The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-02-12
9uaeranu gutelgtgeueer.
He Was q Good Nan and Great.

TERRELL, Tex, Jan. 27.-"I was
converting said R. ". Cakes of
Kemp, this county, with an old ex-
Confederate soldier about the lives of
the great men Of the Cival War. I
saw he was one of those men who fol-
lowed his convictions regardless Of
consequences or results, and when his
opinions became fixed it was no easy
matter TO successfully convince him,
so I. let the conversation pass as he
framed it.
"We talked of the great jeff Davis
and 'Aleck' Stephens, as he called
him, and Mars Bob Lee came in for
his share of the honor that was justly
due him, and hosts Of others that
played an important part in the great
drama. 1 made the assertion that
history Justly claimed that Gen. R. E..
Lee of Virginia was undoubtedly the
greatest soldier Of all the Southern
armies. He replied that he was eve
acquainted with General Lee, but
from all accounts he was q great SOL
der. But said he, we had a great
man in the army of Tennessee that
was as tender-hearted as a child and
yet the bravest man | ever laid eyes
on.
II had heard the odd vets recount
their thrilling experiences and narrow
escapes, therefore the old man did
not excite my curiosity very much by
making such statements. but for want
of something to say, | asked him who
his hero was. WELL he said,
he was a Mississippian, and raised a
regiment of volunteers in and around
Corinth.' It was here my hearing
faculties were suddenly awakened, for
I had the honor of claiming Corinth
as the home Of my youth. So, MOTTO
ing my attentive manner and eagerness
to hear the unfinished story, he con-
tinued: And went out early in 81
and was always at the head of his
command no matter what was to be
done, he was always ready, willing
and waiting. He was promoted time
after time, and finally he was awarded
the badge of 8 Brigadier General for
his skillful management and brave
conduct on the battlefelds of Chicka-
manga.
"sBut what makes me say that he
was the bravest of the brave is be-
cause he was ready to fight, under all
circumstances, when the bugle sound
ed the charge, and when he conquered
in battle he was magnanimous and
kind to the unfortunate foe and would
do all in his power to alleviate his
suffering and satisfy mis- necessities.
"'I remember when old Sherman
was driving johnson through Georgia
that We had the worst time. The
Union troops devastated everything
they coulbd't possibly use, butchering
all the stray beeves, taking up all the
horses and burning all the dwellings,
and, in fact, of hatred chat ranked
in the Southern breast. And many
of our boys swore that they would be
avenged Of such cruel treatment that
they would not spare the life Of a con-
quered enemy that maliciously burned
the roof from over the heads of help
less loved ones. And the great mar
Of whom / speak often told US boys
this, in order to inspire us that We
had nothing left but a name.
"'But one evening when our army
was near old Marietta, the Union
troops charged our strongly fortified
position, but were easily beaten back.
Again they came like an avalanche,
but were driven back like chaf before
a March wind. The boys in blue
seelnednot to have enough, and as they
were preparing for the third storm
a fire broke out and was making rapid
Roadway toward our lines, but it
seemed nothing would do them but to
drive us out. So on they came the
third time, paying no attention to the
fire or to our guns. Volley succeed
ed volley in rapid succession. The
rife and musket balls fell like hail,
the blue coats striving for our covet-
ed position, We doing all we could to
sweep them from the field. It seemed
that the wounded boys would be
burned into ashes by the unnoticed
names that was drawing nearer and
nearer. The cries for help Of the
poor fellows were piteous Indeed,
being unable to move, but just then
this brave General leaped upon the
b%reastworks that were being swept
clearly by these missiles Of death,
and in a voice of thunder called to
the Union commander: "For Gods
sake stop firing and send a detach-
ment of men to put out the fire u
The enemy soon discovered his good
intentions, and granting his request
the firing ceased. The detachment
was sent to check the destructive fire.
and when he saw the efforts of the
enemy would avail nothing towards
saving the poor fellows, he called for
volunteers in his own command to
assist the foe in putting out the
flames. Through the combined efforts
Of both detachments the fire was soon
extinguished and the poor fellows
carried to the hospital
"Here," continued Mr.. Cakes, "the
old knight Of the lost cause stopped
his story and abruptly asked: Young
man, do you call that bravery man
risk his life for the life Of an enemy?'
/ replied in the Affirmative, and asked
again the name of his great hero.
He asked: 1T was Brigadier General
NJ. P. Lowery, who was First Colonel
Of the Thirty-second Mississippi
Regiment.
"Ah, yes. I had often heard my
speak Of him, his old comman-
der, as a very, very brave, great and
good man, but this was one wal story
my father had never told me. "-Saint
Louis Republic.