Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1896-04-21


men had volunteered for the PURPOSE
contemplated. made It proper that ",
shOulu make an example OF havfni
every tenth man shot. After the mat
ter had been earnestly discussed Nj
Davis ended tho discussion by de
| claring In opposition to the united
Views OF the cabinet, that he would
not have unarrned prisoners shot Blu
few, u any, would have agreed with
him then. But now. since the passion.
OF war have died away, We shall per.
haps all say that he did right.
Descending. for moment, from the
serious to the amusing. and having
reference TO my promise to speak 81
some things which had not gone Into
history. | win give you an account OF
"A battle which the historians and book
makers have not noticed. except that
understand that the Hon. 5. S. Cox
OF New York made reference to Il IN
one Of his books:
On one occasion detachment OF the
Federal army, composed of cavalry and
artillery. under the command OF Col.
Grierson, I believe, but am not quite
suie that that was the name OF the
commander, Unexpectedly approached
Richmond from the northwest and
opened fire on the city. The shells, how
ever. only reached the neighborhood
OF the government stables on Bacon
t--~-- - hAeAitAif anu llQ DQl little QAItl-
age. On hearing his guns. and know
that we had no troops In that quarter,
Mr. Mallory, the secretary OF the navy.
and mounted our horses and gallopcd
out TO see what IL meant. The resi-
dence of Col. James Lyons, one OF the
most prominent citizens and lawyers
Of Richmond was in the suburbs OF
the city In that direction. We had a
line Of earthworks, which lay between
the federals and his residence, but
which were not manned. When we got
IN sight OF this line OF earthworks we
saw Col Lyons riding up and down the
line. Gailoping up to him, we inquired
what he was doing. He answered:
commanding the forces" and said.
Reagan. you command the right and
Mallory the LEFT, and l will command
the CENTER We rode along the line
OF earthworlus. pointing. gesticulating
as IL giving directions to our commands
for some time. while the enemy's shells
were lying over us, until the firing
ceased and the federals drew on In the
direction OF the Chlckahominy, as we
supposed. through fear that we had a
force concealed by the earthworks
awaiting them. II they had known II,
there was nothing to have prevented
them from marching into the city.
Though this was a bloodless battle.
IL was an important victory for the
NhhAtAA VI lAt
While l am speaking OF matters con-
nected with the war. which have not,
&c TAR as ! know, gone into history, I
desire TO do an act OF Justice to the
memory OF Liuet-Gen. John c. Penn
berton, who was in command at Nicks-
burg when that city was SURRENDERED
He. with the balance Of his command.
was paroled after THEN surrender. The
srent strategic Importance OF Vlcks-
rg4Fat ia Ill s.aa IL Il.
sissippi river. and the loss of which
substantially blsected the territory OF
the Confederacy by the line OF that
river, was so important and was so
keenly felt by our people that II caused
deep regret and great dissatisfaction.
And many people questioned the iidel-
lty OF Gen. Pemberton to our cause II
u OF this that wish specially to speak
In justice TO his memory. lie was n
citizen of the Htate OF Pennsylvania,
and a major in the federal army when
the war broke out. His mother lived |
In Philadelphia, and was wealthy. He
that the people In the South !
were correct and their cause was Just,
and determined to enter the Confeder-
ate service. He notified his mother OF |
his intention. saying to her that lie
was a military man. and that his age |
would require him to participate In
The war. and that he could not afford
10 risk his life In cause which he |
to be unjust. His mother pro-
tested against this course. and threat |
ented TO disinherit him II he persisted |
In II, You may well understand what
a trial II was to him TO refuse to COM |
ply with his mothers wish. and to sep |
lrate himself from his own section OF |
The country, greatly the stronger, and |
unite with the weaker section, placing |
his life at stake. because OF his con- |
fN Nm n IL
merits as an officer he rose to the rank |
n lieutenant general In the Confeder-
ate service. And on account OF the |
confidence Of the President in his abll-
~ md fidelity to our cause. he was
put IN command of the important mill |
AIRY positlon OF Nicksburg.
After he was exchanged as a prisoner
md released from his parole,I was with |
President Davis In his office when Gem
sral Pemberton called on him. and
stated that the discomfort on account
" the fall Of Vicksburg had destroyed |
iis usefulness In high command, and
made II proper for him to resign hts
commission Of lieutenant general,
which he then did. and he asked to be
assigned to the rank OF lieutenant col
mel OF artillery in the reg ular army
II the Confederacy. The President.
With expressions Of sympathy and re-
greet, accepted his resignation as lieu
enant general, and he was assigned to
ais line rank of lieutenant colonel OF
artillery. This was the only instance
n the war OF an officer voluntarily re-
iigning a high rank In the army and
lsklng for service in q lower one.
Not long after this. General Butler,
n command of the Federal forces, NOV
ng portion OF the army from the
Iouth to the north side OF the James
liver, with large force attempted to
apture the city OF Richmond. Our
inc OF works In front OF him were de-
ended by number OF Siege batteries
md by infantry. The principal attack
vas by field batteries on the line OF the
road. Lieutenant Colo
lel Pemberton was In command nf our
,atteries which covered that line OF
4 the Federal batteries. Colonel Pres
on johnson Of the Presidents stan
nd I, on hearing the heavy firing. rode
nut TO where we could witness the con-
est. We saw Pemberton standing on
he parapet of the battery on the VIII
Iamsburg road, fully exposed to the
most terrific flre OF shot and shell. CIV
ng directions 20 his command. Seeing
HIS we feared that the disaster at
'icksburg. and the criticisms to which
10 had been subjected. were causing
i'm TO seek relief In death. This sup-
'osition may have been unjust to him.
nd his purpose may simply have been
o encourage his comrades.
on my return from prison in 1865. In
,oing from Richmond TO Columbus,
,1uth Carolina. | met with General