The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-04-11

right of GrimeS's division of infantry.
We were about one-third of mile
west of the court house and large
open field in our front. About sun
rise a Federal battery in front of our
left flank opened on us. / think the
battery was not over 900 or 1000
yards distant, and was in open ground
about so yards from the woods
on its left.
General Roberts at once gave US
The command: Draw Sabers-forWard
trap march-charge! and our little
band of tired and hungry men. not
over 100 in all, moved as promptly as
The command was given, and with as
much spirit as did the gallant six
hundred at Balacklava." Down a hill
into bottom, across some bitches, up
another hill and we had battery OF
four pieces of artillery and about fifty
prisoners. The air was thick with
bursting shells, kissing grape and cam
lister, but there was no faltering.
Little did we think that was to be
the last battery to be stOrmed and
captured by an army which had taken
so many but such was the case.
We carried our captured men back
and reformed our broken ranks,
ready for more work. About that time
we discovered a force of dismounted
men going down a rail fence at the
edge of the field General Roberts or
dered the 18th to charge them; we did
so with drawn sabreS and moved at "a
GALLON over the same ground we
charged over in our first charge. We
reached a point about so yards of
them when the Yankees quit running
and got on their knees behind the
fence and poured a continuous fire
with Spencer repeating rifles into our
small force. We returned sabres and
unslung our carbines and gave them
A vOlley.
About that time my horse fell, shot
in the heart and seeing the imposSl-
bility of capturing or killing the enc
my we fell back. l ran out on foot and
got out safely, but my clothes were
pierced with two balls.
When | got back to the brigade
General Lee had surrendered, and the
war was at an end.
AS soon as General Roberts knew
IF the surrender. he and few OF
the men made their escape.
could not leave, as l was too tired
to walk and had no horse.
was the ranking officer left in
Roberts and Barringer's brigades, and
as such, by orders of General w. III.
E. Lee. our division commander, /
gathered the men belonging to the
two brigades, went into camp about
9ne-QdIl HlllG east VI tic LOuLJ llOUoC'
We rested and slept and rested and
slept some more till Monday evening.
he 10th, when 1 marched the two
brigades to a spot near the court house
md stacked our arms In the mean
time, rolls had been made of every
man, his name, rank, company and
regiment and on Tuesday evening !
reported in person to Major General
Lee, who signed my parole and gave
me blank for each man in the two
brigades-which l signed and we at
once began our march for home.
The troops in the two brigades lived
all over the State, and as we reached
roads leading in the direction of their
homes. squads would bid us good bye
and take the road leading homeward.
reached home the 18th April
Forty years after the above events
| was again on the field at Apponat-
tox The changes in the landscape
are few; otherwise it is very different
In 1855 two hostile armies were in
deadly conflict, the booming cannon.
bursting shells, the hiss of grape and
canister. the rattle of the deadly En-
field rifle, the tramp of charging
squadrons. the defiant Southern yell
and now a small flock of lean sheer
quietly feeding upon the scant grass
land the spirit of decay and desola-