The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1881-09-21
an OLD MEMORY.

ing the Columbia Herald with some |
very interesting "reminiscences of
the exploits of that company, indi-
and collectively. A late
instaIment is devoted to the Mission
airy Ridge fight, and we have no
doubt it gives a correct portrayal of
the wretched condition and outrag
ed temper of the brave b6ysin gray
under the joint control of jeff Davis
and Bragg. ne are reminded there
by of a little incident occurring be-
meath our observation in 1852, that
demonstrated how little sympathy
and tender feeling jeff Davis had
for the ragged rebels who carried
muslzets and marched in the ranks.
Longstreet's corps, after a brave and.
arduous campaign in the Valley, had
been ordered to the Peninsula to
reinforce McGruder, then threaten
ed by McClellan's legions. In rags
and tatters, footsore and weary, be-
grimed with the dirt and mud and
smoke Of the battle, the~bivouacand
the march, the boys tramped thro'
the streets of Richmond. Forlorn
enough was their appearance, but
beneath those tattered gray coats
beat hearts as valiant as ever pull
stated under the FURNISHED armor Of
a Roland or an Oliver. They were
to board steamers at the Rockets,
below the city. Belonging to a
Georgia regiment attached to the
corps were a number Of our Knox
vile friends-John Hope, John Me
Airy, Tom O'Conner, Bill Young
blood, Jim Lawless, and others
who, impatient at the tardy action
of Tennessee, had gone to Georgia
and. become members OF her first
regiment. With Judge Swan and
Joseph B. Heiskell, then represent
ing the first and second Congress
ionaf districts in the Confederate
Congress, we started down to see
our friends before they embarked.
On our way we were passed by a
solitary horseman, who galloped on
ward, apparently in deep thought,
looking neither to the right or left.
" Do you know him ?" asked Judge
Swan. ono" cts President Da-
Wis. He's gong down to make
speech to the boys" We hurried
along to witness the ovation. The
troops were huddled on the wharfs
waiting for transportation when we
arrived. Mr.. Davis rode through,
as he rode by Us, apparently observ-
ing nothing. He reached the wharf,
dismounted, went on board a steam
er, had q few moments conversation
with some of the general officers,
came out, mounted his horse and
rode off as he came. "A kind, heroic
speech Of ten minutes from the head
Of their cause to those woaried,
naked, f..mished veterans would at
that time have been worth q thous-
and men. But the opportunity was
lost, and when it became generally
known that the President Of the
Confederacy had come and gone
without a word or sign to the men
who were uphoIding his fortunes
with their muslIets, enthusiasm for |
Jeff Davis was not ut any hotter
heat in that corps than it appears to |
have been when Mr.. Watkins wit |
messed the incident he thus relates
= Bragg in trying to starve I
In" yankees out, we ourselves were also Z
starved out. ask any old rebel as to 4
our bin Of fare at Missionary Ridge. In !
ail the history of the war, IcannOt re- |
member of more nrivationS and hard I
ships that we went through ct Mission |
lry Ridge. And when in the very acme |
Of our privations and hunger, when the
army was the NEST diSsar isfied and I'M
happy, we were ordered into line of |
battle to be reviewed by Hon. jeff |
Davis and B. Bragg. When they
passed by us with their great retinuc Of |
staff officers and play outs at fun gallop,
no cheer ever greeted them, only the /
~ Of n
nassa jeff. Give as something to eat,
nassa jeff. I'm hungry, I'm hungry"
multiplied and mixed up with mrny |
)tber euss words and implications that
would not like to put in these memoirs.
But this is a more pleasing ex-
,raet, telling of the meeting between
81 RGE4NF FUCKER AND GEN
WIDER
At this place the yankee outpost was
IN one side of Tennessee river and ours
m the other. ] was on the detail one
sunday commanded by Sergeant Jno.
T. Tucker When we were approach
ng we heard the old guard and the
-ankee picket talking back and forth
Lcross the river The new guard i'm
nediately commenced the conversation.
~ G ilaO TO ndilO at tic Top Vi our NOlCtS, |
he river being about about $50 yards
vide at this place. But there was a
little island about the middle of dhe
liver. yankee halloed out, "Oh,
0hnny, Johnny, meet me half ayin
he river on the island" CAL right"
avs Sergeant Tucker, who Immediately
addressed ali but his bat, in which he
arried the Chattanooga Rebel and some
ther Southern newspapers, and swan
cross to the island. When he got
here the yankee was there, but the
ankee had wad"d l do not know
That he and John talked about, but
hey got very friendly, and John invited
i'm to come clean across to our side,
,hich he accepted. noticed at the |
me that while John swan the yankee !
Taded, the yankee remarking that he |
ouldn't swim. The river was but lit
e over waist deep WE'LL they came
cross and we snapped few lies. can .
,ens and tobacco, and then the yankee,
ent back and waded al the way across
he stream. That map was Gen. viii.