Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 14.djvu/548

 512 Southern Historical Society Papers.

mountain land with the hatred of tyrants and the love of heroic deeds ; or when he contemplates that wonderful monument by Thorwalsden, on the shores of Lake Lucerne, in commemoration of the fidelity in death of the Swiss Guard of Louis XVI — a colossal lion, cut out of the living rock, pierced by a javelin, and yet in death protecting the lily of France with his paw — he asks himself how many men of the nations of the world have been inspired with a love of freedom by the monuments and heroic stories of little Switzer- land ?

Comrades, we need not weave any fable borrowed from Scandina- vian lore into the woof of our history to inspire our youth with admiration of glorious deeds in freedom's battles done. In the true history of this Army of Northern Virginia, which laid down its arms "not conquered, but wearied with victory," you have a record of deeds of valor, of unselfish consecration to duty, and faithfulness in death, which will teach our sons and our sons' sons how to die for liberty. Let us see to it that it shall be transmitted to them.

Campaign of 1864 and 1865.

NARRATIVE OF MAJOR-GENERAL C. W, FIELD,

[It is due to the gallant author of the following paper to say that it was not written for publication, but for the private use of General E. P. Alexander, who was at that time — several years after the war — contemplating a history of Longstreet's corps. The narrative is, however, so interesting and valuable that we take the liberty of pub- lishing it as material for the future historian.]

I joined the division at Bull's Gap, east Tennessee, about March 1 3th, 1864; remained there for some weeks, then fell back to Zollicoffer, and, finally, about the middle of April, took the cars for Gordons- ville, Virginia. A few days after our arrival there, General Lee came over and reviewed McLaws's division and mine and aroused great enthusiasm among the troops. This, with the fact of our rejoining the Army of Northern Virginia, and getting back to Old Virginia, where we wished to serve, operated very beneficially upon the troops, and elevated them to the very pinnacle of military pride and perfec- tion.

It was about noon of the 4th of May, whilst encamped near Gor-