The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-09-03


Charlotte. There my friend and 1
met with a mutual acquaintance who
was on his way to Virginia, and We
resolved to stick together. / went
to bed early that night. do not
know how long l slept. but / awoke
suddenly to find my first friend badly
cut with a knife and a doctor sew
ing up his hand. while the other
friend looked on and assisted. 1t
turned out that he had had a fight
at the supper table and while he had
struck his opponent a serious blow
with his right hand, he had caught
his knife with his left and in the ef-
fort to get 1t loose his opponent had
turned the blade in his hand and
sliced off part of finger and some
of the fieshy part of the palm, MAX
ing an ugly wound. Fearing arrest
and detention. We stole away to the
railroad station and taking a troop
train that passed along. with a por-
ton Of Hoods army we went on to
Salisbury and thence to Greensboro,
where ! parted from my quarrelsome
companion, and getting into a box
car full Of hay. arrived at Richmond,
on Saturday night, April /.
I met my father at the Soldiers
Home-the old Exchange Hotel-and
one of his staff, behind whom l rode
out to fathers headquarters. I re-
call the fact that the horses spinal
column was very sharp and I was
inexpressibly pleased when I could
dismount. AS we rode along, the
whole Southern sky was punctured
by swift flashes of light that remind
ed one Of summer lightning, but in
realty represented the flashing Of the
guns on the lines around Petersburg,
where night attack was going on,
preparatory to the great final assault
of the next morning, which led to
the evacuation Of both Richmond and
Petersburg by the Confederate forces.
The wind was blowing from the north
or northwest and while the flash
ing Of the cannon was very distinct
not a sound Of the firing reached our
ears. We knew. however, what it
portended, and there was very gen.
eral anticipation that the great strug-
gle in that quarter was nearing it's
end. On the north side Of the James
River, at that time were Kershaw's
division of Longstreet's corps fminus
one brigade. sent to South Carolina
to oppose Sherman,) Gary's cavalry
brigade, together with the dismount-
ed men Of his command serving as
infantry, and several batteries of
artillery-and perhaps some frag-
ments Of other commands doing pro-
Vost duty In and around Richmond.
All the troops that could possibly be
spared from both armies had been
sent to the south side Of the James
in preparation for the great final
NN'e oA 81 ShSth' Inc lines IN places
were very close together and the pick
cts could easily converse with one
another. There was a tacit agree
ment between them that there should
be no sharpshooting, and hence quiet
reigned supreme. To a boy like N.Y.
self with certain preconceived opin-
ions Of how opposing armies thus
confronted one another would act.
this peacefulness was very disconcert-
ing.
When I awoke next morning-it
was Sunday-and from the porch of
headquarters saw the enemy's cav
airy picket so near to our lines and
ours so near to theirs. 1t seemed very
strange that they did not fire upon
each other. l noticed also that O.
band would march to a certain point
on the line and play a piece or two.
then go on rapidly to another point,
where they would go through with
the same performance, and / naturally
asked for an explanation, which was
that this ruse was intended to make
1t appear to the enemy that there
was much larger force present than
was really the case. Whether it had
the effect is doubtful. but thought
1t a very fine piece of justifable de-
ception, war and diplomacy combined
After breakfast, while engaged in
getting my bearings, ] saw a courier
from the direction of Richmond ride
up an! deliver a dispatch to one Of
fathers aides. / noticed that as he
read it he looked very anxious, and
presently calling me inside, told me
that Richmond was to be evacuated
that night that he had intended to
give hOrGn nd lot l.;