Jefferson jimplecute. (Jefferson, Tex.) 1907-1926, 1913-06-12
OUR TRIP TO
CHATTANOOGA.
Greatest Re-Union in Late Years
Thousands Of Old Rebs on
Their Last Trip.
IG. w. WatSon.l

4 therefore SUdTu u where quiz
SO abruptly last week. Going
out to Missionary Ridge Wednes
day morning, l think | stood on
the very ground occupied by our
brigade (Crandburry's) in those
strenuous November days, when
the enemy in Chattanooga were
quietly strengthening their for
ces and equipment to make that
memorable onslaught upon our
weakened and thin lines that
was forced to abandon their
position before the hosts Of Gen.
Grants great army-for nothing
less thar this invincible array
could have triumphed over the
gray veterans holding the thin
lines-to the last ditch. But
they were forced to yield-and
fall back in deplorable disorder.
In the meantime Granburry's
brigade with Cleburn's division
had been ordered to our extreme
right, to combat some of the best
corps OF the enemy, sent there
to take our position at all haz-
ards-but our troops were def
ant as usual and repulsed all
their vigorous assaults as they
made them against our position
all day. Just here I'll digress
a moment. as the occasion re-
wives memories and incidents
that might have perished-but
here recorded that it too may be
perpetuated. Marching down
under the hill, / recognized an
old friend and home neighbor,
lying on the ground and suffer
ing from rheumatism, lost from
his command, and at point liza
BILE to be occupied by the enemy
at any time. 1t was Billie Burns
who was overseeing and mana
ging the big farm interests of
Col. Sam F.. Moseley, residing
in the Bend. and a lawyer of dis
tinction and devoted TO the cause
of the South Billie imbued the
prevailing patriotic instincts to
an extent that induced him to
the front but his physical ability
was weaker than his patriotism,
and he soon succumbed to the
hardships incident to camp life
and the constant tolls and perils
of the Soldier. Realizing the
danger of our friend and the
probability of his capture, we
passed our gun to one of the
boys, and got Billie on my back
and soon carried him to the top
of the hill where he was com
parativeiy safe with his own fee
BILE exertions. | left him there
with the friendly injunction to
make for our wagons then not
far distant. | never met him
again during the war, but after
it was over and the survivors
returned home, Billie acknowl-
edged his gratefulness for the
kindness, and said that he be
lieved he would have fingered in
a yankee prison if | had not saw
ed him from that doom. A boy
at the close of the war, Judge
S. " Moseley often heard Billie
express himself gratefully on
the outcome of this incident, and
other matters pertaining to the
war, that evidently thrilled his
young heart with patriotic in
stincts, After making my friend
safe on the hill, | returned to my
command and found them enga-
ged with the enemyat foot of hill.
Falling back leasurly to the
crest of Missionary Ridge, our
cam mand held it against every
assault, until night, whom orders
came to move of without noise
and we felt that disaster had oc-
cured somewhere on our left.
Then we had to bring up the rear
of our routed left and center, all
night. But enough of these dis
paraging details, incident TO the
great dispaity in numbers-con.
tributed by an adverse destiny
calculated to imperil our fondest
hopes. One of the most gallant
acts we saw while holding our
position on Missionary Ridge
was about midday, when a Fed.
eral general and his escort cam,
out To reconnoit our front ano
find how the situation was. L.oob
+ ing far 20 our right a cavalcade
emerged from the timber ant
came into the open evidently in
tent upon making a circle, com
ing near our position then turn.
ing gracefully TO the right ant
making the circle for the exit
and disappeared IN the woods
making a reconnaissance abou
three miles. They made a fins
mark for.our batteries aud sharI
shooters, and the bursting Shell'
I in their midst and smoke looked
. like i might have impcdcd THEFT
progress and drove them - GOV
or. but like a Roman legion ths'
came on and went the even tcun
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