Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1907-12-05
COMMUNICATED.
BREwToN, ALA,
Nov. 18th, 1907.


paper, which | have been taking
about ever since it was published,
brings me the sad intelligence OF
the tragic end Of my dear friend
and comrade in arms, Ed Hope.
Let me first say that re was
not member OF the Lamar
Rifles but Of that brave and gall
liant COMPANY, The True Missis-
sippians, Co. T., Both Reg. OF
Mississippi Infantry Volunteers,
Walthalrs Brigade, Army OF,
Tennessee.
During the last two years of
the Civil war, he was the color
bearer Of his regiment, with the
rank of LIST lieutenant. The coll
ors were placed in his hands by
his Colonel because he well knew
that Ed.Hope would carry them
to the very lannon's mouth and
never let them trail in the dust
as long as he had one particle OF
strength to carry them. | say
with all the pride and confidence
in my brave comrade that | can
command, that never for one
moment did he betray the trust
reposed in him. He was a. true
as steel to his country and would
have died for her at any moment
had duty called him to make the
sacrifice.
In the famous charge that Wall
thall's brigade made through the
"old field" at Murfreesboro. by
some terrible mistake the 10Th,
to which the writer belonged,
and the Both, to which Ed be-
longed, got tangled up together
in the middle of the field, and
threw themselves on the ground
and commenced firing. being I'M
willing to retreat. Seeing it i'm
possible to separate the two regi-
ments under the terrific fire of
two lines of battle and a battery
of six guns, we were ordered to
fall back and reform. This we
did, leaving nearly one-third OF
our men killed or wounded with
in the space of two acres of
ground. Among the number
were Lieuts. Tom Boone and G.
W. Hope, (Ed's brother) of Eds
company. After falling back,
Ed heard that his brother George
was either killed or wounded
back in the field. He rushed
back amid a perfect storm of shot
and shell to his noble brothers
side, but finding him dead, and
seeing another comrade despe-
rately wounded near him. he
picked him up and carried him to
4 place of safety.
In the great battle of Chi ka-
manga where in a grand charge
through an old field and up a hill
our brigade drove back a strong
line Of battle and captured
whole park of artillery. Ed Hope
was right in front cheering On
the men, yelling in all the glory
OF battle and was one OF the first
to reach the summit and shout
victory"
In the awful carnage of Frank
lin, Ed carried the colors up to
the breastworks and then on
them, when a Federal placed the
muzzle OF his gun against Eds
breast, but before he could pull
trigger. Ed knocked it to one side
and the bullet crashed through
his side making a dreadful wound.
II was there that for the first time.
that beloved flag struck the
ground with its brave bearer by
its side.
| will not take up your space
any farther than to say no Drawer
mon ever trod Dixie's soil, and
she has no better friend from the
river James to the Rio Grande.
1t might be of interest to some
Of your readers to say that the
officers of his comany were:
Captain, Thos. H. Robinson;
lst Lieutenant, W. F. Paine, who
vas promoted TO the rank of cap
ain, after Capt. Robinson re-
signed on account of age and in
trinity; ID lieutenant, Thos. W.
Boone; 80 Lieutenant, Geo. W.
Hope; (later) Jas. Frierson, LIST
lieut., Pat Myers, mi.
The name of my company was
he Lafayette Rebels, Co. A. 18th
Miss. Its officers were n. A.
som, captain, promoted to Ma
or; K. L. Spencer, LIST lieut..
DO noted TO captain; ". G. Rey-
holds, End lieut.; W. P. Wilkins,
srd lieut., (later) Jas. Rankin, Sd.
John Dunn, Sd; Chas. B. Howry,
Lst lieut..
Both of these companies left
home at the same time early in
1852 but joined different regi-
nents. the survivors are few,
hey will all soon be gone.
Yours truly,
E. A. SMITH,
late Co. A. Goth Miss. now
Chaplain WalthalI's Brigade,
L. c. V.