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THE SUNNY SOUTH, ATLANTA; GEORGIA, SEPTEMBER 2C 189#
Cjray "» Jtye Blue.
vo lormcKK mom aits wo me if.
To th« generation of people who
hate aprang to maturity in the South
ainoe the war, we put this question :
Are you indifferent toward, or forget
ful of,the Confederate soldier? Search
YOUR HEARTS AND ANSWKR! The mis-
sion of this page is to emphasize the im
portance of keeping alive in the South
ern breast the emotions of sympathy
and gratitude due to the '‘Veterans of
the South.” Is there a true Southern
man, woman, or child, who will not
xealoualy aid this cause by increasing
the circulation of The Sunny Sout_"?
This page is designed in addition, as a
depository of detached historical inci
dents of the war between the States.
It Is a standing, and one of the most
highly valued departments of The
Sunny South. Historians cannot
■pare spaoe or time to record the min-
utlsB of marches, battles and sieges.
They must be gathered and preserved
in a fragmentary manner by the scat
tered survivors of the strife, or be lost
to posterity forever. Therefore to all
men and women who from experience,
or recital ef veterans, know of inter
esting happenings of the war,a cordial
invitation—yea more—an earnest so
licitation is extended to contribute to
The Gray and The Blue. Ex-Federal
veterans are included within the pur
view of this paragraph, and good short
poems are desirable as well as prose
sketches. Ed. Sunny South.
THE SAME CANTEEN.
There are bond of all sorts in this world of
onrs.
Fetters of friendship and ties of flowers,
and true lover’s knots, 1 ween;
The girl and the boy are bound by a kiss,
Bat there's never a bond, old friend, like this,
We have drank from the same Canteen I
It was sometimes water, and sometimes milk,
And sometimes apple-jack “fine as silk
But whatever the tipple has been
We shared it together In bane or bliss,
And I warm to yon, friend, when I think of
this.
We drank from the same Canteen 1
The rioh and the great sit down to dine.
They quaff to each other in sparkling wine,
From glasses of crystal and green;
Bat I guess in their golden potations they miss
The warmth of regard to be found in this.
We drank from the same Canteen 1
We have shared our blankets and tents togeth-
, er.
And have marched and fonght m all kinds of
weather,
And hungry and fall we have been;
Had days of battle and days of rest,
Bug this memory l ding to and love the best,
We drank from the same Canteen 1
For when wounded 1 lay on the center slope,
With my blood flowing fast and but little hope
Upon which my faint spirit could lean;
#h f then I remember you crawled to my side.
And bleeding so fast it seemed both must have
died.
We drank from the same Canteen.
Tlytss Ossstr,
Tennessee,
Reunion.
Oonfederate
Bxmtob Sunny South:
Annually on the second Thursday in
August the Confederate Association of
Tipton county, Tennessee, holds a reunion
At Brighton, a small town near Covington,
where there are many springs of splendid
water. The occasion always brings to
gether a thousand or two of the citizens of
that county and quite a number of visi
ters from the adjoining oonnties.
Memphians delight to go and spend the
day meeting friends ana acquaintances.
The exercises consists of addresses from
selected speakers, music, hand-shaking,
And best of all—a spread of good things,
such as barbecued lamb, shoat, kid, and
all the nice things which go to make up a
superb dinner.
The reunion oocurred lest month,
on the 17 th. The attendance was
large and the enjoyment equal to
thooe of former years. This was the
seventeenth one. The society held an an-
nnal meeting end announced the next re
union tor 18M. Tipton county, Tenn., is
one of the beet in the western district.
This oounty responded largely in the war
With four cavalry companies, four in
fantry and one artillery, and stuck it out
to the surrender. The “old sojers” are
■Ming fast, and when I looked upon their
whitened heads, wrinkled faces and the
bent forms of those there that day as they
moved in oolumn around the grounds to
the strains of “Dixie” it awaxened memo-
>!•• of the long ago, and I could not resist
moiotened eyes. We, of the gray, have no
•*Q. A. R.” bat we|do have a kindly and
E pathetic feeling for one another, and
will last so long as we tread this vale
at tears, end it cannot be stamped ont.
Tea, “blest be the tie that binds,* us to
•eoh other, and may our reunions be a
VOwoe of enjoyment to ns while we live.
Among those who belong to the Tipton
county Confederate Society are Colonel
William Sanford, chairman; J. W. Green,
secretary; and of the active
members are Col. C. B. Simonton, N. W.
Baptist, A. W. Smith, Joe Forsyth, J. B.
Fnlton, Dr. C. W. Roane, J. B. Pracey,
Capt J. I. Hall and A. D Merrill. The
Society is accumulating funds to erect a
monument in the court house grounds in
Covington, to the memory of the Confed
erate braves of Tipton county. They are
taking their time about it and do not ap
pear to be in a hurry and will receive do
nations of any amount.
The youngest “rebs” on the ground at
the re-uniou were Col. William Sanford,
of Covington, and Judge J. P. Young, of
Memphis, who entered tbe army undetf
age. Both were in the cavalry service
and served under Gen. Forrest.
Judge Young was attached to the 7th
Tennessee Cavalry, a regiment which
made a famous name in the service. He
has written and published a history of
the service and daring exploits of this reg
iment. which will perpetuate its deeds
and triumphs in the war. H. L. P.
Memphis, Tenn.
TBE yifTEESTH GEORGIA.
Daughter of Coloaal MeIoto»h Will
Write It* Blitory.
GEN. ADAM JOHNSON.
Life and
A Belle From Idfe.
For This Page.
It was one of those days the first of the
present month when we were sitting on
the front piazza as the evening shadows
drew nigh.
You know the balmy days of September
are a sort of mixture of summer and win
ter that makes a fellow feel like knocking
about forever.
Well, that’s the way we felt, only we
didn’t knock about any.
The only reason we didn’t knock about,
though, was on account of the stringency
of the money market, and the general de
pression of our pocket-books.
However, we were happy. If we couldn’t
knock about we could stay at home, and
on this evening we fonnd ourselves en
joying the contentment of a contented
tamily. Nothing had been said for a half
minute, and the silence was becoming
painful, when I remarked to Pa that he
might tell us a war story; “something per
sonal, etc., you know.”
"Ah, my boy, that remark recalls a pe
riod of my life that now seems as a dream.
Four years of strife and battle, hunger and
privation, nakedness and thirst, that oc
curs to my mind as vividly as if ’twas only
yesterday that the experience occurred.
But it is over now.
“Ah ha, I’ll tell you of a little incident
that oocurred to me one day. It was a
day in early spring. Oar company was
marching along a road in north Missis
sippi—over in DeSoto County, yon know—
and the birds chirped so merrily by the
way-side that we bad almost forgotten we
were in the midst of war. Wild flowers
wereblooming here and there, and as we
marched along the beautiful scene made
some of the boys home-sick. But it didn’t
last long. The road we were on
emerged into another, and not more
than fifty yards from where they came
together there was a short turn in the one
we were traveling amounting almost to a
right angle. Well, we were going along
thinking of home and a thousand other
things without any advance guard, when
suddenly we tnrned the carve, ahd there
immediately in front of us on the main
road was drawn up in battle array a com
pany of federal infantry. Our commander
said, “Every fellow for himself” and im
mediately we were all on the run. I was
slower about getting off than the others,
and as I pitched off through the woods
with the yankees after me I run into a
fence that prohibited my escape that way.
I saw that I would not have time to let
fence down, so I turned my horse back to
wards tbe main road where they had been
drawn up. As I ,did so they divined my
purpose and made a short cut through the
woods to head me off. I saw that it
would be close, but my horse was as fleet
as ever lived, and I put spurs to him.
Well sir, as I entered the road they were
not more than fifteen feet from me. One
of them. “D you, halt,” and fired. But
halting was out of the question, for my
horse was as afraid of a gun report as
your Ma is of a mouse, and the very mo
ment they fired he plunged forward with
renewed energy. They followed firing.
They must have fired a hundred times at
me and how I esoaped the fire is one of
those many unexplainable mysteries of
such incidents. On and on I went when
suddenly before me I saw a comrade and
his horse mired in the mud of a narrow
boggy stream, I couldn’t stop. It was
impossible going at the rate I was, and
besides to stop meant captivity. I decided
to leap my comrade if possible-
So putting sptlrs to my horse, he went
with renewed energy and leaped the
stream, going over my comrade and his
horse without so much as touching them.
As he jumped the poor fellow pleaded for
me to stop and help him ont. The plea
touched me, but I conld not stop.
Just beyond the stream was another
oomrade whose horse bad been crippled by
the firing at me. He must have been two
or three hundred yards in my advance
and the ballets whizzed passed me to
strike others.
He, too, claimed my attention, and as I
left the poor fellow my heart went out in
pity for him.
He was captured, as was also the sol
dier in the mud.
Oh, I tell you, my Doy, it was a close
call, but I escaped without a mark.”
“What become of the fellows who were
captured ? Did your ever see them after
ward?”
“Well, no. The one in the mire was
taken to prison, and I was told that after
being in prison about two years he died.
The other I never heard of. I suppose he
died, too.
Ah, I’ll never forget that day; it was
the narrowest escape I ever made.”
Eugene Edwards
Editor Sunny South :
I am anxious to get all the information
possible, in regard to the 15th Georgia
Regiment, and ask that you will kindly
aid me by publishing this communication,
on the “Gray and Blue” page.
I wish to write a history of the regiment,
and if I can get statistics and other mate-
terial, which the surviving members can
surely give me, I will undertake to pre
serve the memories of one of tbe bravest
of the old Confederate regiments.
It will be remembered by many, that
the 15th Georgia Regiment was ordered
ont on the evening of the 27th of June,
1861, “to feel the strength of the enemy.”
They fought gallantly, and, in a desper
ate charge against eleven Federal
regiments, many officers were
killed and the ranks sadly thinned. Col.
Wm. M. McIntosh, commanding, was mor
tally wounded and died three days after
ward, in Richmond.
When I stood by my father's humble
grave in the little Heardmont Cemetery,
the other day, my soul was filled with re
gret. I cannot willingly allow the old
regiment, its brave officers and dauntless
men to be forgotten.
Men of the Fifteenth Georgia regiment,
will you, for the sake of the loved dead,
help by giving me names, dates, figures
and facts ? Bits of information, it matters
not how small, will be thankfully re
ceived, carefnlly revised and put in place
Annie McTntosh Wall.
Augusta, Ga., Sep. 7, 1893.
Death of a Famous
lucky Souldler.
Re
organize the Camps I
Headquarters United Confederate
Veterans.
New Orleans, La., Sept. 1st, 1803.
My Dear Comrade:—The General Com
manding desires that you be placed in
possession at once of the fullest informa
tion regarding the rapid growth of the U.
C. V. Association, and he appeals to you
and to all the Camps and Veterans to act
quickly and aid in organizing as many
camps aa possible before the Reunion at
Birmingham, October 2nd and 3rd next.
The following summary of camps by
States shows 378 camps organized to date;
about one hundred applications for papers
and instructions for organizing camps
have been received, and the General Com
manding hopes to see the representatives
of 500 camps marshaled under the U. C. V.
banner at Birmingham.
Please promptly issue an address and
write private letters, calling upon veter
ans to organize immediately and report to
these headquarters, either by letter or
telegram, as camps will be admitted up to
the day of the meeting. Commanders and
officers of camps and veterans everywhere
are requested to act quickly and assist in
organizing camps.
Please publisn in yonr papers, it may
aroose interest and stimulate tbe old Vet
erans to organize and be represented at
Birmingham.
N. EJTex. Div., 56; W. Tex. Div., 28; S
E. Tex Div. 19; N. W. Tex. Div. 13; S. W.
Tex. Div. 12; total Texas. 128; Alabama,
52; Mississippi, 37; Louisiana, 30; Florida,
26; KentucKy, 25; Arkansas, 19; Tennes
see, 15; South Carolina, 14: North Caro
lina, 8; Georgia, 7; Virginia, 7; Oklahoma,
4; Div. of the N W., 2; Indian Territory,
2; Missouri, 1; District of Columbia, 1; to
tal, 378.
Fraternally,
Geo Moorman,
Adjutant General and Chief of Staff.
Note: I favor the formation of several
camps in a county, for the reason if only
one camp at the county seat it is difficult
to get those members who are remote to
attend meetings, whereas if there are sev
eral camps the members will be nearer to
the meeting place, and will attend meet
ings and take more interest.
A Rebel Borse.
For the Gray and the Blue Page.
I wonder if any of yonr readers ever
beard of a rebel horse? My father owned
one daring the war. He was very gentle;
a lady conld drive him anywhere. If we
were not rebels the horse was surely one;
he hated yankees “wusen pizen.” When
one rode into the lot where he was, he ran
as if he would break his neck, and actually
hid. At one time a Confederate soldier
was sick at my father’s for several weeks,
and when he began to get better, we
thought it would improve mm to take a
l> n gl?F ride He wore a blue looking suit,
something like the yankees. We had the
horse and buggy brought into the yard
and near the door for the young man to
get in, as he was very weak.
The old horse rolled his big white eyes
around and saw him. That was enough.
He broke and ran all around ths yard like
a “whirlwind,” until he was caught be
tween a bouse and the yard fence, tore
loose from everything, threw his head up
and snorted, as much as to say: “I can’t
pull that blue jacket I”
We all laughed until almost sick—
except my father. He got mad and
spit around generally, said the harness
was torn to pieces and the horse was
ruined, “because that boy was wearing
them bluish looking clothes.” My broth
er made a negro catch him, hitched him
again as well as could be with the broken
harness, and he got in and drove him
around the lot several times, and he
seemed subdued, but alas! when he saw
that same bine jacket, he was mad again—
danced and pranced, all the way to where
he was going. Every word of this is true,
but the old horse is dead now.
Hedied long ago, long ago,
He’s gone where he*d see blue coats
no more.
R. E. M.
A ton of sea water is supposed
contain about 14 grains of gold.
to
[By George C. Stedman in Missouri
publican 1864 ]
Okolona, Miss., Sept. 17,1864.
Authentic information has just reached
that General Adam R. Johnson, of Wes
tern Kentucky, died on the 29th instant,
in Trigg county, in that state, from wounds
received a few days previous whilst lead
ing his command in action rear Canton,
on the Cumberland. Thus another great
Kentucky cavalier has fallen—another
bright name added to the list cf her de
parted heroes—another radiant star drop
ped from out the Confederacy’s flashing
constellation of faith and guidance in the
dark hour. They burn so brilliantly,
steadily, lovingly, we come to think they
will cheer us always; but suddenly they
p ns athwart the shy in an expiring blaze
f glory, one after another in rapid suc
cession, and leave us desolate when we
need them most.
Gen. Johnson’s achievements are of so
remarkable a character, so significantly
illustrative of that field of warfare where
to the most romantic interest will attach
for posterity, that I think a short sketch of
them will gratify your readers, at the
same time that it pays a tribute to a great
man. I obtain the following facts Irom
Lieutenant Colonel S. P. Cunningham,
formerly his Adjutant, and who was on
his way from Richmond to Kentucky,
bearing to Col. Johnson his commission as
Brigadier when tie heard of the chieftains
death.
Adam R. Johnson was born in Hender
son county, Kentucky, Feb., 1835. With
a limited education and scant purse, at
eighteen years of age he went to Burnet
county, Texas, where he soon became an
excellent surveyor, and on the wild Wes
tern prairies, contending constantly with
hostile Indians, he trained him
self to bold, hardy, self-reliant
manhood, and was known far and
wide as a useful leader of frontier life.
He came to Tennessee early in the war
and joined the greatest living leader of
cavalry, Bedford Forrest, as independent
scout, in which position of his own choos
ing he soon became celebrated in the
Western army. That portion of the army
escaping from Fort Donelson to Nashville
was indebted to the daring reconnoissances
and skillful pilotage of Johnson for the
safety of its retreat. After the enemy left
Corinth he obtained from General Breck
inridge orders to go into Kentucky to re
cruit men and collect stragglers, and, ac
companied by two troopers, he penetrated
the enemy’s lines northward from Cor
inth to Henderson county, Ky. Here he
found.men who were ready to join him if
just assured of his military ability.
He immediately conceived and executed
a design that secured the object desired—
thus: The town of Henderson was gar
risoned with 150 yankees; their quarters
were in the center of the town, their duties
were light, and, on a summer’s evening,
they assembled in groups in front of their
barracks, smoked their cigars and talked
of “squashing” the rebellion- About ten
o’clock one night Privates Johnson, Mar
tin and Hollis, with shotguns, entered the
town, advanced to within a few paces of
yankee headquarters, discharged a volley
of buckshot into a group of unsuspecting
Federals, then running to the opposite
side of the building, they discharged the
remaining barrels into another group,
and, retiring to a skirt of woods near the
town, left the Federals firing by platoons
into unoffending windows and harmless
back yards, until day-'ight revealed the
absence of the assailants.
The Louisville “Journal” announced it
as a “great fight;” that “the garrison at
Henderson was attacked by three hundred
guerrilla’s, and after six hour’s severe
fighting, the rebels were repulsed with
great slaughter; the union forces losiug
but thirteen men killed and wounded.”
Is there anything in the record of indi
vidual valor, from Icelandic traditions to
the chronicles of the cid, from Bojardo to
Rhodvick Dha, surpassing this? And yet
every word of it is strictly true. This bold
manoeuver aroused the Southern sympa
thizers. They could no longer question
the nerve and skill of the proposed lead
er.
When his squad increased to twenty-
eight men he put into execution a move
ment that stands for during and audacity
unrivalled in this or any otner war.
At Newberg, Indiana, about two hun
dred men of a Federal regiment were sta
tioned. At Johnson’s request about one
hundred and fifty unarmed citizens as
sembled opposite the town, and were
drawn up in line. Some stove-pipes were
mounted on wagon wneels, and brought to
bear with deadly aim on the besieged town.
Telling his bold Lieutenant, Martin, with
twenty men, to cross the river three miles
above, Johnson, with only eight men, en
tered a skiff and pulled for the town.
Leaving one man aa a guard at the princi
pal streets, he advanced alone to the
arsenal, expecting to find no one on duty,
and to hold it until Martin arrived. He
pushed open the door. The long spiral
stair was blue with Federal soldiers, the
glistening barrels of their rifles bearing on
his breast, their fingers nervously press
ing the triggers and each waiting for the
signal.
Here was a situation to test a man’s nerve.
To retreat was certain death; to hesitate
was equally so. He advanced to the
staircase, with his gun contemptuously
pushed up the first file of rifles bearing on
him, and, in a clear, steady command,
ordered the guard to stack arms and sur
render at the peril of their lives.
Dumbfounded the entire guard came
down the stair, stacked their arms, and
were marched into a room, at the door of
which our hero remained until Martin
with his mounted squad arrived. Thus,
by cool courage and the sublimest daring,
Johnson secured two hundred stand of
hne arms and accoutrements, one hundred
and seventy prisoners, and many supplies.
His unique artillery was not brought into
action, but it secured for the inventor the
soubriquet of “stove pipe Johnson,” by
which he became familiarly known in
that section.
For many months he remained master of
the situation in Western Kentucky
mg his command to twenty-two fni'i a "
K.en- panics; meeting the enemy i n nuSSt
force at Geiger’s Lake, Madisonvill^n° r
ensboro, and Clarkville, at the latw D °ht'
capturing more armed prisoners >, v *
hundred than his own force numbered
all the engagements where he com made!
victory perched upon his banners Tt
weeks after Bragg’s retreat from
tucky, Johnson was ordered out of n
State to join the army cf Tennessee wb\ h
he did about the 1st of December i-U
and united his command with that at
G-neral Morgan. 1
He was soon placed in command of
brigade that had been handled , u » *
sively by Breckinridge, Gano and OlukT
Throughout the long expedition through
the States of Tennessee, Kentucky, jn ( ],
ana, Ohio and the mountains of \V, 9ter J
Virginia, he particularly distinguish^
himself. R e ' 1
He it was who crossed the Ohio river at
Bellville, Va., and brought out four hun
dred of the command from the expedition*
After hardship*, of a degree almost i n !
credible, at once, without asking a d*v' 9
repose, he reported for duty at the War
Department, and was tendered a Brig*,
ship, which he generously declined,
ing for arduous duties in General Buck
ner’s Department.
From August 1st, 1863, to April, l&q he
commanded General Morgan’s division
Here his administrative abilities were
tested as those of no other officer in the
service ever were and proved of an order
higher than which none has been display,
ed in this war.
In June he was granted permission to
ero into Kentucky to recruit a command.
Oa the 4th of July he started from Atlanti
with fifty men, badly mounted, and armed
with shot guns.
He traveled six hundred miles through
the enemy’s country, and on the 1st of Au
gust was on the Ohio river recruiting,
with a success unparalleled in the history
of this war.
In sixteen days he had a large brigade,
thoagh poorly armed. At this juncture
his adjutant-general (now Lieutenant-
Colonel Commanding), was sent to Rich
mond to report action. The President
immediately commissioned Colonel John
son as Brigadier, to date from Jane l*t,
1864 He died before he received his com
mission, but not before it was due him as
the reward of achievements of which it
may be said as of those of the R mian gen
eral, “they must be measured—not num
bered.”
I remember General Johnson as a tall,
tbin, wirey man, modest iu demeanor, of
few words, abstemious, never touching
stimulants of any kind, never uttering an
oath, meditative when not aroused—tuen
with an eye and front like the god of war.
Had he lived the mantle of Morgan
would have fallen gracefully on his shoul
ders, and would have been crimsoned, if
possible, with a deeper hue in the blood
of the invader. G. C. S.
“The White Headstones.”
Rome, Ga.
Editor Sunny South :
Dear Sir: The white head stones gleam
ing just over the river keep me from for
getting the immortal dead, who sleep be
low. Every year my father conducts me
hither, he takes my little daughter by the
hand and upon graves of the 8th Mississip
pi, he places reverently garlands for his
fallen comrades in war.
This part of your paper appeals to my
heart strongly for it tells me that Southern
hearts do not forget that “they love their
country because it is their own and scorn
to give other reasons why.”
That patriotism is not on the wane that
in the struggle for bread our hearts have
not forgotten duty.
In the gathering shades of twilight we
will call our little ones about us and tell
them that though their veius comes the
blood of heroes and tt at they are scions
of a brave and dauntless race, and that
this beautiful America is the arena where
the noblest citizenship and truest man
hood should exist. What happier boast
than to say,—my ancestors settled this
country if you wish to know who I am ex
amine my genealogy. We love our sol
diers, who gave their blood to give us this
unpent Utica. In our hands abides the
destiny of our beautiful Southland, which
though once subdued will arise like Au
rora from her couch bathed in the light of
new hopes and rosy in untried ambitions.
We love her as we love our religion, and
we love the “undying aead”, who still
breath patriotism into our souls from their
unbreathing sleep.
Ethel Hillyer Harris.
Last Gun At Appomattox.
Dear Editor :
Much has been said about the man who
fired the first gun in the late civil war,
but I’ve never beard of the man who tired
the last until last week.
Please accept the following copied from
the “Daily Charlotte Observer:
On Sept. 1st Mr. Ruben Underwood,
aged about 61 years, died at Lucia, N. C-
Wednesday, from heart failure. Deceased
wm a member of Poagne’a Battalion, Co,
C., Captain Willliam’a Company.
companions say he was the last man W
tire a Confederate gun at Appomattox
Court House.
It seems that he misunderstood orders
and fired after the company had surrend
ered.
He was a good citizen and will be nti*:*-
ed in bis neighborhood.
Yours very truly,
Minnie T. Aebenathy.
Croft, N. C.
500 Camps,
Adjutant General Moorman, New Or-
leans, writes as iollows under date of Sept-
9th:
“We number 38t Camps tonight, and B
looks as if at least 500 Camps would he
marshalled on the floor of the Birmingham
Reunion.”