The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-05-21
ny JAMEs r. PETTY.
lin Warren Scutincl)

.
memoranda. accumulated during the
progress of this great conflict am
dcbarrcd the pleasure OF putting in
narrative form for the benefit OF those
who shall como after me a ,lcscrip-
lion OF events Of lranscendant i'm
Dortanca in which participated, re-
CARELESS OF the fact that mine was
an inconsplcuous part. since WAS
only n private In the army OF tins
south. say only ;iprivate.' srchk I
ing from the standpoint Of the worlds
ieHtimhtc. but. to my mind. to touch
elbows. az / did for four years with
my comrades 81 the ranks who wore
tho Gray. AMI 80 follow where Lee.
and Pickett. and corsc. and Herbert
ara Simpson led was as srea, dis
tinction and as proud badge OF honor
as nvcry fcli 10 tho lot Of mortal,
man.
TO day. FRIDAY. IL the torty-sixth
anniversary Of tho battle or Dinwidd!e
Courthouse. Va. which was fought
On Friday. March 81. 1863, IL which,
| wag put hoTs dc combat by Il wound
IN tho left arm. When l sat down
10 write this paper il was my purpose
memorable light, but being . frea
lance have changed my mind, ard
VIII enlarge the scope of my nara.
Tive By telling ilrst liow Began any
career az Il Confederate soldier EN-
~ In APRIL. 1861 I was living in Wash
inrton amid excitement which ragged
at fever heat, while the city WAS SO
ihronccd with soldiers as 10 he 4
vcritabIc armed camp Almost every
man one met, or woman either. for that
matter. wore Il palmetto rosettc, ar 4
rcd White and blnc hadgc.ns The wear
or might hc either y southern sym
pnthizcr or n champion of the Union
Stm,or had fallen. and men with hated
breath ard dark fprobodinEs 81 tho
fnture were asking. ..'Wha, next"
8 saturday April ~. the sixth Mas
sacnusct,s Regimen; Of Volunteers. en-
route 10 the capital was attacked In
the streets or Baltimore. and Il sonsa :
tIon so profound ensured tint President
Lincoln Immediately Issued his cal! for
T6.boO men 10 form an army Of invasion
nnd coercion against the South ! AT
once resolved 10 leave the city for
Front Royal, where my parents resided.
purnosinG 10 join the Warren RIFLES
from tina I town, then in service at liar
pers Ferry. The next morning. sun
day. accompanied by young friend.
Walter FARMLAND who afterward he
came noted az captain IN Moshys
command, wendell my way To seventh
Stree, wharf. intending to take the
steamer Thomas Coiycr. which Piled
between Washington and Alexandria.
To cur Intense chagrin VIC found the
boat tied UP al the wharf with ii no
tlce from the government authorities
To the effect that trips between the two
elites were Suspended indefinitely
While we waited. uncertain what
step to take next. an omnibus from
Browns Hotel. as 1t was then STYLED.
hit laicr and nov known as tho Met
ropoli,nn, drove UP with three young
altSauthern passengera ben, upon the
game errand as ourselves We five
then held n hurried council nj war and
decided 10 impress the omnibus for
ride overland to Alexandra. The driv~
err defnnrred but generous fee over
came his scruples. and q moment later
We climbed aboard and headed FOR the
old Long Bridge which then span
ned the Potomac between Washington
and the notorious resort known as
jackson city" AS we reached the
bridge we We're confronted by a smooth
bore cannon OF primitive pattern.
pointing threatcninGiy 10 the Virginia
shore. and guarded by lone sentinel
pacing back and forth and looking not
more wnrlilte than the Anticipated gun
beside which lie was mounting guard.
We drove al break neck speed toward
Alexandria. meeting with no adventure
% II
Marshall House. from whose Flagstaff
foated the Southern enslsn--the stars
and bars-n magnificent Sllken banner
which the proprietor, jackson. had I'M
furlcd with the vow that he would
defend II with his life. and shoot any
man who dared To profane its sanciity
or attempted to lower 1t from the
height where II proudly noated above
his hosteiry. How faithfully he kept
ie. &c tar 81 htctp
10 all,
a J. was SO fortunate as to find a train
with steam up q bout TO leave for Nam
assos and points beyond. and was soon
on my way to Front Royal. Later ]
learned that the train would go no
further than Rectortown, where I was
compelled TO remain for the balance
of the day. Most OF my time was spent
on The front porch OF house on the
cast side of the track. opposite tho sta
ton, and familiar to all who travel on
The Manassas branch of the Southern
Railway. Being a lover OF the Bible l
determined to occupy my time in read
Ing It's sacred pages and opened at
random to the fist Psalm. My eyes
rested upon the first Ave verses, and
i was so impressed thereby that did
not get beyond them especially dwell,
ling with an irresistable impulse. upon
limo in the third verso, which reads:
Thou hast given commandment 10
save nc" accepted this rs pro-
misc from God himself That my life
would be precious in his sight Then
i Hattcndcd Il nearby Episcopal service
and listened To the rector who based
his sermon upon thcso verses. Next
\ morning Iicontlnucd on my way to
Front Royal. where ] spent three hap
py days waiting for the coming Of tho
"Rlnes" and enjoying thoscompanion-.
chip of my loved ones In the circle OF
''home, sweet home" Wednesday,
came and with it the Warren Rifles,
h hui r Y from Harpers Ferry to Alex