Life Gleanings Part 5

The people of the United States of North America at this time are confronted with many important and intricate problems of government for their solution. Indeed, we have reached a crisis in the political and commercial life of the country. At this writing, the fall of the year 1912, the country is on the eve of an important presidential election. Governor Woodrow Wilson, of New Jersey, and Governor Thomas R. Marshall, of Indiana, head the Democratic ticket. Mr. Wm. H. Taft, the inc.u.mbent, is the nominee of the regular Republican Protection party; while Colonel Theodore Roosevelt is the leader of the third party of high tariffites, commonly termed the Bull Moose or National Progressives.

CHAPTER x.x.xII.

The letter of acceptance of each of the candidates gives to some extent the policy of the administration that is advocated by them.

There are some wrongs to remedy and some new measures to adjust and policies to inaugurate. In the meantime the people are looking with eager eyes at the contest and are anxious to know the final result in November as to which party will be successful and the kind of government that will rule them after, the 4th of March, 1913.

An interesting history of by-gone days was that of the old James River and Kanawha Ca.n.a.l, which was in its day a very important means of transportation to all points situated in the valley of the James above Richmond to the westward. The State of Virginia, which built and owned it at the beginning of the war, sold it to the Richmond and Alleghany Railroad Company, which constructed a railroad on its bank known as the Richmond and Alleghany Railroad. This road finally fell to the control of the Chesapeake and Ohio Company by purchase of its stock and bonds, and thus the use of that fine work as a means of transport became a thing of the past--too slow for the age of steam and electricity.

A striking feature of Richmond during the war were the levees or social receptions held at the Governor's Mansion every Thursday night.

They were largely attended by the citizens as well as by the soldiers that were pa.s.sing through the city, affording a pleasant opportunity to the boys in grey to and from the front, to meet the fair ladies of the Confederacy, who lent their charming presence and society for the enjoyment of the officers and men, affording a very delightful recreation and change from the hardships and many privations of field duty.

Colonel William Smith, nick-named Extra Billy while in Congress, was one of the bravest and most popular officers in the Army of Northern Virginia. His regiment had won distinction on many fields of battle.

An election was held in the army and every man in all the Virginia regiments voted for him to be the Governor of Virginia, and it proved a wise selection, for his intense devotion to the cause of the Confederacy, as well as his conspicuous gallantry, endeared him to every one who wore the gray. Very well do I recall the occasion when the guests at the Mansion pa.s.sed in review and gave him the compliments of the evening. His genial manners to all will long be remembered.

Doctor Hunter McGuire, the medical director of Stonewall Jackson's corps, by his sympathetic manner and great skill as a surgeon, saved many a poor Confederate's life and also soothed his suffering body when tortured by wounds received in battle. He was the physician who attended his mortally wounded chief, after he was stricken down at Chancellorsville, by the accidental fire of his own men. All that could be done, he did to save his valuable life, but all was in vain, as pneumonia set in and the great soldier pa.s.sed away, to the deepest sorrow and grief of the whole South. Doctor McGuire, after the war, settled in Richmond and established a very large and lucrative practice, gaining a national reputation as an eminent surgeon, his operations in the line of surgery being quoted all over the country for their skillful application of the principles of that great art.

Doctor McGuire's great, tender heart was always open to the needs of the Confederate soldier, or to the aid of the "Lost Cause" in keeping alive in the memories the glories of those who fell in defense of their homes and families. His memory is still revered by the old and the young for his many n.o.ble traits of character and his deeds as a citizen and physician.

A man by the name of Robert Jennings was a sergeant in the 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry, and when his regiment was pa.s.sing through the county of Matthews, during the war, he was so much pleased with the surroundings that he said if he came out of the conflict unharmed, he would buy a farm there, and as he was fortunate enough to survive, both sound and well, and being the possessor of a snug sum of ready money, he carried out his intentions by purchasing a nice home and launched out in the very laudable occupation of tilling the soil.

"Colonel Bob," as he was called, being of a genial nature, attended court at the county seat every court day, his object in so doing was to become well acquainted with the citizens, and being a man of means and of a liberal disposition, he treated, or "set up" drinks and cigars to the people very freely. He began by ordering the best to be had, such as fifteen-cent drinks in thin gla.s.ses and Henry Clay regalia cigars, and consequently became exceedingly popular, indeed was one of the most popular men in Matthews county, on account of his liberality and frequent attendance on court day. His farm and affairs were neglected, which compelled him to mortgage his property and was thus reduced to the necessity of ordering ten-cent drinks and cheaper cigars. So they, from calling him "Colonel," changed his t.i.tle to "Major Bob," and as he still neglected his farm and its management, and was again forced by lack of money to put a second deed of trust on his farm, he was now reduced to the rank of "Captain Bob." He then reduced the cost of his drinks down to "shorts," or five-cent drams, and stogies for smokes. Well, finally things went from bad to worse, and Captain Bob had to place a third deed or mortgage on his place, and then it went into the hands of the trustee and was advertised for sale. A man from Minnesota came and said that he liked the place and also liked the people, as they were in general simple-minded, honest folks, he would send his son down in the winter and he would come in the summer.

"Bob," for they now only called him plain "Bob," overheard the man say "a simple-minded people," remarked: "Well, that is what I thought a few years ago, when I first came down here, with about seventy-five thousand dollars, and now I haven't got money enough left to pay my steamboat fare to the city of Norfolk"; and whatever afterwards became of Mr. Robert Jennings I do not know.

CHAPTER x.x.xIII.

When General McClellan advanced up the peninsular formed by the James and York Rivers, from Yorktown and Old Point Comfort, and laid siege to Richmond in the spring of the year 1862, the Federal gunboats steamed up the James River and attempted to pa.s.s by the Confederate fortifications at Drewry's Bluff, called "Fort Darling" by the Federals, and then began a fierce artillery duel between them. At the crisis of the battle the princ.i.p.al gun, a thirty pounder, was thrown from its trunions, and by the skill and coolness at this critical juncture of Major Jno. G. Clarke, the engineer in charge, it was safely remounted and the enemy's fleet repulsed, thus saving the city from bombardment. Major Clarke was promoted to the rank of colonel of the engineer corps, and was at the battle of Gettysburg, where he directed and superintended the placing of the pontoon bridges at "Falling Waters" for General Lee's army to pa.s.s over after the fight.

He was then promoted again to be full colonel of engineers. Upon the death of Colonel Harris he was put in command of Charleston, S. C.

During the important period of history known as "Reconstruction,"

General Canby sent one of his aides, a Lieutenant Terfew, to the county of Henry, in order to reduce the population to terms. The county seat was his destination and court was in session when he arrived and at the mid-day recess. This officer, upon dismounting, very warm and dusty, it being the latter part of June, found a large number of citizens a.s.sembled in front of the hotel, to whom he stated, that by order of General Canby, he was there to reconstruct the county and to inaugurate amicable relations between the government at Richmond and the good people of the county and thus prevent friction.

The crowd present selected as their spokesman an old justice of the peace, and accordingly addressed the officer in these words:

"Lieutenant Terfew, sir: Any one coming to the good old county of Henry with such good credentials as you bear, to-wit: The sword in one hand and the olive branch in the other, a slight or any discourtesy extended or offered you will be regarded by each one of us as an affront individually, and will be resented and treated as it deserves." After this the lieutenant inquired if he could procure any refreshment, whereupon the landlord stepped forward and said: "Oh, yes, just follow." The officer then invited the whole party to join him in a sociable drink. Eleven of them accepted; among them was the justice who had replied. They walked up the pa.s.sageway, then faced to the right and then front-faced to the counter at the bar and each called for what he wished. Each one took apple brandy. Then he remarked: "Gentlemen, as I am tired and thirsty, I wish to repeat, won't you all again join me." Upon this the old justice spoke up thus: "Now, lieutenant, we will repeat, but not at your expense. Landlord, just chalk the last drinks down to me." As they were filing out of the bar the landlord beckoned to the lieutenant and asked him who was going to pay for those last drinks. "That old fellow has been playing that trick on me for the last five years," he said. The result was that the officer was successful in fully reconstructing the county.

Just before the close of the war a foraging squad of Federal cavalry, under the command of Lieutenant Rowland Wood, was sent out and reached the fine, old colonial residence of a Mrs. Swann, whose plantation was well stocked and in fair condition, as in fact many places had not suffered from the visits of the foragers and prowlers of either army.

Indeed this was one of the fortunate ones. It was named "Meadow Brook," and was truly a very fine estate. The ladies of the mansion used an old-fashioned knocker on the front door; and Miss Ida Swann answered the front door. The officer was struck as soon as she appeared, as he recognized in her the same young lady that he had known and greatly admired before the war. She was the ideal Virginian girl, high spirited and loyal to the South, with an independent bearing, a characteristic of the well-bred country maiden. She was fond of out-door life and exercises, like Diana Vernon, so beautifully described by Sir Walter Scott in one of his novels. The Federal officer stated his errand in the most polite way, of course, which was to some extent a matter of embarra.s.sment to him under the circ.u.mstances, and after having made an inspection and found that there was comparatively nothing on the premises which would be of any value to the cavalry service, he came across her own riding horse, which he decided was too delicate to bear a trooper. So he returned to camp, having done nothing injurious to the place. It happened this was near the close of the war, and shortly afterwards the Southern army surrendered at Appomattox to General U. S. Grant. Then the lieutenant cast aside his uniform and donned a citizen's suit, and after things had quieted down, he concluded to make a friendly visit to "Meadow Brook," where he found Miss Swann in the bloom of health and buoyant spirits. And by his manly and straight-forward course of conduct, he gradually regained his former position in her esteem and by degrees the old flame of affection was rekindled, and in the old church near-by they stood before the altar and plighted their mutual troth and vows and were made man and wife by the sacred rites of matrimony.

Their life has been, and is now, one of connubial bliss and contentment with their lot, because of the pure love and congeniality existing between them.

CHAPTER x.x.xIV.

In this, the first decade of the twentieth century, we find new conditions confronting the people called by many in the political sense, "Progressive." There are many conditions in both the commercial and political orders of the time which are deemed by the leaders to need a change. For instance, the control of cities through new munic.i.p.al legislation, and a Board of Control, or Administration. In the national affairs: The election of Senators by the direct vote of the people, and by the means of primary elections in the States in the nomination of candidates for the Presidency, instead of the old modes of by conventions and legislatures. Time will surely prove whether the changes called for, and now inaugurated in some cities and States, will be any improvement over the former system.

We are now living in an age of decided change and advances. Everything that conduces to the progress and betterment of society, in its general sense, ought to be given a trial in order that the ma.s.ses of citizens may be uplifted and conditions of living be ameliorated and advanced, both physically and morally.

It has been a.s.serted that the Confederate soldier was addicted to the evil habit of emphasizing his ordinary conversation in a manner of speech not admissable in a Sunday school room. As a matter of fact a great many of the hardest fighters and most gallant commanders were real profane men, that seemed to believe that an order accompanied by an oath would be executed with more dispatch than if not so given.

Many soldiers were kept from using oaths before a battle on account of the penalty accruing from breaking the Third Commandment, to-wit: "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy G.o.d in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless, that taketh his name in vain." I do not think there was more swearing among soldiers than there was before the war. To say the least, the habit is very vulgar and unrefined, aside from its wickedness, and should never be taught children; yet there have been occasions when an oath seemed to give an order more effect and vim; still it is not advisable and should be only, if at all, used seldom in any company, but such is the frailty of human nature that soldiers are p.r.o.ne to do that which they ought not to do.

I am opposed to cursing, and think it ought never to be resorted to if possible to avoid it. The human family, if it tries hard so to do, can abstain from the habit, and they can accustom themselves to speak without violating the commandment of G.o.d.

CHAPTER x.x.xV.

Years ago there settled in the county of Hanover a Mr. James Ames and Jane, his wife. They were very industrious, thrifty citizens. He had purchased his farm through a real estate firm of Richmond, on the terms of three equal payments. He paid promptly the first two, but six months before the third one fell due, he found himself confronted with unforeseen conditions: There had been a long, distressing drought, which had cut short his crops, and one of his mules had broken his leg, so that altogether he was in a sad state of mind. The third and last installment on his farm was nearly due and his wife, who was a sensible and practical woman, said to him, now let me see if I can a.s.sist in this difficulty, to which he a.s.sented. Accordingly she went to Richmond to the firm from which the farm was bought, with that native dignity inherent to the country lady, and asked to see the head of the firm, and was told that he was not in, being detained at his home on account of sickness in his family, upon which she obtained the address of his residence, where she went, and finding him, stated her business. He told her that he was quite unfit to attend to any kind of business by reason of his distress; whereupon she told him that she was a skillful nurse, and that if he so desired it, she would remain over in town a few days and would a.s.sist in nursing his sick family that was suffering with measles, requiring constant, careful nursing.

Under her efficient attentions and skillful nursing they were finally restored to health and to their normal condition. So he rode down to his office with Mrs. Ames, and asking for the deed he marked the balance due paid in full. It thus resulted that James obtained a clear t.i.tle to his farm through the cleverness of his good wife. Now what is it that a good smart woman cannot accomplish?

A prominent, burning question of the day and time is that of woman suffrage, and why not give them the right to vote? This is a day of progress and change, and the right of females to exercise the privilege of suffrage should be freely accorded the s.e.x which has really had a controlling influence in the affairs of mankind since the day of Adam and Eve. Did she not, by means of her persuasive arguments, induce, through mother Eve, the father of men, Adam, to eat of the forbidden fruit? Woman has always been a beacon light to man in guiding him in the paths of right and duty.

Yes, indeed, there are many worse things in human economy than woman suffrage. So it is to be hoped that the next General a.s.sembly of Virginia may accede to the pet.i.tions presented them in advancing the cause of equal suffrage. Woman is now the great propelling force of the present age of political economy. They have always exercised the right to vote, I believe, in choosing vestrymen of the church, and in some school matters in some cities, and so why not give them the right to partic.i.p.ate in regular elections of State and munic.i.p.al officers?

It is the inherent right or privilege of the s.e.x to do as she pleases or deserves, and there should be no law to prevent her exercising her own sweet will in such matters. I believe women are possessed of as much intelligence as men are, and in some respects they have more, hence they should not be debarred from the polls in the general elections of those who are to represent them, as well as men, in the administration of everyday affairs. I should like to be a registrar of precinct which numbered a large proportion of suffragettes. I would not challenge the vote of a single one.

The Howitzer a.s.sociation is formed of the surviving members of the three companies, the first, the second and third. It has a reunion and banquet on each thirteenth day of December, which is the anniversary of the battle of Fredericksburg. A good supper is spread on that night and many recollections of the great war are recalled and renewal of fellowship and general intercourse is enjoyed, which cements the attachments between each of the survivors of the three companies.

Alas! How sad to realize that so many of your comrades have pa.s.sed away.

In the voyage of life you sometimes meet persons, who say that they wish to banish all reminder of the great war between the States, or as we say, the Confederacy. Such people it might be properly asked, did they fight so hard, and were they so zealous that they dislike to revert to their prowess on the field of battle? Or did they shirk their duty to their country so very adroitly that they hate to be reminded of it? The true soldier of the Confederacy, the gallant boy who shouldered a musket at the call to defend his home and fireside, and who faithfully performed his duty, whether as a private or as an officer, should have no desire to entirely wipe out of memory that eventful period in his own history, and of his country that awful time which tested the metal of which men were made, but he should wish rather to have a full and correct account of that great conflict given to the present and the future generations.

The majority of the survivors of the Confederate armies do not believe that they ought to forget or erase from their minds all memory of the battles of Sharpsburg or Antietam, of Spotsylvania Court House, of Gettysburg, or of Chickamauga and Shiloh. I am at a loss to comprehend from what basis these tender-nerved Confederates reason, and I reflect that fortunately there exists but a few such among those who "wore the gray."

In the days by-gone there lived in Richmond a prominent dealer in horses and mules by the name of Benjamin Green, whose early career began as a contractor, having built the bridge over the James River for the railroad to Petersburg. His establishment was the largest enterprise in the livestock line in Virginia. It was generally conceded that any one who was so unfortunate as to have a transaction with him was certain to be worsted, or at least to get the small end of the trade. His intercourse with the farmers was very extensive and it was said that any man who purchased an animal and threw himself upon Green's honor in the transaction, never failed to obtain a fair, square deal. In the other hand, if the purchaser relied upon his own judgment of an animal he was very apt to get the worst of the bargain.

Ben Green was a smooth talker and a keen, first-cla.s.s salesman. His residence was a beautiful place about two or three miles west of the city on the Broad Street Road, where he entertained his guests in a sumptuous manner, and was looked upon as one of the most remarkable men in the State.

Colonel Richard Adams was a prominent citizen of Richmond and was at one time appointed high sheriff of Henrico county. At that time the office was one of dignity and emolument, and it was one that was frequently sublet to a second party, and such was the case with Colonel Adams. He then boarded at the old Exchange Hotel when it was kept by Colonel Boykin, he was a widower, being left with three children at his wife's death. One of the latter was Mary Adams, who married General George Randolph; another one, Catherine Adams, who died while attending the school conducted by Mr. Le Febre, and a son by the name of Samuel Adams, comprised his family. He was a life-long friend of my father and his family and was a regular visitor of the same. He was a great epicure and if any one knew what was good in the way of living and the proper way to cook a choice cut of meat, he was that man. When we lived in the country he often came out, and would always forestall his coming by sending us a nice leg of mutton or lamb, a nice tenderloin of beef, a roast of beef or a fine piece of sturgeon. My mother, who was noted for her good housekeeping, always directed the cooking of the particular dish which he sent out to us.

When it was placed upon the table, hot and juicy, the old gentleman would exclaim that, "It is cooked and served up to a dot, it could not be improved."

Colonel Adams was not what is known as a gourmand, but a high-toned Virginian gentleman, who preferred the best meats to be obtained in the markets, and prepared for the table in a manner that would cause the smiles and approval of epicures. One day he was dining with a friend whose custom was to invite his guest to join him in a toddy before the dinner was announced. Well, as the gentlemen were standing in front of the sideboard, their drinks were made of fine old Clemmer Whiskey, five years old, oily and fragrant. Holding their gla.s.ses in their hands, Mr. J---- commenced to tell an anecdote, but the suspense becoming too great, the Colonel appealed to him to jump over the bars, and not wait to pull them down, in other words to raze his story so as to proceed with their drinking, which would serve to whet their appet.i.tes for the good dinner awaiting their presence.

The First Baptist Church, which is situated on the corner of Broad and Twelfth Streets, is one of the oldest ones in the City of Richmond. It stands on the same ground it was built on nearly a century ago. Its pulpit has been occupied by the most distinguished divines in the Baptist denomination, such, for instance, as Doctor Broaddus, whose reputation as a pulpit orator has rarely, if ever, been excelled, Doctor Lansing Burrows, who was its pastor during the great war of 1861 to 1865 and after the same Doctor Cooper, whose ministration as its pastor is held in kindest reverence and esteem by all who were fortunate enough to be under his pastorate charge.

This congregation is now served by one of the most gifted clergymen in the church to which he belongs, but also one of the most eloquent pulpit orators in the South, namely, Doctor G. W. McDaniel. Were all the reminiscences of this sacred and strong edifice written up in full it would fill a volume.

A prominent representative of the female element of Richmond society previous to the war was Mrs. Cora Ritchie Mowatt, a leader in the best social circles. She was formerly an actress of distinction and of excellent reputation. She had considerable literary ability and had written a history of her life as an actress, ent.i.tled "An Autobiography of An Actress." She afterwards married William F.

Ritchie, the editor of The Enquirer, the organ of the Democratic party of the State of Virginia. This talented and popular lady was truly a "beacon light" of the social and fashionable society of the time.