Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-12-28

II
+ Il saw him go into the mali car In times
OF war, and under maj tial law, comma11-
isders Of departments would, as rule,
| pay but little attention to the request OF
a laborirg man. Years after, when
read in Blaines book. Thirty Years in
Congress- the statement that therewas
an irresistible fascination in the man
| Eers Of Vice-P President Breckenridge.
appreciated the truth OF It. Those Of US
who worked In the express service IN
connection with the army had a refy
different experience with some of the so-
called big generals, both Federal and
IsConfederate. On the Federal side Scho-
field and SLOVENIAN were very popular
among expressnen. who were delighted
| to see them enter the office. s.
Soon after entered the express SER
vice L first saw the late Henry B. Plant
who had recently organized the Southern
Express Company. He visited the Knox.
vile Office and made himself very much
Der the apparent interest he took in me
as a very young and inexperienced em-
| pioyee. We sat on an army cracker box
| while he gave me a long, and fatherly
| talk a bout my duties, and impressed On
! my mind the Importance and value to
the, company Of courtesy to OUT patrons.
His greatness as businessman was
only equalled by the Kindness Of his
heart and the simplicity OF his manners:
/ i have often thought of him in connec-
| ton with Solomon's proverb, "Seest thou
man diligent in business, he shall
stand before kings; he shall not stand
before mean men, Some time later mes
sengers were required to run in box cars
without fire. There were no end doors
to the cars, and they were somewhat diff
ficult. to leave. One messenger persuad-
ed President Plant to ride with him on q
cold night. He was almost frozen before
he could get out. and ordered stoves In
all cars on that line.
The latter part Of August. 1865, the
Confederate forces evacuated East Ten
nessee to join the army Of GeneLAl Brage
Just before the battles around Cha tia.
nooga. It was also reported that the
| Federal army under Burnside was
marching south through the mountains
from Kentucky. This caused a panic
among the southern sympathizers. and
q stampede followed. Our agent used
two cars to remove his household goods.
and left several carloads of express mat
ter to be stolen or seized rs abandoned
property by the United States troops,
who arrived few days later. / was,
informally, left in charge Of express pro-
perty by the agent, who reiterated so pre-
cipitate1y, but It was all seized.
From September, 1853, to April. 1864, the
war ragged in this section. Knoxville was
besieged by Longstreet's army, and we
had no connection by rail with the out
side world. When able to get far enough
through the lines OF contending armies,
put in my time chopping cord wood,
as the only available means Of support
I lost the greater part of my winters
work by the camping of Phil Sheridan's
division in my wood yard. The soldiers
were delighted to find all the fuel ready
cut and stacked ready for use. ut was
fun for the boys, but sad for the frog"
During the siege all civilians were i'm
pressed and forced to work on the forth
fications. which were under almost con-
tinuous fire from the Confederates. At
one time a. furious alta ok was made on
the fort where was at work by some
Georgia troops, and two men were shot
at my side. I afterwards discovered
that the attack was led by Captain w
H. Clayton. Seventh Georgia regiment
& He was afterwards superintendent of the
Central division, Southern Express.
Early In April, 1864, the first train bear
ing express matter reached Knoxville
colt, from New York, and Route Agent
Strout, OF Indiana, were with the first
run. AS they were entire strangers in
the town, they inquired for any strand
ed Southern Express men, and sent for
me to take charge of the delivery of seE-
eral cars OF delayed matter. There were
many boxes for officers and soldiers from
their homes in the North, from which
they had been cut off for six months.
and they were SO delighted to receive
them that the delivery man tnotwith-
standing he was clothed in badly-worn
Confederate gray became very popular
ar all headquarters from those of Burn
side and Schofield down. This was In
creased by the thoughtful polite action
Of Manager Alfred Gather, Of Cincin-
natl, who sent each official large box
of delicacies, such as are so highly ap-
preciated by soldiers in the field. A lit
tie later this popularity was Of great SER
vice to me when Con account Of the color
of my coat spies from the provost mar
shal's office shadowed me as a, Confede-
rate spy.
The Hrst Adams Express office was es-
tablished in an old war house, with a
large force of clerks from the North AS
rule they were very kind to the gray
coat" boy, the only one in the force, but
one or two were ugly in their remarks
to me until overheard by Mr.. Wescott,
who put a stop to it by threat of instant
discharge Of the offender This feeling
was somewhat aggravated by my rapid
rious grades to that Of cashier and cor
respondent. In the latter; capacity I be-
came in manner acquainted with many
Adams people in the North, among 9TH
sers T.. C. Weir, acting agent; w. II. Wa
tiers and G. Woodward, Cincinnati; An-
son Gorton, Columbus, O.; F. x. Dona-
hue and ]. L. Overmyer, Louisville. KY,
and others we'll known years ago in ex-
press circles. The Adams Express Com
pany retired from the lines south of
Nashville in October, 1866, and at 81 years
OF age was appointed agent at Knox
Vile, Tenn, by Superintendent James
Shutter. One of the Adams messengers
running into Knoxville in 1865 was Dor
sey Pierce, now and for many years the
joint agent at Nashville. He was at that
time rosy-cheeked boy, full of vigor
and energy.
Criticisms BIZ a Japanese Traveller.
(AngIo-Japanese Gazette.)
NJ. Zumoto, editor Of the Japan Times.
a newspaper printed entirely in English,
at Toxic. has been spending a few weeks
in England, after an extended visit of six
months to the United States Speaking
of his Impressions and experiences during
his ABSENCE from Japan. he said: "Com-
ing over from America, I was very much
struck with the different manners Of the
America, travelling by rail or going about
In the trolley cars. the moment I took my
seat the rest Of my fellow travellers would
turn their eyeson me and make me feel
very uncomfortable for five or. ten min,
utes. When boarded the train at LIVER