Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-31
A WAR ReMINiscENcE.
A woman's Re Giraent of Soldiers Who
Were Not Carpet knights.

A woman's Re Giraont of Soldiers Who
Were Not Carpet knights.
Editor Gazette.
Not long since a Alississippian lately re-
| turned from Chicago related while stroling
| through some government buildings Of that
| city, he was attracted by q collection of
war relics. Among those papers, guns and
uniforms, he saw in conspicuous place a
| commission granted by Governor Petuus of
| Mississippi to the irsU captain OF The Helen
! johnson guards.
| The Mississippian heart warmed at the
| sight and his thoughts Travelled over many
| miles and many years to the day the COM
| pany first left the state.
That yellow paper which had lain there
! all these years in mute commemoratiOn of
| the fair girl who gave OF her wealth for the
| good of her country, recalled many sad
memories of friends who were lost
He discovered the commission was the
original property of Capt f. q. Postell,
now residing in Canton, Miss. It had
evidently been lost, but how it found its
way into a government building in
| Chicago is mystery n
This incident revives the history ofsa
company which had the distinction of Sc
ing the only one in the South fitted out by q
woman, as well as one OF the bravest iIgthe
Confederate army.
At the beginning OF the war patriotic
girl of our county equipped, az her OWE ex-
pense and in splendid style, this COMPANY,
selected by Capt Postell, its first corsmal-
der, for duty 10 the Southern cause.s Not
content with bestowinE every Eecessasy on
her soldiers ut its departure she gave the
company its first flag from the courthouse
of Canton, Miss. Then, again, she Waited
the Twenty-fourth Mississippi regiment in
honor of her men and presented it like
wise with flag, which waved long and
proudly over Walthall's division.
These guards were among the braYest
men Mississippi sent into the field. The
gallant little band started from Canton,
thence to Meridian. and just missed the
great battle of Shiloh, where Gen. Albert
Sydney Johnston was killed. From here
the guards proceeded TO Corinth, thence to
Perryville, MUrfreesboro and Chicka-
manga.
At Chickamauga this company suffered
indeed all the horrors of war. It's captain
was shot down, the lieutenant who filed
his place fell Immediately after. Three
officers from other divisions were success
si7eiy slain. The last mau ordered TO take
the command refused i have chance
here, he said, ''but the guards are fated -
There Capt. Postell WIS shot IN his kree,
from which he has never recovered. This
shot 50 disabled him that Lieut.. Beard was
compelled to assume command.
Those men fought well and bravely for
the South in Gen. Walthali's regiment, the
Twenty-fourth Mississippi. If cree they
faltered the face of their stately and hope
full young patroness 50 far away spuIIed
them on to efforts which ended only with
the close of the war. Gen. e. G. Walthall,
now DISTINGUISHED senator from 3Iissis-
sippi, speaks Of this company in the highest
terms of praise, and remarks that ever
after his transfer to another division hs
watched with interest the career OF his old
companions, and found that until the sur
render they ably sustained on the battle
field their widespread reputation for skill
and courage.
After peace was declared the SCARED and
wounded remnant of the valiant guards re-
turned home. They had been known in the
regiment as Company E, but to all Aiissis-
sippi the name and valor of .he "Helen
JohnsonGuardsn will ever remain.
Mrs. DR.. Harris, the Miss Helen johnson
OF Annandale, still resides at her magnii-
cent nome, which is a Teritable rose garden
and one OF the most beautiful residences
IN the country.
Her husband, a handsome son ard beau
tiful daughter, complete her happy home
circle. She is the same stately and gracious
woman whose parting hand, thirty years |
ago, waved heartfelt blessing to her cho- |
sen company, on their departure for the |
field. Lucy A. ORRIcK