Boy Soldiers of the Confederacy - Hardcover

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1905 edition. Excerpt: ...the enemy had decamped in the night toward Port Republic. At early dawn General Jones sent Major Sturgis Davis's battalion with Harnsberger's and Chrisman's companies in that direction, followed by Imboden with his two regiments of cavalry. Davis met the advance guard of the enemy at Mount Meridian, and he reported that his old men and boys behaved splendidly. The boys had their first baptism of fire. General Stahl with a brigade of cavalry drove them and Imboden's cavalry back toward Piedmont, a village on the New Hope road in Augusta County. By that time our whole force had gotten to that place. The writer commanded a section of McClanahan's battery, and was ordered by General Jones to go rapidly to the front and aid Imboden in holding the enemy in check until he could get his line of battle formed. I shall never forget the scene as we passed through the village, our horses on the run, and our boys yelling enthusiastically as they always did when going to the front. My boys were inspired by the glory of battle, and when that feeling takes possession of men, all fear vanishes. Lord Wolseley, the great English General, says: "I have never experienced the same unalloyed and elevating satisfaction, or known again the joy I felt, as I ran for the enemy's stockade at the head of a small mob of soldiers, most of them boys like myself." We all had that feeling that day, and were inspired by one still stronger, for behind us were our mothers, wives, sisters and sweethearts. "At home bright eyes were sparkling for us, and we would defend them to the last." There were some ladies standing in a porch, waving their handkerchiefs and cheering as we passed, as was usual with the noble women of the Valley, when they saw our men going into...