Still another. At the same time and place with the last, a lady whose horse had been taken, came out to Col. Phillips, very pleasant, and announced herself as a daughter of Gen. Bradshaw; took the Colonel's horse by the bridle, and told him that she would be servant for him, and he had to submit to having her lead his horse up to her gate. She invited him to go in and have something to drink. He could not well refuse her invitation, even if he had desired to. Once in the house, she told him that she had both wine and whisky. Said she did not know how it was with our officers, but theirs all preferred the whisky. The Colonel told her that he would not be an exception, and so helped himself to a portion of the whisky.
Another one yet. During the raid on Florence, when the town was being searched, and contraband goods taken, tobacco and wine were both regarded as contrabands of war. Considerable quantities of both were found in the town. Dr. Allen tells of one soldier whom he saw with three boxes of tobacco on his mule before him. Having more than he could well carry, and meeting a citizen on the street, proposed to give him a box. Another, whom he met, had three or four boxes of bottles of wine on before him. Being rather overburdened, he made a present of one box to the Doctor, which he accepted, I suppose, as hospital stores.
Another on Dr. Gulick. I hope the good natured Doctor will pardon me for using his name so frequently in this connection. When on the return march from the raid to Grenada, Miss., as has been stated, there was a drove of about 2,000 negroes followed the returning column. They were of all ages, and both sexes. Old grey headed grandfathers and grandmothers were there. Men and women in the vigor of life were there. Prattling little boys and little girls were there. Suckling babes were there also. This great crowd of colored people were there, some of them pretty well clad, others almost naked. It is described as a sight sufficient to touch the heart of any one. Mothers were there, traveling on foot a journey of 75 to 100 miles, carrying their infant children. Two or three of these mothers, overcome with traveling to keep up with a mounted force, carrying their children, actually laid them down by the road side, and pressed on to liberty. "Can a mother forget her sucking child?" Some of these poor creatures seemed willing to leave their children behind, rather than be left themselves, hoping, perhaps, that some "good Samaritan" would care for them. The Doctor, kind-hearted man, finding one of these little ones, alighted and picked it up, and as some of the boys passed him, was dandling the child. He placed it in his ambulance, and when they halted, he found its mother. All praise to the Doctor for this humane act.
Another fact, closely connected with this rebellion, for the suppression of which our Regiment has so nobly contended. While in camp at Pocahontas, the writer took the pains to ascertain some facts with reference to the education of the citizens. When we had been in camp about three months, I called at the Provost Marshal's office, and ascertained that 1,520 citizens had taken the oath of allegiance, that they might make purchases of coffee, salt, &c. from our Commissary. Of the above number, just 300 could write their own names. The other 1,220 had to have their names written and make their mark. At another point where the Regiment was in camp, on the Tennessee River, out of 313 who took the oath in one day, only 13 could write their own names. The remaining 300 had to make their mark.
Now, looking at these facts, and if they are anything like an approximation even, to the state of society in the South, need we any longer wonder at this rebellion? A few well informed and designing leaders can go into a community, such as the above facts indicate, and influence its inhabitants to almost any course of action they may desire.
[CHAPTER VII.]
FROM THE TIME OF LEAVING POCAHONTAS TO THE PRESENT.
Orders to move camp—March to Eastport—Regiment detached for scouting duty—From Eastport to Pulaski—Pulaski to Athens—Scouting along the Tennessee—Going into quarters—Roddy's Raid—Scout below Florence.
As stated in the preceding chapter, there had been much said about our Regiment leaving camp and being thrown out into an active campaign; that that excitement had passed away, and the boys had prepared themselves with comfortable quarters in which to spend the winter.
When thus comfortably fixed for living during the winter, orders came for the Regiment to be ready to move on the morning of October 30th. Thus the comfortable little dwellings prepared by the boys; the chapel prepared for our religious services; the new hospital just finished, and such like comforts were all left behind. But such is the common lot of soldiers. They have a very uncertain life before them. They know not to-day, where they shall be on to-morrow. The order was to conduct a Battery to Corinth. Whence, from there, we knew not.