1 
 
 BLA 
 
 li 
 
 
 HfUHH W UlUl HW n a BK U . T mil l lWU ' JtlMLJ ^ 
 
CORNELL 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 The Gift of 
 
 NEWTON C. FARR 
 
 Class of 1909 
 
Cornell University Library 
 E605 .S8S 
 
 A pair of blankets: 
 
 AllllliilHilll 
 
 MM HR MR Ml M Mi Mil III IM Mn IM H Ml Ml R M 
 
 3 1924 030 907 988 
 olin 
 
Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of tliis book is in 
 the Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924030907988 
 

A Pair of Blankets 
 
 WAR-TIME HISTORY IN LETTERS TO 
 THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF THE SOUTH 
 
 BY 
 
 WILLIAM H. STEWART 
 
 BROADWAY PUBLISHING CO. 
 
 835 Broadway 
 NEW YORK 
 
Copyright, 191 i, 
 
 By 
 
 [William H. Stewart. 
 
I inscribe these Memoirs, entitled "A Pair of 
 Blankets," to my Nephews, Charles A, Stewart, Jr.; 
 Robert E, B. Stewart, Jr.; Henry E. Stewart, Wm. 
 Moseley Stewart, and Robert T. Stewart, and through 
 them to the young people of the South. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Number i — Introduction to my Story. .^. ^ , . . 9 
 
 " 2 — My First Military Service 13 
 
 " 3 — The Tale of the Blankets 19 
 
 " 4 — ^The Tale of the Blankets, continued 22 
 
 5— The Battle of Sewell's Point 25 
 
 " 6 — ^Denby's Church and Disbandment. 31 
 
 " 7 — ^At the Masked Battery 33 
 
 8— My First Fight 39 
 
 " 9 — The Duel of the Iron-Clads. .,. .. . 43 
 
 " 10 — ^The "Virginia" Victorious 47 
 
 " II — ^The "Virginia's" Second Challenge 51 
 
 12— The "Virginia's" Third Challenge. 55 
 
 " 13 — The Dimensions of the "Virginia" 60 
 " 14 — The Evacuation and Fight at Point 
 
 of Rocks :. 63 
 
 " 15 — In Mahone's Brigade. ., 66 
 
 " 16 — Winter Quarters and December 
 
 Battle 70 
 
 17— The Gold Mine Camp ■. 78 
 
 18— McCarty's Farm Fight , ,. 81 
 
 " 19 — Stonewall Jackson's Guns.. 84 
 
 20— Salem Church Battle 87 
 
 " 21 — Marching to the Invasion 90 
 
 " 22 — In the Enemy's Country 92 
 
 " 23 — Marching on to Gettysburg 96 
 
 Z 
 
Contents 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Number 24— The Charge on Cemetery Heights. 98 
 
 " 25 — ^John Bowie Magrader 102 
 
 " 26 — ^After Pickett's Charge. no 
 
 " 27 — In Virginia Again 1. 116 
 
 " 28— Bristoe Station 119 
 
 " 29 — Mine Run and Madison Run 122 
 
 " 30 — ^The Wilderness 126 
 
 " 31 — The Spottsylvania Battle 129 
 
 " 32 — ^Marching and Fighting 134 
 
 " 33 — Second Cold Harbor 138 
 
 " 34 — Marching Back to Petersburg 143 
 
 " 35— The Battle of Jerusalem Plank 
 
 Road , ,. 147 
 
 " 36— The Charge of the Crater 151 
 
 " 37 — Scenes after the Battle. 163 
 
 38— The Battle of Weldon Railroad... 167 
 
 " 39 — ^William Curtis Wallace ". . 176 
 
 " 40 — ^Reams Station Battle 179 
 
 41— The Battle of Burgess Mill 182 
 
 " 42 — Fighting and Fasting 185 
 
 43— The Hardships of Hatcher's Run. . 189 
 
 " 44 — Our Last Victory and Last March 196 
 
 " 45 — Love of Lee. 211 
 
 8 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 I have written "A Pair of Blankets" in response 
 to the request of some young people desiring to 
 hear accounts of battles from a soldier who had served 
 in the field, and if possible, to aid in interesting our 
 people in preserving the history of the Confederate 
 War. 
 
 From Colonial days to the present the South has 
 been equal to any section of our country in patriotism 
 and chivalry; but has not preserved her history and 
 landmarks in a way to be truly represented before the 
 world. 
 
 I hope our people have learned from experience to 
 be jealous of the South's history as other sections are 
 of theirs, so as to preserve her records as a most 
 valuable legacy for future generations, and to help 
 foster this spirit, I have ventured this work. 
 
 W. H. S. 
 
A Pair of Blankets. 
 
 LETTER NO. i. 
 introduction to my story. 
 
 My Dear Nephews: 
 
 I am writing you something about my life as a 
 soldier, thinking you may be interested in what oc- 
 curred during one of the greatest wars which ever 
 happened in the world, and I am going to name my 
 story A Pair of Blankets, for the pair under which 
 I slept during four years or more. 
 
 When I joined the army, I thought I would get a 
 great deal of fun out of war. I believed that I would 
 be high up in the firmament of greatness if I could 
 be a son of Mars. I was greatly afraid the contest 
 would end before I could get in a real battle. I soon 
 found out that a soldier had a hard and dangerous 
 time. I hope you will never have to be a soldier and 
 go through the sufferings and dangers I did during 
 my four years' service in the Confederate army. I 
 was an ofScer, too, and did not have to endure as 
 much as the privates who experienced every hard- 
 ship. 
 
 When this country was discovered by white men, 
 you know, it was inhabited by red men. The first 
 
a mit of ISIankets 
 
 English settlement was at Jamestown in Virginia in 
 1607, and the next at Plymouth Rock in Massachu- 
 setts, where the Pilgrims landed on the 22d day of 
 December, 1620. From these two settlements grew 
 thirteen British colonies. The emigrants bought or 
 took by force the lands from the Indians. They wpre 
 often most unjust to the red men and that made the 
 hatred between them extremely bitter. 
 
 When these colonies had grown quite large, the 
 British government taxed them without allowing them 
 representation in the parliament which made the tax 
 laws. 
 
 A bitter controversy took place and war was de- 
 clared between the mother country and her colonies. 
 General George Washington was the commander-in- 
 chief of the colonial army. After a war lasting seven 
 years the colonies were successful. The fact that 
 Great Britain was fighting France at the same time, 
 made independence possible; for the colonies could 
 not have won, had all the strength of the mother 
 country been concentrated against them. 
 
 On the 23d day of September, 1783, Great Britain 
 acknowledged the independence of each colony as a 
 separate sovereign state. There were thirteen at that 
 time, and they afterwards formed a union to be called 
 the United States of America. 
 
 George Washington was the first president of the 
 republic. Thomas Jefferson was the third president. 
 He bought from Napoleon Bonaparte, the vast ter- 
 ritory over the Mississippi river, which made many 
 more states ; then by the war with Mexico, from April, 
 1846, to May 30th, 1848, this country got a large ter- 
 
 IQ 
 
a pair of 'Blankets 
 
 ritory for more states. The Southern States con- 
 tended for State Rights, that is, that the State had a 
 right to govern its own affairs without the interposi- 
 tion of the general government, except so far as the 
 States had given by the Constitution, and they there- 
 fore contended for the right of their citizens to carry 
 their property in slaves into the territories, which were 
 by all the rules of justice and equity common prop- 
 erty; but an abolition party had sprung up in the 
 North and West which denied these rights of the 
 South. 
 
 The hatred of this party was so bitter towards the 
 South, that it denounced the Constitution of the 
 United States, and did not hesitate to violate it, be- 
 cause it said slavery was morally wrong and the con- 
 stitution upheld it. Away back in 1619, a Dutch ves- 
 sel brought twenty Africans to Jamestown and sold 
 them to the colonists ; after this a lively trade sprung 
 up between the coast of Africa and this country, and 
 many vessels, principally owned in the North, were en- 
 gaged in bringing black savages from Africa and 
 selling them as slaves, until after awhile, slavery ex- 
 isted in every colony and afterwards in every state. 
 This kind of property was not profitable in the cold 
 North, so the slave owners sold out to the Southern 
 people, and after they got their money, they wanted 
 to take the slaves away from the South without pay- 
 ing for them, which they finally did through the 
 perfidy of Lincoln. When he was inaugurated presi- 
 dent, he said he had no lawful right to interfere with 
 slavery in the States and had no inclination to do so ; 
 yet before two years had passed, he issued a proclam- 
 
 II 
 
a mit of '!BIanfeet0 
 
 ation declaring them free. He not only committed 
 this act of gross injustice, but he allowed the war 
 against the South to be conducted in a most inhuman 
 and uncivilized manner. The son of the author of 
 Uncle Tom's Cabin in an address on the looth anni- 
 versary of her birth, said : "This much must be con- 
 ceded that the Northern States were just as much 
 responsible for the existence of slavery as were the 
 Southern states, and that slavery ceased to exist in 
 the Northern states, because it was for them an 
 economic failure, and it grew stronger in the Southern 
 states after the invention of Eli Whitney's cotton 
 gin, simply because it was enormously profitable, and 
 property and slaves correspondingly valuable." 
 * * * "Now as slaves were property according to 
 law, any attack upon this form of property was an 
 attack indirectly upon all forms of property, and an 
 attack also upon the Constitution of the United 
 States." This concession condemns the emancipation 
 proclamation stronger than any language I might em- 
 ploy. 
 
 The black people were much better oflF as slaves in 
 the South than they were in Africa living in the 
 woods without clothes and feeding on nuts like 
 monkeys and squirrels. 
 
 They were contented and happy on the Southern 
 Plantations, where they were made to labor in the 
 fields and given comfortable clothes and good food. 
 While they were not taught in schools they were 
 brought up under religious influence and rapidly be- 
 came true Christians. I remember when they had 
 revivals; and such good times they would have in 
 
 12 
 
a Pait ot IBIankets 
 
 getting happy and shouting ! The mourners were in- 
 tensely enthusiastic. My father owned "Aunt Eun- 
 ice," who would dress up in her best frock to go to 
 meeting, but would always take along her old dress 
 to put on, when she got happy and shouted. The 
 slaves were generally good and kind people, much 
 better than their free descendants of this day. Some 
 had bad masters who ill-treated them, but not more 
 than bad husbands in abolition families who treated 
 their wives cruelly. During all the time of our great 
 war the slaves on the plantations were faithful to the 
 families of their masters, who were serving in the 
 army. We owe these great respect and gratitude, 
 for their conduct was guided by a Christian spirit. 
 
 There were in the year i860, in this country, 3,953,- 
 760 slaves, distributed as follows ; Alabama, 435,080 ; 
 Arkansas, 111,115; Delaware, 1,798; District of 
 Columbia, 3,185; Florida, 61,745; Georgia, 462,198; 
 Kansas, 2; Kentucky, 225,483; Louisiana, 331,726; 
 Maryland, 87,189; Mississippi, 436,631; Missouri, 
 114,931; Nebraska, 15; New Jersey, 18; North Caro- 
 lina, 331,059; South Carolina, 402,406; Tennessee, 
 275,719; Texas, 182,566; Utah, 29; Virginia, 490,865. 
 
 LETTER NO. 2. 
 my first military service. 
 
 My Dear Nephews: 
 
 I am never going to say that it was best for the 
 South that the Confederacy was overthrown; I do 
 
 13 
 
a pait of TBlmkttjs 
 
 not believe it. I do not think that such tyrannical 
 trusts would have been tolerated and such debauch- 
 ery in politics could have existed, as we now have, 
 under the flag of the Southern Cross. 
 
 I am sorry that General Lee was forced to sur- 
 render at Appomattox, Virginia. I wish the Con- 
 federate States was a living, physical republic to-day. 
 
 I could not fight for it again; but if the National 
 government would voluntarily turn loose the South- 
 ern States, I would rejoice to see a Southern Repub- 
 lic with the old battle flag unfurled again in all its 
 mighty glory. It is not to be; but a simple wish for 
 it is harmless. 
 
 I first recall political agitation away back when 
 "Bethel," the old voting precinct on the North West 
 Canal in Norfolk County, Virginia, was a Whig 
 stronghold. They voted then with the living voice — 
 without the secret ballot. 
 
 I remember my father came home one afternoon 
 and said he had been to "Bethel" to vote ; that he and 
 a red-haired man were the only Democrats at the 
 polls. 
 
 I was about eight years old when I began to watch 
 the trend of political affairs. 
 
 I was politically speaking under "hack" at the old 
 field school, for the boys were all Whigs, and I was 
 the lonesome Democrat, and they called me by the 
 detested name, "locofoco." 
 
 I remember the great political battles between the 
 Whigs and Democrats, and vividly recall the coming 
 of the American Party. The "Know Nothings" as 
 the American Party was called, made political things 
 
 14 
 
a l^ait of ISIanfeets 
 
 bubble and boil, surely there were "hot times" in 
 those days. The contests were high spirited, but 
 always honestly conducted. 
 
 I remember how the sentiment changed in that 
 Whig and Know Nothing community, when old John 
 Brown invaded Virginia to murder the white people 
 and free the slaves. 
 
 Whigs, Know Nothings and Democrats, including 
 the red-headed man, all were of one mind to resist 
 the Black Republican emissary. I, at once, "jined the 
 cavalry," and was made an officer by some of the 
 same boys who had called me a "locofoco." 
 
 Our company was organized at Hickory Ground, 
 in Norfolk County, and called the "Wise Light Dra- 
 goons," for the fiery tribune of the Virginia Democ- 
 racy, Governor Henry A. Wise. 
 
 This company was not required to go to the seat 
 of war at Harpers Ferry as we earnestly desired, but 
 still the horsemen continued to ride to their drills once 
 every month. 
 
 On the 17th of April, 1861, the Virginia Conven- 
 tion, in session at Richmond, passed the "ordinance 
 of secession," which was precipitated by Lincoln's 
 proclamation calling for troops to subdue the states 
 which had seceded. 
 
 Three days after, the greatest excitement prevailed 
 among the people of Portsmouth, where the govern- 
 ment navy yard was located. The volunteer military 
 companies of the third Virginia regiment were called 
 out by the governor and stationed at various points 
 near the Gosport Navy Yard. 
 
 The entire community was excited to the highest 
 
 IS 
 
a Pait o( 'Blankets 
 
 pitch and on every hand arrangements of a warlike 
 nature were being made for the sectional war, then 
 imminent. 
 
 On the day and night of the 20th of April, 1861, 
 obstructions were placed in the Elizabeth river to 
 prevent United States war vessels from coming in or 
 going out of the harbor. About twelve o'clock on 
 this day the gates of the navy yard were closed to 
 all outsiders and were heavily guarded by U. S. ma- 
 rines. During the day, marines, sailors and other at- 
 tachees of the yard were engaged in destroying small 
 arms and other instruments of war and throwing them 
 in the river. 
 
 On the evening of that day, about dark, the United 
 States vessel Pawnee came steaming into port from 
 the city of Washington, with a large number of ma- 
 rines, sailors and soldiers on board. She came in 
 with banners flying and a band of musicians playing 
 national airs, and her guns were loaded and run out 
 of their ports. She proceeded to the navy yard and 
 immediately the marines, sailors, soldiers and their 
 officers went ashore, and they began removing 
 valuable materials to the ships, and the destruction 
 of cannon and other things which could not be easily 
 transported, and this work continued the entire night. 
 
 Just before day when all of their forces, except 
 a few who escaped and the two officers who were 
 commissioned to fire the powder trains intended to 
 destroy the ships and buildings were unintentionally 
 left in the excitement, went on board the Pawnee 
 and the sail frigates Constitution and Cumber- 
 
 16 
 
a Pait of TSlmkets 
 
 land and proceeded to Fortress Monroe. The fire 
 which was burning the ships and buildings spread 
 rapidly, and from the main building in the yard com- 
 municated to dwellings on the north side of Lin- 
 coln street in the city of Portsmouth and destroyed 
 quite a number, and but for the direction of the wind 
 the whole city would have been destroyed. 
 
 The terror of the people, aroused in the night time, 
 to find the great sweeping flames apparently rush- 
 ing to destroy everything before them, is beyond the 
 power of my pen to describe. 
 
 The trembling women, hastily robing, servants 
 frantic and children screaming, increased the dismay; 
 from all appearances it seemed that the town would 
 be swept off the face of the earth in two hours, and 
 it would have been had not the wind blown south- 
 wardly. All the horses and oxen used in the navy 
 yard, a considerable number, were burned alive, a 
 horrid cruelty, but can you conceive a more diabolical 
 act than to fire so many buildings at the dead of 
 night, endangering the lives of men, women and 
 children, many of whom were quietly sleeping, placing 
 more faith in American sailors than to imagine that 
 they could be capable of such an outrage. 
 
 Afterwards, for some days, the whole population 
 was in nervous dread, fearing the return of the 
 Pawnee to finish the destruction of the town. 
 
 While the fires were still burning and the ashes 
 of this great destruction were smouldering, the "Wise 
 Light Dragoons" rode to the bay shore to be videtts 
 on the beach for the State of Virginia and there was 
 
a Pait of ISlmketn 
 
 my first military service. We were quartered in 
 Denby's church in the Northern part of the county 
 about eight miles from the city of Norfolk. 
 
 The first lieutenant and I slept within the altar 
 rail, our captain in the pulpit, and the non-commis- 
 sioned officers and privates lodged on the long benches 
 for their beds. I did not have a pair of blankets 
 there, for these for which I have named my story 
 were on board a hostile man-of-war, flying the 
 stars and stripes, anchored over across Hampton 
 Roads. 
 
 I am now seated in a comfortable chair before an 
 open fire in my home, and there are the blankets 
 hung up on the wall. The like of them was never 
 seen before, and yet they are of the size and kind of 
 many millions that have gone into the rag bag of the 
 long ago. 
 
 They are now thin and worn thread-bare in many 
 places> but the "U. S. Navy" in fadeless letters of red 
 is on them still. They are relics of one of the great- 
 est wars that ever thundered upon the face of the 
 earth, they are unique in experience and they served 
 on both sides, under two flags. 
 
 The canteen, Spencer rifle, spur, sword and belt 
 are silent witnesses of the scenes of war that have 
 gone forever. They are captured spoils of war, and 
 you will desire to know how I got them. 
 
 I will let the "Blankets" tell their own story as if 
 in their own language, partly based upon surmise and 
 partly on facts, and I will tell you about the other 
 relics and the long and faithful service of the old 
 blankets. 
 
 i8 
 
a Pait of iBlmhm 
 
 LETTER NO. 3. 
 the tale of the blankets. 
 
 My Dear Nephews: 
 
 " Mary had a little lamb, 
 His fleece was white as snow, 
 Every where that Mary went. 
 The lamb was sure to go." 
 
 But we, the "Blankets" were neither borne nor 
 bom on the back of Mary's little lamb; we imagine 
 that we first saw light away beyond the "Father of 
 Waters" on a ranch of the great North West and 
 many lambs bore us over the plains, grazing the while 
 to give us strength and length, until they became fat 
 sheep for the shearing time. Then the sharp scissors 
 separated us from our mothers and fathers to be 
 washed and baled for a long journey to New Eng- 
 land. There we found a great building on the banks 
 of the river Merrimac, with long cylinder chimneys 
 constantly spouting clouds of smoke from the fur- 
 naces which were creating steam for the boilers to 
 run great engines by which the looms were worked, 
 and the humming, buzzing machinery would fill your 
 ears everywhere over the great structure. We were 
 carried from the cars to a large room in the factory 
 and made to sleep on the bare floor without cover- 
 ing. When we were taken out we were rushed into 
 the mouths of the great machines, carded, spun and 
 
 19 
 
a ]^aii of 'Blankets 
 
 woven into the form you now see us, only we were 
 whole and fresh like new born twins. The "U. S. 
 Navy" was in plain red letters as a mark to keep us 
 from running astray, for Uncle Sam ordered our 
 creation to give comfort to his Blue Jackets. 
 
 We were sent from the mills with thousands of 
 others to be enlisted in the American Navy and were 
 first put in a hammock on the U. S. sailing frigate 
 Cumberland for a jolly good tar with whom we 
 sailed for Mexico on our first cruise. 
 
 A revolution was in progress there between two 
 factions, one known as the Church Party and the 
 other as the Constitutional Party. This may after 
 awhile inspire you to read some history of that coun- 
 try. The Home Squadron under Commodore Gar- 
 rett J. Pendergrast was sent to Mexican waters to 
 look out for the interest of Americans. 
 
 On the 22d of December, Miramon, the leader of 
 the Church Party was completely routed and Juarez 
 with the Liberal army entered the City of Mexico 
 on Christmas Day. 
 
 When we were off Vera Cruz on the ninth day of 
 February, the flag of the commodore was transferred 
 from the old side wheel ship Powhatan to our ship. 
 
 Then we heard that times at home were bestirred 
 with rumors of civil war and orders came for our 
 return to American waters, so on the 2Sth day of 
 February, 1861, we were sailing from Vera Cruz 
 homeward and our good ship on the second day of 
 March anchored in Hampton Roads after encounter- 
 ing a succession of severe gales oflf the Altantic 
 coast. 
 
 20 
 
Z Pait of 15Ianket0 
 
 On the 29th day of March we went up the Eliza- 
 beth river and anchored off the Naval Hospital in 
 the harbor of Norfolk and Portsmouth; afterwards 
 our ship was towed up to the Gosport Navy Yard, 
 where there were many big ships of war with famous 
 names. The Merrimac, the Delaware, the Pennsyl- 
 vania, the United States, the Raritan, the German- 
 town, the Plymouth and the Dolphin. War seemed 
 to be in the air, our great guns were shotted and the 
 sailors were kept at quarters. 
 
 On the 28th day of April, 1861, the commotion was 
 great and the excitement intense all around us. The 
 report came that the Virginians had sunk the Light 
 Ships in the channel of the river to prevent our 
 escape, and the trains constantly running on the 
 Petersburg railroad were thought to be transporting 
 troops to capture the navy yard. During that day 
 and next, arms, munitions, and stores were brought 
 from the navy yard on board of our ship. 
 
 Sailors and marines were sent ashore to destroy 
 the cannon and prepare for the general breaking up. 
 About eight o'clock at night the Pawnee steamed up 
 to the yard with the third Massachusetts regiment. 
 As she passed us, our boys greeted her arrival with 
 three hearty cheers. The soldiers were immediately 
 landed to help in the destruction of the ships that 
 were fastened to the wharves and moored in the 
 stream. The turpentine powder and waste recently 
 brought from Washington by the Annacosta were 
 taken ashore for laying trains to the ships, store- 
 houses and the great buildings in which men-of-war 
 were constructed, for the terrible element, fire, was 
 
 21 
 
a l^air of IBIanfeew 
 
 soon to be turned loose for sweeping destruction. 
 Early in the morning our ship, towed by the Pawnee 
 and Yankee, started down the stream to Hampton 
 Roads. At a signal rocket the trains of powder were 
 lighted and the great conflagration swept with the 
 wind over the doomed buildings and ships. The 
 flames from the great buildings and huge ships illu- 
 minated our vessels and the two cities, perfectly. It 
 was an awful sight! The marines and sailors were 
 on the decks of our outgoing vessels with loaded 
 muskets and the cannon were shotted and ready for 
 action as we passed slowly by the twin cities. No 
 hostile demonstration was manifested on shore and 
 we passed out without firing a musket. We anchored 
 in the river to examine the barriers before attempt- 
 ing to pass over, but finding we could get over, the 
 tugs Yankee and Keystone State hooked on and 
 dragged us over and down to the anchorage under 
 Fortress Monroe. We were glad to rest after the 
 great excitement and congratulated ourselves that we 
 were still peacefully folded in our hammock. Flag 
 Officer Pendergrast directed the affairs of the Home 
 Squadron from this anchorage for some time. 
 
 LETTER NO. 4. 
 the tale of the blankets (continueoy. 
 
 My Dear Nephews: 
 
 About the fifth of July, 1861, we heard our sailor 
 boy say that our good ship would sail out of the 
 
 22 
 
a pair of ISIanfects 
 
 capes, turn southward to observe the condition of 
 afifairs off stormy Hatteras, and then turn northward 
 for the Boston navy yard. 
 
 July the eleventh found us in the dry dock at Bos- 
 ton. All the time we spent there a great hammering 
 was a din in all ears. However the repairs were soon 
 completed and the Cumberland sailed for Hampton 
 Roads on August ninth ; arriving in the Virginia sea, 
 she took position off Newport News to protect the 
 building of shore batteries and watch the "Rebel" 
 James River Fleet, with which she had a brush on 
 September 15th without damage to either side. 
 
 The spring of 1862 found us safely riding at an- 
 chor at the mouth of the James river only shifting 
 with the tides that flow in and out twice each day; 
 and often the winter winds would whistle through the 
 rigging and shrouds making the Jack tars shiver 
 when cleaning the decks. 
 
 On the eighth day of March, about nine o'clock in 
 the morning, our sailor boy said: "Yonder are two 
 steamers off Smithfield Point and I am suspicious of 
 them," and then about noonday, three vessels under 
 steam were standing down the Elizabeth river to- 
 wards Sewell's Point. 
 
 The crew was at once beat to quarters, the guns 
 were double breeched on the main deck, and the 
 Cumberland was cleared for action. Fatal day! 
 
 At one o'clock in the afternoon the enemy hove in 
 sight, gradually coming nearer; the iron clad steamer 
 Merrimac, accompanied by two steam gun boats, 
 passed ahead of the frigate Congress and stood down 
 towards us. The Cumberland opened fire on her 
 
 23 
 
a pair of IBlanfeetg 
 
 with solid shot, but she halted not, stood on and 
 struck us under the starboard fore channels, deliver- 
 ing her fire at the same time ; the crash was fatal and 
 terrible. Through the great hole made in our star- 
 board bow by the prow of the Merrimac the water 
 rushed in volume and the ship was sinking. At 
 three-thirty o'clock in the afternoon the water had 
 gained upon us, notwithstanding the pumps were 
 kept actively employed, to a degree that the forward 
 magazine being drowned, powder had to be taken 
 from the after magazine for the ten-inch gun. Five 
 minutes later the water had risen to the main hatch- 
 way, and the ship canted to port, a parting fire was 
 delivered as she settled down, and the sailors jumped 
 overboard to save themselves. 
 
 One hundred and twenty-one of our men were 
 killed and drowned of the 376 on board when the 
 fight commenced. We heard that the enemy had 
 only two killed and eight wounded. The prow of 
 the Merrimac was broken off and her armor slightly 
 damaged, her anchors and flag staff were shot away, 
 and smoke stack and steam pipe riddled; but she 
 turned and went back to fight the Congress. 
 
 We (there were two of us), were nicely folded 
 in our sailor boy's hammock, in the early morning, 
 but when the water rushed into the bowels of the 
 ship it lifted the hammock clear off the hooks and 
 we floated out on the bosom of the James River to 
 meet the destiny of the tides. Our sailor boy had 
 gone down fighting the last gun and needed us no 
 more to enfold his sleeping form. 
 
 The men of the Cumberland had fought with the 
 24 
 
a pair of 'Blankets 
 
 ardor and gallantry of true knights and served the 
 guns until the rushing water had killed the powder, 
 and the ship went down with the flag at the mast- 
 head, never surrendering. 
 
 Naval warfare does not record higher courage and 
 bravery, and they won unstinted praise for their 
 glory from our enemy. The tide bore us along to- 
 wards the sea, but rounding Sewell's Point we struck 
 the sand beach and lodged under the rifled gun bat- 
 tery. A "rebel" of the garrison made us prisoners; 
 "fair spoils of war" he said, "and much needed, too." 
 
 Sergeant P. Pritchard was our captor, reserving 
 one pair and the hammock for himself, he sold us for 
 ten dollars to his captain and so we became com- 
 forters, aiders and abettors of the "Rebellion." 
 
 We were not deserters, yet we changed masters. 
 We were afraid our motives might be impeached for 
 we did not relish the idea of being called deserters; 
 we, however, consoled ourselves with the knowledge 
 that our mission after all was one of mercy, and not 
 of bloodshed; so being forcibly landed in the Con- 
 federacy, we made peace with our conscience and 
 gave all our blessings to a spirit of the South, which 
 still cherishes its memories with unabating love.' 
 
 LETTER NO. 5. 
 
 THE BATTLE OF SEWELL's POINT. 
 
 My Dear Nephews: 
 
 Virginia seceded on the 17th day of April, 1861, 
 subject to the ratification of the ordinance of her con- 
 
 25 
 
a pair of 1i5Ianfeetsi 
 
 vention by the people at an election to be held on the 
 fourth Thursday in May following. The prevailing 
 sentiment foretold its overwhelming adoption and as 
 Virginia by force of circumstances was to be a great 
 battle ground, the Southern troops commenced their 
 march hitherward before the vote was taken which 
 would irrevocably fix the status of our state. 
 
 When the "City Light Guards" on the 19th of 
 April, 1861, left Columbus, Georgia, for Virginia, they 
 bore a beautiful silk banner — the flag of Georgia, 
 which had been presented by Miss Ella Rose Ingra- 
 ham, and on arriving in Portsmouth, Va., the com- 
 pany first camped at the Naval Hospital. Capt. Pey- 
 ton H. Colquitt was its commander and it was as- 
 signed as "Company A" of the Fourth Georgia Ba- 
 tallion. This company was ordered from the Naval 
 Hospital to Sewell's Point where it participated in 
 the first battle in Virginia. Capt. Colquitt who com- 
 manded the forces in this engagement was afterwards 
 made Colonel of the 46th Georgia Regiment, which 
 after serving some time in defence of Charleston, 
 S. C, was transferred to the Western Army, and 
 while fighting in the bloody battle of Chickamauga 
 on Sunday, September 20th, 1863, was mortally 
 wounded at the head of his command and soon ex- 
 pired. The division commander said in his report of 
 the battle: "The noble, brave and chivalrous Col- 
 quitt, who fell in command of Gist's Brigade, was a 
 soldier, a gentleman, a Christian and a friend." The 
 beginning of the battle of Sewell's Point was on the 
 18th day of May, 1861. The Kahukee, Capt. Babel 
 Taylor, which used to ply through the Dismal Swamp 
 
 26 
 
a pair of 15Ianfects 
 
 canal, was sent to take a force of laborers to Sewell's 
 Point to build a fortification there. She landed the 
 laborers but being observed from Fortress Monroe, 
 the U. S. Str. Star, afterwards named the Monti- 
 cello, was dispatched after her. The Monticello 
 chased the Steamer Kahukee up the Elizabeth River 
 to a point where she was in reach of our guns at 
 Boush's Bluff Battery. A gun was trained by Thad- 
 deus Gray of the Norfolk Junior Volunteers, Com- 
 pany H, 1 2th, Va. Regiment infantry, and as soon as 
 it could be made to bear on the ship, one shot was 
 fired by Capt. William Young, the instructor in heavy 
 artillery. This shot stopped the chase and the Monti- 
 cello retired, but when abreast of Sewell's Point vig- 
 orously bombarded the unfinished fort. The Monti- 
 cello, commanded by Captain Henry Eagle, U. S. N., 
 kept up a constant fire for more than an hour, when 
 the steam tug Thomas Freeborn, Commander James 
 Ward, U. S. N., carrying one gun, came to her aid 
 and the two vessels continued the bombardment until 
 the close of day without any serious injury to the 
 works, only burying unmounted cannon in the sand. 
 
 The tug returned to Old Point and the Monticello 
 moored with broadside on, with the intention of con- 
 tinuing the attack, in order to demolish the works or 
 prevent completion. 
 
 The Confederates worked on the fortification dur- 
 ing the whole night, and early next morning. May 
 19th, other guns and equipment were hurried to the 
 works. 
 
 The City Light Guards of Columbus, Georgia, de- 
 tachments from the Woodis Rifles, Company "G," 
 
 27 
 
a Pait of TBIankew 
 
 Sixth Va. Regiment, the Norfolk Light Artillery 
 Blues, Lieut. Thomas Nash, and the Norfolk Juniors, 
 Lieut. Holmes, were ordered from neighboring posts 
 to garrison the fort and occupy contiguous points. 
 This fort was located just North of the Virginian 
 Railway Coal Pier. 
 
 The contingent from the Juniors contained a num- 
 ber of men familiar with handling of heavy guns on 
 shipboard, among them Thaddeus and James Gray, 
 who were especially useful and acted with conspicuous 
 gallantry when the battle was on. When the garri- 
 son reached the battery they found everything in con- 
 fusion, guns unmounted, no shells and no prepara- 
 tion whatever to repel an attack from the water. 
 General Walter Gwynn, commanding the Virginia 
 forces around Norfolk, put all the forces and guns 
 at this fortification under command of Capt. Pe3^on 
 H. Colquitt, who promptly ordered all hands to work 
 finishing up the earthworks and mounting the guns. 
 
 They covered the port holes with blankets and dug 
 up the cannon which had been buried in the sand by 
 the bombardment of the previous day. They cleared 
 away the sand, and succeeded in getting in position 
 three 32-pounders and two small rifled guns by the 
 afternoon; and just as the gunners were loading the 
 cannon, the Monticello and Thos. Freeborn reopened 
 the bombardment; and now they met with vigorous 
 opposition. The guns on the ships were admirably 
 handled and fired with great accuracy, several balls 
 passing through the embrasures of the fort, one 
 struck a 32-pounder within the battery, and one shell 
 exploded in the fort. They expended fifteen stand 
 
 28 
 
a pair of '2BIattfeet0 
 
 of grape, twelve lo-inch shot, thirty-two lo-inch shell 
 for 32-pounders and forty-five 32-pounder shot, 
 making a total of 114 shots. 
 
 The Monticello was struck five times by cannon 
 shot in the hull and her upper works well peppered 
 with rifle bullets. She had two men wounded during 
 the action. The Virginians and Georgians fought with 
 great enthusiasm and bravery side by side, and two 
 members of the City Light Guards who dug away 
 sand in front of one of the port holes during the hot- 
 test of the fire received especial mention in the offi- 
 cial report of Capt. Colqiiitt. 
 
 Fortunately not one of the garrison was injured; 
 but one man was buried under a pile of sand hurled 
 down upon him by a passing shell. After he was dug 
 out by his comrades, it took a minute or more, and 
 considerable feeling of his person up and down, 
 to satisfy him that he was "all there." A very lu- 
 dicrous scene. 
 
 The only soldier injured of the Virginia troops 
 was Private Alex. Sikes, of the Wise Light Dra- 
 goons, who was on vidette duty some distance away 
 from the fort. He was slightly wounded on the leg 
 by the fragment of an exploding shell; and a few 
 hours afterwards was admired by crowds on the 
 streets of Norfolk for being the first soldier who 
 spilt his blood in Virginia's war against the invaders 
 of her soil. 
 
 Captain Colquitt says: "Our firing was less fre- 
 quent than that of the enemy as our ammunition was 
 scarce; only two rounds left after the engagement, 
 which lasted one hour and a half." Notwithstanding 
 
 29 
 
a Pait of 'Blanker 
 
 the vessels were driven off by the effective fire from 
 the fort and they retreated to Old Point. There was 
 neither a Virginia nor a Confederate Flag at hand to 
 raise over the fort consequently the flag of Georgia 
 above-mentioned was unfurled on the ramparts by 
 Major Wm. E. Taylor, an aide of Gen'l Gwynn, who 
 was also acting as aide to the commander of the 
 forces in action. The first engagement on the soil of 
 Virginia in which blood was shed was under the sin- 
 gle star blue banner of Georgia, the Empire state of 
 the South. This victory created great rejoicing, and 
 the ladies of Portsmouth responded by giving the 
 Georgians a Confederate flag. The ceremonies of 
 presentation took place at the camp near Sewell's 
 Point on the 22d of May, and the spirit of the oc- 
 casion may be noted from the address of Miss Belle 
 Bilisoly, the beautiful and accomplished young lady, 
 who presented it. She said in part: "We do not 
 aim to make any invidious distinction between your 
 gallant corps and those brave troops who shared with 
 you the glory of achieving the first victory on the 
 waters of our beautiful Elizabeth, for you have all 
 nobly sustained yourselves and given evidence to the 
 world that the honor of woman is safe in your keep- 
 ing." * * * "But to you soldiers of Georgia, it 
 behooves us as appreciative citizens to tender, not 
 only our thanks, for your alacrity in responding to the 
 cry of distress from our dear old mother and the 
 promptness in expelling her foes, but this beautiful 
 flag of our Confederacy as a memento of the esteem 
 and confidence reposed in each and all of you as 
 patriots and soldiers, citizens and gentlemen." 
 
 30 
 
Z Pait o( ^lanket0 
 
 LETTER NO. 6 
 denby's church and disbandment. 
 
 My Dear Nephews : 
 
 'Now that the Blankets have told you the story of 
 their service in the United States Navy, and you have 
 heard in my last letter about the first victory in Vir- 
 ginia, I will take you back to Denby's Qiurch with 
 the cavalry. The only thrilling incident of this serv- 
 ice was the wounding of Vidette Sikes. I saw him 
 in Norfolk the same afternoon with his trousers rolled 
 up to his knee exhibiting his wound to admiring crowds 
 on the corner of Main Street and Commercial Place. 
 He attracted a larger assembly than any medicine 
 fakir you ever saw. The Methodist Church known as 
 Denby's Church, located at Tanner's Creek Cross 
 Roads in Norfolk County, was our first shelter in the 
 active military service of Virginia, and from these 
 headquarters squads of horsemen were sent out to 
 patrol the shores of the Chesapeake Bay and Hamp- 
 ton Roads from Ocean View to Sewell's Point, and to 
 watch the movements of the enemy's vessels. 
 
 General Robert E. Lee, who had been made com- 
 mander-in-chief of the Virginia forces, ordered forti- 
 fications to be constructed at different points to pro- 
 tect the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth, and before 
 the fort at Sewell's Point was completed, as before 
 related, it was attacked by Federal vessels which were 
 
 31 
 
a pair of T!5lanUt$ 
 
 driven off and defeated. You will have observed that 
 although the convention had passed the ordinance 
 of secession it w/as not to be effectual until ratified by 
 an election to take place on the fourth Thursday in 
 May, so this battle took place before our State was a 
 member of the Confederate States. It was Virginia's 
 victory, with the aid of Georgia. The routine duty of 
 our cavalry was kept up until the eighth day of June, 
 1861, when the military establishment of Virginia was 
 turned over to the Confederate States. 
 
 As I remember, it required sixty men for a com- 
 pany to be mustered into the service of the Confed- 
 erate States, and the "Wise Light Dragoons" were 
 short of that number, so there was no alternative 
 but to disband, and it was accordingly done and all 
 departed from Denby's Church. 
 
 Some of the men immediately enlisted in other com- 
 mands, but the largest number formed the nucleus for 
 an infantry company, which soon after organized at 
 Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in the Southern part 
 of the county, under the name of "Jackson .Grays." 
 It was named for the brave Jackson who killed Ells- 
 worth at Alexandria. 
 
 I was unanimously elected captain, and there again 
 we were quartered in a church, and our awkward 
 squads were daily drilled. The county having appro- 
 priated $12 each for equipping her soldiers, cloth 
 was purchased for our uniforms, and the ladies of 
 the neighborhood assembled every day in a near-by 
 mansion house to make them up. It was not long be- 
 fore my men were dressed in gray with glittering Vir- 
 ginia buttons. 
 
 32 
 
a pait of isimkm 
 
 The noble women presented us with a beautiful silk 
 flag when we were ready to march to war. At that 
 time they thought every company would have its flag, 
 but a regimental flag was only used in battle, so our 
 flag had to be folded away after we left Norfolk. 
 We marched to Norfolk over the old battle field at 
 Great Bridge, the good farmers sending wagons to 
 take our luggage, which was too much for the exi- 
 gencies of war, but at that time we did not see far 
 in the future. Arriving in Norfolk the "J^^^^son 
 Grays" paraded on Main Street and facing the 
 Custom House were met by Major E. Bradford, the 
 mustering officer, and on that eleventh day of July, 
 1861, were mustered into the army of the Confederate 
 States, and then for a time we were quartered in the 
 court-house at Portsmouth, from there we were or- 
 dered to Fort Nelson, where we had a most delightful 
 time, until December, when we were sent to man the 
 masked batteries at Sewell's Point. While camping at 
 the naval hospital park, our skirmish drills in the aft- 
 ernoons attracted* large crowds of visitors and the 
 presence of the beautiful and handsomely dressed 
 ladies gave us great delight. 
 
 LETTER NO. 7 
 
 at the masked battery. 
 
 My Dear Nephews : 
 
 There was a sandhill or ridge a short distance from 
 and a little northwest of the Confederate fort at Se- 
 
 33 
 
2L pair of gglanfeetg 
 
 well's Point, the scene of the first victory in Virginia, 
 which I have already described. On the 12th of 
 April, 1905, this sand hill was graded down for a 
 building location, and the laborers discovered many 
 human bones. It was evidently the burial ground of 
 the Chesapeake Indians, for this place was in the 
 bounds of their hunting grounds. One thigh bone, 
 perfectly preserved, was twenty-two inches long, show- 
 ing that it must have been that of a giant. It was 
 sent to the Smithsonian Institute a Washingon, D. C. 
 A battery mounting two guns was located in this 
 sand hill. The guns were thirty-two pounder rifled 
 cannon, in casemates, with railroad iron roofs, sup- 
 ported by a massive framework of yellow pine timber. 
 The casemates were buried in the great sand hill, 
 and the embrasures were large enough to permit the 
 guns to train upon Fortress Monroe and the Rip- 
 Raps, and west across Hampton Roads, but not 
 enough to the left to cross fire with our main Sewell's 
 Point Fort. 
 
 These guns were originally smooth bore, taken with 
 the navy yard after the Federal evacuation, and rifled 
 there, with a strong wrought-iron band shrunk around 
 the breech to resist the force of the charge of powder. 
 The rifling gave them a range of three miles, cover- 
 ing the main channel across the Roads, and also reach- 
 ing the Rip-Raps. There was another battery in 
 course of construction on the Doyle Farm com- 
 pletely masked by a thick pine woods. It was de- 
 signed for four guns, one rifled gun in casemate with 
 railroad iron roof and the other three in barbette, 
 with the magazine and bomb-proof traverse adjacent. 
 
 34 
 
a pait of a5Ianbet0 
 
 The "Jackson Grays" were sent to garrison 
 these two batteries. They also manned a ten-inch 
 smooth bore cannon en barbette just south of the 
 two-gun battery. 
 
 A long board building was contsructed behind the 
 sand ridge for our quarters. We drilled with both 
 small arms and heavy artillery every day, but were 
 not allowed to unmask our battery, although we were 
 bombarded every day from twelve to one o'clock by 
 the Sawyer gun on Rip-Raps, which was very annoy- 
 ing to us as we were not allowed to reply, and our 
 guns had equal range with this tormentor. The shells 
 used by this gun were covered with lead. Most of 
 them buried in the sand without exploding, and when 
 dug up were as bright as a silver dollar. Digging 
 them up was a daily amusement for the soldiers. The 
 only damage which ever happened from these shells 
 up to March 8th, 1862, was the killing of two soldiers 
 by an explosion caused by attempting to unscrew the 
 cap of one of them. After waiting and watching from 
 December until March 8th, 1862, our opportunity came, 
 and we joined in the great battle which revolutionized 
 naval warfare. 
 
 The scene of the first battle in which I was en- 
 gaged is the heart of American history. The ocean 
 waves are only a few miles distant, where the wild 
 Atlantic thrusts its arm inland to make the "Mother 
 of Waters" upon whose finger in 1607 was born the 
 American nation. Ralph Lane came up from Roanoke 
 Island in 1585 to discover and name the great bay for 
 the tribe of red men, whose hunting ground was be- 
 tween the confluence of three great rivers and the sea, 
 
 3.5 
 
a pair of IBIankets 
 
 where the Indian warriors went to meet the landing.j 
 party from Newport's ships and shot their bows over 
 the sand dunes to draw the first Enghsh blood in Vir- 
 ginia. Within cannon sound Cornwalis surrendered 
 his sword, and Admiral Cockburn's guns reverber- 
 ated along the shores of Hampton Roads while thun- 
 dering at the gates of Norfolk and Portsmouth in 
 1813. Hampton Roads is a beautiful inland sea, 
 where the billows break and foam from hour to hour 
 — where the fish swim in schools — where the luscious 
 oysters live on the bottom — where gulls fly to shelter 
 from the storms of the sea — and where the ships float 
 in safety at anchor while the hurricane rages with 
 moimtain waves on the breast of the near-by ocean. 
 
 I well remember that Saturday when the Virginia, 
 accompanied by the gunboats Raleigh and Beaufort 
 steamed around Craney Island, passed in front of 
 our battery, and turned into the channel south of the 
 middle ground, heading for the mouth of the James 
 River. The two gunboats stopped at the mouth of the 
 Elizabeth River to watch the movements of the Fed- 
 eral vessels anchored off Old Point. I saw the battle 
 opened by the Virginia delivering her broadside into 
 the Congress, as she passed by to engage the Cumber- 
 land. 
 
 As the "Blankets" have told you of the death of the 
 Cumberland, I will pass on to the fight with the Con- 
 gress. 
 
 The Virginia was some time in getting into proper 
 position, owing to the shoal water and the ship was 
 hard to manage in or near the mud. She was obliged 
 to run a short distance above the Federal batteries on 
 
 36 
 
2L Pair of TBlmkm 
 
 the James River in order to turn, and all this time she 
 moved slowly because her keel was in the mud bot- 
 tom. Thus she was unavoidably twice subjected to 
 the heavy guns of all the batteries in passing up and 
 down the river. She, however, kept her guns in ac- 
 tion, silenced several batteries, and did much injury 
 on shore. While the Virginia was thus engaged in 
 getting her position for attacking the Congress, the 
 prisoners afterwards stated that it was believed on 
 board of their ship that the Virginia had hauled off. 
 Their men left their guns and gave three cheers. 
 They were sadly mistaken, for soon the Virginia 
 opened upon her again so hotly that she ran ashore. 
 The carnage, havoc and dismay caused by the shots 
 of the Virginia compelled the Commander of the Con- 
 gress to haul down his colors, and hoist the white flag 
 at her gaff and half mast another at her main mast, 
 and many of her crew immediately took to the boats 
 and went ashore. 
 
 The Confederates instantly ceased firing and a sig- 
 nal was made for the Beaufort to come within hail of 
 the admiral. He ordered Lieutenant-Commander Par- 
 ker to take possession, allow the crew to land and burn 
 the ship. Parker ran alongside, received her flag and 
 surrender from Commander William Smith and Lieu- 
 tenant Pendergrast, with the side-arms of those of- 
 ficers. They delivered themselves as prisoners of 
 war on board the Beaufort, and afterwards were per- 
 mitted, at their own request, to return to the Congress 
 to assist in moving the wounded to the Beaufort, and 
 never returned. While the Beaufort and Raleigh were 
 alongside of the Congress, and the surrender of that 
 
 37 
 
a pair of TSlmkm 
 
 vessel had been received from her commander, she 
 having two white flags flying, hoisted by her own crew, 
 a heavy fire was opened upon them from the shore and 
 from the Congress, killing some valuable officers and 
 men. 
 
 Under this treacherous fire the steamers left the 
 Congress, but as Admiral Buchanan was not informed 
 that any injury had been sustained by those vessels 
 at the time, he took it for granted that his order to 
 burn her had been carried out, and waited some min- 
 utes to see the smoke ascending from her hatches. 
 
 During the delay the Confederates were still sub- 
 ject to the heavy fire from the batteries on the shore, 
 which was promptly returned. The steam frigates 
 Minnesota and Roanoke and the sailing frigate St. 
 Lawrence had previously been reported to Admiral 
 Buchanan as coming from Old Point, but he was de- 
 termined that the Congress should not again fall into 
 the hands of the enemy, and remarked to Flag Lieu- 
 tenant Minor, "That ship must be burned." Minor 
 promptly volunteered to take a boat and burn her. 
 Lieutenant Minor had hardly reached within fifty 
 yards of the Congress when a deadly fire was opened 
 upon him, wounding him severely and several of his 
 men. 
 
 On witnessing this vile treachery, the Admiral in- 
 stantly recalled the boat and ordered the Congress de- 
 stroyed by hot shot and incendiary shell. About this 
 time the gallant Admiral was wounded, and he was 
 forced to transfer the command of the fleet to Lieu- 
 tenant Catesby Jones. 
 
 38 
 
a pair of 'Blankets 
 
 LETTER NO. 8 
 my first fight 
 
 My Dear Nephews : 
 
 The reinforcing ships coming up from Fortress 
 Monroe had to pass directly in front of our two-gun 
 battery, and now was our opportunity to unmask the 
 guns without further orders. Each casemate had a 
 gun's crew of twelve, and as soon as the Minnesota 
 heading toward Newport News reached our line of 
 fire we opened upon her. Our first shot went over her 
 and fell wide of our mark, but the second one struck 
 her mainmast, and then she fired a broadside at us, 
 but having only smooth bore cannon, it fell at least a 
 half of a mile short of us. She was under steam, 
 was quickly out of our range, and aground soon after. 
 Next the Roanoke passed within our line of fire, and 
 we gave her one shot through her foremast and cut 
 away a shroud on each side of her fore rigging. 
 Then the St. Lawrence came on and our shot struck 
 her under the fore foot. Thus these three great ships 
 had their first taste of war from our Sewell's Point 
 rifled gun battery, before they encountered the terrible 
 Virginia, and two of them retreated before the iron- 
 clad could get a show at them. The log of the Min- 
 nesota says: "At 2 o'clock, when off Sewell's Point, 
 the enemy opened fire on us, which was immediately 
 responded to by this ship. One of the enemy's shot 
 
 39 
 
a mit of iBimkm 
 
 took effect on the mainmast. We immediately fished 
 and secured it with a hawser over the masthead," and 
 Captain Van Brunt of this ship, in his official report 
 says : "While passing Sewell's Point the rebels opened 
 fire upon us from a rifle battery, one shot going 
 through and crippling my mainmast. I returned fire 
 with my broadside guns and forecastle pivot." 
 
 The log of the Roanoke says : 
 
 "At 2.30, coming in range of Sewell's Point battery, 
 they opened fire, and several shot and shell passed 
 through the foresail and cut away a shroud on each 
 side of the fore rigging; put on stops at once. The 
 forward pivot gun was trained on Sewell's Point bat- 
 tery, and fired, but fell short. Passing Sewell's Point 
 the battery kept a brisk fire on us each, way, the shots 
 passing over us and some fragments striking us in 
 hull and rigging. When out of range we came to 
 anchor." The log of the St. Lawrence says : "At 5.25, 
 passing Sewell's Point, the batteries opened upon us, 
 firing some half dozen shot and shell, one of which 
 passed over our quarterdeck forward the mizzenmast 
 and just clearing the bows of the whaleboat, another 
 carrying away the starboard quarter foreyard. Fired 
 12 shot and shell in return to Sewell's Point, all fall- 
 ing short, distance too great." Captain H. V. Pur- 
 veance of this ship reported that : "At half-past two we 
 got under way in tow of the Cambridge, and when 
 abreast of the rebel battery at Sewell's Point, the bat- 
 tery opened fire, one of the shells exploding under 
 the forefoot of the St. Lawrence, doing, however, no 
 material injury. The fire was returned, and it is be- 
 lieved with some effect." Thus is told the story of the 
 
 40 
 
a pair of ISlankets 
 
 engagement of the three ships and our rifle gun bat- 
 tery by the enemy whom we fought in the great battle 
 of Hampton Roads. 
 
 Our cannon having a longer range, could reach the 
 ships, while all of their shots fell far short of the 
 shore. 
 
 By firing one of our guns too rapidly in the excite- 
 ment it was heated to such a degree as to cause the 
 expansion to break the breech band, which forced it 
 out of action, so we had but one gun to play on the 
 retreating Roanoke and St. Lawrence. 
 
 Our inexperienced gunners could not allow time 
 enough between shots for cooling the gun before ram- 
 ming the charge, and it was a wonder that a prema- 
 ture explosion did not occur. 
 
 During the engagement a shell from the Sawyer 
 gun on the Rip-Raps entered the embrasure of the 
 casemate and exploded on the breech of the gun, 
 wounding First Lieutenant William C. Wallace, and 
 privates Alex. B. Cooper and William H. Warden. 
 Cooper's skull' was fractured, and he was maimed for 
 life, and Warden died a few weeks after at the naval 
 hospital from the effects of his injuries. 
 
 I was blinded for some minutes with smoke and 
 sand, as was the entire gun's crew. It seems almost 
 a miracle that we were not all killed or wounded. 
 
 The Minnesota grounded in the north channel, 
 where, unfortunately, shallow water prevented the 
 Virginia from getting near enough to destroy her. 
 The Virginia's pilots declaring that it was unsafe to 
 approach nearer, she returned to the south channel, 
 leaving the middle ground between them, and then 
 
 41 
 
a pair of Iglanbetg 
 
 the duel continued until dark, when the Confederate 
 squadron anchored off Sewell's Point, except the 
 Beaufort, which had proceeded to the Naval Hospital 
 at Portsmouth with the wounded and prisoners as 
 soon as she had left the Congress. It may be well to 
 say that the middle ground is shoal water between two 
 channels in Hampton Roads. 
 
 The sight of this greatest of marine battles was at 
 once grand and awful ! I still wonder at the spectacle, 
 and picture it in my mind over and over again. I 
 remember as the sun went down the flaming smoke 
 was floating over against the red and purple sky, the 
 white pufifs from the blazing muzzles of the cannon, 
 which were thundering over the water, lingered for 
 awhile in the shrouds and rigging of the great crafts 
 of war and drifted out on the mazes of the evening 
 to vanish with the wind. 
 
 As the penalty for the treachery under the white 
 flags that were floating over the Congress, the red- 
 hot shot and incendiary shells from the ports of the 
 Virginia crushed into her sides, her sailors jumped 
 into the sea, and swam for the shore, and her hull 
 blazed from every port. 
 
 Now night covered the face of the waters, the Con- 
 federate fleet was anchored abreast of Sewell's Point, 
 and over the way the light of the burning ship made 
 the surface of the water like a sea of living glass. 
 
 The burning tar in the oakum seams made flicker- 
 ing lines of light over the decks and along the sides 
 of the ship, the fire ran up the shrouds and stays, 
 blazed along the yards ; pillars of smoke twisted about 
 
 42 
 
a pair of IBIanbets 
 
 the great pine masts with wreaths of flame breathing 
 out to die on the wind. 
 
 The great frigate in full blaze was an awful thing 
 of beauty! Down in the "hold" the fire swept away 
 the lower decks, charred the ribs and the great live 
 oak knees, fired the shotted guns and the wild flying 
 missies shone like meteors streaming through the sky. 
 After the hour of midnight, the magazine exploded, 
 and threw up a volume of fire from the bottom of the 
 sea, like the breath of a volcano. It thundered and 
 rocked the land and water as an earthquake tearing 
 out the bowels of the earth. 
 
 The force of the powder broke the strong timbers, 
 scattered the fragments into the air, and sent the re- 
 mains of the Congress floating over the surging waters 
 to go with the ocean tide, and when the glittering 
 sparks of the vanished column of flame died out, night 
 shrouded the waters with silent, death-like darkness. 
 What will be the outcome of the morrow ? The Min- 
 nesota is disabled, and her consorts are under the 
 guns of Fortress Monroe, and her fate seems to hang 
 on the will of the Virginia. 
 
 LETTER NO. 9. 
 
 the duel of the iron-clads. 
 
 My Dear Nephews : 
 
 Worn out in watching the burning Congress and 
 never-to-be-forgotten scene, I fell asleep on the beach 
 in front of our battery, with the sand for my bed, and 
 
 43 
 
2L pair of IBIankcts 
 
 the rising sun on the ninth day of March, 1862, awoke 
 me from my slumbers. 
 
 I saw a yawl boat put off from the Virginia and 
 head for the shore a little distance below my position. 
 I walked to the point of landing and saw it was 
 bringing off ship the wounded Commander. I saw the 
 great Admiral tenderly landed in the arms of his faith- 
 ful seamen and heard him send a fighting message 
 back to his successor in command. 
 
 This morning in the early dawn a sailor's hammock 
 marked "Cumberland," containing two pairs of blank- 
 ets with the "U. S. Navy" in red letters on them, was 
 found by Sergeant P. Pritchard of the "Jackson 
 Grays" on the sand beach near our fort. Afterward 
 I purchased a pair from him for ten dollars, and so 
 they became my nightly comforts for many years, and 
 that night they were on my bunk in our quarters be- 
 hind the sand hill. These are the blankets pictured 
 to you in this narrative. 
 
 About eight o'clock this morning the Virginia got 
 under way and steamed toward the Minnesota, when, 
 within a mile, as near as the midde ground shoal 
 water would permit, she opened fire, and the battle 
 raged for some time, then I saw a queer little craft 
 creep around from behind the Minnesota and fire at 
 the Virginia. It appeared like a cheese box floating 
 on a plank, and she was called the Cheese Box after 
 that. 
 
 She had reached Old Point about nine o'clock on the 
 night of the eight of March, and at two o'clock on the 
 morning of the ninth hauled alongside of the Min- 
 nesota between that ship and the Newport News shore. 
 
 44 
 
^ l^ait of IBIanfeew 
 
 So, in the nick of time, appeared the Cheese Box to 
 take up the gauntlet of battle and relieve the Min^ 
 nesota. The ships of the enemy were out of the range 
 of our battery, so I sat upon the beach below, near the 
 water, and watched the fight. 
 
 It was a beautiful Sabbath day — one to gladden the 
 heart of a Christian, bright and clear, with wind 
 enough to make the little waves race with measured 
 murmurs, as they kissed the shore in the morning sun- 
 light. 
 
 The duel between the ironclads was the most in- 
 tensely thrilling engagement I ever witnessed. 
 
 I could see the white smoke puff out of the port 
 holes, then hear the boom of the cannon, and the 
 solid shot glancing from the shield of the Virginia 
 would come richocheting over the surface of the rest- 
 less waters and- sink near our shore as the force was 
 spent. 
 
 The ships soon closed together as two great wres- 
 tlers striving for the championship of the world, one 
 ponderous and slow in manoeuvring, the other agile 
 and moving around her antagonist at pleasure. Now 
 the supreme moment, the Virginia finding the oppor- 
 tunity, put on all steam, and struck the Monitor a side 
 blow. Oh! for that lost prow! The glancing blow 
 was of little effect, because the engine was reversed 
 too soon. An eyewitness on Craney Island, who could 
 see the upside of the Monitor, said a few more revo- 
 lutions of the Virginia's propeller would have buried 
 the Monitor and sunk her to rise no more. 
 
 The commander of the Virginia (Lieutenant 
 Catesby Jones) said: "When we saw that our fire 
 
 45 
 
2L Paft of IBIanfeew 
 
 made no impression on the Monitor we determined to 
 run into her if possible. We found it a very difKcult 
 feat to do, our great length and draft, in a compara- 
 tively narrow channel, with little water to spare, made 
 us sluggish in our movements, and hard to steer and 
 turn. When the opportunity presented all steam was 
 put on; there was not, however, sufficient time to 
 gather full headway before striking. The blow was 
 given with the broad wooden stem, the iron prow 
 having been lost the day before. The Monitor re- 
 ceived the blow in such a manner as to weaken its 
 effect, and the damage to her was trifling; shortly 
 after an alarming leak in the bow was reported. It, 
 however, did not long continue." Lieutenant Jones 
 says that the shells from the Virginia's guns seemed 
 to make no impression on the Cheese Box, until one 
 struck her pilot house, and blinded her captain. 
 
 They had fought and wrestled for three hours, and 
 after this occurrence the Monitor withdrew to the 
 shallow water of the middle ground, where the Vir- 
 ginia could not follow her. She waited on the battle- 
 ground an hour, but the Monitor would not return to 
 the contest: then it was decided to take the ship to 
 the dry dock in the navy yard to have another iron 
 prow put on, to have shutters for the port holes, and 
 bear her down lower in the water so as to better pro- 
 tect her wooden hull. At twelve o'clock, noonday, 
 the Virginia stood for Portsmouth. None of her 
 crew was killed or wounded, in her fight with the 
 Monitor. When the Virginia left the scene of battle, 
 she had nothing to fight, the Monitor having gotten 
 out of her reach in shallow water, and the pilots said 
 
 46 
 
a Paft of 'Blankets 
 
 she could not be taken near enough to destroy the 
 Minnesota, as she was leaking and could not get to 
 the dock except at high tide, it was part of wisdom in 
 Commander Jones to go up to the navy yard at that 
 time. 
 
 The Federal loss in the two days' battle was reported 
 as 20I killed, and io8 wounded. The Confederate 
 loss was 7 killed and 17 wounded on shipboard, and 3 
 wounded at our battery, making 20 wounded. 
 
 LETTER NO 10. 
 THE 'Virginia" victorious. 
 
 My Dear Nephews : 
 
 The wrestle of these terrible iron monsters in deadly 
 conflict, like fabled leviathians out of the broad, deep 
 seas, was grand, awful, magnificent, sublime to be- 
 hold! There was the world's most radical change in 
 naval warfare — there was the passing of wooden men- 
 of-war — there was the greatest event in all the history 
 of marine engagements. I saw it, but could not realize 
 it. It had no parallel in the annals of time. But one 
 year before was published "Ordnance and Gunnery," 
 by Lieut. E. Simpson, U. S. N., designed as a text- 
 book for the Naval Academy, which said : "Iron ves- 
 sels are utterly unfit for war"; and giving the com- 
 ments of Sir Howard Douglass on the French ship 
 LeGaloire and the British ship Warrior, concluded 
 that from the opinion of this standard authority that 
 
 47 
 
a pair of OBlanfeew 
 
 there was not much to be feared from these iron-clad 
 monsters. 
 
 Sir Howard Douglas had written many treatises 
 on fortifications and one on naval gunnery, which was 
 standard authority in foreign countries. He died in 
 November, 1861, too soon to realize the failure of his 
 opinions. 
 
 Alas ! for the theories of these distinguished writers. 
 I saw them buried in the waters of Hampton Roads 
 in the bright sunlight of a gloripus Sabbath day with- 
 out hope of resurrection. 
 
 The North was overwhelmed with consternation and 
 dread, and the alarm was sounded in every north At- 
 lantic city, while the South was jubilant over the re- 
 sults of the great battles of the eighth and ninth of 
 March, 1862. 
 
 The Confederate fleet had successfully encountered, 
 defied, and beat a force equal to 2,960 men and 220 
 guns, as follows : 
 
 Congress, burned, 480 men, 50 guns. 
 
 Cumberland, sunk, 360 men, 22 guns. 
 
 Minnesota, riddled, 550 men, 40 guns. 
 
 Roanoke, driven off, 550 men, 40 guns. 
 
 St. Lawrence, driven off, 550 men, 40 guns. 
 
 Two or three gunboats, disabled and driven ofiF, 
 120 men, 6 guns. 
 
 Monitor, iron-clad, disabled and driven off to shoal 
 water, 150 men, 2 guns, and the forts at Newport 
 News, silenced, 200 men, 20 guns. 
 
 The tug boat Dragon was sunk alongside of the 
 Minnesota. This victory frightened the enemy so he 
 prepared to run in every direction. The famous old 
 
 48 
 
Z Pait of IBIankets 
 
 ship, Brandywine, then used as a storeship, was hast- 
 ily towed up the bay to escape destruction, and every 
 preparation was made to obstruct the channel of the 
 Potomac, to save the national capital from capture .by 
 the Virginia. Another ship of her capacity, com- 
 manded by an officer of the same judgment and nerve 
 as Buchannan, would have made the North sue 
 for peace at the close of our victorious battles of 
 Hampton Roads. Yet it has been written by Northern 
 historians, and believed by many Northmen, that the 
 Monitor defeated the Virginia, and even by some Vir- 
 ginia historians it is called a drawn battle. When two 
 men fight and one cries "enough" he who cries is 
 whipped. When two men clinch in a fist fight, and 
 one disentangles himself and runs away beyond the 
 reach of his antagonist, he who runs is whipped. 
 
 The Virginia and Monitor were fighting in close 
 contact ; the Monitor drew off into shallow water, out 
 of reach of her antagonist, and dared not return to 
 the contest, therefore, I say it was a briUiant and mag- 
 nificent victory for the Confederacy. The Virginia 
 was victorious, the Monitor was defeated, and just 
 historians must so record and declare. 
 
 The victory of the Virginia over the Monitor is ad- 
 mitted in the report of Mr. Ballentine, made on the 
 31st day of May, 1884, to the Forty-eighth Congress 
 on the bill to give prize money to the crew of the Mon- 
 itor for the alleged destruction of the Virginia. It 
 says : "All of the evidence leads us clearly to the opin- 
 ion that the Monitor, after her engagement with the 
 Merrimac, on the ninth of March, declined again to 
 engage her, though offered the opportunity, and that 
 
 49 
 
a pair of TBIanfeew 
 
 so great doubt existed with the United States naval 
 and military authorities as to the power of the Monitor. 
 to successfully meet the Merrimac, (he calls her by her 
 original name before she was converted into an iron- 
 clad by the Confederates) that orders were given to 
 her commander by the President not to bring on an 
 engagement. It also appears that the Merrimac, so 
 far from being seriously injured, was enabled, after 
 the engagement, to protect the approaches to Norfolk 
 and Richmond until after the evacuation of Norfolk." 
 * * * "We assume that the proof shows that the 
 only serious damage sustained by the Merrimac was 
 inflicted by the Cumberland, and that the Merrimac 
 went back to Norfolk when her adversaries were out 
 of reach; and they being in shoal water, and she, on 
 account of the great depth of water which she drew, 
 was unable to attack them, went back to Norfolk for 
 repairs, and again came out and oifered battle, which 
 was refused; and that eventually, on the evacution of 
 Norfolk by the Confederate forces, she was destroyed 
 by her officers and crew to prevent her falling into 
 the hands of the Union forces, and that, therefore, her 
 destruction was not the result of her engagement with 
 the Monitor." 
 
 After citing all the evidence, the report goes on to 
 say: "From the above-mentioned facts, we think it 
 clearly appears that the Monitor, after her engage- 
 ment with the Merrimac on the 9th of March, never 
 again dared encounter her, though offered frequent 
 opportunities ; that so much doubt existed in the minds 
 of the Federal authorities as to her power to meet the 
 Merrimac, that orders were given her commander not 
 
 50 
 
a Pait of OSIanbets! 
 
 to fight her voluntarily ; that the Merrimac was so far 
 from being seriously injured in her engagement, 
 that it effectually protected the approaches to Norfolk 
 and Richmond until Norfolk was evacuated; that the 
 Merrimac could not have gotten to Washington or 
 Baltimore in her normal condition ; that, although she 
 could have run by the Federal fleet and Old Point 
 (barring torpedoes in the channel) and threatened 
 McClellan's base at Yorktown, in exceptionally good 
 weather, yet would have had to leave the James River 
 open." 
 
 LETTER NO. ii. 
 THE "Virginia's" second challenge. 
 
 My Dear Nephews : 
 
 After the Virginia had received repairs, a new prow 
 and shutters for her port holes, on the eleventh of 
 April she went down to Hampton Roads to challenge 
 the Federal fleet to battle. She left the anchorage off 
 the Naval Hospital about six o'clock in the morning, 
 under command of Flag Officer Josiah Tatnall, and 
 went within long range of the Federal land batteries, 
 but the Monitor kept close under the grim fortress as 
 her protector. I was filled with intense excitement, 
 expecting to witness another famous battle of the iron- 
 clads, but was sorely disappointed. 
 
 The Monitor cowered under this challenge while 
 the Virginia held the battle ground until late in the 
 afternoon. 
 
 SI 
 
a pair of IBIanfeetst 
 
 A telegraphic report to the Federal Secretary of 
 War says: "Day opened bright and clear, with the 
 broad expanse of Hampton Roads almost unruffled by 
 wave. About seven o'clock a signal gun from the 
 Minnesota turned all eyes towards Sewell's Point, and 
 coming from under the land, almost obscured by the 
 dim haze, the Merrimac was seen, followed by the 
 Yorktown, Jamestown, and four small vessels, alto- 
 gether seven in number. There was instantaneous 
 activity among the transports and vessels in the upper 
 Roads to get out of the way of the steamboats, sev- 
 eral of which were crowded with troops, and moved 
 out of danger. Steam tugs ran whistling and scream- 
 ing about, towing strings of vessels behind them, 
 whilst sloops, schooners and brigs taking advantage 
 of what air there was, got up sail and moved out of 
 harm's way. In the course of an hour the appear- 
 ance of the crowded Roads was greatly altered. For- 
 ests of masts between Fortress Monroe and Sewell's 
 Point disappeared, and the broad expanse of water 
 bore on its surface only the rebel fleet and two French 
 and one English man-of-war, which with steam up, 
 still maintained position. Curious maneuvers! eight- 
 thirty o'clock. Fqr the last hour the maneuvers of the 
 rebel fleet have apparently been directed towards de- 
 coying our fleet up towards Sewell's Point. When 
 the Merrimac first appeared she stood directly across 
 the Elizabeth river, followed by her consorts as if 
 they were bound for Newport News. 
 
 "The Merrimac approached the English sloop-of- 
 war, and after apparently communicating with her, 
 
 52 
 
a Pait of I5lmkm 
 
 fell slowly, and moved back towards her consorts in 
 rear. 
 
 "The French and English vessels then moved up as 
 if they had been informed that the lower Roads yere 
 to be the scene of the conflict, and they had been 
 warned to get out of range. 
 
 "For an hour the rebel fleet kept changing position 
 without making any decided advance in any direc- 
 tion. On our part no movement was made. The 
 Monitor, with steam up and in fighting trim, laid 
 quietly near her usual anchorage. The Naugatuck 
 (Stevens "Battery") came out and took position 
 alongside of the Monitor. Signals were exchanged 
 between our vessels, the fort and Rip-Raps, but no 
 movements were made. Curiosity grew rapidly into 
 suspense. A bold stroke. At length the Yorktown 
 moved rapidly up and after advancing well towards 
 Newport News, steamed rapidly towards Hampton. 
 The object was then seen to be the capture of three 
 sailing vessels, two brigs and a schooner, transports, 
 which were lying either aground or had not been 
 furnished with a steam tug in order to make their 
 escape. The bold impudence of the maneuvering con- 
 tinued; the apparent apathy of our fleet excited sur- 
 prise and indignation. There was a rebel boat, not 
 built for war purposes, having the protection of the 
 Merrimac and her consorts, where it appeared to im- 
 partial eyes, she could easily be cut off, and yet no 
 attempt on our part to do it. Of course there were 
 good reasons for this policy, though the crowd could 
 not see it." The above is a vivid and forcible con- 
 fession from an enemy on the spot that the Monitor 
 
 53 
 
9 pair of 'Blankets! 
 
 and all her consorts including the "Stevens Battery" 
 were afraid to meet the Virginia on a fair field. It 
 was the C. S. Steamer Jamestown, Lieut. Commander 
 Alexander, which captured the Brig Marcus, of 
 Stockton, N. J., the Brig Saboah, of Providence, R. I., 
 and the Schooner Catharine A. Dix, of Accomac, Va, 
 One of the brigs was loaded with hay, and the other 
 two vessels were in ballast. The capture of these 
 vessels almost in cannon shot of the Monitor did not 
 effect her movement, so for the second time she de- 
 clined combat with the Virginia. In the first as be- 
 fore stated she retired to shallow water and declined 
 further contest with the victorious Virginia. 
 
 The commander of Her Britanic Majesty's ship 
 Rinaldo, which had arrived in Hampton Roads from 
 Charleston, S. C, on March loth, 1862, reporting on 
 this affair says: "The Virginia and her consorts con- 
 tinued steaming for Fortress Monroe but when 
 abreast of Sewell's Point, well out in the stream, the 
 gunboats and tugs stopped, and the Virginia pro- 
 ceeded as before, passing within two hundred yards 
 of me. At 7 :45, the fort on Rip-Raps fired two shots 
 at her, both falling short. I then slipped my port 
 anchor, and in company with the French steamers 
 Catinet and Gassendi, headed for Newport News, 
 keeping out of range of the Federal guns. At 9 a. m., 
 the Confederate gunboat Patrick Henry, with some 
 little assistance from the gunboat Teaser captured 
 three transports close in shore on the Federal side, 
 without being interfered with, and towed them up to 
 Norfolk. From this hour until 4 p. m., the Con- 
 federate squadron cruised about the Roads without 
 
 54 
 
Z mit ot 'JSlmum 
 
 opposition, the Virginia occasionally going within 
 range of the Federal guns on the Rip-Raps and Fort- 
 ress Monroe, as well as those of the large squadron 
 under the guns of the fortress. At 4 p. m., the Vir- 
 ginia fired three shots at two Federal gunboats in- 
 side of the bar for protection of the schooners and 
 transports. They immediately returned fire, but the 
 range being too long no damage was done either 
 side. The Virginia then steamed back to Craney 
 Island with the rest of the squadron. I was at this 
 time anchored near Newport News. The next day 
 the Virginia and her consorts steamed down to 
 Sewell's Point and remained there all day, the Fed- 
 eral squadron making no attempt to harrass them." 
 
 Here is the direct evidence of a foreigner, an im- 
 partial witness, showing the refusal of the Monitor 
 to accept the second challenge to battle from the Vir- 
 ginia extending over two days, and with another iron- 
 clad to help her. 
 
 LETTER NO. 12. 
 
 My Dear Nephews: 
 
 The third retreat of the Monitor occurred on the 
 eighth of May, 1862. 
 
 The captain of the tugboat /. B. White deserted 
 with his boat this morning, reported to the enemy 
 that the Confederates were preparing to evacuate 
 Norfolk and Portsmouth, and had sunk the Virginia. 
 
 5,5 
 
2i pait of TBlmkm 
 
 This, however, was a little premature. His name was 
 Byers and as master of the tug had been employed by 
 the contractors in building the Albemarle and Chesa- 
 peake canal from September, i860, to this date, when 
 he escaped to Portress Monroe, where he met and 
 told Lincoln about affairs in Norfolk and Ports- 
 mouth. 
 
 The commander of H. B. M. Ship Rinaldo in a 
 letter to Vice-Admiral Sir Alexander White, K C. B., 
 says : "On this intelligence becoming known, at 12 -.30 
 o'c. p. m., of the same day, a Federal squadron 
 consisting of the Dacotah and Oneida, screw sloops 
 of six guns each, the San Jacinto screw of eleven 
 guns, Susquehanna paddle sloop, fifteen guns, the 
 Monitor and Naugatuck, iron cased batteries, moved 
 up the river towards Sewell's Point and commenced 
 shelling the Confederate battery on that point at very 
 long range. 
 
 "This was the prelude to their intended attack upon 
 Norfolk. The Confederates returned a slow fire. I 
 suppose their guns are not very long range. The 
 Federal squadron continued firing up to 2:30 p. m. 
 without intermission. The Monitor was at this time 
 about 1,800 yards from Sewell's Point, and in the 
 direction of Newport News. The smoke of a steamer 
 could be seen rising above the trees and moving along 
 towards Hampton Roads from the direction of Nor- 
 folk. At 3 p. m. the Confederate iron cased battery 
 Virginia rounded Sewell's Point, and the whole Fed- 
 eral squadron steamed down quickly under the guns 
 of the fortress. 
 
 "As the Virginia alone came within range of their 
 
 56 
 
a Pait of TSlmktts 
 
 guns, and those of Fort Wool on Rip-Raps, the 
 Federal frigate Minnesota, accompanied by four 
 large steamers, which are intended to act as rams, 
 proceeded up the river abreast of Old Point and 
 joined the rest of the squadron. With the exception 
 of a few shots fired from the Rip-Raps at the Vir- 
 ginia, the Federals made no attempt to molest her. 
 They left off firing at Sewell's Point immediately on 
 sighting her coming from Norfolk. She would likely 
 have made her appearance before, had the water been 
 sufficiently high. The Virginia having driven the 
 Federal fleet away, returned and anchored under 
 Sewell's Point, where she now remains." 
 
 This is a correct description of the Monitor's third 
 white feather before the champion of Hampton 
 Roads, the iron-clad Virginia, and this time she had 
 another iron clad to run with her. This bombard- 
 ment of Sewell's Point was the most terrific I ever 
 experienced, even more dreadful than the famous 
 Gettysburg, when I was on Seminary Ridge, July 
 3d, 1863. 
 
 Our battery could only get in a few shots before 
 the Federal squadron had passed too far to our left 
 and were out of range. The whole squadron con- 
 centrated its fire on the main Sewell's Point Fort, 
 and made it too hot for the gunners to work the 
 parapet guns. Being out of our range we could. do 
 nothing but keep close in the casemates which pro- 
 tected us from the shells, which rained like hail all 
 around us, many of which were huge parrot shells of 
 enormous size. 
 
 Our quarters were set on fire by the shells and en- 
 
 B7. 
 
a pait of 'Blanker 
 
 tirely consumed, but no one was hurt and the "Pair 
 of Blankets" was rescued from the burning building 
 with the other personal effects of the soldiers. 
 
 As the Englishman says, as soon as they saw the 
 Virginia, they, one and all, made haste to escape to 
 Old Point much to our relief, for we had prayed for 
 the Virginia more than two long agonizing hours, and 
 oh, what a relief was her coming! 
 
 Two days afterwards, Norfolk and Portsmouth had 
 been evacuated and the great ship was run aground 
 at Craney Island "bite" and destroyed by order of 
 her own commander. He says: "The ship was put 
 on shore as near the mainland in the vicinity of 
 Craney Island as possible, and the crew landed. She 
 was then fired and after burning fiercely fore and aft 
 upward of an hour, blew up a little before five o'clock 
 on the morning of the eleventh." 
 
 Commodore Tatnall, her commander, was greatly 
 censured for her destruction and a court of inquiry 
 reported that "her destruction was unnecessary at the 
 time and place it was affected"; but the court mar- 
 tial which followed unanimously concluded its find- 
 ings as follows: "The court doth further find that 
 the accused had, while in command of the Virginia, 
 and previous to the evacuation of Norfolk, thrown 
 down the gage of battle to the enemy's fleet in 
 Hampton Roads, and that the enemy had declined 
 to take it up; that the day before Norfolk was evac- 
 uated a consultation, at the instance of the Secretary 
 of the Navy, was held by a joint commission of 
 navy and army officers as to the best disposition to 
 be made of the ship; that the accused was in favor 
 
 58 
 
a pair of 'BIanltet0 
 
 of passing Fortress Monroe and taking the ship to 
 York River or running before Savannah with her; 
 that in this he was overruled by the council, who 
 advised that she should remain on this side of Fort- 
 ress Monroe for the protection of Norfolk and Rich- 
 mond; that, in accordance with this advice, she pro- 
 ceeded to regulate her movements; that after the 
 evacuation of Norfolk, Westover, on James River, 
 became the most suitable position for her to occupy ; 
 that while in the act of lightening her for the pur- 
 pose of taking her up to that point the pilots, for 
 the first time, declared their inability to take her up, 
 even though her draft should be reduced to its mini- 
 mum of 1 8 feet; that by the evacuation of Norfolk 
 and the abandonment of our forts below Westover 
 both banks of the James River below that point were 
 virtually given up to the enemy ; that the ship, being 
 thus cut off from Norfolk and Richmond, was de- 
 prived of all outward sources . of supply save those 
 of the most precarious and uncertain character; that 
 her store of provisions would not last for more than 
 three weeks; that when lightened she was vulner- 
 able to the attacks of the enemy ; and that, after hav- 
 ing been lightened, there were no available means 
 of bringing her down to her proper draft and fight- 
 ing trim; and that she had but two small boats, each 
 capable of landing not more than fifteen or eighteen 
 men at a time, even in smooth water. Such being 
 the facts and circumstances under the influence of 
 which the Virginia found herself after the evacua- 
 tion of Norfolk, it was, in the opinion of the court, 
 only necessary for the enemy to continue to refuse 
 
 59 
 
a pair of TSlmUts 
 
 battle, as he had done since it was first offered by- 
 Captain Tatnall early in April, and thenceforward 
 to keep strict watch about the Virginia, in order, 
 when her provisions were exhausted, to make her his 
 prize and her crew his prisoners. Being thus sit- 
 uated, the only alternative, in the opinion of the 
 court, was to abandon and burn the ship then and 
 there, which in the judgment of the court was de- 
 liberately and wisely done by the accused." "Where- 
 fore the court do award to the said Captain Josiah 
 Tatnall an Honorable acquittal." Whether the sober 
 judgment of history will sustain this action of the 
 court still remains in doubt. 
 
 LETTER NO. 13. 
 the dimensions of the "virginia." 
 
 My Dear Nephews: 
 
 The destruction of the Virginia ended the Con- 
 federate battles on Hampton Roads. 
 
 They had indeed been the marvel of nations, and 
 eventuated in an evolution of war vessels beyond the 
 dreams of the most famous admirals of the world. 
 
 Forty-one years, one month and five days after the 
 death of the Virginia, I saw a new Virginia bap- 
 tized in her victorious warpath showing the impress 
 that the departed iron-clad had made upon the world 
 by her battles in Hampton Roads with the Federal 
 fleet. 
 
 60 
 
3 Pair of 'BlanltetjB! 
 
 The Virginia and Monitor of 1862 are to the mon- 
 ster iron battleships of this twentieth century as a 
 pigmy to a giant. The Confederate States Steamer 
 Virginia was a reconstruction of the frigate Merri- 
 mac, which was scuttled and burned to the water's 
 edge on the night of the destruction of the Gosport 
 Navy Yard by the Federals. 
 
 The old ship was raised, put in the dry dock and 
 cut down to within three and one-half feet of her 
 light water line and a deck was built from one end 
 to the other. 
 
 On this deck was constructed a roof, shielded with 
 iron plates. Inside the roof the deck was covered 
 with plank on beams, but outside the shield, at both 
 ends, it was built of solid timber, and covered with 
 iron one inch thick. 
 
 The ship was 262 feet 9 inches long from her stem 
 to the after side of her stern post; from the stem to 
 the forward part of the shield was twenty-nine feet 
 six inches; from the tiller to the after part of the 
 shield was fifty-five feet, and the length of the shield 
 was 178 feet and 6 inches. The length of the gun 
 deck under the shield was 167 feet and 7 inches. 
 The rafters of the shield or roof were yellow pine, 
 fourteen inches thick, bolted together and placed at 
 an inclination of thirty-five degrees; on these were 
 four-inch pine plank placed horizontally and on this 
 was a course of four-inch oak plank up and down; 
 then a course of rolled iron bars or plates, two inches 
 thick and eight inches wide, also placed horizontally 
 and another layer of the same iron up and down, all 
 
 61 
 
a Pait of IBlmkm 
 
 securely bolted, through the wood frame and held 
 with nuts on the inside. 
 
 The roof was 26 inches thick — 22 of wood and 
 four inches of iron. The deck or top of the shield 
 was fourteen feet wide and protected by an iron 
 grating of two inches square iron with meshes two 
 inches square. The pitch" of the gun deck was seven 
 feet. Both ends of the shield were rounded so that 
 the pivot guns could be used as bow or stern chasers 
 or quartering. She had a cast iron prow weighing 
 about 1,500 pounds, which was broken off in ram- 
 ming the Cumberland. As a safeguard to protect the 
 hull, a course of iron one inch thick was fastened all 
 around her, three feet down from the Knuckle. The 
 iron for her shield was rolled at the Tradegar Iron 
 Works in Richmond, Va., into plates two inches thick 
 and eight inches wide. A vessel with a cargo of 
 railroad iron bound from Liverpool, Eng., to Balti- 
 more, Md., went ashore in a storm on the North 
 Carolina coast. The Confederate government took 
 possession of the iron, had it transported to the 
 Tradegar Iron Works, where it was rolled into plates 
 as stated before. The government paid the owners 
 in gold. When the Virginia went out to fight she had 
 18 commissioned officers, 7 engineers, 6 petty offi- 
 cers, 4 pilots and a crew of 300 men; her armament 
 was two 7-inch rifle guns with a range out of three 
 port holes, and eight smooth bore 9-inch Dahlgren 
 guns of the Merrimac battery. 
 
 62 
 
2L Pait ot IBlanket^ 
 
 LETTER NO. 14. 
 
 the evacuation and fight at point of rocks. 
 
 My Dear Nephews: 
 
 The Confederate authorities having ordered the 
 evacuation of Norfolk and Portsmouth preparations 
 were going forward with much haste, and this be- 
 coming known to the Federals, they landed about six 
 thousand troops under General John E. Wool on 
 Willoughby's Spit in the early morning of the tenth 
 of May, 1862, and commenced the march for Nor- 
 folk. This unexpected maneuver forced the hasty 
 evacuation of all the fortifications at Sewell's Point, 
 and the garrisons at once took up small arms to 
 throw themselves in the path of the enemy at Denby's 
 Church. Arriving there in good time, a line of bat- 
 tle was formed at Tanner's Creek Cross Roads, but 
 we were soon ordered to continue the retreat to Nor- 
 folk. When our rear guard had passed Indian Pole 
 Bridge, it was set on fire, and when the enemy 
 reached the north side he was unable to cross the 
 creek, so Wool was compelled to countermarch his 
 troops and to take a more distant route, delaying his 
 entry into Norfolk until five o'clock which gave our 
 forces time to get out of the city. 
 
 The "Jackson Grays" marched through Norfolk 
 and crossed on the ferry steamer to Portsmouth. 
 The boat was crowded with soldiers, citizens and 
 
 63 
 
a Pait ot 15Ianftet0 
 
 women. Two pretty girls with whom I was quite 
 well acquainted, said: "Ar'n't you ashamed to desert 
 us ?" I did feel quite abashed for I recalled the speech 
 I had made receiving our flag from the ladies of 
 Pleasant Grove, and the two girls were of the party 
 which had made the presentation, I put it on military 
 orders and obedience to superior authority, for really 
 it was a trying ordeal to leave our homes and friends 
 with little hope of returning. 
 
 Everybody was excited in Portsmouth and great, 
 commotion existed in every direction. I halted my 
 company at the court house to rest, and there we 
 were called upon to destroy barrels of ardent spirits 
 to prevent the enemy from getting it, and for a time 
 the gutters on Court Street ran with ardent spirits. 
 
 I had no orders and had to act upon my own re- 
 sponsibility. My company was so fagged out with 
 the movements of the day that we were not capable 
 of a long march to escape the Federal forces which 
 were expected over the ferry every hour. I pre- 
 vailed upon the provost marshal to give us transpor- 
 tation on the last train out of the city, and we rode 
 upon flat cars of this train to Suffolk, and next day 
 we were transported by train to Petersburg, and my 
 "Blankets" went along with my luggage. I do not 
 remember all of our movements in and about Peters- 
 burg, but the first night we were quartered in a large 
 building on Sycamore Street, and my "Blankets" 
 served for cover, bare, floor for bed and a brick for 
 my pillow, and this was the hardest bed I had ex- 
 perienced in my military life up to that time. Sev- 
 eral unassigned companies joined our seventh bat- 
 
 64 
 
2L Pair of 'Blankets 
 
 talion here, and the 6ist Virginia Infantry Regiment 
 was formed, and the "Jackson Grays" was designated 
 as Company "A," Wilson Guards as "B," Blanchard 
 Grays as,"C," Jackson Light Infantry as "D," Border 
 Rifles as "E," Isle of Wight Avengers as "F," Con- 
 federate Defenders as "G," The Virginia Rangers as 
 "H," Bilisoly Blues as "I," and Floyd Guards as "K." 
 On the assembling of the company oiEcers in Jar- 
 rett's Hotel on the 22d of May, 1862, I was elected 
 Major, and this promoted First Lieutenant Wm. C. 
 Wallace to the captaincy of the company. My com- 
 mission was issued by George W. Randolph, Secre- 
 tary of War, on the fifteenth of July to date from 
 the 22d day of May, and on the 23d day of May, my 
 "one bay horse" was valued at $225 by a board of 
 officers, called a board of survey. 
 
 Our regiment was encamped on Dunn's Hill, on 
 the north side of the Appomattox River ; the authori- 
 ties being advised of an expedition up the river with 
 a view of destroying the railroad bridge and secur- 
 ing a large quantity of coal stored at Port Walthall, 
 companies "A" and "C" of our regiment under my 
 command were sent down the river bank to resist the 
 advance of the fleet by firing on them from the shore. 
 
 On the 26th of June, 1862, the Federal fleet under 
 command of Flag Officer John Rogers, reached the 
 Point of Rocks. It consisted of the Port Royal, flag 
 ship; Monitor, Island Belle, Mahaska, Muratanza, 
 Jacob Bell, Stepping Stones, Southfteld, Delaware, 
 and Satdite. Our infantry opened fire upon them 
 from the cliffs of the rocky hills, with startling ef- 
 fect, wounding a number of sailors. The vessels ran 
 
a pair of 15lanfeet0 
 
 aground, whether from the low tide or bad steering 
 caused by the consternation of the infantry fire from 
 the shore, I am not advised, but they were two days 
 in getting off for retreat to the James River, and one 
 vessel, the Island Belle, was burnt to prevent her from 
 falling into the hands of the Confederates. So here 
 again the "Jackson Grays" saw another "Back out" of 
 the Monitor, and this was our last sight of her, for not 
 long thereafter, on the 31st day of December, 1862, 
 she foundered in a storm off Hatteras, and went to 
 the bottom of the sea to be seen no more. Four 
 officers and twelve men were lost with her but the 
 rest of her crew was rescued by the U. S. ship Rhode 
 Island, which was along as her tender. 
 
 The great battles of the Peninsula had been fought 
 and General Lee was marching on Manassas, when 
 we were ordered from Petersburg, marched over the 
 turnpike to Richmond, halted on Main Street to rest, 
 and camped at Brook Church, and from there we 
 were transported by rail to Gordonsville, soon find- 
 ing ourselves camping on the Rapidan and helping to 
 rebuild the railroad bridge. 
 
 LETTER NO. 15. 
 IN mahone's brigade. 
 
 My Dear Nephews: 
 
 Arriving at Gordonville two companies, "E" and 
 "F," were sent on to Staunton for provost duty under 
 General Davidson, as there were large military stores 
 
 66 
 
a pait of 'BIanket$ 
 
 there, part of which came from the captures of 
 Stonewall Jackson from Banks. 
 
 After the railroad bridge over the Rapidan was 
 constructed, the eight companies of our regiment 
 were ordered forward to Culpepper, Rappahannock 
 station and Warrenton. 
 
 While guarding these points. Col. Samuel M. Wil- 
 son having resigned, an election was held to supply 
 the vacancy. Col. V. D. Groner was elected by a 
 majority of the company officers over Lieut. Col. Wm. 
 F. Niemeyer, and our regiment was soon after as- 
 signed to Mahone's Brigade. 
 
 Three companies of the regiment and a detach- 
 ment of cavalry from the 15th Va. Regiment under 
 my command were ordered forward to Bristoe Sta- 
 tion on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad to re- 
 cover some of the spoils of the second great battle of 
 Manassas, which took place on the 29th and 30th of 
 August, 1862. 
 
 We found a number of derailed locomotives, cars 
 and other railroad material. On the 17th day of 
 September, 1862, after we had retracked the engines 
 and cars and sent them with most of the other truck 
 to Richmond, a detachment of Federal cavalry from 
 D. B. Birney's command, who had headquarters at 
 the "Seminary," appeared before our pickets with a 
 flag of truce requesting permission to bury or remove 
 their dead. I at once suspected that it was a ruse 
 to gain information as to the number of our forces, 
 therefore I declined to receive the flag without first 
 communicating with the authorities in Richmond, 
 which would have required about three days. Upon 
 
 67. 
 
3 Pair of IBIankets 
 
 my refusal the party retired, and General Birney 
 communicating with his commanding officer said: 
 "Flag of truce met by a party of Confederates at 
 Bristoe Station, under command of Major Wm. H. 
 Stewart, who stated that it would take three days to 
 communicate with his general and declined to receive 
 the flag." * * * "The force there was small and 
 might be surprised and captured if I had authority to 
 send a cavalry force against them." This authority 
 was quickly given him and he sent his force forward, 
 but in the meantime, I hurried up the balance of the 
 work, had my train of flat cars loaded with the re- 
 maining railroad material, while keeping full steam on 
 the engine, and as soon as the cavalry pickets were 
 driven in, I ordered the evacuation of Bristoe Sta- 
 tion; three companies of infantry boarded the train 
 and as our locomotive pulled out we saw in the dis- 
 tance the enemy in large forces charging on the Sta- 
 tion to find that the bird had flown. Our work had 
 all been accomplished and the retreat made in the 
 nick of time to save our capture by the overwhelm- 
 ing force of the enemy sent against us. The enemy 
 gradually threw his outposts forward and on the 27th 
 day of September we had a lively fight at Catlett's 
 Station. 
 
 On the evening of the 15th day of November, 1862, 
 General R. E. Lee directed Brigadier General W. H. 
 F. Lee, commanding the cavalry, "To order the 6ist 
 Virginia Volunteers, Col. Groner, commanding, and 
 the Norfolk Light Artillery Blues, Capt. Grandy, 
 commanding, to proceed at once to Fredericksburg. 
 They will take the route by Stevensburg, crossing the 
 
 68 
 
a pair of 'Blankets 
 
 Rapidan at Racoon Ford, till they intersect the plank 
 road to the city from Orange Court House to Fred- 
 ericksburg. Should they learn that Fredericksburg 
 is unoccupied by the enemy, they will pursue the 
 plank road to the city, but should they learn of its 
 occupation, they will fall back through Spottsylvania 
 Court House, and take position on the Fredericksburg 
 and Richmond Railroad, where it crosses the North 
 Anna. After crossing the Rapidan, Col. Groner must 
 send forward his staff officers to ascertain the best 
 roads, prepare forage for his command, etc., at points 
 where it will be needed. He will be careful on the 
 march to permit no straggling, depredations upon 
 citizens, country, etc., and be careful to pay for all 
 articles consumed or give receipts for the same. I 
 have the honor to be with great respect, etc., 
 
 "R. E. Lee." 
 
 This order to his son seems to have been written 
 by the hand of General R. E. Lee without the inter- 
 position of a staff officer, and it was most careful and 
 minute in all directions for Col. Groner. These forces 
 under our colonel promptly moved as directed by 
 Gen'l Lee and reached Fredericksburg on the morn- 
 ing of the 1 8th day of November, 1862. 
 
 The advance of General Sumner's Federal troops 
 arrived at Falmouth on the afternoon of the 17th, 
 but they were confronted at Fredericksburg by Col. 
 Ball's 15th Va. Cavalry, four companies of Mississippi 
 Infantry, and Lewis' Battery of Horse Artillery, and 
 did not attempt to cross the Rappahannock. 
 
 On the night of the i8th Col. Groner distributed 
 
 69 
 
a pair of TBlmkm 
 
 his men through the woods and caused them to build 
 many bon-fires to create the impression upon the 
 minds of the enemy that a large Confederate force 
 confronted him. Thousands of rails from the worm 
 fences of the farms served as fuel for these fires. 
 The enemy did not cross that night, and the Army of 
 Northern Virginia came up in good time. Whether 
 the bon-fires made any impression upon the enemy 
 could not be ascertained except by conjecture. As 
 previously ordered the 6ist Va. Infant. Regt. now 
 merged into Mahone's Brigade, of Anderson's Divi- 
 sion, and as now constituted was composed of the 
 6th, I2th, i6th, 41st and 6ist regiments and thus re- 
 mained to the end. 
 
 LETTER NO. 16. 
 
 winter quarters and the december battle. 
 
 My Dear Nephews: 
 
 Bumside did not cross over the Rappahannock at 
 this time, but established his headquarters and his 
 great army in camp on Stafford Heights for a more 
 convenient season to cross. The Army of Northern 
 Virginia was encamped on the south of Fredericks- 
 burg in the most available positions for resisting the 
 advance of the enemy. We were located in a woods 
 on the sunny side of some hills between Salem 
 Church and the Richmond, Fredericksburg and 
 Potomac Railroad. 
 
 70 
 
3 pair of TBlnnkm 
 
 My tent was pitched, and after the construction 
 of a stick and clay chimney with a barrel stack, I had 
 quite a cozy room with an open fire-place, and oak 
 log fuel made fires delightfully comfortable in those 
 bleak winter days. 
 
 While sleeping in this tent on my straw pallet 
 under my faithful "U. S. Navy Blankets," the long 
 roll sounded to call us out for the December battle of 
 Fredericksburg. We marched out and were placed 
 on the left of the army behind a great hill, and the 
 battle roared and thundered as never before heard 
 around the historic old city. When Burnside was 
 bombarding the city, the noble spirit displayed by the 
 inhabitants, especially by the women and children, 
 elicited the highest .admiration. They abandoned 
 their homes night and day during all the inclement 
 weather, cheerfully and uncomplainingly, with only 
 such assistance as our army wagons and ambulances 
 could afford. We saw women, girls and little chil- 
 dren trudging through the mud to bivouac in the open 
 fields. 
 
 At last Burnside's grand army crossed over the 
 river into the ill-fated city, assaulted the Army of 
 Northern Virginia, was disastrously whipped, and he 
 was doubtless glad when his broken and disheartened 
 corps had recrossed the river and settled in their old 
 positions on Stafford Heights. 
 
 Although under artillery fire during the whole bat- 
 tle our regiment was not actively engaged, had only 
 one man wounded and none killed. Col. John Bowie 
 Magruder of the S7th Virginia regiment of whom I 
 shall write more particularly hereafter, wrote from 
 
 71 
 
a pair of ISlmhm 
 
 his camp near Fredericksburg, December 20th, 1862, 
 the following account to his father. "As you have 
 seen in the papers, the great battle of Fredericksburg 
 has been fought and won. My regiment occupied a 
 position in the immediate front on the line of battle, 
 and was supported by Jenkins' South Carolina Bri- 
 gade which was posted about 600 yards in our rear — 
 I should have said that Armstead's Brigade was sup- 
 ported by Jenkins' — Pickett's Division occupied the 
 centre, and as the centre was not attacked, we had 
 nothing to do. Armstead's Brigade occupied a line of 
 rudely constructed breastworks, made by piling felled 
 trees and digging a ditch in rear and throwing the 
 earth upon the piled timber — ^the bush cut from the 
 trees was thrown in front and against the timber, to 
 prevent the 'Federals from charging it successfully. 
 This line of breastworks was about two miles below 
 the town, and about i^i miles from the river and 
 immediately in front of the lower pontoon bridge over 
 which Burnside crossed his army. It < was in easy 
 range of the Federal artillery, though as the centre 
 was not attacked, they did not attempt to dislodge 
 us. My regiment was thrown out on picket for one 
 day and night about 600 yards in front of these 
 breastworks and to the left of them, and distant from 
 the Federal pickets about 3cra yards, but nothing of 
 any interest occurred. Not a single man in the en- 
 tire brigade was wounded; in fact we can hardly be 
 said to have been under fire, as the centre was not 
 attacked, and only a few rambling shells flew over 
 our heads. The Federals occupied a position a little 
 to our left and front during the whole time, but re- 
 
 72 
 
a pair of T5Ianket0 
 
 mained as quiet and peaceable as Iambs. I had a fine 
 view of the battle which raged very fiercely, a little 
 to the right of our front, as we were just at the foot 
 of a hill, and at the commencement of the broad 
 open low lands of the river — a description of it is 
 impossible and I should not attempt it in this short 
 letter. The Federal column, perhaps 25,000 strong, 
 suddenly moved up from near the river bank, in solid 
 phalanx, and swept around to our right at a double 
 quick, as if to flank our gallant army — on they moved 
 in battle array — a splendid sight to behold — :well 
 might a tyro on our side tremble for the consequences 
 — for not a gun from our side is heard — neither in- 
 fantry nor artillery — not a Confederate soldier was 
 to be seen, save 8 or 10 standing firmly by a few 
 pieces of artillery posted jusf behind an eminence, 
 several hundred yards in front of the Federal phalanx, 
 and even these quietly and calmly receiving a mur- 
 derous fire from the Federal Batteries on the other 
 side of the river ; for, by intuition as it were, although 
 this battery had not yet opened, and had not yet been 
 unmasked, they guessed its whereabuts — onwards 
 moves the Federal host, becoming more and more 
 confident at every step — now they near a piece of' 
 copse-wood, and sweep around as if to encircle it — 
 just then a stream of fire is emitted from the gun 
 surrounded by those undaunted 8 or 10, and scarcely 
 has the sound reached you before your ears are deaf- 
 ened by the long loud rattling musketry, the booming 
 of fifty cannon at once, the bursting of shells and the 
 dull "thug" of grape and canister — ^the battle on the 
 right has commenced in earnest — ^yet not a Confed- 
 
 73 
 
a pair oe 'Blankets! 
 
 erate can be seen — the Federal host halts, wavers, 
 falls back, is rallied and brought up again, this awful 
 firing from cannon and muskets continuing all the 
 while — see the Federal host again halts, wavers, and 
 just now such a yell as almost rends the earth is heard 
 above the rattling of musketry and the booming of 
 cannon — the Confederates emerge from their ditches 
 just in the edge of the woods and charge — the Fed- 
 eral host fall back, halt, waver, run, fly, pell mell to 
 the cover of their batteries — our men pursue and 
 bring back many prisoners — again and again did the 
 Federals move up and as often were they driven back 
 — it was by far the most exciting scene I ever witnessed 
 and I grew far more excited then than I ever did 
 while engaged myself. The fighting was confined 
 almost exclusively to the right and left wings — ^the 
 centre was not attacked. I had quite a good view of 
 the fighting on the right. 
 
 About 12 M. on Tuesday, December i6, we re- 
 turned to our present encampment, which is very 
 •near our former camp. I then availed myself of the 
 opportunity (for the Federals had retreated across the 
 river) to ride over the two battle fields, for they are 
 separated by an interval of at least one and three- 
 quarter miles in which there was no fighting. I never 
 saw such carnage in my life — the wounded had all 
 been removed (for this was Tuesday and the battle 
 had been fought on Saturday), our dead had all been 
 buried as well as many of the Federals, and yet there 
 they still laid in heaps, in every conceivable position 
 and mangled in every conceivable way. On the right 
 the fighting was less concentrated, but the slaughter 
 
 74 
 
a Pait of IBlmkm 
 
 was more terrible — on the right the line extended for 
 about one and one-quarter miles — on the left about 
 a half mile. Even when I visited the left, although 
 many Federals had been buried and many had been 
 carried off by them in their retreat, one might have 
 walked a quarter of a mile stepping from dead Fed- 
 eral to dead Federal without once touching the ground 
 — at the lowest calculation there were 2,500 killed on 
 the right and not fewer than 2,000 killed on the left. 
 Their entire loss in killed and wounded could not have 
 been less than 12,000 — our loss was i,75p, killed and 
 wounded — not more than 350 killed — ^not a single can- 
 non taken by either side — at one time we had pos- 
 session of six, but they were taken again before they 
 could be removed — not an inch was gained by the 
 Federals, although they fought as well as usual. They 
 took about 300 prisoners and we took about 1,200; 
 many small arms, much ammunition, numerous knap- 
 sacks, overcoats, canteens, etc., etc., were captured 
 by us. Altogether it was one of the most brilliant 
 victories of the war. Never before did our men be- 
 have so well — ^never did an army occupy a better po- 
 sition than General Lee's in the recent engagement — 
 it occupied every eminence, and was almost wholly 
 concealed until the enemy came upon it, in nearly 
 every instance occupied breastworks, and the hills and 
 cliffs around seemed to have been formed with spe- 
 cial reference to this very battle — the men were still, 
 calm, cool, collected, and could therefore aim with pre- 
 cision. The Federals, on the other hand, occupied the 
 low flat land bordering on the river, had no breast- 
 works, no commanding positions on which to place 
 
 75 
 
^ pair of IBIankets 
 
 their artillery, knew not where we were, as they could 
 not see us, had to advance, and naturally became ex- 
 cited, which deranged their aim. 
 
 The town is almost ruined ; there is scarcely a house 
 . which has not been struck more than once — ^two en- 
 tire squares on Main Street have been burned — every 
 house was ransacked and many valuables carried off. 
 The Federals had possession of the town from Thurs- 
 day at 12 M. till daylight Tuesday morning. It is 
 said at General Lee's headquarters that Burnside was 
 very anxious to renew the fight on Sunday, but 
 Sigel, who joined him on Saturday with 25,000 men, 
 swore that not one of his men should cross the river 
 to fight Lee in such a position, and that all the com- 
 manding officers of Burnside's army protested against 
 it, on the ground that their men could not be induced 
 to fight again in such a place — nothing was left for 
 him therefore but to retreat. It is impossible to say 
 what will happen next, but the opinion generally pre- 
 vails that the army will change its base to the south 
 side of the James, leaving Sigel to threaten and ad- 
 vance on Richmond from this side — a deserter from 
 the Federals, who came over last night, says that they 
 are now very busy building v/inter quarters. The 
 truth of this I will not vouch for, not much reliance 
 to be put in such men." 
 
 The deserter was truthful this time, for the Fed- 
 erals did go into winter quarters. 
 
 Colonel Magruder's figures given above are doubt- 
 less from battle-field estimates, which were generally 
 exaggerated, and therefore not free from error. The 
 official reports were not then available, and since Gen- 
 
 76 
 
a Pait of IBlanbets 
 
 eral Lfie's Adjutant General has put them down as 
 follows: "The losses of the Federals, 12,653 — 1.284 
 killed, 9,600 wounded, and 1,760 missing; and on the 
 side of the Confederates, 5,322 killed and wounded." 
 These figures are generally accepted as correct, but I 
 believe our loss is over-estimated. 
 
 I have given my account of this battle in "The 
 Spirit of the South," and will not venture another 
 description here. 
 
 " 'Tis the soldier's life 
 To have their balmy slumbers wak'd in strife." 
 (Othello, Act II, Sc. 3.) 
 
 The great dramatist may never have dodged his 
 head from the whiz of a bullet, but the veteran of a 
 dozen wars could never have so well described the 
 uncertainty of a soldier's life in two lines. When 
 in the peace of camp, with all the iappearances of se- 
 curity, then suddenly burst forth the fiercest fights. 
 
 After the battle of Fredericksburg Mahone's men 
 settled in camp near Salem church, about three miles 
 from the city, with all the conveniences possible for 
 Confederate soldiers, except rations and clothes, which 
 were scant. 
 
 The pastimes were varied from a game of seven-up 
 to snow-ball battles. The latter were as frequently 
 indulged in as the weather would permit, that is as 
 often as the snow came. 
 
 Mahone's and Wright's Brigades, usually opposing 
 in regular array. Wavering fortunes attended these 
 friendly contests, as in the bloody struggles with the 
 Federals. 
 
 77j 
 
a pait of IBlanktts 
 
 Sometimes Mahone's men would capture Wright's 
 ground, and then fickle fortune would permit the 
 surrender of Mahone's camp ground. Spiders, pots 
 and tin pans constituted the principal booty of the 
 snow wars, but of course they would be returned after 
 a treaty of peace. 
 
 The smallpox invaded our camp and created some 
 alarm, but with the exception of destroying the beauty 
 of several soldiers no damage was sustained. 
 
 On the 19th day of February, 1863, the Sixty-first 
 .Virginia Regiment struck their tents, which had been 
 nicely fitted up with chimneys and bunks, to go on 
 picket duty along the river bank in and adjacent to 
 the city of Fredericksburg. 
 
 The enemy was friendly, and very often ridiculous 
 dialogues would take place between the outposts over 
 the river and our men. And some evenings the bands 
 of both armies would play "Home, Sweet Home," and 
 the cheers of the soldiers would mingle and resound 
 along both banks of the silent river. 
 
 LETTER NO. 17. 
 
 the gold mine camp. 
 
 My Dear Nephews: 
 
 On the 17th day of March, 1863, our regiment was 
 relieved and ordered to join the brigade further up 
 the river at the United States Ford. There our 
 camp was located in a thicket of diminutive pines on 
 
 78 
 
3 pait of 15lanket0 
 
 a low, undrained plane. Near the Ford is the gold 
 mine formerly worked by the g-overnment. The glit- 
 tering scales in the rocks and earth looked as worth- 
 less to the soldiers as the sands on the seashore. 
 This was a horrible place, for famine and plague 
 demoralized the whole camp. The road approaching 
 it was almost impassable and rations reached our sol- 
 diers less frequently than biting necessity demanded. 
 Boiling grass and sheep sorrel with an ounce or two 
 of pork was commonly seen in the little tin buckets 
 swinging over diminutive stick fires in front of the 
 fly tents. Some of the soldiers were suffering with 
 scurvy and resorted to grass diet, hoping for relief, 
 and others to satisfy hunger. Soon after our loca- 
 tion there, malarial fever broke out, to which many 
 poor fellows fell victims. Their uncoffined remains 
 were buried near the mine and there their dust re- 
 mains in unmarked graves, but to me their memories 
 are most sacred. 
 
 On the 28th day of April, 1863, a force of the 
 enemy crossed the Rappahannock below Fredericks- 
 burg to divert attention from the manoeuvre which 
 contemplated a grand crossing at Kelly's Ford and 
 Ely's Ford. On the 29th day of April, Hooker ef- 
 fected a crossing at Germana Ford on the Rapidan, 
 capturing sixty of our brigade pioneer corps, and 
 having disclosed a large force, General Mahone with 
 wonted sagacity quietly withdrew his small force by 
 the old mine road, a short distance above Chancellors- 
 ville. There a line of battle was formed and the men 
 began to fortify with all possible haste. The night 
 was dreadfully stormy, and the wet soldiers passed 
 
 79 
 
a paft ot Tglanketg 
 
 the dark hours shivering in the cold. Just at the 
 break of day firing was heard in front, which was 
 thought to be our pickets firing off their wet guns ; 
 but it was soon discovered that the enemy was ad- 
 vancing in heavy force and had captured nearly all 
 of the Norfolk Juniors, commanded by Capt. Thomas 
 F. Owens, which company constituted the outer picket 
 line. 
 
 Genl. William Mahone and his Adjutant General, 
 Robertson Taylor, rode in front to reconnoitre, and 
 discovering two horsemen, whom they took to be 
 Confederates, being in gray uniforms, hastened for- 
 ward to learn the news, but were utterly astounded, 
 when within a short distance their supposed friends 
 drew carbines and fired at them. This drew the ex- 
 clamation from the general, "I believe our cavalry- 
 men are drunk." These two officers had a very nar- 
 row escape and found that the two gray cavalrymen 
 were backed closely in the rear by a large force with 
 blue uniforms. Genl. R. H. Anderson, commanding 
 the Division, soon arrived on the field and ordered 
 our small force to fall back slowly. We retreated to- 
 wards Fredericksburg until we reached Zoar Church, 
 and there formed a line of battle. The enemy pur- 
 sued hotly and our men were forced to seek protect 
 tion from the aim of the sharpshooters. They soon 
 killed one poor fellow, and Joe Sam Brown, of the 
 Blues Battery, escaped from sudden death by a hair's 
 breadth. He was standing behind a limber chest with 
 his head resting on the lid, in the act of cutting a two 
 second fuse, when a Belgian rifle ball struck the horse, 
 passed through his flank, through the lid of the chest 
 
 80 
 
a pair of :!5lanketi5 
 
 ind struck Mr. Brown on the breast; fortunately its 
 force was sufficiently broken to save him with only a 
 bruise. 
 
 About eight hundred yards in front of our line of 
 battle was McCarty's Farm across which ran a slight 
 ridge, on which by the roadside stood a log crib. 
 This house was occupied by the enemy's sharp- 
 shooters, and they were exceedingly troublesome in 
 firing at every man in sight. 
 
 LETTER NO. i8. 
 Mc carty's farm fight. 
 
 My Dear Nephews : 
 
 Early next morning May ist, 1863, Generals Lee 
 and Jackson rode up to the church, and after talking 
 a few moments, an advance was ordered, and thus 
 commenced the great battle of Chancellorsville. The 
 two great generals rode away after General Lee had 
 ordered the forward movement, and I never saw 
 Jackson again. Our line of battle arose from the 
 little earthwork which had been thrown up during the 
 night and moved to the front in splendid style, evi- 
 dently inspired by the presence of Lee and Jackson. 
 The enemy stubbornly resisted, but were pushed back 
 a half mile or more, and then they made a desperate 
 stand. Mahone held a line across McCarty's Farm 
 with his left resting on the turnpike near the log 
 crib. Perry's Floridians were on the left just across 
 
 81 
 
^ pair of ^lanketie; 
 
 the road in a pine woods. The Norfolk Blues Bat- 
 tery was unlimbered on both sides of the turnpike. 
 The Twelfth Virginia Regiment had been thrown out 
 in advance as skirmishers, but were soon forced by 
 overwhelming numbers to fall back on the main line 
 of battle. And then the battle raged with great fury, 
 our line holding to its ground firmly, and finally, the 
 enemy yielding, was driven back on Chancellorsville. 
 
 One solid cannon shot ploughed through the right 
 of our regiment, killing instantly Lemuel S. Jen- 
 nings and George D. Bright, two of our best and 
 bravest soldiers. On the left young Warren had his 
 arm blown off by an exploding shell, a fragment 
 wounded me on the leg, and the flesh from Warren's 
 arm, at the same time, flew in my face, blinding me 
 for a moment, and when I wiped it off with my hand 
 I was sure it was flesh from my own cheeks. I did 
 not learn better until I had washed my face at the 
 spring down the hill, when a comrade told me my 
 face was unscarred. 
 
 A few minutes before this occurred a bullet struck 
 my field glasses in the side pocket of my coat, break- 
 ing both glasses in one barrel, making a hole through 
 my coat, and passing on, under my arm, fortunately 
 leaving only a slight bruise on my side. Capt. V. O. 
 Cassell of Company "D" received a desperate wound, 
 which caused the amputation of his leg, and Lieut. 
 Alex. B. Butt, formerly of our regiment, but then ad- 
 jutant of the 41st regiment, received a mortal wound. 
 Wilson M. Kher, about seventeen years of age, was 
 mortally wounded early in the action. I was very 
 near him and noticed him particularly, because of his 
 
 82 
 
3 pair of TSlmkttfi 
 
 wonderful coolness. I saw him fire his musket with 
 deliberate aim probably a dozen times, but at last as 
 he was taking it from his shoulder to reload, a minie 
 ball struck him in the eye and crushed through his 
 head, his rifle fell to the ground from his grasp and 
 turning to me, said: "Major, I am killed; tell my 
 father my face was to the enemy." He calmly walked 
 to the rear and died next day at the field hospital or 
 on the hospital train en route to Richmond, I do not 
 now remember, which. This scene thrilled my very 
 soul even in the midst of battle, when bullets were 
 flying like hail, and in deepest sympathy and in silent 
 admiration, I watched the young hero, who felt the 
 glory of dying for his country, walk down the hill 
 towards the rear, where the field surgeon was located. 
 Here was an exhibition of noble self sacrifice — of 
 lofty patriotism — of courageous chivalry — of true 
 nobility of soul worthy of commemoration. 
 
 This touching incident has often recurred to me 
 and made a more lasting impression than any obser- 
 vation of the war through which I served. I never 
 had the opportunity of delivering the sacred message 
 of this boy hero, who now sleeps in an unmarked 
 grave. He was a soldier of Virginia, but a native of 
 North Carolina, sister states, sisters in community of 
 interest, sisters now in peace, sisters then in war, bap- 
 tised at the same altar of patriotism with the blood of 
 their noblest heroes. 
 
 If it was not such a sister, I should envy the birth- 
 place of the noble boy. Private Wilson M. Kher, of 
 Company "C," 6ist Virginia Regiment, of Currituck 
 County, North Carolina. 
 
 83 
 
9 mit of T5lmkm 
 
 The gallant men of the Norfolk Light Artillery 
 Blues fought with the power of patriots and fairly 
 beat the battery of United States regulars which was 
 fighting them. The brave Genei al Semms came dash- 
 ing in at the head of his Georgia Brigade during the 
 thickest of the iron hail to reinforce our left, and 
 rode up to compliment the Blues, while the eneniy 
 were sending at them torrents of bullets and shells. 
 W. C. Land, a noble young man, the only son of a 
 widowed mother, was killed and among the wounded 
 of this bloody fight were Lieut. Thomas Peete, Ser- 
 geant J. C. Watters, John Day, John Wilkins, Joseph 
 Floyd, Wm. McGowan and Melville Keeling, all of 
 the Norfolk Light Artillery Blues. 
 
 Mahone, Perry and Posey pressing in front and 
 Wright's brigade on the flank forced the enemy back 
 to his trenches at Chancellorsville as night closed the 
 conflict. 
 
 LETTER NO. 19. 
 
 STONEWALL JACKSON's GUNS. 
 
 My Dear Nephews: 
 
 On Saturday the second day of May, 1863, Ma- 
 hone's Brigade was moved from the right of the 
 Turnpike over the plank road and located behind 
 temporary earthworks in a thicket of tall pines on the 
 north side of the Catharpin road. There was heavy 
 skirmishing in our immediate front all day; mean- 
 while Jackson made the detour to strike the enemy 
 on his right flank. 
 
 84 
 
a mit of ISlrnkm 
 
 During the day the enemy discovered a gap be- 
 tween Anderson's Division and Jackson's Corps, and 
 with a strong force pressed down to the iron furnace, 
 thereby cutting off communication with Jackson. 
 Posey with his stern and steady Mississippians at- 
 tempted to dislodge him, but was forced back until 
 reinforced by Wright's Georgians, then Hooker's 
 men were handsomely driven back. 
 
 Late in the afternoon the enemy made an advance 
 down the plank road with two brigades, but they were 
 met by the Third Georgia Regiment and repulsed. 
 This noble regiment had been skirmishing heavily 
 all day, but steadily resisted the charges of the enemy 
 and finally gallantly advancing, drove their assailants 
 to the cover of their earthworks. 
 
 We heard Jackson's guns open on Hooker's flank 
 and gradually their sound came nearer, and the news 
 of the success of his movement came to excite the 
 enthusiasm of our troops to the highest degree, but 
 when it was known that Jackson was wounded, all 
 spirits dropped and poignant grief touched all hearts. 
 
 At daylight Sunday morning the Army of Northern 
 Virginia made a general advance and drove Hooker 
 from Chancellorsville down to the fords, his only 
 hope of escape. Mahone's men marched from their 
 position in the thicket by the flank, up the plank road, 
 until within range of the enemy's battery. One poor 
 fellow had his head taken off by a solid cannon shot 
 on the opposite side of the road as we were moving 
 by the flank; if it had landed on our side doubtless 
 many in our ranks would have been killed. 
 
 The formation of the line of battle was only the 
 
 85 
 
a pair of IBlmkm 
 
 work of a moment, and then the men rushed forward 
 through the woods and thick undergrowth, over the 
 abattis, mounting and capturing the breastworks, and 
 then as the yelling and charging army corps joined, 
 we saw victory dawn upon the army of the peerless 
 Lee. 
 
 There was a great "rebel" yell when Chancellors- 
 ville was captured and Hooker's grand army forced 
 towards the fords of the Rappahannock. Our bri- 
 gade was ordered to close its ranks quickly to press 
 forward towards the river. The "Little Corporal" 
 (Mahone), almost dancing in his stirrups, gave the 
 command "Forward." I well remember how the lit- 
 tle general would gather up his reins, straighten his 
 legs in the stirrups and throw his body forward when 
 giving the command "Forward" to his brigade. His 
 peculiar manner seemed to indicate a desire to assist 
 the men in the first movement of their legs. The 
 head of the column was turned down the Mine road 
 and hurried in pursuit of Hooker, but had gone only 
 a short distance, before a counter-march was ordered 
 back to Salem Church; this was about eleven o'clock 
 in the forenoon. 
 
 The scant line which had been left to hold the 
 fortifications at Fredericksburg had been driven out 
 by a heavy column of the enemy under General 
 Sedgwick. Famous Mayre's Hill had been captured, 
 and about twenty-two thousand soldiers were ad- 
 vancing rapidly to relieve Hooker, hoping that they 
 might crush Lee between their two great armies as 
 by an upper and nether mill stone. 
 
 86 
 
a mit of OBIanketsf 
 
 LETTER NO. 20. 
 salem church battle. 
 
 My Dear Nephews: 
 
 Marching at quick step Mahone reached Salem 
 Church about four o'clock in the afternoon, when 
 Wilcox's little band of people was sorely pressed by 
 Sedgwick. Mahone gave the order in person, and as 
 quick as thought the 61 st regiment was deployed as 
 skirmishers and advanced at double-quick into a pine 
 thicket on the left of the road, where it made a 
 stand. 
 
 Three times Sedgwick's people moving over an 
 open field in order as beautiful as on a dress parade 
 charged towards the woods, and three times did our 
 gallant riflemen repulse them and hurl them back in 
 disorder. Our men held this ground until a flank- 
 ing column forced them to retire. Just about this 
 time Semmes with his dashing Georgians reached the 
 field and formed behind a bush fence, and mistaking 
 our retreating skirmishers for the enemy, fired a vol- 
 ley into them. Col. V. D. Groner with great self- 
 possession rushed to Semmes' line, made known his 
 command and prevented another volley, which might 
 have mowed down our little band like grass before 
 the reaper. Fortunately the first volley was too high 
 to do much damage, but it taught a lesson, and when 
 the Federal column came sweeping down on the; 
 
2L pait of -Blanfcew 
 
 Georgians, they fired low with such effective slaughter 
 as to break and defeat Sedgwick's charging column. 
 The men of the 6ist regiment leaped over Semmes' 
 line and while under a galling fire and a storm of 
 bullets and shells. Col. Groner seized the colors and 
 ordered a rally, which was as beautifully executed 
 as they had ever performed on drill. Lieut. C. W. 
 Murdaugh fell desperately wounded, while bravely 
 leading his men to the colors, and carried the ounce 
 of lead in his body to his death in 1904. The brave 
 and heroic conduct of Col. V. D. Groner, and the sol- 
 dierly manner in which his regiment executed the 
 whole movement in advancing, retreating and rally- 
 ing drew the highest encomiums from every officer 
 and soldier who witnessed it. The regiment was 
 then marched to the left and placed in line of battle, 
 but was not again that day actively engaged. By 
 night Sedgwick's people had been repulsed along the 
 whole line and soundly beaten by a comparatively 
 small force. This closed a second battle on the Holy 
 Sabbath of May 3rd, 1863, in both of which Ma- 
 hone's brigade had been hotly engaged. 
 
 When these series of battles commenced a general 
 court martial was in session near Salem Church, hold- 
 ing its sessions in a large tent. I was a member. It 
 was composed of thirteen officers, an unlucky num- 
 ber. Col. Young L. Royston of the 8th Alabama 
 Regiment was president and Capt. Charles Haynes 
 Andrews of Georgia was judge advocate. It imme- 
 diately adjourned on the advance of Hooker's army, 
 and the members returned to their respective com- 
 mands, and all were killed or wounded before the 
 ! 88 
 
3 pair of 'Blankets 
 
 sun of that sacred Sabbath day had set. The gallant 
 and accomplished Captain Charles H. Andrews was 
 desperately wounded in the charge of the third Geor- 
 gia regiment hereinbefore mentioned. 
 
 On the fourth day of May our forces were moved 
 to Bank's Ford to cut off if possible the retreat of 
 Sedgwick's army. There we were subjected to a 
 heavy shelling from the heavy artillery on the north 
 side of the Rappahannock river. Being under the 
 impression that we had completely surrounded the 
 Federals, and bottled them up, we quietly awaited the 
 hour of capitulation, but to our utter amazement they 
 forced the stopper and escaped in the night time by 
 marching over the river on a mill dam, and on the 
 dreary morning of the fifth day of May there was not 
 an armed foe in our front on the south side of the 
 river. 
 
 Marching orders were given and in a pouring rain 
 storm we trudged from two o'clock in the afternoon 
 to five o'clock, arriving at Chancellorsville as wet as 
 drowned rats, where we camped for the night, and 
 there my "Blankets" stood by me in time of need. 
 On the morning of the sixth of May we marched to 
 the United States Ford, but every armed foe had 
 gone over the river, and then we returned to Salem 
 Church to rest on our old camp ground. This closed 
 the eighth day of fighting and marching with little 
 rest, within which time Mahone's men were engaged 
 in four pitched battles and had marched over the field 
 of Chancellorsville five times. 
 
 89 
 
a pait of ISlmkm 
 
 LETTER NO. 21. 
 
 marching to the invasion. 
 
 My Dear Nephews: 
 
 "How sweetly smiled the hill and vale 
 And all the landscape round." 
 
 For June had just spread her profusion of lovely 
 flowers over the fields, and the woods and groves 
 were clad in her beautiful raiment of green, when 
 Salem Church encampment was broken for the last 
 time by the alarm of battle, and the drowsy soldiers 
 gathered from their tents before the east gave her 
 light, for a march towards Fredericksburg. After 
 the three days' bivouac of Mahone's brigade behind 
 the gates of this ruined and desolate city, on the sixth 
 day of June, 1863, it was formed in line of battle 
 along the famous stone wall that guarded Marye's 
 Heights. There it remained to meet any advance 
 that might be attempted by Hooker's Army, until the 
 13th day of June, when it started on the invasion of 
 Pennsylvania, marching through the lonely depths of 
 the "Wilderness," over its silent battle fields with the 
 new made graves, bullet marked trees and broken 
 shrubs; over the army trodden fields of Culpepper 
 and Rappahannock, crossing the Blue Ridge on the 
 19th through Chester Gap. We reached the summit 
 about noon; the troops were halted for a short rest 
 
 90 
 
a pair of lBlmktt$ 
 
 and quenched their thirst from a cool spring pouring 
 out of a crevice in the ponderous rocks piled on the 
 side of the highway. It seemed to me to be the .cool- 
 est, clearest and most delightful water ever found in 
 the pathway of tired troops. 
 
 While going over the mountain I saw the most 
 beautiful landscape that had ever before appeared to 
 my vision. The village of Front Royal nesthng in 
 the green hills at the foot of the Western slope and 
 the proud valley of the Shenandoah spread out in 
 majestic robes made a marvelous and glorious pic- 
 ture. The rivers and streams were gleaming like 
 threads of silver on emerald fields, the golden wheat 
 was shimmering in the sunlight, the verdure of the 
 oak forests was trembling in the gentle swellings of 
 the wind, the lawns of clover were bowing to its 
 sweep, and all were circled with the blue lines of the 
 distant mountains and domed with marble skies. A 
 sight upon which the eyes of the gods might feast, 
 and well calculated to make troubled man forget for 
 a moment the ills of life and be happy while behold- 
 ing the beauties of nature's blended glories. 
 
 As night came on the clouds gathered, and while 
 we were fording the Shenandoah, waist deep, their 
 flood gates opened and poured torrents on our 
 heads; soaking wet the soldiers dreamed away the 
 night in an open field about a mile beyond the river. 
 I lodged on a great rock which I found near a fence, 
 and wrapping my faithful "blankets" about me slept 
 delightfully till the long roll of the kettle drum called 
 for the "fall in." Our line of march was through 
 White Post, Berryville, Jeffersontown, Charlestown 
 
 91 
 
3 pair of TBlmkm 
 
 and Sheppardstown, where on the evening of the 23d 
 day of June, General Lee issued an order forbidding 
 trespassing and enjoining respect for the rights of 
 private property while in the enemy's country. On 
 the 24th day of June, 1863, we forded the Potomac, 
 leaving the Confederacy and entering the domain of 
 the United States. 
 
 LETTER NO. 22. 
 
 IN THE enemy's COUNTRY, 
 
 My Dear Nephews: 
 
 The morale of the Army of Northern Virginia was 
 perfect : flushed with the great victory of Chancellors- 
 ville, and reinforced by Pickett's magnificent division, 
 which had been temporarily detached to make a diver- 
 sion in the direction of Suffolk, each soldier feeling 
 himself superior to three of the enemy, made no cal- 
 culation for defeat and proudly marched on the 
 enemy's soil with the air of conqueror. 
 
 General Lee also believed his array invincible, for 
 he had seen it on so many fields powerful, almost be- 
 yond human endurance and courage; and his army 
 had perfect confidence and love for him, its com- 
 mander-in-chief. There was an army and chieftain 
 of which every member from teamster to lieutenant- 
 general gave loyalty and fidelity in truest pride and 
 abiding love. 
 
 We soon reached Sharpsburg, the renowned battle- 
 field, and then moved on through Keysville, Boons- 
 
 92 
 
a l^ait oC iaianket$ 
 
 boro, Funktown and Hagerstown in the state of 
 Maryland. On the 26th day of June, we entered 
 Pennsylvania, marched through Middleburg and 
 Greencastle, and bivouacked four miles south of 
 Chambersburg. The ladies of the Keystone state 
 received us with waiving Union flags, the men with 
 silent contempt, and the Dutch women with horrid 
 imprecations. 
 
 One pretty girl of a bevy, who was greeting the 
 "Rebels" with waving star-spangled banners, on see- 
 ing the commander-in-chief, dropped her flag, clapped 
 her delicate hands together and exclaimed, "Oh, I 
 wish he was ours." The Dutch women were par- 
 ticularly bitter when our men went to buy buttermilk 
 and eggs with Confederate money, saluting them 
 with fierce frowns and giving parting shots with ter- 
 rible oaths. 
 
 The Cumberland valley, though not so grand in 
 scenery as the Shenandoah, is a fertile and most de- 
 lightful country. It is cut up in small farms, well 
 tilled, and owned principally by sturdy and indus- 
 trious Germans and their descendants. Their barns 
 are larger and much more costly than their^ resi- 
 dences; for stock is their especial pride. The horses 
 were very large, having hoofs almost the size of a 
 peck measure, and were not at all suitable for 
 Hampton's cavalrymen. On the morning of the 27th 
 day of June, while our column was marching through 
 Chambersburg, General Lee met Generals A. P. Hill 
 and R. S. Ewell, who were riding at the head of our 
 column, about the center of the town, and there they 
 halted for a short consultation. A number of citi- 
 
 93 
 
a Pait of TBlmkm 
 
 zens having gathered on the sidewalks, some one 
 exclaimed, alluding to General Lee, "What a large 
 neck he has!" and a soldier in the ranks replied: 
 "Yes, it takes a d ^n big neck to hold his head!" 
 
 Notwithstanding General Lee's strict order, en- 
 joining respect for private property, some of the sol- 
 diers would snatch up a chicken now and then, and 
 hide it in their > haversacks as they marched along. 
 At the first bivouac in Pennsylvania some of the 
 Georgians pursued a goose into General R. H. Ander- 
 son's tent, but begged ofif under the pretext that "it 
 was a stray goose!" With rare exceptions the men 
 behaved as gentlemen and obeyed General Lee's 
 order most scrupulously. Our regiment was detailed 
 for provost duty in Chambersburg, and I was made 
 provost marshal, but this office was of short dura- 
 tion, for at three o'clock in the afternoon we were 
 ordered to Fayettesville, a village of one street about 
 a mile long, which is about four miles from Cham- 
 bersburg, where we camped until July ist, 1863. 
 
 Mrs. Kate S. Macnight recently writing her recol- 
 lections as a school girl of the occupation of Cham- 
 bersburg, Pa., by the Confederates, says : "Our home 
 was on Main street, and during the invasion of 
 General Lee, it took ten days of continuous marching 
 for his army to pass our house. Well do I remem- 
 ber the sinking of our hearts as regiment after regi- 
 ment passed, each one led by its regimental band. 
 During all this time we were in ignorance of the 
 movement of our own men. I gazed with admira- 
 tion on General Robert E. Lee as he rode by to his 
 headquarters followed by thirty aids. During Lee's 
 
 94 
 
a pair of 'IBIanbew 
 
 occupation a guard was stationed night and day at 
 each house, so that the soldiers could not enter a pri- 
 vate house, and discipline was so perfect, we slept as 
 peacefully as if surrounded by our own men. I saw 
 them waiting by the oven door while one old colored 
 cook took out her pan of biscuit, which they ate red- 
 hot, accompanied by slices of dried beef cut from the 
 round she had been slicing for our own tea. I some- 
 times leaned from a second story window and asked 
 information from the guard as to the names of the 
 generals as they approached at the head of the differ- 
 ent brigades. One day noticing an unusually fine 
 looking man I inquired who he was and learned that 
 he was General Barksdale of Mississippi." She says 
 she afterwards saw him in a hospital in Gettysburg 
 where a day or two after he died. His brigade be- 
 longed to our division and we lamented his death as 
 much as his own brave Mississippians. 
 
 Mrs. Macnight's father was a noted Federal sur- 
 geon, who was medical director of all the hospitals 
 in her town, and her good words must be most highly 
 appreciated by the survivors of the army of Lee, al- 
 though she draws too much upon her imagination as 
 to the time it took our army to pass through the town 
 and the number of General Lee's aids. 
 
 95 
 
a Pafc of 'Blankets 
 
 LETTER NO. 23. 
 marching on" to gettysburg. 
 
 My Dear Nephews: 
 
 On going into camp near Fayetteville our soldiers 
 captured in a church an elegant repast that had been 
 prepared by the citizens for their soldiers, whose 
 term of enlistment had just expired, and for two days 
 our boys enjoyed the feast and ate with knives and 
 forks from china plates, but marching orders on July 
 1st, 1863, destroyed all this luxury and ease. The 
 pleasure and plenty were of short duration, and so it 
 goes with a soldier's life. 
 
 We crossed the Cumberland mountains, through 
 the gap near Fayetteville, passing the smoking ruins 
 of Thad. Stevens' great iron works, and bivouacked 
 in an oak woods near Gettysburg, from which Heth's 
 valorous troops had already driven the enemy. 
 
 General Heth'had steadily pressed back Meade's 
 troops over two miles, when he was reinforced by 
 Pender and Rhodes, and they together forced the 
 enemy to seek the protection of Cemetery Ridge, 
 handsomely capturing the town of Gettysburg. A 
 sharp contest was raging when we arrived and I saw 
 from our position the enemy falling back towards 
 Cemetery Ridge. General Heth was wounded and 
 the command of his troops devolved on Gen. James J. 
 Pettigrew, a gallant and distinguished son of the Old 
 
 96 
 
a Pait of 15lmktt» 
 
 North State, who was afterwards killed at Falling 
 Waters. 
 
 More than five thousand prisoners, three pieces of 
 artillery and several colors were captured in the first 
 day's fight on the soil of Pennsylvania. 
 
 The Federals thus defeated, determined to make a 
 stand on Cemetery Ridge, a long row of hills run- 
 ning south of Gettysburg, bending eastward, and ter- 
 minating in Gulp's Hill, and on the left in Round Top 
 Mountain. Our army occupied Seminary Ridge, a 
 lower ridge about a mile distant. On the morning 
 of the second of July our brigade (Mahone's) moved 
 forward and was placed in line of battle behind a 
 small grove of large oaks, to support Mcintosh's 
 Artillery, which was then unlimbered on the east of 
 this grove^ along the line of a stone fence that over- 
 looked the open field between the hostile lines. 
 Longstreet's First Gorps formed the right, Ewell's 
 second corps the left, and A. P. Hill's third corps, to 
 which we were attached, the center of the Army of 
 Northern Virginia. Pickett's division of three bri- 
 gades, about four thousand five hundred strong, in 
 camp six miles from Ghambersburg,' received march- 
 ing orders this morning and followed our route. 
 
 While marching through the Gap in the Gumber- 
 land mountains, bushwhackers annoyed the column 
 by firing upon it from the rocky fastnesses. At four 
 o'clock in the afternoon it reached a point five miles 
 west of Gettysburg, having made a march of twenty- 
 three miles, and halted for the night. 
 
 The fighting on our right and left was very heavy 
 during the afternoon, but we were not ordered from 
 
 9Z 
 
a I^air of 15Ianket$ 
 
 our position until night, when, for some reason un- 
 known to subordinates, after moving in line of battle 
 for some distance across a wheat field, we were re- 
 called and ordered to our old position. It was a 
 moonlight night when we marched through the 
 wheat field, and we were sure that we were there to 
 make a night charge upon the works of the enemy. 
 Night charges are the most dreaded of all fighting 
 by soldiers, and you may know we were rejoiced by 
 the recall on this occasion. 
 
 About five o'clock on this afternoon, Wilcox and 
 Wright of our Division made a brilliant dash on the 
 enemy's works. The brave Georgians gained the 
 crest of the ridge and drove the enemy down the 
 opposite side. Although closely supported by the 
 Alabamians, both columns were so vigorously at- 
 tacked at the same time, on front and flanks, as to 
 compel retreat without the artillery they had cap- 
 tured. Hood made a desperate charge on Round 
 Top, and Ewell's people had gained ground on the 
 left. The results of the day encouraged General Lee 
 for a renewal of the attack next day. 
 
 LETTER NO. 24. 
 the charge on cemetery heights. 
 
 My Dear Nephews : 
 
 On the 3rd day of July, 1863, at three o'clock in 
 the morning, Pickett's Virginians added twenty 
 rounds of cartridges to the thirty already in their 
 
 98 
 
a pait of TBlmkttfi 
 
 boxes, and slowly marched towards the front, ar- 
 riving on Longstreet's line, to whose corps they be- 
 longed, about ten o'clock in the morning. The whole 
 morning was consumed manoeuvring, and these were 
 long hours of breathless anxiety, for the very still- 
 ness of the air seemed to foretell the iron storm that 
 commenced at one o'clock in the afternoon, fringing 
 the crests of the frowning hills with the lurid glare 
 of two hundred artillery guns, whose terrible thunder 
 resounded like some hidden volcano, bursting from 
 the center of the earth and scattering the smoking 
 fragments of its bowels over the trembling hills. 
 During this terrible cannonade the shot and shell 
 made the air hideous with their shrieks and ploughed 
 the earth in bloody furrows. Now and then, on 
 either side, a well trained gun would drop a shell on 
 a magazine, which would send a blazing spout of 
 smoke high up towards the sky, leaving . around the 
 wreck dead and wounded gunners, weltering in 
 blood. 
 
 All, majestic! grand! sublime! awful! For two 
 hours this mighty duel raged, and as the dial marked 
 the hour of three, two divisions of infantry rose in 
 line of battle under the hailing thunderbolts of war, 
 and at the word of command fearlessly pressed to- 
 wards the triple-armed hills of their foe. 
 
 Pettigrew's brave legions charged from the left, 
 and Pickett's proud Virginians majestically moved 
 forward from the right, the lines converging so as 
 to touch flanks at the works of the enemy. At this 
 supreme moment the fire of our artillery slackened, 
 for the ammunition was almost exhausted, and then 
 
 99 
 
a l^air of IBlmkm 
 
 the enemy's guns on the ridge in front and from the 
 cemetery were concentrated on Pettigrew's advanc- 
 ing column and at the same time a heavy infantry 
 force was thrown against it, forcing the highest cour- 
 age to yield, and making those brave men recoil from 
 the charge. 
 
 Pickett's column swept grandly onward, gaining 
 the works of the enemy, fighting fiercely almost hand 
 to hand for a moment, driving the infantry supports 
 from the front line, then defiantly holding many 
 pieces of artillery until their left flank and front were 
 overwhelmingly assaulted by fresh columns of infan- 
 try, which overpowered and crushed the dauntless 
 few who had planted their battle flags on the stone 
 bastions of the cemetery. Then four hundred un- 
 ofificered soldiers, the remnant of the charging four 
 thousand, sullenly retired. The rest were killed, 
 wounded and captured. Two brigadier generals 
 were killed, one desperately wounded and all the field 
 ofificers killed or wounded except one. 
 
 Wilcox's brigade protected the retreat by a galling 
 fire from an orchard on the right and prevented the 
 enemy from pursuing. 
 
 Before the order for the charge, while the cannon 
 were booming and the shells cutting the limbs from 
 the trees on Seminary Ridge, and scattering frag- 
 ments over the ranks of the soldiers, an adjutant at 
 his post was sitting on the root of an oak reading 
 his Testament. 
 
 W. H. McHorney, one of Pickett's men, says: 
 "When I was lying down in line of battle, I had my 
 cartridge box knocked aside by a shell that cut my 
 
 lOO 
 
a pair of 'Blanbetg 
 
 lieutenant in two; when the line rose to charge it 
 appeared that as many were left dead and wounded 
 as got up, but the ranks closed up and went forward ; 
 the air was filled with smoke and I could see nothing 
 in front of me except the blaze from the vents and 
 muzzles of the cannon. I went forward until nea:r 
 the stone wall, then I saw only two things to do, go 
 forward and be captured or risk a retreat. I decided 
 to turn back and got out safely." 
 
 A man of Company "D," ninth regiment, named 
 Byrd, was wounded on the charge, shot in the arm. 
 He asked the lieutenant commanding to allow him 
 to "fall out," protesting his inability to use his rifle. 
 The sergeant interposing, said: "Lieutenant, they 
 have winged our bird." Byrd was allowed to "fall 
 out," but was killed on his retreat to the rear. 
 
 Lieut. Wm. F. Tonkin, commanding Company 
 "G," ninth regiment, says: "When we were lying in 
 line ready for the charge, a shell struck a small tree 
 and splintered it on the side. General Armistead 
 walked up to it and pulled off a long splinter, and 
 ^ming to us waving it in his hand, said: "BoyS, 
 do you think you can go up under that? It is pretty 
 hot out there." "Soon after another shell wounded 
 Colonel Aylett." 
 
 General Armistead gave the command in his loud- 
 est tone of voice: "Attention, Battalion, Third, 
 
 THE battalion OF DIRECTION, FORWARD, GUIDE, CEN- 
 TER, MARCH." He then put his hat on the point of 
 his sword, waving it around, led in front. I was 
 wounded and did not get far enough to see him fall." 
 This testimony of men who were in the charge will 
 loi 
 
a Pait of 'Blanket^ 
 
 give you an idea of the heroism and courage of the 
 Virginians on that field. 
 
 "From the time men first met men in deadly strife, 
 no more unflinching courage was ever displayed by 
 the veteran troops of the most martial people than 
 the battle of Gettysburg, witnessed in the determined 
 valor of Pickett's Division of Virginians. They bore 
 themselves worthy of their lineage and state." 
 
 Yes, they made a name that will sound down all 
 the ages, thrill unborn heroes, and inspire all genera- 
 tions to emulate their courage. All praise for the 
 imperishable glory of these noble men. While others 
 dared their full duty, Pickett's men crowned the bat- 
 tle of Gettysburg with everlasting renown by their 
 sublime and astounding courage. 
 
 General Lewis A. Armistead fell while waving his 
 hat upon his sword, although it now rested upon the 
 hilt, and with his left hand upon a captured gun, like 
 a true hero and faultless soldier. Col. John Bowie 
 Magruder of his 57th regiment was shot mounting 
 the stone wall, pointing to the enemy's guns, and 
 shouting to his men : "They are ours." 
 
 So, many other heroes died there at the very gates 
 of victory. 
 
 LETTER NO. 25. 
 john bowie magruder. 
 
 My Dear Nephews : 
 
 John Bowie Magruder was bom in Scottsville, 
 Albemarle County, Virginia, on the 24th day of No- 
 
 102 
 
3 Pair of 'Blankew 
 
 vember, 1839, was mortally wounded at Gettysburg, 
 Pa., July 3rd, and died in a Federal hospital on the 
 5th day of July, 1863. 
 
 He was the oldest son of the Honorable Benjamin 
 H. Magruder and Maria Minor, daughter of Dr. 
 James Minor, and a great-grandson of Garrett Minor, 
 member of the "Committee of Safety" in 1775 for 
 Louisa County, and its representative in the legisla- 
 ture in 1773. The family moved to "Glenmore," 
 near Monticello, the home of Jefferson, when John 
 was five years old. He was educated at private 
 schools, and matriculated at the University of Vir- 
 ginia in 1856, receiving the degree of Master of Arts 
 in June, i860. 
 
 His plan was to teach one year and after that to 
 take a course at the University of Heidelberg, Ger- 
 many, preparatory to studying law. When the tocsin 
 of war sounded in the spring of 1861, he was teaching 
 at E. B. Smith's Academy in Culpepper county. He 
 at once gave up the position and his cherished plans 
 for still higher education and a profession, to take a 
 course in military tactics at the Virginia Military 
 Institute. 
 
 After a short term there he returned home, organ- 
 ized a military, company called the "Rivanna Guards," 
 and was commissioned its captain July 22nd, 1861. 
 This company was first assigned to the 32nd Virginia 
 Infantry regiment and on September 23rd, 1861, was 
 transferred to the S7th regiment and designated as 
 Company "H." 
 
 This regiment was first commanded by Col. E. F. 
 Kean, who was in April, 1861, succeeded by Col. 
 
 103 
 
a Pair of IBlmkm 
 
 Lewis A. Armistead, the celebrated brigadier, who 
 led the magnificent charge on Cemetery Heights at 
 Gettysburg and lost his life at "high water mark." 
 
 Captain Magruder's first independent field service 
 was on the south side of the James, where we find 
 him on the 29th of April, 1862, in command of Fort 
 Dillard, on the Chowan river, in North Carolina, 
 which was then garrisoned by about 250 men, but he 
 was called to the north side in time for the great 
 struggle around Richmond with McClellan's grand 
 army, and in the bloody charge at Malvern Hill lost 
 27 men of his company, half the number present, in 
 about forty minutes. The soldierly bearing and 
 superb courage of Magruder attracted the attention 
 of his superiors in rank, and he soon rose from the 
 line to a field officer. He won his spurs as lieutenant 
 colonel on the 23rd of July, 1862, and then on the 
 I2th of January, 1863, was promoted to colonel of 
 the famous Fifty-seventh Virginia Infantry, having 
 brought it to the highest standard in the Confederate 
 army. On the 9th of December, 1862, it numbered 
 890 members and 576 were present for duty. It ap- 
 peared when in line and in motion on drill, so much 
 larger than most of the regiments in the army, that 
 it was nearly always mistaken for a brigade. Its 
 strength and efficiency was largely due to its com- 
 mander, who was ever vigilant and strictly attentive 
 to his official duties. Col. Clement R. Fontaine, the 
 last colonel of this glorious regiment, said of him: 
 "Colonel Magruder by a system of strict discipline, 
 drills, etc., soon brought the regiment to a degree of 
 efficiency never before attained. Not even under 
 
 104 
 
3 pair of 'Blanbets 
 
 General Armistead was the regiment in so good a 
 trim for eifective service as Magruder had it." 
 Colonel Fontaine, who knew him intimately, said: 
 "He was a man of rare excellence, both in point of 
 education and natural ability. He promised to make 
 his mark in any sphere he might be called to occupy. 
 Had he survived the battle of Gettysburg, he would 
 have been made a brigadier. That was the sentiment 
 of the whole brigade." 
 
 Like the great Napoleon he was much younger 
 than the officers whom he commanded, which caused 
 him to be reserved in his associations with them, but 
 he was always kind and courteous. 
 
 He was ever thoughtful of his privates and saw 
 that they received whatever should come to them, and 
 lent a sympathetic ear to their trotibles. 
 
 April 7th, 1863, he was president of a general 
 court martial and also president of a board of officers 
 appointed under act of Congress for the retirement 
 and removal of incompetent and inefficient officers. 
 When he was twenty-three years old, he was given 
 another independent command, made up of the nth, 
 17th and S7th Virginia regiments, Macon's Battery 
 of four pieces of artillery and one company of cav- 
 alry. This force was posted on the highway leading 
 to Edenton, N.' C, from Suffolk, Va., which latter 
 place Longstreet was besieging in order to allow his 
 quartermasters and commissaries to gather supplies 
 for the Army of Northern Virginia, froni the tide- 
 water section. Pickett with the rest of his division 
 was holding the Somerton road. The enemy made 
 an attack upon Magruder's line on the 21st day of 
 
 105 
 
3 Pait of IBlankm 
 
 March, 1863, but it was summarily repulsed. On the 
 24th the enemy came again with large reinforcements 
 and they were most disastrously defeated. 
 
 The Federals were under command of General 
 Michael Corcoran of the celebrated Irish Brigade. 
 Their reports say his force consisted of about five 
 thousand infantry, with five hundred cavalry and ten 
 pieces of artillery. 
 
 Col. Francis Buel of the 169th New York Infantry 
 was severely wounded, and his lieutenant colonel re- 
 ported that his regiment was placed far in advance 
 of all others in support of Battery "D," Fourth U. S. 
 Artillery, and unflinchingly faced a continuous and 
 unabating shower of shell, grape and cannister from 
 the well directed fire of the enemy, until orders were 
 received to retire. This is a high compliment to 
 Col. Magruder, coming as it does from the enemy, 
 whose loss in men and equipment was larger than 
 he was willing to admit. The splendid generalship 
 displayed by the young commander was not over- 
 looked by his immediate superior officer, who recog- 
 nized it in the following order: 
 
 "Headquarters Pickett's Division, April 25th, 1863. 
 Colonel: — The Major General commanding directs 
 me to say that it affords him great pleasure to ac- 
 knowledge the important services of yourself and 
 command during the time that you held the impor- 
 tant position on the White Marsh Road. All the dis- 
 positions you made to receive the enemy, and espe- 
 cially the manner in which you received them, and 
 notwithstanding their greatly superior number?, re- 
 
 106 
 
a pair of OBlanbets 
 
 pulsed them, meets with special approval. He de- 
 sires you to express his approval in orders to Ma- 
 con's Battery, the Eleventh Infantry, Kemper's Bri- 
 gade, the Seventeenth Virginia Infantry, Corse's 
 Brigade, and your own gallant regiment, the Fifty- 
 seventh." 
 
 Very respectfully, 
 
 Your obedient servant, 
 Ro. Johnson, A. A. A. G. 
 
 Upon receiving this Colonel Magruder issued his 
 general order of congratulations to his troops con- 
 veying General Pickett's expression of approval and 
 his own high estimate of their conduct. 
 
 General James Longstreet ordered his troops to 
 withdraw from the seige of Suffolk on the night of 
 the fourth of May, and the Fifty Seventh regiment 
 marched from its location to Richmond, where it re- 
 mained about a week; thence it moved to an encamp- 
 ment within two miles of Hanover Junction, where 
 preparations were made for the advance into Penn- 
 sylvania. 
 
 Colonel Magruder in a letter to his brother under 
 date of May 23rd, 1863, said: "I enjoyed myself 
 much while stationed near Richmond, visited the city 
 very frequently, saw^ many of my old friends and 
 acquaintances, and spent all i|he money I could get. 
 Ever3rthing bears the very highest price, among other 
 things I paid $110 for the simple making and trim- 
 ming of a uniform coat, $45 for a pair of shoes, $10 
 per day board at the hotel, and $5 per day for my 
 horse at the livery stable. How in the world the 
 
 10;^ 
 
a Pait of 15Ianketi8i 
 
 people of Richmond manage to live, I can't well sefe. 
 Beef is $2 per pound and everything else in propor- 
 tion." You may well imagine that there were hard- 
 ships and suffering for the people out of the army, 
 as well as for the soldiers in the field. 
 
 On the 24th day of June, Pickett's Division crossed 
 the Potomac River at Williamsport, and bivouacked 
 on the Maryland shore. It entered Chambersburg on 
 the 27th day of June, marched directly through the 
 town, and encamped on the York road about four 
 miles out. The Division was detained here three or 
 four days, destroying railroad depots, work shops and 
 public machinery. 
 
 On the morning of the second day of July, 1863, 
 at two o'clock, it took up the line of march to Gettys- 
 burg, marching twenty-three miles, and within three 
 miles of that place, before it halted to rest. Early 
 next morning it moved towards the line of battle and 
 in the afternoon made the great charge which shat- 
 tered and immortalized Pickett's splendid division. 
 
 John Bowie Magruder ■ fell mortally wounded 
 within a few steps of the enemy's cannon, shouting 
 to his men, "They are ours." He was struck by two 
 shots — one in the left breast and the other under the 
 right arm, crossing in the breast. He was made 
 prisoner on the spot where he so gloriously fell, mor- 
 tally wounded. 
 
 He was carried to the Federal hospital in Gettys- 
 burg, and there languished until July 5th, 1863, when 
 his noble spirit took its flight. He was a member of 
 the "Epsilon Alpha Fraternity," and a frater caused 
 his remains to be encased in a metalic coffin, and with 
 
 108 
 
a Pair of 'Blankets! 
 
 all his personal effects, sent to his father by flag of 
 truce to Richmond, October loth, 1863, He was 
 buried at "Glenmore," his father's home in Albe- 
 marle County, Va. 
 
 The life of young Magruder must be a mark of 
 encouragement for those who seek good and patriotic 
 ends. 
 
 His cousin, James Watson Magruder, himself 
 afterwards killed on the battlefield (at Meadow 
 Bridge on May 11, 1864), writing from camp near 
 Fredericksburg, August 8th, 1863, said: "From in- 
 formation, John now sleeps among the gallant spirits, 
 who that day bore our banner so nobly against the 
 ramparts of the enemy on the battlefield in a foreign 
 land. 
 
 If so, he died with his laurels thick around him. 
 I saw him in Loudon (county) a short while before 
 the army left Virginia, looking better and in better 
 spirits than I ever knew him. It almost disposes me 
 to quarrel with the decrees of heaven when he, the 
 noblest of us all, in the flower of his youth, is thus 
 untimely cut off. Why could not other men, who 
 might be better spared, be taken in his stead? But 
 our country demands the noblest for her altars. Our 
 grief is increased by the fact that our country cannot 
 afford to lose such men." 
 
 The spirit of this letter exhibits in every line the 
 unselfish patriotism of the Southern youth. Will 
 you forget? 
 
 Their sacrifice made glorious the history of the 
 Confederate States! The brilliant record is so close 
 to us that we should see it at every mental glance, 
 
 109 
 
a pair of OBlankets 
 
 feel it at every motion and touch it at every step. 
 It is a glorious and fadeless essence, beautiful and 
 brilliant! Its stars, like diamonds in the tomb of 
 royalty, will rest undimmed by the dust and lapse 
 of ages. 
 
 John Bowie Magruder, in the flower of his man- 
 hood, fell for the glory of his country in the great 
 battle which turned the destiny of the South towards 
 the dark shadow of defeat. 
 
 His name is enrolled amongst the heroes of his 
 Alma Mater, the University of Virginia, and listed 
 with the dead on the field of battle, whose courage 
 and devotion and chivalry made the everlasting fame 
 of the Army of Northern Virginia. 
 
 He was exalted in patriotism, rich in chivalry, pure 
 in heart, eminent in all the adornments which make 
 a true man and noble warrior. 
 
 LETTER NO. 26. 
 
 AFTER PICKETT S CHARGE. 
 
 My Dear Nephews : 
 
 Col. James G. Hodges, his adjutant, John S. Jen- 
 kins and Major Robert Poore, of the 14th regiment; 
 Col. John C. Owens, of the ninth Virginia regiment; 
 Lieutenants John C. Niemeyer, George W. Mitchell 
 and Robert Guy, of the third Virginia regiment; Ser- 
 geant John R. Dunn, Privates Lemuel H. Williams, 
 William B. Bennett, Richard J. Nash, Thomas C. 
 
 no 
 
a Pait of T!5lmhm 
 
 Owens, J. F. A. Dunderdale, James W. Lattimer, 
 W. G. Monte and Robert Reed, of the ninth Virginia 
 regiment, my city's (Portsmouth) true sons were 
 among the slain on this bloody field, and now their 
 memories live as sentinels of Virginia's honor, and 
 their courage, remembered as the purest and richest 
 ornaments of manly chivalry. Lieut. Col. William 
 White, of the 14th Virginia regiment, and Judge 
 James F. Crocker, Adjutant of the ninth, were 
 severely wounded while gallantly leading in the 
 charge. 
 
 During the charge, Lieut. Charles T. Phillips, wav- 
 ing his sword over his head and leading his men on- 
 ward, cried: "Home, home, boys! Remember, home 
 is over beyond those hills." What a spectacle of 
 chivalry! When within 200 yards of the enemy's 
 batteries Private W. G. Monte, of company "G," ex- 
 claimed, "What a sublime sight!" And taking his 
 watch from his pocket said: "It is just four minutes 
 past three o'clodc." At that moment a gun on the 
 right fired a shell into the left company of the 53d 
 Virginia regiment, killing and wounding sixteen men ; 
 the brave Monte was seen no more by his comrades, 
 and his ashes sleep in a nameless grave where he fell 
 "foremost in the front rank." 
 
 When ordered to charge. Private A. W. Harvey, in 
 his usual humorous vein, called out to one of his 
 comrades, who was not too willing to face danger: 
 "Follow me and I will lead you to victory or death !" 
 Sergeant John K. Beaton displayed extraordinary- 
 bravery in encouraging his men by leading several 
 paces in front. He was wounded in this battle, and 
 
 III 
 
g pair of IBlmkm 
 
 killed on the i6th of May, 1864, near Drury's Bluff. 
 Private William Brownley displayed conspicuous brav- 
 ery and was highly commended by his comrades. I 
 have heard many more instances of great gallantry in 
 this famous charge, but all cannot be given here. 
 
 General Pickett rallied the remnant of his division 
 on our main line, where it was detached as a guard 
 for the prisoners, and escorted seven thousand to Wil- 
 liamsport, Md. 
 
 The battle closed with night, and then came the 
 trying ordeal for our regiment. Our brigade had been 
 held as support for the artillery, and was advanced 
 over in front for a short distance, but recalled to the 
 place we occupied during the bombardment on Semi- 
 nary Ridge. About sundown our regiment was de- 
 ployed as skirmishers and advanced about half mile 
 to the front as pickets for the resting army of North- 
 ern Virginia. All night and the following day and 
 night we were hotly engaged, though somewhat pro- 
 tected by a ditch and fence. The minnie's shrill shriek 
 seemed more fearful and deadly at night than by day. 
 The prayers of the dying and the groans of the 
 wounded made existence during the night on that 
 gloomy field too miserable to describe. It was simply 
 awful to listen to the wails through the darkness ! 
 
 Our losses were heavy. Among the killed from our 
 regiment were Lieut. Walter C. Ives, Privates Andrew 
 Butt, Joseph Sykes, Julius Ward and Revel W. Cur- 
 tis, and among the wounded were Frederick Bean, 
 William J. Jones, George King, Jesse McPherson, C. 
 M. Overton and Joseph Thompson. 
 
 The army after waiting for an attack during the 
 112 
 
Z mit or asiattkets 
 
 4th day of July, even the glorious fourth, commenced 
 to withdraw after night, but the whole did not get in 
 motion before sunrise on the fifth of July. Although 
 it was very chilly, raining exceedingly hard all the 
 day and night of the fourth, we were kept on the out- 
 posts and not recalled until late in the morning of the 
 fifth. 
 
 We marched all that day in retreat until late in the 
 night and halted at Waterloo ; there we remained, wait- 
 ing for rations until late in the afternoon of the next 
 day; our route was through Fairfield, Fairfield Gap, 
 in the Cumberland mountains, and Waynesboro to 
 Maryland. We reached Maryland on the night of the 
 sixth, passed through Idasburg, and camped within 
 two miles of Hagerstown. There we remained until 
 the afternoon of the tenth of July, when we marched 
 through that town, and on the eleventh the army was 
 placed in line of battle, "covering the Potomac from 
 Williamsport to Falling Waters." I was given com- 
 mand of the brigade skirmishers, and advanced them 
 to the borders of a woodland overlooking a small field, 
 and when the enemy's pickets advanced to the edge 
 of the woods across the field, they drove out a flock 
 of sheep, which charged upon our line, and my men 
 captured the entire lot. It was like the rain of 
 manna in the wilderness of Arabia, for we were very 
 hungry. Our rations were slim, and fresh mutton 
 chops were delightful to the palate, when broiled on 
 bon-fires even without salt or bread. 
 
 On the afternoon of July 13th a steady rain was 
 coming down; hungry and without shelter, you may 
 imagine the discomfort we endured; but my pair of 
 
 113 
 
a Pait of T5lmket» 
 
 blankets was with me in this hour of need, as many 
 times before. That dark and dreary night we were 
 ordered to withdraw and march for the Potomac. It 
 was raining heavily and densely dark when we com- 
 menced the retreat from the picket line, and it was 
 with much difBculty that we kept together; arriving 
 at the turnpike we found it almost blocked with 
 wagons, artillery and horses, with the columns of 
 infantry marching slowly alongside through muck and 
 slush. The slippery stones under the mud tripped 
 many and threw them flat in the slush to add to the 
 horrors of the mid-night march, and the fellow who 
 fell did not say his prayers in gaining his feet. 
 
 However I was cheered on with the hope of soon 
 being once more on the soil of the Old Dominion and 
 alive. 
 
 One great trouble possessed me all through the in- 
 vasion of the enemy's country. It was the dread of 
 being killed and having my bones left to sleep in the 
 soil of Pennsylvania. I never expected to survive the 
 war, but I hoped to be killed in Virginia and have 
 my ashes rest with my mother state. 
 
 You may ask me how I felt in battle. It is dif- 
 ficult to tell. I felt diflferently at different times. I 
 think much depends on the condition of the nervous 
 system, and sometimes we felt more like fighting than 
 at other times. It is indeed hard to describe how one 
 feels when the cannons thunder — ^the shells explode — 
 the smoke envelops — the bullets go zip-zip-zip-zip, 
 and the wounded cry out in pain. 
 
 On all occasions I felt great dread of a battle— to 
 be killed — ^to be left with upturned face upon the field 
 
 114 
 
a l^ait of IBlmkm 
 
 — ^to be trampled upon by the heels of soldiers ad- 
 vancing against my comrades — to be wounded and lan- 
 guish in the hands of a pitiless enemy — ^to die and be 
 buried in the land of hate ! Horrible thought ! 
 
 The chances of escaping death or wounds appeared 
 very slim, when I first realized what a herculean task 
 we had on our hands. Yet almost like a miracle I 
 escaped and only received three slight wounds during 
 the entire period of my service in the Confederate 
 army. A battle is a dreadful ordeal for a soldier in 
 the line. He feels most alarm when the bullets first 
 begin to come, but after the opening he forgets him- 
 self in his efforts to drive the enemy. The officer is 
 too busy keeping the soldiers in line — closing up 
 broken ranks and directing the course of the move- 
 ments to be afraid, and the private in firing and load- 
 ing his rifle forgets the danger and displays the heroism 
 which gives the glory of the field. I have asked the 
 coolest and bravest men I ever saw in battle if they 
 were afraid, and all answered "Yes," they dreaded 
 the ordeal as much as any. 
 
 I expect you have experienced the feelings of a boy 
 on his way to school without knowing his lessons, 
 expecting a whipping or severe reprimand; and then 
 if he should escape with an easy question at the class 
 recital, saving him the scolding or lashing, he feels 
 an effervescent delight which stimulates him to be bet- 
 ter prepared next time ; add to this many degrees of 
 dread and you will feel like a soldier going into a 
 fight, and then when you safely run the gauntlet of 
 the teacher's questions you will know the feelings of 
 a soldier who gets through a battle without a scratch. 
 
 IIS 
 
a pair of 'Blankets 
 
 A fight foot to foot with bayonets gives no time for 
 fear or fright, like a fist-cuflf, each strives to conquer. 
 We had such a fight at the "Crater." 
 
 A soldier with dread of death is impelled by a sense 
 of honor and duty to overcome this feeling, and when 
 he conquers it in the face of hailing bullets and burst- 
 ing shells, he is entitled to a soldier's glory and a 
 soldier's honor. 
 
 LETTER NO. 27. 
 
 IN VIRGINIA AGAIN. 
 
 My Dear Nephews : 
 
 Arriving at the heights of the bank of the Potomac 
 we were halted to rest in a little field on the roadside 
 for probably an hour, then resuming the march, and 
 while going down grade to the river to reach the 
 pontoon bridge, we heard rapid firing up the hill. A 
 squadron of the enemy's cavalry had charged into 
 Pettigrew's Brigade while resting in the place we had 
 just left. The mfen were taken altogether unawares 
 while lounging about on the grass, out of ranks, but 
 they fired upon the horsemen, every man for himself, 
 and soon unhorsed the entire squadron. 
 
 The gallant General James J. Pettigrew, one of the 
 bravest of the brave, was mortally wounded and 
 died a few days afterwards at Bunker Hill, Virginia. 
 
 This episode caused our column to halt a short while 
 and then we resumed the march, crossing over the 
 pontoon bridge, July 14th, to the old Virginia shore, 
 
 116 
 
a pair of 15lanfeet0 
 
 and I was happy for the moment. On the 15th day 
 of July we resumed the march, passed through Mar- 
 tinsburg, Drakesville and Bunker Hill, and encamped 
 a little way out until the 21st of July. 
 
 While here, a foraging party returned to camp and 
 one man had a hive of bees on his shoulder. No one 
 inquired where he found it, but many crowded 
 around for a taste of honey after he had smoked the 
 bees to death. We had one man, William Miller, 
 who was a great hunter, who could climb the largest 
 oaks to capture squirrels in their hollows, and he 
 made good use of his agility while at this place. 
 
 Resuming the march we passed through Winchester 
 and bivouacked about two miles out for the night, and 
 next day we crossed the Shenandoah on pontoons and 
 rested for the night very near Front Royal, and on 
 the 23rd crossed over the Blue Ridge at Chester Gap. 
 On the 24th of July we passed through Flint Hill 
 and bivouacked on the banks of the Hazel River, and 
 on the morning of the 25th arrived at Culpepper Court 
 House, where we camped until August ist, and then 
 were thrown in line of battle to meet the enemy, who 
 were coming from the direction of Brandy Station. 
 
 The great open field between these two places gave 
 a splendid opportunity for cavalry manoeuvers. The 
 enemy's cavalry was driving ours pell-mell on our in- 
 fantry line, and when we emerged from the woods 
 they wheeled about and our cavalry in turn gave them 
 a thrilling chase. We could see the chase, but were 
 just out of range of their cairbines, and although 
 charging in line of battle could not get near enough 
 to fire a volley at them. It was a pretty running fight 
 
 "7 
 
a pair of Hdlmktts 
 
 in full view of our infantry line without much danger. 
 
 We were held in line of battle until August 3rd, and 
 then took up the line of march through Culpeper 
 G)urt House, and halted at Orange. There we bivou- 
 acked on a hill in a beautiful grove of large oaks. One 
 day in a thunder storm the lightning killed one of our 
 soldiers and fearfully shocked one or two others. 
 Their fly tent was stretched at the foot of a great oak, 
 one knee of the tree serving for a head rest or pillow. 
 A musket was leaning against the tree in the tent at 
 the head of the resting men. While the rain was 
 pouring, the lightning struck the tree, the bolt ran 
 down the musket, struck the back of the head of one 
 of the soldiers, streaked down his spine and leg, going 
 through the shoe-sole about the size of a fine needle 
 point. The surgeons made every effort to revive him, 
 but failed, and his body went to a soldier's grave. 
 The others, though fearfully shocked, revived and 
 eventually recovered. 
 
 There was a great review of the army, near this 
 camp at Orange. I do not remember the date, as I 
 have no data to refresh my memory. When General 
 Lee and his staff rode down the line in a sweeping 
 gallop, the soldiers sent up a "rebel yell" with the in- 
 tensest enthusiasm of loving followers, showing that 
 the results of the invasion had not broken the spirits 
 of the Army of Northern Virginia. 
 
 X18 
 
a pair of 'Blankets 
 
 LETTER NO. 28. 
 
 BRISTOE STATION 
 
 Mv Dear Nephews : 
 
 On the ninth day of October, 1863, General Lee 
 crossed the Rapidan River and advanced by the way 
 of Madison Court House, with the design of bringing 
 on an engagement with the Federal army, which was 
 encamped about Culpepper Court House extending 
 thence to Rapidan Station. 
 
 The progress of the army was necessarily slow, as 
 the march was by circuitous and concealed roads to 
 avoid observation by the enemy. 
 
 On the tenth of October General J. E. B. Stuart 
 with a portion of his command attacked the advance 
 of the enemy near James City, and forced it back to 
 Culpepper. The main body of our army arrived near 
 that place on the eleventh, and found that the enemy 
 had retreated towards the Rappahannock, removing or 
 destroying his stores. On the morning of the 12th of 
 October our army was marching in two columns with 
 the design of reaching the Orange and Alexandria 
 railroad, north of the Rappahannock River and in- 
 tercepting the retreat of the enemy. 
 
 Arriving at Warrenton Springs the passage of the 
 Rappahannock was disputed by artillery and cavalry, 
 but they were quickly driven off, and on the afternoon 
 of the 13th, the colxunns reunited at Warrenton, where 
 
 ng 
 
a Pait of 'Blankets 
 
 a halt was made to supply the troops with rations. 
 The enemy fell back rapidly along the line of the 
 railroad. His retreat was conducted by several parallel 
 roads, while our troops were compelled to march by 
 difficult and circuitous routes, and therefore we were 
 unable to intercept him. 
 
 General A. P. Hill arrived at Bristoe Station first, 
 where his advance, consisting of two brigades, became 
 engaged with a force largely superior in numbers, 
 posted behind the railroad embankment. He was re- 
 pulsed with considerable loss. Before the rest of our 
 troops could get up and the position of the enemy as- 
 certained, he retreated across Broad Run and took up 
 a position beyond Bull Run. 
 
 General Lee considered it useless to turn the enemy's 
 new position, as it was apparent that he would retire 
 to the entrenchments around Washington and Alex- 
 andria, and would decline an engagement unless at- 
 tacked in his fortifications. A further advance was 
 therefore deemed unnecessary, and after destroying 
 the railroad from Cub Run southwardly to the Rap- 
 pahannock River, our army, on the i8th, returned to 
 the line of that river, leaving the cavalry in the 
 enemy's front. 
 
 The aggregate loss of the Third Corps of our army 
 at Bristoe Station was 933 killed and wounded, and 
 445 prisoners. 
 
 Captain Thomas L. Barraud, of the i6th Virginia 
 regiment, an excellent officer, was killed, and General 
 Camot Posey, of Mississippi, was mortally wounded, 
 and died in the hospital at Charlottesville on No- 
 vember 13th, He was a splendid officer, not only; 
 
 120 
 
3 pair of 15\mkm 
 
 beloved by his own brigade, but generally respected 
 and esteemed by the whole division. 
 
 Notwithstanding the bloody mistake at Bristoe, in 
 the course of these operations General Lee captured 
 2,436 prisoners, including 41 commissioned officers. 
 He would have continued in front of the enemy had 
 it not been for the destitute condition of his men, 
 thousands of whom were bare-footed, a greater num- 
 ber partially shod and nearly all without overcoats, 
 blankets and warm clothing. In a letter to the Sec- 
 retary of War, James A. Seddon, dated October 19th, 
 General Lee said : "I think the sublimest sight of the 
 war was the cheerfulness and alacrity exhibited by this 
 army under the trials and privations to which it is 
 exposed." 
 
 Before the army advanced I had been given a leave 
 of absence, the only one during the four years of my 
 service, and consequently missed the affair at Bristoe, 
 but returned in time to join my regiment about War- 
 renton Junction. 
 
 On the 7th of November the Federals attacked our 
 troops at Rappahannock Station on the north side of 
 the river, capturing the redoubts and about 1,500 pris- 
 oner^. Our regiment was in trenches on the south 
 side and had a lively fight to keep the enemy from 
 crossing. I remember our chaplain, Hatcher, rode 
 up in the midst of this fight, and I had to order him 
 back out of the danger Une. He was a Baptist and 
 brave as a lion. We afterwards fell back to the line 
 of the Rapidan, and marched on the railroad track all 
 day, giving us one of the most foot-sore marches of 
 the war. The field officers had to send their horses 
 
 121 
 
a pair of IBIanfeets 
 
 around the public road with the wagons, and therefore 
 I had to foot it with the men of the ranks. 
 
 LETTER NO. 29. 
 mine run and madison run. 
 
 My Dear Nephews: 
 
 On the 26th of November, 1863, General Meade, 
 commanding the Federal army, commenced an ad- 
 vance on Orange Court House, and our army was 
 withdrawn from the line of the upper Rapidan and 
 marched eastward to strike him. Ewell's Corps was 
 directed to proceed to the old turnpike near Locust 
 Grove and Hill's Corps, to which our brigade was 
 attached, to move down the Plank Road. On the 
 27th, we met the enemy's outposts and engaged in 
 skirmishing, so anticipating an attack, our forces 
 were put in a good position, which General Lee him- 
 self outlined, on the west side of Mine Run, and dur- 
 ing the night our men made formidable entrench- 
 ments, for they had "graduated in the art of con- 
 structing field defenses." On the 28th, Meade ad- 
 vanced his army to the east side of the Run imme- 
 diately in our front, but made no effort to attack us. 
 We had anticipated with cheerfulness an opportunity 
 of fighting behind breastworks, but were disap- 
 pointed. 
 
 Although we had from time to time thrown up 
 miles of earthworks, we, never during the whole war, 
 
 J22 
 
a pair of 'Blankets 
 
 had the opportunity of fighting behind or resisting 
 an attack on them; of course I mean our brigade. 
 We remained in this position until three o'clock on 
 the morning of the second of December, when we 
 were withdrawn to move to the right to make an 
 attack, but as soon as it became light enough to see, 
 we discovered that the enemy's pickets had gone. 
 We marched down the Plank Road, while Early pur- 
 sued the old turnpike to overtake Meade. After 
 marching eight miles we were halted, as Stuart had 
 reported that the enemy had recrossed the Rapidan 
 and was proceeding to his old position on the Rappa- 
 hannock, and then we returned to our former line on 
 the Rapidan near the railroad bridge. 
 
 The conduct of Meade's troops in devastating the 
 country was contrary to all the usages of civilized 
 warfare. General Lee in his report of the Mine Run 
 affair to the War Department, says : "I cannot con- 
 clude without alluding to the wanton destruction of 
 the property of citizens by the enemy. Houses were 
 torn down or rendered uninhabitable, furniture and 
 farming implements broken or destroyed, and many 
 families, most of them in humble circumstances, 
 stripped of all they possessed and left without shelter 
 and without food. I have never witnessed on any 
 previous occasion such entire disregard of the usages 
 of civilized warfare and the dictates of humanity." 
 
 The enemy was not our personal enemy ; there is a 
 vast difference between a personal enemy and a patri- 
 otic enemy of another country, and we looked upon 
 the Federal troops as soldiers of another country, 
 
 123 
 
a Pait of ISlanbets 
 
 towards whom we could entertain the kindliest feel- 
 ings, when they were not trying to kill us. 
 
 When off the firing line on neutral ground our 
 soldiers could take a social drink out of the same 
 bottle, cut a chew of tobacco from the same plug, eat 
 hard tack from the same haversack and drink water 
 from the same canteen; and therefore we felt that 
 such heartless conduct as described by General Lee 
 was inspired by high officials. There were some of 
 our enemies whose bloody and cruel orders engen- 
 dered a hate which forbade any kindly feelings what- 
 soever towards them. 
 
 Butler, Hunter, Sheridan and Sherman in the field 
 and Lincoln, as chief executive, who upheld their sav- 
 age crusades against our unoffending non-com- 
 batants, made our blood boil in every artery when- 
 ever we thought of them. Shall we forget the Indian 
 massacres of the American colonists ! Shall we pass 
 over in silence the black deeds of these cruel men! 
 
 On January 3rd, 1864, we settled down into winter 
 quarters near Madison Run, five miles north of Gor- 
 donsville. Our tents were arranged in city style with 
 broad streets, squares, parade grounds, etc. The sol- 
 diers built a log church in the center of the encamp- 
 ment, where the Masons also held meetings and there 
 I was initiated into the mysteries. I remember one 
 bright sunny Sunday morning, Bishop Johns preached 
 an able sermon in the open air to a large crowd of 
 earnest listeners. I wish I could remember his text. 
 
 General Mahone had his headquarters a little dis- 
 tance from the encampment across the run, and dur- 
 ing the winter had a coop of turkeys near his tent, 
 
 124 
 
a: Pait of 'Blankets! 
 
 It was a tempting bait for the men, and one fellow 
 conceived a plan to get one of the General's turkeys 
 for his dinner. The turkey was out of the coop. 
 He attached a fishing hook to a long string, baited 
 it with a grain of corn and threw it to the bird; of 
 course it grabbed the bait and as the fellow com- 
 menced . to drag it away, the General appeared in 
 front of his tent and observed the singular incident; 
 thinking the turkey was chasing the soldier, he ex- 
 claimed: "Look at that cowardly fellow running 
 from a turkey." This story was told about camp, 
 but I will not vouch for it. 
 
 I have told you about the barefooted condition of 
 our soldiers in a previous chapter, and they were still 
 lacking in the essential comforts of life. 
 
 General Mahone took possession of a church near 
 this camp, bought up all the leather he could find, 
 detailed all the shoemakers in his command and 
 opened a shoe manufactory in the church, and by the 
 opening of the spring campaign his men were all well 
 shod. The historian of Orange county says to his 
 credit the church was left uninjured. 
 
 It was at this camp that the three years enlistment 
 of our men expired, and they were called upon to 
 reinlist for the war and in a manly and heroic spirit 
 they so responded as to merit a resolution of thanks 
 from the Congress of the Confederate States : "Re- 
 solved by the Congress of the Confederate States of 
 America, That the thanks of Congress are due, and 
 are hereby tendered to the officers and men of the 
 Sixty First Virginia Regiment of Infantry and the 
 Fifth Virginia Regiment of Cavalry for having patri- 
 
 125 
 
a pair of mmms 
 
 otically and in the spirit of self-sacrificing devotion, 
 reinlisted for the war. 
 
 Sec. 2, Resolved: That a record of these proceed- 
 ings be forthwith furnished to the troops composing 
 the above named regiments. Approved February 
 iSth, 1864." 
 
 On the seventh of February the enemy having made 
 a demonstration to cross the Rapidan, we were 
 marched through the town of Orange to the river, 
 but the emergency having ceased we returned to our 
 winter quarters, where with the usual camp duties 
 every preparation was made for the spring campaign. 
 
 A batallion of sharpshooters was formed from 
 picked officers and men, and drilled for special serv- 
 ice, and it proved a most valuable adjunct in the 
 campaign following, beginning in the Wilderness. 
 On the fourth of May we left winter quarters and 
 marched about ten miles to the old camp ground near 
 the railroad bridge. 
 
 LETTER NO. 30. 
 
 the wilderness. 
 
 My Dear Nephews: 
 
 On the fifth day of May, we were ordered from 
 the position at the railroad bridge, and marched fif- 
 teen miles to Vadiersville, where we bivouacked for 
 the night, and next morning we started early and 
 hastened to join our troops who were already fighting 
 in the Wilderness. 
 
 126 
 
a Pait of IBIanbets 
 
 Grant, who had won great battles in the West and 
 secured the confidence of his government, had been 
 transferred to the East to retrieve the disasters of a 
 score of commanders of the Federal forces, was ad- 
 vancing with his mighty army of 140,000 men and 
 300 cannon to overwhelm Lee, who had only 62,000 
 soldiers. 
 
 As we marched down the Plank Road from the open 
 ground into the dark woods, the infantry firing was 
 sounding on all sides and the battle was progressing 
 earnestly and fiercely. 
 
 We were at once assigned to support of General 
 Longstreet's line, but some time after were ordered 
 to join and co-operate with Anderson's and Wofford's 
 Brigades of Longstreet's Corps in an attack upon the 
 left flank of the enemy. 
 
 General Mahone, as senior brigadier, was charged 
 with the immediate direction of the movement. An- 
 derson and Wofiford were already in motion, and in 
 a few moments the line of attack had been formed 
 and three brigades in most imposing order, with a 
 step that meant fight, were rapidly descending upon 
 the enemy. 
 
 The attack was a brilliant and complete success. 
 The enemy was swept from our front on the Plank 
 Road where his advantage of position had already 
 been felt by our line, and from which the necessity 
 of his dislodgment had become a matter of great con- 
 cern. Be'sides this valuable result the Plank Road 
 had been gained and the lines of the enemy bent back 
 in great disorder and the way was open for greater 
 results. Grant's regulars from his western army had 
 
 127 
 
^ Pait o( ISIanftets 
 
 been routed. His long lines of dead and wounded, 
 which lay in the wake of our swoop, furnished evi- 
 dence that he was not allowed time to change front 
 as well as the execution of our fire. Our brigade 
 lost twenty killed and 126 wounded in this movement. 
 
 After the battle we halted to reform our line, Long- 
 street and Jenkins, having ridden to the front beyond 
 our position, were fired upon by troops on the left of 
 our regiment, mistaking them for the enemy's cav- 
 alry, and General Longstreet was wounded and 
 General Jenkins killed at a most unfortunate moment. 
 The firing was certainly not from the 61 st regiment, 
 but by troops some distance to the left of it. 
 
 This unfortunate affair stopped the further advance 
 and doubtless lost the opportunity of giving the 
 enemy a more disastrous defeat than already given. 
 
 That night we bivouacked on the battlefield of the 
 Wilderness and next morning we moved forward, 
 coming up with the enemy at "Whitehall," and en- 
 gaging him in a very spirited fight where we lost 
 several valuable men. 
 
 During this march we came across a great bunch 
 of dead cavalry horses and many of their riders were 
 dead beside them. There were many side-arms scat- 
 tered about, so I set about selecting a light sabre to 
 take the place of my light infantry sword, and finding 
 one to suit, I threw away my old sword and took the 
 sabre which I now have to accompany my "pair of 
 blankets." 
 
 A pair of spurs also were found on this field, and 
 the one is left to go with my relics of the war. 
 
 On the tenth of May the enemy were trying to 
 128 
 
2L pait of TBIanbew 
 
 capture our wagon train and we had a skirmish in 
 driving him off. On the next day still fighting, we 
 held a position on the extreme right of our army, 
 which we fortified under cover of night. 
 
 On the eleventh day of May, Grant wrote Halleck : 
 "We have now ended the sixth day of very hard 
 fighting. The result to this time is much in our 
 favor." (?) 
 
 "But our losses have been heavy as well as those 
 of the enemy. We have lost to this time eleven gen- 
 eral officers killed, wounded and missing, and prob- 
 ably twenty thousand men. I am now sending back 
 to Belle Plaine all my wagons for a fresh supply of 
 provisions, and propose to fight it out on this line if 
 it takes all summer." 
 
 We will see after awhile that this assertion was not 
 carried out and the boastful general in command of 
 the Federal army suddenly changed his mind and 
 resorted to another line. 
 
 LETTER NO. 31. 
 
 THE SPOTTSYLVANIA BATTLE. 
 
 My Dear Nephews : 
 
 And now. May 12th, 1864, the great battle of Spott- 
 sylvania Court House is raging in all its gigantic fury 
 and terrible turmoil. We were hastily moved to the 
 right nearly in front of the Court House to help our 
 hard pressed troops, and in our first position we ex- 
 
 129 
 
a pair of TBIanfeetst 
 
 perienced a heavy shelling and lost several men. Col. 
 V. D. Groner, commanding our regiment, was 
 wounded, and the command devolved on Lieut. Col. 
 William F. Niemeyer. 
 
 About one o'clock in the afternoon, the brigade was 
 moved still further to the right and more directly in 
 front of the court house to support Lane's brigade, 
 which was charging that terrible battery, which had 
 wounded our colonel. We were moved forward in 
 the woods with orders not to fire as friends were in 
 front. 
 
 After marching some distance, a line of battle, lying 
 down, was discovered a few paces in our front, and 
 ours halted, believing it was Lane's Brigade, which 
 we were supposed to be supporting; but as soon as 
 we saw the blue coats and opened a volley of musketry, 
 they scattered like sheep. Numbers were taken pris- 
 oners, among them several color sergeants with regi- 
 mental colors. We ordered them to the rear without 
 a guard, because all our men with muskets in hand 
 were required for the enemy in front, and conse- 
 quently could not be spared to escort prisoners to the 
 rear. One sergeant with his flag passed within 
 hand's reach of me. As these prisoners emerged from 
 the woods they were taken in charge by soldiers of 
 another brigade, and the flags claimed as their cap- 
 tures and to them were credited in the official reports. 
 
 I am positivly certain that our regiment was en- 
 titled to the credit of capturing one flag that was 
 credited to another. After the enemy had been driven 
 back, our position in the woods was held for some 
 time; hiere an incident occurred that I shall always 
 
 130 
 
Z pair of ISIanfeetiBi 
 
 remember. I was standing on the left of the 
 regiment in rather a good humor from the gratifica- 
 tion, I suppose, one always experiences after passing 
 safely through danger, when Lieut. Col. Niemeyer, 
 then commanding the regiment, came up to me with 
 a very sad expression of countenance and said : "I am 
 sure I'll be killed to-day." I made some laughing. re- 
 ply, believing our fighting was over for the day. But, 
 alas ! his prediction was true ! I little thought that 
 the gallant soldier, true friend and modest gentleman 
 would ere the morning be lifeless on that field. 
 
 About an hour before sunset the fortifications of the 
 enemy on the right of the Court House were found to 
 be held by pickets only, and pur brigade was ordered 
 to charge them. Our regiment, occupying the center 
 of the brigade, struck an open field, and on advancing 
 up the hill behind which we had been deployed for the 
 charge, were met by a volley of musketry. I was 
 struck on the right arm by a minnie ball, which felt 
 like a red-hot iron crushing through the bones. About 
 the same instant Lieut. William Drewry was shot 
 through the thigh, from the efifects of which the gal- 
 lant soldier afterwards died. I was thoroughly de- 
 moralized, and believing my arm was broken, ex- 
 claimed: "I am ruined." Capt. B. H. Nash, Adjutant 
 Generaly ran to me, and when we examined it, found 
 it was only a slight flesh wound, and then we proceeded 
 at a run to catch up with the regiment. Lieut. Glea- 
 son was shot clear through the lungs soon after, but 
 eventually recovered. Col. Niemeyer reached the 
 fortifications, and after the charge was all over, was 
 shot through the breast by one of the enemy's sharp- 
 
 JC3i 
 
a pair of "Blmkm 
 
 shooters. He was a noble specimen of manhood— 
 in manner as gentle as a woman — ^with a heart far 
 reaching in sympathy and love, in duty firm and 
 fearless, and in all his associations pleasant and af- 
 fable — a character at once commanding respect and 
 attracting the love of both superiors and subordinates 
 in military rank. 
 
 The heart of every soldier in the regiment was 
 stricken with grief when Niemeyer was slain. This 
 was the last sad tragedy in our regiment on this 
 memorable day, and the soldiers slept on their arms 
 that night. 
 
 An incident worthy of record, as showing the heroic 
 character of the soldiers of the Hne, at the same time 
 serious and amusing, if you are familiar with military 
 terms, was related to me by a comrade of another 
 regiment. When the artillery of the Federals was 
 throwing shot and shell all around, and we had com- 
 menced the charge. First Lieut. Thomas W. Smith, 
 of company "A," i6th Virginia regiment, was struck 
 by a minnie ball and cut down with a serious wound 
 through his right thigh. Two of his men picked him 
 up and bore him a little to the rear, where he insisted 
 they should leave him and go back to their commands, 
 but finding that he was too weak to walk from loss 
 of blood, one of his men, Benj. H. Hannaford, as- 
 sisted him on to the Court House, where the field 
 hospital was located. The surgeon there told him 
 that the enemy were shelling that hospital and he 
 must go on to the division hospital, more than two 
 miles away to avoid the danger, but he was then too 
 weak to hobble further. His comrade found a wheel- 
 
 132 
 
a Paft of 1BIanltet0 
 
 barrow and with the aid of another lifted him into it 
 and placed him as comfortably as possible. Then 
 Hannaford said : "Now, my Lieutenant, I will roll you 
 over to the division hospital." In passing the Court 
 House General Pendleton was sitting on the fence rail- 
 ing around the lot, ordering up and sending in the ar- 
 tillery. The general hailed him, saying: "Lieutenant, 
 what are you doing? Where are you going?" Lieu- 
 tenant Smith, looking up, saw General Pendleton, and 
 raising himself as well as he could, saluted the gen- 
 eral and said: "General, I am passing in review." 
 The old general looked down upon him, smiled and 
 said : "Go on, you will not die," and he didn't die, but 
 recovered to go back to the field and be wounded 
 again. This is probably the only instance on record 
 where a wounded soldier rode from a battlefield in 
 a wheel-barrow. 
 
 Lieutenant Smith is still with us, and has done many 
 good acts for his comrades, besides building a monu- 
 ment to the memory of the Confederate dead at Suf- 
 folk, Va. He is still a Confederate soldier with a full 
 heart for all implied in that glorious name. 
 
 And it is most gratifying to know that Dr. Charles 
 E. Stowe, son of the author of Uncle Tom's Cabin, 
 has declared that: "For the principle of State rights 
 and State sovereignty the Southern men fought with 
 a holy ardor and self-denying patriotism that have 
 covered even defeat with imperishable glory." 
 
 Although as the result of bayonet adjudication, se- 
 cession can now only be successful by rebellion, still 
 the Federal Union must rest upon the principle o£ 
 
 133 
 
a Pait of TSlmkm 
 
 state's rights and home rule, i£ it is to exist as a re- 
 public. 
 
 LETTER NO. 32. 
 marching and fighting. 
 
 My Dear Nephews: 
 
 It is difficult to recall events that occurred many, 
 many years ago. While some are indelibly impressed 
 upon my mind, many now appear more like dreams 
 than realizations; therefore these recollections will 
 be imperfect in some respects; however I rely mostly 
 upon notes and reports made at the time. If I shall 
 be able to record a single incident by which a noble 
 soldier shall receive the reward of a name in history 
 for chivalrous conduct and give you an example of 
 true manhood for inspiration, I shall feel fully repaid 
 for the spare moments I have devoted to the prepara- 
 tion of this narrative, entitled, "A Pair of Blankets." 
 
 After the great battle of Spottsylvania Court House 
 had been fought, our brigade was moved to the right 
 about a mile southeast of the court house, where a 
 dense thicket of small pines covered its front. After 
 a few hours of hard labor, we were strongly en- 
 trenched and then our worn-out soldiers were allowed 
 to rest several days, but we were still within reach 
 of the bullets from the enemy's pickets. In the inean- 
 time Grant was sliding along his "all summer line" 
 towards Richmond. 
 
 On the 14th of May, 1864, a soldier was directed to 
 
 134 
 
Z pait of IBIanfeets 
 
 climb a tree standing in front of the breastworks 
 which overlooked the surrounding pines and report 
 his observations of the enemy's line. The sharp- 
 shooters discovered him at once, and the first shot 
 aimed at him struck and instantly killed Marshall O. 
 Creekmore of Norfolk county, a member of Company 
 "A," while asleep in his tent. 
 
 Isaiah Hodges, a member of the same company, 
 rushed to him and while stooping to raise the head 
 of the dead soldier, was pierced by another bullet and 
 fell dead across the body of his comrade. Prompted 
 by the noblest impulses of the human heart he was 
 endeavoring to soothe the dying moments of his 
 friend, unmindful of the danger to which he was ex- 
 posed; and even while tender accents were on his 
 lips, the swift winged messenger, in the twinkling of 
 an eye, sent him to his eternal home. It was an 
 appalling tragedy, occurring while we were lying 
 around in the shade of the trees. The conduct of 
 this soldier was a grand victory over death. 
 
 The man in the tree escaped untouched, but he 
 descended from it with lightning speed. 
 
 On the 22nd of May we evacuated these earth- 
 works, marching to the North Anna River, where we 
 again engaged in battle with Grant's troops and 
 thereafter we were moving positions and fighting 
 every day until Grant changed his "all summer line." 
 
 I remember, when we were halted for dinner and 
 rest, the avidity with which the soldiers scattered 
 over the adjoining fields to gather polk-salad and 
 wild garlic, and the busy scenes which followed 
 around the little fires over which hung tin cups, tin 
 
 135 
 
3 l^afr of IBIanfeets 
 
 buckets and boilers containing morsels of pork and 
 these aforesaid vegetable delicacies. . Grant was then 
 making demonstrations in our front, and time for rest 
 and cooking was very limited. The pickets were 
 fighting fiercely and Capt. R. B. Brinkley of Nanse- 
 mond county, Va., an officer of the 41st regiment, was 
 killed early in the action. 
 
 A line of battle was formed across an open field 
 and the work of fortifying was begun by the soldiers 
 without instructions, for the popping and cracking of 
 the picket's rifles were all the orders they required 
 for this purpose. The pioneer corps was poorly pro- 
 vided with tools and on pressing occasions like this, 
 every available instrument that would throw up an 
 ounce of earth was brought into service — ^knives, iron 
 forks, tin plates, spoons and pieces of broken can- 
 teens were used as spades with most remarkable re- 
 sults. The fortifications were hardly completed be- 
 fore the Adjutant was moving down the line for a 
 detail to relieve the pickets.' 
 
 As usual on dangerous occasions, or rather it so 
 appeared to me, I was made commander of the bri- 
 gade picket. It was exceedingly dangerous to go to 
 the picket line in the daytime. The pickets were 
 located in a dense woods with thick undergrowth of 
 gall-bushes and other shrubs. I felt I would be 
 killed and that impression added to the frightful ac- 
 counts of the fighting, filled me with indescribable 
 dread, but I nerved myself for the occasion and 
 marched at the head of my men to the front. The 
 pickets were over a mile from our line of battle, and 
 during the entire march I was thinking of the doom 
 
 136 
 
a Pair of iSlmkm 
 
 which I felt awaited me. It was late in the after- 
 noon, but before sunset we were in our places, and 
 the worn-out pickets whom we relieved were safe in 
 the rear. About twilight the ambulance corps ven- 
 tured to the front and bore away the dead body of the 
 gallant Brinkley. 
 
 The enemy was only a few. hundred yards in our 
 front — ^the night was dark, gloomy, and almost star- 
 less — ^there were our pickets, some behind trees, 
 others ensconced in pits, perchance red with the 
 blood of a dead comrade — with thoughts maybe only 
 of home and death. My duties as commander made 
 me pass along the line several times during that 
 gloomy night. Every stick that cracked under my 
 feet would draw the fire of some unweary sentinel 
 and each flash from his rifle and "whop" of the bullet 
 against a tree would send a shudder through my 
 frame, expecting the next to pierce me. 
 
 Think of being on a battlefield in the gloom of 
 midnight, which was lighted only by the occasional 
 flash of a rifle that sent its terrible messenger whiz- 
 zing and whistling by one's head. 
 
 Soon after daylight the enemy retreated from our 
 front, and the pleasant feelings that came over me 
 were almost as intense as those of dread which had 
 preceded them. I marched back with my pickets to 
 the earthworks for another change to meet the Fed- 
 erals at another place. During the parting shots a 
 stray bullet found its way to the rear and wounded 
 John Singleton of Company "D" of our regiment 
 while he was stooping to pack his knap-sack more 
 than a mile oS. 
 
 I3Z 
 
a mit of ISlmkm 
 
 LETTER NO. 33. 
 second cold harbor. 
 
 My Dear Nephews: 
 
 Every day there was maneuvering and fighting. 
 On June ist there was skirmishing along the whole 
 line of the army. Hoke and Anderson attacked the 
 enemy in their front and drove him to his entrench- 
 ments, and the enemy's attack on Heth was hand- 
 somely repulsed. Breckenridge and Mahone forced 
 the enemy from their fronts and captured about 150 
 prisoners. 
 
 June 2nd we marched about eight miles to the right 
 and were thrown in line of battle to support Hoke's 
 Division. 
 
 June 3rd at an early hour, 4:30 a. m., the great 
 battle of Cold Harbor began with great vigor; Grant 
 having ordered a general advance along his whole 
 line, made assault after assault with severe loss to his 
 troops and by eight o'clock fourteen had been made. 
 
 The enemy succeeded in penetrating a salient on 
 General Breckenridge's line, capturing a portion of 
 the battalion there posted. However, Finnigan's 
 Brigade, of Mahone's Division, and the Maryland 
 Battalion of Breckenridge's command, immediately 
 drove him out with severe loss, so this single advan- 
 tage was no profit to Grant. Our brigade made a 
 forced march from its position to reinforce the point 
 called "Turkey Ridge," and we arrived at the scene 
 
 138 
 
g: pait of laianketsi 
 
 in the afternoon, and were at once thrown into line 
 on the left of Finnegan to support Breckinridge's 
 troops. While in this position I was struck on my 
 right foot by a grape shot, but fortunately it had 
 spent its force and my injury was slight. Sergeant 
 Ivy C. (Buck) Brown of Deep Creek, a member of 
 Company "B," was instantly killed near me as we 
 alligned in the trenches. 
 
 When Percy Greg, an Englishman, was writing his 
 history of the United States, he visited this field and 
 had the positions described to him by men who were 
 in the battle, and he saysl "Grant, who pledged 
 himself to fight it out on this line, i. e., to take Rich- 
 mond from the northeast — if it takes all summer, 
 delivered another desperate attack upon the Confed- 
 erates on finding them again across his front at Cold 
 Harbor, a few miles northeast of Richmond. The 
 field was a narrow plateau whose descending flanks 
 were thinly covered with branchless pines. Across 
 the plateau ran a ditch and parapet resembling a 
 child's mimic entrenchments in the sand. An English 
 girl of seven on a Shetland pony would have leaped 
 it. A few hundred feet in the rear was a ravine out 
 af which no beaten army could have extricated itself 
 without numerous loss. Behind the slight parapet, 
 strengthened upon the flanks by somewhat stronger 
 works, the Confederate soldiers lay crouched — they 
 could not kneel. Grant on June 3rd hurled against 
 them his whole army. 
 
 In half an hour that army was driven back, leav- 
 ing the ground covered to within one hundred yards 
 of the trenches, with eight thousand dead and 
 
 139 
 
3 pair of 'Blankets 
 
 wounded. Enraged by this last and most humiliating 
 disaster, Grant furiously insisted on the renewal of 
 the attack. He did not, as most Confederate Gen- 
 erals, offer to lead it ; and his officers and men, from 
 the highest to the lowest, absolutely refused to stir." 
 About eight o'clock this night as Breckinridge and 
 Finnegan were attempting to re-establish their picket 
 lines, the enemy made a night assault, but it was 
 easily repulsed. It was a terribly grand scene! All 
 nature was clothed in darkness — the heavens were 
 lit only by the twinkling stars, and the sulphurous 
 smoke still shrouded the battlefield — ^the prayers and 
 groans of the dying — ^the pitiful appeals of the 
 wounded for help— the cries "water," "water!" — ^the 
 commands of the officers, "Forward, guide right" — 
 "steady!" were at once audible. Then came the 
 charging battalions sweeping down upon us. The 
 sheen of their polished muskets was seen by the spark- 
 ling flashes that flew from their clicking hammers 
 and sent forth the lurid blazes in swelling lines from 
 their countless muzzles — their roaring fell upon our 
 ears simultaneously with the "zip" and "flap" of the 
 bullets. We were in the supporting line but could 
 look over the front works. Then our comrades in 
 the front line of battle rose up above their breast- 
 works and with steady aim fired one volley, one vol- 
 ley, which sent death, dismay and irretrievable dis- 
 order into the ranks of the assailants, making them 
 stagger, reel and fall, and then scatter as the whirl- 
 wind sweeps the leaves of autumn before it. Our 
 men of the front and rear lines mounted the crude 
 ramparts and yelled over the victory — officers and 
 
 140 
 
a pair of 'Blankets 
 
 privates alike made that grand old yell of the South- 
 ern soldiery — the remembrance of which even now 
 fires the heart and swells the bosom of an old soldier 
 with mingled feelings of pride and pleasure. Open 
 your mouth as wide as you can, hollo, scream, as loud 
 as you can in lively acclaim, and you may give the 
 "rebel" yell. 
 
 This was the last act of Grant's tragedy at Cold 
 Harbor. His dead and wounded covered our front 
 in almost the same order and regularity in which 
 they had bravely marched to the carnival of death. 
 The whole of this night battle scene was certainly 
 "grand, gloomy and peculiar." One month had 
 passed with daily and almost nightly fighting. 
 Grant's loss almost equaled the number of Lee's en- 
 tire force. I know figures are dull, but here they 
 speak with so much force they must hold your atten- 
 tion. The Federal loss from the Wilderness to Cold 
 Harbor is summed up as follows : 
 
 Battles Killed 
 
 Wounded 
 
 Missing 
 
 Total 
 
 Wilderness ..... 3246 
 
 12037 
 
 3383 
 
 17666 
 
 Spottsylvania 2725 
 
 13416 
 
 2258 
 
 183 19 
 
 North Anna and 
 
 
 
 
 Potpotomy 591 
 
 2734 
 
 661 
 
 3986 
 
 Cold Harbor and 
 
 
 
 
 Bethesda Church 1344 
 
 9077 
 
 1816 
 
 12737 
 
 Sheridan's First 
 
 
 
 
 Expedition . ... 64 
 
 337 
 
 224 
 
 625 
 
 Sheridan's Second 
 
 
 
 
 Expedition ... 150 
 
 741 
 
 625 
 
 1516 
 
 Total .... 7620 38342 8967 S4928 
 141 
 
a l^ait of laianfeets 
 
 This settled the "all summer line," and Grant de- 
 cided to change his mind, and move to the south side 
 of the James River. 
 
 Soon after the close of the night battle our position 
 was changed to the front line on the right and we 
 held it until the 12th of June. The pickets of the 
 enemy were so close to us that it was almost certain 
 death to show one's head in the daylight above the 
 earthworks, and for nine days we were kept close 
 within the trenches. 
 
 After a while a detail was called for, to charge the 
 enemy's works in order to ascertain information as 
 to his movements. Lieut. Wm. F. Baugh of Com- 
 pany "G" commanded the detail from our regiment, 
 composed of one man from each company. The 
 brigade detail was commanded by Captain Chas. W. 
 .Wilson, and they drove in the enemy's pickets, went 
 up to his breastworks and found them fully manned. 
 Only four of this forlorn hope returned to our lines. 
 Private A. D. B. Godwin was one of the four. "Gus" 
 was an excellent soldier and never faltered in his duty. 
 He was the brother of the gallant General Godwin, 
 who was killed at Winchester. 
 
 As soon as the enemy left our front, we marched 
 through the White Oak swamp, and again encoun- 
 tered him, June 13th, 1864, on Fraziers Farm, where 
 our column seemed to be marching on a parallel line. 
 We were not thrown in line of battle, as only a few 
 shots were fired at us from a woods across the field, 
 but marched on towards the James. Major Charles 
 R. McAlpine, then captain of Company "I," was 
 severely wounded in the shoulder by one of these 
 
 142 
 
3 Pait of 'Blankets 
 
 shots. He was always as true as steel, fearless, calm 
 and cool on the battlefield, and a strict disciplinarian 
 in camp and on the march; everybody admired the 
 courage of "Napoleon" as he was familiarly called. 
 The soldiers gave him this soubriquet, as he bore a 
 personal resemblance to the great Napoleon, and cer- 
 tainly was not excelled in bravery. I should name 
 Major McAlpine, from my personal observation of 
 his gallant conduct on the battlefield, as one of the 
 "bravest of the brave." 
 Our next camping place was near Malvern Hill. 
 
 LETTER NO. 34. 
 marching back to petersburg. 
 
 My Dear Nephews: 
 
 Malvern Hill, June ist, 1862, the place and time 
 where so many valuable lives were uselessly sacri- 
 ficed, brought sad memories to us. 
 
 It was now again the beautiful spring time, this 
 i8th day of June, 1864. The sun shone brightly, the 
 young leaves were trembling in the gentle breezes, 
 the wild flowers were in bloom, scenting the air with 
 delightful perfume, the birds were singing merrily 
 and sweetly in the surrounding woods and groves, 
 when our tents were struck on the scene of the 
 bloody battle and we took up the march for the old 
 city of Petersburg. I remember now how delightful 
 it was while riding along the road at the head of my 
 
 143 
 
a Pait of IBIanbets 
 
 regiment, to hear the singing birds and smell the 
 sweet flowers of the tangled vines. 
 
 We crossed the James River on a pontoon bridge 
 at Drewry's Bluff, marched over the battlefield on 
 which Beauregard had recently routed the Federal 
 forces under General B. F. Butler, overtrod the burnt 
 leaves and saw the scorched trees with their bullet 
 marks and broken limbs. We bivouacked that night 
 near Chester Station on the Richmond & Petersburg 
 Railroad. Early next afternoon, on the 19th day of 
 June, we reached Petersburg. 
 
 The Federal artillery was bombarding the city, and 
 the solid shot and shell were crushing through the 
 buildings. 
 
 The sounds that reverberated from their deserted 
 halls were solemn and sad evidences of the destruc- 
 tiveness of men in the heat of war. Many families 
 had been compelled to desert their homes and seek 
 shelter in church buildings, barns and tents beyond 
 the range of the great guns encircling the eastern 
 side of the city. It was to all appearances a doomed 
 city, and the soldiers felt that its rescue from total 
 destruction depended upon their efforts and exertions. 
 
 Late in the afternoon we marched through the city, 
 not with the gay air which marked our entry in 1862, 
 but with the determined step of soldiers seasoned to 
 hardships and ready to dare every danger for the 
 dear people of Petersburg. 
 
 We were ordered in line in the earthworks on 
 Wilcox's farm. These breastworks were through an 
 open field, exposed to the hot sun, and the only shade- 
 trees near were in a small graveyard, a few paces in 
 
 144 
 
a Paft of 15lanket0 
 
 the rear of the left of the line of our regiment, and 
 there the field officers pitched their tents, and made 
 the headquarters of the 6ist Virginia Infantry Regi- 
 ment over the graves of the dead. 
 
 A singular fatality prevailed in the army about this 
 time, for which medical science failed to account. 
 Many soldiers virho could see in the daytime, became 
 perfectly blind after dark, and required to be led 
 whenever on a march at night. One of our com- 
 panies had more night blind than those who could 
 see in the night, therefore men had to be detailed 
 from other companies to lead its blind. 
 
 The experience of these poor blind fellows caused 
 many amusing incidents while on the march. When 
 one stumbled there was sure to be a quarrel. 
 
 The cause of this blindness and how it passed 
 away no one knew, but many believed it was brought 
 on by sleeping in the open air with the eyes exposed 
 to the moonlight, hence it was called "moon blind." 
 If such had been the cause it would have prevailed 
 more generally, for all slept more or less in the open 
 air. 
 
 About half of a mile to our left the lines of the hos- 
 tile armies came close together, and the artillerists 
 and pickets were fighting day and night. At night 
 the mortar shells were continually darting and flying 
 through the air, and made a much grander display 
 than some of our holiday fireworks. The shells often 
 fell and exploded in the trenches, and in order to 
 sleep securely the soldiers were compelled to dig 
 caves and burrow in the ground, and for this reason, 
 
 145 
 
a pair of mmkets 
 
 all along the breastwork was a perfect honeycomb of 
 dens, caves and earth covered chambers. 
 
 The opposing pickets were near enough to con- 
 verse with each other, though not permitted to show 
 themselves above the pits on penalty of instant death. 
 A private on one occasion was basking in the morn- 
 ing sunshine with one foot exposed above the earth- 
 work and when asked what he was doing, replied: 
 "I'm only fishing for a furlough." A hat on a stick 
 would soon be perforated with bullets. 
 
 The Second Division of the Third Army Corps of 
 the Army of Northern Virginia, under Major General 
 William Mahone, made a brilliant record by its dash- 
 ing achievements during the eventful campaign of 
 1864. So frequent and rapid were its movements 
 that the soldiers named it Mahone's Foot Cavalry 
 ' Division. 
 
 It was composed of one brigade from each of the 
 states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and 
 Virginia, and about this date commanded respectively 
 by Brigadier Generals Forney, Finnegan, Girardy, 
 Harris and Weisiger, the latter not yet promoted. 
 
 The Confederate authorities appeared to be oblivi- 
 ous to the merits and qualifications of our little com- 
 mander as a military leader, probably from the fact 
 that he had not graduated at West Point. 
 
 Although he had acted as a Major General with 
 great ability and success from May 6th, 1864, he was 
 not promoted until July 30th, notwithstanding he was 
 one of the oldest brigadiers in the Army of Northern 
 Virginia. Yet late as it was, he soon won the admi- 
 ration of the soldiers and the confidence of General 
 
 146 
 
2L mit ot TSlmketi 
 
 Lee, and it was generally conceded that the mantle of 
 Stonewall Jackson had not unworthily fallen on the 
 shoulders of Mahone. 
 
 His foresight and dash were the great character- 
 istics which gained for him the steady confidence of 
 the soldiers he led in battle. 
 
 I believe there is no better criterion by which to 
 judge the merits of an officer than by the opinion of 
 the men whom he leads in battle. 
 
 They always admire those officers who display 
 efficiency and courage, and entertain supreme con- 
 tempt for cowards and blunderers,. 
 
 LETTER NO. 35. 
 the battle of jerusalem plank road. 
 
 My Dear Nephews: 
 
 On the 22nd day of June, 1864, Mahone's and Wil- 
 cox's Brigades were withdrawn from the earthworks 
 and moved out to assault the Federals, who were 
 extending their lines to their left. We marched 
 across the open field in cfur front through a deep 
 ravine to a thick woods, which covered our move- 
 ments and prevented the enemy from observing us. 
 
 After reaching the woods, our column was faced to 
 the left and formed in line of battle. Wilcox fol- 
 lowing, formed on our left, and advanced in eschelon, 
 some time after we were in motion. 
 
 The order "forward" was given, and the men 
 
 147. 
 
a Pait of TBlmkttfi 
 
 leaped a worm fence, which separated the farm from 
 the woodland, and immediately struck the enemy's 
 pickets. They fought in retreat very stubbornly, but 
 we pressed forward as rapidly as possible through 
 the undergrowth and bushes. 
 
 During this advance I picked up a new spade and 
 took it along, as our pioneer corps was very much 
 in need of such instruments. Our regiment, about 
 the colors or center, struck the enemy's newly-made 
 earthworks, and by wheeling the right half of the 
 regiment to the left, we were at once in their front 
 and rear, fighting hand to hand with bayonets, butts 
 of muskets, swords and pistols. And now my spade 
 came into unusual use. I saw a man with his musket 
 to Ws shoulder, who had not yet realized that we had 
 surrounded them, aiming at one of our men over in 
 front of his works. ' I ran up and struck him a hard 
 blow on the side of his head, forcing him to drop his 
 rifle and surrender unconditionally. Now Wilcox 
 charged up and captured the breastworks on our left 
 with four pieces of artillery. This pell-mell fighting 
 lasted only a short time before the blue coats sur- 
 rendered and our people were in charge of their ex- 
 tended earthworks, facing on the reverse side. 
 
 The manoeuvre was so secret and rapid that the 
 Federals were almost completely surprised. They 
 were caught enjoying their dinner, and we were just 
 in time to share their hard tack, pork and beans, a 
 rare treat for us. 
 
 Ashwell Curling, the gallant file leader of Com- 
 pany "A," 6ist Virginia, which regiment I com- 
 manded, in the absence of our wounded colonel, was 
 
 148 
 
a patt of TBlmkm 
 
 shot through the head and instantly killed, falling 
 very near me, just as the right of the regiment was 
 wheeling around the earthworks. 
 
 John Wills of the i6th Virginia regiment, who was 
 mortally wounded, offered Phillip Miller, one of our 
 ambulance corps, twelve dollars in gold to take him 
 off the field, but Phillip, true to his orders, told him 
 it was his first duty to take off the wounded of his 
 own regiment, after which he would return for him, 
 but could not under any circumstances accept his 
 money. Phillip, faithful to his promise, did return, 
 but found poor Wills dead. 
 
 After the works were captured, we reformed the 
 regiment, and were advancing. again, when one of our 
 batteries, on the main line of our breastworks, opened 
 fire upon us, compelling us to fall back to the cap- 
 tured line. We then moved to the right flank to re- 
 ceive the enemy, who seemed about to attempt to 
 retake his line; but he did not approach near enough 
 for another hand to hand fight. 
 
 About night we were moved back to the left and 
 re-occupied the works we had first captured. The 
 enemy opened on us with infantry and artillery fire, 
 but could not dispossess us. 
 
 The prisoners captured numbered 2200, more men 
 than we had in the battle, 1500 small arms, ten stand 
 of colors and a battery of four Blakely guns. On 
 this field I secured a fine riding equipment from an 
 officer's horse, which had been killed in the charge. 
 The finely covered McQellan saddle served me 
 through the war and was used many years after its 
 end. 
 
 UQ 
 
a pair of -Blankets 
 
 General Grant in his report to Halleck, dated City 
 Point, June 23rd, 1864, says: "Yesterday and this 
 morning have been consumed in extending our lines 
 to the left to envelop Petersburg. The second and 
 sixth corps are now West of the Jerusalem Plank 
 Road. Yesterday, in moving to this position, the 
 two corps became separated. The enemy pushed be- 
 tween them and caused some confusion in the left of 
 the second corps, and captured four pieces of artil- 
 lery. Order was soon restored and the enemy pushed 
 back." But in his dispatch of June 24th, he says: 
 "I find the affair of the 22nd was much worse than I 
 had heretofore learned. Our losses (nearly all cap- 
 ture's) were not far from 2000 and four pieces of 
 artillery. The affair was a stampede and surprise to 
 both parties, and ought to have been turned in our 
 favor." 
 
 General Grant was evidently misinformed about 
 pushing us back, for we were not pushed an inch, 
 nor were we in any manner surprised; for we went 
 out and made the attack, pushing them all the time 
 until we captured their earthworks, and would have 
 pushed them further, if our artillery had not by mis- 
 take opened upon us on our flank and rear. General 
 Warren of the Fifth Federal Corps reported that the 
 "Second Corps had a bad fight. Got flanked and lost 
 2300 prisoners and four cannon." 
 
 Captain George F. McKnight, commanding the 
 I2th New York Independent Battery, said: "Four 
 three-inch rifled guns, four ammunition chests, and 
 three Umbers lost." 
 
 About ten o'clock at night after all our trophies had 
 
a pair of 15Ianbets 
 
 [been removed to our rear, we evacuated the position 
 from which we had with ball and bayonets driven the 
 enemy, and marched back to our place on the line of 
 our fortifications. 
 
 General William Mahone, in person, with two small 
 brigades, -directed this assault upon the enemy's 
 works. 
 
 The manoeuvre was brilliant and successful in every 
 respect. The next day, June 23rd, the enemy made 
 another demonstration and we had to march out again 
 against him, and of this movement General A. P. Hill 
 reported to General Lee that: "Mahone had better 
 luck than I reported to you last night. After I had 
 left him he caused Perry's little brigade to make a 
 detour, and 600 prisoners, including twenty-eight 
 officers, is the result. Mahone's men have been with- 
 out sleep now two nights." 
 
 LETTER NO. 36. 
 the charge of the crater. 
 
 My Dear Nephews : 
 
 As the wild waves oiE time rush on our thoughts 
 now and then run back over the rough billows to 
 buried hopes and unfulfilled anticipations, and often 
 we linger long and lovingly, as if standing beside the 
 tomb of a cherished parent. Like this, the faithful 
 follower of the Southern Cross recalls the proud hopes 
 which sustained him on long and weary marches and 
 
 151 
 
a pair of IBIankets 
 
 in bloody battles. These foot-sore marches and hard 
 contested fields are now bright jewels in his life, 
 around which the tenderest cords of his heart are 
 closely entwined. They are monuments to duty ! They 
 are sacred resting places for his baffled energies ! They 
 are rich mines from which the humblest actor gathers 
 the wealth of an approving conscience ! He hears no 
 peons from a grateful country — no national bounty 
 rolls bear his name — ^yet his faithful military services 
 to his buried nation are as sweet choristersever chant- 
 ing priceless praise for the zeal and manhood with 
 which he faced his foe. The veteran of a hundred 
 fields always points with greater pride to one victory 
 as the crowning glory of the ninety and nine other 
 battles. So, the soldiers of Mahone's Brigade look 
 upon their victory at the "Crater." 
 
 My little fly tent, which was a trophy of war, 
 scarcely large enough for two persons to rest com- 
 fortably, lying side by side, was stretched over a 
 platform of rough boards, elevated about two feet from 
 the ground, in that little grave yard on the Wilcox 
 farm near Petersburg. 
 
 I was quietly sleeping under this little shelter, 
 dreaming perhaps of home and all its dear associa- 
 tions (for only a soldier can fully appreciate these), 
 when a deep rumbling sound, that seemed to rend the 
 very earth in twain, startled me from my sleep, and in 
 an instant I beheld a mountain of curling smoke as- 
 cending towards the heavens, on the left of our lines. 
 The whole camp had been suddenly aroused, and all 
 were wondering about the mysterious explosion. It 
 
 152 
 
a pair of TBIanfeett 
 
 was the morning of Saturday, the 30th day of July, 
 1864. 
 
 The long talked of mine had been sprung, a battery 
 blown up, and the enemy was in possession of our 
 earthworks for a distance on both sides, and there was 
 no force of infantry between him and the city. Two 
 hundred cannon roared with one accord, as if every 
 lanyard had been pulled by the same hand. The gray 
 fog was floating over the fields, and darkness covered 
 the face of the earth, but the first bright streak of 
 dawn was gently lifting the curtain of night. The 
 fiery crests of the battlements shone out to our left 
 and the nitrous vapors rose in huge billows from each 
 line of battle, and sweeping together formed one vast 
 range of gloom. 
 
 The sun rose brilliantly, and the great artillery duel 
 still raged in all its grandeur and fury. An occasional 
 shell from a Blakely gun would swoop down in our 
 camp and richochet down the line of breastworks to 
 our right. This unwelcome messenger made us hug 
 closely the traverses for protection from the flank 
 fire. Soon after, "Captain" Tom Bernard, General 
 Mahone's courier, came sweeping up on his white 
 charger to brigade headquarters. Then the drums 
 commenced rolling off the signals, which were fol- 
 lowed by "fall in" and hurried roll calls. We were 
 required to drive back the Federals, who were then 
 holding our earthworks and within the very gates of 
 the city of Petersburg. 
 
 It was startling news! The men were ordered to 
 fall back in scattered squads as if going to the spring 
 in the corn field, so as to keep the enemy from noticing 
 
 153 
 
a pair of lBIanket$ 
 
 our withdrawal from the breastworks, which left them 
 entirely unprotected. While we were forming in line 
 in the corn field, General Lee and Colonel Taylor rode 
 up. General Lee spoke with General Mahone, doubt- 
 less giving him orders, and then rode off. 
 
 Wright's Georgia Brigade, commanded by Lieut. 
 Col. Hall, and our Virginia Brigade, which numbered 
 scarcely 800 muskets, constituted the force detailed to 
 dislodge the enemy, who held the broken lines with 
 many thousands, and these were supported by many 
 more, probably all told outnumbering the whole of 
 Lee's army. I remember the 61 st regiment, which I 
 commanded, did not exceed two hundred men, in- 
 cluding officers and privates, and I am quite sure it 
 was the strongest in the brigade. The odds were 
 appalling! I suppose we had marched the half of a 
 mile when we were halted in an apple orchard and the 
 men ordered to strip off all luggage except ammuni- 
 tion and rifles. A few of the sickly men were de- 
 tailed to watch this luggage, and then we knew hot 
 work was near. We then filed to the left a short 
 distance to go to the banks of a small stream, called 
 Lieutenant Run, down which we could march and be 
 protected by the high bank from the batteries of the 
 enemy. The hills along this stream were not more 
 than four hundred yards from the advanced columns 
 of the enemy and he was already making dispositions 
 to capture these hills, for they were the very keys to 
 the invested city. When nearly opposite the portion 
 of our works held by the enemy, we met several sol- 
 diers who were in the works at the time of the ex- 
 plosion. Our men commenced "guying" them for 
 
 154 
 
a Pait of 'Blanfeet0 
 
 running to the rear, when one said: "Ah, boys, you 
 have hot work ahead — they are 'niggers,' and show no 
 quarter." 
 
 General Mahone said he saw one running to the 
 rear, and he asked him what was the matter, and with- 
 out stopping his gait, he replied : "Hell is busted back 
 thar." 
 
 This report from the men passing us was the first 
 intimation that we would have to fight negroes, and it 
 seemed to infuse our little band with impetuous dar- 
 ing as it pressed forward to the fray. I • never felt 
 more like fighting in my life. Our comrades had been 
 slaughtered in a most inhuman and brutal manner, 
 and black slaves were trampling over their mangled 
 and bleeding forms. Revenge must have fired every 
 heart and strung every arm with nerves of steel for 
 the herculean task of blood. We filed up a ditch, 
 which had been dug for safe ingress and egress to and 
 from the earthworks until we reached the vale be- 
 tween the elevation on which the captured breast- 
 works were located, and the hills on the banks of the 
 stream just mentioned — within two hundred yards of 
 the enemy. In rear of the "Crater," nearer to us, 
 there was a deep and wide ditch called the "Re- 
 trenched Cavalier," dug to protect parties carrying 
 rations and ammunition to our troops in the earth- 
 works. The embankment of the "Retrenched Ca- 
 valier" was thrown up high enough to overlook the 
 main line of earthworks, and between these two 
 lines the garrisons had dug numerous caverns, pits 
 and bombproofs for protection from the mortar shells 
 
 ISS 
 
3 Pait of 'Blankets 
 
 while sleeping at night. They were cave dwellers, as 
 it were, for the time. 
 
 The "Crater" excavation was a tremendous hole, and 
 the fortifications on both sides for some distance, to- 
 gether with the ditch or "Retrenched Cavalier" were 
 literally crammed with Federal troops, thousands upon 
 thousands seemed to be there, and many banners were 
 floating in the wind. I recollect counting seven flags 
 in front of our regiment after we had deployed and 
 were lying down in line of battle with fixed bayonets. 
 As our men filed into this line of battle Mahone in 
 person cautioned them to reserve their fire and not to 
 shoot until they reached the brink of the ditch, and 
 then after delivering one volley to use the bayonet. 
 
 The line of our brigade was adjusted and lying 
 down, and the Georgians were going up the ravine and 
 deploying on our right when General Mahone, dis- 
 covering that the Federals were jumping out of the 
 "Retrenched Cavalier" and advancing in a desultory 
 line, shouted to his aid, Capt. Girardy, "Tell Wei- 
 segar to forward." Girardy rushed towards the 
 right, where General Weisiger was, and with sword 
 waiving above his head, repeated "Forward!" before 
 he reached the right, and the whole brigade rose and 
 charged as grandly as on drill parade. 
 
 The enemy sent a storm of bullets into our ranks, 
 and here and there a gallant fellow would fall, but the 
 files closed up, still pressing onward, unwavering, into 
 the jaws of death. 
 
 General Weisiger was wounded in the charge and 
 the command of the brigade devolved upon Col. 
 George T. Rogers, of the sixth regiment. The orders 
 
 as6 
 
a ]^ait of IBIankets 
 
 of Mahone were obeyed almost to the very letter, the 
 brink of'the "Retrenched Cavalier" was gained before 
 a musket was discharged. The cry "no quarter" 
 greeted us; the one volley responded, and the men, 
 jumping in upon the enemy, plied the bayonet with 
 such irresistible vigor as to give success in the short- 
 est period of time possible. Men fell dead in heaps, 
 and human gore ran in streams, which made the very 
 earth mire beneath the tread of our victorious sol- 
 diers. The "Retrenched Cavalier" being ours, the 
 men mounted the rugged embankment and hurled their 
 foes from the front line up to the very mouth of the 
 "Crater." 
 
 In the meantime the Georgia Brigade had charged, 
 but were repulsed; soon after reforming in columns 
 of regiments, again charged, but it was met by such 
 a withering fire of shell and shot, that it again re- 
 coiled with heavy loss. 
 
 Our bloody work was all done so quickly that I 
 have scarcely an idea of the time it required to ac- 
 complish it. Some said it was twenty minutes, but 
 it must have been longer. 
 
 Mahone's Brigade captured fifteen battle-flags, and 
 our regiment owned five of the seven that before the 
 charge I had counted in its front. 
 
 You may ascertain how many men rallied to these 
 captured flags that early morning by figures in the 
 official reports published in the so-called "Rebellion 
 Records." 
 
 In that supreme moment, when exulting over a great 
 victory, as our eyes fell upon the bleeding comrades 
 around us, our hearts sickened within, for more than 
 
a pair of TBIankets 
 
 half of our numbers are scattered, dead, dying and 
 wounded, around us. Oh ! the pity of war ! It takes 
 the best! One hundred and seventeen was the dead 
 list of our brigade, and their names are now inscribed 
 on a marble tablet set in the inner walls of old Bland- 
 ford Church, near where they died so gloriously. The 
 wonderful triumph had been won at the price of the 
 blood of the bravest and best and truest in our ranks. 
 
 Old company "F" of Norfolk had carried in twelve 
 men, all of whom were 'killed and wounded. The 
 sixth regiment, to which it was attached, carried in 
 98 men, and mustered for duty ten after the battle. 
 The battalion of sharp-shooters went in with 80 men, 
 and 16 were left for duty. Nearly half of our own 
 regiment had fallen, and the 12th, i6th and 41st regi- 
 ments had suffered in like proportion. 
 
 t>uring the charge, about fifty yards from the "Re- 
 trenched cavalier," Captain John G. Wallace, of com- 
 pany "C," 61 st Virginia regiment, was shot down with 
 a broken thigh, but insistently refused to allow his men 
 to take him from the field until the charge was over. 
 I saw him lying on his back waiving his hat and heard 
 him urging his men, "Go on, go forward!" It was 
 splendid heroism ! 
 
 Lieut. St. Julien Wilson, of the same company, was 
 mortally wounded, and died next day. He was a 
 young officer, generally admired for his conduct on the 
 field and manly. Christian virtues in life. 
 
 First Lieut. John T. West, of my old company "A," 
 encountered two burly negroes at the brink of the 
 ditch, and while parrying their bayonet thrusts with his 
 sword, was bayoneted in his shoulder by one of his 
 
 158 
 
a mit of OBIanfeet^ 
 
 own men, too eager to assist him. Lieut. West, after 
 Capt, Wallace, my successor, was killed, was promoted 
 to captain, in which capacity he acted until the end; 
 and after the war was for many years superintendent 
 of the public schools of Norfolk county. His brother, 
 LeRoy M. West, was in the charge with his blanket 
 roll around his shoulders, when a bullet penetrated it, 
 went through his gray jacket and cut out a little piece 
 of flesh, which felt like the burning of a hot iron. 
 When he unrolled the blanket he discovered that the 
 bullet had made twenty-two holes in it. Privates 
 Henry J. Butt, Jeremiah Casteen and D. A. Williams, 
 of the same company, were instantly killed. Private 
 John Shepherd, a noble soldier of Company "D," who 
 followed me over the embankment of the "Retrenched 
 Cavalier" to the front line of Works, fell at my side, 
 dead, just as he was stepping into the front trenches. 
 
 Capt. W. Scott Sykes, of company "F," 41st Vir- 
 ginia Regiment, was wounded in the shoulder while 
 gallantly leading his company. Lieut. Col. Harry Wil- 
 liamson, of the sixth regiment, lost his arm. Capt. 
 David H. Wright, of company "H," same regiment, 
 was instantly killed at the head of his company. He 
 had been promoted from the ranks to captaincy for 
 gallant and meritorious conduct on the battlefield. 
 
 Judge C. W. Hill and John T. Hill, brothers, of 
 Portsmouth, Va., belonging to the same regiment, were 
 wounded almost at the same instant — the first through 
 the left arm, which was afterwards amputated, and the 
 latter through the wrist. 
 
 Major William H. Etheredge, commanding the 41st 
 regiment, displayed great bravery and wonderful cool- 
 
 159 
 
a pair oe TSlmkm 
 
 ness in this fight, although he was always brave in 
 danger. As he jumped into the "Retrenched Cava- 
 lier," a Federal in the front line fired through the tra- 
 verse and killed a soldier at his side. The Federal 
 immediately dropped his empty musket and snatched 
 another from a cowering comrade to shoot Major 
 Etheridge. At this moment the Major, with most re- 
 markable self-possession, .caught up two Federal sol- 
 diers who were crouching in the ditch, and held their 
 heads together before him, swinging them to and fro 
 to cover the aim of the musket, the Federal doing his 
 best to get in his shot so as not to harm his comrades. 
 The Major was a very athletic man, especially in his 
 arms, so by his strength and cool determination he 
 saved his own life. Peter Gibbs, seeing the danger of 
 his officer, rushed up and shot the Federal dead. Gibbs 
 was a dashing and daring soldier, and it was reported 
 that he on that day slew fourteen men. Captain W. W. 
 Broadbent, the gallant commander of the sharp- 
 shooters, was mercilessly murdered, his skull was 
 broken in and almost every square inch of his body 
 was perforated with bayonet stabs. He had charged 
 up to the crest of the excavation, was pulled over into 
 the hole and thus done to death. 
 
 Although our principal task was over, yet more 
 heavy work remained to be done by others before our 
 lines could be fully re-established. Brigadier- 
 General Bartlett, and five hundred or more men were 
 cooped up in the "Crater" and their capture was the 
 crowning event of the bloody drama. Our wounded 
 were sent to the field hospital as soon as possible, and 
 after piling the enemy's dead on each side of the 
 
 i6o 
 
a Pait of IBIanfeew 
 
 trenches, to make a pass-way, our ranks were closed 
 up in proper order behind the front line of breast- 
 works. General Mahone came in to observe the situa- 
 tion, and I went with him along the line to point out 
 the conditions. He ordered us to keep up a sharp fire 
 on the enemy's works in front, and also on the 
 "Crater" to our right to prevent Bartlett's escape, as 
 our position commanded the track his force would have 
 to follow to get back to the Federal lines. 
 
 Mahone then went out to direct the charge of the 
 Alabama Brigade. Soon after Captain George Clark, 
 A. A. C, of the Alabama Brigade, came in to my 
 position, and I explained to him the conditions as I 
 had to Mahone a short time before. 
 
 General Mahone ordered the Alabama Brigade to 
 form for the charge on the line of the same location 
 from which we charged in the morning, only moving 
 as far to the right as possible so as to cover the front 
 of the excavation. He called the officers together and 
 gave them specific directions as to what they should do, 
 and as they were leaving his presence said: "General 
 Lee is watching the result of your charge." General 
 Lee, General Beauregard and others observed the prog- 
 ress of the battle from the Gee house across the Plank 
 Road. The Alabamians made a grand charge under 
 a terrible fire, reaching the crest of the "Crater" with- 
 out faltering, and there a short, sharp struggle en- 
 sued. They threw bayoneted muskets, clubs, clods of 
 earth and cannon balls into the excavation, and Major 
 Haskel sent his little mortar shells in upon the heads 
 of the enemy to help in the assault. This novel war- 
 fare lasted only a few minutes before Bartlett ordered 
 
 l6i 
 
3 pait of 'JSIankets 
 
 up the white flag, and about five hundred prisoners 
 were marched to our rear. The negroes among theffl 
 were very much alarmed and vociferously implored for 
 their lives. 
 
 One old corn field chap exclaimed: "My God, I 
 nebber pint'd a gun at a white man in my life; dem 
 nasty, stinkin' Yankees fotch us here, and I didn't 
 want to cum fus." 
 
 The appearance of the rough, irregular "Crater" hole 
 beggars description. It was at the time estimated that 
 it contained 300 dead bodies. The importance of re- 
 constructing this broken line of earthworks at once 
 prevented the removal of the bodies; therefore, they 
 were buried as they had fallen, in one great heap in 
 the bottom. Spades were brought in, and the earth 
 thrown from the sides of the excavation until they 
 were covered a sufficient depth. By three o'clock in 
 the afternoon all was over and we were settled in our 
 works resting from active fighting, although the bul- 
 lets still whistled over our heads. 
 
 The extreme heat of that July sum had already 
 caused putrefaction to set in and the bodies in our 
 front and rear, and especially the blood soaked earth in 
 the trenches, exhaled such a nauseating smell that I 
 was forced to abandon my supper, although I had not 
 tasted a morsel since the previous night. It was 
 simply awful ! There were thousands of captured arms 
 around us, and during the night some of our men 
 would shoot ram-rods at the enemy just for the fun 
 of hearing them whiz, whiz, seeeeee. One that was 
 sent over drew from a Federal the exclamation : "Great 
 
 162 
 
a pair of TBlmkm 
 
 God! Johnnie, you are throwing turkey spits and 
 stringing us together over here! Stop it!" 
 
 Our position was in such close proximity to the 
 enemy that the soldiers could talk to each other in 
 loud tones, but no one could show his head above the 
 earthworks without almost certain death. I picked 
 up the Spenser rifle and the canteen shown in the pic- 
 ture with my pair of blankets in the trenches about 
 noon of this day. 
 
 LETTER NO. 37. 
 
 scenes after the battle. 
 
 My Dear Nephews : 
 
 Next morning was a bright and beautiful Sabbath, 
 and nothing startling occurred; both armies were in 
 the earth pits, but the guns of the pickets flashed over 
 the banks, and not a solitary soldier could be seen 
 within rifle range. 
 
 Many hundreds of Federal dead were still on the 
 field between the lines, putrefying under the scorching 
 rays of the July sun. I saw a negro, with both legs 
 blown off, drag himself with his hands to the outside of 
 our earth works, and by sticking three muskets with 
 bayonets in the ground and throwing a small piece of 
 tent cloth over them, improvise a shelter to protect 
 his head from the blistering sun. A pitiful scene! 
 After a while in response to his pleadings some of our 
 men managed to shove a cup of water to him. He 
 eagerly swallowed it and then commenced foaming at 
 
 163 
 
3 pair of 'Blankets 
 
 the mouth and died. He had lived with his terrible 
 wounds nearly twenty-four hours, and death was re- 
 lief from agony. 
 
 A correspondent of one of the New York daily 
 papers, writing a description of this battle from reports 
 of wounded Federal officers, who arrived in Washing- 
 ton, D. C, on the second of August, 1864, says : "Often 
 have the Confederates won encomiums for valor, but 
 never before did they fight with such uncontrollable 
 desperation. It appeared as if our troops were at 
 their mercy, standing helpless or running in terror 
 and shot down like dogs. No such scenes have been 
 witnessed in any battle of the war. The charge of the 
 enemy against the negro troops was terrific. With 
 fearful yells they rushed down against them. The 
 negroes at once ran back, breaking through the line 
 of white troops in the rear. Again and again their 
 officers tried to rally them. Words and blows were 
 useless. They were victims of an uncontrollable terror, 
 and human agency could not stop them." 
 
 On Monday morning a truce was granted and the 
 Federals sent out details of men to bury their dead 
 who had fallen between the lines or been thrown over 
 to clear out our ditch. 
 
 Before the flag of truce was recognized not a human 
 being could be seen above the ground within cannon 
 shot, but as soon as the officers of the opposing armies 
 met under the white flag, men like magic sprung up 
 out of the ground, numbering tens of thousands ; and 
 the ramparts on both sides were lined with rows of 
 men. 
 
 They swarmed together like bees, mingling as neigh- 
 164 
 
2i patt of iBlmkm 
 
 bors and talking as sociably as life long friends. It 
 was surely an impressive scene to witness two armies, 
 which had been fighting to the death an hour before, 
 spring out of the earth and come together in such a 
 friendly manner over the burial of the dead. If these 
 grim soldiers had been given authority doubtless peace 
 would have been declared on that Monday morning. 
 
 The spademen dug a long ditch about one hundred 
 feet long and placed the dead bodies crosswise, sev- 
 eral layers up. It was estimated that 300 white and 
 black soldiers were put in and then the ditch filled. 
 This long grave was just half way between the lines, 
 and in filling it they rounded up a ridge, but General 
 Mahone observing that this might be utilized as a 
 breastwork for an advancing column, ordered it leveled 
 even with the ground around, and this ended the tragic 
 scenes in and around the "Crater." 
 
 The following congratulatory orders from Lieut. 
 General A. P. Hill and Major General William Ma- 
 hone were promulgated soon after the battle : 
 
 "Headquarters Third Army Corps, August 4, 1864. 
 "General Order No. 17: 
 
 "Anderson's Division, commanded by Brigadier 
 General Mahone, so distinguished itself by its suc- 
 cesses during the present campaign as to merit the spe- 
 cial mention of the corps commander, and he tenders 
 to the division, its officers and men hife thanks for the 
 gallantry displayed by them whether attacking or at- 
 tacked. Thirty-one stands of colors, fifteen pieces of 
 artillery, and four thousand prisoners are the proud 
 
 165 
 
a pair of TBIankew 
 
 mementoes which signalize its valor and entitle it to 
 the admiration and gratitude of our country. 
 
 "A. P. Hill." 
 
 "Headquarters of Anderson's Division, 
 August 6, 1864. 
 "General Order No. — . 
 
 "I. The glorious conduct of the three brigades of 
 the division, Wilcox's, Mahone's and Wright's, and 
 especially the first two employed on the 30th of July, 
 in the expulsion of the enemy from his front, and the 
 magnificent results achieved in the execution of the 
 work, devolves upon the undersigned the ever pleasing 
 office of rendering his thanks and congratulations. 
 The immortalized Beauregard has praised you. Your 
 corps and army commanders have expressed their 
 gratitude for your invaluable services on this occasion 
 and their admiration of the splendid manner in which 
 your duty was approached and performed. The enemy 
 had sprung his first mine in the new plan by which 
 he now seeks to penetrate our lines ; he had gained pos- 
 session of the Crater and of contiguous works; he 
 had previously massed three corps and two divisions of 
 another to prosecute his anticipated success, and he 
 had now given the order for the advance of his 
 crowded line, but fortunately for the "hour," you had 
 made the ground. With the tread of veterans and the 
 determination of men, you charged the works upon 
 which he had planted his hated flag. 
 
 "The integrity of the whole line was by your valor 
 promptly re-established, and the enemy's grand effort 
 to penetrate our rear signally defeated, and the results 
 
 166 
 
a pait of OBIanfeets 
 
 achieved unparalled in the history of war, when com- 
 pared to your strength and the losses you sustained. 
 
 "With less than a force of three thousand men and 
 a casualty of 498, you killed seven hundred of his peo- 
 ple, and by his own account wounded 3,000. You 
 captured 1,101 prisoners, embracing 87 officers, 17 
 stands of colors, two guidons, 1,960 stands of small 
 arms. These are the results of the noble work which 
 you performed, and which entitles your banner-scroll 
 of honorable deeds to the inscription : 
 
 "The Crater, Petersburg, 30th July, 1864." 
 
 "II. While thus we have so much cause for con- 
 gratulations and pleasure, let us never forget the 
 memory of the noble spirits who fell in the glorious 
 work, whose consummation we were spared to es- 
 tablish and commemorate. 
 
 "William Mahone, 
 "Brigadier General." 
 
 On the second day of August, President Davis in- 
 formed General Lee : "Have ordered the promotion of 
 General Mahone to date from the day of his memorable 
 service, 3Qth July." 
 
 LETTER NO. 38. 
 
 the battle of weldon railroad. 
 
 My Dear Nephews: 
 
 Around the beleaguered city of Petersburg affairs 
 assumed their wonted routine after the battle of the 
 
 16^ 
 
a pait of 'Blanliet0 
 
 Crater. The engineer corps still worked on counter 
 mines, and Grant told his people if the Confederates 
 should penetrate under his lines not to intercept them, 
 but have a strong second line of battle, in order that 
 he might trap the charging force, if we should under- 
 take a plan like Bumside. 
 
 He did not care about his, men being blown up, if 
 he could slaughter more Confederates, than they could 
 Federals, for brute force was his only hope of con- 
 quering the South. 
 
 The pickets, nearest the city where the lines were 
 close, kept up a fierce contest day and night, allowing 
 no one on either side to come in sight out of the 
 ground, and during the early evening the mortar bat- 
 teries continued to make their fire balls track the 
 heavens, sparkling and flashing like a thousand daz- 
 zling meteors darting through the skies. 
 
 The troops which had won such praise from Rob- 
 ert E. Lee for their grand charge on the Crater as, 
 "Every man in it has to-day made himself a hero," 
 were relieved on the following Wednesday from the 
 position in the earthworks they regained from the 
 enemy on that memorable occasion. 
 
 Mahone's old brigade re-occupied its former posi- 
 tion on Wilcox farm. This was out of range of shot 
 and shell, except a long range Blakely gun which 
 sometimes threw its missies along our works, having 
 an enfilading range upon us. 
 
 The pickets in our front oftentimes had friendly 
 intercourse with the Federals, and swapped "backer" 
 for "grub." A plug of good tobacco would bring a 
 haversack loaded with good rations, and these traders 
 
 i68 
 
3 pair of 'Blankets 
 
 were so sly about it that it was hard to catch them 
 on their "underground" trips. 
 
 . On the 1 6th of August our brigade relieved Harris' 
 Mississippi brigade, at Battery No. 33, on our left, as 
 Harris had been ordered to the north side of James 
 river to meet an advance of the enemy, on the ex- 
 treme left of the Army of Northern Virginia. 
 
 General Grant, the commander-in-chief of the 
 United States Army, having failed in an effort to turn 
 or pierce our left, suddenly pushed Warren's corps 
 forward on the Petersburg and Weldon Railroad. 
 He very naturally supposing that General Lee had 
 sent all the force he could spare from the south side 
 of the Appomattox River to resist his effort to get 
 into Richmond by breaking through our extreme left. 
 General Grant had already made one or two disas- 
 trous efforts to get possession of the Petersburg and 
 Weldon Railroad. 
 
 General Warren struck the railroad about opposite 
 the Gurley House, and then moved up to the Yellow 
 Tavern, where he sat down and began to throw up 
 fortifications, having there been confronted by two 
 brigades of General Harry Heth's Division, which 
 Lieut. Gen. A. P. Hill had hurried out to meet and 
 to arrest the advance. The front thus formed by the 
 two brigades of General Heth's Division was two 
 miles in advance of the earthworks guarding Peters- 
 burg. The Federal forces had only extended their 
 lines a little south of the Jerusalem Plank Road. 
 They undertook to extend them further, but were 
 driven back by Mahone on the 22nd of June. 
 
 There was then between this position of General 
 J69 
 
a pair of IBlmUts 
 
 Warren on the Petersburg and Weldon Railroad, and 
 the left of the main line of the Federal army a con- 
 siderable distance, which it was not reasonable to 
 suppose had been covered by anything more than a 
 picket line. It was all woodland and thickly set with 
 undergrowth. General Mahone with quick foresight 
 at once comprehended the situation, and suggested 
 to General A. P. Hill on the morning following Gen- 
 eral Warren's lodgment on the railroad, that Warren 
 could be easily surprised and dislodged by a bold 
 dash upon his right flank. Three brigades of Ma- 
 hone's division, the Mississippi, Florida and Georgia 
 brigades, had not yet returned from the extreme left 
 of our army, whither they had been sent to arrest the 
 Federal attack on the flank before mentioned. This 
 left only the Alabama and Virginia brigades in the 
 trenches. Shortly after this suggestion was made by 
 Mahone, Hill informed him that General Beauregard 
 desired that he should attack Warren on the plan 
 proposed, and that General Beauregard would send 
 him two brigades of Hoke's Division, which, with 
 one of his own, that being all the available force, 
 would constitute the attacking column. General Ma- 
 hone strenuously urged more force, for it was plain 
 to be seen that the success of the enterprise could not 
 be pushed against such odds, to that completeness 
 which lay open. It was known that General War- 
 ren's whole corps was there certainly, and it turned 
 out that a part of General Burnside's corps was also 
 there. 
 
 Three depleted brigades were hardly sufficient to 
 take care of such a small army in itself, no matter 
 
 170 
 
a pair of IBlanbets 
 
 at what disadvantage we should take them. But no 
 larger force could be spared, so our daring comman- 
 der, grappling the circumstances with his clear head 
 and master mind, made the attack with Clingman's 
 North Carolina and Colquitt's Georgia brigades of 
 Hoke's division, and his own Virginia brigade, com- 
 manded by General Weisiger. 
 
 The column was formed just in rear of the earth- 
 works, near division headquarters, out of the enemy's 
 view, and then it moved up a deep ravine which ran 
 across the open field in our front, thereby keeping out 
 of sight until protected by the woodland. When in 
 the woods we marched a short distance to the left of 
 the enemy's rear line, confronting General Heth, held 
 by Mott's division of Warren's corps, occupying two 
 lines across the railroad, then we were thrown in line 
 of battle and moved forward during a rain storm, 
 which made marching through the bushes very dis- 
 agreeable, but our soldiers pressed on, hastily gather- 
 ing and eating ripe whortleberries, that were plen- 
 tiful along the route. We rushed on the enemy's 
 videtts, captured their cooking dinner of pork and 
 beans, and passing beyond this picket line without 
 returning their fire, the column was formed in battle 
 array, Clingman and Colquitt in front with the Vir- 
 ginia brigade in support. 
 
 General Mahone being a fine civil engineer and 
 perfectly acquainted with the country, well knew that 
 we were now full in rear of the enemy's line, con- 
 fronting General Heth, and on the flank of Mott's 
 position at the Yellow Tavern, and that a line drawn 
 perpendicular to the line of our attacking force at its 
 
 171 
 
a pair of 'Blankets 
 
 center would pass through the Federal headquarters 
 at the old Tavern. 
 
 Our line moved quickly and steadily to the front, 
 and it was not long before it encountered a skirmish 
 line, which the enemy had thrown back, manifestly 
 out of precaution as a cover to his line confronting 
 Heth. 
 
 The firing which followed disclosed to Mott that 
 we were in his rear, and soon his people were falling 
 into the hands of Colquitt's and Clingman's brigades, 
 until in fact, they were, with the exception of a small 
 portion of Colquitt's left, overwhelmed with pris- 
 oners, of whom 2250 were taken. 
 
 Warren had now drawn his cannon out of their 
 position and turned them upon us; and it was now 
 that we had arrived at that point in the enterprise 
 when its consummation was capable of completeness. 
 So perfectly had been the surprise, that four brigades 
 might possibly have done the work, certainly five 
 would have effected it, but our Virginia Brigade was 
 all that was left. This brigade pressed to the left 
 front and boldly held the large force now confronting 
 it, which was reinforced by two brigades of Bum- 
 side's division, until Clingman and Colquitt could 
 harvest all that could be gathered, and then retired. 
 
 The Virginia brigade was in an exposed and most 
 desperate situation. It was cut off from the other 
 brigades and faced the enemy's fire on three sides, 
 but held its ground with stubborn valor. It was in 
 what seemed to be the "last ditch." As soon as 
 General Mahone learned the situation, he ordered 
 the brigade to retire, which was promptly and orderly 
 
 173 
 
a Pait of 'Blankets! 
 
 executed. The position was one of the most perilous 
 the Old brigade ever held during the war. 
 
 During the battle Major Starke of A. P. Hill's 
 staff was sent by General Mahone to ask Heth to ex- 
 tend his left to a junction with him, and while on his 
 way was captured by a squad of the enemy. Major 
 Duncan of Mahone's staff, who happened to be on 
 the same route, which was over the ground we had 
 just passed, rallied a few of our stragglers, and cap- 
 tured the whole party, thus releasing Major Starke. 
 
 The capture of Colonel Wm. Ross Hartshorne, 
 commanding a Pennsylvania brigade by Robert R. 
 Henry, the gallant division courier, was a dashing 
 feat worthy of record. 
 
 General Mahone sent Henry to find General A. P. 
 Hill and request him to direct General Heth to form 
 a junction with him. Henry rode down a cart path, 
 in the direction in which he supposed General Hill 
 to be. 
 
 The road ran through a dense thicket of under- 
 growth, which was impossible to penetrate on horse- 
 back, but he soon came to a large clearing, and there 
 saw, not more than one hundred and fifty yards 
 away, what seemed to be two batteries of artillery, 
 supported by infantry with a train of ambulances. 
 The artillerymen were whipping their horses and 
 otherwise urging them to pull the guns through the 
 mud, on the up-grade. 
 
 Henry seeing that he would be captured if he at- 
 tempted to cross their path, turned back to report the 
 situation to his general. When he had gone back to 
 a sharp turnJn the path about one hundred yards 
 
 173 
 
a pair of 'Blankets 
 
 from the place he left General Mahone, he suddenly 
 came upon a Federal officer and another mounted 
 man. They seemed to be bewildered, evidently lost. 
 The surprise was mutual, but Henry had the most 
 nerve, and drawing his Remington revolver, de- 
 manded their surrender, which they did without even 
 attempting to draw their arms. 
 
 Henry had recently captured the pistol at the 
 "Crater," and it was not in order to shoot, but an- 
 swered the purpose on this occasion. He kept close 
 behind his captives, shouting all the time to them to 
 "go faster" until he got to a little clearing, where he 
 found General Mahone. He reported the reason for 
 his failure to find General Hill, and after disarming 
 his prisoners. General Mahone directed him to take 
 them to division headquarters, which he promptly 
 executed, and soon returned mounted on General 
 Hartshorne's horse. Henry was highly compli- 
 mented by General Mahone for this action. He was 
 a gallant young Virginian, enlisting as a school boy 
 before he was sixteen years of age, and served 
 through the war as a private, although richly merit- 
 ing a commission by gallant conduct on the field of 
 battle. 
 
 He was detailed as division courier by Major 
 General R. H. Anderson, after the battle of Freder- 
 icksburg, and as such often put regiments and bri- 
 gades into battles and withdrew them on the orders 
 of the division commanders. 
 
 He had a horse shot under him at Gettysburg, an- 
 other at the Wilderness, one at Spottsylvania, and 
 three around Petersburg, including the one captured 
 
 174 
 
a pair of IBIanfeets 
 
 from General Hartshorne, two of them being 
 wounded twice. He, himself, was wounded several 
 times and so severely at Burgess Mill on October 
 27th, 1864, as to be unable to return to the service. 
 
 Henry like many other boys was afraid the war 
 would be over before they could get in it, but after- 
 wards thought it would never be over, and peace 
 seemed like a vision of glory as far away as the stars 
 at night. 
 
 Gen. Thomas L. Qingman was wounded while 
 leading his gallant North Carolinians in the charge. 
 
 General Lee in his report to the Secretary of War 
 says: "General Hill attacked the enemy's fifth corps 
 yesterday afternoon at Davis house, three miles from 
 Petersburg on the Weldon Railroad. Defeated and 
 captured 2700 prisoners, including one brigadier gen- 
 eral and several field officers." 
 
 Our sixty-first regiment was for some time sub- 
 jected to a terrible flank fire from Burnside's troops, 
 which occupied elevated ground, while we were lo- 
 cated in a ravine below. Out of less than 200 rank 
 and file seventy-seven were killed, wounded and 
 missing. Although General Hill was commander of 
 the corps, he entrusted the management of this affair 
 to General Mahone, and this triumph over over- 
 whelming odds was secured by Mahone's matchless 
 management of his troops, confirming the fact that 
 he was possessed of a mind with each and every 
 qualification of a dashing and successful leader. With 
 the force of a division at his command no doubt he 
 would have captured Warren and all of his people, 
 and repossessed the Weldon Railroad. 
 
 175 
 
a pait of 1BIanket0 
 
 This was but one of many occasions where a telling 
 blow was not given for the want of a few brigades 
 at the right time, and no one regretted more than 
 Mahone the loss of this splendid opportunity, but he 
 well appreciated that the troops under his command 
 could do no more. 
 
 LETTER NO. 39. 
 william curtis wallace. 
 
 My Dear Nephews: 
 
 Captain William Curtis Wallace of Company "A," 
 61 St regiment, an efficient officer and noble man, re- 
 ceived his death wounds in the battle of the Weldon 
 Railroad. He was captured where he fell and re- 
 moved by the enemy to the field hosnital and there 
 died on the 22nd of August, 1864. 
 
 Dr. W. N. White, the Federal surgeon in charge, 
 wrote in a memorandum book, which the Doctor 
 found in the wounded soldier's pocket, the following 
 note: "Capt. Wallace was wounded August 19th in 
 both legs — left limb in the knee — right limb much 
 shattered. When brought to the hospital was much 
 prostrated by the shock. After administering stimu- 
 lants, limb was amputated on the 20th. He com- 
 menced sinking about twelve hours afterwards and 
 died on the 22nd. In him I found the elements of 
 true manhood and regretted his fate. I will forward 
 his pocket-book and other effects, which may be 
 valued as souvenirs by his friends." 
 
 (signed) W. N. White, 
 Surg. 1st Div. 9th Army Corps." 
 176 
 
2L pair oC mrnkm 
 
 My schoolmate, my comrade, my friend, my kins- 
 man. Captain Wallace, was buried near the battlefield 
 in the Federal Cemetery near Petersburg. The 
 pocket-book and other effects sent by Dr. White were 
 gratefully received by his family. Dr. White's kind- 
 ness of heart, as expressed in his note, cannot fail to 
 draw feelings of gratitude from every friend of the 
 noble young hero, whose memory is still enshrined 
 in many bleeding hearts. 
 
 Long after the war, I ascertained from the War 
 Department the address of Dr. White and wrote 
 asking him for the particulars of my comrade's death. 
 He promptly answered, saying : "The moment I saw 
 him I was attracted towards him. He was fatally 
 wounded, and all recognized the results, which he 
 accepted with greatest calmness. The thoughts 
 which seemed uppermost in his mind were, had he 
 done his duty, and that he fell in a battle for right. 
 He was very appreciative of all we tried to do for 
 him, was wholly uncomplaining, and perfectly re- 
 signed. As occasion permitted, I sat by him from 
 time to time during that night and next day. He 
 spoke very affectionately of his family, and took from 
 his pocket the Bible that his mother had given him, 
 and gave it to me with his personal effects, asking 
 me to send them to his relatives within our lines. As 
 he did so, he gave such a look of grateful confidence 
 and assurance that I would do it that I could not have 
 violated my promise to him, even in keeping it I had 
 lost my right arm. 
 
 I have always felt the effect for good of this occa- 
 sion. Such an object lesson of devotion to one's con- 
 
 ^77 
 
a l^aft of 'Blanbew 
 
 viction of what is right, even to giving up one's life 
 without a murmur or regret, is patriotism of the high- 
 est order that can be conceived. No blood richer in 
 all that makes a man noble ever mingled with the 
 soil of Virginia than that of Captain William Curtis 
 Wallace." 
 
 What an eulogy ! Such a tribute from a foeman is 
 like precious ointment to the soul of man. 
 
 True, indeed, Wallace possessed all the elements 
 of splendid manhood — brave, yet gentle and affec- 
 tionate in disposition as a woman, and pure in heart 
 as a Christian martyr: 
 
 "And such is human life, so gliding on. 
 It glimmers like a meteor, and is gone." 
 
 But a life so pure and spotless as this leaves a liv- 
 ing light to guide eternal ages. 
 
 Captain Wallace was born at "Glencoe" in Pleasant 
 Grove Magisterial District of Norfolk County, Va., 
 on the 23rd of March, 1842, and consequently was 
 only a few months over twenty-two years of age when 
 he fell. 
 
 He graduated at Hampden-Sidney College at the 
 age of 19 years, receiving the degree of A. B. He 
 was awarded the senior orator's medal, and was dur- 
 ing his last session one of the editors of the college 
 magazine. 
 
 While commanding a gun's crew in the casemate 
 during the engagement between the "Virginia" and 
 "Congress," he received a slight wound from the 
 fragment of a shell which entered and exploded on 
 
 178 
 
a mit ot ISIanbets 
 
 the breach of his cannon. Though engaged in nearly 
 every battle of his. regiment, he escaped with this 
 exception until the fatal wounds of the 19th of Aug- 
 ust, when he, one of the truest men who ever filled 
 a soldier's grave, went down with two mortal 
 wounds. 
 
 Captain J. B. Riddick, a gallant soldier of the six- 
 teenth regiment, was wounded in his side, and Lieut. 
 J. Thompson Baird, a soldier as brave as a lion, lost 
 his leg while leading the old company once so grandly 
 led by the chivalrous Barraud. 
 
 After the war Lieutenant Baird returned to his 
 home in Portsmouth, Va., where his upright man- 
 hood bound him close to the hearts of the people, who 
 many times re-elected him to the chief magistry of 
 the city, and he died in office with fidelity as high and 
 true as his valorous conduct on the battlefield, which 
 he sealed with his blood. 
 
 LETTER NO. 40. 
 reams station battle. 
 
 My Dear Nephews: 
 
 Although we were frequently on the move and our 
 men constantly fighting on picket duty, we were not 
 again in a pitched battle until the 2Sth of August. 
 
 Hancock was a hard fighter and seemed to handle 
 his men better than any other Federal general with 
 whom we came in contact during the eventful cam- 
 
 179 
 
a Pait oe T5lmkm 
 
 paign of 1864, in fact I have regarded him as the best 
 general officer among all who fought against us dur- 
 ing the four years of war, and I think he had a higher 
 conception of the usages of civilized warfare than any 
 of their statesmen or generals, except McClellan, who 
 ordered his army to observe them strictly. While 
 Warren was fighting for the Weldon Railroad, Han- 
 cock was on the north side of the James opposing 
 Longstreet, but Grant ordered him to return on the 
 21 St of August to the lines before Petersburg, arriv- 
 ing there he was hastened to his left in rear of the 
 position occupied by Warren, where he arrived the 
 same afternoon. 
 
 The next day he engaged in destroying the rail- 
 road. When our forces appeared on the scene, Han- 
 cock concentrated his whole force behind breastworks 
 at Reams Station. 
 
 Gen. A. P. Hill made an assault upon these lines 
 about two o'clock in the afternoon, the first unsuc- 
 cessful, but the second assault carried Hancock's 
 whole line. 
 
 Cook's and MacRae's North Carolinians under 
 General Heth, and Lane's North Carolina Brigade 
 under General Connor, with Pegram's artillery, com- 
 posed the assaulting column. 
 
 Our Mahone's Old Brigade, arriving on the field 
 as the second assault was going forward, were 
 thrown in to support, assisting in driving and holding 
 the captured works of the enemy. 
 
 Hampton's cavalry with great gallantry carried 
 one line of breastworks, contributing largely to the 
 success of the day. 
 
 180 
 
a pair of Mmkm 
 
 On our supporting charge, I halted several of my 
 infantrymen to turn captured guns upon the retreat- 
 ing enemy, but inexperienced with field artillery, the 
 first shell took off tiie limb of a tree high over the 
 heads of Hancock's fleeing soldiers; however, the 
 next shot had good range and we helped greatly in 
 the closing fight. We were moved from left to right 
 and put behind the railroad bank and desultory firing 
 was kept up some time after dark. The fruits of this 
 victory of the North Carolinians were 12 stands of 
 colors, 9 pieces of artillery, 10 caisons, 2150 pris- 
 oners, 3100 small arms and 22 horses. General Hill's 
 loss in cavalry, artillery and infantry was 750. 
 
 Hancock was very much disheartened by this sig- 
 nal defeat, and his biographer says: "Hancock had 
 seen his troops fail in their attempts to carry in- 
 trenched positions of the enemy, but he had never 
 before had the mortification of seeing them driven, 
 and his lines and guns taken, as on this occasion ; and 
 never before had he seen his men fail to respond to 
 the utmost, when he called upon them, personally, for 
 a supreme effort; nor had he ever before ridden to- 
 ward an enemy, followed by a beggarly array of a 
 few hundred stragglers, who had been gathered to- 
 gether and pushed towards the enemy. He could 
 no longer conceal from himself that his once mighty 
 corps retained but the shadow of its former strength 
 and vigor. * * * 'I do not care to die,' cried 
 Hancock, 'but I pray God I may never leave this 
 field.' The agony of that day never passed away 
 from the proud soldier." 
 
 181 
 
a pair of IBIankew 
 
 LETTER NO. 41. 
 the battle of burgess' mill. 
 
 My Dear Nephews: 
 
 The various contests between Lee's right wing 
 and Grant's left lost to the latter four times as many 
 men, but what mattered that to a general whose pol- 
 icy was to destroy the life of the Confederacy by 
 virtue of his overwhelming numbers without regard 
 to loss of life on his side, for he knew he could sup- 
 ply their places fourfold by recruiting from every 
 nation of the globe, while the South had no more men 
 to bear arms, and every one killed or made prisoner 
 was an irretrievable loss. 
 
 Although many of our men succumbed to the ter- 
 rible strain of constant movements and fighting, the 
 body of our troops stood up like the Roman legions, 
 standing fast in faith, always acquitting like men, 
 strong under all conditions. A Federal officer of a 
 New Jersey regiment, describing a charge upon his 
 regiment after a front line had been broken and ral- 
 lied behind him, said: "An ominous silence ensued 
 for a moment, when suddenly the dense woods in our 
 front became alive with rebels, who came at double 
 quick, shouting and yelling like so many fiends, firing 
 as they advanced." * * * "The spiteful buzz 
 of the bullets, the shriek of the solid shot, and the 
 fierce tearing whirr of the cannister were enough to 
 terrify brave hearts and older heads." 
 
 182 
 
3 l^air of blankets 
 
 Then he goes on to tell how his regiment bore the 
 shock and in turn charged the enemy. 
 
 He said the rebels who made the charge were Don- 
 novant's and Mahone's Brigades of rebel cavalry 
 (dismounted). 
 
 Mahone's men were infantry, but they had to move 
 so often and rapidly that they called themselves Ma- 
 hone's foot cavalry. 
 
 A deserter from the 9th Florida regiment told the 
 Federal General Sharpe, that he heard that some gen- 
 eral told General Mahone that he could march his 
 troops down to Reams Station three times a day, and 
 that Mahone replied that he thought he could; that 
 he would try it anyway. This was probably a "grape 
 vine" story of the camp, but it was true that we were 
 constantly going back and forth to meet the advances 
 of the enemy on our right, and nearly every day we 
 were under fire. 
 
 On the 27th of October, 1864, we were marched 
 out to attack the enemy on the Boydton Plank Road, 
 and General A. P. Hill reported to General Lee: 
 "That the attack of General Heth on the Boydton 
 Plank Road, mentioned in my dispatch last evening, 
 was made by three brigades. General Mahone in 
 front and Hampton in rear. Mahone captured 400 
 prisoners, 3 stands of colors, and six pieces of artil- 
 lery. The latter could not be brought off, the enemy 
 having possession of the bridge. In the attack sub- 
 sequently made by the enemy. General Mahone broke 
 three lines of battle, and during the night the enemy 
 retired from the Boydton Plank Road, leaving his 
 wounded and more than 250 dead on the field." 
 
 183 
 
a mit of 15Ianfeet0 
 
 This fight was rather disastrous to our regiment 
 We charged through a thick woods. I could see only 
 a very short distance down our line, and in conse- 
 quence of being forced to penetrate the thick under- 
 growth, the men became much scattered. On reach- 
 ing an open field, disordered groups charged on to a 
 point probably midway the field, driving the enemy, 
 then we were ordered to fall back on the woods line 
 and reform. 
 
 Here it took considerable time to rally the men, for 
 many had been lost in the thick woods. A number 
 had verged too much to the left and were made pris- 
 oners. Howevei", we held the line, thanks to Wade 
 Hampton, who made an attack on the rear in time to 
 prevent the enemy from closing in upon us, as we 
 were now between two of his columns. 
 
 "Do you recollect, jrou and I charging the Yankees 
 alone? We charged through the woods and drbve 
 the Yankees from a rail fence, and you and I coming 
 out in the field ran ahead of our lines, thinking they 
 were following, but our line stopped at the fence, and 
 we found ourselves between two fires. I got behind 
 a small persimmon tree and you remarked: 'Tom, 
 let's get out of this,' and we ran back to our line." 
 So wrote Private T. O. C. Murphy from his far-off 
 home in Arkansas last year a short time before his 
 death. 
 
 Before we got out of the woods a heavy rain storm 
 came up and literally soaked us, and then marching 
 through the bushes to the Plank Jload made things 
 worse. I was thoroughly chilled and had it not been 
 
 184 
 
3 pait of 15lmkm 
 
 for a drink from a captured canteen, I would have 
 been forced to the hospital. 
 
 Some of our best soldiers were killed; among 
 them Captain John Hobday, one of the most valuable 
 officers of the regiment. He fell in the field ahead 
 of the line, as Murphy says we were. A num- 
 ber of our men lost their way in the woods and were 
 taken prisoners; so while the gerieral battle was suc- 
 cessful to the army, oUr regiment suffered from its 
 unfortunate location in the advancing line of battle, 
 because the men were ignorant of the surroundings 
 and we had not been told of the direction of the 
 enemy on our left. 
 
 This movement of Grant was said to be for the 
 purpose of bolstering up Lincoln's political prospects, 
 hoping a victory, which could be heralded throughout 
 the North, would fire the hearts of his supporters, but 
 it did not materialize as he wished. 
 
 LETTER NO. 42. 
 
 fighting and fasting 
 
 My Dear Nephews : 
 
 Although generally our soldiers held to their faith 
 like true Christians and uncomplainingly stood up 
 under all conditions, some, not so long suffering', gave 
 up and deserted to the enemy. General Lee ordered 
 a special investigation to ascertain the cause of de- 
 sertions in the face of the enemy, and his board con- 
 
 185 
 
a pair of TBlmkm 
 
 eluded that it was on account of hunger more than 
 anything else. Men who had been good fighters be- 
 came disheartened from constant marching and fight- 
 ing without sufficient food to satisfy the cravings of 
 hunger, and besides exposed to all kinds of weather, 
 with scant clothes and little shelter, and foreseeing the 
 ultimate result, threw down their arms and went over 
 to the enemy. Many stout hearts quailed under these 
 circumstances, which had never faltered before, and 
 made the fatal, despairing leap, which carried them 
 down to disgrace. 
 
 It appeared to us all that death from starvation or 
 bullets was only a short time before us. I felt that 
 every move would bring my last fight, and I had no 
 hope but of an honorable soldier's grave. After the 
 Burgess Mill affair we marched back to the breast- 
 works in front of Petersburg and resumed the rou- 
 tine duties, which were arduous enough without the 
 frequent calls to meet the movements of the enemy 
 on our right. 
 
 As the deserter told General Sharpe, Mahone's Di- 
 vision was completely tired out in marching backward 
 and forward on the railroad. 
 
 On the night of October 30th, General Mahone sent 
 out a detachment from the breastworks, which pene- 
 trated the enemy's picket line and swept it for the 
 half of a mile, capturing 230 men and officers, with- 
 out the loss of a man. I have forgotten the name of 
 the officer who commanded the detachment in this 
 most remarkable co-up de main. 
 
 On November nth we were relieved from the 
 breastworks and sent to a position about half a mile 
 
 186 
 
a pair of 'Blankets 
 
 from the Boydton Plank Road to put up winter 
 quarters, where we were more convenient for arrest- 
 ing the extension of the enemy's lines. 
 
 On the 7th of December it was discovered that the 
 enemy in heavy force was moving down the Jerusalem 
 Plank Road. 
 
 General Wade Hampton threw his cavalry forces 
 across his path and General A. P. Hill moved his in- 
 fantry force through Dinwiddie county towards Bel- 
 field. 
 
 The enemy proceeded slowly and did not appear be- 
 fore Belfield until 3 o'clock in the afternoon of the 
 ninth, when he made a feeble assault upon the troops 
 of Col. Garnett, which, with the assistance of two bat- 
 teries, easily repulsed him. 
 
 That night Generals Hill and Hampton made ar- 
 rangements to attack the enemy early next morning. 
 
 Our brigade had made a forced march from our 
 camp on the Boydton Plank Road, and were bivou- 
 acked in a church grove for the night of the ninth 
 of December, 1864. Major Charles R. McAlpine and 
 I pooled our blankets, and with an oil cloth under- 
 neath and one over our blankets, my "Cumberland 
 blankets," with his, made our bed. We slept most 
 delightfully, and were greatly astonished next morn- 
 ing when we peeped out to find our covering rein- 
 forced by about two inches of snow. 
 
 After our men cooked and partook of the very 
 scant rations, which the wagons had brought up that 
 night, we were deployed in line of battle and moved 
 forward to strike the enemy, but found him in full re- 
 treat. A few scattering shots reached us and one 
 
 18;? 
 
a: Pait of blankets 
 
 bullet penetrated the haversack of my orderly, going 
 through the loaf of bread which we had for dinner. 
 Being unable to catch up with the flying enemy, we 
 were marched back to our camp on the plank road. 
 
 Col. Groner having now entirely recovered from the 
 wound which he received on the morning of May 
 I2th, at Spottsylvania, returned to the regiment for 
 duty, about the middle of December, having been ab- 
 sent on its account from that time except for a few 
 days about the 19th of August, when he went in the 
 fight on crutches, but finding the duties too arduous 
 for his condition, was forced to return to the hospital. 
 
 I commanded the regiment in all the battles, engage- 
 ments and skirmishes from the 12th of May to the 14th 
 of December, except the battle on the 19th of August, 
 so in turning over the command of the regiment I 
 issued the following order : 
 
 "Headquarters 6ist Va. Inft., Dec. i4th, 1864. 
 "General Order No. 14: 
 
 "As the lieutenant colonel is about to relinquish 
 command, he desires to express to the officers and 
 men his heartfelt thanks for the uniform courtesy and 
 prompt observance of all orders. He congratulates 
 you on the noble part you have taken in the brilliant 
 successes of the campaign. Besides participating in 
 the capture of artillery, small arms and prisoners, eight 
 battle flags are trophies of your prowess. Soldiers! 
 These achievements have only been attained by a sad 
 depletion in your ranks. Let the noble deeds of your 
 fallen comrades and the oppressive slavery of your 
 kinsmen stimulate you to renewed eflforts in behalf of 
 
 188 
 
3 pair of 'Blankets 
 
 your afflicted country. Stand steady and firm by your 
 tattered battle flag in the future as you have in the 
 past, and soon an honorable peace with the independ- 
 ence of your country will be a glorious reward. 
 
 "William H. Stewart, 
 "Lieut. Col. commanding." 
 
 Alas ! for the anticipation expressed in this, my last 
 order! Only a few months remained before all our 
 fondest hopes were blasted in defeat at Appomattox. 
 
 LETTER NO. 43. 
 
 THE HARDSHIPS OF HATCHER's RUN. 
 
 My Dear Nephews : 
 
 On the fifth of February, 1865, the enemy moved in 
 strong force to Hatcher's Run, not many miles from 
 our camp. Part of his infantry, with Gregg's cavalry, 
 crossed and proceeded on the Vaughn Road — ^the in- 
 fantry to Cat-tail Creek, the cavalry to Dinwiddie 
 Court House, where its advance encountered a portion 
 of our cavalry. In the afternoon parts of Hill's and 
 Gordon's corps demonstrated against the enemy on the 
 left of Hatcher's Run, near Armstrong's Mill, but 
 finding him entrenched, withdrew after dark. On the 
 morning of the sixth Pegram's Division moved out 
 from camp to reconnoitre, one brigade moving near 
 the Run and the other further to the right, and along 
 the Vaughn Road. In these positions the brigades 
 
 189 
 
a pair of OSIanfeetg 
 
 were vigorously attacked by both cavalry and infantry 
 in heavy force. 
 
 Gordon's Division, commanded by Brigadier General 
 Dement R. Evans, sent forward in support, formed 
 on Pegram's left, charged and drove the enemy before 
 it, but was finally forced by superior numbers to re- 
 tire. It was readily reformed near the enemy's lines, 
 and again advanced with spirit, while Pegram charged 
 on the right. The enemy was again driven back, but 
 General Pegram, who was riding immediately with 
 his troops, being killed, and Col. Hoffman, command- 
 ing the brigade, severely wounded, a portion of the 
 line was thrown in confusion. The battle was ob- 
 stinately contested for several hours, when Mahone's 
 Division arriving was put in position to fill a gap be- 
 tween Evans and Pegram. 
 
 The whole line advanced to the attack and drove 
 the enemy in confusion to his works on the bank of 
 the run. I distinctly remember as we formed in line 
 of battle across a small farm patch, the enemy were 
 driving Pegram's men pell-mell out of the woods, 
 when we charged with a great yell and turned them 
 to run like lightning through the woods for apparently 
 a mile. 
 
 General Finnegan was in command of the division, 
 as Mahone was absent, sick. In the charge through 
 the woods our ranks were broken by the undergrowth 
 and trees, and the men were so much scattered, I went 
 up to the general and suggested a halt to reform our 
 line, which he did, and then we moved forward in 
 closed order to see the enemy seek shelter in his earth- 
 works. 
 
 190 
 
a Pafr of 'Blanfeetg 
 
 The weather was terrible, and we had been march- 
 ing and fighting all day without food. 
 
 We were now drawn back to straighten and adjust, 
 our line of battle, expecting an attack next day. 
 
 The men hastily threw up scant breastworks, not 
 breastworks for such are supposed to be high enough 
 to kneel behind; these were scarcely high enough 
 to lie down behind, and as night was fast approach- 
 ing our men made brush shelters to protect themselves 
 as much as possible from rain, snow, hail and sleet, 
 but no fires could be allowed in such close proximity to 
 the enemy. During the evening the cooks brought 
 to the men in line of battle a small pone of bread each, 
 the first morsel since early morning ; then these hungry 
 soldiers wrapped their shivering frames in wet 
 blankets and slept as best they could under the brush 
 shelters on the frozen ground, while the pickets paced 
 their beats in front to watch the enemy. 
 
 The morning broke clear, with long icicles hanging 
 from the tree limbs, which bent under the burden like 
 weeping willows, and the cold north wind was chilling 
 and terrible to withstand. After daylight the soldiers 
 were permitted to cut the sapling trees and build log 
 fires, for they were almost at the freezing point. The 
 men, shivering over these feeble fires, stood up the 
 whole day like martyrs waiting for the enemy's at- 
 tack. There was no activity in front until late in the 
 afternoon, when the enemy opened fire upon us with 
 artillery. Four soldiers of company "A,""6ist Vir- 
 ginia Regiment, Sergeant Cincinatus A. Nash, Captain 
 John T. West, late Superintendent of Public Schools 
 in Norfolk County, Privates James E. Fulford and 
 
 191 
 
2i pait of T5lmkm 
 
 Abner G. Duncan, were standing in line behind one 
 of these log fires. I suppose the enemy aimed at the 
 smoke, as we were not in sight, when a shell came 
 so near the head of the first that the wind knocked him 
 down. Capt. West was severely wounded on the hip, 
 the knee of Fulford was crushed and he fell forward 
 in the fire, which severely burnt his hands and face 
 before he could be piilled out, and he died from loss 
 of blood on the litter before the bearers could reach 
 the field hospital, and Duncan was seriously wounded 
 on the ankle. Fulford had a thirty days' furlough in 
 his pocket when he went in the battle. He was a 
 volunteer for the war, and he volunteered to go into 
 this battle, so he was a double Virginia volunteer sol- 
 dier. And he fell, a hero of priceless fame ! 
 
 These were times which tried men's souls and the' 
 most desperate days I ever experienced. General Lee 
 tells the story of the sufferings of his men in a letter 
 to the Secretary of War, dated February 8th, 1865, 
 which you will find in Series i, volume 46, page 1,209, 
 "Rebellion Records," published by the U. S. Govern- 
 ment: "All the disposable force of the right wing of 
 the army has been operating against the enemy beyond 
 Hatcher's Run since Sunday. Yesterday, the most 
 inclement day of the winter, they had to be retained in 
 line of battle, having been in the same condition the 
 two previous days and nights. I regret to be obliged 
 to state that under these circumstances, heightened by 
 assaults and fire of the enemy, some of the men have 
 been without meat for three days, and all were suf- 
 fering from reduced rations and scant clothing, ex- 
 posed to battle, cold, hail and sleet. I have directed 
 
 192 
 
a Pair of 'Blankets 
 
 Colonel Cole, chief commissary, who reports that he 
 has not a pound of meat at his disposal, to visit Rich- 
 mond and see if nothing can be done. If some change 
 is not made and the commissary department reorgan- 
 ized, I apprehend dire results. The physical strength 
 of the men, if their courage survives, must fail under 
 such treatment. Our cavalry has to be dispersed for 
 want of forage. Fitz Lee's and Lomax's Divisions 
 are scattered because supplies cannot be transported 
 where their services are required. I had to bring 
 William H. F. Lee's Division forty miles Sunday 
 night to get him in position. Taking these facts, in 
 connection with the paucity of our numbers, you must 
 not be surprised if calamity befalls us." Thus our 
 great commander most truly describes the desperate 
 condition of his troops owing to the neglect or in- 
 capacity of the commissary department. 
 
 The Secretary of War, John C. Breckinridge, sent 
 the communication to the president for his perusal, 
 and Mr. Davis returned it with the following endorse- 
 ment : "This is too sad to be patiently considered, and 
 cannot have occurred without criminal neglect or 
 gross incapacity. Let supplies be had by purchase, 
 or borrowing or other possible mode." 
 
 At the termination of this expedition we marched 
 back to the tents, which we vacated to fight in the 
 Hatcher's Run campaign. Notwithstanding General 
 Lee's admonition to the authorities at Richmond, little 
 meat came for our haversacks, but the fasting and 
 fighting continued. We marched and fought on the 
 right wing of the army until our brigade was only a 
 skeleton both in its numbers and the physical condi- 
 
 193 
 
a pair of -Blankets 
 
 tion of the soldiers. We were truly sick at heart from 
 the fearful losses which had blood-stained the many 
 fields of Dinwiddie County, but at last we were ordered 
 to the line of earthworks, which had been occupied by 
 Pickett's Division, between the Appomattox and James 
 Rivers, to recuperate. 
 
 I think it was about the seventh of March, 1865, we 
 entered upon our duties on this line. There we in- 
 habited holes and artificial caves which had been dug 
 by Pickett's men to shield them from mortar shells 
 while resting and sleeping, and we subsisted on one- 
 fourth of a ration, devouring the occasional four 
 ounces of fat pork raw, for fear of losing a drop of 
 grease by cooking. Our condition here was almost 
 Paradise compared with that on the south side of the 
 Appomattox. 
 
 Major Robert Stiles, in his admirable book, "Four 
 Years Under Marse Robert," comparing the safe and 
 easy position in which the Richmond Howitzers were 
 placed from June 20th, 1864, to April 2d, 1865, with 
 part taken by Mahone's Division on the right of our 
 army, says : "We were not responsible for being now, 
 as it were, 'mustered out of service,' yet we could not 
 repress a vague feeling that, somehow, we were not 
 doing our full duty. Especially was this feeling in- 
 tensified when, a few months later, Mahone's Divi- 
 sion, which had been manning a very trying part of 
 the Petersburg lines, was brought over between the 
 Appomattox and the James to relieve Pickett's, which 
 was sent north of the James. We thought we had 
 before seen men with the marks of hard service upon 
 them ; but the appearance of this division of Mahone's, 
 
 194 
 
a Pait of TSlmkttfi 
 
 and particularly of Finnegan's Florida brigade, with 
 which we happened to be most closely associated, made 
 us realize, for the first time, what our comrades in 
 the hottest Petersburg lines were undergoing. 
 
 "We were shocked at the condition, the complexion, 
 the expression of the men, and of the officers, too, 
 even the field officers ; indeed, we could scarcely realize 
 that the unwashed, uncombed, unfed and almost un- 
 clad creatures we saw were officers of rank and 
 reputation in the army. It was a great pleasure, too, 
 to note these gallant fellows, looking up and coming 
 out, under the vastly improved conditions in which 
 they found themselves." 
 
 I cannot allow unchallenged the "unwashed and 
 uncombed" to apply to Mahone's brigade, although we 
 were quite worn to a frazzle and looked forlorn, we 
 certainly washed our faces and combed our hair every 
 day when not actually fighting in line of battle; al- 
 though our clothes were thin and our stomachs ernpty, 
 we stood up to the end, and surrendered in closed 
 ranks with loaded rifles at Appomattox. 
 
 When time permitted and a stream of water was 
 near, our soldiers would strip their shirts from their 
 backs, wash them and wait for them to dry in the sun 
 to put them on again, as they had no other in the 
 wardrobe; then you may understand that fighting in 
 the trenches down in the earth day and night made 
 their clothes stifif with stains and dirt hard to remove. 
 
 Hungry! Hungry! Hunger was the deepest de- 
 privation in those last days of suffering and suspense. 
 
 195 
 
a pair of TSlanbetg 
 
 LETTER NO. 44. 
 our last victory and last march. 
 
 My Dear Nephews: 
 
 The Burmada Hundred lines were under fire from 
 pickets and mortar shells day and night, but no assault 
 was attempted by the enemy until April ist, when in 
 order to ascertain if we still occupied the earthworks, 
 he made an assault upon our picket lines, capturing 
 some of the pickets, but did not follow it up after 
 finding we were still there. 
 
 The Army of Northern Virginia had been greatly 
 reduced by the loss, wear and tear of the long cam- 
 paign, and the lines stretched from below Richmond 
 on the north side of the James River to Hatcher's 
 run, away beyond Petersburg on the south side of 
 the Appomattox; all told, thirty miles and more. 
 The line of battle along our position was as thin as 
 a skirmish line. Our men were deployed in the 
 breastworks fifteen feet apart. 
 
 Grant had been preparing all winter for the spring 
 campaign, and when April came he was ready with 
 his embattled hosts to press the contest. He deter- 
 mined to use the greatest number of troops possible 
 against us, and "to hammer continuously" until by 
 "mere attrition," he would wear us out. 
 
 The heroic struggles of Lee's troops on the south 
 side was unavailing and his right wing was pierced 
 
 196 ^^ 
 
3 pair of IBlmkm 
 
 and driven back towards the Appomattox, forcing the 
 abandonment of the old lines he had so long defended 
 with unparalleled fortitude, and the last march of his 
 army was begun on a bright April day. 
 
 About three o'clock in the morning of the third 
 day of April, 1865, we were ordered to evacuate the 
 earthworks and retreat towards Chesterfield Court 
 House ; there we halted to rest and then plodded on- 
 ward we knew not where. I remember at one halt 
 "the boys" searched a log crib on the edge of a field 
 and captured a big rat. He was dressed and broiled 
 for their breakfast. When we reached Amelia Court 
 House, we were thrown in line of battle to meet 
 Sheridan, but soon drove him off and resumed the 
 retreat. 
 
 Our soldiers, rationless, hungry and fatigued with 
 marching day and night, pressed forward as rapidly 
 as possible, but thousands fell along/the route from 
 physical exhaustion and were captured by the enemy. 
 
 On the evening of the sixth of April, Mahone's 
 division, being on the left wing of the army, moved 
 by way of the High Bridge, where we were formed 
 in line of battle to protect it; an artillery duel fol- 
 lowed and there we spent the night sleeping on our 
 arms. The enemy that afternoon had captured and 
 burnt our wagons and all my personal effects went 
 up in smoke. I regretted most the loss of my diary 
 and underclothes, for it left me with only those on 
 my back. Early in the morning the soldiers marched 
 across the bridge and the field officers forded the river 
 below on their horses. I remember the men looked 
 yery diminutive while walking over the railroad ties. 
 
 197 
 
a Pait of OBIankett 
 
 We set fire to the bridge, and a barn containing a 
 number of hogsheads of tobacco, near the river, and 
 moved on. The enemy pressed us so closely that the 
 fire on the bridge was extinguished by him and I 
 imderstood that the Federal troops also crossed on the 
 bridge. 
 
 After marching a few hours we were halted at 
 Cumberland Church and formed in line of battle 
 across the highway. Our right connected with an- 
 other line of our troops, which extended towards 
 Farmville, and our left, entirely unprotected, rested 
 on a ravine; the church being a short distance in rear 
 of the right of our regiment. It was my fortune to 
 be assigned to the command of the division picket 
 line, which was barely established before the hostile 
 sharpshooters were advancing in our front, and the 
 contest began, to continue hotly the livelong day. 
 
 The men in the line of battle hastily threw up an 
 earthwork with bayonets and bare hands, which af- 
 forded scant protection from the duel that raged 
 fiercely between the pickets. 
 
 The enemy's sharpshooters with globe-sight rifles 
 had secured positions in trees across the field and 
 were sighting our men on the line with dangerous 
 results until my pickets charged forward and drove 
 them further away. 
 
 The Rockbridge Artillery, Captain Archie Gra- 
 ham, was posted on our line of battle at the public 
 road and rendered most valuable service the day long. 
 
 Robert E. Lee, Jr., son of Gen. Robert E. Lee, our 
 commander-in-chief, was a private in this battery, 
 which numbered among its privates many of the most 
 
 198 
 
a pair of "Blmkm 
 
 distinguished sons of the Old Dominion. The right 
 wing of our army had been crushed, the centre was 
 now being broken, and the left wing only remained 
 to fight with hope of success; and this day saw the 
 last victory of the Army of Northern Virginia. In 
 the afternoon my pickets on the left were forced back 
 by a strong column of troops, which made a dashing 
 charge to turn our left flank. The galling fire from 
 my pickets impeded their charge, and their advance 
 brigade halted for protection in a ravine only a short 
 distance from the left flank of our crude earthworks. 
 General Mahone, watching the movement, quickly 
 sent me a regiment of Georgians from General "Tige" 
 Anderson's brigade, and this held the enemy in check 
 until the gallant Anderson with the rest of his bri- 
 gade, swept around the left of our position, struck 
 the enemy on his flank and captured, as reported at 
 the time, a whole brigade with a stand of colors ; but 
 this does not agree with the reports of the enemy, 
 although they admit defeat. I know a number of 
 prisoners were captured and marched on to Appo- 
 mattox. 
 
 The enemy, as we learn from their official reports, 
 attributed the repulse "to the difficult nature of the 
 ground" and "to the greatly superior force of the 
 enemy," but neither was true. It was due to the 
 metal of our men and the splendid manoever directed 
 by the dashing Mahone, and performed under his 
 
 eyes. 
 
 It was by striking the enemy at the right time in 
 the right place; the enemy having the odds and the 
 vantage ground, but did not see it. 
 
 199 
 
3 mit of 'Blankets 
 
 As before said, Mahone was a fine civil engineer, 
 and naturally his profession gave him advantage and 
 knowledge in selecting the grounds for defense or 
 attack, and with it he was quick to take in surround- 
 ings and conditions; he was also remarkably cool in 
 times of excitement, which was another great trait 
 for an officer in battle. 
 
 Many were brave enough to go to the last ditch, 
 but too excited to command or direct the movements 
 of troops in battle. 
 
 Mahone so often showed himself possessed of the 
 necessary qualifications of a commander that he had 
 the entire confidence of his men, and whenever he 
 was away in time of battle they were always fearful 
 of results, and although some may have hated him 
 personally, they wanted him badly when the fight was 
 going on. 
 
 I remember on one occasion when General Finne- 
 gan was in command, there were loud lamentations, 
 but the brave old Irishman carried them through the 
 charge like a master in war. 
 
 Mahone was a strict disciplinarian in camp and 
 on the march, and this was not at all times agreeable 
 to the men in the ranks, although it is the real safety 
 of the army. 
 
 The muskets of the Army of Northern Virginia 
 were generally without bayonets, and on a review 
 you would see most of the brigades bayonetless, but 
 when you noticed Mahone's brigade pass, every rifle 
 held its keen, bright bayonet. 
 
 If a man lost or should throw away one, he was 
 punished and furnished with another. It was not 
 
 200 
 
Z l^air oe IBlmkm 
 
 often that bayonets were needed in battle, in conse- 
 quence, there was a general aversity to lugging them 
 on the march, and if not strictly watched, soon whole 
 regiments would be without them. 
 
 Now I have said we did not require bayonets often, 
 but when we did, we wanted them badly. 
 
 Not only at the "Crater," but on several other occa- 
 sions, we might have been whipped but for Mahone's 
 bayonet discipline. 
 
 No official reports were made by the Confederate 
 officers who commanded in this last victory of the 
 Army of Northern Virginia, but it is reported by the 
 Federal General Nelson A. Miles that: "April 7th 
 at six a. m. marched from Sailor's Creek to Appo- 
 mattox High Bridge. On our arrival at the point 
 the skirmishers of the Second Division had crossed 
 the river, but were being driven rapidly back toward 
 the crossing by a heavy skirmish line of the enemy, 
 which was advancing towards the river. I immedi- 
 ately deployed a strong skirmish line along the bank 
 of the river to keep back that of the enemy, and as 
 soon as my artillery could get up directed it to be 
 opened upon the enemy at once. The order was 
 promptly obeyed, both the batteries (Captain Clark's 
 and Captain Dakin's) going quickly into position, 
 and delivering a well directed fire; the effect was 
 visible immediately ijn the rapid falling back of the 
 enemy. My division followed the Second across the 
 river at about 9 a. m. and marched to a point near 
 the intersection of the Farmville Plank and the old 
 stage roads, where the enemy was found in position 
 behind breastworks. My division was placed in 
 
 i20I 
 
a pair of oaianbew 
 
 position under a severe fire of artillery from the 
 enemy's works, the skirmish line being actively en- 
 gaged. Careful observation induced the belief that 
 we were opposite the extreme left flank of the enemy, 
 and an extended skirmish line was therefore swung 
 forward and to the left with a view of enveloping it. 
 At the same time my division was moved to the right 
 by the flank as far as the main road referred to, and 
 preparations made for an attack. The Third Division 
 kept up the connection by following the movement. 
 The skirmish line swung forward until it struck that 
 of the enemy, when three regiments of the First Bri- 
 gade (the Eighty-first Pennsylvania Volunteers, 
 Fifth New Hampshire and Second New York Artil- 
 lery) were ordered to charge the left of the enemy's 
 line. The charge was gallantly made, but was unsuc- 
 cessful owing to the difficult nature of the ground, 
 which was broken by numerous small and sharp 
 ravines, over which the men were unable to move in 
 order. While the regiments were falling back the 
 enemy advanced over their works in pursuit, but 
 were quickly driven back. A picket line was estab- 
 lished, and the Second Division moved up and ex- 
 tended my line to the right, and the command 
 bivouacked." 
 
 Col. Geo. W. Scott of the First Brigade, First Divi- 
 sion, Second Corps, says: "April 7, moved at day- 
 light with the division, closely following the retreating 
 enemy ; crossed the Appomattox at High Bridge, and, 
 moving to the left of the railroad, passed to the north 
 of Farmville, the Fifth New Hampshire being de- 
 ployed as skirmishers and flankers. We struck the 
 
 202 
 
a Pait of IBlankets 
 
 enemy near Cumberland Church, driving in his out- 
 post. The brigade formed line of battle connecting 
 on the left of the Third Brigade. The 26th Michi- 
 gan and 140th Pennsylvania Volunteers were then 
 advanced to our right and front as skirmishers; the 
 5th New Hampshire Volunteers having expended 
 most of their ammunition upon the skirmish line, 
 were now relieved by the 61 st New York Volunteers. 
 About 3 p. m. the remainder of the brigade, 8ist 
 Pennsylvania Volunteers, Second New York Artil- 
 lery, and six companies of the Fifth New Hampshire 
 Volunteers were by direction of the general com- 
 manding the division, moved to the right, and here 
 made a most gallant charge upon the enemy's works ; 
 but after repeated and persevering assaults, we were 
 owing to the greatly superior force of the enemy, 
 flanked and repulsed, piy command at one time being 
 within fifteen paces of the enemy's main works. In 
 this charge we lost many brave officers and men 
 killed and wounded, one color (Fifth N. H.), and a 
 few men captured. The color was, however, recap- 
 tured at the surrender of Lee's army, and is now 
 again in the possession of the regiment." You will 
 observe that General Miles attributes his defeat to 
 the "nature of the ground," and Colonel Scott to the 
 "greatly superior force of the enemy." Neither state- 
 ment is ^correct. The charging force of the enemy 
 only drove in my pickets, but in doing so did get very 
 near to the left of our line, and it was then that the 
 Georgians charged them, captured the stand of colors 
 and a number of prisoners. The enemy never at- 
 tempted another advance that afternoon. The pris- 
 
 203 
 
a Paft of mmkttfi 
 
 oners were marched to Appomattox under guard and 
 the color of the New Hampshire Regiment was not 
 recaptured, but was given up as other military prop- 
 erty not excluded by the terms of surrender. 
 
 Lieut. Col. W. A. Crafts, commanding the Fifth 
 New Hampshire, said: "The colors advanced to 
 within a very short distance of the enemy's works. 
 The enemy throwing out a strong force upon their 
 flank, the colors, with 52 men and 5 officers, were 
 captured. During the day no men and 10 officers 
 were lost." 
 
 Capt. F. R. Humphreys, commanding the Second 
 New York Artillery, reported: "April 7 continued 
 the advance; passed through Farmville; crossed the 
 Danville Railroad at High Bridge, met the enemy 
 entrenched in a double line of works. At about 3 
 p. m. charged with the brigade, and met with a re- 
 pulse, resulting in the loss of 6 killed, 67 wounded 
 and 74 missing. Lay in rear of the battlefield all 
 night. April 8, passed through the enemy's works, 
 they having quietly left during the night." 
 
 Major C. W. Shafer, commanding the 61 st New 
 York Infantry, reported that he lost in this affair two 
 enlisted men killed and 24 wounded. 
 
 Capt. W. A. F. Stockton, commanding the I4ath 
 Pennsylvania Regiment Volunteers, reported: "One 
 commissioned officer and three enlisted men killed, 
 and one officer and 26 enlisted men taken prisoners." 
 
 Capt. L. H. Ives, commanding the 26th Michigan 
 Volunteers, reported: "Five men killed and eight 
 wounded, one officer and twelve enlisted men cap- 
 tured." 
 
 204 
 
9 Pair of 15Ianfeets 
 
 General A. A. Humphreys, commanding the Sec- 
 ond (Handcock's) Corps of Grant's army, reported: 
 "Here he (Barlow) overtook the rear of the enemy 
 just as they had fired the wagon road bridge and as 
 the second span of the railroad bridge was burning. 
 The wagon road bridge was secured — a matter of 
 some importance, as the Appomattox was not ford- 
 able. A considerable force of the enemy was drawn 
 up in a strong position on the heights of the opposite 
 banks to oppose our passage, a position the strength 
 of which the redoubts on the opposite side increased. 
 Their skirmishers attempted to hold the bridge, but 
 were quickly driven from it, and the troops crossed 
 over. General Barlow's Division leading. Artillery 
 was rapidly put in position to cover our attack, but 
 the enemy moved off without waiting for it. The 
 redoubt forming the bridge-head on the south bank 
 was blown up as we approached and eight pieces of 
 artillery in it, abandoned to us, as were ten pieces of 
 artillery on the north side. High Bridge was saved, 
 chiefly by the exertions of Colonel Livermore, of 
 my staff, with the loss of four spans." * * * 
 "An attack was then made from Miles' right with 
 three regiments of the first brigade, but without suc- 
 cess and with considerable loss." 
 
 I have quoted these reports of our enemy to show 
 you -how well our men stood up under the greatest 
 difficulties, winning a victory while negotiations for 
 the surrender of the army were going on. 
 
 After the brilliant feat of the glorious Georgians 
 my picket line was soon re-established, but not with- 
 out the sacrifice of some of our bravest men. During 
 
 205 
 
a pair of 'Blankew 
 
 the fight on the left, in which I was absorbed, my 
 picket line on the right was broken, and I was forced 
 to walk along the line of our works, not breastworks, 
 for they were only high enough to protect the men 
 lying flat, the half of a mile, fully exposed to the 
 enemy's sharpshooters armed with globe-sight rifles. 
 At every step a shot would whiz by my head or strike 
 near my feet, still I marched erect, appearing brave, 
 but scared you may know. That was the longest half 
 mile I ever travelled, and I never expected to reach 
 the end, but I was spared and secured the detail to 
 re-establish my line on the right, so my pickets were 
 lined up for the remainder of the day. 
 
 Conspicuously gallant in this battle was a hand- 
 some young artilleryman, not out of his teens, who, 
 when not engaged with his cannon, would borrow 
 the rifles of the infantrymen, stand up while others 
 were lying down protected by the earthworks, and 
 with deliberate aim fire at his man, regardless of the 
 continuous shower of bullets to which he was sub- 
 jected. Finally he was shot down, desperately 
 wounded, and borne off the field to the residence of 
 Mr. Hodgsden, which was converted into a field hos- 
 pital., 
 
 Subsequently Adjutant Griffin F. Edwards, a youth 
 of twenty, of our 6ist Virginia Volunteers, while gal- 
 lantly rallying his detail of men to recover the lost 
 picket line in front of his regiment, was also severely 
 wounded. 
 
 After dark he was taken to the field hospital. The 
 yard was strewn with the wounded and dead; the 
 
 206 
 
a pair of IBlanfeew 
 
 kitchen, the out houses and even the stables were full 
 of bleeding men. 
 
 There was one vacant place in the parlor of the old 
 mansion where a blanket was spread for Adjutant 
 Edwards. The soldier nearest happened to be the 
 bra.ve artillery boy, who had been shot down while 
 acting as volunteer infantryman, as before stated, 
 and he appeared to be in the agonies of death. Al- 
 though severely wounded, the chivalrous Edwards 
 ministered to him in every way in his power; and as 
 he gave him a drink of water from his canteen, the 
 boy whispered: "My name is Minor." 
 
 For three days these wounded companions re- 
 mained side by side without surgeons or nurses. 
 Then the captured "wounded warriors were separated 
 and heard nothing of each other until about thirty 
 years afterwards, when Adjutant Edwards learned 
 that his hospital comrade, Launcelot Minor, was a 
 prominent lawyer in Newport, Arkansas. 
 
 When Private Minor recovered consciousness, he 
 found a note pinned inside of his shirt, requesting 
 that in case he died, that some one would give him a 
 decent burial, and a five dollar gold coin was enclosed 
 in the note to pay expenses. He kept the gold as a 
 souvenir, but never discovered from whom it came. 
 
 Private William Mason of our regiment was the 
 only one of our 6ist killed in this affair, and the pity 
 that one of our staunchest and bravest men should 
 have lost his life in this our last battle. 
 
 The shadows of evening found our weary and 
 starving soldiers in full possession of the battlefield 
 of Cumberland Church, and rejoicing over their last 
 
 207 
 
9 mil ot TBlmketfi 
 
 victory. The only rations which could be issued on 
 this retreat were a few ears of corn to each soldier, 
 but these men were of pure metal, which yielded 
 neither to danger nor hunger. Soon after dark the 
 troops were withdrawn from the line of battle, and 
 proceeded on the march towards Appomattox, where 
 Mahone returned the silken trophy, which was so gal- 
 lantly won by the Georgians at Cumberland Church, 
 to his released prisoners. 
 
 I was left with my pickets to cover the retreat, 
 with orders to withdraw them from the line at three 
 o'clock in the morning, and follow the army. The 
 long hours of darkness with dreadful anxiety 
 dragged heavily on my mind, while my ever watchful 
 pickets experienced with me the unpleasant anticipa- 
 tion of being killed or captured. I determined to 
 make good our escape, if possible, and on the hour 
 and minute, we quietly withdrew from the field of 
 our last victory. 
 
 About eight o'clock next morning we overtook the 
 army, and though desperately tired, rejoiced with a 
 "rebel" yell over our escape from capture, for which 
 we received the congratulations of General Mahone, 
 for he had no idea that we would escape the clutches 
 of the enemy. 
 
 That night of the eighth of April our brigade slept 
 in line of battle on the brow of a hill facing to the 
 rear, and next morning at the break of day we moved 
 on, arriving at Appomattox before sunrise. The 
 command was thrown in line fronting the rear, and 
 the men commenced tearing down a rail fence to make 
 breastworks, but were soon called to the ranks and 
 
 208 
 
a mit of mmkttfi 
 
 moved forward, crossing a bridge over a creek and 
 when near the celebrated apple tree under which Gen- 
 eral Lee did not surrender, we were countermarched 
 to the first position, where we learned definitely that 
 all was over with our country. 
 
 I have told the story of the surrender in "Th^ 
 Spirit of the South," and will only say here that after 
 s.ecuring my parole, which the colonel was authorized 
 to issue by the terms of surrender, I got a piece of 
 that apple tree under which General Lee stood before 
 he went forward to meet General Grant, also a piece 
 of General Lee's headquarters flag, and mounting my 
 horse with equipments and the "one roll of blankets," 
 noted on my parole, which contained the "pair" 
 which came from the "Cumberland," rode to my 
 father's home in Norfolk County, Virginia. I did 
 not go far with the log from the apple tree before I 
 found it too heavy to carry and threw it away by 
 the road side. 
 
 My orderly was a good natured Irishman, who had 
 no home to which he could go after the surrender, 
 so he decided to go with me as "help" on the farm. 
 I had only one mount and it was necessary for Pat 
 to have an animal to go along with our cavalcade of 
 eight or ten. I rode across the field to a place where 
 the Federal quartermasters had packed their wagons 
 and the teams were grazing around. Among them I 
 saw a small Yankee mule, which seemed to need an 
 owner, so I captured him and led him over to our 
 bivouac for Pat to ride. The mule was so diminu- 
 tive that Pat's feet were not far from the ground 
 when astride. 
 
 2og 
 
2L Patt or IBIanketiei 
 
 However, the mule was young and in good condi- 
 tion and trotted off nimbly enough to keep up with 
 our party on the homeward march. 
 
 The Federal Commissary at Farmville furnished 
 us with rations enough for two days. 
 
 Not far from Petersburg we ran into a corps of 
 Federal soldiers bivouacked on both sides of the road, 
 and the woods and fields were blue with them. 
 
 There had been a heavy rain the day before, and 
 their wagons had cut up the roadway so as to make 
 it almost impassable. We felt a little curious riding 
 through this great host of men in blue, but none 
 seemed to notice us until the little mule plunged into 
 a deep mud hole, and Pat was forced to dismount to 
 get him out. You may know, those ten thousand 
 Yankees shouted and roared with laughter. The 
 scene was most ludicrous. They cried out: "Oh, 
 Johnnie, put him in your haversack." "Take him 
 out in your arms." "He's too little to ride," etc. 
 Pat was not "set back," but led his mule out of the 
 mud and mounted again and jogged along with us 
 until we reached the old homestead. 
 
 My "Pair of Blankets" served me for more than 
 twenty-five years after the close of hostilities, and 
 then worn thin, as you see in the picture, I put them 
 in a glass case as a souvenir. 
 
 When I got to my father's home I fared from his 
 farmer's table, which I called sumptuous, and every 
 night dreamed, dreamed the war over and over 
 again, fought in my dreams every important battle 
 in which I had been engaged, experiencing all the 
 fear, dread and excitement of the real fight, with the 
 
 2IO 
 
a pair of I5lmkm 
 
 roar of cannon, sizzing of minie balls and the ago- 
 nizing cries of the dying soldiers sounding in my 
 ears. 
 
 When I finished dreaming over all my war expe- 
 riences my appetite settled to the normal of the 
 human being in peaceful pursuits. 
 
 LETTER NO. 45. 
 
 LOVE OF LEE. 
 
 M EAR Nephews: 
 
 pathway of honor is so plainly pictured by 
 General Lee in a letter to his son that I must quote 
 it for your edification: 
 
 Arlington House, April 5, 1852. 
 "My Dear Son: I am just in the act of leaving 
 home for New Mexico. My fine old regiment has 
 been ordered to that distant region, and I must hasten 
 to see that they are properly taken care of. I have 
 but little to add in reply to your letters of March 26, 
 27 and 28. Your letters breathe a true spirit of 
 frankness; they have given myself and your mother 
 great pleasure. You must study to be frank with the 
 world ; frankness is the child of honesty and courage. 
 Say what you mean to do on every occasion, and 
 take it for granted you mean to do right. If a friend 
 asks a favor, you should grant it, if it is reasonable; 
 if not, tell him plainly why you cannot. You will 
 
 211 
 
a l^air of IBIanketiet 
 
 wrong him and wrong yourself by equivocation of 
 any kind. Never do a wrong thing to make a friend 
 or keep one; the man who requires you to do so is 
 dearly purchased at a sacrifice. Deal kindly but 
 firmly with all your classmates; you will find it the 
 policy which wears best. Above all, do not appear 
 to others what you are not. If you have any fault 
 to find with any one, tell him, not others, of what you 
 complain; there is no more dangerous experiment 
 than that of undertaking to be one thing before a 
 man's face and another behind his back. We should 
 live, act and say nothing to the injury of any one. 
 It is not only the best as a matter of principle, but it 
 is the path to peace and honor. 
 
 "In regard to duty, let me, in conclusion to this 
 hasty letter, inform you that nearly a hundred years 
 ago there was a day of remarkable gloom and dark- 
 ness — still known as the dark day — a day when the 
 light of the sun was slowly extinguished, as if by an 
 eclipse. The Legislature of Connecticut was in ses- 
 sion, and as its members saw the unexpected and un- 
 accountable darkness coming on they shared in the 
 general awe and terror. It was supposed by many 
 that the last day — ^the day of judgment — ^had come. 
 Some one in the consternation of the hour moved an 
 adjournment. Then there arose an old Puritan leg- 
 islator, Davenport, of Stamford, who said that if the 
 last day had come he desired to be found at his place 
 doing his duty, and, therefore, moved that candles 
 be brought in so that the House could proceed with 
 its duty. There was quietness in that man's mind — 
 the quietness of heavenly wisdom — ^an inflexible will- 
 
 212 
 
3 pait of lBIanltet0 
 
 ingness to obey present duty. Duty, then, is the sub- 
 limest word in our language. Do your duty in all 
 things like the old Puritan. You cannot do more; 
 you should never wish to do less. Never let me and 
 your mother wear one gray hair for any lack of duty 
 on your part. Your aJBFectionate father, 
 
 R. E. Lee. 
 
 "To G. W. Custis Lee." 
 
 The father who prescribed such rules of conduct 
 for his son, afterwards became the leader of the 
 Southern armies and the father of a people who love 
 his virtues and honor his name. 
 
 In concluding my story you may desire me to tell 
 you something about General Robert E. Lee besides 
 the general way in which I have already presented 
 him. 
 
 I have described to you characters in the lower 
 grades of military rank with most attractive virtues 
 and superb courage. General Lee in many respects 
 may be likened unto them or they unto him; but none 
 with high rank possessed the mysterious essence 
 which made all men love, admire and fear. 
 
 If there is love at first sight, to lodk at him was 
 to love him, and the ever shining halo, which forced 
 that Yankee girl on the soil of Pennsylvania to drop 
 her waving flag to clap her hands and "wish he was 
 ours," was the thing which bound your heart— his 
 quiet dignity of manner caused reverent fear as in 
 the presence of a mighty man — ^his benevolent and 
 benign expression made you his friend. 
 
 I never saw him too often, perhaps because I 
 thought we were safest when he was near, and that 
 
 213 
 
a pair of lSlmktt» 
 
 he knew how to manage us in the presence of the 
 enemy with the least possible loss. 
 
 A new recruit, when the Yankees were hotly shell- 
 ing his company, exclaimed: "They will murder us 
 all; for God's sake. Captain, go ask General Lee to 
 take us out of this or we will all be killed." General 
 Lee had our love and confidence — he held our faith 
 in bonds so strong that no adversity could shake it. 
 
 During the siege of Petersburg I sometimes rode 
 into the city to see my friends, and one afternoon I 
 went to call on a friend, who was a refugee from our 
 tide-water land and was introduced to Miss Lee, a 
 cousin or niece of the commander-in-chief of the 
 army. I was enjoying the company of these delight- 
 ful ladies when it was announced that General Lee 
 had reined his horse up to the gate. "Oh, General 
 Lee is at the gate !" they exclaimed. I can't tell you 
 how I felt, but you may have heard of the "poor boy 
 at the fashionable frolic ;" well I expect I felt like the 
 "poor boy," only more so. It was so unexpected 
 that a strange feeling came over me not unlike the 
 fright of going into battle. It was surely an embar- 
 rassing ordeal to have such a distinguished personage 
 as the commander-in-chief of the Army of Northern 
 Virginia ushered thus unexpectedly into my pres- 
 ence. ' 
 
 Although his salutation and greeting with a hearty 
 handshake was assuring, I could not feel free to talk 
 with him like other folks. He conversed with the 
 ladies in a chatty manner and laughed in the enjoy- 
 ment of the conversation. I nerved myself to put in 
 an occasional word; but I could not entirely rid my- 
 
 S14 
 
a pair of mmkm 
 
 self of nervousness and soon conceived an excuse to 
 retire. 
 
 I was mad with myself, because I could not bravely 
 enjoy this opportunity of seeing more of my com- 
 mander, but I am proud to be able to tell you that I 
 have twice grasped the hand of the greatest general 
 of the English speaking people of the nineteenth cen- 
 tury, or I would rather say of any people of any 
 century. The whole appearance of the man made 
 you feel like Jackson, that you could follow him 
 blindfolded. 
 
 General Lee was a soldier of splendid physique, 
 and sat upon his horse like a knight of chivalry — ^he 
 wore an imperial air with the grace of a lord, which 
 inspired his soldiers with the greatest pride, especially 
 when the Pennsylvanians looked upon him with awe, 
 while riding along their highways. 
 
 His loving language gave greatest pleasure, and 
 his glorious expression of satisfaction for the conduct 
 of his troops burned in their hearts an everlasting 
 love. 
 
 I first remember seeing him galloping over the hills 
 under the smoke of the thundering guns, followed 
 by his staff, directing his army at Fredericksburg 
 against Burnside. I saw him at Chancellorsville on 
 the first day of May, 1863, near the Tabernacle with 
 Jackson, and heard him direct the forward move- 
 ment. I saw him the second day riding along our 
 line and heard him inquire about the sound of Jack- 
 son's guns, then roaring in Hooker's rear._ I saw 
 him on the third day in the midst of his victorious 
 troops around Hooker's headquarters, when the air 
 
 215 
 
a Pair of 'Blankets 
 
 was thick with smoke and the heavens resounded with 
 the "rebel" yells of his victorious soldiers. I saw 
 him at the head of his army — proud of its might — 
 when marching on the land of the enemy north of 
 the Potomac, and listened to his orders on dress 
 parade, directing scrupulous regard for private prop- 
 erty and protection for unarmed citizens. I saw him 
 on the streets of Chambersburg, when its citizens 
 were looking upon him as a lion in their midst. I 
 saw him riding along the line of his troops on Semi- 
 nary Ridge at Gettysburg, when the artillery was 
 thundering and the air was thick with the fragments 
 of broken bomb shells, which forced the men to hug 
 the ground and made the squirrels desert their hol- 
 lows and scamper in a wild panic on the limbs of the 
 oaks overhead. I sat upon my horse at the head of 
 my regiment and saw him review his army at 
 Orange — ^heard the great "rebel" yells as he rode 
 down the line and the loud acclaim of his proud vet- 
 erans when they passed the reviewing post. I saw 
 him in the "Wilderness." I saw him at Spottsylvania 
 near the bloody angle, when I trembled for his safety. 
 I saw him often during the "all summer line" and 
 under the siege of Petersburg. I saw him giving 
 orders to Mahone as we were about to march on the 
 "Crater." I do not remember seeing him on the re- 
 treat from Petersburg, but I stood in line to hear the 
 adjutant read his farewell order and saw him ride 
 away from Appomattox on his way to Richmond. I 
 last saw him not long before his death in Portsmouth, 
 Va., passing from the cars to the ferry on a visit to 
 his Norfolk friends. 
 
 2l6 
 
a pair of '!BIanltet0 
 
 A great crowd was there to greet him and I had 
 only a parting glance. Every time I saw him my 
 faith strengthened and my love increased. You 
 should be proud of him, for his life is the most valu- 
 able asset in all the history of America. 
 
 XHE END. 
 
 !2IJ^ 
 
BROADWAY PUBUSfflNG CO'S 
 NEWEST BOOKS 
 
 All Bound in Silk Cloth and Gilt. Many Hlustrated 
 Fiction 
 
 The Eyes at the Window (beautifully bound, with 
 
 embossed jacket) — Olivia Smith Cornelius. . . .$i .50 
 
 Next-Night Stories — C. J. Messer i .25 
 
 Arthur St. Clair of Old Port Recovery— S. A. D. 
 
 Whipple 1 .50 
 
 Bamegat Yams — P. A. Lucas i .00 
 
 Jean Carroll, with six illustrations — ^John H. Case i .50 
 
 As a Soldier Would — Abner Pickering i .50 
 
 The Nut-Cracker, and Other Human Ape Fables — 
 
 C. E. Blanchard, M.D i .00 
 
 Moon-Madness, and Other Fantasies — ^Aimfe 
 
 Crocker Gouraud (5th ed.) i .00 
 
 Sadie, or Happy at Last — May Shepherd i . 50 
 
 Tweed, a Story of the Old South — S. M. Swales . . i . 50 
 The White Rose of the Miami— Mrs. E. W. 
 
 Ammerman i . 50 
 
 The Centaurians — ^Biagi 1 .50 
 
 The Reconstruction of Elinore Wood — ^Plorenz S. 
 
 Merrow 1 . 50 
 
 A Nest of Vipers — Morgan D. Jones 1 . . i . 50 
 
 Religious Works 
 
 The Disintegrating Church — Frederick William 
 
 Atkinson 1 .00 
 
 Evolution of Belief— J. W. Gordon 1 .50 
 
 Down Hill and Up Hill — ^Rev. J. G. Anderson. .2.00 
 
 A Certain Samaritan — ^Rev. John Richelsen r .00 
 
 The Reimion of Christendom — Francis Goodman i . 50 
 What the Church Is and What It Should Be — 
 
 Lafayette Swindle i . 50 
 
 A Harp of the Heart. (Poems) — Rev. Chas. 
 
 Coke Woods i .00 
 
 The Gospel Parables in Verse— Rev. Christopher 
 
 Smith 75 
 
 Who? Whence? Where? An Essay by Pedro 
 
 Batista '• o^ 
 
 Compendium of Scriptural Truths— Marshall 
 
 Smith I -25 
 
 The Passion Play at Ober Ammergau— Esse Esto 
 
 Maplestone — i -oo 
 
 Israel Lo Ammi— Ida M. Nungasser 1.00 
 
The Eternal Evangel — Solomon S. Hilscher- $i .50 
 
 A New Philosophy of Life — ^J. C. Coggins i .00 
 
 Romance of the XJniverse — B. T. Stauber i • 50 
 
 In the Early Days — ^Adelaide Hickox i . 50 
 
 The New Theology — By a Methodist Layman — 
 Hamilton White 1 .00 
 
 MlsceUaneous 
 
 Anvil Sparks — Radical Rhymes and Caustic 
 
 Comments, by Wilby Heard 75 
 
 The Medical Expert and Other Papers — Louis J. 
 
 Rosenberg 50 
 
 The Little Sufferers (dealing with the Abuses of 
 
 the Children's Societies)— G. Martin 1 .50 
 
 Eureka, a Prose Poem — S. H. Newberry i .00 
 
 Rust (a play in four acts) — Algernon Tassin (of 
 
 Columbia University) 1 .00 
 
 Poems by Charles Guumess i .00 
 
 Prohibition and Anti- Prohibition — Rommd, 
 
 Ziegler & Herz 1 .00 
 
 Gay Gods and Merry Mortals — ^Verse by Robert J. 
 
 Shores i .00 
 
 The Rubaiyat of the College Student— Ned Nafe .50 
 The Deluge of England, and Other Poems — James 
 
 Francis Thierry 1 .00 
 
 The Dragon's Teeth — a Philosophical and Eco- 
 nomic Work — ^T. M. Sample i .00 
 
 Achsah, the Sister of Jamis — Mabel Cronise 
 
 Jones 1 .00 
 
 The Marriage Bargain Counter — Daisy Deane. . 1.50 
 Building a New Empire — Nathaniel M. Ayers. . 1.50 
 
 Marriage and Divorce — ^Jeanette Laurance 1 . 00 
 
 The Clothespin Brigade— Clara L. Smiley 75 
 
 "Forget It" — Ida Von Claussen i .50 
 
 The Last Word: a Philosophical Essay — ^James 
 
 and Mary Baldwin i .00 
 
 Travel 
 
 Eight Lands in Eight Weeks (illustrated by 90 
 drawings) — ^Marcia P. Snyder i .25 
 
 Eliza and Etheldreda in Mexico — Patty Guthrie 
 (illustrated) 1.25 
 
 The attention of clergymen is directed to our Relisioos List, one 
 of the lairest of any house in America. 
 
 Write for free copy of our magazine, BOOK CHAT. 
 
 BROADWAY PUBLISfflNG CO., 835 BROADWAY, N. Y. 
 
 Branch Offices; 
 
 ATLANTA BALTIMORE INOIANAFOLIS NORFOLK 
 
 WASHINGTON DBS MOINBS, IOWA 
 
• ililNlilillHtliUtiHiU*M