Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1903-04-22


he would anywhere else. As |
heard one of the officers say once
he believed he was one of the most
reckless men in the army. Irefcr
To Nat Burwell of Carter Hall. Ii
would be useless to have to write
his name for any of the old Com
pany to know him when | recall
the time before Richmond when
Colonel Bots called on Nat to rally
the regiment and let them dress on
him Just rs the evening was closing
IN and the regiment came to his
call. Think of the gallant fellow
after the battle was fought CARRYING
water To the wounded of the enemy
because ne said our wounded had
their friends TO look after them
and the others, poor fellows, had
been left in our hands. That
always seemed to me the truest
hospitality and the highest Chris
tian virtue. Many of those fellows
became commissioned officers and
many were killed, but all deserved
high rank. have not forgotten
John Mccormick and the way he
carried dispatches for General
Rhodes at Gettysburg. to whom he
had been transferred from Com
pany {. as the army marched to
Pennsylvania. Il am dreaming
and the visions of the past come
over the still deep waters in rip
pies bright and fast. / find il
impossible to mention more than
few OF the noble men | had the
honor to serve with, in letter, but
i hope it will make some one of
the old boys who has more talent
than | write what he knows so |
may see it way off here and know
who has passed over the river and
who are still on this side. What
has become OF Nat Cook. and Phil
Nelson. and Maud Lewis What
boys they were, and what men
they made. ripened in the hot fur
mace of red battle. There were
many more men | would Ike TO
pay a passing tribute 10, some who
were not of my command. but /
shall only speak OF two now. Capt.
Hugh Nelson, afterwards Major.
| mind him well on his milk white
steed when the white banner of
peace was still spread over our
fair land. The greatest scholar,
statesman and scientist of the dav.
man of wOndrouS charm of man
ner and bearing, a man all of
whose ways were ways of pleasant
ness and all his paths were peace.
but when once the deSpot's heel
was ON our shore, he was very
bolt of war, and the beau ideal of
a Cavalry Commander. n he led
the Old Clarke Cavalry on Victor,
when the foremost fighting fell.
And then there was DIR. Archie
Randolph, Fitz Lees chief medical
advisor and friend. What men
these are, | have often thought
that a king would be blessed if his
throne was surrounded and sup
ported by such men. / have pur-
poSely only spoken of men whom
/ knew, but the noble women of
thSt day dare not try TO paint for
Shakespeare only painted one Por-
tia, and Thackery one Ethel New
come. so of course | can't pretend
to tread on such holy ground, nor
do | see how anyone could under
take to speak of the Mothers,
Wives, and Sweethearts and Sis
terS of such men as | have men
toned from that dear old neighbor-
hood. / am dreaming and think
i see the country as it stretches
out from the first rise as you leave
the Opequon, going east along the
turnpike till you reach the Blue
Ridge and all the homes of lowell
ness and worth as you pass from
Upper Longwood. The long low
rose covered house, the home of
the most gracious hospitality |
ever knew, and little TO the left
and back of it The Briars, where
that great author. John Esten
Cooke, lived and worked, and did
so much TO put the Lost Cause in its
proper light. Then little further
is Grafton, where lived Col. r. III.
Lee, who fell badly wounded at
Kernstown forty yards ahead of
his Company, carrying the banner
of the Second Virginia Infantry.
Then there was Pagebrook with
its beautiful lights and shadows.
and Saratoga, with its beautiful
spring and stream flowing in and
out forever through the broad
meadow and deep grass, perfect
home of loneliness and worth. and
many more. Then there was
Carter Hall, the residence of the
Burwells, with its beautiful gar
dens and wealth of flowers, and
Annefield which gave the Carriers
10 the Southern cause, whose gar
dens could have made Elizabeth's
German garden blush, | have
been back there once In many
years, and saw some new places on
the road. one handsome pile of
buildings with well trimmed lands,
and | was told it was the residence
of Mr.. Mayo, which was well. as it
went to show that he had brought
back to Clarke many blessings. /
could easily fill your paper on the
subject of the dear old neighbor-
| hood buf / fear NJ Womb NO. ;ntor