Mexico weekly ledger., 1902-10-09
DR. LB. HAWKINS
Writes the Ledger Regarding the Snow
at Ball Run 40 Years Ago.

on. time, IN your light,
Make me soldier again,
Just for tonight
] see in Friday nights issue you we're |
speaking Of a deep snow in this coun.
try the fourth day Of October 40 years
ago II my memory is not at fault il |
was sometime near the frstof October
1861.
As We go back in memory and recall
the scenes in panorama, as the Con-
fcderate army, commanded by Gen.
Joe Z. Johnson, camped around Cen
terville and along the foot hill Of Bull
Run, the right resting on the Potomac
south Of the city Of Washington and
keeping up a continuous line to the
north along tie historic stream Of Bull
Run to the Blue Ridge Mountains
and even in Shenandoah Valley.
Let us digreSs tosay that the initial
mistake OF the lost cause was com
mitted just here in not taking adyan-
tage OF the decisive battle OF July q,
1861, aud pressing the Federal army,
which was completely routed and for
the time so demoralized that one di-
vision Of Joe F. Johnson's army could
have taken the Federal capital and
dictated its own terms of peace, in
stead OF acting on the defensive and
lying idly in camps, hoping against
hope for that foreign intervention
that never materialized and giving
time for the Northern army to regain
confidence under the inspiration Of a
new commander and that Of the en-
listing Of 1000 new recruits, while
the two armies rested in their defen-
sive positions for several months the
Federal army recruiting and prepar-
ing in every way TO regain its lost
prestige.
| The Confederate troops were, within
six weeks after the battle Of July u,
| decreased nearly one-third Of its fight
ing strength by an epidemic Of mea.
sles, the cause Of infection found in
the abandoned camp equipage left in
the track Of the retreating army.
saw Ga men leave the Third South
Carolina regiment for the hospital one
morning broken out with the measles
and this number followed by other'
until every man not immune TO The
disease had taken his turn in the
pest house. The epidemic with many
lcompllcations proved to be very fata
/ and many Of the poor fellows never re
; turned 10 camp again.
But ] was speaking Of a deep snow
and the one refer to fell In the carll
part Of October, 1861, and as the for
, ests are mostly low, Scrubby pine anc
the other timber had not shed III
leaves the snow bent and broke th,
branches Of the forest until the road.
were literally blockaded for some day
and rendered the transportation Of th,
necessary supplies for the army yerl
diAicult. But there are some pleas
ant and amusing things we call {,
mind. The good times some d IN,
more restless and yepi isfesome boy
had tracklng.llae swine that had beer
leit Denlgu by the retreating Yanke,
symBathizers.
,l.IIhose pine forests were fun Of those
wild shoats that grew fat as the scay.
engers Of the camps and deserted corn
, fields. The boys would slip away from
! camp and track these porkers through
e the snow TO their hiding places, ant
, lappnoprIate them as a Iootlssosss ooa
trast with the hardtack and nausaus
lpickle pork, the smell Of which would
drive you out Of camp while the boys
would hold it at arms length and
roast it on the end Of a ramrod
The winter Of '6l was a long, dreary-
wet one and ended with the transfer.
ing Of Joe E. JohRsoB's army from the
plains Of Manassa, by way Of Rich
m0nd, TO yorktown, on the peninsula.
Gen. George B. Mcclellan, the brav-
est and the greatest military genius
that ever commanded the Northern
army lfad now succeeded to its com.
mand and was concentrating his forces
at Fortress Monroe and moved toward
Richmond with his whole force, while
his flanks we're protected by bis heavy
gun boats in the James and York
rivers
/ Gen. Joe T. johnson finding it diff
) cult to maintain his position, owing to
the continuous spring rains, and find
ing his own fianks and rear exposed 10
the enemy's fleet Of heavy artillery,
about the middle Of May be withdrew
his army that was before Yorktown
and fell back and gave and received
battle at Williamsburg 10 Mcclellan
advanced forces and gave them such a
drubbing that they did not venture
the experiment again until the Con
fedefates had taken up their position
under the very shadow Of the COnfed-
crate capital, the city Of Richmond,
and then was defeated again at Fair
| Oaks with great slaughter. Gen. Joe
| +. johnson was wounded In this bat
&c and Gen. r. Z. Lee succeeded 70
the command, in person, OF the army Of
northern Virginia
The next few days we're spent by the
contending forces, seeking for stragic
points o. advantage. Scouts and
couriers were busy watching every
lmove, while the immortal Stonewall
jackson was slipping away from the
yigflence sf the federal forces 10 the
valley dI Virginia, and sWooping down
upon the right flank Of NeClellen' Is
army with the swiftness u an eagle
and irresistible destruction 0f an ava
lanche with Gen. LongstTeet and
Ia. p. Halls corps 10 support him.
. The inevitable result was - double
the right flank Of the federal army
back on its center and left, force them
70 evacuate their breastw0rk and fight
in the open. Il makes ones blood run
cold as We look back through the years
that intervene. and live over again
these terrible seven days; and look on
the fields Of carnage and death that
| pen or tongue can ever Adequately
describe. For seven long day and un-
ltil late al night. Commencing with
the Cold Harbof, Gains Farm, Gains
| Mil, White Oak Swamps and closing
with the divided hcnors at Malvern