Post by LongBlade on Dec 17, 2005 1:15:27 GMT -6
RECOLLECTIONS OF THE GREAT WAR
BY A.W. SPARKS
The history of Ross' Brigade, Texas Cavalry, during the War of Northern Aggression. The following is the author's view about the cavalry sabre. (Chapter XVIII)
freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~maddox/sparks.txt
"My arms were upon me but my horse was gone, I knew not
where, I was hungry and tired and my haversack was empty, I picked up
a Yanks haversack, (ours were of white ducking, theirs of black oil
cloth) and ate some raw bacon and hard tack and set out to get me a
horse and saddle. I got a good mount from the great number, grazing
nearby. The only difficulty was fear of getting a mount belonging to
some Confederate soldier which would be a cloud on future title, but I
got an officers rig - horse, bridle, saddle and blankets, roll, sabre,
etc. The last two items were dispensed with as I had no use for them,
for I was never much impressed with the sabre as they always appeared
to be more an appendage to dress than a real war implement but quite a
number of the brigade had wounds from the sabre and they were ugly,
cruel looking wounds. Among those now remembered was my chum Lum
Dees, Company F, Ninth Texas, a big fat boy about 20 years old, that
looked to be as soft as a woman and one would have thought he could
have been dispatched with an ordinary walking cane, but a Yankee
trooper gave him one of his best efforts at a front cut which was only
lightly parried with a six shooter Lum was using and was received on
Lum's head covered only with a light felt hat. It was a fearful
looking wound, but Lum held his ground and if alive, now has a scar
from the top of the head will down the cheek. I noted this wound, as
he was my chum."
BY A.W. SPARKS
The history of Ross' Brigade, Texas Cavalry, during the War of Northern Aggression. The following is the author's view about the cavalry sabre. (Chapter XVIII)
freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~maddox/sparks.txt
"My arms were upon me but my horse was gone, I knew not
where, I was hungry and tired and my haversack was empty, I picked up
a Yanks haversack, (ours were of white ducking, theirs of black oil
cloth) and ate some raw bacon and hard tack and set out to get me a
horse and saddle. I got a good mount from the great number, grazing
nearby. The only difficulty was fear of getting a mount belonging to
some Confederate soldier which would be a cloud on future title, but I
got an officers rig - horse, bridle, saddle and blankets, roll, sabre,
etc. The last two items were dispensed with as I had no use for them,
for I was never much impressed with the sabre as they always appeared
to be more an appendage to dress than a real war implement but quite a
number of the brigade had wounds from the sabre and they were ugly,
cruel looking wounds. Among those now remembered was my chum Lum
Dees, Company F, Ninth Texas, a big fat boy about 20 years old, that
looked to be as soft as a woman and one would have thought he could
have been dispatched with an ordinary walking cane, but a Yankee
trooper gave him one of his best efforts at a front cut which was only
lightly parried with a six shooter Lum was using and was received on
Lum's head covered only with a light felt hat. It was a fearful
looking wound, but Lum held his ground and if alive, now has a scar
from the top of the head will down the cheek. I noted this wound, as
he was my chum."