USA > Virginia > King and Queen County > King and Queen County > King and Queen County, Virginia (history printed in 1908) > Part 16
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Just at this juncture Burnett, whose family lived near my home, turned to me and with tremulous voice asked, " What in God's name must I do, you know how help- less my wife and children are; what will become of them if I continue with our army; they will be in the enemy's lines and I will never see them again; I cannot desert, but for God's sake tell me what to do?" I knew of the wife and several small children, for whose comfort and protection the Relief Committee of our county had to provide when necessary, and I could see the tumult of his soul, struggling to decide which in this tremendous crisis was the path of duty,-to follow our army or
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return to the wife and children, who would need his protection as never before. The enemy were pressing rapidly on us, the mob filled the streets and obstructed our passage to the bridge, while the flames on either side were nearly if not actually lapping over our heads. There was no time for hesitation or reflection. I an- swered Burnett, " I cannot advise you, as I have no wife or children as you have. My duty is plain; I shall follow General Lee, while he leads, or until I fall. You must decide this matter." A moment later, as our column moved slowly through the mob, Burnett, turning his horse to the right, said, " I have done the best I could, but I cannot forsake my family; good-by," and waving us farewell, rode off and proceeded home, where I frequently met him on my return from Appo- mattox. He was a good soldier, nor could we ever reproach him. When it was "all over," in referring to it he said he felt that he only did his duty.
As our column moved slowly through the mob, using sabers to clear the way, this mass of every age, sex, and color, wild with excitement, and many laden with plunder, would block our way at every turn. The streets and sidewalks were filled with boxes, barrels, timbers, and goods of every kind and description. As barrels, boxes, etc., were rolled from the stores, the mob would burst them open and scramble wildly for the contents, apparently regardless of whether they be- came victims of the flames, were trampled beneath our horses' feet, or fell under the blows of our sabers, in their wild greed for loot.
In one of the warehouses they found a quantity of whisky stored, and as the barrels were rolled into the street they were met by those outside, promptly burst open with clubs, the contents literally filling the gutters as from a shower of rain. Numbers of them grabbed up tubs and buckets, dipped to the brim the fiery liquid, which the more generous of them freely dispensed to our men with the tin cans, cups, etc., lying around. This served as the only breakfast we had; it was better than none, and in keeping with the surroundings.
As W. H. Farinholt, of Company C (who was at
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the time acting as courier for General Ewell), was riding down Main Street hurrying towards the bridge he happened to see a man coming out of Mitchell & Tyler's jewelry store, with his hands full of watches and jewelry. Ordering him to stop and return his plunder, which the fellow showed no disposition to do, as he started off with it, Farinholt, not wishing to kill him, rode up on the sidewalk, and standing in his stirrups, dealt him a fearful blow on the head with his heavy army revolver, which sent him stunned and sprawling to the pavement, the jewelry falling and scattering around him. Farinholt jumped from his horse, quickly gath- ered up the jewelry, and opening the door dropped it in a heap on the floor, where he had to leave it, and hur- ried to the bridge, which he reached and crossed while it was in flames. This is only one of the almost numberless incidents of the kind which might be men- tioned.
After the head of our column had reached and were crossing the bridge, Yarbrough and myself saw that from our position in the rear, as the mob passed in our front and the enemy pressed upon us behind, we were in imminent danger of being cut off from the bridge by the flames and the mob combined, and falling into the enemy's hands. We were expecting to see the bridge burst in flames every moment, which would seal our fate; nor were we mistaken. As our only hope to reach it in time, we determined to risk a short cut to the bridge out and off the main body of the mob; accord- ingly we turned towards the basin, and soon found our way blocked at a slip. The only way to cross the span of about twenty feet was over a plank walk about two feet wide. It was perilous, but it was too late to re- trace our steps, and I determined to risk it. My horse rebelled at first, but spurring him forward I forced him on the narrow walk, which he cleared with a plunge. Yarbrough followed and we both dashed to the bridge and rushed over it as the flames were bursting from it.
Our regiment had halted on the Manchester side with the brigade, and while the bridge was burning we quietly gazed on the devoted city, which seemed doomed
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to destruction, the furious flames leaping from side to side as at every moment they burst out afresh. The mob was in undisputed possession now, unless checked by the enemy as they moved in, which, to their credit, I believe they did as promptly as possible, and which alone probably saved the city from total destruction.
In the river below the bridge several vessels and some small boats, along with the two ironclad gunboats which had only recently been completed, and from which we had hoped for great things, were moored about mid- stream with smoke rising from them, which told us that they too were to share in the conflagration. As we watched the smoke slowly rising from them, sud- denly we felt the earth quiver and quake simultaneously with a deafening roar, as a column of water, fire, smoke, and debris shot skyward. As the magazines exploded the destruction of the gunboats was complete, while with the roaring flames, leaping higher and higher in their mad fury as they swept onward in their wild, un- checked career, was mingled the deafening thunder of the exploding magazines in the city.
Stunned and bewildered at the sickening sight, we felt at the moment as though the end of the world had come, while the river itself seemed to furnish fuel to the flames. The bridge, the city, the river, enveloped in fire and smoke, while at intervals the shouts of the wild-surging and now unrestrained mob reached our ears, presented a scene, and awakened emotions, which live in memory but which language is powerless to de- scribe.
None who witnessed will ever forget or fitly describe it, while it will remain vividly engraved on memory's tablet. Beloved Richmond was lost, but would not the God of battles spare it and its heroic people from de- struction ? How our hearts sank within us! For four years the hostile hosts had surged around its environ- ments, only to be hurled back in confusion and dismay by the heroic band who said, " Hitherto shalt thou come but no farther."
The flower of the world's chivalry had poured out their life-blood as a willing libation upon your altars,
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when your hilltops were a sheet of defiant flame and your valleys turned to rivulets of blood.
Our hearts, our hopes, our prayers, our tears, Our faith triumphant o'er our fears,- Were all with thee, were all with thee!
We love best that for which we have sacrificed most; and so we loved Richmond more than all the cities of our Southland. For four years it had been the coveted prize of our foes, and the storm-center of the contending hosts. Our fathers and elder brothers rushed to her rescue, and as through these years of sorrow and blood they had fallen as fall only the brave, their younger sons and brothers had taken their places in the cause rendered doubly dear to them, and with deathless de- termination to continue to the last extremity.
For Freedom's battle, once begun, Bequeath'd from bleeding sire to son.
More blood, I believe, had been shed in defense of this capital city of the Confederacy than in all the wars previously waged on this American continent since its discovery by Columbus. Every battle fought by the Army of Northern Virginia, from Manassas in 1861, including Sharpsburg and bloody Gettysburg, to the fall of the city on April 3, 1865, had been in its defense. General Lee had said that "Richmond was never so safe as when her defenders were farthest away." Our children can never fully appreciate our love for Rich- mond, sealed as it was with so much priceless blood. Her hearts, her homes, her arms were ever open to us, feeding us when famished, cheering us when homesick and weary, opening her homes to receive while her matrons and maidens became ministering angels to our wounded and dying. May the bonds of sympathy which so tenderly bound together her heroic people and her defenders be transmitted and cherished as a sacred heritage to their children.
When the destruction of the bridge was accom-
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plished, with emotions awakened by such memories well- ing up in our bosoms we turned our backs upon Rich- mond and left it to its doom.
It was all so sudden we could scarcely realize that Richmond had fallen, and as the men discussed the situation and the prospect before us, we took consola- tion in the hope that as the enemy would now necessarily be drawn into the interior and away from his fleet and base of supplies, in some way, through the matchless genius of Lee, we would eventually triumph over our foes, and the Army of Northern Virginia would yet return victorious and redeem our capital city; when Virginia would ever be the brightest star in the constel- lation of the Confederacy and Richmond the richest jewel in her crown.
THE MARCH
Knowing that the destruction of the bridge would prevent any rapid pursuit of the enemy, about ten o'clock on Monday morning, April 3, 1865, we pro- ceeded on the march to join the main body of the army, which had moved up from Petersburg the previous day. Passing through a part of Chesterfield county we camped about midnight, weary and hungry, in Powhatan county. None of us (except perhaps the few who happened to have a few crusts of bread in their haversacks when we hastily left Camp Gary the previous Sunday even- ing) had tasted food for thirty-six hours. We camped in a pine wood, kindled fires, and hastened to search for water to mix what little flour or corn meal we may have been fortunate enough to have in our haversacks when we left camp.
After a long search in the darkness, we found a little muddy water in a small ditch. We mixed the last morsel of meal we had in a small frying pan, which I had been fortunate enough to take with me, but which I did not take the precaution to wash first, owing to the scarcity of water. Holding the pan over the fire long enough to parch a few half-cooked cakes of bread, we divided among our mess and proceeded hastily to devour. Imagine our horror when we found that in
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the darkness and our haste we had mixed about equal quantities of meal and horsehair (the result of failing to wash the pan, which had been hanging from my saddle since the previous day, our horses shedding their hair at the time).
Half-starved and desperate, we taxed our ingenuity to eat that bread, while the hair stuck in our teeth and throats, but our stomachs rebelled and refused to re- ceive it. Disgusted, desperate, and anything but ami- able, we cast away our last morsel and dropped on the ground to relieve in sleep the few remaining hours of the night. The language used by some in expressing their opinions of the " cause and effect " of that supper was not such as they had been taught at Sunday school.
Early in the morning of Tuesday, April 4th, we saddled up and proceeded on our march. Harkerson's Battery, which was attached to our brigade, had, before leaving its camp in the woods, thrown out a lot of shells to lighten the caissons, which the half-starved horses could scarcely pull through the mud even when empty. This battery moved on in front of our regi- ment and soon got stuck in the mud as usual. As many men as could be of assistance dismounted, and helped to pull the guns out of the mud, while our company, in the rear of the regiment at the time, waited impatiently for the guns to be extricated. Our venerable old Cap- tain Allen in his impatience dismounted, and leaving his horse in the road, where we were grouped in rather careless fashion, started to walk forward to the guns in the mire.
He had proceeded but a short distance when sud- denly from the woods about a quarter of a mile in our rear, which we had left a half-hour before, came the " bang, bang, bang " of bursting shells. Thinking at the moment that the enemy had come upon us and opened their guns on us, every man of us instinctively spurred his horse forward, almost riding over Capt. Allen, who stopped in the road and ordered a halt, his own horse, though riderless, following us until coming up to his rider. I shall never forget with what disgust and indignation Capt. Allen rebuked us for our thought-
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lessness and disorder, as he asked us if it were possible that we could rush off with his horse following us, and leave him to his fate in the road.
Of course such a thought never entered the minds of any of us. We were simply acting from thoughtless momentary impulse, as we expected every moment the enemy's well directed shells to be tearing through our column. It was a false alarm, however: the woods had taken fire at the spot where our battery had thrown out the shells, which exploded as the fire reached them. But even in our humiliation we could not help chuckling at the ludicrous and embarrassing position of Capt. Allen, as supreme disgust usurped the place of his pro- verbial amiability. For a few moments it came very near causing a temporary stampede, as the most trivial things sometimes do under exciting circumstances.
This horse of his had made a remarkable record. His first rider had fallen dead from his saddle at Sharpsburg, the horse escaping unhurt and keeping his place in column after the fall of his gallant young mas- ter. Capt. Allen, becoming his owner, had himself been subsequently unhorsed and captured in a charge on the enemy, while the horse wheeled and escaped, and was kept ready for his rider when he was exchanged. Again, three days after this incident, if I remember cor- rectly, one of our officers had lost his horse in an en- gagement and in some way at the moment borrowed and mounted this horse, when he fell from his saddle severely wounded, the horse coming out of the fight un- scathed as usual, and bearing Capt. Allen safely through to Appomattox, and thence home. It seemed certain, therefore, that if his rider could keep in his saddle on this horse he was safe from capture, at least, though not from death.
Proceeding on our way as fast as we could keep the battery moving, which was continually stuck in the mud up to the hubs, we reached the Appomattox River about dark.
Shortly before reaching the river a detail of eighteen men, myself among them, in charge of a sergeant from another company, were ordered to remain behind and
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follow about a mile in rear of the column and arrest any of the men whom we met returning to their homes before crossing the river, as many were inclined to do from sheer hopelessness and hunger. Luther Broaddus and myself from our company were together, and soon noticed that the others were disposed to widen the breach between our detachment and our main column. Finally we urged the sergeant to move forward and keep nearer our column; then, halting, he informed us they had determined to return home, and if we were not disposed to join them we could report their move- ments after crossing the river. We were under his orders, and could but obey; we were powerless to do otherwise. Waving us their adieus and best wishes the sergeant and fifteen went homeward, but Luther Broaddus and myself returned hastily and reported the situation as our column halted at the bridge.
I then learned for the first time how the gnawing pangs of hunger would cause the bravest men to be- come hopeless and desperate. Crossing the river into Amelia County after nightfall, we soon joined the main army of General Lee and camped for the remainder of the night. Our horses had had no food since Sunday evening-forty-eight hours-and we knew could not hold out without food much longer. Therefore, before lying down to rest many of us went out in the dark- ness foraging, and soon found a barn well filled with corn and fodder. Against the threats and protest of the owner, who refused to open the doors, we pried off the weather boarding and loaded all we could carry across our saddles, returned to camp, and gave our starving horses all they could devour.
That forage was opportune, sustaining them through the succeeding five days, during which time neither horses nor men ever had half a feed. Our mess had exhausted our scant rations the previous night in the woeful experiment with the horsehair mixture, and had to rely upon sleep alone to relieve our hunger. Before lying down we noticed rockets shooting high into the air in quick succession, apparently a few miles ahead. We were unused to fireworks of that description, and
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could but be attracted by the beauty of the display; but we felt that they were more ominous than beautiful, because we knew it was the enemy's signal in our front, a foreboding which only awaited the morrow to con- firm.
For two days we had not come in contact with the enemy, who did not pursue us on the march from Richmond, but we well knew from the direction of the rockets that the coming morn would open with bloody work for us, as he blocked the way.
About sunrise on Wednesday morning, April 5th, we were in the saddle and ready to move. As we formed into column we noticed a line of smoke rising about a mile to our left. The enemy's cavalry had swooped down, captured and fired our wagon train. General Gary, with his proverbial dash and celerity, led the bri- gade straight for them at a gallop. In about ten min- utes we were upon and in the midst of them. Our prompt and sudden arrival was a surprise, certainly, to many of them who had dismounted and were pillaging and setting fire to the wagons. As they hustled out many fell in the road before our pistol fire at close range, or were captured, the others retiring hastily to their main body, which had formed in a body of woods on a hill about a half-mile distant. We pursued, following the road, and were met with a galling fire from the woods as we ascended the hill. After reaching the level the other regiments of our brigade dismounted, formed hastily, advanced through the woods and in a few minutes met the full force and fire of the enemy. Our regiment remained mounted and exposed to the fire of a part of the enemy's line, which we were unable to return effectively, while they were concealed in the woods. For about half an hour the fire was hot and furious, both sides tenaciously holding their respective positions.
The enemy's fire developed their largely superior force. We ascertained from the prisoners that our small brigade was engaging Gregg's Division of cavalry. As they gradually discovered our position, mounted in the road, which we had concealed as much as possible
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by leaning low on our horses and not returning their fire, they poured volleys more and more upon us.
At this juncture our regiment withdrew and, forming under the hill, broke down a fence on the roadside and charged across the open field with a yell, striking them on their flank, while simultaneously our line on foot charged them in full front in the woods.
We forced them from their position, and followed them closely as they suddenly withdrew, leaving many of their dead where they fell in the woods. Retiring about half a mile they formed again, and again our line advanced on foot, repeating the first attack with the same result. This continued through the day, the enemy forming at every half-mile or mile, stubbornly resisting our advance at every turn and yielding his position only when we forced him to close quarters. Thus we fought our way mile after mile until evening, when our men were becoming exhausted from fatigue and hunger, and our cartridge boxes were getting empty.
Without reinforcements our position was becoming dangerous, if the enemy should summon his courage, re- verse conditions, and press us back. But late in the evening, when our ammunition was about exhausted as well as ourselves, a part of Fitzhugh Lee's Division came to our assistance. As our line, worn out with fatigue and hunger from the incessant fighting since early morning, dropped back about a quarter of a mile to replenish our exhausted cartridge boxes, our friends, whose arrival was so timely, took our place and pre- pared to continue the advance on the enemy. The changing of positions occupied about half an hour, dur- ing which time the firing ceased.
The enemy, instead of advancing on us, quickly took advantage of the situation and withdrew from our front about a mile, where our advance column soon discovered them occupying a strong position on a range of hills across from Amelia Springs, and apparently placing a battery of artillery in position. As our dismounted skirmish line advanced, led by the gallant Capt. W. C. Nunn of the King and Queen troop, Fifth Virginia Cavalry, it was met with a withering fire, and one of
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our officers fell from his horse dead. His lifeless body was quickly placed across his saddle and borne to the rear; as it passed us we were told, if I remember cor- rectly, that it was Capt. Cunningham (I do not remem- ber his regiment). About this time General Rosser rode up, and pressing to the front in full view of the enemy, joined a group of officers who seemed to be scanning the formidable force and position on the hills opposite.
At this juncture the gallant General James Dearing came up at the head of his "Laurel Brigade " of Rosser's Division, pressed to the front, and if I remem- ber correctly, exchanged a few words with his chief, who seemed to us to point him to the enemy on the hills. Quick as a flash Dearing ordered his front col- umn to form, and, ringing out the " charges," dashed forward, himself leading, as he always did when the foe was in front. A cavalry charge on such a position seemed desperate, but nothing daunted Dearing, and it would be a craven indeed who would not follow when he led. Dashing with a yell up the road and through a narrow cut where it pierces a hill, and swinging out on the summit, his column swept upon their flank and into their midst. The enemy broke in confusion with but slight resistance, so sudden and unexpected was the shock. In their confusion they suffered heavily as they were shot and cut down at close quarters by Dearing's men. This charge was superb and characteristic of Dearing, who was always superb. We had heard much of his splendid genius and dash, but it was the first time I had ever seen him in action, nor will I ever forget the inspiration with which we were thrilled.
Following up this charge our regiment was ordered forward to press the enemy. As we were hurrying along the narrow cut in the road between the hills we found it strewn with the enemy's dead and wounded. I shall never forget the appearance of one poor young fellow lying in the narrowest part of the road, who seemed to have literally caught a shower of bullets and was unable to move any part of his body. Pale, help- less, and apparently too weak to speak, his appealing
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look pleaded with us louder than words could do, not to ride over him. Instantly two of our men leaped from their saddles and tried to move him from the narrow cut to the roadside, but found both his arms and legs so broken and shattered that it was cruel to take hold of them; two more quickly went to their assistance, and jerking a blanket from one of their saddles, placed their hands under his body and slipped the blanket under him as gently as possible; then taking it by the corners the four men bore him down the hill to the roadside, where they tenderly laid him, while one of them sought a surgeon. I do not think he spoke a word, as he was doubtless too weak from loss of blood, but his pale, pleading face and appealing look was enough to stop, by common consent and without orders for the time, our pursuit of the enemy, until he could be borne to the roadside and cared for. We knew that every moment lost at such a crisis was fatal to our successful pursuit, and would give the enemy time to rally and re-form their shattered lines under cover of the neighboring woods which the delay enabled them to reach, but the enemy had better escape than brave men ride over and crush out the lingering sparks of life in a mangled and helpless foe. After removing the wounded from the narrow cut, we proceeded until checked by the enemy's fire from the woods in which they had formed, when nightfall brought an end to the hard and bloody day's work. I have never known whether or not this poor fellow's tide of life ebbed quickly out, as I imagine it did, but his memory recalls this and numerous other similar incidents on both sides. I have thought that England's poet must have caught a prophetic vision of this great struggle between American soldiers when he wrote :
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