The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-09-25


a fight attic supper table, and while he
had struck his opponent q serious
blow with his right hand, he had caught
his knife with tho left and in the
effort to get 1t loose his opponent had
turned the blade In his hand and sliced
of part of q duger and some ct the
fieshy part Of the palm. making an
ugly wound. Fearing arrest and de-
tenticn. we stole away to the railroad
station and taking q troop train thai
passed along with 4 portion OF HOODS
army. we went OF, TO Salisbury and
thence to Greensboro, where narted
from my duarrelsorne companion. and
getting into a box car full OF hay.
arrived. at Richmond. on Saturday
night, April 1.
Home--the old Exchange Hotel--and
one Of his staff, behind whom rode out
to fathers headquarters. recall tho
fact that the horses spinal column
was very sharp, and was inexpressibly
pleased when I could dismout- AS we
rode along, the whole uouthern sky
was punctured By swift flashes OF
light that reminded one Of summer
but In reality represented.
the flashing Of the guns on the lines
dTOuuu EetsISOui6B NhGAH - ttSP So -
tack was going on, preparatory to the
great final assault OF The next morn
ing, 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 flashing OF the cannon
was very distinct. not sound OF the
dring reached our ears. We knew.
however. what II portended. and there
was very general anticipation that
the great struggle In that quarter was
nearing It's end. On the north side
of the James River, at that time were
division OF Longstreets corps
(,ninus one brigade, sent to South
Carolina to oppose Sherman. Garys
cavalry brigade. together with the dis
mounted men OF his command serving
as infantry and several batteries OIL
artilIery-and perhaps some fraS-
ments of other commands doing provost
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 prepaE-
alton for the great final test of strength.
The lines In places were very close
together and the pickets could easily
converse with one another. There
was a tacit agreement between them
that there should be no sharpshoootins.
and hence quiet reigned supreme TO
a boy like myself, with certain pres
conceived opinions OF how opposing
armies thus confronting one another
would act, this peacefulness was very
discencerting.
When I awoke next n1arning-it was
Sunday-and from the porch of head-
quarters saw the enemy's cavalry
picket so near to our lines and ours
SO near to theirs. II aeamed very
strange that they did not Are upon each
other. I noticed also that a band
would march TO certain point on tho
line and play piece or two, then go
on rapidly to another point. whore
they would go through the same per.
Torrance. and naturally asked for
| russ was intended to make 1t appear
to the enemy that there was much
larger force presen, than was really
the case. Whether II had the effect
IL doubtful, but I thought 1t very
! Gne piece OF justihable deception. wal
and diplomacy combined. After break
fast. while engaged In getting my
bearings. i saw a courier from the
direction OF Richmond ride up and
deliver a dispatch to one of fathers
aides ] noticed that as he read Il
he looked very anxious. and presentl,
| calling me inside told me that Rich
| n,ond was to be evacuated that night
that he had intended to give me 4
horse and let me join one Of the cay
airy companies from Camden in th'
Seventh Regiment OF Gary's Brigade
but that In the face OF the order o.
evacuation Just received, and the grea
| uncertainties that seemed go imminent
| he would keep me with himself ant
/ assign me to duty as a courier. AND
/ this is how became entitled to b,
called. as I now am. Veteran" Of
the late Confederate Southern Army
Richmond Evacuated.
Somehow the news of what wa,
Impending got abroad-bad news alwayl
! travels fast---and indications were
soon plentiful that a great movement
was at hand, Staff officers and courier,
were dispatched in every direction
with orders concerning the evacuation
OF the lines that night, rations were
cooked, lsnapsacks packed. blankets
rolled and everything made read,
against the time for. moving ION t.
Richmond The day finally ended
but the light from burning shanties thai
had sheltered the men during the rigors
Of winte shed a lurtd glare upon thu
scene. AS l rode down to the picke
| line With an order Tor the ofhcer IT
command several times was greeted
4 from the other side by cries like this
Good bye. Johnny! Well take break,
fast at the spotswood Tomorrow
morning" This was the name of q
reading hotel in Richmond. so the,
have found 1t out. too" I thought t.
myself. We did not move as early a,
we had intended, however. for we
We're Obliged to wait for some of oul
Idistant pickets to come up--we did no
wish to leave them behind to certain
capture. Finally, about 4 o'clock a
NJ. we moved off on the Richmond
road. being joined by the pickets tha
we had waited for. and closely fol
lowed though not pressed or attacked
by the Fedarals
IAll OF sudden there was great