The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-01-26


no doubt of the truth OF the statement
1 / told lin to ride forward and order
i the wagons to turn out into the fields
on each Side or tho road. Tie BAp-
tist preacher was 5pcrched on tho fence
like a crow, and Judge Camden was
standing by. / never saw them nf-
forwards Stopping to speak to them
] for II moment trotted forward to-
wards the front. After going for some
4 200 yards the road ran for u little dis
1 tance between two hIgl, banks. with
woods on either side. / came out from
i this sunken way into IL narrow bottom,
4 lying along Il creek, over which there
| was u bridge
4 Took to tie Woods.
! The wagons had begun turning out
/ right and left into the field. Just ut
this moment I saw a. regiment OF the
cnemy's cavarly dashing across the
bridge about 100 yards distant from
ME, and promptly took to the woods.
After wandering through the woods for
some time l returned to the scene and
found that our cavalry had come up
and driven of the attacking force. but
not until they had blown up some OF
our wagons and killed number OF
the animals. I found Captain SOM
mers there. who told ME that he had
been captured by the enemy. but pa
/. rolled so as to take care of his family.
/ Burweli returned from the retreat
which he had made at the attack of
l the enemy. about the same time that 1
! did. Colston overlook us just after
the attack upon the train. This at
! tack was made by n cavalry force UNI
der General Davies. near gainesville.
Towards evening. having hitched up
/ all the animals we could lind. we
X $40 S,l t,, ,,.ttt So,
/ ons. along with the troops We moved
along during the night In the slow
way that is enforced upon train
moving with troops over bad roads.
4 Sometimes 1 slept or horseback. and
once, as I recollect, lay down for
about half an hour on the porch OF a
house in a village through which we
were passing. don't know the name
of the village.
Thursday. April 6th, we proceeded on
i our way. not stopping to feed either
1 men or animals. i munched a little corn
during the day. About 10 o'clock in
the morning we begun going through
a series of attacks by Sheridnn's cav
airy and artillery upon our left flank.
During these attacks the wagons OF
our own and other trains would dash
across the exposed portion OF tho road
and turn out into fields which were
4 iHVic shSttSiea. Ill slHlS way our tllCtle
train was soon broken up into frng-
ments. Shortly after ono of these at
! tacks, when some artillery of ours,
drawn up in a field to our LEFT, was
| replying to the enemy, Mrs. Sommers
and her nurse and children were so
terrified that l urged Captain Sommers
i to take them to house nearby and
leave them until he could return 20
take care OF them, as there was no
81 nd t,1,i tn, ,,.if y,
army in the situation in which ours
) was. This lie did, and lie continued with
us until after the surrender. when he
won't back for them. During the rest
of the day Captains Colston and Bur
well and devoted ourselves to the
task of pushing on as best we could
the fragments of our train, each taking
) charge of ono fragment.
Scene OF Confusion.
Late in the afternoon had succeed
!, cd In getting the three wagons which
!, II rad been looking after across a
! bridge over small stream With high
! banks, and UP a high hill on the other
side. lthenretraced MY steps TO see IL
could be or any use 10 Colston aud
+. Burwcil. Just as / got down to The
. bridge of which have spoken. i saw
/, a heavy line of the enemy's infantry
n emerging from the woods three or -four
: keeping up a heavy fire. The scene
among the wagons was one of pell-rnel
/. confusion. They We're driving In lines
, eight or ten abreast across the field
y towards the stream of which haye
:. spoken. Its high banks interposed al
. enectual barrier, and there the team.
. sters. pnhitching horse or mule from
. the wagons attempted to ford tn
:, stream, IN which many OF them failed
y ] turned and rode with a miscellane
~ Gus crowd UP the hill. AS i ncared Its to
" the sun had not long set. and, out
"a lined against tho sky, saw the SPLEEN
10 did figure of General Lee on horseha i,
8 Ills countenance as grand and seren
II as ever. "A. battery was passing. and 1
ie "a quiet voice he ordered them To tax
n position on he crest of tho hill A
et Irish sergeant of the battery said. u
r. We. hear boys. It's the Ciineral himsel
m that wants u.s. AS they went into pc
I'd sition / rode on by Il road 10 the LEI
tniXlns with the crowd. and now an
v. then talking with my neighbors.
o. The moon had risen when I an
al preached the High Bridge, and itr loft
IS arches stood out In bold relief agains
ly the sky. "A bridge for wagons acros
O. the Appropriations River was close -
re and while was on the bridge I eli
countered Burwell AS progress ";
"a. livery slow. the road being blocked ,
On with wagons, artillery, troops al
~, stragglers. we determined to ride aero
10 tho country to Farmviile. hoping ther
No byfto get some food for our horses al
~ perhaps for ourselves. The latter y
ra did not accomplish. but from a sn,t
"a barn VIC each took a couple of bundl
IVA Eof fodder aud some ears OF corn. Y
%, reached 1sarmville somewhere about
40 o'clock. and rode about the town tr
~ ing to find something to eat. but Wit
fItt ar, EA-