The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-04-03


tired 90 the inner room
Gen. Fiiz Lee then accompanied me to the
door, remarking as ] WAS going out. You
shat the General is not well. The past
Winter was very trying on him, and hls fatigues
and privations IN the last campaign were almost
incredible for n man of his age Ia endure.
Please convey my compliments to Gen. God
frey Weitzel, and say that will respond to the
message you brought later in the day. Good
morning"
/ do not know what the text of the message
was, but know that il had reference to the safe
guarding of Gen. Lees property. which was a
necessary measure, rs many of our men wanted
TO testify the respect they had for him by car
rying away pieces of his fence or shrubbery,
etc. as mementoes. and they had already COM
mitted some depredations of that character.
was much struck with the absolute majesty
of Gen. Lees personal presence and bearing.
IL seemed TO me that had never seen quite so
majestic Il man. | did not wonder at the devo-
ton of the Confederate sOldieTy TO him. Fitz
Lee was much lower in stature than the great
General. and was quite stout. His face hcamcd
with good nature and. notwithstanding his dis-
agreeable situation, he seemed quite cheerful.
/ was much disappointed at the brevity of
this interview, as l had fixed up in my mind a
very pretty little speech 10 Gen. Lee, in which
was going 10 say that my great-grandfather
was at Yorktown. in La Faycttes Division. aud
had fought shoulder TO shoulder with his father,
Light Horse Harry all through the Revolu-
ton. But did not get AN opportunity to IN
fiict this speech upon Gen. Lee. So il will
have TO go into history a good intention.
One thing that ! remarked was the extreme
plainness and simplicity of the furnishings,
etc, of Gen. Lees house in Richmond; but
perhaps his moro elegant things were slowed
away somewhere.
After few days at these headquarters was
transferred To what was known as the Bureau
OF supply" Tins WAS an arrangement made 10
issue rations TO the destitute people of Rich
m0nd. We boys irreveTently called II the Free
lunch Bureau" Nearly all the people in
Richmond were destitute at this time, so that
might say that for month or so we ratiomed
the whole city. My particular field of operation
was the suburb of Manchester. on the south
side of the James, and the work of issuing
ratlons TO these poor people was very pleasant
and interesting. There were several episodes
Involving pathos or romance but / will not
attempt 10 relate but one here:
was issuing rations one day. and the last
person 10 approach the counter" of the post
commlssary was Young lady evidently about
20 years old. She was clad in u faded, thread
bare dress that had evidently been mourning
garment, and not a single ornament of any
kind. But the poverty of her attire only
brought out in stronger relief the beauty of her
lace, the rich masses of her auburn hair, the
soft tints OF her perfect complexion aud the
grace of her movements. ] saw at once that
she was a newcomer, as by that time had got
10 know nearly every one of our regular Gus
toners, al least the white ones As she came
near ] took of my cap, aud with the pOlitest
bow could muster. remarked that / should
find great pleasure in being of service &c her.
She told the that she was Miss Ellison: that
their household consisted of her mother, a
younger sister young brother, who had be-
longed 10 the Reserve Battalion, aud WAS then
lying helpless ut home with wounds received
in the last operations south Oi Petersburg. aud
herself She SAID they had avoided drawing
rations-or, as She expressed it, throwing our
selves on the charity of your army until the
last moment But now everything they had
was exhausted, aud they had no alternative
Their servants had all gone away, SO she had
come herself, bringing dlapidatei old basket
TO carry the rations in. We had some new
baskets-such we used % give the negroes
and got one Of those aud filled IL
WITH HE BEST WE HAD.
When ] had packed this basket with honr
meat, desiccated vegetables, rice, coffee, tea aud
sugar, etc, it was heIpug full. and rs /
g" heited" it / said, Miss Ellison, cannot per-
NIT you to carry this heavy basket. ! will call
another clerk Ia relieve me here. aud will carry
il home for you" She protested against this,
but not very vigorously, as thought and So
calling one OF the other clerks, Frank Hask ns,
TO relieve me temporarily. / took the basket
and sailed forth.
Their house Was on n high point Of land
overlooking Belle lslaud-a small but neat two
story brick. Ii WAS quite walk from the post
commissary, which then located away down
near the wagon bridge. called. / think, Kings
bridge"
She was not averse TO conversation. bat
" hToke the ice by remarking that IL was a
most charming disappointment to find the
Yankee soldiers 50 polite and courteous"
oh" j said, i suppose you souiherners,
and particularly the young ladies. have been
taught TO consider Us all sAvages or even Great
ures with horns aud bools from the Internal
Regions"
She laughed at this and said, "oh, no; not
50 bad ~ that. But we did not expect 70 DO
treated with chiyalrIc courtesy"
Arriving al the house she invited me 10 como
in, saying she desired that her mother aud
wounded brother should have al opportunity
10 thank me also. Her brother WAS a boy of II
Or 10. lie had been shot through the upper
part Of the right lung aud also through the
neshy part OF the right thgh-ihe latter not
serious. tut the lung shot WAS bad QUE lie
had, however, paasra the crisis and WAS able 10
talk little, but had suffered much from in
sufficient surgical Attendance aud want of
proper food.
In what battle were you hit?" asked.
The 18th OF March. Oh the Boydton road,
charging four gun battery Of brass guns" he
replied. - was bit with both bullets at once,
a. we began 10 tall back. They were fired by
your infantry, who charged out from behind
the house and barDs ia the rear of the battery"
This was as accurately as ] could have de-
scribcd il mysei, aud 20 / had 10 burL out,
' Why, my dear Sir. that WAS what we called
the action Of Grayeliy Run. and you were
charging our old battery"
then gave him some further little incidents
Of the action. but 10 seemed 10 excite him.
his mother requested me TO drop the subject
She then took NE out OF the sick room aud
said that while her boy WAS ont of immed late
danger his case was still critical, AS his wounds
required antlseptic washes aud his system
needed tOnics aud nOurishing food. III
could only get little fresh beef" she said, TO
make some beef tea for him"
Madame, will attend TO all that myself,
right now
/ thereupon took my leave. amid voley Of
thanks aud blessings from the mother aud tho
two Rirls. ! went straight back 10 our quar-
terz, saHdled aud mounted my mare got e1-
cused from duty for Tie rest Of the day aud
went OF 10 div isiOn headquarters 10 find Dr.
Harris, an Assistant Surgeon, whom had got
acquainted TIth 10 Norfolk two years before
and who Was BOW sgrVIng with the Twenty
fifth Corps. This Surgeon Was q handsome,
young man, aud there Was no trouble
about his courage, because
NE HAD gEEs TWICE WOUNDED
while ia line Of professional duty under fire.