The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1868-01-09
From the New Orleans Sunday Crescent
The Last Ration.
by AN Ex coNFEDERArE OFFICER.

mat silence can be well UNDERSTOOD
knowing nothing and thinking littlo about
the condition of the army outside Of their
own commands, the great body Of ,he
men, IN their reliance upon their great
commander, simply performed the duties
imposed upon them, suffered the agonies
that necessarily fell to their lot, and met
calmly the death which ended those du
lies aud agonies for many before the mem.
orsbe ninth Of April.
The suffering Of the rank and fle Of the
army on that occasion were mercifully
deadened by stupor, il not recklessness,
supernduced by the peculiar hardships to
which they were subjected. The enemy,
with his overwhelming force of splendidly
mounted and equipped cavalry, held in
addition 'h> direct route to the point aimed
at by Hruera) Lee, relardng his advance,
compelling hIm to fight while daylight
lasted, and to do his marching by night.
The want Of sleep, and during the last
four days OF the retreat the entire lack Of
provisions, produced in tho men the men
tai and physical condition have mention
ed. And although after ihe surrender
the men and officers Of the Federal army
Wed with each other in their kindness,
aud exhibited a desire TO DO everything 10
their power TO resYe the necessities of
their late foes, the destruction OF a portion
Ct their supply train by Generals Rosser
and Ftzhugh Lee, and the detention of
the balance hy the awful cOnditior Of the
roads, left themselves in critical condi
tiou, and incapable Of aGordjng Lees
army the much needed supplies.
Great efforts we're made, and siccess
ful, to complete, rs soon as possibe, the
paroIlng OF the men, in order tha they
might he dispersed from place where
there wasno sustensnce Ofanv DECEPTION |
for man or N.N,t. Among the iirstsom. |
mards ready to leave were the frs and |
second Louisiana brgadcs, then com
manded by CnIouei Wa ,gaman, aulnyi,h
them portions OF the Washington lrGlle |
~, Louisiana Guard Battery, ancDou.
sldsonvile Artillery, all haiinr from III.
same State, aud naturally clustering to \
gether when about TO return once mo1I
to their dear Southern homes.
The condition Of these men was realS }
deplorabe. Starved, worn ont, and mani "
OF them stricken with fever, they locke l.
with dismay on the dismn4narch ,hrougI
the mud Ia HurkesvIle Station, the near
est point Mt which they could expect t,
find TRANSFORMATION. Colonel Wagpamara
and many Of the officers did not believt'
haIf OF them would be able to perform ,h4
journey, and, as de,nier resorfe. and
nlso III some measure to inspire the med
with hopes which he himself believed De. .
iusiye, CUlsDel w. started the brigade.
commiss"ry<Ahesd 10 try and pick up
.omethingsffr man and beast on the route,
which they were travelling.
The commis.ary. with no more hope Of
success than his commanding officer,
started of. and after travelling few
tnies over tract which gave no promise
OF supplies. beng rather dubious about
the road the brigade would travel, sccost
ed an old, Grayheaded and very ragged
negro he found sitting a,a cross road,
and questioned him in rcgord TO ,h- rous
to BurkesviIe. The urcro replied in
ligently, giving him the necessary a i
ti0ns, and the cominissnry was about TO
ride on, when it occurred to him tha the
darkey might possibly assis, him in search
for something e.'abs He bsosn nv
askinp IL he knew where he could ge,
feed for his horse.
After a momnpIs's hesitation and +,
rapid inspection Of his oues,ioner. The
darkey replied in the Affirmative ard
immedia,eiy " led the wsy through gate
"a. small clearing in tho piney woods
Stoppiuy in the ward Of ,ma,l shaoty
he went in and 90, the Lev of n nre.iv
good sized corn crib, which he opered
and di-plavel to the commissary's envions
gaxs forty or ffty bushels Of the fines.
corn in the car he had ever seen. even in
Virginia. lie took out n liberal feed for
,he horse, and remarked tha, The Ysnk.
had, spa'rd him that much" The com.
missary saw in his minds eve his brigade
once more eating square meal" and
assuming his most persuasiye lone. com