The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1888-03-02
A WAR TRAGEDY.
Philadelphia Times.

A war story to day. Something
about nolth Alabama and Fort Del.
aware. A fascinating subject al
ways, in spite OF the yesrs since
AppOmaltoX. A story told by Il
brilliant fellow, who tells a story
well. lie said:
II you have never been in the
valley of the TenneSsee-I mean
in that part Vt the famous valley
that stretches southwest ard from
the great Sand moHntlin to the pic.
turesquc table laudS of Monte Sano,
you have missed a scene tho farest
Of all in that country of tair scenes.
| will not attempt to describe it. |
cannot do it justice. No Que can.
1t is The PartiiSe at north Alabama,
aud in the heart of that far south.
Frn district devastated by war, and
yet, thanks to its pro ecting bull
wark of mountains, Its pleasant
homes and well-t.lled lands escaped
almost unScalhed.
Not many miles to the north is
Lookout mountain and the battle
fields OF Mission Ridge aud Chick
amanga. Farther 10 the south and
west, aud on the same great trunk
line that passes within the shadow
of the heights Oh which Hooker
fought his "battle in the clOudso is
that already famous Young city of
phenOminai growth, Decatur, aud
beyond that, the new Sheffield and
war. Scared COrinth.
But while this corner of the great
valley saw little of either blue coats
or gray-except, perhaps, an occa-
sion forasing party that chance led
away from The IailrOd and into the
garden land between the big hills,
the valley gave Its best blood for !
tie cause of the COniederacy, and
sons and brothers left the cotton
nnpicked in the field to join Bragg
aud his gathering hosts across the
border-llne OF Tennessee, or to fol.
low the fortunes Of Morgan or Stu.
art on their cavalry raids to the
North.
Back from the Tennessee, in a
cove protected from the northers
by the broad back of Monte Sano,
q hardy mountain farmer had built
a house of uncut stOne-a poor
place at best, but a home for the
sake of what was in it. 1t was not |
a typical Southern home, for the
good vile aud mother was house.
keeper, dairy-mald and gardener,
all in Que, while the two strapping
boys, with their father, did the work
that on other plantations fell to the
task of the negro slaves. At the
nearest store, at MaysvilIe, old
John Rogers was with indiscrimin.
ate courtesy dubbed "ColOnel."
Why, he never knew. Perhaps no
one else did. Even before the war
titles were popular in
Dixie. Now they are all COlouels.
So few privates escaped the war.
Among the negroes "C0l." John
was looked upon With some disdain.
A man who "worked" his farm
without a single black "5oy" was
not likely to win the respect of "the
quarters at the big plantations OH
the river. Farmers who worked
we're "poo-ah white trash in those
days of easy Incidence. But "Col.'
John thrived for all that, aud never
a home in all the broad valley was
happier than that in tie little cove
under the shadow of Monte Sano.
News travels slow in the country.
In those days few newspapers found
their way into the Tennessee valley
of Alabama, aud the first shOck Of
war ut Fort Sumpler WAS too FAR
A way to effect The tranquility of the
pcople BY the great river. Tben
rsne the frantic call for troops by
lhe government at Montgomery,
and the great valley was at last
awakened to the horrors Of war.
A recruiting Office was opened at
ten miles away, on the
other side Of Moute Sano, aud hus-
bauds and fathers and sous left