tm SB mil MB iHHl mm mmausm HE HI mm if hi M IHIUinHli HMH nm\m m VSR mm 1 H ffiuffi !*'*# i i % / • / SAMUEL G. FRENCH. TWO WAES AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF GEN. SAMUEL G. FRENCH, An Officer in the Armies of the United States and the Confederate Stab,. A Graduate from the U. S. Military Academy, West Point, 184S. ' MEXICAN WAR; WAR BETWEEN THE STATES, A DIARY; RECONSTRUCTION PERIOD, HIS EXPERIENCE ; INCIDENTS, REMINISCENCES, ETC. Nashville, Tenn.: Confederate Veteran 1901. The library of oongress, Two Copies Receivfo NOV, 21 190? COPVRIOHT ENTRV ' OUASS fiVXXa No. % f S- 2 S" copy a J E 4-47 •I F nTi Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1901, By Samuel g. French, In tlie office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington THIS VOLUME is DEDICATED TO MY WIFE AND CHILDREN, AM' TO THE CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS WHO BATTLED WITH THE INVAD- ING FOE TO PROTECT OUR HOMES AND MAINTAIN THE CAUSE FOR WHICH OLIVER CROMWELL AND GEORGE WASHINGTON FOUGHT. PREFACE. Some years ago, when living on an orange grove at Winter Park, it occurred to me that my idle time might be usefully employed in transcribing from memoranda and my diary many incidents of my life for preservation in one manuscript for my children. This was continued at intervals until it became as here presented. It was mainly discontinued after my children became old enough to ob- serve passing events for themselves. But inasmuch as a few books have been published containing errors in describing some military operations in which I partici- pated, justice to the troops under my command induces me to publish my account of them as recorded when they occurred. This volume, then, is a simple narrative of passing events, with- out discussing their importance and bearing politically in shaping the destiny of the nation. Although my lot was cast with the South, and whatever may be my opinion of the action of the North before, during, and after the war as expressed in these pages, I am as loyal to the Constitu- tion and as ready to uphold and maintain the rights and dignity of the United States as any man within its boundary ; and this was evidenced when I tendered my services, as a soldier, to the President before war was declared against Spain. I do not know that I am indebted to any person, except Joseph M. Brown, of Marietta, Ga., a son of Gov. Joseph E. Brown, for what I have written, and to him I make acknowledgment for obligations. The Author. Pensacola, Kin.. Maj 1. 1899. INTRODUCTION. Of all forms of history, a good autobiography is the most pleas- ing and attractive. If the writer has been a prominent and re- sponsible participant in great events, if high character warrants his faithfulness to truth, and if the events of which he writes are in themselves of great historic value, his autobiography will pos- sess a peculiar charm and interest for every intelligent reader. The generation that recalls from memory the events of our his- tory connected with the admission of the great State of Texas into the American Union and the war with Mexico which followed has nearly all gone. Here and there a strong man survives whose memory is clear and whose conscience is true. To hear him talk of these events, or to read after him as he writes of the universal excitement in the country — the angry debates in Congress, the op- position to the admission of Texas, and to the war with Mexico, the brilliant campaign of Taylor, the battles of Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, Monterey, and Buena Vista — is to enjoy history in its most attractive form. The historian who has been an active par- ticipant in the events of which he writes, whose passions have been cooled by age, and whose judgment has been disciplined by long- years of experience and reflection enjoys an immense advantage. However we may disagree with him in his criticisms upon the con- duct of men or upon their motives, if he be a man of high and true character, we enjoy the greatest satisfaction in accepting his positive statements as to facts which represent his own actions and experiences. Gen. French is such a historian. The clear, natural, dispas- sionate style of his book — its freedom from bitterness, the tender- ness with which he dwells upon the history of his classmates at West Point, several of whom became distinguished generals in the Federal army (Grant, Franklin, Ingalls, and Quinby) — all these characteristics of his autobiography soon win the confidence of the reader. viii Introduction. For the general reader of to-day. and especially for the survivors of the Confederate Army, Gen. French's autobiography will pos- sess peculiar interest. The writer lias enjoyed the opportunity of reading the advance sheets of the book only through the accounl of the battle of Allatoona, which was fought October .">. 1864, bu1 as Gen. French participated in the campaign of Gen. Hood up to its predestined disaster at Nashville, the autobiography will be read with more than usual interest by students of the ill-starred march into Tennessee and the battles of Franklin and Nashville. The venerable author of "Two Wars"' has been an able and gal- lant soldier of his country, and the simple and graphic manner in which he writes of his distinguished services, and relates the greal events in which he bore a faithful part, entitle his book to the con- fidence of his countrymen. It is a most valuable addition to our country's history, and a book which will be of permanent use in the stud}- of our great Confederate struggle. Ellison Capers. Columbia, S. C, July 1 i ■ . ~&- COXTKNTS. CHAPTER I. Page Ancestry— Thomas Ffrench— Military Aspiration Important Docu- ment—Appointment to West Point New Jersey Farm Life— Great Changes— A Heal Yankee — Pennsylvania Hall— The Fashions— < !ap- ture of a Hessian Soldier — Rufus Choate and Bishop Wain wright- West Point— Cadet Lif< — Senator Wall— John F. Reynolds— The Boycott— Rufus Ingalls— Requisites of a Commander 1 CHAPTER II. Graduation — Commissioned Brevet Second Lieutenant, U. S. A. — Or- dered to Fort Macon, X. C. — Goldsboro— Journey to Beaufort — Officers at the Fort— Life in a Casemate— Stormy Atlantic— That ( >yster Supper The Wandering < lot— Adieu to Fort Macon — Jour- ney to Washington— Lieuts. George H. Thomas and John Pope— Weldon, X. C— Go to West Point— Prof. Morse— First Dispatch- Hope Club, Washington— Dinner Given by Surgeon General Law- son— Appointed Aid to Gen. Scott— British Gold— Col. S. Churchill —Integrity of Old Army Officers— Leave Washington for Fort Mc- Henry— Society in Baltimor* — Chief Justice Taney 20 CHAPTER III. Death of Hon. A. P. Upshur. Secretary of State— Calhoun Appointed — Treaty of Annexation of Texas— Declaration of the State of Mas- sachusetts—Texas Accepts the Resolution of Annexation— Forma- tion of Army of Occupation — Transf erred toMaj. S. Ringgold's Bat- tery of Horse Artillery— Officers Sail for Aransas Pass — The Wicked Captain — Becalmed — Cross Bahama Banks — Key West — Out of Drinking Water — Fare on Board Ship — Storm — Aransas Pass— St. Joseph's Island— Maj. Ringgold's Cook— Embark for Corpus Chris- ti— Game and Fish — Horse Racing— White Horse of the Prairies- Trip to San Antonio — The Town— Incidents of the Trip 30 CHAPTER IV. President of Mexico Resigns, and Paredes Is Elected— Mexican Troops Concentrating at Matamoras— Taylor Marches to the Rio Grande- Rattlesnakes— Mirage— Wild Horses — Taylor Concentrates His Troops at Arroyo, Colo.— Bull Fight— Mexicans Flee— Taylor Goes to Point Isabel— Join Gen. Worth— Field Works— Arrival of Gen. Ampudia— Orders Taylor to Leave— Taylor Declines— Col. Cross Murdered— Lieut. Porter Killed— Gen. Arista Arrives— Declares Hostilities Commenced— Capts. Thornton and Hardee Captured. . . . 41 x Contexts. CHAPTER V. Page Arista and His Cavalry— United States Excited — Two Hundred Thou- sand Men Offer Their Services— Congress Declares ••War Existed by the Acts of the Mexican Republic" — Taylor Marches to Point Isabel — Bombardment of Fort Brown -Capts. May and Walker — Taylor Marches for Matamoras— Battle of Palo Alto — Victory — Arista Falls Back to Resaca — Battle of Resaca — Capture of Ene- mies' Batteries — Capts. May and Ridgely — Gen. ha Vega Captured — His Sword Presented"to Taylor — Duncan and Ridgely Pursue the Enemy — I Capture La Vega's Aid— Col. Mcintosh — Hide over the Field of Palo Alto— Death of Lieuts. Chadburne and Stevens — We Take Possession of Matamoras — (Ten. Twiggs Appointed Governor — Twiggs and Jesus Maria — Arrival of Gens. W. 0. Butler. Roberl Patterson, Pillow, and Others — Promoted to Second Lieutenant — Officers of the Company — March to Camargo — Thence to Monterey — Seralvo — Arrival at Monterey 47 CHAPTER VI. Monterey — Population — Gen. Ampudia — Gen. Worth— ( lapturea Fort Battery in a Hot Place — Bragg's Order Countermanded — Two Long-Haired Texans— Capture the Bishop's Palace — Our Battery Ordered to the East End of the City — Gens. Taylor and Quitman — Street Fighting — Gen. Ampudia Surrenders — Gen. Worth, Gov. Henderson, and Col. Jefferson Davis Commissioners — Enter the City— Dine with a Mexican Gentleman — Death of Ridgely — Hot Springs — Santa Anna President — Victoria Surrenders Gen. Scott —Vera Cruz -Return to Monterey — Death of Lieut. Richey — Inves filiation of Richey's Death— Monterey — Saltillo — Agua Xueva — ( .en. Wool - Santa Anna Advances Majs. Borland and Gaines Cap- tured Taylor Falls Back to Buena Vista Mexican Army — Am Wounded— The Hacienda — Cavalry Fight with Mexican Lancers — Flag of Truce — Victory — ( iarried to Saltillo 01 CHAPTER VII. Drs. T. C. Madison. V. S. A., and G. M. Provost — Surgical Operation — Courtesy of a Mexican Woman — Leave Saltillo — Paltry Escort Safe at Monterey— The Rio Grande— Maj. W. W. H. Davis- New Orleans — Gen. Pillow — Col. Mcintosh — Bailey Beyton and Sergeanl S. Prentiss — Drunk by Absorption — Steamer for Louisville — Racing on the River — Trip to Pittsburg, Pa. — By Canal Boat to Harrisburg — Home — Report to the Adjutant General — Go to Trenton. N. J. — Presentation of a Sword — Go to Washington— John W. Forney's Bargain with Secretary Buchanan— Cap t. A.W.Reynolds — Sent to Tr>>y. X. Y — Gen. Wool — Leave Buffalo— Toledo— To Cincinnati by Canal— Society in Cincinnati — Appointed Captaia~and Assistant Quartermaster — Start for Washington— Cross the Alleghany Moun- tains by stage— Six Commissions in United States Army — Recep- tion by Gen. Jesup— < 'apt. Rufus Ingalls 85 Contexts. xi CHAPTER VIII. Page Ordered to New Orleans— Baton Rouge— Col. W. \Y. S. Bliss— Maj. J. H. Eaton— Maj. R. S. Garnett — Taylor Nominated for President — Return to New Orleans— Ordered to Vicksburg— "Gen." Mc- Macken, the Prince of Landlords— Bishop Polk — Sen! to Mobile — Regular Army at East Pascagoula, Miss.— Gen. Twiggs and His Fi- ancee — Sail for Galveston — Galveston — Houston — Austin — Troops Sent to Establish Posts, now Cities— San Antonio— Death of Gen. Worth — El Paso— Return to San Antonio— New Orleans—Call on Gen. Twiggs — Twiggs and Tree — Sword Presented to Mi — Dine at the President's — Death of President Taylor— Fillmore President Capt. Ringgold. U. S. X.— Ordered to Louisville — Return to Wash- ington—Col. Joseph Taylor— Gen. W. O. Butler— Maj. Gaines Cin- cinnati — Salmon P. ( base 96 CHAPTER IX. January. 1851, Ordered to El Paso— ('apt. Sitgreaves — Sail for Ha- vana — Barnum and Jennie Land — Sail for New < Orleans By Steam- er to Galveston — On the Gulf for Indianola — San Antonio Report of Expedition — Unprecedented March without Water Indians— With Gen. Jesup— Hartford Convention — Battles on the Canadian Frontier— Gov. W. P. Duval (Ralph Ringwood) United States Sen- ators — Clay's Magnetism — His Duel with John Randolph— Lieut. 1!. F. Stockton. United States Navy, Duel with English Officers at Gi- braltar — John Howard Payne Commodore Van Rensselaer Mor- gan — My Marriage Assigned to Fort Smith, Ark.— Trips to Wash- ita. Fort Gibson. andTowson — Choctaws and Cherokees— John Ross — Journey from Fort Smith to Natchez, Miss.— A Misanthrope — Gen. John A. Quitman— Death of Mrs. Roberts — Tender My Resig- nation — Go to My Plantation — Go to San Antonio — Death of Mrs. French — Sail for Europe — John Brown's Raid 107 CHAPTER X. Canada, Boston, Rye Beach — Antislavery Party Nominates Lincoln for President — His Election Evidence of Hostility to the South — Mis- sissippi Secedes — Gov. Pettus — Appointed Colonel and Chief of Ord- nance in the Army of the State of Mississippi — State Had No Arms — Governor Sends an Agent to Europe to Purchase Arms — Labor- atory for Making Ammunition — Flannel and Paper to Make Car- tridges—Cartridges and Horse Collars — Only Old Flint Muskets — Old Shotguns — Governor Objects to the State Troops Going out of the State — Visit Home— Am Offered the Appointment of Brigadier General, Confederate States of America 135 CHAPTER XI. Leave for Richmond — Ordered to Evansport, Va., to Blockade the Po- tomac — Worthless Ammunition — Forces on the Maryland Shore — xii Contents. Paoe Constant Firing AH Winter — Orders to Fall Back to Fredericksburg — " Come to Richmond Immediately " — Orders from Gen. Lee — New Berne Falls — Relieve Branch at Kinston Ordered to Wilming- ton—Build Defenses — F«>rt Fisher Constructed — Col. William Lamb in Command -Running the Blockade — Whitworth (inns — July IT. L862, Placed in Command of the Department of North Carolina and Southern Virginia— Defend a Fine from the Appomattox t<> Cape Fear- .Inly 81, Shell Gen. McClellan's Army — Constructed Defenses of Petersburg Battle of Fredericksburg — Pelham- President Calls for Me Gen. Lee's Considerate Conduct — Gen. Foster al Tarboro, N C. — He Interviews an Old Darky — Railroad Bridge at Golds- boro, N. ('.. Burned Weak Defense Made— How I Gol Supplies from Suffolk — Mrs. Johnston and Gen. Viele Was Fannie Cooper a Spy? Martial Law Sidney Lanier -Flag of Truce Boats — Ex- change of Prisoners 140 CHAPTER XII. Telegram from Secretary of War — (Jo to Richmond Declined Going to Vicksburg Gen. Longstreet — He Siaris tor Suffolk Suffolk — Capture of :i Fort and ( rarrison — No Reporl Made of the Capture — Statemenl of Lieut. George Reese — Longstreet Ordered to, Join Lee Dispatches -Battle of Chancellorsville— Withdraw from Suffolk An [mpertinenl Not< — Court of Inquiry Asked for and Refused — Possible Resull Had Longstreei Obeyed Orders— Tew Dispatches to Longstreet — ( )rders to Report to Gen. Johnston L59 CHAPTER XIII. Leave Petei'sburg for Jackson, Miss. — Visit Home — My Division Com- posed of the Brigades of Gens. Maxey, Evans, and McNair — Ex- traordinary ( lorrespondence between Gen. Johnston and Presidenl Davis — Movements to Attack Grant at Vicksburg Fall of Vicks- burg— Retreal to Jackson —Siege of Jackson Visit Home Negro Troops Surround the House — Narrow Escape -Vandalism — Johns- ton 'takes ( lommand of the Army of Tennessee Polk in ( iommand <>f Army of Mississippi — A ( !ourt of Inquiry Thai WasNol Held -My Division at Meridian — President Davis Jackson Burned -Sher- man's Advance on Meridian — Ordered to Mobile— Polk Crossing Tombigbee Liver lie 1> Slow to Move Go to Demopolis— Mr. Founier — Sent to Lauderdale — Tuscaloosa — Montevallo Leach Rome — Fight at Lome Join Gen. Johnston at Cassv ille L78 CHAPTER XIV. I assville The Line of Battk — Hood's Line Not Enfiladed History of That < 'on fere nee — Two Lieutenant Generals Invite Their. ( 'on inland- er to a < louncil of War — Johnston ( )bliged to Fall Hack -We < Iross the Etowah Liver Dallas New Hope Church Constant Fighting — Lain. Lain Death of Lieut. Gen. l'olk Battle of the Latimer Contents. xiii Paoe House -My Division Occupies Little and Big Kennesaw Mountains The Battle Incidents of the Battle Confederates Save Wounded Union Soldiers from Burning Kennesaw During Nighl Bombard- ment- Col. Martin's Noble< londuct— The Irony of Fate -Maj. Poten and French Soldier !'••<> CHAPTER XV. Our Army Falls Hark from Kennesaw Confederate "Rebel Yell" Occupy Works on the Chattahoochee River A. I'. Stewart Ap- pointed Lieutenant General— Assumes Command of the Army of Mississippi Texas Brigade Fight to Obtain Tools We Cross the Chattahoochee Arrival of Gen. B. Bragg Gen. Johnston Relieved — President Davis's Remark about Relieving Johnston from Com- mand Johnston's Policy versus Hood's Battle of Peachtree Creek We Occupy Atlanta Battle of Atlanta S. D. Lee Assigned to Command of Hoods Corps— Gen. Ector Wounded Capt. Ward Killed— Battle of July 28, L864 I Apply to Be Relieved from Serv- ing with Hood Gen. M. Jeff Thompson Condition of the Camps of United States Troops— Evidence of the Terrible Fire of Small Arms— Evacuation of Atlanta Jonesboro and Lovejoy's Station. . ~IVZ CHAPTER XVI. From Lovejoy's to Lost Mountain Big Shanty Acworth Destroy- ing Railroad— In the Rear of Sherman situation of the Two Ar- mies- Orders to Destroy the Etowah River Bridgi — To Fill Up the Railroad Cu< at Allatoona Hood Not Aware that Allatoona Was Fortified and Garrisoned March to Allatoona Summons to Sur- render No Answer— Gen. Corse's Report Erroneous The Fortifi- cations- Strength of Forces Equalization of Forces Some Feder- al Dispatches ''.'lie Battle Corse's Accounl Col. Ludlow's De- scription—Desperate Fighting The .Main Line Captured— Enemy Driven into an Interior Fort — Dispatches from Gen. Armst rong Re- specting Movements of the Enemy at Big Shanty— Withdraw to Avoid Being Surrounded by Converging Forces— Corse's Dispatch to Sherman — Provisions— Confederates Three Days and Nights with- out Rest or Sleep — Pass by the Enemy— Evangelist P. V. Bliss Writes the (Gospel) Hymn. "Hold the Fort "- Hood and His Erro- neous Publications in His Book — His Admiration for Corse— My Ad- miration for the Confederates— -The Soldier's Grave— The Lone Grave—Lieut. (Jen. A. P. Stew art's Note in Regard to This Accounl of the Battle m CHAPTER XVII. Return from Allatoona — Hood's Deportment— Cross the Coosa Riv- er — Devasfation around Rome— Rome Burned — Garrison of Kesaca Refuses to Surrender— Capture of the Seventeenth Iowa Regi o1 atTilton — Dalton Taken — Dug Gap — Dinner of Roasting Ears— Sup- xiv Coy TENTS. Pai;e per— ( !aptured Officersare Jolly Good Fellows — Gadsden — Encamp- ment ;tt Mrs. Sanson's — Her Daughter a Guide for Gen. Forrest when He Captured Gen. Streight — Cross the Black Warrior River and Sand Mountains — Decatur — Some Fighting at Decatur — Gen. Beauregard with Hood — Beautiful Valley of the Tennessee made Desolate by War — Tuscumbia — Dreary March to Columbia, Bain and Snow — Stewart's and Cheatham's Corps Cross Duck River en Route to Spring Hill — Hood Slept — Schofield Passed By — Pursue Schofield to Franklin — Battle of Franklin — Incidents — Remarkable Order for a Second Assault at Night — Losses in My Two Brigades — Exchange of Prisoners Stopped ■. . . . 285 CHAPTER XVIII. March to Nashville — Cold Weather — Partial Investment of the City- Leave of Absence — Turn the Command Over to Brig. Gen. C. W. Sears — Battle of Nashville — Hood Not Physically Able for the Du- ties of a Commander in Want of All Supplies — Marshal Saxe — Mulai Malek — Going to Nashville a Failure: Could Not Be Otherwise Leave for Columbus, Ga. — Marriage to Mary Fontaine Abercrombie — Go to Meriwether County to Avoid Wilson'sRaid — Robbing in Co- lumbus — Adventures of My Orderly — Yankees Raid the Houses Gen. A. Had No Pies — Gens. Lee and Johnston Surrender — Terms Thereof— War with the Musket Ends 302 CHAPTER XIX. Aspect of the Country at Termination of the War — The Returned Con- federate Soldier — Car] >et 'naggers — Lincoln's Vow — His Proclama- tion Concerning Confiscation of Slaves — How the Slaves Were Le- gally Liberated — Lincoln Murdered — Johnson President — His Thirst for Vengeance -••Treason" to Be Made Odious — Grant Declared That the Paroles Must Not Be Violated— Cost of a Bill of Dry Goods in Confederate Money in 1864— Leave Columbus for Greenville. Miss. —Desolate Home — TheGood Israelite — Return to Columbus — I Go with Mrs. French to Mississippi — Traveling Incognito a Fail- ure — Journey to New York in 1S()5 — Incidents of My Mother and Child When They Went North — Home Confiscated — Edward Coup er's Kind Ad No One Would Touch Mother's Trunks — Copy of a Contracl in 1865, Whereby I Obtained Funds— People under Espi- onage at the North Return to the Plantation — Northern Plan to Terminate the War 310 CHAPTER XX. Freedmen's Bureau — Gen. ( ). (). Howard. Commissioner— Platform for Reconstruction — Ironclad Oath — Natural Rights of Man — Civil Rights — Negroes Made Citizens — Persecution — Agents of Freed- men's Bureau — Personal Experience — Negro Justices Some Trials Contests. xv Page — Judge Shackelford— Secret Societies— William A. Sharkey— Gov. Adelbert Ames— Sheriff Webber — Taxes — Board of Levee Commis- sioners Dismissed — Religious Negroes — Bishop Wilmer — Prayers for the President — Shotgun Election — Hegira — Carpetbaggers — In- dissoluble Union — Indestructible States— We Were a Conquered Na- tion — Reconstruction Only a Definition for Deeds Done — Strength of Respective Armies 328 APPENDIX. S< >m e Statistics of the War 353 Percentage Killed and Wounded in Late Wars 355 Slave Owners in the Confederate Army 355 Prison Deaths and Prisoners 357 The Authority to Tax 358 Cost of the War 359 Naval Power of the United States 359 Names, Rank, and Positions of Officers on My Staff 359 Government in Louisiana, 1875-76 360 Violation of Paroles 365 Cassville 367 Slavery Proclamation and Confiscation Act 383 Indenture 385 Our Unknown Dead 402 ILLUSTRATIONS, MAPS, ETC. P.^GE Samuel G. French Frontispiece Plan op Battle < >f Resa< a. Mex 52 Plan < >F Battle < >f M< >nterey, Mex 63 - Map of the Country near Buena Vista 75 Plan < if Battle of Buena Vista 79 John C. French 119 Jefferson Davis 141 Robert E. Lee 171 J< >seph E. Johnston ITU Leonedas Polk 191 Map of Cas^ville 197 Map of New Hope Church, (7a 200 Map of Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, Jene 27. 18(34 204 Battle of Kennesaw Mountain 207 A. P. Stewart ' 213 Map of Atlanta Campaign 224 F. M. COCKRELL 227 Capture of Blockhouse, Allatoona ('keek. October 5. ism 231 Maj. 1). W. Sanders 235 M LP OF FORTIFICA HONS, Alia ioona. Ga 242 Battle < >f Ai.la ioona 250 Signal Tree, Allatoona, October 5, isoi 254 Battle of Allatoona— Capitke of Redoubt "R" 259 Railroad Cut, Allatoona 269 Joseph M. Brown 279 The Lon e ( i bav e 282 M LP i >F Battle c >f Franklin 293 Julius L. Brown 303 The Indenture 386 The INDENTURE (reverse side) 390 Henry Ward Beecher Selling Slaves 393 Joseph F. Brown 399 TWO WARS. CHAPTER I. Ancestry -Thomas Ffrench— Military Aspiration— Importanl Document —Appointment to Wesl Point New Jersey Farm Life— Great Changes— A Real Yankee — Pennsylvania Hall— The Fashions- Capture of a Hes- sian Soldier— Rufus Choate and Bishop Wainwright — West Point — Cadet Life — Senator Wall— John F. Reynolds— The Boycott — Rufus Ingalls — Requisites of a Commander. INASMUCH as the government of this country cannot grant any title to nobility, nor can it be conferred by any foreign power, the people of the United States have, to gratify a natural pride, been obliged to obtain distinction in various ways. Among them may be mentioned the accumulation of money, political preferment, the pride of ancestry, and professional attainments. The pride of ancestry is a very laudable one, and no doubt it has a giiiding influence in shaping the destiny of our lives. We discover it in the honor felt by the members of such societies as those of the Colonial wars, the Cincinnati, Sons of the Revolu- tion, Aztec Club, Sons of Veterans, and many others. And it is true: "Those will not look forward to their posterity who never look backward to their ancestors." Of the countless millions of human beings who in successive generations have passed over the stage of life, most of them, on their exit, have sunk into oblivion. The names of twenty-seven ate all that are known of the human family from man's creation down to the days of Noah. From the deluge to the present time a few men of great gen- ius as poets, historians, warriors, conquerors, and criminals claim general recognition from mankind. All others are rele- gated or consigned to the special history of a people, and thereby rescued from an otherwise oblivion. As individuals they per- ish. I am quite sure we are more indebted to Bos well for a true insight into the life and character of Samuel Johnson than we are to his writings, and there is the utmost interest attached to the home life of all the world's great actors. Even as late as our 2 Two Wars. revolutionary war we find much interest in the part played by the fashionable ladies during the war, and gossip of the Wistar parties, and card parties of New York and Philadelphia. From the "Mischianza " * we have a clear insight to the true and o-entle character of Major Andre and his accomplishments; and the beauty of some of the Quaker City Welles. Now in consideration of the desire of every gentleman to have a knowledge of his ancestry, and some knowledge of the times in which they lived, I purpose for the benefit of my children to write down somewhat of things I have seen and a part of which 1 was, and to make mention of some of the famous men with whom I have been acquainted during the eventful years between L839 and the presenl time (1895). As 1 was an officer in the United States army from L843 to L856, and a major general in the Confederate army, I purpose to relate some of the events of the Mexican and Confederate wars in the course of this narrative. 1 was horn in the county of Gloucester, State of Xew Jersey, on November 22, lsis. My father's name was Samuel French, whose ancestry in this country runs hack to Thomas French, who descended from one of the oldest and most honorable of English families. The Ffrenches were Normans and went to England with William the Conqueror. In after days some of the family went with Strongbow, the Karl of Pembroke, when he invaded Ireland and "laid waste the country, reducing everything to subjection,'* whereby they gained great posses- sions. Thomas Ffrench, who was a descendant of the Norman Ffrenchs, was. as the register shows, baptized in thechurch now standing in Nether Hayford, North Hamptonshire, in the year 1537. The painting of that church you have. A direct descendant of the aforesaid Thomas Ffrench, also named Thomas Ffrench. an adherent of the Church of England, for some reason abandoned it and became a member of the So- ciety of Friends (Quakers), and for this apostasy was persecu- ted and imprisoned. To escape the persecution he sailed to tin; colonies, and when he returned to England he became "one of the landed proprietors of West New Jersey in America." ••■A fete given by Maj. Andre in Philadelphia, May. 1778, in houorof Sir William H<>\\ e. An Important Document. 3 Taking passage for himself, wife, and nine children, he landed in Burlington, West New Jersey, on the 23d of July, 1680, O. S. In 1664 Charles II. granted to his brother, the Duke of York, the territory along our coast north of the mouth of the Dela- ware river. The duke sold the land lying between the Delaware and Hudson rivers to the forty-first degree of north latitude to Lord John Berkeley and Sir John Cartaret, who named it NVu Cresarea. or New Jersey. They. divided it into East and Wesl Jersey; but later, the grant being unsatisfactory to the king, owing to conflicting claims of the proprietors and their heirs, James in L689 compelled them to surrender or sell their claims to the crown, and all were embodied in one province. New Jer- sey. Thomas French, under these proceedings, signed the arti- cles relinquishing to the king his proprietary privileges to the one-ninetieth of the one-eighth of West Jersey. Thus New Jer- sey became a royal colony after the king bought the rights of the proprietors. Sir John Carteret named the land purchased New Jersey because he had been governor of the Isle of Jersey off the coast of France in the English Channel. My mother's name was Rebecca Clark. She was born January 1. L7:m>. at Billingsport, on the banks of the Delaware river, in New Jersey. She was married to my father on the 3d day of ( )«tober, 1816. The names of their children were: Garret, Sam- uel G., Charles C. John ('., Sallie ('., and George W. Passing from family records, I will now revert to myself, and will endeavor to show what creatures of circumstances most men are. One day, when a boy (aged about eight years ), my father left me at a stoic in Market Street, near Water Street. Philadel- phia, Pa. , where he usually obtained his family groceries. Over the door of that store was a modest signboard, and od it was painted the names, Hamilton and Hood. Mr. Hood was always kind to me, and usually gave me a paper of candy or other sweetmeats. /On this particular occasion, it being a rainy day, I was left there alone with Mr. Hood, and 1 remember now — although near seventy years have passed— what there and then occurred. Eating candies and playing about in the store, I dis- covered hanging in the office a picture of a young person (full- size bust ,') clad in a gray coat, with three rows of round brass buttons thereon, braided horizontally. From some cause it riveted my boyish attention. After looking ; ,t it for some time, 4 Two Wars. I exclaimed: "Who is that?" Mr. Hood replied: "That is my son." "What is he dressed so fine for?" I asked. Mr. Hood then told me his son was a cadet at the United States military academy ;it West Point: that he was at school there. Dancing around. I said: "I want togotothat school too." The response was. "Only a few boys can go to that school: to get there the boy's father must have influence with the President, and get an appointment from him, jjetc. I still looked at the picture, and I can see it to-day as I did then. It will never be effaced. As years rolled on. and I knew nothing about West Point, except that it was not open to all applicants, it was fading away in my mind, until one day when passing along Chestnut Street I saw in the window of a clothing house a large picture of the cadets of the United States military academy on dress parade. I gazed on it a very long time, oblivious to all around me. calling to mind only the remarks made to me by Mr. Hood; on these I pondered long, and made some inquiries, and finally resolved to make an effort to get an appointment to the academy. -On en- tering school, kept by the Rev. Samuel Aaron in Burlington, N. J., my roommate was a boy named Duer, who was from Pennsylvania. One day he opened his trunk and showed me his appointment as a cadet to the United States Military Academy. I told him I wanted to go there also, and questioned him about how he obtained the appointment. It was the same story that Mr. Hood had told me when I was almost a child. Put, un- daunted by the requirements, I resolved to act for myself, for ii]) to this time I had not mentioned the subject to either my father or mother, because the former belonged to the Society of Friends, or Quakers: save only that, marrying "out of meeting.'* he was no longer regarded as an orthodox member, and they were not considered as warlike people in any respect. Accord- ingly, when at home one day. I wrote to the President of the United States asking in the name of my father the appointment. As his name was the same as mine, I supposed I would get the reply myself from the post office. ^> I I was on the lookout for the answer, when one day in walked, to our house, my Quaker Uncle Charles, and handed to my fa- ther a letter that looked to me a foot long, and as it had on the envelope "War Department, Engineer's Office" in large letters, he said he was "anxious to know the contents of the document." Appointment to West Point. 5 As father replied he did not understand why such a letter was sent to him, I rose "to explain." My father said but little, but my uncle created some confu- sion by telling the family 1 was going to the '■bowwows" and the "bad place." Without waiting to first ascertain whether I was "going to the war" or not, several of my Quaker aunts called soon after to say good-by before I got shot, as they were sure the British would kill me, so filled were their minds with '"war's alarums" caused by the war of 1M2. When peace was restored and my uncle gone, my father told me that if I really desired the position he would aid me in get- ting it. So one day he took me with him and called on Charles ('. Stratton, a relation of ours living near by, and then a Whig Member of Congress. / New Jersey was not at that time divided into congressional districts, and a Whig delegation was seated in Conirress under "the broad seal of New Jersey," and had no influence with a Democratic administration: and so no appoint- ment came. But. nothing discouraged, the following winter, being still at the Burlington Academy, I called one day on Gen. Garret D Wall, then one of our United States Senators, a resident of Bur- lino-ton. I made known to him the object of my calling. He listened attentively to my request, said that lie knew my father and many of my relatives very well, and that he would aid me. The winter passed. Congress had adjourned, and no appointment came. About this time my father, passing through the town of Woodbury, N. J., happened to stop at the courthouse, and meeting Senator Wall there, asked him about mycadetship, who, on being- told the appointment had not been received, sat down in the court room, wrote a few lines to the President, handed them to father, and told him to mail them. In a few days the appointment came, the reward of diligent perseverance and wait- Lng.J^ Good Mr. Hood ! I suppose I often stopped at his store in after years, and yet I can only call to mind one allusion made to West Point. He told me once that his son, Lieut. Washington Hood, was in Cuba surveying a route for a railroad — for Tacon, Governor-General of Cuba — from Havana to Matanzas. As there may be a desire in long after years to have a knowl- 6 Two Wars. cdirc of how the " well-to-do" farmers lived in the early part of the present century in New Jersey, 1 will describe the condition of the people at my father's. ^ T ew Jersey was a slave State when 1 was born. In 1820 slavery was abolished; but there were two hundred and thirty-six slaves for life in '1850 in the State, because it did not emancipate a slave then in being.\lt only set free the unborn babes. You see the difference between abolition and emancipation '. The superabundance of the neces- saries of life at that period can scarcely be realized now, and ev- ery one fared sumptuously, and nearly all alike. Under the house there were four cellars. As winter approached, perhaps forty cords of oak and hickory wood, four feet in length, were hauled to the wood pile. Some twenty or more fat hogs were killed, the hams and shoulders sugar-cured and smoked in a large stone smokehouse. The sides, etc., were salted down in great cedar tanks. The beeves were killed, the rounds dried, not smoked, and the rest "corned." Minced meat and sausage, in linked chains by the hundreds of pounds, cider boiled down in great copper kettles, and apple butter and pear sauce made with- out stint. Shad from the fishery were bought for salting down for six dollars per hundred.. Oysters by the wagon load were in winter put in the cellar and kept fat by sprinkling them with brine and corn meal. In bins the choice apples were stored. each variety by itself, for daily use, while large quantities were buried in the earthen pits for spring. On the swinging shelves was the product of the dairy, cheese and butter. Four hogs- heads were kept full of cider vinegar; and "apple jack" (apple brandy) in barrels in a row, according to age; great old-fash- ioned demijohns were kept full of cherries, wild and cultivated, covered with brandy. Apples, peaches, pears, huckleberries, currants, plums, etc., were dried on scaffolds in the sun for pies and other purposes: and the children forgot not their ample supply of chestnuts, shellbarks, hazelnuts, etc. Turkeys, My lirst recollection of seeing a real Yankee was connected with a dock. At home there stood in the hall an eight-day clock, aearly eight feet high, and it is to-day in the city of Woodbury, N. J., in possession of my sister, Mrs. John G. Whitall. On its face are the words, " Hollingshead, Woods- town, N. .1.. 177<>." I infer that it might have commenced re- cording time about the hour that the liberty hell in Independence Hall, Philadelphia, on a certain fourth of July rang out the Bi- ble proclamation of liberty to all the land, and the " inhabitants thereof."* It is a clock of some repute. It has Arabic numer- als to express the hours. The pendulum was adjusted in length to the latitude, and vibrated every second and recorded it. It marked the day of the month, and the month itself, and a pic- ture of a round-faced female would pee]) up from behind the scenes just as the moon rose, and veiled her face when she set. In the absence of the moon a ship sailed slowly on. It had another accomplishment: an alarm that was worse than a ( hinese gong. I should think that handsome clock, which has been recording time now for one hundred and nineteen years, would have sufficed; hut no! One bright May morning, when all the fruit trees were in bloom, and the white-faced bumble- bees were buzzing around, and the air was redolent with per- fume, a wagon stopped at the gate, and a tall, lean individual came to the door and wished to see the mistress of the house. Said he was "a stranger in these parts, that his load was too heavy for his horse, and that he had clocks and other notions.'' Father was not in, so my mother gave him permission to leave a eloek until such time as he would call for it. So he brought in an eight-day clock about three feet high and adjusted it on * "Proclaim liberty throughout all the laud unto all the inhabitants thereof."' (Lev. xxv. 10.) 10 Two Wabs. the mantel in the dining: room. It was rather ornamental, and instead of the common, everyday figures such as were in the multiplication table, it had an I for one. and II for two. and so on. which was the Roman style: and then when it struck the hours, instead of ringing a hell, the hammer fell on a coil of wire, producing a cathedral sound that died away far off. We all soon got used to the clock, and some three months after when the man called to take his clock away mother said she was attached to it and would keep it. It was all a Yankee trick to sell the clock, for he disposed of many others in the same way. The Yankee clock has ticked its last tick, hut the old eight-day clock may outlive the nation whose hours from its birth it has. by seconds, recorded. All your life jom have heard the people of this country north of the slave States called Yan- kees, and the people south Confederates, which is not true, but only an incident of the war. In Philadelphia 1 was present at the dedication of Pennsylva- nia Hall. May L5, 1838, an abolition edifice. It was announced that David Paul Brown would officiate at the dedication. His reputation as a lawyer and an orator was well known, and on this occasion he did some stage acting with tine effect. He was hidden away from the surging audience in sonic manner, and after the chairman had stated the object of the meeting he closed his remarks by saying that David Paul Brown had promised to be present to deliver the address. Presto! From concealment he rose to his full height and exclaimed: "And I am here to fulfill that promise, a promise as freely given as it shall be fear- lessly performed, and as high priest of this day's sacrifice I ded- icate this hall to freedom." etc. A short time after, in the pres- ence of some ten thousand spectators, I saw about twenty per- sons, unmolested, batter down the doors and destroy the build- ing by fire; and from its ashes sprung up the free soil party. As fashion plates of dress worn sixty years ago are not plen- tiful, I will briefly refer to the tyrant, Fashion. Men wore tight pants, two inches longer behind than before. In front they were cut away so as to expose the instep, and were fastened down under the boot with a pantaloon strap, and it was no small job to get the pants off. The coat had a collar quilted to give it stiffness, and was. behind, about four inches broad, and one could not throw his head back and well enjoy a merry laugh. The Fashions. 11 Then in front they wore as neck gear a stock, yv> a stock about as comfortable as those public ones used for punishing criminals. These stocks were nearly four inches wide, consisting of a pad of bristles of the hog, fashioned to tit the neck, and were cov- ered with dark silks or satin. The lower part rested on the col- lar hone, and the upper supported the head aloft while the shirt collar cut the ears. It was "heads up, eyes to the front," and one seldom saw his hoots. Young men could not cross their legs when sitting in a chair without accident. John Pope, bet- ter known as Gen. Pope, when on furlough returned to West Point with nice linen pants, with straps at the bottom and open down the front, which was found very convenient for a soldier who had to wear a waist belt; and although it shocked the sense of propriety of some maidenly ladies, it caught the eye of Maj. Richard Delafield, Superintendent of the Academy. His hob- bies were economy and practical utility. He saw the advantage of Pope's breeches over the broad flap buttoned at the side, and notwithstanding the protest of Mrs. Delafield who was report- ed to have said "the cadets thus dressed should not come in per- son to the house with their account hooks for orders" — and other ladies, that stern old soldier gave the tailor permission to make the cadet pants open in front, and that consigned to ob- livion the broad flap pants. West Point then, as the Prince of Wales now. set the fashions: Pope's pattern of breeches are now worn by all Christian men, and some that are not of that re- ligion. Out of all the students that were at the academy in Burling- ton, I know of but one living now, (Ten. W. W. H. Davis, of Doylestown, Pa. He was aid to Gen. dishing during the Mexi- can war, and a general in the Union army during the late war between the States. After my appointment as a cadet 1 made no preparation for the examination for admission to the Academy, because I had no doubt of being able to meet the mental examination, for I had mastered nearly every elementary branch of mathematics, in- cluding navigation and Hutton's recreations in mathematics. I never understood or realized the "recreation" concealed in that volume. Recreation, however, is very often a matter of taste. There was a young officer on my staff, W. T. Freeman, who found recreation in going on every expedition, demonstration. 12 Two Waks. or tight that was on hand; and that good soldier, Gen. Richard S. Ewell, often would seek recreation by a visit to the picket line to see what the " Yanks" were doing. Taste will differ, you observe. AY hen the time was near at hand for me to report at West Point, soineof my Quaker aunts came to see me. They hadgotten pretty well over the belief that the British would kill me, or that we would soon have another war with England. Our relatives were numerous about Trenton, Evesham, Red Rank, Billings- port, and all the region around, and stories of the old war were common. I will relate but one: AYhen Count Donop, with his six battalions of Hessians, came down through Iladdontield to cap- ture the fortifications on the Delaware river at Red Bank, a Hessian soldier strayed away from the ranks, and. entering the back yard, came up to the back porch of a farmer's dwelling. There was a churn ( in form a truncated cone — that is, it was big at the bottom and small at the top); and moreover, it contained fresh buttermilk. The poor fellow took up the churn and was enjoying a drink when a stout servant girl, coming to the door, took in the situation at a glance, and. instead of crying "Mur- der," she took hold of the bottom of the churn, raised it up. and thrust it down quickly over his head. It was a tight tit, and as he could not remove the churn he was captured, hid away, and delivered to the garrison after the defeat of Donop's troops. Donop was killed. Often and often I wandered over Red Hank and Billingsporl when a boy. sitting down on the great iron can- non strewn all around, meditating on war. 1 now bade adieu to good Quaker uncles and aunts (1 say good yes. more deserving, truthful, honest people than the Quakers cannot be found, for they are all good) and father and mother, and took the stage for Philadelphia, thence by the Camden and Amboy railroad went to New York. The two great hotels in New York then were the Astor House ami the American. I felt lonely in the city crowd, and, strolling "down Broad- way," heard the noise of voices in a hall, or perhaps it was in a church, so I went in, and soon the orator exclaimed, * k It present- ed to the world the first instance of a Church without a bishop,'* upon which great applause followed, which I did not compre- hend, and at the same time an elderly gentleman rose up and left the stage, causing some commotion. By the papers I learned Ai West Point. 13 that they were celebrating their New England dinner, that the orator was Rufus Choate, and the indignant gentlemaD was Bishop Wainwright, all of which led to a long and hitler news- paper controversy. Leaving New York City. I went by steamer up the Hudson river to my place of destination at the foot of the Catskill Mountains, then robed in purple from the setting sun. I shall never forget my voyage on the Hudson when life was young and all was bright and fair, and hope imparted a feeling of joy and gladness to all my environments. There were sev- eral candidates for admission to the Academy at the hotel. In the morning when I came down to breakfast I chanced to take a seat beside a smart-looking, black-eyed boy, and. finding him not inquisitive. I remarked to him, "I suppose you have a cadet appointment;" and in the twinkle of an eye he answered my question by exclaiming, "May I ask you the same question?" I was amazed, but reverting to his reply. I calmly and deliber- ately told him that his inquiry would he responded to first, and then he could answer mine at his leisure. That boy was from Connecticut. He graduated second in his class; his name is George Deshon; heisa Jesuit father. Redemptorist, and Paulist, and resides in New York City, spending his life for the good of a fallen race. 1 was having a pleasant rest at the hotel, and had been there two or three days when an orderly made his appearance with an order for all the candidates for admission to report at headquar- ters. Frederick Steele, J. J. Booker, and I were assigned to a room in the south barracks. I cannot recall to mind much about the examination; I only remember Capt. W. W. S. Bliss asking us some questions in a polite manner, and then dismissing us. In due time we went into camp. J. J. Peck, Vandergrift. and I were assigned to Company D, and occupied the same tent. As the State of New Jersey was not divided into congressional districts at that time, it did not matter in what part of the State an applicant resided. There were four vacancies in the State, and they were tilled by appointing Isaac F. Quinby, Shotwell, Vandergrift, and myself. Shotwell and Vandergrift left the Academy. During the encampment Senator (i. W. Wall came to the 14 Two Wahs. Point on a visit, and had all four of us call to see him. He ex- pressed much interest in us, and gave us good advice, as he was personally interested in our success and welfare. I carried with me to West Point a letter of introduction to John F. Reynolds, of Pennsylvania, who. as general in the Un- ion Army, was killed the first day at Gettysburg. In his death the Federal army sustained an almost irreparable loss. He was a soldier of marked ability; kind. and. above all, was well loved, and the highest position in the service awaited him without his seeking it. He was ever kind to me, and later on, during the Mexican war, I was intimately associated with him. The offi- cers of Bragg's Battery of Monterey were G. H. Thomas, J. F. Reynolds, and myself, and Reynolds and I occupied the same tent, and I never knew him to speak an unkind word. Cadet life at the Academy has often been described, and it is so well known that I shall pass it by save with a few remarks. In the first squad of cavalry Grant, when a cadet at West Point, rode the horse that could jump a pole, one end against the wall about seven feet high while the other end was held by a soldier over the top of his head. In the second squad of our class Cave J. Couts rode the same animal. I never envied them their en- joyment, yet I rode a horse (properly named Vixen) that would go around the ring at a speed that would have distanced Tarn O'Shanter's mare when she crossed the bridge of Doon and lost her tail. 1 One day as our section in mathematics was marching to recita- tion hall Frank Gardner produced an old silver-cased watch about four inches in diameter. It, as a curiosity, was passed along from one hoy to another to examine; it chanced to he in Grant's hands, as we reached the door of the recitation room, and he slipped it under his coat bosom and buttoned it up. The regular professor was absent, and cadet Zealous B. 'Power occupied his chair. 1 le sent four cadets to the blackboards, Grant being one. (Irani had solved his problem and begun his demonstration, when all of a sudden the room was tilled with a sound not unlike a Chinese gong. All looked amazed, and Tower, thinking the noise was in the hall, ordered the door closed, and that only made the matter worse. Grant, with a sober countenance, had the floor to demonstrate. "When the racket ceased the recita- tion proceeded. Tower had no idea whence the noise came. Qui xb y — He ynolds — G r a n t. 15 Gardner had set the alarm in that antique pieee of furniture con- cealed in Grant's bosom, and it went off. Tower's bewilderment and Grant's sobriety afforded us much amusement, which we could not manifest until we got outdoors, and roared with laughter. J^> Of all the cadets in our class, I believe I. F. Quinby possessed the most profound and the brightest intellect. It was scarcely necessary for him to study m mathematical proposition. One day, thinking he would not be "called up," he had not opened the text-book. However. Prof. Mahan sent him to the black- board, and announced a proposition for him to demonstrate. In due time he faced the Professor ready to begin. He demon- strated the proposition in an original manner, frequently inter- rupted by the Professor, who failed to follow his reasoning, and would not admit the proof to be conclusive. Then cadet William F. Raynolds said: "Mr. Mahan, Mr. Quinby is right; I was at- tentive, and followed him all through." The result was Quinby wrote out his mode of demonstration and Raynolds handed it to the Professor next day, and the proof was conclusive. Profess- ors are not inclined to have students deviate from the text-books. One day Grant failed to name the signs of the Zodiac, aries, taurus, gemini, etc., so I was asked, some time after, to re- peat them, which I did as follows: The Ram, the Bull, tin- Heavenly Twins, oext the ('nil) the Lion shines, the Virgin and the Scales, The Scorpion. Archer, and the Goat, the Man who carries the watering pot, and Fish with glittering tails. and was told to translate it into the language of the text-book. Professors were not dependent on patronage, and there was no marked degrees of partiality shown any cadets. Prof. Wier kept one of my paintings in water colors that I regretted very much. One day, years after, I asked President Grant if he would not have the War Department issue an order to have it returned to me, and he said: "Certainly, and you may have any of mine that are there." He knew I well understood the humor in the remark about his paintings. However, I neglected to write to him and thus secure my picture. When I visited the Academy in 1881 I saw it hanging on the walls (and it is there now). Those that I left at my mother's in Woodbury, X. J., were con- fiscated and sold by the United States marshal, and this would 16 Two Wars. have shared the same fate had it been there. After the Confed- erate war ended some of these paintings were returned to me. Such acts of kindness I appreciated. When we entered the first class, as usual, we had accorded us the privilege of purchasing of the sutler, Mr. John DeWitt, many articles that were denied the junior classes. Owing to some of the class not being properly treated, the following docu- ment was drawn up. to wit: We, the undersigned, do hereby agree thai we will purchase nothing from John DeWitl after this date, except what we have already ordered, or whatever is absolutely necessary, the reason being supposed manifest t<> every one. -John H. Greland, J. Jones Reynolds, ('. J. Couts. L. Neill. [saac F. Quinby, John Preston Johnston. X. Etting, J. J. Peck. K. S. Ripley. H. R. Seldon, George Stevens, A. Crozet, (i. Deshon, F. Gardner, F. T. Dent. L. B. Woods. Henry F. Clark, T. L. Chadbourne, J. H. Potter, F. Howe, R. Hazlett, s. G. French, Henry M. Jidah, J. ('. McFerren. W. K. Van Bokkelen, Rupus Ingalls, George ( '. McClelland, W. B. Franklin. U. H. Grant, Joseph Asfokdd. ('. G. Merchant, West Point. April 1.".. 1843. To explain this boycott I copy a letter from Gen Kufus Ingalls to Gen. Isaac F. Quinby, sent to me by the latter when he re- ceived it. Quinby's familiar mime was "Nykin." Portland, Oregon, September 16, 1889. My Dear " Nykin .•" Your letter surprised me most joyously. I was thinking of you constantly and lovingly. Do not give up. Let us live to the last possible hour. I hope to meet you this fall — late perhaps. Icame here two years ago to stay three months, and here I am! I have had a "monkey and parrot time of it, "as these slips* will only partially disclose. Read them at leisure. But I am now booming in luck, . . . and I expeet to save some money out of the wreck for myself and pretty wards. But what, a fight all alone for it! I am robust, never better. Habits perfect; fact. Why not at 70? Did * Newspaper cuttings. The Boycott. 17 we uot cut old DeWitt because he caused some of us to be reported'/ How is Hamilton? Write me, dear ••Nykin." Nail your flag high up, and don't regard dark clouds. Very affectionately, Rufus. Gen. Quinby, Rochester. N. Y. My dear, good Rufus! How I recall the many happy days we have passed together ! My love for you was like unto Jona- than's for David, and you have gone and left me, gone to your long home. Yet I can see you now. I can see you at the card table having "fun" even though the "time be 4 a.m." There always was mirth when Ingalls was present. He was the prince of good fellows; ever cheerful, never selfish, full of quaint hu- mor, and was wont to "set the table in a roar." There is a story related of him that runs in this way: One night in the spring of L865 at City Point Grant and staff were sitting around their cam]) fire. Conversation had lapsed into silence, which after a while was suddenly broken by Grant ex- claiming: "Ingalls, do you expect to take that yellow dog of yours into Richmond with you V "O yes. General, he belongs to a long life breed," was Ingall's sober reply. Silence returned, but there were sides ready to burst with suppressed laughter. Ingalls possessed a brilliant mind. Grant states that, had it become necessary to change the commander of the Army of the Potomac, he would have given it to Ingalls. When at last Lee's weak lines were broken at Petersburg, and certain corps com- manders said they could not pursue Lee, Ingalls whispered to Grant, "If you do not order an immediate pursuit, you will be a ruined man; I will have supplies on hand;" and the army was ordered to move at once in pursuit. This was told me by Gen. Frederick Steele in 1865. But to return to the boycott, I find this matter in the news- papers of the day, and it is termed the oldest boycott known. I have copied the signatures from a newspaper article to correct some of the errors it contained; and I would observe that I can- not recall any member of our class named Joseph Asfordd. About the signature of Gen. Grant having been written IT. H. Grant, we all knew that Gen. Harmer obtained him the appoint- ment, and that his real name was U. H. Grant, but the appoint- ment called for U. S. Grant, and he entered the Academy as U. S. Grant, and was usually called " l T ncle Sam Grant." Poor 2 18 Two Wars. Stevens, who it appears had this document in his posses sion, I saw drowned in the waters of the Rio Grande when at the head of a squad of dragoons he attempted to swim the river. The paper was, I presume as stated, sent home with his effects, and the original, or facsimile, is now hung up in the War De- partment in Washington City. Of those who signed it, there are now living only four, Father Deshon, J. J. Reynolds. W. B. Franklin, and your father, who is now writing this; and if I write two other names, Gens. C. C. Auger and W. F. Raynolds, you have the names of the six surviving members of our class in L893.* LThe class of L843 is remarkable in one respect. So far as my investigations have extended, every one of the class living in 1861 entered the military service, except Father Deshon; all ob- tained the rank of general save one. In no class did all the grad- uates enter the service, nor did those in the armies obtain uni- formly such high rank as the class of lsl)!. When the encampment ends, and the cadets go into quarters and study commences, the fourth class is formed into sections, taking their names alphabetically. If they desire twelve cadets in the first section, commencing at the A's and B's they go on down until twelve are obtained; the second and other sections are formed in the same way; study and recitation begins, and the struggle commences. At the end of a week some are trans- ferred up to the first and second sections, and others down; and this continues until every one settles to the rank he merits, or at least to the rank his studies entitle him to. High class standing is not conclusive evidence of preeminent ability as a commander. Of all the positions that mortal man has occupied on earth, that of a great captain requires a com- bination of more of the rare gifts that God occasionally bestows on man. each differing in character and quality, than any other profession. In him they must n her. By this Massa- chusetts made a declaration which the State could not carry out without secedi/ng from the Union, yet she seceded not. Soon after the inauguration of Mr. Polk as President a reso- lution for annexation was passed by Congress, and on June 23, L845, Texas accepted the resolution, and became a State in the Union December 29. It became evident now. when Texas accepted the resolution, that the government would be obliged to defend the new State from invasion by Mexico, and the army officers were anxious to go to the frontier to defend the boundary of the country. To meet the threats of Mexico, an army of occupation was gradual- ly formed at Corpus Christi. When the order came for Maj. Ringgold's battery of horse artillery to be in readiness to move, and the Adjutant General came over to Fort McHenrv to trans- Ord's Boomebasg. 31 fer some of Capt. Wall's men to Ringgold's company, I asked Ringgold if he wished me to go with him. Taking me by the hand, he exclaimed, "My dear fellow, yes;" and, turning to the Adjutant General, he asked him to make the transfer and 'twas done, and I made preparations to leave. The ship Hermann was chartered, and the horses, to the number of one hundred and fifty, were put on board the ship between decks, in temporary stalls, secured by broad canvas bands under their bodies to prevent them from being thrown from their feet by the motion of the vessel. The company offi- cers were Ringgold, Ridgely, Shover, Fremont, and myself. The officers left in the fort were Wall, Tompkins, and Ord. After we left, this company was ordered to California. W. T. Sherman was with it; and they were quiet on the shore of the Pa- cific during the war. I met ( )rd once after the war in Washington. His hobby then was the Australian boomerang. He took me to a room, about sixty by forty, to show me how he could throw them to the end of the room and make them come back and fall at his feet. He was studying out some machine to discharge them rapidly and thereby till the air with scythe blades to cut oft the heads of an enemy, and every boomerang that did not strike an enemy was to return to the fort. I could not see why this boomerang, when it returned, would not injure the person that sent it. And thus it is; we all have some hobby on hand, but fortunately most of them are as harmless as Ord's boomer- ang, except we cannot get oft' this kind of a horse and rest and sleep as we do from a real horse. The day came when the cry was heard: "All on board." "Farewell," the parting word of friends, was spoken, the lines cast oft, and the ship passed down the Patapsco river to Chesa- peake Bay, to the Atlantic. The voyage to Aransas Pass was tedious and not particularly eventful. The captain was a scoun- drel and a sinner. I found amusement in going aloft and sitting in the foretop surveying the ocean's wide expanse without in- trusion. When we neared the Bahamas we were becalmed nine days, and the wicked captain would lie on his back and curse even his Creator. I had, as well as the captain, made all the observations for latitude and time, to compare with his. We reached the "Hole in the Wall" about sunset, and I made a sketch of it; passed 32 Two Wars. (Jreat Stirrup-cay light about 1<> p.m. At 2 a.m. the captain and mate came into our cabin, where his chart was on the table, and he tried to impress on the mate that the light ahead was the Florida light; that he had crossed the ( rulf Stream and was Hear- ing the Florida coast; and that the ship's course should be changed southerly. I heard this with alarm, tor I could not be- lieve it possible that we had passed the "Great Isaacs" and the Straits of Florida. I went on deck at the dawn of day. and saw white sand and rocks that did not appear more than a dozen feet beneath the water. I went forward, found the captain, and asked him if he was not on the Bahama Banks. Hedenied.it. I went immediately and made known the situation to Maj. Ringgold. He appeared to take hut little interest in the matter, supposed the ship was all right, etc. Ahout sunrise he came out, and I called his attention to the shoal water and rocks and the lighthouse on our sta/rboa/rd bow. He spoke to the captain about what I told him, and was informed that I was a hoy and did not know what 1 was talking about. The blue line of the deep water was in front of us. and a hark under full sail on the other side of the lighthouse heading south; and as we neared each other our captain took his trumpet and asked. "What ship is that?" and the reply was prompt, "What in h-11 are you doing there?" I turned to the Major and asked him if that answer did not explain the situation. The bark was the Caleb dishing, bound to New Orleans laden with ice. I believe to-day it was an attempt to wreck the ship, where life was safe, to get the insurance. As we were nearly out of drinking water, there was a necessi- ty to run into the nearest port for a fresh supply, and the ship put into Key West. What a relief ! That miserable captain had fed us on junk meat, boiled dried-apple pudding, and hardtack with weak coffee. I have never eaten any of these dishes since. We remained in Key West one day and night, and sailed the next morning. There we got some West Indies fruit and plen- ty of limes. The ship was now provisioned with green turtle, the only meat I saw in the market in the town, and now turtle was substituted for salt beef; and henceforth it was turtle steak, turtle soup (in name only), and turtle at every meal until it became as unpal- atable as junk beef. Some days after leaving Key West clouds Storm on the Gulf. 33 from the south-east began to fly over, extremely low, driven by a current just above us. The captain took in sail, leaving only spread the jib, fore-topsail, main topsail, and spanker, and I be- lieve the mainsail. 1 was sitting in the cabin when all at once tables, chairs, trunks, and everything moveable were shot to the starboard side in a heap. I caught hold of some fixtures, got out the cabin, which was on deck, and clung to the weather shrouds. The ship was nearly on her side. The captain jumped for the halyards, sailors slid down the deck, feet foremost, to let them go. I had been anxious to be in a storm on the ocean, and here was one quite unexpected. What riveted my attention mainly was the roaring of the tem- pest through the rigging. The great shrouds vibrated with a sound that made the ship tremble, and every rope and cord shrieked aloud in a different tone according to size, creating a thundering, howling, shrieking roar that impressed me with awe not unlike that I felt under the falls of Niagara. I was so fas- cinated with the music of the tempest that 1 was oblivious to the thought of danger, until the ship began to rise from her side, and when she rose well on her keel 1 thought the horses would kick the vessel to pieces. When we arrived at Aransas Pass the sea was high and the wind strong, and no lighters would venture outside to come to us. The discharging the cargo was tedious, as the horses had to be swung to the yardarms and low r ered into the pitching tugs alongside. I had been forty-six days on board ship, and joyous was it to be landed on St. Joseph's Island. I will make a small digression here, because it will shed some light on matters hereafter, and show that a camp may have some attractions as well as a palace. Maj. Ringgold carried with him a middle-aged colored servant who had much experience in arranging dinner and supper par- ties in Baltimore. He cared for nothing save to surprise us with dishes that would have delighted Lucullus. Such pompano, baked red snappers, boiled red fish, delicate soups, turkeys, geese, ducks, and game birds on toast. In pastry he had no superior. Never could we, by money or otherwise, discover how he pre- pared his sauces. In taste in arranging a table he resembled Ward McAllister, and he was fitted for a " chef " at Delmonico's or the Waldorf. 3 34 Two Wars. Ridgely had an old slave servant, and Shover and I colored men hired. They were all true and faithful servants, yet in dis- regard of instructions they would ride down and find us on the battlefield with a good luncheon. They always wished to 2:0 with us when there was a prospect of a fight. So now you can un- derstand how much I rejoiced to leave that villainous captain and ship, and enjoy again the luxury of a clean table. The terms of annexation proposed by the United States were accepted duly 4, 1845, and (Jen. Taylor was already at Corpus Christi with a considerable force when we landed on St. Jo- seph's Island. Consequently our stay on the island was soon terminated by our embarking on a light draft steamer for Cor pus Christi. As the water is shoal in front of this place, the steamer was anchored near a mile from shore', and the horses thrown overboard and made to swim to land. Corpus Christi is on the westerly side of the Nueces River, and consequently the United States troops were occupying the disputed territory. I have no date to guide me now, but it must have been about the last of October when we landed on the barren sands of the Bay of Nueces. Here a permanent cam}) and depot were established, and discipline in the troops commenced. There was but one house in this town at that time. It was a can- vas town. It was not an unpleasant place to be in. Lieut. John B. Magruder was a good theatrical manager, and under his charge a theater was constructed, and a fair company of actors enlisted. This attracted some professional of the boards, and thus nightly entertainments were provided. The disciples of Isaac Walton had rare sport in the bay and streams; and sports- men a field for all kind of game. During the winter a cold "norther" prevailed, and thousands of green turtle, pompano, red fish, red snappers, and other of the tinny tribe were be- numbed and cast on the shores on every side. The number of wild geese that nightly came from the prairies to rest on the waters of the bay was beyond estimate. A few miles up the bay, at sunset, the geese would obscure the sky from zenith to the verge of the horizon, and bewilder the young sportsman, who would always want two or three at a shot instead of one. 'Pen minutes, usually, would suffice to get as many geese as our horses could carry. Peer and turkeys were abundant, but on the open prairie would Mexican Ponies. 35 provokingly move along in front of the hunter just out of range of shot. Jack or English snipe would rise from the marshy places in flocks instead of a brace. There was a bird frequently seen in the roads and paths near camp, always alone, shaped like a game cock, that excited curiosity. Finally it was shot, and is now known as the chaparral cock. Soldiers found amusement in betting on Mexican ponies trained to stop instantly on the slightest touch of the reins. A line would be marked in the sand on the seashore, and the rider of the pony would take all Wets that he could run his pony a hundred yards at full speed and stop him instantly (say) within a foot of the line, and not pass over it; and they generally won the bets. Many fleet ponies were brought there, and racing was a dailj occurrence. On one occasion the officers got up a grand race, (apt. May and Lieut. Randolph Ridgely were to ride the re spective horses. When mounted. May's feet nearly reached the ground; and they rode "bareback." It was an exciting race. On they came under whip and spur amidst the crowd shouting wild hurrah. As they crossed the goal, May thoughtlessly checked his pony, and instantly the animal straightened his forelegs and stopped; but May. not having braced himself, went on. Seizing the pony by the neck with both hands, his legs rose in the air. and he made a complete somersault, landing on thegroundsome twelve or more feet in front of the pony. As he was not injured, the crowd went wild with joy. A great number of Mexicans would daily visit our camp with horses, or rather ponies, saddles, bridles, blankets, and other horse equipments for sale. I have had a horse and saddle of- fered for seventy-tive dollars, or seventy for the saddle and five for the horse. I bought the best trained hunting pony that 1 have ever known for fifteen dollars. The owner protested that he was ww mucho bueno" for hunting, and so he proved. At full speed he had been trained to stop instantly the moment a motion was made to tire the gun. I once had this pony to go up and rub the side of his head on the wheel of a piece of artillery when be- ing tired rapidly in battle. He loved the smell of gunpowder better than I did. Nearly all the officers bought ponies for them- selves or servants to ride. We heard so much about the great snow-white horse of the prairies, with a long flowing tail that 36 Tun Wans. >\\ ept the green grass, and a mane below his knees, that I thought it was a phantom horse on the land like the flying Dutchman on the sea. I was mistaken. I heard one day he had been Lassoed and sold to the quartermaster of the post, so I went " for to see" him. There he was, chained to the pole of an army wagon. He would kick at every person and animal that ventured near hint. 1 left him kicking at the man who fed him on hay tied on the end of a twenty-fool pole. What became of this emblematic horse I cannot tell. The desire "to know the world by sight and not by books" was increased. I had seen the Atlantic's deep heaving swells. the tempest in its might on the gulf, the calms on the borders of the tropics, with those never-to-be-forgotten beauties caused by the setting sun behind those wonderful clouds. Every even- ing :is the sun declined, great hanks of blue and purple clouds would form, presenting to the eye. without the aid of imagina- tion, the most lovely plains, bold mountain ranges, whose tops were draped in fantastic clouds. Temples that were as gloomy as Egypt's: castles as enchanting as those on the Rhine; chariots with horses; human faces and animals in silhouette; lions in re pose and lions rampant; phantasms woven out of clouds by rays of the setting sun: all. all changing in expression and form by the gentle movements of the clouds, fading away in outline into one vast glovi of crimson twilight that dissolved into air: "And like the baseless fabric <>t' a vision, lefl aol track behind.*' And now learning that a small train of wagons would soon leave for San Antonio. 1 obtained a month's leave to visit that city, made memorable by the defense of the Alamo and other tragic events. When the time came to start [met Limit. W. L. Crittenden, who told me he had a leave and was also going with tin 1 train. The expedition was in charge of ("apt. N. B. Ros- sell. When we came to the San Patricio crossing of the Nueces river the train could not cross by reason of the rains, [inpa- tient of delay. I proposed to Crittenden and two gentlemen from Kentucky that we "cut loose" from the train and proceed on our journey. There was with the train a Mr. Campbell, who lived in San Antonio, and he was willing to undertake to pilot us over this unknown, untrodden, pathless country. At the close of the first day, the eruide and 1 being in advance, Abvndance of Game. 37 we came to a small, dear, bubbling brook, and be said: " Here we will encamp for the night" So, dismounting, I hitchedmy pony and went up the stream in quest of turkeys that I heard gobbling. I found them going to roost, and covetous of num- bers, I would not shoot one and return as I should have done. I heard the party shouting for me. So, waitingtill a number of turkeys were in the tree, I fired both barrels, and only two of the birds fell when I expected double that number. When I wenl In gel the birds, alas! they were on an island and I had to leave them. 11 was now dark, and as I had crossed to the left bank of the stream I went on down until I supposed I was near the camp, and made a soft halloo! No answer. I then shouted louder and louder; then all was silence. I fell a peculiar crawl- ing sensation running over me. and I think my hair objected i<> my wearing my hat. I took a survey of the situation. I was alone in an Indian country; it was very dark, and I must not pass over the trail where we crossed the stream. Aided with the lighl of matches and burning grass I discovered the trail and found ray pony hitched where I left him. Mounting him, [fol- lowed the trail. After a while I heard far away some one hal- loo. It was Crittenden returning for me. We met. and I reached camp in no pleasant mood. It was an experience I have only once since undergone, and the sensations of the mind when lost are bewildering. It was the average estimate of the party that the number of (\wv that moved to the righl and left of our trail was not less than twelve hundred, besides numerous antelope. Out of all this number we never killed one, for we had no rifle, and they would walk off or keep provokingly just out of gunshot. We killed all the turkeys we wanted for food. In four days we reached San Antonio. There were hut four white families living in the town at that date: Volney Howard, Tom How- ard, our guide Campbell, and Mrs. Bradley. Lands were offered us at six cents per acre that commands now over a thousand dollars per acre, and the population is at present fifty thousand. At the San Pedro Springs, the source of the San Antonio river, where the river in its strength gushes up from the earth, we found Col. Harney encamped with a squadron of dragoons. He had built an observatory from which to obtain a view of the sur- 38 Two Wabs. rounding country. From the top hundreds of deer could be seen quietly grazing on the prairies near by.* Wild hogs and large wolves infested the chaparral around the hills, and were caught in traps. The country is beautiful to the eye, and the city sleeps in what may be termed a valley, by rea- son of the low hills on the north and east. To the west the plain extends to the Medina river. Western Texas in the months of March and April is lovely beyond comparison. The green o^-ass *Col. Harney was annoyed by the number of blackbirds that would feed with the horses, eating the grain; so while the horses were out graz- ing I asked an officer for a gun to kill some of the birds. He handed me a long single-barreled one with a bore about the size of a half dollar. From the powder Bask I put in two charges of powder and shot. The ground was covered with birds. I tired anil killed none; the charge was too small. The doctor (I think he was a doctor) said he would load it forme, sol took another shot. This time I thought my arm dislocated at the shoulder. I did not count the number of birds, but the ground was cov- ered with the dead and wounded. I played indifference while meditating revenge for a sore shoulder. Going to the top of the observatory, I saw perhaps a hundred deer grazing close by: so I was taken with a desire to kill one. and again asked the doctor for his gun. He proposed loading it for me. I told him I preferred doing it myself. I put in three charges of powder, or three drams, and about forty small buckshot, and oft' I went for a deer. The herd grazed along before me up the slope of a ridge, and passed over it. 1 crawled on my hands and knees to the crest, and such a sight! A number of single deer wore within twenty yards of me. At once 1 became covetous. Shoot a single deer'.' No. I wanted four or live (remembering •■all things come to those who wait "), so presently five or six were nearly in a line, but more distant: and when 1 pulled the trig- ger the gun said '"rush," and the smoke came in my face. As I looked over the held 1 was amazed. There were all the deer standing facing me, their heads high, ears spread out wide, and their large, soft, mild eyes looking at me imploringly; and not alarmed Probably they had never heard a guu (and 1 am quite sure they did not hear this one), for the In- dians then were armed only with bows and arrows. I sat down on the green grass and looked at the deer, and felt that ex- perience must be a good teacher. But the days came when I did kill many: but the lirst one fell dead from a shot from my pistol. I make mention of these little events that belong to the past to show how great is the change made in a few passing years. Where now is all this game, and where are the Indians'.' Alike they have disappeared be- fore the advance of avaricious civilization, from San Antonio to ( 'orpus Christi and to El Paso the country was as God made it. unchanged by In- . dians, and over the plains and on a thousand hills roamed deer, wild tur- key, partridges, and the waters swarmed with swan, geese, and ducks un- molested by sportsmen. McLaws Wounded. 39 is hidden beneath flowers of every color: not flowers here and there, but one unbroken mass, presenting a richness of coloring beyond the art of man: as we ride along there are acres of solid blue, then of white, now of yellow, then pink and purple: then all mixed up of every hue. as I once saw petunias on the lawn at Capo di Monti, in Naples. My stay in San Antonio depended on the departure of the train. There were a number of army officers waiting the con- venience and protection of the wagons. The evening of our de- parture was notable for an incident illustrating the power of im- agination over bodily feeling. Most of the officers had arrived at the camping ground in advance of the wagons, and were sit- ting under the trees wlicn they came. As the train was passing by Crittenden got up and took from his pocket what was called a pepper box pistol and tired at a tree in a line parallel to the road, dust at thai time Lieut. Lafayette McLaws left the train to come where we were, and shouted: "Quit firing, I am shot."" As he was not in range, no one regarded what he said, and Crit- tenden kept on firing the revolver. When McLaws rode up he had a wild look, and the bosom of his shirt was red with blood. A ball hitting the tree had glanced off at an angle and struck him. He was taken from his horse and the wound examined. There was the hole where the bullet entered the breast, and lie was spitting blood: and no surgeon being present he was put in a wagon to be taken back to San Antonio. He was resting on his back on straw and I was by his side. Again he spit some blood. He said: " My days are num- bered. My whole chest is filled with blood, and I can feel the blood shaking inside as though T were tilled with water." He was satisfied that he would soon die from internal hemorrhage; and perhaps he would, but fortunately it was discovered that the ball had also hit his index finger, that he had unknowingly sucked it in hismouth, and this was the blood he was spitting up. I therefore got out the wagon and left him. On arrival in San Antonio the wound was probed by a surgeon and the ball discovered near the spine. It Avas a glancing shot that pressing against the skin fol- lowed the line of least resistance until arrested by the spine. He soon recovered and came back to Corpus Christi. On the way back, when we struck the Nueces river we discov- ered that the timber was a turJcey roost. As the train was going 40 Two Wars. only three miles farther on to camp, a young man, son of Col. Mcintosh, and I agreed to remain there until dark and kill some turkeys. Mcintosh selected a tree under the bank near the riv- er; I fastened my pony to a bush on the plain and sat under the bank in the woods on the second bottom. About sunset great flocks of turkeys began to appear until the plains were alive with them. They were disturbed by my pony being tied there. As it grew dark they came into the trees or woods, flock after flock, in such numbers that they bent the limbs and fell to the ground all around me. I made seven shots, shooting only at the head as they were so near me. I picked up six fine gobblers (I would shoot no hens), and, staggering under the load, reached my pony. 1 threw the turkeys down and mounting my pony rode to Mc- Lntosh. Mcintosh had fired both barrels, and had one turkey. He had stopped without any other ammunition. Accompanying me back to where my game was, we tied the turkeys and put them over the necks of our horses and went into camp. 1 have no doubt that more than a thousand turkeys flew into that timber to roost ; they were on the ground all around me, and they could have been killed with a walking stick. I do not believe they had ever heard a gun fired before. By the stupidity of not protect- ing game by proper laws it has all disappeared long since. In- dians obtained rifles and ammunition from traders, and the deer were killed solely for their skins; and the wild members of the Legislature looked on and said: "Let the boys hunt whenever they please; the country and all it contains belongs to them." It is now justly held that all game belongs to the State and be- comes the property of the individual only as permitted by law, and after it is killed. CHAPTER IV. President of Mexico Resigns, and Paredes Is Elected— Mexican Troops Concentrating at Matamoras — Taylor Marches to the Rio Grande — Rat- tlesnakes — Mirage— Wild Horses — Taylor Concentrates His Troops at Arroyo, Colo.— Bull Fight— Mexicans Flee— Taylor Goes to Point Isabel — Join Gen. Worth — Field Works— Arrival of Gen. Ampudia— Orders Taylor to Leave — Taylor Declines— Col. Cross Murdered — Lieut. Por- ter Killed — Gen. Arista Arrives— Declares Hostilities Commenced — Capts. Thornton and Hardee Captured DURING the winter the friendly Mexicans who came to the camp would toll us of the preparations their government was making for war. At the close of December, L8<±5, Herrera was forced to resign the presidency ol Mexico. and Paredes was elected in his place; and detachments of troops began to move north, concentrating at Matamoras, on the Rio Grande, and the aspect of affairs looked quite belligerent. On the 22d of February, L846, a depot of supplies was established by our troops at Santa Gertrudes, some forty miles in advance on the route to Matamoras. On the 7th of March the tents of our company were struck preparatory to a move, and the day following the line of march for the Rio Grande commenced. The advance troops were a brigade of cavalry and Ringgold's battery of horse artillery. To be more minute, the order of march was: a company of cavalry, then our battery, then the main body of cavalry. As you can get all important matters from history, 1 shall allude only to what history generally omits, and relate minor aifairs or scenes behind history, like that un- known behind the stage. The first night out we encamped at a beautiful place covered with blue flowers like the hyacinth. It was pleasant to look at, an enchanting scene that would have been drowsy and dreamlike from the fragrance of the flowers had we not discovered nearly every man grazing his horse car- rying a small pole with which he was killing rattlesnakes. That night I slept on the ground and dreamed a great centipede was crawling over me, and T awoke with a great scream, like Dudu, from her sleep. We had breakfast at daylight, and while we were sitting by 42 Two Wars. the camp fire waiting for the bugle to call, and watching the wild geese flying around overhead bewildered by the fires, I held rny gun pointing at them, and by some mishap it went off and alarmed the camp; l>ut a goose fell down, nevertheless, near me. The guide, Pedro, said we had sixteen miles to march that day to the next camp. Our line was diverging somewhat inland from t In- gulf shore, and all the prairie was one green carpet of grass and flowers as far as the eye could reach, when all at once there was a great ocean on our left and not far distant. Officers galloped to Pedro to learn what was the matter, and ere an explanation was had the mirage was gone, the ocean was gone, and we were on the lone prairie as before. The third day we were marching quietly along when an alarm was sounded. To our right and a little to the rear in the horizon was what appeared to be a column of cavalry bearing down on us. As it came nearer and nearer the cry arose: "Wild horses. wild horses!" Our battery was closed up, the advanced compa- ny of cavalry moved on. leaving a large opening; the dragoons massed, making an interval for the herd to pass through. On. and on they came and, at full speed, with their long flowing manes and tails, passed through the open space made by the bat tery and dragoons. There were between two and three hundred. As soon as they passed ('apt. May. Lieut. Ridgely, and some other officers were after them on their tine horses with lariat in hand, and after a ride of a mile or more came back each with a young colt. They stayed with our horses several days and then disappeared. When we encamped a pony that I had bought for my servant to ride was bitten on the face by a rattlesnake near the door of our tent. The animal was treated with ammonia and whisky. The next morning his head was so swollen that I left him behind. A servant of the paymaster, when the infantry came along, found the pony and brought it on to the Rio Grande and returned it to my boy. The infantry inarched by brigades at a day's interval. The officers and men being in uniform, wearing caps, had their lips and noses nearly raw from the sun and winds, and could not put a cup of coffee to their lips until it was cold. I wore an im- mense sombrero, or Mexican straw hat. On the route I was often told: "When Gen. Taylor comes up you will be put in ar- rest for wearing that hat." The army concentrated near the Some Spanish Sport. 43 Arroyo Colorado, where the genera] commanding overtook us. I went over to call on him the next morning, and found him in front of his tent sitting on a camp stool eating breakfast. His table was the lid of tin 1 mess chest. His nose was white from the peeling off of the skin, and his lips raw. As I came up he sa- luted me with: "Good morning, lieutenant, good morning; sen- sible man to wear a hat." So I was commended instead of be- ing censured for making myself comfortable. His coffee was in a tin cup, and his lips so sore that the heat of the tin was pain- ful. A day or so after this the advance pickets encountered a herd of wild cattle that all ran away except an old bull that showed tight. Hearing shots in advance I galloped, on and found four or live cavalrymen around this animal, that looked as if he might be the grandsire of the herd. Every shot tired from the carbines had failed to penetrate the skin. 1 was armed with my shotgun and a brace of old pistols made in Marseilles, France, that Lieut. V . S. Grant gave me to cany along for him. I tired both these pistols at the enraged animal, and the halls only made the skin red by removing the hair. We now persuaded a dra- goon to put himself in front of the beast while I approached within twenty feet of his side, and from my gun fired a ball that penetrated the lungs. Still he pawed the earth and charged the horses, some of which were injured, and inspired new life to all around him while his own was ebbing. At last a dragoon dis- mounted, cautiously approached, shot him in the forehead, and the already weakened bull fell on his knees and rolled on his side — dead. This tight was not conducted according to all the rules of the ring at Madrid. We had, however, a dozen picadors anda mat- adore, and they performed feats of valor without the approv- ing smiles of black-eyed senoras or the applause of the grandees, which in Spain nerves the actors to daring deeds; but there was a compensation, for there were no hisses when one tied from the bull to save his horse, or sought a raking position in the rear to encourage those in front. The lesson I drew from this kind of recreation was that at the next bullfight I would be found among the spectators and not in the arena. This continued tiring by the advance guard caused troops to hasten to the front to ascertain the reason of the tumult, and 44 Two Wars. when it was reported to Gen. Taylor that according to the rules of Texas, Mexico, and Spain a bull had been found, an amphi- theater marked out, and that a real bull tight had taken place; that the noble animal had been slain for amusement, and that his cavalry was not well trained and had been tossed by the bull, he grew irate, and alas! to spoil our little game of recreations away in front, caused an order to be issued forbidding all tiring un -the march, unless necessitated by the presenceof the enemy. Hence- forth the bulls, deer, and jack rabbits became friendly with Is, and we passed them by in silence. Nearly every day small armed parties of Mexicans were seen away in advance, and once when we rode to a small pond to w&- ter our horses we found a party of Mexican lancers watering theirs also. A few words of salutation passed, when they moved on and disappeared. Once they set the prairie on tire, and we had to drive through the leaping Haines with our guns and cais- sons tilled with ammunition. On the 19th the head of the column was halted and went into cam]) about three or four miles oil the stream called Arroyo Col- orado, to wait the arrival or concentration of all the troops, about four thousand in number, and preparation to cross was made by the engineers. On the morning of the 20th, our bat- tery was put in position on the banks of the river where the earth had been cut down for it to cross, and where its tire could command the opposite shore and cover the landing of the infan- try. Notice had been given the engineer officer by the Mexi- cans that the forces on the Mexican shore were under positive orders to tire on any of our troops attempting to cross. Again a like notice w T as sent to (Jen. Taylor, and a proclamation that had been issued by (Jen. Mejia a day or two past was handed to him. During this time an awful din was made on the Mexican side by bugle calls away down, and far up the river, and kettle- drums and life in the woods in front. Our guns were loaded and matches lit when the old General gave the command for the infantry to cross. The head of the columns-plunged into the wa- ter, holding their cartridge boxes and muskets high, and, land- ing, deployed at once right and left. Other troops crossed above on the right, and when all moved forward not a Mexican was seen. On the 24th we arrived at a point on the main road running In the Land of Mo ah. 45 from Point Isabel to Matamoras which was ten miles from Point Isabel and a like distance from Matamoras. (Jen. Worth was directed to move on toward the Rio Grande near Matamoras with the infantry, while Gen. Taylor, with our battery and the dragoons, went down to meet Maj. Munroe at Point Isabel, where he had established a depot of supplies for the army. On the 26th Gen. Taylor, with his escort of cavalry and artillery, joined the main body under Worth, and on the 28th the army encamped on the river bank opposite Matamoras. The arrival of Gen. Taylor with his army, quietly taking the position he did, no doubt produced some consternation. Mexi- can infantry was seen in motion in the city. They had the river picketed and batteries placed to bear on our camp. The Mexican commander insisted that all was lovely, and that there was no war; that the acts of hostility were little events little incidents — to make our arrival interesting and pleasant. That the Consul for the United States in Matamoras was free, and a gentleman of leisure, but that (Jen. Taylor could not in- terview him without permission from the Commandante. Notwithstanding "the distinguished consideration " and affec- tionate regard expressed in the communications for the Ameri- canos, Gen. Taylor concluded to put up some field works or for- tifications out of courtesy to those being constructed by the Mexicans. We were in the land of Moab, and the promised land was on the other side. There was the city embowered in green foliage, with tropical plants around the white houses, and there, when the sun was declining, would assemble the female population to see and to be seen, and listen to the music of the various bands. "Dixie" was not then born, the ''Bonnie Blue Flag" had not then been waved; and we played "Yankee Doodle " because it made a loud noise, the "Star-Spangled Banner * 1 because it waved over us, "Hail, Columbia" because it was inspiriting, and the sweetest airs from the operas for the beautiful senoritas with the rebosas that disclosed the sweet faces they were designed to hide. The music from the other side I cannot recall now, only it rose with a "voluptuous swell" that floated over the water and died away softly in the distance with the breath that made it. And all the while on our side the shore was lined with offi- cers and soldiers enjoying the scene before them — that had a short existence. 46 Tiro Wars. "Ampudia has corne! Ampudia has come!" was heralded by every Mexican that came into our camp vending the products of the farms. And so it was. He came clothed in modesty, and made a display of it immediately by sending a dispatch on the 12th ordering Gen. Taylor to get out of his camp in twenty-four hours, and not to stop on this side of the Nueces. I do not be- lieve Taylor was much acquainted with fear, because, instead of "folding his tents like the Arabs, and silently stealing away." he had the audacity to remain just where he was until the twen- ty-four hours had expired, and long after. About this time Col. Cross, of the quartermaster's depart- ment, was murdered by some one and his body thrown in the chaparral. I was with a party of officers that was riding up the river, not expressly in search of Col. Cross's body, some seven or eight days after he was missed, and we observed some vul- tures resting in an old tree top. I rode in toward them, and saw a blue coat on the ground. It was Col. Cross's, and some of his remains were there. They were afterwards gathered up and cared for properly. One of the parties, a detachment of dra- goons, sent in search of Cross's body got into a tight with the Mexicans and Lieut. Porter was killed; and yet there was no war '. And now a greater than Ampudia had arrived, and on the 24th of April (Ten. Arista assumed command of the Mexican army now encamped in and around the city, and he informed Taylor that he considered hostilities commenced, and had " let slip the dogs of war." The enemy was now reported to have crossed to our side in large numbers, and parties were sent out to make reconnoissances. one of which was captured by the Mexicans; and Capts. Thornton and Hardee were now prisoners of war. CHAPTER Y. Arista and His Cavalry United States Excited — Two Hundred Thousand Men Offer Their Services — Congress Declares -War Existed by the Acts of the Mexican Republic"- Taylor Marches to Point Isabel— Bom- bardment of Fort Brown— Capts. May and Walker — Taylor Marches for Matamoras — Battle of Palo Alto — Victory Arista Falls Back to Re saca — Battle of Resaca — Captureof Enemies' Batteries (apis. May and Ridgely— Gen. La Vega Captured — His Sword Presented to Taylor — Duncan and Ridgely Pursue the Enemy I Capture Fa Vega's Aid — Col. Mcintosh — Hide over the Field of Palo Alto Death of Lieut s. Chadburne and Stevens We take possession of Matamoras — Gen. Twiggs appointed Governor- Twiggs and Jesus Maria Arrival of Gens. W. 0. Butler. Robert Patterson, Pillow, and others Promoted to Second Lieutenant Officers of the Company March to Camargo— Thence to Monterey Seralvo Arrival al Monterey. AND now Arista, on the part of the Mexican government, having declared that war existed: and some of our forces, both men and officers, having been killed or captured, the pony ex- press carried this news to the city of New Orleans; and as there was no telegraph, it spread all over the country and became mag- nified like "the three black crows." The apprehension that we were cut off from communicating with home by Arista's army occupying a position between us and Point Isabel was wide- spread, and impromptu meetings held for volunteers to go to the relief of our army, and thousands responded to the call. Con- gresswas in session, and it promptly declared that "* war existed by the acts of the Mexican Republic," and authorized the President to accept into service fifty thousand volunteers. As over two hundred thousand men offered their services, it may be, as Mark Twain once observed, that many persons " persuaded their wives' relations" to avail themselvesof this unique occasion to visit the land of the Aztecs, and enjoy balmy breezes under the shade of the acacia, the bamboo, and the pomegranate, with transporta- tion free. In the meantime we were in blissful ignorance that we were in such danger, and did not know it until our friends came to our relief. When Arista landed a part of his force on our side of the river, it was put in the field under the command of Gen. Torre- jon, and, being cavalry, had gained possession of the road lead- 48 Two Wars. ing to Point Isabel, thus cutting off all the creature comforts that we daily enjoyed. If it did not affect our pockets, it cur- tailed the duties of our chefdt cuisine, and diminished the pleas- ures of the table. In plain English, rations were getting short, and the less we had to eat the harder we worked on the fort and oilier defenses. May I >ay, when our friends were inhaling the fragrance of the bloom of the peach and cherry, the rose and the violet, and children were dancing around the maypole, we were striking our tents, packing up "traps," burning letters, preparatory to leaving for Point Isabel. A mocking bird that would sit on the ridgepole of my tent and sing to me daily, and warble sweet notes by moonlight, now sat on the fence adjoining and sung a parting song, for I never saw him again, and it tilled my heart with sadness. Sing on, dear bird: I hear thee now! The Seventh Regiment of Infantry, Bragg's company, or bat- tery, and a company of foot artillery were left in the fort under Maj. Brown, and Gen. Taylor started for Point Isabel, where our supplies were in store. The day following we arrived, and I was delighted to see old ocean again. Our departure should not have been made an occasion for sensible persons to rejoice, for did we not trust about six hundred men to entertain the Mexi- cans during our absence? and thus notify them that we purposed to return, and did we not do so I "And I have loved thee, ocean." and 1 love thee still, and I was content to hear thy voice again and be near thee; hut life is a dream, and from that dream I was awakened at dawn on the morning of the 3d. I was sleeping on the ground. A dull dis- tant sound broke on my ear. I rested my head on my elbow, and heard nothing: putting my ear again to the earth. I heard the boom! boom! of distant cannon. It was heard by others, and soon the camp was astir. It was now certain from the continu- ous sounds that Fort Brown was being bombarded. Gen. Tay- lor sent out Capts. May and Walker to communicate with Maj. Brown, and Walker succeeded in getting into the fort and re- turning. The defense of Point Isabel was to he intrusted to Maj. Munroe. assisted by the navy in command of Commodore Connor: and the army, now reduced to two thousand four hun- dred men, was to move to the relief of the garrison in Fort Brown. Facing Arista. 49 About noon on the 7th this little force started to meet Arista. who was between us and Fort Brown, without a question or doubt of getting there, although it was known the enemy's force num- bered about eight thousand men. It was near noon on the 8th of May when far away over the broad prairie, dimly outlined, was seen a dark line directly in front of us. It was the Mexi- can army drawn up in battle array across our road to Matamo- ras. When we arrived where there was water Gen. Taylor halt- ed to give the men time to till their canteens and to have a little rest. Soon the long roll sounded, hearts heat, pulses kept time, and knees trembled and would not be still. Our line was formed as follows: the fifth infantry (Col. Mcintosh), Ringgold's battery, third infantry, two long, heavy iron eighteen pounders, fourth infantry, and two squadrons of dragoons posted on our right, all commanded by Col. Twiggs, formed the right wing; the left was a battalion of foot artillery, Duncan's battery, and eighth infantry. In some respects it was a laughable thing to see the deployment of our line, of which the Mexicans were quiet spec- tators. Looking back from where we came into battery, which was executed in a half minute and in advance of the infantry, I could see the two great, long, heavy iron eighteen pounders, and the white-topped ammunition wagons lumbering along to get into line, drawn by a team of twenty oxen each. They came into line by words of command not laid down in the work on tactics; they described a great semicircle at the commands, " Haw, Buck! haw, Brindle! whoa, Brandy! " and tinally got their muzzles pointed to the front. If we had had elephants in place of the oxen, it would have been more picturesque, and presented a fine panorama. Arista must have thought he had performed his whole duty when he barred the road with his troops to prevent Taylor from advancing. He had been in line of hat tic all the morning await- ing our coming, yet he permitted us to deploy undisturbed, al- though we were in easy range of his guns, instead of assuming the offensive as he should have done. With a courtesy becom- ing a knight of the Middle Ages he permitted Lieut. Blake, in the presence of the armies, to ride down to within musket shot of his line, to dismount and survey his troops through his glass, then to remount and ride along down his front without allowing 4 50 Two Wars. a shot to be tired at him. As this reconnoissance had unmasked his artillery, he ran his guns to the front, and the artillery on both sides commenced firing. My rank assigned me to the duty of sitting on my horse to look at the fight and watch the cais- sons. Presently a small shell came along and struck the driver of the lead horses. The shell entered his body after carrying away the pommel of his saddle, and exploded the moment it left his body, as fragments of it Mounded his horse in the hip, split the lip and tongue, and knocked. out some teeth of a second horse and broke the jaw of Lieut. Ridgely's blooded mare. That was the first man I saw killed in battle. It was war. but it was not pleasant, and I thought it was no place for me to sit on my horse idle: so. dismounting, I gave ray horse to a horse holder, and walked to the howitzer on the right, took command of it. and helped work it. As no one demurred at what I was doing, I re- mained in charge of it all day. 1 would prefer to take my rod and line and go fishing, even if I got only a nibble, than to sit still on a horse offering myself as a targetfor cannon balls. To have a hand in the fray is quite another matter. 1 shall not describe this battle. It was almost and altogether an artillery fight. Once the Mexican cavalry with two pieces of artillery under Torrajon made a detour to our right with a view of turning- it, or capturing our wag-on train. This move- ment was defeated by the Fifth Infantry and two pieces of artil- lery being sent to meet it. The infantry formed in square, and when the Mexican cannon were being loaded to tire on the square, Ridgely and I came up. and so quickly did we bring our guns into action that we unlimbered. loaded, and tired before the Mex- icans could; in fact they did not tire a cannon shot, but retreated slowly back whence they came. Why they moved so doggedly slow under fire 1 could not tell: perhaps it was Mexican pride. Not long after this Maj. Ringgold, while sitting on his horse, was -truck with a cannon shot, from the effects of which he died. Maj. Ringgold was an accomplished officer and an elegant gen tleman, and his loss was a source of universal regret. Lieut. Ridgely succeeded to the command of the battery. The tiring ceased about dusk. Our loss was only ten killed and forty-four wounded. Arista stated that his loss was two hundred and fifty- three. They turned their guns on our batteries; we fired at their infantrv as instructed. During the uight Arista fell back to a Fifing at Smoke. 51 strong- position on the banks of a dry 1 km 1 of a stream about thirty yards wide called Resaca de la Palma. It rims through a wood with a dense undergrowth of chaparral, the woods on cither side being perhaps a mile wide. From the prairie on which the bat- tle of Palo Alto had been fought the road enters the woods thai border the Resaca, crosses it, and leads on to Matamoras. Early on the morning of the 9th Taylor sent Capt. McCaU with about two hundred men in advance to discover the position of the enemy. He found them in forec at Resaca, returned, and so reported to the general commanding. There have Ween men who weate occasions and avail themselves of the circumstances arising therefrom; but man generally is the creature of circumstance, and T mention this because it has an application to' persons who were engaged in this day's battle. From ( Jen. Taylor down no one in this army had had much prac- tical experience in the art of war. and from practice knew but little of the peculiar province of each arm of the service. Because the artillery rendered such signal service on the field yesterday Gen. Taylor was impressed with the idea that it was available for pursuit of cavalry in mountain passes, for storm- ing entrenchments, or charging a line of battle. Having discov- ered the position of the enemy, the ( ieneral had the trains parked on the prairie and left in charge of a battalion of foot artillery and the two eighteen pounders. May's dragoons were held in reserve on the prairie near where the road enters the woods. These arrangements completed, our battery, now under the command of Ridgely, was ordered to advance, take the road through the woods and chaparral, and attack the enemy. Here then was the singular tactics of a battery of horse artillery all alone, leaving the entire army behind, moving down the road through the woods without any support whatever. Capt. Walk- er was our guide. He and I and Ridgely were in advance. We had gone half a mile or more when crash through the tree tops came a shot from the unseen batteries in front. "At a gallop, march,' 1 was the order, and on we went until the road turned to the left about forty-five degrees. At the turn we halted, and this gave us a battery front (in part) to their guns near the bank of the dry river. We could not see their guns, nor they see ours, owing to undergrowth, but the guns were discharged at the smoke that each other made. We kept advancing "by hand" PLAN OF BATTLE OF RESACA, MEX. Fought May 0, 184G. 1. Ridgely's guns when he called for 4. United States infantry moving to May's dragoons to capture Mex- attack. Lean Battery. 5. May's dragoons previous to the 2. Position ut' Ridgely after the charge. charge. 6. Reserve. 3. Position of Mexican battery when 7. Mexican infantry. captured. 8. Mexican cavalry. !). Mexican artillery. Besaca. 53 down the road. Their skirmishers now 1 >egan to annoy us. Ri< Ige- ly came to me and said: "Go to Gen. Taylor and ask him to send some infantry supports." I got on my horse and galloped back up the road at full speed, met Gen. Taylor, Maj. Bliss, and other staff officers in the road, and delivered the message. The reply was: " The infantry has been deployed and will soon be there." I returned at a run. No one was to be seen any- where. We had now been fighting the enemy's guns alone for more than a half hour, and had driven them from off the plain into the ravine or dry bed of the river, and had obtained possession of an open camping ground directly in front of their pieces and not over a hundred yards distant. Again Ridgely came and said: "Go to Gen. Taylor as quick as possible, and tell him to send me assistance to capture the Mexican batteries in front of us." The road and also the woods on both sides were now full of our infantry moving forward. 1 soon met Gen. Taylor, delivered the message, adding: "General, their guns are just in our front and can be taken." His only answer was: '*.)///.' my! (i ■-- <7, whereis May? Ica/n?tget himup!"* Nothing more was said, and I returned. By this time our infantry was en- gaged with the enemy on the right of the road. The tiring was very heavy. I had been back with my gun about ten minutes, when down the road came May. in column of fours; he halted and exclaimed: " Hello! Ridgely, where is that battery '. I am or- dered to charge it." Ridgely said: ""Hold on, Charley, till I draw their fire, and you will soon see where they are." Our guns fired, and theirs replied. Away went May toward the Mexican guns, and our guns after him at a run. We came up to them muzzle to muzzle, only theirs were below the banks of the ravine and ours above. May had swept the gunners away and was out of sight on the other side in the chaparral. I was in command of the twelve-pound howitzer, and as I gave the order in battery, "Fire to the front!" a Mexican regiment behind some earth- works in the ravine and on the other side, with their right di- rectly in front, fired a volley. Two drivers fell, the wheel locked the gun in turning, a horse fell, and it was with difficulty we could unlimber. I said to the sergeant, "Run for a canis- *The inference is that Gen. Taylor ordered May up on the receipt of Kidgely's first message. 54 Two Wars. In:'" but before he got back a gunner slipped in a shell, and on top of that in went the canister. I could not prevent it, so great was the din of muskets. I fired the gun myself . The wheels were lifted from the ground. Two more canisters were tired before the regiment broke: but at that moment our infantry opened on them, and all was over in our immediate front. The second gun had horses killed, drivers and men shot, and it locked a wheel in the same way. Ridgely sprangfrom his horse and leaped into the dead driver's saddle, straightened the team, and that gun came into action. What the other two did 1 know not. Just as our firing ceased up rode Gen. Taylor with his staff, and compli- mented us. As he sat there on his horse May's men began to come back. A sergeant came up first and reported that he had captured (Jen. La Vega; next an infantry officer came and re- ported La Vega was his prisoner: and then May returned and. riding up to Gen. Taylor, drew from a scabbard a sword. Tak- ing it by the point, he presented it to the General with these woids: "General, I have the honor to present to you the sword of Gen. La Vega. lie is a prisoner." It was gracefully done. Taylor looked at it a moment and returned it to May. While we were all there in a group down the road came Duncan's bat- tery and crossed the ravine. Ridgely could not stand that, and said to me: •"French ask the General if we cannot cross over too." The reply was: "No. you have done enough to-day." Ridgely laughed, saying, " I can't receive orders from you: " and away he went with the guns after Duncan, leaving me to follow as soon as I repaired the damage to my gun. In a few minutes I crossed. No one halted me. I found Duncan tiring away to the left and front, where it was reported troops were retreat ing. We soon moved on. At this time I saw a man hiding be- hind some bushes about twenty yards from the roadside. I went to him, and as my knowledge of Spanish had not been cultiva- ted, I undertook to ask him his rank (seeing he was an officer i. and tried to say to him: "gTeniente o capitan? 1 ' It must have been badly pronounced, for he replied. "Si. senor," and, suiting action to the word, he put his hand in his pocket and handed me a biscuit. At that moment up rode Dr. Barnes and Capt. Kerr, and Barnes exclaimed: "Great heavens! French asked this gen tleinan for bread." No doubt the officer, who was an aid to Gen. La Vega, understood me to say: " ;Tiene listed pan ?" ( "have you Fort Brown. any bread?"). Barnes, who afterwards became surgeon genera of the United States army, declared to the end I asked that gen- tleman fur bread, and never failed to tell the story on me in company. Well, on we went for over four miles to Fort Brown. What a welcome we received! They had heard the sound of battle on the 8th, and again on the 9th, and had seen the Mexicans cross- ing the river in great haste and confusion. Great was the com- motion in Matamoras that night. Now when darkness came, Ridgely •remeniliered that he had come on without orders — in. fact, pretty nearly against orders- and he told me to ride back and see Gen. Taylor and ask for orders. So I rode back over the road alone. Gen. Taylor was glad to hear from the garri- son; said Ridgely could remain on the Rio Grande until further orders. J. Bankhead Magruder* was at headquarters, and de- *Gen. John Bankhead Magruder was known in earlier days as -'Prince John." When stationed on the Canadian frontier the British officers and ours were <>n good social terms. -John was indeed a princely fellow, and (lie officers ai his mess dined always in a rich, gay dinner jacket. His serv- ant was Irish and a jewel, and knew well "Prince John's" foibles. One ■ lay at dinner, to which some English officers were guests, there was a con- siderable display of taste, and one of them had the temerity to ask hishost what \\ as the pay of a lien tenant of artillery, and obtained for an answer: ••Well, hless yon. my dear fellow. I do not remember; my servant always gets it. What is it. Patrick.''" And Pat. well knowing the ways of Ma- gruder. replied: " Your honor must perceive the captain is a gintleman, and too ginerous to ask me for it." When the city <>f Mexico was captured by Gen. Scott "Prince John" obtained quarters in the bishop's palace. Sending for the butler, heasked him: "At what hour does the bishop dine?" Answer: "FourP.M." -How many courses does he have?" Answer: "Four." "How many bottles of wine does he order? " Answer: "Two." To impress the butler that he was an officer of high dignity, he gave orders that he would dine at 8 P.M. and require eight courses and four bottles of wine, doubling the courses. etc. And here is another story I will relate as 1 heard it: After the battles around Richmond had been fought (Jen. J. P. Magru- der was sent to command the Department of Texas. As I have formerly related, he was a bon vivant and rejoiced in the pleasures of t he table, and dined with much ceremony. To keep this up, as far as he could, he would send, like the popes of Pome, a courier in advance to arrange forhiscom- fort. On one occasion a staff officer was sent ahead as usual. Coming to a good residence, he arranged for comfortable quarters and a sumptuous supper. When the G'eneral arrived and the usual preliminaries were over 56 Two Wars. clared it was very imprudent for me to return by myself, and insisted that he should send me under the protection of an es- cort. I accept ed two men, but as they were not mounted, the progress was too slow. I dismissed them and galloped back safely. Duncan, who was an ambitious man, was much disap- pointed that he never got sight of the enemy on the 9th; but it is true, history to the contrary notwithstanding. You now have the true history of the circumstances that led May to be sent to charge that battery; it originated in the brain of Kidgely. Duncan, who was not in the action, was made a brevet major for Palo Alto, and lieutenant colonel for Resaca. Ridgely, who was distinguished for his gal laid conduct in both battles, was rewarded only with a brevet captaincy, which he declined, for the two battles. Capt. May was, if I remember aright, rewarded with two brevets without any distinguished service, or special service at all in the iirst battle. There is nothing like blowing a horn and having friends at court, I mention this without any reflection on those two good soldiers, and reference is thus made to point out that true service and just merit does not always meet with its proper rew T ard. Such is the way of the world. The conduct of our troops in this Wattle was courageous in the extreme. Banners were captured by gallant old officers from the hands of the enemy and held aloft in the front during the con- flict that was in some instances hand to hand. And yet the loss would not indicate such resistance, for our killed were only thir- ty-nine, and the wounded about eighty.* It certainly shows less he was ushered into the dining hall, and there sat at the table a ragged •• Keb " helping himself to the supper all alone. Magruder, however, took liis scat at the table, and, eying the "Reb" demolishing the viands, he ex- claimed: "Doyou, sir. know with whom you are eating supper?" "Reb" replied: '•No. I don't know, and I don't care a d -ran: before I went into the army I was very particular as to whom 1 ate with, but it makes no difference noAv: just he]]) yourself, do. * Riding over the battlefield the day after the light we came to the camp where the surgeons were attending to the wounded. A German prisoner was there standing up, holding on to the limb of a tree resting himself, he had been shot crosswise in the rear, the ball tearing away the seat of his breeches, that were very bloody. One of our Irish soldiers was passing by with canteens filled with water, and the German asked for a drink. Pat surveyed him. and replied: "Never a drop of wather Crossing the Riveb. 57 stubborn resistance on the part of the Mexicans than was found in the civil war. Col. Mcintosh was pinned to the earth with bayonets, one entering his mouth and passing through his neck; he was rescued, and lived only to give his life for his country at Molino del Rev. The day following was spent in burying the dead and caring for the wounded, and in an exchange of prison ers. Our battery, with some infantry, constituted an escort for the prisoners to Point Isabel. On the way there I rode over the field of Palo Alto. I saw a number of the dead that had not been buried. The flesh of the Americans was decayed and gone, or eaten by wolves and vultures; that of the Mexicans was dried and uncorrupted, which I attribute to the nature of their food. it being antiseptic. I observed this also at Monterey. Again I was where I could see the wild waves of ocean play and come tumbling on the shore; but like most pleasures it was short, for we were soon on the march back to Fort Brown. If we remember that Taylor had been gi ven t w enty-four hours, out of distinguished consideration for his character, to get away from before Matamoras, or take the consequences, and was so impolite in not obeying; and if we consider that when w T e did leave it was regarded as a flight; and if Ave call to mind the re- joicings of the people that w r e had tied, we can in a measure real- ize the sudden change from high hopes to despondency, from expected joy to overwhelming sorrow when they saw their sol- diers returning, not with captured flags and the spoils of w T ar, not with waving banners and triumphant shouts of victory, but fleeing when no one pursued, and madly plunging into the river to gain the shore which they lately left with expectations not realized. On the 10th we stood on our bank of the river, the other shore so near and yet so far! An army with no pontoon train! no bridge whereon to cross a deep, narrow river! Where was the great organizer that makes war successful? For one week the troops remained in front of the city unable to cross for the want of adequate means. On the 18th, when the advanced squadron of dragoons was swimming across the river, Lieut. George Stevens was drowned. will ye get from me, ye bloody hathen. If ye had stayed in your own counthry, where you belong, ye would now be well and have a sound seat to sit down on." o8 Two Wars. Balance such a man's life with the cost of a pontoon bridge! Two of my classmates, brave men, were now released from war. T. L. Chadbourn was killed at Resaca, and now Stevens drowned! both men dear to me. I saw poor Stevens ••Beat the surges under him, and ride upon their back," then sink and rise no more. We crossed the river unmolested, and took possession of the town. Gen. Twiggs was appointed governor of the place, and under his police system perfect order was maintained. Many pleasant families remained and to some of us a cordial welcome was given at all times. My time was passed pleasantly in the city during the months of June, duly, and pari of August. Our battery was in camp near the headquarters of Gen. Twiggs. A path leading to the city passed close in front of his office tent, and many persons went to and fro. One day I was sitting with the General. It was a beautiful afternoon. We were under the shade of some trees, and soldiers and strangers passing by so near would salute or otherwise rec- ognize the General. However, at this time a Mexican came along with a tall sombrero on his head and passed without no- ticing" the General. He was hailed by the General, came hack, and was asked: "What is your nanie?" He took off his som- brero politely, and answered: "Jesus Maria." Twiggs raised both hands above his head and exclaimed: "Go away! i>'o away from me! go away!" and the surprised Mexican passed on. I inferred from the great excitement the General exhibited at the name of the Mexican that his ancestors may have worshiped in the Temple of Jerusalem, or fought with the Maccabees in de- fense of their religion. Whilst the forces under Taylor were resting in camp at Mat- amoras. the quartermaster's department was busy in procuring Light-drafi boats to navigate the Rio Grande, it having been de- termined to establish a depot of supplies at Camargo, a town on the river nearly a hundred miles above Matamoras. preparatory to an advance on Monterey. Under the act calling for volunteers there were appointed to command them two major generals, W. O. Butler, of Kentucky, and Robert Patterson, of Pennsylvania; and G. J. Pillow, of Ten- Loading a Mule Train. 59 nessee, T. L. Harrier, of Ohio. John A. Quitman, of Mississippi, Thomas Marshall, of Kentucky. Joseph Lane, of Indiana, James Shields, of Illinois, were commissioned brigadier generals, and men to the number of near six thousand were, as volunteers, added to Taylor's force, increasing it to nine thousand. This force was organized into three divisions: the tirst under (Jen. Twiggs, the second under Gen. Worth, and the third un- der Gen. W. O. Butler, who was with Gen. .Jackson at New Or- leans when he defeated the English under Pakenham. Nearly fifty years after, another Butler. Gen. Benjamin F. Butler, fig- ured at New Orleans, and I would not that yon mistake them. for they were one to the other as "Hyperion to a satyr." In June I was promoted to the high rank of second lieutenant of the Third Artillery, and sometime during the summer was as- signed to Bragg's company of artillery, whose lieutenants were George II. Thomas, John F. Reynolds, and myself . They were all agreeable officers, but even to this Any I recall, like a wom- an, my tirst loves, Ringgold, Ridgely, and Shover. Early in August the first division stalled for Camargo. It was an uninteresting march, hot and dusty beyond conception. By the middle of Augusl the forces stalled for Monterey. We now left the alluvial lands of the Rio Grande, and the country was tree from dust. From Seralvo we obtained the first view of the lofty peaks of the Sierra Madre range of mountains, sev- enty odd miles distant, ami they created much discussion as to whether they were mountains or clouds. From Seralvo to Mon- terey the country was beautiful, rich, and fertile. We passed groves of ebony, Brazil wood, oak, pecan, mesquite, etc. The fields of corn were in silk, melons and vegetables of every va- riety were ripe; and later on in the season we had oranges, lem- ons, limes, pomegranates, bananas, and grapes. One morning w hen we were between Seralvo and Marin I re- ceived an order to remain and assist Lieut. D. B. Sacket in hav- ing the mule train loaded. I thought it strange that an artillery officer should be put on that duty, and felt indignant; but 1 was repaid in a measure by what took place, for I sometimes enjoy a little '•fun.'" After the muleteers had packed the old trained mules and started them one after another on their way, there re- mained a number of wild mules to have their packs put on, I be- lieve for the first time. One was lassoed and thrown and the 60 Two Wars. pack saddle put on. Then, for his load, two barrels of crackers were securely put on. All being' ready, the blind was removed from his eyes. He looked slowly around, showed the white of his eyes, took one step, humped himself, and kicked so high that the load overbalanced him and he fell on his back unable to rise, and brayed aloud. Soon a blind was removed from another; he surveyed the load from right to left with rolling eyes, squatted low, humped himself, sprang forward, stood on his forefeet and commenced high kicking, exploded the barrels of "hardtack" with his heels, threw the biscuit in the air with the force of a dynamite bomb, and ran away with the empty barrels dangling behind, as badly scared as a dog with tin buckets tied to his tail. A third, when his blind- was removed, stepped lightly to the front, but casting his eyes on either side, made a loud bray, dosed down his tail, and disappeared through the chaparral as quick as a jack rabbit, followed with loud Mexican denunciations that I cannot translate. In this manner four or five cargoes were lost, and the pack train moved on. I was sorry for the poor Mexicans, but I could not but laugh at the mules. My duty ended when the train started; so leaving it in the charge of Lieut. Sacket with his dragoons, I rode on alone and did not overtake my company until it had encamped. We arrived at Monterey on the 19th. The dragoons and the two batteries of field artillery encamped with Gen. Taylor at his headquarters at Walnut Springs, three miles from the city. CHAPTER VI. Monterey— Population— Gen. Ampudia— Gen, Worth— Capture a Fort- Battery in a Hot Place— Bragg's .Order Countermanded— Two Long- Haired Texans— Capture the Bishop's Palace— Our Battery Ordered to the East End of the City— Gens. Taylor and Quitman— Street Fighting- Gen. Ampudia Surrenders— Gen. Worth. Gov. Henderson, and Col. Jefferson Davis Commissioners— Enter the City— Dine with a Mexican Gentleman— Death of Ridgely— Hot Springs— Santa Anna President- Victoria Surrenders -Gen. Scott— Vera Cruz— Return to Monterey- Death of Lieut. Richey— Investigation of Richey's Death— Monterej — Saltillo— Agna Nueva — Geri. Wool— Santa Anna Advances— Majs. Borland and Gaines Captured— Taylor Falls Back to Buena Vista— Mex- ican Army— Am Wounded— The Hacienda— Cavalry Fight with Mexi- can Lancers— Flag of Truce— Victory— Carried to Saltillo. MONTEREY, an old city, the capital of the State of Nuevo Leon, contained about forty thousand inhabitants. It is situated on the left bank of the San Juan, a small stream that empties into a larger one of the same name. It had three forts. The main one, called the Black Fort, was out on the plain north of the city. Fort Tanaria was in the sub- urbs, in the northeast part of the city; and about two hun- dred yards distant south of it was a third fort, the guns of which commanded the interior of the Tanaria. The hill on the slope of which was the bishop's palace was also fortified; and strong- earthworks surrounded the city on the north and cast sides, with isolated works to the south and west. Gen. Ampudia was in command, with a force of seven thou- sand regular troops, and a large volunteer force. A reconnois- sance of the place by the engineer officers, having been com- pleted, dispositions to capture the city were made by detaching Gen. Worth, with his division, and Col. Hays, with his Texas regiment, to gain the road to Saltillo, by storming its defenses, and thereby cutting off the supplies of the enemy and holding his line of retreat, To accomplish this part of Gen. Taylor's plan, Worth started late on the 20th, and on the 21st made the attack, and was successful in carrying the detached works and securing the road to Saltillo. By way of advertisement, or at most a diversion in favor of Worth, Gen. Taylor moved Gar- land's division of regulars and a division of volunteers, some 62 Two Wars. cavalry, and our battery, down to the northeast part of the city. As is often the case, this demonstration terminated in a fight, and the capture of the fort or redoubt called Tanaria and build- ings adjacent. Our battery penetrated by a street some dis- tance into the city. The houses were mainly built of soft stone or adobe, and the shot from the batteries in the town passed through the buildings, covering the men. horses, and guns with lime and dust, blindingus so that wecould see nothing. From this situation we were ordered out. In passing an opening in the works a shot killed the two wheel horses to one of the cais- sons, and Lieut. Reynolds and 1 with the men threw, or pushed, the horses and harness into the ditches on either side, and after we had done this and gone some distance, another shot passed through two horses of one of the guns. These horses were loosed, and with their entrails dragging, in agony of pain, I suppose, commenced eating the grass. Having gotten out, Bragg ordered me back alone to the ditch in the edge of the town to save the harness thai was on the horses. I met Gen. Taylor, who inquired where I was going. When told, he said. ww That is nonsense." and ordered me to go to camp, where the battery had been sent. My ride back was rather ex- citing - . For the distance of a half mile or more 1 was on the plain in open sight of the Black Fort, or the citadel. The gun- ners must have become quite vindictive, for they opened tire on me. a lone horseman. I had to watch the smoke of each gun, check my horse, and as the shot would cross ahead push on. stopping to allow each shot to pass in front. I think the smoke prevented the gunners from discovering that I halted at every discharge of a gun. At any rate, every shot passed in front of me. 1 never forgave Braggfor that picayune order, and it was supplemented on the 23d by another equally as wild. As we were withdrawing from the city, we had to go up a straight road leading from a four-gun battery. A shot struck a driver on the elbow, carrying away his forearm, lie fell dead f rom his horse, singular but true, and Bragg directed me to dismount and take oh" the man's sword. I did so: and took from his pock- et a knife, for I thought I might be sent back if I did not save that too. I presented the sword to Bragg, and desired him to take charge of the knife, but he declined, as it was not public property. I write down these little things, for they give in- PLAN OF MONTEREY. MEX. 1. Black Fort. 2. Fort Tanaria. 3. Redoubt. 4. Main Plaza. 5. French's gun. 6. Thomas's gun. 7. Bragg' s battery -lirst day. 8. United States troops advancing on Fort Tanaria. 64 Two Wars. stances of the observance of details, characteristic of this offi- cer, not obtained from history. The day following', the 22d, our battery was ordered to oc- cupy, in reserve, a depression in a plain north of the citadel. But they knew we were there, and searched for us with shot. As I have observed already, the garrison of the citadel was vin- dictive, and tired at any one in sight and range. Sure enough, soon two long-haired Texans, on ponies, rode down and halted near each other, on the plain, and we watched events. Bang! went one of the heavy guns in the citadel; the ball passed over us and went between the two Texans. One wheeled his horse back for camp, and the other galloped down to our guns and re- marked: " Them darned fool Mexicans shoot mighty wild: they came near hitting me." He thought the shot was directed at us, and not at him. But, to return to more important proceedings. Behold, now a glorious sight! To the northwest of Monterey, and in the suburbs of the city. there is a very high hill called Independencia, that swells ab- ruptly from the plain, except on the southern slope, which is more gentle. On this slope, about halfway up, there is a massy palace, known as the bishop's palace. It was fortified and garrisoned, and the summit was crowned with a fort. The capture of this hill was necessary because it commanded the Saltillo road and prevented Gen. Worth from entering the city. As I have observed, our battery was put in reserve, and we were in open sight of the hill Independencia. Early in the morning when the fog rose, the battery on Inde- pendencia hill opened, and a solitary gun responded from a dis- tant one, which our troops had captured the day previous. And now the base of Independencia hill was encircled in smoke, and almost simultaneously a wreath of smoke above it burst into view. The attack on the hill with infantry had begun. Our men could be seen climbing up from rock to rock, and the smoke from every musket indicated whether it was tired up or tired (hnn, the hill. Gradually the circles of smoke moved higher and nearer, as our men ascended, and when, near the top, they commingled into one the excitement was intense. Troops on both sides looked on in silence, with hearts throbbing, now with hope, and now stilled with fear, as the line of battle advanced or The Bishop's Palace. 65 receded. But soon it was seen that higher up the hill the com- batants struggled, until with one wild shout and rush the lines closed, and the top smoked like a volcano. And then through the rifts of smoke we saw our men leaping over the parapets, and the Mexicans retreating down the slope. We clap our hands with joy, and wave our caps! Now. the scene changes. Prom out the bishop's palace swarms of men issue and rush up the hill to retake the fallen fort. They are met halfway. Our hearts are hushed as we look on. The enemy recede, break and run for the palace, where foe and friends commingled, enter to- gether, and all is still. A heavy gun Hashes, and a shell bursts over the city from a captured cannon. The nag descends, the stars and stripes go up and wave over the bishop's palace, and the battle is won; and then arose a shout of joy so loud, so long, it seemed to echo from the sky. There was not much progress made on the 22d, in the east- ern part of the city, except to gain a firm footing on the edge of it, by troops under Gen. Quitman. On the morning of the 23d our battery was ordered to the eastern end, and remained inactive while the infantry steadily advanced from house to house. The dwelling houses all had Hat roofs, surrounded by walls about three feet high forming so many small fortresses. The house tops were filled with the enemy, and they command- ed the streets; besides, the streets Leading to the main plaza had been barricaded, and they crossed others at right angles. Gen. Quitman, about noon, ordered Bragg to send a piece of artillery to drive the enemy from a main street running the whole length of the city. To my surprise, instead of sending Lieut. George H. Thomas, a second in command, he ordered me with the twelve- pound howitzer to report to Gen. Quitman, who instructed me to clear the street. I could see no troops in this street, except those on the house tops two or three squares in advance: so I moved on down un- til the musket balls began to clip and rattle along the stone pave- ment rather lively. To avoid this fire, I turned my gun to the left, into a street leading into the plaza. To my astonishment, one block distant was a stone barricade behind which were troops, and the houses on either side covered with armed men. They were evidently surprised, and did not lire at us. We were permitted to unlimber the gun, and move the horses back into 66 Two Wars. the main street. I politely waved my hand at the men at the barricade, which should read I shook my fist at them, and gave the command to load. Instantly the muskets were leveled over the barricade and pointed down from the house tops, and a volley tired at us that rattled like hail on the stones. My pony received a ricochet musket ball that struck the shoulder blade, ran up over the withers, and was stopped by the girth on the other side. I dismounted, and turned hack to the gun. The two men at the muzzle were shot. One poor fellow put his hands to his side and quietly said. " Lieutenant. I am shot." and tried to stoptherlowof blood. Iliad the gun run back into the street by which we entered the city. I now resorted to a device once practiced by a mob in the city of Philadelphia; two long ropes were made fast to the end of the trail, one rope was held by men on the lower side of the barricaded street, and the other by the men above. The gun Avas now loaded, and leveled in safety, then pushed out. and pulled by the ropes until it pointed at the barricade, and then tired. The recoil sent the 2:1111 back, and the rope brought it around the corner to be reloaded. In this manner the gun was worked for two hours, and with all this protection, four out of the rive gunners were killed or wounded. We had not been at this cross streel very long before Texans. Mississippians, and regulars began to arrive and cross under cover of the smoke of the gun to the other side, and gain pos- session of the house tops. Next (Jen. Taylor and staff came down the street on foot, and very imprudently he passed the cross street, escaping the many shots fired at him. There he was, almost alone. He tried to enter the store on the corner. The door being locked, he and the Mexican within had a confab, but. not understanding what was said, he called to Col. Kinney. the interpreter: "Come over here." The Colonel said . and went over at double-quick, and made the owner open the door. The store was empty. Here Gen. Quitman joined him with some troops and a gun in charge of Lieut. Gr. II. Thomas. Quitman directed me to take my howitzer down to the next cross street, but tosave my men and horses. I suggested that Thomas should put his gun in position first, and let us pass over through the smoke. Comprehending the matter at once, he said: " No. you remain here, and let Thomas pass over when you fire." Thomas moved to the next street, and turned his gun into it. His street Capitulation. 67 was barricaded also, and defended by a piece of artillery. The infantry and riflemen now made good progress in gain- ing possession of the houses, and driving the enemy toward the plaza. The command of Gen. Worth was all day working toward the plaza from another direction, by breaking through the walls from house to house, so that when aighl came, the Mexican troops were pent up in the main plaza. Before dusk, the Mex- icans being driven hack, our two pieces of artillery were with- drawn and ordered to camp at Walnut Springs. I have gone into these details to-show the simplicity of char- acter and coolness of Gen. Taylor which endeared him to his soldiers. No one discussed depots of supplies, base of commu- nications, lines of retreat, or strategic positions; hut every one knew that the brave old soldier would fight theenemy, wherever he found them, to the end. During thenight some pieces of ar- tillery, and a large mortal 1 were put in position and opened tire on the heart of the city, now so very crowded with people. Early on the 24th Gen. Ampudia sent ;i communication to Gen. Taylor, asking permission to leave the city, with his troops and arms unmolested. Of course this was refused, and finally resulted in the appointment of Gen. Worth. Gen. Henderson. and Col. Jefferson Davis commissioners to meet Gens. Requena and Ortega, and M. M. Llano, commissioners on the part of the Mexican army, who arranged the terms of the capitulation. I went to see the poor fellows depart. As they marched by, the soldiers each carried his musket in one hand, and a long stalk of sugar cane in the other, off of which they were regalingthem- selves. They were permitted to retain their arms. In connection with the capitulation, an armistice for two months was agreed to, subject to ratification by the respective governments; andnow came rest. Our loss was nearly live hundred, and among the killed was another classmate, Lieut. Robert Hazlitt. I should have mentioned that when the expedition for the capture of Monterey started Gen. Robert Patterson was left in command of the district of the Rio Grande. After the departure of the Mexican troops, a friendly inter- course was established between our officers and the most respect- able families in the city, noted on their part for gracefulness of 68 Two Wars. movement, gravity of manners, extreme politeness, and genu- ine hospitality. On one occasion, after dinner, a handsome Mexican saddle elicited the attention of the guests, and to my surprise the next day a servant came to my tent with a note, and the saddle. "begging me to accept it with consideration." etc. A few days afterwards I returned the saddle, with a small present, upon the grounds that it was too handsome for daily exposure in serv- ice, etc. Lieut. Randolph Ridgely brought with him a tine old setter dog. and, as partridges were abundant, I found exercise and amusement in hunting. Lieut. J. F. Reynolds was generally with me, and we would return with all the game we could carry, as the birds were tame and numerous. We also enjoyed the waters of the hot springs near by, now quite a resort for inva- lids. On the L ; 7th of October, Capt. R. Ridgely was killed by his horse slipping and falling in the main street of the city, where the smooth natural rock was the pavement. He was. in my es- timation, "the fearless and irreproachable knight," the Bayard of the army. What a hall is to a young lady, a right was to him; it made his step light and his eye radiant with delight, while joyous smiles beamed from his face. It seemed the very irony of fate that he. who had raced his steed on the sea wall of ( harleston, and leaped over into the ocean unharmed, should meet an untimely end from a horse falling in an open street. His father lived on Elk Ridge, near Baltimore, a gentleman of the olden school, of an age of the courtly past, and as John Randolph, of Roanoke, was a frequent visitor there. Randolph Ridgely was named for him. Thedeath of Capt. Ridgely promoted Bragg to his company, and Capt. T. W. Sherman to Bragg's company. Thus Bragg now became the commander of the late Map Ringgold's battery of artillery. It would appear as if some State governor, or some idle gen- eral would issue a "Pronunciamento " every new moon in Mex- ico, in hopes of becoming President of that republic; and thus it was that half the people of Mexico could not tell who was President. AndnowParedes was deposed, and Santa Anna, who was permitted to enter Mexico by the United States authorities Christmas Day. 69 as a man of peace,* reigned in his place. About the middle of September he arrived in the city of Mexico, and hastened soon after to San Luis Potosi to assume the command of the army thrice defeated by Gen. Taylor. To carry out the wishes of the War Department, to have Tam- ico captured, Gen. Taylor started for Victoria, a small town. the capital of the State of Tamaulipas, on or about the middle of December, with the troops commanded by (Jens. Twiggs and Quitman, leaving Gen. Worth in Saltillo with his division. On reaching Montemorelos he received information from Gen. Worth that Santa Anna was marching on Saltillo, and turned hack with all the troops except those under Gen. Quit- man and our battery. Gen. Quitman was to continue on to Vic- toria. The march was uninterrupted down this beautiful and fertile valley. On our right towered the lofty range of the Sierra Madre Mountains in one unbroken chain and sharp ser- rated lh\^{\ that looked thin enough for a man to sit astride of. In fact, at Santa ( atarina, there is a \ ast hole through this ridge near a thousand feet below the crest, through which clouds, as if in another world, could he seen moving by day, and stars by night. The town of Linares is in a rich, wide, and beautiful valley or plain divided into large sugar estates cultivated by peon labor. The orange trees were very large, and all the citrus fruits abundant. As we journeyed on, one day Christmas came, and as usual it came on time, and. although we were in the land of the saints, we had not faith enough to believe that Santa Claus would make us a visit. So I went into the mountains in quest of a wild turkey for dinner, and failed to kill one. What were we to do? Reynolds or our servants had succeeded in pro- curing some eggs. With them visions of pudding and "egg- nog"'' arose. We could get "pulque,"' get "aguardiente," from the maguey plant, but it was villianous lire water. In this di- lemma I sent my servant in quest of our doctor — Dr. C. C. Keeney, I think it was — to tell him to call immediately. The eggs were all beaten up ready. The doctor arrived. We made him a prisoner, and told him that he could not be released until * It was understood that Santa Anna was to end the war by making a treaty of peace, but he deceived President Polk. 70 Two Wars. he wrote a note to bis steward to send him a bottle of brandy and a bottle of rum. He did it on the ground that we all were in want of a stimulant, and on this occasion the doctor took his own prescription. When Plymouth Rock smiles, wonder not that we. far away from home, tried to make the service suit the day. and the day to be one of rejoicing that immortality was brought to light. We encamped one night at a hacienda not far from Victoria. The owner was very civil and kind: invited us to his drawing- room, walked with us in his large orange grove laden with golden fruit, which was protected by a high stone wall. He possessed a vast sugar estate, and said that lie had over five hun- dred peon laborers on it. As far as we could see there was only sugar cane. On the 29th of December we marched into the great square, or plaza, of Victoria without meeting with any resistance. The troops were drawn up in line, the officers to the front and fa- cing the alcazar. The alcalde left his office, crossed the plaza, and after a short address presented the keys of the city to Gen. Quitman. The Mexican standard was hauled down, and as the United States flag was thrown to the breeze the hand began to play, when all at once, in emulation, three or four jackasses began to bray, and bray, and drowned all proceedings, amidst roars of laughter that could not he restrained, especially among the volunteers. We had been in camp but a few days when Gen. Taylor ar- rived with Gen. Twigg's division, and almost at the same hour Gen. Patterson came in from Matamoras with a large force. Before I tell you any more I must inform yon of certain pro- ceedings and events that happened or took place in the past. ( )ne was that the President had ordered the commander in chief. Gen. Winfield Scott, to take the held as he desired, and to pro- ceed to Vera Cruz, and advance on the City of Mexico from that place. Of course all the troops in Mexico were subject to his orders. Accordingly, when Gen,. Scott came to the mouth of the Rio Grande, he made known to Gen. Taylor the particular troops that he wished him to order to Vera Cruz by duplicate dispatches. The letter sent to Monterey reached there after Gen. Taylor had started for Victoria. It was reported, and I presume it is true, that the letter was opened and read by Gen. Death of Lieut. Richey. 71 Marshall. If so, then he knew its importance. He committed two grave errors: First, he should have known that it was all important that the dispatches should be so sent as not to fall into the hands of the enemy; and secondly, he should not have required an officer to go to almost certain death when it was not necessary. What did he do! 1 He placed these dispatches in the hands of Lieut. John A. Richey, and sent or permitted him to cany the dispatches alone through the enemy's country one hundred and fifty miles to Gen. Taylor at Victoria. The conse- quence was that as Lieut. Richey was leaving the town of Villa (J ran he was "lassoed" by a Mexican, pulled from his horse, murdered, and the dispatches forwarded in all haste to Santa Anna, who learned how (Jen. Taylor would be stripped of all the United States troops and most of his volunteer force, how Gen. Scott was on his way to Vera Cruz to capture that city, and then to march on his capital. Santa Anna's decision was prompt and decided. It was what a great commander would have done. He decided to attack Gen. Taylor without delay, defeat him. if possible, recover all the territory lost, even to the Nueces river; then fly to the defense of his capital in time to meet (Jen. Scott before he passed the strong defenses of Cerro Gordo. He did not succeed in defeating ( Jen. Taylor, but he met Scott as he had planned to do. This was told by Col. Iturbide. a son of the last emperor of Mexico, whom I met after the war. When Gen. Taylor received the duplicate of the orders from Gen. Scott at Victoria, and learned how he was to be stripped of nearly all the gallant men who had won for him the three bat- tles, he gave the necessary orders for the departure of the troops called for. and this embraced the divisions of Gens. Worth and Twiggs, and most of Gen. Patterson's forces. In short, all the regular troops were sent to Vera Cruz, except four field bat- teries of artillery and two squadrons of dragoons, in all about six hundred men. I will not write here my opinion, as formed from observation or otherwise, of (Jen. Taylor's equanimity of mind on that occasion. However, it was reported that by mis- take he once put mustard in his coffee instead of sugar. Won- der not at his perplexity. He had enough to irritate him. He had some apprehension, no doubt, that the enemy might make an advance from San Luis Potosi on his now small force: but 72 Two Wars. what wounded his pride, was — Apollyon behind him- the party opposed to the annexation of any territory south had expressed a wish that our troops might be welcomed by the Mexicans with "bloody hands and hospitable graves;" and the administration, alarmed at his growing popularity with the Whig party, hoping to divide or parallel his fame with another, sent Gen. Scott with such an inadequate force that h< was obliged to deprive Gen. Taylor of such troops as I have stated. So Gen. Taylor had Santa Anna in front, the jealous administration and the anti- annexation party in Congress to fight behind him. The sequel will disclose his intrepid character, and his triumph in the end over all. In the latter part of January Gen. Taylor took his departure from Victoria for Monterey. His escort consisted of Col. Jef- ferson Davis's regiment of Mississippi Rifles, two squadrons of dragoons, and our battery. My heart was not so light nor my feelings so buoyant as when we went journeying southward. I have mentioned how Lieut. Richey was murdered at Villa Gran and his dispatches taken. When Gen. Taylor reached that town he directed our battery and the dragoons to be halted in the plaza, and, sending for the alcalde, held a court to investigate the murder of Richey. The murderer was demanded. The al- calde said that he did not know who was the guilty man, and could not produce him. The general did not credit his story; said he would hang him if he did not give information as to who was the criminal. The alcalde was very much frightened, and turned pale and trembled. The examination of such persons as were called was fruitless, and ended in Gen. Taylor notifying the alcalde that he would levy a contribution on the town of ( I be- Lieve) some $50,000 as indemnity, which would have to he paid in three weeks unless the murderer was caught and delivered to him. in all this the priests assisted the alcalde, and endeavored to pacify the ( reneral. When the court left the hall the General discovered that his baggage wagons had been halted, and that vexed him, and to further irritate him, a piece of artillery blocked the road by not being able to get up a steep hill. The General pulled the driv- er's ear, got the piece up, and ordered it to remain outside the road until everything had passed. When he rode away, I or- dered the gun into the road, and it was driven on. I never Agua Nveva Held. 73 learned whether the murderer of Richey was apprehended or not. When we arrived at Monterey we went into our old camp at Walnut Springs. We had some idle time to ride out in the country. The scenery around Monterey is very beautiful. There are near the city two isolated mountains Saddle Mountain and Mitra Mountain — behind which the chain of the Sierra Madre rises in towering grandeur from the plain to the height of near five thousand feet, stretching beyond vision as one vast w T all of rock, with a serrated edge seemingly as sharp as a saw, and in- accessible to man. Nearly every morning a canopy of clouds would form around the breast of Saddle Mountain, extending overhead to the distance of five or six miles. Gradually, as the day advanced, the clouds from the outer ^\^ would sail gently away one after the other, disrobing the mountain and exposing the beauty of its form to view. Once I was on the mountain above the clouds, in the bright sunshine looking down upon this billowy sea. Beyond was the lofty ridge glowing in the sun; around, hiding the plain for miles distant, was an ocean of clouds white as snow, softer than carded wool, lighter than down, rolling and swelling as silent as the heavens above them. Then they floated slowly away, melt- ing into air, and left me to look down on the gross earth to which I must return. When Gen. Worth believed that Santa Anna was on the march to Saltillo, Gen. Wool left Parras and hastened to Agua Xueva, and held that place, which is seventeen or more miles in advance of Saltillo. Sometime in the early part of February our company left Monterey, and we began our march to Saltillo. Moving west, we passed the bishop's palace. Thence the road runs along the base of the Cerro de la Mitra Mountains for miles, with the Sierra Madre on the left; and, although this immense ridge was about eight miles distant, it was so abruptly high and the at- mosphere so clear that it appeared not more distant than one could cast a stone. Marching on, we passed some mills; then through a valley in the mountains, highly cultivated, trees bordering the road, and then down an incline to the hacienda of Rinconada, closed in by mountains. The road then ascends bv a high grade to Los Mu- 74 Two Wars. ertos, thence <>n to Saltillo. The ascent to Los Muertos re- minded me of Thiers's description of the road rising up the In- canale to the plateau of Rivoli. in his account of that battle in Napoleon's Italian campaigns. I am sure no troops could ad- vance up that incline, straight and narrow, against well-served artillery. It was not fortified by the Mexicans to any extent, because it could be turned by two distant passes. This march of sixty odd miles was interesting in a high degree. Lofty mountains, deep valleys, wild, narrow passes, beautiful green fields in cultivation, babbling brooks surprising me at every turn. During this march from Monterey to Saltillo we made or gained an elevation of over four thousand four hundred feet, and we were now over six thousand feet above the ocean. The city is built on a slope that rises across the valley from moun- tains to mountains. You must understand that when we rose from out that steep ascent at Los Muertos there was apparently a plain before us. but really it was a valley, with continuous mountains on either side, all the way to A.gua Nueva; thence, on south toward the City of Mexico as far as the eye could see were blue peaks towering in the sky. As you will soon have a battle on hand "and a famous victo- ry," 1 will here give you some idea of the ground. Leaving the city of Saltillo and going south, the first place of note is the hacienda of Buena Vista,* rive miles distant, with its thick adobe (sun-dried brick) walls and flat roofs: next, a point eighl miles from the city called La Angostura (the Narrows), which became the center of the battlefield. Farther on is Encantada, the en- chanted place, and then Agua Nueva, nearly twenty miles from Saltillo. The ravines on the left of the road at Angustura ran back to the base of the mountain, and to the right of the road were dee]> gullies ( barrancas), some extending to the mountains uii the west. At one place the ravines on the left and the gul- lies on the right approach so near that there is room only for the road, forming the Narrows. It was about the 8th of February when we reached Saltillo. and soon after we were sent to the front at Agua Nueva. From many sources came corroborative testimony that the enemy was advancing on Saltillo by detachments. Seventy * •■ Beautiful View. " \y£>n carnation \ >. Xcl Q^ntu. \ s7rta7\CU^Z ~\^ ■ — ■ Y"^ -*l"^ \ /eue " u - L « „„. o_ 0>«v/ ^i ' O^ 1 " ^1° "■•"*■ "• \ (fc,e»«,Ay.(i«- \ tkSa'foHo V— />o^f' i 4\ \ ^^^^^^./-^CoJloofaeio^ti V \ ^l >^ a A 6 " < " n '°-_y / ^ ^\ SCALE ABOUT E'CMT MILtS TO THL IMCH fffucrCa. de~ ^ /o-< '"^-s'toy Mr J&h "-» — ^_*S MAP OF THE COUNTRY NEAR BUENA VISTA. 7G Two Wars. volunteers, under Majs. Borland and Gaines, were captured at Encarnacion. within twenty miles of where we were encamped. On the 20th Col. May was sent to Hediondo on a reeonnoissance, and some of his troops were captured, but he returned with the information given him by a deserter from the Mexican army that Santa Anna, with an army of twenty thousand men, was at La Encarnacion, only twenty miles distant from Agua Nueva. .May got back early on the morning of the k j!lst. and a few hours after Maj. McCulloch arrived with like information, with this difference: He went to Encarnacion, climbed a lofty peak that overlooked the encampment of the Mexicans, and computet I their number for himself. This was continuation strong. On the 20th I went hunting with Lieut. R. L. Moore, of the Mississippi regiment. The day was warm: the winds were in their caves; an ominous silence pervaded all nature; the sun did not dazzle the eye, and was distinct in outline, like the full moon; the game was tame and stupid; Moore was heavy of heart and dreamy. There was something peculiar in this silence — like the desert like the stillness that oft precedes the tempest and the earthquake. Did Moore have a premonition of his death? He fell in the coming battle. The day left a lasting impression on my mind, it was so weirdlike and mystical. "By :i divine instinct men's minds mistrust Ensuing danger; as by proof, we see The water swell before a boisterous storm." On the :?lst, as I have mentioned, both May and McCulloch returned to camp. Bragg, in his usual sarcastic manner com- menting on May's expedition, remarked: " I perceive that it is harder to lose one's reputation than to make it.' 1 It being an open country for some distance around Agua Nueva, Gen. 'lay lor, considering the great superiority of the enemy in numbers, resolved to tall back to Angustura, the nar- row pass, near Buena Vista. Our company went into camp on the plain above and near the city. On the morning of the 22d, we moved down to the site selected for the held of battle. If the Hudson river, where it passes through the Catskill Moun- tains, were dry and wider, and its surface furrowed by deep ravines and water gullies crossing it. it would resemble the field of Buena Vista. Capt. Washington's battery of eight guns was placed in the The Flag of Truce. 11 road at the Narrows. Thence a ravine ran in a southeasterly di- rection. At the mouth of this ravine, on the plain, the line of infantry commenced and extended on the left toward the moun- tains. The howitzer which I commanded was put in position on the left of Col. Bissell's Second Regiment of Illinois. Lieut. G. H. Thomas had his gun on the right of this regiment. It was not long before away in the distance clouds of dust were seen growing larger and nearer as the cavalry came in sight; then came artillery and infantry moving to their right and confront- ing our line, with hands playing and banners waving. Hours were consumed in this movement. In the meantime Gen. Santa Anna under a flag of truce sent to Gen. Taylor a long communi- cation, particularly informing him that he was surrounded by twenty thousand men. and to avoid being cut to pieces, called on him to surrender at discretion, that he would be treated with the consideration belonging to the Mexican character, etc.. and Inscribed it: H God and liberty! Camp at Encantada, February 22, ls47. Anto. Lopez de Santa Anna." It was in the Spanish language, and had to he translated to the General. Turning to Maj. Bliss, his adjutant general, he an- nounced a very forcible reply that was toned down by Maj. Bliss to the following: Headquarters Army of Occupation, / Nkak Bikna Vista, February 22, 1*47. f Sir: In reply to your note of this date summoning me to surrender my forces ;ii discretion, I beg leave i<> say thai I decline acceding to your re- quest. Z. Taylor, Major General U. S. A., Commanding. Senor Gen. l>. Anto. Lopez de Santa Lnna, Commanding in < liief, Encantada. As no siirns of an advance had Keen made, and as none could be attempted until after the return of the flag of truce, I rode down to where Gen. Taylor was to learn the purport of the dis- patch. I regret now that I did not write down the exact words made by the General in his verbal reply. I am sorry that I have no time to write you a description of this battle, but you will find it in some of the histories of this war. I can only tell you what relates to me and what I saw and heard. At 3 p.m. the firing of a solitary gun by the enemy was the signal for battle; and immediately the enemy began ascending a ridge of the mountain on our left. At the same time our 78 • Two Wars. troops began climbing up another. These two ridges, like the sides of a triangle, met at a point halfway up the mountainside; so the higher they went the nearer they approached each other. This skirmishing on the mountain continued long after dark, and the 1 (right flashes of the muskets imparted an interest to the sur- roundings. When this prelude terminated, under the watchful sentinels. the two armies rested as best they could during the night. If you will bear in mind that the height of Mount Washington is 6,234 feet, and that the plain or valley of La Encantada is 6,140 feet above tide water, you will not be impressed with the idea that we were slumbering in an atmosphere as balmy as Egypt. On the contrary, the wind swept along the valley like a young- Dakota 'blizzard. Maj. John Munroe, one of the kindest men to be found in the army, may have derived his knowledge of Connecticut "bun- dling'' from the veritable historian Diedriek Knickerbocker or otherwise; but be that as it may, he suggested to Lieut. J. F. Reynolds and me that we should " bundle' 1 to keep warm during the night. So a blanket was spread on the ground and the oth- ers used for covering. The Major slept to windward, and Rey- nolds to leeward. In all my varied experience in life I cannot recall a night when 1 came so near perishing from cold. Yet there was nothing severely frozen, only tin 1 wind carried off all the heat from our bodies. When we got up I could not keep my teeth quiet. Some of the men of the company had a little fire, and we warmed our hands. Everybody was shivering. My serv- ant was in camp at Saltillo. and I do not remember getting any breakfast: I know I had no dinner or supper. Santa Anna was very considerate in not having reveille till a late hour, and then it was sounded in one command after an- other, perhaps to impress us with the number he had. Every- thing was done with Spanish gravity suitable to the occasion. There was no running to and fro. but decorum marked their proceedings, for I had an opportunity to judge. There had been some skirmishing since daylight up in the mountain, which was merely a side show. I was ordered by Col. Churchill to go to the base of the mountain and ride down the side of the ravine in front of the enemy to ascertain if it could be crossed by artil- lery. I did as directed, and was not tired at. This, was before fly 4*fUZ*~- £■ Sltf***** t A- B- C- D- E- F- G- H- I- J- K- PLAN OF BATTLE OF BUENA VISTA. Fought February 22, 23, IslT. Beadquarters of Taylor. Hacienda of Buena Vista. -La Augustura. -Deep gullies. -High land. -Plateau. -Ravines. -Broad ravine. -Encampment. Elevated ridge. -Occupied by enemy on the 22d. -Slope of the mountain occupied by our forces on the 22d. -Position of O'Brien's and I ii< liana Regiment. M Enemy's battery. N— Bragg's Battery and Kentucky Volunteers. OP o -Gorges. I! Second Illinois and Lieuts. Thomas's and French's guns. »S — Two of Sherman's guns. T — United States dragoons. U — Texas Rangers. V — Lane's Indiana Volunteers. W — Arkansas and Kentucky caval- ry- X — Column of first attack. Y — Lombardeni's Division. Z — Pacheco's Division. 80 Two Wars. the heavy masses of infantry were put in motion. 1 reported the ravine impassable for artillery. The enemy's infantry was formed into three columns of at- tack. One moved down the road toward Washing-ton's halt cry. The central one was composed of two divisions commanded by Gens. Lombardini and Pacheco. Their third column had been deployed already, and a part of it had been skirmishing all the morning on the mountain side. T took the greatest interest in the central column. Pacheco managed to get his division in a ravine by entering it at the gorge, and moved up concealed, di- rectly in front of us. 1 tried to burst shells over them by short- ening the fuses, as they were only about one hundred and fifty yards distant. Their tiring increased rapidly. As Lombardini was advancing across the plateau to Pacheco's right. Pacheco's division rose from the ravine (to form line with him) directly opposite the Second Illinois troops. Instantly Bissell's and Lane's infantry opened tire on them, and Thomas and I used canister as rapidly as men (so well trained as ours were i could serve the guns. Unfortunately some of Lane's troops gave way and lied, and this enabled the enemy to gain our left Hank and rear. At this time I was struck with an ounce musket ball in the upper part of the right thigh while my left foot was in the stirrup in the act of mounting my horse. The shot was not painful at all. and the sensation was that of being struck with a club. I was put on my horse, as I could not walk. Soon after, to prevent being entirely surrounded, we were ordered to fall back toward the road, and came into line facing toward the mountain, and opened fire, now taking the enemy in Hank and rear as they were cross- ing the plain. I refused to be taken from my horse and put in a wagon, knowing I would be "lanced" by the Mexicans in case of disaster, so I sal on my horse all the rest of the daj^ walking him sometimes to the battery when it remained in one place any length of time. In the attack made in our rear Reynolds came by with his guns, and we drove back a large body of cavalry alone. Reynolds at the caissons prepared the shells, cut the fuses himself, and 1 directed the firing until the Mexican troops were driven beyond the range of the shells. He then moved in pursuit at full gallop and left me alone. The enemy was now in our front, left Hank, and rear. When Reynolds left me 1 ^4 Cavalry Fight. 81 concluded to go to the hacienda of Buena Vista, now close by; but before I reached there I noticed the Arkansas and Kentucky cavalry forming in line a little way to the east of the hacienda, and at the same time I saw a brigade of the enemy's lancers com- ing from the base of the mountain to attack them. As I had never seen a cavalry fight, I watched it with a great deal of in- terest, being close by. The enemy were over two to one of ours. They came on in solid column, received the lire of our men with- out being checked at all, rode directly through our men, using their lances freely on every side. After passing over our troops they went near the hacienda, and were tired on by our men on the top of the building as they passed by. This brigade of lan- cers crossed the road to the west, then went south and joined the army where Santa Anna was, thereby having made the complete circuit of our army during the battle. When this affair was ended I saw another body of the enemy's cavalry coming down from near the mountains heading for the hacienda, and our infantry moving to intercept them. Observ- ing large crowds around and in the buildings, I went to them. I asked them, I begged them, implored them to fall into line, not to fight, but to show themselves to the enemy. I got about twenty into a company, and while waiting for others to join one by one those that I had asked went into the building for their companions until finally I was left alone, none of them return- ing. By this time the cavalry referred to came on down in splen- did style, and, instead of making a headlong charge, halted in front of the Mississippians and Indianians under Col. Jefferson Davis, and were repulsed with heavy loss. One of the guns of our bait cry was also engaged in this isolated fight. Why this cavalry rode down into the very jaws of death and came to a halt I never heard explained. Weary, tired, and weakened by loss of blood, with my leg stiff and useless, I rode into the court of the hacienda, and was taken from my horse and carried into a very large room and laid on the floor. The whole floor was covered with wounded. I was placed between two soldiers. One had both legs broken below the knee. The scene almost beggars description. The screams of agony from pain, the moans of the dying, the messages sent home by the despairing, the parting farewells of friends, the in- coherent speech, the peculiar movements of the hands and fin- 6 82 Two Wars. gers, silence, the spirit's flight — to where? And amidst all this sonic of the mean passions of humanity were displayed. Near me was a poor soldier hopelessly wounded. He was cold, and yet a wretch came and, against remonstrances, took the blanket off him, claiming that it was his. On the field I was twice taken from my horse by the surgeons and had the wound probed, but no probe could reach the ball. No surgeon was at the hacienda, so there I remained until after dark. I think there must have been seven or eight hundred able- bodied men at the buildings who had left ranks. When the tir- ing ended Gen. Taylor came. A tailboard of a wagon was brought in, I was placed on it and carried out and putinacom- mon wagon (by the General, Dr. Hitchcock. Col. May, and some others) between two wounded men. One of them was Col. Jef- ferson Davis, the other a lieutenant of volunteers. I said to the General I hoped he would gain a complete victory on the mor- row, and his reply was: "" Yes, yes, if too many of my men do not give me the slip to-night." I think he made this reply be- cause he was mortified and pained to And so many men at the hacienda who had deserted the field, many of them by carrying off the wounded and not returning to their companies. I was taken to our camp at Saltillo, put on the ground in my tent with but little covering, and left alone. "Where my serv- ant was I know not. The cam}) was silent, every one being away on or near the held of battle. It was to me a night of bodily suffering. About daylight 1 heard footsteps and called aloud, and was answered by a passing soldier coming to my relief. That morning I was moved to a hospital and received medical attention, and soon after I was sent to a private house occupied by the wife of one of our soldiers, where I received every care and was made comfortable. When I left my gun I went in search of an army surgeon, as I was urged to do by Lieut. Thomas, because I became dizzy and had to be taken from my horse for a while. I found Dr. Hitch- cock somewhere in the Held and exposed to some tire from the enemy in front. He advised me to take a wagon and go to the hospital. He was extracting a ball from Capt. Enoch Steen. of the dragoons, who was wounded, and who. perhaps to divert his mind from what the doctor was doing, or for relief from pain, was cursing two men who had stopped on their way back to A Second Attack. 83 their company to see the operation performed. He ordered them away, called them cowards, and other vile names; but still they moved not until a musket ball came passing by more close- ly than others, knocked the hat off the head of one of them, and left his head white where it cut the hair from his scalp. He dropped his musket and jumped and danced around like mad. crying out, "I am killed, I am killed," to Steen's amusement and relief from the knife, by diverting his attention. After the right wing of the Mexican army, which had gotten away behind us. had been checked, it began to fall back along the base of the mountains, and succeeded finally in reaching the position it started from by a trick of Santa Anna's. Under a flag of truce, which our troops respected, he sent a message to Gen. Taylor u to know what h< wanted" and when our troops stopped tiring he withdrew his right wing.* After this came the last great effort of the enemy. He massed his troops and made the second grand attack very much as he did in the morning, and over the same ground. How T near he came being successful by this sudden attack on the force centered about Angostura while so many of our men were away near the base of the mountains in our rear, you will rind in the published accounts of the battle; and it was caused by the enemy making the attack before our troops could get on the plateau by reason of the circuitous route around the ravines that could not be crossed. I did not see this last struggle. Lieut. O'Brien lost his guns. Bragg would have lost his in a few minutes had not our battery and Davis's and Lane's regiments arrived the mo- ment they did to meet the advancing mass of the enemy. It was a death struggle. Our concentrated tire swept away the advan- cing line, the second faltered, halted, fell back, and the held was won. Santa Anna, when referring to this battle, frequently declared that he "won the victory, only Gen. Taylor did not know T when "The Mexican story is: That a Mexican lieutenant in the first line got mixed up with our troops and feigned a parley and was earned to Gen. Taylor. This was followed by his returning to the Mexican line accom- panied by two American officers to have an interview with Santa Anna. Then our line stopped firing and theirs did not. If this Mexican officer bore a flag of truce, it would explain why we stopped firing, and 1 am quite sure he did. 84 Two Wars. he was whipped," and just stayed there, while he was obliged to go back for water, provisions, and forage, and left the field to Taylor. I take this occasion to express my gratification to San- ta Anna, even at this late date, for not staying on the field he had won, and I acknowledge his distinguished consideration in permitting me to remain at Saltillo. How vexatious it must have been to Santa Anna in his old age to recall to mind that the ignorance of Gen. Taylor in not knowing he was whipped so changed his destiny, and no doubt he thought how truthful is the line: "Where ignorance is bliss 'tis fully to lie wise." We had present 4,691 officers and men, and our loss was: killed. 272; wounded, 388; missing, 6; total, Q66. The relative number of wounded to the killed is very remarkable. Usually there are five or more wounded to one killed. The enemy num- bered over 20,000 men. Although their reports place their loss at over 4,000, it falls short of the real number. At dawn on the following morning it was discovered that Santa Anna had retreated to Agua Nueva. Gen. Taylor, with a proper escort, rode to Encantada and sent Col. Bliss to Santa Anna for an exchange of prisoners captured before the battle. This was effected. The wounded Mexicans even from Encarnacion were removed to Saltillo for medical care. Here we have the achievements of one plain, unpretending practical, common sense man, who was ever observant of duty, and whose declaration was, "I will light the enemy wherever 1 find him," summed up in four victories — Palo Alto, Besaca, Monterey, and Buena Vista. Success, ordinarily, is the meas- ure of the greatness of a soldier. CHAPTER YIT. Drs. T. C. Madison, U. S. A., and G. M. Provostr- Surgical Operation- Courtesy of a Mexican Woman— Leave Saltillo— Paltry Escort— Safe at Monterey— The Rio Grande— Maj. W. W. H. Davis— New Orleans- Gen. Pillow— Col. Mcintosh— Bailey Beyton and Sargeant S. Prentiss— Drunk by Absorption— Steamer for Louisville— Racing on the River- Trip to Pittsburg, Pa.— By Canal Boat to Harrisburg— Home— Report to the Adjutant General— Go toTrenton,N. J.— Presentation of aSword —Go to Washington— John W. Forney's Bargain with Secretary Buch- anan— Capt. A. W. Reynolds— Sent to Troy. N. Y.— Gen. Wool— Leave Buffalo— Toledo— To Cincinnati by Canal— Society in Cincinnati— Ap- pointed Captain and Assistant Quartermaster— Start for Washington- Cross the Alleghany Mountains by Stage— Six Commissions in United States Army— Reception by Gen. Jesup— Capt. Rufus Ingalls. I NOW come hack to personal matters. The weather was springlike. The door of my room in Saltillo opened on the street on a level with the pavements, and through it and the win- dows I could see all the passersby, and it imparted a cheerful- ness to the surroundings. My physician was Thomas ('. Madison, United States army, a most estimable gentleman and skillful surgeon. Several con- sultations were held in my case. They would not cut for the ball because they could not discover where it was. I was be- coming- emaciated, and felt conscious that I could not live unless the ball was removed. I had now been on the cot over forty days, and I demanded that they should extract the ball, for 1 could tell them when it was. So next day Dr. Madison came, and with him Dr. Grayson M. Prevost. They declined to use the knife, but promised to come on the morrow, and Dr. Madi- son came alone next morning. No one was present but my serv- ant. I placed my linger over where I was sure the ball was then located, and told him to perform his duty, that I was responsible for the result. In those days there was no anaesthetic known, and surgical instruments were not often made for special pur- poses. As I predicted, the doctor found the ball. I was watch- ing his face intently, and the moment he touched the ball I saw an expression of delight come over his countenance. Suffice to say, for the want of modern instruments, he cut a gash, or hole, larsre enough to insert his finger and a large steel hook to get 86 Two Wars. the l>;il] out. I think the doctor was in :i Wetter humor than I was. for I had said had words to my servant for not holding my foot. I found afterwards it was the tetanus that cramped or contracted the muscles of the leg. In three days I managed to sit on the side of my cot; and some days after, with crutches, I went to the door and looked into the street. And now I must tell you a little incident. From my cot 1 could see a Mexican woman who almost every afternoon would sit on her doorstep. She must have been very old, for her hair was as white as snow, her cheeks were bony, and her hands with- out flesh. She must have sympathized with me, though her en- emy in war, for on seeing me at my door she rose from her seat, made a slight courtesy, and soon after sent me a bunch of fresh flowers by a little girl. "One touch of nature makes the whole world akin." Sometime early in April I was informed that I could have an ambulance, with leave to return to the United States and report to the Adjutant General in Washington. I was furnished with an escort of two men on horses and my servant, Ave in all, to pass through the enemy's country to Mon- terey, a protection really inadequate. We reached Rinconada late in the day. and my bed was the counter of an abandoned store. The next day we arrived at Monterey safely, and 1 was made very comfortable by the quartermaster. I remained in the city until a train of wagons left for Camargo for army supplies, and when we started I took one "last, long, lingering" look at the surroundings of the city which had but a few months before been to me so pregnant with exciting events. The journey to Camargo was devoid of particular interest. I found a government steamer there, and took passage for Point Isabel, or Barzos Santiago. On the trip down the river we saw a great many cattle that, in attempting to get water, had sunk in the mud to perish. Some had only their heads visible; others, a part of their bodies. It was a piteous sight to see the poor beasts, while yet alive, being devoured by buzzards. When I arrived at Matamoras (apt. W. W. H. Davis came down to the steamer to see me. He was a student with us at Burlington, N. J., and was a general in the United States army during the late war, and is now a resident of Doylestown. Pa. An rival ix New Orleans. 87 When in Matamoras he was a member of the start' of Gen. Ca- leb Cashing. He had retained my mail, and brought it to me on the steamer. Among the letters was one from Hon. Garret D. Wall informing me that the citizens of New Jersey had caused a sword to be made for me, and had placed it in his hands for presentation, at such place and time as would suit my conven- ience. This was a surprise to me, for no one had informed me of these matters. On arrival at Point Isabel there were a brig and a steamer ready to sail for New Orleans. I was put on board the brig, but it was so dirty that I could not remain, preferring to risk my life on the old sidewheel steamer James L. Day. As I was taken ashore I met Col. McClung, of Mississippi, also wounded, going on the brig, where he remained. On the steamer were some officers on their way to New Orleans from Gen. Scott's army, and among them was (Ten. Gideon J. Pillow, who was wounded slightly at Cerro Gordo. The steamer was unfit for a voyage on the ocean, although the weather was calm and the sea smooth. I amused myself watching from my cot the partition boards slide up and down, caused by the gentle rolling of the vessel. On reaching New Orleans we landed aside of some ship, on which I was placed, put in a chair, hoisted up and run out the yard- arm, and lowered on to the wharf. I think we arrived in New Orleans about the 18th of May. At the St. Charles I met a number of old friends, army offi- cers and civilians, and among the latter were Col. Bailey Peyton and S. S. Prentiss. In a few days I learned to locomote very well on one leg and my crutches. Some few days after we arrived in the city a grand illumina- tion and street procession was gotten up to celebrate some vic- tory of our army in Mexico, and late in the afternoon a commit- tee called on me to participate. About 8 p.m. Col. Macintosh and myself were escorted to a barouche drawn by four white horses, to take our place in the line of procession. The streets were crowded with people. The horses did not like the crowd, the shouts, the music, nor the transparencies, and manifested it by frequently standing upon their hind legs; and had it become necessary to get out of the carriage, I was not able to do so. The Colonel and I were put on exhibition as two " heroes'" from the war. The Colonel, as you remember, deserved it, for he was 88 Two Wars. once pinned to the earth with bayonets and lances. One bayonet went in his mouth and passed through his neck into the earth. I rejoice to say we were returned to our landlord, from whom we had been borrowed, safely. I write this to show you how evanescent these things are. To-day we are the idols of the crowd; to-morrow we pass along the same street unobserved, unheeded, unknown save to friends. So passes away much of the glory of this world. One evening after tea Col. Peyton and Mr. Prentiss asked me if I was able to join them in a short walk down the street. We had gone but a little way when, passing a door, we heard some one speaking, and loud applause in a hall, the floor of which was on a level with the pavement. Mr. Peyton said: "Let us go in." It proved to be a political meeting called for the purpose of expressing a preference for some one of the prominent men in the Whig party for the presidency. Mr. Hunt, who was speak- ing, closed his address in a few minutes after we entered. We were close to the door by which we had entered. Some one saw Mr. Prentiss, and called out: " Prentiss! " He turned to gain the street, but the crowd would not let him pass, while "Prentiss! Prentiss!" came from a hundred mouths. He exclaimed to his friend: "Why did we come here?" There was no alternative but to face the standing crowd. He uncovered his head and in a few words excused himself. It was in vain! The cry was ev- erywhere: "Go to the platform!" Getting into a chair that chanced to be near the door, he spoke somewhat as follows, as 1 recall it after a lapse of near fifty years: Mr. Chairman uml Friends: Asl was passing along this street with some friends 1 saw lights in this room and heard loud applause, and we entered to ascertain what was the object of the meeting, and from the closing re- marks made by the distinguished gentleman w ho lias just taken his seal 1 can infer the object of this assemblage. When a young lady has been robed tor a grand ball her maid opens and places on the toilet table before her her jewelry case, that she may select such as will be the most appropriate for the occasion. She lakes out the sapphires and arrays them on her person to embellish her charms, butshe places them on the table before her. The attendant encircles her swanlike neck with pearls, emblems of her purity, but she has them placed beside the sapphires. They put diamonds in her ears, and the sparkling cross rests on her bosom, flashing incessant lights as it rises and falls with every breath. She surveys them carefully: then lias them removed and put aside also. And now rubies, the most costly of stones, are contrasted with her 8. S. Prentiss. 89 fair complexion; and at last they too are removed and laid with the oth- ers. She surveys them all, contrasts their qualities, and as each would be alike appropriate for the occasion, she stands undecided which is prefer- able. Now, Mr. Chairman, when I open the casket of Whig jewels, and gaze on their varied brilliancy, I am as undecided as the young lady was. They differ in some respects, but each is qualified for the opportunity, and I hesitate which I would commend as most worthy to occupy the presi- dential chair. How nicely he evades an expression of preference for any one for the office, and this without offense to any of the aspirants! While speaking of Mr. Prentiss I will relate to you as best I ran a story of his reply to Mr. P., who accused him of intoxica- tion while they were each making the joint canvass for Congress from Mississippi. And I will premise it by stating that P. had the reputation of being a lover of whisky. Jt was before a large and appreciative audience of Prentiss's friends, and in joint de- bate that the charge was made. In replying to that Mr. Pren- tiss said in his rejoinder, as I heard it related: Ladies and Gentlemen: Many of you know me well, you have been pres- ent with me at numerous social entertainments, and I acknowledge it is true that I have a taste for the light wines of Italy and the pleasant wines of France. Wines have been the common beverage of mankind on festive occasions from the remotest ages. They impart a genial warmth to my feelings, a glow of tenderness to my heart, awaken my imagination, en- large my sympathy, and give to music enrapturing charms, until in the fullness of joy I forget the ills of life and love my fellow-men. I assure you, my friends, I have never been drunk from drinking whis- ky; but my opponent, here is never so happy as when he retires to his room and draws from the closet his demijohn of whisky, throws it over his back, tips it over his shoulder: and no music is so sweet to his ear as the sound of the whisky singing "gurgle, gurgle, gurgle,"' as it leaps into the cup, save only that other sound of "gargle, gargle, gargle," as he pours it down his capacious throat. I have told you that I have never been drunk from drinking whisky. But by whisky, ah! I remember me now: I was once made drunk, and it happened in this way. Sometime ago I had occasion to attend court in a remote county, sparcely settled, and where there was but little accom- modation for the court. I arrived after night and repaired to the house pointed out to me where I could get lodging. The proprietor said his rooms were all full, but there was one room occupied by a lawyer that had a double bed in it, and perhaps he would share it with me. When I was ready to retire the landlord took a tallow candle and conducted me to the room. By the dim light I saw my present opponent in bed asleep, oblivious to sounds. I retired and slept by his side. When morning came 90 Two Wars. I found myself possessed of a strange feeling; 1 was
  • f going home, I was put on my back again. However that injection inflamed the sinus in my leg, and when bandaged again all the interior grew together, and in three weeks I was on my crutches, and my toes, or foot, touched the ground for the first time for about six months. So I was permanently (aired by accident. I had made application to the President for the appointment of assistant quartermaster some time in June. Now one day in duly, when I was kept in bed by the doctor, a friend of mine, Mr. Nugent, came to my room to impart to me the information that I would not get the appointment because I could not "take Xot Able to " Take the Field." 93 the field," and that it would be given to Lieut. A. W. Reynolds, who was in Philadelphia on recruiting service. Nugent was con- nected with a newspaper, and was at times an assistant in the office of James Buchanan, Secretary of State, if I remember aright. On that day J. W. Forney, editor of The Pennsylva- n ia a. a Democratic paper in Philadelphia, was in the office of Mr. Buchanan, and agreed to throw George M. Dallas, Vice President, overboard and support Mr. Buchanan for the presi- dency provided certain things were done by him for Mr. For- ney. One of these items was that A. W. Reynolds should be appointed assistant quartermaster. I asked Nugent what special service Reynolds had rendered, as he had not been in Mexico at all, to entitle him to promotion. "* Why he has always carried his recruits to the polls to vote for Forney's Democratic friends." And thus it was; and on the 5th of August Reynolds was ap- pointed "to take the field." Reynolds was a genial fellow, and "took the field" by remaining in Philadelphia until the spring of 1848, when he went to Matamoras to bring some mules to the States. Lieut. Derby, alias John Ploenix, alias John P. Squibob, that prince of humorists, and I had now located ourselves on Four- teenth Street, near Willard's, expecting to have a pleasant time during the coining winter, when one day about the 8th of Sep- tember a messenger from the War Department brought me a note asking me if I was able to go to the arsenal at Troy, N. Y., to select a six-gun field battery, caissons, harness, etc., all com- plete, and take it with me, by way of the lakes and canal, to Cincinnati, Ohio. I replied that I would leave immediately. While at Troy I met Gen. Wool. He had come home from Buena Vista. He tfad some friends to meet me at a dining, and I remember his pun on a young lady to whom I was presented, "Miss Hart, one of dee?' family." The battery was shipped on a canal boat to Buffalo. I went by train. Stopped in Rochester all night. The next morning, October 16, the ground was covered with snow, which made me apprehensive that the navigation by canal would close in Ohio before I could reach there. When the steam- er arrived at Cleveland the water had been let out of the canal, so we went on to Toledo. From there I went on to Cincinnati by passenger boat. I was the only passenger, except local ones 94 Two Wars. getting on and off' along the route. Toledo was no town at all, and the sidewalks were "paved" with gunwales of barge boats, and here and there a plank, and the mud! 1 remained in Cincinnati during the months of November and December idle, awaiting orders. There were many parties giv- en, and the society people were pleasant and accomplished. During the day, however, nearly all the men were busy, and I used to say there were but three young men idle in the city — Grosbeck, F'ebiger, of the navy, and myself. Early in January, 1848, Senator J. D. Westcott informed me that the President had appointed me captain and assistant quar- termaster, and sent my name, among others, to the Senate for confirmation. The commission is dated January L2, 1848. I had been in the service only four and a half years and had received six commis- sions viz.. brevet second lieutenant. United States army; second lieutenant. Third Artillery: brevet first lieutenant, United States army: first lieutenant, Third Artillery; brevet captain. United States army; and captain and assistant quartermaster in the general staff of the army, outranking some officers that had been from twelve to eighteen years in service. The brevets were bestowed for ""gallant and meritorious services at the bat- tles of Monterey and Buena Vista, Mexico." When I was informed of the appointment 1 went up the river to Brownsville. Pa., thence to Cumberland, Md., by stage. The weather was intensely cold. Snow covered the plains and the mountains, and travel had made the roads very smooth and slip- pery. In going down Laurel Mountain Ave barely escaped an accident. The stagecoach, when held back, would swing around on the icy incline and go down sideways, and to prevent this the driver gave reins to the horses and we were descending at a gal- lop, when turning ;l point we met an eight-mule team that had the inside track, leaving our driver just a possible space to pass. He measured the space and saw the danger instantly, barely missed the hubs of the enormous wagon, and, as he sheered in behind the wagon, our hind wheel on the right threw down the mountain side a quantity of earth, snow, and rocks. There were nine of us in the coach, which gave us the privilege of stopping at night. A member of the Senate from Missouri was opposed to the delay; he must be in Washington, and so the. party was Experience a Good Teach eh. 95 divided. The narrow escape from death settled the matter, for when we got out for supper no one said to the driver: " We will go on to-night." On arriving in Washington I was ordered to report to Gen. Thomas S. Jesup, Quartermaster General of the army. He re- ceived me courteously, but observed in a pleasant manner: " I 'apt. French, neither you nor Capt. Rufus Ingalls were recommended by me for appointment in my department; you were commis- sioned over officers that I recommended. Besides, the regulations of the army forbids any officer from becoming a captain and as- sistant quartermaster until he has been five years in service, and neither of you have been in the army five years." It was suggested to him that experience was a slow but very good teacher; that one of his last appointees had not been in the field, while Capt. Ingalls and I had served nearly two years in Mexico, and from experience had derived some knowledge of the duties of officers of the department which should overbal- ance length of years of service in garrison at home, and that we should not be condemned before trial. It is a remarkable fact that Gen. Ingalls was retained, from the beginning to the end of the war, as the chief quartermaster of the Army of the Potomac under its many commanders. It is proof of his great administrative ability. CHAPTER VIII. Ordered to New Orleans— Baton Rouge— Col. W. W. S. Bliss— Maj. J. H. Eaton — Maj. R. S. Garnett — Taylor Nominated for President — Return to New Orleans — Ordered to Vieksburg — "Gen." McMacken, the Prince of Landlords — Bishop Polk — Sent to Mobile — Regular Army at East Pas- cagonla. Miss. — Gen. Twiggs and His Fiancee — Sail for Galveston — Gal- veston — Houston — Austin — Troops Sent to Establish Posts, now Cities — San Antonio — Death of Gen. Worth — El Paso — Return to San Antonio — New Orleans — Call on Gen. Twiggs — Twiggs and Tree — Sword Presented to Me— Dine at the President's — Death of President Taylor — Fillmore President — Capt. Ringgold, U. S. N. — Ordered to Louisville — Return to Washington — Col. Joseph Taylor— Gen. W. O. Butler — Maj. Gaines — Cincinnati — Salmon P. Chase. I WAS ordered to report for duty to Col. D. D. Tompkins in New Orleans, and remained there some three months. From that city I was put on duty at Baton Rouge, La., where Gen. Taylor and his family were living at the barracks. Of his statf, Col. Bliss, Maj. Eaton, and Capt. R. S. Garnett were with him. One day I was walking down town with Mrs. Taylor and her daughter Bettie, when a steamer landed, and brought the news of the General's nomination for President. Mrs. Taylor expressed regret that he was nominated; said "he had honors enough; 1 ' but added, however, "Since he has become a can- didate, I hope he will be elected, and if he be, I will not preside at the White House.*' From Baton Rouge I went to New Orleans; thence to Yicks- burg, Miss., July 4, 1848, to muster out of service the regi- ment of Mississippi riflemen commanded by Col. Reuben M. Davis. We lived at the Prentiss House, kept by that prince of landlords, Gen. McMacken, who always "cried" his bill of fare. He said that when he kept a hotel in Jackson, Miss., he was obliged to do so, because so many of the members of the Legis- lature at that time could not read the printed ones, and he con- tinued it to the day of his death. He was exceedingly pleasing in manners. On one occasion, seeing a gentleman of a com- manding presence enter the dining room and seat himself at the table, he welcomed him with: "Good morning, general." "That is not my title, sir." "Ah. excuse me, judge." "Mis- Gen. Twiggs Jealous. 97 taken again, sir." "Well, bishop, what will you be helped to*" "Why do you call me bishop?" "Because I am sure that you stand at the head of your profession, whatever it may be." That gentleman was Bishop Leonidas Polk, afterwards a Confederate general. During the summer and fall there was yellow fever in Mobile and New Orleans; but no one regarded it, except to leave the cities at night if possible; during the day business went on as usual. On my return to New Orleans I was ordered to Mobile, Ala., to take charge of government property, and to muster out a company of Alabama cavalry. This finished, I Avas kept there awaiting orders. In the meantime the army from Mexico had returned, and was encamped at East Pascagoula, and in Septem- ber I was ordered there. The evening I arrived there was a ball given at the hotel. I met there a young, tall, and pretty lady from Mobile, with whom I was acquainted. She personated the morning star. Leaving the "floor," she took a seat on a sofa beside Gen. Twiggs, and I seated myself on the other side of her. She declined several sets, and I remained talking with her. All the while the Gen- eral said but a few words. The windows were open, and I felt some one on the gallery pull my hair. I went out to ascertain the meaning of it. Two or three officers came up, and said: "French, don't unpack your trunk; you will be ordered away m the morning. Don't you know that young lady is Gen. Twiggs's tiancee ? He is as jealous as a Barbary cock. " I men- tion this because of something hereafter. I remained in Pascagoula until the army had been sent hither and thither, according to the wants of the service. The last shipment of troops was some cavalry to Galveston, and I fol- lowed on after them, last of all, in an old propeller. It so hap- pened, as I was leaving the wharf, that a captain of a vessel had just made an observation of the sun to get the time, and I set my watch by it. When we got out on the gulf a cyclone came on. The ship had no chronometer, and only anthracite coal, which made but little steam. The propeller was now spinning in the air; then motionless when under water. Finally the captain had to run before the wind to the south. Some days after, when running north, we saw land, and made 98 Two Wars. observations. I got the longitude from my watch. It said thirty miles from Galveston. The captain said that the land was the mouth of the Sabine river. Two hours after, we saw the ship- ping in Galveston, proving my observation correct. The wind was still blowing hard. No pilot boat could come out for us. It was a government ship, and I ordered the captain to make the harbor. The trouble was to find the outer buoy. Finally it was discovered, and we got in safely. Gen. Twiggs had been assigned to the Department of Texas, and I found him in Houston. We remained there a few days: and, w T hen the dragoons started for Austin, Twiggs, his aid, Capt. W. T. H. Brooks, and I took the stage for Austin also. It had been raining all day and all night when we started. From Hous- ton to a small mound on the prairie twenty-five miles on the road the land was all under water, and still it rained. We crossed the Brazos river about noon, and went on in the rain, which con- tinued all night. At 2 a.m. the driver turned out of the road, and down went the coach till the body was on the ground. The driver said that there was a farmhouse about four miles farther on. A horse was unhitched, and Gen. Twiggs was put on it bareback to ride to the house. Two passengers went on foot. I had in a satchel $5,000 in gold (government funds), which was in the box under the hind seat. Brooks said that he would stay there and guard it, if I would go on and get help. I also mounted a horse and overtook the General. When we reached the house, the farmer got up, had a tire made to dry our clothing, and agreed to send some mules to bring in the coach. The General made so many abusive remarks about Texas and the people that the farmer got mad, and said that the stage might "stay where it was:" but when he was satisfied that the remarks made by Twigg were not personal, he started the servants for the coach. The General and I had to rest in the one bed the best we could. The coach came up about eight in the morning. The General declared that he would go no farther, but return to New Or- leans. Now, the truth was, he wished to go back to meet that young lady. I was told that when she returned to Mobile some of her old and experienced friends persuaded her to marry a younger man, who had long solicited her hand. When the Gen- eral reached New Orleans he was sadly disappointed; but he Ordered to El Paso. 99 found consolation soon after in marrying the widow of Col. Hunt, late of the United States army. We left Taylor's (the farmer) the same day, and went on to Plum Creek; and, as it was not fordable, we had to stop w r ith a widow and her two daughters. Her house had only one room, and a cock loft gained by a ladder. The following persons found shelter with the family that night — viz., Maj. Ben McCulloch, Durand and his two sisters, our two passengers, the postmaster, Brooks, myself, and the stage driver — thirteen in number. After supper was over our hostess lit her cob pipe, and enjoyed her evening smoke, after which she politely offered it to those inclined to indulge. When the time arrived to retire, the old woman had no trouble in disposing of her ten guests. She merely said, "You men can go aloft," and there on the floor we passed the night, It was well that the General remained at Taylor's. The morning dawned clear, but the creek was not fordable until noon. In the course of time the stagecoach reached Austin, where I remained during the winter, fur- nishing transportation for troops to the frontier; and where they were located are now to be found the cities of Waco, Dal- las, Fredericksburg, etc. The sword plants the banner, and a city is built around it. In the month of February, 1849, I received an order from the Quartermaster General to go to San Antonio and fit out a train to go to El Paso with the troops to be stationed there. For that purpose I bought one thousand one hundred and eighty oxen, and collected about two thousand head of mules, six hundred of which were wild mules from Mexico, and I have never had any admiration for that animal in his native state since, for, like his sire as told in the book of Job, " neither regardeth he the cry- ing of the driver." To-day (November 22, 1894) is my birthday, and I am now six years past the time alloted to man by the psalmist. For this I am truly grateful to Him from whom all blessings flow, and I will henceforth endeavor to walk humbly before him. I had established my camp on the prairie about nine miles from the city, where there were almost four hundred hired men. In March the cholera made its appearance, and in a malignant form. Some cases occurred in camp, and, as I could not get a physician to go out there, I wrote for Dr. Baker, of Austin, an L.ofC. 100 Two Wars. elderly man, to come over and take charge of it. On his ar- rival I furnished him with a mule, and gave him directions to find the camp. Night came on, and no doctor returned. The next morning about nine o'clock he rode up to my office with his umbrella under his arm, his mouth drawn up, the picture of despair. I asked him: "Are many sick in camp?" He shook his head in the negative. He was invited to dismount and come into the office, which he did, and told his grievance. It ap- pears that he found camp, attended to the few sick, and started to return to the city. When he reached the Salado, a small stream a few miles from town that was about ten feet wide, his mule declined to cross the creek; neither would she wet her feet, as the doctor did, and be led over. All attempts were fu- tile. So, worn out, the doctor sought the shelter of a tree, and sat there all night holding in his hands the bride reins. In the morning the animal was still stubborn, and the doctor in de- spair. No lone sailor on a raft in midocean hailed an ap- proaching sail with more delight than did the doctor a Mexi- can coining down the road. He made known his trouble to the Mexican, who said: "Si, Senor, me fix him. 11 The man got off his own mule, mounted the doctor's, rode off about fifty yards; then applying whip and spur at every leap, the male could not stop, but was plunged into the water. He rode quietly across three or four times, and then the doctor had no more trouble. The next trip the doctor was furnished with a pony. He was a kind old gentleman, and went on with us to El Paso as physician. In May Gen. Worth arrived to take command of the depart- ment. A few days after, he died of cholera, and the command devolved on Gen. W. S.. Harney. The expedition to Paso del Norte was under the command of Maj. Jefferson Van Home, Engineer Officer Col. J. E. Johnston, and the Quartermaster ( myself). The object of the expedition was to march a pari of the third regiment of infantry to Paso del Norte to garrison that place, and my train was to convey public stoics there for their future use and to open a public road to that point now called El Paso. There was no road, not a path, from San Antonio to Paso del Norte. All was an un- known, untrodden extent of plains, hills, and mountains over which perhaps no white man had ever traveled, except two Grapes and Cacti. 101 United States engineers who had ridden over it in returning from New Mexico. We left San Antonio June 1, 1849, and arrived at El Paso early in September. We remained there nearly a month. At that time El Paso was a town on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande river. There was but one building on the Texas side, and that was the MaggoinVs hacienda. Vegetation at El Paso grows very rank, and fruit exceedingly tine. The grape attains a large size, and bunches weighing four pounds were common. I brought with me cacti, in form like an acorn, and so large that the hoops had to be removed from a clothing tierce (a small hogshead) to put a single one inside for transportation. I pass over all description of the country and incidents of the journey home, because I leave you the original diary, and my report was published by the United States government.* The oxen and wagons drawn by them were all turned over to the post quartermaster, and I returned with the mule teams only. Our return to San Antonio was over the Guadalupe moun- tains, down Delaware Creek to the Horse-head crossing of the Pecos river, thence down that stream to where we crossed it on our way out. There is now a railroad from San Antonio to El Paso, following generally our route, which runs on to the City of Mexico, f Remaining in San Antonio long enough to make out my accounts, I proceeded to New Orleans. I there found Gen. Twiggs in command, and called from courtesy to see him at his headquarters. His aid, Capt. W. T. H. Brooks, who, as 1 have related, remained in the stage when it sank in the mud, in- formed me that the general commanding said 1 must shave off my beard, as a general order to the effect had been issued by the adjutant general. I did not obey, as I was under orders from the quartermaster general to return to Washington, and did not consider myself in his command at all. The next day I was at "the general's office unshaved. He made no remarks to me about it then, but some time that day Brooks came to the hotel and ordered me to have my beard cut off. I did not go to the barber. The next day I left New Orleans resolved to beard the adjutant general in his den in Washington. On ar- * Senate Document. f Also to San Francisco, Cal., as was then predicted. 102 Two Wars. rival there I found the shaving order not enforced, and thus I saved my beard. As 1 never met Gen. Twiggs again while I remained in the United States army, I will take my leave of him. He was not a man well beloved by officers or soldiers; he possessed no mag- netic power; he was not genial in temper or disposition, and yet he enjoyed a joke, and at times made a pun. He entered the army in L812. When that war terminated he was a captain. On the reorganization of the army he was retained in service and made a major. Being asked in what battle he gained his promotion, he replied "in the affair at Ghent," meaning the treaty of peace with Great Britain. There was in the second regiment of dragoons an officer named A. D. Tree, who pos- sessed a frailty from which the General was not exempt. On account of this, complaint was made to the General about Tree. The General sent for Tree and asked him about the matter. His reply was: "You cannot blame me; just as the Twigg is bent, the Tree is inclined/' The common influence of example was tacitly acknowledged, his wit appreciated, and he withdrew under words of advice from lips that smiled. When Twigg's native State seceded from the Union, he resigned from the army and entered the service of the Confederate States. His ad- vanced age kept him from active operations in the field. He had left in New Orleans the sword presented to him by the State, together with his silver plate, and it was all seized by Gen. Benjamin F. Butler, United States army, when in com- mand in that city. While I was absent in Texas, on the 8th of February, 1849, the Governor of the State of New Jersey, in pursuance of a resolu- tion passed February 10, 1847 by the Legislature of that State directing him to procure swords to be presented to Capt. W. R. Montgomery, Lieut. N. B. Rossell, Fowler Hamilton, and Samuel G. French, of the United States army, for brave and gallant conduct displayed by them in the battles of Palo Alto. Resaca de la Palma, and Monterey, made the presentation. Richard P. Thompson, of Salem, N. J., acting in my behalf, received the sword for me, and I am sure I will be pardoned for relating some of the proceedings. Gov. Haines, in his address, was pleased to say in reference to me at Palo Alto: Address of Gov. Haines. 103 While the battle was fiercely raging, a body of Mexican lancers made a movement to the right, apparently with a design upon the trains. The Fifth Regiment of Infantry, with two pieces of artillery, were ordered to advance and check them. To form in square to receive the impetuous charge of the horsemen and to repel them, was the well-performed duty of the Fifth Infantry; to scatter them in all directions was the quick work of the battery under First Lieut, Ridgely, assisted by Second Lieut. French. At Palo Alto, and Resaca: The bearing of Lieuts. French and Hamilton in both these sangui- nary engagements was marked for its gallantry and courage, and merits our highest praise. Of the former it is sufficient to say that he served a battery in conjunction with Lieut. Ridgely. and in that duty contributed largely to the success of our arms. At Monterey: Lieut. French performed deeds of daring worthy of commendation. He was exposed during the attack to imminent perils. Among others, the battery under his command advanced through the blood-stained streets of the well-fortified town in the face of the enemy's artillery and amidst showers of balls from the musketry upon house tops. Of the five who served his gun, four were shot down by his side. These are the battles. and this but a small part of the brave and gallant conduct referred to by the Legislature in their resolution, and for which, in the name of the people of the State, they desire to thank and to honor you. That they have not misjudged is manifested by your subsequent conduct. In the bloody and desperate conflict of Buena Vista, Lieut. French bore himself with great intrepidity, and was severely wounded. For his gallantry he has been promoted to the rank of captain, and we have to regret that his services in a distant part of the country deprives us of the pleasure of his company here to-day, and requires him to be repre- sented by his friend. Richard P. Thompson, Esq., on my behalf spoke as follows: Sir: In behalf of Capt. French, to whose patriotic services you have al- luded in terms so eloquent and just. I accept with profound gratitude this beautiful sword— the proudest testimontal a brave man could desire from his native State. It is a soldier's duty to obey with cheerfulness and alacrity the call of his country— his post of honor is on the battle field, amidst the "pride and pomp, and circumstances of war,"— his loftiest ambition to bear that flag to victory that never knew defeat, and to win for himself the approval of his countrymen. When on the bloody fields of Buena Vista, Palo Alto, Resaca de la Falma, and Monterey, Lieut. French periled his life for his country, one bright and sunny hope animated his young and gallant spirit, and this day, sir, finds that glorious hope fulfilled. Here, in sight of the battle ground of Trenton, the descendants of heroes are proving to the world how Jerseymen appreciate and reward the heroism of her sons. 104 Two Wars. To Capt. French, now absent on military duty, the events of this day, sir. shall be faithfully transmitted, and I can well imagine how his manly heart will overflow with gratitude. The perils and privations he endured, the pain and anguish of his wound, will be forgotten in the joy of this event — in the knowledge that the Legislature of his beloved State, with a magnanimity alike honorable to themselves as to him, have placed in his hands this mute but eloquent certificate of brave deeds in his country's service. In accepting for him this evidence of the regard in which New Jersey holds his bravery, in the presence of her assembled representatives, and of this bright and beautiful array of her mothers, wives, and daughters, I pledge myself to you, sir, her chief Executive Magistrate, that my brave young friend will treasure it as the proudest gift of his life — that its keen and polished blade shall suffer no stain from his dishonor — that in peace he will guard it with a soldier's fidelity, in war defend with it the honor of his country — unsheath it never in an unholy cause — and part with it only when he shall be laid at rest " beneath a soldier's sepulcher." The inscription on the scabbard reads: Presented by the State of New Jersey to Lieut. Samuel G. French, of the third Regiment, United States Artillery, for brave and gallant conduct displayed in the battles of Palo Alto, Reseca de la Palma, and Monterey. Subsequently distinguished at Bue- na Vista, and promoted to the rank of captain. AEQUM EST MILITEM TXTREPIDUM HONORE AFFTCERE. And so my good friend Mr. Thompson relieved me from the embarrassment of returning thanks, publicly, for the sword de- livered by the Governor. While on this subject I will here remark thai this sword and the former one were taken from my summer home in Woodbury, N. J., in the absence of the family, and with all personal prop- erty and realty sold by the United States marshal at public out- cry under the confiscation act of 18i' War. by whom I am instructed to say that, as your communication ap- pears to hare been written under an impression that your leave would u oi be extended, he desires that you will state, with as little delay as prac- ticable, it' this supposition he correct, or whether it Is \ ■ intention to leave the service in any event. A decision upon your letter of resigna- tion will lie deterred until you are heard from upon the subject. I am, sir. very respectfully, your obedient servant, S. Cooper, Adjutant (feneraf. r. I'nited States Army, Greenville, Miss. As I had now. among other property, a plantation ou Deer (reek, near Greenville, and over a hundred servants on it. I asked in reply that my resignation be accepted. To this letter 1 received an answer: "Your resignation ha been accepted by the President of the United States' to take effect the 31s1 inst. [May]." While living at Fori Smith. Ark., was born Matilda Roberts French, on the L6th of August, L855. The summer of L856 was passed mainly in Canada, and in the autumn we returned to the plantation. In the spring of 1857 Mrs. French and her little girl went on a Hsit to her sister. Mrs. John ('. French, in San Antonio. 'IV \ . and in May fol- lowing I joined her there. And here a gre»1 sorrow crossed my path. ^ On the morning of June L3 Mrs. French greeted me with joy and hope, but ere the day was passed her life ended in thai Death of Mrs. Fbekch. 133 sleep "that knows no breaking." She went to the grave for her baby boy, and took him with her. 0, the irony of fate! She, the peer of the noblest, crowned by every grace, the idol of. the house, the gentle mother, the handmaiden of charity, the priestess of religion, a believer in its promises, bowed to His will, and left all that makes life attractive before age or dis- ease or disappointment or grief or sorrow had chilled her heart, and left a smile on her face for weeping friends, when her pure spirit rose to meet her God. Her remains rest with her babe on her breast, beside her parents, in a vault at Laurel Hill Cemetery. Philadelphia. Pa., where the waters of the beau- tiful Schuylkill gently flow by the portals of her tomb. I remained in San Antonio until autumn, when I returned home. In March, L858, I embarked on the steamer Furopa for Liverpool. As I leave you my journal of travels in Europe, 1 shall mention only some of the principal places visited. Most of the traveling in Italy was in private carriage, and only in daylight. In Naples, Home, and Florence I remained a month each. From London I went to Paris, Lyons, Mar- seilles. Toulon. Naples. Home. Florence. Pisa. Modena, Bologna, Mantua. Verona, Venice, Milan, Como, [sola Madre, [sola Bella. Simplon Pa>s. Domo-dosola, Martigny, Chamoni, Geneva, Bien- ne. Berne, Interlaken. Wihgen Alps, < rrindenwald, Basle. Baden- Baden, rim. Munich. Salzburg, Ischl. Lintz, Danube River to Vienna, Prague, Dresden. Berlin, Potsdam. Frankfort. Wiesba- den down the Rhine. Cologne, Liege, Brussels. Waterloo. Paris, London. Windsor Castle. Birmingham. Sheffield, Doncaster, Carlisle. Edinburgh, Sterling. Callander. The Trosacks, Lake Katrine, Dunbarton, Glasgow, Belfast. Irish Causeway, Dublin. Chester. Liverpool, home. Soon after my return from Europe I was kindly invited by Benjamin Gould to make him a visit in Boston. His son, IS. Goddard Gould, had. as I have stated, been my traveling com- panion for many months. Their home was in Penberton Square. The family was composed of charming, refined, cultured people, and I retain only pleasant recollections of their kindness. I passed the winter in San Antonio, Tex., and the summer at Rye Beach, N. II. This year (1859) some notable events oc- curred that had important bearings in shaping the history, if not the destiny, of the country. 134 Two Wabs. Harriet Beecher Stowe's publication of an imaginative work, "Uncle Tom's Cabin," Hinton Helper's pamphlet called a manifesto, and John Brown's raid in Virginia, to raise an in- surrection among the slaves and to kill the whites, like distant thunder, presaged the coming storm. His purposes of mur- der were well known to many prominent abolitionists of the North, who assisted him by contributions to. obtain arms to carry out his murderous designs. The party consisted of the old murderer, his three sons, thirteen white men, and five ne- groes from the North. They obtained possession of the armory at Harper's Ferry October 16, killing a negro, the mayor of the town, and other citizens. On arrival of the United States troops under Col. R. E. Lee, the armory was captured. Sonic were killed in the assault, and the remainder taken prisoners. These were tried and hung. This infamous outrage on the State of Virginia, instead of being condemned by the people of the North, won their admira- tion, sympathy, and love for John Brown, and by some he is compared to our Saviour, and "his soul is still marching on," without peace or rest, like the wandering Jew — on, on — a pun- ishment for his crimes. These events induced an uncalled for and unjust feeling of hatred toward the South, and the inten- sity of this hatred is most significantly displayed in the apothe- osis of this murderer, and the consecration of his crimes. Could this be otherwise than a warning to the Southern people? The statutes made by the Northern States for the abolition of slav- ery never set free a living slave. They emancipated only the unborn. Now you can comprehend the difference between ab- olition and emancipation. After the war began many unusual expedients were resorted to designed to increase the wild frenzy of the people North. Among them was the spectacle of Henry Ward Beecher selling slaves from the pulpit stage of his Plymouth Church, Brooklyn. So noted was this exhibition that it is related as one of the eight notable events of the nineteenth century. I attribute this act of his to heredity. I CHAPTER X. Canada, Boston. Rye Beach— Antislavery Party Nominates Lincoln for President— His Election Evidence of Hostility to the South— Mississippi Secedes— Gov. Pettus— Appointed.Colonel and Chief of Ordnance in the Army of the State of Mississippi— State Had No Arms— Governor Sends an Agent to Europe to Purchase Arms— Laboratory for Making Am- munition—Flannel and Paper to Make Cartridges-Cartridges and Horse Collars— Only Old- Flint Muskets— Old Shotguns— Governor Ob- jects to the State Troops Going out of the State— Visit Home— Am Of- fered the Appointment of Brigadier General, Confederate States of America. SPENT the summer of 1860 at Rye Beach, Boston, and in Canada. When I returned I found the animosity between the two great political parties very bitter. Slavery, for the first time in the history of the United States, had consolidated all the "isnjs" and all parties against the South, and nominated Abraham Lincoln for the presidency, save only the Democratic party, and that was divided. On my journey home I found in- tense excitement all the way on account of a sectional nomina- tion for President, and the election of Lincoln was deemed an open declaration of hostility to the people of the South, and drove them to the act of secession. And the people of Missis- sippi, in convention assembled, repealed all the laws and ordi- nances by which she became a member of the Federal Union, and on January 9, 1861, she was a sovereign and independent State. ^About the middle of February I received a verbal message from the Governor, J. J. Pettus, that he wished to see me, and soon after 1 went to Jackson. The Governor informed me that I had been appointed a lieutenant colonel and chief of ordnance in the army of the State of Mississippi on February 12, 1861. On assuming the duties of the office I found the State desti- tute of all military supplies and without arms. Investigation showed that a mercantile firm in New Orleans had offered, im- mediately after the act of secession, to furnish arms from En- gland or Belgium, but it was declined. Weeks after, the Governor sent an agent to Europe to pur- chase arms, but it was too late to get any in England: but in 136 Two Wars. Belgium he obtained some muskets, and shipped them on a ves- sel thai reached the mouth of the Mississippi river just :i> the blockading ships arrived there. Discovering the blockade, the vessel bore away for Havana, and stored the arms there. From Havana they were afterwards brought over and landed in small quantities. 1 buill a powder house, and asked permission to go to St. Louis and purchase powder, and it was refused on the ground or belief that I would be arrested there, and that be, the Governor, would have to arrest a person as a hostage in my place. Afterwards I wrote to a friend in St. Louis, and ob- tained two hundred kegs ( 1 think that was the Dumber I of pow- der and tifty-four sets of artillery harness, and this was done after the town of Cairo. III., was garrisoned by Gen. Grant. I purchased - 1\ ry yard of flannel that could he obtained in New Orleans. Natchez. Vicksburg, and other towns for artillery car- tridges, and all the paper suitable for making cartridges for small arms, even including wall paper, and could not get enough. I was offered by a person whom I knew in Philadelphia a ma- chine for molding lead balls with die for all caliber of small arms ( made for the Governor General of Cuba) for a moderate sum. but the Governor disapproved of getting it. Then I made ar- rangements to have one thousand large Colt's pistols with hols- ters, etc.. sent me from Philadelphia. Twenty thousand dollars in the treasury was placed to the order of the express agent in -Jackson, payable to him on delivery of the goods. He suc- ceeded in getting them as far as Baltimore, and there they were seized or stopped. This was in April. When all arrangements were made for putting up ammuni- tion, the Confederate government could not send me a person that had ever seen a cartridge made, and I had to teach the women how they were put up. The same was true of artillery ammunition. The <>miiis were cast in Richmond, Ya.. but the carriages were made in Jackson. In making artillery harness difficulty was experienced in procuring leather, and not one per- son could he found in the State that had ever made a leather horse collar, so dependent were the people of the South for mosl of the manufactured articles in common use. As for arms for the infantry and cavalry, we literally had none tit for use. The flintlock muskets found in the arsenal at Baton Rouge, I shipped from time to time to my merchant, Walter Cox, A Wonderful Collection. 137 in New Orleans, who employed a gunsmith to alter them to per- cussion lock; and caps for the guns came in small quantities smuggled over the line from Tennessee. However, as fast an possible the organized companies were supplied with arm- such as we had and very good ammunition, and went to their home- to await orders. When the supply of arms was exhausted I was directed by the Army Board to issue an order for the purchase of shotguns, with which the Governor was bent on arming the troops, lie would ••o* nights" come to my room and tell me longyarns about how hi- father, or grandfather, once with a party armed with shot- guns loaded with buckshot waylaid a hand of Indians, and killed them all. Elated with this legendary story, he wanted his army to he supplied with shotguns, so that he might annihilate the pestiferous Yankee-, should they invade his domain. (Jens. Al- corn. Dahlgreen, and OTarrel were to superintend the collection of these deadly shotguns in their respective departments, and I was ordered to write out instructions for their guidance. Now. lest we should he burdened with a lot of worthless arms, they were informed that it was not expected they would purchase the costly shotguns at high figures, nor were they to buy guns made of "two-penny skip iron." nor "sham-dam barrels," cast-iron barrels, etc. Alas', when these guns began to arrive the god of war never beheld such a wonderful collection of antique weapons as came in for the Governor. There were guns with only a vent, to lie tired with a live coal, guns without ramrods, barrels without stocks, stocks without barrels. <>-uiis without cocks, cocks with- out pans. One gun, I remember, consisted of a barrel that flared out at the muzzle like a bell nailed on a crooked cypress rail, without cock, having only a pan ami vent, requiring one man to hold it and another to "touch it off." It was a valuable collection for an antiquarian, but useless in war. 1 am particu- lar in describing this remarkable collection of arms, because I never saw any of the arms sent South by Secretary J. B. Floyd. and I don't want any Northern writer to accuse him of having sent these shotguns privately to aid •'rebellion." A private and confidential report of all the arms found in the various arsenals, and all arms in the possession of the Confederate States, was sent me by the Chief of Ordnance of the Confederate srovernment. 138 Two Wars. It showed a beggarly array of trash not unlike Pettus's collec- tion turned over for me to issue to his troops, to ambush the Yankees should they invade his territory. T must here, as a contribution to war history, say a few words about the Governor's uin Wilmington — Build De- fenses — Fort Fisher Constructed — Col. William Lamb in Command Running the Blockade Whitworth Guns July 17. 1862, Placed in Com mand of the Department of North Carolina and Southern Virginia Defend a Line from the Appomattox to (ape Fear — July 31, Shell Gen. McClellan's Army — Constructed Defenses of Petersburg Battle of Fred ericksburg — Pelham President Calls for Me Gen. Lee's Considerate Conduct Gen. Foster at Tarboro. N. C. — He Interviews an Old Dai'ky Railroad Bridge a1 Goldsboro, N. ('.. Burned Weak Defense Made How I Got Supplies from Suffolk -Mrs. Johnston and Gen. Viele Was Fannie Cooper a Spy: Martial Law Sidney Lanier — Flag of Truce Boats -Exchange of Prisoners IN obedience to orders received, I went to Richmond in No vember. I called on the President, and then reported to the War Department for duty. Secretary Benjamin told me thai he would put me on duty at Norfolk; hut for some reason, when the order came. I was directed to relieve Gen. Trimble and take command of the troops at Evansport and the batteries there, and blockade the Potomac river to prevent communications with Washington City by water. An earthwork at the mouth of the Quantico had been con structed, .and contained nine or ten nine-inch Dahlgren guns. To these I added five or six heavy guns. These latter guns were far apart, .and mounted in circular pits sunk in the earth. Thus isolated, they commanded the river afar, both up and down, and no concentrated tire could he made on them all at the same time. One was a large English Armstrong rifled gun. The infantry force was composed of the regiments of Cols. Brockin- brough, Virginia; J, J. Pettigrew, North Carolina; W. B. Bate, Tennessee; Col. J. J. Judge, Alabama; Col. Thomas. Georgia; Walker. Arkansas; Fairan. Arkansas; Bronough 1 s battalion, Arkansas: Col. Snow den Andrews's battery of Held artillery. Maryland; and Capt. Swann's company of cavalry, (apt. Cha- tard, ('apt. McCorkle, Lieuts. Simms and Wood. ('. S. navy, were given command of some of the land batteries ' and the liSON I >AVIi Ordered to New Berne. 143 steamer Page. On the Maryland shore opposite us were the brigades of Gens. Hooker and Sickles, and some water batteries of Parrott guns: and above several ships of war were blockaded, and below such ships of war as came up from time to time. With this force the river was closed to navigation; and as Lord Lyons, the British minister, remarked in one of his dispatches, '• Washington is the only city in the United States that is really blockaded." The ammunition found in the magazine for the large guns was very indifferent. The powder was a mixture of blasting with rifle powder. Sometimes the Armstrong gun. at the same elevation, would not throw a shell more than halfway across the river: then again far over the river. During the whole winter, notwithstanding a great deal of shelling from the steamers below us and the opposite batteries, nothing of importance occurred. It was only the thunder of big guns. 1 think it was on the 5th of March that I received, confiden- tially, verbal orders to remove all stores to Fredericksburg, and to be prepared to fall back on the 8th inst. All property was re- moved except the heavy guns. Some of them were thrown into the Potomac, and the remainder spiked and the carriages de- stroyed. On the 8th the troops in my command were on the road to Fredericksburg. On the night of the Loth a telegram was handed me. saying: "Come to Richmond immediately." I reached that city early next day. (ailing on the President, he told me that 1 must go at once to New Berne, N. C, and relieve Gen. L. O. B. Branch, take command of the forces there, and call at Gen. K. E. Lee's ofHce for instructions. I found (Jen. Lee at his home, and he said: " I want you to go to New Berne, and drive Burnside away from there when he attacks the place. When can you go?" I said by the first train, requesting him to have my staff and horses sent me as soon as possible. The train was to leave in the afternoon. Next came a message from the President, telling me that he wished me to call at once. I did so, and he then informed me that he had just received a dis- patch that New Berne had fallen, but that I must go down and assume command. I found Gen. Branch at Kinston. He received me very cor- dially, and offered to aid me. I disliked to hand him the orders. U4 Two Wars. because they were written before they knew the battle had been fought. I made an inspection of the troops, and found them cheerful and seemingly not at all discouraged by their defeat. This was on the 17th. On the 20th I received a dispatch order- ing nie to Wilmington, as there was some apprehension of that place being attacked, and I went there without delay. Gen. Jo- seph R. Anderson succeeded to the command at Kinston. On arriving at Wilmington, the first duty was the immediate examination of the defenses at the mouth of the ( Jape Fear river. Fort Caswell was in fair condition for defense, and any vessels passing it would meet river obstructions while under short range of the guns. Fort Fisher was a small unfinished work, consist- ing of a casemate battery fronting tJu. <><■■ an. and a line of works, nearly at right angles with this, that ran hack inland. This latter line constituted the land seaside defense, while the guns also commanded the channel and the entrance thereto. This face I continued inland to the edge of the marsh, making it perhaps a third of a mile in length. From my assuming command in March untilj was ordered to Petersburg in duly I gave this fort much care, and kept a large force at work. Commencing at the right of the casemate battery, 1 caused a line of revetment to he put up. extending parallel with the ocean, a distance of perhaps half a mih': knowing the winds would blow the sands up and make a glacis in front : and so the windstorms blew thousands of tons of -and. forming a smooth slope to the seashore. From this front we constructed a line hack to the marsh, and thence up to the line running back from the casemate. It was an enormous work, and Its garrison should not have been le>s than three thousand men. Outside the sea front, near the ocean. 1 sunk a pit. as dee]) as admissible, and mounted the largest of the Tredegar o'uns. that swept the horizon in every direction. Maj. Kendriek was in command of Foil Fisher for some time. I believe it was at his own request that he was relieved, and I put Col. William Land) in command in his place, and he remained there until it was captured, January L5, 1865. I mention this because it is a part of the history of the fort. There were many incidents connected with Fort Fisher whilst in my command at Wilmington. 1 had constructed a telegraph from Wilmington to Fort Fisher. One morning early 1 received a telegram stating that a •• blockade steamer v had been run ashore Unloading a Blockader. 145 near the fort, designedly, because she was tired on by the blockad- ing ships and had much powder on board, and that a messenger had reached the fort, asking the commander to sink his steamer to sur, tht powder, and asking me for orders. However, before he got my reply to "not tire a shot at the steamer, 11 a shot was tired at her from Fort Fisher, and, striking below the water line, she gradually tilled. All the shells of the enemy fell short. We took charge of the abandoned steamer, and sent two lines from her to the shore, and with the labor of two hundred men removed all the cargo to the depth of six feet in the wafer. The brandy, whisky, ale, powder, medicines, and above all six Whitworth held guns, were landed. Two of these guns were kept at Fort Fisher. As their range was about six miles, I instructed Col. Lamb to select good men for them, and practice with them in- land, so as not to let the enemy know the range. When this was done, one bright day when all was quiet, and the lazy blockaders were lying at anchor about three miles off the fort, these two guns opened on them, creating a lively scene. Black smoke began to stream up from the smokestacks of the steamers; sails were thrown to the wind from the ships in all haste, and the squadron went seaward. When they returned, they anchored out of range, and from this time on I requested all blockade runners (steamers) on arriving to make the mouth of the channel at dawn and run in by daylight out of reach of the enemy's guns. Soon after this another steamer came in from Nassau, and Capt. McCorkle, of the navy, and I got into a yawl with two sailors and went out to meet her. We found a young ' ' my lord " from England, who had run the blockade to carry a "free lance" and have some "fun" with the Yankees. He had been pent up on shipboard and was full of life, and asked us to take him ashore in our boat. When we shoved off, he insisted on taking one of the oars for mere relief to the exuberance of life. We had almost three miles to row, and McCorkle, as boatswain, man- aged the rudder so as to give him an opportunity to display his strength. When he began to weaken, McCorkle would cry out, "Give way, my lord," to encourage him. When we reached camp, he was not so restless; but he was a jolly good fellow, and I hope he had an opportunity given him to gratify his inclina- tion to tight. 10 146 Two Wars. Mv volunteer aid, Baker, was given a month's leave. He ob- tained a small boat and loaded her with nine bales of cotton, and. with only a small boy to tend the jib sail, put out for Nas- sau, reached port safely, and sold the boat and cargo. He re- turned on a vessel that ran the blockade at Charleston, and brought me a " pith" India hat, gloves, kid gaiter shoes, and other acceptable articles. With him on the steamer came a dis- tinguished officer, carrying a saber as large as the sword of Wal- lace, who was "spoiling" for a tight, as he expressed it at a (tin- ner given him by*some of the officers in Charleston. He was a genuine, good soldier, entered our service, and often distinguished himself while chief of staff for Gen. J. E. B. Stuart. I was kept very busy during my stay in Wilmington in con- structing defensive works. I fortified tJu city of Wilmington; put up. or mounted, isolated guns on the bluff banks of the riv- er, and otherwise defended the city from the approach from seaward. And now were "fought the tights" around Richmond, and I was down here digging dirt without much honor or renown, and when they terminated an order came. July IT. placing me in command of the Department of North Carolina and Southern Virginia. Gen. W . II. C. Whiting was given the command of the defenses of Wilmington, and I was requested to name cer- tain counties around the city to give him a separate command. He continued there until Fort Fisher was captured, as stated, on January 15, 1865. Although it was subjected to a terrific bom- bardment, the report shows that out of forty-seven heavy mount- ed guns twenty-five of them and their carriages were serviceable when captured. How difficult it is to destroy sand forts! Fort Sumter, with its walls crumbled into dust by four years of bombardment, never was captured, and its defense stands alone, unparalleled in the history of the world, and before which all others pale. See Jollification Order, Vol. L., No. lo<>. page' 114:3, "War Records." when information was sent to the United States troops that the Confederates had left the fort. Occasionally some war steamers would conic Dear enough to throw shells into Fort Fisher, but they did very little damage. The main annoyance was the reports given out that every large naval expedition was designed for Wilmington. On one of these occasions a company of volunteers, mainly lawyers ,; ,-< d next 'A///," and he returned to Petersburg. The next morning the captains of the batteries were instructed to go through the clover tields to the river bank and select positions for their guns. This was done without attracting the notice of the enemy, or the hundreds of vessels in the stream. As the day closed a drizzling mist made the darkness thick. Like the interior of the Mammoth Cave, it could be felt, but not seen. However forty-five guns were put in position, exclusive of the two long Parrott guns captured at Manassas. Amidst such darkness what a beautiful sight was before us! Ten thousand lights from the shipping and the camp shone the brighter from some reflection of the darkness that should have obscured them. At midnight the battery on the right was to open tire, to be fol- lowed in quick succession along the line, and in a minute it was a continuous tire. Soon the lights were all extinguished, save one or two on some lone craft in the river. When the tiring commenced all the monitors and other war vessels moved up the A Night Attack. 149 river to meet the ironclad built in Richmond that was reported to be ready to come down the river, and so we were not subjected to any fire except from one gunboat, and from some Whitworth guns that sent bolts, whistling like birds, high over our heads. As the day dawned the guns were withdrawn and we returned to Petersburg. The report of Gen. Pendleton and my own can be found in the war records. There were no casualties on our side. It was real amusement. Officers of the Union army, years after, gave me accounts of the wild confusion in their camps. Unexpected as a midnight earthquake it burst upon the slumbering army. Horses and mules broke loose and ran all righted over the grounds, stumbling over tent cords. Captains shouted everywhere for men to fall in line. The blue was here and there mingled with midnight sum- mer's sleeping uniforms of white indescribables, airy and cool, that w r ere seen only by the light of bursting shells. Gen. Alfred Pleasanton told me he could find nothing in his tent to put on, except now and then by the light of the shells, and my good friend, Gen. Kufus Ingalls, in the first letter he w-rote me after the surrender, said: "You don't know, dear Sam, how near you came killing me that night, which, had it happened, would have been a great sorrow to you." I was informed that a war cor- respondent wrote a letter severely criticising Gen. McClellan's inability with eighty thousand men to offer any resistance to this attack, that was successfully used, with other charges, by his enemies to have him relieved from command of the Army of the Potomac. McClellan, perhaps mortified that his position w r as shelled without being able to make any defense, treated the mat- ter very lightly in his reports. He had not taken the precau- tion to place any guns on the river bank, and the intense dark- ness prevented moving artillery through his camp. Besides, he could not use guns, as the ships and vessels of every kind lined the river shore and were in the way. Gen. Lee directed me to have my scouts w r atch McClellan's movements closely, especially movements of the shipping down the James. In time I reported the departure of the transports, and the crossing of the Chickahominy with the infantry. Soon after followed the battles of Cedar Run, August 9; the second Ma- nassas, September 2, where Pope met his reward; then Freder- icksburg, December 13, where the vain Burnside was defeated. 150 Two Wars. There is an incident connected with this lust battle that I will here relate, although it lias been published in a magazine called the Confederal Veteran. The Federal army had crossed the Rappahannock river and formed in line of battle to attack the Confederate army on the heights beyond. Maj. Pelhani com- manded a battery belonging to Stuart's cavalry, away on our right flank, in age a youth, in character a hero. When the Fed- eral line commenced to advance, in full view of friends and foe, in the silence that often precedes a great battle, Pelham, with a piece of artillery, dashed forward between the two armies, halt- ed, a pun of smoke, a shell burst over the Federal line, and in a moment the tire of twenty batteries centered on that lone gun; and there, amidst shrieking shot and bursting shell, flame and smoke, that detachment of Frenchmen worked their gun and stayed the battle near an hour, all the while singing the "Mar- seillaise 1 which was now and then heard for a moment, borne by the fitful breeze, in the break of an almost continuous roar of artillery. France and glory evermore abides in the hearts of Frenchmen. Macaulay, in his lays of ancient Rome, tells in song the story of Horatius and his two friends defending the bridge over old Tiber against the hosts of Lars Porsena, and here is a deed of modern date that rivals that of old, and some day it will be a theme of inspiration for a poet. A boy, one gun, eight Frenchmen holding in check so long eighty thousand men ! Sometime in November, I think it was, I received a dispatch from the President to come over to Richmond. On calling at the President's house 1 found Gen. Lee there. The General asked me what was the least number of troops I would require, tor a short time, to hold my line. Reflecting awhile, I said about six thousand. His reply was: "That is reasonable. When you return order all above that number to report to me." Now 1 write this as an illustration of the delicate consideration Gen. Lee had for the officers under him. He could have ordered from the department such troops as he desired, without seeing me. but lie was ever a gentleman, and considerate to every one. I have not the date, my papers having been turned over to my successor, but it was during the winter of 1862-63 that Gen. Foster made a raid from New T Berne up to near Tarboro, N. C, and as soon as I could ascertain his designs and objective point Foster's Eaid. 151 I began to concentrate troops to meet him. I assembled about eight thousand troops at Tarboro. Foster was at a village about twelve miles distant. During the afternoon he marched on one road toward Tarboro, and I moved on another to meet him, and on the road that he was reported to be on. When night came we were near each other on different roads, and preparations were made for battle. In the morning Foster was far away on his road to New Berne. It was cold, and snow covered the ground, and pursuit was useless except by cavalry. There was brought to me an old negro slave who was with Foster during that night, and the following was his story: Well, master. I will tell you how it was. You see I was goiug from Tarboro out on that road unbeknownst that the Yankees was there. Well, for sure, some of dem Yankees on horseback cried, "Stop dar," and asked me, "Where you live, and where you goin'?" I told how it was, and they said, "Come along, old man," and they took me to theginneral. He was in a house sitting on a sofa, and he says to me, "Are you from Tar- boro? " and I said, "Yes, master: " and then he says, "Take a seat here." So I sot down just this way. He was on this side of me, and I was, as it might be, on tother side of him. He looked kind to me, and says to me: " You know we are friends of the colored people, and so you must tell me de truth." Then he says: "Mose [for I had done told him my name], Mose, are there many soldiers in Tarboro?" I told him there was in de morning more men than I had ever seen in my life, and I tells him whex - e they went to. Then he asks me: "Mose, have they much cabalry?" "Cabalry? what you mean by dat? " "Have they many men on horses? " And I says: "Bless your soul, master, I neber have seen as many black- birds in de cornfields as dey have horses thar; everywhere you go you see dem men on horses." "Have they many guns? " "Sure, ebery man hab a gun." "You don't understand me, Mose," says he: "have they many cannon on wheels? " Then I ups and tells how when dem cannon went out of town I sot on de ground on my knees in a joint of fence in a cornfield on tother side de road and looks through de rails and counts them, and dar war, for sure, just sixty-four of dem. Next he asked me what ginnerals were there, and I told him I ain't partielarly 'quainted with dem, but that 1 had heard tell of Ginneral Martin there, who had but one arm. Then, after thinking for some time, he called a man and told him to take care of me and not let me get away. Soon they beat de drums and blowed de horns, and they all got ready and was going back, and in the big crowd I slips out, and, bless the Lord, I am home here with de ole woman and children. Whether Foster was influenced by the information he got from old Mose, I know not, but such was the old negro's story as he related it to me the next day, as I remember it. 152 Two Wars. I am quite sure vandalism (especially stealing) commenced in New Berne, for the pianos and furniture shipped from there decorate to-day many a Northern home. At Hamilton most of the dwellings had been entered, mirrors broken, furniture smashed, doors torn from their hinges, and especially were the feather beds emptied in the streets, spokes of carriage wheels broken, and cows shot in the tields by the roadside, etc. It was a pitiful sight to see the women and children in their destitute condition. Alas! toward the end it was an everyday occurrence, and the main object of small expeditions was to steal private property. Pretty early in December a lady correspondent, outside of New Berne, informed me that it was reported that the troops in the town were to move out and attack 'Wilmington, or destroy the railroad to that place. I kept Gen. G. W. Smith, in Rich- mond, whose command embraced the State of North Carolina, advised of the information received, and he went through Pe- tersburg, stopping to see me, and then went on to Goldsboro, N. C, to await developments. My diary says: Lett Petersburg December 15, in the evening train for Weklon. From there ordered the horses and equipments by land road to Goldsboro. Also, by command of Gen. G. W. Smith, I ordered Col. Martin's regiment to Goldsboro. I left in Petersburg, awaiting transportation, the Missis- sippi regiments and some of Daniel's Brigade and Bradford's Artillery. Leaving Weldon, I proceeded to Goldsboro, and arrived there at 7:30 a.m. on the 16th, and took the train to Kinston. Reached Mosely Hall about 10 a.m. Found Gen. Evans there. At this time there was heard heavy tiring at I he Whitehall bridge over the Neuse river. The tiring increas- ing rapidly, I sent to Gen. Robertson Col. Burguin's regiment, and Gen. Pettigrew to take command if it should prove to be a determined attempt to cross the river, which 1 doubted. This regiment did not reach there in time to render any material assistance. The troops engaged were Leven- thorpe's Eleventh North Carolina, a part of Feribee's and Evans's Bri- gades, Jordan's Thirty-First North Carolina, and two piecesof artillery. A battery I sent did not reach there until tin; tight was over. In this affair we lost about thirty killed and wounded. We had about live hundred men engaged, and the enemy four regiments and fifteen pieces of artillery, and their loss, from inferior position, must have been about one hundred. Being satisfied that the attempt to cross or to put down a pontoon bridge was frustrated, if seriously contemplated, and that the objective point was Goldsboro and the railroad bridge there, I ordered Col. Kodgers up from Kinston, who had been there all day in possession of the town, and seul Whitehall and (Goldsboro Bridges. 153 him and Evans's Brigade forward to Goldsboro in haste, and informed Gen. Smith that the enemy was moving up the river; and made every effort to get our force to Goldsboro. Gen. Peltigrew moved with Burguin's and Leventhorpe's regiments for that point, leaving a strong force and two guns at Whitehall. The train that took Rodgers did not return until about 4 a.m.. and left soon after with troops. Seeing them off, I started on horse- back with staff and rode to Goldsboro, and reached there at 9 a.m. and re- ported to Gen. Smith. The guard that was left at Mosely Hall was directed to take an account of the cotton burned there, and to save the rope and bagging. When 1 reached the depot near Bear Creek I there found Burguin's regiment and a down train. It brought me an order from Gen. Smith to leave Gen. Robertson in command of the troops at Whitehall and Spring Bank bridges to hold them. Gen. Martin was left in command at Mosely Hall. I have since learned that the enemy left eighty men unburied at Whitehall. They removed the wounded. Seventy stand of arms were collected. During this time Gen. Clingman, with his brigade, was on the right bank of the river. When Col. Rodgers was ordered from Kinston I directed that the com- mand of Wallace should proceed dh-ect to Goldsboro from Greenville, and not stop at Kinston to support Col. Rodgers, as he had been ordered away. In consequence of the movements made, as has been stated, the condi- tion of matters on the morning of the 17th, was as follows: Clingman was over the river on the right bank with his brigade (Cantrell's. Shaw's, and Marshall's regiments) and some artillery; Evans, with his brigade and the Mississippi troops, in the town; Rodgers, near by; and Bur'guin, en route, near at hand. When I reached the town and reported to Gen. Smith he told me he had ordered, early in the morning, Gens. Evans and Cling- man to make an armed reeonnoissance on the other side of the river. For some reason, not known to me, it never moved or got off until the enemy at lacked the bridge. About '2:30 p.m. I was informed that the enemy was advancing on the Goldsboro bridge ( the railroad bridge over the Neuse), and the cannon were heard in the distance. Pettigrew started to join Clingman on the other side of the river. Smith sent for me to come to his office. I remained with him about an hour, urging forward troops. Gen. Smith then went to the hotel for his sword, coat. etc. When he returned I picked up my Salter ami said: "If you have no particular use for me here, I shall go down to the field." To this he implied: "Very well." Riding down I overtook the Hon. W. Dortch, Confederate States Sena- tor, and Gov. Z. Vance. They wished to show me some fords in the river. I found Pettigrew examining them also. I then galloped on for the field, and found Gen. Smith there. He had passed by while we were locating the fords. On arriving on the field I found most of our troops in the edge of the woods. I moved them across the field to the railroad, which af- forded some protection. The enemy were drawn up in line on some ris- ing ground somewhat obliquely to the railroad. Their right was about 154 Two Wabs. seven hundred yards distant, and the left four hundred. There was really but little tiring except artillery, and that was at the one gun we brought on the field. Evans, on our left, ordered a charge over the open field toward a battery. The regiment making the charge suffered considerably from canister shot, and as soon as possible I recalled it. It soon became dark, both lines maintaining their positions. Smith now came over to the left, and called Evans. Pettigrew, and me, with Stevens, engineer, to con- sult or counsel with him on the question of remaining or withdrawing. All but Evans favored crossing back to camp. The diary is too full of detail to quote. We recrossed be- cause the weather was intensely cold, and the troops had no blankets or provisions, and would be unfit for service if they remained there. Next morning Foster was on his return to New Berne. Had Smith seen to it that Evans had crossed over, and with Clingman's Brigade and his own moved as di- rected, the bridge could not have been burned, as it was, by a party of six men. Reports said Foster had eighteen thou- sand men and eighteen pieces of artillery; we had nine thou- sand, with nearly twenty pieces of artillery. The whole mat- ter was probably a demonstration in favor of Burn side at Fredericksburg. Our troops were not properly handled at Goldsboro. From Goldsboro I returned to Petersburg on the 24th. On January 5, 1863, I left Petersburg for Weldon on account of in- formation of an apprehended attack on Wilmington. The next day Gen. G. W. Smith arrived, and then went on to Goldsboro. On the 16th 1 joined Gen. Smith at Goldsboro. Owing to in- formation received on the 20th, 1 ordered Cook's Brigade to near South Washington, Ransom's to Kenonsville, and Pettigrew's intermediate, to support either. In the evening Smith went to Wilmington. On the 27th 1 received information that Gen. Smith had been ordered to Richmond, and a dispatch came for me from the War Department to repair to Goldsboro and as- sume command of all the troops. On the 3d of February I re- ceived orders to send reinforcements to Wilmington. I sent Evans's Brigade there. Orders also came to convene a court of inquiry on Gen. Evans. On the 8th forces were sent from Wil- mington to Charleston, and on the 18th I examined the works around the city of Wilmington that I had constructed a year ago, and the next day visited the forts, Fisher, Caswell, etc. I returned to Peters! uirg on the 23d. (Jen. D. H. Hill, having no Obtaining Supplies. 155 troops, was put in command of those in North Carolina, leaving me Southern Virginia. I found in Petersburg Lieut. Gen. Long- street. In the summer of L862 an estimable clergyman came to me and spoke of an opportunity of obtaining some supplies for the troops from Norfolk. I believed it feasible, and referred him to my chief quartermaster, Maj. J. B. Moray. It speedily was put into operation, and the plan was very simple. An English- man, living some miles from Suffolk, having charge of or own- ing an estate on which he lived, had permission to pass the lines at will, and had a permit to purchase supplies for his place. Under this permit he procured for the reverend gentleman large supplies of sugar, coffee, clothes, shoes, medicines, surgical in- struments, saddler's tools, bacon, etc. One day at Weldon, or Halifax, a trunk was sent to headquarters through this channel containing some coffee and the most costly pair of boots I have ever worn. The foot was calfskin and the tops of morocco, and came above the knee. They were worn long after the war end- ed. Who sent them I do not know. The only trouble I gave to this matter of obtaining supplies was to place a respectable and permanent guard that could be trusted, to let the boats land with the supplies.* When I went to Petersburg the ladies were *By this arrangement my quartermaster, Maj. J. B. Moray, obtained bacon, sugar, coffee, blankets, shoes, cloth, saddlers' tools, medical sup- plies, etc., in no small quantities. He also had hay and fodder baled, by sending a hay press through the north counties of North Carolina to bale this forage, and obtain grain. On the arrival of Gens. D. H. Hill and Long- street it terminated, for Longstreet took the teams. The following letter from the Hon. James A. Sedden relates to this mat- ter: War Department, C. S. A.. } Richmond, February 20, 1863. j Gen. S. G. French, Commanding, Etc. General: I have derived much satisfaction from your letter of the 12th, and am gratified to sec how fully you have realized and understand the great needs of our army on the Rappahannock for supplies of forage and subsistence, and the difficulty of meeting them. The scarcity in this Slate is really great, and without distressing exactions from the people, and much consequent suffering, there is no prospect of drawing any large sup- plies from them. Our great reliance must be on the large producing counties of North Carolina, and, unfortunately, the richest are in the hands of, or under the control of, the enemy. Great efforts must be made to draw all that can forced or tempted from that quarter, and there can be no better employ- ment of our foi*ces in North Carolina than in protecting and aiding such operations. Even illicit dealings with persons of doubtful position, or 156 Two Wars. somewhat "slipshod," for no ladies* shoes, toothbrushes, pins, needles, or materials for dresses were for sale. Through re- spectable men "running the blockade," I had the town supplied. All that I required of these men was that they should bring a tew necessary articles for the government, then as much as they wished for sale, but the invoice must be submitted to the quarter- master to see if there were any other things useful for the army. There was a large, tall woman named .Johnston by whom hundreds of letters, with money in them, were sent by soldiers to their families in that part of Virginia, and in return she brought letters to Confederate soldiers. I detailed an intelli- gent man to read all letters going out and returning by the blockade runners; all letters, too, going north by, or received from, the flag of truce boats were examined before being deliv- ered to the persons addressed. Only a few of these letters were referred to me. I never doubted Mrs. Johnston's integrity, but some of my staff endeavored to have me believe she was a spy on both sides. She always told me the truth about the enemy, for I could see it corroborated by the testimony of others. One time she was gone about six weeks, then returned and said (Jen. Viele had put a guard over her house in Norfolk and kept her a prisoner. When some years afterwards I met Gen. Viel6 in New York lie told me he could do nothing with her, she defied him. and he kept her at home that while. She gave him no truthful information, but was faithful in her reports to us. There was a girl living in Norfolk that wanted to cross the lines and go to Richmond. Three prominent citizens, separate- ly, informed me that she was a spy. Gen. J. .J. Pettigrew, on the Blackwater, received like information, and asked me for in- structions. I wrote: kt Let her come, but send an officer to watch her." She arrived by train, in company with a "roach-backed" looking woman with a child in her arms, and went to the hotel. I directed the city marshal to arrest her if she attempt to leave for Richmond, and he arrested her at the Richmond depot the next morning and brought her to me. She swore she was a true mercenary natures, mighl be encouraged to the extent of procuring sup- plies, particularly (if meat. But with the clear views and convictions you nave on this whole subject it is unnecessary t<> urge the adoption of >i>r- eial means. You will. I doubt not, adopt all that ran be made available, and in so doing you will have the sanction of the department Very truly yours. James A. Skddon, Seen tary.of War Sidney Lanier. 157 woman to the Confederacy, that she had a brother in the serv- ice. I asked her how she left Suffolk. She declared she passed the Federal lines with the woman now with her, who had a pass for two persons, that she brought the woman and child along with her lest the woman should be imprisoned for aiding her over the line of pickets, etc. Then I read to her several letters informing me ""Fannie Cooper left this morning in a carriage with a Yankee officer to go to Richmond." She denied it all. I told her she would have to go to Salisbury a prisoner until I could inquire into her case further. She begged not to be im- prisoned there, so I sent her back to Gen. Pettigrew, command- ing on the Blackwater, to have her sent back to her home. Now, during the siege of Suffolk, many persons told me that "she did go out of Suffolk in the carriage with an officer," etc. In 1866 she wrote me a letter declaring all I heard about her was false, and wishing me all sorts of bad things. All in all it would have been an interesting case for Sherlock Holmes. Petersburg was under martial law, and to keep the city in peace and order was no small task. Men who were regarded respect- able would sell liquor to the soldiers. To tine the offenders was useless. To end it, the suggestion was made that a court- martial should condemn the next offender to have his head shaved and wear a ik barrel shirt," and be marched through the city two hours every day for ten days. That ended selling whisky. How would a dude look with his head shaved and protruding through a hole in the head of a barrel? Would the sun affect his in- tellects The doctors reported that no ordinary person could endure it, so I remitted a part of the sentence. One day the provost marshal arrested a blockade runner for not obeying his instructions. His goods were placed in a rented store, and J. A. Shingleur, of Columbus, Ga., and Sidney La- nier, of my signal corps, were detailed to sell them. The money was deposited in bank to my order. After the war was ended I gave the owner the funds. I have often Avondered if that quiet, gentle soldier-poet remembered his experience as a merchant in Petersburg? Often he and a friend would come to my quarters and pass the evening with us, where the "alarums of war" were lost in the soft notes of their flutes, for Lanier was an excellent musician. I believe his cantata was sung at the opening of the World's Exposition held in Philadelphia in 1876. 158 Two Wars. Another duty was the exchange of prisoners on arrival at City Point of the flag of truce steamer. Our men were sent out to a cam]) I had. and thence to their commands. I never went to the flag of truce boat in all this while but once, and then I did not go aboard of her. T dismounted and took a scat on a box. All was quiet. The staging from the main deck rested on the wharf. On this deck, by the staging, were posted two soldiers with arms aground. On the upper deck were three or four United States soldiers. Their clothing was clean, neat, and new, and they wore unsoiled white cotton gloves. The wharf was guarded by a lone Confederate soldier. On his head was a straw hat, his raiment was butternut in color, his shoes were low-quartered, his hair and beard long. In countenance he was dignified, and his eye bright. To protect himself from the cold north wind, a brown blanket was tied, or pinned, in front around his neck, and as he turned to the north, pacing to and fro in front of the stage, his blanket would swing now east, now west, and on re- turning wrap him in its folds. He heeded not the neat clad en- emy on the steamer, but walked his post with the conscious con- viction that he was their peer in every walk of life. None of the soldiers leaning over the railing and looking down on him were commenting on his garb, or laughing at him. Battle had taught them to respect him. Still the contrast in clothing ami comfort was marked. CHAPTER XII. Telegram from Secretary of War— Go to Richmond Declined Going to Vicksburg— Gen. Longstreet— He Starts for Suffolk— Suffolk— Capture of a Fort and Garrison— No Report Made of the Capture— Statement of Lieut, George Reese— Longstreet Ordered to Join Lee— Dispatches- Battle of Chancellorsville— Withdraw from Suffolk— An Impertinent Note— Court of Inquiry Asked for and Refused Possible Result Had Longstreet Obeyed Orders— Tew Dispatches to Longstreet— Orders to Report to Gen. Johnston. ON March 1, 1863, I received a telegram from the Secretary of War stating that he wished to sec me in regard to a change of service. The day following I called at the office of the Secretary, Hon. J. A. Seddon, and he expressed a desire thai I would go to the city of Vicksburg to assist in the defense of that place. 1 did not give my assent, preferring to consider the matter. On the 3d I rode around the line of defensive works that I had constructed around Petersburg with (Jen. Longstreet. and did not get hack until 3 p.m. I have already stated that on my return from Wilmington on the 23d of February, 1S63, I found Gen. Longstreet in Peters- burg in command of the divisions of (lens. Hood and Pickett. The main object of his coming was to provision his troops and forage his animals (until active service commenced requiring him 1.) join Gen. Lee or otherwise) from the supplies in the adjoin- ing counties of Virginia and the counties of North Carolina in the northeastern portion of the State, and be in readiness to join Gen. Lee promptly, which he said was arranged before he left Fredericksburg. (See Long-street's " Memoirs." page 329. ) That the trains might move in safety, it was necessary to con- tine the Federal forces in the works around Suffolk and Norfolk. Accordingly about the middle of April Longstreet moved with his two divisions and one of mine on Suffolk. The approach of our troops was not discovered until the advance was in open view of the defenses around the city. Their pickets were quiet- ly captured, and the lookout sentinel in an observatory on a platform in the top of a large pine tree in front of the city might have been captured also had it not been for the desire of 160 Two Wars. one of the Confederates to take a shot at him while he was in the top, before any one had been sent near the base of the pine. The man came down as lively as a squirrel, and the alarm was given. The circumvallation of the city, in part, was made by Pickett's division on the right, mine in the center, and Hood's on the left, and thus the siege of Suffolk began. When Gen. Longstreet had been in Petersburg some time, he said to me one day that he purposed to attack Suffolk after his preparations were made, and to take the trains and send them down into the seaboard counties for provisions. The next thing I knew, April 9, he put his command in mo- t ion. and took from me a division and a number of batteries, and was on his way to Suffolk without informing me in any way of his designs, or of his wishes.* The next day I put a staff offi- cer in charge of the department headquarters, and with my other staff officers rode to Suffolk and took command of my own troops there that had been removed without sending the order through my office as courtesy required. No doubt the object of such proceedings was to give the command of a division to Gen. M. Jenkins, a worthy and gallant officer, who had distinguished himself in the seven days 1 tight around Richmond. On the morning of the 13th I took command of my own troops, the bri- gades of Pettigrew, Jenkins, and Davis, and my batteries. I found Gen. Longstreet down near the front, where there was considerable artillery tiring and skirmishing on the advanced line. Longstreet asked me to accept the command of all the ar- tillery, which I refused to do. I told him I did not intend to give up the command of my division to any one, but that I was willing to give all the assistance I could, personally and through the *This was a violation of military usages that both Gens. Andrew Jack- son and Z. Taylor denounced. Here is an extract from the order of Gen. Jackson : Headquarters Division of the South, } Nashville, April 22, isit. \ The commanding general considers it due to the principles which ought and must exist in an army to prohibit the obedience of any order emanating from the Department of War to officers of this division . . . unless coming through him as the proper organ of communication. The object of this is to prevent the recurrence, etc. Here we see Jackson forbidding obedience to any order to troops or of- ficer in his command unless it was communicated to him first for his ac tion. Stbibbling Guns. 161 chief of my artillery, to place in position guns to prevent gun- boats going up and down the river; and, although my diary does not mention it, all the artillery was ordered to report to me. I assigned all the batteries belonging to them to the commit ml of tht respectivi divisions, and thus it was scattered along fhe line for several miles, leaving me some spare batteries and a few siege guns in charge of my chief of artillery. But I will copy from my diary: Tuesday, 14th. Heavy skirmishing; rode to Pickett's Division and to the extreme right of the line, and met Gen. Armstead there. Wednesday, loth. Started down the river with some artillery to en- deavor to destroy the gunboats: found but one in the river, and it was too far below. After getting guns in position withdrew them. Day very rainy. Thursday, 16th. Rodedown the river and examined it for positions for defense: met Longstreet at Mr. Riddick's place; then went to Mr. Le Compte's house. We were invited to stay for dinner. but before it was ready a gunboat opened fire on the house while we were resting in the yard behind it and while the family were in it. After the second shot, which went through it. we rode out into the field by the side of the house in open sight. They did not tire at us (myself and four of my staff), but all the while continued the attack on the dwelling, and over the heads of the little children, who were on the lawn in front waving white hand- kerchiefs. The dwelling was built of ; brick, and was riddled with large holes. The wonder to me was how the children escaped. As we were leaving the field and the doctor had his hands on the latch of the gate to open it. it was opened by a three-hundred-pound shell striking the post that the gate was hung to. demolishing it. 17th. Last night I gave my consent that two guns from Stribbling's battery be put in an old work that was to be garrisoned by two compa- nies of Gen. Law's Brigade, and some guns from Martin's battery were put in another work. A gunboat came up and opened fire on the fort where the two Alabama companies were, without damage. 18th. Passed all day down the river. Got the two thirty-two pound- ers in position, ready to open to-morrow. 19th. This forenoon the gunboats came up, and the thirty-two pound- er tired on them and drove them back. They were also attacked by some sharpshooters. Just before sunset the gunboats and several batteries of artillery opened a very severe cross fire on the fort and over the plain in the rear of the fort, where the two guns from Stribbling's battery had been placed to aid the garrison. Pending this attack the enemy landed a strong in- fantry force, under cover of some timber, on our side of the river, car- ried the place by a sudden assault, and captured the garrison, consisting of Companies A and B, Forty-Fourth Alabama Regiment, and a squad of artillerymen. 11 162 Two Hj/.x. I heard the distant firing about sunset, ami at 9 P.M. I heard in camp that one of the forts in Hood's command had been captured. I went over to Longstreet's headquarters, ami lie asked me to go down and take com- mand. On arrival I found on the ground there (Jens. Hood and Law with Robertson's Brigade and Connelly's Fifty-Fifth North Carolina Reg- iment, a*nd took command as I wasordered. The Fifty-Fifth North Caro- lina Regiment was advanced, but it was driven back in the darkness by the cross tire of the gunboats ami the enemy in the captured works. It was so plain to any one who had a knowledge of the art of war that the enemy would not hold an isolated work on our side of the river, that I was not inclined to make an assault which would have sacrificed so many lives uselessly. Yet such was the order given by Longstreet. 20th. Remained in position till morning, when Lonjjstreet arrived. Both Gens. Hood and Law strenuously insisted that no attack should be made to capture the works while the troops would be subjected to the severe cross fire over the neck of land from the enemy's flee! of vessels and the troops in the redoubt and artillery opposite on the other side of the river. At 1 P.M. I turned the command over to Hood, or rather left him in command of his own troops, advising him to wait and let the enemy abandon the place, which they did. Soon after this ('apt. Cussons, com- mander of Law's scouts, with a few men and a loud •■yell." ran in the enemy's pickets and entered the works with them. They went on out. and left Cussons to hold the empty fort. 22d. If that redoubt, which gave support to our left think (that other- wise would have been •'in air"), was worth a great sacrifice of life to re- capture it. as ordered by Longstreet, then certainly it was in accord with the science of war to place two "-mis on the works to strengthen and pro- tect tin' left Hank of his army.* :;: Longstreet reiterates the story of the capture of the battery in his book, but is silent about the garrison or t he capture of the redoubt. Therefore I will append a statement handed tn me by George Reese, an honored citizen of Pensacola, Fla. M\ account is from my diary; his is from memory. He writes: '•I was a lieutenant in Company A, forty-Fourth Alabama Infantry. Law's Brigade, Hood's Division, Longstreet's Corps, nnd was with my command at the investment of Suf- folk in 1863. On the lsth day of April, while in line, Companies A and K receive. 1 orders, about 8 p.m., to move. I think we numbered fifty men, all told. We were marched about two miles to the left of Longstreet's army. We arrived at an old fort, or rather redoubt, exposed on the land side, but protected by a high embankment on the river side. In this fort we found two suns of Stribbling's bat- tery, with their complement of gunners. This whole force, with the two suns, was captured on the 19th of April, near 6 p.m. About 1 p.m. the enemy opened a terrific tire on the fort from a great number of guns massed on the opposite side of the river and from the uun- . n< i infantry Undercover of tins tire a transport landed about a thousand men be- hind a point of land extending into the river just above the fort, concealed by thick under- growth. They were within one hundred yards of the fort when discovered. It was natu ral thai the infantry should blame Gen. Longstreet for thus placing so small a force so far away from support, and loud complaints were heard from both men and ottin-rs. We were taken to Suffolk the same night awl next moroing to Norfolk, an i two weeks after exchanged. GeorgeRef.se, Lieut. Co A,Forty-l mm. " iv i.i ! i . Man h 1897 Stribblisg Guns. 163 I am tired of volunteering against gunboats any more, and declined hav- ing anything to do with the line defended by Gen. Hood because of a communication received from the general commanding saying I was "in charge of the river defenses." To have charge of the river defenses in- volves more or less the command of all the army. I really had officially nothing to do with the river defenses, only I voluntarily placed two large siege guns in position to be used in attacking any boats passing up or down the river. Cohnally's Regiment was a support for these two guns. 23d. Confined myself to the immediate command of my division, and took no more interest in Hood's line, and ordered Connally's Regiment to join his brigade. 24th and 25th. There was some skirmishing. 26th. Rode down with Gen. Longstreet to the Whitemarsh road. Gone all day. The line there is commanded by Gen. Armstead. And now come the Richmond papers proclaiming: "From Suffolk — ( icii. French lost Stribbling's battery." Mark you, no mention of the cap- ture of the fort; no mention of the capture of the two companies that gar- risoned it. It would not do to have it reported that the Yankees crossed the Xansemond yesterday and captured a fort on our side of the river by assault. The garrison, composed of two companies of the Forty-Fourth Alabama Regiment of Law's Brigade. Hood's Division, were taken prison- ers and the two guns were lost. But it will not do to let this be known. No, no: write it down thus: " Yesterday Gen. French lost Stribbling's bat- tery." The world is too busy to inquire, and the world will believe it. The truth is. I was never in the fort, never saw it. I had no authority over the garrison, and I was in no way responsible for the loss of the re- doubt, the garrison, or guns. The most remarkable feature of this little affair is the per- sistency with which headquarters proclaimed that "French lost Stril ding's battery," and were silent about the infantry garrison captured, etc. I will give two letters here from the War Rec- ords: Headquarters Near Suffolk, April 21, 1863. Maj. Gen. D. II. Hill, Goldsboro. Gen. Longstreet is closely engaged to-night, and he has asked me to write you briefly the particulars of the affair of Sunday night which re- sulted in the capture by the enemy of Stribbling's battery. Several bat- teries had been planted on the Nansemond to hold the river against the passage of gunboats and transport-. Stribbling's occupied an old nnin- closed work on Hill's Point, a tongue of land a little above the confluence of Western Branch and Nansemond. About dark on the evening of the 19th the enemy opened a severe fire from his field batteries planted oppo- site, and his gunboats above and below the fort, entirely sweeping with a cross tire the plain in the rear of the work. Under cover of this tire and 1(34 Two Wars. darkness they landed a force, not more than one hundred and fifty strong, a very little distance from the fort, rushed upon its rear, and surprised and captured its garrison. The artillery on the river was directly under the management of Maj. Gen. French. There were five guns, fifty-five artillerists, and seventy in- fantry (sharpshooters) in the fort, which all fell into the hands of the en- emy. The affair is regarded as a most remarkable and discreditable instance of an entire absence of vigilance. A regiment (Fifty-Fifth North Caroli- na and seven hundred strong) which Gen. Longstreet had particularly or- dered to the vicinity for the protection of the battery was not posted in supporting distance. No official report of the affair has yet been received from Gen. French. The captured guns were carried across the river. It is some consolation that only the guns and ammunition chests were lust. The horses and ammunition carriages, being considerably in t he rear of the battery, were saved. We are otherwise quite comfortable here. The quartermasters and commissaries are actively engaged in getting out sup- plies. I am, General, very respectfully your obedient servant, G. M. Sorrel, Assistant Adjutant General.* This letter comes from the headquarters of Gen. Lonirstreet. and should he a careful account; whereas it contains errors in stating occurrences well known at the time it was written. 1 will point out some of the errors: 1. Only a small part of Stribbling's battery was captured by the enemy. 2. Stribbling's battery was not in the redoubt, as stated, in numbers. 3. The estimate that the enemy's force was not over one hun- dred and fifty differs very much from that of Lieut. George Reese, who was an officer of one of the companies forming the garrison that was captured, who writes it was near one thou- sand. d. "The artillery on the river was directly under the command of Maj. (Jen. French" is an error, as I declined it the day of my arrival, only I voluntarily offered to assist in checking the gun- boats passing up or down the river. 5. It states that "there were five guns, fifty-five artillerists, and seventy infantry captured by the enemy;" whereas it was known to the entire army by the Hist, the date of this letter, that only ///•'/ guns and >,,// sent to fl>< fort and such other as he directed. The better explanation is. the guns were asked of me to aid the garrison. 7. The statement that "no official report of the affair has yet been received from Gen. French" is misleading, and a report from me would have been supererogatory. The report of that "affair" was strictly a matter between the general commanding and Gen. Hood, who commanded the division and placed the garrison in the fort to protect his extreme left, then "in air." 8. "When headquarters announced that "it was some little consolation that only five guns and ammunition chests were lost," it may have been joyous that only the garrison was lost instead of the whole of Hood's Division, of which it formed a part. 9. I must give Gen. Longstreet\s adjutant general the manli- ness to be the only officer in Longstreet's Corps who has, in any manner or form, put on record the fact, directly or indirectly, that there was a garrison placed in that redoubt by order of Longstreet, or Hood, or both, and it was captured by the en- emy, and with the garrison went the two guns. To the world has the publication gone that Gen. French lost Stribbling's bat- tery. 10. If it be creditable for headquarters to publish that "this affair is regarded as a most remarkable and discreditable instance of an entire absence of vigilance" on my part, then I claim it is proper for me to remark that this effusion from the head of this army may be also "regarded as a most remarkable and discred- itable instance of an entire absence of correctness in stating that affair." There was no doubt a want of vigilance; and if Gen. Long- street had desired, he could have learned whether the commander 166 Two Wars. of the garrison put out pickets or not. He could have ascer- tained what orders were given the commander by his colonel, or Gen. Law, or by Gen. Hood, and fixed the responsibility where it belonged. Who put the garrison there, and what instruc- tions were given the commander? embraces the question. He says he "particularly ordered Col. Connally's regiment there himself for the protection of this battery,'.' which is an error. Like the ghost of Banquo, Stribbling's battery rises up again at headquarters and will not out. Heaquarters Neab Suffolk, April 20, 1863, ? p.m. I'.i- g. Gen. H. L Benning, Commanding Brigade. Your communication of 8 A.M. to-day lias been received. . . . The cannonade that you heard last night arose from a successful effort of the enemy to capture one of our batteries on the river. Under cover of dark- ness and the tire of his gunboats and land batteries he landed a force near HilT.s Point, and /<« jnin Gen. /.<< immediately, lie sent for me and told me he was ordered to join Gen. bee with his two divisions; but that he could not go, as his wagons sent for supplies had not returned. I made no reply, but thought it strange, considering all the company wagons, etc. he required to move were in the camp. 30th. "Waiting for the wagons" is still the song. Terrible thunder- storm. Lightning injured a number of men. Friday, May 1. This afternoon about 4 P.M. the enemy was found in line of battle. One regiment, said to have been the Fifty-Ninth New York, advanced on my picket lines and were handsomely repulsed by Col. Con- nally's regiment. In supporting his men in the pits he lost ten men. The enemy shelled the plain furiously for an hour and a half in my front. Courier came and said they were advancing on the Fifty-Fifth and light- ing like h — 1. I rode over to Jenkins, and we galloped to the front. Or- dered formally to send support to his pickets, and it was done valiantly. The enemy lost over forty men. By sunset all was quiet. This was a demonstration in favor of Hooker, who was now at Chacellorsville. May 'J. All was quiet last night, more so than usual, and now up to (i p.m. all is still save an occasional gun and a little picket-firing, and this continued during the night. Received to-day general instructions to withdraw to the Plackwater. * From War Records, page 692, Serial No. 108. Fifty-Ninth New York Repulsed. 167 May 3. This morning sent to the rear all spare articles, baggage, etc. At 11 a.m. Gen. Longstreet started for Franklin, and left me in command of the army to withdraw it. Heavy firing down the river, and the enemy is shelling the railroad crossing, raptured men report Gen. Uix in com- mand in Suffolk. Some Yankees came over the river with sugar and coffee to trade. The skirmishing on the left was very heavy, and I sent down one regi- cnenl to support Gen. Anderson, and moved Davis's Brigade to the left about a mile. I am now informed that Gen. Longstreet did not go at 11 a.m. as he expected to do. At sunset the firing on the left still continued, and the order to withdraw was countermanded. About 7 p.m. I received orders from Maj. Latrobe to withdraw in half an hour. I then ordered ii]) the supports from the railroad, and directed the men in the advanced rifle pits to he withdrawn at 11:20. At 10 the column was in motion, and we marched steadily the distance of six miles. . . . Arriving at the junction of the South Quay and Summerton roads, I learned that all Maj. Mitchell's trains had crossed the Blackwater, ami Pickett's wagons were now passing on to the river to cross. Being thus advised, tin- div sion was hahed. and I rode on to look for a good position to form line of bat- tle to defend the crossing in case the enemy should pursue. I found an admirable position, and disposed my forces accordingly. Pickett's Di- vision came up, ami 1 let', Col. Bratten, with two regiments and a bat- tery of artillery, to remain with the cavalry to guard the South Quay road. This was on the morning of the 4th. 4th. In the afternoon received orders to cross over the river, and thai when all were over to ride np to see him (Longstreet). The orders of the General left me but two brigades for the defense of the line from the James river to the < Jhowan river. 5th. Started this morning tor Ivor; posted Davis at the Blackwater bridge. . . . Rode on to Zuni. I found Longstreet was in Petersburg, and, as there were two trains ready to leave. I determined to ride up and ascertain why. he wished to see me, and try and get a third brigade, f sent Feribee's regiment down to the Isle of Wight to find out where the enemy was. I left Zuni at 2 p.m., and reached Petersburg at 3:50 p.m. I called on Longstreet as directed. I could not induce him to leave me the third brigade. ... I then asked of him permission to remain in Pe- tersburg until the morning, which he granted. Soon after a communica- tion was handed me in which the general commanding "expressed sur- prise that I was in the city, and asked me to explain what induced me to abandon my command." I had a locomotive waiting to take me hack to Zuni, or Franklin, as occasioned required; but considering the General told me I could remain, and by reason of this artful note, I determined not to leave anyhow under such an imputation. He may have lost his temper at Lee's victory at Chancellorsville without him. 0th. Wrote this morning to the President ami asked for a court of in- quiry. Now, while on this subject, I will state that the request was 168 Two Wars. not granted. Gen. J. R. Davis informed me that the President said to him my course needed no vindication, and Gen. Davis knew all the facts, and I presume he stated them to the Presi- dent. I wanted the court to investigate the cause of the sur- prise and capture of the garrison and Stribbling's two guns, and other matters named in my application for the court, if it were granted. I will explain, although it is a trifling matter, why I went to Petersburg. First, Longstreet wrote me to call and se» him as soon as my command crossed the Blackwater, but he left he- fore I passed over. Next, when I got to Zuni I had posted my troops all in their old positions on the line of the Blackwater as they were before Longstreet moved them to Suffolk; no Longstreet was at Zuni. Secondly, Petersburg was my headquarters, and from there I could communicate with Zuni and Franklin, on the Blackwater, by telegraph and railroad, and be in either place in a short time. Thirdly, Longstreet left Franklin without turning the com- mand of his two divisions over to me, and I presumed he was pressing forward with his command to the aid of Gen. Lee at Chancellorsville. who had called him to his assistance on the 27th of April, and so often afterwards. Continuing, my diary says: Busy the balance of the day in my office with official business. I did ' not leave the city until 9 cm., when I took the cars for Franklin. I ar- rived there after 11 p.m. Found all quiet. Whilst I was in Petersburg Gen. Hood was impressing horses for cavalry service. Carriages, wag- ons, cai-ts, etc., from which the horses were unhitched, were left in the streets. 8th. Changed headquarters to-day to Ivor. . , . 9th. Arrived at Ivor at 10 a.m. Gen. J. R. Davis left to-day on leave. loth. Went to Petersburg and remained there all day following. 15th. Started for Richmond. Saw Gens. Lee. Elzy. Cooper, Ransom, Ewell, and others. Dined with the Hon. Judge James Perkins. In the evening I went to the President's. I found him ill and suffering with a cough. I took tea with them. . . . 16th. Saw the Secretary of War this morning. Spoke to him about leave of absence. Said it could not be granted. . . . 28d. Went to the Blackwater bridge, where Jenkins's Brigade was. For exercise to the troops crossed over the river to feel the enemy, in force, on the other side. I took about three thousand men and four bat- teries of artillery. Col. Green, with two Mississippi regiments, advanced and drove in their pickets, and captured some property. Could not draw them out to attack us. After dark withdrew. Ordered to Mississippi. 169 Wednesday. 27th. Went to Petersburg, intending to go to Fort Pow- hatan. Found there a dispatch informing me that I would lie ordered on the day following to report to Gen. J. E. Johnston in Mississippi. 29th. No orders having been received, I went to Richmond to see about taking staff officers with me.. Gen. Cooper could allow me only my aids. Finally the Secretary of War gave me permission to take my adju- tant general, assistant adjutant general, quartermaster, and orderly. The Secretary of War told me thai Gen. Joseph E. Johnston had applied for an officer of the rank of major general, and as they knew I was ac- quainted with the country, he had ordered me. etc. As I had once been called on to submit a plan for the defense of the Mississippi river, and complied with the request, it might have had some influence on the .action of the Secretary. Be- sides. I had once declined duty at V T icksburg. (See letters from the President to Gen. Lee, War Records, page 71b, Vol. LI., No. 108 Serial, suggesting that I be sent to Mississippi.) Before I take leave of the arduous duties I had been perform- ing, of defending a line three hundred miles in length, of ex- change of prisoners, examining correspondence, obtaining sup- plies, etc., I will refer to some matters again relating to the .siege of Suffolk, about which I made no report. I have alluded to Gen. Longstreet taking my troops without consulting me, and his movements on to Suffolk, and his attempts to have (ion. Jenkins keep the command of them. 1 am quite sure it was Hood's chief of artillery who asked my artillery officer for guns to place in the works on the Nansemond river, and to which I gave my consent. It was not Gen. Law, because he protested t. hen ordered to garrison the fort. But this matters not. The garrison and the guns formed a part of Hood's command, and yet (I am told) both Pollard and a clerk in the Rebel War Office state in their books that I lost " Stribbling's battery;" and yet, most erroneous of all, Longstreet in his book states "that a bat- tery was put on a neck of land and captured by the enemy." He fails to state that the fort and garrison therein were cap- tured, which of course includes the arms and the guns. The great events of war often hinge on some small matter not obvious to an ordinary commander, but which, at a glance, would be visible to the eye of the great captain, and provided for in his plans for a victory. The commander of a remote supporting corps is presumed, when alone, to be able to consider carefully everything that might occur to prevent an immediate compliance 170 Two Wai.'S. with any expected order, especially that of a prompt and rapid movement to the aid of his chief, the moment the call is made; and Longstreet awaited t/nit cull. Now from Suffolk to Zuni messages were passed rapidly by the best of signal men. Thence by telegraph to Petersburg, Richmond, and on to Gen. Lee. On the 21st of April Gen. Lee reported the enemy was at Kelly's Ford: that Hooker was put- ting his army in motion; the 28th they crossed the Rappahan- nock; the 29th they crossed the Rapidan, and skirmishing com- menced near Chancellorsville. On the 30th the armies w ere face to face. From this it will he seen that Gen. Lee sounded the notes of warning to Longstreet as early as the 21st of April, and Norris on the 21st (as chief signal officer) informed him Hooker was moving with one hundred and fifty thousand men. nine days be- fore he crossed the Rappahannock near Chancellorsville and was confronted by Lee. As soon as the plans or intentions of the enemy were further divined, Lee took measures to concentrate his forces. To (Jen. Longstreet, with his army corps a1 Suffolk, he sent urgent dispatches, ten of which I copy from the War Department Records (Vol. 25, Part 2) as follows: No. l. Page 763. GEN. COOPER TO GEN. LEE. Richmond, Mav 1. L863. i •■ i >: E. Lee, Fredericksburg. Va. Orders were sent on Wednesday (the 29th of April) to Gen. Longstreet to move forward his command to reenforee you. He replied he would do so immediately, but expected to be a little delayed in gathering up his transportation train to prevent its falling into the hands of the enemy, then in sight, s. Cooper, Adjutant and Inspector General. No. 2. Page 752 K. /•;. lee to the ei;esihe.\ r. Headquarters, Arm? of Northern Virginia, April ::. 1863. His Excellency, Jefferson Davis, President of th<- Confederate St tes. Mr. President: I have written to Gen. Longstreet to expedite, as much as possible, his operations in North Carolina, as I may be obliged to call him back at any moment. ... R. E. Lee, General. NO. x. Page 7:>7. GEN. S. COOPER TO GEN. I>. II. HILL. Richmond, Va.. April 29, L863. Maj. Gen. D. H. Hill, Commanding, Goldsboro, N. C. General: The following telegram has just been received from Gen. Lee I!< >bert E. Lee. Notes of Warning. 173 The enemy is crossing below Deep Run. about the same place as before. . . . Where his m;iin efforts will be made I cannot say. Troops not wanted south of James river had better be moved in this direction, and all other necessary preparations made. This renders it important that such forces as you deem judicious should be concentrated at Richmond, to be in supporting distance. Gen. Lee may telegraph you. . . . A like dispatch has been sent to Lieut. Gen. Longstn i /. I am, General, very respectfully, your obedient servant, S. Cooper, Adjutant and Inspt ctor General No. 4. Pake 7.">7. GEN. COOPER TO GEN. LONGSTREET. (Jen. Longstreet. The following dispatch has just been received from Gen. Lee; Fredericksburg, Va„ April 29, 1863. The enemy is in large force on the north bank of the Rappahannock op- posite the railroad at Hamilton's crossing. He is crossing troops below the point at which he crossed in December. . . . I hear of no other point at which he is crossing except below Kelly's Ford, where Gen. How- ard has crossed with his division, said to be fourteen thousand, six pieces of artillery, and some cavalry. . . . All available troops had better be sent forward as rapidly as possible. S. Cooper, Adjutant and Inspector General. No. 5. Page 758. gen. cooper to gen. longstreet. Adjutant and Inspector General's Office, | Richmond. Va., April 29, 1863. i Lient. Nen Longstreet. The following telegram just received since the one already communi- cated to you: If any troops can be sent by rail to Gordonsville, under a good officer, I recommend it. Longstreet's Division, if available, had b< tU r come tome; and the troops for Gordonsville and the protection of the railroad, from Richmond and North Carolina if practicable. Gen. Howard, of the ene- my's forces making toward Gordonsville. . . . The Secretary, in view of the above, directs the return of your command, or at least such portions of it as can be spared without serious risk; also any surplus force that can be spared from D. H. Hill. . . . These move- ments are required to be made withthe utmost dispatch. S. Cooper, Adjutant and Inspector General. No. 6. Page 758. SECRETARY SEDDON TO GEN. COO PEL'. War Department, C. S. A., April 29, 1863. (Jen. Cooper. Dear General: Gen. Lee telegraphs that all available force at our com- 174 Two Wars. mand be sent at once by rail or otherwise toward Gordonsville. . . . Telegraph French at Petersburg to send all available force at his com- mand. . . . J. A. Seddon, Secretary of War. No. 7. Page 758. SECRETARY OF WAR TO GEN. COOPER. War Office, Richmond, April 29, 1863. •Gen. Cooper. Gen. Lee. by another telegram just sent the President, says: ". . . Longstreet's Division, if available, had better come to me. . . ." J. A. Seddon, Secretary. No. 8. p AGE 700. GEN. COOPER To GEN. LONGSTREET. Richmond, Va., April 30. 1863. Lieut. Gen. James Longstreet, Suffolk. Va. Move without delay your command to this place, to effect a junction with Gen. Lee. S. Cooper, Adjutant and Inspector General. No. 9. Page 761. GEN. LEE TO PRESIDENT DA VIS Fredebicksbi kg, April 30, 1863. His Excellency, President Davis. . . . Enemy was still crossing the Rappahannock at 5 p.m. yester- day. . . . Object evidently to turn my left. . . . If 1 hail Long- street's Division. I would feel safe. R. E. Lee, General. NO. to. Page 765. GES. LONGSTREET To GEN. COOPER. Si FFOLK, Va.. May "J. 1 Mi- Gen. Cooper. I cannot move unless the entire force is moved; and it would then take several days to reach Fredericksburg. I will endeavor to moveassoonas possible. James Longstreet, Lieutenant General Commanding. " Responsibility cannot exist without a name," or an object. Perhaps Longstreet delayed to execute these orders for the reason lie states (page 329), that there was a "plan of battle projected " — that is, "to stand behind our intrenched lines and await tht return of my troops from Suffolk." "And my im- pression is that Gen. Lee, standing under his trenches, would have been stronger against Hooker than he was in December against Burnside, and he would have grown stronger every Waiting for the Wagons. 175 hour of delay." "By the time the divisions of Pickett and Hood could have joined Gen. Lee, Hooker would have found that he must march to attack or make a retreat without battle. It seems probable that under tht original plan the battle would have given fruits worthy of a general engagement." Longstreet's first dispatch disclosed his intentions to L< > . and Lee wisely decided not to wait ten or twelve days for Longstreet to join him. Moreover, it is not probable that Lee thought Hooker would he so knightly as to await the arrival of the Suffolk troops before giving battle. Longstreet does not deal even in the conjectural, for it is not based on any evidence: he merely guesses. But it is better to deal with the possible. Two brigades could have been withdrawn from before Suf- folk on the night of the 27th of April and sent to join Gen. Lee. then the main force on the night of the 28th. There is no doubt about this. In this event the enemy could have passed the 29th in discovering our intentions. Rather than crossing the Nansemond river and giving us battle, they would have awaited orders, and probably been sent to Fredericksburg to aid Hooker; but this is not important. On the 28th he could have ordered Gen. D. H. Hill, then at Goldsboro, to have protected the train, called on Whiting at Wilmington for aid. while I had a division at Franklin on the Blackwater, and forces elsewhere which would no doubt have saved the train from the enemy. His tirst dispatch is very mis- leading, and does not convey the idea that he would sit down and wait six days for the wagons before he withdrew. While this was going on at Suffolk, the heroic "Stonewall' 1 Jackson was marching to the right and rear of Hooker's army, and when it was announced to him that the enemy was capturing his wagon train, without checking the walk of his horse he said: " Do not let them capture any ammunition wagons.'" What value were his baggage wagons compared to the loss of even a few minutes in accomplishing the great object of his movement, on which victory depended. To his master mind before him was the en- emy, the impending battle, the victory, and the reward due to genius of battle, with all the spoils of war strewn in the con- queror's path. And it was so. And thus it was that Long- street, by not effecting a junction with Lee, "put the causi 176 Two Wars. upon the hazard of a die, crippling it in resources and future progress." (See Longstreet, p. 330.) Mark Antony, in his speech over the dead Caesar, said: "Power in most men has brought their faults to light. Power in Caesar brought into prominence his excellencies." So power given Lee made known to the world the nobility of his character and greatness as a commander; while in others it disclosed a spirit of envy and a desire for detraction: and in all sonic peculiarities. Lee was not conscious of his strength, because his greatness of soul was derived from his goodness of heart, and it rested upon him with the ease and grace of a gar- ment. His generosity induced him to overlook the frailty in- cident to humanity, and to forgive even disobedience in his lieutenants. He remembered what Job said about a book, and wrote none. He envied no one. He left no writings extant naming- an enemy, and his harshest remark in reference to an officer of high rank was. in effect, that he was "slow to move." The official reports show that Hooker had 161J491 men and iOO guns. Lee's forces numbered 58,100 men, with 170 guns. This was known to Lee's lieutenants. The publication of the Official Record by Congress discloses the fact that Mr. Seddou induced Gen. Lee to send Gen. Long- street with Hood's and Pickett's Divisions to cover Richmond, which he thought menaced from Fortress Monroe and Suffolk. Lee thought Pickett's Division sufficient. (Official Record. Vol. 22, p. 623. ) I had the name and reported strength of every regiment in both Suffolk and Norfolk, obtained from blockade runners and verified by prisoners. Suffolk had no strategic value to the enemy of any import, and none to us. In 1862 I designed the taking of Suffolk, and on an appointed day assembled some eight or nine thousand troops at Franklin, on the Blackwater. The only officers who had any knowledge of this were Gens. (t. \Y. Smith, in Richmond, and J. J. Pettigrew. It was stopped, the morning the troops assembled, by Gen. (i. W. Smith on strate- gic grounds and it not being a depot of supplies: and he was right. And when Secretary Seddon, against Lee'sadvice, joined witn Longstreet in moving on Suffolk so late in the spring, he or Longstreet committed an error, the consequence of which was Lee had to tight Hooker with the force just stated; without the The Hazard of a Die. 177 aid of his lieutenant general. Who was it, then, that put the "Confederacy on the hazard of a die?" Hooker would never have embarked his great army on the Potomac at Aquia, and carried them back where they had once been under Gen. McClellan, and Richmond was not in danger, and Longstreet's expedition to Suffolk not in accordance with grand strategy; and but for Lee's audacity, and Stonewall Jack- son's swift movements and vigorous blows at Chancellorsville, the Confederacy would have been there shattered into fragments, and all by one false movement to Suffolk. "Fortune loves a daring suitor." Lee threw down the iron glove, and the daring suitor won ! It was the most remarkable victory of the war, but by the ab- sence of those divisions, and the death of Stonewall Jackson, the large fruits of the victory were lost. 12 CHAPTER XIII. Leave Petersburg for Jackson, Miss. — Visit Home — My Division Composed of the Brigades of Gens. Maxey, Evans, and McNair — Extraordinary Correspondence between Gen. Johnston and President Davis — Move- ments to Attack Grant at Vicksburg — Fall of Vicksburg — Retreat to Jackson —Siege of Jackson — Visit Home — Negro Troops Surround the House — Narrow Escape — Vandalism — Johnston Takes Command of the Army of Tennessee — Polk in Command of Army of Mississippi — A Court of Inquiry That Was Not Held — My Division at Meridian — President Davis — Jackson Burned — Sherman's Advance on Meridian — Ordered to Mobile — Polk Crossing Tombigbee River — He Is Slow to Move — Go to Demopolis — Mr. Founier — Sent to Lauderdale — Tuscaloosa — Monteval- lo — Reach Rome— Fight at Rome— Join Gen. Johnston at Cassville. ON Wednesday, June 3, 1863, I started in accordance with orders from Petersburg to report to Gen. J. E. Johnston in Mississippi. I arrived in Jackson on the 10th. Next day reported for duty; but as I had not been home since I joined the army, and the service was not pressing, got permission to vis- it my family. I went by stage to Yazoo City, and by chance met my neighbor, F. A. Metcalf , there, and together we crossed the Yazoo bottoms. Riding horseback, sixty-five miles the last day, I reached my home on Deer Creek at 11 p.m., and found my mother, sister, and little daughter, aged nearly eight years, all well. I remained at home Monday, the 15th, and started back on the 16th. Before I reached home Mr. Bowie, my agent, had gone to Georgia with seventy-eight of my negro servants, leav- ing twenty-live here to cultivate a corn crop. I joined my di- vision, composed of the brigades of Gens. Maxey, McNair, and Evans, on the 24tli, encamped at Mrs. Carraw T ay's, in Madison County, near Livingston; put Gen. Evans in arrest by order of Gen. Johnston. I was in camp the 25th and the two days following. Before proceeding any farther in reference to military matters in Mississippi, I will give some rich correspondence that took place between Gen. Johnston and President Davis and which I knew nothing about until months after it occurred. Here it is. (See page 195, War Records, Serial 3(5. ) JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON. Officers of Northern Birth. 181 Canton, Miss., June 9, 1863. \ _. TO „ „ Via Montgomery. June 10. His Excellency, President Davis. J It has been suggested to me that the troops in this department are very hostile to officers of Northern birth, and that on that account Maj. Gen. French's arrival will weaken instead of strengthening us. I beg you to consider that all the general officers of Northern birth are on duty in this department, There is now a want of major generals (discipline). It is important to avoid any cause of further discontent. J. E. Johnston. THE ANSWER. T „ , ,. Richmond, Va.. June 11, 1863. Oen. J. E. Johnston. Your dispatch received. Those who suggest that the arrival of Gen. French will produce discontent among the troops because of his Northern birth are not probably aware that he is a citizen of Mississippi, was a wealthy planter until the Yankees robbed him; and, before the Confeder- ate States had an army, was the chief of ordnance and artillery in the force Mississippi raised to maintain her right of secession. As soon as Missis- sippi could spare him he was appointed a brigadier general in the Provi- sional Army of the Confederate States, and has frequently been before the enemy where he was the senior officer. If malignity should undermine him, as it had another, you are authorized to notify him of the fact and to relieve him, communicating it to me by telegram. Surprised by your remark as to the general officers of Northern birth, I turned to the register, and find that a large majority of the number are elsewhere than in the Department of Mississippi and eastern Louisiana. Jefferson Davis. Men of Northern birth who held high rank in the Confedera- cy: Samuel Cooper, general, New Jersey; Josiah Gorgas, chief of ordnance, Pennsylvania; John C. Pemberton, general, Penn- sylvania; Charles Clark, general and Governor of Mississippi, Ohio; Daniel Ruggles, general, Massachusetts; Walter H. Stev- ens, general, New York; Julius A. DeLagnel, New Jersey; John R. Cooke, general, Missouri; R. S. Ripley, general, Ohio; Hoffman Stevens, general, Connecticut; Samuel G. French, gen- eral, New Jersey; Bushrod R. Johnson, general, Ohio; James L. Alcorn, general, Illinois (was Governor and United States Senator); Danville Leadbetter, general, Maine; Archibald Gra- de, general, New York; William McComb, general, Pennsylva- nia; Otho French Strahl, general, Ohio; Daniel M. Frost, gen- eral, New York; Albert G. Blanchard, general, Massachusetts; Johnson K. Duncan, general, Pennsylvania; Albert Pike, gen- eral, Massachusetts; Daniel H. Reynolds, general, Ohio; Ed- ward Aylesworth Perry, general, Massachusetts; Francis A. 182 Two Wars. Shoup, general, Indiana; Martin L. Smith, general, New York; Franklin Gardner, general, New York. A brief sketch of these men was published in the Atlanta Constitution by Prof. J. T. Deny. The number is twenty-six, and twelve of them were educated at West Point. They believed in the right of States to secede, and, owing allegiance to the States where they lived or wished to reside, they cast their lot with the South. July 1. 1863. Moved to some springs on the Vernon and Brownsville road . 2d. Moved at 4 a.m.; marched through Brownsville. I slept under a tree last night, but have an abandoned house to-night. 3d. Rode over to meet Gen. Johnston. There were present Gens. Lor- ing, W. H. T. Walker, Jackson, and myself. If there be any one thing in this part of the country more difficult than all others, it is to find a person who knows the roads ten miles from his home. Nine hours were spent in vainly attempting to get accurate information from the citizens respect- ing t he roads and streams. But little could be learned of the country on either side of the Big Black that was satisfactory, because it was so con- fcradicfcory. July 4. Anniversary of a declaration that was read eighty-seven years ago, and which awakened a benighted world to the fact that man was born w ith certain inalienable rights. All was still in the direction of Vicksburg. What does it portend? No firing there yet, and it is 12 M. But there is always something to mar one's pleasure or disturb his rest, for now came the news that the enemy had crossed Messenger's Ferry, on the Big Black. . . . 5th. Remained in camp. Some skirmishing on the Big Black. The order of Gen. Johnston to cross the Big Black and attack Grant's new line was issued. I soon after received news of the surrender of Vicksburg, and il was determined to fall back toward Jackson. The enemy's camp fires extend about three miles on the other side of the stream. . . . 6th. My division in advance. Moved by Queen's Hill Church tosome ponds near Clinton. The day was very hot and the dust simply awful. I took breakfast with J. E. Davis, brother of the President. . . . 8th. We reached Jackson yesterday at 2 P.M. Enemy at Clinton. I rode around with Gen. Johnston to examine the line. It is miserably lo- cated and not half completed. 9th. This morning I was awakened at 2 a.m. to take my division to the trendies. 10th. All day there has been heavy fighting. In front of Gen. Evans the enemy has got so near that they render it difficult to man the guns. . . . 11th. The order of the divisions of the army that encircle Jackson, from the river above the city to the river below, is as follows, beginning <>n the right: Loring, Walker, French, and Breckinridge. Fighting commenced early this morning, and the firing was rapid all along the line. About 11 Gov. Pettus. 183 A.M. we drove the enemy from their lines and burned a number of houses that they occupied. From now on to the 16th the usual occurrences of cannonad- ing, dismounting pieces, fighting all the time, continued. Cot- ton bales were set on fire that were used for breastworks, flags of truce to bury the dead passed, shells are falling all over the town. The Governor of the State, Pettus, is in the city about the capitol. ' He goes over the river at night to prevent being captured. He believes the main object of the expedition is to capture Mm. Well, he has his early wishes gratified. The Yankees have set their feet on the sacred soil of his domain! Where are his double-barrel shotguns to ambuscade the Yan- kees ? 16th. Met at Gen. Johnston's to consider the order of evacuating the town. At 10 p.m. troops were withdrawn from the trenches, and at 1 a.m. the advanced skirmishers. We reached Brandon at 8 a.m. Two of Evans's men were left, accidentally, on the skirmish line with some amateur. sol- diers, and in the morning when they awoke they found themselves alone. The enemy did not discover our departure until late. While in camp near Brandon 1 was taken sick with remittent fever, and was granted a leave of absence and left for Colum- bus, Ga., and made my home with Judge G. E. Thomas. When my leave was out I received a dispatch from Gen. J. E. John- ston to remain in Columbus, as I would be required as a witness for him before a Court of Inquiry to be held in Atlanta. I remained in Columbus and at the Warm Springs most of the month of September, and then went to Enterprise, Miss. October 19. Received a dispatch to move to Meridian, prepared to take the field. Found the President at the hotel, and had an interview with him alone. November 7. Moved my command to Meridian. 14th. Started to make a visit to my family at my home in Washing- ton County. I took with me Lieut. James R. Yerger, one of my aids, and Levi, one of my servants. 16th. We left Canton with two cavalrymen as a guard; crossed the Yazoo at Yazoo City. About sunset we reached Col. Fall's plantation, on Deer Creek. The enemy had passed there the day previous. Crossing the creek at Judge Ruck's plantation (Judge Ruck is my aid's grandfather), we met an old negro man leading a pony over the bridge. Lieut. Yerger knew the old man, and asked what he was doing with the pony. He said the Yankees were on the creek about three miles below my house, and he was saving his pony. In the dark we were not recognized by the old servant. 184 Two Wars. But for meeting this old servant we should have ridden into the camp of the Yankees. After a while we recrossed the creek and rode on up to Eleck Yerger*s, called him up, and slept in his parlor. He confirmed the negro's statement about the Yankees being on the other side of the creek. I got a cup of coffee, or something else (think it was the latter), and rode on up the creek till we got opposite my house. It is the 19th of November. Indian summer: the sky hazy, and a drowsy sleepiness rested over the landscape. Seeing a crow resting himself on the front gatepost, I dismounted and crossed to my home. I found moth- er, sister, and my little Tillie all well. They were surprised and delighted to see us. and then they were frightened also. They said the Yankees were a mile or two above us, and two miles below us. 20th. I put a faithful male slave on the upper galleiy to watch the roads, and especially to report if any dust was raised on the road, and then I was content for the day. However 1 thought the "Yanks " were too near, and that my being at home would be made known, so I ordered the horses to be at the door at 5 p.m. to ride down the creek to a neighbor's ten miles below, and the family to come clown next clay to where I was going. I Avas implored not to go, but I resisted entreaties. We rode across the plantation to Metcalf's house. My servant knocked at the door and re- ceived no response. Mrs. Metcalf came out by_a side door and exclaimed: "Gen. French, you must not cross the creek. Look at the camp fires of the Yankees just in front of you! " I asked for Mr. Metcalf, and was told he had tied to the woods. His agent was on the fence watching for the •'Yanks." It was now quite dark. Notwithstanding all this advice, we forded the creek and I went forward to reconnoiter. I found no pickets, so. it being late, we went into the woods and rested for the night. 21st. We mounted our horses and rode out to reconnoiter. We met Mr. Metcalf. I learned that two white Yankee officers and a company of colored soldiers surrounded my house about ten minutes after we left it. So as we were crossing the field east, this company was in the field com- ing up from the south. The negroes surrounded the dwelling, and the of- ficers entered to capture me. They were told I had left. This did not satisfy them. My sister took a light and went with one officer and let him search all the rooms and closets upstairs. Then she told him where the steps were, and insisted that he should go up into the cockloft to be sure that I was not there. He declined, saying it was an unpleasant duty he was sent to perform, and apologized for the trouble he had given the fam- ily. When my sister returned to the sitting room the other officer had my United States army uniform coat in his hand. He told her it Avas a contraband article, and as such he would take it. She replied: "I know you are going to steal it, and to relieve your conscience from re- morse I will give you the coat. It is my brother's, but he would scorn to wear it with those badges on it." He declined to accept it, but as a con- traband article he would take it. She then asked him if contraband ar- ticles were the property of the individual, and he answered: "I shall make a report of my visit to the commanding officer." During these proceed- ings the "First Colored Native Mississippi Cavalry " stole two mules and Colored Yankees. 185 ahorse, all we had on the place. And I will here remark that my dear friend (classmate and roommate at West Point), Gen. Fred Steele, had in the spring carried off thirty-five fine mules for the benefit of the United States. He sincerely apologized to my mother for this act. but it was an order of Gen. Grant's that he had to execute. But more of this anon. November 22. This is my birthday. After I learned that the blacks came so near capturing me 1 determined to let mother know that I was not captured, so 1 went back home and took breakfast with them. Bid- ding them good-by, I tried to console them, but it was with a bitter heart that I left them alone without a horse to send a servant in ease of any ne- cessity. During the night we saw a fire down the creek, and when I got back to where I left my aid I learned that the enemy set fire to Judge Shall Yerger's house while the family were asleep, and they barely escaped alive. The Yankees, colored ones, being mainly on the right bank, we traveled down the left, in the rear of the plantations, to Bogue Phalia. Away out in this wilderness of woods, at Dr. Harper's, we were treated to a bottle of champagne. We drank it on the banks of that meandering stream out of tin cups; it was good all the same. We went on to Mr. Heathman's, on Indian Bayou, to stay all night, My two guards, innocent- ly going up Devv ( 'reek, rode into a camp of negro troops and were fired at in the dark, and lied to this place. As we rode up to the house the two soldiers came out with their carbines, but Mr. Heathman (a featherbed ranger) jumped out the window and hid back in the rear, and no calling induced him to come back. About twelve o'clock at night he came up, peeped in the window, saw we were not Yankees, and came in. But his supper had vanished. . . . 25th. I arrived at Jackson, or where Jackson once was. and found it in ruins, it having been burned down by " childlike and bland " Sherman. Now I first heard of the defeat of Bragg at Missionary Ridge yesterday, No- vember 25, and felt very gloomy. December G. I received orders to move the brigades of Ector and Mc- Nair to Brandon with the batteries, ('apt. C. D. Myers left to-night. He is a gentleman and a good officer. His home is in Wilmington, N. C. 13th. Gen. Johnston arrived yesterday. Gen. J. K. Lidell remained in camp with me Friday and Saturday. 14th. Capt. J. M. Baldwin left this morning for Columbus, Ga., taking with him my servant, John Sharp. He is not in the service now, and goes there as my agent to care for my servants taken out there. 17th to 22d. Gen. Johnston ordered to the command of the Army of Tennessee. Lieut. Gen. Polk in command of this department now. To- morrow Gen. Johnston will leave for the Army of Tennessee, much to my regret, December 24. This morning Gen. Polk sent for me and told me that he would start for Enterprise at once, and we rode down to the depot togeth- er. The cars had left, and he took a locomotive and started after the train. During the ride he said he wished me to go to Jackson and put the railroad and the bridges in repair. In the afternoon we drove to Jack- son. At Mrs. Ruck's we had tableau and charades. Women are never 186 Two Wars. suppressed, always cheerful. How many of the Yerge'r families were there'.' There are five brothers, all lawyers, and good ones. 26th. Returned to Brandon. Nothing of note occurred between the 26th and 30th. Judge Shall Yerger was a neighbor of mine on Deer Creek, near Greenville, Miss. He was an eminent jurist and able ju< Ige. He maintained almost absolute silence in his court. Except those engaged in a case, no one was permitted to talk above a whisper. He was fond of telling anecdotes to good and ap- preciative listeners. His aversion to the use of liquor wjis marked, and he condemned playing cards for money. Now it happened in some way that the grand jury of Wash- ington County had indicted his nephew, who w^as sheriff of the county. Dr. Fin ley, and some others for playing cards for mon- ey. At the meeting of the court, when the nephew's case was called he pleaded guilty, and, after some good advice, the judge imposed on him a tine of fifty dollars. When Dr. Finley's case was before the court his attorney dec-la red the witness was re- vealing the secrets of the bedchamber. Yet he was found guilty on two indictments. The Judge sat in a rocking-chair, and be- fore he pronounced sentence he occupied about ten minutes in delivering a homily on the impropriety of an accomplished gen- tleman, who by his profession had the entree to all the best fam- ilies, who should, while perhaps the shadow of death was hovering over his patient, be so indifferent as to play cards and distress the family, . . . ending in lining the Doctor fifty dollars in each case in the most imperturbable manner, and saying the Doc- tor would stand committed until the fine was paid. To this the Doctor observed: " May it please your honor, you know that we all keep our funds in New Orleans, and 1 can only pay by a draft." He was informed that was a matter between him and the officers of the court, So he finally sat down, and as the Judge was indebted to Finley for professional services, he drew the check on him, and handed it to the sheriff, who gave it to the clerk, who in turn passed it to the Judge. He glanced over it. all the while rocking gently, and without a change of coun- tenance handed it back to the clerk with the quiet remark: " Th court remits the fine imposed on Dr. Finley" On landing in Vicksburg one day, and when walking to the hotel, he was met by a man to whom he owed a small bill, who, Vandalism. 187 after the usual salutations of the day, said to the Judge: " I have some debts to pay, and I wish you would hand me the small amount you owe me." "Sir," said the Judge, "have you the audacity to ask me to pay my debts while your own are unpaid ( Go and pay your debts first, then you can with propriety ask me to pay mine," and left him to analyze the sophistry of his advice. When Gen. Frederick Steele was sent to Deer Creek by Gen. Grant to destroy all mills that could supply the garrison in Vicks- burg with flour, and bring away the live stock, he reached Judge Shall Yerger's about noon, and he and his staff were invited to dine with them. Steele gave positive orders only to break the machinery of the grain mill, and to burn nothing. While they were at dinner a servant woman rushed into the dining room and exclaimed: "O missus, the ginhouse is on tire." Mrs. Yerger rose from her seat in great excitement, but the Judge said in the most quiet manner: " Sit down, my dear, sit down; Gen. Steele's troops are doing this complimentary to us for the hospitality shown him." Gen. Steele left the table, and in every way tried to discover who set the building on fire, and failed. Steele was a gentleman always. 31st. This morning it was springlike, but after a while far distant thunder was heard. Nearer and nearer it came, until at last the storm burst on us in all its fury. The rain was violent, accompanied with hail- stones as large as hen's eggs. Next, the wind veered around to the north- west, and it became very cold and snow fell. After dark two men brought to the office a benevolent man from Connecticut, a prisoner, and some pa- pers that were found on his person. From these I discovered that he was cultivating some plantations in cotton on the banks of the Mississippi, near Red River. That he had permits from the Freedmen's Bureau to visit his plantation between certain gunboat stations at will, etc. He was, he ar- gued, doing the work of a Christian in cultivating abandoned lands, bringing wealth out of the earth, giving employment to the idle, in mak- ing the slaves work, etc. I asked him whose place he was on, or made his home. He told me. I inquired if the owner was on the plantation. He replied in the affirmative. To another question he said that he occupied the dwelling and the proprietor the overseer's house, and then gave the details of working the crop and dividing the same. I did not agree with him, and told the guard, who had heard all, to put him in the guardhouse in the town. They wished to carry him to camp. I would not permit it. Next day I sent him to Gen. Polk. He was no doubt a charitable man. for he had left his New England home, and was kindly cultivating these plan- tations to prevent them from growing up in weeds and briers, but there were some facts that upset his theory of philanthropy. 188 Two Wars. January 1. 1864. It is very cold, and the ground is frozen hard. I dined at Mr. Proctor's. Among the guests were Drs. Langley and Thorn- ton, Capt. Smith, and Mr. Whitfield. . . . 7th. Received orders to move my command to Meridian. For want of transportation, troops were not sent until the 9th. On the 10th, when I left Brandon, people were sliding, and some skating, on the pond near the depot. Ice two inches thick. During the remainder of January there is nothing in my diary worth recording here. February 1. This morning I was directed to hold my division in readi- ness to move to Jackson. On the evening of the 2d I was sent for by ( ien. Polk and told to move as soon as possible. I reached Jackson at 5 P.M. on the 4th. I found Gen. S. D. Lee about sixteen miles in front of Jackson skirmishing with the enemy, who were advancing on Jackson under Shei-- man. Telegraphed Gen. Polk that the enemy. 25,000 strong, was advan- cing, and their destination, Meridian. Also wrote him to the same effect. I had now in Jackson only 2,200 men, and I had no artillery horses, no wag- ons, no ambulances. 5th. In constant communication with Gen. S. D. Lee and Gen. Loring. I informed the latter that the enemy would be in Jackson before he could get here. So Loring went to Madison Station, and said he would cross the Pearl river at Culley's Ferry. All stores were now sent to Meridian, and stores from Brandon were ordered to be sent early. The enemy pressed Lee hard. By every telegram Lee said he wished to swing to the left and not cross the river, and remain west of the Pearl. I telegraphed Gen. Forrest the strength and position of the enemy. In the evening I received a dispatch from Polk to continue labor on the rail- road. Indiscreet order to execute to-day, and I will postpone it. At 4 p. M. I crossed the river and started the troops for Brandon, hastened the load- ing of the trains, and then myself and staff returned to the city. I found the Federal troops in possession of the western part of the town, so we turned round and had a race with their troops for the bridge (a pontoon bridge) and ordered it taken up. As the end was being cut loose one of Gen. Lee's staff officers (his doctor) sprung his horse on the bridge and cried out that Lee's force was in the city and would have to cross here. Replaced it. At this moment the enemy lined the high bank and opened fire on us. We soon threw some of the plank into the river and knocked the bottoms out of the boats. Lee got out of the city by the Canton road. Under fire of their batteries, in the dark, the infantry marched for Bran- don. Maj. Storrs, my chief of artillery, a most gallant man, was left be- hind to get his horses out of the cars and bring on the guns, which he did under fire of the enemy. I left a squadron of cavalry to watch the ene- my at the crossing. Next day I moved on toward Barrett's mills. On my arrival in Jackson I telegraphed Lee that I would join him, and also sent to him my aid, Yerger. with the message that I would join him and risk a battle if he advised it. He thought it not proper to do so con- sidering Loring had declined to give battle. On the 7th, nioved on and encamped near Morton. I found Loring here with his division. 8th. This morning Loring placed the whole force present at my com- The Warrior Bishop. 189 mand to face about, form line of battle, and give the enemy a fight. I formed this line two miles from town. Some skirmishing ensued. We held a good position and the troops were in fine spirits, but the enemy would not attack us. At a council held it was deemed best to continue to fall back and await the arrival of Baldwin's Brigade and Lee with his cav- alry, so we marched all night to Hillsboro. All this time the enemy spread the report that they were en route for Mobile. 9th. Gen. Polk arrived this morning. He had been at Mobile, caught the contagion, and ordered me at once to Newton Station with the brigades of Quarles, McNair, Ector, and Cockrell, there to take trains and proceed to Mobile, take command, and defend the city, as I outranked Gen. Maury. After a tedious march all night we reached the station, thirty miles distant, by daybreak. Here I found trains enough for the brigades of Quarles and McNair. These two brigades, after arriving at Meridian, were carried to Mobile. About noon Polk arrived and told me to remain, as Gen. Maury was sent there by the War Department. Loring marched by dirt road. 11th. This afternoon the brigades of Ector and Cockrell. and the re- maining batteries left for Meridian, where we arrived before dark. These two brigades were detained, and did not go to Mobile. 14th. At 7 p.m. started for Almucha, and after a tedious march en- camped beyond the town. Next day marched to Gaston. 16th. Started early this morning, my division in advance. Gen. Polk's headquarter wagons and coivs took the road to Moscow, and we to Lewis's Ferry. Reached there at 11 a.m. Found the engineers there with three steamers and three (decked) scows, with which to make a pontoon bridge over the Tombigbee. It was apparent that they would not span the river. The steamer Admiral came down and "rounded to," and then started down the river at full speed. She was necessary for the bridge, so I sent the steamer Clipper after her, with Lieut. Freeman and a guard on board, to capture her. She was overtaken six miles below and brought back. It was now 12 m., and nothing had been done to bridge the river. My advanced train had reached the river at 2 p.m. the day previous, and were crossing the wagons on scows, and by dusk had eighty on the other side. At 1:30 p.m., Gen. Polk arrived, and in his presence I remarked to the en- gineer officer that "it was time to go to work," when the General in an abrupt manner said: "If Gen. French pleases, I have given my orders." Be that as it may, nothing had been done by his orders to get the army over, and there would have been no bridge had I not caught the steamer Admiral. When at last the bridge was finished, all my division train had been ferried over save six wagons, and it was about 2 a.m. before it was all over. Then Loring's Division had to cross. Gen. Polk had been an Episcopal bishop, and enjoyed the best the land afforded. The matin songs of the birds disturbed not his morning repose. The glorious sun rose too early for him to see it from the mountain top. It showed its face there at an un- seemly hour. But when the "drowsy morn 1 ' was passed, and 190 Two Wars. the milkmaid had drawn tribute from the cows, and the coffee- pot was steaming on the hearth, and the light rolls were hot by the tire, and the plump, tine capon, with sides well lined with fat, was broiling on the coals, sending 1 a savory odor through the apartments, the Bishop would arise, his face radiant with joy. He was a valiant trencherman, but when the repast was over he threw aside the surplice. The priest became a warrior when he girded on his saber, and sallied forth a paladin in the strife. During all the long retreat from Jackson to this place we have done but little fighting with the infantry. It has nearly all been done by the caval- ry and artillery. 18th. Moved to Dernopolis and encamped there. It is very cold and snow is falling. Mr. Founder gave me rooms at his house. He came to Dernopolis with Gen. Le Febre, who came to the United States after the abdication of Napoleon. I received letters from home. 21st. Went to Judge Dixon's, a neighbor of mine, and we attended di- vine service at the Episcopal Church. The Rt. Rev. Bishop Wilmer preached an eloquent sermon. The congregation is under the charge of Mr. Beckwith, who formerly resided on Deer Creek and was acquainted with my family. [He was afterwards Bishop of Georgia.] 26th. Left on a ten days' leave of absence to visit Columbus, Ga. On the cars were Gens. Hardee, Loring, Withers, and Walthall. On arrival in Columbus I went to Gen. A. Abercrombie's in Russell County, Ala.; remained there till Monday morning, and arrived in Dernopolis on the 11th of March; remained in camp there until the 31st, when I started for Lauderdale with my division. In Dernopolis I met many agreeable fami- lies. Among them were Mr. Lyons, Founder, Glovers. Thornton. Light- foot. Inges. Sheadwicks, and others. I remained at Lauderdale. Miss., un- til the 20th of April, when I received orders to move to Tuscaloosa. En route I passed through (iainesville. and entered Tuscaloosa on the 26th. I reviewed the troops one morning for Gen. Hodge, and the same day I re- viewed the cadets at the University of Alabama. Among the pleasant peo- ple I met in Tuscaloosa were W. S. and C. M. Foster, Misses Annie Fiquet, Belle Woodruff, Cassady, Edden, Searcy, and others. I called to see J. E. Davis, brother of the President. On the 4th of May Gen. Polk was ordered by Adj. Gen. Cooper, also by Gen. Johnston, to move Gen. Loring and all available force to Rome. A consequence of these orders was that I, being at Tuscaloosa, Ala., I'eceived from Polk, at Dernopolis, at 9 a.m. on the 5th, orders to halt Sears*s bri- gade, then near Selma, and send it to Montevallo, a station on the rail- road to Rome, and concentrate my division at Montevallo. At the time this order was received CockrelTs Brigade was partly away up in North Alabama in the counties of Marion, LEONIDAS POLK. Moving under Difficulties. 193 Walker, etc. , by order of Gen. Polk. Ector's Brigade was with me in Tuscaloosa, and Sears's north of Selma. Immediately or- ders were given to concentrate, as may be found in "War Rec- ords;' Vol. 38, Part IV., and in this volume will be found many orders and letters pertaining to this movement. Gen. Sears's Brigade, on May 5, was nearer Rome than Lor- mg at Demopolis, and was at Monte vallo on the 9th when Gen. Polk arrived there, and could have hern sent with him to Remca had transportation been provided. My diary records these vex- atious delays, and that the superintendent of the railroad re- ceived no orders to move my division until Tuesday, the 10th, and that he was to have the cars there on Thursday, the 12th.' Polk's administrative ability was not largely developed so as to anticipate the plainest necessity for coming events if he were ac- countable for these delays and others. May 7. We left Tuscaloosa for Montevallo. I found there the brigade of Mississippians, commanded by Gen. Sears, that is to form a part of m Y division. On the 9th Gen. Polk arrived. He directed that live days' rations be cooked at once, and that Sears's Brigade should leave that afternoon for Blue Mountain by railroad. How easy it is to talk about such things' There was no meal at the commissary's and no cars for the troops 10th. No trains yet; raining hard; Ector's Brigade arrived. Sent all the artillery horses by wagon road. 11th. Rain, rain, and thunder, and no trains yet for the troops. I won- der if there is a commander of this department. 12th. No trains yet. I resolved to march the troops, but met Col Se- vier, of Polk's staff, and he assures me that he will have transportation Some of my men got on a passing train. I am informed that no grain was sent up last night for the artillery horses. Can it be that Gen. Polk knows nothing about these matters? 13th To-day I got the remainder of Sears's Brigade off; and through the night, Ector's troops. Cockrell arrived with his brigade. I had sent him, by order of Gen. Polk, north of Tuscaloosa on an important expedi- tion. l Struck tents and left for Blue Mountain. Sears was thirtv-six hours on a train. Such delays were distressing. Rode this morning, the 16th, into Rome. Yesterday the enemy's caval- alry was within two miles of the city. Gen. Sears arrived, and at 10 p m his brigade was sent on the ears to Kingston. 17th Sent two batteries by dirt road, also by trains, to Kingston About 1 p.m. to-day, as I was putting Ector's Brigade on the cars for King- ston, I was informed by Brigadier Davidson that the enemy was within two miles ot the town, on the right bank of the Oostanoula river, and that he had but one hundred and fifty men (mounted) to check them 194 Two Wars. That you may the better comprehend the situation of troops. Federal and Confederate, I will state that on the 13th Gen. Johnston, on his retreat from Dalton, had reached Resaca, a town on the right bank of the Oostanoula, and was there attacked by Gen. Sherman on the 11th and 15th. On the loth Sherman's army began crossing the river, and our troops also. On the 16th both armies were south of the river, Johnston's force falling back on Kingston and the Federals in pursuit. Polk, with Lor- ing's Division, was with Johnston at Resaca, and two brigades of mine would have been there only for the want of transporta- tion at Moutevallo as stated. So when I found the enemy at Rome, no alternative presented itself but to put Ector in the trenches over the Oostanoula, and hold the town until Cockrell arrived, who was, in the morning, thirty-two miles distant. A strong line of skirmishers was ad- vanced, which was soon engaged with the enemy. During the afternoon Gen. J. T. Morgan arrived and said that his command was en route to Rome from Adairsvillc, and that he and Gen. Fur- gersou were both hard pressed by the enemy. At 1 p.m. Gen. Ross (cavalry) arrived with two regiments. The men were dis- mounted and placed on the hills. Davidson, with a few caval- ry, moved on the enemy's right. Then, at 6 p.m., Ross, with his men, charged their line of skirmishers and drove them back to the main line. Hoskins, with two guns and all the fragments of dismounted men and the like, was placed on the hills north of the town on the left bank of the river to at least intimidate the Federals. In this tight I did not lose over one hundred men, and they were mainly from Ross's Brigade. During all this day constant communications passed between me and Gens. Polk and Johnston urging me not to fail to join the retreating army. Cockrell's Brigade arrived at dusk, hav- ing marched thirty-two miles, and were at once furnished cars and started for Kingston at 1<» P.M. Ector's Brigade reached Kingston at 7:30 a.m. Before we left Rome 1 had all the horses, stores, sick, and wounded removed. When we reached Kingston, on the 18th, I found Gen. Johnston moving, with his army, to ( assville, and 1 marched my division there also, and joined Gen. Polk and encamped near headquarters. It was an error to not have had Polk's Corps concentrated and well in hand to unite with Johnston to oppose Sherman's ad- Separated Forces. 195 vance from Dalton, considering the month of May was passing and the time for active movements had arrived. As it was, they were widely separated. On the 4th of May Gen. Polk was or- dered to concentrate his command at Rome. From causes noted in my diary the last brigade did not reach there until the 17th. \\ ith Gen. W. T. Sherman, above Dalton, Ga., in command of a hundred thousand men, it behooved either the War Department at Richmond, or Gen. J. E. Johnston, in command of the Army of Tennessee, to have concentrated the Army of Mississippi un- der the command of Gen. Polk, and held it ready to join the Army of Tennessee; whereas it was widely separated. April 26, I was in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and ordered by Gen. Polk to send a brigade north to the counties as stated. The consequence of all this was only one division of the Army of Mississippi reached Johnston before the battle of Resaca was fought, on May 13 L5. CHAPTEE XIV. Cassville — The Line of Battle — Hood's Line Not Enfiladed — History of that Conference — Two Lieutenant Generals Invite Their Commander to a Council of War — Johnston Obliged to Fall Back — We Cross the Etowah River — Dallas — New Hope Church — Constant Fighting — Rain. Rain — Death of Lieut. Gen. Polk — Battle of the Latimer House — My Division Occupies Little and Big Kennesaw Mountains — The Battle — Incidents of the Battle — Confederates Save Wounded Union Soldiers from Burn- ing — Kennesaw During Night Bombardment — Col. Martin's Noble Con- duct — The Irony of Fate — Maj. Poten and French Soldier. It will be seen that of those troops under Hood that were maneuvering to attack the enemy advancing on our right, I was the last to leave the position east of Cassville, for the whole line of battle was formed before I fell back, and I would have been in reserve entirely had Hood, as he should have done, extended his line to the left until it touched Canty's Division. May 19, 1864. This morning the army was formed in line of battle. At first I was on the extreme right, but soon after, by change of dispositions, I occupied the line from the hills, on Loring's right, across the valley to the top of the first hill on my right. Hood's Corps was on my right, ma- neuvering to attack the enemy, but from some cause no fight was made. After this line was formed Cockrell, who was in reserve, was placed on a range of hills south of Cassville, and behind the town. At 4 P.M., I was ordered to fall back and form behind the division of Gen. Canty and Cock- rell's Brigade, which I did. But as there was an interval between Hood's line and Canty without troops. I placed there in position Hoskin's Bat- tery and half of Ector's Brigade. This left me Sears's Brigade and half of Ector's Brigade in reserve. Then came an order adding to my command the division of Canty, which was directly in front of me. Cockrell, on Canty's left, was put, for the occasion, under the orders of Loring. About 5 p.m. our pickets from the extreme front were driven in toward the second line by the enemy's cavalry. Hoskin's Battery opened on the cavalry and checked them. About 5:30 p.m. the Federals, having placed some batteries in position on a ridge in front of Hood's right, opened tire on our line, and the shells from their extreme left (in front of Hood's right) enfiladed Hoskin's gun and the line that for a little while curved out to the battery. Hood's line was not a prolongation of Polk's line, because it fell back at the point of junction about twenty-five degrees. [See map in the •• War Records."] After dark, as I was returning from dinner, I met Gen. Hood, who asked me to ride over with him to see Gen. Johnston at Gen. Polk's headquar- ters, and take supper. 198 Two Wars. When supper was over Hood and Polk asked Johnston to a conference that they had previously arranged, and Johnston asked me to go with him. At the conference, at this time, Har- dee was not present. Hood commenced by declaring that his line and Polk's line were so enfiladed by the Federal artillery that they could not be held. Polk was not so strenuous. John- ston insisted on lighting, and my diary says: At !> p.m. it was, I am sure, determined to tight at Cassville, and, after remaining at the conference sometime longer, I hastened to camp to en- trench. Soon after it was intimated to me by an officer riding along past me that we would fall back, owing to the enemy moving so far on our left. 20th. At midnight we commenced to leave our position. Skirmishers were left, and a few men in the trenches were given axes to fell trees to deceive the enemy and drown the noise made in withdrawing the artil- lery. I am obliged, before I proceed any further, to make a digres- sion here in reference to the proceedings of this conference by reason of what has been published about it. Johnston, in his "Narrative," gives his version of what oc- curred, and so far as what took place it is mainly correct. Hood, in his "Advance and Retreat," makes an incorrect statement of the condition of his line, and, whilst I was there, made no refer- ence to being in a good position for acting on the aggressive and making an attack. His memory is defective, because in a let- ter of his, written to me ten years after, he had entirely forgot- ten that I was present at the conference. Then again, in Octo- ber, 1894, there appeared in the New Orleans Picayune an anon- ymous article that endeavored to transfer Polk's concurrence with Hood to not tight on to my shoulders. It was so entirely erroneous —nay, purely imaginative -that it required me to no- tice it for the benefit of my children, and it can be found in the Southern Historical Magazine, Vol. XXII., pages 1 to !», pub- lished in Richmond, Va.. January-December. L894. I regret that this fabulous Picayune article, emanating in New Orleans, was ever written on account of Gen. Polk. It made him appear to be a weak man. 21st. Yesterday we crossed the Etowah river and encamped at an iron furnace in charge of Gen. G. W. Smith, who had resigned from the army. Remained in cam]) all day. There was some firing in the evening on the Severe Fighting. 199 river below where we crossed. I received orders to be ready to move in any direction. 23d. Left Allatoona to-day at noon and marched until dusk, then en- camped for the night. 24th. Started at 4 a.m. and marched westerly toward Dallas. En- camped in line of battle. Heard guns in the direction of Dallas. 25th. This morning I moved still farther toward Dallas. Enemy re- ported on the road from Rome, striking for, or below, Atlanta. In the evening I rode along our front. I met Gen. Johnston while riding toward New Hope Church. The enemy made an attack on Gen. Hood's front. I returned immediately to hasten up my command, and arrived about dark in the midst of a thunderstorm. After placing troop in position during the night, I slept by the roadside under shelter of a fence. 26th. Assumed line of battle and passed the day in intrenching. Cheat- ham is on my right and Canty on my left. During the night Cheatham moved to the left, and on the 27th I extended in that direction. In the afternoon there was an attack on Gen. Hood, which he repulsed. At mid- night I received orders to move my division to the right to relieve the di- vision of Gen. Stevenson, which was not completed until 4 a.m. 1 found the line a miserable one, and the enemy's sharpshooters within twenty yards of the lines. I relieved his skirmishers and his division left. The Yan- kees called this place "hell hole." because, among other things, we shot twenty-one of their men, one after the other, in one rifle pit, Soon after sunrise the Federals opened fire with infantry and artillery, and during the day it increased, and once I thought we had to repulse a charge on the line. A great many shells have passed overhead and some through the top of a little apple tree at the foot of which we are sitting. They come without invitation. During the night there was such firing that I got up to ascertain if they were driving Loring's picket line in, on my right over the valley. I will remember New Hope Church. 29th. Firing not so heavy to-day as yesterday. I rode over to Gen. Polk's at 5 a.m. Yesterday there was an attack on the left made by Gen. Bate, and on the right by Gen. Wheeler. My line is a hard one to defend. In the evening after dark I was sent for by Gen. Polk, and found him at Gen. Johnston's. While there the enemy made an attack on Canty and my left. The firing was severe. During the night there was con- tinuous firing on the left, and after midnight heavy artillery firing. Ow- ing to the condition of the atmosphere, the roar of the guns was increased. and the sound of bursting shells overhead was like nearby thunder, while the glare makes night hideous, consequently I got no sleep. This is get- ting to be interesting now, but the play is too long, it takes all night. 30th. Col. Riley, a most gallant officer, is killed. There is trouble again on Canty's line. Some people are always in trouble. After dinner I went to Gen. Johnston's, and he sent me to examine Canty's line. There is not much firing to-night. The enemy's line is close to ours in front of Canty. We want engineei-s. [Next day nothing to relate.] June 1. I wrote to headquarters for tubes for Enfield rifles. This morn- ing there is an artillery duel going on between one of our batteries and (i en. Ector Wounded. 201 those of the enemy. Enormous trees are falling from the shot. I formed an engineer company, and put Capt. Venet in command of it. I exam- ined the whole line. Canty withdrew his line last night, leaving mine to be maintained, now quite six hundred yards in advance, connected only by their cross line. 2d. Gen. Ector was wounded this afternoon. An awful thunderstorm came up. the peals of thunder were frightful, and the Yankee tried to drown it with mimic artillery, as if one at a time was not divertisement enough. Some people can't be satisfied. The ditch is filled up to some depth with water. Over this I sleep on one board with my face turned up to the glare of the shells that shine through the closed eyelids. 3d. Firing as usual, and the enemy moving to our right. Another heavy thunderstorm is in progress. The roar of artillery shakes the rain out of the clouds. We drove in the eneni3 r *s skirmish line. One consola- tion the staff says we have is that no one comes to see us; the ride is not interesting. We see no one, and get no orders. That there is good in ev- erything, including shells, is their doctrine. This battle has now lasted ten days. 4th. Rain again this morning. It was a disagreeable night in the trenches. There is firing in front. I have good news from Virginia. At 4 p.m. I received orders to withdraw our lines. It is raining to-night. This, with previous rains, rendered the roads as bad as they can well be, and the night was very dark. Mud, mud everywhere, and the soldiers sink over their shoe tops at every step. It took seven hours to move six miles. At 7 a.m. on the morning of the 5th we were in line of battle on Lost Mountain. 6th. I obtained a good night's rest. This morning I had to change the line of battle. The view from this lone mountain top is beautiful. It is about nine miles east of Marietta. It swells from the plain solitary and lone to the height of six hundred feet, affording a fine bird's-eye view of the surrounding country. To the north the encampments of the enemy are spread out below, and from hundreds of campfires the blue smoke rises to float away as gently as though all were peaceful. Beneath this silver cloud that hangs around the mountain, there is an angry brow; the de- mons of war are there. 7th. I slept in camp in the rear of the mountain, and for once all is quietness. At 10 a.m. I was ordered to the extreme right, and to the left at 1 p.m. All the information I can deduce from a single equation, to which I have reduced Jive orders received verbally from Polk's staff, is: X equal to a line to be formed in a dense wood 73 degrees northeast. I found Loring plunging about in quest of some center that is movable, and as invisible as the North Pole. As I could not determine the value of Xat dark, I concluded to sleep the matter over on the ground where I am. 8th. This morning Maj. Prestman, engineer, examined the ground for my line. It is a weak, faulty, miserable line. The engineer took all my tools yesterday, so to-day I am unable to construct any works. I have re- ported the matter to Gen. Polk, but he is so much engrossed with fine-spun .theories that he fails to attend to things requiring prompt attention. 202 Two Wars. Well! jusi think of it! This stall' of mine, unreasonable fellows, wish they were hack in the trenches again, where, for about eight days, they were not troubled with orders. Judge Wright came to see me. I have a high regard for him, and have seen him several times lately. He is from Tennessee. 9th. Everything was quiet last night, and I heard no guns until H P.M. My division was ordered to follow Loring's toward the railroad. Contra- dictory orders again from Gen. Polk's staff. 1 got into position at dark, and was called up at 2 a.m. to change again by moving Ector's Brigade to the right. 10th. Some skirmishing and artillery firing this morning. At 1 P.M. a violent thunderstorm came up, and the rain fell until dark. I believe it has rained now nine days in succession. The enemy is reported advan- cing to-day, and the firing shows it. In the evening 1 rode on the picket line with Gen. Ector. Firing continued until dark. 11th. Rain. 12th. Rain once more, and everything is drenched. Enemy firing with artillery from my front toward Kennesaw Mountain. 18th. Terrible rain last night and all day to-day till i n. Eleven days' rain! If it keeps on. there will be a story told like unto that in the Bible, only it will read, It rained forty days unit it rained forty nights, An