In the year 1859 at Fincastle, Va., I enlisted with a company called
“The Botetourt Dragoons.” This company was composed of 106 men, ready
and willing to defend their country when called upon. Our officers were
as follows: Andrew L. Pitzer, Capt.; Wm. A. Glasgow, 1st Lieut.; Wm.
Price, 2nd Lieut.; and Jas. R. Thompson, Orderly Serg. Our first Serg.
was Edward Brugh, second Serg. Wm. Garret and third Serg. Thomas
McClure. Our first Corporal was William A. McCue, 2nd Corporal Robert
Rieley and 3rd Corporal Geo. Peck.
We were called out by our captain for drills and parades usually on Sat.
Our uniforms were navy blue with yellow trimmings. We had general
musters once each year. We were invited to Buchanan, Salem and other
points.
On our march to Salem we lined up in front of Hollins Institute and
called on Prof. Cocke for an address, which he gave in his usual
pleasant manner and finished it by inviting us to dine with him on our
return. Capt. Hupp’s Battery of Salem, and Capt. Dierly’s Infantry of
Roanoke, met us there. Col. Robert Preston, of Blacksburg, addressed the
companies, also Capt.s Hupp, Pitzer and Dierly. All this was enjoyed,
but not so much as the time spent with Prof. Cocke on our return three
days later. We received genuine Virginia hospitality, such as we longed
for many times in the four years which followed.
As the John Brown raid had already occurred we soon found that our
service must be for defence and not only for practice. South Carolina,
Mississippi and several other states had already seceded from the Union
and when Abraham Lincoln called out 70,000 men to coerce the states, the
majority of our men wanted to go to Manassas Junction to protect our
capitol, Richmond. We were called first to Lynchburg for drilling and
future orders.
FIRST YEAR OF THE WAR.
We left Fincastle on the morning of May 17, 1861, amid the cheers, good
wishes, farewells and tears of mothers, wives and sweethearts. The
ladies had prepared neat little pin cushions supplied with pins and
needles, also bandage cotton and hospital necessities, some of which
were needed before we had gotten five miles from Fincastle. Trooper
Frasier spied a “frizzly hog” and called the attention of his comrades,
which created so much laughter that his horse on seeing the hog and
hearing the noise, became unmanageable and threw Frazier, whose head had
to be bandaged, there and then in vinegar and brown paper, (in the
language of Jack and Jill.)
We marched off gaily uniformed now in gray, following the flag presented
to us by the Botetourt ladies and carried by Wm. McCue. This flag was
used during the first two years of the war, and after our victory at the
first battle of Manassas Junction we were presented with another flag
and our first flag was sent to Richmond. It remained there until after
the war and was then sent back to Fincastle, where it remained until
1907. It was then sent back to Richmond to the Confederate Museum to be
kept as a relic, and I had the honor of presenting it on the 7th day of
May 1907, to Mrs. Norman Randolph, manager of the Museum. This was the
same day on which the Davis and Steuart monuments were unveiled at
Richmond.
Now back to our march from Fincastle to Lynchburg. We were cheered on
our way by the waving of kerchiefs and throwing of bouquets as we passed
on, following the blue ridge road until we came to Buford’s Station,
where we enjoyed the hospitality of Mr. Paschal Buford.
Our next stop was at Liberty, now called Bedford City. Here the kind
people of the town took us into their homes and entertained and
accommodated us for the night. We were welcomed in every home and
invited to stop with them again if we should pass that way, which I did
on one of my trips home from Petersburg. We left Liberty on the morning
of May the 18th, and took dinner near Forest Depot at Col. Radford’s
home. We reached Lynchburg the night of the 18th and as two companies
had preceeded us and were enlisted as A and B, we came in as Co. C. We
remained here three days, occupying tobacco factories and keeping our
horses in Friend’s warehouse. We were furnished with tents and moved out
near the fair grounds and were mustered into service on the 23 of May,
by Gen. Jubal A. Early. By this time Co. D. from Franklin County had
arrived and the remaining six companies came in in a few days. The
companies were commanded as follows:
Company A from Bedford County, Capt. Terry.
Company B from Lynchburg City, Capt. Langhorn.
Company C from Botetourt County, Capt. Pitzer.
Company D from Franklin County, Capt. Hale.
Company E from Amherst County, Capt. Whitehead.
Company F from Bedford County, Capt. Wilson.
Company G from Bedford County, Capt. Winston Radford.
Company H from Appomattox County, Capt. Joel Flood.
Company I from Campbell County, Capt. Jack Alexander.
Company K from Albemarle County, Capt. Davis.
We remained at Lynchburg one month guarding the two magazines and
drilling on foot and on horse-back. On June 10th, Capt. Terry with Co’s
A and B went on to Manassas Junction, while we of Co. C with Co. D were
ordered out June 17th.
Our first stop was at Rockfish Station where we camped for the night,
and our second night was spent at New Glasgow. We reached
Charlottesville by noon the next day and spent the night near Orange C.
H. The next day found us at Culpepper C. H. by noon and night overtook
at Warrenton Springs. We reached Manassas Junction by night fall of the
next day. We moved on to Fairfax C. H. the following day and found Gen.
Bornem commanding the first South Carolina Brigade, stationed there.
Here we pitched our tents on Sat. eve and on Sunday a. m. a part of our
Co. was sent out on a scout and two of our men, Calvin Garret and Joseph
Robinson, were captured by the New York Zouaves. We remained at Fairfax
C. H. until the 17th of July, and I was sent with fourteen other men,
commanded by Serg. Garret, three miles below Fairfax C. H. on the Falls
Church road to stand picket, and at 9 o’clock a. m. we found that
McDowell was moving on Manassas Junction by three roads, viz.: Falls
Church road, Little River turnpike, and Flint Hill road. Serg. Garret
returned to notify the General of McDowell’s movement, but the Gen. had
already learned from other pickets, of his advance, so he ordered the
army to retreat immediately. As Serg. Garret did not return to us,
Corporal McCue sent me back 3 miles to Fairfax C. H., and when I arrived
our Adjt. told me of the retreat and from there I could see Col.
Kershaw’s regiment already engaged with the enemy, so I had to return to
notify the other pickets to join the command, which we could only do by
a flank movement and came very near being cut off entirely by the enemy.
When I returned I found that two of our pickets on the Flint Hill road,
John Mays and William Maller, had been captured. We continued our
retreat to Centerville and remained there until night. Gen. Beauregard’s
plan was to throw sky rockets to let us know when to retreat further
towards Manassas Junction, and when we called in the last pickets, we
were fired upon by the enemy and two of our horses were killed from
under their riders, Edward Hayth and William Walton.
During the night we marched across Bull Run at Mitchel’s Ford and laid
down for the remainder of the night in front of the guns at Manassas
Junction. We were awakened next morning by the firing of one of the
enemy’s guns called “Long Tom.” As this was the first big gun I had seen
fired, I remember well the appearance of that shell to me. It looked
more like a gate-post flying through the air than any thing else I could
compare it to. After hissing through the air about a mile it exploded
and I told the boys I knew it had blown Manassas Junction to “kingdom
come” and she would need no more protection. It wasn’t many days after
this though, until we became more accustomed to the big guns, so we
didn’t jump at such hasty conclusions and the firing wasn’t so exciting
or terrifying. I hadn’t seen much of the infantry until that day and
when they began double quicking and crossing Bull’s Run at Mitchel’s
Ford in order to meet the enemy, I imagined we had men enough to whip
the North right there.
At 9 o’clock on the 18th, the two armies met and for two hours a raging
battle followed and when the Southerners made a charge all along the
line, they drove the enemy back with considerable slaughter, into the
timber back of the lowlands, where the battle was fought, and they
remained there until Sunday, with “Long Tom” occasionally saluting us.
Our line of battle extended from Blackburn’s Ford up nearly to Stone
Bridge, a distance of 10 miles.
Sunday morning at about 8 o’clock Long Tom began firing and we all
thought the enemy meant to renew the attack, but about 9 o’clock we
heard firing at Stone Bridge about six miles above Manassas Junction.
The cavalry was immediately ordered to make a force march to Stone
Bridge and when we got there we found that the 8th Georgia Regiment,
commanded by Col. Huntington, in trying to hold the ford had lost nearly
all their men and their commander. The 2nd Va. Regiment arrived to go to
their rescue, but failed on account of the thick pines. About this time
Jackson came in and with Gen. Bee and others, turned defeat into
victory. Gen. Bee rushed to Jackson and said “General they are beating
us back,” and Jackson said “we will give them the bayonet.” Gen. Bee
encouraged by Jackson’s response shouted to his men: “Look! there is
Jackson and his men standing like a stone wall.” He was ever afterward
called “Stonewall Jackson.”
Gen. Bee was killed in a few minutes after making the remark to his men.
The enemy, under McDowell’s command, was driven back with dreadful
slaughter to Washington.
As we of the 2nd Va. regiment were unable to get to Stone Bridge to aid
in the battle there and were in a dangerous position, being between the
fires of both armies, Gen. Beauregaurd ordered us to the rear. Just at
that time Gen. Jos. E. Johnson, coming in from the valley, rode up to
Beauregaurd’s headquarters and took command, he being a senior officer.
He immediately sent a courier to Col. Radford to halt the 2nd Va.
Cavalry. Col. Radford told the courier to go to the D—— that he was
acting under Beauregaurd’s orders. We were not aware of Johnston being
near, but as soon as Johnston saw we didn’t halt he galloped down and
shouted: “In the name of Jos. E. Johnston I command you to halt.” Of
course, it wasn’t any trouble for Col. Radford or his men to halt, then.
He commanded us to cross Bull Run and go toward Cub Run Bridge to
intersect the enemy’s line as it passed on retreat, and to shoot all the
horses drawing the artillery and wagons. There being 1,000 of us, we
held the road for nearly a mile, coming on their right flank and being
so near before they knew it that we succeeded in capturing 24 pieces of
artillery and the men commanding same. The road was lined with dead
horses for nearly a mile, a sight no one would want to witness again,
but we were only carrying out orders.
Our captain ordered the fences to be pulled down and 3 other men and I
dismounted and tore them down on both sides. When we mounted we happened
to look to our left and saw a house with a crowd of men standing around
a well. I proposed to these three comrades that we could go up and fill
our canteens as it was such a hot day. When we arrived, there were 60 or
70 of the finest looking men I ever saw, about middle-aged and finely
dressed. More gold-headed canes, gold glasses and gold teeth than I had
ever seen before on that number of men. We asked them to fill our
canteens, which they did and just as they filled the last canteen, one
of the men said to us that our command was retreating and I rode around
the house to where I could see our line and it had passed nearly out of
sight. Just then two guns that we hadn’t captured with the other 24
pieces of artillery, and a regiment of infantry also, opened fire on our
regiment, and Capt. Radford of 2nd Va. regiment and Serg. Ervin were
killed and several others wounded.
Just as we four men arrived to recross the road, a cannister of grape
shot passed down the road striking two of our horses. We rode on about a
half mile under a heavy fire, but they were over shooting us, just
stripping the leaves from the trees, when one of the horses fell dead
from his wound and the other one was still running on three legs. I took
the saddle from the dead horse and carried it on my horse that was
called the “Flying Artillery” and wouldn’t carry two men, and another
comrade took the rider of the horse that was killed.
We overtook our regiment just as they were ready to recross Bull Run,
and were held in readiness the remainder of the day, but no order for
action was given and near night fall marched back to our camp ground of
the proceeding night.
Just after dark a heavy rain began and continued all night and about
half the next day, so we were thoroughly drenched by this time. Shortly
after day break we started toward Centerville and our skirmish line
captured several prisoners on the way. We moved very cautiously through
the woods in the downpour of rain, thinking the enemy was at
Centerville. But instead of the enemy being at Centerville, we found the
homes deserted. Tables were set with the most delicious victuals, fine
drinks, etc., having been prepared for a general jubilee after the
supposed victory. Some of the houses were locked, but the majority were
so that we could easily enter and some of the owners soon returned, so
we enjoyed a bountiful repast that was intended for the northern
soldiers. After the victory at Stone Bridge and the capture of the
artillery at Cub Run Bridge, as they were retreating, the enemy rushed
on to Washington panic-stricken. Had we realized the condition of the
enemy then, as we afterward knew it to be, we could have pursued them
and easily captured them, but we didn’t know the conditions.
We remained at Centerville until about 4 o’clock, when we began our
march to Fairfax C. H., arriving there about night. The next morning we
sent out scouting parties and videttes on all the roads and marched on
to Falls Church and put out our pickets, some of them nearly in sight of
Washington. We remained here several weeks and enjoyed the fruit of a
300 acre peach orchard. Finally a division of infantry was sent to Mason
Heights, which they captured without any great loss, and a few days
later Munston’s Heights were taken in the same way. From the Heights the
city of Washington could be seen, but the distance was too great for any
bombardment. We moved camp about this time and when we got to our new
camp a terrible rain and wind storm came up. It was a regular equinoxial
storm. We hurriedly put up our tents and our Orderly Serg. cautioned us
to tie our horses well as it was so stormy. He cautioned Marcus Ammen
especially as he had an old horse called “Roachback” that was in the
habit of breaking loose and rooting around the tents to hunt for corn.
William Harvey, Henry Payne and McCaga Pitzer couldn’t sleep, as the
wind was blowing so dreadfully, so they got out and built a fire and
cursed everything and everybody from Jeff. Davis down to Buckie Brugh,
one of our company. Kent Stoner was sleeping with me and I told him I’d
give him my room and go out and help the boys celebrate around the fire.
I reminded Kent of Basil Underwood’s sentence to death at the “Ringing
of the Curfew,” and how his sweetheart said the “Curfew shall not ring
tonight,” and that my motto for the present was that “Roachback must get
loose tonight.” I went and untied Roachback and led him up to Albert
Pitzer’s tent. The horse soon began rooting for the corn and the orderly
went out and soon recognized the horse as Mr. Ammen’s. He led the horse
down and hallowed: “Marcus! Marcus! Mr. Ammen! Mr. Ammen!” And Marcus
yelled back “hello!” Then he said “here is your horse that has gotten
loose. You must not tie him well. Come and I’ll show you how.” He did,
and they both went back to bed.
In a short time I led him up again and he began his search for the corn.
Pitzer rushed out and called Marcus again and Marcus said “well d—— that
horse.”
He tied him again and I went then and talked to that cursing crowd at
the fire and when Marcus and Pitzer got quiet, I led Roach-back up for
the third time. Pitzer came out yelling to Marcus that he must keep that
horse tied. Then Marcus said curse words thick and fast. I thought I’d
had enough fun out of the boys for that night so didn’t untie the horse
any more.
Pitzer was always telling us to fall into line quickly, so the boys
nicknamed him “Quickly.” Marcus was very quiet for awhile and presently
he broke the silence by saying: “D—— old Quickly! If he fools with me
any more, I’ll thrash him.” I was afraid to go back into the tents for
fear the boys would suspect me of the mischief, so I slept in Capt.
Pitzer’s headquarter wagon. It was midnight by the time Roach-back got
settled and the boys never knew until I told them, about six months
later, that I had caused the fun and trouble that stormy night.
The enemy then began fortifying Arlington Heights and bringing in troops
to hold their position, our men began falling back toward Centerville,
but keeping our pickets out about twenty miles toward Washington.
About October 1st the northerners began driving in our pickets, and Col.
Kershaw, thinking it was a regular advance of the enemy sent me with a
dispatch to Gen. Bornem at Fairfax C. H., and he brought four regiments
and the Washington artillery to reinforce us. The only man I’ve ever had
the pleasure of meeting since the war that was with this Washington
artillery, from La., was B. T. Walshe, Sr., who still lives in La., but
spends a part of his time in Va. with his son.
The enemy did not advance further so the troops just remained together
over night. The next morning Gen. Bornem sent an infantry skirmish line
out to go to the Heights, near Lunenburg, and try and ascertain the
position of the enemy. As I had been a courier for Gen. Bornem several
times I got permission to go with the skirmishers and left my horse at
his headquarters. The men who had been killed the evening before, when
the enemy was driving our pickets, had all been taken away during the
night, as we found none of them, but several overcoats were found.
Kershaw’s men had seen the dead men the evening before, lying on the
fields, but none of our men were killed, as they were considerably above
us and were overshooting us all the time. We went as far as Lunenburg
Heights and saw no troops ahead of us, so we returned to Bornem’s
headquarters and Bornem ordered his brigade back to Fairfax C. H., and
left Col. Bacon’s regiment, as picket. In three days I returned to
Fairfax also and joined my regiment.
All was quiet for a few days, when a similar raid was made and we were
called out at 7 o’clock p. m. and we tore down our tents and loaded the
wagons and sent them back to Centerville. We were ordered to march about
six miles to a little place called Langley. Here we drew up in line of
battle, every man holding his horse, expecting an attack any moment and
remained there until day break. After day break scouting parties were
sent out in every direction, but no sign of the enemy could be seen.
Bornem returned to Fairfax camp ground again. Co. C. was sent to the
Difficult Run Turnpike and we began leaving sentiment’s on every road
leading into this Turnpike, from the north. I was left 20 miles out from
Langley, just after dark. One other man from our Co. was left at the
next road above me, and from there pickets from another regiment guarded
the roads nearly to Leesburg.
In a short time after we were stationed a terrible thunder-storm came up
and my horse became so unruly that I could hardly control him at all. I
soon saw by the lightning that there was a man sitting at the foot of
the tree under which my horse was standing. I looked closely when the
next flash of lightning came and recognized him, as a man by the name of
Underwood who had been our pilot on one of our scouting expeditions. I
spoke to him and told him who I was and when and where I had seen him,
so he had me to search him to see that he had no arms, thinking he said,
that I might think him a fake and shoot him.
We enjoyed each others company all night, and next morning he went to a
house nearby and got breakfast for me, also dinner and supper for me and
my horse. He certainly proved a friend in need. I was relieved at about
5 o’clock that eve to return to camp 20 miles distant. I soon reached
camp, as the horse was tired standing so long, and I got a good rest
that night. This I enjoyed you know as I had marched all night and all
day and then been put on picket duty for 24 hours, where no one dared to
sleep.
I was quiet and had an easy time, for a soldier, until my next turn for
picket duty, which was about a week. Ten or twelve of us, commanded by
Serg. Brugh, were sent out to a place called Hunter’s Mill and stationed
on different roads, but only had to serve four hours until relieved.
At one o’clock the next day one of our men went out in search of food
for his horse and he had just bought a new hat the day before and when
he passed my post, I told him it was dangerous to go out beyond the
picket post. But he said he was going, so I told him I hoped the Yankees
would get him and his new hat too. He hadn’t been gone long until I
heard the firing of 30 or 40 guns. I, of course, looked immediately in
the direction of the firing and here came the trooper, like a winged
animal, without a bridle for his horse or that new hat. I could see that
the Penn. Bucktails were pursuing him, so I notified Serg. Brugh and he
sent me to meet Capt. Whitehead to prepare him for a line of battle, but
by the time Capt. got to Serg. Brugh, we could see the line of the enemy
extended out of sight to right and left. So we were ordered by Capt.
Whitehead to retreat, which we did hastily but not until one of Capt.
Whitehead’s men had been killed.
The line of the enemy, we afterward found, extended up to where our next
picket stood. William Marks of our Co. was wounded.
This occurred in Fairfax county, and as winter was coming on and we had
a great many horses, Gen. J. E. B. Stewart made a raid into Loudon
County to find provender for the horses. He took four or five hundred
wagons, two brigades of infantry, one of cavalry and a battery of
artillery, commanded by Capt. Cults of La. When we made our way as far
as Drinsville, we encountered Gen. McCall, of the northern army with a
wagon train and about as many soldiers as Stewart had with him making
his way into the same county and for the same purpose we were.
Our pickets reported the enemy advancing and Stewart immediately put
Capt. Cults’ artillery in position, in a narrow road among heavy pines.
The enemy also put their artillery in position near the Thornton house
on the main road from Falls Church to Leesburg.
The enemy opened on us with five pieces of artillery and damaged our
artillery so much, as we were so hampered only one gun could be used at
a time, that Capt. Cults was forced to retreat from his position very
soon.
Then the 11th Va. infantry was ordered to the front to drive the enemy’s
artillery back, but were unable to do it. The 11th Va. lost several men,
one of whom, I remember, was Melvin Gibbs. Both armies remained in
position until night fall and were more than glad to get back to
quarters with our provender. Neither claimed to have conquered or to
have been conquered.
The next day I got permission to ride over the battlefield which was my
custom. After viewing the battlefield from “Dan to Beersheba” and was
returning, I saw a lady beckoning to me from her home. I went to her
yard fence and she told me there was a soldier there who was
intoxicated. I dismounted and went in and to my great surprise, found it
to be a man of our regiment, from Co. I, of Campbell county, by the name
of Johnnie Wooten, (the man who sat back in his whiskers, the boys
called him.) I insisted on his going to the camp with me, which he
finally agreed to do. The Capt. sent him to the guard house and the
officer of the guard made him walk for two hours with the sentinel, as
his punishment.
I had received a box from home that day, which was enjoyed heartily by
all soldiers you know. After partaking of its contents I was in the best
of spirits. Any child could have played with me then. I thought of poor
Johnnie Wooten on his two hours tramp and went out to share some of my
provision with him. I found him still paying his penalty and gave him a
ration. I agreed to walk in his place while he would go a few steps
inside the encampment to eat his supper. At this interval, the guard
sent the chaplain out to reprimand and advise Johnnie how to conduct
himself in the future. When he came up the sentinel halted him. The
chaplain remarked that he wanted to talk to Johnnie and as I was acting
for Johnnie at that moment, I got the whole reproof and lecture.
After we three walked together about ten minutes, the chaplain asked me
if I wouldn’t promise to do better in the future. And with my
handkerchief over my face all the time, to keep him from recognizing me,
I promised faithfully to try. The chaplain went back very much gratified
to know that Johnnie had repented so earnestly.
As Johnnie, in reality, failed to get this reprimand, as soon as he was
released, went in search of his horse which had strayed over to Co. C’s
picket rope. He was so provoked, he cut the picket rope, which was
against the rules, of course, and was immediately sent back to the guard
house.
We were next ordered to prepare winter quarters near Stone Bridge. About
this time I was sick and was sent to the hospital near Centerville.
After recovering I came back to the camp, having been absent about a
month.
As it was near Xmas, now, W. S. Hines, one of our Co., had engaged eggs
and cream for making “egg-nogg.” My horse, the “Flying Artillery,” was
very restless, pawing continually, and I remarked that I wished I had a
long ride to take on him and could give him the exercise he needed.
Hines told me I could ride for the cream and eggs. He went to his tent
and brought canteens enough to hold about a gallon and a half. I started
off and when I got to the house, the lady remarked, as I gave her the
canteens, that “the man must expect to fatten his sick man.” I told her
I expected he had several sick men he wanted to give cream to, never
hinting at “egg-nogg,” you may know. I soon got back to camp and as the
ground was covered with snow, my horse slipped right in a hole made by
the picket rope post and turned a complete somersault, falling right on
top of me. I whistled to the horse and he sprang up at once. I thought I
was smashed up right this time and would certainly get a furlough to go
home. My brother-in-law and a neighbor, A. A. Woodson, had come down to
take me home from the hospital, but before they arrived I was back on
duty. They were still in camp with us when this occurred and my first
thought was whether I’d be able to go home. I first tried to move my
right arm and it worked alright, then my left and it responded also.
Then I tried both legs, thinking some of the limbs were sure to fail to
work, but to my utter astonishment, I wasn’t hurt at all, only stunned.
My first remark was that any big headed soldier that wouldn’t get hurt
by such a fall as that ought never to get a furlough.
When I got into camp and told the joke on myself the boys enjoyed it
hugely.
The winter quarters were completed by this time, so we broke camp and
occupied them. While we were expecting to enjoy the winter quarters,
unlike Geo. Washington’s men at Valley Forge, as there was plenty of
every thing to live upon and we were all well clothed, we received
orders for half of the regiment and Col. Radford to move on to Leesburg.
Five of the higglers from our mess were ordered out, so it only left
John K. Young, Lewis Young and myself. The regimental quarter master,
wagon-master and several other men offered to furnish the rations and
pay the three left in our mess to cook for them. My job was to notify
them when meals were ready and as these men had control of the rations
they also had control of the whiskey.
When I went for them the first time they drew the bottle for a social
drink, all around. Pharoah’s dream occurred to me that moment, how seven
years of plenty must provide for seven years of famine. So while I had
that bottle at hand I thought I’d just keep it for a time of need. I
accordingly slipped it into my coat pocket, unnoticed by the other men.
Every time I went for the men, I played the same prank on their whiskey,
as I knew the whiskey was to be blockaded soon and we would need it for
the boys when they were sick. After three or four days some of them said
to me that some body was taking their whiskey while they were gone to
their meals and I told them I was next to a detective to find such
fellows and I’d soon locate him for them.
Col. Munford’s tent was next to these fellows and he had a cook, hostler
and man servant. This servant was a boy of about sixteen, by the name of
Billy. They all called him the Col’s cup-bearer. Well if ever there was
a black boy he was the one; so black until he was blue, and charcoal was
ashamed of itself by the side of him.
It just occurred to me how funny it would be to put the blame of whiskey
stealing on Billy, as I knew the Col. would take care of him. On my next
arrival they told me I was right, they could tell that very nigger had
gotten their whiskey. I continued like Joseph to lay up for the whiskey
famine until the blockade occurred. After I’d gotten all they had and
they couldn’t treat me any more I began treating them. There was a
moonshiner a couple of miles from camp and a man was going there to get
whiskey, so I gave him $5.00 to get a canteen filled for the quarter
masters, fearing theirs would run out before the blockade was raised,
and the man came back saying he couldn’t get it for less than $10.00 a
canteen. I told him he was crazy, that I’d bet I could get a canteen
full for nothing and one full of butter milk besides. He said I was a
fool and he’d bet me $100. I couldn’t do it. I took the bet and we
staked the money.
I had two Yankee canteens exactly alike and I filled one with water and
put a little whiskey on top, as you know they won’t unite. We both then
went to the moonshiner and I gave him the counter-sign. He knew by this
that I wasn’t going to betray him. I gave him the empty canteen and he
went into the cellar and filled it. When he came out and gave it to me,
I put it in my saddle pockets and gave him $5.00. He held up his ten
fingers, signifying that I must give him more. I told him I was buying
it for a Co. and they wouldn’t hear to such figures as that, and I’d
just have to give him his whiskey back until I could see the men, but
gave him my canteen of water with a little bit of whiskey on top instead
of the canteen of whiskey. He gave me my $5.00 and took the canteen and
emptied it into his barrel. I asked him to tell his wife to please fill
the canteen with butter milk, if she could spare it, which she did, so I
got my whiskey and butter milk, for which he’d accept no pay, and I won
my $100. Of course the moonshiner lost nothing, but some fellow bought
water in his whiskey after that. I wouldn’t take the $100. I had won,
but we all enjoyed the joke.
Soldiers have to resort to many jokes and pranks, to keep up spirits,
that they would never think of in private life.
We each took our turn picketing around Drainsville, a small town on the
Loudon and Leesburg Turnpike. We made many friends in this section
finding relatives of some of our county people. A whole company was sent
out on picket for a three days period and we were given money to buy our
ration while out, so we rather enjoyed the outing.
It was a hard winter, but the 8th of March soon rolled around and we
were ordered to vacate winter quarters and go to Richmond. The whole
army did not go as Ewell was ordered to Washington Junction and half of
the 2nd Va. Cavalry was sent to keep up a vidette line from Manassas
Junction to Strasburg.
Company C. was among the ones sent and our first order was to burn all
the commissaries at Manassas Junction. Then the next was at Haymarket.
The next burned supplies at Thoroughfare Gap. At this point a great many
hogs were driven every year and butchered and there was a large mill,
which had cost $2,000 and was being used as a packing house. The
citizens told us that 600,000 lbs of bacon was stored in the building.
We were ordered to burn this also, which we did and when the lard ran
out into the creek it chilled and formed a dam across Broad Run. There
was an acre lot about covered with barrels of flour at the point we had
been getting our supplies from, and as it was feared the Yankees would
get that also, we were ordered to knock the barrels to pieces and ride
over the flour to destroy it. I was bitterly opposed to all this
destruction but we had to carry out orders. We also had orders to blow
up the big stone bridge, around which the first battle of Manassas was
fought. It took 40 kegs of powder to destroy the bridge. It was
destroyed in order to prevent the enemy from following us, as it was the
main thoroughfare from Washington to the foot of the Blue Ridge.
We burned the depot also, destroying numbers of boxes sent to the
soldiers, from home. We opened the boxes and got out any money that was
in them, ate what we could of the provision, and took such clothing as
we needed. We advanced the money on to the boys. We had to burn Loudon
Station also, just on top of the Blue Ridge, and the last was at Front
Royal. The boxes at both of these stations were ordered to be opened
and, of course, we received some benefit from them but not near so much
as if the soldiers in camp could have received them.