The National Republican., 1885-11-17


bellum days on the plantations of the
south, should now reproach me for writing
good word for the negro in the last two
articles l have furnished to the REpUBLG-
CAN. am not so hide-bound In felation to
race supremacy and prejudice as to seek to
suppress or to conceal facts which are well
known TO every southener. Forfour years
served in the army of the confederacy,
and think | may confidently assert that
never shirked my duty, and know | may
appeal to my officers in attestation Of THIS
fact have nothing to win or lose in say
ing what | have said about the colored
race "a no,bg and am IN tbs sure opodi there
have simply told what | rccollcct of the
colored race during the war. And / defy
any man to say to me that have not stated
facts AS matter Of sheer obstinacy /
ought to continue TO write on the same
subject, but perhaps have said enough TO
indicate my feelings and rccOllectiOns rela-
tive thereto. Suffice 1t to say that | was
'inspiredn by no human being to write
what have written.
THE PRACTICE OF PICKET SHOOTING.
II is much more pleasant for me to recur
to recollectiOns which will not excite dis
cussion and recriminatiOn. The old vete-
days of the war in Virginia, before the vol
unteers on either side had settled down to
their work, so to speak, and gained some
experience In the realities Of warfare the
practice of firing on pickets commonly OBJ
taincd, and many q man lost his life under
this unsoldierly aud murdcrous system.
After the first battle of Bull Bun, the con-
fcderate army under Gen. Joe Johnston was
lickcting along the lines in front of Wash
fneytA dol tom ulNA pnf. sal
to was then in full blast, and not only did
the pickets, when the opposing lines were
established within rifle range OF each other,
keep up u fusillade whenever head was
shown TO shoot at, but there were scouts on
either side who were accustomed to creep
up on the unsuspecting pickets and shoot
them down in the most barbarous fashion.
The generals got tired finally of this sort
of guerrilla warfare and issued orders to
stop 1t, but the troops themselves, us If by
tGclt agreement, recognized the absurdity
and barbarity of this mode Of fighting which
did not advance the interests or cause Of
either side. And thus IL came to pass that
after the first year of the war the outer line
of videttGs, unless advancing for battle,
were accustomed to lounge in full view Of
each other without thinking Of firing hos
tile shot.
A CHANGE FOR THE BETTER.
In fact, long conversations were held, the
opposing troops chatting each other in
good-naturcd manner. 1t will be readily
understood that such pleasant interchange
of talk was not observed when the lines
were closely drawn up in what might be
termed continuous battle-for instance,
at Yorktown, Spotsylvania Court House,
Petersburg, &c. At those places IL was al
most certain death for soldier to expose
himself for an instant above the intrCnch-
a.. n.s., -f1
was done by thrusting the rifle over the
breastworks and quickly withdrawing 1t.
The troops of both armies, think, had,
before the close of the second year of the
war, inspired each other with mutual re-
spect, and on the occasions for burial OF the
dead as at Antietam, Fredericksburg,
Second Manassas, &C., they were glad to
meet each other and discuss amicably the
features OF the battles. 1t was particularly
observable on such occasions that the most
scrupulous courtesy was exhibited, and ii
battles or campaigns were referred to it
was with the hndliest expressions of recip-
rocal respect. The braggart or the bully
had no place in such scene. By the way,
of all the experience of a soldiers hard lot,
TO be detailed to bury the dead is the most
disugreeable except to those ghOulish ma
tures-and they are found in every army
who anticipate harvest Of valuables from
sometimes in dreams, / imagine myself
upon the field of slain, and can smell the
sickenlng odor Of blood and hear the groans
and cries of the wounded and dying.
A SAD MISSION.
After the first battle of Fredericksburg
IL was no uncommon sight to see an am
bulance driven along with the white flag
flying and accompanied by detachment of
blue.eoated soldiers with shovels and picks
TO diainter the body of some officer or soldier
who had fallen in that bloody fight. FIRE.
quently the widow Of the dead man sat in
the ambulance in her sable weeds, and, as
the funeral cortegc passed, the confederate
soldiers on the roadside, to man, would
life their hats In token Of respect. You see
we all recognized the valor with which the
federals had charged on our frowning works,
in front of which every inch OF ground was
swept by the fire of our batteries.
Here is what wrote some years ago about
The subject of this article, and It is a true
exposition of the department of the men
on the opposing lines when the eXigcncies
OF the war enabled them to come together
in friendly conference
But there Is bright side to every prospect
If We only look for 1t long enough OftCntimes,
when no truce was existing the soldiers on
the picket lines made one for themselves with
out saying 'by your leave to their officers.
Picket duty Is mOnotonous work at the best
and little conversation and interchange of
news not contraband with their opponents was
n welcome rclieftO both the blue aud the gray;
but better than all this was theiinterchange of
commodities which the one possessed and the
other had not. Now the Hanks were we'll
supplied with the best of coffee and sugar
while the JOhnnies were iamine.struck for the
same, but the latter were well furnished with
the best of tobacco and the former were famine.
struck for the same. Here was good chance
for an equitable swap" One man from each
company on the picket line would lay down his
rife, gather up his own and his comrades
commodities in an oil'cloth blanket, and
shouldering 1t, advance midway to meet his
obllging opponent Here the trade proceeded
Iapidly-a pint cup of coffee and one of sugar
for plug OF tobaCCo-and rs soon rs the
blankets had changed contents the messengers
would cordially shake hands and march back
to their eNpGCtant comrades, who had watched
the IrAccCdings with mouths watering. But Ii
was not only ON land the piCkets met; rivers
could not keep them apart. Next in import
nnce 10 the coffee, sugar, and tobacco trade
came the desire to read the opposing news
papers. and almost any risk was run 70 make a
Trade therein, although It must be said TO- the
credit OF the men that they always cut from
the columns any paragraph that might give in
formation as 10 the movements or probable
movements of troops. Either side would have
felt contempt for man who gave information
huItlul 70 his army, and deserter was heartily
despiscd.
COLLEGE REUNIONS on THE LINES.
When our command was In front OF
Washington, and the vicious system OF
picket firing had been put an end to, as
have above stated, | frequently met on the
outposts many Of my college mates from
Georgetown University who were In the
Union ranks. They used TO twit me fol
deserting my "unionlsm," for ] used tC
wear the red, white, and blue cocliadC
while at college, but got even with then
one evening when section Of my company
gohbled up q whole line of federal plCkets
That was on the occasion when Gen
Mcclellan held Il grand review Of his troop.
beyond Arlington Heights, and presume
the forward movement we made was in
tended by Gen. Johnston to ascertain
whether Gen. Mcclellan was preparing an
immediate onset on our lines. Al any rate
can say II now, although 1t was absolute
neglect Of duty as sergeant of the guard
who had charge Of the prisoners the same
night, ! wlnkcd at the escape Of my old
schoolmates, and perhaps some Of them
now living in the city recollect the matter
well. When / had become more seasoned
and disciplined in warfare, they would moi