Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1907-09-20
"reminiscences of The Past

doah, in early April 1862, halted
two days at Mcdowell, Va. The
tents were pitched in the fields be.
tween the village and Sitlington's
around the brick church and along
the banks of the Bullpasture.
spent. the most of one forenoon
mingling freely among the soldiers
and noticed how they were passing
the time in camp, which was April
18th.
The morning was surprisingly
bright and pleasant after quite a
period of cloud and rain, and all
seemed infused with refreshed bod.
ily yigor and buoyancy OF spirits;
hence a more animated scene would
he hard to imagine than what pre-
sented itself throughout the Me-
DowelI Camp, and | occupied sew
eral hours in taking in as much as
possible.
Ny attention was first drawn to
quite crowd gathering around a
group of ladies on horseback COM
ing in from tue lower Bull Pasture
Bringing new clothes-"niee
things" such as pies, sweet cakes
and fresh maple sugar for their
friends, sons and brothers. Along
with these visitors was half
grown boy riding a hard mouthed
. mule hat had never seen the mill.
tary before and was fast becoming
unmanageable, so much so that be
whirled around and threw up bis
heels. whereupon the rider fell off.
heels over head, to the great amnse-
meut of the bYstanders.
Pretty soon pert young volun'
teer proposed to ride 1.-THE thing"
and break him in for. the boy. This
was agreed to by all present, but no
sooner had he mounted than the
donkey tucked his ea's between his
forelegs and pitched the soldier ov-
err his head into a thorn bush. This
exploit was followed by wells OF
boisterous merriment. Such was
the eagerness of the soldiers in this
part Of the encampment to- con-
verse with their lady friends and to
see the fun that the guards had
considerable trouble to keep all
within the lines. One Of them
playfully called out at the top OF
his voice, "All women and mules
| must come inside the lines or leave"
Whereupon one of the women
with yisage as grim as Minerva
herself. fiercely rejoined. 81 sup
pose then, sir, you put women and
mules on all equality, do you"
The applause was uproarlous
which, along with her fierce looks
and sharp tongue caused the whis.
kered, gallant guard to look rather
crest. fallen.
II turned out that he was q gen.
tlemen, and politely explained te
her the difficulty of keeping hi:
men in the lines as lie was ordered
to do.
Whereupon the matron griml,
smiled and took her place with thu
9th ers inside the lines.
The purpose of her visit to camp
was to give her boys the nice pres
ents she had prepared them with {
mothers assiduous care, pathetical
Fly saying that these might be TIT
| last she could ever give TO them
In the meanwhile sun.bright tea
coursed its way down her sum
Drowned, careworn face.
| In another part Of the eucamp
ment were large groups OF tn
young soldiers recently mustered
in amusing themselves with games
Of ball like so many schoolboys
Some were playing paddle ball,
others 'shoot buck" and when
good hit or strike was made peal
of joyous Laughter gladdened To
ear.
| In some OF the tents ten-montl
veterans were busy with thei
cards. too much absorbed to motto
who might be around, so deeply in
terested where a few shin plaster
were at stake.
In another spacious, handsom
tent vocal music was heard as sew
eral manly voices blended in tn
singing Of a hymn, parts OF whic