The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-11-04
PERSONAL MEMOIRS OF AN
OLD NAVY MAN WHO
SMELT GUNPOWDER.
RETREAT FROM RICHMOND -THE
ARMY REACHES AMELIA
COURT HOUSE-MILI-
TARY SCENES.

CIOsSeu over tue CREEK, ascend tne pine
hills on the western side, and find our
selves in the fight with shells bursting and
minnie balls whistling around US. We
will take retrospect of the army passing
through Amelia court house, Tuesday,
April 4, 1866, in the afternoon of terri
BILE days march, we came Monday night
to a railway bridge-that of the Danville
and Richmond road, as it crosses the APP
pomattox, which then formed the divid-
ing line between Chesterfield and Amelia
counties. At the bridge we were lucky
enough to receive an hours rest. There
the battalion came in contact with train
of artillery; and before the latter
could be crossed it became necessary
to tear up the rails and cross-ties from
the track, as well as prepare the bridge
for the passage of the ponderous gun car
riages. AS we rested on the hillside that
overlooked the bridge l felt that l could
not care how long the work of adapting
the bridge might take. But, manipu-
lated by hundreds of strong hands, slim
ulated by the thought of approaching
danger, the bridge was quickly ready, and
soon the deep, dull, heavy rumbling of
hundreds of ordnance wheels began.
The train took a considerable time to
cross, thus extending for US the precious
moments of rest. The retinue wound
slowly, slowly over the bridge, and its head
gradually disappeared in the dismal pines
that waved on the crests of the hills
beyond the river. never could associate
the sounds of artillery wheels in motion
with anything but what is mournful and
ominous, and on this occasion they GER
tainly suited the funeral character with
which my Imagination invested the train
of ordnance as it moved slowly up the
hills. What else was the whole of
Lees army now but a funeral pro-
cession of soldiery escorting the confed-
crate cause to its bloody grave? Still,
though the train itself appeared pro-
ductive of such gloomy associations,
the artlllerists, as they passed, seated on
their horses or on the caissons, looked
jolly enough.
The artillery having gotten over, the
men were ordered into line of march; and,
having crossed over, the battalion, with
other troops were allowed TO bivOuaC
under the pines in the "old feld,' on the
hills south of the bridge. That night, en-
veloped in my coarse soldiers blanket, |
threw myself on the pine straw, forgot
the hardships of the day, the turmoil OF
the occasion, and slept as soundly, as
sweetly and as profoundly as if in the
midst of peace instead of the bloody dan
gers of war. All the old fence rails that
could be commanded were brought into
reauisition, and we cooked that night
| 10 4. nhn 10 st nf
rations we had set out with from Drery.
AS the sun rose over the mists of the
morning, we we're again EN- route. The
road continued to be strung with wagon;
and artillery, and this fact, added to the
miry condition of the road, proved nc
small impeachment to marching. During
the morning as we were traverslng forest
eff stately oaks (going to Amelia court
house, we were met by a regiment or twc
of soldiers, Fastening to the rear. On in
curing of them what was the matter, We
we're told that the enemy were close be
hind and that they were going to repe
them. This was the first intimation WE
had lad of the vicinity of the enemy since
setting out. We marched all the morn
ING, and, towards noon came to a large
plantation, in different parts of which
could be seen regiments and brlgade'
resting. As the navy battalion passed thu
northern fence, soldiers were strung TO
some distance along the edge of the plan
tation, some sitting on the fence, other
reclining on the ground all intently eye
ing us, the brigade of sailors. 1t wa
Picket's troops we were passing. AS W
marched past, or rather through them,
could not but contrast our own appear
ance and condition with theirs. The nav.
brigade. as we were called, were IN fact
"green troops" and our greenness wa
shown in our manner of marching. Eacl
man had on his back a knapsack, wei
stuffed, but the veterans whose regards W
, were now receiving, and who had been OF
many another march, carried no KNAPP
sacks. A large hammock and blanke
having inclosed in its folds an extra sh1r
and drawers and some other little tricks,
were about all the the plumber these sol
diers veterans carried besides arms ant
T accoutrements. In addition to their ble
knansacks. buckled under their armplts
the t'navv men" wore the regular naVa
dress, the Scotch cap and sailors pants
and all tended to excite, not merely TN
curiosity. bu5 the ridicule of the soldiers
As we passed Picketts division, setting
on the fence, many were the coarse lesu
and rude jokes perpetrated at our ex
pense;-such pleasantries as soldiers alon'
can originate or deliver. fellow, VIII
his musket across his lap and quld o
tobacco distending his cheek, exclaimed
"And that's the navy brigade! VIVA
did We do with the gunboats?
"What have you done with Petersburg
| asked.
He said no more. Having passe
through Pickett's division, we were halte'
in the open feld and the discovery wa
soon made that we were near Ameil
courthouse. Whilst resting In the held,
terrific EXPLOSION (said at the time to hav
heen number of calssons blown up oc
cnrred on the southwestern border OF IN
nIan4ation. and so violent was the con
cnssion that regiment near US broke AM
ran, supposing it to be the enemy's ar'll
lery. ..Lo,,so on tb
Danville and Richmond railway una
= General Lee. several days before ma
). oiven the most urgent commands to nav
r eoro rnissarv stores sent there for the us
of his army. But his orders having pee
miscarried. or been neglected, ne ana hl
army arrived at that village only TO nm
the woeful intelligence that no provision
, - Llst the army was alread