Newspaper Page Text
8
% The Battle of Gettysburg. $ |
When the battle of Cboncelloravilie was
fought Ptekett'e division was near Suffolk.
Virginia The northern troops advanced
from Norfolk to that town and overran
the counties of southeastern Virginia and
threatened the ra.lroad between Peters
burg. Virginia, and Weldon. N. C., which
mainly supplied our armies tn Vtr-
Ptckett was ordered there to protect
(his road. He drove the enemy from that
part of the state back to Suffolk and was
preparing to attack the town when he
received orders from General L*e to
f— ean to him at Chancellorsville. With
old clothes and broken muskets we rig
ged up dummy soldiers and set them in
the rifle trenches and placed logs for ean
at intervals on the line. Pickett
Withdrew his troops and marched to Pe
tersburg He left behind a few cavalry
men who flred an occasional shot from
near the dummy soldiers, and changed
their position rapidly from place to place,
thus keeping the enemy in ignorance of
our departure. After a while the enemy
suspected the ruse and sent forward skir
mishers who reached the rifle pits to And
them empty. Pickett had several hours
start and was miles away.
Our men were in good spirits and full of
fun, singing songs and making funny
remarks on persons and places as they
passed As we marched through Jerusa
lem. the county seat of Sot aampton,
sang the old hymn, "Jew ulem. My
W»ppy Home.** The country here was
low and flat, the roads deep in’sand. On
coming to pools of water, through which
the road ran. we were ordered to wade
right through: the sand stuck to our wet
shoes got Inside and ground the skin
from our feet so that we were forced to
off our shoes and socks and march
barefoot all day. As we neared Peters
burg the road became hard and rocky
which made It necessary for us to put our
Shoes on again. My feet were so swol
len that it was painful to wear my shoes.
On arriving at Petersburg we marched
through the city with bands playing
Dixie and other popular southern airs.
From there we continued our rapid march,
■topping only a few hours at night for
rest and sleep. The morning of our fourth
day’s march we reached Richmond. Our
officers received strict orders to see that
no man left the ranks while passing
through the city. Many of our men were
from Petersburg and Richmond and thou
sands of the people lined the streets and
cheered ua as we marched through.
We continued our march through the
counties of Henrico. Hanover. Louisa,
Orange and Culpepper. Finding General
Lee had defeated Hooker and was on the
move, we followed. Our long line wound
about the eastern foot of the Blue Ridge
■nountains and reached Orleans and
Bnlckersv*!!* where we found General J.
E B. Stuart and his gallant troopers fight
ing furiously the enemy who were push
ing forward, cavalry, infantry and artil
lery against him. ■.
The northern general was puxzled as to
Lee’s movements. Stuart was protecting
Lee’s rear and right flank* and 1J became
necessary for the enemy to drive him
away or break through his lines, to dis
cover the whereabouts of the southern
army. Though contesting hotly every foot
of the ground, Stuart was compelled to
fa«. back slowly against such odds. The
head of Pickett’s division reached him
about noon during the day and as they
came "on the field, formed line of battle
and advanced rapidly to the attack and,
aided by Stuart, broke their lines and
drove them back; they retreated, hotly
pursued by Stuart, over the same ground
they had driven him. Our division then
turned to the left, passed over the Blue
Ridge mountains, through Snicker’s Gap.
down Into the beautiful valley of Vir
ginia. on toward Winchester, thence to
Williamsport, where we forded the Poto
mac river; the water was deep and as the
long line of infantry extended from the
southern to the northern bank of the river
it dammed the water several Inches high
er on the upper side. The small men
took advantage of this and kept on the
lower side. Many amusing incidents oc
curred. Men would slip on the rocks aad
go down under the water to be dragged
Mt by their more fortunate comrades;
some wanted to hire others to tote them
over; the attempt would be made and all
parties would fall in and get a ducking.
On getting across into Maryland the
boys began singing. "Maryland, My Mary
land.” Again we set out on our long
tramp to Hagerstown. Md.. thence to
Greencastle Pa., and finally reached
Chambersburg. Pa., where we remained
suyeral days. General Lee’s orders
■gainst depredations on private property
were strictly enforced. We sometimes
went to a farmer's house and asked per-
1 Agents’ Contest |
. For December.
B SIOO in Gold to Be Given Away «:
Zs For one month’s work to the fifteen agents who send us the
5 largest number of subscribers for the Semi-Weekly during this
5 month. The contest is now open to agents and all subscrip-
2S tiona received from December 2nd until December 31st, 1901,
J will be credited. The money is up and will be paid out on
S the first of January next. . £
2 Th e capital prize is $25.00 and with this and your cash com
mission will be quite a nice New Year’s present. There arc
fifteen prizes and fifteen hustling agents are going to win cj.
*5 them.
S Note the list in which the prizes are given
'w For the largest number of subscribers . &
5 scat during this month $25 00 *
To the second best list « 20 00
To the third best list 15 00
To the fourth best list 10 06
2 To the fifth best list 5 00 <
To the sixth best list 2 50 jcu.
; To the seventh best list 2 50
To the eighth best list 2 50 5*
To the ninth best list 2 50
*5 To the tenth best list 2 50
To the eleventh best list 2 50
To the twelfth best list 2 50
To the thirteenth best list 2 50
3s To the fourteenth best list 2 50 • SE
2 To the fifteenth best list 2 50
S SIOO 00
Now is the opportune time for you to get a nice prize. Up-
3b on application, blanks, envelopes and samples will be furnish- SE
ed free. Write for terms and an outfit at once so as to win
one of these prizes. Address
§ The Atlanta Semi-Weekly Journal, §
S ATLANTA, GEORGIA. g
mission to get a canteen of water, or
pome buttermilk, offering to pay for what
we got. The people seldom accepted our
Confederate money; I suppose from fear
of gaining the ill will of their own people.
The troops of our division were strung
out for a mile or more along the railroad
and ordered to tear It up and burn the
ties; we piled up the ties and laid the
rails across them and set fire to them.
There was little or no forest near by
so we were ordered to pull down the post
and rail fences and use them for kindling
wood. While doing this the owners came
out and with teqrs In their eyes begged
us not to destroy their fences, telling us
how much they cost. We replied: "My
dear sir! Do you stand here and cry for
a few rails when your people armed them
selves, left their peaceful homes, came
doom south to ours, burnt our fences,
barns, cities and private houses, shot
down our fathers, brothers and sons be
cause they dared to defend their homes;
killed our cattle, horses and fowls; took
all the provisions from out mothers and
their little children and left them to
starve. We are not treating you and
your people In that way; we are only
using these rails to destroy this railroad
which is public property.”
The reply was, “This should not be.”
•’No,” was our reply, “and if your peo
ple will go home and attend to their own
business we will return to ours, and the
war will end at once."
A rumor was circulated through the
command that a battle was being fought
somewhere. Soon the drums beat, we fell
into line rapidly and Qien with that long,
steady, swinging step, pushed on towards
Gettysburg, the officers’ horses going at
a dog trot.
The roads were hard and firm, and we
made good time, but the day was terribly
hot and clouds of dust stifling. Water
was scarce and we suffered much.
Suddenly we heard the distant boom of
cannon which become more rapid and dis
tinct each moment. An officer rides back
down the line, and. In a cheerful manner,
says, "Close up. men, quick-step; we are
needed at the front.”
A cheer rents tne air startlngat the head
of the column, it rolls back along the line
and dies away In the distance. The men
quicken their steps, some throwing away
any surplus baggage, even their blankets,
and oil cloths so as to keep up in the
now rapid march.
Reaching the top of a hill we distinctly
hear the rapid fire of artillery, and the
rattle of musketry and see the white
smoke rising and hanging just above the
hHls and valleys far to the right and left,
and then we know “Mars Bob’* Is at It
again.
A little farther on we hear the exclama
tion:
"Look there boys!” It is the dead body
of a blue coat dying near the road. Then
we see another and yet another until they
lay in groups.
We are passing over the battle field of
yesterday when the northern troops were
driven from the field, through the town of
Gettysburg and back to a strong position
among the hills. We file off to the right
and continue In that direction until about
sunset ■shei we come to a grove of trees
through which flows a brook of clear
water. We halt and are ordered to camp
for the night. Worn out by our long
forced to march, many of us took a bath
in the cool water and, after eating some
hard tack and a piece of pork, He down to
sleep. Alas! It Is the last sleep on earth
for many of these gallant soldiers.
The moon rises and sails across the
clear heavens, casting her pale light over
those veterans of many battles, as they
dreamed of home and loved ones far away
in that southland they love better than
their own Ilves. A cruel enemy has in
vaded their beautiful southland, robbed
them of their prosperity; desecrated their
homes; Insulted their mothers, wives,
sisters and daughters; arrested their gray
haired fathers, and dragged them away to
prison for refusing to take the oath of
allegiance to the government of the
northern states. Again and again have
these southern men fought battles, de
feating the northern Invaders, hoping af
ter each that they would withdraw their
armies and return home, but they raise
other large armies and come again with
fire and sword; and now the experiment is
to be tried of carrying the war Into the
northern states with the hope that a vic
tory may end this cruel and unjust
war on a people who only asked for the
right of self-government. As the moon
disappears in the west and the sun Is
peeping above the horison in the east, the
arums beat the reveille anu the whole
camp is astir. We eat our frugal break
fast. then comes the command: “Faa In,
men!” *&he battalions form rapidly and
the dlvisfen is ready to move.
Pickett’s division was composed of four
THE SEMI-WEEKLY JOURNAL, ATLANTA, GEORGIA, MONDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1901.
Virginia brigades: Kemper’s, Garnett’s,
Armlstead’s and Corse’s, and each bri
gade of five regiments. If the regiments
were full the division should have num
bered about 15,000 men, but Corse’s bri
gade was left behind in Virginia, to guard
the railroads near Richmond, and long
and rapid marching, many of the men
without Shoes, constant lighting, sickness,
etc., had reduced the average number of
each regiment to about 300 men, fit for
duty, so mat the division, of three bri
gades, numbered about 4,000 men.
The head of the column now turns to
the right and files along the low hills until
It .Is flnaly halted and formed Into line
of battle. Kemper on the right, Garnett
on the left, while Armistead follows a fey
hundred yards behind.
After moving a short distance up the
gentle slope of a hill Into a large open
field and near the top of the hill we are
halted. Artillery is moving rapidly to tne
right and left, taking position. Some eight
or ten pieces are placed along the brow
of the hill and just in our front.
Generals Lee, Longstreet and Pickett
each with his staff, are sitting on their
horses In a group, and tn earnest conver
sation; at times they scan the enemy's
position with their field glasses on the op
posite hills along Cemetery Ridge.
About 2 or 3 o’clock in the afternoon we
are orderea to He down. The aids are
riding to and fro about the field, carrying
orders; then Lee and Longstreet ride
away. Pickett and staff take position be
hind the division. For a few minutes si
lence reigns, then there is the sharp crack
of a field piece right in front of Kemper’s
brigade. The shell goes screaming across
the valley and bursts over the opposite
hill, a second piece sends a shell and im
mediately a third ana fourth follow; then
there Is an answer from the opposite hill
and the shell comes shrieking towards
us, explodes high in the air anu sends Its
fragments whirring down to tear up the
ground where they strike. Faster and
faster the guns open on both sides until
the reports blend into one continuous roar
of shot and shell.
The sun is so hot, tne heat can be seen
quivering along the ground; the earth is
trembi ng like an earthquake. The enemy
Is getting our range now, and men are be
ing struck, arms, legs and heads are
shot off, men are knocked up from the
ground and their mangled bodies hurled
across their living comrades; officers are
passing up and down the lines encourag
ing the men to keep steady and cool, the
wounded are being carried to the rear,
and this terrific war of two hundred can
non, accompanied by the cry of wounded
and dying men, continues for more than
an hour.
The fire of the enemy’s guns begin to
slacken, so does that of ours until it al
most ceases. Now comes the command,
“Attention, battalion!” The men spring
from the ground and take their places.
“Right dress!" comes the next order and
the line Is soon straight as an arrow.
The flag bearers advance a few paces
to the front, then silence reigns. Pickett,
mounted on a coal black horse, rides to
the right of the line, turns, goes down it
to the center of the front, wheels his
horse and moves straight forward for a
hundred yards, stops, looks back at his
men as they stand in long straight lines,
steady as rocks and their bayonets flash
ing in the sunlight. He lifts his hat and
rides slowly forward. “Forward, march!
guide right!” rings out the dear, quick
command of Kemper. Garnett gives the
same and from behind we hear the gal
lant Armistead repeat it and the division
moves forward Ift perfect line.
We reach the top of the hill, sweep by
our a-tlllery and begin to descend the
gentle slope. There Is a valley before us
across which runs a plank fence, farther
on, and up the side of the opposite hill,
runs a rock fence nearly parallel to the
first fence, and behind which Iles a bri
gade or two of the Enemy’s best Infantry.
On the ridge of Cemetery Hill they have
one hundred guns to sweep the valley and
just behind the hill Is General Hancock
with 36,000 of the best soldiers in the north
ern army. We move down the slope.
There is a puff of white smoke over on
the other hill and a shell comes whistling
and bursts just above us, then another
and another; faster and faster the shots
come; they are getting our range and
our men begin to fall. On the lines move,
we reach the plank fence and the boards
fly off all along our front, the skirmishers
retreat before us. The enemy’s artillery
are now raining shot and shell upon us
and great gaps are cut through the line,
but the men close up and continue to
advance.
A shell bursts right In my face and I
am knocked down by a shot that strikes
me In the left side, just missing the hip
bone uy hali an inch. I roll on t'he ground
gasping for breath. A member of my
company, Osmond Bradford, stoops down
and helps me up. I try to walk, but lose
consciousness and fall again. When i
open my eyes the line has moved on and
the storm is roaring over me, but my
brave comrade is kneeling by me, bathing
my face with water from his canteen. As
I look up he smiles ana says, “Old fellow,
I thought you were gone.”
Two of tne ambulance corps come up
and putting me on a litter carry me to
the rear, w*here a surgeon examines the
wound and gives me an opiate. An ambu
lance comes up and while putting me In
It one of the mules is killed by an ex
ploding shell. They take me out and go
ing a short ditance we stop under a tree
to rest, but a limb is cut off oy a shot
and falls within a few feet of us. Anoth
er ambulance comes up, and I am put in
that with other wounded men and the
driver moves off at a. rapia gait to get
us out of further danger.
Others have told how the division moved
forward being fearfully cut to pieces at
every step. Garnett was killed, Kemper
was down, desperately wounded, and
Armlstead’s horse was killed; but he con
tinued to lead his men on foot.
Colonels were now commanding bri
gades, and captains were commanding
regiments. The rock fence was reached,
the blue coats rose and poured a murder
ous volley right into their faces. A mo
ment the.line halted and staggered, as so
many men went down, but steadying
themselves, the whole line bent forward,
gave the southern yell, charged and went
over the stone wall and in turn poured
into the blue line a terrifice fire which
compelled them to give way. The gray
coats moved on pushing the blue before
them up the hill, but the merciless lire
from a hundred guns were tearing their
lines Into shreds.
The brave Armistead had come up with
the remnant of his column; his flags had
been shot away, but taking off his hat
and placing It on the point of his sword,
he raised it above his head and said:
"This way, my men, follow me!" They
arrived at the top of the lalll and were
In among the enemy’s guns. Three lines
of blue coats were rapidly advancing to
meet them, but the remnants of Pickett s
glorious division, obeying Armlstead’s
last command, closed up and charged Into
the ranks of 36,000 blue coats and held
their position for a quarter of an hour.
Armistead fell dead while leading this
last charge. Those who were not killed
or captured slowly fell back. The enemy
followed for a short distance, then stop
ped.
The remnant of the division retired to
the place whence they started and faced
about to fight again, when the enemy
should make his grand advance all along
his line, as General Lee fully expected
him to do. But no counter move was
made on the part of the enemy. General
Lee, having rearranged his line of battle,
waited all that night, all the next day and
until midnight of the second day when he
slowly withdrew his whole army, retired
across the Potomac river into Virginia
and halted to rest. The enemy followed
him to the river and stopped.
Thus ended the battle of Gettysburg.
CATLETT CONWAY,
Sergeant Co. A, 7th Va. In. of Vols.
Richmond, Va.
In the Rear of the I Oth Ga.
One morning shortly after the battle of
Seven Pines I strolled off from the camp
with a party of eight or ten other young
men of our regiment, and almost uncon
sciously wandered into a place of such
genuine enjoyment that we remained
away for three or four days, regardless
of roll-calls or other military require
ments.
We had a very happy time Indeed, and
the remembrance of it constitutes one of
the bright spots In the dark background
of my war memories. A forbidden fruit
is always the sweetest, so our happiness
on this occasion seemed much enhanced
by the element of sinfulness that was in
it. I was somewhat unwell that morning,
and although I wanted no medicine, I re
ported to the doctor to get excused from
duty for that day, and, as my invariable
custom was, I threw away the medicine
he gave me as soon as I could do so un
observed, and returned to my quarters to
enjoy my holiday. Soon after my return
I was aroused from my repose by the
drum sounding for the well known long
roll, which was the signal for the imme<
diate assembling of the men for some
emergency, and was generally understood
to mean for us to prepare for an engage
ment with the enemy. As usual It pro
duced great commotion in the camp. Men
rushed to and fro excitedly. Mounted
couriers dashed recklessly through the
camp, non-commissioned officers stouted
vociferously “fall in,” “fall in,” some of
them occasionally emphasizing the com
mand with a profane epithet. The sick
were ordered to assemble at the doctor’s
quarters, and there we received the rather
indefinite order to “go back to the rear,”
and in the excitement and hurry of the
moment, the order was given us without
any limitation of time or distance. We
started off immediately, and although the
excitement In camp proved to be a false
alarm, no effort was made to have us re
called and we went on, Ignorant of the
new turn of affairs in camp. We traveled
leisurely along, stopping occasionally for
such amusement as our varying environ
ments suggested, and finally stopped to
rest In the shade of some trees In front
of a neat, trim cottage that nestled in a
spacious, well kept flower garden. We
lingered long around those charming
premises, admiring the bright flowers, the
well pruned shrubbery, the vine-clad trel
lises and inhaling the fragrant perfumes
that pervaded the air.
Two young men, in the meantime, had
wandered away, and while prowling
around the premises, had discovered that
the occupants of the house were gone.
They by some means effected an entrance
into the house, and after opening the front
door, invited us in. We found the house
elegantly furnished, the pantry well
stocked with provisions and the garden
teeming with vegetables. We kindled a
fire In the stove at once and proceeded to
cook dinner, with which we served our
selves in elegant chinaware on very fine
table linen. No thought of remaining
away from camp over night had up to this
time been entertained by any of us, but
before we were ready to start back there
arose a very J>ad thunder storm, which
kept us indoors until dark, and then the
CHRISTMAS IN THE
PETERSBURG TRENCHES
The field works erected in defense of
Petersburg, Va., beginning at the Appo
mattox river’s southern bank and thence
running southerly and westerly, were held
during the winter’ of 18G4-65 by General
Bushrod Johnson’s division. Four brigades
constituted this division. Ex-Governor
Henry A. Wise, of Virginia, commanded
one, Ex-Senator Matt W. Ransom, of
North Carolina led a second, a third was
from South Carolina and Grade’s brigade
from Alabama was the fourth. Georgia
was represented In this brigade by one
company in the Twenty-fifth North Car
olina regiment. Bab Phinlzy was captain
of this company, and instead of feeling an
alien he was probably better known and
certainly as well liked as any officer in
the brigade. His high spirits never quailed
before the miseries of the times. During
the winter he was appointed or elected a
justice of the peace. He bld us good-bye
with tears In his eyes. He Informed us
that he was a judge, and though It was
hard to credit. It was believed that he
would preside over one of the courts of
record—a court of law and equity.
Strange to say, Wise’s brigade had seen
but little warfare until the selge of Pe
tersburg began. The others were seasoned
veterans. During the autumn of 1864 two
brigades were in the intrenchments and
two were withdrawn for rest and recuper
ation every two weeks. More or less fight
ing was going on dally and the stress and
strain on the men In the trenches were
terrible. On one occasion the enemy made
a heavy demonstration in Wiso's front
.and it was so formidable that part of the
brigadd were driven from the works. Ran
som’s brigade soon appeared and drove
the Federate back and the former situ
ation was re-established.
When the brigades alternated In the
trenches their ingenuity was taxed to
make their condition less severe. Planks
and boards were highly prized to make
bunks, and when one brigade left the
trenches and did not carry with them al!
their belongings the Incoming brigade, es
pecially the Twenty-fifth North Carolina,
appropriated to its use thenceforth and
forever whatever was left behind. Wise’s
brigade, being nearer home, had more
of these‘conveniences than any other. On
one occasion, when relieved by Ransom’s
brigade a Virginian said as the soldiers
passed each other: “Don't you fellows tako
the planks we are leaving here. You can
use them, but leave them when you go
out. Don’t take them away, like you did
before.” “We never took you-uns plank
nor nothin you-uns ever left,” indignantly
answered a tarheel mountaineer.” "Yes
you have; you take all we leave,” replied
half a dozen Virginians. “Yes we-uns did
take one thing you’uns left ’bout six weeks
ago,’’ retorted one ot the Carolinians. “One
thing! You own up to one do you? We’d
like to know what it was we left that
you say you took.” “These lines,” was the
silencing answer.
It is difficult to realize the life the sol
dier led in the Intrenchments east of
Petersburg. The llne.s of the contending
armies were less than a quarter of a mile
apart, and about a mile from the river
>at the point the ,Confederate line pre
sented a salient angle they were opposed
by a re-entrant of the federate on Hare’s
Hill, crowned by a fort of twenty-four
guns and mortars, some of the latter
throwing a two hundred pound shell. Not
a day or night passed but what more or
less firing was going on and the south
ern soldiers gave the place on Hale’s
hill the appropriate name of Fort Hell.
More than a year before Ransom’s bri
gade had been encamped on Major Hare’s
place and then an incident occurred
which I will here relate, as it will ex
plain something further on.
Colored women visited the brigade often
bringing cooke'd food of various kinds,
which they disposed of to the soldiers.
A member of the 49th North Carolina
bought a meat pie one day and when eat
ing it his suspicions were aroused. He
carried it to the regimental surgeon, who
examined it and pronounced it dog meat.
Each regiment of the brigade had a sou
briquet and sometimes two, and hence
forth the 49th was known as the dogeat
ers.
To return, some men were killed and
wounded dally. Rains flooded the ditches
and fuel was extremely scarce. The men
were furnished with a small supply of
coal from the mines of Chesterfield coun
ty, which they tried to burn in the open
air or on the fireplaces of their clay
chimneys. The dally ration was at the
temptation to remain in those comfort
able quarters and sleep In clean, dry beds
was too great to be overcome. After
breakfast next morning we discussed the
propriety of returning to camp, but it was
agreed that, since our leave of absence
was unlimited and our fare so much better
than we could expect In camp, we had
better tarry a little longer.
We were amply provided with means of
amusement. We found a checker board;
some of the men had brought their decks
of cards with them, and there was a
piano to practice upon, though none of us
could play a regular tune. I being an In
veterate bookworm, found the library my
chief attraction. Os course we all knew
very well our conduct was altogether
wrong, but our moral sensibilities had
been so blunted by former misdeeds that
conscientious scruples interfered very lit
tle with these enjoyments. We refrained
from any malicious or unnecessary dam
age to the property and were much trou
bled over the supposed ruin of a lamp
we had used. None of us had ever used
a lamp nor knew anything about the
principles of lamp lights. We found one
in the house and after learning to light
It, we used It to light up the room. But be
fore we left It went out and all our efforts
to relight it were unavailing. We feared
we had ruined it entirely and regretted
very much that we had ever molested It.
After lamps became more common, In la
ter years, I have been led to suspect that
the only damage we did to that lamp was
to exhaust the oil.
On the fourth day of our sojourn we
planned to have an extraordinarily swell
dinner and all hands worked faithfully
most of the morning In Its preparation.
Some worked on pies and pastry in the
kitchen while others gathered and prepar
ed the vegetables for cooking. We got
everything on the stove in due time and
the process of cooking went on very sat
isfactorily, but about noon, while we were
engaged in spreading the dinner on the
table and congratulating ourselves upon
the success of every detail of our plans,
we were interrupted by the sudden ap
pearance of Colonel Alfred Cummings, the
commander of our regiment, who was re
turning from Richmond on horseback and
had recognized some of our party who
happened to be in the front yard.
He raised a storm of reproaches against
us and compelled us all to come out to
him Instantly and form ourselves into line
to be marched back to camp. It was the
most inopportune interruption of happy
prospects that could be imagined. We left
our big dinner partly on the table and the
remainder on the stove cooking, and all
untasted. We explained to the colonel the
Indefiniteness of the orders under which
we had been so long absent, but he refused
to believe it until we got back to camp
and had our statements corroborated. We
all expected some pretty severe punish
ment for the violation of army regulations,
especially since the colonel himself had
personally caught vs, but to our intense
gratification, no further notice was Aver
taken of it. Colonel Cummings was pro
moted to brigadier general and was one
of the south’s best soldiers.
PRIVATE D. L. WALDEN,
"Tenth Georgia Regiment.
best about four ounces of meat, half a
pound of flour, sometimes little coffee
brought through the blockade of Wil
mington; tobacco and some salt. Few
had an overcoat or more than one blan
ket. There were but few who in their
secret hearts did not foresee the rapidly
approaching end.
But the merciful author of our being
has implanted In each soul a seed which
germinates and flowers in defiance of
every obstacle. Men can bear
up surprisingly when associated In mis
fortune, and we had faith in that leader
who never had failed us. We believed
that General Lee would not permit us to
be sacrificed when the struggle became
hopeless and so long as he remained there
were thousands who resolved to adhere
to him. But had a chance shot killed him
any time during that winter it is uncertain
whether any other general could have held
the army together, so evident was the
desperation of the situation and so great
was their confidence in him.
Several weeks before Christmas some
good hearted person, probably’a woman,
suggested that Virginia give a dinner—a
real old-fashioned Christmas dinner to the
army of Northern Virginia. The few news
papers that remained gave a hearty sup
port to the proposal, and It was a theme
in many bomb-proofs and picket holes.
It became resolved upon, and we were
told that we should have an old time,
“before the war,” dinner, such as the
high-bred, hospitable gentry of “ole Fer
glny never tires ” used to set before
their guests.
Sunday, the 25th of December, 1864, was
an ideal day to be the anniversary of the
Nativity. Clear, yet not cold, nature
seemed in sympathy with the blessed
time. The sun came up and the first day
for many months looked upon the armies
who were not carrying on the work of
death. It seemed as though each had
agreed to suspend their deadly efforts for
one day. A head could appear for a sec
ond or two above the parapet and in full
sight of the enemy and not have a dozen
minnie balls fired at it. Both sides sodh
discovered that the orders to fire at an
enemy whenever in sight were being dis
obeyed. The men had suspended their
work without being so ordered and in a
few’ minutes they were passing in full
sight of each other, shouting the compll
ment& of the season, giving invitations to
cross over and take a drink, to come to
dinner, to come back into the Union, to
con»e over and get a plug es tobacco and
other amenities, which were a singular
contrast to the asperities of war. Several ,
times a group of three or four from each
side would dash out from the trenches In
spite of the commands of the officers and
meet midway, have a rapid exchange of
drinks, tobacco and other objects. To a
visitor ignorant of war it would have ap
peared Incredible that the men thus fra
ternizing had been trying to kill each oth
er for years. Some time after noon a
Yankee who was very tipsy staggered up
to the trenches occupied by the Thirty
fifth North Carolina regiment, and after
trying in vain to climb over, begged to
be helped. He was pulled across and was
soon asleep. This seemed to be getting
too strong, and upon Its being reported
to General ransom, he ordered the man
to be sent back as soon as possible and a
rifle to be fired, but not at the enemy.
The Forty-ninth regiment was nearest
the general’s bomb-proof, and according
ly a rifle was discharged upward from it.
This was the first shot that had broken
the peacefulness of the day in the writ
er’s hearing. I was in the trenches when
it was flred, and instantly every man who
had been exposing himself was out of
sight of an enemy. Perfect silence fol
lowed. Everyone, not knowing the cause
of the single discharge, expected some
thing much more important to succeed.
But the quiet was profound until the ex
planation circulated through the Confed
’erate lines. When Bob Phifer, of Com
pany D, Thirty-fifth North Carolina regi
ment, reared his burly form above the
parapet and called out, “Say, Yank, let’s
talk some more. Bring a drink to the
picket holes and I’ll carry some tobacco,”
the answer came from a soldier in blue,
who also showed himself, “No, some of
you Johnnies fired at us.”
“ 'Twas only one of them d—d Dogeaters
who shot In the air. You won't get hurt.
Come on,” repeated Bob, whose supply
of liquor was exhausted and who wished
for more. '
DO YOU SHOOT? - __
If you do you should send your name and address on a postal card for •
WINCHESTER
GUN CATALOGUE. , JJ S « s / REE l
It illustrates and describes ail the different Winchester Rifles, Shotguns and
Ammunition, and contains much valuable information. Send at once to the
Winchester Repeating Arms Co., New
WONDERFUL
CLUBBING BARGAIN
By special arrangement we are enabled to I and interest of Its contents, and la undoubtedly !
offer the American Agricultvxibt. the leading | the beet and most practical pspsv et .
agricultural weekly of the Middle ana kind.
Southern States, in olub with this paper, at The readers of this Journal know its votaa
an exceedingly low figure. The Ambkkun INo words, therefore, descriptive of it STS NNN
Agriculturist is remarkable for the variety | in this announcement
■HXeRICAN —'
.Agriculturist,
THE LEADING AGRICULTURAL AND HONE WEEKLY
It* Farm Feature* Such as Live baa reliable Special Coi jeep end eata st the
lt» rarm roam res, stocks Dairy- General and Local Market Centers all over
ing. Horticulture, Poultry, Market Gar- the United States.
dening, and other topics, written by Practical _i|„ _ Short Stories,
and Successful Farmers, supplemented with TWHIliy re»LUF— S Lateqt FSwIC
Illustrations by able artists, combine to make Jons, Fenny Work. The Good Cook, Talka
it invaluable to those who “farm for a living.’’ w ith the Doctor, Puzzle Contests, Library
The Latest Markets and Commercial Ag- Corner, and Young Folk’s Psge, combine to
riculture. Crop Reports in their season, make this departmeat of as much value and ia-
Condensed Farm News, and Letters among terest as most of the Special Family Amen,
the Farmers are Leading Features In which THE MAGAZINE FOItML Each fasos
the Amkrioan Agriculturist is not excelled. It cemes out with a neat cover, Mto M pegs*
i QAMPI P PLIPV ot Ambrioax Agriculturist will bo mailed to you by sildrossing
n 0 A WILL L>Ul I AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST'S* Laftsyetto Place* Now York.
OUR SPECIAL OFFER
Semi-Weekly Journal .......31,00
American Agriculturist 1.00
$2.00
Both One Year for Only SI.OO
Address all orders to
The Atlanta Journal,
Atlanta, Ga.
The Semi-Weekly Journal reaches
the subscribers twice a week, and ths
New York World three times a week,
which will give you five papers per
week, all for sl£o. Address The Jour*
nal, Atlanta, Qa.
BY
E. B. SANDERS,
Ransom's Brigade.
By this time every man who had the
means and desire to become drunk was in
that condition. Some had received sup
plies of food and drink from home, which,
of course, were divided with the many
who had not.
The shot before spoken of was the only
one I remember to have heard during
Christmas. The calm was main
tained until the following day. There
was mueffi activity, frolic and fun in the
trenches,but the day, compared with many
which preceded and followed, was one of
Sabbatical calm. I attended church in
the forenoon in the city and heard the
Rev. Dr. Platt, who 'was esteemed by
many to be the most eloquent preacher of
Petersburg. Besides my own rations 1
was a guest at three different dinners,
afld ate at each what would be ■ full
meal to a sufficiently fed man. I expected
cholera morbus, but escaped.
It is a melancholy proof of the destitu
tion to which the people of the grand
commonwealth of Virginia had reached
in 1864, with her armies, one hostile, tear
ing her bosom, that the dinner Intended
for General Lee’s army was a complete
failure so far as I know.
The part for Johnson’s division reached
us about the end of the first week in
January. I was directed by General Ran
som to divide the dinner sent to his bri
gade among the five regiments which
constituted it. I suppose the brigade con
tained between twelve and fifteen hundred
men. My task was not difficult. Each
regiment was nearly equal in numbers,
and the dinner was divided Into five equal
parts. One man could carry easily the
quantity distributed to one regiment and
not be much weighted. After all had
been divided as nearly equal as possible,
there was a jar containing about a quart
of apple butter. Despairing of dividing
this, I took it for my share, and it was
very good. •
I have been informed by several of
them who did it, that on the nights of
Christmas eve and Christmas the soldiers
from both sides fraternized In the picket
holes and agreed not to shoot during
Christmas and tried to reach an agree
ment by which they would not endeavor
to kill each other when momentarily ex
posed above the parapet. They could not
succeed in the latter altogether, but one
man has told me since that after that
day he nevey tried to kill a soldier on the
other side, except In the battles he partic
ipated in during the ensuing fifteen weeks.
Many visits wre made on that day,
and friends from the same community
in distant states, who had been long sep
arated saw each other, some for the last
time. To the entire army, as I was in
formed, it was a day of cheer, one bright
spot in the gloom of present distress and
Impending defeat.
That Christmas day taught many of
the soldiers of both armies that their
enemies were such only in name—that in
reality there was no hatred between them
as human beings, and that they were all
subjects of the same feelings and pas
sions, when the star of the south sunk
forever at Appomattox courthouse, and
these same men met for the last time
without attempting to destroy each other.
If a harsh word passed from those of our
army to any of the other during the days
the paroles were being given, I never
heard of it.
Thousands of good wishes were given
by the soldiers In blue to us who were
going to our homes, and they surely must
have been the sincere speech of the heart;
and some of the seeds may have been
planted the previous Christmas.
CASTOR IA
For Infants and Children.
’he Kind You Haye Always Bought
iguaturn of
It has been often remarked that respon
sibility begets conservatism. Those who
expected or feared that President Roose
velt would be a rough rider in politics and
a wild-animal hunter in statesmanship
will find an answer in his message.—ln*
dianapolls Journal.
I CURE BLOOD POISON
I have studied and treated blood poison for
twenty years My ?rtglnsl method of treat
ment has proven successful in some of the ,
worst cases on record. My treatment Is thor
ough and cures the diseases to star cored.
Write me fully about your case. J. Newton
Hathaway, M.D., 38 Inman Bldg , Atlanta, Oa.
—
T 1 TITPO d * lre • monthly Bardatur that
I. A 111 MiX cannot fall will ol ease address with
UA LI IXIU stamp. Dr. Stevens. Buffalo. N.Y.
TELEGRAPHY
taught thoroughly and quickly; positions aa*
cured Catalog free.
Georgia Telegraph Schoch Senoia, ttk.
?-3aDaySoreSx
wF tarnish the week and Wash yen free, yes week la
the locality whore yon lire. Send »• yew eddnee sad we will
explain the trasmees tally, reeeoaher wo twemtee a clear preM
of 83 for everyday's woek,abeolutely sore. Write at eaee.
boiaj. ■jurcracToaag co, BezOSs,
ITT TTTOI7PT7 habit positively cured at home,
YV H IM\ Pi I without pain or detention from ,
HUILILUI business. AU correspondence
strictly confidential. LITHIA SPRINGS CLRB
CO., B. H Veal, M’gr., 70S Austell B’ldg,
Atlanta. Ga. .
BLOOD POISON
■ Either primary, secondary or tertiary Syphilis
use of Met vary or loaide of rotaan, vy u» wot>
derful Herbalis Compound, a few weeks’ use of which
makes a clean, healthy being, after complete failure with
the Hut Springs and other treatment. Full information;
OFFER EXTRAORDINARY.,
We prepay express charges anywhere tn
Georgia on all goods from >1.75 a gallon up.
provided order is for two gallons or more, all |
shipped to one address.
For $2.40 1
We will send you a gallon of our elegant |
Daniel Boone Kentucky Sour Mash Whiskey— !
express prepaid. You often pay or *•* i
goods not as good. For 83.26 only wo will de«}
liver four quarts of our famous
Charges prepaid to any part of Georgia
We sell Qt GM,
XX Rye J » IJ-W
Peerless Rye ........ ......... .9 J™
Elk Run Bourbon .. .........I J 0 J-OJ
Blue Grass Rye ......w.....« . 0 3
Old Private Stock ......••.•••m.mw • I
Mt. Vernon Rye. 7 years 01d...„, M L 0 8.68
Original Monogram Rye J- J •
Pennbrook Penns Rye .....'l-SS 8-W
Best Double Stamp Gin ......_ IW
Corn Whiskey, Gin, Brandies and sweet
goods from 81.25 a gallon up. Wines from 750.
a gallon up. • ' • .
We are the only people to Macon *P uln <
the famous Kennesaw Cora. Only 8* ® PW
gallen. Best in Georgia.
SCHLITZ, the beer that dope not mate you
bilious or give you headaches
No charge for Jugs.
Sam & Ed Welchaelbaum, •*
451 Cherry St., Macon, Ga.
_— . I 1 j .
BIG KENNEL SHOW
ON AT MADISON SQUARE
NEW YORK, Dec. 19.—The first bench
show of the Ladles’ Kennel Association
of America was begun at Madison Square ;
Garden yesterday.
New dogs from England In the bull dog,
collie and terrier classes were benched.
There was a strong lot of fox terriers
present. Including English and American J
champions. • /I
The awards follow:
Class 1: Rough coated St. Bernards, j
puppies, dogs, first, the Challenger, Co* i
lumbla Kennels. r” * )
Class 66: Pointers, puppies, dogs and •
bitches: first, Westlake Faust, Westlake ,
Pointer Kennels, Scranton, Pa *
Class 110: Field spaniels, novic* dogs;
first Othello, Mrs. Clement R. Newboide,
Philadelphia.
If your subscription has expired and
you wish to get our next Issue send us
a money order or register us >l, select ,
your premium, and your subscription
will be renewed for one year. Don’tj
delay.