The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1896-09-03
Wauderinus of "The Rebel.v

few weeks that the publisher in Octo-
Der, 1862, engaged the young but YER
satile and rising journalist, Henry
Watterson, to edit the paper. Mr.. Paul
brought to the assistance Of Mr.. Wat
tersOn Mr.. Albert Roberts, a vigorous
writer and trained journalist, of Nash
vile. He was a humorous writer,
using the nom de plume Of John
Happily"
Watterson and Roberts kept the Reb-
el at white heat, and the paper grew
in importance and size, after the pub
lication began.
Well does the writer, who gives this
account in the Boston Herald, remem-
Der the eagerness of the army for the
highly priced papers. The boys in
camp could not rest until its arrival
every morning on the train from Chat
tanooga.
When General Bragg began his re-
trograde movement in the spring Of
'63 to Chattanooga, the Rebel was sup
piled to the army with much difficulty.
When the army arrived there the pa
per was in still greater demand.
In the summer of that year, how
ever, 1t became evident that the Fed
erals were coming to Chattanooga for
the purpose of capturing that impor-
tant point. And then it was the Rebel
began its meanderings over the South.
The paper was removed to Marietta,
Ca, Messrs Watterson and Roberts
staying in Chattanooga for few days
nfter the plant had been shipped. The
shelling 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 Watterson had been
sharply criticising General Bragg
while the paper was in Chattanooga.
One evening he visited a gentleman'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 be-
gan a casual conversation, which soon
turned upon the war. Although he
knew he was In the presence of an
officer of high rank, Watterson little
suspected it was the commander-in-
chief of the army. He INDUCED in
some criticisms Of General Bragg as he
had been doing in the Rebel. The gen
eral listened for a while In almost
speechless wonder, but controlled him
self till his fiery critic had abused him
for some minutes, when he arose, and,
Mr.. Watterson, 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
nnd chivalrOus manner assured General
Bragg that he had not meant to be Of
fensiye, but that his criticisms We're
made in good faith and from motives
of sincere desire to promote the well
fare of the Confederacy. But apologies
were not asked nor given.
General Bragg, however, never forgot
nor forgave his critic. After the battle
of fChickamauga, 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
paper could not come into his lines.
Mr.. Watterson then realized that he
must seek other friends, for he was not
the man to retract a word nor to be
dictated to. AS editOr-in-chief he
would write his sentiment, so he be-
came one of the staff Of Lieutenant
General Leonidas Polk. After serving
a short time in that capacity Waiter
son resigned and became editor of one
of the papers published in Atlanta.
After an uneventful existence in Grif-
fin for awhile, the approach of the Fed
eral army to Atlanta in July Of that
year warned the publisher that he must
move on If he would keep the Rebel
afioat and save his scalp, so 1t was
taken to Selma, Ala, that fall.
Here it was that the eventful paper
came to an untimely end with the Con-
federacy it had so long and faithfully
upheld. 1t was in 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 a building beside the river and
built partly over 1t. The Yankees print
ed a small sheet, in which they an
nounced their victory over the 'reBs,"
and probably the general orders from
headquarters, announcing the surren-
der Of the armies of the Southern Con-
federacy. They then threw the ma
terials in the river and burned all the
files they could find.