The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-02-18
With Jackson and Lee.
(By ]. Dawkins.l

s0Anyllle' Texas. February 13.-My
~ Today carries me back to the gloomy
pa 1866, when the remnant of Cen
y Lees army was struggling TO hold
aenourg and Richmond against the
FIVE Of Northern soldiers. | was boy
fel'r ] had followed Stonewall Jack
n was with him in the valley campaign
aiA Banks, Fremont and Shields; was
y MN at Second Manassas. where the
y q General Pope was DESTROYED. and
sIa Frdericksburg, where The great
'alM rode to his death in the wilder
y around charlottesville. where he
Nh old Fighting Joe Hooker, routed
I amy and pushed him back across the
epG'aannoek. He was the greatest man
20 knew. and the fact that he never
"A : reverse makes me proud to this
Mat followed him to the day of his
~ PACK to Petersburg. Things had
|.1sfa' our ranks had thinned. The Fed
EN .AS had increased until it numbered
N. I'VE 70 one OF us. We were hold .ng
~ oacK In front, but we did not nave
|rsu men to protect our TANKS. They
~ pasSlng around us and threatening
n huntington and Weldon railroad to
[ssl our supplies from the south. Some
M I'M must be done, and they decided to
~ lne Federal lines in our front and
Esplsw the Yankees off our TANKS Fort
eanan, strong point in the Federal
E.sh sG selected, and our brigade, Hays
A saus' was among those called upon
spase the fort. 1t was ut night; we
|s'a win the old time enthusiasm and
N ne Yankees out CT the fort.
4. s ~ my possession now memento Of
4, estse In the shape OF an inkstand
M IRON a Yankee knapsack. il is a
~ nai inoesed In cedar wood, W.
~ sne fort until daylight. but neA;
.sa.ay the Yankees trained all their
sNs guns on us and made II so no.
IN We mad 10 give up our prize,
4 y, ssne on the battle OF Five Forks,
Fpssisat OF our army and the evacuation
~, ,esoufg We were thinly clad, poor
i, y. ana saddened by reyerses, but we
IN Y. ready to fight. On the march to
~. as.'ox Il was continual fight. The
~ WAS on our rear, on our tanks and
! cur front. yet for several days
.Sioua night them back on all sides and
-, our march. We had pioneer
I'M. African descent who repaired
~ ~, nxed roads, etc. One time they
u%laln range OF the enemy's guns.
~ putst near them and they all ELL
i SHOT. They were told TO ge'
,esss march, and about that time
~ smell burst near them and snnt
NJ, 'tanperirg down the hill. with their
: Z, uaiooing. Halt, halt" till they
sA'r ~ out OF his reach. and he yelled
II ~, 20, and don't suppose any
III Lees army ever saw those coons
- = iast the night OF the sth of April
= ~ Aner dark We were told to lie Ia
h. y Saie. The enemy were strong IN
/ =, Us. We all thought that next
Y ~ you'd have a big battle. Our
al.s NC army was In front and C7m-
GENERAL John b. Gordon on
~ ug OF the 9Th we found tue
Ia s'hed in front. wi rail fence
'Hapsss and fixed for breastworks. We
\ a., upon them under heavy IRE
i I've them half a mile or more,
s,s,s, nhd them reinforced and in a
u POSITION. We then were ordered
lau " waere We lay all night and flag
ess.F came in to arrange for our sur
I 1. S,elecS We were told that Gen
d , had surrendered and ordered to
sa You can imagine the feel
ts,s ragged band after four years
\ ebsrrs ntlns'giyi up all hopes, SO
= sl,S sshed Some seemed so over
e, ~ grief they cried-others swore,
n al. .su'ed to be satisfied with duty
y ~ 49, and reioieed that lhey wcu'd
Nj, l0Ved ones at home.
u surrender We we're marched
N Esd Petersburg for ten days.
e<e ~ got aboard fiat cars and II
vi v all night. We had nothing
~ sS-pt whsa the Yankees gave VS.,
wy were short on supplies at APP