Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-03-26
Fhe Retreat to Virginia How
the FederalS were Deceived.


pxred since the war any record of his
military operations to supply the loss in
the burning of Richmond of so many of
the otrIcisl papers of the Confederacy;
and the desire that all fair-minded men
feel, that the materials for true and
complete history of the great conflict, in
ali its details. shall be collected and pre-
served for the Use of the future dispas-
sionate and impartial historian OF the war,
Sre SUFFICIENT reasons, it seems TO me, for
the publication of the following incidents
OF Gen. Lees invasion of Pennsylvania
In the summer of 1853, and of his Ietreat
from Gettysburg.
For convenience of narration, and 10
give authenticity TO the facts stated, l
write under my own signature, and as an
eyewitness of all that is related. This
| sn aware, exposes me TO the charge of
eyofism and desire for nOtoriety, ap-
p&rsntly strengthened by combining myself
ta.the narrow field of operations in which
/ was an humble actor. But so many
eihsrs, far more competent than myself,
have furnished the reading world with
comprehensive history of the general
movements of the contending armies that
eliminated al Gettysburg-the decisive
battle of the war-thst for me at this late
day TO undertake repetitioa of what has
been 90 often and so well done, would
indeed appear vainglorious task.
therefore prefer combining myself to
simple statement of hitherto unpublished
facts that came under my observation, as
q modest contribution TO the annals of
theperiQ6; some of them of little import
sHcs in themselves, but forming part of
thn history of the great event that prOba-
bly, decided the fate of the country.
To understand properly how l came TO
occupy the important position assigned
nre By Gen. Lee in his retreat from Get
tysburg, and which gave me the opportu-
slty Of seeing and hearing what / am
about TO nsrrste, it is necessary TO state
that daring the whole of the preceding
winter and spring had somewhat indie
peRdent and mixed command of infantry,
artillery and cavalry, which had raised
and organized In my native mountains OF
Virginia, after ''Stonewsll' ,IacksOn's
famous campaign in 1882, in the Shenan-
do1h Valley, in which, with less than
5000 men, he in about thirty days, en-
cQunfered and defeated successfully, GeLs.
Ailroy, Banks, Fremont and Shields, and
having relieved the valley of their pres
s,ce, moved to the Chickahominy to
sssfsf in the operations against Gen.
Mcclellan.
In May, 1863, with the mountsineIrs
had enlisted and organized during the
nine preceding months, strengthened by
s0me temporary reinforcemeDts, amount
Ing altogether to about 3, 800 men, was
ordered by Gen. Lee on an expedition
through the northwestern counties, be-
yurd the Alleghanies, to break up the
military posts at Beverly, Buckhannon,
Philippi, Weston, Bulltown, Sutton, Big
Birch and 6ummersville, and if possible,
with the cooperation of Gems. William
E. Jones and Samuel Jones, to destroy
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad in the
mountains, and then drive the Federsls
out of the Ksnawha Valley. This raid
occupied thirty seven days, and was in
the main, successful. Within a week
after our return to the vicinity of Staun-
ton, in the Shenandoah Valley, ! received
long confidential letter from Gen. Lee,
informing me of his purpose TO cross the
Blue Ridge from the Rapidan into the
valley, TO capture Winchester, and cross
the Potomac; and directing me to move
independently and at once, through the
mountains against Cumberland, Mary
land, TO break up the small posts along
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, and de-
stroy all the bridges eastward, as far as
Mxrtlnsburg, communicating to him as
often as practicable, my progress. This
order wss rapidly executed, snd by the
time we had destroyed the bridges, depots
and canal boats, and cut the canal be-
tween Cumberland and Msrtinsburg, Gen.
Lee had driven Milroy out of Winchester,
and was crossing the Potomac. He again
cohhdentislly advised me of his conten-
piated movements, and ordered me to go
into Pennsylvania as far as deemed il
prudent west of the North Mountain, and
TO keep an eye upon Milroy, who was re-
ported TO be collecting his scattered troops
at Bloody Run. This duty took us as far
as McCumellsburg, where we crossed the
mountains eastward to Mercersburg.
There, on the night Of the S0th of June,
VIC NNlC OlNClCO W NudLuUClcUulSy W It.
ie1e Gen. Plckett's division, which held
the place. Arriving shout P. NJ, on
the LIST of July, Gen. Pickett at once
moved off to join the army, then near
Gettysburg.
That night received brief pote from
Sen. Lee, expressing the apprehension
that We were in some danger of being
cut off from communication with him by
the Union cavalry, and directing US to
move next morning as far as the South
Mountain, on the rosd toward Gettysburg
and keep it open for Gems. William E
Jones and Beverly RDbertsOn, whose
brigHdes of cavalry were in the direction
of Shippensburg. About midnight on
the I'd, after q good deal of harassment
from attachments of the hostile cavalry,
We gained the top of the mountain, east
of the Hon. Thad Stevens's iron works,
then in ruins. Before dsybreak on the
Sd, Robertson and Jones passed uF, and
about sunrise We followed then. I be-
fonged to no division CT corps in our
army, and therefore, on arriving near
Gettysburg about noon, when the conflict
Wss raging in all IFS fury, | reported
directly to Gen. Lee for orders, and was
assigned position to aid in repelling any
cavalry demonstration that might occur
on his TANKS or rear. None being made,
nay little force took no part in the battle
then had only 2, 100 effective mounted
HBn and six-gun battery.
When night closed upon The grand
scene, our army was repulsed. Silence
and gloom pervsded our camps We
knew thai the day had gone against us,
but the extent of the disaster was not
known except In high quarters. The car
mage of the day was reported TO have been
frightful, but our army was not in retreat,
and We all surmised that with to -morOw' S
dawn would come a renewal of the strug-
Gle; ard we knew that il such was the
case those who had not been in the fight
veuh have their full share in the hOnOrs
and the dangers of the next day. All
felt and appreciated the momentOus con-
sequences of final defeat or victory on
tina. field. These considerations made
thai, TO US, one of those solemn and aw-
full nights that every one who fought
through our long war sometimes expert
cnced before great battle.
Few camp fires enlIyened the scene. II
WIS q warm summ,r's night, aud the
weary soldiers were lying in groups on
the luxuriant grass of the meadows we oc-