The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1900-10-11
THE BATTLE-FIELDS.
OLD SOLDIERS TALK OVER
ARMY EXPERIENCES.
The Blue and the Gray Review Incl.
dents OF the Late War. and in a
Graphic and Interesting Manner
Tell of Camp, March and Battle.

Graphic and Interesting Manner
Tell of Camp, March and Battle.
kakcc, ILL.,
This WAS the reply made by one of
Sherman's officers when he entered At
lanta after the siege and took posses
sion of my fathers house. The men,
berS of my family were in Montgomery.
unable 10 return through the lines. and
l. a boy of III. was in charge of the large
and handsome residence which had suf-
fered only slight damage from the
hombardment of forty days. Durham
was quartermaster. and, without ask
ing my permission, he brought his
clerks and dishes into the house and
made it his residence and office.
And where am | to go?" l asked.
The captain, Il fine lookin. man of 81.
with Il frank face. looked at me Il mo-
ment.
See here. my boy" he said, there is
room here for us all. You take the back
part of the house, let your servants do
the cooking, and Ill furnish the ra-
tions.''
This was clever. and l had sense
enough To appreciate the strangers
Kindness. The captain and his clerks
We're well dressed, and very gentleman
ly. In the course of few hours felt
reconciled. especially when l saw some
of my neighbors turned out of their
houses. a wagon load of provisions
was soon delivered, and we had the
best supper that | had seen since the
beginning of the siege.
Durham invited me into the front
room. in which he had established his
office, and while smoking his cigar he
questioned me closely about many i'm
portant matters. When he learned that
my parents were Northern people he
became still more genial. and finally
he proposed game of chess. l was Il
poor player. but this suited the cap
tory.
This routine went on for several days
and nights, until l was on the best
terms with the entire crowd. Still l
was somewhat nervous. The captains
office was an unfinished room, and in a
hole where the lathing was broken l
had deposited a sm; wooden box con-
tanning several hundred dollars in gold
and greenbncks. The Federals had
taken possession of the house so sud
denly that had been unable to remove
my treasure.
Would they find it? Would they con-
fiscate 1t: These questions bothered
me, but one night, when we were all in
an unusually friendly mood. l boldly
mounted ckair. pulled out my box
from its hiding place, and, taking from
it the gold and greenbacks, proceeded
to pocket the money, with the brief ex-
PLANTATION that had concealed it there
during the siege. The captain looked
at his clerks. and then he looked at me.
We'll. by gum he said as he brought
his fist down on the table.
One of the clerks gave me money
belt and advised me to put my funds in
ii and buckle il around my body, under
my shirt. which did at once.
After this | felt so much confidence
in my new friends that l gave them
another surprise. The house was so
constructed that in an unfinished part
of ii we had been able to hide four or
live boxes of tobacco. and sham plank
wall had been built. No one would
have suspected anything unless he had
been an expert or a very close observer.
got acquainted with sutler. showed
him sample. and sold him the tobacco
at Il fabulous price. The sutler sent a
wagon with two men and some carpen-
ter's tools, and they tore down the sham
partition and carried off the tobacco.
Durham and his clerks witnessed the
whole affair The captain glared mt me
and then laughed.
well. by gum.' was his comment as
he walked back to his office.
In all my life never met better set
of fellows. At last when every citizen
had TO leave l was ordered TO go north
of the Ohio. and was furnished with
transportation. Having plenty of
money, decided TO go to Chicago. and
Durham gave me letters to several of
his friends which were of great service
10 me.
Before I had been in Chicago many
days | was shocked by the announce
ment that Sherman had laid Atlanta in
ashes and had started on his march to
the sea. An exile in strange land-a
boy of I6-with the dread of being
homeless after returning to my own
town, il was natural that | should feel
desolate. l was unable to hear any,
thing from Atlanta until after Lees
surrender. Then l was overjOyed to
learn that our house was standing
among the few dwellings which had
been spared. The neighboring houses
had been burned. How had ours es-
capped?
The mystery was soon solved. My
benefactor was Capt. Durham. That
gallant soldier and gentleman was de-
termined TO stand by the boy who had
played chess with him night after
night. and when he saw that our house
WAS about 10 go he formed fifty men in
line with buckets, and their tremendous
eXertiOns succeeded in saving the place.
The fences had to go, but the building
was only slightly scorched.
When l returned 10 Atlanta l wrote
Durham a letter, which have no doubt
he preserved. for it was one of the most
grateful and appreciative epistles that
was ever penned. The captain prompt
ly replied, assuring me of his friend
ship and expressing his qualification at
having been able to save my property.
| never saw him again, but | shall