Newspaper Page Text
THE BANNER, FRIDAY MORNING, APRIL 26, 1912.
PAGE FIVE
SOME OF THE ATHENS IMMORTALS
Sketches of a Few of the Real Heroes and Heroines of the War Between the States, Who Lived in
Athens and Went Out From This City to the Front—Interesting
Sketch of Mrs. Robb, One of the Heroines.
TRUE STORIES OF BROTHERS
“GUARDIAN ANGEL
OF THE PRISONERS”
THE SUES OF BRAVERY
THE TEN BONE BROTHERS.
(By France* L. Mitchell, Athene, Ga.,
1907.)
Francis Janes E. Bone and bis
wife. Mildred Bone, lived In I860 In
Clarke county, Georgia. There had
been born to them 22 children, 16 of
whom bad lived to manhood and wo
manhood—10 sons and 6 daughters.
When the war broke out the brave
and loyal mother buckled on the
swords of her ten sons and sent them
all out to fight for Dixie.
These sons were Hardeman, Jona
than, James. Sanders, George. Clark.
Joseph, William, Matthew and Willis.
They were all in the Army of North
ern Virginia and fought through the
war.
Clark was .wounded and afterward
died from the effects of the wounds.
George died of smallpox during tho
war. Four sons now survive—Harde
man Bone of Forsyth. Willis Bone of
Kentucky, William Rone pf Harmony
Grove, and James Bone of Barnett
Shoals.
On April 7. 1863, being hard pressed
for necessities of life, Mrs. Bone
w rote a letter asking that one of her
sons be sent home to make a crop.
To this letter General I.ee replied.
Following is a copy of the reply taken
from the original, now in possession
of Miss Dorcas Bone, of Athens, Ga.,
c sister of the ten brothers:
"Headquarters Army of Northen Vir
ginia. April IS. 18C3.
Mrs. Mildred Bone,
Athens, Georgia.
Dear Madame:
Your letter of the 17th Inst., asking
ihe discharge or furlough of one of
C-our sons has been received. You
have set a noble example In devoting
your ten sons to the service of the
country and In encouraging them :•>
defend their homes. We need every
good soldier we have in the army.
If we allowed all to return who arc
needed at home we should soon have
no country and no homes. I sympa
thize with you in your anxieties and
privations, but I trnst your kind
1 neighbors in the patriotic State of
Georgia will not permit you to want
while your brave sons are doing their
duty manfully against the enemy.
I am respectfully your obedient
servant. R. E. I.EE, General.”
This letter of General I.ee is pre
served as a priceless legacy of the
days that are gone.
THE TEN THORNTON BROTHERS.
Wiley Thornton and his wife, Har
riet E. Thornton, sent from Clarke
county, Georgia, to the Army of
Northern Virginia three sons and lo
the Army of the West seven sons,
making ten in all. The three who
went to Virginia were Wiley A. Thorn
ton, still living in Athens; Atlas M.
Thornton, and Benjamin F. Thorn
ton. The seven brothers who went
to the Army of the West were Judson
Garland P., Macon I... David H., Ma-
lon H., Marion C., and Cincinnatus T.
THE TWELVE ELDER BROTHERS.
Ten of the Elder brothers went to
the war in the Clarke County Rifles,
and two in the Johnson Guards. The
names of these brothers were. An
drew .1., David S„ Daniel M.. Doctor
E„ Joshua T.. Dawson .1., W. Joseph.
J. C, Auburn G. W. M., William K.,
and J. H. Two of these soldiers were
killed and several of them wounded.
THE SIX BRADBERRY BROTHERS.
These six brothers went out from
Clarke county, Georgia, to fight for
Dixie. Their names were, C. C. Brad-
terry, P. W. Bradberry, John M.
Bradberry, Joseph K. Bradberry, J.
V. Bradberry, and .1. W. Bradberry.
The first four were killed during the
war. It is said that the bullet that
killed John M. passed through his hip
and wounded his brother, J. V.
THE SIX HEMRICK BROTHERS.
There were sfx Hemri k brothers
from Clarke county Georgia, in the
war. Three of them were in the
command of Major W. S. Grady, fa
ther of Henry W. Gradv.
The names of these brothers were.
Henry. David, William. Charles. Alec,
and David. Two of these brothers
Mill live in Clarke county.
It is doubtful whether any county
in the Confederate States furnished
more soldiers from as few families
as the instances recorded above.
It amply demonstrates beyond per-
adventure the situation that confront
ed the South, when every available
man was sent to the front.
TWO BROTHERS—JAMES CAMAK;
THOMAS CAMAK.
When our Georgia soldiers were
massed in Augusta in 1861 to be for
warded to Virginia. Dr. James Camak,
the eldest brother, went as regimental
rurgeon. He became an earnest and
enthusiastic member of the ‘Southern
army. He followed our men in their
marches, and was with them in their
camps, relieving the suffering of th*
sick and wounded, and giving assist
ance in every way to the helpless and
need). lie was so efficient in his en
deavors that he wa selected a mem
ber cd the famous Richmond Ambu
lance Corps, which was composed of t
PAGE FIVE—GAL, 2 St
the best men of that distinguished
city. It was a deserved compliment
and greatly appreciated. l)r. Camak
corresponded with its members until
his death
The State of Georgia cared so well
lor her sick and wounded soldiers,
that the "Georgia Relief and Hospital
Association" was established at Rich
mond, Va., with physicians, nurses
and matrons to look alter our dis
abled men at the front. Dr. Camak
v as appointed Medical Director which
gave him the rank cf a full Colonel
in Confederate service. He rendered
incalculable relief :o our troops, de
voting much of his time to the sic .t
and wounded, lavishing upon them a
care that could not have been ex
ceeded if the patients had been his
brothers. After a great battle, not
Georgians alone claimed his atten
tion; he attended, with the same un
tiring kindness, any Confederate sui-
dier that chance threw in his way.
On tile 16th of July, 1861, Mr. Thos.
Camak was appointed by Governor
Joseph E. Rrown, (who was. in vir
tue of his office, commander-in-chief,)
Captain If the Me'l Rifles. Ill the
commission, the Governor said, "1 re
pose especial trust and confidence in
yonr patriotism, valor and fidelity.”
Afterwords, he went to Virginia
with Cobb's Legion, was promoted
Major, then Colonel. His command
was in many notable battles. At
Crampton’s Gap, whe'e he was wound
ed, the Mell Rifles went into the ac
tion with 27 men, and came out with
only five unhurt.
At Gettysburg, the Georga troops
were in the fieriest of the fight. In
the second day’s battle. Colonel Thos.
Camak was acting Brigadier General
in command of Cobb's Brigade, which
was in McLaw's Division, Longstreet's
Corps, Army of Northern Virginia,
liis horso was killed under him. and
he was struck by a cannon ball that
took off his leg at the thigh, sever
ing the large artery, and he bled to
death in a few minutes.
At this time. July, 1863. Dr. Camak
was with the Georgia troops at Meri
dian. Miss., cut off by the Federal
Army, so that communication with
Virginia was difficult
The attachment between these two
brothers was very strong. One night,
ns Dr. Camak lay asleep in his tent
with four other surgeons, he was sud
denly roused by a heavy body falling
against him. He opened his eyes to
see the tent illuminated by an un-
i.atural light and his beloved broth
er, half kneeling, suffering from a
mortal wound. Before he could awak
en his companions the vision had
faded, lie asked if they bad seen
the light; they replied that they had
not: but they all noted the hour and
tlie day of the month. Dr. Camak was
so impressed that lie waited with
great anxiety for news from Virginia,
will li finally reached him by way of
Athens, Georgia, in a letter from Dr
Joseph A. Oit. 'The vision was true
except the wound w..s ill a different
place.
TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN.
GEORGIA. Clarke County:—
This is to notify the public not to
purchase nor pay off four (4) notes
executed by Walter Browner and
made payable to C. F. Kittle for the
sum of One Hundred Eight ($108.00)
Dollars each and d ie November 1st,
19ll, 1912, 1913 and 1914. and bear
ing date of November 1st, 1910.
Said notes having been deposited
with the Athens Trust & Banking
j Company for safe keeping by said
Kittle, and he having been informed
that said notes are not in the poses
sion of the receiver of said hank;
and that the said Kittle has no*
transferred nor assigned said notes
and that the same are his property
This the 23rd day of March, 1912
C. F. KITTLE.
Brief Sketch of the Life of a Noble
Southern Woman.
MRS. JAMES ROBB,
Her Unselfish and Devoted Work in
Behalf of Confederate Prisoners
During the War Between the
States-She Met Her Death* While
Relieving the Wants of the Pris
oners.
The following paper was read by
Miss Mary Linton at a meeting of the
Daughters of the Confederacy. Athens,
Ga.. 1897:
"Elizabeth Whipple Hunt Church,
daughter of Rev. Alonzo Church, D.D.,
and Sarah Trippe Church, was born
at Athens, Georgia, April 28, 1822.
Her paternal grandfather was Captain
Reuben Church, of the Continental
Army during the Revolutionary War,
belonging to the Vermont Regimenr.
Her maternal grandfather was Colonel
John Trippe, of Putnam county. Geor
gia.
She was first married to l.enis Ste
venson Craig, who at the time was a
lieutenint In the Third Infantry in
the regular Army of 'tie Edited States,
lie was promoted to Captain for gal
lant conduct in the early part of the
Mexican War, and was afterwards
twice brevetted to Major and Lieuten
ant Colonel for distinguished gallant
ry on the field of battle during the
same war. He was seriously wound
ed at Monterey, but t(covered and re
sumed his command. He was born
at Fredericksburg, Va., and his father,
Adam Craig. occupied a high position.
The Legislature ot Virginia after
the battle of Montery passed resolu
tions complimentary of Col. Craig's
(ondttet, and presented him with a
sword. He was killed while in charge
of the surveying party running boun
dary lines between Mexico and the
L'nited States after the Mexican war.
By this marriage there was one
child, Sarah Church Craig, who was
l>orn September 18. 1844. She was
married op March :>. 1867, to Pope
Harrow. She died December 28, 1881.
leaving five children, four sons and
cne daughter; Middleton Pope. Eliza-
Leth Cliun h, James, David Crenshaw,
end Craig.
In isr.9 Mrs. Craig was married a
second time to Mr. James Robb, of
New Orleans, who removed subse
quently to Chicago and afterwards to
New York.
During the Confederate war, Mrs.
llobh was living first in Chicago and
alterwards in New York. While living
in 1864, Thomas Alexander Hamil
ton was one of tlie cadets of tile Geor
gia Military Academy at Marietta.
When Sherman invaded our state
these lioys were called out with the
ti i'.itia to defend Atlanta. They toos
part in several engagements in that
viiinity and some of their number
were ki il or wounded. At a place
called Poplar Spring, one of tlie
•lets Young Goode, going In Ihe spring
for a drink was literally cut in two
by a cannon ball. Tlie authorities
sa d the cadets were too young for
such hard service and gruesome work,
so they were sent to Milledgeville,
ar.d went into camp there.
The commanding officer of these
boys was Major CiipVrs. There they
remained for sever il weeks resting,
during which time the citizens treat
ed them with great kindness. Miss
Sallie McKinley, afterwards Mrs.
Thomas Spalding of Sapelo Island,
sent Tom Hamilton sweet potatoes
end other substantial edibles.
When •Sherman left Atlanta, after
burning it. the cadets were called out
again, and did light duty defending
the country in front of the Federal
army against the raiders. At last
Macon was threatened and the cade’s
joined General Wayne’s small c»tn-
nand which was protecting the r:.ii-
rcad bridge over the Oconee river
few miles below tlie city.
On the 23rd of November these
young boys were in the trench-s
doing the service of hardened sol
diers. This fight is called the Battle
o? the Oconee Bridge. The Yankees
were on the opposite bank of the
river. They had some fine sharp-
in Chicago. Camp Douglas near that
city was filled with Confederate pris
oners, first and principally, from Fort
Donelson. She was unremitting and
devoted in her care and attention to
these prisoners. She went out to the
prison almost daily in person, nursing
the sick, furnishing them with cloth
ing, food, medicines, and money as
much as she was allowed to. She at
tended to their wants in every way
that it was possible for -her to do so,
especially nursing the sick. So mark
ed was her devotion to these Con
federate prisoners that she was sus
pected by the government at Wash
ington and spies and detectives were
sent out to watch her.
Her death was caused by a fall she
received when stepping into her car
riage from a frozen sidewalk in re
turning from the prison, where she
had been nursing these Confederate
prisoners. This fall produced Inter
nal injuries which alterwards caused
her death.
After her removal to New York she
continued to send money and supplies
and medicine to the Confederate pris
oners at Johnson Island at Fort Dela
ware and at Fort Warren. Her devo
tion to these suffering Confederates
was universally known, not only
among the prisoners, but by tlie Gov
ernment at Washington.
After the war, the Confederate sol
diers, who had been confined in prison
and who had been aide ! by her, link
ed in a written testimonial giving evi
dence of the devoted and continued
efforts which she made for their re
lief. Tins document signed by hun
dreds, in their own hands, is now in
tlie possession of the descendants.
She died in the city of New York.
January 6, 1896. Her death was <ii-
:e tly traceable to the Injuries she.
icceived at Chicago, from the fail
when lea-, ing tlie prison, where she
bad been nursing the sick Confeder
ates.
No soldier who fell in battle fur
the Confederate cause gave up his
life more devotedly or more directly
tc that cause than did she. There is
no name on tlie roll of tlie Confeder
ate Army which is entitled to more
respect or greater affection from tlio
people of tlie Smithy than that of this
brave and devoted woman."
It Is not generally known in Geor
gia that Mrs. Robb organized a Con
federate Aid Society In the City of
New York, collected and disbursed
over $40,000 among tho prisoners at
Johnson's Island and tlie City of El
mira.
shooters amongst them, one of whom
climbed a low thick-foliaged tree, an I
whenever a cadet fired, lie aimed si
quickly and accurately at the flash
that he wounded several of them. Tho
cadet who is now Dr. Scott Todd, o!
Atlanta, was shot in tlie wrist as he
was firing, and so badly wounded
that Ids arm had lo lie amputated
a- above the elbow.
Tom Hamilton was a good shot for
!.is age, which was 17. and having
watched the Yankee closely caught
ou to tlie Hash from the tree, he shot
at that flash. He must either have
wounded or killed the sharp-s.loote\
as there were no more shots from
that tree.
The hoys had been on duty all the
night before, having had but Beatify
rations—it was now the 24th of No
vember—and the sm, was high in the
heavens when it was decided that
tlie cadets must be relieved. Major
Capers thoughtlessly ordered t-liein
out of tlie trenches at 3 o'clock p. m.,
in full view of the enemy and within
easy rea h of their guns. As Tom
Hamilton, half hem. was scrambling
up the bank, lie was struck by a min-
nic ball in the small of the back. Tim
ball grazed title lung and lodged ia
the left shoulder. He fell forward
mortally wounded, as was supposed,
a Major Capers, although the bullets
were flying fast, eatled for volunteers
to carry him from the field, four ca
dets stepped forward: Jeptha Rucker
anti James McCleskey of Athens, Al
fred Luekie. brother of Mrs. Rufus
Moss, Sr., of Athens, and
They spread a blanket on the
ground , placed him on it and so car-
“ Was Shot in the Back
But He Was Not Running”
BRAVERY OF PRIVATE RICHARD
SAYE.
During the battle of Fredericksburg
the Troup Artillery was stationed n
a redoubt or breastwork on L»o«
Heights. The battery was hotly en
gaged firing upon the enemy which o
(upied the valley below. The enem
opened a teriffic fire upon the Tro ;>
Artillery from the Federal batteii t
occupying the heights just across tV
Rappalianock river. The breast
works, behind which the Troup Art -
lery was serving, were made by pu •
ting up stakes and logs and build'o :
the dirt from the outside up again-;
them.
A shell from the enemy's guns en
tered the breastworks and ricorhetin;
against the timbers turned up on to ,
of the breastwork, or parapet, and
lay there with a burning fuse.
Private Richard Saye was standing
very near to it, serving as No. 2 at
the gun. Seeing the shell I called h’s
attention to it, all of which only oc
cupied a second or two.
Private Saye walked deliberate';-
and coolly up to the burnning selii’,
picked it up and threw it into the
ditch just beyond and at the bottom
or the breastworks. Just as it struck
the ditch it burst.
Had the shell exploded where it
first lay, it doubtless would have kill
ed and wounded a number of men
who were thick around the guns, and
in the works.
—Contributed by Captain II. II. Carl
ton, Commander cf the Troup At-
tillery from Clark- county.
HOW LIEUT. C. W. MOTES CHARG
ED THE FEDERALS WITH A
FRYING PAN.
It was at Bloody Dend, near Spot'-
sylvania, that a most amusing and
at the same time most intrepid act
was credited to the record of Lieuten
ant C. \V. Motes, of the Troup Artil
lery. who for several years was a pop
ular citizen of Athens, and who is
now the leading photographer of At
lanta.
The Confederate forces were behind
a small breastwork and the Federal
forces were preparing for the charge.
The Troup Artillery were stationed
near a blackjack swamp and a littie
further down the line Maxey's Texas
Brigade had been stationed.
Suddenly the r’ederais charged tin*
Texas brigade. The fight was furious:
the brave Texans drove back the enc-
my time and t’me again. During one
of these charges General Maxey for
some reason had gone to the rear for
a few moments, and when the blue
ned him to .a freight ear that was
going to Augusta that night. His tu
rner, Dr. James Hamilton, had been
telegraphed to meet him there. Tom
Hamilton was taken to the home of a
idative, Mrs. Thomas Ptainizy, and
Dr. Dugas, tlie best surgeon in Au
gusta, pronounced his case hopeless.
But a naturally fine constitution, aid
ed by careful nursing, enabled him to
gain sufficient strength to be moved
in January to his father’s plantation
in Columbia county where the famiiv
were then sojourning. When tho
warmer April days came ho gained
Ids strength more rapidly and was
soon aide to walk alone, but ono
shoulder was four inches higher than
the other, and it was feared he would
he badly disfigured, if he lived: for
:it this t ine he had every symptom
t.f consumption. But lie lived, attlio
lor one year longer he was in a pic-
enrious condition. As he regained
strength the disfigurement gradually
disappeared. When he grew to man's
estate lie had a fine straight figure
and was six feet and two anti half
inches tall.
As a hoy, lie was much mortified
at being wounded in the back, and
v.as accustomed to say when the sub
ject was mentioned. "Well, if i was
shot in the back, I was not running.'
Years and years after the war when
he was a middle-aged man with a'
family, he was attending a Confedet-
ate reunion and fell into conversation
with an unknown gentleman who
wore the bade of a Georga cade*.
While they weer discussing the battle
of Oconee Bridge, the stranger ex
claimed. "Poor Tom Hamilton was
killed there!"
The reply was, “He is very much
alive. I am Tom Hamilton."
(Written by Miss F. Mitchell for Laur-
ra Rutherford Chapter, 1911.)
and gray columns met. the Texans
wavered and fell back and the Yan
kees swarmed over the breastworks
and into the trenches.
Just as this happened a few mem
bers of the Troup Artillery were sit
ting around a little fire, frying a
piece of fat bacon. Thj grease was
sputtering in the frying pan and the
soldiers were smack.ng their mouths
in anticipation of ten great repast ip
store for them. Among the crowd
was Lieutenant C. \V. Motes.
As the Yankees came over the
breastworks, tbe gun of tbe Troup
Artillery nearest to them was wheel
ed around and in a few moments tho
line of blue soldiers was being swept
by a galling fire.
Lieutenant Motes sprang up and
dashed down to where the Texans
were fighting. He carried with him
the frying pan full of hot grease. As
he reached the scene of combat, he
put himself in front of the Texas
brigade and waving the frying pan
over his head, led the charge. The
Yankees were driven back in a few
moments.
General Maxey returned about that
time and congratulated Lieutenant
Motes on his bravery. Motes present
ed a rare appearance just then. The
grease was all over his face and
clothes, and being hot had blistered
the skin wherever It touched. He
still had hold of the old frying pan,
which had served him well in the
ciarge.
The Yankees were not satisfied
with the'r repulse and charged re
peatedly thereafter. On the 13th suc
cessive charge in the battle, the Yan
kee dead were piled up so high that
the charging . columns of Federate
could not get over the bodies of their
comrades who had fallen.
BRAVE ACT OF PRIVATE JUDSON
PORTER.
During what was known as Second
Battle of Fredicekersburg and which
was only the extreme right of thj
Chancellorsville battle, the Troup Ar
tillery was engaging the enemy which
were preparing to charge the battery
end a portion of General Barkesdale's
iroups. The battery was situated in
the middle of the Telegraph Road, at
v.-hat was known as the Pump. Young
Thomas Dillard was serving the vent
of the gun, a most responsible posi
tion.
The enemy had captured one of
Captain Cult's batteries which was
stationed at the brick bouse, used
by General T. R. R. Cobb as ehad-
qnarters during the first battle of
Fredericksburg. A shell fired from
this battery struck Young Dillard and
going through his body killed him in
stantly.
He fell with his thumb stall on his
thumb, which was used to protect the
thumb from burning from the great
heat of tlie brass guns.
I at once ordered Private Judson
porter to take his place instantly i*
no time could be spared. After the
lighting was over. Private Porter came
up to me and said, "Captain, see hero
what that gun did for me.” I looked,
ami his thumb was all burned aw.ty
to the bone, and tlie intense heit
from the gun, caused by rapid firing
had so charred the hone, that the first,
joint of his thumb had to be ampu
tated. I said, "Why in the world di.l
you not protect your thumb?” He re
plied. "T had no thumb stall.” I sail,
■•Why did you not use your coat?"
"Why Captain, the coat would havo
caught on five, and l would have lost
my coat and thumb both."
Manning the ven; in a battle is a
most responsible position, as upon it3
proper and careful management de
pends the life and safety of all ot
those serving at and around the guns.
—Contributed by Captain H. H. Carl-
■ ton. Commander o; the Troup Ar
tillery from Clarke county.
West Virginia claims to have erect
ed 'he first monument over Confed
erate dead.
Why He Was Late.
“What made you so late?”
"I met Smithson.”
“Well, that is no reason why you
should be an ltoHr late getting home
to supper.”
"I know, but I asked him how he
was feeling, and he Insisted on telling
me about itt's stomach trouble.”
“Did you tell him to take Chamber
loin's Tablets?”
“Sure, that is what he needs.” For
sale by all dealers.