The Opelousas courier., 1892-04-30

war broke cut; that is, he was a lawyer,
but he wasn't practicing a greal deal, for
be had not yet convinced the public that
he could untaugle legal knots equal to
the dusty, musty old fellows who haunt
ed his chosen courthouse. But he was
a live, energetic young man, and when
the first call for nlnety-day men came in
1861, Company H, of the Ninth Illinois
Infantry, was commanded by him, ard
was as proud of its handsome young cap
tain as he was of his very respectable
soldiers. When the regiment was or
ganized a little strife arose between rival
candidates for the command of major,
and while those most favored for that
position did not share in the strife or its
attendant temper, their respective friends
were almost painfully in earnest. just
at the time when the situation was much
strained, Captain Phillips got up on a
cracker box and made one of the best
speeches the assembled soldiers had ever
listened TO. He advised union, har-
mony, mutual trust and ~unwayering
fealty to the Government, and advised
against jealousy, bad temper and extraya-
CART words. Even in a day of much
speechmaking it was the perfection of
timely oratory, and it won the union and
harmony he had so well pleaded. It
won more. 1t gave him the office, ard
from that day until the summer of 1868
he wore the rank and honored name of
major.
Two years later, long after the nine
ty-day men became t~hree-years soldiers,
Major Phillips was promoted to the rank
of Colonel, and one day, while the Ninth
with others of the Government troops,
lay in Corinth, Miss, a detail in force
was sent across the line to Florence,
Ala, with instructions TO destroy some
cotton and woollen mdls in that city
which had been busy for a year or two
making clothing for the Confederate
soldiers. Colonel Phillips was in com.
mand, and so well did he do the work
that, although quite a strong body OF
C~onfederates was posted to defend the
town, he o the fight after an hour of
sharp contesting and drove the last
Johnny Reb out of Florence. Then the
mills were destroyed aud a detachment
of Union soldiers held the town. !.
Bit in that sharp afternoon encounter
Billy Neal. d felloW-t Wnsman OF Colo
mel Phillips aud a member of nis regi-
ment, was badly wounded and went
into the hospital which was established
at Florence, and into which the disabled
from both armies were admitted. For
the good women of the town turned
sisters of charity and ministered to all
sufferers, regardless of the color of uni
form worn. And one of Billy Meals
first visitors, after Federal con-
troll was assured, was Colonel Phillips.
A few days later the Colonel cane again
and sat BY his old friend while the
ghastly duty Of amputation was per
formed, strengthening him with his
sympathy and cheering him with the
kind words OF an old friend.
The Union force was 0 afterward
withdrawn from florence, but the
patients remained in the hospital there,
and SO strong was the ColoneT's attach
ment for his unfortunate friend that he
several times went back to the Alabama
town to see him. At length the Con-
federates came back and occupied the
city, throwing out pickets and holding
the place with all due formality, but with
40 great force and with no intention of
making d tight to hold if against superior
numbers. And the first time after this
reoccupation, occurred when Colonel
Phillips announced bis intention Of going
to see Billy Neal, his brother officers adj
vised him to forego the visit. The boy
was in good hands and doing well, they
argued. The women or Florence we're
as attentive to him and those of the North
as to those of the South and It would do
no good TO 60 there aud chase the
Johnnies ont. But he was going. He
pulled his SLOUGH hat over his eyes and
started for permission to gs scouting
with 200 men. He swore quietly as he
went about ii, and those who see these
signs in Judge Jesse Phillips To this day
know he means what be says.
The Ninth was mounted infantry at this
time, and If the dashing Colonel didn't
take 200 Of the best riders and the best
lighters it III because be didn't know
who they were. They went across the
Tennessee River and came dashing up at
the town as iercely as the Assyrians when
they came down like 4 wolf on the fold.
The smile ended there. however, for
Colonel Phillips and his men took the
iowa beyond q doubt aud spent d day
there visiting comrades iii the hospital
and renewing such socialties as had been
formed during the Yankee occupation of
the previous months.
Some III the ehrewd soldiers noticed
thar the handsome Colonel seemed 4
heap 0 interested IN one OF the young
women nurses than ii poor Billy Neal,
and when they mounted ID ride back
they felt like chatting him aboutit Buh
yon can chaff Jesse Phillips much, and
never could. The Gonfederates didn't
care much about Florence, Ala, Just
then, anyway, So they let the Feierals
have il, and did not soon regarrison the
place. All fhe summer auI fall of 1863
the Colonel took occasional trips across
country, with the osaensible object of
seeing Billy Neal, even continuing them
long after that young man had got we'll
nd gone home. 81 The artns tsas busy