Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-10-02
WAR ERLES,
"reminiscences of the Fourth Geor-
gia Regiment.


"LiffIs Sa a." IN 4 aerjc1ls tGaJ ReDublicays
When we arrived in Portsmouth, Va,
we were marched to the navy yard an
assigned TO quarters in large twO-story
brick house. While here the report was
started that rhe employees in the navy
yard, being Northern men, had struck,
aud that they intended blowing up the
building. The rumnr was circulated
freely through the command. and about
the hour OF 9 O'Clock p. m. when taps
were sounded | saw one Of my company
looking around apparently as if he 3 adj
'Ost some thing. said to him, 'Jacky,'
What have YOU lostY' He replied, "Noih-
ing, but | am looking for a sPot IN the
| ceiling 10 90 through when they blow up
this darned old house" We slept through
the night without any alarm until about
O'Clock in the morning, when some early
| riser Was moving about and knocked
| down large plank from the work bench.
/ The noise sounded ike d cannon. and
| one OF our company an lsraelite) jumped
! up 10 a sitting posture and looking around
| SAID. by damn, l did think 1t was a
bomb"
! While in the navy yard our first supply
! Of ammunition was issued to Us, and CON-
! sisted OF two cartridges ana three caps.
! These cartridges were composed eaca OF
! soldier would have TO SIT down and trim
the bah before IL would tit the musket. |
remember one sentinel who, after being
| relieved from guard duty, went out TO the
| wharf To tire off his musket. he held it
| out from his body and started to shoot.
Some ore asked him why he did not put
| his gun to his shoulder His reply was,
This thing would kick me from Ill 10
breakfast" Our guns were the old
! $50 Ia int md tf11 -,
the percussion style. My first duty as a
guard was but IA few days alter going into
quarters at Portsmouth. 1he night was
dark and misty, and upon a certain post
which commanded a public road leadin
direct to the navy yard tAere we're special
| instructions 10 keep keen LOCKOUT, tor
lear the enemy might surprise us. One
OF the young soldiers who was detailed
tor guard that night was placed on this
post, and when We went around about IL
O'clock that night to relieve the guard he
was found asleep on his post.
! was in charge OF The guard eighteen
men }, and pOndered over the matter for
some time. Finally decided il would be
| best to talk IL over with the officer Of the
! guard. Lieutenant, afterwards Col. W. |
reported the case to him, Land the next day
we investigated the matter and found that
! the young bOy-fOr ne vas not more than
! 16 years old-was put on duty alter be had
reported himself sick, and that he WAS
! really unit for duty, consequently there
were no charges brought against him.
We moved IRON toe navy ward several
miles out IN the country, to what was
! known as the Glover Field" camp, and
while here there came one day a courier
| dashing down The road, VINO reported that
the enemy were landing Just below the
navy yard, and were attacking tue Third
g. orgia regiment. Col. D9les ordered
! Capt. w l.. johnson to take his company
the sumter Light Guards, aud the 4 4.
! bany Guards Capt. Rust }, aud 20 to the
nep of the Third Georgia. We were
called together at once by the sound Of
the ''long roll." After forming the TWO
companies we were tOld that the enemy
had landed and were attacking our forces
We started down the road for the scene
OF action at 'dOuble quick" but were
halted before proceeding ar and told TO
load our guns. Capt. johnson, looking
down the lines after hating. saw his SER
! want, "Old LIZ" close to bin. He said 10
Lit, Nv hat are you dong here? This is
no place Tor you; go back TO camp" Oid
Lit, drawing himself up proudly be was
square made and very erect), said: alt
you want any body TO go back TO camp
you 20 yourself. l am going to see this
hHht." Lit went on with the command
several OF our men were unable TO load
their guns, and were sent bacX TO camp.
As soon rs we had loaded we We're
again moved forward Mt double quick, in
columns OF tours. Upon reaching the
field where the Ihrd Georgia were en-
camped we were ordered into line Of bat
Tie, and my old friend Corporal f. was
seen some ten feet ahead of the lines. with
musket cooked, ready 10 shoot the first
! Yankee I've saw. 1t proved to he a false
alarm, caused toy the Ihlrd Georgia firing
OF their muskets. They had been on a
scout, and had just returned with loaded
! guns.
! 1t was in one Of these clover fields that
the joke was started upon the Georgia
soldiers that they scratched up a ten-acre
held of clover, thinking IL was a "goober"
! patch.