The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1867-05-22
From. The Louisville Courier.
The Last Bivouac of the Old Ken
tuckY BRIGADE.


lucky Brigade.
1t was at the town Of Washington,
Georgia, the "Old Brigade" closed its ca
reer as an organization supporting the
cause which was lost. Here at last its
marches were ended, and here the South
ern hreezes for the last time spored with
its banners.
General J. E. Johnson's capitulating
order found the brigade then serving as
mounted infantry-in the heat of battle,
among the scenes Of the old revolution,
near Camden, South Carolina. Hostilities
immediately ended, and the brigade took
up its line of march for Washington to be
paroled, where it arrived on the evening
of May the eth, 1865 The day before
the arrival company of Federal cavalry
had taken possession of the town, and had
established guards at the different build
ings containing Government stores. These
soldiers In blue were quiet spectators as
the column of gray marched by.
A few days before this, President Davis
and his retinue had passed through the
town going westward, and the day previ-
Gus to the arrival of the brigade, General
Breckenridge, Secretary of War, had, at
this place, issued the last order emanating
from the Confederate Government. This
was done when he was on the eve of leav-
ing town, few hours before the Federal
troops came in Here the ship OF State,
flying the Southern cross, had at last gone
down, after having long and bravely
breasted the crimsoned pillows of war
By this time, too, Lees paroled veterans
had about all passed through, who had for
more than week been coming across OH
foot from .Abbeyllle, S. c., to again meet
with railroad transportation to bear them
homeward. The little town had brayely
gone through this agitation, and seemed
to be enjoying a. season of quietude, when
The troops marched in.
The brigade moved through the streets
a well closed column, armed cop-af'le, and
with colours flying. Soon the citizens
were out en- muSSe to look for the last time
upon the ''boys in gray as they were
marching under their colors.
The troops of the brigade had, as infantry,
elicited universal admiration on fields OF
review for The precision of their move
ments and military bearing, and now they
did not dishonor the arm Of the service to
which they belonged. Steadily they march
ed, the very horses seeming to Vie with
the riders in keeping up the military to
the last. The spring breezes gently wav-
ed the banners that bore the marks OF the
contest, and that had the names OF many
fields written upon their folds-and the
evening sunlight, ON the eve Of fading
from the bills, danced and quivercd upon
the long trusty Enfelds, thus smiling pleas
antly upon one of the last scenes OF South
ern pageantry.
AS the troops moved out on the Athens
road they met body OF Federal cavalry
coming from the opposite direction. The
column of blue and the column OF gray
divided the road, each filing by in silence.
The folds of the opposing banners, which
had so often swayed and tossed IN the
battles storm, were now almost waited
together by the May zephyrs, yet there
was no din of battle.
The brigade halted in pleasant wood
of beeches and oaks, in the environs, which
was the scene of the "last bivouac.' , 1he
setting sun never before stretched his arms
of light through the beautiful wood to
touch better picture than when .he war
riors eclined on the green sward, under
the trees, resting from the weary march
and from the "hundred battles" Net far
away were the steeds, which had so faith
fully borne them, quietly ENJOYING their aa',.
forage, forgettul of the battles tumult,
vet unconscious that the war was ended.
ihe soldiers were not permitted long to
rest, however, for ere long the clear notes
of the bugfe called them up to the duties
of the camp.
When the evening shadows deepened
into darkness, the blazing bivouac fires
liehted up the wood Beautiful was the
scene, as the light clambered the tall
trunks of the trees, to scintilate among the
tender leaves of spring, that formed a can
opy above. Under the green roof the
forms of the soldiers were seen, some walk
ing to and fro, others sitting around qui-
city smoking their pipes, and the nlurmur
Of the camp crept away through the still !