The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-08-18
y. Bytcle, in the Inia,ielph;a Times.

In
,.TI sometimes shared with him the
Rhnlter of his tent, and it was my good
nrtnne 70 do so the night Of the battle
f Fredericksburg, when some little Incl
Tents occurred which though trifling
ln themselves, were SO characteristic OF
sSbc Generals considcratc kindness, that
rerbaps on that account they deserve to
B55e recorded. After the fight was over,
sShcn
II The night cloud had lowered
Ana the sentinel ,ars set their ratch In tho sky,
no we're riding together near Hamilton's
.frossi,g, on the right Of our line, when
q t,rncd to me and said: "ColoneI, as
ssn;s has been q fatigling day and you
s3lmu.t be tired, think you had better re-
s&urn to camp, get your supper and go to
bed, for we are Likely TO nave very busy
s ay tomorrow" The advice was timely
And too good to be neglected; so with a
Grateful appreciation Of its fitness l
Ebanked him for the suggestion and
promptly turned my horses head toward
fhe camp which was about n mile from
she Crossing, whereupon he added, as q
Sn.rting injunction: "Be sure and tell
Jim to make you comfortable in my tent
tonight and not to wait for me. If
.sSanted, shall probably be at amry head
quarters"
4 Jim was the Generals body servant
s,nd faithful factotum, as much identified
syith him in bis campaigns, as was the
A'Old Sorrel'' which his master always
lode in battle, and which, by the way was
as little like the Scriptural war horse de-
scribed in Job as the General himself re-
3embled the classical representations of
NIars in Hebrew mythology.
q The servant and cold Sorrel" being
ssabout the same cOlOr-each having the
shue of gingerbread without any of its
5piciness respective characters
Syere in q confederation acc ccordingly.
For they were equally obedient, patient,
easy going and reliable; not given 10 de-
sSious courses nor designing tricks; moro
Eseryicible than showy and, altogether, as
sgsobcr. sided pair of subordinates as ~
Presbyterian elder, with plain tastes al. !
IA practical turn, need desire to have
&nbout him. Both man and horse seemed
Ito understand their master thoroughly
gand rarely failed to come up fully to all
$his requirements. So that when | told
Jim that his master said he must make
Sme comfortable for the night, / knew
syery we'll that nothing further need be
urged to impress him with the compre-
ahensivencss of the order, which heed be
'fsure to look upon as limited only by the
sresourccs Of the camp and his own
capacity as q caterer. Consequently, in
due time, substantial supper was served
Ito which full justice was done, as I had
3outo an Dnfhsnn 1o,Is~xEk 4
thereafter was asleep on the Generals
pallet, which appeared to have q caout-
chouc capability of accommodation whe Ell
sAJim, ION hospitable thoughts in tenf pro-
eeeded, rs he said, to widen it out to
5nake it more fitten for two"
IN TIE TENT WITH JACKSON.
3 About midnight was awakened by the
s2ntrace of the General, who had been, as
4 learned afterwards, at Gen. Lees head
quarters, but | did not let him know he
pad disturbed me, rs that would have
worried him. Lighting q candle and
aging aside his great coat, sword, &c,
pc opened the draugdt os .hc little sheet
ron stove that warmed the Sibley tent,
aRnd seating himself at the table read for
?whlle In his well-worn Testament; then
fneellng reverently down, he "bowed
himself in prayer" When through with
7niS devotions he drew off his boots, put
5,n gSn pair of slippers and quietly lying
down by my side fell fast asleep almost i'm.
:medlate'y. by this time l was too wido
awake to follow his example. NV
}noughts reverting to the terrible scenes
sttoi the preceding day would not be con-
ttrolled, and l could not recall them from
the bloody battle. field close by. where
the dreadful drama had been enacted
anu where there were then lying SO
A many thousands of brave men who
TLhad rha sunk on the ground empowered
luz weary 10 sleep and the wounded to die"
thought Of the magnificent spectacle
~ lne morning before, when "the rolling
smlsls, began to rise from the river q, d
revealed the grand Army of the Poto.
mac" with its hundred and twenty-five
thousand men, superbly armed and
s1'a,ppea, ms it dcployed, column after
SuU'anh, on the open plain before us, Gin
~ Tue pomp and pride and circumstance
~ Sat1, ma5 one of the grandest sights ever
Ieneid ~ @ on the Continent. 1 thought of
ne ha.,1ep 11plendid advance of its triple lines of
5ua..ie' ' marching with the precision of
It,tsgalars I,tg on dress parade and preserving
-aneir ~ n alignment perfectly along our front
sas lar as the eye could reach, until com
s,uE wlthin point.blank range Of our DO.
u,.on' when-with three hundred
sS1ial sS1hnoh roaring around them and the air
'Iu , Win the merciless missiles of death
m'ney so gallantly rushed to the charge
lon lhe right hand and on the left. and were
|, ~ .e1iOrselessly repulsed by the concen.
|,,a.eu hre OF the Confedera.es. which sent
',nem ~ reeilnng back beyond the river road
~ ie'orm their shattered ran ks for fresh
"Ssault aS while the intervening ground.
tuosered with their killed and wounded
4, %"i 500 50 Torn up. by shot and shell that
M -, ,oohed In places as if it had been
i1I,ougned. thought of young Pelbam'a
E;Hl,ng ;n,n ieat-how dashing forward far
ho in'o 'ne open field upon the Federal flank
ar ao g. 80 Taked the advancing lines with an
eeanlading fire from two pieces of bis
nolse nu artillery rs to compel them to pause
aad not only to confront him with a
crocbot % tlvlSlon Of infantry, thrown into
lines of y. h..I l,eht anglea with .hc;- main
traits ts VI Dattie, but likewise, to concen-
beside G upon IN MN the fire of four batteries
Hr;aS,, 'he heavy guns on Stafford
!, ,bsnls; and how, Notwithstanding
;sts ne'e e?mblned attacks, the bow artiller.
I'' tban maintained the unequal duel for more
bv n noa;.; nn hour, and until he was recalled
III s;i;au poS'tiye We orders from his perilous DO
he hJn; J;i Well might Gen. Lee exclaim as
nrowo r u,u 10 Jackson in regard to Pelham's
rIor;eSss I%eSs 1t is inspiriting to see such
we'll n,; courage In one so young - and
%era !" II, might Jackson say of him. as he did
f. for me that day: Hes the best artillerist
The furinsy' i@so l ever saw" 1 thought of
afternno,, assaults made early in the
1ndar upon our right, when again