PERSONAL NARRATIVE--SHELBYVILLE
Having placed Willie Huger in comfortable quarters in Chattanooga and
watched over him as long as I was able to, I returned to the army. At
Shelbyville, I found General Polk's headquarters occupying the grounds
of William Gosling, Esquire. The Gosling family were old friends of mine
and insisted upon my making their house my home. General Polk had his
office in the house. Mrs. Gosling was an ideal housekeeper and made me
feel in every respect at home.
We remained nearly six months in Shelbyville, most of the army being
camped about Tullahoma. Soon after the Battle of Murfreesboro, General
Bragg was removed from the command of the Army of the Tennessee and
General Johnston was sent to Shelbyville.
On the 7th of February, 1863, we had a grand review by General Johnston,
who rode my horse--to me the most interesting item of the review. For I
had seen so much of marching and countermarching that I was tired of it
all--thoroughly disgusted indeed. It was a brilliant pageant,
nevertheless. The troops looked and marched well, and General Johnston
expressed the greatest satisfaction with what he witnessed. He said he
had never seen men he would rather trust.
I found General Johnston a charming man. I was constantly with him at
General Polk's headquarters and enjoyed his visit to the army very much.
He was of perfectly simple manners, of easy and graceful carriage and a
good conversationalist. He had used his utmost endeavor to keep General
Bragg in command of the Army of the Tennessee; though when he was
ordered, in May, to take command of the forces of Mississippi, General
Bragg remarked to me, "Doctor, he was kept here too long to watch me!"
Afterwards in command of the Army of the Tennessee, no man enjoyed a
greater popularity than he did. Soldiers and citizens alike recognized
that General Johnston possessed a solid judgment, invincible firmness,
imperturbable self-reliance and a perseverance which no difficulties
could subdue.
It was my privilege to be frequently with the General after the war and
more and more he entered into the religious life, illustrating in his
daily walk and conversation the highest type of the Christian gentleman.
He was one of the pall-bearers at the funeral of General Sherman at a
time when his health was far from strong. He caught cold and died of
heart failure in March, 1891.
The weather was at times very inclement while we were in Shelbyville and
I suffered much illness. I kept at my work as well as I could, however,
and often I preached before distinguished congregations; as, for
example, when Generals Johnston, Polk, Cheatham and nearly all the
general officers and staffs were present. The congregations were usually
large.
I recall reading with a great deal of zest, one day when the weather was
very inclement and I was by illness kept in the house, a publication
entitled "Robinson Crusoe." Perhaps my readers may have heard of such a
book. And one night in February, General Polk and I remained up until
two o'clock, and the Bishop-General gave me a detailed account of the
manner in which his mind was turned to serious things while he was at
West Point--practically the same story that may be found in Dr. William
M. Polk's recently published life of his father.
On another occasion the General and I were riding out together and he
mentioned the following odd incident to me: His eldest son when at
college in the North purchased a gold-headed walking-stick as a present
to the Bishop. Wishing his name and seal engraved upon it, the son took
it to an engraver in New York, giving him a picture of the Bishop's seal
as published in a Church Almanac. The seal was a simple shield having
for its device a cross in the center, with a crosier and key laid across
it. By some hocus pocus the artist engraved a crosier and a _sword_
instead of the key. The Bishop had the cane still when he told me this,
and I think it was his intention to adopt that device as his seal
thenceforth. But, of course, as we all know, the Bishop's death before
the close of the war prevented his adopting a seal for his future work
in the Episcopate.
It must not be supposed, however, that my time was idly spent in
Shelbyville or in reading such books as "Robinson Crusoe" and listening
to the charming conversation of General Polk and others. On the 2nd of
March, at the request of my fellow-chaplains, General Bragg issued an
order to the effect that I was assigned to duty at the general hospitals
of Polk's corps, and was to proceed to a central point and there
establish my office. With the approval of Medical Officers, I was to
visit the different hospitals, rendering such services and affording
such relief and consolation to the sick and wounded as a minister only
could give.
On my copy of this order was endorsed "Transportation furnished in kind
from Wartrace to Atlanta, Mch. 3, '63." So I went off and was gone
several weeks, visiting my family in Rome, Georgia, before my return. I
made also a trip to Columbia, Tennessee, on business relating to my new
appointment--a distance of forty miles from Shelbyville, over roads none
of the best at that time.
While I was in Rome I received a very characteristic letter from my
friend, Colonel Yeatman, on Polk's staff, which gave me an amusing
account of the services held in Shelbyville on the day appointed by the
President of the Confederate States to be observed as a day of fasting
and prayer. The chaplain of an Alabama regiment preached a very good
sermon, the letter says, and then "your brother ---- wound up with a
prayer--eminently a _war prayer_--in which he prayed that their (the
Yankees') moral sensibilities might be awakened by the 'roar of our
cannon and the gleam of our bayonets and that the _stars and bars_ might
soon wave in triumph through these beleagured states!' and then after
prescribing a course which he desired might be followed by the Lord, he
quit." It is such a good example of the manner in which some persons
attempt to preach to the people while they pray to God, that it is quite
worth quoting here.
The visit of Bishop Elliott, of Georgia, to Shelbyville was a great
event. He arrived on the 23rd of May and was most affectionately
welcomed by his friend General Polk, and remained with us at Mr.
Gosling's house two weeks. Services were held every day and the Bishop
preached. Everywhere he was received most enthusiastically. The
Presbyterian Church in Shelbyville, was by far the largest church
building in the town, and as it was without a pastor at the time, I had
been invited to occupy it and had accepted the very kind invitation. We
accordingly held services there on Sunday, the 24th of May. In the
morning I said the service and the Bishop celebrated the Holy Communion
and preached. In the afternoon the Bishop preached one of his most
eloquent sermons, and I presented a class of ten persons for
confirmation. It included Colonel Yeatman; Colonel Porter (of the Sixth
Tennessee); Major Hoxton, Chief of Artillery on Hardee's staff;
Lieutenant Smith, on General Cheatham's staff; Surgeon Green, (Fourth
Tennessee); four privates of my own regiment; one private of the
Fifty-first Alabama Cavalry; and a lady.
It was a very novel sight to see a large Church crowded in every part
with officers and soldiers. Scarcely a dozen of the gentler sex were to
be seen. The attention of this large body of soldiers was earnest and
like that of men who were thoughtful about their souls.
Being anxious for the Bishop to officiate for my regiment, I made an
appointment with him for the following day, to preach to the brigade
under General George Maney, at their camp. The service was held at the
headquarters of Colonel Porter of the Sixth Regiment. The attendance was
very large and the Bishop said he had never had a more orderly or
attentive congregation in a church. I conducted the service and the
Bishop preached.
On Tuesday I was very unwell but felt it my duty to drive six miles to
the front and visit, with the Bishop, the Brigade of General Manigault,
of South Carolina. He was on outpost duty and was only a few miles from
the pickets of General Rosecrans' army. The service was at five o'clock.
The whole brigade was in attendance, having been marched to the grove
arranged for the service, under arms. I assisted in the service and
undertook to baptize a captain of the Twenty-eighth Alabama, but was
taken ill, and being unable to proceed, the Bishop took my place.
It was a very solemn service indeed. The Captain knelt in the presence
of his brother soldiers and enlisted under the banner of Christ
Crucified. After which the Bishop preached to the assembled officers and
soldiers seated on the ground in concentric circles. It was an admirable
extempore discourse which fell with great effect upon the hearts of all
who heard it.
On returning to Shelbyville, I betook myself to bed, and using proper
remedies, I had a comfortable night. The following day, I fasted and
lounged about headquarters. Mr. Vallandigham, who had been sent to us by
the Federal authorities because of what were regarded as disloyal
utterances made in political speeches in Ohio, dined with us, and my
great desire to see him gave me strength to endure a long sitting at
table, though I ate nothing.
Mr. Vallandigham was altogether a different man from what I had
expected. He was about my own age and height, had remarkably fine
features, a frank, open countenance, beautiful teeth and a color
indicating very high health. He wore no side-whiskers nor moustache but
a beard slightly tinged with gray, on his chin. In manner he was
extremely easy and polite; in conversation very fluent and entertaining.
He was greatly pleased with the kind reception he had met from the
officers of the army and the citizens of Shelbyville, but was very
desirous of avoiding all public demonstration.
On Thursday morning, feeling much better, I accompanied Bishop Elliott
to Wartrace, the headquarters of General Hardee. General Polk and
Colonel Richmond accompanied us. Later Colonel Yeatman brought Mr.
Vallandigham over in General Polk's ambulance and we had a "goodlie
companie." At eleven o'clock we held a service in the Presbyterian
Church, the use of which was kindly tendered me. There was a large
congregation, consisting of officers, soldiers and ladies. The Bishop
read part of the morning service and I preached an extempore sermon. I
had not expected to say anything, but the Bishop having declined to
preach, I was determined not to disappoint the congregation altogether.
And I had great reason to be thankful that I did preach, for it gave me
the opportunity to have a long and very delightful conversation with
General Hardee about confirmation. In the afternoon, services were to
have been held for the brigades of General Wood and General Lucius Polk,
but rain coming on, and the services having been arranged for the open
air, it was thought best to postpone them to a future occasion.
The train that evening brought a very agreeable addition to our party in
the person of Lieutenant-Colonel Freemantle of the Coldstream Guard of
the British Army. The Guard was the oldest regiment in the British
service. Colonel Freemantle was only about eight and twenty, and was on
furlough,--just taking a hasty tour through the Confederacy to look at
our army and become acquainted with our officers. He was very
intelligent and very companionable. His grandfather and his father were
adjutants of the Coldstream Guard, and he had held the same office. His
family was an ancient and honorable one, and he seemed worthy to wear
his ancestral honors. He accompanied General Polk and myself to
Shelbyville the next day, and was for a while the General's guest. He
had left England three months before and had come into the Confederacy
by way of Texas.
The following Sunday I held services again in the Presbyterian Church at
Shelbyville, preached to a crowded congregation, and presented another
class to the Bishop for confirmation. In the afternoon we drove to
Wartrace where I said Evening Prayer at the headquarters of General
Wood, and the Bishop preached to an immense concourse. Between four and
five thousand persons were present and the services were most impressive
and solemn.
On Monday morning, (June 1st), we attended a review of General Liddell's
brigade. After the review, General Hardee had the brigade formed in a
hollow square and the Bishop addressed it briefly upon the religious
aspects of the struggle in which we were engaged.
A memorable incident of Bishop Elliott's visit to our army was General
Bragg's baptism and confirmation. As soon as I found that the Bishop was
able to give us a visit, I made very earnest appeals to the officers and
soldiers of our army to confess Christ before men. But there was one man
in the army whom I felt I could never get at. He was the
Commander-in-chief, General Braxton Bragg. He had the reputation of
being so stern and so sharp in his sarcasm, that many men were afraid to
go near him. Yet I had often thought of him in connection with my work.
He never came to the Holy Communion, and I never heard of his being a
member of any religious denomination.
Immediately after I received notice of Bishop Elliott's proposed visit,
I determined to have a talk with General Bragg. It was late one
afternoon when I started for his headquarters. I found two tents and a
sentry at the outer one, and when I asked for General Bragg the sentry
said: "You cannot see him. He is very busy, and has given positive
orders not to be disturbed, except for a matter of life and death."
That cooled my enthusiasm and I returned to my own quarters; but all the
night long I blamed myself for my timidity.
The next day I started out again, found the same sentry and received the
same reply. This time, however, I was resolved to see the General, no
matter what happened, so I said:
"It _is_ a matter of life and death."
The sentry withdrew and in a few minutes returned and said: "You can see
the General, but I advise you to be brief. He is not in a good humour."
This chilled me, but I went in. I found the General dictating to two
secretaries. He met me with: "Well, Dr. Quintard, what can I do for you?
I am quite busy, as you see."
I stammered out that I wanted to see him alone. He replied that it was
impossible, but I persisted. Finally he dismissed the secretaries,
saying to me rather sternly: "Your business must be of grave importance,
sir."
I was very much frightened, but I asked the General to be seated, and
then, fixing my eyes upon a knot-hole in the pine board floor of the
tent, talked about our Blessed Lord, and about the responsibilities of a
man in the General's position. When I looked up after a while I saw
tears in the General's eyes and took courage to ask him to be confirmed.
At last he came to me, took both my hands in his and said: "I have been
waiting for twenty years to have some one say this to me, and I thank
you from my heart. Certainly, I shall be confirmed if you will give me
the necessary instruction."
I had frequent interviews with him subsequently on the subject and he
was baptized and confirmed. The latter service took place in
Shelbyville, on the afternoon of our return from Wartrace. Wishing to
make the usual record, I asked the General to give me the names of his
parents and the date of his birth. In reply he sent me the following
note:
My dear Doctor: I was born in the town of Warrenton, Warren County,
North Carolina, on the 21st of June, 1817, son of Thomas Bragg and
Margaret Crossland, his wife. Though too late in seeking, [but not,]
I hope, in obtaining the pardon offered to all who penitently
confess, I trust time will yet be allowed me to prove the sincerity
with which I have at last undertaken the task. For the kindness and
consideration of yourself and the good and venerable Bishop, for
whom my admiration has ever been very great, I shall never cease to
be grateful. My mind has never been so much at ease, and I feel
renewed strength for the task before me.
Faithfully yours,
BRAXTON BRAGG.
Toward the end of our stay in Shelbyville, it was my privilege to assist
in getting two ladies through the enemy's lines. The Rev. Mr. Clark,
rector of St. Paul's Church, Augusta, Georgia, had been appointed by the
Bishop of Georgia, a Missionary to the Army,--that is, a sort of
Chaplain under diocesan control and for whose support the Confederate
Government was in no way responsible. The plan was intended to continue
the work which the Bishop had begun by his visit to our army. Mr. Clark
desired to send his mother and sister to Nashville, and communicating
with me in advance, I made all necessary arrangements for their transit
through the lines before they arrived in our camp at Shelbyville. I
obtained a pass from General Bragg and his permission for Mr. Edmund
Cooper, of Shelbyville, to write such letters to Federal officers as he
saw fit. Mr. Cooper was in a position to be of great service to us, for
although a Union man and afterwards private secretary to President
Johnson and Assistant Secretary of the United States Treasury, his
brothers were in the Confederate Army. He accordingly gave us letters to
General Rosecrans and Governor Andrew Johnson. General Wheeler wrote to
Colonel Webb, in command of our outposts, requesting him to do all in
his power for the welfare of the party.
In the morning the two ladies, accompanied by the Rev. Mr. Clark, my old
class-mate Dr. Frank Stanford, then General Wheeler's Medical Director,
and myself, left Shelbyville in a fine four-horse ambulance. On our way
"to the front," nine miles out, we reached General Martin's
headquarters, where our passports were examined and approved. Three
miles further on, we reached Colonel Webb, who gave us a note to
Lieutenant Spence of the outer picket, still three miles further in
advance. Lieutenant Spence conducted us to a house where we were kindly
received and made to feel quite at home. He sent one of his scouts
forward to the residence of Colonel Lytle, two miles further on in the
"neutral ground," to inform him of our arrival and to take letters to
him from Mr. Cooper and myself asking his assistance in conveying the
ladies through the enemy's lines.
About two o'clock Colonel and Mrs. Lytle arrived in their carriage. The
latter kindly offered to accompany the ladies through the Federal lines
to the house of a friend where they could remain until they could
communicate with General Rosecrans. At this point we made our adieus and
on returning to camp stopped for dinner at Colonel, (afterward General)
Strahl's headquarters. The day was a pleasant one and the whole party
was greatly pleased with the trip. The Rev. Mr. Clark remained with me
over the following Sunday and held services for one of our regiments.