Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-02-09

take IN the field. Passing down Bank
street enc morning. I met n tall. straight.
polite-looking mulatto man, who walked
with a quick step. and l inquired N he
was for hire. Ho said no, but for sale.
Tho price was 800. |. at once bought
him In, and In the four years alone in
which he. was with me, from Bethel
to Appomattox, he was worth 1900 TO
me- Joe used TO tell mo he was
brought up by his "old missus" in the
home with 's.lver spoon" In his mouth.
and that he was taught to do every
thing. lie was walter. gardener. but
Ter, washer, and ironer. etc, etc. i found
he told me the truth. lie could do
anything, and do 1t all well. He was
blessed with an excellent spirit. and was
trusted by every man and officer In the
battalion. When going into battle ne
took charge of all our watches and jewell
~, and never was anything missing.
He washed for many OF the officers,
attended to his ambulance horse, and
mine, and arose at daybreak. lie
was one Of the cleanest and most hon
est cooks, and what was most grati-
flying. he loved me better than anyoo
in this world. I advised him syo 80
after the war began 10 get MAJ IL -
Take notice, my young frlehos' Get.
lleve In everybody OF any aceoun' 4en'f
ting married: but be certain you ,s1re.
marry In haste and repent d, 80 prsi-
Joe was no goldier He knew h,a and
ness. when we went into Ala,sasy lest
PENNSYLVANIA / became Neiy Sor liberty.
he should make DredA no lose him
l kept my eye on nm r,eht hand. ON
~ou'u Ia dav's fight e. o Ell -. I'm
the seconu - ocross the hell ~ iui'
saw Joe e o'i.is sayv him IN sucn lIishl
speed. new .,e out Of breath: "Marse
anu .i,i ne SCI ,hought dey had me! no.
!" aet-el pen lallhees, pollie'i.s
10 ihe ~ Wv 10 Libby Prison. i was
greatly rene
OF Joe's loy"i'g'
HURR1ED TO THE REAR.
In tennessee one bright morning the
battery was moving along a pleasant
road. / was near Joe's ambulance. We
did not dream of the enemy being near,
when suddenly bang went Q. cannon over
the hills just in the direction we were
marching. and instantly the head or
one Of Joe's fine white ambulance horses
was struck of. with n sinking, hollow
sound. and he dropped dead In the
traces. / told Joe, as soon as he could.
the top OF the Hill at fun speed 10 look
out for the enemy / think It was less
than three minutes before I looked over
my shoulder TO see how Joe was getting
on with his dead horse. To my surprise,
he had cut out the dead animal and put
in live one. and was driving Tor
life and death TO the rear. ] think Joe's
was the fastest time on record. Al
Cold Iiarbor my battery was sheltered
from the army by an intervening wood.
and, while the shells passed near us,
there was really no danger. After eating
my breakfast I said: "Joe. eat your
breakfast and take the ambulance 70 the
rear" The breakfast was served on a
camp-chest. Instead Of doing az / d.
rected him, no hastily gathered up in
! the table-cloth. coffee-pot, sugar-dish,
etc. and, with much agitation, said:
Lord. Marse William. this amt no place
to eat breakfast" and he and his ambu-
lance were gone in a twinkling. To joe
good management can say what probably
! few other men can say-I suffered only
| one day in the four years for food, and
that was the day l was separated from
him. TIL Joe's death, some years ago,
we were great friends. Every Christmas
| he brought me a turkey. and would
say to my wife: Miss Ella, me and
! Marse William was Jest Ike brothers
in the war" His wife continues 10 eat
| her Christmas dinner at my house. An
| other piece Of good luck. perhaps more
remarkable than this, was that I'm th'
four years I was IN the army l did moi
once get wet. ! captured early in tn
war an excellent oll-cloth, made like z
! Spanish pOnche, with n hole IN the centre
! With this on. and a SLOUGH hat tina
turned the rain Ike tin roof. and
pair Of cavalry waterproof boots fi'
| inches above my knees, / have riddeI
two days and nights in n driving rail-
without getting drop Of water on me
] did what all soldiers should do;
would never lie down on the wet ground
| Many a cold rainy night ! would 81
| on log or stump before a fire ana sleel
with my head in my hands. At one tim
| 1 had a hammock. They don't answe
| in wet weather. Sometimes T wOul,
| sleep on the top OF a Worm-fence, b.
separating the two upper rails. 1t wa
in these four years that had no rheu
matism. No writer win ever tell OF m
sorrows and sufferlngs OF our nobl
private soldiers Il hate the old phrase
common soldier'). who. badly clad, an
without shelter, marched day and nigh
IN mud and water, harefOOtcd. and hun
cry, til disease ended their misery
These we're noble souls in mean clothes
suffering patiently IN a noble cause n
ever filed a patriots breast. Long ma
! they live In orr affections and ma