Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1900-11-01
MISSISSIPPI MATTERS.
NOTES OF PAST AND CURRENT EVENTS
By ]. L. POWER.
E,-ros. Md. Oct. II. isp.
NOTES OF PAST AND CURRENT Ey
By J. L. POWER.


Third Nississspps n.st.ii.s.
EssroS. Nd. Oct. II. icoo
Fol J. L. Power:
Dear Sir-I saw IN the Confederate Vet
krsn some time ago statement from one
kf my comrades that mention of the Trirl
|N iS.i-.ippi Battalion va. omitted In the
compilation Of Mi--is~ippi trooy. Who
krrv~f daring the civil var desire to
|hri-6y state our organization and service
|s- far - my memory serves.
was commissioned - major. with in
sfrucsions from Richmond To ovxauir. .
battalion Of infantry. composed Of inde-
pendent companies. in Jackson. Miss. In
issi. ~as then mastering officer under
aa,bority and by appointment from Gen-
sr.l Albert sidney Johnston. N. command
vss de-iRpstei rAiri Nis-i<sipti Battalion.
IN. companies being from Kinds. Itts-
wsmha and Ponsotoc and other counties.
TIE Nis-i-~ippi legislature. then In session.
made speriai appropriation for one camp
eguipsge. clothing. etc. and ws ~srs or
der-i to Bowling Green to Join Gensrai
Johnston. We we're in the battle % shiloh.
After that battle three companies Of the
18th Alabama were assigned TO my com
nsni. making temporary reximentsi or
rsniration, which never had an official
de-ignstiou from Richmond. but which was
lnowu o. ssth Mississippi in the army
General Har'iee was our corps commander.
Cleburues Lewiston, Lowrey's devi.ion
m RI brigade. The regimen, was in all
the battles that foliowet-firs advancing
in the invasion Of Kentucky. in the battles
% Chiekamangs. Perryville, and through
Georxis. and then with Hoods army. l
wss disabled near Chattanooga with =
broken leg. but was on post duty during
my couvalesrcnce, but rejoined the rrgi-
men, and was In the battle at Chattanooga
and in the retreat to Atlanta
For the further corrcctnes~ of history.
and in Justice to by loved comrades. I take
pleasure in giving you these facts
Yours, A. u. HsRDc ksrLa
Major Hardcastle. and the Third
Mississippi battalion. may have been
omitted in the list Of commands pub
lished in the Confederate Veteran, but
they are all right in the official records
In the organizatioa of the Army OF
AAAr att~ol~>tNHts a. tut VI t'hAAoti
the Third Mississippi battalion was a
part Of General Woods brigade. The
majors report of his own command
occupies several pages General Har
dee refers TO him as Colonel Hardcastlc
that promising young officer who
commanded a line of skirmisherS. that
handsomely resisted daylight attack
sieueral Wood mentions the grea, gal
lantry displayed on Sunday by Majo'
HartcaStle. lie was slightly wounded
and hit more than cuce. AT one time
10 = charge. having been separated
from his battalion. he seized 4 musIset,
ioined the ranks. and cheering the men
| ioined with the Sixteenth Alabams
regiment
Other complimentary references q
the major aud his battalion are made
in reports of the battle of Shiloh. ant
these will all have thsir due place wher {
Mississippi in the Civil War comes t'
be written up.
Major Hardcastlc is now pursuing
the more peaceful occupation of book
keeper Of the Easton National Bank o
Maryland. and his surviving comrades
will be glad TO know that he is sur
rounded with 80 much wealth. although
he may not be in possession of enough
10 make him uncomfortable.
The Future of Mississippi
An editorial in q recent issue of th'
Grenada Sentinel ELECTED the warn
eommendation OF Hon. Frank John
s'on- ex-at,orney general. from whicl
We extrast the following broad-gaug'
paragraphs:
Instead Of popular elamor agains
railroads and corporations. the peopl'
shoali cultivate sentiments of friend
lineSs for them. and by a jus, and con
servz,ive policy contribute 10 the i'm
Pssrtant work of developing the grea
Resources Of the State.
Gov. Longino has declared \ broa'
and statesman-like policy on this line
IN bis inaugural address to the legisla
tsre. and with the force of this ofieia
example, AMI the inhsenee Of high
grade administration. which the Stat
how has. public sentiment will uu
q1estionabiy become broadened and ele
ra,ed oa this as well zs upon other ian
Paxtans public questions affecting tn
Welfare and prosperity Of the state
With public sentiment formed upo'
broad and conservative lines on al
qaestious which underlie the materia
interests of the state, and with har
Eonioax and united purpose ON tn
part Of the people. there IS no reaso'
why Mississippi should not get its ful
share Of progress and prosperity.
with ignorance and Incompetence,
excluded from the election franchise
aud intelligence made the test Of tn
suffrage, and with . present adminis
,ration OF its public affairs charactei
lied by an intelligent and patriotic AZ
probation Of true interests Of the STATE
Mississippi will surely move steadil
forward on the lines Of prosperity an
improvement
a Coofsderste Heroias st ksss-
The Baltimore Sun of the sth cor
tains an announcement Of the death {
Mrs Helen +. Patterson, wife of DR..
W. Patterson. who viii be remembers
by the survivors of Humphries' brigad
as surgeon Of that command Mr.
Patterson will be specially remembers
for her heroic labors in the battle field
and hospitals Of Virginia She wa
Mrs Helen r. Mason until after th
war. when she married DR.. Patterson
whom she first met on the battle field
OF Gettysburg. He was made prisone
and later sent to Fort MeHenry- Sd
devoted herself particularly to Il
soldiers Of Mississippi, Georgia an
Alabama, ~ whom she was regarde
as an angel Of mercy. She receive
many grateful letters from those 81
had nursed back to life
DIR. Patterson was assistant surges
In the Mississippi State Lunatic Asyiu