The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-05-05
"C0MING no SEE THE BoYs.v
A ComicaI Incident OF tho War m Told b,
Gen. Gordon.
Gen. Gordon said to me {:

Gen. Gordon said to me-
Johnny, hope never to g3,through
such war as that again. / don't be.
iieve coald land 1t now, but then vo
don't know. Some scenes arise ON nv
| mind as If they never could have han.
pened. l often think of Spottsylyania.
where have seen my men STANDING on
the dead bodies of their comrades. load.
ing aud firing. utterly Indifferent to the
death below them, the death in front of
them, and the death everywhere. The
dead bodies werc lying down outside the
works, in the ditch, hich was half filed
with water, and there, soaking in the
rain, the dead mon lay, and their friends
were using their bodies to get a little
elevation in putting in that terrific work.
Yet" said the General, "there were
some right funny scenes in that wnr.
Did ever tell you about the man COM
ing in only to look at my camp?
1--WE were OH the Rapidan River. where
it was little stream, hardly 100 feet
wide. Gen. Lee sent me word that I
must go out and break up the communi.
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 started out one morning on
my horso and rode the whole length of
the picket line, and just as came to o
certain point saw that there was confu-
sion and surprise. Us if I had not been
expected.
asked.
Nothing, General, nothing is here"
You must tell me the truth" said ] !;
II am not welcome, see, and there must
be some reason for it. Now, what is the
matter? 2"
"Thero 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 MN as stark
naked ms he had come into the world.
"Who are your" asked !.
II am from over yonder. General"
"Over yonder-whcre ?"
He pointed to the other side of the
river.
"What regiment do you belong to7"
The l04th Pennsylvania, General
What arc you doing in my camp9"
"Why, 1 thought ! would just come
over and see the boys"
"See the 6oys-what boys? Do YOU
mean to say you have entered my camp
except as prisoners Now, am going
to do this with you. am going to have
you matched to Libby Prison just as you
are, without rag of clothes on you p
why, General, you wouldn't do that,
Just because / came over to see the boys
didn't mean any harm! l felt lone
some over there, and wanted To talk to
the boys little. That il all /"
Never mind, sir; you march from
ms spot, clothed as you are, to Libby
Prison |"
General" said the man, II had rather
you Tould order me TO be shot right here"
"No. sir; you 60 tc Libby |"
Then several Of my soldiers spoke up !:
General, don't be too hard on him !:
he's pretty good felIowi He didn't
with u.s."
This business must be broken up"
said thinking up on the picket line"
"It had not been in my heart, however.
TO arrest the man from the beginning. |
only wanted to scare him, end he did beg
hard.
"I'il tell you what will do with you
this time," for saw that he waa brave,
good humored fellow. "If 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 CO."
"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 reIa-
tive bravery Of Southern aud 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 Boguet in
the New York Tribune.