Act of Kindness - Christmas at Fredericksburg

lelliott19

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Art by Mort Kunstler "My Friend the Enemy" http://www.mortkunstler.com/html/store-limited-edition-prints.asp?action=view&ID=48&cat=133

"A correspondent writing from the Ninth army corps, opposite Fredericksburg, Va. narrated the following, which occurred on Christmas Day, 1862, while the writer was out on picket with his company." (Wisconsin Memorial Day Annual, 1906, page 14-15.)

The story also appears in Frank Moore's The Civil War in Song and Story, page 161, but is not attributed to a specific soldier or even a corps. Still, it's a good story, no matter who narrated it:

It was Christmas day and after partaking of a Christmas dinner of salt pork and hard tack, our attention was attracted by a rebel picket who hailed us from the opposite side of the river. “I say, Yank, if a fellow goes over there, will you let him come back again?” Receiving an affirmative answer, he proceeded to test the truth of it by paddling himself across the river. He was decidedly the cleanest specimen of a rebel I had seen. In answer to a question, he said he belonged to the Georgia Legion (aka Cobb's Legion).

One of our boys remarked, “I met quite a number of your boys at South Mountain.” “Yes, I suppose so–if you were there,” said the rebel, while his face grew very sad. “We left many of our boys there. My brother, poor Will, was killed there. It was a hot place for a while, and we had to leave it in a hurry.”

"That’s so, Georgia; your fellows fought well there, and had all the advantage, but the old Keystone boys were pressing you hard. By the way, I have a likeness here (taking it out of his pocket), that I picked up on the battle-field the next morning, and I have carried it ever since.”

He handed it to the rebel, who, on looking at it pressed it to his lips exclaiming, “My mother! My mother!” He exhibited considerable emotion at the recovery of the picture, but on the recovery of his composure he said that his brother had it in his possession, and must have lost it in the fight. He then asked the name of the one to whom he was indebted for the lost likeness of his mother, remarking, “There may be better times soon, and we may know each other better.”

He had taken from his pocket a small pocket Bible in which to write the address, when Alex, who had taken no part in the conversation, fairly yelled, ” I know that book; I lost it at Bull Bun!” “That’s whar I got it, Mr. Yank,” said the rebel, and he handed it to Alex.

“I am much obliged to you, Georgia Legion; I would not part with it for all the Southern Confederacy.” I was a little curious to know something further of the book, so I asked Alex to let me see it. He passed it to me. I opened it, and on the flyleaf was written in a neat hand, “My Christmas Gift, to Alex , Dec. 25th, 1860. Ella.”

“Well, Alex,” said I, “It is not often one has the same gift presented to him a second time.”

“True, Captain; and if I could but see the giver of that today, there’s but one other gift I would want.”

“What’s that, Alex?”

“This rebellion played out, and my discharge in my pocket.”

The boys had all been busy talking to our rebel friend, who, seeing a horseman approaching in the direction of his post, bid us a hasty good-by, and made a quick trip across the Rappahannock. Night came on, and those not on duty, lay down on the frozen ground to dream of other Christmas nights, when we knew not of war.


The Civil War in Song and Story: 1860-65 by Frank Moore, (New York: P. F. Collier, 1889), page 161. https://books.google.com/books?id=AXGEAAAAIAAJ&q=if+I+could+but+see+the+giver+of+that+today#v=snippet&q=if I could but see the giver of that today&f=false
NOTE: Cobb's brigade which included Cobb's Legion, faced the VI Corps at South Mountain, specifically at Crampton's Gap - so not certain this account is correctly attributed, but it's too good to withhold on a technicality. :D
 
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Maybe there's some beauty in the fact that none of these soldiers is identified. We can only hope they all survived the war and made it home again safely. Since we don't know their identities, there's no proof to the contrary.
I think you're right about the charm of the anonymity of the story. I mean you guys know there's nothing I like better than to read a story and then learn about the people involved. But this is one of those "Billy Yank" and "Johnny Reb" stories that has universal appeal - even if we don't know exactly who they were.
 
I think you're right about the charm of the anonymity of the story. I mean you guys know there's nothing I like better than to read a story and then learn about the people involved. But this is one of those "Billy Yank" and "Johnny Reb" stories that has universal appeal - even if we don't know exactly who they were.

Totally agree with this.
 
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Art by Mort Kunstler "My Friend the Enemy" http://www.mortkunstler.com/html/store-limited-edition-prints.asp?action=view&ID=48&cat=133

"A correspondent writing from the Ninth army corps, opposite Fredericksburg, Va. narrated the following, which occurred on Christmas Day, 1862, while the writer was out on picket with his company." (Wisconsin Memorial Day Annual, 1906, page 14-15.)

The story also appears in Frank Moore's The Civil War in Song and Story, page 161, but is not attributed to a specific soldier or even a corps. Still, it's a good story, no matter who narrated it:

It was Christmas day and after partaking of a Christmas dinner of salt pork and hard tack, our attention was attracted by a rebel picket who hailed us from the opposite side of the river. “I say, Yank, if a fellow goes over there, will you let him come back again?” Receiving an affirmative answer, he proceeded to test the truth of it by paddling himself across the river. He was decidedly the cleanest specimen of a rebel I had seen. In answer to a question, he said he belonged to the Georgia Legion (aka Cobb's Legion).
One of our boys remarked, “I met quite a number of your boys at South Mountain.” “Yes, I suppose so–if you were there,” said the rebel, while his face grew very sad. “We left many of our boys there. My brother, poor Will, was killed there. It was a hot place for a while, and we had to leave it in a hurry.”
"That’s so, Georgia; your fellows fought well there, and had all the advantage, but the old Keystone boys were pressing you hard. By the way, I have a likeness here (taking it out of his pocket), that I picked up on the battle-field the next morning, and I have carried it ever since.”
He handed it to the rebel, who, on looking at it pressed it to his lips exclaiming, “My mother! My mother!” He exhibited considerable emotion at the recovery of the picture, but on the recovery of his composure he said that his brother had it in his possession, and must have lost it in the fight. He then asked the name of the one to whom he was indebted for the lost likeness of his mother, remarking, “There may be better times soon, and we may know each other better.”
He had taken from his pocket a small pocket Bible in which to write the address, when Alex, who had taken no part in the conversation, fairly yelled, ” I know that book; I lost it at Bull Bun!” “That’s whar I got it, Mr. Yank,” said the rebel, and he handed it to Alex.
“I am much obliged to you, Georgia Legion; I would not part with it for all the Southern Confederacy.” I was a little curious to know something further of the book, so I asked Alex to let me see it. He passed it to me. I opened it, and on the flyleaf was written in a neat hand, “My Christmas Gift, to Alex , Dec. 25th, 1860. Ella.”
“Well, Alex,” said I, “It is not often one has the same gift presented to him a second time.”
“True, Captain; and if I could but see the giver of that today, there’s but one other gift I would want.”
“What’s that, Alex?”
“This rebellion played out, and my discharge in my pocket.”
The boys had all been busy talking to our rebel friend, who, seeing a horseman approaching in the direction of his post, bid us a hasty good-by, and made a quick trip across the Rappahannock. Night came on, and those not on duty, lay down on the frozen ground to dream of other Christmas nights, when we knew not of war.
The Civil War in Song and Story: 1860-65 by Frank Moore, (New York: P. F. Collier, 1889), page 161. https://books.google.com/books?id=AXGEAAAAIAAJ&q=if+I+could+but+see+the+giver+of+that+today#v=snippet&q=if I could but see the giver of that today&f=false
NOTE: Cobb's brigade which included Cobb's Legion, faced the VI Corps at South Mountain, specifically at Crampton's Gap - so not certain this account is correctly attributed, but it's too good to withhold on a technicality. :D
What a wonderful story. Thank you.
 
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