History of The Middle New River Settlements - Chapter VII Part B



Chapter VII Part B

At dawn on the 1st day of May the Federals came out of the house into the
yard and fell into line for rollcall, apparently little suspecting that a
lurking foe was so close at hand. The Confederates, that is Foley's,
Harman's, Bowen's and French's companies now in position, immediately
opened fire, the enemy rushing quickly into the house, which is of hewn
oak logs--equal to a block house, a secure fortress against rifle balls.
The house as it then existed, since removed, was only one and one half
stories high and had a rather flat roof covered with chestnut shingles.
The position occupied by a portion of the Confederates was on high ground
above the house, the Federals occupying the second floor of the house and
were exposed to the balls fired by the Confederates into and through the
roof, and it was chiefly from these balls that the Federals suffered loss.
It has already been stated that four of the Confederate companies had
taken their position before the firing began, but in point of fact this is
not strictly correct. Toley's company was the only one in proper position,
the others were moving to position and the remaining companies had not all
gotten up. The intention of the Confederates was to surround the house,
and compel the surrender of the Federal troops that had taken shelter
therein, but the unexpected appearance of the enemy in the yard for
rollcall prematurely precipitated the opening of the fight. The soldiers
in the house displaced the filling between the logs, and utilized the
space for placing their guns therein to fire, their bodies being in a
great measure protected by the walls of the house. The Federals boldly and
bravely maintained the fight, and just as Major Fitzhugh had given the
order to surround and charge the house, the head of a column of Federal
reinforcements came in sight and immediately opened fire, advancing
rapidly at a double quick, their cavalry at full speed. The Confederates
were now greatly outnumbered, they beat a hasty retreat closely followed
by the whole of General Cox's forces. The loss on the Confederate side was
only eight wounded, viz: Captain R. B. Foley, James H. Fletcher, James
Butler, Hugh Farmer, and Alexander Miller, severely, and Greene Bryson,
and Montgomery Cox, mortally. Fletcher and Butler belonged to the Mercer
Cavalry, Cox to the Tazewell Troopers, Bryson and Farmer to Foley's
Company, and Miller to Harman's Bland Company. The Federal loss was 20,
one killed and 19 wounded, among the latter, Russell G. French. Colonel R.
B. Hayes, of the 23rd Ohio regiment, reporting this engagement to Colonel
E. P. Scammon, mentions Mr. French and says: "French will perhaps be
crippled for life, probably die; can't he be put in the position of a
soldier enlisted or something to get his family the pension land, etc.?
What can be done? He was a scout in our uniform on duty at the time of
receiving his wound." French lived until recently, having died in Mercer
County at the age of about eighty seven years. He was a great sufferer
from the wound he received. He lived in Mercer County at the beginning of
the war, and was on principle opposed to the war, and became an earnest,
zealous, conscientious Union man. During the retreat of the Confederates
from Clark's house to Princeton, Cornelius Brown, an independent
Confederate volunteer and a Mercer County man, was killed on Camp Creek,
near the house formerly owned and occupied by Captain Thomas J. George.
The retreat which was continued through Princeton to Rocky Gap and beyond,
was covered by the Bland Rangers, commanded by Captain William H. Harman,
and well and gallantly did this devoted body of men and officers perform
this service.

As before stated, Colonel Jenifer, whose headquarters when the flight took
place, were at Princeton, was in the immediate command of all the forces
then operating in Mercer County. He had won fame and reputation as a
Lieutenant-Colonel of cavalry at the battle of Ball's Bluff, on the
Potomac, in October, 1861, but now he was about to and did commit an act
of vandalism almost, if not quite unparalleled in the annals of civilized
war, and one which tarnished his fair name, and overshadowed all the glory
and laurels won by him at Ball's Bluff. To destroy the homes of non-
combatant enemies in time of war is horrible enough! What excuse can be
offered for one who destroys the homes of his friends, especially of as
devoted and self sacrificing a people as those of Princeton?

Learning, for he was near the fight, that his forces were retreating
before the army of General Cox and that the latter would in a few hours
occupy the village of Princeton, Colonel Jenifer, without warning or
notice, ordered the burning of the village, which was accomplished under
his own supervision, whereby old men, women and children were not only
deprived of shelter, and of all their worldly goods, but were turned out
into the highways in the mud and cold rains to flee wheresoever they
might, and to find food and shelter wheresoever they could. Not only did
this man Jenifer have burned the houses in the village, including the
public buildings, except the jail, but had the church buildings in the
western and southern part of the county destroyed, and then fled to
Wytheville and advised the burning of that town. In volume 12, part 1,
Rebellion Records 450, will be found the official report of Colonel
Jenifer to General Heth concerning the burning of this village which is
inserted herein and is as follows: "On April 30th it was reported to me at
Rocky Gap, that the enemy was advancing from the direction of Raleigh. In
consequence of this report I ordered out Lieutenant Colonel Fitzhugh with
about 120 dismounted cavalry and some 70 or 80 militia to meet the enemy
and to detain him if possible until I could remove the few remaining
stores from Princeton to Rocky Gap. I also ordered up the forty-fifth,
Colonel Peters, to the support of Colonel Fitzhugh, but before this
regiment could reach Princeton the enemy had advanced so rapidly that
fearing Colonel Peters would be cut off I ordered him back to his camp,
and in returning his regiment was ambushed by the enemy and thrown into
some confusion. In order to enable me to save stores and property at
Princeton, it became necessary to engage the enemy's advance column, which
Colonel Fitzhugh did, inflicting considerable loss on the enemy. The fight
was kept up for thirteen hours and for a distance of 22 miles, was well
contested by the small force under Colonel Fitzhugh. During the engagement
we lost one killed, four or five seriously wounded, and eight or nine
slightly wounded. The wounded were all brought off safe from the field;
the few who were seriously wounded, were taken to houses near the field.
The enemy's loss is supposed to be 35 in killed, wounded and missing. I
evacuated Princeton just as the enemy entered it, having first fired the
town."

The official report of the engagement at Clark's house on May 1st by
Colonel E. P. Scammon, 23rd Ohio regiment is as follows: This morning at
daylight the advance guard of Lieutenant Colonel Hays, a company of 23rd
regiment under Lieutenant Botsford was surrounded and attacked by about
300 rebels at Camp Creek. Lieutenant Botsford reports one man killed and
twenty wounded, all but three or four slightly; six or seven of the enemy
killed; wounded not yet known. Six prisoners, three wounded, had been
taken, and others being brought in when messenger left. The enemy fled and
Lieutenant Colonel Hayes had reached Camp Creek."

The turnpike road leading southward from Princeton to Rocky Gap was
literally lined and thronged with soldiers and civilians, the latter
mostly of women, children and old men, fleeing from the vanguard of the
Federal army which was entering Princeton as the last of these people were
passing out. The Federal soldiers did what they could to save the burning
buildings, and among these Federal soldiers were two who became Presidents
of the United States, viz: R. B. Hayes and William McKinley. The Federals
seemed satisfied when they reached Princeton, and did not immediately
pursue the retreating Confederates.

By this time the Confederate authorities had become aroused by the gravity
of the situation, and the threatened advance of the army of General Cox to
the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad, and they took prompt steps to gather
a force to repel the invasion.

Brigadier General Henry Heth collected a force at Dublin, consisting of
the 36th, 22nd and 45th Virginia regiments of infantry, the 8th Virginia
cavalry regiment, dismounted, Chapman's, Ortey's and Vawter's Virginia
batteries of artillery.

Colonel Gabriel C. Wharton commanding the 51st Virginia regiment of
infantry, rendezvoused at Wytheville, and General Humphrey Marshall with
the 5th Kentucky infantry under Colonel Andrew J. May, 54th Virginia
infantry under Colonel Trigg, 29th Virginia regiment of infantry, Colonel
Moore, and a small Virginia battalion of infantry under Major Dunn, a
battalion of Kentucky cavalry under Colonel Bradley, and a battery of
artillery under Captain Jeffries, at Tazewell Court House, Virginia.

General Cox had sent forward to Pearisburg, Virginia, under Colonel R. B.
Hayes, of the 23rd Ohio regiment of infantry, from whence it was driven by
a brisk skirmish, by General Heth's forces on the 10th day of May with a
loss to the Confederates of two killed and four wounded, among the latter
Colonel Patton slightly; the loss to the Federals was two men killed, and
five or six wounded, among them, Colonel Hayes slightly.

The Federal advance under Major Comly, of the 23rd Ohio regiment, reached
Pearisburg on May 6th. Major Comly in his report says: "arrived here and
took the place completely by surprise. No houses burned-citizens all here.
We have captured one Major, one Lieutenant Colonel, and fifteen or twenty
other prisoners."

Colonel Hayes with the remainder of his regiment arrived on the evening of
the 7th. On the 8th in his report to Colonel Scammon he, among other
things in speaking of Pearisburg and its people, says: "this is a lovely
spot, a fine, clean village; most beautiful and romantic surrounding
country, polite and educated secesh people."

Between the 1st and 10th days of May, General Cox had advanced with the
main body of his forces to French's Mill, now called Oakvale, on East
River, eleven miles south of Princeton and seventeen miles from
Pearisburg. Having learned of the retreat of Hays' regiment from
Pearisburg and that Heth's forces were pursuing and that his rear was
threatened by both Wharton and Marshall, General Cox made up his mind to
advance no further, but to return to Princeton; however, before doing so
and to guard against an attack from Wharton's column moving north toward
Princeton, he detached on the evening of the 15th and sent westward up the
Cumberland Gap and Prices' turnpike road Lieutenant Colonel Lewis Von
Blessing, with five companies of the 28th, four companies of the 37th and
two companies of the 34th regiments of Ohio infantry; but Von Blessing
seems to have returned to his camp, and on the 16th moved up East River
again, camping about Mill's that night, and moving toward the cross roads
on the morning of the 17th.

General Wharton's regiment camped on the night of the 16th at the Peery-
Gibson farm at the southern base of East River Mountain, breaking camp at
a very early hour on the morning of the 17th. The men were in light
marching order, encumbered with only one wagon containing medical stores,
among which was a barrel of whiskey. Whorton's instructions were to press
forward to Princeton, this being the point of concentration for the three
Confederate columns advancing upon General Cox, whose troops or a part of
them had had quite a lively skirmish west of Princeton on the evening of
the 16th with the vanguard of Marshall's forces.

On reaching the top of East River Mountain, early on the morning of the
17th, Colonel Wharton discovered some three miles away to the east,
Colonel Von Blessing's command advancing westward along the turnpike road.
Wharton did not stop to see; his orders were to go to Princeton, gallant,
faithful soldier as he was, he performed his duty; that is obeyed his
orders. Without halting, but pressing forward, passing the junction of the
road before Von Blessing's column reached that point, and throwing out a
rear guard he took the road to Princeton, Von Blessing following and
taking the short route by the old mill of Calfee and Bailey and into the
turnpike near the present residence of Mr. Estill Bailey; Von Blessing,
apparently, in fact evidently, not knowing Wharton was in his front, or if
he did he took it to be a very small force with which if he over took, he
would have no difficulty in dealing. Colonel Wharton on reaching Pigeon
Roost Hill, found himself in full view of Princeton and only about one
mile south thereof halting his regiment and reconnoitering, he discovered
that instead of Princeton being in possession of the Confederates under
General Marshall, as he had been led to suppose, that it was occupied by
the Federal troops. In the meantime he had heard the sound of Marshall's
guns west of Princeton on the New Hope road. He at once made disposition
of his troops, placing Major Peter J. Otey, late an honored member of
Congress from Virginia, but who died a short time ago, in command of three
companies of infantry and one piece of artillery under Lieutenant B.
Langhorne, and with instructions to Major Otey, the next in rank to
himself to place a line of men on the front towards Princeton, and one
facing to the rear with instructions for these lines to furnish support to
each other as necessary might require, he took a guide and started to find
General Marshall. At the place where Colonel Wharton made his formation
the road winds around the hill in the form of nearly a double half circle.

General Cox knowing that his Lieutenant was on the Wythe, Grayson and
Raleigh Turnpike road, and doubtless being advised of Wharton's movements,
with whom Von Blessing was likely to come to blows, sent forward a
battalion of infantry to reinforce Von Blessing. This advance having been
discovered, Major Otey threw forward to meet this force two companies of
infantry, one of them the Grayson company under its fearless and gallant
leader Captain William A. Cooper, and one gun under Lieutenant Langhorne.
This small force met the advance of the Federal battalion and repulsed it,
thereby preventing its union with Von Blessing. The situation just then
was critical for both sides. Von Blessing was cut off from his friends,
and Wharton's regiment placed in a position to be attacked both front and
rear at the same time. Von Blessing could not help hearing the sound of
the contest between Langhorne's gun, Cooper's men and the Federal's, and
no doubt this caused him to hasten his steps, for he knew of the force he
had been following from the cross roads, and had evidently made up his
mind that they would soon be between two fires and killed or captured.
Overtaking Wharton's medical wagon, causing Dr. J. M. Estill, the
regimental surgeon, and his corps of assistants to hurriedly seek shelter
behind the Confederate battle line, Von Blessing's men unloaded the barrel
of whiskey,heretofore mentioned, and soldier like they soon had out the
head, and imbibing freely they got enough to make them largely forget
their tiresome, worn out condition, and soon hurried on to the field of
slaughter and death. Marching by the route and perhaps also by the thought
that they would capture the Confederates in their front, they approached
without discovering Wharton's men in position as above described, and
suddenly meeting a rapid and concentric fire were thrown into utter
confusion and panic. Under orders from Major Otey the Confederates
charged, and the Federals fled, closely pursued by the exultant
Confederates. Major Otey sprang over the fence in the bend of the road,
and met face to face a large burly German Federal soldier, armed with a
Belgian rifle, which he presented at Otey, the latter firing at the German
with his pistol striking the ground about his feet, and railing out at
him, saying: "Why are you trying to shoot me when you know that your men
are running?" to which the German replied, "Well, Mister, my gun ain't
loaded."

Retreating for about one mile on the road over which they had just
advanced, and reaching Brush Creek, they were piloted by some one who knew
the country, over a by-path through the farms of Bratton, Straley and
others, to a point on the Princeton and Twelve-Mile Fork road, about two
miles south of the first named place. Here they were within two miles of
the town now occupied by General Cox, and why Colonel Von Blessing did not
move immediately into the town is unexplainable, except upon the
supposition that General Cox was yet at French's Mill. There can be no
sort of question that Colonel Von Blessing and his men were greatly
demoralized, consequent upon their being suddenly attacked, in fact
surprised. His loss according to his own report, was 18 killed, 56 wounded
and 14 captured, while the Confederates lost but one man and he killed by
accident, and nine wounded. The total Federal loss around Princeton during
the two days of partial engagements, was 23 killed, 69 wounded, and 21
missing. The total loss of the Confederates was three killed, 21 wounded,
among them Captain Elliott of Kentucky, mortally and who soon died. Von
Blessing on his march from the bridge over Brush Creek, two miles south of
Princeton, and in passing through the farm of Mr. H. W. Straley, met him
in the road on his horse on his way from the mill, whither he had been to
get bread for his family. He took charge of Mr. Straley, as also of his
horse, and dismounting him, placed a wounded Federal soldier on the horse.

The fight at Pigeon Roost Hill took place about 10 o'clock on the morning
of the 17th. Colonel Von Blessing, with his badly scared and demoralized
men, did not reach the Princeton and Twelve Mile Fork road until towards
the middle of the afternoon, and although only four miles away he did not
reach the mouth of Twelve Mile Fork at Spangler's, until after dark. He
halted at the mouth of the fork for several hours, and then retraced his
steps to the right-hand branch of that fork and up the same, passing out
through the farms of Major William M. Reynolds and Charles Stinson, and
directly across the front of General Heth's command occupying the
Princeton and French's mill roads, and on through the Gooch and Gribsby
farms to the old Logan road near Pisgah Church. Before fair dawn on the
morning of the 18th they had reached the farm lately owned by T. K.
Lambert, formerly by Captain William A. Cooper, and were in sight of the
Princeton and Red Sulphur roads, whereupon they discovered a troop of
Confederate cavalry passing, which seemed to give fresh impetus to their
fleeing capacity; in fact they were so alarmed that they cried out, "Rebel
Calvary! Rebel Cavalry!" and broke into panic and wild confusion, fled
with all speed on and along the old Logan road, throwing away guns,
cartridge boxes, indeed everything that could in any way impede their
making a successful run; which did not end until they had joined at
Spanishburg, nine miles away, General Cox's column retreating from
Princeton. The reader no doubt has asked himself the question, what became
of Mr. Straley, his horse and the wounded man? So soon as the panic began
at Lambert's farm the wounded man on Strayley's horse dismounted and fled
with his comrades. Mr. Strayley seized his horse's bridle and attempted to
mount, but his saddle turned and the already affrighted horse became only
the more frightened and simply kicked himself free from the saddle. Mr.
Straley did not stop to gather up the saddle, but mounting the horse
without the saddle, sped rapidly through the woods and swamps, until he
reached home some four miles away.

The Confederate column under General Heth had on the 17th advanced on and
along the French's Mill and Princeton road to the west side of the Adam
Johnston farm and about four miles from Princeton; having ample time by
continuing the march to have joined battle with General Cox before
nightfall, but for some reason best known to General Heth, he halted his
command at the point indicated until after night. A wagon and team
belonging to General Cox's forces had driven out on this road in search of
some baggage left at a farm house by the Federals retreating from French's
Mill , and a Federal courier was captured, from whom Heth got information
which induced him to retire his forces to Big Hill, about two miles north
of French's Mill. Whether the courier was sent specially to mislead
General Heth no one on the Confederate side knew, but Heth's non-action
and retrograde movement enabled General Cox to retreat in safety, and he
did so that night, in fact began his retreat before night, for Marshall's
command occupied the village the next morning.

As before stated, Marshall's column advance on the New Hope Church road,
and did not encounter resistance until it reached a point about one mile
east of New Hope Church, where it met the Federal skirmishers. The 5th
Kentucky regiment under Colonel A. J. May led the advance, and rapidly
pushed the Federal skirmishers back upon their reserve at Princeton.
General Marshall brought forward his battery, planting it on the high
bluff just west of the dwelling house owned by the late Leander P.
Johnston. The Federal battery in opposition to Marshall's, one parrot gun
was posted on the cemetery hill about one half mile west of Princeton, and
was supported by some companies of the 37th Ohio regiment under Colonel
Moore. The pressure from the columns of Marshall and Wharton from the
south and west, and the threatening attitude of Heth's column from the
east, caused General Cox to withdraw from Princeton and return to Flat
Top. He began his retreat on the evening of the 17th , but all did not get
away until in the early morning of the 18th, when the forces of Marshall
occupied the village of Princeton about sunrise of the same morning. In
the skirmish on the New Hope road between Marshall's forces and the
Federals, the loss of the former was a few men wounded, while the latter
had two or three killed and several wounded.

Lieutenant Colonel Lewis Von Blessing the commandant of the Federal force
which was defeated by Wharton's Virginia regiment on Pigeon Roost Hill, on
the morning of the 17th of May, made to his superior officer his report,
in which among other things, he states: "It is difficult to give the force
of the enemy against us in the fight of the 17th. They fired all sorts and
all Calibers of balls, even with fire balls and hand grenades. The dead of
the 37th regiment number 11, so many having been recognized, and 36
severely wounded have been transported to Princeton and left in the hands
of the enemy. Seven slightly wounded have been brought back to the
regiment, and 18 are still missing from the four companies engaged in the
combat. The loss of the 28th regiment is 5 killed and 10 wounded; from the
companies of the 34th regiment 2 wounded."

Except a few troops from Kentucky, and from the Virginia border along the
Kanawha, Ohio and Sandy waters, the men who fought the battles around
Princeton were chiefly New River Valley men. It may here also be noted
that a number of companies of New River Valley men served in General
Jackson's corps. Pulaski, Wythe and Montgomery Counties furnished three or
more companies to the 4th Virginia regiment of the Stonewall brigade,
while Monroe furnished one company and the 27th regiment of the same
brigade.

Of the numbers Federals and Confederates engaged in this campaign, they
were not far from equal, with perhaps a slight preponderance in favor of
the Confederates. General Cox certainly out generaled the Confederates,
and the military critics will say in reviewing this campaign its
management and results, that the Confederates woefully blundered, and that
their adversary took advantage of their blunders, escaping when within
their grasp. It may be added here that of the fatally wounded on the
Confederate side at Clark's house on the 1st of May, Greene Bryson died at
the house of William Ferguson, on Wolf Creek, and Montgomery Cox reached
his home in Wytheville, where he soon expired.

In the little village of Princeton, out of near an hundred houses, only
about nine or ten remained after the burning. The suffering of the non-
combatants, the old men, women and children, who were compelled to abandon
their homes, and the county, and most of whom never returned, are beyond
the powers of description.

After the close of the military operation around Princeton in the spring
of 1862 General Heth moved across New River and marched upon Lewisburg,
then occupied by a Federal force, with which on the 23rd of May he fought
a severe battle in which his troops were totally defeated with
considerable loss. The Federal forces numbered about 1500, Heth's about 2,
000. The Federal loss was 13 killed, 53 wounded and 7 missing; the
Confederate loss was 38 killed, 70 wounded and 100 captured together with
four pieces of artillery. Among the Confederate officers captured was
Major George M. Edgar. Captain Thomas W. Thompson, of Mercer County,
commanding a company in Edgar's battalion, was permanently disabled by a
severe wound.

Between the close of this campaign and the advance of General Crook's
Federal army in the spring of 1864, no very considerable body of Federal
troops entered the County of Mercer. There were numerous scouting parties
and frequent small skirmishes between small bodies of Federals and
Confederates during this period. There are some things and incidents to be
related which occurred during this period along the border and in the
County of Mercer which are reserved until the proper date is reached in
which these events occurred; and a return will now be made to the
movements of the army of Northern Virginia, which, as will be recollected,
was left in camp in front of Richmond after the close of the Seven days
battles.

About the time of the close of the fighting around Richmond on the first
day of July, 1862, the Federal General Pope making himself troublesome in
Northern Virginia, Major General Jackson with his corps in the latter days
of July marched in the direction of Rapidan, and on the 9th day of August
fought a fierce and bloody battle at Cedar Mountain, in Culpeper County,
with a large part of General Pope's army, in which the latter was defeated
and driven from the field, but that night and the next day being largely
reinforced, and greatly outnumbering the troops under General Jackson, the
latter retreated across the Rapidan to await help from General Lee, who by
this time believing himself and Richmond safe from any attack from the
army of General McClellen at Harrison's Landing, on August 13th sent
forward General Longstreet with his division, including Kemper's brigade,
to the assistance of General Jackson; and on the 15th himself left for the
Rapidan.

General Lee prepared to strike Pope's left, but that distinguished General
took fright and retired behind the Rappahanock, whither General Lee
closely followed; and for several days continual skirmishing and artillery
duels were kept up at the fords along that river, until finally General
Jackson had so far removed to the left and up the river as to allow
General Longstreet to occupy his place on the river front, and so to speak
pulled the bridle off Jackson and turned him loose after Pope.

General Lee sent General Stuart with a portion of his cavalry to sever
Pope's connection with Alexandria and Washington, which he in some measure
accomplished, but not fully on account of the terrific rainfall, and at
the same time impelled General Jackson's corps on the 22nd and 23rd up the
Rappahannock to Warrenton Springs; Pope marching up on parallel lines, but
not fully understanding the significance for the movement, rather
supposing at the first that Jackson was making for the Valley.

Jackson still pushing up the river on the 25th with his three divisions,
crossed the upper Rappahanock and bivouaced that night at Salem, on the
Manassas Gap Railroad, General Lee in the meantime occupying as far as
possible Pope's attention on the Rappahanock with Longstreet's troops.
General Jackson continued his movement until he reached the rear of the
Federal army, cutting its line of communications and capturing immense
stores at Manassas Junction, appropriating so much thereof as he could use
and get away with, destroyed the remainder. General Longstreet's corps
soon followed, taking the same route pursued by Jackson's corps, and on
reaching Thoroughfare Gap on the evening of August 28th found it held by
the enemy. Next morning the forward movement began, Kemper's brigade
following another, moving through the gap while some other Confederate
troops by a flank movement had caused the enemy to withdraw from his
strong position in the gap.

As Kemper's men cleared the gap and reached the vicinity of Haymarket,
they could distinctly hear the roar of the guns of the enemy and those of
Jackson. The pace was quickened as the troops passed on and along the
highway in clouds of dust and suffering for water. It was near high noon
when Kemper's brigade reached the vicinity of the battlefield, and late
that afternoon the roar of the battle on the left told us that Jackson's
men with a portion of Longstreet's were hotly engaged. Some skirmishing
and artillery firing occurred in the afternoon of the 30th, and then for a
while there was a calm; in which both armies were preparing for the fray.

General Kemper was placed in command of a division consisting of Jenkins',
Huton's and his own brigade, the latter commanded by Colonel Montgomery C.
Corse of the 17th Virginia regiment.

The battle rolled along the left front of Kemper's brigade with fury, when
about three o'clock, PM., the order came to move forward, which was done
at double quick, the men fixing their bayonets as they went. Through a
strip of woods and into an open field a little to the south of the Chinn
house, brought the brigade almost into the presence of the enemy, but in
the direction of a right oblique from them; and in order to face them a
left half wheel was made which brought it in full face to the enemy, only
a few hundred yards away, standing in line of battle in open ground across
a small ridge or elevation beyond the Chinn house, and a little north and
west of an old Virginia rail fence, with a five gun battery on top of the
elevation in line with its infantry supports.

Kemper's brigade went forward in good order at a quick step, until
striking the Chinn house which compelled it to make a left oblique
movement creating some confusion, which however was but momentary. Away it
dashed at the enemy's line firing as it advanced, reached and crossed the
rail fence and on to and over the Federal battery, scattering the
canoniers with infantry support. A short distance beyond the brigade was
halted; its supports coming up it was finally withdrawn to a pine thicket
in the rear of the ground over which it had fought. After the brigade
started on the charge every man was his own General, and there was no
earthly power could have stopped it until, it had accomplished the object
for which it had made the charge, viz, the capture of the Federal guns and
defeat of its infantry supports. In this charge the left of the 7th
Virginia regiment became somewhat intermingled with the right of the 24th
Virginia regiment, so that both regiments are entitled to claim credit for
the capture of the guns. The colors of the 7th regiment having fallen,
were seized by Lieutenant Colonel Flowerree, who upon the fall of Colonel
Patton handed them to Lieutenant Stewart. In addition to the five guns the
brigade had captured, a flag from the enemy was also taken, but it had
paid dearly in precious lives and blood for its victory. The enemy was
beaten and was getting away, but night now upon us prevented successful
pursuit. The brigade loss was 33 killed, 240 wounded, and one missing. The
7th Virginia regiment lost 5 killed, and 48 wounded. The 24th Virginia
regiment lost 11 killed and 67 wounded. Among the field officers wounded
were Colonel Corse commanding the brigade, Colonel Patton, Lieutenant
Colonel Flowerree, and Major Swinler, the latter losing a leg, as well
also as Adjutant Hugh M. Patton and Sergeant Major Park of the 7th
regiment. Company D, of the 7th regiment, lost the following members:
Killed, John Q. Martin; wounded Captain R. H. Bane and Lieutenant John W.
Mullens, and privates W. H. Carr, John S. Dudley, Elbert S. Eaton, Adam
Thompson, William C. Fortner, James H. Fortner, Francis H. Farley, J.
Tyler Frazier, John W. Hight, Gordon L. Wilburn, Hugh J. Willburn, William
I. Wilburn, James J. Nye, and Washington R. C. Vass, the latter two
mortally; Vass dying that night and Nye in a day or two after. Out of
about 57 men carried into action only 40 came out unhurt. The loss in
officers in the 7th Virginia was 12. The loss in the Giles and Mercer
companies in the 24trh regiment was severe. The names of those killed and
wounded in the Giles company seems not to have been preserved. A partial
list of those killed and wounded in the Mercer company shows that
Lieutenant Ballard P. French was slain, and that Captain H. Scott and
private John Coeburn were wounded. In front of Kemper's brigade fell
mortally wounded Colonel Fletcher Webster of Massachusetts, the only son
of Daniel Webster.

General Lee's skillful tactics compelled the enemy to fight at a
disadvantage, and yet it was among the most fiercely contested open field
battles of the war, and in scarce no other did the Confederates acquit
themselves with more honor. They had beaten an enemy superior to them in
numbers and equipment, inflicting upon him heavy loss of men and guns.

With Longstreet's division, Kemper's brigade occupied the field the next
day and buried the dead, and cared for the wounded amid a heavy rain storm

Early on Monday the 1st day of September the division moved across Bull
Run and to the vicinity of Chantilly, reaching there at night and in the
midst of a pelting rain. On the 3rd it moved to and through Leesburg and
to the banks of the Potomac at White's Ford, where it encamped on the
night of the 5th. The enemy had taken shelter within his entrenchments in
and around Alexandria and Washington. and another "on to Richmond" had
come to grief.

At Leesburg all the men who were sick, broken down, barefoot, lame and
halt, were allowed to remain, and there were not a few of them, whose
services were so sorely needed beyond the Potomac a few days later. A
little after sunrise on Saturday, the 6th day of September, 1862, Kemper's
brigade crossed the Potomac and made its footprint on the sacred soil of
Maryland, my Maryland, and as the men wended their way across the Potomac,
some one remembering Randall's soul stirring and patriotic poem, began to
sing:

"The despot's heel is on thy shore,
Maryland, my Maryland,
His torch is on thy temple door,
Maryland, my Maryland,
Avenge the patriotic gore,
That flecked the streets of Baltimore,
And be the battle queen of yore,
Maryland, my Maryland."

Thousands of voices joined in the song, while a bugler on the Northern
bank took up and made the welkin ring, which was answered by long and
gladsome shouts by the men. Halting that night and camping a few miles out
from the river; reaching the Monocacy River next day where it is spanned
by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad bridge, where the command spent two or
three days in resting and recuperating. The men were in light marching
order, having learned to burden themselves with as little as possible; a
cloth haversack, canteen and blanket were the sum total of a soldier's
luggage at this period of the war. They had no change of clothing as a
rule; a grey cap, jacket, pants, and colored shirt, made up about all the
clothing he had, and when he thought he would like to have a clean shirt,
he took off the soiled one, went to the water and, generally without soap,
gave it a rubbing, hung it out in the sun, hunted a shade and waited for
the garment to dry sufficiently to put it on again. As for rations,
especially on this campaign, if he could get a little green corn and fresh
beef he counted himself fairly well provided for; enough to march and
fight on. He preferred a pair of shoes if he could get them and if he
could not. he, like many on this campaign, marched barefoot, and
complained but little if it was light enough for him to see where to place
his feet.

Remaining at the Monocacy some three or four days, the command turned its
face westward, passing through Frederick, Middletown, and Boonsboro to
Hagerstown. It had become the custom for each regiment to have inscribed
upon its flag the various battles in which it had been engaged. At that
time the 7th Virginia regiment had inscribed on its flag among the names
of battles, that of Seven Pines, and as the regiment marched through
Frederick a lady among a considerable group catching sight of the words
Seven Pines on the flag proposed, "Three cheers for the battle flag of
Seven Pines," Which were given with a hearty good will, and thereupon the
regiment began to sing:

Oh! have you heard the joyful news
Virginia does old Abe refuse,
Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!
Virginia joins the cotton states,
Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!
The glorious cry each heart elates,
We'll live and die for Dixie."

Longstreet's division reached Hagerstown on the 12th and went into camp on
the southwest side of the town, where it remained until Sunday, the 14th
as hereinafter related. General D. H. Hill's division had been left to
guard the passes through South Mountain, while General Jackson had led his
troops for the reduction and capture of the Federal garrison at Harper's
Ferry. On the march of Kemper's brigade from Frederick through Middletown,
it met with few smiles if any, but on the other hand strong exhibitions of
Union feeling and sentiment, especially from the females, who seemed
intent on saying bad things and in having the last word. The men took it
in good part, said funny things to them and sung for them a part of the
words of the beautiful southern poem:

"We are a band of brothers and native to the soil,
Fighting for the property we've gained by honest toil,
And when our rights were threatened the cry rose near and far
Hurrah! Hurrah! For the southern rights"
Hurrah! Hurrah! for the bonny blue flag that bears the single star.

As long as the Union was faithful to her trust,
Like friends and like brothers, kind were we and just.
But now when northern treachery attempts our rights to mar,
We hoist on high the bonny flag that bears the single star.

Then here's to our Confederacy-strong are we and brave;
Like patriots of old we fight our heritage to save;
And rather than submit to shame, to die we would prefer,
So cheer for the bonnie blue flag that bears the single star.

In Hagerstown more signs of the southern sentiment were visible, even
displayed, for a young girl about fourteen standing on the top of a gate
post as the brigade passed, cried out, "Three cheers for Jeff Davis, why
may not he be honored?"

On Sunday the 14th about 11 o'clock, A. M., the long roll sounded and the
men of Longstreet were quickly in line, and with faces turned eastward
marched at a quickstep towards Boonsboro about 14 miles away. The roads
were cleared of everything that would in any way delay the march, which
was quickened by the continuous roar of guns east of or about Boonsboro
Gap, where as was understood General D.H. Hill's decision was closely
engaged with the main portion of the Federal army, now under the command
of General McClellen, who was gradually pressing the Confederates back to
the Mountain top. Longstreet's division, except one brigade left by him at
Hagerstown, was pressing forward with all speed to the relief of General
Hill's command. It was near 3 o'clock, P. M., when Kemper's brigade
reached the foot of the mountain east of Boonsboro. Turning to the right
at the western base of the mountain, it was conducted to a point about
half way up the mountain side in the direction of a gap, and thence to the
left into the main gap through which the great highway passes. While being
conducted from this gap up and along an arm of the mountain to the left,
the movement was discovered by a Federal battery to the right rear, which
at once opened fire throwing shot and shell into the ranks, one of which
struck the head of the leading company of the 7th regiment, killing one
man instantly. To dodge at the sound of a cannon shot, the whistling or
singing of a minnie ball, was altogether natural with a soldier, no matter
how strong and brave he might be and was no indication of cowardice.
Dodging was one of the weaknesses of John Meadows, of Company D, 7th
regiment. John began to dodge, which happened to be observed by John
Crawford of the same company, who called out to Meadows, "What the devil
is use of dodging now, the ball is gone by now, the first thing you know
you will dodge in the way of a ball." The brigade hastened its steps to
the mountain top, on reaching which it found itself face to face with the
enemy.

Before describing the fight which ensued, a statement as to the situation
and relative position of the Confederates at and near the place occupied
by Kemper's brigade is necessary to a clear understanding of what had and
was about to take place. Colquitt's Georgia brigade was occupying a line
on both sides the turnpike road and perpendicular thereto, and from which
the enemy had been unable to dislodge it. Rode's Alabama brigade,
supported by that of Evans, of South Carolina, held the extreme
Confederate left, and by whom a most gallant and unequaled struggle had
been maintained for several hours, until the enemy by overpowering force
of numbers had about succeeded in crowning the mountain, when Kemper's
brigade arrived on the field of contention. General Pickett's brigade, now
commanded by General Garnett, was thrown forward and posted on the left of
Colquitt's brigade; and Kemper's brigade across the old road to fill the
gap or space between the right of Evans and left of Pickett. These two
brigades numbering not more than eight hundred men, and against whom was
pitted not less than 5000 Federals, bravely held their ground until long
after nightfall, withdrawing from their position without molestation. The
ranks of Kemper's brigade had been greatly depleted by sickness, the
battles around Richmond, Second Manassas, and the barefoot, sick, lame men
left at Leesburg, and broken down men on the rapid march made from
Hagerstown to Boonsboro; so that the five little regiments of his brigade
that reached the firing line on the evening of September 14th, 1862, could
not have exceeded in the aggregate 500 men rank and file.

The 17th Virginia regiment occupied the right of the brigade, then 11th ,
7th, 1st, and 24th regiments in the order named. It was near the hour of
4:30 o'clock, P. M., when the brigade of General Kemper reached the crest
of the mountain, and as stated met the enemy face to face, only a short
distance away and seemingly intent on crowning the mountain if possible.
Here for more than an hour and thirty minutes, the battle raged fiercely,
the enemy at some points reaching almost up to the points of the
Confederate bayonets. On the southeast side of the county road referred to
were the 17th and 11th regiments, and partly in their front was a small
field in which was a growing crop of corn, through which, a little after
dark, the enemy came up almost to the muzzles of the guns of the regiments
referred to, when some one cried out "There they are, men; fire on them!"
The fire from the guns of the combatants was so near each other that it
appeared to intermingle. It was at or about this time that Major John W.
Daniel, Adjutant of the 11th regiment, now United States Senator from
Virginia, received a ball in one of his hands. The enemy finding the
ground so firmly held against them, a little after dark desisted, leaving
the Confederates in possession of this part of the field, from which in
about one hour later they very quietly departed, taking with them such of
the wounded as were able to be removed without stretchers.

Since the reports can be had of the strength of the Federal troops pitted
against Garnett's and Kemper's brigades, on the evening of the 14th of
September, it can now be stated that General Hatch's division of 3500 men,
reinforced by Christian's brigade of 1500, which was put into the fight,
were unable to drive these two small brigades from their position, and
this should be glory enough for these men, tired, broken down, foot-sore,
half naked and starved. It is stated upon authority that in this battle
the Federals had about 30,000 men, the Confederates about 9,000.

Want of official or other data prevents the statement of loses sustained
by Kemper's brigade in this battle, except as to a single company, C, of
the 7th Virginia, which company carried 21 men into battle and lost T. P.
Mays and James Cole, killed, and George Knoll and John R., Crawford
wounded; a proportionate loss throughout the companies of the brigade
would indicate a loss of 28 in 7th regiment and of 100 in the brigade, and
may be set down as not far short of this number. Color, Sergeant Mays died
with his flag clutched in his hands.

The command passed quietly down to the turnpike and through Boonsboro and
the little village of Keedysville, crossing the Antietam and reaching
Sharpsburg the morning of the next day, Monday the 5th, about 11 o'clock,
A. M. Filling to the left, Kemper's brigade took position behind the range
of hills between the road leading from the town to Harper's Ferry and the
Antietam, where it remained in the afternoon and night of Monday. Being
out of rations, nothing, however, unusual, Sergeant Taylor of Company D of
the 7th regiment with a detail was sent in quest of the much needed food,
which he did not succeed in getting to the regiment when the battle opened
on Wednesday, though he had secured a quantity of beef and had it cooking
in one of the houses in the town when the battle began, but did not make
delivery to the men until after night put a stop to the contest.

Nothing of importance transpired during Monday evening beyond a partial
artillery duel and some skirmishing with the rear guard. The artillery
opened early on Tuesday morning, and as Kemper's brigade with others were
shifted from place to place along the line, it was exposed to the shot
from the enemy's guns across the Antietam. Later in the evening the fire
far to the left seemed to increase, which, however, ceased when night
came. On this day and prepared for the morrow's fray, Kemper could not
muster in his brigade but few more than 400 muskets. The 17th Virginia
regiment numbered but 55 men and officers and men, the 7th regiment 117,
the 1st not exceeding the 150 men. On Kemper's left was Drayton's small
brigade of three regiments, one South Carolina and two Georgia. to the
left of Drayton was Garnett's brigade reduced to a mere skeleton, and
beyond Garnett, and with its left resting on the turnpike road, was
Jenkins' South Carolina brigade, likewise much depleted.

General D. R. Jones was in command of the division composed of the
brigades mentioned, together with General Toombs' brigade of four small
Georgia regiments and a Georgia battalion, numbering in all, about 600
men, which together with the other brigades could not have given General
Jones an aggregate of over 2,000 men to defend a line fully a mile in
extent, and threatened with a column of quite 15,000 of the enemy. General
Toombs had been sent to defend a bridge over the Antietam, and to prevent
the enemy's crossing at that point. He had with him two small Georgia
regiments and some artillery with which he held the bridge for several
hours on the 17th, and only withdrew after inflicting heavy loss upon his
assailants, and they had found a ford which enabled them to flank his
position.

Before daylight on the morning of Wednesday the 17th, the artillery opened
rapidly on the Confederate left, and very soon thereafter the crash of
small arms began, and the battle on that part of the field raged with
intense fury for hours, and rapidly extended towards the Confederate
center and right. Near or a little past noon, the 24th Virginia regiment
was detached and sent some eight hundred or a thousand yards to and beyond
the Confederate right, to keep watch in the direction of some of the fords
of the Antietam. A short while after this regiment was detached, the 7th
Virginia under Captain Philip Ashby was sent to a point from five hundred
to six hundred yards to the right of the position it had been occupying in
brigade line, leaving General Kemper with three small regiments, 1st,
11th, and 17th Virginia numbering not exceeding two hundred men.
Skirmishers from the brigade had been thrown forward a few hundred yards,
and had taken shelter behind a stone fence in part and behind a board
fence, at the base of the hill occupied by the brigade. Upon the
retirement of the regiments of General Toombs from the bridge, the enemy
under the command of General Burnside pushed over the creek, and after
some delay deployed in line of battle. The creek was not large and
contained but little water, and might have been crossed at any point the
enemy might have chosen, except at the bridge defended by General Toombs.
They seemed anxious to secure the bridge and they did after several hours
bloody battle, and the loss of more than 300 men killed and wounded, and
this only after they had flanked the position. About three o'clock, P. M.,
the columns of General Burnside's 9th Federal army corps, covering its
front with a cloud of skirmishers, advanced to the attack. The skirmishers
were quickly repelled by those of the Confederates lying behind the fences
described. The Federal brigade that first came to the relief of their
skirmish line, came near sharing a like fate; and this too from the
Confederate skirmish line alone supported by a few pieces of artillery.
There quickly came however other battle lines to the help of their
friends, which by their very momentum, if nothing else, enabled them to
bodily rush over the Confederate skirmish line, but few escaping, and
crowning the heights. Their seeming victory was short lived, and was soon
turned into a signal repulse and defeat. General Burnside's long sweeping
lines advancing up the hill overlapped the right of Kemper's three little
regiments by several hundred yards, brushing them away and capturing
McIntosh's South Carolina battery before it had fired a shot. Just then
General Toombs with his small brigade that moment arrived from the bridge,
threw his men on the Federal flank, and together with Kemper's handful,
Brayton's, Garnett's and Jenkins' brigade renewed the fight with vigor
with the Federal corps. Doubtless overpowering numbers would have soon won
but for the good fortune of the Confederates in this unequal contest;
General A. P. Hill's division, which had left Harper's Ferry that morning,
having marched 17 miles, reached the field of contention at the opportune
moment. General Hill took in the situation at a glance, and threw upon the
flank of the enemy's column of attack three of his brigades, Archre's,
Branch's and Gregg's, and in less than thirty minutes, Burnside's whole
corps was in full retreat towards the Antietam.

The 24th Virginia regiment was not engaged, but suffered some loss,
however , from the severe shelling to which it was subjected, while the
7th regiment was but slightly engaged, losing some men in killed and
wounded. The three small regiments, viz: 1st, 11th and 17th regiments,
especially the latter suffered severely in killed and wounded. Company D
of the 7th regiment had but 15 men in the action, and lost Isaac Hare,
slightly wounded, and John S. Dudley captured on the skirmish line.

General Jones reports the strength of his division in this battle at 2430
men, far too high, and General A. P. Hill reports that he carried into
action 2,000 men; making 4430 men, against whom came Burnside's Federal
corps of eight brigades of infantry numbering near 15,000 men, with seven
batteries of field artillery, besides three companies of cavalry. The loss
in Jones' division was 178 killed, 979 wounded, and 272 missing; total
1435. Hill's loss was 63 killed, 283 wounded; total 246. Aggregate loss of
Jones' and Hill's divisions 1781; Burnside's loss was 2349. Brigadier
General Branch, of Hill's command, was killed and General Gregg wounded.
In Jones' division General Toombs was wounded.

In front of Kemper's brigade, and on and over the ground over which it
fought, lay 35 men of the 8th Connecticut regiment dead and mortally
wounded. The loss in Kemper's brigade was 144. At the close of the
contest, the 7th and 24th regiments returned to the brigade, which
occupied that night and the next day the same position it had occupied at
the beginning of the battle that morning.

The 18th was spent in gathering up and caring for the wounded, burying the
dead, Confederate and Federal. That night the Confederates quietly marched
away, and crossed to the south side of the Potomac. Kemper's brigade going
into bivouac about four miles from the river; a few days thereafter
removing to a large spring near Bunker's Hill. Here quite a number of
additions were made, not only to the brigade, but to the whole army from
the lame, sick, and shoeless men left at Leesburg. The battle of
Sharpsburg may be said to have been gratuitous on the part of the
Confederates, for they had ample time and opportunity after the fall of
Harper's Ferry on Monday morning to have retired to the Virginia side, and
there the better prepared to fight a successful battle. During the 15th
day of September, General Lee did not have with him art Sharpsburg more
than 12,000 men, though by his maneuvering and shifting his men from place
to place, he convinced the Federal General that he had a vast army ready
for the fight.

The Federal General McClellen in his official report states that he put 87,
500 men into the battle of Wednesday; and it is more than doubtful if the
Confederate army in this battle exceeded more than 33,000 men. It has been
truly said that this was the bloodiest one day's battle of the war; and in
none did Southern individuality and self reliance, noted characteristics
of the Confederate soldier, shine more brilliantly, or perform a more
important part.

After the close of the battle, and on the night of the 18th, the cries of
distress of a wounded Connecticut soldier lying in the forty-acre
cornfield, were heard by J. M. Norton, a Georgia soldier belonging to
Tooms' brigade and he determined to reach and relieve the sufferer, if
possible. Taking his canteen filled with water, he crept and crawled to
the spot from whence came the cries, and found Mr. B. L. Burr, a badly
wounded Federal soldier famishing--dying for water He supplied him with a
canteen of water, and then made his way safely back to his regiment.
Subsequently, the following poem written by A. W. Burkhardt, which is here
inserted, was suggested by the reading of this incident.

"From The Same Canteen."

On Maryland's soil, by Antietam's clear stream,
There was a clashing of sabers and bayonet-gleam,
And booming of cannon and shrieking of shell,
While the Angel of death plied the engines of Hell.

Two vast armies met there, in stern battle array,
And Antietam ran crimsoned with blood on that day;
While death-dealing bullets were falling like hail,
And the fate of a nation hung poised in the scale.

In far-away homes many loved one shall weep,
On that red gory field many warriors shall sleep;
The mother shall watch, but her waiting is vain,
Her brave soldier boy shall return not again.

The wife, so devoted, so loyal and true,
Has given her loved one a last long adieu;
And now, when the sun shall sink low in the west,
A fatherless babe she will clasp to her breast.

The fair maiden betrothed, and dreaming of bliss,
While on her lips lingers her lover's last kiss,
The fond hope of her heart no more shall behold,
He lies at Antietam, all lifeless and cold.

The bright morning sun will rise in the sky,
And look on the scene with a pitying eye,
And weep for the loved ones, all bleeding and torn,
Sad, wounded, forsaken, and dying forlorn.

Earth quenches it's thirst with the blood of the slain,
While the cyclone of death sweeps over the plain;
And the war Demons dance in the moon's misty light,
And mockingly laugh, as each soul takes its flight.

Oh, bloody Antietam! Oh, death dealing day!
When the North and the South met in battle array
On the banks of thy stream--in the gloom of thy shade,
Where widows and orphans by thousands were made.

As line after line, with a firm, steady tread,
O'er the gory field charged over wounded and dead,
Through the smoke of the battle, and its sulphurous breath,
Pressed onward--still on--to the harvest of death.

The "Bridge" is now taken--though fearful the loss,
And Burnside advances his columns across;
As forward and backward the battle tide flows,
A part of the field is abandoned to foes.

As the smoke of the conflict lifts over the scene
Where the day's bloody struggle the hottest has been,
And the red, gory field lies thickest--o'er spread
With the wounded, and mangled, the dying and dead.

'Twas here, lying helpless, at ebb of the tide,
A soldier was left, on the fearful divide,
'Twixt the camps of the foemen where battle raged hot
And the sharp shooter's rifle commanded each spot.

The day's work was done, and the din of the fight
Gave place to the darkness and gloom of the night;
The pickets were ordered strict vigils to keep,
While the weary combatants attempted to sleep.

But alas for the wounded! deserted, alone,
Their couch the red field, and their pillow a stone!
No "touch of the elbow," no kind "comrade" near
To inspire them with courage, or speak words of cheer.

All bleeding he lay, 'mid the dying and dead,
While the earth echoed back to the sentinels' tread;
And the grief burdened air gave vent to a groan,

He thought of his home, of his friends far away,
As through the long night he awaited the day.
At length the sun rose, but to add to his grief,
No kind, friendly hand came to give him relief.

Thus forty long hours, all helpless he lay;
Day gave place to night, and night changed into day!
With his life current ebbing -- while weaker each breath,
He sighed but for "Water" -- for water or death.

The thirst of the wounded -- not pencil nor pen
Can portray half its horrors; nor language of men;
It's pangs may be felt but no tongue can tell,
'Tis the acme of misery! -- quintessence of Hell!

For "Water!" -- Oh Water!" -- for Water the cry --
While Antietam, her current rolls mockingly by,
There faint and exhausted, in hopeless despair,
He sniffs the foul stench of the war-burdened air!

What a glorious vision his eyes now behold! --
A treasure, more precious than silver, or gold,
He drinks at the fountain! -- he bathes in the stream!
He awakens -- Alas -- it was only a dream!

But a picket, a "Johnnie in Gray," it is true,
Heard the cry of distress from the "Yankee in Blue,"
And all enmity vanished his soldierly heart
As he quickly resolved kind aid to impart.

But to give the relief, he must creep 'mong the dead
Through the down trodden corn, where the earth was till red,
Full exposed to the sharpshooter's deadly aim,
On his mission of mercy -- he went and he came!

Soon the Blue and the Gray, whilom enemies, met;
From the "Johnnie's" canteen, the "Yank's" lips were made wet,
And as kindness and gratitude readily blends,
Two hearts were made happy, two foes became friends.

And the angel of mercy looked down from above
With a pitying eye, while a tear drop of love
Cemented the friendship begun on that day,
Where "Yankee" and "Reb" fought in hostile array.

Of all the brave deeds, on that battlefield done,
None exceeded in bravery and kindness that one;
And from that day to this no friends were more true
Than the "Johnnie in Gray" and the "Yankee" in Blue."

General McClellan's army began crossing the Potomac east of the Blue Ridge
and at Harper's Ferry in the last days of October, which impelled General
Lee to move to Culpeper, where he concentrated the major part of his army
about the first day of November.

While at Culpeper in the early days of November, Pickett's division was
organized, and composed of the following Virginia regiments, viz:

1st brigade:
Brigadier General James L. Kemper
Regiments: 1st, 3rd, 7th, 11th, and 24th Virginia.

2nd brigade:
Brigadier General R. B. Garnett
Regiments: 8th, 18th, 19th, 28th, and 56th Virginia.

3rd brigade
Brigadier General Lewis A. Armistead
Regiments: 9th, 14th, 38th, 53rd, and 57th Virginia

4th brigade
Brigadier General Montgomery C. Corse
Regiments: 15th, 17th, 29th, 30th, and 32nd Virginia.

And Jenkins' South Carolina brigade. To the division was attached Major
James Dearing's battalion of artillery, and Caskey's Stribling's and
Latham's batteries.

In the last days of November the division marched from Culpeper over the
Orange Plank road to the hills overlooking Fredericksburg, where on the
11th of December it was called to arms to resist the enemy reported as
crossing or threatening to cross the Rappahannock. The division stood to
arms until early on the morning of the 13th, when it was marched to a
position in the Confederate battle line on the right center of
Longstreet's corps, where it remained until about 1 o'clock, P. M., when
Kemper's and Jenkins' brigades were marched rapidly to the relief of the
Confederates holding Mayre's Hill, and who were being sorely pressed. The
brigade of Kemper moved forward into the line about dark, taking the place
of Cobb's Georgians and Cook's North Carolinians; remaining during the
night of the 13th, the day and night of the 14th, engaged for most of the
time in brisk skirmishing with the enemy, who decamped and crossed the
river on the night of the 14th. The loss in the brigade was 46, of which
there were four in the 7th regiment, and seven in the 24th regiment. Lewis
N. Wiley of company D, of the 7th was wounded. Another "on to Richmond"
movement had been scotched.

The enemy gone and the present danger having passed, the troops retired to
their respective camping places on the hills, south of Fredericksburg. The
winter was severe, the men were without tents, but few blankets and
numbers still without shoes, and not one in a dozen with an overcoat,
therefore poorly prepared for the winter blasts. Necessity, however,
compels man to resort to almost any expedient to make himself comfortable,
and the men erected rude wooden shanties out of timber, placing one end in
the ground, and slanting the other forward resting on poles held up by
forks or against trees, and the top of the timber or slabs covered with
earth to the depth of several inches. In front they built their fires;
some rolling away the logs that had been burning during the day, made
their bed on the warm ground. Rawhide moccasins were substituted for
shoes. The regiments by detachments did picket duty off the river beyond
Hamilton's Crossing, while the cavalry watched the fords of the upper
Rappahannock.

During that long, dreary, cold winter while in the bivouac amid privation
and suffering, not exceeded by that of Washington's army at Valley Forge,
the men freely discussed the question touching the war, its conduct,
prospects for peace, etc. An ever abiding confidence in the justice of our
cause, and the belief in its final triumph, coupled with and backed by
invincible, unconquerable spirits ever ready to brave the storm of battle,
caused the sufferings and hardships to be treated as trival as compared
with the great issue at stake.

On January 20th the men were called from their quarters and marched up the
Rappahannock in the direction of Bank's Ford, where it was reported that a
portion of the Federal army was threatening to cross. Remaining out one
night in the rain, snow and mud, returned to their camps, seeming to have
marched up that hill for no other purpose than to march down again.

At an early hour on the morning of Monday, February 16th, in the midst of
snow, sleet and storm, Pickett's division took up its line of march
heading towards Richmond. The march continued to within about eight miles
of that city, when a halt was made and the men rested for a few days, when
they again marched, moving through the city to Chester station, on the
Richmond & Petersburg Railroad. Here the command remained until about the
1st of March, when it removed to a point about two miles south east of
Petersburg, where it remained until March 25th, then was placed aboard a
train of cars and proceeded to Weldon, then to Goldsboro, and from thence
to Kinston North Carolina. Here the command did some scouting and
picketing on the roads leading to Newberne. Leaving Kinston on April 9th
it moved by rail by way of Goldsboro to Weldon, and from thence marched to
Suffolk, Virginia, reaching there on April 12th, and joining the
Confederate forces of General Longstreet, then investing that place. It
was from a train of cars on this journey that Manley Reece, of the Mercer
company of the 24th Virginia regiment was knocked from the top of the
train by an overhead bridge and killed.

The principal object of the investment of the town of Suffolk, seems to
have been to keep the enemy closely confined within his lines immediately
in and around that place and the city of Norfolk, and thus enable the
Confederate Commissary Department to gather all available supplies for the
army from the southeastern counties of Virginia, and to transport them
into the interior for the use of our army. Beyond some severe skirmishes,
nothing very important occurred during our stay around Suffolk. General
Longstreet quietly withdrew his forces on the night of the 3rd of May, and
marched to the vicinity of Chester Station, between Petersburg and
Richmond. On our way from Suffolk to Petersburg we heard of the battle of
Chancellorville, the wounding of General Jackson and later of his death.
The command remained at Chester Station until about the middle of May,
when Pickett's division marched through Richmond to Taylorsville and went
into camp, where it remained and rested until the last of the month or the
1st day of June, when it marched across the Pamunkey into King and Queen
County, returning in a day or two to its camp at Taylorsville. On the 2nd
day of June the division was again in motion in the direction of Northern
Virginia, and the movement continued until it reached, on the 10th, a
point within about eight miles of Culpeper Court House, where it went into
bivouac. Here had assembled, as was assembling, a large part of the army
of General lee, including his cavalry corps under its matchless leader,
General J. W. B. Stuart.

The passionate ardor of our people for their country's cause had brought
to the army nearly every man that was able to perform active military duty
in the field, so that but few additions to the ranks could be hoped for.
It was the largest number of men, and composed of the best fighting
material, that General Lee had yet, in fact ever led to battle. Most of
them were men well inured to the service, and therefore well prepared to
undergo the greatest hardship; and by this time most of the cowards, of
which there were few, had either gotten out of the army and gone home, or
over to the enemy. As General Lee, at the head of this magnificent body of
men, was passing through Clark County, in the Valley of Virginia, he dined
with Dr. McGuire, and after dinner on mounting his horse and about to
leave, the Doctor remarked to him, that he had never before felt
confidence in the Southern cause, but was now encouraged as he saw the
army marching north. To which General Lee quietly said, "Doctor, there
marches the finest body of men that ever tramped upon the earth." This
incident was related to the author by Doctor Edwin McGuire of Richmond.
The usual orders to cook rations and prepare to move at a moment's notice
were given the men in their bivouac at Culpeper, and everything was bustle
and confusion in preparation to move.