The Falling Flag: Evacuation of Richmond, Retreat and Surrender at AppomattoxBoykin, Edward M.
History
The Falling Flag: Evacuation of Richmond, Retreat and Surrender at Appomattox
Boykin, Edward M.
Richmond (Va.) -- History -- Siege, 1864-1865
By some mistake of our guide we were carried to a point in the river
which was not practicable, at the then stage of the river, as a
ford--which we duly discovered after nearly drowning two or three men
and horses of the ambulance train, whom we found at the head of the
column when we reached the river, their usual place being in the
rear. The adjutant, finding them in front, asked them, "What the deuce
are you doing here--your place is in the rear?" "No, sir," said a
long-backed individual of the party, in a copper colored raiment, who
seemed to have been making a study of the rules and regulations as
applying to his own department. "Not so. In the rear, I grant you, in
the advance; in the front, if you please, in a retreat" "So be it,"
said I. "In with you;" and in they went, nothing loth. The river was
swimming and the horses swam badly, making plunges to reach the
opposite bank, which, when they gained, was steep and treacherous, and
it was only after repeated efforts, and their riders getting off into
the river, that they made a landing. It was apparent that this could
not be the point that General Lee had crossed his division. Some one
turned up who led us right. About a mile farther up we found the ford
that he had crossed at, and got over without difficulty or
molestation; it was scarcely swimming to the smallest horse, and
directly opposite lay all of the Virginia cavalry to cover our
crossing, if pressed, while it was going on. We were the first
regiment that crossed; found some stacks of oats; halted, formed in
squadrons, fed our horses, ate what we had to eat, rested, and, as
usual, made the best of it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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