Lebanon's able press reporter furnishes the following interesting story of that grand old man, "uncle" George Williams, who 70 odd years ago shouldered his gun and swore his allegiance to a newly formed confederacy, and he kept the faith that was so striking with freedom's sons, and today as he nears the century mile stone his friends love him with increased affection:

The bright blue eyes of George Williams, "Uncle George" as all Russell county knows him, twinkled as he relates vivid memories of three years of service in the Confederate army.

Among the reminiscences of this venerable old soldier, who remembers General Robert E. Lee as "a good looking man," was one of his return to the army after a much welcome furlough. He left Lebanon on March 1 and walked to Abingdon to the nearest railroad, a distance of 21 miles "and nearly froze to death."

The train, which carried him through Petersburg, Va., into North Carolina, was pulled by a wood-burning engine, "about the size of a threshing machine engine." The "wood-burner" got along alright as long as it was on level ground, but when it reached heavy grades it found the going difficult and frequently stalled.

The fireman in such an emergency, would generously fling upon the coals a whole "middling," now more elitely known as side of bacon, and the engine would pick up steam and top the grade.

"Uncle George grinned and began to tell the one about the soldiers who in the starvation days of the struggle, purchased a dressed carcass of a dog thinking they were buying mutton. And they evidently like their fare, for they asked for more. When the second helping was delivered, the lady of the house was accompanied to the soldier's table by her small son. The lower jaws of the diners dropped suddenly when the boy remarked, "Old Ring wasn't as fast as old Rover, was he, mother?"

"Would you go to war again?", "Uncle" George was asked.

"No," he replied, but quickly added:
"Yes, yes, if some other state attacked our state."

"Uncle" George Williams is one of Russell county's few remaining Confederate veterans. He has passed his 96th birthday and is the county's oldest citizen.

He spent 88 years in the home in which he was born, removing his residence 8 years ago to the home of his daughter, Mrs. Henry Fuller, near Spring City, after a fall which caused him to lose active use of his legs. Still much interested in life and possessing a keen mind, he enjoys conversing with friends and kinsmen. Of both there are many. His direct descendants number nine living children, 78 grandchildren, 138 great-grandchildren and 12 great-great-grandchildren.