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VOL. 111.
'( Written for the Banner of the South.
Remember the Grave Where
our Young Soldier Sleeps.
) affectionately dedicated to “nettie/’
OF SAVANNAH.
BY CAlifclE BELL SINCLAIR.
Ketnember the spot where our Soldier
boy sleeps!
Now the roses and violets all are in
bloom;
j And when you are wreathing each dear
hallowed grave
Wreathe a garland for me on our dear
Willie’s tomb!
1 shall not help to gather the garlands
so green—
Or twine the sweet roses and lilies
so fair;
Fur, far from the home of my love I
will be,
But 1 know that kind hearts will re
member me there.
OL! then when you bring your fresh
garlands to deck
The sod heath which slumbers our
own fallen braves,
You will think how I love them—and,
oh! you will give
One gem from the absent to dear Wil
lie’s Grave!
j And jet there’s another—not far from
his side
Sleep eleven who fell in the same bat
tle fray;
Together they fought—and together they
died—
And proudly we'll twine there the
laurel to-day!
I dunk of the hearts who will miss them
to-day—■
I think of the loved ones to whom they
were dear;
And I’d not twine a garland for Willie
—our darling—
And pass by the grave of his brave
comrades there!
I know that Affection will give them a
tear—
Wife—Mother—and Sister around
them will be;
But you'll take the heart-offering of deep
est devotion,
And wreathe there two graves with
sweet flowers for me !
Oh ! Nettie—sweet friend—how true
you have been—
And j our letter to-day with its tribute
of flowers,
Has carried me back to dear Long Ago!
And I ’in living again bright, happy
hours;
I'm thinking how often my footsteps
have roamed
Amid the deep shades of my own
“Forest Home
And I’m weeping to think that far, far
away,
In the land of the stranger my feet will
soon roam!
Oh! \es, when the breath of the South
winds shall kiss
The blossoms that Summer strews thick
o’er the plain,
I shall be far away from the land of ray
love,
And perchance I may never behold
her again!
And I’m weeping to leave the warm
hearts that are here,
And the home of my childhood—the
one I love best!
On! rny sweet suodj South! must I bid
you adieu,
And leave the Lrrave sous who repose
on thy breast ?
I' -r <IT where the North-winds are sigh
ins; so drear,
Th ere are hearts that await with a
welcome for me;
*‘‘t, oli! let mv steps roam wherever
they may,
'y heart will still turn, my dear
Southland, to thee!
1 may meet with true friends in the
home where I go—
They may give me a welcome both
loving and kind,
But they never can win the deep love of
my soul
From the hearts and the home I am
leaving behind!
Though billows may roll—and mountains
may rise,
And sunder me far from the Land I
love best ;
Not a tie will be severed l — not a link
will be broke
For love that is deathless can wellhear
the test !
And oh ! 1 will think when the bright
April sun
Is bursting the buds and blossoms so
fair,
There’s a whisper that calls me again to
the South
And the roses will blossom to welcome
me there
And PH waft the zephyrs that float o’er
the sea,
A message of love to the hearts that
are dear;
And I know when you’re trimming your
wreaths for our dead,
You will pluck one sweet flower and
twine for me there!
I will miss the sweet task every April
has brought—
I will find no loved graves there to
garland with flowers!
But in soul I’ll be with you, dear friends,
on that day—
And remember the brave ones whose
dear graves of ours.
And oh! my dear Nettie, 111 bear far
away,
The flowers you plucked from our Sol
dier-boys tomb!
Though the green from each leaf may be
faded and gone,
And there's left not a breath of the
rose’s perfume!
They came when I felt that my sad heart
would break,
In breathing farewell to the land of
my pride—
Oh! they’re wet with mj’ fast falling
tears, as 1 think
’Tis five years ago since our Soldier
boy died
God Hess you for them! I will cherish
each bud—
How the petals, all faded, will whisper
of you!
And Pm longing now, Nettie, to clasp
your dear hand
But I never will see you, sweet irieDd of
And give you, in parting, a loving adieu,
my soul—
Soon far from my own Sunny South I
will be;
But remember the grave where our young
Soldier sleeps
And wreathe it with flowers —the
sweetest for me!
Marietta , Ga., April \'2th. 1870.
Recollections of Fredericksburg,
FROM THE MORNING OF THE
20TLI OF APRIL TO THE 6TH OF
MAY, 1863
BY BENJ. G. HVMPHREYS, OF MISSISSIPPI.
CONCLUDED.
Jackson, Miss., April 2, 1867.
Colonel Power :
The discovery emboldened him, and as
the last wounded Federal was taKen from
the held, a concentrated Are from 30 or
40 pieces of artillery, posted in the city
and Stafford Heights, wasMirectcd at
Marye’s Hill, and three columns of in
fantry seemed to rise out of the earth,
and rushed forward with demoniac shouts
and yells. One from a valley in front
of Marye’s Hill, one from the city on the
AUGUSTA, GAY., APRIL 23, 1870.
plank road, and up the valley of Hazel
Run. The 21st regiment and Miller’s
gun repulsed the column ou the plank
road, and drove it back twice.—The
right wing of the 18th regiment, the
two guns of the Ist company, and Par
ker’s gun on Willis’ Hill, drove back
the column that advanced up Hazel Run.
The centre colum that advanced from
the valley, directly in front of Marye’s
Hill, moved steadily forward until it
passed the point where it could be reach
ed by Miller’s gun, and proved too much
for the left wing of the 18th regiment and
three companies of the 21st regiment,
and by an impetuous charge broke
through the battle-worn ranks of the
ever glorious 18th, and overwhelmed the
line at the stone fence, by jumping into
the sunken road, and bayoneted and shot
down many 7 of our boys, after they sur
rendered. Col. T. M. Griffin, of Madi
son county, Lieut. Col. W. Henry Luse,
of Yazoo county, and Lieut, and. Clark, of
Jackson, were captured; Major J. C.
Campbell, of Jackson, was wounded,
but made his escape, and died in a few
davs. Lieut. Mackev, of Madison
county, was wounded and died in
Fredericksburg. Adjutant Oscar Stuart
of Jackson, Lieut. H T Garrison, Lieut.
S. T. Fort, and Win. C >wen were killed
by drunken soldiers after they surrender
ed. One-half of the eighteenth and three
companies of the twenty first were kill
ed or captured in the road. The enemy
rushed forward up the Hill, and taking
advantage of a ravine between Marye s
Hill and the redoubt occupied by the
first company of Washington Artillery,
gained the rear of the compauy while
in the act of pouring shell and canister
upon the mass, advancing over the field
before them Many of the enemy were
drunk, and shot down some ol the artil
lerists after they surrendered —The first
company lost two guns; Sergt. W. West,
a gailant soldier, killed while placing his
gun in positiou. Private Florence and
others, killed after surrendering. Cap
tain Earnest and nine others wounded.
Captain Squeires, Captain Edward
Owen and Lieut. Galbreath, and about
twenty-five others captured. Parker’s
battery lost its gun and half the men.
The first intimation I had of the
disaster at the stone wall, was from a
sharpshooter’s minnie hall striking the
vizor of my cap, and driving it back
against, and blinding, fur the tune, my
left eye.—This attracted my attention to
Marye’s Hill, and though I could only
“go one eye on it,” “1 saw enough to
satisfy myself that I was cut off from
the brigade with the enemy on my right
flank. I attempted to change front, aud
form on the plank road facing Marye’-
Hill, but soon found that road enfiladed
by a battery near Mary Washington’s
monument which forced us to retreat.
Lieut. Price Tappan, of Vicksburg, and
Frank Ingraham of Claiborne county,
both accomplished soldiers and gentle
men, were killed and left on the hill.
Lieut. Mills, of Leake county, lost his leg
and was captured. Toe third company
of the Washington Artillery lost its gun
and some of the men The fourth com
pany lost its two guns. Lieut Beßussy
was knocked down by a fragment of a
shell, and badly contused. Private
Lewis aud Maury killed, and several
captured.
In my effort to form on the plank
road I had left my horse in a ravine near
Miller’s redoubt, aud in my extremity
like Richard, I called for “a horse.’,
My brave and gallant young friend’
Charlie Hay, of Vicksburg, returned at
great peril to the ravine and brought him
to me, and thus enabled me to overtake
my flying imantry I called them into
line, but the miunie balls were whistling
arouad their cars—they had no use for
a line, and turned a deaf ear to my call.
I scolded and quarreled, or as the boys
tell it, “fussed aud almost cussed”—all
to no purpose. In the lisping lauguage
of the waggish Jim, Baiiy of company
K, who was working in the lead, each
man was “juth thifting than.” But the
severe drills through which Lieut. Col.
W. L. Brandon of Wilkinson, Major
John G. Taylor, of Kentucky, Adjutant
J. M. Kennard, of Claiborne county and
their Colonel had “trotted them” at
Mannassas and Leesburg, was not en
tirely lost. When I could reach them
with my voice and commanded, “By
the r'ght fiauk!” in about as good order
as a flock of grey rice-birds, they flanked
to the right; again when I commanded,
“By the left flank!” they all flanked to
the left, and moved directly and willing
ly to the rear; still tbev had no use for a
line until we passed beyond the reach of
grape and sharpnell and ininnie balls
that pursued us.
Notwithstanding my fretfulness and
petulence then, no other trial through
which the vateran old regiment has pass
ed in its glorious career, endears it more
to my heart, and my memory clings with
the fondest affection around each of those
noble boys whose devotion to their
country’s cause, was so sorely tested in
this, and through the many harrassing
retreats, weary marches, fasting biveuac,
and bloody charges, where they dared
death, and toiled and suffered and finally
lost Conspicious on this occasion, was
the cool and gallant bearing of Major D
N. Moody, of Vicksburg, Capt. John
Simms of Woodville, Capt. Tally S.
Gibson, of Sunflower county. Capt E
Butts, of Vicksburg, Adjt. R. G. Sims,
of Washington county, Lt. W. P. Mc-
Neely and Lt. Lane Brandon, of Wilkin
son county, Lts Hays and J. M Ilobert,
of Vicksburg, Lt. Wiley, of Pontotoc
county, and so many other officers, non
commissioned officers and men, that it
would exhaust the company rolls to men
tion ihem.
The rapid movement of the enemy,
advancing over ‘Mayre’s Hill and on
ifazei Run, made me despair of reaching
the brigade. My only hope was to reach
the main army then at Chancellorsville.
engaged in a furious battle. When,
h-twever, I reached Geet’s Hill on the
plank road, I discovered the enemy hud
been checked by the 13th and 17th Re
giments, Frazier’s battery from Georgia.
Carlo'on’s battery from North Carolina,
and the 2d company of Washington Ar
tillery. then ou Lee’s Hdl. I saw that it
was possible for my Rogimeut to cross
1 azel Run above Marye’s [Hill, and re
join the Brigade, which m »v** was made
and accomplished. G n. Barksdale, as
soon as he saw that Marye’s Hill was
1 *si, the 18th regiment shattered, the
Washington Artillery captured and the
21st Regiment cut off, ordered the 13th
and 17th Regiments to fall back to Lee’s
Hill Adjutant Owen, of Washington
Artili' ry, rallied the 2d Company, under
Capt. Richardson, to the Telegraph Road
on Lee’s Hill, and opened fire upon the
blue mass on Marye’s Hill—Barksdale
rallied ibe remnant of the 18th Regiment
aud the three companies ol the 21st Re
giment, and posted the 13th Regiment,
on the right of the Telegrapu Road, the
left wing under Maj. Bradley, resting its
leit company under the hravc Captain
G. L. Donald immediately on the road
The r gut wing under Colonel Carter,
Lit ut. Col. McEiroy and the accomplish
ed Adjutant, E. Hannon, in rear of the
redoubts on Lee’s Hill occupied by Fra
zier and Carlton. Colonel Wm. D. Hol
der ot Pontotoc, posted the 17th Regiment
on the left of the Telegraph Road, the
righi wing under the chivalrous Lieut
Col John C. Riser of Panola county, and
the left wing under the command of the
brave Major W. R. Duff, ot Calhoun
co nty, and immediately engaged the ad
vancing enemy. This limely and judi
cious disposition of our troops, and their
stubborn dariug, cheeked the enemy,
and enabled me to reach the Telegrapu
Road with the 21st regiment, ihe
1 enemy, however, pushed forward his
troops under cover of the brow of the
hill, and concealed by the smoke of the
artillery, almost to the muzzles of the
guns of 2d Company of Washington Ar
tillery, shot down some ot the horses,
wounded several of the men, and forced
them to limber to the rear, leaving one
gun. The 13th and 17th struggled
gallantly, and suffered severely. The
gallant Capt. Thos. H. Wood, of Com
pany C., Captain A. G. O’Brien, of com
pany ]!., Lieut. Kelly, of company 1.,
Lieut. Barlow, of Compa »y G., Lieut.
Baurdeanx of Company F., and Sergts.
John J. Gordon, J. McLandon A. Cal
houn and G. YV. McElroy, all of the
13th, fell wounded. Major W. L. Duff,
Capt. T. I Williams, Lieut. A. T. Roan,
Lieut. R. M. King and W. J. Mitchell,
of the 17 th wounded and borne to the
rear. The tanks were rapidly wasting
away under the deadly fire. General
Sedgwick was pushing his blue lines
over Marye’s Hill and up the plank road.
His serried lines were fast encompassing
Lee’s Hill, and it was apparent that the
13th and 17th would soon be enveloped
and crushed. Barksdale yielded before
the impending shock and ordered a re
treat.
We tell back along the Telegraph
road about two miles to the Mine road.
It was now about the middle of the af
ternoon, and Barksdale’s brigade of
1,500 Mississippians, and seven guns of
the Washington Artillery, with less than
200 Louisianians, and one gun of Par
ker’s Battery, with about 20 Virginians,
had been struggling and holding back
from Lee’s flank and rear, Sedgwick’s
army, variously estimated from eighteen
to thirty thousand, from the time he ad
vanced from Deed Run on the 2d, to one
o’clock on the 3d of May. At the Mine
road we met General Early with his di
vision, which had been laying all day at
Hamilton Station, expecting Sedgwick to
move that way Gen. Early immediate
ly formed line of battle on the main road
and across tiie Telegraph road. The
enemy did not pursue us. A few wagons
mistaking the road, followed after us,
but retired as soon as our artillery fired
on them, and they discovered our line.
We remained in line of battle, and
bivouacked for the night. Sedwick mov
ed his main army directly on the plank
road to get in the rear of General Lee,
who, having received eary notice of the
loss of Marye’s Hill, detached McLaws’
division to meet him. Gen Wilcox, who
had been guarding Banks’ Ford, aud
Gen. Hays, who had been sent to guard
Taylor’s Hill, moved back and threw
their lines across the plank road at Salem
Church. Sedgwick endeavored to push
through their lines about sundown, but
was repulsed. It now being dark, no
further advance was attempted and both
armies bivouacked for the night. At
sunrise next morning, Gen. Early, in
obedience to orders received during the
night from General Lee, moved his divi
sion and Barksdale's brigade down the
Telegraph road towards Fredericksburg,
and found no diflculty in taking possesion
of Marye’s Hill. He ordered Barks
dale to re occupy the trenches at the
foot of Marye’s Ilill, and hold back any
force that might attempt to advance f, om
the city, while he moved his own div<s:on
up the plank road to attack Sedgwick iu
the rear.
Let us now pause and look at the ex
tract dinary position the various portions
of the two contending armies fo"nd
themselves in on the morning of the 4tii
of May, after six day’s marching, fight
ing and counter-marching. A heavy
force of Federate, about fifteen thousand
occupied Fredericksburg and Stafford
Heights; Barksd de and Early with their
backs to each other on tlie plank r->nd,
with five thousand men Detween Fred
ericksburg and Sedgwick: Sedgwick be
tween Early and Lee, with twenty thou
sand men; Lee with Anderson, McLaws,
and Wilcox, between Sedgwick and
No. 6.
