Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1880-02-12

In q situaffon - Get with eniire free
dom. He accsded lo ny request. -
fore The expiration &C nv leave Of ab-
senee hossi1ifies wesx insuRursfed, aud
nv resigmali0n w6S Rendered 70 the Un-
tied States government.
ssShortly before the secession Of tFt
eodthern States. I returned to Camp
.iHo0d. nnd aIthengh still On leave, -
companitd tis8 regiment to InA;nnoia.
where bsde nv comrades reIucianf
fare wsll. Kenlpcky h<is3 BE Isnd q
~ nativity, ! deemed r;gi.k Should
Bot Kentucky remained ''neutraI," and
Hood decided 10 enter the Confederate
service from Texas, State whose mag
ni6cent resources bad once inspired
him with . resolve TO gust the army and
make Texas his home for life. So
Hood went to Richmond and reported
to Lee, then Confederate maior-gen-
eraI. Hood writes OF Lee: "His once
was in the third or fourth story Of, !
think, the Mechanics institute; and he
had around him, Il seemed to me, eve-
~ cobbIer in Richmond, giving them
instructions as to the manner ofmaking
cartridge boxes, haversacks, bayonet
scabbards, etc. He was studiously ap-
plying his great mind to this apparently
trivial, but most imuortant work. The
Confederacy was destitute ofsuch equip
ments at that hour, and II may be safe
" asserted that his labor in this regard
and in the organization ofour troops was
the source. 10 great measure, Of the
success Of our arms, in the engagements
which soon followed"
In July, after the affair at Big Bethel,
Hood, then q lieutenant~colonel, was
made q colonel, and ordered to organize
the Fourth Texas infantry, at Richmond.
/ Hoods method was to arouse an esprtf
de corps. He told his young Texans
that no regiment in the Confederate
army should be allowed to 90 forth upon
the battle field aud return with more
trophies OF war than the Fourth Texas:
that the number Of colors and guns cap
tured, and prisoners taken, constituted
the true test Of the work done BY any
command IN an engagement. Further.
Col. Hood insisted upon the regiments
being its own police, and to see to IL
that comrades committing breach oi
military discipline should be taken in
charge by their own associates in arms,
and not allowed TO bring discredlt on
the regiment.
General Hoods description Of the
great battle of ADtietam is Vivid, and
will not bear condensation. " nv
troops" be writes, sat this period. af-
ter the aetson] were sorely ~ need OF
shoes. clothing aud food. We had had
issued to us no meat for several days
and little or no bread; the men had been
forced to subsist principally on green
corn and green apples"
In 1863 the Confederate cause met
with q severe blow in the loss Of Stone
wall Jackson, regarding whom General
Lee wrote to General Hood: 81 grieve
much over the death Of Gen. Jackson
for our sake, not for bis. He Is hap
py and at peace. But has spirit lives
with as. and hope it will raise up many
Jacksons in our ranks. We must all do
more than formerly. We must en-
d4avor 10 follow The unselfish, devoted,
intrepid course he pursued. and we shall
be strengthened rather than weakened
by his loss. I rely much upon you.
You must so inspire and lead your brave
division rs that il may accomplish the
work OF q corps. There
never we're such men In an army be-
fore. They will 90 anywhere and do
anything. IL properly led. But there IS
the ditficulty-proper commanders
where can they Be obtainedi But they
are improving ng--constantI improving.
Rome was not built in day, no eau we
expect miracles ia our favor"
After the battle Of ChanceIiorsville,
so disastrous TO the Federal cause. the
Confederate leaders determined upon
On offensive campaign, acampaign which
had for its eliminating point the battle
Of Gettysburg. soon after the let of
June, writes Hood, "lhe Coniederate
forces crossed the Rapidan. and ad-
vanced again in the direction Of Mary
land. About the middle OF the montb
We forded the Potomac. which was 50
swollen by recent rain that the men
were forced 20 uplift their cartridge
boxes In order to keep dry their ammu-
milton. Nevertheless, they marched
in regular order 10 the northern bank Of
The beautiful stream, and, as they
moved through the deep water. The in-
spring strains OF Dixie burst forth
from bands cf music. Never before,
nor since, have ! witnessed such In
tense enthusiasm as that which pre-
vailed throughout the entire Confeder-
ate army. Shortly afterward We crossed
into Pennsylvania. amid extra, agant
cheers, which re-echoed all along The
line. Our forces marched undisturbed,
and were messed in the vicinity of
ChambersbuFg. where intelligence was
received of Cen. Meade's assignment
to the command Of the Federal army.
NY headquarters we're again in close
proximity 60 those of Gen. Lee, and,
afier . few days devoted 20 ress and
quiet, |, as usual, rode 10 pay hin my
respects. I found him In the same
buoyant spirits which pervsded his mag
niicent army. AfteF the ordinary sal
ufasion be exclaimed: sAh, General,
The enemy Is q long time finding us; IL
he does not succeed soon, we must 70
in search Of him. ! assured him / was
never 80 well prepared or more willsng.
A lev days thereafter We we're ordered
70 Gettysburg, and 20 march with 81