Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-05-05

ties he displayed, he was chosen lieu
tenant in the Purcell battery. He soon
followed his captain General Lindsey
Walker in the scale Of promotion. and
until he reached the post which he oc-
cupied at his death. His gaIlantry and
efficiency as an artillery officer have
made hmm one OF the most prominent
officers in the army. He was brave
almost 10 fault. Last winter during
ono OF the fights at Hatcher's Run
he led Mahone's old brigade into
charge, ION horseback and with
the colors in his hand. Shortly after
wards be was recommended 10 the com
mand OF an infantry brigade, but Cen
eral Lee disapproyed the application on
the ground that he was too valuable
where he was. He was brother Of
General Pegram, who was killed but n
few weeks before his death. Thus was
snatched from a family circle two of its
brightest lights. Yet how common ia
this in the South. There are but few
families in which there is not at least one
vacant chair-in many two or three, and
often more.
IN RETREAT.
But TO return: During the day re-
ports came in concerning the deaths of
general officers, all OF which with the
above exceptions afterwards proved false.
We were ordered into the city during tho
afternoon, and tho excitement which
prevailed defes description. Couriers
and staff officers were riding TO and fro,
wagons wore being hastily loaded. and
every person seemed to be most &C
lively engaged doing nobody could
tell what. A cavalryman frightened
out of his wits came dashing down the
streets OF Petersburg crying at the top
of his voice " Look out Look out :
They'll be hero in fifteen minutes. "
Ia q moment everything was in
a complete state Of confusion (;
wagons were loaded without re-
gard to order or preservation; first,
desks were thrown in, then skillet per
haps, then n quartermasters uniform,
then ham OF bacon, finally frying-pans,
coffee pots, mess chests tent-fies, blank
cts. shoes. and chairs-sll thrown In in an
indescnbabie and almost ineXtrlcable
mass of disorder. Many valuable arti-
Giles were thrown out TO the mob, while
many perfectly useless were thrown H..
Orders were given to do so many things
that nobody did anything. The commits
sary depot presented a scene OF tu-
mutt and riot. Hungry women and
children were crowding, fighting, and
scrambilng to get into the house, While
soldiers were actually drinking liquor
from the cutters as it poured from the
barrels.
LEAVING THE CITY.
We passed on ont of the city across
the pontoon-b bridge which hal been
prepared for burning. as We reached the
depot for clothing, the stragglers and
passing troops had broken into it and
were helping themselves indiscrimi-
nstely. Hero few fellows might 30
seen with bundle Of jackets or pants
on his arm, another loaded with shoes,
a third with blankets, and many were
dressing themselves IN bran new clothing
from head to foot From this point We
were ordered back to the city on special
duty % remain until tie trOoDs had
evacuated. During this night all was
as quiet "a on the previots one. The
troops passed out leaving Pie pickets on
their line. 4 short time before daylight
We were notified that the bridges
we're about to be fred and that
every one must leave the city.
We passed across CampDell's bridge
and found detachment of men there
who had made every preparation and
were about to fire the bridge. In short
time all the budges were in flames. We
took mp the line of march by the Hick-
DRY road, and were followed by a portion
of the engineer regiment under Colonel
Ialcott, who brought up the rear of the
army. During the preceding day and
night amid all the excitement attending
the move, We had no time for rehec-
ton.
A SCENE or TERROR.
Everything had passed as a dream,
but now, RS we bcheld the saddening
sight around us, we began to realize
that We were about to give mp
Petersburg, and in oil probability
our beloved old city Richmond. The
burning bridges along the line Of
the river. together with the Gov
eminent sheds and temporary depots on
the outskirts Of the city, which had been
fired, lit up the neighboIIng country
with fitful and mrid glare, while the
bursting Of burning ordnance stores
added terror to the scene. We could
hear the cheereof the enemy behind us as
they probably entered the city. and their
bands as they played "Hsil Columbia y
and "Star-0pangled Banner sad in
deed were our feelings as these sounds
came floating to our ears, and as the Sd
day of April dawned we gave a farewell
look at the "Cockade City, which We
had defended SO long against such odds.
There were but few of US who ven
tured to surmise as TO the probable pO-
gtion which General Lee would takeup.
We felt that the issue at stake was a des-
peratc one, though not altogether hope
less. We knew that the WAR to end in
our favor must be indefinitely pro-
longei. and iet that our career as SUI
diers would only be spent at the end OF
our days. The homes OF our youth had
been given up, and our future home
was with that man whom we loved, and
We determined to follow him to the last.
THE FIRsT NIGHTS BTyOUAC.
The march WIS d tedious one. The
main portion Of our command was some
distance ahead. and it WAS necessary
that we should oyertake them as soon as
possible. We caught up with them a
little before dusk. 1t enlivened us very
much to meet with our comrades once
more. The first night we bivouacked
near Goodies bridge on the APPROXIMATION,
after march OF thiry-four miles. A
more completelv-exhausted set OF men
could hardly he found We had not
tasted food since Sunday morning, nor
had we closed our eyes since Saturday
midnight Though we were nearly
famished, we were too weak and ex-
hausted to search for the wagons to sup
ply ourselves. We sank down on the
roadside and were soon asleep. How
sweet is a soldiers repose after a hard
days march There is a feeling OF