Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-02-13

4 encountered the Yankees at heam IS sta
ton below Petersburg, on the Weldon rail-
road. repulsing them and driving them
back for ten miles. We camped for
1 while in the dense pines near the above
station. The bad water. together with
the intense heat from the July sun. made
many Of US sick; and we longed for the
4 comforts In our Piedmont homes along the
Blue Ridge mountains. This finished up
most remarkable campaign during which
\ history tells us that Grant lost in killed,
wounded and missing nearly as many men
I as Lee had al any one time in his army.
The campaign commenced on the Rapidan
/ river May 9Th, and wound up at Cold Har
Dor on June IA. 1864. The great battles of
the Wilderness. Spottsylvania Courthouse,
North Anna and Cold Arbor had been
! fought. General +. II. walker. historian,
4 for HancOck's corps. writes OF this cam
paign, and confesses that something (re-
ferring TO his corps) OF its prestine virture
had departed under the terrific blows
4 that had been showered upon II in the
series OF fierce encounters during these
battles, and further recites that the cas-
/ ualties had averaged more than 400 men
a day for the whole period since II crossed
the Rapidan.
On the 9Th day OF August I received a
permit OF fifteen days leave OF absence to
go home, procure a fresh horse and re-
port back promptly to the command. That
permit is now I'm my possession and signed
i ul - AtANut auIulanl. II. Is. mcclellan
and Robert T.. Lee. When I was ready
TO return I found that Fftz Lees command
had gone TO the valley OF Virginia and
was in the neighborhoOd OF Berryville.
Clarke county. 1t was about the LIST OF
| September when I started back alone,
crossing the Blue Ridge mountains at
/ Ashby's Gap. When reaching the sum-
NIT halted and in the distance up and
down this beautiful Shenandoah valley
could be seen like a marvellous piano.
rama spread out before me. General Ear
| ~ was in the midst of his campaign. made
up as IL were OF rapid marches and num-
berless hard fought battles and skir-
mishes. He was engaging Sheridan upon
many OF the old battle fields that had
been fought over by that hero OF the val
ley. General Stonewall Jackson. Sheri-
dan had at all times a much larger force
| than Early, and his cavalrymen especially
well equipped. understand that many
| OF them were picked men from the in
fantry ranks who had distinguished them
selves in some way. Hence our cavalry
encounters were generally sharp, quick,
and decisive.
The fan of 1854 was a beautiful one, and
the valley was lovely TO look upon. The
/ foliage upon the mountain sides with its
many colored leaves, casting their shad-
ows In the crystal streams bordering the
foothills along the green pasture lands
streams wound in and out through the
valley like silver threads.
I cannot recount the many splendid en-
gagements of Early's forces at Harrison
burg. WINCHESTER. Newmarket. Martins
burg. Front Royal. Shepherdstown, Mill
wood. Port Republic, Charlestown, Ber-
ryviIle, Kernstown and other places
fought by the gallant Generals Gordon.
Rhodes. Ramseur. Wharton. Anderson,
Kershaw. Pegram. Evans and others, aid
ed by such dashing cavalry commanders
as Fitz Lee. LOmax, Rosser, Wickham,
Payne. McCausland. My letter was not
intended 70 describe these battles. but to
give few scenes which came under my
own observation. Our cavalry did most
OF its fighting along the TANKS of Early's
Infantry and artillery, in the Luray val
ley, on the back-road and along the noun
tain roads at the foot of the Blue Ridge,
Massanutten and North mountains. Some
times we would retreat for some distance
up the valley and the day following would
probably find US near Charlestown or
/ Bunker Hill. II Is said that on one after
noon, when Early was being hard pressed
a courier rode up to him and said: Gen
eral Early, General Blank ordered me to
say 70 you that the Yankees are tearing
up the railroad in your front"
Said General Early: Go back and tell
General Blank that. d-n 'em, they'll be
tearing down the pike directly"
On the ID of October / was ordered, as
corporal, to take charge Of ten men and
place them on the line OF our sharp
shooters on the summit OF a hill near
Mems bottom. Soon after forming the
/ line the Yankees charged us in column
OF fours and in falling back and crossing
a stream at the foot OF the hill they
poured a hot fire into us. killing several
OF our horses. but after crossing the
stream we wheeled upon them and with
Hra Frorn or
until our dismOunted men could make
good their escape
Gordon's infantry and artillery came
up just at that time and gave them such
a hot reception that they retreated in
great disorder, considerably damaged by
the reception they had met. A short
| time time after that Wickham's brigade
(then under the command of Rosser) was
| ordered 70 cross over to the back road
and support q battery OF several pieces.
| The Yankee cavalry were charging the
Battery when we came into sight and the
artillerymen, with no support were
| fighting them with stubbornness which
characterized the Confederate soldier. 1
| had never witnessed anything more dar-
ing and may nations sing their praise as
Homer sang OF the deeds Of prowess per-
formed by Greek heroes before the sa-
cred walls OF Troy. The order was given
us TO charge. We dashed into them and
found them foemen worthy of our steel.
I emptied every ball / had in my pistol
/ into their faces and although many
horses were running wild without their
rluers we could not save the guns.
noticed as ] wheeled my horse to the
/ rear that not more than one or two artil-
/ lerymen were serving each gun; the bal
/ ance were lying dead or dying about their
i pieces We fell back, largely outnum-
/ bered but fought with desperation In sue
| cessive charges until nightfall, when we
we're tired and exhausted Some time in
| October the valley was filled with smoke
L from the burning mills, barns and fac
/ tories, grain and hay ricks, and the Yam
/ KEGS were driving all the live stock they
I could find before them as they went, in
obedience to Sheridan's orders to destroy
| the valley so that even a crow travelling
4 IL would have to carry a haversack."
| Even dwelling houses were destroyed,
! and one afternoon in October as We were
/ marching down the back road the COM
mand suddenly came to a halt. Some
/ thing unusual was going on. Without per-
mission left my company and rode TO the
/ top OF a hill near by, where my attention
i was attracted 10 a clump of officers and
/ men engaged in some unusual work. l
/ rode to where they were and found II to
/ be a military courtmartial. Colonel Blank
4 the Judge, had just rendered his decision,
l from which there was no appeal Six
/ Yankee barn-burners were doomed to lie.
/ A circle had been formed, they were in its
/ l,oFv 10