The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1922-04-20
THE LOST CAUSE
By NJ. ii. ].

NAAiAS u COIuHlDlds the caplLOl OF
South Carolina. On a March morn
ing in 1865, ffty-seYen years ago,
our army stood massed on the shores
of the Broad river opposite the city,
an avenging Nemesis. with its old and
worn and tattered banners, the caval-
ry, artillery and supply trains.
The streets of the city were in plain
view and Wade Hampton's cavalry
were dashing hither and thither in
great agitation, setting fire to great
quantities of cotton in and around
the depot; to keep them busy and put
pep into their movements one of our
batteries, close by, sent shell among
them, which lifted their horses up on
their hind feet and inspired the riders
TO circus display, which added not a
little to our entertainment
Our pontOon bridge was being
rapidly laid meanwhile, under the
protection of our rifled guns.
To fill in an idle hour 1 looked with
a good deal of interest through an
abandoned prison camp where Union
soldiers had been confined; but were
hurriedly hustled away at our ap-
proach.
What think you? Our poor boys
existed after fashion in holes in the
ground where they burrowed like
badgers; here and there a fifth ave
nue. palace stood after the Doric man.
ner, built of scant rotten boards to
shield from the sun and rain. What
food they had, God knows, for the
rebel army itself was fed on corn
dodger and sorghum cane when they
could get it.
In the long confinement their
clothes went to tatters. came upon
one poor fellows cast off trousers;
the basement had needed repairs and
in default of anything better, he took
the half of an old vest and fastened
it as he could, covering the dilapi-
dated pcsterior. l fancy 1 can see
the smile that lit up the drawn face
of the lad at his triumph in needle
work To this camp the chivalry were
accustomed to come out from the
city and sneer at our unfortunate
boys.
With the speed and precision to
which they were accustomed, our
army crossed that broad stream and
took possession of the capitol where
+raaSOD bad i+S birth
A high wind that would not be
ashamed to compete with the best of
our Kansas Zephyrs, swept the flames
from the burning cotton out among
the buildings, and to our astonish-
ment, the city was ablaze in many
quarters; night came on apace, addAI
ing its terrors to the confagration.
An army cannot be said to be com
posed altogether of saints; the men
some of them-became suddenly con.
scious that they were on the spot
where aforetime states rights derided
and scoffed at our Federal govern
ment and its most sacred traditions,
and they proceeded recklessly to
trench upon private ownership; from
one basement. or cellar, they brought
forth a Shetland pony; another sol
der was seen with a broad, etched,
silver platter upon his shoulder;
from the abandoned stores, hilarious
soldiers poured forth, bearing boxes
of cigars and pounds of plug tobacco,
over which they rejoiced above all
else; soon the streets were filled with
a swaying mob, froging ahead, not
knowing nor caring whittier they
went; illuminated by a mounted brig
adler general who raised his flask and
drank damnation to the Confederacy.
One of our interesting captures
there was the printing press on which
tn Confederate money was printed, a
barrel of the worthless paper money,
and a quantity of the blank paper
with the water-mark C. S. A.
One of the happy-go-lucky events
of the Civil War was the money Eng
lish enemies of our government in
vested in Confederate bonds, and
those gentry had the gall to suppose
Uncle Sam would "cash 'emF'
once hated John Bull and II
haven't gotten over it.
At some Of the burning blocks our
soldiers were gallantly fighting the
fire, or aiding the helpless women to
save household goods, carrying pianos
into the tsreet for instance. Aged
men or the infrm only were left be
hind by Hampton's cavalry.