The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-03-13

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| Gilmers, Cheneys, Loves, itheralls,
Duacans and Janneys To these were
| added many from the city proper, who
appreciated the good times in store for
guests of that hospitable home. Who
can say how many VOWS were uttered
under the grand old trees that shaded
the home In thosen days? To tocsin Of
war sounded. and the youths of 81 were
| gallant gentlemen and ardent wooers-
BIT the faithful old trees told no secrets
to the passing WIND.
War, And what did it mean to the
family on Bellinger Heights?
While. there was a sound of reYelry
| by night" and eyes looked love to eyes
that spake again" the young womanhood
of the neighborhood and city nobly fol-
lowed the example of Sarah Halls Bel
| linger, and spoke bravely of duty to
country, while their hearts ached with a
nameless dread of what was to befall the
dear boys who were marching away in
gray There must be no needless weep
| ng-was there not a just God above?
| There must be no idle hands-for war
has always called for priceless sacrifice
of self from woman, But, what could
they do? Let us see.
There were letters of CHEEKY news from
home to write. There were boxes of
goodies" TO pack for this picnic war.
/ y, yes, II WOulQ ne snort anu
and all the boys would come home COW
cred with glory-and-ah-a few wounds,
| nothing serious however; and the new
songs must be learned to celebrate the
coming! The little girls and maidens
caroled sweetly:
"The boys are coming home again,
! This war will soon be o'er
| o, won't we have a happy time,
| oil ba hnmaff
| Sarah Halls Beliinger was an anxious
| hearted mother in those days, for she
| ILL.,. her noble sisters of the south with
heldheld not her beautiful and brave
! giving her all to her country's call.
| When the gallant Third Alabama regi-
ment marched away, it bore in its ranks
! all the stalwart youth that Halls
House" had given to Alabama; two Bel
| llngers-Robert and William, the Halls
brothers, William and Murphy, and the
! gallant Taylors, until there numbered
ten cousins in this regiment when it
| wet into one of the bloodiest battles of
| the war
Work. work. or weep from thinking on
! death, So the needle comes once more,
/ for woman's pent energies to flow
| through. And the "call to needle was
| as a "call to arms" Over three hum
! bred noble women of Montgomery re-
! sponded to an invitation-made at the
| suggestion of Mrs. William Knox, Sr..
to meet at the Court Street Methodist
! church, to form a Ladies Aid Society.
| The records shows that the small, quiet
| woman-Mrs. Belinger-was among the
leaders of the good work: she was a men,
! Der of the executive committee, and
| seryed her country and her God with
no thought of self to mar the service:
! loyalty cooperating with the no less
noble and sef-effacing women of that
| aid society. She cut clothes, sewed, adj
| vised directed, encouraged and gave of
herself, in every way her country de-
handed
That hope OF speedy peace, with lit
tie or no bloody fighting, enter
tanned by both lovingly anxious moth
| ers and the men at the front, as we'll as
the 'conversative element of the whole
country, is revealed by letters of that
date.
Entrenched Camp Near Norfolk Va.
June %, 1861.
Dear Father: The bundles that were
sent, by Mr. Whitfield. were received
yesterday. Rest assured they were ap-
preciated as they are articles most es-
sential to the comfort or a soldier.
We are grateful for the good health
enjoyed by the soldiers; only three have
been tken away. notwithstanding the
many cIanSeS we nave undergone.
The men are once more consoling them
selves with the hope Of peace and lib
erty without raising ''the arm of venge-
ancc.' May God speed the day. for the
camp Is no place for men of refinement;
| lying In a state of idleness, they are
only too prone to experience the old
proverb IAN idle brain is the devils
workshop"
We are making rapid progress raising
eli o
powder have been already secured from
the water. We have had one deserter;
he was arrested with two spies; his
sentence has not been pronounced yet.
Retreat has just sounded, so I must
close. All well Your affectionate son,
ROBERT BELLINGER,
Mai A. NJ Allen of the Confederate
commlssary department at Columbus.
Ca wrote to cheer the fanting hearts Of
the women of the Bellinger family who
began to realize the grimness of war.
al fear you overestimate our common
| misfortune and underestimate the bless
ings that are still ours. | am confident
the conservative element of the whole
country will control in less than twelve
months and that great prosperity will
| attend the south
Then-the grim thunders of Manassas
rolled through the land. and the dogs
| of war were loosed in their fury. God
| alone could help the women of north
| and south then.
Shining needles flashed, and women
| stitched prayers into the grey jackets
Then, a citizen talking with those de-
voted women as they worked, asked If
| they realized that war meant sickness,
wounds, and-death; what would they do
! If a sick soldier-a stranger-should come
| into the town, what would become of
| him" Instantly the motherhe re-
| sponded. Give him TO me, I'll nurse
| him"
But the practical side of the question
| had struck the fine common sense of
Mrs. Bellnger. She had finished her days
task and was preparing to go home she
| quietly left the sewing rooms and en-
| tering her carriage. drove home to think
! out the problem. AS she entered the
porch, DR.. Belinger observed her troubled
| expression and inquired the cause. She
explained; then he humorously told her
| that she was welcome to put "her
wounded soldiers into the new four-room
cottage down the avenue that he had
| Just finished for their house servants"
| Mrs. Bellnger was delighted with the
| joking suggestion; she replied that she
| knew Jupiter and his family wound be
| disappointed about their comfortable new
quarters, hut that they would be will
| IL to stay in their present house, for
the sake of the poor sick soldiers. 'Jupi-
ter and family were beloved and trusted
/ family servants, whose welfare was dent-
| ical with that of the white family. She
! that early day i'm the war Next day she
| found them every thing to be desired at
| that early day In the war, ext day, she
| announced to her slster-workers the
cheering prospects for a shelter for their