Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-03-02
BLUE AND GREY.
A Story of the Late Civil War
How a Federal Colonel Attended
the Wedding Of a Confed.
crate Colonel.


One doubts it when the records of the
war tell him that the town was captureC
| twenty three times during the war. 1t wal
tYankn one month, sJohnnyn the next
and the inhabitants got so at last that they
dared not pronounce for either side, they
claimed to be neutral, and only asked the
soldiers in blue or the soldiers in grey to
let their chickens alone.
If the last year Of thefwsr didn't sweep Il
away, and the fire has spared it yet, there
stands an old brown farm house, with 8
front yard filed with cherry trees, and lot
of mulberry trees growing up and shading
the south end of the house. 1t is coy
place for two old whIte-haiied parents tC
sit on the front veranda and rock and dose
in the sunshine while a rong-armed son
whistles cheerily in the growing crops.
saw it thus once, and / saw it after.
wards when the storm of war swept over
and around it, sta ming the green grass to 9
red, and when passionate men and fiery
horses swept through the fields and dashed
at each other as the black smoke lifted fol
moment.
One day in the spring of 1862, the dis
patches said that the Confederates had
been driven out of Winchester, and thai
the Union forces held possession. wa;
not with the victorious party, but few
days after when the Confederates came
back so close that they held halfof the town
and the Union forces the other half;
went down with half a regiment of cavalry
and few battalions of the infantry to hold
the ground.
Army operations had hardly commenced
for the spring, and the Confederates were
determined to hold the line of communica-
ton open as long as possible. had q
heavy backing a few miles away, and know
ing this, the Confederates only cared TO
keep me from advancing further than Win
chester for the time being.
We had our pickets as thick as bees in
the Northern suburbs of the town, but the
main force was back on the road, near the
old farm house, where the ground offered
better advantages in case Of an attack. We
had been in camp less than day when l
ascertained that the farmers name was
Hastings, and that he had one of the hand
soonest daughters in all Virginia. He ask
ed for a property guard around bis farm,
and in seeing that the guard was properly
posted, had occasion to enter the house.
There wasn't that bitterness then which
came in after years, and we could all speak
very freely without any fear Of offence.
The farmer was old and weak, and when
l found out that he was firm believer in
secession and rebellion, l mad no angry or
hot words to give in reply. Where should
one look for Southern feeling if not in the
homes of Southerners?
The wife was old and feeble, and the son
-, a, rol
enough that 1 should make up my mind to
stand between beautiful Kate Hastings, and
tbs Inconvenience of war as much as l
could.
Idon't think I violated any of the rules
and regulations when promised the family
that their property should be preserved
from raiders and their personal liberties
abridged only 30 far SIS the safety of my
command required. OF course, could not
allow them to be passing back and forth be-
tween the lines, but they should be free to
move In any other direction.
tell you right here that / never saw a
more charming, lovely woman than Kate
Hastings. [ lost my heart the moment 1
saw her, as any other man would. But L
was not so idiotic as to believe that had
only to say the word to make he- my wife;
indeed, very much doubted from the first
if | ever should or could win he.
81 trust that we shall all be friends" she
sweetly said, when was about to leave the
house. sit is cruel war, deprecated by
all for its wounds and griefs, and civilities
from captors to captive will certainly always
be appreciated"
There was an invitation to call whenever
l had the opportunity, but there was that
modesty and dignity in the lady's look and
bearing which made her anything but a
love-sick maiden to be easily won.
Well, we pitched our camp; had camp
routine; changed pickets; skirmished with
the Confederates, and things at length
were $3.50 from one day to another. sat
on the veranda and smoked with the old
man; took tea with them; read to Kate,
and once in while talked love, or was
Just going to when she would check me.
She was thoroughly Southern in sentiment.
l knew it, and therefore we passed politics
over for something more agreeable to both.
Finally the day came for Winchester to
change hands again. A reinforcement OF
cavalry had come to the Confederates, and
one day at noon they made the fact known
to US. Our pickets came running in, fight
ing as they came, and !closely followed by
cavalry, and we had only time to form
battle line before the enemy was along our
front.
We had sparp fight for half an hour,
during which time many good soldier bit
the dust on either side, and then my COM
mand had to give way. We were hard
pressed in front, and being fsnked when
the order was given to fall back slowly to
the ridge half mile north Of the farm
house.
As we fell back saw that the old house
had been torn here and there by shots, and
fearing for the safety of the family we car
ried them along with us. All were badly
frightened, and made no objections beyond
the shots of their friends. Step by step,
giving the enemy as good as he sent, we fell
back to the ridge, and there we halted.
The Confederates came as far as the farm
house and there formed their line and rest
ed, throwing up breastwork and mount
ing cannon to command the road.
We threw up defences, formed new line,
and by shutdown everything was going along
as if no battle had occurred and a hundred
men in blue and grey had not been sent to
their long sleep. There was half mile of
neutral ground between US, and the pickets
thrown out were hardly a stones throw
from each other.
An hour after we fell back, the Hastings
family came to me from farmhouse where
they had taken refuge. l knew that they
wanted to return home and was there fore
ready for the old mans question.
"Of course you can CO." replied, though
it panied me to think that | should lose
Kate'sIsociety. 81 only ask that you repeat
after me an oath that you will not give your
Confederate friends information concern
ing us.o .-. ... ,
They repeated the words, and we walked
down to the picket. A handshRke all
round, and then they took their leave, and
my air castles came topping down. The
chances were hardly one in score that
should ever see either of the three again.
Having seemingly gained all they desired,
the Confederates did not seek to drive US
further. Several days passed without even
shot from the pickets, when one day, &c
shake off the rust, l rode with two compa-
MES OF cavalry which were bound on raid
around the east of Winchester to secure
| information concerning the strength of the
enemy in that direction.
We had long ride of seven or eighi
miles, when coming to fork in the road
the major took one company and mysel
the other and pushed up the forks. w,
were riding along carelessly enough wheI
| all at once the bushes by the roadside sho
| fame and smoke. Everything was confu
| sion at the Sudden attack.