The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-11-03

vate soldier in the Confederate army
NAV not be of much interest to the
public. Still I have concluded to
give You some Of !, my recollectlons OF
the closing scenes around Petersburg,
Virginia, as l saw them. | now
write from memory. belonged to
MCGOWAN S Brigade, which was moved
from the lines, three miles west Of
Petersburg, to position on the White
i, Oak road, west of Burgess Mill, on
March 20, 1865. We occupied a posi-
E tion in the line Of works some six or
seven miles west of Petersburg, be-
tween Burgess Mills and Five Forks.
& On March 31st McGowan's and Gra-
cie's Brigades, both commanded by
Gens McGowan,. attacked the enemy
in our front and drove them hand
somely about one mile. The enemy
was heavily reinforced and turned cur
flank, forcing the Confederate troops
to retire to the breastworks with a
small loss.
April. first our command was not en-
gagged except in picket firing but on
our right the battle Of Five Forks was
fought. in which the right wing of our
army was defeated, and a large num-
Der Of prisoners taken, leaving our
right flank exposed to the enemy. We
remained in the works during the
night Of the first. ignorant of the stu
alton on our right. We could hear
rumors that Gen. sBushrod Johnson's s
command was captured and scattered,
but did not know that all on our right
vas crushed.
April I'd, soon after daylight, we
could hear heavy firing in the direc-
ton Of Petersburg. The artillery fire
was very heavy, and the roar OF mus
kerry was incessant. We could hear
the rebel yell and the cheering Of the
] enemy The cheering Of the enemy
gradually passed to our left, facing
the town, which plainly indicated to
US that our line was broken. During
the time the heavy firing was going
on between us and Petersburg, the
line we occupied was quiet.
& When the sun was two or three
hours high We were ordered to ofall
in We quietly filed out Of the
works, not knowing what move we
were to make, but we soon found that
the works were to be abandoned.
After going e short distance, we
found artillery in mud holes2 to roll
out, for the horses were not able TO-
pull the pieces. When we reached
Southerland's Station, on the South
Side road, we threw up light earth
works, and awaited The enemy. We
did not have to wait very long for in a
short time we could see the enemy
advancing in force. They took shell
ter in rayine few hundred yards in
our front. Ourforces calmly awaited
the charge which we knew they were
= ,,,o,,,.,o IN N, a Go
Soon they assaulted the forces on
our right and were handsomely re-
pulsed. Their next lpove was in our
front and they were driven back to
shelter in the ravine. After an hour
or two Of suspense, we were again at
tackedin ourfront and a Aanking col,
umn sent to our left. We were out
numbered and forced to retreat before
we were entirely surrounded. We re-
tired in some confusion in the direc-
tion of the Appomattox river without
any organization. The commands
were scattered. Officers and men were
confused, knowing nothing OF the
bridges or the position of the enemy.
We soon reached the Appomattox
river, which we found very much
swollen from recent rains. We start
ed up the river to find a crossing, but
had not gone far until we met others
coming down the stream, who report
ed that the enemy had reached the
river above and all chance Of escape
was cut off in that direction. This re-
port proved false, as part of the men
pushed on up the stream, and escaped
capture. We then attempted tc make
our way down the river to Petersburg
and join the forces defending the
town; but we had not gone far until
we met others who reported that the
enemy were in force between us and
Petersburg. We were now surround
ed on all sides by the enemy and the
river. To cross by swimming was our
only chance. and the chances were
against us to the other bank. So all
present decided that surrender was
our only course. 1t was now late in