Henry Newton Cochran's diary, part 2

Continuing with his diary, Henry, although too young to serve, tells of his memories of Campbell County during the Civil War:

"Referring again to the war time, I enjoyed visiting the soldiers in their camps and seeing them perform their camp duties. A party of Confederates came to our house one evening and asked my father if he would like to have four extra mules, which he accepted with thanks. Early next morning they returned and took the mules saying that they wanted them for some prisoners to ride. My father protested but to no purpose for they did not seem to care anymore than a big boy taking candy from a small one.

"Capt. Shannon camped near our house with his raiders. He appeared to be a very nice man himself but some of his men were very rough and did not regard truth or honesty very strictly.

"Grandma McClure had a strip of syrup cane down on the creek that they made themselves perfectly free with. On one occasion while they were cutting and slashing the cane one of the (Colored) farm hands came along and one of the soldiers borrowed his knife to cut cane. After he had kept it for awhile Perry asked him for his pocket knife. 'Oh' said he, 'I gave it to that fellow there.' Perry called on him and got the same answer, 'I gave it to that fellow there.' Perry soon discovered that his knife was gone and went on his way without it.

"I aided my father to secret many articles for Grandma McClure, a bee gum here, and a middling of meat there, and a basket of clothes in another place, and so on. My father secreted (I was told) the garments that Mrs. McClure was to be buried in. It was a beautiful black silk suit made after the fashion of that day and time. She showed me the tree (a Columbia popular) that she said she planted the twig of to make her coffin. When I saw it last it was 50 or 60 feet tall. I do not know whether her request was carried out or not.

"While Capt. Shannon was camped near there, his cook selected two sweet gums, for a shade in the calf lot at the back of the garden. They stood some 10 or 12 feet apart. After the cook had got his fire started and began his cooking, he spied Grandma coming to him.

"You can hardly imagine his surprise, when she came up and accused him of breaking into her smoke house. Why, said he, you are certainly mistaken my good woman. I assure you that I have not been about your smokehouse.

"Yes, you have and I can prove it and will report you to your Captain.

"My dear Madam you have never been more mistaken in your life. I would certainly never bother your smokehouse.

"I can prove it sir, just look up there and she pointed a finger up among the green branches of the trees. The cooks surprise was great at her first approach but it could not be compared to what it was now, for on looking up to where she was pointing, he saw a large middling of meat hanging on a pole between the two trees.

"After all had a hearty laugh the meat was taken down and Grandma went on her way rejoicing.

"Very many amusing as well as vexing incidents occurred with us during those trying times. They would turn their stock in on our oat fields and gather our corn or anything else suited to their tastes.

"Such is war.

"Just before the end of the Civil War, being at the age (16 yrs.) brought me under the Conscript Laws, and I was often approached by the enrolling officers to go to the 'front.' I expected to be forced to go so I began making preparations to leave home. Shoes and equipment, generally were scarce. I purchased a pattern of shoe leather for which I paid $22.50. I got John Hardy a shoemaker to make them I paid $5.00 (cost of shoes $27.50).

"Just before I completed my preparations, some decisive battles were fought between the contending armies, and I was advised not to go as the war was nearing a close. Which took place soon after.

"The generation that has grown up since the surrender of the Southern Forces cannot fully realize the deplorable condition that everything was in. Farms had grown up, houses had gone to ruin, stock was poor and scarce, provisions of all kinds were not to be had at any price. The Yankees as they were called, furnished a limited amount of provisions to those who would comply with the regulations, and go to the large towns after it, which consisted of a few pounds of salt pork, coffee, flour, etc.

"Many of the Southern people were too proud, or stubborn to comply with the requirements and done the best they could otherwise.

"In the year of 1866, I and my brother Frank cultivated a crop at Dr. Hulsey's, we bought shoulder meat in the Spring for which we gave a pound of lint cotton, in the Fall (as I remember it was $.22 1/2 cents per pound.

"The dirt floors of the smokehouses were dug up and placed in hoppers similar to ash hoppers and water was poured on and the drippings were boiled down until it crystallized into salt. It was very yellow and had a strong taste. How would you like to eat butter and such salted with such salt?

"These are only a few of the make-shifts incident to a cruel, cruel war."

Thanks to Bill Cochran (saltercoc@aol.com) for this wonderful diary. Next week, Henry has a religious experience.

Send your south metro Atlanta family histories to The Citizen, Drawer 1719, Fayetteville, GA 30214; E-mail jkilgore@thecitizennews.com or jodiek444@aol.com.

Until next week, happy hunting!

(Judy regrets that time does not permit her to do personal research for others.)