The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1911-05-25
ARGminisenCGOf the Civil War
By c. ]. b.

H. -
the civil war. For it is now nfty
a since the beginning of that
great struggle; and the ranks of those
who took part in it are thinning fast'
in another decaded we shall lose al
most entirely the opportunity OF
meeting with these "men OF a former
generation and of hearing them re-
tate the stories of the world-famous
events in which they took part. When
we show Impotence at hearing the
veterans stories or make light Oh
them. We give evidence of u being
frivolous. For the civil war ranks
among the very greatest contests
hat are recorded in history; and it is,
indeed, a rare privilege to meet race
TO face with men who actually perform
ed feats as wonderful as those tnat
entrance. us in the classic narratives
of the past.
OF course, many or the veterans
stories have been recorded Tor the
future; but more of them should De
SO preserved. The following IS a
veterans account of his last battle.
Although it is merely typical OF the
experiences of thousands OF others.
IF is we'll worth recording; for we
cannot record too many OF these true
life stories. And this one can be re-
ltd upon as being literally true. For
it's author, Mr.. Caleb Clay of Hickory,
N c.. is a. man of the strictest 1nteg-
rity and of sound intelligence. The
literary quality of the narrative
would be excellent. If l could re-
duce it verbatim as Mr.. Clay related
it to me, but it was not possible for
would be excellent, if / could repro
= =
"It was in the fall of 1863, and we
were in the vicinity of Brandy Sta
ton, Va. We had not had muct to eat
for several days. On Friday afternoon
we got nothing but one biscuit n
that was as hard as a soft brick. The
next morning at Brandy Station we
received an issue of rations for din
ner, a little bacon and -four. 1t was
about half past eleven when each man
got his share, and we set to work to
cook it. We had to use our lousy
blankets for dough trays, and make
the dough up with water and without
salt, soda, or lard. AS we were so
hungry, it took but a few minutes for
us to get the fires started and the
meat and dough to baking.
"Rut before our rations got warm,
the bugle sounded for US to fall in
line. As we did not know a fight was
on hand, many of us left oblan-
kets and rations by the fires. Well
they marched US out about two hun
dred yards then gave the command
to double-quick; and we went double
quick from Brandy Station to Kappa
hammock Station, a distance of six
miles. You would not believe that a
man could keep up a trot for six
miles, carrying sixty rounds Of ammu-
milton and a seventeen-pound rifle.
But we certainly did 1T. / . would
look ten steps ahead of me and feel
that / would surely drop dead before
1 could make that distance. And /
was so tired that / did not care much
If I did, but / held out somehow.
"Our stomachs being empty ena-
bled US to hold out as we'll as we did.
Then, of course, we had drilled so
much that we were in training for
such marching. Many of the men,
however, did drop out.
"The wind was blowing hard that
day from behind us. This wind so
carried the sound of the firing from
us that we did not know whether we
retreating or going into battle
until. we got within a few hundred
yards of the cannon at Rapnahan-
mock Station. Here We found our guns
stationed on the southern bank Of
the Rappahannock river and arrayed
AGAINST tho nnnnnu Wh0 woro mouth ~
the river.
at was on the bank of this river
that l saw General Lee and General
Early for the last time. / remember
distinctly of hearing Lee call to
Early in a clear, keen tone. "Gener-
al Early, you had better keep your
men on this side of the river" Every
answered with a d that he would
send the Yankees to the hot place.
Accordingly we were rushed across
the river on a pontoon bridge at
double-quick time. The bridge swerved
fearfully, and 1 thought 1 would be
thrown into the river n moment
but l was so dead tired that / did not
care much. When we got across the
bridge we were face to face with a
large force of Yankees. There was
a little trench along the northern
bank of the river for us to take. po-
sition in. Our fort was behind Us on
the southern bank of the river. l be-
longed to General Hoke's brigade, but
Colonel Goodwin was in command or
this occasion, General Hoke being
absent on account of wounds.
"The Yankees o dismounted our
battery that was protecting us. Then
their infantry advanced upon rs. Thev
made charges. Each time wo loft tNar7
come with in a few yards of us, then
taking careful aim, we would fire a
volley into their ranks. And there
was only a mar here and there left
along the Yankee line to turn and run
back. But on the seventh charge they
Acrossed orr line. / could hear the bay-
onest pierce the bodies of men al
about me
I'm our last efforts Colonel Goodwin
ordered me and ten or twelve others
to try to ~recapture several guns from
the Yankees. We rushed IN within
nifty yards of the gun while they were