TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE
There is only one footnote in this book, and it has been placed atthe end of the section with its anchor [A].
Some minor changes to the text are noted at the end of the book.
REMINISCENCES
OF
CONFEDERATE SERVICE,
1861–1865.
By
Capt. FRANCIS W. DAWSON, C. S. A.
[100 COPIES.]
CHARLESTON, S. C.
THE NEWS AND COURIER BOOK PRESSES.
1882.
[PRINTED FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION.]
I.
It was in the autumn of 1861 that I made up my mind togo to the Southern States of America, and enter the ConfederateArmy. Looking back more than twenty years, Ifind it difficult, as the man of forty-two, to recall the exactfeelings of the boy of twenty. I can say, however, that Ihad no expectation whatever of any gain, or advantage tomyself. I had a sincere sympathy with the Southernpeople in their struggle for independence, and felt that itwould be a pleasant thing to help them to secure their freedom.It was not expected, at that time, that the war wouldlast many months, and my idea simply was to go to theSouth, do my duty there as well as I might, and returnhome to England. I expected no reward and wanted none,and had no intention whatever of remaining permanentlyin the Southern States.
There was much difficulty, of course, in obtaining accurateinformation as to the best way of reaching the seat of warin the South. I found that I could probably go by way ofNassau, N. P., but the expense would have been greaterthan I cared to incur, and the other mode of entering theConfederacy—by going to a Northern port and slippingthrough the lines—was exceedingly troublesome, and was,besides, uncertain in its result. However, I determined togo in some fashion, and just about this time the ConfederateStates steamer Nashville arrived at Southampton. Thisvessel had been one of the regular steamers on the linebetween Charleston and New York, and was seized, I believe,by the Confederate authorities after hostilities began.It had been determined to send the Hon. James M. Masonand the Hon. John Slidell to represent the Confederate[4]States in England and France respectively, and the Nashvillewas fitted out for the purpose of taking them toEngland. They changed their plan, unfortunately for them,and went in a small vessel to Havana, where they tookthe mail steamer Trent for St. Thomas. The trip of theNashville was not, however, abandoned, and, under commandof Captain Robert B. Pegram, she ran the blockade atCharleston and reached Southampton in safety, capturingand destroying during the voyage a fine American shipnamed the Harvey Birch.
The arrival of the Nashville at Southampton causedconsiderable stir. By those who were friendly to the Northshe was spoken of as a pirate, and her officers and crew weredubbed buccaneers. While some of the newspapers weredis