Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1866-07-18
A Rudret of War Anecdotes.


Gen. D. II. Hill, in his new periodical
"7Ae Land are Loye," has commenced 'tc
empty his haversack of the pile of anecdotes
of the war that he had proyidentially laid W
for future use. The following is the first in.
stalment:
When Johnston'e army lay around Smith.
field. N. G., no -four could be obtained, and
meal only in such small quantities that two
corn dodgers per man constituted the bread
ratiops. Col. R, who had gained such
an enviable reputation as the commander Of
the shalp shooters of Sharpe's Brigade, was
rigid disciplinarian, and determined to stop
the practice so common among the rebel sol
diets, of yelling at citizens who passed by,
especially if within the conscript age, and
suspected of keeping out of the army for the
same reason as Percy's fop-a mortal antlpa.
thy to "vile guns" sad "villainous saltpetro."
One day a nice dapper young man, ele-
aantly mounted and handsomely dressed,
With bell crowned hat, rode by the fun-lov'
ing regiment, and was Immediately greeted
with the old cry, "Get out of that hat; we
know you are thar; see your toes working
under it," &c. Col. h Immediately dash
ed up, crying, "Stop that following; it lis
coarse and ill-mannered no well bred gen.
tIemen would be guilty of it." | don't know,
Colonel" replied Mississippi boy, with %
merry twinkle in his eye, show you expecE
men to be we'll bred on two corn dodgers II
day."' The Colonel had no further remark.
10 make upon. that interesting occasion.
That accomplished scholar, gentleman and
soldier, the lamented Gen. Garland, of Vii.
sinia, related to the writer a conversation
which he overheard between an Irish priso-
oer, taken at the second Manassas, and
friend of his in the " ould country" but then
serving in the Southern army. The rich
Counties around the field Of battle had been
desolated by Gen. Pope's order. Not >
chicken could be heard ITO crow or pig to
,queal for miles and miles. The 1000 or 5000
United States prisoners We're, therefore, OF
necessity, badly fed, as shown by the follow
ing dialogue:
Yankee Pat" Dinnis, my boy, have ycu
ribils no pity upon poor fellow. Pve had
nothing 70 ate to day, and the sun most gone
down. Faith, aud you'll have big score oi
sins to confess to the praist for such trate
ment."
Rebel Denis" And is it for having moth
ing to ate to-day you're after grumbling, Pat :?
Ih, the Southern Oonfederacy, We have one
male week, and three fights day. And
how are we to fade so many Nv ye, when
YOUR Gineral has dissolated the land. No,
no, Pat, we'll not confess to the priest, we'll
confess to Pope himself"
At the first battle Of Fredericksburg, Ker-
shaw's South Carolina Brigade was ordered
to reinforce the troops at the wall, and had
TO cross this terrific hill. An officer went
forward to select the safest route for them.
He rode to the summit, and took deliberate
survey. The firing of the enemy ceased. lie
realised his cap in Acknowledgement, without
having a shot fired at him. That officer vas
Gen. ]. B. Kershaw himself. Was the cessa-
ton of the firing accidental, or was it com
pliment of the brave to- the bra7ef Who
can tell? But in that conspicuous position,
he could not have remained alive a single
instant had the firing continued.
Gen. Sherman cannot be charged with the
sin of loving tho Southern people, and yet
he has left this decided testimony, which we
commend "to all whom it may concern :"
I'VE shoald not drive people into ansr
chy, and it is simply impossible for Our mill
tary power to reach all the masses OF this
unhappy country"
Connected with the battle of Fredericks
burg IS an anecdote, which shows the differ.
snce between true, unpretending courage
and the spurious article with its ponpous as
sumptions. a general officer riding alone
TWO DAYS after the retreat Of Burnside, stop.
ned to warm at fire where group Of Cobb''
brigade. which had defended the stone wall
was living down in all the listlessnesS Of the
a6anaon after fight. The officer had on
common soldiers overcoat, and was welcomed
as a cavalryman to the 6reside.. A country
lad, farmer boy at home, gave him graphic
description Of the fierce assaults and. terrible
repulse, in his own simple style, ending his
narrative with his ingenious comments upor
fighting in general. =" l have hearn men say
that they were spilin for fight, but never
aid spile for fight. Stranger, Eve been II
every fight with my regiment, but never oie M
like fighting. But when we was killing them
Yankees so purity behind that are wall, anc
thew wasn't hurting us, / vas rale sorry Y
see 'em run. And tell you, MIR. Staart
man, that was the only time ever do ,ihs
6ghtipg.n Mr.. Stuart's man thanked hiu
for his narrative, mounted aud rode OH, re-
aecting upon certain furious war speeches ~ ~
had heard from men whose warllke efpioit
in the field had not yet become the theme o
poetry and Of song.