Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-07-02
lees RETREAT.
CAPT. McDONALD'S NARRATIVE.

Following is the interesting paper OF
Capt. w. N. Mcdonald, read at the May
meeting of the Southern Historical
Society last Monday night:
It's my purpose this evening to give,
from memory, some account of Lees
retreat to Appomattox. No description
of the military 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, at 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 rs 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. "He has gone, too" was
the reply. ARREST the officer of the day,
Them "He 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 terrible battle was going on al
Petersburg, but it was not till attel
nightfall that the disaster was known
There was now mounting in hot haste
and all the confusion of a sudden depar
ture. am bound to say that l did no
realize the stunning nature of the calam
ity till l went to order my horse. NJ
amount of banging at the door of IN,
servants cabin received any attention
from within. A hasty search revealed
the fact that he had vanished. AS b.
was a steady negro, ola pious turn, ant
withal timid to a degree. knew tina
nothing but an overwhelming disaste
to our arms could have led him to tt,
the perils of desertion. So that it wa
not till began to saddle my horse tina
| truly felt that the Contederacy was o.
its last legs.
For awhile black darkness envelope,
everything as we CROPPED our way throug
the woods. All at once the heavens wei
lit up with blaze of light. Then TO-
lowed a crash that shook the earth.
was the blowing up of the fort at Drury
Bluff, the Gibraltar of the James. Tn
was followed at intervals by other el
plosions, so numerous and terrific that
seemed as if they were blowing up til
whole Confederacy. About midnigf
there appeared toward Richmond
bright light in the sky. Gradually
increased in brightness and extent until
though eight or ten miles away, v
could distinctly see the landscal
around us. This, as we afterwar
learned, was caused by the burning
the supply depots at Richmond, thong
at the time we thought the whole cit
was being burned.
When day dawned we were still
full retreat, and the Federals were n
y far behind. About noon we were joint
by the troops from Richmond, who we
y accompanied by as picturesque mob
fugitives as it was ever my fortune
look upon. There We're departing
clerks with their nice clothes bespatte
ed with mud and faces pale with fatigu
post commissaries putting under tt
weight of their own fat, and Harding Il
lean earth as they walked along marin
from the gunboats groaning and cul
ing at every stop, and promlscuo
crowd of nondescripts. Many OF the
had taken advantage Of the abando
ment of the Government stores to car
off some precious object ofplunder 0
man, with ragged pants, wore q Gem
ais coat and cooked hat and plum
another rough-looking fellow had
ii splendid-looking sword strapped arou
:, his waist. One man, | remember d
T. tinctly. He was an Irishman end ba