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MtaaaaalaMBMi ■ as
Lewis F. Butler Dur-
- ing The Civil War
—- ' »i i.
His Life Written by Him on
March 4th 1915, at the
Age of 72 Years.
I j pined a Company by the
name of “Rough and Ready,” of
ficered by Capt. King, Lieut. Dan
iel MdGill, Lieut. Barrineau and
Lieut. Sanders, being all of our
commissioned officers, a 11 from
'Decatur cpunty.
We were mustered in at Chattu-
hoocliee, Fla., in October 1801 and
went to Appalnchicola in State
Service and stayed there doing
State Service until about March
1862 when we evacuated the place.
We placed the old siege artillery
. on board the boats and brought
them up the river to Ricales Bluff,
and all state troops being out of
service I came home and stayed
two weeks and then went to Sa
vannah, Ga., and joined Company
F. 50th Georgia Regiment with the
following officers: Capt. Duncan
.Curry, 1st Lieutenant W. 0. Flem
ing, 2nd Lieutenant William Pow
ell, 3rd Lieutenant a man by the
name of Dekle. all from Decatur
county, Georgia. We did service
around. Savannah until the lhst of
July 1802, when we were ordered
to Virginia. After we got to Vir
ginia, we were attached to General
Lee’s army, but were in Gen. Long-
street’s Corps and wont right on to
Bull Run 'and Manassas. We were
getting into business then, fighting
almost every day, wading the riv
ers and climbing the mountains.
We chased the enemy on and
crossed the Potomac, and in Mary
land we had a severe battle at
Boomsburg. , In this battle we lost
several good men. We came back
on this side of the river and rested;
then we were taken to Fredricks
burg, Va., and had skirmishes
around there all winter, and when
spring came we got busy and had a
severe battle at Chancellorsville;
of course, ns wo all know, we
gained this victory, but the victory
was a sad one, for w» lost one of
our greatest generafs. This wns
the place where Gen. Stonewall
Jackson was killed, and this indeed
was a sad blow to our cause. This
was on Saturday night, and on
Sunday, we captured a whole field
full bf Yankees, and there our gal
lant generals said to us that it was
no time to rest as the enemy had
crossed the river at Fredricksburg,
and were coming up in our rear, so
we were hurried right back to meet
them. There we had a hard fight
and I can say that it was a tough
one, but we boys put them to
flight and captured.and killed lots
of them, and dear reader, I can say
that I received a wound that after
noon, but did not injure me.
Boys, that was on ji Sunday af
ternoon; think of that! I \Vns not
more than nineteen or twenty
years old. The fight that after
noon was at Salem Church; wo
went on in pursuit of the enemy,
fighting more or less every day,
right on to Gettysburg, Pa., and
there we had it on the third day of
July. I can say that we drove the
enemy back into the cliffs of the
mountains, and held the battlefield
until we buried our dead. I lost a
loving brother there, together with
many other good soldiers; we also
lost our much beloved Col. Kerce.
We buried him there with others in
a peach orchard;'dug holes with
our bayonets and tin plates, wrap
ped them in blankets and laid them
away. Too bad to think of, never
theless true.
We retreated after burying our
dead on the battle field. J will
assure you boys that we were busy
but .we retreated in good order
back on this side of the Potomac
river, and we had several small
fights every few days. If I re
member correctly we were, togeth
er with all of Longstreet’s Corps,
sent fo North Georgia, but our
Brigade beingfthe last one sent, we
did not get into thfe fight at Chick-
amauga, Ga., but we were there to
QBADY COUNTY PROGRESS, CAIRO, GEOKG^
pursue the enemy to Chattaaooga,
Tenn. We built breastworks
around there and did other dutios
for sometime; then we wore moved
up to Knoxville, Tenn. There we
did lots of picket duty, and alter
awhile our boys let the enemy
break through our lines at Mission
ary Ridge, and the cuemy wus
coming up in our rear und our
brigude was massed, and at the
break of day we made a desperate
charge on the fort but we did not
succeed in capturing it, so we had
to make our way through the
mountains. It was getting cold
then and some of our boys were
barefooted. Finally we got around
to Morristown and Russolvillo in
east Tennessee, and on our march
we lived on two ears of corn and a
little fresh pork or beef. That was
all the rations we had each day.
Pretty tough boys, but true. We
wintered around Morristown.
At the charge at Knoxville, our
Capt. H. S. Reeves was wounded
in the right arm; our Orderly,
Sargt. J.ll. Maxwell also received a
painful wound in his left eye,
caused from a fragment of their
hand grenade which the enemy
threw at us while wo were near the
fort; also a number of .others were
wounded and killed. I had a close
call, a ball cut through the top of
my hat. I felt it singe the hair on
my head.
I will now go back to Morristown
this being the winter of 1863 and
early spring of 1804. I received a
furlough for thirty days, as I had
not been home before; so when I
got back I met our command in
Lynchburg, Va., on their way to
Gordonsville, Va., but there was
one of our neighbor men left in
Lynchburg very sick and later died
there. H i s name was Joseph
Rawls; so sad, but true. We were
in camp around Gordonsville for
awhile, then we started on our way
fighting and marching, and in May
1804 we had our fight in the wild
erness, and sure enough we drove
the enemy back through the wild
erness, which was a tight fight.
We boys were men then and built
us a log breastwork, but did not
stay there long.
The next attack was at Spotsyl-
vanin, and there I assure was bad
fighting—lots killed on both sides.
We were in such close quarters that
we could not eat for the smell of
tho dead. The enemy fell back
and the next attack was at Cold
Harbor. Now boys, there we had
it. The line was broken on our
right and two companies of our
Regiment was ordered up there, so
our Company wont, which was
commanded by the First Lieut.
J. W. Maxwell; our Orderly Sar
gent was at his post—this was J.
R. Maxwell. His brother, William
Maxwell, D. L. Maxwell, Harper
Robinson and a number of others
were captured there. I just did
escape by not getting into the
little breastworks, the Colonel P.
A. McLoshon being right at me
and said, "fall back my lads.” The
enemy was then in twenty feot of
us and everything shooting, so we
fell back about thirty or forty
yards, and pretty soon we were
reinforced by a South Carolina
Battalion, and we had the workB
back in thirty minutes, but they
had carried off our men and boys.
So bad on us to lose our officers
and men, all my mess-mates and
relatives.
That was late in the afternoon,
so wo held our line all day, and the
next day under a tight skirmish,
and just before light next morning
we tore down our little rail breast
works; no one was allowed to speak
above a whisper and we slipped
out. Our men came in that night
and built another breastwork on
the other side of the branch in the
rear of our old stand so as to get
them out of the thick woods. So
about sun-up they charged, and I
tell you boys, our men stayed some
yanks on our side. They charged
our line on the right with drunk
negroes, but you bet that we drove
thim back. _ This was the last day
of May or the first day of June
1804. ' Bad times boys, but I as
sure you it is true.
We stayed around there in our
breastworks for a few.days, and
the neit attack was at Petersburg
the enemy had taken our breast
works whon wo got there, but I
guess we boys stopped them. We
had a hard fight but held them > in
check und built our breastworks. I
helped to build the works that
wero blown up. We kept up a
skirmish day'and night and lived
right in our breastworks. I think
we stayed there two or three weeks
fighting day and night. Too bad
boys, but true. Wo were relieved
of that place by some of our troops
and allowed to rest a few days.
Then our Division, which was
Gen. Kershaw’s Division was ord
ered to go to the ShenaHdoah Val
ley. There we got in a hard bat
tle near Harper’s Ferry and lost
some good men. One of our Com
pany I remember seeing him fall;
his name was Isaac Brunson and a
good man. We retreated then to
a town by the name of Strnugh-
burgen. We surprised the yanks
one morning before it was light
and took their breastworks and
lots of prisoners. Then we went
right on their next works which
was not over four or five hundred
yards. The sun was up by then
and we had it tight, but we charged
them out of their works and boys,
we had them flying. They hud
everything good to eat; or I should
have said things good to a soldier
boy. They had sugar, coffee, tur
keys, chickens and other things;
also n suttler’s tent with the good
things for the soldiers, but we did
not have much time, but I will say
that I got my haversack full of
sugar and coffee. Times were so
hot we did not have time to stop.
We drove the enemy back near
Winchester, and gained a complete
victory that day, but late in the
afternoon the enemy were reinforc
ed and we had to “hot heel” it
back after having had such a vic
tory. We lost lots of good men.
We retreated, but we killed lots of
yanks, but also, they killed lots of
our men. We lost our Third Lieut
enant and the Second Lieutenant
was wounded in the face; his name
was Malcolm Lodge, and the one
that was Wiled was Charlie O’Brien
Our Second Sargant, John King
and a number of others were killed.
We then retreated'back to a town
by the name of Morrisville, all in
the Shanandoah Valley of Virginia.
We skirmished on down to Rich
mond or east of Richmond .down
on the James river, where we spent
the winter of 1804, doing hard
picket duty. Right here to let
you know how weak our lines had
become, I will say that when we
formed a line of battle on the
breastworks, we had only one man
every five steps. On the next
spring our lines were broken over
at Petersburg and the fighting was
on. We were ordered to fall back,
so we did and gave old Richmond
up. We wont to a place near High
Ridge where the enemy had our
corps cut off. We fought in a hol
low square, and boys we did them
all we could. We fought three
lines of Infantry, all close enough
to see them plain. Wo were doing
our best but the lines were broken
and the enemy were all around us,
so we were obliged to give up and
surrender.
We were not whipped, but over
powered. It is said that they cap
tured twenty thousand of us on
the 6th day of April 1805 and we
were carried to different prisons. I
with many others was spilt to
Point Lookout, Maryland,’ and we
were guarded by negroes. We
stayed there until the latter part
of June.
I took the Oath of Allcigiance
on the 24th day of June 1865, and
was sent to Savannah, Ga., on a
ship. We walked from Savarinah
to the Altamaha river. From there
we were taken to Thomasville, Ga.,
on the ears and we footed it home
together. J. W. Maxwell, D. L.
Maxwell, D. L. Bryant, Gus Bish
op and myself were all together,
and got home on the 7th day of
July 1865, all proud to get back
to the old home.
In conclusion will say that I
have been a citizen of Gadsden
county, Fla., for the last forty-five
years, but now reside in Cairo, Ga.
The above is all true Old Com
rades of the Confederate Arms!
LEWIS F. BUTLER.
This being my 72nd birthday.
Good Looks are.Easy
with
Magnolia
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Look as good as your city cousins. No
matter If you do Tan or Freckle Magnolia
Balm will surely clear your skin instantly.
Heals Sunburn, too. Just put a little on
your face and rub it off again before dry.
Simple and sure to please. Try a bottle
to-day and begin the improvement at
once. White, Pink and Rose-Red Colors.
75 cents at Druggists or by mail direct.
SAMPLE FREE.
LYON MFC. CO.. 40 So. Bth St., Brooklyn, N.Y.
CASTORIA
For Infants and Children
In Use For Over 30 Years
Always bears
Signature of
Low Excursion Fares
via
Atlantic Coast Line
“The Standard Railroad of the* South”
T0
Brunswick, Jacksonville, St. Augustine,
St. Petersburg and Tampa
JULY NINETEENTH
Tickets sold to Brunswick, Jacksonville and St. Augustine limited
to reach original starting point, returning not later than midnight July
24th. Tickets sold to Tampa and St. Pctrsburg limited to midnight
July 25th, 1010.
For fanes and schedule and father information call on,
H. W. LAWSON,
Agent, Cairo, Ga.
1916 Service at
Less Than
1880 Rates
Georgia Railroads Pay More Than
Half Their Gross Revenue to the
People in Labor, Wages and Taxes
. It is absolutely imperative that the freight rates within the State of Geor
gia be revised at the hearing on August 17th so that they may be applied to
intrastate commerce in a way which will not discriminate against interstate
commerce.
This is a requirement not only of the Interstate Commerce Commission,
but in the Shreveport Case relative to tiie Texas rates, was required by the Su
preme Court of the United States.
The proposed Georgia revision contemplates an increase in some existing
rates, but it also brings about a reduction in other rates.
Should the revision increase the revenue of the railroads it would not be
unreasonable for the Georgia Railroad Commission to grant it and so permit the
Railroads of Georgia to maintain the present high standard of service and to
improve and extend their facilities.
The Railroads have already shown that they are operating on rates sub
stantially lower than those promulgated in 1880; that the average price of 25
necessary articles in daily use has increased more than 77 per cent since 1914;
i e increased cost has not been offset by increase revenue or increased-^
efficiency, in spite of every effort known to human ingenuity in connection
with the economical operation of railroads.
The railroads now present ACTUAL FACTS AND FIGURES relating to
the steady increase in labor, wages and taxes.
The increased labor cost to 25 representative railroads of the South, includ
ing the principal railroads of Georgia, for 1914 over .1901 was as follows:
Including General Officers, $40,650,841.64, or 33.92 per cent.
Excluding General Officers $40,573,672.06, or 34.53 per cent.
And the increase has been equally as great up to June 3oth, 1916.
iThe 25 Railroads paid out for -labor in
> $ 60,055,407.12
1915 ...... 145,470,K42.29
Th Ra ilroads paid1 142 PER CENT more for labor in 1915 than in 1901. t
‘ fo ? al ? r out of each dollar received by the Railroads in 1901
was .39 46-100 cents; the amount increased in 1915 to .46 34-100 cents.
1 Qni 1 oT? - aXeS Pa ‘^ b ! the Rai,roads increased 178 per cent from
thing Uke thhame S’ 15 ' Va ‘ Ue ° f ra “ r0ad flas not bee “
The railroads paid for taxes in
\l°.\ . . .... $ 5,09,8,328.66
1915 ; . 14,224,942.38
In 1901 the amount of taxes to each one dollar of revenue was 03 35-100 *
to^oi 53-100 cents m ° Unt ° f laXCS t0 each 01ie dollar of revenue had increased \
In 1901 the Railroads paid .42 81-100 cents out of every one -liar of reve- '
nue for labor and taxes. In 1915 the amount had increased to .50 37-100 cents
or more than half of the total gross revenue for (hose two items albne.
Amount paid for labor and taxes in * '
1901 . „•>-. . . . . .... ... M v ... r ,. $ 65,153,735.78
1915 ’ >’ • ; • • • • v .. v .- . 159,695,584.67
In other words, the Railroads returned to tho • .
ALONE more than half of the gross revenue of the Railroads WagC8 an ^ taxe *
j- tha ,880
more to say at a later date. . 0 1 in cc l ul Pment, of which we shall have
The above figures relating to labor and taxes are actual
They are evidence that the Railroads are of substantial value’to the ^ ,
m paying towards the maintenance of the Government and in , Stat ?. of Geor S ,a
ment to thousands of Georgia citizens. This docs not taWin* PPb “ g lucra hve employ-
dered to traveler and shipper, and the creation of wealtVthrcurh V he Service ren ‘
would be, without railroad facilities, remote and unprofitableteStS? develo P ment of what
The railroads of Georgia are just as much interested in j ,
and the prosperity of the people as J are the people themselves^k dev downent of the State
railroads and the interests of the people are identical? ' heCaU,e lhe Crests of the
It is not and will not be the policy of the Railroad. n
propose any system of rates which would unjustly dfc^rim* < ? ?orgla . to
the Georgia producer, in favor of producers located a ?? ln8t '
the state. Should this principle appear to be violated bv° mt * w j6*out
construction of our n-»i»inn .... W. atea by any technical ,
construction of our petition, we give assurance that ‘ A hnical
- P°“» no r,. wdl wo attempt to adopt in actual practL Pa
rlance with the same. we > “W r *te at va*
Towth and
. and will
Railroads are
THE RAILROADS OF GEORGIA