Page:Confederate Veteran volume 01.djvu/58

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50
CONFEDERATE VETERAN.

the beat in our crowded condition. We were taken in charge on the island by a negro regiment, who were instructed to take all U.S. blankets, clothing, canteens, and all other trinkets marked U.S., which they did, leaving some of our men nearly bare. We were kept under range of the Confederate batteries on Sullivan and James' Islands and battery wagons for forty-two days. We obtained the water we drank while on the island by digging holes in the sand for the water to accumulate in; this, you perceive, was fine (?) water in August! Our negro guards treated us roughly for awhile. Issuing our scanty rations to us. they poured the hardtack and thin slices of meat into the tent on the sand. By and by, through persuasion, we gained their sympathy and they were kinder to us. stealing for us extra rations and paying us most extravagant prices for our horn, bone, and wood rings, and other trinket- fashioned in our leisure. "We were removed to Fort Pulaski and Hilton Head. Some parties had escaped from Andersonville, and said they were fed on sour sorghum and corn bread; in retaliation we were given pickles and refuse corn meal, the result of which had almost completely broken down our six hundred, none of whom were scarcely able to drag themselves along. "This awful affair has never been printed before, so far as I know. "I am very respectfully, "Joseph L. Lemon."

GALLANT TENNESSEAN KILLED NEAR RICHMOND.

This little Confederate Veteran has put many people to looking up old documents that will ever be sacred to them. Mrs. T. S. Colley, of Franklin, kindly sends a copy of an article from the Richmond Enquirer, of July 17, 1862. Its literal reproduction will be in- teresting to young readers. as it breathes the spirit of the time that it was written. In Col. Shackleford's honor the Bivouac at Fayetteville was named. Maj. F. G. Buchanan is its President, and W. H. Cashine tin- Secretary: " Among the noble brave who fell in the recent bat- tles near Richmond, perhaps no one deserves more honorable mention than Lieut. John C. Shaekleford, of the First Tennessee Regiment, who fell on Friday, the 27th of June, while gallantly leading his regiment in the first charge at Gaines' Mills. Col. Shaekleford was in the battle of Seven Pines, and also commanded his regiment in the light at Ellison's Mills on Thurs- day before the battle in which he fell. In every ac- tion, though but twenty-six years of age, he showed himself to possess in an eminent degree the qualities of a good commander, to w it., coolness, self-possession, and bravery. So gallantly did he demean himself upon the field in the thickest of the light that the soldiers would often exclaim: 'Surely Col. Shackleford's nerves are steel!" When shot he was waving his sword above his head and cheering his men on, but so thick and terrible was the leaden storm that our men were ordered to retreat. A soldier offered to take him off the field, but he said : 'No: it is no use; take care of yourself." He was universally popular, and was the favorite of his own regiment. The First Tennessee will ever cherish his memory with the most grateful recollections, lie was a most ardent and enthusiastic devotee to the southern cause, was among the first to respond to his country's call, and was in the service of the Confederate States in Virginia he- fore his native State had seceded from the old Union. With him love of the Confederacy was a passion, and he seemed to but carry his life in his hand, that he might throw it upon the altar of his own loved native South whenever her interest demanded it. His devo- tedly affectionate parents, brothers and sisters, are sadly bereaved in the loss of so noble, gifted, and promising a son and brother, but may they be con- soled in the reflection that he died at his post, in the full discharge of his whole duty, and now fills a hero's grave."

Col. Shackleford was commanding Col. (now Gov- ernor) Pete Tumey's regiment at the time of his death. The fatality in this famous regiment was awful. When this genial, brave man was killed Col. Turney was suf- fering from an almost fatal wound. He was succeeded by McLauglin, who was also killed, and he by Maj. Buchanan, who was wounded.

TO DAUGHTERS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS.

Dear Girls — In these days, when disintegration threatens to overturn society, when perplexed philos- ophers bring up the question of single tax as a rem- edy for all existing governmental disorder, we south- ern women keep one little old adage locked close to our hearts — "The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world." It speaks to our hearts as nothing else does, and we are satisfied to do our part through this me- dium. In preceding generations the women of our Southland have made it the very birthplace of enna- bling qualities. In this connection I speak especially of the kindergarten. It is progressive in the highest sense. Woman's nature is in thorough sympathy with that of the little child. Let us advance shoulder to shoulder under the Kentucky motto, " In unity there is strength." We look on the little child as a beauti- ful plant given to us by our Divine Master. The child plant is growing, growing, growing! He will be a man — an element for good or evil in society even be- fore we know it. Quick, then, let us surround him with happy, moral influences, because the tender roots of his nature are reaching out and they will assimi- late what they find. You remember who said, "Suf- fer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not." If society is cold and selfish — if every man is for himself, with no interest in his fellows, it is be- cause the religion Christ taught did not touch his soul when a little child. If religion was made a joy to the child, so that he would love it, and take it in, and assimilate it as the flowers do the sunshine, the world would grow better in his manhood. Does the present state of society tell you there is anything lacking? Man has a three-fold nature — mental, moral, and phys- ical, to be supplied with food. The statistics of peda- gogy show - that in preceding generations (Grecian edu- cation finally failed because it gradually lost sight of the moral side. Shall we fail for this cause? The kindergarten meets the higher demands as well. There are kindergartens in most of the large cities of the South, and there should be in the towns and in the country. Women of the South, this is our herit- age, and 1 tell you that one hour with children is worth more than all other antidotes for worry, care, and sorrow. Mas.