Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-07-17

February %, 1864, General Seymore COM
handing the Federal army, retreated to
Jacksonville with the Confederates under
the command of General Ftnnegan In
pursuit I was told by citizens along the
route that they went back, every man for
himself, and. the devil for the hindmost
At Baldwin we saw several stockades
they had built by digging a trench like
the four walls of q house, then standing
pine logs up all around with loopholes TO
shoot through. No doubt they would have
been good protection from infantry, put
the good Lord deliver me from being In
side OF one with artillery brought TO bear
on IT, General Finnigan's command
went into camps six miles below BALDWIN
at Camp Milton. The regulars were trans
ferred from Harrison's to Colquitts ori-
Rade. On April the first the regulars with
| two pieces OF Gambors artillery under
the command of Captain Miller marcheo
% miles 70 a point on the st. Johns river
above Jacksonville and burnt the united
states steamer Maple Leaf that had been
/ sunk by a torpedo, and deserted oy the
crew after taking everything on out the
machinery and some mattresses An ON
GER with a detail OF men went 10 the
boat in a batteau and fired II and after
they returned several shots were hred
| into Il BY the artillery. At farm mouse
near the river we saw a large mock OF
goats. We had left camp without anything
/ TO eat, so Captain Grieves ordered Two
men detailed from each company TO XII
10 goats for the regiment Sergeant Hum
phreys and Corporal J. n. Smith were
detailed from company NJ The wagon
was ordered TO walt for them, but did
not on account Of landing on the river
/ five miles below us, where the enemy
could have cut us of. Humphreys ana
Smith carried their goat miles on
pole suspended between them, the rest
| OF the men left theirs by the roadside.
That night company NJ was placed on
/ nickel and while we had plenty OF goat
meat. we had no bread. Sergeant Hum
| phreys with Corporal T. j. MusgroVe
struck out through the country IN search
/ of bread, which they failed 20 ma, pu'
secured some fine sweet potatoes. what
feast we had with roasted potatoes ana
kid baked around the campfire placed on
| sticks. I must pause here long enough 10
| nav a Will deserved tribute 70 my gallant
| chum and boon companion, Sergeant VIII
liam G. Humphreys. who performed more
service than any one in his company, II
/ not In his regiment. He was about hve
| feet, four inches high and weighed ABOUT
Is9 pounds. with the appearance OF
beardless boy. Blessed with an iron con-
/ stitution he was never wounded or SICK
/ a day during the war and was win inc
/ regulars in every battle they were engaged
/ in. He was hero, ever ready ana reliapie
/ soldier, and never shirked his outy IN
/ camps or on the battlefield, but was al
WAYS ready and willing to perform any
| and all duties required OF him. lie could
get over more ground than any one
| saw during the war and was one OF the
| most successful foragers. II there was 10
| be had anything TO eat In the country,
| Humphreys would be sure TO ma H. ana
the part 1 liked he always divided with
| the writer. who would have gone hungry
! on many occasions AZ II had not been TOT
his generous hearted ehum, who was al
| yvavs kind and true TO his comrades IN
| arms. When I with FIVE other non-com-
| ruissioned officers, were recommended 10
the secretary OF war for commissions oy
| the officers of the regiment, he ofered
TO assist me in purchasing my sword
and uniform, and believe he would have
preferred seeing me with gold braid on
| nv collar and a sword by my side than
| 10 have had them himself. No one Out
| an old soldier can realize the love bear
| my gallant old comrade VINO is hNihg
| at Dexter. S. c. Long may he i've ana
| he blessed with peace and plenty IN MS
| declining years. The next morning we re-
| turned TO camp with Lieutenant James
| r DuBose in command OF the company
| First Sergeant James Copeland was the
taIlest, man in the regulars, and by the
| way one of our bravest and best soldlers.
| The boys talked to him like he was up
where YOU are, or Jim hand me down
| chew of tobacco, all of which he would
| take in a gosd humor. One day while the
| regiment was drilling near Colqultt
! Headquarters we halted TO rest. A heu-
tenant from the Nineteenth Georgia
came walking down the line and halted
near Copeland, who looked up ana sa"
him. A sickly smile overspread his face
and the boys done the yelling. He had
found one man he had to look up to as
| the lieutenant was several inches the
tallest
/ while at Camp Milton I saw several
| men from one ofColquitts regiments being
drummed around 20 the different regi-
| ments In the brigade with large piece
/ of dashboard tackled on their backs with
the words hog thief in large letters. Be
| fore they got around and while passing
| one Of the REGIMENTS some Of the boys
/ charged the procession and tore the paste
1 boards of. putting an end TO the proceed
| ings No doubt the boys Ielt considerably
| Inundated at being thus publicly exposed
but II all had been in the procession VINO
had killed or had eat of a stolen hog
| there would not have been many lett 10
i see the procession go by. ! have no loea
the boys would have killed the hog II II
had not tried TO bite them, then its doom
was sealed, as no soldier would submit
10 being bitten by hog.
| We were camped in thick pine Woous
/ with the ground strewn with dry pine
burrs which would burn like paper.
The 9Th Georgia challenged the LIST Geor-
/ gia for a pine burr battle at night, whleh
was accepted and the boys proceeded TO
| gather up their ordnance supplies AFTER
/ dark both regiments turned out and form
| ed lines OF battle. each man with
lighted burr in his hand. For awhile the
! FIRE few thick and fast, but the 9Th was
| too strong for the LIST, so the list surren-
dered and then Joined forces with the 6th
and attached the 18th, which was the
/ largest regiment in the brigade. The 18th
| turned out from the colonel down and
| formed in front OF their camps. The bat
| tie ragged for sometime with the LIST and
| 9Th trying 10 force the 18th back through
| their camps, but the 18th fought like de-
| mons and with one grand charge and all
| together, drove the 1st and 9th away from
| their camps. General Harrison's brigade
was on the opposite side OF the railroad
and was so well pleased with the fire.
works they challenged Colquitts brigade
10 mortal combat the next night, which
was eagerly accepted. Both sides made
| ample preparations during the day ana
when night spread her dark mantle over
the dense pine forest both sides were
ready and eager for the fray. Not wishing
20 take a hand. I occupied an elevated
position near Colquitt's headquarters,
where had a splendid view Of Harrison's
4 haW