CONTENTS.

[CHAPTER I.]
Causes Leading up to the Civil War.
Origin of the War[ 9]
Party Lines[ 10]
States Secede [ 11]
[CHAPTER II.]
Beginning of Hostilities.
The War Begins[ 11]
Young Men Volunteer[ 12]
Parting Scenes[ 13]
Recusant Conscripts and Deserters[ 14]
Loss of Loved Ones[ 15]
Roll Call of the Dead[ 15]
[CHAPTER III.]
Condition of People Left at Home.
Affairs at Home[ 17]
Civil Officers at Home[ 18]
Money in Circulation[ 18]
Farming Interests[ 19]
Women of the War[ 20]
Cotton King[ 21]
Soldiers on Furlough[ 21]
Homespun Dresses[ 21]
[CHAPTER IV.]
Peace Demonstration Among the People.
Peace Movement[ 22]
Young Man Pilot[ 23]
Soldiers Break Up Meeting[ 23]
Leader of Movement[ 23]
Old Men Released[ 24]
Peace Sentiment not Suppressed[ 25]
[CHAPTER V.]
Bill of Fare in the Southern Army.
Soldiers Rations[ 25]
Rations Supplemented[ 26]
Extra Rations Found[ 26]
Coons and Foxes[ 27]
Unripe Persimmons[ 27]
The Army not Starving[ 28]
Rations of Whiskey[ 28]
Short Rations[ 29]
Soldiers Forage[ 29]
Questionable Methods[ 30]
Detail to Cook[ 30]
Reproof of Conscience[ 32]
Mince Pie[ 32]
Chaplain’s Lecture[ 33]
[CHAPTER VI.]
Surroundings of Soldiers and Soldier Life.
Phases of Soldier Life[ 33]
Southern Soldiers[ 34]
Many Surprises[ 35]
Appearances Deceptive[ 35]
Soldiers in Camp[ 35]
Congenial Companions[ 36]
Disputes and Quarrels[ 37]
Winter Quarters[ 37]
Demoralizing Influences[ 38]
Religious Worship[ 38]
[CHAPTER VII.]
Characteristics of Soldiers.
Difference of Soldiers[ 39]
The Homesick Soldier[ 40]
Strenuous Soldiers[ 41]
Conservative Soldiers[ 41]
[CHAPTER VIII.]
Citizens Visiting in Camp and the Sick Soldier.
The Sick Soldier[ 42]
Surgeon’s Call[ 42]
Simple Minded Sick Soldier[ 43]
Despondent Sick Soldier[ 43]
Visiting[ 45]
Portly Gentleman[ 45]
Lady Visitors[ 46]
[CHAPTER IX.]
Incidents of Camp and Prison Life.
Soldiers in Prison[ 46]
Exchange of Prisoners[ 47]
Punishment[ 48]
Rations[ 48]
Camp Life[ 49]
Soldier on Inspection[ 50]
Recruit on Guard[ 51]
An Economical Soldier[ 53]
A Soldier’s Retort[ 53]
A Boisterous Soldier[ 54]
Recruit Detailed[ 56]
[CHAPTER X.]
Picket Lines, Battles and Battlefields.
Picket Line[ 57]
Picket or Scout[ 57]
On the Picket Line[ 58]
Exchange of Courtesies[ 59]
Fearful Experience[ 60]
Burned Bodies of the Dead[ 61]
Test of Valor[ 61]
Escape to the Enemy[ 62]
Welcome Peace[ 62]
On the War Path[ 62]
Unreliable Soldiers[ 63]
Music in Battle[ 63]
Battles[ 64]
Battlefields[ 65]
After the Battle[ 67]
[CHAPTER XI.]
Fourteenth Regiment N. C. Infantry and General
Officers of the Army of Northern Va.
Fourteenth N. C. Regiments[ 67]
Officers[ 68]
Unique Characters[ 69]
A Brave Soldier[ 70]
Color Bearer[ 70]
Amusing Scenes[ 70]
On the Campaign[ 71]
Distressing Scenes[ 72]
Battles Engaged in[ 73]
Victory and Defeat[ 73]
Decisive Battle[ 75]
The Enemy Surprised[ 75]
Battle of Chancellorsville[ 75]
At Apomattox[ 76]
General Officers[ 77]
General Cox[ 77]
General Grimes[ 78]
General Ramseur[ 78]
General Rodes[ 79]
General D. H. Hill[ 79]
General A. P. Hill[ 80]
General Ewell[ 80]
General Early[ 81]
General Stuart[ 81]
General Longstreet[ 82]
General Breckenridge[ 82]
General Gordon[ 82]
General Wheeler[ 82]
General Jackson[ 83]
General Robert E. Lee[ 84]
Recapitulation[ 85]
[CHAPTER XII.]
Reconstruction Period.
Surrender of Lee[ 86]
Right to Secede[ 87]
Sherman’s March to the Sea[ 87]
Home Coming of Soldiers[ 88]
Assassination of Lincoln[ 89]
Federal Officers[ 90]
Conduct of Yankee Soldiers[ 90]
Looters Follow Yankee Army[ 91]
Provisional Government[ 91]
The Negro Enfranchised[ 91]
Carpetbaggers[ 92]
The Negro Politician[ 92]
Election a Farce[ 93]
Legislature[ 93]
County Officers[ 94]
Crimes Committed[ 96]
Negroes Offensive[ 96]
Ku Klux Klan[ 97]
Holden and Kirk[ 97]
Judiciary Exhausted[ 98]
Judge Brooks[ 99]
Negro Problem[ 99]
The Oldtime Darkey[ 100]
The Emancipated Negro[ 101]
The Coming South[ 103]

Reminiscences of the Civil War, 1861-1865.

CHAPTER I.
CAUSES LEADING UP TO THE CIVIL WAR.

Origin of the War.—At this time, more than forty years removed from the date of the exciting scenes enacted in the sixties, I desire for the benefit and edification of my relatives, soldier friends and other special friends, in a plain unvarnished style to record a few of the incidents and doings of the people, who were active participants in the drama of those strenuous times. I shall not confine myself to dates or specially comment on the personal history of anyone, but merely wish to rescue from oblivion such items of information as occur to me, quoting entirely from memory, not having any notes taken at the time to refer to. I propose to deal in facts, and any reference I may make will reflect my views from the stand point of a young man of that period. For a few years prior to the beginning of the war, I by reading the current literature or newspaper productions of the country, and listening to discussions of leading men of the times, had kept myself fairly well posted. The signs of the times were ominous and indications pointed to a disruption. Dark, threatening clouds of war seemed to hover over our fair land that had so long enjoyed the blessings of peace and prosperity. Perhaps we did not appreciate or failed to realize it, we were really living in a land that flowed with milk and honey.

Party Lines.—Like every other great revolution the awful calamity was preceded by a political revolution. Party lines were broken and sectional issues caused an alignment of parties North and South. The burning questions of Slavery and State Rights were brought prominently to the front. Incendiary speeches were made and incendiary literature scattered broadcast over the land. The National Democratic Party assembled in convention, disagreed upon a platform, and the result was a division of the delegates and the placing of two candidates in the field for president viz.: Douglas and Breckenridge. The old Whig Party was defunct and its scattered forces rallied with Bell for its standard bearer, assuming the name of Knownothing, or American Party. North of Mason and Dixon’s line a strong sectional party had been organized known as the Republican Party, with Abraham Lincoln for its candidate for the presidency. The campaign was fierce and bitter to the extreme. The leaders advocating the claims of their respective candidates were aggressive and abusive, and the people wrought up to a high pitch of excitement. The canvassing and comparing: the votes in the Electoral College gave Lincoln the requisite number, and he was declared elected. On the fourth day of March 1861 he became president of the United States. The fanatics of the North and fire eaters of the South at once got busy, and by their officious activity precipitated the war.

States Secede.—The Cotton States seceded and set up a government of their own. Jefferson Davis was elected president of the Southern Confederacy. North Carolina with other border States waited for some overt act of Lincoln before passing the Ordinance of Secession. A convention was called, delegates elected and assembled. The convention was composed of delegates, a majority of whom were elected as union delegates, and of course the delegates were backed by a constituency of the same sentiment. The people of the old North State clung to the Union as long as there was a vestige of hope of its preservation.

CHAPTER II.
BEGINNING OF HOSTILITIES.

The War Begins.—Fort Sumpter was fired upon and surrendered. Lincoln called for troops from North Carolina to help to subjugate her Southern sister States. Governor Ellis promptly informed the president that no troops would be furnished from the State for such a purpose, and at once called for volunteers to assist the South in its struggle for independence. The state followed the lead of Virginia, identified herself with the South, and the war was on.

The most loyal friends of the Union now plainly saw that war was inevitable, and that there was no neutral ground to occupy. This plain proposition presented itself that all must fight, and to fight for the perpetuation or restoration of the Union meant crossing the lines and taking up arms against our own homes and our own people. Very few were willing to take this step or assume such a responsibility. Past differences of opinion were to a great extent reconciled, the bulk of the people stood together, joined the Southern forces, fought under the same flag, and startled the civilized world with their wonderful achievements.

Young Men Volunteer.—Young men of my immediate neighborhood volunteered, some of them deceived by the spell-binders who in their harangues asserted that all of the blood lost in the war could be wiped up with a silk handkerchief. These impetuous uncompromising war men soon began to maneuver to screen themselves and their sons from serving as soldiers in the army, and were busy trying to secure bomb proof positions or hire substitutes. The conservative element composed largely of the honest yeomanry of the country, including many of its best citizens, although not ambitious for military honors, or overanxious to become soldiers, held themselves in readiness to join the army when they considered it time for them to go or their country demanded their services. As time moved on the army was enlarged and the home force depleted. From time to time citizens left their homes to exchange the garb of the citizen for the uniform of the soldier.

Parting Scenes.—There were many pathetic scenes at the parting of loved ones. The mother reluctantly gave up her sons that she had fondly hoped would be to her a solace, comfort and support in her declining years. The boys in their vigorous young manhood went to the war, but many or them never crossed the threshold of home again. The faithful wife kissed her husband good-bye fondly hoping, wishing and praying that he would be spared to return home again, perhaps in a short time she was left a lonely widow with the double responsibility resting upon her of training the little family of more than orphan children that with her were left to mourn their irreparable loss. The affectionate sister who had grown up in the same home with a brother she was proud of, helped him to get ready to go to the war, feeling sure he would return home with honors in a short time, but the ravages of disease, the exposures of the camp or march, or a fatal shot from the enemy caused him to fill a soldier’s grave. The sweet young girl enjoying the ecstatic bliss of loves bright, young dream, cheered her lover as he moved on to the war, and perhaps at parting they exchanged vows of undying affection, but cruel fate deprived the gallant young soldier of the privilege of returning to claim his bride. He too, had to give up his life on the fatal field of battle.

Ere the war was half over the most of the ablebodied men were required to join the army. Many of them promptly responded, while others not willing to risk the dangers to which soldiers were exposed refused to go and concealed themselves.

Recusant Conscripts and Deserters.—In some sections of the country there were recusant conscripts and deserters consisting of two classes. There were some substantial citizens at home that were doing well, quietly attending to their own home affairs, without paying much attention to the politics of the country. These citizens were uncompromising union men, opposed to the war, quietly concealed themselves and failed to report for duty when called upon. They were not outlaws in the full acceptation of the term, were supported by homefolks and friendly sympathizers, and did not interfere with the personal rights or property of anyone. There were others though who were vindictive and terrorized the people by pillaging, stealing, robbing, doing private injury and sometimes threatening the lives of people at home. In places infested by such gangs a fearful state of affairs existed. These recusant conscripts and deserters were hunted by details of soldiers already in the service, assisted by militia officers at home. Some of the militia officers rendered themselves very unpopular by offensive methods used to capture men who were dodging, consequently a very bitter feeling was engendered between neighbors and sometimes between members of the same family. The power of the civil government and military was used to induce all to join the army, and the most of the men subject to military duty had to go, although some went under protest.

Loss of Loved Ones.—As the war advanced there was mourning in many homes, on account of the loss of loved ones. Within a radius of a very few miles of my home many stalwart young men were brought home dead, having sickened and died in camp, on the march, in the hospital, or having been slain in battle. Many a poor boy the idol of a good mother gave up his life on the gory battlefield, deprived of the tender care and affectionate ministrations of a mother, sister or wife to comfort him in his dying hour. Some were left with their bones to bleach on the gory field of battle, others were never accounted for and if buried at all were buried by strangers that did not know them and perhaps did not want to know them.

Roll Call of The Dead.—The following principally young men are the names of some of my relations, playmates, schoolmates, acquaintances or soldier comrades that lost their lives during the war: