The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-01-02

to be an angel just from the skies, and
I supposed that all angels dressed that
way. In the old days before the war.
so 1 have been told, the ladies leaving
their carriages for the church door, were
attended by servant whose duty it was
to hold up their trains and carry the
prayer book, until they were seated; then
the servant retired to the gallery set
apart for the slaves.
But how things were changed by the
time that New Years day of 1866 came.
Desolating war had swept through the old
county, fire and sword had wrought de-
struction, fields had grown up In sedge-
grass, with here and there clumps of
scrub pine; the general aspect of pros
perity had disappeared, and nearly every
home near us had come to know the
keenest heartache and saddest tears at
the loss of some loved one who had
fallen on the field of battle in defence
of his state. Queenly women were
brought down to mental duties, which
they performed with cheerfulness that
was conspicuously beautiful, even when
often doing tasks that men usually per-
form; but there were no men at the
homes In Virginia at the time of which
/ write or the men of our family must
say something.
Grandfather was not originally in favor
Of secession, and being member of the
convention that decided on April II, 1851
to submit the secession ordinance to the
people, he cast his vote In favor of that
motion. In June the popular vote was
against remaining in the Union; then
grandfather decided upon his course
In a short time he had recruited reg
iment and had been elected colonel by
a unanimous vote. The men were mus
tered in at the court house, the county
seat, where they remained for two weeks
An T. ff~1- III n
dies of the county made the regimental
colors and the Confederate flag, both of
which were proudly held aloft as the
brave 'boys" marched from the court
house to the railway station They
seemed to be en- route to picnic. AS
Andrew Lane, the color-bearer, passed
our carriage, he dipped the flag and cried
out, I'm ten days I'll be waving this flag
from window in Faneuil Hall, In Bos-
ton" Poor fellow, he was killed in an
engagement at Great Falls in the follow
ing September.
Mothers were at the station to say
goodbye to their sons, wives were there
to say, God bless you, to their husbands,
and sweethearts were there to inspire
their lovers. To many muskets there
were tied bouquets and on many breast
there were pinned little floral love tokens.
My uncles, Charley and Mortimer. DASH
ing, handsome young cavaliers, wore
each boutonniere. Grandmothers aris-
tocratic bearing was never more queenly
than on that day; her pride in her three
dear ones was beautiful
AS the train moved Off amid the fare
wells, accompanied by the waving of
handkerchiefs. my uncle Charley started
song that everybody on the train and
at the station Immediately sang. II
remember correctly. the refrain was
but give to me when loved ones part,
That good old word-good-bye."
AS my kinsman began the song l
thought he sang 1t to Caroline Carter.
more than to anyone else, for he looked
into her face SO intently; looked also,
and saw that she was as pale as a lily.
We who stood at the station could hear
the song q long way off; finally we could
just distinguish
Loved ones part-good-by
1t was nearly dark when we reached
home, and the big old house never was
so lonely before. There were only five
of us to occupy the 10 rooms of the
Observation-Disclosures Aunt Mary, and we
three children Such thing as misfor-
tune or disaster Detailing our loved ones
who were gone to war, was never men
toned in our family group.
Several visits home were made by the
Colonel, and twice the boys came. But
after the battle of Charlottesville my
uncles came no more. Mortimer was In
stantly killed by the fragment of shell
at that terrible fight, and coon thereafter
Charley was severely wounded and cap
tured. He was sent north, to Fort Del
aware, where soon gangreen formed In
his wound. He wrote two notes a day
or two before he died; one was written to
Miss Caroline Carter, the other one was
for grandmother.
Miss Carter came to see us in about
week: she fell upon grandmother's neck
and they both swayed to and fro under
their great emotion, and sobbed as from
broken hearts. 1t was nearly twilight
when Miss Carter left, and we children
walked ~ far a. the stile with her. me
had nothing TO say to W. but heard