The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-03-22

my company. n w c Itlau Deen lcLLf DenlHu oH
some duty and were trying to oYertakc
S,t.jI saw III front Of me q Confederate
ofr,rcr and two or three OF his staff ap.
nroarhing. When within few feet Of
,,s Inc officer refined In his horse. sa-
luted him. He said:
,S"c,orporal, i want that horse YOU are
riding: what will you take for him Z u
declined to part with my horse at any
.,,rIco a,,fl we parted I do not know who
he was. E I, ],
our safety often depended upon good
horse. IN tho charge and on the retreat
After being on the firing line all day
uc moved back short distance to the
rear ard bivonacked for tho night we
tied our horses to the "ole ficl' pines and
lay down TO sleep. Silence relgned, save
the mourning Of the wind amid me .ree
Iops, and now and then the whistle OF Q
Yankee bullet among the leaves
RI ono day while In winter quarters near
Orange Court House In 1864, while sit
ting III my tent reading, an old negro
man approached and offered his wares
Tor sale, consisting Of pies, cakes, &c. ne
said he was from Richmond. asked II
lie knew q rclation Of mine instne topac s
business In that city-glving him his
name. IIn said that he. did, I asked
lin, to call on him and bring back some
tobacco on his return to eamp And 10
my surprise In a. few days the old man
walked into my tent and handed me a
largo square tcn-pound compre ssed PACK
Tagc in cloth. It was Fruits and Flow
crs.''' which was hugely enjoyed by ali
OF us boys In the mess.
IN IA NEGRO CABIN.
on another occasion--it was a cold WIN
ter day-my command had been UP IN
Rappalia mock county and was returning
N r ia q, ~ y1H fnuarHa
tculpeper Court-House. got from my
captain permission to 60 home, up on the
5RapIdan.. river and overtake the COM
mands on the following day left the
command late In the afternoon, Just as
the sun was setting behind the Blue
Ridge mountain. and after riding through
the county. dsregarding roads. came
cut into the main road running from Cul-
pepper to Madison Courthouse.
IttYas late in the night when I rea ched
James City, and spying a small. glim-
merIng light in negro bin near the
iroa dsIde. II rode up to 1t and dlsmounted
with some difficulty. az was almost
frozen from tina intense cold. a knock
on the door Of the cabin brought the ro.,
mark from an old negro man: come IN
i pushed open the door and entered, with
the request that he allow me 20 warm
before his fire. He said: Is you one
OF dem Northern soldiers g
gj6I In formed him that I was not, telling
him that II was Confederate, and IN
the meantime piling on the firewood that
I found nearby. 5i5 ii gs
''Whatsis your name. uncle ~ ! asked. u
55 ..Nfy name Is Jackson, young marster,
he replied. 5&
swell. Uncle jackson, when did you see
the Yankees last?'
'.Cey was here, sir. few days ago.
an dey shoot dey guns and de cannon ali
round dis place. sir, and run ole marster
and n1istes clean off'n de planta ton.
Everybody left ceppen me. sir. Dey Q
NJ sence no howiin dis her war. for dey
shoot myers and white folks. too"
"-Why, Uncle Jackson, how Is that.
asked.
"It's dis way, young Inarster. Mandy
and mo was in de cabin tenden to our
own business. when one of dem Yankees
poke his haid in de dor en- say, What
you doing here. you ole black scoundrel,
your Den his gun wentfof an Mandy
haid drapped back on my bres. and bless
Cord, he like to kilt u.s.
Rolling myself up In my blanket, drop
ped down upon the floor near the old
man in front OF the fire and slept. When
I walked up the roosters were Growing
for day, and bidding tho old man good
bye. mounted my horse and wended my
way homeward. as the gray dawn OF day
was breaking in the eastern horizon.
+. A COMPANY or GIRLS.
In nearing a little village, one mile
from my fathers home, I. fortunately fell
in with five or six young ladies Of my
acquaintance. They were horseback, In
long riding skirts, gray jackets. adorned
with Confederate brass buttons. Their
gray caps had the following letter attach
ed In front: ''R. CO. meaning Rapidan.
Cavalry" OF course. took charge Of
the command. They Insisted that I lead
them in a. charge upon the town. So Off
we started in n full gallop, alarming the
citizons OF tho little town with feminine
tho charge, and refining up her horse in
front OF a blacksmith shop in the village.
without aid she disnounted and orr
dercd the smith to replace q couple OF
shoes lost by her horse. The animal was
n superb chestnut sorTel with marks OF
Virginia thoroughbred. These girls We're
splendid riders. fearless. daring and full
of fun-typical Southern girls.
CAVALRY EQUIPMENT.
When first Joined the army. many Of
my company had not what was consid-
cred the best equipment for cavalry SER
vice, Some had citizen saddles, such as
were picked UP about their homes. The
North, with all her resources, had sup
piled her cavalry with the best of every
thing, New recruits to our company
would come from home Invariably with
good horses. At that time Virginia was
ilotcd, as we'll as Kentucky. for her fine
roadsters and saddlers. Those who had
any saddles had them made BY saddlers
near their homes, They resembled the
McClclland tree In some respects, but
wers not as good From my personal ex-
perience they We're too narrow IN front.
and hence Invariably caused sores about
the horses weathers. Our blankets We're
homemade; the oi-cloths We're such as
had been used on dining tables, Some
of the boys were using the old fashioned
saddle bags. such as All old Virginlans
were familiar with, Our canteens were
homemade, without covers. Our fire.
arms We're Inferior and had been made
some whore In tho South; many of the
carb'nes were manufactures In Athens.
O., The old factory Is now standing,
and Is used as q check factory for cotton
goods, Fowie Knives spurs and pridle-
bits were made by negro blacksmiths,
They were made Of the best ma terial and
were equal to any furnished the Union
troops by tho United States Government,
They were made from one piece OF solid
steel ana We're FURNISHED until they were
as bright as silver, No cavalry man was