fright at the sound of a gun and threw her against some rocks, badly injuring her in the face. Her husband, who was very pompous and slow in his language, hearing of the accident, hastened to her, and, entering the room, said: 'Tell me, Elizabeth, are you defaced?' "She made her way, however to the soldiers, and she and my sister had the church in Warrenton turned into a hospital to receive them, and there they were tenderly nursed—but some got well and others went to their eternal reward." "Again events were hurrying forward, but not as at the beginning of the year 1861, when we all entered Richmond with such bright hopes. But the final catastrophy was delayed for a while yet. Colonel Dahlgren determined to make a raid upon Richmond, and when the news reached us, all there was to oppose him was a force of local soldiery and a battalion of department clerks. The members of Congress shouldered guns and mounted guard around Richmond. But the small force of department clerks and unskilled soldiers were a match for Dahlgren, and averted the plot he had formed to pour fire upon the devoted capital of the Confederacy. But we soldiers were hungry," said Mr. Semmes. "I had had nothing to eat all day, and the heartiest meal I ever enjoyed was a piece of dry bread and a raw onion that I asked of an old market woman as she passed me where I was keeping guard. That was the best onion I ever ate in my life. Dark days were coming, however, for it had become apparent to all that the South must yield, not in bravery, but in superiority of numbers. In Virginia, the supply of bread even was exhausted, and little more could be expected until after the next wheat crop came in. Provisions of all kinds were enormously high." "For instance," said Mrs. Semmes, "at our New Year's dinner in 1864, we had to pay $110 for the turkey to grace the feast. That was one of the last big dinners that we had at our house." "It was not such a big dinner in point of courses," said Mr. Semmes, "for we were getting reduced now, and money was worth nothing and provisions were high. Nevertheless, it was a good substantial dinner; we had our expensive Confederate turkey, and vegatables and game, and good bread, made at home, and nice dessert. We had Mr. Stephens and General Sparrow, and Mr. Garland from our home, and Bishop McGill and dear old Father Hubert to dine with us. I shall never forget that New Year's dinner. We all tried to be gay, but our hearts were inwardly sad. There was the usual visiting, customary in those days on New Year's day, but the old brilliancy and fire were fast ebbing away." "Mr. Stephens never forgot that New Year's dinner," said Mrs. Semmes, and she took from an old scrap-book, carefully put away, an autograph letter from Mr. Stephens, dated "New Year's, 1866. My dear Mrs. Semmes: Two years ago to-day we were at your house, in Richmond, and had Bishop McGill at dinner. What changes have taken place since then, and what reminiscences crowd upon my mind in taking this short retrospect. A whole train of these mixed with many pleasant as well as sad memories was awakened by your letter, which lies on the table before me." And then he goes on to speak, does the great Confederate statesman, of many things already told in this sketch-incidents in which he was pleasantly interested and closed by wishing both her and Mr. Semmes long life and happiness. There were rumors and rumors that the war would have to be brought to a close, but Robert E. Lee, on whom all eyes were turned, still held out bravely. A small slip of paper, sent to President Davis, as he sat in his pew in St. Paul's church, contained the most momentous news of the war. It advised that everything should be in readiness to evacuate Richmond the coming night, unless before that time dispatches should be received to the contrary. The slip of paper was from General Lee. Many of the cabinet officers had sent their families from Richmond the previous week as also the congressmen. Mr. Semmes had sent Mrs. Semmes in a box-car, by the Richmond and Danville road, towards Montgomery. A week later he joined her in Georgia, and in Augusta heard of Lee's surrender. Thence the way was made by wagon and stage to Montgomery. Reaching here Mrs. Semmes heard that her husband would be pursued and she determined to save him. She drove to a farm-house, some miles distant from Montgomery, and asked the farmer to give her husband shelter. All this was without Mr. Semmes' knowledge. "Bring him to me," said the loyal old Southerner, "and he can stay at my farm and be known as the uncle of my children." But in a few days Mr. Knox sent word to his daughter that concealment was impossible; that it was known everywhere that Mr. Semmes was in Alabama and that he would join her in her father's house. This was already occupied by Yankee soldiers, but they were very courteous and kind to us, said Mrs. Semmes. Speaking of the surrender, Mr. Semmes said: "Though the sword was surrendered we did not surrender one jot or tittle of the principles for which we fought; they still live, and time is fully vindicating their truth. A few days later came the news that Jefferson Davis had been taken prisoner and confined in Fortress Monroe; perhaps it was the most fortunate thing that could have happened to Mr. Davis. Immediately he became the scape-goat of the Southern people; their sorrows had to be borne by him and he stood for the cause for which they had fought, and perhaps he would suffer the death penalty for them. The trial never came off, but for all that, Jefferson Davis returned, the people's idol-the great chieftain of the South. And so he remains to this day." In October, 1865, Mr. Semmes went to Washington and saw President Johnson. The President asked him what he had done for the South? Mr. Semmes answered: "All that a man could do, by words and deeds, to promote the Confederate cause, and now he wanted to resume in peace the practice of his profession." "Well, go home and work," said Mr. Johnson. He immediately returned to New Orleans, having borrowed $100 for that purpose, not being possessed of another cent in the world. His palatial home in this city, with its fine furniture and mirrors, and magnificent library, had been confiscated when the city fell into the hands of the Federal forces, under General Butler. He resumed the practice of his profession in partnership with Mr. Mott, and rapidly rose to the head of the Louisiana bar. The principal factors in those stirring scenes, of which he was such a part, have nearly all passed away. He and Mr. Garland and one other Senator, perhaps are all that remain of the Confederate Congress. The years have passed on and a new South has grown on the ruins of the old, and of this South Mr. Semmes is still a conspicuous figure and active worker. But as he himself said, the old life was full of grace and beauty, and has, for him, the peculiar charm of an autumn twilight's lingering adieu. [From the Wilmington, N. C., Star, March 12, 1897.] THE FORTY-FOURTH N. C. INFANTRY. Historical Sketch Of. This brief record of the organization, movements and achievements of the 44th Regiment North Carolina Troops, could not have been written except for the assistance of Captains W. P. Oldham, Robert Bingham, Abram Cox and Lieutenants Thomas B. Long and Richard G. Sneed, officers of the regiment, who participated in its career, and especially am I under obligations to Captain John H. Robinson, of the 52nd North Carolina, who was detailed during the latter part of the campaign of 1864, at the request of General Wm. McRae, to serve on his staff as A. A. G. in place of Captain Louis G. Young, who had been severely wounded. The facts stated in a memorial address delivered by the writer in Wilmington, N. C., on May 10, 1890, on the life and character of General William McRae, in so far as they are connected with the operations of the regiment, and its participation in the various engagements described have been used without reserve, as they are known to be correct; nor has there been any hesitancy in quoting from the language of that address when appropriate to a description of events constituting alike a part of the history of the regiment as well as of the brigade. CHAS. M. STEDMAN. The 44th Regiment North Carolina Troops (Infantry) was organized at Camp Mangum, near Raleigh, N. C., on the 28th of March, 1862, with George B. Singletary as its colonel; Richard C. Cotten, captain Co. E, its lieutenant-colonel, and Elisha Cromwe 1, captain Co. B, as its major. Colonel Singletary was killed in a skirmish with Federal troops at Tranter's creek in Eastern North Carolina on the 5th day of June, 1862. He was an officer of extraordinary merit, and would have unquestionably attained high distinction but for his untimely end. On the 28th of June, 1862, Thomas C. Singletary, his brother, was elected colonel in his stead. LieutenantColonel Cotten resigned on account of advanced age on the roth day of June, 1862, and Major Elisha Cromwell was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel, to fill the vacancy caused by his resignation. The vacancy caused by the promotion of Major Elisha Crom The Forty-fourth N. C. Infantry. 335 well was filled by the election of Tazewell L. Hargrove, captain Co. A, on June 10, 1862. On the 24th day of July, 1862, LieutenantColonel Cromwell resigned, and Major Tazewell L. Hargrove was elected in his place, and on the 28th of July, 1862, Charles M. Stedman, captain Co. E, was promoted and elected major. The staff and company officers are named as they appear in the following list, and in the order of their promotion: Adjutants-Stark Armistead Sutton, John A. Jackson, R. W. Dupree. Ensign-W. S. Long. Sergeant-Majors-John H. Johnston, Alexander S. Webb, E. D. Covington. Quartermaster-Sergeant-Isham G. Cheatham. Ordnance-Sergeant-Robert J. Powell. Commissary-Sergeant-D. F. Whitehead. Chaplains-John H. Tillinghast, Richard G. Webb. Surgeons-William T. Sutton, J. A. Bynum. Assistant Surgeons-J. A. Bynum, William J. Green. Company A-Captains-Tazewell L. Hargrove, Elkanah E. Lyon, Robt. L. Rice. First Lieutenant-Elkanah E. Lyon, Robert L. Rice, Richard G. Sneed, A. J. Ellis. Second Lieutenants-Robert L. Rice, William R. Beasley, John B. Tucker, Richard G. Sneed, Robert Winship Stedman. Enlisted men, 148. Company B-Captains-Elisha Cromwell, Baker W. Mabry, Robert C. Brown. First Lieutenants-Baker W. Mabry, Robert C. Brown, Thomas M. Carter. Second Lieutenants-Thomas M. Carter, Robert C. Brown, Charles D. Mabry, Elisha C. Knight. Enlisted men, 135. Company C.-Captains-William L. Cherry, Macon G. Cherry. First Lieutenants-Abram Cox, Andrew M. Thigpen, Samuel V.. Williams. Second Lieutenants-Andrew M. Thigpen, Macon G. Cherry, Samuel V. Williams, Reuben E. Mayo, Samuel Tappen. |