The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-08-20
'lLAsT Fight OF FIRST
RICHMOND HOWlTZERS'

b la y I0ll3I e W - ILL., " fgps5tfEl
RICHMOND HOWlTZERS"
The above title to m article written by
John w. Todd Of Anguish county. which
article have read with pleasure and
Interest," and having been another boy.
like Todd, Of the same company, at the
same time and place, at his suggestion
in the article mentioned. will give my
recollection OF the part the First Conn
many played In tho last acts of the drama
Of the Civil War, If boy memories arc
trustworthy In recording history. On the
retreat after getting as far as Amelia
Courthouse, we were countermarchcd u
mile or two and taken from the main
road Of the army in order TO secure the
artillery and horses, and proceeded by an
inner parallel road under General Walker.
According to my memory about eighty
pieces Of artillery Being on an inner rear
line, and not cncountcring tho enemy IN
the way, We got ahead of Lees main
army, and passed through Appomnttox
Courthouse about noon on Saturday, April
Slh, and about two or three o'clock IN
the afternoon, we parked very close 10
Appomattox station on the Norfolk and
Western Ruirond, tired and hungry. Ra-
lions, for the second time after leaving
The Richmond lines. were issued 10 us,
,,nd some were cooking and some had
COOKED and were eating ravenously. ~heh
the cry OF flight was heard, NO +, re-
ferred to Nby Todd was my gun, and y
.yns on the extreme left or the parkeu
artillery. II is, therefore, OF this sun ana
7 ir1In r
cooked our meal IN tile front Of our gun
md were eating in the shade OF the grove
there, and were taking our last sop
into the fried meat grease, win ous
b,ankets and oilcloths. spread on the
ground, when nearly all Of No.24 As men
iumped up, and ran up the hill. saying
mere is a fight on the hill. Thinking
myself Ii was only 4 fisticuff. continued
to sop, when Lieutenant ID. ). McShrlhS
called TO me Ito como ana help MN VIZ
liniucr the No. A, saying the yankees arc
on U.s. rho fourth was his gun. ana !
was n supernumerary. Immediately TOOK.
IN thn situation. and seeing the lieutenant
nlone. FASTENED 10 his help, and we TWO
nn1 the gun unlimbcrcd and into posi-
tion lust in time for the men, who hao
hurried bnck, bcgnn to load and fire. Inc
horses were tied to the wheel, ana y was
nv part to take them off Il snort dislaEce
Of only few yards. Todd IS correct on
the three charges Of the troopers. y UNDER
stood they were Clusters men ana dls-
mounted with sixteen fire suns) "!
artillery repulsed each charge, thougn =
bciieve tho rsca. is that who're $u l..
SION were charging US we i'ad Hc a. y.
calvary nor infantry to support us; put,
r,r,unntelv We were In q sort of semi
circle, with about eighty guns IN all the
command. Edo not know how many were
engaged
fternoon Til about shutdown, or later,
and then begun to fall back aayinb
care of two horses. and not iinnea!aaeeIy
| at the gun, cannot SPEAK Will ce.tHu.,.
| ~ but Mr. Todd's statement about NJ.
| airing and rebounding out OF inud-ho'e
is nm interesting revelation to me. sns
ca,nn OUT loaded is my remembrance, ana
| I did not know a single shot was urea
after we began tolretire, but Know tue
-"boys" would have let It ny u cro,Su &c.
Lieutenant Nimms nag cha'Es . ~ ar
third gun and Lieutenant -. ?. hlc cu,.
Inv. Of Richmond now, ought TO pc q PIC ;.
& confirm this interesting Incident, y
true. nv recollection IA that as soon
is we reached the main Lynchpurg roao,
from which we deployed TO PARK. We.
| crossed over into q private OF county
crossroad. then about dark, and. under
L
! ii or 10 o'clock, when We parked AGAIN
4 and sought rest for the Remainder OF the
| night Early the next morning we "eTe
i called into lne and II message WAS Iehd
by the officers saying, as ! have X hHeu
In my memory. that i we got ING n ,'.,,
| sage before day, he wished us 10 return
| ana bomb them in the rear" ns no
! would attempt to cut his way through,
4 hut, if not received In time, 10 disband
|us. and all who We're patriotic could pro
coed to l.nconton, n. G., from when
place he would try to Join Johnston,
mon good bye" in tears. and linen Inc
most pathetic scene followed that aver
tnessed-comrades shaking hands ana
saving farewell-old and young men
wnepIng like children. Previous to the
disarmament we hltched 70 tlRA guns cur
brick church, dismounted the guns
1rirst Howitzersl, buried them and "cut
down the wheels as the last thing we
could do for our old dead defenders
II was not Of the sixteen mentioned rl'e. b D.
aso4 RI ssSaa ~ Rassy
~ ssrgsaat Anthony pibbg nys ss Wstspn
TGI%m ATm rnaH are II and mysee formed
a party to 20 10 Lincolnto9, end riding {,
and tying" we progressed for =, about snt ,.a z
fns' Men Mem Mo VII told US OF the surrender
Sunday ah ed shho 10y ,e 70 nI
ins'f had insaded US and al e!lt Of iTon,
u him, IN his surrender. The party tellin 2 I
rslable, We held council Of war"
ana concluded .the jig was UP" SGT our r
faces towards Richmond and reache q
on the 18th 81 April, and We're paroled
, BY Major stackpnle. the Federal pro,
post at Ashmend From on The thence . =, We :,
xii honor to the gallant John ", Todd
and MS immogtal twelve we've wh9 reaches sh
hFiirsi Company Iowitzers" who, stood