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