Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1877-07-21

same class. This may be all explained by
saving that the native talent, education and
moral worth of the men Of the South were IN
the army, and thar when we choose our oes'
men they must be old soldiers.
have dwelt at such length on The morale
of Lees army because this was the key to Its
disciRsne. In the sense in which the term Is
understood in the regular armies Of Europe or
Of the United States, we really had no dtsc'-
sliae. The degrading punishments resorted
to in those armies; the isolation OF The 9lhceFS
from the privates; the mere machine perform
ance Of duty, and the carrying out of any rou-
tine simply because discipline required 1t, were
always unknown in our army. The private
mingled in frecst social intercourse @Iih his
officers, and learned to obey them because he
loved them, ans loved. the common cause Tor
which they fought. Right or wrong land | do
not propose to discuss that question here, Tue
soldiers of the army of Northern Virginia en-
listed from thorough conviction that they
were defending the principles OF constitutional
freedom-the humbleSt private IN the RANKS
could - give a reason for the faith that was IN
him indeed could make an argument in Ia
vor of the Justice of his cause which 1t would
puzzle the ahlest lawyer on the other side to
answer. And thus they marched forth eaiy
10 battle, and needed not the spur OF dlscl-
plne to drive them or.
Personal DEVOTION To LEADERS.
Personal devotion to their leaders was also
an important element in their discipline and
aaorale. They ceased their loud murmurs a.
cainst retrcating from Darkesvil.e without
fighting Patterson because their honorcd chief
Ia old Joe Johnston y said it was best not to
do So aud they started with the utmost enthu-
siasm from Winchester 90 Manassas because
he told them, in general orders, that it was
" forced march to save the country" They
would march. many OF them barefooted, thirty
or forty miles day because Old Stonewall "
said they must /" press forward to accomplish
important results, and because he would fire.
quently gallop along the column ard give them
a chance to clieer him. And they would make
the welkin ring wi,h Z" General Lee to the
rear" while they coua ted itall j'y TO nght five
times their numbers when the eyes OF their
idolized chief were upon them. General
Hooker was certainly right in teStiiying that
Lees army had "acauired 4 character for
s,ead;ness and efficiency unsurpassed in ancient
or modern times = but il was not from dis
cipline alone, but because each individual was
q hero, aud tie morale of the whole army suc,
as Il world has rarely if ever SEEN.
could Oil a volume with incidents Of indi-
vidual hcrojsm on the part of private soldiers
in that army. have space for only few
At lst fredericksburg, just after l1wtons
Georgia Brigade (nnder command Of Col. At
kinson, had driven the enemy out OF the woods
on Early's front and made their gallant dash
across the plain (the men growing loudly at
being ordered back, saying, II 1t had been
those Virginia fellows that made the charge,
l." old Jubal" would have let them drive the
Yankees into the river Georgia boy, who
seemed to be not over sixteen, rushed up 10 me
with lis two middle fingers shattered ard ex-
claimed lmistaking me for surgeonlj DOC
tor, want you, please, to cut Of these Gngers
and tie them up as soon as you can, The
boys are going to make another charge direct
ly. and want to be with them" procured
him surgeon. the wound was dress j, and
the brave boy hurried to the front rank again
At Cedar Creek on the 10Th Of October, 1864,
Serg't Uranium, the color bearer Of the 18th
Va. Infuntrv. was surrounded by a number Of
Sheridan's troopers, Lut-cXclaiming, You
may kill me, but | will never give up my
colors"-he fought until he fell insensLle, and
the flag was stripped from his body around
which he had wrapped it.
looking through port-hole in The trenches
below Petersburg one day, sudden gust OF
wind lifted my hat of and landed it between
the two lines. Private George Haaef, Of Co.
D. 18th Va Reg't, at OF &C stepped up and Of
fered 10 get my hat for the. peremptorily
forbade him doing so, rs knew the great isk
he would run but the fearless fellow soon
disappeared aud before long returned with the
hat. e" How did you manage TO get it2' ]
asked. "Ohl | crawcd down The trench
lealng to our picket and Gshed IT up with
pole" did not the Yankees sec you| "Oh,
yes they shot at me eight or tea times but
that made 30 difference, 50 they did not BIT
me-" Poor fellow, he vas aiterward killed
bravely doing bis duty. frequently saw
men In tic trenches at Petersburg watching
the she'll from Tie enemy's mortars as they
came over. claiming some particular ono as
"my shell, and scarcely waiting for the smoke
from the explosion to clear away before eager
ly rushing forward TO gather up the scattered
pieces, which were sold TO the ordnance officers
for few cents Confederate money per pound.
They called shells which went far to the rear,
"ouattermaster hunters" and one day gal
Iant fellow utterly reckless Of personal danger
10 his eagcrncss f,r jokel mounted tie parapet,
the target Of many sharpshooters, and pointing
to a she'll that was ayiag over. exclaimed -
" A little further 10 the right. Captain b
the name Of a worthy quartermasierI Is down
Wonder uude. the bill"
CHRISTIAN Dr4TH SCENES.
Upon another occasion saw good-naiured
fellow frying some meat on the side Of the
trench while the minnie balls Of the sharp
shooters whistlcd all around him. At last one
struck 10 bis FIRE, and threw ashes in bis frying
pan. when he quietly moved 10 the other side
of the FIRE, as it to avoid smoke, and went on
with lis culinary operations, cody remarkiDg
"Plague on those fellows expect they will
spoil all my grease yet before they luit thei'
foolishuess." | have frequently seen men IN
this army display a fortitude under severe
suffering, calm resignation or ecstatc TIL
umph in the hour Of death, such as history
rarely records. 4 noble fellow who fell at
Gaines mill, on The 9th Of June 1862, said
70 comrades who offered 10 bear him of the
field: No! die. Tell my parents die
happy. On on to victory Jesus is with
M. and can render all the help need. -
Another, who fell mor,ally wounded atsecond
Manassas, said TO me in reply to my question
as to what message should send home for
him: "Tel, father that it would be very hafd
to die here on the roadside without seeing
him or any Of the loved ones at bone bnt
have fallen at the post Of duty, and as ! have
with me the friend that siicketh closer than
brother lls maketh it all peace and joy."