CHAPTER LIII. PLENTY OF RAIN-MUD, MUD, MUD-FEEDING THE REBEL ARMY-OUR HOMEWARD MARCH BEGUN-GREAT RE JOICING AMONG THE COLORED POPULATION ARRIVAL AT BURKSVILLE STATION. Sunday evening it commenced to rain, and kept it up all the next day. In the meantime we do not forget our fallen enemy. At the time of their surrender they were very destitute of provisions, but thank God we have a surplus on hand, and all the past is now forgotten, and provisions. are hastened forward to their relief. Five hundred head of cattle are sent to them, with plenty of hard tack, coffee, sugar and all the necessaries to make them a few good square meals. The rain pours down in torrents, and we are almost to our knees in mud. If we have no more fighting to do we have the same hardships of a soldier to endure. We have a long road before us to Washington, and it must be all tramped over before our soldiering is ended. On Tuesday, April 11th we start on our backward march, and get to a small village by the name of New-Store, and bivouac for the night. Wednesday we start again, and march to Farmville, a distance of eighteen miles. During this day's march along the road, as we pass by, hundreds of colored people flock to the roadside, to cheer us on our homeward march. "God bless you, massa sojers," is heard on every side by the late slaves, for now they can rejoice to be free. Very touching scenes are witnessed, as old men and women fall on their knees and clasp their hands in prayer to the Almighty for their deliverence from their chains of slavery. Great tears roll down their sable cheeks, and the stoutest hearted soldier is filled with emotion. Surely if there was any good accomplished by our late war, it was the freeing of millions of poor human beings, and as for myself, I thank God for being an humble instrument in helping to make this great and glorious country free to · all. At Farmville we find the creeks and streams swollen to an enormous size by the late rains, and it is with difficulty we can cross, but after laying down our pontoons we get over all right, and start on our march for the Southside Railroad, to have an easy base of supplies. As we march back, thousands of our late adversaries march with us on their way home. Poor fellows, what will they find there? Only desolation, ruin and misery. But alas, it is the fate of cruel war. And now that all is ended let us try to build up that that has so long been destroyed, peace and happiness in our destracted country. After a tiresome march we arrive at Burksville station, on the Richmond and Danville Railroad. Here the sutlers reach us again, and we commence to live on the fat of the good things found in their tents, All feel tired however, and it will take a few days to recuperate. CHAPTER LIV. DEATH OF LINCOLN-THE FEELING IN THE ARMY-SURREN- SUMED SCENES AND INCIDENTS-AR- Amid the rejoicing of the whole country at the downfall of the rebellion, the sad news is flashed over the wires that our beloved President, Abraham Lincoln, has been murdered by a foul assassin, and at a time, too, when all his hopes and wishes had been realized, the end of treason. I shall not attempt to tell how the news was received in the North, but I can tell a little of the feeling the sad event created in the army. Who could have told that amidst the great rejoicing, from the length and breadth of our loyal North, that the rejoicing would be turned into the deepest mourning, and that, too, by the loss of the nation's greatest son. The feeling in the army was intense, for all felt that we had lost our best friend, and at a time, too, when his magnanimity would shine forth in all its benevolence. If the foul assassin could only be brought to the army he would be made to suffer more than a thousand deaths, could he die so many times, for depriving us of more than a father. But alas, the monster Secession had to crown all of its miseries by this most diabolical act. But after all the nation has one consolation, that Abraham Lincoln had lived to see the day when peace dawned upon his distracted country, and that it was safe as a Union of all the States, and that the question of disunion was forever settled before he was called to receive the reward that is meted out by the just Judge to all those that doeth his will. Peaceful be thy rest, Father Abraham; you will be kept fresh in the memories of all true American citizens, as the great martyr of our country's freedom. At this time of great mourning we receive the news that Johnson's army has surrendered to Sherman on the same terms that Lee's army surrendered to our own. Now the war is virtually at an end, and of course our work is done. We are waiting patiently for the order to come to resume our homeward march, but do not wait long, for on the 1st of May the order comes to pack up and be ready to march, which we do with a will. But before we start we get the news that the villainous assassin had been killed, and every one thinks that he received too honorable a death, as he was killed by a shot fired at him while brought to bay in an old barn in the vicinity of Front Royal, Virginia, by a soidier named Boston Corbet. But he is dead, and while his victim will be held with feelings of admiration by his fellow countrymen, the name of J. Wilkes Booth will go down to posterity with the utmost loathing and contempt. About the 1st of lovely May we resume our homeward march. The weather is beautiful and all nature is in it's grandest glory and seems to smile upon us. I am sure my late comrades will agree that we never enjoyed a march better than those of the few first days from Burkesville Station. Step is taken to the tune of the song "When Johuny comes marching home again," and all join in the chorus with a will, for the song is a very appropriate one on the present marches, and all feel happy to think they can go home again. After a nice march of about ten miles we camp for the night. Next morning, the 3rd, we resume our march and make a mile post on the railroad marked "33 miles from Richmond" and halt for dinner. After resting about one hour and a half we marched to Appomattox River, where we bivouac for the night. The same ovation is shown us. by the colored people along our line of march. All treat us with the utmost kindness, while the white people keep rather shy of us. We cannot blame them much and we pity them now, and pass by in silence, wanting to get away from them as fast as we can, and leave them to re-build that which they have destroyed. On the 4th we resume our march and at night camp about nine miles from Richmond. On the 5th we have an easy march and camp inside the late Rebel works at Manchester, on the south side of James River. We have a beautiful view of Richmond. Manchester is a very dilapitated old town, and the people look something like the place. Feeling tired we lie down to sleep and rest our weary limbs and be ready to march through Richmond the next day. We will march triumphantly through the late Rebel stronghold in the next chapter. CHAPTER LV. MARCHING THROUGH RICHMOND-A PASSING NOTICE OF THE CITY SCENES AND INCIDENTS-LIBBY PRISON-THE TOBACCO WAREHOUSE-SOUTHERN HELLS—A BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY MORNING-THROUGH HANOVER C. H.-THE BIVOUAC. We hear On the 6th of May we are ready to march. the music from scores of bands float in the air, and all is bustle and commotion. Forward is the order and we file out of our camp and march through Manchester. We unfurl our tattered flags and carry them in triumph through the city that caused their war-worn looks. We are all proud of our old flags and it is hoped they will be cherished with the greatest veneration not only by those that have cause to love every star and stripe that hangs together, but all who love and honor the beautiful emblem of our Free Government. |