Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1896-01-11

henry "atterson was EuitOr IN Chici.
His Meeting With General Bragg-How
the Papers Career Was Closed.
The story Of The Rebel III its wander
ings over the south is one of interest.
Survivors of the Army of Tennessee es-
pecially remember the little sheet that
found it's way to the camps daily and
inspired the boys to renewed energy and
hope for the cause they deemed the
right. Like the loved and inspiring
"Dixie," The Rebel fired the southern
heart by its very name.
The Rebel first saw the light Aug. l,
1862, in Chattanooga. 1t was four
column folio, published by Franc NJ
Paul Thousands of copies were sent to
Braggs army at Tullahoma, Tenn. and
often the supply was inadequate to the
demand, owing to the fact that the pub
lisher's press, drum cylinder, could
not print them fast enough Often the
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 Mr.. Albert Roberts, a vigorous writ
er and trained journalist Of Nashville.
He was humorous writer, using the
nom de plume of ''.John Happy"
Watterson and Roberts kept The Rebel
at white heat, and the paper grew in
Importance and size, being made a five
column paper shortly after the publica-
ton began. Well does the writer re
member the eagerness of the army for
the only highly priced paper. The boys
in camp could not rest until its arrival
every morning on the train from Chat
tanOOga.
When General Bragg began his retro
grade movement in the spring of 1868
to Chattanooga, The Rebel was supplied
to the army with much difficulty. When
the army arrived there, the paper was
i'll still greater demand. In the summer
of that year, however, it became evil
dent that the Federals were coming to
Chattanooga for the purpose of captur-
ing that important point. And then it
was The Rebel began its meanderings
over the south.
The paper was removed to Marietta,
Ga, Messrs. Watterson and Roberts
staying in Chattanooga for few days
after the plant had been shipped. The
Smelling of Chattanooga in that month
soon convinced the editors that they,
too, must go if they would avoid cap
ture by the Federal army, and they left
to join the paper. Editor In Chief Wat
terson had been sharply c1iticising Gen
eral Bragg while the paper was in Chat
tanooga. One evening he visited gen
tleman's 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 a servant, Watterson and
Bragg began casual conversation, which
soon turned upon the war. Although he
knew he was in the presence of an Off
Ger of high rank, Watterson little sus-
pected it was the commander in chief
of the army. He INDUCED in some crit
lcisms Of General Bragg as he had been
doing i'll The Rebel. The general listen
ed for awhile in 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 name is Bragg, SIR" said the
now fully aroused commander.
Of course Watterson was somewhat
taken aback, but in his most courtly
and chlvalrOus manner assured General
Bragg that he had not meant to be Of
fensive, 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, never forgot
nor forgave his critic. After the battle
of Chickamauga, while the 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
per could not come into his lines. Mr.
WattersOn then realized that he must
seek other friends, for he was not the
man to retract word nor to be dictated
to. AS editor i'll chief he would write
his sentiments despite any one so he
made arrangements to become one of
the staff of Lieutenant General Leonidas
Polk. After serving a short time in that
capacity Watterson resigned and became
editor of one of the papers published in
Atlanta.
After az uneventful existence in Grif-
fin for awhile the approach of the Fed
eral army to Atlanta i'll July of that
year warned the publisher that he must
move on if he would keep The Rebel
afioat and save his scalp, SO it was taken
to Selma, Ala, that fall
. Here it was that the eyentful paper
came to an untimely end with the Con-
federacy it had SO long and faithfully
upheld. 1t was i'll the latter part of
April, 1865, that Selma was taken by
General Wilson. The Federals knew Of
the existence of The Rebel, and one Of
the first things they did to appease their
wrath was to fire its Office, which was
in building beside the river and built
partly over it. The Yankees printed a
small sheet, in which they announced
their victory over the "rebs" and prob
ably the general orders from head
quarters Announcing the surrender of
thD armies ,f tbn .nuth,r, Giant l..,.,,.,,