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 Classical Myth

Eighth Edition
Global Edition

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A01_POWE6141_08_GE_FM.indd 2 20/12/14 12:41 AM
 Classical Myth

Eighth Edition
GLOBAL Edition

Barry B. Powell
University of Wisconsin–Madison

with translations
by Herbert M. Howe

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ISBN 10: 1-292-06614-8

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 Contents

Preface 17

Part I
Definitions and Background
1. What Is Myth?   23
2. The Cultural Context of Classical Myth   39
3. The Development of Classical Myth   73

Part II
Divine Myth
4. The Origins of the Gods   99
5. The Origins of Mortals   130
6. Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, and Hades   156
7. Apollo  179
8. Hermes, Pan, Hephaestus, and Ares   199
9. Aphrodite, Artemis, and Athena   222
10. Demeter and Related Myths   252

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 6 Contents

11. Dionysus  284
12. The Underworld  314

Part III
Legends
13. Introduction to Heroic Myth: Gilgamesh   346
14. Perseus  361
15. Heracles  383
16. Theseus  420
17. The Myths of Crete   451
18. Oedipus and the Myths of Thebes   476
19. Jason and the Argonauts   504
20. The Trojan War   539
21. The Fall of Troy and Its Aftermath   576
22. The Return of Odysseus   600

Part IV
Roman Myth
23. Aeneas  630
24. Legends of Early Rome   657

Part V
Interpretation
25. Theories of Myth Interpretation   681

Reference Charts  711
Chronology of the Ancient World  711
The Greek and Roman Pantheon  713

Credits  715
Index and Pronunciation Glossary   719

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 Contents 7

List of Perspectives
1 The Brothers Grimm   32
2 Frank Miller’s 300  52
4.1 Rubens’s Saturn Devouring His Son  112
4.2 The Biblical Creation Story   127
5 Ted Hughes’s Prometheus on His Crag  139
6.1 The Three Graces   165
6.2 The Loves of Zeus in European Art   (color insert)
7 Soldani’s Apollo and Daphnê  193
8 Pan and the Pastoral Tradition   214
9.1 H. D.’s “Adonis”   230
9.2 Venus: Images of Beauty in European Art   (color insert)
10 Rossetti’s Proserpina Holding the Pomegranate  263
11.1 Reni’s Bacchus and Ariadnê  291
11.2 Nietzsche’s The Birth of Tragedy  311
12.1 Vampires  318
12.2 Cerrini’s Apollo and the Cumaean Sybil  337
12.3 Dante’s Inferno  341
13 J. R. R. Tolkien’s Modern Hero in The Lord of the Rings  356
14.1 Piero di Cosimo’s Perseus Frees Andromeda  374
14.2 Classical Myth and the Stars   379
15 Daumier’s Hercules in the Augean Stables  397
16 Boccaccio’s Misfortunes of Famous Men  442
17.1 Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson  459
17.2 Picasso’s Minotauromachia  463
17.3 Blondel’s The Sun, or the Fall of Icarus  468
18 Ingres’s Oedipus and the Sphinx  487
19.1 Seneca’s Medea  528
19.2 Delacroix’s Médée  531
20.1 Yeats’s “Leda and the Swan”   546

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 8 Contents

20.2 The Beauty of Helen   559

21.1 The Trojan War in European Art   (color insert)
21.2 Shakespeare’s Troilus and Cressida  592
22.1 Ulysses  601
22.2 The Legends of Odysseus in European Art   (color insert)
22.3 Cavafy’s “Ithaca”  622
23 Aeneas, Augustus, and Mussolini   652
24.1 David’s Oath of the Horatii  667
24.2 The Lucretia of Rembrandt and Shakespeare   670
25 Apuleius’ Allegory of Cupid and Psychê   686

Maps
I. The Ancient Mediterranean   (inside front cover)
II. Southern and Central Greece (Chapter 2)   41
III. The Ancient Near East (Chapter 3)   80
IV. The Processional Route from Athens to Eleusis
(Chapter 10)  269
V. The Argive Plain (Chapter 14)   362
VI. Heracles’ Adventures in Greece (Chapter 15)   393
VII. Locations of Heracles’ Deeds Abroad (Chapter 15)   400
VIII. Ancient Athens (Chapter 16)   422
IX. The Adventures of Theseus (Chapter 16)   432
X. The Voyage of the Argo (Chapter 19)  509
XI. The Troad (Chapter 20)   556
XII. Ancient Italy (Chapter 23)   634
XIII. Travels of Aeneas (Chapter 23)   647
XIV. Map of Imperial Rome Showing Sites Mentioned in the Text
(Chapter 24)  658
XV. Greece, the Aegean Sea, and Western Asia Minor   (inside
back cover)

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 Contents 9

Charts
3 Near Eastern Gods and Goddesses   84
4.1 The First Generation of Gods   100
4.2 The Offspring of Gaea and Uranus   102
4.3 The Offspring of Gaea and Pontus   108
4.4 Hittite and Greek Theogonies Compared   127
5 The Descent of the Greek Tribes from the Race
of Titans  153
6.1 The Twelve Olympians   157
6.2 Zeus’s Divine Consorts and Their Children   163
14 The Descent of Perseus   364
15.1 The Descent of Heracles   384
15.2 Heracles’ Wives and Offspring   389
16.1 Cecrops and His Descendants   421
16.2 The House of Erichthonius   424
17 The House of Crete   452
18 The House of Cadmus   481
19.1 The House of Aeolus   505
19.2 The House of Calydon   533
20.1 The House of Atreus   540
20.2 The House of Tyndareüs   544
20.3 The House of Troy   549

FIGURES
1.1 Stars Descend before Sun   27
1.2 The Author at the Walls of Troy   30
2.1 Athens From the West   42
2.2 Greek Papyrus with Alphabetic Writing   48
2.3 Greek Hoplite  51
2.4 The Modern Village of Sparta   55

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 10 Contents

2.5 Pederastic Scene  57

2.6 The Greek Symposium   59
2.7 Footrace  60
2.8 Greek Village Women   61
2.9 Statue of a Korê  62
2.10 The Day after the Wedding   64
2.11 Slaves Digging Clay   66
3.1 Goddess Giving Birth   74
3.2 Cycladic Mother Figurine   75
3.3 Artemis Potnia Thêrôn  76
3.4 An Aoidos  77
3.5 Clay Tablet with Cuneiform Writing   79
3.6 Ziggurat  81
3.7 Akkadian Seal-Impression  82
3.8 Mesopotamian Terracotta Relief   83
4.1 Egyptian Sky and Earth   102
4.2 Aphrodite Rising from the Sea   107
4.3 Heracles and Cerberus   109
4.4 Chimera  109
4.5 Typhonomachy  116
4.6 Birth of Athena   117
4.7 Gigantomachy  118
4.8 Four-Faced God on a Ram   123
PERSPECTIVE FIGURE 4.1 Rubens’s Saturn Devouring
His Son  112
5.1 Atlas and Prometheus Punished   133
5.2 Prometheus and Satyrs   136
5.3 Epimetheus Seduced by Pandora   138
5.4 Greek Women at a Well   142
6.1 Temple to Zeus at Athens   159
6.2 Wedding of Zeus and Hera   161
6.3 Zeus and Ganymede   167

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 Contents 11

6.4 Temple of Hera at Olympia   168

6.5 Tree of the Hesperides   170
6.6 Poseidon and Amphitritê   174
6.7 Poseidon or Zeus   176
PERSPECTIVE FIGURE 6.1a Roman Graces   165
PERSPECTIVE FIGURE 6.1b Rubens’s Graces  166
PERSPECTIVE FIGURE 6.2a Titian’s Danaë  (color insert)
PERSPECTIVE FIGURE 6.2b Correggio’s Leda
and the Swan  (color insert)
PERSPECTIVE FIGURE 6.2c Natoire’s Jupiter
Abducting Ganymede  (color insert)
PERSPECTIVE FIGURE 6.2d Pierre’s Rape of Europa  (color insert)
7.1 Apollo and Dionysus at Delphi   180
7.2 Temple of Apollo at Bassae   181
7.3 Author at Delos   185
7.4 Temple of Apollo at Delphi   187
7.5 Orestes Purified by Apollo   189
7.6 Aegeus and Themis   190
7.7 Apollo and Daphnê   193
7.8 Asclepius and Hygieia   196
7.9 Apollo on Olympia Pediment   197
PERSPECTIVE FIGURE 7 Soldani’s Apollo and Daphnê  194
8.1 A Herm  200
8.2 Baby Hermes in a Basket   206
8.3 Ithyphallic Pan  213
8.4 Blacksmith’s Shop  216
8.5 Return of Hephaestus to Olympus   217
8.6 Adultery of Ares and Aphrodite   218
9.1 Priapus  226
9.2 Aphrodite Anadyomenê  227
9.3 Artemis of Ephesus   239
9.4 Death of the Niobids   240

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 12 Contents

9.5 Death of Actaeon   242

9.6 The Parthenon  245
9.7 Athena on Panathenaic Vase   246
9.8 Four-Horse Chariot Race   247
PERSPECTIVE FIGURES 9.2a Botticelli’s Birth of Venus
(color insert)
PERSPECTIVE FIGURES 9.2b di Cosimo’s
Venus and Mars  (color insert)
PERSPECTIVE FIGURES 9.2c Veronese’s
Venus and Adonis  (color insert)
PERSPECTIVE FIGURES 9.2d Velasquez’s
Toilet of Venus  (color insert)
10.1 Well of the Maiden at Eleusis   256
10.2 Persephonê and Hades   267
10.3 Telesterion at Eleusis   270
10.4 Demeter and Persephonê Send Forth Triptolemus   271
10.5 Head of Inanna   272
10.6 Isis and Osiris   276
10.7 Resurrection of Osiris   279
PERSPECTIVE FIGURE 10 Rossetti’s Proserpina  264
11.1 Dionysus in Ecstasy   285
11.2 Hetaira with Phallus   285
11.3 Baby Dionysus on Zeus’s Thigh   287
11.4 Dionysus in a Boat   290
11.5 Maenad and Satyr   295
11.6 Dismemberment of Pentheus   303
11.7 Ritual with Dionysus Mask   306
11.8 Theater of Dionysus   310
PERSPECTIVE FIGURE 11.1 Reni’s Bacchus and Ariadnê  291
12.1 Odysseus and Elpenor   324
12.2 Orpheus in Thrace   329
12.3 Charon and Hermes Psychopompos  336

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 Contents 13

12.4 Ares, Hermes, Ixion   340

PERSPECTIVE FIGURE 12.1 Dracula  320
PERSPECTIVE FIGURE 12.2 Cerrini’s Apollo and the Cumaean Sybil  338
13.1 Tomb of Alyattes   347
13.2 Gilgamesh and Bull of Heaven   352
13.3 A Kouros  359
13.4 Statue of Antoninus Pius   359
14.1 Lion Gate at Mycenae   363
14.2 Hermes Kills Argus   365
14.3 Danaë and Shower of Gold   369
14.4 Danaë and the Chest   370
14.5 Perseus Slays Medusa   372
14.6 Gorgon Pursues Perseus   373
PERSPECTIVE FIGURE 14.1 Piero di Cosimo’s Perseus Frees
Andromeda  375
PERSPECTIVE FIGURE 14.2 Dürer’s Star Map   380
15.1 Infant Heracles and the Snakes   388
15.2 Heracles and the Nemean Lion   394
15.3 Heracles and the Erymanthian Boar   395
15.4 Heracles and the Stymphalian Birds   399
15.5 Heracles in the Cup of Helius   402
15.6 Heracles and Busiris   405
15.7 Commodus as Heracles   407
15.8 Heracles and the Cercopes   411
15.9 Heracles and Nessus   413
15.10 The Farnese Hercules   418
PERSPECTIVE FIGURE 15 Daumier’s Hercules  397
16.1 Erechtheum  423
16.2 Birth of Erichthonius   425
16.3 Philomela and Procnê   429
16.4 Theseus Discovers the Sword and Sandals   433
16.5 The Labors of Theseus   434

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 14 Contents

16.6 Aegeus Greets Theseus   435

16.7 Theseus and Amazons   437
16.8 Heracles and Theseus in Hades   446
PERSPECTIVE FIGURE 16 Phaedra Kills Herself  443
17.1 Europa and the Bull   453
17.2 Pasiphaë with Baby Minotaur   455
17.3 Theseus and Amphitritê   458
17.4 Theseus Kills the Minotaur   461
17.5 Bronze Age Palace at Cnossus   470
17.6 Snake-Goddess  472
17.7 Bull-Vaulting Fresco  473
PERSPECTIVE FIGURE 17.2 Pablo Picasso’s
Minotauromachia  463
PERSPECTIVE FIGURE 17.3 Blondel’s The Sun, or the Fall of
Icarus  468
18.1 Cadmus Kills the Serpent   477
18.2 Death of Lycus and Dircê   483
18.3 Oedipus and the Sphinx   486
18.4 Polynices Bribes Eriphylê   493
18.5 Duel between Eteocles and Polynices   497
PERSPECTIVE FIGURE 18.1 Ingres’s Oedipus and the Sphinx  488
19.1 Gathering of the Argonauts   508
19.2 Phineus  511
19.3 Greek Ship  512
19.4 Serpent Disgorges Jason   516
19.5 Death of Talus   518
19.6 Medea Boiling the Ram   520
19.7 Medea Stabs her Child   527
19.8 Calydonian Boar Hunt   533
PERSPECTIVE FIGURE 19.2 Delacroix’s Médée  531
20.1 Pelops Flees with Hippodamia   541

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 Contents 15

20.2 Leda and the Swan   544

20.3 Peleus Wrestles with Thetis   548
20.4 Judgment of Paris   50
20.5 Chiron with Achilles   552
20.6 Sacrifice of Iphigenia   555
20.7 Embassy to Achilles   567
20.8 Ransom of Hector   571
21.1 Death of Penthesilea   577
21.2 The Trojan Horse   579
21.3 Death of Laocoön   582
21.4 Sacrifice of Polyxena   586
21.5 Trojan Settlements  587
21.6 Lesser Ajax and Cassandra   589
21.7 Death of Agamemnon   594
PERSPECTIVE FIGURE 21.1a Trojan Horse  (color insert)
PERSPECTIVE FIGURE 21.1b Cranach’s Judgment
of Paris  (color insert)
PERSPECTIVE FIGURE 21.1c El Greco’s Laocoön  (color insert)
PERSPECTIVE FIGURE 21.d Leighton’s Captive
Andromachê  (color insert)
22.1 Blinding of Polyphemus   610
22.2 Circê Enchants Odysseus’ Men   614
22.3 Odysseus and the Sirens   616
22.4 Odysseus and Nausicaä   618
22.5 Penelopê and her Web   620
22.6 Odysseus Kills the Suitors   624
PERSPECTIVE FIGURE 22.2a Dossi’s Circê  (color insert)
PERSPECTIVE FIGURE 22.2b Lorrain’s Ulysses Returning
Chryseïs  (color insert)
PERSPECTIVE FIGURE 22.2c Lemoyne’s The Work
of Penelopê  (color insert)

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 16 Contents

PERSPECTIVE FIGURE 22.2d Turner’s Ulysses Deriding

Polyphemus  (color insert)
23.1 River Numen  635
23.2 Hellenized Roman Gods   637
23.3 Temple of Portunus   640
23.4 Lares  641
23.5 Temple of Vesta   642
23.6 Aeneas Escaping from Troy   646
PERSPECTIVE FIGURE 23a Aeneas Sacrificing   653
PERSPECTIVE FIGURE 23b Tellus Mater Postage Stamp   654
24.1 Capitoline Wolf  661
24.2 Base of Roman Funerary Column   664
24.3 Etruscan Calchas  673
24.4 Arch of Titus   677
24.5 Relief from Arch of Titus   678
PERSPECTIVE FIGURE 24.1 David’s Oath of the Horatii  668
PERSPECTIVE FIGURE 24.2 Rembrandt’s Lucretia  670
25.1 Odysseus as Christ    691
25.2 Oedipus in Atalanta Fugiens  692
PERSPECTIVE FIGURE 25 Gentileschi’s Cupid and Psychê  688

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 Preface

What does our great historical hunger signify, our clutching about us of
countless cultures, our consuming desire for knowledge, if not the loss of
myth, of a mythic home, the mythic womb?
Friedrich Nietzsche, The Birth of Tragedy, 1872

The category “classical myth” exists more in the minds of contemporary teachers
than it did in the ancient world itself, but it nonetheless serves a useful ­pedagogical
purpose. For some time now, courses bearing this or a similar title have been a
vehicle for introducing college students to the cultures of the ancient Greeks and
Romans, hence to the roots of Western civilization. By studying the myths of the
ancients primarily through the literary works in which they are preserved, students
are exposed to important classical authors, as well as to stories and figures that
have sustained interest and kindled imaginations throughout the history of Western
­culture, and continue to do so today.

What’s New in This Edition

In this Eighth Edition, I have made many improvements to the book—­rearranged

some material, corrected expressions, streamlined it somewhat, and added maps
and illustrations—all changes based on suggestions from instructors who have used

17

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 18 Preface

the earlier editions in their classes. I have added the addresses of links to mod-
ern online translations of complete ancient texts, so that the interested reader can
­easily expand knowledge of a given topic without having to purchase auxiliary texts.
I added new images throughout to give the book a different look, and also updated
the bibliography. But the central goals remain unchanged. The first seven ­editions
were unique among texts on classical myth in their contextual approach, which
­emphasizes the context in which ancient stories were told. In the eighth e­ dition
I have continued my efforts to place the myths in their anthropological, historical,
religious, sociological, and economic contexts.
The present text began as a modern introduction to classical myth at the
University of Wisconsin–Madison, a comprehensive and flexible resource for
a ­college-level course that would reflect the best recent scholarship in the field. The
fact that the first seven editions have been used in many such courses throughout
the United States and in Canada, and in Australia, New Zealand, and even Taiwan,
by instructors with ­different academic backgrounds teaching in a wide variety of
educational settings, has deeply gratified my sense that a book of this type was
needed. In many ways I see it as a summary of my own intellectual career, because
I ­remember when and usually where I first brushed up against the many figures of
myth, when they first became important to me. In this respect this book is more
­personal than it reflects any objective standard of “what is classical myth,” and
in many ways my purpose is to share with the reader my own excitement at the
­discovery of our classical past.
The first seven editions emphasized the historical development of classical myth
and I have maintained that approach here. Only when we see how myth changes
over time, yet somehow remains the same, can we grasp its essence. It is important
to remember that the versions of myth I present in the text represent only one ver-
sion of the many disparate, often contradictory, stories that the Greeks told about
their gods and heroes. For this reason, at the end of each chapter I cite ancient
sources for the myths, which will lead the student to disparate accounts. A complete
inventory is, of course, far beyond the scope of this text, but these suggestions can
serve as a starting point for those wishing to explore the mythical background more
fully.
Many original Greek and Latin sources (which can be complex) are also listed
in Edward Tripp’s Meridian Handbook of Classical Mythology and in the Oxford Classical
Dictionary (3rd ed., Oxford, UK, 1996), or simply do a Google search on the
Internet, whose resources for learning are astounding. There are numerous sites
(Google “classical myth”) that give ancient sources for even minor figures in myth.
Most useful perhaps is the New Zealand website http://www.theoi.com that has
articles on most Greek myths and outstanding illustrations. You can always Google
a name or a place to receive an abundance of information and hundreds of images,
too. The computerization of knowledge and its dissemination on the Internet is a
profound advance in culture, and students of myth are as much the beneficiaries as
anyone. The entries in Wikipedia are also often excellent, containing illustrations,
bibliographies, and links to related material.

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 Preface 19

Many of the passages from ancient literary works quoted here are from
­ ell-known sources, but I have not hesitated to present lesser-known passages
w
when that seemed appropriate. Whenever possible I have used Greek sources
rather than Latin, but I have included numerous selections from Ovid’s highly
influential Latin retelling of the Greek myths (and other Latin writers) when the
myth is found in no other ancient literary source. The complete text of Ovid’s
Metamorphoses will form a natural, although not necessary, adjunct to this text, as
will complete translations of Greek tragedies (many of these texts can be found at
the links cited in the text). Pearson Education has made possible the purchase of
these and other auxiliary Penguin titles at a much-reduced cost, shrink-wrapped
with this text, if the instructor prefers hardcopy to online resources. (Instructors:
Please contact your local Pearson Education representative if you wish to order
such a packet.)
Like the first seven editions, the eighth stresses the importance of interpreta-
tion in the study of myth, although without relying on a single perspective. No one
approach to interpretation can be adequate to the enormous range and complexity
of classical myth. I briefly introduce the subject of interpretation in Chapter 1, and
throughout the text I offer interpretive comments on individual myths—a basis,
I am sure, for objection as much as agreement! I postpone an in-depth examination
of myth interpretation to the last chapter, “Theories of Myth Interpretation,” when
the student will be familiar with various examples of myth. Many instructors may
prefer to introduce this topic earlier, of course, and the chapter can be read at any
time without loss of coherence.
The eighth edition remains committed to the principle that when we study
­classical myth, we also study the roots of Western culture. Ancient works of art
play a valuable role in helping students visualize mythical figures and events as the
ancients themselves did, and therefore I have included many illustrations from
classical sources—more than two hundred reproductions of vase paintings, sculp-
tural works, architectural monuments, and other works of art from the ancient
and ­modern worlds, several new to this edition. In general the maps on the front
and back covers have all the important places mentioned in the myths, but for this
­edition I have included new maps in the chapters that focus on places important in
that chapter. When a place is found on a map within a chapter, I put that name in
small caps when it first appears.
As in the first seven editions, chapters also include “Perspective” boxes that
examine the uses of classical myth in the medieval, Renaissance, or modern p ­ eriods.
Many of the Perspectives incorporate excerpts from or reproductions of literary
and artistic works. My intent is to help students see how stories and figures from
classical myth were appropriated and interpreted at later stages of history, includ-
ing the modern period, often for purposes very different from those found in the
ancient world itself.
The study of classical myth inevitably presents students with hundreds of new
and unfamiliar names. To assist students with pronunciation, I have provided an
English pronunciation guide the first time each difficult name appears in the text.

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 20 Preface

The pronunciation guides are repeated in the Index. I have also used bold letters to
highlight names of greatest importance, those that one really ought to know to claim
competence in the topic. These names are repeated in a list of important terms at the
end of each chapter, with page numbers where the term first appears. I leave names
of lesser importance in ordinary type, although in many cases I give ­pronunciations
for these as well. In the Index I have included a capsule ­identification for ­important
names, so the Index also serves as a glossary.

Acknowledgments

This book grew out of a course in classical myth offered for many decades without
interruption at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. The course, one of the first
of its kind, began in the 1930s with the labors of Walter “Ray” Agard, whom the
famous educator Alexander Meiklejohn brought to Madison from Amherst in 1927
to teach in the Meiklejohn Experimental College. Ray passed it on to Herbert M.
Howe, who did most of the translations for the book, and Herb to me. Herb died
in 2010 at age 98, a superb, even magical, teacher and a world-class swimmer, and
I have dedicated this book to him. My long friendship with Herb was always a trea-
sure. The course continues to be taught today as one of the most popular in the
undergraduate curriculum.
I want to express my gratitude to my editor Joe Terry, who with great cheer and
energy has helped to craft this new edition. Many others have helped, and I am
­grateful to them, especially William Aylward, whose advice has proved i­nvaluable
and who has contributed important material to the chapters on Roman myth.
­William teaches the course today. I also want to thank Dale Grote for his ­continued
superb labors on the Web site, which has so greatly enhanced the value of the
text. Other reviewers involved in the Eighth Edition are: Matthew Dillon, Loyola
Marymount University; Timothy McNiven, The Ohio State University; Martha
­
Payne, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis; Glenn Snyder, Indiana
University – Purdue University Indianapolis; Mel Storm, Emporia State University;
and Lisa Trentin, University of Toronto Mississauga.
I am responsible for the translations from Akkadian, Egyptian, and modern
Greek. In our translations we have sought a modern idiom, unrhymed, with a reg-
ular beat in the poetic lines. The translator can only try to re-create in modern
language thoughts and manners distant from our own. In the preparation of my
own English versions of Mesopotamian and Egyptian literary texts, I owe a gen-
eral indebtedness to the following translations: James B. Pritchard, editor, Ancient
Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament (Princeton, NJ, 1969); A. Heidel, The
Gilgamesh Epic and Old Testament Parallels (Chicago, 1949); Thorkild Jacobsen, The
Treasures of Darkness (New Haven, CT, 1976); Samuel Noah Kramer, Sumerian
­Mythology (New York, 1961) and The Sumerians: Their History, Culture, and Character
(Chicago, 1963); and Stephanie Dalley, Myths from Mesopotamia (Oxford, UK, 1989).
I thank Frederick W. Schwink for his translation of the Hittite “Kingship in Heaven.”
I also thank Random House for permission to quote “Musée des Beaux Arts” from

A01_POWE6141_08_GE_FM.indd 20 20/12/14 12:41 AM

 Preface 21

The Collected Poems of W. H. Auden (2007); Simon & Schuster to quote “Leda and
the Swan” from W. B. Yeats’s Collected Poems (1996); and New Directions Publishing
Corporation to quote “Adonis” from Collected Poems 1912–1944 by H. D. (1986). We
also wish to thank the museums, libraries, galleries, and other collections that have
kindly allowed reproduction of items in their collections and have provided the
necessary photographs. Photographs from these and other sources are gratefully
acknowledged in the text.
I welcome comments on this edition from instructors and students who have
used it, as these will help plan improvements for future editions. I can be contacted
at the e-mail address below.
—B. B. P.

Barry B. Powell
Halls-Bascom Professor of Classics Emeritus
University of Wisconsin–Madison
e-mail: [email protected]

Pearson wishes to thank the following people for their work on the content of the
Global Edition:

Contributors:
Sudipto Sanyal
Sema Taskin, Bilkent University

Reviewers:
Marek Czachorowski, Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski Jana Pawła II
Shweta Sachdevjha, Delhi University

A01_POWE6141_08_GE_FM.indd 21 20/12/14 12:41 AM

A01_POWE6141_08_GE_FM.indd 22 20/12/14 12:41 AM
 Chapter 1

What is Myth?

The longer I occupy myself with questions of ancient mythology, the more
diffident I become of success in dealing with them, and I am apt to think
that we who spend our years in searching for solutions to these insoluble
problems are like Sisyphus perpetually rolling his stone uphill only to see
it revolve again into the valley.
Sir James G. Frazer (1854–1941),
author of The Golden Bough

T he Western Roman Empire ended more than fifteen hundred years ago,
but the stories of classical gods and goddesses, of Greek and Roman warriors
and leaders, live on in their ancient vigor. Zeus, Venus, Helen, Odysseus, Achilles,
Aeneas—these familiar names stood in the background as later Western art and
literature advanced, and they stand there still today. They were bequeathed to us in
the writings of the Greeks and Romans, but their names and stories are much older
than the written word. They go back before the introduction of writing, an era when
classical myth first took shape.
Later chapters examine specific myths that have come down to us from the
Greeks and Romans, but in this chapter we limit ourselves to examine some prelimi-
nary questions essential to a clear understanding of classical myth. We discuss the
definition of myth and the three main types of myth: divine myth, legend, and folktale.
We also look briefly at some aspects of the study of myth.

23

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 24 Part I Definitions and Background

What is a Myth?

Human beings have told stories from time immemorial, for stories are a natural
product of spoken language, an outgrowth of the imaginative power that clearly
separates us from our animal cousins. The story is a universal ingredient of human
culture, bringing relief from the tedium of everyday labor and reminding listeners
of their own values, beliefs, and origins.
This book is concerned with a certain type of story known as myth. The term myth
is hard to define, in part because of the enormous variety of stories gathered from
many cultures by ethnographers, anthropologists, and literary historians. Originally,
the Greek word mythos simply meant “authoritative speech,” “story,” or “plot,” but
later writers used the term myth in more restricted ways. Some recent authorities,
exasperated by the complexity of the phenomena, deny that the term myth expresses
a coherent concept at all. A definition widely agreed on is that myth is a traditional
story with collective importance. We can accept this definition, but we must consider
carefully what it means.
To say that a myth is a story is to say, first, that it has a plot, a narrative structure
consisting of a beginning, middle, and end. In the beginning of a typical story, we
are introduced to characters in a certain situation, usually one involving c­ onflict
with other characters, with misfortune, or with themselves. The word character comes
from a Greek word meaning “a certain mental imprint”: Hamlet cannot make up
his mind, Macbeth is ambitious, King Lear is blind to the character of others. Char-
acter is the sum of the choices one makes. In myths, the characters may be gods,
goddesses, or other supernatural beings, but they may also be human beings or even
animals that speak and act in the manner of human beings.
In the middle of a typical story, the situation grows more complex, and tension
and conflict develop. In the end, the tension is somehow resolved. Today we might
find an example of this basic structure in the plot common to ten thousand nov-
els and feature films: Girl meets boy (the beginning), girl loses boy (the middle),
girl finds boy (the end). Plot is an essential feature of myth. Without a beginning,
middle, and end, there can be no story and hence no myth. In casual speech we
sometimes say that the Greek god Zeus, for example, is a myth. However, strictly
speaking, Zeus is not a myth, but a character in myth, in the plotted stories that tell
of his exploits. Belief in the existence of a particular god, the observance of a ritual
in a god’s honor, and religious symbols are not myths.
Another element of myth is setting. The setting is the time and place in which
the action of the story unfolds. Myths are never set in the present or the recent past;
the action always takes place in the distant past or in a shadowy time altogether
outside human chronology. The setting of myths may be in an actual city, such as
Athens or Thebes, or some other location familiar to the audience. In other myths,
the setting is an obscure place: the underworld, which no one in the real world ever
visited; Mount Olympus, which really exists but in myth is the home of the gods; or
Crete of a very long time ago.
Thus, like all other stories, myths have plot, characters, and setting. However, a
myth is not just any story, but a certain kind of story that we describe as traditional.

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Exploring the Variety of Random
Documents with Different Content
also met Lieutenant B. D. Evans of my Company, just returned from
a visit from home. We took the stage coach from Stanton to
Winchester through Kanawah Valley. We passed Woodstock,
Strasburg, New Market, Middletown, and arrived at Winchester in
due time. General T. J. Jackson in command, we had a splendid
camp about a mile to the left of the city. The weather had greatly
moderated and the snow was melting. The regiment had received
tents to which we built chimneys with flat rocks that were abundant
all around us. The flour barrels served as chimney stacks, and we
were comfortable; rations were also good and plentiful, but hardly
were we installed when we received orders to strike camps. The
men were greatly disappointed; we expected to be permitted to
spend winter there. We took up the line of march late in the
evening, marched all night and struck Bath early in the morning,
took the enemy by surprise while they were fixing their morning
meal, which they left, and the boys regaled themselves. The
Commissary and Quartermaster also left a good supply behind in
their rapid flight, and we appropriated many provisions, shoes,
blankets and overcoats; from Bath we marched to Hancock, whipped
out a small force of the enemy, and continued our force to Romney
where we struck camps. Romney is a small town situated on the
other side of the Potomac River. General Jackson demanded the
surrender of the place, the enemy refused, so he ordered the non-
combatants to leave, as he would bombard the town. Bringing up a
large cannon which we called "Long Tom" owing to its size, he fired
one round and ordered us to fall back. All this was during Christmas
week.
On our return it turned very cold and sleeted; the road became slick
and frozen, and not being prepared for the emergency, I saw mules,
horses and men take some of the hardest falls, as we retraced our
steps, the road being down grade. This short campaign was a
success and accomplished all it intended from a military standpoint,
although we lost many men from exposure; pneumonia was
prevalent among many of our men. We have now returned to
Winchester. The writer himself, at that time, thought that this
campaign was at a great sacrifice of lives from hardships and
exposures, but later on, learned that it was intended as a check to
enable General Lee in handling his forces against an overwhelming
force of the enemy, and being still reinforced and whose battle cry
still was "On to Richmond." It was for this reason that General
"Stonewall" Jackson threatened Washington via Romney and the
enemy had to recall their reinforcements intended against General
Lee to protect Washington.
The men from the Southern States were not used to such rigorous
climate and many of our men had to succumb from exposure. My
Company lost three men from pneumonia, viz:—Sam and Richard
Hines, two splendid soldiers, and brothers, and Lorenzo Medlock.
The writer also was incapacitated. There were no preparations in
Winchester for such contingencies, so the churches were used as
hospitals. The men were packed in the pews wrapped in their
blankets, others were lying on the nasty humid floor, for it must be
remembered that the streets in Winchester were perfect lobbies of
dirt and snow tramped over by men, horses and vehicles. While
there in that condition I had the good fortune to be noted by one of
my regiment, he was tall and of herculean form, his name was
Griswold, and while he and myself on a previous occasion had some
misunderstanding and therefore not on speaking terms, he came to
me and extended his hand, saying: "Let us be friends, we have hard
times enough without adding to it." I was too sick to talk, but
extended my hand, in token of having buried the hatchet. He asked
me if he could do anything for me. I shook my head and shut my
eyes. I was very weak. When I opened them he was gone. During
the day he returned, saying: "I found a better place for you at a
private house." He wrapped me in my blanket and carried me on his
shoulders a distance of over three blocks. Mrs. Mandelbawm, the
lady of the house, had a nice comfortable room prepared for me,
and Griswold waited on me like a brother, he was a powerful man,
but very overbearing at times, but had a good heart. Mr.
Mandelbawm sent their family physician, who prescribed for me. He
pronounced me very sick, he did not know how it might terminate. It
took all his efforts and my determination to get well after three
weeks struggling to accomplish this end. My friend came to see me
daily when off duty.
The regiment's term of enlistment will soon have expired, for we
only enlisted for one year. The regiment received marching order,
not being strong enough for duty. Through the recommendation of
my doctor and regimental color, I was discharged and sent home.
The regiment had been ordered to Tennessee, but owing to a wreck
on the road they were disbanded at Petersburg, Va., and the boys
arrived home ten days later than I.
In getting my transportation the Quartermaster asked me to deliver
a package to General Beaureguard as I would pass via Manassas
Junction. When I arrived I inquired for his quarters, when I was
informed that he had left for Centreville, I followed to that place,
when I was told he had left for Richmond. Arriving at Richmond I
went at once to the Executive Department in quest of him and
should I fail to find him, would leave my package there, which I did.
This was on Saturday evening, I had not a copper in money with
me, but I had my pay roll; going at once to the Treasury
Department, to my utter consternation, I found it closed. A very
affable gentlemen informed me that the office was closed until
Monday morning. I said, "What am I to do, I have not a cent of
money in my pocket and no baggage," for at that time hotels had
adopted a rule that guests without baggage would have to pay in
advance. I remarked that I could not stay out in the streets, so the
gentleman pulled a $10.00 bill out of his pocket and handed it to me
saying, "Will that do you until Monday morning, 8 o'clock? When the
office will be open, everything will be all right." I thanked him very
kindly. Monday I presented my bill which was over six months in
arrears. They paid it at once in Alabama State bills, a twenty-five
cent silver and two cents coppers. I did not question the correctness
of their calculation. I took the money and went in quest of my friend
who so kindly advanced me the $10.00. I found him sitting at a
desk. He was very busy. I handed him a $10.00 bill and again
thanked him for his kindness; he refused it saying: "Never mind, you
are a long ways from home and may need it." I replied that I had
enough to make out without it, I said that I appreciated it, but didn't
like to take presents from strangers; he said, "We are no strangers,
my name is Juda P. Benjamin." Mr. Benjamin was at that time
Secretary of the Treasury of the Confederate States. He was an
eminent lawyer from the State of Louisiana, he became later on
Secretary of War, and when Lee surrendered he escaped to England
to avoid the wrath of the Federal Officials who offered a premium for
his capture. He became Queen's Consul in England and his
reputation became international. No American who was stranded
ever appealed to him in vain, especially those from the South. It is
said of him that he gave away fortunes in charity.
I came back to Georgia among my friends who were proud to see
me. Having no near relations, such as father or mother, sisters or
brothers to welcome me, as had my comrades, my friends all over
the County took pride in performing that duty, and thus ended my
first year's experience as a soldier in the war between the States.
 CHAPTER X.
Notwithstanding the arduous campaign and severe hardships
endured during my first year's service, I did not feel the least
depressed in spirit or patriotism. On the contrary the arms of the
Confederacy in the main had proven themselves very successful in
repelling the enemy's attacks and forcing that government
continually to call new levees to crush our forces in the field.
Those measures on the part of our adversaries appealed to every
patriot at home and regardless of hardships already endured. Hence
the First Georgia Regiment although disbanded as an organization,
the rank and file had sufficient pluck to re-enter the service for the
period of the war regardless as to how long it might last. Possessing
some hard endured experience, many of them organized commands
of their own, or joined other commands as subalterns or
commissioned officers.
The following is a roll of promotion from the members of the
Washington Rifles as first organized.—See Appendix D.
The foregoing record proves that the Washington Rifles were
composed of men capable of handling forces and that it had
furnished men and officers in every branch of service in the
Confederate States Army, and had been active after their return
home from their first year's experience in raising no little army
themselves, and what I have recorded of the Washington Rifles may
be written of every Company composing the First Georgia Regiment.
The State of Georgia furnished more men than any other State, and
Washington County furnished more Companies than any other
County in the State.
Such men cannot be denominated as rebels or traitors, epithets that
our enemies would fain have heaped upon us. If the true history of
the United States as written before the war and adopted in every
school-house in the land, North, South, East and West, did not
demonstrate them as patriots, ready and willing to sacrifice all but
honor on the altar of their country.
On the first of May, 1862, Sergeant E. P. Howell came to me saying:
"Herman, how would you like to help me make up an artillery
Company? I have a relative in South Carolina who is a West Pointer
and understands that branch of the service. The Yankees are making
tremendous efforts for new levees and we, of the South, have to
meet them." "All right," said I, "I am tired after my experience with
infantry, having gone through with 'Stonewall's' foot cavalry in his
Romney campaign." The following day we made a tour in the
neighborhood and enlisted a few of our old comrades in our
enterprise. We put a notice in the Herald, a weekly paper edited by
J. M. G. Medlock, that on the 10th day of May we would meet in
Sandersville for organization, and then and there we formed an
artillery Company that was to be known as the Sam Robinson
Artillery Company, in honor of an old and venerable citizen of our
County.
General Robinson, in appreciation of our having named the Company
in his honor presented the organization with $1,000.00, which
money was applied in uniforming us.
The following members formed the composite of said Company, and
Robert Martin, known as "Bob Martin" from Barnwell, S. C., was
elected Captain. See appendix E.
The writer was appointed bugler with rank of Sergeant.
That night after supper, it being moon-light, Mr. A. J. Linville a North
Carolinian, a school teacher boarding at my lodging proposed to me
as I performed on the flute, he being a violinist, to have some music
on the water. He then explained that water is a conductor of sound
and that one could hear playing on it for a long distance and music
would sound a great deal sweeter and more melodious than on land.
The Ogeechee River ran within a couple of hundred yards from the
house. There was on the bank and close to the bridge a party of
gentlemen fishing, having a large camp fire and prepared to have a
fish-fry, so Linville and myself took a boat that was moored above
the bridge and quietly, unbeknown to anybody paddled about 1¼
mile up stream, expecting to float down with the current. Although it
was the month of May the night was chilly enough for an overcoat.
Linville and myself struck up a tune, allowing the boat to float along
with the current, the oar laying across my lap. Everything was lovely,
the moon was shining bright and I enjoyed the novelty of the
surroundings and the music, when an over-hanging limb of a tree
struck me on the neck. Wishing to disengage myself, I gave it a
shove, and away went the boat from under me and I fell backwards
into the stream in 12 feet of water. To gain the surface I had to do
some hard kicking, my boots having filled with water and my heavy
overcoat kept me weighted down.
When reaching the surface after a hard struggle my first observation
was for the boat which was about 50 yards below, Linville swinging
to a limb. I called him to meet me, and he replied that he had no
oar, that I kicked it out of the boat. The banks on each side were
steep and my effecting a landing was rather slim. I spied a small
bush half-way up the embankment, I made for it perfectly
exhausted, I grabbed it, the bank was too steep and slippery to
enable me to land, so I held on and rested and managed to
disembarrass myself of the overcoat and told Linville to hold on, that
I was coming. I could not get my boots off, so I made an extra effort
to reach him anyhow, as the current would assist me by being in my
favor, so I launched off. I reached the boat perfectly worn out. I do
not think I could have made another stroke. After a little breathing
spell and by a tremendous effort I hoisted myself into the boat, but
not before it dipped some water.
On our way I picked up my discarded overcoat and a piece of a limb
which served as a rudder to guide the boat to a successful landing,
and thus ended the music on the water.
We went to the house, changed our clothes and returned, mingling
with the fishermen and kept all the fun we had to ourselves. They all
made a fine catch and there was fish a plenty for all. Linville and
myself enjoyed the repast, as the physical exercise we had just
undergone sharpened our appetite.
A few days later we rendezvoused at Sandersville, and the Company
left for Savannah, our camp of instruction. Under the tuition of
Jacobi, leader of the band of the 32nd Georgia, W. H. Harrison's
Regiment, I soon learned all the calls and commands.
While thus engaged the Company had a gross misunderstanding
with Capt. Martin, who, before coming in contact with the members
of his command, was an entire stranger to them. Most all were
ignorant of military duties, but strictly honest and patriotic citizens.
Capt. Martin was a strict disciplinarian and putting the screws on
rather a little too tight placed him into disfavor with the men, who
petitioned him to resign, otherwise they would prefer charges
against him. Thus matters stood when I returned to camp. Martin
was tried before a board and exonorated. To revenge himself upon
those who were active in his persecution he reduced those that were
non-commissioned officers to ranks and appointed others in their
stead; and to make matters more galling, appointed a substitute, a
mercenary as orderly Sergeant over a Company of volunteers, who
solely served their country through patriotism. Ned Irwin, when
elevated to the position he was, proved himself a worthy tool in the
hand of his promoter. Men could not express an opinion on hardly
any subject without being reported, he would sneak about in the
dark, crouch behind a tent evesdropping and make report as
unfavorably as he could to bring the individual into disfavor. He
made himself so obnoxious that he did not have a friend in the
whole Company, and when he died at Yazoo City, you could hear
freely expressed the following sentiment: "Poor old Ned is dead,
thank God this saves some good men of having to kill him."
When I returned to camp I presented myself before Capt. Martin
who examined me as to my proficiency as a bugler. I said, "Captain,
there has been quite some changes made since I have been away,"
he said, "Yes, the men have accused me of speculating on their
rations." I said I was very sorry that such a state of affairs existed
among officers and men, where harmony ought to prevail; he said
he insisted that those charges be substantiated and demanded a
court martial, who on hearing the facts cleared him of any
criminality, so he punished the leaders of the gang by reducing them
to ranks.
Capt. Martin, however, proved himself a capable officer in handling
artillery and the men finally came to love him on account of his
efficiency and fairness.
While in camp of instructions in Savannah, the Government
furnished us with six brass pieces (2 Howitzer and 4 Napoleon) with
the necessary accoutrement and horses and we were ordered to
Bryan County in support of Fort McAllister. We went into camp by the
side of the Ogeechee River, about three miles this side of the Fort,
which camp we named "Camp McAllister." The fort was an earth
structure, strongly constructed with redoubts and parapets. The
magazine underground was strongly protected by heavy timbers,
and so was what we called bomb-proof, for the men not actually
engaged, but who were ready to relieve those who were, or became
disabled under fire and exposure, and compelled to be at their post
of duty. Short reliefs were necessary, for it is hard work to manage
heavy seige guns, but the heaviest in that fort were only of forty-two
caliber. For some time nothing of importance worth to chronicle
happened; the boys attended to their regular camp life duty, roll
calls and drills; those off duty went fishing along the river banks.
The country surrounding was low, flat, marshy and replete with
malarial fever, so that we had to remove our camp several miles
further up the river, but still within close call of the fort. This new
camp was called "Camp Arnold," in honor of Doctor Arnold, on
whose land we stationed. One morning I was ordered to blow the
call, only one man, Sergeant Cox, reported. All the rest of the
command were down with chills and fever. There was no quinine to
be had, owing to the blockade, such medicines being considered by
our adversaries as contraband of war. Men tried every remedy
possible, even drank cottonseed tea, at the suggestion of a country
physician by the name of Dr. Turner, who pronounced it as a good
substitute (it was in taste if not in efficiency). The writer was also
stricken with the disease, and was sent to Whitesville Hospital, about
thirty miles from Savannah on the Central of Georgia Railroad. Dr.
Whitehead was in charge of the same, and Madam Cazzier and her
daughter from New Orleans were matrons. During my fever spells I
would rave sometimes and not having been in this country over
three years in all, my friends predominated over the English
language. Madam Cazzier, who spoke French also, took a great
interest in me; in fact, she was strictly interested in all the patients,
but she seemed to be a little partial to myself, and spent some time
by my bedside when the fever was off, and would tell me what I said
during my delirium. She nursed me and devoted on me a motherly
care, for which I shall always remain thankful. My recuperation was
rapid, and I soon felt myself again.
One morning it was announced that General Mercer of Savannah,
and the Board of Inspectors were to come on a round of inspection,
when we heard heavy firing, the sounds coming from the east.
Presently we heard that the enemy with a large fleet was attacking
Fort McAllister. General Mercer and his Board had come up from
Savannah on a special train. He called for all convalescent, able to
fight to volunteer to go to the front. I presented myself; I was the
only one. We cut loose the locomotive and one car and went flying
to Savannah at the rate of a mile a minute, crossed the City in a
buss at full speed to the Gulf Depot, now known as the S. F. & W.,
just in time to board the train to Way Station, twelve miles from
Savannah. An ambulance carried us to the Fort; the whole distance
from the hospital to the Fort was about fifty-two miles. We changed
conveyances three times and arrived at destination in less than two
hours. Capt. Martin was in charge of a Mortar Detachment, so I
reported to him for duty, but my place had been taken, and the
detachment was complete, hence he had no use for me. I learned
that Major Galley, the Commander of the Fort, had been killed by the
first shot from the enemy's guns, which penetrated a sixteen foot
embankment, knocked off the left hand trunnion of a thirty-two
pounder, and struck the Major above the ear, and took off the top of
his head, so Captain Anderson, of the Savannah Blues, took
command. Captain Martin sent me up the River to a band about half
a mile to the rear, which position placed me at a triangle point to the
Fort and the gun boats. I was instructed to notice the effect of our
shots on the enemy's boats. I kept tally sheets as to the hits
between the belligerent points. From my observation I counted
seventy-five hits by the guns of the Fort, and one hundred and
seventy-five hits by those of the boats, which raised a cloud of dust
equal to an explosion of a mine. Their caliber being three hundred
and seventy-five pounders, and fifteen inches in diameter, while our
shots merely made a bright spot where they struck the heavy
armoured vessels and ricochet beyond. While thus observing I noted
a strange move of one of the boats, suddenly I saw an immense
flash, and a splash in the river a couple of yards in front of me. The
water being very clear, we noted a large projective at the bottom of
the stream, evidently aimed at me, as it was in direct line, as I sat
on my horse; undoubtedly they must have taken me for a
commanding officer and thus paid me their res— I mean disrespect.
A concourse of people in the neighborhood gathered to observe this
unequal artillery duel of five armoured gun boats and eleven wooden
mortar boats hidden behind a point below the Fort, sending their
projectiles like a shower of aerolites into and around the Fort.
Undaunted, the boys stood by their guns, having the satisfaction to
notice one of the armoured vessels break their line and floating
down the River, evidently having been struck in some vital part, and
thus placed hors de combat. This bombardment continued from
early morning until near sundown, when the enemy withdrew, we
giving them parting shots as they steamed down to their blockade
station, lying in wait for the Nashville, a blockade runner, who plyed
between Nassau, and any Confederate Port, which it might enter
with goods, easily disposed of at remunerative prices. The Fort was
badly dilapidated, our breastworks had been blown to atoms, the
guns exposed to plain view, all port holes demolished, the barracks
injured by fire, which the boys extinguished while the battle was
raging; in fact, had a cyclone struck the Fort in its full majestic force,
it could not have been worse. However, that night we pressed into
service all the negroes on the rice plantations. Spades, shovels and
pick axes were handled with alacrity; baskets, bags and barrels were
filled, the enfeebled portions of the Fort were reinforced by working
like Trojans all night long, and the Fort was again placed in a
presentable condition.
Early the following morning, when the enemy again appeared,
undoubtedly to take possession, as the Fort would have been
untenable in the condition they left it the previous evening, we
opened fire on them, but they had seen what had been done during
the night, saw at once that we were not disposed to give up; they
withdrew without even returning our fire, and the boys would
remark, they are treating us with silent contempt.
For awhile we enjoyed repose and the luxuries of the season at the
Southern sea-coast, hunting squirrels, rabbits and fishing, getting
leave of absence to visit home for a few days, when one day the
report reached us that the enemy effected a landing at Killkanee,
some distance below us and to our right. The battery was called out
and we took up the line of march to meet the enemy. We camped
that night near a church, when we were informed that the enemy's
demonstration was against a small salt works, an enterprising citizen
having erected a small furnace with a half a dozen boilers, in which
he boiled sea water to obtain salt, which, at that time, was selling at
a dollar a pound by the hundred pound sack. The Company returned
to camp.
About ten days later word came late one afternoon that the enemy
is making for Pocotalico, a small station on the Savannah and
Charleston Railroad, intending to burn a long range of trestle on said
road. Two detachments were sent to that place by post haste,
arriving in time to place themselves in position, in as quiet a way as
possible. At about ten o'clock P. M. we heard a very noisy
demonstration to our right, through the marshes of the swamps;
many torches became visible. They undoubtedly expected the place
to be unprotected; when they came within full range we sent
canister and schrapanel into the ranks; they fell back in confusion,
leaving dead and wounded behind. This expedition started out from
Beauford, S. C., then in possession of the enemy. One dark night the
tide being up, the Nashville loaded with cotton attempted to run the
gauntlet of the blockaders. On the turn of the river just opposite the
Fort, the River Ogechee being about a mile wide, the vessel run
aground on a sand bank, and was unable to extricate itself. The
enemy being on the lookout, spied her position and came within
firing distance; the Fort fired at them furiously, but they paid no
attention to us, but concentrated their fire on the steamer Nashville
with hot shots and soon had her in flames. The crew jumped
overboard and swam ashore like ducks. The steamer was burned
and completely destroyed. I was again taken with chills and fever
and sent home by way of Dr. Whitehead's hospital. Sergeant Hines
also came home to recuperate, when one morning I suggested to
have an egg-nog. Cousin Abe was a merchant before the war, and
still kept a store at Fenns Bridge, but the store had but few
remnants in it. He only kept such goods as people were willing to
dispose of in the way of exchange, for something else, and among
his stock, he had a barrel of corn whiskey. I said, "Bill, if you furnish
the eggs, I will furnish the sugar and whiskey; my chill will be on at
eleven o'clock; we have an hour yet and kill or cure, I'm going to
drink nog. It may help me." Dr. Whitehead had supplied me with a
vial of Fowler's Solution, which was nearly exhausted, and which had
done me no good. Sergeant Hines came up, brought a dozen eggs
and we made a nog. At ten thirty A. M. I took the first goblet, he
made it tolerably strong. I replenished and enjoyed the contents,
and as we were sipping it quietly, I looked at my watch and was
surprised to see it was fifteen minutes past eleven and no chill. We
slowly finished the third glass, I felt the effects of it somewhat, but
we were not intoxicated. At twelve o'clock the dinner bell rang at the
house, and it was the first time in two weeks that I was able to
partake of that meal, the chills always interfering. I never had
another chill in twenty years thereafter, hence I never became a
prohibitionist. I believe the abuse of whiskey is wrong, while its
proper use is right. Sergeant Hines and myself, after a few days
longer among our friends, returned to our camp.
 CHAPTER XI.
The following incident caused a rupture of friendship between
Lieutenant Evan P. Howell and myself, which made military service
unnecessarily harder on me, owing to our respective ranks. One
night, it was on a Saturday, I had occasion to get up, it was late. I
passed the sentinel on post number one, and recognized William
Tolson on duty. I passed the usual greeting of "Hello! Bill, how do
you do," "O, Ike, I'm so sick. I've one of the hardest chills on me I
ever had." "Why don't you call the Corporal of the Guard, and get
relief?" He replied, he wished I would call him, so I called "Corporal
of the Guard, post number one." Corporal William O'Quinn came up
to see what's up. I said, "Corporal, Tolson is sick and ought to be
relieved." Presently the Corporal returned from headquarters, saying
the officers are all gone over to Patterson, they were having a dance
at the Quartermaster's, Major Cranston, and there is no one at
headquarters but Dr. Stevenson who is drunk, and I can't get any
sense out of him. When I told him that one of the men were sick, he
said "You see that puppy, is he not the finest you have ever seen?"
having reference to a small dog he fondled. Finding out that I can't
get any relief, I came back, so I told Tolson to go in and I would
stand guard in his place. Tolson was a good soldier, he was a native
Englishman, and when he got over his chill he was loud in his
denunciation as to his treatment, so he was punished for having
spoken derogatory about the officers and condemned to wear ball
and chain for twenty-four hours. This was the first time that I knew
there was such a thing as a ball and chain in camp for the
punishment of man. The following Monday night, the writer having
found out all about the particulars and the doings at the
Quartermaster's, wrote up a program of intoxication at Granston
Hall, Saturday night, March 1863. I treated the matter more of a
burlesque than otherwise, and wound up in these words: "That's the
way Confederate whiskey goes, pop goes the Government." Captain
Martin was off and Lieutenant Howell was in command. Lieutenants
Bland and Roberson laughed over the matter and took it good
naturedly. W. N. Harmon was the only man in the Company who saw
me write the article, and when finished I read it to him. He
pronounced it a good joke and asked me what I was going to do
with it. I said, "I am going to stick it up on the big pine where
general orders are posted, so that the men can read it after reveille
call," so he made some lightwood pegs, and we went together and
posted it. The article was not signed, and was written in a round
handwriting. The men enjoyed it and laughed a great deal over it,
when Sergeant Fulford came up and tore down the paper, and
carried it to the officer's tent. They inquired, what is the matter,
what are the men laughing about. He presented the paper.
Lieutenant Howell, after reading it, got raving mad, while
Lieutenants Roberson and Bland took it good naturedly. Lieutenant
Howell was determined to find out the author, so during the day he
took up the men by fours and swore them on the Bible, if they knew
who wrote the paper. I was at the station on that day and was
absent. When I returned to my mess, they told me what was going
on, and that Lieutenant Howell was trying to find out who wrote that
article, so I said, "Bill," meaning William Harmon, "He took up the
wrong men; if he had called on me I would have saved him that
trouble". He answered, "Well, what will you do?" "Well, you don't
believe that I would swear to a lie?" I got up saying, "I will satisfy
his curiosity," and up to his tent I went. He was sitting in a chair
smoking. "Good evening Lieutenant," says I. "I understand that you
are very anxious to know who wrote that paper Sergeant Fulford
submitted for your inspection. I can give you all the information you
require." Lieutenant Howell at once brightened up and became all
smiles. "You know—who did it?" "Your humble servant." In a
twinkling his countenance changed. He became pale with rage,
working himself into a passion, and very peremptorily ordered me to
stand at attention. I at once planted my heels together to form a
perfect angle, placed my little fingers along the seams of my
pantaloons, my arms extending at full length, my body erect, facing
my superior officer. I humbly remarked, "Will that do?"—"What did
you do it for?"—"You had your fun, am I not entitled to have
some?"—"You made false charges; you said we drank Government
whiskey. I want you to understand what liquor we drank we bought
and paid for it." "Well, Lieutenant, I have not accused anybody; not
even mentioned a single name, but if the cap fits you, you can wear
it. I have nothing to retract." By that time, Howell was surely mad.
"I-I-I reduce you to ranks! I put you on double duty for thirty days
and to wear ball and chain." "Is that all?" "Lieutenant, I volunteered
in the Confederate army to do my full duty, as I always have done,
in regard to duty; you only can put me on every other day, but when
it comes to degrading me by making me wear ball and chain, I give
you fair notice that I will kill any man who attempts to place the
same on my limbs," and I made my exit, going to my mess-mates.
"Well, how did you come out?" the boys asked me. I related what
had passed between Lieutenant and I. William Harmon, then said,
"Did you tell him that I helped you stick it up?" I said, "No, I
shouldered the whole responsibility. What good would it do to
implicate you?" "Well you shall not be the only one to do double
duty," and off he went to tell Lieutenant Howell that he also had a
hand in it, and consequently he was also condemned to double duty
for thirty days. "Did he also tell you to wear ball and chain?" Harmon
said "No."
That night, I slept, as the saying is, with one eye open. I had my
pistol within easy reach, and my sabre by my side. No attempt
however, was made to chain me. The following morning I was called
for guard duty. I took my post, carrying my sabre across my neck,
bear fashion. My post was in full view of the officers' headquarters.
When Lieutenant Howell sent Sergeant Hines to me to tell me if I
didn't carry my sabre at "Carry Sabre," he would keep me on four
hours instead of two. Having been the bugler of the Company I was
never instructed how to carry sabre. "Sergeant, can't you teach me
how?" Hines remarked, "I know you know better how to handle a
sabre than anyone in camp. I have seen you and Hoffman fight at
Laurel Hill. I tell you, I have been on duty all night and I would like
to go to sleep. This may be fun to you, but not to me, just now." I
said, "Well Bill, go ahead," so I carried my sword to suit his
Excellency, the commanding officer.
Later in the day J. J. Sheppard came to me saying, "Ike, Lieutenant
Howell told me that I was appointed bugler in your place." "Well, sir,
I congratulate you on your promotion." "He said for me to ask you
for the bugle." I said, "All right Sheppard," I took the bugle and
broke it in halves and handed it to Sheppard. He looked astonished
—I remarked, "That instrument is private property and belongs to
me, my money paid for it, and I have a right to handle it as I please,
not meaning any disrespect to you, Sheppard." The following day,
word came in camp for volunteers to handle siege pieces in
Charleston, S. C. The enemy making heavy demonstration against
that City. The Company sent men they could spare, among whom I
formed a contingent part. My detachment was placed in the battery
in charge of a heavy siege gun. The people of that City treated us
royally and brought us plenty of provisions besides what we got from
the commissary. We remained there a couple of weeks. The whole
business turned out to be a fiasco, and we returned back to our
camps. It was one of the most pleasant periods I have enjoyed
during the whole war. I was again called on duty when I remarked,
"This comes around pretty often." The Sergeant remarked, "You
have to finish your sentence." I at once went to headquarters and
met Lieutenant Howell and said, "Do you intend to make me finish
the penalty you imposed on me?" "To be sure, I do," was his reply.
"Well, you can't do it after you accepted my services for Charleston,"
and I demanded a court-martial before I would finish it. Afterwards
Sergeant Hines came from headquarters, saying, "Howell said, Ike
got me," "I have no right to inflict a continuance of punishment after
accepting his services in some other direction, but confound him, I'll
get even with him." Thus matters stood, when some fine day the
ball and chain was missing, no one knew what became of it, but
somewhere in the middle of the Ogeechee River some two hundred
yards below Camp Arnold, it may be found now, having rested there
these forty six years.
On the eighth of May we were ordered to Mississippi. We went by
the way of Columbus, Ga., arriving there about three o'clock P. M.
The ladies had prepared a fine spread for us at the depot. The men
were hungry. Capt. F. G. Wilkins being mayor of the City, Mayor
Wilkins was Captain of the Columbus Guards, Company B, First
Regiment, Georgia Volunteers, and on his return home, after his
severe experience of one year's military service, he preferred civil
service as more congenial to his feelings. He was a brave and
fearless soldier. At Carricks Ford, he and twelve of his men got mixed
in with the Yankees, who at that time wore also grey uniforms. They
were Ohio troops. Captain Wilkins on seeing his dilemma, formed his
men into line, then into column making them go through evolutions,
and manual of arms, and marched them to the rear, and out of the
Yankee columns without being suspicioned or receiving a scratch.
Such coolness is not often exhibited on a danger line, and Captain
Wilkins reached Monterey long before any of the Regiment did, and
saved himself and his men a great deal of hardship.
When alighting from the train and seeing all those good things
prepared for us, I at once took my position. A lady remarked, "Help
yourself." I took hold of a piece of fowl, and as I was about to take a
bite, someone struck me on the arm with such force that the piece
of fowl dropped out of my hand, and someone said, "Those things
are not for you." It was Mayor Wilkins. He was glad to see me, and
said, "I have something better for you, boys. How many of the First
Georgia are here? Get them all together and follow me." We were
about a dozen of the old Washington Rifles. He conducted us to a
room where we met a committee of gentlemen. After the usual
shaking hands and introductions, we passed into another chamber. I
never beheld a more bountiful and artistically prepared spread.
Provisions arranged on a revolving table, shelved to a pyramid, and
loaded with delicious wines. In a corner of the room was a table
covered with case liquors of every description, and some fine cigars.
I was astonished, I had no idea such delicacies could have been
gotten in the whole Confederacy. We surely did enjoy the hospitality
of that Committee. Mayor Wilkins introduced me to a Mr. Rothschild,
saying, "I want you to take good care of him, he is a splendid
fellow." Turning to me he said, "Hermann, I want you to stay all
night with this gentleman, he will treat you all right." I said, "Captain
Wilkins, I can't leave camps without a permit, and myself and
Captain Howell are not on such terms as for me to ask him for any
favors." "Well, I'll arrange that, you come along." Captain Wilkins
said to Howell, "I want Ike to go home with my friend here,"
designating Mr. Rothschild. Captain Howell said, "You'll have to be
here by seven o'clock, A. M. The train will leave at that time." Mr.
Rothschild spoke up, saying, "I'll have him here on time." I was
royally treated; the lady of the house and daughter played on the
piano and sang. I joined in the chorus 'till late in the night, when I
was shown to my room, nicely furnished, a nice clean feather bed
and all the requisites for comfort, but I could not sleep, I did not lay
comfortable. The two years service I had seen, made a feather bed
rather an impediment to my repose, having become accustomed to
sleep out doors on the hard ground, with my knapsack as a pillow,
so I got up, put my knapsack under my head and lay by the side of
the bed on the carpet, and slept like a log the balance of the night;
so soundly, that I did not hear the negro boy who was sent to my
room to blacken my boots, open the door, but I heard a noise like
someone slamming the door and I heard someone running down
stairs. I heard many voices talking, and someone coming up stairs,
opening the door very unceremoniously, I looked—there was Mr.
Rothschild,—greatly astonished and laughing, he could hardly talk.
Finally he said, "What in the world made you lay on the floor." I
explained to him that being no longer used to sleeping on a bed, I
could not rest until I got on the hard floor. Then he told me he had
sent up a boy to blacken my boots, who had scared them all by
telling them that the man up stairs had fallen off of the bed and lay
dead on the floor. I took my ablution, and went down to breakfast,
all enjoying that I was still able to do justice to the meal that my
kind host and hostess set before me. After many thanks and good
byes to Mr. and Mrs. Rothschild and the family, Mr. Rothschild and
myself went down to the train, which was in waiting. Everything was
soon ready and we departed for Mobile, Ala. At Greenville, Ala., I
met General W. H. T. Walker for the first time. Martin's battery was
assigned to his brigade. Captain Martin was promoted to Major, and
Chief of Staff of General Walker's brigade, and Lieutenant Evan P.
Howell, by right of seniority, took his place as Captain. From Mobile,
we went to Jackson, Miss., one section of two cannons were left
behind under charge of Lieutenant Robson. The balance arrived at
destination at about three o'clock P. M., May 12th, 1863. We
unloaded the pieces at once, and all the accoutrements, all the
horses and harnessed them up without the loss of any time, took up
the line of march towards Raymond Springs. The weather was very
warm and the road of red clay was very dusty for men marching in
columns. The dust would rise like clouds of ashes at every step. It
must be remembered that it was ration day, but we had no time to
draw any. As we advanced, we met General Gists' Brigade just out of
a fight with General Grant's forces, who landed at Port Gibson, on
his forward move to Vicksburg. General Gist had several prisoners.
Among them was a Captain. I spoke to him and asked him about the
strength of Grant's army. Of course, I did not expect a truthful
answer. He replied, "If you'll keep on in the direction you are going,
you will meet him. He is not so very far, ahead of you, and when you
do meet him, you will think he has more than enough to eat you all
up." Well, he did tell the truth, and it has been our misfortune all
through the war to fight against many odds. We kept advancing,
when of a sudden the command was ordered to halt. We formed
ourselves into battery, and I was placed in charge of a detachment.
General Walker ordered me to follow him. About two hundred yards
ahead the road took a sudden turn around the bluff, which
commanded a straight stretch of about a mile. General Walker
ordered me to unlimber my gun and place it in position, so as to
command that road, and ordered me to fire into any cavalry that
might appear. At the further end of my view was a water mill. I
remarked, "General, had I not better let them advance somewhat, so
as not to waste too much ammunition?" "You must use your own
judgment," said he. Looking about me, I saw no infantry in close
proximity, so I ventured to ask him where my support was. He
answered, "Support Hell!—If they charge you, fight them with the
hand spikes, don't you never leave this post," and left.
Mr. James F. Brooks acted as my No. 1. I asked him if he had made
his will, if not, he had better, as we were there to stay. We watched
with all our eyes, we saw no enemies. Just about dark, we were
ordered to limber up, and double quick to the rear, for about a mile,
the enemy having taken another route and we were in danger of
being cut off. Weary and footsore, having marched about ten miles
that afternoon, we retraced our steps within about three miles of
Jackson, hungry and thirsty, we marched on, large oaks bordered
the road at places and the roots protruded above the surface of the
ground; having on a pair of shoes, left foot number six for a number
8 foot, while my right shoe was a number 10 brogan, I crammed
cotton in shoe number 10 to prevent too much friction and cut off
the end of number 6 to avoid the painful sensation of being
cramped, but misfortunes never come single—the night became dark
and it threatened to rain. I stumbled over one of those protruding
roots and tore off half of my unprotected toe nail on my left foot, a
most excruciating and painful sensation. I did not swear, because I
was speechless. I mounted the caisson, our horses were jaded, had
had no food nor water that day, but managed to get into camp. Dr.
Stewart, our surgeon was left at Jackson, with a few of our
command who were sick. W. J. Bell was our ambulance driver. He
drove me to Dr. Stewart's camp to dress my wound that night. I was
all O. K. next morning, when the ball opened after day break. Our
pickets announced the enemy's advance. The skirmishes then came
into play and kept the advance at some bay for some time, our
forces placing themselves in position to receive them in due form.
We were five thousand strong, while the enemy numbered twenty-
five thousand. At about eleven A. M. orders came from our right to
left to fall back, and we gradually withdrew, putting on our prolongs,
and firing occasionally as we retraced our steps. When the fight first
opened I was in the rear, as stated, on account of my foot, but after
being dressed and hearing the firing, I made for the front, and
reported to Captain Howell for duty, while he was in line of battle on
the extreme left. He said his detachment was complete, to report to
the next. Having only four pieces of artillery in action, two under
charge of Lieutenant Robson not having yet arrived, they were
placed along the front about two hundred yards apart, all had full
working force. I retraced my steps and so reported to the Captain,
saying, "Well, Captain, there being no use for me here, I shall go to
the rear to protect myself and watch the progress of the fight,
should there be any casualties in the Company I'll take their place—
no use for me to be here unless I can be of some service." Up to
that time the skirmish line was still contending for every inch of the
ground. Captain Howell says to me, "You stay here, and act as my
orderly. I'm hoarse anyhow, and you have a good voice and can
repeat my orders and commands," so I was installed by the side of
the Captain. The ground on which we stood was a gradual incline,
while that of the enemy was about on a level with us, leaving a sort
of a basin or valley between both lines. It was a novel sight to see
our skirmishers contending every inch of the ground before an
overwhelming force, to see them load and fire, and gradually falling
back, facing the advancing foe. When suddenly they emerged from
the woods, where they were concealed, and advanced in platoon
form, sending their deadly missiles into our thin skirmishers ranks. I
said, "This is more than our men can stand, let me throw a shell
over their heads, into their ranks." He answered, "Do so, but don't
shoot our men." "No danger," said I. I depressed the bridge of my
piece, raising the muzzle about four fingers. No. four pulled the
laniard. It had a good effect, and resulted in stopping their advance,
and thus enabled our skirmishers to come in. My fire also gave them
our position and distance. They at once formed a battery in front of
us. I aimed a second shot at a white horse. Captain Howell watching
its effect. I being behind the gun, the smoke prevented me from so
doing, when he said, "You got him." I soon found out that I had
done some damage and that my range was accurate, for they
centered their fire of several pieces against my own. One of their
shots passed over my gun and knocked off its sight, passed between
the detachment, striking the caisson lid in the rear and staving it in,
and thus preventing us for a few minutes in replying. We had to
break it open with the hand spikes to get ammunition. They
undoubtedly thought that we were irreparably silenced, and paid
their respects to some other part of our line, but we resumed
business again, and they came back at us. I saw a ball rolling on the
ground, about six feet to my right. It seemed to be about the same
caliber as ours. It rolled up a stump, bouncing about fifteen feet in
the air. I thought it was a solid shot and wanting to send it back to
them through the muzzle of our gun, I ran after it. It proved to be a
shell, as it exploded, and a piece of it struck my arm. It was a
painful wound, but not serious. Another ball struck a tree about
eight inches in diameter, knocked out a chip, which struck my face
and caused me to see the seven stars in plain day light and very
near got a scalp of Captain Howell, who stood behind that tree.
Orders came for Captain Howell to fall back. He asked me to inform
Major Martin, who was in command of the piece at the extreme
right, that he was falling back. I had to traverse the whole front of
our line. I took the color bearers' horse, a fine animal. We named
him Stonewall. The enemy's fire was rather high, as they came up
the incline and the balls rattled through the tree tops like hail. It
commenced raining very hard. I dismounted and took it afoot. On
my way passing the third section, Sim Bland, who acted as number
6, and whose duty it was to carry the ammunition from the caisson
and to hand it to No. 2 who inserts it in the muzzle of the gun, while
No. 1 rammed it home. As I crossed him at a trot, I remarked, "Sim,
this is hot time." Before he could reply, a solid cannon ball had
struck him. Poor fellow, he did not know what hit him, for he was
dead. His whole left side entirely torn to pieces.
The enemy was now advancing more rapidly, as our whole line had
given away. On my return I found my horse also shot down. I was
trying to save the body of Bland, but couldn't get the assistance
needed. I went through his pockets and took what he had therein
and gave it to his brother, Lieutenant Bland. The enemy pushed me
so close I had to take to the woods in my immediate rear, the trees
of which somewhat protected me from the enemy's fire. About a
hundred yards further I found Sergeant Newsome with his gun and a
detachment, trying to make for the public road leading to Jackson.
He had managed so far to drive his command evading the trees of
the forest, when suddenly he was confronted by a plank fence which
stood perfectly erect, not a plank missing and about five feet high.
He ordered the horses cut out of the harness, and was about to
abandon his guns, when I hollered, "No Sergeant, don't do it! Ride
through between the posts, they are wide enough apart, knock
down the planks." I put myself in action and kicked against the
planks, when the whole panel fell over, carrying several others with
it, for all the posts were completely rotten at the ground, and thus I
saved this piece of artillery and probably the men. We reached the
road and marched in column. It was raining hard and every man was
soaked to the skin. The column halted, having fallen back about a
half a mile, firing as they went, when again we formed in line of
battle. I was very tired, and sat down by the road side. When called
again into action, I found that I could not use my arm, and that the
leaders of my leg had contracted at my groins. The enemy had again
outflanked us, and the men lifted me on a caisson.
The horses stalled. The road being very muddy, the men had to
assist at the wheel to pull the carriages out of the mud, by using all
their efforts, so I had to get down, for I felt that after all the gun
would have to be abandoned, and I did not care to be taken
prisoner, but General Joseph E. Johnston made a stand a little
further on, until the Yankees outflanked him again. Major Martin
happened to be just passing me on his horse. I begged him to take
me behind him, as I could not walk. He answered, "It is impossible,
we are going to make another stand. Get in the ambulance." When
the ambulance came in sight, it was full to overflow with wounded
and dying. The Major again rode up. I said "Major Martin, can't you
get me out of my difficulty," he replied, "Hermann, do the best you
can to take care of yourself. If they capture you, I will have you
exchanged as soon as possible." Poor consolation, I thought, but I
was determined not to be taken if I possibly could help it, so I
started towards Jackson, taking the edge of the woods, first on
account of the mud, then as somewhat of a protection from the
bullets. My locomotion was slow, from eight to ten inches was the
longest strides I was able to make, and this with excruciating pains.
Presently our forces rushed past me and formed again into line of
battle, thus leaving me between both lines, the bullets coming from
either direction, when again I entered our line. This maneuvre
happened three times before I reached Jackson, in a stretch of three
miles. It was then four o'clock p. m.
 CHAPTER XII.
When we reached Jackson the previous day I noted a flat by the
side of the railroad bridge. I was thinking to cross Pearl River by that
means, so I started to the right towards the railroad bridge. On my
way down the street a lady was standing over a tub of whiskey with
a dipper in her hand. She said to me, "Poor fellow, are you
wounded?" I said, "Yes." She dipped up a dipper full of whiskey,
which I drank. It had a good effect on my shattered nerves and did
not cause me the least dizziness. It was the medicine I surely
needed. On arriving at the River, I found the flat was gone, the
railroad bridge was the only chance left me to cross. I crawled up
the embankment and found that the cross ties were too far apart for
me to step it, owing to my contracted leaders, so I concluded to
"coon it" on my hands and knees on the stringers, holding onto the
rail.
The bridge is a long one and very high, Jackson being built on a high
bluff. When about half way across I heard a great deal of noise and
reports of fire arms; I heard bullets whizzing by. Finally bullets were
hitting the trestle beneath me and in front of me. Looking back I
saw at a distance of about four hundred yards a force of the enemy,
which I judged to be about half a regiment, coming up the lowlands
in a flank around Jackson. My first impulse was, can I make it
across, or must I surrender? I concluded to take the chances, and
continued to cross. Bullets were striking beneath me, and in front,
splinters were flying. One ball hit the rail about six inches in front of
my hand. They were gaining on me fast, when at last I reached the
other side, laying myself flat on the track, I rolled over, down about
an eighteen foot embankment. Thus being protected from the
enemy's bullets, I entered the swamp not far beside the road leading
to Branton, I noted a large hollow poplar tree. It must have been
four or five feet in diameter. I crawled in, I felt faint and weak, had
not eaten anything that day. I must have fainted; when presently I
heard the sound of artillery and musketry to my right across the
river and the noise of an empty wagon coming from towards
Branton. I took a reconnoitering look, and saw Jackson on fire and a
wagon driven by a negro, holding the lines over four splendid mules,
coming towards the city. I took my stand in the road, pistol in hand.
The following conversation ensued:
"Halt. Where are you going?"
"To Jackson. Marse Richard sent me to fotch his things. He is afraid
the Yankees would cotch him."
"How will you get across?"
"Goes on the flat, sah."
"There is no flat now."
"Yes there is, and Marse Richard——"
"Turn the head of the mules towards Branton, or you are a dead
Negro"—aiming at him as I spoke. He exclaimed, "Don't shoot
Marster, I'll do as you say." He turned the mules towards where he
came from. I crawled behind in the wagon, pistol in hand, and at a
gallop all the way for twelve miles. We entered Branton in the early
part of the night. The people were still up at the Hotel. The
excitement ran high about the enemies capturing Jackson. Branton
was a nice little village. The negro proved to be a run-away. Had
stolen the team from the quartermaster and running with it to the
enemy. The lady of the hotel came to me saying, "Are you
wounded?" I stated my condition, and she sympathized with me,
saying, "Poor fellow, I expect you need something to eat." I surely
did, for I was more dead than alive, after having passed such an
eventful day. I ate a hearty supper. I was given a shirt. She
bandaged my arm, which was smarting badly. She furnished me a
room and a bottle of mustang linament to rub myself. My clothes
which were full of mud were washed and dried by a large fire. The
following morning, I felt really refreshed. It is unnecessary to say
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