The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-04-19
THE OTHER SIDE.

After waiting a week or two and
seeing that there is some demand fol
more of the old, old story, proceed to
relate few more incidents of the late
strife between the States of the Amer
lean Union. Yet that unpleasantness
occurred so long ago that 1t seems to
the writer to be very stale subject
pow, though it is interesting to some
no doubt.
I closed my last communication at
the White Sulphur Springs in Green
brier county, Va, and consequently
will commence this epistle at this
point.
Our troops remained here but few
days when we again moved to the
front and marched back over the same
road as far as Little Suel Mountain
and would have continued to march I
suppose had we not met an obstacle.
Just at this point we found confronting
us Gen. Cox and "Old Rosy" disput-
ing our further progress. They had
an army of six or eight thousand men,
and as that of the Wise brigade did
not muster over 800 at that time we
came to the conclusion that we had
better stop and look awhile and dig
some holes, throw up some parapets
etc. We were at this time occupying
the summit of what was called the
Little Suel Mountain, and the enemy
was occupying the top Of what was
known as Big Suel Mountain, the two
elevations being parallel with each
other. the two contending armies lay
just one mile apart and in plain view
of each other.
1 can not give dates here as I took
no notes at that time, but I remember
it was in the latter part of the sum-
mer or early fall of the year 1861.
We had remained here but a short
time when reinfOrcements commenced
arriving. Soon the brigade of old
John B. Floyd arrived. 1 shall ever
the vicious countenance and
terrible, penetrating eye of that officer.
He certainly possessed the most wick
ed and penetrating eye the writer has
ever seen. 1t only took one look at
a subordinate officer or trooper to
cause them to wilt. He mustered about
1 200 men.
Then came General Downing. He
very unlike Floyd, was a remarkably
pleasant man. He was a one armed
man, the right arm having been taken
off in the war with Santa Anna. I
believe he brought with him some
three thousand men. and now we felt
that we could whip the whole of Yam
keedom and all the rest of Gods crea-
ton thrown in.
There seemed TO be more men on
that mountain than the writer had
previously thought there was in our
whole kingdom. 1t did not seem pos
sible that there could be men enough
found to whip us with all the men
and guns on that mountain.
About this time Gen. r. E. Lee ar
rived in our camp, and while he had
not yet made any great record as
general and fighter, he was looked
upon by both officers and men as
som ething extra. He (Lee) was a no
BILE looking man wearing long black
whiskers aud mustache. He was
about and half feet tall, and weigh
ed I would suppose $50 or 200 pounds,
and was one of the most pleasant men
I ever met.
Lee superseded Lowring in com.
mand and preparations for an attack
on the enemy were commenced all
along the line. The writer was at that
time acting as orderly and frequently
had occasion to visit Lees quarters
and always was admitted by him in
person and handed camp:stool, but he
never failed to inquire the news and OBJ
ject of the visit before 1 was seated. He
was a man of very industrious habits
and never retired until late at night,
and rose early in the morning, even
before daylight.
Well, the day for the attack was set
and preparations completed along the
mountain top. The troops were array
ed in line of battle the evening before
the fight, with two days rations in
their haversacks and commanded to
sleep with one eye open. which COM
mand they no doubt obeyed, for
think there was but little sleeping
that night on that mountain top.
The troops were all raw. None of
them had ever been in a battle, and.
Notwithstanding their great faith in
their ability to whip all that could be
mustered against them, when it came
to test, when they thought
they were on the very eve of
facing death, the most of Us feared and
trembled, and men were heard to pray
who had never prayed before. IT'S a
solemn thing.
As the morning approached the
ranks became more restless and it was
with difficulty that the officers kept
the troops in proper shape for the
charge up Big Suell.
As daylight appeared every eye was
strained to catch a glimpse of the po.