The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-06-28

Grant had broken through Lees lines
at Petersburg, and that we could no
longer hold Richmond, Admiral
Semmes prepared to destroy those
magnificent ironclads at Drewry's $
Bluff, which had cost so much money
to construct, and to transfer to the
Nansemond and the Hampton all the
officers and men, together with their
light baggage.
just at midnight the signal was
given. and the Richmond, the Fred
ericksburg and the Virginia, the three
ironclads, and several smaller craft,
whose names now escape me, were
fired. The Raleigh was run into and
sunk in the dark about an hour before
by accident, no one being drowned,
however. When We saw that the yes
sells were under way to burn sure we
steamed away for Richmond, arriving
at the Manchester side a short time
before daybreak. Disbarking with all
our effects, the two guuboats were set
on FIRE, and we prepared to join Gen.
Lee, where he might be found. The
Admiral spent several hours at the
wire trying to get message to him,
butwithout success.
We stood On the south side Of the
river and saw Haxalls Mills burn to
the ground, the Trsdegar Iron Works
go up in blaze, and Mayo's Bridge
set on FIRE. and section by section burn
and fall into che James River. Yam
kee troops could be seen moving up
and down the streets Of Richmond,
and occasionally FIRE would break out
in some new place. By IL o'clock it
seemed as If the whole city was on
FIRE.
Meanwhile we were waiting to hear
from Gen. Lee Realizing that if we
stayed there any longer we would be
hemmed in, Aldmiral Semmes ordered
several Of his engineers to so into the
round house and fit up an engine, and
others to get together some box cars,
and by noon we steamed away for
Danville. We passed through three
sets Of Yankee troops, and why they
did not bag. the whole Of US has been
wonder to me ever since.
We arrived at Danville about dark
and went into camp near the river.
1t was new work to US, never having
done anything Of the kind befoze, but
by 10 clock we were all comfortably
slowed. Here we stayed two weeks,
organizing naval brigade of two regi-
ments, Capt. Dunnington being colone!
Of one and Capt. Glassell colonel Of
the other. Our lire and staff were
top-heavy, Iremember. Out Of about
three hundred all told there were at
least sixty officers. Walter Butt was
appointed by admiral Semmes as ad-
jutant Of the stregiment, and | was
selected as adjutant Of the Cd
We had not been in Dauyille many
days when news Of the surrender Of
Lees army reached US, and then Lee s
Miserables began to pass through the
town. Then the Admiral determined
to push on south and join Gen. Joseph
E.. Johnston, whom we heard was
moving northward through North
Carolina. We, therefore, broke camp
and went south to a point eight miles
from Greensboro, North Carolina,
where we heard that an armistice was
on between Johnston and Sherman.
Here we halted and the Admiral hunt
ed up Johnston. a few days later
came the surrender.
shall never forget the scene when
we were called to meet the grand old
Admiral. 1t was about sunset. The
officers were assembled to hear what
he had to saw about his conference
with Johnston. Stepping forward, he
pulled off his grizzly gray cap and ad-
dressed US as follows:
''Gentlemen, I have sent for you to
say thai / have just seen Gen. Joseph
Il. Johnston. He assured me that, if
we should surrender our forces with
his, he would secure to US the same
honorable terms as those given by
Grant to Lee. This naval brigade has
not yet assimilated with Johnston 8
army, and if any Of you have not had
enough, and .ish to continue the
struggle, you are at liberty to leave
the camp and go to the west Of the
Mississippi and fight it out as long as
you can. But, as for me, | have had
enough. I do not think anyone will
charge that I have failed to do my
duty up to this time, and J. happen te