The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1891-02-07
A "REMINISCENCES OF THE WAR.

leo2, found me returning from visit
to my regiment, at that time near Cul-
peper {. H., where had been to get
the surgeon to examine my wound,
received st the battle OF South Noun
tain, and 10 give his opinion as to the
time / would be fit for duty. The
enemy having made an advance un-
known to me | rode iuto an outpost
and was surrounded and captured
about midnight by PORTION Of Gen.
Carl ShuTz's command aud conducted
TO that Generals headquarters at
Thoroughfare Gap Being informed
of my capture next morning he imme-
diately sent for me TO bis room, when
he expressed his regret at not knowing
of my arrival sooner and that | should
have spent the night sitting by fire.
After breakfasting with himself and
staff he made me lie down on his bed
and take a nap. Of which | stood in
great need. He insisted on my dining
with him also, and nothing could ex-
ceed the kindness and attention shown
me by himself and staff. Two of
these, his chief OF artillery, who was a
Frenehman, and his aide, who WAS an
Austrian or Russian, forget which,
were conspicuous in their efforts to
entertain me. They both told me
that having chosen the profession of
arms they had made their way TO this
country as soon as war was declared,
intending to join the Southern army,
with whom they sympathized as the
weaker party, but on their landing at
New York, they were unable to cross
the lines and were therefore compelled
to join the Northern army. Next day
and number of citizen prisoners were
put into a car aud sent to Gen. Seigel at
Gainesville, where we arrived after
dark and reported to his Provost
Marshal, Col. Robinson, who informed
me that he would have to send me on
to Fortress Monroe. replied that
Gen. Jackson had captured several
hundred of their officers short time
previous at Harpers Ferry and had not
only paroled them, but had given them
up their horses and property and now
that they had captured wounded
Major they were gong to send him to
prison. lie seemed somewhat dlscor-
certed at this and said he did not
know was wounded, but would send
for the surgeon TO examine my wounds
He also told me he was unable TO pro
vide for me comfortably and If
would promise to report to him in the
morning | might 20 to any Of my
friends who could take me In. | went
to Mrs. Shirley's, one of whose rooms
was occupied by conrt martial en-
gagged in trying the soldiers who had
wantonly burnt down the village ol
IIaymarket the night before. ! 70.
ported after breakfast to Col. Rob
insop, who informed me that Gen
Seigel had ordered him TO parole m'
to stay at home until exchanged. Hay
ing seen one of my neighbors with hi
head split open in his effort to rescue
his children from his burning dwelling
and heard Of others who had their ole
china destroyed aud the spokcs cut ou
of their carriage wheels, told Col
Robinson of these acts and remarked
that | would have very little satisfac
ton in remaining at home under the
circumstances. He remarked that ii
was those damned Dutch of Blenker's,
aud that he would have to have SOM
of them shot before he could put |
stop to such outrages. Turning L
his secretary he told him TO write th'
following order; Gall officers and sol
dicrs of the United States army arr
hereby ordered to respect Majol
Berkeley, his family and property
| lie read the order over and handed /
to Inc, remarking that he thought tina
would be sufficient | thanked bin
and told him | thought SO too, and II
fact II proved to be, as | was treatet
with the greatest respect while th'
army remained in the neighborhood
The foregoing events were brough
forcibly to mind by a circumstance
that occurred on the Manassas brancl
train on my return from visit I,
Alexandria few weeks ago. Sitting
on the seat in front of me wa
military gentleman whose hair wa
commencing to turn gray aud ab0u
whose face there seemed TO be some
thing familiar. A friend from From
Royal, who was occupying the scat will
me, whispered: "Colonel, Iwant to In
troduce you to Gen. Dilger, one o
Gen. Grants artillery generals, WHIT
was highly eomplimented by him. II,
is warm Southerner and true Dem
ocrat. lie has fine place near From
Royal and Is noted for his fine stock
told him II would give me grea
pleasure 10 make the Generals &C
quaintance, and we were accordingl,
introduced. In the conversation tha
ensued was surprised at the Gcneral'l
familiarity with tho country through
which VIC were passing as evinced by
his inquiries concerning the different
farms and their former owners. Al
length he asked me who was living Oh
the Robinson farm just beyond Thor
oughfare Gap and remarked that II
was on that farm he performed bis
first feat at foraging. That riding oul
one morning to reconnoitrc he found
himself In large flock of turkeys and
unable to resist the temptation, he
hurled his sabre amongst them, which
striking two of them in the neck tum-
bled them over. lie got down and
tied them by the feet to bis seat and
covering them with his overcoat start.
ed back to headquarters, at the Chap
man House, and although he met Gen
cral Shurtz on the way, he did not sec
tho turkeys. remarked that | was a
prisoner OF General Shurtz in that
very house and mentioned the kind
treatment received from him and bis
staff, particularly his chief Of artillery,
who was Frenchman. lie caught
me by the hand, saying; al am that
very man, and you helped to eat those
very turkeys" Our meeting was quite
joyful one and he made me promise
to visit him, which surely intend do
ing in the near future. lie told me be
was so impressed with the beauty Of
Piedmont, Virginia, aud tho chiyalry
and kindness OF the Southern people,
that as soon az the war was over he
determined TO make his homo with
them. In answer TO my inquiries
about Col. Robinson, he informed INC
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