GOOD SENSIBLE TALK.
I was out in the country
yesterday, doing picket duty, and fell in with an old gentleman with whom I had
a good sensible talk, He was an intelligent, well appearing man, who said he
was a farmer, or had been one until the breaking out of the war. He owns a
plantation just outside our lines, but is not permitted to go into town. He is
allowed to purchase in small quantities such articles as he may need by sending
in his negro man or getting the boys to bring them out. He said at the
commencement of the secession movement, he and all this part of the state, in
fact nearly all of the state, was opposed to it, and in two state conventions,
to both of which he was a delegate, the ordinance of secession was rejected, and
not until after South Carolina on one side and Virginia on the other had gone
out was the ordinance of secession passed.
He said: “Situated
as we were we could not remain neutral, and although opposed to it from the
beginning and all the time even after the war commenced and all our young men
had gone into the army, it was but natural that I should sympathize with my own
people.”
“Certainly," I
replied, “but have you any hopes of the ultimate success of the Confederacy?”
“None whatever, and
I told our people so at our conventions. We are a ruined people and the best
thing we can do is to make peace with the government on any terms we can.”
“Yes, but you know
the terms are very simple, merely to lay down your arms and return to your
loyalty to the government.”
“Yes, I know it is
simple enough now, but I reckon the government at Richmond is not wise enough
to accept it, and the longer they keep up the war the worse we are off, and in
the end we will have to accept such terms as are dictated to us.”
A sensible old
gentleman that, and I should have liked to go out to his place and sample his
peach and honey, scuppernong and things.
STOKES TAKES HIS
LEAVE OF US.
An order was
received here today from the war department discharging Stokes from the
service. When the order was read, it took him by surprise as it was his first
intimation of it. He seemed disappointed and said he should like well enough to
go home a few days, but did not like the idea of going to stay and thought he
should be back with us again in a few weeks.
He left for home
this afternoon. I am sorry to lose Stokes and shall miss him very much. He was
my chief of staff and I placed great reliance on him. He was one of our best
boys, possessed of excellent judgment, and was unsurpassed in the secret
service. I parted with him with many regrets and shall always retain pleasant
memories of our soldier life.
SOURCE: David L.
Day, My Diary of Rambles with the 25th Mass. Volunteer Infantry, p.
90-1
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