Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-06-09


of 1s64-5 when my tour of picket duty
came, II was Captain Gaines as we called
him. who gave me heedful Instructions
and as 1 would mount to ride to my post,
with a horseshoe nail would pin his own
blanket around my neck. At the time of
which 1 write this brave officer had
record Of cool, heroic courage in many
deadly pitched battles, unsurpassed by
that of any member of the grand army
who followed Napoleon from the banks
of the Seine to the towers of the Kremlin.
A Bad Night in Camp.
It rained heavily that night, and before
day next morning drenched to the skin as
we were with the cold November rain,
we mounted and recrossed the river and
Joined the column with which Wheeler
attempted to turn the left wing of the
Federal attack 1 had my first view OF
General Wheeler and his stan as in the
early drawn we turned to the right Nof
the Indian mound. forded Walnut creek
and struck out on forced march toward
the enemy. He was a small man, ap-
parently about 25 years old, very alert in
movement and expression, and boy as L
was, / instantly formed a high opinion
of his manly and soidierly qualities,
which time and long personal acquaint-
ahce have but strengthened. The enemy
somehow got wind of our movement and
them. It was a terrible day. When
think of it, it recalls the lines in Tam
O'Shanter,
THE wind blew as 'twould blow its last,
The rattling showers rode on the blast.
Thinly clad, / was soon chilled to the
bone and my teeth were chattering as
with an ague. My company commander
saw this and sent for the surgeon. re-
member the gallant figure of the doctor,
whose name was Mann, as he rode up,
mounted on a large pacing chestnut sor-
rel He had a canteen of whisky and Of
fered me some, but because doubtless of
my Methodist training, 1 had never tasted
ardent spirits All the admonitions had
heard at home. and from the pulpit were
fresh in my memory, and much to the
surprise of my comrades, 1 declined it.
Several at once proffered to take the doc
tors prescription in my stead. He made
no reply to them and put the stopper
back in his canteen.
Sometime in the forenoon, as recall,
we reached the neighborhood of Griswold-
VILE. which was then in the possession of
the enemy in strong force General
| Wheeler determined to attack. My bril-
gade was to go in dismounted. We count
ed off four horseholders and 1 was number
I four, but / had no mind to remain with
the horses. 1t will be recalled that, this
was the duty of number four. heard
/ a
when once his command was counted off
for the same purpose as the names were
called they would answer one, two, three,
bullyl and that great fighter said, Let
number one hold horses and number two,
three and bully go into the fight" The
truth Is l was so chilled that relished
the opportunity of the tramp afoot, and
man of more experience. amid the jeers
of the compar., changed numbers with
me. While we were waiting for the com
mand to go forward, some of the boys
began TO build fire. General Wheeler
was sitting on HIS horse near us, and
just as the smoke rose above the tops Of
the trees 1t must have been seen by the
enemy for instantly came the shrek of
shell and the missile itself ripped through
a dead pine near the fire. General Wheeler
quietly said, Put out that fire." and
his order was obeyed with great prOmpti-
! tude. Before we could attack, the enemy
retreated from Griswoldville and we
marched through the town, and went into
camp BY this time it was about sunset
and II had blown off clear and cold. I
cannot tell where We camped, but know
that il was in a wood of pines and black
Jacks We built glorious fires and the
Kentuckians, to my surprise, expressed
their astonishment at the great blaze
made It into hoecakes of size suitable
their first experience with pine country,
war was over.
With the Company Cooks.
We now cooked the only meal we had
| that day. Our meat was fresh pork, and
one frying pan was made to serve the
whole company of twelve or fifteen men.
A little -four had been issued to us in
Macon. This was already wet, and we
made 1t into hoe cakes of size suitable
to the pan. and after frying the pork
we s,ewed or boiled these flour hoe cakes
in the grease or gravy which had exuded
therefrom.
Bill Robb was unwilling to wait his turn
at the frying pan. He skewered his ra-
ton Of meat on the ramrod of his rifle and
turned IL before the fire until 1t was suf-
hcently barbecued. all the time deploring
the fact that he was losing his gravy. Our
culinary arrangements. 1t will be seen,
were simple. The bread thus cooked was
| almost as heavy as the bullets in our
cartridge boxes, but to me never was food