Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1938-07-21

instances.
Two brothers finally got back and
with the mother and married sis
ter they established again a home.
The colonel met Granny" whose
father had been governor Of Ten
nessee, and whose home had been
destroyed like his own; they We're
married and started housekeeping
in the old log cabin, that had been
built first.
When the Ku Klux Klan was or
ganized, the colonel, like nearly ev-
cry other southern soldier, joined it,
and he told me that in many in
stances the members got out OF
hand and did things against the ad-
vice of the officials, and the result
was that certain events happened in
! the neighborhood where the colonel
| lived and some of the young fellows
decided they had better leave, and
that right rapidly.
He, with three of his pals, went
to Texas, and for some time worked
on a ranch south of Ft. Worth
While working there he was look
ing the country over and decided a
better chance lay ahead of a young
| man in Texas than back in Georgia.
He had saved little money and ar.
ranged to buy some land in the bend
of the Brazos river near the town of
Granbury, Texas. Making a pay
ment down on it, he, like nearly all
other men who secured start with
cattle in Texas, "mavericked" some
stray steers, and run them on his
land. After he had this start he
went back to Cedartown and found
that the girl I married had be-
come a member of his family during
his absence. AS soon as they could
get their things together, which was
not long, as all they had could be
| loaded into two wagons, they re.
| turned to Texas and there the col
onel passed the remainder of his
! days, adding to his land holdings
and enjoying his children, of which
| there were eight, all of whom are
alive today. He passed on a few
years ago, but Granny remains,
and is now living largely in the
past, as SO many old folks do. The
colonel always had fine uniform
like he wore in the army, and every
. Saturday he would don it and go to
town. there to meet with his old
comrades and talk over the old
days. Every year there would be a
reunion Of the Confederate vet
Grams, and unless you have been
present at one of them you cannot
possibly have any idea of the great
times they had The old veterans
were entertained royalty and the
keys of the city handed them. The
~ ho of
girl sponsors, the matrons of hon.
or, the members of the Daughters
Of the Confederacy, all out to enjoy
the occasion and to meet and talk
with their kin and friends, made an
impression never to be forgotten by
one who might be present, especial
ly if he had any part in it. During
the last few years of his life I
would take the colonel to the re-
| union and it was then / met so
! many of the men who had been IA
nous in the southern army and
state.
But, like the soldiers Of the Un-
ion army, they have nearly all
"Gone With the Wind" and two
years ago I saw but three old SOL
diers, holding what proved to be
their final camp, where l used to see
many.
While many books have been
written about the period of recon-
struction, only those who actually
went through it had any real idea
of the trials and tribulations put on
the people of the south by the car
per baggers. Many a time have I
heard the wish expressed by the old
Confederate veteran, that Lincoln
might have lived to effect his plan
of reconstruction. Rarely have II
ever heard one express any hatred
for Lincoln, rather, they lamented
his passing at the time he did.
/ have thought it might prove of
interest to my readers to learn the
viewpoint of one who had been In
the southern army, and learn at
first hand, some of the difficulties
they faced after the close Of the
war on their return to what had |
been their homes.-Stanbery Alder
man.