The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-10-12

bare. at Appomatox on April 12 1865. left the slow marching brigade tBennings), and with wm. Young, of the Seventeenth Georgia. procured direction from General Jubal Early. made my way. dependent for food on the kindness Of the people along the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge to spartanburg s. C.. where we first journeyed over part of a broiien railroad. While alternately riding over the frag- ments of railroads Sherman had not de- stroyed and walking, Young parted from me to go to his Georgia home. lost my hat when asleep in freight car, but for two confederate dollars purchased anoth- CT very ancient one, which now one would hardly pick up with a pair Of tongs.
 Reaching West Point, Ga. about sun down, April 29, was overjoyed to meet with Lawson Mc1Selvey, one of the color guards of the Twentieth Georgia At Gettysburg shrapnel had burst just at the flag, destroying more than half of it, killing three or four of the guard and wounding McKelvey In twenty-five places, extending from his ear along his left shoulder and arm to the wrist. He was placed in the ambulance corps and did his duty faithfully to the end. Ht was a gallant soldier faithful friend and there Is one who waits kindly wishes to him for ''auId lang syne."
 We travelled the river road until late that night. sleeping on the side of a rocky hill and next morning. Sunday, reached the house of a friend, Hop Smith. as he was famlliarly known, one of the best men and neighbors and a friend of my boyhood who had often given me words of homespun wisdom. His wife. yet living. was and Is benedction on all who knew her.
 While breakfast was preparing, I saw tears on her face. and surprised at such a welcome, I inquired the reason. Then she told me how wretched she felt at my home coming in such clothes. I told her l would get more when reached my peo- pie, but she sadly shook her nead and with many sobs told me that my trunk containing all had in the'way of worldly possessions had been stolen by deserters. I made light of the matter. but not so with her.
 Reaching my relatives, I met a welcome not apparently affected by the apparel I wore. and learned that when Wilson's raid, which took place Tn Selma and Montgomery and scattered destruction in it's path, was expected, the neighbors made up a train of wagons to take valu- ables across the Chattahoochee into the hills of Harris county to escape robbing by the raiders. My cousins put in a wagon my trunk with all my clothes and valuables, some of their best dresses, 400 pounds of cured bacon. then most valua- ble, and some other household effects, and young negro was sent in charge of the wagon, which formed. the rear guard of the team. After crossing Soap Creek near it's mouth, the horses baked at a hill. Some men came out of the woods and told the negro to go to house near by and get help. On his return he found the wagon emptied of it's contents and no one had been able to trace the goods or the theives, and since about three weeks had been given up. 5f
 Clothes being a necessity. went to Columbus, and learning there, that owing to some influence a lot of confederate clothes had not been burned, I went to John Mott, formerly aid to General Ben ming and told him must have two suits. He denied any knowledge Of the where abouts of the goods, but I told him unless he allowed me to take what wanted I would get my old comrades and we would break into the building and divide the confederate stores, as I felt was rightly entitled to a share. He finally led me into an alley, then up a stairway, across a building, down another, and finally into an open room where there were hun dreds of suits of confederate jeans, cut out and tied up ready for the makers. selected two and my cousins with delft hands converted them into clothes so that was clad in what was then an honorable uniform. But the sense of Injury on the loss of my trunk and my cousins property was strong, and the instinct of revenge stronger. especially when 1t was suspected that some deserters had stolen the goods With the soldiers deserter was not sup posed to have much more rights than a snake.
 = . . -- -- board of directors of the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company.
 F H. Fillmore of Montgomery is at the Morris.