Vol 1 ~ Vol 2 ~ Vol 3 ~ ~ Vol 4 ~ Index
This book contains a selection of "best" stories from Confederate Veteran Magazine.
#1 Last Battles of the War ~ A journal by B. L. Ridley of Murfreesboro, TN who was aide to Gen. A. P. Stewart. The jounal begins on March 17, 1865 and extends through the battle of Bentonville.
#2 "Deserter" Pardoned by General Lee ~ "MY DEAR EDWARD.-I have always been proud of you, and since your connection with the Confederate Army I have been prouder of you shall ever. I would not have you do anything wrong for the world; but before God, Edward, unless you come home, we must die! Last night I was roused by little Eddie crying. I called and said, 'What's the matter, Eddie?' and he said, 'O mamma, I am so hungry!' And Lucy, your darling Lucy, she never complains, but she is growing thinner every day, and I repeat, unless you come home, we must all die. YOUR MARY.”
#3 The Preacher Stole the Skillet. ~ The recounting of a humorous incident which occurred in the spring of 1865 in South Carolina.
#4 Forrest's Old Regiment ~ While the battle was at white heat I turned to speak to [Col. E. B.] Trezevant of how gallantly the men were bearing themselves, and I noticed that he looked pale. I stepped closer and said, "Colonel, are you hit!" The reply was, "Yes, Captain, I am killed. Take charge of the regiment."
#6 Alabamians in the Crater Battle. ~ A first hand account by the Captain of the 11th Alabama Infantry.
#7 Inside the lines at Franklin. ~ Francis "Fannie" O'Bryan, a schoolgirl at the Franklin Female Institute recounts the battle and its aftermath. In the afternoon, December 1st, some of us went to the battlefield, to give water and wine to the wounded. All of us carried cups from which to refresh the thirsty. Horrors! what sights that met our girlish eyes! The dead and wounded lined the Columbia pike for the distance of a mile. In Mrs. Sykes' yard, Gen. Hood sat talking with some of his staff officers. I didn't look upon him as a hero, because nothing had been accomplished that could benefit us. As we approached Col. Carter's house, we could scarcely walk without stepping on dead or dying men.
#8 Reminiscences of the Wilderness. ~ The author, Marcus B. Toney of Nashville, TN of Gen. Ed. Johnson's Division, revisits the battlesite some 30 years later. We did not sleep any that night, but worked like beavers with our bayonets and tin plates. By noon of the 11th our trenches were five and a half feet deep, with pine logs resting in front and on top of the embankment, with sufficient space to shoot through. There was a cold, drizzling rain all day of the 11th and through the night, and we were in these muddy trenches. The rain rendered many of the guns useless...
After nearly thirty-one years the trenches are grown up with oak and pine, thirty to forty feet high. What a fearful campaign from the 5th of May to the 12th, when over 4,000 men fell, and in the seven days with nothing to eat but cornbread, and very little sleep. How changed was Palmer's Field! Where I saw the 1,100 dead, is now grown up a wilderness of pines, so dense the sun cannot penetrate.
#9 The Artillery at Bentonville ~ The author recounts the loss and recapture of a confederate gun.
#10 Federal Veterans at Shiloh ~ What really happened to the Confederate Gold. Capt. Lot Abraham, of the Fourth Illinois Cavalry, near the close of the struggle was assigned to command of the post at Washington, Ga. He was busy soon after arrival paroling soldiers, when a gentleman walked in, tapped him on the shoulder, and said: "My name is Toombs. Breckinridge, in passing my house the other day, threw down from his horse a meal-sack containing money, which belongs to your Government, and it is your duty to take charge of it..."
Captain Abraham tells with pleased consideration that friends at the north expressed surprise at his report by Gen. Toombs in regard to this money that had been carried into his own house, and promptly replied that, "Toombs is an honest man."
#11 From Across the fathers of Waters. ~ The War in the West. From reading the VETERAN, one would almost conclude we had no war west of the Mississippi, while, in proportion to our numbers, we held as many Federals in check, when protecting Texas and western Louisiana, as any portion of the Confederate forces had to contend with. We also had as brave men, as noble women as ever lived on earth. I will dedicate a small space to three as brave boys as ever wore the gray.
#12 Crucial Test For S. D. Lee ~ May Jackson sternly replied, "Answer my question, can you crush the Federals with fifty pieces of artillery?" Col. Lee said, "I can do it if anybody can." Jackson again said, "Answer my question, sir."
Col. Lee, fearing he had shown a lack of nerve that Gen. Jackson would doubt his ability as an artillery officer and, with tears in his eyes, begged to be allowed to make the attempt, promising to hold the guns there as long as he lived.
Jackson, with moistened eyes, also, replied, "Colonel, nobody in this army doubts that you would hold them there as long as anybody else. It is all right.
#13 Sensations in Kentucky Backwoods. ~ Ward McDonald, Captain of Fourth Alabama Cavalry tells of a raid at Jimtown, Kentucky. "The people, generally, were ignorant, and decidedly Unionists. Many of them looked upon the Texas Rangers as devils incarnate... A woman, whose husband had run away, tremblingly gave the men all the buttermilk she had, and would have given them anything on the place. Her surprise was manifest when one of the men politely thanked her and handed her the pay.
#14 Events in Battle of Murfreeboro. ~ In my valise there was an ambrotype of my brother-in-law, Capt. B. H. Sturgiss, of the Eighth Illinois, that I had just received. I regretted the loss of the picture more than all else. "Come on boys!" If I could recover that picture I would be under great obligations. I have often thought of advertising for it, but there has never been so good a way of doing so as now in the VETERAN.
#15 Tribute to Henry DeSaussure Fraser. ~ In front of us at Chickamauga lay a field of our enemies, dead and wounded, stricken by our fire. At our further advance over this field we found one of their surgeons, like an angel of mercy, doing what he could for these poor victims of war. He had been there all day under our terrific fire, crawling in and out among the wounded and helping them all he could; the others had all deserted him. He was a New Englander. The chief monument on that particular field ought to be to that "Down-East" surgeon.
#16 The Battle of Drewry's Bluff. ~ Gen. Bushrod Johnson's brigade, commanded by Col. Fulton, of the Forty-fourth Tennessee Regiment, was in position immediately on the Petersburg road, with Hagood's South Carolina brigade on the left, and all ready for action, when Col. Fulton received orders to move down the road by the flank, as there was a swamp on the right which prevented us from moving in line of battle.
#17 Gracey ~ Chickamauga ~ Whitaker. ~ Before the battle began, Breckenridge and Forrest were riding together to the front. On nearing the line of battle they found Gracey's section of artillery in reserve in the rear, the nature of the ground preventing Gen'l. Helm from using all of his guns. Forrest (who believed in putting every man and gun in the fight) applied for the loan of Gracey's section; and it was ordered at once to the front and into position. Skirmishing soon began, and as the Generals were separating, Breckenridge reined in his horse, and said: "With you on my flank, Gen. Forrest, I shall suffer no uneasiness as to my right being turned by the enemy to-day. But mind you, General! don't lose Gracey and my Napoleon guns."
#18 Incidents at Chancellorsville. - Gen. Lee looked steadily for some minutes at the strong line on the hill, then turning to Gen. Archer, said in a businesslike way: "General, if you will move your brigade to the front about half way to that ravine, then make a left wheel move in that direction until your right is opposite that clump of trees, then right wheel again and strike those people in the front, you will drive them out. They will not bother you much until your last movement." That everything happened just as Gen. Lee said it would is one of the reasons that made him the world's greatest general.
#19 Reunion of the Orphan Brigade. ~ The total enlistment on the Federal side amounted to more than two million seven hundred thousand men. They had an organized government, a treasury, unlimited credit, a powerful navy, and all the great centers of capital and commerce. On the other side, were six hundred thousand enlistments, with an improvised government, no treasury, no navy, no manufactories, no effective army, and no access to the outside world. In view of these enormous differences in men and resources, it is marvelous that the contest ever attained so great proportions. It is still more marvelous—and will be one of the marvels of history that the weaker side gained more great battles than they lost.
#20 Daring Confederates In The War. ~ He beat them to the bayou by about one hundred yards, and plunged his horse in and swam over to our side. Our picket in the meantime engaged the fire of the pursuers. You can judge DeJarnett's surprise when he reached the water, and on looking around, saw the horse he had knocked the man from close behind him. It jumped in the water and swam safely to our side. DeJarnett's prize consisted not only of the horse, which was a very valuable one, but a fine pair of pistols and soldier's baggage.
