Spring Sprouts and a “Tar Heel” Story

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  FROM THE RAPIDAN TO RICHMOND
  AND
  THE SPOTTSYLVANIA CAMPAIGN
  
  A Sketch in Personal Narrative of the
  ... Scenes a Soldier Saw
  
  By
  WILLIAM MEADE DAME, D. D.
  
  Spring Sprouts and a “Tar Heel” Story
  
  The winter had now worn away and the spring had come. Vegetation began to show signs of life. Its coming bore us one comfort in one way—among others. It was not so cold, and we did not have to tote so many logs of wood to keep up our fires. Down on the river flats, where vegetation showed sooner than it did on the hills, green things began to shoot up. Dandelions, sheep sorrel, poke leaves and such, though not used in civil life, were welcome to us, for they were much better than no salad at all. The men craved something green. The unbroken diet of just bread and meat—generally salt meat at that—gave some of the men scurvy. The only remedy for that was something acid, or vegetable food. The men needed this and craved it—so when the green shoots of any kind appeared we would go down on the flats, and gather up all the green stuff we could find, and boil it with the little piece of bacon we might have. It improved the health of the men very much.

  
  At this time, there was a North Carolina Brigade of Infantry at the front furnishing pickets for the river bank. They were camped just back of our winter quarters. Those fellows seemed to be very specially strong in their yearning for vegetable diet, so much so that they attracted our attention. Every day we would see long lines of those men passing through our camp. They would walk along, one behind another, in almost unending procession, silent and lonesome, never saying a word and never two walking together—and all of them meandered along intent on one thing—getting down to the flats below “to get some sprouts” as they would say when asked where they were going.
  Later on, we would see them in the same solemn procession coming back to camp—every man with a bunch of something green in his fist.
  This daily spectacle of Tar Heels swarming through our camp interested us; we watched them mooning along. We tried to talk with them, but all we got from them was, “We’uns is going to git some sprouts. Don’t you’uns love sprouts?”

  
  We did, but we didn’t go after them in such a solemn manner. Our “sprout” hunts were not so funereal a function; rather more jovial, and much more sociable. Also this devotion to the search for the herb of the field excited our curiosity. They were all the time craving green stuff, and going after it so constantly. We had a story going around which was supposed to explain the craving of a Tar Heel’s insides for greens.

  
  

Text Books ? Pfffft !

DETAILED MINUTIAE OF SOLDIER LIFE IN THE ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA
1861-1865-
CARLTON McCARTHY
PRIVATE SECOND COMPANY RICHMOND HOWITZERS,

IDEAS DISSIPATED.

To offer a man promotion in the early part of the war was equivalent to an insult. The
higher the social position, the greater the wealth ,the more patriotic it would be to serve in the
humble position of a private ; and many men of education and ability in the various professions, refusing promotion, served under the command of men greatly their inferiors, mentally, morally, and as soldiers. It soon became apparent that the country wanted knowledge and ability, as well as muscle and endurance, and those who had capacity to serve in higher positions were promoted. Still it remained true that inferior men commanded their superiors in every respect, save one rank ; and leaving out the one difference of rank, the officers and men were about on a par.

It took years to teach the educated privates in the army that it was their duty to give unquestioning obedience to officers because they were such, who were awhile ago their playmates and associates in business. It frequently happened that the private, feeling hurt by the stern authority of the officer, would ask him to one side, challenge him to personal combat, and thrash him well. After awhile these privates learned all about extra duty, half rations, and courts-martial. It was only to conquer this independent resistance of discipline that punishment or force was necessary. The privates were as willing and anxious to fight and serve as the officers, and needed no pushing up to their duty. It is amusing to recall the disgust with which the men would hear of their assignment to the rear as reserves. They regarded the order as a deliberate insult, planned by some officer who had a grudge against their regiment or battery, who had adopted this plan to prevent their presence in battle, and thus humiliate them. 

How soon did they learn the sweetness of a days repose in the rear !

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Once again, you can learn more from the man in the field than you can from a text book !

12.14.12

The Next Time ---

The next time some Yankee yahoo spouts off about the Battle flag being a KKK thing, show em this !

The 1st amendment allows for the misuse of images by hate groups.

The American flag, or the Battle flag. 
I find this misuse of Old Glory just as sickening as the misuse of the Battle flag.
The Lincoln image is another story ;-)

Just because ya got the right to do something,
don't mean it's right ta do it !

Then tell em to shut their pie hole !

Time Out !

Well it seems I made a lot of enemies of my Southern compatriots because I do not favor a modern day secession! Heck not just Southern folks but nationwide this secession thing is spreading!

                                                                 SECESSION!

Well I ain't listening to the secession tune !

In fact the whole thing has changed my opinion on the political landscape!

Mr President I will support you!

I will however not turn my back on my southern ancestors, and I will defend their actions.

But a modern day secession is foolish!

The secession thing is now in all 50 states! So you can't blame it on the south like has happened with slavery!

I would love to see one person from each state who favors secession gather in a room to discuss strategics!       

You know, who is gonna do what . I think in little or no time it would mirror our present political structure.

It would quickly turn from hand shaking and backslapping into fist fights and backstabbing.

It's time we quit blaming everything on the President!

Everything from global warming to the broken street light at the corner, it all gets blamed on Obama!

Instead of 25.000 people calling for secession, they should get together and form a plan on what they want to happen and how to go about it! Then present the plan to the Government. But then again it's just like I wrote earlier it would turn into fist fights and backstabbing, with all the special interest that would be present.

But if you still wanna secede you can try it!  But it didn't work 150 years ago, I don't think it's gonna work now ! 

Well I'm gonna start a fertilizer company, cause I know I'm gonna catch a lot of crap for this one ! 

 

2 Reasons I can't support a modern secession

The best way to explain my Dad's patriotism =
Riding in the car with him one day I heard him snap his fingers, then the car made a sudden U Turn.
He drove the car into a fast food restaurant during lunch and demanded to see the manager.
It turns out the company's flag( I think it was KFC) was flying higher than the American flag!
 The manager told Dad that he would take care of it after the rush! NOPE at my Dad's insistence they went out during the rush and corrected the situation.
It's been many years since I have flown the Stars and Stripes, but I think I'm gonna get one and fly it for my Dad, the same way I fly the CBF for my Great Grand Dad !

A Modern day Secession ? PFFFFFFT!

Give me a break, a modern day secession has as much chance of success as a snowball in hell !

You can quote me on that!

Yea you can start a petition for secession as a form of protest, but that's about all it is!

GET REAL FOLKS, It didn't work 150 years ago and it sure ain't gonna work today!

As I said, as a form of protest it's cool, but in reality it's dumb as a bag of hammers.  If ya wanna secede

JUST DO IT !

You don't need no stinkin petition !

Let me help you do it !

First thing, just quit paying taxes, that will sure get their attention and let em know your serious!

                And while your at it don't file a tax return, YEA That will show em!

Second, Quit using the money printed by the US government! Print your own ! 

                                             As for what to do with all that tainted money that in your new world order that is worthless: send it to me !  I got pay-pal.

Third, disconnect from your local power company and start your own !                                                             Why pay for what you don't have too?

4th, if ya get robbed, assaulted or are the victim of any type of crime take care of it yourself.                      Ya sure don't wanna call the police they are part of the old system what the hell ya need them for ?

I could go on and on but I think ya can see where I'm goin with this ! If you are signing a "Protest" petition fine, the country you are suggesting seceding from allows you to do that ! That's kinda ironic ain't it ?

But if you are truly in favor of leaving the USA by all means "GO FOR IT !!"

But do me one favor, PLEASE !  Take me off your friends list at Facebook,

Cause I don't want nothin ta do with ya !

Too many good men and women have put their lives on the line so that you can slap them in the face with this lunacy !

Too many have given their lives for our country and all the freedoms we have!

HAPPY VETERANS DAY !

Dave Tatum.

Stuff Ya Don't find in History Books

I may have posted this before, but it's a good story of what happened in camp!

CHAPTER X.

(by T.J. Macon) 



THE following occurred during one of the Company's                                 marches. J . B. Lambert and myself made a 
detour from the main road, and coining to a nice- 
looking farmhouse, we determined to go in and try our 
hands at getting a good meal. Sir Ronald Gatewood, 
the owner of the place, was cold-mannered, the hardest 
man to thaw out I ever met. We tried every plan on 
him; still he remained brusque, unapproachable, and 
even peevish. We could get no satisfaction from 
him, and almost despaired of accomplishing anything. 
Finally, we said : "Sir Ronald, where is your spring  
He pointed to the locality, and we asked if he would 
at least lend us a bucket, which he brought. We re- 
marked: a You need water in cooking, of course." So 
we brought him three or four buckets full of that indis- 
pensable fluid. This moved him. Indeed, it was the 
magic "open sesame" to his heart, it was the touchstone. 
He then said : "I will see if the old lady will get you 
a good dinner," and it was just for that most desirable 
point we were maneuvering. 

In a short time dinner was announced and we en- 
joyed a good square meal. In the course of conversation, 
we found out why Sir Ronald was so hard to influence 
at first. It appears that a few days previous a party 
of infantrymen had called upon him, and while the 
meal was being prepared for them, they got a pair of 
scissors and trimmed his dog up resembling a lion in 
appearance, that is, they cut all the hair off the body 
except on his shoulders. It was a handsome shepherd 
dog and valued very highly by its owner. Of course, 
we told Sir Ronald we sympathized with him, and pro- 
nounced the act a piece of vandalism and were not sur- 
prised at his being enraged at soldiers. Before parting 
we made a firm friend of the gentleman. 

While the Company was encamped at the "Poison 
Fields" of Spottsylvania County, an incident occurred 
that occasioned some comment. W. G. Lampkin was a 
good-looking and indeed a captivating cannoneer. He 
was called emphatically a lady charmer. Whenever the 
battery went into camp, if there were any ladies near, 
he would find them out, then call upon them, and in 
the very shortest time would be on as intimate terms 
with them as if he had known and visited them for 
months. His progress with his charmed one was so 
rapid that soon he would become the custodian of her 
finger ring. 

Near the camp at Poison Fields there resided one,
Count Deaskie, and family, which consisted of the 
Count, his wife, and three daughters. They were pretty 
girls and quite attractive to the boys. William became 
well acquainted with the family. On the first day he 
called upon them, Ben Lambert, Edward Barnes and 
myself determined to play somewhat of a practical joke 
on William. 

The Count's house was an old-fashioned one, with 
porches front and rear, with a passage running through 
the house from front to rear. It was about twenty-five 
yards from the front gate to the house. We determined 
to call upon Count Deaskie and his family in the                                                               evening. William, as we expected, was sitting on the front 
porch, and as soon as he saw us enter the gate, ran to 
the back porch. We introduced ourselves and endeavored                                         to be as entertaining as possible. One of our party, 
Barnes, possessed a fine tenor voice and sang for the 
company a song that was very popular at the time, 
called Virginia. After singing it, the Count asked 
him to sing it again, and Barnes, always obliging, did 
as requested. We passed a very pleasant evening and 
bade the Count and his family good evening, leaving 
William at the house. As soon as he returned to camp, 
I sent a message to him, stating that I considered I 
had been treated rather shabbily by him, inasmuch as 
when he saw us enter the gate and advance towards the 
house, that instead of coming out to meet and introduce 
us to Count Deaskie and his daughters, he fled to the 
back porch. I expected from him the satisfaction that 
one gentleman would accord another. He wrote in 
reply that he would give any satisfaction I desired, 
whereupon I sent him a challenge to fight a duel, which 
he promptly accepted. 

J. B. Lambert was my second and Edward Barnes 
was Lampkin's second. The preliminaries of the duel 
were all arranged, and it was to come off the following 
day, but we moved away that evening. 

The next place at which we halted was Waller's 
Tavern. The battery was near my brother-in-law, A. 
L. Holloway's residence, and I had been there to dinner. 
Upon returning to the camp several cannoneers came 
to me and said this was the evening for the duel to 
come off. I told them that it was agreeable to me and 
I would be ready. 

The program of the duel was as follows : The 

combatants were to stand fifteen yards apart and to ex- 
change three shots. If neither party was wounded when 
the third shot was fired, then they were to advance with 
drawn sabers and fight until one or both fell, and thus 
end the combat, the like manner to the encounter be- 
tween Fitz James and Roderick Dhu. They took a 
horse and cut his gum, saturating a piece of sponge 
with his blood. 

I wore for the fight a brown cotton shirt. After 
firing at each other two shots neither was struck, but 
at the third fire I fell mortally wounded, having thrown 
my hand with the bloody sponge upon my breast, making a                      large splotch over the heart, indicating a death 
stroke. I was then placed upon a litter mortally 
wounded and carried to our camp. After getting there 
and going into my tent, Captain McCarthy said to my 
antagonist: "Macon is mortally wounded, and the 
chances are that he will not survive. Now, if I were 
you I would go and make up with him." He agreed with 
the Captain, and came to my quarters. I was leaning 
on my arm when he entered the tent, and he said: 
"Tom, old fellow, how are you feeling ?" I replied : 
"Very well, under the circumstances, I thank you ; how 
are you ?" Tie then realized the joke we had played on 
him. He then proposed to get a keg of gunpowder and 
each clasp hands and ignite it. He was one of the most 
furious men, when he perceived the trend of affairs, 
I ever saw. He finally got over his anger at the trick 
and we were afterwards good friends. he was a brave 
cannoneer, and his fondness for the society of ladies 
was no fault, but rather creditable to him; still it was 
the cause of his engaging in a duel that he thought 
was to be a genuine fight to the death, but which was 
only a sham battle and a joke. Some years after I was 
in company with William and his father, when he said : 
"Father, this is Mr. Macon, with whom I fought a 
duel." 

VOTE !

IF ya Don't Vote Today !

Don't Complain Tomorrow!

Labor Unions are a good Thing ?

Labor Unions are a good Thing ?

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OK this ain't got nothin ta do with the War Between the States.

Virginia , Alabama and other Southern states have sent crews to New Jersey (Hard hit by Hurricane Sandy )

to help restore power to millions of people who are without it.

When the crews arrived the were told they could not help because they were not card carrying Union members !

OK I don't like to cuss in public BUT - What kind of Dumb Ass logic is that ?

If a union member has a heart attack will he refuse help from a non-union ambulance driver or Doctor ?

Wake up you union goons ! People are in desperate need of all the help they can get !

When this is over and power is restored, I hope the folks who spent unnecessary time in the cold and dark will sue the hell out of the unions for their Dumb Ass actions ! 

Prayin for All !

Praying for all who were in the path of the storm !

Yankee Bloggers

Yankee Blogger's ya gotta love em (or not)

They love to attack SHPG and the individuals who are a part of it.

Sunday at SHPG we had differing opinions on HK Edgerton.  Some folks felt that $20.000.00 was a bit steep for a speakers fee ( I am one ) Others defended HK's asking price.

HK Edgerton 

________________________________________________

SHPG is made up of individuals and being such there are going to be different opinions.

Discussions there often take differing views, I feel that is wonderful. 

Unlike the Yankee bloggers who are lined up like dominoes or ducks, 

                                                                                                                                                                                        The folks at SHPG are individuals who are free to voice their opinions.

I guess it's a matter of choice. Get in line with the Yankee Bloggers,

Or think for yourself!

I like to think for myself even if others disagree with me  !!

Not all Heroes carried Guns.

REGISTER OF CLOPTON HOSPITAL

Franklin St. 4^th house from

Corner of 4^th & Franklin Sts.

Richmond, Va.

On Wednesday, 28^th May 1862 the sick soldiers at Ashland were brought to Richmond and Capt. Jackson Warner opened this house on Franklin Street between 3d and 4^th and one between 4^th & 5^th and placed 290 men in them, where they remained until Saturday morning 31^st when by order of Genl. Winder they were transferred to the St. Charles Hospital. Since the 31^st of May the following patients have been received and treated in this hospital.

Dr. H. A. Tatum appointed Post Surgeon Mr. Brook, Steward

Dr. P. Brown has kindly given gratuitous advice and

Very efficiently aided in the organization of the Hospital.

(signed) Maria G. Clopton

There were hospitals set up all over the area as battles in Virginia continued to grow in intensity. They were found everywhere. In Richmond alone there were more than forty hospital, not counting the many private homes that accommodated the wounded.

Dr. Henry Augustus Tatum, of Richmond, Virginia was a skilled surgeon, and he saved many wounded men from losing a limb. The Clopton Hospital was publicly complimented by the Confederate Congress for its small percentage of deaths in comparison with all the other hospitals. One day 1,268 men were accepted into the care of the staff.

“The low mortality at Clopton and Robertson Hospitals, conducted by patriotic women,” was cited as an argument that women made the best nurses for the soldiers,” when the First Confederate Congress met in September 1862. The Clopton Hospital had a mortality of rate of two per cent. On average, where males were in charge, the mortality averaged ten percent, and with females in charge, only five per cent.

Where Mercy Dwelt

The Old Clopton Hospital Franklin Street

And the War-time Angel Who Directed It

Recalled in Newly Found Letters from

Grateful Confederate Families

BY CHARLOTTE CLOPTON 

During the bloody summer of 1862 the Clopton Hospital near the northwest corner of Fourth and Franklin Streets was opened on May 28 as an emergency unit by Captain Is[rael] Warner. Two hundred and eighty men were brought from Ashland on May 31 by order of General Winder, according to old records now in possession of the Clopton descendants. All were retained with the exception of 12.

This hospital was opened exclusively for wounded officers of the Confederate Army and was established by the patriotic philanthropy of the widow of Judge John Bacon Clopton, who was Maria Gatesgill(sic.) Foster of England. It was located between Third and Fourth Streets in Mrs. Clopton’s home in the center then of the most fashionable neighborhood. The beauties and belles of the Confederate capital, many of them refugees from Maryland, flocked to it and tenderly administered to the suffering and wounded.

Among the volunteers was the brilliant Constance Cary who later was won by President Davis’ private secretary. In a magazine article she alluded to her experiences and told how when the wounded were taken to the receiving hospital downtown the soldiers would beg to be taken to the Clopton Hospital, for the fame of the practice of the surgeon in charge, Dr. Henry Augustus Tatum of Richmond, Va., was widespread. His assistant was young Dr. Patterson. The reputation he gained was that he saved the limbs which others would have amputated as a quicker method of healing. This reputation he gained the previous year in his practice at the Warm Springs Hospital.

The officers were as soon as practicable, transferred to the roomy cool and clean old house and carefully restored to health. Among those was a young officer, the nephew of Dr. Tatum whose right arm was shattered between the shoulder and elbow; it had gone forth that it must come off. He implored to be taken to his uncle'’ hospital to be created. This was done and the pieces of shattered bone were reunited as in nature and healed beautifully and in good time the gallant youth was on his horse, a volunteer on Stuart'’ staff. This indomitable spirit was Charles Augustus Boyd, son of James Magruder Boyd, of the well known firm of Boyd, Edmonds and Davenporrt.

______________________________________________________________________________________

I was digging Around and found some old files on Dr Tatum, ya didn't have to carry a gun to be a hero.

source = http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~clopton/mint.htm#_ftnref52

UPDATE !

2/4/2021

I found out today that Dr Tatum's son was a member of the 

2nd company Richmond Howitzers.

                                                                       

BIRTH 1844

Virginia, USA

DEATH 6 May 1905 (aged 60–61)

BURIAL

Hollywood Cemetery

Richmond, Richmond City, Virginia, USA

BASSACKWARDS !

Well some folks get the facts wrong, apparently the folks who posted this gem didn't check their work!

The picture in question is copyrighted so I couldn't use it !

But if you go to---

http://www.vcstar.com/news/2012/oct/06/high-spirits-prevail-in-moorpark-parade-and-fair/

Ya might have to cut and paste the link into your browser!

Journalism 101 - Check your sources !

Yeesh ! What a debacle !

Yeesh ! 

My Last post quickly turned into a profanity laced name calling debacle !

So I deleted it !

I forgot how annoying and counterproductive an open format can be !

Return The Flags !

 When I see photos like this one I wonder if Great Grand Dad is in it !

I know he was there !

I'm sure he prayed here !

So I guess you could say I have a valid interest in what happens !

God Bless all the men who were there !

The Bloodiest Fifteen Minutes of the War.

COLD HARBOR AND THE DEFENSE OF RICHMOND

By

WILLIAM MEADE DAME, D. D.

Private, First Company
Richmond Howitzers

The Bloodiest Fifteen Minutes of the War.

In our front, this artillery fire kept up for a while, then it stopped! The next moment, there was an awful rush! From every quarter their infantry came pouring on over the fields, and through the woods, yelling and firing, and coming at a run. Their columns seemed unending! Enough people to sweep our thin lines from the face of the earth! Up and down our battle line, the fierce musketry broke out. To right and left it ran, crashing and rolling like the sound of a heavy hail on a tin roof, magnified a thousand times, with the cannon pealing out in the midst of it like claps of thunder. Our line, far as the eye could reach, was ablaze with fire; and into that furious storm of death, the blue columns were swiftly urging their way.

Straight in our front one mass was advancing on us and we were hurling case-shot through their ranks,—when, suddenly! glancing to the right, we saw another column, which had rushed out of the woods on our right front, by the flank, almost upon us, not forty-five yards outside our line. Instantly we turned our guns upon them with double canister! Two or three shots doubled up the head of that column. It resolved itself into a formless crowd, that still stood stubbornly there, but could not get one step farther. And then, for three or four minutes, at short pistol range, the infantry and our Napoleon guns tore them to pieces. It was deadly, and bloody work! They were a helpless mob, now; a swarming multitude of confused men! They were falling by scores, hundreds! The mass was simply melting away under the fury of our fire. Then, they broke in panic, and headlong rout!

Many fearing to retreat under that deadly fire, dropped down behind the stumps near our line, and when the others had gone, we ordered them to come in. Several hundred prisoners were captured in this way. To show what our works were,—I saw one tall fellow jump up from behind a stump, run to our work, and with “a hop, skip, and a jump,” he leaped entirely over it, and landed inside our line. And a foolish looking fellow he was, when he picked himself up!

Just as the enemy broke, Ben Lambert, “No. 1” at “4th” gun, was severely wounded, in the right arm, just as he raised it to swab his gun. One of the boys took his place, and the fire kept on.

The great assault was over and had failed! Only ten or fifteen minutes was its fury raging! In that ten minutes, thirteen thousand Federal soldiers lay stricken, with death, or wounds. In those few moments, Grant lost nearly as many men as the whole British Army lost in the entire battle of Waterloo.