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MUM00274

Finding-Aid for the Lockwood Collection (MUM00274)

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Descriptive Summary
PURL:
http://purl.oclc.org/umarchives/MUM00274/
Creator:
Lockwood Family
Title:
Lockwood Collection.
Inclusive Dates:
1875-1958
Materials in:
eng
Abstract:
Collection contain correspondence, certifications, funeral notices, and miscellaneous material and notes related to the Lockwood family. Items were created 1875-1958.
Quantity:
2 boxes.
Number:
MUM00274
Location:
G-15.
Repository :
The University of Mississippi
J.D. Williams Library
Department of Archives and Special Collections
P.O. Box 1848, University, MS 38677-1848, USA
Phone: 662.915.7408
Fax: 662.915.5734
E-Mail: archive@olemiss.edu
URL: https://www.olemiss.edu/depts/general_library/archives/
Cite as:
Lockwood Collection (MUM00274). The Department of Archives and Special Collections, J.D. Williams Library, The University of Mississippi.

Scope and Contents Note
Collection contain correspondence, certifications, funeral notices, and miscellaneous material and notes related to the Lockwood family. Items were created 1875-1958.

Restrictions
Access Restrictions
Open.
Use Restriction
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use”, that user may be liable for copyright infringement.

Container List

LOCKWOOD COLLECTION INVENTORY

Box 1
Folder:

1. ALS April 14, 1915. Crystal Springs, Miss. from J.M. Daupeer to W.B. Lockwood.

2. ALS May 6, 1915. Carrolton, Ill. from Arthur Secor to “Dear Cousin” [Mrs. O.E. Lockwood].

3. ALS May 19, 1917. Birmingham, Ala. from H.L. Norton.

4. TLS December 24, 1919. Crystal Springs, Miss. from Bud [W.B. Lockwood] to Mama [Mrs. O.E. Lockwood].

5. TL May 28, 1922. Crystal Springs, Miss. from Bud [W.B. Lockwood] to Mama [Mrs. O.E. Lockwood].

6. TLS December 13, 1923. Birmingham, Ala. from Clark Williams to W.B. Lockwood.

7. ALS July 17, 1927. Crystal Springs, Miss. from Jeffrie R. Lockwood to Mrs. O.E. Lockwood and Mr. & Mrs. David H. Dent.

8. TLS July 21, 1927. Birmingham, Ala. from Clark Williams to Mrs. O.E. Lockwood.

9. TL July 22, 1927. Crystal Springs, Miss. from Peachie to Mrs. O.E. Lockwood.

10. ALS August 12, 1927. Dallas, Texas. from Clara Emily Martinez to Mrs. Emma O. Lockwood.

11. ALS May 24, 1929. Crystal Springs, Miss. from Tyna Clement Todd to Mrs. O.E. Lockwood.

12. ALS June 21, 1945. Denver, Colorado. from Capt. William B. Lockwood to Mrs. Genevieve Dent.

13. TL August 23, 1945. Knoxville, Tennessee. from Estelle to Aunt Genevieve [Mrs. L.H. Dent].

14. TL December 5, 1945. Knoxville, Tennessee. from Estelle to Aunt Genevieve [Mrs. L.H. Dent].

15. TLS December 19, 1945. Knoxville, Tennessee. from William B. Lockwood to “Bee-Bee” [Mrs. Louis H. Dent].

16. TL January 7, 1946. Knoxville, Tennessee. from Estelle to Aunt Genevieve [Mrs. L.H. Dent].

17. ALS July 26, 1946. Knoxville, Tennessee. from W.B. Lockwood to “Bee-Bee”.

18. TL October 24, 1946. Knoxville, Tennessee. from Estelle to Aunt Genevieve [Mrs. L.H. Dent].

19. undated. telegram from William in Knoxville, Tenn. to Mrs. Louis H. Dent.

20. two printed thank you notes from W.B. Lockwoods.

21. two empty envelopes (1934, 1945).

22. September 25, 1908 deed to cemetary lot at the Crystal Springs Cemetery for T.P. Lockwood.

23. April 20, 1891 Mississippi license to practise medicine for Benson Mott Lockwood.

24. Funeral Notices:

F.L. Ray — April 16, 1875

R.A. Harrison — June 29, 1885

Dr. E.T. Lockwood — September 7, 1886

Dr. B.M. Lockwood — September 20, 1896

Benson Miller Lockwood — December 14, 1907 [handwritten]
Mrs. M.C. Sturgis — November 24, 1909 [also Memorial Record]
Mrs. Elizabeth Ann Secor — April 1, 1910

George A. Sturgis — January 6, 1913

Dr. T.P. Lockwood — April 13, 1915

W.B. Lockwood — July 13, 1927

25. Locks of hair in evelopes

26. Miscellaneous material and notes — including family tree and history.

27. The Meteor (September 11, 1958). Crystal Springs Centennial Celebration 1858-1958. Centennial Edition.

28. Newspaper clippings

29. Newspaper clippings

30. Reminiscence of Old Crystal Springs by Dr. Theodore P. Lockwood. 12 pages with stapled cover.

31. Handwritten reminiscence of Dr. T.P. Lockwood’s civil war experiences (1909). typescript included.

Box 2 contains the Lockwood family Bible and the Daughters of Confederacy Cross of Honor awarded to Dr. T.P. Lockwood.

***19 photographs were removed to Location J (Collection Photographs — Lockwood Collection).

“My War Record”

Forty-four years after the close of the War

Between the States I undertake to write this

record. Writing in a day so far removed from

the facts, occurances, and scenes of that finest

war of modern times I may, nessessarily, make

mistakes and overlook many facts. In 1861

when Mississippi seceded from the Union,

I was in New Orleans attending my first course

of medical lectures. It was about the middle

of March when I came home and found the

war spirit at red heat. One company had al-

ready been organized in Crystal Springs,

called “Crystal Springs Southern Rights” and

had elected Captain Davis of Utica, an old

vetaran of the Mexican war I think, as its

captain. I do not remember the other officers, my

brother Johnathan Thomas Lockwood joined

this company and went with it to Virginia

when it was assigned to the 16th Mississippi

Regiment. This Regiment formed a part of

the immortal “Stonewall” Jackson Brigade,

and was engaged in the second battle of

Manassas where my brother was killed. He is

buried in the grave-yard at Warrenton, Va.

The next Company organized in Crystal

Springs was named “The Crystal Springs

Guards.” A.B. Lowe was elected Captain,

“Tal” Lindsay 1st Lieutenant, T.P. Lockwood

2nd Lieutenant, and Thomas U. Willis

3rd Lieutenant. We were mustered in the

service by Maj. McCardle of Vicksburg,

drawn up in line on east Rail Road

avenue, north of Georgetown street in the

street along side of where the present brick

store is, now occupied by City Drug Com-

pany. In a few days the mothers and

fathers, brothers and sisters, friends neigh-

bors and sweet hearts gathered at the

Depot to see the noble young soldier boys

of the gallant company “off to the war.”

This Company was made up from the pick

and flower of the community, the largest per

cent being boys under twenty. I was just

past my twentieth year. Ah! that was

a sorrowful day when these precious, splendid

boys shook hands with weeping loved ones,

turned thier backs upon home, and faced

an uncertain future and an unknown fate.

And there were weeping and lamentation, many

a prayer was said; many a fond farewill; many

a fond, lingering last embrace; and many a

noble God speed! and hearty wish for a safe

and speedy return swayed, and thrilled, and

swelled the hearts and bosoms of those we left

behind. And well they might — for two-thirds

of that gallant, heroic, little Company

never returned again for they “were number-

ed with the slain.”

“Ah! Few shall part where many meet.

The snow shall be their winding sheet,

And every turf beneath their feet,

Shall be a soldiers sepulchre!”

On July the 31st 1861 our Company left Crystal

Springs for the Camp and drill grounds at

Grenada, Miss. and arrived there on the morn-

ing of August the 1st. Staying here awhile

we were sent to Union City Tennessee, our Com-

pany numbering about one hundred men.

With the “Rankin Grays” from Brandon. Captain

Shelby (who afterwards bacame Colonel of another

regiment) “The Steel Blades” from Georgetown

Copiah County. Captain Archie Steele, a com-

pany from Newton County, Captain Hall,

and “The Crystal Springs Guards” Captain

A.B. Lowe, and several other Companies I

do not now remember their names or officers

formed the 6th Miss. Regiment commanded

by Colonel J.J. Thornton, Leutenant Colonel

Enoch R. Bennett, Major Robert Lowery.

and Adjutant A.B. Willis. In the elec-

tion of officers of the regiment Robert Low

ry of the “Rankin Grays”, A.B. Willis and

T.P. Lockwood of “the Crystal Springs

Guards” were put in nomination for

major. My friends in the Regiment were

very sanguine of my election but owing to the

fact that Robert Lowry and A.B. Willis

were much older men than I.(for I was a

mere boy) I decided, with the persuasion

of Willis’ friends and the consent of my

friends to withdraw from the contest.

Lowry, however, was elected major and

A.B. Willis made Adjutant of the

Regiment. While at Union City the measles

struck the Camp and numbers of the soldiers

were smitten and sent to the hospitals where

they died like sheep. After staying here a-

while an drill our Regiment was ordered

to Bowling Green Kentucky. where we

went into winter quarters. It was an ex-

ceedingly cold winter the snow lying

on the ground, principly, all winter from

a half foot to a foot and a half deep. We

built our quarters by cutting down

poles and building pens six feet high

about, covered these pens with our tents,

chincked the cracks with mud daub and

thatch, and in one end made a door

just large enough for a man to crawl

through, at the other end a chimny was made

of mud. In these quarters we were pretty snug

and comfortable. Being in the heart of a beau

tiful and rich country we were supplied with

provisions and rough clothing. while our frie-

nds at home sent us additional clothes

and well packed boxes, so we faired sump-

tiously every day. Our occupation was to drill

and manoeuver in the field morning and eve-

ning, and to dig trenches, throw up breastworks

and fortifications. General Pat Cleburn

that splendid drill master, disciplinarian,

and great soldier drillied our Regiment

in person, daily in sword and bayonet ex-

ersises so we became dexterous in the use

of arms, bayonet parry and charge, and fencing

with the sword. When our company left home

for the front it was armed with old flint and

steel muskets, flint and steel single barreled shot

guns and a few flint and steel rifles. Each

man was provided with a long dirk, ham-

mered out by our blacksmiths from steel files

and old pieces of steel and brought to a very

keen edge, with woden handles, which he

wore in his leather belt, a very formidable weap

on in a hand to hand encounter and every

man expected to use them in battle.

Our Company was put in the 6th Miss.

Regiment Company F. General Pat Cleburn’s

Brigade, Gen’l Breckenridge’s Division, army

of Tennessee commanded by General Albert

Sidny Johnston. “General Albert Sidney John-

ston established east of the Mississippi a line

of defense whose principal points were Colum-

bus, Ky., Forts Henry and Donelson upon the

Tennessee and Cumberland rivers, Bowling

Green and Cumberland Gap, Ky.,” Our Com-

mand remained at Bowling Green Ky.,

until “the disasters of Fort Donelson and

Mill Springs compelled Johnston to fall back

from Bowling Green and establish a new

line of defense, which extended from New

Madrid, Mo., through Jackson, Tenn., to

Murfreesborro.” In our retreat from Bowling

Green the main army marched through the

country and all the sick and disabled were

sent around by the cars. I had a very bad

case of Jaundice and suffered a good deal.

All the Regiment was ordered to report to

regimental medical headquarters to be examined to

see who were able to march and who were

sick. I presented myself dead sure of getting

a certificate to go on the cars. but Dr. Wm

Aills, who was Surgeon of the Regiment, re-

fused the certificate and forced me to

march through with the command, telling

me it would be good for my complaint.

So we fell back from Bowling Green Ky.,

to Nashville, Tenn., through the country,

in the winter when the march for most of

the way was through snow over shoe mouth

deep. I kept with my Command all the way

from Bowling Green to Nashville, marching in

the snow, sleeping in the snow when to my

surprise my jaundice was gone and I was well.

The day before we reached Nashville we marched

at double-quick almost, thirty miles to reach

Nashville for fear of being cut off by the fall

of Fort Donalson. Our Command was quartered

on the Capital grounds which we reached a short

time after night-fall weary, cold, and hungry.

My Company, with others, laid down on the

cold, hard, granite floor of the portico and steps

of the Capital and fell to sleep with nothing to

cover us but our single blanket, and I never had

a sweeter night’s sleep in all my life. From

Nashville we went to Corinth, Miss, where

we went into Camps and remained until

everything was about ready for the desperate

battle of Shiloh. While encamped at Corinth

the soldiers suffered for water, there was no water

to be had except from a few mud holes in a

dried up creek, in which was lying the carcases

of two cows and a horse or so from these pools

of filthy water we got our drinking water, our

water to cook with and wash our clothes.

Imagine the situation there and compare it

with these times of electric lights and water-

works. After the capture of Fort Donelson the

Federal army was carried in steamboats up the

Tennessee River to Pittsburg Landing, near the

State line of Mississippi. Here Burell had been

ordered to reinforce Gen’l Grant. Gen’l John-

ston by skillful generalship had concentrated

his widely scattered command and organized

them into three corps under Generals Bragg, Polk,

and Hardee at Corinth, Miss. Johnston de-

termined to attack Grant before the two armies

could unite. Advancing quietly, he attacked

the the Federal camps near Shiloh Church,

about two miles from the Tennessee River

April the 6th, 1862. and although greatly out-

numbered, he forced the Federals back to the

river, capturing many prisoners and stores. After

Standing all night in line of battle, by

daylight on Sunday morning, (April 6) the

firing began on our left and came rapidly

down the line. The battle had begun and

we rushed into the melee amidst the

rattle of musketry. the deafening roar of cannon,

and the hiss of shrieking shells. Gradually

but stubbornly the enemy went back before

the fury of our assault over fences and

fields and hills and woods. In front of our

regiment, (the 6th Miss.) the enemy had dug

their trenches and thrown up breastworks, in

rear of which was their Camps and a

battery of six guns, which poured a deadly

fire upon our advancing columns. Between

our line and the enemies’ breast works there

ran a little creek or ravine in the skirt of

the intervening woods close under the

breastworks. The enemy’s fire was so galling

and was mowing down our advancing

column so dreadfully that we were ordered

to lie down, but the enemy behind the trenches

had our range so completely, that our officers

soon found that there were more men killed

lying down than while advancing. While lying

there, Leutenant Harris of the Steel Blades

in our regiment, and I, were lying close to-

gether, our shoulders touching, talking about

how thick the bullets were coming, and

watching our men before us as they were being

shot. Lt Harris playfully remarked, “I wish

we could get right-down in the earth” then

I noticed that he quit talking and I look-

ed around to see what was the matter

and Lt Harris lay stretched out, flat of his

back, with a minnie ball in the ______ of

his head — he was dead. At this juncture

we were ordered to charge the breast works.

We arose and with the historic Rebel Yell

made a furious dash across the little creek

and stormed the breastworks, killed and

captured the soldiers in their trenches, silenc

ed the battery of six cannons which had

played such havoc in our ranks, captured

the battery and the enemy camps and

provisions, and sent the ruling foe flying

before us. This was the gallant charge of

the bloody 6th Miss. Regiment at Shiloh.

But it cost us dearly. Every field officer of

the regiment was shot down and many a

noble, splendid boy of this community met

a hero’s death on this fearful, bloody field.

Just before we reached the little creek in

the woods, in that gallant charge, I was

shot down with a fearful wound in my leg

and foot, just as the charging regiment

reached the little creek, the brave and

gallant Lt Thomas H. Willis fell mortally

wounded. Here I leave the hard fought

battle of Shiloh which history claims as

one of the bloodiest battles of the war. I

lay on the battle field where I fell, in a thick

et of bushes and tall trees, waiting for the am

bulance corps to pick me up until the canon

balls and minnie ball came so thick and

furious. Cutting down small bushes all around

me and large limbs from the large trees

falling all about me, that I was sure I would

be killed if I stayed there. Looking around

I discovered a large old pine tree that had

blown down and left a tall stump. I said

to my self I will be killed if I stay here and

die out here in the woods. So I said I will

try to reach that old tree which was

about 20 yards in the rear of me. I may

be killed by the flying bullets coming like

hail all around me, but if I can reach

that old tree it will be a haven of se-

curity. I can but die, so I will try. Weak and

exhausted from my terrible wounds and

loss of blood I began the long and weary

journey towards that old pine tree that had

fallen in the woods. Mayhaps I shall never

reach that coveted goal. through all this

hail storm of flying, deadly, musketry, shrieck

ing shells, and terrific, crashing canonballs.

The destination of my journey to escape almost

certain death seemed a hundred miles away. The

situation was desperate in the extreme but a

soldier knows nothing but duty, and the

encounter of a thousand difficult an danger-

ous situations. Thus lying flat of my

back, with my arm and elbows I drug my-

self along. Often resting, then summoning

up courage I drug my self along. At last I got

to the old fallen tree in safety. I felt like

I had escaped the very jaws of Hades and

had reached Paradise. I thanked God. Providence

had saved me for some purpose I knew not

what. Snugly escoused behind my breastword.

I lay there for a long time listening at the

bullets hitting the old stump and tree by

the thousands. Finally they became less and less

thick until they gradually stopped. The

roar of battle and the sound of the contend

strife grew fainter, and fainter and farther

and farther away. I knew then that our

arms were victorious and we were pushing

the enemy back, back, back. I lay there

by my “friend in need,” the old pine tree

that fell in the thicket, a long time

waiting and hoping for the ambulance

Corps to come along and pick me up.

Finally two wounded soldiers coming

back from the front found me and as

they were not wounded so bad but that

they could walk, took me and putting

my arms around their necks bore me

back a quarter of a mile to the rear to the

Field Hospital. It was about 4 o-clock in

the evening and raining to beat the band.

The field hospital was to crowded with

the desperately wounded that it would not

receive any more and they laid hundreds

about on the ground outside, so I was

laid by another old fallen tree. My clothes

were drenched with rain and my blanket,

only one, was spread an ringing wet, on the

wet ground and I was layed on it, with

no covering or protection and the rain

pattering down on my face and body, there

I lay all night until 4 o-clock next eve-

ning in a drenching rain. It was an aw-

ful sight to see the stack of legs and arms

and other parts of the human body that was

piled up out side of the field hospital al-

most as high and thick as an ordinary hay-

stack. I was never reached for attention un-

til 4 o’clock on the evening of the 7th where

all the wounded that were able to travel

at all were put in two mule wagons and

sent back to Corinth, Miss. After travelling

all night in drenching rain, over desper-

ate roads, amid the cries and groans of the

wounded soldiers, we reached Corinth early

next morning where tents were provided

for us. My wet blanket was layed down

on the ground in one of those tents and I

was layed down on it. My comrade and

member of my company Lt. Thomas H.

Willis was layed by my side in the same

tent mortally wounded where in a few

hours he died, while I raised up on my

elbow with my hand on his dying breast,

and gazing intently on his pale, waning

face until his heroic spirit left forever

the lionhearted soldier boy, and he lay

still, calm, and serene in a solder’s death.

I crossed his arms on his breast as best

I could, and covered his rigged, pale face

with his old wet blanket as best I could.

and was left alone in the tent with my

dead comrade. Then I wept bitter tears

over my gallant friend, thought of the

beautiful wife and three lovely children

he left behind and sighed a long farewell

to my life long friend Tom Willis. — I pause

to pay this tribute to my gallant comerade

and noble friend. As a member of the officer

mess and in camp he was genial and jolly;

as an officer he was kind to his men, and

considerate of their welfare; in fact he was

a typical Southern Soldier and Gentleman.

Obedient always to command He never shirked

a duty nor shunned a danger.

As a soldier he was honorable, true, and

polished as Lee; brave as Julius Ceasar;

alert and intrepid as Hannibal crossing

the Alps; fearless as a “Thracian Soldier”

and staunch and stern as a Spartan and Trojan.

Lt. Willis fell under the eye of his

immortal chieftan, Albert Sidney Johnston,

as he himself fell in the flush of victory

on the bloody plains of historic Shiloh.

Such soldier as Lt. Tom Willis made

the rank and file of the Southern Soldier,

and gave to the world and immortality

such deathless characters as Lee and

Jackson and the two Johnsons.

After the battle of Shiloh my father, Dr.

E.T. Lockwood and Dr. Brown came

up to Corinth to aid the wounded, and

they dressed my wounds and attended to

me in the tent, for the first time in

two days and nights. My father brought

me home, with the other wounded, who were

able to be moved home. For many long,

tedious, weary months I lay,

suspended by a hair, betwixt life and

death. Frequently my wounds would break

out with severe hemmorhages, and almost

bleed me to death, but the time was not

yet. Other sore and trying experiences a-

waited me in the battle of life. After

about two years, I got partially able

to rejoin my command at the battle

of Kennesaw Mountain, still walking

on my crutches. At the retreat of the

Mountain battle, my General, Robert Lowery,

seeing my condition, detailed me to take

a train of wounded soldiers to the hos

pitals at Atlanta, Ga., On arriving at

Atlanta with my train load of wounded

soldiers, I found Atlanta over flowing with

the wounded every place that could be made

a hospital crowded, even the ample rail

road shed was literally covered with wound

ed men, so that one could scarcely step

without treading on a soldier. I dropped

with my train of wounded soldiers, to

Griffin, Ga. where ample hospital facil-

ities were provided for my charge. Here

we stayed for some time, and I act-

ed as druggist for the hospital. I was

transferred to Thomaston, Ga. which

was a Hospital Post with two large

hospitals, one of the hospitals was in

charge of a Surgeon from Florida. I

have forgotten his name and the name

of the hospital. He was a fine surgeon

and an elegant gentleman. The other

was a very large hospital called

Lumpkin Hospital in charge of

Dr. Alexander Hunter who also, was

the Surgeon-in-chief of the entire Post.

and Commander of all the soldiers

about 5000, for there were a great many

at the Post. I remained Chief Druggist

and manager of all medical supplies

for the Post. Dr. Hunter was from

Crystal Springs, Miss. He was my

splendid and intimate friend, and

a fine old gentleman. Lumpkin

Hospital was ordered from Thomas-

ton to Columbus, Miss. Here we stayed

for quite awhile. I was here appointed

Assistant Surgeon and put in charge

of a ward in the hospital getting

ready for the expected battle of Franklin

Tenn. After the battle the wounded

began to pour into Columbus to the hos-

pital. Wounded Confederates, wounded

Yankees, wounded Negroes, and wounded

foreigners from the slums and scums of Europe

stalwart men — and a motley crew. Many

of them sick with pneumonia. The first

night my ward alone, was crowded with

160 of these wounded.

It was long after midnight before I got

my ward settled down. Next morning

when I went to the ward there were 80 of

the wounded and sick dead in the ward,

and the remainder in a critical and

pitiful case! Our hospital — the Lumpkin —

was ordered back to Forsythe, Ga in wake

of Sherman’s incindiary but famous

“March to the Sea.” Here, not long, the

news reached us that Lee had surrendered

to Grant at Appomattox. One of the grand

scenes ever enacted on the stage of warfare.

Lee, surrounded by his dedicated ranks,

of soldiery, footsore and weary; ragged;

and hungry; vanquished; but not con-

quered stood like a Roman Soldier, proud,

Erect, and undaunted, or like some

ancient ruin towering amongst us,

grand, noble, and magnificent. With serene

and matchless dignity delivering his

trusty sword to the victor, — General

Grant — a soldier worthy of his steel — and

a brave, generous, and magnanimous foe,

with a million of brave soldiers about him.

A few days after the news of Lee’s sur

render at Appomattox, where the brilliant

star of the Southern Confederacy set to

rise no more, the Surgeon in Chief of

our hospital asked me if I would

like to go home? I said, Yes, Doctor, most

assuredly. He said, “It is a longs ways from

here to our home, It will probably be

six months before we can get there

by rail road. the country is so torn up and

devastated. I shall have to stay here at least

that long. I have a two mule wagon and

some relics I should like to send home.

I will rig up the team and valuables,

detail two men to go with you, if you are

willing to undertake the trip across the country.

It is a difficult and dangerous journey.”

“I said good enough; I am willing to brave

any danger, or privation to get home now.”

Next morning we turned our mules’ heads

toward Crystal Springs, Miss. Our route lay

along the mountainous portion of North

Alabama, we passed through this country

about where Birmingham now is. There

was not a town or sign of civilization where

the City of Birmingham now blooms out in

all its magic beauty. We heard daily

many scarry reports of thievs, robbers, scouts,

mauraders, jayhawkers, Federal cavalry,

and the like all along our way, but

we never encountered any trouble.

Soon after we crossed the Alabama

line, one of my detailed men left me

and went to his home near by, just be-

fore we got to the Mississippi Line

my other detail skipped me and went

to his home. This left me alone the bal-

ance of my jouney home. I got to Gaines-

ville Alabama, got my Parole from

Gen’l Danby, and continued my way

homeward. No incident, or happening

molested me the end of my long trip.

When I got home I was appalled at

the ruin that greeted me. The old

house where I was born, and lived, and

left for the war was desolate. No one there

but my Father and Mother ekeing out

a scant existance. The old farm de-

serted; houses dilapidated; fences all

distroyed and gone; Horses and mules

all taken away by raiding Federal

cavalry, a scene of rapine and dis-

traction. The Federal marauders stripped

my Father’s house of everything; went to

every room hunting money, valuables, and

spoils. On one of these raids, they camped

1500 or 2000 strong in the grove in front of

my Father’s house, there was no one there but

my mother. They looted the house, pantry,

and corn crib. They went from room to

room, even turning up beds and bed clothes,

in search of booty. The house was full

of federal sodiers. My mother — all alone,

followed them where ever they went abusing

and bemeaning them. One heartless soldier

turned up her bed, in her presence, to

search it. My mother said to him “You

dirty, cowarly puuppy, are you not

ashamed to desecrate a lady’s bed cham-

ber, and ruthlessly handle her bed?

He replied, “All things are fair in war,

madam; “I am told,’ he said, you have

a son with money and jewels.’ She

says “yes, I have but — he is where you

cannot get him” “Where is that? he asked

“At the front where the battle is, where

you ought to be, instead of being far

away from the firing-line, pilfering

and searching ladies sleeping apart-

ments like a thief” Brave Southern

woman! Our Southern women were all

heroines! When the war was over, the

Confederate army laid down their

arms under the generous terms of

surrender agreed upon by Lee and

Grant at Appomax. Overwhelmed

by superior numbers, but not con-

quored, the Southern soldiers accepted

the situation in good faith, turned

their faces and bent thier weary steps

toward the beautiful southland

they left four years before, to find their

homes in ashes and their “Sunny South”

in desolation, bankrupcy and ruin;

As a Georgia soldier expressed it to a

Federal soldier, speaking of the surrender

“You’ons did not whip we’ons We’ons just

wore our slves out. a whipping you’ons.”

Where the boys came home from the

war they set themselves about,- with a

noble faith, unbending energy, sublime

courage and strong trust in the God

of battles,- to build up the waste places

of the bleeding South. But the scene

changes. Whin we thought the war was

over, and the white wings of peace were

hovering over us, a horrid spectre, blacker

and more fiendish, and dreadful than

the “shock of battle and the clash

of arms” streched itself across the path

of the South’s prosperity. And for ten

years more she floundered and

struggled to free herself from the

insults, the crualty, and the graft

and greed of the carpetbaggers and

scallawaggers, who plundered and

sore vexed her under their “black

and tan” rule during the night

mare of Reconstruction.

Here I drop the curtain.

Dedicated to Olivia Emma

Lockwood, my wife, William B.

Lockwood, my son, and Genevieve

Lockwood Dent, my daughter.

Theodore P. Lockwood

 
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