The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1903-02-19
VETERANS CELEBRATE.
Ex.Confederates of Petersburg Meet
In Honor of Lees Birthday-The
Occasion Recalls Some Interesting
"Reminiscences of the Fighting
Around the Cockade City.
Correspondence Index-Appeal.

and Heroes. gave a most enjoyable BAN
uuet this afternoon in cOmmemoratlOn OF
the birthday of our beloved r. E. Lee,
quite a large number being present. Capt.
John r. Patterson, chairman, called the
meeting to order. Addresses by distin-
guished speakers were made, Rev. DR..
Pitcher. Rev. DIR. Battle and Others, after
which we were marched to the banquet
hall, where a most sumptuous supper
was spread, enough to say, in keeping
with Petersburg's generous hospitality.
After which Captain White, for navy;
General Battle, for army; Prof. McNeal,
Southern chivalry and our beloved chief;
DR.. J. Herbert Claiborne, the army, pri-
vate soldier and our beloved, heroic, SELF
sacrificing women. Oh! what hallOwed
memory. What an inspiration! Refer
ences were made to the defense of Peters
burg, to which | may be permitted to al
Jude.
The defense of Petersburg. On the 9TH
of May, 1864, the city bells tolled, sig
nalizing that the vandal hOrdes of Ben
Buffers army were marching on our be-
loved town. The young men fitted for
active service, had long since gone to the
front in Lees army. The citizen sOidiery,
old men, boys, merchants, lawyers, ply
sicians, mechanics and artisans, rallied
as one man to the defense. We soon had
every available man in line, and in the
breast works. That day the enemy only
made feint, attacking our picket lines
which they kept up until the early morn
ing of June 9th, when General Gilmore
vauntingly boosted that if General But
Ter would furnish him with , regiments of
cavalry, (kautz's) l regiment colOred
and four regiments white troops, he
would take Petersburg. SO about day
break on the 9th he advanced His cav
airy, ) regiments, made an attack on
battery No. n on Plank road. Col. r. II.
Archer with about seven companies of
citizen soldiery most gallantly defended
that battery until about 3 O'Clock after
losing nine of the best men of Petersburg
Blanks, Banster, Scott and Others fell,
all homage to their memory. bearing s
battery of artillery opened fire and put
to ignOmlnOuS route, with the aid OF
Archer's seven hundred men. Kantz's five
regiments of cavalry. On the Appomat-
tox river batteries, No. 1, 4, ; and Z, held
in check, supported by seven companies
of infantry numbering about seven hun
dred men, Gilmore's five regiments of
picked troops. Gilmore at sunrise drove
in our pickets and advanced to the Beas-
ley homestead with his staff, placing a
picket on top of the mansion, his line on
the ditch at front gate about 300 yards
from dwelling. Capt. Thomas BOnd's
company of about one hundred men held
him in check. AtabOut2 O'Clock a young,
beardless man came riding up to me- and
offered his services. As our troops were
holding batteries No. |, f. ). I, more
than mile fOom the extreme points, he
came at a most OppOrtune time. put a
sergeant and > or men under this
courier and directed he move towards
GilmOre's right flank, which was near
the AppOmattOx river. 1t was in what
was known as ROwlett's rye field, the
rye concealed their movements so that
as they moved along and fired, it gave
some appearance of solid line. Soon
saw a cloud of dust in Beasley's front
and Gilmore and staff went to the rear,
and soon firing ceased and the whole five
regiments disappeared leaving their dead
near Beasley's gate. Thus Petersburg
was saved from pillage, plumber and
rapine from a most Infamous horde of
vandals. Everything was compare
lively quiet until on June 10th our lines
had been strengthened, Colonel Bembo,
of South Carolina, and Wise's brigade,
| commanded by Colonel Page, being
| added. Our position was still on the left
] but about daybreak we were ordered to
battery No. "a on Plank road, we held
that position until about II O'Clock
Gen. r. E. COlstOn came out in carriage
being on sick list. Capt. Louis Marks
| who had not recovered from his wounds
came. My alert beardless courier re
| ported the enemy advancing on No. IA
| | Immediately communicated with Col
| Page, commanding Wise's brigade, and
asked permission to go to No. IA, tC
which he readily agreed Went to No
| II. saw they were in front of PEBBLES
barn, opposite to No. and D. Met Col
Page near No. I. No guns in this bat
terry. Told Col. Page | would go to No
| I. He extended his hand telling me gooC
bye, saying if you choose you can go.
never saw the gallant Page again. Found
the enemy in column ready to advance
on No. and No. 4. Captain Hero, O
Louisiana, commanded at No. f. Major
Sturdivant at No. .. Captain Wheary's
company was in trenches supporting No
D. The firing on each side was terrifi,
for two or three hours; finally at about
I O'Clock when ammunition was getting
scarce, had despatched several for it, bu1
| none returned, sent my beardless courier
who | knew would return. Fifteen min
utes past seven clock the 1871 New YOrl
Regiment with many others, about 8 900
charged and captured Major Switzerland
| Major Battle, Colonel Counsel. who wa.
on a visit to Major Switzerland, myself
Captain Wheary and his 100 men. The
rest OF my command escaped as their line
was not Immediately occupied, also my
beardless courier in discharge of his
hazardous duties was cut off, and coulC
not get back to me. We were prisoners
This attack was made by General Badly
Smiths corps of 10000 men-infantry
and artillery We were carried to Gen
Buffers headquarters, near Bermuda
Hundreds. Next morning he sent fol
some OF our men to talk to him. Major
Anthony Kelley was selected we knew he
was well equipped to parry with the
willy Butler, and well did he do it. We
went to Bermuda Hundreds. Col. Fuller
GilmOre's acknowledgement had charge O.
us. He was courteous and polite. He
said when General Gilmore returned or
9th of June, failed to take Petersburg
General Butler took from him his sword
| We were held in transports at the pom
toOn bridge. Saw Grants baggage
wagons and beef cattle cross then sent
to Point Lookout. When the guards
and our men told of the escape of a pris
oner in the river and that he had tC
swim four or five miles, this was my
beardless courier, Simon Seward, o
| Petersburg. W. HI. HOOD.