USA > Virginia > Under the stars and bars ; a history of the Surry Light Artillery > Part 16
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'Tis well that War's hot bolts soon speed- That Mercy's hand its wrath will screen, And haste to hide the hearts that bleed Beneath the olive branch of green.
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THE SHADOW ON THE WALL.
"Coming events cast their shadows before them."
The following account of his experiences with a por- tion of the wagon trains, on the retrograde from Rich- mond, written by our comrade, Sergeant S. M. Wil- liams, presents a graphic picture of things that occurred on a different road from that over which the artillery passed. It is interesting as showing that, while the supply trains are an essential part of the service, yet an army may be greatly encumbered and hindred by its own baggage.
But these reminiscences reveal another, and very significant phase, for which I was not prepared at so early a stage in our post-bellum history. They show how the hand of the freebooter and petty pilferer, the low sneak and cowardly robber, had already begun that despicable trade that became so common and wide- spread over the South during the first decade just after the close of the war. These detestable hangers-on and camp-followers must have been pretty numerous in the Northern armies. Here, not three days after the close of hostility, we find the type and forerunners of that large class of sharks, robbers, thieves, oppressors and insulters that grew into such an army of despoilers and
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vampires during the next ten years. They were the avant couriers of the carpetbagger and his allies, that figured so largely in politics a few years later.
But, in fact, there is good reason to believe that these thugs and thieves had been constant attendants of the Federal armies everywhere, from the first outbreak of the war. They attended the armies in order to rob and pillage the people along the line of march. And while the torch of the invader was busy, the hand of these thugs was busier still.
Between the torch of the invader and the robberies of that caravan of carrion crows that swooped down on the South during the days of military misrule and political oppression, is it any wonder that our people became impoverished almost beyond the hope of re- covery ? Indeed the wonder is that anything was left upon which to build anew the material prosperity of the land.
The robbers that were following Grant's army at first soon became bold enough to spread out over the country in small gangs, to seize upon whatever of value that they could find.
And so these reminiscences of Sergeant Williams re- veal "the shadow on the wall," the hand of the despoilers of the South, that has been so vividly delineated by the masterly pen of Thomas Dixon and others. It is out of our province to go further in this painful story. It was only that my readers should not fail to notice this significant point in this paper of my comrade, that I have said this much about it.
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REMINISCENCES
Of S. M. Williams, Quartermaster-Sergeant of the Surry Light Artillery, on the march from Richmond to Appomattox, . April, 1865.
Breaking camp on the Nine-mile road, below Rich- mond, April 3d, 1865, we started for Amelia Court House. Passing over a part of Powhatan county with- out interruption by any hostilities, we had no sooner crossed the Appomattox into Amelia, than a general stampede to the rear began, it being reported that the enemy was in our front. Soon the march was resumed when, suddenly, sharp fighting began on our left but a little way off. The firing did not continue long, but on resuming our march, and coming to another road, we found the way filled with army wagons as far as we could see. Not desiring to wait for the whole train to pass us before we joined in the line, I instructed the drivers to keep close together and lay on whip and force their way into the line, regardless of consequences. This they did, and we succeeded in getting in, leaving the man that we had headed off very furious and utter- ing a lot of things that I am sure he never learned from his Sunday-school lessons.
Continuing, our march led us by the way of Farm- ville, near which place we camped for the night. Next morning Major Gary gave me some bacon for the Company, and told me that General Gary could tell
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me where to find the Company. But on applying to General Gary for the information, he was not able to give it.
By the time I had returned to the wagons, a battle began near us, and we got the wagon train off as quickly as possible. On the evening before the surrender, we stopped for a rest. But soon Major Maulding in- structed the drivers to hitch the team with as little noise as possible, and told me that we were surrounded, but we would make our escape if we could.
We moved off a little way, and then turned about and went about the same distance in another disrection. And so we continued, turning and going all night. But, behold! at sunrise we had not even gotten into the proper road. We had been going in a circle all night.
This was Sunday morning, April 9th, and in a short time we were informed that General Lee had capitu- lated. We remained at the same place until Wednesday morning, when we got our paroles, signed by Dr. J. B. Coakley, and started for home. On our way to Farm- ville, we noticed three men following us, and soon they passed us and were out of sight. But in a short time we again saw them coming up from the rear, as before. By this we were convinced that they meant no good. Soon they passed by once more.
In Farmville, while conversing with a Union soldier, another came up and made some derogatory remarks about us. But the first man told him that we were paroled prisoners, and no one but a scoundrel would
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attempt to insult us. The other then moved off, and our friend remarked that there were many such fellows in the army, but they were of no account, and only a dis- grace to it.
At Burkeville I went to the Provost Marshal to get rations for my squad. I found him in a wrangle with a citizen, and waited awhile for him to cool off. On approaching him, he at once gave me an order for the rations, and informed me where to find the Commissary.
While at the provision department, the officer in charge came up and began to converse with me. At last he inquired, "Where will you camp to-night ?" I told him I did not know, but we wished to get as far toward home as we could. He said that was right, but when we stopped, to go well away from the road, so that our fire would not be seen by any one travelling the road. And added that there were robbers following the army, and if they found us, we would be robbed, and perhaps killed.
We travelled late and then went in camp for the night, and rested without interruption until morning. The next day, in the afternoon, we reached our homes, thus ending our military career.
S. M. WILLIAMS.
I do not recall the names of all the men of our Com- pany that were with me. Thomas H. Tynes and R. M. J. Collier were the drivers. And I think George W. Moody and William J. Presson were two. John Un- derwood came to us on the morning of the surrender.
S. M. W.
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EXPERIENCES
Of Dr. Joseph N. Jones, of Surry, while a prisoner of war.
The following notes, written by Dr. Joseph N. Jones, of Surry county, relating his arrest in Isle of Wight county, and his imprisonment, first at Bermuda Hun- dred, and subsequently at Fortress Monroe and Point Lookout, having come into my hands, and believing that Doctor Jones would sanction their publication, were he living, I have inserted them here.
Doctor Jones was well known to many of the citizens of Surry and Isle of Wight, as a gentleman after the highest type of the old regime, and these notes, while written with no view, perhaps, to subsequent publica- tion, were doubtless intended for preservation. They were inscribed upon the blank leaves of a Bible, as if he designed them to escape oblivion. Presenting, as they do, a vivid picture of the boorish insolence of many among the subalterns in the Federal service, and as showing something of the petty tyrannies that Southern prisoners had to endure, the paper forms an interesting chapter in the history of the prison service of the war.
As the men of the S. L. A. had a considerable ac- quaintance with Butler's command, while he reigned at Bermuda, this account of the treatment that Doctor Jones received at his headquarters will be doubly in- teresting to them :
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"On the 17th of August, 1864, about daybreak, I was arrested at the residence of Mr. John M. Cawson, in Isle of Wight county, together with himself and his . son, John, by a squad of Yankees from a gunboat com- manded by a Captain Fitch. At the same time, they captured some Confederate scouts stationed in the neighborhood, Nat. Gammel, James Curry and George Davis. The latter they wounded in the leg, and he sub- sequently died of his wound.
We were taken to the headquarters of General B. F. Butler, near Bermuda Hundred, where I remained until the first of October, in the hands of Lieutenant H. H. Davenport, Provost Marshal. Whilst there I was obliged to live in a most filthy condition, had no change of clothing-and, worse than all, was subject to many indignities from that comtemptible tool of General Butler, the said Davenport. He took the
greatest delight in the abuse of prisoners under his charge, a sure characteristic of the poltroon, too cow- ardly to face a chivalrous foe in honorable combat. He was a good specimen of the New England pseudo puri- tan, a comtemptible, mean, cowardly, petty tyrant. Neither was youth or age a protection against the malevolence of this dastard wretch.
From Bermuda Hundred I was transferred to Camp Hamilton, a Yankee Bastile near Fortress Monroe- with other Confederates, among Yankee animals and negroes-the latter much the more decent.
Here I was treated kindly by the officer in command, and particularly by Captain Blake, of Pennsylvania,
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Captain of the Guard. On the 15th of October I was transferred to the military prison at Point Lookout. Dr. John Thompson, Post Surgeon, gave me, on the day of my arrival, the position of surgeon in the prison hospital, Ward No. 8, which I held during the re- mainder of my imprisonment. Here I was treated with kindness and respect, both by Federals and Con- federates, the latter numbering, at one time, more than twenty thousand men. I hope I was of some little service in relieving the sufferings of my fellow-pris- oners. About eight thousand of them died at this prison during the war.
The officers of this prison were generally kind to the prisoners, but they were treated badly by the negro guard placed over them. Several prisoners were shot by them, some killed, without the slightest provocation. And, so far as I know, none of them were ever pun- ished for it.
Major Brady, Provost Marshal, was regarded as good-natured. He was kind in his manner to the pris- oners. Captain Barnes, his assistant, was kind and courteous. Doctor Thompson had all the instinets of a gentleman, was polite to all, but was as cold and frigid as the bleak hills of his New England home.
The most pleasant episode in my prison life was, when looking about for a friend to assist me, after my arrival at Point Lookout, I received very unexpectedly a most kind note from a lady I had never seen or heard of, Miss Lou F. Whiting, of Hampton, Va., prof-
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fering assistance, commencing a correspondence which continued for some time. Her letters solaced me very much.
On the 2d of June, 1865, I was released from prison, and on the evening of the 3d arrived at the home of my old friend, George H. Crump, near Chuckatuck. I was accompanied by Dr. Samuel Wilson, of Surry.
J. N. JONES.
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REPORT
Of Pembrook D. Gwaltney, a member of the Surry Light Ar- tillery, detailed as Master Armorer, for the 2d Corps, Army of Northern Virginia.
"I joined the S. L. A. sometime in July, 1862, before the Sharpsburg fight. After that I was detailed, by order of Colonel Baldwin, Chief of Ordnance, Army of Northern Virginia, and ordered to Winchester, Va., to establish a repair shop there. When I reached Win- chester, I found that our army had re-crossed the Po- tomac, and that the Federal army was marching towards Winchester, and I remained there only two or three weeks.
"I was then ordered to Staunton, and established a shop there for the repair of arms, and remained there two or three months. Was then ordered to Hanover Junction, under the command of Colonel William Allen, Chief of Ordnance of the 2d Corps, and established a shop at Hanover Junction, which did repairs for the army lying around Fredericksburg. From that place I was transferred to Guinea Station, and was there when the battle of Chancellorsville was fought. I re- mained at Guinea Station until the 2d Corps was moved, and I continued with the Second Corps, under Colonel William Allen, until the battle of Waynesboro,
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when General Early's army was dispersed or captured. I then made my way to Richmond, and rejoined the S. L. A., and started with it to Appomattox. After- wards, when Colonel Lightfoot refused to surrender, I was captured and sent to Newport News. Was released on July 2d, 1865, and reached my home July 4th, not having seen any member of my family for more than two. and a half years.
"P. D. GWALTNEY."
Smithfield, Va.
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OUR DEAD.
The following. is a list of our comrades who died during the progress of the war, either of sickness or of wounds received in battle:
Whitfield Goodrich, of pneumonia, at Camp Pem- berton, March 10, 1862. Thomas J. Rowell, of con- gestive chill, at Benn's church, May, 1862. Josiah Bell, Ira O. Crenshaw, Edward L. Collier, Robert A. Col- lier, John W. Edwards, Anson Goodrich, at hospital in Petersburg, June-July, 1862. Richard Moring, in Camp near Walthall Junction, July, 1862. John W. Presson, at home, in 1863. Samuel A. Moody, at home, 1863. J. Thomas Brown, of small-pox, at hospital in Richmond, in 1864. Josiah Gwaltney, July, 1864. Zachariah Holland, June, 1864. James Pond, July, 1864. Edward W. Wright, July, 1864. John A. Deal, killed at Upperville, 1863. Total, 17.
The following members have died since the close of the war:
Archibald R. Atkins, at his home, in Isle of Wight, in 1897. William T. Atkins, Isle of Wight, 1894 or '95. Henry Ambros, time and place not known.
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James T. Bailey, at his home in Surry, August 13,
1903. Joseph W. Bailey, home in Surry, June 17,
1906. Calvin Baker, home in Isle of Wight, May 4,
1905. James Baker, home in Isle of Wight, about
1866. William R. Barham, home in Norfolk, May 17, 1908. John W. Barlow, home in Isle of Wight, in 1898. William O. Barlow, home in Isle of Wight, No- vember 5, 1906. Decatur Barlow, home in Isle of Wight, 1894. T. Bolling Bell, home in Isle of Wight, February 26, 1904. Edwin R. Bell, home in Isle of Wight, December, 1905. William Joe Bell, Surry, about 1867 or '68. Samuel D. Bell, Norfolk, February 19, 1908. George A. Bell, Surry, 1866 or '67. J. Nicholas Bell, Surry, soon after the war. Theophilus J. Berryman, time and place not known. John R. Berryman, Surry, about 1867. A. Nicholas Brown, Surry, soon after the war. Frank N. Carrington, Char- lotte county, about 1874. Roger Casey, home in Surry, 1866. Thomas T. Cockes, Surry, December, 23, 1902. Abner B. Cofer, home in Surry, soon after the war. William A. Clayton, Surry, 1866. William Crocker, Isle of Wight, soon after the war. R. M. J. Collier, Surry, 1898. John A. Davis, Surry, soon after the war. George W. Dean, Isle of Wight, soon after the war. Hezekiah Delk, in Surry, February, 1899. James T. Deuel, home in Surry, soon after after war. W. W. Foreman, home in San Angelo, Texas, April 30, 1902. James Gay, Surry, soon after the war. Milton H. Gray, Isle of Wight, about 1867. Joseph Garon,
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time and place unknown. Jos. Glover, Surry, soon after the war. Lewis Glover, Surry, a few years after the war. Benjamin F. Gwaltney, home in Surry, about 1892 or '93. John A. Gwaltney, home in Surry, May 14,
1904. James D. Hankins, killed in the spring of
1866. James Hatchell, Surry, about 1872 or '73. J. Thomas Harris, Surry, a few years after the war. John T. Harris, Surry, shortly after the war. George M. Hargrave, home in Surry, about 1893 or '94. Richard A. Hargrave, home in Southampton, March, 1898. Bird Harvey, in Petersburg, date not known. Edmund S. Holleman, at Chapoax, Surry, about 1873. George C. Holmes, home in Southampton, October 29, 1907. William S. Johnson, Surry, shortly after the war. Randolph Johnson, Surry, shortly after the war. Bolling T. Jones, home in Surry, February 9, 1908. Isaac G. Jones, Surry, March 11, 1893. Wiley Jones, Nansemond, soon after the war. Robert H. Jones, home in Surry, July 22, 1880. John L. Judkins, Wel- don, N. C., October 2, 1905. James Judkins, Surry, a few years after the war. Julian Judkins, Isle of Wight, shortly after the war. R. P. Q. Judkins, Surry, several years after the war. James King and Joseph King, Surry, time unknown. Joseph R. Kea, Isle of Wight, shortly after the war. John R. Kea, home in Surry, soon after the war. Luther J. Little, home in Sussex, about 1894. William E. Long, time and place un- known. William J. Lewis, home in Nansemond, shortly after the war. Thomas H. Mitchell, Surry,
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time not known. Christopher Mitchell, Surry, date uncertain. William B. Moore, Surry, 1867 or '68. William H. Oliver, time and place not known. Henry Peters, Baltimore, June, 1902. Joseph Pitman, Surry, about 1866. Noah B. Pond, home in Surry, shortly after the war. William J. Presson, Isle of Wight, January, 1901. Joel J. Presson, home in Southampton, April 25, 1906. Charles A. Price, Surry, about 1890. Asa Rogers, Surry, several years after the war. Gil- bert W. Rogers, Isle of Wight, June 11, 1907. Henry W. Rogers, Surry, June 12, 1907. J. Henry Rowell, Surry, soon after the war. Thomas W. Ruffin, time and place uncertain. John Ruffin, time and place un- certain. Mallory Shields, Hampton, Va., shortly after the war. James N. Spratley, Surry, soon after the war. Julian A. Stuart, home in Surry, March 19, 1903. Benton D. Thomas, home in Norfolk, April 13, 1907. Lewis L. Turner, Southampton, July, 1900. W. Henry Turner, Isle of Wight, time uncertain. James T.
Turner, Isle of Wight, time uncertain. Thomas H. Tynes, home in Surry, July 17, 1900. John Under- wood, Surry, shortly after the war. James S. Warren, home in Surry, a few years after the war. Samuel D. Warren, Surry, a few years after the war. Joel J. Whitley, home in Newport News, April 14, 1898. Linnæus W. White, Surry, several years after the war. Thomas H. Williams, Prince George county, shortly after the war. ' Thomas Williams, Surry, shortly after the war. Total, 96.
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Besides these, it is uncertain whether the following are living or dead :
George W. Armistead, Alexander Baker, W. John Edwards, John P. Goodson, Beverly W. Irving, Marion Messersmith, James C. Underwood, George Waggoner, - Wynn. Total, 9.
"The grave's grim halls are never full- " Death's harvest never ends! And fast the few survivors turn, To greet their former friends."
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LIST OF SURVIVORS.
The following members of the S. L. A. were known to be living at the time of our last reunion, August 13, 1908:
James S. Avery, Joseph H. Barham, Junius H. Bar- low, John H. Bell, Jacob E. Bell, William T. Bell, Joseph R. Berryman, W. Holt Berryman, Fielding A, Coakley, Littleton M. Cockes, Peter F. Crocker, Mat- thew A. Delk, B. Hardy Delk, Thomas N. Edwards, J. Decatur Edwards, Edward E. Edwards, Junius Ellis, W. H. Elliott, R. Fuller Farrar, Junius Gray, P. D. Gwaltney, John Hankins, William E. Harris, William E. James, Robert James, Thomas A. James, B. W. Jones, B. O. Judkins, James T. Latimer, William H. Little, J. Thomas Little, James M. Lewis, James W. Moody, George W. Moody, E. H. McGuriman, William R. Mathews, James N. Mathews, John T. Nelms, Joseph T. Price, John F. Ramsey, Charles C. Richard- son, Henry C. Roberts, George A. Rowell, P. H. Rowell, R. R. Savedge, C. Travis Savedge, George A. Savedge, James T. Savedge, John L. Seward, Frank R. Seward, John F. Scott, Edwin S. Spratley, Robert C. Thomp- son, James M. Turner, Serveitus M. Williams. Total, 54. Of these, George A. Rowell died May 20, 1909, and E. H. MeGuriman, June 4, 1909.
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Of the original Company of 54 men, who went out from Surry Court House June 22, 1861, only the fol- lowing are now living:
John H. Bell, Joseph R. Berryman, Littleton M. Cockes, B. H. Delk, William E. James, B. W. Jones, W. H. Little, James W. Moody, H. C. Roberts, P. H. Rowell, R. R. Savedge, E. S. Spratley, John L. Seward, R. C. Thompson. Total, 14.
"A thin and broken rank, we stand, With mute and bodeful gaze; While few and feebler grows the band So strong in other days.
"How Friendship's eye, by silent walls, Turns back in tearful mood, To find, alas! deserted halls Where once our comrades stood."
And now, nothing more remains to be said, except to crave the indulgence of my readers for the many defects of style, and possible inaccuracies, that, I fear, are but too evident in the course of this simple recital of what one Company of soldiers did and endured in the war between the States. Had I tarried until I could have written a perfect history, the book would never have seen the light.
I feel, too, that I should thank, in some befitting terms, those of my comrades who have enabled me to print the book at all. It was only by the earnest and untiring efforts of a few among them that the work has been pushed to completion. Foremost among these
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were my friends and comrades, Joseph H. Barham and Charles C. Richardson, to whose active and untiring efforts I am greatly indebted. And to all others, in and out of the Company, my warm thanks are hereby ten- dered for the generous aid and encouragement so kindly extended. I would fain name them all.
Here, then, I lay the pen aside, to await what recep- tion may be accorded the simple story I have essayed to tell. The history of the Surry Artillery as a mili- tary organization, ends, of course, with the close of the war in Virginia. From that time its broken fragments, scattered to their respective homes over a large part of the State, seldom saw or heard of each other, and soon became almost as strangers again. Many, in fact, the greater part, have never met since that direful, inglorious day.
But the few survivors, true to the friendships born of the trials, suffering's and tears of those four undying years, will not cease to keep green the names and deeds of each one. While a single one of them lingers here, the immortelle and cypress shall flourish by the fallen, and over each new-made grave we will inscribe the hopeful prayer :
"SIT TIBI TERRA LEVIS."
THE END.
HOSSZ
F8611.44
5776H
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