Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-03-13
BY (. A. SILVER,
Co. c, I'd Bat. Georgia Vols,
Wrights Brigade, A. N. v.

SEEFET@EEEEFEES
Marie Hill. the adverse criticisms would
seem to be Just. Early arrived in time
to seize Lynchburg; Hunter, who was not
much Of a soldier, made for west virginia
leaving the lower valley defenseless and
the gate TO Washington wide open. As to
the Successes and reverses of this valley
campaign, Il is not my object to speak
more than its bearing upon Lees cam
paign about Richmond. At later part
of the campaign. Kershaw's division was
also sent to Early, and perhaps other
troops which I do not now call TO nina:
on June 10th definite information showed
Grant to be on the move towards the
lower Chickahominy. his works IN our
front were deserted and crossing that
stream ourselves at the GrapeVine
bridge we took post in the White oak
swamp to defend that route to Richmond.
We ran into a hornets nest OF artillery,
which was posted beyond our reach ana
II was in this affair that we lost our d.
vision adjutant Major Mills. who, I'M
aware of our proximity to the enemy,
rode, It is supposed, into their lines, and
was either killed or captured, we never
learned which. The boys" grieved at his
loss very much, because there was no one
left for them to guy. From White oak
swamp we took post at Malvern HIM re-
NAMED here till the morning of June 18TH,
when a hurry order came to move at once.
Taking the Newmarket or river road to-
wards Richmond, we marched without
halt. reached the pontoon bridge at
Drewry's Bluff, crossed the James and
across the battlefield of Beauregard ana
Butler of a. few before, turned into
the pike to Petersburg. The day was one
of the hottest 1 ever saw; my health had
been failing for some time. 1 was scarce
ly able to drag, but continued to march
with my command. Soon after entering
the Petersburg Pike. was stricken with
sun stroke. which came near ending my
career When sufficiently recovered from
this mishap, 1 resumed the march, finally
overtaking the command at the outskirts
of Petersburg, and going into the lines
with them to the right of the Jerusalem
plank road. What transpired for the next
few days some other chronicler Will have
TO narrate. have a dipl recollection or a
combat near a well in which the enemy
were repulsed, Of moving further to the
left through a hot fusilade. had been
advised by the surgeon of our command.
also by our major, c. j. Moft1tt, himself
a skilled physician. to go to the hospital
at least until should recover strength to
return, but having seen and heard so
much of the brutality practiced in those
institutions, my choice would have been to
be shot rather than enter one, for this
was to be my first experience in Con-
federate hospital. on the afternoon or the
10th Major Moffitt ordered me to go to the
hospital or he would call up file of men
and send me under guard. That night on
the return OF the ambulance from the
lines, found me a passenger en- route TO
the field hospital.
Remaining there some FIVE weeks with
no benefit, / was retired by order of the
examining medical board by reason Of dis
ability from wounds, with orders to report
to the surgeon general for assignment 10
duty Through this office, was soon al
ter assigned by requisition, as chief clerk
in the senior surgeons office at Macon,
then outside Of Richmond, perhaps, the
largest centre of hospitals in what re-
manned of the Confederacy. This office,
like everything else Confederate, was In
dire confusion and Generalization. 1t took
some weeks of close application to get 1t
in shane, for besides the six or eight large
hospitals inside the city there were per-
haps a dozen or more in towns outside
which made their reports to and received
their instructions through that office. 1t
did not require the aid of spectacles to
the eye OF an observer, to read the signs
alasl too plentiful on every side, that the
days OF the Confederacy were numbered.
People no longer talked OF defending
home and country; patriotism had oozed
out, the question was how TO drop the
conscript office and to make money. The
government was In the hands Of bureaus,
who were a law unto themselves. Acts
of spoliation and robbery were committed
which would have produced revolt in
Turkey whose subjects so long used to
exactions had forgotten how to rebel.
The hospitals were filled with rats
men who would suffer anything, indignfty
itself, rather than aid their comrades in
the field. New diseases multiplied which
the doctors did not or could not under
stand. Men with slight wounds continued
invalid-their wounds would not heal.
Doctors were puzzled, nurses were mysti-
fed, but the owners of the wounds seemed
happy. There used, to eat at our mess &C.
casionally an individual, his name have
now forgotten, who came there on invi-
tation from some of the members of it.
He thummed a guitar, se.Hg his little dit
ties, was or tried to be on familiar terms
with everybody, but, strange to say, no.
body knew from whence he came or why
he was not in the army. My own suspic-
ions were aroused against him, why I
| could not say. Immediately after the war
was over this same party Joined the Re
publican ranks and made application. to
| the federal government for compensa-
ton for the part he had taken in depicting
| the Confederate ranks, by giving those
| who were wounded powdered glass to keep
their wounds from healing. He received
/ no recognition tnat L remember from mat
source, but while the Western and Allan
! tic railroad was being run as a political
| hospital he was given a job and in pass
| ing under bridge one night on top of his
| train he bumped his head against 1t and
vale! powdered glass fiend Sherman,
who had not yet completed his arrange
ments for leaving Atlanta, had sent in
| advance his secret agents. They were not
long in discovering congenial spirits, so
that when In November he turned his
columns toward the heart of Georgia he
| knew when to strike and what it would
profit him quite as well as If he had been
| there himself. 1t is not my purpose to
enter into details of his march to the sea,
| which but for one or two minor happen
ings was unOpposed and uneventful Suf-
flee 1t ii for six months before then had
there been any so. blind as not tojsee the
end this display of military weakness. on
the part of cur government ought to have