The Blue and the Gray; Or, The Civil War as Seen by a Boy

by Annie Randall White

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  Meanwhile, arguing went on between the Confederates and the garrison, tothe effect that the United States government had gone to pieces andthey ought to evacuate the fort quietly. But that was not the sort ofmaterial that Major Anderson was made of. And when fire was opened uponhim, he returned it in kind, and fought valiantly. It was not till the13th that he had to surrender. Twice the wooden frame on the insidetook fire, and when the flag staff on the fort was shot away, a servant{294}named Peter Hart made a staff of a spar, and nailed it to the guncarriages on the parapet under the hot fire of the enemy.

  On the 14th Major Anderson and his garrison sadly left the fort aftersaluting the dear old flag, and went on board the _Baltic_, which borethem to New York.

  In May, 1861, Robert Anderson was made brigadier-general in the UnitedStates army, commanding the Department of the Cumberland. His healthfailed so rapidly that he was shortly after relieved and brevettedmajor-general in the regular army, when he was retired from service. In1868 his health had failed so rapidly that he went to Europe, hoping forrelief. His translations from the French on military matters, have beenaccepted as valuable textbooks, and are used by the War Department. Thehealth he sought eluded him, and his death took place at Nice, France,October 26, 1871.

  GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE.

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  ENERAL ROBERT EDWARD LEE came from what is known in the South, as agood family. He was the son of Colonel Henry Lee, who was known inRevolutionary days as "Lighthorse Harry." Robert was born at Stafford,Virginia, January 19, 1807. He became a cadet at West Point in 1825, andgraduated second in his class, composed of forty-six members, in 1829.He never received a mark of demerit or a reprimand during his four yearsat that institution, thus showing that he honored discipline--a finetrait in the young. He became a lieutenant in the corps of engineers,and superintending engineer in improvements of the harbor of St. Louisand the upper Mississippi. He also served with great distinction aschief engineer of the army under General Scott. His gallant conduct atCerro Gordo, Contreras, Churubusco and Chapultepec, in the Mexican War,in the latter engagement receiving {295}a severe wound, won him honors,and he was brevetted major, lieutenant-colonel and colonel.

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  He was appointed superintendent of the military, academy at West Pointfrom 1852 to 1855, when in the latter year two new regiments of cavalrywere formed, in the second of which he secured an appointment aslieutenant-colonel, a most deserved honor. Two years were spentin Texas, but a leave of absence being granted him, he returned toVirginia. He had command of the forces sent to suppress old John Brownat Harper's Ferry, in October, 1859.

  The year 1832 was an eventful one to him, for in that year he chosea fair daughter of his native State, for his bride. The lady whom heselected was Mary Custis, daughter of G. W. P. Custis; the latter wasthe grandson of Martha Custis, and the adopted son of George Washington.General Lee became heir to the estates of Arlington House on thePotomac, and the White House on the Pamunkey. The Arlington estate wasconfiscated by the Government during the war, and is now nationalproperty, and the site of a Union soldiers' cemetery.

  When the ordinance of secession was passed in Virginia, April 17, 1861,he at once resigned his commission in the United States army, and wroteto General Scott these words--"Save in defence of my native State, Inever desire again to draw my sword." He felt keenly that there was noneed of revolution, and would gladly have asked for redress of whatevergrievances his State felt that they suffered, but in vain, and hedeclared that {296}although his devotion to the Union was sincere, andhe knew what was demanded of the duty and loyalty of an American, yethe could not raise his hand against his friends, his children, and hishome.

  Virginia had seceded from the Union, but had not yet acknowledged theConfederacy. He was chosen major-general of the forces of the State, atrust which he honestly assumed, and for more than a year, although hewas named as one of the five generals whom the State elected after itjoined the Confederacy, in May, still he was merely superintendent offortifications at Richmond, and a sort of military adviser to JeffersonDavis.

  His military record, as commander of the Southern army, proves himto have been one of the ablest generals that history furnishes us anyrecord of. When he met General Grant in that little Virginia village,to confer with him as to terms of surrender, it was the meeting of twogreat commanders, each worthy of a world's admiration.

  After the war General Lee refused to attend any public gatherings, butlived a secluded life. His fortune had vanished, his hopes had beendefeated, and he was compelled to accept the position of President ofWashington College, Lexington, Va. This was in October of 1865. To thelast he was in favor of reconstruction in the South, without recourse toarms.

  On the evening of September 28, 1870, he was struck with paralysis, andlived but a fortnight, dying on October 12. Thus passed away a man ofgreat nobility of character, brave and sincere.

  His wife, Mary, followed him on November 6, 1873. The General had threesons and four daughters. All of his sons served in the civil war.

  AFTER THE BATTLE.

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  T {297}was just after the battle of Chancellorsville, and the storm ofshot and shell had ceased to rain upon the wounded, who were pinioned inthe blazing woods, when the sudden blow which Stonewall Jackson's armyhad struck, had left a trail of woe and blood. The dense forest hadhidden the oncoming of Jackson's forces. They stole in noiselessly andfell upon the Union men under General Hooker, like an avalanche.

  The pickets had not given the alarm, so swift and silent had beenJackson's advance. The battle was over. The musketry had ceased itsrattle, and darkness had fallen, lit only by the red blaze whichenwrapped the Confederate and Union wounded, without mercy. Some ofthem had tried to crawl away from the consuming fire, which played aboutthem, and licked up leaves and underbrush, and now and then, as a gustof wind arose, sending the burning brands into the treetops to start anew conflagration.

  The heat burned into their wounds, and as the shrieks of those who couldnot drag themselves away rose on the air, it seemed as if demons werecalling to each other, so madly did they shout for help and mercy fromthe pitiless wall of fire.

  Men were caught as if in a network, and held prisoners indeed. Chokingwith the smoke, blinded by the sparks whirling in every direction, thereseemed no hope or chance for rescue.

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  Here {299}a dead man's face, caught by the flames, was scorched anddisfigured so that his dearest friend could not have recognized him.Near him lay a living soldier with bloodshot eyes and aching wounds,terror written on his features--terror born, not from the fortunes ofbattle, not of the foe whom he has met face to face, but terror of theblack night' the loneliness, the awful thought that the dead are allaround him, a somber scene lit up by the fire that seizes some helplessone, never releasing him until he has lost the semblance of a man, andis only a charred fragment.

  That night was a fearful reality to many. Its horrors can never betold, for those best able to repeat the story, perished where they lay.Details were sent out by the Federals after Jackson's advance had beenchecked, to save the victims in the burning forest, and heroically theyworked, but alas, they could not reach half of the wounded.

  At the foot of an oak whose lofty head towered above the scene, twosoldiers fought valiantly for life. They were no longer arrayed againsteach other, but against their mutual enemy, the fire-fiend. One wore theblue, the other the gray. Both had gaping wounds, but their peril wasthe same, and as they struggled to their feet, weak from loss of blood,the bitterness died out of their hearts. They were once more friends,comrades, and together they labored to stamp out the destroyer. Theirbreath came quick and short, their voices sank to a whisper, butshoulder to shoulder as of old, they met as brothers--and nobly theybattled with the flames, now smothering a burst of fire, now cheeringeach other with brave words, until, slowly and painfully they advanced,step by step, to a spot where the cool ground received t
hem, as theyfell, fainting, almost dying, where they were found by the boys who weresent to rescue, and whose work had been that of heroes.

  And when, once more they struggled back to life, hand met hand in afriendly grasp, and heart beat joyously to heart, as they thanked theirheavenly Father that they were saved from a fiery furnace.

  A BOOTBLACK OF TENNESSEE.

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  RELY {300}Percy was a product of the war--one of those stray "chilluns"who drifted into camp with the refugees who were constantly coming underUncle Sam's paternal care.

  It was but a short time before he drifted out again and into our home.We (Allie and I) were in search of a boy "to run errands," and do oddjobs about the house, and this particular boy was sent to me by one ofour soldier friends. When we saw his mirthful face (he had a perpetualgrin) we thought he'd do very nicely for us. It was quite the fashionfor boys to work in families in Memphis, washing dishes, preparingvegetables, and kindred labors, and though at first our Northern ideaswere rudely disturbed by that fact, we soon became used to it, andenjoyed having a boy for such work. Indeed, it was rather a relief toAllie, for, as she said, if she hired a girl of the same age she wouldbe in a measure responsible for her manners, and she would have toinstruct her in the care of her wardrobe; but with a boy no suchdifficulties presented themselves. Like too many white boys of goodfamilies, it was supposed a boy could knock around and shift forhimself; in other words he did not need any particular care, beyondproviding him with enough to eat, drink and wear.

  The boy informed us when he came to us that his name was Percy. Alliesuggested that it would be much more ready to call him Jim or Sam. In aninstant his family pride was up in arms.

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  "'Scuse {302}me, Missie, but I cahnt go back on my raising dat ar way.It wud be slighting my marsa's family. Percy it is, and I cahnt see myway clar to answer to no oder name."

  We afterward learned that his name was Jerry, and that he had fallendeeply in love with the name Percy, it belonging to a colonel in theSouthern army who used to visit at his master's house, and so he hadappropriated it.

  But Percy it remained, and if it was rather incongruous to see thehigh-born Percy scrubbing the kitchen floor or delving into the garbagebox in search of a silver fork or spoon that he had thrown in with theremains of a meal, it couldn't be helped.

  He had some odd ways about him, that rather startled Allie. He believedin Voodooism and when one day he informed her in a stage whisper that avery elegant old lady who called often, but who had lost one eyethrough some misfortune, was a witch, and was trying to "spell" him, shepromptly ordered him out of the house till he could learn to keep histhoughts to himself. He despised winter, and one morning when he wokeup and saw a light snowfall that had come down the night before, heexpressed himself thus--

  "Now, Missie, that's what you uns calls pretty. I jess tinks it's dedebil whispering bad tings to de earth, and she's ashamed of 'em, andcobers up her face."

  He never could be made to understand why certain articles in the chinacloset should have certain places. As for instance the closet in ourhouse had shelves way down to the floor and he insisted on placing thesilverware on the lowest shelf and then stepping into it. He had beentalked to and threatened with punishment, and every time he'd promise todo better. One morning as usual the spoons, knives, etc., were found inthe old place, and the look of perfect astonishment on his face wouldhave immortalized a painter could he have caught it, as he threw up hishands and rolling up his eyes, said in the most tragic manner:

  "I clar to goodness, Missie, I neber know how dey cum dar--dey must havewalked down all by demselves!"

  He {303}went to market every day with his mistress, to show her how toselect, as he confidentially informed his companions---"Yer see she'sonly a chile, not far frum my age (he was sixteen, she was nineteen) andisn't 'sperienced in de tricks of dem ar market folks, so I goes alongand helps her."

  We had been teasing for a dish of roast goose for a long time, so Percyand his mistress started just after breakfast and made a tour of thestalls. She selected a huge, but plump-looking white fowl, whose snowyfeathers attracted her attention. She was quite ready to accept Percy'sassurance that "dat ar fowl will make seberal good meals." The bird waspurchased, and Percy slung it over his shoulder, while it squawked mosthorribly as mistress and boy went down the length of the market, greetedat every step by the grinning colored folks, who wished them "good luckwid dat ar young bird!" while some were anxious to know "whar yo' getdat snow bird, honey?" accompanied with many fervent hopes that it would"eat like cream." When the fowl reached the home of Percy's mistress,she nearly died with chagrin to find that what she preferred for itssnowy plumage, thinking it an evidence of youth and beauty, proved tobe a gander whose tough old skin Charlie assured her no amount of heatcould penetrate. So when she slyly opened the gate, and bade him wanderforth, he did so without delay.

  Percy pretended much sympathy for her discomfiture, but she lost faithin all humanity after the goose episode, and deputed the marketing toher brother and the boy, who kindly relieved her.

  But Percy was not entirely a trifler, as a few weeks after proved. Onenight when all were sleeping and the night was full of beauty, a littleflame, so fine it was scarce observable, shot up into the room wherethe master and mistress reposed. It grew larger, as it danced across thefloor, and curled up over the windows, drawn by the night breeze thatplayed there. Now it seized the curtains of the bed, and still they knewnothing of the danger. And now the flames burst forth, lighting up thewhole room, A feeling of suffocation, a frightened cry, and they awake,{304}but the smoke is thick and lurid, they are blinded and dazed. Whereis the window--how can they find the door? They are silent from fear,while the flames leap nearer and nearer.

  "Ise here--doncher be feared! Percy's here to sabe you bof," and in theboy springs, and seizing Allie by the arm, he calls to her husband tofollow close after him. He dashes to the window; he steps upon a ladder,and half-carrying her down, he shouts words of cheer to Charlie, whowaits till they have reached the ground, when he takes to the ladder,and follows in safety.

  Looking up, they see the room one mass of fire, and they know that theyowe their lives to the watchful care of the black boy who had been onlythe subject for mirth and ridicule in their little home.

  They were grieved indeed, when, a week later he came to the friend'shouse where they had found shelter, and after much scraping and bowing,he told them he wanted to "gage in anoder business--shining gemmen'sshoes." They tried to persuade him that it was a precarious occupation,and rather uncertain of returns, but there was an independence about itthat Percy craved. So they had to bid the boy good-bye, but the generousdonation which Charlie and Harry gave him to "set him up in business,"made his eyes shine and his teeth glisten, as he "fanked dem, and wished'em luck."

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  CONFEDERATE CEMETERIES

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  ANY {305}are the monuments that have been erected in Richmond, Virginia,through the liberality of her citizens. That city has paid particularattention to her brave boys who fell in battle, and her cemeteries arevery beautifully laid out. The word cemetery is from the Greek, andmeans a "sleeping-place." There, indeed, do those who laid down theirlives sleep in peace, and it is the pride and pleasure of the living tobeautify their last home. National cemeteries were first provided forby our government on July 17, 1862, and the noble provision has beencarried out in all the States, both North and South.

  Oakwood cemetery, Richmond, contains 16,000 dead Confederate soldiers.Libby Hill has a towering granite column, of great beauty, dedicatedto all the soldier and sailor dead of the Confederacy--a beautifulmemorial.

  The cemetery of Hollywood is particularly distinguished for being theresting-places of Generals Stuart, Pickett, and Maury. Each grave hasa tasty monument erected over it to tell who slumbers beneath. Thiscemetery has ninety-five acres, and was established in 1847. There are12,000 Confederate soldiers in t
his picturesque burying-ground, and agranite pyramid has been raised to their memory.

  All {306}civilizations have respected and cared for their dead. Even theIndian decorates the graves of his people, and watches that they may lieundisturbed. He places the weapons of the chase in the grave that theymay take them to the Happy Hunting Ground with them.

  While Richmond has several cemeteries wherein her soldiers lie, itis noticeable for the statues of her heroes also. General WilliamC. Wickham's statue adorns Monroe Park. One of the finest streets,Franklin, has a statue of General Robert E. Lee and General A. P. Hill,General "Jeb" Stuart, and President Jefferson Davis are also remembered.

  In the eighty-three National cemeteries established by the UnitedStates, and containing 330,700 soldiers, 9,438 wore the gray.

  ``"There is a tear for all that die,

  ```A mourner o'er the humblest grave;

  ``But nations swell the funeral cry

  ```And freedom weeps above the brave."

  In the cemetery at Beaufort, South Carolina, all feelings of distinctionare swept away, and yearly, on Memorial Day, the noble-hearted women ofthat town direct their steps toward the graves and place flowersupon all--those who wore the blue and those who wore the gray, alikeappealing to their womanly sympathy, and sharing alike their tendercare.

  On October 23, 1866, a fine and spacious cemetery was dedicated atWinchester, Virginia, with most imposing ceremonies. This abode of thedead is known as the Stonewall Jackson cemetery, in honor of that braveand true-hearted soldier.