The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1897-01-07

AAohe, ga. lie Is ID Dis hity-aiAth
year. but does not look over 10. lie
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
Tolerate gray. which was getting to be
pretty badly frayed about the hem and
shows the effects OF hard usage. He
wore Il not because he was not able
to AFFORD a better. for he Is a farmer
IN very good circumstances, but be
cause he Is still n confederate to the
core. He was 2l years Of age on
Christmas day. 1860. and. like a great
many other countiy-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 a holiday frollc. II proved to
Do the most memorable outing OF his
life THE boys" said he. got after
me TO 20 with a crowd Of them down
TO Charleston and fight the Yankees.
| had nothing against the Yankees, bu,
I was in for anything that promised a
little sport. and l agreed to 60 with
hem.
Il was Swapping youngster and
ne recruiting officer took my name
,ery readily and was attached 10 a
South Carolina battery and stationed
IN Snlllvans Island. I had heard
rood deal OF talk about the war, but
Bob Toombs and other hre-eaters had
aught us TO believe that the war
would not be more than a breakfast
lpell and that We would whip the Yam
KEGS so easily that II a fellow did not
Seep right at the front he would not
get a chance 20 share In the fun.
ound out better later on. After the
Star OF the West affair we knew that
here was some movement on foot and
we're not surprised when the long roll
founded Just after midnight on the
morning Of April 10. 1861. and we were
ordered 10 take our places at the guns.
I was my business TO load the first
,arirldge for the ten-inch mortar. and
while our commander. Capt Hallen-
Iuist. took his station near the gun ]
measured out the powder. loaded the
cartridge. and cut the fuse Il was
nsi growing light and the fog huns
leavy on the water between our posi-
ion and Fort Sumter. We could see
he dim outlines OF the old fort and
Jack TO the landwarc. as the mist
.hinned. We could see the figures NOV
ng TO and fro along the battery in
Charleston. II was the crowd gather
ing to witness the attack on the fort
Suddenly the signal was given Just as
the fog lifted and revealed the outlines
II the fort. and. sprInglng backward
capt. Hallenqulst pulled the lanyard
Booml the shot rang out and was
echoed and re-echocd from shore 10
shore. II was like a clap OF thunder
from a clear sky. but in a moment the
wild cheering OF the crowd along the
battery was borne across the water.
my blood was up, and In twin
king another charge was rammed
Town the black throat Of the mortar.
and | was permitted to Gre the second
shot. Had | known all that II meant
then might not have been so eager for
the honor. but I was young and my
blood was hot. and | was ready for
anything. The firing, OF course. be-
came general. and the guns from old
Sumter answered our challenge. and
the deep baylng Of the war dogs soon
became a continuous roar. I was kept
80 busy working the guns that I paid
little heed to what was going on until
the order came to cease firing. Then
saw the officers In the boat being
rowed across to the fort TO complete the
articles OF surrender. a detachment,
including myself. was sent over to the
fort. and we witnessed the entire pro-
ceedlngs OF course that is a part OF
history. but witnessed one tragedy
connected with the surrender that
have never seen mentioned In any OF