The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-10-08

VA SAC 7CAE4tu ACkAluCAts ~ 4ae
bullet-hole through it, received at Fo
G. Gregg. What associations this bit /
If calls what events the mind flashes bat
Of to, since its baptism at ChancellorsvilI
q. Once proud banner that waved ov
5. half hundred fields, now a mere reI
re nant, but it is fraught with interest, ar
"a treasured most carefully.
b On the 11th of April Mahone's diEi
IS ion of about seven hundred men su
Is rendered. Gen. Malone turned Il
q command over to Gen. Harris, by who
Y it was surrendered. Drawn up in lin
e on the highway to Appomattox Station
{ they stacked arms in token of submit
= sion. Receiving a salute of preser
@ arms from a Federal command, an
+ amid the roll of drums, they sorrowfu
r ly filed away to camp to be paroled. A
n the division retraced its steps to CAM
4 it was caused to form a hollow squaT
at Gen. Mahone's headquarters. FL
! and staff approached. The General the
i made a brief and touching farewell ad
!. dress; spoke Of the renown the com
. mand had established; and enjoinel
5 upon all to become as good citizens a
: they had been soldiers. His address wa
D received for a while in solemn silence
the thoughts of the men then gazinj
upon each other for the last time, werl
! reverting to the past; and as the glorie
J of many fields broke upon the mind
they gave vent to a great shout, which
caused no little excitement in Fedora
command near us. They heard tha
old familiar yell for the last time, anG
even with US, disarmed and prisoners, il
caused the same thrill to vibrate il
their persons as when upon a contested
field. Gen. Malone approached ouI
brigade with his headquarter fag-the
Virginia State, of blue, with white cen.
tire, and the well known coat of arms,
"jSfc semper tyraDnus," and said, "Mis.
sissippians, bid you a sad farewell, and
confde it to your care and trust this flag. "
As hesaid this he tossed it into our ranks.
Whence hundred eager hands rendered
it into fragments as mementoes Of the last
days of that glorious division, excelled
by none in all of the Army of Northern
Virginia. Alabamians, Georgians, Vir-
ginians, Floridians and Mississippians
then bade each goodbye, and Mahone's
Division was a thing of the past. Its
struggles, triumphs and privations SO
nobly borne, are part of history.
Gen. Malone had, by sheer pluck and
indomitable will, placed himself high
in command; enjoying the command of
fine division, he used it well, and
though he struck many bold knocks
with it, it was never broken nor defeated
outright. From his care it was ready to
do his bidding. We believed in his dash
and aggressive nature, and believed he
should have been placed in an independ-
ent command where his skill would have
rendered more efficient services to the
cause. Of Gen. Malone we quote:
"Mahone was a singular illustration of
the fact that the Confederate service,
while we'll calculated to develope the
natural native aptitudes of its generals,
did not afford all of them full scope for
the exercise of the genius thus educed.
But kept within narrow limits many
high-spirits which felt themselves capa-
BILE of larger responsibilities, or wider
fields than the cramped resources of the
South admitted of their undertaking.
He was man of high personal courage
and magnetic presence. A stern disci-
plinarian, he was greatly respected by
his men, who, in the hour of battle
never fought SO we'll as when under his
immediate command. His frequent Sc
lection for the conduct of most deli
cate and difficult movements proved
the high esteem in which he was held
| by Gen. Lee. He was an officer in whom
it may be said, were blended the stra-
| getic qualities of Soult, and the ardent
gallantry of Vandarnme. Closely watch
ing his front at all times, he never
failed to strike the enemy whenever an
opportunity offered, and his blows were
always felt" Again: "It is signif-
cant fact, with regard to the various
movements conducted by Gen. Malone,
which reflected such lustre on himself,
and the Confederate arms, that at no
time was he placed under the command
of any division commander. So great
was the confidence reposed by Gen. Lee
in his skill and energy, that in all cases
| he reported to the corps commander, or
directly to the commander-in-chief.
On the 18th of April, we received our
parols, printed on letter paper, and
bearing these words: q use my own
name).
APPoMATTox Court HoUsR, VA,
8 APRIL 10th, 1865.
The bearer, Private F. II. Foote, of
: Co. F., 48th Regiment of Miss. Infantry,
paroled prisoner of the Army of
Z Northern Virginia, has permission to
! go to.his home, and there remain undis-
turbed.
Is Signed, P. RoGERs,
Is Capt. Comd'g 4sth Miss. Reg't.
After the receipt of these passes we
| we're at loss as what to do. Home was
distant twelve hundred miles. The
country was barren of supplies; no
| transportation could be had. A few of
us decided to return home via the North.
We intended to make our way somehow
to Cairo, Ill, thence down the Missis-
sippi river. Our company chest, or fund
of money, was called into requisition,
and we found that each of US, (eleven
left, would have fifty dollars in good
money of Louisiana banks. It was given
out, and nine of US took the route
north Bidding our comrades adieu, we
parted company. At the station We
found Federal troops unloading train
of rations. We tried every way to get
q share, but failed. At last a soldier
told US to "look out--he would fix it. =
As he came down the platform, he over
balanced himself, and the box of bis
cults fell to the ground broken. It
didn't take long to confscate those
crackers. Another kind hearted soldier
said, zone Of you stand by the door on
the other side, and / viii put you out
piece of meat. We did so, and soon
were in possession of bacon shoulder;
It was concealed, and carried to a spring
of water near by, where with some cof-
fee provided by the federal soldiers, who
came down and Joined Us in the dinner,
we ate, drank and were happy.
Thanking our kind friends, we set out
on our long journey. That night, be
fore we set out, the 18th, ! think, the
news of the assassination Of Mr.. Lincoln
was received in camp. t threw q deep
gloom over the Federal camp, and for .
| little while danger was apprehended
from the excited Federals. But this
soon blew of. Not q word was said
that l knew Of, Of the JustnesS of the
act that plunged nation into grief and
teok the life of good man. Not q
Confederate soldier cheered the deed,
nor gave vent TO any expression Of JOY
over the event. On the contrary, it Was
generally condemned. Of course re
knew nothing Of the character Of Presi-
dent Lincoln. But the act that deprived
him of his life Was not upheld By the
soldiers of Lees army.
Our first night out We camped with q
| LOT Of Federal bummers, wag0ners and
cattle drivers A fight was Imminent
at one time between rs. L was the on
Nv afront or insult We had received
since the surrender. The rufians and
Ibunaners flung the insult. Near Farm
vile we slept ID . tobacco barn; It vas
half full Of tobacco in the leaf About
3 dozen soldiers were already ii the
building when We arrived As il was
raining hard we spread our blan-
kets On the tobacco and tried to sleep;
I'VE began to feel sick and nause-
a4a1 eg~l heoau II anaaze 81 manv