The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-03-22
How Our Soldiers Lived
Fought and Died.
TWO READABLE LETTERS
Fr7n.,c N Movements ofvild Game Caught
Within tho limits Of "a Battlefield,
Tho Th,rrsym Stars on Our Bat
II tls-field --Anecdnte. ~

Conway. Corporal OF Company G, Fourth
Regiment Virginia Cavalry.)
Athens. Ga
our country is flooded with books, his
tories OF the United States. so-called, and
filled with erroneous illustrations here
and there, producing wrong Ideas and
Impressions upon the minds OF our pco-
ple, especially the young. These books
arc written ana published in the North. I
came across one OF them a few days ago
while attending professionally a family
in our citv. Tho chapter on the Civil War
was decetylng and misleading. It was IL
Illustrated, but. OF course with only two
bnttlcs-Gettysburg and Appomattox. In
Fl the latter illustration was shown long
line OF Fedcrals dressed In handsome uni
FORMS with shining muskets and acco '
tremenY. On the opposite side, drawn up
4 In a line facing tho F'edcrals, were the
Confedcratcs. ragged and tattered Be
tween the two lines near their center.
stood General Grant, In full-dress. uni,
form, and facing him was General Lee,
presenting to General Grant his sword.
is needless for me to say that Lee did
d not surrender his sword to Grant. nor
IS tho picture correct In many other par
ticulars.
a BREAD-MAIllNG INCIDENT.
And now for some personal remtnls-
cences. and only hope to write fac ts sucl,
as anne under my own observation. IT
u vas in May. f1s84. I hat my command halt
ed near the abandoned railroad, south Of,
and near tho old plank road leading from
Orange Courthouse to Fredericksburg. The
grading of this road had been commence
ed just before the war, but for some
reason. the work was abandoned. Many
Of Lees and Iackson's soldiers will re-
member having used tho embankments
as breastworks during the wilderness
campaign. My command had halted for
tho night A small stream OF pure watar
quenched our thirst and furnished water
fer our cavalry horses. S9 IS y
we had no cooking utensils along with
b us, and in improyising, we dug hole In
the ground, into which we showed a cor
ner Of an oil cloth. and on that we made
Z up oilr bread; twisting the dough around
green stick and cooking 1t over a FIRE.
The next day we heard picket firing
north OF US; but there was no general en-
Eagement.
Many surmses were INDUCED in by our
{ boys as to our movements. Some said wo
would turn our South, That night after
Il marching and counter-march we BIZ
4 svouacked nearer Fredericksburg In an old
E field, which was grown UP III pine and
7 heavy undcrgrowtl.f 1t was dark when we
halted. Teng our horses without unsad-
Y nling them, We laid down and slept. At
Z lawn VIC We're again aroused by firing.
TRYING TO ROUSE THE DEAD. Y
In the act of mounting our horses. ]
" poticcd my comrade endeavorinG to
arouse a man lying on tho ground a
Tow feet from where we had silent, taking
him for one of the company. He was
dead, killed 7 suppose the day before.
and the poor Federal, like many thou
sands Of others Who were left alone In
chat desolate MISUNDERSTANDING, un-
noticed
We soon found that Grant had pushed
MS army southwark from Ey's ford to-
ward Spntsylyania Courthouse. The con-
Millions OF the country were unfavorable
for cavalry fighting on horseback, and
hence day after day we were dismounted
and with colors flying rushed forward
upon the firing line against the advancing
columns OF Grants infantry, where under
~ terrific fire, thousands OF the South's
pest men lay Hlangied ana dying. ] was
on this line one morning while we were
being slowly driven back, The timber
was thick, and the underground quivering
from the effects of the enemies bullets,
It was a hot spring day little circles
OF fire, kept alive by, the leaves. were
burning llera and there throughout the
woods, the smoke from which added to
the confusion, Tho wounded were beg
ging for help. The enemy We're In a. few
yards OF us. An officer Of my conpsny
wes wounded Just iii my front private
to my left was shot down. The latter
quickly arose and stepped behind tree
FOR protection, and in leaving 1t he was
again shot Just then 7 turned to fire.
my pistol at a Yankee, In full view, when
! noticed a handsome young Confederate
Lieutenant between Mo and the enemy.
Tie waved his sword above his head and
exclaimed: "Steady men, steady!" when
suddenly saw his sword drop from his
hand, and he pitched forWard-a bullet
mad pierced his brcIn, He was dead, He
belonged to some other command than
my own, and have often wondered who
he was. One Of my company rushed up
To him and saved his sword and pistol.
at was amusing, notwithstanding tho ter-
ylfc fire and the slaughter OF men, to SEQ
The rabbits running fogt dear, life, betweeni
the firing line, III is said that one Of
our soldiers regnar ked pnf ons accession.