This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --------------57F92752992703BE96F199DA Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit This is taken from a book titled "Company Aytch, or A Side Show of the Big Show," written by Sam Watkins. It is a memoir from the Civil War of the Tennessee Infantry Regiment, 1st Company H, commanded by Major Abraham McClellan Looney, born 1820, died 1904, who later became a member of the House and Senate, Tennessee General Assembly. epdove --------------57F92752992703BE96F199DA Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; name="pg1.txt" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: inline; filename="pg1.txt" CHAP. XVI-- BATTLES IN TENNESSEE COLUMBIA "This is my own, my native land. " Once more the Maury Grays are permitted to put their feet upon their native heath, and to revisit their homes and friends after having followed their tattered, and torn, and battle-riddled flag, which they had borne aloft for four long years, on every march, in every battle that had been fought by the army of Ten- nessee. We were a mere handful of devoted braves, who had stood by our colors when sometimes it seemed that God hirnself had forsaken us. But, parents, here are your noble and brave sons; and, ladies, four years ago you gave us this flag, and we promised you "That we would come back with the flag as victors or we would come not at all." We have been true to our promise and our trust. On every battlefield the flag that you entrusted to our hands has been borne aloft by brave and heroic men, amid shot and shell, bloody battle, and death. We have never forsaken our colors. Are we worthy to be called the sons of old Maury county? Or have we fought in vain? Have our efforts been ap- preciated, or have four years of our lives been wasted, while we were battling for constitutional government, the supremacy of our laws over centralization, and our own rights, as guaranteed to us by the blood of our forefathers on the battlefields of the Revolution? It is for you to make up your verdict. If our lives as soldiers have been a failure, we can but bow our heads on our bosoms, and say. Surely, four years of our lives have been given for naught, and our efforts to please you have been in vain." Yet, the invader's foot is still on our soil, but there beat in --------------57F92752992703BE96F199DA Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1; name="pg2.txt" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Disposition: inline; filename="pg2.txt" 200 • Company Aytch our bosoms the blood of brave and patriotic men, and we will continue to follow our old and war-worn battle-riddled flag until it goes down forever. The Maury Grays) cornmanded by Captain A. M. Looney, left Columbia) four years ago, with 120 men. How many of those 120 original members are with the company today? Just twelve. Company H has twenty members, but some of this number had subsequently enlisted. But we twelve will stick to our colors till she goes down forever, and until five more of this number fall dead and bleeding on the battlefield AFIASCO • When we arrived in sight of Columbia, we found the Yankees Still in possession of the town, fortified and determined to resist our advance. We send forward a "feeler," and the "feeler" re- ports back very promptly, "Yes, the Yankees are there." Well, if- that be the case, we'll just make a flank movement. We turn off the main turnpike at J. E. R. Carpenter's, and march through the cedars, and cross Duck river at Davis' ferry, on pontoon bridges, near Lowell's mill. We pass on, and cross Rutherford creek, near Burick's mill, about 3 o'clock in the afternoon. We had marched through fields in the heavy mud, and the men, weary and worn-out, were just dragging themselves along, pass- ing by the old Union Seminary, and then by Mr. Fred Thomp- son's, until we came to the Rally Hill turnpike-it being nearly dark-we heard some skirmishing, but, exhausted as we were, we went into bivouac. The Yankees, it seems to me, might have captured the whole of us. But that is a matter of history. But I desire to state that no blunder was made by either Generals Cheatham or Stewart, neither of whom ever failed to come to time. Jeff Davis is alone responsible for the blunder. About two hours after sun up the next morning we received the order to. "Fall in, fall in, quick, make haste, hurrah, promptly, men; each rank count two; by the right flank, quick time, march; keep promptly closed up." Everything indicated an immediate at- tack. When we got to the turnpike near Spring Hill, lo! and be- holdl wonder of wonders! the whole Yankee army had passed during the night. The bird had flown. We make a quick and --------------57F92752992703BE96F199DA--