In the Confederate Veteran magazine in February, 1904, C.S.O. Rice wrote the following about his experience at the Vicksburg siege.

"On the 17th of May, 1863, we were ordered inside the fortifications of Vicksburg, and were in the besieged town until the surrender, the following 4th of July. While in Vicksburg we acted as couriers for Gen. Pemberton, and patrol of the city. Rations soon became scarce. Meat was a thing of the past, but great are the resources of a soldier. One day a shell killed one of our mules, and some of the boys cut a bucketful of steaks from the beast, and we were soon enjoying a good repast. All that we did not cook at once we converted into 'jerked' meat. This we did by making a cane platform, spreading the meat on it, and building a fire underneath. This, with the aid of the sun above, soon gave us a lot of dry, well preserved meat. Now some fastidious youths of today will say: 'O, I could not do that!' Neither would I now, but then I was hungry. I stood it as long as I could. I was as hollow as a gourd, and when my back began to cave in I thought it about time to eat anything I could get. The Federals had by parallels worked close up to our fortifications and made rifle pits, which they filled with sharpshooters, so that it was about worth a man's life to raise his head above the fortifications. Our men would show themselves only when rising to repel a charge. We soon learned to protect ourselves from the exploding shells, that at night would look like a rain of fire on the doomed city, by digging holes in the sides of the hills, and when the fire was excessively heavy we would crawl into our dens. No one can imagine the hardships and suffering our men underwent lying in the trenches continuously day and night, under the burning sun by day and the heavy dews by night, with sufficient force to relieve them and man the works, while during a greater portion of the time they had not bread and meat enough to sustain themselves. No wonder that thirty per cent of them were 'hors de combat' when we surrendered. We knew that surrender was inevitable, yet feeling of deep depression came over us when we were ordered to 'stack arms.' Being Gen. Pemberton's escort, were allowed to retain our side arms, but some of our servants who wanted to go out with us were not allowed to do so. Mine came to me and gave me his watch and all the money he had, $2.50 in silver, and told me to keep it for him, and if they would not allow him to pass out with us he would join us the next day outside the lines. How faithful! and how my heart was touched by it! On a former occasion, when I was left in a sick camp, he remained with me; and at night, when everything was still, I heard his voice lifted earnestly in prayer of supplication that his your master might fix his heart on things above, and that a kind Providence would protect and preserve his life. Imagine at this day the close relation and love that existed between master and slave! His contact with the southern white man gave him a moral training that was the wonder of the world. While our men were out in the field of battle, what kept the farm hands growing meat and bread to feed them? Was it fear of his master, who was away in the army? What enabled our refined women to remain at home for four years of the war, surrounded by a throng of blacks, without a thought of fear, but a feeling of protection? My first night out from Vicksburg will long to remember I left the city with three small pieces of jerked mule meat, and a little sugar in my haversack. We camped on a large plantation, and I got an old negro woman to cook me something to eat. She brought me a thick pone of corn break and a panful of clabber, and I then partook of the most sumptuous repast I ever enjoyed. I arrived at home to enjoy for a short time, under my parole, the love and association of family and friends, and above all, the sweet smiles of a rosy-checked, brown-eyed little maid - 'the girl I left behind me' - whose picture I carried with me through the hurtling fire and smoke of battle for four years, and 'who, at the close, linked her fortunes with mine, and has shared with me life's sunshine and shadows for nearly forty years."

It occurs to me that a plain narrative of some of my recollections of the times of the early sixties, will not be without interest in the retrospect of that memorable era when the war of the states commences.

War, cruel war, which knows no mercy, no justice, and which is one of the greatest curses that is recorded upon the pages of the world's history.

It is sometimes said it is too early to write the story of our civil war. It will soon be too late. Some of us live, and we should not think from recording what we know to be true. Thus only will a full history of the Southern courage and fidelity be preserved. But I did not commence this with the idea of writing a history of the war, but, lest we forget, only to give, after an expiration of fifty years, my recollections of Co. K, 9th Tenn, Volunteers.

The company was organized May 1861 with Jo. C. Marley, Captain; Hart Richardson, 1st Lieut; Peter Fitzpatrick, 2nd Lieut; ---- Gray, 3rd Lieut; James Griggs, Orderly Sergeant, with P.N. Coner 2nd Sergeant. the minor officers I do not recollect. The company was named the Lauderdale Hornets, a very significant name, and we often thought how warm we would make it for the Yankees when an opportunity presented itself.

Soon after getting our uniform, which was a dark gray trimmed with yellow, our coats cut on the shad-belly style, we were taken to Durhamville to receive our flag, which was presented to the company by the people of Durhamville and vicinity. It was quite a _____ silk flag, costing over $60.00. Mrs. __lespie (nee Miss Annie Walker) now ___ Texas, made a very graceful presentation speech, and was responded to in ____ manner by Lt. Fitzpatrick. Afterwards the Company was addressed by ____ J.H. Boon with enthusiastic and ____otic words. Just then, with our ____ uniform and our flag waving about ____ heads, and our hearts filled with _____tic emotions, we thought that ___f us could whip four Yankees; ___s only afraid that the fould would ____ihilated all too soon and bring _____ tan undesired end. Those of ____ served to the end of the war ____ to a great extent our idea of _____ of the Northerner and thought ____ were as many as we could con- _____ handle.

____ er this we were taken to Un- ____ where with other companies ___ d the Ninth Tenn. Infantry ____ Douglas being made Col- ____ the 9th, 6th and other reg- ____ formed into a brigade ___ Chester was comma ___ onmet Gen. ___ k, and ____ everything was on the qui vive. Or ___ night after the tattoo had sounded an ___ we had retired ____sleep of the ___ aroused by a ____ beat of drum ____ tle. Some of ___ of old-the joint ___ ened and our kne ____ anouther. But, w ___ scared. Oh! no. ___ night wind stri ___ that caused th ___ We were like P ___ if he kept coa ___ "Indade I do; I s ___ The alarm prove ___ from throwing a ___.

The battle of Belmo ___while we were at Colum ___ not in the fight, our regi ___ in reserve. General Grant ___ to capture the command of Col. ___ who was encamped across the river, b ___was driven back by boats with c ___ siderable loss. We had a great ma ___ cases of camp fever, of which many ___ best soldier boys died. I was ___ tacked with it, which incapacitated ___ as a soldier for several months. After recovering I joined Forrest Calvalry and served through the war.

I have written this fifty after the war. Hope some one will take up where I left aoff and five a history of the 9th Tennessee Regiment - one that saw some of the hardest fighting of the war.

Comrades, soon the last picket will be called from post and the last camp ifre smoulder to ashes, while we and the cause for which we fought and so many died will become but a dim memory of the long ago. We of the sixties are getting old and dropping off one by one. But this is not all. Ages shall have rolled on and on and mother earth h ___ become as a faded and crumpled lea ___and our bodies indistingushable dust and the stars have grown cold, ashe ___ and tray; and the curtain of the res ___ rection has opened wide and time ___ blosomed into eternity; and mort ___ clothed with immortality we can stand face to face with our Maker, and present him with the products of our life, the citadel of human character, that has outlived the house of the grave-digger. And as the setting sun of the parting day guilds the heavens of the coming evening with the mild, yet beautiful light, so let your departure reflect some glow upon the world left behind; and may flight of angels sing to you in your sleep of a memory of a life well spent in the noblest work, purest love and sweetest charity. C.S.O.R. (Charles Stephen Olin Rice)