Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 12.djvu/206

192 he frequently did, "How are our soldiers getting on these hard times?" I related to him, among others, the above incident. The old chieftain's face flushed, his eyes filled with tears, and he said: "It is just like them, sir! It is just like my poor boys! They were the noblest fellows that the sun ever shone upon."

That was an impressive scene which occurred in the spring of 1893 in Hampton Roads, near the very spot where the Merrimac defeated the Monitor, and revolutionized the naval warfare of the world. Representatives of the navies of the nations were gathered there preparatory to the grand "Columbian naval review" in New York harbor. One day a United States dispatch boat quietly glided in among them, and at once the guns on all the men-of-war of all of the navies there assembled greeted the newcomer with a salute. What does this mean? Who is on board that dispatch boat whom the navies of the world are honoring? He is Hilary A. Herbert, late private soldier of the old Fourth Alabama regiment, but then secretary of the navy of this great republic, and a representative of the morale of the Confederate armies.

That was a notable incident which took place in the house of representatives at Washington several years ago, when the then "leader of the house" closed the high debate on a great question with a speech worthy of the subject and of his own reputation for able and scholarly argument; and the bill he advocated having triumphantly passed the house, his friends gathered around him and, raising the champion on their shoulders, carried him in triumph from the hall. Who is he whom eminent national men thus honor? He is the Hon. William L. Wilson, who was a gallant private soldier in the Seventh Virginia cavalry, whose daring and intelligent scouting located Sheridan's position at Trevilian's depot in the summer of 1864, when Wade Hampton and Fitz Lee defeated him so badly and drove him pellmell back to Grant's lines.