The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-17
"REMINISCENCES OF A
CONFEDERATE SOLDIER

space In our bed, but the three licuten-
ants ants on tn, other side were 80 crowded
and IL ono turned over suddenly the
outside siecpar was apt to be pushed
or. So they adopted a code OF signals
Ia Kind of spoon drill. When one
wished to turn over, he would call out
Attention prepare to turn - turn =
spoon" II only took moment; and
when the last order was executed the
trio would be sound asleep, until an
other turnover wgH called. The Con-
fcdaratc soldier had an easy conscience
and lie slept we'll Eating and sleep
i Ing were our chief employments In
/ winter quarters.
General Drcciinridsc.
One dag. VIA, witness OF an act OF
! genuine kindness and po:iteness by
General John G. Breckinrldge, which In
! creased my already great admiration
! Tor the man AS have remarked,
everything was in confusion, men going
hither and thlthcr. seeking their rcsi-
| ments, wagons ana tcums going from
| one place to another some loaded.
some empty Couricrs were rushing
I ABOUT with orders TO various officers.
The centre Of activity vas very long
| building ut the railroad depot II was
freight house, and IT was packed
/ with supplies which the quarterma strrs
ana their assistunts were sending out.
! inc platform, at least hundred yards
long. WAS crowded with busy men.
saw a man. a private. and n rather dila-
pidnted specimen. at that. He was in
iauirlng for General Bragg's head1uar-
ters. TO which he had been ordered TO
report. All his inquiries seemed un-
| answered grutny. lie came 10 me and
asked mo 10 direct him, but I did not
know. Just then nm officer splendidly
| mounted rode up: lie were a heavy over
but recognized him as General Breck-
inridge. He dismountcd, throwing his
bride 10 an orderly who attended him.
and the poor soldier. utterly discour-
4 n m mi kn,l
II .h1 would direct him TO General
Bragg's quarters. Tho general replied
: ht once tina, he could, and would be
glad to do 1t. and taking the private
rs tho arm, lie walked with bin clear
70 the end OF that long platform
through tho scething mass or people,
! until, ut the far end he could point
out the exact location, and as the pri-
vnte thanked him. and snluted him. the
salute was returned with az much grace
and courtesy as II It had b.en to Cen
cral Bragg himself.
General 10 Johnston and Nuti0ns.
For week or two after we reached
patton there was a terrible lack OF
rations. both as to quantity and quail
~, especially the beef that was is
sued TO US was poor and tough ] saw
carloads of cattle brought up from At
lantn. about hundred miles. and
was told that they had been on the
road four Of i've days without food or
water. General Bragg was relieved and
General Hardec put in temporary com
inhnd pretty soon after we got to Dali
ton, but General 10 Johnston was eX-
pectcd every doy TO take permanent
command.
One morning just after daylight /
WAS returning from tho hospital, where
had been looking after some OF our
SICK, when | saw General Johnston ana
n single orderly, riding in the dircc-
tion from which came. He met some
hetaiis OF men going, out for the days
duty assigned TO them. Ia stopped
them and asked 10 look into their huy-
ersecks. When he had examhed the
contents he saluted and rode on, AMI
nc met other squads ana made the
same examination. 1t was not over II
week until there was "A very notable.
Improvement in our tons. especially
did We have excellent beef issued to US.
heard this explanation. for which /, OF
course, cannot youch. II was said that
he wrote TO the comInissary at Atlanta
complaining OF the beef. and OF the
way tho cattle were kept 80 long on
the road without food or water. and his
complaint was answered with some as
nerity. that the commissary was doing
me best he could. and that he did not
mink that the difficulty could DO rem
edied. General Johnston's reply was
mat MS the commissary said he could
not DO any better, no was ordered 10
report TO General Johnston at Dalton,
who would assign him to duty in the
Held, and that the general would send
q man who, he was sure, could remedy
the situation. The commissary begged
" De given hnotner chance, and he
would SEQ what he could do IT was
Granted, with the result that we had
no more 10 make complaint. One Of
the things that made the men love
them. "
A Mud Bath.
VIII close this instaimcnt Of my
recollections with an Incident show
ing that the longest way around Is
otten the shortest way across" was
hurrSlns along the main street of Dali
ION, when l came to an immense mud
puddle, stretching clear across the
street. didn't want TO go TO another
street and flank the puddle, and right
IN the middle l saw spot two or three
feet across that looked like so,id
ground. [ was active, and determined
tn jump to 1t, and from It to the other
side. Ny feet aiighted on 1t sauarely.
put beneath 1t wns no foundation and
II slipped from under me. and / fell
luil length In the li1uid mud. BY
side street ! went back to camp. the
inuddicst person ] ever saw. Ioo,sn1
as IL I had indeed been FORMED ne
earth. and IT had moi got dry
Colonel Chapman Gives .Iost Intcr..,-
ing Account OF Visit OF Rev John
III. Chapman TO the Heroic Won Ma
NOW I'm Germany.
During the fall OF 1863 n yoi,u.
lieutenant of the Prussian CavairS
came to this country to see so,nnthin,- J
OF the war that was then goinr o5
between the States OF this Union III ,
came first to Richmond, and inter zoe
Ing General j. e. u, Stuart to ,,,n,l.