Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-05-22
Confederate Relics and "reminiscences
of the War of 1861 and 1865.

y
l,ersonar observations of the old Con-
federate soldiers who participated In the
great struggle which for four long years
''shook the continent and made the worlo
stand ashast" are generally read with IN
terest. have heard many expressions OF
gratitude from them on behalf OF the At
Ianta Journal in opening up its columns
10 our use. These articles often call BACK
TO the minds OF many scenes that are Ia
miliar. bringing with them happiness ana
10Y or sorrow and mourning. These oio
men who have all passed the fiftieth mile
post-the men who followed Lee, Jackson
Stuart Hampton and Wheeler. While at
tending e Confederate bazaar In Athens
a short while ago. which was gotten up
and presided over by those patriotic wom-
en- OF our city who ever keep alive the
memories OF those days, / was nueh m
terested in examining the large display Oh
Confederate relics. The trouble was that
each relic had a small card attached CIV
ing only a brief history. II hereafter our
CLOSE CALI correspondents would renem-
her this polnt and would be willing TO give
an account of such relics as they may
have treasured away, and IND put rev
old soldiers who cannot produce some
thing he preserved. am sure that their
letters would be read with increased in
terest. BY request from the ladies sent
them the following: My sabre and can
teen. my parole an autograph OF JEFFERSON
Davis Fitzhugh Lee, Robert r. Lee ana
James L. Kembcr, a Yankee passport
coat pictures Of Lee. Jackson ana Johh-
son and one OF my old commander, Cen
eral / E. b. Stuart Wien / first Joined
the army I was furnished with an inferior
common looking sabre and belt made
somewhere I'm the Confederacy. with e. >.
on the brass buckle Of the belt. IL was
the best we had. The soldier was enVied
who had met his foe. overwhelmed him
and armed himself with a fine sabre and
brace OF Colts army revolvers. II was
but a few months after my enlistment
when the battle Of Kelley's Ford was
fought, March II, 1868. and I secured the
arms have now in my possession. / was
then acting as courier OF Major Morgan,
who afterwards became colonel OF the
second Virginia cavalry. The pass was is
sued to me near Petersburg, Va, and
reads as follows:
Headquarters Army OF Northern Va
August 4, 1864.
The following named member, Corporal
w. B. Conway, of Company 9, Fourth
Regiment Virginian Cavalry. Wickham's
Brigade. Fitzhugh Lees division, having
given satisfactory evidence OF his willing
ness and ability to procure horse IN
the place Of one killed or lost or rendered
unserviceable in the service, Will proceed,
without delay, TO his place Of residence for
that object. returning TO his regiment
within fifteen days without fail.
(SiRned0 ~. KEITH, Adjutant.
II. B. NCLEL Ian. Mai. and A. A. ].
by command of Robert E. Lee"
The pass was procured In the following
way: We were camped in a dense pine
forest and suffered intensely from the
heat and want of good. pure water. 1 oe-
came sick from dysentery and my sur
geon wanted to send me to the HOSPITAL
at Richmond. had never been in hos
pital as a patient during the war, nor
did I intend to go IL 1 could prevent 1t.
The idea struck ne that / could secure
pass in order to get fresh horse, but
| mine was fin fair condition and l knew
that II took him before Captain Billy
Hin that he would not condemn him,
hence 1 offered TO exchange horses with
one Of my. company, John Haws. lie
| agreed to do so and 1 gave him $500 and
my horse. The next day appeared before
the examining board and without any diff
Guilty secured a pass Of fifteen days. In
two days thereafter 1 was again at home.
Now about my parole:. 1 was on oetach-
i ed service IN connection with conveying
dispatches to Colonel .Mosely. and. there
i fore, was not at Appomattox on the 9Th
4 Of April. So / secured my parole while
on visit to my relative, Colonel Josiah
! We're OF Clarke county, Virginia. A d.
Il
house. They were raw recruits, under
stooS who had not seen service. They
treated me kindly and after waiting a
short time was handed the following pa
per to sign:
'HeadquarterS Third Pro. Division.
SUMMIT POINT. Va, May /. 1865
II, w. b. Conway OF Madison county.
Virginia. corporal Company c. Fourth
Regiment. Virginia Cavalry, c. s. army,
do hereby give this my parole of honor,
that viii not take up arms against the
/ United States government until am reg
ularly exchanged: and that II am per-
usitted 10 remain at my home I will con-
duct myself as a good and peaceable citi-
zen, and win respect the laws in force
where reside. and will do nothing to
the detriment of or in opposition to the
United States government.
| Csigned) ''W. b. CONWAY"
Description-Age 20 years. height 5 feet
4 inches. hair light. eyes gray. Sworn to
and subscribed before me this first day of
May. 1865. P. L. RUNYAN, JRl,
Provost Marshal"
Whten I was about to leave the tent one
/ OF the officers offered me a drink of whis-
key from his canteen. 1 declined and in
formed him that that was something I
had not touched during my three years
army life. He then offered me a position
under him IN some business which 1 I'm
| dignantly declined. The next comes a
pass took from the pocket of a Yankee
killed in hand-to-hand fight near Spott-
sylvania Court House. 9Th May, 1864. 1t
reads as follows:
Camp 9Th Ohio Cavalry.
Warrenton. Va, April 19 1864.
I Guards and patrons-Pass the bearer
to and from camp until further orders.
B. H. BLACK.
o. ]. n. ROBERTS.
Comp. d. 9th Ohio Cavalry"
The next is a handsome picture of Gen.
Robert z. Lee. from the celebrated paint
i ing by Cornelius Hankins, with his fare
well address to his army. I reproduce It,
many OF our people never tire of reading
the thoughts OF this grand patriot and
Il soldier.
/ Headquarters Army OF Northern Vir-
/ ginia, April 10. 1sS5.-After four years of
arduous service. marked by unsurpassed
courage and fortitude. the Army of North
ern Virginia has been compelled to yield
TO overwhelming numbers and resources.
I need not tell the survivors Of so many
hard-fought battles. who have remained
Il steadfast to the last, that I have con-
/ scented to this result from no distrust OF
| them. but. feeling that valor and devotion
4 could accomplish nothing that could COM
| pensate for the loss that would have at
tended the. continuation OF the contest. /
have determined 10 avoid the useless sac
Il rifice OF those whose past services have
endeared them TO their countrymen. BY