VOL. XI., NO. 27
"REMINISCENCES."
t
Biographical and Historical Sketch
by Dk P. S. Hicks, Treating of
Local Persons and Scenes.
| 1
But *iy captain would not sign it, he
said there were men in that company
that had been there longer than I had
and had never had a furlough- Of
course I resented nothing and was glad
to get back to the hospital with my
blank furlough. Dr. Wims tore it up
and told me to be quiet and stay with
him another month and then he would
put me down as one for a furlough. I
asked him to put George Baker down
for the other, as we both lived at the
same place. He said he would. We had
then nearly two to wajt, but
we had good quarters, plenty to eat
and good friends, that was much better
than driving the forge or camping in
tents blown down by snow storms. Mr.
Baker had made right much money by
being a substitute and did not mina
spending it, so he proposed to me, as
my wife was a good traveler and his
wife knew nothing about traveling, if
I would write to my wife to come and
bring his to Richmond on a visit, he
would pay all expenses, coming, going,
boardbill and all, and they could stay
two or three weeks if they liked. It
all worked well, they came and we got
room in a nice boarding house for them
and we were excused from the hospital
except at meal times. We had as nice
a time as could be expected. After
awhile the time came for them to leave,
of course we saw them to the train and
told them goodby with a promise front}
Dr. Wims that we should have the next
furlough that was given by his recom
mending. Well the time came, he made
out our furloughs and recommended
them ut they had to be signed by the
head Dr. of Camp Lee and sent down
town to General Winder for final ap
proval. But to be approved by the
head Dr. is where the trouble would
come in. I had fattened up so by shaf.
time it was doubtful whether he would
sign my furlough or not if he were to
examine me, but as for Baker he would
be sure to get his for in that case he
had the advantage of me, as he could
look bad and sick at any time, but lucky
for m* that morning it was raining, so
Dr. Wims sent Baker with both the
furloughs and a note telling him that
Hicks' condition was of such a nature
that he had rather he would not turn
out in the rain. I told Baker to try to
look as sick and ugly as he could for
both of us. He "did it for pretty soon I
he came back and said the Dr. looked
at him, signed them both and sent them
on. Dr. Wims told me that he had one
more chance if that Dr. had refused to
sign them. That was that he would
have taken them down to General
Winder in person and have gotten them
direct as Winder and himself were both
Masons and that;, Masons would never
go back on each other in time of need.
In a day or two our furloughs re
turned approved for thirty days and
we were off for home by the next train.
That was my first furlough but before
the war ended I got all together 135
days in furloughs and never got a reg
ular routine furlough from my com
pany, never was 'abfeent without leave,
never was reported ( for violation and
never was put bn erxtra duty, never had
a detail and never held any office, and
for the last twelve months of the war
I didn't answer to the roll call or draw
any rations from my company and
never was in a regular battle. I will
tell how all that happened further on
in my travels. When I got home I
went to the commissary and drew rations
enough for 30 days. It was the Con
federacy's duty to feed me even if I
was at home. When my thirty dajs
was almost out I went t® the hospital
in Tarboro and saw Dr. Stith who was
in charge. He extended Baker s and
my furloughs for fifteen
Of course I had to give the Dr. and the
inmates a little private show for their
amusements and for my benefit. It
didn't take long for the fifteen days to
run out. We struck the road then for
the army of Virginia, but that-time of
the war will ,be long remembered; the
battle of Gettysburg. I had lost my
forge, the winter was over, my fur
loughs were out, and I was then a
wandering soldier looting for my com
mand, but the truth was, not very anx
ious to find it, for I never did brag on
being such a brave soldier and wanting
to fight so bad, at the same time I was
always at my post or place if any thing
should happen. I went to Richmond,
there I was informed of my company s
XLbouts. . I went from Richmond
to Staunton* There I struck the dirt
road to Winchester, one hundred miles
on foot. There were as many as 75 or
100 furloughed soldiers left Staunton
# , //u to vr
• * * J ££*',' ' %
ffke yteeku ffl
PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY BY THE R(j|CKY MOUNT PUBLISHING COMPANY.
when I did under a Capt that was re
turning to his command. This Capt.
was put in charge of this squ id by the
commander at Stanton, for the protec
tion of both soldiers and citizens on
our march and to draw rations for us
on the route. We camped one night
near the Willon Springs that so many
thousand Confederate soldiers have
seen. The Willon Springs stand near
the side of the road at the edge of a
hill. The Willon is hollow, the water
runs up the tree from the root to a
hollow limb about three feet high. The
limb seems to have been broken off
about a foot from the tree and acts as
pipe or spout. It affords good water
and is quite a curiosity of the kind.
The tree was green and had been there
as long as the hills, its history was un
known. We met ots of Yankee pris
oners and wounded soldiers along that
route. We got to Winchester and
found things in rather bad shape, it
seemed that no one knew exactly where
Lee's army was or what was being
done. They only knew that Lee had
crossed the Potomac and there was
trouble ahead. I stayed at Winchester
one night. The next morning the bugle
sounded, the long role was beat and
orders were to fall in line including
furloughed men, stragglers and every
body that could march. After the line
was formed every man was given a
musket as long as muskets would last,
but there were more men than muskets,
so I managed to not get one. The plan
was for us to fight our way through
the Yankee rear calvary to General
Lee's main army wherever was,
at that time it was at or near Gettys
burg.* As I had no gun I floated along
on my own hook. We went by M-.rtins
burg twelve miles the other side of
Winchester, and to a place called Fall
ing Water at the edge on this side of
the Potomac. I went still four or five
miles up the river but learned that
times were rather critical, and if I
crossed the river there was danger of
being picked up by the Yankee calvary,
so I came back to Falling Water. By
that time all that could be gathered
there was formed into a working squad
to imlid a oTidge across ' tne FotoVnac'
for Lee's army to cross back That
was one of the most critical times
General Lee had had up to that tin: *•
during the war. His whole army wa c
depending on the fragments of a collec
tion of returning furloughed soldiers,
stragglers and convalescents from the
hospital, to build that bridge, dig down
the embankments%nd get it ready for
crossing and no timber to build it with
To my knowledge we had to tear down
buildings to get timber to build boats
and bridges. I never have thought
General Lee would have stayed at
Gettysburgs as long as he did if the
bridge had been there for him to cross
on. As soon as the bridge was ready
they began crossing. When Lee's army
crossed the river going. I think part of
the army forded and the rest crossed
on pontoons further down.
(To be continued.)
Getting on in The World
is a matter of vast personal interest
to each and every one of us. There is
a wholesome joy in making headway in
the world of dollars; in feeling one's
horizon of poverty being pushed back,
pushed father and farther away. Get
ting on in the world means growth,
material growth; a broader grasp of af
fairs and a larger confidence in one's
ability to do the things which count;
the things which make for the upbuild
ing of our community certainly is a mat
ter of personal interest to every prop
erty owner, every tax payer, every
young man and every young woman in
our town and the sunroilnding c&untry.
Do you wish to join the ranks of those
who are getting on in the world? Its
not so hard as you may imagine; just a
little practical application of the virtue
of thrift, a cutting out of your unnec
essary expenses, the saving of your
expenses, the saving of your money
and the starting of an account with
The Bank of Rocky mount.
Tobacco Market.
Comparative sales of leaf tobacco on
the Foiky Mount market.
Fales for February 1908, 585,247 lbs.
Average $10.20.
Sales for February 1907, 402,870 lbs.
Average 9.87.
Cain this February 182,377 lbs.
Sales for season to date 6,687,483 lbs.
Average $10.51.
Sales for season March 1, 1907, 6,648-
506 lbs. Average $10.60.
Loss this season 161,023 lbs.
E. W. Smith.
Sales getting lighter each week, and
will gradually diminish from now on
the cr >p being nearly exhausted. Prices
keep up remarkably well considering
the q of the tobacco which is
rf .y A slight increase in crop
iS e., I for the coming season.
EOCKI MOIM*, K. C. f IBUBSDAY, MARCH 1908
NORTH CAROLINA TEACHERS ASSEMBLY
Everything Points to a Great Meeting
When Teachers Gather at Char
lotte Jone 16-19.
The North Carolina Teachers' Assem- j
bly, wnich will this year , celebrate its
twenty fifth anniversary at Charlotte,
June 16-19, has been for a quarter of a
century one of the most effective or
gans for the improvement of educa
tional conditions in the State. It has
been behind every movement that has
contributed to the "Educational Revo
lution" of recent years, and that, too,
at a time when these educational re
forms were not popular. The Assem
bly originated the great camgaign
which Mclver and Alderman conducted
in 1889 1892. "The good results of
their labors are with us today, and will
continue to bless the Commonwealth
when we, our children, and our chil
dren's children have finished life's ap
pointed lessons and put tne books
away."
The State Normal and Industrial Col
lege is another of the Assembly's crea
tions, for throughout his gallant fight
for this glorious institution Mclver had
the Assembly at his back, upholding
his hands through its sympathy and
through its committees. So, too, the
local tax movement, the movement for
consolidation, the improvement of
Schoolhouses, the better training of
teachers, and ir fact, every movement
that has resulted in better educational
facilities can be traced to the North
Carolina Teachers' Assembly.
The session at Charlotte promises to
be one of the most successful in its his
tory. Several of the most prominent
educational leaders in the country will
appear on the program. Among them,
are Professor Matheson, President of
the Assembly; Prof. P. P. Claxton,
University of Tennessee, wh:> has per
haps, trained more North Carolina
teachers than any other living man; Dr.
O. T. Corson, formerly State Superin
tendent i f Ohio, President of the Na
tiona1,.
now editor of the Ohio Educational
Monthly; Dr. Charles W. Kent, of the
University of Virginia* Dr, Seaman A.
Knapp of the Unit d SlatPs Depart
ment of Agriculture, and others. Gov
ernor R. B. Glenn will also be present
and it will probably be his last, great
educational speech while in his present
o'fice. Hon. T. S. Franklin, Majror of
Charlotte, will deliver the address of
welcome.
Charlotte itself is one of the most in
teresting cities in the country, and it
will pay any North Carolina teacher to
take this opportunity to visit the
"Queen City" of North Carolina. Dur
ing the Revolutionary War /the people
•f Charlotte were so hostile to the
British that Cornwallis called f it 4 'The
Hornet's Nest" of the Revolution.
Here the teachers will see t\m monu
ment to the signers of the Meokjenburg
Declaration; the monument to Lieut.
William E. Shipp, the gallant young
North Carolinian who gave his life for
the freedom of Cuba; the
marking the battlefield of
Farm. They wi'l also see the place
where the building stood, in which the
Mecklenburg Declaration was signed;
where Lord Cornwallis shad his head
quarters in 1780; where Washington
■topped in 1791; where Jefferson Davis
stood when he heard of the assassina
tion of President Lincoln. Near by
are the battlefields of Mclntyre Farm,
Cowan's Mill, King's Mountain, all
historic spots; the birthplaces of An
drew Jackson and James K. Polk. Al
together, no better place could have
been selected for this twenty-fifth an
niversary ot the Assembly than Char
lotte North Carolina teachers will have
a splendid chance to learn so much of
North Carolina's history.
Everything now points to a great
meeting.
The Bank of Rocky Moont
is incorporated under the North
Carolina banking laws, and is regularly
examined by The State Bank Examiner.
It confines itself to a straight, legiti
mate and conservative banking busi
ness, no speculation, no "high-finance"
It respectfully solicits the account of
the people of this community who ap
preciate safety for their money and as
liberal treatment as is consistent with
absolute safety.
Sevety-five families in Rocky Mount
are now owning their own homes, who
would otherwise be paying rent but for
assistance afforded by Rocky Mount
Homestead and Loan Association. The
12th series of stock will be due and pay-*
able on and after February Ist, 190&
Cati on R. L. Huffines, Secretary and
Treasurer for full information. .
HAPPENINGS IN POLICE COURT.
:'a[
Comedy and Tragedy of a Week as
Enacted in Calamity Hall Before
Mayfrirarp.
case before his honor at
Thursday's session was that of Pete
Christian, for disorderly conduct, for
which he was fined $lO.
Friday J. W. Joyner paid $5 for hav
ing ori a® excessive amount of
ful, Joe Coleman, colored, was
given 30 days for smashing Arthur Surles
over tfee head with a piece of stove
wood because the latter tried to blow
out the light when Coleman wanted to
shoot craps.
M. Oppenheimer and Cary
Pnee were assessed $5 each for a small
affray i Andy Powell $5 for disorderly
conduct, and Geo. Williams and F J.
Meek«/two white hoboes, were given
20 days each for drunk and disorderly.
Monday morning when his honor as
cended the throne Bloss Harper's
familiar face was among the first to
greet him. Bloss had been drunk and
down for the steenth time and deeming
it wise that Bloss should "dry out"
some his honor gave him 30 days to
study road construction. Mary Gilmore
and Cilia Smith, two dusky denizens of
the Red Line, "fit" over a bag of
feathe r s and were required to pay $5
each. Turner Thorne, a colored man
from Battleboro section, was fined sls
for disorderly and $25 for toting apistoi
and in default of dividend Supt. Long
was appointed a receiver for him for
60 days, in which h.) doubt Turner will
do some good work for the Rocky
Mount road district.
The only offering for Tuesday's ses
sio# was an itinerant junk dealer
charged with doing business without
license. He satisfied the court that he
neither bought nor sold within the cor
porate limits and was discharged.
Only one case engaged the attention
of tne mayor's court Wednesday morn
ing, that of L. R. Highsmith, for dis
orderly conduct in having a disturbance
abict /»*i!drc?r He
was ijieri s£so;
A. C.L. Agent at Elm City SI,OOO Short
AtElm City a complication of cir
cumitances have combined to create
quit* a sensation. In the first place
fake telegrams were sent to Richmond,
Nor'olk and Wilmington correspond
ed of the Toisnot Banking Co., of
film City, asking them to send to
the EHm CUy bank a total of SB,OOO,
the Toisnot Banking Go's, cashier's
name being bigned to the telegrams,
and the bank did not need the money;
as ithad all that it wanted for business,
investigation at the Elm City tele
grapi office showed no such telegrams
had been filed, and it is suspected that
some people with a view to either
robbing the bank or getting the money
while it was in transit'had sent the tel
egrams. - ■'
An investigation into the affair re
vealed the . fact that the agent and
operator of the A. C. L. at Elm City
was short in his account with the com
pany to the amount of SI,OOO or oVer.
His name is Farmer and he is highly
respected and was Regarded as a good
agent, by the company. A Pinkertori
detective is at work on the Case.
v Are you a stockholder in a home build
ing and loan association? If you are
not, come and let me convince you that
stock in Rocky Mount Homestead and
Loan Association will pay you a better
rate of.interest on jrour small savings
than any investment you can make.
The 12th series of stock will be open
for subscription February Ist, 1908. R.
L. Huffines, Secretary and Treasurer.
Mr. W.A. Campbell Dead.
It is our sad duty to chronicle the
death of our friend and former towns
man Mr. W. A. Campbell which oe
cuired at Goldfield, Nevada, on the
12th inst.
He was imminent in Nash county
for years, as editor, miner and dealer
in teal sstate
He was generous and warmhearted,
bright in conversation, facile and agree
able writer, and full of energy and in
dustry until disease placed its fell mark
upon him. He was the able editor
of "The Argonaut" for years which
did so much for the material prosperty
of our*growing town.
The last few years of his life were
spent with his family in Norfolk, Va.,
until last fall'they all moved to New
York. His health was. declining, so in
January, his physician advising him to
go West, he, accompanied by his young
son W. A. Campbell Jr., went to Tuc ?
son, Arizona.
He improved rapidly, and connected
himself with "The Morning Star" the
leading newspaper of the city. He was
successful in this work, but with re
newed strength his ambition was reach
ing out for greater things.
Hearing of the rrArvelous fortunes
that were being made in Goldfield,
Nevada, he decided to risk the change,
so left Tucson, with its perpetual sum
mer, landing in Goldfield in a terrific
snow storm. He contracted pneumonia
and in about one weeic died, quietly and
peacefully from beartfailure, separated
from all loved ones, excepting his young
son who had accompanied him. "There is
a divinity which shapes our ends." It
seems strange and yet fitting that
after so many years spent in the East
amid such varied vicissitudes, he should
have fallen asleep in the land he loved
best and always spoke of as "God's
Country."
They buried him the»-e, with the,ever
lasting snow capped mountains keeping
their eternal vigil over his last resting
place.
Our hearts in loving sympathy, go
out to his wife and the tvo children
who survive him.
"Requiescat in pace."
Friend.
Organization is Perfected.
The executive committee of the
Rocky Mount Anti-Saloon League at a
meeting Friday night psrfected the
organization by the election of the fol
lowing. officers: J. H. Westbrook,
president; W. L. Groom, vice president,
and L. F. Tillery, secretary and treas
urer. In addition to this there was
much important business transacted
relative to the campaign for State prohi
bition, and reports were heard on the
situation Irom men from the field. Re
solutions of appreciation for the sup
port lent the movement by the city pa
pers were adopted by the committee.
Rev. R. L. Davis, State organizer for
the Anti-Saloon League, was here in
conference with the local league Mon
day.
Ttie Mao Who Succeeds
\ t
in gettirig things to eome his way
generally makes sure by going out
to meet and ihvite them in. He
has a checking account at the bank
because of its real value in limiting
wasteful expenses, its conveniences,
its safety and he knows it is an invita
tion to success to meet him half way, an
invitation she is in the habit of accept
ing. Why don't you have a bank ac
count?
Velcome Meeting for 4iew Pastor.
The following ministera with Prof. W j
D. Gresham and a crowded house were
at South Rocky. Mount Sunday at 3 p.
m. to extend a cordial welcome to Rev.
W. G. Hall the recently elected pastor
of North and South Rocky Mount Bap
tist churches. ' Rev. t)r. W. D. Morton
presided arid happy addresses were
made by Dr I. M. Mercer and Rev. S.
W. Taylor with Prof. Gresham, follow
ed by heartfelt response from Rev.
Mr.' Hall; .' The exercises were very
interesting and impressive.
The money stringency has apparently
subsided and the Rocky Mount Home
stead and Loan Association has emerged
from the period of depression with a
feeling of pride that loans . have been
granted and all stock surrenders have
been paid on demand without discount.
The 12th series of stock will be open
for subscription February Ist, 1908.
Call on R. L. Huffines, Secretary and
"Treasurer.
Mr. C. E. Peacock. Dead.
Mr. C. E. Peacock died at his home
on south Washington street Tuesday
morning of intestinal troubles, from
which he had been a sufferer for a long
time. He leaves several children and
Widow living in this city. The remains
were taken to Microbe for burial Wed
nesday.
The Personal Interest _
you take in building up and caring
for it will have much to do with your
individual success and success ol any
enterprise with which you identify
yourself. It is all under your own con
trol —come in and let us tell you how
easy it is to start an account with The
Bank of Rocky Mount.
Piano Toner Coming.
Our piano tuner, Mr. A. C. Johnson,
will be with us for a few days next
week, and any one needing first class
tuning or repairing can call on or
phone us their order and we will have
it attended to.
Mr. Johnson is a practical tuner, de
voting his entire time and attention to
this work. ~
- Dowdy & Lancaster.
PRICE 5 CENTS
AN ADDRESS ON MISSIONS
Nr. L. F. Tillery Makes Historical
Talk Before Presbyterian Ladles
Missionary Society.
Mr. L. F. Tiilery made an interesting:
address t6 the Ladies Missionary So
ciety by cordial invitation in the parlor
of Mrs. L. F. Tillery in the afternoon
of Feb. 18. A number of the members
were present and after listening with
deep attention the society by a unani
mous vote requested tne address for pub
lication in our city papers. Brief notes
of the address are found below-
In talking to you of missions in Nash
county, I think it proper to go back
in the early history of our church when
the gospel was brought to us by a mis
sionary. If I mistake not it was in
1872 the Rev. J. W. Primrose, an
evangelist, preached for us in Burnetts
Hall, and later in what was known as
the Masonic Lodge Building. This
gentlemen was the firs'" Presbyterian
minister that ever preached in our town
so far as any records show. The first
Presbyterian in Rocky Mount was Dr.
Burnett.
The church was organized in 1873 or
1874. Our records are not clear but
those best informed say it was one of
these years.
It should be remembered that the lot
where our new church building now
stands was given us by a hardware
merchant, Mr. Geo. Allen, then living
in New Bern, N. C. This gentleman
is still living but now at Raleigh, N.
C. The date of the deed was may,
1873. From the best information we *
can get, our first church building was
erected in 1878 or 79, five or six years
later.
The first four members were: Mr,
and Mrs. O. R. Sadier, Dr. Burnette,
and Dr. Henry Thorp. At this time
we were in the Presbytery of Orange
a part of which has since been given to
Albermarle Presbytery.
The next minister that was sent to us
was Mr. Baldwin. It should be remem
i.eicu Vic -fiTeacnnig service
only one Sunday in the mon. h
The first child baptised was Will Bur
nette, a brother of Mrs. E. G. Muse.
The next minister was Rev. Mr. J.
E. Rankin. This good man sometime
after leaving here became head of our
foreign missionary publication work
with headquarters at Nashville, Tenn.
Mr. Rankin took a great interest in
foreign missions and visited the field a
few years ago, going to China and
Corea and was taken ill and died in
Core*.
The next minister was Rev. T. J.
Allison and after him Rev. M. Wades r
then Rev. J. W. K Summerell, D. D.,.
now of Norfolk, Vs.
This minister conducted the first
marriage ceremony in eur church; the
contracting parties were Mr. Geo. Pur
vis and Miss Ann Wisegar.
The next minister was R. R. Pell.
This gentleman is now head of the big
Converse College for girls at Spartan
burg, S. C. After Mr. Pell came Rev.
James Thomas and later his brother,
Rev. Fred Thomas. ,
The next is our beloved Dr. Morton.
Up to the time Dr. Morton came to us
and several years afterwards, we were
only able to pay a minister for a part
of his time and were known as a mis
sion point. We now pay for four Sun
days in the month and our church is no
longer classed as a mission. I under
stand, however, that Dr. Morton, being
chairman of the Home Mission cemmit
tee engages to give his fifth Sundays to
that work. In 1884 we were paying
only $125.00; for general benevolence
$l5O 00. Now we pay $1,700.00 or
$1,800.00 per annum for all purposes,
including pastor's salary and current ex
penses. «
Mr. Tillery gave the following inter
esting facts regarding foreign missions;
. The fundamental work of the foreign
missionary society is to bring men and
women face to face with Jesus Christ..
The first treaty that was interpreted
between Siam, China and Japan was
done by a missionary.
One of tne governor generals of India
said "Four Missionaries were worth a
whole batallion of soldiers."
SERVICES TO DIPLOMACY.
Commodore Perry talked to the Jap
anese through a missionary and no
doubt concluded that great treaty,
which opened the gates of Japan to
the world.
'Discovery by a missionary of rubber
in Africa. Now this rubber is being
extensively used in the trades.
One hoire built each month for the
past six years is che record of Rocky
Mount Homestead and Loan Association
Subscribe to the 12th series of stock
due and payable February Ist, 1908.
R. JJ. Huffines, Secretary & Treasurer,