The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-06-26
CONFEDERATE BUTTONS.
sERGEAyT FLAHEBTY's f0UoH JOE
- He Got Himself Into Trouble By
ImpuIsivsIy Giving salute 10
General Lee.


castions made that the Confederates have an
eoual right with us of the North to honor
,beir brave soldiers with fitting monuments.
o,d have been especially pleased to notice
that the Justice of this view at once struck
Tho Newspaper men who recently made visit
- Gettysburg. Now that they are Interested
IN tbe subject feel sure that those historic
battle-felds will be thrown open 90 the al
,oirers of Southern chivalry, and that the
leads of all the heroes Of that great struggle
vill nj no distant date be commemorated IN
marble on the field for which they contendsd.
have something Of right 70 speak myselI
on this subject says Sergeant fl"hsrty Ia the
Chicago Advertiser At the close OF the war
was one of the frat TO salute Confederate
oAicer This impuslve act got me IN some
frouble. and think the story OF u Is worth
tho telling. Here It II:
In 1sG5 General A. II. Terry was in COM
maud IN Richmond. and occupied JeH
Dayis' mansion on Shockoe Hill. Many OF the
rebel officers found themselves with no othe:
clothes than their uniforms and no money
"a buv any. SO they were compelled 10 wear
their uniforms at all times. This irritated
General Terry, and lie issued an order that no
person should appear on the streets III con,
tederate uniforms The wearers protested
90 naked. Much bitter feeling was caused
by the order. and tho newspapers worked mp
q strong feeling Of opposition, 80 much 50
that more men than before wore their uni
forms, as if in defiance of the order.
CUTTING OFF CONFEDERATE BUTTONS.
General Terry then modified his order 80
thatn black buttons instead OF brass were
worn it would answer his purpose. This
brought more opposition and ridicule. They
said they had no money 70 buy black but
tons. He then ordered that all brass buttons
be covered with black cloth. This was
also resisted. tor as the people saw no way OF
enforcing such an order they simply laughed
as st.
General Terry was always known as a man
of extraordinary resources and determination.
and when he issued that order he certainly
intended it to be Obeyed. However, 1t was
not oDeyed / was then a sergeant in an in
fantry regiment stationed at Camp Ninder,
OF Jackson afterwards called Camp Grant,.
and one day an order was issued from head
quarters TO furnish an extra guard oil one
sergeant ten cOTpOrals and thirty prlYates
for extra duty at Libby Prison. was de
tanned on the first of these guards. and on
reporting At Libby Prison was instructed by
aR officer from IeTrys headquarters 20
station a corporal and three men at ten differ
ent points IN the city. As remember now.
one was Ut the SpOtswOod Hotel corner, one
at Main and Ninth streets one at Cary and
Eighth streets one at the Mayors Office. one
% the pOstoffice and others scattered over
the town. Zach guard was supplied with
pair OF scissors. a small file and basket.
The instructions were 20 stop every man
wearing gray coat and brass buttons. cut OF
the buttons and let him q. II he resisted be
was 10 be looked up IN Libby. The file was
10 cut the wire that it was expected some OF
the buttons would be sewed on with.
AN EDITOR SUFFERS.
The first man who happened along after
the guard wac placed at Main ana Eighth
streets was Pollard. the editor of the paper
most rabi1 in its opposition lie was grabbed.
and made d terrible fuss, but OF came his
buttons. When the guard brought ia the
result Of the first days clippings there were
over nine packs Of good brass buttons. which
were taken % General Terry.
This was continued for three OF perhaps
four days and the citizens were fairly wild
with rage. Pollards paper WAS so bitter
against Terry that Dir. Pollard was given
the tip TO stop. One newspaper, / believe.
was seized outright
1 was detailed for this guard again on the
fourth or fifth day. We marched in Fl IS
of Two on the sidewalk all the way down
Cary street to Libby. We always had diff
Guilty at this time in marching through tho
streets. as the citizens would form in
crowds Of siX. eight or ten, and block up
the sidewalks. not allowing us 20 pass with
out difficulty. Our instructions were b
push them Of the walks if they did not
give way We had no difficulty this
morning until we arrived at tho corner of
Cary and Eighth streets When we saw a
crowd oil twenty-five or thirty mon stand
ing on the dOwn-tOW corner / expected
trouble. and ordered the ranks closed up
for a strong push if necessary. But just
as we were in the middle of the street the
crowd moved back up the hill to give Us the
walk. / could not understand this, as u
had never been done before.
sALUTISG GENERAL LIE.
An old soldier marching alongside of me
said There is Bobby Lee / had never
Keen General Lee; but standing back from
the corner facing us was a man that. once
seen, would always be remembered. and
from the picture had seen of him, l knew
who he was. BY this time | was opposite
him, and. stepping back. / gave the COM
mand 10 the guard to shoulder arms. and
brought my hand up to the salute. tie took
OF his hat and returned the salute. As tho
guard passed along brought them back 70
right shoulder shift marched down Cary
street without solitary individual both
ering rs on the road. and places the ten
guards as usual.
That night. when the guard was relieved.
the whole ten only had two buttons The
salute was reported over the town like