Hampden Sydney College - Kaleidoscope Yearbook (Hampden Sydney, VA)

Page 33 text:

send part of them to protect his rear on Rich mountain. Colonel Pegram's regiment, and one other with a company of light artillery, Captain Raine's battery of Lynchburg, were at once ordered there. We camped in adeep valley at Rich mountain. As soon as we had selected a camping ground, we went to work at once to fortify. Trees were cut down and piled up in our front 5 the breastworks extended up the ridge on each side of the road that ran through the centre of the camp. We remained here only two or three weeks. Nothing ot importance occurred in camp. Our pickets reported they could hear the sound of axes just over the ridge and to the left of our camp. Sappers and miners were at work to turn our position. Early in the morning our pickets were driven in. The enemy had conveyed cannon up the steep, rocky clifis and with a large force held the top of tl1e mountain. Our company were posted behind headquarters. The remainder of our small force engaged the enemy for three or four hours. After losing our cannon and many of our men, and failing to dislodge them, the remnant retired and determined to escape and join General Garnett at Laurel Hill. General McClellan had made the attack simultaneously on General Garnett at Laurel Hill and Colonel Pegram at Rich mountain and with an overwhelming force. All communication between the two camps had been cut od' for a week or more. The two camps werenot over twenty miles apart, but the country between was very mountainous and rough and the only road was in the enemy's possession. The H. S. Boys remained in their position behind headquarters, and as the fighting was on the top of the mountain they did not get a shot. After 4' firing ceased, we waited in suspense until late in the night. No dinner or supper could be cooked, as Colonel Pegram had placed them there, and they could not leave until orders came from him, and he had not been heard from. Some men who were in the fight reported that his horse had been killed and that when last seen Colonel Pegram was fighting on foot, and hatlessy with his sword, broken in the fall from his horse, he was rallying the remnant of his force. It was eleven o' clock at night and there were no tidings as yet. Captain Atkinson and his of- ficers, with one or two officers of other companies, held a counsel and determined to try to escape out of the hands of the enemy, and to join General Garnett, who by that time had been driven out of Laurel Hill and was returning toward Cheat mountain. At twelve o' clock at night, when we were ready to move out over the trackless mountains, Colonel Pegram, nearer dead than alive, without hat or sword, covered wit-h dust, came into the tent and fell down totally exhausted. When he had been refreshed, he told the sad tale of disaster and that for hours he had been in the mountains, and had almost despaired, after so many fruitless efforts, of ever finding the camp. It was decided to leave camp at once. Colonel Pegram could not travel and seemed ill. The temperature of his body was high and indicated typhoid fever. He must not surrender and we could not leave him. As he was a small man, it was decided to carry the Little Corporal, 31

Page 32 text:

Dance's company, Ha11ove1', Va., a company from Fluvanna, one from Bucking- ham, and the H. S. Boys, and others whose naniesand numbers I forget. Orders came to join the command of General Garnett at Laurel Hill in Pen- -dleton county. Nothing of importance occurred on the march of over one hundred miles. We were all charmed with our gallant little Colonel On this long march we began to get a taste of the hardships ofa soldier's lite. Each night the camps were named,-soinetiuies for the girls we let't behind. VVIICII orders for the day were read by the orderly sergeant next morning, each heart recalled a different name, and all sang H Annie Laurie. At the loot ol Cheat mountain, on the Greenbrier river, we rested tbr the night at a farm house owned by a Mr. Heva-ner. It was an ideal place for rest and refreshment: a stream of clear water, a beautiful grove of sugar maples, large barns, and out- houses, and an abundance of good things t'or man and beast. He fed the regi- ment. Otwn in the days around Richmond, at the 4' Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, Cold Harbor-when these men had scattered and joined other com. mands-as we sat around the camp fires did our thoughts go back and conversa- tion turn to this camp on Greenbrier river. After climbing Cheat mountain, which was about seven miles as the road was graded, we passed the little village of McDowell on the other side. The next day we passed Beverly, and the next went into Camp at Laurel Hill and reported to General Garnett. His command was small-only a few thousand raw recruits. A few miles away, beyond the mountain ridges that enclosed Laurel Hill, on both sides of Tygart river the commands of General George B. McClellan, Rosecrans, and McCook were encamped. Here we had camp lite in earnest- guard mounting, picket duty, dress parade,'i and the usual routine ofa soldier's duties in the field. The officers occupied one tent a11d messed together. 'We became familiar with all the varied duties and became acquainted with the rfield officers. We all were ardent admirers of General Garnett, he was every inch a soldier, while the high moral tone of his character captured every heart. Whiskey had been flanked into camp against his express orders. He gave -orders to all his pickets to search every country wagon and every stranger enter- ing ramp, and allow no whiskey to enter. The writer was present with Lieuten- :ant Jackson in charge of the guard on a mountain road, when a wagon came up and was halted. The driver protested at being searched, said. he was delivering some oats, potatoes, etc., that had been ordered by officers in the camp. The wagon was loaded with sheaf oats and vegetables, underneath which we found a barrel of mountain dew whiskey. It was rolled out, and a courier sent to General Garnett tor instructions. His reply was, Spill it. We knocked out the bung and the clear liquid was drunk by the earth. As there was a road through the mountain gap, in the rear of General Garnett's camp, that crossed Rich mountain and afforded an entrance to Beverly and thence to Cheat mountain, he was forced to divide his small command and 30

Page 34 text:

as they delighted to call him. Accordingly, a blanket was secured, four stal- wart men--Wharey, Armist-cad, Marquis, and Gilmer--took hold, and the Little Corporal was carried over the rough mountains, through the laurel-brakes, wading Tygart's river, while he assisted the mountaineer guide with his compass. With relays of men we reached the road, and deposited ou1' loved commander on a grass plot. Captain Atkinson, I think, had command of this retreat. Oh, it was sad ! The calamity to our cause ! Nearly the first battle of the war lost-our hearts were almost breaking-and the news of General Garnett' s defeat and death, was brought to us from the neighborhood,--the first tidings we had received. Our guide lived near by. We went to his house, near Leadsville church, and there the men slept on the bare earth till daybreak. Those who were vigorous enough to be hungry kept the women cooking all night. Some Georgia men here left us to try to make their way backg some succeeded, many perished in the lnountains. Colonel Pegram could not be induced to go to rest in the houseg he slept in his tent with fever on him, at imminent peril of his life. Late in the night he sent to our tent for an officer, I was the only o11e awake and I went to his te11t. As well as I recall his words, he said, ff Lieutenant, I have had to rely 011 your company for special services, and they have never disappointed me. I have decided to surrender this command in the morning. I want you to take a fiag of truce to Beverly. I demurred, and told him we were planning to try and make our way back to Richmond, but if it was an order I would obey it. He said, 'f Send me one of your company. I went back and woke T. Walker Gilmer, a Seminary student Cthan whom no lovelier spirit adorned our causeb. The next morning he carried the flag of truce to Beverly. When we arrived there General McClellan sent for Captain Atkinson, gave us our quarters in the church :and the best fare. He permitted the officers to retain their side arms, gave us 'free access to the town, treated us like gentlemen, and convinced us that he was -one and intended to conduct his campaign on the highest plane of civilized -warfare. I would say of him as Hon. John W'. Daniel said of Hancock when 'nominating him for President: 'H Last to sheathe his stainless sword in battle, iirst to salute peace and constitutional liberty. Colonel Pegram was taken to Mrs. Arnold's house in Beverly. I saw the meeting in llly room there of these two captains-two old West Point friends- Colonel Pegram and General George B. McClellan. It was all that the most refined sensibility, the tenderest friendship and the loftiest patriotism would dictate. His after treatment of Colonel Pegram proved the sincerity of his friendship. All honor to such men! They have in their veins, as Henry W. Grady said of Lincoln, 4' the strains of the highest type of American citizen, the Puritan and the Cavalieri, Mrs. Arnold was a sister of Stonewall Jackson, her husband was a Union man, and the house was filled with Federal officers. Her husband refused to allow 32