The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-28
THE "YANKEES ARE COMM"
Childish Recollections of a Federal
Raid, by aNoted Southern Writer.
Miss McClelland, Author of "0blivion," Tells
How She Watched Clusters Division
on the Banks of the James.
written for the Indianapolis Journal.

Written for the indianapolis Journal.
Yankees comm - the words grew very
familiar to my small ears during the last year OF
the war in all the varied intonations which an
GER apprehension and earnest speculation could
give them. To my mind they conveyed no very
definite idea, only vague suggestions of danger
that was exhilarating as long as it kept great
way off, and horror that was fearfully, pleasure
bly, exciting as long as the "bogy man" was safe
in his dark closet. / thought about these
enemies of mine great deal in a childish way
as was unavoidable, for around me was always
the deep anxiety and keen interest of the strug-
sic. / leaned on my mothers knee
and listened to endless discussions Of mill
tary movements, governmental policy. the
prospects Of obtaining supplies, the sufferings
and hardsnips of the men in the field. I
watched the packing of boxes with necessaries
rified from the ever-decreasing home comforts
to be sent to the front; sat on the knees of sol
diers. and heard them talk of battle and DANGER
carnage and death. The Yankees came in time
to be my BLACK Douglas and made wonder
full romances about what they would do to us in
case they ever really did come. remember I
used to perch myself on the end of Aunt Char
lotte's ironinetable and chatter away as fast as
my little tongue could rum until one day, after
an unusually brilliant burst, the old black wom-
an put aside her iron in amazement and ques-
toned earnestly: Lord a-mussy pom me honey!
Is dey folksl"
This went on for several months with ever
increasing danger that the coming of the Yam
KEGS might, after all, be only question of a few
weeks. On the faces of the elders the cloud Of
anxiety deepened as the days went by, until
even the children felt vaguely that the air was
heavy with events All the boys of twelve and
fourteen were enrolled in company which
proudly called itself Home Guard" and were
regularly mustered and drilled by a few grey
boards. Looking back upon it across the years,
itappears infinitely pathetic-the bright, young
faces, the. splendid Importance and dignity of
the small soldiers the homespun jackets and the
old shotguns. Then it seemed the very pride
and circumstance of war, and sat humbly on
the porch-step and watched them drill with un-
ypeakable admiration, and when one of my little
cousins snubbed for being only usel ess
girl, really did not wonder at it, and was too
deeply impressed with his military glory to be
becomingly resentful
One raw March morning in the spring of 1865
we were awakened about daybreak in the morn
ing by the negroes rushing to the house with the
intelligence that the long wooden bridge across
James river at HardwicksviIle, five miles below
us, was on fire. Hurrying on our clothing, we
fastened out into the yard to verify the truth of
the statement, and stood shivering with cold
and excitement under the leafess trees, watch
ing the long line Of flame that spanned the
stream from shore to shore, and the dense
volumes Of heavy lightwood smoke that hung
low in the chill morning air, and obscured the
: background Of the hills, and made the newly
risen sun look red and rayless.
For weeks the two bridges-the one at Hard
wicksville and the other at Bent creek, fourteen
miles above-had been prepared for hasty burn
ing. 1t was known that Sheridan meditated q
Quick dash across the country from Staunton
and Winchester, to cut the James River e. Ka-
nAwha canal and the Southside railway, the only
avenues Of supply left TO beleagured Richmond
In anticipation of this move the people had load
ed the bridges with straw and liehtwood, and
everything infammabe they could procure, so
as to be able to cut off communication between
the north and south sides of the river and at least
secure delay, which might prove the salvation of
the railway. All that short spring day there
OF events that were swooping down closer and
closer. My mother attended to her duties as
usua. but with an anxious and preoccupied air,
and fitted about ceaslessly and could settle to
nothing. In short time after the fall of the
Y burning bridge at Hardwicksville watched from
the brow of the hill the charred, blackened tim
bers of the Bent-creek bridge float past.
In the afternoon the advanced column of
Clusters division pressed slowly up the valley,
and was joined at the little village of New Mar
ket, on Tye river, in Nelson county, by Sheri-
dams raiders from above. Ten thousand strong
they mustered and by the time that the shadows
of evening had gathered in they were encamped
on the hills and in the fields OF the plantations
opposite US on the Nelson side of the river
In a fever of excitement climbed up upon
tollgate post, and watched the preparations Of
the soldiers for camping with an interest so keen
that could hardly be induced to abandon my
post of observation even when twilight obscured
my vision. The houses of the gentlemen were
taken by the officers for headquarters, General
Custer and staff officers being at Norwood, the
home Of Mr.. VIM. ID. Cabell, near kinsman of
my father, and situated just opposite /
remember little cousin of mine telling me
afterward about sitting on General Custer
knee and devourine cut-loaf sugar IAN unknown
dainty with US little ''rebs'), while the General
talked to him and examined him in arithmetic.
had never heard brass band in my life, and
when the regimental band struck up some of the
national airs In the camp opposite almost tum-
~bled off my post in the excess of my excitement
and delight This was an experience almost
worth raid to gain. Never, never! had heard
such music before, and, in my ignorance,
doubted if even the angels had better.
Fer into the night fingered on the hillsides,
holding tight to my mothers hand and watching
theypyriad stars, made by the camp-fres on the
opposite hills, hearkening TO the ring of the,axes
cutting up the farmers fencing to feed the
flames. and the sounds of the soldiery. Once |
asked my mother If she thought it likely that the
Yankees would get across to US in the morning,
and she answered: Pray God not child, for
then what would become of Richmond They
would cut the railway, too"
When we went back to the house at last we
. found one OF our kinsmen had just come in,
spent and exhausted by hours in the saddle
While he ate the food my mother placed before
him, he told us that having heard a rumor to the
effect that the enemy were actually in motion
toward this point. he had ridden to Hardwicks-
vile before daylight that morning and fred the
bridge. Leaving others to see that the work of
destruction was complete he then galloped
through the country to Bent creek and fired the
4 bridge there also.
Most Of that first night of the federal occu-
patton OF our valley / passed sitting huddled
Ia the chimney corner, far too excited to sleep.
80 I.n4an;rn 70 tha falk nf nnr n,,os4 ...a.!i'