The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-02-26
WA I STORIES.
Starvation in Wake Of Lees Army.
Atlanta, Journal.

iYfor rs yet we did not comprehend the
terms of the surrender.
L IL will be perceived that I am only
mentioning some Of the experieu uces
Of Benning's 8 brigade. Doubtless 9th.
ers had similar experience. When we
left our camp near Lynehburg, though
unarmed and without flags, we were
still an organized brigade following
General Benning, though his and the
other officers authority to command
and power to enforce obedience were
surrendered also at Appomattox.
General Benuing expressed o will
ingness to continue with the men and
do the best he could in assisting them
to procure provisions on the way and
lead them into Georgia.
But the men knew he had no means
of assisting them and felt that it would
be wrong to impose burden on him
that he was unable to bear, and that it
would be better on him and for them
to scatter into small parties and souf-
fie the best they could for subsistence
on the way.
The small party I was with selected
route through North Carolina that
would have taken us considerably " west
OF Charlotte, for we desired to keep as
far from Johnson's troops and other
returning soldiers as possible, snppcs-
ing the people on this route would not
be 80 badly sate OUT and that pro-
visions would bo easier to procure.
But after passing through two-thirds
OF the State, felt such an overpow-
ering desire to hear some news, espe-
cially after hearing rumor that Pres
ident Lincoln had been assassinated,
that | prevailed on the others to bend
our course down to Charlotte, for at
that time there were no railroads nor
mails in that part of the State, nor
any travelling, for the people were
afraid TO leave their homes.
When our little party had advanced
some distance into North Carolina,
and after our Lynchburg supplies we're
spent, we arrived one day at what ap-
peared to be q large tobacco planta-
tion, owned by generous looking
Southern gentleman Of the old school,
who requested US to stop and rest until
he could have dinner prepared for us,
though he did not invite us into the
house. But We easily accounted for
this by finding about twenty. Eve other
soldiers scattered about the place that
were previously stopped and were anx-
iously waiting for their dinners.
We were hungry and it seemed to
US that they were 80 unnecessarily
long in preparing the dinner we were
expecting a substantial and fine re-
past. At last our dinner was .rought
out to us under the trees in several
kinds of vessels. Buckets, great pans
and little pans, and it consisted Of a
disproportionate small quantity Of we'll
baked and good tasting corn bread,
and any quantity Of the tops only of a
large coarse kind Of scullion boiled;
and, if there was any seasoning in
them we could not taste it. There
were no explanations or apologies
made. Probably he supposed We
would understand that it was the best
he could do for us. But I did think
they might have put in few Of the
roots Of the soullions. I ate with a
mingled feeling Of thanks aud disgust
small piece of the bread, which was
all l could get, and tasted the scullion
tops for manners sake: but others
who, perhaps, were hungrier than I
was, ate them with seeming relish.
But, arriving farther on in the
State. we Jared better. where the col
lege girls expecting Us had ready pre-
pared plentiful dinner Of substantial
and good things for us in their own
dining hall, and waited on us during
the meal, which was the first square
and orderly meal we had had in many
months. Wewere told they served all
the returning soldiers that came their
way in like manner until all were
passed.
1t may be that none were at fault
Cor the scanty provisions furnished
the soldiers during the latter part of
the war, though the men. did feel that
they might be given more bread at
least. f
But not one. not even the more
fractions among them, ever complains
ed of or laid the blame for it on Gen.
eral Lee. Every one realized that
with such small force he had more
than enough on his mind in continu-
ally combating and holdine In check