The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-11-10

would be called on before it was ended.
In the Fall of 1851 it was generally be-
lieved, and so published in the papers.
that the Federals were planning an in
vasion by way of the Tennessee and
Cumberland Rivers. This produced a SEN
sation in the community; the war was
coming to our very doors; our negroes
would be freed, stock driven off, and the
beautiful Valley OF the Tennessee desc
lated The time had come for every man
TO shoulder his gum" President Davis
issued an urgent appeal for volunteers,
stating in the call that the men would
have to arm themselves, as he had no
arms TO give them.
CALLING FOR VOLUNTEERS.
Parties were out drumming up COM
panies. There were no examinations by
Surgeons as to physical condition, nor
were youth or old age bar TO eligi bility
every man or boy capable Of carrying gun
was gladly received, and no questions
asked. Meetings were held at different
places in the neighborhood, and we were
entertained with Ted-hot speeches, pic
turing in glowing terms the glorious des-
tiny of 1.-The young Nation which had just
been born" The roll of the drum and
sbriil note of the fife could be heard all
over the land, while the work of collect
ing arms and other necessaries progressed.
Double barreled shotguns seemed 10 be
the most available weapons 10 be had
and were said TO be quite formidable in
warfare. The majority of those among
us who enlisted had them, and those who
had not were soon supplied by accom-
modating neighbors who were willing to
contribute that much TO the cause. Bay
onets were not to be had, and would be
useless appendages with our double-bar-
relied shotguns. OF course, Yankees
would not stand long enough for bayonets
az txz to ha hat f1A
could have believed half that the public
speakers told him of their fighting quail
ties), but il would look more warIike TO
have something OF the kind, and il was
decided that long "bowie-knives" would
be the best substitute, and the most
easily obtained; accordingly, a search was
begun for material from which TO manu-
facture them.
Almost every farm had a blacksmith
shop in those days, and in them were
large files and rasps which had been
worn out and laid aside as useless.
These, and any other pieces of steel
which could be manufactured into a
knife, were hunted up, and in short
while the ring of the blacksmith's ham
mer could be heard in every shop, fash
ionlng these oncc-uSeful instruments into
weapons which were 10 exterminate all the
Yankees who should be SO foolish as TO at
tempt 10 come up the Tennessee River
Tan-y yards were invaded for leather, and
shoemakers engaged TO make scabbards:
preparations kept pace with enlistments,
and by the time we had 100 enrolled
arms were ready for them.
Ere this had carried President Dayis's
call for troops 10 my father, and when he
had read it | reminded him of his promise
that might go whenever it became
necessary, presenting all the arguments
could think Of, and particularly en-
phazing the necessity as ii appeared at
that time.
The old gentleman had been a strong
Union man up TO the time of the seces-
sion OF Ala ALBANIA, but after the Ordinance
was passed had abandoned all hope of
a peaceful settlement, and considering it
his duty TO go with his State, had be-
come stanch supporter OF the Confed-
eracy.
To hfTI it ~f% 6 a9-c ssrYGsls between
parental affection and patriotic duty: still
harder with my mother, for, besides being