The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1908-09-03


we'll as the pleasures and luxuries
endured by me after my capture or
the march, and the treatment re
ceived while in prison. l can only
give you the outlines, space will moi
permit more than this.
! Cur line of breastworks were stu.
ated about five miles south of Peters.
burg. Virginia, at point known as
Hatches Run. held by McRae's Bri.
gade. An advance on our lines be-
gan Saturday night the latter part
OF March, 1865. A continuous firing
was kept up all night.
AS the sun rose on that beautiful
Sunday morning, we quickly saw
that CTR picket line had been captur-
ed. This line Of pickets was about
500 yards in advance Of cur line of
battle, behind breastwocks. We
Kept up rapid firing On the lire as
It advanced, but the distance was
LOO great to do much damage. See
ing this, General Mcitae ordered US
to cease firing until the enemy were
in closer range.
While we were waiting the nearer
approach of the enemy, one OF my
men reported his gun out Of order.
1t wouid not fire. l ordered him to
pick tie tube. put fresh cap on
and then see if it would rot fire.
de replied that he was afraid to &c
this as General McRae HAD ordered
all firing stepped. l requested him
70 give ne his gun, which he did,
and after picking the tube and re-
placing the cap, l thought l would
see if it would then fire. 50 taking
deliberate ein, ct a Yankee officer
standing on a rife pit about $50
yards distant, l fired. The Yankee
fell at the crack of the gun. WHO
fired that shot?" demanded General
McRae. He was told that Cap
tain Oldham had been making re-
pairs to gun belonging to one OF
his men, and after picking the tube
had placed a cap on it to try it and
see if it would shoot, and that it had
gone off all right. "But, General,
he killed p Yankee" "How do you
know lie did?" asked the General.
Because we saw him fall and later
saw two men drag him into the rife
pit" General McRae then said,
''D-n 'em, give it to them again"
To this command we quickly re-
sponded, and for a few minutes the
air was full Of flying bullets; soon
we were ordered to fall back. This
was the beginning of our retreat
from Petersburg. The sun was
slowly coming up when l fired that
fatal shot which either killed or
the Yankee. Our retreat
began very shortly after that. Our
division, which was Heath's, was
closely by the advance of
the enemy as we continued the
march up the Appomattox River.
McRae's Brigade formed in line of
battle at Switzerland, about ID
miles from Petersburg, as rear guard
to our division. 1t was almost high
aoon On that clear Sunday morning
when the Yankees came in sight and
formed in line of battle, fixed bayo-
nets and charged our line. 1t was
most magnificent sight, and a per-
feet day. Their guns looked like
silver in the dazzling brilliancy of
The noon-day sun. On they came in
perfect order at a double quick.
But, ON, my! how we covered the
ground with dead Yankees! They
melted like snow before the sum-
ner's sun. Over half were shot
DOWN before they fell back. A few
came in prisoners. A double line
was then formed, and another charge
vas made about half past two
o o'clock, which proved even more
fatal than the first, or at least we
killed more. They then changed
their tactics and came upon our left
flank where they could entiiade our
line. This caused it to give way.
and in the confusion, General Mt-
Rae ordered me to form a skirmish
line. and in carrying out these Or
.3ers I with a few of my men were
cut off by the enemy. l then took
two of my men, marched through
the woods to the river, which was
rising At this point there was a
hend and the water being over the
hanks formed an island at the point
where the turn was made. we
quickly crossed to the island where
the underground was very thick.
We then spread our blankets for the
night. although we had had nothing
~ eat since the time the shooting
I'll olono the line the evening