Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1910-07-28

Secession n lafayette County.
TCOntinued from last Week
After what has been said in my
previous articles about the vari-
Gus companies and their officers,
I feel sure that the few OF my own
dear company yet remaining. es-
pecially my friend. schoolmate
ard messTuate. Judge Chas. b.
Howry. will feel that owe It to
them 10 cay more about them. |
trust my readers will pardon the
peculiar pride ! take in what IS
acw b be written.
- Judge Howry stated in my
little book, Records Of Wal
thalI's Brigade, The member
snip vas typical Of Mississippi.
The men aHf boys we're mostly
farmers. Many OF them, at least
ninety per cent. did not own a
slave and never expected to own
one. 1t was not a fight for slave
~ with them. nor, for that mat
ter, with the large majority Of the
officers and privates in the army.
But sectiOnalism had become
acute, and everybody went in
actuated by love OF home and
country, and in obedience to the
feeling that no guaranteed right
under the constitution was safe
without a fight Capt. -. d.
Isom, afterW ari made MAJOR,
was 4 typical Southern gentle
man. fnll Of the deepest interest
in the welfare Cf his men. but
never cut rut for a drill officer.
III health forced him to REIGN
sometime in 1893.
Isieet. K. l.. Spencer succeed
ed Ison as Captain Just before
the battle Of Msrfreesboro. lie
was a better drill officer than
Isom. but even then did not give
satisfaction. But in all that goes
to make spotless integrity, and
utter feariessness in the hour Of
danger. doubt il he had a SUI
peri0r IN the army. ! saw him in
the battle of Russell House three
miles north of COrinth, and in
the awful carnage in the old field
at Muris.ssasoro giving his orders
t. his r-en us utterly regardless
VI = death dealing hail Of bullets
a. IL they were 10 more than a
swarm OF liIes. In the second
charge on that fatefuI field he
laid down his gallant life on
the altar of mis- country.
He was succeeded by Capt. W.
q. Reynolds, an all round man.
4 christian gentleman. and ore
II the best drill masters in the
regiment. tie was mortally
wounded IN one Of the battles in
front IT Atlanta.
Captain Reynolds was succeed
ed by W. l.. Wilkins who surviv-
I'd the war and died Just a few
years ago. Captain Wilkins was
prudent officer, thoughtful Of
his men. 4 wise discipl.aarian,
and a brave soldier. His men
always had a high regard tor
aim. dad would follow him any
where.
LIeutenants Jas. Rankin and
and JOln Dunn We're good Off
GERS and good men, true as die.
faithful to the end, and died at
the post of duty. Lieutenant
Howry was filed II the brim with
a love for his country and a lofty
sense If MS duty a. a soldier and
a. = gentleman He was cool IT,
the hour OF danger, never rash,
but knew nothing but TO step
forward ike the man he was and
call on the men 70 follow. and
they did It. His men implicitly
trusted him and were proud Vi
him. His misfortune was that
ne could eat Ike n pig. march
ike a mule, and fight ike a hor-
ne. but h just eoulIn't get sick
and get furIough. md 1t did
look ike the yankees couldn't
wound him or XIII him.
They finally plugged him III the
terrific carnage Il Franklin. and
before he could recover and re-
turn u his command, the South
ern Cross went iuwa 70 rise no
more.
When the terrible hour came.
Company \ 2.,th Miss. had one
sergeant, myself and seven pFI-
Yates out II - u moarnlully
answer ..hsre" vnen the muster
roll Vas compi-tsd Tor surrender.
+. y SIXTH.
Ito ha f'8ntIuuaf