The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1904-01-13
Bill ARP.

Midnight-dark midnight. The
heavens had been illumined with
bursting shells and skyrockets evel
since nightfall, and it kept oul
side of the river in alarm, but Gen,
eral French was over there with
1000 troops, fresh from Texas, and
, these, with old Joe Johnston's
forces at Resaca. could whip Sher-
man all to pieces. Every now and
. then we sent messenger over to
! General French to know if all was
safe. Would old ice certainly
fight at Resacs, or would he fire
and fall back.
More and more terrific the
bombs kept bursting and nearer
and nearer and nearer they came.
closer to the roofs of our houses.
Another messenger was sent to
General French, but he assured us
it was all right. But about mid
might the general sent q message
that Sherman had CROSSED the river
and would burn Rome and the
bridges in half an hour and the
troops had orders to move up the
railroad. Then came the tug of
war. The artillery had already
reached the crossing and were
loading the cars, with everything
in jam. The highway of Broad
street. from one bridge to the 9TH
or, was crowded, and not soldier
could find elbow room But still
they moved. We had loaded CUR
rockaway with baggage and my
lovely wife and numerous children.
walked along outside in silence
to keep off intruders until we
found ourselves right in the thick
of the soldiers. Some were yell
ing, some were whooping, some
were oursing. and pretty soon there
was crash and bang and the
doors of the stores flew open and
the soldiers rushed in. just then
my old friend Meyerheart yelled
out: "Oh, mine tobaccol" But
Oolnonel Cameron was desperate
and rode into the store behind
them and whaled them over the
heads with his sword and ordered
them all out, but it made them all
mad to think they couldn't take
the tobacco the enemy would
plumber in few minutes. They
cursed and raved furiously, but it
made no difference with the
Colonel. Tobacco wasn't all.
They loaded down with tobacco
and then began on caps and bonnets
and sugar and coffee.
After we had all CROSSED the
bridge it was funny cavalcsde.
Long lines of troops marching up
the long oemetry hill, arrayed with
women's garments on-bonnets
and shawls and-But the process
sion didn't turn out of the big
road. 1t turned up into the oeme-
try and began their vandalism
there. They got hammers and
broke up the iron railing and
tumbled down the tombstones and
monuments and then knocked the |
soldiers head stones to pieces, all
except one, and that was the hand
some one of Lieutenant Bayard
Hand, of the United States navy.
They let that go untouched, be.
cause he was United States
officer. All tumbled down the hill.
My father and son and brothers
suffered the same fate. 1t was
shameful
From the top of that hill they
burnt the bridge and fred their
shells scross the town and destroy
ed everything that would burn
Then they followed us for 6 miles
to Silver creek, where we were
going to stop for ouffee. for we
we're expected to take breakfast
and rest But camp followers pur-
sued us and told us the yankees
were close behind and for us to
get up and hitch up and get away
from there. So we hurried the
harness on and struck a trot for
Euharlee creek, and as we crossed
the bridge it wabbled like snake.
Then we journeyed up a long rocky
hill and that night camped nepr
an old house and sent up there to
borrow skillet to fry some meat
and the old man said he was wash
ing his feet in it. but as soon as
he got through he would send it