The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1886-09-10
NUMBER 2S.

y
enlistment, over foar years before,
to my home in the country, having
been released from prison upon
making the "usual pledge" IN June,
] do not wish to recall the unha9-
py condition of my country ut that
time, nor of the scenes of the days
of reconstruction; suffice it is to
say, our people accepted the situa-
ton in good faith, aud set about to
rebuild the waste places. | refer
to incidents connected with my
taking in" by the 104th. | recall
IL set OF private soldiers of the l04th
-all gentlemen. | had learned
before that all the gentlemen in the
army were not officers, though all
officers should have been gentle
men. AS | wrote to Capt. Knapp
before my departure from home, [
would travel ali the way to Ohio to
meet and take by the hand that
big hearted private soldier, who
seeing | was almost barefoot, hav-
ing been Oh a march for some weeks
over "A rough country, and disap-
pointed III my expectations as to
the manner in when | would enter
Nashville, generously and nagnani-
mously took the shoes from his feet
and put them on mine. Ifthat man
is he:e | beg he should ROW make
himself known. 1t has been sug-
2ested that George Stackhouse
was the man. but a glance at the
foundations" of the sergeant salts
fies me he is not the mau.
After a pleasant interview with
your division commander, Gen.
Cox, / went into other hands and
soon landed in the Tennessee peni-
Tertiary, result of getting into
bad company. | don't mean the
104th. Maybe it was the bad COM
pany had gotten into some years
before. was not prepared for what
| have seen here to day. | of course
expected civil treatment and cor
dial reception at the hands of the
old soldiers who invited me to
come, but | cannot express my APP
appreciation of the distinguished
honor yon have done me. The fact
is, | am quite overwhelmed. You
cannot appreciate my feeling at the
sight of this old sword. 1t has a
history-it was worn by my prede-
cesSor, Capt. Tom Sharp, who was
killed in front of Atlanta while
6rayely leading his company. His
body fell into the hands Of the Fed
erals, who gave it decent burial.
He was Il Mason, and was buried
by members of that noble fraternity.
This sword was returned to Gen.
Sharp, the brother of the Captain,
and commander of the bri gade
which bore his name. The latter
presented the sword to me upon my
promotion to the command of the
company:
AS this sword hls never been
used except in good faith, il will
no, | trust, be unsheathed in the
future except III defense of ous com
mol country, unitel III heart aud
interesT. the grandest OH the face Of
the earth.
Our boys are ready to take part,
on short notice, in the little Cutting
Scrape Oh our Southern border, and
will prove as loyal to the stars and
stripes that wave above me as the
gallant veterans of the 104th or
their sons; side by side they will
prove TO our Greaser neighbOrS that
our government is able to back up
all its demands. | think, however,
that our boys will be disappointed
there will be no war with Mexico.
We have two fine military com
Danles in the city where | live, who
nave already rendered their servi.
'es to the government, and they are
Is handsome companies as | ever
saw, except the one before me-the
Daughters Of Veterans. admire
he military spirit of the girls. 1t
had met this company at Frank
i'm | should have surrendered more
promptly than [ did to You men, as
zig as yon were. God bless the
girls. L believe in the Georgia
girls idea of bridging the bloody
;hasm. Let the buckeye boys
eek SoutherI wives, and "Rebel7
IOys "Yankee" wives. | again
bank you most heartily for your
Kind reception and bid you one aud
vi goodbye. lhope to meet you
~ another reunion occasion.