Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1891-12-17

army. When we came to part the next
morning he threw his arms about me
and kissed me, leaving tears on my cheek
that were not my own, and then hurried
away, nor looked back once.
He told me that he was not much at
writing, but that he would do his
''d-st best" to write to me whenever he
had chance, and he did; but bad de-
pended on Bell for intelligence as to his
subsequent doings, there would be but
little more to add to the racord Of my
mountain friend. / have tried to give an
idea of Bells dialect-that is legitimate
but | cannot be expected to reproduce
any Of the short letters he sent me.
lost sight Of the photography and syn
tax in the modesty as to his own ex-
pioits and in his almost girlish but in
tensely earnest expressions Of love for
myself and prayers for my safety and
elevation, and, above all, in his devo-
ton to the cause Of the Union and his
unshaken faith as to its final triumph.
After November, 1864, he ceased to
write. In February, 1865, | wrote to
Captain Cliff, of Hardin county, KY,
who was then with General Gillem,
asking for news of Bell, and the fol
lowing is an extract from Cliffs reply:
Captain Bell brought me your letter as soon
rs he reached this command, and | need not
say, old fellow, how rejoiced l was to learn
that you had escaped. Bell gave you all tho
credit of the exploit, but soldiers know that
kind of spirit and like it.. Captain Bells story
Of your coming through ought to be written
put. and hope you will do it some day.
Have you heard Of the battle Of Strawberry
Plains? Or have the rejoicings over Sherman's
success deafened you to everything else mill
tary? Well. we were walloped at Strawberry
Plains. Nor was it the fault of General Gillem
and his shrunken and wretchedly equipped
brigade. The rebs, under General Breckin-
ridge and Basil Duke, with about 10000 men,
Including the remnant Of John Morgan's old
command, attacked us, dark and carly, in the
aforementioned place OF course we fought
that is what we were there for-but the sun
wasn't two hours high over the Alleghanies
before the dullest private in the command saw
that the game was up with rs and that pru-
lcnce dictated II refreat. With Etns and bag
gage If possible, but without them ii they could
not be carried off BY reading the reports you
will see we came through to Loudon with
about half our men, and in the lightest kind OF
marching order. But are not disheartened.
Steve Burbridge is hurrying to our aid-then
goodby, Mr.. Breckenridge.
But, as to Captain Tom Bell; he commanded
d company Of mGuntaineers who had been de-
tailed for scouting duty after his return, and
need not say they were good men. ] say
were" instead Of are for regret to report
that most Of them were called at Strawberry
Plains They responded TO the call like gal
liant fellows, and have gone into the eternal
camp over there. The last saw of Bell was
on the field. He and handful Of his men
were trying to drag off an abandoned howitzer.
Ills hat was off, and there was a red stained
handkerchief tied about his head. just then
the rebs swooped down in force. and every
thing got mixed into one of those battle snarls
which we are all so familiar with.
My horse saved me, but fully expected to
learn that Bell was either killed or again cap
tured. Great, then, was my surprise on reach
ing Loudon few days after the fight to find
him in the hospital. with his head in band
ages and his right arm OF between the elbow
and shoulder. The brave fellow was terribly
cut up over our defeat, but he seemed TO re-
gard his own injuries as triles. He is ambi-
dextrous, except as to writing, and this will
account for his silence From Loudon our
wounded were sent on to Camp Dick Robinson,
Bell with them.
l thought, as did every one else who NEW
Tom Bell, that he was out of the fuss for good
and all. You can therefore imagine my sur
prise WLlel we were advancing 10 uEStIO1 Anc
works at Saltville, Va, to find Captain Tom
Bell back and again in command of the rem
nant Of the Moth Calinyans." He drew on
his varied and ample stock of profanity
is it profanity, to express his JOY at meeting
me?-and failing to do it in that way, he threw
his ''ieft" arm about my neck and Rugged me
till threatened to strangle-
Tom assured me. with comical seriousness,
that he was practicing writing with his left
hand in "his odd time," and as soon as he had
become sufficiently expert to handle a pen you
would hear from him ''over his own 6st.n
have not seen him since, but know that he is
with the raiders who are pushing toward
Lynchburg. The end is right in sight. This
command is now moving into North Carolina
to join Sherman.
In May, 1866, few days after the
grand review in Washington (the envel-
ope is postmarked May 15), l received a
letter of few lines from Bell. The
chirography was very much like that
done with his right hand. He was then
at Knoxville and had just been mustered
out. He wrote, not in the old spirit Of
intense affection for the Union and my
self. nor with the old burning hate for
the rebellion, but with manly restraint
that showed, even more than his widest
torrents Of profanity or his fiercest pray
ers, the supreme satisfaction that had
come to his heart, bringing with it a
calm after the four years of deadly
storm.
Captain Bell begged me to come down
to see him in July. He was going to
make his home at Greenville for the
present, and Molly MacNeal, whose fa-
ther was now dead, was coming over to
meet him, and they were "to be mar
ried on sight on the 10th.
Although was not in the best travel
ing condition myself, for I was on
crutches, was once more my own mas
ter, and ] determined to be present at
the wedding of my friend. On the 9th
of July reached Greenville, which had
then risen into much Importance as the
home Of President johnson. Some Of
the citizens showed me with pride his
old shop and the sign, ga. johnson,
Tailor" Our provost marshal at Green
vile, ON my making inquiry about Cap
tain Bell, said:
captain Tom Bell Is dead
"Deadr' exclaimed, and felt giddy
and cold. How long has he been dead?
Where did he die? How did he diel"
In response to my torrent of questions,
the provost told me that on July 1 Bell
went to Bristol to see friend-one Of
bis men, who was still in hospital. He
expected to be back on the 2d, for he
was talxingan active part in the prepara
tions the Union people Of Greenville were
making to celebrate this particular
Fourth with fitting ceremonies and re-
joicings, but he did not return.
Briefly, this is the story: The noun
taineers who had been in the Union
army were returning home with their
discharges and an unusual amount Of
money-for them-in their pockets.
Many Of these men were assembled at
Bristol when Bell reached there. Des-
nita the urecaution of the provost and