The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-05-27

~ ~ ~ a %f4N DLA4lll 4 y
river TO Appomattox Court House--the
grand old state OF Virginia had q red
etreet-tinted With human blood. Lees
army WAS vastly inferior In numbers TO
Granite; II had 10 fight harder; vast
army had been killed. mostly Union, and
buried as they went; and at last when !
stood at parade tfor II WAS my brigade re-
ceived the surrender on the morning OF
the nth, two days after the appearance Of
the truce: my eyes were filled With tears
as I looked upon the noble form Of General
lee sitting on his powerful gray war horse
surrounded by Longstreet, Governor Wise
and many others. and the STEADY tread OF
the Confederate Infantry marching up to
our front, stacking arms and battle iugs.
General Lee only. remained for q moment,
but he left on my memory a picture-a
beautiful, unfading picture.
How met Captain Smith and his
stacked arms in front Of our regiment. He
WAS the frst to recognize our identity;
hiS picture. as he then was In uniform
hangs in my parlor, also the trio W. g..
j ], and X. r. Smith the long bearded
brothers OF the Confederate States OF
America.
The sixteenth Michigan and the Pal
mettoes are at this writing arranging for
reunion, or rather, n meeting at the
d
May. HaFsng severe attack OF grip,
may not be able TO be there, but will at
least have the pleasure of being the means
OF this happy reunion.
This meeting of the Sixteenth Michigan
and the South Carolina Palmettoes WIZ
owe its origin to the following circum-
stances: Some time ago | was In corre-
spendence with Hon, II. A. Aerberi, then
secretary of the navy. and late colonel Of
the Eighth Alabama. | had occasion to
write TO member OF his regiment at Pol
lard, Ala.s he having passed away and the
letter uncalled for. The postmistress
opened Il and returned to me, mentioning
the facts relating to his death, and for
further information sent me copy OF the
I Confederate Veteran. for which am now
suhscrb Der There was a controversy going
/ on between the survivors OF Pickett
brigade and Hoods Texas brigade as to
who broke the left wing OF Porter's corps
at the battle of Gaines Mill and captured
fourteen guns on that part OF the Union
( front, ! was witness OF this grand as
sault of Hoods Texans, who broke our
| right brigade (Martendale,sl and saw
| them capture said cannon, and In the next
minute help to meet the shock Of General
Anderson's brigade, commanded by Colo
mel jenkins Of tho First Palmettces, IN
! which my brigade (Butterfeld's). the OK
/ treme left of porter's line. was driven
v.
I Palmettoes capturing our State banner
and about 200 OF our men.
! wrote brief sketch of that battle
giving the Texans their just dues for the
capture of those guns aad the breaking Of
our line tthe only time they were broken
That day. Captain Hoyt of the Palmet-
toes replied through the Veteran verify
ing my account, and mailed me a copy. II
was such an excellent article that Colo
mel HILL president OF the old Butterhed
association. wrote Colonel Hoyt for per-
mission to have It embodied In our brig
ade history which is now with the
printer. have been the recipient of man,
KIND letters, all of a historical nature
from the Palmettoes, and from Hoods
Texans.
C0lonel HILL requested me TO opcn a
correspondence with view OF having our
nag rdturned to us. On receipt OF This
IeVlSr wrote to the governor of South
carolina, The letter was published IN
0ee Charleston News and various souther
publications.. and | WIG informed that oul
flag went up in smoke when sherman
oumners" burned Ohanleseon About
this time Captain Smith of the firm Of
vhe Glover Manufacturing company OF
Glover, s. g.. exchanged photos with me
and entered into a very pleasant CORES.
pondence and last evening his letter came
teltng me where 10 meet him in Louis.
vile, Some future time | Will ten you o.
my experience on the picket line, and O
those | met and enjoyed hard tack ant
coffee with,
sherman says war Is hell" War from
the earliest ages has been glorious wher
mged in glorious cause. Great war:
have been waged for Gods glory the
gre@'es1 for human freedom and right OF
these hines each army have called on Co
to help them. this could not be hell
Iltfff a
| hankers, far out from the line of march
rob the poor and humble peasantry o
their last m0rsel OF bread. and comml
y crimes which here must be nameless, o.
= the wives and daughters OF brave anC
noble men who are battling for home an
4 lfbeISy--that sure enough is hell The
Y when mothers and daughters. mother
with infants in their arms, and OF tn
most refined natures, are crowded wit
prostitutes and ignorant persons, bOtl
white and black. driven out OF luxurlou
, homes. suffering untold agony both o
J. mind and body, suffering with cold an
# hunger no shelter except Gods firmamen
: and here too often being abused and out
" ragged by the cOwardly runHways an
= bounty jumpers OF an extravagant govern
Is mena, truly this is hell, verse than an
g hell ever pictured by any preacher,
l. know of one such army, and today hum
o Ivy thank these blessed and brillian
8 stars that never belonged TO Il.
know OF the terrible times the peopl
of the South went through duriag recon
structon days; one consolation happn
now coming to view Is that Heaven
r. blessings are being richly showered c
1t the once stricken South. Tho brave an
10 battle tried veterans OF the North" 10y
l. you and they turn a deaf ear to many
~ those brilliant speeches OF supposed gre
ID men, on occasions which draw gro
10 masses OF people together. telling o. gre
} deeds done. which are too often furn sh,
~ by the writers who have time and ablli
ie TO write these brilliant essays The bra'
men and officers of the North never let
~ opportunity pass without eulogizlng q
~ bravery and gallantry of the southe
,s people. The scrufi of our army are 4
II much at tho front now but | hope sen
40 day 10 see them where they We're in tin
en- OF war--at the rear,
New, my dear Rankin, am so Ill wi
H. the grip that l have to write with penc
RS do not expect an answer to this al
.hr jolntsd letter; | have so much TO say n
D. | have only mentioned little OF ever
o. thing. but ! do hope that some tlae
IT. the future when Won have the time y