The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-02-15
EARLY DAYS
OF The WAR
Readable DesCrlptlonof Them
bya North CarolinaPhysician
THE BREATHED BATTERY
A Roster Of the War Members Of This
Famous Command-General Order
Upon the Death Of Adjt. Gem
eral Moorman Of N. G. v.

eral NORMAN OF n. =. v.
In the following letter which was writ
ten for and recently appeared IN the
Charlotte. IN. CD Observer. we have e, an
interesting description OF the early days
OF "the civil war with glimpse tho
defence Of Newbern. The command to
which 1t mainly refers was for some
years in Virginia and made fine repu-
tatIon here We quote:
Away back In 1861 watched the war
clouds arising In the North. East and
West A determination OF resistance was
depleted In the countenance OF every
true Southern. The first election Tor
holding a convention was voted down by
large majority, But when President
Lincoln called on North Carolina for NC
three-months' men, her quota. to whip
South Carolina back into tho Union, IL
lighted the blaze OF war and showed that
the first call OF 1900 troops was not
circumstan as to what proved to be
necessary before the Job was finished.
An army OF $4,000 was packed In the
field to make good their threat. Charles
ton harbor was the first scenc In the
great tragedy that was to BIO enacted.
Virginia, by common consent, was to be
the great theatre OF the war. The great
est army the world ever saw, sometimes
advanced into the encmys country, but
never retreated south OF Virginia
But started to relate some OF the
scenes with which was perfectly ia
miliar. In August, some OF my ncighbors
determined to raise company; some OF
i them said I must go along to Insure the
getting up OF the company. Some of the
older people said they would not OBJ
AZ a. otr1 tha4 doc for
will go with them WELL I volunteered
and went to the front On the 18th Of
September we were sworn into the Con-
federata army. by Col W. r Myers
Officers were elected and We werc ordered
to High Point, to drill and BIO formed
into regiment Nine other. companies
assembled here. and we were organized
into the Thirty-seventh Regiment North
Carolina Troops. Charles G. Lee was
elected Colonel. He had been colonel Of
tho First or Bethel Regiment. w. M.
Barber was elected lieutenant colonel and
S Bryant. OF Alexander County. major.
The command remained hero and drilled
till near the first Of January. when we
moved near Raleigh, where we made the
acquaintance of General Martin, who was
lnspector-general,w whom the boys did not
love very much. as he cut down the
amount Of their baggage. He thought
one blanket enough. although the trees
bent down with ice-a mean trick, but
maybe 1t was right
APPLE JACK IN CAMP.
While camped here mountain soldier
had barrel OF brandy shipped to him.
which he buried in his tent, and with
proof Vial he would draw small drink.
which he sold for ten cents This he
kept up for a few days when my friend.
Jim demonstrated with him that he ought
TO give two yials for ten cents. THE
blockader couldn't SEQ 1t that way, and
told Jim III he did not like his way OF
doing business, to buy his drinks from
somewhere else Jim Immediately re-
4 ported him for selling liquor to the SOL
Z niers. Tho blockader was at once arrest
ed and sent to the guard-house, and the
barrel OF apple Jack was confisca tod ana
turned over to the surgeons. I never saw
barrel again in camp. but frequently
met with smaller packages.
Robert Sharp was soldier who was
unique. He belonged to Company I. was
nne looking. active. talked well and was
great ladies' man. He was opposed to
had put him In the gllard-house for a
week at time. Ho was not in tho least
lbashed; but drew tho sign, ''sharp's
Picture Gallery" and pinned It to his
lent; and all day long he had applicants
Tor pictures which brought him co,1sid-
II braple revenue. no did not object to
going into nil the battles but he would
bot stay in camp. At the grand review
he was standing In the shade, dressed
handsomely. with woman on each arm,
bowling to his ncquatntances. He lived a
few miles west OF Charlotte and died
some SIX years ago. He had great as
pirations as a ladies' man. He was AL
ways neat, a clever talker and popular
wherever he went Peace to his ashes.
RECOL1IDcTONs OF CAMP LIFE.
We remained at Camp Mangum, near
Raleigh. but a short time and moved to
Newbern. We camped in the fair
grounds for a few days; had some cases
q rnurnps and other contagious diseases,
but none serious. MY old friend Jim
oame across some apple Jack. hut UNI
fortunately had no one to measure 1t for
him, and In q short time the citizens
thought the Yankees had taken the town.
The captain ordered the guard to put
MIN In prison, hut they soon reported
that he could BIO taken without killing
him; that he was backed UP against a
house with a big bowie knife In his hand
threa tening to kill any ono who offered
to take him. Captain Potts was lying
down on his bed sick. Without saying a
word, he sprang up and ran UP to the
house and seized him by the collar and
led him off to tho guard-house and, as he
turned him In, Jim said: Captain please
measure me out drink every half
hour"
We soon moved across the Neuse
River and established Camp Thdpole, a
vary wet place. We had several wells
Nkput eight feet deep. pretty good water