Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-04-09

moving back and forth. Towards the
latter part OF March. tnv l;e he
came SO a;tenuated that. when IN,
.ncn took their places ut the breast
work, they were often ton feet apart.
| Night attacks were now frequent, but
the enemy always met . prompt and
! vigorous resistance. occasionally n
man WAS killed. but generally these
trays were not attended with serious
| results
Sleep with One Eye Open.
We were now compelled to sleep
with one eye open. and had no time
to prepare our toilet before rallyinS
10 tho guns. These night attack
were diversions from which amusc-
men: was often extracted. During
/ all these days the enemy was closely
I scanning our movements from But
ler's Tower and from n balloon in
| front OF us.
/ SUNDAY morning. April .. 1865. the
fcderals made reconnaissance in
/ force. They charged close to our
/ lines. but could not succeed in break
/ ing through the elaborate chev aux
/ de frise we had constructed with
/ much care and labor as an auxiliary
| TO our weak defense. They were re-
pulsed, and left many dead on the
! field
! After they had retired. is some dis
! order, We noticed that one officer re-
manned. Instead OF rctreating, ne
/ deliberately advanced 20 within 900
/ yards OF our hreastworks mounted
| n stump and, raising field glass.
slowly surveyed our line Cannon
were brought to bear upon him and
aluskcts sent their icaden missiles at
him. One shell seemed to explode
upon his shoulder and bullets flew
! thick around him. but no was ap-.
! parently untouched
AZ length. our Captain J. Thompson
Brown called out: Don't shoot him.
! boys. he's too brave for us 10 kin
and the firing ceased. This Federal
officer evidently had duty 10 per,
form and he did it. for. after fully
satisfying himself as to the strength
OF our line, he dismounted from his
rcTilous position and slowly retired.
followed by the cheers of our whole
line. From prisoners captured tina;
morning. II was ascertained that .thi;
brave Federal officer was Major
Campbell, of Pennsylvania battalion
of artillery. y surviving Rebel wound
| Ike to shake him by the hand to-
DAY.
Line Was ImprcGnnblc.
This attack and rcpulse satisfied us
'hat our line was impreEnablc AMI
| gave us much announcement. but to-
/ wards evening the officers spoke
1 mysteriously and there was sn mir
| OF preparation for some movement.
! AS soon as IL became dark orders
were given that many fires should
be lighted throughout the camp. The
guns were taken from their embra-
surcS and silently moScd by hand
several hundred yards out into tn.
woods, where the horses were Mitchell
10 them.
Noistlessly We then moved out to
me Richmond and Petersburg Turn
pike. Here VIC halted and various
conJccturcs were expressed as TO our
destination some predicted that il
wns ohiH change Of base TO the
others thought that Petersburg would
be our destination. All OF us feared
mat the movement meant retreat
We had implicit confidence in ou.
great leader. hut our hearts were
illed with apprehension OF some UNI
known disaster. few moments mus:
determine our fate. To turn to the
right or left would ONLY moan n
chahSe of base To continue across
the turnpike meant retreat and the
abandonment OF Hichaond.
Although many years have rolled
oy, remember the dread and apnre-
tensions OF that hour. some OF IN.
men were very Respondent. while
others spoke hopefully. We stopped
!"r more than an hour after reachiu.
The turnpike and remained IN This
C'hui'ioh OF doubt and apprehension
The command Forward" was Civ
en- We moved up the turnpik. q
short distance. took ths road to Ches-
tcrneld Courthouse and left Richmond
hchind. To turn our backs unpn
nom" and leave our dear ones there
in the power OF the enemy was /,
test Of fortitudr to which we had
meyer been subjected Some of tn.
men faltered and turned back during
the night. but most OF them remain ID
ste"Htast To the close. The incidents
OF our march are still fresh In oiir
memory. but cannot be rccountcd a,
, length. iy day We saw the darI. pail
ofcrhhnSing the doomed city. ana bv
night we marched under the glare OF
burning Richmond
Company * Divided.
At Amelia Courthouse our com
! pany was dividcd--two guns going "a
sailors Creek and two on the main
! me "i retreat We viii follow Il
3 AppomattoN. Saturday norrju.,
April . We parked in am op.n GrId
about three quarters OF mile from
me courthouse. There had been heavy
3 Nfing all around us the night bcfo--
D.. an" carry III the morning, but now a
Spithh stiffness prevailed. Rumors
l OF a surrender were whispered from
I man To man, but few believed i, noe.
t sl"ie. Those who had turned ,hci,
"tc"S upon nome and friends were
e rrerarcd "a fight TO The last cX.
- ircmity.
since We commenced 10 retreat :.
. had been raining almost necessarily
I nut 'hiS morning was bright an,
Pheasant Major Parker sat In hi,
II 'ent-srim silent and stern. An inn.
h PuisiNe private rushed NJ to him AN,
70 hsN'd almost t"arfulIy, Major. is f
Il .iue "" arc going to surrcudcd2 -
nos'' he answered sharply: ana the,
c ~ softer tone. added I'm afraif