Cavalry Charger
Major
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2017
"'After we had secured the opening of a line over which to bring our supplies to the army, I made a personal inspection to see the situation of the pickets of the two armies. As I have stated, Chattanooga Creek comes down the centre of the valley to within a mile or such a matter of the town of Chattanooga, then bears off westerly, the north-westerly, and enters the Tennessee River at the foot of Lookout Mountain. This creek, from its moouth up to where it bears off west, lay between the two lines of pickets, and the guards of both armies drew their water from the same stream. As I would be under short-range fire and in an open country, I took nobody with me, except, I believe, a bugler, who stayed some distance to the rear. I rode from our right around to our left. When I came to the camp of the picket guard of our side, I heard the call, 'Turn our the guard for the commanding general." I replied, "Never mind the guard", and they were dismissed and went back to their tents. Just back of these, and about equally distant from the creek, were the guards of the Confederate pickets. The sentinel on their post called out in like manner, "Turn out the guard for the commanding general", and, I believe, added, "General Grant". Their line in a moment front-faced to the north, facing me, and gave a salute, which I returned.
The most friendly relations seemed to exist between the pickets of the two armies. At one place there was a tree which had fallen across the stream, and which was used by the solider of both armies in drawing water for their camps. General Longstreet's corps was stationed there at the time, and wore blue of a little different shade from our uniform. Seeing a soldier in blue on this log, I rode up to him, commenced conversing with him , and asked whose corps he belonged to. He was very polite, and touching his hat to me, said he belonged to General Longstreet's corps. I asked him a few questions - but not with a view to gaining any particular information - all of which he answered, and I rode off."
The Complete Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant - pg. 211, 212
It always fascinates me, the ordinariness of some of the interactions in such extraordinary circumstances. Opposing sides met, yet harmony, not harm, was the order of the day. How did such moments come about? No doubt, the battle did not rage in these moments, but men found the wherewithall to put their differences aside - even if only for a moment.
The most friendly relations seemed to exist between the pickets of the two armies. At one place there was a tree which had fallen across the stream, and which was used by the solider of both armies in drawing water for their camps. General Longstreet's corps was stationed there at the time, and wore blue of a little different shade from our uniform. Seeing a soldier in blue on this log, I rode up to him, commenced conversing with him , and asked whose corps he belonged to. He was very polite, and touching his hat to me, said he belonged to General Longstreet's corps. I asked him a few questions - but not with a view to gaining any particular information - all of which he answered, and I rode off."
The Complete Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant - pg. 211, 212
It always fascinates me, the ordinariness of some of the interactions in such extraordinary circumstances. Opposing sides met, yet harmony, not harm, was the order of the day. How did such moments come about? No doubt, the battle did not rage in these moments, but men found the wherewithall to put their differences aside - even if only for a moment.