Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 26.djvu/332

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322 Southern Historical Society J'n/><-rx.

like a deer, never touching a rail or slacking his gait, and sped on with the swiftness of the wind until Moorefield was reached.

I glanced back to see what had become of my pursuers, but they never got over the fence. In a few minutes, on the southern side of the town, a number of our command had collected, determined to hold the Yankees in check; but they never came in any force farther than our camp. I lost my saddle and bridle, and a small ham of meat that I had kept as a reserve when nothing else could be had.

This completes the story of the burning of Chambersburg, and is written entirely from personal recollection. Others may have seen it differently, but I have given the truth as I saw it. Nothing, so far as I know, has been written by a Confederate on the subject, and yet it was one of the most daring and reckless undertakings of the war.

WANT NO NEW GRAVE-KEEPERS.

What can I say of these daring riders, and, in general, of the Confederate soldier? He stands alone! Scorning a pension, too proud to beg, too honorable to steal and perjure himself by swear- ing that his poverty came from being in the army! What a contrast to those who opposed him 963,000 of them living as government paupers, and $200,000,000 wrung out of the South to help pay these mendicants. And yet the Confederate is more loyal to the United States Government than these cormorants at the public crib. No doubt there are many deserving pensioners, who ought to be recog- nized by the government in the shape of an annuity, who actually received wounds and had their health undermined by the war. The Confederate says, cheerfully, pay him.

This is a time of "gush," but you will never get a Confederate who stood on the " fiery fringe of battle " to say that he wants a pension. We are able and willing to work and make a living, and if we are not, the State and local authorities will see that we do not starve. As for our graves and cemeteries being attended to by others than ourselves, we demur. We have kept them green for forty years, why not forty years longer ? They need no care, except such as can be rendered by our fair daughters. The memory of the dead will always be precious to us, for was there ever such an army that had such dauntless courage, such unwavering fidelity, and made

so many heroic sacrifices ?

J. SCOTT MOORE,

Lexington, Va. ifth Va. Cavalry, C. S. A.