Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-05-15
IN VIRGINIA WITH "TEB"
STUART IN YEAR 1854

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While a soldier IN the Confederate
states army, the thought of being captured
and confined in a northern prison was
akin to horror and humiliation. was
| willing 10 take my chances for life or
death In the midst OF shot and shell
among those who opposed US; but 10 be
confined in a prison. with cold, hunger
and suffering. with thoughts constantly
upon home and its loved ones. was enough
TO make a man decide as / did, never 10
surrender. There might have been cir
cumstances causing me 10 yield to my
foes. but IL was my good fortune to es-
cape the many chances OF capture during
the three years OF my army life.
This brings TO my mind a few exciting
scenes which may be classed as "close
calls" and therefore. may ut in the col
umns OF The Journal so kindly reserved
| for us. The young single men OF the army
were more reckless and took more chan
/ ces on their lives than did the married
men whose responsibilities were greater.
In 1858 I was for few months a courier
| for General William c. Wickham, and
while In northern Virginia, I think in
Farquier county. Wickham's brigade was
guarding the rear OF Lees army; we were
watching the advance OF some federal
cavalry when General Wickham called to
Richard Hill, another courier. and ordered
him 10 ride to the brow Of hill just in
our rear in order to ascertain whether
the Yankees were advancing. Just as we
reached the summit OF the hill. young Hin
reeled and fell from HIS horse, pierced
through by a mimic ball. Had been
few feet in advance might have shared
HIS fate. He was a gallant young man
OF my county and a near relative Of Cen
eral A. p. Hill, the distinguished general
who lost his life April 2 1865. almost at
the last sunset OF the Confederacy. The
next "close CALI occurred at Chancellors-
vile on May I'd. day or two after Cen
eral Hooker issued 10 his command a gen.
eral order in which he said among other
things. Our enemy must ingloriously
fly or come from behind his defenses and
give us battle on our own ground where
certain destruction awaits him" My com
pany was on picket duty near Banks ford
on the Rappahannock river between Fred
Petersburg and Hooker's army. We were
on the mine road watching for any flank
movement that might be attempted by
Hooker's left wing.
A young Mr.. Without, from my county,
who Joined the company the same time
that I did, was sent with me down the
road in advance Of the picket post; he
took his stand on one side of the road in
the timber, and I selected the opposite side.
We were watching the movements of some
Yankee artillery some distance in our
front, when suddenly heard the crack Of
a carbine. and young Without fell from his
horse shot through the body. ! was then
ordered back, but before reaching the post
a solid shot was fired from the Yankee
battery, the ball smashing In pieces the
cooking utensils on the fire at the re-
serve. destroying our supper but injuring
none CT the boys around the fire. 1 was
at the post nearly all night and listened
to the fearful noise made by Hooker's
axemen. building the most formidable
breastworks. out OF which they were COM
PEELED to retreat on the next day owing
to that splendid flank movement of Gen
eral 'StonewalT' Jackson. Again. while
my company was on duty in Madison
county in 1854. detail of Is or Is men COM
manded by Lieutenant Carpenter was
sent on picket beyond the Robinson river
on the road leading from Criglersville to
Culpeper Court House, Va. In the after
noon we crossed TO the north side of the
river and marched a few miles beyond,
where we came to a small country church
located in a little pine grove at cross
roads. There we all dismounted, unsad-
died our horses and opened up the church
building as our quarters for the night. AT
ter placing two guards on the roads a
short distance in our front. our little Con-
federate command retired in apparent Sc
curity for the night. / had tied my horse
10 a sapling and was I'm the act of unsad-
ding when Lieutenant Carpenter called
me to one side and asked II I would &C
company him to Criglersville and spend
the night with a friend of his and enjoy
the company of the young ladies. OF
course I gladly accepted his invitation.
The post was left in charge of a sergeant,
and we were soon enjoying the hospitality
OF Mr.. Stricken and family on the south
side OF the river. We remained all night
and left at the break of day for the picket
post. We had just crossed the river when
breakneck speed. waving HIS hand at us to
go back. that the Yankees had captured
all Of our command at the post, and were
now in pursuit Of him. Lieutenant Car
penter and galloped back across the riv-
er and down the turnpike I'm the direction
OF Madison Court House. hoping 10 reach
that place In time to inform the citizens OF
the approaching raiders. We rode at a
gallop for a mile or two. when we slack
ened our gait as we assembled a long hill
with fences on both sides of the road. We
were laughing and talking about the boys
being captured when Lieutenant Carpen-
ter asked me for a chew Of tobacco. It
was raining a little, 1 had on my V. NJ 1.
overcoat and he had an oil cloth over his
uniform. He was watching for me to
hand him the tobacco, and in my efforts
TO get at IL I had lost sight OF the road in
my front.
We We're just nearing a sharp turn in
the road when suddenly he turned TO me
and exclaimed: Look out. we are into
themr' We were within fifty steps of
eight OF ten Yankees. AS we wheeled our
horses a volley from their carbines was
poured into our faces. The bullets
whistled around our heads. but none took
effect. They ran US down the pike for half
a milean two OF them were gaining upon
US, when suddenly we came 10 a pair of
drawbars over which we jumped our
horses, and were again soon out of their
reach. We halted a short distance from
them. but fearing an ambugcade. they de-
clined TO follow us. The Lieutenant took
on his oil cloth and found eight or ten
holes through II from the bullets. John
Rose. one among the number captured at
the post, suffered the horrors of prison
life for months. and finally the poor fell
low died on HIS way home, after having
been exchanged. DR.. Sprinkle now Of Gull
pepper Courthouse, Va. was among the
number who was captured. These are lit
tie personal matters, but we old soldiers
love TO look back over the past and bring
10 light again those incidents that so in
terested us in our boyhood days, for as
we grow old everything seems to us won
derfully great. even down TO the ashcake
our old cOlored mammies used to make
for US. IL is useless for me to recount the
many hardships endured by us while sol
diers IN the Confederate States army I'M
der the patriotic and pure man, Jefferson
Davis. who was second to no man who