The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-03-04
interesting "Reminiscences.
sy Colonel H. NJ. billiard.


Continued from Sunday, ebruary 25.)
Meridian, Bosque. County, Texas. Feb
ruary 2s.-Thc turmoil being over. the
dead buried and the wounded put aboard
the transports, the balance of our little
band was ordered into line. marched 10
the water and sent TO the boats. BY either
accident. or by special orders I was put
aboard the Boston. which proved to be
General Giimores flagship. According to
the usages Of war, just as reached the
deck an officer took charge Of my earthly
possessions with promise to return
everything not contrapand Of war. AS
was in barbarous state OF nudity, with
but little chance TO conceal my watch,
Confederate money and other papers. ali
outcropp.ng from an undeishirt packet
readily turned over my yaiuabies. l re-
GREETED the necessity which compeiled mo
TO part with Taliaferro's mementoes. but
was assured that / should have them all
back
Ny first impression OF General Gilmore,
before whom I was Immediately taken.
were unfayorablc. In a hurried analysis
OF his character, placed him as super
etitious, dogmatic military satrap; but IN
this subsequent Developments clearly
convinced me of my error. When the ice
between us was fairly broken found him
possessed Of a suayity and ease or man
ner that made him most companionnble.
We discussed frankly and freely the Issues
involved In the great struggle between
the States HIS tact displayed In bring
ing cut certain facts connected with tne
war conditions Ia the Soute were subtle
aud masterful In logic; In fact so much
so that laughed and told him his stra-
tegy in finding out secrets was more
to be admired than his tactical strategy
before Charleston. AS the general had
opened the way for free discussion l.
lost no opportunity of vlndicating the
course OF the South as the only cDaatitn-
tional remedy for our wrongs, And while
my defense OF Jefferson Davis. against
whom all the quintessence OF hatred
seemed directed, was pronounced and ~
ten energetic, yet these delicate subjects
provoked no evaporation At he end OF
one of these colloquies the general re-
marked Well, major. while | can not
accept your Interpretation OF the constl.
tuition, respect the man who submits
honest delusions 20 the arbltrament OF the
sword, At this juncture l was turned
over to the quartermaster. who conducted
me TO his department Was 10 be exc
cuted as pirate, 10 be put 10 irons rs o
traitor or be treated as prisoner 81 war;
must confess to a feeling of relief WHEN
hrcechesless rebel was TO be transformed
into respectable. loyal Union jackie No
peacock eYee exhibited his gaudy plumage
with any more satisfaction than | did in
the h thiliments OF a tar. In the eongtatu-
lations which met me on all sides one
was especially notable Among the Of
reials OF this boat was a DR.. Tweedy. a
surgeoe Ia the United States navy, Viz
Gin.A.t BY birth, whose old father was
"a serving as private soldier in Cor :
tedev5tc regiment. In giving me a his
tory OF his life he regretted the necessity
which separated him and his father and
then added: My devotion to The Union
Was greater than my love for my father.
was standing under the Union flag
when my doctor accosted me: Much i'm
proved in appearance. major. and II the
man who has put himself under the folds
Of this emblem of liberty were as worth,
as the flag. he could rightfully stand un
der IT. His eye flashed With gratinet
malice and his face was the picture o
malevolent hatred How | wanted TO cal
up the ole English bard and show him how
much he might have improved hie devil
IN Paradise Lost" Even in the peril,
Gus condition which surrounded me, tn,
old ilres were sti!l nglow. Doctor hav,
self-conseious pride in having don,
my duty and defeat does not make me ,
So"aFH' Al The same time, the facts abnu
fogacce, can easily conceive OF condi
Mons through which would give me III,
air or conqueror Put under my abso
iute control this one man OF war. let he,
guns be served by the twenty-five Con
iederate prisoners. discard all the genuin,
oime Jackets in your feet and let no
guns be manned by 'tosies and eoui,
win victory that would turn over IN,
seas 10 our control" The tittel anon,
the jackies showed that my shot In,
got into a port hole.
On the following day we came in sleht =
Old Point Comfort and saw the brislIin
guns OF Fortress Monroe Soon we wer
lostieu INTO liteboat and sent ashor.
where guard from the fortress met n,
no thought OF prison life disturbed n,
Drain, but ! was busy thinking how mi
racuiously ! had escaped on lanuArv
from the post OF Arkansas. Would IN
rates come 10 my rescue nowg was n
question, Twenty Confederate prlsone,
went INTO Fortress Monroe. but one
blue was shut out. Everything Is fair
war. so the adage goes, aud this solai,
was not slow In taking advantage OF suc
opportunities as made II possible for nj
TO escape. The darkness was now nnnn !,
but sentry lines and posts had 10
passed, and where they were posted WI
,he msoiuple secret At was no tins,
hesitate. and so walked back on the SAN
line we had Just passed over. ana toAn
surprise ran into picket line / was
no way puzzled how | should hest NO
the exegincy, Have our llfeboats r
turned 10 the feet?" asked. and then
brought a Comanche veil TO Lieutenn
Bacho as II signaling him OF my approac
The sentinel, seeing my sailor garb
the MOONLIGHT permitted me to pass witt
our challenge and rushed to the beac
was sure no septinels we're on the beae
ana IN sticking TO II | found myself att
an hour outside Of all impediments ana
the direction Of Richmond. Al sun nm
round out from a woman that was clio
70 the Warwick county line and not a gre
distance from Morrison. an insieni0ca
little village. which had sprung into exls
enec Of rs own accord ''hofo dc war.
journey al thirty miles / saw nothj,
but the desplatlon which war had wrougt
Rtinea tomesrsomc OF them approach,
pplatlai splendor, We're now Abandoned
silence snd decay The upas tree Of dead
pollen had hliRhted the land and n,
England reveled In her Victory. Crossil
fNe James opposite Day Point on he sol,
sile OF the river, my objective point TIL
Became Petersburg Learning now that
yas out Of reach Of all raIding parties
Federal cavslry enl feeling very mu
like that fuFitive character In Les MI
erapleF,"i determined 10 rest day
the FIRST Inhabited place crossed and Or
( cure 4 horse II possible Greatly 10 h
delight there soon appeared In the al
{44ce fi1& outlines OF Z, substantial >,,,,f