War between the States Barksdale's Mississippi Creeper...cigar story, too

[Sancho Panza]

Barksdale's Mississippi Creeper...cigar story, too

It seems, that before we came on the ground,
Barksdale's Mississippi Brigade, which had been

126 FROM THE RAPIDAN TO RICHMOND

marching behind us, had filed off the road, and while
Barksdale's we were UP on the hill with the cavalry, had quietly, and silently passed into that body of woods to our
right, unseen by the enemy. Along the front edge of
that wood ran an old rail fence, covered all over with
the luxuriant vine known as "Virginia Creeper." Wide
open fields extending in front. Soon, the ground behind
that fence was covered with another sort of
"creeper," not as good a "runner" as that on the fence,
nor as "green," but just as tough of fibre, and as hard
to "hold on" when it had once fixed itself, the
"Mississippi Creeper." Silently, as ghosts, the Brigade
glided in behind that fence, and lay low, and
waited. Right here, was where the Federals' idea of
quietly occupying the Spottsylvania line was going to
prove a snare. They had not the dimmest suspicion
that we were ahead of them, and between them and
that line. They came on, with guileless confidence,
and walked right into trouble. Presently, a line of
battle with columns of troops behind came marching
across the fields upon the concealed Mississippians.
Nearer and nearer they came, unsuspecting any danger,
till they got nearly up to the fence. One man
had actually thrown his leg over the rail to mount.
Suddenly! as lightning out of a clear sky, a blinding
sheet of flame flashed into their very faces. Then,
after one volley, swiftly came the dreadful, venomous
roll of musketry, the Mississippians loading and firing

SPOTTSYLVANIA COURT HOUSE 127

"at will," every man as fast as he could. It was just
as if "the angel of death spread his wings to the blast
and breathed in the face of the foe as he passed."
That withering fire tore the ranks of that Division
to pieces. It didn't take those fellows half a second
to decide what to do. With yells of dismay, they
charged back, out of that hornet's nest, as if the devil
was after them. In headlong rout, they rushed wildly
back across the fields, and disappeared in the woods
beyond.

They left four hundred and two of their number
in front of that fence, and before the fugitives
got out of range, their General of Division, General
Robinson, was seriously wounded.

Some of our men went out among the Federal
wounded to do what they could for their relief. An
officer of a Mississippi Regiment came upon a Federal
Colonel who lay to all appearance mortally
wounded, and gave him a drink of water, and did
what else he could for his comfort. The Federal
took out a fine gold watch, and said, "Here is a watch
that I value very highly. You have been very kind
to me, and I would like you to have it, as I am going
to die. If I should get over this, and send to you for
it you will let me have it, if not, I want you to keep
it. But," he said sadly, "my wound is mortal, I
am obliged to die." The Mississippian left him, and
went back to his post, supposing him dead.

128 FROM THE RAPIDAN TO RICHMOND

Many years after the war, the Mississippi officer
was in Baltimore at Barnum's Hotel. One day, he
got into casual talk with a gentleman, at dinner, and,
as he seemed to be a good fellow, they smoked their
cigars together after dinner, and continued their conversation.

By and by they got on the war. It came
out, that both of them had served, and on opposite
sides. Finally, in telling some particular incidents of
his experience, the Federal soldier described this very
fight, his being, as he thought mortally wounded, the
kindness shown him by a Confederate officer, and his
gift to him, of his watch. The Southern man said,
"What is your name?" "Col. , of Robinson's
Division," he replied. "Can you be the man?
Have I struck you at last?" cried the ex-Confederate.
"I've got your watch, and here it is, with your name
engraved in it."

It was a singular incident, that these two should
meet again so ! The meeting was most cordial; the
Federal was delighted to get his watch again, made
doubly valuable by so strange a history.

FROM THE RAPIDAN TO
RICHMOND
AND
THE SPOTTSYLVANIA
CAMPAIGN
A Sketch in Personal Narrative of the
Scenes a Soldier Saw
By
WILLIAM MEADE DAME, D.D.
Private, First Company
Richmond Howitzers
Baltimore
Green-Lucas Company
1920

[Sancho Panza]

*General John C. Robinson was awarded the uS Congressional Medal of Honour, for his part at Spottsylvania, after which he had a leg amputated.

[JL Sargent]

Cool story and just goes to show that you never know who you might run into at Barnum's Hotel in Baltimore.

Edited April 2, 2014 by JL Sargent

[Daddy Dee]

thanks SP

[Mallette]

Magnificent story! Is that book in print?

Dave

[Sancho Panza]

Yes; available at Amazon for as low as $4.99; search by author William Meade Dame.

[Mallette]

Excellent. Looks like a great camping trip read...

Dave