The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1895-10-25
REDHOT JOURNALISM
TRIALS OF A CONFEDERATE NEWS
PAPER DURING THE WAR.

Wanderngs of The Rebel In Three States.
Henry watterscn Was Editor In Chief.
His Meeting With General Bragg How
the Papers Career Was Closed.
The story Of The Rebel in its wander
lngS over The south is one of interest
Survivors of tho Army of Tennessee es-
pecially remember the little sheet that
found its way to the camps daily and
INSPIRED the boys to renewed energy and
hope for the cause they doomed the
right Like the loved and inspiring
Dixie" The Rebel fired the southern
heart by its very name.
The Rebel first saw tho light App. I.
1852, i'll Chattanooga. 1t was four
column folio, published by Franc NJ.
Paul. Thousands of copies were sent to
Bragg's army at Tullahoma Tenn. and
often the supply was inadequate to tho
demand, owing TO the fact that the pub
Usher S press, Il drum cylinder, could
not print them fast enough. Often tho
press was kept going all day to supply
the demand from the army suffers.
So popular did The Rebel become in
few weeks that the publisher in Octo-
Der, 1862, engaged the young but versa
tile and rising journalist, Henry Wat
terson, to edit the paper. Mr. Paul
brought to the assistance of Mr.. Waiter
son MIR. Albert Roberts, q vigorous writ
er and trained journalist of Nashville.
He was humorous writer. using tho
nom de plume of ",John Happy. "
WDttprcpr aud Rnhnrt. l-o,,t fp,,o Dal,,l
at white heat, and the paper grew in
Importance and size, being made five
column paper shortly after tho publica-
ton began. Well does tho writer re-
member the eagcrness of tho army for
the only highly priced paper. The boys
Ill camp could not rest until its arrival
every morning Oh the train from Chat
tanooga.
When General Bragg began his retro
grade movement i'll the spring of 1868
to Chattanooga, The Rebel was supplied
to the army with much difficulty When
the array arrived there, tho paper was
III sui greater demand. In the summer
OF that year, however, it became evil
dent that tho Fcdcrals were coming to
Chattanooga FOR The purpose of captur-
ing that important point. And then it
WAS Tho Rebel began its meanderincs
over the sOuth.
The Paper was removed to Marietta.
Ga, MesSrs. Watterson and Roberts
staying Ill Chattanooga for IL few days
after the plant had been shipped The
Smelling OF Chattanooga in that month
soon convinced the editors that they,
too, must g. if they would avoid cap
ture by the Federal army, and they left
to join the Iaper. Editor In Chief Wat
terson had been sharply criticising Gen
era Bragg While the paper was in Chat
tanooga. Ono evening he visited gen
tlemans house in that town, and it
happened that General Bragg was also
visitor. The two gentlemen had never
met, and while waiting for the host to
appear, after being ushered into the
parlor by q servant, Watterson and
Bragg began Il casual conversation, which
soon turned upon the war. Although he
knew he was i'll the presence of an Off
Ger of high rank, Watterson little sus-
pected it was tho commander in chief
OF tho army He INDUCED in some crit
icislns of General Bragg as he had been
doing in Tho Rebel. The general listen
ed for awhile i'll almost speechless Won
der, but controlled himself till his fiery
critic had abused him for some minutes,
when he arose, and addressing Mr. Wat
terSOn asked:
"Do you know who am, sir!''
The editor replied that he had not
that honor.
my namo is Bragg, SIR" said the
now fully aroused commander
OF course Watterson was somewhat
taken aback, but i'll his most courtly
and chivalrous manner assured General
Bragg that he had not meant to be of
fensivo, but that his criticisms were
made i'll good faith and from motives of
sincere desire to promote the welfare of
the Confederacy. But apologies were
not asked or given.
General Bragg, however, mover forgot
nor forgave his critic After the baltic
of Chickamauga, while tho paper was
at Marietta. Watterson continued his at
tacks on General Bragg. who informed
the publisher of The Rebel that unless
the irate editor were discharged the pa