Brad Merry's name recalls an incident that occurred at the Charleston Reunion in 1899. Brad and the writer had agreed to make the homeward trip together. On reaching the train I failed to meet him. The coaches were crowded, but I finally secured a seat with a stranger, who after the formation of a railroad acquaintance, proved to be Rev. T. P. Cleveland, living near Atlanta. After a pleasant chat about our mutual friends in Atlanta and elsewhere, I strolled through the train in search of my friend Brad. Finding him in a forward coach, I chanced to say, with no special reason for making the statement, that I had a seat with a Rev. Mr. Cleveland. "What's his full name?" asked Brad, with a look of interest. "T. P." I replied. "Tom Cleveland! Why there isn't a man in the world I'd rather see. We were old schoolmates. Where is he?" Taking him back to my coach I said, "Mr. Cleveland, here's an old friend of yours, Brad Merry." The meeting was a very joyous one. As the glamour of the old days came over them and with glowing faces and happy hearts they talked of the long ago, a lady stepped across the aisle and said, "Didn't I hear this gentleman call you Mr. Brad Merry?" "You certainly did, madam," said Brad. "Why, Mr. Merry, I know you. Your battalion was camped near my father's house for a long time and you and your comrades came over nearly every evening and sang for us. We had mighty pleasant times together in those old war days." Brad's smile reached from his chin to the back of his neck as he grasped her hand and said, "I am delighted to see you again. I remember you distinctly. Your father had three girls, Virginia, Alabama and Tennessee." "Well," said she, "this is Virginia," and pointing across the aisle to her sister, "there's Alabama." The ride to Augusta was no longer tiresome or tedious. In the renewal of their old time acquaintance and the revival of so many personal memories the hours sped swiftly and when I left the train Brad was using all his persuasive power to induce the entire party to stop over at Berzelia and brighten for a time his Pinetucky home.
They were strangers to me, but I enjoyed their happiness and was glad to have been the unconscious instrument in bringing them together again. But for the accident of my finding that special seat vacant, these four ships would have "passed in the night," possibly to hail each other no more until with wearied sail they cast their final anchor in the harbor that lies beyond the sunset.
OGLETHORPE INFANTRY, CO. B.
(Company A, Ninth Regiment Georgia State Troops.)
OFFICERS.
Edwin W. Ansley, Captain.
Frank H. Miller, First Lieutenant.
Thomas H. Holleyman, Second Lieutenant.
M. G. Hester, Third Lieutenant.
Ed. F. Kinchley, Commissary.
W. C. Sibley, Secretary and Treasurer.
G. E. Boulineau, Orderly.
G. W. Hersey, Second Sergeant.
S. A. Verdery, Third Sergeant.
Ed. E. Dortic, Fourth Sergeant.
W. A. Paul, First Corporal.
J. M. Weems, Second Corporal.
W. H. Frazer, Third Corporal.
James Heney, Fourth Corporal.
PRIVATES.
Armstrong, Pat.
Bruckner, J. D.
Butler, G. P.
Barrow, Wm.
Bailie, G. A.
Butt, Wm. P.
Cheesborough, Wm.
Chenell, John.
Calvin, M. V.
Cress, J. G.
Cheesborough, C. M.
DuBose, Robt. M.
Davis, Jas. S.
Duvall, R. B.
Davies, John N.
Day, John H.
Fleming, Peter L.
Gartrell, Jas. M.
Glover, Wm.
Heard, Henry.
Henry, Jacob A.
Hett, Ed.
Hitt, Dan W.
Hubbard, Jas. C.
Jonas, Chas H.
Kerniker, Ed.
Kenner, Jas. H.
Lane, Lucius A.
Mulherin, Wm.
Marshall, Jno. D.
Merry, Brad.
Nunn, Tom P.
Norris, W. B.
Nelson, Tom C.
Niblett, Jas. M.
O'Hara, Thos.
Parker, Gustave A.
Phinizy, Thos. A.
Page, Alexander.
Richmond, H. P.
Roulette, Mike.
Shackleford, J. H.
Setze, Jno.
Shaw, Alfred W.
Simmons, R. R.
Smythe, Wm. W.
Stevens, Jno.
Samuel, Wolfe.
Shaw, Wm. A.
Tant, Wm. D.
Tuttle, Dan W.
Thomas, Wm.
Thompson, Wm. K.
Travis, Luke.
Tant, Alexander.
Verdery, Eugene.
White, Wm. B.
Wiley, Landly J.
Wingfield, W. J.
Woodard, C. B.
Wolfe, Mike.
Youngblood, Sam. M.
Young, Jas. R.
MUSTER ROLL OF OGLETHORPE INFANTRY,
COMPANY C, 2D GA. SHARPSHOOTERS.