Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1890-11-29

About the middle of February signs of
spring began to show themselves in that
genial climate. Grass became green, peach
trees blossomed, bees came out and birds
came around. Sitting on the upper front
porch one day and looking toward the
river not many rods away, two or three
gun-boats were seen to approach the little
village of Hopedale, just opposite Memphis
on the Arkansas shore; they did not land,
but pretty soon turned away and took
position in the middle of the river from
which point number of shells were
thrown into the village and soon H Jpedale
was in flames.
1t seemed this place had been a sort Of
rallying point for g'teriLtGs, 6WSh,chGckers
and other irregular Confederate soldiers
and to stop their lncurSions had been
ordered burned, after, of course, t1rst
warning the inhabitants. All this the
writer remembers reading in Memphis
daily of the time. and an editorial upon it
wound up with the words: poor Hope
dale''-war's fortunes for the time con-
verted it into iopelesS-dale.
Not far from the Arkansas shore, in the
river, were the spars and rigging of the
sunken General Beauregard, a Confederate
vessel lost in the naval battle before Mem
phis in June, 1862.
AS the beautiful weather of spring ap-
preached, in leisure hours most enjoyable
walks were talzea about the city. No
where was the soft spring air more pleas
ure-giving than in a little park near the
business part of the city-name forgotten.
In this was statue of General jackson,
having engraved upon the marble pedestal
the heroes well-known words. 1.-THE Fed
eral Union-it must and shall be pre-
served"
This patriotic sentiment was too much
for the eyes of some miserable vandal, and
the word Federal had been obliterated
with a chisel or other sharp tool.
The writer remembers frequent attend
ance at an Episcopal church in the city.
The pastor had but one eye and was very
plain man in appear lnce, but was an able
preacher. Here tho writer first saw Cen
eral j. b. Mcpherson. His division was at
the time encamped near the city, and he
improved the opportunity for attendance
at a church which is said to be favorite
denomination with regular army officers.
His handsome person, graceful carriage
and affable manners are we'll remembered.
In the early part of the winter great
many troops were encamped about the
city. Most of tn So were later moved to
the vicinity of Wick sburg. While Sher-
man was making direct attack on Vick5-
burg by the river in December, 1862, Grant
was moving a cooperating force through
the interior, but the capture of his supplies
at Holly Springs, Dec. -, caused an aban-
donment of the cooperating enterprise.
Grant was seriously ensured at the time
by many in his own department, and the
writer remembers vigorously defending
him at this period from the charges of
drunkenness, incompetency, ETC., made by
a fellow soldier. 1t turn I'd out that the
abandonment of the linz intended to be
occupied by the cooperating column was
fortunate, as the subsequent flooded condi-
ton of the streams would have made the
escape of the command next to impossible
About the time Grant withdrew, from
this line there was much fear of an at
tack at Memphis from the Confederates.
One day a comrade came running in to
quarters saying General Bragg was just
without the city with an army of ten thou
sand men and had demanded its surrender.
The writer was at that time in the ranks,
and like nearly all soldiers often played at
cards for pastime. At this very juncture
he had in his breast pocket a long used
pack of cards, and Of course they were
dirty and much soile1. Oae of the first
things he did was to remove these, for how
would it sound shoul d he fall in battle to
have it said: Gin his breast pocket was
| found"-not the Bible his mother handed
him upon leaving home and babe him al
ways carry in his knapsack, nor yet the
picture of his affianced-' but, but deck of
| cards"
Well, the cards were removed, but the
writer didn't fall, didn't, indeed, have a
chance to, for General Bragg didn't come
near, nor ask the surrender Of the city.