The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-11-15
LEFT TO 4 VOTE CT TtiE PRIvATEs
My the Conrshcr:ttc, Dii ciot stor:g
tho lninn h-orI.s at pctersbmr.s.

My the Conrahcr:t;cs Dii ciot Stor:u
,hc Union Works ut Petersburg.
The private soldiers had 80 few privilege.
during he war that it does me good
mention for the first time in print an imci
dent o; the siege of Petersburg. There ;l,c
ap.en;y yet living Of the old soldiers, who
caa tell you tAat the question of ''stov.a
ing' OF moi stornin2' ,hc Yankee WORKS
Il Petersburg; hy night was left to avo,,
OF the pryatcs.
forget dates, it has been 50 long, hui 4,
was just 4 snort while before the Con
fedcratrs left their trenches and staIt,G
on the riue days retreat which ended n.
AppomHttoX.
1t had been we'll known FOR some time
that Lee col:id not iolt out against Gran,
mucA longer unless, by taking some dr,-
pcr;'tc chance, advantage might he ,,aincG
TO the Confederatcs. y council of officer,
WAS held, and while Of course ! do uot
know what happened in that meeting
do know that II became understood among
the privatcs Of the army that there had
been IL disagreement among the officers,
and failing 10 agree they compromised hy
leaving the question of storming the
Yankee works 1T night to the decision OF
the privatcs-a thing so unusual that il
cast shadow over their hopes
On the day before the vote was to he
taken at night the bushes, rubbish and
brush We're ordered cleared or levelcd in
the ravine between the two armies. 1t was
pcrilouS undertaking, but the Confeti-
crates gathered their axes and without
flinching marched to their work Strange
TO say, the Yankees quietly watched this
proceeding without firing Il gun, it being II
work they wished performed or else they
anticipated that the Confederates were fix
ing to storm their works-a thing they
much desired. Anyhow the Confcdcrates
got through with their work and went
back to their camps without any trouble
but fully confident that it was a prepare
ton 10 charge all ignorant of what turn
matters were to take.
When night approached and the officers
quietly bid the men to fall in you may
wonder nj the surprise of MI prvatcs when
they We're told that all commissioned Off
GERS would retire from their presence and
that privates should decide by ballot
among themselves as to whether the Van
| kec works should be attempted by storm
upon that Very night
y little incident happened just as the
| commissioned officers retired, and none Of
| W. can say To what extent it bore upon tue
action of the privatcs. The mail had
! arrived-lct.ers from home to the brave
| soldier boys, an unexpected thing just at
! Ili;it tlllc, 10Y II was so early to get the
mails then. The arrival of these letters
| from home stopped all other thought, and
| the men gathered in groups around their
| orderly sergcants anXiously listening to the
names upon the envelopes to be called OUT.
| AS each man received lis letter he hnsjcnc.l
| from the group To some little fire light,
| and down .:pon his l,rces he broke the seal
! and read the contents. Soon there were
! many kncclnS men rnund1 he fires through
| tie camps, end a. now and then one woui,;
reach out and punch up The chunks yo;.
could see the tears ;siistcninG in his eyls
| EHta vote must be taken, Il ballot OF
"no' if he iislit was not TO be made, or !,
| ballot Of ~ Il it was.
| Ii WIS under juss such circumstances
that balo,ing began. ans! as they were
! gathered all in hat the time had come
for the counting. Then came short mo
mcnts of expectancy The first ballo, was:
Yep
And The blood thrilled through every
soldier heart. The counting went on,
"Yes"