The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-04-10

were terrible experiences at Eastwood, which I now proceed to relate.
 General Grant was on the south side of the James, with headquarters at City Point, slowly closing in upon Petersburg. Orders had been issued to various armies to reinforce him, and a number of bri- gades passed through our county to reach the James river, most of them passing Eastwood. We suffered nothing from the regular troops, but the hordes of strag glers robbed and plundered every house along the road. Therefore, when an army was known to be anywhere near news was sent down the road for miles from one plantation to another, warning the people to prepare against the stragglers
 One morning a colored servant dashed up to Eastwood, and with much excite ment informed us that an army was coming. In few minutes our servants were busy. Old nanny and Sarah cajoled the few fowls into the henhouse, while Henry and Joe led the stock into the woods bordering upon the river.
 I noticed that grandmother retired to her own room. l thought she had done so in order to avoid seeing the northern troops, but she had not; for in a short while she came down stairs, dressed as for church, and took a seat on the broad gallery before the house.
 As soon as she saw the soldiers she called me to her. and we proceeded to the lane gate. As the passing troops reached our gate grandmother asked to see the commanding officer. Her request was addressed to an officer on horseback, who with several others that were mounted, rode before the body of men, He commanded, Halt" The order was re- peated down the line and all came to stand still. Grandmother then asked that a guard be detailed to protect the East wood premises on account of the strag- glers, "who," she said "have been wantonly crliel in the neighborhood above us on the county road" The answer was brusquely given; We can't do 1t, madame; you've got to take the chances of a war that you people brought upon yourselves, we've got no men to spare" Saying this he turned to give the com mand to march, but his eyes fell upon golden trinket that grandmother held above her head, and he hesitated as she asked: 'Is there anyone among you who will honor this?" o, how queenly she appeared at that moment! The trinket gistened in the sunlight as it passed into the hands of the officer, who said, as he looked at it: q don't know what this Is; say, do any of you know?' He then passed it to his brother officers. There followed an exciting conversation, after which man on a gray horse (this made an impression on my childish mind, for associated the color of the horse with the color of the Confederate uniform), came toward grandmother and said: Madame, we have orders to furnish no guards to any home in Virginia, but let me have this trinket for a few minutes that I might take it to the general in the rear of the army. know what it is.'
 He then dashed off Very soon three men rode up with him who had gone to the rear. One of them was the gen. eral a fine looking man with iron-gray hair and a magnificent military bearing. He dlsmounted and, removing his hat. in troduced himself and said: My dear madame whose charm is this?" Tt be- longed to my husband, now dead,' said grandmother. The general, returning the trinket, said: My dear madame, you shall have a guard Your husband was a Scottish Rite Mason of the thirty-third degree; I am also. Unfortunately, the only guard that I can give you will be oolored soldiers, for mine is coolred brigade" Up to that time grandmother had not looked at the ranks.
 The result of the interview was that two negro soldiers were detailed to do duty at Eastwood, and by nightfall their tent was pitched on the front lawn. never saw the shadow of mutiny in the kitchen of Eastwood until that evening, but I saw 1t then. Sarah lost control Of her temper and said. "I clare fore Gawd, cawnt cook fo' Yankee niggers; dey ain't like we all, no how"
 One of the guards was a pleasant-faced negro of the gingerbread type: but the