Blackburn's Recollections
Lieutenant Sparks, who had belonged to the
United States army if I mistake not, came authorized to
administer the oath of allegiance to the Confederate States and enroll us as
her soldiers. A little incident happened at the time which showed the feelings
and determination of the men. They were lined up on three sides of a hollow
square (as I now remember). The enrolling officer in the center asked this
question, "Do you men wish to be sworn into service
for twelve months or for three years or for during the war ?" With a unanimity never surpassed, a shout
unheard of before, that whole body of men shouted, "For the
war," "For the war !" not one
expecting or caring to return until the war was over, long or short, and the invaders had been driven from our
borders. And now the regiment is ready for service, as fine a body as ever mustered for warfare. The majority of them were
college boys, and cowboys, professional men, men with finished education, men
just out of college, others still under-graduates, men raised in the saddles,
as it were, experts with lariat and with six shooters, and not a few from the farm, from the counting
houses and from shops.
Cousin Jesse Sparks had not in fact been in the Army earlier.
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