Life — April 1, 1886 — page 7: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

which was quite successful, inasmuch as since the victory_of Wild Goose Creek a grateful country has paid me an annuity of $3,000 per year, fellow-citizens presented me with a house and lot, and an admiring constituency sent me to Congress four times, The reader will understand that I do not kick, and if my pay is continued after my death, I presume my widow will likewise murmur not. Gasriet G, STARR. “I consider Snare’s soap matchless for the com- plexion.”"—Ganmrat Bar, On the morning of July 5, 1868, the sun rose out of a cloudless sky and therefore, as was to be expected, its rays fell. Some other general in the service in which I was engaged at that time might have been surprised at this, but I was not. Everything connected with the cause in which I had drawn my sword and weary rations had fallen, and under the cir, cumstances I expected nothing else, How- ever, the sun's rays fell upon a mere handful of soldiers crouched near the foaming torrent of Wild Goose Creek. Understand, it wasa Aand-Sull, not a full-hand, Therein, as you may havefob- served, is a difference. Over- powered, disheartened and dis- abled were these gallant men. Cold, with the bitter snows of that wintry season, hungry with hunger from Hungerford, and with but one shirt to the entire command, We might have borne this, but there was no whisky, Need I dwell fur- ther on our situation ? I think not. We had reached our last ditch, and in troubled sleep- lessness had passed a weary night. It is not generally known that on this famous- morning my command consisted of but the fol- lowing : A dog (terrier), a blind horse (useful only for cooking purposes), a nigger, fifty men, three officers and one commander. I mention the dog first because he was, by far, the best clothed, best fed and best armed, or rather legged, of the command. Across the creek lay my former classmate, General Starr, the most experienced and bravest general the enemy pos- sessed, What layed he? He layed down 212,000 men—opposed to my ex- tremely bob-tailed flush, When we awoke on this day, we arose hopeless but determined, with one voice we clamored for food, and as one man, we charged the enemy. History tells | the rest—the undying names of all the great vic- tories of modern times are not written in more un- perishable characters than is that of Goose Creek. Advancing the dog upon the extreme left of the enemy as a feint to draw him out, the bal- ance of my command I led with impetuous fury against his centre. A disorderly con- fusion was the result, and ere the forces under General Starr could recover the provisions were in our hands and the futility of further resist- ance was apparent, General Starr and staff escaped—I did not seek to impede the progress of my gallant friend, the General, but I wish he had left the staff. I should have liked to preserve it as a memento of the engazement. 1 am convinced that had it not been for the untimely decease of President Davis, the vic- tory of Goose Creek would have been but the prelude to one grand triumphal march to Washington. BOLIVAR BARR. MEMORANDA OF THE UNCIVIL WA Confederate. ¢¢ (TD ENERAL Starr places the battle upon the evening of March roth, 1859. The writer always supposed that the war did not begin until 1860, and if this supposition is incorrect why JONES'S ROAD, SHOWING TRACKS MADE BY GEN. STARR AS HE LEPT THE SCENE OF BATTLE. HIS HAT MAY BE SEEN AT THE ROADSIDE. does General Barr declare that the engage- ment occurred in 1868 ?” General Starr is careful wof to say that the fight occurred on that date. He simply says: “On the night of March 10, 1859, my com- mand consisted of,” etc., etc. As to General Barr’s date, we suppose that he was not THE ONLY CORRECT MAP OF THE BATTLE OF WILD GOOSE CREEK. aware that the war was over until after 1868. He was, as the intelligent reader will observe by a close reading of the article, in the heart of the Wild Goose Creek country, where news- papers were scarce and information of the termination of the conflict may not have reached him. We believe that a similar in- stance occurred in our nation’s history, where a naval battle between this country and Eng- land occurred after peace had been declared. ‘General Starr most emphatically states that he achieved a decided victory, while Gen- eral Barr certainly gives the reader to under- stand that his forces were triumphant. How is this?” There is nothing particularly new or strange in this seeming difference. There are very few victories that were not claimed by both sides. This paper desires to be perfectly fair and impartial, and therefore gives the opinions of both commanders, ‘*General Barr states that s/ President Davis had not died when he did, &c. Now, 1s the gentleman dead, and if so did he die at that time.” ‘We suppose you are aware that if the gentleman ¢s alive he is not a citizen of the United States—not having been recon- structed—or done over and Sent to represent us abroad. It is equally certain that he is not, and cannot be, as long as he stays in the United States, a citizen of any other country, If he is not acitizen of any country, then he is legally no- thing, which practically is to cease existence. General Barr’s address is Key West, Fla.; General Starr’s, Augusta, Me.; fur- ther inquiries relating to this matter can be sent to them, or either of them. In regard to the battle of Wild Goose Creek, notice is hereby given that this office is hereafter closed and sealed hermetically against the Grand Army of Truth Seekers. W. C. Edgar. comicbooks.com