The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-01-13

Christmas Day following was fought |
the battle Of Okechobee, the severest |
fight of that Indian war. The savagess
were posted onsa thickly- iungled island
in the lake through the waters OF
which, breast high, the troops advanced
several hundred yards to She attack.
The loss on our side was heavy, but the
Indians were so completely routed as to
break their spirit. Col. Zachary ray
Tor commanded, and there won
his yellow sash and grade. Walker
was SO desperately wounded that the
medical people gave him up. lie
laughed at their predictions, and re-
covered. In the Mexican war, assault,
ing Molino del Rey, he received several
wounds, all pronounced fatal, and
science thought it was avenged. He got
we'll again. as he said, to spite the doc
tors. All bis life he was q martyr to
asthma, and rarely enjoyed sleep but in
sitting posture: yet he was as cheer
full and full of restless activity as the
celebrated Earl of Peterborough. After
the peace with Mexico, Walker was
commandment of cadets at West Point.
His ability as an instructor and his lofty
martial bearing deeply impressed his
new brigade, and prepared it for the
stern work before it. Subsequently,
Walker died on the field near Atlanta,
defending the soil Of his State-a death
of all others he would have chosen. [
have dwelt somewhat on his character
because it was one of the strangest |
have met. No enterprise was too rash
to awaken his ardor ii it necessitated
daring, courage and self-devotion.
Truly, he might have come forth out of
the pages of old Froissart 1t is with
unaffected feeling | recall his memory,
and hang before it my humble wreath
of "immortelleS."
In camp our army experienced much
suffering and loss of strength. Drawn
almost exclusively from rural districts.
where families lived isolated, the men
were scourged with humps, whooping-
cough and measles, diseases which in
urban populations are readily overcome
by childhood. Measles proved as viru-
lent as smallpox or cholera. Sudden
changes of temperature drove the
eruption from the surface to the
internal organs. and fevers-lung and
typhoid-and dysenteries followed. NV
regiment WAS fearfully smitten. and [
passed many days in a hospital, nursing
the sick, and trying to comfort the last
moments of many poor lads, dying so
far from home and friends. Time and
frequent changes Of camp brought itu-
provement, but my own health gave
my strength and impaired the use of
my limbs. Gen. Johnston kindly or
dered me off TO the Faquier Springs
sulphur Waters-sOme twenty miles to
the south. There | was Joined and
carefully nursed by devoted sister,
and, after some weeks. slowly regained
health and strength. On the eve of re-
turning to the army | learned of my
promotion to brgadier, to relieve
Gen. Walker, transferred to the
command of Georgia troops. This
promotion seriously embarrassed me.
Of the four colonies. whose regiments
in commission, aud the other three had
been present and "won their spurs " at
the late battle, so far the only impor-
tant one of the war. Besides, my known
friendship for President Davis. with
whom, by his first marriage with my ell
der sister. was nearly connected, would
justify the opinion that my promotion
was due to favoritism. Arrived at head
quarters, | obtained leave to go to Rich
mond, where, after an affectionate recep-
ton. the President listened to the story
of my feelings, the reasons on which
they were based, and the request that
the promotion be revoked. He replied
that he would take a'day for reflection
before deciding the matter. The fol-
lowing day [ was told the answer to my
appeal would be forwarded to the army,
to which | immedi ,tely returned. The
President had employed the delay in
writing letter to the senior officers OF
the brigade. He began by stating that
promotions to the grade of general off
GERS were intrusted TO him, and were
made for considerations Of public good.
of which he alone was judge. He then,
e I,1y Ii, o
on to soothe the feelings of these officers
with tenderness and delicacy of touch
| worthy q woman's hand, and so effectu-
ally as to secure me tho hearty support
of these patriots and soldiers, many OF
whom attained emiuence in the war.
No wonder that all who enjoy the
friendship of Jefferson Davis love
him as Jonathan did David. Sew
eral weeks, without notable incident,
were devoted to instruction, espe-
cially in marching, the5 only mill
tary virtue for which Southern troops
had no aptitude. Owing to the good
traditions left by my predecessor in
command, Walker, and the zeal Of Off
GERS and men, great progress was made,
and all the credit for the proficiency of
| the brigade was given me. In the army
at this time was q battalion Of three
| companies from Louisiana, commanded
by Major Wheat. These detached
companies had been thrown together
previous to the fight at Manassas,
| where Wheat was severely wounded.
The strongest of the three, and giving
character to all, was called the Tigers %
Recruited on the levee and in the alleys
of New Orleans, the men might have
come out of 'Alsatia,' where they
would have been worthy subjects Of
that illustrious potentate ''Duke Hill
debrod." The captain, who had sue
ceeded to the immediate command of
these worthless on the advancement OF
Wheat, enjoying the luxury of many
aliases, called himself Wbite," per
haps out of respect to the purity Of the
patriotic garb lately assumed. SO vii
| famous was the reputation achieved by
the battalion that every commander de-
sired to be rid of it. At last, Gen. John
ston assigned it to me, dispute my efforts
to decline the honor Of such society
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