The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-07-03


brought me large pound pear and told
me to give it to the prettiest Union girl l
met.
THE pRETT1Esr "REBEL GIRL"
I did not extend my hand for the
proffered fruit. but said, "Thank you,
Union girls p and seeing be still held
the pear to me, and I disliking to seem
to hesitate on his account, for | appreci!,,
ated his politeness, I added, "if you will
saw the prettiest rebel I will do it."
"Ah, wellp he answered. "Then you
will eat it."
/ "No, sir" emphatically. "Had you
said the greatest rebel, would"
"a little too strong," said Gen. Vodges.
"Give it to the prettiest rebel girl you
meet"
So carried the pear to Raleigh and
my little cousin ate ii.
From Suffolk across the Blackwater
River to Murphy's Station, from that
place to Weldon, North Carolina, thence
4 to Raleigh, where I tarried for more than
q week with my goodly cousin. At all
of these points I was either met by ac-
ouaintances and placed in charge of
some kindly new friend so that 1 felt my
lines had fallen in pleasant places.
From Raleigh my destination was
Petersburg, Virginia, to spend week
before I made Richmond my home pro
tem., in accordance with letter from my
cousin, an officer in the Confederate
service, whose family we're refngeeing
near the city of Richmond, and upon
whose influence I relied to get situation
in the treasury. Leaving Raleigh for
Greensboro I had the kind care of
wounded Confederate Captain, who at
tended to my bag and baggage, and while
in conversation with him awaiting the
train for Danville a gentleman, I haven't
forgotten his name, Joined in. lie was
the freightmaster, pretty good position
he allowed; for instance, ne SAID :
Sometimes we have heavy freight OF
-four, government property. We delay
| it, let it get good sprinkle OF rain and
report it damaged, condemned of course,
and,we buy it cheap as dirt-not hurt,
oh, no There's where we make spec,
don't you see?
eyes sir, I see, and I don't wonder
whY the Confederacy is still struggling.
think the contest uneven. While some
men give their all and down in Norfolk
and Portsmouth we have men, who, too
feeble to fight, are aiding their cause
even in the midst of the enemy and re.
fuse the idea of money making in these
times that try mems souls; yet here, in
the very heart of the Confederacy, those
who should uphold are pulling down
the fabric with the greed of gain, and
Confederates starving. call what you
did cheating the Government"
Mr.. ShyIock was silenced. On the
Danyille bound train he offered me
position as teacher and gave his address.
did not accept. >,
At Burkesville Junction, Iparted with
my attentive friend, the Captain, who
placed me under the care of Gen. Henry
A. Wise, who was also en- route to Peters
burg. l passed week in Petersburg,
lulled to sleep at night by the picket
firing, aud then went to Richmond. My
application was filed for position in the
treasury and the next vacancy promised.
LAST DAYS OF THE coNFEDERAcY.
spent three happy, quiet months with
dear relatives, and still the gods were
kind. I enjoyed many comforts and
luxuries during the last days of the
Confederacy, albeit I had been patriotic
enough to make the best of potato and
! parched meal coffee, sometimes with
sorghum, without frown, enjoyed rice,
fried and boiled and boiled and fried,
tried my housewifely skill in making
sorghum pies-a truly warborn pie.
And, oh, when the freshet in the James
came! wasn't it fun Our refugee home
was at the Richmond Navy Yard, oppo-
site Rockets. We walked to church via
Mayo's bridge, to hear the gifted DR.. ].
E. Edwards, at Broad street, and on re.
turning home found our cottage an
island, entirely surrounded by water. To
be taken from the railroad embankment
in a boat, and landed Ia Venice, at the
porch steps didn't T say it was glori-
Gus !? and didn't the housewifely cousin,
with her many discomforts occasioned by
said freshet, threaten to annihilate me 7
How the water would lash the cottage
floor Didn't we enjoy the next day in
boat, going all over the garden fences,
and down by the real river, while a flag
of truce boat came by from Varina, laden
with our exchanged soldiers. Fan and l
waved welcome, and Willie pulled
hard at his oars to keep out Of the cur
rent.
And 80 I laughed misfortune in the
face, and firing of waiting for the treasu-
ry appointment / advertised as teacher
and secured quiet, pleasant home with
q widow lady in Powhatau County, Vir-
gipia, in March, 1865. / found Mrs. w.
to be very pleasant lady and shared
the room with her and her children, as it
seemed more protection than apart.
I had hardly become accustomed to my
new position, however, when Struggling,
ragged, war worn veterans stopped to be
fed or passed on to cross Appomattox
River en- route to Amelia Courthouse,
and the booming of the distant guns
caused US to hide, to bundle and make
preparations to meet the enemy, daily
and nightly expected. Those reverbera-
tions were the dying throes of the South
ern Confederacy. Then came the lull,
the still of death. For six weeks we
were as completely lost to the outer world
as Crusoe on his island. A kind of
trance possessed us. We knew not if the
other part'of the world had been swal-
lowed up and we only left to tell what
had been.
The dawn soon came. The world had
logged along without us. We we're all
paroled prisoners. I am yet. Lincoln
was killed. Poor man I always felt
sorry for him and his poor "Carlotta."
Then the iron horse from Richmond
snorted from station to station, and 1
babe my kind friend goodbye, for
"some one" came for me. He too was
paroled prisoner, volunteering when 1S
years old, in 1861, following Chambliss,
Jeb. Staurt and Wade Hampton through
it all. I won't leave you to guess it, but
on the Richmond bound train the hand
that had been pledged to him for three
wears was promised when September