Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-07-30
COMMUNICATED.
"REMINISCENCES OF AN OLD CON-
FEDERATE.


FEDERATE.
Having read with interest the dis.
criptiop OF the battle of the 18th Of July,
1861, my memory carries me back to q
few weeks prior to that time, when be
ipe In the valley OF Virginia, w.,ut to
Harper's Ferry to see the COME terate
troops who were then commanded by
Mai. T. J. jackson. After going through
the different camps, infantry and cav
alry, and watching with boys interest
a zouave drill by the Law Grey II Z)uaves
of Baltimore In the old srmory grounds
near John Browns fort, / then visited
mouse in Boliver Heights where | met
Capt. w. N. Pendleton, of the Rock
bridge artillery, who was sitting on the
porcn with the men of his company
gathered around him more like Chill.
dren than private soldiers.
A few weeks afterwards l was sitting
on a porch 10 Winchester, Va, snd saw
Gen. Joe. E. JohDston's army pass
through that town and noted particu
larly Gen. I. J. Jackson's brigade, many
of the men whom | knew personally,
especialIy those OF the Second Virginia
regiment, which was made up OF COM
psnies especially from Clarke, Jefferson
and Frederick. My attention was et-
pecislly called again to the Rockbridge
artillery as they psssed through with
three little brass pieces belonging to the
Y. Nj. l., and one iron gun which seem
ed at that time to be huge in compsri-
sop With the others. No one seemed
70 know whittier they were going.
About week after, on the 18th OF
Jnly, | was sent from the county OF
Clarke, where l was staying, to Wio-
chester, Va, en- route for Charlottesville.
The trip had TO be made In those days
to Strssburg by stage aud from thence
to Staunteu, Vs., by rail and stage,
thence 10 Charlottesville by rail. Upon
arriving at Strssburg about z o'clock 10
the evening was Informed that the
train from Manassas which l was to
take, was over two hours late owing to
battle. When the train arrived about
half-past ten we were over 'yed to
bear OF the gallant fight of the 17th and
especially our Alexandria boys, but
pslned TO hear OF the less Of life as well
as the woundiog of Capt. s. W. Presst-
man.
After an uueventful trip arrived in
Charlottesville on Saturday, the 2OIh,
to fad my parents nursing in the hos
pitals and every house In the town
filled with sick soldiers who were cared
for there as well as in the hospitals by
the residents OF the city end surround
log countr-. The hospitals not having
bsen organized, these poor fellows were
cared fIr by the ladies and gentlemen
who could spare the time, as well as
the ply sicians Of the place. ] often
look back with pride at the noble self
sacrifice Of those women who gave
their time and attention day and night
to those boys in grey, most OF whom
we're from the far south and were
stfl cted with diseases that we passed
through In this climate In childhood
and to which number OF them sue
cu.nbed. Many q poor fellows last
hours were soothed by the motherly
nursing and prayers OF mothers and sis-
ters whose sons and brothers were then
at the front.
On Tuesday following after the bat
| tie of Manassas, the town OF Charlottes-
Vile was literslly flooded with wound
ed mer, Confederates and Yankees
alike, and the University building prop
er as well as the students rooms were
turned into vast hospitals. To show
how badly help was needed, the writer,
then boy OF 10, went In with the physi-
CLANS and learned to dress the wound
ed, 10 which work he was engaged for
several weeks.
Ga the 2lst of July, 40 years ego las
| Sunday, the brigade which \ saw pass
through Winchester commanded by i.
], jackson, covered itself with glory
and was baptized that day the Stone
wall brigade. The Rockbridge Artillery
being at that time attached to 1t shared
| the honor.
10 1864 | had the honor of being en-
rolled as a parade in the ab)ve com
pany which had made record Tor IT.
self on many hard fought field, being
then commanded by Capt. Archie Gra-
ham. Capt. Wm. N. Pelton then be-
ing brigadier.genersl Of artillery IN
the army OF Northern Virginia.
In 1891 / went 10 Lexington. Va, TO
a reunion of my company, the occasion
being the unveiling OF Jackson's statue
at that place. There witnessed and
participated In an event never equaled
| in history. The three little brass pieces
that had been used by the battery at
the first battle of Manassas, July Il,
1861, were brought into service that
day To fire salute at a. 10. at the ln'
stiitute and later in the day at the IN
yelling OF the monument where they
were served principally by the same
men OF 1861, who fred the salute at the
unveiling.
In the history OF wars, was there
ever q similar case, where the guns tha
helped to make hero's name were IL
after years, when the country fo
which be fought was conquered, use'
at the upveiling Of his monument o!
bis old soldiers?
These little guns were returned y
the Institute soon after the hrst DALI
: of Manassas, csptGred by Gen. Hnnle
/ IN 1874 and ~Atn-pad 70 fna lnslllutl