The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-12-05
A Peppery Brlgand.


Seeing in the Sunday Necs of Novem-
Der 11th some very interesting remin-
iscences of Confederate veteran, and
noting several concerning Gen. Mart
Gary and his command, l am tempted
to give a reminiscencc myself
| was not attached to Gen. Garys
command, being under Gen. NJ. c.
Butler, of Wade Hampton's cavalry.
No more brave and gallant Confeder-
ate officer ever lived than Gen. NJ. Z.
Butler. His old command love him
now, as they did when he led them
during the war.
The Confederate veteran says in his
account of Gen. Gary: "He was one
of the best men the Confederacy ever
produced. Rough and course in his
language, more profane man l never
heard, particularly in battle, but at
heart kind and humane man, none
better" This is all true. [ heard
him say once that his heart was more
tender than men thought, and he was
often touched, bat he wished his men
to think that he was made Of iron,
fearing nothing on earth. He would
fight anything he found in the shape
Of an enemy, and expected and re-
quired his men to do the same. His
command was not attached to that Of
Gen. Hampton's, but the commands
were thrown together several times in
Virginia, and then he was under Hamp-
ton.
Once in Virginia I was sent by
Gen. Hampton with an order to Gen.
Gary. The latter's command was
skirmishing very hotly with the enc
my. experienced great difficulty in
finding Gen. Gary. Finally l was told
that very likely he was on the skir-
mish line. AS all old soldiers know,
it is very dangerous thing to advance
from the rear to the line Of battle, as
most of the bullets go over the head Of
those on the front line. I found it so
"hot" that I had to dismount and
hitch my horse behind some trees and
proceed on foot, sometimes crawling
on my hands and knees. Finally |
came up with Gen. Gary's command,
and seeing him I told him Of the diff
fculty I had in finding him. With
string of oaths he said: "Young man,
when you wish to find Gen. Gary when
fight is going on, just make bee line
for the front as fast as h--lwill let
you"
I heard him say that he was the
only general in the history Of the
world that promoted two men the same
day-one for piety and the other for
profanity. It occurred in this way:
His command was very hotly engaged,
and the enemy being heavily rein
forced, he was compelled to order a
retreat, which was being very hastily
done. His men were so hard pressed
that the dead and badly wounded
were being left on the field. One OF
his men, private, (and as the Gen
eral said, one-horse preacher saw
his companion shot down mortally
wounded. He stopped, while the rest
of the company hurried on, and kneel-
ing down by the side Of his dying COM
rade, raised up his hands to Heaven
and offered up fervent prayer. The
balls were tearing up the ground all
around him and shells we're bursting
near, but he seemed not to mind these
things, remaining with the dying SOL
dier several minutes, long enough to
receive his loving messages to his
family, and to get a Bible and con-
tents Of his pockets to take to them.
When the preacher man" came up
to the command Gen. Gary grasped
his hand and told him that he was al
ways suspicious of the courage of a
religious soldier, but that he was as
brave a man as he ever saw, and that
he would promote him to the chap,
laincy Of his regiment. He published
an order to his command the next day
promoting Private - to be chap
lain for distinguished piety on the
battlefield"
The same night that this occurred
the General was riding by himself
when he met one OF his men on horse
back in the road near camp. The man
did not, or pretended not to, recognize
the General. 1t was raining and
Gary's uniform was concealed by the
oilcioth he wore. With a long oath
he asked the raan what he was doing
away from camp. The man cursed
back, giving him cas- good as he sent. y
They cursed at each other for some
time. Finally the General told the
man to "let up" and, finding out
what company he belonged to and that
some of the officers had been killed
that day, he told the "cussing man
that he was just the kind of man ne
wanted as an officer, that man that
could outcuss him Gary would make
a fine one. He promoted the man for
"extraordinary profanity" a.E.D.
Charleston, S. g.
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