Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1897-02-18

cial dispatch from
Rome, Ga. He is In his fifty-sixth
year, but does not look over ~. he
had just come in from his farm on the
Oostanaula river, nine miles from
Rome, where he had lived since the
war. He wore an old overcoat OF con-
federate gray. which was getting to be
pretty badly frayed about the hem and
shows the effects of hard usage. lie
, wore it not because he was not able
to afford better. for he is farmer
IN very good circumstances, but be-
| cause he Is still confederate to the
sore. He was 81 years Of age on
Christmas day, 1860, and. like great
many other country-bred youths, he
wanted to see little of the world. So
he went down to Augusta, from his
home in middle Georgia, and started
out for holiday frolic. 1t proved to
be the most memorable outing of his
/ life. "The boys" said he. got after
me to 60 with crowd OF them down
to Charleston and fight the Yankees.
I had nothing against the Yankees. but
I was in for anything that promised
little sport, and l agreed to 60 with
them.
| Il was a strapping youngster and
the recruiting officer took my name
very readily and l was attached to
South Carolina battery and stationed
on Sullivans Island. I had heard a
good deal of talk about the war, but
Bob Toombs and other flre-eaters had
taught us to believe that the war
would not be more than a breakfast
spell and that we would whip the Yam
KEGS so easily that If a fellow did not
keep right at the front he would not
get q chance to share in the fun. I
found out better later on. After the
Star OF the West affair we knew that
there was some movement on foot and
were not surprised when the long roll
sounded just after midnight on the
morning of April -, 1861, and we were
ordered to take our places at the guns.
It was my business to load the first
cartridge for the ten-inch mortar, and
while our commander, Capt. Hallen-
Quist, took his station near the gun
measured out the powder. loaded the
cartridge. and cut the fuse. 1t was
lust growing light and the fog hung
aeavy on the water between our posi-
ton and Fort Sumter. We could see
the dim outlines Of the old fort and
back to the landward, as the mist
,hinned, we could see the figures NOV.
ing to and fro along the battery in
Charleston. 1t was the crowd gather.
ing to witness the attack on the fort
Suddenly the signal was given Just az
She fog lifted and revealed the outlines
Of the fort, and, springing backward
Capt. Hallenquist pulled the lanyard
Boom! the shot rang out and was
echoed and re-echoed from shore tt
shore. 1t was like a clap Of thunder
from a clear sky, but In a moment the
wild cheering Of the crowd along thu
battery was borne across the water.
my blood was up, and in a twin
Killing another charge was rammet
down the black throat Of the mortar
and l was permitted to fire the second
shot. Had l known all that it mean
then might not have been so eager To-
the honor, but l was young and m,
blood was hot, and / was ready fo
anything. The firing, of course. be
came general and the guns from oil
Sumter answered our challenge, an,
the deep baying OF the war dogs sool
became continuous roar. I was KEEP
SO busy working the guns that pai'
little heed to what was going ON unit
the order came to cease firing. The
saw the officers in the boat bein
rowed across to the fort to complete tn
articles OF surrender. A detachment
including myself. was sent over to tn
|. fort, and we witnessed the entire pro
ceedings. OF course that is a part @
= history, but l witnessed one TRACED
! connected with the surrender that
: have never seen mentioned in any q
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