National Republican., 1885-02-14

Writenfor The NATIONAL REPUBLICAN,
protest that in the following narra-
tion am not conscious Of being prompted
by the least spark of malice or bitter
feeling. l have thought that tho facts
herein stated, as a phase Of the civil war,
might be Of interest, and therefore
have jotted them down and suppose
my experience was similar to that Of
other confcderates who returned to their
homes after tho bottom had fallen out Of
the bucket, so to speak.
{ After tho surrender at Appomattox,
and we had received our written paroles
4 emitting us 40 go to our homes aud re-
main there unmolested until exchanged"
1 managed TO secure horse and started
to ride across the country to my home at
Fairfax Court House. When / got to
Warrenton, Fsuquier county, the news
was received that
PRECEDENT LINCOLN HAD BEEN AssAs-
sINATED
and that tho federal troops in and about
tho court house were terribly excited
over the event. Ny friends urged me
not to enter the federal lines rs the life
of a confederate soldier, even with Gen,
Grants parole in his pocket would not
bo safe at such time. However, also
heard that my father had died about q
week before, and l determined TO run
tho risk, as did not know in what sit
uation the family had been left by his
death. When l arrived at the federal
outposts was placed under guard and
escorted to the provost marshaPs office in
the village, whore, after some psrleying
as to whether should be put in Jail or
not, it was finally agreed that in
view of all the circumstances l should
be permitted to visit my homo for
that night at least. Two lieutenants of
the provost guard, Mcguire and Zellers,
one walking on each side Of me, escorted
mo to my home, perhaps as q precaution
for my safety, and many black looks were
cast upon me by the soldiery rs we passed
by them. l was directed to consider my
self as prisoner, and on my honor not to
stir out Of the house until sent for. The
next morning q corporal's guard came
down and directed me to get together
my traps for a move. We all then got
into lumber wagon and were jolted over
q corduroy road to Fairfax station, where
/ found a number Of my confederate &C.
quaintances,
ALSO IN DURANGO VILE.
The whole crowd was placed upon the
cars and carried to Alexandria, where
after a preliminary examination, we
were marched OFF TO the old slave pen and
locked up. Here there were two OF
three hundred confederate prisoners
awaiting the advent of the fresh fish,
Late in the afternoon, after much tele'
graphing backwards and forwards bo'
tween Alexandria and Washington, those
Ar ho bod nrank'a
ordered to be brought again before the
provost marshal. l wish / knew the
name Of the latter individual. for he
treated us with but soant courtesy
Gen. II. II. Wells was in command o.
tho city, but he has since informed mt
that he was absent at the time, and doei
not remember who was acting as proves
marshal. A sergeant conducted US into {
clerks room. and after taking down oul
names, &C., ordered us to hand over oul
paroles. He then deliberately tore III
the latter, and began to insert ou
names in blank passports. We on,
and all refused to accent thes
passes, or as one of the part,
put it. 'If Gen. Grants parole is not SUI
fcient to protect US we don't want any o
your d-d safe conducts" Next we wer
taken in hand by sergeant, who, in tn
presence Of the provost marshal, delhi
erasely went to work to cut tho bras
buttons UNITED States buttons at that
and insignia Of rank from our uniforms
but he whispered to me as he was operat
ing on my coat, 81 hate like hi to d
this thing but have to obey orders, 20
know" Finally we were turned ou
buttonless on the street, with orders I
report next morning which we did, an
were sent under guard to our homei
where
WE WERE LET LOOSE FINALLY.
As soon as practicable 1 started
school, but the feeling against myse
and John II. Thomas, Of Mosby's con
mand Il think we were tho only two rC
turned confederates in the village at tha
time) was very bitter, although we wer
exceedingly oircumspect in all we said @
did. In fact Thomas narrowly escape
injury at the hands of q mob who ha
been excited against him by an old farme
named Roberts with cock and bu
story of robberies he charged Thoms
with having committed during the wa
by the interposition of an artillery o.
fcer, who had conceived liking 10
him. Now, there was encamped near th
village regiment of Pennsylvania II
serves (the 211th, think, and the
were especially venomous toward th
touOioi hib NV iaii w oipoW ub "
the sidewalk when passing, even if walk
ing with ladies. l was informe
and believe that these fellows ha
never been in battle and neve
heard the whistle of n confederate bulle
One evening Thomas and myself left th
village to attend q social gathering at
house in the country, whore we RENAME
all night. 1t was lucky for us we did 81
The next morning when l returned Stat
Senator VIM. III. Dulauy and Mr.. o.
Hunt approached and informed me thi
band of soldiers with faces blacked, an
headed by Capt. Ryan, had the Nigh
before been hunting the village over f
Thomas. the MosbYite, and Murray, I'll
schoolmaster," who, they claimed, the
had been creditably informed. had u
tempted to poison the wells and sprnl
used by the troops. Had they run acr
us that night we would have assured
been seriously, if not fatally, maltreate
THINGS WERE NOW BECOMING sERIoU
If l had had myself only to look after
would at once have left the village, but
could not leave my helpless young 81
ters. Seeing Ryan sitting on the pore
of the hotel, resolved to take the bu
by the horns at once. So / walked ov
and said to him, Capt. Ryan, you wei
looking for me last night. | am here
report" Said he, II want nothing to {
with you or any Of your kidney" i T
piled, II will not have my life eDdanger'
by the absurd charges preferred again
me, and | give you notice that l sha
forthwith bring this matter before Gle
Candy, commander of tho department
Accordingly that day | started for Was
ington, aud, in company with the la
Judge VIM. f, Purcell, of tho orphan
court, called upon Gen, Candy who Ii
tened to my statement with kindness OF
courtesy, and, as u result, this regime
was removed within u week.
In the two months succeeding the su
render the troops about the villa
seemed to have Mo5by on the brai
Nothing would convince them tn
Mosby was not prowling around seckil