TIP #538 - THE GREAT SNOWBALL FIGHT I am not a Civil War expert and through the years knew little more than the name of some of the major cast of players, some of the more noted battlegrounds, and that the blues and the grays often split entire families apart as one son marched north, one south. I have recently transcribed a series of some 116 newspaper articles that appeared in the Glasgow (KY) Republican, penned by the late Jimmy Simmons. Jimmy was not only the high school history teacher here; an inspiration to an entire generation to learn their family roots, but was a Civil War historian of great knowledge. These weekly columns ran through the 100th anniversary of the Civil War and deals with the role of Barren County soldiers, Union and Rebel, and those of adjacent counties. I have cried through many articles, laughed through others, and gained a much deeper respect for the soldiers who lived and died through this war. I have learned of the lack of food, the lack of shelter, the bravery of the men on both sides of this battle; the victories, the losses, the uniforms, the arms, and the life that these men endured. One such column really impressed me as it was considered the most unusual battle of the war. While we in the 21st century feel we live with too much stress, consider the loyal soldier and officer of the time. The "Orphan Brigade" was headed by General Joseph Horace Lewis who replaced General Helm when he fell in battle. General Lewis was from Barren County and is buried at the Glasgow Municipal Cemetery. I hope you enjoy this short chapter from Jimmy's book that I will soon have in print. It originally appeared in the December 19, 1963 edition of the Glasgow Republican. The long, dreary winter at Dalton as broken by one of the most unusual battles in history, the Great Snowball Battle. The men who had endured three years of the bloodiest fighting engaged in an all-day snowball battle which helped greatly to relieve the tension and monotony of camp life. It seemed to have been one of the most memorable experiences of the war for many of its participants as many of them were to write of it in later years. It is to three of these veterans that I owe my thanks for the material I have assembled on the battle. They are Ed Porter Thompson of Metcalfe Co., who wrote "The History of the Orphan Brigade", John William Green, author of "Johnny Green of the Orphan Brigade," and an unknown writer in the "Confederate Veteran." On the twenty-second day of March 1861, the members of the Orphan Brigade and their comrades of the Army of the Tennessee, awoke to find that snow blanketed the ground and it continued to snow for sometime. When it ceased to come down, the Kentuckians emerged from their shelters and began to toss snowballs at one another. Soon every able bodied man in the brigade seems to have been engaged in throwing snowballs. The "Orphans" wee not the only ones who found a release in throwing snowballs, the Floridians in the next camp unused to snow were frolicking also. Soon, one of them hollered at the Kentuckians and a general fight ensued. All ranks fell out, even General Lewis, who commanded the Kentuckians. There were charges and counter charges; generals fought in the ranks as privates and privates served as generals. The Floridians grudgingly gave ground as they were driven back by the charge of the Orphans. Under a hail of snowballs, the Kentuckians made one final charge and drove the Floridians from their own camp. Even Frank the Soldier dog. Numbers of eyes were blackened and noses wee bloodied by over-enthusiastic combatants. Even though the Kentuckians occupied the Florida camp, the victory was not complete. The color bearer and a part of the flag staff of the 9th Ky. had been captured and so with due ceremony, a truce was arraigned and a treaty of peace signed. The Kentuckians got their men and pole back and the Floridians were given back their camp. By this time, the whole camp had engaged in the fighting. Some of the caissons and limbers of the artillery had been captured and driven pell mell through the camp. It is a sad note to relate that some men were injured by these heavy vehicles, some fatally. One southern soldier, whose name I do not know told of his bunk mate; a boy of only 15 or 16, whose legs were crushed when the heavy wheels passed over them. The surgeon was called but he informed his comrades that the boy would not recover. He was then tenderly carried to his hut and made as comfortable as possible. An old Negro slave, who cooked for the company, being a very devout man, was called. He asked the boy if he knew Jesus. The boy's reply was that he did not, and asked who He was and why he had been asked that question. The old Negro explained that Christ had died for our sins and that the boy, too, was soon to die and that Jesus would come to take him home. The simple southern boy then raised both hands, and when asked why he did this, he said that he was doing it so that Christ would not miss him, when He came. One by one, his comrades dropped off to sleep. In the morning when they awoke poor Jimmy still had his hands raised but death had claimed him in the night. This impressed his comrades so that at least one never forgot and even as an old man was convinced that Jesus must have found poor Jimmy that night. (c) Copyright 28 April 2005, Sandra K. Gorin Colonel Sandi Gorin SCKY Links: http://www.public.asu.edu/~moore/Gorin.html Sandi's Puzzlers: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~gensoup/gorin/puz.html Gorin Publishing: http://ggpublishing.tripod.com/