The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-09-18

hghting days over owing to the loss
of q leg at Gettysburg. The others
We're all civilians. During the frst
two or three days of their sojourn In
The Wilderness their friend visited
them regularly, bringing what inforina- l
tion he could gather, which was very
meagre. About the fourth day he re-
ported that the euemy's scouts were
al over the nelghborhood. and that /
they must keep very close until he |
should see them again. A day or two |
OF suspense followed, but on Sunday |
morning the friend came up to re-
port that the coast was clear, the |
enemy having gone on. and he added
that az 1t was Sunday HIS wife had !
prepared some fowls and other deli |
cacies for their dinner. if they would
send TOR them. A darny was mounted
on mule and dispatched accordingly. |
1t was beautiful, mild and sunshiny
day, after almost a week OF rain. One
OF the eldest of the party, an elder
in the church, thought that thay should
observe the holy day properly, and
therefore addressed his friends soma
what as follows Gentlemen, on this
owe It to Him who has delivered us
out Of the hands Of our enemies to-
return thanks for His nerctes. Do
you agree with me?''
One answered.. "Yes," another was
about to propose the same thing. so
he said. and another assented iudif-
feTently. The old soldier, when APP
pealed to. said he was not at all sure
that the danger was really over; that
unless the main body OF the army had
taken another road he believed they
were yet to pass that point, but that
he had no sort OF objection to re-
ligious service in any event. The elder
glared and shook his finger at him.
to which he only replied: Well, I'm
AFRAID you are a little too previous.
that's ALL
The elder got out his Bible and
hymn book and proceeded to find APP
propriate selections from each for the
occasion. He had just done this to his
satisfaction and was about to line out
the hymn when they heard the thud OF
hoofs coming rapidly In their direction.
In minute or SO the darky who had
,been Gent for the food appeared. COM
Ing as fast as his mule could go, his
eyes bursting out of thir sockets, the
mule in lather. AS he came within
earshot he shouted to them to run, that
the whole Yankee army was behind
himl Down went the Bible and hymn
book. and tho late religious assembly
speedily dissolved itself in every di-
old, soldier. whose sinister remarks
had been SO severely rebuked He laid
hold upon the frightened negro, raped
him over the head with his crutch and
ordered him to hitch his horse to the
buggy ard help him into It This done.
the negro also took to the adjacent
swamp, while the veteran drove him
self up to the friends house who had
been keeping them posted, The yard
was fun OF Sherman's soldiers. who
helped him out OF the buggy and into
| the house. but took his horse Here
he remained for several days. during
which .the mighty host. marched by
leaving rear guard to bring up the
| stragglers
These were still at the house when.
looking down the road. they espfed
| soldier in blue coming along with
| another man in tow. evidently prts-
oner He had on his head an ancient
beaver with the crown smashed In, on
his body an army oyercoat with half
| of one of the tails burned off. and his
trousers stuffed in high boots about
four sizes too large for him stubby
| beard of weeks growth adorned his
/ face, and altogether he was one of
the most villanous looking creatures
| Imaginable. Our old soldiers had great
! difficulty in recognizing in this object
/ the respected elder who proposes a.
prayer meeting on that bright Sabbath
morning, but he finally made him out
/ The extraordinary costume and the
| terribly detected expression OF his
face were too much for the Veterans
| rtsfbles. The old gentleman finally was
released and allowed to return home.
me Camden people sent many of
their belongings away when the raiders
| were coming, but unfortunately they
We're carried in the same direction
that the army took. and hence many
valua bles were lost. My very slender
wardrobe shared the general fate. and
| when got back after the raid was
compelled to go to bed nd stay there
while my Clothing went to be washed.
l recall the fact that from and after
| that date until the spring veseta bles
began to come in our principal means
OF subsistence were cowpeas and
| pumpkins cooked without salt or
| bacon, varied by sweet potatoes and
corn bread. also saltless. Thus the
| weeks wore on until near the end of
| March. wnen ] received letter from
rather telling me to come to him at
/ Richmond
a day or two after Sherman had
evacuated the town my friend who
was With me the day his army en-
/ tered Ut found 1t necessary to visit his
plantation. and asked me TO go with
| MIN We Went to a ferry about seven
mlles from the town. but found that
the ferryboat had disappeared. We
whooped until negro appeared on the
/ other SIDE and informed us that he
nad a very leaky bateau, in which we
might get across II we kept bailing-
out while he padded. We offered
/ MIN 80 In Confederate money to bring
tine craft over, to which he consented.
BY the time he had crossed the boat
! was half filled with water that had
/ leaked in, and we found on exami-,
nation that.it was constructed OF green
\ blanks, vita visible cracks between
through which the water poured. AS
could swim and my friend could
| not, II was agreed that I should so
\ hrst / unsaddlsd my mare and led
4 her into the water, taking seat near
the. bow and holding the reins close
4 to the bit SO as to let her swim along
side. The river was in flood and the
current very. swift, but we pushed on.
the negro padding and my friend
4 watching the rather risky yoya.s