The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1916-08-11

~ SIpIS' CuSlS' lSlI Us d sui y /,
cried a bevy of young girls, as the.
clustered around my chair, thei
sweet, bright faces rivaling in beaut,
and freshness the dew-spangled flow
ers they had just plucked.
"A war story, Uncle" put in tn
boy Of the crowd. Something o
your own experience" "Oh, no,
chirped in a bashful little miss of six
teen, something about-about-'
"Love,' l suggested, seeing her hest
tate. "All right, l am in a retros
pective mood this morning, for l hav:
just finished reading an account O.
Dreux's louisiana Battalion o.
ZouaveS, and it reminds me of lit
tie episode that l witnessed in my
early soldier days in 81, in which one
of DreuX'S officers played leading
part and cupid was COMMANDMENT,
chief. | was not actively engaged
myself, only sort of independent
skirmisher on the outside, you might
say, yet it makes my old heart beat
quicker even to this good day when
l think of the fervid, yea, hot, red
hot, passage d'armour' between the
handsome officer of Dreux's battalion
and the beautiful girl on the Peninsu-
la. So refill my pipe for me and I'll
tell you the story.
81 was a student at the University
of North Carolina Chapel Hill) when
Sumpter was fired on, and for fear
I would not get my share of the fun,
joined Captain Dick Ashes company,
that was organized in the little will
age, and went to the Peninsula in Vir-
ginia with the First North Carolina
Volunteers with old D. H. Hill as our
colonel.
1--WE were the first and only troops
on the Peninsula until Dreux's Battal-
ion joined us a few days after we
had won the fight at Big Bethel.
From Big Bethel until Gen Kirby
Smith, with whom l surrendered, furl-
ed the last battle flag at Shreveport,
I served the Confederacy, barring the
fourteen months l was in the Yankee
army lin prison at Rock Island), and
l can truthfully say l never saw q
finer body of soldiers than the old
First North Carolina Volunteers. The
best blood of the old North State was
in the ranks as privates-gentlemen
by instinct, birth and education-and
although General Magruder delighted
in calling US Hills Band Box Regi-
ment, he nor any other officer ever
commanded a better body of men.
After the little fight, the first of the
war, at Bethel Church, every moth
er's son of us was looked upon as
hero by the good people of the Pc
ninsula.
Nothing was too good for us, and
we were by no means bashful in tax
ing advantage of our honors. Two
or three men from each company
were given passes every day to go
outside the lines. We would make
straight for some farm house, where
we would be treated to the best the
kitchen and cellar could produce
Bless me. how well those old planters
on the Peninsula lived, with their pri-
vate oyster gardens and their cellars
stocked with everything imaginable |
to drink, from the lightest dry wines
to the richest old imported and native
brandies, and a private was as well
come as a general.
1t was some time after the Lousi-
ana fellows had joined US that, hav-
ing secured a pass, started out look
ing for a good dinner As the houses
in the immediate vicinity of our camp
had been foraged on pretty vigorous
y, | started for new territory, and
about two or three o'clock found my
self strolling up the lawn towards a
old brick and stone man.
sion. The double porch in front, sup
ported by massive pillars, was lat
iced on either side and covered with !
essamine and honey-suckle so thick
S to leave only the broad steps lead
ng up to the front doors visible. I
tarted up to ring the bell, but the
moment | put my foot on the steps !
n officer in the bright uniform of
.ouaye, who l at once recognized as :
elonging to the Louisiana Battalion, |
topped from behind the honeysuckle, Y
nd, with little veXed look on his 2
ace, as if he had been disturbed, ask 5
d me what I wanted. 4
He was very handsome, dark o
.iirned, black-eyed young fellow, and
IS brilliant Zouave uniform set off h
is fine figure admirably. In those T
avs nearly every company in the !,
onfederate army had a uniform of "
5 own. h
Before l could answer him, which "
was in no hurry to do, for I did "
OF belong to his command. the blush. h
e, smiling face of one of the pref h