The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1901-05-03
"Reminiscences OF tho Civil War Between
tho States,

Foeling an inclination to write u few
lines about the civil war, ] will relate
| an incident which | can vOuch for, in
which Gen. y. S. Grant was connected.
l have read in books and papers somo
accounts Of tho kind deeds of officers in
the Northern armies, which deeds |
greatly admired. l will now relate the
| incident which referred to. During
the summer OF 1864 the Federal army
was located somewhere near Richmond,
Va. May 10th, 1854 tho battle Of Spot
sylvania G. H., was fought, in which
| many soldiers lost tiicir lives. My
brother, VIM. l.. Waters, belonged to
Company ID, l4th s. G.. Infantry. Ho
was reported in tho list of those who
were missing. Well do 1 remember
tho lonely Sabbath evening when we
| received the sad news that my brother
was no moro. Oh, tho bitter tears that
wore shed. Never will forgot tho sad
cry OF my ugcd parents. Even now l
almost imagine that I can hear their
sad wall. They have long since passed
over tho cold river and arc now resting
in the happy climes above. I was I'M
pressed with the idea that my brother
was not killed. / could get nothing
else in my mind, and set about to find
out ii no was still living, which was Il
problem that seemed difficult for me to
solve. Finally l came to tho conclu-
sion that tho proper way to clear up
the mystery was to commence ut head
quarters. SO | wrote to Cen. u. S.
Grant, giving him all tho particulars
concerning my brother. wrote him
nice and kind letter. appealing to his
honor as soldier aud gentleman,
and asked him to have it asccrtaincu
| where my brother was, II still living.
At the same time | wrote u letter 10
Col. e. p. Jones at Richmond, Va.
put my letter (unscalcd) to Gen.
Grant Inside of his, (Col. Jones')
| asking him to forward it to Gen.
Grant at his earliest convenience.
In two weeks l received letter from
would forward my letter by first beat
| for bag OF truce. I then waited pa
tiently to hear from my letter to Gen.
Grant. I never doubted for a moment
| but what I would hear. Finally, [ re-
ceived the long looked for and most
| welcome message, stating that VIM. l..
Waters, Company D, 14th S. G.. Infan-
try, was prisoner ut Fort Delaware.
Gen. Grant treated my letter with all
the due respect and courtesy, for which
am thankful to this day. He never
knew how much I appreciated his kind
ness. l have always regretted that
| mover had tho pleasure Of meeting with
him and taking him by the hand and
thanking him for the kindness that he
manifested in my behalf. My letter
| to Gen. Grant was sent tho rounds to
| the Northern prisons until my brother
; was found.
For several years kept the report
that was forwarded to. mo through ohe
| lines Of the armies. Finally l gave 1t
| to my brother and requested him to
| keep 1t, as somo day 1t might be inter
} osting for his children to read and to
| know that he was onco prisoner Of
! war. He let some friend have the re-
| port with the promise that he would
publish 1t In the Union Timos "a 8. G..
paper) Since then he has heard
nothing OF it. l would bo glad If who
| ever has it would forward it to VIM.
l.. Waters at Jalapa, Newberry Coun-
| ty, S. @. M. G.. +.
Doyle, Ark.