Page 47 - Arkansas Confederate Women

42 Confederate Women" of Arkansas

taken with our fingers. He was in a great hurry for them, as he

was not presentable, and frequently sent his friend in to hurry

—us up. Sister J took one leg and I the other to make. Finally,

they were done except putting together, when we found to our

dismay they were both made for the same leg. I was not so neat

with my needle as my sister, so my part of the work had to be

taken out and made over.

When our men were engaged in battle with Steele's army at

Porson Springs we could hear the roar of cannon and small arms

and see the smoke, as Porson Springs was not more than seven

or eight miles distant. After the battle of Prairie d' Anne,

Steele's army came to Camden; it was the 15th of April, '64, a

bright, beautiful day, and we could hear the rumble of their

wagons, twelve hundred in number, for miles.

After many privations and sorrows, the war closed, and our

boys all came home safely. We were without a dollar, our

negroes were freed, our horses and mules had either been

We"pressed" or confiscated. had no hogs, no poultry except one

old turkey hen that had stolen a nest in the woods and so

Aescaped. Confederate soldier gave us a poor, old mule, before

the surrender and for safety we had it tied to a tree in the back

yard, but lightning struck the tree one day and killed it, so then

we were, like so many of our Southern people, with only our

land left. But our boys were young and hopeful, and took up

the burden of life anew, and have succeeded in making a living.

FATHER MURPHY AND GENERAL BUTLER.

When General Butler was in command at New Orleans,
during "the war," he was informed that Father Murphy

had said he would even refuse to hold funeral services
for his soldiers. General Butler sent for him in haste, and
began roundly scolding him for expressing such un-Christian
and rebellious sentiments. "General," the priest answered,

"you have been misinformed. Nothing would afford me greater

pleasure than to perform the funeral service over you and all
your soldiers."