The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-05-29
Shooting Of Roberts
BY James Mitchell.


not know how long we would get tt
enjoy our winter quarters. as we hat
been kept OH the move ever since We
left Virginia in September. The
weather at this time was the coolest
we had felt during the war and our
clothes and shoes were badly worn. A
train load Of clothing for our corps
had been stopped near Louden and
had been there while we we're fighting
around Knoxville, and when we had
to leave Knoxville and go in another
direction if our clothing was not de-
stroycd, it must have fallen into the
hands of the enemy.
We were glad when orders came to
build winter quarters, thing we had
been wanting to hear although we had
them long, and sure enough, we got
to stay in about one night then had to
leave them, but fighting was over.
We didn' have any more Of that, but
kept on the move.
1t seemed after the fighting was all
over we were not very successful. Dis
sentlons sprung up among the gener-
ais and desertions among the privates.
Gen. Bragg was trying to lay his de-
feat at Chattanooga on some of his
generals and they in turn petitioned
the war department to have him re-
moved. And in our corps, Gen. Long
street removed Gen. McLaws and sent
him to S. G. department, and Gen.
Law was sent to Richmond. Natural
ly this had bad effect ON the rank
and file and the soldiers, whose homes
had fallen into the hands of the enc
my were deserting and going home to
see after their families. Gen. Long
street was making strenuous efforts to
put stop to this and restore conf
dence in the army.
While we were below Russellville,
cannot recall just where, one young
soldier by the name of w. H. Roberts,
Co. A, 21st Miss. regiment, Hum
phry's brigade, who had left home at
the beginning of the war, left fa-
ther, mother and two little sisters, ten
and twelve years old. Roberts re-
ceivcd word from home that his fa-
thcr and mother were both dead and
that the enemy had gone by his home
and destroyed everything they had
and burned their house. His little
sisters were seen in the enemy S
camp picking up corn that the horses
had wasted, this being all they could
get to eat. This was more than Rob.
erts could stand. He went to his Cap
tain and related his story and told
him he wanted furlough to go home
and get his little sisters in a place Of
refuge and that he would come back.
His captain wrote him out a fur
Tough and approved it and along with
it sent his story why he wanted the
furlough. Every officer up to Gen.
Longstreet approved his furlough,
but Gen. Longstreet disapproved it
and sent it back. Roberts was so sure
that his furlough would come back
all right that he had his baggage
packed ready to 60, but when it came
back disapproved it almost crazed
him. He went to his captain and told
him lie could not stand it and he was
going. His captain demonstrated with
him and told him they would court
martial him and shoot him ii they ev-
er caught him, but nothing could stop
him. His story is:
He left camp that night and did
not go far into the mountains OF Ten
nessee before he fell in with bano
of bushwhackers, who agreed to pllo'
him safely through if he would ge
with them. He was for anything thai
would carry him home, so he agreee
to their proposition and went witt
them, but by some mishap the bani
and he were all captured. tie wa'
brought back and tried for desertion
found guilty and sentenced to be sho
on certain day. A pardon was got
ten up and sent up. All the oihcer'
signed his pardon except Genera
Longstreet, he refused to sign it..
The chaplain Of the division got NJ
a respite to put off the execution Tor
short while, but Longstreet refused Il
do anything. Although Roberts rec
ord as soldier, was as good as an!
in the army General Longstreet ha'
determined to make an example O.