war acted with more gallantry and bravery during the whole war than did +General George Maney on this occasion. + +The victory was complete. Large quantities of provisions and army +stores were captured. The Federals had abandoned their entire line of +breastworks, and had changed their base. They were fortifying upon our +left, about five miles off from their original position. The battlefield +was covered with their dead and wounded soldiers. I have never seen so +many battle-flags left indiscriminately upon any battlefield. I ran over +twenty in the charge, and could have picked them up everywhere; did pick +up one, and was promoted to fourth corporal for gallantry in picking up +a flag on the battlefield. + +On the final charge that was made, I was shot in the ankle and heel of my +foot. I crawled into their abandoned ditch, which then seemed full and +running over with our wounded soldiers. I dodged behind the embankment +to get out of the raking fire that was ripping through the bushes, +and tearing up the ground. Here I felt safe. The firing raged in front; +we could hear the shout of the charge and the clash of battle. While I +was sitting here, a cannon ball came tearing down the works, cutting a +soldier's head off, spattering his brains all over my face and bosom, +and mangling and tearing four or five others to shreds. As a wounded +horse was being led off, a cannon ball struck him, and he was literally +ripped open, falling in the very place I had just moved from. + +I saw an ambulance coming from toward the Yankee line, at full gallop, +saw them stop at a certain place, hastily put a dead man in the ambulance, +and gallop back toward the Yankee lines. I did not know the meaning of +this maneuver until after the battle, when I learned that it was General +McPherson's dead body. + +We had lost many a good and noble soldier. The casualties on our side +were frightful. Generals, colonels, captains, lieutenants, sergeants, +corporals and privates were piled indiscriminately everywhere. Cannon, +caissons, and dead horses were piled pell-mell. It was the picture of a +real battlefield. Blood had gathered in pools, and in some instances had +made streams of blood. 'Twas a picture of carnage and death. + + +AM PROMOTED + +"Why, hello, corporal, where did you get those two yellow stripes from on +your arm?" + +"Why, sir, I have been promoted for gallantry on the battlefield, by +picking up an orphan flag, that had been run over by a thousand fellows, +and when I picked it up I did so because I thought it was pretty, and I +wanted to have me a shirt made out of it." + +"I could have picked up forty, had I known that," said Sloan. + +"So could I, but I knew that the stragglers would pick them up." + +Reader mine, the above dialogue is true in every particular. As long +as I was in action, fighting for my country, there was no chance for +promotion, but as soon as I fell out of ranks and picked up a forsaken +and deserted flag, I was promoted for it. I felt "sorter" cheap when +complimented for gallantry, and the high honor of fourth corporal was +conferred upon me. I felt that those brave and noble fellows who had +kept on in the charge were more entitled to the honor than I was, for +when the ball struck me on the ankle and heel, I did not go any further. +And had I only known that picking up flags entitled me to promotion and +that every flag picked up would raise me one notch higher, I would have +quit fighting and gone to picking up flags, and by that means I would +have soon been President of the Confederate States of America. But +honors now begin to cluster around my brow. This is the laurel and +ivy that is entwined around the noble brows of victorious and renowned +generals. I honestly earned the exalted honor of fourth corporal by +picking up a Yankee battle-flag on the 22nd day of July, at Atlanta. + + +28TH OF JULY AT ATLANTA + +Another battle was fought by Generals Stephen D. Lee and Stewart's corps, +on the 28th day of July. I was not in it, neither was our corps, but +from what I afterwards learned, the Yankees got the best of the +engagement. But our troops continued fortifying Atlanta. No other +battles were ever fought at this place. + + +I VISIT MONTGOMERY + +Our wounded were being sent back to Montgomery. My name was put on the +wounded list. We were placed in a box-car, and whirling down to West +Point, where we changed cars for Montgomery. The cars drew up at the +depot at Montgomery, and we were directed to go to the hospital. When we +got off the cars, little huckster stands were everywhere--apples, oranges, +peaches, watermelons, everything. I know that I never saw a greater +display of eatables in my whole life. I was particularly attracted +toward an old lady's stand; she had bread, fish, and hard boiled eggs. +The eggs were what I was hungry for. Says I: + +"Madam, how do you sell your eggs?" + +"Two for a dollar," she said. + +"How much is your fish worth?" + +"A piece of bread and a piece of fish for a dollar." + +"Well, madam, put out your fish and eggs." The fish were hot and done to +a crisp--actually frying in my mouth, crackling and singing as I bit off +a bite. It was good, I tell you. The eggs were a little over half done. +I soon demolished both, and it was only an appetizer. I invested a +couple of dollars more, and thought that maybe I could make out till +supper time. As I turned around, a smiling, one-legged man asked me if I +wouldn't like to have a drink. Now, if there was anything that I wanted +at that time, it was a drink. + +"How do you sell it?" says I. + +"A dollar a drink," said he. + +"Pour me out a drink." + +It was a tin cap-box. I thought that I knew the old fellow, and he kept +looking at me as if he knew me. Finally, he said to me: + +"It seems that I ought to know you." + +I told him that I reckon he did, as I had been there. + +"Ain't your name Sam?" said he. + +"That is what my mother called me." + +Well, after shaking hands, it suddenly flashed upon me who the old +fellow was. I knew him well. He told me that he belonged to Captain +Ed. O'Neil's company, Second Tennessee Regiment, General William +B. Bate's corps, and that his leg had been shot off at the first battle +of Manassas, and at that time he was selling cheap whisky and tobacco for +a living at Montgomery, Alabama. I tossed off a cap-box full and paid +him a dollar. It staggered me, and I said: + +"That is raw whisky." + +"Yes," said he, "all my cooked whisky is out." + +"If this is not quite cooked, it is as hot as fire anyhow, and burns like +red-hot lava, and the whole dose seems to have got lodged in my windpipe." + +I might have tasted it, but don't think that I did. All I can remember +now, is a dim recollection of a nasty, greasy, burning something going +down my throat and chest, and smelling, as I remember at this day, +like a decoction of red-pepper tea, flavored with coal oil, turpentine +and tobacco juice. + + +THE HOSPITAL + +I went to the hospital that evening, saw it, and was satisfied with +hospital life. I did not wish to be called a hospital rat. I had no +idea of taking stock and making my headquarters at this place. +Everything seemed clean and nice enough, but the smell! Ye gods! +I stayed there for supper. The bill of fare was a thin slice of light +bread and a plate of soup, already dished out and placed at every plate. +I ate it, but it only made me hungry. At nine o'clock I had to go to bed, +and all the lights were put out. Every man had a little bunk to himself. +I do not know whether I slept or not, but I have a dim recollection of +"sawing gourds," and jumping up several times to keep some poor wretch +from strangling. He was only snoring. I heard rats filing away at night, +and thought that burglars were trying to get in; my dreams were not +pleasant, if I went to sleep at all. I had not slept off of the ground +or in a house in three years. It was something new to me, and I could +not sleep, for the room was so dark that had I got up I could not have +found my way out. I laid there, I do not know how long, but I heard a +rooster crow, and a dim twilight began to glimmer in the room, and even +footsteps were audible in the rooms below. I got sleepy then, and went +off in a doze. I had a beautiful dream--dreamed that I was in heaven, +or rather, that a pair of stairs with richly carved balusters and wings, +and golden steps overlaid with silk and golden-colored carpeting came +down from heaven to my room; and two beautiful damsels kept peeping, +and laughing, and making faces at me from the first platform of these +steps; and every now and then they would bring out their golden harps, +and sing me a sweet and happy song. Others were constantly passing, +but always going the same way. They looked like so many schoolgirls, +all dressed in shining garments. Two or three times the two beautiful +girls would go up the stairs and return, bringing fruits and vegetables +that shined like pure gold. I knew that I never had seen two more +beautiful beings on earth. The steps began to lengthen out, and seemed +to be all around me; they seemed to shine a halo of glory all about. +The two ladies came closer, and closer, passing around, having a +beautiful wreath of flowers in each hand, and gracefully throwing them +backward and forward as they laughed and danced around me. Finally +one stopped and knelt down over me and whispered something in my ear. +I threw up my arms to clasp the beautiful vision to my bosom, when I felt +my arm grabbed, and "D--n ye, I wish you would keep your d--n arm off +my wound, ye hurt me," came from the soldier in the next bunk. The sun +was shining full in my face. I got up and went down to breakfast. The +bill of fare was much better for breakfast than it had been for supper; +in fact it was what is called a "jarvis" breakfast. After breakfast, +I took a ramble around the city. It was a nice place, and merchandise +and other business was being carried on as if there was no war. Hotels +were doing a thriving business; steamboats were at the wharf, whistling +and playing their calliopes. I remember the one I heard was playing +"Away Down on the Sewanee River." To me it seemed that everybody was +smiling, and happy, and prosperous. + + +THE CAPITOL + +I went to the capitol, and it is a fine building, overlooking the city. +When I got there, I acted just like everybody that ever visited a fine +building--they wanted to go on top and look at the landscape. That is +what they all say. Now, I always wanted to go on top, but I never yet +thought of landscape. What I always wanted to see, was how far I could +look, and that is about all that any of them wants. It's mighty nice +to go up on a high place with your sweetheart, and hear her say, "La! +ain't it b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l," "Now, now, please don't go there," and how +you walk up pretty close to the edge and spit over, to show what a brave +man you are. It's "bully," I tell you. Well, I wanted to go to the top +of the capitol--I went; wanted to go up in the cupola. Now, there was +an iron ladder running up across an empty space, and you could see two +hundred feet below from this cupola or dome on top. The ladder was about +ten feet long, spanning the dome. It was very easy to go up, because +I was looking up all the time, and I was soon on top of the building. +I saw how far I could see, and saw the Alabama river, winding and turning +until it seemed no larger than a silver thread. Well, I am very poor +at describing and going into ecstacies over fancies. I want some abler +pen to describe the scene. I was not thinking about the scene or the +landscape--I was thinking how I was going to get down that ladder again. +I would come to that iron ladder and peep over, and think if I fell, +how far would I have to fall. The more I thought about going down that +ladder, the more I didn't feel like going down. Well, I felt that I had +rather die than go down that ladder. I'm honest in this. I felt like +jumping off and committing suicide rather than go down that ladder. +I crossed right over the frightful chasm, but when forbearance ceased to +be a virtue, I tremblingly put my foot on the first rung, then grabbed +the top of the two projections. There I remained, I don't know how long, +but after awhile I reached down with one foot and touched the next rung. +After getting that foot firmly placed, I ventured to risk the other foot. +It was thus for several backward steps, until I come to see down--away +down, down, down below me--and my head got giddy. The world seemed to be +turning round and round. A fellow at the bottom hallooed, "Look up! look +up, mister! look up!" I was not a foot from the upper floor. As soon as +I looked at the floor, everything got steady. I kept my eyes fixed on +the top of the building, and soon made the landing on _terra firma_. + +I have never liked high places since. I never could bear to go upstairs +in a house. I went to the capitol at Nashville, last winter, and +McAndrews wanted me to go up in the cupola with him. He went, and paid a +quarter for the privilege. I stayed, and--well, if I could estimate its +value by dollars--I would say two hundred and fifty million dollars is +what I made by staying down. + + +AM ARRESTED + +The next day, while the ferryboat was crossing the river, I asked the +ferryman to let me ride over. I was halted by a soldier who "knowed" +his business. + +"Your pass, sir!" + +"Well, I have no pass!" + +"Well, sir, I will have to arrest you, and take you before the provost +marshal." + +"Very well, sir; I will go with you to the provost or anywhere else." + +I appear before the provost marshal. + +"What command do you belong to, sir?" + +"Well, sir, I belong to Company H, First Tennessee Regiment. I am a +wounded man sent to the hospital." + +"Well, sir, that's too thin; why did you not get a pass?" + +"I did not think one was required." + +"Give me your name, sir." + +I gave my name. + +"Sergeant, take this name to the hospital and ask if such name is +registered on their books." + +I told him that I knew it was not. The sergeant returns and reports no +such name, when he remarks: + +"You have to go to the guard-house." + +Says I, "Colonel (I knew his rank was that of captain), if you send me +to the guard-house, you will do me a great wrong. Here is where I was +wounded." I pulled off my shoe and began to unbandage. + +"Well, sir, I don't want to look at your foot, and I have no patience +with you. Take him to the guard-house." + +Turning back I said, "Sir, aye, aye, you are clothed with a little brief +authority, and appear to be presuming pretty heavy on that authority; but, +sir"--well I have forgotten what I did say. The sergeant took me by the +arm, and said, "Come, come, sir, I have my orders." + +As I was going up the street, I met Captain Dave Buckner, and told him +all the circumstances of my arrest as briefly as I could. He said, +"Sergeant, bring him back with me to the provost marshal's office." +They were as mad as wet hens. Their faces were burning, and I could see +their jugular veins go thump, thump, thump. I do not know what Captain +Buckner said to them, all I heard were the words "otherwise insulted me." +But I was liberated, and was glad of it. + + +THOSE GIRLS + +I then went back to the river, and gave a fellow two dollars to "row me +over the ferry." I was in no particular hurry, and limped along at my +leisure until about nightfall, when I came to a nice, cosy-looking farm +house, and asked to stay all night. I was made very welcome, indeed. +There were two very pretty girls here, and I could have "loved either +were 'tother dear charmer away." But I fell in love with both of them, +and thereby overdid the thing. This was by a dim fire-light. The next +day was Sunday, and we all went to church in the country. We went in an +old rockaway carriage. I remember that the preacher used the words, "O, +God," nineteen times in his prayer. I had made up my mind which one of +the girls I would marry. Now, don't get mad, fair reader mine. I was +all gallantry and smiles, and when we arrived at home, I jumped out and +took hold the hand of my fair charmer to help her out. She put her foot +out, and--well, I came very near telling--she tramped on a cat. The cat +squalled. + + +THE TALISMAN + +But then, you know, reader, that I was engaged to Jennie and I had a +talisman in my pocket Bible, in the way of a love letter, against the +charms of other beautiful and interesting young ladies. Uncle Jimmie +Rieves had been to Maury county, and, on returning to Atlanta, found out +that I was wounded and in the hospital at Montgomery, and brought the +letter to me; and, as I am married now, I don't mind telling you what +was in the letter, if you won't laugh at me. You see, Jennie was my +sweetheart, and here is my sweetheart's letter: + + +My Dear Sam.:--I write to tell you that I love you yet, and you alone; +and day by day I love you more, and pray, every night and morning for +your safe return home again. My greatest grief is that we heard you were +wounded and in the hospital, and I cannot be with you to nurse you. + +We heard of the death of many noble and brave men at Atlanta; and the +death of Captain Carthell, Cousin Mary's husband. It was sent by Captain +January; he belonged to the Twelfth Tennessee, of which Colonel Watkins +was lieutenant-colonel. + +The weather is very beautiful here, and the flowers in the garden are in +full bloom, and the apples are getting ripe. I have gathered a small +bouquet, which I will put in the letter; I also send by Uncle Jimmie a +tobacco bag, and a watch-guard, made out of horse hair, and a woolen hood, +knit with my own hands, with love and best respects. + +We heard that you had captured a flag at Atlanta, and was promoted for it +to corporal. Is that some high office? I know you will be a general yet, +because I always hear of your being in every battle, and always the +foremost man in the attack. Sam, please take care of yourself for my +sake, and don't let the Yankees kill you. Well, good-bye, darling, +I will ever pray for God's richest and choicest blessings upon you. +Be sure and write a long, long letter--I don't care how long, to your +loving and sincere + JENNIE. + + +THE BRAVE CAPTAIN + +When I got back to the Alabama river, opposite Montgomery, the ferryboat +was on the other shore. A steamboat had just pulled out of its moorings +and crossed over to where I was, and began to take on wood. I went on +board, and told the captain, who was a clever and good man, that I would +like to take a trip with him to Mobile and back, and that I was a wounded +soldier from the hospital. He told me, "All right, come along, and I +will foot expenses." + +It was about sunset, but along the line of the distant horizon we could +see the dark and heavy clouds begin to boil up in thick and ominous +columns. The lightning was darting to and fro like lurid sheets of fire, +and the storm seemed to be gathering; we could hear the storm king in his +chariot in the clouds, rumbling as he came, but a dead lull was seen and +felt in the air and in nature; everything was in a holy hush, except the +hoarse belchings of the engines, the sizzing and frying of the boilers, +and the work of the machinery on the lower deck. At last the storm burst +upon us in all its fury; it was a tornado and the women and children +began to scream and pray--the mate to curse and swear. I was standing by +the captain on the main upper deck, as he was trying to direct the pilot +how to steer the boat through that awful storm, when we heard the alarm +bell ring out, and the hoarse cry of "Fire! fire! fire!" Men were +running toward the fire with buckets, and the hose began throwing water +on the flames. Men, women, and children were jumping in the water, +and the captain used every effort to quiet the panic, and to land his +boat with its passengers, but the storm and fire were too much, and down +the vessel sank to rise no more. Many had been saved in the lifeboat, +and many were drowned. I jumped overboard, and the last thing I saw was +the noble and brave captain still ringing the bell, as the vessel went +down. He went down amid the flames to fill a watery grave. The water +was full of struggling and dying people for miles. I did not go to +Mobile. + + +HOW I GET BACK TO ATLANTA + +When I got to Montgomery, the cars said toot, toot, and I raised the +hue and cry and followed in pursuit. Kind friends, I fear that I have +wearied you with my visit to Montgomery, but I am going back to camp now, +and will not leave it again until our banner is furled never to be again +unfurled. + +I, you remember, was without a pass, and did not wish to be carried a +second time before that good, brave, and just provost marshal; and +something told me not to go to the hospital. I found out when the cars +would leave, and thought that I would get on them and go back without any +trouble. I got on the cars, but was hustled off mighty quick, because +I had no pass. A train of box-cars was about leaving for West Point, +and I took a seat on top of one of them, and was again hustled off; +but I had determined to go, and as the engine began to puff, and tug, +and pull, I slipped in between two box-cars, sitting on one part of one +and putting my feet on the other, and rode this way until I got to West +Point. The conductor discovered me, and had put me off several times +before I got to West Point, but I would jump on again as soon as the cars +started. When I got to West Point, a train of cars started off, and I +ran, trying to get on, when Captain Peebles reached out his hand and +pulled me in, and I arrived safe and sound at Atlanta. + +On my way back to Atlanta, I got with Dow Akin and Billy March. Billy +March had been shot through the under jaw by a minnie ball at the octagon +house, but by proper attention and nursing, he had recovered. Conner +Akin was killed at the octagon house, and Dow wounded. When we got back +to the regiment, then stationed near a fine concrete house (where Shepard +and I would sleep every night), nearly right on our works, we found +two thirty-two-pound parrot guns stationed in our immediate front, and +throwing shells away over our heads into the city of Atlanta. We had +just begun to tell all the boys howdy, when I saw Dow Akin fall. A +fragment of shell had struck him on his backbone, and he was carried back +wounded and bleeding. We could see the smoke boil up, and it would be +nearly a minute before we would hear the report of the cannon, and then a +few moments after we would hear the scream of the shell as it went on to +Atlanta. We used to count from the time we would see the smoke boil up +until we would hear the noise, and some fellow would call out, "Look +out boys, the United States is sending iron over into the Southern +Confederacy; let's send a little lead back to the United States." +And we would blaze away with our Enfield and Whitworth guns, and every +time we would fire, we would silence those parrot guns. This kind of fun +was carried on for forty-six days. + + +DEATH OF TOM TUCK'S ROOSTER + +Atlanta was a great place to fight chickens. I had heard much said about +cock pits and cock fights, but had never seen such a thing. Away over +the hill, outside of the range of Thomas' thirty-pound parrot guns, +with which he was trying to burn up Atlanta, the boys had fixed up a cock +pit. It was fixed exactly like a circus ring, and seats and benches were +arranged for the spectators. Well, I went to the cock fight one day. +A great many roosters were to be pitted that day, and each one was +trimmed and gaffed. A gaff is a long keen piece of steel, as sharp as +a needle, that is fitted over the spurs. Well, I looked on at the fun. +Tom Tuck's rooster was named Southern Confederacy; but this was +abbreviated to Confed., and as a pet name, they called him Fed. Well, +Fed was a trained rooster, and would "clean up" a big-foot rooster as +soon as he was put in the pit. But Tom always gave Fed every advantage. +One day a green-looking country hunk came in with a rooster that he +wanted to pit against Fed. He looked like a common rail-splitter. +The money was soon made up, and the stakes placed in proper hands. +The gaffs were fitted, the roosters were placed in the pit and held until +both were sufficiently mad to fight, when they were turned loose, and +each struck at the same time. I looked and poor Fed was dead. The other +rooster had popped both gaffs through his head. He was a dead rooster; +yea, a dead cock in the pit. Tom went and picked up his rooster, and +said, "Poor Fed, I loved you; you used to crow every morning at daylight +to wake me up. I have carried you a long time, but, alas! alas! poor Fed, +your days are numbered, and those who fight will sometimes be slain. +Now, friends, conscripts, countrymen, if you have any tears to shed, +prepare to shed them now. I will not bury Fed. The evil that roosters +do live after them, but the good is oft interred with their bones. +So let it not be with Confed. Confed left no will, but I will pick him, +and fry him, and dip my biscuit in his gravy. Poor Fed, Confed, +Confederacy, I place one hand on my heart and one on my head, regretting +that I have not another to place on my stomach, and whisper, softly +whisper, in the most doleful accents, Good-bye, farewell, a long +farewell." + + "Not a laugh was heard--not even a joke-- + As the dead rooster in the camp-kettle they hurried; + For Tom had lost ten dollars, and was broke, + In the cock-pit where Confed was buried. + + "They cooked him slowly in the middle of the day, + As the frying-pan they were solemnly turning; + The hungry fellows looking at him as he lay, + With one side raw, the other burning. + + "Some surplus feathers covered his breast, + Not in a shroud, but in a tiara they soused him; + He lay like a 'picked chicken' taking his rest, + While the Rebel boys danced and cursed around him. + + "Not a few or short were the cuss words they said, + Yet, they spoke many words of sorrow; + As they steadfastly gazed on the face of the dead, + And thought 'what'll we do for chicken tomorrow?' + + "Lightly they'll talk of the Southern Confed. that's gone, + And o'er his empty carcass upbraid him; + But nothing he'll reck, if they let him sleep on, + In the place where they have laid him. + + "Sadly and slowly they laid him down, + From the field of fame fresh and gory; + They ate off his flesh, and threw away his bones, + And then left them alone in their glory." + +When, cut, slash, bang, debang, and here comes a dash of Yankee cavalry, +right in the midst of the camp, under whip and spur, yelling like a band +of wild Comanches, and bearing right down on the few mourners around the +dead body of Confed. After making this bold dash, they about faced, +and were soon out of sight. There was no harm done, but, alas! that +cooked chicken was gone. Poor Confed! To what a sad end you have come. +Just to think, that but a few short hours ago, you was a proud rooster-- +was "cock of the walk," and was considered invincible. But, alas! you +have sunk so low as to become food for Federals! _Requiescat in pace_ +you can crow no more. + + +OLD JOE BROWN'S PETS + +By way of grim jest, and a fitting burlesque to tragic scenes, or, rather, +to the thing called "glorious war," old Joe Brown, then Governor of +Georgia, sent in his militia. It was the richest picture of an army I +ever saw. It beat Forepaugh's double-ringed circus. Every one was +dressed in citizen's clothes, and the very best they had at that time. +A few had double-barreled shotguns, but the majority had umbrellas and +walking-sticks, and nearly every one had on a duster, a flat-bosomed +"biled" shirt, and a plug hat; and, to make the thing more ridiculous, +the dwarf and the giant were marching side by side; the knock-kneed by +the side of the bow-legged; the driven-in by the side of the drawn-out; +the pale and sallow dyspeptic, who looked like Alex. Stephens, and who +seemed to have just been taken out of a chimney that smoked very badly, +and whose diet was goobers and sweet potatoes, was placed beside the +three hundred-pounder, who was dressed up to kill, and whose looks seemed +to say, "I've got a substitute in the army, and twenty negroes at home +besides--h-a-a-m, h-a-a-m." Now, that is the sort of army that old Joe +Brown had when he seceded from the Southern Confederacy, declaring that +each state was a separate sovereign government of itself; and, as old +Joe Brown was an original secessionist, he wanted to exemplify the grand +principles of secession, that had been advocated by Patrick Henry, +John Randolph, of Roanoke, and John C. Calhoun, in all of whom he was a +firm believer. I will say, however, in all due deference to the Georgia +militia and old Joe Brown's pets, that there was many a gallant and noble +fellow among them. I remember on one occasion that I was detailed to +report to a captain of the Fourth Tennessee Regiment (Colonel Farquharson, +called "Guidepost"); I have forgotten that captain's name. He was a +small-sized man, with a large, long set of black whiskers. He was the +captain, and I the corporal of the detail. We were ordered to take a +company of the Georgia militia on a scout. We went away around to our +extreme right wing, passing through Terry's mill pond, and over the old +battlefield of the 22nd, and past the place where General Walker fell, +when we came across two ladies. One of them kept going from one tree to +another, and saying: "This pine tree, that pine tree; this pine tree, +that pine tree." In answer to our inquiry, they informed us that the +young woman's husband was killed on the 22nd, and had been buried under a +pine tree, and she was nearly crazy because she could not find his dead +body. We passed on, and as soon as we came in sight of the old line of +Yankee breastworks, an unexpected volley of minnie balls was fired into +our ranks, killing this captain of the Fourth Tennessee Regiment and +killing and wounding seven or eight of the Georgia militia. I hallooed +to lay down, as soon as possible, and a perfect whizz of minnie balls +passed over, when I immediately gave the command of attention, forward, +charge and capture that squad. That Georgia militia, every man of them, +charged forward, and in a few moments we ran into a small squad of +Yankees, and captured the whole "lay out." We then carried back to camp +the dead captain and the killed and wounded militia. I had seen a great +many men killed and wounded, but some how or other these dead and wounded +men, of that day, made a more serious impression on my mind than in any +previous or subsequent battles. They were buried with all the honors of +war and I never will forget the incidents and scenes of this day as long +as I live. + + +WE GO AFTER STONEMAN + +One morning our regiment was ordered to march, double-quick, to the depot +to take the cars for somewhere. The engine was under steam, and ready +to start for that mysterious somewhere. The whistle blew long and loud, +and away we went at break-neck speed for an hour, and drew up at a little +place by the name of Jonesboro. The Yankees had captured the town, +and were tearing up the railroad track. A regiment of Rebel infantry +and a brigade of cavalry were already in line of battle in their rear. +We jumped out of the cars and advanced to attack them in front. Our line +had just begun to open a pretty brisk fire on the Yankee cavalry, when +they broke, running right through and over the lines of the regiment of +infantry and brigade of cavalry in their rear, the men opening ranks +to get out of the way of the hoofs of their horses. It was Stoneman's +cavalry, upon its celebrated raid toward Macon and Andersonville to +liberate the Federal prisoners. We went to work like beavers, and in a +few hours the railroad track had been repaired so that we could pass. +Every few miles we would find the track torn up, but we would get out +of the cars, fix up the track, and light out again. We were charging a +brigade of cavalry with a train of cars, as it were. They would try to +stop our progress by tearing up the track, but we were crowding them a +little too strong. At last they thought it was time to quit that +foolishness, and then commenced a race between cavalry and cars for Macon, +Georgia. The cars had to run exceedingly slow and careful, fearing a +tear up or ambuscade, but at last Macon came in sight. Twenty-five or +thirty thousand Federal prisoners were confined at this place, and it was +poorly guarded and protected. We feared that Stoneman would only march +in, overpower the guards, and liberate the prisoners, and we would +have some tall fighting to do, but on arriving at Macon, we found that +Stoneman and all of his command had just surrendered to a brigade of +cavalry and the Georgia militia, and we helped march the gentlemen inside +the prison walls at Macon. They had furnished their own transportation, +paying their own way and bearing their own expenses, and instead of +liberating any prisoners, were themselves imprisoned. An extra detail +was made as guard from our regiment to take them on to Andersonville, +but I was not on this detail, so I remained until the detail returned. + +Macon is a beautiful place. Business was flourishing like a green bay +tree. The people were good, kind, and clever to us. Everywhere the +hospitality of their homes was proffered us. We were regarded as their +liberators. They gave us all the good things they had--eating, drinking, +etc. We felt our consequence, I assure you, reader. We felt we were +heroes, indeed; but the benzine and other fluids became a little +promiscuous and the libations of the boys a little too heavy. They +began to get boisterous--I might say, riotous. Some of the boys got to +behaving badly, and would go into stores and places, and did many things +they ought not to have done. In fact, the whole caboodle of them ought +to have been carried to the guard-house. They were whooping, and yelling, +and firing off their guns, just for the fun of the thing. I remember of +going into a very nice family's house, and the old lady told the dog to +go out, go out, sir! and remarked rather to herself, "Go out, go out! +I wish you were killed, anyhow." John says, "Madam, do you want that dog +killed, sure enough?" She says, "Yes, I do. I do wish that he was dead." +Before I could even think or catch my breath, bang went John's gun, +and the dog was weltering in his blood right on the good lady's floor, +the top of his head entirely torn off. I confess, reader, that I came +very near jumping out of my skin, as it were, at the unexpected discharge +of the gun. And other such scenes, I reckon, were being enacted +elsewhere, but at last a detail was sent around to arrest all stragglers, +and we were soon rolling back to Atlanta. + + +"BELLUM LETHALE" + +Well, after "jugging" Stoneman, we go back to Atlanta and occupy our same +old place near the concrete house. We found everything exactly as we had +left it, with the exception of the increased number of graybacks, which +seemed to have propagated a thousand-fold since we left, and they were +crawling about like ants, making little paths and tracks in the dirt +as they wiggled and waddled about, hunting for ye old Rebel soldier. +Sherman's two thirty-pound parrot guns were in the same position, and +every now and then a lazy-looking shell would pass over, speeding its way +on to Atlanta. + +The old citizens had dug little cellars, which the soldiers called +"gopher holes," and the women and children were crowded together in these +cellars, while Sherman was trying to burn the city over their heads. +But, as I am not writing history, I refer you to any history of the war +for Sherman's war record in and around Atlanta. + +As John and I started to go back, we thought we would visit the hospital. +Great God! I get sick today when I think of the agony, and suffering, +and sickening stench and odor of dead and dying; of wounds and sloughing +sores, caused by the deadly gangrene; of the groaning and wailing. +I cannot describe it. I remember, I went in the rear of the building, +and there I saw a pile of arms and legs, rotting and decomposing; and, +although I saw thousands of horrifying scenes during the war, yet today +I have no recollection in my whole life, of ever seeing anything that I +remember with more horror than that pile of legs and arms that had been +cut off our soldiers. As John and I went through the hospital, and were +looking at the poor suffering fellows, I heard a weak voice calling, "Sam, +O, Sam." I went to the poor fellow, but did not recognize him at first, +but soon found out that it was James Galbreath, the poor fellow who had +been shot nearly in two on the 22nd of July. I tried to be cheerful, +and said, "Hello, Galbreath, old fellow, I thought you were in heaven +long before this." He laughed a sort of dry, cracking laugh, and asked +me to hand him a drink of water. I handed it to him. He then began to +mumble and tell me something in a rambling and incoherent way, but all +I could catch was for me to write to his family, who were living near +Mt. Pleasant. I asked him if he was badly wounded. He only pulled down +the blanket, that was all. I get sick when I think of it. The lower +part of his body was hanging to the upper part by a shred, and all of his +entrails were lying on the cot with him, the bile and other excrements +exuding from them, and they full of maggots. I replaced the blanket as +tenderly as I could, and then said, "Galbreath, good-bye." I then kissed +him on his lips and forehead, and left. As I passed on, he kept trying +to tell me something, but I could not make out what he said, and fearing +I would cause him to exert himself too much, I left. + +It was the only field hospital that I saw during the whole war, and I +have no desire to see another. Those hollow-eyed and sunken-cheeked +sufferers, shot in every conceivable part of the body; some shrieking, +and calling upon their mothers; some laughing the hard, cackling laugh +of the sufferer without hope, and some cursing like troopers, and some +writhing and groaning as their wounds were being bandaged and dressed. +I saw a man of the Twenty-seventh, who had lost his right hand, another +his leg, then another whose head was laid open, and I could see his brain +thump, and another with his under jaw shot off; in fact, wounded in every +manner possible. + +Ah! reader, there is no glory for the private soldier, much less a +conscript. James Galbreath was a conscript, as was also Fain King. +Mr. King was killed at Chickamauga. He and Galbreath were conscripted +and joined Company H at the same time. Both were old men, and very poor, +with large families at home; and they were forced to go to war against +their wishes, while their wives and little children were at home without +the necessaries of life. The officers have all the glory. Glory is not +for the private soldier, such as die in the hospitals, being eat up with +the deadly gangrene, and being imperfectly waited on. Glory is for +generals, colonels, majors, captains, and lieutenants. They have all +the glory, and when the poor private wins battles by dint of sweat, hard +marches, camp and picket duty, fasting and broken bones, the officers get +the glory. The private's pay was eleven dollars per month, if he got it; +the general's pay was three hundred dollars per month, and he always got +his. I am not complaining. These things happened sixteen to twenty +years ago. Men who never fired a gun, nor killed a Yankee during the +whole war, are today the heroes of the war. Now, I tell you what I +think about it: I think that those of us who fought as private soldiers, +fought as much for glory as the general did, and those of us who stuck +it out to the last, deserve more praise than the general who resigned +because some other general was placed in command over him. A general +could resign. That was honorable. A private could not resign, nor +choose his branch of service, and if he deserted, it was death. + + +THE SCOUT AND DEATH OF A YANKEE LIEUTENANT + +General Hood had sent off all his cavalry, and a detail was made each day +of so many men for a scout, to find out all we could about the movements +of the Yankees. Colonel George Porter, of the Sixth Tennessee, was in +command of the detail. We passed through Atlanta, and went down the +railroad for several miles, and then made a flank movement toward where +we expected to come in contact with the Yankees. When we came to a skirt +of woods, we were deployed as skirmishers. Colonel Porter ordered us +to re-prime our guns and to advance at twenty-five paces apart, being +deployed as skirmishers, and to keep under cover as much as possible. +He need not have told us this, because we had not learned war for +nothing. We would run from one tree to another, and then make a careful +reconnoiter before proceeding to another. We had begun to get a little +careless, when bang! bang! bang! It seemed that we had got into a Yankee +ambush. The firing seemed to be from all sides, and was rattling among +the leaves and bushes. It appeared as if some supernatural, infernal +battle was going on and the air was full of smoke. We had not seen the +Yankees. I ran to a tree to my right, and just as I got to it, I saw +my comrade sink to the ground, clutching at the air as he fell dead. +I kept trying to see the Yankees, so that I might shoot. I had been +looking a hundred yards ahead, when happening to look not more than ten +paces from me, I saw a big six-foot Yankee with a black feather in his +hat, aiming deliberately at me. I dropped to the ground, and at the +same moment heard the report, and my hat was knocked off in the bushes. +I remained perfectly still, and in a few minutes I saw a young Yankee +lieutenant peering through the bushes. I would rather not have killed +him, but I was afraid to fire and afraid to run, and yet I did not wish +to kill him. He was as pretty as a woman, and somehow I thought I had +met him before. Our eyes met. He stood like a statue. He gazed at me +with a kind of scared expression. I still did not want to kill him, +and am sorry today that I did, for I believe I could have captured him, +but I fired, and saw the blood spurt all over his face. He was the +prettiest youth I ever saw. When I fired, the Yankees broke and run, +and I went up to the boy I had killed, and the blood was gushing out of +his mouth. I was sorry. + + +ATLANTA FORSAKEN + +One morning about the break of day our artillery opened along our +breastworks, scaring us almost to death, for it was the first guns that +had been fired for more than a month. We sprang to our feet and grabbed +our muskets, and ran out and asked some one what did that mean. We were +informed that they were "feeling" for the Yankees. The comment that was +made by the private soldier was simply two words, and those two words +were "O, shucks." The Yankees had gone--no one knew whither--and our +batteries were shelling the woods, feeling for them. "O, shucks." + +"Hello," says Hood, "Whar in the Dickens and Tom Walker are them Yanks, +hey? Feel for them with long-range 'feelers'." A boom, boom. "Can +anybody tell me whar them Yanks are? Send out a few more 'feelers.' +The feelers in the shape of cannon balls will bring them to taw." +Boom, boom, boom. + + "For the want of a nail, the shoe was lost, + For the want of a shoe the horse was lost, + For the want of a horse the general was lost, + For the want of a general the battle was lost." + +Forrest's cavalry had been sent off somewhere. Wheeler's cavalry had +been sent away yonder in the rear of the enemy to tear up the railroad +and cut off their supplies, etc., and we had to find out the movements +of the enemy by "feeling for them" by shelling the vacant woods. The +Yankees were at that time twenty-five miles in our rear, "a hundred +thousand strong," at a place called Jonesboro. I do not know how it was +found out that they were at Jonesboro, but anyhow, the news had come and +Cheatham's corps had to go and see about it. + +Stewart's corps must hold Atlanta, and Stephen D. Lee's corps must be +stretched at proper distance, so that the word could be passed backward +and forward as to how they were getting along. As yet it is impossible +to tell of the movements of the enemy, because our cannon balls had not +come back and reported any movements to us. We had always heard that +cannon balls were blind, and we did not suppose they could see to find +their way back. Well, our corps made a forced march for a day and a +night, and passed the word back that we had seen some signs of the +Yankees being in that vicinity, and thought perhaps, a small portion-- +about a hundred thousand--were nigh about there somewhere. Says he, +"It's a strange thing you don't know; send out your feelers." We sent +out a few feelers and they report back very promptly that the Yankees are +here sure enough, or that is what our feelers say. Pass the word up the +line. The word is passed from mouth to mouth of Lee's skirmish line +twenty-five miles back to Atlanta. Well, if that be the case, we will +set fire to all of our army stores, spike all our cannon, and play "smash" +generally, and forsake Atlanta. + +In the meantime, just hold on where you are till Stewart gets through his +job of blowing up arsenals, burning up the army stores, and spiking the +cannon, and we will send our negro boy Caesar down to the horse lot to +see if he can't catch old Nance, but she is such a fool with that young +suckling colt of hers, that it takes him almost all day to catch her, +and if the draw-bars happen to be down, she'll get in the clover patch, +and I don't think he will catch her today. But if he don't catch her, +I'll ride Balaam anyhow. He's got a mighty sore back, and needs a shoe +put on his left hind foot, and he cut his ankle with a broken shoe on +his fore foot, and has not been fed today. However, I will be along +by-and-by. Stewart, do you think you will be able to get through with +your job of blowing up by day after tomorrow, or by Saturday at twelve +o'clock? Lee, pass the word down to Cheatham, and ask him what he thinks +the Yankees are doing. Now, Kinlock, get my duster and umbrella, and +bring out Balaam. + +Now, reader, that was the impression made on the private's mind at that +time. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +JONESBORO + + +THE BATTLE OF JONESBORO + +Stewart's corps was at Atlanta, Lee's corps was between Atlanta and +Jonesboro, and Cheatham's corps, then numbering not more than five +thousand men--because the woods and roads were full of straggling +soldiers, who were not in the fight--was face to face with the whole +Yankee army, and he was compelled to flee, fight, or surrender. This +was the position and condition of the grand Army of Tennessee on this +memorable occasion. + +If I am not mistaken, General Cleburne was commanding Cheatham's corps at +that time. We expected to be ordered into action every moment, and kept +see-sawing backward and forward, until I did not know which way the +Yankees were, or which way the Rebels. We would form line of battle, +charge bayonets, and would raise a whoop and yell, expecting to be dashed +right against the Yankee lines, and then the order would be given to +retreat. Then we would immediately re-form and be ordered to charge +again a mile off at another place. Then we would march and counter march +backward and forward over the same ground, passing through Jonesboro away +over the hill, and then back through the town, first four forward and +back; your right hand to your left hand lady, swing half round and +balance all. This sort of a movement is called a "feint." A feint is +what is called in poker a "bluff," or what is called in a bully a "brag." +A feint means anything but a fight. If a lady faints she is either +scared or in love, and wants to fall in her lover's arms. If an army +makes a feint movement, it is trying to hide some other movement. + +"Hello, Lee, what does Cleburne say the Yankees are doing at Jonesboro?" + +"They are fanning themselves." + +"Well keep up that feint movement until all the boys faint from sheer +exhaustion." + +"Hello, Stewart, do you think you will be able to burn up those ten +locomotives, and destroy those hundred car loads of provisions by day +after tomorrow?" + +"Lee, ask Cleburne if he feels feinty? Ask him how a fellow feels when +he feints?" + +Cleburne says: "I have feinted, feinted, and feinted, until I can't feint +any longer." + +"Well," says Hood, "if you can't feint any longer, you had better flee, +fight, or faint; Balaam gets along mighty slow, but I'll be thar after +awhile." + +At one o'clock we were ordered to the attack. We had to pass through +an osage orange hedge that was worse than the enemy's fire. Their +breastworks were before us. We yelled, and charged, and hurrahed, +and said booh! booh! we're coming, coming, look out, don't you see us +coming? Why don't you let us hear the cannon's opening roar? Why don't +you rattle a few old muskets over there at us? Booh! booh! we are +coming. Tag. We have done got to your breastworks. Now, we tagged +first, why don't you tag back? A Yankee seems to be lying on the other +side of the breastworks sunning himself, and raising himself on his elbow, +says, "Fool who with your fatty bread? W-e are too o-l-d a-birds to be +caught with that kind of chaff. We don't want any of that kind of pie. +What you got there wouldn't make a mouthful. Bring on your pudding and +pound-cake, and then we will talk to ye." + +General Granberry, who, poor fellow, was killed in the butchery at +Franklin afterwards, goes up to the breastworks, and says, "Look here, +Yank, we're fighting, sure enough." + +Meynheer Dutchman comes out; and says, "Ish dot so? Vel I ish peen von +leetle pit hungry dish morning, und I yust gobble you up for mein lunch +pefore tinner dime. Dot ish der kind of mans vot I bees!" + +Now, reader, that is a fine description of this memorable battle. +That's it--no more, no less. I was in it all, and saw General Granberry +captured. We did our level best to get up a fight, but it was no go, +any way we could fix it up. I mean no disrespect to General Hood. +He was a noble, brave, and good man, and we loved him for his many +virtues and goodness of heart. I do not propose to criticize his +generalship or ability as a commander. I only write of the impression +and sentiment that were made upon the private's mind at the time, and +as I remember them now. But Atlanta had fallen into the hands of the +Yankees, and they were satisfied for the time. + + +DEATH OF LIEUTENANT JOHN WHITTAKER + +At this place we built small breastworks, but for what purpose I never +knew. The Yankees seemed determined not to fight, no way we could fix +it. Every now and then they would send over a "feeler," to see how we +were getting along. Sometimes these "feelers" would do some damage. +I remember one morning we were away over a hill, and every now and then +here would come one of those lazy-looking "feelers," just bouncing along +as if he were in no hurry, called in military "ricochet." They were +very easy to dodge, if you could see them in time. Well, one morning as +before remarked, Lieutenant John Whittaker, then in command of Company H, +and myself were sitting down eating breakfast out of the same tin plate. +We were sopping gravy out with some cold corn bread, when Captain +W. C. Flournoy, of the Martin Guards, hallooed out, "Look out, Sam; +look! look!" I just turned my head, and in turning, the cannon ball +knocked my hat off, and striking Lieutenant Whittaker full in the side +of the head, carried away the whole of the skull part, leaving only the +face. His brains fell in the plate from which we were sopping, and +his head fell in my lap, deluging my face and clothes with his blood. +Poor fellow, he never knew what hurt him. His spirit went to its God +that morning. Green Rieves carried the poor boy off on his shoulder, and, +after wrapping him up in a blanket, buried him. His bones are at +Jonesboro today. The cannon ball did not go twenty yards after +accomplishing its work of death. Captain Flournoy laughed at me, and +said, "Sam, that came very near getting you. One-tenth of an inch more +would have cooked your goose." I saw another man try to stop one of +those balls that was just rolling along on the ground. He put his foot +out to stop the ball but the ball did not stop, but, instead, carried the +man's leg off with it. He no doubt today walks on a cork-leg, and is +tax collector of the county in which he lives. I saw a thoughtless boy +trying to catch one in his hands as it bounced along. He caught it, +but the next moment his spirit had gone to meet its God. But, poor John, +we all loved him. He died for his country. His soul is with his God. +He gave his all for the country he loved, and may he rest in peace under +the shade of the tree where he is buried, and may the birds sing their +sweetest songs, the flowers put forth their most beautiful blooms, +while the gentle breezes play about the brave boy's grave. Green Rieves +was the only person at the funeral; no tears of a loving mother or gentle +sister were there. Green interred his body, and there it will remain +till the resurrection. John Whittaker deserves more than a passing +notice. He was noble and brave, and when he was killed, Company H was +without an officer then commanding. Every single officer had been killed, +wounded, or captured. John served as a private soldier the first year +of the war, and at the reorganization at Corinth, Mississippi, he, +W. J. Whitthorne and myself all ran for orderly sergeant of Company H, +and John was elected, and the first vacancy occurring after the death +of Captain Webster, he was commissioned brevet second lieutenant. When +the war broke out, John was clerking for John L. & T. S. Brandon, in +Columbia. He had been in every march, skirmish, and battle that had +been fought during the war. Along the dusty road, on the march, in the +bivouac and on the battlefield, he was the same noble, generous boy; +always, kind, ever gentle, a smile ever lighting up his countenance. +He was one of the most even tempered men I ever knew. I never knew him +to speak an unkind word to anyone, or use a profane or vulgar word in +my life. + +One of those ricochet cannon balls struck my old friend, N. B. Shepard. +Shep was one of the bravest and best soldiers who ever shouldered a +musket. It is true, he was but a private soldier, but he was the best +friend I had during the whole war. In intellect he was far ahead of most +of the generals, and would have honored and adorned the name of general +in the C. S. A. He was ever brave and true. He followed our cause to +the end, yet all the time an invalid. Today he is languishing on a bed +of pain and sickness, caused by that ball at Jonesboro. The ball struck +him on his knapsack, knocking him twenty feet, and breaking one or two +ribs and dislocating his shoulder. He was one of God's noblemen, indeed-- +none braver, none more generous. God alone controls our destinies, +and surely He who watched over us and took care of us in those dark and +bloody days, will not forsake us now. God alone fits and prepares for us +the things that are in store for us. There is none so wise as to foresee +the future or foretell the end. God sometimes seems afar off, but He +will never leave or forsake anyone who puts his trust in Him. The day +will come when the good as well as evil will all meet on one broad +platform, to be rewarded for the deeds done in the body, when time shall +end, with the gates of eternity closed, and the key fastened to the +girdle of God forever. Pardon me, reader, I have wandered. But when my +mind reverts to those scenes and times, I seem to live in another age and +time and I sometime think that "after us comes the end of the universe." + +I am not trying to moralize, I am only trying to write a few scenes and +incidents that came under the observation of a poor old Rebel webfoot +private soldier in those stormy days and times. Histories tell the great +facts, while I only tell of the minor incidents. + +But on this day of which I now write, we can see in plain view more than +a thousand Yankee battle-flags waving on top the red earthworks, not +more than four hundred yards off. Every private soldier there knew that +General Hood's army was scattered all the way from Jonesboro to Atlanta, +a distance of twenty-five miles, without any order, discipline, or spirit +to do anything. We could hear General Stewart, away back yonder in +Atlanta, still blowing up arsenals, and smashing things generally, +while Stephen D. Lee was somewhere between Lovejoy Station and Macon, +scattering. And here was but a demoralized remnant of Cheatham's corps +facing the whole Yankee army. I have ever thought that Sherman was a +poor general, not to have captured Hood and his whole army at that time. +But it matters not what I thought, as I am not trying to tell the ifs and +ands, but only of what I saw. In a word, we had everything against us. +The soldiers distrusted everything. They were broken down with their +long days' hard marching--were almost dead with hunger and fatigue. +Every one was taking his own course, and wishing and praying to be +captured. Hard and senseless marching, with little sleep, half rations, +and lice, had made their lives a misery. Each one prayed that all this +foolishness might end one way or the other. It was too much for human +endurance. Every private soldier knew that such things as this could not +last. They were willing to ring down the curtain, put out the footlights +and go home. There was no hope in the future for them. + + +THEN COMES THE FARCE + +From this time forward until the close of the war, everything was a farce +as to generalship. The tragedy had been played, the glory of war had +departed. We all loved Hood; he was such a clever fellow, and a good man. + +Well, Yank, why don't you come on and take us? We are ready to play +quits now. We have not anything to let you have, you know; but you can +parole us, you know; and we'll go home and be good boys, you know;-- +good Union boys, you know; and we'll be sorry for the war, you know; +and we wouldn't have the negroes in any way, shape, form, or fashion, +you know; and the American continent has no north, no south, no east, +no west--boohoo, boohoo, boohoo. + +Tut, tut, Johnny; all that sounds tolerable nice, but then you might +want some favor from Uncle Sam, and the teat is too full of milk at the +present time for us to turn loose. It's a sugar teat, Johnny, and just +begins to taste sweet; and, besides, Johnny, once or twice you have put +us to a little trouble; we haven't forgot that; and we've got you down +now--our foot is on your neck, and you must feel our boot heel. We want +to stamp you a little--"that's what's the matter with Hannah." And, +Johnny, you've fought us hard. You are a brave boy; you are proud and +aristocratic, Johnny, and we are going to crush your cursed pride and +spirit. And now, Johnny, come here; I've something to whisper in your +ear. Hold your ear close down here, so that no one can hear: "We want +big fat offices when the war is over. Some of us want to be presidents, +some governors, some go to congress, and be big ministers to 'Urup,' and +all those kind of things, Johnny, you know. Just go back to your camp, +Johnny, chase round, put on a bold front, flourish your trumpets, blow +your horns. And, Johnny, we don't want to be hard on you, and we'll tell +you what we'll do for you. Away back in your territory, between Columbia +and Nashville, is the most beautiful country, and the most fertile, +and we have lots of rations up there, too. Now, you just go up there, +Johnny, and stay until we want you. We ain't done with you yet, my boy-- +O, no, Johnny. And, another thing, Johnny; you will find there between +Mt. Pleasant and Columbia, the most beautiful country that the sun of +heaven ever shone upon; and half way between the two places is St. John's +Church. Its tower is all covered over with a beautiful vine of ivy; and, +Johnny, you know that in olden times it was the custom to entwine a +wreath of ivy around the brows of victorious generals. We have no doubt +that many of your brave generals will express a wish, when they pass by, +to be buried beneath the ivy vine that shades so gracefully and +beautifully the wall of this grand old church. And, Johnny, you will +find a land of beauty and plenty, and when you get there, just put on as +much style as you like; just pretend, for our sake, you know, that you +are a bully boy with a glass eye, and that you are the victorious army +that has returned to free an oppressed people. We will allow you this, +Johnny, so that we will be the greater when we want you, Johnny. And now, +Johnny, we did not want to tell you what we are going to say to you now, +but will, so that you'll feel bad. Sherman wants to 'march to the sea, +while the world looks on and wonders.' He wants to desolate the land +and burn up your towns, to show what a coward he is, and how dastardly, +and one of our boys wants to write a piece of poetry about it. But that +ain't all, Johnny. You know that you fellows have got a great deal of +cotton at Augusta, Savannah, Charleston, Mobile, and other places, +and cotton is worth two dollars a pound in gold, and as Christmas is +coming, we want to go down there for some of that cotton to make a +Christmas gift to old Abe and old Clo, don't you see? O, no, Johnny, +we don't want to end the war just yet awhile. The sugar is mighty sweet +in the teat, and we want to suck a while longer. Why, sir, we want to +rob and then burn every house in Georgia and South Carolina. We will get +millions of dollars by robbery alone, don't you see?" + + +PALMETTO + + "Hark from the tomb that doleful sound, + My ears attend the cry." + +General J. B. Hood established his headquarters at Palmetto, Georgia, +and here is where we were visited by his honor, the Honorable Jefferson +Davis, President of the Confederate States of America, and the Right +Honorable Robert Toombs, secretary of state under the said Davis. +Now, kind reader, don't ask me to write history. I know nothing of +history. See the histories for grand movements and military maneuvers. +I can only tell of what I saw and how I felt. I can remember now General +Robert Toombs' and Hon. Jeff Davis' speeches. I remember how funny +Toombs' speech was. He kept us all laughing, by telling us how quick we +were going to whip the Yankees, and how they would skedaddle back across +the Ohio river like a dog with a tin oyster can tied to his tail. +Captain Joe P. Lee and I laughed until our sides hurt us. I can remember +today how I felt. I felt that Davis and Toombs had come there to bring +us glad tidings of great joy, and to proclaim to us that the ratification +of a treaty of peace had been declared between the Confederate States of +America and the United States. I remember how good and happy I felt when +these two leading statesmen told of when grim visaged war would smooth +her wrinkled front, and when the dark clouds that had so long lowered +o'er our own loved South would be in the deep bosom of the ocean buried. +I do not know how others felt, but I can say never before or since did I +feel so grand. (I came very near saying gloomy and peculiar). I felt +that I and every other soldier who had stood the storms of battle for +nearly four long years, were now about to be discharged from hard marches, +and scant rations, and ragged clothes, and standing guard, etc. In fact, +the black cloud of war had indeed drifted away, and the beautiful stars +that gemmed the blue ether above, smiling, said, "Peace, peace, peace." +I felt bully, I tell you. I remember what I thought--that the emblem of +our cause was the Palmetto and the Texas Star, and the town of Palmetto, +were symbolical of our ultimate triumph, and that we had unconsciously, +nay, I should say, prophetically, fallen upon Palmetto as the most +appropriate place to declare peace between the two sections. I was sure +Jeff Davis and Bob Toombs had come there for the purpose of receiving the +capitulation of and to make terms with our conquered foes. I knew that +in every battle we had fought, except Missionary Ridge, we had whipped +the Yankees, and I knew that we had no cavalry, and but little artillery, +and only two corps of infantry at Missionary Ridge, and from the way Jeff +and Bob talked, it was enough to make us old private soldiers feel that +swelling of the heart we ne'er should feel again. I remember that other +high dignitaries and big bugs, then the controlling spirits of the +government at Richmond, visited us, and most all of these high +dignitaries shook hands with the boys. It was all hands round, swing the +corner, and balance your partner. I shook hands with Hon. Jeff Davis, +and he said howdy, captain; I shook hands with Toombs, and he said howdy, +major; and every big bug that I shook hands with put another star on my +collar and chicken guts on my sleeve. My pen is inadequate to describe +the ecstasy and patriotic feeling that permeated every vein and fiber of +my animated being. It was Paradise regained. All the long struggles we +had followed the Palmetto flag through victory and defeat, through storms +and rains, and snows and tempest, along the dusty roads, and on the weary +marches, we had been true to our country, our cause, and our people; +and there was a conscious pride within us that when we would return to +our homes, we would go back as conquerors, and that we would receive the +plaudits of our people--well done, good and faithful servants; you have +been true and faithful even to the end. + + +JEFF DAVIS MAKES A SPEECH + + "Sinner come view the ground + Where you shall shortly lie." + +I remember that Hon. Jeff Davis visited the army at this place, and our +regiment, the First Tennessee, serenaded him. After playing several airs, +he came out of General Hood's marquee, and spoke substantially as follows, +as near as I can remember: + +"SOLDIERS OF THE FIRST TENNESSEE REGIMENT:--I should have said captains, +for every man among you is fit to be a captain. I have heard of your +acts of bravery on every battlefield during the whole war, and +'captains,' so far as my wishes are concerned, I today make every man +of you a captain, and I say honestly today, were I a private soldier, +I would have no higher ambition on earth than to belong to the First +Tennessee Regiment. You have been loyal and brave; your ranks have never +yet, in the whole history of the war, been broken, even though the army +was routed; yet, my brave soldiers, Tennesseans all, you have ever +remained in your places in the ranks of the regiment, ever subject to the +command of your gallant Colonel Field in every battle, march, skirmish, +in an advance or a retreat. There are on the books of the war department +at Richmond, the names of a quarter of a million deserters, yet, you, +my brave soldiers, captains all, have remained true and steadfast. +I have heard that some have been dissatisfied with the removal of General +Joe E. Johnston and the appointment of General Hood; but, my brave and +gallant heroes, I say, I have done what I thought best for your good. +Soon we commence our march to Kentucky and Tennessee. Be of good cheer, +for within a short while your faces will be turned homeward, and your +feet will press Tennessee soil, and you will tread your native heath, +amid the blue-grass regions and pastures green of your native homes. +We will flank General Sherman out of Atlanta, tear up the railroad and +cut off his supplies, and make Atlanta a perfect Moscow of defeat to +the Federal army. Situated as he is in an enemy's country, with his +communications all cut off, and our army in the rear, he will be +powerless, and being fully posted and cognizant of our position, and of +the Federal army, this movement will be the _ultima thule_, the grand +crowning stroke for our independence, and the conclusion of the war." + + +ARMISTICE IN NAME ONLY + +About this time the Yankees sent us a flag of truce, asking an armistice +to move every citizen of Atlanta south of their lines. It was granted. +They wanted to live in fine houses awhile, and then rob and burn them, +and issued orders for all the citizens of Atlanta to immediately abandon +the city. They wanted Atlanta for themselves, you see. + +For weeks and months the roads were filled with loaded wagons of old and +decrepit people, who had been hunted and hounded from their homes with a +relentless cruelty worse, yea, much worse, than ever blackened the pages +of barbaric or savage history. I remember assisting in unloading our +wagons that General Hood, poor fellow, had kindly sent in to bring out +the citizens of Atlanta to a little place called Rough-and-Ready about +half way between Palmetto and Atlanta. Every day I would look on at the +suffering of delicate ladies, old men, and mothers with little children +clinging to them, crying, "O, mamma, mamma," and old women, and tottering +old men, whose gray hairs should have protected them from the savage acts +of Yankee hate and Puritan barbarity; and I wondered how on earth our +generals, including those who had resigned--that is where the shoe +pinches--could quietly look on at this dark, black, and damning insult +to our people, and not use at least one effort to rescue them from such +terrible and unmitigated cruelty, barbarity, and outrage. General +Hood remonstrated with Sherman against the insult, stating that it +"transcended in studied and ingenious cruelty, all acts ever before +brought to my attention in the dark history of war." + +In the great crisis of the war, Hardee, Kirby Smith, Breckinridge, +and many brigadiers, resigned, thus throwing all the responsibility upon +poor Hood. + +[Author's note: In the Southern army the question was, who ranked? +Not who was the best general, or colonel, or captain--but "who ranked?" +The article of rank finally got down to corporals; and rank finally +bursted the government.] + +I desire to state that they left the army on account of rank. O, this +thing of rank! + +Many other generals resigned, and left us privates in the lurch. But the +gallant Cheatham, Cleburne, Granberry, Gist, Strahl, Adams, John C. Brown, +William B. Bate, Stewart, Lowery, and others, stuck to us to the last. + +The sinews of war were strained to their utmost tension. + + +A SCOUT + +At this place I was detailed as a regular scout, which position I +continued to hold during our stay at Palmetto. It was a good thing. +It beat camp guard all hollow. I had answered "hear" at roll-call ten +thousand times in these nearly four years. But I had sorter got used +to the darn thing. + +Now, reader, I will give you a few chapters on the kind of fun I had for +awhile. Our instructions were simply to try and find out all we could +about the Yankees, and report all movements. + +One dark, rainy evening, while out as a scout, and, after traveling +all day, I was returning from the Yankee outposts at Atlanta, and had +captured a Yankee prisoner, who I then had under my charge, and whom I +afterwards carried and delivered to General Hood. He was a considerable +muggins, and a great coward, in fact, a Yankee deserter. I soon found +out that there was no harm in him, as he was tired of war anyhow, and was +anxious to go to prison. We went into an old log cabin near the road +until the rain would be over. I was standing in the cabin door looking +at the rain drops fall off the house and make little bubbles in the drip, +and listening to the pattering on the clapboard roof, when happening to +look up, not fifty yards off, I discovered a regiment of Yankee cavalry +approaching. I knew it would be utterly impossible for me to get away +unseen, and I did not know what to do. The Yankee prisoner was scared +almost to death. I said, "Look, look!" I turned in the room, and found +the planks of the floor were loose. I raised two of them, and Yank and I +slipped through. I replaced the planks, and could peep out beneath the +sill of the house, and see the legs of the horses. They passed on and +did not come to the old house. They were at least a half hour in +passing. At last the main regiment had all passed, and I saw the rear +guard about to pass, when I heard the captain say, "Go and look in that +old house." Three fellows detached themselves from the command and came +dashing up to the old house. I thought, "Gone up, sure," as I was afraid +the Yankee prisoner would make his presence known. When the three men +came up, they pushed open the door and looked around, and one fellow said +"Booh!" They then rode off. But that "Booh!" I was sure I was caught, +but I was not. + + +"WHAT IS THIS REBEL DOING HERE?" + +I would go up to the Yankee outpost, and if some popinjay of a tacky +officer didn't come along, we would have a good time. One morning I was +sitting down to eat a good breakfast with the Yankee outpost. They were +cavalry, and they were mighty clever and pleasant fellows. I looked down +the road toward Atlanta, and not fifty yards from the outpost, I saw a +body of infantry approaching. I don't know why I didn't run. I ought +to have done so, but didn't. I stayed there until this body of infantry +came up. They had come to relieve the cavalry. It was a detail of negro +soldiers, headed by the meanest looking white man as their captain, +I ever saw. + +In very abrupt words he told the cavalry that he had come to take their +place, and they were ordered to report back to their command. Happening +to catch sight of me, he asked, "What is this Rebel doing here?" One of +the men spoke up and tried to say something in my favor, but the more he +said the more the captain of the blacks would get mad. He started toward +me two or three times. He was starting, I could see by the flush of +his face, to take hold of me, anyhow. The cavalrymen tried to protest, +and said a few cuss words. The captain of the blacks looks back very +mad at the cavalry. Here was my opportunity, now or never. Uncle negro +looked on, not seeming to care for the cavalry, captain, or for me. +I took up my gun very gently and cocked it. I had the gentleman. +I had made up my mind if he advanced one step further, that he was a dead +man. When he turned to look again, it was a look of surprise. His face +was as red as a scalded beet, but in a moment was as white as a sheet. +He was afraid to turn his head to give a command. The cavalry motioned +their hands at me, as much as to say, "Run, Johnny, run." The captain of +the blacks fell upon his face, and I broke and ran like a quarter-horse. +I never saw or heard any more of the captain of the blacks or his guard +afterward. + + +"LOOK OUT, BOYS." + +One night, five of us scouts, I thought all strangers to me, put up at an +old gentleman's house. I took him for a Catholic priest. His head was +shaved and he had on a loose gown like a lady's dress, and a large cord +and tassel tied around his waist, from which dangled a large bunch of +keys. He treated us very kindly and hospitably, so far as words and +politeness went, but we had to eat our own rations and sleep on our own +blankets. + +At bedtime, he invited us to sleep in a shed in front of his double log +cabin. We all went in, lay down, and slept. A little while before day, +the old priest came in and woke us up, and said he thought he saw in the +moonlight a detachment of cavalry coming down the road from toward the +Rebel lines. One of our party jumped up and said there was a company of +cavalry coming that way, and then all four broke toward the old priest's +room. I jumped up, put on one boot, and holding the other in my hand, +I stepped out in the yard, with my hat and coat off--both being left in +the room. A Yankee captain stepped up to me and said, "Are you No. 200?" +I answered very huskily, "No, sir, I am not." He then went on in the +house, and on looking at the fence, I saw there was at least two hundred +Yankee cavalry right at me. I did not know what to do. My hat, coat, +gun, cartridge-box, and knapsack were all in the room. I was afraid to +stay there, and I was afraid to give the alarm. I soon saw almost every +one of the Yankees dismount, and then I determined to give the alarm and +run. I hallooed out as loud as I could, "Look out, boys," and broke and +run. I had to jump over a garden picket fence, and as I lit on the other +side, bang! bang! bang! was fired right after me. They stayed there but +a short time, and I went back and got my gun and other accouterments. + + +AM CAPTURED + +When I left the old priest's house, it was then good day--nearly sun up-- +and I had started back toward our lines, and had walked on about half a +mile, not thinking of danger, when four Yankees jumped out in the middle +of the road and said, "Halt, there! O, yes, we've got you at last." +I was in for it. What could I do? Their guns were cocked and leveled +at me, and if I started to run, I would be shot, so I surrendered. In +a very short time the regiment of Yankee cavalry came up, and the first +greeting I had was, "Hello, you ain't No. 200, are you?" I was taken +prisoner. They, I thought, seemed to be very gleeful about it, and I had +to march right back by the old priest's house, and they carried me to the +headquarters of General Stephen Williams. As soon as he saw me, he said, +"Who have you there--a prisoner, or a deserter?" They said a prisoner. +From what command? No one answered. Finally he asked me what command +I belonged to. I told him the Confederate States army. Then, said he, +"What is your name?" Said I, "General, if that would be any information, +I would have no hesitancy in giving it. But I claim your protection as a +prisoner of war. I am a private soldier in the Confederate States army, +and I don't feel authorized to answer any question you may ask." He +looked at me with a kind of quizical look, and said, "That is the way +with you Rebels. I have never yet seen one of you, but thought what +little information he might possess to be of value to the Union forces." +Then one of the men spoke up and said, "I think he is a spy or a scout, +and does not belong to the regular army." He then gave me a close look, +and said, "Ah, ah, a guerrilla," and ordered me to be taken to the +provost marshal's office. They carried me to a large, fine house, +upstairs, and I was politely requested to take a seat. I sat there some +moments, when a dandy-looking clerk of a fellow came up with a book in +his hand, and said, "The name." I appeared not to understand, and he +said, "The name." I still looked at him, and he said, "The name." +I did not know what he meant by "The name." Finally, he closed the book +with a slam and started off, and said I, "Did you want to find out my +name?" He said, "I asked you three times." I said, "When? If you ever +asked me my name, I have never heard it." But he was too mad to listen +to anything else. I was carried to another room in the same building, +and locked up. I remained there until about dark, when a man brought me +a tolerably good supper, and then left me alone to my own meditations. +I could hear the sentinels at all times of the night calling out the +hours. I did not sleep a wink, nor even lay down. I had made up my +mind to escape, if there was any possible chance. About three o'clock +everything got perfectly still. I went to the window, and it had a heavy +bolt across it, and I could not open it. I thought I would try the door, +but I knew that a guard was stationed in the hall, for I could see a dim +light glimmer through the key-hole. I took my knife and unscrewed the +catch in which the lock was fastened, and soon found out that I could +open the door; but then there was the guard, standing at the main +entrance down stairs. I peeped down, and he was quietly walking to and +fro on his beat, every time looking to the hall. I made up my mind by +his measured tread as to how often he would pass the door, and one time, +after he had just passed, I came out in the hall, and started to run down +the steps. About midway down the steps, one of them cracked very loud, +but I ran on down in the lower hall and ran into a room, the door of +which was open. The sentinel came back to the entrance of the hall, +and listened a few minutes, and then moved on again. I went to the +window and raised the sash, but the blind was fastened with a kind of +patent catch. I gave one or two hard pushes, and felt it move. After +that I made one big lunge, and it flew wide open, but it made a noise +that woke up every sentinel. I jumped out in the yard, and gained the +street, and, on looking back, I heard the alarm given, and lights began +to glimmer everywhere, but, seeing no one directly after me, I made +tracks toward Peachtree creek, and went on until I came to the old +battlefield of July 22nd, and made my way back to our lines. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +ADVANCE INTO TENNESSEE + + +GENERAL HOOD MAKES A FLANK MOVEMENT + +After remaining a good long time at Jonesboro, the news came that we were +going to flank Atlanta. We flanked it. A flank means "a go around." + +Yank says, "What you doing, Johnny?" + +Johnny says, "We are flanking." + +Yank says, "Bully for you!" + +We passed around Atlanta, crossed the Chattahoochee, and traveled back +over the same route on which we had made the arduous campaign under Joe +Johnston. It took us four months in the first instance, and but little +longer than as many days in the second, to get back to Dalton, our +starting point. On our way up there, the Yankee cavalry followed us +to see how we were getting along with the flanking business. We had +pontoons made for the purpose of crossing streams. When we would get +to a stream, the pontoons would be thrown across, and Hood's army would +cross. Yank would halloo over and say, "Well, Johnny, have you got +everything across?" "Yes," would be the answer. "Well, we want these +old pontoons, as you will not need them again." And they would take them. + +We passed all those glorious battlefields, that have been made classic in +history, frequently coming across the skull of some poor fellow sitting +on top of a stump, grinning a ghastly smile; also the bones of horses +along the road, and fences burned and destroyed, and occasionally the +charred remains of a once fine dwelling house. Outside of these +occasional reminders we could see no evidence of the desolation of the +track of an invading army. The country looked like it did at first. +Citizens came out, and seemed glad to see us, and would divide their +onions, garlic, and leek with us. The soldiers were in good spirits, +but it was the spirit of innocence and peace, not war and victory. + +Where the railroads would cross a river, a block-house had been erected, +and the bridge was guarded by a company of Federals. But we always +flanked these little affairs. We wanted bigger and better meat. + + +WE CAPTURE DALTON + +When we arrived at Dalton, we had a desire to see how the old place +looked; not that we cared anything about it, but we just wanted to take +a last farewell look at the old place. We saw the United States flag +flying from the ramparts, and thought that Yank would probably be asleep +or catching lice, or maybe engaged in a game of seven-up. So we sent +forward a physician with some white bandages tied to the end of a long +pole. He walked up and says, "Hello, boys!" "What is it, boss?" +"Well, boys, we've come for you." "Hyah, ha; hyah, ha; hyah, ha; a hee, +he, he, he; if it ain't old master, sho." The place was guarded by negro +troops. We marched the black rascals out. They were mighty glad to see +us, and we were kindly disposed to them. We said, "Now, boys, we don't +want the Yankees to get mad at you, and to blame you; so, just let's get +out here on the railroad track, and tear it up, and pile up the crossties, +and then pile the iron on top of them, and we'll set the thing a-fire, +and when the Yankees come back they will say, 'What a bully fight _them +nagers_ did make.'" (A Yankee always says "nager"). Reader, you should +have seen how that old railroad did flop over, and how the darkies did +sweat, and how the perfume did fill the atmosphere. + +But there were some Yankee soldiers in a block-house at Ringgold Gap, +who thought they would act big. They said that Sherman had told them not +to come out of that block-house, any how. But General William B. Bate +begun to persuade the gentlemen, by sending a few four-pound parrot +"feelers." Ah! those _feelers_! + +They persuaded eloquently. They persuaded effectually--those feelers +did. The Yanks soon surrendered. The old place looked natural like, +only it seemed to have a sort of graveyard loneliness about it. + + +A MAN IN THE WELL + +On leaving Dalton, after a day's march, we had stopped for the night. +Our guns were stacked, and I started off with a comrade to get some wood +to cook supper with. We were walking along, he a little in the rear, +when he suddenly disappeared. I could not imagine what had become of +him. I looked everywhere. The earth seemed to have opened and swallowed +him. I called, and called, but could get no answer. Presently I heard +a groan that seemed to come out of the bowels of the earth; but, as yet, +I could not make out where he was. Going back to camp, I procured a +light, and after whooping and hallooing for a long time, I heard another +groan, this time much louder than before. The voice appeared to be +overhead. There was no tree or house to be seen; and then again the +voice seemed to answer from under the ground, in a hollow, sepulchral +tone, but I could not tell where he was. But I was determined to find +him, so I kept on hallooing and he answering. I went to the place where +the voice appeared to come out of the earth. I was walking along rather +thoughtlessly and carelessly, when one inch more and I would have +disappeared also. Right before me I saw the long dry grass all bending +toward a common center, and I knew that it was an old well, and that +my comrade had fallen in it. But how to get him out was the unsolved +problem. I ran back to camp to get assistance, and everybody had a great +curiosity to see "the man in the well." They would get chunks of fire +and shake over the well, and, peeping down, would say, "Well, he's in +there," and go off, and others would come and talk about his "being in +there." The poor fellow stayed in that well all night. The next morning +we got a long rope from a battery and let it down in the well, and soon +had him on _terra firma_. He was worse scared than hurt. + + +TUSCUMBIA + +We arrived and remained at Tuscumbia several days, awaiting the laying of +the pontoons across the Tennessee river at Florence, Alabama, and then we +all crossed over. While at Tuscumbia, John Branch and I saw a nice sweet +potato patch, that looked very tempting to a hungry Rebel. We looked all +around, and thought that the coast was clear. We jumped over the fence, +and commenced grabbling for the sweet potatoes. I had got my haversack +full, and had started off, when we heard, "Halt, there." I looked around, +and there was a soldier guard. We broke and run like quarter-horses, +and the guard pulled down on us just as we jumped the fence. I don't +think his gun was loaded, though, because we did not hear the ball +whistle. + +We marched from Decatur to Florence. Here the pontoon bridges were +nicely and beautifully stretched across the river. We walked over this +floating bridge, and soon found ourselves on the Tennessee side of +Tennessee river. + +In driving a great herd of cattle across the pontoon, the front one got +stubborn, and the others, crowding up all in one bulk, broke the line +that held the pontoon, and drowned many of the drove. We had beef for +supper that night. + + +EN ROUTE FOR COLUMBIA + + "And nightly we pitch our moving tent + A day's march nearer home." + +How every pulse did beat and leap, and how every heart did throb with +emotions of joy, which seemed nearly akin to heaven, when we received the +glad intelligence of our onward march toward the land of promise, and of +our loved ones. The cold November winds coming off the mountains of the +northwest were blowing right in our faces, and nearly cutting us in two. + +We were inured to privations and hardships; had been upon every march, +in every battle, in every skirmish, in every advance, in every retreat, +in every victory, in every defeat. We had laid under the burning heat of +a tropical sun; had made the cold, frozen earth our bed, with no covering +save the blue canopy of heaven; had braved dangers, had breasted floods; +had seen our comrades slain upon our right and our left hand; had heard +guns that carried death in their missiles; had heard the shouts of the +charge; had seen the enemy in full retreat and flying in every direction; +had heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded and dying; had seen the +blood of our countrymen dyeing the earth and enriching the soil; had +been hungry when there was nothing to eat; had been in rags and tatters. +We had marked the frozen earth with bloody and unshod feet; had been +elated with victory and crushed by defeat; had seen and felt the pleasure +of the life of a soldier, and had drank the cup to its dregs. Yes, +we had seen it all, and had shared in its hopes and its fears; its love +and its hate; its good and its bad; its virtue and its vice; its glories +and its shame. We had followed the successes and reverses of the flag of +the Lost Cause through all these years of blood and strife. + +I was simply one of hundreds of thousands in the same fix. The tale is +the same that every soldier would tell, except Jim Whitler. Jim had +dodged about, and had escaped being conscripted until "Hood's raid," +he called it. Hood's army was taking up every able-bodied man and +conscripting him into the army. Jim Whitler had got a position as +over-seer on a large plantation, and had about a hundred negroes under +his surveillance. The army had been passing a given point, and Jim was +sitting quietly on the fence looking at the soldiers. The conscripting +squad nabbed him. Jim tried to beg off, but all entreaty was in vain. +He wanted to go by home and tell his wife and children good-bye, and to +get his clothes. It was no go. But, after awhile, Jim says, "Gentlemen, +ay, Ganny, the law!" You see, Jim "knowed" the law. He didn't know +B from a bull's foot in the spelling-book. But he said, _the law_. +Now, when anyone says anything about the "law," every one stops to +listen. Jim says, "Ah, Ganny, _the law_" (laying great stress upon the +law)--"allows every man who has twenty negroes to stay at home. Ah, +Ganny!" Those old soldiers had long, long ago, forgotten about that old +"law" of the long gone past; but Jim had treasured it up in his memory, +lo! these many years, and he thought it would serve him now, as it had, +no doubt, frequently done in the past. The conscript officer said, +"Law or no law--you fall into line, take this gun and cartridge-box, +and _march_!" Jim's spirits sank; his hopes vanished into air. Jim was +soon in line, and was tramping to the music of the march. He stayed with +the company two days. The third day it was reported that the Yankees +had taken position on the Murfreesboro pike. A regiment was sent to +the attack. It was Jim's regiment. He advanced bravely into battle. +The minnie balls began to whistle around his ears. The regiment was +ordered to fire. He hadn't seen anything to shoot at, but he blazed +away. He loaded and fired the second time, when they were ordered to +retreat. He didn't see anything to run from, but the other soldiers +began to run, and Jim run, too. Jim had not learned the word "halt!" +and just kept on running. He run, and he run, and he run, and he kept +on running until he got home, when he jumped in his door and shouted, +"Whoopee, Rhoda! Aye, Ganny, _I've served four years in the Rebel army_." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +BATTLES IN TENNESSEE + + +COLUMBIA + + "This is my own, my native land." + +Once more the Maury Grays are permitted to put their feet upon their +native heath, and to revisit their homes and friends, after having +followed their tattered, and torn, and battle-riddled flag, which they +had borne aloft for four long years, on every march, and in every battle +that had been fought by the Army of Tennessee. We were a mere handful of +devoted braves, who had stood by our colors when sometimes it seemed that +God himself had forsaken us. But, parents, here are your noble and brave +sons; and, ladies, four years ago you gave us this flag, and we promised +you "That we would come back with the flag as victors, or we would come +not at all." We have been true to our promise and our trust. On every +battlefield the flag that you entrusted to our hands has been borne aloft +by brave and heroic men, amid shot and shell, bloody battle, and death. +We have never forsaken our colors. Are we worthy to be called the sons +of old Maury county? Or have we fought in vain? Have our efforts been +appreciated, or have four years of our lives been wasted, while we were +battling for constitutional government, the supremacy of our laws over +centralization, and our rights, as guaranteed to us by the blood of our +forefathers on the battlefields of the Revolution? It is for you to make +up your verdict. If our lives as soldiers have been a _failure_, we can +but bow our heads on our bosoms, and say, "Surely, four years of our +lives have been given for naught, and our efforts to please you have been +in vain." + +Yet, the invader's foot is still on our soil, but there beats in our +bosoms the blood of brave and patriotic men, and we will continue to +follow our old and war-worn and battle-riddled flag until it goes down +forever. + +The Maury Grays, commanded by Captain A. M. Looney, left Columbia, +four years ago, with 120 men. How many of those 120 original members +are with the company today? Just twelve. Company H has twenty members, +but some of this number had subsequently enlisted. But we twelve will +stick to our colors till she goes down forever, and until five more of +this number fall dead and bleeding on the battlefield. + + +A FIASCO + +When we arrived in sight of Columbia, we found the Yankees still in +possession of the town, fortified and determined to resist our advance. +We send forward a "feeler," and the "feeler" reports back very promptly, +"Yes, the Yankees are there." Well, if that be the case, we'll just make +a flank movement. We turn off the main turnpike at J. E. R. Carpenter's, +and march through the cedars, and cross Duck river at Davis' ferry, +on pontoon bridges, near Lowell's mill. We pass on, and cross Rutherford +creek, near Burick's mill, about three o'clock in the afternoon. We had +marched through fields in the heavy mud, and the men, weary and worn out, +were just dragging themselves along, passing by the old Union Seminary, +and then by Mr. Fred Thompson's, until we came to the Rally Hill turnpike-- +it being then nearly dark--we heard some skirmishing, but, exhausted as +we were, we went into bivouac. The Yankees, it seems to me, might have +captured the whole of us. But that is a matter of history. But I desire +to state that no blunder was made by either Generals Cheatham or Stewart, +neither of whom ever failed to come to time. Jeff Davis is alone +responsible for the blunder. About two hours after sun up the next +morning we received the order to "Fall in, fall in, quick, make haste, +hurrah, promptly, men; each rank count two; by the right flank, quick +time, march; keep promptly closed up." Everything indicated an immediate +attack. When we got to the turnpike near Spring Hill, lo! and behold; +wonder of wonders! the whole Yankee army had passed during the night. +The bird had flown. We made a quick and rapid march down the turnpike, +finding Yankee guns and knapsacks, and now and then a broken down +straggler, also two pieces of howitzer cannon, and at least twenty broken +wagons along the road. Everything betokened a rout and a stampede of +the Yankee army. Double quick! Forrest is in the rear. Now for fun. +All that we want to do now is to catch the blue-coated rascals, ha! ha! +We all want to see the surrender, ha! ha! Double quick! A rip, rip, rip; +wheuf; pant, pant, pant. First one man drops out, and then another. +The Yankees are routed and running, and Forrest has crossed Harpeth river +in the rear of Franklin. Hurrah, men! keep closed up; we are going to +capture Schofield. Forrest is in the rear; never mind the straggler and +cannon. Kerflop we come against the breastworks at Franklin. + + +FRANKLIN + + "The death-angel gathers its last harvest." + +Kind reader, right here my pen, and courage, and ability fail me. +I shrink from butchery. Would to God I could tear the page from these +memoirs and from my own memory. It is the blackest page in the history +of the war of the Lost Cause. It was the bloodiest battle of modern +times in any war. It was the finishing stroke to the independence of +the Southern Confederacy. I was there. I saw it. My flesh trembles, +and creeps, and crawls when I think of it today. My heart almost ceases +to beat at the horrid recollection. Would to God that I had never +witnessed such a scene! + +I cannot describe it. It beggars description. I will not attempt to +describe it. I could not. The death-angel was there to gather its last +harvest. It was the grand coronation of death. Would that I could turn +the page. But I feel, though I did so, that page would still be there, +teeming with its scenes of horror and blood. I can only tell of what I +saw. + +Our regiment was resting in the gap of a range of hills in plain view of +the city of Franklin. We could see the battle-flags of the enemy waving +in the breeze. Our army had been depleted of its strength by a forced +march from Spring Hill, and stragglers lined the road. Our artillery had +not yet come up, and could not be brought into action. Our cavalry was +across Harpeth river, and our army was but in poor condition to make an +assault. While resting on this hillside, I saw a courier dash up to our +commanding general, B. F. Cheatham, and the word, "Attention!" was given. +I knew then that we would soon be in action. Forward, march. We passed +over the hill and through a little skirt of woods. + +The enemy were fortified right across the Franklin pike, in the suburbs +of the town. Right here in these woods a detail of skirmishers was +called for. Our regiment was detailed. We deployed as skirmishers, +firing as we advanced on the left of the turnpike road. If I had not +been a skirmisher on that day, I would not have been writing this today, +in the year of our Lord 1882. + +It was four o'clock on that dark and dismal December day when the line of +battle was formed, and those devoted heroes were ordered forward, to + + "Strike for their altars and their fires, + For the green graves of their sires, + For God and their native land." + +As they marched on down through an open field toward the rampart of blood +and death, the Federal batteries began to open and mow down and gather +into the garner of death, as brave, and good, and pure spirits as the +world ever saw. The twilight of evening had begun to gather as a +precursor of the coming blackness of midnight darkness that was to +envelop a scene so sickening and horrible that it is impossible for me to +describe it. "Forward, men," is repeated all along the line. A sheet of +fire was poured into our very faces, and for a moment we halted as if in +despair, as the terrible avalanche of shot and shell laid low those brave +and gallant heroes, whose bleeding wounds attested that the struggle +would be desperate. Forward, men! The air loaded with death-dealing +missiles. Never on this earth did men fight against such terrible odds. +It seemed that the very elements of heaven and earth were in one mighty +uproar. Forward, men! And the blood spurts in a perfect jet from the +dead and wounded. The earth is red with blood. It runs in streams, +making little rivulets as it flows. Occasionally there was a little lull +in the storm of battle, as the men were loading their guns, and for a few +moments it seemed as if night tried to cover the scene with her mantle. +The death-angel shrieks and laughs and old Father Time is busy with his +sickle, as he gathers in the last harvest of death, crying, More, more, +more! while his rapacious maw is glutted with the slain. + +But the skirmish line being deployed out, extending a little wider than +the battle did--passing through a thicket of small locusts, where Brown, +orderly sergeant of Company B, was killed--we advanced on toward the +breastworks, on and on. I had made up my mind to die--felt glorious. +We pressed forward until I heard the terrific roar of battle open on our +right. Cleburne's division was charging their works. I passed on until +I got to their works, and got over on their (the Yankees') side. But in +fifty yards of where I was the scene was lit up by fires that seemed like +hell itself. It appeared to be but one line of streaming fire. Our +troops were upon one side of the breastworks, and the Federals on the +other. I ran up on the line of works, where our men were engaged. +Dead soldiers filled the entrenchments. The firing was kept up until +after midnight, and gradually died out. We passed the night where we +were. But when the morrow's sun began to light up the eastern sky with +its rosy hues, and we looked over the battlefield, O, my God! what did we +see! It was a grand holocaust of death. Death had held high carnival +there that night. The dead were piled the one on the other all over +the ground. I never was so horrified and appalled in my life. Horses, +like men, had died game on the gory breastworks. General Adams' horse +had his fore feet on one side of the works and his hind feet on the other, +dead. The general seems to have been caught so that he was held to the +horse's back, sitting almost as if living, riddled, and mangled, and torn +with balls. General Cleburne's mare had her fore feet on top of the +works, dead in that position. General Cleburne's body was pierced with +forty-nine bullets, through and through. General Strahl's horse lay by +the roadside and the general by his side, both dead, and all his staff. +General Gist, a noble and brave cavalier from South Carolina, was lying +with his sword reaching across the breastworks still grasped in his hand. +He was lying there dead. All dead! They sleep in the graveyard yonder +at Ashwood, almost in sight of my home, where I am writing today. +They sleep the sleep of the brave. We love and cherish their memory. +They sleep beneath the ivy-mantled walls of St. John's church, where they +expressed a wish to be buried. The private soldier sleeps where he fell, +piled in one mighty heap. Four thousand five hundred privates! all +lying side by side in death! Thirteen generals were killed and wounded. +Four thousand five hundred men slain, all piled and heaped together at +one place. I cannot tell the number of others killed and wounded. +God alone knows that. We'll all find out on the morning of the final +resurrection. + +Kind friends, I have attempted in my poor and feeble way to tell you of +this (I can hardly call it) battle. It should be called by some other +name. But, like all other battles, it, too, has gone into history. +I leave it with you. I do not know who was to blame. It lives in the +memory of the poor old Rebel soldier who went through that trying and +terrible ordeal. We shed a tear for the dead. They are buried and +forgotten. We meet no more on earth. But up yonder, beyond the sunset +and the night, away beyond the clouds and tempest, away beyond the stars +that ever twinkle and shine in the blue vault above us, away yonder by +the great white throne, and by the river of life, where the Almighty +and Eternal God sits, surrounded by the angels and archangels and the +redeemed of earth, we will meet again and see those noble and brave +spirits who gave up their lives for their country's cause that night +at Franklin, Tennessee. A life given for one's country is never lost. +It blooms again beyond the grave in a land of beauty and of love. +Hanging around the throne of sapphire and gold, a rich garland awaits the +coming of him who died for his country, and when the horologe of time has +struck its last note upon his dying brow, Justice hands the record of +life to Mercy, and Mercy pleads with Jesus, and God, for his sake, +receives him in his eternal home beyond the skies at last and forever. + + +NASHVILLE + +A few more scenes, my dear friends, and we close these memoirs. We march +toward the city of Nashville. We camp the first night at Brentwood. +The next day we can see the fine old building of solid granite, looming +up on Capitol Hill--the capitol of Tennessee. We can see the Stars and +Stripes flying from the dome. Our pulse leaps with pride when we see the +grand old architecture. We can hear the bugle call, and the playing of +the bands of the different regiments in the Federal lines. Now and then +a shell is thrown into our midst from Fort Negley, but no attack or +demonstrations on either side. We bivouac on the cold and hard-frozen +ground, and when we walk about, the echo of our footsteps sound like the +echo of a tombstone. The earth is crusted with snow, and the wind from +the northwest is piercing our very bones. We can see our ragged soldiers, +with sunken cheeks and famine-glistening eyes. Where were our generals? +Alas! there were none. Not one single general out of Cheatham's division +was left--not one. General B. F. Cheatham himself was the only surviving +general of his old division. Nearly all our captains and colonels were +gone. Companies mingled with companies, regiments with regiments, +and brigades with brigades. A few raw-boned horses stood shivering under +the ice-covered trees, nibbling the short, scanty grass. Being in range +of the Federal guns from Fort Negley, we were not allowed to have fires +at night, and our thin and ragged blankets were but poor protection +against the cold, raw blasts of December weather--the coldest ever known. +The cold stars seem to twinkle with unusual brilliancy, and the pale moon +seems to be but one vast heap of frozen snow, which glimmers in the cold +gray sky, and the air gets colder by its coming; our breath, forming +in little rays, seems to make a thousand little coruscations that +scintillate in the cold frosty air. I can tell you nothing of what was +going on among the generals. But there we were, and that is all that +I can tell you. One morning about daylight our army began to move. +Our division was then on the extreme right wing, and then we were +transferred to the left wing. The battle had begun. We were continually +moving to our left. We would build little temporary breastworks, then +we would be moved to another place. Our lines kept on widening out, and +stretching further and further apart, until it was not more than a +skeleton of a skirmish line from one end to the other. We started at a +run. We cared for nothing. Not more than a thousand yards off, we could +see the Yankee cavalry, artillery, and infantry, marching apparently +still further to our left. We could see regiments advancing at +double-quick across the fields, while, with our army, everything seemed +confused. The private soldier could not see into things. It seemed to +be somewhat like a flock of wild geese when they have lost their leader. +We were willing to go anywhere, or to follow anyone who would lead us. +We were anxious to flee, fight, or fortify. I have never seen an army +so confused and demoralized. The whole thing seemed to be tottering and +trembling. When, _Halt! Front! Right dress!_ and Adjutant McKinney reads +us the following order: + + +"SOLDIERS:--The commanding general takes pleasure in announcing to his +troops that victory and success are now within their grasp; and the +commanding general feels proud and gratified that in every attack and +assault the enemy have been repulsed; and the commanding general will +further say to his noble and gallant troops, 'Be of good cheer--all is +well.' + "GENERAL JOHN B. HOOD, + "General Commanding. + +"KINLOCK FALCONER, + "Acting Adjutant-General." + + +I remember how this order was received. Every soldier said, "O, shucks; +that is all shenanigan," for we knew that we had never met the enemy or +fired a gun outside of a little skirmishing. And I will further state +that that battle order, announcing success and victory, was the cause of +a greater demoralization than if our troops had been actually engaged in +battle. They at once mistrusted General Hood's judgment as a commander. +And every private soldier in the whole army knew the situation of +affairs. I remember when passing by Hood, how feeble and decrepit he +looked, with an arm in a sling, and a crutch in the other hand, and +trying to guide and control his horse. And, reader, I was not a +Christian then, and am but little better today; but, as God sees my heart +tonight, I prayed in my heart that day for General Hood. Poor fellow, +I loved him, not as a General, but as a good man. I knew when that army +order was read, that General Hood had been deceived, and that the poor +fellow was only trying to encourage his men. Every impulse of his nature +was but to do good, and to serve his country as best he could. Ah! +reader, some day all will be well. + +We continued marching toward our left, our battle-line getting thinner +and thinner. We could see the Federals advancing, their blue coats and +banners flying, and could see their movements and hear them giving their +commands. Our regiment was ordered to double quick to the extreme left +wing of the army, and we had to pass up a steep hill, and the dead grass +was wet and as slick as glass, and it was with the greatest difficulty +that we could get up the steep hill side. When we got to the top, we, +as skirmishers, were ordered to deploy still further to the left. +Billy Carr and J. E. Jones, two as brave soldiers as ever breathed the +breath of life--in fact, it was given up that they were the bravest and +most daring men in the Army of Tennessee--and myself, were on the very +extreme left wing of our army. While we were deployed as skirmishers, +I heard, "Surrender, surrender," and on looking around us, I saw that +we were right in the midst of a Yankee line of battle. They were lying +down in the bushes, and we were not looking for them so close to us. We +immediately threw down our guns and surrendered. J. E. Jones was killed +at the first discharge of their guns, when another Yankee raised up and +took deliberate aim at Billy Carr, and fired, the ball striking him below +the eye and passing through his head. As soon as I could, I picked up my +gun, and as the Yankee turned I sent a minnie ball crushing through his +head, and broke and run. But I am certain that I killed the Yankee who +killed Billy Carr, but it was too late to save the poor boy's life. +As I started to run, a fallen dogwood tree tripped me up, and I fell over +the log. It was all that saved me. The log was riddled with balls, +and thousands, it seemed to me, passed over it. As I got up to run again, +I was shot through the middle finger of the very hand that is now penning +these lines, and the thigh. But I had just killed a Yankee, and was +determined to get away from there as soon as I could. How I did get back +I hardly know, for I was wounded and surrounded by Yankees. One rushed +forward, and placing the muzzle of his gun in two feet of me, discharged +it, but it missed its aim, when I ran at him, grabbed him by the collar, +and brought him off a prisoner. Captain Joe P. Lee and Colonel +H. R. Field remember this, as would Lieutenant-Colonel John L. House, +were he alive; and all the balance of Company H, who were there at the +time. I had eight bullet holes in my coat, and two in my hand, beside +the one in my thigh and finger. It was a hail storm of bullets. The +above is true in every particular, and is but one incident of the war, +which happened to hundreds of others. But, alas! all our valor and +victories were in vain, when God and the whole world were against us. + +Billy Carr was one of the bravest and best men I ever knew. He never +knew what fear was, and in consequence of his reckless bravery, had been +badly wounded at Perryville, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, the octagon house, +Dead Angle, and the 22nd of July at Atlanta. In every battle he was +wounded, and finally, in the very last battle of the war, surrendered up +his life for his country's cause. No father and mother of such a brave +and gallant boy, should ever sorrow or regret having born to them such a +son. He was the flower and chivalry of his company. He was as good as +he was brave. His bones rest yonder on the Overton hills today, while I +have no doubt in my own mind that his spirit is with the Redeemer of the +hosts of heaven. He was my friend. Poor boy, farewell! + +When I got back to where I could see our lines, it was one scene of +confusion and rout. Finney's Florida brigade had broken before a mere +skirmish line, and soon the whole army had caught the infection, had +broken, and were running in every direction. Such a scene I never saw. +The army was panic-stricken. The woods everywhere were full of running +soldiers. Our officers were crying, "Halt! halt!" and trying to rally +and re-form their broken ranks. The Federals would dash their cavalry +in amongst us, and even their cannon joined in the charge. One piece of +Yankee artillery galloped past me, right on the road, unlimbered their +gun, fired a few shots, and galloped ahead again. + +Hood's whole army was routed and in full retreat. Nearly every man in +the entire army had thrown away his gun and accouterments. More than ten +thousand had stopped and allowed themselves to be captured, while many, +dreading the horrors of a Northern prison, kept on, and I saw many, yea, +even thousands, broken down from sheer exhaustion, with despair and pity +written on their features. Wagon trains, cannon, artillery, cavalry, +and infantry were all blended in inextricable confusion. Broken down +and jaded horses and mules refused to pull, and the badly-scared drivers +looked like their eyes would pop out of their heads from fright. Wagon +wheels, interlocking each other, soon clogged the road, and wagons, +horses and provisions were left indiscriminately. The officers soon +became effected with the demoralization of their troops, and rode on in +dogged indifference. General Frank Cheatham and General Loring tried to +form a line at Brentwood, but the line they formed was like trying to +stop the current of Duck river with a fish net. I believe the army +would have rallied, had there been any colors to rally to. And as the +straggling army moves on down the road, every now and then we can hear +the sullen roar of the Federal artillery booming in the distance. +I saw a wagon and team abandoned, and I unhitched one of the horses and +rode on horseback to Franklin, where a surgeon tied up my broken finger, +and bandaged up my bleeding thigh. My boot was full of blood, and my +clothing saturated with it. I was at General Hood's headquarters. +He was much agitated and affected, pulling his hair with his one hand +(he had but one), and crying like his heart would break. I pitied him, +poor fellow. I asked him for a wounded furlough, and he gave it to me. +I never saw him afterward. I always loved and honored him, and will ever +revere and cherish his memory. He gave his life in the service of his +country, and I know today he wears a garland of glory beyond the grave, +where Justice says "well done," and Mercy has erased all his errors and +faults. + +I only write of the under _strata_ of history; in other words, the +_privates' history_--as I saw things then, and remember them now. + +The winter of 1864-5 was the coldest that had been known for many years. +The ground was frozen and rough, and our soldiers were poorly clad, +while many, yes, very many, were entirely barefooted. Our wagon trains +had either gone on, we knew not whither, or had been left behind. +Everything and nature, too, seemed to be working against us. Even the +keen, cutting air that whistled through our tattered clothes and over +our poorly covered heads, seemed to lash us in its fury. The floods of +waters that had overflowed their banks, seemed to laugh at our calamity, +and to mock us in our misfortunes. + +All along the route were weary and footsore soldiers. The citizens +seemed to shrink and hide from us as we approached them. And, to cap the +climax, Tennessee river was overflowing its banks, and several Federal +gunboats were anchored just below Mussel Shoals, firing at us while +crossing. + +The once proud Army of Tennessee had degenerated to a mob. We were +pinched by hunger and cold. The rains, and sleet, and snow never ceased +falling from the winter sky, while the winds pierced the old, ragged, +grayback Rebel soldier to his very marrow. The clothing of many were +hanging around them in shreds of rags and tatters, while an old slouched +hat covered their frozen ears. Some were on old, raw-boned horses, +without saddles. + +Hon. Jefferson Davis perhaps made blunders and mistakes, but I honestly +believe that he ever did what he thought best for the good of his +country. And there never lived on this earth from the days of Hampden to +George Washington, a purer patriot or a nobler man than Jefferson Davis; +and, like Marius, grand even in ruins. + +Hood was a good man, a kind man, a philanthropic man, but he is both +harmless and defenseless now. He was a poor general in the capacity +of commander-in-chief. Had he been mentally qualified, his physical +condition would have disqualified him. His legs and one of his arms had +been shot off in the defense of his country. As a soldier, he was brave, +good, noble, and gallant, and fought with the ferociousness of the +wounded tiger, and with the everlasting grit of the bull-dog; but as a +general he was a failure in every particular. + +Our country is gone, our cause is lost. "_Actum est de Republica_." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +THE SURRENDER + + +THE LAST ACT OF THE DRAMA + +On the 10th day of May, 1861, our regiment, the First Tennessee, left +Nashville for the camp of instruction, with twelve hundred and fifty men, +officers and line. Other recruits continually coming in swelled this +number to fourteen hundred. In addition to this Major Fulcher's +battalion of four companies, with four hundred men (originally), was +afterwards attached to the regiment; and the Twenty-seventh Tennessee +Regiment was afterwards consolidated with the First. And besides this, +there were about two hundred conscripts added to the regiment from time +to time. To recapitulate: The First Tennessee, numbering originally, +1,250; recruited from time to time, 150; Fulcher's battalion, 400; +the Twenty-seventh Tennessee, 1,200; number of conscripts (at the lowest +estimate), 200--making the sum total 3,200 men that belonged to our +regiment during the war. The above I think a low estimate. Well, +on the 26th day of April, 1865, General Joe E. Johnston surrendered his +army at Greensboro, North Carolina. The day that we surrendered our +regiment it was a pitiful sight to behold. If I remember correctly, +there were just sixty-five men in all, including officers, that were +paroled on that day. Now, what became of the original 3,200? A grand +army, you may say. Three thousand two hundred men! Only sixty-five +left! Now, reader, you may draw your own conclusions. It lacked just +four days of four years from the day we were sworn in to the day of the +surrender, and it was just four years and twenty four days from the +time that we left home for the army to the time that we got back again. +It was indeed a sad sight to look at, the Old First Tennessee Regiment. +A mere squad of noble and brave men, gathered around the tattered flag +that they had followed in every battle through that long war. It was so +bullet-riddled and torn that it was but a few blue and red shreds that +hung drooping while it, too, was stacked with our guns forever. + +Thermopylae had one messenger of defeat, but when General Joe E. Johnston +surrendered the Army of the South there were hundreds of regiments, yea, +I might safely say thousands, that had not a representative on the 26th +day of April, 1865. + +Our cause was lost from the beginning. Our greatest victories-- +Chickamauga and Franklin--were our greatest defeats. Our people were +divided upon the question of Union and secession. Our generals were +scrambling for "_Who ranked_." The private soldier fought and starved +and died for naught. Our hospitals were crowded with sick and wounded, +but half provided with food and clothing to sustain life. Our money was +depreciated to naught and our cause lost. We left our homes four years +previous. Amid the waving of flags and handkerchiefs and the smiles of +the ladies, while the fife and drum were playing Dixie and the Bonnie +Blue Flag, we bid farewell to home and friends. The bones of our brave +Southern boys lie scattered over our loved South. They fought for their +"_country_," and gave their lives freely for that country's cause: +and now they who survive sit, like Marius amid the wreck of Carthage, +sublime even in ruins. Other pens abler than mine will have to chronicle +their glorious deeds of valor and devotion. In these sketches I have +named but a few persons who fought side by side with me during that long +and unholy war. In looking back over these pages, I ask, Where now are +many whose names have appeared in these sketches? They are up yonder, +and are no doubt waiting and watching for those of us who are left +behind. And, my kind reader, the time is coming when we, too, will be +called, while the archangel of death is beating the long roll of eternity, +and with us it will be the last reveille. God Himself will sound the +"assembly" on yonder beautiful and happy shore, where we will again have +a grand "reconfederation." We shed a tear over their flower-strewn +graves. We live after them. We love their memory yet. But one +generation passes away and another generation follows. We know our loved +and brave soldiers. We love them yet. + +But when we pass away, the impartial historian will render a true verdict, +and a history will then be written in justification and vindication of +those brave and noble boys who gave their all in fighting the battles of +their homes, their country, and their God. + +"The United States has no North, no South, no East, no West." "_We are +one and undivided_." + + +ADIEU + +My kind friends--soldiers, comrades, brothers, all: The curtain is rung +down, the footlights are put out, the audience has all left and gone +home, the seats are vacant, and the cold walls are silent. The gaudy +tinsel that appears before the footlights is exchanged for the dress of +the citizen. Coming generations and historians will be the critics as +to how we have acted our parts. The past is buried in oblivion. The +blood-red flag, with its crescent and cross, that we followed for four +long, bloody, and disastrous years, has been folded never again to be +unfurled. We have no regrets for what we did, but we mourn the loss of +so many brave and gallant men who perished on the field of battle and +honor. I now bid you an affectionate adieu. + +But in closing these memoirs, the scenes of my life pass in rapid review +before me. In imagination, I am young again tonight. I feel the flush +and vigor of my manhood--am just twenty-one years of age. I hear the +fife and drum playing Dixie and Bonnie Blue Flag. I see and hear our +fire-eating stump-orators tell of the right of secession and disunion. +I see our fair and beautiful women waving their handkerchiefs and +encouraging their sweethearts to go to the war. I see the marshaling of +the hosts for "glorious war." I see the fine banners waving and hear +the cry everywhere, "_To arms! to arms!_" And I also see our country at +peace and prosperous, our fine cities look grand and gay, our fields rich +in abundant harvests, our people happy and contented. All these pass +in imagination before me. Then I look and see glorious war in all its +splendor. I hear the shout and charge, the boom of artillery and the +rattle of small arms. I see gaily-dressed officers charging backwards +and forwards upon their mettled war horses, clothed in the panoply of +war. I see victory and conquest upon flying banners. I see our arms +triumph in every battle. And, O, my friends, I see another scene. +I see broken homes and broken hearts. I see war in all of its +desolation. I see a country ruined and impoverished. I see a nation +disfranchised and maltreated. I see a commonwealth forced to pay +dishonest and fraudulent bonds that were issued to crush that people. +I see sycophants licking the boots of the country's oppressor. I see +other and many wrongs perpetrated upon a conquered people. But maybe +it is but the ghosts and phantoms of a dreamy mind, or the wind as it +whistles around our lonely cabin-home. The past is buried in oblivion. +The mantle of charity has long ago fallen upon those who think +differently from us. We remember no longer wrongs and injustice done us +by anyone on earth. We are willing to forget and forgive those who have +wronged and falsified us. We look up above and beyond all these petty +groveling things and shake hands and forget the past. And while my +imagination is like the weaver's shuttle, playing backward and forward +through these two decades of time, I ask myself, Are these things real? +did they happen? are they being enacted today? or are they the fancies of +the imagination in forgetful reverie? Is it true that I have seen all +these things? that they are real incidents in my life's history? Did +I see those brave and noble countrymen of mine laid low in death and +weltering in their blood? Did I see our country laid waste and in ruins? +Did I see soldiers marching, the earth trembling and jarring beneath +their measured tread? Did I see the ruins of smouldering cities and +deserted homes? Did I see my comrades buried and see the violet and +wild flowers bloom over their graves? Did I see the flag of my country, +that I had followed so long, furled to be no more unfurled forever? +Surely they are but the vagaries of mine own imagination. Surely my +fancies are running wild tonight. But, hush! I now hear the approach of +battle. That low, rumbling sound in the west is the roar of cannon in +the distance. That rushing sound is the tread of soldiers. That quick, +lurid glare is the flash that precedes the cannon's roar. And listen! +that loud report that makes the earth tremble and jar and sway, is but +the bursting of a shell, as it screams through the dark, tempestuous +night. That black, ebon cloud, where the lurid lightning flickers and +flares, that is rolling through the heavens, is the smoke of battle; +beneath is being enacted a carnage of blood and death. Listen! the +soldiers are charging now. The flashes and roaring now are blended with +the shouts of soldiers and confusion of battle. + +But, reader, time has brought his changes since I, a young ardent and +impetuous youth, burning with a lofty patriotism first shouldered my +musket to defend the rights of my country. + +Lifting the veil of the past, I see many manly forms, bright in youth and +hope, standing in view by my side in Company H, First Tennessee Regiment. +Again I look and half those forms are gone. Again, and gray locks and +wrinkled faces and clouded brows stand before me. + +Before me, too, I see, not in imagination, but in reality, my own loved +Jennie, the partner of my joys and the sharer of my sorrows, sustaining, +comforting, and cheering my pathway by her benignant smile; pouring the +sunshine of domestic comfort and happiness upon our humble home; making +life more worth the living as we toil on up the hill of time together, +with the bright pledges of our early and constant love by our side while +the sunlight of hope ever brightens our pathway, dispelling darkness and +sorrow as we hand in hand approach the valley of the great shadow. + +The tale is told. The world moves on, the sun shines as brightly as +before, the flowers bloom as beautifully, the birds sing their carols as +sweetly, the trees nod and bow their leafy tops as if slumbering in the +breeze, the gentle winds fan our brow and kiss our cheek as they pass by, +the pale moon sheds her silvery sheen, the blue dome of the sky sparkles +with the trembling stars that twinkle and shine and make night beautiful, +and the scene melts and gradually disappears forever. + + THE END. + + + + +Appendix: Transcription notes: + +About "Company Aytch": + + "Company Aytch" was printed as a series of newspaper articles in + 1881-1882. + + First printed in book form, 2000 copies, in 1882. + + Second printing of 2000 copies in 1900. + + Reprinted in 1952 with an introduction and commentary by + Bell Irvin Wiley. + + 10 or more printings by Collier Books starting in 1962, with an + introduction by Roy P. Basler. + + +The following modifications were applied while transcribing the +printed book to etext: + + Quite a few of the sub-headings in the book were printed with a + trailing period, while the majority were not. For example, in + chapter 11: + SHOOTING A DESERTER. versus TARGET SHOOTING + DR. C. T. QUINTARD. versus GENERAL JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON + For the sake of consistency, I have removed these trailing periods. + + Chapter 10 + Page 123, para 3, fix typo "minne ball" + + Chapter 12 + Page 168, para 1, fix typo "Breckenridge" + + The following words were sometimes printed hyphenated, sometimes + not. In this etext, they are not hyphenated: + arch-angel battle-fields foot-lights grave-yard hill-side + horse-back re-organization shot-gun up-stairs/down-stairs + + The following words were sometimes printed hyphenated, sometimes + not. In this etext, they are hyphenated: + battle-flags + + The following words were printed using the "ae" or "oe" ligature: + Caesar diarrhoea Thermopylae + + +I did not change the following: + Some words in this book appear to be mis-spelled, at least by + current usage: + descendents geneology + + The author, intentionally or not, consistently mis-spelled + several names, including those of Capt./Col. Hume R. Feild and + Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of "Co. Aytch", by Sam R. Watkins + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13202 *** diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..aa237c3 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #13202 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/13202) diff --git a/old/13202.txt b/old/13202.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6e8c55b --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13202.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8491 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of "Co. Aytch", by Sam R. Watkins + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: "Co. Aytch" + Maury Grays, First Tennessee Regiment + or, A Side Show of the Big Show + +Author: Sam R. Watkins + +Release Date: August 17, 2004 [EBook #13202] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK "CO. AYTCH" *** + + + + +This eBook was produced by Ken Reeder <kreeder@mailsnare.net> + + + + +PUBLISHER'S NOTICE. + +Eighteen years ago, the first edition of this book, "Co. H., First +Tennessee Regiment," was published by the author, Mr. Sam. R. Watkins, +of Columbia, Tenn. A limited edition of two thousand copies was printed +and sold. For nearly twenty years this work has been out of print and +the owners of copies of it hold them so precious that it is impossible to +purchase one. To meet a demand, so strong as to be almost irresistable +the Chattanooga Times has printed a second edition of 2000 copies, +which to soldiers of the Army of the Tennessee and the Army of the +Cumberland, between whom many battles were fought, it will prove of +intense interest, serving to recall many scenes and incidents of battle +field and camp in which they were the chief actors. To them and to all +other readers we respectfully commend this book as being the best and +most impersonal history of any army ever written. + + THE CHATTANOOGA TIMES. + + Chattanooga, Tenn., Oct. 1, 1900. + + + + + "CO. AYTCH," + + MAURY GRAYS, + + FIRST TENNESSEE REGIMENT; + + OR, + + A SIDE SHOW OF THE BIG SHOW. + + + By SAM. R. WATKINS, + + COLUMBIA, TENN. + + + "Quaeque ipse miserima vidi, + Et quorum pars magna fui." + + + + + TO THE MEMORY + OF MY DEAD + COMRADES OF + THE MAURY GRAYS, + AND THE FIRST TENNESSEE REGIMENT, WHO + DIED IN DEFENSE OF SOUTHERN HOMES AND + LIBERTIES: ALSO TO MY LIVING COMRADES, + NEARLY ALL OF + WHOM SHED THEIR + BLOOD IN DEFENSE + OF THE SAME + CAUSE, THIS BOOK + IS RESPECTFULLY + DEDICATED BY THE + AUTHOR . . . . . + + + + +CONTENTS + +CHAPTER I--RETROSPECTIVE + WE ARE ONE AND UNDIVIDED + THE BLOODY CHASM + EIGHTEEN HUNDRED AND SIXTY-ONE + CAMP CHEATHAM + ON THE ROAD + STAUNTON + WARM SPRINGS + CHEAT MOUNTAIN + ROMNEY + STANDING PICKET ON THE POTOMAC + SCHWARTZ AND PFIFER + THE COURT-MARTIAL + THE DEATH WATCH + VIRGINIA, FAREWELL + +CHAPTER II--SHILOH + SHILOH + +CHAPTER III--CORINTH + CORINTH + ROWLAND SHOT TO DEATH + KILLING A YANKEE SHARPSHOOTER + COLONEL FIELD + CAPTAIN JOE P. LEE + CORINTH FORSAKEN + +CHAPTER IV--TUPELO + TUPELO + THE COURT-MARTIAL AT TUPELO + RAIDING ON ROASTINGEARS + +CHAPTER V--KENTUCKY + WE GO INTO KENTUCKY + THE BATTLE OF PERRYVILLE + THE RETREAT OUT OF KENTUCKY + KNOXVILLE + AH, SNEAK + I JINE THE CAVALRY + +CHAPTER VI--MURFREESBORO + MURFREESBORO + BATTLE OF MURFREESBORO + ROBBING A DEAD YANKEE + +CHAPTER VII--SHELBYVILLE + SHELBYVILLE + A FOOT RACE + EATING MUSSELS + POOR BERRY MORGAN + WRIGHT SHOT TO DEATH WITH MUSKETRY + DAVE SUBLETT PROMOTED + DOWN DUCK RIVER IN A CANOE + SHENERAL OWLEYDOUSKY + +CHAPTER VIII--CHATTANOOGA + BACK TO CHATTANOOGA + AM VISITED BY MY FATHER + OUT A LARKING + HANGING TWO SPIES + EATING RATS + SWIMMING THE TENN. WITH ROASTINGEARS + AM DETAILED TO GO FORAGING + PLEASE PASS THE BUTTER + WE EVACUATE CHATTANOOGA + THE BULL OF THE WOODS + THE WING OF THE "ANGEL OF DEATH" + +CHAPTER IX--CHICKAMAUGA + BATTLE OF CHICKAMAUGA + AFTER THE BATTLE + A NIGHT AMONG THE DEAD + +CHAPTER X--MISSIONARY RIDGE + MISSIONARY RIDGE + SERGEANT TUCKER AND GEN. WILDER + MOCCASIN POINT + BATTLE OF MISSIONARY RIDGE + GOOD-BYE, TOM WEBB + THE REAR GUARD + CHICKAMAUGA STATION + THE BATTLE OF CAT CREEK + RINGGOLD GAP + +CHAPTER XI--DALTON + GEN. JOE JOHNSTON TAKES COMMAND + COMMISSARIES + DALTON + SHOOTING A DESERTER + TEN MEN KILLED AT MOURNER'S-BENCH + DR. C. T. QUINTARD + Y'S YOU GOT MY HOG? + TARGET SHOOTING + UNCLE ZACK AND AUNT DAPHNE + RED TAPE + I GET A FURLOUGH + +CHAPTER XII--HUNDRED DAYS BATTLE + ROCKY FACE RIDGE + FALLING BACK + BATTLE OF RESACCA + ADAIRSVILLE OCTAGON HOUSE + KENNESAW LINE + DETAILED TO GO INTO ENEMY'S LINES + DEATH OF GENERAL LEONIDAS POLK + GENERAL LUCIUS E. POLK WOUNDED + DEAD ANGLE + BATTLE OF NEW HOPE CHURCH + BATTLE OF DALLAS + BATTLE OF ZION CHURCH + KINGSTON + CASSVILLE + ON THE BANKS OF THE CHATTAHOOCHEE + REMOVAL OF GEN. JOE E. JOHNSTON + GEN. HOOD TAKES COMMAND + +CHAPTER XIII--ATLANTA + HOOD STRIKES + KILLING A YANKEE SCOUT + AN OLE CITIZEN + MY FRIENDS + AN ARMY WITHOUT CAVALRY + BATTLE OF JULY 22ND, 1864 + THE ATTACK + AM PROMOTED + 28TH OF JULY AT ATLANTA + I VISIT MONTGOMERY + THE HOSPITAL + THE CAPITOL + AM ARRESTED + THOSE GIRLS + THE TALISMAN + THE BRAVE CAPTAIN + HOW I GOT BACK TO ATLANTA + THE DEATH OF TOM TUCK'S ROOSTER + OLD JOE BROWN'S PETS + WE GO AFTER STONEMAN + BELLUM LETHALE + DEATH OF A YANKEE LIEUTENANT + ATLANTA FORSAKEN + +CHAPTER XIV--JONESBORO + BATTLE OF JONESBORO + DEATH OF LIEUT. JOHN WHITTAKER + THEN COMES THE FARCE + PALMETTO + JEFF DAVIS MAKES A SPEECH + ARMISTICE ONLY IN NAME + A SCOUT + WHAT IS THIS REBEL DOING HERE? + LOOK OUT, BOYS + AM CAPTURED + +CHAPTER XV--ADVANCE INTO TENNESSEE + GEN. HOOD MAKES A FLANK MOVEMENT + WE CAPTURE DALTON + A MAN IN THE WELL + TUSCUMBIA + EN ROUTE FOR COLUMBIA + +CHAPTER XVI--BATTLES IN TENNESSEE + COLUMBIA + A FIASCO + FRANKLIN + NASHVILLE + +CHAPTER XVII--THE SURRENDER + THE LAST ACT OF THE DRAMA + ADIEU + + + + +CHAPTER I + +RETROSPECTIVE + + +"WE ARE ONE AND UNDIVIDED" + +About twenty years ago, I think it was--I won't be certain, though-- +a man whose name, if I remember correctly, was Wm. L. Yancy--I write only +from memory, and this was a long time ago--took a strange and peculiar +notion that the sun rose in the east and set in the west, and that the +compass pointed north and south. Now, everybody knew at the time that +it was but the idiosyncrasy of an unbalanced mind, and that the United +States of America had no north, no south, no east, no west. Well, +he began to preach the strange doctrine of there being such a thing. +He began to have followers. As you know, it matters not how absurd, +ridiculous and preposterous doctrines may be preached, there will be some +followers. Well, one man by the name of (I think it was) Rhett, said it +out loud. He was told to "s-h-e-e." Then another fellow by the name (I +remember this one because it sounded like a graveyard) Toombs said so, +and he was told to "sh-sh-ee-ee." Then after a while whole heaps of +people began to say that they thought that there was a north and a south; +and after a while hundreds and thousands and millions said that there was +a south. But they were the persons who lived in the direction that the +water courses run. Now, the people who lived where the water courses +started from came down to see about it, and they said, "Gents, you are +very much mistaken. We came over in the Mayflower, and we used to burn +witches for saying that the sun rose in the east and set in the west, +because the sun neither rises nor sets, the earth simply turns on its +axis, and we know, because we are Pure(i)tans." The spokesman of the +party was named (I think I remember his name because it always gave me +the blues when I heard it) Horrors Greeley; and another person by the +name of Charles Sumner, said there ain't any north or south, east or west, +and you shan't say so, either. Now, the other people who lived in the +direction that the water courses run, just raised their bristles and +continued saying that there is a north and there is a south. When those +at the head of the water courses come out furiously mad, to coerce those +in the direction that water courses run, and to make them take it back. +Well, they went to gouging and biting, to pulling and scratching at a +furious rate. One side elected a captain by the name of Jeff Davis, +and known as one-eyed Jeff, and a first lieutenant by the name of Aleck +Stephens, commonly styled Smart Aleck. The other side selected as +captain a son of Nancy Hanks, of Bowling Green, and a son of old Bob +Lincoln, the rail-splitter, and whose name was Abe. Well, after he +was elected captain, they elected as first lieutenant an individual of +doubtful blood by the name of Hannibal Hamlin, being a descendant of the +generation of Ham, the bad son of old Noah, who meant to curse him blue, +but overdid the thing, and cursed him black. + +Well, as I said before, they went to fighting, but old Abe's side got +the best of the argument. But in getting the best of the argument they +called in all the people and wise men of other nations of the earth, +and they, too, said that America had no cardinal points, and that the sun +did not rise in the east and set in the west, and that the compass did +not point either north or south. + +Well, then, Captain Jeff Davis' side gave it up and quit, and they, too, +went to saying that there is no north, no south, no east, no west. +Well, "us boys" all took a small part in the fracas, and Shep, the +prophet, remarked that the day would come when those who once believed +that the American continent had cardinal points would be ashamed to own +it. That day has arrived. America has no north, no south, no east, +no west; the sun rises over the hills and sets over the mountains, +the compass just points up and down, and we can laugh now at the absurd +notion of there being a north and a south. + +Well, reader, let me whisper in your ear. I was in the row, and the +following pages will tell what part I took in the little unpleasant +misconception of there being such a thing as a north and south. + + +THE BLOODY CHASM + +In these memoirs, after the lapse of twenty years, we propose to fight +our "battles o'er again." + +To do this is but a pastime and pleasure, as there is nothing that so +much delights the old soldier as to revisit the scenes and battlefields +with which he was once so familiar, and to recall the incidents, though +trifling they may have been at the time. + +The histories of the Lost Cause are all written out by "big bugs," +generals and renowned historians, and like the fellow who called a turtle +a "cooter," being told that no such word as cooter was in Webster's +dictionary, remarked that he had as much right to make a dictionary as +Mr. Webster or any other man; so have I to write a history. + +But in these pages I do not pretend to write the history of the war. +I only give a few sketches and incidents that came under the observation +of a "high private" in the rear ranks of the rebel army. Of course, +the histories are all correct. They tell of great achievements of great +men, who wear the laurels of victory; have grand presents given them; +high positions in civil life; presidents of corporations; governors of +states; official positions, etc., and when they die, long obituaries are +published, telling their many virtues, their distinguished victories, +etc., and when they are buried, the whole country goes in mourning and is +called upon to buy an elegant monument to erect over the remains of so +distinguished and brave a general, etc. But in the following pages I +propose to tell of the fellows who did the shooting and killing, the +fortifying and ditching, the sweeping of the streets, the drilling, +the standing guard, picket and videt, and who drew (or were to draw) +eleven dollars per month and rations, and also drew the ramrod and tore +the cartridge. Pardon me should I use the personal pronoun "I" too +frequently, as I do not wish to be called egotistical, for I only write +of what I saw as an humble private in the rear rank in an infantry +regiment, commonly called "webfoot." Neither do I propose to make this +a connected journal, for I write entirely from memory, and you must +remember, kind reader, that these things happened twenty years ago, +and twenty years is a long time in the life of any individual. + +I was twenty-one years old then, and at that time I was not married. +Now I have a house full of young "rebels," clustering around my knees and +bumping against my elbow, while I write these reminiscences of the war +of secession, rebellion, state rights, slavery, or our rights in the +territories, or by whatever other name it may be called. These are all +with the past now, and the North and South have long ago "shaken hands +across the bloody chasm." The flag of the Southern cause has been furled +never to be again unfurled; gone like a dream of yesterday, and lives +only in the memory of those who lived through those bloody days and times. + + +EIGHTEEN HUNDRED AND SIXTY-ONE + +Reader mine, did you live in that stormy period? In the year of our Lord +eighteen hundred and sixty-one, do you remember those stirring times? +Do you recollect in that year, for the first time in your life, of +hearing Dixie and the Bonnie Blue Flag? Fort Sumter was fired upon +from Charleston by troops under General Beauregard, and Major Anderson, +of the Federal army, surrendered. The die was cast; war was declared; +Lincoln called for troops from Tennessee and all the Southern states, +but Tennessee, loyal to her Southern sister states, passed the ordinance +of secession, and enlisted under the Stars and Bars. From that day on, +every person, almost, was eager for the war, and we were all afraid it +would be over and we not be in the fight. Companies were made up, +regiments organized; left, left, left, was heard from morning till night. +By the right flank, file left, march, were familiar sounds. Everywhere +could be seen Southern cockades made by the ladies and our sweethearts. +And some who afterwards became Union men made the most fiery secession +speeches. Flags made by the ladies were presented to companies, and to +hear the young orators tell of how they would protect that flag, and that +they would come back with the flag or come not at all, and if they fell +they would fall with their backs to the field and their feet to the foe, +would fairly make our hair stand on end with intense patriotism, and we +wanted to march right off and whip twenty Yankees. But we soon found out +that the glory of war was at home among the ladies and not upon the field +of blood and carnage of death, where our comrades were mutilated and torn +by shot and shell. And to see the cheek blanch and to hear the fervent +prayer, aye, I might say the agony of mind were very different indeed +from the patriotic times at home. + + +CAMP CHEATHAM + +After being drilled and disciplined at Camp Cheatham, under the +administrative ability of General R. C. Foster, 3rd, for two months, we, +the First, Third and Eleventh Tennessee Regiments--Maney, Brown and Rains-- +learned of the advance of McClelland's army into Virginia, toward +Harper's Ferry and Bull Run. + +The Federal army was advancing all along the line. They expected to +march right into the heart of the South, set the negroes free, take our +property, and whip the rebels back into the Union. But they soon found +that secession was a bigger mouthful than they could swallow at one +gobble. They found the people of the South in earnest. + +Secession may have been wrong in the abstract, and has been tried and +settled by the arbitrament of the sword and bayonet, but I am as firm in +my convictions today of the right of secession as I was in 1861. The +South is our country, the North is the country of those who live there. +We are an agricultural people; they are a manufacturing people. They are +the descendants of the good old Puritan Plymouth Rock stock, and we of +the South from the proud and aristocratic stock of Cavaliers. We believe +in the doctrine of State rights, they in the doctrine of centralization. + +John C. Calhoun, Patrick Henry, and Randolph, of Roanoke, saw the venom +under their wings, and warned the North of the consequences, but they +laughed at them. We only fought for our State rights, they for Union and +power. The South fell battling under the banner of State rights, but +yet grand and glorious even in death. Now, reader, please pardon the +digression. It is every word that we will say in behalf of the rights of +secession in the following pages. The question has been long ago settled +and is buried forever, never in this age or generation to be resurrected. + +The vote of the regiment was taken, and we all voted to go to Virginia. +The Southern Confederacy had established its capital at Richmond. + +A man by the name of Jackson, who kept a hotel in Maryland, had raised +the Stars and Bars, and a Federal officer by the name of Ellsworth tore +it down, and Jackson had riddled his body with buckshot from a double- +barreled shotgun. First blood for the South. + +Everywhere the enemy were advancing; the red clouds of war were booming +up everywhere, but at this particular epoch, I refer you to the history +of that period. + +A private soldier is but an automaton, a machine that works by the +command of a good, bad, or indifferent engineer, and is presumed to know +nothing of all these great events. His business is to load and shoot, +stand picket, videt, etc., while the officers sleep, or perhaps die on +the field of battle and glory, and his obituary and epitaph but "one" +remembered among the slain, but to what company, regiment, brigade or +corps he belongs, there is no account; he is soon forgotten. + +A long line of box cars was drawn up at Camp Cheatham one morning in July, +the bugle sounded to strike tents and to place everything on board the +cars. We old comrades have gotten together and laughed a hundred times +at the plunder and property that we had accumulated, compared with our +subsequent scanty wardrobe. Every soldier had enough blankets, shirts, +pants and old boots to last a year, and the empty bottles and jugs would +have set up a first-class drug store. In addition, every one of us had +his gun, cartridge-box, knapsack and three days' rations, a pistol on +each side and a long Bowie knife, that had been presented to us by +William Wood, of Columbia, Tenn. We got in and on top of the box cars, +the whistle sounded, and amid the waving of hats, handkerchiefs and flags, +we bid a long farewell and forever to old Camp Cheatham. + +Arriving at Nashville, the citizens turned out _en masse_ to receive us, +and here again we were reminded of the good old times and the "gal we +left behind us." Ah, it is worth soldiering to receive such welcomes as +this. + +The Rev. Mr. Elliott invited us to his college grove, where had been +prepared enough of the good things of earth to gratify the tastes of the +most fastidious epicure. And what was most novel, we were waited on by +the most beautiful young ladies (pupils of his school). It was charming, +I tell you. Rev. C. D. Elliott was our Brigade Chaplain all through the +war, and Dr. C. T. Quintard the Chaplain of the First Tennessee Regiment-- +two of the best men who ever lived. (Quintard is the present Bishop of +Tennessee). + + +ON THE ROAD + +Leaving Nashville, we went bowling along twenty or thirty miles an hour, +as fast as steam could carry us. At every town and station citizens and +ladies were waving their handkerchiefs and hurrahing for Jeff Davis and +the Southern Confederacy. Magnificent banquets were prepared for us all +along the entire route. It was one magnificent festival from one end of +the line to the other. At Chattanooga, Knoxville, Bristol, Farmville, +Lynchburg, everywhere, the same demonstrations of joy and welcome greeted +us. Ah, those were glorious times; and you, reader, see why the old +soldier loves to live over again that happy period. + +But the Yankees are advancing on Manassas. July 21st finds us a hundred +miles from that fierce day's battle. That night, after the battle is +fought and won, our train draws up at Manassas Junction. + +Well, what news? Everyone was wild, nay, frenzied with the excitement +of victory, and we felt very much like the "boy the calf had run over." +We felt that the war was over, and we would have to return home without +even seeing a Yankee soldier. Ah, how we envied those that were wounded. +We thought at that time that we would have given a thousand dollars to +have been in the battle, and to have had our arm shot off, so we could +have returned home with an empty sleeve. But the battle was over, +and we left out. + + +STAUNTON + +From Manassas our train moved on to Staunton, Virginia. Here we again +went into camp, overhauled kettles, pots, buckets, jugs and tents, +and found everything so tangled up and mixed that we could not tell +tuther from which. + +We stretched our tents, and the soldiers once again felt that restraint +and discipline which we had almost forgotten en route to this place. +But, as the war was over now, our captains, colonels and generals were +not "hard on the boys;" in fact, had begun to electioneer a little for +the Legislature and for Congress. In fact, some wanted, and were looking +forward to the time, to run for Governor of Tennessee. + +Staunton was a big place; whisky was cheap, and good Virginia tobacco was +plentiful, and the currency of the country was gold and silver. + +The State Asylums for the blind and insane were here, and we visited all +the places of interest. + +Here is where we first saw the game called "chuck-a-luck," afterwards +so popular in the army. But, I always noticed that chuck won, and luck +always lost. + +Faro and roulette were in full blast; in fact, the skum had begun to come +to the surface, and shoddy was the gentleman. By this, I mean that civil +law had been suspended; the ermine of the judges had been overridden by +the sword and bayonet. In other words, the military had absorbed the +civil. Hence the gambler was in his glory. + + +WARM SPRINGS, VIRGINIA + +One day while we were idling around camp, June Tucker sounded the +assembly, and we were ordered aboard the cars. We pulled out for +Millboro; from there we had to foot it to Bath Alum and Warm Springs. +We went over the Allegheny Mountains. + +I was on every march that was ever made by the First Tennessee Regiment +during the whole war, and at this time I cannot remember of ever +experiencing a harder or more fatiguing march. It seemed that mountain +was piled upon mountain. No sooner would we arrive at a place that +seemed to be the top than another view of a higher, and yet higher +mountain would rise before us. From the foot to the top of the mountain +the soldiers lined the road, broken down and exhausted. First one +blanket was thrown away, and then another; now and then a good pair of +pants, old boots and shoes, Sunday hats, pistols and Bowie knives strewed +the road. Old bottles and jugs and various and sundry articles were +lying pell-mell everywhere. Up and up, and onward and upward we pulled +and toiled, until we reached the very top, when there burst upon our +view one of the grandest and most beautiful landscapes we ever beheld. + +Nestled in the valley right before us is Bath Alum and Warm Springs. +It seemed to me at that time, and since, a glimpse of a better and +brighter world beyond, to the weary Christian pilgrim who may have been +toiling on his journey for years. A glad shout arose from those who had +gained the top, which cheered and encouraged the others to persevere. +At last we got to Warm Springs. Here they had a nice warm dinner waiting +for us. They had a large bath-house at Warm Springs. A large pool of +water arranged so that a person could go in any depth he might desire. +It was a free thing, and we pitched in. We had no idea of the enervating +effect it would have upon our physical systems, and as the water was but +little past tepid, we stayed in a good long time. But when we came out +we were as limp as dishrags. About this time the assembly sounded and we +were ordered to march. But we couldn't march worth a cent. There we had +to stay until our systems had had sufficient recuperation. And we would +wonder what all this marching was for, as the war was over anyhow. + +The second day after leaving Warm Springs we came to Big Springs. +It was in the month of August, and the biggest white frost fell that I +ever saw in winter. + +The Yankees were reported to be in close proximity to us, and Captain +Field with a detail of ten men was sent forward on the scout. I was on +the detail, and when we left camp that evening, it was dark and dreary +and drizzling rain. After a while the rain began to come down harder +and harder, and every one of us was wet and drenched to the skin--guns, +cartridges and powder. The next morning about daylight, while standing +videt, I saw a body of twenty-five or thirty Yankees approaching, and I +raised my gun for the purpose of shooting, and pulled down, but the cap +popped. They discovered me and popped three or four caps at me; their +powder was wet also. Before I could get on a fresh cap, Captain Field +came running up with his seven-shooting rifle, and the first fire he +killed a Yankee. They broke and run. Captain Field did all the firing, +but every time he pulled down he brought a Yankee. I have forgotten the +number that he did kill, but if I am not mistaken it was either twenty +or twenty-one, for I remember the incident was in almost every Southern +paper at that time, and the general comments were that one Southern man +was equal to twenty Yankees. While we were in hot pursuit, one truly +brave and magnanimous Yankee, who had been badly wounded, said, +"Gentlemen, you have killed me, but not a hundred yards from here is the +main line." We did not go any further, but halted right there, and after +getting all the information that we could out of the wounded Yankee, +we returned to camp. + +One evening, General Robert E. Lee came to our camp. He was a fine- +looking gentleman, and wore a moustache. He was dressed in blue +cottonade and looked like some good boy's grandpa. I felt like going up +to him and saying good evening, Uncle Bob! I am not certain at this late +day that I did not do so. I remember going up mighty close and sitting +there and listening to his conversation with the officers of our +regiment. He had a calm and collected air about him, his voice was kind +and tender, and his eye was as gentle as a dove's. His whole make-up +of form and person, looks and manner had a kind of gentle and soothing +magnetism about it that drew every one to him and made them love, respect, +and honor him. I fell in love with the old gentleman and felt like going +home with him. I know I have never seen a finer looking man, nor one +with more kind and gentle features and manners. His horse was standing +nipping the grass, and when I saw that he was getting ready to start I +ran and caught his horse and led him up to him. He took the reins of the +bridle in his hand and said, "thank you, my son," rode off, and my heart +went with him. There was none of his staff with him; he had on no sword +or pistol, or anything to show his rank. The only thing that I remember +he had was an opera-glass hung over his shoulder by a strap. + +Leaving Big Springs, we marched on day by day, across Greenbrier and +Gauley rivers to Huntersville, a little but sprightly town hid in the +very fastnesses of the mountains. The people live exceedingly well in +these mountains. They had plenty of honey and buckwheat cakes, and +they called buttermilk "sour-milk," and sour-milk weren't fit for pigs; +they couldn't see how folks drank sour-milk. But sour-kraut was good. +Everything seemed to grow in the mountains--potatoes, Irish and sweet; +onions, snap beans, peas--though the country was very thinly populated. +Deer, bear, and foxes, as well as wild turkeys, and rabbits and squirrels +abounded everywhere. Apples and peaches were abundant, and everywhere +the people had apple-butter for every meal; and occasionally we would +come across a small-sized distillery, which we would at once start to +doing duty. We drank the singlings while they were hot, but like the old +woman who could not eat corn bread until she heard that they made whisky +out of corn, then she could manage to "worry a little of it down;" +so it was with us and the singlings. + +From this time forward, we were ever on the march--tramp, tramp, tramp-- +always on the march. Lee's corps, Stonewall Jackson's division--I refer +you to the histories for the marches and tramps made by these commanders +the first year of the war. Well, we followed them. + + +CHEAT MOUNTAIN + +One evening about 4 o'clock, the drummers of the regiment began to beat +their drums as hard as they could stave, and I saw men running in every +direction, and the camp soon became one scene of hurry and excitement. +I asked some one what all this hubbub meant. He looked at me with utter +astonishment. I saw soldiers running to their tents and grabbing their +guns and cartridge-boxes and hurry out again, the drums still rolling and +rattling. I asked several other fellows what in the dickens did all this +mean? Finally one fellow, who seemed scared almost out of his wits, +answered between a wail and a shriek, "Why, sir, they are beating the +long roll." Says I, "What is the long roll for?" "The long roll, man, +the long roll! Get your gun; they are beating the long roll!" This was +all the information that I could get. It was the first, last, and only +long roll that I ever heard. But, then everything was new, and Colonel +Maney, ever prompt, ordered the assembly. Without any command or bugle +sound, or anything, every soldier was in his place. Tents, knapsacks and +everything was left indiscriminately. + +We were soon on the march, and we marched on and on and on. About night +it began to rain. All our blankets were back in camp, but we were +expected every minute to be ordered into action. That night we came +to Mingo Flats. The rain still poured. We had no rations to eat and +nowhere to sleep. Some of us got some fence rails and piled them +together and worried through the night as best we could. The next +morning we were ordered to march again, but we soon began to get hungry, +and we had about half halted and about not halted at all. Some of the +boys were picking blackberries. The main body of the regiment was +marching leisurely along the road, when bang, debang, debang, bang, +and a volley of buck and ball came hurling right through the two advance +companies of the regiment--companies H and K. We had marched into a +Yankee ambuscade. + +All at once everything was a scene of consternation and confusion; +no one seemed equal to the emergency. We did not know whether to run or +stand, when Captain Field gave the command to fire and charge the bushes. +We charged the bushes and saw the Yankees running through them, and we +fired on them as they retreated. I do not know how many Yankees were +killed, if any. Our company (H) had one man killed, Pat Hanley, an +Irishman, who had joined our company at Chattanooga. Hugh Padgett and +Dr. Hooper, and perhaps one or two others, were wounded. + +After the fighting was over, where, O where, was all the fine rigging +heretofore on our officers? They could not be seen. Corporals, +sergeants, lieutenants, captains, all had torn all the fine lace off +their clothing. I noticed that at the time and was surprised and hurt. +I asked several of them why they had torn off the insignia of their rank, +and they always answered, "Humph, you think that I was going to be a +target for the Yankees to shoot at?" You see, this was our first battle, +and the officers had not found out that minnie as well as cannon balls +were blind; that they had no eyes and could not see. They thought that +the balls would hunt for them and not hurt the privates. I always shot +at privates. It was they that did the shooting and killing, and if I +could kill or wound a private, why, my chances were so much the better. +I always looked upon officers as harmless personages. Colonel Field, +I suppose, was about the only Colonel of the war that did as much +shooting as the private soldier. If I shot at an officer, it was at long +range, but when we got down to close quarters I always tried to kill +those that were trying to kill me. + + +SEWELL MOUNTAIN + +From Cheat Mountain we went by forced marches day and night, over hill +and everlasting mountains, and through lovely and smiling valleys, +sometimes the country rich and productive, sometimes rough and broken, +through towns and villages, the names of which I have forgotten, crossing +streams and rivers, but continuing our never ceasing, unending march, +passing through the Kanawha Valley and by the salt-works, and nearly back +to the Ohio river, when we at last reached Sewell Mountain. Here we +found General John B. Floyd strongly entrenched and fortified and facing +the advance of the Federal army. Two days before our arrival he had +charged and captured one line of the enemy's works. I know nothing of +the battle. See the histories for that. I only write from memory, +and that was twenty years ago, but I remember reading in the newspapers +at that time of some distinguished man, whether he was captain, colonel +or general, I have forgotten, but I know the papers said "he sought the +bauble, reputation, at the cannon's mouth, and went to glory from the +death-bed of fame." I remember it sounded gloriously in print. Now, +reader, this is all I know of this grand battle. I only recollect what +the newspapers said about it, and you know that a newspaper always tells +the truth. I also know that beef livers sold for one dollar apiece in +gold; and here is where we were first paid off in Confederate money. +Remaining here a few days, we commenced our march again. + +Sewell Mountain, Harrisonburg, Lewisburg, Kanawha Salt-works, first four, +forward and back, seemed to be the programme of that day. Rosecrans, +that wiley old fox, kept Lee and Jackson both busy trying to catch him, +but Rosey would not be caught. March, march, march; tramp, tramp, tramp, +back through the valley to Huntersville and Warm Springs, and up through +the most beautiful valley--the Shenandoah--in the world, passing towns +and elegant farms and beautiful residences, rich pastures and abundant +harvests, which a Federal General (Fighting Joe Hooker), later in the war, +ordered to be so sacked and destroyed that a "crow passing over this +valley would have to carry his rations." Passing on, we arrived at +Winchester. The first night we arrived at this place, the wind blew a +perfect hurricane, and every tent and marquee in Lee's and Jackson's army +was blown down. This is the first sight we had of Stonewall Jackson, +riding upon his old sorrel horse, his feet drawn up as if his stirrups +were much too short for him, and his old dingy military cap hanging well +forward over his head, and his nose erected in the air, his old rusty +sabre rattling by his side. This is the way the grand old hero of a +hundred battles looked. His spirit is yonder with the blessed ones that +have gone before, but his history is one that the country will ever be +proud of, and his memory will be cherished and loved by the old soldiers +who followed him through the war. + + +ROMNEY + +Our march to and from Romney was in midwinter in the month of January, +1862. It was the coldest winter known to the oldest inhabitant of these +regions. Situated in the most mountainous country in Virginia, and away +up near the Maryland and Pennsylvania line, the storm king seemed to rule +in all of his majesty and power. Snow and rain and sleet and tempest +seemed to ride and laugh and shriek and howl and moan and groan in +all their fury and wrath. The soldiers on this march got very much +discouraged and disheartened. As they marched along icicles hung from +their clothing, guns, and knapsacks; many were badly frost bitten, +and I heard of many freezing to death along the road side. My feet +peeled off like a peeled onion on that march, and I have not recovered +from its effects to this day. The snow and ice on the ground being +packed by the soldiers tramping, the horses hitched to the artillery +wagons were continually slipping and sliding and falling and wounding +themselves and sometimes killing their riders. The wind whistling with +a keen and piercing shriek, seemed as if they would freeze the marrow +in our bones. The soldiers in the whole army got rebellious--almost +mutinous--and would curse and abuse Stonewall Jackson; in fact, they +called him "Fool Tom Jackson." They blamed him for the cold weather; +they blamed him for everything, and when he would ride by a regiment they +would take occasion, _sotto voce_, to abuse him, and call him "Fool Tom +Jackson," and loud enough for him to hear. Soldiers from all commands +would fall out of ranks and stop by the road side and swear that they +would not follow such a leader any longer. + +When Jackson got to Romney, and was ready to strike Banks and Meade in a +vital point, and which would have changed, perhaps, the destiny of the +war and the South, his troops refused to march any further, and he turned, +marched back to Winchester and tendered his resignation to the +authorities at Richmond. But the great leader's resignation was not +accepted. It was in store for him to do some of the hardest fighting +and greatest generalship that was done during the war. + +One night at this place (Romney), I was sent forward with two other +soldiers across the wire bridge as picket. One of them was named +Schwartz and the other Pfifer--he called it Fifer, but spelled it with a +P--both full-blooded Dutchmen, and belonging to Company E, or the German +Yagers, Captain Harsh, or, as he was more generally called, "God-for-dam." + +When we had crossed the bridge and taken our station for the night, +I saw another snow storm was coming. The zig-zag lightnings began to +flare and flash, and sheet after sheet of wild flames seemed to burst +right over our heads and were hissing around us. The very elements +seemed to be one aurora borealis with continued lightning. Streak after +streak of lightning seemed to be piercing each the other, the one from +the north and the other from the south. The white clouds would roll up, +looking like huge snow balls, encircled with living fires. The earth and +hills and trees were covered with snow, and the lightnings seemed to be +playing "King, King Canico" along its crusted surface. If it thundered +at all, it seemed to be between a groaning and a rumbling sound. The +trees and hills seemed white with livid fire. I can remember that storm +now as the grandest picture that has ever made any impression on my +memory. As soon as it quit lightning, the most blinding snow storm fell +that I ever saw. It fell so thick and fast that I got hot. I felt like +pulling off my coat. I was freezing. The winds sounded like sweet +music. I felt grand, glorious, peculiar; beautiful things began to play +and dance around my head, and I supposed I must have dropped to sleep or +something, when I felt Schwartz grab me, and give me a shake, and at the +same time raised his gun and fired, and yelled out at the top of his +voice, "Here is your mule." The next instant a volley of minnie balls +was scattering the snow all around us. I tried to walk, but my pants and +boots were stiff and frozen, and the blood had ceased to circulate in my +lower limbs. But Schwartz kept on firing, and at every fire he would +yell out, "Yer is yer mool!" Pfifer could not speak English, and I +reckon he said "Here is your mule" in Dutch. About the same time we were +hailed from three Confederate officers, at full gallop right toward us, +not to shoot. And as they galloped up to us and thundered right across +the bridge, we discovered it was Stonewall Jackson and two of his staff. +At the same time the Yankee cavalry charged us, and we, too, ran back +across the bridge. + + +STANDING PICKET ON THE POTOMAC + +Leaving Winchester, we continued up the valley. + +The night before the attack on Bath or Berkly Springs, there fell the +largest snow I ever saw. + +Stonewall Jackson had seventeen thousand soldiers at his command. +The Yankees were fortified at Bath. An attack was ordered, our regiment +marched upon top of a mountain overlooking the movements of both armies +in the valley below. About 4 o'clock one grand charge and rush was made, +and the Yankees were routed and skedaddled. + +By some circumstance or other, Lieutenant J. Lee Bullock came in command +of the First Tennessee Regiment. But Lee was not a graduate of West +Point, you see. + +The Federals had left some spiked batteries on the hill side, as we +were informed by an old citizen, and Lee, anxious to capture a battery, +gave the new and peculiar command of, "Soldiers, you are ordered to go +forward and capture a battery; just piroute up that hill; piroute, march. +Forward, men; piroute carefully." The boys "pirouted" as best they +could. It may have been a new command, and not laid down in Hardee's or +Scott's tactics; but Lee was speaking plain English, and we understood +his meaning perfectly, and even at this late day I have no doubt that +every soldier who heard the command thought it a legal and technical term +used by military graduates to go forward and capture a battery. + +At this place (Bath), a beautiful young lady ran across the street. +I have seen many beautiful and pretty women in my life, but she was +the prettiest one I ever saw. Were you to ask any member of the First +Tennessee Regiment who was the prettiest woman he ever saw, he would +unhesitatingly answer that he saw her at Berkly Springs during the war, +and he would continue the tale, and tell you of Lee Bullock's piroute +and Stonewall Jackson's charge. + +We rushed down to the big spring bursting out of the mountain side, +and it was hot enough to cook an egg. Never did I see soldiers more +surprised. The water was so hot we could not drink it. + +The snow covered the ground and was still falling. + +That night I stood picket on the Potomac with a detail of the Third +Arkansas Regiment. I remember how sorry I felt for the poor fellows, +because they had enlisted for the war, and we for only twelve months. +Before nightfall I took in every object and commenced my weary vigils. +I had to stand all night. I could hear the rumblings of the Federal +artillery and wagons, and hear the low shuffling sound made by troops on +the march. The snow came pelting down as large as goose eggs. About +midnight the snow ceased to fall, and became quiet. Now and then the +snow would fall off the bushes and make a terrible noise. While I was +peering through the darkness, my eyes suddenly fell upon the outlines of +a man. The more I looked the more I was convinced that it was a Yankee +picket. I could see his hat and coat--yes, see his gun. I was sure +that it was a Yankee picket. What was I to do? The relief was several +hundred yards in the rear. The more I looked the more sure I was. +At last a cold sweat broke out all over my body. Turkey bumps rose. +I summoned all the nerves and bravery that I could command, and said: +"Halt! who goes there?" There being no response, I became resolute. +I did not wish to fire and arouse the camp, but I marched right up to it +and stuck my bayonet through and through it. It was a stump. I tell the +above, because it illustrates a part of many a private's recollections +of the war; in fact, a part of the hardships and suffering that they go +through. + +One secret of Stonewall Jackson's success was that he was such a strict +disciplinarian. He did his duty himself and was ever at his post, +and he expected and demanded of everybody to do the same thing. He would +have a man shot at the drop of a hat, and drop it himself. The first +army order that was ever read to us after being attached to his corps, +was the shooting to death by musketry of two men who had stopped on the +battlefield to carry off a wounded comrade. It was read to us in line +of battle at Winchester. + + +SCHWARTZ AND PFIFER + +At Valley Mountain the finest and fattest beef I ever saw was issued to +the soldiers, and it was the custom to use tallow for lard. Tallow made +good shortening if the biscuits were eaten hot, but if allowed to get +cold they had a strong taste of tallow in their flavor that did not +taste like the flavor of vanilla or lemon in ice cream and strawberries; +and biscuits fried in tallow were something upon the principle of 'possum +and sweet potatoes. Well, Pfifer had got the fat from the kidneys of +two hind quarters and made a cake of tallow weighing about twenty-five +pounds. He wrapped it up and put it carefully away in his knapsack. +When the assembly sounded for the march, Pfifer strapped on his knapsack. +It was pretty heavy, but Pfifer was "well heeled." He knew the good +frying he would get out of that twenty-five pounds of nice fat tallow, +and he was willing to tug and toil all day over a muddy and sloppy road +for his anticipated hot tallow gravy for supper. We made a long and hard +march that day, and about dark went into camp. Fires were made up and +water brought, and the soldiers began to get supper. Pfifer was in a +good humor. He went to get that twenty-five pounds of good, nice, +fat tallow out of his knapsack, and on opening it, lo and behold! it was +a rock that weighed about thirty pounds. Pfifer was struck dumb with +amazement. He looked bewildered, yea, even silly. I do not think he +cursed, because he could not do the subject justice. He looked at that +rock with the death stare of a doomed man. But he suspected Schwartz. +He went to Schwartz's knapsack, and there he found his cake of tallow. +He went to Schwartz and would have killed him had not soldiers interfered +and pulled him off by main force. His eyes blazed and looked like those +of a tiger when he has just torn his victim limb from limb. I would +not have been in Schwartz's shoes for all the tallow in every beef in +Virginia. Captain Harsh made Schwartz carry that rock for two days to +pacify Pfifer. + + +THE COURT-MARTIAL + +One incident came under my observation while in Virginia that made a deep +impression on my mind. One morning, about daybreak, the new guard was +relieving the old guard. It was a bitter cold morning, and on coming to +our extreme outpost, I saw a soldier--he was but a mere boy--either dead +or asleep at his post. The sergeant commanding the relief went up to him +and shook him. He immediately woke up and seemed very much frightened. +He was fast asleep at his post. The sergeant had him arrested and +carried to the guard-house. + +Two days afterwards I received notice to appear before a court-martial at +nine. I was summoned to appear as a witness against him for being asleep +at his post in the enemy's country. An example had to be made of some +one. He had to be tried for his life. The court-martial was made up +of seven or eight officers of a different regiment. The witnesses all +testified against him, charges and specifications were read, and by the +rules of war he had to be shot to death by musketry. The Advocate- +General for the prosecution made the opening speech. He read the law in +a plain, straightforward manner, and said that for a soldier to go to +sleep at his post of duty, while so much depended upon him, was the most +culpable of all crimes, and the most inexcusable. I trembled in my boots, +for on several occasions I knew I had taken a short nap, even on the very +outpost. The Advocate-General went on further to say, that the picket +was the sentinel that held the lives of his countrymen and the liberty +of his country in his hands, and it mattered not what may have been his +record in the past. At one moment he had forfeited his life to his +country. For discipline's sake, if for nothing else, you gentlemen that +make up this court-martial find the prisoner guilty. It is necessary for +you to be firm, gentlemen, for upon your decision depends the safety of +our country. When he had finished, thinks I to myself, "Gone up the +spout, sure; we will have a first-class funeral here before night." + +Well, as to the lawyer who defended him, I cannot now remember his +speeches; but he represented a fair-haired boy leaving his home and +family, telling his father and aged mother and darling little sister +farewell, and spoke of his proud step, though a mere boy, going to defend +his country and his loved ones; but at one weak moment, when nature, +tasked and taxed beyond the bounds of human endurance, could stand no +longer, and upon the still and silent picket post, when the whole army +was hushed in slumber, what wonder is it that he, too, may have fallen +asleep while at his post of duty. + +Some of you gentlemen of this court-martial may have sons, may have +brothers; yes, even fathers, in the army. Where are they tonight? +You love your children, or your brother or father. This mere youth has +a father and mother and sister away back in Tennessee. They are willing +to give him to his country. But oh! gentlemen, let the word go back to +Tennessee that he died upon the battlefield, and not by the hands of his +own comrades for being asleep at his post of duty. I cannot now remember +the speeches, but one thing I do know, that he was acquitted, and I was +glad of it. + + +"THE DEATH WATCH" + +One more scene I can remember. Kind friends--you that know nothing of a +soldier's life--I ask you in all candor not to doubt the following lines +in this sketch. You have no doubt read of the old Roman soldier found +amid the ruins of Pompeii, who had stood there for sixteen hundred years, +and when he was excavated was found at his post with his gun clasped in +his skeleton hands. You believe this because it is written in history. +I have heard politicians tell it. I have heard it told from the sacred +desk. It is true; no one doubts it. + +Now, were I to tell something that happened in this nineteenth century +exactly similar, you would hardly believe it. But whether you believe +it or not, it is for you to say. At a little village called Hampshire +Crossing, our regiment was ordered to go to a little stream called +St. John's Run, to relieve the 14th Georgia Regiment and the 3rd +Arkansas. I cannot tell the facts as I desire to. In fact, my hand +trembles so, and my feelings are so overcome, that it is hard for me to +write at all. But we went to the place that we were ordered to go to, +and when we arrived there we found the guard sure enough. If I remember +correctly, there were just eleven of them. Some were sitting down and +some were lying down; but each and every one was as cold and as hard +frozen as the icicles that hung from their hands and faces and clothing-- +dead! They had died at their post of duty. Two of them, a little in +advance of the others, were standing with their guns in their hands, +as cold and as hard frozen as a monument of marble--standing sentinel +with loaded guns in their frozen hands! The tale is told. Were they +true men? Does He who noteth the sparrow's fall, and numbers the hairs +of our heads, have any interest in one like ourselves? Yes; He doeth +all things well. Not a sparrow falls to the ground without His consent. + + +VIRGINIA, FAREWELL + +After having served through all the valley campaign, and marched through +all the wonders of Northwest Virginia, and being associated with the army +of Virginia, it was with sorrow and regret that we bade farewell to "Old +Virginia's shore," to go to other fields of blood and carnage and death. +We had learned to love Virginia; we love her now. The people were kind +and good to us. They divided their last crust of bread and rasher of +bacon with us. We loved Lee, we loved Jackson; we loved the name, +association and people of Virginia. Hatton, Forbes, Anderson, Gilliam, +Govan, Loring, Ashby and Schumaker were names with which we had been long +associated. We hated to leave all our old comrades behind us. We felt +that we were proving recreant to the instincts of our own manhood, +and that we were leaving those who had stood by us on the march and +battlefield when they most needed our help. We knew the 7th and 14th +Tennessee regiments; we knew the 3rd Arkansas, the 14th Georgia, and 42nd +Virginia regiments. Their names were as familiar as household words. +We were about to leave the bones of Joe Bynum and Gus Allen and Patrick +Hanly. We were about to bid farewell to every tender association that we +had formed with the good people of Virginia, and to our old associates +among the soldiers of the Grand Army of Virginia. _Virginia, farewell!_ +Away back yonder, in good old Tennessee, our homes and loved ones are +being robbed and insulted, our fields laid waste, our cities sacked, +and our people slain. Duty as well as patriotism calls us back to our +native home, to try and defend it, as best we can, against an invading +army of our then enemies; and, Virginia, once more we bid you a long +farewell! + + + + +CHAPTER II + +SHILOH + + +This was the first big battle in which our regiment had ever been +engaged. I do not pretend to tell of what command distinguished itself; +of heroes; of blood and wounds; of shrieks and groans; of brilliant +charges; of cannon captured, etc. I was but a private soldier, and if +I happened to look to see if I could find out anything, "Eyes right, +guide center," was the order. "Close up, guide right, halt, forward, +right oblique, left oblique, halt, forward, guide center, eyes right, +dress up promptly in the rear, steady, double quick, charge bayonets, +fire at will," is about all that a private soldier ever knows of a +battle. He can see the smoke rise and the flash of the enemy's guns, +and he can hear the whistle of the minnie and cannon balls, but he has +got to load and shoot as hard as he can tear and ram cartridge, or he +will soon find out, like the Irishman who had been shooting blank +cartridges, when a ball happened to strike him, and he halloed out, +"Faith, Pat, and be jabbers, them fellows are shooting bullets." But I +nevertheless remember many things that came under my observation in this +battle. I remember a man by the name of Smith stepping deliberately +out of the ranks and shooting his finger off to keep out of the fight; +of another poor fellow who was accidentally shot and killed by the +discharge of another person's gun, and of others suddenly taken sick with +colic. Our regiment was the advance guard on Saturday evening, and did a +little skirmishing; but General Gladden's brigade passed us and assumed +a position in our immediate front. About daylight on Sunday morning, +Chalmers' brigade relieved Gladden's. As Gladden rode by us, a courier +rode up and told him something. I do not know what it was, but I heard +Gladden say, "Tell General Bragg that I have as keen a scent for Yankees +as General Chalmers has." + +On Sunday morning, a clear, beautiful, and still day, the order was +given for the whole army to advance, and to attack immediately. We +were supporting an Alabama brigade. The fire opened--bang, bang, bang, +a rattle de bang, bang, bang, a boom, de bang, bang, bang, boom, bang, +boom, bang, boom, bang, boom, bang, boom, whirr-siz-siz-siz--a ripping, +roaring boom, bang! The air was full of balls and deadly missiles. +The litter corps was carrying off the dying and wounded. We could hear +the shout of the charge and the incessant roar of the guns, the rattle +of the musketry, and knew that the contending forces were engaged in a +breast to breast struggle. But cheering news continued to come back. +Every one who passed would be hailed with, "Well, what news from the +front?" "Well, boys, we are driving 'em. We have captured all their +encampments, everything that they had, and all their provisions and army +stores, and everything." + +As we were advancing to the attack and to support the Alabama brigade in +our front, and which had given way and were stricken with fear, some of +the boys of our regiment would laugh at them, and ask what they were +running for, and would commence to say "Flicker! flicker! flicker!" +like the bird called the yellowhammer, "Flicker! flicker! flicker!" +As we advanced, on the edge of the battlefield, we saw a big fat colonel +of the 23rd Tennessee regiment badly wounded, whose name, if I remember +correctly, was Matt. Martin. He said to us, "Give 'em goss, boys. +That's right, my brave First Tennessee. Give 'em Hail Columbia!" +We halted but a moment, and said I, "Colonel, where are you wounded?" +He answered in a deep bass voice, "My son, I am wounded in the arm, +in the leg, in the head, in the body, and in another place which I have +a delicacy in mentioning." That is what the gallant old Colonel said. +Advancing a little further on, we saw General Albert Sidney Johnson +surrounded by his staff and Governor Harris, of Tennessee. We saw some +little commotion among those who surrounded him, but we did not know at +the time that he was dead. The fact was kept from the troops. + +About noon a courier dashed up and ordered us to go forward and support +General Bragg's center. We had to pass over the ground where troops had +been fighting all day. + +I had heard and read of battlefields, seen pictures of battlefields, +of horses and men, of cannon and wagons, all jumbled together, while the +ground was strewn with dead and dying and wounded, but I must confess +that I never realized the "pomp and circumstance" of the thing called +glorious war until I saw this. Men were lying in every conceivable +position; the dead lying with their eyes wide open, the wounded begging +piteously for help, and some waving their hats and shouting to us to go +forward. It all seemed to me a dream; I seemed to be in a sort of haze, +when siz, siz, siz, the minnie balls from the Yankee line began to +whistle around our ears, and I thought of the Irishman when he said, +"Sure enough, those fellows are shooting bullets!" + +Down would drop first one fellow and then another, either killed or +wounded, when we were ordered to charge bayonets. I had been feeling +mean all the morning as if I had stolen a sheep, but when the order to +charge was given, I got happy. I felt happier than a fellow does when he +professes religion at a big Methodist camp-meeting. I shouted. It was +fun then. Everybody looked happy. We were crowding them. One more +charge, then their lines waver and break. They retreat in wild +confusion. We were jubilant; we were triumphant. Officers could not +curb the men to keep in line. Discharge after discharge was poured into +the retreating line. The Federal dead and wounded covered the ground. + +When in the very midst of our victory, here comes an order to halt. +What! halt after today's victory? Sidney Johnson killed, General Gladden +killed, and a host of generals and other brave men killed, and the whole +Yankee army in full retreat. + +These four letters, h-a-l-t, O, how harsh they did break upon our ears. +The victory was complete, but the word "halt" turned victory into defeat. + +The soldiers had passed through the Yankee camps and saw all the good +things that they had to eat in their sutlers' stores and officers' +marquees, and it was but a short time before every soldier was rummaging +to see what he could find. + +The harvest was great and the laborers were not few. + +The negro boys, who were with their young masters as servants, got rich. +Greenbacks were plentiful, good clothes were plentiful, rations were not +in demand. The boys were in clover. + +This was Sunday. + +On Monday the tide was reversed. + +Now, those Yankees were whipped, fairly whipped, and according to all the +rules of war they ought to have retreated. But they didn't. Flushed +with their victories at Fort Henry and Fort Donelson and the capture of +Nashville, and the whole State of Tennessee having fallen into their +hands, victory was again to perch upon their banners, for Buell's army, +by forced marches, had come to Grant's assistance at the eleventh hour. + +Gunboats and transports were busily crossing Buell's army all of Sunday +night. We could hear their boats ringing their bells, and hear the puff +of smoke and steam from their boilers. Our regiment was the advance +outpost, and we saw the skirmish line of the Federals advancing and then +their main line and then their artillery. We made a good fight on Monday +morning, and I was taken by surprise when the order came for us to +retreat instead of advance. But as I said before, reader, a private +soldier is but an automaton, and knows nothing of what is going on among +the generals, and I am only giving the chronicles of little things and +events that came under my own observation as I saw them then and remember +them now. Should you desire to find out more about the battle, I refer +you to history. + +One incident I recollect very well. A Yankee colonel, riding a fine gray +mare, was sitting on his horse looking at our advance as if we were on +review. W. H. rushed forward and grabbed his horse by the bridle, +telling him at the same time to surrender. The Yankee seized the reins, +set himself back in the saddle, put the muzzle of his pistol in W. H.'s +face and fired. About the time he pulled trigger, a stray ball from some +direction struck him in the side and he fell off dead, and his horse +becoming frightened, galloped off, dragging him through the Confederate +lines. His pistol had missed its aim. + +I have heard hundreds of old soldiers tell of the amount of greenback +money they saw and picked up on the battlefield of Shiloh, but they +thought it valueless and did not trouble themselves with bringing it off +with them. + +One fellow, a courier, who had had his horse killed, got on a mule he had +captured, and in the last charge, before the final and fatal halt was +made, just charged right ahead by his lone self, and the soldiers said, +"Just look at that brave man, charging right in the jaws of death." +He began to seesaw the mule and grit his teeth, and finally yelled out, +"It arn't me, boys, it's this blarsted old mule. Whoa! Whoa!" + +On Monday morning I too captured me a mule. He was not a fast mule, +and I soon found out that he thought he knew as much as I did. He was +wise in his own conceit. He had a propensity to take every hog path he +came to. All the bombasting that I could give him would not make him +accelerate his speed. If blood makes speed, I do not suppose he had a +drop of any kind in him. If I wanted him to go on one side of the road +he was sure to be possessed of an equal desire to go on the other side. +Finally I and my mule fell out. I got a big hickory and would frail +him over the head, and he would only shake his head and flop his ears, +and seem to say, "Well, now, you think you are smart, don't you?" +He was a resolute mule, slow to anger, and would have made an excellent +merchant to refuse bad pay, or I will pay your credit, for his whole +composition seemed to be made up the one word--no. I frequently thought +it would be pleasant to split the difference with that mule, and I would +gladly have done so if I could have gotten one-half of his no. Me and +mule worried along until we came to a creek. Mule did not desire to +cross, while I was trying to persuade him with a big stick, a rock in his +ear, and a twister on his nose. The caisson of a battery was about to +cross. The driver said, "I'll take your mule over for you." So he got a +large two-inch rope, tied one end around the mule's neck and the other to +the caisson, and ordered the driver to whip up. The mule was loath to +take to the water. He was no Baptist, and did not believe in immersion, +and had his views about crossing streams, but the rope began to tighten, +the mule to squeal out his protestations against such villainous +proceedings. The rope, however, was stronger than the mule's "no," +and he was finally prevailed upon by the strength of the rope to cross +the creek. On my taking the rope off he shook himself and seemed to say, +"You think that you are mighty smart folks, but you are a leetle too +smart." I gave it up that that mule's "no" was a little stronger than my +determination. He seemed to be in deep meditation. I got on him again, +when all of a sudden he lifted his head, pricked up his ears, began to +champ his bit, gave a little squeal, got a little faster, and finally +into a gallop and then a run. He seemed all at once to have remembered +or to have forgotten something, and was now making up for lost time. +With all my pulling and seesawing and strength I could not stop him until +he brought up with me at Corinth, Mississippi. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +CORINTH + + +Well, here we were, again "reorganizing," and after our lax discipline +on the road to and from Virginia, and after a big battle, which always +disorganizes an army, what wonder is it that some men had to be shot, +merely for discipline's sake? And what wonder that General Bragg's name +became a terror to deserters and evil doers? Men were shot by scores, +and no wonder the army had to be reorganized. Soldiers had enlisted for +twelve months only, and had faithfully complied with their volunteer +obligations; the terms for which they had enlisted had expired, and they +naturally looked upon it that they had a right to go home. They had +done their duty faithfully and well. They wanted to see their families; +in fact, wanted to go home anyhow. War had become a reality; they were +tired of it. A law had been passed by the Confederate States Congress +called the conscript act. A soldier had no right to volunteer and to +choose the branch of service he preferred. He was conscripted. + +From this time on till the end of the war, a soldier was simply a machine, +a conscript. It was mighty rough on rebels. We cursed the war, we +cursed Bragg, we cursed the Southern Confederacy. All our pride and +valor had gone, and we were sick of war and the Southern Confederacy. + +A law was made by the Confederate States Congress about this time +allowing every person who owned twenty negroes to go home. It gave us +the blues; we wanted twenty negroes. Negro property suddenly became very +valuable, and there was raised the howl of "rich man's war, poor man's +fight." The glory of the war, the glory of the South, the glory and the +pride of our volunteers had no charms for the conscript. + +We were directed to re-elect our officers, and the country was surprised +to see the sample of a conscript's choice. The conscript had no choice. +He was callous, and indifferent whether he had a captain or not. Those +who were at first officers had resigned and gone home, because they were +officers. The poor private, a contemptible conscript, was left to howl +and gnash his teeth. The war might as well have ended then and there. +The boys were "hacked," nay, whipped. They were shorn of the locks of +their glory. They had but one ambition now, and that was to get out +of the army in some way or other. They wanted to join the cavalry or +artillery or home guards or pioneer corps or to be "yaller dogs," or +anything. + +[The average staff officer and courier were always called "yaller dogs," +and were regarded as non-combatants and a nuisance, and the average +private never let one pass without whistling and calling dogs. In fact, +the general had to issue an army order threatening punishment for the +ridicule hurled at staff officers and couriers. They were looked upon +as simply "hangers on," or in other words, as yellow sheep-killing dogs, +that if you would say "booh" at, would yelp and get under their master's +heels. Mike Snyder was General George Maney's "yaller dog," and I +believe here is where Joe Jefferson, in Rip Van Winkle, got the name of +Rip's dog Snyder. At all times of day or night you could hear, "wheer, +hyat, hyat, haer, haer, hugh, Snyder, whoopee, hyat, whoopee, Snyder, +here, here," when a staff officer or courier happened to pass. The +reason of this was that the private knew and felt that there was just +that much more loading, shooting and fighting for him; and there are the +fewest number of instances on record where a staff officer or courier +ever fired a gun in their country's cause; and even at this late day, +when I hear an old soldier telling of being on some general's staff, +I always think of the letter "E." In fact, later in the war I was +detailed as special courier and staff officer for General Hood, which +office I held three days. But while I held the office in passing a guard +I always told them I was on Hood's staff, and ever afterwards I made +those three days' staff business last me the balance of the war. I could +pass any guard in the army by using the magic words, "staff officer." +It beat all the countersigns ever invented. It was the "open sesame" +of war and discipline. ] + +Their last hope had set. They hated war. To their minds the South was +a great tyrant, and the Confederacy a fraud. They were deserting by +thousands. They had no love or respect for General Bragg. When men were +to be shot or whipped, the whole army was marched to the horrid scene to +see a poor trembling wretch tied to a post and a platoon of twelve men +drawn up in line to put him to death, and the hushed command of "Ready, +aim, fire!" would make the soldier, or conscript, I should say, loathe +the very name of Southern Confederacy. And when some miserable wretch +was to be whipped and branded for being absent ten days without leave, +we had to see him kneel down and have his head shaved smooth and slick as +a peeled onion, and then stripped to the naked skin. Then a strapping +fellow with a big rawhide would make the blood flow and spurt at every +lick, the wretch begging and howling like a hound, and then he was +branded with a red hot iron with the letter D on both hips, when he was +marched through the army to the music of the "Rogue's March." It was +enough. None of General Bragg's soldiers ever loved him. They had no +faith in his ability as a general. He was looked upon as a merciless +tyrant. The soldiers were very scantily fed. Bragg never was a good +feeder or commissary-general. Rations with us were always scarce. +No extra rations were ever allowed to the negroes who were with us as +servants. No coffee or whisky or tobacco were ever allowed to be issued +to the troops. If they obtained these luxuries, they were not from the +government. These luxuries were withheld in order to crush the very +heart and spirit of his troops. We were crushed. Bragg was the great +autocrat. In the mind of the soldier, his word was law. He loved to +crush the spirit of his men. The more of a hang-dog look they had about +them the better was General Bragg pleased. Not a single soldier in the +whole army ever loved or respected him. But he is dead now. + +Peace to his ashes! + +We became starved skeletons; naked and ragged rebels. The chronic +diarrhoea became the scourge of the army. Corinth became one vast +hospital. Almost the whole army attended the sick call every morning. +All the water courses went dry, and we used water out of filthy pools. + +Halleck was advancing; we had to fortify Corinth. A vast army, Grant, +Buell, Halleck, Sherman, all were advancing on Corinth. Our troops +were in no condition to fight. In fact, they had seen enough of this +miserable yet tragic farce. They were ready to ring down the curtain, +put out the footlights and go home. They loved the Union anyhow, and +were always opposed to this war. But breathe softly the name of Bragg. +It had more terror than the advancing hosts of Halleck's army. The shot +and shell would come tearing through our ranks. Every now and then a +soldier was killed or wounded, and we thought what "magnificent" folly. +Death was welcome. Halleck's whole army of blue coats had no terror now. +When we were drawn up in line of battle, a detail of one-tenth of the +army was placed in our rear to shoot us down if we ran. No pack of +hounds under the master's lash, or body of penitentiary convicts were +ever under greater surveillance. We were tenfold worse than slaves; +our morale was a thing of the past; the glory of war and the pride of +manhood had been sacrificed upon Bragg's tyrannical holocaust. But +enough of this. + + +ROWLAND SHOT TO DEATH + +One morning I went over to the 23rd Tennessee Regiment on a visit to +Captain Gray Armstrong and Colonel Jim Niel, both of whom were glad to +see me, as we were old ante-bellum friends. While at Colonel Niel's +marquee I saw a detail of soldiers bring out a man by the name of Rowland, +whom they were going to shoot to death with musketry, by order of a +court-martial, for desertion. I learned that he had served out the term +for which he had originally volunteered, had quit our army and joined +that of the Yankees, and was captured with Prentiss' Yankee brigade +at Shiloh. He was being hauled to the place of execution in a wagon, +sitting on an old gun box, which was to be his coffin. When they got to +the grave, which had been dug the day before, the water had risen in it, +and a soldier was baling it out. Rowland spoke up and said, "Please hand +me a drink of that water, as I want to drink out of my own grave so the +boys will talk about it when I am dead, and remember Rowland." They +handed him the water and he drank all there was in the bucket, and +handing it back asked them to please hand him a little more, as he had +heard that water was very scarce in hell, and it would be the last he +would ever drink. He was then carried to the death post, and there he +began to cut up jack generally. He began to curse Bragg, Jeff. Davis, +and the Southern Confederacy, and all the rebels at a terrible rate. +He was simply arrogant and very insulting. I felt that he deserved +to die. He said he would show the rebels how a Union man could die. +I do not know what all he did say. When the shooting detail came up, +he went of his own accord and knelt down at the post. The Captain +commanding the squad gave the command, "Ready, aim, fire!" and Rowland +tumbled over on his side. It was the last of Rowland. + + +KILLING A YANKEE SHARPSHOOTER + +In our immediate front, at Corinth, Mississippi, our men were being +picked off by sharpshooters, and a great many were killed, but no one +could tell where the shots came from. At one particular post it was +sure death. Every detail that had been sent to this post for a week had +been killed. In distributing the detail this post fell to Tom Webb and +myself. They were bringing off a dead boy just as we went on duty. +Colonel George C. Porter, of the 6th Tennessee, warned us to keep a good +lookout. We took our stands. A minnie ball whistled right by my head. +I don't think it missed me an eighth of an inch. Tom had sat down on an +old chunk of wood, and just as he took his seat, zip! a ball took the +chunk of wood. Tom picked it up and began laughing at our tight place. +Happening to glance up towards the tree tops, I saw a smoke rising above +a tree, and about the same time I saw a Yankee peep from behind the tree, +up among the bushes. I quickly called Tom's attention to it, and pointed +out the place. We could see his ramrod as he handled it while loading +his gun; saw him raise his gun, as we thought, to put a cap on it. +Tom in the meantime had lain flat on his belly and placed his gun across +the chunk he had been sitting on. I had taken a rest for my gun by the +side of a sapling, and both of us had dead aim at the place where the +Yankee was. Finally we saw him sort o' peep round the tree, and we moved +about a little so that he might see us, and as we did so, the Yankee +stepped out in full view, and bang, bang! Tom and I had both shot. +We saw that Yankee tumble out like a squirrel. It sounded like distant +thunder when that Yankee struck the ground. We heard the Yankees carry +him off. One thing I am certain of, and that is, not another Yankee went +up that tree that day, and Colonel George C. Porter complimented Tom and +I very highly on our success. This is where I first saw a jack o'lantern +(ignis fatui). That night, while Tom and I were on our posts, we saw a +number of very dim lights, which seemed to be in motion. At first we +took them to be Yankees moving about with lights. Whenever we could get +a shot we would blaze away. At last one got up very close, and passed +right between Tom and I. I don't think I was ever more scared in my +life. My hair stood on end like the quills of the fretful porcupine; +I could not imagine what on earth it was. I took it to be some hellish +machination of a Yankee trick. I did not know whether to run or stand, +until I heard Tom laugh and say, "Well, well, that's a jack o'lantern." + + +COLONEL FIELD + +Before proceeding further with these memoirs, I desire to give short +sketches of two personages with whom we were identified and closely +associated until the winding up of the ball. The first is Colonel +Hume R. Field. Colonel Field was born a soldier. I have read many +descriptions of Stonewall Jackson. Colonel Field was his exact +counterpart. They looked somewhat alike, spoke alike, and alike were +trained military soldiers. The War Department at Richmond made a +grand mistake in not making him a "commander of armies." He was not +a brilliant man; could not talk at all. He was a soldier. His +conversation was yea and nay. But when you could get "yes, sir," and "no, +sir," out of him his voice was as soft and gentle as a maid's when she +says "yes" to her lover. Fancy, if you please, a man about thirty years +old, a dark skin, made swarthy by exposure to sun and rain, very black +eyes that seemed to blaze with a gentle luster. I never saw him the +least excited in my life. His face was a face of bronze. His form was +somewhat slender, but when you looked at him you saw at the first glance +that this would be a dangerous man in a ground skuffle, a foot race, +or a fight. There was nothing repulsive or forbidding or even +domineering in his looks. A child or a dog would make up with him on +first sight. He knew not what fear was, or the meaning of the word fear. +He had no nerves, or rather, has a rock or tree any nerves? You might as +well try to shake the nerves of a rock or tree as those of Colonel Field. +He was the bravest man, I think, I ever knew. Later in the war he was +known by every soldier in the army; and the First Tennessee Regiment, +by his manipulations, became the regiment to occupy "tight places." +He knew his men. When he struck the Yankee line they felt the blow. +He had, himself, set the example, and so trained his regiment that all +the armies in the world could not whip it. They might kill every man in +it, is true, but they would die game to the last man. His men all loved +him. He was no disciplinarian, but made his regiment what it was by his +own example. And every day on the march you would see some poor old +ragged rebel riding his fine gray mare, and he was walking. + + +CAPTAIN JOE P. LEE + +The other person I wish to speak of is Captain Joe P. Lee. Captain Henry +J. Webster was our regular captain, but was captured while on furlough, +sent to a northern prison and died there, and Joe went up by promotion. +He was quite a young man, about twenty-one years old, but as brave as +any old Roman soldier that ever lived. Joe's face was ever wreathed in +smiles, and from the beginning to the end he was ever at the head of his +company. I do not think that any member of the company ever did call him +by his title. He was called simply "Joe Lee," or more frequently "Black +Perch." While on duty he was strict and firm, but off duty he was "one +of us boys." We all loved and respected him, but everybody knows Joe, +and further comment is unnecessary. + +I merely mention these two persons because in this rapid sketch I may +have cause occasionally to mention them, and only wish to introduce them +to the reader, so he may understand more fully my ideas. But, reader, +please remember that I am not writing a history at all, and do not +propose in these memoirs to be anybody's biographer. I am only giving my +own impressions. If other persons think differently from me it is all +right, and I forgive them. + + +CORINTH FORSAKEN + +One morning a detail was sent to burn up and destroy all the provisions +and army stores, and to blow up the arsenal. The town was in a blaze +of fire and the arsenal was roaring and popping and bellowing like +pandemonium turned loose as we marched through Corinth on the morning of +the evacuation. We bade farewell to Corinth. Its history was black and +dark and damning. No little speck of green oasis ever enlivened the dark +recesses of our memory while at this place. It's a desert that lives +only in bitter memories. It was but one vast graveyard that entombed +the life and spirit of once brave and chivalrous men. We left it to +the tender mercies of the Yankees without one tear of sorrow or regret, +and bade it farewell forever. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +TUPELO + + +We went into summer quarters at Tupelo. Our principal occupation at this +place was playing poker, chuck-a-luck and cracking graybacks (lice). +Every soldier had a brigade of lice on him, and I have seen fellows so +busily engaged in cracking them that it reminded me of an old woman +knitting. At first the boys would go off in the woods and hide to louse +themselves, but that was unnecessary, the ground fairly crawled with +lice. Pharaoh's people, when they were resisting old Moses, never +enjoyed the curse of lice more than we did. The boys would frequently +have a louse race. There was one fellow who was winning all the money; +his lice would run quicker and crawl faster than anybody's lice. We +could not understand it. If some fellow happened to catch a fierce- +looking louse, he would call on Dornin for a race. Dornin would come and +always win the stake. The lice were placed in plates--this was the race +course--and the first that crawled off was the winner. At last we found +out D.'s trick; he always heated his plate. + +Billy P. said he had no lice on him. + +"Did you ever look?" + +"No." + +"How do you know then?" + +"If ignorance is bliss 'tis folly to be wise," said Billy. + +"Why, there is one crawling on your bosom now." + +Billy took him and put him back in his bosom and said to the louse, +"You stay there now; this makes the fourth time I have put you back, +and if I catch you out again today I'll martyr you." + +Billy was philosophic--the death of one louse did not stop the breed. + + +THE COURT MARTIAL AT TUPELO + +At this place was held the grand court-martial. Almost every day we +would hear a discharge of musketry, and knew that some poor, trembling +wretch had bid farewell to mortal things here below. It seemed to be +but a question of time with all of us as to when we too would be shot. +We were afraid to chirp. So far now as patriotism was concerned, we had +forgotten all about that, and did not now so much love our country as we +feared Bragg. Men were being led to the death stake every day. I heard +of many being shot, but did not see but two men shot myself. I do not +know to what regiment they belonged, but I remember that they were mere +beardless boys. I did not learn for what crime or the magnitude of their +offenses. They might have deserved death for all I know. + +I saw an old man, about sixty years old, whose name was Dave Brewer, +and another man, about forty-five, by the name of Rube Franklin, whipped. +There was many a man whipped and branded that I never saw or heard tell +of. But the reason I remembered these two was that they belonged to +Company A of the 23rd Tennessee Regiment, and I knew many men in the +regiment. + +These two men were hung up by the hands, after having their heads shaved, +to a tree, put there for the purpose, with the prongs left on them, +and one hand was stretched toward one prong and the other hand to another +prong, their feet, perhaps, just touching the ground. The man who did +the whipping had a thick piece of sole-leather, the end of which was cut +in three strips, and this tacked on to the end of a paddle. After the +charges and specifications had been read (both men being stark naked), +the whipper "lit in" on Rube, who was the youngest. I do not think he +intended to hit as hard as he did, but, being excited himself, he +blistered Rube from head to foot. Thirty-nine lashes was always the +number. Now, three times thirty-nine makes one hundred and seventeen. +When he struck at all, one lick would make three whelps. When he had +finished Rube, the Captain commanding the whipping squad told him to lay +it on old man Brewer as light as the law would allow, that old man Brewer +was so old that he would die--that he could not stand it. He struck old +man Dave Brewer thirty-nine lashes, but they were laid on light. Old +Dave didn't beg and squall like Rube did. He j-e-s-t did whip old man +Dave. Like the old preacher who caught the bear on Sunday. They had him +up before the church, agreed to let him off if he did not again set his +trap. "Well," he said, "brethren, I j-e-s-t did set it." + + +RAIDING ON ROASTINGEARS + +At this place General Bragg issued an order authorizing citizens to +defend themselves against the depredations of soldiers--to shoot them +down if caught depredating. + +Well, one day Byron Richardson and myself made a raid on an old citizen's +roastingear patch. We had pulled about all the corn that we could carry. +I had my arms full and was about starting for camp, when an old citizen +raised up and said, "Stop there! drop that corn." He had a double- +barreled shotgun cocked and leveled at my breast. + +"Come and go with me to General Bragg's headquarters. I intend to take +you there, by the living God!" + +I was in for it. Directed to go in front, I was being marched to Bragg's +headquarters. I could see the devil in the old fellow's eye. I tried to +beg off with good promises, but the old fellow was deaf to all entreaty. +I represented to him all of our hardships and suffering. But the old +fellow was inexorable. I was being steadily carried toward Bragg's +headquarters. I was determined not to see General Bragg, even if the old +citizen shot me in the back. When all at once a happy thought struck me. +Says I, "Mister, Byron Richardson is in your field, and if you will go +back we can catch him and you can take both of us to General Bragg." +The old fellow's spunk was up. He had captured me so easy, he no doubt +thought he could whip a dozen. We went back a short distance, and there +was Byron, who had just climbed over the fence and had his arms full, +when the old citizen, diverted from me, leveled his double-barrel at +Byron, when I made a grab for his gun, which was accidentally discharged +in the air, and with the assistance of Byron, we had the old fellow and +his gun both. The table was turned. We made the old fellow gather as +much as he could carry, and made him carry it nearly to camp, when we +dismissed him, a wiser if not a better and richer man. We took his gun +and bent it around a black jack tree. He was at the soldiers' mercy. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +KENTUCKY + + +WE GO INTO KENTUCKY + +After being thoroughly reorganized at Tupelo, and the troops had +recovered their health and spirits, we made an advance into Kentucky. +We took the cars at Tupelo and went to Mobile, from thence across Mobile +Bay to Montgomery, Alabama, then to Atlanta, from there to Chattanooga, +and then over the mountains afoot to the blue-grass regions of Kentucky-- +the dark and bloody ground. Please remember, patient reader, that I +write entirely from memory. I have no data or diary or anything to go by, +and memory is a peculiar faculty. I find that I cannot remember towns +and battles, and remember only the little things. I remember how gladly +the citizens of Kentucky received us. I thought they had the prettiest +girls that God ever made. They could not do too much for us. They had +heaps and stacks of cooked rations along our route, with wine and cider +everywhere, and the glad shouts of "Hurrah for our Southern boys!" +greeted and welcomed us at every house. Ah, the boys felt like soldiers +again. The bands played merrier and livelier tunes. It was the patient +convalescing; the fever had left him, he was getting fat and strong; +the old fire was seen to illuminate his eyes; his step was buoyant and +proud; he felt ashamed that he had ever been "hacked"; he could fight +now. It was the same old proud soldier of yore. The bands played "Dixie" +and the "Bonnie Blue Flag," the citizens cheered, and the ladies waved +their handkerchiefs and threw us bouquets. Ah, those were halcyon days, +and your old soldier, kind reader, loves to recall that happy period. +Mumfordsville had been captured with five thousand prisoners. New +recruits were continually joining our ranks. + +Camp Dick Robinson, that immense pile of army stores, had fallen into our +hands. We rode upon the summit of the wave of success. The boys had got +clean clothes, and had their faces washed. I saw then what I had long +since forgotten--a "cockade." The Kentucky girls made cockades for us, +and almost every soldier had one pinned on his hat. But stirring events +were hastening on, the black cloud of battle and war had begun then to +appear much larger than a man's hand, in fact we could see the lightning +flash and hear the thunder roar. + +We were at Harrodsburg; the Yankees were approaching Perryville under +General Buell. The Yankees had been dogging our rear, picking up our +stragglers and capturing some of our wagon trains. + +This good time that we were having was too good to last. We were in an +ecstasy akin to heaven. We were happy; the troops were jubilant; our +manhood blood pulsated more warmly; our patriotism was awakened; our +pride was renewed and stood ready for any emergency; we felt that one +Southern man could whip twenty Yankees. All was lovely and the goose +hung high. We went to dances and parties every night. + +When General Chalmers marched to Perryville, in flanking and surrounding +Mumfordsville, we marched the whole night long. We, the private soldiers, +did not know what was going on among the generals. All that we had to do +was march, march, march. It mattered not how tired, hungry, or thirsty +we were. All that we had to do was to march that whole night long, +and every staff officer who would pass, some fellow would say, "Hey, +mister, how far is it to Mumfordsville?" He would answer, "five miles." +It seemed to me we traveled a hundred miles and were always within five +miles of Mumfordsville. That night we heard a volley of musketry in our +immediate front, and did not know what it meant, but soon we came to +where a few soldiers had lighted some candles and were holding them +over the body of a dead soldier. It was Captain Allison, if I remember +rightly, of General Cheatham's staff. He was very bloody, and had his +clothes riddled with balls. I heard that he rode on in front of the +advance guard of our army, and had no doubt discovered the Yankee picket, +and came galloping back at full speed in the dark, when our advance guard +fired on and killed him. + +We laid down in a graveyard that night and slept, and when we awoke the +sun was high in the heavens, shining in our faces. Mumfordsville had +surrendered. The next day Dr. C. T. Quintard let me ride his horse +nearly all day, while he walked with the webfeet. + + +THE BATTLE OF PERRYVILLE + +In giving a description of this most memorable battle, I do not pretend +to give you figures, and describe how this general looked and how that +one spoke, and the other one charged with drawn sabre, etc. I know +nothing of these things--see the history for that. I was simply a +soldier of the line, and I only write of the things I saw. I was in +every battle, skirmish and march that was made by the First Tennessee +Regiment during the war, and I do not remember of a harder contest and +more evenly fought battle than that of Perryville. If it had been two +men wrestling, it would have been called a "dog fall." Both sides claim +the victory--both whipped. + +I stood picket in Perryville the night before the battle--a Yankee on +one side of the street, and I on the other. We got very friendly during +the night, and made a raid upon a citizen's pantry, where we captured +a bucket of honey, a pitcher of sweet milk, and three or four biscuit. +The old citizen was not at home--he and his whole household had gone +visiting, I believe. In fact, I think all of the citizens of Perryville +were taken with a sudden notion of promiscuous visiting about this time; +at least they were not at home to all callers. + +At length the morning dawned. Our line was drawn up on one side of +Perryville, the Yankee army on the other. The two enemies that were soon +to meet in deadly embrace seemed to be eyeing each other. The blue coats +lined the hillside in plain view. You could count the number of their +regiments by the number of their flags. We could see the huge war dogs +frowning at us, ready at any moment to belch forth their fire and smoke, +and hurl their thunderbolts of iron and death in our very midst. + +I wondered why the fighting did not begin. Never on earth were our +troops more eager for the engagement to open. The Yankees commenced to +march toward their left, and we marched almost parallel to our right-- +both sides watching each other's maneuvers and movements. It was but the +lull that precedes the storm. Colonel Field was commanding our brigade, +and Lieutenant-Colonel Patterson our regiment. About 12 o'clock, while +we were marching through a corn field, in which the corn had been shocked, +they opened their war dogs upon us. The beginning of the end had come. +Here is where Captain John F. Wheless was wounded, and three others, +whose names I have forgotten. The battle now opened in earnest, and from +one end of the line to the other seemed to be a solid sheet of blazing +smoke and fire. Our regiment crossed a stream, being preceded by +Wharton's Texas Rangers, and we were ordered to attack at once with +vigor. Here General Maney's horse was shot. From this moment the battle +was a mortal struggle. Two lines of battle confronted us. We killed +almost every one in the first line, and were soon charging over the +second, when right in our immediate front was their third and main line +of battle from which four Napoleon guns poured their deadly fire. + +We did not recoil, but our line was fairly hurled back by the leaden hail +that was poured into our very faces. Eight color-bearers were killed at +one discharge of their cannon. We were right up among the very wheels +of their Napoleon guns. It was death to retreat now to either side. +Our Lieutenant-Colonel Patterson halloed to charge and take their guns, +and we were soon in a hand-to-hand fight--every man for himself--using +the butts of our guns and bayonets. One side would waver and fall back a +few yards, and would rally, when the other side would fall back, leaving +the four Napoleon guns; and yet the battle raged. Such obstinate +fighting I never had seen before or since. The guns were discharged +so rapidly that it seemed the earth itself was in a volcanic uproar. +The iron storm passed through our ranks, mangling and tearing men to +pieces. The very air seemed full of stifling smoke and fire which seemed +the very pit of hell, peopled by contending demons. + +Our men were dead and dying right in the very midst of this grand havoc +of battle. It was a life to life and death to death grapple. The sun +was poised above us, a great red ball sinking slowly in the west, yet the +scene of battle and carnage continued. I cannot describe it. The mantle +of night fell upon the scene. I do not know which side whipped, but I +know that I helped bring off those four Napoleon guns that night though +we were mighty easy about it. + +They were given to Turner's Battery of our brigade and had the name of +our Lieutenant-Colonel Patterson and our color-bearer, Mitchell, both of +whom were killed, inscribed on two of the pieces. I have forgotten the +names inscribed on the other two pieces. I saw these very four guns +surrendered at Missionary Ridge. But of this another time. + +The battle of Perryville presented a strange scene. The dead, dying, +and wounded of both armies, Confederate and Federal, were blended in +inextricable confusion. Now and then a cluster of dead Yankees and close +by a cluster of dead Rebels. It was like the Englishman's grog--'alf and +'alf. Now, if you wish, kind reader, to find out how many were killed +and wounded, I refer you to the histories. + +I remember one little incident that I laughed at while in the very midst +of battle. We were charging through an old citizen's yard, when a big +yellow cur dog ran out and commenced snapping at the soldiers' legs-- +they kicking at him to keep him off. The next morning he was lying near +the same place, but he was a dead dog. + +I helped bring off our wounded that night. We worked the whole night. +The next morning about daylight a wounded comrade, Sam Campbell, +complained of being cold, and asked me to lie down beside him. I did so, +and was soon asleep; when I awoke the poor fellow was stiff and cold in +death. His spirit had flown to its home beyond the skies. + +After the battle was over, John T. Tucker, Scott Stephens, A. S. Horsley +and I were detailed to bring off our wounded that night, and we helped +to bring off many a poor dying comrade--Joe Thompson, Billy Bond, Byron +Richardson, the two Allen boys--brothers, killed side by side--and +Colonel Patterson, who was killed standing right by my side. He was +first shot through the hand, and was wrapping his handkerchief around it, +when another ball struck and killed him. I saw W. J. Whittorne, then a +strippling boy of fifteen years of age, fall, shot through the neck and +collar-bone. He fell apparently dead, when I saw him all at once jump up, +grab his gun and commence loading and firing, and I heard him say, +"D--n 'em, I'll fight 'em as long as I live." Whit thought he was killed, +but he is living yet. We helped bring off a man by the name of Hodge, +with his under jaw shot off, and his tongue lolling out. We brought off +Captain Lute B. Irvine. Lute was shot through the lungs and was vomiting +blood all the while, and begging us to lay him down and let him die. +But Lute is living yet. Also, Lieutenant Woldridge, with both eyes shot +out. I found him rambling in a briar-patch. About fifty members of the +Rock City Guards were killed and nearly one hundred wounded. They were +led by Captains W. D. Kelley, Wheless, and Steele. Lieutenant Thomas +H. Maney was badly wounded. I saw dead on the battlefield a Federal +General by the name of Jackson. It was his brigade that fought us so +obstinately at this place, and I did hear that they were made up in +Kentucky. Colonel Field, then commanding our brigade, and on his fine +gray mare, rode up almost face to face with General Jackson, before +he was killed, and Colonel Field was shooting all the time with his +seven-shooting rifle. I cannot tell the one-half, or even remember at +this late date, the scenes of blood and suffering that I witnessed on +the battlefield of Perryville. But its history, like all the balance, +has gone into the history of the war, and it has been twenty years ago, +and I write entirely from memory. I remember Lieutenant Joe P. Lee and +Captain W. C. Flournoy standing right at the muzzle of the Napoleon guns, +and the next moment seemed to be enveloped in smoke and fire from the +discharge of the cannon. When the regiment recoiled under the heavy +firing and at the first charge, Billy Webster and I stopped behind a +large oak tree and continued to fire at the Yankees until the regiment +was again charging upon the four Napoleon guns, heavily supported by +infantry. We were not more than twenty paces from them; and here I was +shot through the hat and cartridge-box. I remember this, because at +that time Billy and I were in advance of our line, and whenever we saw +a Yankee rise to shoot, we shot him; and I desire to mention here that +a braver or more noble boy was never created on earth than was Billy +Webster. Everybody liked him. He was the flower and chivalry of our +regiment. His record as a brave and noble boy will ever live in the +hearts of his old comrades that served with him in Company H. He is up +yonder now, and we shall meet again. In these memoirs I only tell what I +saw myself, and in this way the world will know the truth. Now, citizen, +let me tell you what you never heard before, and this is this--there were +many men with the rank and pay of general, who were not generals; there +were many men with the rank and pay of privates who would have honored +and adorned the name of general. Now, I will state further that a +private soldier was a private. + +It mattered not how ignorant a corporal might be, he was always right; +it mattered not how intelligent the private might be (and so on up); +the sergeant was right over the corporal, the sergeant-major over the +sergeant, the lieutenant over him, and the captain over him, and the +major over him, and the colonel over him, and the general over him, +and so on up to Jeff Davis. You see, a private had no right to know +anything, and that is why generals did all the fighting, and that is +today why generals and colonels and captains are great men. They fought +the battles of our country. The privates did not. The generals risked +their reputation, the private soldier his life. No one ever saw a +private in battle. His history would never be written. It was the +generals that everybody saw charge such and such, with drawn sabre, +his eyes flashing fire, his nostrils dilated, and his clarion voice +ringing above the din of battle--"in a horn," over the left. + +Bill Johns and Marsh Pinkard would have made Generals that would have +distinguished themselves and been an honor to the country. + +I know today many a private who would have made a good General. I know +of many a General who was better fitted to be excused from detail and +fights, to hang around a camp and draw rations for the company. A +private had no way to distinguish himself. He had to keep in ranks, +either in a charge or a retreat. But now, as the Generals and Colonels +fill all the positions of honor and emoluments, the least I say, the +better. + + +THE RETREAT OUT OF KENTUCKY + +From Perryville we went to Camp Dick Robinson and drew three days' +rations, and then set fire to and destroyed all those great deposits of +army stores which would have supplied the South for a year. We ate those +rations and commenced our retreat out of Kentucky with empty haversacks +and still emptier stomachs. + +We supposed our general and commissaries knew what they were doing, +and at night we would again draw rations, but we didn't. + +The Yankee cavalry are worrying our rear guards. There is danger of an +attack at any moment. No soldier is allowed to break ranks. + +We thought, well surely we will draw rations tonight. But we didn't. +We are marching for Cumberland Gap; the country has long ago been made +desolate by the alternate occupation of both armies. There are no +provisions in the country. It has long since been laid waste. We wanted +rations, but we did not get them. + +Fourth day out--Cumberland Gap in the distance--a great indenture in the +ranges of Cumberland mountains. The scene was grand. But grand scenery +had but little attraction for a hungry soldier. Surely we will get +rations at Cumberland Gap. Toil on up the hill, and when half way up +the hill, "Halt!"--march back down to the foot of the hill to defend the +cavalry. I was hungry. A cavalryman was passing our regiment with a +pile of scorched dough on the pummel of his saddle. Says I, "Halt! +I am going to have a pattock of that bread." "Don't give it to him! +don't give it to him!" was yelled out from all sides. I cocked my gun +and was about to raise it to my shoulder, when he handed me over a +pattock of scorched dough, and every fellow in Company H made a grab +for it, and I only got about two or three mouthfuls. About dark a wild +heifer ran by our regiment, and I pulled down on her. We killed and +skinned her, and I cut off about five pounds of hindquarter. In three +minutes there was no sign of that beef left to tell the tale. We ate +that beef raw and without salt. + +Only eight miles now to Cumberland Gap, and we will get rations now. +But we didn't. We descended the mountain on the southern side. No +rations yet. + +Well, says I, this won't do me. I am going to hunt something to eat, +Bragg or no Bragg. I turned off the road and struck out through the +country, but had gone but a short distance before I came across a group +of soldiers clambering over something. It was Tom Tuck with a barrel of +sorghum that he had captured from a good Union man. He was selling it +out at five dollars a quart. I paid my five dollars, and by pushing and +scrouging I finally got my quart. I sat down and drank it; it was bully; +it was not so good; it was not worth a cent; I was sick, and have never +loved sorghum since. + +Along the route it was nothing but tramp, tramp, tramp, and no sound or +noise but the same inevitable, monotonous tramp, tramp, tramp, up hill +and down hill, through long and dusty lanes, weary, wornout and hungry. +No cheerful warble of a merry songster would ever greet our ears. +It was always tramp, tramp, tramp. You might, every now and then, +hear the occasional words, "close up;" but outside of that, it was but +the same tramp, tramp, tramp. I have seen soldiers fast asleep, and no +doubt dreaming of home and loved ones there, as they staggered along in +their places in the ranks. I know that on many a weary night's march I +have slept, and slept soundly, while marching along in my proper place +in the ranks of the company, stepping to the same step as the soldier +in front of me did. Sometimes, when weary, broken down and worn out, +some member of the regiment would start a tune, and every man would join +in. John Branch was usually the leader of the choir. He would commence +a beautiful tune. The words, as I remember them now, were "Dear Paul, +Just Twenty Years Ago." After singing this piece he would commence on a +lively, spirit-stirring air to the tune of "Old Uncle Ned." Now, reader, +it has been twenty years ago since I heard it, but I can remember a part +of it now. Here it is: + + "There was an ancient individual whose cognomen was Uncle Edward. + He departed this life long since, long since. + He had no capillary substance on the top of his cranium, + The place where the capillary substance ought to vegetate. + + His digits were as long as the bamboo piscatorial implement of the + Southern Mississippi. + He had no oculars to observe the beauties of nature. + He had no ossified formation to masticate his daily rations, + So he had to let his daily rations pass by with impunity." + +Walker Coleman raises the tune of "I'se a gwine to jine the rebel band, +a fightin' for my home." + +Now, reader, the above is all I can now remember of that very beautiful +and soul-stirring air. But the boys would wake up and step quicker and +livelier for some time, and Arthur Fulghum would holloa out, "All right; +go ahead!" and then would toot! toot! as if the cars were starting-- +puff! puff! puff and then he would say, "Tickets, gentlemen; tickets, +gentlemen." like he was conductor on a train of cars. This little +episode would be over, and then would commence the same tramp, tramp, +tramp, all night long. Step by step, step by step, we continued to plod +and nod and stagger and march, tramp, tramp, tramp. After a while we +would see the morning star rise in the east, and then after a while the +dim gray twilight, and finally we could discover the outlines of our file +leader, and after a while could make out the outlines of trees and other +objects. And as it would get lighter and lighter, and day would be about +to break, cuckoo, cuckoo, cuckoo, would come from Tom Tuck's rooster. +[Tom carried a game rooster, that he called "Fed" for Confederacy, +all through the war in a haversack.] And then the sun would begin to +shoot his slender rays athwart the eastern sky, and the boys would wake +up and begin laughing and talking as if they had just risen from a good +feather bed, and were perfectly refreshed and happy. We would usually +stop at some branch or other about breakfast time, and all wash our hands +and faces and eat breakfast, if we had any, and then commence our weary +march again. If we were halted for one minute, every soldier would drop +down, and resting on his knapsack, would go to sleep. Sometimes the +sleeping soldiers were made to get up to let some general and his staff +pass by. But whenever that was the case, the general always got a worse +cursing than when Noah cursed his son Ham black and blue. I heard Jessee +Ely do this once. + +We march on. The scene of a few days ago comes unbidden to my mind. +Tramp, tramp, tramp, the soldiers are marching. Where are many of my old +friends and comrades, whose names were so familiar at every roll call, +and whose familiar "Here" is no more? They lie yonder at Perryville, +unburied, on the field of battle. They lie where they fell. More than +three hundred and fifty members of my regiment, the First Tennessee, +numbered among the killed and wounded--one hundred and eighty-five slain +on the field of battle. Who are they? Even then I had to try to think +up the names of all the slain of Company H alone. Their spirits seemed +to be with us on the march, but we know that their souls are with their +God. Their bones, today, no doubt, bleach upon the battlefield. They +left their homes, families, and loved ones a little more than one short +twelve months ago, dressed in their gray uniforms, amid the applause and +cheering farewells of those same friends. They lie yonder; no friendly +hands ever closed their eyes in death; no kind, gentle, and loving mother +was there to shed a tear over and say farewell to her darling boy; +no sister's gentle touch ever wiped the death damp from off their dying +brows. Noble boys; brave boys! They willingly gave their lives to their +country's cause. Their bodies and bones are mangled and torn by the rude +missiles of war. They sleep the sleep of the brave. They have given +their all to their country. We miss them from our ranks. There are no +more hard marches and scant rations for them. They have accomplished all +that could be required of them. They are no more; their names are soon +forgotten. They are put down in the roll-book as killed. They are +forgotten. We will see them no more until the last reveille on the last +morning of the final resurrection. Soldiers, comrades, friends, noble +boys, farewell we will meet no more on earth, but up yonder some day we +will have a grand reunion. + + +KNOXVILLE + +The first night after crossing Cumberland Gap--I have forgotten the date, +but I know it was very early in the fall of the year; we had had no +frost or cold weather, and our marches all through Kentucky had been +characterized by very dry weather, it not having rained a drop on us +during the whole time--about four o'clock in the morning it began to snow, +and the next morning the ground was covered with a deep snow; the trees +and grass and everything of the vegetable kingdom still green. + +When we got back to Knoxville we were the lousiest, dirtiest, raggedest +looking Rebels you ever saw. I had been shot through the hat and +cartridge-box at Perryville, and had both on, and the clothing I then had +on was all that I had in the world. William A. Hughes and I were walking +up the street looking at the stores, etc., when we met two of the +prettiest girls I ever saw. They ran forward with smiling faces, and +seemed very glad to see us. I thought they were old acquaintances of +Hughes, and Hughes thought they were old acquaintances of mine. We were +soon laughing and talking as if we had been old friends, when one of the +young ladies spoke up and said, "Gentlemen, there is a supper for the +soldiers at the Ladies' Association rooms, and we are sent out to bring +in all the soldiers we can find." We spoke up quickly and said, "Thank +you, thank you, young ladies," and I picked out the prettiest one and +said, "Please take my arm," which she did, and Hughes did the same with +the other one, and we went in that style down the street. I imagine we +were a funny looking sight. I know one thing, I felt good all over, +and as proud as a boy with his first pants, and when we got to that +supper room those young ladies waited on us, and we felt as grand as +kings. To you, ladies, I say, God bless you! + + +AH, "SNEAK" + +Almost every soldier in the army--generals, colonels, captains, as well +as privates--had a nick-name; and I almost believe that had the war +continued ten years, we would have forgotten our proper names. John +T. Tucker was called "Sneak," A. S. Horsley was called "Don Von One +Horsley," W. A. Hughes was called "Apple Jack," Green Rieves was called +"Devil Horse," the surgeon of our regiment was called "Old Snake," +Bob Brank was called "Count," the colonel of the Fourth was called "Guide +Post," E. L. Lansdown was called "Left Tenant," some were called by +the name of "Greasy," some "Buzzard," others "Hog," and "Brutus," and +"Cassius," and "Caesar," "Left Center," and "Bolderdust," and "Old +Hannah;" in fact, the nick-names were singular and peculiar, and when a +man got a nick-name it stuck to him like the Old Man of the Sea did to +the shoulders of Sinbad, the sailor. + +On our retreat the soldiers got very thirsty for tobacco (they always +used the word thirsty), and they would sometimes come across an old field +off which the tobacco had been cut and the suckers had re-sprouted from +the old stalk, and would cut off these suckers and dry them by the fire +and chew them. "Sneak" had somehow or other got hold of a plug or two, +and knowing that he would be begged for a chew, had cut it up in little +bits of pieces about one-fourth of a chew. Some fellow would say, "Sneak, +please give me a chew of tobacco." Sneak would say, "I don't believe +I have a piece left," and then he would begin to feel in his pockets. +He would pull that hand out and feel in another pocket, and then in his +coat pockets, and hid away down in an odd corner of his vest pocket he +would accidentally find a little chew, just big enough to make "spit +come." Sneak had his pockets full all the time. The boys soon found +out his inuendoes and subterfuges, but John would all the time appear as +innocent of having tobacco as a pet lamb that has just torn down a nice +vine that you were so careful in training to run over the front porch. +Ah, John, don't deny it now! + + +I JINE THE CAVALRY + +When we got to Charleston, on the Hiwassee river, there we found the +First Tennessee Cavalry and Ninth Battalion, both of which had been made +up principally in Maury county, and we knew all the boys. We had a +good old-fashioned handshaking all around. Then I wanted to "jine the +cavalry." Captain Asa G. Freeman had an extra horse, and I got on him +and joined the cavalry for several days, but all the time some passing +cavalryman would make some jocose remark about "Here is a webfoot who +wants to jine the cavalry, and has got a bayonet on his gun and a +knapsack on his back." I felt like I had got into the wrong pen, but +anyhow I got to ride all of three days. I remember that Mr. Willis +B. Embry gave me a five-pound package of Kallickanick smoking tobacco, +for which I was very grateful. I think he was quartermaster of the First +Tennessee Cavalry, and as good a man and as clever a person as I ever +knew. None knew him but to love him. I was told that he was killed by +a lot of Yankee soldiers after he had surrendered to them, all the time +begging for his life, asking them please not kill him. But He that +noteth the sparrow's fall doeth all things well. Not one ever falls to +the ground with His consent. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +MURFREESBORO + + +We came from Knoxville to Chattanooga, and seemed destined to make a +permanent stay here. We remained several months, but soon we were on the +tramp again. + +From Chattanooga, Bragg's army went to Murfreesboro. + +The Federal army was concentrating at Nashville. There was no rest for +the weary. Marches and battles were the order of the day. + +Our army stopped at Murfreesboro. Our advanced outpost was established +at Lavergne. From time to time different regiments were sent forward +to do picket duty. I was on picket at the time the advance was made by +Rosecrans. At the time mentioned, I was standing about two hundred yards +off the road, the main body of the pickets being on the Nashville and +Murfreesboro turnpike, and commanded by Lieutenant Hardy Murfree, of the +Rutherford Rifles. + +I had orders to allow no one to pass. In fact, no one was expected to +pass at this point, but while standing at my post, a horseman rode up +behind me. I halted him, and told him to go down to the main picket on +the road and pass, but he seemed so smiling that I thought he knew me, +or had a good joke to tell me. He advanced up, and pulling a piece of +paper out of his pocket, handed it to me to read. It was an order from +General Leonidas Polk to allow the bearer to pass. I read it, and looked +up to hand it back to him, when I discovered that he had a pistol cocked +and leveled in my face, and says he, "Drop that gun; you are my prisoner." +I saw there was no use in fooling about it. I knew if I resisted he +would shoot me, and I thought then that he was about to perform that +detestable operation. I dropped the gun. + +I did not wish to spend my winter in a Northern prison, and what was +worse, I would be called a deserter from my post of duty. + +The Yankee picket lines were not a half mile off. I was perfectly +willing to let the spy go on his way rejoicing--for such he was--but he +wanted to capture a Rebel. + +And I had made up my mind to think likewise. There I was, a prisoner +sure, and no mistake about it. + +His pistol was leveled, and I was ordered to march. I was afraid to +halloo to the relief, and you may be sure I was in a bad fix. + +Finally says I, "Let's play quits. I think you are a soldier; you look +like a gentleman. I am a videt; you know the responsibility resting on +me. You go your way, and leave me here. Is it a bargain?" + +Says he, "I would not trust a Secesh on his word, oath, or bond. March, +I say." + +I soon found out that he had caught sight of the relief on the road, +and was afraid to shoot. I quickly made up my mind. My gun was at my +feet, and one step would get it. I made a quick glance over my shoulder, +and grabbed at my gun. He divined my motive, and fired. The ball missed +its aim. He put spurs to his horse, but I pulled down on him, and almost +tore the fore shoulder of his horse entirely off, but I did not capture +the spy, though I captured the horse, bridle and saddle. Major Allen, +of the Twenty-seventh Tennessee Regiment, took the saddle and bridle, +and gave me the blanket. I remember the blanket had the picture of a +"big lion" on it, and it was almost new. When we fell back, as the +Yankee sharpshooters advanced, we left the poor old horse nipping the +short, dry grass. I saw a Yankee skirmisher run up and grab the horse +and give a whoop as if he had captured a Rebel horse. But they continued +to advance upon us, we firing and retreating slowly. We had several +pretty sharp brushes with them that day. I remember that they had to +cross an open field in our front, and we were lying behind a fence, +and as they advanced, we kept up firing, and would run them back every +time, until they brought up a regiment that whooped, and yelled, and +charged our skirmish line, and then we fell back again. I think we must +have killed a good many in the old field, because we were firing all the +time at the solid line as they advanced upon us. + + +BATTLE OF MURFREESBORO + +The next day, the Yankees were found out to be advancing. Soon they came +in sight of our picket. We kept falling back and firing all day, and +were relieved by another regiment about dark. We rejoined our regiment. +Line of battle was formed on the north bank of Stone's River--on the +Yankee side. Bad generalship, I thought. + +It was Christmas. John Barleycorn was general-in-chief. Our generals, +and colonels, and captains, had kissed John a little too often. They +couldn't see straight. It was said to be buckeye whisky. They couldn't +tell our own men from Yankees. The private could, but he was no general, +you see. But here they were--the Yankees--a battle had to be fought. +We were ordered forward. I was on the skirmish line. We marched plumb +into the Yankee lines, with their flags flying. + +I called Lieutenant-Colonel Frierson's attention to the Yankees, and he +remarked, "Well, I don't know whether they are Yankees or not, but if +they are, they will come out of there mighty quick." + +The Yankees marched over the hill out of sight. + +We were ordered forward to the attack. We were right upon the Yankee +line on the Wilkerson turnpike. The Yankees were shooting our men down +by scores. A universal cry was raised, "You are firing on your own men." +"Cease firing, cease firing," I hallooed; in fact, the whole skirmish +line hallooed, and kept on telling them that they were Yankees, and to +shoot; but the order was to cease firing, you are firing on your own men. + +Captain James, of Cheatham's staff, was sent forward and killed in his +own yard. We were not twenty yards off from the Yankees, and they were +pouring the hot shot and shells right into our ranks; and every man was +yelling at the top of his voice, "Cease firing, you are firing on your +own men; cease firing, you are firing on your own men." + +Oakley, color-bearer of the Fourth Tennessee Regiment, ran right up in +the midst of the Yankee line with his colors, begging his men to follow. +I hallooed till I was hoarse, "They are Yankees, they are Yankees; shoot, +they are Yankees." + +The crest occupied by the Yankees was belching loud with fire and smoke, +and the Rebels were falling like leaves of autumn in a hurricane. +The leaden hail storm swept them off the field. They fell back and +re-formed. General Cheatham came up and advanced. I did not fall back, +but continued to load and shoot, until a fragment of a shell struck me on +the arm, and then a minnie ball passed through the same paralyzing my arm, +and wounded and disabled me. General Cheatham, all the time, was calling +on the men to go forward, saying, "Come on, boys, and follow me." + +The impression that General Frank Cheatham made upon my mind, leading +the charge on the Wilkerson turnpike, I will never forget. I saw either +victory or death written on his face. When I saw him leading our brigade, +although I was wounded at the time, I felt sorry for him, he seemed so +earnest and concerned, and as he was passing me I said, "Well, General, +if you are determined to die, I'll die with you." We were at that time +at least a hundred yards in advance of the brigade, Cheatham all the time +calling upon the men to come on. He was leading the charge in person. +Then it was that I saw the power of one man, born to command, over a +multitude of men then almost routed and demoralized. I saw and felt that +he was not fighting for glory, but that he was fighting for his country +because he loved that country, and he was willing to give his life for +his country and the success of our cause. He deserves a wreath of +immortality, and a warm place in every Southron's heart, for his brave +and glorious example on that bloody battlefield of Murfreesboro. Yes, +his history will ever shine in beauty and grandeur as a name among the +brightest in all the galaxy of leaders in the history of our cause. + +Now, another fact I will state, and that is, when the private soldier was +ordered to charge and capture the twelve pieces of artillery, heavily +supported by infantry, Maney's brigade raised a whoop and yell, and +swooped down on those Yankees like a whirl-a-gust of woodpeckers in a +hail storm, paying the blue coated rascals back with compound interest; +for when they did come, every man's gun was loaded, and they marched upon +the blazing crest in solid file, and when they did fire, there was a +sudden lull in the storm of battle, because the Yankees were nearly all +killed. I cannot remember now of ever seeing more dead men and horses +and captured cannon, all jumbled together, than that scene of blood and +carnage and battle on the Wilkerson turnpike. The ground was literally +covered with blue coats dead; and, if I remember correctly, there were +eighty dead horses. + +By this time our command had re-formed, and charged the blazing crest. + +The spectacle was grand. With cheers and shouts they charged up the hill, +shooting down and bayoneting the flying cannoneers, General Cheatham, +Colonel Field and Joe Lee cutting and slashing with their swords. +The victory was complete. The whole left wing of the Federal army was +driven back five miles from their original position. Their dead and +wounded were in our lines, and we had captured many pieces of artillery, +small arms, and prisoners. + +When I was wounded, the shell and shot that struck me, knocked me +winding. I said, "O, O, I'm wounded," and at the same time I grabbed +my arm. I thought it had been torn from my shoulder. The brigade had +fallen back about two hundred yards, when General Cheatham's presence +reassured them, and they soon were in line and ready to follow so brave +and gallant a leader, and had that order of "cease firing, you are firing +on your own men," not been given, Maney's brigade would have had the +honor of capturing eighteen pieces of artillery, and ten thousand +prisoners. This I do know to be a fact. + +As I went back to the field hospital, I overtook another man walking +along. I do not know to what regiment he belonged, but I remember of +first noticing that his left arm was entirely gone. His face was as +white as a sheet. The breast and sleeve of his coat had been torn away, +and I could see the frazzled end of his shirt sleeve, which appeared to +be sucked into the wound. I looked at it pretty close, and I said "Great +God!" for I could see his heart throb, and the respiration of his lungs. +I was filled with wonder and horror at the sight. He was walking along, +when all at once he dropped down and died without a struggle or a groan. +I could tell of hundreds of such incidents of the battlefield, but tell +only this one, because I remember it so distinctly. + + +ROBBING A DEAD YANKEE + +In passing over the battlefield, I came across a dead Yankee colonel. +He had on the finest clothes I ever saw, a red sash and fine sword. +I particularly noticed his boots. I needed them, and had made up my mind +to wear them out for him. But I could not bear the thought of wearing +dead men's shoes. I took hold of the foot and raised it up and made one +trial at the boot to get it off. I happened to look up, and the colonel +had his eyes wide open, and seemed to be looking at me. He was stone +dead, but I dropped that foot quick. It was my first and last attempt +to rob a dead Yankee. + +After the battle was over at Murfreesboro, that night, John Tucker and +myself thought that we would investigate the contents of a fine brick +mansion in our immediate front, but between our lines and the Yankees', +and even in advance of our videts. Before we arrived at the house we saw +a body of Yankees approaching, and as we started to run back they fired +upon us. Our pickets had run in and reported a night attack. We ran +forward, expecting that our men would recognize us, but they opened fire +upon us. I never was as bad scared in all my whole life, and if any +poor devil ever prayed with fervency and true piety, I did it on that +occasion. I thought, "I am between two fires." I do not think that a +flounder or pancake was half as flat as I was that night; yea, it might +be called in music, low flat. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +SHELBYVILLE + + +It is a bad thing for an army to remain too long at one place. The men +soon become discontented and unhappy, and we had no diversion or pastime +except playing poker and chuck-a-luck. All the money of the regiment had +long ago been spent, but grains of corn represented dollars, and with +these we would play as earnestly and as zealously as if they were so much +money, sure enough. + + +A FOOT RACE + +One of those amusing episodes that frequently occur in the army, happened +at this place. A big strapping fellow by the name of Tennessee Thompson, +always carried bigger burdens than any other five men in the army. +For example, he carried two quilts, three blankets, one gum oil cloth, +one overcoat, one axe, one hatchet, one camp-kettle, one oven and lid, +one coffee pot, besides his knapsack, haversack, canteen, gun, cartridge- +box, and three days' rations. He was a rare bird, anyhow. Tennessee +usually had his hair cut short on one side and left long on the other, +so that he could give his head a bow and a toss and throw the long hairs +over on the other side, and it would naturally part itself without a +comb. Tennessee was the wit and good nature of the company; always in +a good humor, and ever ready to do any duty when called upon. In fact, +I would sometimes get out of heart and low spirited, and would hunt up +Tennessee to have a little fun. His bye-word was "Bully for Bragg; +he's hell on retreat, and will whip the Yankees yet." He was a good and +brave soldier, and followed the fortunes of Company H from the beginning +to the end. + +Well, one day he and Billy Webster bet twenty-five dollars, put up in +Bill Martin's hands, as to which could run the faster. John Tucker, +Joe Lee, Alf. Horsley and myself were appointed judges. The distance +was two hundred yards. The ground was measured off, and the judges +stationed. Tennessee undressed himself, even down to his stocking feet, +tied a red handkerchief around his head, and another one around his waist, +and walked deliberately down the track, eyeing every little rock and +stick and removing them off the track. Comes back to the starting point +and then goes down the track in half canter; returns again, his eyes +flashing, his nostrils dilated, looking the impersonation of the champion +courser of the world; makes two or three apparently false starts; turns +a somersault by placing his head on the ground and flopping over on his +back; gets up and whickers like a horse; goes half-hammered, hop, step, +and jump--he says, to loosen up his joints--scratches up the ground with +his hands and feet, flops his arms and crows like a rooster, and says, +"Bully for Bragg; he's hell on a retreat," and announces his readiness. +The drum is tapped, and off they start. Well, Billy Webster beat him one +hundred yards in the two hundred, and Tennessee came back and said, "Well, +boys, I'm beat; Billy Martin, hand over the stakes to Billy Webster. +I'm beat, but hang me if I didn't outrun the whole Yankee army coming out +of Kentucky; got away from Lieutenant Lansdown and the whole detail at +Chattanooga with half a hog, a fifty pound sack of flour, a jug of +Meneesee commissary whisky, and a camp-kettle full of brown sugar. +I'm beat. Billy Martin, hand over the stakes. Bully for Bragg; he's +hell on a retreat." Tennessee was trying bluff. He couldn't run worth a +cent; but there was no braver or truer man ever drew a ramrod or tore a +cartridge than Tennessee. + + +EATING MUSSELS + +Reader, did you ever eat a mussel? Well, we did, at Shelbyville. +We were camped right upon the bank of Duck river, and one day Fred Dornin, +Ed Voss, Andy Wilson and I went in the river mussel hunting. Every one +of us had a meal sack. We would feel down with our feet until we felt a +mussel and then dive for it. We soon filled our sacks with mussels in +their shells. When we got to camp we cracked the shells and took out the +mussels. We tried frying them, but the longer they fried the tougher +they got. They were a little too large to swallow whole. Then we stewed +them, and after a while we boiled them, and then we baked them, but every +flank movement we would make on those mussels the more invulnerable they +would get. We tried cutting them up with a hatchet, but they were so +slick and tough the hatchet would not cut them. Well, we cooked them, +and buttered them, and salted them, and peppered them, and battered them. +They looked good, and smelt good, and tasted good; at least the fixings +we put on them did, and we ate the mussels. I went to sleep that night. +I dreamed that my stomach was four grindstones, and that they turned in +four directions, according to the four corners of the earth. I awoke +to hear four men yell out, "O, save, O, save me from eating any more +mussels!" + + +"POOR" BERRY MORGAN + +One of those sad, unexpected affairs, that remind the living that even in +life we are in the midst of death, happened at Shelbyville. Our regiment +had been out to the front, on duty, and was returning to camp. It was +nearly dark, and we saw a black wind cloud rising. The lightning's flash +and the deep muttering thunders warned us to seek shelter as speedily as +possible. Some of us ran in under the old depot shed, and soon the storm +struck us. It was a tornado that made a track through the woods beyond +Shelbyville, and right through the town, and we could follow its course +for miles where it had blown down the timber, twisting and piling it in +every shape. Berry Morgan and I had ever been close friends, and we +threw down our blankets and were lying side by side, when I saw roofs of +houses, sign boards, and brickbats flying in every direction. Nearly +half of the town was blown away in the storm. While looking at the storm +without, I felt the old shed suddenly jar and tremble, and suddenly +become unroofed, and it seemed to me that ten thousand brickbats had +fallen in around us. I could hear nothing for the roaring of the storm, +and could see nothing for the blinding rain and flying dirt and bricks +and other rubbish. The storm lasted but a few minutes, but those minutes +seemed ages. When it had passed, I turned to look at "poor Berry." +Poor fellow! his head was crushed in by a brickbat, his breast crushed +in by another, and I think his arm was broken, and he was otherwise +mutilated. It was a sad sight. Many others of our regiment were wounded. + +Berry was a very handsome boy. He was what everybody would call a +"pretty man." He had fair skin, blue eyes, and fine curly hair, which +made him look like an innocent child. I loved Berry. He was my friend-- +as true as the needle to the pole. But God, who doeth all things well, +took his spirit in the midst of the storm to that beautiful home beyond +the skies. I thank God I am no infidel. We will meet again. + + +WRIGHT SHOT TO DEATH WITH MUSKETRY + +I saw a young boy about seventeen or eighteen years old, by the name of +Wright, and belonging to General Marcus J. Wright's brigade, shot to +death with musketry at this place. The whole of Cheatham's division had +to march out and witness the horrid scene. Now, I have no doubt that +many, if not all, would have gone without being forced to do so, but then +you know that was Bragg's style. He wanted always to display his tyranny, +and to intimidate his privates as much as possible. The young man was +hauled in a wagon, sitting on his coffin, to the place where the grave +was to be dug, and a post was planted in the ground. He had to sit there +for more than two hours, looking on at the preparations for his death. +I went up to the wagon, like many others, to have a look at the doomed +man. He had his hat pulled down over his eyes, and was busily picking at +the ends of his fingers. The guard who then had him in charge told me +that one of the culprit's own brothers was one of the detail to shoot +him. I went up to the wagon and called him, "Wright!" He made no reply, +and did not even look up. Then I said, "Wright, why don't you jump out +of that wagon and run?" He was callous to everything. I was sorry for +him. When the division was all assembled, and the grave dug, and the +post set, he was taken out of the wagon, and tied to the post. He was +first tied facing the post, and consequently would have been shot in the +back, but was afterwards tied with his back to the post. The chaplain of +the regiment read a chapter in the Bible, sang a hymn, and then all knelt +down and prayed. General Wright went up to the pinioned man, shook +hands with him, and told him good-bye, as did many others, and then the +shooting detail came up, and the officer in charge gave the command, +"Ready, aim, fire!" The crash of musketry broke upon the morning air. +I was looking at Wright. I heard him almost shriek, "O, O, God!" +His head dropped forward, the rope with which he was pinioned keeping him +from falling. I turned away and thought how long, how long will I have +to witness these things? + + +DAVE SUBLETT PROMOTED + +While at Shelbyville, a vacancy occurring in Captain Ledbetter's company, +the Rutherford Rifles, for fourth corporal, Dave Sublett became a +candidate for the position. Now, Dave was a genius. He was a noble and +brave fellow, and at one time had been a railroad director. He had a +distinguished air always about him, but Dave had one fault, and that was, +he was ever prone to get tight. He had been a Union man, and even now +he always had a good word for the Union. He was sincere, but eccentric. +The election for fourth corporal was drawing nigh. Dave sent off and got +two jugs of _spirits vini frumenti_, and treated the boys. Of course, +his vote would be solid. Every man in that company was going to cast his +vote for him. Dave got happy and wanted to make a speech. He went to +the butcher's block which was used to cut up meat on--he called it +Butchers' Hall--got upon it amid loud cheering and hurrahs of the boys. +He spoke substantially as follows: + +"Fellow Citizens--I confess that it is with feelings of diffidence and +great embarrassment on my part that I appear before you on this occasion. +But, gentlemen and fellow-citizens, I desire to serve you in an humble +capacity, as fourth corporal of Company I. Should you see cause to elect +me, no heart will beat with more gratitude than my own. Gentlemen, +you well know that I was ever a Union man: + "'A union of lakes, and a union of lands, + A union that no one can sever; + A union of hearts, and a union of hands, + A glorious union forever.' + +[Cheers and applause.] + +"Fellow-citizens, I can look through the dim telescope of the past and +see Kansas, bleeding Kansas, coming like a fair young bride, dressed in +her bridal drapery, her cheek wet and moistened with the tears of love. +I can see her come and knock gently at the doors of the Union, asking +for admittance. [Wild cheering.] Looking further back, I can see our +forefathers of the revolution baring their bosoms to the famine of a +seven years' war, making their own bosoms a breastwork against the whole +hosts of King George III. But, gentlemen, as I before remarked, I desire +to ask at your hands the high, distinguished and lucrative office, +my fellow-citizens, and for which I will ever feel grateful--the office +of fourth corporal in your company." [Cheers.] + +Now, Dave had a competitor who was a states' rights democrat. If I +mistake not, his name was Frank Haliburton. Now, Frank was an original +secessionist. He felt that each state was a separate, sovereign +government of itself, and that the South had the same rights in the +territories as they of the North. He was fighting for secession and +state rights upon principle. When Sublett had finished his speech, +Frank took the stand and said: + +"Gentlemen and Fellow-Citizens--I am a candidate for fourth corporal, +and if you will elect me I will be grateful, and will serve you to the +best of my ability. My competitor seems to harp considerably upon his +Union record, and Union love. If I mistake not, my fellow-citizens, +it was old George McDuffie that stood up in the senate chamber of the +United States and said, 'When I hear the shout of "glorious Union," +methinks I hear the shout of a robber gang.' McDuffie saw through his +prophetic vision the evils that would result, and has foretold them as +if by inspiration from above. + +"Fellow-citizens, under the name of Union our country is invaded today. + +"These cursed Yankees are invading our country, robbing our people, +and desolating our land, and all under the detestable and damning name +of Union. Our representatives in congress have been fighting them for +fifty years. Compromise after compromise has been granted by the South. +We have used every effort to conciliate those at the North. They +have turned a deaf ear to every plea. They saw our country rich and +prosperous, and have come indeed, like a gang of robbers, to steal our +property and murder our people. But, fellow-citizens, I for one am ready +to meet them, and desire that you elect me fourth corporal of Company I, +so that I can serve you in a more efficient manner, while we meet as a +band of brothers, the cursed horde of Northern Hessians and hirelings. +I thank you for your attention, gentlemen, and would thank you for your +votes." + +Well, the election came off, and Dave was elected by an overwhelming +majority. But the high eminence of military distinction enthralled him. +He seemed to live in an atmosphere of greatness and glory, and was +looking eagerly forward to the time when he would command armies. +He had begun to climb the ladder of glory under most favorable and +auspicious circumstances. He felt his consequence and keeping. He was +detailed once, and only once, to take command of the third relief of camp +guard. Ah, this thing of office was a big thing. He desired to hold +a council of war with Generals Bragg, Polk, Hardee, and Kirby Smith. +He first visited General Polk. His war metal was up. He wanted a fight +just then and there, and a fight he must have, at all hazards, and to the +last extremity. He became obstreperous, when General Polk called a guard +and had him marched off to the guard-house. It was then ordered that he +should do extra fatigue duty for a week. The guard would take him to the +woods with an ax, and he would make two or three chops on a tree and look +up at it and say: + + "Woodman, spare that tree; touch not a single bough; + In youth it sheltered me, and I'll protect it now." + +He would then go to another tree; but at no tree would he make more than +two or three licks before he would go to another. He would hit a limb +and then a log; would climb a tree and cut at a limb or two, and keep +on this way until he came to a hard old stump, which on striking his ax +would bound and spring back. He had found his desire; the top of that +stump became fun and pleasure. Well, his time of misdemeanor expired +and he was relieved. He went back and reported to Colonel Field, who +informed him that he had been reduced to the ranks. He drew himself up +to his full height and said: "Colonel, I regret exceedingly to be so +soon deprived of my new fledged honors that I have won on so many a hard +fought and bloody battlefield, but if I am reduced to the ranks as a +private soldier, I can but exclaim, like Moses of old, when he crossed +the Red sea in defiance of Pharaoh's hosts, 'O, how the mighty have +fallen!'" He then marched off with the air of the born soldier. + + +DOWN DUCK RIVER IN A CANOE + +"Ora pro nobis." + +At this place, Duck river wended its way to Columbia. On one occasion it +was up--had on its Sunday clothes--a-booming. Andy Wilson and I thought +that we would slip off and go down the river in a canoe. We got the +canoe and started. It was a leaky craft. We had not gone far before the +thing capsized, and we swam ashore. But we were outside of the lines now, +and without passes. (We would have been arrested anyhow.) So we put our +sand paddles to work and landed in Columbia that night. I loved a maid, +and so did Andy, and some poet has said that love laughs at grates, bars, +locksmiths, etc. I do not know how true this is, but I do know that +when I went to see my sweetheart that night I asked her to pray for me, +because I thought the prayers of a pretty woman would go a great deal +further "up yonder" than mine would. I also met Cousin Alice, another +beautiful woman, at my father's front gate, and told her that she must +pray for me, because I knew I would be court-martialed as soon as I got +back; that I had no idea of deserting the army and only wanted to see the +maid I loved. It took me one day to go to Columbia and one day to return, +and I stayed at home only one day, and went back of my own accord. +When I got back to Shelbyville, I was arrested and carried to the +guard-house, and when court-martialed was sentenced to thirty days' +fatigue duty and to forfeit four months' pay at eleven dollars per month, +making forty-four dollars. Now, you see how dearly I paid for that trip. +But, fortunately for me, General Leonidas Polk has issued an order that +very day promising pardon to all soldiers absent without leave if they +would return. I got the guard to march me up to his headquarters and +told him of my predicament, and he ordered my release, but said nothing +of remitting the fine. So when we were paid off at Chattanooga I was +left out. The Confederate States of America were richer by forty-four +dollars. + + +"SHENERAL OWLEYDOUSKY" + +General Owleydousky, lately imported from Poland, was Bragg's inspector +general. I remember of reading in the newspapers of where he tricked +Bragg at last. The papers said he stole all of Bragg's clothes one day +and left for parts unknown. It is supposed he went back to Poland to act +as "Ugh! Big Indian; fight heap mit Bragg." But I suppose it must have +left Bragg in a bad fix--somewhat like Mr. Jones, who went to ask the +old folks for Miss Willis. On being told that she was a very poor girl, +and had no property for a start in life, he simply said, "All right; +all I want is the naked girl." + +On one occasion, while inspecting the arms and accoutrements of our +regiments, when he came to inspect Company H he said, "Shentlemens, +vatfor you make de pothook out of de sword and de bayonet, and trow de +cartridge-box in de mud? I dust report you to Sheneral Bragg. Mine +gracious!" Approaching Orderly Sergeant John T. Tucker, and lifting the +flap of his cartridge box, which was empty, he said, "Bah, bah, mon Dieu; +I dust know dot you ish been hunting de squirrel and de rabbit. Mon +Dieu! you sharge yourself mit fifteen tollars for wasting sixty +cartridges at twenty-five cents apiece. Bah, bah, mon Dieu; I dust +report you to Sheneral Bragg." Approaching Sergeant A. S. Horsley, +he said, "Vy ish you got nodings mit your knapsack? Sir, you must have +somedings mit your knapsack." Alf ran into his tent and came back with +his knapsack in the right shape. Well, old Owleydousky thought he would +be smart and make an example of Alf, and said, "I vish to inspect your +clodings." He took Alf's knapsack and on opening it, what do you suppose +was in it? Well, if you are not a Yankee and good at guessing, I will +tell you, if you won't say anything about it, for Alf might get mad if +he were to hear it. He found Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, Cruden's +Concordance, Macauley's History of England, Jean Valjean, Fantine, Cosset, +Les Miserables, The Heart of Midlothian, Ivanhoe, Guy Mannering, Rob Roy, +Shakespeare, the History of Ancient Rome, and many others which I have +now forgotten. He carried literature for the regiment. He is in the +same old business yet, only now he furnishes literature by the car load. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +CHATTANOOGA + + +BACK TO CHATTANOOGA + +Rosecrans' army was in motion. The Federals were advancing, but as yet +they were afar off. Chattanooga must be fortified. Well do we remember +the hard licks and picks that we spent on these same forts, to be +occupied afterwards by Grant and his whole army, and we on Lookout +Mountain and Missionary Ridge looking at them. + + +AM VISITED BY MY FATHER + +About this time my father paid me a visit. Rations were mighty scarce. +I was mighty glad to see him, but ashamed to let him know how poorly off +for something to eat we were. We were living on parched corn. I thought +of a happy plan to get him a good dinner, so I asked him to let us go up +to the colonel's tent. Says I, "Colonel Field, I desire to introduce you +to my father, and as rations are a little short in my mess, I thought you +might have a little better, and could give him a good dinner." "Yes," +says Colonel Field, "I am glad to make the acquaintance of your father, +and will be glad to divide my rations with him. Also, I would like you +to stay and take dinner with me," which I assure you, O kind reader, +I gladly accepted. About this time a young African, Whit, came in with a +frying-pan of parched corn and dumped it on an old oil cloth, and said, +"Master, dinner is ready." That was all he had. He was living like +ourselves--on parched corn. + +We continued to fortify and build breastworks at Chattanooga. It was +the same drudge, drudge day by day. Occasionally a Sunday would come; +but when it did come, there came inspection of arms, knapsacks and +cartridge-boxes. Every soldier had to have his gun rubbed up as bright +as a new silver dollar. W. A. Hughes had the brightest gun in the army, +and always called it "Florence Fleming." The private soldier had to +have on clean clothes, and if he had lost any cartridges he was charged +twenty-five cents each, and had to stand extra duty for every cartridge +lost. We always dreaded Sunday. The roll was called more frequently on +this than any other day. Sometimes we would have preaching. I remember +one text that I thought the bottom had been knocked out long before: +"And Peter's wife's mother lay sick of fever." That text always did make +a deep impression on me. I always thought of a young divine who preached +it when first entering the ministry, and in about twenty years came back, +and happening to preach from the same text again, an old fellow in +the congregation said, "Mr. Preacher, ain't that old woman dead yet?" +Well, that was the text that was preached to us soldiers one Sunday at +Chattanooga. I could not help thinking all the time, "Ain't that old +woman dead yet?" But he announced that he would preach again at 3 +o'clock. We went to hear him preach at 3 o'clock, as his sermon was +so interesting about "Peter's wife's mother lay sick of a fever." We +thought, maybe it was a sort of sickly subject, and he would liven us +up a little in the afternoon service. + +Well, he took his text, drawled out through his nose like "small +sweetness long drawn out:" "M-a-r-t-h-a, thou art w-e-a-r-i-e-d and +troubled about many things, but M-a-r-y hath chosen that good part that +shall never be taken from her." Well, you see, O gentle and fair reader, +that I remember the text these long gone twenty years. I do not remember +what he preached about, but I remember thinking that he was a great +ladies' man, at any rate, and whenever I see a man who loves and respects +the ladies, I think him a good man. + +The next sermon was on the same sort of a text: "And the Lord God caused +a deep sleep to fall on Adam and took out of"--he stopped here and said +_e_ meant out of, that _e_, being translated from the Latin and Greek, +meant out of, and took _e_, or rather out of a rib and formed woman. +I never did know why he expaciated so largely on _e_; don't understand it +yet, but you see, reader mine, that I remember but the little things that +happened in that stormy epoch. I remember the _e_ part of the sermon +more distinctly than all of his profound eruditions of theology, dogmas, +creeds and evidences of Christianity, and I only write at this time from +memory of things that happened twenty years ago. + + +"OUT A LARKING" + +At this place, we took Walter Hood out "a larking." The way to go "a +larking" is this: Get an empty meal bag and about a dozen men and go to +some dark forest or open field on some cold, dark, frosty or rainy night, +about five miles from camp. Get someone who does not understand the game +to hold the bag in as stooping and cramped a position as is possible, +to keep perfectly still and quiet, and when he has got in the right fix, +the others to go off to drive in the larks. As soon as they get out of +sight, they break in a run and go back to camp, and go to sleep, leaving +the poor fellow all the time holding the bag. + +Well, Walter was as good and as clever a fellow as you ever saw, was +popular with everybody, and as brave and noble a fellow as ever tore a +cartridge, or drew a ramrod, or pulled a trigger, but was the kind of a +boy that was easily "roped in" to fun or fight or anything that would +come up. We all loved him. Poor fellow, he is up yonder--died on the +field of glory and honor. He gave his life, 'twas all he had, for his +country. Peace to his memory. That night we went "a larking," and +Walter held the bag. I did not see him till next morning. While I was +gulping down my coffee, as well as laughter, Walter came around, looking +sort of sheepish and shy like, and I was trying to look as solemn as a +judge. Finally he came up to the fire and kept on eyeing me out of one +corner of his eye, and I was afraid to look at him for fear of breaking +out in a laugh. When I could hold in no longer, I laughed out, and said, +"Well, Walter, what luck last night?" He was very much disgusted, +and said, "Humph! you all think that you are smart. I can't see anything +to laugh at in such foolishness as that." He said, "Here; I have brought +your bag back." That conquered me. After that kind of magnanimous +act in forgiving me and bringing my bag back so pleasantly and kindly, +I was his friend, and would have fought for him. I felt sorry that we +had taken him out "a larking." + + +HANGING TWO SPIES + +I can now recall to memory but one circumstance that made a deep +impression on my mind at the time. I heard that two spies were going to +be hung on a certain day, and I went to the hanging. The scaffold was +erected, two coffins were placed on the platform, the ropes were dangling +from the cross beam above. I had seen men shot, and whipped, and shaved, +and branded at Corinth and Tupelo, and one poor fellow named Wright shot +at Shelbyville. They had all been horrid scenes to me, but they were +Rebels, and like begets like. I did not know when it would be my time to +be placed in the same position, you see, and "a fellow feeling makes us +wondrous kind." I did not know what was in store in the future for me. +Ah, there was the rub, don't you see. This shooting business wasn't a +pleasant thing to think about. But Yankees--that was different. I +wanted to see a Yankee spy hung. I wouldn't mind that. I would like to +see him agonize. A spy; O, yes, they had hung one of our regiment at +Pulaski--Sam Davis. Yes, I would see the hanging. After a while I saw a +guard approach, and saw two little boys in their midst, but did not see +the Yankees that I had been looking for. The two little boys were rushed +upon the platform. I saw that they were handcuffed. "Are they spies?" +I was appalled; I was horrified; nay, more, I was sick at heart. One was +about fourteen and the other about sixteen years old, I should judge. +The ropes were promptly adjusted around their necks by the provost +marshal. The youngest one began to beg and cry and plead most piteously. +It was horrid. The older one kicked him, and told him to stand up and +show the Rebels how a Union man could die for his country. Be a man! +The charges and specifications were then read. The props were knocked +out and the two boys were dangling in the air. I turned off sick at +heart. + + +EATING RATS + +While stationed at this place, Chattanooga, rations were very scarce and +hard to get, and it was, perhaps, economy on the part of our generals and +commissaries to issue rather scant rations. + +About this time we learned that Pemberton's army, stationed at Vicksburg, +were subsisting entirely on rats. Instead of the idea being horrid, +we were glad to know that "necessity is the mother of invention," and +that the idea had originated in the mind of genius. We at once acted +upon the information, and started out rat hunting; but we couldn't find +any rats. Presently we came to an old outhouse that seemed to be a +natural harbor for this kind of vermin. The house was quickly torn down +and out jumped an old residenter, who was old and gray. I suppose that +he had been chased before. But we had jumped him and were determined to +catch him, or "burst a boiler." After chasing him backwards and forwards, +the rat finally got tired of this foolishness and started for his hole. +But a rat's tail is the last that goes in the hole, and as he went in we +made a grab for his tail. Well, tail hold broke, and we held the skin of +his tail in our hands. But we were determined to have that rat. After +hard work we caught him. We skinned him, washed and salted him, buttered +and peppered him, and fried him. He actually looked nice. The delicate +aroma of the frying rat came to our hungry nostrils. We were keen to eat +a piece of rat; our teeth were on edge; yea, even our mouth watered to +eat a piece of rat. Well, after a while, he was said to be done. +I got a piece of cold corn dodger, laid my piece of the rat on it, +eat a little piece of bread, and raised the piece of rat to my mouth, +when I happened to think of how that rat's tail did slip. I had lost my +appetite for dead rat. I did not eat any rat. It was my first and last +effort to eat dead rats. + + +SWIMMING THE TENNESSEE WITH ROASTINGEARS + +The Tennessee river is about a quarter of a mile wide at Chattanooga. +Right across the river was an immense corn-field. The green corn was +waving with every little breeze that passed; the tassels were bowing and +nodding their heads; the pollen was flying across the river like little +snowdrops, and everything seemed to say, "Come hither, Johnny Reb; +come hither, Johnny; come hither." The river was wide, but we were +hungry. The roastingears looked tempting. We pulled off our clothes +and launched into the turbid stream, and were soon on the other bank. +Here was the field, and here were the roastingears; but where was the +raft or canoe? + +We thought of old Abraham and Isaac and the sacrifice: "My son, gather +the roastingears, there will be a way provided." + +We gathered the roastingears; we went back and gathered more roastingears, +time and again. The bank was lined with green roastingears. Well, +what was to be done? We began to shuck the corn. We would pull up a few +shucks on one ear, and tie it to the shucks of another--first one and +then another--until we had at least a hundred tied together. We put the +train of corn into the river, and as it began to float off we jumped in, +and taking the foremost ear in our mouth, struck out for the other bank. +Well, we made the landing all correct. + +I merely mention the above incident to show to what extremity soldiers +would resort. Thousands of such occurrences were performed by the +private soldiers of the Rebel army. + + +AM DETAILED TO GO FORAGING + +One day I was detailed to go with a wagon train way down in Georgia on +a foraging expedition. It was the first time since I had enlisted as +a private that I had struck a good thing. No roll call, no drilling, +no fatigue duties, building fortifications, standing picket, dress parade, +reviews, or retreats, had to be answered to--the same old monotonous roll +call that had been answered five thousand times in these three years. +I felt like a free man. The shackles of discipline had for a time been +unfettered. This was bliss, this was freedom, this was liberty. The +sky looked brighter, the birds sang more beautiful and sweeter than I +remember to have ever heard them. Even the little streamlets and +branches danced and jumped along the pebbly beds, while the minnows +sported and frollicked under the shining ripples. The very flocks and +herds in the pasture looked happy and gay. Even the screech of the +wagons, that needed greasing, seemed to send forth a happy sound. +It was fine, I tell you. + +The blackberries were ripe, and the roadsides were lined with this +delicious fruit. The Lord said that he would curse the ground for the +disobedience of man, and henceforth it should bring forth thorns and +briars; but the very briars that had been cursed were loaded with the +abundance of God's goodness. I felt, then, like David in one of his +psalms--"The Lord is good, the Lord is good, for his mercy endureth +forever." + + +PLEASE PASS THE BUTTER + +For several days the wagon train continued on until we had arrived at the +part of country to which we had been directed. Whether they bought or +pressed the corn, I know not, but the old gentleman invited us all to +take supper with him. If I have ever eaten a better supper than that +I have forgotten it. They had biscuit for supper. What! flour bread? +Did my eyes deceive me? Well, there were biscuit--sure enough flour +bread--and sugar and coffee--genuine Rio--none of your rye or potato +coffee, and butter--regular butter--and ham and eggs, and turnip greens, +and potatoes, and fried chicken, and nice clean plates--none of your tin +affairs--and a snow-white table-cloth and napkins, and white-handled +knives and silver forks. At the head of the table was the madam, having +on a pair of golden spectacles, and at the foot the old gentleman. +He said grace. And, to cap the climax, two handsome daughters. I know +that I had never seen two more beautiful ladies. They had on little +white aprons, trimmed with jaconet edging, and collars as clean and white +as snow. They looked good enough to eat, and I think at that time I +would have given ten years of my life to have kissed one of them. +We were invited to help ourselves. Our plates were soon filled with the +tempting food and our tumblers with California beer. We would have liked +it better had it been twice as strong, but what it lacked in strength we +made up in quantity. The old lady said, "Daughter, hand the gentleman +the butter." It was the first thing that I had refused, and the reason +that I did so was because my plate was full already. Now, there is +nothing that will offend a lady so quick as to refuse to take butter +when handed to you. If you should say, "No, madam, I never eat butter," +it is a direct insult to the lady of the house. Better, far better, +for you to have remained at home that day. If you don't eat butter, +it is an insult; if you eat too much, she will make your ears burn after +you have left. It is a regulator of society; it is a civilizer; it is +a luxury and a delicacy that must be touched and handled with care and +courtesy on all occasions. Should you desire to get on the good side of +a lady, just give a broad, sweeping, slathering compliment to her butter. +It beats kissing the dirty-faced baby; it beats anything. Too much +praise cannot be bestowed upon the butter, be it good, bad, or +indifferent to your notions of things, but to her, her butter is always +good, superior, excellent. I did not know this characteristic of the +human female at the time, or I would have taken a delicate slice of the +butter. Here is a sample of the colloquy that followed: + +"Mister, have some butter?" + +"Not any at present, thank you, madam." + +"Well, I insist upon it; our butter is nice." + +"O, I know it's nice, but my plate is full, thank you." + +"Well, take some anyhow." + +One of the girls spoke up and said: + +"Mother, the gentleman don't wish butter." + +"Well, I want him to know that our butter is clean, anyhow." + +"Well, madam, if you insist upon it, there is nothing that I love so well +as warm biscuit and butter. I'll thank you for the butter." + +I dive in. I go in a little too heavy. The old lady hints in a delicate +way that they sold butter. I dive in heavier. That cake of butter was +melting like snow in a red hot furnace. The old lady says, "We sell +butter to the soldiers at a mighty good price." + +I dive in afresh. She says, "I get a dollar a pound for that butter," +and I remark with a good deal of nonchalance, "Well, madam, it is worth +it," and dive in again. I did not marry one of the girls. + + +WE EVACUATE CHATTANOOGA + +One morning while sitting around our camp fires we heard a boom, and a +bomb shell passed over our heads. The Yankee army was right on the other +bank of the Tennessee river. Bragg did not know of their approach until +the cannon fired. + +Rosecrans' army is crossing the Tennessee river. A part are already on +Lookout Mountain. Some of their cavalry scouts had captured some of our +foraging parties in Wills valley. The air was full of flying rumors. +Wagons are being packed, camps are broken up, and there is a general +hubbub everywhere. But your old soldier is always ready at a moment's +notice. The assembly is sounded; form companies, and we are ready for +a march, or a fight, or a detail, or anything. If we are marched a +thousand miles or twenty yards, it is all the same. The private soldier +is a machine that has no right to know anything. He is a machine that +moves without any volition of his own. If Edison could invent a wooden +man that could walk and load and shoot, then you would have a good sample +of the private soldier, and it would have this advantage--the private +soldier eats and the wooden man would not. + +We left Chattanooga, but whither bound we knew not, and cared not; +but we marched toward Chickamauga and crossed at Lee & Gordon's mill. + + +THE BULL OF THE WOODS + +On our way to Lafayette from Lee & Gordon's mill, I remember a ludicrous +scene, almost bordering on sacrilege. Rosecrans' army was very near us, +and we expected before three days elapsed to be engaged in battle. +In fact, we knew there must be a fight or a foot race, one or the other. +We could smell, as it were, "the battle afar off." + +One Sabbath morning it was announced that an eloquent and able LL. D., +from Nashville, was going to preach, and as the occasion was an +exceedingly solemn one, we were anxious to hear this divine preach from +God's Holy Word; and as he was one of the "big ones," the whole army was +formed in close column and stacked their arms. The cannon were parked, +all pointing back toward Chattanooga. The scene looked weird and +picturesque. It was in a dark wilderness of woods and vines and +overhanging limbs. In fact, it seemed but the home of the owl and the +bat, and other varmints that turn night into day. Everything looked +solemn. The trees looked solemn, the scene looked solemn, the men looked +solemn, even the horses looked solemn. You may be sure, reader, that we +felt solemn. + +The reverend LL. D. had prepared a regular war sermon before he left home, +and of course had to preach it, appropriate or not appropriate; it was +in him and had to come out. He opened the service with a song. I did +remember the piece that was sung, but right now I cannot recall it to +memory; but as near as I can now recollect here is his prayer, _verbatim +et literatim_: + +"Oh, Thou immaculate, invisible, eternal and holy Being, the exudations +of whose effulgence illuminates this terrestrial sphere, we approach Thy +presence, being covered all over with wounds and bruises and putrifying +sores, from the crowns of our heads to the soles of our feet. And Thou, +O Lord, art our dernier resort. The whole world is one great machine, +managed by Thy puissance. The beautific splendors of Thy face irradiate +the celestial region and felicitate the saints. There are the most +exuberant profusions of Thy grace, and the sempiternal efflux of Thy +glory. God is an abyss of light, a circle whose center is everywhere and +His circumference nowhere. Hell is the dark world made up of spiritual +sulphur and other ignited ingredients, disunited and unharmonized, +and without that pure balsamic oil that flows from the heart of God." + +When the old fellow got this far, I lost the further run of his prayer, +but regret very much that I did so, because it was so grand and fine that +I would have liked very much to have kept such an appropriate prayer for +posterity. In fact, it lays it on heavy over any prayer I ever heard, +and I think the new translators ought to get it and have it put in their +book as a sample prayer. But they will have to get the balance of it +from the eminent LL. D. In fact, he was so "high larnt" that I don't +think anyone understood him but the generals. The colonels might every +now and then have understood a word, and maybe a few of the captains and +lieutenants, because Lieutenant Lansdown told me he understood every +word the preacher said, and further informed me that it was none of your +one-horse, old-fashioned country prayers that privates knew anything +about, but was bang-up, first-rate, orthodox. + +Well, after singing and praying, he took his text. I quote entirely from +memory. "Blessed be the Lord God, who teaches my hands to war and my +fingers to fight." Now, reader, that was the very subject we boys did +not want to hear preached on--on that occasion at least. We felt like +some other subject would have suited us better. I forget how he +commenced his sermon, but I remember that after he got warmed up a little, +he began to pitch in on the Yankee nation, and gave them particular fits +as to their geneology. He said that we of the South had descended from +the royal and aristocratic blood of the Huguenots of France, and of the +cavaliers of England, etc.; but that the Yankees were the descendents of +the crop-eared Puritans and witch burners, who came over in the Mayflower, +and settled at Plymouth Rock. He was warm on this subject, and waked up +the echoes of the forest. He said that he and his brethren would fight +the Yankees in this world, and if God permit, chase their frightened +ghosts in the next, through fire and brimstone. + +About this time we heard the awfullest racket, produced by some wild +animal tearing through the woods toward us, and the cry, "Look out! look +out! hooie! hooie! hooie! look out!" and there came running right through +our midst a wild bull, mad with terror and fright, running right over and +knocking down the divine, and scattering Bibles and hymn books in every +direction. The services were brought to a close without the doxology. + +This same brave chaplain rode along with our brigade, on an old +string-haltered horse, as we advanced to the attack at Chickamauga, +exhorting the boys to be brave, to aim low, and to kill the Yankees as if +they were wild beasts. He was eloquent and patriotic. He stated that if +he only had a gun he too would go along as a private soldier. You could +hear his voice echo and re-echo over the hills. He had worked up his +patriotism to a pitch of genuine bravery and daring that I had never +seen exhibited, when fliff, fluff, fluff, _fluff_, FLUFF, FLUFF--a whir, +a BOOM! and a shell screams through the air. The reverend LL. D. stops +to listen, like an old sow when she hears the wind, and says, "Remember, +boys, that he who is killed will sup tonight in Paradise." Some soldier +hallooed at the top of his voice, "Well, parson, you come along and take +supper with us." Boom! whir! a bomb burst, and the parson at that moment +put spurs to his horse and was seen to limber to the rear, and almost +every soldier yelled out, "The parson isn't hungry, and never eats +supper." I remember this incident, and so does every member of the First +Tennessee Regiment. + + +PRESENTMENT, OR THE WING OF THE ANGEL OF DEATH + +Presentment is always a mystery. The soldier may at one moment be in +good spirits, laughing and talking. The wing of the death angel touches +him. He knows that his time has come. It is but a question of time with +him then. He knows that his days are numbered. I cannot explain it. +God has numbered the hairs of our heads, and not a sparrow falls without +His knowledge. How much more valuable are we than many sparrows? + +We had stopped at Lee & Gordon's mill, and gone into camp for the night. +Three days' rations were being issued. When Bob Stout was given his +rations he refused to take them. His face wore a serious, woe-begone +expression. He was asked if he was sick, and said "No," but added, "Boys, +my days are numbered, my time has come. In three days from today, +I will be lying right yonder on that hillside a corpse. Ah, you may +laugh; my time has come. I've got a twenty dollar gold piece in my +pocket that I've carried through the war, and a silver watch that my +father sent me through the lines. Please take them off when I am dead, +and give them to Captain Irvine, to give to my father when he gets back +home. Here are my clothing and blanket that any one who wishes them +may have. My rations I do not wish at all. My gun and cartridge-box I +expect to die with." + +The next morning the assembly sounded about two o'clock. We commenced +our march in the darkness, and marched twenty-five miles to a little town +by the name of Lafayette, to the relief of General Pillow, whose command +had been attacked at that place. After accomplishing this, we marched +back by another road to Chickamauga. We camped on the banks of +Chickamauga on Friday night, and Saturday morning we commenced to cross +over. About twelve o'clock we had crossed. No sooner had we crossed +than an order came to double quick. General Forrest's cavalry had opened +the battle. Even then the spent balls were falling amongst us with that +peculiar thud so familiar to your old soldier. + +Double quick! There seemed to be no rest for us. Forrest is needing +reinforcements. Double quick, close up in the rear! siz, siz, double +quick, boom, hurry up, bang, bang, a rattle de bang, bang, siz, boom, +boom, boom, hurry up, double quick, boom, bang, halt, front, right dress, +boom, boom, and three soldiers are killed and twenty wounded. Billy +Webster's arm was torn out by the roots and he killed, and a fragment of +shell buried itself in Jim McEwin's side, also killing Mr. Fain King, +a conscript from Mount Pleasant. Forward, guide center, march, charge +bayonets, fire at will, commence firing. (This is where the LL. D. ran.) +We debouched through the woods, firing as we marched, the Yankee line +about two hundred yards off. Bang, bang, siz, siz. It was a sort of +running fire. We kept up a constant fire as we advanced. In ten minutes +we were face to face with the foe. It was but a question as to who could +load and shoot the fastest. The army was not up. Bragg was not ready +for a general battle. The big battle was fought the next day, Sunday. +We held our position for two hours and ten minutes in the midst of a +deadly and galling fire, being enfiladed and almost surrounded, when +General Forrest galloped up and said, "Colonel Field, look out, you are +almost surrounded; you had better fall back." The order was given to +retreat. I ran through a solid line of blue coats. As I fell back, +they were upon the right of us, they were upon the left of us, they were +in front of us, they were in the rear of us. It was a perfect hornets' +nest. The balls whistled around our ears like the escape valves of ten +thousand engines. The woods seemed to be blazing; everywhere, at every +jump, would rise a lurking foe. But to get up and dust was all we could +do. I was running along by the side of Bob Stout. General Preston Smith +stopped me and asked if our brigade was falling back. I told him it was. +He asked me the second time if it was Maney's brigade that was falling +back. I told him it was. I heard him call out, "Attention, forward!" +One solid sheet of leaden hail was falling around me. I heard General +Preston Smith's brigade open. It seemed to be platoons of artillery. +The earth jarred and trembled like an earthquake. Deadly missiles were +flying in every direction. It was the very incarnation of death itself. +I could almost hear the shriek of the death angel passing over the scene. +General Smith was killed in ten minutes after I saw him. Bob Stout and +myself stopped. Said I, "Bob, you wern't killed, as you expected." +He did not reply, for at that very moment a solid shot from the Federal +guns struck him between the waist and the hip, tearing off one leg and +scattering his bowels all over the ground. I heard him shriek out, "O, O, +God!" His spirit had flown before his body struck the ground. Farewell, +friend; we will meet over yonder. + +When the cannon ball struck Billy Webster, tearing his arm out of the +socket, he did not die immediately, but as we were advancing to the +attack, we left him and the others lying where they fell upon the +battlefield; but when we fell back to the place where we had left our +knapsacks, Billy's arm had been dressed by Dr. Buist, and he seemed to be +quite easy. He asked Jim Fogey to please write a letter to his parents +at home. He wished to dictate the letter. He asked me to please look in +his knapsack and get him a clean shirt, and said that he thought he would +feel better if he could get rid of the blood that was upon him. I went +to hunt for his knapsack and found it, but when I got back to where he +was, poor, good Billy Webster was dead. He had given his life to his +country. His spirit is with the good and brave. No better or braver man +than Billy Webster ever drew the breath of life. His bones lie yonder +today, upon the battlefield of Chickamauga. I loved him; he was my +friend. Many and many a dark night have Billy and I stood together upon +the silent picket post. Ah, reader, my heart grows sick and I feel sad +while I try to write my recollections of that unholy and uncalled for +war. But He that ruleth the heavens doeth all things well. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +CHICKAMAUGA + + +BATTLE OF CHICKAMAUGA + +Sunday morning of that September day, the sun rose over the eastern hills +clear and beautiful. The day itself seemed to have a Sabbath-day look +about it. The battlefield was in a rough and broken country, with trees +and undergrowth, that ever since the creation had never been disturbed by +the ax of civilized man. It looked wild, weird, uncivilized. + +Our corps (Polk's), being in the engagement the day before, were held in +reserve. Reader, were you ever held in reserve of an attacking army? +To see couriers dashing backward and forward; to hear the orders given +to the brigades, regiments and companies; to see them forward in line of +battle, the battle-flags waving; to hear their charge, and then to hear +the shock of battle, the shot and shell all the while sizzing, and +zipping, and thudding, and screaming, and roaring, and bursting, and +passing right over your heads; to see the litter corps bringing back the +wounded continually, and hear them tell how their command was being cut +to pieces, and that every man in a certain regiment was killed, and to +see a cowardly colonel (as we saw on this occasion--he belonged to +Longstreet's corps) come dashing back looking the very picture of terror +and fear, exclaiming, "O, men, men, for God's sake go forward and help +my men! they are being cut all to pieces! we can't hold our position. +O, for God's sake, please go and help my command!" To hear some of our +boys ask, "What regiment is that? What regiment is that?" He replies, +such and such regiment. And then to hear some fellow ask, "Why ain't +you with them, then, you cowardly puppy? Take off that coat and those +chicken guts; coo, sheep; baa, baa, black sheep; flicker, flicker; +ain't you ashamed of yourself? flicker, flicker; I've got a notion to +take my gun and kill him," etc. Every word of this is true; it actually +happened. But all that could demoralize, and I may say intimidate a +soldier, was being enacted, and he not allowed to participate. How we +were moved from one position to another, but always under fire; our +nerves strung to their utmost tension, listening to the roar of battle in +our immediate front, to hear it rage and then get dimmer until it seems +to die out entirely; then all at once it breaks out again, and you think +now in a very few minutes you will be ordered into action, and then all +at once we go double-quicking to another portion of the field, the battle +raging back from the position we had left. General Leonidas Polk rides +up and happening to stop in our front, some of the boys halloo out, "Say, +General, what command is that which is engaged now?" The general kindly +answers, "That is Longstreet's corps. He is driving them this way, +and we will drive them that way, and crush them between the 'upper and +nether millstone.'" Turning to General Cheatham, he said, "General, +move your division and attack at once." Everything is at once set in +motion, and General Cheatham, to give the boys a good send-off, says, +"Forward, boys, and give 'em h--l." General Polk also says a good word, +and that word was, "Do as General Cheatham says, boys." (You know he was +a preacher and couldn't curse.) After marching in solid line, see-sawing, +right obliqueing, left obliqueing, guide center and close up; commence +firing--fire at will; charge and take their breastworks; our pent-up +nervousness and demoralization of all day is suddenly gone. We raise +one long, loud, cheering shout and charge right upon their breastworks. +They are pouring their deadly missiles into our advancing ranks from +under their head-logs. We do not stop to look around to see who is +killed and wounded, but press right up their breastworks, and plant our +battle-flag upon it. They waver and break and run in every direction, +when General John C. Breckinridge's division, which had been supporting +us, march up and pass us in full pursuit of the routed and flying Federal +army. + + +AFTER THE BATTLE + +We remained upon the battlefield of Chickamauga all night. Everything +had fallen into our hands. We had captured a great many prisoners and +small arms, and many pieces of artillery and wagons and provisions. +The Confederate and Federal dead, wounded, and dying were everywhere +scattered over the battlefield. Men were lying where they fell, shot in +every conceivable part of the body. Some with their entrails torn out +and still hanging to them and piled up on the ground beside them, and +they still alive. Some with their under jaw torn off, and hanging by a +fragment of skin to their cheeks, with their tongues lolling from their +mouth, and they trying to talk. Some with both eyes shot out, with +one eye hanging down on their cheek. In fact, you might walk over the +battlefield and find men shot from the crown of the head to the tip end +of the toe. And then to see all those dead, wounded and dying horses, +their heads and tails drooping, and they seeming to be so intelligent as +if they comprehended everything. I felt like shedding a tear for those +innocent dumb brutes. + +Reader, a battlefield, after the battle, is a sad and sorrowful sight +to look at. The glory of war is but the glory of battle, the shouts, +and cheers, and victory. + +A soldier's life is not a pleasant one. It is always, at best, one of +privations and hardships. The emotions of patriotism and pleasure hardly +counterbalance the toil and suffering that he has to undergo in order +to enjoy his patriotism and pleasure. Dying on the field of battle and +glory is about the easiest duty a soldier has to undergo. It is the +living, marching, fighting, shooting soldier that has the hardships of +war to carry. When a brave soldier is killed he is at rest. The living +soldier knows not at what moment he, too, may be called on to lay down +his life on the altar of his country. The dead are heroes, the living +are but men compelled to do the drudgery and suffer the privations +incident to the thing called "glorious war." + + +A NIGHT AMONG THE DEAD + +We rested on our arms where the battle ceased. All around us everywhere +were the dead and wounded, lying scattered over the ground, and in many +places piled in heaps. Many a sad and heart-rending scene did I witness +upon this battlefield of Chickamauga. Our men died the death of heroes. +I sometimes think that surely our brave men have not died in vain. +It is true, our cause is lost, but a people who loved those brave and +noble heroes should ever cherish their memory as men who died for them. +I shed a tear over their memory. They gave their all to their country. +Abler pens than mine must write their epitaphs, and tell of their glories +and heroism. I am but a poor writer, at best, and only try to tell of +the events that I saw. + +One scene I now remember, that I can imperfectly relate. While a detail +of us were passing over the field of death and blood, with a dim lantern, +looking for our wounded soldiers to carry to the hospital, we came +across a group of ladies, looking among the killed and wounded for their +relatives, when I heard one of the ladies say, "There they come with +their lanterns." I approached the ladies and asked them for whom they +were looking. They told me the name, but I have forgotten it. We passed +on, and coming to a pile of our slain, we had turned over several of our +dead, when one of the ladies screamed out, "O, there he is! Poor fellow! +Dead, dead, dead!" She ran to the pile of slain and raised the dead +man's head and placed it on her lap and began kissing him and saying, "O, +O, they have killed my darling, my darling, my darling! O, mother, +mother, what must I do! My poor, poor darling! O, they have killed him, +they have killed him!" I could witness the scene no longer. I turned +and walked away, and William A. Hughes was crying, and remarked, "O, +law me; this war is a terrible thing." We left them and began again +hunting for our wounded. All through that long September night we +continued to carry off our wounded, and when the morning sun arose over +the eastern hills, the order came to march to Missionary Ridge. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +MISSIONARY RIDGE + + +After retreating from Chickamauga, the Yankees attempted to re-form their +broken lines on Missionary Ridge. We advanced to attack them, but they +soon fell back to Chattanooga. We knew they were in an impregnable +position. We had built those breastworks and forts, and knew whereof +we spoke. We stopped on Missionary Ridge, and gnashed our teeth at +Chattanooga. I do not know what our generals thought; I do not know what +the authorities at Richmond thought, but I can tell you what the privates +thought. But here we were on Missionary Ridge and Lookout Mountain, +looking right down into Chattanooga. We had but to watch and wait. +We would starve them out. + +The Federal army had accomplished their purpose. They wanted +Chattanooga. They laughed at our triumph, and mocked at our victory. +They got Chattanooga. "Now, where are you, Johnny Reb? What are you +going to do about it? You've got the dry grins, arn't you? We've got +the key; when the proper time comes we'll unlock your doors and go in. +You are going to starve us out, eh? We are not very hungry at present, +and we don't want any more pie. When we starve out we'll call on you for +rations, but at present we are not starving, by a jug full; but if you +want any whisky or tobacco, send over and we'll give you some. We've +got all we wanted, and assure you we are satisfied." + +The above remarks are the supposed colloquy that took place between the +two armies. Bragg, in trying to starve the Yankees out, was starved out +himself. Ask any old Rebel as to our bill of fare at Missionary Ridge. + +In all the history of the war, I cannot remember of more privations and +hardships than we went through at Missionary Ridge. And when in the very +acme of our privations and hunger, when the army was most dissatisfied +and unhappy, we were ordered into line of battle to be reviewed by +Honorable Jefferson Davis. When he passed by us, with his great retinue +of staff officers and play-outs at full gallop, cheers greeted them, +with the words, "Send us something to eat, Massa Jeff. Give us something +to eat, Massa Jeff. I'm hungry! I'm hungry!" + + +SERGEANT TUCKER AND GENERAL WILDER + +At this place the Yankee outpost was on one side of the Tennessee river, +and ours on the other. I was on the detail one Sunday commanded by +Sergeant John T. Tucker. When we were approaching we heard the old guard +and the Yankee picket talking back and forth across the river. The new +guard immediately resumed the conversation. We had to halloo at the top +of our voices, the river being about three hundred yards wide at this +point. But there was a little island about the middle of the river. +A Yankee hallooed out, "O, Johnny, Johnny, meet me half way in the river +on the island." "All right," said Sergeant Tucker, who immediately +undressed all but his hat, in which he carried the Chattanooga Rebel and +some other Southern newspapers, and swam across to the island. When he +got there the Yankee was there, but the Yankee had waded. I do not know +what he and John talked about, but they got very friendly, and John +invited him to come clear across to our side, which invitation he +accepted. I noticed at the time that while John swam, the Yankee waded, +remarking that he couldn't swim. The river was but little over waist +deep. Well, they came across and we swapped a few lies, canteens and +tobacco, and then the Yankee went back, wading all the way across the +stream. That man was General Wilder, commanding the Federal cavalry, +and at the battle of Missionary Ridge he threw his whole division of +cavalry across the Tennessee river at that point, thus flanking Bragg's +army, and opening the battle. He was examining the ford, and the +swapping business was but a mere by-play. He played it sharp, and Bragg +had to get further. + + +MOCCASIN POINT + +Maney's brigade fortified on top of Lookout Mountain. From this position +we could see five states. The Yankees had built a fort across the river, +on Moccasin Point, and were throwing shells at us continually. I have +never seen such accurate shooting in my life. It was upon the principle +of shooting a squirrel out of a tree, and they had become so perfect in +their aim, that I believe they could have killed a squirrel a mile off. +We could have killed a great many artillery men if we had been allowed to +shoot, but no private soldier was ever allowed to shoot a gun on his own +hook. If he shot at all, it must by the order of an officer, for if just +one cartridge was shot away or lost, the private was charged twenty-five +cents for it, and had to do extra duty, and I don't think our artillery +was ever allowed to fire a single shot under any circumstances. Our +rations were cooked up by a special detail ten miles in the rear, and +were sent to us every three days, and then those three days' rations were +generally eaten up at one meal, and the private soldier had to starve the +other two days and a half. Never in all my whole life do I remember of +ever experiencing so much oppression and humiliation. The soldiers were +starved and almost naked, and covered all over with lice and camp itch +and filth and dirt. The men looked sick, hollow-eyed, and heart-broken, +living principally upon parched corn, which had been picked out of the +mud and dirt under the feet of officers' horses. We thought of nothing +but starvation. + +The battle of Missionary Ridge was opened from Moccasin Point, while +we were on Lookout Mountain, but I knew nothing of the movements or +maneuvers of either army, and only tell what part I took in the battle. + + +BATTLE OF MISSIONARY RIDGE + +One morning Theodore Sloan, Hog Johnson and I were standing picket at the +little stream that runs along at the foot of Lookout Mountain. In fact, +I would be pleased to name our captain, Fulcher, and Lieutenant Lansdown, +of the guard on this occasion, because we acted as picket for the whole +three days' engagement without being relieved, and haven't been relieved +yet. But that battle has gone into history. We heard a Yankee call, "O, +Johnny, Johnny Reb!" I started out to meet him as formerly, when he +hallooed out, "Go back, Johnny, go back; we are ordered to fire on you." +"What is the matter? Is your army going to advance on us?" "I don't +know; we are ordered to fire." I jumped back into the picket post, +and a minnie ball ruined the only hat I had; another and another followed +in quick succession, and the dirt flew up in our faces off our little +breastworks. Before night the picket line was engaged from one end to +the other. If you had only heard it, dear reader. It went like ten +thousand wood-choppers, and an occasional boom of a cannon would remind +you of a tree falling. We could hear colonels giving commands to their +regiments, and could see very plainly the commotion and hubbub, but what +was up, we were unable to tell. The picket line kept moving to our +right. The second night found us near the tunnel, and right where two +railroads cross each other, or rather one runs over the other high enough +for the cars to pass under. We could see all over Chattanooga, and it +looked like myriads of blue coats swarming. + +Day's and Mannigault's brigades got into a night attack at the foot of +Lookout Mountain. I could see the whole of it. It looked like lightning +bugs on a dark night. But about midnight everything quieted down. +Theodore Sloan, Hog Johnson and myself occupied an old log cabin as +vidette. We had not slept any for two nights, and were very drowsy, +I assure you, but we knew there was something up, and we had to keep +awake. The next morning, nearly day, I think I had dropped off into a +pleasant doze, and was dreaming of more pretty things than you ever saw +in your life, when Johnson touched me and whispered, "Look, look, there +are three Yankees; must I shoot?" I whispered back "Yes." A bang; +"a waugh" went a shriek. He had got one, sure. Everything got quiet +again, and we heard nothing more for an hour. Johnson touched me again +and whispered, "Yonder they come again; look, look!" I could not see +them; was too sleepy for that. Sloan could not see them, either. +Johnson pulled down, and another unearthly squall rended the night air. +The streaks of day had begun to glimmer over Missionary Ridge, and I +could see in the dim twilight the Yankee guard not fifty yards off. +Said I, "Boys, let's fire into them and run." We took deliberate aim and +fired. At that they raised, I thought, a mighty sickly sort of yell and +charged the house. We ran out, but waited on the outside. We took a +second position where the railroads cross each other, but they began +shelling us from the river, when we got on the opposite side of the +railroad and they ceased. + +I know nothing about the battle; how Grant, with one wing, went up the +river, and Hooker's corps went down Wills valley, etc. I heard fighting +and commanding and musketry all day long, but I was still on picket. +Balls were passing over our heads, both coming and going. I could not +tell whether I was standing picket for Yankees or Rebels. I knew that +the Yankee line was between me and the Rebel line, for I could see the +battle right over the tunnel. We had been placed on picket at the foot +of Lookout Mountain, but we were five miles from that place now. If +I had tried to run in I couldn't. I had got separated from Sloan and +Johnson somehow; in fact, was waiting either for an advance of the +Yankees, or to be called in by the captain of the picket. I could see +the blue coats fairly lining Missionary Ridge in my head. The Yankees +were swarming everywhere. They were passing me all day with their dead +and wounded, going back to Chattanooga. No one seemed to notice me; +they were passing to and fro, cannon, artillery, and everything. I +was willing to be taken prisoner, but no one seemed disposed to do it. +I was afraid to look at them, and I was afraid to hide, for fear some +one's attention would be attracted toward me. I wished I could make +myself invisible. I think I was invisible. I felt that way anyhow. +I felt like the boy who wanted to go to the wedding, but had no shoes. +Cassabianca never had such feelings as I had that livelong day. + + Say, captain, say, if yet my task be done? + And yet the sweeping waves rolled on, + And answered neither yea nor nay. + +About two or three o'clock, a column of Yankees advancing to the attack +swept right over where I was standing. I was trying to stand aside to +get out of their way, but the more I tried to get out of their way, +the more in their way I got. I was carried forward, I knew not whither. +We soon arrived at the foot of the ridge, at our old breastworks. +I recognized Robert Brank's old corn stalk house, and Alf Horsley's fort, +an old log house called Fort Horsley. I was in front of the enemy's line, +and was afraid to run up the ridge, and afraid to surrender. They were +ordered to charge up the hill. There was no firing from the Rebel lines +in our immediate front. They kept climbing and pulling and scratching +until I was in touching distance of the old Rebel breastworks, right on +the very apex of Missionary Ridge. I made one jump, and I heard Captain +Turner, who had the very four Napoleon guns we had captured at Perryville, +halloo out, "Number four, solid!" and then a roar. The next order was +"Limber to the rear." The Yankees were cutting and slashing, and the +cannoneers were running in every direction. I saw Day's brigade throw +down their guns and break like quarter horses. Bragg was trying to +rally them. I heard him say, "Here is your commander," and the soldiers +hallooed back, "here is your mule." + +The whole army was routed. I ran on down the ridge, and there was our +regiment, the First Tennessee, with their guns stacked, and drawing +rations as if nothing was going on. Says I, "Colonel Field, what's the +matter? The whole army is routed and running; hadn't you better be +getting away from here? The Yankees are not a hundred yards from here. +Turner's battery has surrendered, Day's brigade has thrown down their +arms; and look yonder, that is the Stars and Stripes." He remarked very +coolly, "You seem to be demoralized. We've whipped them here. We've +captured two thousand prisoners and five stands of colors." + +Just at this time General Bragg and staff rode up. Bragg had joined the +church at Shelbyville, but he had back-slid at Missionary Ridge. He was +cursing like a sailor. Says he, "What's this? Ah, ha, have you stacked +your arms for a surrender?" "No, sir," says Field. "Take arms, shoulder +arms, by the right flank, file right, march," just as cool and deliberate +as if on dress parade. Bragg looked scared. He had put spurs to his +horse, and was running like a scared dog before Colonel Field had a +chance to answer him. Every word of this is a fact. We at once became +the rear guard of the whole army. + +[ Author's Note: I remember of General Maney meeting Gary. I do not +know who Gary was, but Maney and Gary seemed to be very glad to see each +other. Every time I think of that retreat I think of Gary. ] + +I felt sorry for General Bragg. The army was routed, and Bragg looked so +scared. Poor fellow, he looked so hacked and whipped and mortified and +chagrined at defeat, and all along the line, when Bragg would pass, +the soldiers would raise the yell, "Here is your mule;" "Bully for Bragg, +he's h--l on retreat." + +Bragg was a good disciplinarian, and if he had cultivated the love and +respect of his troops by feeding and clothing them better than they were, +the result would have been different. More depends on a good general +than the lives of many privates. The private loses his life, the general +his country. + + +GOOD-BYE, TOM WEBB + +As soon as the order was given to march, we saw poor Tom Webb lying on +the battlefield shot through the head, his blood and brains smearing his +face and clothes, and he still alive. He was as brave and noble a man as +our Heavenly Father, in His infinite wisdom, ever made. Everybody loved +him. He was a universal favorite of the company and regiment; was brave +and generous, and ever anxious to take some other man's place when there +was any skirmishing or fighting to be done. We did not wish to leave +the poor fellow in that condition, and A. S. Horsley, John T. Tucker, +Tennessee Thompson and myself got a litter and carried him on our +shoulders through that livelong night back to Chickamauga Station. +The next morning Dr. J. E. Dixon, of Deshler's brigade, passed by and +told us that it would be useless for us to carry him any further, and +that it was utterly impossible for him ever to recover. The Yankees were +then advancing and firing upon us. What could we do? We could not carry +him any further, and we could not bury him, for he was still alive. +To leave him where he was we thought best. We took hold of his hand, +bent over him and pressed our lips to his--all four of us. We kissed +him good-bye and left him to the tender mercies of the advancing foe, in +whose hands he would be in a few moments. No doubt they laughed and +jeered at the dying Rebel. It mattered not what they did, for poor +Tom Webb's spirit, before the sun went down, was with God and the holy +angels. He had given his all to his country. O, how we missed him. +It seemed that the very spirit and life of Company H had died with the +death of good, noble and brave Tom Webb. + +I thank God that I am no infidel, and I feel and believe that I will +again see Tom Webb. Just as sure and certain, reader, as you are now +reading these lines, I will meet him up yonder--I know I will. + + +THE REAR GUARD + +When we had marched about a mile back in the rear of the battlefield, +we were ordered to halt so that all stragglers might pass us, as we were +detailed as the rear guard. While resting on the road side we saw Day's +brigade pass us. They were gunless, cartridge-boxless, knapsackless, +canteenless, and all other military accoutermentsless, and swordless, +and officerless, and they all seemed to have the 'possum grins, like +Bragg looked, and as they passed our regiment, you never heard such fun +made of a parcel of soldiers in your life. Every fellow was yelling at +the top of his voice, "Yaller-hammer, Alabama, flicker, flicker, flicker, +yaller-hammer, Alabama, flicker, flicker, flicker." I felt sorry for +the yellow-hammer Alabamians, they looked so hacked, and answered back +never a word. When they had passed, two pieces of artillery passed us. +They were the only two pieces not captured at Missionary Ridge, and they +were ordered to immediately precede us in bringing up the rear. The +whole rear guard was placed under the command of the noble, generous, +handsome and brave General Gist, of South Carolina. I loved General Gist, +and when I mention his name tears gather in my eyes. I think he was the +handsomest man I ever knew. + +Our army was a long time crossing the railroad bridge across Chickamauga +river. Maney's brigade, of Cheatham's division, and General L. E. Polk's +brigade, of Cleburne's division, formed a sort of line of battle, and had +to wait until the stragglers had all passed. I remember looking at them, +and as they passed I could read the character of every soldier. Some +were mad, others cowed, and many were laughing. Some were cursing Bragg, +some the Yankees, and some were rejoicing at the defeat. I cannot +describe it. It was the first defeat our army had ever suffered, but the +prevailing sentiment was anathemas and denunciations hurled against Jeff +Davis for ordering Longstreet's corps to Knoxville, and sending off +Generals Wheeler's and Forrest's cavalry, while every private soldier in +the whole army knew that the enemy was concentrating at Chattanooga. + + +CHICKAMAUGA STATION + +When we arrived at Chickamauga Station, our brigade and General Lucius +E. Polk's brigade, of Cleburne's division, were left to set fire to the +town and to burn up and destroy all those immense piles of army stores +and provisions which had been accumulated there to starve the Yankees out +of Chattanooga. Great piles of corn in sacks, and bacon, and crackers, +and molasses, and sugar, and coffee, and rice, and potatoes, and onions, +and peas, and flour by the hundreds of barrels, all now to be given to +the flames, while for months the Rebel soldiers had been stinted and +starved for the want of these same provisions. It was enough to make the +bravest and most patriotic soul that ever fired a gun in defense of any +cause on earth, think of rebelling against the authorities as they then +were. Every private soldier knew these stores were there, and for the +want of them we lost our cause. + +Reader, I ask you who you think was to blame? Most of our army had +already passed through hungry and disheartened, and here were all these +stores that had to be destroyed. Before setting fire to the town, +every soldier in Maney's and Polk's brigades loaded himself down with +rations. It was a laughable looking rear guard of a routed and +retreating army. Every one of us had cut open the end of a corn sack, +emptied out the corn, and filled it with hard-tack, and, besides, every +one of us had a side of bacon hung to our bayonets on our guns. Our +canteens, and clothes, and faces, and hair were all gummed up with +molasses. Such is the picture of our rear guard. Now, reader, if you +were ever on the rear guard of a routed and retreating army, you know how +tedious it is. You don't move more than ten feet at furthest before you +have to halt, and then ten feet again a few minutes afterwards, and so +on all day long. You haven't time to sit down a moment before you are +ordered to move on again. And the Yankees dash up every now and then, +and fire a volley into your rear. Now that is the way we were marched +that livelong day, until nearly dark, and then the Yankees began to crowd +us. We can see their line forming, and know we have to fight. + + +THE BATTLE OF CAT CREEK + +About dark a small body of cavalry dashed in ahead of us and captured and +carried off one piece of artillery and Colonel John F. House, General +Maney's assistant adjutant-general. We will have to form line of battle +and drive them back. Well, we quickly form line of battle, and the +Yankees are seen to emerge from the woods about two hundred yards from +us. We promptly shell off those sides of bacon and sacks of hard-tack +that we had worried and tugged with all day long. Bang, bang, siz, siz. +We are ordered to load and fire promptly and to hold our position. +Yonder they come, a whole division. Our regiment is the only regiment +in the action. They are crowding us; our poor little handful of men are +being killed and wounded by scores. There is General George Maney badly +wounded and being carried to the rear, and there is Moon, of Fulcher's +battalion, killed dead in his tracks. We can't much longer hold our +position. A minnie ball passes through my Bible in my side pocket. +All at once we are ordered to open ranks. Here comes one piece of +artillery from a Mississippi battery, bouncing ten feet high, over brush +and logs and bending down little trees and saplings, under whip and spur, +the horses are champing the bits, and are muddied from head to foot. +Now, quick, quick; look, the Yankees have discovered the battery and +are preparing to charge it. Unlimber, horses and caisson to the rear. +No. 1 shrapnel, load, fire--boom, boom; load, ablouyat--boom, boom. +I saw Sam Seay fall badly wounded and carried to the rear. I stopped +firing to look at Sergeant Doyle how he handled his gun. At every +discharge it would bounce, and turn its muzzle completely to the rear, +when those old artillery soldiers would return it to its place--and it +seemed they fired a shot almost every ten seconds. Fire, men. Our +muskets roll and rattle, making music like the kettle and bass drum +combined. They are checked; we see them fall back to the woods, and +night throws her mantle over the scene. We fell back now, and had to +strip and wade Chickamauga river. It was up to our armpits, and was as +cold as charity. We had to carry our clothes across on the points of +our bayonets. Fires had been kindled every few yards on the other side, +and we soon got warmed up again. + + +RINGGOLD GAP + +I had got as far as Ringgold Gap, when I had unconsciously fallen asleep +by a fire, it being the fourth night that I had not slept a wink. +Before I got to this fire, however, a gentleman whom I never saw in my +life--because it was totally dark at the time--handed me a letter from +the old folks at home, and a good suit of clothes. He belonged to +Colonel Breckinridge's cavalry, and if he ever sees these lines, I wish +to say to him, "God bless you, old boy." I had lost every blanket and +vestige of clothing, except those I had on, at Missionary Ridge. I laid +down by the fire and went to sleep, but how long I had slept I knew not, +when I felt a rough hand grab me and give me a shake, and the fellow said, +"Are you going to sleep here, and let the Yankees cut your throat?" +I opened my eyes, and asked, "Who are you?" He politely and pleasantly, +yet profanely, told me that he was General Walker (the poor fellow was +killed the 22nd of July, at Atlanta), and that I had better get further. +He passed on and waked others. Just then, General Cleburne and staff +rode by me, and I heard one of his staff remark, "General, here is a +ditch, or gully, that will make a natural breastwork." All I heard +General Cleburne say was, "Er, eh, eh!" I saw General Lucius E. Polk's +brigade form on the crest of the hill. + +I went a little further and laid down again and went to sleep. How long +I had lain there, and what was passing over me, I know nothing about, +but when I awoke, here is what I saw: I saw a long line of blue coats +marching down the railroad track. The first thought I had was, well, +I'm gone up now, sure; but on second sight, I discovered that they were +prisoners. Cleburne had had the doggondest fight of the war. The ground +was piled with dead Yankees; they were piled in heaps. The scene looked +unlike any battlefield I ever saw. From the foot to the top of the hill +was covered with their slain, all lying on their faces. It had the +appearance of the roof of a house shingled with dead Yankees. They were +flushed with victory and success, and had determined to push forward and +capture the whole of the Rebel army, and set up their triumphant standard +at Atlanta--then exit Southern Confederacy. But their dead were so +piled in their path at Ringgold Gap that they could not pass them. The +Spartans gained a name at Thermopylae, in which Leonidas and the whole +Spartan army were slain while defending the pass. Cleburne's division +gained a name at Ringgold Gap, in which they not only slew the victorious +army, but captured five thousand prisoners besides. That brilliant +victory of Cleburne's made him not only the best general of the army +of Tennessee, and covered his men with glory and honor of heroes, but +checked the advance of Grant's whole army. + +We did not budge an inch further for many a long day, but we went into +winter quarters right here at Ringgold Gap, Tunnel Hill and Dalton. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +DALTON + + +GENERAL JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON + +General Joseph E. Johnston now took command of the army. General Bragg +was relieved, and had become Jeff Davis' war adviser at Richmond, +Virginia. We had followed General Bragg all through this long war. +We had got sorter used to his ways, but he was never popular with his +troops. I felt sorry for him. Bragg's troops would have loved him, +if he had allowed them to do so, for many a word was spoken in his behalf, +after he had been relieved of the command. As a general I have spoken of +him in these memoirs, not personally. I try to state facts, so that you +may see, reader, why our cause was lost. I have no doubt that Bragg ever +did what he thought was best. He was but a man, under the authority of +another. + +But now, allow me to introduce you to old Joe. Fancy, if you please, +a man about fifty years old, rather small of stature, but firmly and +compactly built, an open and honest countenance, and a keen but restless +black eye, that seemed to read your very inmost thoughts. In his dress +he was a perfect dandy. He ever wore the very finest clothes that could +be obtained, carrying out in every point the dress and paraphernalia of +the soldier, as adopted by the war department at Richmond, never omitting +anything, even to the trappings of his horse, bridle and saddle. His +hat was decorated with a star and feather, his coat with every star and +embellishment, and he wore a bright new sash, big gauntlets, and silver +spurs. He was the very picture of a general. + +But he found the army depleted by battles; and worse, yea, much worse, +by desertion. The men were deserting by tens and hundreds, and I might +say by thousands. The morale of the army was gone. The spirit of the +soldiers was crushed, their hope gone. The future was dark and gloomy. +They would not answer at roll call. Discipline had gone. A feeling of +mistrust pervaded the whole army. + +A train load of provisions came into Dalton. The soldiers stopped it +before it rolled into the station, burst open every car, and carried off +all the bacon, meal and flour that was on board. Wild riot was the order +of the day; everything was confusion, worse confounded. When the news +came, like pouring oil upon the troubled waters, that General Joe +E. Johnston, of Virginia, had taken command of the Army of Tennessee, +men returned to their companies, order was restored, and "Richard was +himself again." General Johnston issued a universal amnesty to all +soldiers absent without leave. Instead of a scrimp pattern of one day's +rations, he ordered two days' rations to be issued, being extra for +one day. He ordered tobacco and whisky to be issued twice a week. He +ordered sugar and coffee and flour to be issued instead of meal. He +ordered old bacon and ham to be issued instead of blue beef. He ordered +new tents and marquees. He ordered his soldiers new suits of clothes, +shoes and hats. In fact, there had been a revolution, sure enough. +He allowed us what General Bragg had never allowed mortal man--a +furlough. He gave furloughs to one-third of his army at a time, until +the whole had been furloughed. A new era had dawned; a new epoch had +been dated. He passed through the ranks of the common soldiers, shaking +hands with every one he met. He restored the soldier's pride; he +brought the manhood back to the private's bosom; he changed the order +of roll-call, standing guard, drill, and such nonsense as that. The +revolution was complete. He was loved, respected, admired; yea, almost +worshipped by his troops. I do not believe there was a soldier in his +army but would gladly have died for him. With him everything was his +soldiers, and the newspapers, criticising him at the time, said, "He +would feed his soldiers if the country starved." + +We soon got proud; the blood of the old Cavaliers tingled in our veins. +We did not feel that we were serfs and vagabonds. We felt that we had a +home and a country worth fighting for, and, if need be, worth dying for. +One regiment could whip an army, and did do it, in every instance, +before the command was taken from him at Atlanta. But of this another +time. + +Chaplains were brought back to their regiments. Dr. C. T. Quintard and +Rev. C. D. Elliott, and other chaplains, held divine services every +Sabbath, prayer was offered every evening at retreat, and the morale of +the army was better in every respect. The private soldier once more +regarded himself a gentleman and a man of honor. We were willing to do +and die and dare anything for our loved South, and the Stars and Bars +of the Confederacy. In addition to this, General Johnston ordered his +soldiers to be paid up every cent that was due them, and a bounty of +fifty dollars besides. He issued an order to his troops offering +promotion and a furlough for acts of gallantry and bravery on the field +of battle. + +The cloven foot of tyranny and oppression was not discernible in the acts +of officers, from general down to corporal, as formerly. Notwithstanding +all this grand transformation in our affairs, old Joe was a strict +disciplinarian. Everything moved like clockwork. Men had to keep their +arms and clothing in good order. The artillery was rubbed up and put in +good condition. The wagons were greased, and the harness and hamestrings +oiled. Extra rations were issued to negroes who were acting as servants, +a thing unprecedented before in the history of the war. + +Well, old Joe was a yerker. He took all the tricks. He was a commander. +He kept everything up and well in hand. His lines of battle were +invulnerable. The larger his command, the easier he could handle it. +When his army moved, it was a picture of battle, everything in its place, +as laid down by scientific military rules. When a man was to be shot, +he was shot for the crimes he had done, and not to intimidate and cow the +living, and he had ten times as many shot as Bragg had. He had seventeen +shot at Tunnel Hill, and a whole company at Rockyface Ridge, and two +spies hung at Ringgold Gap, but they were executed for their crimes. +No one knew of it except those who had to take part as executioners of +the law. Instead of the whipping post, he instituted the pillory and +barrel shirt. Get Brutus to whistle the barrel shirt for you. The +pillory was a new-fangled concern. If you went to the guard-house of +almost any regiment, you would see some poor fellow with his head and +hands sticking through a board. It had the appearance of a fellow taking +a running start, at an angle of forty-five degrees, with a view of +bursting a board over his head, but when the board burst his head and +both his hands were clamped in the bursted places. The barrel shirt +brigade used to be marched on drill and parade. You could see a fellow's +head and feet, and whenever one of the barrels would pass, you would hear +the universal cry, "Come out of that barrel, I see your head and feet +sticking out." There might have been a mortification and a disgrace in +the pillory and barrel shirt business to those that had to use them, +but they did not bruise and mutilate the physical man. When one of them +had served out his time he was as good as new. Old Joe had greater +military insight than any general of the South, not excepting even Lee. +He was the born soldier; seemed born to command. When his army moved it +moved solid. Cavalry, artillery, wagon train, and infantry stepped the +same tread to the music of the march. His men were not allowed to be +butchered for glory, and to have his name and a battle fought, with the +number of killed and wounded, go back to Richmond for his own glory. +When he fought, he fought for victory, not for glory. He could fall back +right in the face of the foe as quietly and orderly as if on dress parade; +and when his enemies crowded him a little too closely, he would about +face and give them a terrible chastisement. He could not be taken by +surprise by any flank movement of the enemy. His soldiers were to him +his children. He loved them. They were never needlessly sacrificed. +He was always ready to meet the attack of the enemy. When his line of +battle was formed it was like a wall of granite. His adversaries knew +him, and dreaded the certain death that awaited them. His troops were +brave; they laughed in the face of battle. He had no rear guard to +shoot down any one who ran. They couldn't run; the army was solid. The +veriest coward that was ever born became a brave man and a hero under his +manipulation. His troops had the utmost confidence in him, and feared no +evil. They became an army of veterans, whose lines could not be broken +by the armies of the world. Battle became a pastime and a pleasure, +and the rattle of musketry and roar of cannon were but the music of +victory and success. + + +COMMISSARIES + +Before General Joseph E. Johnston took command of the Army of Tennessee, +the soldiers were very poorly fed, it is true, but the blame was not +entirely attributable to General Bragg. He issued enough and more than +enough to have bountifully fed his army, but there was a lot of men in +the army, generally denominated commissaries, and their "gizzards," +as well as fingers, had to be greased. There was commissary-general, +then corps commissary, then division commissary, then brigade commissary, +then regimental commissary, then company commissary. Now, you know were +you to start a nice hindquarter of beef, which had to pass through all +these hands, and every commissary take a choice steak and roast off it, +there would be but little ever reach the company, and the poor man among +the Johnnies had to feast like bears in winter--they had to suck their +paws--but the rich Johnnies who had money could go to almost any of +the gentlemen denominated commissaries (they ought to have been called +cormorants) and buy of them much nice fat beef and meal and flour and +sugar and coffee and nice canvassed hams, etc. I have done it many +times. They were keeping back the rations that had been issued to the +army, and lining their own pockets. But when General Johnston took +command, this manipulating business played out. Rations would "spile" +on their hands. Othello's occupation was gone. They received only one +hundred and forty dollars a month then, and the high private got plenty +to eat, and Mr. Cormorant quit making as much money as he had heretofore +done. Were you to go to them and make complaint, they would say, "I have +issued regular army rations to your company, and what is left over is +mine," and they were mighty exact about it. + + +DALTON + +We went into winter quarters at Dalton, and remained there during the +cold, bad winter of 1863-64, about four months. The usual routine of +army life was carried on day by day, with not many incidents to vary the +monotony of camp life. But occasionally the soldiers would engage in +a snow ball battle, in which generals, colonels, captains and privates +all took part. They would usually divide off into two grand divisions, +one line naturally becoming the attacking party, and the other the +defensive. The snow balls would begin to fly hither and thither, with +an occasional knock down, and sometimes an ugly wound, where some mean +fellow had enclosed a rock in his snow ball. It was fun while it lasted, +but after it was over the soldiers were wet, cold and uncomfortable. +I have seen charges and attacks and routes and stampedes, etc., but +before the thing was over, one side did not know one from the other. +It was a general knock down and drag out affair. + + +SHOOTING A DESERTER + +One morning I went over to Deshler's brigade of Cleburne's division to +see my brother-in-law, Dr. J. E. Dixon. The snow was on the ground, +and the boys were hard at it, "snow balling." While I was standing +looking on, a file of soldiers marched by me with a poor fellow on +his way to be shot. He was blindfolded and set upon a stump, and the +detail formed. The command, "Ready, aim, fire!" was given, the volley +discharged, and the prisoner fell off the stump. He had not been killed. +It was the sergeant's duty to give the _coup d'etat_, should not the +prisoner be slain. The sergeant ran up and placed the muzzle of his gun +at the head of the poor, pleading, and entreating wretch, his gun was +discharged, and the wretched man only powder-burned, the gun being one +that had been loaded with powder only. The whole affair had to be gone +over again. The soldiers had to reload and form and fire. The culprit +was killed stone dead this time. He had no sooner been taken up and +carried off to be buried, than the soldiers were throwing snow balls as +hard as ever, as if nothing had happened. + + +TEN MEN KILLED AT THE MOURNERS' BENCH + +At this place (Dalton) a revival of religion sprang up, and there was +divine service every day and night. Soldiers became serious on the +subject of their souls' salvation. In sweeping the streets and cleaning +up, an old tree had been set on fire, and had been smoking and burning +for several days, and nobody seemed to notice it. That night there was +service as usual, and the singing and sermon were excellent. The sermon +was preached by Rev. J. G. Bolton, chaplain of the Fiftieth Tennessee +Regiment, assisted by Rev. C. D. Elliott, the services being held in the +Fourth Tennessee Regiment. As it was the custom to "call up mourners," +a long bench had been placed in proper position for them to kneel down +at. Ten of them were kneeling at this mourners' bench, pouring out their +souls in prayer to God, asking Him for the forgiveness of their sins, +and for the salvation of their souls, for Jesus Christ their Redeemer's +sake, when the burning tree, without any warning, fell with a crash right +across the ten mourners, crushing and killing them instantly. God had +heard their prayers. Their souls had been carried to heaven. Hereafter, +henceforth, and forevermore, there was no more marching, battling, +or camp duty for them. They had joined the army of the hosts of heaven. + +By order of the general, they were buried with great pomp and splendor, +that is, for those times. Every one of them was buried in a coffin. +Brass bands followed, playing the "Dead March," and platoons fired over +their graves. It was a soldier's funeral. The beautiful burial service +of the Episcopal church was read by Rev. Allen Tribble. A hymn was sung, +and prayer offered, and then their graves were filled as we marched sadly +back to camp. + + +DR. C. T. QUINTARD + +Dr. C. T. Quintard was our chaplain for the First Tennessee Regiment +during the whole war, and he stuck to us from the beginning even unto the +end. During week days he ministered to us physically, and on Sundays +spiritually. He was one of the purest and best men I ever knew. He +would march and carry his knapsack every day the same as any soldier. +He had one text he preached from which I remember now. It was "the +flying scroll." He said there was a flying scroll continually passing +over our heads, which was like the reflections in a looking-glass, +and all of our deeds, both good and bad, were written upon it. He was a +good doctor of medicine, as well as a good doctor of divinity, and above +either of these, he was a good man per se. Every old soldier of the +First Tennessee Regiment will remember Dr. C. T. Quintard with the +kindest and most sincere emotions of love and respect. He would go off +into the country and get up for our regiment clothing and provisions, +and wrote a little prayer and song book, which he had published, and gave +it to the soldiers. I learned that little prayer and song book off by +heart, and have a copy of it in my possession yet, which I would not +part with for any consideration. Dr. Quintard's nature was one of love. +He loved the soldiers, and the soldiers loved him, and deep down in +his heart of hearts was a deep and lasting love for Jesus Christ, the +Redeemer of the world, implanted there by God the Father Himself. + + +Y'S YOU GOT MY HOG? + +One day, a party of "us privates" concluded we would go across the +Conasauga river on a raid. We crossed over in a canoe. After traveling +for some time, we saw a neat looking farm house, and sent one of the +party forward to reconnoiter. He returned in a few minutes and announced +that he had found a fine fat sow in a pen near the house. Now, the plan +we formed was for two of us to go into the house and keep the inmates +interested and the other was to toll and drive off the hog. I was one +of the party which went into the house. There was no one there but an +old lady and her sick and widowed daughter. They invited us in very +pleasantly and kindly, and soon prepared us a very nice and good dinner. +The old lady told us of all her troubles and trials. Her husband had +died before the war, and she had three sons in the army, two of whom had +been killed, and the youngest, who had been conscripted, was taken with +the camp fever and died in the hospital at Atlanta, and she had nothing +to subsist upon, after eating up what they then had. I was much +interested, and remained a little while after my comrade had left. +I soon went out, having made up my mind to have nothing to do with the +hog affair. I did not know how to act. I was in a bad fix. I had heard +the gun fire and knew its portent. I knew the hog was dead, and went on +up the road, and soon overtook my two comrades with the hog, which had +been skinned and cut up, and was being carried on a pole between them. +I did not know what to do. On looking back I saw the old lady coming and +screaming at the top of her voice, "You got my hog! You got my hog!" +It was too late to back out now. We had the hog, and had to make the +most of it, even if we did ruin a needy and destitute family. We went on +until we came to the Conasauga river, when lo and behold! the canoe was +on the other side of the river. It was dark then, and getting darker, +and what was to be done we did not know. The weather was as cold as +blue blazes, and spitting snow from the northwest. That river had to be +crossed that night. I undressed and determined to swim it, and went in, +but the little thin ice at the bank cut my feet. I waded in a little +further, but soon found I would cramp if I tried to swim it. I came out +and put my clothes on, and thought of a gate about a mile back. We went +back and took the gate off its hinges and carried it to the river and put +it in the water, but soon found out that all three of us could not ride +on it; so one of the party got on it and started across. He did very +well until he came to the other bank, which was a high bluff, and if +he got off the center of the gate it would capsize and he would get a +ducking. He could not get off the gate. I told him to pole the gate up +to the bank, so that one side would rest on the bank, and then make a +quick run for the bank. He thought he had got the gate about the right +place, and then made a run, and the gate went under and so did he, +in water ten feet deep. My comrade, Fount C., who was with me on the +bank, laughed, I thought, until he had hurt himself; but with me, I +assure you, it was a mighty sickly grin, and with the other one, Barkley +J., it was anything but a laughing matter. To me he seemed a hero. +Barkley did about to liberate me from a very unpleasant position. +He soon returned with the canoe, and we crossed the river with the hog. +We worried and tugged with it, and got it to camp just before daylight. + +I had a guilty conscience, I assure you. The hog was cooked, but I did +not eat a piece of it. I felt that I had rather starve, and I believe +that it would have choked me to death if I had attempted it. + +A short time afterward an old citizen from Maury county visited me. +My father sent me, by him, a silver watch--which I am wearing today-- +and eight hundred dollars in old issue Confederate money. I took two +hundred dollars of the money, and had it funded for new issue, 33 1/3 +cents discount. The other six hundred I sent to Vance Thompson, then +on duty at Montgomery, with instructions to send it to my brother, Dave +Watkins, Uncle Asa Freeman, and J. E. Dixon, all of whom were in +Wheeler's cavalry, at some other point--I knew not where. After getting +my money, I found that I had $133.33 1/3. I could not rest. I took one +hundred dollars, new issue, and going by my lone self back to the old +lady's house, I said, "Madam, some soldiers were here a short time ago, +and took your hog. I was one of that party, and I wish to pay you for +it. What was it worth?" "Well, sir," says she, "money is of no value to +me; I cannot get any article that I wish; I would much rather have the +hog." Says I, "Madam, that is an impossibility; your hog is dead and eat +up, and I have come to pay you for it." The old lady's eyes filled with +tears. She said that she was perfectly willing to give the soldiers +everything she had, and if she thought it had done us any good, she would +not charge anything for it. + +"Well," says I, "Madam, here is a hundred dollar, new issue, Confederate +bill. Will this pay you for your hog?" "Well, sir," she says, drawing +herself up to her full height, her cheeks flushed and her eyes flashing, +"I do not want your money. I would feel that it was blood money." +I saw that there was no further use to offer it to her. I sat down by +the fire and the conversation turned upon other subjects. + +I helped the old lady catch a chicken (an old hen--about the last she had) +for dinner, went with her in the garden and pulled a bunch of eschalots, +brought two buckets of water, and cut and brought enough wood to last +several days. + +After awhile, she invited me to dinner, and after dinner I sat down by +her side, took her old hand in mine, and told her the whole affair of the +hog, from beginning to end; how sorry I was, and how I did not eat any +of that hog; and asked her as a special act of kindness and favor to me, +to take the hundred dollars; that I felt bad about it, and if she would +take it, it would ease my conscience. I laid the money on the table and +left. I have never in my life made a raid upon anybody else. + + +TARGET SHOOTING + +By some hook, or crook, or blockade running, or smuggling, or Mason and +Slidell, or Raphael Semmes, or something of the sort, the Confederate +States government had come in possession of a small number of Whitworth +guns, the finest long range guns in the world, and a monopoly by the +English government. They were to be given to the best shots in the army. +One day Captain Joe P. Lee and Company H went out to shoot at a target +for the gun. We all wanted the gun, because if we got it we would be +sharpshooters, and be relieved from camp duty, etc. + +All the generals and officers came out to see us shoot. The mark was put +up about five hundred yards on a hill, and each of us had three shots. +Every shot that was fired hit the board, but there was one man who came +a little closer to the spot than any other one, and the Whitworth was +awarded him; and as we just turned round to go back to camp, a buck +rabbit jumped up, and was streaking it as fast as he could make tracks, +all the boys whooping and yelling as hard as they could, when Jimmy +Webster raised his gun and pulled down on him, and cut the rabbit's head +entirely off with a minnie ball right back of his ears. He was about +two hundred and fifty yards off. It might have been an accidental shot, +but General Leonidas Polk laughed very heartily at the incident, and I +heard him ask one of his staff if the Whitworth gun had been awarded. +The staff officer responded that it had, and that a certain man in +Colonel Farquharson's regiment--the Fourth Tennessee--was the successful +contestant, and I heard General Polk remark, "I wish I had another gun to +give, I would give it to the young man that shot the rabbit's head off." + +None of our regiment got a Whitworth, but it has been subsequently +developed that our regiment had some of the finest shots in it the world +ever produced. For instance, George and Mack Campbell, of Maury county; +Billy Watkins, of Nashville, and Colonel H. R. Field, and many others, +who I cannot now recall to mind in this rapid sketch. + + +UNCLE ZACK AND AUNT DAPHNE + +While at this place, I went out one day to hunt someone to wash my +clothes for me. I never was a good washerwoman. I could cook, bring +water and cut wood, but never was much on the wash. In fact, it was an +uphill business for me to wash up "the things" after "grub time" in our +mess. + +I took my clothes and started out, and soon came to a little old negro +hut. I went in and says to an old negress, "Aunty, I would like for you +to do a little washing for me." The old creature was glad to get it, +as I agreed to pay her what it was worth. Her name was Aunt Daphne, +and if she had been a politician, she would have been a success. I do +not remember of a more fluent "conversationalist" in my life. Her tongue +seemed to be on a balance, and both ends were trying to out-talk the +other--but she was a good woman. Her husband was named Uncle Zack, +and was the exact counterpart of Aunt Daphne. He always sat in the +chimney corner, his feet in the ashes, and generally fast asleep. +I am certain I never saw an uglier or more baboonish face in my life, +but Uncle Zack was a good Christian, and I would sometimes wake him up +to hear him talk Christian. + +He said that when he "fessed 'ligin, de debil come dare one nite, and say, +'Zack, come go wid me,' and den de debil tek me to hell, and jes stretch +a wire across hell, and hang me up jes same like a side of bacon, through +the tongue. Well, dar I hang like de bacon, and de grease kept droppin' +down, and would blaze up all 'round me. I jes stay dar and burn; and +after while de debil come 'round wid his gun, and say, 'Zack, I gwine to +shoot you,' and jes as he raise de gun, I jes jerk loose from dat wire, +and I jes fly to heben." + +"Fly! did you have wings?" + +"O, yes, sir, I had wings." + +"Well, after you got to heaven, what did you do then?" + +"Well, I jes went to eatin' grass like all de balance of de lams." + +"What! were they eating grass?" + +"O, yes, sir." + +"Well, what color were the lambs, Uncle Zack?" + +"Well, sir, some of dem was white, and some black, and some spotted." + +"Were there no old rams or ewes among them?" + +"No, sir; dey was all lams." + +"Well, Uncle Zack, what sort of a looking lamb were you?" + +"Well, sir, I was sort of specklish and brown like." + +Old Zack begins to get sleepy. + +"Did you have horns, Uncle Zack?" + +"Well, some of dem had little horns dat look like dey was jes sorter +sproutin' like." + +Zack begins to nod and doze a little. + +"Well, how often did they shear the lambs, Uncle Zack?" + +"Well, w-e-l-l, w--e--l--l--," and Uncle Zack was fast asleep and snoring, +and dreaming no doubt of the beautiful pastures glimmering above the +clouds of heaven. + + +RED TAPE + +While here I applied for a furlough. Now, reader, here commenced a +series of red tapeism that always had characterized the officers under +Braggism. It had to go through every officer's hands, from corporal up, +before it was forwarded to the next officer of higher grade, and so it +passed through every officer's hands. He felt it his sworn and bound +duty to find some informality in it, and it was brought back for +correction according to his notions, you see. Well, after getting the +corporal's consent and approval, it goes up to the sergeant. It ain't +right! Some informality, perhaps, in the wording and spelling. Then +the lieutenants had to have a say in it, and when it got to the captain, +it had to be read and re-read, to see that every "i" was dotted and "t" +crossed, but returned because there was one word that he couldn't make +out. Then it was forwarded to the colonel. He would snatch it out of +your hand, grit his teeth, and say, "D--n it;" feel in his vest pocket +and take out a lead pencil, and simply write "app." for approved. +This would also be returned, with instructions that the colonel must +write "approved" in a plain hand, and with pen and ink. Then it went to +the brigadier-general. He would be engaged in a game of poker, and would +tell you to call again, as he didn't have time to bother with those small +affairs at present. "I'll see your five and raise you ten." "I have a +straight flush." "Take the pot." After setting him out, and when it +wasn't his deal, I get up and walk around, always keeping the furlough +in sight. After reading carefully the furlough, he says, "Well, sir, +you have failed to get the adjutant's name to it. You ought to have the +colonel and adjutant, and you must go back and get their signatures." +After this, you go to the major-general. He is an old aristocratic +fellow, who never smiles, and tries to look as sour as vinegar. He looks +at the furlough, and looks down at the ground, holding the furlough in +his hand in a kind of dreamy way, and then says, "Well, sir, this is +all informal." You say, "Well, General, what is the matter with it?" +He looks at you as if he hadn't heard you, and repeats very slowly, "Well, +sir, this is informal," and hands it back to you. You take it, feeling +all the while that you wished you had not applied for a furlough, and +by summoning all the fortitude that you possess, you say in a husky and +choking voice, "Well, general (you say the "general" in a sort of gulp +and dry swallow), what's the matter with the furlough?" You look askance, +and he very languidly re-takes the furlough and glances over it, orders +his negro boy to go and feed his horse, asks his cook how long it will be +before dinner, hallooes at some fellow away down the hill that he would +like for him to call at 4 o'clock this evening, and tells his adjutant to +sign the furlough. The adjutant tries to be smart and polite, smiles a +smole both child-like and bland, rolls up his shirt-sleeves, and winks +one eye at you, gets astraddle of a camp-stool, whistles a little stanza +of schottische, and with a big flourish of his pen, writes the major- +general's name in small letters, and his own--the adjutant's--in very +large letters, bringing the pen under it with tremendous flourishes, +and writes approved and forwarded. You feel relieved. You feel that the +anaconda's coil had been suddenly relaxed. Then you start out to the +lieutenant-general; you find him. He is in a very learned and dignified +conversation about the war in Chili. Well, you get very anxious for the +war in Chili to get to an end. The general pulls his side-whiskers, +looks wise, and tells his adjutant to look over it, and, if correct, +sign it. The adjutant does not deign to condescend to notice you. +He seems to be full of gumbo or calf-tail soup, and does not wish his +equanimity disturbed. He takes hold of the document, and writes the +lieutenant-general's name, and finishes his own name while looking in +another direction--approved and forwarded. Then you take it up to the +general; the guard stops you in a very formal way, and asks, "What do you +want?" You tell him. He calls for the orderly; the orderly gives it to +the adjutant, and you are informed that it will be sent to your colonel +tonight, and given to you at roll-call in the morning. Now, reader, +the above is a pretty true picture of how I got my furlough. + + +I GET A FURLOUGH + +After going through all the formality of red-tapeism, and being snubbed +with tweedle-dum and tweedle-dee, I got my furlough. When it started out, +it was on the cleanest piece of paper that could be found in Buck +Lanier's sutler's store. After it came back, it was pretty well used up, +and looked as if it had gone through a very dark place, and been beat +with a soot-bag. But, anyhow, I know that I did not appreciate my +furlough half as much as I thought I would. I felt like returning it to +the gentlemen with my compliments, declining their kind favors. I felt +that it was unwillingly given, and, as like begets like, it was very +unwillingly received. Honestly, I felt as if I had made a bad bargain, +and was keen to rue the trade. I did not know what to do with it; but, +anyhow, I thought I would make the best of a bad bargain. I got on the +cars at Dalton--now, here is a thing that I had long since forgotten +about--it was the first first-class passenger car that I had been in +since I had been a soldier. The conductor passed around, and handed me +a ticket with these words on it: + + "If you wish to travel with ease, + Keep this ticket in sight, if you please; + And if you wish to take a nap, + Just stick this in your hat or cap." + +This was the poetry, reader, that was upon the ticket. The conductor +called around every now and then, especially if you were asleep, to look +at your ticket, and every now and then a captain and a detail of three +soldiers would want to look at your furlough. I thought before I got to +Selma, Alabama, that I wished the ticket and furlough both were in the +bottom of the ocean, and myself back in camp. Everywhere I went someone +wanted to see my furlough. Before I got my furlough, I thought it +sounded big. Furlough was a war word, and I did not comprehend its +meaning until I got one. The very word "furlough" made me sick then. +I feel fainty now whenever I think of furlough. It has a sickening sound +in the ring of it--"furlough!" "Furloch," it ought to have been called. +Every man I met had a furlough; in fact, it seemed to have the very +double-extract of romance about it--"fur too, eh?" Men who I knew had +never been in the army in their lives, all had furloughs. Where so many +men ever got furloughs from I never knew; but I know now. They were like +the old bachelor who married the widow with ten children--he married a +"ready-made" family. They had ready-made furloughs. But I have said +enough on the furlough question; it enthralled me--let it pass; don't +want any more furloughs. But while on my furlough, I got with Captain +G. M. V. Kinzer, a fine-dressed and handsome cavalry captain, whom all +the ladies (as they do at the present day), fell in love with. The +captain and myself were great friends. The captain gave me his old coat +to act captain in, but the old thing wouldn't act. I would keep the +collar turned down. One night we went to call on a couple of beautiful +and interesting ladies near Selma. We chatted the girls until the "wee +sma' hours" of morning, and when the young ladies retired, remarked that +they would send a servant to show us to our room. We waited; no servant +came. The captain and myself snoozed it out as best we could. About +daylight the next morning the captain and myself thought that we would +appear as if we had risen very early, and began to move about, and +opening the door, there lay a big black negro on his knees and face. +Now, reader, what do you suppose that negro was doing? You could not +guess in a week. The black rascal! hideous! terrible to contemplate! +vile! outrageous! Well, words cannot express it. What do you suppose he +was doing? He was fast asleep. He had come thus far, and could go no +further, and fell asleep. There is where the captain and myself found +him at daylight the next morning. We left for Selma immediately after +breakfast, leaving the family in ignorance of the occurrence. The +captain and myself had several other adventures, but the captain always +had the advantage of me; he had the good clothes, and the good looks, +and got all the good presents from the pretty young ladies--well, you +might say, "cut me out" on all occasions. "That's what makes me 'spise +a furlough." But then furlough sounds big, you know. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +HUNDRED DAYS BATTLE + + +ROCKY FACE RIDGE + +When I got back to Dalton, I found the Yankee army advancing; they were +at Rocky Face Ridge. Now, for old Joe's generalship. We have seen him +in camp, now we will see him in action. We are marched to meet the enemy; +we occupy Turner's Gap at Tunnel Hill. Now, come on, Mr. Yank--we are +keen for an engagement. It is like a picnic; the soldiers are ruddy and +fat, and strong; whoop! whoop! hurrah! come on, Mr. Yank. We form line +of battle on top of Rocky Face Ridge, and here we are face to face with +the enemy. Why don't you unbottle your thunderbolts and dash us to +pieces? Ha! here it comes; the boom of cannon and the bursting of a +shell in our midst. Ha! ha! give us another blizzard! Boom! boom! +That's all right, you ain't hurting nothing. + +"Hold on, boys," says a sharpshooter, armed with a Whitworth gun, "I'll +stop that racket. Wait until I see her smoke again." Boom, boom! the +keen crack of the Whitworth rings upon the frosty morning air; the +cannoneers are seen to lie down; something is going on. "Yes, yonder is +a fellow being carried off on a litter." Bang! bang! goes the Whitworth, +and the battery is seen to limber to the rear. What next? a yell! +What does this yell mean? A charge right up the hill, and a little +sharp skirmish for a few moments. We can see the Yankee line. They are +resting on their arms. The valley below is full of blue coats, but a +little too far off to do any execution. + +Old Joe walks along the line. He happens to see the blue coats in the +valley, in plain view. Company H is ordered to fire on them. We take +deliberate aim and fire a solid volley of minnie balls into their midst. +We see a terrible consplutterment among them, and know that we have +killed and wounded several of Sherman's incendiaries. They seem to get +mad at our audacity, and ten pieces of cannon are brought up, and pointed +right toward us. We see the smoke boil up, and a moment afterwards the +shell is roaring and bursting right among us. Ha! ha! ha! that's funny-- +we love the noise of battle. Captain Joe P. Lee orders us to load and +fire at will upon these batteries. Our Enfields crack, keen and sharp; +and ha, ha, ha, look yonder! The Yankees are running away from their +cannon, leaving two pieces to take care of themselves. Yonder goes a +dash of our cavalry. They are charging right up in the midst of the +Yankee line. Three men are far in advance. Look out, boys! What does +that mean? Our cavalry are falling back, and the three men are cut off. +They will be captured, sure. They turn to get back to our lines. +We can see the smoke boil up, and hear the discharge of musketry from the +Yankee lines. One man's horse is seen to blunder and fall, one man reels +in his saddle, and falls a corpse, and the other is seen to surrender. +But, look yonder! the man's horse that blundered and fell is up again; +he mounts his horse in fifty yards of the whole Yankee line, is seen to +lie down on his neck, and is spurring him right on toward the solid line +of blue coats. Look how he rides, and the ranks of the blue coats open. +Hurrah for the brave rebel boy! He has passed and is seen to regain his +regiment. I afterwards learned that that brave Rebel boy was my own +brother, Dave, who at that time was not more than sixteen years old. +The one who was killed was named Grimes, and the one captured was named +Houser, and the regiment was the First Tennessee Cavalry, then commanded +by Colonel J. H. Lewis. You could have heard the cheers from both sides, +it seemed, for miles. + +John Branch raised the tune, in which the whole First and Twenty-seventh +Regiments joined in: + + "Cheer, boys, cheer, we are marching on to battle! + Cheer, boys, cheer, for our sweethearts and our wives! + Cheer, boys, cheer, we'll nobly do our duty, + And give to the South our hearts, our arms, our lives. + Old Lincoln, with his hireling hosts, + Will never whip the South, + Shouting the battle cry of freedom." + +All this is taking place while the Yankees are fully one thousand yards +off. We can see every movement that is made, and we know that Sherman's +incendiaries are already hacked. Sherman himself is a coward, and dares +not try his strength with old Joe. Sherman never fights; all that he +is after is marching to the sea, while the world looks on and wonders: +"What a flank movement!" Yes, Sherman is afraid of minnie balls, and +tries the flank movement. We are ordered to march somewhere. + + +"FALLING BACK" + +Old Joe knows what he is up to. Every night we change our position. +The morrow's sun finds us face to face with the Yankee lines. The troops +are in excellent spirits. Yonder are our "big guns," our cavalry-- +Forrest and Wheeler--our sharpshooters, and here is our wagon and supply +train, right in our midst. The private's tread is light--his soul is +happy. + +Another flank movement. Tomorrow finds us face to face. Well, you have +come here to fight us; why don't you come on? We are ready; always +ready. Everything is working like clockwork; machinery is all in order. +Come, give us a tilt, and let us try our metal. You say old Joe has got +the brains and you have got the men; you are going to flank us out of the +Southern Confederacy. That's your plan, is it? Well, look out; we are +going to pick off and decimate your men every day. You will be a picked +chicken before you do that. + +What? The Yankees are at Resacca, and have captured the bridge across +the Oostanaula river. Well, now, that's business; that has the old ring +in it. Tell it to us again; we're fond of hearing such things. + +The Yankees are tearing up the railroad track between the tank and +Resacca. Let's hear it again. The Yankees have opened the attack; +we are going to have a battle; we are ordered to strip for the fight. +(That is, to take off our knapsacks and blankets, and to detail Bev. +White to guard them.) Keep closed up, men. The skirmish line is firing +like popping fire-crackers on a Christmas morning. Every now and then +the boom of a cannon and the screaming of a shell. Ha, ha, ha! that has +the right ring. We will make Sherman's incendiaries tell another tale in +a few moments, when--"Halt! about face." Well, what's the matter now? +Simply a flank movement. All right; we march back, retake our knapsacks +and blankets, and commence to march toward Resacca. Tom Tucker's rooster +crows, and John Branch raises the tune, "Just Twenty Years Ago," and +after we sing that out, he winds up with, "There Was an Ancient +Individual Whose Cognomen Was Uncle Edward," and + + "The old woman who kept a peanut stand, + And a big policeman stood by with a big stick in his hand," + +And Arthur Fulghum halloes out, "All right; go ahead! toot, toot, toot! +puff, puff, puff! Tickets, gentlemen, tickets!" and the Maury Grays +raise the yell, "All aboard for Culleoka," while Walker Coleman commences +the song, "I'se gwine to jine the rebel band, fightin' for my home." +Thus we go, marching back to Resacca. + + +BATTLE OF RESACCA + +Well, you want to hear about shooting and banging, now, gentle reader, +don't you? I am sorry I cannot interest you on this subject--see history. + +The Yankees had got breeches hold on us. They were ten miles in our rear; +had cut off our possibility of a retreat. The wire bridge was in their +hands, and they were on the railroad in our rear; but we were moving, +there was no mistake in that. Our column was firm and strong. There was +no excitement, but we were moving along as if on review. We passed old +Joe and his staff. He has on a light or mole colored hat, with a black +feather in it. He is listening to the firing going on at the front. +One little cheer, and the very ground seems to shake with cheers. +Old Joe smiles as blandly as a modest maid, raises his hat in +acknowledgement, makes a polite bow, and rides toward the firing. +Soon we are thrown into line of battle, in support of Polk's corps. +We belong to Hardee's corps. Now Polk's corps advances to the attack, +and Hardee's corps fifty or seventy-five yards in the rear. A thug, thug, +thug; the balls are decimating our men; we can't fire; Polk's corps is in +front of us; should it give way, then it will be our time. The air is +full of deadly missiles. We can see the two lines meet, and hear the +deadly crash of battle; can see the blaze of smoke and fire. The earth +trembles. Our little corps rush in to carry off our men as they are shot +down, killed and wounded. Lie down! thug, thug! General Hardee passes +along the line. "Steady, boys!" (The old general had on a white cravat; +he had been married to a young wife not more than three weeks). "Go back, +general, go back, go back, go back," is cried all along the line. +He passes through the missiles of death unscathed; stood all through that +storm of bullets indifferent to their proximity (we were lying down, +you know). The enemy is checked; yonder they fly, whipped and driven +from the field. "Attention! By the right flank, file left, march! +Double quick!" and we were double quicking, we knew not whither, but +that always meant fight. We pass over the hill, and through the valley, +and there is old Joe pointing toward the tank with his sword. (He looked +like the pictures you see hung upon the walls). We cross the railroad. +Halloo! here comes a cavalry charge from the Yankee line. Now for it; +we will see how Yankee cavalry fight. We are not supported; what is +the matter? Are we going to be captured? They thunder down upon us. +Their flat-footed dragoons shake and jar the earth. They are all around +us--we are surrounded. "Form square! Platoons, right and left wheel! +Kneel and fire!" There we were in a hollow square. The Yankees had +never seen anything like that before. It was something new. They +charged right upon us. Colonel Field, sitting on his gray mare, right in +the center of the hollow square, gives the command, "Front rank, kneel +and present bayonet against cavalry." The front rank knelt down, placing +the butts of their guns against their knees. "Rear rank, fire at will; +commence firing." Now, all this happened in less time than it has taken +me to write it. They charged right upon us, no doubt expecting to ride +right over us, and trample us to death with the hoofs of their horses. +They tried to spur and whip their horses over us, but the horses had more +sense than that. We were pouring a deadly fire right into their faces, +and soon men and horses were writhing in the death agonies; officers were +yelling at the top of their voices, "Surrender! surrender!" but we were +having too good a thing of it. We were killing them by scores, and they +could not fire at us; if they did they either overshot or missed their +aim. Their ranks soon began to break and get confused, and finally they +were routed, and broke and ran in all directions, as fast as their horses +could carry them. + +When we re-formed our regiment and marched back, we found that General +Johnston's army had all passed over the bridge at Resacca. Now, reader, +this was one of our tight places. The First Tennessee Regiment was +always ordered to hold tight places, which we always did. We were about +the last troops that passed over. + +Now, gentle reader, that is all I know of the battle of Resacca. We +had repulsed every charge, had crossed the bridge with every wagon, and +cannon, and everything, and had nothing lost or captured. It beat +anything that has ever been recorded in history. I wondered why old Joe +did not attack in their rear. The explanation was that Hood's line was +being enfiladed, his men decimated, and he could not hold his position. + +We are still fighting; battles innumerable. The Yankees had thrown +pontoons across the river below Resacca, in hopes to intercept us on the +other side. We were marching on the road; they seemed to be marching +parallel with us. It was fighting, fighting, every day. When we awoke +in the morning, the firing of guns was our reveille, and when the sun +went down it was our "retreat and our lights out." Fighting, fighting, +fighting, all day and all night long. Battles were fought every day, +and in one respect we always had the advantage; they were the attacking +party, and we always had good breastworks thrown up during the night. + +Johnston's army was still intact. The soldiers drew their regular +rations of biscuit and bacon, sugar and coffee, whisky and tobacco. +When we went to sleep we felt that old Joe, the faithful old watch dog, +had his eye on the enemy. No one was disposed to straggle and go back to +Company Q. (Company Q was the name for play-outs). They even felt safer +in the regular line than in the rear with Company Q. + +Well as stated previously, it was battle, battle, battle, every day, +for one hundred days. The boom of cannon, and the rattle of musketry was +our reveille and retreat, and Sherman knew that it was no child's play. + +Today, April 14, 1882, I say, and honestly say, that I sincerely believe +the combined forces of the whole Yankee nation could never have broken +General Joseph E. Johnston's line of battle, beginning at Rocky Face +Ridge, and ending on the banks of the Chattahoochee. + + +ADAIRSVILLE--OCTAGON HOUSE--THE FIRST TENNESSEE ALWAYS OCCUPIES TIGHT +PLACES + +We had stacked our arms and gone into camp, and had started to build +fires to cook supper. I saw our cavalry falling back, I thought, rather +hurriedly. I ran to the road and asked them what was the matter? +They answered, "Matter enough; yonder are the Yankees, are you infantry +fellows going to make a stand here?" I told Colonel Field what had been +told to me, and he hooted at the idea; but balls that had shucks tied to +their tails were passing over, and our regiment was in the rear of the +whole army. I could hardly draw anyone's attention to the fact that the +cavalry had passed us, and that we were on the outpost of the whole army, +when an order came for our regiment to go forward as rapidly as possible +and occupy an octagon house in our immediate front. The Yankees were +about a hundred yards from the house on one side and we about a hundred +yards on the other. The race commenced as to which side would get to +the house first. We reached it, and had barely gotten in, when they were +bursting down the paling of the yard on the opposite side. The house +was a fine brick, octagon in shape, and as perfect a fort as could be +desired. We ran to the windows, upstairs, downstairs and in the cellar. +The Yankees cheered and charged, and our boys got happy. Colonel Field +told us he had orders to hold it until every man was killed, and never +to surrender the house. It was a forlorn hope. We felt we were +"gone fawn skins," sure enough. At every discharge of our guns, +we would hear a Yankee squall. The boys raised a tune-- + + "I'se gwine to jine the Rebel band, + A fighting for my home"-- + +as they loaded and shot their guns. Then the tune of-- + + "Cheer, boys, cheer, we are marching on to battle! + Cheer, boys, cheer, for our sweethearts and our wives! + Cheer, boys, cheer, we'll nobly do our duty, + And give to the South our hearts, our arms, our lives." + +Our cartridges were almost gone, and Lieutenant Joe Carney, Joe Sewell, +and Billy Carr volunteered to go and bring a box of one thousand +cartridges. They got out of the back window, and through that hail of +iron and lead, made their way back with the box of cartridges. Our +ammunition being renewed, the fight raged on. Captain Joe P. Lee touched +me on the shoulder and said, "Sam, please let me have your gun for one +shot." He raised it to his shoulder and pulled down on a fine-dressed +cavalry officer, and I saw that Yankee tumble. He handed it back to me +to reload. About twelve o'clock, midnight, the Hundred and Fifty-fourth +Tennessee, commanded by Colonel McGevney, came to our relief. + +The firing had ceased, and we abandoned the octagon house. Our dead and +wounded--there were thirty of them--were in strange contrast with the +furniture of the house. Fine chairs, sofas, settees, pianos and Brussels +carpeting being made the death-bed of brave and noble boys, all saturated +with blood. Fine lace and damask curtains, all blackened by the smoke +of battle. Fine bureaus and looking-glasses and furniture being riddled +by the rude missiles of war. Beautiful pictures in gilt frames, and a +library of valuable books, all shot and torn by musket and cannon balls. +Such is war. + + +KENNESAW LINE + +The battles of the Kennesaw line were fought for weeks. Cannonading and +musketry firing was one continual thing. It seemed that shooting was the +order of the day, and pickets on both sides kept up a continual firing, +that sounded like ten thousand wood-choppers. Sometimes the wood- +choppers would get lazy or tired and there was a lull. But you could +always tell when the old guard had been relieved, by the accelerated +chops of the wood-choppers. + + +AM DETAILED TO GO INTO THE ENEMY'S LINES + +One day our orderly sergeant informed me that it was my regular time to +go on duty, and to report to Captain Beasley, of the Twenty-seventh. +I reported to the proper place, and we were taken to the headquarters of +General Leonidas Polk. We had to go over into the enemy's lines, and +make such observations as we could, and report back by daylight in the +morning. Our instructions were to leave everything in camp except our +guns and cartridge-boxes. These were to be carried, but, under no +circumstances, to be used, except in case of death itself. We were +instructed to fall in in the rear of our relief guard, which would go out +about sunset; not to attract their attention, but to drop out one or two +at a time; to pass the Yankee picket as best we could, even if we had to +crawl on our bellies to do so; to go over in the Yankee lines, and to +find out all we could, without attracting attention, if possible. +These were our instructions. You may be sure my heart beat like a +muffled drum when I heard our orders. + +I felt like making my will. But, like the boy who was passing the +graveyard, I tried to whistle to keep my spirits up. We followed the +relief guard, and one by one stepped off from the rear. I was with two +others, Arnold Zellner and T. C. Dornin. We found ourselves between the +picket lines of the two armies. Fortune seemed to favor us. It was just +getting dusky twilight, and we saw the relief guard of the Yankees just +putting on their picket. They seemed to be very mild, inoffensive +fellows. They kept a looking over toward the Rebel lines, and would +dodge if a twig cracked under their feet. I walked on as if I was just +relieved, and had passed their lines, when I turned back, and says I, +"Captain, what guard is this?" He answered, "Nien bocht, you bet," +is what I understood him to say. "What regiment are you from?" "Ben +bicht mir ein riefel fab bien." "What regiment is your detail from?" +"Iet du mein got Donnermetter stefel switzer." I had to give it up-- +I had run across the detail of a Dutch regiment. I passed on, and came +to the regular line of breastworks, and there was an old Irishman sitting +on a stump grinding coffee. "General McCook's brigade, be jabbers," +he answered to my inquiry as to what regiment it was. Right in front of +me the line was full of Irish soldiers, and they were cooking supper. +I finally got over their breastworks, and was fearful I would run into +some camp or headquarter guard, and the countersign would be demanded of +me. I did not know what to do in that case--but I thought of the way +that I had gotten in hundreds of times before in our army, when I wanted +to slip the guard, and that was to get a gun, go to some cross street or +conspicuous place, halt the officer, and get the countersign. And while +standing near General Sherman's headquarters, I saw a courier come out +of his tent, get on his horse, and ride toward where I stood. As he +approached, says I, "Halt! who goes there?" "A friend with the +countersign." He advanced, and whispered in my ear the word "United." +He rode on. I had gotten their countersign, and felt I was no longer a +prisoner. I went all over their camp, and saw no demonstration of any +kind. Night had thrown her mantle over the encampment. I could plainly +see the sentinels on their weary vigils along the lines, but there was +none in their rear. I met and talked with a great many soldiers, but +could get no information from them. + +About 2 o'clock at night, I saw a body of men approaching where I was. +Something told me that I had better get out of their way, but I did not. +The person in command said, "Say, there! you, sir; say, you, sir!" +Says I, "Are you speaking to me?" "Yes," very curtly and abruptly. +"What regiment do you belong to?" Says I, "One hundred and twenty- +seventh Illinois." "Well, sir, fall in here; I am ordered to take up all +stragglers. Fall in, fall in promptly!" Says I, "I am instructed by +General McCook to remain here and direct a courier to General Williams' +headquarters." He says, "It's a strange place for a courier to come to." +His command marched on. About an hour afterwards--about 3 o'clock-- +I heard the assembly sound. I knew then that it was about time for me +to be getting out of the way. Soon their companies were forming, and +they were calling the roll everywhere. Everything had begun to stir. +Artillery men were hitching up their horses. Men were dashing about in +every direction. I saw their army form and move off. I got back into +our lines, and reported to General Polk. + +He was killed that very day on the Kennesaw line. General Stephens was +killed the very next day. + +Every now and then a dead picket was brought in. Times had begun to look +bilious, indeed. Their cannon seemed to be getting the best of ours in +every fight. The cannons of both armies were belching and bellowing at +each other, and the pickets were going it like wood choppers, in earnest. +We were entrenched behind strong fortifications. Our rations were cooked +and brought to us regularly, and the spirits of the army were in good +condition. + +We continued to change position, and build new breastworks every night. +One-third of the army had to keep awake in the trenches, while the other +two-thirds slept. But everything was so systematized, that we did not +feel the fatigue. + + +PINE MOUNTAIN--DEATH OF GENERAL LEONIDAS POLK + +General Leonidas Polk, our old leader, whom we had followed all through +that long war, had gone forward with some of his staff to the top of Pine +Mountain, to reconnoiter, as far as was practicable, the position of the +enemy in our front. While looking at them with his field glass, a solid +shot from the Federal guns struck him on his left breast, passing through +his body and through his heart. I saw him while the infirmary corps +were bringing him off the field. He was as white as a piece of marble, +and a most remarkable thing about him was, that not a drop of blood was +ever seen to come out of the place through which the cannon ball had +passed. My pen and ability is inadequate to the task of doing his memory +justice. Every private soldier loved him. Second to Stonewall Jackson, +his loss was the greatest the South ever sustained. When I saw him there +dead, I felt that I had lost a friend whom I had ever loved and respected, +and that the South had lost one of her best and greatest generals. + +His soldiers always loved and honored him. They called him "Bishop Polk." +"Bishop Polk" was ever a favorite with the army, and when any position +was to be held, and it was known that "Bishop Polk" was there, we knew +and felt that "all was well." + + +GOLGOTHA CHURCH--GENERAL LUCIUS E. POLK WOUNDED + +On this Kennesaw line, near Golgotha Church, one evening about 4 o'clock, +our Confederate line of battle and the Yankee line came in close +proximity. If I mistake not, it was a dark, drizzly, rainy evening. +The cannon balls were ripping and tearing through the bushes. The two +lines were in plain view of each other. General Pat Cleburne was at this +time commanding Hardee's corps, and General Lucius E. Polk was in command +of Cleburne's division. General John C. Brown's division was supporting +Cleburne's division, or, rather, "in echelon." Every few moments, +a raking fire from the Yankee lines would be poured into our lines, +tearing limbs off the trees, and throwing rocks and dirt in every +direction; but I never saw a soldier quail, or even dodge. We had +confidence in old Joe, and were ready to march right into the midst of +battle at a moment's notice. While in this position, a bomb, loaded +with shrapnel and grapeshot, came ripping and tearing through our ranks, +wounding General Lucius E. Polk, and killing some of his staff. And, +right here, I deem it not inappropriate to make a few remarks as to the +character and appearance of so brave and gallant an officer. At this +time he was about twenty-five years old, with long black hair, that +curled, a gentle and attractive black eye that seemed to sparkle with +love rather than chivalry, and were it not for a young moustache and +goatee that he usually wore, he would have passed for a beautiful girl. +In his manner he was as simple and guileless as a child, and generous +almost to a fault. Enlisting in the First Arkansas Regiment as a private +soldier, and serving for twelve months as orderly sergeant; at the +reorganization he was elected colonel of the regiment, and afterwards, +on account of merit and ability, was commissioned brigadier-general; +distinguishing himself for conspicuous bravery and gallantry on every +battlefield, and being "scalped" by a minnie ball at Richmond, Kentucky-- +which scar marks its furrow on top of his head today. In every battle +he was engaged in, he led his men to victory, or held the enemy at bay, +while the surge of battle seemed against us; he always seemed the +successful general, who would snatch victory out of the very jaws of +defeat. In every battle, Polk's brigade, of Cleburne's division, +distinguished itself, almost making the name of Cleburne as the Stonewall +of the West. Polk was to Cleburne what Murat or the old guard was to +Napoleon. And, at the battle of Chickamauga, when it seemed that the +Southern army had nearly lost the battle, General Lucius E. Polk's +brigade made the most gallant charge of the war, turning the tide of +affairs, and routing the Yankee army. General Polk himself led the +charge in person, and was the first man on top of the Yankee breastworks +(_vide_ General D. H. Hill's report of the battle of Chickamauga), +and in every attack he had the advance guard, and in every retreat, +the rear guard of the army. Why? Because General Lucius E. Polk and +his brave soldiers _never_ faltered, and with him as leader, the general +commanding the army knew that "all was well." + +Well, this evening of which I now write, the litter corps ran up and +placed him on a litter, and were bringing him back through Company H, +of our regiment, when one of the men was wounded, and I am not sure but +another one was killed, and they let him fall to the ground. At that +time, the Yankees seemed to know that they had killed or wounded a +general, and tore loose their batteries upon this point. The dirt and +rocks were flying in every direction, when Captain Joe P. Lee, Jim +Brandon and myself, ran forward, grabbed up the litter, brought General +Polk off the crest of the hill, and assisted in carrying him to the +headquarters of General Cleburne. When we got to General Cleburne, +he came forward and asked General Polk if he was badly wounded, and +General Polk remarked, laughingly: "Well, I think I will be able to get a +furlough now." This is a fact. General Polk's leg had been shot almost +entirely off. I remember the foot part being twisted clear around, +and lying by his side, while the blood was running through the litter in +a perfect stream. I remember, also, that General Cleburne dashed a tear +from his eye with his hand, and saying, "Poor fellow," at once galloped +to the front, and ordered an immediate advance of our lines. Cleburne's +division was soon engaged. Night coming on, prevented a general +engagement, but we drove the Yankee line two miles. + + +"DEAD ANGLE" + +The First and Twenty-seventh Tennessee Regiments will ever remember the +battle of "Dead Angle," which was fought June 27th, on the Kennesaw line, +near Marietta, Georgia. It was one of the hottest and longest days of +the year, and one of the most desperate and determinedly resisted battles +fought during the whole war. Our regiment was stationed on an angle, +a little spur of the mountain, or rather promontory of a range of hills, +extending far out beyond the main line of battle, and was subject to the +enfilading fire of forty pieces of artillery of the Federal batteries. +It seemed fun for the guns of the whole Yankee army to play upon this +point. We would work hard every night to strengthen our breastworks, +and the very next day they would be torn down smooth with the ground +by solid shots and shells from the guns of the enemy. Even the little +trees and bushes which had been left for shade, were cut down as so much +stubble. For more than a week this constant firing had been kept up +against this salient point. In the meantime, the skirmishing in the +valley below resembled the sounds made by ten thousand wood-choppers. + +Well, on the fatal morning of June 27th, the sun rose clear and cloudless, +the heavens seemed made of brass, and the earth of iron, and as the sun +began to mount toward the zenith, everything became quiet, and no sound +was heard save a peckerwood on a neighboring tree, tapping on its old +trunk, trying to find a worm for his dinner. We all knew it was but the +dead calm that precedes the storm. On the distant hills we could plainly +see officers dashing about hither and thither, and the Stars and Stripes +moving to and fro, and we knew the Federals were making preparations for +the mighty contest. We could hear but the rumbling sound of heavy guns, +and the distant tread of a marching army, as a faint roar of the coming +storm, which was soon to break the ominous silence with the sound of +conflict, such as was scarcely ever before heard on this earth. It +seemed that the archangel of Death stood and looked on with outstretched +wings, while all the earth was silent, when all at once a hundred guns +from the Federal line opened upon us, and for more than an hour they +poured their solid and chain shot, grape and shrapnel right upon this +salient point, defended by our regiment alone, when, all of a sudden, +our pickets jumped into our works and reported the Yankees advancing, +and almost at the same time a solid line of blue coats came up the hill. +I discharged my gun, and happening to look up, there was the beautiful +flag of the Stars and Stripes flaunting right in my face, and I heard +John Branch, of the Rock City Guards, commanded by Captain W. D. Kelly, +who were next Company H, say, "Look at that Yankee flag; shoot that +fellow; snatch that flag out of his hand!" My pen is unable to describe +the scene of carnage and death that ensued in the next two hours. +Column after column of Federal soldiers were crowded upon that line, +and by referring to the history of the war you will find they were massed +in column forty columns deep; in fact, the whole force of the Yankee army +was hurled against this point, but no sooner would a regiment mount our +works than they were shot down or surrendered, and soon we had every +"gopher hole" full of Yankee prisoners. Yet still the Yankees came. +It seemed impossible to check the onslaught, but every man was true +to his trust, and seemed to think that at that moment the whole +responsibility of the Confederate government was rested upon his +shoulders. Talk about other battles, victories, shouts, cheers, and +triumphs, but in comparison with this day's fight, all others dwarf +into insignificance. The sun beaming down on our uncovered heads, the +thermometer being one hundred and ten degrees in the shade, and a solid +line of blazing fire right from the muzzles of the Yankee guns being +poured right into our very faces, singeing our hair and clothes, the hot +blood of our dead and wounded spurting on us, the blinding smoke and +stifling atmosphere filling our eyes and mouths, and the awful concussion +causing the blood to gush out of our noses and ears, and above all, +the roar of battle, made it a perfect pandemonium. Afterward I heard a +soldier express himself by saying that he thought "Hell had broke loose +in Georgia, sure enough." + +I have heard men say that if they ever killed a Yankee during the war +they were not aware of it. I am satisfied that on this memorable day, +every man in our regiment killed from one score to four score, yea, +five score men. I mean from twenty to one hundred each. All that was +necessary was to load and shoot. In fact, I will ever think that the +reason they did not capture our works was the impossibility of their +living men passing over the bodies of their dead. The ground was piled +up with one solid mass of dead and wounded Yankees. I learned afterwards +from the burying squad that in some places they were piled up like cord +wood, twelve deep. + +After they were time and time again beaten back, they at last were +enabled to fortify a line under the crest of the hill, only thirty yards +from us, and they immediately commenced to excavate the earth with the +purpose of blowing up our line. + +We remained here three days after the battle. In the meantime the woods +had taken fire, and during the nights and days of all that time continued +to burn, and at all times, every hour of day and night, you could hear +the shrieks and screams of the poor fellows who were left on the field, +and a stench, so sickening as to nauseate the whole of both armies, +arose from the decaying bodies of the dead left lying on the field. + +On the third morning the Yankees raised a white flag, asked an armistice +to bury their dead, not for any respect either army had for the dead, +but to get rid of the sickening stench. I get sick now when I happen to +think about it. Long and deep trenches were dug, and hooks made from +bayonets crooked for the purpose, and all the dead were dragged and +thrown pell mell into these trenches. Nothing was allowed to be taken +off the dead, and finely dressed officers, with gold watch chains +dangling over their vests, were thrown into the ditches. During the +whole day both armies were hard at work, burying the Federal dead. + +Every member of the First and Twenty-seventh Tennessee Regiments deserves +a wreath of imperishable fame, and a warm place in the hearts of their +countrymen, for their gallant and heroic valor at the battle of Dead +Angle. No man distinguished himself above another. All did their duty, +and the glory of one is but the glory and just tribute of the others. + +After we had abandoned the line, and on coming to a little stream of +water, I undressed for the purpose of bathing, and after undressing +found my arm all battered and bruised and bloodshot from my wrist to my +shoulder, and as sore as a blister. I had shot one hundred and twenty +times that day. My gun became so hot that frequently the powder would +flash before I could ram home the ball, and I had frequently to exchange +my gun for that of a dead comrade. + +Colonel H. R. Field was loading and shooting the same as any private in +the ranks when he fell off the skid from which he was shooting right +over my shoulder, shot through the head. I laid him down in the trench, +and he said, "Well, they have got me at last, but I have killed fifteen +of them; time about is fair play, I reckon." But Colonel Field was +not killed--only wounded, and one side paralyzed. Captain Joe P. Lee, +Captain Mack Campbell, Lieutenant T. H. Maney, and other officers of the +regiment, threw rocks and beat them in their faces with sticks. The +Yankees did the same. The rocks came in upon us like a perfect hail +storm, and the Yankees seemed very obstinate, and in no hurry to get away +from our front, and we had to keep up the firing and shooting them down +in self-defense. They seemed to walk up and take death as coolly as if +they were automatic or wooden men, and our boys did not shoot for the fun +of the thing. It was, verily, a life and death grapple, and the least +flicker on our part, would have been sure death to all. We could not be +reinforced on account of our position, and we had to stand up to the rack, +fodder or no fodder. When the Yankees fell back, and the firing ceased, +I never saw so many broken down and exhausted men in my life. I was as +sick as a horse, and as wet with blood and sweat as I could be, and many +of our men were vomiting with excessive fatigue, over-exhaustion, and +sunstroke; our tongues were parched and cracked for water, and our faces +blackened with powder and smoke, and our dead and wounded were piled +indiscriminately in the trenches. There was not a single man in the +company who was not wounded, or had holes shot through his hat and +clothing. Captain Beasley was killed, and nearly all his company killed +and wounded. The Rock City Guards were almost piled in heaps and so was +our company. Captain Joe P. Lee was badly wounded. Poor Walter Hood and +Jim Brandon were lying there among us, while their spirits were in heaven; +also, William A. Hughes, my old mess-mate and friend, who had clerked +with me for S. F. & J. M. Mayes, and who had slept with me for lo! these +many years, and a boy who loved me more than any other person on earth +has ever done. I had just discharged the contents of my gun into the +bosoms of two men, one right behind the other, killing them both, and was +re-loading, when a Yankee rushed upon me, having me at a disadvantage, +and said, "You have killed my two brothers, and now I've got you." +Everything I had ever done rushed through my mind. I heard the roar, +and felt the flash of fire, and saw my more than friend, William +A. Hughes, grab the muzzle of the gun, receiving the whole contents in +his hand and arm, and mortally wounding him. Reader, he died for me. +In saving my life, he lost his own. When the infirmary corps carried him +off, all mutilated and bleeding he told them to give me "Florence Fleming" +(that was the name of his gun, which he had put on it in silver letters), +and to give me his blanket and clothing. He gave his life for me, +and everything that he had. It was the last time that I ever saw him, +but I know that away up yonder, beyond the clouds, blackness, tempest +and night, and away above the blue vault of heaven, where the stars keep +their ceaseless vigils, away up yonder in the golden city of the New +Jerusalem, where God and Jesus Christ, our Savior, ever reign, we will +sometime meet at the marriage supper of the Son of God, who gave His life +for the redemption of the whole world. + +For several nights they made attacks upon our lines, but in every attempt, +they were driven back with great slaughter. They would ignite the tape +of bomb shells, and throw them over in our lines, but, if the shell did +not immediately explode, they were thrown back. They had a little shell +called _hand grenade_, but they would either stop short of us, or go +over our heads, and were harmless. General Joseph E. Johnston sent us a +couple of _chevaux-de-frise_. When they came, a detail of three men had +to roll them over the works. Those three men were heroes. Their names +were Edmund Brandon, T. C. Dornin, and Arnold Zellner. Although it was +a solemn occasion, every one of us was convulsed with laughter at the +ridiculous appearance and actions of the detail. Every one of them made +their wills and said their prayers truthfully and honestly, before they +undertook the task. I laugh now every time I think of the ridiculous +appearance of the detail, but to them it was no laughing matter. I +will say that they were men who feared not, nor faltered in their duty. +They were men, and today deserve the thanks of the people of the South. +That night about midnight, an alarm was given that the Yankees were +advancing. They would only have to run about twenty yards before they +would be in our works. We were ordered to "shoot." Every man was +hallooing at the top of his voice, "Shoot, shoot, tee, shoot, shootee." +On the alarm, both the Confederate and Federal lines opened, with both +small arms and artillery, and it seemed that the very heavens and earth +were in a grand conflagration, as they will be at the final judgment, +after the resurrection. I have since learned that this was a false alarm, +and that no attack had been meditated. + +Previous to the day of attack, the soldiers had cut down all the trees in +our immediate front, throwing the tops down hill and sharpening the limbs +of the same, thus making, as we thought, an impenetrable abattis of vines +and limbs locked together; but nothing stopped or could stop the advance +of the Yankee line, but the hot shot and cold steel that we poured into +their faces from under our head-logs. + +One of the most shameful and cowardly acts of Yankee treachery was +committed there that I ever remember to have seen. A wounded Yankee was +lying right outside of our works, and begging most piteously for water, +when a member of the railroad company (his name was Hog Johnson, and +the very man who stood videt with Theodore Sloan and I at the battle of +Missionary Ridge, and who killed the three Yankees, one night, from Fort +Horsley), got a canteen of water, and gave the dying Yankee a drink, +and as he started back, he was killed dead in his tracks by a treacherous +Yankee hid behind a tree. It matters not, for somewhere in God's Holy +Word, which cannot lie, He says that "He that giveth a cup of cold water +in my name, shall not lose his reward." And I have no doubt, reader, +in my own mind, that the poor fellow is reaping his reward in Emanuel's +land with the good and just. In every instance where we tried to assist +their wounded, our men were killed or wounded. A poor wounded and dying +boy, not more than sixteen years of age, asked permission to crawl over +our works, and when he had crawled to the top, and just as Blair Webster +and I reached up to help the poor fellow, he, the Yankee, was killed by +his own men. In fact, I have ever thought that is why the slaughter was +so great in our front, that nearly, if not as many, Yankees were killed +by their own men as by us. The brave ones, who tried to storm and carry +our works, were simply between two fires. It is a singular fanaticism, +and curious fact, that enters the mind of a soldier, that it is a grand +and glorious death to die on a victorious battlefield. One morning the +Sixth and Ninth Regiments came to our assistance--not to relieve us-- +but only to assist us, and every member of our regiment--First and +Twenty-seventh--got as mad as a "wet hen." They felt almost insulted, +and I believe we would soon have been in a free fight, had they not been +ordered back. As soon as they came up every one of us began to say, +"Go back! go back! we can hold this place, and by the eternal God we +are not going to leave it." General Johnston came there to look at the +position, and told us that a transverse line was about one hundred yards +in our rear, and should they come on us too heavy to fall back to that +line, when almost every one of us said, "You go back and look at other +lines, this place is safe, and can never be taken." And then when they +had dug a tunnel under us to blow us up, we laughed, yea, even rejoiced, +at the fact of soon being blown sky high. Yet, not a single man was +willing to leave his post. When old Joe sent us the two _chevaux-de- +frise_, and kept on sending us water, and rations, and whisky, and +tobacco, and word to hold our line, we would invariably send word back to +rest easy, and that all is well at Dead Angle. I have ever thought that +is one reason why General Johnston fell back from this Kennesaw line, +and I will say today, in 1882, that while we appreciated his sympathies +and kindness toward us, yet we did not think hard of old Joe for having +so little confidence in us at that time. A perfect hail of minnie +balls was being continually poured into our head-logs the whole time we +remained here. The Yankees would hold up small looking-glasses, so that +our strength and breastworks could be seen in the reflection in the glass; +and they also had small mirrors on the butts of their guns, so arranged +that they could hight up the barrels of their guns by looking through +these glasses, while they themselves would not be exposed to our fire, +and they kept up this continual firing day and night, whether they could +see us or not. Sometimes a glancing shot from our head-logs would wound +some one. + +But I cannot describe it as I would wish. I would be pleased to mention +the name of every soldier, not only of Company H alone, but every man in +the First and Twenty-seventh Tennessee Consolidated Regiments on this +occasion, but I cannot now remember their names, and will not mention +any one in particular, fearing to do injustice to some whom I might +inadvertently omit. Every man and every company did their duty. Company +G, commanded by Captain Mack Campbell, stood side by side with us on this +occasion, as they ever had during the whole war. But soldiers of the +First and Twenty-seventh Regiments, it is with a feeling of pride and +satisfaction to me, today, that I was associated with so many noble and +brave men, and who were subsequently complimented by Jeff Davis, then +President of the Confederate States of America, in person, who said, +"That every member of our regiment was fit to be a captain"--his very +words. I mention Captain W. C. Flournoy, of Company K, the Martin Guards; +Captain Ledbetter, of the Rutherford Rifles; Captains Kelly and Steele, +of the Rock City Guards, and Captain Adkisson, of the Williamson Grays, +and Captain Fulcher, and other names of brave and heroic men, some of +whom live today, but many have crossed the dark river and are "resting +under the shade of the trees" on the other shore, waiting and watching +for us, who are left to do justice to their memory and our cause, and +when we old Rebels have accomplished God's purpose on earth, we, too, +will be called to give an account of our battles, struggles, and triumphs. + +Reader mine, I fear that I have wearied you with too long a description +of the battle of "Dead Angle," if so, please pardon me, as this is +but a sample of the others which will now follow each other in rapid +succession. And, furthermore, in stating the above facts, the half has +not been told, but it will give you a faint idea of the hard battles and +privations and hardships of the soldiers in that stormy epoch--who died, +grandly, gloriously, nobly; dyeing the soil of old mother earth, and +enriching the same with their crimson life's blood, while doing what? +Only trying to protect their homes and families, their property, their +constitution and their laws, that had been guaranteed to them as a +heritage forever by their forefathers. They died for the faith that +each state was a separate sovereign government, as laid down by the +Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of our fathers. + + +BATTLE OF NEW HOPE CHURCH + +We were on a forced march along a dusty road. I never in my whole life +saw more dust. The dust fairly popped under our feet, like tramping in +a snow-drift, and our eyes, and noses, and mouths, were filled with the +dust that arose from our footsteps, and to make matters worse, the boys +all tried to kick up a "bigger dust." Cavalry and artillery could not be +seen at ten paces, being perfectly enveloped in dust. It was a perfect +fog of dust. We were marching along, it then being nearly dark, when we +heard the hoarse boom of a cannon in our rear. It sounded as if it had +a bad attack of croup. It went, "Croup, croup, croup." The order was +given to "about face, double quick, march." We double quicked back to +the old church on the road side, when the First Tennessee Cavalry, +commanded by Colonel Lewis, and the Ninth Battalion, commanded by Major +James H. Akin, passed us, and charged the advance of the Federal forces. +We were supporting the cavalry. We heard them open. Deadly missiles +were flying in every direction. The peculiar thud of spent balls and +balls with shucks tied to their tails were passing over our heads. +We were expecting that the cavalry would soon break, and that we would be +ordered into action. But the news came from the front, that the cavalry +were not only holding their position, but were driving the enemy. +The earth jarred and trembled; the fire fiend seemed unchained; wounded +men were coming from the front. I asked the litter corps, "Who have you +there?" And one answered, "Captain Asa G. Freeman." I asked if he was +dangerously wounded, and he simply said, "Shot through both thighs," +and passed on. About this time we heard the whoops and cheers of the +cavalry, and knew that the Yankees were whipped and falling back. +We marched forward and occupied the place held by the cavalry. The trees +looked as if they had been cut down for new ground, being mutilated and +shivered by musket and cannon balls. Horses were writhing in their death +agony, and the sickening odor of battle filled the air. Well, well, +those who go to battle may expect to die. An halo ever surrounds the +soldier's life, because he is ever willing to die for his country. + + +BATTLE OF DALLAS--BRECKINRIDGE CHARGES THE HEIGHTS + +We are ordered to march to Dallas. + +Reader, somehow the name and character of General John C. Breckinridge +charms me. That morning he looked grand and glorious. His infantry, +artillery, and cavalry were drawn up in line of battle in our immediate +front. He passed along the line, and stopping about the center of the +column, said, "Soldiers, we have been selected to go forward and capture +yon heights. Do you think we can take them? I will lead the attack." +The men whooped, and the cry, "We can, we can," was heard from one end of +the line to the other. Then, "Forward, guide center, march!" were words +re-repeated by colonels and captains. They debouched through the woods, +and passed out of sight in a little ravine, when we saw them emerge in an +open field and advance right upon the Federal breastworks. It was the +grandest spectacle I ever witnessed. We could see the smoke and dust +of battle, and hear the shout of the charge, and the roar and rattle of +cannon and musketry. But Breckinridge's division continued to press +forward, without wavering or hesitating. We can see the line of dead +and wounded along the track over which he passed, and finally we see our +battle flag planted upon the Federal breastworks. I cannot describe the +scene. If you, reader, are an old soldier, you can appreciate my failure +to give a pen picture of battle. But Breckinridge could not long hold +his position. Why we were not ordered forward to follow up his success, +I do not know; but remember, reader, I am not writing history. I try +only to describe events as I witnessed them. + +We marched back to the old church on the roadside, called New Hope church, +and fortified, occupying the battlefield of the day before. The stench +and sickening odor of dead men and horses were terrible. We had to +breathe the putrid atmosphere. + +The next day, Colonel W. M. Voorhies' Forty-eighth Tennessee Regiment +took position on our right. Now, here were all the Maury county boys got +together at New Hope church. I ate dinner with Captain Joe Love, and +Frank Frierson filled my haversack with hardtack and bacon. + + +BATTLE OF ZION CHURCH, JULY 4TH, 1864 + +The 4th day of July, twelve months before, Pemberton had surrendered +twenty-five thousand soldiers, two hundred pieces of artillery, and other +munitions of war in proportion, at Vicksburg. The Yankees wanted to +celebrate the day. They thought it was their lucky day; but old Joe +thought he had as much right to celebrate the Sabbath day of American +Independence as the Yankees had, and we celebrated it. About dawn, +continued boom of cannon reverberated over the hills as if firing a +Fourth of July salute. I was standing on top of our works, leveling them +off with a spade. A sharpshooter fired at me, but the ball missed me +and shot William A. Graham through the heart. He was as noble and brave +a soldier as ever drew the breath of life, and lacked but a few votes +of being elected captain of Company H, at the reorganization. He was +smoking his pipe when he was shot. We started to carry him to the rear, +but he remarked, "Boys, it is useless; please lay me down and let me die." +I have never in my life seen any one meet death more philosophically. +He was dead in a moment. General A. J. Vaughan, commanding General +Preston Smith's brigade, had his foot shot off by a cannon ball a few +minutes afterwards. + +It seemed that both Confederate and Federal armies were celebrating the +Fourth of July. I cannot now remember a more severe artillery duel. +Two hundred cannon were roaring and belching like blue blazes. It was +but a battle of cannonade all day long. It seemed as though the +Confederate and Federal cannons were talking to each other. Sometimes a +ball passing over would seem to be mad, then again some would seem to be +laughing, some would be mild, some sad, some gay, some sorrowful, some +rollicking and jolly; and then again some would scream like the ghosts of +the dead. In fact, they gave forth every kind of sound that you could +imagine. It reminded one of when two storms meet in mid-ocean--the +mountain billows of waters coming from two directions, lash against the +vessel's side, while the elements are filled with roaring, thundering and +lightning. You could almost feel the earth roll and rock like a drunken +man, or a ship, when she rides the billows in an awful storm. It seemed +that the earth was frequently moved from its foundations, and you could +hear it grate as it moved. But all through that storm of battle, every +soldier stood firm, for we knew that old Joe was at the helm. + + +KINGSTON + +Here General Johnston issued his first battle order, that thus far he +had gone and intended to go no further. His line of battle was formed; +his skirmish line was engaged; the artillery was booming from the Rebel +lines. Both sides were now face to face. There were no earthworks on +either side. It was to be an open field and a fair fight, when--"Fall +back!" What's the matter? I do not know how we got the news, but here +is what is told us--and so it was, every position we ever took. When we +fell back the news would be, "Hood's line is being enfiladed, and they +are decimating his men, and he can't hold his position." But we fell +back and took a position at + + +CASSVILLE + +Our line of battle was formed at Cassville. I never saw our troops +happier or more certain of success. A sort of grand halo illumined every +soldier's face. You could see self-confidence in the features of every +private soldier. We were confident of victory and success. It was like +going to a frolic or a wedding. Joy was welling up in every heart. +We were going to whip and rout the Yankees. It seemed to be anything +else than a fight. The soldiers were jubilant. Gladness was depicted on +every countenance. I honestly believe that had a battle been fought at +this place, every soldier would have distinguished himself. I believe +a sort of fanaticism had entered their souls, that whoever was killed +would at once be carried to the seventh heaven. I am sure of one thing, +that every soldier had faith enough in old Joe to have charged Sherman's +whole army. When "Halt!" "Retreat!" What is the matter? General Hood +says they are enfilading his line, and are decimating his men, and he +can't hold his position. + +The same old story repeats itself. Old Joe's army is ever face to face +with Sherman's incendiaries. We have faith in old Joe's ability to meet +Sherman whenever he dares to attack. The soldiers draw their regular +rations. Every time a blue coat comes in sight, there is a dead Yankee +to bury. Sherman is getting cautious, his army hacked. Thus we continue +to fall back for four months, day by day, for one hundred and ten days, +fighting every day and night. + + +ON THE BANKS OF THE CHATTAHOOCHEE + +Our army had crossed the Chattahoochee. The Federal army was on the +other side; our pickets on the south side, the Yankees on the north side. +By a tacit agreement, as had ever been the custom, there was no firing +across the stream. That was considered the boundary. It mattered not +how large or small the stream, pickets rarely fired at each other. +We would stand on each bank, and laugh and talk and brag across the +stream. + +One day, while standing on the banks of the Chattahoochee, a Yankee +called out: + +"Johnny, O, Johnny, O, Johnny Reb." + +Johnny answered, "What do you want?" + +"You are whipped, aren't you?" + +"No. The man who says that is a liar, a scoundrel, and a coward." + +"Well, anyhow, Joe Johnston is relieved of the command." + +"What?" + +"General Joseph E. Johnston is relieved." + +"What is that you say?" + +"General Joseph E. Johnston is relieved, and Hood appointed in his place." + +"You are a liar, and if you will come out and show yourself I will shoot +you down in your tracks, you lying Yankee galloot." + +"That's more than I will stand. If the others will hands off, I will +fight a duel with you. Now, show your manhood." + +Well, reader, every word of this is true, as is everything in this book. +Both men loaded their guns and stepped out to their plates. They were +both to load and fire at will, until one or both were killed. They took +their positions without either trying to get the advantage of the other. +Then some one gave the command to "Fire at will; commence firing." +They fired seven shots each; at the seventh shot, poor Johnny Reb fell a +corpse, pierced through the heart. + + +REMOVAL OF GENERAL JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON + +Such was the fact. General Joseph E. Johnston had been removed and +General J. B. Hood appointed to take command. Generals Hardee and +Kirby Smith, two old veterans, who had been identified with the Army of +Tennessee from the beginning, resigned. We had received the intelligence +from the Yankees. + +The relief guard confirmed the report. + +All the way from Rocky Face Ridge to Atlanta was a battle of a hundred +days, yet Hood's line was all the time enfiladed and his men decimated, +and he could not hold his position. Old Joe Johnston had taken command +of the Army of Tennessee when it was crushed and broken, at a time when +no other man on earth could have united it. He found it in rags and +tatters, hungry and heart-broken, the morale of the men gone, their +manhood vanished to the winds, their pride a thing of the past. Through +his instrumentality and skillful manipulation, all these had been +restored. We had been under his command nearly twelve months. He was +more popular with his troops day by day. We had made a long and arduous +campaign, lasting four months; there was not a single day in that four +months that did not find us engaged in battle with the enemy. History +does not record a single instance of where one of his lines was ever +broken--not a single rout. He had not lost a single piece of artillery; +he had dealt the enemy heavy blows; he was whipping them day by day, +yet keeping his own men intact; his men were in as good spirits and as +sure of victory at the end of four months as they were at the beginning; +instead of the army being depleted, it had grown in strength. 'Tis true, +he had fallen back, but it was to give his enemy the heavier blows. +He brought all the powers of his army into play; ever on the defensive, +'tis true, yet ever striking his enemy in his most vulnerable part. +His face was always to the foe. They could make no movement in which +they were not anticipated. Such a man was Joseph E. Johnston, and such +his record. Farewell, old fellow! We privates loved you because you +made us love ourselves. Hardee, our old corps commander, whom we had +followed for nearly four years, and whom we had loved and respected from +the beginning, has left us. Kirby Smith has resigned and gone home. +The spirit of our good and honored Leonidas Polk is in heaven, and his +body lies yonder on the Kennesaw line. General Breckinridge and other +generals resigned. I lay down my pen; I can write no more; my heart is +too full. Reader, this is the saddest chapter I ever wrote. + +But now, after twenty years, I can see where General Joseph E. Johnston +made many blunders in not attacking Sherman's line at some point. +He was better on the defensive than the aggressive, and hence, _bis +peccare in bello non licet_. + + +GENERAL HOOD TAKES COMMAND + +It came like a flash of lightning, staggering and blinding every one. +It was like applying a lighted match to an immense magazine. It was like +the successful gambler, flushed with continual winnings, who staked his +all and lost. It was like the end of the Southern Confederacy. Things +that were, were not. It was the end. The soldier of the relief guard +who brought us the news while picketing on the banks of the Chattahoochee, +remarked, by way of imparting gently the information-- + +"Boys, we've fought all the war for nothing. There is nothing for us in +store now." + +"What's the matter now?" + +"General Joe Johnston is relieved, Generals Hardee and Kirby Smith has +resigned, and General Hood is appointed to take command of the Army of +Tennessee." + +"My God! is that so?" + +"It is certainly a fact." + +"Then I'll never fire another gun. Any news or letters that you +wish carried home? I've quit, and am going home. Please tender my +resignation to Jeff Davis as a private soldier in the C. S. Army." + +Five men of that picket--there were just five--as rapidly as they could, +took off their cartridge-boxes, after throwing down their guns, and +then their canteens and haversacks, taking out of their pockets their +gun-wipers, wrench and gun-stoppers, and saying they would have no more +use for "them things." They marched off, and it was the last we ever saw +of them. In ten minutes they were across the river, and no doubt had +taken the oath of allegiance to the United States government. Such was +the sentiment of the Army of Tennessee at that time. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +ATLANTA + + +HOOD STRIKES + +General John B. Hood had the reputation of being a fighting man, and +wishing to show Jeff Davis what a "bully" fighter he was, lights in on +the Yankees on Peachtree creek. But that was "I give a dare" affair. +General William B. Bate's division gained their works, but did not long +hold them. + +Our division, now commanded by General John C. Brown, was supporting +Bate's division; our regiment supporting the Hundred and Fifty-fourth +Tennessee, which was pretty badly cut to pieces, and I remember how mad +they seemed to be, because they had to fall back. + +Hood thought he would strike while the iron was hot, and while it could +be hammered into shape, and make the Yankees believe that it was the +powerful arm of old Joe that was wielding the sledge. + +But he was like the fellow who took a piece of iron to the shop, +intending to make him an ax. After working for some time and failing, +he concluded he would make him a wedge, and, failing in this, said, +"I'll make a skeow." So he heats the iron red-hot and drops it into the +slack-tub, and it went s-k-e-o-w, bubble, bubble, s-k-e-o-w, bust. + + +KILLING A YANKEE SCOUT + +On the night of the 20th, the Yankees were on Peachtree creek, advancing +toward Atlanta. I was a videt that night, on the outpost of the army. +I could plainly hear the moving of their army, even the talking and +laughing of the Federal soldiers. I was standing in an old sedge field. +About midnight everything quieted down. I was alone in the darkness, +left to watch while the army slept. The pale moon was on the wane, +a little yellow arc, emitting but a dim light, and the clouds were lazily +passing over it, while the stars seemed trying to wink and sparkle and +make night beautiful. I thought of God, of heaven, of home, and I +thought of Jennie--her whom I had ever loved, and who had given me her +troth in all of her maiden purity, to be my darling bride so soon as the +war was over. I thought of the scenes of my childhood, my school-boy +days. I thought of the time when I left peace and home, for war and +privations. I had Jennie's picture in my pocket Bible, alongside of a +braid of her beautiful hair. And I thought of how good, how pure, +and how beautiful was the woman, who, if I lived, would share my hopes +and struggles, my happiness as well as troubles, and who would be my +darling bride, and happiness would ever be mine. An owl had lit on an +old tree near me and began to "hoo, hoo, hoo are you," and his mate would +answer back from the lugubrious depths of the Chattahoochee swamps. +A shivering owl also sat on the limb of a tree and kept up its dismal +wailings. And ever now and then I could hear the tingle, tingle, tingle +of a cow bell in the distance, and the shrill cry of the whip-poor-will. +The shivering owl and whip-poor-will seemed to be in a sort of talk, +and the jack-o'-lanterns seemed to be playing spirits--when, hush! what +is that? listen! It might have been two o'clock, and I saw, or thought I +saw, the dim outlines of a Yankee soldier, lying on the ground not more +than ten steps from where I stood. I tried to imagine it was a stump +or hallucination of the imagination. I looked at it again. The more I +looked the more it assumed the outlines of a man. Something glistens in +his eyes. Am I mistaken? Tut, tut, it's nothing but a stump; you are +getting demoralized. What! it seems to be getting closer. There are two +tiny specks that shine like the eyes of a cat in the dark. Look here, +thought I, you are getting nervous. Well, I can stand this doubt and +agony no longer; I am going to fire at that object anyhow, let come what +will. I raised my gun, placed it to my shoulder, took deliberate aim, +and fired, and waugh-weouw, the most unearthly scream I ever heard, +greeted my ears. I broke and run to a tree nearby, and had just squatted +behind it, when zip, zip, two balls from our picket post struck the tree +in two inches of my head. I hallooed to our picket not to fire that +it was "me," the videt. I went back, and says I, "Who fired those two +shots?" Two fellows spoke up and said that they did it. No sooner was +it spoken, than I was on them like a duck on a june-bug, _pugnis et +calcibus_. We "fout and fit, and gouged and bit," right there in that +picket post. I have the marks on my face and forehead where one of them +struck me with a Yankee zinc canteen, filled with water. I do not know +which whipped. My friends told me that I whipped both of them, and I +suppose their friends told them that they had whipped me. All I know is, +they both run, and I was bloody from head to foot, from where I had been +cut in the forehead and face by the canteens. This all happened one dark +night in the month of July, 1864, in the rifle pit in front of Atlanta. +When day broke the next morning, I went forward to where I had shot at +the "boogaboo" of the night before, and right there I found a dead Yankee +soldier, fully accoutered for any emergency, his eyes wide open. I +looked at him, and I said, "Old fellow, I am sorry for you; didn't know +it was you, or I would have been worse scared than I was. You are +dressed mighty fine, old fellow, but I don't want anything you have got, +but your haversack." It was a nice haversack, made of chamois skin. +I kept it until the end of the war, and when we surrendered at Greensboro, +N. C., I had it on. But the other soldiers who were with me, went +through him and found twelve dollars in greenback, a piece of tobacco, +a gun-wiper and gun-stopper and wrench, a looking-glass and pocket-comb, +and various and sundry other articles. I came across that dead Yankee +two days afterwards, and he was as naked as the day he came into the +world, and was as black as a negro, and was as big as a skinned horse. +He had mortified. I recollect of saying, "Ugh, ugh," and of my hat being +lifted off my head, by my hair, which stood up like the quills of the +fretful porcupine. He scared me worse when dead than when living. + + +AN OLD CITIZEN + +But after the little unpleasant episode in the rifle pit, I went back and +took my stand. When nearly day, I saw the bright and beautiful star in +the east rise above the tree tops, and the gray fog from off the river +begun to rise, and every now and then could hear a far off chicken crow. + +While I was looking toward the Yankee line, I saw a man riding leisurely +along on horseback, and singing a sort of humdrum tune. I took him to be +some old citizen. He rode on down the road toward me, and when he had +approached, "Who goes there?" He immediately answered, "A friend." +I thought that I recognized the voice in the darkness--and said I, +"Who are you?" He spoke up, and gave me his name. Then, said I, +"Advance, friend, but you are my prisoner." He rode on toward me, +and I soon saw that it was Mr. Mumford Smith, the old sheriff of Maury +county. I was very glad to see him, and as soon as the relief guard came, +I went back to camp with him. I do not remember of ever in my life being +more glad to see any person. He had brought a letter from home, from my +father, and some Confederate old issue bonds, which I was mighty glad +to get, and also a letter from "the gal I left behind me," enclosing a +rosebud and two apple blossoms, resting on an arbor vita leaf, and this +on a little piece of white paper, and on this was written a motto (which +I will have to tell for the young folks), "Receive me, such as I am; +would that I were of more use for your sake. Jennie." Now, that was +the bouquet part. I would not like to tell you what was in that letter, +but I read that letter over five hundred times, and remember it today. +I think I can repeat the poetry _verbatim et literatim_, and will do so, +gentle reader, if you don't laugh at me. I'm married now, and only +write from memory, and never in my life have I read it in book or paper, +and only in that letter-- + + "I love you, O, how dearly, + Words too faintly but express; + This heart beats too sincerely, + E'er in life to love you less; + No, my fancy never ranges, + Hopes like mine, can never soar; + If the love I cherish, changes, + 'Twill only be to love you more." + +Now, fair and gentle reader, this was the poetry, and you see for +yourself that there was no "shenanigan" in that letter; and if a fellow +"went back" on that sort of a letter, he would strike his "mammy." +And then the letter wound up with "May God shield and protect you, +and prepare you for whatever is in store for you, is the sincere prayer +of Jennie." You may be sure that I felt good and happy, indeed. + + +MY FRIENDS + +Reader mine, in writing these rapid and imperfect recollections, I find +that should I attempt to write up all the details that I would not only +weary you, but that these memoirs would soon become monotonous and +uninteresting. I have written only of what I saw. Many little acts of +kindness shown me by ladies and old citizens, I have omitted. I remember +going to an old citizen's house, and he and the old lady were making +clay pipes. I recollect how they would mold the pipes and put them +in a red-hot stove to burn hard. Their kindness to me will never be +forgotten. The first time that I went there they seemed very glad to see +me, and told me that I looked exactly like their son who was in the army. +I asked them what regiment he belonged to. After a moment's silence the +old lady, her voice trembling as she spoke, said the Fourteenth Georgia, +and then she began to cry. Then the old man said, "Yes, we have a son +in the army. He went to Virginia the first year of the war, and we have +never heard of him since. These wars are terrible, sir. The last time +that we heard of him, he went with Stonewall Jackson away up in the +mountains of West Virginia, toward Romney, and I did hear that while +standing picket at a little place called Hampshire Crossing, on a little +stream called St. John's Run, he and eleven others froze to death. +We have never heard of him since." He got up and began walking up and +down the room, his hands crossed behind his back. I buckled on my +knapsack to go back to camp, and I shook hands with the two good old +people, and they told me good-bye, and both said, "God bless you, God +bless you." I said the same to them, and said, "I pray God to reward you, +and bring your son safe home again." When I got back to camp I found +cannon and caissons moving, and I knew and felt that General Hood was +going to strike the enemy again. Preparations were going on, but +everything seemed to be out of order and system. Men were cursing, +and seemed to be dissatisfied and unhappy, but the army was moving. + + +A BODY WITHOUT LIMBS--AN ARMY WITHOUT CAVALRY + +Forrest's cavalry had been sent to Mississippi; Wheeler's cavalry had +been sent to North Carolina and East Tennessee. Hood had sent off both +of his "arms"--for cavalry was always called the most powerful "arm" +of the service. The infantry were the feet, and the artillery the body. +Now, Hood himself had no legs, and but one arm, and that one in a sling. +The most terrible and disastrous blow that the South ever received was +when Hon. Jefferson Davis placed General Hood in command of the Army of +Tennessee. I saw, I will say, thousands of men cry like babies--regular, +old-fashioned boohoo, boohoo, boohoo. + +Now, Hood sent off all his cavalry right in the face of a powerful army, +by order and at the suggestion of Jeff Davis, and was using his cannon as +"feelers." O, God! Ye gods! I get sick at heart even at this late day +when I think of it. + +I remember the morning that General Wheeler's cavalry filed by our +brigade, and of their telling us, "Good-bye, boys, good-bye, boys." +The First Tennessee Cavalry and Ninth Battalion were both made up in +Maury county. I saw John J. Stephenson, my friend and step-brother, +and David F. Watkins my own dear brother, and Arch Lipscomb, Joe Fussell, +Captain Kinzer, Jack Gordon, George Martin, Major Dobbins, Colonel Lewis, +Captain Galloway, Aaron and Sims Latta, Major J. H. Akin, S. H. Armstrong, +Albert Dobbins, Alex Dobbins, Jim Cochran, Rafe Grisham, Captain Jim Polk, +and many others with whom I was acquainted. They all said, "Good-bye, +Sam, good-bye, Sam." I cried. I remember stopping the whole command +and begging them to please not leave us; that if they did, Atlanta, and +perhaps Hood's whole army, would surrender in a few days; but they told +me, as near as I can now remember, "We regret to leave you, but we +have to obey orders." The most ignorant private in the whole army saw +everything that we had been fighting for for four years just scattered +like chaff to the winds. All the Generals resigned, and those who did +not resign were promoted; colonels were made brigadier-generals, captains +were made colonels, and the private soldier, well, he deserted, don't you +see? The private soldiers of the Army of Tennessee looked upon Hood as +an over-rated general, but Jeff Davis did not. + + +BATTLE OF JULY 22, 1864 + +Cannon balls, at long range, were falling into the city of Atlanta. +Details of citizens put out the fires as they would occur from the +burning shells. We could see the smoke rise and hear the shells pass +away over our heads as they went on toward the doomed city. + +One morning Cheatham's corps marched out and through the city, we knew +not whither, but we soon learned that we were going to make a flank +movement. After marching four or five miles, we "about faced" and +marched back again to within two hundred yards of the place from whence +we started. It was a "flank movement," you see, and had to be counted +that way anyhow. Well, now as we had made the flank movement, we had to +storm and take the Federal lines, because we had made a flank movement, +you see. When one army makes a flank movement it is courtesy on the part +of the other army to recognize the flank movement, and to change his +base. Why, sir, if you don't recognize a flank movement, you ain't a +graduate of West Point. Hood was a graduate of West Point, and so +was Sherman. But unfortunately there was Mynheer Dutchman commanding +(McPherson had gone to dinner) the corps that had been flanked, and he +couldn't speak English worth a cent. He, no doubt, had on board mein +lager beer, so goot as vat never vas. I sweitzer, mein Got, you bet. +Bang, bang, bang, goes our skirmish line advancing to the attack. +Hans, vat fer ish dot shooting mit mein left wing? Ish dot der Repels, +Hans? + + +THE ATTACK + +The plan of battle, as conceived and put into action by General Cleburne, +was one of the boldest conceptions, and, at the same time, one of the +most hazardous that ever occurred in our army during the war, but it only +required nerve and pluck to carry it out, and General Cleburne was equal +to the occasion. The Yankees had fortified on two ranges of hills, +leaving a gap in their breastworks in the valley entirely unfortified and +unprotected. They felt that they could enfilade the valley between the +two lines so that no troop would or could attack at this weak point. +This valley was covered with a dense undergrowth of trees and bushes. +General Walker, of Georgia, was ordered to attack on the extreme right, +which he did nobly and gallantly, giving his life for his country while +leading his men, charging their breastworks. He was killed on the very +top of their works. In the meantime General Cleburne's division was +marching by the right flank in solid column, the same as if they were +marching along the road, right up this valley, and thus passing between +the Yankee lines and cutting them in two, when the command by the left +flank was given, which would throw them into line of battle. By this +maneuver, Cleburne's men were right upon their flank, and enfilading +their lines, while they were expecting an attack in their front. It was +the finest piece of generalship and the most successful of the war. + +Shineral Mynheer Dutchman says, "Hans, mein Got! mein Got! vare ish +Shineral Mackferson, eh? Mein Got, mein Got! I shust pelieve dot der +Repel ish cooming. Hans, go cotch der filly colt. Now, Hans, I vants +to see vedder der filly colt mid stand fire. You get on der filly colt, +und I vill get pehind der house, und ven you shust coome galloping py, +I vill say 'B-o-o-h,' und if der filly colt don't shump, den I vill know +dot der filly colt mid stand fire." Hans says, "Pap, being as you have +to ride her in the battle, you get on her, and let me say booh." Well, +Shineral Mynheer gets on the colt, and Hans gets behind the house, +and as the general comes galloping by, Hans had got an umbrella, and on +seeing his father approach, suddenly opens the umbrella, and hallowing +at the top of his voice b-o-o-h! _b-o-o-h!_ B-O-O-H! The filly makes a +sudden jump and ker-flop comes down Mynheer. He jumps up and says, "Hans, +I alvays knowed dot you vas a vool. You make too pig a booh; vy, you +said booh loud enuff to scare der ole horse. Hans, go pring out der ole +horse. Der tam Repel vill be here pefore Mackferson gits pack from der +dinner time. I shust peleve dot der Repel ish flanking, und dem tam fool +curnells of mein ish not got sense enuff to know ven Sheneral Hood is +flanking. Hans, bring out der old horse, I vant to find out vedder +Mackferson ish got pack from der dinner time or not." + +We were supporting General Cleburne's division. Our division (Cheatham's) +was commanded by General John C. Brown. Cleburne's division advanced to +the attack. I was marching by the side of a soldier by the name of James +Galbreath, and a conscript from the Mt. Pleasant country. I never heard +a man pray and "go on" so before in my life. It actually made me feel +sorry for the poor fellow. Every time that our line would stop for a few +minutes, he would get down on his knees and clasp his hands and commence +praying. He kept saying, "O, my poor wife and children! God have mercy +on my poor wife and children! God pity me and have mercy on my soul!" +Says I, "Galbreath, what are you making a fool of yourself that way for? +If you are going to be killed, why you are as ready now as you ever will +be, and you are making everybody feel bad; quit that nonsense." He quit, +but kept mumbling to himself, "God have mercy! God have mercy!" +Cleburne had reached the Yankee breastworks; the firing had been and was +then terrific. The earth jarred, and shook, and trembled, at the shock +of battle as the two armies met. Charge men! And I saw the Confederate +flag side by side with the Federal flag. A courier dashed up and said, +"General Cleburne has captured their works--advance and attack upon his +immediate left. Attention, forward!" A discharge of cannon, and a ball +tore through our ranks. I heard Galbreath yell out, "O, God, have mercy +on my poor soul." The ball had cut his body nearly in two. Poor fellow, +he had gone to his reward. + +We advanced to the attack on Cleburne's immediate left. Cleburne himself +was leading us in person, so that we would not fire upon his men, who +were then inside the Yankee line. His sword was drawn. I heard him say, +"Follow me, boys." He ran forward, and amid the blazing fires of the +Yankee guns was soon on top of the enemy's works. He had on a bob-tail +Confederate coat, which looked as if it had been cut out of a scrimp +pattern. (You see I remember the little things). We were but a few +paces behind, following close upon him, and soon had captured their line +of works. We were firing at the flying foe--astraddle of their lines of +battle. This would naturally throw us in front, and Cleburne's corps +supporting us. The Yankee lines seemed routed. We followed in hot +pursuit; but from their main line of entrenchment--which was diagonal to +those that we had just captured, and also on which they had built forts +and erected batteries--was their artillery, raking us fore and aft. +We passed over a hill and down into a valley being under the muzzles of +this rampart of death. We had been charging and running, and had stopped +to catch our breath right under their reserve and main line of battle. +When General George Maney said, "Soldiers, you are ordered to go forward +and charge that battery. When you start upon the charge I want you to go, +as it were, upon the wings of the wind. Shoot down and bayonet the +cannoneers, and take their guns at all hazards." Old Pat Cleburne +thought he had better put in a word to his soldiers. He says, "You hear +what General Maney says, boys. If they don't take it, by the eternal God, +you have got to take it!" I heard an Irishman of the "bloody Tinth," +and a "darn good regiment, be jabbers," speak up, and say, "Faith, +gineral, we'll take up a collection and buy you a batthery, be Jasus." +About this time our regiment had re-formed, and had got their breath, +and the order was given to charge, and take their guns even at the point +of the bayonet. We rushed forward up the steep hill sides, the seething +fires from ten thousand muskets and small arms, and forty pieces of +cannon hurled right into our very faces, scorching and burning our +clothes, and hands, and faces from their rapid discharges, and piling the +ground with our dead and wounded almost in heaps. It seemed that the hot +flames of hell were turned loose in all their fury, while the demons of +damnation were laughing in the flames, like seething serpents hissing +out their rage. We gave one long, loud cheer, and commenced the charge. +As we approached their lines, like a mighty inundation of the river +Acheron in the infernal regions, Confederate and Federal meet. Officers +with drawn swords meet officers with drawn swords, and man to man meets +man to man with bayonets and loaded guns. The continued roar of battle +sounded like unbottled thunder. Blood covered the ground, and the dense +smoke filled our eyes, and ears, and faces. The groans of the wounded +and dying rose above the thunder of battle. But being heavily supported +by Cleburne's division, and by General L. E. Polk's brigade, headed +and led by General Cleburne in person, and followed by the First and +Twenty-seventh up the blazing crest, the Federal lines waver, and +break and fly, leaving us in possession of their breastworks, and the +battlefield, and I do not know how many pieces of artillery, prisoners +and small arms. + +Here is where Major Allen, Lieutenant Joe Carney, Captain Joe Carthell, +and many other good and brave spirits gave their lives for the cause of +their country. They lie today, weltering in their own life's blood. +It was one of the bloody battles that characterized that stormy epoch, +and it was the 22nd of July, and one of the hottest days I ever felt. + +General George Maney led us in the heat of battle, and no general of the +war acted with more gallantry and bravery during the whole war than did +General George Maney on this occasion. + +The victory was complete. Large quantities of provisions and army +stores were captured. The Federals had abandoned their entire line of +breastworks, and had changed their base. They were fortifying upon our +left, about five miles off from their original position. The battlefield +was covered with their dead and wounded soldiers. I have never seen so +many battle-flags left indiscriminately upon any battlefield. I ran over +twenty in the charge, and could have picked them up everywhere; did pick +up one, and was promoted to fourth corporal for gallantry in picking up +a flag on the battlefield. + +On the final charge that was made, I was shot in the ankle and heel of my +foot. I crawled into their abandoned ditch, which then seemed full and +running over with our wounded soldiers. I dodged behind the embankment +to get out of the raking fire that was ripping through the bushes, +and tearing up the ground. Here I felt safe. The firing raged in front; +we could hear the shout of the charge and the clash of battle. While I +was sitting here, a cannon ball came tearing down the works, cutting a +soldier's head off, spattering his brains all over my face and bosom, +and mangling and tearing four or five others to shreds. As a wounded +horse was being led off, a cannon ball struck him, and he was literally +ripped open, falling in the very place I had just moved from. + +I saw an ambulance coming from toward the Yankee line, at full gallop, +saw them stop at a certain place, hastily put a dead man in the ambulance, +and gallop back toward the Yankee lines. I did not know the meaning of +this maneuver until after the battle, when I learned that it was General +McPherson's dead body. + +We had lost many a good and noble soldier. The casualties on our side +were frightful. Generals, colonels, captains, lieutenants, sergeants, +corporals and privates were piled indiscriminately everywhere. Cannon, +caissons, and dead horses were piled pell-mell. It was the picture of a +real battlefield. Blood had gathered in pools, and in some instances had +made streams of blood. 'Twas a picture of carnage and death. + + +AM PROMOTED + +"Why, hello, corporal, where did you get those two yellow stripes from on +your arm?" + +"Why, sir, I have been promoted for gallantry on the battlefield, by +picking up an orphan flag, that had been run over by a thousand fellows, +and when I picked it up I did so because I thought it was pretty, and I +wanted to have me a shirt made out of it." + +"I could have picked up forty, had I known that," said Sloan. + +"So could I, but I knew that the stragglers would pick them up." + +Reader mine, the above dialogue is true in every particular. As long +as I was in action, fighting for my country, there was no chance for +promotion, but as soon as I fell out of ranks and picked up a forsaken +and deserted flag, I was promoted for it. I felt "sorter" cheap when +complimented for gallantry, and the high honor of fourth corporal was +conferred upon me. I felt that those brave and noble fellows who had +kept on in the charge were more entitled to the honor than I was, for +when the ball struck me on the ankle and heel, I did not go any further. +And had I only known that picking up flags entitled me to promotion and +that every flag picked up would raise me one notch higher, I would have +quit fighting and gone to picking up flags, and by that means I would +have soon been President of the Confederate States of America. But +honors now begin to cluster around my brow. This is the laurel and +ivy that is entwined around the noble brows of victorious and renowned +generals. I honestly earned the exalted honor of fourth corporal by +picking up a Yankee battle-flag on the 22nd day of July, at Atlanta. + + +28TH OF JULY AT ATLANTA + +Another battle was fought by Generals Stephen D. Lee and Stewart's corps, +on the 28th day of July. I was not in it, neither was our corps, but +from what I afterwards learned, the Yankees got the best of the +engagement. But our troops continued fortifying Atlanta. No other +battles were ever fought at this place. + + +I VISIT MONTGOMERY + +Our wounded were being sent back to Montgomery. My name was put on the +wounded list. We were placed in a box-car, and whirling down to West +Point, where we changed cars for Montgomery. The cars drew up at the +depot at Montgomery, and we were directed to go to the hospital. When we +got off the cars, little huckster stands were everywhere--apples, oranges, +peaches, watermelons, everything. I know that I never saw a greater +display of eatables in my whole life. I was particularly attracted +toward an old lady's stand; she had bread, fish, and hard boiled eggs. +The eggs were what I was hungry for. Says I: + +"Madam, how do you sell your eggs?" + +"Two for a dollar," she said. + +"How much is your fish worth?" + +"A piece of bread and a piece of fish for a dollar." + +"Well, madam, put out your fish and eggs." The fish were hot and done to +a crisp--actually frying in my mouth, crackling and singing as I bit off +a bite. It was good, I tell you. The eggs were a little over half done. +I soon demolished both, and it was only an appetizer. I invested a +couple of dollars more, and thought that maybe I could make out till +supper time. As I turned around, a smiling, one-legged man asked me if I +wouldn't like to have a drink. Now, if there was anything that I wanted +at that time, it was a drink. + +"How do you sell it?" says I. + +"A dollar a drink," said he. + +"Pour me out a drink." + +It was a tin cap-box. I thought that I knew the old fellow, and he kept +looking at me as if he knew me. Finally, he said to me: + +"It seems that I ought to know you." + +I told him that I reckon he did, as I had been there. + +"Ain't your name Sam?" said he. + +"That is what my mother called me." + +Well, after shaking hands, it suddenly flashed upon me who the old +fellow was. I knew him well. He told me that he belonged to Captain +Ed. O'Neil's company, Second Tennessee Regiment, General William +B. Bate's corps, and that his leg had been shot off at the first battle +of Manassas, and at that time he was selling cheap whisky and tobacco for +a living at Montgomery, Alabama. I tossed off a cap-box full and paid +him a dollar. It staggered me, and I said: + +"That is raw whisky." + +"Yes," said he, "all my cooked whisky is out." + +"If this is not quite cooked, it is as hot as fire anyhow, and burns like +red-hot lava, and the whole dose seems to have got lodged in my windpipe." + +I might have tasted it, but don't think that I did. All I can remember +now, is a dim recollection of a nasty, greasy, burning something going +down my throat and chest, and smelling, as I remember at this day, +like a decoction of red-pepper tea, flavored with coal oil, turpentine +and tobacco juice. + + +THE HOSPITAL + +I went to the hospital that evening, saw it, and was satisfied with +hospital life. I did not wish to be called a hospital rat. I had no +idea of taking stock and making my headquarters at this place. +Everything seemed clean and nice enough, but the smell! Ye gods! +I stayed there for supper. The bill of fare was a thin slice of light +bread and a plate of soup, already dished out and placed at every plate. +I ate it, but it only made me hungry. At nine o'clock I had to go to bed, +and all the lights were put out. Every man had a little bunk to himself. +I do not know whether I slept or not, but I have a dim recollection of +"sawing gourds," and jumping up several times to keep some poor wretch +from strangling. He was only snoring. I heard rats filing away at night, +and thought that burglars were trying to get in; my dreams were not +pleasant, if I went to sleep at all. I had not slept off of the ground +or in a house in three years. It was something new to me, and I could +not sleep, for the room was so dark that had I got up I could not have +found my way out. I laid there, I do not know how long, but I heard a +rooster crow, and a dim twilight began to glimmer in the room, and even +footsteps were audible in the rooms below. I got sleepy then, and went +off in a doze. I had a beautiful dream--dreamed that I was in heaven, +or rather, that a pair of stairs with richly carved balusters and wings, +and golden steps overlaid with silk and golden-colored carpeting came +down from heaven to my room; and two beautiful damsels kept peeping, +and laughing, and making faces at me from the first platform of these +steps; and every now and then they would bring out their golden harps, +and sing me a sweet and happy song. Others were constantly passing, +but always going the same way. They looked like so many schoolgirls, +all dressed in shining garments. Two or three times the two beautiful +girls would go up the stairs and return, bringing fruits and vegetables +that shined like pure gold. I knew that I never had seen two more +beautiful beings on earth. The steps began to lengthen out, and seemed +to be all around me; they seemed to shine a halo of glory all about. +The two ladies came closer, and closer, passing around, having a +beautiful wreath of flowers in each hand, and gracefully throwing them +backward and forward as they laughed and danced around me. Finally +one stopped and knelt down over me and whispered something in my ear. +I threw up my arms to clasp the beautiful vision to my bosom, when I felt +my arm grabbed, and "D--n ye, I wish you would keep your d--n arm off +my wound, ye hurt me," came from the soldier in the next bunk. The sun +was shining full in my face. I got up and went down to breakfast. The +bill of fare was much better for breakfast than it had been for supper; +in fact it was what is called a "jarvis" breakfast. After breakfast, +I took a ramble around the city. It was a nice place, and merchandise +and other business was being carried on as if there was no war. Hotels +were doing a thriving business; steamboats were at the wharf, whistling +and playing their calliopes. I remember the one I heard was playing +"Away Down on the Sewanee River." To me it seemed that everybody was +smiling, and happy, and prosperous. + + +THE CAPITOL + +I went to the capitol, and it is a fine building, overlooking the city. +When I got there, I acted just like everybody that ever visited a fine +building--they wanted to go on top and look at the landscape. That is +what they all say. Now, I always wanted to go on top, but I never yet +thought of landscape. What I always wanted to see, was how far I could +look, and that is about all that any of them wants. It's mighty nice +to go up on a high place with your sweetheart, and hear her say, "La! +ain't it b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l," "Now, now, please don't go there," and how +you walk up pretty close to the edge and spit over, to show what a brave +man you are. It's "bully," I tell you. Well, I wanted to go to the top +of the capitol--I went; wanted to go up in the cupola. Now, there was +an iron ladder running up across an empty space, and you could see two +hundred feet below from this cupola or dome on top. The ladder was about +ten feet long, spanning the dome. It was very easy to go up, because +I was looking up all the time, and I was soon on top of the building. +I saw how far I could see, and saw the Alabama river, winding and turning +until it seemed no larger than a silver thread. Well, I am very poor +at describing and going into ecstacies over fancies. I want some abler +pen to describe the scene. I was not thinking about the scene or the +landscape--I was thinking how I was going to get down that ladder again. +I would come to that iron ladder and peep over, and think if I fell, +how far would I have to fall. The more I thought about going down that +ladder, the more I didn't feel like going down. Well, I felt that I had +rather die than go down that ladder. I'm honest in this. I felt like +jumping off and committing suicide rather than go down that ladder. +I crossed right over the frightful chasm, but when forbearance ceased to +be a virtue, I tremblingly put my foot on the first rung, then grabbed +the top of the two projections. There I remained, I don't know how long, +but after awhile I reached down with one foot and touched the next rung. +After getting that foot firmly placed, I ventured to risk the other foot. +It was thus for several backward steps, until I come to see down--away +down, down, down below me--and my head got giddy. The world seemed to be +turning round and round. A fellow at the bottom hallooed, "Look up! look +up, mister! look up!" I was not a foot from the upper floor. As soon as +I looked at the floor, everything got steady. I kept my eyes fixed on +the top of the building, and soon made the landing on _terra firma_. + +I have never liked high places since. I never could bear to go upstairs +in a house. I went to the capitol at Nashville, last winter, and +McAndrews wanted me to go up in the cupola with him. He went, and paid a +quarter for the privilege. I stayed, and--well, if I could estimate its +value by dollars--I would say two hundred and fifty million dollars is +what I made by staying down. + + +AM ARRESTED + +The next day, while the ferryboat was crossing the river, I asked the +ferryman to let me ride over. I was halted by a soldier who "knowed" +his business. + +"Your pass, sir!" + +"Well, I have no pass!" + +"Well, sir, I will have to arrest you, and take you before the provost +marshal." + +"Very well, sir; I will go with you to the provost or anywhere else." + +I appear before the provost marshal. + +"What command do you belong to, sir?" + +"Well, sir, I belong to Company H, First Tennessee Regiment. I am a +wounded man sent to the hospital." + +"Well, sir, that's too thin; why did you not get a pass?" + +"I did not think one was required." + +"Give me your name, sir." + +I gave my name. + +"Sergeant, take this name to the hospital and ask if such name is +registered on their books." + +I told him that I knew it was not. The sergeant returns and reports no +such name, when he remarks: + +"You have to go to the guard-house." + +Says I, "Colonel (I knew his rank was that of captain), if you send me +to the guard-house, you will do me a great wrong. Here is where I was +wounded." I pulled off my shoe and began to unbandage. + +"Well, sir, I don't want to look at your foot, and I have no patience +with you. Take him to the guard-house." + +Turning back I said, "Sir, aye, aye, you are clothed with a little brief +authority, and appear to be presuming pretty heavy on that authority; but, +sir"--well I have forgotten what I did say. The sergeant took me by the +arm, and said, "Come, come, sir, I have my orders." + +As I was going up the street, I met Captain Dave Buckner, and told him +all the circumstances of my arrest as briefly as I could. He said, +"Sergeant, bring him back with me to the provost marshal's office." +They were as mad as wet hens. Their faces were burning, and I could see +their jugular veins go thump, thump, thump. I do not know what Captain +Buckner said to them, all I heard were the words "otherwise insulted me." +But I was liberated, and was glad of it. + + +THOSE GIRLS + +I then went back to the river, and gave a fellow two dollars to "row me +over the ferry." I was in no particular hurry, and limped along at my +leisure until about nightfall, when I came to a nice, cosy-looking farm +house, and asked to stay all night. I was made very welcome, indeed. +There were two very pretty girls here, and I could have "loved either +were 'tother dear charmer away." But I fell in love with both of them, +and thereby overdid the thing. This was by a dim fire-light. The next +day was Sunday, and we all went to church in the country. We went in an +old rockaway carriage. I remember that the preacher used the words, "O, +God," nineteen times in his prayer. I had made up my mind which one of +the girls I would marry. Now, don't get mad, fair reader mine. I was +all gallantry and smiles, and when we arrived at home, I jumped out and +took hold the hand of my fair charmer to help her out. She put her foot +out, and--well, I came very near telling--she tramped on a cat. The cat +squalled. + + +THE TALISMAN + +But then, you know, reader, that I was engaged to Jennie and I had a +talisman in my pocket Bible, in the way of a love letter, against the +charms of other beautiful and interesting young ladies. Uncle Jimmie +Rieves had been to Maury county, and, on returning to Atlanta, found out +that I was wounded and in the hospital at Montgomery, and brought the +letter to me; and, as I am married now, I don't mind telling you what +was in the letter, if you won't laugh at me. You see, Jennie was my +sweetheart, and here is my sweetheart's letter: + + +My Dear Sam.:--I write to tell you that I love you yet, and you alone; +and day by day I love you more, and pray, every night and morning for +your safe return home again. My greatest grief is that we heard you were +wounded and in the hospital, and I cannot be with you to nurse you. + +We heard of the death of many noble and brave men at Atlanta; and the +death of Captain Carthell, Cousin Mary's husband. It was sent by Captain +January; he belonged to the Twelfth Tennessee, of which Colonel Watkins +was lieutenant-colonel. + +The weather is very beautiful here, and the flowers in the garden are in +full bloom, and the apples are getting ripe. I have gathered a small +bouquet, which I will put in the letter; I also send by Uncle Jimmie a +tobacco bag, and a watch-guard, made out of horse hair, and a woolen hood, +knit with my own hands, with love and best respects. + +We heard that you had captured a flag at Atlanta, and was promoted for it +to corporal. Is that some high office? I know you will be a general yet, +because I always hear of your being in every battle, and always the +foremost man in the attack. Sam, please take care of yourself for my +sake, and don't let the Yankees kill you. Well, good-bye, darling, +I will ever pray for God's richest and choicest blessings upon you. +Be sure and write a long, long letter--I don't care how long, to your +loving and sincere + JENNIE. + + +THE BRAVE CAPTAIN + +When I got back to the Alabama river, opposite Montgomery, the ferryboat +was on the other shore. A steamboat had just pulled out of its moorings +and crossed over to where I was, and began to take on wood. I went on +board, and told the captain, who was a clever and good man, that I would +like to take a trip with him to Mobile and back, and that I was a wounded +soldier from the hospital. He told me, "All right, come along, and I +will foot expenses." + +It was about sunset, but along the line of the distant horizon we could +see the dark and heavy clouds begin to boil up in thick and ominous +columns. The lightning was darting to and fro like lurid sheets of fire, +and the storm seemed to be gathering; we could hear the storm king in his +chariot in the clouds, rumbling as he came, but a dead lull was seen and +felt in the air and in nature; everything was in a holy hush, except the +hoarse belchings of the engines, the sizzing and frying of the boilers, +and the work of the machinery on the lower deck. At last the storm burst +upon us in all its fury; it was a tornado and the women and children +began to scream and pray--the mate to curse and swear. I was standing by +the captain on the main upper deck, as he was trying to direct the pilot +how to steer the boat through that awful storm, when we heard the alarm +bell ring out, and the hoarse cry of "Fire! fire! fire!" Men were +running toward the fire with buckets, and the hose began throwing water +on the flames. Men, women, and children were jumping in the water, +and the captain used every effort to quiet the panic, and to land his +boat with its passengers, but the storm and fire were too much, and down +the vessel sank to rise no more. Many had been saved in the lifeboat, +and many were drowned. I jumped overboard, and the last thing I saw was +the noble and brave captain still ringing the bell, as the vessel went +down. He went down amid the flames to fill a watery grave. The water +was full of struggling and dying people for miles. I did not go to +Mobile. + + +HOW I GET BACK TO ATLANTA + +When I got to Montgomery, the cars said toot, toot, and I raised the +hue and cry and followed in pursuit. Kind friends, I fear that I have +wearied you with my visit to Montgomery, but I am going back to camp now, +and will not leave it again until our banner is furled never to be again +unfurled. + +I, you remember, was without a pass, and did not wish to be carried a +second time before that good, brave, and just provost marshal; and +something told me not to go to the hospital. I found out when the cars +would leave, and thought that I would get on them and go back without any +trouble. I got on the cars, but was hustled off mighty quick, because +I had no pass. A train of box-cars was about leaving for West Point, +and I took a seat on top of one of them, and was again hustled off; +but I had determined to go, and as the engine began to puff, and tug, +and pull, I slipped in between two box-cars, sitting on one part of one +and putting my feet on the other, and rode this way until I got to West +Point. The conductor discovered me, and had put me off several times +before I got to West Point, but I would jump on again as soon as the cars +started. When I got to West Point, a train of cars started off, and I +ran, trying to get on, when Captain Peebles reached out his hand and +pulled me in, and I arrived safe and sound at Atlanta. + +On my way back to Atlanta, I got with Dow Akin and Billy March. Billy +March had been shot through the under jaw by a minnie ball at the octagon +house, but by proper attention and nursing, he had recovered. Conner +Akin was killed at the octagon house, and Dow wounded. When we got back +to the regiment, then stationed near a fine concrete house (where Shepard +and I would sleep every night), nearly right on our works, we found +two thirty-two-pound parrot guns stationed in our immediate front, and +throwing shells away over our heads into the city of Atlanta. We had +just begun to tell all the boys howdy, when I saw Dow Akin fall. A +fragment of shell had struck him on his backbone, and he was carried back +wounded and bleeding. We could see the smoke boil up, and it would be +nearly a minute before we would hear the report of the cannon, and then a +few moments after we would hear the scream of the shell as it went on to +Atlanta. We used to count from the time we would see the smoke boil up +until we would hear the noise, and some fellow would call out, "Look +out boys, the United States is sending iron over into the Southern +Confederacy; let's send a little lead back to the United States." +And we would blaze away with our Enfield and Whitworth guns, and every +time we would fire, we would silence those parrot guns. This kind of fun +was carried on for forty-six days. + + +DEATH OF TOM TUCK'S ROOSTER + +Atlanta was a great place to fight chickens. I had heard much said about +cock pits and cock fights, but had never seen such a thing. Away over +the hill, outside of the range of Thomas' thirty-pound parrot guns, +with which he was trying to burn up Atlanta, the boys had fixed up a cock +pit. It was fixed exactly like a circus ring, and seats and benches were +arranged for the spectators. Well, I went to the cock fight one day. +A great many roosters were to be pitted that day, and each one was +trimmed and gaffed. A gaff is a long keen piece of steel, as sharp as +a needle, that is fitted over the spurs. Well, I looked on at the fun. +Tom Tuck's rooster was named Southern Confederacy; but this was +abbreviated to Confed., and as a pet name, they called him Fed. Well, +Fed was a trained rooster, and would "clean up" a big-foot rooster as +soon as he was put in the pit. But Tom always gave Fed every advantage. +One day a green-looking country hunk came in with a rooster that he +wanted to pit against Fed. He looked like a common rail-splitter. +The money was soon made up, and the stakes placed in proper hands. +The gaffs were fitted, the roosters were placed in the pit and held until +both were sufficiently mad to fight, when they were turned loose, and +each struck at the same time. I looked and poor Fed was dead. The other +rooster had popped both gaffs through his head. He was a dead rooster; +yea, a dead cock in the pit. Tom went and picked up his rooster, and +said, "Poor Fed, I loved you; you used to crow every morning at daylight +to wake me up. I have carried you a long time, but, alas! alas! poor Fed, +your days are numbered, and those who fight will sometimes be slain. +Now, friends, conscripts, countrymen, if you have any tears to shed, +prepare to shed them now. I will not bury Fed. The evil that roosters +do live after them, but the good is oft interred with their bones. +So let it not be with Confed. Confed left no will, but I will pick him, +and fry him, and dip my biscuit in his gravy. Poor Fed, Confed, +Confederacy, I place one hand on my heart and one on my head, regretting +that I have not another to place on my stomach, and whisper, softly +whisper, in the most doleful accents, Good-bye, farewell, a long +farewell." + + "Not a laugh was heard--not even a joke-- + As the dead rooster in the camp-kettle they hurried; + For Tom had lost ten dollars, and was broke, + In the cock-pit where Confed was buried. + + "They cooked him slowly in the middle of the day, + As the frying-pan they were solemnly turning; + The hungry fellows looking at him as he lay, + With one side raw, the other burning. + + "Some surplus feathers covered his breast, + Not in a shroud, but in a tiara they soused him; + He lay like a 'picked chicken' taking his rest, + While the Rebel boys danced and cursed around him. + + "Not a few or short were the cuss words they said, + Yet, they spoke many words of sorrow; + As they steadfastly gazed on the face of the dead, + And thought 'what'll we do for chicken tomorrow?' + + "Lightly they'll talk of the Southern Confed. that's gone, + And o'er his empty carcass upbraid him; + But nothing he'll reck, if they let him sleep on, + In the place where they have laid him. + + "Sadly and slowly they laid him down, + From the field of fame fresh and gory; + They ate off his flesh, and threw away his bones, + And then left them alone in their glory." + +When, cut, slash, bang, debang, and here comes a dash of Yankee cavalry, +right in the midst of the camp, under whip and spur, yelling like a band +of wild Comanches, and bearing right down on the few mourners around the +dead body of Confed. After making this bold dash, they about faced, +and were soon out of sight. There was no harm done, but, alas! that +cooked chicken was gone. Poor Confed! To what a sad end you have come. +Just to think, that but a few short hours ago, you was a proud rooster-- +was "cock of the walk," and was considered invincible. But, alas! you +have sunk so low as to become food for Federals! _Requiescat in pace_ +you can crow no more. + + +OLD JOE BROWN'S PETS + +By way of grim jest, and a fitting burlesque to tragic scenes, or, rather, +to the thing called "glorious war," old Joe Brown, then Governor of +Georgia, sent in his militia. It was the richest picture of an army I +ever saw. It beat Forepaugh's double-ringed circus. Every one was +dressed in citizen's clothes, and the very best they had at that time. +A few had double-barreled shotguns, but the majority had umbrellas and +walking-sticks, and nearly every one had on a duster, a flat-bosomed +"biled" shirt, and a plug hat; and, to make the thing more ridiculous, +the dwarf and the giant were marching side by side; the knock-kneed by +the side of the bow-legged; the driven-in by the side of the drawn-out; +the pale and sallow dyspeptic, who looked like Alex. Stephens, and who +seemed to have just been taken out of a chimney that smoked very badly, +and whose diet was goobers and sweet potatoes, was placed beside the +three hundred-pounder, who was dressed up to kill, and whose looks seemed +to say, "I've got a substitute in the army, and twenty negroes at home +besides--h-a-a-m, h-a-a-m." Now, that is the sort of army that old Joe +Brown had when he seceded from the Southern Confederacy, declaring that +each state was a separate sovereign government of itself; and, as old +Joe Brown was an original secessionist, he wanted to exemplify the grand +principles of secession, that had been advocated by Patrick Henry, +John Randolph, of Roanoke, and John C. Calhoun, in all of whom he was a +firm believer. I will say, however, in all due deference to the Georgia +militia and old Joe Brown's pets, that there was many a gallant and noble +fellow among them. I remember on one occasion that I was detailed to +report to a captain of the Fourth Tennessee Regiment (Colonel Farquharson, +called "Guidepost"); I have forgotten that captain's name. He was a +small-sized man, with a large, long set of black whiskers. He was the +captain, and I the corporal of the detail. We were ordered to take a +company of the Georgia militia on a scout. We went away around to our +extreme right wing, passing through Terry's mill pond, and over the old +battlefield of the 22nd, and past the place where General Walker fell, +when we came across two ladies. One of them kept going from one tree to +another, and saying: "This pine tree, that pine tree; this pine tree, +that pine tree." In answer to our inquiry, they informed us that the +young woman's husband was killed on the 22nd, and had been buried under a +pine tree, and she was nearly crazy because she could not find his dead +body. We passed on, and as soon as we came in sight of the old line of +Yankee breastworks, an unexpected volley of minnie balls was fired into +our ranks, killing this captain of the Fourth Tennessee Regiment and +killing and wounding seven or eight of the Georgia militia. I hallooed +to lay down, as soon as possible, and a perfect whizz of minnie balls +passed over, when I immediately gave the command of attention, forward, +charge and capture that squad. That Georgia militia, every man of them, +charged forward, and in a few moments we ran into a small squad of +Yankees, and captured the whole "lay out." We then carried back to camp +the dead captain and the killed and wounded militia. I had seen a great +many men killed and wounded, but some how or other these dead and wounded +men, of that day, made a more serious impression on my mind than in any +previous or subsequent battles. They were buried with all the honors of +war and I never will forget the incidents and scenes of this day as long +as I live. + + +WE GO AFTER STONEMAN + +One morning our regiment was ordered to march, double-quick, to the depot +to take the cars for somewhere. The engine was under steam, and ready +to start for that mysterious somewhere. The whistle blew long and loud, +and away we went at break-neck speed for an hour, and drew up at a little +place by the name of Jonesboro. The Yankees had captured the town, +and were tearing up the railroad track. A regiment of Rebel infantry +and a brigade of cavalry were already in line of battle in their rear. +We jumped out of the cars and advanced to attack them in front. Our line +had just begun to open a pretty brisk fire on the Yankee cavalry, when +they broke, running right through and over the lines of the regiment of +infantry and brigade of cavalry in their rear, the men opening ranks +to get out of the way of the hoofs of their horses. It was Stoneman's +cavalry, upon its celebrated raid toward Macon and Andersonville to +liberate the Federal prisoners. We went to work like beavers, and in a +few hours the railroad track had been repaired so that we could pass. +Every few miles we would find the track torn up, but we would get out +of the cars, fix up the track, and light out again. We were charging a +brigade of cavalry with a train of cars, as it were. They would try to +stop our progress by tearing up the track, but we were crowding them a +little too strong. At last they thought it was time to quit that +foolishness, and then commenced a race between cavalry and cars for Macon, +Georgia. The cars had to run exceedingly slow and careful, fearing a +tear up or ambuscade, but at last Macon came in sight. Twenty-five or +thirty thousand Federal prisoners were confined at this place, and it was +poorly guarded and protected. We feared that Stoneman would only march +in, overpower the guards, and liberate the prisoners, and we would +have some tall fighting to do, but on arriving at Macon, we found that +Stoneman and all of his command had just surrendered to a brigade of +cavalry and the Georgia militia, and we helped march the gentlemen inside +the prison walls at Macon. They had furnished their own transportation, +paying their own way and bearing their own expenses, and instead of +liberating any prisoners, were themselves imprisoned. An extra detail +was made as guard from our regiment to take them on to Andersonville, +but I was not on this detail, so I remained until the detail returned. + +Macon is a beautiful place. Business was flourishing like a green bay +tree. The people were good, kind, and clever to us. Everywhere the +hospitality of their homes was proffered us. We were regarded as their +liberators. They gave us all the good things they had--eating, drinking, +etc. We felt our consequence, I assure you, reader. We felt we were +heroes, indeed; but the benzine and other fluids became a little +promiscuous and the libations of the boys a little too heavy. They +began to get boisterous--I might say, riotous. Some of the boys got to +behaving badly, and would go into stores and places, and did many things +they ought not to have done. In fact, the whole caboodle of them ought +to have been carried to the guard-house. They were whooping, and yelling, +and firing off their guns, just for the fun of the thing. I remember of +going into a very nice family's house, and the old lady told the dog to +go out, go out, sir! and remarked rather to herself, "Go out, go out! +I wish you were killed, anyhow." John says, "Madam, do you want that dog +killed, sure enough?" She says, "Yes, I do. I do wish that he was dead." +Before I could even think or catch my breath, bang went John's gun, +and the dog was weltering in his blood right on the good lady's floor, +the top of his head entirely torn off. I confess, reader, that I came +very near jumping out of my skin, as it were, at the unexpected discharge +of the gun. And other such scenes, I reckon, were being enacted +elsewhere, but at last a detail was sent around to arrest all stragglers, +and we were soon rolling back to Atlanta. + + +"BELLUM LETHALE" + +Well, after "jugging" Stoneman, we go back to Atlanta and occupy our same +old place near the concrete house. We found everything exactly as we had +left it, with the exception of the increased number of graybacks, which +seemed to have propagated a thousand-fold since we left, and they were +crawling about like ants, making little paths and tracks in the dirt +as they wiggled and waddled about, hunting for ye old Rebel soldier. +Sherman's two thirty-pound parrot guns were in the same position, and +every now and then a lazy-looking shell would pass over, speeding its way +on to Atlanta. + +The old citizens had dug little cellars, which the soldiers called +"gopher holes," and the women and children were crowded together in these +cellars, while Sherman was trying to burn the city over their heads. +But, as I am not writing history, I refer you to any history of the war +for Sherman's war record in and around Atlanta. + +As John and I started to go back, we thought we would visit the hospital. +Great God! I get sick today when I think of the agony, and suffering, +and sickening stench and odor of dead and dying; of wounds and sloughing +sores, caused by the deadly gangrene; of the groaning and wailing. +I cannot describe it. I remember, I went in the rear of the building, +and there I saw a pile of arms and legs, rotting and decomposing; and, +although I saw thousands of horrifying scenes during the war, yet today +I have no recollection in my whole life, of ever seeing anything that I +remember with more horror than that pile of legs and arms that had been +cut off our soldiers. As John and I went through the hospital, and were +looking at the poor suffering fellows, I heard a weak voice calling, "Sam, +O, Sam." I went to the poor fellow, but did not recognize him at first, +but soon found out that it was James Galbreath, the poor fellow who had +been shot nearly in two on the 22nd of July. I tried to be cheerful, +and said, "Hello, Galbreath, old fellow, I thought you were in heaven +long before this." He laughed a sort of dry, cracking laugh, and asked +me to hand him a drink of water. I handed it to him. He then began to +mumble and tell me something in a rambling and incoherent way, but all +I could catch was for me to write to his family, who were living near +Mt. Pleasant. I asked him if he was badly wounded. He only pulled down +the blanket, that was all. I get sick when I think of it. The lower +part of his body was hanging to the upper part by a shred, and all of his +entrails were lying on the cot with him, the bile and other excrements +exuding from them, and they full of maggots. I replaced the blanket as +tenderly as I could, and then said, "Galbreath, good-bye." I then kissed +him on his lips and forehead, and left. As I passed on, he kept trying +to tell me something, but I could not make out what he said, and fearing +I would cause him to exert himself too much, I left. + +It was the only field hospital that I saw during the whole war, and I +have no desire to see another. Those hollow-eyed and sunken-cheeked +sufferers, shot in every conceivable part of the body; some shrieking, +and calling upon their mothers; some laughing the hard, cackling laugh +of the sufferer without hope, and some cursing like troopers, and some +writhing and groaning as their wounds were being bandaged and dressed. +I saw a man of the Twenty-seventh, who had lost his right hand, another +his leg, then another whose head was laid open, and I could see his brain +thump, and another with his under jaw shot off; in fact, wounded in every +manner possible. + +Ah! reader, there is no glory for the private soldier, much less a +conscript. James Galbreath was a conscript, as was also Fain King. +Mr. King was killed at Chickamauga. He and Galbreath were conscripted +and joined Company H at the same time. Both were old men, and very poor, +with large families at home; and they were forced to go to war against +their wishes, while their wives and little children were at home without +the necessaries of life. The officers have all the glory. Glory is not +for the private soldier, such as die in the hospitals, being eat up with +the deadly gangrene, and being imperfectly waited on. Glory is for +generals, colonels, majors, captains, and lieutenants. They have all +the glory, and when the poor private wins battles by dint of sweat, hard +marches, camp and picket duty, fasting and broken bones, the officers get +the glory. The private's pay was eleven dollars per month, if he got it; +the general's pay was three hundred dollars per month, and he always got +his. I am not complaining. These things happened sixteen to twenty +years ago. Men who never fired a gun, nor killed a Yankee during the +whole war, are today the heroes of the war. Now, I tell you what I +think about it: I think that those of us who fought as private soldiers, +fought as much for glory as the general did, and those of us who stuck +it out to the last, deserve more praise than the general who resigned +because some other general was placed in command over him. A general +could resign. That was honorable. A private could not resign, nor +choose his branch of service, and if he deserted, it was death. + + +THE SCOUT AND DEATH OF A YANKEE LIEUTENANT + +General Hood had sent off all his cavalry, and a detail was made each day +of so many men for a scout, to find out all we could about the movements +of the Yankees. Colonel George Porter, of the Sixth Tennessee, was in +command of the detail. We passed through Atlanta, and went down the +railroad for several miles, and then made a flank movement toward where +we expected to come in contact with the Yankees. When we came to a skirt +of woods, we were deployed as skirmishers. Colonel Porter ordered us +to re-prime our guns and to advance at twenty-five paces apart, being +deployed as skirmishers, and to keep under cover as much as possible. +He need not have told us this, because we had not learned war for +nothing. We would run from one tree to another, and then make a careful +reconnoiter before proceeding to another. We had begun to get a little +careless, when bang! bang! bang! It seemed that we had got into a Yankee +ambush. The firing seemed to be from all sides, and was rattling among +the leaves and bushes. It appeared as if some supernatural, infernal +battle was going on and the air was full of smoke. We had not seen the +Yankees. I ran to a tree to my right, and just as I got to it, I saw +my comrade sink to the ground, clutching at the air as he fell dead. +I kept trying to see the Yankees, so that I might shoot. I had been +looking a hundred yards ahead, when happening to look not more than ten +paces from me, I saw a big six-foot Yankee with a black feather in his +hat, aiming deliberately at me. I dropped to the ground, and at the +same moment heard the report, and my hat was knocked off in the bushes. +I remained perfectly still, and in a few minutes I saw a young Yankee +lieutenant peering through the bushes. I would rather not have killed +him, but I was afraid to fire and afraid to run, and yet I did not wish +to kill him. He was as pretty as a woman, and somehow I thought I had +met him before. Our eyes met. He stood like a statue. He gazed at me +with a kind of scared expression. I still did not want to kill him, +and am sorry today that I did, for I believe I could have captured him, +but I fired, and saw the blood spurt all over his face. He was the +prettiest youth I ever saw. When I fired, the Yankees broke and run, +and I went up to the boy I had killed, and the blood was gushing out of +his mouth. I was sorry. + + +ATLANTA FORSAKEN + +One morning about the break of day our artillery opened along our +breastworks, scaring us almost to death, for it was the first guns that +had been fired for more than a month. We sprang to our feet and grabbed +our muskets, and ran out and asked some one what did that mean. We were +informed that they were "feeling" for the Yankees. The comment that was +made by the private soldier was simply two words, and those two words +were "O, shucks." The Yankees had gone--no one knew whither--and our +batteries were shelling the woods, feeling for them. "O, shucks." + +"Hello," says Hood, "Whar in the Dickens and Tom Walker are them Yanks, +hey? Feel for them with long-range 'feelers'." A boom, boom. "Can +anybody tell me whar them Yanks are? Send out a few more 'feelers.' +The feelers in the shape of cannon balls will bring them to taw." +Boom, boom, boom. + + "For the want of a nail, the shoe was lost, + For the want of a shoe the horse was lost, + For the want of a horse the general was lost, + For the want of a general the battle was lost." + +Forrest's cavalry had been sent off somewhere. Wheeler's cavalry had +been sent away yonder in the rear of the enemy to tear up the railroad +and cut off their supplies, etc., and we had to find out the movements +of the enemy by "feeling for them" by shelling the vacant woods. The +Yankees were at that time twenty-five miles in our rear, "a hundred +thousand strong," at a place called Jonesboro. I do not know how it was +found out that they were at Jonesboro, but anyhow, the news had come and +Cheatham's corps had to go and see about it. + +Stewart's corps must hold Atlanta, and Stephen D. Lee's corps must be +stretched at proper distance, so that the word could be passed backward +and forward as to how they were getting along. As yet it is impossible +to tell of the movements of the enemy, because our cannon balls had not +come back and reported any movements to us. We had always heard that +cannon balls were blind, and we did not suppose they could see to find +their way back. Well, our corps made a forced march for a day and a +night, and passed the word back that we had seen some signs of the +Yankees being in that vicinity, and thought perhaps, a small portion-- +about a hundred thousand--were nigh about there somewhere. Says he, +"It's a strange thing you don't know; send out your feelers." We sent +out a few feelers and they report back very promptly that the Yankees are +here sure enough, or that is what our feelers say. Pass the word up the +line. The word is passed from mouth to mouth of Lee's skirmish line +twenty-five miles back to Atlanta. Well, if that be the case, we will +set fire to all of our army stores, spike all our cannon, and play "smash" +generally, and forsake Atlanta. + +In the meantime, just hold on where you are till Stewart gets through his +job of blowing up arsenals, burning up the army stores, and spiking the +cannon, and we will send our negro boy Caesar down to the horse lot to +see if he can't catch old Nance, but she is such a fool with that young +suckling colt of hers, that it takes him almost all day to catch her, +and if the draw-bars happen to be down, she'll get in the clover patch, +and I don't think he will catch her today. But if he don't catch her, +I'll ride Balaam anyhow. He's got a mighty sore back, and needs a shoe +put on his left hind foot, and he cut his ankle with a broken shoe on +his fore foot, and has not been fed today. However, I will be along +by-and-by. Stewart, do you think you will be able to get through with +your job of blowing up by day after tomorrow, or by Saturday at twelve +o'clock? Lee, pass the word down to Cheatham, and ask him what he thinks +the Yankees are doing. Now, Kinlock, get my duster and umbrella, and +bring out Balaam. + +Now, reader, that was the impression made on the private's mind at that +time. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +JONESBORO + + +THE BATTLE OF JONESBORO + +Stewart's corps was at Atlanta, Lee's corps was between Atlanta and +Jonesboro, and Cheatham's corps, then numbering not more than five +thousand men--because the woods and roads were full of straggling +soldiers, who were not in the fight--was face to face with the whole +Yankee army, and he was compelled to flee, fight, or surrender. This +was the position and condition of the grand Army of Tennessee on this +memorable occasion. + +If I am not mistaken, General Cleburne was commanding Cheatham's corps at +that time. We expected to be ordered into action every moment, and kept +see-sawing backward and forward, until I did not know which way the +Yankees were, or which way the Rebels. We would form line of battle, +charge bayonets, and would raise a whoop and yell, expecting to be dashed +right against the Yankee lines, and then the order would be given to +retreat. Then we would immediately re-form and be ordered to charge +again a mile off at another place. Then we would march and counter march +backward and forward over the same ground, passing through Jonesboro away +over the hill, and then back through the town, first four forward and +back; your right hand to your left hand lady, swing half round and +balance all. This sort of a movement is called a "feint." A feint is +what is called in poker a "bluff," or what is called in a bully a "brag." +A feint means anything but a fight. If a lady faints she is either +scared or in love, and wants to fall in her lover's arms. If an army +makes a feint movement, it is trying to hide some other movement. + +"Hello, Lee, what does Cleburne say the Yankees are doing at Jonesboro?" + +"They are fanning themselves." + +"Well keep up that feint movement until all the boys faint from sheer +exhaustion." + +"Hello, Stewart, do you think you will be able to burn up those ten +locomotives, and destroy those hundred car loads of provisions by day +after tomorrow?" + +"Lee, ask Cleburne if he feels feinty? Ask him how a fellow feels when +he feints?" + +Cleburne says: "I have feinted, feinted, and feinted, until I can't feint +any longer." + +"Well," says Hood, "if you can't feint any longer, you had better flee, +fight, or faint; Balaam gets along mighty slow, but I'll be thar after +awhile." + +At one o'clock we were ordered to the attack. We had to pass through +an osage orange hedge that was worse than the enemy's fire. Their +breastworks were before us. We yelled, and charged, and hurrahed, +and said booh! booh! we're coming, coming, look out, don't you see us +coming? Why don't you let us hear the cannon's opening roar? Why don't +you rattle a few old muskets over there at us? Booh! booh! we are +coming. Tag. We have done got to your breastworks. Now, we tagged +first, why don't you tag back? A Yankee seems to be lying on the other +side of the breastworks sunning himself, and raising himself on his elbow, +says, "Fool who with your fatty bread? W-e are too o-l-d a-birds to be +caught with that kind of chaff. We don't want any of that kind of pie. +What you got there wouldn't make a mouthful. Bring on your pudding and +pound-cake, and then we will talk to ye." + +General Granberry, who, poor fellow, was killed in the butchery at +Franklin afterwards, goes up to the breastworks, and says, "Look here, +Yank, we're fighting, sure enough." + +Meynheer Dutchman comes out; and says, "Ish dot so? Vel I ish peen von +leetle pit hungry dish morning, und I yust gobble you up for mein lunch +pefore tinner dime. Dot ish der kind of mans vot I bees!" + +Now, reader, that is a fine description of this memorable battle. +That's it--no more, no less. I was in it all, and saw General Granberry +captured. We did our level best to get up a fight, but it was no go, +any way we could fix it up. I mean no disrespect to General Hood. +He was a noble, brave, and good man, and we loved him for his many +virtues and goodness of heart. I do not propose to criticize his +generalship or ability as a commander. I only write of the impression +and sentiment that were made upon the private's mind at the time, and +as I remember them now. But Atlanta had fallen into the hands of the +Yankees, and they were satisfied for the time. + + +DEATH OF LIEUTENANT JOHN WHITTAKER + +At this place we built small breastworks, but for what purpose I never +knew. The Yankees seemed determined not to fight, no way we could fix +it. Every now and then they would send over a "feeler," to see how we +were getting along. Sometimes these "feelers" would do some damage. +I remember one morning we were away over a hill, and every now and then +here would come one of those lazy-looking "feelers," just bouncing along +as if he were in no hurry, called in military "ricochet." They were +very easy to dodge, if you could see them in time. Well, one morning as +before remarked, Lieutenant John Whittaker, then in command of Company H, +and myself were sitting down eating breakfast out of the same tin plate. +We were sopping gravy out with some cold corn bread, when Captain +W. C. Flournoy, of the Martin Guards, hallooed out, "Look out, Sam; +look! look!" I just turned my head, and in turning, the cannon ball +knocked my hat off, and striking Lieutenant Whittaker full in the side +of the head, carried away the whole of the skull part, leaving only the +face. His brains fell in the plate from which we were sopping, and +his head fell in my lap, deluging my face and clothes with his blood. +Poor fellow, he never knew what hurt him. His spirit went to its God +that morning. Green Rieves carried the poor boy off on his shoulder, and, +after wrapping him up in a blanket, buried him. His bones are at +Jonesboro today. The cannon ball did not go twenty yards after +accomplishing its work of death. Captain Flournoy laughed at me, and +said, "Sam, that came very near getting you. One-tenth of an inch more +would have cooked your goose." I saw another man try to stop one of +those balls that was just rolling along on the ground. He put his foot +out to stop the ball but the ball did not stop, but, instead, carried the +man's leg off with it. He no doubt today walks on a cork-leg, and is +tax collector of the county in which he lives. I saw a thoughtless boy +trying to catch one in his hands as it bounced along. He caught it, +but the next moment his spirit had gone to meet its God. But, poor John, +we all loved him. He died for his country. His soul is with his God. +He gave his all for the country he loved, and may he rest in peace under +the shade of the tree where he is buried, and may the birds sing their +sweetest songs, the flowers put forth their most beautiful blooms, +while the gentle breezes play about the brave boy's grave. Green Rieves +was the only person at the funeral; no tears of a loving mother or gentle +sister were there. Green interred his body, and there it will remain +till the resurrection. John Whittaker deserves more than a passing +notice. He was noble and brave, and when he was killed, Company H was +without an officer then commanding. Every single officer had been killed, +wounded, or captured. John served as a private soldier the first year +of the war, and at the reorganization at Corinth, Mississippi, he, +W. J. Whitthorne and myself all ran for orderly sergeant of Company H, +and John was elected, and the first vacancy occurring after the death +of Captain Webster, he was commissioned brevet second lieutenant. When +the war broke out, John was clerking for John L. & T. S. Brandon, in +Columbia. He had been in every march, skirmish, and battle that had +been fought during the war. Along the dusty road, on the march, in the +bivouac and on the battlefield, he was the same noble, generous boy; +always, kind, ever gentle, a smile ever lighting up his countenance. +He was one of the most even tempered men I ever knew. I never knew him +to speak an unkind word to anyone, or use a profane or vulgar word in +my life. + +One of those ricochet cannon balls struck my old friend, N. B. Shepard. +Shep was one of the bravest and best soldiers who ever shouldered a +musket. It is true, he was but a private soldier, but he was the best +friend I had during the whole war. In intellect he was far ahead of most +of the generals, and would have honored and adorned the name of general +in the C. S. A. He was ever brave and true. He followed our cause to +the end, yet all the time an invalid. Today he is languishing on a bed +of pain and sickness, caused by that ball at Jonesboro. The ball struck +him on his knapsack, knocking him twenty feet, and breaking one or two +ribs and dislocating his shoulder. He was one of God's noblemen, indeed-- +none braver, none more generous. God alone controls our destinies, +and surely He who watched over us and took care of us in those dark and +bloody days, will not forsake us now. God alone fits and prepares for us +the things that are in store for us. There is none so wise as to foresee +the future or foretell the end. God sometimes seems afar off, but He +will never leave or forsake anyone who puts his trust in Him. The day +will come when the good as well as evil will all meet on one broad +platform, to be rewarded for the deeds done in the body, when time shall +end, with the gates of eternity closed, and the key fastened to the +girdle of God forever. Pardon me, reader, I have wandered. But when my +mind reverts to those scenes and times, I seem to live in another age and +time and I sometime think that "after us comes the end of the universe." + +I am not trying to moralize, I am only trying to write a few scenes and +incidents that came under the observation of a poor old Rebel webfoot +private soldier in those stormy days and times. Histories tell the great +facts, while I only tell of the minor incidents. + +But on this day of which I now write, we can see in plain view more than +a thousand Yankee battle-flags waving on top the red earthworks, not +more than four hundred yards off. Every private soldier there knew that +General Hood's army was scattered all the way from Jonesboro to Atlanta, +a distance of twenty-five miles, without any order, discipline, or spirit +to do anything. We could hear General Stewart, away back yonder in +Atlanta, still blowing up arsenals, and smashing things generally, +while Stephen D. Lee was somewhere between Lovejoy Station and Macon, +scattering. And here was but a demoralized remnant of Cheatham's corps +facing the whole Yankee army. I have ever thought that Sherman was a +poor general, not to have captured Hood and his whole army at that time. +But it matters not what I thought, as I am not trying to tell the ifs and +ands, but only of what I saw. In a word, we had everything against us. +The soldiers distrusted everything. They were broken down with their +long days' hard marching--were almost dead with hunger and fatigue. +Every one was taking his own course, and wishing and praying to be +captured. Hard and senseless marching, with little sleep, half rations, +and lice, had made their lives a misery. Each one prayed that all this +foolishness might end one way or the other. It was too much for human +endurance. Every private soldier knew that such things as this could not +last. They were willing to ring down the curtain, put out the footlights +and go home. There was no hope in the future for them. + + +THEN COMES THE FARCE + +From this time forward until the close of the war, everything was a farce +as to generalship. The tragedy had been played, the glory of war had +departed. We all loved Hood; he was such a clever fellow, and a good man. + +Well, Yank, why don't you come on and take us? We are ready to play +quits now. We have not anything to let you have, you know; but you can +parole us, you know; and we'll go home and be good boys, you know;-- +good Union boys, you know; and we'll be sorry for the war, you know; +and we wouldn't have the negroes in any way, shape, form, or fashion, +you know; and the American continent has no north, no south, no east, +no west--boohoo, boohoo, boohoo. + +Tut, tut, Johnny; all that sounds tolerable nice, but then you might +want some favor from Uncle Sam, and the teat is too full of milk at the +present time for us to turn loose. It's a sugar teat, Johnny, and just +begins to taste sweet; and, besides, Johnny, once or twice you have put +us to a little trouble; we haven't forgot that; and we've got you down +now--our foot is on your neck, and you must feel our boot heel. We want +to stamp you a little--"that's what's the matter with Hannah." And, +Johnny, you've fought us hard. You are a brave boy; you are proud and +aristocratic, Johnny, and we are going to crush your cursed pride and +spirit. And now, Johnny, come here; I've something to whisper in your +ear. Hold your ear close down here, so that no one can hear: "We want +big fat offices when the war is over. Some of us want to be presidents, +some governors, some go to congress, and be big ministers to 'Urup,' and +all those kind of things, Johnny, you know. Just go back to your camp, +Johnny, chase round, put on a bold front, flourish your trumpets, blow +your horns. And, Johnny, we don't want to be hard on you, and we'll tell +you what we'll do for you. Away back in your territory, between Columbia +and Nashville, is the most beautiful country, and the most fertile, +and we have lots of rations up there, too. Now, you just go up there, +Johnny, and stay until we want you. We ain't done with you yet, my boy-- +O, no, Johnny. And, another thing, Johnny; you will find there between +Mt. Pleasant and Columbia, the most beautiful country that the sun of +heaven ever shone upon; and half way between the two places is St. John's +Church. Its tower is all covered over with a beautiful vine of ivy; and, +Johnny, you know that in olden times it was the custom to entwine a +wreath of ivy around the brows of victorious generals. We have no doubt +that many of your brave generals will express a wish, when they pass by, +to be buried beneath the ivy vine that shades so gracefully and +beautifully the wall of this grand old church. And, Johnny, you will +find a land of beauty and plenty, and when you get there, just put on as +much style as you like; just pretend, for our sake, you know, that you +are a bully boy with a glass eye, and that you are the victorious army +that has returned to free an oppressed people. We will allow you this, +Johnny, so that we will be the greater when we want you, Johnny. And now, +Johnny, we did not want to tell you what we are going to say to you now, +but will, so that you'll feel bad. Sherman wants to 'march to the sea, +while the world looks on and wonders.' He wants to desolate the land +and burn up your towns, to show what a coward he is, and how dastardly, +and one of our boys wants to write a piece of poetry about it. But that +ain't all, Johnny. You know that you fellows have got a great deal of +cotton at Augusta, Savannah, Charleston, Mobile, and other places, +and cotton is worth two dollars a pound in gold, and as Christmas is +coming, we want to go down there for some of that cotton to make a +Christmas gift to old Abe and old Clo, don't you see? O, no, Johnny, +we don't want to end the war just yet awhile. The sugar is mighty sweet +in the teat, and we want to suck a while longer. Why, sir, we want to +rob and then burn every house in Georgia and South Carolina. We will get +millions of dollars by robbery alone, don't you see?" + + +PALMETTO + + "Hark from the tomb that doleful sound, + My ears attend the cry." + +General J. B. Hood established his headquarters at Palmetto, Georgia, +and here is where we were visited by his honor, the Honorable Jefferson +Davis, President of the Confederate States of America, and the Right +Honorable Robert Toombs, secretary of state under the said Davis. +Now, kind reader, don't ask me to write history. I know nothing of +history. See the histories for grand movements and military maneuvers. +I can only tell of what I saw and how I felt. I can remember now General +Robert Toombs' and Hon. Jeff Davis' speeches. I remember how funny +Toombs' speech was. He kept us all laughing, by telling us how quick we +were going to whip the Yankees, and how they would skedaddle back across +the Ohio river like a dog with a tin oyster can tied to his tail. +Captain Joe P. Lee and I laughed until our sides hurt us. I can remember +today how I felt. I felt that Davis and Toombs had come there to bring +us glad tidings of great joy, and to proclaim to us that the ratification +of a treaty of peace had been declared between the Confederate States of +America and the United States. I remember how good and happy I felt when +these two leading statesmen told of when grim visaged war would smooth +her wrinkled front, and when the dark clouds that had so long lowered +o'er our own loved South would be in the deep bosom of the ocean buried. +I do not know how others felt, but I can say never before or since did I +feel so grand. (I came very near saying gloomy and peculiar). I felt +that I and every other soldier who had stood the storms of battle for +nearly four long years, were now about to be discharged from hard marches, +and scant rations, and ragged clothes, and standing guard, etc. In fact, +the black cloud of war had indeed drifted away, and the beautiful stars +that gemmed the blue ether above, smiling, said, "Peace, peace, peace." +I felt bully, I tell you. I remember what I thought--that the emblem of +our cause was the Palmetto and the Texas Star, and the town of Palmetto, +were symbolical of our ultimate triumph, and that we had unconsciously, +nay, I should say, prophetically, fallen upon Palmetto as the most +appropriate place to declare peace between the two sections. I was sure +Jeff Davis and Bob Toombs had come there for the purpose of receiving the +capitulation of and to make terms with our conquered foes. I knew that +in every battle we had fought, except Missionary Ridge, we had whipped +the Yankees, and I knew that we had no cavalry, and but little artillery, +and only two corps of infantry at Missionary Ridge, and from the way Jeff +and Bob talked, it was enough to make us old private soldiers feel that +swelling of the heart we ne'er should feel again. I remember that other +high dignitaries and big bugs, then the controlling spirits of the +government at Richmond, visited us, and most all of these high +dignitaries shook hands with the boys. It was all hands round, swing the +corner, and balance your partner. I shook hands with Hon. Jeff Davis, +and he said howdy, captain; I shook hands with Toombs, and he said howdy, +major; and every big bug that I shook hands with put another star on my +collar and chicken guts on my sleeve. My pen is inadequate to describe +the ecstasy and patriotic feeling that permeated every vein and fiber of +my animated being. It was Paradise regained. All the long struggles we +had followed the Palmetto flag through victory and defeat, through storms +and rains, and snows and tempest, along the dusty roads, and on the weary +marches, we had been true to our country, our cause, and our people; +and there was a conscious pride within us that when we would return to +our homes, we would go back as conquerors, and that we would receive the +plaudits of our people--well done, good and faithful servants; you have +been true and faithful even to the end. + + +JEFF DAVIS MAKES A SPEECH + + "Sinner come view the ground + Where you shall shortly lie." + +I remember that Hon. Jeff Davis visited the army at this place, and our +regiment, the First Tennessee, serenaded him. After playing several airs, +he came out of General Hood's marquee, and spoke substantially as follows, +as near as I can remember: + +"SOLDIERS OF THE FIRST TENNESSEE REGIMENT:--I should have said captains, +for every man among you is fit to be a captain. I have heard of your +acts of bravery on every battlefield during the whole war, and +'captains,' so far as my wishes are concerned, I today make every man +of you a captain, and I say honestly today, were I a private soldier, +I would have no higher ambition on earth than to belong to the First +Tennessee Regiment. You have been loyal and brave; your ranks have never +yet, in the whole history of the war, been broken, even though the army +was routed; yet, my brave soldiers, Tennesseans all, you have ever +remained in your places in the ranks of the regiment, ever subject to the +command of your gallant Colonel Field in every battle, march, skirmish, +in an advance or a retreat. There are on the books of the war department +at Richmond, the names of a quarter of a million deserters, yet, you, +my brave soldiers, captains all, have remained true and steadfast. +I have heard that some have been dissatisfied with the removal of General +Joe E. Johnston and the appointment of General Hood; but, my brave and +gallant heroes, I say, I have done what I thought best for your good. +Soon we commence our march to Kentucky and Tennessee. Be of good cheer, +for within a short while your faces will be turned homeward, and your +feet will press Tennessee soil, and you will tread your native heath, +amid the blue-grass regions and pastures green of your native homes. +We will flank General Sherman out of Atlanta, tear up the railroad and +cut off his supplies, and make Atlanta a perfect Moscow of defeat to +the Federal army. Situated as he is in an enemy's country, with his +communications all cut off, and our army in the rear, he will be +powerless, and being fully posted and cognizant of our position, and of +the Federal army, this movement will be the _ultima thule_, the grand +crowning stroke for our independence, and the conclusion of the war." + + +ARMISTICE IN NAME ONLY + +About this time the Yankees sent us a flag of truce, asking an armistice +to move every citizen of Atlanta south of their lines. It was granted. +They wanted to live in fine houses awhile, and then rob and burn them, +and issued orders for all the citizens of Atlanta to immediately abandon +the city. They wanted Atlanta for themselves, you see. + +For weeks and months the roads were filled with loaded wagons of old and +decrepit people, who had been hunted and hounded from their homes with a +relentless cruelty worse, yea, much worse, than ever blackened the pages +of barbaric or savage history. I remember assisting in unloading our +wagons that General Hood, poor fellow, had kindly sent in to bring out +the citizens of Atlanta to a little place called Rough-and-Ready about +half way between Palmetto and Atlanta. Every day I would look on at the +suffering of delicate ladies, old men, and mothers with little children +clinging to them, crying, "O, mamma, mamma," and old women, and tottering +old men, whose gray hairs should have protected them from the savage acts +of Yankee hate and Puritan barbarity; and I wondered how on earth our +generals, including those who had resigned--that is where the shoe +pinches--could quietly look on at this dark, black, and damning insult +to our people, and not use at least one effort to rescue them from such +terrible and unmitigated cruelty, barbarity, and outrage. General +Hood remonstrated with Sherman against the insult, stating that it +"transcended in studied and ingenious cruelty, all acts ever before +brought to my attention in the dark history of war." + +In the great crisis of the war, Hardee, Kirby Smith, Breckinridge, +and many brigadiers, resigned, thus throwing all the responsibility upon +poor Hood. + +[Author's note: In the Southern army the question was, who ranked? +Not who was the best general, or colonel, or captain--but "who ranked?" +The article of rank finally got down to corporals; and rank finally +bursted the government.] + +I desire to state that they left the army on account of rank. O, this +thing of rank! + +Many other generals resigned, and left us privates in the lurch. But the +gallant Cheatham, Cleburne, Granberry, Gist, Strahl, Adams, John C. Brown, +William B. Bate, Stewart, Lowery, and others, stuck to us to the last. + +The sinews of war were strained to their utmost tension. + + +A SCOUT + +At this place I was detailed as a regular scout, which position I +continued to hold during our stay at Palmetto. It was a good thing. +It beat camp guard all hollow. I had answered "hear" at roll-call ten +thousand times in these nearly four years. But I had sorter got used +to the darn thing. + +Now, reader, I will give you a few chapters on the kind of fun I had for +awhile. Our instructions were simply to try and find out all we could +about the Yankees, and report all movements. + +One dark, rainy evening, while out as a scout, and, after traveling +all day, I was returning from the Yankee outposts at Atlanta, and had +captured a Yankee prisoner, who I then had under my charge, and whom I +afterwards carried and delivered to General Hood. He was a considerable +muggins, and a great coward, in fact, a Yankee deserter. I soon found +out that there was no harm in him, as he was tired of war anyhow, and was +anxious to go to prison. We went into an old log cabin near the road +until the rain would be over. I was standing in the cabin door looking +at the rain drops fall off the house and make little bubbles in the drip, +and listening to the pattering on the clapboard roof, when happening to +look up, not fifty yards off, I discovered a regiment of Yankee cavalry +approaching. I knew it would be utterly impossible for me to get away +unseen, and I did not know what to do. The Yankee prisoner was scared +almost to death. I said, "Look, look!" I turned in the room, and found +the planks of the floor were loose. I raised two of them, and Yank and I +slipped through. I replaced the planks, and could peep out beneath the +sill of the house, and see the legs of the horses. They passed on and +did not come to the old house. They were at least a half hour in +passing. At last the main regiment had all passed, and I saw the rear +guard about to pass, when I heard the captain say, "Go and look in that +old house." Three fellows detached themselves from the command and came +dashing up to the old house. I thought, "Gone up, sure," as I was afraid +the Yankee prisoner would make his presence known. When the three men +came up, they pushed open the door and looked around, and one fellow said +"Booh!" They then rode off. But that "Booh!" I was sure I was caught, +but I was not. + + +"WHAT IS THIS REBEL DOING HERE?" + +I would go up to the Yankee outpost, and if some popinjay of a tacky +officer didn't come along, we would have a good time. One morning I was +sitting down to eat a good breakfast with the Yankee outpost. They were +cavalry, and they were mighty clever and pleasant fellows. I looked down +the road toward Atlanta, and not fifty yards from the outpost, I saw a +body of infantry approaching. I don't know why I didn't run. I ought +to have done so, but didn't. I stayed there until this body of infantry +came up. They had come to relieve the cavalry. It was a detail of negro +soldiers, headed by the meanest looking white man as their captain, +I ever saw. + +In very abrupt words he told the cavalry that he had come to take their +place, and they were ordered to report back to their command. Happening +to catch sight of me, he asked, "What is this Rebel doing here?" One of +the men spoke up and tried to say something in my favor, but the more he +said the more the captain of the blacks would get mad. He started toward +me two or three times. He was starting, I could see by the flush of +his face, to take hold of me, anyhow. The cavalrymen tried to protest, +and said a few cuss words. The captain of the blacks looks back very +mad at the cavalry. Here was my opportunity, now or never. Uncle negro +looked on, not seeming to care for the cavalry, captain, or for me. +I took up my gun very gently and cocked it. I had the gentleman. +I had made up my mind if he advanced one step further, that he was a dead +man. When he turned to look again, it was a look of surprise. His face +was as red as a scalded beet, but in a moment was as white as a sheet. +He was afraid to turn his head to give a command. The cavalry motioned +their hands at me, as much as to say, "Run, Johnny, run." The captain of +the blacks fell upon his face, and I broke and ran like a quarter-horse. +I never saw or heard any more of the captain of the blacks or his guard +afterward. + + +"LOOK OUT, BOYS." + +One night, five of us scouts, I thought all strangers to me, put up at an +old gentleman's house. I took him for a Catholic priest. His head was +shaved and he had on a loose gown like a lady's dress, and a large cord +and tassel tied around his waist, from which dangled a large bunch of +keys. He treated us very kindly and hospitably, so far as words and +politeness went, but we had to eat our own rations and sleep on our own +blankets. + +At bedtime, he invited us to sleep in a shed in front of his double log +cabin. We all went in, lay down, and slept. A little while before day, +the old priest came in and woke us up, and said he thought he saw in the +moonlight a detachment of cavalry coming down the road from toward the +Rebel lines. One of our party jumped up and said there was a company of +cavalry coming that way, and then all four broke toward the old priest's +room. I jumped up, put on one boot, and holding the other in my hand, +I stepped out in the yard, with my hat and coat off--both being left in +the room. A Yankee captain stepped up to me and said, "Are you No. 200?" +I answered very huskily, "No, sir, I am not." He then went on in the +house, and on looking at the fence, I saw there was at least two hundred +Yankee cavalry right at me. I did not know what to do. My hat, coat, +gun, cartridge-box, and knapsack were all in the room. I was afraid to +stay there, and I was afraid to give the alarm. I soon saw almost every +one of the Yankees dismount, and then I determined to give the alarm and +run. I hallooed out as loud as I could, "Look out, boys," and broke and +run. I had to jump over a garden picket fence, and as I lit on the other +side, bang! bang! bang! was fired right after me. They stayed there but +a short time, and I went back and got my gun and other accouterments. + + +AM CAPTURED + +When I left the old priest's house, it was then good day--nearly sun up-- +and I had started back toward our lines, and had walked on about half a +mile, not thinking of danger, when four Yankees jumped out in the middle +of the road and said, "Halt, there! O, yes, we've got you at last." +I was in for it. What could I do? Their guns were cocked and leveled +at me, and if I started to run, I would be shot, so I surrendered. In +a very short time the regiment of Yankee cavalry came up, and the first +greeting I had was, "Hello, you ain't No. 200, are you?" I was taken +prisoner. They, I thought, seemed to be very gleeful about it, and I had +to march right back by the old priest's house, and they carried me to the +headquarters of General Stephen Williams. As soon as he saw me, he said, +"Who have you there--a prisoner, or a deserter?" They said a prisoner. +From what command? No one answered. Finally he asked me what command +I belonged to. I told him the Confederate States army. Then, said he, +"What is your name?" Said I, "General, if that would be any information, +I would have no hesitancy in giving it. But I claim your protection as a +prisoner of war. I am a private soldier in the Confederate States army, +and I don't feel authorized to answer any question you may ask." He +looked at me with a kind of quizical look, and said, "That is the way +with you Rebels. I have never yet seen one of you, but thought what +little information he might possess to be of value to the Union forces." +Then one of the men spoke up and said, "I think he is a spy or a scout, +and does not belong to the regular army." He then gave me a close look, +and said, "Ah, ah, a guerrilla," and ordered me to be taken to the +provost marshal's office. They carried me to a large, fine house, +upstairs, and I was politely requested to take a seat. I sat there some +moments, when a dandy-looking clerk of a fellow came up with a book in +his hand, and said, "The name." I appeared not to understand, and he +said, "The name." I still looked at him, and he said, "The name." +I did not know what he meant by "The name." Finally, he closed the book +with a slam and started off, and said I, "Did you want to find out my +name?" He said, "I asked you three times." I said, "When? If you ever +asked me my name, I have never heard it." But he was too mad to listen +to anything else. I was carried to another room in the same building, +and locked up. I remained there until about dark, when a man brought me +a tolerably good supper, and then left me alone to my own meditations. +I could hear the sentinels at all times of the night calling out the +hours. I did not sleep a wink, nor even lay down. I had made up my +mind to escape, if there was any possible chance. About three o'clock +everything got perfectly still. I went to the window, and it had a heavy +bolt across it, and I could not open it. I thought I would try the door, +but I knew that a guard was stationed in the hall, for I could see a dim +light glimmer through the key-hole. I took my knife and unscrewed the +catch in which the lock was fastened, and soon found out that I could +open the door; but then there was the guard, standing at the main +entrance down stairs. I peeped down, and he was quietly walking to and +fro on his beat, every time looking to the hall. I made up my mind by +his measured tread as to how often he would pass the door, and one time, +after he had just passed, I came out in the hall, and started to run down +the steps. About midway down the steps, one of them cracked very loud, +but I ran on down in the lower hall and ran into a room, the door of +which was open. The sentinel came back to the entrance of the hall, +and listened a few minutes, and then moved on again. I went to the +window and raised the sash, but the blind was fastened with a kind of +patent catch. I gave one or two hard pushes, and felt it move. After +that I made one big lunge, and it flew wide open, but it made a noise +that woke up every sentinel. I jumped out in the yard, and gained the +street, and, on looking back, I heard the alarm given, and lights began +to glimmer everywhere, but, seeing no one directly after me, I made +tracks toward Peachtree creek, and went on until I came to the old +battlefield of July 22nd, and made my way back to our lines. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +ADVANCE INTO TENNESSEE + + +GENERAL HOOD MAKES A FLANK MOVEMENT + +After remaining a good long time at Jonesboro, the news came that we were +going to flank Atlanta. We flanked it. A flank means "a go around." + +Yank says, "What you doing, Johnny?" + +Johnny says, "We are flanking." + +Yank says, "Bully for you!" + +We passed around Atlanta, crossed the Chattahoochee, and traveled back +over the same route on which we had made the arduous campaign under Joe +Johnston. It took us four months in the first instance, and but little +longer than as many days in the second, to get back to Dalton, our +starting point. On our way up there, the Yankee cavalry followed us +to see how we were getting along with the flanking business. We had +pontoons made for the purpose of crossing streams. When we would get +to a stream, the pontoons would be thrown across, and Hood's army would +cross. Yank would halloo over and say, "Well, Johnny, have you got +everything across?" "Yes," would be the answer. "Well, we want these +old pontoons, as you will not need them again." And they would take them. + +We passed all those glorious battlefields, that have been made classic in +history, frequently coming across the skull of some poor fellow sitting +on top of a stump, grinning a ghastly smile; also the bones of horses +along the road, and fences burned and destroyed, and occasionally the +charred remains of a once fine dwelling house. Outside of these +occasional reminders we could see no evidence of the desolation of the +track of an invading army. The country looked like it did at first. +Citizens came out, and seemed glad to see us, and would divide their +onions, garlic, and leek with us. The soldiers were in good spirits, +but it was the spirit of innocence and peace, not war and victory. + +Where the railroads would cross a river, a block-house had been erected, +and the bridge was guarded by a company of Federals. But we always +flanked these little affairs. We wanted bigger and better meat. + + +WE CAPTURE DALTON + +When we arrived at Dalton, we had a desire to see how the old place +looked; not that we cared anything about it, but we just wanted to take +a last farewell look at the old place. We saw the United States flag +flying from the ramparts, and thought that Yank would probably be asleep +or catching lice, or maybe engaged in a game of seven-up. So we sent +forward a physician with some white bandages tied to the end of a long +pole. He walked up and says, "Hello, boys!" "What is it, boss?" +"Well, boys, we've come for you." "Hyah, ha; hyah, ha; hyah, ha; a hee, +he, he, he; if it ain't old master, sho." The place was guarded by negro +troops. We marched the black rascals out. They were mighty glad to see +us, and we were kindly disposed to them. We said, "Now, boys, we don't +want the Yankees to get mad at you, and to blame you; so, just let's get +out here on the railroad track, and tear it up, and pile up the crossties, +and then pile the iron on top of them, and we'll set the thing a-fire, +and when the Yankees come back they will say, 'What a bully fight _them +nagers_ did make.'" (A Yankee always says "nager"). Reader, you should +have seen how that old railroad did flop over, and how the darkies did +sweat, and how the perfume did fill the atmosphere. + +But there were some Yankee soldiers in a block-house at Ringgold Gap, +who thought they would act big. They said that Sherman had told them not +to come out of that block-house, any how. But General William B. Bate +begun to persuade the gentlemen, by sending a few four-pound parrot +"feelers." Ah! those _feelers_! + +They persuaded eloquently. They persuaded effectually--those feelers +did. The Yanks soon surrendered. The old place looked natural like, +only it seemed to have a sort of graveyard loneliness about it. + + +A MAN IN THE WELL + +On leaving Dalton, after a day's march, we had stopped for the night. +Our guns were stacked, and I started off with a comrade to get some wood +to cook supper with. We were walking along, he a little in the rear, +when he suddenly disappeared. I could not imagine what had become of +him. I looked everywhere. The earth seemed to have opened and swallowed +him. I called, and called, but could get no answer. Presently I heard +a groan that seemed to come out of the bowels of the earth; but, as yet, +I could not make out where he was. Going back to camp, I procured a +light, and after whooping and hallooing for a long time, I heard another +groan, this time much louder than before. The voice appeared to be +overhead. There was no tree or house to be seen; and then again the +voice seemed to answer from under the ground, in a hollow, sepulchral +tone, but I could not tell where he was. But I was determined to find +him, so I kept on hallooing and he answering. I went to the place where +the voice appeared to come out of the earth. I was walking along rather +thoughtlessly and carelessly, when one inch more and I would have +disappeared also. Right before me I saw the long dry grass all bending +toward a common center, and I knew that it was an old well, and that +my comrade had fallen in it. But how to get him out was the unsolved +problem. I ran back to camp to get assistance, and everybody had a great +curiosity to see "the man in the well." They would get chunks of fire +and shake over the well, and, peeping down, would say, "Well, he's in +there," and go off, and others would come and talk about his "being in +there." The poor fellow stayed in that well all night. The next morning +we got a long rope from a battery and let it down in the well, and soon +had him on _terra firma_. He was worse scared than hurt. + + +TUSCUMBIA + +We arrived and remained at Tuscumbia several days, awaiting the laying of +the pontoons across the Tennessee river at Florence, Alabama, and then we +all crossed over. While at Tuscumbia, John Branch and I saw a nice sweet +potato patch, that looked very tempting to a hungry Rebel. We looked all +around, and thought that the coast was clear. We jumped over the fence, +and commenced grabbling for the sweet potatoes. I had got my haversack +full, and had started off, when we heard, "Halt, there." I looked around, +and there was a soldier guard. We broke and run like quarter-horses, +and the guard pulled down on us just as we jumped the fence. I don't +think his gun was loaded, though, because we did not hear the ball +whistle. + +We marched from Decatur to Florence. Here the pontoon bridges were +nicely and beautifully stretched across the river. We walked over this +floating bridge, and soon found ourselves on the Tennessee side of +Tennessee river. + +In driving a great herd of cattle across the pontoon, the front one got +stubborn, and the others, crowding up all in one bulk, broke the line +that held the pontoon, and drowned many of the drove. We had beef for +supper that night. + + +EN ROUTE FOR COLUMBIA + + "And nightly we pitch our moving tent + A day's march nearer home." + +How every pulse did beat and leap, and how every heart did throb with +emotions of joy, which seemed nearly akin to heaven, when we received the +glad intelligence of our onward march toward the land of promise, and of +our loved ones. The cold November winds coming off the mountains of the +northwest were blowing right in our faces, and nearly cutting us in two. + +We were inured to privations and hardships; had been upon every march, +in every battle, in every skirmish, in every advance, in every retreat, +in every victory, in every defeat. We had laid under the burning heat of +a tropical sun; had made the cold, frozen earth our bed, with no covering +save the blue canopy of heaven; had braved dangers, had breasted floods; +had seen our comrades slain upon our right and our left hand; had heard +guns that carried death in their missiles; had heard the shouts of the +charge; had seen the enemy in full retreat and flying in every direction; +had heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded and dying; had seen the +blood of our countrymen dyeing the earth and enriching the soil; had +been hungry when there was nothing to eat; had been in rags and tatters. +We had marked the frozen earth with bloody and unshod feet; had been +elated with victory and crushed by defeat; had seen and felt the pleasure +of the life of a soldier, and had drank the cup to its dregs. Yes, +we had seen it all, and had shared in its hopes and its fears; its love +and its hate; its good and its bad; its virtue and its vice; its glories +and its shame. We had followed the successes and reverses of the flag of +the Lost Cause through all these years of blood and strife. + +I was simply one of hundreds of thousands in the same fix. The tale is +the same that every soldier would tell, except Jim Whitler. Jim had +dodged about, and had escaped being conscripted until "Hood's raid," +he called it. Hood's army was taking up every able-bodied man and +conscripting him into the army. Jim Whitler had got a position as +over-seer on a large plantation, and had about a hundred negroes under +his surveillance. The army had been passing a given point, and Jim was +sitting quietly on the fence looking at the soldiers. The conscripting +squad nabbed him. Jim tried to beg off, but all entreaty was in vain. +He wanted to go by home and tell his wife and children good-bye, and to +get his clothes. It was no go. But, after awhile, Jim says, "Gentlemen, +ay, Ganny, the law!" You see, Jim "knowed" the law. He didn't know +B from a bull's foot in the spelling-book. But he said, _the law_. +Now, when anyone says anything about the "law," every one stops to +listen. Jim says, "Ah, Ganny, _the law_" (laying great stress upon the +law)--"allows every man who has twenty negroes to stay at home. Ah, +Ganny!" Those old soldiers had long, long ago, forgotten about that old +"law" of the long gone past; but Jim had treasured it up in his memory, +lo! these many years, and he thought it would serve him now, as it had, +no doubt, frequently done in the past. The conscript officer said, +"Law or no law--you fall into line, take this gun and cartridge-box, +and _march_!" Jim's spirits sank; his hopes vanished into air. Jim was +soon in line, and was tramping to the music of the march. He stayed with +the company two days. The third day it was reported that the Yankees +had taken position on the Murfreesboro pike. A regiment was sent to +the attack. It was Jim's regiment. He advanced bravely into battle. +The minnie balls began to whistle around his ears. The regiment was +ordered to fire. He hadn't seen anything to shoot at, but he blazed +away. He loaded and fired the second time, when they were ordered to +retreat. He didn't see anything to run from, but the other soldiers +began to run, and Jim run, too. Jim had not learned the word "halt!" +and just kept on running. He run, and he run, and he run, and he kept +on running until he got home, when he jumped in his door and shouted, +"Whoopee, Rhoda! Aye, Ganny, _I've served four years in the Rebel army_." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +BATTLES IN TENNESSEE + + +COLUMBIA + + "This is my own, my native land." + +Once more the Maury Grays are permitted to put their feet upon their +native heath, and to revisit their homes and friends, after having +followed their tattered, and torn, and battle-riddled flag, which they +had borne aloft for four long years, on every march, and in every battle +that had been fought by the Army of Tennessee. We were a mere handful of +devoted braves, who had stood by our colors when sometimes it seemed that +God himself had forsaken us. But, parents, here are your noble and brave +sons; and, ladies, four years ago you gave us this flag, and we promised +you "That we would come back with the flag as victors, or we would come +not at all." We have been true to our promise and our trust. On every +battlefield the flag that you entrusted to our hands has been borne aloft +by brave and heroic men, amid shot and shell, bloody battle, and death. +We have never forsaken our colors. Are we worthy to be called the sons +of old Maury county? Or have we fought in vain? Have our efforts been +appreciated, or have four years of our lives been wasted, while we were +battling for constitutional government, the supremacy of our laws over +centralization, and our rights, as guaranteed to us by the blood of our +forefathers on the battlefields of the Revolution? It is for you to make +up your verdict. If our lives as soldiers have been a _failure_, we can +but bow our heads on our bosoms, and say, "Surely, four years of our +lives have been given for naught, and our efforts to please you have been +in vain." + +Yet, the invader's foot is still on our soil, but there beats in our +bosoms the blood of brave and patriotic men, and we will continue to +follow our old and war-worn and battle-riddled flag until it goes down +forever. + +The Maury Grays, commanded by Captain A. M. Looney, left Columbia, +four years ago, with 120 men. How many of those 120 original members +are with the company today? Just twelve. Company H has twenty members, +but some of this number had subsequently enlisted. But we twelve will +stick to our colors till she goes down forever, and until five more of +this number fall dead and bleeding on the battlefield. + + +A FIASCO + +When we arrived in sight of Columbia, we found the Yankees still in +possession of the town, fortified and determined to resist our advance. +We send forward a "feeler," and the "feeler" reports back very promptly, +"Yes, the Yankees are there." Well, if that be the case, we'll just make +a flank movement. We turn off the main turnpike at J. E. R. Carpenter's, +and march through the cedars, and cross Duck river at Davis' ferry, +on pontoon bridges, near Lowell's mill. We pass on, and cross Rutherford +creek, near Burick's mill, about three o'clock in the afternoon. We had +marched through fields in the heavy mud, and the men, weary and worn out, +were just dragging themselves along, passing by the old Union Seminary, +and then by Mr. Fred Thompson's, until we came to the Rally Hill turnpike-- +it being then nearly dark--we heard some skirmishing, but, exhausted as +we were, we went into bivouac. The Yankees, it seems to me, might have +captured the whole of us. But that is a matter of history. But I desire +to state that no blunder was made by either Generals Cheatham or Stewart, +neither of whom ever failed to come to time. Jeff Davis is alone +responsible for the blunder. About two hours after sun up the next +morning we received the order to "Fall in, fall in, quick, make haste, +hurrah, promptly, men; each rank count two; by the right flank, quick +time, march; keep promptly closed up." Everything indicated an immediate +attack. When we got to the turnpike near Spring Hill, lo! and behold; +wonder of wonders! the whole Yankee army had passed during the night. +The bird had flown. We made a quick and rapid march down the turnpike, +finding Yankee guns and knapsacks, and now and then a broken down +straggler, also two pieces of howitzer cannon, and at least twenty broken +wagons along the road. Everything betokened a rout and a stampede of +the Yankee army. Double quick! Forrest is in the rear. Now for fun. +All that we want to do now is to catch the blue-coated rascals, ha! ha! +We all want to see the surrender, ha! ha! Double quick! A rip, rip, rip; +wheuf; pant, pant, pant. First one man drops out, and then another. +The Yankees are routed and running, and Forrest has crossed Harpeth river +in the rear of Franklin. Hurrah, men! keep closed up; we are going to +capture Schofield. Forrest is in the rear; never mind the straggler and +cannon. Kerflop we come against the breastworks at Franklin. + + +FRANKLIN + + "The death-angel gathers its last harvest." + +Kind reader, right here my pen, and courage, and ability fail me. +I shrink from butchery. Would to God I could tear the page from these +memoirs and from my own memory. It is the blackest page in the history +of the war of the Lost Cause. It was the bloodiest battle of modern +times in any war. It was the finishing stroke to the independence of +the Southern Confederacy. I was there. I saw it. My flesh trembles, +and creeps, and crawls when I think of it today. My heart almost ceases +to beat at the horrid recollection. Would to God that I had never +witnessed such a scene! + +I cannot describe it. It beggars description. I will not attempt to +describe it. I could not. The death-angel was there to gather its last +harvest. It was the grand coronation of death. Would that I could turn +the page. But I feel, though I did so, that page would still be there, +teeming with its scenes of horror and blood. I can only tell of what I +saw. + +Our regiment was resting in the gap of a range of hills in plain view of +the city of Franklin. We could see the battle-flags of the enemy waving +in the breeze. Our army had been depleted of its strength by a forced +march from Spring Hill, and stragglers lined the road. Our artillery had +not yet come up, and could not be brought into action. Our cavalry was +across Harpeth river, and our army was but in poor condition to make an +assault. While resting on this hillside, I saw a courier dash up to our +commanding general, B. F. Cheatham, and the word, "Attention!" was given. +I knew then that we would soon be in action. Forward, march. We passed +over the hill and through a little skirt of woods. + +The enemy were fortified right across the Franklin pike, in the suburbs +of the town. Right here in these woods a detail of skirmishers was +called for. Our regiment was detailed. We deployed as skirmishers, +firing as we advanced on the left of the turnpike road. If I had not +been a skirmisher on that day, I would not have been writing this today, +in the year of our Lord 1882. + +It was four o'clock on that dark and dismal December day when the line of +battle was formed, and those devoted heroes were ordered forward, to + + "Strike for their altars and their fires, + For the green graves of their sires, + For God and their native land." + +As they marched on down through an open field toward the rampart of blood +and death, the Federal batteries began to open and mow down and gather +into the garner of death, as brave, and good, and pure spirits as the +world ever saw. The twilight of evening had begun to gather as a +precursor of the coming blackness of midnight darkness that was to +envelop a scene so sickening and horrible that it is impossible for me to +describe it. "Forward, men," is repeated all along the line. A sheet of +fire was poured into our very faces, and for a moment we halted as if in +despair, as the terrible avalanche of shot and shell laid low those brave +and gallant heroes, whose bleeding wounds attested that the struggle +would be desperate. Forward, men! The air loaded with death-dealing +missiles. Never on this earth did men fight against such terrible odds. +It seemed that the very elements of heaven and earth were in one mighty +uproar. Forward, men! And the blood spurts in a perfect jet from the +dead and wounded. The earth is red with blood. It runs in streams, +making little rivulets as it flows. Occasionally there was a little lull +in the storm of battle, as the men were loading their guns, and for a few +moments it seemed as if night tried to cover the scene with her mantle. +The death-angel shrieks and laughs and old Father Time is busy with his +sickle, as he gathers in the last harvest of death, crying, More, more, +more! while his rapacious maw is glutted with the slain. + +But the skirmish line being deployed out, extending a little wider than +the battle did--passing through a thicket of small locusts, where Brown, +orderly sergeant of Company B, was killed--we advanced on toward the +breastworks, on and on. I had made up my mind to die--felt glorious. +We pressed forward until I heard the terrific roar of battle open on our +right. Cleburne's division was charging their works. I passed on until +I got to their works, and got over on their (the Yankees') side. But in +fifty yards of where I was the scene was lit up by fires that seemed like +hell itself. It appeared to be but one line of streaming fire. Our +troops were upon one side of the breastworks, and the Federals on the +other. I ran up on the line of works, where our men were engaged. +Dead soldiers filled the entrenchments. The firing was kept up until +after midnight, and gradually died out. We passed the night where we +were. But when the morrow's sun began to light up the eastern sky with +its rosy hues, and we looked over the battlefield, O, my God! what did we +see! It was a grand holocaust of death. Death had held high carnival +there that night. The dead were piled the one on the other all over +the ground. I never was so horrified and appalled in my life. Horses, +like men, had died game on the gory breastworks. General Adams' horse +had his fore feet on one side of the works and his hind feet on the other, +dead. The general seems to have been caught so that he was held to the +horse's back, sitting almost as if living, riddled, and mangled, and torn +with balls. General Cleburne's mare had her fore feet on top of the +works, dead in that position. General Cleburne's body was pierced with +forty-nine bullets, through and through. General Strahl's horse lay by +the roadside and the general by his side, both dead, and all his staff. +General Gist, a noble and brave cavalier from South Carolina, was lying +with his sword reaching across the breastworks still grasped in his hand. +He was lying there dead. All dead! They sleep in the graveyard yonder +at Ashwood, almost in sight of my home, where I am writing today. +They sleep the sleep of the brave. We love and cherish their memory. +They sleep beneath the ivy-mantled walls of St. John's church, where they +expressed a wish to be buried. The private soldier sleeps where he fell, +piled in one mighty heap. Four thousand five hundred privates! all +lying side by side in death! Thirteen generals were killed and wounded. +Four thousand five hundred men slain, all piled and heaped together at +one place. I cannot tell the number of others killed and wounded. +God alone knows that. We'll all find out on the morning of the final +resurrection. + +Kind friends, I have attempted in my poor and feeble way to tell you of +this (I can hardly call it) battle. It should be called by some other +name. But, like all other battles, it, too, has gone into history. +I leave it with you. I do not know who was to blame. It lives in the +memory of the poor old Rebel soldier who went through that trying and +terrible ordeal. We shed a tear for the dead. They are buried and +forgotten. We meet no more on earth. But up yonder, beyond the sunset +and the night, away beyond the clouds and tempest, away beyond the stars +that ever twinkle and shine in the blue vault above us, away yonder by +the great white throne, and by the river of life, where the Almighty +and Eternal God sits, surrounded by the angels and archangels and the +redeemed of earth, we will meet again and see those noble and brave +spirits who gave up their lives for their country's cause that night +at Franklin, Tennessee. A life given for one's country is never lost. +It blooms again beyond the grave in a land of beauty and of love. +Hanging around the throne of sapphire and gold, a rich garland awaits the +coming of him who died for his country, and when the horologe of time has +struck its last note upon his dying brow, Justice hands the record of +life to Mercy, and Mercy pleads with Jesus, and God, for his sake, +receives him in his eternal home beyond the skies at last and forever. + + +NASHVILLE + +A few more scenes, my dear friends, and we close these memoirs. We march +toward the city of Nashville. We camp the first night at Brentwood. +The next day we can see the fine old building of solid granite, looming +up on Capitol Hill--the capitol of Tennessee. We can see the Stars and +Stripes flying from the dome. Our pulse leaps with pride when we see the +grand old architecture. We can hear the bugle call, and the playing of +the bands of the different regiments in the Federal lines. Now and then +a shell is thrown into our midst from Fort Negley, but no attack or +demonstrations on either side. We bivouac on the cold and hard-frozen +ground, and when we walk about, the echo of our footsteps sound like the +echo of a tombstone. The earth is crusted with snow, and the wind from +the northwest is piercing our very bones. We can see our ragged soldiers, +with sunken cheeks and famine-glistening eyes. Where were our generals? +Alas! there were none. Not one single general out of Cheatham's division +was left--not one. General B. F. Cheatham himself was the only surviving +general of his old division. Nearly all our captains and colonels were +gone. Companies mingled with companies, regiments with regiments, +and brigades with brigades. A few raw-boned horses stood shivering under +the ice-covered trees, nibbling the short, scanty grass. Being in range +of the Federal guns from Fort Negley, we were not allowed to have fires +at night, and our thin and ragged blankets were but poor protection +against the cold, raw blasts of December weather--the coldest ever known. +The cold stars seem to twinkle with unusual brilliancy, and the pale moon +seems to be but one vast heap of frozen snow, which glimmers in the cold +gray sky, and the air gets colder by its coming; our breath, forming +in little rays, seems to make a thousand little coruscations that +scintillate in the cold frosty air. I can tell you nothing of what was +going on among the generals. But there we were, and that is all that +I can tell you. One morning about daylight our army began to move. +Our division was then on the extreme right wing, and then we were +transferred to the left wing. The battle had begun. We were continually +moving to our left. We would build little temporary breastworks, then +we would be moved to another place. Our lines kept on widening out, and +stretching further and further apart, until it was not more than a +skeleton of a skirmish line from one end to the other. We started at a +run. We cared for nothing. Not more than a thousand yards off, we could +see the Yankee cavalry, artillery, and infantry, marching apparently +still further to our left. We could see regiments advancing at +double-quick across the fields, while, with our army, everything seemed +confused. The private soldier could not see into things. It seemed to +be somewhat like a flock of wild geese when they have lost their leader. +We were willing to go anywhere, or to follow anyone who would lead us. +We were anxious to flee, fight, or fortify. I have never seen an army +so confused and demoralized. The whole thing seemed to be tottering and +trembling. When, _Halt! Front! Right dress!_ and Adjutant McKinney reads +us the following order: + + +"SOLDIERS:--The commanding general takes pleasure in announcing to his +troops that victory and success are now within their grasp; and the +commanding general feels proud and gratified that in every attack and +assault the enemy have been repulsed; and the commanding general will +further say to his noble and gallant troops, 'Be of good cheer--all is +well.' + "GENERAL JOHN B. HOOD, + "General Commanding. + +"KINLOCK FALCONER, + "Acting Adjutant-General." + + +I remember how this order was received. Every soldier said, "O, shucks; +that is all shenanigan," for we knew that we had never met the enemy or +fired a gun outside of a little skirmishing. And I will further state +that that battle order, announcing success and victory, was the cause of +a greater demoralization than if our troops had been actually engaged in +battle. They at once mistrusted General Hood's judgment as a commander. +And every private soldier in the whole army knew the situation of +affairs. I remember when passing by Hood, how feeble and decrepit he +looked, with an arm in a sling, and a crutch in the other hand, and +trying to guide and control his horse. And, reader, I was not a +Christian then, and am but little better today; but, as God sees my heart +tonight, I prayed in my heart that day for General Hood. Poor fellow, +I loved him, not as a General, but as a good man. I knew when that army +order was read, that General Hood had been deceived, and that the poor +fellow was only trying to encourage his men. Every impulse of his nature +was but to do good, and to serve his country as best he could. Ah! +reader, some day all will be well. + +We continued marching toward our left, our battle-line getting thinner +and thinner. We could see the Federals advancing, their blue coats and +banners flying, and could see their movements and hear them giving their +commands. Our regiment was ordered to double quick to the extreme left +wing of the army, and we had to pass up a steep hill, and the dead grass +was wet and as slick as glass, and it was with the greatest difficulty +that we could get up the steep hill side. When we got to the top, we, +as skirmishers, were ordered to deploy still further to the left. +Billy Carr and J. E. Jones, two as brave soldiers as ever breathed the +breath of life--in fact, it was given up that they were the bravest and +most daring men in the Army of Tennessee--and myself, were on the very +extreme left wing of our army. While we were deployed as skirmishers, +I heard, "Surrender, surrender," and on looking around us, I saw that +we were right in the midst of a Yankee line of battle. They were lying +down in the bushes, and we were not looking for them so close to us. We +immediately threw down our guns and surrendered. J. E. Jones was killed +at the first discharge of their guns, when another Yankee raised up and +took deliberate aim at Billy Carr, and fired, the ball striking him below +the eye and passing through his head. As soon as I could, I picked up my +gun, and as the Yankee turned I sent a minnie ball crushing through his +head, and broke and run. But I am certain that I killed the Yankee who +killed Billy Carr, but it was too late to save the poor boy's life. +As I started to run, a fallen dogwood tree tripped me up, and I fell over +the log. It was all that saved me. The log was riddled with balls, +and thousands, it seemed to me, passed over it. As I got up to run again, +I was shot through the middle finger of the very hand that is now penning +these lines, and the thigh. But I had just killed a Yankee, and was +determined to get away from there as soon as I could. How I did get back +I hardly know, for I was wounded and surrounded by Yankees. One rushed +forward, and placing the muzzle of his gun in two feet of me, discharged +it, but it missed its aim, when I ran at him, grabbed him by the collar, +and brought him off a prisoner. Captain Joe P. Lee and Colonel +H. R. Field remember this, as would Lieutenant-Colonel John L. House, +were he alive; and all the balance of Company H, who were there at the +time. I had eight bullet holes in my coat, and two in my hand, beside +the one in my thigh and finger. It was a hail storm of bullets. The +above is true in every particular, and is but one incident of the war, +which happened to hundreds of others. But, alas! all our valor and +victories were in vain, when God and the whole world were against us. + +Billy Carr was one of the bravest and best men I ever knew. He never +knew what fear was, and in consequence of his reckless bravery, had been +badly wounded at Perryville, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, the octagon house, +Dead Angle, and the 22nd of July at Atlanta. In every battle he was +wounded, and finally, in the very last battle of the war, surrendered up +his life for his country's cause. No father and mother of such a brave +and gallant boy, should ever sorrow or regret having born to them such a +son. He was the flower and chivalry of his company. He was as good as +he was brave. His bones rest yonder on the Overton hills today, while I +have no doubt in my own mind that his spirit is with the Redeemer of the +hosts of heaven. He was my friend. Poor boy, farewell! + +When I got back to where I could see our lines, it was one scene of +confusion and rout. Finney's Florida brigade had broken before a mere +skirmish line, and soon the whole army had caught the infection, had +broken, and were running in every direction. Such a scene I never saw. +The army was panic-stricken. The woods everywhere were full of running +soldiers. Our officers were crying, "Halt! halt!" and trying to rally +and re-form their broken ranks. The Federals would dash their cavalry +in amongst us, and even their cannon joined in the charge. One piece of +Yankee artillery galloped past me, right on the road, unlimbered their +gun, fired a few shots, and galloped ahead again. + +Hood's whole army was routed and in full retreat. Nearly every man in +the entire army had thrown away his gun and accouterments. More than ten +thousand had stopped and allowed themselves to be captured, while many, +dreading the horrors of a Northern prison, kept on, and I saw many, yea, +even thousands, broken down from sheer exhaustion, with despair and pity +written on their features. Wagon trains, cannon, artillery, cavalry, +and infantry were all blended in inextricable confusion. Broken down +and jaded horses and mules refused to pull, and the badly-scared drivers +looked like their eyes would pop out of their heads from fright. Wagon +wheels, interlocking each other, soon clogged the road, and wagons, +horses and provisions were left indiscriminately. The officers soon +became effected with the demoralization of their troops, and rode on in +dogged indifference. General Frank Cheatham and General Loring tried to +form a line at Brentwood, but the line they formed was like trying to +stop the current of Duck river with a fish net. I believe the army +would have rallied, had there been any colors to rally to. And as the +straggling army moves on down the road, every now and then we can hear +the sullen roar of the Federal artillery booming in the distance. +I saw a wagon and team abandoned, and I unhitched one of the horses and +rode on horseback to Franklin, where a surgeon tied up my broken finger, +and bandaged up my bleeding thigh. My boot was full of blood, and my +clothing saturated with it. I was at General Hood's headquarters. +He was much agitated and affected, pulling his hair with his one hand +(he had but one), and crying like his heart would break. I pitied him, +poor fellow. I asked him for a wounded furlough, and he gave it to me. +I never saw him afterward. I always loved and honored him, and will ever +revere and cherish his memory. He gave his life in the service of his +country, and I know today he wears a garland of glory beyond the grave, +where Justice says "well done," and Mercy has erased all his errors and +faults. + +I only write of the under _strata_ of history; in other words, the +_privates' history_--as I saw things then, and remember them now. + +The winter of 1864-5 was the coldest that had been known for many years. +The ground was frozen and rough, and our soldiers were poorly clad, +while many, yes, very many, were entirely barefooted. Our wagon trains +had either gone on, we knew not whither, or had been left behind. +Everything and nature, too, seemed to be working against us. Even the +keen, cutting air that whistled through our tattered clothes and over +our poorly covered heads, seemed to lash us in its fury. The floods of +waters that had overflowed their banks, seemed to laugh at our calamity, +and to mock us in our misfortunes. + +All along the route were weary and footsore soldiers. The citizens +seemed to shrink and hide from us as we approached them. And, to cap the +climax, Tennessee river was overflowing its banks, and several Federal +gunboats were anchored just below Mussel Shoals, firing at us while +crossing. + +The once proud Army of Tennessee had degenerated to a mob. We were +pinched by hunger and cold. The rains, and sleet, and snow never ceased +falling from the winter sky, while the winds pierced the old, ragged, +grayback Rebel soldier to his very marrow. The clothing of many were +hanging around them in shreds of rags and tatters, while an old slouched +hat covered their frozen ears. Some were on old, raw-boned horses, +without saddles. + +Hon. Jefferson Davis perhaps made blunders and mistakes, but I honestly +believe that he ever did what he thought best for the good of his +country. And there never lived on this earth from the days of Hampden to +George Washington, a purer patriot or a nobler man than Jefferson Davis; +and, like Marius, grand even in ruins. + +Hood was a good man, a kind man, a philanthropic man, but he is both +harmless and defenseless now. He was a poor general in the capacity +of commander-in-chief. Had he been mentally qualified, his physical +condition would have disqualified him. His legs and one of his arms had +been shot off in the defense of his country. As a soldier, he was brave, +good, noble, and gallant, and fought with the ferociousness of the +wounded tiger, and with the everlasting grit of the bull-dog; but as a +general he was a failure in every particular. + +Our country is gone, our cause is lost. "_Actum est de Republica_." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +THE SURRENDER + + +THE LAST ACT OF THE DRAMA + +On the 10th day of May, 1861, our regiment, the First Tennessee, left +Nashville for the camp of instruction, with twelve hundred and fifty men, +officers and line. Other recruits continually coming in swelled this +number to fourteen hundred. In addition to this Major Fulcher's +battalion of four companies, with four hundred men (originally), was +afterwards attached to the regiment; and the Twenty-seventh Tennessee +Regiment was afterwards consolidated with the First. And besides this, +there were about two hundred conscripts added to the regiment from time +to time. To recapitulate: The First Tennessee, numbering originally, +1,250; recruited from time to time, 150; Fulcher's battalion, 400; +the Twenty-seventh Tennessee, 1,200; number of conscripts (at the lowest +estimate), 200--making the sum total 3,200 men that belonged to our +regiment during the war. The above I think a low estimate. Well, +on the 26th day of April, 1865, General Joe E. Johnston surrendered his +army at Greensboro, North Carolina. The day that we surrendered our +regiment it was a pitiful sight to behold. If I remember correctly, +there were just sixty-five men in all, including officers, that were +paroled on that day. Now, what became of the original 3,200? A grand +army, you may say. Three thousand two hundred men! Only sixty-five +left! Now, reader, you may draw your own conclusions. It lacked just +four days of four years from the day we were sworn in to the day of the +surrender, and it was just four years and twenty four days from the +time that we left home for the army to the time that we got back again. +It was indeed a sad sight to look at, the Old First Tennessee Regiment. +A mere squad of noble and brave men, gathered around the tattered flag +that they had followed in every battle through that long war. It was so +bullet-riddled and torn that it was but a few blue and red shreds that +hung drooping while it, too, was stacked with our guns forever. + +Thermopylae had one messenger of defeat, but when General Joe E. Johnston +surrendered the Army of the South there were hundreds of regiments, yea, +I might safely say thousands, that had not a representative on the 26th +day of April, 1865. + +Our cause was lost from the beginning. Our greatest victories-- +Chickamauga and Franklin--were our greatest defeats. Our people were +divided upon the question of Union and secession. Our generals were +scrambling for "_Who ranked_." The private soldier fought and starved +and died for naught. Our hospitals were crowded with sick and wounded, +but half provided with food and clothing to sustain life. Our money was +depreciated to naught and our cause lost. We left our homes four years +previous. Amid the waving of flags and handkerchiefs and the smiles of +the ladies, while the fife and drum were playing Dixie and the Bonnie +Blue Flag, we bid farewell to home and friends. The bones of our brave +Southern boys lie scattered over our loved South. They fought for their +"_country_," and gave their lives freely for that country's cause: +and now they who survive sit, like Marius amid the wreck of Carthage, +sublime even in ruins. Other pens abler than mine will have to chronicle +their glorious deeds of valor and devotion. In these sketches I have +named but a few persons who fought side by side with me during that long +and unholy war. In looking back over these pages, I ask, Where now are +many whose names have appeared in these sketches? They are up yonder, +and are no doubt waiting and watching for those of us who are left +behind. And, my kind reader, the time is coming when we, too, will be +called, while the archangel of death is beating the long roll of eternity, +and with us it will be the last reveille. God Himself will sound the +"assembly" on yonder beautiful and happy shore, where we will again have +a grand "reconfederation." We shed a tear over their flower-strewn +graves. We live after them. We love their memory yet. But one +generation passes away and another generation follows. We know our loved +and brave soldiers. We love them yet. + +But when we pass away, the impartial historian will render a true verdict, +and a history will then be written in justification and vindication of +those brave and noble boys who gave their all in fighting the battles of +their homes, their country, and their God. + +"The United States has no North, no South, no East, no West." "_We are +one and undivided_." + + +ADIEU + +My kind friends--soldiers, comrades, brothers, all: The curtain is rung +down, the footlights are put out, the audience has all left and gone +home, the seats are vacant, and the cold walls are silent. The gaudy +tinsel that appears before the footlights is exchanged for the dress of +the citizen. Coming generations and historians will be the critics as +to how we have acted our parts. The past is buried in oblivion. The +blood-red flag, with its crescent and cross, that we followed for four +long, bloody, and disastrous years, has been folded never again to be +unfurled. We have no regrets for what we did, but we mourn the loss of +so many brave and gallant men who perished on the field of battle and +honor. I now bid you an affectionate adieu. + +But in closing these memoirs, the scenes of my life pass in rapid review +before me. In imagination, I am young again tonight. I feel the flush +and vigor of my manhood--am just twenty-one years of age. I hear the +fife and drum playing Dixie and Bonnie Blue Flag. I see and hear our +fire-eating stump-orators tell of the right of secession and disunion. +I see our fair and beautiful women waving their handkerchiefs and +encouraging their sweethearts to go to the war. I see the marshaling of +the hosts for "glorious war." I see the fine banners waving and hear +the cry everywhere, "_To arms! to arms!_" And I also see our country at +peace and prosperous, our fine cities look grand and gay, our fields rich +in abundant harvests, our people happy and contented. All these pass +in imagination before me. Then I look and see glorious war in all its +splendor. I hear the shout and charge, the boom of artillery and the +rattle of small arms. I see gaily-dressed officers charging backwards +and forwards upon their mettled war horses, clothed in the panoply of +war. I see victory and conquest upon flying banners. I see our arms +triumph in every battle. And, O, my friends, I see another scene. +I see broken homes and broken hearts. I see war in all of its +desolation. I see a country ruined and impoverished. I see a nation +disfranchised and maltreated. I see a commonwealth forced to pay +dishonest and fraudulent bonds that were issued to crush that people. +I see sycophants licking the boots of the country's oppressor. I see +other and many wrongs perpetrated upon a conquered people. But maybe +it is but the ghosts and phantoms of a dreamy mind, or the wind as it +whistles around our lonely cabin-home. The past is buried in oblivion. +The mantle of charity has long ago fallen upon those who think +differently from us. We remember no longer wrongs and injustice done us +by anyone on earth. We are willing to forget and forgive those who have +wronged and falsified us. We look up above and beyond all these petty +groveling things and shake hands and forget the past. And while my +imagination is like the weaver's shuttle, playing backward and forward +through these two decades of time, I ask myself, Are these things real? +did they happen? are they being enacted today? or are they the fancies of +the imagination in forgetful reverie? Is it true that I have seen all +these things? that they are real incidents in my life's history? Did +I see those brave and noble countrymen of mine laid low in death and +weltering in their blood? Did I see our country laid waste and in ruins? +Did I see soldiers marching, the earth trembling and jarring beneath +their measured tread? Did I see the ruins of smouldering cities and +deserted homes? Did I see my comrades buried and see the violet and +wild flowers bloom over their graves? Did I see the flag of my country, +that I had followed so long, furled to be no more unfurled forever? +Surely they are but the vagaries of mine own imagination. Surely my +fancies are running wild tonight. But, hush! I now hear the approach of +battle. That low, rumbling sound in the west is the roar of cannon in +the distance. That rushing sound is the tread of soldiers. That quick, +lurid glare is the flash that precedes the cannon's roar. And listen! +that loud report that makes the earth tremble and jar and sway, is but +the bursting of a shell, as it screams through the dark, tempestuous +night. That black, ebon cloud, where the lurid lightning flickers and +flares, that is rolling through the heavens, is the smoke of battle; +beneath is being enacted a carnage of blood and death. Listen! the +soldiers are charging now. The flashes and roaring now are blended with +the shouts of soldiers and confusion of battle. + +But, reader, time has brought his changes since I, a young ardent and +impetuous youth, burning with a lofty patriotism first shouldered my +musket to defend the rights of my country. + +Lifting the veil of the past, I see many manly forms, bright in youth and +hope, standing in view by my side in Company H, First Tennessee Regiment. +Again I look and half those forms are gone. Again, and gray locks and +wrinkled faces and clouded brows stand before me. + +Before me, too, I see, not in imagination, but in reality, my own loved +Jennie, the partner of my joys and the sharer of my sorrows, sustaining, +comforting, and cheering my pathway by her benignant smile; pouring the +sunshine of domestic comfort and happiness upon our humble home; making +life more worth the living as we toil on up the hill of time together, +with the bright pledges of our early and constant love by our side while +the sunlight of hope ever brightens our pathway, dispelling darkness and +sorrow as we hand in hand approach the valley of the great shadow. + +The tale is told. The world moves on, the sun shines as brightly as +before, the flowers bloom as beautifully, the birds sing their carols as +sweetly, the trees nod and bow their leafy tops as if slumbering in the +breeze, the gentle winds fan our brow and kiss our cheek as they pass by, +the pale moon sheds her silvery sheen, the blue dome of the sky sparkles +with the trembling stars that twinkle and shine and make night beautiful, +and the scene melts and gradually disappears forever. + + THE END. + + + + +Appendix: Transcription notes: + +About "Company Aytch": + + "Company Aytch" was printed as a series of newspaper articles in + 1881-1882. + + First printed in book form, 2000 copies, in 1882. + + Second printing of 2000 copies in 1900. + + Reprinted in 1952 with an introduction and commentary by + Bell Irvin Wiley. + + 10 or more printings by Collier Books starting in 1962, with an + introduction by Roy P. Basler. + + +The following modifications were applied while transcribing the +printed book to etext: + + Quite a few of the sub-headings in the book were printed with a + trailing period, while the majority were not. For example, in + chapter 11: + SHOOTING A DESERTER. versus TARGET SHOOTING + DR. C. T. QUINTARD. versus GENERAL JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON + For the sake of consistency, I have removed these trailing periods. + + Chapter 10 + Page 123, para 3, fix typo "minne ball" + + Chapter 12 + Page 168, para 1, fix typo "Breckenridge" + + The following words were sometimes printed hyphenated, sometimes + not. In this etext, they are not hyphenated: + arch-angel battle-fields foot-lights grave-yard hill-side + horse-back re-organization shot-gun up-stairs/down-stairs + + The following words were sometimes printed hyphenated, sometimes + not. In this etext, they are hyphenated: + battle-flags + + The following words were printed using the "ae" or "oe" ligature: + Caesar diarrhoea Thermopylae + + +I did not change the following: + Some words in this book appear to be mis-spelled, at least by + current usage: + descendents geneology + + The author, intentionally or not, consistently mis-spelled + several names, including those of Capt./Col. Hume R. Feild and + Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of "Co. Aytch", by Sam R. Watkins + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK "CO. AYTCH" *** + +***** This file should be named 13202.txt or 13202.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/3/2/0/13202/ + +This eBook was produced by Ken Reeder <kreeder@mailsnare.net> + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. 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