The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1895-07-04

not long in procuring permit 10 VIZ
nv fathers home in Laurens, ~here
recruited under the tender care Oh II
mother for two weeks, gaining a go
deal of strength in that time. AIT
inc expi:ation of my hospital furloug
7 rcpoitcd to the surgeon in charge
Columbia, and requested to be di
charged and sent back to the arm
; MS the news every day indicated acti
movements around Petersburg, whc
the command to which ] bcl0nrc
(Palmctto Sharp Shoutcrs) was the
stationed. The surgeon demonstrate
with me, and urged that my improv,
ment was only temporary, or at lea.
that my health was moi permanent
rccoI cred, and he proilcicd an cy
tension of my leave for return [,
l.aurcns. This was respectfully tic
clin"d, and upon my request Il dis
charge was made ont on Sunday morn
ing, June 10Th, in time for me TO reacl
the Washington Street Mcthodis
Church, and find seat in the CALLER,
to hear the commencement sermon Ol
The Columbia Female College from
that prince Of orators, Bishop George
f. Pierce, whom | had met the ycal
before at Greensboro, Ga. 1t was q
gland effort, and the thought upper.
most in my mind, with that discharge
in my pocket, Was whether | would
ever enjoy such a privilege again, for
every hour the air grow heavier with
the reports Of impending battles in
Virginia.
The train left at midnight, and |
went via Kingville to Wilmington, n.
c., rs the most direct route to Peters.
bug. My recollection is that the
journey to Wilmington was not COM
plctcd until Tuesday morning, owing to
delays at kingvillc and Florence. But
there was even Il greater delay at
Wilmington, for the railroad between
there and Weldon was being threaten
cd with the Federal cavalry, amt so we
waited for trains to he sent out. had
an interview with Gen. Martin, who
was commanding the post, and he
gave me permit to go on the fist
train, with the understanding that
would take command OF rurloughed
and convalsccnt soldiers who might be
on the train, in case the encm: was TO
attack the train. The engineer and
conductor felt sure that we would
encounter The Fcdcrals, and more than
once during the slow and cautious
ride we discmbarkcd at their instance, :,
when | would place The men ON the
si'ic of the railroad track,
with the cars as a sort of breaStwOrk,
and await the coming Of the raiders,
Tho did not appear during the day.
When we reached GOldsboro III the
afternoon the news was received that
he Fcdcrals had severed all commune
cation with Weldor, and that we must
lake train for Greensboro and Dan
vile. The party was being augmented
Ill the time, and when we reached
Danville on Thursday night there
we're forty or fifty officers and men
who felt themselves in some way under
orders to follow my lead. At Dan
vile the news was even more exciting,
Is rumors were dying thick and fast
hat the Fcderals were destroying the
'ailload beyond Burkesvilc, which
would further delay our prog css.
rhclc was an old hotel used as Way
side Hospital not far from the depot,
md thither went Il tired and hungry
set OF soldiers, VITO were thankful to
get shelter for the balance OF the night.
early in the morning we were sum.
noncd to breakfast, and the noble
women OF Danvillc were on hand to
,iI m fnnIi,rr tl,n ,,,1,f,
to themselves, expected
o defend the place against disaster.
The building had Il vclanda the entire
length for two stories, and after
breakfast | was on the upper gallery,
with portfolio which now lies before
nc and was soon engaged in writing
cttcrs. One was already finished to
ny mother, telling of the mishaps
since we parted, and | was writing
mother to Il young lady in South
;arolIna, ndulging in hopes for .hc
future, when several soldiers came to
interrupt me.
The cause of this interruption was
soon explained, which was simply that
IN officer had been sent by the COM
nandmcnt of the post, Col. II. T..
Withcrs. TO enrol all the enlisted men
for the purpose of taking them to some
point on the railroad IN the direction
of Richmond, where it was expected
to meet the enemy. Nearly all these
men had been in the army from the
start, and il did not take them long
To find out hat the officer dcsiynn: Ell
was totally inexperienced, which caus-
ed them to inquire whether he had
been at the front. Ills answer
revealed the fact that he had never
smclt powder on the battlefield, and
the object of comm; to me was. to
obtain an intcrccssion with the Conn
mandant on their behalf. | will not
enter into the particulars; but will only
say that several hours were lost in con.
vllcing Col. Withers that these men
were entitled to better consideration on
account of past services, and that it
was an injustice fol him to place them
under command of one who was Ell
dcntly unfit for the position. Finally,
it was decided upon my suggestion that
an officer from another State should
be put in charge, and that the rest Of
us should go along. This arrangement