Chronological History of the American Civil War

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Armed men would ride by us and look suspiciously at us. We spent one night in it --- there I had my first bite from a cinch. It raised a limp as large as a partridge egg on my arm. Before reaching McNairy we had many funny experiences --- the places we had to sleep in --- one we got to the home at nearly dark. We slept in a room where there was nearly a foot of wheat all over the floor. The bed was occupied by a boy of about 16 --- the dirtiest thing you ever saw. We, Clara and I and Knox, put one shawl on the bed and slept on one and covered with the other not taking our clothes off. Another place we noticed the children scratching. Clara asked them what bit them --- they replied, we’ve got the each (itch). Uncle John brought it from the camps to us.” All the light we had anywhere after dark was from pine knots they put in the fireplaces. Poor Jim Fleming who was driving us --- as we neared home and wanted to make it that night --- stood up in the carriage to whip the mule. He leaned too far forward and had to jump to keep from falling out. It hurt him tremendously for he was already lame in one leg from his wounds -- - but managed to hold out and we reached home at last. How good it looked to poor, tired creatures as we were. Our people in Bolivar had had hard times. I left Mamie with my sister Mary. The Yankees shelled the town as they knew Forrest had been there. Unlimbered their artillery on our farm. My sister and children with poor little Mamie went into cellars for protection. Mrs. Brooks’s home had a cannon ball pass through it. My Uncle Ezekiel McNeal had a most serious time. He had plantation 12 miles from town to which he often had to go to see if things were getting along all right. On returning from this trip to Bolivar, he ran into a company of Confederates hunting a Yankee troop they heard was around. The captain told Uncle he had better go back to the farm and stay there till the next day as they likely would meet the Yankees and have a fight. Uncle, an old man in his 60s took their advice and went back. When he came back home he was arrested --- some Yankees declaring that they had seen him with a pistol in his hand shooting at them (the troops did have a fight.) Uncle was taken up and tried, the verdict to be shot if found guilty. Soldiers said they saw him shoot. They were asked to point him out. They pointed to Mr. Aleck Ramsey, a good Union man saying, “That is he!” Uncle was released but was made to pay a fine of $1,200. This sum, I am happy to say, Albert McNeal got back from the U.S. government, proving conclusively its falsehood. General Grant was a great man and a just one --- a soldier and a gentleman. My Aunt Mary Miller’s home was taken for his headquarters. Aunt Mary and her little children staying there and keeping house. She was a very delicate and gentle woman (Judge Miller, her husband, had to go South to keep away from arrest.) On one occasion, General Sherman came down to have a conference with General Grant. Sitting at my Aunt Mary’s table he said in his opinion the only way to end the war was to exterminate the Southern people. Poor Aunt Mary burst into tears and had to leave the table. Sherman the Brute never did. It was he who burned homes, devastated property for 30 miles on each side of his army on his march to the sea. Remember Sherman. Avoid him. Many things happened in the town --- many hardships. The citizens had to get a permit from headquarters to buy anything, even a spool of thread or a bushel of meal or flour.