A glance backward; or, Some events in the past history of my life

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Or Some Events in the Past History of My Life

By GEORGE CLARK

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PREFACE.

This little memorandum of the main incidents in my
life was written exclusively for my children, and not for
publication, but kind friends have insisted that it be printed
and yielding to their partial solicitations I have had a few
copies printed for gratuitous circulation among those who
esteem me most highly.

I have written nothing except what I could testify to
upon the witness stand from personal knowledge, and noth-
ing from hearsay, with only one or two exceptions, and
then it is stated how I derived the information.

It can hardly be of value, except perhaps in a few in-
stances wherein the truth of history may need even par-
tial confirmation. I send it forth to my friends who may
receive a copy with my best wishes for a happy life, and
will be thoroughly contented whether it is read or other-
wise.

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CHAPTER I.

THE OLD SOUTH.

I cannot refrain at the outset from attempting a faint
description of the old South as I knew it in the days of
my boyhood. Of course I cannot by any means draw a
proper picture for the reader, and will not attempt what I
regard as a poor description of what has always seemed
to me an ideal country. My view was limited to the imme-
diate section in which I was reared between the Tombigbee
and Black Warrior Rivers, which met and intermingled
their waters some twenty odd miles south of my immediate
locality. The town of Eutaw, in the County of Greene,
Alabama, was one of thriving business for one located in
the northern edge of this splendid prairie land, and the
whole section immediately south formed the fork of Greene
County. But what I say of this locality will suffice to sum
up the description of all similar sections in the cotton
regions of the South.

To my mind as I refer back fifty years or more to my
boyhood days and recall in all its grandeur and simplicity
this immediate section, 1 can hardly realize, that in many
respects its beauties have passed away, leaving no vestige
of what was once its essential glory. The country was
filled with magnificent plantations. Its landscapes were
beautiful, filled as they were, not only with agricultural de-
velopment, but with other features of beauty that helped to
form its splendor. Every mile or two was a splendid farm
house where the planter lived in his country retirement
with his family, and around or adjacent were the quarters
of the slaves, all of them comfortable with rare exceptions
and inhabited with a tenantry whose devotions to their

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masters and families were surpassed only by their industry
in bringing in bountiful crops.

These mansions of the planters were always filled with
pleasant visitors and their hospitality was one of unbounded
character. They constituted the princes of the South.
While some few marked objections might be urged against
their idiosyncracies, as a class they were gentle, had finish-
ed educations and their word was their bond. Their treat-
ment of their slaves was of the kindest and most patriarchal
character, and one would often see the matron of the es-
tablishment, a sweet Southern woman, spending her time
in nursing the sick and ministering to their needs in mani-
fold ways. The children of the household were almost
always at the quarters and had for their playmates a drove
of little negroes following after them on their fishing or
hunting trips, cheerfully rendering every aid to their young
masters and mistresses. The loyalty and devotion of the
slaves to the household of their masters was typical. Very
often the women and children were left under the protec-
tion of the slaves, and in no instance was their safety
jeopardized. This was splendidly demonstrated during the
Civil War, when the men of the house were called to arms,
no one being left in the house but the very old men, women
and children, yet not for a moment was any apprehension
indulged. They lay down at night conscious that their pro-
tectors would see that their safety was fully assured no
matter what occurred. Often I think of this with rever-
ence to the older class of negroes which has disappeared
and have always felt for them the kindliest feeling. There
never has been a greater devotion nor more careful watch-
fulness of the needs of the household as was displayed by
these negroes in the trying days from 1861 to 1865.

It was amid such surroundings that I was born and
reared until I had reached manhood and the summons of
war called me to the front. I left my home feeling not

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the slightest apprehension as to the safety of my people,
knowing that they would be as protected as if I were there.
So it was when I returned in 1865. Everything was the
same as in the days before the war, and the slaves were as
obedient and loyal as then. Those times have gone never
to return, and many of the old mansions scattered through-
out the section have gone into ruins, leaving no vestiges of
their former grandeur. The world will never see such a
condition between employer and employed as existed then,
and the vista of the old South, existing then as it does now
only in remembrance, will never come again upon the world
in any country as it existed in the South in the days of
which I have spoken.

CHAPTER II.

SOME FAMILY HISTORY.

I stated in the previous chapter I was born at Eutaw,
Greene County, Alabama, July 18, 1841. My father, James
Blair Clark, was born in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, of
Scotch-Irish ancestry, and his father was a soldier in the
Pennsylvania line in the Revolution. When quite a boy
his father moved to Chillicothe, then the capital of the ter-
ritory of Ohio, where he died. His parents were poor, and
upon the death of his father, he went to live with his uncle,
Alexander Blair, who took care of him until he was of
sufficient age to earn his own livelihood. His advantages
were very few, but he managed to educate himself by con-
stant study during his leisure hours. I have often heard
him speak of his clerking for a county clerk during the day,
and reading law at night, the pine knots furnishing him his
only light. He read law, according to my recollection, under
Mr. Wickliffe, and as soon as he acquired his license, he
moved to the new State of Alabama and settled at the Old
Bibb Court House, Bibb County. After a time he returned
to Kentucky and married my mother, Mary Erwin, at Mount

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Sterling, Kentucky, and then went back to Alabama, the
two riding horses from their home to Alabama. Some time
afterward the Court House was moved to Centerville and
he practiced law at that point for several years. He then
moved to Cahava, where he practiced law very successfully
for many years, and about 1840 moved with his family to
Eutaw, Ala., where I was born the succeeding year. He
was a well known lawyer for fifty years and was on the
chancery bench for many years prior to the war, where he
was distinguished for his labors and legal acumen. He re-
signed his position in 1863, owing to extreme ill health, but
after the war, he opened his law office and continued his
practicing until his death in 1873. He died at Blount
Springs, Ala., August 17, 1873, and his body is interred in
the family burying ground in the old cemetery, by the side
of many of his family.

My mother, Mary Erwin, was born at Union, Pendleton
County, Virginia, in 1804, and was the daughter of Major
John P. Erwin, who was a major under Washington at
Yorktown. At an early age her father and family moved
across the mountains to Kentucky and located at the old
town of Mount Sterling in said State, where soon after his
removal he died, leaving a widow and large family. She
grew up at this place, and in 1825 was married to my father.
She then went with him to Alabama. They were blessed
with a large family consisting of seven boys in a straight
line, myself being the youngest of the seven, and two lovely
girls. Their affairs prospered from the beginning and
when the war came they were left in competent circum-
stances. In addition to many other species of property
they owned a plantation and fifty slaves. The war played
havoc with them and their family. In the battles around
Richmond in 1862 there were four of us there as soldiers in
Lee's army. Two were killed, one lost his arm and I my-
self was shot in the right arm. Just before these battles,

A G LA N C E B A C K IV A R D

Mary, my oldest sister, had died in Alabama in 1862, not
quite a year before my mother's death, and lies buried by
the side of my father in the old cemetery at Eutaw.

CHAPTER III.

MY SCHOOL BOY DAYS.

1 was never a good student, although I began early in
the nominal acquisition of an education. I was just five
years old when I determined to go to school. My older
brother, Clay, attended a school kept by an old gentleman
by the name of Driscoll. He would return home in the
evenings and tell me what he had done at school that day,
until I was thoroughly convinced that I was wasting a
great deal of my valuable time. My mother tried to dis-
suade me, as did my father, but I was headstrong in the
determination and they finally acquiesced, but they took
particular pains to inform Prof. Driscoll to treat me with
leniency and to let me do pretty much as I pleased, which
accordingly was done. I need not say that I had a joyous
time playing with the boys and studying very little. The
next year, however, the tables were turned on me and I
was forced to go to school and was subjected to as many
whippings as any boy in the school. Afterwards 1 went to
school to a teacher named E. A. Archibald, who was also
quite severe to me. He moved away to Pleasant Ridge, and
his brother, A. A. Archibald took his place. I attended school
to him for five years, and I believe on an average had as
many as three whippings a day, not including those I receiv-
ed at home, for I always received a whipping from my
father every time I received one from the teacher. Then
1 attended school kept by James L. Carey, after which I
was sent to school at Burton's Hill, south of Eutaw, to
one Theodore Porter, where I was prepared for college.

On October 1, 1857, I entered college at the University
of Alabama, located at Tuscaloosa, where I remained until

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the opening of the war. I did not make that progress at
college that I should have done, owing to the fact that I only
studied sufficiently to pass the annual examinations. I en-
joyed my life at the University rather more than the ordi-
nary, in that I met boys from all over the State, and apart
from this the city was filled with pretty girls to whom I
paid undue attention. Of the hundreds of boys who were
there during the interval I was there, I find that only a few
have survived to this day. In fact I can recall only two
or three.

At that time the campus was a lively spot. It was cov-
ered with lovely grass of more than a hundred acres with
an abundance of live oaks in which the mocking birds on
a moonlight night sang the entire night. The buildings were
low but substantial, and consisted of Franklin, Washington,
Jefferson and Madison, all three stories and in the center of
the campus was the rotunda, the upper part of which was
equipped with the University library. The lyceum con-
tained all recitation rooms.

The last year I was there, 1 860-1861, the college was
placed under military discipline and in the latter part of
January, 1861, the corps of cadets of which I was a mem-
ber was transported by river steamers to Mobile, and thence
up the Alabama River to the capital at Montgomery, where
we remained a week and were entertained royally. We then
returned in the same way back to Tuscaloosa and pretended
to resume our studies. In April, 1865, the Federals took
possession of all of these buildings and burned them. Now
the University consists of a different order, I understand. I
have not seen it since. I remained at the University until
the fall of Ft. Sumpter and this ended my collegiate career,
but the Board of Trustees and faculty graduated me the
June following. At this time I was in the army of North-
ern Virginia.

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CHAPTER IV.

FIRST YEAR IN THE ARMY.

Upon the fall of Ft. Sumpter, which I believe occurred
on April 13, 1861, I was pursuing my studies at the Uni-
versity of Alabama when this occurred. At once I sought
permission to return home for the purpose of considering
my father's advice as to my future course. Permission being
granted, I hired a horse and rode horseback to my old
home. Finding my father there, I consulted him as to the
propriety of leaving college and enlisting in war. I remem-
ber the event quite clearly to this day. He was sitting in
the sitting room with my mother, and I noticed a painful
look on her face as I talked it over. She was averse to my
going and so expressed herself candidly, but firmly. My
father took his hat and we went down town where we found
a meeting in progress at the Court House, looking to the
organization of a company and raising funds for equipping
it. I enlisted as a private at once in the company and the
next day went back to college to complete arrangements
for my withdrawal from that institution, which was a day
or two afterwards, and thus abandoned my college life per-
manently. In the course of a few days the company went
into camp for the purpose of discipline and drill, but it
happened that no officer of the company was sufficiently
acquainted with war tactics, and at once I was elected, or
rather placed in charge and conducted the drill operations
for about two weeks, after which the company elected me
third lieutenant. We continued our discipline and drill
practices until the nth of June when orders came for us to
report as a company at Lynchburg, Virginia.

We accordingly departed for that place, reaching Lynch-
burg as I recall now, on the 17th of June, 1861. The trip
was eventful to most of the company, as they were young
men who had never traveled and most of them had never
taken a trip on a railroad. Nothing occurred worthy of

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mention on this trip, except that when we reached Atlanta,
a man by the name of William H. Hurlbut of New York
was placed aboard our train and it was whispered that he
had been arrested as a spy. He was a large, intelligent man
and I believe was finally released after a few days' deten-
tion at Richmond. Another incident occurred which was
the stopover at Knoxville, Tenn, where William G. Brown-
low, afterwards distinguished as Governor of Tennessee,
and Senator in Congress, was confined to his home as a
prisoner. I did not see him but some of my boys went to see
him and talked to him during our layover at Knoxville.

We arrived at Lynchburg the morning of the 17th and
marched out to what was then called the fair grounds about
two miles from the heart of the city. Here our regiment
was organized and known as the nth Alabama Infantry.
It was composed of companies from Linden, Marengo
County; one from Eutaw, Greene County; one from Clin-
ton, Greene. County; one from Demopolis, one from Clark
County, one from Bibb, one from Tuscaloosa, another from
Fayette, and yet another from Perry County. The regi-
ment remained at Lynchburg about ten days and was then
ordered up to Richmond from Lynchburg. Arriving there
we were placed in camp on the outskirts of Richmond,
where we remained for another ten days drilling and per-
forming military duties, and were then ordered to Winches-
ter, Va., to join General Joe Johnson, who was there.

Taking the train at Richmond we moved to Manassas
Junction and then took the Manassas Railroad up to
Straussburg, which was then the terminus of the road.
Disembarking we took the trip to Winchester, which was
our first heavy march, a distance of eighteen miles. Foot-
sore and weary we reached the town that night and were
encamped on the northwestern border, and the next morn-
ing we marched through Winchester for a permanent po-
sition north of the town where the brigade was organized.

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This brigade consistsed of the 9th, 10th, nth Alabama,
the 19th Mississippi and the 38th Virginia regiments,
Our first brigade commander was General E. Kirby Smith,
afterwards famed as commander of the Trans-Mississippi
Department. He was not a striking looking man, and he
rode a very indifferent looking old horse, but he was a
West Pointer and had seen active service as a captain in
Colonel Lee's 2nd Cavalry prior to the war. Here we spent
the time in drilling. At the same time General Patterson
was moving down from the region of Martinsburg, and
every one expected an early battle. Once or twice we were
called out and placed in line of battle, owing to a report of
the nearness of Patterson's army, but he was no nearer than
Bunker Hill, which was fifteen miles distant as I recall it.

We were thus engaged for about a week or more and
on the 18th of July, 1861, which by the way was my birth-
day, orders came to strike tents, pack baggage and prepare
for a march with three days' rations. All was confusion
but the men went to work with energy and by two o'clock
everything was in readiness. We formed a line and started
across the Blue Ridge Mountains, evidently to assist Beaure-
gard who was then seriously threatened at Manassas Junc-
tion. Reaching the outskirts of Winchester, General, then
Major Whiting, who I believe was Inspector-General on
General Johnson's staff, rode along on the line of the brigade
and read General Johnson's address in a clear voice, telling
us that we were on a march to relieve our brethren at Ma-
nassas and urging us not to complain during the heavy
march that was before us. We marched all the afternoon
until in the night about one o'clock when we reached She-
nandoah Valley, or river, rather, where we camped in the
wheat fields, sleeping on the wheat shocks without blankets,
and the next morning by daylight we were aroused and
crossed the cold waters of the Shenandoah, which I remem-
ber was a very amusing sight. We reached Piedmont Sta-

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tion about twelve o'clock that day, where we were ordered
into camp preparatory to taking the train for Manassas.

The trains were running regularly, and as Jackson's and
Lee's commands were ahead of us they had the priority in
taking the trains. Shipments were made constantly all the
afternoon, but the next morning when we expected to take
the train for Manassas, it was known that there had been a
collision down the road and we would have to wait. We re-
mained at Piedmont Station and did not reach Manassas
until the morning after the battle. I remember it was rain-
ing intensely as we left the station of Manassas for the bat-
tle ground.

On our way out during the heavy rain, an ambulance
came up meeting us, and it was announced that it contained
General E. Kirby Smith, our commander, who had left us
and taken command of another brigade, dropping off the
train at Gainesville and marching down the pike, striking
the enemy's right, but in the engagement General Smith was
very severely wounded. The brigade opened ranks and
presented arms as he passed. The old fellow raised his
head and saluted back, notwithstanding it could be seen
that he was suffering intensely. m

We went on the battle grounds and camped at Lewis'
house, which had been made a field hospital during the
engagement of the day before, and was also General John-
son's headquarters. Here we went into camp with no tent,
no sustenance, and in fact we had not drawn rations for
two days. I regard the time we spent here as the most dis-
mal in my career in the army. We had no blankets or cov-
ering and it rained for two or three days. The only suste-
nance I had was two beef tongues which my negro had
picked up on the battle field in a Yankee's haversack. I
went up the field of battle as we were camped very near it,
and saw many evidences of the awful carnage that had
taken place the day before. Most of the dead had been

A GLANCE BAG K IV ARD

15

buried, though there were some corpses lying on the field.
I went in the Widow Henry's house and found her lying
dead on the bed. Dead horses were scattered over the
field and it looked as if they were artillery horses as they
were lying in groups. Altogether the scene was so terrible
that I shall never forget. We laid in camp in this con-
dition without rations and one afternoon I was informed
that Judge Blank was dealing out rations back of the Lewis
house, and was not very exact in issuing them. I imme-
diately took two or three boys and went up to the little out-
house where the Judge was located and asked for some
rations. He told me to make out my requisition, and it may
be well conceived that I made out a large list, limited only
by the material we had on hand for issuance. I loaded the
boys down,' taking a large portion myself, and went back
to camp, reaching there a little before dark and began to
cook and eat. We kept this up the entire night until we
finally fell asleep.

After a few days sickness began to attack our camp, and
in fact the whole brigade. Remarkable as it may seem,
the stout country boys whom it may be supposed could
stand all kinds of hardships, were the first to succumb,
while the city boys as a rule escaped. Death invaded my
camp and took from my company a bright boy named
Nathan Greenwood, who was stricken with measles and soon
died. I talked with him several times during his illness, im-
pressing him with the fact that he was in no danger and
would engage him in laughing conversation, but he would
lapse back in depression. Finally I was called to his cot
where he was lying and saw that death had him in its grip.
Several others died also.

The brigade was then moved back four miles south of
Manassas Junction to a point called Bristoe Station, near
there. Here we remained in camp for fully two months
and during a greater portion of the time most of the men

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were sick, the well ones being required to wait on the sick
ones. About the middle of September or very early in
October we were moved, camping first five miles south of
Fairfax Court House and were then sent forward toward
Washington near Mason's Hill for picket duty. We were
then located at Ravenswood. The lady of the household
was connected with the family of General Robert E. Lee.
Here we remained on picket service for about a week. Now
and then we could hear the roll of the drums of the enemy
toward Alexandria, especially at night. Then orders came
about dark to move back beyond Fairfax Court House and
across Cub Run, where we went into camp. Here we re-
mained until about the first of December. We were then
moved forward toward Fairfax on a range of hills to Cen-
terville and camped until after Xmas. We were next or-
dered back toward Manassas Junction and went into camp
for the winter. It was here I was stricken with an aggra-
vated case of yellow jaundice. The doctor prescribed for
me for several weeks, giving me untold doses of calomel,
which had no effect whatever. Finally they came to me in
a body and informed me that I had to go home. I sug-
gested that they had already killed me and that they let me
stay. They got my leave of absence and I started out and
proceeded to Bristoe Station, accompanied by Colonel Syd
Moore, the colonel of my regiment, and Captain George
Field. We came to Richmond the next day and put up at
the Spottswood Hotel. I lay with very high fever during
my stay in Richmond and then we started for Alabama, but
owing to the fact that there were no sleepers in those days
we were forced to stop and take a rest every night. We
were about a week in reaching my part of Alabama and I
was almost worn out when I reached there. When my
mother saw me she immediately said to one of the negroes,
"Go out in the orchard and get me a branch of wild cherry
bark." I asked her what she was going to do with that, and

A GLANCE BACKWARD 17

she said that she was going to put it in a bottle of whiskey.
I told her that the doctor at Manassas had warned me not
to drink whiskey, stating that it would kill me. She in-
formed me that she was the doctor now, and soon had the
decanter ready, prescribing regular doses. It soon had a
good effect, for although I had eaten nothing for a week, I
found that I could not eat enough to satisfy my appetite. In
three weeks I was a well boy and started back to my com-
mand in Virginia.

Arriving at Richmond we learned that General Joe John-
son had started from Manassas and his army was then be-
hind the Rapidan River in Orange County, Va., while the
right wing was at Fredericksburg. Our own brigade had
come down from Orange Court House the night before
and met them. After getting to the command we start-
ed for Weldron, N. C. The Federal army under General
McClellan was moving, but it was not known at what
point they would strike. They had left Washington on
transports and were supposed to be at sea at that time. On
reaching Weldron it was ascertained that McClellan was
landing at Newport News on the peninsula. We were then
taken back to Petersburg, took the train for City Point and
then proceeded by boat down the James River to King's
Landing. There we disembarked and moved across the
peninsula to a little church half way between Williamsburg
and Yorktown where we went into camp. Now and then
cannon were heard roaring down the river from the Fed-
eral steamers and in a day or two we were rushed out and
took position at a place called Greene's Farm. Here we re-
mained, at least my company, for nearly a month, doing
picket service for a while on the old Warwick River be-
tween us and the Yankee's line. Several amusing inci-
dents occurred between us but no especial harm was done.
Our boys now and then would swim across the river and
get things from the Yankees, and they in turn would get

18 A GLANCE BACKWARD

things from us. All this of course was done while the
officers were not watching. There was some heavy fighting
on the Warwick River at a point called Dam No. 2, but this
fighting did not amount to much in the end except the firing
of cannon and heavy musketry.

We were finally brought back to the rear about a mile,
our regiment at the end being under the command of Gen-
eral Howell Cobb, of Georgia, being detached from our own
brigade. Orders were given for a retreat and evacuation
of the lines and at once we started. I shall never forget
the first night of the march. The men straggled greatly,
and about daylight we reached the suburbs of Williamsburg.
The General was sitting on his horse apparently half asleep
and trying to encourage his men to close up the ranks. He
was a remarkable old man, but not at all fitted for a soldier.
After stopping at Williamsburg for two or three hours we
continued our march up the peninsula, thus escaping the
battle of Williamsburg, as the balance of our brigade was
heavily engaged in that action. Colonel Valentine Mott of
the 19th Mississippi was killed, and Colonel Lamar, after-
wards United States Senator and Justice of the Supreme
Court, assumed command. The march up the peninsula
was continued without incident, except that it was raining
much of the time, which was very trying, but in due time
we reached the Chickahominy River and crossed to the
south side and went into camp a few miles from Richmond.

CHAPTER V.

THE BATTLES AROUND RICHMOND.

Arriving at Richmond from the peninsula in the early
days of May, 1862, our brigade camped in the immediate
vicinity of the city, and there remained until the morning
of May 31, 1862. On the night of May 30th, one of the
heaviest rainfalls occurred that I have ever witnessed. It
poured down in torrents all night long, and at daybreak we

A GLANCE BACKWARD 19

were formed in a line to march to the south toward Chicka-
hominy. It seemed that McClellan in following us toward
Richmond had sent Keyes corps across the Chickahominy
and the heavy rains of the night before had found this
corps at or near Seven Pines, a distance of eight or nine
miles from Richmond. The purpose of this movement was
to cross the river with a large additional force, but as it had
risen to such a high point during the night, it was believed
impossible to cross it. We marched and countermarched
all morning, now taking one road, then reversing our steps
and taking the other. Finally about noon the roar of can-
non announced the opening of battle and we were marched
steadily toward that point. Arriving near the scene of action
we halted where Longstreet, our division commander, had
his headquarters under a large tree. I remember overhear-
ing a conversation between Longstreet and Wilcox. Long-
street told him that there was no necessity for other troops
to be in the action, as all had been accomplished by him
that was required. Wilcox replied that he had one com-
mander who had been a soldier and regiment commander in
three wars and had never been in a battle and was very
anxious to get into action. "Let him go, then," said Long-
street.

The mud was very deep, as the country was almost a
swamp. The gallant Colonel had bought an old horse for
a war horse and he moved at the head of his regiment
without much regard as to whether his men could keep up
or not, but the regiment kept up. Finally we got into
action. As we formed my company being on the left B.
was forced into a ditch around a redoubt. Just then an
officer, who I learned was Colonel Gordon of the 6th Ala-
bama, came up and asked me if he might get three companies
to go over to the right to dislodge some sharpshooters that
were proving annoying. I replied that he would have to see
Colonel Moore, who was now on the right, as I could not

20 A GLANCE BACKWARD

do anything without his orders. He went down on the right
to where Colonel Moore was, making the same request.
The Colonel replied that he could have the whole regiment if
he wanted it, but he took only three companies, and in a full
run started across the space in a charge to where the Fed-
erals were housed. The other seven companies remained
under fire, but it was not serious. In going across to the
Federals the Colonel was shot and he thought he was mor-
tally wounded, but it was ascertained that the bullet had
struck his watch and had not inflicted anything but a bruise.
I have since seen the watch and it is a curiosity. It is in
the hands of Rittenhouse Moore, mashed into an indescrib-
able shape. The Colonel went on with his three companies
and the next shot struck him in the knee. He was then
forced to retire and was carried off the field by an ambu-
lance. The companies succeeded in dislodging the Federals
just as night came on.

The night was the darkest I believe I ever saw, and in
moving forward as we were, one had to hold to the man in
front of him. We groped our way forward for about half
a mile over dead Federals and wounded ones and finally
reached a place where the mud was not so deep. Here we
stopped and encamped for the night. I remember after
looking around a little we found a sutler's tent. I immedi-
ately explored it and found an abundance of eatables, in ad-
dition to a basket of champagne. I called my men and we
began eating. Instead of sleeping, we spent several hours
in attention to our stomachs, now and then using a bottle of
wine for this purpose.

The next morning, just at the break of day the enemy
came upon us. McClellan had gotten two corps under Gen-
eral Sumner across the Chickahominy and for the time the
firing of the musketry was furious. We happened to be on
the right of the line, and the enemy did not reach quite up
to the place where our regiment was located. We expected

A GLANCE BACKWARD 21

the firing would open on us, but it did not. Finally it
ceased and we maneuvered pretty much the entire day con-
tinually coming under fire, and at night we drew back to
Richmond, our left wing having failed entirely in cutting
off the enemy from reaching the scene of battle. I remem-
ber in going back to Richmond in the dark, that I stepped
into quicksand and sank up to my shoulder. It was fortu-
nate for me that two or three of my boys got hold of me
in time to pull me out before I sank any farther.

After reaching Richmond we had not camped but one
day when we were ordered out and started out toward
Seven Pines. We had no blankets and no overcoats as we
were hurried down toward the scene, and had no time to
get anything. Just before dark some of my boys volunteer-
ed to go down and hunt some overcoats and they came
back loaded with the coats that the Southern boys had left.
I was given one that had been worn by a six-footer, but it
was a magnificent covering for me as it rained all night
long.

The next morning we were returned to our camp in the
suburbs of the city and there remained for several days
after which we marched to Darbytown and there went into
camp. Here we remained until the battles around Rich-
mond opened on June 26, 1862. In the afternoon of the
25th, General Wilcox called the officers of the brigade to-
gether and announced that the attack would open on Mc-
Clellan the next day. He informed us that Stonewall
Jackson with his troops from the valley were now march-
ing from the Orange Court House, and it was expected
about noon on the 26th of June he would reach the left of
our line, but would be across the Chickahominy, that as soon
as they came up, A. P. Hill's division would move across
the bridge at Meadows Bridge. The brigade was ordered
to cook and prepare three days' rations and an abundance
of ammunition was distributed. The next morning at sun-

22 A GLANCE BACKWARD

rise, June 26, 1862, we began to march toward the Mechan-
icsville pike, a distance of several miles from where we
were camped, and there waited the events of the day.
Everything passed quietly and it was late in the afternoon
when the sound of cannon thundering across the Chicka-
hominy admonished us that the battle had opened. It
seems that A. P. Hill had become tired of awaiting the ar-
rival of Jackson and had carried his division across the
Chickahominy River, and had begun driving the enemy
down. The battle seemed to be furious, judging from the
cannonading which was distant not more than two or three
miles. As night came on the roar of the battle became
more furious and we could hear the yells of the men as
they charged the enemy under the furious musketry fire.

While this was going on a shout arose down around the
Chickahominy, which was caught up by the men because
they had just heard that President Davis, who had been in
front, was returning to his home in Richmond. He dashed
by us at full speed with his hat in his hands and the shouts
of the soldiers rent the air. Shortly after this we were
formed in a line and crossed the river on the Mechanicsville
bridge. On reaching the other side the brigade lay down
to sleep for the night. On the next morning a rapid can-
nonade opened upon us. The cannon shots plowed up the
turnpike, and in the midst of it, down walked General Long-
street. He was on foot with his sword across the back of
his neck, notwithstanding the cannon balls were flying all
around him, and stopped to talk with us. He seemed as
passive as if he were in his own home.

We then started forward down the Chickahominy Riv-
er. As we proceeded a mile or two we discovered that the
enemy had retired and I was informed that they were in
line of battle at Gaines Mill. We continued forward until
we reached the house at Gaines Mill and the enemy opened
fire upon us. Fighting was going on at the left, but rather

A GLANCE BACKWARD 23

of a desultory character and the action had not become gen-
eral. We lay there until about four o'clock in the afternoon,
when we were moved forward to the attack, going through
some small valleys for cover until we finally formed a line
at the foot of the hill. My company was on the left of the
regiment, and immediately on my left was the 10th Ala-
bama, commanded by Colonel Woodward. He was from
Talledega County, and was distinguished in Alabama as a
lawyer and judge. I was talking with him when a courier
dashed up and gave him the order to move forward and
keep up with the line of the nth Alabama. The Colonel
replied, "The nth Alabama had better look out or we will
get ahead of them." I have often been under fire, but
never under such as was opened upon us at this time. Op-
posite us going up the hillside, were three lines of battle of
the enemy, and on top there were twelve Napoleon guns,
and across the Chickahominy the enemy had heavy artillery
that enfiladed our line as we moved forward. As we went
forward rapidly, Colonel Woodward was killed, and reach-
ing a low wash at the foot of the hills, I was struck in the
arm and the blood flowed freely, looking as if an artery had
been severed. I at once retired and went back to the field
hospital at Gaines Palm, and the route back was filled with
wounded soldiers. The ambulance was in service carrying
those who could not walk. When I reached the hospital my
eyes never beheld such a spectacle. There were thousands
apparently wounded, and of all the groans, cries, curses and
prayers that went from them ! Surgeons were busy operat-
ing on them, taking off arms and legs.

My own surgeon glanced at my arm and told me as my
wound was not serious I would have to wait. I was sitting
on an old log awaiting my turn when a Catholic priest came
up and told me he would dress my arm if I would permit
him, as he had had a great deal of experience in the Italian
army in the war between France and Austria. He ripped

24 A GLANCE BACKWARD

the sleeve of my coat, and took it off of me and most care-
fully washed and dressed the wound, telling me I would
not need any attention during the night. To my surprise
after thanking him for the kindness, he felt around in his
pocket and pulling out a bottle of brandy, he told me that
the doctor would allow me to take a drink for the first
twenty-four hours after being wounded.

I need not say that I availed myself of this. My negro
boy and I went down by a large tree, no one being around.
He made me a pallet, and he and I began the task of drinking
up that bottle of brandy. Just about this time my brother
Pickens came to where we were and I found that he was
badly shot in the left arm. He suffered intensely that night,
and the next morning we started on foot to go to Richmond
to the hospital.

When we got about half way to the city, he was unable
to walk any farther. We secured an old vehicle and in-
duced the driver to take him to the ist Alabama hospital.
On reaching the hospital, the chief surgeon informed us that
he would have to have his arm taken off. I protested
against such a course, but he was very firm in his decision.
Finally I gave my consent and the operation was performed.

I also found that my brother, Captain James D. Clark,
of the 13th Alabama, was lying mortally wounded at this
same hospital. There was no possible hope for his recovery
and he was fully aware of his condition. Rev. James Pick-
ens Smith, an old schoolmate of his, nursed him. Dr.
Smith many years since filled the pulpit at Dallas and died
there. I took board across the street from the ist Alabama
hospital, and had to take to my bed. This was on Satur-
day, June 28th. On June 30th in a heavy engagement at
Frazier's farm, just below Richmond, my brother Clay was
killed, but as we were sick no especial attention could be
given him and he was buried on the field. On July ist, my
brother James died at the hospital and a day or two later

A GLANCE BACKWARD 25

my father arrived from Alabama. He was very anxious to
recover the body of my brother Clay to take it home, and he
finally got our servants and some of the boys and a wagon
and went down into the Chickahominy swamp where they
were at work for several days.

In company with Dr. C. P. Saunders of Pleasant Ridge,
Alabama, he was finally successful and brought the body to
Richmond and had it properly encased, as was done also for
the body of my brother James. The task was too much for
him and he collapsed. I though he would die for two weeks
but at the end of that time we started home to Alabama with
the bodies and after a difficult journey reached home, where
the bodies were interred in the old cemetery.

CHAPTER VI.

RETURN TO ALABAMA.

I remained at home about a month and then went back
to Richmond, although my arm was not entirely well. On
reaching Richmond about August 20, 1862, I could ascer.-
tain nothing as to the whereabouts of my regiment, or rath-
er Lee's army. I could only learn that he had passed to
the left of General Pope's army and moved in the direction
of Centerville and Fairfax Court House. I remained in
Richmond until after the 30th of August, and then started
up the Virginia Central road in quest of the army.

On reaching the Rapidan River, which was the terminus
of railroad activities, I found a large crowd of soldiers, and
was told that we had to move on to Culpepper Court House.
This we did, and the next morning we were informed that
we would have to cross the mountains to Winchester, Va.
We walked, and now and then rode in wagons until we
reached Winchester two or three days afterwards, but could
find out nothing more than we already knew. Some one
told me in Winchester that the army was in Maryland and
in company with one or two other gentlemen, we hired a

26 A GLANCE BACKWARD

little wagon and after reaching Martinsburg we ascertained
that it was best to go to Shepherdstown on the Potomac.
Arriving there I spent the night in a nice home and the next
morning was aroused by the thunder of cannon across the
Potomac River, about three or four miles distant. I went
across the river, but could find out nothing except that the
battle was raging fiercely, and I could not locate my regi-
ment or brigade. Towards night some one informed me
where my regiment was and I went forward and found it.

We remained in line of battle all the next day, I being
in front in command of the skirmish line. Some amusing
things occurred not necessary to be mentioned here, but the
boys had their fun under skirmish fire. At night we were
withdrawn back to the regiment and I was informed that
a retreat had been ordered across the Potomac. My negro,
who was very faithful to me, was back of the line of battle,
just where I did not know. I obtained permission from the
commander of the regiment, Captain Saunders, to go back
and find him, which I did after considerable search. To-
gether we marched back to the Potomac, but on reaching
the ford, found that it was blockaded by an immense number
of wagons that did not seem disposed to move. I was sitting
on the bank awaiting an opportunity to get across, when
up rode old Stonewall Jackson. He evidently became im-
patient at the delay, jumped his horse in the river, and in a
few minutes there was a quick movement on the part of the
wagons and the ford was soon clear.

I was several days in finding my regiment, as no one
knew where any other command was save their own. I at
last found it, and after remaining at Martinsburg a week
or near there, we came up the valley to a point about six
miles north of Winchester, where the army encamped for
a month. Then we marched across the mountains to Cul-
pepper Court House, Va., and here the army was paid off,
with the exception of Jackson's corps, which was left in the

A GLANCE BACKWARD 2

/

valley. The thunder of cannon along the Rappahannock
admonished us that some movement was in progress on the
part of the enemy, and we were ordered at once by rapid
march to Fredericksburg, Va. Just at this juncture Mc-
Cellan was moved from the command, and General Burn-
side was placed in command in his place. We reached
Fredericksburg in a couple of days and were placed opposite
Falmouth on the opposite side of the Rappahannock, and
here we remained for nearly two weeks, when the battle of
Fredericksburg opened and engaged our attention.

CHAPTER VII.

THE BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG.

Along about the 10th or nth of December, the enemy
crossed the Rappahannock River and began to move. A
grand division consisting of two or more corps under Gen-
eral W. B. Franklin of the Federal forces was thrown
across the Rappahannock about four miles south of the
town. The main army began to make its crossing at the
town of Fredericksburg, but was resisted by our troops
along the banks of the river in the town, consisting of Barks-
dale Mississippi brigade. All day long the strife went on
in a small way, but before the break of day that morning
the enemy opened on the city and a number of cannon be-
gan the cannonading. With my command I was on duty some
distance above the town about a mile out and the town had
been emptying itself all night of its inhabitants. I remem-
ber a number of women and children came along. The
night was intensely cold and the ground was frozen. The
children and some of the women were crying. Some of
them had on very scanty clothing, and our boys took off
their overcoats and gave them to the women and children.
At daylight again the cannonading opened and lasted the
whole day. I thought it was destructive down toward the
town, but I have since met friends who were children at

28 A GLANCE BACKWARD

Fredericksburg, and remained under fire the entire day.
Henry C. Scott, who died a few years ago at St. Louis, who
had charge of the Waco Gas Company and street railway
system, was one of these and he was at the time only two
years old. His brother was born during the bombardment,
and is known even today as Bombshell Scott.

There was no battle that day, the 12th of December,
1862, as I remember the date, but on the morning of the
13th, the action up and down the river opened all day long.
The enemy made several attempts to capture Marye's Hill,
at the foot of which was stationed a brigade or two. As-
saults were made, but all were easily repulsed and with
deadly effect. This was kept up until nearly sundown. I
was in charge of the skirmish line on the canal and my
headquarters were at the tomb, or proposed monument of
the mother of General Washington, which was then about
half way completed. Many shots struck this big rock pile
and I could see in a general way the different assaults down
at Marye's Hill, though not very clearly.

I remember the enemy had a cannon up about Falmouth,
the like of which I never encountered again during the war.
With an ordinary cannon we could see the puffs of smoke
and get to cover before the shot or shell reached us, but with
this one the shots seemed to have come instantaneously. I
have since inquired of officers of the Federal army as to
what kind of a gun it was, but have never had a satisfactory
answer. While this engagement at Fredericksburg was
going on, Franklin moved vigorously against Stonewall
Jackson's corps stationed at Hamilton's Crossing, and ex-
tended up toward our line at Fredericksburg. The mus-
ketry and the cannonading at this time was very furious,
but did not last long as the assaults on Marye's Hill. Finally
dark came on and all was quiet, and the next day, according
to my recollection not a shot was fired. During the night

A GLANCE BACKWARD 29

of the 14th of December the enemy retired across the river
and the battle was ended.

I went down with some of my men to see the battle
held and the sight was awful. The Federal dead were
lying in heaps in front of Marye's Hill, clear down toward
the city. The wreckage in the town was not so great as I
had anticipated and I remember something that was pointed
out to me as Mrs. Washington's home as still standing, al-
though it had been struck by some of the shells. Our loss
was comparatively slight, but that of the enemy was ex-
tremely heavy.

We then went into winter quarters up the river near
Bank's Ford. The day after we went into quarters, I was
sent up the river in command of pickets, and upon reach-
ing there, or shortly afterwards, some of the men came up
to me and told me that the Federal commander across the
river wanted to talk to me. I went down the bank of the
river and he shouted across that he saw no necessity for
picket firing and would like to make arrangements with me,
that if any movement was contemplated by his force he
would notify us in time to get to cover, if I would agree to
do the same. I promptly agreed to this, ana the winter
passed pleasantly as was possible under the circumstances.
Our boys made boats that could sail directly up and across
the river, and give the Federals directions how to set
the boat to come back to us. On one occasion one of my
men was captured and taken into custody as prisoner, but
the next day he was released and brought back to us by
way of Fredericksburg. The winter passed without inci-
dent.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE CAMPAIGN OF CHANCELLORSVILLE.

After the victory of Fredericksburg and the overwhelm-
ing defeat of Burnside in December, 1862, the Army of

30 A GLANCE BACKWARD

Northern Virginia rested from its arduous labors upon the
Rappahannock and there spent the winter. The second
corps, commanded by Jackson, took post below Fredericks-
burg along the south side of the river and extending for
more than thirty miles, while the first corps, commanded by
Longstreet, took post near Hamilton crossing up the river
and extending beyond the vicinity of Bank's Ford. The
winter was spent quietly enough except a cavalry engage-
ment up near Germania Ford early in March, 1863, in which
the gallant Pelham gave his splendid young life to the cause,
and Longstreet took two of his divisions, Hood's and Pick-
ett's and went on a foraging expedition down the James Riv-
er to Suffolk, where he was with both divisions when the
Chancellorsville campaign opened and concluded.

In the latter days of April, 1863, the enemy under
Hooker began its movement up the Rappahannock River
and crossed at Germania and other points with an immense
force, reported at the time to be 119,000 infantry, and after
crossing, swept down the right bank of the river to Chan-
cellorsville, and there concentrated, that point being on the
old plank road leading from Orange Court House to Fred-
ericksburg and about eight miles north of the last named
place.

When this movement of the enemy took place, General
Lee was resting quietly in his winter encampment, the army
being composed of Jackson's corps, consisting of four di-
visions, and McLaw's and Anderson's divisions of Long-
street's first corps, with the artillery somewhat scattered
for winter subsistence, and a brigade or two of cavalry, the
remainder of that branch of the service being engaged with
Stoneman's raiders in their raid to the rear. But the army
had enjoyed a quiet winter's rest, the ranks had been some-
what renewed, and the men with perfect confidence in their
gallant commander, were ready for action, regardless of
disparity of forces.

A GLANCE BACKWARD 3r

Early in May, the Army of Northern Virginia broke
camp and began its movements against the enemy, then
concentrated at and near Chancellorsville. Wilcox's Ala-
bama brigade moved out from its camp near Bank's Ford
toward the plank road as Jackson's corps were passing up
toward Chancellorsville and just as glorious old Stonewall
Jackson and staff came riding by. The loud and contin-
uous cheers that greeted him as he rode rapidly up the plank
road manifested the love and admiration of the army for
him, and this was not confined to his own splendid troops,
but pervaded all hearts. Moving forward with quickened
pace the brigade was filed oft to the right and formed the
line of battle. Evidently we were on the extreme right of
our line, only a squadron of cavalry being between us and
the river. After waiting a time, the ranks were formed
and the brigade moved through the woods and brush, and so
continued until nearly dark, when the advance was halted
and no enemy encountered. Then our steps were retraced
until we again reached the pike and moved forward to
Chancellorsville, but we were suddenly halted again and re-
ceived orders to return to Bank's Ford, reaching there-
about twelve o'clock that night.

Here we remained all night and the next day puzzling
our brains as to what was meant by isolating us from the
rest of the army that we knew had been concentrated at or
near Chancellorsville, some six or eight miles distant with
no enemy near us that we could discover. Late in the
afternoon, however, we could hear the cannon roaring at
Chancellorsville, and realized that a serious engagement was
going on there and toward dusk with glasses we could see
a long line of Federal troops across the river moving north-
ward toward the vicinity opposite Chancellorsville, and as-
sumed that the enemy was hurrying re-enforcements toward
that quarter. The cannonade up toward Chancellorsville
continued some time after dark, but the brigade spent the

32 A GLANCE BACKWARD

night again at Bank's Ford, sleeping quietly and apparently
enjoying its ease. But as was soon demonstrated, this was
only the calm before the storm.

Shortly after sunrise the next morning the ranks were
formed and hurried down the river to the heights above
Fredericksburg near the Taylor house and placed in the
rifle pits used during the battle the December previous. Our
position overlooked the Rappahannock Valley, and just
across the canal, lying behind the embankment was a long
line of Federal troops, their bodies concealed from view, but
each regiment with its flag unfurled and waving defiantly.
They were rather too far for musketry fire, and we had no
cannon to open on them. Suddenly down on the right, about
Marye's Hill, there came a furious cannon and musketry fire.
In a few minutes orders came to right face and move rapidly
in that direction. As soon as we reached Stansbury Hill,
just above Marye's Hill some little distance, the whole face
of the earth seemed to be covered with Federals. Forming
into line quickly, skirmishers were thrown forward, and
soon the rattle of musketry began. Our skirmishers were on
the incline of a hill, and by a brisk fire succeeded in halting
the masses in front of them for a while. Soon heavy battal-
ions appeared on their flanks, which forced a retreat, leav-
ing many of their number wounded on the field. It was
ascertained that Sedgwick's sixth corps, and Brook's light
division constituted the force in front, the command num-
bering more than 20,000 men, and that they had assaulted
our lines at Marye's Hill and captured it with some artil-
lery on the heights, and that Early's division stationed there
and below had retreated toward Hamilton's Crossing, leav-
ing only Wilcox's Alabama brigade, two guns and a small
squad of cavalrymen between the heavy forces of Sedgwick
and Lee's rear at Chancellorsville. Evidently Sedgwick saw
his opportunity and was determined to press forward rap-
idly with his forces to attack Lee's rear at Chancellorsville,

A GLANCE BACKWARD 33

not being aware perhaps at the time that Lee had already
driven Hooker from his works at that point, and had forced
him into new works behind Chancellorsville and a mile near-
er the river.

Sedgwick moved forward steadily and rapidly toward
Chancellorsville, opposed only by Wilcox's brigade of less
than 2,000 men. The brigade would form line every few
hundred yards and await the advance of Sedgwick's over-
whelming force, fight for a short while and then retire rap-
idly to escape capture, and then form and fight again.
These maneuvers were repeated often and necessarily forced
Sedgwick to move slowly and cautiously, and thus the day
was passed up to about three o'clock, when the brigade
reached Salem Church, directly on the plank road and dis-
tant about three miles from Fredericksburg. Here prepa-
tions were made promptly for battle. Information of the
battle had reached Lee, and after driving Hooker out of his
works at Chancellorsville, he promptly dispatched two
brigades to our assistance, who met us at Salem Church.
The brigades formed for battle in the following order : The
14th Alabama (Col. Lucius Pinkard), on the left; the nth
Alabama (Col. J. C. C. Sanders), extending to the plank
road; the 10th Alabama (Col. William H. Forney), on the
right of the road ; the 8th Alabama (Col. Y. L. Royson), and
the 9th Alabama (Col. J. H. King), on the right. One of
the brigades that came down to our assistance took position
on our right, and I was told it was Mahone's brigade of Vir-
ginia. The other brigade formed on our left and I was
likewise told that it was Semme's Georgia brigade.

By the time this formation was completed, Sedgwick's
troops advanced to the assault. Our line facing toward
Fredericksburg on the left of the road, was behind a brush
cedar fence which extended toward the river; but according
to present recollections, the force on the right of the road
stood open. Sedgwick had evidently massed his force for

34 A GLANCE BACKWARD

an assault on the plank road, and his men came up to the
work in fine order. Not a sound was heard except the
tramp, tramp of his heavy masses until his front lines came
within a short distance, when a sheet of flame came from
our lines, mowing down hundreds and the brigade leaped
forward to the charge apparently without orders and the
chase began. Down through the brush and thicket the
brigade rushed, encountering a second line of the enemy,
which gave way precipitately and on and on went the boys
until the entire force of his enemies was driven beyond the
little red house which stood farther on toward the city.
Here we halted with a view to re-forming the lines, and the
enemy percieving that only a brigade was chasing them,
formed and turned, massing many pieces of artillery upon
us, but the brigade held its ground until about sundown,
when it returned to its original position at the church, hav-
ing lost in the fight many valuable officers and men. Suffice
it to say that the Confederates retained possession of the
field with a number of prisoners ; and having blocked Sedg-
wick's pathway and cut off all succor for Hooker, the ene-
my next day retreated across the river and the campaign
was practically ended.

CHAPTER IX.

THE CAMPAIGN OF GETTYSBURG.

After Chancellorsville and the death of Stonewall Jack-
son, the Army of Northern Virginia was divided into three
corps instead of two as formerly, and Longstreet, Ewell
and A. P. Hill were designated as commanders in the order
named. The Alabama brigade under Brigadier General
Cadmus M. Wilcox was taken from Longstreet's first corps
and assigned to the third corps commanded by A. P. Hill as
the senior brigade of that corps.

Early in June, 1863, the movement began by detaching
the two corps of Longstreet's and Ewell's and moving them

A GLANCE BACKWARD 35

toward Culpepper Court House and beyond, leaving the
third corps at and near Fredericksburg. Immediately after
the departure of these two corps from the vicinity of Fred-
ericksburg and Gordonsville, the enemy crossed a force
over the Rappahannock River and took position near Ham-
ilton Crossing below the city, evidently for the purpose of
observation. Hill's corps remained in position for several
days or a week, and then took up the line of march from
Culpepper Court House, moving by regular stages, and ar-
rived there just as General Lee and his staff moved out to
cross the mountains. The march was resumed the next
day in the same direction. The mountains were crossed at
Chester Gap and thence north down the valley, through
Front Royal and on to Shepherdstown, where the Potomac
was forded at the same point (about opposite Sharpsburg),
which the army had crossed in its retreat from Sharpsburg
the previous year. Passing through Hagerstown and other
places the division reached Chambersburg and Pennsylvania
in a few days, and marched through that place with General
Lee and his staff and took post at a small village several
miles from Chambersburg called Fayetteville, where a halt
was called for two or three days. There were many inci-
dents connected with the march from Fredericksburg both
amusing and interesting, memories of which are retained to
this day, but space forbids of their recounting here. Suffice
it to say that the brigade as well as the rest of the army
was in the best of spirits and ready and more than willing
to measure the results with the enemy.

On the morning of July 1 the brigade took up its line of
march with the division, and about noon reached the little
village of Fairfield, just east of the mountains and halted.
Heavy firing was going on some distance east of the pike,
and it was soon ascertained that an engagement with the
enemy was taking place at or near Gettysburg. The march
was resumed at once and upon reaching General Lee's head-

36 A GLANCE BACKWARD

quarters late in the afternoon, the cessation of firing indi-
cated that the engagement was over. The nth Alabama
was soon detached and accompanied by pieces of artillery,
took position on the right, and after throwing out a strong
picket force, rested for the night without disturbance.

About sunrise the next morning, July 2, the brigade
formed line and moved to the left, and reaching the proper
point fronted and began to move forward in line of battle to
the position assigned us. The nth Alabama occupied the
left of the line, and after moving a short distance entered a
valley and an open wheat field, and when about half way
cross the field, were fired into by a brigade of Federal sharp-
shooters in the woods and rear, which produced some con-
fusion and a retreat back to the fence so as to escape the
fire from the rear. But just at this time the 10th Alabama
came up on our right and immediately opposite the Federals
in the woods, and after a brisk musketry drove the enemy
back and uncovered the right flank of the nth Alabama,
thus enabling the brigade to move forward in line and take
position which was done at another fence across the field.

Here we remained almost the entire day and until four
p. m. The sun was fiercely hot and there was no shade or
other protection for the men. Here they sweated, sweltered
and swore, when the engagement began on the right about
four o'clock. Our brigade commander during the morn-
ing took occasion to explain to the officers the general plan
of the attack in so far as our immediate front was concerned,
stating that the movement would be by echelon, beginning
with the right of Longstreet's corps and extending to the
left as each brigade came into action, and that owing to our
situation, the Alabama brigade at the proper time would
move by the left flank rapidly, so as to give Barksdale's
Mississippi brigade, which would be in our rear, or rather
on our immediate right, room to move forward in proper
line. Thus matters stood until about four o'clock when

4 GLANCE BACKWARD 37

the thunder of cannon came up on the right and announced
the beginning of action. As Longstreet's brigades came
into action, the roar of the cannon was accompanied
by the rattle of musketry, mingled with the yell of
our boys as they moved forward on the run, and the scene
was grand and terrific. As the fire and clamor reached the
Alabama brigade, Barksdale threw forward his Mississip-
pians in an unbroken line in the most magnificent charge I
ever witnessed during the war, and led by the gallant Barks-
dale, who seemed to be fifty yards in front of his boys. The
scene was grand beyond description.

The order was then given our boys to move rapidly by
the left flank, and the movement was made at full speed
until space was cleared sufficient for the Mississippians, and
then with right face the brigade moved forward to the
assault. Amid showers of grape and cannister and dense
musketry, the first line of enemy gave way precipitately,
and then the reserve and supporting line of the enemy was
struck and in turn broke, leaving in our hands several bat-
teries of artillery and many of the killed and wounded. But
no stop was made even for re-formation. On swept the line
swiftly joined by Perry's brigade from Florida, and
Wright's Georgia brigade, across the Seminary Ridge and
Fike, and down the gradual slope toward the heights occu-
pied by another line of the enemy, a distance of at least a
third of a mile.

By the time the small brushy drain at the foot of the
enemy's position was reached, the brigades of Barksdale.
Wilcox, Wright and Perry were in marked confusion, mix-
ed up indiscriminately, officers apart from their men, men
apart from their officers, but all pushing forward notwith-
standing. Upon striking the third line of the enemy on
Cemetery Ridge, and while some of the officers were using
their utmost endeavor to get the men in order, couriers were
hurried back to the division commander to send quickly for-

38 A GLANCE BACKWARD

ward the two brigades held in reserve belonging to Ander-
son's division, and the battle went on furiously while await-
ing their arrival. The enemy began concentrating their
heavy masses in our front and on both flanks, but still our
ground was held awaiting re-enforcements for another as-
sault. The air was thick with missiles of every character,
the roar of the artillery practically drowning the shrill hiss
of the Minnies. In spite of every obstacle and confusion the
practically disorganized mass of Confederates pressed on
up the incline, only to be forced again to drop back, until at
last, becoming nearly surrounded and no re-enforcements
coming to their aid, the retreat was sounded and the Con-
federates withdrew, many being captured and the others
being subjected for a distance to a destructive fire from the
enemy. So ended the second day's fight on the part of the
line. The Alabama brigade lost about one-half its strength
in the casualties and captures, and retired practically to its
original position of the previous morning where it spent
the night.

At an early hour on the morning of July 3, the brigade
was formed and moved somewhat in the rear of Seminary
Ridge. The artillery was beginning to form on our front
along the Emmetsburg pike, and the brigade was halted in
the rear of the artillery beginning to form and told this
would be its position during the bombardment which was
to take place during the day. The men began to make them-
selves comfortable as practicable, when the brigade com-
mander, unaccompanied by his staff, went forward on foot
to the crest of the ridge and was seen to be surveying the
enemy's position opposite on Cemetery Ridge through his
field glass. After a short while he returned, and forming
the brigade in line he moved forward until it reached a
space of about forty yards behind the artillery which was
being planted near the crest. There were ominous shakings
of the heads among the boys as to the wisdom of the move,

A GLANCE BACKWARD 39

and expressions were heard on all sides to the effect that
Old Billy Fixin (the Brigadier's nickname), was not satis-
fied with having lost half his brigade the day before, but
was determined to sacrifice the "whole caboodle" today.
The wisdom of the charge was demonstrated by the bom-
bardment. Immediately upon our advance, Pickett's di-
vision came up and occupied our original position, with his
left brigade, the other two brigades of his division extend-
ing farther to the right.

After hours of waiting the bombardment opened with a
fury beyond description. The earth seemed to rise up under
the concussion, the air was filled with missiles, and the noise
of all was so furious and overwhelming as well as contin-
uous that one had to scream to his neighbor beside him to
be heard. The constant roar of nearly four hundred cannon
on both sides, with the explosion of shells and the frequent
bursting of a caisson wagon was terriffic beyond description.
Men could be seen, especially among the artillery, bleed-
ing at both ears from the effect of concussion and the wreck
of the world seemed to be upon us.

After an hour or so Pickett's men were ordered up and
began their forward movement to storm the enemy's posi-
tion on Cemetery Ridge. His division had suffered consid-
erably during the bombardment, especially the brigade which
occupied the position of Wilcox in the rear, but the men
moved forward in fine order, and passing to the right of our
brigade mounted the crest of the ridge and started the grad-
ual incline toward the enemy's lines of intrenchments with
quick pace and steady step. Just as they passed our right
flank orders were given to our brigade to move rapidly by
the right flank, which was promptly done, and then the
brigade faced and moved forward rapidly to the right of
Pickett. Just previous to our reaching Pickett's right, his
division seemed to take somewhat of a left oblique and soon

4o A GLANCE BACKWARD

disappeared from my view, and I have its brave deeds only
from history.

The Alabama brigade proceeded to charge Meade's
army alone. What such an absurd movement meant was
never known to the officers then, nor has it ever been satis-
factorily explained since. It was rumored afterwards that
orders had been issued to stop our movements, but were not
delivered. The whole affair is involved in mystery even until
today. Be that as it may, the brigade moved forward rap-
idly, but one could hear frequent expressions from the men
to the effect, "What in the devil does this mean?" For a
few minutes practically no loss occurred in our forward
movement, but the Federal artillery soon got the range and
a storm of shot and shell was poured in upon us. Shrapnel
shot would burst in front of us and great gaps be made in
our ranks, but the ranks would close and the line move
forward.

"Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die."

At last we came into range of grape and cannister and
a shower of such missiles seemed to burst from a hundred
cannon on our little line of about eight hundred, rank and
file, and plow their deadly paths through our ranks. We
finally reached a scrubby-timbered drain just under the
enemy's position and were passing through it rapidly as pos-
sible, when further participation as far as I was concerned,
altogether ceased. A grape shot struck me down, and the
struggle was ended for my part. The retreat was ordered,
and I was left alone to contemplate the horrors of war and
the reckless and criminal folly of a military order which
was subsequently repudiated by every officer from third
lieutenant to the commanding general.

What happened to me subsequently can be of little in-
terest to any living man. Suffice it to say that I escaped

A GLANCE BACKWARD 41

capture and imprisonment by the gallant conduct of four
or five of my boys, who, when the brigade was formed, as-
certained my absence and gallantly came back and picked
me up on a litter and carried me off the field. These four
men are all dead now, but the memory of the good deed
will abide with me so long as I am capable of tender and
grateful recollection.

On a mound on Cemetery Ridge there has been erected
a monument marked, "The High Water Mark of the Con-
federacy." It was designed to mark the farthest point that
was reached by the Confederates and glancing at the inscrip-
tion one can read thereon, "Wilcox's Alabama Brigade. Esto
Perpetua."

CHAPTER X.

RETURN TO VIRGINIA AND MOVEMENTS FOLLOWING.

On the morning of July 4, 1863, General Lee began to
move his wounded back to Williamsport, Maryland. I do
not know how far Williamsport is from the field of Gettys-
burg, but it required us nearly two days to reach the Poto-
mac. The line of wagons and ambulances must have been
some twenty odd miles long, at least. General Imboden and
his cavalry constituted the guards. We began movement
about eleven o'clock in the morning of the fourth and contin-
ued without stop until Williamsport was reached. I was in
a wagon fitted up as a kind of ambulance and my compan-
ions were Colonel John C. Saunders and Major R. J. Fletch-
er. We went back to Fairfield and then turned to the left
and south, though over what roads we passed, or what towns
we went through I do not know. I only know that all the
night our steps were dogged by Kilpatrick's Federal caval-
ry which would frequently cross ahead of us, dash into our
lines and cut down some ambulances and escape.

It was a hard night, raining heavily most of the time. At
last the procession reached Williamsport, Maryland, on the

42 A GLANCE BACKWARD

banks of the Potomac. We found thousands of ambulances
and wagons that had already arrived, but the Potomac was
very high on account of the rains. Only one ferryboat was
obtainable, and that was run by a strong wire that was
stretched across the river. At last we got our ambulance
on the boat and went across the river. Just as we landed
Kilpatrick's men swarmed around our wagons in an attempt
to burn them. They gathered up the teamsters and some
of the slightly wounded and drove off with them just as our
cavalry reached there.

We then went to Martinsburg, and there I separated
from my companions who were going on to Staunton.

I put up at a hotel kept by George Reimer. He and his
family were very kind to me, and after remaining there for
two or three days we separated and I concluded I would go
on down to Winchester. As I was going up the highway,
I looked across from us and saw a beautiful white house
standing in a grove of trees, and concluded to go over there,
which I did and secured accommodations and remained
for two weeks most comfortably. The owner of the resi-
dence was a Union man but he had a son in the Confederate
army. I doubt if I ever fared better in my life. He had
a magnificent library. His backyard was filled with fowls,
fine breakfast broilers. His smoke house seemed to be
loaded down with cured hams, and he had an abundance of
milk and butter. His wife was a charming, old-fashioned
Southern woman, and I wish now that I could remember
their names but they have passed out of my mind.

I remained there as I have said about two weeks, and on
learning that the army was coming along the pike, I packed
up my things, and in the course of a day or two my brigade
came by and I joined them. We went up the pike and camp-
ed for a few days at Bunker Hill. Then General Lee moved
his army across the mountains to Culpepper Court House
and encamped. The Federal cavalry made a dash across

A GLANCE BACKWARD 43

the Rappahannock with a view of ascertaining our where-
abouts, which they soon discovered and went back. Then
we retired back across the Rapidan to Orange Court House,
and here our brigade commander, General Wilcox, received
promotion and was assigned to a different division which
had formerly been commanded by General Pendor, who
was killed at Gettysburg. Here we remained until about
October 1st, but in the meanwhile I had received a thirty
days' leave of absence and had the pleasure of visiting my
home in Alabama.

I returned to Orange Court House the last days of Sep-
tember, and in a day or two, while Bragg's companions were
besieging Chattanooga, General Lee, evidently to aid in their
movements moved across the Rapidan in an attempt to bring
Meade and his army to an engagement. He flanked Cul-
pepper Court House about fifteen or twenty miles, finally
reaching Warrenton, and then passed on to Bristoe Station.
Here a heavy engagement was fought. Our brigade was
held in reserve and did not come in contact with the enemy,
but the accompaniment of the enemy's shells was severe. I
believe that it was here that General Carnot Posey, the
brigade commander of the Mississippi, was killed or mor-
tally wounded. After remaining at Bristoe Station two
or three days, the army retired to Culpepper Court House
again, Anderson's division being the rear guard. Severe
fighting was going on at the right of the Darbytown road,
which was afterwards called the Darbytown races. We
marched all that day and never reached the Rappahannock
until that night, when we crossed it and encamped at Cul-
pepper Court House. The enemy had moved against us
and we retired to Orange Court House across the Rapidan
tc our old position.

Late in October, or perhaps in November, as I remem-
ber it was quite cold, Meade again crossed the Rapidan
about fifteen miles south of us and we were again drawn

44 A GLANCE BACKWARD

out to meet him. We lay opposite and skirmished for sev-
eral days. At about two o'clock in the morning we were
formed and moved to our right to the plank road, then down
that road some distance until daylight appeared. A short
time afterwards General Lee passed up the road with his
staff and it was announced that the enemy had retreated
across the Rapidan, and we were ordered back again. This
ended our active movements for the winter, and we went
into winter quarters near Orange Court House until the
opening of the spring campaign in 1864.

We had that winter a time of starvation., a day's rations
being a quarter of a pound of bacon and a pint of meal,
which was very hard on me as I had my servant to feed out
of this slim amount of rations. WTe ate only one meal a day,
which was about eleven o'clock, and in order to protect my
servant, before beginning to eat, I would separate the food
and turn his over to him for safekeeping. However, Dick
Robinson, who was then our commissary, then lived at
Demopolis and every week I would go over to Dick's tent
and chat him. He would become very uneasy at twelve
o'clock and would pass in and out of the tent. I would
finally say, "Dick, you might as well bring in your dinner.
I am not going until you do." Dick was a good liver for
that time. He had plenty of ham, now and then genuine
coffee, bread and other delicacies. Where he got them I
do not know, and I have often thought he did not know.

CHAPTER XL

THE BATTLE OF THE WILDERNESS AND SPOTTSYLVANIA C. H.

Our camp was on a high hill a mile or two south of
Orange Court House and the winter was bleak and trying.
Not far from us was Jeb Stuart's cavalry corps among which
was Sam Sweeney, a brother of old Joe Sweeney, the in-
ventor, with his banjo, and often we could hear Sam and his

A GLANCE B AC K IV A R D 45

banjo making the echoes ring around Stuart's headquar-
ters.

About the middle of February, 1864, we were awakened
one morning about two o'clock and formed into line, evi-
dently a movement being on foot which we afterwards as-
certained was to the effect that Grant had crossed two corps
of his army across the Rapidan near Madison Court House,
distant, from Orange Court House some twenty odd miles.
We were soon on the march. In the night a heavy snow had
fallen, and was about four inches deep or deeper, and the
roads soon became by tramping a quagmire of ice, snow and
mud. We trudged along as best we could, and soon after
daylight our men began to straggle along the whole army.
This straggling became so bad that General Lee sent his
chief of staff, General R. H. Chilton, to move up the strag-
glers.

Chilton entered upon his duties with alacrity. At that
time Perry's Florida brigade consisted of about three hun-
dred men. General Albert Perrin had been assigned com-
mand of our brigade, the Alabamians. General Chilton in
discharging his duties would come upon his stragglers who
would report that they belonged to Perry's brigade. Finally
the old gentleman became so outraged that when a crowd
of stragglers said that they belonged to Perry's brigade, he
said. "My God, Perry counts only three hundred, and I
have counted three thousand already."

We trudged along, and a stalwart Irishman, John Cullen,
was marching along with me. I saw by the twinkle in his
eyes as we came upon three or four cavalrymen sitting upon
the bank on the right side of the road that he was up to
something. As we got opposite this crowd I noticed one
man who had a tremendous long nose. It must have been at
least four or five inches long. Just then Cullen stepped out
and said, with a bow to the cavalryman, "My dear sir, won't
you please kindly turn your head to one side so the army

46 A GLANCE BACKWARD

can pass?" The cavalryman became enraged and said he
intended to whip the Irishman. We took their arms away
from them and the Irishman whipped him in three rounds.

Toward sunset we were halted just opposite to where
General Lee was sitting on his horse with his staff. Soon
General Stuart dashed down the line and had a short talk
with General Lee, the nature of which I did not hear, as it
was in an undertone. General Lee announced that we
would go into camp at once and make ourselves comfortable.
It was soon ascertained that Grant had recalled the two
corps about Madison Court House, and the next morning
we went back to the old camp near Orange Court House.
The men knew that the coming campaign was to be a se-
vere one. General Grant had been created lieutenant gen-
eral and given the command of all the armies of the United
States. He came with all his laurels from the West, and
apart from this it was known that he was a fighter. Our
men were not discouraged, but were in fine spirits. Every-
one knew what was coming and bore himself like a soldier.

We lay in our camp at Orange Court House until the
morning of the 5th of May, 1864, when everything was
packed and the men were gotten ready to move. Distant
cannonading was heard in the direction of Fredericksburg
and we knew that the campaign had opened. Our division,
commanded by Major-General R. H. Anderson, had been
left behind, more as a rear guard, and the corps of Ewell,
and the two divisions of Heth and Wilcox had the day be-
fore marched down old plank road toward Fredericksburg.
We took up our line of march and after dark we began to
encounter the wounded and to hear of the action in front.
The contest had evidently been a hot one, but we were told
our forces in line had held their position, notwithstanding
the assaults that had been made upon them.

We camped a mile or so from the line of battle and
rested for the night. Just before day we were aroused

A GLANCE BACKWARD 47

and formed into line and started to take our position. When
nearing the line of battle, Longstreet's corps, which had
come up from Gordonsville by marching, filed in the road
ahead of us and we were forced to wait until this corps had
passed through. Arriving at the scene of conflict we found
that the Texas brigade and Longstreet's corps had filed to
the right and had gone into action immediately. Here oc-
curred with the Texans the scene of General Lee's attempt
to lead them on Old Traveler, but he was prevented by the
action of the Texans, who seized the bridle of the horse and
begged him to go back. John G. Wheeler of Travis Coun-
ty, I was told afterwards, was the man who seized the horse
and lost his left arm a few minutes afterwards. We filed to
the left, the right of our brigade resting on the plank road,
and formed into action. While the musketry was rolling on
the right with the Texans, and while standing awaiting fur-
ther orders, General Lee rode around and took his position
on Old Traveler not more than six or eight feet from where
I stood. He was evidently excited, but bore himself brave-
ly. The divisions of Heth and Wilcox were being badly
worsted in our immediate front, and troops of wounded, and
some who were not wounded passed through our lines. We
expected the enemy upon us at any time, but the brigade was
in fine order and ready for the fray. Just at this time Gen-
eral Longstreet rode around and communicated with Gener-
al Lee. They were discussing some movement in an un-
dertone which I did not hear. Just at this time two men
came from the front to pass through our lines. One of
them evidently was wounded pretty badly and the other un-
hurt. They were close to me, when General Lee, looking at
them, stopped at once in his talk and said to the wounded
man, "My friend, I trust you are not badly hurt." The
man replied, "No, General," tipping his hat with his left
hand. "My right arm is broken, but I hope to be well
as soon as possible and take my place in the ranks again."

48 A GLANCE BACKWARD

The old General said, "Go back on the old plank road about
a mile, and on the right side of the road you will see two
tents and an ambulance. This is the quarters of my medi-
cal director, Dr. Lafayette Guild. Tell him I sent you
there and I want him to dress your arm nicely." The man
thanked him, and just then the old General fired up and
said to the man who was not wounded, "Go back to the
front." The man replied, "I am out of cartridges." The
old General said, "That makes no difference, sir. A true
soldier never leaves the field as long as he has his bayonet."
The boys of my company began to chide him, and their lan-
guage was more profane than polite. One yelled out, "Old
Bob caught you, damn you." The old General raised his
hand and said, "Stop, boys, maybe we will make a man of
him yet." The man went back but I do not know how
far.

Then we began a forward movement to meet the enemy,
and after going one-fourth of a mile through the woods we
came upon them. The musketry was frightful, but we lay
down and began our fusillade. This continued for perhaps
fifteen or twenty minutes, but finally the restlessness of our
line forced them to rise and charge and the enemy decamp-
ed. We lost a great number of our men killed and wounded
and among the wounded in our list in our brigade, Colonel
Hillary Herbert of the Eighth Alabama, who was severely
wounded in the left arm. No artillery could be used on ac-
count of the dense thicket in which we were fighting, and
I heard only two or three cannon shots that day. The fight-
ing was purely with the infantry, more in the nature of bush
fighting than anything else. We moved forward and en-
countered numerous lines of the Federals that you could
hardly see ten paces in front, but we continued for a mile
in this dense growth and thicket, sometimes receiving fire
in our rear, and were forced to turn about and fight to kill

A GLANCE BACKWARD 49

them out. This continued all day until about four o'clock
in the afternoon, when we had evidently approached very
close to the strongest line of the enemy. We could not see
them, but groped our way, keeping in line as well as we
could, and finally were ordered to lie down and await fur-
ther orders. We were to await Longstreet's attack before
moving upon the enemy.

We lay there for perhaps one-half hour waiting for or-
ders and could hear the enemy moving, and sometimes the
clicking of guns, but everything was as still as death. We
could have not been more than seventy-five yards from the
line occupied by the Federals. All at once the order was
passed quietly down the line to move back to the rear, which
was done, and we resumed our position near the point where
we first attacked in the morning. The failure of the assault
was due to the wounding of Longstreet, and they were con-
ducting the assault on the left flank of the enemy.

We lay quietly the next morning in line, no movement
being ordered until about ten o'clock, when the enemy again
assaulted us, but evidently from its feeble character it was
only a reconnoisance to ascertain where we were. That
night we moved further to the right about a mile and the
next morning I was given one hundred men for sharpshoot-
ers to move forward and see where the enemy was, as our
cavalry had gone ahead in pursuit of Sheridan who was
making a raid down toward Richmond. We moved for-
ward perhaps two miles, but encountered no enemy. Finally
we came to an old field which had grown up with sassafras,
and looking across the field saw a number of horses hitched
to saplings, and I naturally supposed that the cavalry was
lined up in front, but my orders were to find out where the
enemy was, and I moved forward with my command cau-
tiously. To my astonishment when we reached the horses
we found no soldiers there. Of course my men had a gala

50 A GLANCE BACKWARD

time with the horses. They were thoroughly equipped with
saddle, bridle, etc., and each man seized him a horse and
there were about a hundred of them. Of all the capering
and galloping around that old field one could hardly imag-
ine. I was sitting on a log looking on, when I saw a horse
running away with a great long soldier, whose legs were
dangling down, but he sat the horse splendidly. After rac-
ing around the field two or three times he reigned his horse
up where I sat, and drawing his breath said, "Captain, he
tried to nullify, but damn him, I hilt him to it."

We rode the horses the balance of the day, but found
no enemy, and late in the afternoon we reversed our steps
and found that our lines had moved considerably to the
right, but we soon found our brigade. Suffice it to say, our
horses were taken at once and turned over to the artillery.
The next day we moved rapidly in a southern direction until
we reached Spottsylvania Court House, and occupied a line
considerably to the right of the court house proper, which
was the extreme right of the line of defense.

About four o'clock that afternoon I was ordered to take
the same sharpshooters and move rapidly to the left of the
line, about where we had crossed the little river, I believe
it was called the Po. After placing my men in position as
skirmishers near the banks of the stream, night had come
and the enemy moved down on the other side of the little
river with a large force and remained there that night. After
their coming, the report was made by me to that effect, and
a part of our division was sent to keep, or to occupy, rather,
the heights on our side. The next morning General Early
was detached and sent up the river where he then crossed
and moved down upon these forces of the enemy, dislodging
them and driving them back on their main body, when we
crossed again over the little river, and encamped on the left
bank of the stream. Here we remained in line until the

A GLANCE BACKWARD 51

morning of May 12, 1864, when occurred the battle of
Spottsylvania.

The night of the nth of May was a rainy, disagreeable
one, and just about dawn a fierce cannonade occurred across
the little river about a mile distant. The fire of the small
arms was heard. In a moment we were placed in line of
march, and in a rapid movement, I might say almost in a
run, we again crossed to the south side of the little river and
were upon the scene of action. The spectacle was a fierce
one, and one could hear the remark through the ranks that
it was Missionary Ridge repeated. It seemed that Hancock
with a large force had assaulted the lines held by Major-
General Edward Johnson, and with a dash had annihilated
many of them, capturing most of them, and artillery and
cannon were rushed to the rear. No infantry had appear-
ed to check the stampede until we reached there, and as
we formed to assist the defense, General Lee rode up. The
old General was evidently much excited and had determined
to lead the charge to recover his works, or lose his life in
the attempt. The men resented this, and all up and down
the line was heard the cry, "General Lee to the rear. Please
go back, go back. We will not go ahead until you go back."
The old gentleman soon retired and our line moved for-
ward, encountering a brisk fire, but we pressed on at a rapid
rate.

In this charge Brigadier-General Albert Perrin was shot
and killed practically, by the severance of his femoral ar-
tery. One of his old brigade from South Carolina wrote me
a year or so ago and told me that the Carolinians were al-
ways under the impression that General Perrin had been
shot by one of our own men. This was a mistake, as his
gallantry had led our men not only to respect him highly,
but to love him. He was killed in the same manner that
Brigadier-General Sanders was killed afterwards at Peters-
burg, and he now lies buried at the old Confederate ceme-

52 A GLANCE BACKWARD

tery at Fredericksburg with some old friends of mine, among
them, Lieutenant W. H. Richardson of my regiment.

The line moved on rapidly through the woods and be-
came disarranged as to companies, but still pressed on. The
fire was heavy, but at last we drove the enemy out of John-
son's works somewhere near the point of salient, but just
how far I can not say. Here were we, huddled up in large
pens, each division containing twenty or thirty men, and
what occurred afterwards in the action must be confined to
the pen that I occupied, as I could see neither to the right
or left on account of the salients. The enemy was on all
sides of us, seemingly, except the rear, and those of our men
who were killed were shot in the head.

To add to our discomfort the rain was pouring down
incessantly the entire day. The trenches, or pens, more
properly speaking, were almost knee deep in mud and
water from the accumulation of rain the night before.
There was only one other officer with us in our compart-
ment and this was Lieutenant Fonville, then adjutant of the
14th Alabama Regiment, who was afterwards killed at the
mine of Petersburg, and whom I consider one of the bravest
soldiers I met during the war. There was a large number
of muskets playing about us, and as I was the senior of-
ficer, I assumed command and ordered these muskets taken
down and reloaded. Fonville took hold of one-half of the
division, and leaning them up on one side of the wall, said
to me, "Now you stand here, and as you see them come I
will run the bayonet through them and pitch them over to
you and you catch them." There was a determination which
was fully expressed and understood by all present, that no
matter what took place, we would not surrender, but would
fight to the last. The line was being fiercely assailed by
shells, grape and cannister, and every little while came a
charge of the infantry in an endeavor to retake it. I can-
not undertake to say how many times the enemy charged

A GLANCE BACKWARD 53

us, but it was going on all day. Not once did the line break
anywhere, but was held firmly together until dark put a
stop to the combat. Our ammunition gave out three or four
times and we let several men go back for ammunition and
lost them. All this time the rain was pouring down as if
it were a cloudburst.

I regard this day as the most dismal one I ever passed
through, and when night came on and the firing ceased, we
could not sit down, but were forced to stand with the sen-
tries who were to give us warning of further attack. This
condition lasted until about two o'clock the next morning,
and then a courier slipped in on foot and informed us that
a new line had been formed about one-fourth of a mile in
the rear of where we were, but extreme care must be exer-
cised by the men in getting back to this new line. The night
was dark, but we finally groped our way by pairs or threes
until we came to the line which was already occupied by
the troops. The orders came from General Lee to make our-
selves as comfortable as possible, and that rations would be
distributed as soon as daylight came, and further, that we
should have three days' rest unless emergencies of the situa-
tions made it necessary to bring us into action again.

How everyone enjoyed that rest I can never forget. The
rations came in abundance and we ate and slept almost the
entire time. That ended the battle of Spottsylvania as far
as we were concerned, and at the end of three days we were
moved to the extreme right of the lines, which positions we
occupied for more than a week, but no attack was made.
I cannot refrain from relating an incident that occurred
while we were there. One morning General Lee, riding
Old Traveler alone with no staff, came up to the battery on
our left and taking out his field glasses said to the com-
mander of the battery, "Open your guns on the enemy's po-
sition," which the commander did. The object of the Gen-
eral was to ascertain if the enemy was in force in front, and

54

A GLANCE BACK WARD

as soon as our battery opened it was responded to by three
times its number. The shells came thick and fast. Old
Traveler, the General's horse, stood perfectly calm, while the
General with the field glasses made a survey. We were
waiting for the results, but our men became very apprehen-
sive as to the General, as he was very dear to his men. One
of our men finally jumped up from where he was lying
almost in a frenzy and said out loud, the General undoubted-
ly hearing him, "Won't some one take that damn fool away
from there?" The General looked at him calmly, but did
not say a word, and put up his glasses. He galloped away
without making any inquiries as to the soldier who made

such a remark.

.

CHAPTER XII.

THE CAMPAIGN OF PETERSBURG.

After the severe battle of Spottsylvania Court House
we were again drawn into line of battle on the right of the
army, and as I recollect now, the extreme right of the in-
fantry. Here we remained for about a week without being
engaged with the enemy, but its heavy masses were in front
and evidently moving. Our cavalry had gone with Stuart
down toward Richmond in pursuit of Sheridan and his cav-
alry, and it was near Richmond that Stuart was mortally
wounded, dying that night. After that night it became evi-
dent that Grant was coming down toward the James River
by his left flank, and we also began to move by our right
flank to intercept him. We met again at Hanover Junction
and were drawn into opposite lines on a river, that I believe
was called the Dan. Here some extremely heavy fighting
took place, but Wilcox's Alabama brigade was not seriously
engaged except once.

Lying here for almost a week Grant had sent two corps
south of us and two corps north of us. General Lee was ill
for the time and lying in his ambulance, but he quickly
appreciated the situation and fell upon Grant's two northern
corps, driving it back considerably, and was about to turn to

A GLANCE BACKWARD 55

the other two corps, when he withdrew across the river and
then continued his movement along Tottopotamie Creek, a
distance of a few miles from Cold Harbor, and here we
again met him. Both lines began to entrench heavily and
in a day or two a tremendous assault was made by the Fed-
erals to our left, but we were not actively engaged. The
fierce collision on our left was a very severe one, and in a
few moments about 10,000 men of Grant's army were cut
down. It was reported through the press that his army re-
fused to fight further and he was forced to abstain. I do
not know whether this occurred or not, but I do know that
from that time, we lay about ten days engaged in skir-
mishes. It was impossible to leave our works where the
line of infantry was without serious danger. The Federal
forces withdrew down to the James River, and we were
moved down about Deep Bottom near the James, but not on
its banks. We lay in camp, or I should say in bivouac, sev-
eral days, and were then ordered forward across the James
to Petersburg.

On leaving there about the 3rd of June, we found an
engagement going actively on between the assaulting forces
of the Federals and the defenses of our works around the
city. This assault had been going on for twenty-four or
thirty-six hours when we reached there with our division.
We were ordered to the works, about a quarter of a mile to
the right of the angle on the Jerusalem plank road and there
stationed as our permanent station, where we remained until
about September following. On June 22nd I was stationed
on the skirmish line and the picket firing was very active.
All at once I was notified that the movement would soon
take place, and General Mahone debouched that afternoon
with a division to the right upon the works and moved out,
coming in contact with the enemy just in front where I was
holding this skirmish line. It was a beautiful fight, but in my
regiment and brigade there were some serious losses. We
captured a Vermont brigade in its entirety. Capt. Walter
E. Winn, the splendid adjutant-general of the brigade, was
seriously wounded in the knee, and died a few days after-

56 A GLANCE BACKWARD

wards in Petersburg. Some of our best soldiers met their
death in the assault on the enemy, but we were quite success-
ful, and the forces were withdrawn after a short engage-
ment. That night I was forced to retire to the field hospital,
owing to a deep abrasion of my knee, and the next day the
division was carried further down the Weldron Road and
again attacked the enemy, but nothing permanent was ac-
complished.

On the 28th of June, after I had regained the command,
we were ordered out and marched down the railroad, taking
pretty much of the night to reach there, and ascertained the
movement was to head off Wilson and Cautz's raid through
Virginia. We reached Reames' Station about daylight, and
were resting quietly at the side of the road, when all at once
the scouts of the enemy appeared. We went into line at
once. After a time I was ordered into line in command of
one hundred skirmishers. We went forward about a mile
when I ascertained that the enemy was across the little
stream and was awaiting the attack. I reported back to
General Mahone the condition of affairs and was ordered to
hold my position there with the skirmishers until further
orders. We lay there for several hours, and I understood
that the delay was caused by the failure of Hampton's and
Fitz Lee's cavalry to report, they being at some distance.

After a time I received orders to go forward and then
move to the left of the attacking line and go in with them.
This I did, and the enemy was soon dispersed. My part of
the line had gone out into the open field, and the enemy's
cavalry started a charge, seemingly about a brigade of them.
General Mahone was near me and I called his attention to it.
He at once ordered a Pegran battery, which came rapidly
and it began firing over our line as we lay down in front.
A few rounds from the artillery soon put an end to the
charge and soon scattered the enemy's forces. Then the
enemy began moving south so as to get around to his own
lines and our cavalry went in pursuit. After the action had
ceased we moved back to Petersburg to our camp. I remem-
ber we had some four or five hundred negroes, men, women

A GLANCE BACKWARD 57

and children, that the enemy had collected in Southern Vir-
ginia and we had a great deal of sport that night in putting
the negro babies in the arms of the Federal prisoners.

After this no special activities were had by our brigade,
except to dodge mortar shells that were flying over us con-
stantly.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE BATTLE OF THE CRATER.

I have read with much interest the article in our Janu-
ary number of the Confederate Veteran, March, 1895, en-
titled, "The Crater Battle," 30th of July, 1864, and as I was
a participant in said battle, I deem it due to history that some
inaccuracies which have crept in unintentionally into Colonel
Rogers' account should be corrected. I do this with the
feeling of an old comrade of Colonel Rogers, whom I knew
and highly respected in those historic days. Doubtless the
long time which has intervened since the occurrence he re-
lates, added to the fact that a regimental line officer could
not know particulars relating to movements of other com-
mands than his own, must account for the injustice he does
Wilcox's old brigade from Alabama, then commanded by the
brave young Saunders.

I was captain in the nth Alabama Regiment, and at the
date of this battle was serving temporarily on the staff of
Brigadier-General Saunders as assistant adjutant general.
I was also flag of truce officer after the battle, and with
Col. Jas. F. Doran, Twenty-fourth Cavalry of New York
(dismounted), who was the Federal truce officer, had charge
of the burial of the dead on the morning of August 1, 1864.
My opportunities for knowing the movements of the brigade
were therefore excellent, and the nature of the work before
us this day so strongly impressed itself upon me that I retain
until this day a most vivid recollection of all incidents which
came under my observation.

The regular position of the brigade at that time was a
short distance west of the right angle in our defensive works
near the plank road. On the morning of the explosion, about

58 A GLANCE BACKWARD

three o'clock, the Brigadier-General was aroused by an order
from Division Headquarters to get his men up and man the
works. This was immediately done. As our battalion of
sharpshooters (under command of Major James M. Crow
of Florence, Ala.), had been relieved from skirmish duty on
the night before, General Saunders became anxious as to his
skirmish line, and directed me to see that Major Crow went
to the front with his battalion, relieving his pickets. This
was done. The General and his staff were sitting on the
gallery of a little house which constituted our headquarters
when the explosion occurred. Immediately a bombardment
opened from the enemy along the whole front. We galloped
to the front and took position in the rear of the center of the
brigade near a company of Washington artillery. The bom-
bardment was kept up for about an hour or two, when Gen-
eral Lee came to where we were and held a short talk with
our brigade commander. About two hours after this and
after the bombardment had slackened, we were ordered to
quietly leave the works, retire to a ravine in the rear and
form. This was done and nothing but the artillery was left
in the line we abandoned. From Colonel Roger's description
of the route pursued by his brigade to the scene of the explo-
sion, we must have traveled the same route. On our way
there the General and his staff having abandoned their
horses, we met Colonel Weisinger of the Twelfth Virginia,
wounded in the side and supported by a soldier. The Col-
onel, who was then in command of Mahone's brigade, told
us of the charge of the Virginians which had already oc-
curred. When we reached the scene we were met by Gen-
eral Mahone, accompanied by General Bushrod Johnson, and
General Mahone gave directions as to how he wished the
brigade formed. It was then about eleven o'clock in the
morning. The rifle pits to the left of the Crater (enemy's
right) were then held by the Virginia brigade; their right
resting at the Crater. I was sent by General Saunders to
look the ground over, and went forward to the rim of the
Crater. I there met and talked with Lieut.-Col. W. H.
Stewart and other acquaintances of the Virginia brigade,

4 GLANCE BACKWARD 59

including General Rogers, if my memory is correct, both of
whom I knew well, having served with them upon General
Court Martial the preceding winter. I found that while the
Virginians had done their part thoroughly, and were then
holding their position heroically, Wright's Georgia brigade
had failed to carry the trenches on the right of the Crater
(enemy's left), and the Crater itself was still in possession
of the enemy, filled not only with negro troops, but also
with a larger per cent, of white troops, as was demonstrated
after the capture. I returned and reported the situation to
General Saunders. I was instructed by him to pass along
the line, count the men and inform them, as well as the
commanders, that our attack would begin at two o'clock,
upon the firing of two signal guns from the rear ; that every
man must be ready to go forward at the signal, slowly at
first, and then at double-quick as soon as we rose the hill,
that our object was to capture the rifle pits on our right as
well as the Crater, and for this purpose the brigade would be
compelled to right oblique after starting so as to cover the
point of attack, no man was to fire a shot until after we had
reached the works, and arms must be carried at a right
shoulder shift. I was instructed by General Saunders to
inform the men that General Lee had notified him that if it
were necessary, he would lead them himself. As a matter
of fact, a large portion of the army was on that day on the
east side of the James River. These directions of General
Saunders were communicated to every man and officer, and
by actual count, the brigade had in line, 632 muskets.

At the boom of the signal guns, the Alabama brigade
rose at a right shoulder shift, and moving forward in perfect
alignment, slowly at first until we came in sight of the enemy
and received its first fire, and then with a dash to the works.
For a moment or two the enemy overshot us and did no
damage, but as we reached the works, many were struck
down and the gaps were apparent, but the alignment re-
mained perfect. It was as handsome a charge as was ever
made on a field, and could not have been excelled by the
"Guard" at Waterloo under Ney. On reaching the works

»

6o ^ GLANCE BACKWARD

the real fight began. Our men poured over into the works
of the Crater, and the ring of the steel of the bayonets in
the hand-to-hand fight began. Men were brained by guns
and run through with bayonets. The brave Saunders (who
sleeps in Hollywood), had a regular duel with a big buck
negro, and both proved bad marksmen. Adjutant Fonville
of the 14th Alabama (the bravest soldier under fire), was
killed by a negro soldier. So was Lieutenant John W. Cole
of the nth Alabama, and many other brave officers and
men. This melee kept up for at least fifteen minutes, the
enemy fighting with desperation because they were im-
pressed with the idea that no quarter would be given. The
credit of capturing the Crater and all its contents belongs
to Morgan Smith Cleveland, then adjutant of the 8th
Alabama Regiment, who now fills a patriot's grave at Selma,
Alabama. I am told that his grave is unmarked, if not un-
known, and that he was buried by charity, and if it is so, I
hang my head in humiliation. Morgan Smith was as hu-
mane and tender as he was brave. Standing in the Crater
in the midst of the horrid carnage, with almost bursting
heart he said to the Federal colonel standing near, "Why in
the h — don't you fellows surrender?" and he put the ac-
cent on the cuss word. The Yankee replied quickly, "Why
in the h — won't you let us?" A wink being as good as a
nod, either to a blind horse or to a soldier, the effect was
instantaneous. The enemy threw down their guns, marched
out as prisoners, some being killed or wounded by their own
cannon as they filed past where I stood, and the day was
saved as a glorious heritage for the Southern soldier and
those who come after him. I remember helping General
Bartlett of Boston, who was trying to get out on two mus-
kets inverted as crutches. I could see no evidences of phy-
sical pain and remarked to him that he must have nerves
of steel, as his leg was shot away. He smiled and said that
he had lost his real leg at Williamsburg two years before,
and that the leg he had just lost was a cork leg.

This is a brief account of the Alabama brigade on that
day, too brief and imperfect to do even partial justice to

A GLANCE BACKWARD 61

my old comrades, most of whom have already passed over
the river. It was a gallant band, and many of them sleep
their last sleep in the soil of old Virginia, having given their
lives in defense of the firesides. I am sure the gallant Col-
onel Rogers, himself a brave Virginian, would do them no
injustice if he knew it, and yet this article without so in-
tending, minimizes the services in these particulars :

i. Mahone's brigade did not take charge of the line
between the Appomattox and the James a little after the
battle of the Crater, but the whole of Mahone's division, in-
cluding Forney's Alabama brigade (Wilcox's old brigade),
Harris' Mississippi brigade, Sorrel's (Wright's) Georgia
brigade, and Mahone's Virginia brigade took charge of that
line in February, 1865, the Alabama brigade occupying the
extreme left of the line, its left resting at the Howlett Bat-
teries on the James River. We withdrew from this posi-
tion on the night before the evacuation of Richmond.

2. The Alabama brigade came up to the mine and did
the work of capturing the Crater, which was the purpose of
the movement, but it was not a complete "walkover" as the
Colonel terms it. It was one of the hardest fought battles
of the war, and brilliant success was wrenched by valor
from serious danger. Doubtless our friends, the Virginians
and Georgians, peppered away at the enemy during the
charge, but their fires did not keep down all heads, as our
list of wounded and killed attest. Nor did they go
down into the Crater as did the Alabamians. With a hand-
ful of men, more than treble its number was captured, the
lines re-established and what promised at early dawn the
closing victory of the war for the enemy, was turned into a
disastrous defeat by a few ragged Alabamians. I once asked
a prominent officer on General Grant's staff what he thought
ought to have been done with Burnside for his failure at
the mine. He replied without hesitation, "He ought to have
been shot."

62 A GLANCE BACKWARD

CHAPTER XIV.

OTHER INCIDENTS IN THE CAMPAIGN OF 1864.

After the engagement of the Crater and its recapture,
our brigade remained there for two days and then returned
to their original quarters toward the right of the line where
they remained without an engagement for two weeks. Then
on the 14th of August we were ordered across the James
River to Deep Bottom, reaching there about the morning of
the 15th, and taking position on the ridge extending about
three hundred yards and connecting on the left with the
Georgia brigade, then commanded by Brigadier-General
Girardy. On the 16th we were violently attacked by the
enemy, and in the rush, Girardy attempting to rally his
Georgia brigade, was killed, and my company being next to
his line, was captured by the onrush of the enemy. The
balance of the brigade threw themselves back and held their
position until re-enforcements came and the line was again
occupied after a severe struggle.

After this engagement, about sundown in the evening I
had gotten hold of a New York Herald printed the day be-
fore and was reading it between the lines, when all at once
I heard a cavalcade of horsemen dashing down the little
country road at the side of which I was sitting, and on look-
ing up I saw that they were some of our people and were
Gashing into the enemy's line. The enemy's skirmishers
v/ere only distant about forty or fifty yards from where I
sat, and rushing out I grasped the horse of the foremost
horseman, but at that time it was so dark that I could not
see who he was. I spoke rather peremptorily and not re-
ligiously, asking them where they were going. The leading
horseman said, "Release my horse, please ; I am on my way
to Richmond." I said, "If you go forty or fifty yards far-
ther you will take breakfast at Fortress Monroe," and bade
them turn their horses in the other direction. I expected
the Yankees to fire on us at any time, but they did not. It
turned out that the party consisted of President Davis, Sec-

A% GLANCE BACKWARD 63

rctary Mallory, Postmaster General Reagan and several at-
tendants whom I do not recall.

About the 18th or 19th of August we were ordered back
to our old position at Petersburg and the afternoon we
reached there, we found a heavy engagement going on down
on the right, the enemy moving its left flank farther and
farther around us. On the morning of the 21st of August,
1864, we formed a brigade at two o'clock in the morning
and began our movement down to our right to intercept the
enemy's movements. I do not know the composition of the
command except that Mahone's division took a leading part,
and there might have been others.

Just at the break of day we reached our position and
forming lines, began to move forward. We soon ran upon
the enemy's skirmishers, but captured them and emerged
upon an open field fully half a mile wide and encountered a
storm of cannonading as we pressed forward boldly. When
we reached within a hundred yards of the enemy's fortifi-
cations, General John C. Saunders, commander of the brig-
ade and upon whose staff I was serving as assistant adjutant
general, pressed forward with me at his side, when I heard a
ballet hit the General. As I was quite close to him I saw
him reel, and grasping him around the waist I held him up
and asked him if I should go on, but he said, "No, stay with
me," and immediately lapsed into unconsciousness. I got
two men who were passing to assist me and we carried him
out of the fire to a branch, but in a few moments he was
dead. He was my friend and college mate at the University
of Alabama and was a grand officer, filled with patriotic
pride and a stern disciplinarian.

We remained all day in the little depression under con-
stant fire, and at night withdrew back to Petersburg. Here
we remained four more days and on the 25th of August we
were ordered down to Reams' Station by a circuitous route,
and reaching there about five o'clock in the afternoon found
an engagement going on. We had not been assigned our
position in the lines, but were standing on the side of the
road about one- fourth of a mile from the fighting awaiting

64 A GLANCE BACKWARD

orders. Colonel King of the 9th Alabama was commanding
officer, and not being accustomed to battle on a horse, he in-
sisted on my getting down. We were discussing the matter
when finally I threw my right leg over the horse, but just
as my foot reached the ground, a heavy piece of shell came
down on my instep giving me severe pain. I had to go back
to the field hospital on my horse, but by the time I reached
there, which was one-half mile, the foot had so swollen that
my boot had to be ripped off. This put an end to my war
experience for a time.

I was sent back to Petersburg and the next morning
transferred to Howard Grove hospital in Richmond, where
I lay for a week or two in company with many other officers
who were wounded, including the late Governor Oates of
Alabama, and was then furloughed for forty days. Upon
receiving the furlough I went back to my old home in Ala-
bama on crutches and used them for more than two months.
The foot has never gotten well as some bones had been
fractured, and every now and then the foot gives me trou-
ble. I remained in my home until about the 10th of No-
vember, when I started to return to Virginia. I could walk
only a few miles during the day, the wounded foot giving
out, but when I reached Opelika, Ala., on the Georgia bor-
der, Sherman had begun his movement across Georgia to
Savannah, and finding that I could not get across, I again
returned to my home, where I remained until Xmas. Then
making slow progress, as the railroads were badly cut, I
went back to Richmond, arriving there about the 15th of
January, 1865, and rejoined my command there where we
remained until the 1st of February, and were transferred
from our original position to that between the Appomattox
and the James River.

CHAPTER XV.

THE LAST PHASE.

Since my return after my wounded furlough, I had been
without a command. As I stated in the previous chapter,
my company had been captured at Deep Bottom and my

A GLANCE BACKWARD 65

protracted absence on account of my wound had forced my
brigade commander to make another appointment as assist-
ant adjutant general, so when I rejoined the army, I had
only two privates left me. I began at once to bring some
influence to bear at Richmond in order to secure another
appointment, but so far had failed. I concluded about the
last days of March, 1865, to again visit Richmond and make
a further effort to secure this appointment, as I had friends
who had promised to actively assist me. Accordingly I
applied for leave of absence to Brigadier General William
H. Forney, who was an old friend of mine since my boy-
hood days, and he remarked to me, "Don't you know that
General Lee has forbidden any leaves of absence except
granted by him?" I said that I did not care anything about
that, but I wanted to go up to Richmond. He finally con-
sented, stating that he would wager he would have to send
one of the staff to take me out of Castle Thunder.

I therefore left our lines and went up to Dairy's Bluff,
which was distant about five miles up the James River and
there took the dispatch boat called the "Shrapnel," which
plied every hour or so between Drury's Bluff and Richmond.
On reaching the city I went up to see my old friend, Judge
John A. Campbell, Assistant Secretary of War. He re-
ferred me to one of the assistant adjutant generals of the
department, stating that he believed the President had made
my appointment as Judge Advocate of the military courts
of Wheeler's corps, but upon investigation I found that
the President had not appointed me, but had appointed
Joseph C. Reed of Mississippi.

I lingered about Richmond all day long. The provost
guard was very active and arrested every one whom they
found wandering through the city. Prices were appalling.
Drinks were $25.00 each in a barroom. The hotels were
charging three and four hundred dollars per day, theater
tickets were commanding $150.00 according to my recol-
lection. The next morning about daylight I heard a can-
nonade down the river about where our lines were and im-
mediately took a dispatch boat. After landing at Drury's

66 A GLANCE BACKWARD

Bluff, I continued down the river to where my command
lay. Just as I reached it I found the command in line ready
for a retreat. I took my place, although I had no command
and we moved out slowly, and crossed the Petersburg and
Richmond Railroad at Chester. Just then heavy explosions
were heard on the James River, and it was found that our
forces were destroying the ironclads and other ships at
Dairy's Bluff. The scene was grand from where we were.
As each explosion occurred it could be seen in the air ap-
parently several hundred feet from the river.

We wandered all night, stopping frequently, but after
daylight some time we reached Amelia Court House, where
we stopped. I understood that we were stopping for com-
missary supplies, but if any came none were distributed to
us. Along in the afternoon we started further down the
railroad, marching as usual and stopping every half hour.
Evidently the retreat was not moving properly. This went
on for days and we were marching along quietly and imme-
diately in the rear of what was called the Naval brigade.
This brigade was composed of sailors of the navy at Drury's
Bluff, commanded by naval officers, the brigade being nom-
inally commanded by Admiral Raphael Semmes. Sheridan's
cavalry was constantly dashing into our lines and at this time
attacking the Naval brigade especially at night, and without
warning. Of course this created a stampede on the part of
our naval heroes, but the affair was soon over. The cavalry
had retreated after the firing. This brigade was captured
with Custis Lee's corps and Ewell's command, I believe, the
next afternoon.

Thus affairs went on. During the day no rations were
issued and it looked as if it were a time of starvation. Upon
nearing the Appomattox some one told me that there were
rations at Appomattox Station. I had an old worn out wagon
mule, and my foot troubled me greatly. I immediately struck
out for Appomattox Station to get something to eat. Several
who were with me, including W. K. Hale, midshipman in
the navy ; Bob Saunders, a captain in the 8th Alabama, and
I reached there and had secured some rations which we

A GLANCE BACKWARD 67

loaded on our mules, when all at once a heavy force of cav-
alrymen of the Federals dashed in and stampeded us. They
took provisions off of the train and burned it. We went
back to Appomattox Court House, a distance of two or three
miles. After reaching there we were ordered to leave for
Lynchburg, and stopped at a little creek to eat something,
which we did in true style of soldiers. We went to sleep
on the banks of the little stream awaiting the morning, and
about twelve o'clock that night a squad of Fitz Lee's cav-
alry came up and told us that General Lee's orders were for
all soldiers to report at Danville, Southwest Virginia,
promptly. We proceeded immediately to comply with this
order. The Federals supposed that they had completely
surrounded us, but some one in the darkness had failed to
close up the line and we went through without stopping.

We were trudging along toward Danville the next day,
taking our time and getting something to eat when we
could. Along came cavalrymen and told us that Lee had
surrendered. Of course we did not believe it at the time,
but after a while General Mart Geary with two or three
officers came along and stated that they had broken through
the lines and that General Lee had in fact surrendered. We
continued our journey to Danville, but I had only one com-
panion, W. K. Hale, who lived in my home town in Ala-
bama. Our mules had given out, and for the last ten miles
we had walked, reaching there about ten o'clock at night.
We crossed the Dan River on the bridge and passed through
the town without stopping only at a drug store where the
proprietor handed us out several plugs of fine tobacco, stat-
ing that was all he had to give us.

We continued our journey along the line of the railroad
afoot to Greensboro, N. C., but there the provost officer or-
dered us into camp. We replied to him specifically, though
not in very polite terms, that we were on our way home and
proposed to go through. We went on from day to day,
sleeping at night in fence corners and sometimes being kept
by a hospitable family, and finally reached Chester, S. C,
but were forced to go to bed and stopped at a little house on

68 A GLANCE BACKWARD

the road, where an old lady took me in and made me as
comfortable as was possible in a trundle bed. Here we
stayed several days, but finally I recovered sufficiently to
continue our journey. I could walk only ten or twelve
miles a day as my wounded foot would give out and I would
have to keep it in a branch an hour or so before going to
bed in order to have it strong enough to bear me up the
next day.

Suffice it to say that our journey was continued from
day to day across South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and to
West Alabama, the latter point being reached about the 4th
of May, 1865. South Carolina presented a heart rending
spectacle. As we crossed the lines traversed by Sherman's
army at short intervals, four and five naked chimneys show-
ed that there was once a hospitable home filled with good
people and now gone, no one knew where. The country was
desolate and it was with difficulty that we found suste-
nance.

Upon reaching home I found that no enemy had ap-
peared there, and everything was moving along quietly, with
plenty to eat. My cap was worn out and I was as brown as
a Mexican. A kind friend gave me an old silk hat that I
wore for six weeks as all the stores were closed.

So ended the Confederate States, and my experience in
its armies, which I have truthfully related.

CHAPTER XVI.

THE RECONSTRUCTION PERIOD.

The conditions of the South, and I speak more particu-
larly of the section in which I lived, were most peculiar at
this time. There was no government, State, County or Mu-
nicipal, for a period of more than six weeks. No stores
were open, no business was transacted. Everything was in
a state of paralysis. Soon the Federal troops came in and
began to occupy the different towns and cities and then be-
gan the era of cotton stealing. All during the night wagons
were running through the section and levies were made by
bands of marauders, generally accompanied by two or three

A GLANCE BACKWARD 69

soldiers that they had hired for this purpose. The cotton
was shipped to Mobile and sold expeditiously and the pro-
ceeds pocketed.

Amid these surroundings and conditions I began the
study of law under my father, Chancellor J. B. Clark. He
was very strict in his instruction. Every Wednesday and
Saturday afternoon I was called upon to recite what I had
read the two previous days, and my recitation had to be per-
fect, otherwise I had to recite the lesson again in Blackstone
until I knew it. I remember on one occasion in the second
book of Blackstone I was attempting to recite on some sub-
ject of real property and my father was looking real intent-
ly at the book. After I had finished my dissertation, my
father said, "Yes, all you have said is very fine, but it is all
directly opposite to what Mr. Blackstone says." Of course
I had to recite the lesson again.

About the 1st of July, 1865, President Johnson appointed
Louis E. Parsons of Talladega, Governor of Alabama.
Under his reconstruction policies and action we had elec-
tions to fill the various county offices, and the boys honored
me with the office of Justice of Peace, which I filled until
fall, 1867, when I left the State.

In October, 1866, I obtained a license to practice law in
the Circuit Court of Greene County, the presiding judge be-
ing the Honorable James Cobb, an uncle of Thomas Cobb,
now of San Antonio. At that time the reconstruction poli-
cies were pending in Congress and it seemed inevitable that
they would pass. I therefore began to look out for a differ-
ent location. The county in which I lived had about five
negroes to one white, and I knew that it would be impossible
for me to remain there in case the reconstruction measures
passed and these seemed certain. So early in January, 1867,
I started in company with my friend, Ryland Randolph, on
a visit to Texas. We landed at Galveston after rather a
stormy passage on the steamer Morgan. After a day or
two there we went up to Houston, then to Brenham, by-
stage to La Grange, Bastrop, and finally to Austin. At this

yo A GLANCE BACKWARD

time Austin was rather a bleak town, there being only two
or three brick or stone storehouses.

We remained at Austin for a few days and then went
over by stage to San Antonio, where we remained about a
week. Purchasing horses we went out to Boerne and
Fredericksburg, and then came across the country to New
Braunfels, San Marcos and back to Austin, where we re-
mained another week. Then we started out again and went
to Georgetown, Belton and then to Waco, where we remain-
ed several days; then going south we went through Marlin,
Cameron and Caldwell, and then parted on the line of Wash-
ington County. Mr. Randolph went back to La Grange and
I to Brenham. There I sold my horse and started back to
Alabama. Reaching Galveston I took the steamer "Mata-
gorda," a little wooden steamer, and went across to what
was then Brashear City, then back home, reaching there
about the ist of May.

I immediately began my preparations to wind up what
business I had to come back to Texas. By that time the
Reconstruction Act was passed, putting the South under
military government. The commanders of each military di-
vision had been appointed by the President. The negroes
began to swarm to the towns and became absolutely impu-
dent. No person was safe for a moment, although they in
fact committed very few crimes. I had just finished my
packing when yellow fever broke out in violent form at
Mobile, New Orleans, Galveston and in the interior of Tex-
asr. This necessarily put a stop to my return to Texas, and
I did not return till the following November, reaching Gal-
veston about the ist of December.

I hardly had an acquaintance in the State that I was
aware of, but like Cortez, I had burnt my ships behind me
and could not return. I came North by stage from Bryan
to Waco and there remained for about a week. All officers
had been removed by General Sheridan on the basis that they
were impediments to reconstruction, and the candidates for
the Reconstruction Convention were already in the field for
election. Most, or all of the older people, especially the

A GLANCE BACKWARD y\

older officers, were disfranchised. The State was swarm-
ing with carpet-baggers, and citizens of the State who had
joined in with the carpet-bagger movement were designated
as "scallawags."

The election occurred in December and the convention
met in a month or two afterwards at Austin to frame the
constitution. It may be said without awaiting further de-
velopments that the conservative faction was led by Gover-
nor Jack Hamilton, and the radicals by his brother, Morgan
C. Hamilton. Finally in their altercations they broke up the
convention. In 1869 a staff officer of General Reynolds
patched up the constitution as a whole and in this form it
was submitted as a whole nominally to the people for adop-
tion, which of course followed as the Republicans had the
count in the management of the election, and we lived under
that constitution until April, 1876.

I went from Waco to Hillsboro and then visited Weath-
erford, then on the immediate frontier. It was a small
place, but did active trade for a distance of about three
hundred miles west. It was infested with savage Indians.
Here I remained for a year, practicing law and doing fairly
well, making some friends which have lasted me through
life. In December, 1868, I removed to Waco, then the most
flourishing town in this immediate locality. It was ahead
of Dallas, and gave promises of great enlargement for the
future, and Waco has been my home ever since.

In 1869, on the 30th of November, and the 1st, 2nd and
3rd of December, election was held for State officers under
the constitution of 1869. There was only one polling place
in the county, and that was the county seat. The election
lasted for four days and every citizen of the county who
desired to vote was required to ride to the court house and
deposit his ballot. The election returns were made to a
commanding general at Austin, who declared the results,
and of course he declared that E. J. Davis, the Radical can-
didate, was elected, and he took his office the March follow-
ing.

72 A GLANCE BACKWARD

The Legislature met at that time and adopted the neces-
sary amendments, the 14th and 15th. Then began a period
of political shamelessness and political debauchery. It was
said that hundreds and thousands of dollars were expended
by parties securing charters, railroad subsidies and the like.
The Legislature was composed of negroes and adventurers,
carpet-baggers and scallawags by a large majority, although
there were some true and tried men, but only a few were
able to resist the temptations. One Senator whom I knew
did not own ten dollars worth of property when he went into
politics, returned to his home with a large amount of cash.
Evidently he had filled his pockets with the money that was
floating around in Austin. He made several purchases to
my knowledge amounting to thirty thousand dollars imme-
diately after his return.

Things went on in this manner until 1871 when election
for Congress to fill certain vacancies in the State and County
governments, at which the good people of Texas began to
wake up. I had canvassed in the latter part of 1870, this
Legislative district composed of McLennan, Limestone and
Falls Counties, being fully aware that I could not be elected,
and that if I were I would be counted out, my purpose being
to arouse the people to necessity for action. I believe my
canvass had some effect in this line. In 1871 there was a
perfect Congressional organization. We nominated D. C.
Giddings of Brenham for Congressman of this district and
it looked almost hopeless, but he accepted the nomination.
This district included from Washington County up the
Brazos River to Johnson County in the North, and I believe
Freestone in the East, and West a considerable distance, but
just how far I do not remember. Colonel Giddings made an
active canvass in which many of us participated, and was
elected by over four thousand majority. The returns were
made to the State department and the Governor and his
board composed of Radicals began to throw out different
votes of different counties, and finally declared Clark, the
Republican candidate, elected by four thousand majority.
The same course was pursued against Judge John Hancock

A GLANCE BACKWARD 73

in the Southwest district, and in the Eastern district against
W. S. Herndon. They all contested in the House of Repre-
sentatives as I recall it, at Washington and Colonel Giddings
was seated with only one dissenting vote and that was cast
by Clark himself. Colonel Giddings took his seat in Con-
gress and remained for several terms.

CHAPTER XVII.

THE ENTRY OF RICHARD COKE INTO POLITICS.

Early in the spring of 1872 I was boarding at the same
house with Judge Coke and his family. Knowing the man
as I did and his somewhat remarkable capabilities, I began
to solicit him to stand the ensuing year for Governor. He
had been Justice of the Supreme Court, but after less than
a year's service he was removed from his office as an im-
pediment to reconstruction. Speaking of him now after he
has been in his grave for nearly twenty years, I regard him
as one of the strongest men Texas ever had. He was slow
to act as a rule, and never moved until he was sure of his
footing. His brain was massive and when he had thorough-
ly considered a subject he made up his mind as to what
course he would pursue and immovable to argument went
forward directly to the task of accomplishing the results,
sturdily and bravely.

Politically he was without experience, and the life he
had led made him anything else but a politician. He spoke
to his friends what he thought, but a few months' experi-
ence seemed to perfect his character, and he thoroughly be-
came an adept in the art. In our daily conversation on the
subject of running for Governor, he did not encourage me,
but as I could see success already mapped out by proper
management, I still persisted in talking upon the subject
until he became thoroughly aroused himself and finally con-
sented that at the proper time he would make the race.

In the meantime the Democratic State Convention in
the spring of 1872 was called to meet at Corsicana. When
I went there with two or three other delegates, chiefly for

74 A GLANCE BACKWARD

the purpose of seeing that his name was not used in the
race for a subordinate office, or as chairman of the Execu-
tive Committee. This convention was engaged principally
in the contest for Congressmen-at-large. The census hav-
ing given two additional members to Texas, and the State
not having been redistricted, the contest narrowed down to
Governor Throckmorton of Collin, the Hon. Roger Q. Mills
of Navarro County, and Judge A. H. Willie of Galveston.
Willie and Mills were nominated and while the platform was
being arranged by the committee especially with reference to
the campaign for Greeley, the election of the chairman came
up, and according to my recollection, R. M. Tevis of Gal-
veston put in nomination Judge Coke. I gained the floor
immediately, although there were many seconds to the nom-
ination, and announced to the convention that Judge Coke
could not accept the position, and by his authority I with-
drew his name.

In the fall of 1872 and in the spring of 1873, I visited
different portions of the State solely in his name and in-
terest, quietly posting his friends and such new ones as I
had made, of his intention to be a candidate for Governor.
In due time, I believe in August, 1873, the convention met
at Austin. Washington County was to hold its county con-
vention on the Saturday previous, and I went down to Bren-
ham to see that the Washington County delegation was all
right. On Sunday night immediately after the Brenham
convention I was to meet Judge Coke at Brenham, and when
the train came in there was only one sleeper hooked to a
mixed train, and as Coke got off at the rear, he met me and
whispered that the sleeper was full of candidates for Gov-
ernor, and that there was not a berth left. He offered me
his, which of course I declined and took my seat in the
smoking car. There I passed the night, as we did not reach
Austin until after daylight. Honorable Seth Sheppard, now
Chief Justice of the Court of Appeals of the District of
Columbia, got aboard at Burton and spent the night with me
on the trip to Austin. The crowd had already begun to
gather when we reached Austin. There was only one hotel.

4 GLANCE BACKWARD

/o

the "Old Avenue," and it was soon crowded far beyond its
capacity by the delegates, candidates and friends, all work-
ing diligently for their particular favorite.

The convention met Tuesday morning, and in the mean-
while a large delegation had come from Waco. The day
was spent in organizing the different committees, and
1 was appointed on the committee on platform, of which
Hon. John H. Reagan was chairman. Throckmorton
had not been a candidate for two or three weeks before the
convention met, when it was announced that he would run,
and the fight was evidently between him and Coke, although
there were other candidates, among them being Ireland, R.
B. Hubbard, and several other candidates of lesser note.

The committee on platform sat all night until nearly day-
light, perfecting the platform, and the convention met again
on Wednesday at ten o'clock. The morning was spent in
making nominations and speeches. After a while I went
down to our rooms at the Avenue Hotel and found Judge
Coke, J. D. Giddings and Charles Stuart of Houston in
grave conference. As I walked into the room Judge Coke
said, "We have been going over the field and have reached
the conclusion that I am a beat man." The other two spoke
up and said, "Yes, he is a beat man." I became a little stung
as I could see no defeat possible. After conversing with
them a little while, I said to them, "Gentlemen, you must
not talk like this. There is nothing the matter with the can-
didacy and Coke is sure to be nominated by four o'clock this
afternoon." They said this was impossible. However, I
thought I knew what I was saying. At dinner I sat with R.
R. Gaines, then a lawyer at Clarksville, Texas, and he was
bitter against Coke. I told him he would vote for Coke be-
fore night, but he scouted the idea. After dinner the ballot-
ing began, Throckmorton having withdrawn from the race,
and on the third ballot, I believe it was, Richard Coke was
declared the nominee in the Democratic party of Texas. He
was called upon for a speech, but having been laboring under
very strong excitement for several days and in addition to
that having been afflicted with a bone felon on his left thumb

76 A GLANCE BACKWARD

which had given him trouble, he did not rise equal to the
occasion, but made a sensible speech. Many of his support-
ers were disappointed. Immediately after his speech, by
acclamation they nominated Richard B. Hubbard for Lieu-
tenant Governor, and he responded in a stirring speech as
was his wont. After the ticket was finished, which took
until late at night, the convention adjourned and the nomi-
nee returned to his home at Waco and opened up his cam-
paign early in September at a barbecue at Calvert, Robertson
County. I attended a mass meeting in company with Gov-
ernor Coke. That afternoon waiting for the upbound train
to return home, and while sitting at the hotel opposite the
depot two or three hours in company with others, I was told
that the proprietor was ill and that night died with the
yellow fever, which broke out so savagely that the popula-
tion of Calvert was almost decimated.

Quarantine was established on all sides of Waco and
we were cut off from all communication with the outside
world for about four weeks, not even receiving mail. Gov-
ernor Coke pursued his campaign in Northern and East-
ern Texas, and late in the fall about the latter part of Octo-
ber I was sent as one of the committee of the citizens of
Waco to interview the authorities of the H. & T. C. Rail-
road with a view to getting rates on cotton reduced. I be-
lieve the rate was then $4.50. I remember going through
Calvert, and two or three miles before we reached there, all
the windows and doors were securely fastened and we went
through at the rate of fifty miles per hour.

I met Governor Coke at Houston, and after his speech
there accompanied him to Galveston, where he again spoke
and then we returned to Waco. The election resulted tri-
umphantly for him and he defeated his opponent by a 50,-
000 majority. The whole State was enthused by the results
of the election, and every one felt that the era of Radicalism
and hardships which we had endured for the last seven
years was over. There were bonfires and illuminations all
over the State and congratulations between the good people
of the State were the order of the day. It turned out, how-

A GLANCE BACKWARD 77

ever, as will be stated in the next chapter, that we had not
yet accomplished our full purpose and that serious resist-
ance was at hand.

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE INAUGURATION OF GOVERNOR COKE.

At this time, as was stated before, Governor Coke and
myself were boarding at the residence of Dr. D. R. Wallace
on a lot on which now stands the postoffice at Waco on the
corner of Franklin and Fourth Streets. Occupying rooms
opposite each other it was our wont to read the papers to-
gether and discuss the situation each night. It soon became
apparent that the Republicans, under the leadership of Gov-
ernor Davis, did not intend to yield to the people's verdict
given at the polls. J. P. McDonald at Houston, arraigned
a Mexican with the charge of illegal voting, which I believe
was then a felony.

While the prosecution of this was pending, or after the
decision of the Justice of the Peace against the defendant, a
writ of habeas corpus was sued out in the Supreme Court
in his behalf, and proceedings were then carried on in the
last named tribunal at Austin. These proceedings are re-
ported at length in the 39th Volume of Texas Reports. My
recollection now is that the case was reported Ex Parte
Roderigueze. Governor A. J. Hamilton represented the ap-
plicant in this controversy, and several other leading law-
yers of the State represented the other side. The question
was the legality of the election, and the fear was vitally en-
tertained that the decision of the court was certain to be
against the wishes of the Democratic people. The battle
waxed for more than a week in the Supreme Court, and it
was finally held by the court that the election was a nullity.
The reader can turn to this case and find the facts and ar-
guments fully developed by the report of the case.

We were watching the results with intense interest, and
just before the case was decided, a gentleman, rather distin-
guished in the history of Texas, but now deceased, came to
Waco to interview Coke with a proposition. There was only

78 A GLANCE BACKWARD

one railroad to Waco. The train came in at nine o'clock at
night and left early the next morning for Bremond to con-
nect with the H. & T. C. southbound. Shortly after the ar-
rival of the train this gentleman came and called on Coke.
I was not present, but can only state what Governor Coke
told me immediately after the interview, which in effect was
that the gentleman was the bearer of a proposition to reap-
point two judges of the Supreme Court, in which event the
decision would be in favor of the election. Governor Coke
replied sharply in the negative, and refused to consider such
a proposition and the gentleman went back to Austin the
next morning.

Intense excitement began to prevail all over the State,
and about the ioth of January, 1874, Governor Coke left
his home for Galveston and Houston with a view of con-
sulting prominent friends at both points as to the proper
action to be taken by him. He exacted of me a promise that
I would come to Austin if he wired for me. In two or three
days afterward when I was engaged in a trial in a cause
in the district court, I received a telegram from Coke at
Hempstead, and evidently he was on his way to Austin. It
read as follows : "Hell is to pay. Come to Austin. Will be
at the City Hotel." I immediately made my preparations
and left for Austin the next morning at daylight. It then
took twenty-four hours to reach Austin, as there was no di-
rect communication, and one had to travel by Hempstead.

I reached Austin Saturday morning about sunrise, and
went immediately to the City Hotel, nearly opposite the old
Raymound House, which was then kept by L. H. Fitzhugh.
Repairing to the room of Governor Coke, I found that he
had not risen. He informed me that a meeting of his prom-
inent friends would be held at the hotel at 10 o'clock that
morning, which meeting I attended. Judge Thomas J. De-
vine of San Antonio was called upon to preside, and there
were present besides Governor Coke and Lieutenant Gov-
ernor Hubbard, Judge John Ireland of Seguin, Hon. A. W.
Terrell of Austin, Hon. George Flournoy of Galveston, Hon.
M. C. McLemore of Galveston, Col. E. J. Gurley of

A GLANCE BACKWARD 79

Waco, Judge John H. Reagan of Palestine, Hon. J. W.
Throckmorton of McKinney and others whom I do not re-
call.

The meeting was a protracted one, and the consultation
lasted until after one o'clock, talks being made by nearly all
present, but there was a wide diversity of opinion as to the
proper course to be pursued. Governor Coke said but little,
awaiting the views of his friends, and the meeting finally
adjourned without attaining any definite results. I knew
what Coke's decision or determination was before he left
Waco, but of course said nothing about it. He had reached
the conclusion that as the people of Texas had called him
to the Governor's chair, he would not disobey their order or
pander away their rights, but would be inaugurated no mat-
ter what it cost him. On Monday night there was a cau-
cus of his friends in the old Senate chamber, and speeches
were made advocating delay and temporizing in the matter
of his inauguration. Who these parties were who advocated
this line of policy need not be stated, as they were good men
and afterwards proved true to Texas and devoted their lives
to her interest.

The situation finally became acute when Governor Coke
arose and made one of his most determined and fierce
speeches, telling the conference that he had been elected
Governor, and by the eternal Gods, he intended to become
Governor in obedience to the voice of the people, no matter
what it cost him or the State. This I believe was the sub-
stance of his speech, and he certainly meant stern action.

It wras then determined that the inauguration would take
place the next night. The next morning M. C. McLemore
and D. U. Barziza went down into the state department, and
by "hook or crook," secured the returns for Governor and
Lieutenant Governor and they were laid upon the table of
the House of Representatives. A joint meeting of the two
houses was held and the count proceeded officially, lasting
until late in the night, and in the meanwhile Governor Davis
had stationed in the lower halls a throng of negroes, about
two hundred, it was said. The Legislature proceeded with

8o A GLANCE BACKWARD

the count notwithstanding the threat and about eleven or
twelve o'clock reached the conclusion that Governor Coke
and Lieutenant Governor Hubbard were elected and they
were sworn into office. No collision occurred between any
of the parties, but upstairs the halls were crowded with
Texans who had come to see that the rights of the people
should be asserted against the usurpation of the Republican
party. It was with difficulty that an actual collision was
avoided.

During the progress of the count a volunteer company of
Austin appeared on the grounds of the Capitol under com-
mand of Lieutenant Al Roberts, and we wondered whether
they would report to Governor Davis in the basement, or the
Legislature upstairs. Their decision was soon known, for
as they reached the broad steps they went upstairs and re-
ported to the Legislature and were stationed on duty where
they remained for several days. After the inauguration of
the Governor and Lieutenant Governor, guards and senti-
nels were stationed everywhere and the night was spent in
watchfulness on the part of both sides.

The next morning Governor Coke domiciled himself in
the rooms of the Lieutenant Governor back of the old Sen-
ate chamber, as his temporary office, while Governor Davis
still occupied the Governor's office in the basement guarded
by his negro troops. The Senate and the House met prompt-
ly about nine o'clock in their respective chambers and Gov-
ernor Coke said he would have to have a Secretary of State
and asked me if I would take the office. I told him I did
not want it and he might get some one else. He replied
that he wanted me. I assented to this upon the ground that
he would appoint some one else as permanent secretary, as
I did not want the position, and my name was sent into the
Senate. At the same time I received my confirmation for
the position, the resignation of Judge McAdoo was brought
in by some one. He called for a pen and at once accepted it,
which was his first official act.

During the day excitement went on, growing perhaps a
little more intense, and the company of negroes assembled

A GLANCE BACKWARD 81

down town took as their prisoner Mayor T. B. Wheeler,
afterward Lieutenant Governor. This troop came march-
ing in the back way and gained entrance to the basement
doors of Governor Davis' offices. After a little while Gov-
ernor Coke prepared a demand upon Ex-Governor Davis for
the delivery of the office of Governor's records, and at his re-
quest I bore the message to the ex-Governor. Going around
to the east side of the Capitol I found the door securely lock-
ed and knocked. It was slightly opened by two or three ne-
groes, and I stated to them that I had an official communi-
cation to make to Governor Davis and wished to deliver it
to him. Three of them escorted me to the office, all three
negroes being armed with muskets and bayonets. I found
a crowd, Frank Britain, the Adjutant-General, being in full
uniform, and Col. J. C. DeGress, then Superintendent of
Public Instruction. I delivered my communication to the
Ex-Governor, which consisted of a demand of him that he
give the office up as I have stated. He read it silently and
said that he would reply to it in the course of an hour. In
that time his reply was handed to Governor Coke in his
temporary office, in which Davis declined to yield to the de-
mand of Governor Coke, but suggested that both sides refer
the matter to Congress for settlement. Governor Coke
again reiterated his demand, saying that he was Governor by
the voice of the people. Things continued on in this way
until the next afternoon, when M. C. McLemore of Galves-
ton and a gentleman from La Grange, known as Col. ,

whose name I do not recall, arranged a truce subject to the
approval of Governor Coke to the effect that matters re-
main as they were then and that neither side would attempt
any aggression in the matter upon the other without due and
ample notice. Governor Coke, after considerable commun-
ication with his friends, agreed to this proposition and the
halls and basement of the capitol were emptied at once.

The two houses went on legislating and Governor Davis
remained in his office. On Saturday night, about January
20th, a telegram was received by Governor Davis from
George H. Williams, Attorney General under President

82 A GLANCE BACKWARD

Grant, announcing that the Federal Government would
have nothing to do in the matter at all, which in effect was a
decision against Davis. This telegram was brought to me
before it reached Davis, and it soon became known to our
friends and was transmitted all over the State.

On Sunday night I was walking down the avenue and
met J. G. Tracey, who asked me to step aside a moment as
he wanted to talk with me a few moments, and stated that
Governor Davis would retire from his office the next morn-
ing and yield the position to Governor Coke, but he wanted
two or three days' occupancy of the executive mansion in
order to get his furniture, belongings of his and other things
removed and to put the house in order. To this I readily
assented and on the following Monday morning Governor
Coke and myself repaired at an early hour to the second
floor of the Capitol building and waited some time for no-
tice to be sent to us to come down and take possession of
the executive office, but none came. After waiting a couple
of hours I went down to the door of the executive office, but
everything was locked securely I knocked at the door and
after hammering a while, John J. Stevens, Governor Davis'
private secretary, unlocked the door and told me he was
finishing up some official matters of business and that as soon
as he was through he would send us the keys.

Dinner came and still we had no information on the sub-
ject and that continued until about three o'clock in the after-
noon. Governor Coke became real angry, and grasping his
tremendous stick with which he walked, he said, "We will
go downstairs anyway." I knew that it would not be per-
fectly proper for the Governor to be engaged in an alterca-
tion and I prevailed upon him to remain upstairs, and that I
with others would go downstairs and do the work, to which
he consented. I found Senator J. E. Dillard from Rusk,
and General J. B. Robertson, but as we started down Sena-
tor Dillard remarked that it would be best for us to have
the sergeant-at-arms of the Senate accompany us, and he
immediately secured that officer, who was a young man just
out of college. Together we went down to the Governor's

A GLANCE BACKWARD 83

office, the doors of which were still locked and there was a
man placed there, evidently to deliver the keys. I asked him
where the keys were and he replied that he had them and we
choked him until he told us they were in his trouser's pock-
et. I thrust my hands in his pockets and got them. We
opened the door and found that the middle door was locked
and kicked it down. We then sent up for Governor Coke to
come down and take possession, and James E. Dillard, Gen.
Robertson, sergeant-at-arms and I went across the passage-
way to the state department. As we entered the door we
found the Republican Secretary of State, J. P. Newcomb,
sitting at his desk pretending to work. We all went up to
him and the sergeant-at-arms in an excited manner demand-
ed the delivery of the office, to which the secretary replied
very calmly that he was the Secretary of State and this was
his office. Senator Dillard remarked more emphatically
than politely, something to the sergeant that frightened the
secretary and he appealed to me for protection. I told him
he needed no protection, all we wanted him to do was to
get out of the office. He replied that he would like to go
around and show me the different departments and where I
would find everything, but I told him I could find every-
thing, and I conducted him to the door.

Messrs. Dillard, Robertson and sergeant-at-arms left me
in the office and went to the office of J. C. DeGress, the Su-
perintendent of Public Instruction. I was told by DeGress
the next morning that he wished to consult me professionally
because he had been handled roughly, but I refused. The
other elected officers took their places in the different of-
fices from that time and the government went on under
Democratic auspices.

CHAPTER XIX.

SUBSEQUENT CAREER AS A STATE OFFICIAL.

I remained Secretary of State until the arrival of A. W.
DeBerry of Panola County, who had been appointed regular
Secretary of State and my name was sent in for appoint-
ment as Attorney General, which was promptly confirmed.

84 A GLANCE BACKWARD

and I entered the Attorney General's office where I remain-
ed for more than two years. The duties of that office were
very onerous for a time as all the departments had just been
reorganized with new heads and new clerks, besides the
absolute necessity of additional legislation, corrective of
what had been done before and promotive of the future.

There were upon the docket of the Supreme Court about
four hundred criminal appeals, besides more than two hun-
dred cases of civil appeal, involving interests of vital im-
portance, among them the case of Kuechler vs. Wright, in-
volving hundreds of thousands of locations, made under the
act of 1870 or 1871, and the case of Bledsoe vs. Interna-
tional Railroad Co., involving millions of dollars voted as a
subsidy to that railroad. These cases were argued and sub-
mitted and a decision was rendered in favor of the State in
each instance. A progress was made in the submission of
cases of a criminal nature to the Supreme Court, but the
work was extremely onerous, as it developed upon the At-
torney General and the two clerks allowed the office were
not professional men.

Soon after the Legislature divided the sitting of the
Supreme Court, requiring it to hold its October term at
Tyler, lasting three months; its January term at Galveston,
lasting a like term and at Austin, beginning April 1st. I
foresaw at once that I would have to quit the office of Attor-
ney General and follow the court as Attorney General, and
spoke to several members of the Legislature stating to them
the condition, and that it would be absolutely essential for
them to create the office of Assistant Attorney General. One
member, peculiarly smart in his own conceit, suggested to
me that I had better resign, but he did not go beyond the
suggestion after I replied to him. They said they could not
favor such a measure and I replied to several members that
jt was perfectly immaterial to me as I would leave the office
vacant while I was attending to greater duties at Tyler and
Galveston, so on the first of October I went to Tyler and a
part of the term remained there.

I went back to Austin on the first of November and was
married there on the 4th of November, 1874, to Mary Pau-

A GLANCE BACKWARD 85

line Johns. When the court met at Galveston I repaired
there and remained in attendance until I received a message
from Governor Coke asking me to come back to Austin. T
returned and found that the Legislature of its own accord
had created the office of Assistant Attorney General, and he
wished to consult me as to whom he should appoint, stating
that he wanted to appoint A. J. Peeler, to which I assented.
He was duly appointed and confirmed the next day, and
served the remainder of my official term, making a most
efficient officer.

My court work as Attorney General may be found in
Texas Reports from Vol. 40 to 46. I need not mention them
further. The office work I had incorporated in a large
bound volume but this was burned in 1879 when the old
Capitol was destroyed. I remained in this office until about
the 15th of April, 1876, when it was turned over to my suc-
cessor, Major H. H. Boone. Then I returned home and
formed a partnership with John L. Dyer, who was just en-
tering upon his career of great usefulness. Late in August,
1876, the Governor appointed me as one of the five com-
missioners to revise the statute laws of Texas, and I imme-
diately entered upon the duties as one of the commissioners.
We worked together faithfully for two years, but not con-
tinuous, and at the end of two years completed our labors.
The other commissioners were Charles S. West of Austin,
B. H. Bassett of Brenham, Sam A. Wilson of Rusk, and J.
W. Ferris of Waxahachie. In 1879 the work was submit-
ted to the Legislature and was adopted and went into force.

Late in October, 1879, I received a telegram extending
me the appointment of Judge of the Court of Criminal Ap-
peals, then called Court of Appeals, which I immediately
accepted and repaired to Tyler where the court was then in
session. My appointment was made to fill the vacancy
caused by the death of Judge M. D. Ector of Marshall. The
work of that court was very arduous, but I need not speak
of that as my work can be found in the 7th, 8th and 9th vol-
umes of Court of Appeals Reports. The nomination of suc-
cessor came up at Dallas in the summer of 1880 and my

86 A GLANCE BACKWARD

nomination was defeated by Judge J. M. Hurt of Sherman,
and I again took up the practice of law at Waco.

My defeat was gratifying rather than otherwise, as my
wife and I had been boarding, and I had promised her that
even if I were nominated on the ist of January following,
I would resign and go back to the practice of law in order
that we might have a home and remain there. I continued
in the practice of law, making a great deal of money and
spending a great deal, and enjoying my life as best I could.

CHAPTER XX.

ADMINISTRATION OF ROSS AND HOGG. .

I continued in the practice of law at my home at Waco
from 1880 to 1886 when the election for Governor came on,
and in 1882, friends of General Ross were anxious to enter
him in the race in competition with the Hon. John Ireland
of Seguin, but he was averse to the proposition, deeming it
not propitious for him at that time. Accordingly when the
convention met at Galveston, he asked me as a special favor
to go to the convention as a special delegate and not allow
his name to be used as a candidate for Governor. When
the nominations came in for that office, a large number of his
friends determined to put him up for the Governorship. I
followed them out of the hall of convention where they were
holding a consultation and told them that General Ross
would not entertain the proposition. They were determined,
however, to use him and put him in nomination. I told
them that in case they did that I would rise and withdraw
his name. They demanded of me what right I had, and I
told them that I had written authority from General Ross,
which was the case, bearing his own sign "Manuel." They
abandoned the project, and Governor Ireland was nomi-
nated without opposition.

In 1886 the opportunity seemed right and General Ross
announced himself as a candidate. He had as his oppo-
nents, the then Comptroller, W. J. Swain, J. T. Bracken-
ridge of Austin, and later on in the campaign Hon. D. C.

A GLANCE BACKWARD 87

Giddings of Brenham. The convention met at Galveston
in August, 1886, and when the nominations came in, Gen-
eral Ross swept the field and was nominated on the first
ballot. He was a pure, lovable man, brave as a lion, but in
politics quite timid. Twice during the campaign he became
disheartened at the prospect and wanted to withdraw. There
was nothing the matter with his candidacy and everything
was progressing beautifully. Finally he came to my office
and declared his abandonment of the candidacy, but I only
laughed at him for his timidity. He had no campaign com-
mittee, but left everything in my personal charge. I did not
even employ an extra stenographer, but found my stenog-
rapher perfectly adequate for the work I had to do. He
spent no money except for his own traveling expenses and
he made during his four years' term the most acceptable and
model Governor. I regard him as one of my best friends
and for twenty years the most perfect confidence existed
between us. He had the faculty of quietly controlling his
Legislature and there was never the slightest collision be-
tween them. He died in 1898, properly regretted by every
man, woman and child in the State, and lies buried at Waco
in Oakwood cemetery.

During the first session of the legislature under his ad-
ministration a constitutional amendment was submitted to
the people to prohibit the manufacture, sale or exchange of
spirituous or malt liquors within the State. At the incep-
tion of the campaign it looked as if prohibition would sweep
everything before it, but those opposed to it had no organ-
ization and the little management at their disposal went to
work very awkwardly. A convention was called by those op-
posing at Dallas early in May, 1887. I listened to the ad-
dress of R. O. Mills, which was the chief feature of the
morning session, but did not attend the convention in the
afternoon. Late in the afternoon a number of active poli-
ticians called upon me at the old Windsor Hotel and insist-
ed that I should take the chairmanship of the State Execu-
tive Committee and manage the campaign. I declined on
the ground that my business affairs were such that I could

88 A GLANCE BACKWARD

not spare the time, but their insistence became almost vio-
lent, several of them saying to me that their political for-
tunes had been cast in the die, and that they could not af-
ford to be beaten and I must take it. After parleying an hour
or more, I consented and was nominated as chairman in the
meeting that night. I returned home realizing the labor I
had undertaken, but such labor even surpassed all my
greatest anticipations. The contest was fearful for four
months and during the whole time it consumed almost
eighteen hours a day of incessant labor on my part. Every
county and precinct was marked with lurid oratory pro and
con.

On the 4th of August, 1887, the election was held and the
proposition was defeated by about a majority of one hun-
dred thousand, not including the votes of several counties
that had not been returned. There was warm feeling
throughout the State and much strong antagonism engender-
ed, even in families, but the victory was complete and its
effects lasted for more than twenty years.

James S. Hogg was elected Governor in November,
1890. He was a rugged, stalwart individual with many
good attributes and some bad ones. He had the power of
dominating his followers that I had never seen excelled in
any public man, and his influence was dominant and con-
trolling in every measure. His first administration evoked
caustic and sometimes angry disquisitions and comments,
and his utterances were not calculative to sooth the angry
feelings of man. He was named for his uncle, Captain James
McMath of my regiment. McMath was the same kind of a
character as Hogg and somewhat torn down by age. He was
one of my strongest friends in the army, although there was
a great disparity of ages. He commanded Company G of
the nth Alabama regiment, and I commanded Company B.
These companies joined each other in regimental formation.
On the 25th of June, 1862, as we were preparing to start out
in the memorable battles around Richmond, he came to me
and asked me to go with him as he wanted to talk to me.

A GLANCE BACKWARD 89

Reaching a quiet spot he drew from his pocket an accept-
ance of his resignation as Captain of Company G with his
transportation home and asked me what he should do. I
unhesitatingly replied that he should go home immediately.
He remarked to me that he had promised his men to serve
with them the full year which had been done and he was
now, according to my recollection, fifty-six years old. I ad-
vised him to go and remarked to him that at his age he
would hardly be able to stand the campaign that was to be-
gin the next morning. After thoughtful consideration on
his part, his face assumed a determination that I could not
mistake and with tears in his eyes he said, "No, I will go
through the campaign with the boys, and then go home." He
went into the campaign and fell dead on the field of Fra-
zier's farm, June 30, 1862. This was known to Governor
Hogg and myself and after the war when Hogg was a little
waif on the streets of Rusk, Texas, the widow of McMath
sent him money to come to the northern edge of Tuscaloosa
County, Alabama, where she resided and gave him the only
education he ever had. For this reason chiefly, Hogg and
I never had any personal unkindness between us.

In the year 1892, the movement was begun by those op-
posed to the Governor's policies to inaugurate a campaign
in opposition to his re-election. The meeting was called
at Dallas, I believe, in January, 1892. I attended. There
were no railroad influences, no railroad men, or no railroad
money. It was a meeting of the Democrats of Texas who
were opposed to the policies and measures of the Governor
and were influenced in no manner by any sinister purpose.
It was the opinion of the meeting that I should become a
candidate for Governor. I insisted that some one else should
be chosen and declined to make the race until I had due time
for reflection and communication with others. Letters be-
gan to pour in to me at Waco urging me to run for the of-
fice and pledging me their support. After due consideration
in about two weeks I began the canvass.

In the meantime, Colonel R. O. Mills, who had just been
defeated for Speaker of the House by Mr. Crisp of Geor-

306I92K

90 A GLANCE BACKWARD

gia, came to his home in Corsicana and wired me as a spe-
cial favor to come over to see him and I accordingly went
over at once, reaching there about eight o'clock one even-
ing. I spent the night with Colonel Mills at the Commer-
cial Hotel. He was a candidate for United States Senator
and said he could not be elected unless he could get some
friend to make a canvass for Governor and thus greatly
aid him. He urged me to make the race. I suggested sev-
eral different individuals who could make the race better,
stating that my affairs were not in good condition and re-
quired my personal attention for my professional duties. He
was positively insistent, and finally I agreed to make the
race, chiefly for his benefit.

I entered the race and opened the campaign at Weather-
ford, and while at Clarksville on the canvass, he was elect-
ed. The race was a fierce one and the State became thor-
oughly aroused. Many of the business and professional
men supported me and also a number of farmers, but the
majority of farmers supported Governor Hogg. Notwith-
standing this, if representation had been allowed as evi-
denced by results of the county conventions, I would have
at least had more than a third, perhaps nearly one-half of
the convention, but the supporters of Governor Hogg made
it a point to contest my delegation in every large county,
and this silenced the delegation in the organization of the
convention. I was challenged to submit my name to the
primary election in McLennan County, and the pledge was
given by the supporters of Governor Hogg that they would
defeat me ignominiously if I consented. I did consent and
the primary was held and I carried the county by over 1,200
majority. Notwithstanding this there was a vote of the
Hogg men and a contesting delegation was sent up to Hous-
ton, thereby silencing my own home delegation. This hap-
pened in numerous other instances all over the State.

The convention met at Houston in 1892 and after an up-
roarious endeavor at formation there was a bolt of my sup-
porters from the convention who proceeded to organize an-

A GLANCE BACKWARD 91

other convention in a different hall in the city of Houston.
I felt that this was a mistake, but I was not consulted, and
I had to accept the situation as I found it. Finally both con-
ventions made their nominations, and the issue was present-
ed to me as to what course I ought to pursue. It was clear
to me then that the true course was to acquiesce and let
Governor Hogg be elected, but my friends were insistent
that I had to run and my convention was unanimous in this
regard. These men had stood by me for months in the
canvass and I felt that I could not consistently ignore their
wishes, so the race continued.

The election came on, and while I received one hundred
and thirty-three thousand votes, mostly Democratic votes,
Governor Hogg received a much larger one. I was defeated
by about fifty thousand majority. Even the negroes who
voted as a rule voted for Governor Hogg. I was told after-
ward that they had been promised a university at Prairie
View, similar to the State University at Austin, by the
whites. This ended my political career as a matter of
course, but by 1894 the two factions got together again in
the convention held at Dallas that year. The view of our
platform, especially on the silver issue, was accepted by the
whole State convention of both factions, indorsing the ad-
ministration of President Cleveland, and pledging him sup-
port of the United Democracy of Texas. Since that date I
took no active part in politics except in 1896. I refused
with many other patriotic and sensible citizens to join in the
cry of free and unlimited coinage of silver at the ratio of
sixteen to one without regard to any other nation. Silver
at this time was worth only forty-four cents on the dollar
and the proposition to equalize it with gold seemed absurd
to me.

This concluded our efforts in a political behalf, and since
that time I have been identified with the gold standard Dem-
ocrats, who in so far as Texas was concerned have been in a
hopeless minority.

92 A GLANCE BACKWARD

CHAPTER XXI.

CONCLUSION, ETC.

But little remains for me to say that could be of interest
to anyone. My life since that time has been uneventful, ex-
cept along the line of professional engagements. I devoted
all my time and energies to my professional work, working
day in and day out, in court and out of court, usually in
important causes, sometimes in causes of lesser importance,
and have altogether led a life of industry and quietude.
There is no need in my stating the causes in which I have
been engaged as these are matters of court, recorded not
only in McLennan, but in many other counties and will re-
main there for all time.

About the year 1908 my sight began to fail, owing as
the oculist said, to the formation of a cataract on both eyes,
and in the year 1910, my loss of sight forced me to retire
from the busy affairs of life. I was persuaded by my
friends to apply to a celebrated specialist in the study of the
eyes, and yielding to their solicitations I did so in 1913, but
with sad results. Since that time I have relied altogether on
my right eye, as the left one had to be extracted.

I am living a quiet but pleasant life at the time of this
writing, which is October 1, 1914. The forced abstinence
from reading makes life somewhat dull, as I have been ac-
customed all my life to intense reading and have lived with
my library in a great measure. Notwithstanding this, my
days are passing pleasantly and all my labors are ended. I
still feel buoyant. Doubtless I have made many mistakes
in life, but in looking back over my career I cannot recall a
single instance where I have knowingly injured a man.
woman or child. My life on the whole has been pleasurable
through all its vicissitudes, and now in the evening of my
days I can sit calmly in my home and meet friends with
whom I have associated for half a century with the same
pleasurable emotions as I could in my younger days.

I am now in my seventy-fourth year, which is beyond
the average life of a human. With pleasant surroundings I

A GLANCE BACKWARD

93

look backwards and forward with perfect calmness, know-
ing that the bountiful Creator who brought me here without
consultation and will take me away in the same manner will
treat me with the same kindness and consideration that T
have enjoyed through life.