The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1867-05-01

my pillow for the usual contents, and went
thus upon drill. What was my corster-
nation while drilling to hear the command,
"Inspection knapsacks p There was no
help for it; the pillow was found, and
was corporal no longer
He afterwards went on to state Of his
earlier army life, that, "from exposure
during il.clement weather, was afflicted
with severe rheumatism, which amounted
to paralysis of one side; andi was while
in this condition, having access to the
large library attached TO the hospital that
I indulged taste for the British poeGs,
that 1 had hitherto no time to crafty.
After remaining about three years in the
army, through the eXertions ofinfuen-
tial friends, procured my discharge,
which was written on parchment, and on
the lower margin, in the space left for
statement of character, was written, ia
good soldier" This discharge I have care
fully kept from that day to this, and feel
ing proud Of the endorsement of my Off
GERS then have tried to maintain the same
character through the present war"
We give the above conversation entire,
and as nearly in the words used as our
memory will allow, since it presents an
interesting episode in the earlier part OF
life that has since become immortal.
There was no man in the Southern army
who labored so indefatigably for the bene-
fit and improvement of the troops under
his command. His regiment, (the lst Ar
kansas, afterwards the l5th,) while under
his command, was perhaps the best drilled
in the army Of Tennessee; so with his brig
ade. and afterwards his division. When-
ever his command was positively not in
motion, he required of his subordinate Off.
GERS to keep up a constant course OF drill,
discipline and study. TIe, himself, while
the army lay at.Wartrace, Chickamauga,
Dalton, and elsewhere, had his daily reci-
tations, at which each brigadier general
and field officer in his division was COM
PEELED to attend. The writer has in his
mind some vivid pictures of the school
boy-like group of SCARED veterans collect
ing around the schoolhouse near Dalton,
Quilt by Gen. C's order, for this express
purpose,) eagerly scanning "Hardee,' or
the ssIII vol Scott's Light Infantry Tao
tic" for the lesson announced the day pre-
vious. What an eloquent silence" when
General Pat' would request, gentlemen,
take your Seats" His brigadier-generals
nearest hin-a quartette of lieutenants
every way worthy their noble captain
Covan, mild-spoken and courteous, every
inch gentleman and soldier-the stately
Granbury, as large of heart as of frame,
the most noble type If the Texas soldier
Polk, (the nephew of the Bishop hand
some, dashing and brave, regardless alike
of the lesson or the mild reproof of his
chiet-lastly, the 4parson soldier, Lowry,
he who could pray with his men all night,
and next day lead them where the fight
was thickest.
We have heard it intilnated that "Cle-
burne's division would have made the rep
utation of any man that commanded it,
which remark perhaps had some truth in
it. but it was also true that General Gle
burne made his division what it was. 1t
was his constant education OF 1T, In every
department. of duty that mainly contrlbu-
ted to its uniform success.
He instituted, or originated the secret
order (approximating the order OF the
aCincinnati' of the old revolution) known
as the order of the Comrades of the
Southern Cross" which, though partially
philanthropic in its object, was intended
mainly to bind together as one man the
soldiers of the Southern army, obligatlng
themselves to stand b5es:eaeh other, and
never to desert their comrades in distress,
or the cause of their country in any adver-
sity, while she maintained organized oppo-
sition to threatened tyranny. General
Cleburne attributed the.valor of his troops
mainly to the effect of his organization.
He at one time remarked to the writer:
sHad this order been disseminated through
out the Southern army, Ehey could march
to the Ohio river without check" Such
would be the effect of unity of purpose
and oexalted oneness of action" among the
oath.bound members of this order.
In connection with the name of this or
der, it may be in place to state the tact,
perhaps not generally known, that Gle
burne5s division never fought under the
flag of the "Southern cross," but retained
the original blue battle flag with white
moon in the centre, adopted originally by,
Gen. Hardee, previous to the battle OF
Shiloh. The union of the Confederate
Aao. the St. Andrews cross, when adopted
as the battle-fag of the Confederate az
mics, was on more than one occasion
brought on parade to be presented to the
different regiments of this division. but at
the urgent solicitation of the major-gener-
al and Ills entire command, they were al
lowed TO retain their old bullet-ridden blue
flags, each of which had earned the signifi-
cant device of the "cros:ed cannon invert-
ed and the name Of every battle in which
they had been engaged. 1t was indeed "a
comnliment com to their chief and the gallantrTy
of his command, that this DIVISION shU..te Jnrata
have been the only one IN Io4ie oil other M
service allowed to carry INTO no: oa.u, AZ aan
than the national colors. ands ,is ND" nd snss