Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-02-24
"reminiscences Of the Third Tennes-
Anu see Cavalry. wEFs,
BY ADJUTANT WILL. A. M'TEER.

! above the camps and with their lead
ers began ok irmish. James McColIy
of Co. "a" was leader on one side
The boys on the other took thei
position and were holding 1t, leavin
McColly to make the attack. He I'D
vanced cautiously awhile, then com
manded charge and raising q vel
his men followed him. McColly wa
foremost and charging rapidly when
huge snow ball from the side of tn
assam tied party struck him in the face
covering his eye. 1t knocked hin
down, and his body was scarcely OIL
the ground until some of his comrades
desiring to carry out the appearances
Of a battle, picked him up and carried
him off as one of their wounded. I'll,
was pretty badly hurt.
Down in the camps another scen'
was being enacted. Lieutenant Oliver
Henry was an old man, but very
strong. Generally he was a lover o
fun, but this sport required too much
action for one OF his age. Some of the
younger men we're picking at him, and
occasionally wculd hit him with ball
to hear his remarks and watch his &C,
tons. Lieutenant james M. Wade
threw q bali or two at him, then
lodged behind u tree, which was on q
line with the tent occupied by Capt.
E. Goddard. Lieut.. Henry watched
his opportunity and made ball az
hard as he could press 1T, then filed it
with water and pressing 1t hard, 1t was
like ball of ice, hard and heavy rs q
rock. He then watched his opportu-
nifty and threw at Wade with great
force. Wade lodged behind the tree
and the bail struck Captain Goddard e
tent, cut right through the canvass
like gunshot and struck q bottle OF
ink that was sitting on the desk where
Goddard was writing, burst the bottle
to atoms and splattered the ink over
every thing around 1t.
On the Goth of February, 1865, we
moved TO Pulaski, Tennessee, where
we we're assigned to duty as provost
guard. We were rejoiced to find Cap
tain A F. Beach here with his battery
HIS command seemed to be part OF our
own, because we were so long brigaded
together. Our camps were situated in
little fiat section of ground west OF
the town, and were kept in excellent
condition. The boys behaved we'll 30
we had no guarding or other duty to
perform except the police duties Of the
town.
An amusing little incident occurred
here which will not be out of place.
We had strict orders forbidding firing
guns or pistol In camps, and the or
ders were well kept; yet, when any
thing of the kind did occur, the off,
GERS looked after 1t themselves. Que
day every thing was perfectly quiet,
when, suddenly, very loud report
was made along down in some of the
tents. CHANGED to be at leisure, SO i
ran down to catch the offender. Find
ing the tent with the door Aaps down,
but not tied, I opened 1t, aud there sat
single occupant. pale and trembling,
holding little brass apparatus in his
fingers Ispoke rather aui horitatively,
"whof fired pistol there 2"
His voice trembling. he replied, mos
body ~ Then holding up the brass
artillery match, for such 1t was, he re-
piled, II found this thing, and did not
know what ii was, SO 1 stuck it to the
fire, and that Id thing went off"
His punishment was severe enough.
[ was forced to laugh In his face, aud
went off, allowing him to study out
the principle of combustible materials
alone.
On the 4th of April the news Of the
fail of Richmond reached Us. II was
q glad day, a day Of rejoicing. On the
7lh news came that Sheridan had
fallen on Lees retreatiug columns
and captured thousands of prisoners,
among whom were q number of
general officers aud quantity of
artillery. .a
1t was time Of good feeling. The
was tottering and falling
as rapidly as Ii had risen. Some of us
who had been driven from our homes,
began to feel that we would soon be
home sgain. Dropping spirits revived,
aud it Was indeed happy time. The
good news continued 10 come in until
GU Sunday, the i6tn of April, rejoicing
was turned 10 mourning gladuess to
sorrow, aud iaug bier to weeping. The
sad new of the as-asstn nation OF our
good president came to us. On Mon
day the day was observed with great
solemnity. Tue stores, saloons and
other places OF business were closed,
camps were still. eyeryb body mourned
AT sunrise one or Capt Beaches guns
was fired, aud every half hour through
the day gun was fired until sunset.
IL was n sad, u sorrowfui day.
After this We had been relieved
from provost duty by an Infantry reg
iment of Twelve months men, and
our camps were moved 10 the too of
high ridge east of the town. On the
9Th of April news came to rs that the
had blown up on the Mirsis.
sippi river with our prisoner comrades
on board, and many of them were lost.
This brought bitter sorrow into the
camps Of the Third. Some of us slept
none that night. 1t appeared as if
death was eagerly preyiDg upon those
dearest to us while the skeleton of
confederacy was tottering and falling
to pieces. First, the president whom
we had learned to love aud almost
idolze, was cruelty assassin ated.
Next, our own comrades while return.