The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-05-31

fray, then to the front at Fairfa,
Courthouse ana back TO Bull Run ant
then the f1ret battle Of Manassas,
In the spring OF SO we left Center
Vile. where We had wtntered ant
marched to Richmond and thence t.
the Peninsula TO escort Mcclellan u,
TO the gates OF Richmond.
Our uniforms were soiled and mud
dy. we'll worn and torn. and SONS
or the bandbox soldiers, as we called
them. who had never heard tn,
mournful melody of bullets. said. I'VE
were q hard looking set" but all said
THE true mettle was there.
Then followed the battle Of Sever
Pines and the Seven Days battle:
around Richmond.
Personal Incidents.
You will have to pardon my per.
sonal illusions, since they are neces-
sary to the understanding of the In.
cidents wish to relate.
Al the reorganization of the arm,
in April, 1862, at Orange Courthouse
! | did not re-enlist, because my health
had been seriously impaired by mea'
sizes, for we had volunteered for only
one year. Nevertheless, stuck te
my command, followed it and fought
with 1t in the ranks, when able. with.
out pay and furnishing my own ra-
tons.
| did not re-enlist until just before
the second battle Of Manassas. when
was appointed sergeant-maior OF
the regiment, and soon after was re-
elected as lieutenant in my old COM
pans. and afterwards promoted to ad-
jutant of he regiment
mad an order from Adjutant-Gen-
eral Cooper relieving me from duty,
so that in the mean time. | went back
and forth home and to the army as
my health admitted. / devoted my
time chiefly to looking after the sick
and wounded of my command Now
make me appear disloyal, but the
Southern Confederacy had no more
loyal subject.
Comrades In Distress.
You know where Cbimberazo park
is On that hill was located one OF
the largest hospitals Soon after the
battle of Seven Pines, four of our
best men In uy-e!a con, paap-wers
stricken with fever, and sent to that
hospital. They all wished to so home
and felt they would be better off there
So | determined to crafty their
wishes What was to be done mus.
be done quickly. The process of get
ing burroughs was too doubtful and
tedious So I gave them my plans
and instructions. / had an ld-fash-
Toned omnibus located at the foot OF
the hill. And then l passed through
the wards. and according to instruc-
tons, they followed me at some dis
lance apart. They were conveyed to
the depot, reached home safely, soon
recovered and reported for duty
One, Horace Foster. WAS killed In
the charge at Gettysburg; another
Dihrell Crenshaw, was killed in the
last battle at Sailors creek: another
-. w. Ferguson, was badly wounded
at Five Forks; I know not what came
of the fourth.
The Seven Days Battles.
When the Seven Days battles com.
menced / was on my way to Rich
mond from Nottoway county, when ]
had gone to take that noble Christian
gentleman and gallant Soldier, Cap.
tain Richard 1rby. who had a severe
attack of fever. / met our wounded
men who were being brought back
from Gaines Mil, where the Eign.
teenth Virginia regiment suffered sc
severely and helped those who could
be moved get home. All the staff
officers were wounded. Gallant Colo.
mel r. Z. Withers had FIVE wounds.
| j then rejoined the command or
e
IA battery there and never stopped til
we had 1t safe in our rear
! / was wounded before firing a CUR
and my sch oolmate and companion
John ii. Gill. who was chief of the
/ litter bearers to the regiment, insist
ed that go to the rear, but re.
fused. In short while thereafter !
came upon my friend dead with q
bullet through his body. stopped
Fl. r. 3e iSss
pocketbook for his family. His ole
father had been my guardian. He
had only two grown sons. He gave
them as sacrifice to his country
Johns body rests somewhere in Hol-
ilywood. Crichton fell in the charge
on the Heights of Gettysburg and no.
body knows what became of the body
Next after the battle of Fraser's
farm, ] was sent hack to the camp
at Richmond. ! heard the fighting
going on at Malvern Hill and wanted
to be at the capture of Mcclellan
which ought to have been.
SO ] got in the army wagon with
supplies and returned to the com.
mand. The surgeons kindly gave me
place In the ambulance. We crossed
IN the army wagon that terrible field
OF carnage on the Crewe farm, GOV.
cred with tho dead, where SO many
Of our gallant men fell.
After Mcclellan made good his re.
treat and took refuge under his gun
boats at flarrison's Landing, we were
ordered back TO our camp. located
east of Richmond. just south of The
York River railroad, and now q part
| of this great city.
Oakwood Cemetery.
Here | encountered one of the most