Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1910-12-22
CHRISTMAS In
CAMP IN 1858.
A True Story Of Life in The Camp Of The
Sixteenth Virginia Cavalry on Christmas
Day fOru-Seen Years Ago.

we take pleasure in giving our read
ers this week true story of a Cbrist-
mas IN camp during the Late Unpleas-
antness, written by Major Otis Cald.
We'll OF Tannersville. Major Caldwell.
VINO Is now ninety years of age. has
the proud distinction of being the first
Republican in Tazewell county. which
Oh course, means almost the first in Vir-
ginia.
THE MAJORS STORY.
Well boys, you have asked m, 70 toll
you story of Christmas spent in
camp during the war between the two
divisions of our own great country
which came so near tearing asunder the
most perfect government a nation b.s
ever known and setting up instead two
opposing governments-one in the
North, the other in the South.
am now ninety years of age and
nothing give ne more pleasure than to
gather around me a number of tho
youths of the day and give them a story
OF our trials and bardships during this
same war
IL was the winter of 1868. NV COM
mand Of so men were ordered to o., IN
New Garden, Russell county, into win
Ter quarters, three days before Christi
mas. We had been in the rear of the
ahKee army on the Ohio river until
when We reached New Garden NV mon
were nearly naked and half starved
ana no cooking vessels, no provisions.
we reached New Garden Just in time
TO get together a little something IN
eat, and provide ourselves with a com
Portable place in which to spend the
rest OF the winter when received an
order from General Jenkins to report to
headquarters at Lebanon the dsv be-
fore Christmas.
begun at once making prepsrations
20 go to Lebanon when my men gather
ed around ne and asked if they might
send TO an old gentleman not far from
there who was stilling. and get them q
Christmas dram. l told them ives "if
every n.an 10 the command would e,iva
me solemn promise he would take only
dram. They gave me their promise.
ana took my departure, with nv men
calling after me: You shall have a
ShFistmas turkey, too, Major" | went
TO Lebanon and returned to capn -,
Christmas day. When l came in sigbt
OF camp such sound of merry-making
as greeted me never heard.
was met at the road by a number of
my men, who lifted me from nv horse
bore me on their shoulder s TO the hous.,
10 which we were camping, and there.
on the wide-open fireplace, was a two
bushel kettle. They carried me IN to
the fireplace aud set me down. telling
me to ask no questions, and when the
lid was lifted 10, there were six hounc-
ing turkeys merrily simmeripg awav
for our Christmas dinner. And. never
before nor since, did a crowd of hungry
men enjoy Christmas as that o,e vss
enjoyed; hut few days later 'Souira
Aston be9aaA 10 rare and charge ahopt
someone stealing his turkeys. I call,d
up my men and asked them if it were
possible that they had satisfied their
longing for Christmas turkey bv Wis
lting Squire Aston's turkey roost.
They replied: Major Caldwell. we
told you you should have Chrls mas
turkey; We went to Squire Aston to buv
the turkeys, he fatty refused to sell
them and we said in retorn for our
Christmas dram you should have a tur-
Key; we went to Squire Aston's and
took the turkeys, and if he wants to
preach let him preach; he wouldn't sell
the turkeys, we took them and have
cooked and eaten them, and he will
never remember getting anything for
them nov. But We have taught him
this lesson: that when we ask for a
thing we intend to have it. Ifw can
get It no other way we will steal It,"
The result wss that | pad for the
turkeys and no more was sid.