The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-31
A WAR "REMINISCENCES.
me Strange Meeting of an Indiana Soldier
with an Old Acquaintance.

A rather interesting story of the war was
Gold by Joseph R. Perry, at the national con-
vention of soldiers, which was held in Indian
apolis last summer but. as the reports Of the
session were necessarily abridged, it escaped
publication at the time It is good enough,
however, to be given to the public row.
while Decoration Day Is recalling to
mind recoliectiofs g. g. TIE TIE war, and Journal
reporter who remembered something of it drop
ped into Mr. Perry's place of business yesterday
10 hear fresh narrative of the incident
'sIt was sometime in the summer of 1861" Mr.
Perry said, 'that the Twenty-frst Ohio Regi-
ment was down in West Virginia, in the Ka-
sawha river region. The regiment was
composed Of men gathered up
promiscuously in the Black Swamp
region of Ohio. There were one or two COM
panies of gray haired men, too old to bear arms
who had gone into the service to fight for a
principle-not merely to put down the rebellion
but to emancipate the slaves They were very
RELIGIOUS, and they would hold prayer meetings
ut night They would pray for the freedom Of
the slaves, and that the negroes might have
equal rights with the white people. Their
prayers were very interesting to US young fell
lows who'd 60 there about to listen to them, be-
cause they were asking for something more
than the issue of the war promised at that time,
but everything that those old fellows asked in
their prayers came about afterwards, ard it is
out of those results that this incident I'm telling
you about came to a conclusion. We camped
one day near a little town called Red Bank, on
the Kanawha, and after our coffee had been pre-
pared. we found that we hadn't a spoonful of
sugar in camp. There were a lot of negro cabins
over on a hillside opposite our camp, and 1
agreed to go over and try to get
some sugar from the negroes. There
was but thirteen cents in money in
the whole camp, but / took that and started
over with tin can to get the sugar. / entered
one Of the cabins and found buxom negro
woman, with two little pickaninnies hanging to
her linsey dress They drew off into corner of
Che cabin, half-frightened when went in, but 1
told them that they needn't be afraid; that |
only wanted to get some sugar, and that had
The money to pay for it.
Use kindly feard O. you 'uns said the negro
woman; mastah told me not to have anything
to do with you Yankees, cause you'se gwine to
take US off to Cuby and sell US to get money to
carry on the wah.'
a. My good woman said to her, giving her a
little barney. because l wanted the sugar, you
don't understand what this war is about We
Yankees are fighting for you, and, if this war
comes out the way we want 1t to, you
will be free, and you won't have
any master, and will have all the rights that
white people have Your little boy there will
= chance to become Governor of Virginia as any
white boy
''Fo' de Lord, you don't say SOP she ex-
claimed.
II went on to tell her then about how the
black people were just as good as the white, and
how they would be benefited if we were victo-
rious. Before quit talking she brought out an
old can and gave me what sugar
wanted. She didn't want to take the money,
but told her that she'd better and she accepted
was Onl an inc Of aft re-
j had told the boys in camp how got the sugar,
j thought no more about the matter had for
gotten it entirely until about three years ago,
when was returning from the City Hospital
an old negro woman with basket of
clothes / was sitting near the door and helped
her 10 lift the basket into the car. She sat down
beside me and remarked: Mighty cold tonight
Don't have any such cold weather down whar
NV ole home is'"
Where was your old homer inquired
AT the little town of Red Bank, down on the
Kanawha river, in Wes' Virginyah.'
did you live in little cabin, with well be-
side it, and opposite big white housep / asked
her.
fright dar was whar lived
".And do you remember when the Yankee SOL
aiers camped over in the meadow, near your
eabinF
'"Deed do, sir remember that mighty
WELL
:. Do YOU remember young soldier, with
brass horn strapped to his shoulder, and small
sword at his side, coming over to your cabin to
buy some sugarP
a. should say do remembers dat young
man mighty well. He spoke the first good words
j ever heard said about the colored people. He
cold me that was to be free, and that my little
boy might be President some day. Why, he
give me- thirteen cents. kept that money ever
since for luck, and I've got it right heren and the
old woman drew from her bosom small, dirty
purse, from which she took the coins that had
given her for the sugar twenty years before.
'.'Do you think you would know that young
fellow If you should ever see him againp
''Deed / would. I'd know that young man
the minute set eyes on him.
"'Well Auntie, I'm that young man.
g For de Lords sake, honeyp she exclaimed,
and threw her arms about me. Tt was doubtless
funny scene to the passengers in the car, but
her demonstrations made il a little embarrassing
and trife unpleasant for ma. LEARNED after
ward that the womans husband was carpenter
here in the city, and that they were moderately
prosperous"