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44 3 “We Fought Each Other Like Wild Animals” disbanding my company Now came a general reorganization of the army from state troops to regular Confederate troops. A few would not enlist . 1 The solemnity of the oath of allegiance to the Confederate States of America greatly impressed me. This was in the early years of the war. They were more, yes, much more particular at that period than later. Any boy could join the state troops, but to be a government soldier then, one must be over the age limit. They refused for this cause to accept my company, and it was disbanded, much to the disappointment of us all. History tells us that youths make the best soldiers. The realization of danger is lacking. Ever in our front we had that picturesque, gallant soldier, Colonel Emmett McDonald. I see him now with coat off, shirt sleeve rolled above his elbow, hair hanging over his shoulders, his long sword held over his head, running from one gun to another, shouting encouragement to his men, and to my boys a perfect “dare-devil” was Colonel Emmett McDonald. With such men for their idols, 45 “We Fought Each Other Like Wild Animals” do you wonder that the boys performed deeds that would cause older men to hesitate? Without a single exception they proved themselves heroes. They scattered and joined different commands, largely cavalry, and stayed in Arkansas and Missouri, while all the confederate troops were transferred east of the Mississippi River. flint-lock muskets Before the transfer of the troops to General Joseph E. Johnson ’s army, some five hundred cases or big boxes containing guns that had been stored at army ports in the South were shipped to us. They had been manufactured thirty years before the war. I remember with what curiosity we watched them unload a train of these boxes and our surprise and disappointment when we found they were all flint-lock muskets with funny little bayonets and hundreds of boxes of ammunition . They, too, were antique. Each paper cartridge contained powder, ball, and three buckshot. What fun we had with them for a few days. No ramrod was needed. First bite the end of the cartridge off, prime the lock with powder, and drop the rest in the muzzle of the gun. If held perpendicular, we could hear the cartridge hit the bottom. Instructions were “never to let the muzzle of the gun drop below level,” lest the load be dropped out. We rolled on the ground, and shouted with laughter to see the men trying to shoot them, both eyes shut for fear the flash in the pan would blind them. Bang! went the gun, and the target, an old barn a hundred yards away, remained untouched. But the great fun occurred when some careless or uninformed soldier let the muzzle drop a little. The cartridge had perhaps slipped half the length of the barrel with powder strung along to meet it. Chin, Chin, bang! went the gun and man lying flat on his back ten feet away, certain he was shot. Laugh! We laughed until tears ran 46 “We Fought Each Other Like Wild Animals” down our cheeks. The soldier would gradually recover, sit up and look around wondering what had hit him, and seeing us all shouting with laughter would break the old gun over a stump. From what he said, you would have thought he had forgotten his home, flag, and country; in fact, everything but his God. The guns were never used. 2 With few exceptions our army was but a body of raw recruits . A few weeks of drill and discipline made a great change. From morning until night there was no rest—drill, drill, drill. I was acting as orderly for General Price. raid into missouri Colonel Burbage and Brother Dick (who was a major now) was ordered with some six or seven hundred cavalry to make a raid into Missouri. 3 I begged General Price to let me go with them, and he consented. The object or destination of our expedition I did not know, and I did not care. We rode many miles in the seven days journey, following few roads. Our guides led us through an almost uninhabited section. We rode at will, with songs, jokes, and laughter. One afternoon we halted at a stream; orders were “unsaddle and feed, and pay particular attention to your horse’s feet.” Each company had its own blacksmiths. The...

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