Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 28.djvu/318

 312 Southern Historical Society Papers.

turned toward the Federal, and the rays fell upon a Phi Gamma pin fastened to the breast of his coat.

With a glad cry the Confederate placed his hand upon the pin and said: "And you are a Phi Gam! My father, dead now, was a Phi Gam. I am a Phi Gam. How fortunate!" More fortunate, in- deed, than he knew. Turning to the surgeon, whose flushed and sympathetic face betrayed his interest in the scene, the Federal said: " Doctor, this is my brother; as you value my friendship, deal gently and uprightly with him. Give him your best attention, your best skill." "He shall be carefully treated and carefully nursed," an- swered the surgeon. Turning to the wounded soldier, then resting in his lap, the Federal pressed his hand, bade him be patient and cheerful, commended him again to the surgeon, and said " Good-bye, Phi Gam.," left him, and returned to his men.

In January, 1895, this same Federal officer stood in the railroad station at Chattanooga, Tenn., and was explaining to a large num- ber of Confederate veterans how Lookout Mountain was won. As he talked, one-legged, grizzled Confederate edged up to his side and gazed into his face wistfully, eagerly and with emotion so strongly portrayed in his face and his movements as to rivet the atten- tion of all present. When the Federal had ended his explanation the Confederate, dropping his crutches, placed his hands on the shoulders of the Federal and said: "I believe I know you, sir. I know your face and your voice. God grant that I am not mistaken, sir. As your forces charged along the side of Lookout, a Federal officer gave a wounded Confederate a canteen of water, told him to drink, put a knapsack under his head, and then rushed on with his men. That evening he came back to the wounded Confederate, found him asleep, woke him up, carried him down the mountain side, laid him 'on the bank of Lookout creek, called a surgeon, pledged him to care for and treat the Confederate, and then went back to his men. Do you know anything about that officer, sir?" Hope and the dread of possible disappointment in his quest made his tones and words touchingly pathetic.

Trembling with emotion he could not conceal the Federal said:

" I am that Federal, and you " He could get no further. "I

am that Confederate, sir," said the man, and winding his arm about the Federal, he kissed him and wept. The Federal wept with him, and the gray-haired Confederate veterans near, wept also. Gather- ing about the two, they joined their hands and arms, formed a mighty shield of loyal and loving hearts and sang: