Tue ANDERSON-RAMSEUR-Cox BRIGADE. 455

retreat.. The Georgians fell back through my brigade, whose
flanks were protected on either side by thick woods, while
Lewis’ Brigade was still further to the rear. The enemy
appearing in my front, its advance was stubbornly resisted
until it became necessary for me to retire. Instead of fall-
ing back down the road upon which the artillery was occa-
sionally playing and demoralizing our retreating army, I
faced the brigade to the left, marched them in column through
the protection of the woods, and thus preserved its organiza-
tion. The enemy still advancing, soon encountered Lewis’
Brigade, the last organized command between them and
Sailor’s Creek, when this brigade, after offering a brave, reso-
lute and determined resistance, was overwhelmed and dis-
persed. In the meantime, our trains had reached Sailor’s
Creek, a low, muddy stream with high embankments on either
side. Our exhausted teams were unable to move forward, but
were stalled in the middle of the line of retreat of our de-
moralized army, while the enemy triumphant and exultant,
advanced in such numbers and impetuosity as to throw our
army into confusion and place it beyond the control of its
officers. It was at this juncture that my brigade emerged
from the cover of the woods, reached the banks of the stream,
and in column moved rapidly towards the scene of the disas-
ter. The condition of affairs at this point is so vividly and
graphically described by Governor Vance in an address he
delivered and published in “The Land We Love,” then edited
by that indomitable soldier, General D. H. Hill, that I ven-
ture to present the following extract as a description of the
situation, rather than seek to portray it myself. He said:
“During the retreat from Petersburg to that memorable
spot which witnessed the final scenes of that once splendid
army of Northern Virginia, when everything was in the ut-
most confusion, the soldiers struggling hopelessly along, thou-
sands deliberately leaving for their homes, and the demorali-
zation increasing every moment, and the flushed and swarm-

ing enemy pursuing them closely, a stand was made to save
Some artillery was

 

ANDERSON-RAMSEUR-COX BRIGADE. the trains upon which all depended.

; nha i Go, i, 4h ; a ae ‘ ;
1 + Kaed at Witheser, Bune isan, 7. Wr A. Snith, Private Co dit hee placed in ape and pomuier pag ie - — - "
2. C. W. Ri bark, Sergeant, Co. C, Ist Regt. 8. Alexander Crews, t., Co. G, egt. 4 sta Vv e stragglers, mixe
3. William Croom, Private, Co. C, ist Regt. 9. Walter 8. Turner, Private, Co. F., 30th Regt., commanding knoll, sent his staff to rally gg
4. James M. Hobson, 2d Lt., Co. E, 2d Regt. Orderly for Col. F. M. Parker.
5. Thomas Cowan, Ist Lt., Co. B, 3d Regt.

ww wounded, Sharpsburg, 17 Sept..

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