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way and the work of plundering began. A major from Lynchburg attempted to stop it, but he was soon glad to be able to retreat. Soon wagons, carts, wheelbarrows and every other conceivable means of removing the coveted supplies were pressed into service; women and children staggered under loads impossible under other circumstances for them to carry. But this scene was speedily put to an end in an unexpected and fatal manner. Near two of the largest warehouses the Confederate Ordnance Department had stored a large amount of loaded shells and a large amount of powder.

As I stated before, a large number of stragglers were in town, and we had been asked to send them as far as possible in the direction of Greensboro'. The train was partially loaded, and nearly ready to start. They had broken into the powder house, and many of them were carrying off quantities of it-others still lingered around. Many of the town boys, both white and black, were securing their share of the ammunition. Suddenly a deafening sound was heard, shells flew through the air, and bodies of men and boys, and fragments of limbs were scattered in all directions. I was standing about 300 yards from the wreck of the building, when a piece of shell weighing six pounds, passed between the superintendent and myself, Had it deviated twelve inches either way, one of us would have been killed. The wreck took fire. This heated the shells, and for six hours the bombardment, as it were, continued. The stragglers and women did not grasp the situation, and the cry was raised: "The Yankees are firing into us," and within thirty minutes not a straggler could be found in Danville. Many had dropped their plunder in the hurried flight, thinking only to get out of the way of the supSoon we went to the scene of slaughter to assist any The first we met was a well known citizen of Danville. In his arms he bore the mangled remains of his only son, a bright lad of fourteen, whom I had talked to not an hour before. We had two colored boys, twins, about fourteen years old, both bright youngsters, and liked by all. We found Tom fatally injured. We raised him tenderly to take him to the hospital near by. He said: "Jim is there." We found his remains, but he was spared the agony Tom had to endure before death relieved him. The explosion was caused by a soldier dropping a match, and fifty lives were sacrificed through that carelessness.

posed Yankees.

needy survivor.

Most of our trainmen and engineers had lived in Richmond, their families were there, they had not been able to move them the day of the evacuation; the men had been gradually leaving us, and all

belonging in Richmond were soon en route, walking the long, dreary 140 miles to try and find their loved ones.

A couple of days after the evacuation of Richmond the bridge over the Staunton river had been burned. We maintained train service between Danville and this point for several days after the surrender of Lee's army, bringing in the men as fast as they came there, wending their way to their, in many cases, desolate homes in the far South.

Soon we were advised that a corps of the Yankee army was approaching on the north bank of the river; that they were arranging to rebuild the bridge, and were crossing the river on a pontoon, en route for Danville, and to operate against Johnston's army. The superintendent ordered the trains withdrawn, and I was instructed to take all of the rolling stock of the 4-feet 81⁄2-inch gauge, go to Greensboro, report to General Johnston, and follow the fortunes of that army.

PEACE NEGOTIATIONS.

Peace negotiations were in progress between Johnston and Sherman. I was advised the evening previous that the surrender would be officially announced in the morning. Calling all of our men together, the information was given them, and I was unanimously asked to take them all back to Danville at once. Engines were gotten ready, and sitting on the pilot night, I had my first sight of the Corps, encamped around Danville. lines, and an officer was interviewed. and that our desire was to get into the Danville yard, and go to our homes. Permission was given to proceed, and we were soon back in our old quarters.

of the leading one, soon after camp-fires of the Fifth Army Soon we stopped at the picket He was told all that we knew,

The flag we loved was furled, the cause we had served had failed, and two years' hard work was at an end. We knew not where we would turn on the morrow, or what would be our future. We all sought rest, to be aroused at the break of day by an aide of General Wright, the Federal commander, with a request from the general to report to his quartermaster. Well do I remember our first meeting with Major Wright, the quartermaster of the 5th Army Corps. Numerous questions were put and answered in regard to the Richmond and Danville and Piedmont roads and its rolling stock, and we were astonished to be asked to gather our men and open up communications between Burkeville and Danville and Greensboro', for

the purpose of handling supplies for the Federal army at Greensboro' and Danville, and other purposes. We were told to take our own men to man the trains and engines, and none of the men who worked for Major Wright in the operations of those roads for the succeeding ninety days will ever forget the uniform kindness of himself and his assistants. When the corps was ordered to the frontiers of Texas, in anticipation of trouble with the French in Mexico, the writer and many of his assistants were urged to go with them. We wanted rest, many of us had families in the South that we had not seen for months, and in the latter part of July we disbanded, as it were, and to-day we are like the survivors in gray-scattered.

Two of the engineers who did faithful service to the Confederacy, and one or more of the conductors who served with me in those trying days, are now trusted employees of the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway. We are two small a body to think of reunions. We sometimes meet, not as "ships that pass in the night,' but on the car or around the engine of to-day, and discuss those old days of the past—the days that the average railroad man of to-day knows so little about or can comprehend how armies were moved and provisioned by the Southern roads, and how trains were run. We are, like the survivors, fast passing away, and will soon be known no more.

COLONEL J. H. AVERILL.

[From the Richmond (Va.) Dispatch, Sept. 18, 1897.]

SUSSEX LIGHT DRAGOONS.

A ROLL OF THIS GALLANT ORGANIZATION.

Something of Its History.

The following is the original roll of the Sussex Light Dragoons: Captain, Benjamin W. Belshes; First Lieutenant, George H. Dillard; Second Lieutenant, William W. Blow; Junior Second Lieutenant, P. S. Parker; First Sergeant, H. Q. Moyler; Second Sergeant, Thomas A. Dillard; Third Sergeant, E. T. Thornton; Fourth Sergeant, William L. Adkins; Corporals, T. L. Johnson, F. L. Vellines, James E. Barker, Joseph H. Chappel; Privates, A. P. Adkins, J. D. Adkins, B. R. Birdsong, A. S. Birdsong, Henry Birdsong, Jr., J.

A. Bishop, J. L. Chappell, E. T. Chappell, R. A. Cocke, T. E. Dillard, R. L. Dobie, J. J. Dillard, W. H. Dillard, E. M. Ellis, A. H. Ellis, W. H. Gwaltney, B. F. Harrison, R. K. Harrison, T. J. Harrison, James H. Harrison, J. W. Harrison, B. L. Hargrave, L. D. Holt, James R. Jones, L. E. Jordan, William E. Lamb, J. W. T. Lee, Samuel Little, Jesse Little, William H. Marable, J. R. Moore, John R. Morris, J. R. Parham, Nathaniel Rains, Jr., B. F. Rains, George S. Rives, George E. Rives, W. B. Scott, J. L. White, R. W. White, John R. West, A. C. Winston, W. W. Woodson.

These marched into Suffolk on twenty-four hours' notice, and were there mustered into the State service, April 22, 1861. The following recruits joined the company before its reorganization for the

war:

Samuel J. Birdsong, P. H. Thorp, A. T. Dobie, R. H. Holloman, Joseph H. Dobie, R. P. Bendall, A. F. Harrison, A. M. Adkins, R. R. Bain, O. H. Baird, George H. Bailey, A. Briggs, J. W. Cocks, R. M. Dobie, S. T. Drewry, F. J. Ellis, N. B. Ellis, Theodore A. Field, Waverly Fitzhugh, George W. Gilliam, R. J. Gwaltney, S. G. Harrison, Triz. Harrison, R. T. Harrison, James B. Harvel, R. A. Horn, William F. Hansberger, Hathway,

J. H. Jones, H. B. Kelly, J. M. H. Marable, J. T. R. Moore, John T. Morris, J. E. Moyler, Thomas S. Morgan, William E. Norris, William E. Newsome, F. D. Neblett, A. B. Parker, Joseph S. Parker, Joseph W. Parker,. Richard Parker, John Pressom,

Thoroughgood, A. D. White, R. G. West,

ward, H. B. Walker, George B. Walker, P. F. Weaver.

Wood

The roll of this company, with a brief history appended, has recently been sent in to the Adjutant-General's office for preservation as State records. From this record the following is copied:

"The above Company H,' 13th Virginia Cavalry, was originally organized in January, 1861, as The Sussex Light Dragoons,' Captain Belshes commanding, at Waverly, Sussex county, Va. The services of this company were tendered by one of its officers to Major-General Taliaferro, of the Virginia militia, April 19, 1861, he having just taken charge at Norfolk. On April 21st the company marched to Suffolk, and was there (April 22d) mustered into the State service for twelve months by Brigadier-General Shands, of the Virginia militia, and reported for duty the same day at Norfolk. At the expiration of its term of enlistment (twelve months) the company was reorganized for the war with largely increased numbers

Sussex Light Dragoons.

275

W. N. Blow, Captain-at Currituck Courthouse, N. C., where it was then stationed.

"At the evacuation of Norfolk this company brought up the rear of General Huger's command, and was the last company to march out of Norfolk, as it had been the first to march in.

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"At the organization of the Confederate States Cavalry under Major-General Stuart, June, 1862, this company was assigned as Company 'M' to the First Virginia Cavalry, Colonel Fitz Lee commanding, and was soon after transferred to the Fifth Regiment, Colonel Rosser commanding. After the battle of Malvern Hill this company was ordered to Petersburg, and there became Company 'H,' Thirteenth Virginia Cavalry, as part of this newly organized regiment under Colonel Chambliss. The regiment was made up of two companies from Petersburg and two from each of the neighboring counties-Prince George, Sussex, Nansemond and Southampton. "Under the head of Remarks,' the history of the company is outlined. The names of 178 men appear on the roll. Fifty-one were killed and wounded. Of these, twenty-one were killed on the battle-field, or died in hospital; sixteen were discharged, being disabled by wounds, and fourteen returned to duty. Thirteen men were captured and released from prison at the surrender; twenty-one were discharged, or did not re-enlist at the reorganization of the company; nine were transferred to Company 'K,' of the Thirteenth, at the reorganization of the regiment; twelve men were promoted and commissioned in the regiment and other branches of the service; twelve others had permanent details. Fifty-seven men laid down their arms at Appomattox Courthouse.

"The company always having more than the legal number on its roll, could only enlist non-conscripts-viz: boys under 18 years of age; hence the average age was under twenty years in 1863-'64. No substitutes were accepted.

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