The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-08
TENTH VIRGINIA SHARED
IN HOT CAMPAIGN OF 1868
Captain Grayson Renews Story Of Exploits Of
Famous Old Dominion Regiment
in Lees Army
in Lees Army.


ness for fear that 1t was not perma-
nent. as the weather was pleasant and
favorable for army movements.
A I,udc Surprise.
On November all was seemingly
quiet, and perfect contentment was eS-
pressed In every face at the prospect OF
being comfortably fixed for winter.
when about o'clock in the evening
orders were received to be in readiness
to march at a moments notice, and
at dark we marched off rapidly in the
direction OF Kelly's Ford. and when
within a mile Of that point suddenly
countermarched and came back, pass
ing with good by to our winter huts,
as we had supposed, and after a march
continuing all night. reached Culpeper
Courthouse about daylight. Here we
were In line of battle all day. antlcl-
pating momentarily an attack, ana
threw UP intrenchments. AT twilight
we again resumed the march south
ward, and the weather becoming Bit
ter cold, at about 10 o'clock we waded
the Rapidan River at Raccoon Ford
and marched two miles beyond before
going into camp, with oYr wet cloth
Ing frozen stiff on US. Notwithstand-
Ing this hardship and the regret OF
leaving our comfortable quarters, the
spirit of the men was buoyant and
their humorous side was always dis
heavy body of woods on this dark.
cold night, the men began to cry.
Want to rest" and as one would start,
so numbers Of others would take 1t
! up, making the woods resound with
their noise. Colonel Warren, of our
regiment, being irritated at this, cried
out: Shut up that noise. or I VIII
! break your jaws" Immediately fol-
lowing this for few minutes all was
still as death, when I. N. r., OF our
| company, cried out: II want a spoon"
Another. In inquiry said: What do you
! want with e. spoon?" He said: ~ wan:
| q spoon to eat soup; Colonel Warren
has broken my jaw and then the whole
| column broke out in laughter at the
| colonel's expense.
After this short campaign we re-
/ turned to our old camp near Morton's
! Ford and pitched our tents, suppos-
/ ing that we were permanent for the
! present, but hardly had we become
! settled and made our arrangements to
I be comfortable when orders were sud
! denly received to strike tents and
march to Germania Ford, and after
| getting en- route about half q mile. or
/ ders were counterranded, and VIC re-
/ turned to camp. You can imagine the
| state of temper the soldiers were in
| This was the same camp we had left
| on the sth of October, returning after
/ a long and weary march, in bad and
! cold weather, without accomplishing
/ anything really OF value. The weather
| had become extremely cold and we
| missed very much the comfortable
1 huts we had erected and We're COM
! PEELED to leave for the occupancy OF
/ our enemies.
/ After remaining here a day we re-
! moved to Mount Pisgah Church. and
1 were assigned as the reserved division
4 supposing that the campaign had
closed for the season, but hardly had
| we again become settled in our new
i location when tho next day we re-
ceived orders to go on picket duty at
| Raccoon Ford and remain for five
days. arriving there after night and
4 being posted on picket We re-
\ manned until o'clock the NEXT eve
ming. when, after being relieved. we
1, returned to camp, about a quarter of a
mile in the rear, a heavy rain falling
/ just after dark.
/, "A Night Alarm.
4 About o'clock we were aroused
/ from our quiet slurnber by the sound
of cannon and the rattle of nusketry.
Supposition was that the enemy were
attempting to cross the river. but we
had scarcely fallen in line to march
. when it ceased, and all was quiet
again.
The next day after picket duty we
returned to the camp near Morton's
4 Ford and Were engaged In throwing
UP entertainments, and after compile
ton we again retired about n mile il
the rear, pitched our tents, hoping to
: be permanent. We continued In thi:
> unsettled condition for several days
! both armies seeming to be manoeuv-
ring for advantage and the comnlan.
ders watching the movements of eact
!. other like chess players.
On the 25th OF November we re-
!, ceived standing orders to keep twt
: days rations In our haversacks and b.
/ in readiness to move at a moment:
:, notice, The following day at tel
;, O'Clock orders came to march at once
and after getting en- route about hal
! mile from camp countermarched ant
. returned again just after dark e
!. move out to the fortilcations which
were on the bluf along the river. Thu
next day. the 27th of November. WI
: moved down the river in the direction
: of Germania Ford. Our brigade wa:
!. assigned to the advance guard of oul
) division and our company the advances
guard of our brigade. We were sepa
rated some several miles from thu
main body OF the army. which wa:
camped farther down the river toward
9 Ely's Ford, near the mouth of the Rap
: pahaunocll River and while we wer
: en- route to join the main army, which
= was marching towards US that W
. might unto at a point. The enemy y
:, the meantime crossed the river at a.
!. intermediate point between us whic
: seemed to have not been made know
!, by our scouts
: VIC were not aware that we wer
a in five or ten miles Of the enemy, an
q were marching quietly along withol
d a gun being loaded and so serenely sat
I ished ol-aa, immediate attack that on
q band was marching In front of II
! General Steuart, our brigade comman
Q |der, was also riding in front In a vor
q nonchalant kind of way, when com
i ing to a crossing in the road he ae
!. jcosted some cavalrymen, who, wearin
" blue Yankeo oyercoats, as many OF on
i scouts did, ho supposed We're our oW
ii men, ana while looking north down
q road leading into dense wood, he sa'
IL some soldiers and said to these cay
:. ~. la 9. Gt1n