The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-04-21
A CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS THANKS
To 7th Ohio cavaltyn(n-An Interesting
Corresuondence

NO44So1&NAU0uC0.
1t is one of the greatest blessings Of
kind Providence thai memory retains the
most vivid recolectsons of the pleasant
things of life while the hardships and
sorrows grow dim with the LAPSE of time
.tll old soldiers recognize the truth of this,
as they forget the hardships OF their cam
paigns, after the lapse, Of 40 years, and
remember only the bright spots of the days
of their youth when serving in the army.
The following correspondence between
Rev. Robert l.. Bd,hman, ID. d., pastor
OF the Second Presbyterian Church, OF
Knoxville, Tenn, who is an eX-Confeder-
ate soldier paroled by Gen. Grant at
Vicksburg, and Col. Theodore L. Allen,
of the 9TH Ohio Cav. is a recent instance
of the meeting between old-timc enemies.
wherein memory recalls only the pleasant
features of the past:
KNOXVILLE. Tenn. Oct. =. 1903.
Col. THEODORE +. ALLEN, Cincinnati,
Ohio.
Dear Sir: have been trying to find the
Adjutant of Col. Garrard's regiment, the
18th Ohio Cav. which operated for some
time in East Tennessee during the civil
war. Capt. j. H. Xix, of Lima. Ohio,
suggests to me that YOU are possibly the
man / want 10 ma. anu III Eot, you lilly
he able to name him to ME.
l desire to find the Adjutant of the regi-
ment named. in order that l may express
to him my thanks for Kindness he rem
dered me when prisoner i'll the hands of
Col. Garrari.
l passed through the siege Of Nicks-
burg. and was paroled by Gen. Grant. and
was allowed to go to my home in Sullivan
County. East Tennessee. near the little
village of kingsport. During the Fall
Of 1868. Col. Garrard made raid into
our section and on into Virginia. He fell
back and passed through Kingsport. At
that time some Of his men arrested me and
took me to the regimental camp. some II
or II miles southwest of kingSpOrt. There
was detained over night, being permitted
to sleep in the house of a man | knew,
near by, Yankee guard having me inr
charge.
The next morning l was taken to head
quarters to find ont my fate. | had re-
fused to take the oath of allegiance to the
General Government. and expected that
would he sent to Camp. Chase. The Ad-
jutant of the regiment conferred with me
and my oldest brother. Rev. Nathan Bach
man, who accompanied me, my brother
being minister of the Gospel ard Il non
combatant. After some conversation as to
my being paroled prisoner from Vicks-
burg, the Adjutant having his arm around
my neck i'll friendly manner. gently
pinched my ear and said: Bob"
(havinS heard my brother call me by that
name). Bob, you don't think We
ought to keep you. do yon?
replied. mo. | think YOU have no right
to keep me, as l am on parole and have
not violated it," Then the Adjutant said:
II do not think we ought to keep You
either; you wait here, and / will go over
and see the Colonel" After little time
he returned, and said: Bob, you may 20
home" Then he gave me pass through
the rear-guard. and with u few kind words
babe me good-by. II
have often thought and spoken of that
mans kindly act and friendly, genial
spirit. and | have often wished that |
knew his name and address, that l may
thank him for his kindBess to me when
was rnddy checked soldier boy of less
than 20 Summers. If you are the man
who treated me so kindly, will you please
accept my thanks !after the lapse of so
many years, and be assured that if it is
ever possible for me to render you kind
ness, it will give inc great pleasure to
do so. Possibly yea may have long for
gotten Tie little incidentI have recounted,
but its fragrant memory has remained
with me through 40 years, and it will re-
main with me till / answer the last roll
call. Nothing is truer than the Scripture
statement, "A man that hath friends must
show himself friendly"
II you should not be the man l seek. l
will esteem it favor IL you can and will
help me to find him.
Very sincerely your friend.
llev.) ROBERT l.. RACHMAN.
Pastor Second Presbyterian Church.
Knoxville, Tenn.
COLONEL ALIENS REPLY.
CINCINNATI, OHIO, Oct. IL. 1903.
REV. RoDERT l.. BACHMAN, ID. D., Knox
vile, Tenn.
My Dear Sir and Comrade: Your letter
OF Oct. 8 l find on my desk to-day, after
n brief absence at Ga!lpolis, Ohio, attend
ing the Annual Reunion OF my regiment.
18th Ohio Cav. In reply to your inquiry it
gives Inc pleasure to state that | was the
Adjutant Of the 1th Ohio Cav, for whom
you have been in search, and the. incident
related by you is well remembered, al
though the meeting between us you SPEAK
OF occurred just 40 years ago this month.
remember passing through Sullivan
County, and | remember very distinctly
that you, n prisoner. paroled by Gen.
Grant at Ficksburg, had been brought to
our camp that such action might be taken
as would be necessary in your case and
am glad to say that my judgment at 81
years Of age confirms the judgment /
formed ut time when / was only q,
that it was neither right nor eXpedient for
the Adjutant. or even the Colonel OF the
TIN ONO Cav, TO override Gen. Grants
parole, which had been issued to you.
My recollection is that you were quite
n boy. maybe 18 years old. and ut that
time l was not long out my teens, having
just passed p years of age. when we met
under the circumstances related by you,
but it is gratifying to confirm my pre-
viOus action. even at this late date that
you was right in your claim and that
was right in acknowledging that you were
right.
am very glad. indeed. to know that you
have survived the perls of the war in
which many thousands of our comrades
lost their lives, and that you retain, even
after the lapse of 40 years, such kindly
feeling for the Adjutant of the 18th Ohio
Cav. who pinched your ear told you to go
home, and gave you a pass through our
rear-gnard to enable you to get there.
In reply to that part of your letter
wherein you state that if it Is ever possible
for you to render me a kindness it would
afford you great pleasure to do so, beg
to state that il it ever happens that need
Il favor from anybody in Knoxville, you
will be the first man / apply to.
In this connection / may state that
there resides in your city one of the mem
bers Of the 7th Ohio Cav, by name Will
liam jenkins. He has q store OF some
kind in Knoxville, but what kind l do