Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-03-20
Compsny D, Second Virginia
Was Picketed Near Fort
Harrison All Winter.
ARTlLLERYMEN BEGAN TO
SHELL ONE RAINY NIGHT
Yankees Replied Immediately
and Bombarded Entire Length
of Confederate Line.
py wIllInm l.. rlmbcrluke,

by william L. Tlmbcriokc.
scigc has most demorai.zlng
effect upon an army. This was fully
concentrated during the las, months
Of the fighting around Richmond and
petersburg in the war Between tho
states. 1t WAS noticeable among our
Hoihicrs even on the retreat from
Richmond and Petersburg that the
men were more cheerful after being
FOOT loose from their long. drcary
confinement in the works After tho
suspense was broken there seemed
TO be general feeling of relief and
they were ready for fight.
My company. ~" Second Virginia
Battalion. held a part Of the Rich
inond lines Immediately, in front Of
Fort Harrison, NC were placed In
this position after the fights a. Fort
Harrison and Fort Gilmore, Scptem-
nor 20 and 80. 1861. where we Killed
lot OF negro soldicrs Bushrod
iohnson's brigadc was on our right
next to tho James River. and Fields
division and tho Texas Brigade on
our left. We picketcd cinsc up 20
Fort Harrison nearly all the winter
NJ 6i-'G5, where the ground was low
and wet, in all kinds OF weather,
many night soaking we. and HIN
cry. we were always hungry WAS
ON picket here one evening and our
artilierymcn commenced to shell the
tort with rnor,ars placed under
Hill in our rear.
The Yankees replied immediately
and shcilcd all UP and down our
lines. but receiving no reply from
our light artillery in the works. they
trained their guns on us and sheiicd
US on the picket line. was in the
rifle pi, with 81 man named Shepherd.
and they burst several shells very
close over our pit, and remarked
a 0 Shepherd thai t.thoash 81 would
hnsa safer outside. so taking my gun.
md rraw!cd out and laid down on the
i9q1nnd about ten feet awar
hffhe next shell struck directly in
.ry.e spot tina, had vacated less than
T. minute before, striking Shepherds
gun. breaking IL and covering him
with dirt, but doing him no harm.
II had remained In the pit one min
ute longer would have been cut In
Two. | asked Shepherd II was hurt.
and aftcC he had takeI, the dit out
Of his eyes and mouth, lac saidd NO"
and we laughed over the matter
TIE Yankees gave us very He
rest that winter, as wc were often
drawn out from our works and
rushed TO tho right or left to rcpci
1anking attacks.
Where Gregg wnn Killed
We had "a hard light on the Charles
City Road. and in front OF New
Market, where saw the brave Cen
eral GreGg. Of the Texas Brigade,
lying cold and dead with bullet
Borough his neck. We were drawn
BUT from the lines during February
and sent above Richmond on the
picket on that road the Sunday
evening before the evacuation of
Richmond. We were ordered into
Richmond that night, aud our first
stop was at the provost mnrshars Of
tce, on Broad Street, where we
burned Il lot of government papers.
We then moved down to the Shockoe
Warehouse. on Cary Street. and
burned the warehouse, filled with to-
hocco. said to be about 10000 hogs
heads. We also took about fifteen
barrels OF whisky out OF cclIaN on
Cary street and Knocked the heads
Of tho barrels in and let the whisky
run down tho gutter. remember
helping to get some women out. OF
the Columbian Hotel. opposite tbe
burr warehouse. The Nhotel was
burned, we were kept busy all that
night.
Last to Leave.
The last organized body OF soldiers
to leave Richmond. have often
read contentious as 10 who were tho
last troops to leave Richmond. so
viii take this opportunity 10 mn,
the public right. After nuishinr our
work OF destruction, and the sun
being well up, we foil in on Cary
Street and hurried down to Mavo,s |
bridge. Gary's Brigade of cav:,lrv
had gone over, and Colonel Clement |
Sulivane of General Custis Lees star |
was waiting at the approach to the |
bridge. The materials for burning
the bridge were on hand and distrj- |
buted all across the bridge. We wcro
hurried on tho bridge and tho torch |
was Immediately applied to the piles
Of kindling, tar and turpcmtine.
contend that we were the last troops
to cross Mayo'a Bridge, and if any
crossed after We did they need have
NJ fear OF tho other world. because
they were surely hre-proof
Our first stop was at Chesterfield
court House, when saw some of
my friends Of the surry Light AR.
.illery. We remained here for very
short rest and were off again on a
march such as we had not seen be-
fore In all our experience.
Sunday night before leaving Rich
nond VIC had issued to It's one-third
II pound of bacon. and one pound
" coarse corn meal. This my COM
'ade, Marshall, and myself tried IL
'ook when we were stopped nj Ches-
crheld. We had our bread In tho
Tying pan about half done when