Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-12-23

mission TO get a canteen OF water, or
some buttermilk, offering to pay for what
we got. The people seldom accepted our
Confederate moneys I suppose from fear
OF gaining the I'll viii OF their own people.
The troops OF our division were strung
out for a mile or more along the railroad
and ordered to tear IL up and burn the
ties, we piled up the ties and laid the
rails across them and set fire to them.
There was little or no forest near by
so we were ordered to pull down the post
and ran fences and use them for kindling
wood. While doing this the owners came
out and with teers In their eyes begged
US not 20 destroy their fences. telling US
how much they cost. We replied: My
dear siri DO you stand here and cry for
a few rails when your people armed them
selves, left their peaceful homes, came
down south 20 ours. burnt our fences,
barns. cities and private houses. shot
down our fathers. brothers and sons be-
cause they dared TO defend their homes;
killed our cattle, horses and fowls; took
all the provisions from out mothers and
their little children and left them to
starve. We are not treating you and
your people IN that way; we are only
using these rails to destroy this railroad
which is public property"
The reply was, This should not be."
"No," was our reply, "and II your peo-
business we will return TO ours, and the
war will end at once"
A rumor was circulated through the
command that battle was being fought
somewhere. Soon the drums beat. we fell
into line rapidly and then with that long,
steady. swinging step, pushed on towards
Gettysburg, the officers horses going at
a dog trot
The roads were hard and firm, and we
made good time. but the day was terribly
hot and clouds OF dust sitting. Water
was scarce and we suffered much.
Suddenly we heard the distant boom OF
cannon which become more rapid and dis
tinct each moment. An officer rides back
down the line. and, In a cheerful manner,
says, "C1ose up, men, quick-stepi we are
needed at the front"
A cheer rents the air startingat the head
OF the column. II rolls back along the line
and dies away IN the distance. The men
quicken their steps. some throwing away
any surplus baggage, even their blankets,
and oil cloths SO as to keep up In the
now rapid march.
Reaching the top OF a hin we distinctly
hear the rapid fire Of artillery, and the
rattle OF musketry and see the white
smoke rising and hanging just above the
hills and valleys far TO the right and left,
and then we know MARS Bob" is at it
again.
A little farther on we hear the exclama-
ton:
Look there boysP' It is the dead body
OF a blue coat lying near the road. Then
we see another and yet another until they
lay I'm groups.
we are passing over the battle field OF
yesterday when the northern troops were
driven from the field, through the town Of
Gettysburg and back to a strong position
among the hills. We file of to the right
-. .17f
sunset sShe1 we come to grove or trees
through which flows a brook OF clear
water. We halt and are ordered to camp
for the night. Worn out by our long
forced to march, many Of US took bath
in the cool water and, after eating some
hard tack and a piece Of pork, lie down to
sleep. Alasi II is the last sleep on earth
for many OF these gallant soldiers.
The moon rises and sails across the
clear heavens, casting her pale light over
those veterans Of many battles. as they
dreamed Of home and loved ones far away
in that southland they love better tnan
their own lives. A cruel enemy has in
vaded their beautiful southland, robbed
them OF their prosperity; desecrated their
homes; fnsulted their mothers. wives,
sisters and daughters; arrested their gray
haired fathers. and dragged them away to
prison for refusing to take the oath OF
allegiance to the government OF the
northern states. Again and again have
these southern men fought battles, de-
feating the northern invaders. hoping az
ter each that they would withdraw their
armies and return home, but they raise
other large armies and come again with
fire and sword: and now the experiment is
to be tried OF carrying the war into the
northern states with the hope that VIC
tory here may end this cruel and unjust
war on a people who only asked for the
right OF self-government AS the moon
disappears in the west and the sun is
peeping above the horison In the east, the
drums beat the reveille AM the whole
camp is astir. We eat our frugal break
fast. then comes the command: "FaiI in.
menu ICne battahons form rapidly and
the dfvistbn is ready to move.
Picketts division was composed OF four