The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1900-08-09
THE ELEMENTS OF Discomfort.
An Ex-ConfederateS Soldier on the Political
Situation.
ANNAPOLIS MD, July 30, 1900.

to speak of ones self, but as my name
is attached to my letters, and as it is
not at all familiar to your readers,
perhaps a few words concerning the
writer on this day, which is an ami
versary of thrilling experience in
his life, may not be entirely devoid of
interest.
/ was born in Washington county,
this State, sixty-one years ago. Was
just entering the field of journalism
when the war broke out. Being in
the South | entered the Confederate
army at the outbreak of the war, and
served in the field to the end. lay
no claim to especial distinction as a
soldier, but | can truthfully say that
| shirked no duty or danger and did
my part as best | knew how, on the
firing line from April 5, 1861, until
April 3, 1865, when | was captured at
Goodies bridge over the Appotomax
on the retreat from Richmond, while
in command of the rear guard of Ma
homes division, to which duty had
been especially assigned when Lees
Army left the trenches in front of
Petersburg and Richmond.
was confined to the old capital
prison in Washington for several
weeks, and was there the night Pres
! ident Lincoln was assassinated. From
there | was sent to Johnson's Island,
Lake Erie, where | remained until
June 10, 1866, when was discharged
along with all the other Confederate
prisoners on taking the oath of allie
glance to the United States govern
ment. I was Major of Infantry at
the time, serving in Georgia regi-
ment. Concerning the anniversary
referred to l will simply say that
thirty-six years ago ON the Both of
July the most bloody battle of the
war took place, considering the time
and the number engaged. The Con-
federates call it the battle of the era
ter" The Federals generally speak
of it as the battle of the Mime -
Gen. Grant tried mining our works
as an expe' iment. The explosion
took place about half past four a. III.
and although was nearly mile from
the scene the trembling of the earth
aroused me from sleep. Part of the
federal army corps charged into the
trench made by the explosion, and
sized the Confederate works for about
half a mile in the vicinity of the era
ter" Our fight was to drive them
out, and it was the hottest and blood
lest event of the war. My regiment
had commenced the campaign in
April with SO rifles. But we had
been fighting almost continuously
from the 3rd of May; we had lost
heavily in the battle of the Wilder
ness, and had been under heavy fire
every day in the month of June. 1t
is not strange, therefore that 13j
muskets was all we could muster
when we marched against Grants
troops in the Crater on the 30th OF
July. 1864, OF the 1856 men we lost So,
of the 16 officers we lost 13, nine being
killed and four wounded, was one
of the lucky two that escaped unhurt,
Surely j am to be excused for think
ing on this day of so awful an exper.
ience, and it would be singular if
should ever forget it.
Naturally for many years after the
war / was an ardent Democrat. But
as far back as 1875 I saw the party
had become rotten in this State. II
was under the absolute domination
of half a dozen men, not one of whom
was sufficiently educated to write an
intelligent page Of pure English or
any subject imaginable. Worse than
all, they were not even honest: when
it suited their purposes they support
ed the Republican nominees; when il
suited their purposes they stuffed
ballot boxes; intimidated honest vot
ers; bought and sold legislation, and
levied black mail upon every appro
priation made by the General Assem-
bly,, having that body completed, un
der their control. All these things
and the men who were responsible
for them opposed with all the pow
er of pen and tongue. With many
others 1 long believed that reform
was possible within the party. II
was not. | well remember the first
Republican vote ever cast. 1t was
heroic remedy, but there was nc
other way of relieving my native
State of the rule of the vilest combi
nation of political adventures that
ever disgraced a civilized age.
The war was long over then, and q
) political readjustment of both the
great parties followed. For the sake
of securing support the Democratic
party sought alliance with every ele
ment of discomfort that would affili
J ate with it. 1t adopted political doc
J trines that to me were subservativt
of everything likely to contribute tx