On 12 April we reached Raleigh. I recall how we marched through
Raleigh past the old Governor’s Mansion on Fayetteville street,
facing the Capitol, then up Fayetteville street and west by
Hillsboro street past St. Mary’s young ladies school in a beautiful
grove on the right. How the servants stood at the fence with
supplies of water for us to drink! How the fair girls trooped
down to see us pass! How one tall, beautiful damsel exclaimed:
“Why, girls, these are all _young men_,” and how one of our saucy
Sergeants replied: “Yes, ladies, and we are all looking for wives!”
It was in Raleigh that we heard the heartrending rumor of General
Lee’s surrender.
Our line of march was through Chapel Hill. The University at that
place was deserted and many refugees from the lower counties were
again preparing to fly. After leaving Chapel Hill we camped on
the Regulators’ Battleground, thence our line of march was on the
Salisbury and Hillsboro road, over which 200 years before the
Catawba Indians passed in their visits to the Tuscaroras in the
East. Governor Tryon and later Lord Cornwallis had led their troops
over this historic way in the vain endeavor to subdue the men whose
sons now trod, footsore and weary, over the same old red hills,
engaged in a like struggle for local self government.
When we reached Haw river on Saturday, 15 April, we found the
steam rising rapidly. In crossing the river, several of our boys
were drowned by leaving the ford to reach some fish traps a short
distance below and being caught by the swift current and swept
down into the deep water. On reaching Alamance creek we had a novel
experience. On account of heavy rains the stream was much swollen
and the current very strong. General Cheatham’s command was moving
in front of General Hoke’s Division and on attempting to ford the
stream several men were swept down by the current, whereupon the
others absolutely refused to move. This halted the entire column,
and as the enemy’s cavalry were closely pressing our rear, the
situation was becoming critical. General Cheatham rode to the
front and learning the cause of the halt, ordered the men to go
forward, but, emphasizing their determination with some pretty
lively swearing, they doggedly refused to move, whereupon General
Cheatham seized the nearest man and into the stream they went.
After floundering in the water awhile, he came out, after repeating
the process for a few times, they raised a shout and proceeded to
cross. Three wagons, two with guns and one with bacon, capsized
and were swept down the river. Some lively diving for the bacon
followed, but I guess the guns are still rusting in the bottom of
the creek. I am sure none of them were disturbed on that occasion.
In the midst of the peril of the crossing of the river,
Lieutenant-Colonel French realizing the danger to which the smaller
boys were exposed, jumped from his horse, and stationing himself
in mid-stream just below the line of march, rescued several of
the brave lads from inevitable death. Standing there, watching
his chance to save life, he was every inch the faithful officer
and brave soldier, and no wonder the boys loved him. Within the
last twelve months he, too, has crossed over the river and is now
resting under the shade of the trees. Farewell my dear old comrade!
We reached Red Cross, twenty miles south of Greensboro, late on 16
April. Here we stayed until the following Easter Sunday morning.
On Saturday afternoon, a bright boy from Cleveland County, named
Froneberger, was killed in camp by lightning within ten steps of
regimental headquarters. His death was instantaneous. The next
morning, 17 April, after a scanty breakfast we made ready as usual
to resume the march, but received no orders. We waited till noon,
then all the afternoon, then till night, and still no orders. The
next morning we heard that General Johnston had surrendered.
We camped at Red Cross for a few days. Meanwhile it became known
that we had not surrendered; but that Johnston and Sherman had
undertaken to make terms for the surrender of all the then existing
armies of the Confederacy and for the recognition of our state
governments--one of the decent acts of Sherman’s life. But it came
to naught by reason of its disapproval in Washington. The armistice
which had been entered into for this purpose was terminated, and
the toilsome, weary, hopeless march was resumed, but we all knew
that the war was over.
It was at this time that a quantity of silver coin, in Greensboro,
belonging to the Confederate Government was seized by General
Johnston and distributed among his officers and men--each receiving
one dollar and twenty-five cents without regard to rank. The writer
has in his possession the identical Mexican milled silver dollar
which came to him on this occasion. On one side of it has since
been engraved “Bounty to John W. Hinsdale for four years’ faithful
service in the Confederate Army.” One hundred times its weight in
gold would not purchase this old piece of silver, associated as it
is with loving thoughts of comrades and heart-breaking memories of
surrender.
The regiment marched about eight miles to Old Center Meeting House,
in Randolph County, staying here about three days and then we moved
by way of Coleraine’s Mills to Bush Hill (now Archdale), and came
to a halt one mile from old Trinity College.