Under the Stars and Bars

for the transfer of Stewart's and Cheatham's corps to the East to aid Ha

CTIC

ld the Oglethorpes, who were with me, John Kirkpatrick and Will Dabney among them, I remember, that while I was willing to die in a soldierly way in battle, I did not propose to freeze to death, and suggested that in order to secure an opportunity to thaw, we stop at the next station, which chanced to be Baldwin, Miss. The motion was carried unanimously, though not by a rising vote, as we already occupied from necessity a standing position, our car having no furniture except a floor and a door. To give the reader some gauge of the condition of the railroads in that section at that stage of the war, it is only necessary to say that we had traveled only 31 miles in 7 hours. We were kindly received by a Mr. Kent, an old citizen of Baldwin, who regretted his inability to furnish us anyth

UP FIN

stated our condition in as impressive language as I could command and emphasized our desire to avoid the exposure of sleeping on the cold, damp ground. To this she replied that she was a widow, living there alone, that she knew nothing of us, and that while she disliked to turn off Confederate soldiers, she could not feel that it would be proper or prudent for her to entertain a company of utter strangers. "Wel

our room I remember that we entertained some fears that an offer of compensation for our entertainment might offend her. The sum total of our financial assets, as I recollect it, was a $20 Confederate bill owned by Will Dabney. On taking our leave next morning we tendered it in payment

last of

immerin

ue-backed

sted an

of its

nback wa

a "shin

end f

hungry soldiers a sumptuous supper and breakfast, had lodged us on snowy feather beds and had accepted in payment what was equivalent to one dollar or less in goo

he Oglethorpes, including the writer chanced to be passengers. After two days' tramp through the "Prairie Lands" of Mississippi, our squad secured transportation, rejoining our command at Meridian, Jan. 29. Thence by rail to McDowell's Landing, by boat to Demopolis, by rail to Selma and by boat to Montgomery, reaching that place 1 p. m., Feb. 1st. The preceding night was a very cold one and as we were deck passengers a

of appreciation meted out to the trio by the boys. Passing through Macon Feb. 3d, we arrived at Midway at 2 a. m. of the 4th and remained there a day drawing clothing and blankets. Leaving the railroad we marched through Milledgeville on the 5th, but did not stop to investigate

HOME-C

n on its hearthstone. A few short months before in the autumnal haze of a September day, as sweet a sister as brother ever owned had breathed out her young life just as she was budding into womanhood. And now only a week before I entered its portals again my father, worn out by the added burdens imposed by the absorption of younger physicians in the military service, had been laid away beneath the shadow of the trees in the city of the dead. The reader will pardon, I trust, the filial tribute to his worth that comes unbidden from my heart today. Beyond and above any partial judgment born of the love I bore him, I have al

to our bivouac an ample supply of edibles for our evening meal. After they had been disposed of, the negro messenger, who had brought the supplies, entertained us with a learned disquisition on a species of ghosts, which he termed "hanks." Harrison Foster, with his usual taste for scientific research, wanted to know how the presence of these hanks could be detected and was informed tha

among us. Two nights later we slept in a Universalist church, said to be haunted, not by "hanks," but by the ghost of its former pastor, Mr. Stitch. My journal records the further fact that on the evening before we rejoined our command the entire squad suffered from an aggravated attack of the "blues." In whatever way the fact may be accounted for, there is but one other similar entry for the four years' service. An hour or two after re

AST B

ut I was forced to confess that I could not exactly place him. "Do you know where I saw you last?" I was compelled to admit that I was still in the dark as to his identity. "Well," said

ok into his hazel eyes and feel the grip of his soldier hand-the Joe of whom Capt. Picquet said, as he rode by us on his mettled bay at the battle of Resaca, "Boys, I always feel safer when that man is around"-the same Joe who, when asked by Col. Geo. A. Gordon at Dalton how he managed to manoeuver an a

and capture and possibly "French leave" as we came through Georgia, had only a hundred men in its ranks-the Oglethorpes only nineteen. We had no field officer and, as I remember,

ed in the assault and whose faces, from exposure to the sun, had turned almost black. Reaching the top of the slope we came in view of the Federal line and if our eyes had been closed our ears would have given us ample evidence of the fact. The rattle of the Enfields and the hiss of the minies marked the renewal of our acquaintance with our old antagonists of the Dalton and Atlanta campaign. Down the slope we charged until half the distance had been covered and the enemy's line is only a hundred yards away. The "zips"

after them, but the cartridge is faulty and fails to reach its mark. We pursue them for half a mile and the disordered ranks are halted to be re-formed. Capt. Hanley, formerly of Cleburne's staff, calls for volunteer skirmishers and John Kirkpatrick is first to respond. Turning to me he says, "Come on Walter." The writer is not advertising for that sort of a job, but the call is a personal one and not caring to let the boys know how badly scared I am, I step out of the ranks. Will Dabney, though laboring under a presentiment that he was to be killed that day, joins us, as do others whose names are not recalled. Deploying and advancing through the woods we are soon in range of the minies again. Lieut. Hunter, a little to our left, is struck and tumbles forward on his head. Will calls out to me that Hunter is killed, but he is mistaken. The lieutenant regains his feet and finds that the wound is confined to his canteen. Advancing further I find a lady's gaiter and a glass preserve dish dropped by the enemy and probably stolen from some Southern home. Capt. Matt Hopkins, of Olmstead's regiment, picks up a book similarly dropped, but does not carry it long before a minie knocks it from his hand. The line of battle follows in our wake but before it reaches us a ball st

on to the wound in his side and a hole through his sleeve, has a chew of tobacco taken off by a ball that passes through his pocket. John Kirkpatrick has his canteen ventilated, Sol Foreman and Will Dabney find the meal in their haversacks seasoned with minies instead of salt, and the writer, in addition to the demoralization of his cartridge box, finds a hole in his haversack and thirteen in his fo

ootsteps that never come again, they fall on gentle hearts in lonely homes far removed from the smoke and din of musketry and cannon, not suddenly, perhaps, but sometimes just as surely as if by deadly missile on the firing line. John was an only ch

ound led him to think that he was severely hurt. An investigation, however, showed that a minie ball had shattered a rail and had driven a splinter into the flesh. There was renewed skirmishing on the 21st, but as a company our last gun had been fired. Johnston, finding his force of less than 20,000 men too small to cope with Sherman's entire army, evacuated his position on the 22d and retired to the vicinity of Smithfield. Here we remained until April 10th, when under an Act of the Confederate Congress, the army was re-organized. The numbers in each military organization had become so reduced that it was found necessary to consolidate divisions into brigades, brigades into regiments, and regiments into battalions. The 1st, 57th and 63rd Ga. were merged into the First Volunteer Regiment of Ga., the 54th Ga. forming a bat

nding the war. On the 17th and 18th rumors were current that the army was to be surrendered and numbers of the troops left their commands, unwilling to submit to the seeming humiliation. To stop this movement Johnston issued an order informing the army that negotiations for peace were

s very dead." "Well, General, what do you propose to do when you get home?" "I am going to join the Quakers," he said, "My fighting days are over." On May 2d our paroles arrived and were signed up and on the 3rd we began our march for Georgia, making the trip of 230 mi

nothing on God

in the wate

lina, a

eam of succe

twenty cents in silver paid us at Greensboro for fifteen months' service, we bade our comrades in arms

rs was furled forever and the Souther

CLU

ngthened and intensified by common hardship and danger, if I were to close these records without adding a word in behalf of the cause for which we fo

ever felt that in the struggle it had anything to regret but failure. Despite the tremendous odds against which it fought, despite the fact that it entered the contest without an army, without a navy, without military supplies, with the sentiment of its border States hopelessly divided, and with the sympathies of the world against it, but for the loss of its ablest Western leader in his first battle, it would not, as I believe, have had even failure to regret. If Albert Sidney Johnston had not fallen on that fateful April Sabbath when Grant's demoralized and beaten legions were cowering under the river bank at Shiloh, he would, in my belief, have duplicated in the West, Lee's victories in the East and Appomatox and Greensboro would have had no place in Southern history. Even in '64, if President Davis had heeded the appeals of Gov. Brown and Gen. Johnston, of Howell Cobb and Joe Wheeler, Sherm

hermans, nor Sheridans, nor Butlers, nor Hunters in its ranks, but it is pleasant to know that it left to the world the legacy of a Lee and a Stonewall Jackson, whose military record stands unmarred by the faintest shadow of a stain and unparalleled in Anglo Saxon history. While the North fought, not for the flag, not through sympathy for the slave, but by the admission of Lincoln himself, just as surely for commercial greed as if the dollar mark had been woven into every banner that led its hosts to

any rebel that fell at Lexington or starved at Valley Forge, as high in lofty courage as any hero that rode with Cardigan at Balaclava or marched with Ney at Waterloo, or fell beneath the shadow of the spears w

"OGLETHORPES

Battalion. Co.

ICE

en-Promoted Major

uet-Wounded May 28,

force Daniel

Johnson-Died

nded June 27, '64, promoted

chius-Living in A

aughlin-Living in

romoted 1st Lieut. Co. K

one-Promoted 1st L

y-Captured July 23

romoted Asst. Surgeon,

Dunbar-Promot

rris-Living in Au

Hill-Living in A

reman-Wounded Jone

eed-Wounded June 27,

ller-Promoted Lieut.

eonhardt-Wounded At

. E. Th

romoted ensign, died nea

Reab-Captured at Ken

Warren-Living in

oster-Living in A

due-Wounded at Kenn

VAT

d accidentally, Thund

-Living in Ogle

Living in Bu

on-Living in

us-Died sin

illed at Kennes

y Be

ounded at Bentonvi

ied of disease

C. B

. Bl

hillon-Died

W.

ed Peach Tree Cre

ounded near King

tsville, Aug. 11, '62, an

ounded Atlanta

ing in Colum

-Living in Augu

ounded June 18, '

June 18, '64, died o

in-Died sin

nd captured, Kennesaw, J

ry-Died si

iving in Augu

red to 12th Ga. Batt.,

A.

aptured, Kennes

. Co

rt-Died sin

. Co

erred to 24th So

erred to 24th So

ted Q. M. Serg. 1

ett-Died si

ting Asst. Surge

of disease in hos

ded, Atlanta, July 22

, June 25, '64, promoted 1st Ser

-Living in Atl

ving in Waynesb

Huntsville, Aug. '62, captu

y-Ordnance Ser

le-Died si

Eber

. Ed

ks-Died sin

iving in Atla

oted Asst. Sur

ured at Kennesa

Living in Augu

bled in R. R. acci

Flan

Wounded, Atlant

d of disease, Atl

l G

-Living in Aug

Good

dron-Died s

n-Died sin

Living in Atla

ed at Atlanta,

Hard

er-Died si

er-Died si

-Captured, Kennes

unded, Kennesa

d-Died sin

ied of diseas

ndel-Died s

-Died sinc

ed near Kingsto

lly wounded and cap

omoted Asst. S

erred to Co. K, 6

n H

iving in Lexin

aptured, Kennes

. Hu

ford-Died si

. Hu

H.

ounded near Dal

-Living in

iving in Colu

-Died sinc

ck-Living near At

lly wounded near Ke

iving in Augu

r-Died sin

ted Lieut. of Cav

nce-Died si

ptured, Huntsvil

le-Died si

unded near Kennes

wounded and captu

ll-Died si

on-Compa

aptured, Kennesa

ansferred and pro

ransferred to

hall-Livin

Living in Cha

ded near Dallas, M

an-Died si

lin-Wounded, Atla

. Mc

. Mi

. Mi

8, '64, near Kennesaw, killed

Mega

T.

ed June 27, '64, at K

re-Died sin

ounded June 27,

r-Living in S

ransferred to Ba

sing near Murfre

Wounded July 22

moted Serg. Major

O'Dr

x P

ish-Livin

. Pa

. Pa

ssing June 16, '6

ansferred to 5th

r-Died sin

ansferred to 7

-Died of disea

ing June 27, '64, Kenn

ving in Ogleth

ther-Livi

Pr

ty-Died si

. Pu

unded July 22,

uinn

d of disease Nov.

iving in Colum

ounded June 27,

des-Livin

ck-Died sin

ving in Richm

y wounded July 2

ounded June 27,

ving in Colum

Living in Atla

rs-Died sin

. Ri

rs-Died si

ce-Died si

ssing in Tennes

Living in A

okes

iving in Richm

Shan

. Se

-Died sinc

h-Died sin

ded June 18, '64

ay 15, '64, died of d

Died in '63,

y-Q. M. Serg.

-Died sinc

rch 19, '65, Bentonvill

ger-Died si

Stan

Co. K, 63d Ga., killed Sep

Sul

owe-Compa

ptured June 27,

as-Died si

iving in Rich

ed of disease in

Tomp

ing Dec. 1, '64,

pin-Compa

y-Living in Nor

Wounded July 20, '6

ry-Died sin

Died of dise

iving in Rich

ne 27, '64, Kennesaw,

en-Died si

e-Died sin

-Living in Rich

Whit

unded July 22,

on-Died Si

iving in Richm

nded March 19,

ed April 18, '

F.

ams-Died si

-Died sinc

ed '62, Kno

marked with an asterisk are known or reported to me as still living

DE

E INFANTR

m, and on his return to Georgia he was placed in command of the brigade of State troops, to which the Oglethorpes, as Co. A, 9th Ga., had been assigned. The Company, on account of their proficiency in the manual of arms and in company evolution, became a sort of pet of Gen. Walker's and when his quarters were visited by ladies from Savannah the Oglethorpes were ordered out to drill for the benefit of his fair guests. Mr. Frank H. Miller, who was a lieutenant in the company and afterwards adjutant of the regiment, by Gen. Walker's appointment, relates a characteristic incident that occurred during the General's service at Savannah as his commanding officer. One of his men had "run the blockade," had spent the night in Savannah and while hustling back to camp in the early morning hours, was overhauled by the sergeant in charge of the guard at the General's quarters. The soldi

rvice in every engagement of the Western Army. As "Sharp-shooters" it fell to their lot to serve almost continuously on the skirmish line, opening every battle in which their division was engaged. Transferred from Tupelo to Chattanooga in the summer of '62, they took part in Bragg's Kentucky campaign and at its close were stationed for a time at Knoxville and then at Bridgeport, rejoining Bragg again in time to participate in the battle of Murfreesboro, Dec. 31, '62. During that engagement, at Gen. Polk's request, the battalion, with Jackson's brigade, was temporarily detached from Hardee's corps and was sent into the famous cedar thicket where they were exposed to the concentrated fire

hting organization, closing up their soldierly record with the surrender of Johnston's army at Greensboro in April, '65, at which date Lieut. George P. Butler was in command of the Oglethorpes. A number of the gallant surviv

ID NOT PASS

of interest. "T. P." I replied. "Tom Cleveland! Why there isn't a man in the world I'd rather see. We were old schoolmates. Where is he?" Taking him back to my coach I said, "Mr. Cleveland, here's an old friend of yours, Brad Merry." The meeting was a very joyous one. As the glamour of the old days came over them and with glowing faces and happy hearts they talked of the long ago, a lady stepped across the aisle and said, "Didn't I hear this gentleman call you Mr. Brad Merry?" "You certainly did, madam," said Brad. "Why, Mr. Merry, I know you. Your battalion was camped near my father's house for a long time and you and your comrades came over nearly every evening and sang for us. We had mig

ogether again. But for the accident of my finding that special seat vacant, these four ships would have "passed in the night," p

E INFANTR

h Regiment Georg

ICE

Ansley,

ller, First

leyman, Secon

er, Third

nchley, C

, Secretary

ulineau,

ey, Second

ery, Third

tic, Fourt

l, First

ms, Secon

zer, Thir

ey, Fourt

VAT

rong,

ner,

er,

row

ie,

, Wm

borou

ell,

in,

s, J

orough

e, Ro

s, J

ll,

s, Jo

Joh

ng, P

ell,

ver

d, H

, Jac

t,

, Da

rd, J

s, C

iker

r, Ja

Luci

erin

all,

y, B

, To

is,

on,

tt, J

ra,

, Gust

zy, T

Alex

ond,

tte,

eford,

ze,

Alfr

ons,

he,

ens,

el,

, Wm

, Wm

le,

mas

son,

is,

Alex

ry, E

e, W

, Lan

ield,

ard,

e, M

lood,

g, J

OF OGLETHO

2D GA. SH

ICE

Edwin W

tenant, M.

tenant, Jas

tenant, E.

eant, Wm.

eant, Walte

eant, Geo.

geant, Wm.

eant, J. D

poral, W.

poral, Tho

oral, Brad

poral, M.

, Henry P

. B. White,

VAT

on, W.

ner,

h, G

, Ge

e, Jo

neau,

orough

oll,

kley

e,

, Jo

e,

ll,

dy,

s,

er,

ner,

es,

l,

l,

mut

rix,

on,

acs

, Je

ker,

ck, G

erin

ers,

an,

is,

on,

ers,

ers,

ts, C

let

son,

w,

w,

ens,

uel

n, J

t,

ot,

lor

le,

e,

ff,

g, J

PLE

in the volume two additional sketches in no way connected with the memories, which precede them. Yielding to the same kindly criticism I have added also a war p

F MY

ver known. I have called him my hero, but he was mine, perhaps, only by right of discovery. I found him in a little Florida village in the winter of '66. There was nothing in his appearance to indicate the hero. No title, civil or military added dignity to his name. So far as I know no stars or bars had gilded the old grey uniform he had laid aside with Lee's surrender. He was simply plain Bob Harrison. Of his

ght had waited for death or help to come. On the morrow the burial corps had found him still living, and in the hospital he was nursed back to partial health again. The press had placed his name among the dead, and far away in his Southern home loving ones mourned for him until one summer's day his feeble footsteps on the walk and hi

a party of toughs came to the village and for a week or more terrorized the place. An effort was made to secure their arrest by civil process, but fr

had no personal grievance against them. His wounded lung had never healed and frequent hemorrhages from it had paled the color in his cheeks and weakened a body none too strong when in perfect health. But

rs he offered satisfaction in any shape they chose to take it, and with any weapon they might select, but his nerve had cowed them and the offer was declined. Then he said to their leader, "You have been making threats against my friend, Charlie P- for some fancied

e author of the slander and asked to see him privately. The man showed him into a room and Bob locked the door and put the key in his pocket. "Now, Mr -," he said, "you have circulated slanders about Miss -. She has no relative here to protect her and I have come to put a stop to it. I don't propose to take any advantage of you. I am going to lay these two pistols on this table. You will stand with your fac

es did he have the slig

e as ordinarily one of the gentlest and mildest mannered of men and yet I

gs have come to me of my friend, Bob Harrison. If he still lives my heart goes out in tender greeting to him today, and if he sleeps beneath t

L AND T

INISC

between school hours and the midday intermission, known in schoolboy vernacular as "playtime," was never patented, although it had the happy faculty of never running down and never needing repairs. To the student of today reveling in the luxuriant appointments of the present public school system there may come sometimes a touch of pity for the simple methods and the meagre equipment of the old field school, who

I give only two. The places of George F. Pierce in the pulpit and of Benjamin H. Hill in the forum and on the hustings have never been filled. It may be true that Dame Nature requires after the production of great men a period of repose and rest, and if my limited observation is not at fault she is enjoying a good long nap. Whatever may have been the explanation of the fact mentioned, the priv

ligned himself with its residuary legatee, the American party, and was canvassing the State as an elector on the Fillmore ticket. He was 33 years of age, just in the rosy prime of a superb physical and i

on the pulpit steps, and when the announcement closed he said, "Yes, I am not afraid to meet "Little Aleck," nor big Aleck, nor big Bob added to them," alluding to Mr. Toombs. Mr. Stephens did not consent, but met Mr. Hill

s too much of a sophist, that he could make the worse appear the better cause, and to enforce the point he related the "pig and puppy" anecdote, a favorite illustration with political speakers in those days. In the speech I refer to, delivered at Covington, Ga., Mr. Hill gave his opponent the benefit of a statement of the reasons he had assigned for his

Arise in your might. Shake off this Delilah of party for she is an harlot and will betray you to your destruction. Arise! drive back the invader from your thresholds, or like Samson of old, pull down the pillars of the temple and perish in one common ruin." Its effect upon the audience may be inferred from the fact that it has lingered in my memory more than forty years. I heard Mr. Hill no more until some years after the war. His nerve in putting an end to the seizure of cotton by Federal agents in the South in '65, his "Davis Hall" and "Bush Arbor" speeches and his "Notes on the Situation" had given him the very highest place in Southern esteem and affection. And then came his acceptance of an interest in the State Road Lease and his speech at the "Delano Banquet," which placed him under the ban of popular distrust and postponed the day when

uppy, whel

of low

tain minister's reputed habit of inserting, "Cry here," at the close of the pathetic passages in his manuscript, had inserted "Bark here" in his notes, but I do know that the impromptu illustration fitted in so pertinently that the storm of applause, that greeted it, would have lifted the roof if such a result had been possibl

nto limited space, Mr. Toombs had no equal among them, yet in effective oratory, in the power to sway an audience at his will, whether in the domain of ice-cold logic or in the higher realms where only angels soar, Mr. Hill probably towered above them all. The peroration to his appeal for the pardon of Wm. A. Choice had few equals in all the range of English forensic literatu

AIN AND THE DYI

d minister of the Methodist church, and for four years a Confederate chaplain in the army of Tennessee, was the Christian hero of this tenderly pathetic story. His untiring devotion to the sick and wounded amid the dan

ng on the b

d plain, wit

blue were for

ir dying an

storm of sh

crest, war'

victims whe

if they li

cannon's r

ell" was hus

g shell, the

all on pla

he lines o

battle's sh

aplain mad

kindly mi

beside a st

was ebbin

gentle wor

he might r

he wounded

parched, my

is agony

e water, or

hurried o'e

stream his

ng back, wit

it to his w

I read?" he

inds blew acr

the soldier

cold, I'm g

e wintry t

grey" the c

own chille

e dying bo

turned with

ng lip, and

If you, in

or me the

haplain s

he kindness y

wears the

hem gladly,

ones the go

life beyon

earnest pr

uld pity, h

Blue"-above

thedral's l

ure the so

ed by an A

g darkened

fell on wold

hearts gleame

shone on s

wintry nig

sunset's

rose on a

he dying b

ve come and g

he good man

deed, his

die in per

Heaven's e

ore His thro

blue, there

robed in God

spelling and punctuation have been s