The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-02-10
GRAVE DEF ENCE OF
THE C0CkADE CITY.
Fight at Rivcs's Farm, i'll Prince
George County, and What
Came Of 1t.
GOOD STORY IN TWO PARTS
Address by John +. Glenn Before
Lee Camp and Then Before
a. P. Hill Camp.

.st ~. eIllll Adlll
Mr.. a. +. Glenn delivered an address
before Lee Camp. in Richmond. some
months ago, and later before A. p. Hill
Camp, on the Defence of Petersburg in
1854" which IS full of interest. 1t will
be given in two parts. The first part
follows:
PART I.
In essaying to give an account of some
personal recollectlons Of the affair Of
the 9th of June. 1864. between the small
force OF militia and second-class re-
serves, under Col. Fletcher n. Archer,
and an overwhelming force OF cavalry
and artillery under the Federal General
August v. kautz, at the Rives Farm, In
Prince George county, and some reminis-
cences Of prison life, it is foreign to my
purpose to give anything more than a
skeleton outline Of conditions existing
and leading up to the events of that
day, which marked an epoch never to
be forgotten. In the annals Of the city
I of Petersburg.
To do more would BIO a work of
supererogation. as the subject has been
fully and eXhaustively treated by Colonel
Archer, in an address delivered before
the A. p. Hill Camp Of Confederate
Veterans OH the 9th Of June, 1883, and
published in Mr.. George S. Bernard's
book of War Talks of Confederate
Veterans To Mr.. Bernar6's Industrious
researches | am also indebted for some
extracts l have made rse of from the
pnblshed rlsecords4of the Rebellion"
When, on the 9Th of May, 1864, the
disturbing news was brought to the city
of Petersburg that formidable army,
with Gen. Benjamin +. Butler as it's
commander, had landed at City Point
and Bermuda Hundred. within few
hours easy march of the town, the great
est CONSERVATION prevailed. The practi-
I cally defencelesb situation of the town,
ardcd as ii was by few hundred
regular, soldiers and about the same
number of untried and raw militia was
Well calculated to excite the worst APP
! prehenslons. The reputation and char
ncter of the Federal general enhanced
Il the universal feeling OF alarm.
Everybody to Help.
In the emergency every man capable
of bearing arms was called, upon to
Gid in the genera defense. In few
hours / found myself with several
hundred citizens reporting for duty OH
Bank Street. opposite the provost mar
shal's Office. 'LAs speedily as possible,
we We're supplied with such arms and
accoutrements a. were then available.
The muskets were chiefly old United
States Army fint-locks, which had re-
Gently been altered to percussion. They
had, in all probability seen service In
the War Of 1872, for although percu-
sion caps had been invented by n
Scotch parson and patented by him
in 1907. they had not been generally
adopted by the armies of the world
until about 1870. They were dangerous
weapons at close quarters, but at mod
ern rife range, to use the late a. NJ
keiley's suggestive similitude, mot
worth tinkcr's imprecation.''
Armed with these antiquated fire.
arms, we marched down the City Point
Road to Jordan's Farm, some two or
three miles below the city We were
motley crew. No uniforms, battle-
Tags. or shiDnering payonets invested
us with the pomp, pride and circum-
stance OF war. There were wanting
even the shrill tootings of the fife
and She taps OF the drum to excite
our martial enthusiasm. but there OK
listed in the breasts of all. not that
srdor which seeks only the bubble
reputation" but what was better, the
earnest and determined resolve at all
hazards and at all odds TO defend their
homes, their affairs and their Grc-
sides.
Getting in Trenches.
Arriving at Jordan Farm, we en-
tered upon an open field extending from
Il some hlly ground on our right over
towards the river. a line OF EN-.
e trenchments thrown up at an earlier
period OF the war ran across this oper
space TIL they touched the riverside
IL was now apparent we had TO defend
this line OF works. AS Yet VIC hnt
seen no sign OF cannon or regular sol.
dicrs to reinforce our band Of untrlet
men, but we prepared ourselves for til,
worst that might happen.
II was understood that night at,
tack might be made, and as the shade!
Il CT night drew on we were formed int,
3 line, and the command given: "For
ward, men, into the trenches" II wn
the first signal TO us 10 con
tribute our mite in deadly ear
nest to the war that Was wagine
That night we slept on our arms. over
come by fatigue, our slumbers wer
profound.
During the night ! heard the calm
+ authoritative voice of some general on
Ger giving orders, but nothing han
pencd to disturb our dreams. Forth
nately, it was the halmy month o
= May, and while we had no canopy ogc
cur d heads, save the blue vault {
AZ heaven, with Its myriads or stass lool,
ing down upon us. we suffered no 1
effects from the exposure, though mal
had passed the meridian OF life.
The enemy had not put in an al
pearance, and many succeeding da,
passed before NE heard the Sound