The National tribune., 1896-10-01
A Rebel "Reminiscences.

In the Macon (Ga.) Telegraph OF Aug. 2,
Kit Anderson tells with much gusto this
incident of his experience at the battle of
Ocean Pond, Fla:
In passing through the field, while driv-
ing the enemy, the soldiers of Co. /, George
Sandiford and N. S. Lee, accosted niger
George said, "Hello, boy what command do
you belong to?" Now, the niger lacked only
two or three coats of paint to make him pure
white. He was well dressed. in a handsome
uniform. Boots reached to his knees and
were polished. He had on boiled shirt
and paper collar. In fact he was clean
looking Niger. He must have been big
ger man than mere Sergeant. Wonder if
he was not one of Abe Lincoln's private Aid
de-Camps? Anyhow, the niger felt his
oats" and proceeded to answer Sandiford's
question as follows: My name is not boy
sir; my name is Serg't White, of the 54th
Mass. G. t." The niger assumed all the
stern dignity that is supposed to belong to
his Mars Abe's Office He looked George in
the eye. The latter replied: 81 salute you.
Accept my compliments, Serg't White, of
the 54th Mass. Cd4'pa With this speech
Georges rifle sprapgg to,his shoulder There
was acrash. Brains spattered over the wire
grass, Serg't White crossed the river and
rested under the shade of the trees. The
darky had $500 in Yankee greenbacks, a
silver watch and chain, a giltedge Bible,
with gold clasp, the ambrotype of white
girl yankee, of tonrse,) and bundle of
letters from the same party. The Bible was
presented to him by the writer of the letters,
who was presumably the original of the
picture. The girl was evidently good look
ing. having refined pose and carriage but
she could not have been so good as her mig
ger lover. socially.sss7
George plundered his victim, and divided
the spoils generously among ns. The young
soldier received $50 in greenbacks, the
pocket Bible and some of the letters. The
greenbacks he swRpped for Confederate
money. The other articles he retains 10
this day. Reader, that Yankee girl knew
how to write love letter. She loved the
niger, and wrote very frequently. Wonder
if she still awaits:h his return, or has she
joined him beyond the river?
1t has been stated that the artillery of the
Yankee army failed 10 be used effectively.
The 10Th Ga and the 32d charged these
batteries and captured all of them, except
three guns When the 9th Ga. was advanc-
ing as skirmishers and driving the Yankees
rapidly before them, these guns tried to
check our movement They fired at us, but
the shots flew SO high and wild that Bill
Glover exclaimed:
Boys, we have them on the run; they are
demoralized and scared. See their bombs,
how high they range"
These were flying through the tree-tops,
cutting them off and thrashing limbs down
upon us. These shells revealed the truth to
us. The Yankees were whipped. These
batteries were manned by so-called Regu-
lars. These Regulars consisted of Dutch and
Irish-Paddy from Cork and Hans smelling
of limburger cheese. The infantry were
made up Of niggers stolen from the coast OF
Georgia, South Carolina land Florida and
credited to the quota of New England. The
young soldier went through the war from
1861 to 1865. He participated in every bait
tie that his command fought. In these long
years, in these innnmerable battles, the
young soldier does not recall one solitary
battle in which his command met genuine
Yankee regiment in conflict At Yorktown
the young soldier and British soldier of
the Crimean war engaged in personal
skirmish with the LIST Me- just for excite
ment. He never met nor heard of this regi-
ment any more. Suppose Hessian substitutes
were hired to take their places. as Georgia
niggers were decoyed away to fill the quota
of Massachusetts, There may have been
New England people in the Yankee army,
but the young soldier never met them.