PERSONAL NARRATIVE--THE CRUMBLING OF THE CONFEDERACY
New Year's day fell on a Sunday in 1865. There being no resident priest
in Aberdeen, the Vestry of St. John's Church requested me to officiate
for them, which I did both morning and evening, having large
congregations. And on the following Tuesday, I began holding daily
services in the church, which were exceedingly well attended. At the
first of these services, I preached on "Earnestness in the Christian
Life."
I remained in Aberdeen until the 14th of January, holding daily
services, visiting the members of the parish and performing such
priestly offices as were desired. Then I left for Columbus, Mississippi,
where I had a cordial welcome at the house of Mr. John C. Ramsey, a
vestryman of St. Paul's Church. The Bishop of the Diocese, Bishop Green,
was making Columbus his home, but was absent at the time and expected to
return on the following Monday.
I met the Rev. Mr. Schwrar, of Tennessee, at the Bishop's residence, and
on the following Sunday I preached at St. Paul's Church, both morning
and night, the services being taken by the Rev. Mr. Schwrar and the Rev.
Mr. Bakewell of New Orleans. I held services daily, morning and evening,
during that week, at most of which I preached.
At this time the minds of the people of the South were becoming
impressed with the idea that the victory and independence of the
Confederate States were no longer certain. On the 19th of January,
General Hood was relieved of his command and Lieutenant-General Taylor
took temporary command. Both officers and privates were holding meetings
in the army asking for the return of General Johnston. General Hood
deserved well of his country for his bravery, for his devotion, for his
energy and enterprise. But the troops longed for General Joseph E.
Johnston, the country was crying out for him, and Congress of the
Confederate States was demanding that the President restore him to the
command of the army of the Tennessee. And I am satisfied that no other
man, had he the genius of a Cæsar or a Napoleon, could have commanded
that army so well as General Johnston.
On Sunday the 22nd of January, the Rev. John M. Schwrar, Deacon, was
advanced to the priesthood in St. Paul's Church, Columbus, by Bishop
Green. I presented him for ordination and preached the sermon, from the
text: "What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation? That the
Lord hath founded Zion and the poor of His people shall trust in it."
Isaiah xiv, 32.
It saddened me to think that, because of the death of Bishop Otey of
Tennessee, Mr. Schwrar had need to be ordained outside of the Diocese to
which he belonged canonically. But after the close of the war and I had
become Bishop Otey's successor, Mr. Schwrar was one of my most faithful
and beloved clergymen, was for several years secretary of the Diocese of
Tennessee and missionary in charge of several important places near
Memphis. In the epidemic of yellow fever in 1878, he remained bravely at
his post and died of the fever.
A few days after the ordination, I met at General Elzy's, Colonel
Baskerville, Captain Hudson, James D. B. de Bow and others and we
discussed the policy of putting the negroes into the army as our
soldiers, and we all agreed to the wisdom of so doing. We also discussed
the rumors then current of the readiness of the foreign powers to
recognize us on the basis of gradual emancipation. And Mr. de Bow, who
was the editor of the "Southern Quarterly Review," stated that Governor
Aiken of South Carolina, the owner of over a thousand slaves, had spoken
to him more than two years previously in favor of emancipation to secure
recognition, and had urged him to employ his pen to bring the subject
before the people of the Confederate States.
It was at this time reported that Commissioners had gone from the
Confederacy to Washington on a peace mission. I spent Wednesday, the 1st
of February, with Colonel Baskerville and with Mr. de Bow, who was of
the opinion that we should have peace on the 1st of May. The thought of
peace almost made me hold my breath, but I feared that the time was not
yet. At the same time the President of the Confederate States appointed
a day of fasting, humiliation and prayer.
Lieutenant-Colonel Llewellyn Hoxton, whom I had presented to Bishop
Elliott for confirmation at Shelbyville in 1863, spent a night with me.
He belonged to an old Virginia family from Alexandria where he was
carefully nurtured in the Church and had instilled into his mind and
heart the principles of virtue and religion by the quiet and steady
influences of a Christian home. He graduated at West Point, in 1861,
just at the time of the breaking out of the war. After reaching
Washington, he resigned his commission in the United States army in
order that he might go with his state. His resignation was not accepted,
but his name was stricken from the roll. He crossed over to Virginia and
was ordered by the Secretary of War of the Confederacy, to report to
General Polk. He was a most faithful soldier and on many a battlefield
displayed conspicuous gallantry.
I was unable to get transportation from Columbus before the 7th of
February, and before leaving, Bishop Green handed me an envelope
containing two hundred dollars, an offering from a member of St. Paul's
Parish. After many annoyances, owing to the crowded state of the trains,
I arrived in Meridian. Here I found Captain Frierson of Tennessee. Dr.
Foster the Post Surgeon, met me at the railway station and I accepted an
invitation to be his guest during his detention at that place. At his
quarters, I found a number of Nashville friends--General Maney, Captain
Alexander Porter, Captain Rice, Major Vaulx, Captain Kelly and others.
I visited Colonel Hurt who was commanding Maney's brigade. The brigade
was smaller than my old regiment at the beginning of the war. Of all the
thousand and more who came out in the First Tennessee Regiment in May,
1861, I found but fifty men remaining. Many had been killed in battle,
others had sickened and died, some were "in the house of bondage," and,
worst of all, some had deserted their colors.
I left Meridian on Thursday, the 9th of February, for Demopolis,
Alabama, where I arrived at three o'clock in the evening. My visit to
Demopolis was a pleasant one. While there the report of the Peace
Commission was made public. The failure of the commission was used to
rally the spirits of the people, who were told that every avenue to
peace was closed, excepting that which might be carved out with the
sword. But this attempt to raise the drooping spirits of the South
failed. The feeble flare of excitement produced by the fiasco of the
Peace Commission was soon totally extinguished.
Leaving Demopolis, I accompanied the Rev. Mr. Beckwith to Greensboro,
Alabama, to see Bishop Wilmer. During this visit the Bishop held a
Confirmation service at which I preached and the offerings, amounting to
$530, were given to me for army missions. After the service a gentleman
took me to one side and stated that several gentlemen of the
congregation desired to present me with a slight token of their regard
and presented me with $700. It took me greatly by surprise.
Accompanied by Frank Dunnington, I went to Selma. We put up for the
night at a hotel. In the morning I paid for lodging and breakfast $13. I
declined the breakfast. The following day I had the great pleasure of
meeting my friend Colonel Harry Yeatman. That morning I visited the
Naval Works, and spent some time with Captain Ap Catesby Jones. We had
much pleasant chat about our Virginia friends. It seemed strange to find
a naval establishment in an inland town or upon the banks of a small
river. But the truth is, the Confederate government had learned the
wisdom of selecting such places for the manufacture of gunboats and
naval ordnance in order that they might be the better protected from the
raids of the Federals.
Captain Catesby Jones had accomplished a vast amount of work at this
place. He had some four hundred workmen employed, only ninety of whom
were white. He had up to the time I visited him, turned out one hundred
and ninety guns, besides doing a vast amount of other work for the
government. He went through the works with me and showed me the
different steps, from the melting of the ore to the drilling of the
guns. He was casting the Brooks gun almost exclusively and said that it
combined more good points than any other.
While in the office at the Naval Works, Mr. Phillips, of North Carolina,
came in to take a look at the works. He was just from Richmond having
travelled with Vice-President Alexander H. Stephens as far as Atlanta.
He told a story which illustrated Mr. Lincoln's wit, and as we all
thought at that time, lack of dignity and perhaps also lack of sympathy
with those who were interested in the war on the Southern side.
Mr. Hunter, one of the Commissioners from the South, suggested, during a
four hours' interview with Mr. Lincoln and Mr. Seward, many instances in
history in which governments had treated with insurgents, and mentioned
one in the time of Charles I of England. Mr. Lincoln replied: "Seward
may know all about the history of that time. All I know is, that Charles
I lost his head."
I reached Montgomery by steamer too late Saturday night for the train to
Columbus, Georgia. I was therefore obliged to spend Sunday in
Montgomery. My expenses on the steamer, exclusive of fare, were
twenty-five dollars, to wit: three cups of coffee furnished by one of
the servants, fifteen dollars; and "tip" to the boy for waiting on me
and caring for my traps, ten dollars.
With the Rev. Mr. Mitchell, I went that night to a meeting of the
citizens of Montgomery, called to consider the condition of affairs then
existing. The theater in which the meeting was held, was crowded to
excess. When we arrived, Governor Watts was addressing the assembled
multitude. We could scarcely get standing room. The Governor spoke for
more than an hour, made many good points, defended President Davis, and
altogether his speech was an able one, practical and thoroughly
patriotic. He referred to the different spirit displayed by the people
at home from that of the soldiers in the field. He was followed by other
speakers and a series of patriotic resolutions was adopted by the people
present.
I spent Sunday in Montgomery, preached morning and evening and baptized
the son of Lieutenant-General Albert J. Smith. Leaving Montgomery the
next morning, I arrived at Columbus, Georgia, at five o'clock in the
evening, after an absence of more than three months. I was glad to find
my family well.
I took up my work of assisting the Rev. Mr. Hawks as before my departure
for Tennessee. The 1st of March was Ash Wednesday and it rained
incessantly. I said Morning Prayer and preached for the rector of the
parish, who though able to attend the service, was looking very badly.
His active labors were evidently at an end. Three weeks later, my former
classmate, Dr. Frank Stanford, put him under the influence of
chloroform, and operated upon him with a knife, removing a cancer. He
bore the operation well, and was present to give his blessing, when on
the 5th of April, at the rectory, I united in the bonds of matrimony,
Captain John S. Smith, aide-de-camp to General Hood, and Sallie C.
Hawks, the reverend gentleman's daughter. And his health continued
reasonably good so long as I remained in Columbus.
During the season of Lent I officiated every Sunday for Mr. Hawks and
delivered a course of lectures on "Confirmation." On the 10th of March,
Friday and the day appointed by President Davis as a day of fasting,
humiliation and prayer, I preached to a crowded congregation from Isaiah
iv, 12. I attended to funerals, baptisms and other parochial duties for
Mr. Hawks. Among the baptisms, was that of General Warner, chief
engineer of the Naval Works at Columbus. Another was that of Captain
Rodolph Morerod, of the Thirty-third Tennessee, Strahl's brigade. He was
of Swiss parentage, a native of Indiana and a practicing physician
before the war.
Major-General John C. Brown spent an evening with me just before he left
to join his command, having recovered sufficiently from the wound
received at the Battle of Franklin. He made a full statement to me of
his movements at Spring Hill, which satisfied me that his skirts were
clear of even a shadow of blame for the neglect of a great opportunity,
as is sometimes said. I had always believed it, for he was at once one
of the noblest of men and most accomplished of soldiers. I had united
him in the bonds of matrimony with Miss Bettie Childress, a little more
than a year previously, at Griffin, Georgia, under somewhat romantic
circumstances. Invitations had been issued for the wedding to take place
at nine o'clock, in the evening of the 23rd of February, (1864). The
groom, accompanied by nine officers of his staff, arrived in Griffin on
the 22nd. But the following morning he received a telegram from General
Joseph E. Johnston, ordering him to report at once at Rome, Georgia. The
officers who were with him were likewise recalled.
General Brown at once sought Miss Childress and laid the case before
her.
"You will have to return to your command," she said.
"But not before you are my wife," he replied.
I was in attendance at the hospitals in Griffin at the time and was sent
for and married them at one o'clock in the afternoon in the presence of
a few friends. The groom said "good by" to his bride and went to the
seat of war. Two weeks later he had a leave of absence and with his
bride took a wedding journey.
I baptized the children of this marriage, confirmed all but one,
performed the ceremony at the marriage of the eldest daughter and
officiated at her funeral a year later. I was with the heart-broken
father at the death-bed of a second daughter and stood with him at her
grave.
Thus I knew General Brown in peace and war, in joy and sorrow, in
sunshine and beneath the clouds, and I always knew him as a true
man--faithful in all the relations of life, broad-minded and generous,
an enterprising citizen, a lawyer, a statesman,--a man always to be
depended upon. He had the good judgment, the force and decision of
character, the methodical habit and the fidelity and integrity of
purpose which compelled confidence and made success easy. After I became
Bishop of Tennessee and especially during his term as Governor of
Tennessee, we were warm friends. His death on the 17th of August, 1889,
was sudden and unexpected. I was apprised thereof by telegram and
hastened to the funeral at Pulaski, Tennessee, where I laid him to rest
with the solemn and impressive services of the Church.
At another time we had as our guests Lieutenant-Colonel Dawson of the
154th Tennessee, and Brigadier-General Felix H. Robertson, both nearly
recovered from their wounds.
But I received the most distressing news of the death of Mr. Jacob K.
Sass, President of the Bank of Charleston and Treasurer of the Council
of the Church in the Confederate States of America. He had just escaped
from Columbia, South Carolina, before its fall, and died at Unionville.
He was one of the noblest laymen of the Church, of large heart and mind,
full of love for Christ and the Church,--abundant in labors,
earnest-minded and pure-hearted.
Mr. Rhodes Brown one day handed me a brief and pointed note, to the
following effect: "To the Rev. Dr. Quintard, for his private use, from a
few friends." The note contained $2500 and was no doubt given to enable
me to purchase theological books and I think Mr. Brown was the sole
donor.
On Palm Sunday, (April 9th) I brought before the Church people at the
services, the importance of establishing an Orphanage and Church Home in
Columbus, and gave notice that the offerings on the following Sunday
(Easter) would be for that purpose.
On Good Friday it was with great delight that I received into the Church
by baptism, my old friend General Washington Barrow, of Nashville. He
was one of my earliest friends in that city and always commanded my
highest and warmest regard. He had received a classical education,
studied law and was admitted to the bar. He was American
Charge-d'Affaires in Portugal from 1841 to 1844, served in Congress as a
Whig from Tennessee, was State Senator in 1860 and 1861, and a member of
the Commission that negotiated a Military League between the Southern
States on the 4th of May, 1861. He was arrested in March, 1862, by
Governor Johnson, of Tennessee, on charge of disloyalty and was
imprisoned in the penitentiary at Nashville, but was released the
following week by order of President Lincoln. He died in St. Louis, in
October, 1866.
Before Easter came, Charleston,--the City by the Sea,--after as gallant
a defence as the records of history, ancient or modern, furnish,--had
fallen. Columbia had suffered severely from a visit of the Federal
forces. Selma, Alabama, had been taken and the larger part of it burned.
Finally the rumors that had reached us from time to time, that Richmond
had fallen, were confirmed. General Howell Cobb wrote to the Mayor of
Columbus, urging him to do all in his power to arouse the citizens to a
sense of their duty, to oppose the arming of the negroes, and to promise
from the military authorities all the assistance that could be rendered.
But from the address of President Davis upon the occasion of the fall of
Richmond, and from the proclamation of the Governor of Alabama to the
people of his state when it was threatened with an invasion of Federal
troops, it was evident that hope was dying out in the hearts of the
people and that the end of the Confederacy was not far off.
Easter Eve the enemy was in Montgomery and that city was surrendered by
the Mayor without an effort at defence. Everything in Columbus was in
commotion. The tranquility of the place was not in the least served by
the distressing news that was received of the assassination of President
Lincoln. Absurd preparations were made for the defence of the city, but
it was an insignificant force that could be gathered there.
Thus Easter dawned. The first service of the day was at half-past five
in the morning when I celebrated the Holy Communion. There was a very
large attendance at this service. Many men were present. It was most
solemn and impressive. All hearts were filled with forebodings of what
was to come. The enemy was close at hand.
At the second service at half-past ten, I said the Litany and celebrated
the Holy Communion. I did not preach, feeling that it was a time for
prayer and supplication only. The offerings as previously announced,
were for the Church Home and Orphanage. They amounted to $33,000.
I stood at the altar for a considerable time administering the sacrament
to officers and soldiers who came to receive before going to the field.
Among these I recognized General Finley, of Florida, and Lieutenant
Green, son of the Bishop of Mississippi. I was deeply touched by seeing
an officer who was very devout, kneel at the chancel rail, and then
hasten away, equipped for battle, clasping his wife by the hand as he
tore himself from her.
At noon the Federal artillery began firing upon the city. The fight for
the defence of Columbus was quite a brisk affair. Major-General Howell
Cobb was chief in command, his second being Colonel Leon Von Zinken,
Commander of the post. Our whole force was less than 4,000, while that
of the Federals amounted to some 12,000 or 15,000, under Major-General
James H. Wilson. The enemy not only greatly outnumbered our force but
was splendidly equipped.
The enemy was twice repulsed, but of course our troops had, before very
long, to give way before such superiority of numbers and equipment.
About ten and a half o'clock on Monday morning, our troops fell back
across the river into the city and beat a hasty retreat on the road to
Macon, numbers of them passing by my house.
I had made but little preparation for the coming of the enemy. I had in
my possession the money collected at the offertory at the Sunday morning
service. This I wrapped up in a piece of rubber cloth and a friend put
it in the top of a tall pine tree for me. It may be there yet for aught
I know. I had at my house a considerable amount of silver ware. This was
rapidly gathered up, put in a sack and lowered into a well. Some
battle-field trophies were thrown into another well. About mid-night we
retired to rest thinking we might be disturbed at any moment.
But it was not until eight o'clock on Tuesday morning that any of the
Federal soldiers put in an appearance. The first man who rode into my
front yard was a sergeant of the Tenth Missouri Cavalry. He asked if I
had seen any Confederates about there, to which I replied: "Not since
last night."
"Which way were they going?" he next inquired.
"Towards Macon."
"Can we get something to eat?"
"Yes, breakfast will soon be ready. Will you walk in?"
He rode off and called a Lieutenant, who rode up, hitched his horse in
the front yard, taking the precaution to throw the front gates wide
open. As he went up the steps of the porch, I asked him his name. He
then gave it as Jones, but after breakfast he told me his name was
Freese, which it evidently was.
I had with me as a guest, Mr. Samuel Noble, a very dear friend who had
arrived from Selma on Sunday morning. He was a Pennsylvanian, who had
been sent South by the Federal government to secure cotton and prevent
its being destroyed by the Confederates. At Selma he had fallen under
the suspicion of the Federals and after being released by them, was
taken up as a spy by our soldiers. He was asked with whom he was
acquainted and gave me as his reference. He was accordingly sent on to
Columbus in charge of a Lieutenant, who instantly released him upon my
recognizing him. He was of great service to me in the emergencies which
now arose.
Lieutenant Freese seemed a gentlemanly fellow enough and gave me the
following paper for my protection:
I have paid a visit to the house of the Rev. C. T. Quintard, (where
Samuel Noble of Pennsylvania is a guest,) for the protection of his
person and property. All soldiers will leave everything unmolested
until General Wilson can send out a Guard as applied for. This
property must remain unmolested.
HENRY H. FREESE,
1st Lieut Co. D. 10th Mo. Cavalry, Volunteer U. S. A.
Armed with this document, Mr. Noble determined to keep out all
intruders. Several friends took shelter at my house. Infamous outrages
were committed in the presence of ladies at my nearest neighbor's; and
in his effort to protect us, Mr. Noble was twice put in imminent danger,
pistols being placed at his head with threats that he would be shot.
So I went to headquarters to secure a guard. A neighbor went with me and
a soldier agreed to protect my premises until my return. I called first
on General Winslow, with a note from Mr. Noble addressed to both General
Winslow and Captain Hodge, his Acting Adjutant-General. Captain Hodge
not only treated me with great courtesy, but accompanied me to the
office of the Provost Marshal. Not finding the latter as I desired, I
determined to call upon General Wilson.
I wrote out a statement of what had transpired at my neighbor's house
and sent it in to the General with my card. The General himself came to
the door, shook hands with me very cordially and invited me into his
room where he introduced me to General McCook.
I asked General McCook to read the statement I had written and he did
so. Then rising from his seat and pacing the floor, he said with great
warmth: "Doctor, if you could identify these men who have committed this
outrage, I would hang them in a minute if I could put my hands on them."
He immediately gave orders to his Adjutant who in turn gave the
necessary orders to the Provost Marshal. By this means I secured a guard
for my own house and for three of my neighbors. It was to the great
relief of my family that I finally returned home, for they feared from
my long absence that some mishap had befallen me.
We had a quiet night and I had the good fortune the next morning to save
both of my horses. On leaving the breakfast table, I walked out on the
front porch, and saw two Federal soldiers putting their saddles on my
horses. I called to the Lieutenant in command of the guard, to know if I
must give them both up. He came out immediately, buckled on his sword,
went to the men, gave them a sound thumping with his sword and ordered
them to unsaddle and give up the horses. They at once obeyed and I put
the horses in the basement of my house. When an hour later four other
soldiers came dashing up expecting to secure my horses, they failed to
find them, and Mr. Noble went out and put the intruders off the
premises.
A few days later the guards were all called in, the troops having been
ordered forward on the road to Macon. A number of stragglers came to the
house from time to time and made efforts to enter it, but without
success.
One night the torch was applied to the government property, factories,
etc., in Columbus. The heavens were brilliantly lighted up and at
intervals there were tremendous explosions. The loudest was at one
o'clock, when the magazine was fired. It shattered the glass in houses
two miles away. All along the river, the enemy left a scene of
desolation and ruin. All the bridges were destroyed. The factories,
naval works, nitre works, and cotton houses, were all burned. The shops
in the town were all pillaged chiefly by the poor of the town. The
destruction is said to have involved about fifteen millions of dollars.