410 Southern Historical Society Papers.
wife's delicate health. His transfer now leaves us with only one chaplain. A missionary has been assigned to this brigade by the North Carolina Methodist Conference. There is some difficulty about rationing him, as Congress, at its last session, defeated the bill allowing missionaries to purchase anything from the subsistence department. I shall address a communication to General Lee to- morrow to see if he will not be allowed either to draw or purchase rations for himself. The Methodist and Baptist predominate in this brigade and there are some Presbyterians, but not many Episcopa- lians if the last summer's joke is'true. The Rev. Mr. Patterson preached to the brigade last summer when we were camped near Orange Court House, and being an Episcopalian, he wore his sur- plice, &c. He had a very large congregation, and it is said, that after the services, many of the men were wondering amongst them- selves " What sort of man is that," and it was decided, after consid- erable speculation, that he was a "Chinese" because he looked like the pictures in their geographies. * *
[IV.] LIBERTY MILLS, ORANGE COUNTY, VA., April 12, 1864.
- * * I know you will regret to hear that Captain G. B.John-
ston,* my truly good and noble friend, is dead. I can't help sympa- thizing with his bereaved and lovely wife, who almost idolized him. It is some comfort to know that he has gone to heaven and is at rest. He was aware for months that he had not long to live; used to speak of his fast-approaching death with perfect composure, and wonder if in meeting friends in heaven he would be allowed to experience the same strong feelings of attachment for them that he had always done on earth. He was indeed a " shining mark " young, pious, noble, intellectual, full of promise, and universally beloved.
Captain E. J. Hale, Jr., who succeeds Captain Johnston as my adjutant-general, is handsome, intellectual, and well educated, is a good officer, and possesses many fine traits of character. He is a married man, the only married one, by the way, on my staff.
[V.] LIBERTY MILLS, ORANGE COUNTY, VA., April 22, 1864.
I must tell you something of our tournament which came off yesterday. We had a delightful day, and a large number
- See ante, pages 52-124.
