Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1899-08-10
Campaign Of the Peninsula, 1862.


for this the Peninsula campaign of
1862.
Ii memory serves me right, it was
the 2nd day of March. 1862, that the
army of Northern Virginia was order
ed to strike tents at CentrevilIe, Va,
and divest itself of all surplus baggage.
Tents, extra uniforms and all army
luxuries bid us final adieu with this
order. We soon found ourselves out
on the road headed for Richmond. Our
brigade at this time was augmented by
the addition of the Sth Va. of Lees
burg fame, under command of Col.
Eppa Hunton. This regiment and the
18th, 10Th and 10Th Va. then formed
Pickett's brigade. Gen. Geo. E.
Pickett on this memorable morning
first put in his appearance, and as ne
rode along the lines he was cheered to
the echo. Men fell in love with him at
first sight, and predicted for him
brilliant career. How well this pre-
dIction has been fulfilled history re
lates. On to Richmond we went.
Getting there we were placed aboard
some large transportation boats and
headed down James River. On arriv-
ing at certain point on the most d.
rect line to Yorktown, We were disem-
barked, and proceeded on foot to that
historic town, fully expecting to be
able to add something scarcely second
In importance to its already renowned
fame. Getting here we found Gen.
McGruder confronting Gen. Mcclellan
who had changed his base from the
Potomac to the James. There had
already been some hard fighting at this
point and McGruder's boys were glad
to see us. We were promptly put in
position on the line of battle, and for
two weeks we had our daily skirmishes
with the enemy. Some amusing incl
dents would sometimes occur, one of
which will relate. The 28th Va. had
Aeo sAoOo Ii ico AlOAt WILL q . WoH y III
tPeyening, across which was a narrow
foot bridge. All communication with
this point had to be done under coyer
of darkness. 1t so happened that they
had one morning to be supplied with
rati0ns. This duty was devolved ION
purposel upon a certain Mr.. JAS T..
who was never known to be in fight.
Circumstances could not have been
more propltious to its plans for fun.
Just as MI. T.. was in the act OF dis
pensing his supplies, the Yankees made
a charge on this point, Mr.. t. drop
ped everything and broke for the re-
serve. plumbing the centre of this
narrow bridge and came into camp at
quarter horse speed, exclaiming as he
ran 'Boys they come! They are com
ing!" This incident afforded food for
jest and fun tie balance of the war.
Mr.. T.. never could be induced to car
ry rations to the videts again.
While Johnston S army was thus
skirmishing with the enemy historic
event occurred in Hampton Roads.
The Merrimac, huge floating fort,
suddenly appeared in the midst of the
U. S. navy sinking several of their
best boats. and putting the rest to
flight. The achievement was so grand,
ffot II fha hlo~1 70 hui
through the veins of every Confederate
soldier. But alas the next day
brought disaster to the Merrimac.
The U. S. ironclad Monitor put
in its appearance and stripped
the Merrimac of it's lately won
glory. She had to be scuttlt d
and abandoned, in order to save her
crew from final capture. The Merri-
mac in the bottom Of Hampton Roads
there was nothing left Gen. Johnston
to do but retreat higher up the James.
This he did in that mastery, charac-
teristic way of his. On the evening of
the 4th of April his army arrived in
Williamsburg closely pursued by the
Yankees. Gen. Longstreet with his
corps was called upon to turn upon
the enemy. So on the morning of the
9Th We found ourselves going to meet
the foe. AS we marched along, the
writer of this observed to Capt. Deyer-
ly that-his cap looked little too in
viting to Yankee bullsts-it being gold
band showing bis rank. To this he
replied, s'Roller. if I had anything
else to wear | would take it off," Was
it a monitioa or was it only cautious
ness? That was the last day of Capt.
Deyerly. He fell victim TO sharp
shooter late in the evening when we
retiring from the field; he fell By the
side of his premonitor. A drawer or
more gallant man was not in John
ston's army. We mourned his loss, and
no one more than the author Of this.
The cap caused his death. The bullet
entered his head back Of the ear. We
left a detail to take care of his remains.
This battle was holly contested one
Bull Run and Manassas could not COM
pare with it in point of slain and
wounded. The check to Mcclellan
was very pronounced. We were per-
mitted to resume our retreat through
rain and mud unmolested after this.
Retreating short distance we came
to bait in an Old field near a feuce.
This fence had to pay the penalty of
the hardships OF the day. Amid water
above and water underneath, We used
it for our comfort, if comfort it could
be called. Boniires and beds out of
rails V as the order Of the night. With
a blanket stretched over US we Iuanae
ed to steal little sleep. Hard tack
and fat meat al!ayed our gnawing ap-
petites the next morning, and we were
again ell route toward Richmond. 1t
was stated that il we could reach a