The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-05-28

lily FOluG. Ouf stay WAS very " iSAs ~
| in q few DAYS of we started again
on the raid which somewhat nm
expectedly developed the weakness
of Lees army, brought on the battle OF
| Five Forks and wound up the rebeillon-
TO reach Dinwiddie court house, we mace
a detour of the confederate lines by
march of twenty-five miles and struck
this rather dilapidated little village ABOUT
dusk. Unfortunately when our DIVISION
came up, all the available houses were
occupied. Sheridan had the ancient
tavern which contained besides his stan
| several thousand other occupants more
aggressive than welcome, and Merritt,
4 our corps commander, had pre-empted
| the hospitable mansion OF Widow Cfump,
whose name is as inseparably connected
! with Five Forks as McLean'S with the
surrender of Appomattox. The unfall,
ing rain which inevitably accompanied
any advance of the army, came down IN
| torrents. AS usual the bottom had fallen
out Of the soil, and wagons and mules
We're houndering in the mud miles IN the
rear under the guard of Custer disguised
division. After hasty cup of coffee ana
some bareback, we sought shelter al
corps headuuarters. where before roar
! ing fire of logs our more favored compan-
ions We're enjoying themselves. The piano
was speedily put in fair condition, ana
here we found an unusually large collec-
ton of confederate music. and with the
aid of the brig and accomplished oaugh-
| tiers Of the gentle widow, we "put IN" an
unusually lively and musical evening. AL
| a late hour. stern duty compelled the re-
turn to our moist bivouac, and as Coionel
Newhall has it in his racy accountot tneif
campaign, with
Good bye, gir's II we don't get shot
| Well come back, otherwise not.
We went back to rails and pine boughs
| for bed and sheets OF water for cover
| ing. The music of the bugle call brought
us out by daylight next morning and very
soon we had occasion to forget our dls-
comfort in an advance upon the fortlhed
works at Five Forks which was resisted
most stubbornly. For three days until
the enemy broke and retreated and during
the running fight for a week after, we
heard little music except that of whlStllng
shot and the deep diapason OF booming
cannon. When The days work was over,
and two of these days were stretched out
to forty eight hours each to circumvent
the fleeing confederates, we laid down IN
our tracks from the most overWhelm-
ing fatigue. But when the music OF
victory swelled the breeze, we retraced
our steps and went into camp at Motto
way court house for rest and repairs. The
Confederate army was being sent home as
fast as they could be paroled, and there
being no longer any opposing army, the
usual precautions We're suspended and
only camp guard remained. The grand
salute had been fired, discipline was re-
Taxed and everybody went IN for good
htime. Most of us had not had change OF
clothing for two weeks (for our supplies
were back with the trains), and there was
| a general washup, and clean clothing,
and in anticipation of an early return TO
peace and civilization, paper collars APP
peared like crocuses in spring to brighton
and adorn. We had been here few
days when we prepared for social
| evening at corps headquarters where there
was piano and pleasant company. Tne
| tuning had been performed with more
efficiency than usual, because of more
time in which TO do it. Invitations had
been sent out to the division and brigade
stats, and all the talent was secured to
make this the championship musical re-
ception of the campaign. 1t was the
evening of the 10Th of April. The night
was balmy and beautiful; everybody was
happy and all anticipated an unusually
enjoyable time. The boys came in about
s O'Clock in considerable numbers and
waited for the appearance OF Merritt and
! his chief of staff, who, for some undis-
closed cause, were absent. In a few
moments an aide came in and whispered
| to General Devin, our commander,
who quickly left the room. Evil
IDENTIFY something OF Importance was
| in the wind, and visions of a fresh
campaign dispelled our rose-colored an
ticipations of an early return home.
After what seemed long suspense,
although it was probably less than half
hour, General Devin returned and said:
t"Centlemen, something has happened
which necessitates a return to your quar-
tiers, where you will receive instructions.
o.. f,r,. H.. rlarc
Taking me by the arm we walked oWards
our division headquarters, and for some
time in silence. Finally he said to me-:
"Have you heard of an actor by the
name OF Wilkes?" ''No, - replied, 'but
1 have frequently heard of an actor by the
name of j. Wilkes Booth.' ''Well," he
said, ''perhaps that is the name. Merritt
has just received an obscure dispatch re-
peating rumor that the president has
been shot by an actor called Wilkes, but
it is not known whether or not the shot
was fatal. 1t is intimated that the act was
probably inspired By the confederate gov
eminent, but we don't know anything
about it. However, Merritt thinks we had
better establish pickets and have the
command ready to move at moments
notice should anything turn up.'
Pickets were thrown out, but no expla-
nation was made until the next morning
when full particulars were received. The
excitement throughout the command was
intense, but the discipline of the army
was too good to permit any hostile mani
festation, though many desired it. When
the truth was known that the confeder-
ate government had nothing to do with
the act of Booth and his mad conspirators,
the angry feeling subsidized and in few
days we returned by easy marches to
Petersburg. Here we occup pied the head
quarters recently vacated by the confeder-
ate General A. P. Hill, who. by the
way, was killed l think, in from;
OF Petersburg. 1t was the residence
of fair widow who, having been pre-
empted by Union infantry officer before
our arrival, favored US with a very scani
allowance of her society. But the parlor
was spacious and the piano above the
average, and we made the rafters shake
nightly with our lusty chorals. But
again our vision of content and home
ward journey were dispelled by ''boots
and saddles' and an order to push down
south, effect a junction with Sherman ano
teach Johnston better manners than tc
interfere with our homeward march. The
command had just crossed the Dan river
when carrier from General Wright, who
was at Danville, brought the welcome in
telligence that Johnston had surrendered
and the war was over.
The great struggle served, among other
good purposes, to arouse the patriotism
of our composers and to produce many
catching if not great melodies, some o.
which retain their popularity to this day
OF these l recall 1.-THE Battle Cry o.