CHAPTER XXIII.
Gen. Wade Hampton.-His Request.-His Gratification.-Christmas Dinner for Gen. Lee.-Preparations to Remain in Bowling Green.-Battles of May 5, 6 and 8.-Wounded Soldiers.-The Retreat.-Beating Lee to Richmond.
Early in the winter of 1863-'64, Gen. Wade Hampton and his whole command pitched their tents within half a mile of Bowling Green. This, of course, disturbed the quiet of our little town; but still the troops, were well disciplined, and gave no trouble.
Dr. Hopson preached in the church on Sunday, and would go out and preach to the soldiers during the week, at the earnest invitation of their Chaplain. Gen. Hampton was a member of the Episcopal Church. Mr. Friend, the minister of that church, came up from Port Royal twice a month, to hold services in the church at Bowling Green. When he was absent, Gen. Hampton and some of his staff, and the soldiers, came to our church. After he had heard the Doctor a number of times, he said to him one day, "Dr. Hopson, I never heard of you people before I came here. I see that nearly everybody around here belongs to your church. I would really like to know what you teach. I wish you would preach a sermon embodying your principles as a people." The Doctor told him that the first time he saw him at church he would do so. He was present the following Lord's day, and the church was crowded with officers and soldiers, who had got wind of the matter.
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The Doctor spoke nearly two hours. I never saw a more patient and attentive audience. The Doctor dismissed the people before he attended to the Supper. Many remained and partook with us, among them Gen. Hampton. After services were over, he shook hands with the Doctor, thanking Him for the sermon, and said, "I can see nothing to object to. I wish I had heard these things earlier in life, when I had time to investigate and think about them; but now I have no time for anything but this serious business of war, war."
The 1st of December the Doctor insisted that I should go down to Richmond, and buy a stove, carpet, dishes, spoons, etc., and so be able to return our borrowed ones. These things were becoming very scarce through-out the country. He gave me $1,500, and would have given me much more, but I was afraid I would be robbed; and I went down to the city. My first investment was a stove. I could only get a second-hand one, it had not been used very much; for that I paid $200. My carpet (ingrain) cost $250; a soup tureen, $35; half a dozen steel knives' and fork, $54; half a dozen cups and saucers, $50; half a dozen breakfast plates, $60; twelve yards 11 1/4 sheeting, $132; nutmeg grater, $1; butcher knife, $2; hatchet, $5; two second-hand tablecloths, $80; a pound of soda, $3; one pound of tea, $8; half a dozen plated spoons, $36; a wash bowl and pitcher, $10; water bucket, $33; an ounce of ground pepper, 50 cents. A few minor purchases, and a thousand dollars had been spent. I began to fear I should not have enough money to get home on.
When I returned home, the Doctor was highly amused at my shopping experience, and not at all horrified at the amount of my expenditures; indeed, he
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thought I had made wonderful bargains. The purchase of bed and bedstead was simply impossible. Fortunately Sister Woolfolk did not need hers, and we were content to be the recipients of her bounty.
When Christmas came, several of the ladies in Bowling Green concluded they would cook and send Gen. Lee his dinner, each one to contribute her share. I happened to be the only one who had genuine coffee, and it afforded me very great pleasure to toast and grind three or four pounds and place it with the other good things-four tilt turkeys, dressed with plump oysters, baked fish, sweet potatoes, mince pies, pickles, jellies, bread, and trice butter. Every article carried with it a blessing and a prayer for the revered chief. Col. Pichegru Woolfolk, who was on sick leave, took it up to Spottsylvania Courthouse, sixteen miles, in his buggy. The dinner almost filled a two-bushel basket. He was just in time. Gen. Lee and a number of his officers had just sat down to buttermilk, corn bread and bacon. With the assistance of a servant, the basket was deposited in Gen. Lee's presence. He turned back the table-cloth that covered the tempting dinner, and took a brief inventory of the contents of the basket, while the officers were jubilant over their good fortune.
Gen. Lee laid the cloth back, and said, "Send this to the hospital." His first thought was for those who were sick and wounded, and deprived of proper food and nourishment. We felt it was a noble act in Gen. Lee, but regretted he could not have enjoyed the good dinner, too.
The winter passed quietly. We felt very safe with Gen. Lee and his army on one side of us and Gen. Hampton on the other, but it could not continue always
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so peaceful. Spring came, and the cavalry was ordered forward. Preparations were being made for a vigorous campaign. The Doctor preached on, now and then going from home to hold a meeting. We had no apprehension that we should have to leave our quiet home for months. The Doctor had our garden plowed and nicely planted. By the first of April the seeds had sent their sprouts up through the mellow soil, and we were luxuriating in the prospect of eating of the fruits of our own labors. My four hens had each brought off a fine brood of healthy chicks, and we were enjoying in anticipation the nice broils we should have in a few weeks; but, alas! it was the oft-told tale. We planted, but another was to reap the fruit of our labor.
The 5th of May, Gen. Grant, with 140,000 troops, confronted Gen. Lee at the Wilderness, and the conflict began in earnest. Nearer and nearer marched the demon of bloodshed and horror. Car-loads of wounded men were sent back to Milford Station, three miles from Bowling Green, and unloaded of their ghastly freight, and returned again to the battlefield. Ambulances filled the road with their burdens. Men on foot, with bandaged heads, arms and legs, were wending their weary way to the same destination. The ladies of the town went at once to the depot, taking bandages, lint and nourishing food for the wounded.
It was a sad sight to see those stalwart men lying on the grass, or on the platform, some with one leg off, some with one arm gone, some with terrible scalp wounds, some shot through the body or shoulder, a little brown spot indicating where the ball entered and where it made exit. They were trying to be cheerful and make the best of their condition. The surgeons were busy ex-
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tracting bullets from some, and some of those suffering least from their wounds were supporting the heads of their comrades while the skillful surgeon was probing the wounds. I did not know before how tender and compassionate a man could be. They were as gentle as a woman in their ministrations. I only accompanied the ladies one day. It was more than I could bear; the sight of blood always made me very sick. The Doctor went down the next two days. When he came home he said: "Ella, we must leave here by day after tomorrow. Lee is going to fall back to Richmond. I am not an alarmist, but I was at Murfreesboro and know the signs of a retreat." Capt. Woolfolk and several others tried to laugh the Doctor out of his "scare," as they called it. They assured him they would get him away safely if such a thing should happen. He persisted, and we at once found ready purchasers for our household goods, and left for Richmond with a pocketful of Confederate money.
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