Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-12-23
CHRISTMAS IN THE
PETERSBURG TRENCHES

I best about four ounces Of meat, half a
| pound of flour. sometimes q little coffee
| brought through the blockade OF VIII
mington; tobacco and some salt. Few
| had an overcoat or more than one blan-
| ket. There were but few who in their
secret hearts did not foresee the rapidly
| approaching end.
But the merciful author Of our being
has implanted in each soul seed which
| terminates and flowers In defiance of
every obstacle. Men can bear
up surprisingly when associated in mis-
fortune, and we had faith in that leader
who never had failed us. we believed
that General Lee would not permit us to
be sacrificed when the struggle became
hopeless and so long as he remained there
were thousands who resolved to adhere
to him. But had a chance shot killed him
any time during that winter 1t is uncertain
whether any other general could have held
the army together, so evident was the
desperation of the situation and so great
was their confidence in him.
Several weeks before Christmas some
good hearted person, probably woman,
suggested that Virginia give a dinner-a
real old-fashioned Christmas dinner to the
army Of Northern Virginia The few news
papers that remained gave a hearty sup
port to the proposal, and 1t was theme
in many bomb-proofs and picket holes.
1t became resolved upon, and we were
told that we should have an old time.
before the war" dinner, such as the
high-bred, hospitable gentry OF "ole Fer
giny never tires /" used to set before
their guests.
Sunday, the 25th of December, 1864, was
an ideal day to be the anniversary Of the
Nativity. Clear. yet not cold, nature
seemed in sympathy with the blessed
time. The sun came up and the first day
for many months looked upon the armies
! who were not carrying on the work of
death. 1t seemed as though each had
agreed to suspend their deadly efforts for
one day. A head could appear for a sec
ond or two above the parapet and in full
sight of the enemy and not have a dozen
minnie balls fired at 1t. Both sides soon
discovered that the orders to fire at an
enemy whenever in sight were being dis
Obeyed. The men had suspended their
work without being so ordered and in
few minutes they were passing in full
sight of each other, shouting the compi-
ments Of the season, giving invitations to
cross over and take drink, to come to
dinner, to come back into the Union, to
come over and get plug of tobacco and
other amenities, which were a singular
contrast to the asperities of war. Several
times a group of three or four from each
side would dash out from the trenches in
spite of the commands of the officers and
meet midway, have a rapid exchange Of
drinks, tobacco and other objects. To
visitor ignorant of war 1t would have ap-
peared incredible that the men thus fra
ternizing had been trying to kill each 9TH
er for years. Some time after noon
Yankee who was very tipsy staggered up
to the trenches occupied by the Thirty
fifth North Carolina regiment, and after
trying in vain to climb over, begged to
be helped. He was pulled across and was
soon asleep. This seemed to be getting
too strong. and upon its being reported
to General 1.ansonn, he ordered the man
to be sent back as soon as possible and
rifle to be fired, but not at the enemy.
! The Forty-ninth regiment was nearest
the generals bomb-proof, and according
I ly rifle was discharged upward from it.
This was the first shot that had broken
the peacefulness of the day In the writ
er's hearing. 1 was in the trenches when
it was fired, and instantly every man who
had been exposing himself was out Of
sight of an enemy. Perfect silence fol-
lowed Everyone, not knowing the cause
of the single discharge, expected some
thing much more important to succeed.
But the quiet was profound until the ex-
PLANTATION circulated through the Confed-
crate lines. When Bob Phifer, Of Com
pany d, Thirty-ffth North Carolina regi-
ment, reared his burly form above the
parapet and called out, "Say, Yank. let's
talk some more Bring a drink to the
picket holes and I'll carry some tobacco"
the answer came from a soldier in blue,
who also showed himself, mo, some OF
you Johnnies fired at US"
"'Twas only one of them id Dogeaters
who shot in the air. You won't get hurt
Come on" repeated Bob, whose supply
of liquor was exhausted and who wished
for more.