Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-06-23
icers of special training.
CONSTANT DRILLS.

ficers of special training.
CONSTANT DRILLS.
In the matter of drills the Confed-
crates had lead of about three months
over their opponents. Some of iitheir
men had been under arms since jan
uary
South Carolina, first to arm, had
about 5000 men who considered them
selves by this time in a measure vet
Grams, for they had taken part in the
initial scenes of the war, the reduc-
tion of Fort Sumter.
At Pensacola was the army of about
1000 men under Gen. Braxton Bragg
that had been threatening Fort Pick
ems. Theirs was the first organized
camp of the Confederacy. They had
been drilling since January.
TO this camp came President Jeffer-
son Davis, so years ago on a tour of
inspection. The scene was thus describ-
ed by t. c. De Leon, who wrote enter
tainingly on the southern side Of the
war:
ION the level, white beach. glistening
in the afternoon sun, were drawn up
the best volunteer organizations of the
south, line upon line, their bright uni
forms. glancing muskets and waving
banners giving color to the view Far
in the rear tina fringed woods made al
dim background; while between. tregu-
lar rows of white tents, laid out In
regiments and company streets, dotted
the plain. bg
l"Out in the foreground stretched the
blue waters of Pensacola harbor. the
grim fortress OFort Pickens) frowning
darkly on the rebellious display, while a
full band on the parapet played The
Star Spangled Banner over on the
laf n
stood Pensacola, with the navy yard
and hospitals.
"As the president, with the general
and his staff, galloped down the line.
the band Of each regiment struck up.
and the widest huzzas told how firm a
hold Mr.. Davis had taken on the hearts
of the army.
by the time the review was over
twilight had fallen and a thousand
campfires sprang UP among the tents
with Pickering, uncertain light. In 1t
sat groups preparing their suppers and
discussing what The visit and review
might mean"
1t meant no midnight movement on
Fort Pickens. as some Of the soldiers
thought, but an order, the next day, for
the troops to be moved toward Rich
mond, for bloody employment on the
battle grounds of Virginia.
ION TO RICHMOND"
In all the more southern camps the
cry now arose: ION to Richmond.3
All roads led to the heart of the Con-
federacy, already the capital in fact If
not in name. The city was thronged
with excited and determined soldiers
and civilians. Every hotel was crowded
to the doors. Men slept even on billiard
tables and the floors.
The spacious and hospitable mansions
in the vicinity of capital square were
crowded with friends and relatives of
their owners, come to Richmond to serve
the cause of the south The men drilled
as recruits, while the girls picked lint
and made bandages.
Peaceful Capitol square iself, with its
dominating equestrian statue of Wash
ington. now became the center of mar
tial activity. Across it's walks in the
warm spring days of 80 years ago came
many sorts of men, soldiers and civil
ians busy on the affairs of war
In this period, in virginia, could be
seen the long haired Texan, sitting his
horse like a centaur, with high-pealxed
saddle and jinggling spurs; the western
mountaineer. with bearslxin shirt firing
ed leggings and the long. deadly rifle,
carrying one back to the days of Boone
and the dark and bloody ground the
dirty gray and furnished silver of the
muddy complexioned South Carolinian:
the dingy butternut of the lank, muscu-
lar Georgian. with its green trimmings
and full skirts the Alabamians from
che coast, nearly all in blue of cleaner
hue and a heater cut: the Lou
isiana troops. better equipped and more
regularly uniformed than any others in
the motley throng."
FIERCE SPIRIT OF WAR.
Everywhere in the south the fierce
spirit of war stirred the people to the
very depths of their souls. In every
household the women dedicated their
male relatives to the cause.
The family rifle, musket or towing
piece was taken from its place on the
wall and put into the hands of the ia
Their or son. and he was sent out to
fight. with the belief in his heart that
his home his happiness. all that was
dear to him in life depended on his
doing his part to beat back the de-
spoiler.
Such a spirit as this made every man
as good as three in those first days of
the war. II carried everything before it
" lille organization was going on. Luck
of equipment though serious was not
resist an advance of the Federals from
the direction of Fort Monroe.
All these officers were graduates of
West Point. Many others of high stand
ing. like Albert Sidney Johnston, were
H. -