470 NortH Caronina Troops, 1861-65.

along the line to our left in front of the long-besieged city of
Petersburg.

THE RETREAT TO APPOMATTOX.

Early on Sunday morning, 2 April, 1865, came the intel-
ligence of the evacuation of Petersburg, with orders for us
to take up our line of retreat by the Southside Railroad. The
enemy not following us closely on this road, we moved along
quietly until near night, when reaching a point near Namo-
zine church we found a line of our cavalry skirmishers which
had preceded us engaged with the enemy’s cavalry, which
after a brisk fire, retired and the shades of night ended what
seemed to threaten a fierce conflict. Soon next morning the
rear of the Confederate forces made a crossing of Namozine
ereek. Roberts’ Brigade and a Virginia regiment were left
to guard the ford and bring up the rear.

Not long thereafter it was ascertained that the enemy’s
cavalry had turned our position and made a crossing of the
narrow stream at another point, causing great disorder and a
threatened panic. It was then by marked gallantry and ob-
stinate courage eminently displayed by General Roberts with
other officers and men of this command, that the on-coming

rush of Sheridan’s troopers was averted, giving time to rally,

the disorganized men and stop what gave indication of a gen-
eral stampede.

Following along in rear of our retreating army, on reach-
ing Amelia Court House we found a detachment of some reg-
iment of Virginia cavalry in a sharp skirmish battle with the
enemy, and in this engagement the Fifty-ninth gave efficient
aid in stopping Sheridan’s advance until the coming up of
Longstreet’s Corps. From this place we move along from
day to day passing High Bridge, Farmville and many
other points marked by skirmish battles, frequently under ar-
tillery fire, and enduring the most severe fatigue and hard-
ship. Captain Garnett, a gallant officer of the brigade staff,
referring to this period, writes: “TI will not now attempt to
depict the severe toils and privations to which we had been
exposed for ten days. Night brought no relief from the

Firry-Ninto REGIMENT. 471

fatigue of the day and the result was the sure wasting away
of the energies of both men and horses.”

On Saturday, 8 April, our march was almost unmolested
and it was the most quiet day of this memorable retreat, and
at nightfall we halted and went into camp about six miles
from Appomattox Court House. From here the writer with
a detachment of his regiment, was sent to the home of Hon.
Thos. S. Bocock, who was then Speaker of the Confederate
House of Representatives, to obtain corn for the regiment.
Here we were most generously entertained. The barns were
opened to us, and supper prepared for the tired and hungry
men, and in his parlor Mr. Bocock stated to the writer that
the great struggle was fast nearing the end, and that with
our departure he would leave his home to escape capture.
This was the first time that it had seriously dawned on us
that our trusted leader would be forced to yield to the great
weight of numbers confronting him and that he, together
with his gallant followers, would fall captive in the hands
of those with whom they had so bravely contended for four
long years of blood and carnage.

The earliest dawn of the following morning, Sunday, 9
April, found us drawn up in battle line on the memorable
and historic field of Appomattox, ready to take a part in the
last contest to be made by the Army of Northern Virginia.
In his last gage of battle the few surviving war-scarred vet-
erans moved forward with the same steady step and un-
daunted purpose to win which had characterized the army
in the day of its strength on fields of brilliant victory. The
Federals are driven back, but soon we reach a point where
they no longer present the appearance of battle lines, but
woods and fields were full as it were. The advance is stopped.
Physical valor and human endurance can go no further. The
last act in the tragic drama is closed. The rattle of mus-
ketry and the roar of artillery cease. The curtain drops.
The Army of Northern Virginia has surrendered.

In the preparation of this sketch, the writer desires to ac-
knowledge his indebtedness for aid rendered by Mr. M. A.
Allen, of Richmond, Va., who was a faithful and gallant