The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1901-07-11

Oh INC ASSOCIATION.
! Of the steamer Nashville, in the docl, a
Southampton, vas the signal Of hope t,
the youth who was waiting II chGucc {,
execute his project. lie went to South
ampton, and there for the first time ia
III the distance he saw q flag (which Wa
| entirely new ana strange" but which ht
WAS destined to follow through success!
and defeat uutil it WAS furlcd forever a
| AppOmattOX. The amiabi!ity and Gignit,
of Capt Pcgranl impressed the advcn
turOus youth, who was doomed 20 mce
with disappointment on the threshold OF
his anxious purpose, however, ;.3 tn,
valiant old naval officer WAS Obliged &c
refuse him as passenger, but hintct
| that he would accept him rs sailor be
| fore the mast, if he were u mind TO en-.
| list In the service, which opened TIC
| way for his coming. Tic was Just twenty
one years Of age, which was about the
| average OF the men then in The Con
| fcdcra;c ranks, and nc was going to c;.st
| his fortunes with them, without any
| kith or kin i'll til" far OF sunny South.
| ~ was natural and inevitable that The
Hover Of our own land ShOul1 make this
| sacrifice, for We had been taught To cy.
pcct the contest now bcnF WaGcd, NDL
for a generation the blood had h"cn
p
pCnsed by the tulv stock Nf var But i0
this youth. who had said a.Dd-hyo to his
people at home, and who had enlisted
to DO battle under rs yet III unIlc0guiz
ca l1Ay, there was none Of the atimula.
tiCn that comes with th@ conviction of
right and the ardOr Of patriotism which
lllcd the bOSOmS Of the ,ucn v,bU were,
already wearing the gray sad bearing
0ur"cns that were Unparalleled. VhC
voyage across the ocean waE no: without
It's dangers and excl ing Incidents, and
when the Nashville ran the blockade into
tnc harb0rAt Beaufort, II. & on thc 2Sth
OF FcbTumry 1862. the loHrlinGss and
Isolation Of the youth, who WAS b.gct
with doubt and uncertainty, need no,
be described. Others were going 10
meet with friends aud rcn,ivcs, but .
was ovorpowcrcd with the ncgai Q
side OF his existence at that !uDm, !,
which only tmc, fajth, Cl.aTey and c..
tlVity would ccVcrsc in the stirring la S
SO soon ahead Of him.
II would U9 Interesting to follow the
fortunes Of the young Engiishmuu after
he reached the shores 0f his aloDtud
land, where the god Of war Was ram
pant, and where every man, woman and
child whom he was destined to meet was
Intensely and exclusively absorbed in
the progress and result of the struEg,c
On the voyage he had risen from rhc
place Of a common sailor 10 the conn.
dental relation OF masters mate. and
afterwards was promoted to mi3 ship
man, III which capacity he was given "u
assignment TO The receiving ship, "CCn.
iedcratc StatcS,' then in the Oillng at
Norfolk, Va This rapid promotion WAS
mainly due TO the inilucnCc Of Capt
Pcgram, based upon his recognition and
worth Of Mr. Dawson, and WhIch stood
the latter in good stead after he left the
navy. Capt. Pcgram was ordered III
Aprl', 1862, TO take command Of the
iron. clad Louisiana," which was build
Ing ut New Orleans, and Dawson WAS
ordered to accompany him, which en-
ablcd the midshipman to travel by rail
from Petersburg, Va, to jackson, Hiss :,
where the information WAS received that
the United States fleet had attacked the
forts below New Orleans, causing the
city to be evacuated. On the return trip
the news was given them that Norfolk
had been abandoned by the Confederate
forces, and that the "Nirgiuia had
been destroyed to prevent her from
falling into the hands Of the enemy. 1t
Was apparent that the Confederate
States navy would become permanently
dism"ntlcd, SO far as local defence was
concerned, rs there vas not an open
port ut this time and the blockade was
being made more pcrIcC; every day.
Young Dawson had been sent TO ar al
legged floating battery, which was lying
in the James River, and which he took TO
be q drcdge when he went 20 report for
duty. She was without engines OF sails,
h, 4.
heavy gun, and not mitch prospect Of
ever leaving the wharf at The Rockets g.
The enthusiastic midshipman did not
fancy the idle outlook, when there was
c"mmOtion and intense anxiety aS to
coming battles on the land. McClclIan's 8
magnificent army WAS in few miles OF
Richmond, and troops were h9stcning
to the defence OF the capitol Of the Con.
fcdcracy. The battle of Seven Pines
was being fought, and obtaining leave
of absence, armed with navy sword,
the midshipmaD FASTENED to the field,
| and joined himself TO the Eighth Georgia
regiment, where hC was given Il muSNcL
and the privilege Of entering the fight
| which was expected to be renewed, but
which did not take place the next morn.
ing. Hc trudgCd back to Richmond and
sent his resignation to the Secretary of
ttiS ANefJJ u ICdSOl l!ltL III
wiehcd to enter the army ns q private
soldier. He joined the Purcell Battery
and reported for duty q few days before
the Seven Days Battle around Rich
mOnd. The commander Of this famous
/ battery was Willie pcgram, a nephew Of
the distinguished naval officer already
mentioned, and the camp was on the
turnpike leading to Ncchanicsvilc
| where in day or two was to be initiated
that series OF engagements which have
been the study Of military critics ever
since. The daring movement Of SIC
Clcllan To flank the Confcdcratcs and
force his way into Richmond, only q fcw
miles distant, wAs more than cquallGd
! by the matchlcss defence Of Robert T.
Ice, who had just taken command OF
the Confederate forces, and who prcgscd
the foe backward every day until hC
took refuge under the gunboats ON tho
James, far south OF RchWond.
Dawson, Just prior to the fight al
Mechanicsvillc, saw the distributiun tC
| tho Army Of Mort huru SirUi,,iu f,,