Andy & Mark and the Time Machine: Picketts Charge at Gettysburg

Marking Machine

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When he was 15 years old, Orville launched his own print shop from behind his house and he and Wilber began publishing The West Side News , a small-town neighborhood paper. It eventually became profitable, and Orville moved the fledgling publication to a rented space downtown.

The fledgling business grew into a profitable enterprise, which eventually helped the Wright brothers fund their flight designs. By , Wilbur sat down and wrote to the Smithsonian, asking them to send him literature on aeronatics. The Wright brothers began building prototypes and eventually traveled to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, in to test a full-size, two-winged glider with a moveable rudder.

They chose this location thanks in part to their correspondence with Octave Chanute, who advised them in a letter to select a windy place with soft grounds. It was also private, which allowed them to launch their aircrafts with little public interference.

The Wright brothers started testing various wing designs and spent the next few years perfecting their evolving vision for a heavier-than-air flying machine. In the winter of , they returned to Kitty Hawk with their final model, the Wright Flyer. On December 17, they finally achieved a milestone: Before the brothers could embark on their final flight, a heavy wind caused the plane to flip several times. Because of the resulting damage, it never flew again.

The Virginia Pilot ended up catching wind of the story, however, and they printed an error-ridden account that was picked up by several other papers. Eventually, the Dayton Journal wrote up an official—and accurate—story. They worked side by side six days a week, and shared the same residence, meals, and bank account.

They also enjoyed mutual interests, like music and cooking. Neither brother ever married, either. Although they were much alike, each Wright brother was his own person. As the older brother, Wilbur was more serious and taciturn. He possessed a phenomenal memory, and was generally consumed by his thoughts. Meanwhile, Orville was positive, upbeat, and talkative, although very bashful in public. Since the Wright brothers split their experiments between Ohio and North Carolina, both states claim their accomplishments as their own. Oskar Schindler, a Nazi party member, used his pull within the party to save the lives of more than Jewish individuals by recruiting them to work in his Polish factory.

In October , Australian novelist Thomas Keneally had stopped into a leather goods shop off of Rodeo Drive after a book tour stopover from a film festival in Sorrento, Italy, where one of his books was adapted into a movie. Page gave Keneally photocopies of documents related to Schindler, including speeches, firsthand accounts, testimonies, and the actual list of names of the people he saved. Page whose real name was Poldek Pfefferberg ended up becoming a consultant on the film. Gosch told the story to her husband, who agreed to produce a film version, even going so far as hiring Casablanca co-screenwriter Howard Koch to write the script.

Koch and Gosch began interviewing Schindler Jews in and around the Los Angeles area, and even Schindler himself, before the project stalled, leaving the story unknown to the public at large. Seven lists in all were made by Oskar Schindler and his associates during the war, while four are known to still exist. Eventually the studio bought the rights to the book, and when Page met with Spielberg to discuss the story, the director promised the Holocaust survivor that he would make the film adaptation within 10 years.

The project languished for over a decade because Spielberg was reluctant to take on such serious subject matter. So he tried to recruit other directors to make the film. He first approached director Roman Polanski , a Holocaust survivor whose own mother was killed in Auschwitz.

Polanski declined, but would go on to make his own film about the Holocaust, The Pianist , which earned him a Best Director Oscar in Spielberg then offered the movie to director Sydney Pollack, who also passed. The job was then offered to legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese , who accepted. Make the lucrative summer movie first, they said, and then he could go and make his passion project. Kevin Costner and Mel Gibson auditioned for the role of Oskar Schindler, and actor Warren Beatty was far enough along in the process that he even made it as far as a script reading.

For the role, Spielberg cast then relatively unknown Irish actor Liam Neeson, whom the director had seen in a Broadway play called Anna Christie. Besides having Neeson listen to recordings of Schindler, the director also told him to study the gestures of former Time Warner chairman Steven J.

In order to gain a more personal perspective on the film, Spielberg traveled to Poland before principal photography began to interview Holocaust survivors and visit the real-life locations that he planned to portray in the movie. The production was also allowed to shoot scenes outside the gates of Auschwitz. A symbol of innocence in the movie, the little girl in the red coat who appears during the liquidation of the ghetto in the movie was based on a real person.

In the film, the little girl is played by actress Oliwia Dabrowska, who—at the age of three—promised Spielberg that she would not watch the film until she was 18 years old. She allegedly watched the movie when she was 11, breaking her promise, and spent years rejecting the experience. MD and Charles E. Previous Page 1 2 Next Page. Show results for New Arrivals Last 90 days Next 90 days. Free UK Delivery by Amazon. Include Out of Stock. Unlimited One-Day Delivery and more. There's a problem loading this menu at the moment. Learn more about Amazon Prime. Get to Know Us. Amazon Music Stream millions of songs.

Shopbop Designer Fashion Brands. The intelligent people of the South looked upon the efforts to regain their rights as sacred, and they were willing to exhaust their property and sacrifice their lives, and the lives of their wives and children, in defending what they con- ceived to be their constitutional rights. They would consent to no terms save those of separa- tion, and would make no conditions in relation to the question of slavery. They would suffer any calamity rather than come back to the Union as it was.

They would be willing to form an alliance with any country in order to accomplish the fact 63 of separation. Reid, of Georgia, Adjutant F. Hay- wood, of North Carolina, Captain L. Mc- Laughlin, of Louisiana, Lieut. White, of Tennessee, L. Griggs, of Georgia, Lieut. Sharp, of South Carolina, Lieut. Martin, of Virginia, all responded favorably as to the opinions presented by their spokesman. Menwin asked the Adjutant what he thought of the fall of Vicks- burg, Port Hudson, Jackson, and the defeat in Pennsylvania.

We shall now put forth extra efforts, and call out all the men com- petent to bear arms. If they seem to acquiesce in the opinion of such men as Adjutant Crocker, who appears to be deeply in earnest, and who looks and speaks like a brave and honest man, they do not generally respond to his views and sentiments. He says the North is fight- ing for the purpose of abolishing slavery, and that appears to be the prevailing opinion among the prisoners in his pavilion.

Tribune that spoke of you. I felt proud 64 indeed to know that one of whom an enemy could speak in such terms was a friend of mine. I shall preserve it to read with increased pleasure in the future. There came to David's Island a group of ladies as devoted, as self-sacrificing, and as patriotic as ever attended the wounded in the hospitals of Virginia. They gave up their homes and estab- lished themselves in the kitchens attached to the pavilions. With loving hands and tender sympathy they prepared for our sick every delicacy and re- freshment that money and labor could supply.

It was to them truly a service of love and joy. From their pent-up homes, and their close hos- tile environment, within which there was no lib- erty to voice and no opportunity to show their deep passion of patriotism, they watched the for- tunes of the beloved Confederacy with an interest as keen, and an anxiety as intense, as was ever felt by their mothers and sisters in the Southland.

Imagination itself almost fails to depict the avidity and joy with which they availed themselves of this opportunity to mingle with, and to serve our wounded and to give vent to their long suppressed feelings and sympathy. It was my great pleasure personally to know some of these. Butler, widow of Dr. Benton, formerly of Suffolk, but who many years before the war, removed to New York. Susan Lees, of Kentucky, who after the war adopted the children of the gallant cavalryman, Col. Thomas Marshall, who was killed in battle.

There were others whose names have escaped me. If there ever be erected a monument to the women of the South, the names of these patriotic women of whom I have been speaking, should be inscribed on its shaft. A Virginian, then living in Brooklyn, whose peculiar circumstances prevented his returning to his native State, Dr. James Madison Minor, made me frequent visits for the happiness of giving ex- pression to his feelings.

He said it was an inex- pressible relief. His little daughter, wishing to do some thing for a Confederate soldier, out of the savings from her monthly allowances, bought and gave me a memorial cup which I still have. James Gordon Bennett came to the Island with a coterie of distinguished friends, among whom was General Dix. She brought a quantity of fine wines for our wounded. She with her friends came to my pavilion, and asked for me. The surgeon in charge, Dr. James Simmons, had referred her to me. When I presented myself, she said: I do not mean mere words.

Bennett, there is one re- quest I wish to make of you for them, and I feel that you, as a woman of influence, can do some- thing for us. I made a compli- mentary reply and said to her: Bennett, my companions here had their clothing battle-torn and blood-stained. They are now in need of outer clothing. They have friends in New York City who are willing and ready to furnish them ; but there is an order here forbidding our soldiers from receiving outer clothing.

Now, my request is that you have this order withdrawn, or modified, so as to permit our men to receive outer clothing. Lincoln to visit Fort Washington her home next week, and she would get her to use her influence with the President to revoke the order. The New York Herald of the next day, and for successive days, had an editorial paragraph calling public attention to the order, telling of the exposure of the wounded and sick prisoners to the chilling morning and evening winds of the Sound, and insisting, for humanity's sake, that the order should be revoked. Afterwards I received from Mrs.

Bennett the following note: Lincoln visited me at Fort Washington. I embraced the opportunity to ask her to use her influence in regard to the request you made me. She assured me she will attend to it immediately on her return to Washington. For all your sakes I sincerely hope she may succeed. I have done all in my power. I can do no more.

Floping that your prison hours may pass lightly over, I remain with best wishes for yourself and brother officers, Yours truly, H. Bennett conversed freely with me about her husband. She said he was always a sincere friend of the South ; that when, upon the firing upon Fort Sumter, the wild furor swept the City of New York and demanded that the American flag should be displayed on every building, Mr.

Bennett refused to hoist the flag on the Herald Building, and resisted doing so until he saw the absolute necessity of doing it. She said he wept over the condition of things. She spoke also of her son James. She said that when Vicksburg fell "Jimmy came to me with tears in his eyes, saying, 'Mother, what do you think? Brave fellows — brave fellows! James Simmons, the surgeon in charge of the Hospital, was a native of South Carolina. Somehow he took a great fancy to me, and gave me a warm friendship. He took me into his con- fidence and talked freely with me about his sur- roundings, and how he came to remain in the Federal service.

He married Miss Gittings, the daughter of the well known banker of Baltimore. He became a citizen of Maryland, and while wait- ing for his State to secede, he became involved in the Federal service, and found that he could not well leave ; and he concluded that as a non-com- batant he would probably have opportunities of serving our captured and wounded soldiers.

He himself was not beyond suspicion ; for I remember his saying to me in his office, with a motion, re- ferring to the writers in his office, "these are spies on me. Real traitors are al- ways cruel. Benedict Arnold on the border of the James, and on our own waters here was more cruel with the firebrand and sword than even Tarleton was. Let it ever be thus. Let infamous traits be ever allied to infamous treachery. I occa- sionally met Mrs. Simmons, who, I believe, spent most of her time at New Rochelle.

Her warm grasp of the hand told me more plainly than words that the sympathies of her heart were deeply with us. I made a request of Dr. His kind 69 heart could not refuse it. I told him I wanted a Confederate uniform, — that I had a friend in New- York City from whom I could get it — that I knew it was against orders for him to grant my request. Soon I received a full lieutenant's uni- form in Confederate gray of excellent quality, which I, afterwards, on returning home at the end of the war, wore for a while for lack of means for getting a civilian's suit.

While at Johnson's Island to which prison I was taken after leaving David's Island, and when the exchange of prisoners had been suspended, I made special effort to obtain an exchange. For this pur- pose, I wrote to my brother, Rev. I at the same time wrote to Dr. James Simmons to aid me in getting exchanged. I re- ceived from Dr. Simmons the following letter and enclosure: Your letter of the 11th Jany. I have written to Colonel Hoffman in your behalf and sincerely hope that he may grant your request.

I am but slightly ac- 70 quainted with Col. Hoffman, and can only hope that the justice of the case may cause him to grant your request. If I can be of any service to you pray command me. I send a copy of my letter to Col. Hoffman, and regret I did not receive your letter sooner. Be kind enough to remember me to Capt. Butler, Kincaid and others.

Very truly yours, J. Crocker, Prisoner of War, Johnson's Island. I enclose you a letter from Capt. Crocker, prisoner of war now at Johnson's Island. The let- ter which reached me only a few days since was directed to David's Island, Capt. Crocker suppos- ing I was in charge of that hospital. If anything can be done for him not inconsistent with the reg- ulations of your department, I am sure you would be conferring a favor upon a gentleman and a man of honor and refinement. The orderly behavior of the prisoners while at David's Island was in a great measure due to the influence of this gentle- man.

I am, Colonel, Your obedient servant, J. While on the steamer going to New York City, Dr. Steele, the assistant surgeon of the Island, before mentioned, came to me and asked me if I had an Autograph Book. He said a lady wished to see it. I gave it to him. He soon re- turned it, cautioning me about opening it.

When he left me I opened it. Two names had been writ- ten in it, J. I took it as a token of good feel- ing towards me, and as a compliment delicately made. Carnochan was a native of South Caro- lina. He then lived in New York City, and was by far the most eminent surgeon of that city. He frequently came down to David's Island to per- form difficult operations on our wounded.

His wife, as I understood it at the time, was the daughter of General Morris, of Maryland, and her mother was the daughter of the famous founder and editor of the Richmond Enquirer, Thomas Ritchie. In passing from New York City through the great States of New York and Ohio to Sandusky, one thing deeply impressed me — the great num- ber of men in civilian's clothes of the military age, who gathered at the railroad stations. I said to myself, "War in the North is fully organized — with such resources of men and war material, it is prepared to conduct the war for an indefinite time, and that it was with the North only a question of 72 finances and of public opinion.

That was the pivotal point of the war. A great victory there would have achieved peace, and would have en- abled the South, instead of the North, to determine the terms of reunion and reconstruction. Had it not been for the delinquency of some of our gen- erals, Lee's Army would have won a complete and decisive victory on the first and second days of that battle, as I have explained in my address on "Gettysburg — Pickett's Charge.

The following officers of my regiment, the 9th Virginia Infantry, had already reached there: James Richardson, Cap- tains Henry A.

Lewis, John Vermillion, Samuel W. Clay, Edward Varnier and Henry Wilkinson. I was assigned to a bunk in Block This building consisted of large rooms with tiers of bunks on the sides. Subse- quently I with four others occupied room 5, Block 2.

COLLECTIONS

My room-mates and messmates were, Captains John S. Reid, of Eatonton, Ga. Isbell, of Tuscaloosa, Ala. Lapsley, of Selma, Ala. The first incident of personal interest to me after my arrival in this prison occurred thus: I met on the campus Colonel E. Scovill, the Superintendent of the prison. I said to him: I have a dear, fair friend at my home in Portsmouth, Va. Scovill made him my personal friend, and he afterwards did me other important kindnesses. I believe that the surest way to become a friend to another, is to do that other person a kindness. A kindness done has more effect upon the donor, than upon the re- cipient, in creating mutual interest.

This gracious favor of Col. Scovill was highly appreciated, and it added happiness to me and to my dear friend. I brought my battle-wound with me, unhealed, to Johnson's Island. I had not been there long be- fore gangrene appeared in it. It was a critical moment. Brodie Strauchan Hern- don, of Fredericksburg, Va. The tardiness of my wound in healing was caused by the low condition of my health. On our way to Pennsylvania, I sat on my horse in the mid-stream of the Shenandoah while my regiment, the 9th Va. I did the same when it crossed the Potomac.

When we reached Williamsport I went under the treatment of our surgeon. It was there, 74 for the first time since I was twelve years old, a drop of intoxicating liquor passed my lips, save at the communion table. It was owing to the condition of my health that a slight injury on my lip, while at David's Island, caused by my biting it, although not malignant, refused to heal. Finally I was advised by Dr. Herndon to have it cut off.

He said, however, that the operation could not be safely performed in the prison on account of a tendency to gangrene. I obtained permission to go to Sandusky for the pur- pose. I was given a parole. I went to the leading hotel in the city. There I met — strange coinci- dence — with Mr. Merritt Todd and his wife, both natives of my own county, Isle of Wight, Va. Their home before the war was in Norfolk. Todd had established a large and lucrative business in curing hams in Cincinnati where he owned valuable real estate.

To prevent the confiscation of his property he made Ohio the State of his residence during the war, and was at this time in Sandusky. Nothing under the circum- stances could have added more to my happiness than thus to be thrown in intimate intercourse with these friends. I reported to the Federal surgeons. They re- ceived me most courteously. They seated me in a chair for the operation. They asked me if I wished to take an anaesthetic. It instantly flashed in my mind to show these kind surgeons how a Confed- 75 erate soldier could bear pain, and I answered No!

I sat in the chair from the beginning to the end of the operation without a groan or a token of pain. Their work was done skillfully, effectively and kindly. The trouble never returned. These offi- cers were very polite and hospitable to me. In re- turn for their hospitality I had one or more of them to dine with me at the hotel.

Don't raise your hands in horror! Why should I have been less a gentleman than they? Once a gentleman, — always a gentleman — under all circumstances a gentleman. No true Southern soldier ever lost in war his good manners or his humanity.

Upcoming Events

I again had the freedom of a Northern city. And although I walked the streets in Confederate gray, no one showed the slightest exception to it or showed me the least affront. But on the contrary, there was one citizen of the place, to the manor born, who visited me almost daily — and a very clever and strong man, too, he was. According to his account, he had been ostracized; his home had been surrounded and threatened by mobs ; he had been hooted and maltreated on the streets.

He said because he was a Democrat and opposed to the war. He was a genuine "Copperhead," and either from intolerance or other cause, he was a warm sympathizer with the South. The opportu- nity to express his sympathy was a great relief and gratification to him. He never tired of talking about Lee and his battles and his successes. He had reached a state of mind when he was even glad to hear of the defeat of his country's armies and 76 the success of ours. At the end of four weeks, I returned to the Island. When I first reached Johnson's Island I found that the rations given to the prisoners, while plain, were good and abundant.

Within the prison was a sutler's store from which the prisoners were al- lowed to buy without restraint. Boxes of pro- visions and clothing from friends were permitted. To show the liberality with which these were al- lowed, I received from my dear brother, Julius O.

Thomas, of Four Square, Isle of Wight county, Virginia, a box of tobacco which he had kindly sent as a gift to me, through the lines under the flag of truce. It was as good to me as a bill of exchange, and I disposed of it for its money value. This condition continued until the issuing of orders, said to be in retaliation of treatment of Federal prisoners at Andersonville. These orders put the prisoners on half rations, excluded the sut- ler's store from the prison, and prohibited the re- ceipt of all boxes of provisions — with a discretion to the surgeon in charge to allow boxes for sick prisoners.

The result of these orders was that the prisoners were kept in a state of hunger — I will say in a state of sharp hunger — all the time. My messmates whom I have before mentioned, were as refined and as well bred as any gentlemen in the South; and they had been accustomed to wealth. We employed a person to cook our rations, and to place them on the table in our room. Sit down and help ourselves? We could not trust ourselves to do that.

We would divide up 77 the food into five plates as equally as we could do it. Then one would turn his back to the table, and he would be asked: And when we had finished our meal, there was not left on our plates a trace of food, grease or crumb. Our plates would be as clean as if wiped with a cloth ; and we would arise from the table hungry — hungry still — ravenously hungry. We no longer disdained the fat, coarse pork — the fatter, the better.

It was sustenance we craved. No longer did we crave desserts and dainties. The cold, stale bread was sweeter to us than any cake or dainty we ever ate at our mother's table. We would at times become desperate for a full meal. Then by common consent we would eat up our whole day's rations at one meal. My God, it was terrible! Yet we kept in excellent health. I said it then, and I have said it hundreds of times since, that if I had an enemy whom I wished to punish exquisitely, I would give him enough food to keep him in health with a sharp appetite, but not enough to satisfy his appetite.

I would keep him hungry, sharply, desperately hun- gry all the time. It was a cruel, bitter treatment, and that, too, by a hand into which Providence had poured to overflowing its most bounteous gifts. One practical lesson I learned from this expe- rience ; that a hungry man can eat any food, and eat it with a relish denied kings and princes at their luxurious boards. It has made me lose all patience with one who says he cannot eat this, and 78 cannot eat that. Between such an one and starva- tion there is no food he cannot eat, and eat with the keenest enjoyment.

Shall I leave out of my story a bright, happy page? On the 13th of January, , there was sent by express to me at Johnson's Island, a box prepared and packed by the joint hands of a number of my friends at home then within the lines of the enemy, full of substantial and delicious things. The mail of the same day carried to Lt. Scovill the following note: If there should be any difficulty in regard to his having the articles sent, will you do me the favor to use your influence with the surgeon in obtain- ing his permission for their delivery?

If you will, I shall take it as a new kindness added to that one granted by you in the past, and shall not feel less grateful for this, than I did, and do still feel for that. Yours respectfully, This note was sent into me with the following endorsement: Yes, it was a new and added favor from this warm, generous-hearted officer and man ; and I have ever since borne in my heart and memory a kind and grateful feeling towards him. My messmates and I had a royal feast. I cannot omit to notice the religious feeling that prevailed in the prison, and I cannot better do so than to copy here a letter written by me at the time.

This is the holy Sabbath, my dear friend. Can I better interest you than by giving you a religious view of our prison? There are many things in prison life, if properly improved, that conduce to religious sentiments. A prisoner's unfortunate condition, of itself, imposes upon him much seri- ousness, and in his long unemployed hours reflec- tion grows upon him.

There is a pensive sorrow underlying all his thoughts, and his sensibilities are ever kept sensitive by the recollection of home, and the endearments of love from which he is now indefinitely excluded, while his patriotic anxieties are constantly and painfully alive to the wavering fortunes of his country. You will not therefore be surprised to learn that there is here a high moral tone and religious feeling.

The present campaign was preceded by daily prayer meetings here, and for a long time afterwards kept up. And it would have done your heart good to have heard the earn- est appeals that rose to the throne of the Great 80 Ruler of Nations from every block. You can im- agine the great burden of these earnest prayers. These prayer meetings are still of almost daily occurrence. We have here also our Bible Classes, and also our Christian Associations, that do a great deal of good. But above all we have our sermons on the Sabbath and other days.

Among the offi- cers here are a number of prisoners who are min- isters. It is one of our greatest privileges that these are allowed to preach to us unmolested, and with all freedom. I can scarce ever attend one of these services without having my eyes moistened. There are two subjects that never grow trite, though never passed over without allusion in these services — our country and the loved ones at home.

These ever elicit the hearty amen, and the tender tear. These touch the deepest and strong- est chords of our hearts. Was home and its dear ones ever loved as by him who sighs in imprisonment. The heart grows hal- lowed under these sacred, tender influences. Shut out from the beautiful green earth we learn to look up to the sky that is above us; and through its azure depths and along the heights of its calm stars, our thoughts like our vision, rise Heaven- ward.

Many a one who entered these prison bounds with a heart thoughtless of his soul's high interests, has turned to his God; and now nearly on every Sabbath there is either some one baptized or added to some branch of the Church. It is a 81 high gratification to make this record of my fellow comrades, and I know it will be a delight to you. Your devoted friend, The death and burial of Lt. Henry Wilkinson, Company B, 9th Va. He was the only one of my regiment who died in the prison. He was severely wounded at Gettysburg, at the Bloody Angle. He was from Norfolk.

He was a gallant, conscientious, patriotic soldier. He asked only once for a furlough. That came to him after we had started or were about to start on our Pennsylvania campaign. It was to him as if he were taking a furlough in the presence of the enemy. There was some- thing pathetic in the refusal.

It was to give him opportunity to meet, and see, one whom he loved. He sacrificed to duty the heart's dearest longing Well do I remember his burial.

Andy Andy Time Capsule Kit

That open grave is even now clearly before me, as vividly as on that day. His comrades are standing around. There is a tender pathos in the voice of the holy man, a Confederate minister, who is conducting the solemn service. There are tears in the eyes of us all. The deep feeling was not from any words spoken but a silent welling up from our hearts. The inspiration felt in common was from the occasion itself — the lowering down the youth- ful form of this patriotic soldier into the cold bosom of that bleak far off island — so far away — 82 so far from his home and kindred — so far away from the one that loved him best.

Well do I re- member as I stood there looking into that grave into which we had lowered him, there came to me feelings that overcame me. I seemed to identify myself with him. I put myself in his place. Then there came to me as it were the tender wailing grief of all who loved me most — dear ones at home. Even now as I recall the scene, the feel- ings that then flowed, break out afresh and I am again in tears.

From his dim prison house by Lake Erie's bleak shore He is borne to his last resting place, The glance of affection and friendship no more Shall rest on the Captive's wan face. The terms of the Cartel his God had arranged And the victim of war has at length been "exchanged. He died far away from the land of his birth 'Mid the scenes of his boyhood his fancy last ranged Ere the sorrows of life and its cares were "exchanged.

From home and from all that he loved long estranged Death pitied his fate and the Captive "exchanged. The United States government had suspended the exchange of prisoners so long that it had be- come a general belief of the prisoners that they would be kept in prison until the close of the war. The renewal of exchange came as a great joy to us all.

It was not only personal freedom we craved, but we desired to renew again our service in our armies in behalf of our country. There had been several departures of prisoners, when, on the morning of the 28th of February, , I received notice to get ready to leave, and that I was to leave at once. In a few moments I had packed up some of my belongings — as much as I could carry in a dress suit case, and joined my departing comrades. We were taken by rail to Baltimore, and from thence by steamer down the Chesapeake Bay and up the James to Aiken's Landing, which place we reached on the 3rd of March.

There was no incident on the way worthy of note. I recall, however, the deep emotion with which I greeted 84 once again the shores and waters of dear Virginia. It brought back to me the impassioned cry of the men of Xenophon, "The Sea! This love is God-implanted, and is, or should be, the rock-basis of all civic virtue. At Aiken's Landing we were transferred to our Confederate steamer. We landed at Rocketts, Richmond. As we pro- ceeded up on our way to General Headquarters, and had gone but a short distance, we saw a boy selling some small apples.

We inquired the price. It was a blow — a staggering blow — to thus learn of the utter depreciation of the Confederate currency. I may just as well say here that all the prisoners at Johnson's Island stoutly maintained their confi- dence in the ultimate success of our cause. They never lost hope or faith. They never realized at all the despondency at home. The little boy with his apples told me that it was not so in Richmond I at once seemed to feel the prevailing despond- ency in the very air, and as we made our way up 85 the street I felt and realized that there was a pall hanging over the city.

When I reached General Headquarters I found out that we were not exchanged, that we were prisoners still, paroled prisoners. I was given a furlough. Here it is before me now: In obedience to instructions from the Secretary of War the following named men paroled prison- ers are granted furloughs for 30 days unless sooner exchanged at the expiration of which time they will, if exchanged, rejoin their respective commands.

By order of Lieut. I have before me the certificate that was given me. I certify that I have this day paid First Lieut, and Adjt. Regiment, from 1 June to 30 Nov. I asked no ques- tions. I made no complaint. I concluded that the market would not stand a much larger issue, or the boy would raise the price of his apples. I in- formed the department that I wished to go to see my brother, Julius O. Thomas, in Isle of Wight county. I was given transportation tickets with coupons to go and return. From Hicksford I was to make my way as well as I could.

I reached without difficulty our ancestral home, Four Square, where my brother lived. I shall never forget the kind and loving wel- come he and his dear wife gave me. It was indeed a true home-coming. The prison half-rations were forgotten. I remained about three weeks. I then started for Richmond to report to Headquarters to see if I had been exchanged or not. I took the train in Southampton county for Weldon and thence to Raleigh.

When I reached Raleigh I heard that Richmond had fallen. I then determined to go across the country to see my brother, Rev. Crocker, who was living the other side of Camp- bell Court House, and with whom was my dear mother. I took the stage to Pittsylvania Court House. When I reached there, I learned that Lee's army was operating in the direction of Appomattox. While waiting there a few days in uncertainty, a section of a battery was drawn up 87 in the Court House square, abandoned and dis- banded. I mounted this horse, and rode him bareback to my brother's.

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