The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-01-24
STORIES OF THE WAR.
Lee, Jackson and Longstreet as
Viewed by PlUnkett.
WADE IN, F0RTY-EIGHTH p
For The Constitution.

that served in the Virginia army that don't
love Lee, Jackson and Longstreet."
Thus spoke old man Plunlgett, as he stopped
and dipped his pipe in the ashes and then re-
Stunning his easy position in his arm chair he
proceeded:
Whenever you heard of jackson making
telling dash in the rear Of the yankees, you
might he sure that LongstIeet had done some
bulldog fighting in front.
That's the way it was, and every confed-
crate soldier that went with Lee from Seven
Pines TO Spottsylyania will tell you the same
thing.
Later on we had the Hills, and the soldiers
would tell the yankees that they had two Ellis
TO pass over, Longstreet 10 trample, and
Stonowall to climb fore they'd get to Rich
mond; but, without disparagement to any, it
was Lee first and then Jackson and Lonestreet
that the soldiers Of tie Virginia army looked
to and loved the best.
"Colonels, brigadiers and maior-generals
came in for their share Of the affections of the
soldiers, and every company thought it had
the best captain, every regiment the best
colonel every brigade the best brigadier, every
division the best maior-general, and Long
streets corps thought Longstreet the best. and
Jacksons corps thought jackson the BEST
while all thought Lee the greatest and best
that had ever lived or that would ever live
and 50 it went and guess it was all right.
Il remember once" continued Plunkett
after stopping q moment TO relight his pipe,
near Orange Courthouse, the boys were
halted on the road, and some went to one side
and some to the, other, and were sitting down
before I could tell you about it-for it didn't
take tired soldier long to End a place 10 sit
that General Lee soon appeared on his gray
horse, and as he did the boys begin 10 rise 10
their feet and to wave their hats and holler,
and General Lee he pulled off his hat and rode
erlong with the sun broiling down on his bare
head, and he didn't say word till the boys
got enthused so that the road was elbout to he
blockaded, and then he checked his horse to
keep him from stepping OF some Of them, and
lowed
"I love youall. Lot me pass. My old war
horse, Longstreet, is just behind, and you must
save some OF your greeting for him
"And Lee hadn't more'n got hundred or
two yards before Longstreet did appear and he
had poor sick soldier that had struggled up
! behind him on his horse, and he stopped at q
wagon and told em to haul the soldier, and rs
he passed erlong thar was no man in that di-
vision who would er snapped him for any other
general they'd ever heard Of, and I think they
were about right.
buL, CONTINUED 1!unkeV, ItgIIlnG MS
pipe for the third time, "Jackson's men was
just as big fools over him, and | think they
were right too and the brigadiers were liked,
and the colonies were liked, and the captains
were liked, and the men liked one another,
and every one thought his company and his
regiment was the best, and I think they were
about right i'll that, for they were all the best;
but / seed one old colonel get riled once, and
1t liked to have caused eT right smart trouble
afterwards.
ut was at Sharpshurg, continued Plunkett,
after making two or three efforts to puff smoke
from his unlighted pipe, "and things were
mighty hot General Ranse Wright's brigade
rose from behind or rock fence, fixed bayonets.
and started for the top of hill where some
yankee cannon were planted, and the yankees
seed they were going to lose their guns If they
didn't stir mighty fast.
"And they stirred.
General Wright was as brave as he could
be, and he stood his ground with the yankee
infantry that came to meet him as long as he
could; but he seed they were going to kill all
his men, so he give orders to fall back The
brigade foil back slowly, fighting all the way;
the yankees pressed, and General Wright was
compelled to hurry up little on his backward
move, and in the confusion, when the balance
of the brigade made halt with the determi-
nation to go back no further, the Forty oghth
Georgia did not hear or understand, and so
kept back till they arrived at the fence from
whence the brigade first started, which, by the
way was only few feet
The mistake was soon discovered by the
colonel Of the Forty-eighth and he at once
ordered his regiment forward in line with the
balance Of the brigade, and at the instant of
getting formed i'll his place General Wright
fell, badly wounded. The Forty-eighth's
colonel was the senior colonel and as brave
and good a man as ever fought for the confed-
eracy, and rs General Wright was wounded he
was the next in command and he rushed i'm
mediatoly to the generals side, and asked:
General, what will you have me do?'
a. Keep your regiment away from that fence
and up with the Third Georgia, was General
Wrght's reply.
THE balls were flying thick and fast aud it
was hot times but that old colonel didn't care:
he pulled off his hat and waved his sword, and
his voice was distinct above the roar of battle:
General Wright is wounded, and I'm in
command. Wade in, Forty-eighth; CIDER
mighty, d--n!"
IF ever you seed lighting, it was there, and
if there was ever better regiment OF drawer
set of officers in the confederacy than the old
Forty-eighth l never seed nor heard of 'em.
and General Wright and the old colonel were
the best Of friends; but that Third Georgia
was always err hollerhg around, 'Wase in
Forty-cighth!' until it mighty nigh caused
trouble. But it was all for fun, and there were
mighty few of the brave fellows that charged
from that rock fence that lived to the sur
render, and that's what makes me say wars er
bad, bad thing.
After awhile, though, continued Plunkett,
"otherS came in for their share of honor and
esteem Ewell, Early. Stewart, Gordon. and
many others, and l could tell you a right smart
about all of these that will never be told in
books but these youngsters that have come IN
since the war call me cranky and say 1 ought
to wear knee breeohes, and I've got so 1 don't
like to talk.
Gordon" continued Plunkett, after a short
pause, "had err fellow in his old brigade that
haven't heard of since the war, and Id like
mighty well to know what became of him
"'Gordon's Bull he was called.
II think he belonged to the Thirteenth
Georgia regiment and if Iwere TO tell YOU how
that man could heller you'd not believe il but
You know it is seven miles ercroSs TO the East
Tennessee railroad, and I'll bet you might nut