The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1897-04-08
THE FIELD OF BATTLE
INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES OF
THE WAR.
The Veterans Of the Rebellion Teif of
whistling Bullets, Bright Bayone t.,
Bursting Bombs, Bloody Battles,
Camp Fire, Festive Bugs, Etc, Etc.
The Cnionisf,S Eafe.

|
Two or three years before the SOutl
seeded from the Union a fine youn:
fellow from New England settled il
one OF the country districts of Ala
bama. where he opened n school.
Barlow. for that was the teacher.
name, had no patience with secession
but he had come South to make money
and in order to win popularity and pat
roriage he disguised his sentiments ant
was apparently willing to drift will
the tide.
He was soon on the best of termt
with his Southern neighbors. and tbs
year before the war broke out he mar
ried rich girl a1d found himself the
master of plantation and about q
hundred slaves
The school was given up. uf course
and Barlow was transformed into q
typical cotton planter.
Even then he was loyal to the Union
at heart. but his greed tempted him
to remain and pretend to sympathize
with the secession cause.
The first gun was fired in Charleston
harbor, troops rushed to the front. and
new republic was attempting to rise
from sea of blood.
The cx-teacher threw off bis old hab
its and adopted those of the people
around him. He enjoyed hunting and
outdoor sports, liked his toddy. and was
at bis best when he was telling stories
to crowd of jolly fellows.
Naturally he was popular, and in ev-
cry circle he was prominent figure.
| He contributed literally to the Con-
federate cause. but had no desire to
enter the army. Fortunately he was
not subject to copscription. as the laws
OF the Coufederacy exempted every
man who was the owner Of twenty or
more slaves.
| People thought it perfectly natural
and proper for him to stay ut home to
protect his property. and he was treat
ed in every respect like native South
erner.
One public duty he could not shirk.
The district had to be patrolled at
night, and the younger men at stated
times rode In couples all over the coun-
ty between sunset and sunrise.
Generally the men on patrol liked
their work. They carried their bran
dy TASKS and plenty of cigars. and
had their fun. They stopped at the
bachelor quarters of some of the plant
ers, and it was rare thing to finish
patrol scout without a game of cards
for stakes high enough to make it i'll
teresting.
Barlow knew enough of what was
going on to convince him that the Con-
federates would be vanquished. and in
a quiet way he made prepa rations for
the final collapse. Through an agent
in Montgomery lie made occasional
purchases of gold and greenbacks, and
he stored large quantities of cotton in
places supposed to be safe
Much of his time was devoted to
what might be called campaign of
education with his wife. He stuck to
this systematically, removed her sec
tional prejudices, filed her mind with
longing to enjoy the gay life of the
large Northern cities, and led her to
agree with him that the success Of
the Union cause would be better for
them than its defeat.
They decided to embrace the first op-
portunity when peace came to sell their
land and go TO New York to live. Their
slave property. of course, would be Il
total loss.
With this understanding the husband
and wife continued to play their parts
as good COnfederates. and the planter
WAS always ready to pat troll his district
and aid in the preservation of peace,
and order among the slave population.
He had become so accustomed to the'
expression Of Confederate sentiments
that he was rather proud of his elo-
quence in that line, and his talk was
fully as extreme rs that of his South
eru friends
His wife feared that he would find +,
difficult to prove his loyalty to the
Union when the time came but lie
told her that the Federals would up-,
derstand his peculiar stua ton and
would think that he VAS forced to act
part TO save his life and property.
In fact, it would have been danger
GUS il lie had pursued the opposite
course. Tile few Northern Unionists
in the South who did not hold their
tongues had a hard road to travel
The climax came before anybody
was ready for it. Lees army surren-
dered at AppOmattox. and Il furry of
confusion and uncertainty followed
throughout the South.
Johnston surrendered in North Caro-
lima, and jefferson Davis was known
to be making his way through Georgia
10 the Southwest. The Confetleratrs
in Texas were still undecided about
surrendering, and in some lOcali:ie in
Alabama and other States there was a
desire to continue the conflict.
In Barlow's neighborhood the people
were slow in coming to Il full under
standing of the changed condition of
affairs The Home Qua rds drilled ev-
cry day as usual; the patrol system
was kept up. and the masters were as
strict as ever by their slaves who did
not realize what AppomattoS meant. e
they heard it mentioned. The couscript
officers went their rounds. and the
small bodies of Confederate troops III
that region held themselves ready 10
fight the invaders whenever it might be
necessary.
One day it was rumored that Il Fed
eral rading Tk,rty had entered BarlOw's
country and might at any hour reacn
his plantation. The other planters ad-
yised peaceful policy. hut Barlow
suspected design on their part TO
draw him out and discover his rea!
feelings. TO deceive them he advised
resistance. and declared his readiness
TO take his gun and go on a scouting
expedition.
His offer was accepted by the cap
tain of the Home Guard. and the un-
fortunate man armed himself and
started out through the woods. after
first assuring his wife that there was
Il hn