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diff --git a/44889-0.txt b/44889-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..58e4a01 --- /dev/null +++ b/44889-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7532 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44889 *** + +Transcriber's Note: Minor typographical errors have been corrected +without note. Irregularities and inconsistencies in the text have +been retained as printed. Words printed in italics are noted with +underscores: _italics_. + + + + +The Story of a Confederate Boy in the Civil War + + +By + +David E. Johnston + +_of the 7th Virginia Infantry Regiment_ + +Author of "Middle New River Settlements" + + +With Introduction by + +Rev. C. E. Cline, D.D. + +A Methodist Minister and Chaplain of the +Military Order of the Loyal Legion, U.S.A. + + +COPYRIGHT, 1914 +BY +DAVID E. JOHNSTON + +PUBLISHED BY +GLASS & PRUDHOMME COMPANY +PORTLAND, OREGON + + + + +Preface + + +Some twenty-eight years ago I wrote and published a small book +recounting my personal experiences in the Civil War, but this book is +long out of print, and the publication exhausted. At the urgent request +of some of my old comrades who still survive, and of friends and my own +family, I have undertaken the task of rewriting and publishing this +story. + +As stated in the preface to the former volume, the principal object of +this work is to record, largely from memory, and after the lapse of +many years (now nearly half a century) since the termination of the +war between the states of the Federal Union, the history, conduct, +character and deeds of the men who composed Company D, Seventh regiment +of Virginia infantry, and the part they bore in that memorable +conflict. + +The chief motive which inspires this undertaking is to give some meager +idea of the Confederate soldier in the ranks, and of his individual +deeds of heroism, particularly of that patriotic, self-sacrificing, +brave company of men with whose fortunes and destiny my own were linked +for four long years of blood and carnage, and to whom during that +period I was bound by ties stronger than hooks of steel; whose +confidence and friendship I fully shared, and as fully reciprocated. + +To the surviving members of that company, to the widows and children, +broken-hearted mothers, and to gray-haired, disconsolate fathers (if +such still live) of those who fell amidst the battle and beneath its +thunders, or perished from wounds or disease, this work is dedicated. +The character of the men who composed that company, and their deeds of +valor and heroism, will ever live, and in the hearts of our people will +be enshrined the names of the gallant dead as well as of the living, as +the champions of constitutional liberty. They will be held in grateful +remembrance by their own countrymen, appreciated and recognized by all +people of all lands, who admire brave deeds, true courage, and devotion +of American soldiers to cause and country. + +For some of the dates and material I am indebted to comrades. I also +found considerable information from letters written by myself during +the war to a friend, not in the army, and not subject to military duty, +on account of sex; who, as I write, sits by me, having now (February, +1914), for a period of more than forty-six years been the sharer of my +joys, burdens and sorrows; whose only brother, George Daniel Pearis, a +boy of seventeen years, and a member of Bryan's Virginia battery, fell +mortally wounded in the battle of Cloyd's Farm, May 9, 1864. + +DAVID E. JOHNSTON. + +Portland, Oregon, May, 1914. + + + + +Introduction + + +The author of this book is my neighbor. He was a Confederate, and I a +Union soldier. Virginia born, he worked hard in youth. A country +lawyer, a member of the Senate of West Virginia, Representative in +Congress, and Circuit Judge, his life has been one of activity and +achievement. Blessed with a face and manner which disarm suspicion, +inspire confidence and good will, he makes new friends, and retains old +ones. + +Judge Johnston (having through life practiced the virtues of a good +Baptist), is, therefore, morally sound to the core. He has succeeded, +not by luck or chance, but because of what he is. Withal, he has +cultivated the faculty for hard work; in fact, through life he has +liked nothing so well as hard work. + +A vast good nature, running easily into jocular talk, with interesting +stories, in which he excels, he is able to meet every kind of man in +every rank of society, catching with unerring instinct the temper of +every individual and company where he is. + +He is thoroughly American, and though having traveled extensively in +Europe and the East, he is not spoiled with aping foreigners, nor +"rattled" by their frivolous accomplishments. He is likewise an +experienced writer, being the author of the history of "Middle New +River Settlements, and Contiguous Territory," in Virginia and West +Virginia, a work of great value, which cost the author years of +persistent research. + +This volume, "The Story of a Confederate Boy," is written from the +heart, with all his might, and all his honesty, and is characterized +throughout by fertility, sympathy, and magnanimity, in recording his +own personal experiences, and what he saw. + +C. E. CLINE. + +Portland, Oregon. + + + + +Contents + + +Chapter. Page. + + I. Pre-election Statement as to Mr. Lincoln.--The + Presidential Election in November, 1860.--Fear and + Anxiety.--At School with Rev. J. W. Bennett in Winter + 1860 and Spring 1861.--Debating Society.--Some + Recollections of Colonel Chambers and Others.--Strong + State Rights Ideas.--Desire to Become a Soldier.--The + Anticipation and the Reality.--Return Home.--War Talk + and Feeling 1 + + II. Giles County, Its Formation and Early Settlers.--Its + Geographical Position, Topography and Population in + 1860.--State of Political Parties.--Election of + Delegate to the Convention 9 + + III. What Will Not Be Attempted Herein.--How the Southern + People Viewed the Situation.--Virginia as a Peacemaker. + --The Peace Conference and Its Failure.--Geographical, + Territorial Position.--Assembling of the Convention + and Its Action.--Mr. Lincoln's Attitude and Call for + Troops.--Adoption of the Ordinance of Secession.-- + Preparations for Defense 15 + + IV. Organization of Volunteer Forces.--Giles Not Behind + Her Sister Counties.--A Company Organized at + Pearisburg with James H. French as Captain; Eustace + Gibson, First Lieutenant; William A. Anderson, Second + Lieutenant; Joel Blackard, Second Junior Lieutenant, + and Captains James D. Johnston and R. F. Watts on + the Committee to Purchase Uniforms, etc.--The Ladies + of the Town and Country.--In Barracks and on Drill. + --Anecdote.--Dixie.--Our March to Wolf Creek.-- + Presentation of Bible and Flag 25 + + V. The Election for the Ratification of the Ordinance + of Secession Was Held on the Fourth Thursday of May + --the 23rd. On that Day Members of the House of + Delegates, and Perhaps Other Officers, Were to Be + Elected.--Our Departure.--Lynchburg and to Manassas + Junction 39 + + VI. Stay at the Junction.--Organization of 24th + Regiment as Afterwards Completed.--March to Camp + Davis Ford.--First Night on Picket.--Alarm.-- + March to the Town of Occoquan and Back Again.-- + A War of Words.--Serious Fight Imminent.--Leaving + the 24th Regiment.--Camp Tick Grove and a Personal + Difference.--A More Perfect Union.--Camp Wigfall. + --Blondeau's Shot.--How We Cooked, Ate and Slept. + --Shannon's Bob.--Rumors Afloat of Pending Battle. + --Three Days' Rations Cooked 47 + + VII. Breaking Camp at Wigfall.--The March to the + Battlefield.--General Beauregard and His Appearance + and Advice.--First Cannon Shot.--Battle of Bull Run. + --The Advance.--The Charge.--The Wounded.--Isaac + Hare and John Q. Martin.--Retreat of the Enemy.-- + Severe Artillery Duel.--The Dutchman and His Chunk + of Fat Bacon.--Casualties 61 + + VIII. Night's Experience on Our First Battlefield.--The + Dead and Cries of the Wounded.--Occurrences on the + Field.--Sunday, July 21.--Shelled by the Enemy.-- + March to the Field by the Sound of Battle.--The + Battle.--Casualties.--The Pursuit.--To the Outposts. + --Incidents.--Winter at Centerville 69 + + IX. Our Daily Duties.--In Camp.--Among the Last + Rencounters.--Lieutenant Gibson, Corporal Stone + and Others Hold a Council of War and Determine + to Advance and Drive McClellan from Arlington + Heights.--March to the Outposts.--Graybacks.-- + Religious Exercises.--Incidents of Camp.-- + Depletion of the Army.--Re-enlistments and + Furloughs.--Retreat from Manassas Behind the + Rappahannock.--Albert and Snidow.--Gordonsville 83 + + X. The Stay Near Gordonsville.--The March to + Richmond and Journey to Yorktown.--In the + Trenches.--Skirmishing and Night Alarms.-- + Reorganization.--The Retreat from Yorktown. + --The Old Lady's Prayer.--Battle of Williamsburg. + --The Killed and Wounded.--Forces and Numbers + Engaged and Losses.--Retreat Up the Peninsula. + --Battle of Seven Pines.--Casualties 93 + + XI. Preparations for Active Field Service.--Dress + Parade and Speeches of General Kemper and Colonel + Patton.--Battles Around Richmond.--Gaines' Mill + or Cold Harbor.--Frazier's Farm and Malvern Hill. + --Testing a Man's Courage.--Casualties.--In Pursuit + of the Enemy.--In Camp Near the Chickahominy.-- + Sickness and Death.--Threatening Attitude of the + Enemy in Northern Virginia.--Concentration of + the Confederate Army on the Rappahannock.--Pope's + Bravado.--Lieutenant Hugh M. Patton Succeeds + Stark as Adjutant, and Sergeant Parke Appointed + Sergeant-Major, Succeeding George S. Tansill 107 + + XII. General Jackson With His "Foot Cavalry."--On + the Flank and in the Rear of General Pope's + Army.--Longstreet's Division Diverting the + Enemy's Attention on the Rappahannock.--March + Through Thoroughfare Gap.--Haymarket to the + Relief of Jackson's Men.--The Fight on the + 29th.--Battle of August 30, 1862.--Kemper + Commands Division, Corse Leads the Brigade.-- + Pope Defeated.--Casualties.--Rainstorm and + March Through Leesburg to White's Ford.-- + Crossing the Potomac.--The Cry "Back to + Washington" and not "On to Richmond."-- + "Maryland, My Maryland," "Bonnie Blue Flag." + --Halt at Monocacy Bridge 123 + + XIII. A Soldier's Equipment.--Washing His Clothes.--How + He Ate and Slept.--March Through Frederick.-- + Middletown.--Hagerstown.--A Soldier in Active + Service in the Field.--What He Possesses.-- + Indications of Southern Sympathy.--The Return + from Hagerstown.--Battle of Boonsboro and + Casualties.--Retreat to Sharpsburg 135 + + XIV. Number of Men for Action in Kemper's Brigade. + --General D. R. Jones' Division.--Confederate + Cavalry.--General Lee Playing Bluff with McClellan. + --The Opening of the Battle.--Burnside's Attack + and Repulse.--Casualties.--Re-crossing the + Potomac 145 + + XV. From Winchester to Culpeper.--Reorganization + of the Army.--What Happened at Culpeper.--To + Fredericksburg and Battle There.--In Winter + Quarters.--Incidents of the Camp 163 + + XVI. Leaving Camp.--March Through Spottsylvania.-- + Louisa.--Hanover, Petersburg.--First North + Carolina Campaign.--Heavy Snowfall and Battle. + --Accident to Anderson Meadows Near Chester. + --Camp Near Petersburg.--Gardner Exchanges + Hats.--Lieutenant Stone in a Box.--To Weldon, + Goldsboro and Kinston.--At Suffolk, Virginia; + Return via Petersburg, Chester, Richmond, to + Taylorsville.--John, the Drummer Boy.--Professor + Hughes, Frank Burrows, and Others.--Across the + Pamunkey, Return and to Culpeper 177 + + XVII. Pennsylvania Campaign of July, 1863.--Culpeper + and Snicker's Gap.--Fording the Potomac.-- + Shooting a Deserter.--Pennsylvania Invaded.-- + Chambersburg.--My Dream.--Willoughby Run.--Roll + Call 191 + + XVIII. Finishing Roll Call.--March to the Field.-- + Inspection of Arms.--Fearful Artillery Duel. + --The Charge.--Killed and Wounded.--Army + Retires.--Crosses the Potomac 199 + + XIX. Sketches and Incidents While a Wounded Prisoner. + --How Long in the Field Hospital.--The Walk to + Gettysburg and Kindness Shown Me By a Federal + Captain.--In Box Cars and Ride to Baltimore. + --What Occurred in Baltimore.--To Chester, + Pa.--Dr. Schafer and Another.--Paroled and + Back to Dixie 221 + + XX. Return to My Command.--Long Stay at Taylorsville + in November and December, 1863, and Part of + January, 1864.--Dr. Blackwell's Address.--Our + Second North Carolina Campaign.--General and + Mrs. Pickett and Baby George.--Back in Virginia. + --The Advance to Newbern.--Capture and Execution + of Deserters.--In Camp at Goldsboro.--Shooting + a Confederate Deserter.--The Shoemaker's Letter. + --Wilmington and Mouth of Cape Fear.--Return and + to Tarboro.--The Capture of Plymouth, N.C.--To + Washington and Newbern.--Return to Virginia 231 + + XXI. Battle of Dreury's Bluff.--The Forces Engaged. + --Casualties.--The Pursuit of General Butler's + Troops.--Bombardment at Howlett's House.--The + Wounding of Lieutenant John W. Mullins.--His + Death.--Withdrawal from Howlett's House 247 + + XXII. To Richmond.--Captured Flags.--Affair at + Milford.--Tom Yowell's Yarn.--Hanover Junction. + --North Anna.--Cold Harbor.--John A. Hale and + His Prisoner.--Malvern Hill 259 + + XXIII. From Malvern Hill to the South of the James. + --Engagement at Clay's House.--Bermuda Hundred + Line.--Christmas Dinner.--Our Southern Women. + --Close of 1864 267 + + XXIV. Religion in the Army.--Doctors Pryor, Fontaine + Stiles.--General Pendleton.--Young Men's Christian + Association.--Frazier, our Preaching-Fighting + Chaplain 285 + + XXV. From January, 1865, to Close of Battle of Five + Forks--Gloomy Outlook at the Opening of the Year. + --The Peace Commissioners.--Spirit of the Army. + --A. L. Fry as Regimental Clerk and Historian. + --Trouble in Company D.--Activity Within the + Federal Lines.--General Pendleton's Speech.-- + Early's Small Force Defeated at Waynesboro.-- + Sheridan's Raid 297 + + XXVI. South of the James.--Battles of Dinwiddie and + Five Forks 307 + + XXVII. The Retreat.--Battle of Sailor's Creek.--Captured 321 + +XXVIII. To Prison at Point Lookout, Maryland.--Prison + Life.--Release.--Home 335 + + XXIX. The Conclusion.--War Ends.--The Return to Civil + Pursuits.--The Confederate Soldier 349 + + + + +Portraits + + + Page + +David E. Johnston, 16 years old, in Confederate uniform +and off for the war Frontispiece + +Captain James H. French 32 + +Lieutenant Eustace Gibson 64 + +Captain Robert H. Bane 80 + +Lieutenant Elisha M. Stone 112 + +Lieutenant John W. Mullins 144 + +Corporal Jesse B. Young 208 + +Lieutenant Thomas S. Taylor 240 + +Rev. J. Tyler Frazier 272 + +David E. Johnston, Brigadier-General, Confederate Veterans, +and David E. J. Wilson, Captain and Aide-de-Camp 304 + + + + +Chapter I + +Pre-election Statement as to Mr. Lincoln. + +The Presidential Election in November, 1860. + +Fear and Anxiety. + +At School with Rev. J. W. Bennett, in Winter 1860 and Spring 1861. + +Debating Society. + +Some Recollections of Colonel Chambers and Others. + +Strong State Rights Ideas. + +Desire to Become a Soldier. + +The Anticipation and the Reality. + +Return Home. + +War Talk and Feeling. + + +As a boy, but little more than fifteen years of age, I heard and +learned much of the pre-election news, as well as read newspapers, +by which I was impressed with the thought that Mr. Lincoln was a +very homely, ugly man, was not at all prepossessing, some of the +newspapers caricaturing him as the "Illinois Ape," "Vulgar Joker +of Small Caliber," and much other of the same kind of silly rubbish +was said and published. Some of the negroes inquired if he was +sure enough a black man. They had heard him spoken of as a "Black +Republican." + +At the election in November, 1860, Mr. Lincoln, the Abolition-Republican +candidate, was chosen President, which caused great anxiety and alarm +throughout the Southern states--in fact, in other parts of the country. +This fear was intensified later by Mr. Lincoln's utterances in his +inaugural address, of which more will be said in later chapter. + +Late in the Fall of 1860, and in the early Spring of 1861, I was at +school on Brush Creek, in the County of Monroe, Virginia, under the +preceptorship of Rev. James W. Bennett, a ripe scholar and genial +Christian gentleman. I do not think I progressed as rapidly as I might, +most probably on account of some things that tended to distract my +attention from my studies. Toward the ending of the school there was +much talk about secession and war; in fact, it was the theme of +every-day conversation. Even the boys in the school talked learnedly +about the questions, and were divided in opinion much in the same +proportion as their fathers, guardians and neighbors. + +As day after day passed and something new was constantly happening, the +feeling and excitement became more intense. As the war clouds began to +arise and seemingly to overshadow us, the mutterings of the distant +thunder could be heard in the angry words of debate and discussion in +the councils of the country, and at home among the extreme advocates of +secession on the one hand, and those holding extreme views opposed to +the principle and policy of secession on the other. This was not +confined to the men alone, but, as before stated, the school boys were +would-be statesmen, and in Mr. Bennett's school organized a debating +society, in which was most frequently discussed the question, "Shall +Virginia Secede from the Union?"--the question being generally decided +in the negative. + +The meetings of the society were frequently attended by some of the men +of the neighborhood, and among them were Col. William Chambers, Major +Arnett, and Captain Shue. Colonel Chambers was a fierce, bold, +determined, and uncompromising Union man, opposed to secession in any +and every form or name in which it could be presented, while Major +Arnett and Captain Shue were much of the same way of thinking, but more +conservative in their utterances. These men and others frequently took +part in the debate and sometimes sat as judges. + +When I took part in the discussion it was generally on the affirmative, +in favor of secession, my sentiments and convictions leading me in that +direction, though as a matter of fact my ideas were very crude, as I +knew little of the matter, not having at that time attained my +sixteenth year. I had only caught from my uncle, Chapman I. Johnston, +who had been educated and trained in the State Rights school of +politics, some faint ideas of the questions involved in the threatened +rupture. + +Naturally following my early impressions, I became and was a strong +believer in and an advocate of State Rights, and secession, without +fair comprehension of what was really meant by the terms. My youthful +mind was inspired by the thought that I lived in the South, among a +southern people in thought, feeling and sentiment, that their interests +were my interests, their assailants and aggressors were equally mine, +their country my country,--a land on which fell the rays of a southern +sun, and that the dews which moistened the graves of my ancestors fell +from a southern sky; and not only this, but the patriotic songs, and +the thought of becoming a soldier, with uniform and bright buttons, +marching to the sound of martial music, a journey to Richmond, all +animated and enthused me and had the greatest tendency to induce and +influence me to become a soldier. Grand anticipations! Fearful reality! + +When thinking of this, I am reminded of the story of Bill Douthat of +our Company, who, after trying the realities of war and soldier life +for a part of one year, returned home, and being strictly inquired of +as to what war was, what it meant, or how he liked it, answered, "Well, +gentlemen, I have seen the elephant; don't want to see him any more." +And after having tried it, I think I can truthfully say that Bill +expressed fully our views on the subject. + +Leaving school about the last days of March or the first days of April, +I returned to my uncle's house. + +Although Virginia had not yet seceded, there was an abundance of war +talk, and some of the people were rapidly coming to the conclusion that +war was inevitable, and that the only way the controversy could or +would be settled was by resort to arms, an appeal to the King of +Battles,--a submission to the arbitrament of the sword. + +Volunteer military organizations already existed in various parts of +the state; perhaps there was scarcely a county or city in the +Commonwealth that did not have at least one organized volunteer +company. + +Many overzealous persons declared their purpose to unite their fortunes +with the states which had already seceded, whatever the course of +Virginia might be, and many of these zealots were so much afraid that +there would be no war, or none in Virginia, that they hurried south; +however, the ardor of at least some of them became somewhat frigid as +the war became flagrant, until it is believed it fell below the +freezing point, and some of them going over to the enemy; helped stir +up the strife, then ran away, and let the other fellows do the +fighting. + + + + +Chapter II + +Giles County, its Formation and Early Settlers. + +Its Geographical Position, Topography and Population in 1860. + +State of Political Parties. + +Election of Delegate to the Convention. + + +Giles County, named for Hon. William B. Giles, once Governor of +Virginia, was created in 1806 out of the territory of Montgomery, +Tazewell, and Monroe counties; the county town or seat of justice, +Pearisburg, being named in honor of Col. George Pearis, a soldier of +the American Revolution, who donated to the county the land on which +the town is located. Colonel Pearis was a descendent of a French +Hugenot, and was born in the State of South Carolina, February 16, +1746. In a battle with the Tories at Shallow Ford of the Yadkin, North +Carolina, on the 14th day of October, 1780, he was wounded in the +shoulder, which disabled him for further military service, and on +reaching Virginia sought shelter with some relations on the New River, +at a place since known as Pepper's Ferry. + +The settlement of what is now the territory of Giles County began at a +period anterior to the American Revolution, perhaps as early as 1755, +if not a few years before that date. Among the early settlers of Giles +County were the Lybrooks, Snidows, Harmans, Halls, Napiers, McComas', +Clays, Pearis', Peters', Hales McKenseys, Chapmans, Frenches, +Johnstons, Shumates, Hatfields, Adkins', Hares, Pecks, Hughes', +Wilburns, Shannons, and Banes, who were of Scot-Irish, German, Hugenot +and English blood, many of them suffering much from Indian incursions. + +The population of this county, in 1860, was 6816, of whom 6038 were +free white persons. The county is situated in the midst of the great +Appalachian chain or range of mountains, distant from Richmond some +three hundred miles. Its length, thirty, by a mean width of twenty +miles. New River flows through it in a north-west direction, the chief +tributaries of which, in Giles County, are the Sinking, Walker's, Wolf, +Big Stony, and Little Stony creeks. Its principal mountains, Walker's, +Sugar Run, Angel's Rest, Wolf Creek, East River, Peters' and Salt Pond, +which are high, rugged, and precipitous. The streams are rapid, and the +surface of the country, other than the river and creek bottoms, +generally rough and broken, but the soil rich and fertile. The +population in 1861 was made up of sturdy, liberty-loving, hardy +mountaineers, engaged chiefly in agricultural pursuits, where brave men +are bred, accustomed to the chase and the use of firearms, which fitted +them for the hardships and privations of soldier life. + +Politically, in 1860 and the early part of 1861, the county was fairly +evenly divided between the democratic and whig parties, with perhaps a +slight preponderance in favor of the democrats, the great body of whom, +with the State Rights whigs, being intensely southern in character, but +opposed to extreme measures, or hasty action. + +In January, 1861, the legislature ordered an election for delegates to +a convention to consider the critical condition of the country, said +election to be held on the 4th day of February, at which in Giles +County Mr. Manilius Chapman was elected over Mr. Charles D. Peck by a +small majority. The convention assembled in Richmond on the 13th of +February, of which more hereafter. + + + + +Chapter III + +What Will Not Be Attempted Herein. + +How the Southern People Viewed the Situation. + +Virginia as Peace Maker. + +The Peace Conference and Its Failure. + +Geographical, Territorial Position. + +Assembling of the Convention and Its Action. + +Mr. Lincoln's Attitude and Call for Troops. + +Adoption of the Ordinance of Secession. + +Preparations for Defense. + + +It is not herein attempted to record the causes which led to the +withdrawal of the Southern States from the Federal Compact of Union +framed by the Deputies of twelve of the Thirteen Original States, in +the City of Philadelphia on the 17th day of September, 1787, afterwards +acceded to and ratified by the states acting by and through conventions +of the sovereign people of the states entering into and forming the +Compact. Neither will it be discussed whether Secession is a violation +of the Constitution, nor whether it is or is not prohibited to the +states and no power granted or delegated to the Federal agent to +prevent it. It seems no longer a practical question, hence no +good purpose could be subserved by a discussion thereof. Some of +the arguments, however, of the Southern people are reproduced to +show how they viewed the question at the period of which I am +writing,--especially what Virginia people said and thought on the +subject. + +In his inaugural address, Mr. Lincoln had declared his purpose to +repossess the forts which had been seized by troops of the seceded +states, reading to the Virginia Commissioners on April 13th a paper +setting forth his views declaring his purpose to coerce the seceded +States. By the Southern people this declaration by Mr. Lincoln was +construed as a purpose to wage immediate war of subjugation against the +South; in fact, no other meaning could be given to what he said. + +Many of the Southern states did not want to leave the Union, abhorred +war, and especially was this true of Virginia. She therefore hesitated +before taking the step which was to separate her from that Union she +had contributed so much to create. Virginia, therefore, made overtures +to the government at Washington for an amicable and peaceful solution +of the questions agitating the country, which, if not adjusted, would +soon plunge the nation into the dreadful war to which we were rapidly +drifting. Virginia took the lead in the matter of pacification, by a +resolution of her legislature passed early in the month of January, +1861, recommending each of the states to appoint commissioners to a +convention, the object of which should be "to adjust the present +unhappy controversies." This proposition met the approval of President +Buchanan. Most of the states, save those which had then seceded, +responded by appointing delegates. In pursuance of this call, the +convention met in Washington, February 4, 1861, choosing John Tyler of +Virginia, chairman of the convention. After some three weeks' +deliberation, this "Peace Congress" submitted a number of propositions, +amendments to the Constitution. These propositions, together with most, +if not all overtures, came to naught, were rejected by the congress and +the party then in control of affairs at Washington. + +On December 20th the State of South Carolina had seceded from the +Union, affirming and claiming that she, with her sister Southern +states, could no longer live on equal terms and in peace in that Union +and under that Constitution which many of the Northern states did not +hesitate to violate whenever it suited their interests; and further +insisting that there had been a powerful party organized in the North, +upon principles of ambition and fanaticism, whose purpose was to divert +the Federal Government from the external, and turn its power upon the +internal interests and domestic institutions of the Southern states; +that they had thus in the Northern states a party whose avowed object +not only threatened the peace but the existence of nearly one-half of +the states of the Republic; that this same party in the North proposed +to inaugurate a president, at the head of the Army and Navy, with vast +powers, not to preside over the common interests and destinies of all +the states alike, but upon partisan issues of avowed hostility, with +relentless war to be waged upon the rights and peace of half the states +of the Union. + +This is but a faint picture of what awaited the Southern states, as +they saw it, upon the coming into power of a sectional party, with Mr. +Lincoln as chief magistrate, whose inaugural address clearly +foreshadowed war. + +After repeated demands made by South Carolina, and after several +ineffectual attempts by negotiation for the surrender of Fort Sumter, +and a Federal fleet had sailed and was then off the harbor of +Charleston, for the reinforcing and provisioning of the garrison, it is +claimed that treachery and duplicity of the Federal government had been +used to deceive the state authorities of South Carolina as to the +surrender of the fort. + +It was therefore decided to reduce the fort; hence, on the 12th day of +April, 1861, the bombardment commenced, the news of which fired the +Northern heart, notwithstanding the well known principle that it is not +always he who strikes the first blow that is the aggressor, but he who +by his conduct or act forces that blow to be given. However, the shot +had been fired which aroused the whole country to the highest pitch of +excitement, with seemingly no way to allay it. The war was on. + +Let us return to the Virginia convention which assembled in Richmond +February 13th. These were momentous days. This historic body, composed +of the ablest and best men from the Commonwealth of Virginia, carefully +considered the grave issues involved, the fearful consequences of civil +strife. Upon the best authority it is averred that two-thirds of the +men composing this convention were opposed to secession, and preferred +to remain in the Union. + +A committee on Federal Relations was appointed, which, on the 10th day +of March, reported fourteen resolutions, as follows: protesting against +all interference with slavery; declaring secession to be a right; +defining the grounds on which Virginia would feel herself to be +justified in exercising that right, namely: the failure to obtain +guarantees; the adoption of a warlike policy by the government of the +United States, or to reinforce, or recapture the Southern forts. These +resolves clearly defined the attitude of Virginia at this critical +moment. After serious discussion pro and con, all but the last of these +resolves had passed the convention, when the news was received that the +bombardment of Fort Sumter had begun. + +Virginia was still for peace and the Union, endeavoring by every means +within her power to avert the awful calamity of civil war. Her +territorial limits were extensive, reaching from the northeast point of +North Carolina northwestward nearly five hundred miles to a point +within about one hundred miles of Lake Erie, practically separating the +eastern from the western states of the Union; hence her geographical +position entitled her to and gave her great power and influence toward +a settlement of the impending trouble. It was then claimed,--which was +no doubt true,--that the Federal Administration was anxious to see her +shorn of her power, which in a measure was accomplished by her +dismemberment, by the formation of West Virginia out of her territory, +and this by the aid of the Federal power. + +Virginia's son was foremost in fanning the flames of revolution, +leading to the overthrow of British tyranny and the establishment of +American independence. Her son had written the Declaration of +Independence. Her son had led the Continental armies during the +Revolution, and her son was active in the framing and ratification of +the Federal Constitution. Virginia had been among the first to suggest +and to assist in creating the compact of union. + +To the Confederated states and in the spirit of patriotism and +confidence in the continuance of good will, she had given to the Union +her north-west territory, an empire within itself, out of which six or +more states have been formed. She had furnished seven presidents to the +Republic. + +It was on the 15th day of April that Mr. Lincoln issued his call for +seventy-five thousand troops. Virginia's quota, 2400, were to +rendezvous at points in Virginia, thus placing armed soldiers in her +territory, though still in the Union, her convention a few days +previous having refused to secede by a vote of 89 to 45. This act of +Mr. Lincoln was construed by our people as an act of war, and without +authority, that power being vested in Congress alone. + +Thus it will be seen that all the efforts made by Virginia to preserve +the Union and peace had been defeated, Mr. Lincoln having pronounced +secession unlawful and void. Virginia was a Southern state, in sympathy +with her sister states of the South, and could not be induced to make +war on them, nor on the Northern states of the Union. The conduct of +the Federal Administration had not only forced her out of the Union, +but to take sides in the impending crisis. It was not a Southern +Confederacy that Virginia sought or her people fought for, but to +uphold and maintain the integrity and sovereignty of the state, and +this necessarily meant separate government. I am sure at no time did +the people of Virginia think of becoming the aggressors upon the rights +of the other states of the Federal Union. + +The issue was, therefore, squarely presented. Virginia must decide on +which side she would stand. "Choose ye this day whom ye will serve," +was the alternative. There was no middle ground, no neutral position, +no evading the issue. Against her persistent attachment to the Union, +the strongest appeals and bitterest denunciations, Virginia remained +unmoved. + +When her voice and her pleadings were no longer heard, the news of the +bombardment of Fort Sumter, and Mr. Lincoln's call for troops, reached +the convention, the supreme moment had come. The die was cast. There +could be no further hesitation. On April 17th the Ordinance of +Secession, amid anguish and tears, was adopted by a vote of 81 to 51. + +The call for troops by the President brought an immediate change in the +current of public opinion in Virginia from the mountains to the sea. + +The Ordinance of Secession was ratified by the people on the 23d day of +May by a majority of 96,750 out of a total vote of 161,018. + +Virginians having now made their decision to defend themselves and +their state, hastened to arms with ardor and a determined spirit of +resistance. + + + + +Chapter IV + +Organization of Volunteer Forces. + +Giles Not Behind Her Sister Counties. + +A Company Organized at Pearisburg, with James H. French as Captain; +Eustace Gibson, First Lieutenant; William A. Anderson, Second +Lieutenant; and Joel Blackard, Second Junior Lieutenant; Captains James +D. Johnston and R. F. Watts on the Committee to Purchase Uniforms, etc. + +The Ladies of the Town and Country. + +In Barracks and on Drill. + +Anecdote. + +Dixie. + +Our March to Wolf Creek. + +Presentation of Bible and Flag. + + +On learning of the adoption of the Ordinance of Secession by the +convention, the country was ablaze with the wildest excitement, and +preparations for war began in earnest. Volunteer organizations of +troops were forming all over the state. Why and wherefore, may be +asked. Not to attack the Federal Government, to fight the Northern +states, but only to defend Virginia in the event of invasion by a +Northern army. There was at this time in the county, already organized +and fairly drilled, the volunteer company of Capt. William Eggleston, +of New River White Sulphur Springs. Pearisburg and the region +roundabout in the most part received the news of the secession of the +state with apparent relief and gladness, and immediately James H. +French, Esq., of Pearisburg, a lawyer and staunch, bold Southern man in +education, sentiment and feeling, assisted by others, commenced the +enlistment of a company of volunteer infantry to serve for the period +of twelve months from the date of being mustered into service, +believing that war, if it should come, would not last longer than one +year. Enlisting men for war was something new; people are always ready +to try something new, and as our people were possessed of a martial +spirit, this, together with the excitement and enthusiasm of the +occasion, made it no difficult matter to enroll a full company in an +incredibly short time. Names were readily obtained, among them my own. +I had to go with the boys,--my neighbors and schoolmates, little +thinking, or in the remotest degree anticipating, the terrible +hardships and privations which would have to be endured in the four +years which followed. The idea then prevalent among our people was that +we were not to be absent a great while; that there would probably be no +fighting; that Mr. Lincoln was not really in earnest about attempting +to coerce the seceded states, and if he was, a few Southern men would +suffice to put to rout the hordes of Yankeedom. If, however, the +Northern people were intent upon war, our people were ready to meet +them, because thoroughly aroused. + +Our people had by this time arrived at the conclusion that war was +inevitable; no settlement on peaceable and honorable terms could be +had. They had therefore left the Union, which seemed to them the only +alternative. Consequently we felt obliged to appeal to the sword for +the settlement of questions which statesmanship had failed to solve; +yet always willing to make a child's bargain with the Northern +people,--"You leave us alone and we will leave you alone." Extravagant +utterances and speeches were made as to Southern prowess. It was even +said that one Southern man could whip five Yankees; that the old women +of the country with corn-cutters could drive a host of Yankees away; +but the people who made these assertions knew little of what they were +saying, for ere the war had long progressed we found we had our hands +full, and it soon became evident that we might like to find someone to +help us let go. + +The organization of the company which afterwards became Company D, 7th +Virginia regiment, took place April 25, 1861. The only contest for +office worth relating was for the captaincy, which was between James H. +French and Andrew J. Grigsby, and resulted in the election of the +former. The following is a complete roster of the company, with dates +of enlistment, rank, etc., to be followed later by a tabulated +statement of losses in battle, by disease, desertion, discharge, +etc.: + + ROSTER OF COMPANY D, 7TH VIRGINIA INFANTRY. + + Date of enlistment. Name. Rank. + + 1861--April James H. French Captain + 1861--April Eustace Gibson First Lieutenant + 1861--April W. A. Anderson, Sec. Lieutenant + 1861--April J. Blackard, Second Jr. Lieutenant + 1861--April Allen C. Pack First Sergeant + 1861--April John W. Mullins Second Sergeant + 1861--April Joseph C. Hughes Third Sergeant + 1861--April Wm. D. Peters Fourth Sergeant + 1861--April Hamilton J. Hale Fifth Sergeant + 1861--April Allen L. Fry First Corporal + 1861--April Elisha M. Stone Second Corporal + 1861--April T. N. Mustain Third Corporal + 1861--April John W. Hight Fourth Corporal + 1861--April David C. Akers Private + 1861--August George W. Akers Private + 1861--August William R. Albert Private + 1861--August Daniel Bish Private + 1861--August Allen M. Bane Private + 1861--August Robert H. Bane Private + 1861--April Joseph E. Bane Private + 1861--August Jesse Barrett Private + 1861--April Alexander Bolton Private + 1861--August Travis Burton Private + 1861--August William H. Carr Private + 1861--August James M. Collins Private + 1861--April John R. Crawford Private + 1863--March William Crawford Private + 1861--April James B. Croy Private + 1861--April James Cole Private + 1865--January D. E. Dulaney Private + 1861--April M. J. Dulaney Private + 1861--August Tim P. Darr Private + 1861--April John S. Dudley Private + 1861--April William H. Douthat Private + 1861--April Thomas Davenport Private + 1861--August David Davis Private + 1861--April Elbert S. Eaton Private + 1861--April Elisha D. East Private + 1861--April John W. East Private + 1861--April Joseph Eggleston Private + 1861--April James H. Eggleston Private + 1861--April Francis H. Farley Private + 1861--April William C. Fortner Private + 1861--April James H. Fortner Private + 1861--April Jacob Tyler Frazier Private + 1861--April William Frazier Private + 1861--August Creed D. Frazier Private + 1861--April William A. French Private + 1861--April John S. W. French Private + 1861--August Andrew J. French Private + 1861--April James H. Gardner Private + 1861--August Francis M. Gordon Private + 1861--April Andrew J. Grigsby Private + 1861--April Charles A. Hale Private + 1861--April John A. Hale Private + 1861--April John D. Hare Private + 1861--April Isaac Hare Private + 1861--April James B. Henderson Private + 1861--August John Henderson Private + 1861--Mar. 1862 Baldwin L. Hoge Private + 1861--April 1861 James Hughes Private + 1861--April James J. Hurt Private + 1861--April George W. Hurt Private + 1861--April John F. Jones Private + 1861--April Manelius S. Johnston Private + 1861--August George Johnston Private + 1861--April David E. Johnston Private + 1861--April George Knoll Private + 1861--April Charles N. J. Lee Private + 1861--April Joseph Lewy Private + 1861--April Henry Lewy Private + 1861--April William H. Layton Private + 1861--April James Lindsey Private + 1861--April Patrick H. Lefler Private + 1861--August Anderson Meadows Private + 1861--August Ballard P. Meadows Private + 1861--April John Meadows Private + 1861--April Newton J. Morris Private + 1862--March Christian Minnich Private + 1861--April George A. Minnich Private + 1861--April John H. Minnich Private + 1861--April Absalom D. Manning Private + 1861--April Raleigh Merricks Private + 1861--April Tapley P. Mays Private + 1861--April John Q. Martin Private + 1861--April John H. Martin Private + 1861--August Wiley W. Muncey Private + 1861--August George C. Mullins Private + 1862--March James J. Nye Private + 1861--April John Palmer Private + 1861--August Charles W. Peck Private + 1861--April John W. Sarver Private + 1861--April Demarcus L. Sarver Private + 1861--April Josephus Southern Private + 1861--April Samuel B. Shannon Private + 1861--April Joseph C. Shannon Private + 1861--April William H. H. Snidow Private + 1861--April John P. Sublett Private + 1861--April William T. Sublett Private + 1861--April Lewis R. Skeens Private + 1861--April Alexander Skeens Private + 1861--April Joseph Skeens Private + 1861--April Amos L. Sumner Private + 1861--August Thomas J. Stafford Private + 1861--August William H. Stafford Private + 1863--January Ralph M. Stafford Private + 1861--April Andrew J. Thompson Private + 1861--August Adam Thompson Private + 1861--August Alonzo Thompson Private + 1861--April Thomas S. L. Taylor Private + 1861--April Lee E. Vass Private + 1861--April Washington R. C. Vass Private + 1861--April Elijah R. Walker Private + 1861--April Lewis N. Wiley Private + 1861--April Gordon L. Wilburn Private + 1861--April Ballard P. Watts Private + 1861--April Hugh J. Wilburn Private + 1861--August William I. Wilburn Private + 1861--April Edward Z. Yager Private + 1861--April Thomas J. Young Private + 1861--August Isaac Young Private + 1861--April Jesse B. Young Private + + Whole number of enlisted officers and men, 122. + +[Illustration: James Harvey French] + +Upon the company being organized, a committee was appointed by the +county court to purchase uniforms and blankets. This committee, which +was composed, as now recollected, of Captains James D. Johnston and R. +F. Watts, acted promptly, and the materials for the uniforms were soon +on hand. The ladies of the town and surrounding country went to work in +earnest and with energy to make our outfits. Herculean as was the task, +they accomplished it in an incredibly short time, and we soon donned +our bright new clothes, with nice brass buttons, and began to think +ourselves soldiers in fact. We occupied as barracks the large frame +building on the south-east side of the town, the same lately owned and +occupied by Capt. James D. Johnston as a residence. While here we +usually had daily squad and company drill, conducted by the +accomplished Captain W. W. McComas, then a practicing physician, who +had been a soldier in the Mexican War, and who, after the departure of +our company, raised and organized a company of which he was made +captain. He fell at his post in the forefront of the battle of South +Mills, North Carolina, April 19, 1862. He, like many others, died too +soon for his country's good, and his friends were greatly grieved and +distressed over his untimely death. + +During the period which elapsed between the organization and departure +for Lynchburg, the designated place of rendezvous, and while in +barracks, "the boys," as we were wont to call ourselves, played many +pranks upon each other, one of which is worth relating. A sham or mock +election was held for the election of a fifth Lieutenant, the choice +falling on a very credulous member of the company, who, after the +announcement of his election, became quite anxious to know what the +duties of his office required of him,--which we, also ignorant of +military duties, were unable to answer. With his consent, it was agreed +to refer the solution of the matter to Lieutenant Anderson, who was +always full of wit and humor, ever ready with answer, and always +enjoyed a good joke. Upon the arrival of the Lieutenant, the question +was promptly referred to him, and without pausing he promptly answered, +"His duties are to carry water and catch fleas out of the soldiers' +beds." This seemed satisfactory to the newly elected Lieutenant, and +doubtless, as was afterwards demonstrated--for he always obeyed orders +and did his duty--he would have proceeded to perform his prescribed +duties as explained by Lieutenant Anderson, had not some one told him +that it was all a joke and a sell. + +Early in May we were invited to a dinner prepared for us by the good +people living at and near the mouth of Wolf Creek, whither we marched, +partook of a bountiful repast, and returned to our barracks. During our +stay in barracks at Pearisburg, as before stated, we were frequently +drilled by Captain McComas, who attempted to teach us to keep the step +and to cheer, or huzzah. The latter was no easy task, for in fact we +never did learn uniformity in the "huzzah," but gradually drifted into +that wild "rebel yell," as it was called, which so often sent a thrill +of horror into the Yankee ranks, and the memory of which brings a cold +chill over those fellows yet! "Dixie," "Bonnie Blue Flag" and other +patriotic songs, sung by the choir of the company, greatly enthused us, +but "Dixie" had more music in it than all others put together, and it +has ever been so, even to this good day. + +As all people of all lands are more or less fond of "flag worship," it +was altogether fit and proper that the company should have a suitable +emblem or flag, and the women, always first in every good work, +determined to present to the company a flag and a Bible. Both were soon +ready, and it was determined to have a formal presentation of each. +Miss Mary Woodram, now the widow of Dr. James O'Keiffe, presented the +flag, and the pupils of Pearisburg Academy the Bible, which was placed +in the custody of Jacob Tyler Frazier, who had been selected as +chaplain, the flag being delivered to Joseph Edward Bane, the company's +ensign. J. Smoot Dennis, a boy of only seven years of age, a pupil of +the school, presented the Bible, in the following little speech: + +"The teachers and pupils of Pearisburg Academy beg leave to present +this copy of the Holy Scriptures to our magnificent 'Mountain Boomers' +as an expression of our confidence in their Christian faith and +patriotism." + +To which the chaplain responded: + +"On behalf of the 'Mountain Boomers' I accept this book, knowing it to +be the Word of God. I shall read it with care and diligence, and on all +suitable occasions will endeavor to explain and enforce its claims. +Should any of our band fall sick in camp, or be wounded on the field, +then from the great treasure of its precious promises I will bring balm +for the suffering, and point them to Him whose mission to earth was to +bind up the broken-hearted and save that which was lost. If the Pale +Horse and his Rider should overtake any of us in a distant land, we +will rest in hope of the glorious appearing of Him who is the +Resurrection and the Life, and with whom we shall be gathered into that +land which no foe invades, and where friends are parted no more." + + + + +Chapter V + +The Election for the Ratification of the Ordinance of Secession Was +Held on the Fourth Thursday of May, the 23d. On That Day Members of the +House of Delegates, and Perhaps Other Officers Were to be Elected. + +Our Departure. + +Lynchburg and to Manassas Junction. + + +The total vote (1033) in Giles County was cast in favor of the +ratification of the Ordinance of Secession. Captain William Eggleston +was elected to the House of Delegates over Dr. John W. Easley by a +majority of 234 votes. Our departure for the rendezvous was delayed for +the purpose of giving such members of the company as were entitled to +vote the opportunity to do so. To avoid delay and to furnish means to +carry us to the railway station twenty-one miles away, preparations +were made in advance to transport us in wagons. + +The day arrived at last. It was a lovely May morning; the sun shone in +all his splendor, the birds sang, all nature seemed to smile, and there +was nothing to indicate that this should be the last farewell for many +noble Giles County boys to home, friends, and loved ones. We seemed to +be going on a holiday journey, to return in a few days. But alas! when +the time of departure arrived, what a change of scene! The town was +being filled with people,--the fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, +wives, relatives, friends and lovers of the men and boys who were +starting on the errand of war. Here was a fond and loving mother +clinging to her baby boy, weeping, sobbing, praying the Father of all +Mercies to protect and preserve the life of her darling child, amidst +the fury and storm of battle. There stood the patriotic, gray haired +father, the tears trickling down his cheeks, giving to his beloved son +words of comfort, begging that he act the man, be brave, do his duty, +refrain from bad habits, and to shun all appearance of evil. A loving +sister might be seen with her arms around a brother's neck, reminding +him of her love and attachment, and her grief and sorrow at parting +from one with whom she had been associated from childhood's days, upon +whom she had leaned for protection, and upon whom her fondest hopes for +the future rested, and whose face she was, in all probability, gazing +upon for the last time. Ears were not deaf to the mutual promises and +plighted faith of lovers, of what they hoped one day should be +realized. Nor were eyes dim to the parting glances and silent tears, +for scarcely could be found an eye that was not bathed in tears on this +occasion. It was weeping, shaking of hands, "goodbye," and "God bless +you;" and thus the scene continued until the long train of wagons drove +us away. + +On reaching the residence of that hospitable gentleman, Thomas Shannon, +ten miles away, we found in his orchard near the spring a long table on +which was spread a splendid dinner. After partaking thereof, and +resting a short time, we resumed our journey towards Dublin, arriving +there at sunset. Assembling near the station, we were addressed by +Colonel Pogue and Mr. Frank Wysor, whose speeches were well timed and +patriotic, which, together with the good supper furnished us, had the +effect to dispel in some degree the gloom and sadness of the morning. +At eleven o'clock P.M. we boarded the train for Lynchburg, arriving +there at sunrise next morning. With us were Robinson and Hurt, drummer +and fifer, who kept us well supplied with music during that long +night's ride. Crowded closely in the coaches, unaccustomed to riding on +the cars, and sleeping none, we found ourselves on reaching Lynchburg +pretty badly used up. Falling into line at the station, we marched up +Bridge street to Main, then to a back street above, going into quarters +in a tobacco warehouse, where we remained but a day and night; then to +the fair grounds, or Camp Davis, as it was called. There we were joined +by Captain Eggleston's company, the Mercer company under Captain +Richardson, with several companies from the counties of Franklin, +Henry, Patrick, Floyd, Montgomery, and Carroll, which later formed the +24th Virginia regiment of infantry, commanded by Colonel, afterwards +Lieutenant-General Jubal A. Early, Peter Hairston, Lieut.-Col., and J. +P. Hammett as Major. Colonel Early was not in camp with us at Lynchburg +and did not join us until we reached Manassas. The camp was in charge +of Lieut.-Col. Hairston, a tall, slender, sandy-haired, blue-eyed man, +good natured, but, as we then thought, evidently better qualified to +manage his farm down in Henry County than a green military force +composed of Virginia gentlemen, unused as they were to restrictions or +restraints upon their personal liberty, and not to be broken into +harness, so to speak, in a few days. + +Our quarters were rude plank sheds with inclined rough floors; our +bedding not of feathers, but of a little straw and blankets. As no one +in the company knew anything of the art of cooking, what little was +done as a matter of course was badly done; the cooking vessels +consisting of a tin cup, camp kettle, and frying pan. Bread was +generally furnished from the bakers' shops of the city, while meat, +rice, beans, peas, etc., had to be dumped into a camp kettle and boiled +together--so that it requires no strong stretch of the imagination on +the part of the reader to realize that we had a real mess. However, +"necessity, the mother of invention," compelled us to learn how to +cook, and we were right apt scholars. + +In a few days after taking up quarters at Camp Davis, there were issued +and delivered to us Springfield muskets, bayonets, scabbards, cartridge +boxes, but no ammunition. With these muskets we performed quarter +guard, the chief objects of which seemed to be to keep the men out of +the city, and to give us some knowledge as to the handling of arms. In +accomplishing the first named purpose it was vain; the guards had +muskets, but no powder and ball, therefore if anyone were desirous of +passing the lines into the city, he had only to wait until the sentry +turned on his beat to walk away, then glide quickly across the line; +but when the sentry did catch a fellow, he usually made him stand at +the point of his bayonet, marking time, until the corporal of the guard +could answer the call and conduct the prisoner to the guardhouse. +Consequently a different remedy was resorted to by the officers, viz.: +The frequent call of the roll, by which the absentees were readily +ascertained. This had the effect of lessening the practice of going +into the city without permission. + +We remained in Lynchburg eight days, breaking camp at Camp Davis Friday +the 31st day of May, 1861, and departing that evening in freight cars +over the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, for Manassas Junction, a +distance of one hundred miles or more. After a long, tiresome, +all-night ride, we reached Manassas at sunrise on the morning of June +1st, the morning on which occurred, at Fairfax Court House, a skirmish +between the Federal and Confederate outposts, in which Capt. John Q. +Marr, of Fauquier, was killed and Major Ewell wounded. The Confederate +post at Manassas was named "Camp Pickens" in honor of Governor Pickens +of South Carolina. + + + + +Chapter VI + +Stay at the Junction. + +Organization of Twenty-fourth Regiment as Afterwards Completed. + +March to Camp Davis Ford. + +First Night on Picket. + +Alarm. + +March to the Town of Occoquan and Back Again. + +A War of Words. + +Serious Fight Imminent. + +Leaving the Twenty-fourth Regiment. + +Camp Tick Grove, and a Personal Difference. + +A More Perfect Union. + +Camp Wigfall. + +Officers of the Seventh Virginia Regiment. + +Blondeau's Shot. + +How We Cooked, Ate and Slept. + +Shannon's Bob. + +Rumors Afloat of Pending Battle. + +Three Days' Rations Cooked. + + +The day, or second day, after arriving at Manassas, began the +organization of the 24th Virginia Regiment of Infantry, with companies +from the counties of Carroll, Floyd, Montgomery, Henry, Franklin, +Patrick, Mercer and Giles, including our company, the regiment +numbering about one thousand men. In our company were J. Tyler Frazier, +the company Chaplain, Thomas S. Taylor, James B. Henderson, the +Eggleston boys, and perhaps others not now recalled, whose custom and +habit was not to retire at night until they had held devotional +exercises, thanked God for His past mercies and blessings, and asked +His care and protection during the night. This they had not failed to +do since leaving home. Taps were sounded at nine o'clock, when all +lights must be extinguished. One night at Manassas taps sounded while +the boys were at their devotions. Colonel Hairston, seeing the light in +their tent still burning, had the boys marched to the guard house; but +they were soon released. + +After two or three days at the Junction, we marched seven or eight +miles to Davis' Ford on the Occoquan river, a stream formed by the +junction of Cedar Run, Broad Run, and Bull Run, where we went into +camp, pitching tents in a field on the right of the road, behind a +skirt of pines which lined the northeast bank of the stream. The +Occoquan here is small, with high banks. The field where we camped was +barren, not even covered with grass. Our beds were mother earth, our +rations were cooked in frying pans and camp-kettles, and we had to wash +our own clothes, often without soap. + +Company drill was our daily avocation, and when well and closely +followed was quite irksome, especially in warm, sultry weather. We also +performed quarter guard and did picket duty, the latter by detachments +from the various companies, under the command of a commissioned +officer, arranged by alternate service. The picket post was nearly a +mile in advance of the camp, the small stream flowing between. + +No one but a soldier can form any proper conception of the feelings and +imaginations of a green boy performing his first night's picket duty on +the outpost, and in order to give some meager idea of such a situation, +the writer will here relate his personal experience during his first +night on the outpost. + +It must be kept in mind that the private soldier is supposed to be a +mere machine, which, if not in working order, may somewhere along the +line produce friction. This machine is supposed to know nothing but his +duty and obey orders,--the instructions of his superiors. If placed on +outpost duty and told that there is nothing in front of him but the +enemy, to keep a sharp lookout, and to warn of the approach of danger, +he is not expected to ask questions. My time came to go on duty at ten +o'clock at night. The night was cloudy and dark, but pleasant. I was +placed on the road by which it was supposed the enemy might come, and +given the countersign. From ten o'clock to twelve, midnight, was the +time I had to remain, unless the enemy captured or ran me away. What a +long two hours! The silence was oppressive. I stood peering through the +darkness, away a half a mile or more from any human being, so far as I +knew, imagining that every noise or bush shaken by the passing breeze +was a veritable foe. + +The long two hours had nearly passed away, when--hush! in the distance, +on the hard beaten road, not two hundred yards away, came the sound of +approaching hoof-beats. Yankees, of course! Who else could they be? I +had no information that any of our troops were on the road in front of +us. What should I do? To fire before challenging and alarm the camp +would be highly improper; to run away without challenging or firing +would be an act of cowardice. So, nerving myself as well as I could +under the circumstances, remembering the instructions and countersign, +I awaited the coming of the party with all the courage I then seemed +to possess. Supposing them to have approached to within some fifty +yards,--though it was most likely a hundred yards--I challenged +the party, and was answered, "Friends, with the countersign." Then +the rejoinder, "One of you dismount, come forward and give the +countersign," which was quickly done, and the party passed on; and you, +gentle reader, may be assured there was one on his first night's picket +duty who breathed with more ease. The spell was broken,--thereafter I +had less trouble when on the outpost. + +A few nights after this occurrence, the soldier on duty at this same +post discharged his musket, which aroused the camp nearly a mile away. +Such excitement was scarcely ever witnessed. The long roll sounded, +officers cried out, "Fall in! Fall in! The enemy is coming!" Had this +been true, there is little doubt that in the confusion and darkness of +the night there would have been a stampede. + +On the 10th of June we struck tents, taking up the line of march for +the village of Occoquan, in the direction of the Potomac River. Our +march was only about twelve miles,--hot, dry and dusty, through a +country scarce of water. Many a scuffle at wells that we passed took +place among the men famishing for water. Our march by the route step +was rapid, much too rapid for troops unused to marching and carrying +guns, accouterments, knapsacks, blankets and canteens, which, together, +weighed from fifty to seventy-five pounds, and which, with our heavy, +close fitting coats, made the march burdensome and cruel in the +extreme; this in part because the commandant refused to halt for rest +or to allow the men to get water. About sunset camp was reached, all +hands broken down and exhausted. Next day we marched back, our boys in +disgust, some of them quoting the King of France, who with fifty +thousand men marched up the hill and then marched down again. + +On the tramp to Occoquan occurred a difficulty between Lieutenant +Hairston and our Lieutenant Gibson, the two high bloods squaring +themselves in the road for battle, but the prompt intervention of Major +J. P. Hammett of the regiment prevented the trouble, which threatened +to involve not only the two officers but their respective companies, +and which difficulty was the cause of the transfer of our company from +the 24th to the 7th Virginia regiment. + +We rested for a few days in camp in a grove of pines not far from +Manassas, to which we gave the name of "Camp Tick Grove," from the fact +of our being nearly eaten up by the seed-ticks that infest that region. +Nothing of interest transpired while in this camp further than that the +writer had a small personal difference with a great burly fellow, which +but for the timely interference of a comrade might have resulted in +somebody getting threshed. It was a trifling affair, soon over and +forgotten. Our transfer to the 7th Virginia regiment being duly +effected, we left the "camp of terror" and at Camp Wigfall formed a +more perfect union with our new regiment, commanded by Colonel James L. +Kemper of Madison County; of which regiment Lewis B. Williams of Orange +was lieutenant-colonel, and W. T. Patton, of Culpeper, major. + +This regiment was formed of ten companies, two from Madison, two from +Rappahannock, one from Albemarle, one from Greene, one from Orange, +one from Washington, D.C., one from Culpeper, and one from +Giles--designated by letters as follows: + + Co. A, Capt. John Welch, Madison County. + Co. B, Capt. Thos. B. Massie, Rappahannock County. + Co. C, Capt. John C. Porter, Culpeper County. + Co. D, Capt. James H. French, Giles County. + Co. E, Capt. John Taylor, Culpeper and Orange Counties. + Co. F, Capt. F. M. McMullen, Greene County. + [1]Co. G, Capt. Austin Walden, Rappahannock County. + Co. H, Capt. William Cleary, District of Columbia. + Co. I, Capt. Isaac Winn, Albemarle County. + Co. K, Capt. William Lovell, Madison County. + Dr. C. Bruce Morton, Surgeon. + Rev. Mr. Bocock, Chaplain. + Rev. Mr. McCarthy, Chaplain. + Rev. Mr. J. Tyler Frazier, Acting Chaplain. + Captain Crisler, Quartermaster. + Captain Graves, Quartermaster. + Captain J. W. Green, Commissary. + The adjutants who served in the 7th Virginia were: + Charles C. Flowerree, 1861 to April, 1862. + E. B. Starke, April, 1862, to June 30, 1862. + Hugh M. Patton, ----, 1862, to August 30, 1862. + John H. Parr, September, 1862, to April, 1865. + Sergeant-Majors: + George S. Tansill, to June 30, 1862. + ---- Park, to August 30, 1862. + David E. Johnston, from November, 1862, to April, 1865.[2] + + [1] This company joined the regiment on the morning of the + day of first battle of Manassas. + + [2] I recall the names of some of the officers who came in + later as well as men, to wit: Captains W. O. Fry, Thomas Fry, + F. McMullen; J. W. Almerid, Thos. Harris, Phil S. Ashby, + Thos. G. Popham, Jas. G. Tansill; Lieutenants Porter, Jas. + Brown; Sergeants Wm. Aylor, Apperson, Parrott, Billy Fray, H. + C. Burrows and Frank Burrows. + +Camp Wigfall was situate on a beautiful upland grass plot, a short +distance southeast of Manassas, and not far from Bull Run. Here we +spent the time rather pleasantly, engaging in daily company and +battalion drill and doing picket duty on two old country roads leading +in the direction of Bull Run. + +Blondeau, the Frenchman, belonging to Company H, caused quite a stir +and excitement one night by firing his gun at an imaginary foe, which +turned out to be a cow browsing in the brush near him. The long roll +was sounded, the camp aroused, the regiment put into line, but before +this was accomplished the camp was in an uproar, one had lost his +boots, another his trousers, another his gun, etc. On the companies +reaching their positions in regimental line, ten rounds of ammunition +were ordered given each man, and non-commissioned officers directed to +make the distribution. It was often told of our Corporal Stone that +while dealing out ammunition, on the occasion referred to, one of the +men remarked to him that he was giving him more than ten caps, to which +the Corporal replied in quick, sharp tone, "Oh, it's no time to count +caps now!" Of course no one knowing the Corporal attributed his remark +to a want of courage, for no cooler, truer, braver man belonged to the +company. Such signification as it had was simply that men unused to +"war's alarms," aroused from slumber at the dead of night, would, +despite themselves, become excited and impatient, and especially so +when they momentarily expected the enemy to pounce upon them; but no +enemy came. We, however, rested on our arms the remainder of the night; +and though no foe appeared, some of the men were credited with having +seen some in the distance--on the hills, in the open fields, but on the +coming of light they were found to be merely harmless bushes. On such +occasions the imagination is naturally fertile. + +The camp becoming quiet, we settled down to old habits. Rations were +abundant, more thrown away than we consumed. Inaction was not good for +us, and numbers of men became sick and were sent to hospital. Our +soldiers, like other people, loved to sleep. If their rest was broken +or disturbed at night, by picket, quarter guard, duty, or otherwise, +they were sure to take a nap the next day, if the flies, of which there +were swarms, would allow them to snooze. If they failed to get their +nap during the day they were pretty sure to have their nocturnal +slumbers disturbed by gnats and mosquitos, especially during the warm +nights. + +Two members of our company, Samuel B. and Joseph C. Shannon, sons of +Thomas Shannon, had with them a negro servant, Bob, as their cook. Bob +was noted for his propensity for laughing, and when in a good glee he +could be heard half a mile. He was very patriotic, and declared his +purpose to go into battle with his young masters; that he could and +would fight as well as we, and shoot as many Yankees. In this Bob was +in earnest, as he believed; but ere long his courage was to be put to a +practical test, for rumors were already afloat in the camp that the +enemy was advancing and a battle impending. + +The private soldier knows little of what takes place, other than that +which comes under his immediate observation. His general was supposed +to keep his own counsels, not allowing his left hand to know what he +intended to do with his right. Later on, the private soldier of the +Civil War became often as wise about what was on hand as his superior. + +An order came to cook three days' rations, pack haversacks, and be +ready to move at a moment's notice. From this, we knew something was +up. Just what, we could not tell; however, we learned that the enemy +was advancing, and a battle to be fought. All was now activity and +preparation in the camp, and the men in high spirits and ready for the +fray. + + + + +Chapter VII + +Breaking Camp at Wigfall. + +The March to the Battlefield. + +General Beauregard and His Appearance and Advice. + +First Cannon Shot. + +Battle of Bull Run. + +The Advance. + +The Charge. + +The Wounded. + +Isaac Hare and John Q. Martin. + +Retreat of the Enemy. + +Severe Artillery Duel. + +The Dutchman and His Chunk of Fat Bacon. + +Casualties. + + +Breaking camp at Wigfall Wednesday noon, July 17, the 7th regiment +marched in the direction of McLean's ford on Bull Run, halting on the +high land nearly a mile from the Run, and going into bivouac, or rather +lying down in an uncultivated field, where we rested quietly during the +night. Moving next morning a short distance, we halted on an eminence, +overlooking Mitchell's, Blackburn's and McLean's fords, and the country +beyond, whence about noon we observed clouds of dust to the north. Very +soon after this came the sound of brisk skirmish firing, and the roar +of cannon from the direction of Mitchell's ford. + +The 24th Virginia, 7th Louisiana, and 7th Virginia regiments +constituted a brigade commanded by Col. J. A. Early. Longstreet's +brigade, holding Mitchell's ford, against which the enemy directed his +principal attack, consisted of the 1st, 11th and 17th Virginia +regiments. + +The 7th Virginia moved towards the firing along a narrow country road +and over a field which had been planted in corn, in which field near +the road, in charge of a guard, was a Federal prisoner. We eyed him +closely, Bob, the colored cook, especially observing him with interest. + +At McLean's gate, as we passed, stood General Beauregard, the commander +of the Confederate forces,--slim, strong shouldered, five and a half +feet high, of swarthy complexion, and lightish mustache. He appeared +calm, and collected, saying as we passed, in a quiet, low tone: "Keep +cool, men, and fire low; shoot them in the legs." + +I am reminded to state here that in the earlier battles of the war I +have seen men in their excitement fire their muskets into the air at an +angle of probably forty-five degrees, and others so lowering their guns +that the ball would strike the ground but a few feet in front of them. +This, however, was soon corrected, and the men took good aim. + +[Illustration: Lieut. Eustace Gibson] + +Pushing forward from this point some two hundred yards, we halted on +the left of the road under cover of a belt of pines, which sheltered us +from the view of the enemy. Soon came the boom of a cannon, the ball +whizzing and buzzing over our heads. All eyes turned in the direction +of the noise of the ball, which struck the house near where General +Beauregard was standing. A second shot came, the ball cutting away an +apple tree near the house referred to, causing a team of horses to take +fright and run away, as well as the colored man, Bob, who, musket in +hand, had halted at the house, and the last seen of him that day he was +making rapid speed for Manassas. Bob never expressed any regret for the +run he had made, satisfied with his experience. The rattle of musketry +in our front made strange music, affecting some of the men very +peculiarly, especially John W. East, of our company, who, on account of +a severe pain in the region of his stomach, clasped both hands across +that locality, becoming almost doubled, which wholly disabled him for +the fight. + +The order for the advance came, and forward we went along the narrow +country road, through the pines, with a wild yell, and at double quick, +accompanied by a section of the Washington (Louisiana) artillery, +commanded by Lieutenant Squires. Meeting on the way some wounded men of +the 1st Virginia regiment, pale and bleeding, had any other than a +pleasant and happy effect upon our nervous systems, tending somewhat to +dampen the ardor. + +Emerging into an open field two hundred yards from Bull Run, by a +movement by the right flank, we were in line advancing towards the +stream, the banks of which were covered with timber, the opposite bank +sloping from the stream, high and precipitous. Within one hundred yards +of the stream, from the opposite bank the enemy poured into our ranks, +or rather at us, a volley of musketry, which, thanks to his bad +marksmanship, went high, doing little or no damage, but causing us, by +common impulse, as is usual with soldiers in their first battle, to +fall flat on the ground, and down we went. On the side next the enemy, +in front of Isaac Hare, was John Q. Martin, who sprang over Ike, +leaving him next the enemy. Ike, with a curse and threatening gesture, +compelled Martin to resume his former position. The men of the regiment +were immediately upon their feet. As they rose, Lieutenant Squires, +whose section of artillery had unlimbered immediately in our rear, gave +the command, "Fire!" which command, being mistaken by our men for that +of our own officer, caused us to let fly, a terrific volley at the +enemy in the woods in our front, and this was followed by a rush with +fixed bayonets for the stream, behind which the enemy was posted, +forcing him to retreat in confusion, leaving his dead and wounded, +knapsacks, haversacks, hats and part of his small arms. Reaching the +bank of the stream, the regiment lay down, and there followed for more +than an hour a fierce artillery duel between the Federal batteries and +the Confederate, the latter under Lieutenant Squires, which resulted in +the withdrawal of the former. During this bombardment, shell, shot and +shrapnel fell around and among us, wounding a few men of the regiment, +but all were quiet, and continued to hug the ground. This was about +five o'clock in the afternoon. + +George Knoll, "Dutchman," as we usually called him, being in his +characteristic mood, but hungry, took from his haversack a chunk of fat +bacon, stuffing himself while the artillery fire was in progress. + +Quiet now reigning, we began to look after the wounded and prepare +for spending the night in battle line in front of the enemy, who had +retired from our immediate front, but still hovered near by. + +The troops engaged on the Confederate side, save the artillery +mentioned, were principally the 1st, 11th and 17th Virginia of +Longstreet's brigade, with the 7th Virginia of Early's. The losses in +Longstreet's regiments, as reported, were: Killed and mortally wounded, +15, and slightly wounded, 53. Of these casualties 40 were of the 1st +Virginia. Seven were wounded in the 7th Virginia of Early's brigade, +one killed and five wounded of the artillery. In Company D of the 7th +regiment Isaac Hare and James H. Gardner were slightly wounded by spent +balls. H. C. Burrows of E Company got a musket ball through his hand; a +man of B Company had his hand or fingers mangled by a piece of shell. + +The Federal force that attacked us was Richardson's brigade, of Tyler's +division, consisting of the 1st Massachusetts, 2d and 3d Michigan, and +12th New York regiments; Ayers' battery, and Brackett's cavalry. The +Federal loss, as reported, was 19 killed, 38 wounded, and 26 missing. + + + + +Chapter VIII + +Night's Experience on Our First Battlefield. + +The Dead and Cries of the Wounded. + +Occurrences on the Field. + +Sunday, July 21. + +Shelled by the Enemy. + +March to the Field by the Sound of Battle. + +The Battle. + +Casualties. + +The Pursuit. + +To the Outposts. + +Incidents. + +Winter at Centerville. + + +Returning to the battle line, we found ourselves groping around in the +dark. + +Knowing the enemy to be close by, we quietly went to work throwing up +temporary breastworks of logs. The cries of the Federal wounded, and +the groans of the dying, the occasional volleys of musketry fired by +some of our troops at imaginary foes, with the hooting of owls, made +the night hideous and weird, deeply impressing the nature of a lot of +young Virginia boys reared in Christian homes. The regiment behaved, +however, with great coolness during the entire night, encouraged by the +example, presence and good conduct of our brave Lieutenant-Colonel +Williams, then in command, Colonel Kemper being absent on public +service. + +With the coming of daylight, the Confederate scouts crossed the Run, +brought in the Federal wounded, and quite a number of muskets, +knapsacks, blankets, canteens, cartridge boxes, and hats, thrown away +or dropped by the enemy in his flight. By an examination of the dead in +front of our regiment, it was ascertained that we had fought the 1st +Massachusetts regiment. + +This action of the 18th was preliminary to the real battle which came +on Sunday the 21st, but on different ground, seven or eight miles +northwest of the engagement of the 18th as just described. During +Friday and Saturday all was quiet, the Confederate line of battle +extending from Union Mills to Stone Bridge, several miles in length; +the enemy in the meantime keeping up a showing of force, threatening +our front at McLean's, Blackburn's and Mitchell's fords, while his main +column was moving or preparing to move northwest to strike the +Confederate battle line in flank and reverse on its extreme left. + +Our regiment remained Friday night and until late Saturday evening at +the same place at which it had halted on Thursday; being then relieved +by other troops, retired to a pine thicket close by, where we received +a bountiful supply of rations, some in boxes from home,--a thing that +makes glad the heart of a homesick boy. + +On Saturday evening we were joined by Colonel Kemper, the commander of +the regiment. At sunrise on Sunday morning, July 21, the enemy's +batteries near Blackburn's opened fire, on account of which we marched +to the cover of the pines, between McLean's and Blackburn's fords, +remaining but a short time. Our regiment, together with the 7th +Louisiana, crossed the Run at McLean's ford for the purpose of +attacking the enemy's batteries, which were annoying us, occasionally +throwing shots into our ranks, without, however, doing any serious +damage. It will be recalled by those present that while lying down +behind the pines a shot struck near the center of our company, +scattering dust and dirt over us. + +While getting into battle line, preparatory to assault upon the +batteries, an order came to retrace our steps to the cover of the +pines. This was near 12 M. By this time we distinctly heard the roar of +heavy guns far to our left, and the great Battle of First Manassas was +on. + +Near one o'clock P.M., we moved by a rapid gait with the head of the +column directed northwest, guided by the sound of the battle. The +distance from our starting point, McLean's, by the route we marched to +the extreme Confederate left, was fully eight miles, which distance was +covered in two hours, notwithstanding the scorching rays of the sun, +stopping not for rest or water, for want of which we suffered. The +three regiments of Colonel Early's brigade, 7th Louisiana, 7th +Virginia, and 13th Mississippi, (the latter substituted for 24th +Virginia) passed to the extreme Confederate left, reaching there at +near 3:20 P.M., finding themselves face to face with the foe at the +Chinn house and in open ground. + +Approaching the scene of action, a wild cheer was heard, following +which a man on horseback at full speed, hatless, face flushed, covered +with perspiration and dust, brandishing his sword over his head, and +shouting, "Glory! Glory! Glory!" rode rapidly by. In answer to inquiry +as to what was the matter, he said, "We have captured Rickett's battery +and the day is ours." This was the first glad news we had received, and +all were thrilled with new courage. Cheering wildly, the men pressed +forward at double quick. Passing in rear and beyond a wood into which +Smith's Confederate brigade had just entered, we encountered the fire +of the enemy, mostly United States Regulars. The 7th Virginia here +formed quickly, the 7th Louisiana and 13th Mississippi forming on the +left, thus completing the battle line with three regiments front. Nor +had we arrived a moment too soon, for the enemy was pressing our left +flank sorely. There they were, in full view on our front, and to the +left of us on the higher ground. Here Colonel Early[3] ordered us not +to fire, saying that they were our friends: a grievous blunder upon his +part, the result of misinformation not easily explained. Captain +Massie, whose company was armed with rifles, called out, "Colonel, they +may be your friends, but they are none of ours. Fire, men!" and fire +they did. + + [3] See Colonel Early's Report, Rebellion Records, Series 1, + Vol. II, pp. 555-6. + +As we formed, the enemy at long range kept up an irregular fire, +inflicting upon our men considerable loss in killed and wounded, and +all this while we were too far away from them to pay them back in their +own coin. As we pushed forward towards the enemy, they retreated +pell-mell, we chasing them over the hill towards Bull Run, considerably +in advance of the general Confederate battle line forming across a +peninsula created by a sharp curve on Bull Run between Stone Bridge and +the mouth of Catharpin creek. + +Up to this time we had little realization of the utter defeat of the +Federal army, the evidence of which we saw a few days after, when, +following his line of retreat, we found guns, caissons, muskets, +ambulances, spades, picks and knapsacks abandoned in his flight. The +only reason seemingly the enemy had for running as he did was because +he could not fly. + +The casualties in the 7th Virginia for the limited time it was under +fire were severe--nine killed and thirty-eight wounded, our Company D +losing Joseph E. Bane, a brave and gallant soldier, killed; Robert H. +Bane, A. L. Fry, Manelius S. Johnston, Charles N. J. Lee, Henry Lewy, +John P. Sublett, and Samuel B. Shannon wounded. The loss of the +Confederates in the battle was 387 killed, 1582 wounded, and 13 +captured. + +The Federal loss was 2896 men, of which 460 were killed, 1124 wounded, +and 1312 captured or missing, besides 26 pieces of artillery, 34 +caissons and sets of harness, 10 battery wagons and forges, 24 +artillery horses, several thousand stand of small arms, many wagons +and ambulances, large quantities of army supplies of all kinds. + +The Confederate army remained on the field after the battle for two +days, amidst a terrific rainstorm; then marching beyond Centerville, +six miles to the east, went into camp in a body of woods, where we +remained for some weeks; thence moved a short distance beyond Fairfax +Court House. Here we laid out our camp and pitched tents, which was +barely done when the long roll sounded and we were quickly on the march +in the direction of Alexandria and Washington, whither we should have +been pushing the day after the battle; for if vigorous pursuit had been +made, Washington would have fallen into our hands. + +The march referred to took us to Munson's hill; learning on the way +that a brisk skirmish between the enemy and some Confederate troops had +occurred during the day, which had only ended with the approach of +darkness. Halting near Munson's hill, an order was given to load +muskets, and again we moved forward. John W. East, from sheer +cowardice--constitutional--he could not avoid it--fell at full length +in the road. John turned up in camp a few days after, in fair health +and clothed in his right mind. The regiment passed on a few hundred +yards to the base of the hill, going into camp. The following morning, +Company K, together with Company D, under Captain Lovell, on the right +and front of the hill had quite a sharp skirmish with the enemy. Next +morning, Saturday, August 30, Major Patton, with Companies B and D, +advanced to Bailey's Corners, three-quarters of a mile or so, where +they engaged in quite a fusillade with a portion of the Second Michigan +regiment, in which a lieutenant of B Company was wounded, and one man +of the Michigan regiment was mortally wounded. + +In a few days after the skirmish just described, we returned to our +camp, where we found peace and plenty. Lieutenant W. A. Anderson, who +at Camp Wigfall had been detailed to go back home and secure additional +men to fill up the loss in the ranks, caused by sickness, had returned +with the following men, to wit: George W. Akers, William R. Albert, +David Davis, Creed D. Frazier, A. J. French, Francis M. Gordon, John +Henderson, George Johnston, P. H. Lefler, Anderson Meadows, Ballard P. +Meadows, Winton W. Muncey, George C. Mullins, Charles W. Peck, Thomas +J. Stafford, William H. Stafford, Adam Thompson, Alonzo Thompson, +William I. Wilburn and Isaac Young. + +With the exception of company and regimental drill, some picket duty, +and quarter guard, we did little but cook, eat, write letters and +sleep. The weather was hot, the water bad; this, with an overabundance +of rations, and insufficient exercise--in fact, a life of almost entire +inactivity--were the fruitful sources of disease, and many of the men +were sick, a number of them finding their way to the hospital; among +them, Allen C. Pack, Ed Z. Yager, William Sublett, John Henderson, +William Frazier, H. J. Hale, and doubtless others, not now recalled. +Frazier, Henderson, Sublett and Hale died, as did Alonzo Thompson, +whose deaths and loss were much regretted. Strange, yet true, that many +of our strongest men fell victims to disease, while those apparently +much weaker stood the service well. + +While on picket duty at Fall's Church, a Captain Farley, with smooth +face, fair skin and blue eyes, claiming to be--and was--a South +Carolinian, and an independent scout, approached our outpost and +proposed that some of the men go with him into the timber in front +of the picket and run the Yankees out. Our boys regarded this as +preposterous, and on went Farley. He had not been in the woods long +till firing began, and he soon returned with blood streaming from his +ear: he had a close call. + +During the months of August and September we served on frequent picket +duty at Munson's, Upton's and Mason's hills, and at Annandale. Our +lines were fairly well connected. The enemy, not being able to discover +by their scouts what we were doing--what movements we were making, or +what force we had, resorted to the use of balloons. On one occasion our +people fired at a balloon with cannon shot, and down came the balloon. +A short while after this, the balloon was up again, when our boys +concluded to at least give the man in the basket--Professor Lowe--a +scare; so, rigging up the rear gears of a wagon with a stovepipe, ran +the improvised artillery to the hilltop, in full view of the aeronaut, +pretending to load. The Professor descended quickly, only to appear +again at a safer distance. + +On one of our tramps to picket we went to Annandale and remained a day +or so with Captain Harrison's Goochland Dragoons, which did outpost +duty during the day and we at night. We lived largely, while on picket, +on green corn, potatoes, and sometimes other vegetables, a relief from +fresh beef, bacon and hardtack, the regular diet of camp life. + +As the enemy perfected his lines, he became bolder, pressing closer. +This led to frequent collisions between the troops on outpost duty. +These conflicts were by general orders discouraged, and called petty +warfare. Nor were these without their casualties--if not caused by the +enemy, sometimes by accident, or mistake--careless handling of firearms +in passing through the brush, carrying of arms at a trail and catching +the hammers against some obstacle. One such accident is recalled by +which a man by the name of Link, of Captain Eggleston's Giles company, +lost his life. + +[Illustration: Capt. Robert H. Bane] + +During the sojourn at Fairfax, a detachment under Lieutenant Allen, of +the 28th Virginia, was sent to the station on the railway to guard some +baggage and stores deposited there. Of this detachment was John R. +Crawford, of our company, who for true physical courage, bravery and +self-possession, had scarce an equal; indeed, it was often said of him +that he knew no fear--did not know what it meant--never dreamed nor +imagined what danger was; that he felt as much at ease in the storm of +battle as when resting quietly in the camp. The reader doubtless has +heard of the "Louisiana Tigers," who in the first battle of Manassas, +when closing with the enemy, threw down their muskets and rushed upon +the enemy with their bowie-knives. They were a dangerous, blood-thirsty +set--at least so reputed. It was two of these same "Tigers" who found +Crawford on guard over the baggage and stores above referred to, which +they proposed to appropriate. Crawford warned them to stand off and go +away. They paid no heed to the warnings, but persisted in their +purpose. Crawford then reversed his musket and downed the man nearest +to him, who fell trembling and bleeding at his feet; whereupon his +companion quickly advanced to his rescue, but Crawford's belligerent +attitude caused him to beat a hasty retreat. + +The Winter of 1861-1862 was spent at Centerville in camp, our quarters +being constructed of log huts with wooden chimneys. The Winter was cold +and dreary, and we had some difficulty in keeping a supply of rations, +which had to be transported from the junction six miles away by wagons +over a road deep in mud and mire. + +Owing to the difficulty of distinguishing our Virginia state flag from +many flags of other states carried by the enemy in the battle of +Manassas, whereby we had been threatened with serious consequences, +such as occurred with our own brigade on that field: it became +necessary to have a flag uniform in design for all the Confederate +army. Such a flag was designed by Colonel Miles, of South Carolina, and +presented by General Beauregard to the army. This flag was about +twenty-two inches square, the field red, with blue stripes from corner +to corner at right angles, with thirteen white stars; and was ever +after our battle flag. + +Again we were on picket, Crawford on outpost, with instructions to keep +a sharp lookout, as the enemy was near, but not to shoot without +calling "halt" the usual three times, and if no halt made, to shoot. +Shortly after Crawford took post, his cries of "Halt! Halt! Halt!" were +heard, and bang! went his gun. The corporal ran to see what was the +matter: he found Crawford standing quietly at his post as if nothing +had happened--a stray fat hog had wandered to the post and had not +halted at Crawford's command, consequently was dead. Crawford's only +explanation was, "I obeyed orders." The hog was roasted, with many +compliments for Crawford, and all had a feast. + + + + +Chapter IX + +Our Daily Duties. + +In Camp. + +Among the Last Rencounters. + +Lieutenant Gibson, Corporal Stone and Others Hold a Council of War and +Determine to Advance and Drive McClellan from Arlington Heights. + +March to the Outposts. + +Graybacks. + +Religious Exercises. + +Incidents of Camp. + +Depletion of the Army. + +Re-enlistments and Furloughs. + +Retreat from Manassas Behind the Rappahannock. + +Albert and Snidow. + +Gordonsville. + + +Our duties in camp during the Winter were not onerous, save quarter +guard in inclement weather, especially rain and extreme cold, for it +will be remembered that we had no shelter on quarter guard post--that +is, none while on post and on the beat, as a guard must always be in +the open, both as to weather and to the foe. The guards were divided +into three reliefs: the first went on at 9 o'clock A.M., the second at +11, the third at 1. This order was observed during the twenty-four +hours. When off post we were required to remain at the guard house, +unless by special permission of the officer of the guard. The quarter +guard were supposed to be the special custodians of the quiet and +safety of the camp. The mode of placing guard on post was as follows: A +sergeant or corporal commenced at the top of the roll, the number of +men being equal to the number of posts. Beginning with post number one, +we marched around the entire camp, relieving each sentinel with a new +man. When this was to be performed at night, the countersign (a pass +word adopted at army headquarters and transmitted to the various +subordinates) was delivered in a whisper to the guards by the officers +thereof, so that as the sergeant with the relief guard approached the +sentry, he was required to halt and give the countersign. + +Colonel Kemper, still a member of the General Assembly of Virginia, was +absent for the greater part of the Winter. Lieutenant-Colonel L. B. +Williams, a rigid disciplinarian, who was left in command, endeavored +by watchfulness, to have everything done in strict military style; +frequently visiting the guard house, having the officer turn out the +guard, call the roll, and woe to the man absent or out of line when his +name was called. Punishment was sure to follow in the way of double +duty or otherwise. On one occasion Lieutenant Anderson and W. H. +Layton, having both imbibed too freely, took a jaunt to the guard +house, where they had no business, and here Colonel Williams, on one of +his visits, found them. Layton was placed in the guard house and the +lieutenant in arrest. + +During this stay in Winter quarters, Privates Mays, Farley, Thompson +and John W. East had an altercation, the last (save two) which occurred +in the company. It was not an uncommon thing for the soldiers to +discuss the conduct of the war, the remissness and failure of +commanders, the probabilities and improbabilities of success, peace, +the plan of battles, and the war policy, offensive and defensive. A +discussion of this kind is well remembered as having occurred between +Lieutenant Gibson, then officer of the day; Corporal Stone, Sergeant +Peters, Sarver, Hare and others, in the quarters of my mess, while +at Centerville. It was at night; the boys had gotten in a little +stimulant. Lieutenant Gibson dropped in, and with the others, imbibing +freely, began in a very serious way the discussion of the surest and +quickest way or mode of ending the war, and restoring peace to our +distracted country. After much discussion pro and con, which lasted +practically throughout the night, Corporal Stone submitted a plan to +which all readily assented, and which was as follows: To "attack +immediately General McClellan's army, drive it from Arlington Heights, +capture the Federal capital, then propose an armistice and congress +of the states." Stone was for starting that night, for prompt and +aggressive action, but Peters favored postponement until morning, which +was by this time at hand. Just then the long roll sounded to arms, and +a march toward Washington, sure enough, began, but with only our +regiment. And, oh! such headaches as Stone, Peters, Gibson and the +others in the war council had, and how formidable and impregnable now +appeared Arlington, which a few hours before was to them but a mole +hill. Our mission was to relieve a Louisiana regiment then on picket +near Fairfax, where we remained for a week, occupying the quarters just +vacated by the Louisianians. Here it was that we formed our first +acquaintance with the "graybacks," which filled our clothing and +blankets, much to our discomfort. Oh! the digging under the shirt +collar, under the arm pits, and every point where the cruel pest found +the flesh of the poor soldier. It was a difficult matter to rid +ourselves of them--they seemed over anxious to remain with us. Nothing +short of boiling them hard in water got rid of them. The next Summer on +the peninsula, in the swamps of the Chickahominy, and around Richmond, +we had them in abundance, the boys often saying that they had stamped +upon their backs the letters, "I.F.W.," which, interpreted, meant "In +for the war." + +During our stay in Winter quarters at Centerville, there was little, if +any, preaching or religious exercises, as there was no place to have +public services, and the weather was too severe to hold services in the +open. The mess of J. Tyler Frazier, in which were Thomas S. Taylor, +James B. Henderson, F. H. Farley, John F. Jones, William C. Fortner, +Joseph Eggleston, James Eggleston, and perhaps others, never neglected +their religious duties, and in quarters invariably read a chapter of +the Bible, sang a hymn, and prayed before retiring at night. These men, +by their upright conduct, observance of their religious duties, their +Christian character and conversation, had great influence over their +comrades, and especially upon the conduct and morals of the company. + +The expiration of the term of service, twelve months, of most of the +men was rapidly approaching; the ranks having been much depleted by +sickness, death and other causes. No adequate provision had yet been +made for the retention of those already in the field, or for the +filling of the ranks. It was evident that if the war was to be +prolonged, and the contest maintained, we must have an army. With one +year's service many were satisfied; the fever had worn off, enthusiasm +was on the wane. The government, to induce re-enlistment, was offering +fifty dollars bounty and thirty-day furlough. Quite a number availed +themselves of an opportunity to go home by accepting the bounty and +re-enlisting. Some eighteen of Company D took advantage of the offer, +among them E. M. Stone, John D. Hare, J. W. Mullins, A. L. Fry, J. W. +Hight, John W. East, R. H. Bane, J. B. Young, Tom Young, W. H. Layton, +Tom Davenport, John Palmer, and the writer. Tom Young, Davenport, +Layton and Palmer never returned--deserted. + +On our return to the army we were accompanied by Christian Minnich, who +enlisted in the company, having two sons therein. The question of +re-enlistment was soon settled by an act of Congress, which placed +every man in the Confederate states between the ages of 18 and 35 in +the army for three years, or until the close of the war, retaining all +that were under 18 and over 45 for ninety days, continuing the +organizations then existing, with the right to elect regimental and +company officers. + +March 1, or thereabouts, in 1862, the enemy began to push his lines +closer up, and to make more frequent reconnaissances, and to extend his +lines toward Aquia Creek on the Potomac, on the right flank of the +Confederate army, causing our commander uneasiness, no doubt, as to the +tenableness of our position, and hence on or about the 10th of the +month orders were issued to cook rations, and be prepared to march. The +movement began three days later, with the head of the column directed +toward Warrenton and the Rappahannock River, which was crossed the +second or third day. At Centerville we left burning immense quantities +of provisions and army supplies, of which later we stood in dire need, +the inadequacy of transportation being the excuse for the destruction. + +At a point either in Culpeper or Rappahannock, near where we one night +encamped, was a distillery, of which some of our men took possession, +procuring Old Man Riley Albert to make a run of applejack, with which +they tanked up, then filled their canteens, with no way to transport +the residue. Harry Snidow and others from a nearby store procured jars, +with which they trudged along until the jars were emptied. No one was +drunk, but the boys were happy and jolly. + +Gordonsville, in Orange County, near the junction of what was then the +Central and Orange and Alexandria railroad, was reached, where we went +into camp. + + + + +Chapter X + +The Stay Near Gordonsville. + +The March to Richmond and Journey to Yorktown. + +In the Trenches. + +Skirmishing and Night Alarms. + +Reorganization. + +The Retreat from Yorktown. + +The Old Lady's Prayer. + +Battle of Williamsburg. + +The Killed and Wounded. + +Forces and Numbers Engaged and Losses. + +Retreat up the Peninsula. + +Battle of Seven Pines. + +Casualties. + + +Our stay in the vicinity of Gordonsville was of short duration--only +for a few days--for on or about April 1 we set out for Richmond, +distant about seventy-five miles. The route taken lay through the +counties of Louisa, Hanover and Henrico, a low, flat, swampy territory, +and in March and April knee deep in mud. The people along this march +were unaccustomed to seeing large bodies of armed men marching. The +negroes, especially, gazed upon us with seeming astonishment. How long +we were making this march to the capital city is not now recollected, +but as we carried heavy burdens at that day, it is probable we did not +reach Richmond before the 8th or 9th of April. + +On the 10th of the month last mentioned, the 7th regiment left Richmond +aboard a steamer on the James River, disembarking at King's Landing, +ten miles from Yorktown, inland, whither we marched the evening of our +debarkation. We took position in and near the trenches for the purpose +of preventing the Federal army from marching up the peninsula. Now and +then a brisk skirmish would occur on some part of the lines, scarcely a +night passing without picket firing and alarms; one of which occurred +during a heavy rainstorm, in which the men stood to their guns +throughout the night and were thoroughly drenched by the rain. + +The time for reorganization of the army had arrived, and this was +accomplished quietly on Saturday, April 26, 1862, in the face of the +enemy. Before giving in detail the result of the reorganization, I will +state that a very decided change had taken place among the men as to +their estimates of the character and ability of their officers, field +and company. Many were moved by their dislikes and prejudices, +engendered by contact in their first year's service, against officers +who had endeavored to enforce obedience and strict military discipline, +prompted by no other motive than the good of the service; yet these +acts, done in accordance with military law, and inspired by patriotism, +were often misconstrued by men born freemen, wholly unaccustomed to +having restraints placed upon their personal liberty; such acts, the +exercise of such authority, being regarded by our volunteer citizen +soldiery as tyrannical. Consequently those who had been foremost in +rushing to the country's rescue in the early days of her peril, bravely +leading their men to the forefront of the battle, were displaced, to +the detriment of the service; but patriotic and good men are oftentimes +only human. The organization was, however, effected apparently without +injury to the public service. + +Captain James H. French, of my company, was taken sick on the march +from the Rappahannock, and was left in Richmond; consequently he was +not present at the reorganization, and perhaps was not a candidate for +re-election. Had he been present and a candidate, it is more than +probable he would have been again chosen captain without opposition, as +no one could have had any personal grievance against him. He had proven +himself a man of unflinching courage, and as much in this respect could +be said of the other company officers. Save one, Lieutenant Joel +Blackard, all were displaced. Blackard, in the reorganization, was +elected captain; Sergeant R. H. Bane, first lieutenant; Orderly +Sergeant John W. Mullins, second lieutenant; Corporal E. M. Stone, +third lieutenant. The non-commissioned officers elected were: A. L. +Fry, first sergeant; W. H. H. Snidow, second sergeant; William D. +Peters, third sergeant; Joseph C. Shannon, fourth sergeant; this +scribe, fifth sergeant; A. J. Thompson, first corporal; Daniel Bish, +second corporal; George C. Mullins, third corporal, and J. B. Young, +fourth corporal. + +Comment as to the choice of the men will not here be made, nor the +character of the new officers, as ample opportunity will be afforded in +these pages to judge their conduct. It suffices to say now that the +company had no cause for regret. + +Of the regimental officers, Colonel James L. Kemper was chosen to +succeed himself; Major W. T. Patton was elected lieutenant-colonel; +Adjutant C. C. Flowerree, major; Lieutenant Starke was appointed +adjutant; George S. Tansill, sergeant-major. Dr. C. B. Morton was +regimental surgeon, with Dr. Oliver assistant, and upon the promotion +of Dr. Morton to brigade surgeon, Dr. Oliver became regimental surgeon, +with Dr. Worthington as assistant. + +As recollected, Company H, from the District of Columbia, having served +its one year, for which it had enlisted, disbanded shortly after +reorganization. + +Lieutenant-Colonel Lewis B. Williams, than whom no braver man wore the +gray, was elected colonel of the 1st Virginia regiment. Prior to the +battles of Bull Run and Manassas, the 7th regiment had been brigaded +with the 24th Virginia and 7th Louisiana, under Colonel J. A. Early. +After these battles, we were commanded by General Ewell. Subsequently, +the 1st, 7th, 11th and 17th Virginia regiments formed General +Longstreet's brigade. On reaching Yorktown, Brigadier-General A. P. +Hill became our brigade commander, General Longstreet having been made +a major-general, to whose division our brigade was attached. + +At this juncture we were still at Yorktown, with the enemy bold and +threatening in our front. It was evident, therefore, that a collision +was imminent, either where we were or near by. The order came to move +on Saturday evening, May 3. We were soon on the road, in the mud, +floundering and pushing toward Williamsburg, about twelve miles +distant, reaching there early next morning, after an all night march. +The command halted in front of the grounds of the Eastern Hospital for +the Insane. The enemy, evidently determined we should not get away +without trouble, followed closely, skirmishing briskly with the rear +guard, which was continued throughout the afternoon. Then came the +monotonous standing in line of battle from early dawn till near +midday--a thing that always tries the patience of a soldier. The +booming of artillery, and the rattling of small arms could be +distinctly heard. As we passed over the street leading to William and +Mary College, an elderly lady appeared on her porch, with clasped hands +and eyes lifted heavenward, uttering for us, in simple, pathetic tones, +a prayer to God for the protection of our lives in the coming conflict. + +Beyond the College the column filed to the right into an open field, +piled baggage, and then in battle line moved forward into the timber, +receiving as we entered therein a shower of balls at close range, +wounding a number of men. This onslaught was answered by a charge from +us, which broke up the lines of the enemy, consisting in part of New +York regiments, and drove him for more than a half mile through the +woods into a body of fallen timber, in which was encountered a fresh +line of battle. Some doubt at first existed as to who these people +were. This was settled by the unfurling of their flag. At close +quarters, the fight was desperate for more than two hours, in which our +ammunition was expended, when General A. P. Hill ordered a charge with +fixed bayonets, upon which the enemy (New Jersey men) were driven from +the field; for a hand-to-hand charge is something fearful to +contemplate. Being relieved by other troops, Hill's brigade retired to +the line from which it had moved in the charge, from whence we withdrew +during the night, continuing the retreat; for it will be remembered +that the task in hand for us was the holding in check of the enemy--a +force vastly superior to our own. In this day's work I fired 36 +charges, by which my shoulder was pounded so that it was for a time +completely disabled. This battle was fought for a safe retreat for our +trains and for the army, and accomplished this purpose. We had beaten +the enemy in our center, and on the right wing, while a portion, two +regiments, of General Early's brigade had been repulsed by General +Hancock's Federal brigade. + +The forces engaged were, as stated by General Longstreet: Federals, +12,000; Confederates, 9,000. The casualties: Federal, 2,288; +Confederate, 1,565. This engagement was called the Battle of +Williamsburg, and will be remembered by the survivors whose eyes +may fall upon these lines. + +In Hill's brigade the loss was 326, of which 67 were killed, 245 +wounded, 14 missing. The 7th Virginia lost 13 killed, 64 wounded, +aggregate 77. In Company D, of the 7th Virginia, the loss was one +killed, 14 wounded, as follows: Killed, William H. Stafford; wounded, +Lieutenant E. M. Stone, and the following men of the line: Allen M. +Bane, Charles W. Peck, Andrew J. Thompson, John A. Hale, John W. East, +Isaac Hare, George Knoll, Anderson Meadows, Demarcus Sarver, William +I. Wilburn, Edward Z. Yager, John Meadows, and the writer--who knows +what it is to have a hot buckshot in his hand. Baldwin L. Hoge had +the belt of his cartridge box severed and cut from the belt; several +of the men had holes shot through their clothing. Sergeant Tapley P. +Mays, of Company D, the ensign of the regiment, who bore the flag +aloft throughout the battle, had the staff severed three times and +the flag pierced by twenty-three balls, Mays escaping unscathed. For +his gallant conduct on this field, he received the thanks of the +commandant of the regiment, and his conduct was made the subject +matter of a complimentary letter to him from the Governor of the +state, promising that he should receive a fine sword for his gallant +conduct. + +The mud was deep, the movement slow, and when morning dawned we were +only a few miles from the battlefield, halting occasionally in battle +line in order to hold the enemy in check until our long train of wagons +and artillery could get away. It must not be supposed that because we +were wearied, covered with mud and hungry, that we were dispirited and +gloomy. Such mental conditions could not then well exist among such a +jolly set of fellows, for we had in each company one or more who would +have their amusement, in a joke, a laugh, or a song, especially Bolton +and George Knoll (the Dutchman), who were clownish and full of fun. In +passing along the roads and through the towns and villages, if a +citizen with a high silk hat appeared, these clowns would call out: +"Mister, come out of that hat; I know you are in there, for I see your +feet!" Another would likely call out: "Mister, my bees are swarming; +lend me your hat to hive them in." They sometimes ran across a man with +high top boots. Then it was: "Come out of them boots! I know you are in +them, for I see your head above." Occasionally they were paid back in +their own coin. An old preacher, white-haired, with long white flowing +beard, one day rode into camp, when one of these wags called out: +"Boys, here is old Father Abraham," whereupon the old preacher said: +"Young men, you are mistaken. I am Saul, the son of Kish, searching for +his father's asses, and I have found them." The preacher had won, and +nobody enjoyed the joke better than the fellows who had been beaten at +their own game. + +The Chickahominy was crossed by our troops May 9, when we went into +camp at Clark's farm, and later near Howard's Grove, on higher and +dryer ground, with better water. Here inactivity and hot weather +brought on much sickness. It was from this camp that A. L. Sumner of +Company D took "French furlough"--went without leave, to see his +family, was arrested, brought back, courtmartialed, and sentenced +for a term to Castle Thunder, a Confederate prison in Richmond for +Confederate delinquents. On his return he made up for his delinquency. +A. L. Fry, orderly-sergeant, was summoned as a witness against Sumner +at his trial, and was thereby absent at the battle of Frazier's farm. + +For several days preceding the 30th day of May, 1862, the weather had +been very sultry, and during the night of that day there broke over the +camp a violent electric storm, accompanied by a heavy downpour of rain, +which flooded the quarters and submerged everything on the ground +within the tents, compelling the men to stand on their feet for hours. +The vivid flashes of electricity, the fearful peals of thunder, +reminded one of the progress of a mighty battle, and was a fitting +precursor of the morrow's bloody day. + +At daylight, Saturday, May 31, came the order to march. Although we +knew the enemy was in close proximity to Richmond and extending his +lines closer, with the intention of investing the city, yet we were at +a loss to determine where we were going, as we had not received orders +to be ready to move. Much difficulty was encountered in crossing the +small branches, which had overflowed their banks, but we finally made +our way into the Williamsburg road, learning on the way from parties +coming from the front that a battle was imminent. Hurrying forward at +quickstep, turning to the right from the Williamsburg road, we found +ourselves in line of battle on the edge of a swamp in a wood, where +we remained until about 1 P.M., hearing the boom of cannon, and +indistinctly the rattle of musketry, apparently far to our left. Not +long after the hour mentioned, we were hurried away to the left to +Seven Pines, where we soon found ourselves face to face with the enemy, +in part the Federal division of General Silas Casey, whose earthworks +and camp we carried, including some of his artillery. The forces +engaged, as given by General Longstreet in his "Manassas to +Appomattox," were: Union troops, 18,500; Confederates, 14,600; Union +losses, 5,031; Confederate, 4,798. This engagement was called by the +Confederates the Battle of Seven Pines. + +I have not been able to secure my brigade or regimental loss but my +company loss was: A. D. Manning, killed; Sergeant E. R. Walker, +Privates Travis Burton, John W. Hight and Joseph Lewy, wounded. Our +ensign, Mays, acted with his usual gallantry. + +The right wing of the Confederate army, under General Longstreet, had +defeated the left wing of the Union army, captured its intrenchments, +guns and camp, and driven it for quite a distance, but the Confederate +left wing had not been so fortunate as the right. In this battle, after +we had broken General Casey's lines, some Union sharpshooters took +cover in the swamp in our front, one of whom at about seventy-five +yards fired at me, the ball grazing my cap. + +A short time previous to the Battle of Seven Pines, our +brigadier-general, A. P. Hill, had been made major-general. Colonel +Kemper had been promoted to brigadier-general and was in command of +the brigade during the above-mentioned engagement. General Joseph E. +Johnston, commanding the Confederate army in this battle, was badly +wounded, and General Robert E. Lee was appointed to succeed him in +the command. + +We left the battleground, as now recalled, on June 2, returning to +camp, a few days after which the 24th Virginia regiment, which had been +with Early's, then with Garland's brigade, was united with ours--now +composed of the 1st, 7th, 11th, 17th and 24th Virginia regiments. + + + + +Chapter XI + +Preparations for Active Field Service. + +Dress Parade and Speeches of General Kemper and Colonel Patton. + +Battles Around Richmond. + +Gaines' Mill or Cold Harbor. + +Frazier's Farm and Malvern Hill. + +Testing a Man's Courage. + +Casualties. + +In Pursuit of the Enemy. + +In Camp Near the Chickahominy. + +Sickness and Death. + +Threatening Attitude of the Enemy in Northern Virginia. + +Concentration of the Confederate Army on the Rappahannock. + +Pope's Bravado. + +Lieutenant Hugh M. Patton Succeeds Stark as Adjutant, and Sergeant +Parke Appointed Sergeant-Major, Succeeding George S. Tansill. + + +Following the Battle of Seven Pines, and the period preceding the +opening of the battles around Richmond, at Mechanicsville on June 26, +all were engaged in drilling and gathering in absentees. Muskets were +put in order, cartridge boxes, bayonets and gun straps were issued. +Inspection of arms and accouterments, and dress parades were frequent, +and the word went from lip to lip that something was up, that all this +preparation meant business, and that right early. + +Rations were cooked and distributed on Wednesday, June 25, and +everything put in shape to move on short notice. Being on parade on +the evening of the day last referred to, General Kemper and Colonel +Patton made soul-stirring speeches, telling us that the great battle +of the revolution was now to be fought, and if we were successful the +Confederacy would be a free country, and we would all go home together; +if beaten, the war must be prolonged for years. + +Leaving camp in the early morning of the 26th, we marched in the +direction of Mechanicsville bridge, on the Chickahominy, halting a +short distance from the bridge under cover of timber on the roadside, +from which we could, late in the afternoon, hear the roar of the battle +at Mechanicsville beyond the river, then being fought by the +Confederate division of General A. P. Hill and the Federal corps of +Porter. As the darkness came on the flash of their guns could be seen +distinctly, the battle continuing until nearly 9 o'clock. At dawn the +firing across the river was renewed, continuing for a time. The +movement of our force was then made across the bridge, following the +track of the retreating foe, whose course was marked by the destruction +of commissary stores. Reaching the vicinity of Gaines' Mill at noon, a +line of battle was formed behind and near the crest of a low range of +hills, hiding us from the view of the enemy. In our immediate front +were the brigades of Pickett, Wilcox and Pryor, who were to lead the +assault on our part of the line, with our brigade in support. Near the +middle of the afternoon the battle opened with fury, raging with +varying fortune until nearly dark, when our troops broke over the Union +lines, forcing their men from the field: a victory dearly bought. +Kemper's brigade was not called into action, though lying under fearful +shelling, but fortunately we were just near enough the crest of the +ridge to avoid the shells, which passed in most part over us. We +suffered but little if any loss. + +The Federals engaged in this battle numbered about 35,000; their loss +in killed, wounded and missing, 7,000, besides twenty-two pieces of +artillery which fell into our hands. The Confederates no doubt had the +larger number engaged, and their casualties were, therefore, greater, +but seem not to have been reported. + +Next morning we marched over the field on which the Confederate +brigades of Wilcox, Pickett and Pryor, with others, had made heroic +fight, and it is almost incredible that a single line of Confederates +should have forced their way in the face of the murderous fire they +met, over such a position, which was to all appearances impregnable, +and certainly was, except as against men fighting for homes, firesides, +and principles which they regarded as dearer than life. + +We occupied the field Saturday, in a position to make or to receive an +attack, but the enemy was in no plight--in fact, in no mood, to attack +us, but on the contrary was making for the James River, though we did +not then know it. Our officers did not seem to know with certainty what +direction the enemy was taking, as his movement was well masked. It +seems to have been discovered late on the evening of Saturday, the +28th, or early on Sunday morning, the 29th, that General McClellan, +with his army, was making for the shelter of the Union naval fleet on +the James, and such being the understanding, Longstreet's and A. P. +Hill's divisions at an early hour on Sunday morning were pushed across +the Chickahominy via New Bridge, and to the Darbytown road, to +intercept the retreat. The day was warm, the roads dusty, and the march +fatiguing, especially as it was rapid for fifteen or eighteen miles. +Pushing ahead early the next day, Monday, June 30, the enemy was +encountered about noon. The skirmishers were soon engaged, but the +advance of our troops did not begin until about 4 o'clock P.M., and +after we had suffered for two or more hours from a severe shelling. +While under this severe fire and in line in the woods, in a swamp +amidst brambles and vines, a shell from one of the enemy's guns burst +immediately in our front and only a few feet away, scattering the +fragments and shrapnel in our midst, one of which struck a man close by +me, burying itself in a testament in his breast pocket, which thus +saved his life. + +[Illustration: Lieut. Elisha M. Stone] + +The point where the encounter took place was known locally as Frazier's +farm. The only Confederate troops engaged were the two divisions above +mentioned, which had been sorely reduced by the casualties at Seven +Pines, Mechanicsville and Gaines' Mill, as well as by sickness, the +exhaustion of a rapid march, and by straggling, to about 12,000 men. +These were pitted against the main body of the Union army. + +From the firing we had every reason to believe that the enemy was close +at hand in large numbers, seemingly not distant more than half a mile. +The advance of our forces was through a dense wood, tangled underbrush +filled with brambles, and partly covered by water, with no possibility +of keeping the men up to their places, the stronger ones pushing +through over the obstacles, while many of the weaker, unable to keep +pace, were left behind. Kemper's brigade was leading and his advance +soon became a charge, the enemy being posted on the farther side of an +open field. Some of the line officers implored the regimental commander +to halt long enough to get the men in order and close the ranks, but +the officer cried out: "Forward! Forward!" and on rushed the men, every +man his own general, which they usually were in making such a charge. + +In a fierce battle a man's courage is severely tested. Here our +regiment is in battle line on the edge of a wood; less than a quarter +of a mile in front is another wood, sheltering the enemy; between the +opposing forces is an open field; the regiment is advancing and the +lines move out into the clear sunlight. Men will hurriedly reason with +themselves: "The enemy is posted in that timber across the field; +before we move many yards he will open on us with shot and shell; this +is perhaps my last day on earth." So each man reasons, but every face +is sternly set to the front and not a man falters. The shell and shot +blow dozens to gory fragments, but the line does not halt, the living +saying to themselves: "The fire will presently change to cannister, +then I shall certainly be struck." The prediction is being verified, +gaps are opened through the ranks, only to be closed again; the +regiment has lost its adhesion and marching step, its lines are no +longer perfect, but the movement is still onward. From knowledge of +methods in battle, our men suppose the infantry is in support of the +battery. We have escaped shell and cannister, but when we meet the +musketry fire we shall be killed. There is no hanging back, no thought +but to push ahead. The leaden hail now comes and the lines are further +disordered; the left wing has lost its front by quite a distance, but +the push is forward, men grip their guns, their eyes flash, and with a +yell, on to the battery they rush, bayonetting the cannoneers at their +posts. The Federal infantry supports give way precipitately--then +follows that famous bone-searching rebel yell of triumph. + +The brigade, led by the brave General Kemper, met a shower of shot, +shell, cannister and storm of leaden bullets; it never faltered, rushed +upon the Union battery--Randol's Pennsylvania--routing its infantry +supports. Here Ensign Mays planted the colors of the 7th regiment on +the Union guns. They were ours, won, however, at fearful cost. The +failure promptly to support our brigade--the enemy flanking us on both +wings--caused General Kemper to order the retirement of the brigade, +now suffering severe loss from the fire of these flanking columns, +which in turn were themselves flanked and defeated by the troops coming +to our support. Such is the fearful game of war with men of the same +valor and blood. + +The brigade casualties were 414, of which 44 were killed, 205 wounded +and 165 missing. Regimental loss in the 7th Virginia, 111, of which 14 +were killed, 66 wounded and 31 missing. Adjutant E. B. Starke was +killed and Sergeant-Major Tansill severely wounded, disabled for +further service. Sergeant-Major Tansill had been a soldier in our war +with Mexico, and was one of the most efficient, the bravest and best of +our soldiers. The gallant Lieutenant, afterwards Captain James G. +Tansill, of Company E, of the 7th regiment, was the son of +Sergeant-Major Tansill. + +The loss in my company was 16. Killed, Captain Joel Blackard; mortally +wounded, Ballard P. Meadows, Lee E. Vass and Joseph Eggleston; the +other wounded were: J. C. Shannon, Daniel Bish, Jesse B. Young, David +C. Akers, H. J. Wilburn, Tim P. Darr, Francis M. Gordon, George A. +Minnich, T. P. Mays, John W. Sarver and Joseph Suthern. Captured, Allen +M. Bane. Ballard P. Meadows was made a prisoner and died in the hands +of the enemy. Upon the fall of the brave and lamented Captain Blackard, +the command of the company devolved upon First Lieutenant Robert H. +Bane, a gallant soldier, and a worthy successor to Captain Blackard. +Second Lieutenant Mullins became first lieutenant; E. M. Stone, second +lieutenant, and Sergeant E. R. Walker was elected second junior +lieutenant. + +During that night our troops rested on the field without disturbance +from the enemy, who continued his flank movement, a masterly retreat, +to a position at Malvern Hill, on the banks of the James: a position of +great natural strength, where the entire Union army was concentrated, +supported by the gunboats in the river. The Battle of Malvern Hill did +not begin until the afternoon, but its tide swept to and fro until far +into the night. The divisions of Longstreet and A. P. Hill were held in +reserve, close up, but not called into action, near enough, however, to +be in range of the enemy's artillery and heavy projectiles thrown from +the gunboats, inspiring fear and terror among our men not justified by +their execution. The repeated charges of our troops against the enemy's +stronghold failed to dislodge him. Our men were repulsed; they had +bearded the lion in his den; he refused to yield; he could not afford +to, for if he did he had but one place to go and that was into the +river, or the alternative, of surrendering. In the Battle of Frazier's +Farm the Federals largely outnumbered the Confederates. They lost ten +guns captured by the Confederates, who, when the battle closed, held +the greater part of the field. The Federal General McCall was captured +by the 47th Virginia regiment. + +At the opening of the campaign, the Union army numbered 105,000, the +Confederate 80,762--tremendous armies, when we come to think of it. The +losses on each side, up to the Battle of Malvern Hill, in killed and +wounded, were thought to be equal, but in that battle it is stated upon +authority that the Confederate loss was about 5,000 men, the Union loss +about one-third that number. During the Battle of Malvern Hill, Mr. +Davis, President of the Confederate States, was with us in the morning +and under the fire of the gunboats. + +It being ascertained that the enemy had retreated during the previous +night, we hastened in pursuit, amidst a heavy rainstorm, and after a +fatiguing, disagreeable, all-day march, found the enemy in a strong +position at Westover, on the James. As he showed no disposition to come +out from his cover, our army, about July 8, reached its camps in the +vicinity of Richmond. It had been a wonderful series of battles. +General McClellan had made a most masterly retreat, escaping from +woeful disaster. It was within the range of probability, in fact, +almost a certainty, that if the Confederate army had been under as good +discipline as it was two years later, the Union army would have been +destroyed or made prisoners. As it was, the Federal loss was nearly +16,000 men and 54 pieces of artillery, while the Confederate loss was +reckoned at about 19,000 men. Richmond had been saved, the enemy driven +far away, General McClellan proving himself better at a retreat than +going the other way. + +After the enemy had taken shelter under the protection of his gunboats +at Westover, the Confederate commissariat attempted to reach the large +amount of supplies held by the farmers along the James River. Numerous +wagons were sent under escort to secure these supplies. Our Company D, +going on one of these trips, was attacked by Union gunboats, into which +we fired quite a number of volleys of musketry at close range, being +sheltered by the river bank, and in return received a severe shelling. +A few men were wounded, and I received a shot on the side of the foot, +but not much of a hurt. + +From July 8 to August 13, a period of inactivity ensued, and as usual +in that swampy country, with bad water, there was much sickness among +the men. Lewis R. Skeens, of Company D, died in camp and was buried +near by. Charles W. Peck, George W. Akers, William C. Fortner, James B. +Henderson, John R. Crawford, and the writer were taken sick and sent to +hospital at Richmond, where Peck and Akers died. Fortner, Henderson, +Crawford and the writer improved rapidly, and were ready to return to +our command by the middle of August. + +General McClellan's Union army was shut up at Westover, and being +depleted by the ravages of sickness and death. This fact, together with +the threatening attitude of a new Federal army in Northern Virginia, +induced General Lee, who now had apparently nothing to fear from +McClellan, to concentrate his army on the Rappahannock, and to that end +about the middle of July had transferred General Jackson and his +command to the Rapidan--which, by the early days of August, was in the +vicinity of the enemy--and closed with him at Cedar Mountain on August +9, forcing the enemy to retire on Culpeper court house. + +Longstreet's division left Richmond Wednesday, August 13, for +Gordonsville and the Rapidan, our brigade moving by rail. Learning that +our division was moving, Fortner, Henderson, Crawford and the writer, +the sick bunch above alluded to, applied for discharge from the +hospital, and procured transportation via Lynchburg. Reaching Orange +court house on the 18th, we left the railway, taking the track of the +advancing army. The first day's tramp finished up Fortner and +Henderson, both of whom were still feeble; and it also finished up my +shoes, leaving me barefoot; in fact, had none I could wear until after +our return from Maryland a month later. Leaving Fortner and Henderson +on the road, Crawford and I pushed on, rejoining our command on the +Rappahannock. Fortner overtook us in a few days, and in time to go into +the battle of the 30th, when he received a severe wound. Poor Fortner! +Misfortune seemed now to be his lot, going and coming. + +By August 20 the greater part of General Lee's army was on the +Rappahannock, confronting the Union army under General John Pope, on +the opposite bank. Pope, who, it is stated, had said a few days before +in an address to his troops that "his headquarters were in the saddle, +and that he never turned his back upon an enemy nor looked for lines of +retreat"--which statement he later denied--had already run, and was in +a position to have to run again, or at least to get to the rear to look +after his line of retreat. + +Longstreet's division on August 21 moved forward to Kelley's ford, +which we left on the 22d, taking position near Beverly's, relieving +some of General Jackson's command, which moved up the Rappahannock. +For three or four days there was considerable skirmishing, with +occasional artillery duels across the river. Again moving on the 24th +to the assistance of Jackson's troops, engaged with the enemy at some +of the upper fords of the Rappahannock, our march was retarded by the +swollen condition of Hazel river and other small tributaries of the +Rappahannock; reaching Jeffersonton that afternoon, during the progress +of a lively cannonade. A halt was made by our division and Jackson's +men moved up the river. Lieut. Hugh M. Patton had been appointed +Adjutant of the seventh regiment, succeeding Adjutant Starke, and +---- Park had been appointed Sergeant Major to succeed George S. +Tansill, disabled and discharged. + + + + +Chapter XII + +General Jackson With His "Foot Cavalry." + +On the Flank and in the Rear of General Pope's Army. + +Longstreet's Division Diverting the Enemy's Attention on the +Rappahannock. + +March Through Thoroughfare Gap. + +Haymarket to the Relief of Jackson's Men. + +The Fight on the 29th. + +Battle of August 30, 1862. + +Kemper Commands Division, Corse Leads the Brigade. + +Pope Defeated. + +Casualties. + +Rainstorm and March Through Leesburg to White's Ford. + +Crossing the Potomac. + +The Cry "Back to Washington" and not "On to Richmond." + +"Maryland, My Maryland," "Bonnie Blue Flag." + +Halt at Monocacy Bridge. + + +General Jackson with his "foot cavalry," as his men were often referred +to, on account of their rapid marches and power of endurance, crossed +the Rappahannock on August 25 and by swift marches placed his command +at Manassas in the rear of General Pope's army, and between it and +Washington--our division (Longstreet's) amusing General Pope on the +Rappahannock by making sortie in order to divert his attention from +General Jackson's movement. + +Longstreet's division crossed the river near Amissville on Tuesday, the +26th, reaching Thoroughfare Gap in the afternoon of the 28th; the march +having been somewhat disturbed by a body of the enemy's cavalry. The +enemy held the east side of the Gap in large force. The evening was +spent in reconnoitering, getting into position to carry the Gap. Our +rations consisted of green corn and fresh beef. Numbers of the men were +without shoes, including the writer. Some horses belonging to the +wagons or ambulances broke from their fastenings during the night, +running through the camp and creating quite a stir, as someone called +out, "Yankee Cavalry!" No damage was done, except the loss of an ear by +one man from the stroke of a horse's hoof. The man yelled, "I've got a +one _ear_ furlough." + +The Gap next morning was flanked by our troops, the enemy scurrying +away in time to save his face. After clearing the Gap and reaching the +vicinity of the little village of Haymarket, there could be heard +distinctly seven or eight miles away the roar of artillery. The day was +warm, the roads dusty, and the men suffered for water. It was pathetic +to see the boys with feet bare and bleeding endeavoring to keep pace +with their comrades. + +A little past noon on the 29th, we arrived in the vicinity of the +battleground, and not long thereafter the roar of battle to our left +informed us that Jackson's men were hotly engaged. Later in the +evening, the brigades of Hood and Evans, of Longstreet's division, +engaged a portion of the enemy, driving him for some distance. The +remainder of our division was in line of battle, prepared to attack, as +we understood, a force of the enemy to the right, should opportunity +offer. Our position was now between the Warrenton pike and Manassas Gap +railway--where we were still subsisting on roasting ears and fresh +beef; no large quantity at that, but the Confederate soldier ever bore +his privations with less complaint than would be supposed by those who +did not know his enthusiasm for cause and country. + +On the morning of the 30th, during skirmishing and artillery fire along +the lines, the command to which we belonged moved forward a short +distance, resting near an old rail fence which ran on and along a +narrow country road. All firing ceased about noon, and quiet continued +until about 3 o'clock P.M., when it was broken by the lumbering of +artillery and the crash of small arms. While lying on the road referred +to, A. J. Thompson and John Q. Martin, of Company D, came near having a +serious fight, which was finally terminated by the interference of +Colonel Patton. In a few minutes after this trouble, the battle opened +on the left, rolling towards us. The order came, and the brigade, under +command of Colonel Corse, went forward at double quick, over a field, +through the woods, and into open ground, where the enemy was in line of +battle. The charge of the division under General Kemper, the brigade +under Colonel Corse, was impetuous and most gallant, routing the Union +infantry and capturing a Maine battery and some regimental flags. +General Pope's army was defeated and in retreat. It was now dark. The +forces engaged on the Union side, under General Pope, in this series of +battles around Manassas amounted to 74,578 men; those on the side of +the Confederates, 49,077. The casualties in the Union army were 1,747 +killed, 8452 wounded, 4263 missing; aggregate, 14,462. On the side of +the Confederates, 1468 were killed, 7563 wounded, and 81 missing; +aggregate, 9112. Thirty Union field guns were captured by the +Confederates, with 20,000 small arms, including a number of colors. + +Our brigade loss was 33 killed, 240 wounded, and one missing; +aggregate, 274. The regimental loss was Col. W. T. Patton, Lieut. Col. +C. C. Flowerree, Major Swinler, Adjutant Patton and Sergt. Major Park, +all of whom were severely wounded, Major Swinler losing a leg, and +Adjutant Patton and Sergt. Major Park being disabled for further +service. The loss including those mentioned was five killed, 48 +wounded; aggregate 53. + +The loss in my company was 16, equal to about one-third of the +regimental loss: John Q. Martin, killed; wounded, Lieutenant John W. +Mullins and 14 privates, viz: William H. Carr, John S. Dudley, Elbert +S. Eaton, Adam Thompson, William C. Fortner, James H. Fortner, Francis +H. Farley, J. Tyler Frazier, John W. Hight, G. L. Wilburn, H. J. +Wilburn, William I. Wilburn, James J. Nye and Washington R. C. Vass. +The two latter were mortally wounded, Vass dying that night and Nye +a few days thereafter. A. L. Fry had been sent with our wounded +Lieutenant Mullins to Warrenton, and was there captured by the enemy +after the army had crossed the Potomac. + +I must speak here of some little incidents in connection with this +battle which I think worthy of notice. The advance of the brigade in +the charge encountered a rail fence, a short distance beyond which was +the enemy's battery, and its battle line of infantry supports. When +near the fence, fearless Lieutenant-Colonel Flowerree--a mere boy, +scarcely 21 years of age--shouted: "Up to the fence, 7th regiment, and +give them h--l!" + +In closing on the battery, the man at the breach was in the act of +firing, when bold Ike Hare, of my company, directly in front of the +guns, cried out, "Fire!" Whiz! went the ball over the heads of the men, +who the next moment, with Colonel Skinner of the First Virginia +regiment, were among the cannoneers, the Colonel, with heavy sabre in +hand, cutting right and left, receiving a wound in the encounter which +retired him from the service. + +I went out to help gather up the wounded, and to get me a pair of +trousers and shoes, both of which I had need of, and which I procured, +selecting a dead Union soldier about my size. His shoes I could not +wear, as they were too small, and I gave them to a comrade; and I +almost regretted having put on his trousers, for they were inhabited by +the same sort of graybacks common to the Confederate and Union +soldiers. After more than 50 years the thought of this wretched +parasite makes my flesh itch. But these pests were unavoidable to +soldiers continually on the march through mud, mire, and over dusty +roads, without opportunity to cleanse their clothes or make a change +thereof, and this was particularly so with the Confederate soldier, who +seldom had, or could procure a change of raiment. + +In front of our regiment fell mortally wounded Colonel Fletcher +Webster, of Massachusetts, the only son of Daniel Webster, where he lay +until next day. + +As was usual following the great battles of our war, there came down +that night, and continuing the most of the next two days, a heavy +downpour of rain; a great blessing to the wounded, who needed the +cooler temperature, as some relief at least from the warm and +oppressive heat. + +Our time on Sunday was occupied in burying the dead and caring for the +wounded, then being relieved by others. On Monday, September 1, +followed the command of General Jackson to Chantilly, where he had a +heavy engagement with the enemy. From here we marched on the 3d, 4th +and 5th, passing through Leesburg and to White's Ford on the Potomac +River, where camp was made on the evening of the 5th. + +At Leesburg an order came for all sick and shoeless men to remain +there: an unfortunate order, in some respects, as it was construed by a +great many of the men to mean just anyone who did not want to go over +the river into Maryland. There had already been large depletion of the +ranks, after leaving Richmond, caused by straggling--partly by shoeless +and sick men, and partly, doubtless, from other causes. Rapid marching +and insufficient, indifferent, or no food, had much to do with the +straggling. Judging other commands by my own, I can state that much too +large a number of men remained at Leesburg, stretching the pretext +to cover far more than was intended by the order. But when it is +remembered that the army within a period of ninety days had fought not +less than eleven pitched battles, sustaining losses in the aggregate of +fully thirty-five thousand men, and that in addition to this they had +engaged in many skirmishes, in which numbers of men were lost, and that +the use of bad water and bad or insufficient food had depleted the +ranks by thousands; and again, further considering that a large portion +of the army had marched from Richmond to the Potomac, hundreds shoeless +and more becoming so--it is not strange there were so many stragglers, +sick and barefooted men. They amounted to probably 20,000. I think a +great many remained at Leesburg who were not sick or barefoot, because +of their aversion to fighting beyond Virginia territory, north of the +Potomac. In one or more of these things enumerated, I may say thousands +of men found excuses, or made them, to fall out of ranks along the line +of march, finally to halt at Leesburg--men whose help was sorely needed +at Sharpsburg. + +The Potomac River was forded on the morning of September 6, amid the +singing of "Maryland, My Maryland," and the shouts and cheering of the +men. "Back to Washington," the cry, instead of "On to Richmond," which +we had heard from our foes. Winchester was made the rendezvous for all +the sick, lame, shoeless and others who remained as we passed Leesburg. + +That night we camped at a little village, or crossroad hamlet, I think +called Buckeystown. Next day, the 7th, a halt was made at the railway +bridge over the Monocacy, two miles or more from Frederick, Maryland. +Many of the shoeless, and others too plucky to remain at Leesburg, +still kept their places with their comrades, following the fortunes of +the army throughout the campaign. I was one of the number that made +this tramp with bare feet. + + + + +Chapter XIII + +A Soldier's Equipment. + +Washing His Clothes. + +How He Ate and Slept. + +March Through Frederick. + +Middletown. + +Hagerstown. + +A Soldier in Active Service in the Field. + +What He Possesses. + +Indications of Southern Sympathy. + +The Return from Hagerstown. + +Battle of Boonsboro and Casualties. + +Retreat to Sharpsburg and Battle. + +Thirteen Days in Maryland. + +Back in Virginia. + + +A Musket, cartridge box with forty rounds of cartridges, cloth +haversack, blanket and canteen made up the Confederate soldier's +equipment. No man was allowed a change of clothing, nor could he have +carried it. A gray cap, jacket, trousers and colored shirt--calico +mostly--made up a private's wardrobe. When a clean shirt became +necessary, we took off the soiled one, went to the water, usually +without soap, gave it a little rubbing, and if the sun was shining, +hung the shirt on a bush to dry, while the wearer sought the shade to +give the shirt a chance. The method of carrying our few assets was to +roll them in a blanket, tying each end of the roll, which was then +swung over the shoulder. At night this blanket was unrolled and wrapped +around its owner, who found a place on the ground with his cartridge +box for a pillow. We cooked but little, having usually little to cook. +The frying pan was in use, if we had one. + +We remained three days at Monocacy, during which time the bridge was +destroyed by our engineers. The morning of Wednesday, September 10, our +division marched through Frederick, Middletown, Boonsboro, and to +Hagerstown, reaching the latter place the evening of the 11th, and +going into camp half a mile to the south of the town. Subsistence was +still a pressing need, green corn and fresh beef becoming monotonous. + +In Frederick our hearts were made glad by unmistakable signs of +friendship and sympathy. A bevy of pretty girls, singing "Maryland, My +Maryland," on seeing our battle flag inscribed "Seven Pines," proposed +"three cheers for the battle flag of Seven Pines," which were heartily +and lustily given by us. In Middletown we met no smiles, but a decided +Union sentiment was in evidence. In Hagerstown we observed indications +and heard some expressions of Southern sentiment, but none that +satisfied us that they were ready and willing to shed their blood for +the Southern cause. + +The troops of Stonewall Jackson, together with those of McLaws and +Walker, were now rapidly moving to invest and capture the Union +garrison of some 13,000 men, at Harper's Ferry. During the march from +Frederick, the Confederate rear was protected by a cavalry force under +General Stuart, and infantry under General D. H. Hill. In the wake of +this rear guard, following leisurely was the Union army under General +McClellan, quite a hundred thousand strong, including a powerful +artillery of 300 guns. + +On Sunday, just before noon of the 14th, the long roll sounded calling +the men into line, and a quick movement was made east in the direction +of Boonsboro and Turner's Gap. Wagons, artillery and ambulances cleared +the road, giving us the right of way. At Hagerstown was left General +Toombs' Georgia brigade, and one regiment of G. T. Anderson's to watch +a Federal gathering force just across the Maryland line. The day was +hot, the road hard and dusty, the march rapid--so much so that many of +the men broke down, falling by the wayside. The emergency demanded the +presence of our division on the field of battle, which we knew, having +learned on our way that General Hill's division had been attacked at +Turner's Gap beyond Boonsboro by a largely superior force, perhaps by +the larger part of General McClellan's Union army. Let it now be +remembered that this army made fourteen miles to the immediate vicinity +of the battleground in three and a half hours--good time for a +Hamiltonian horse. Now with other troops we were hurried up the +mountain to the right of the main gap (Turner's), and after getting +near the firing line, and finding Confederate troops there holding the +enemy in steady fight, our steps were retraced to the Gap. From thence +we were ordered to the left, climbing the mountain side in full view of +the enemy to our right, and in range of one of his batteries on a +plateau to our right rear, which threw shot and shell thick and fast, +striking the head of the leading company of my regiment and killing one +man instantly. On reaching the crest of the mountain we found ourselves +face to face with the enemy and close up to them, and under fire before +we were able to get into formation. The brigades of Rodes and Evans on +the left were engaged in strong combat with the force in their front, +and as soon as Garnett's and Jenkins' brigades filled the space on the +right and connected with Colquit's Georgia brigade, which was astride +the turnpike, the fighting along the line became general and fierce, as +much so as brave men on both sides could make it. + +The writer's brigade was now in a body of open timber, among +stones--large boulders, with some fallen timber along the line, behind +which, lying down, the men took shelter as best they could; the enemy +occupying a skirt of woods with a strip of open land between their +position and ours. For two or more hours the battle raged, or until +darkness fell, the enemy making repeated but unsuccessful efforts to +dislodge our men. The firing having ceased, there was heard in our +front the tramp of the enemy's feet, evidently preparing to renew the +assault. In a few minutes, a few yards to the right, in which lay a +portion of the brigade in the edge of a field, where at the beginning +of the battle was standing corn (now cut to the ground) came the sound +of a voice, "There they are, men! Fire on them!" Suddenly came a sheet +of flame with a deafening crash from the guns of each of the +combatants, plainly disclosing them to be within a few feet of each +other. The flame from the respective muskets seemed to intermingle. The +well-directed fire of the Confederates caused confusion in the enemy's +ranks and compelled them to retire. Among the casualties on our side +from this encounter was Adjutant John W. Daniel of the 11th Virginia, +who received a severe wound in the hand. This same Daniel served with +distinction in the United States Senate, dying a year or so ago. Such +was the character of many a noble man engaged in this horrid game of +death. + +It was now 9 o'clock or after and intensely dark, especially in the +timber where we were. Wounded comrades had to be removed and cared for; +this had to be done quietly, as the enemy was in whispering distance. +As heretofore stated, Company D of the 7th Virginia carried into the +battle of Second Manassas forty men, of which sixteen were killed and +wounded, leaving twenty-four, including commissioned officers. After +crossing the Potomac and on entering the battle at Boonsboro Gap, we +had twenty-one commissioned officers and men. In this battle were lost +four men: T. P. Mays, killed; James Cole, mortally wounded; George +Knoll, severely, and John R. Crawford, slightly wounded. Mays was +serving in the capacity of ensign of the regiment, and died at the +front, where danger was met and glory won, with that flag which he had +so gallantly, proudly and defiantly borne aloft on many victorious +fields. Brave and undaunted, he ever led where duty called, sharing the +hardships and privations of camp life, the march and dangers of battle, +without a murmur, and dying with his flag unfurled and its staff +clenched in his hands. May the memory of Tapley P. Mays rest in peace. + +With two commissioned officers, Captain Bane and Lieutenant Stone, +and fifteen men we left the field a little after 9 o'clock at night, +carrying one of the wounded, George Knoll, who had an ankle bone +fractured. Knoll was borne on the back of Isaac Hare a mile or more +to the hospital in Boonsboro. + +The officers and men of Company D who went into the battle of Boonsboro +were Capt. R. H. Bane, Lieut. E. M. Stone; men of the line, Travis +Burton, John R. Crawford, James Cole, John S. Dudley, John A. Hale, +Isaac Hare, B. L. Hoge, J. J. Hurt, John F. Jones, David E. Johnston, +George Knoll, John Meadows, T. P. Mays, W. W. Munsey, William D. +Peters, W. H. H. Snidow, R. M. Stafford, Thomas S. Taylor and A. J. +Thompson. The cook in Company D, Alexander Bolton, remained with the +supply trains and was not in the engagement. + +The forces in this battle on the Federal side, according to the report +of General McClellan, numbered 30,000, while the Confederate force, as +stated by General D. H. Hill and others, was 9000. The Federal loss was +1813 in fifty-nine infantry regiments engaged; 325 killed, 1403 +wounded, and 85 missing. The Confederate loss was 224 killed, 860 +wounded, and 800 made prisoners. There are but few regimental reports +of losses, therefore I am unable to give those in the 7th Virginia. I +am satisfied that of the four brigades of Evans, Kemper, Garnett and +Jenkins, sent late in the evening to reinforce the Confederate left, +not more than one thousand men reached the firing line, but these were +iron soldiers equal to the emergency, holding more than 5000 of the +enemy at bay until we were ready to leave the field. The superb +fighting in this battle--if at this day a fight can be called something +superb--prevented the enemy from occupying the Gap, thus sealing the +fate of the Union garrison at Harper's Ferry, which surrendered the +following morning, the tidings whereof came to us about noon, causing +much rejoicing. + +Now set in an all night's march to the scene of the struggle at +Sharpsburg, called in the North "Antietam," among the most gigantic and +awful in the history of warfare. When daylight came Monday, we were at +Keedysville, midway between the points mentioned, not having reached +the field of Sharpsburg until 12 o'clock. Having been on our feet all +night, without sleep or food, save green corn or apples, placed us in +no cheerful mood, but in good fighting temper, as hungry soldiers fight +better than well fed ones. Numbers of men straggled off along the +march, and even after the Antietam was crossed, in search of food, a +number of whom did not get back in the ranks for the battle. + +[Illustration: Lieut. John W. Mullins] + + + + +Chapter XIV + +Number of Men for Action in Kemper's Brigade. + +General D. R. Jones' Division. + +Confederate Cavalry. + +General Lee Playing Bluff with McClellan. + +The Opening of the Battle. + +Burnside's Attack and Repulse. + +The Casualties. + +Re-crossing the Potomac. + + +When Kemper's brigade was called to action at Sharpsburg, it did not +number 400 muskets. The only regimental report accessible of the number +going into action and the loss is that of Colonel Corse of the 17th +Virginia (himself wounded), who says he led into the action fifty-five +officers and men, all of whom were lost but five. The 1st Virginia did +not number more than 30, the 11th Virginia 85, the 24th probably 110, +and I know (for I counted them) that the 7th Virginia had but 117, +Company D having but two commissioned officers and fifteen men before +action began. Sergeant Taylor, sent in quest of rations, did not return +with the food until the battle had ended. John S. Dudley, on the +skirmish line, was wounded and captured. He, with Taylor, made the +fifteen, leaving for battle two officers and thirteen men. Kemper's +brigade belonged to General D. R. Jones' division, which was composed +of the brigades of Jenkins, Garnett, Jones, under Colonel Geo. T. +Anderson, Drayton, Kemper and Toombs, numbering on that morning, by the +report of General Jones, 2400 men--far too many. + +The division of General Jones held the ground in front and southeast of +Sharpsburg, extending from the Boonsboro-Sharpsburg pike along the +ridges and range of hills in front, south and east of the old road to +Harper's Ferry, nearly a mile in length, covering the approaches from +what has since been known as Burnside's bridge over the Antietam. +Robertson's cavalry brigade, under Colonel Thomas T. Munford, was in +observation on the extreme right along the Antietam and toward the +Potomac; General Stuart, with General Fitzhugh Lee's cavalry brigade, +the 13th Virginia regiment of infantry, with a number of batteries +holding the extreme Confederate left, Hampton's cavalry brigade not in +the fight, but in reserve, in rear of Stuart's position. + +It is stated upon authority that during Monday, September 15, and for +most of Tuesday, the 16th, General Lee confronted General McClellan's +Union army with only the divisions of Longstreet and D. H. Hill, +numbering all told 10,000 men, while General McClellan had 60,000 men +then facing Lee. + +In the afternoon of Monday, and continuing for the most of Tuesday, the +Federal batteries across the Antietam kept up a lively fire, during +which the troops, our brigade included, frequently shifted position, +showing our flags first at one and then at another place, being exposed +to the artillery fire, and getting a severe shelling. General Lee was +playing bluff with McClellan, who was led to believe--and so reported +to his government--that he was confronted not only by "a strong +position, but by a strong force"--imaginary numbers, not real. + +Late in the evening of Tuesday the firing to the left seemed to +increase. We heard not only the artillery fire but the rattle of +musketry for quite a time after dark. Before daylight on Wednesday, the +17th, the artillery opened vigorously on the left, followed by the +crash of small arms, the battle raging with intense fury for hours. +From our position on the right we could not see the combatants, but +could hear the crash of small arms and the wild rebel yell. As long as +we could hear this yell we felt that things were going our way. + +The battle which began on the left had at noon extended to the right +until the Confederate troops holding the open ground on the left front +of Sharpsburg were within our view. We discovered at this time a +straggling retreating line of Confederates closely followed by a solid +blue line, which soon met the fire of a Confederate battery, causing it +to retire. + +Now affairs in our front began to claim our attention. The 24th +Virginia regiment was detached from the brigade and sent a half mile to +the right, and shortly thereafter the 7th Virginia under Captain Phil +S. Ashby was detached and hurried to the right, taking position in +front of the old road leading from Sharpsburg to Harper's Ferry, +between the position held by the 1st, 11th and 17th Virginia regiments +of the brigade, and that held by the 24th regiment. Upon the advance of +the enemy we dropped back into the old road referred to. Captain Ashby +had been a soldier in our war with Mexico, was a brave man, and when he +had placed the regiment in the road, seeing the advance of the enemy he +drew his sword, saying: "Men, we are to hold this position at all +hazards. Not a man leave his place. If need be, we will die together +here in this road." Putting our muskets through the board fence, and +with fingers on the triggers, we awaited the enemy's approach through a +strip of corn, some forty yards away.[4] + + [4] The headlong rush of Archer's brigade across the front of + the 7th Virginia regiment prevented its firing into the + enemy. + +Colonel Geo. T. Anderson's brigade of D. R. Jones' division had early +in the morning been detached and sent to the aid of General Jackson, +and Garnett's brigade had been taken away and placed in position to +cover the front of Sharpsburg. General Lee had stripped his right in +aid of his left, which was being sorely pressed, leaving General Jones +to hold the right with the small brigades of Jenkins, Garnett, Drayton, +Kemper and Toombs, whose numbers I will later attempt to give. + +Two of General Toombs' regiments, the 15th and 17th Georgia, were +guarding ammunition trains, and he, with the 2d and the 20th Georgia, +and 50th Georgia of Drayton's brigade--in all numbering 403 men--with a +company of sharpshooters and a battery, was ordered to the defense of +the bridge (Burnside's). On Wednesday morning at an early hour General +Burnside, who had been ordered to carry the bridge and advance to the +heights at Sharpsburg, assailed General Toombs' men at the bridge. The +stream is small, and at the time of the battle afforded but little +water--could have been waded in dozens of places. Why the bridge? +Burnside made the effort to carry the bridge, was five times repulsed +by Toombs' small force, losing a large number of men in killed and +wounded--exacting, however, from Toombs' regiments heavy toll, for his +2d Georgia lost one-half its numbers, and the 20th Georgia suffered +heavily. General Toombs, finding the enemy crossing the stream at a +ford below the bridge, and the position no longer tenable, withdrew his +men and retired to the heights on which Jones' four brigades--Jenkins', +Garnett's, Drayton's and Kemper's--were posted. General Toombs was +joined on the way by his 15th and 17th Georgia, and Major Little's +battalion of 140 Georgia men. His 20th Georgia had been sent to +replenish its ammunition, and only part of these men returned in time +for the final contest. + +The enemy came in bold march at 4 P.M. He came in fine style and good +order until probably half way from the Antietam to the crest of the +heights, whereon stood the depleted Confederate battalions of Jenkins, +Garnett, Drayton and Kemper, when he encountered the Confederate +skirmish line posted behind stone and rail fences. These skirmishes +repulsed and routed the Union skirmishers, making it so hot for the +enemy's front battle line that it was only able to push forward by its +mere momentum, but on it came, overrunning, killing, wounding and +capturing the entire skirmish line, the men thereof remaining in their +places, firing until he reached the muzzles of their muskets. The +enemy's battle line overreached Kemper's right by several hundred +yards, exposing McIntosh's battery, the men thereof for the time being +forced to abandon their guns. Kemper's and Drayton's men were broken +off, outflanked and forced back to the outskirts of the village. + +General A. P. Hill with five small Confederate brigades which had left +Harper's Ferry that morning, marching seventeen miles, reached the +field at the opportune moment. Leaving two of his brigades to guard the +approach from a ford on his right, General Hill threw the brigades of +Gregg, Archer and Branch on the enemy's left front and flank, while +General Toombs, who had circled around the enemy's left, being joined +by the men of Kemper, Jenkins, Garnett and Drayton, together with +Hill's three brigades, with a wild yell charged, the Confederate +batteries opening fiercely; the enemy was driven from the field, mostly +in disorder, fleeing to the banks of the Antietam for shelter. The +field was won, the day was ours. In this headlong Confederate charge, +General Branch of Hill's division was killed; General Gregg of the same +division and General Toombs of Jones' division, wounded. Federal +General Rodman was mortally wounded. The 24th and 7th Virginia suffered +a few casualties in killed and wounded, mostly from the artillery fire, +a few by musket balls. My company lost Hare, and Dudley wounded, the +latter captured on the skirmish line. + +With the utter defeat of General Burnside's Federal Army Corps, the +battle ended, and Kemper's brigade occupied that night and the next day +the same position it held when the battle in our front opened. + +No fiercer, bloodier one day's conflict occurred during the war than +the battle of Sharpsburg, which was fought on the part of the +Confederates by a worn out, broken down, naked, barefooted, lame and +starved soldiery, against a far superior force of brave, well rested, +well clothed and well fed veterans. It was an all day, stand up, +toe-to-toe and face-to-face fight, just as close as brave American +soldiers could make it, and in none other did Southern individuality +and self reliance--characteristics of the Confederate soldier--shine +more brilliantly or perform a more important part. It was on this field +that strategy and military science won the day for the Confederates. It +was mind over matter. General Lee, the greatest military man of the +age, was on the field, wielding the blade that was so admirably +tempered, which brought blood and destruction at every stroke. + +The failure of the Union soldiers to win this battle and utterly crush +the Confederates, was no fault of theirs; they had the numbers and +equipment, were courageous and brave. The truth is, their leader was +timid, overcautious, and outgeneraled, fought his battle in detail, +and was defeated in detail. General Burnside's, the largest single +attacking corps, was beaten before he had his columns fairly deployed, +and this because the Confederates outmaneuvered him on the field, had +the flanks of his assaulting columns turned before he knew there was +any Confederate force on the ground to turn them. Upon this occurring, +he lost control of the battle, and the only thing apparent to him was +to get away as quickly as possible, which he did, though his battle had +not lasted an hour. + +The force engaged in this battle on the Confederate right, on the Union +side, was that of General Burnside's 9th army corps, consisting of +twenty-nine regiments of infantry, six batteries of artillery, and +two companies of cavalry, making, according to the most reliable +information obtainable, an aggregate of 13,083. His losses were: +Killed, 436; wounded, 1796; missing, 115; total, 2349. + +On the Confederate side the battle was fought by the brigades of +Jenkins, Garnett, Toombs, Kemper and Drayton (two regiments, 51st +Georgia and 15th South Carolina); Gregg's, Archer's and Branch's (less +the 18th North Carolina, on detached duty), of Hill's division. The +24th and the 7th Virginia, except their skirmishers, did not pull a +trigger, but were under the fire of the artillery and partly that of +infantry. Nor did the 18th North Carolina take part in the battle. + +From the best information I have been able to obtain, from the official +reports and otherwise, I fix the number of Confederates in this battle +against General Burnside's 13,083 men as follows: + + Jenkins' brigade 500 + + Garnett's brigade 250 + + Drayton's brigade (51st Ga. & 15th + S.C. Regmts.) 200 + + Kemper's brigade 300 + + Toombs' brigade (including Maj. + Little's bat., 140) 600 + ---- + + Total Jones' Division 1850 + + A. P. Hill's three brigades, less + 18th North Carolina, detached 1900 + ---- + + Total, both divisions 3750 + +Casualties--General Jones reports, including the battle of Boonsboro, +1435. Toombs' brigade was not at Boonsboro, and the brigade commanded +by Colonel Geo. T. Anderson was detached in the early morning, and we +have no reports from the 28th Virginia regiment of Garnett's brigade, +and only in part from Toombs' regiments, and but from one regiment of +Kemper's. Approximately, however, the losses were as follows: + + Col. Walker, commanding brigade + of Jenkins, reports 210 + + Taking 4 regiments of Garnett's + and averaging the 5th 80 + + Drayton's two regiments, estimated 100 + + Kemper's regiments, estimated 160 + + Toombs, stated 346 + --- + Total 996 + +The disparity in numbers on this part of the field was probably greater +than on any other--nearly three and a half to one. + +There has been, and probably will always be, uncertainty as to the +number of men General Lee had in the battle of Sharpsburg. Colonel +Taylor, of the staff of General Lee, and Adjutant General of the army, +puts the number at 35,250--including cavalry and artillery, putting the +infantry force at 27,255. This is surely incorrect for the reasons: +first, that the returns of the army on the 20th of July, 1862, a few +days before the movement of the army to North Virginia from Richmond +began, show the total cavalry 3740. In the second place the fact is +well known that the cavalry and artillery had been engaged in the +battle of Cedar Run, the battles around Manassas, and at South +Mountain, Harper's Ferry, Crampton's Pass, and Boonsboro, and the +losses must have been large; and again, there were only three brigades +of Confederate cavalry at Sharpsburg--Lee's, Hampton's and Robertson's, +the latter under Munford, and there is no evidence that either of the +two latter named fired a shot at Sharpsburg. Lee's brigade could not +have numbered more than a third of the cavalry force, say 1500--a +liberal estimate--and the artillerists 1800. We have 3300. A careful +examination of all the sources of information available to me, +including official reports, and my own personal knowledge and +observation on the march and on the field, inclines me strongly to the +opinion and belief that the Confederate troops on the field of +Sharpsburg on the firing line and actually engaged on the 17th of +September numbered: + + Jackson's division 1600 + Ewell's division 3400 + D. H. Hill's division 3000 + D. R. Jones' division 1850 + A. P. Hill's division 1900 + Hood's division 2000 + McLaws' division 2893 + R. H. Anderson's division 3500 + J. G. Walker's division 3200 + Geo. T. Anderson's brigade 300 + N. G. Evans' division 1500 + Lee's cavalry brigade 1500 + Artillerists 1800 + ------ + Total 28,443 + +Note:--There is no evidence that Armistead's brigade of R. H. +Anderson's division drew trigger in this battle. + + The Confederate casualties in the Maryland + campaign as given in the War Records 13,609 + + The Federal casualties, including the garrison + at Harper's Ferry 27,767 + + Deducting the Harper's Ferry garrison, + we have the Federal losses of the campaign 15,203 + + Deducting Federal losses at Boonsboro + Gap of 1813, Crampton's Gap 533, we + have approximately as the Federal loss + in battle of Sharpsburg 12,856 + + Deducting the estimated Confederate loss + at Boonsboro Gap, Crampton's Gap and + Harper's Ferry, 3948, from the campaign + loss, we have approximately as + the Confederate loss at Sharpsburg 9,661 + +The actual number of Union soldiers on the firing line in the battle of +Sharpsburg could not have exceeded 68,000 men, but Porter's corps, some +19,000, was close up in the center in reserve, with more than 14,000, +only a march away. + +The night of the battle several of our men went out on the battlefield, +to look after the dead and wounded and for other purposes. Among those +from my company who went out in this way were Travis Burton and +Lieutenant Stone, who shortly returned with an unwounded prisoner of a +Rhode Island regiment, who had failed to get away with his retreating +comrades. This prisoner was a mere boy, who exhibited considerable +signs of fear and trepidation, and with whom Captain Ashby had quite a +little fun. + +On passing over a battlefield after the close of the battle, it will +usually be observed that the pockets of the dead, and sometimes of the +wounded, have been turned out. A soldier will generally take from the +battlefield and the dead what he wants. + +The next day, the 18th, was in the main quiet, with some little picket +firing; the wounded were being cared for and the dead buried. In the +immediate front of our brigade, some fifty yards away, the farthest +point reached by Harland's Federal brigade the day before, and the +ground on which it stood, when charged by the brigades of Toombs and +Kemper, I counted the bodies of 33 dead Union soldiers of the 8th +Connecticut regiment. One of the wounded was still living, to whom I +gave a drink of water and filled his canteen. During the day a man of +our regiment, who had gone forward to help remove the Federal wounded, +was shot through the body and killed by a Federal sharpshooter, who was +so far away that the report from his rifle was not heard by the men +engaged in the removal of the wounded. + +On the night of the 18th, we left the battle line, moving to the +Potomac, wading the river at the ford near Sheperdstown, and instead +of singing when crossing the river thirteen days before, "Maryland, +MY Maryland!" the song was, "Carry me back, oh! carry me back to old +Virginia, once more." + +A halt was made some three miles from the river; moving in a day or two +to near Bunker Hill, and again to a point nearer to Winchester, close +by a large spring, where we received quite a number of accessions to +our ranks by the return of the shoeless, sick, and some wounded men +left along the route of our advance into Maryland. + + + + +Chapter XV + +From Winchester to Culpeper. + +Reorganization of the Army. + +What Happened at Culpeper. + +To Fredericksburg and Battle There. + +In Winter Quarters. + +Incidents of the Camp. + + +Longstreet's command left the vicinity of Winchester the latter part of +October, 1862, crossing the Shenandoah river, Blue Ridge, and reaching +Culpeper the early part of the first week in November, going into camp +a short distance southeast of the court house. Several companies of the +7th regiment were from Orange, Culpeper, Madison and Rappahannock, and +while in this camp the friends of these men came with wagons loaded +with provisions and clothing, supplying many of their needs, and +relieving much of their suffering. + +Here the reorganization of the army was effected into two army corps, +the first commanded by General James Longstreet, the second by General +Thomas J. (Stonewall) Jackson. Later a third corps was organized, of +which Lieutenant General A. P. Hill was appointed commander. Pickett's +division was also organized, composed of five brigades, as follows: + + First brigade, General James L. Kemper: regiments 1st, 3d, 7th, + 11th and 24th Virginia. + + Second brigade, General R. B. Garnett: regiments 8th, 18th, 19th, + 28th and 56th Virginia. + + Third brigade, General Lewis A. Armistead: regiments 9th, 14th, + 38th, 53d and 57th Virginia. + + Fourth brigade, General M. D. Corse: regiments 15th, 17th, 29th, + 30th and 32d Virginia. + + These four Virginia brigades were composed of the flower of the + state. + + Jenkins' South Carolina brigade--General M. Jenkins: regiments + Palmetto sharpshooters, 1st, 2d, 3d, 4th, 5th and 6th South + Carolina, and 4th battalion. + + To which was attached the following Virginia artillery: Major + Dearing's 38th battalion, with Caskie's, Stribling's and Latham's + batteries. + +Many additions were made to the ranks at Culpeper, greatly increasing +our strength; the organization now being better as to numbers and +discipline than at any previous period. The health of the soldiers was +also much improved; the entire army, however, still being deficient in +equipment, especially shoes, overcoats and blankets, and the chilly +November winds, the precursor of that fearfully cold winter just +ahead, causing suffering among the men, who bore the same without +murmuring--such was their metal. The weather by this time had become +quite cold, the men building strong fires, and to keep off the cold +ground at night they procured, when possible, two or three flat fence +rails, placing them near the fire, lying down upon them. Such was their +feather bed, covering themselves with a blanket if they chanced to have +one. + +Here the writer was appointed Sergeant-Major of the regiment, +succeeding Sergeant-Major Park, disabled in the second battle of +Manassas--an honor as proud as anything that has come to him since. + +The march to Fredericksburg began November 18, over the old plank +road, passing through the Wilderness and Chancellorsville, soon to be +drenched in blood in the most famous battles of the war--Chancellorsville, +Wilderness and Spottsylvania. Here it may be said that in the County of +Spottsylvania more important battles were fought, more blood shed and +more men killed and wounded, and more soldiers lie buried, than in any +other county in the United States. Here were fought the first and +second battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, the two days +Wilderness, and the series of battles in and around Spottsylvania court +house, including countless skirmishes and cavalry combats. It is no +exaggeration to say that the men killed and wounded in the battles, +skirmishes and combats in the county reached 100,000. + +When we reached the vicinity of Fredericksburg, snow had fallen to +the depth of two inches or so, which had to be cleared off to find +a dry place to go to bed. Here we remained for twenty or more days, +performing no guard duty, but kept busy gathering fuel to make fires to +keep warm. Eating our rations gave us little trouble, not nearly so +much as when or where the next would come from. The men smoked, some +croaked--for it must be remarked that in the army there are chronic +grumblers, who complain of short rations, continually saying the war +would never end; others that we were going to be whipped in the next +fight; but men of this class were few in number, the greater part in +good spirits, buoyant with hope and confident of the final triumph of +our cause. + +At early dawn, December 11, we stood to arms, continuing to do so until +early Saturday morning, the 13th, two days and nights, then moving out +from camp in the direction of the Rappahannock. The two days' suspense +just alluded to proved a severe task on the staying powers of the +strongest men. Our march now continued until we reached a point +overlooking the river valley. Although frosty, the air bracing, a dense +fog hovered pall-like over the valley below, shutting off from our view +the enemy, now in full force along the river, and the broad bottom land +at our feet. As the sun broke away the fog, the movement continuing, +there was heard to our left occasional rattle of musketry. Meeting a +negro man loaded with blankets, canteens, haversacks and general +baggage, puffing as if almost out of breath, with great drops of sweat +as big as peas on his face--someone said to him: "Hello, Uncle! Where +are you going?" + +His answer was, "To de r'ar, Sah!" + +Then the query, "To what command do you belong?" + +"Barksdale's brigade, Sah." + +"Is it running, too?" + +"No, boss, it never runs, but I always do." + +By this time the fog had so lifted that we could see in front far to +our right the gleam of a long line of bayonets, though we could not see +the men who held the guns. We halted on the break of the heights, where +we witnessed the combat between the Federal and Confederate skirmishers +of Jackson's command, as well also as the assault by a part of the +Federal line of battle against Jackson's men, and the repulse of the +Federals. Not being longer permitted to enjoy the further progress of +the battle on that part of the field, we were now hastened down the +hill and formed in line of battle in a wood with an open field in +front; the fog, however, still bothered in seeing the game we were +watching. The dictates of self preservation impelled us to throw up +some rude breastworks, which would furnish fair protection from rifle +or musket balls, but none from artillery fire. While in this position, +where we remained until the middle of the afternoon, there could be +heard the commands of the officers of the enemy quite as distinctly as +those of our own. + +Many of the men without overcoats and thinly clad stood shivering from +the cold fog, their beards white with frost. General Kemper came along +and made a patriotic, soul-stirring speech, which had a good effect +upon the men, also making similar speeches to other regiments of the +brigade. + +The Confederates on the left at the foot of Marye's Hill being heavily +pressed, our brigade was withdrawn and pushed across the hills and +valleys to a position in rear and easy supporting distance of the +troops holding position at the foot of the hill. While in this new +position, the musket and rifle balls of the enemy flew thick and fast, +a number being wounded, among them Lewis N. Wiley, of D company, one +ball striking the writer's left foot, which had become so hard by going +without shoes that but little injury was inflicted. At dark and as the +last charge of the enemy was repulsed, our brigade moved forward, +relieving some Georgia and North Carolina troops; the left of my +regiment resting on the road leading out of Fredericksburg over the +hill, and extending to the right on the upper side of a road leaving +the last named road at right angles; occupying the angle made by these +roads, where we lay down on the upper side of the road on a wall made +by a stone fence built against the foot of the hill, which afforded us +no protection. + +The 1st Virginia regiment was on our right and in line in the road and +behind the stone fence; the men of our regiment, with bayonets, boards, +sticks and tin cups, went to work to cut a trench on top of the wall on +which it lay, and by daylight the next morning had made themselves +works sufficient to protect them against minnie balls. + +Around us lay the Confederate dead, two dead Georgians lying in the +midst of my company, by whose side the writer lay down and slept. The +night was cool, but not cold; there was no moon, but bright starlight, +to which, for several hours, was added the Aurora borealis. About +midnight I was aroused by Captain Bane, who said to me, "They are +coming," and with my ear to the ground I could distinctly hear hoof +strokes approaching from the direction of the city. In a moment every +man was at his post, musket in hand; dead stillness reigned. The +mounted parties rode up to the intersection of the roads and were +captured by the first regiment. The party consisted of three Federal +officers, one a member of General Hooker's staff. They had ridden +forward to examine their skirmish line and had been allowed to pass +through unchallenged, finding themselves in a trap. They were sent +under guard to the provost-marshal in charge of an Irish sergeant and +guard of the 1st Virginia. This sergeant on his return next morning, +while passing our company, was severely wounded by a Federal +sharpshooter standing behind the corner of a brick house a hundred +yards or more away. + +We had been advised on the night of the battle that the attack was +expected to be renewed the next morning, in view of which we had been +furnished with one hundred rounds of ammunition, with instructions to +hold the position at all hazards, that we would be supported by a line +of battle on the hill in our rear. The attack was not made, though we +remained in position during the day and night, skirmishing and +sharpshooting. Next day after the battle, while holding the line in +front of Fredericksburg, some of our boys carried water to the Federal +wounded lying in our front, though at the risk of life. + +Amid a rainstorm on the night of the 14th, the enemy stole away and +crossed the river. The battle over and the danger past, we retired to +our camp on the hills south of Fredericksburg, where we remained for +nearly two months, suffering much from cold, want of clothing and +shoes; many of the barefooted men making and wearing rawhide moccasins. +Frequently, to prevent suffering at night, the men made log fires and +in evening rolled away the burning logs, cleared away the fire and +ashes and made their sleeping places on the warm earth from which the +fire had been removed. When we had snow, the men would fight snowball +battles, in which frequently someone was seriously hurt. We did little +picket or guard duty, and many engaged in card playing. Religious +exercises were now infrequent. I recall going once to divine services, +when the Chaplain, Mr. McCarthy, preached; and I remember to this good +day the text which formed the basis of his discourse. It was from the +53d chapter of Isaiah, verse i: "Who hath believed our report? and to +whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?" + +During the long, dreary, cold two months following the battle of +Fredericksburg, while in camp amid privations and suffering, the men +discussed freely the questions touching the war, its conduct, and +prospects for peace. The soldiers talked gravely of these matters, +discussing them frequently with much earnestness, not a few becoming +homesick and longing for the termination of the game of conflict and +death. An ever abiding confidence in our cause, its justness, and our +belief in the final triumph of right over wrong coupled with invincible +spirits ever ready to brave the storm of battle, caused our sufferings +and hardships to be treated as trivial, as compared with the issue at +stake. The end, however, was not yet in sight, and little did we dream +that it would be reached as it was; for while it was supposed that the +private soldier knew little of what was transpiring throughout the +country--North, South or in Europe, yet it is a fact that the questions +of resources of the South in men and supplies; the North with its vast +resources, with the old world to draw upon for men to fight its +battles, were frequently talked of, as well as the remote possibility +of foreign intervention; its effect upon the war; the peace feeling +North, and its probable effect. Our confidence in the armies of the +Confederacy, and our ability to successfully resist the Federal armies +with their overwhelming numbers was scarcely doubted. It was remarkable +what confidence the men reposed in General Lee; they were ready to +follow him wherever he might lead, or order them to go. + +In company D was one, Dan East, who was never in a battle, and never +intended to be; yet Dan knew more about it than anyone who had gone +through it; always turning up after the battle with a full haversack, +good blanket, overcoat and shoes. As usual, Dan walked into the camp +after the battle of Fredericksburg, when the Colonel determined to +punish him; he caused a placard with the word "Coward" in large letters +to be fastened across his back, and with rail on his shoulder he was +marched to and fro in front of the regiment; but this had little effect +on Dan, and the first opportunity he helped himself to a fellow +soldier's clothing and other goods, which were found in his quarters. +The men of the company decided to rid the service of Dan by whipping +him out of it, which they did. + +It was while in this camp that a rencounter occurred between Hight and +Young, both large, stout, athletic men, pretty equally matched in size, +strength and good mettle. The fight was as close as two brave men could +make it, but friends intervened and the combatants were separated. + +Let us now return to the result of the battle of Fredericksburg, as far +as forces engaged and casualties suffered are concerned. + +The Federal army in this battle numbered 50,000; casualties, 12,653. +Confederate army, 20,000; casualties, 4201. Casualties in Kemper's +brigade, 46; in 7th Virginia regiment, 5; in Co. D, 1; Lewis N. Wiley, +wounded--with the whack taken at the writer's foot, already described. + +January 20, 1863, the command was suddenly called to arms, marched up +the Rappahannock in the direction of Banks' ford, where, it was +reported, the Federal army was threatening to cross the river. We +remained out one night in the snow, rain, mud and slush, returning to +camp next day. + + + + +Chapter XVI + +Leaving Camp. + +March Through Spottsylvania. + +Louisa. + +Hanover, Petersburg. + +First North Carolina Campaign. + +Heavy Snowfall and Battle. + +Accident to Anderson Meadows Near Chester. + +Camp Near Petersburg. + +Gardner Exchanges Hats. + +Lieutenant Stone in a Box. + +To Weldon, Goldsboro and Kinston. + +At Suffolk, Virginia. Return via Petersburg, Chester, Richmond, to +Taylorsville. + +John, the Drummer Boy. + +Professor Hughes, Frank Burrows and Others. + +Across the Pamunkey, Return Taylorsville and to Culpeper. + + +Monday, February 16, 1863, in the midst of a storm of snow and sleet, +Pickett's division took up its line of march heading toward Richmond. +Reports were rife relating to destination, some saying Charleston, +others Savannah or Blackwater; all were on the list of probabilities, +the line of march being through the counties of Spottsylvania, Louisa +and Hanover. At Hanover Junction Sergeant A. L. Fry, who had returned +from captivity, rejoined us. Within eight miles or so of Richmond the +moving army went into camp, resting a few days from fatiguing march, +then proceeding through Richmond to Chester station on the Richmond and +Petersburg railroad. + +The brave Lieutenant-Colonel Flowerree of the 7th regiment, having +imbibed a little freely, as we passed through Richmond was placed in +arrest, charged with the breach of soldierly good conduct. He was +finally restored to us on the return from Gettysburg; a streak of luck +that saved the Colonel from being in the great battle. + +The day of our arrival at Chester was cool, the early night was clear, +the sky blue, the stars shining--nothing that betokened any sudden +change of weather. Awakening next morning we found we had a blanket of +snow twelve inches deep--the men lying in rows reminding one of a +cemetery, and on rising, of the resurrection day. We soon built roaring +fires and went out and fought a great snowball battle. The explosion of +cartridges in a cartridge box that had been hung up too near the fire +came near costing Anderson Meadows the loss of his eyes. Meadows was +quite a remarkable man. When he went into the army he could neither +read nor write, but during the service he became quite proficient in +all, was a number one cook and a brave soldier, surviving the war. + +Our next move took us to a point about a mile southeast of Petersburg, +where we went into camp. The weather had somewhat moderated, but snow +still on the ground. Our Lieutenant Stone, who had been home on +furlough, returned to us here. The camp was always more lively when he +was present, for there was no fun or mischief started in which he did +not make a full hand, and in the army anything that cultivates +cheerfulness is of real value. Many of the men went into Petersburg, +some without leave, among them Gardner of Company D, who, on his +return, was discovered wearing a good looking hat instead of the old, +dingy cap he had worn away. Inquiry being made as to how he became +possessed of the hat, he replied: "I swapped with a fellow--but he +wasn't there!" + +March 25 a shift was made to the Weldon and Petersburg railway station, +and while the train to carry us south was being made ready, some of the +men took on too many drinks, our jolly Lieutenant Stone being one, and +becoming boisterous, fell into the hands of the city police. To keep +our Lieutenant out of their clutches, the men of the company put him +in a box car, fastening the doors, but as he did not fancy being a +prisoner in a box car he kicked off one of the doors, coming out with +it, hanging as he came on a nail or part of the door, the leg of his +trousers catching the same a little above the knee, tearing one leg of +his trousers. + +Next morning found us at Weldon, where we remained several hours, and +while here Pat Wood, an Irishman of the 1st regiment, started some kind +of a row, which brought General Ransom, the commandant of the post, +upon the scene, and which resulted in a peremptory order for the whole +command to move on, which it did. Crowded into box cars, without fire, +the weather cold, the result cold feet and general discomfort. But a +soldier equal to almost any emergency, especially where his personal +safety and comfort are concerned, and determining to have fires, +covered the floor of each car with sand. On this fires were made of +longleaf North Carolina pine. The smoke was dense, and, having no +escape, settled upon the men, so that when Goldsboro was reached that +evening we were thought to belong to the "colored brigade." + +Next day we proceeded about twenty-five miles to Kinston, on the Neuse +river, about thirty-five miles west from Newbern. From Kinston we did +some scouting and picket duty on the roads leading to Newbern, the +object seeming to be to keep the enemy at Newbern close in, while our +commissariat gathered supplies, as General Longstreet with Hood's +division was likewise doing at Suffolk, Va. The enemy had occupied +Kinston the preceding winter, and many of the houses had been +destroyed; the inhabitants had removed, either inside the Union +military lines, or to the interior of the state. The village, in fact, +was entirely deserted. + +Our brigade left Kinston April 9, moving by rail to Goldsboro and +Weldon to a point twenty or more miles south of Petersburg, from whence +we marched through the Blackwater region--the counties of Southampton, +its county town Jerusalem, Isle of Wight--to the neighborhood of +Suffolk in Nausemond County, where we united with the division of +General Hood, then closely investing the town. + +I will here relate two incidents occurring on our journey to and from +Kinston. While halting at Goldsboro, a soldier of Company F, 24th +Virginia, named Adams, went to a pie stand kept by an old lady, took +part of her pies and was walking away without paying therefor, when he +was arrested by a town policeman, whom the soldier sought to resist, +and in the fight Adams was killed. The other incident was, as we were +being transported by the railway in box cars between Kinston and +Goldsboro, a part of the men were on top of the boxes, and along +portions of the railway were overhead bridges for the accommodation +of travelers on the county roads. One, Manly Reece of Co. G, 24th +Virginia, standing erect on one of the box cars, and not observing an +overhead bridge, was struck, knocked from the car and killed. + +At Suffolk lively skirmishing was kept up for quite a while, sometimes +approaching a battle. While here we were formed into line of battle to +receive the foe, but he did not come. Matters thus continued until we +retired, as hereinafter related. + +From a letter I wrote to a friend dated April 25 (the original +furnished while writing these pages), it appears we reached Suffolk the +12th of the month. I state in the letter: "This is the 13th day that we +have been in close proximity to the enemy." While at Suffolk three of +my Company D--Hugh J. Wilburn, James H. Gardner and John S. W. French, +deserted to the enemy. + +Having accomplished the object of the expedition, the troops quietly +withdrew from the front a little after dark on the evening of Monday, +May 4. On reaching South Quay, we heard of the great Confederate +victory at Chancellorsville. Pushing ahead through Petersburg to +Chester Station, we again halted there for a few days for rest and +recuperation. While here in camp, Isaac Hare and Travis Burton of +Company D took "French furlough" and joined themselves to a portion of +the Confederate army serving in southwestern Virginia. The cause of +this action was never explained. + +Baldwin L. Hoge, in handling a knife, accidentally wounded himself in +the knee, was sent to the hospital, and was not able for field service +for several months. + +It was here also that the men of the divisions of Pickett and Hood +heard with sorrow of the death of General Stonewall Jackson, an +irreparable loss; for his place could not well be filled, and it seemed +that with his loss our cause began to wane. The humblest private in all +the armies of the South deeply mourned the loss of this Christian man +and able general. + +Hood's Texans were encamped across the railroad from us, amusing +themselves by putting musket caps on the rails just in advance of the +approach of a passenger train, then taking their stand close beside the +track, bushes or brush in hand. On the caps exploding, the passengers +would put their heads out of the windows to ascertain the cause of the +popping, and found on drawing their heads back into the coach that they +were hatless--a slick trick of the soldiers to get for themselves a +supply of hats. + +Resuming the line of march May 12, we passed through Richmond to +Taylorsville in Hanover County, not far from the Junction, the crossing +of the Virginia Central over the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac +railroad. + +A series of religious meetings were here held and many professed faith +in Christ, the writer among the number. From a letter to a friend at +home, dated at Taylorsville, May 26, I see that I stated: "We are now +resting from our hard marches, which, however, may be resumed at any +time. There is a religious meeting going on here now. Rev. Dr. Pryor of +Petersburg is preaching for us. I think he will be able to do great +good. Nearly every man in the brigade seems to take an interest in the +meetings. I hope that much good may be done. Our soldiers are loyal to +their country, and Oh! how grand if they would only be loyal to God." + +In the interim of our arrival at Taylorsville and leaving there, the +division took a journey across the Pamunkey into King and Queen County, +returning to Taylorsville. A few days thereafter we had division +review, being drawn up in line to receive General Pickett, to whom, as +he passed by, we were to lower the flags and present arms, the drums to +beat. John Whitlock was the drummer boy for our regiment, a little waif +picked up in Richmond by some one of our regimental band or drum corps, +of which Professor Hughes was leader, with Frank Burrows and others +members of the band. John Whitlock was a mischievous boy, who, to keep +from beating the drum, would lose or throw away the sticks; so when on +this review he was ordered by the Colonel to beat the drum, there was +no response, on account of which, on return to camp, I was ordered to +place on John a drum shirt, which consisted of taking the heads out of +the drum and slipping the barrel down over his arms. John cried and +begged, and I let him go upon his promise to do better in the future. + +At Taylorsville Pickett's division, fully equipped, was made ready for +the most active field service. The ranks were recuperated by those who +had been sick, those recovered from wounds, as well as by recruits, and +all vacancies in the officers of the line and staff, among them Captain +John H. Parr, who had been appointed Adjutant to fill the vacancy +occasioned by the death of Adjutant Starke, killed in the battle of +Frazier's Farm. Company D had lost up to this time, killed in battle, +died of wounds, disease, transfers to other commands, detached service +and desertion, nearly 70 men; had received no recruits except those +received in August, 1861, and some were sick and in hospital. + +It is probable we left Taylorsville for Culpeper June 3, as I see from +a letter written by me on the 11th of June from a point about eight +miles from Culpeper court house, that I say: "We have been marching for +the last eight days, have now halted eight miles from Culpeper court +house. Our cavalry had a severe fight with the enemy day before +yesterday. I think we are to have a hard summer's campaign. It is +reported that the Yankees have moved back to Manassas and Bull Run. +There has been some fighting at Fredericksburg, where some of the enemy +have crossed and are throwing up fortifications." + +It was our custom to call the enemy Yankees; some said "D--d Yankees," +and they likewise called us "D--d rebels," neither side meaning any +offense, nor the expression carrying any personal ill will. It is told +by General Sherman in his Atlanta, or some other campaign, that he +heard an old negro praying, saying among other things, "Oh! Lord, bless +the d--d Yankees." We used the word Yankee, prior to the war, applying +it to the New England people, the descendants of the Puritans, the +people whose ancestors landed on Plymouth Rock, of whom General Early +is credited with saying, "If that rock had landed on them, we would +never have had the d--d h--l fired war." The word Yankee is of +uncertain derivation though said to be an Indian corruption of the +French word, Anglais, meaning English. The Union soldiers usually +called us "Johnnies," or "Johnny Rebs." + +The army had been organized with three corps--first, Longstreet's; +second, Ewell's, and third, A. P. Hill's. While at Culpeper, where the +Confederate army was being mobilized, additional numbers were being +received into the ranks. The passionate ardor of our people for their +country's cause had brought to the army nearly every man fit for the +service. It was perhaps the largest efficient number of men, and +composed of the best fighting material that General Lee ever led to +battle. Most of the men were well inured to the service, and well +prepared to undergo the greatest privations and hardships; and by +this time most of the cowards and skulkers had either gotten out of +the army or had never gotten in, or gone over to the enemy. In these +men General Lee imposed the utmost confidence, and this confidence was +reciprocated. It is stated upon authority that as the army went forward +on its march to Pennsylvania, while passing through the valley of +Virginia not far from Berryville, near which General Lee had stopped +and dined with a friend, that in the act of mounting his horse to +depart, his host remarked: "I have never had any confidence in the +success of our cause till now I see our army marching north." Promptly +came General Lee's only reply: "Doctor, there marches the finest body +of men that ever tramped the earth." + +The usual order to cook rations and prepare to move at a moment's +notice was given, and everything was put in readiness; the camp was all +bustle and confusion. + + + + +Chapter XVII + +Pennsylvania Campaign of July, 1863. + +Culpeper and Snicker's Gap. + +Fording the Potomac. + +Shooting a Deserter. + +Pennsylvania Invaded. + +Chambersburg. + +My Dream. + +Willoughby Run. + +Roll Call. + + +I am now about to record the things I saw in connection with the +greatest endeavor of the Army of Northern Virginia during the Civil +War, which led up to the Battle of Gettysburg, a campaign which +startled the North, alarmed the capital at Washington, and inspired +General Lee's army with new heroism and courage. We were going to +Pennsylvania in part to procure that for which Jacob's sons went down +into Egypt. + +Monday, June 15, 1863, the head of the column moved out, directed +toward the Blue Ridge and Snicker's Gap, through which we passed June +20, crossing the Shenandoah River at Castleman's ferry, where we were +detained three or four days, and again at Berryville, for the purpose +of keeping in supporting distance of our cavalry operating against that +of the enemy east of the Ridge. The march from Culpeper was conducted +left in front, the enemy being on our right. The Confederate cavalry +had for several days been engaged with that of the enemy in the +vicinity of Aldie and Upperville. The army was followed by a large +drove of beef cattle, James B. Croy, of Company D, being detailed as +one of the drivers, thereby escaping the storm at Gettysburg. + +The way for the march of the army through the Virginia valley had been +cleared by Ewell's corps, which had defeated and driven away the +Federal troops at Winchester and Martinsburg; while the Confederate +cavalry had cut and destroyed a portion of the Baltimore & Ohio +railroad west of Harper's Ferry, and Jenkins' Confederate cavalry +brigade had crossed the Potomac, entering Maryland and Pennsylvania. +The weather was hot and the march continued through Martinsburg by +Falling Waters, crossing the Potomac by wading to Williamsport, Md., +going into camp a short distance out of the town. Here it was late in +the evening that a deserter from the 18th Virginia regiment was +executed by shooting. + +The morale of the army was superb, officers and men alike inspired with +confidence in the ability of the army to beat its old antagonist +anywhere he chose to meet us. We were moving into the enemy's country +in fine spirit--no straggling, no desertion, no destruction of private +property, no outrages committed upon non-combatants, the orders of the +commanding general on this subject being strictly observed. Among the +men were expressions of disapproval of the invasion of the North. We +had uniformly insisted upon defensive warfare on our own soil; in other +words, we steadfastly contended against the claim of the enemy to +invade our own land, and logically we should be bound by the same +reasoning. However, in the last analysis every man in the army of +Northern Virginia was loyal to his commander-in-chief, wherever he +should lead. Here, indeed, was a spectacle: An army of more than sixty +thousand freemen, every man a soldier in the true sense of the word, +brave, resolute, fearless, the heroes and victors of many fields, +marching unobstructed and thus far unopposed through an enemy's +country, whose people had scarcely known that war was in progress; +living in quiet and plenty. The march was continued with steady tread +to Hagerstown, where a halt was made to allow Hill's corps, which had +crossed the river below, to pass. Again marching, the Cumberland Valley +in Pennsylvania was entered, a magnificent land, the counterpart of the +lovely valley of Virginia, the sight bringing homesickness to the heart +of not a few Virginia boys. Nothing was seen indicating that these +people knew that a terrible war had been raging for two years, only a +few miles away; certain it is they had felt little of its effect, +either upon their population or resources. At Greencastle was noted +among the people defiance and vindictive mien; while not speaking out, +their looks indicated that deep down in their bosoms was rancor and the +wish that all the rebel hosts were dead and corralled by the devil. + +Saturday, June 27, Chambersburg, the capital--county town--of Franklin +County, was entered by our column; passing to the outskirts on the +north, or northwest side thereof, halting in the street in front of a +beautiful residence, said to be that of Colonel McClure. Some ladies +appeared and volunteered to deliver a sharp, spicy address, which was +responded to by the band of our regiment, with "Dixie." The boys sang +"Dixie" and "Bonnie Blue Flag," laughed and cheered lustily, then +marched on a few miles on the York road and went into camp. + +Pickett's division was left at Chambersburg to guard the trains until +General Imboden's command could close up and relieve it, which it did +on the evening of July 1. While waiting to be relieved, the men of +Pickett's division were employed in tearing up the track of the +Cumberland Valley railroad, which was thoroughly done for a mile or +more, piling and firing the ties, heating the rails and bending them +around trees. + +During the march from the Potomac to Chambersburg, I one night had a +dream in which I saw my left shoulder mangled by a cannon shot and I +lying on the battlefield bleeding, dying. This dream, not like many +not recollected, deeply impressed itself upon my mind, and I found +myself unable to throw it off. When three days later in the battle +at Gettysburg I was struck by an exploding shell on my left side, the +dream instantly came up, and I said, here now is its fulfillment. Other +soldiers, like myself, probably during and after the war dreamed of +being in battle, hearing distinctly the booming of cannon, the noise of +bursting shell and the rattle of musketry. + +About 2 o'clock on Thursday morning, July 2, being aroused by the sound +of the long roll, we were quickly in line, the column moving on the +road leading to Gettysburg. The march was rapid, and unceasing, until +we reached the vicinity of the coming conflict at Gettysburg, a +distance of twenty-five miles or more over a dusty road, beneath a +burning July sun, passing on the way the smoldering ruins of Thad +Stevens' iron furnace, which had been fired by General J. A. Early a +few days before. The other divisions of our corps (Longstreet's) had +preceded us some twenty-four hours, arriving in time to make the +principal battle of the second day. + +On the march over South Mountain, reaching the east side, passing +through the small hamlets of Cashtown and Seven Stars, plainly could be +heard the roar of Longstreet's battle of that evening. Near the middle +of the afternoon the division halted at Willoughby Run, two miles from +Gettysburg; the men soon scattered, some getting water, some eating and +some in conversation. As the shades of night began to gather on this +bright eve, being fatigued with the day's march, all retired early to +rest, little dreaming that upon such lovely eve, such awful morn should +rise. Brave, happy souls, little do you anticipate the horrors of the +next twenty-four hours! All was quiet during the night until reveille, +which was sounded before day, when we fell into ranks for roll call, +the last for so many gallant men, who on this eventful day were to pour +out their life's blood for freedom and the right, as God gave them to +see the right, and to go to that bourne from whence no traveler +returns. + + + + +Chapter XVIII + +Finishing Roll Call. + +March to the Field. + +Inspection of Arms. + +Fearful Artillery Duel. + +The Charge. + +Killed and Wounded. + +Army Retires. + +Crosses the Potomac. + + +Proceeding with the roll call, the officers and men of Company D were: +Captain R. H. Bane, Lieutenants E. M. Stone, John W. Mullins and E. R. +Walker; non-commissioned, Sergeants T. S. Taylor, W. H. H. Snidow, the +writer; Corporals A. J. Thompson, Daniel Bish, George C. Mullins, J. B. +Young; Privates Akers, Barrett, Crawford, Darr, Fortner (J. H.), +Fortner (W. C.), Hight, Hurt (J. J.), Jones, Lewy (Jo), Meadows +(Anderson), Meadows (John), Minnich, Munsey, Peters, Sarver (D. L.), +Sublett, Stafford, Wilburn (G. L.) and Wilburn (W. I.). Total, 31, +being all of Company D present that I recall. I believe this to be +correct. + +James B. Croy had been detailed to drive beef cattle; Alexander Bolton +belonged to the ambulance corps, and Charles A. Hale was company cook. +During the terrific artillery duel, which followed, Captain Bane and +Lieutenant Mullins were prostrated by heat, from which they did not +recover for some days. Lieutenant Stone had been assigned to the +command of Company E of the regiment, which had no commissioned officer +present. Lieutenant Walker was left in command of our company, and just +as the artillery duel was about closing, and but a few minutes before +the general advance began, I was knocked out of ranks by a bursting +shell, of which more later. The company therefore went into the charge +with but 28 men, counting Lieutenant Stone leading Company E, and +Young, color guard. The three brigades of Pickett's division present +were Garnett's, Kemper's and Armistead's, composed of fifteen Virginia +regiments, numbering in the aggregate that morning about 4,700 men, +which included the General's staff, and regimental officers, of which +there was the full complement; Colonel W. Tazewell Patton, commanding +the 7th Virginia regiment, being the only field officer of the regiment +then present. The division, from the major-general down, was composed +of Virginians, many of them mere boys, and the probability is that the +average age of the men in the ranks, including the line officers, did +not exceed 19 years. I had just passed my eighteenth birthday. In the +division were companies from the counties of Bedford, Campbell, +Franklin, Patrick, Henry, Floyd, Montgomery, Pulaski, Giles, Craig, +Mercer, Madison, Orange, Culpeper, Rappahannock, Greene, Albemarle, +Carroll, Appomattox, Pittsylvania, Prince Edward, Norfolk, Nansemond, +and others; and from the cities of Richmond, Lynchburg, Norfolk and +Portsmouth--volunteers all, many of them school boys who had entered +the service at the commencement of the war, and becoming fully inured +to the service. + +Our brigade, commanded by the gallant and impetuous General James L. +Kemper, was in front during the morning's march, and as we formed +into battle line held the right, Garnett's brigade on the left, +Armistead's a little to the left and rear. The line was formed as +early as 7 o'clock A.M. Inspection of arms was had and everything +put in readiness for the engagement then imminent. We moved out of a +skirt of woods, went forward a short distance into a field, on which +was standing a crop of rye not yet harvested. Our position was now on +Seminary Ridge, four hundred yards or so back from the top, under the +crest; the line formed somewhat obliquely to the Emmitsburg road in +front of us, with the Confederate batteries on the crest four hundred +yards or more in front of us. Pickett's division was to lead the +assault, the wings supported on the right by Wilcox's brigade, Heth's +division under General Pettigrew, supported by the brigades of Scales +and Lane, under General Trimble, for the purpose of supporting the +left: all obstructions cleared away from the immediate front. + +In the formation thus made, arms were stacked and we, with the +understanding that when two signal guns were fired, to take arms and +lie flat on the ground. All along the Confederate front was massed our +artillery, perhaps 75 or more guns. The Federal artillery, 220 guns, +along their whole front. The lines of the two armies, now held as by a +leash, were 1,430 yards from each other, the distance between the +opposing batteries an average of a little more than 1,000 yards. The +Federal guns exceeded ours in number and quality of metal. + +Now the suspense was something awful. The men were grave and +thoughtful, but showed no signs of fear. The multitude awaiting +judgment could not be more seriously impressed with what was now about +to follow. However, a soldier in the field rarely thought his time to +die had exactly arrived--that is, it would be the other fellow's +time--and well it was so. Occasionally a man was met who had made up +his mind that the next battle would be his last. Men have been known to +have such presentiment and sure enough be killed in the next +engagement. Such was true of our gallant Colonel Patton, who yielded up +his promising young life in this battle. + +The issue of the campaign and of the Civil War itself, as history +shows, was now trembling in the balance. Victory or defeat to either +side would be in effect a settlement of the issues involved; this the +officers and men seemed clearly to realize. Under such conditions all +were impatient of the restraint. To the brave soldier going into +battle, knowing he must go, the moments seem to lengthen. This feeling +is not born of his love for fighting, but it is rather the nervous +anxiety to determine the momentous issue as quickly as possible, +without stopping to count the cost, realizing if it must be done, "it +were well it were done quickly." Over-confidence pervaded the +Confederate army, from the commanding general down to the shakiest +private in the ranks. Too much over-confidence was the bane of our +battle. For more than six long hours the men were waiting, listening +for the sound of the signal guns. The stillness was at last broken: the +shot was fired: down, according to program, went the men on their +faces. + +Now began the most terrible artillery duel that beyond question +ever took place on the American continent, or, the writer believes, +anywhere else. Never had a storm so dreadful burst upon mortal +man. The atmosphere was rent and broken by the rush and crash of +projectiles--solid shot, shrieking, bursting shells. The sun but +a few minutes before so brilliant was now darkened. Through this +smoky darkness came the missiles of death, plowing great furrows of +destruction among our men, whole columns going down like grass before +the scythe. The scene of carnage and death beggars description. Not +for the world would the writer look upon such a sight again. In any +direction might be seen guns, swords, haversacks, heads, limbs, flesh +and bones in confusion or dangling in the air or bounding on the earth. +The ground shook as if in the throes of an earthquake. The teamsters, +two or more miles away, declared that the sash in the windows of +buildings where they were shook and chattered as if shaken by a violent +wind. Over us, in front, behind, in our midst, through our ranks and +everywhere, came death-dealing missiles. I am reminded by this awful +scene, produced by this fearful artillery fire, of the remark made by +Colonel Stephen D. Lee, commanding Confederate artillery at Sharpsburg, +to one of his artillery officers after the battle: "Sharpsburg was +artillery hell." Be this as it may, the artillery fire at Sharpsburg +was not comparable to that of the third day at Gettysburg. During all +this nearly two hours of horror the men remained steadfast at their +posts--excepting those who had not been knocked out of place by shell +and shot. + +It must not be supposed that men were not alarmed, for doubtless many a +poor fellow thought his time had come--and pray? Yes, great big, +stout-hearted men prayed, loudly, too, and they were in earnest, for if +men ever had need of the care and protection of our Heavenly Father, it +was now. + +The position was a trying one, indeed; much more so than had we been +engaged in close combat, and quite as perilous, for then we should not +have felt so much the terrible strain, could we have rendered blow for +blow; but it was as if we were placed where we were for target practice +for the Union batteries. To the left of my position, and not thirty +feet away, eight men were killed or wounded by one shot, while still +nearer to me a solid shot trounced a man, lifting him three feet from +the earth, killing him but not striking him. Many of the shots causing +much damage were from enfilading fire from a Union battery at the +Cemetery. + +I feel confident in stating that not less than 300 of Pickett's men +were killed or injured by artillery fire. + +[Illustration: Corporal Jesse B. Young] + +Near 2:50 P.M., as the artillery fire had practically ceased, there +came the order, "Fall in!" and brave General Pickett, coming close by +where I lay wounded, called out: "Up, men, and to your posts! Don't +forget today that you are from old Virginia!" The effect of this word +upon the men was electrical. The regiments were quickly in line, +closing to the left over the dead and wounded--the ranks now reduced +by the losses occasioned by the shelling to about 4,400 men of the +division, and I am satisfied that Kemper's brigade, the smallest of the +division, did not then number over 1,250. The advance now began, the +men calling out to the wounded and others: "Goodbye, boys! Goodbye!" +Unable to move, I could not accompany this advance--did not see, hear, +observe or know what thereafter happened only from the statement of +others. I will not attempt to state, but for a reasonable and fair +report thereof will give the published statement of an intelligent +Union soldier (a Massachusetts man) who observed the movement of +Pickett's division, which is as follows: + + "But what is Gettysburg, either in its first day's Federal defeat, + or its second day's terrible slaughter around Little Round Top, + without the third day's immortal charge by Pickett and his brave + Virginians! * * * Then Pickett and his brave legions stood up + and formed for the death struggle: three remnants of brigades, + consisting of Garnett's--the 8th, 18th, 19th, 28th and 56th + Virginia; Armistead's brigade--the 9th, 14th, 38th, 53d, 57th + Virginia; Kemper's brigade--1st, 3d, 7th, 11th, 24th Virginia. + Their tattered flags bore the scars of a score of battles, and + from their ranks the merciless bullet had already taken two-thirds + their number. In compact ranks: their front scarcely covering + two of Hancock's brigades, with flags waiving as if for a gala + day. * * * It was nearly a mile to the Union lines, and as they + advanced over the open plain the Federal artillery opened again, + plowing great lanes through their solid ranks, but they closed + up to guide center, as if upon dress parade. When half way over, + Pickett halted his division amidst a terrible fire of shot and + shell, and changed his direction by an oblique movement, coolly + and beautifully made. * * * To those who have ever faced artillery + fire it is marvellous and unexplainable how human beings could have + advanced under the terrific fire of a hundred cannon, every inch + of air being laden with the missiles of death; but in splendid + formation they still came bravely on till within range of the + musketry; then the blue line of Hancock's corps arose and poured + into their ranks a murderous fire. With a wild yell the rebels + pushed on, unfalteringly, crossed the Federal lines and laid hands + upon eleven cannon. + + "Men fired into each other's faces; there were bayonet thrusts, + cutting with sabres, hand-to-hand contests, oaths, curses, yells + and hurrahs. The Second corps fell back behind the guns to allow + the use of grape and double cannister, and as it tore through the + rebel ranks at only a few paces distant, the dead and wounded were + piled in ghastly heaps; still on they came up to the very muzzles + of their guns; they were blown away from the cannon's mouth, but + yet they did not waiver. Pickett had taken the key to the position, + and the glad shout of victory was heard, as, the very impersonation + of a soldier, he still forced his troops to the crest of Cemetery + Ridge. Kemper and Armistead broke through Hancock's line, scaled + the hill and planted their flags on its crest. Just before + Armistead was shot, he placed his flag upon a captured cannon and + cried: 'Give them the cold steel, boys!' But valor could do no + more, the handful of braves had won immortality, but could not + conquer an army. * * * Pickett, seeing his supports gone, his + Generals Kemper, Armistead and Garnett killed or wounded, every + field officer of three brigades gone, three-fourths of his men + killed or captured, himself untouched, but broken-hearted, gave + the order for retreat, but, band of heroes as they were, they fled + not; but amidst that still continuous, terrible fire, they slowly, + sullenly, recrossed the plain--all that was left of them, but few + of five thousand." + +Pickett's division was the only organized body of Confederates that +crossed the stone fence. In a letter of General Kemper to me he gives a +short description, and but brief, of this wonderful charge, in which he +states: "I think General Garnett and myself were the only officers of +Pickett's division who went into the battle mounted and remained +mounted until shot down. My recollection is that I fell just about the +time our men began to give back. I was close enough to the enemy to +distinguish features and expressions of faces, and thought I observed +and could identify the individual who shot me. Quickly afterwards a +Federal officer, with several of his men, took possession of me, +placing me on a blanket, started to carry me, as he said, to a Federal +surgeon, when some of our men, firing over my body, recaptured me and +carried me to our rear. + +"As to how the three brigades of our division advanced in line of +battle when the artillery ceased firing; as to how the gaps were +closed up as men fell and the general alignment was well preserved; +as to the cul-de-sac of death, our unsupported, or very badly supported +division was hurled into; as to the last unavailing grapple with the +overwhelming numbers of the enemy: all these are matters about which +you doubtless know as much as I do." + +As already stated, it was 1,430 yards from our position to that +occupied by the Union infantry; it was practically open field. It was +the longest charge in open ground under heavy fire that our troops were +ever required to make. Indeed, this was the most remarkable charge made +in the annals of warfare. + +The Union army, under General Burnside, at the Battle of Fredericksburg +against Marye's Hill, made as many as fourteen distinct charges as +brave and gallant as were ever made by any soldiers, at some points +leaving their dead within a few yards of the Confederate lines, but +each time repulsed with heavy loss, but the fact must not be overlooked +that these charging columns had fairly good cover to within four +hundred yards of the Confederate line. + +Had the Confederate assaulting column had a shorter run with protected +cover, it is almost certain that the Union lines would have been +broken, the Federal army cut in twain, forced to rapid retreat to avoid +capture or destruction. Again, it is manifest that had the Federal army +been in the open on the third day as on the first and for most part on +the second day, General Meade's Union army would have been crushed. As +it was, in a well-protected position, and the battle well conducted by +General Meade, he barely escaped defeat--too badly crippled to promptly +pursue the Confederates. + +General Meade was a good soldier, and the Union army of the Potomac +made a splendid fight. No doubt General Meade and the Army of the +Potomac were proud of their achievement at Gettysburg, for they had +been hammered so much and so often by the Army of Northern Virginia +that they doubtless expected the same old bill of fare. A little relief +was comforting; the other fellows were now sore, for Gettysburg battle +was a sad and gloomy one for the Army of Northern Virginia and the +Confederacy, but the survivors had not lost their old-time spirit; they +soon recuperated, and were themselves again ready for the fray. + +In the battles from the Rapidan to the James in the Spring and Summer +of 1864, the soldiers of the Army of Northern Virginia showed that they +had not lost their old-time spirit, pluck, and fighting qualities, and +if the more than twenty thousand men lost by General Lee at Gettysburg +had been with him in the Wilderness, in the Spring of 1864, General +Grant would not have reached the James by that route. At Gettysburg +General Meade had about 105,000 men; General Lee about 62,000. These +figures are given by Colonel Taylor, a member of General Lee's staff, +and adjutant-general of the army, taken, as he states, from the +official records. General Meade himself states his strength not less +than 95,000 men. The Federal loss was 23,049; Confederate, 20,451. + +The loss in Pickett's division was 2,888; in Kemper's brigade, 58 +killed, 356 wounded and 317 captured. In the 7th Virginia regiment the +loss was 67. In Company D, David C. Akers, Daniel Bish, Jesse Barrett +and John P. Sublett were killed; Lieutenant E. R. Walker and E. M. +Stone, Sergeant Taylor and myself, Corporal Young, Privates William C. +Fortner, James H. Fortner, J. J. Hurt, John F. Jones (leg amputated), +John Meadows, W. W. Muncey and D. L. Sarver, wounded, and John W. Hight +captured; total 17--over sixty per cent of the number led into action. +By this statement it will be seen that my Company D came out of the +Battle of Gettysburg with but 11 men. J. B. Young belonged to the color +guard of the 7th regiment. The color bearer, Lieutenant Watson, with +his guards, eight sergeants and corporals going into the battle were +all either killed or wounded. Our colors fell into the hands of the 82d +New York infantry, commanded by Captain John Darrow. Corporal Young was +the eighth man who had the colors during the fight, carrying them +within a few feet of the enemy's line behind the stone fence, where he +was wounded and captured. The colors were then taken by ---- Tolbert, a +mere boy of ours, who bore them forward to the stone fence, where he +intended to plant them, but was shot in the head. The colors were then +grabbed by the man who fired the shot and carried back into the Union +lines. + +The loss in officers in Pickett's division was something fearful to +contemplate. General Garnett was killed, Armistead mortally and Kemper +dangerously wounded. Of the whole complement of generals and field +officers, aggregating about 48, only one lieutenant-colonel was left. +The division was nearly annihilated. General Kemper fell into the +enemy's hands in field hospital the second day after he was wounded. So +bad was his wound, and he was believed to be so near death, that a +coffin was prepared for him, which he refused to use. He survived, and +afterwards became Governor of Virginia, serving with distinction and +much honor from his countrymen. During his gubernatorial term he +carried in his hip a leaden bullet of standard weight and size. + +Of the wounded in Company D, Lieutenant Stone, Corporal Young, Privates +William C. Fortner, James H. Fortner, Jones, Hurt and the writer fell +into the hands of the enemy; Stone, Young, William C. Fortner, Jones +and Hurt on the field; James H. Fortner and the writer the second day +thereafter in the field hospital. Several of the men of Company D in +the charge went over the stone wall, only a few getting back, among +them Sergeant Taylor, and he wounded. Thomas N. Mustain, a valiant +soldier, transferred from Company D to the 57th Virginia regiment, went +over the stone wall, and while lying under the captured Union batteries +was severely wounded in the neck. + +Company E of the 7th regiment had four men--Alec Legg, John Canady, +Willis Welch and Joseph Welch--killed during the artillery duel by the +explosion of a shell. The company carried into the charge but one +officer, Lieutenant Stone, and seventeen men, all of whom except one +man were killed, wounded or captured. + +Recurring to the wounding of myself at the closing of the artillery +duel, I was at my post on the left of the regiment, which threw me +under the shade of a friendly apple tree which chanced to stand there. +I lay down near Colonel Mayo, of the 3d regiment, and Colonel Patton of +the 7th, near the feet of the latter. A little before the artillery +fire ceased, a Union battery at the Cemetery on our left front had on +us an enfilading fire with accurate range, which threw shell and solid +shot into our ranks. A shell from this battery struck the heads of two +men of the 3d regiment, taking them off above the ears, exploding +almost on me, not only killing the two men and wounding me, but also +wounding Lieutenant Brown of the 7th regiment, and another, who lay +close on my right. Just a moment before this shell came, I had raised +my head up to get, if possible, a breath of fresh air, whereupon +Lieutenant Brown said to me: "You had better put your head down or you +may get it knocked off." I replied: "A man had about as well die that +way as to suffocate for want of air." The words had scarcely escaped my +lips when the shell exploded, which for a few moments deprived me of my +breath and sensibility; I found myself lying off from the position I +was in when struck, gasping for breath. My ribs on left side were +broken, some fractured, left lung badly contused, and left limbs and +side paralyzed. My Colonel Patton, sprang to his feet inquiring if I +was badly hurt. I asked for water, the first thing a wounded man wants, +and the Colonel had it brought to me. The marvel is that I escaped the +explosion of that shell without being torn to shreds. Harry Snidow and +another of my old company brought a blanket, placing it at the base of +the apple tree, where they set me up against the tree. Just then the +order came for the men to fall in for the charge, which has already +been described. Colonel Mayo, after the war, describing this day's +battle and the part taken by our division, refers to me as "one left +for dead under that apple tree." I still live, while the brave and good +Colonel has passed to the Great Beyond. + +In a few minutes after the men moved forward, the "litter bearers" +picked me up and bore me back into the woods to our field hospital, +where our surgeons, Drs. Oliver and Worthington, did for me all in +their power. About dark I was removed by ambulance to the shed of a +farmer's barn, a mile or more away, on Willoughby Run, to the place +where General Kemper had been removed, the farmer placing him in his +dwelling house. I visited this same house twenty-two years later, where +I saw distinctly the stains of General Kemper's blood on the floor. +The shed in which I was placed was filled with the wounded and dying. +Throughout that long night and until a little before dawn, I spoke to +no one, and no one to me, never closed my eyes in sleep; the surgeons +close by being engaged in removing the limbs of those necessary to be +amputated, and all night long I heard nothing but the cries of the +wounded and the groans of the dying, the agonies of General Kemper, who +lay near by, being frequently heard. Everything in the barn was dark, +but near dawn I discovered a flickering light advancing toward me: it +was borne by John W. Grubb, of our regiment, who had been sent by our +surgeon to look after me. Comrade Grubb was very kind to me, preparing +for me a day or two later a bed and shelter in the orchard, to which I +was removed, but he was taken away a prisoner by the Federals. + +During the morning of Sunday many of our wounded men were brought in, +among them Captain John H. Parr, adjutant of the 7th regiment, and +Lieutenant Lewis Bane of the 24th regiment. Some of these wounded men +died during the day. + +During Sunday night and the following day the Confederate army was +withdrawing from the field. Our brigade surgeon, Dr. Morton, and +General Early made visits to the field hospital, urging all the men +able to ride in wagons to go, of which a goodly number availed +themselves. Shortly after the Confederate rear guard had passed the +field hospital where I was, the Federal advance guard appeared, the +Federal surgeons taking charge of us. + +Lee's army continued the retreat into Virginia, and I did not join my +command for service for four months after, at Taylorsville. + + + + +Chapter XIX + +Sketches and Incidents While a Wounded Prisoner. + +How Long in the Field Hospital. + +The Walk to Gettysburg and Kindness Shown Me by a Federal Captain. + +In Box Cars and Ride to Baltimore. + +What Occurred in Baltimore. + +To Chester, Pa. + +Dr. Schafer and Another. + +Paroled and Back to Dixie. + + +The Federal surgeon who took charge of us in the field hospital at +Gettysburg made an examination of my wound and gave instructions that I +should receive no solid food, but be fed lemonade and spirits. Up to +this time and for days subsequent I wanted no food, having no desire +for it. A Union soldier from Ohio was my nurse, who treated me with +kindness. This soldier would get the daily Philadelphia newspapers and +read to me the war news. Among other things, that Lee's army, badly +broken, was making rapid retreat for Virginia; that the loyal Potomac +was at high tide, could not be crossed; that General Meade's army was +pushing the Confederates, would soon be up with them; then the +following day he read that Lee's army was around Williamsport, could +not get away; that Meade's army was now up and preparing for attack, +only waiting the arrival of food supplies and ammunition. When +receiving these papers and reading to me, the soldier's face was all +aglow with joyous expression, to which he gave voice by saying: "The +rebels will all be captured and that will end the war." To this I could +only smile inwardly. July 13 my nurse, with his paper and a smile, came +to read me the news. I was prepared for the worst--but when he read, it +was that General Meade was now up, fully ready, and the attack would be +made tomorrow, when Lee and his army would be captured, or driven into +the river. Morning came, and the nurse and his paper, but as he +approached I noted quite a change in his expression; he read, when +General Meade moved out to attack the rebel army, behold! "the old fox +had gone," having crossed the river the night before! + +July 20 we were ordered to be removed from the field hospital, but to +what place we did not know. A Union captain of Pennsylvania, with a +squad of soldiers, conducted us to the railway station at Gettysburg +nearly a mile away. I should not have gone, as the journey came near +finishing me up. The captain was exceedingly kind, affording me all the +help in his power. The whole of the wounded squad was put aboard box +cars at night, landing in Baltimore at dawn, I more dead than alive. I +felt sure, as the rough train rolled along, that I was near death. John +H. Peck, of the 24th Virginia, who had a wound in the head, was with +us, and by encouragement and otherwise rendered me much assistance. + +In Baltimore the cars were run up far into the city, where we left the +train, being immediately surrounded by a cordon of soldiers and police, +with a number of ladies, men and boys, who endeavored to supply us with +food, but were beaten off by the guards, who quickly landed us inside +the high plank fence surrounding the grounds of West Building Hospital. +The ladies again renewed their efforts to supply us with food by +tossing it over the high fence, but were repulsed by the soldiers' +bayonets--which we still think was a mean act. With James H. Fortner, +of my company, who had a severe flesh wound in the thigh, I lay down +beside the fence in the shade, unable to move further. In an hour or +less an order came to get into ranks. Neither Fortner nor myself moved, +being determined to remain and take chances. Fortunate for us that we +remained, for the poor fellows who marched away landed in Point Lookout +prison; the men seriously wounded, however, being sent to hospital at +Chester, Pennsylvania, I among the number, with Fortner. I had +requested Fortner to remain with me, for should I die he could inform +my people. After comrades had marched away, Fortner and I dragged +ourselves into the hospital building, lying down on the bare floor. + +During the evening two ladies came in where we were, one of whom +inquired: "Where are you from?" "Virginia," I answered. "Then you +are not more than half rebels." Replying, I said: "Well, I am a +full-blooded rebel, whatever the people of Virginia may be." From +their constant glances at each other and toward the door, and from +the expressions on their faces, I was well satisfied that at heart +they were true Southern spirits, angels of mercy, and had used the +above language to us fearing the walls had ears. Presently one inquired +if we wanted anything to eat, and being told we would be glad to have +milk, they furnished it and departed. + +That night we were placed on cots near each other, in a clean, airy +room. Fortner, in endeavoring to assist me to rise, fell on his wounded +leg, which caused him great pain. The second night thereafter, we were +placed in box cars, passing next day through Wilmington, Delaware, +where a curious, motley crowd gathered to see us; they peeped and +peered at us as if astonished that we did not have hoofs and horns. +That evening we reached Chester, on the Delaware, where we were placed +in hospital (now Crozer Theological Seminary). Here we met a number of +the men we had parted from in Baltimore, among them John H. Peck and J. +B. Young, the latter of Company D. The surgeon of our ward was Dr. +Schafer of Philadelphia, who was kind to us. He, however, soon went +away, being succeeded by a doctor from Franklin County--a Virginia +renegade, who was insulting, mean and cowardly, and the wounded gave +him many a hard thrust. + +While in this hospital several ladies and gentlemen from the State of +Connecticut came into the ward, engaging me in conversation about the +war, saying among other things that the South in seceding was wrong and +unjustifiable, that the proper course, or that which should have been +pursued, was to fight in the Union. To which I replied that they were +in some respects much like many of the Northern people who encouraged +the South to take action, that they would be with us, but when the test +came were found on the other side. Again, that I could not see well how +we could remain in the Union and at the same time try to strangle and +destroy the government of which we claimed to be a part; that it was +certain, had we done so and been overthrown, we would have been +traitors sure enough and most likely have gone to the gibbet. + +After a stay at Chester of thirty days or less, all who desired to go +South were paroled, I among the number, and were transported by boat to +City Point, thence by rail to Richmond. The authorities ordered us to +Camp Lee, a Confederate recruiting station near the city. This we did +not like, and a few of us determined to go home, or to our commands, +and we made the start, but were halted a little way out of the city +by some local troops, who charged us with an effort to desert. We +explained the situation, but this did not satisfy them. I met with a +Confederate enrolling officer, who kindly took me home with him, giving +me written pass to my command, then in camp on the Rapidan, whither I +went, and was quite a surprise to Drs. Morton and Worthington and my +comrades, who told me that they supposed me dead. Dr. Morton, who was +wearing a soft felt black hat, said to me: "When I left you in the +field hospital at Gettysburg I never expected to see you again in life. +You were as black in the face as this hat." I soon had furlough and +went home, where I remained until the first of November, when I learned +I had been exchanged, and at once left to rejoin my command. + +I forgot to relate an incident worthy of mention, at least to me. In +the hospital at Chester, when Dr. Schafer already referred to examined +me, he said: "Young man, do you know you are nearly dead?" I gasped for +breath, saying: "I think it quite possible." Placing a small bottle of +something within my reach, he charged me to take of this when inclined +to cough, without waiting until the coughing began, for he said: "If +you have a spell of coughing you would surely die of hemorrhage in ten +minutes." He then procured for me a nurse, an Irishman, the father of +two sons in the Union army, who had been in the Battle of Shiloh, Tenn. +In speaking fondly of these boys he wept like a child. Fortunate it was +that I fell into the hands of this kindly-hearted man, for a mother +could not have cared more tenderly for her son than he did for me. Such +cases confirm the fact that human sympathy asserts itself even in the +rancors of war. + + + + +Chapter XX + +Return to My Command. + +Long Stay at Taylorsville in November and December, 1863, and Part of +January, 1864. + +Dr. Blackwell's Address. + +Our Second North Carolina Campaign. + +General and Mrs. Pickett and Baby George. + +Back in Virginia. + +The Advance to Newbern. + +Capture and Execution of Deserters. + +In Camp at Goldsboro. + +Shooting a Confederate Deserter. + +The Shoemaker's Letter. + +Wilmington and Mouth of Cape Fear. + +Return and to Tarboro. + +The Capture of Plymouth, N.C. + +To Washington and Newbern. + +Return to Virginia. + + +I joined my command, then at Taylorsville, Virginia, whither it had +been sent to rendezvous and recruit, at the same time guarding the +bridges over the North and South Anna rivers. Our long stay at +Taylorsville during the months of November and December, 1863, and for +part of January, 1864, gave ample opportunity to discuss the serious +aspect of affairs. We had received a stunning blow at Gettysburg, +evidenced by the absence forever of brave men whose places could not be +supplied. Naturally the query was often made, how long will the war +last? When will it end? What are our prospects for success? Will it +continue until the last man falls? What do the Northern people mean? Is +it their intention to subjugate the states, and overthrow the citadel +of liberty itself? They call us rebels--can a sovereign be a rebel? +We had been taught that the states were sovereign and that their +governments were instituted to secure certain inalienable rights, with +which their Creator had endowed them--among these, life, liberty and +the pursuit of happiness, and that the security of all these resided +with the states and the people thereof, and not with their Federal +agent. These and many other matters were discussed, and the general +conclusion arrived at was: we will have to fight it out. + +In the last days of November, the Federal army, under General Meade, +crossed the Rapidan, making a feint as if to attack the Army of +Northern Virginia, but instead re-crossed the river, seeming to have +crossed for no other purpose than to cross back again. We had orders to +be ready to go to General Lee's aid. + +While at Taylorsville the Rev. Dr. Blackwell, who had resided in the +cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia, during General Butler's +reign of terror therein, delivered to our brigade a lecture on Butler, +his troops, and the noble women of those cities. After describing the +insults of the Federal soldiery, and the sacrifices and heroic conduct +of the women, he pronounced upon them an eulogy, a part only of which +is recalled, and is now here reproduced; he began by saying: + + "Woman is lovely, but not a goddess. We call her angel, but she has + no wings to soar quite beyond the bounds of terrene. She is the + loveliest form of beauty known to earth, and presents the purest + type of that sweet companionship that awaits us in the bright land + of the hereafter; but still she is flesh and blood, loves to steal + from the bowers of her paradise and dwell with men, mingle in the + common concerns and partake of the common infirmities of the human + race. As the graceful vine entwines itself around the sturdy oak + when riven by the lightnings of Heaven, so she, though the feebler, + gentler sex, is the prop upon which the sterner sex in the midst of + revolution often leans for repose. * * * And when the history of + this revolution is fully written, these noble women will stand in + the front ranks of that illustrious galaxy of Southern females + whose heroic acts and beauteous deeds have illuminated our Heavens, + and thrown a halo of fadeless glory around the noble women of + Norfolk and Portsmouth." + +Our General Pickett was married, as I now recall, in September, 1863, +in Petersburg, Virginia, to Miss Corbell, a lovely, highly cultivated +Virginia woman who occasionally rode with the General through our +camps, attending the division review. Later, when Baby George arrived, +he was exhibited in the camps, the soldiers eagerly fondling him; nor +was his linen as spotless or his humor as sweet when handed back to his +mother or nurse as when the boys received him. + +The General and boy have both passed to the Great Beyond, but the +lovely wife and mother still lives to brighten the memories of husband +and son, the noble dead of the division, and to cheer the hearts of the +brave men who counted it the honor of their lives to have marched with +the noble Pickett, made famous for all time to come by his charge at +Gettysburg, now celebrated in song and literature. + +Our rations were not abundant while at Taylorsville; one pint of +unsieved meal and a quarter of a pound of bacon per day. Coffee was +made of parched wheat rye, and sometimes of rice when we had it. +Occasionally the men managed to get turnips or potatoes, of which they +made fairly good soup. There was so little of the bacon that we could +not afford to fry it, so we generally ate it raw, with an ash or Johnny +cake; we had but few cooking utensils, and had need of few. + +Religious services were held when possible; the weather for the most +part was too inclement to have open air services, and we had no church. +Such services as were had were generally in the messes, or conducted in +the quarters of J. Tyler Frazier, to which all were invited. + +Being under orders to march, our preparations therefor completed, we +took up the movement January 20, going through Richmond and Petersburg, +where we were put aboard cars and transported to Goldsboro, N.C., +remaining there a few days. Leaving camp at Goldsboro January 29, we +proceeded to Kinston, on the Neuse River, thence through the swamps and +bogs, crossing the Trent River to the vicinity of Newbern, N.C., where +we made some captures of prisoners and stores, and blew up a Federal +gunboat lying in the river, under the forts, which was accomplished by +Colonel Wood, with his marines. A section of 3d New York artillery--two +guns--was captured, together with several hundred prisoners, among them +35 or more of the 2d Loyal North Carolina regiment, who had been +soldiers in our army, deserted, and joined the enemy. These men were +recognized and sent back under guard to Kinston. + +Our people found Newbern better prepared for defense than was +anticipated, and after some strong reconnaissances on all the roads, +gathering up all the supplies within reach that could be transported, +at dark, February 3, we silently folded our tents and stole away, +floundering all night along through the swamps and mud, crossing the +Trent a little after dawn. During the night we passed through extensive +turpentine orchards, which the men set fire to, and by the light of +which many sloughs were avoided. Our movement continued until Kinston +was reached, where we rested a few days. + +The next day after reaching Kinston the court-martial was convened for +the trial of the thirty-five deserters referred to, who had been +captured wearing United States uniforms and with guns in their hands, +fighting under the flag of the enemy. The guilt of twenty-two of them +being fully established, they were sentenced to be hanged; the sentence +being approved by the department commander, was carried into execution +a few days thereafter in the vicinity of our camp: a gruesome piece of +business, which duty did not require me to witness. + +About the middle of February we moved on westward to Goldsboro. Rations +were still short, and there was some complaint by the farmers of the +loss of hogs. This complaint was not without foundation, for fresh pork +was found in some of the camps, and the offenders punished, a penalty, +as the writer believes, not deserved. Most of these charges were made +against the 24th Virginia regiment, one against some of the teamsters +of our regiment. A member of Company D was charged with being the +informant, though he helped eat the hog, but whether the charge was +true or false, the informant made the disclosure in order to get a +furlough, which he received, but never came back--deserted. This same +informant had been wounded at the second battle of Manassas, and on his +return to the command at Goldsboro claimed that he was not able for +service, taking up lodgings with some of the teamsters. He wrote a +letter to General Lee, which ran about as follows: + + "Dear General: I am a member of Company D, 7th Virginia Infantry. I + was wounded at the second battle of Manassas and am unfit for duty + in the field. I am a pretty fair shoemaker, and if I can be + detailed, I am willing to render all the services I can." + +General Lee transmitted the letter to the regiment and the men had a +good deal of fun out of ----. Soon after he became informant as to hog +stealing, got the furlough, and deserted, as above stated--good +riddance to bad rubbish. + +A member of Company B, 7th regiment, who was under death sentence for +desertion, was kept under strict guard with ball and chain. Late one +evening an order came for his execution the next day. I carried the +order to the officer of the guard, whose instructions were to double +the guard and see that their guns were loaded. The condemned man's +brother was a member of the guard, who, on ascertaining that his +brother was to be shot the next day, requested that I send Rev. J. +Tyler Frazier to see him. Frazier happened to be out of the camp; as +soon as he returned, I accompanied him to see the man, but he refused +to listen to Mr. Frazier; in fact, the man did not believe he would be +shot until the next morning when the wagon drove up with his coffin and +he was required to ride thereon to the place of execution, where he +died from the fire of a platoon of men of his own command. + +March 5 we moved by rail to Wilmington, thence by steamer to +Smithfield, near the mouth of the Cape Fear River. The 24th regiment +was sent to garrison Forts Caswell and Campbell, while we remained in +camp near Smithfield. + +I find in a letter written by me from Smithfield, March 14, the +following: "It has been nine days since our brigade arrived at this +place. One regiment, the 24th, has been sent to garrison Forts Caswell +and Campbell. I have just returned from a visit to the former. We +crossed over in an open boat, the distance being two miles. There was +quite a lively time at the forts this morning, when the blockade runner +'Lucy,' in attempting to run in, was beached, the enemy making attempt +to capture her, but he was driven off by our batteries." + +[Illustration: Lieut. Thomas S. Taylor] + +Here oysters were cheap and readily procured, the men cooking them in +various ways. Some roasted them in the shell, some ate them raw, and +some mixed them in corn dough and baked them. We did not like the coast +and longed for our Virginia hills. Under orders we left Smithfield +aboard a steamer for Wilmington. The river was full of torpedoes and we +were in dread of being blown up. The situation was in some measure +relieved by Bill Dean and his Glee Club, who sang: "Oh! Carry Me Back +to Old Virginia Once More." + +Wilmington was reached Saturday, the 26th, where the ground was covered +with a light snow, which increased in depth as we receded from the +coast. We moved by rail from Wilmington to Goldsboro, where we went +into camp until Friday, the first of April, when the march was again +taken up through snow and mud to Tarboro, thence through Greenville, +crossing over to the waters of the Roanoke, to the vicinity of +Plymouth, N.C., where on the 18th a portion of Hoke's brigade (21st +Georgia regiment), assailed late in the evening an outlying fort, in +which assault Colonel Mercer was killed and the assault repulsed. Later +the same evening this fort was surrounded by a portion of our brigade +with a cloud of sharpshooters and artillery, which prevented the +garrison from handling their guns, and the fort finally surrendered. +The investing force of the town were the brigades of Ransom, Hoke and +Terry, formerly Kemper's. + +Sergeant William Parrott of Charlottesville and I that night bore a +flag of truce to the enemy's lines, under which demand for the +surrender of the town was made, but refused. During the night the +Confederate iron clad ram "Albemarle" came down the Roanoke River and +aided in the assault next morning, when the enemy's works and the town +were carried, the garrison surrendering when all hope of successful +resistance was gone. Our brigade was moved across the Washington road, +whereon the enemy was attempting to escape. In this movement we were +brought under the fire of the heavy guns in the forts, which at close +range gave us a severe shelling, whereby quite a number of men of the +brigade were injured--a few in our regiment--but two in Company D--A. +L. Fry and John W. East--slightly wounded. Soon after occupying the +road referred to and close up to the enemy's entrenchments, there came +at a headlong run up to our line, and before he discovered us, a big, +black, burly negro soldier, the first of his kind we had seen. The +negro was so badly frightened that had it been possible he would have +changed his color. + +The fruits of this victory, at comparatively small cost, were the +Federal commander, General Wessels, and 1,600 prisoners, besides +about 700 negroes, 2,000 small arms, and valuable quartermaster and +commissary stores, the capture and sinking of one or more Federal +gunboats. From the commissary and sutler's stores the men obtained +bountiful supplies of food, underwear, boots and shoes. The Federal +loss in this battle, other than prisoners, artillery and stores already +mentioned, was 41 killed and 59 wounded. The Confederate loss, 124 +killed and 174 wounded. Our enjoyment was but brief, however, for that +evening we took the road to Washington, a town at the head of Pamlico +Sound, marching rapidly, so that by night we were in the neighborhood +of our destination, which early next morning General Hoke was preparing +to invest, when it was discovered that the enemy had evacuated it; +disgracing themselves and their flag before their departure by arson +and pillage. + +General Hoke, determined to push his successes, marched immediately +upon Newbern, demanding its surrender, which, being refused, he was +preparing to carry by assault, when he was directed to hasten to the +relief of Petersburg, now threatened by a strong Federal army under +General Butler. + +At Tarboro, B. L. Hoge was taken sick and sent to hospital, and J. B. +Croy had been sent on detached service to the Blackwater region. How +many of Company D were on this expedition to Plymouth, Washington and +Newbern, I am unable to state, but I know the company had been much +reduced in numbers. Lieutenant Stone was still a prisoner at Fort +Delaware, Lieutenant Walker, disabled at Gettysburg, had been retired; +Captain Bane and Lieutenant Mullins were the only commissioned officers +with us. + +In May, 1864, the Federal General Butler landed at City Point, on the +James, with an army of more than 25,000 men, and feeling his way +carefully and slowly toward Petersburg, had on the 9th reached Swift +Creek, three miles north of the city. Confronting him was General +Pickett, with a small number of Carolina troops, and a few pieces of +artillery. Pickett kept his men so well in hand and so maneuvered as to +conceal from his adversary his real weakness. In this situation and +while the Confederates were far away, near Newbern, with the Federals +threatening Richmond and Petersburg, General Hoke, in front of Newbern, +received an order to repair with haste to Petersburg. About dark on May +6 we left the front of Newbern, the head of the column directed for +Petersburg, about 175 miles away. The 1st Virginia had hastened through +to Kinston, where it obtained railroad transportation, which carried it +to Jarrett's, twenty miles south of Petersburg. Our column, taking a +bee line, moved night and day, having to halt occasionally at the +tidewater streams to build bridges out of round logs thrown into the +water and fastened together with grapevines. Reaching Stony Creek, +twenty miles or more south of Petersburg, we found the railroad bridge +destroyed by the Federal cavalry. The situation at Petersburg was so +pressing as to demand the presence of the troops without delay. All the +rolling stock of every kind of the railroad at that point was rushed to +meet us, and we boarded the cars just wherever we met them. By 11 +o'clock Thursday, May 12, we were in the city, and General Butler had +lost his opportunity. Never before had we done such marching. Mr. D. H. +Hill, in his Confederate Military History of North Carolina, page 248, +speaking of this march of General Hoke from Newbern to Petersburg, +says: "This march of General Hoke's troops stands at West Point as the +most rapid movement of troops on record." + +Apparently the whole populace, men, women and children, of Petersburg +had gathered to welcome us, their deliverers from the presence and hand +of General Butler, whose notoriety in New Orleans, Norfolk and +Portsmouth had won for him the appellation "Beast Butler," a reputation +world-wide. General Butler was, therefore, regarded by these people as +a menace to the safety of property and helpless women and children. +This is why everybody in Petersburg shouted for joy when we entered the +city and marched across the Appomattox to interpose between them and +Butler's troops. We went forward to Swift Creek, taking position on the +east side of the turnpike road in front of the enemy's skirmishers. The +shades of night now having fallen, we lay on our arms, discovering next +morning by the advance of our skirmishers that the enemy had withdrawn +from our front, whereupon we proceeded along the road leading to +Richmond, the rear guard being fired upon as we passed the "Halfway +House." Reaching the outer defenses of Dreury's Bluff, our brigade, now +commanded by Brigadier-General W. R. Terry, was placed in battle line +on the west side of the aforesaid turnpike road, facing south--having +by the day's march placed ourselves between the enemy and Richmond. + + + + +Chapter XXI + +Battle of Dreury's Bluff. + +The Forces Engaged. + +Casualties. + +The Pursuit of General Butler's Troops. + +Bombardment at Howlett's House. + +The Wounding of Lieutenant John W. Mullins. + +His Death. + +Withdrawal from Howlett's House. + + +General Beauregard, in command of the department, arrived on the +morning of the 14th, having passed with a cavalry escort entirely +around the enemy's left. About noon of the 15th we were moved to an +inner line of defenses, which shortened the line to be defended; thus +was made necessary by the smallness of our force, for it appears that +the Confederates had only 13,000 men with which to meet Butler's +40,000. This Confederate force was divided, two or three brigades +remaining at Petersburg under General Whiting. No help could be had +from the Army of Northern Virginia, then engaged in desperate struggle +at Spottsylvania, with the Federal Army of the Potomac. + +It was made known to us on the evening of the 15th that at a council of +war held by General Beauregard and his subordinates it had been +determined to attack General Butler's army next morning at daylight, +and that the division of General Ransom, to which our brigade (Terry's) +belonged, was to lead the attack. Late in the day, Sunday, we marched +toward the James River to a point overlooking Kingsland Creek, behind +which, on the higher ground beyond, the enemy was in line of battle in +force, sheltered by temporary log breastworks, a small body of +Confederate cavalry guarding the Confederate left. Being supplied with +sixty rounds of cartridges, we lay down in a skirt of timber near the +old stage road leading from Richmond to Petersburg, a little more than +three-fourths of a mile from the enemy's line. We were informed that we +should be up at 2 A.M., march forward and open the battle at daylight. +Some who had passed unscathed through the ordeal of a dozen battles +were to go down in this, among them the gallant boy Walker, of the 11th +regiment, who had borne aloft and planted on the enemy's works at +Gettysburg the flag of this regiment, having his horse killed under him +there and a number of bullets through his clothing. + +To fight this battle of Dreury's Bluff was imperative, and to become +the assailants was a necessity, for if the enemy should maintain his +position then occupied in front of Dreury's Bluff (only seven miles +below Richmond) and General Grant continued his flank movement to the +James River until he formed a junction with General Butler, the fate of +Richmond, and most probably of the Confederacy, would have been decided +a year earlier; hence this battle, and the necessity of fighting it +successfully, which we did. + +During the early part of the night preceding, I visited the artillery +company of Captain David A. French, from my county. Captain French was +absent that evening, the company under the command of his brave +Lieutenant D. W. Mason. Captain French arrived next day during the +progress of the battle. Lieutenant Mason led his company in the +thickest of the fight, sustaining his already brilliant record as a +brave soldier. Promptly at 2 A.M. on Monday, the 16th, we were roused +from our slumbers and quickly gotten into line, discarding all +baggage--indeed, everything that would make a noise calculated to +arouse the enemy. Stealing quietly out of the woods, we proceeded down +the old stage road, through a field, across Kingsland Creek, where we +halted, forming a line of battle. The Alabama brigade of General +Gracie, and the North Carolina brigade of General Hoke, formed the +front line, with Generals Terry's and Fry's commands four hundred yards +in rear, forming the second line. The assaulting force could not have +numbered four thousand men all told. What was in front of us we did not +know, being already enveloped by a dense fog. The columns now formed, +the brigade of Gracie led off, ours following at close distance. The +Federal skirmishers in their rifle pits, alarmed by the commands of our +officers, fired rapidly, but at random, as they could not see us on +account of the fog; but their fire aroused their main line of battle. +The ground over which the attacking column passed was a gradual ascent +from the creek bottom for a distance of three hundred yards to the +summit, then a slight descent for the same distance to the enemy's +battle line, the right of which rested on a swamp rendered almost +impenetrable on account of the water, thorns and brambles. + +Terry's brigade, only forty or fifty yards in rear of Gracie's, reached +the summit almost as soon as Gracie's men, who, as well as ourselves, +became immediately exposed to the enemy's fire, which as yet was not +effective, for they could not see us, and now as the fire had opened, +the smoke therefrom, together with the dense fog, created a darkness in +which a man could not be seen a few yards away. General Terry had +halted his brigade on the summit, where it was receiving the enemy's +fire, now becoming more accurate, causing some of the companies on the +right to lie down. Colonel Flowerree, now commanding the 7th Virginia, +observing this, called out: "Stand up, men! Don't you see the balls are +striking the ground at your feet, and there is greater danger lying +down than standing up." + +On our immediate right was Barton's brigade, commanded by Colonel Fry. +A part of Gracie's men had gotten close to the enemy's line, meeting +such stubborn resistance that they lay down and our brigade was ordered +forward. Now was the supreme moment. Such a deafening rebel yell! It +must have given every Yankee in the region roundabout a cold chill, for +to this day they say that hideous rebel yell was dreaded more than +bullets. Here on this summit we had stood in awful suspense for twenty +minutes or more, exposed to the enemy's fire. It was therefore a +positive relief to hear the word: "Forward!" And forward we went, +through fog, smoke and leaden hail. At each volley delivered by the +enemy, down went numbers of our men, and as yet not a man in our +brigade had fired a shot, anxious at least to see something to shoot +at, and to get to closer quarters. + +The 7th Virginia held the left of the brigade line, overlapping by +three or more companies the left of Gracie's line. These companies in +the headlong rush saw nothing of Gracie's men, who had halted and laid +down. Now near the enemy's firing line, unable to get forward on +account of the swamp referred to, Captain Parr, Adjutant, took these +three companies by a double quick to a position on the right wing, but +before this could be accomplished the regiment had broken the enemy's +line--that of a New Jersey regiment of Heckman's brigade--and crossed +his breastworks, making a right wheel, uniting with the companies led +by Captain Parr, and struck the flank of the 27th Massachusetts +regiment, capturing its Colonel (Lee), together with its colors, a +large number of prisoners, including General Heckman, the brigade +commander, who was captured by Sergeant Blakey of F Company, who +surrendered his sword to Colonel Flowerree of our regiment. This +incident was witnessed by the writer. This wheel and attack upon the +enemy's flank and rear had relieved the pressure on the 1st, 11th and +24th regiments, which for some minutes before were engaged in a +hand-to-hand contest with the enemy behind their breastworks; indeed, +so close had they gotten that the men did not take time to return +ramrods to their thimbles, but ran down the cartridges, fired away, +filling the logs of the breastworks and trees with the ramrods. This +may be thought a fish story, but it is absolutely true. French's Giles +County battery of four guns already mentioned was on the field just to +our right and in the hottest of the battle, suffering loss in making a +brave fight. + +The loss in the 1st, 11th and 24th regiments of our brigade had been +severe in officers and men--some companies losing nearly half their +number in killed and wounded. The color sergeant of the 11th regiment +had a bayonet fixed to the point of his color staff, which he used with +effect upon the enemy at the breastworks. The brigade continued its +flank movement along the rear of the enemy's position until it had +cleared the whole of its original front, and had gained a position +looking back towards Kingsland Creek, where it halted and faced about, +taking possession of the enemy's log breastworks and fronting the +enemy. A short lull now followed, during which an Irish Sergeant of the +1st regiment came to me talking with J. Tyler Frazier, and presented me +with a fine black felt hat, lost by some Federal officer in his hurry +to get away, about which hat the sequel will appear later. In a few +minutes the enemy on our right flank was upon us, and before action +could be taken to meet them, fired a volley enfilading our line, but +thanks to their bad aim and the fact that the men were mostly lying +down, nobody was hurt; however, in making left wheel to meet this +assault, four men were injured; among them I recall Sergeant Carpenter +of Company A, a gallant soldier, was killed; Sergeant Fry of D Company +in the melee fell--he may have stumped his toe. The Confederate troops +on our right struck the flank of the enemy, who had flanked us, and +repulsed their attack, and with this the battle virtually ended. Butler +was retreating and getting away--a thing he was good at. He had had +enough and was willing to quit. He retired behind his intrenched line +at Bermuda Hundred, where the Confederates "bottled him up." + +The Federal casualties in this battle were 422 killed, 2380 wounded, of +which 1388 were made prisoners, together with five stand of colors, of +which four of the colors and 400 of the prisoners were taken by our +brigade, and five field guns were captured. The Confederate casualties +were 514 killed, 1086 wounded. In Terry's brigade the losses were as +follows: + + 1st Virginia 12 killed, 25 wounded + + 7th Virginia 2 killed, 37 wounded + + 11th Virginia 15 killed, 94 wounded + + 24th Virginia 28 killed, 108 wounded + -- --- + 57 killed, 264 wounded + + Total 321 + +The brave Colonel Maury and Major Hambrick of the 24th were wounded, +the former severely when within a few feet of the enemy's line, the +latter mortally. Company D of the 7th regiment lost John W. East, and +John S. Dudley, slightly wounded. The losses in the 7th regiment were +less on account of its being less exposed in its flank movement on the +enemy's right and rear. + +The Confederate troops remained on the battle field that night, burying +the dead and caring for the wounded. Early next morning we started in +pursuit of the enemy, whom we followed on this and the next day to the +Howlett house on the James, where the Confederates had some unfinished +earthworks. Reaching the edge of an open field on which the earthworks +were located, I was directed to go forward to the works to see what or +who was there, and finding the trenches entirely abandoned, I waived +my cap, when the 1st and 7th regiments speedily came up and took +possession. Here they suffered eleven hours from an unmerciful shelling +from a number of Federal gunboats in the river. Several men of the two +regiments were killed or injured. Lieutenant John W. Mullins of Company +D, in command of the skirmish line, was dangerously wounded in the +breast, dying on the 22d of June following. He was a bright and brave +young man. Major Howard and Sergeant Tom Fox of the regiment were badly +hurt. Withdrawing the evening of the 19th, we went into camp a short +distance from the Clay house. + + + + +Chapter XXII + +To Richmond. + +Captured Flags. + +Affair at Milford. + +Hanover Junction. + +North Anna. + +Cold Harbor. + +Tom Yowell's Yarn. + +John A. Hale and His Prisoner. + +Malvern Hill. + + +May 20 the brigade marched into Richmond, each of the regiments bearing +one of the captured flags taken in the engagement of Dreury's Bluff. In +the evening a portion of the command was placed on flat cars and +transported to Milford station, on the R.F. and P. railroad, a few +miles south of Fredericksburg, where on the next morning we were +attacked by the advance of General Grant's army, Torbett's cavalry. +The portion of our brigade present now numbered less than 500 men, +commanded by Major George F. Norton of the 1st regiment, with Sergeant +Major J. R. Pollock acting Assistant Adjutant General. After a spirited +contest of more than an hour, in which the repeated charges of the +Federal cavalry were repulsed, Major Norton ordered the men to retire, +and they withdrew across the river, the Mattapony, Captain Parr and I +dismantling the bridge by throwing the planks from the center into the +river, thus preventing immediate pursuit by the Federal cavalry. The +tough resistance given the Federal advance, together with the story of +Tom Yowell of the 7th regiment, given below, caused the Federal General +Hancock to halt his command, throw up intrenchments and prepare for an +attack. This halt gave General Lee time to reach Hanover Junction in +advance of the enemy. + +A correspondent of a Northern newspaper with the Union army reported on +May 22, "The army under Hancock arrived at Milford yesterday and met a +force of the enemy said to be 13,000 strong, drove them through the +town and pursued them some distance." The only Confederate troops +Hancock met were the 500 above mentioned, and there were no others +within several miles. + +Tom Yowell had been captured on the skirmish line and was taken to +General Hancock, who inquired to what command he belonged. Yowell with +much bravado told him we had given Butler the devil a few days before, +and that our brigade was the advance of General Lee's army from +Spottsylvania, and pointing south to a large white house a mile or +more away, said, "That is General Lee's headquarters." Yowell told +his story with so much apparent frankness that General Hancock believed +it. The Confederate loss in this affair was 70 men, mostly of the 11th +regiment, captured, some of whom were wounded. These were cut off from +the bridge by the rapid advance of the enemy, some of whom, with those +who were cut off, escaped by swimming the river. + +Our force joined the main army en route from Spottsylvania to Hanover +Junction. Here we were also joined by a portion of Breckenridge's small +division from the valley, where a little more than a week before it had +defeated the Federal army under General Sigel. On this rapid march from +Milford to Hanover Junction, John A. Hale of Company D was unable to +keep up and to prevent capture took to the woods, following the line of +march, keeping the general direction. Going to a private house for +food, he found a Union soldier there on the same errand, whom he +captured and brought into our lines. + +Held in reserve, we had little or nothing to do with the fighting at +the North Anna. On May 27 we made an all day march in the rain, going +into camp near Atlee's station. In the evening of the following day a +march was made twelve miles in the direction of Hanovertown, camping +three miles north of Mechanicsville, following General Grant around the +circle. On the evening of the 30th we reached our position in battle +line near Cold Harbor, being assigned a place on the left of Law's +Alabama brigade and Hoke's division. + +At 4 o'clock, June 2, the battle of Cold Harbor began on our right, +raging furiously until sunset. By means of an improvised telegraphy, +information was received that the enemy had been repulsed. This +improvised telegraphy was nothing more than passing word from man to +man and on this occasion came, "Pass it along the lines that we have +whipped the enemy on the right." Early on the morning of the 3d the +battle of Cold Harbor was resumed, Hoke's, Breckenridge's and part of +Anderson's divisions being engaged on the right. When the battle ended, +we were informed by the same telegraphic line that the enemy had been +defeated. On our front had been nothing more than artillery fire, with +severe skirmishing. However, as the battle progressed, our division was +ordered to be ready to attack the enemy in front, and we were very well +satisfied when the order was revoked. + +In Breckenridge's division, heavily engaged on the 3d, I had a +schoolmate, Lieutenant James K. Peck, of whom I was fond, and for whose +safety I was anxious. I was greatly distressed on learning a few days +afterwards that he was killed on the 3d. + +The Federal casualties in the battle at Cold Harbor were over 10,000; +the Confederate 1500. I find no report of casualties in our division, +brigade or regiment; no casualties in Company D. + +I had the opportunity to look at a portion of the battlefield in front +of the position held by General Hoke's division on the 3d. During the +war I never saw so many dead Union soldiers on any field. General +Hoke's division had not a man killed. The weather was oppressively hot. +The blood, burnt powder, and dead bodies produced a stench which cannot +be described, and not to be endured long by the living. + +General Grant was again moving, not toward Richmond, but away from it, +toward the James river; we following, ten days after the battle, +crossing to the south side of the Chickahominy, keeping between the +Federal army and Richmond, and this tramp watching the movement of +General Grant was kept up until the vicinity of Malvern Hill was +reached. + +I cannot well help breaking the thread of my narrative to tell a little +humorous camp story prevalent among our men just after the battle of +Cold Harbor. It was claimed to have been told by a Union soldier to +some of our men. It ran thus: A private Union soldier who had been in +the battle and saw the terrific slaughter, said to his captain, "We +have killed and had killed enough men and the war should end, and I +know what will end it." The captain inquired, "What?" "Take Richmond," +was the response. "Yes," said the captain, "that is what General Grant +is trying to do." The soldier insisting that he knew how Richmond could +be taken, and the captain pressing him to know, he replied: "Swap +Generals!" + + + + +Chapter XXIII + +From Malvern Hill to the South of the James. + +Engagement at Clay's House. + +Bermuda Hundred Line. + +Christmas Dinner. + +Our Southern Women. + +Close of 1864. + + +June 15 Pickett's division marched from the vicinity of Malvern Hill up +the James, crossing the river the morning of June 16, on a bridge near +Dreury's Bluff, then passing over the battlefield of that name, which +battle we had fought one month before, reaching the Petersburg +turnpike. When near Port Walthall Junction, the head of the column was +fired upon by the enemy, who had possession of the road. The division +was immediately formed in line of battle on the turnpike, sending out +skirmishers, driving the enemy and regaining our first line of works, +which had been vacated that morning by the troops having been called to +Petersburg. The next day commenced heavy skirmish firing. Company D was +on the skirmish line the day before capturing some prisoners, among +them an Englishman, who came back saying rather excitedly that he was +forced into the army, which nobody believed, for the armies of the +enemy were to a considerable extent made up of foreigners. It was +often remarked by our men that we were fighting all Yankeedom and the +rest of mankind. And this reminds me of the story told by a Confederate +of another who like himself had in the battle of the third day at +Gettysburg gone over the enemy's line behind the stone fence, reaching +a point almost on the crest of Cemetery Ridge. Seeing the mighty host +gathered and gathering to envelop the few rebels left, this Confederate +cried out, "Do we have to whip the world?" Listening for a moment, he +heard a Federal officer say: "Attention, World! By nations right wheel, +by states, fire!" He concluded it was time for that poor Confederate to +cut dirt, and he stood not on the order of his going. + +Let it be remembered that we were now engaged in what is known as the +battle of Clay's House. One of our batteries to our left was now +throwing shells at the enemy in our front, endeavoring to enfilade +their line, during which time I was ordered by Colonel Flowerree to go +along the line of the regiment and tell the company commanders to get +their men ready for the assault. I had proceeded nearly half way when a +misdirected shell from the battery referred to exploded over me, a +large fragment grazing my head, burying itself at my feet. Had it +struck my head, there would have been one less Sergeant-Major in the +Confederate army, and this story would not have been written. A moment +later I saw J. B. Young of D Company fall with a severe wound in the +head. In a few moments the charge became general, and the enemy's +intrenchments were carried. General Lee was riding close in the rear of +our battle line at the time of the charge referred to, and meeting one +of our regiment badly wounded and being carried out by the litter +bearers, said to the wounded man, "I hope, my good fellow, you are not +badly hurt." + +This charge was the subject of a complimentary letter from General Lee +to General Anderson, which is as follows: + + "General, I take great pleasure in presenting to you my + congratulations upon the conduct of the men of your corps. I + believe that they will carry anything they are put against. We + tried very hard to stop Pickett's men from capturing the + breastworks of the enemy, but couldn't do it. I hope his loss + has been small." + +This reminds me to say here and now, without intending the least +disparagement of others, that the 7th Virginia regiment was never +ordered to take the enemy's line that it did not take it, never gave up +or lost a position it was ordered to hold, and never left a position or +battlefield unless ordered to do so. Once when bodily taken by the +Federals and carried into captivity, the reader might consider an +exception to the statement just made. + +The charge last above referred to was not without its casualties, +though I have nothing to show the division, brigade or regimental +losses. In the 1st Virginia six men were wounded, and I remember that +Sergeant William Parrott of Company I and J. B. Young of Company D were +severely and Private William Davis of Company C mortally wounded. + +During the remainder of June and for several months following we +remained on this Bermuda Hundred line, occasionally shifting position +from Howlett House on the James to Swift Creek near the Appomattox, +until about the middle of July, then settling down on a high piece of +ground behind a skirt of timber midway between Howlett House and Swift +Creek. Here we worked hard to strengthen our lines. + +Company D now had but a single commissioned officer, Captain Bane. +Lieutenant Stone was still a prisoner, Lieutenant Walker had been +disabled at Gettysburg and retired, and Lieutenant Mullins had died of +the wound received at Howlett House in June. It was on this line that +Sergeant T. S. Taylor was elected a lieutenant and E. Z. Yager made +orderly sergeant of the company. These selections were well made, and +the confidence reposed not misplaced. + +[Illustration: Rev. J. Tyler Frazier] + +At or near this time there appeared on our lines a man representing +himself to be a citizen of Alabama, who proposed then to do what could +not be done, but in some degree has since been accomplished--to build a +machine to navigate the air, carry shells and drop them on the Northern +armies, and in their cities. He requested donations from each of the +soldiers of one dollar, and of the officers five dollars each to enable +him to build his machine. We concluded he was a crank, refused to +contribute and the man departed. This fellow was only a little ahead of +his time. + +At an early hour of July 30th occurred the famous explosion of the mine +at Petersburg. Though several miles away, it so shook the earth that +the pickets and other men awake at the time felt the shock. The fearful +artillery fire which followed convinced us that an important event had +occurred. Later in the day we learned what had happened, seeing also a +full account of the occurrence in the Richmond papers the next morning. +I well remember the comments in the Richmond Examiner (a partisan +paper) on the retaking of the line by the division of General Mahone. +Describing the slaughter of the Federal soldiers in the crater, it +said: "The slaughter was so great that General Mahone sickened at the +sight and told his men 'for God's sake to stop,' and the next time we +hope General Mahone will shut his eyes." The official report of General +Mahone of the retaking of the line and the crater was not furnished by +him to his superior officer, but was found by his family among his +papers after his death, and published a few years ago. An incident +related by the General in his report is worth reproducing here. The +General states that his division was on the Confederate right and a +mile or more from where the explosion took place; that the same was +not unexpected, but just when and where it would occur no one could +certainly tell; that on that morning he was lying on the ground, and on +hearing the noise sprang to his feet, looking in every direction to +locate from whence the sound came, when he discovered a Confederate +soldier at full speed coming towards him. The men along the line were +endeavoring to stop him, but without success, so seeing the man was +following a path which led near by where the General was standing, he +planted himself in the path of the fellow, who was without hat, cap, +shoes or coat, and said: "Now stop long enough to tell me what has +happened." "Why, Mister," said the soldier, "don't you know that hell +has busted?" Evidently this man thought the infernal regions had +accidentally exploded. + +Between the lines of the two armies as now situated lay a strip of +woods, where our men and the Union soldiers were in the habit of +meeting to exchange newspapers, coffee and tobacco, now and then +playing cards. Our officers on finding out what was going on concluded +there was too much familiarity and sought to break it up; so when one +of the officers located some of the men engaged in a game of cards with +a Union soldier, this Federal was made a prisoner and brought into our +lines. The Union soldier was highly indignant at what he considered +taking advantage of confidence, for both parties by their acts had +waived the fact that they were in the field as deadly foes to each +other, and in their hearts our own men had a feeling of the same sort. +A little later one of the Union soldiers, thinking to get even, induced +a Confederate to meet him between the lines on pretense of exchanging +papers, when he attempted his capture, but in the scramble the +Confederate proved too much for his captor, dragging him toward our +lines, when the Union pickets began firing at the Confederate, who let +his man go and escaped. These incidents put a stop for the time being +to communication and traffic between the opposing soldiers. + +At another time some of our men under the lead of an officer, about +daybreak crept over to the Federal skirmish line and between the men in +their rifle pits, taking the line in flank and reverse, and raked it +for a long distance, bringing out more than a hundred prisoners, +including the commanding officer of the line. + +How tender the fellow feeling of one soldier for another, though on +opposite sides, is shown by the following incident: The Union soldiers, +well knowing that we were scarce of food, at dusk one day called to +one of our men, "Say, Johnnie, are you hungry?" "Yes," replied the +Confederate, "have had but little to eat for two or three days," to +which the Union soldier said, "Bring your haversack over here and I +will take you to the sutler and fill it," but the Confederate demurred, +giving as his reason that he was afraid he would be captured. Being +assured, however, upon the honor of a soldier that he should have a +safe return, he went, and the Union soldier filled his haversack and +returned him safely to our lines. + +The enemy was reported shifting about in our front beyond and behind +the timber, where we could not see him, and supposing he might be +preparing for an attack upon us, by order of the Colonel, with Pitts of +Company C and Crawford of Company D, I went to the front, outside our +pickets, where I ran upon a scouting or observation party of the enemy, +by whom we were fired on, and came near being gobbled up, but escaped +and returned within our lines. We had a close call. + +Wishing to visit some friends in Captain David A. French's artillery +company, then stationed near Chaffin's Bluff north of the James, three +miles away, I obtained a pass and put off on September 28, spending the +night with friends, finding myself the next morning almost in a +hornet's nest, for on the morning of the 29th the Federal troops +advanced and captured Fort Harrison, a mile to the front of the camp of +French's company. I followed the battery, witnessing the fight, in +which the Federals advancing from Fort Harrison were repulsed. French +lost several men, among them Adam Johnston, killed. I did not tarry +long, but set out for my command, meeting on the way a part of our +division, the 24th Virginia regiment among them, on their way to +reinforce our troops in front of Fort Harrison, where they were +defeated in the attempt to recapture the fort. + +As already stated, the line from the Howlett House to Swift Creek, some +three miles in length, was held by Pickett's division, four thousand +strong; the skirmish line or rifle pits of the opposing forces were +close together, say 30 yards apart, and the main lines but a few +hundred yards away. Our line was so thin and so drawn out that when +thrown into the trenches it made scarcely more than a strong skirmish +line. We were frequently in the trenches expecting attack, and the +morning following the battle of Winchester we were sure the enemy was +coming, but he was content with firing a shotted salute. At this time +desertions from our ranks, as well as from the ranks of the enemy, +became more frequent and punishment more sure. Numbers of the enemy +came into our lines and were sent to the rear and the same course was +pursued by the enemy with men deserting from us. Now and then a man +instead of going over to the enemy would go home and hide and when +caught would be tried and shot. This happened to a mere boy, a member +of Company B of our regiment, who was executed October 18, 1864. At +this distance from the war, a half century, such a thing may shock the +reader, but war at best is a horrible thing and discipline must be +enforced. It was not strange that some men deserted and went home. Many +had families dependent on them for food and support. The soldier's pay +for a month, in Confederate currency, with the necessaries of life +advanced to enormous figures, would not buy a half bushel of wheat for +his family. The cry of his children for bread reached his ears and this +was more than his heart could bear. He became dissatisfied--anxious for +the suffering ones at home. He was willing to bare his breast to the +storm, and undergo the hardships and privations of camp life and the +dangers of the battlefield, if he knew his wife and children were kept +from starving, but their appeals for food moved him; he would obtain +leave to go if he could, otherwise he would go without leave; but it +will be seen if this were permitted the army would soon be depleted, +and the cause we were fighting for lost. The dilemma was therefore a +trying one to many a good man. + +The Colonel of the 7th regiment, having instructions to capture a +prisoner to obtain certain information wanted, and going to the +skirmish line, where Company D under Captain Bane was on picket, +instructed him to secure such prisoner. Bane called for volunteers for +this enterprise and three men responded, among them John W. East, who +agreed to capture the prisoner by playing the role of deserter, which +he did by going over to the enemy. The Federal picket called our men up +next morning and told them East had deserted the night before. This was +no less than a ruse on John's part to desert and go over to the side of +the enemy. + +Among the inducements offered by the Federal officers to our men to +desert was that if their homes were within the Federal lines they +should be sent home and protected or given government employment at +good wages, but love of cause and country were more potent than all the +inducements offered on the other side. + +A. L. Sumner, of Company D, an illiterate man, heard someone read from +a Richmond paper one morning in November, 1864, that Mr. Lincoln had +been re-elected president of the United States, and had called for a +large number of additional men. Sumner sat with his head bowed, when a +comrade approaching and seeing that something was troubling him, +inquired the cause. Sumner responded, "Don't you know that Abe Lincoln +is re-elected and has called for a million men, and that Jeff Davis +says war to the knife? What shall we do?"--A pertinent inquiry. + +Christmas, 1864, was approaching and extensive preparations were being +made by city, town and country to furnish the army of Northern Virginia +a Christmas dinner, the women taking the lead--God bless them! The +newspapers urged the movement forward, committees were appointed to +collect and forward the good things to the soldiers. The papers +proclaimed that Virginia, devastated as she was by an invading host, +was yet able to feed her soldiers; that the cattle upon a thousand +hills were hers. Though the cattle were not there, the day came, and +with it a bountiful supply which made us glad, and we thanked our +benefactors and took courage. + +The credit for our Christmas dinner was due the women. In every +movement for the uplift and betterment of our race, and in every worthy +cause, woman is the first to espouse, the last to forsake. Having once +fixed her affections upon the object of our cause, her love therefor +became as fast and enduring as the rock-ribbed hills. The wives, +mothers and sisters of the men gave their husbands, sons and brothers +to the cause, suffered untold agony and sorrows, depriving themselves +of every comfort, to the end that the soldiers in the field might be +clothed and fed. For them no sacrifice was too great. The Southern +woman, accustomed to the indulgences and refinements of life, became +familiar with the coarsest of personal apparel, and a scarcity of food +which she had never known, and she bore these things without a murmur. +She followed the plow, reaped the grain, took it to the mill, nursed +the sick and wounded, buried the dead, and rendered thousands of +kindnesses to our suffering soldiers, only recorded in the hearts and +memories of the recipients of these loving deeds, and of Him whose eye +is never shut. In the days of "reconstruction," when men were awe +stricken, not knowing whither to look or what to do, these women stood +with resolute trust in God, giving words of encouragement to the +sterner sex; and became, as it were, the strong vine entwined around +the sturdy tree when shaken by the storm. These Southern women were the +only portion of our people who never surrendered. They are today the +purest type of Anglo-Saxon womanhood on the face of the earth. + +Memorial Day originated with our Southern women, whose custom it is to +strew flowers, mementoes of their undying love, on the graves of the +gray and the blue alike. They are the guardians of the graves of our +noble dead. + + "This place of burial is + Hallowed by woman's prayers; + A nobler epitaph than this + Could not be theirs." + +Things now began to look dark. General Sherman was marching through +Georgia to the sea; Hood's army had been defeated at Nashville. The +situation was grave in the extreme. With all this came strange +presentiments. The dark clouds that had been for some time overhanging +us were settling down. The patriotism, enthusiasm and untold sacrifices +of the past four years seemed all for naught, and our men could not be +required to shoulder a heavier cross than was now the lot of the +Confederate soldiers. But a patriotic people and a valiant soldiery +might yet accomplish success, looking we were, but in vain, for foreign +intervention, or something else to turn up. If to satisfy the Northern +people and gain our separate existence meant to give up slavery, the +army was ready to see it abolished. In fact, the great bulk of the army +was ready to make almost any sacrifice required for independent and +separate government. Our forefathers had resisted British tyranny, we +were resisting Northern aggression upon the sovereignty and reserved +rights of the States of the Confederacy. + +Dark and discouraging as were these days, the spirit of the army was +yet unbroken, and the men were willing to fight it out, although it +appeared but a question of time when we should all go down. + +Thus closed the year of 1864, and to us it seemed final overthrow must +come, for our foe was growing stronger, we weaker. Our star was surely +on the wane. + + + + +Chapter XXIV + +Religion in the Army. + +Doctors Pryor, Fontaine, Stiles. + +General Pendleton. + +Young Men's Christian Association. + +Frazier, Our Preaching-Fighting Chaplain. + + +My presentation of the subject of religion in the army will necessarily +be confined to the command to which I belonged and what came under my +personal observation. When the call to arms was made in 1861, the +sentiment of our people was a solemn appeal to God for the rectitude of +our intentions and purposes, an appeal to the God of battles for His +abiding presence and blessing upon our undertaking. Nearly every step +taken was witnessed by religious services. Our whole Southland was +permeated with the spirit and teachings of the Bible. The brave people +of our land believed in God--indeed, the foundations of their state +government were based upon their faith in the Author of their lives and +liberty. This was no mere phantom. Most of our great leaders were +Christian men, who feared and worshipped God. + +At the beginning of the war we had many wild, profane men who had +joined the army, but from this it must not be inferred that our camps +were scenes of vulgarity, and profanity. With but few exceptions, after +the first year or so of the war, there was never an army freer from +vice, immorality and anger. That which in the beginning would have +been offensive and insulting, and probably brought the parties to +blows, was now passed by. The men had come to understand each other's +temperaments. They had lived, associated, marched, fought, slept and +eaten together too long, had suffered in common too many hardships, +enduring the same privations, not to know each other's Christian +convictions. They were therefore "Souls that had but a single thought, +and hearts that beat as one." They were, with a true Christian spirit, +ready to bear each other's burdens, care for each other when sick or +wounded, comfort each other when in trouble and distress, and therefore +the better prepared to entertain the "King of Peace." + +Many of the men of my company, some of whom I have already mentioned, +were Christians when they entered the army, and by their example and +character exerted a wholesome influence for good. When resting in camp, +these men remembered their vows, conducting religious exercises in +their quarters before retiring at night. On Sunday we usually had +services, led by the Chaplains, who were zealous Christians, and +patriotic men, even going into battle with us. One, Dr. Granberry, +chaplain of the 11th Virginia, and after the war a Methodist Bishop, +was wounded in the battle of Seven Pines. In the absence of the regular +chaplain, Brother Frazier, acting as such, preached to us. + +Near the close of 1862, and throughout the greater part of the year of +1863, a religious spirit seemed to possess the army; at least this was +true of our command. Christians had great reason to thank God and take +courage when they thought on the remarkable progress the gospel was +making in the camp. Thousands of young men embraced religion. While +churches at home were languishing, the gospel was moving forward with +marvelous strides among the soldiers in the field. Indeed, what could +be more fitting, with real men accustomed daily to witnessing carnage +and death. There was therefore much comfort to the men in having the +gospel successfully preached and the standard of the Master borne aloft +in the trenches, in sight of the enemy, even within musket and cannon's +range. At the administration of the baptismal ordinance, the banks of +the Rappahannock, Rapidan and the James and other streams resounded +with the songs of praise. Our chaplains often proclaimed the glad +tidings amid the noise of the booming cannon and rattle of musketry. +This spirit was caught by our division at Taylorsville in the spring of +1863, when Dr. Pryor of Petersburg preached for us for several days in +succession, hundreds professing-faith in Christ. The whole camp was one +religious gathering, and all men seemed greatly interested. There was a +grand and glorious awakening. Many in the Spring of 1863 found the +blessed Savior precious, to their souls and rejoiced in His love, I +among the number. + +When on the march to Gettysburg, halting for a day or more, religious +exercises were conducted; scarcely would the column halt at night and +supper over before the sacred songs began; around those singing would +gather the soldiers in large numbers, the chaplain, or someone else, +conducting the exercises. This was continued during the fall of 1863, +in Culpeper, on the Rapidan, again at Taylorsville, in North Carolina, +in Virginia, near Hanover Junction, around Cold Harbor, Malvern Hill, +and on the south of the James, where Drs. Stiles and Fontaine were +occasionally with us. The latter, Rev. P. H. Fontaine, a minister +of the Baptist Church, visited us in September, 1864, preaching +successfully for several days; many desiring baptism going to a small +branch close by our line in a ravine, where a dam was constructed, +furnishing sufficient water to bury a man in baptism, as was our Savior +in the Jordan, a comforting scene to many wearied and homesick hearts. +On Monday, September 12, 1864, Mr. Fontaine baptized a large number of +soldiers on their profession of faith--how many I do not recollect, but +of our company two, Tim P. Darr and the writer. Darr became a Methodist +preacher, dying last year (1913) in the State of Kentucky. + +The army of Northern Virginia by the close of the year 1864 had in +large measure become a band of Christian soldiers, God-fearing men. +Amid the trying scenes, shoeless, in tattered rags, hungry, chilled by +the cold, they gathered, if opportunity offered, and on bended knees +asked God to comfort their homes and little ones, to bless our arms +with success and to crown our efforts with early peace and stable +government. + +The venerable Doctor Stiles and General Pendleton--the latter an +Episcopal minister and the chief of artillery of the army of Northern +Virginia--occasionally preached to the troops. Through the +instrumentality of J. Tyler Frazier there was organized a Young Men's +Christian Association, of Kemper's brigade, into which was largely +incorporated all the professing Christians in the brigade. It met +regularly when not on the march, and among the articles of the +constitution was one providing that if any member of the Association +should desert or absent himself from his command without leave, he +should be excluded. The Association stood pledged to discourage +desertions or insubordination, and on the other hand to encourage +obedience and fidelity to cause and country; by all means within its +power to diffuse religious thought and morality throughout the brigade. +While on the Bermuda Hundred line, the men built a church in which +religious services were held, and which was also used as a place of +entertainment. + +J. Tyler Frazier, whose name has been frequently mentioned in this +narrative, deserves a more extended notice. Mr. Frazier was born in +Giles County, Virginia, in the year 1840, embracing Christianity at an +early age. His early opportunities for acquiring an education were +quite limited, but being a man of exceptionally good sense, a preacher +when he entered the army--the company chaplain, did his duty nobly and +well. By precept and example upon all proper occasions he endeavored to +impress upon the men the importance of living a Christian life. Notice +has already been taken of some of his messmates, Taylor, Henderson, +Fortner, Darr and others, God-fearing men. Mr. Frazier preached +whenever opportunity offered, not only to the company, regiment and +brigade, but to the people of the region roundabout. The chaplaincy of +the regiment being vacant, the Young Men's Christian Association +desired the appointment of Mr. Frazier to the vacancy, naming a +committee consisting of Thomas S. Taylor (who died in this year, +1914), Edward Hoge (now dead), and David E. Johnston, to take up the +matter with the Colonel, but our mission failed because the commander +felt that a man could not be spared from the ranks who was so good a +soldier as Brother Frazier. We secured, however, the privilege for Mr. +Frazier to preach where and when he pleased, having his musket and +accouterments transported in headquarters wagon, the only requirement +being demanded that he should take his gun and go into battle. Mr. +Frazier was as useful as chaplain without a commission as with it, for +he still continued to preach, pray, march and fight, to exhort and +encourage men to do their duty to God and their country. He was spared +and returned home, entered the regular Methodist ministry of the +Southern Methodist Church, has been a presiding elder, a successful +preacher, and still lives to bless humanity. He now resides on his fine +estate near Chilhowie, Virginia, preaching regularly, esteemed and +highly respected by his brethren, old comrades, friends and neighbors. + +In closing this chapter, I may be permitted with genuineness of purpose +to add a final word to the sons and daughters, descendants of the noble +Confederate soldiers of Virginia, whom I deeply loved, and of whom I +have endeavored, though with much imperfection, to write in these +pages. + +Another warfare is today calling you to the field. I have seen much of +life and know the fruits of vice and shame, the danger of gilded +pitfalls and deceptive traps which are set for you and your children. I +beg of you not to think of this as idle talk on my part. You are in +imminent danger of the captivity from which there is no return. For +your safety the Great Leader is calling you to join His forces, to +enlist in His cause. This Leader has never known defeat, has never lost +a soldier. If you are in His service, your name is enrolled on high. If +you are faithful, you will not be overlooked nor forgotten. If you have +not given Him your life and everything belonging to you, I beg you not +to delay. Your father obeyed our country's call in 1861. It is fitting +now that you obey the gospel call into the noblest army earth has ever +known. More than once did I look into the faces of your noble sires, as +they stood at Sharpsburg, Gettysburg and Cold Harbor, in defense of the +right. I think of the courage with which they followed the old flag, +and I love you for their sakes. I pray God that each of you may honor +the memory of those fathers by being brave and steadfast soldiers of +the Cross; that you may have a place in the ranks of that great army +composed of the pure and the good on earth and in heaven. + + + + +Chapter XXV + +From January, 1865, to Close of Battle of Five Forks. + +Gloomy Outlook at the Opening of the Year. + +The Peace Commissioners. + +Spirit of the Army. + +A. S. Fry as Regimental Clerk and Historian. + +Trouble in Company D. + +Activity Within the Federal Lines. + +General Pendleton's Speech. + +Early's Small Force Defeated at Waynesboro. + +Sheridan's Raid. + + +While near Swift Creek, A. L. Fry of Company D was appointed clerk +and regimental historian, making a complete roll of the men of the +regiment, noting their services, for which he received a short +furlough. The record made by Fry was filed away in Richmond, but +unfortunately was destroyed by fire on the evacuation of the city by +the Confederate troops. This was indeed a calamity, for such a record +would now, after half a century, be of priceless value. The record of +many a poor fellow which was thus lost cannot be had anywhere else. + +We changed position from near Swift Creek to the Howlett House on the +James in January, 1865, where we erected rude shacks of timber and +earth which furnished slight shelter from the pelting storms. Near the +middle of the month the weather softened, and we were enabled to get +out and engage in ball and other games, which gave us exercise and good +appetites, though ordinarily we were ready to eat anything we could +get, for at that time our daily allowance was one-fourth pound of bacon +and one pint of coarse cornmeal, with occasionally a little sugar, +rice, beans or peas. + +The period was still gloomy. Fort McAllister had fallen, Savannah was +in the hands of the enemy, Charleston and Fort Fisher seriously +threatened; Hood's army had been wrecked and driven out of Tennessee; +General Sherman was preparing to march through the Carolinas. General +Grant had seized the Petersburg and Weldon railroad and was now +threatening to strike the south side and Richmond and Danville +road--the latter being the only remaining line connecting Richmond with +the Southern states, over which our supplies must be drawn. The +situation was therefore serious. This was fully realized by the men in +the ranks. Vastly superior territory, unlimited supplies, and a call +for 300,000 new troops in the North were calculated to produce +discouragement in the hearts of men who had from the first been +fighting against heavy odds. Desertions became more frequent; many men +were absent without leave, on account of needy families and other +causes, and were in no hurry to return. All these things were discussed +by the soldiers in their huts. The army of Northern Virginia now +consisted of less than fifty thousand poorly equipped, poorly clad, +poorly fed men, who had marched and countermarched, charged and fought +a foe two or three times their number for nearly four long, dreadful +years. It was little wonder, therefore, that depression came to the +noble army of Northern Virginia, which then held the toe line from a +point north of Fort Harrison to the vicinity of Hatcher's Run to the +south, more than thirty-five miles--in many places little more than a +good skirmish line, which the enemy was able to confront with full +lines, and yet overreaching our flanks, and was continuing to extend +his lines. Why General Grant did not cut loose from his base at City +Point and swing around the Confederate right, shutting the army up in +Petersburg and Richmond, is a military problem I will not endeavor to +solve. + +I was in Richmond in January, 1865, and saw bread selling at $2.00 for +a small loaf; a pound of soda for $12.00; a calico dress pattern, +$25.00, a gold dollar commanding $60.00 in Confederate currency. + +The mission of the Confederate "Peace Commissioners" had been a +failure, and a great disappointment to the soldiers, who saw plainly +nothing short of a bitter fight to the end. Public meetings of the men +were held in many of the commands in the army, resolutions adopted, +expressing regret at the failure of the Peace Conference, reaffirming +their faith in the justness of our cause, and rededicating themselves +to the defense thereof, resolving to fight to the end. Surely heroism +and desperation equal to this cannot be found in the annals of history. +With this situation confronting them, they demanded that all absentees +should be returned to their places, all able bodied men should be +required to take the field, and that every step possible should be +taken to strengthen the army, even to the arming of the negroes--a +thing which should have been done long before this. + +In order to give some conception of the feeling and sentiment which +then pervaded the soldiers, I here insert an extract from a letter +written a friend in February, 1865, in which I say: "There is nothing +left us but to fight it out; the cry is for war--war to the knife. If +the people at home will support the army and drive all skulkers and +absentees to the front, all will be right." + +Amid the darkness and gloom surrounding us, some of the men would have +fun. I well remember that W. D. Peters, of D Company, a wit and wag, +having around him several of his comrades, inquired as to how the +Southern Confederacy was bounded. One answered, "North by the United +States, south by the Gulf of Mexico, east by the Atlantic Ocean, west +by the Rocky Mountains." Peters insisted this to be a mistake, saying +that "we were surrounded by Yankees!" + +The general sentiment in the army favored freeing all negroes who would +take arms and fight for the country. To this, singularly enough, came +opposition from men who did not and never had owned a slave. The +proposition to arm the negroes did not find favor with the politicians, +but they were finally forced to yield, late in the Spring of 1865, on +the eve of the retreat of the army of Northern Virginia from the +Richmond-Petersburg lines. + +While on the lines near Howlett House, a squad went out between the +skirmish lines to gather fuel; among the number was Adam Thompson, who +had so large a foot that special requisition had to be made to get +shoes big enough for him; the shoes for Adam had to be made to order. +On the occasion referred to, Adam deserted to the enemy, when a Union +soldier called out, "Jonnnie! Have you another man over there three +feet across the back and who wears a number two shoe--two hides to the +shoe?" + +I here relate an incident happening on this line while at the Howlett +House, which caused much grief, growing out, as I believe, of +misinformation and misunderstanding, whereby three of the best soldiers +of Company D--A. J. Thompson, Harry Snidow and J. C. Hughes--were +arrested upon a charge of encouraging insubordination and mutiny, of +which they were convicted and sentenced to be shot, and pending the +approval of General Lee (which was never had, so far as I know), were +incarcerated in "Castle Thunder" in Richmond, from which they were only +released by the Union army on entering the city April 3, 1865. In the +opinion of the writer, who knew these three men, all sergeants, through +and through, this proceeding was excessive and unwarranted. Surely +three long years of untiring devotion and loyalty to the cause for +which we fought should be counted worth something. + +General Pendleton, the chief of artillery of the army, visited our +lines the middle of March and made a speech, in which he said, "The +time is rapidly approaching for the opening of the campaign, and that +man Grant over there means mischief. Only with a union of strong arms +and brave hearts can we hope to win. Pack your haversacks and be ready +to move." There was now great activity within the lines of the enemy; +the whistle of the locomotive, the inclination and the action of the +enemy to crowd us, all pointed to an early movement, but the question +confronted us--What are we to do? Can we get away and how far? Not a +mule nor horse that can pull a hundred pounds five miles through the +mud. It was suggested, let us go south and join General Joe Johnston, +unite forces with him, whip Grant and then Sherman. Some said one +thing, some another, but all agreed that if Richmond had to be given +up, it were better it had been abandoned the fall before, when our +transportation was in better shape and our army numerically stronger, +and General Grant's not in such good condition, not yet having +recovered from its bloody campaign from the Rapidan to Petersburg, and +not so confident as now. + +[Illustration: Brigadier-General David E. Johnston and Aid-de-Camp D. +E. J. Wilson] + +In March, 1865, at night, our division was withdrawn from the lines, +Mahone's division taking our place. We were hurried up to Richmond to +the outer intrenchments north of the city to meet the Federal General +Sheridan's cavalry corps of 10,000 men, which a few days before had +overwhelmed the little band of about 1500 men of General Early in the +valley near Waynesboro, and were now rapidly approaching Richmond by +way of Charlottesville. Near Ashland Corse's brigade had a brisk +skirmish with Sheridan's advance. It was apparent that General Sheridan +had no thought of attacking Richmond (he was never known to attack +unless he had the advantage) but had crossed the Chickahominy and was +making his way to join the main army south of the James. + + + + +Chapter XXVI + +South of the James. + +Battles of Dinwiddie and Five Forks. + +The Retreat. + + +We were hastened through Richmond and to the south of the James, +marching to the South Side railroad west of Petersburg, thence on to +Sutherland Station, reaching there at 9 P.M., Wednesday, March 29, and +going forward through an all night's rain, arriving at the White Oak +road at dawn, where a portion of General Bushrod Johnson's division was +in line of battle, with a brisk skirmish progressing in front. Three +brigades of Pickett's division, Corse's, Stuart's and Terry's, with +Ransom's and Wallace's--the last two now consolidated under General +Ransom--extended the battle line of Johnson's division to the right. +Here we remained until the middle of the afternoon, a heavy rain +falling during the greater part of the time, our skirmishers having an +occasional brush with the enemy. The column then moved forward along +the road in the direction of Five Forks, skirmishing front and flank, +reaching the Forks at sunset; without halting, Corse's brigade, and the +1st and 7th regiments of Terry's, advanced, driving the dismounted +cavalry of the enemy through and out of the woods and across the open +country beyond; then returning to the Forks, lay down under a pelting +rain upon the wet ground until morning, thus in line ready to fight or +march. + +It was 10 A.M., Friday, March 31, that the advance began in the +direction of Dinwiddie Court House, the cavalry in our front fighting +at every step, crossing Chamberlain Run, and being driven back, as the +infantry was unable to afford them help on account of the swollen +condition of the stream. Finally, at the remains of an old mill on the +Run, the infantry succeeded in getting over, in the face of a sharp +fire from the enemy, with whom, as soon as across the stream, we kept +up a running fight until near sunset. When near the Court House we +encountered a large body of the enemy's dismounted cavalry formed +across the road prepared to oppose our further advance. A Federal +battery of artillery in their center commanded the ground over which +the advance had to be made, but we made a successful charge, sweeping +the field, the enemy retiring in confusion, leaving their dead and +wounded, we occupying the battlefield until nearly 1 o'clock next +morning. + +In this engagement, known as the battle of Dinwiddie, the famous +cavalry officer, General Phil Sheridan, with all his brag, was scared +out of his boots--calling that night on General Grant for an army corps +of infantry to help him out of the scrape, although he already had more +men on the field than the Confederates who were assailing him. + +Humanity, the crowning grace of the brave soldier, secured for the +wounded--the enemy's as well as our own--all the care and attention we +were able to give them. Our loss had not been heavy, especially was it +small in our regiment--none in Company D. General Terry's horse was +struck by a cannon shot, which caused it to fall with the General, +giving him quite a severe injury.[5] + + [5] On account of Gen'l. Terry's injury, Col. Jo Mayo of the + Third Regiment was in command of the brigade at Five Forks. + +Near midnight, or a little later, March 31, the Confederates retired to +Five Forks, five miles away, taking position in battle line, and +hastily throwing up temporary breastworks of logs. W. H. F. Lee's +cavalry was on the right, then the infantry brigades, Corse, Terry, +Steuart, Ransom-Wallace, in the order named, with a portion of Fitzhugh +Lee's cavalry under General Munford on the left. Terry's brigade held +the ground immediately on the right of the Forks, with the left of the +7th Virginia resting at the Forks, at which was posted three guns of +Colonel William Pegram's Virginia battalion of artillery. The enemy did +not appear in force in our front until nearly 10 A.M. next day. + +Five Forks is situated in a thickly wooded, flat, wet country, and gets +its name from the crossing of two country roads at right angles, with +the deflection of another road bisecting one of these angles; the last +place that a general with a small force would desire to meet a large +force, or select his ground upon which to fight a defensive battle, +because it was in an open country. This position could be easily +turned, and a small force easily isolated from the main army at +Petersburg, which the enemy, in fact, did by throwing General Warren's +infantry corps, nearly 15,000 strong, against the Confederate left, +between it and the right wing of our army. This point could only have +been necessary to hold to protect the South Side railroad, and for this +reason may have been regarded strategic, but it could not be held by a +small force, if an enemy in superior numbers chose to turn it, who had +the advantage of approach from two or more of the five roads converging +there. + +Privates Crawford and Dudley of Company D were on the skirmish line. +After several unsuccessful attempts by the Federal skirmishers to drive +in ours, they concluded to try something stronger. In the meantime +Crawford had his musket stock at the small part thereof severed and he +came back to the main line, procured another, and returned to his place +with the skirmishers. By this time the Federal battle line, composed +partly of dismounted cavalry, was advancing, and soon overran our +skirmishers, killing, wounding and capturing nearly the whole of them, +coming with a rush at our main line, by which they were severely +punished and repelled. These attacks were several times repeated along +our whole brigade front, each time being repulsed with loss to the +enemy and with little to us. Warren's infantry corps, having placed +itself near the middle of the afternoon around and beyond the +Confederate left, advancing boldly struck Ransom's and Wallace's +brigades in flank, doubling them up and pushing them to us in the +center. Steuart's and Terry's brigades now moved out of their +intrenched line and with a fierce, determined fight met the oncoming +battle against more than 15,000 with less than two thousand. In the +nature of things this could not and did not last long, but it did last +until the moon was up and the evening shades had fallen. This scribe, +it will be remembered, was still only a boy, and remembers distinctly +Colonel Flowerree saying, "Now, boys, in marching away follow that +moon." This because we were in a country unknown to us or to our +commander. Our brigade was in conflict with Ayers' Federal division, +which was massed in column, firing over each other and too high, thus +accounting for our small regimental and brigade loss in killed and +wounded. + +Before being withdrawn from our intrenched line to meet the flank +attack of Warren's corps, Colonel Pegram of the artillery fell on the +left of our regiment, mortally wounded. The 7th regiment, numbering +less than 300 men, under the fearless Colonel Flowerree, was thrown +into the breach to stem the tide, but after a few minutes of close, +almost hand-to-hand struggle, it left the field, not however, before +being ordered three times by the Colonel to do so. + +In the woods where we were fighting it was getting dark, the moon +beginning to shine. My position as Sergeant-Major was on the left of +the regiment, which I occupied during the fierce contest. Seeing the +regiment move rapidly by the right flank and to the rear, but in good +order, I stood for a moment reflecting whether I should leave or take +the chances of death or becoming a prisoner. Choosing the former, and +passing the road over which we had fought our way a few minutes before, +I found myself with two Confederates, who were a little in advance of +me, and proceeding but a short distance we found ourselves plump up +against the lines of Federal cavalry. A Sergeant demanded our +surrender, the Confederate nearest him threw down his gun; the one next +to me turned and said, "What shall we do?" I still had the carbine I +had picked up the day before in the battle near Dinwiddie, but no +ammunition, and without replying to the question or dropping my gun, +but keeping my eyes fixed on the sergeant, who was separated by a small +space from his comrades as well as from me, I observed that his cap had +been knocked off by the limb of a pine bush under which he had ridden, +and that his attention was fixed upon an effort to get his cap. Just +then seeing an opening where the Federal regiments joined, I darted +through, amidst a shower of bullets, the wind and heat of some of them +being felt distinctly in my face. The reader may easily imagine the +speed made just then by a Confederate Sergeant-Major. In less than two +hundred yards beyond, I overtook my command forming across the road. + +Here Generals Pickett, Corse, Steuart, Ransom and Colonel Mayo were +urging the men to get quickly into line, Pickett in the midst of the +fire behaving with his usual gallantry and coolness. In the middle of +the road stood the ensign of the 1st Virginia regiment, with his colors +and guard, with Gentry and his Glee Club, singing, "Rally Round the +Flag, Boys, Rally Once Again"--and rally they did, although badly +mixed, but in a few minutes partial order was restored, not a moment +too soon, for the enemy was coming. The position now held was not more +than four hundred yards from the Forks. As yet, the enemy had gained +but little ground, though he had captured a large number of prisoners, +principally of Ransom's, Wallace's and Steuart's brigades, and of the +11th and the 24th Virginia of Terry's brigade. The enemy now bore down +heavily upon our right front, advancing through an open field, we being +in a skirt of woods, from which we sent into them a murderous volley. +The smoke clearing away, it was revealed that his whole line had been +shattered, large numbers of his dead and wounded on the ground, the +living fleeing in full haste. In the meantime the enemy had thrown a +heavy force around both the Confederate flanks, threatening to envelop +us between his columns, and cutting our line of retreat, forming +something of the shape of a horse-shoe, we being in the toe, having the +heel open, as the only chance to get out. This gap in the heel was much +broadened by a charge of the Confederate cavalry on the right. It was +now dark, the command badly scattered, and almost surrounded by the +enemy. We moved to the rear as rapidly as possible, and those remaining +not killed, wounded or captured, made their way across the South Side +railroad, where camp was made. + +This was one of the most fiercely and best contested battles of the +war, disparity of numbers considered. It can be safely and truthfully +asserted by those present who witnessed what occurred that never were +troops placed in a more trying situation--outflanked on both wings, +attacked front flank and rear, by a force fully four times their +numbers, in a comparatively flat, open country, away from supports, +without shelter save rude log breastworks, hastily thrown up, occupied +for a short time during the fight, which was as close as fearless men +could make it. There was no panic, for the men rallied and fought again +and again, until dark, when the enemy desisted. Much of the fighting +was so close that there was a question as to who would be the victors. + +General Grant in his Memoirs says of this battle: "It was dusk when our +troops under Sheridan went over the parapets of the enemy. The two +armies were mingled together there for a time in such manner that it +was almost a question which one was going to demand the surrender of +the other." + +It now appears that the army of the enemy on the field numbered above +26,000, while I am satisfied we could not have had exceeding 8000 men +at the opening of the battle. We had the consolidated brigades of +Ransom and Wallace, about 1000; Steuart's brigade, about 1000; Corse's +brigade, about 1100; Terry's brigade, about 900; cavalry, 3500, and +artillerists 300; Rosser's cavalry division guarding the trains, not in +the battle. + +The Federal loss was 124 killed and 706 wounded; the Confederate loss, +450 killed, 750 wounded. The Confederates lost four guns, eleven colors +and 3244 prisoners, a loss which the reader will see from statements +made was by us sorely felt. + +I do not know the division, brigade or regimental losses, but they were +severe in the regiment, while Company D lost but six men--Crawford, +Dudley, Sumner and Mullins, as prisoners. John A. Hale and William D. +Peters severely wounded, both got off the field. Captain Bane, +Lieutenant Taylor and the following men: Bolton, Crawford, Darr, +Dudley, Eaton, Frazier, Fry, Gordon, Hale (J. A.), Henderson, Hurt (J. +J.), Meadows, Mullins, Minnich (C), Minnich (G. A.), Peters, Shannon, +Stafford, Sumner, Suthern, Wiley, Yager and the writer--25--were all +the men and officers of Company D in this battle of Five Forks. + +In Warren's swing around our left he had killed, wounded and captured a +large part of our dismounted cavalry on that wing, practically the +whole of the brigades of Ransom and Wallace and a large part of +Steuart's. After this capture we could not have had more than 4500 men +left, who kept up and maintained the fight until 6 o'clock P.M. It was +simply a yielding to overwhelming numbers, and the strangest thing of +all is that we were not all captured or killed. It was within the +power of the Federals at any time after 4 o'clock P.M. to have made +prisoners of us all, and nothing but bad Federal generalship and the +protection of God saved us, for the Union army were brave enough. There +is no doubt about Sheridan's men fighting; they were men many of whom +for gallant conduct had been taken from other arms of the service and +placed in the cavalry. They were brave, reckless, and withal generous +foes. + +In closing this account of the battle of Five Forks I here insert some +extracts from General Longstreet's book, "Bull Run to Appomattox." +Speaking of Warren's flank movement and after Ransom's and Wallace's +brigades had been broken up, he says: "The brigades of Steuart and +Terry changed front and received the rolling battle ... the Confederate +brigades were pushed back to their extreme right, where in turn Corse's +brigade changed front to receive the march." Again: "The position was +not of General Pickett's choosing, and from his orders he assumed he +would be reinforced. His execution was all that a skilful commander +could apply.... Though taken by surprise, there was no panic in any +part of the command; brigade after brigade changed front to the left +and received the overwhelming battle as it rolled on until it was +crushed back to the next, before it could deploy out to aid the +front--or flank attack, until the last brigade of the brave Corse +changed and stood alone on the left.... It is not claiming too much for +that grand division to say that, aided by the brigades of Ransom and +Wallace, they could not have been dislodged from their intrenched +position by parallel battle, even by the great odds against them. As it +was, Ayer's division, staggered under the pelting blows that it met, +and Crawford's drifted from the blows against it, until it thus found +the key of the battle away beyond the Confederate limits. In +generalship Pickett was not a bit below the 'gay rider.' His defensive +battle was better organized, and it is possible that he would have +gained the day if his cavalry had been diligent in giving information +of the movements of the enemy." + + + + +Chapter XXVII + +The Retreat. + +Battle of Sailor's Creek. + +Captured. + + +Early in the morning of Sunday, April 2, we marched from our camp near +South Side railway into the main road leading west to Amelia Court +House. Reaching this road, we found portions of Heth's and Wilcox's +divisions moving along the same, by whom we were informed that our +lines around Petersburg had been broken and they cut off from the rest +of the army. + +We pushed on that day, learning en route that General A. P. Hill had +been killed before Petersburg. We went into camp near Deep Creek, +hungry and conscious of loss, both in the breaking of the lines at +Petersburg and in the death of sturdy, gallant A. P. Hill--and still +there was no murmuring. + +During the forenoon on Monday the enemy's cavalry came up with our rear +guard, when some brisk skirmishing occurred. We passed Deep Creek near +2 P.M., the enemy pressing closely. Late in the evening we received a +scanty supply of rations, the first since March 29--four days. Beyond +Deep Creek a short distance we went into camp; moving next morning on +the road to Amelia Court House, but the enemy had been there ahead of +us, had made an attack upon a wagon train, and were driven off by the +teamsters and stragglers, leaving their dead and some of their wounded +on the streets. Here we heard of the evacuation of Richmond. This, +though looked for, brought deep gloom over not a few of the men, who +for more than three years had not faltered in hope of ultimate success. +From the time Amelia Court House was left at noon on the 4th until +Thursday, the 6th, at the close of the battle of Sailor's Creek, there +was scarcely an hour, day or night, that we were not engaged in +skirmishing with the enemy. They were on the flank, and everywhere, +after our beleaguered troops. We were forced to halt and form line of +battle, once or more a square, to prevent capture. The march was +necessarily slow on account of the wagon and artillery trains, which +moved at a snail's pace through the mud, drawn by famished animals, +which had had but little food for days. While soldiers may live for a +time on enthusiasm, mules and horses must have corn or oats. As for +ourselves, we were without food, save a little parched corn, when we +could stop long enough to parch it; otherwise we took it raw, shelling +it from the cob and eating it as we marched. The small ration issued to +us at Deep Creek had only been sufficient for one square meal. Many of +the men were overcome with fatigue, hunger and want of sleep, some +actually going to sleep walking along, stumbling and falling in the +road. No food was to be had in the country along the road upon which we +were marching, as the people had been stripped of everything in the way +of food by those who had preceded us. It was unsafe to venture far from +the command on account of the enemy's cavalry now on all the roads, and +many of our men were made prisoners by going away from the line of +march in search of food. We halted for rest but once during the night +of Wednesday, the 5th, then only for a few minutes, in line of battle, +for the enemy was close upon us. + +It was the general expression that if all of our marchings, sufferings, +hardships, privations and sacrifices for all of the preceding years of +the war were summed up, shaken together and pressed down, they would +not equal those we were now undergoing on this tramp. + +At daylight on Thursday, April 6, a point was reached near Sailor's +Creek, a small tributary of the Appomattox, a short distance from High +Bridge, and probably ten miles from Farmville. The marching of our +depleted and exhausted forces for the past two days had been conducted +during the day by throwing out skirmishers on both flanks, and calling +them in at dark, our rear now being cared for by the troops of General +Ewell. The skirmishers in front and on the flank became actively +engaged at sunrise, the balls from the enemy's sharpshooters whistling +over and among the men of the regiment. Here I saw for the first and +last time General Henry A. Wise, a tall, slender, gray-haired man, +straight as an arrow, apparently vigorous for a man of his years. We +were now to fight our last engagement--the battle of Sailor's Creek. + +The skirmishing now grew more animated, we expecting every moment to be +attacked, but the enemy was merely attracting our attention and trying +to hold us where we were until his infantry columns could come up. In +the afternoon, probably 2:30 or a little later, a heavy force of the +enemy's cavalry made a charge on a battalion of Confederate artillery +in advance of us on the same road. To check this cavalry charge, we +were hurried across Sailor's Creek, reaching the guns of Colonel +Huger's battalion in time to see most of the artillerists, including +Colonel Huger, taken away as prisoners. The enemy not being able to +take these guns away, as we were now at their heels, they hurriedly +chopped with an axe the spokes out of the wheels, disabling them for +present use, then retreated, we following in line of battle and going +forward through an open field, meeting no resistance, and halting on a +piece of high ground. A squadron of Federal cavalry, spying General +Pickett with his staff riding up in our rear, made a dash for him; +about the same time he discovered the object of these bold riders, and +galloped quickly to the lines of the brigade to our left, which was in +a body of scattering timber. These reckless troopers pushed up after +the General until close to our men, who fired upon them, emptying every +saddle. This incident is given to show the reader how desperate was +this prolonged game of death. + +On the brow of the hill where our brigade halted on the road on which +we had been marching, there was intersection with another road leading +directly west. Here we hurriedly tore away an old worm fence, piling up +the rails to make some protection against rifle balls. On the left rear +of Pickett's and part of Bushrod Johnson's divisions on Sailor's Creek +were Custis Lee's and Kershaw's 3000 men under General Ewell, with whom +we had no connection, nor with Mahone's division and other troops ahead +of us, leaving gaps through which the Federal cavalry passed, enabling +them to get on our flanks and rear. The enemy's troops in this +engagement--one army corps with three cavalry divisions--numbered +25,000 or more men, while the Confederates did not have 7500 all told. +The fighting was desperate. Along our front and fully five hundred +yards away we could see passing to our right heavy bodies of the enemy, +evidently bent upon getting ahead of us. Moreover, this must have been +manifest to our commanding officers, who permitted us to remain idle +for several hours and until the enemy made full preparations to attack +us. That somebody blundered, there is no doubt, as any enlisted man in +the ranks could clearly see. We should have moved on. The attack came +between 3 and 4 o'clock P.M. by an assault on Munford's dismounted +cavalry in a skirt of woods to our right. This attack, as were others +on our right front, was repulsed. + +General Terry, our brigade commander, had given the order to move to +the right, when he discovered another advance upon us, this time in +heavy force. We were ordered to remain where we were and not to fire +until the enemy were close enough to see the whites of their eyes, then +fire and charge with the bayonet. We were behind the rails, close to +the ground. The enemy, armed with repeating rifles, when within +seventy-five yards or so opened upon us, filling the air with balls, +and coming at us. Every man who raised his head above the rails gave +his life for the venture. Captain Harris, the Adjutant General of the +brigade, raised his head to look and fell back dead; a sandy haired man +of my regiment at my elbow met the same fate. He was from Orange County +and never knew what hit him. Then came a lull in the firing in front, +and I heard a noise behind us; looking around, I saw a column of +Federal cavalry close behind us, one of whom had boldly dashed up +behind our regiment, seized the colors, and with drawn saber compelled +Torbett, the color bearer, to surrender the same. Such was the +character and bravery of the men we had to fight. Some one just then +cried, "Fire!" and a portion of our regiment delivered its fire into +the faces of the enemy in front. In a moment began an indiscriminate +fight with clubbed muskets, flagstaffs, pistols and sabers. In a few +moments all was over. We had met the enemy and we were theirs. This +final struggle was most tragic. We were now marched out and surrounded +by a cordon of cavalry. + +Ewell's, Kershaw's and Custis Lee's battle on the left was still +raging, but to terminate, as had ours, in their capture, together with +the greater part of their commands, which had made a brave and gallant +fight, but like ourselves were the victims of gross blunders on the +part of someone in authority on the field, as well as overwhelmed by +superior numbers. This battle ended my activities in the army. There +remains only to describe my experience as a prisoner of war, which I +will do later on. + +The Federal losses in this battle were 166 killed, 1014 wounded. The +Confederate losses, 268 killed, 2032 wounded, together with some 6000 +prisoners claimed by the enemy. A portion of the division escaped with +General Pickett and reached Appomattox. + +I am unable to give the number of the killed, wounded and captured of +our division, brigade or regiment. I do not, however, believe the 7th +Virginia in this battle numbered two hundred, the brigade five hundred, +the division not exceeding two thousand. Company D had two officers and +sixteen men in this battle, having no loss in killed or wounded. +Suffice it to say that with our small number we could not have been +driven from our position by parallel battle line. + +Four years before this company left Pearisburg, Virginia, with 102 men, +the majority of whom were as promising and gallant young men as +Virginia produced. During the time of service twenty recruits were +added, making 122 in all, and now here we were with eighteen left. The +reader is left to ask where were the 104. Let the crippled and mangled +survivors who had been discharged, the graves of the noble dead +scattered all over Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania, make answer. +Can anyone wonder that we eighteen were drawn together that day by a +bond of suffering and blighted hope, closer than ever before? + +Here are the names of the men of Company D present in this last tragic +struggle, to-wit: Captain R. H. Bane, Lieutenant Thomas S. Taylor; the +men, Fry, Yager, Shannon, Bolton, Darr, Eaton, Gordon, Henderson, J. J. +Hurt, C. Minnich, G. A. Minnich, Suthern, Stafford, Wiley, Meadows and +the writer. + +Strange were the scenes among the captives at Sailor's Creek: some +cried, some prayed, others were angry; some cursed, abusing the one who +blundered, leading us into the trap to be captured, while a few were +cheerful, saying all is not yet lost, but it was apparent to the writer +that we had fired our last gun. The flag we had followed to victory on +so many fields was now furled forever, and strong men wept! + +The sun was fast sinking; the men lay down upon the ground and were +soon asleep, many not waking until the sun was high in the heavens the +next day. Gloom was depicted on every countenance, and sorrow was in +every face. These men had seen their comrades go down day by day, by +which they were impressed that if the war continued it was only a +question of time when they too would bite the dust. They, however, had +this consolation regarding their fallen comrades: that they had gone +down in the conscientious belief in the justness of their cause, in the +hope of victory, and had not lived to see their flag furled in defeat, +and were saved the humiliation of tasting the bitter cup of submission, +of which we were to drink to its very dregs. Maybe these after all were +the lucky men--who knows? The gallantry and devotion of our soldiers in +the unequal struggle proved how thorough were their convictions of the +righteousness of their cause. Their devotion to that cause and their +kindness and humanity to those whom the fate of war placed in their +power, proved them worthy sons of noble ancestry. These men viewed the +attempt at coercion on the part of the Northern people as aggression, +and their action in defense of their country, homes and firesides, as +an inherent, inalienable right--a defense of constitutional liberty. + +Immediately upon our capture, the Federal soldiers stripped many of +our men of all their good hats, boots and small trinkets. Colonel +Flowerree, who had a splendid new hat and boots, was deprived of both, +and in lieu thereof was given a worn out, dingy old cap and rough +shoes. I think they took these things as souvenirs--war trophies--they +did not need them, for they were well supplied. + +We were without food and had been practically so since the preceding +Monday. Our captors themselves were poorly supplied, but our humane, +brave and generous foes divided their scanty supply with us. All of the +men captured in the battle of the day before, about six thousand, the +Federals then claimed, were congregated with us in the field in which +we were placed. + + + + +Chapter XXVIII + +To Prison at Point Lookout, Maryland. + +Prison Life. + +Release. + +Home. + + +Near noon on Friday, April 7, the march was taken up for prison at +Point Lookout, a distance of about 150 miles, though at that time we +did not know our destination. The Federal soldiers were still taking +from our men hats and other articles that pleased their fancy. I noted +in my description of the battle of Dreury's Bluff that an Irish +sergeant of the 1st Virginia regiment had picked up a fine hat on the +battlefield which he had given to me because it would not fit his head, +but did mine. I kept this hat until the opening of the campaign in +March, 1865, when I put it on, believing this would be our last +campaign. When captured at Sailor's Creek I was wearing this hat, and +on observing the Federal soldiers capturing hats from our men, I kept +as far away from them as I could until we began the march on the 7th, +when, crossing a pond, I soused my hat in the muddy water, which made +it then appear as worthless, but it was safe in my possession. I wore +it to prison, then cleaned off the mud and wore it home. This hat, a +blanket and a canteen were the only Federal trophies of the war I +carried home. + +Late in the evening of April 7, while on the march, we met a drove of +beef cattle being driven forward for use of the Federal army. We were +halted while a number of these beeves were slaughtered, dressed, cut up +into small parcels and handed us where we stood in the road, and we +marched on without opportunity to cook the beef, which we devoured +blood raw, without salt. This probably may shock the reader, but it was +the best that could be done. + +On the night march of the 7th from Burkeville I could have escaped, but +I reasoned that if I did I would most likely be recaptured, and if I +was not I would probably starve, as there was no food in the country, +so I determined to risk our captors to give us food. + +Next morning we were near Nottoway and passed that day through +Petersburg, halting on Thursday, the 13th, near 10 o'clock A.M., at +the Federal commissary, nearly a mile beyond the city, where a +bountiful supply of food was given us--the first we had received since +March 29. Several men were too sick to eat, I of the number, enfeebled +as we were from our long continued marching and from dysentery, +resulting from eating raw, warm beef, without salt. Resuming the march +late in the evening, City Point was reached at dark, where we were +huddled together, forced to stand all night in mud several inches deep, +in a drizzling rain, without rest or sleep, not even a place to sit +down, unless in the mud and water. Such is war. + +Next day, April 14, we were placed aboard a steamer, that evening +dropping down the James River. Next morning, Saturday the 15th, found +our vessel anchored off Point Lookout. Here we first heard of Mr. +Lincoln's assassination the preceding night, which at first we were +not disposed to credit, but were soon convinced that some fearful +catastrophe had taken place, as the flags on the shipping were at half +mast. As soon as we were landed we became satisfied that the report of +Mr. Lincoln's death was true, the Federal soldiers informing us that +any signs of exultation would result in the opening of the batteries on +us. We saw that the guns were pointed at the prison. They, however, +mistook the spirit and feelings of our men, who, though stung by +defeat, yet brave and chivalrous foes, they could in no wise justify, +excuse or palliate so cold-blooded a murder, much less rejoice at its +commission. They regretted greatly the death of Mr. Lincoln, and spoke +of him in the tenderest terms, saying had he lived he would have been +kind to our people. + +As we entered the prison walls, every man was searched and everything +of value (which was little) taken from him. The quarters consisted of +small tents, large enough for about five men, into which were crowded +about eight to ten, divided into companies in charge of our own +sergeants. + +Around the prison was a high plank fence with a platform at the top, +on which the guards made their beats. The water was bad--brackish, +discoloring our teeth. The number of Confederates in this prison was +more than 23,000 men, covering about twenty-two acres of land--more +than 1,000 to the acre. The number of deaths among the prisoners +reported was, from April to July, over 6,800. Among these was Josephus +Suthern, of Company D, 7th regiment. I found in this prison Sumner, +Crawford, Dudley and Mullins, of Company D, who, with those captured +at Sailor's Creek, to wit: Fry, Yager, Shannon, Bolton, Darr, Eaton, +Gordon, Henderson, Jim Hurt, Meadows, C. Minnich, George A. Minnich, +Suthern, Stafford, Wiley and the writer, making the number twenty in +prison. When we met under these new conditions, strange sensations were +experienced, as the reader may well suppose. + +The only place we were allowed to go outside of the prison, and that +only in the daytime, was on the Chesapeake bayside. Our rations +consisted of eight ounces of loaf bread per day, a thin piece of bacon +or salt pork boiled and cut so thin that it was almost transparent, and +a pint cup of bean soup, in which we occasionally found a bean. As a +result we were always hungry--went to bed hungry, dreamed of being +hungry, and got up ready for breakfast with the same feeling. I went to +prison weighing one hundred and sixty-five pounds, not sick a day after +I got there, and came out weighing one hundred and twenty-seven pounds. +Carrying out the ratio, if I had stayed there six months I would have +weighed nothing. We were constantly in danger of being wounded or +losing our lives by the reckless firing of the negro guards into the +prison at some one claimed by them to be violating the prison rules. We +had nothing to read except now and then when we found some man with a +Bible or Testament. Some of the men were ingenious workmen, making +rings from gutta percha buttons and selling them to the guards. + +Near the middle of June orders came for the discharge of the prisoners, +upon taking the oath of fidelity to the United States. The men were to +be taken out in alphabetical order and transported away as rapidly as +could be done. As soon as it was announced that men's names beginning +with the letter A would repair to headquarters, then it seemed to all +appearances that half the prisoners had names beginning with the letter +A. Many a poor fellow, in his anxiety to get away, went out under an +assumed name. The letter J was called on Wednesday, June 28, when the +numbers in the prison had been greatly reduced, though only the ninth +letter of the alphabet had been passed. + +Repairing to headquarters, thirty-two fell into line under the American +flag unfolded over their heads and had the oath administered to them; +the officers taking a personal description of each man, furnishing him +the oath and certificate of discharge in writing, when he was passed +outside the prison wall. Here follows an exact copy of the oath taken +by me and certificate of discharge from prison: + + UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. + + I, David E. Johnston, of the County of Giles and State of Va., + do solemnly swear that I will support, protect and defend the + Constitution and Government of the United States against all + enemies, whether domestic or foreign; that I will bear true faith, + allegiance and loyalty to the same, any ordinance, resolution, or + laws of any state, convention or legislature to the contrary + notwithstanding; and further, that I will faithfully perform all + the duties which may be required of me by the laws of the United + States; and that I take this oath freely and voluntarily without + any mental reservation or evasion whatever. + + (Signed) D. E. JOHNSTON. + + Subscribed and sworn to before me this 28th day of June, A.D. + 1865. + + (Signed) A. C. BRADY, + Maj. and Provost Marshal. + + The above named has fair complexion, brown hair and hazel eyes, and + is 5 feet 9-1/2 inches high. + + + CERTIFICATE OF RELEASE OF PRISONER OF WAR. + + Headquarters, Point Lookout, Md. + + Provost Marshal's Office, June 28, 1865. + + I hereby certify that David E. Johnston, prisoner of war, having + this day taken the Oath of Allegiance to the United States, is, in + conformity with instructions from the War Department, hereby + released and discharged. In Witness Whereof I hereunto affix my + official signature and stamp. + + (Signed) A. C. BRADY, + Maj. and Provost Marshal. + + A. C. BRADY, + June 28, 1865. + Maj. and Provost Marshal. + +The reader may be interested to know that I have grown a full inch in +height and gained more than 80 pounds in weight. + +Steamers were at the wharf and as soon as it was known that a +sufficient number of those whose destination was Richmond were +discharged to load the vessel, we went aboard, landing at Richmond the +evening of June 29, and walked up on to the streets, which for the most +part were deserted, the city in ruins. + +This was Richmond, on the majestic James--the proudest city of +Virginia, for whose capture great armies had contended for nearly four +years; not only the capital of Virginia, but of the Confederacy, doing +more for the Confederate soldier than any other place in the South. Her +people were intelligent and high minded and patriotic. I had seen her +in her power and glory, but now in the ashes of her destruction, +poverty and humiliation. I have since seen her in her opulence and +more than her former greatness and glory. + +On landing we found ourselves among a people as poor and destitute as +we. With no money, no food, no place to stay, traveling without scrip +or purse, we finally made our way to old Chimborazo Hospital, where we +slept that night on the grass in the yard. The next morning early we +made our way to the Danville depot, where a crowd of several hundred +ex-Confederate soldiers were congregated, trying to get some kind of +transportation home. An old, broken down engine was found by some one +in the shop and some box cars in the yard, which were cobbled on, +making up a train sufficient, by close packing inside the boxes and on +top, to bear the crowd away. I, with others, concluded to try the top +of a box car, as we would have more room and plenty of air, but the +car, being covered with metal, the heat up there from both the sun and +the metal on the car made it no very comfortable place. The engine, too +cranky to do much pulling, stuck on the first grade, but after much +labor it started again, making slow progress. Late in the evening we +had a severe electric storm, accompanied by a heavy downpour of rain, +giving those on the boxes a thorough drenching. Those of us going to +Lynchburg left the train at Burkeville to make Farmville, which we did +in time to catch another train of box cars which carried us to within +six miles of Lynchburg, where we boarded a packet boat, getting into +Lynchburg late in the evening. There we found quarters in a building +called the "Soldiers' Home." We had little to eat that night, but more +the next day, Sunday, having to remain over till Monday morning for a +train that would carry us westward over the Virginia and Tennessee +Railroad. Leaving on Monday morning, we reached Big Spring at the foot +of the Alleghanies, where the railroad was again broken. By this time +our numbers had been reduced to three--Leonard, of Carroll; Sam Lucas, +of Giles, and the writer. We now trudged along afoot till we passed +through Alleghany tunnel, where Lucas left us, turning to the right +for his home. Leonard and I tramped on, dark overtaking us at +Christiansburg depot, where, hungry and worn out, we sought the shades +of a friendly oak and, with nothing to eat, lay down and went to sleep. + +Our tramp was resumed early on Tuesday, July 4. After a mile or so, +finding ourselves growing weaker and our hunger increasing, we then for +the first time decided to beg, and succeeded in getting some bread and +our canteens filled with milk, which we finished on the spot. Moving +on, we crossed New River, on the partially destroyed railroad bridge, +beyond which a mile or so we received another supply of milk. On +reaching Dublin, my comrade and friend, Leonard, bidding me goodbye, +took the left hand and I the right. I was now heading directly for +home, and after walking about two and a half miles, it being about 2 +P.M., I decided to sit down and rest. I propped myself against a small +oak sapling by the roadside, and when I awoke the sun was behind the +western mountains. Eight miles further on I reached the home of Mr. +Thomas Shannon, who kindly took me in, fed me and gave me a bed. About +3 P.M. on the next day, Wednesday, July 5, 1865, four years, one month +and twelve days from the day on which I had left for the war, I reached +home--satisfied with my experience, with no more desire for war, yet +proud of my record as a Confederate soldier, as I am to this day; with +no apologies to make to anyone, as I, in common with my fellow +soldiers, repudiate as unsound and baseless any charge of rebellion or +treason in the war. We had resorted to the revolutionary right to +establish separate government vouchsafed to us in the Declaration of +Independence. I did not fight to destroy the government of the United +States, nor for the perpetuation of the institution of slavery, for +which I cared nothing, but did fight for four years of my young manhood +for a principle I knew to be right. Had such not been true, I would not +have risked my life, my all, therefor, nor have been a Virginia +Confederate soldier. + +I doubt not, had the South at any time during the contest agreed to +return to the Union, that the Federal soldier would have thrown down +his musket and gone home, for he was not fighting for the destruction +of slavery, but for the preservation and restoration of the Union. I +attach no blame to the brave Union soldier. He was as sincere and +conscientious in the fight he made as was I in the one I made. We were +both right from our respective viewpoints. With charity for all and +malice towards none, this narrative is closed. + + + + +Chapter XXIX + +The Conclusion. + +War Ends. + +The Return to Civil Pursuits. + +The Confederate Soldier. + + +The war was now ended, the issues involved settled and closed, so far +as they could be by the sword. The Federal government had stood the +test, proved itself too strong for the allied seceded states, +overthrown their separate government, maintained by a separate people +for four years, and established the fact that no state could secede or +leave the Union unless by revolution and force of arms strong enough to +defy and successfully resist the power of the general government. +Slavery was abolished and could not exist among the American people. To +accomplish these two things had cost thousands of lives, anguish, blood +and billions of treasure. + +With the close of the war the survivors of Company D who were either at +home or in hospital when the war ended, or who had gotten home from the +surrender at Appomattox, or had been released from military prisons, +accepted the result of the conflict in good faith and again entered the +pursuits of civil life. As they had been gallant soldiers, they became +law-abiding, upright and worthy citizens. Numbers of the company had +perished on the battlefield, in hospitals and in prison. Some were +buried on the field where they fell, with no monument or slab to mark +their last resting place, yet they died for a cause the justness of +which they never for a moment doubted. The survivors lived to see their +efforts for separate government defeated, the principles and the +righteousness of the cause not lost, but the struggle to establish and +maintain the same had failed. This failure is, however, no argument +against the justness and right of the cause. No braver, nobler company +of men had part in the contest than the company of which I write. +Theirs was a sacrifice for liberty not to be gained and a struggle in +which all was lost save honor and manhood. + +Now (1914), nearly fifty years have passed since the close of the +mighty conflict, and there remain alive of those brave men who stood on +the firing line, baring their bosoms to the storm, but few, eighteen, +so far as I know or can ascertain, and whose names are as follows: A. +L. Fry, J. T. Frazier, John A. Hale, B. L. Hoge, James J. Hurt, David +E. Johnston, ---- Lewy, N. J. Morris, Thomas N. Mustain, A. C. Pack, +William D. Peters, John W. Sarver, Alexander Skeens, Joseph Skeens, W. +H. H. Snidow, Thomas J. Stafford, Gordon L. Wilburn and Jesse B. Young. + +In what is said herein in praise of the honor and glory won in war and +peace by the Confederate soldier, particularly of those of the Army of +Northern Virginia, with which I served throughout the four years' +struggle, I do not for one moment mean or intend to detract from the +laurels won by the heroic Union soldier, who stood in the firing line, +faithfully discharging his duty; for he, as well as we, was contending +for principles regarded sacred and for which we had risked our lives, +and in which struggle one or the other of the combatants must yield. +All were American soldiers, and the glory and honor won by each is the +common heritage of the American people, not to be obscured or clouded +by the questions about which we differed. Each struggled to maintain +the right as God gave him to see the right. + +We often talked along the skirmish lines with Union soldiers and they +invariably and vehemently denied that they were fighting to abolish +or destroy slavery. Particularly was this true of those from the +Northwestern states. In opposition to our claim or contention that we +were fighting for independence--separate government--they insisted that +they were fighting for the Union, a common, undivided country; did not +want to see the country broken up by division; and I feel fairly safe +in stating that this feeling and sentiment largely dominated the great +majority of the Union soldiers. I recall one or more conversations with +Union soldiers along the lines on the above subject, in which they told +me that if they believed they were fighting to free the slaves they +would quit the army and go home. + +The Confederate soldier, as I have already said, accepted in good faith +the result of the war, bore no malice toward those whom he had fought +face to face, knowing: + + "Malice is a wrinkled hag, hell-born; + Her heart is hate, her soul is scorn. + Blinded with blood, she cannot see + To do any deed of charity." + +And again remembering the thought expressed in the lines: + + "You cannot tame the tiger, + You dare not kill the dove; + But every gate you bar with hate + Will open wide to love." + +No such army ever trod this earth as the Army of Northern Virginia, +composed of the best body of fighting men that ever shouldered a +musket. President Roosevelt said of them: "The world has never seen +better soldiers than those who followed Lee." + +The Federal General Hooker--"Fighting Joe," as he was aptly called by +his soldiers, in his testimony before the committee of Congress on the +conduct of the war, in speaking of the Army of Northern Virginia, among +other things said: "That army had by discipline alone a character for +steadiness and efficiency unsurpassed, in my judgment, in ancient or +modern times. We have not been able to rival it." + +Colonel David F. Pugh, a gallant Federal soldier, and a late commander +of the Grand Army of the Republic, in an address delivered by him at +the unveiling of the Confederate monument at Camp Chase, Ohio, June 7, +1902, said: "All the bitterness has gone out of my heart, and in spite +of a Confederate bullet in my body, I do not hesitate to acknowledge +that their valor is part of the common heritage of the whole country. +We can never challenge the fame of those men whose skill and valor made +them the idols of the Confederate army. The fame of Lee, Jackson, the +Johnstons, Gordon, Longstreet, the Hills, Hood and Stuart and many +thousands of non-commissioned officers and private soldiers of the +Confederate armies, whose names are not mentioned on historic pages, +can never be tarnished by the carping criticisms of the narrow and +shallow minded." + +If this be the estimate of a Northern president and of a leading +general of our adversaries, who at one time commanded the gallant Army +of the Potomac, and of the other brave Federal soldier whom I have +quoted, what shall we in truth say for ourselves? + +Lieutenant-General Early, among the bravest and best soldiers in the +Army of Northern Virginia, and who fought nearly a hundred battles and +skirmishes, hence competent to speak on the subject, in his Memoirs +says: "I believe the world has never produced a body of men superior in +courage, patriotism and endurance to the private soldiers of the +Confederate armies. I have repeatedly, seen these soldiers submit with +cheerfulness to privations and hardships which would appear to be +almost incredible; and the wild cheers of our brave men, when their +lines sent back opposing hosts of Federal troops, staggering, reeling +and flying, have often thrilled every fiber in my heart. I have seen +with my own eyes ragged, barefooted and hungry Confederate soldiers +perform deeds which, if performed in days of yore by mailed warriors in +glittering armor, would have inspired the harp of the minstrel and the +pen of the poet." + +But arguing the nobility of the Confederate soldier is like arguing the +brightness of the sun at noonday. The Confederate soldier was truly an +American, for his people in the South were the truest type of Americans +in the land, having very little foreign population among them. Again, +this Confederate soldier was born and reared a gentleman, was so by +instinct. He was not a mercenary; he was neither for conquest nor +aggression, but stood purely for self-defense. He believed in his +inmost soul that no people had juster cause, higher aspirations, or +made braver or nobler resolves for cause, country, families, homes and +firesides. I turn to ask, who were these Confederate soldiers? They +were principally country folks, farmers, mechanics, school boys, as +stated; native born Americans, descendants of Revolutionary patriots, +by no means all slave owners; thousands never owned slaves, and many +were opposed to the institution. The Confederate soldier was always +impatient of military restraint, feeling himself the equal of and as +good as any man, and not inferior to his superior in rank; in battle, +as a rule, his own general; his individuality and self-reliance, among +his noted characteristics, were the crowning glory of his actions, and +this self-reliance taught him when it was wise and prudent to fight, +and when it was the better part of valor to decline. On the battlefield +he was at his best; "his clothes might be ragged, but his musket and +saber were bright. His haversack empty, but he kept his cartridge box +filled. Often his feet were bare, blistered and bleeding; occasionally +he might straggle on the march, but was up when the battle was on." + +Barefoot, ragged, without food, no pay and nothing to buy if he had +money, he marched further, laughed louder, making the welkin ring with +his rebel yell; endured more genuine suffering, hardship and fatigue, +fought more bravely, complained and fretted less, than any soldier who +marched beneath the banners of Napoleon. His nerve was steady and his +aim was sure, and his powers of endurance and resistance unmeasured. +This same Confederate soldier fought and hoped and hoped and fought: + + "Sometimes he won, then hopes were high; + Again he lost, but it would not die; + And so to the end he followed and fought, + With love and devotion, which could not be bought." + +Though his ears were often greeted with the cries of woe and distress +of those at home (enough to break his heart), his ardor chilled not; he +had a never faltering courage; his spirit remained unbroken, his +convictions never yielded. In the darkest hour of our peril, in the +midst of dark and lowering clouds, with scarcely the glimmer of a star +of apparent hope, he still stood firm and grasped his musket with a +tighter grip. Following is the description given of this soldier by +another: + +"Look at the picture of this soldier as he stood in the iron and leaden +hail, with his old, worn out slouch hat, his bright eyes glistening +with excitement, powder-begrimed face, rent and ragged clothing, with +the prints of his bare feet in the dust of the battle, a genuine +tatterdemalion, fighting bravely, with no hope of reward, promotion or +pay, with little to eat and that often cornbread and sorghum molasses. +If he stopped a Yankee bullet and was thereby killed, he was buried on +the field and forgotten, except by comrades or a loving old mother at +home." + + "In the solemn shades of the wood that swept + The field where his comrades found him, + They buried him there--and the big tears crept + Into strong men's eyes that had seldom wept. + His mother--God pity her!--smiled and slept, + Dreaming her arms were around him." + +In modern times there has never been such valor and heroism displayed +as in our Civil War, never such soldiers as the Union and Confederate, +and certainly never such as the Confederate soldiers, and it would be +nothing to their credit to have achieved victories over less valorous +foes than the Union soldiers, and no credit to the Union soldiers that +they overwhelmed men of less bravery. The individuality of the +Confederate soldier was never lost, and this with his self-possession +and intelligent thought made him well nigh invincible. The Army of +Northern Virginia as a whole was never driven from a battlefield, +although confronted by as good soldiers as were on the continent. No +danger could appall these men of Lee, no peril awe, no hardships +dismay, no numbers intimidate. To them duty was an inspiration. They +had devastated no fields, desecrated no temples and plundered no +people, always respecting woman, and feared no man. The record of these +soldiers since the war is clean, their names a stranger to criminal +records; few, if any, who followed Lee have been behind the bars of a +jail. He was their great exemplar. Thousands of these non-commissioned +officers and private soldiers, after the first year of the war, were +fitted not only to command regiments, but could well have filled much +higher military positions. + +Great soldiers were Lee, Johnston, Jackson, Longstreet, Hills, Pickett, +Stuart and others, but who made them great? No generals ever had such +soldiers. It was these Confederates in the ranks that made the names of +their generals immortal. Who would have ever heard of them, or of +General Grant, but for the Confederate soldier? + +What this Confederate soldier has been to the South since the war +cannot be measured or stated. Shortly after the close of the conflict +and he had reached his home, if he had one left, his troubles were not +over. He was confronted with the aftermath--the carpet-bagger and the +scallawag, as well as by military-enforced reconstruction, the blackest +spot on the page of American history. Well we might and did forgive the +wrongs of war, but how were we to overlook and forget the outrageous +and shameful things done in the name of restoration of civil +government, by the carpetbagger, Northern political pest and +pirate--the Southern scallawag, the low, mean, unworthy Southern white +man, thrown to the surface by the revolution, but, like all dirt and +filth, to go to the bottom and sink in the mud when the flood had +subsided. + +Serious and grave as these questions were, which sorely tried the +Confederate soldier's courage, patience and forbearance, as they had +been tested in war, he met them bravely, firmly and by his indomitable +spirit directed and controlled them. His broad, keen, intelligent +knowledge of men and things finally carried him through the trying +ordeal, and crowned his labors with stable governments for the states +of his Southland, the most American conservative portion of the +republic, made so largely by the brain, brawn, energy and industry of +the Confederate soldier, who has been the leader, promoter and +architect of her industrial and political fortunes, the idol of her +people, her representative in the every fiber and thought of her +existence and governments. He has raised her from her ashes and poverty +into a veritable garden and to industrial and political power. The last +roll call will shortly be sounded, his sun will soon set--what a hero! +What an object of interest, will be the last surviving soldier of the +Confederacy (I crave to be the one!), the only and last representative +of that government of which the great English scholar and poet, +Professor Worsely, has written: + + "No nation ever rose so white and fair, + Or fell so free of crime." + + + + +Appendix No. 1 + + +RANK, WOUNDS, DEATHS, DISCHARGES, ETC. + +No. 1. James H. French, captain first year of war; led the company in +battles of Bull Run and First Manassas. + +No. 2. Eustace Gibson, first lieutenant first year of war; in battles +Bull Run and First Manassas. Brave soldier. + +No. 3. W. A. Anderson, second lieutenant first year. + +No. 4. Joel Blackard, second junior lieutenant first year; elected +captain at reorganization, April, 1862; in battles of Bull Run, First +Manassas, Williamsburg, Seven Pines, Cold Harbor; killed in Battle of +Frazier's Farm, June 30, 1862. + +No. 5. R. H. Bane, sergeant; elected first lieutenant at +reorganization, April, 1862; promoted captain on death of Blackard; +wounded at First Battle of Manassas; led the company for the remainder +of the war; died since the war. + +No. 6. John W. Mullins, second sergeant; promoted to first sergeant; +elected second lieutenant at reorganization, April, 1862; wounded at +Second Battle of Manassas and Howlett House, dying of wound received at +last named place. + +No. 7. Elisha M. Stone, corporal; elected third lieutenant at +reorganization, April, 1862; wounded in battles of Williamsburg and +Gettysburg; captured at last named battle; remained a prisoner to close +of the war; led Company E, 7th regiment, in Battle of Gettysburg. + +No. 8. Elijah R. Walker, elected second junior lieutenant in 1862; +promoted to second lieutenant on death of Mullins; wounded in battles +of Seven Pines and Gettysburg; disabled for service in last named +battle, and retired in April, 1864. + +No. 9. Thomas S. Taylor, first sergeant; elected second lieutenant, +November 25, 1864; slightly wounded at Gettysburg; captured at Battle +of Sailor's Creek. + +No. 10. A. C. Pack, first sergeant; in battles of Bull Run and First +Manassas; discharged on account of disability in Fall of 1861. + +No. 11. B. P. Watts, elected second sergeant, but on account of ill +health not mustered into service. + +No. 12. J. C. Hughes, elected third sergeant in April, 1861; in prison +at close of war. + +No. 13. William D. Peters, fourth sergeant in April, 1861; third +sergeant at reorganization; severely wounded at Battle of Five Forks, +April 1, 1865. + +No. 14. Hamilton J. Hale, fifth sergeant; died at Culpeper, October, +1861. + +No. 15. A. L. Fry, first sergeant; wounded at First Battle of Manassas; +captured at Warrenton, September, 1862; slightly wounded at Battle of +Plymouth, N.C., April, 1864; captured at Battle of Sailor's Creek, +April, 1865; a prisoner at Point Lookout at close of the war. + +No. 16. W. H. H. Snidow, second sergeant; in Confederate prison at +close of the war. + +No. 17. Joseph C. Shannon, fourth sergeant; slightly wounded at Battle +of Frazier's Farm; captured at Battle of Sailor's Creek; a prisoner at +Point Lookout. + +No. 18. David E. Johnston, fourth sergeant; slightly wounded at Battle +of Williamsburg; appointed sergeant-major 7th Virginia Regiment, +December 10, 1862; severely wounded at Battle of Gettysburg, July 3, +1863; left on the field and captured; also captured at Battle of +Sailor's Creek, April 6, 1865; a prisoner at Point Lookout at end of +the war. + +No. 19. T. N. Mustain, second corporal; transferred 1862 to 57th +Virginia Infantry. + +No. 20. John W. Hight, fourth corporal; wounded at battles of Seven +Pines and Second Manassas; captured at Gettysburg on third day's +battle; deserted. + +No. 21. A. J. Thompson, first corporal; wounded at Battle of +Williamsburg; in prison at close of war. No better soldier. + +No. 22. Daniel Bish, second corporal; wounded at Battle of Frazier's +Farm; killed at Battle of Gettysburg, third day. + +No. 23. George C. Mullins, third corporal; captured at Battle of Five +Forks; a prisoner at Point Lookout. + +No. 24. Jesse B. Young, fourth corporal; temporary regimental ensign; +wounded at battles of Frazier's Farm and Gettysburg and captured; again +wounded in Battle at Clay's House. A brave and valiant soldier. + +No. 25. Edward Z. Yager, first sergeant in 1864; wounded in Battle of +Williamsburg; captured at Sailor's Creek; prisoner at Point Lookout. + +No. 26. David C. Akers, wounded at Battle of Frazier's Farm; killed in +Battle of Gettysburg. + +No. 27. George W. Akers, died in 1862. + +No. 28. W. R. Albert, discharged in 1862. + +No. 29. Allen M. Bane, transferred from 4th Virginia regiment in +exchange for John H. Martin, of Company D; wounded in Battle of +Williamsburg; captured at Battle of Frazier's Farm; transferred to +1st Kentucky battalion of cavalry. + +No. 30. Alexander Bolton, cook and member of ambulance corps; a +prisoner at Point Lookout. + +No. 31. Joseph E. Bane, killed at First Battle of Manassas. + +No. 32. Jesse Barrett, killed at Battle of Gettysburg, third day. + +No. 33. Travis Burton, wounded at Battle of Seven Pines; transferred. + +No. 34. W. H. Carr, wounded at Second Battle of Manassas; retired. + +No. 35. James M. Collins, detailed as blacksmith. + +No. 36. John R. Crawford, slightly wounded at Battle of Boonsboro Gap; +captured in Battle of Five Forks; a prisoner at Point Lookout. + +No. 37. William Crawford, over age; discharged. + +No. 38. James B. Croy, on special service; captured and held a prisoner +until near end of war. + +No. 39. James Cole, killed at Battle of Boonsboro Gap. + +No. 40. T. P. Darr, wounded and taken prisoner at Battle of Frazier's +Farm; captured at Battle of Sailor's Creek; a prisoner at Point +Lookout. + +No. 41. John S. Dudley, wounded in Second Battle of Manassas; also at +Sharpsburg, and captured; slightly wounded at Dreury's Bluff; captured +at Five Forks; a prisoner at Point Lookout. + +No. 42. M. J. Dulaney, died June, 1862. + +No. 43. D. R. Dulaney, transferred to Virginia Reserves. + +No. 44. W. H. Douthat, discharged in 1862. + +No. 45. Thomas Davenport, deserted in Spring, 1862. + +No. 46. David Davis, discharged in 1862. + +No. 47. Elbert S. Eaton, wounded in Second Battle of Manassas; captured +in Battle of Sailor's Creek; a prisoner at Point Lookout. + +No. 48. Elisha D. East, whipped out of service. + +No. 49. John W. East, wounded in battles of Williamsburg, Plymouth, +N.C., and Dreury's Bluff; deserted in 1864. + +No. 50. Joseph A. Eggleston, died in 1862 of wounds received in battle +of Frazier's Farm. + +No. 51. James H. Eggleston, died of disease, June, 1862. + +No. 52. John S. W. French, deserted at Suffolk, Va., May, 1863. + +No. 53. F. H. Farley, wounded in second battle of Manassas; deserted in +1864. + +No. 54. William C. Fortner, wounded in battle of second Manassas; also +at Gettysburg, where he was captured. + +No. 55. James H. Fortner, wounded in second battle of Manassas and +Gettysburg; left on the field and captured. + +No. 56. J. Tyler Frazier; slightly wounded in second battle of +Manassas; captured on retreat from Petersburg, 1865. + +No. 57. William Frazier, died October, 1861. + +No. 58. Creed D. Frazier, discharged in fall 1861. + +No. 59. W. A. French, in battles of Bull Run and first Manassas; +discharged July, 1861. + +No. 60. Andrew J. French, discharged in fall of 1861. + +No. 61. James H. Gardner, slightly wounded in battle of Bull Run, July +18, 1861; deserted May, 1863. + +No. 62. Francis M. Gordon, wounded in battle of Frazier's Farm; +captured in battle of Sailor's Creek; prisoner at Point Lookout. + +No. 63. Andrew J. Grigsby, promoted to Major 27th Virginia regiment. + +No. 64. Charles A. Hale, surrendered at Appomattox. + +No. 65. John A. Hale, wounded in battles of Williamsburg and Five +Forks. + +No. 66. John D. Hare, died November 23, 1861. + +No. 67. Isaac Hare, slightly wounded in battle of Bull Run, and +severely wounded in battle of Williamsburg; transferred. + +No. 68. John R. Henderson, died October, 1861. + +No. 69. James B. Henderson, captured in battle of Sailor's Creek; in +prison at Point Lookout. + +No. 70. B. L. Hoge, at home sick at close of the war. + +No. 71. James Hughes, discharged, died in 1861. + +No. 72. James J. Hurt, wounded in battle of Gettysburg; captured at +Sailor's Creek, and prisoner at end of the war. + +No. 73. George W. Hurt, detached as teamster. + +No. 74. John F. Jones, wounded in battle of Gettysburg; leg amputated; +discharged. + +No. 75. George Johnston, discharged. + +No. 76. Manilius S. Johnston, wounded in first battle of Manassas; +discharged. + +No. 77. George Knoll, wounded in battles of Williamsburg and Boonsboro; +captured at last named battle. + +No. 78. Charles N. J. Lee, wounded in first battle of Manassas; +discharged. + +No. 79. Henry Lewey, wounded in first battle of Manassas; surrendered +at Appomattox. + +No. 80. Joseph Lewey, wounded at battle of Seven Pines; surrendered at +Appomattox. + +No. 81. W. H. Layton, deserted, February, 1862. + +No. 82. James Lindsey, discharged, 1861. + +No. 83. P. H. Lefler, discharged in 1862. + +No. 84. Anderson Meadows, wounded in battle of Williamsburg; captured +at Sailor's Creek; prisoner at Point Lookout. + +No. 85. John Meadows, wounded in battles of Williamsburg and +Gettysburg; died in 1864. + +No. 86. Ballard P. Meadows, died June 18, 1862, of wounds received in +battle of Frazier's Farm. + +No. 87. N. J. Morris, discharged in 1862. + +No. 88. George A. Minnich, wounded in battle of Frazier's Farm; +captured in battle of Sailor's Creek; prisoner at Point Lookout. + +No. 89. Christian Minnich, captured in battle of Sailor's Creek; +prisoner at Point Lookout. + +No. 90. John H. Minnich, discharged in 1861. + +No. 91. A. D. Manning, killed in battle of Seven Pines. + +No. 92. Raleigh Merricks, detailed as teamster. + +No. 93. T. P. Mays, wounded in battle of Frazier's Farm; killed in +battle of Boonsboro. + +No. 94. John H. Martin, transferred in 1861 to 4th Virginia regiment in +exchange for Allen M. Bane, transferred to Company D from 4th Virginia +regiment. + +No. 95. John Q. Martin, killed in second battle of Manassas. + +No. 96. W. W. Muncey, wounded in battle of Gettysburg. + +No. 97. James J. Nye, died of wounds received in second battle of +Manassas. + +No. 98. John Palmer, deserted in spring of 1862. + +No. 99. Charles W. Peck, Second Corporal, wounded in battle of +Williamsburg; died in summer of 1862. + +No. 100. John W. Sarver, severely wounded in battle of Frazier's Farm; +disabled and discharged. + +No. 101. Demarcus L. Sarver, wounded in battles of Williamsburg and +Gettysburg; deserted. + +No. 102. Josephus Suthern, wounded in battle of Frazier's Farm; +captured in battle of Sailor's Creek; died in prison at Point Lookout. + +No. 103. Samuel B. Shannon, wounded in battle of first Manassas; served +his one year enlistment; joined 1st Kentucky battalion of cavalry. + +No. 104. John P. Sublett, wounded in first battle of Manassas; killed +in battle of Gettysburg. + +No. 105. William T. Sublett, died October, 1861. + +No. 106. Alexander Skeens, discharged in 1862. + +No. 107. Joseph Skeens, discharged in 1862. + +No. 108. Lewis R. Skeens, died August 6, 1862. + +No. 109. A. L. Sumner, captured in battle of Five Forks; prisoner in +Point Lookout. + +No. 110. Thomas J. Stafford, discharged in 1862. + +No. 111. William H. Stafford, killed in battle of Williamsburg. + +No. 112. R. M. Stafford, captured in battle of Sailor's Creek; a +prisoner in Point Lookout. + +No. 113. Adam Thompson, wounded in battle of second Manassas; deserted +February, 1864. + +No. 114. Alonzo Thompson, died, November, 1862. + +No. 115. Lee E. Vass, died August 4, 1862, of wounds received in battle +of Frazier's Farm. + +No. 116. W. R. C. Vass, killed in second battle of Manassas. + +No. 117. Gordon L. Wilburn, wounded in second battle of Manassas; +surrendered at Appomattox. + +No. 118. Hugh J. Wilburn, wounded in battles of Frazier's Farm and +second Manassas; deserted in May, 1863. + +No. 119. William I. Wilburn, wounded in battles of Williamsburg, and +second Manassas; surrendered at Appomattox. + +No. 120. Lewis N. Wiley, wounded in battle of Fredericksburg; captured +in battle of Sailor's Creek; a prisoner at Point Lookout. + +No. 121. Isaac Young, transferred to 28th Virginia battalion. + +No. 122. Thomas J. Young, deserted in February, 1862. + + Total Enlistment, 122. + + Number killed in battle and died of wounds 17 + Number died of disease 14 + Number discharged for various causes 29 + Number transferred to other commands 6 + Number in prison at Point Lookout and other + places (at close of war) 27 + Number absent, sick in hospital, wounded, or + at home (at close of war) 8 + Number surrendered at Appomattox 9 + Number deserted 12 + --- + 122 + +Memo.--Absent, sick and wounded or at home at close of war: + + B. L. Hoge. + W. W. Munsey. + W. C. Fortner. + James H. Fortner. + George Knoll. + J. B. Young. + W. D. Peters. + John A. Hale. + + + + +Appendix No. 2 + + +In concluding my reminiscences I have determined to add some statistics +as to the campaigns, strength and losses of the two greatest armies of +the war--the Army of Northern Virginia and the Federal Army of the +Potomac. Never before in modern warfare had it fallen to the lot of two +such armies to fight so many bloody battles, with neither able to +obtain any decided advantage over the other. Beginning with the battles +around Richmond in the spring of 1862, to the close at Appomattox, +these two armies fought many battles through seven great campaigns. The +Army of Northern Virginia, under General Lee, numbering at its greatest +not exceeding 80,000 men, certainly greatly inferior in numbers to that +opposed--badly armed, equipped and fed, fought against six most +distinguished Federal commanders, to-wit: + + McClellan before Richmond. + Pope, Cedar Mountain and Manassas. + McClellan in Maryland. + Burnside at Fredericksburg. + Hooker at Chancellorsville. + Meade at Gettysburg. + Grant from the Rapidan to Appomattox. + +In these campaigns the Federals lost in the aggregate about 263,000 +men. The Confederate loss is not definitely known. + +General Grant's casualties were about 124,390 men, and in his campaign +from March 29, 1865, to April 9, 1865, his losses were 9944. + +General Lee's surrender at Appomattox embraced 28,356 men, of whom only +8000 had arms, the residue being largely made up of broken down, +barefoot and sick men, teamsters and attaches of the medical, ordnance, +quartermaster, and commissary departments. + +It may be of interest to the reader to know the number of men enrolled +in the Union and the Confederate armies during the war, and the losses +in killed, wounded, and prisoners held by each. + + Official compilation shows that there were + enrolled of white troops in the Union army 2,494,592 + Negro troops 178,975 + --------- + + Total 2,673,567 + + Of this number the white troops from the + Southern and border states 278,923 + Negro troops 140,298 + --------- + + 419,221 + + The enrollment of Confederate troops, + estimated 700,000 + + This may not be entirely correct, but is + believed to be substantially so. + + The Union losses in killed, died from + wounds, disease, and from other causes 360,212 + + Of which the killed in action were 67,058 + Died of wounds received in action 43,012 + Died of disease 224,586 + Deaths from other causes, or + from causes unknown 25,556 + -------- + Total 360,212 + +The Confederate losses, as far as can be ascertained, though not +believed to be entirely correct, were as follows: + + Killed in action 52,954 + Died of wounds 21,570 + Died of disease 59,297 + -------- + Total 133,821 + + The number of Confederate prisoners + taken and held by the Federal government + during the war was 220,000 + + Number that died in Northern prisons + (12 per cent of the total) 26,000 + + Number of Union prisoners held by Confederates + 270,000 + + Number that died in Southern prisons + (less than 9 per cent) 22,000 + + Confederate soldiers paroled, 1865 174,223 + +Number of battles and skirmishes fought during the war, over two +thousand. + + NOTE--The most of the above statistics were obtained from + "Confederate Military History," edited by General Clement A. + Evans, and from "The Century Book of Facts," by Ruoff. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Story of a Confederate boy in the +Civil War, by David E. Johnston + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44889 *** |