Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-06-28
LEES RETREAT.
CAPT. McDONALD's NARRATIVE.

meeting of the Southern Historical
Society last Monday night:
1t is my purpose this evening to give,
from memory, SOME account OF Lees
retreat to Appomattox. No description
oftbemilitary movements of the different
commands will be attempted, but the
rambling narrative will deal chiefly in
incidents which illustrate the vexations
and trials, the hopes and fears, of the
masses on that memorable retreat. The
command to which ! then belonged,
Mahone's division, was, Mt the time of
the defeat at Petersburg, stationed along
| the line Of defense from that city to
Drury's Bluff. on the James 1t may
be said, at the outset, that for weeks, at
least, before Grant broke our line, the
impression prevailed that nothing short
ola miracle could keep Grant back. His
army daily increased, while Lees daily
grew smaller. Constant losses by deser-
ton, besides eXhausting our strength
seriously, affected the morale of the
troops. Famine and disease did MS more
harm than the bullets of the enemy, for
the savage warfare made by Sheridan
in the Shenandoah Valley, had brought
Lees army to the brink of starvation.
Every morning there were official re-
ports of desertion. | remember once an
officer reporting that nearly one whole
company had deserted during the night
while on picket ARREST the Captain"
said Malone. ale has gone, too" was
the reply. ARREST the officer of the day,
them ale has deserted also," respon-
ded the Lieutenant.
On the second of April, Grant pierced
Lees center at Petersburg. The distant
roar of cannon had already informed us
that a terrible battle was going on at
, etersburg, but it was not till after
nightfall that the disaster was known.
There was now mounting in hot haste,
and all the confusion of O sudden depar-
ture. am bound to say that did not
realize the stunning nature of the calam-
ity till went to order my horse. No
amount of banging at the door Of my
servants cabin received any attention
from within A hasty search revealed
the fact that he had vanished AS he
was a steady negro, ola pious turn, and
withal timid to degree. | knew that
nothing but an overwhelming disaster
to our arms could have led him to try
the perils of desertion. SO that it was
not till | began to saddle my horse that
| truly felt that the Confederacy was on
it's last legs.
For awhile black darkness enveloped
everything aswe CROPPED our way through
the woods. All at once the heavens were
lit up with blaze of light. Then fol-
lowed a crash that shook the earth. It
was the blowing up of the fort at Drury's
Bluff, the Gibraltar of the James. This
was followed at intervals by other ex-
blossoms, so numerous and terrific that it
seemed as if they were blowing up the
whole Confederacy. About midnight
there appeared toward Richmond
bright light in the sky. Gradually it
increased in brightness and extent until,
though eight or ten miles away, we
could distinctly see the landscape
around us. This, as we afterward
learned, was caused by the burning of
the supply depots at Richmond, though
at the time we thought the whole city
was being burned.
When day damned we were still in
full retreat, and the Federals were not
far behind. About noon we were Joined
by the troops from Richmond, who were
accompanied by as picturesque mob Of
fugitiyes as it was ever my fortune to
look upon. There were department
clerks with their nice clothes bespatter-
ed with mud and faces pale with fatigue;
post commissaries putting under the
weight of their own fat, and larding the
lean earth as they walked along marines
from the gunboats groaning and ours
ing at every stop, and promiscuous
crowd of nondescripts. Many of them
had taken advantage of the abandon
ment of the Government stores to carry
off some precious object ofplundor. One
man, with ragged pants, wore Gener-
ais coat and cooked hat and plume;
another rough-looking fellow had a
splendid-looking sword strapped around
his waist. One man, ! remember dis
tinctly. He was an Irishman and bare
footed, with greasy hat on his head
and pipe in his mouth but he stepped
with proud air, for he was arrayed in
gorgeous new naval suit that had been