The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-02-02
BEGINNING And The ENDING.
"Reminiscences Of The First and Last Days
Of the War BY Gen. Geo; J. HundIsI'
INTERESTING PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS.
The Thrilling and Exciting Times I'M
mediateIy Preceding the war.
Some Exciting lncid'nts
and Observations.
lcon,,nuoa From Last sunday)


that occurred In 1893. whilst / was IN the
cavalry. We were at Culpcpef e. H.
and the Government was sendihs OUT
conscripts TO the various commands 'ho
Of these conscripts. who was oyer a. year"
Of ago-the CONSUMPTION heins extended be-
You'd that age-gas sent to us from Aldo
marie lie was very quiet. rospec'H"io
looking fatmer. with iron-gray hair ana
beard. and he oandi1ly told US 'hdt ne
was dreadmily afsaid, that he had ue.n
very reluctant 20 come and felt sure ne
would I'm the first night he got INTO anu
disgrace himself forever.
II was pitifui TO witness MS dread 81
the future and 10 hear him talk. instead
of dcriding and scohine az what scene"
TO be his craven nature. the man eFl-
dent sincerity and distress excited our
compassion. and We tried 10 comfort nm
telling him ID was like taking plunge IN
a cold hath. After the frs; shock hc
would not mind it (Which by the way
was a sort Of pi0us fIdua).
lie never seemed 90 be rcconclled or 70
put any faith in himself. but The very
first battle he got into he fought Ike
veteran. and died ON the field hkc the
hero he was. though an unconscious OF II
himself This was truly pathetic, and !
shall always be slow 10 Judge man a
courage till he rs tried
Latham did not need second invitation
10 make 1t warm for our foes. as had
been suggested. TO him. but swept around
US with his two guns and caissOns. az
gallon and unlimbered on the hill in front,
ia time Ia give the demoraiized foe a few
parting shots. We were then ordered up
TO the front and reached our line of bat
tie Just in time 10 see the enemy on the
opposite hill retiring In confusion into
the woods.
They had lost all semblance OF organiza-
ton and reminded me OF nothing so much
as a swarm of bees shaken down on the
ground before a hive. and making all
possible speed to get into il with much
hpmmiug ami bu2zing, climbing over
each other in their haste 10 get inside
They had Just given us pretty good evil
dence OF their power 10 sting, but then they
seemed TO have lost all inclination I'm that
direction. Our regiment. being compare
lively fresh. was ordered 10 pursue the
retreating enemy and away We went
We picked up. as We passed a New York
Iouave, standing nonchalantly on The
hillside In great baggy. red trousers and
one leg crossed over the other lie seem
ed TO have made up his mind to do no
more marching or fighting. and was just
waiting for us TO take him prisoner on
that hill | came close 10 the FIRST dead
man ever saw on battlefield, and his
features are even now as distinctly visi-
bic 10 me i'm memory as they We're to my
eyes that day In after years | witnessed
many more horrible sights, on other bat
tlc-felds. and | scarcely ever think OF
them. This dead soldier impressed me
greatly. He was a young Federal can
noneer. and lay on his back. with arms
wide extended. one hand clutching a tuft
OF grass and pOwdor-stains upon his hand
some young face.
We saw no more of the enemy, but
such wreck and devastation never saw
The earth was strewn for miles with
muskets. knapsacks cartridges, clothing
crackers. pork. wagon-wheels, caissons.
cannon and broken-down wagons, whilst
the little pines and broom-straw were
broken and beaten down in the track of
the fleeing army as II a cyclone had swept
over its pathway.
SHOUTS OF VICTORY.
AS We halted for moment on that hill
j looked back at the one we had just left
and saw the whole Confederate army
advancing in battle-array stretching out
TO our view, for a mile or more. in per
feet order. with flags flying and filling the
air with shouts OF victory. II was a
thrilling sight. and my blood even now
leaps through my veins as / think OF Il,
as If / had not known the chilling in
nuences Of thrty-three winters since that
day.
We followed the enemy about six miles to
Sudley Church, at which point they had
left many OF their wounded. That night
my company was detailed 10 take a large
number Of prisoners to Manassas Station
and We had TO pass over the battlefield
again. The horrors OF the day were in
tensifed by the shadows Of the night
Stim figures OF dead men, lying here and
there on the plain, dimly seen through
shimmering mOonight-dogs and human
ghouls that might he Seen proving
amongst the dead and dying. and Sinking
away into the bushes as we passed-;he
shrieks and means Of the wounded as yet
ungathered into the hospitals-all these
things pass before me again as | write
These last are the ghosts that / would
lay n ] could. but ] cannot; they will
liIger and mingle with the glorious Wis.
ions Of our first triumph.
Twelve miles that night we marched
after a long day of battle. when at last
We reached our destination and turned
over our PR 5oners. we fell down on the
GROUND TO sleep where we stopped and
knew no more till the morning Of the
next day was far spent. when I awoke
] was lying on ny back with the rain
beating in my face. The rain had already
laid the dust-yes, laid ii on my face and
clothing. What a sight / must have been
II ! only looked half as badly as my COM
radcs lying around me- The thunder Of
that Sabbath day shnok from the battle
ments OF high Heaven TO the earth some
OF the tears that angels are said TO weep
over the antics OF men.
Our first battle vas Over-the telegraph
had spread the news far and wide. and
some men who had hardly taken time 10
acknowledge the enemys first salute.
spread themselves over the interior tell
ing tales Of dire disaster, TO all asve them
selves For little while. until the truth
had time 10 catch up with them, they
We're the centres OF gaping and admiring
crowds. only into sink into insignficance
again. loaded with the scorn of women
and the contempt OF men. when the truth
became known SO Manassas was fought
and won. and although / could FL a
volume with "reminiscences OF other bat
ties and marches which come teemlng into
my brain, ! must pass on TO the closing Of
the great drama.
In the spring Of 1865 the condition Of the
Confederacy may be antly described hy ap-
plying 10 II the touching words OF Raphael
Semmes. used in speaking Of his good
ship the Alabama, Just before the battle
with the Kearsage. He SAYS she was no
longer the alert, swift formidable grey
hound OF the seas, az when he first as
sumed command Of her. but after her long
and eventful cruise during which she had
been for the most part denied harbor pri-
yileges by neutral nations she came limp
ing back her timbers riven and shaken by
many storm. 20 meet her superior al
II. 10. sl.. -,