The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-06-29


I forget who 1t was that said this but
! it is a fine sentiment and especially ap-
! propriate to use on the Fourth OF July.
Everything is promising to most glori-
GUS Fourth" this time. and that is az 1t
should be 1t ia n comfort TO an old man
to see a trend OF patriotic feeling for the
day that was always glorious in the olden
times The recent troubles had their dark
sides, but they have had the effect of
binding us all together IN links as strong
as the revolutions ties. and let us hope
that 1t may be as golden In results as the
deliverance that was accomplished when
the colonies shook off the yoke OF King
George III.
The oId-time "Tourths" are a pleasing
memory to all old people, and. as for me-
! like the best to forget the dark four
wears that made us cease to celebrate
the day here IN the south and feast upon
the pleasures we used to have on the
occasions then So common. But an old
man Is sure to remember that we have
had some resnarka Bile occurrences In the
month of July other than the occurrence
which makes the Fourth" day to celc-
brate All old soldiers of the Virginia
army will think of the first, second and
thirds days of July. 1863 at Gettysburg,
and then on The Fourth of that year
Nicksburg fell. and what a fall was that.
It perhaps, sealed the doom of the con-
fedcracy and was the making of General
Grant ! remember those starved con-
fedcrates of Vicksburg wen as if 1t was
but Yesterday, ana l remember how Gen
eral Pemborton was blamed for surrcn-
,crlng on the "Fourth;'' but il you had
been there, or If YOU will only listen to
the soldiers who were there, YOU will not
feel 50 ready to blame any ono. The truth
IS. that the Fourth" was the day selected
by Grant toe have the surrender take
place. and he would have had it on that
day or have slaughtered every confed-
crate on the grounds.
nv way of diversion. allow me to tell
of some of the doings OF those paroled
men of Vicksburg-m for. its rdicu-
,ousness than otherwise. and to spice the
story of the Fourth" When the sol
dlers had been fed after the surrender
and received their paroles. there was a
general hurry to get out Of the place
where they had suffered so much Among
the men we're some negroes with the con-
federates as servants. These were allowed
to take their choice remain with Gen
eral Grants troops or to go with their
young masters back into the confederaCy
and to slavery TO the faithfulness of the
negro. be It said they we're almost unan-
imous In going out with their masters
This may seem strange, but It was not
any stranger than a great many other
things OF all the curious freaks, though,
Of these or any other soldiers. vas the
notion that a long. lanll north Georgian
took to procure some Of the waste iron
thereabout. When this man learned that
he was to go home, nothing would do him
but what he must carry some OF the
iron along TO this end he secured a
wheelbaTTow, loaded il with the scraps OF
IRON and rolled # all the way from Nicks-
burg to his home IN the mountains of
Georgia Another one of these Vicksburg
soldiers. after much suffering on the trip
home, had the nerve to swear that he
was going to take dinner at the next
house whether they wanted him to or
not I expect he had arrived somewhere
in Tennessee by this time, anyhow. the
next house happened to be a most pros
porous farm house. and ] expect Il was
most excellent lady that presided there.
for It was no trouble for the soldier to
gain her promise that ne should have his
dinner. but with the promise she made the
explanation that a company Of confed-
era officers were to dine with her and
that the soldier must walt untn these Of
tcers we're through eating. and then he
should have plenty. There was nothing
for the soldier to do but TO comply with
this proposition, but fortunately, or un-
fortunately. from where they seated the
soldier to wait, he could look into the
back door and see the table as plain as
if ne had been seated at II. There he sat.
ho 81
burg for months, and he saw and snelt
the good dinner as 1t was being piled
upon the table. At last a bell rang and
from away down a long hail the soldier
could see the officers approaching the
table He could stand it no longer. Either
the fear that these officers would eat all
there was to cat or something else. caus-
ed him to arise and make grand rush
for the table himself. He was the first
to arrive at the table. and without cere-
mony he secured a chair and took his
seat This caused some embarrassment
to the lady. for all the seats were taken
while one of the officers were left stand
| ing. The officer was sensible and the lady