Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-08-30
"reminiscences Of the War.

soest-The Return Home Conduct Of
the Troops Among the Citizens
Third Sketch.
In the month of May, in the spring of
1865, dusty gray column of men,
carrying banners thickly studded with
battle names and crossed cannon, en-
blematical of victories won and batteries
captured, were leisurely crossing the
blue ridges. 1t was spring. The trees
had put forth their leaves, and every
bush was clad in green. Cool, refresh
ing water gushed from almost every
crevics; delicious strawberries could be
had in abundance. Nature appeared to
have put forth all her charms to solace
these wearied men for the years of hard
ships and privations they had so man
fully endured. / think Dame Nature on
this occasion smiled upon them with
more than her usual benignity, Reader,
| suppose you have already guessed who
this dusty gray column of men we're; if
not, l will tell you. They we're the
remnant of those hardy Southwestern
men that had for four bloody years been
the Ironsides of the Western army
and they had surrendered only after
events in Virginia had destroyed the
last hope of success by fighting. Now
they were marching home in every
imaginable mood. Some were resting
beneath the trees, discussing the proba'
bilities of finding home and sweethsarts
AS they left them. Others were eagerly
pressing forward with downcast eyes,
alike regardless of fatigue and the
beautiful scenery surrounding them.
These were hurrying to their homes,
thinking only of Mary and the haxen
haired little ones that they, four long
years ago, left to her fragile protection.
Wealthy neighbors then said they should
not want; so they kissed their wives and
the little ones, and parted from them
with full confidence in that promise.
But these men had been told amid the
tall pines of North Carolina, that their
little ones we're crying for bread, and to
hush that cry some of their wives had
even to sacrifice honor; and this while
they were facing such fearful odds
for what all their neighbors ssid-when
success was pretty certain, and sacrifices
not yet required, was such just cause
other groups could be seen leisurely
stretched beneath the shade, smoking
and singing snatches of 1.-The time
when / was hard up" You could tell
by their selfreliant, devil-may-care looks
that they had left home a long time ago.
These men expected to meet no smiling
faces with outstretched arms rushing
from vine-clad cottages, hid amidst the
corn fields Of Tennessee. Their homes
we're far away on the banks of the Rhine,
the Rhone, the Thames, the noble Mis-
souri,, and few from the beautiful
lakes of Killarny. There we're the born
soldiers Of the army, such as under
Cortez and Pizarro, conquered South |
America and Mexico for Spain. These
careless looking men kept abreast with |
the fierce Texans in their .maddest
chatge, aud now with one silver dollar,
they we're about to face the world anew,
and probably on their first application
for a weeks board be refused for the |
want of ammunition, in the shape Of
greenbacks. In my opinion, such as it
is, these Southwestern men as soldiers
have no superiors, and few equals. No
troops have displayed more endurance
or more stubbornness in holding, or
dash in assailing-After defeat, their re-
power was surprising. To de-
feat and route them as armies are routed
in Europe, in my opinion, is impOssi-
bic in this wooded country. Numbers
may break their lines, but, when
broken, they are still too formida-
bic for cavalry to approach them
To this quality Of combaiiveness, rather
than TO the skill Of their generals,
is to be attributed their safe retreats
after defeat have read that the war
cry Of q single Prussian lancer was Euf-
feient to stampede ten Frenchmen after J