The Nevada picayune., 1885-07-16
Custer at the Surren der.

The night of the 2d of April 1865, was a memorable one in the annals of the Army of Northern Virginia. In obedience to an order from headquarters, the troops compos. ing the long but decimated line of Lees army, stretching distance of nearly thirty miles-from the Mechanics turnpike, on the north side of James River, to point on the Petersburg and Weldon Rail. road south of Petersburg-were or. dcred to prepare three days ra- tions of cooked food and to hold themselves in readiness to march at moments notice.
 All along the line strict silence was commanded, but the scene was touching in the extreme. The hearts of the brave fellows who had so long like wall fire stood around Richmond sank within them. They saw the handwriting on the wall, and knew this move was preliminary to the evacuation of the capital of the Confectionery, and many gave vent to their feeling in tears, albeit before unused to the melting mood. But no time was to be lost. Fort Harrison, in our front. horrid with heavy ordi- nance and supported by Burnside 8 corps, might belch forth it's chain. ed lightning at any moment, and not only compel halt but over. whelm us. Ewelps corps, of which we write, was depleted by death and assertion and possessed but little of it's former strength.
 At midnight all was In readiness, and without so much as drum tap we fell into line, leaving our tents standing in grim and solita- " loneliness, with no occupant save the piles of manufactured to- bacco. with which the Confedcrat e Government, in lieu of provisions, had supplied us bountifulIy. The corps took up its line of march for point just beyond Drewry $ Bluff. Arriving there we mads no halt. but at once crossed the James over a pontoon bridge with out accident of any kind,
 Having silently and successfully executed this movement, and put the river between us and our foe, we were halted and told to stack arms. Just as many poor fellow had fallen asleep, he was startled by a roar
 (Which seemed to shake
 The pillars of this globe opaque"
 Instantly every man, asleep or awake. sprang to his feet and stood to his arms. The impression upon all minds was, "the Philistines be upon us" without, however, realiz- ing the confidence and strength which invested the Scripture hero. The cause was soon explained. It was the blowing up of an immense iron.clad which had long guarded the channel of the James River near Drewry's Bluff and was thus disposed of to prevent it's falling into the hands of the enemy The writer heard the thunder of Cold Harber and Malvern Hill, but for volume of sound and internal noise this certainly surpassed all previous experience. An approxi- mate idea of it's force may be formed when it is stated that win dow glass mile away was shat tered and houses shaken. The ap- palllng flash which followed the ex. plosion left many of us who were awake at the time blind as bats for few seconds.
 Having reformed, we resumed our march in the direction of Amel- ia Court House. During the third, fourth, and fifth days of our retreat no enemy was visible, but rumors of his near approach floated every where. Meanwhile, hunger, an enemy which had not been absent from the Confederate camp for nearly 8 year, was becoming now not only bold and aggressive, but ferocious. We had exhausted our meager supply of meat and bread and parched corn, and it began to be quite trying to one's patriotism. What we dreaded the day before we now began to crave-the ap- pearance of the enemy. Imprison- ment or death was better than Starcation. while victory wOuld