The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1901-11-02
A Few Extracts from Col. Montgomery
Hook.
"REMINISCENCES.

In his interesting "reminiscences
Of a large part Of the worlds most
eventful century, Lieut.-Col. Frank A.
Montgomery, First Mississippi Caval-
ry, Armstrong; brigade, offers, as one
of the many good reasons for the
books existence, the sad fact that so
little true history has been written Of
the war between the States, and what
mas been written of our side has dealt
almost wholly with the great leaders
and their work. He does not wish to
withhold from these great men n
iota of the fame they earned, for he
believes that the great men who COM
manded u armies, with few excep-
lions, deserve the honors they won;
but it is the unknown and forgotten
who o their honors for them" And
1t is of the unknown" to fame and
forgotten by history of whose gal
liant lives and glorious deaths Col.
montgomery knew that he writes so
entertainingly in his book. He regrets
that SO few of the men who made
sacred the gray" have written their
experience as a contribution to his
tory.
1t has often been urged in this col
umn that the men who fought this
good fight" and who recalled Incl
dents of special interest should write
them and give them publicity through
the various county papers, and in this
way their children and their children's
children would learn of deeds of valor
that would cause them to rejoice in
their fathers name and fame as SOL
diers. In thes tories told around the
veterans camp fires now there is
enough of tragedy to wiring the heart
of the strong New South, as well as
OF dear old Dixie; there is also at
times much of laughter mingled with
the tears, and the listeners heart beats
high and his blood runs quick at
deeds of heroism of which the world
hears naught. The history of that
four years war and of the men and
women who made possible and glori-
GUS the unequal struggle should not be
allowed to die. Save so much as is pre-
served between the lids of the enc
mics and a few histories dealing
largely with special events and
phases of the war and the careers Of
certain of the leaders, there is all too
little for our children to read and
learn from. In speaking of this, Col.
Montgomery says: There were men
in the ranks who coIld, If they would,
have told interesting stories, and even
yet there are many who can do it If
they will, and | hope others may yet
do 1t. But whatever is done must be
done soon, for . few more years and
there will be hone left to tell, espe-
cially what Mississippi and Mississip-
plans did in that great war, and thus
aid the historian who is to come in
writing the history of the war and
of the State"
The name of every man who fought
meath the Union flag is preserved to
history and their dead lie in beautiful
cemeteries which the people delight to
keep in perfect order. We are glad
that this is SO, for we would not wish
1t to be otherwise. But it cuts to the
quick to remember that so many of
our bravest sleep where they fell, In
land bought only with their blood,
and where kindly nature weaves the
only garlands that on Decoration
day" mark these lonely unknown"
bits of sacred ground. With Col.
Montgomery We, too, believe that JUS
tice may yet be done to many of these
brave men, but if it were done "'twere
well 'twere done quickly"
DR.. Riley's recent publication con-
corning Mississippi's lost villages"
recalls to our Oldest inhabitants many
incidents touching some of the towns
that live now only in their memories.
Col. Montgomery refers to one of the
Oldest and most interesting sections
OF the State, a neighborhood enriched
by these memories, as follows: 81 was
born in Jefferson county within a
mile of S~elsertown. The
place is twelve miles from Natchez.
and a tavern was kept there for a long
time, perhaps is still, though the rail.
road which now runs near it, from
Jackson to Natchez, has nearly de-
stroyed the usefulness of the highway
upon which it was situated. This was
h road cut in the earliest history of
h territory of Mississippi from
Nashville, Tenn. to Natchez, along
which Gen. Jackson rode when he
sought and found his bride at the
nome of his friend, Col. Thomas NJ.
Greene, on the banks of Coles Creek.
and along which he marched his vic.
torious troops when returning from
the battle of New Orleans. 1t was
then the great ~thoroughfare for all
travel north from Natchez, and most
OF that south to Natchez, for few cared
to risk the dangers of river travel in
those days. At intervals Of about six
miles along this road, in the early SET
Element of the territory. little villages
had been located, as | ermember. be-
tween NatcheZ and Por3 Gibson. aret