Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1914-07-31

around my native Mississippi had
seeded from the Union, and like
so many other enthusiastic young
Southerners returned home to
answer Mr.. Davis call for volun-
teers. And right here l want to ac-
knowledge having made at this mo-
ment perhaps the biggest mistake OF
my life. should have remained at
school and completed my education.
Instead l joined the Army of Ten>
nessee. and got a practical military
education.
During the great conflict ! served
under Gen. Braxton Bragg, Gen.
Joseph E. Johnston, and Gen. John
Hood, and participated in nearly all
the big battles fought by this army,
being captured April End, 1865, by
Gen. James H. Wilson's command,
which made raid through Ala
hama and Georgia, and was con-
fined in a stockade at Selma, Ala.
and after remaining there some ten
days was marched across the Ala
bama river ut Selma on pontoon
bridge with three thousand other Con
federate prisoners to he transport
ed to northern prison. | conhd-
ed to a comrade named Lawrence
Wade, (and a cousin by-the-way OF
our parish superintendent of educa-
ton, Hon. Thos. M. Wade), that |
intended to escape on first opportu-
nifty. The chance was not long in
presenting itself and on the night
of April 14th, along with Wade
and another comrade named Samuel
Cuisine, l made complete getaway
within twelve miles of Montgomery,
Ala. Mr.. Cuisine belonged to the
Louisiana Tigers, commanded by
Gen. Randall Gibson, afterwards L.
S. Senator from Louisiana. He had
been captured before and was i'm
prisoned for seven months in Camp
Chase, at Douglas, Ohio, and had
just been exchanged and was return
ing to join his regiment, when he
came up with Gen. Wilson'S COM
mand, which was raiding in neigh
borhoOd of Selma, and was unfOrtu-
nate to be re-captured.
Some forty years after the war,
while perhaps in reminiscent mood,
and thinking maybe of many
moving incident by flood and field, "
concluded to write to my old COM
rade-in arms. Had understood fir m
him that he enlisted at Shreveport
which was his home, so addressed
him a long letter to that place and
asked the post master if undeliveled
to forward, if his address was know n,
and which was done, and my letter
reached him at Colorado Mitchell,
Texas, where | afterwards ascer-
tanned he was prosperous mer-
chant and county treasurer. He still
lives there and we have since kept
up uninterrupted correspondence. In
a recent letter he writes that they
have splendid crops and are enjoy
ing full share of prosperity. They
have had good rains this year,
which is something unusual in that
country, which is noted for its lnng
droughts. Tells me the Mexican oil
weevil, which has become the curse
of Tensas parish. is unknown there,
which fact l suppose is due to the
extreme heat and lack of moisture
80 Characteristic of that section. Mr..
Cuisine tells me he is in a good
country, where lands are both fer
tile and cheap, where schools and
churches flourish, a land blessed
with good roads and honest and
industrious people, progressive
citizenship that is ever ready to ex-
tend the glad hand OF welcome and
encouragement to any young man
who may desire to cast his lot
among them, and the possibilities
for whom are limited only to his
efforts and ability.
My old friend has frequently in
vited me to visit him, and says if
| will come over to see him we will
fight all the battles,o arid make
all the long marches again, and talk
and talk and talk. ] would surely
like to see him again, as it will be
just fifty years 18th next April since
we parted. Favored me with his
photograph recently. probably to
convince me that he is still good
looking.
With apologies for the length Of
this communication, and best wish
es for the Gazette, | am,
XCnro xyorx, FIRMLY