The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-05-05
"COMING 70 SEE THE BOYS"
A Comical Incident of the War as Told by
Gen. Gordon.
Gen. Gordon said to me:

A comical Incident Of tho War as Told by
Gen. Gordon.
Gen. Gordon said to me:
Johnny, I hope never to go.through
such a war as that again. l don't be.
lieve I could stand it now, but then we
don't know. Some scenes arise on my
mind as if they never could have hap
pened. I often think of Spottsylyania,
where I have seen my men standing on
the dead bodies of their comrades, load
ing and firing, utterly Indifferent to the
death below them, the death in front of
them, and the death everywhere. The
dead bodies were lying down outside the
works, in the ditch, which was half filled
with water, and there, soaking in the
rain, the dead men lay, and their friends
were using their bodies to get little
elevation in putting in that terrific work.
Yet" said the General, "there were
some right funny scenes in that war.
Did ever tell you about the man COM
ing in only to look at my camp?
1--WE we're OH the Rapidan River, where
it was q little stream, hardly 100 feet
wide. Gen. Lee sent me word that I
must go out and break up the eommuni.
cation between our pickets and the enc.
my's. They had got to trading with
each other in newspapers, tobacco, lies,
and whatever would vary the monotony
of picket life. They would not shoot at
each other, and so it was not military
like. So I started out one morning on
my horse and rode the whole length of
the picket line, and just as I came to q
certain point saw that there was confu-
sion and surprise, as if l had not been
expected.
"What is the matter, men, here ?" /
asked.
Nothing, General, nothing is here" ;"
"You must tell me the TRUTH" said I !;
II am not welcome, see, and there must
be some reason for it. Now, what is the
matter ?"
"There has been nobody here, Gene
raj. We were not expecting you; that
is ALL"
~ turned to two or three of the SOL
diers and said:
"Beat down these bushes here.
"They had to obey, and there suddenly
rose up out of the weeds a man as stark
naked as be had come into the world.
"IYho are you?" asked I.
IT am from over yonder. General"
"Over yonder-where 2"
He pointed to the other side of the
river.
"What regiment de you belong to z"
"The l04th Pennsylvania, General
"What are you doing in my camp?"
"Why, I thought ! would just come
over and see the boys"
"See the boys-what boys? Do you
mean to say you have entered my camp
except as prisoner? Now, | am going
to do this with you. am going to have
you marched to Libby Prison just as you
are, without rag of clothes on you !"
"Why, General, you wouldn't do that,
Just because / came over to see the boys
l didn't mean any harm! I felt lone
some over there, and wanted 10 talk to
the boys little. That is all |"
"Never mind, sir; you march from
this spot, clothed as you are, to Libby
Prison p
general" said the man, II had rather
you wou]d order me to be shot right here"
"No, sir; you go to Libby !"
Then several of my soldiers spoke up:
General, don't be too hard on him
he's pretty good fellow! He didn't
mean any harm he just wanted to talk
with us"
"This business must be broken up"
said linking up on the picket line"
"It had not been in my heart, however,
to arrest the man from the beginning. l
only wanted to scare him, and he did beg
hard.
"I'll tell you what l will do with you
this time," for saw that he was brave,
good humored fellow. eff you will
promise me that neither you nor any of
your men shall ever come into my lines
again except as prisoners, I'll let you 60"
"God bless you, General" said the
man, and without any more adieu he
just leaped into that stream and came
up on the other side, aud took to the
woods"
Gen. Gordon said, referring to the rela-
tive bravery of Southern and Northern
soldiers, that he had seen as perfect in
stances of cool and desperate pluck
among the soldiers in blue as among the
soldiers of his own.-Johnny Boquet IN
the New York Tribune.