The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1909-06-14
WAR "REMINISCENCES.

Aunt Becky Sends Interesting
"reminiscences of ali OldVeter-
an at Fora Fisher An Expert
ence With a Whip-Snake-
Confederate Veterans Urged
to Preserve Their Experiences.
Correspondence Of The Robesonian.
Since my last communication
to The Robesonian | have been |
on most pleasant trip to friends
and relatives in the Alfordsville |
section. That part OF our county
contains many of my fathers
kindred, and his native home is
there. In travelling from one
point to another | passed by this
home and recalled to mind Incl
dents which he used to relate, oc-
currences of his boyhood days. AS
we drove along through the out
skirts of the farm on one side and
Wilkinson Swamp on the other,
my fancy located a spot in the
edge of the swamp about which
he and an elder brother had an
unusual experience on one occa
sion. The brother was nearly
grown and father a lad of 12or Ia.
They were blowing together, and
one day when the dinner horn
blew they decided to turn their
horses into a small enclosure by
the side of the swamp, a cool,
shady place, grown up in tall, lux
urjant grass, and let them Craze
instead of taking them home. So
they shut them up in the little
pasture, and on their return from
dinner they found fathers little
black horse in a state of frenzy,
running and pitching about in
the pen, while the other horse had
jumped over the fence and made
his escape. Upon investigation
the poor little horse was found to
have been aWfully whipped, great
welts showing all over his legs
and body. For some moments
the boys were puzzled for a solu-
tion of this strange problem, but
finally the elder brother exclaim-
ed, Duncan. it must be whip
snake" ;and a search through the
tall grass soon proved his surmise
correct. 1t was indeed one of
those pugnacious reptiles, of enor-
nous size, which they slew with
a fence rail, and after liberating
the terrified and afflicted little
beast, they went in search of the
missing one, which was founC
some distance away, still snort.
ing and frightened, but unhurt
, as he had doubtlessmade a strike
, for liberty in the beginning O.
the fray.
During my visit down there,
met an old friend and Confeder
) ate veteran, who in the course O.
conversation mentioned having ;
, little sketch of his war history
which l procured and send to 70,
for publication. This brave, thoug1
i modest, old soldier boy" tried t
0 exact a promise of me to with
: hold his name, but this | refuse
. to do, because, as l told him, ou
V boys who wore the gray deserv,
y every particle of honor and prais
q which can be given them. Tn
I following is a copy Of these rem
q iniscences of an old veteran &
: Fort Fisher" which | am sur
I will be read with interest through
q out the country.
:. "After the first attack on tn
/ Fort the good ladies of Whining
n ton prepared a nice dinner f(
81 the garrison, intending to see tn
ee dinner served; but owing to tt
q tide making out, they could sta
e but a short time. After leavir
"a a little distance, one good lac
turned back, and meeting an O
: ficer said to him, I want you
~ ~ see to it that the privates g
III their share of this dinner.
T. would like to know her name, ar
if she is still living.
s 81 was a member of Co. B, Bl
J. = den Stars. heavy artillery, Car
u, Daniel Mum, the Regt. beil
ds commanded by the gallant al
late lamented Col. William Lam
On the 18th of January, '65, Sc
81 eral charges were made by t
48 enemy at the gate, but were /
II pulsed every time. Finally by
25 flank movement they mount
72 the works and captured several
our men of the36th N. c.. Sd N.
90 and a part of one Co. of the 21s1
- Ca. Those who were not kill
49. or wounded marched down to
sally-porte. The Fort went
about 10 O'Clock at night, and
'OO the midst of the melee, not fu
.OO realizing the existing condltio
90 and with a desperate hope Of Y
80 tory still burning in his patr il
heart, one of the boys, Dodrit
.OO McCallum (now of Mississippi
- - yelled out, BY grabs, boys, g
.U it to 'em, we are not whip
10 YETI
AFTER our capture we W
100 marched up the beach some
- miles above the Fort, and til
). 10 guarded until Wednesday, W
we were marched through
).85 ruins of the Fort and pla
aboard steamer for North
90. prison. During this voyag
conspiracy was formed by S
D 85 of the prisoners to suppress
tod guard and crew, take charg
7oeu the vessel, and make for S
'o"' foreign ports; but upon inv'