The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-02-02
STOIES OF THE WAR.
WHAA LOT OF OLD CAPTAINS
WITNESSED THEN.


Hon. sn Harris Frightened Badly
Pronss of Soldiers to Each Other
Queeroincidsnceo of a Young Mans
DeathIow People Feel When They
Go Int the First Fight-An Incident
in Savannah.
In TIL COUNTRY, MIDDLE GEORGIA,
ian. 29.-1his is the very worst weather
rountry pople have to 60 through with.
The roads.re sloppy aud muddy, the horse
OTIS are anost impossible. and this slow,
old rain i Just too disagreeable for any
hing or aayboly.
Farmers get melancholy at such times as
MS. They sifaround or droop about like
ct chickens, waiting for something to turn
., longing fr something to do.
had occasion the other day to travel
ross the c5untry, and came up with a
ovid of farmers huddled around big
pc fire st cross-road store. 1t was a
Ety of old veterans, the most of whom
Te captains in the confederacy.
Zach had some story to tell about what
tx place in the war, and he gloried in
ting it. Nothing was to them too small
toe noticed, nothing too trihing to be re-
nnbered. A. farmer told good story on
Il Hon. Samuel Harris, who opposed
Gnes for congress in the Fourth district
tllast time.
arris had been painfully wounded in
theg at Ocean Pond, and was on his way
to.np. The farmer was assisting him to
gcthere Harris was grooming as If his
tin to die was drawing near. He was
boiling along holding his wounded limb
witone hand and grasping the farmers
shooter with the other saying he believed he
wou die in spite of all that could be done. ]
He Id begun to talk very seriously about
dealt and the farmer was expecting Harris
to deEer him his last message to his family.
Harriwas in tears, and the farmers sym
pathy tas vey much aroused. Suddenly
the connissarF ran up to them breathless,
crying: Ny God, gentlemen, we'll all be
killed alte. he yankees have surrounded
US, and we cam get away"
Harris vas Vry silent
As the cOmuSsary ran on the wounded
man turned tohe farmer and said, what
shall we dos"
81 can run al save myself"
"Great Scott What is to become of me 7"
Numbered the rounded man.
You'll die, nyhow:'" said the soldier.
1.-THE devil yu sayn exclaimed Harris.
pose" and he made the soldier
assist him to agallberry thicket, where he
buried himselin leaves. 1t proved to be
false alarm, hwever, and soon Harris was
groanng and bling, and pitching about in
his tent as ntch as ever, saying his leg
would kill hin after all, if the yankees
would let himhlone.
DISASTROUS SOMETIMES.
Speaking bf false alarms, remarked
another farmer, they were sometimes anus
ing, but they were often very disastrous to
life ane property. He remembered very
distinctly on one occasion when 1000
wagons we're loading corn near Ocean Pond
some michievous fellow, not intending the
least hrm, ran up to the depot and
told th wagoners that the enemy
was cming. 1t threw the entire
force inc disorder, and one of the most
disasters, if not the most destructive.
stampeds during the war followed. A
dense pie forest ley about every side of the
depot sd drivers could scarcely pick a
pass thrdgh it, going at slow gait, much
less driving at break neck speed In the
languageof the farmer, everything took
to its hee5 and you may be sure there was
some terribly tail running" Wagons full
OF corn. wagons half full of corn. unloaded
wagons Fagons of all sort, manned by
va
thicker. den without hats, men without
coats, baefoot men, but all very scared,
flew ''hther and thither," in the
forest, nnting hiding places. The
thicket fairly numbered and the
echoes q the stampede filed the
air for mics around. 1t was quick work.
Inc damage to stock and property was done
in mighty little time; but 1t was done. and
done we'll After an hour had elapsed the
COmfNnndanE gngnaRfaH II fnI
and he crept out upon the hill to survey
the field. Presently his strong voice rang
out: SHOW me the wretch that gave the
alarm, | want him bucked, tarred, feath-
cred and burned.n 1t was signal for the
frightened soldiers to leave their hiding
places. and instantly, almost, the forest was
animated.
20, it made my heart sick,n said the old
farmer, ito behold the wreck. Some of the
boys thought it was funny, but to me II
was appalling. Wagons, wagons. wagons
no end to wagons Some were torn nearly
up, others were completely demolished.
wheels lay heaped about through the forest,
anu wagon bodies, spokes, axletrees and
standards covered the face of the thicket.
Dead mules were pinned under some of the
"reckage, while others, entangled in the
gear, lay on their sides unable to get upon
tnelr feet Corn and corn sacks, every
Ou OuSuoS, III Tile bOD OF
trees noatlng like 50 many banners, were
the sacks. The corn in places was knee
deep and half starved mules unable to ex.
tTicate themselves FROM their burdens, stood
ming their empty bellies
Some laughed and some cried" the old
farmer said. ITO me it was discouraging.
peVeraI days were consumed in clearing the
wreck, and we had to leave without com
pletlng 1t. When time came to go every
Doay was mighty glad. was happy
D1o the commandant ever find out who
gave the alarmW he was asked
II he had, l should not have been here
to-oay," replied the farmer sorrowfully.
while the rest laughed.
FULFILLING A PROMISE.
The only time 1 was ever captured
SSu:rlng the war;" said the captain of the
ol11h Georgia, twas when / tried to fulfill
promise made friend q few minutes
peIore he was killed by my side, told
hln II was killed first I wanted him to
eeud the contents of my pockets to
my family. | promised to do the same if
e e was Killed first. During the heat of the
TTsne, OF which we were getting the worst,
t nao got In front of my friend, and was
Oeing pushed away from him when | felt
SeSSIine0ody tap me on the shoulder and say,
my God, I'm killed l looked back and
NY friend had fallen, with his hand clasped
70 MS head. l could not get to him, but I
Kept my eye on the spot where he fell and
h %nen we mad retreated far enough slipped
ooc6 TO see if could help him. But he
H.