The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-19

bodied man between the ages ol ID anu 30 was required to do military service, so that our ranks contained men of every kind profession and calling. One man too old for conscription came as a subs stitnte for comrade who wanted to be transferred to cavalry, as also did an- other, Martin Etter by name, from Ros- ersville, Tenn. These two old men thrown with a set of youngsters, already inured to hard campaigning, had to en- dure a lot of chaffing and ridicule, but they were the most patient men I ever saw and certainly made faithful sol diers.
 They would get up early in the morn ings and build good fires, fetch water and have everything ready for the young men who slept late to get up and cook breakfast for they always insisted on the veterans doing the cooking, but they would wait on us and help all they could, and were just as kind and faithful as we would let them be. Now and then me of the youngsters would overstep the bounds in his deviltry. and the old men would give him tongue flashing wnlch would put a quietus on us for a while. One of them was the most deliberate man in battle l ever saw. He would load and cap his gun in his own way, and then take a most deliberate aim, just as If drawing a bead on a squirrel and nre away.
 One was hurt in the tumult of the last day at Petersburg, the other surrendered at Appomattox, and I have never heard of either since God rest their souls, for they were brave, kindly and patient, and made few complaints, but their old bones could not rest well on the hard ground, and many a time have they got up in the silent watches of the cold nights and re- plenished the fires which kept their "un- ruly boys as they called us, from freez- ing.
 Cartridge Box For Pillow.
 We generally slept in our clothes, talk ing off our shoes. with a cartridge box for pillow. If we had time we would cut off little cedar or pine twigs and spread them on the ground to make our pallets softer, and lay with our feet to the ire. But our negro attendants, so long as we had them, reversed this position They invariably slept with their heads to the fire a blanket, if they had any, wrapped about their heads and shoulders, and feet out in the cold, sometimes in the snow, away from the fire.
 We used to discuss the matter, but never heard a satisfactory reason why the negro, with a thicker skull and
  put his head next to the fire. Perhaps he is built that way and cannot help it.
 These colored men were great foragers and brought in many eatables but on hot days, whilst water was difficult to obtain on the march, they would often bring cool water to us in their canteens. If you go to reunions you will frequently see some of these faithful men, wearing Confederate badges, marching with their old masters and proud of the attention shown them. Whilst every able bodied man was in the army the colored man guarded his masters home, wife and children, and raised crops to feed them and the army.
 When Wilson's raid passed through Lowndes county, some of his followers hung a colored man to whom the jew elry and valuables had been entrusted for safe keeping, and his life was taken by thieving murderers because he was faithful to his trust. For many years the only marble tombstone over a colored man in the county marked his grave as a testimonial from his master Capt. William May, to his fidelity. Another buried all the family watches and jew elry in a plum orchard. and after the raid passed restored them to his mis- tress. For years and many a time his master or 1 would have to go and carry some little dainty. and inquire how Tdnk CtTeely WAS WHICH SICK There Vas no use to suggest that a servant might be sent; the mistress of the house would not have any but white messen- ger, no matter how weary he might be.
 Tortured Old Man.
 The same raiders went to the farm of John Bragg, brother of the general, a cir cult judge, old and non-combatant. They hung him till he was breathless three times in the effort to make him reveal where his hoard of gold was concealed. He had none, but each time, with return ing breath, the old man cursed the rob bers with all the bitterness he could command They left him. taking a meal bag full of his silver plate, and divided 1t in Grandma Mary McCalTs yard. She went out and witnessed the division and recognized the silver off which she had dined many time.
 party under the leadership of a com missioned officer, left Montgomery and went to Wetumpka, seeking Howell Rose reputed to have a great store of gold In fact he had entrusted $15,00O to each of two neighbors. keeping a like amount and each hoard was buried.
 They seized him at night in his own house, hung and otherwise maltreated him, but remaining obdurate, they stripped him. burnt splinters of pine till the ends were fiery coals and bored holes in his flesh with the live coals.
 Failing to gain the desired information they left him more dead than alive, and whilst passing through ravine on their return some crippled and furloughed sol diers waylaid them and mortally wound ed the officer force was sent from Montgomery to revenge this outrage on union soldiers, but the commander hap pened to be man and not a thief and visited the dying robber in the ware- house where the citizens had removed him, and told him that he was a dis grace to the uniform he wore Faithful slaves had given warning and enabled the cripples to avenge this outrage
 I have before me copy of letter, dated February 25. 1865. by Lieut. Thomas l. Myers, to his wife in Boston, in which he says he has about a quart of jewelry, some No. 1 diamonds. pins and rings among them. for you and the girls,'' and tells how the officers dressed in cit fzens' clothes when on their expeditions of robbery, and tells further how the ''d--d niggers' preferred to stay at home.
 The Contrast.
 Now when we were in the enemy's country in Pennsylvania, there were the