Lee Recollections of Army Life With General Lee

Stiles/Akin

Sergeant Major
Joined
Apr 1, 2016
Location
Atlanta, Georgia
Recollections of Army Life With General Lee
Frank H. Foote 1903
It was a common sight to see all sorts of re-enforcements to the men's(pants) seats. On a pair of brown or butternut-colored trousers you would see a huge heart, square or star-shaped patch, according to the whim of the owner. Our hats and caps were taken from "our friends, the enemy," and you could see all styles, shapes and makes, generally ornamented with letters denoting the command of the owner. The "alpinehat" or "Excelsior," of New York, was the most common, and were preferred to all others. Caps were not sought after, as they neither turned sun nor rain. Slouch hats are peculiar to the South, and were affected a great deal. We also had palmetto, pine straw and quilted cloth hats. At Petersburg our captain went up to,, Richmond and purchased some thirty-odd hats for his company, paying for the same ninety dollars each. "Oh, what a swell we did cut." They were a drab color, and took well as long as the weather was fine.
 
On several occasions, Mississippi statesmen came out to camp, and addressed the brigade. Amongst them came one Colonel —–, a man of fertile brain and vivid imagination, otherwise a ‘crank.’ He addressed us on a pet hobby of his, that of making a wonderful arid monster in which to soar aloft, and with bombshells, and Greek fire, rain destruction on the Federal lines below. He claimed the scheme as practicable and grand; and presented recommendations from parties high in official circles. Two names I saw appended to this document encouraging it, would, if written here, be pronounced false. The Colonel only wanted one hundred thousand dollars to contrive and equip this wonder which he called ‘Artis Avis,’ or ‘The Bird of Art.’ We of the line ‘could not see’ the project in this view, that he wanted us to – that is, give something towards building the machine out of eleven dollars per month, promises to pay.http://www.beyondthecrater.com/reso...ckson-ms-petersburg-harris-brig-1/#fn-39147-1


I had an article published by The Company of Military Historians on Richard Oglesby Davidson. He became a "dentist" in post war Waco, TX.
 
Recollections of Army Life With General Lee
Frank H. Foote 1903
It was a common sight to see all sorts of re-enforcements to the men's(pants) seats. On a pair of brown or butternut-colored trousers you would see a huge heart, square or star-shaped patch, according to the whim of the owner. Our hats and caps were taken from "our friends, the enemy," and you could see all styles, shapes and makes, generally ornamented with letters denoting the command of the owner. The "alpinehat" or "Excelsior," of New York, was the most common, and were preferred to all others. Caps were not sought after, as they neither turned sun nor rain. Slouch hats are peculiar to the South, and were affected a great deal. We also had palmetto, pine straw and quilted cloth hats. At Petersburg our captain went up to,, Richmond and purchased some thirty-odd hats for his company, paying for the same ninety dollars each. "Oh, what a swell we did cut." They were a drab color, and took well as long as the weather was fine.

Frank H. Foote's reminiscences of the Siege of Petersburg can be read online here: http://www.beyondthecrater.com/reso...-clarion-jackson-ms-petersburg-harris-brig-1/
Our co-member @48th Miss. is a descendant of Frank Foote! His avatar is a photo of his ancestor.
He will be pleased to read this thread!
 
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