272 NortH Caroiina Troops, 1861-’65.

train. Disembarking, we reconnoitered the situation for sev-
eral miles around and remained there until next morning,
when hearing that the enemy was making his way in the
direction of Weldon, we boarded the train and started back.
After passing Seaboard, a small station about ten miles east
of Weldon, Colonel Whitford, who was riding on the engine,
saw one or two men run across the track some six or seven
hundred yards ahead. He at once ordered the train stopped.
This precaution was not taken any too soon; for as soon as
some of the infantry were put off as skirmishers and the sit-
uation was taken in, it was discovered that the track for some
distance just ahead of us was torn up and that the enemy had
ambuscaded both sides. We had passed Seaboard about a
mile. As soon as the train was stopped the enemy opened
fire upon us. Colonel Whitford caused the train to be run
back to Seaboard, where the remainder of the command was
put in position to await the return of the skirmishers, who
were ordered to fall back as soon as they could ascertain with
some certainty the force and purpose of the enemy. They
soon reported that the enemy, consisting of a regiment of cav-
alry, had retired in the direction of Jackson, which was dis-
tant some eight miles in a southeast direction from where we
were and away from Weldon. Colonel Whitford concluded
to follow on after them, but I suspect with no hearty desire
to meet up with them, for he could but know that our force
was not able to cope successfully with a full regiment. Upon
reaching Jackson, we learned there that the regiment was the
Third New York Cavalry, about six hundred strong, well
mounted and thoroughly equipped with Spencer repeating
carbines, and had passed through that town some hours be-
fore, and then must be near Murfreesboro, some twenty-five
miles distant. After waiting several hours at Jackson, our
guns were ordered back overland to Weldon, while the in-
fantry under Colonel Whitford’s command retired to Hali-
fax. I shall always remember with pleasure one little inci-
dent connected with this affair. Several weeks before, as we
had more men than were required or needed to man the guns,
about sixty of our company had been armed with rifles and
acted with the infantry. When the train was halted and skir-

BakKErR’s CoMMAND AT WELDON. 278

mishers thrown off, I was anxious to join them and endeav-
ored to get one of the riflemen to exchange places with me. I
knew he was disaffected and it occurred to me that he would
not hesitate to shirk danger ; but I reckoned without my host.
He rejected the overture with some indignation, and re-
marked that if anybody had to use his rifle he proposed to do
it himself; and I ascertained that he behaved as gallantly as
any man. This but illustrates that it was not cowardice that
caused a great many of our soldiers to waver in their allegi-
ance towards the close of the war, but the terrible hardships
to which they were subjected, the distressing accounts of suf-
fering of their loved ones at home, and the intuitive knowl-
edge that defeat was imevitable. I remember with sadness,
without any feeling of censure, many instances of desertion
of as brave men as ever marched to the tap of a drum.

On 7 April, about 5 o’clock p. m., a telegram was received

“by Captain Webb, who was in command, from General John-

ston, ordering that all trains north of the Roanoke river be
recalled at once, all the artillery that could be moved got on
the south side, and such heavy guns in the defences north of
the river as could not be moved be destroyed, and the railroad
bridge burned. Steps were at once taken to execute the or-
der, and by hard service all night, the next morning (Satur-
day, 8th) found everything in the shape of guns, ordnance,
quartermaster and commissary stores, removed from the north
side of the river and delivered in Weldon, and combustibles
at once gathered and placed at each end of the railroad bridge
to fire it as soon as all the trains were safely over. The
bridge, however, was not fired that day, why, I wil] let Cap-
tain Webb speak. I quote from his diary: “General Baker
came up about 10 o’clock a. m. and ordered me with my bat-
tery and Williams’ section of artillery across the river again.
Upon getting my battery over the river I put my guns in posi-
tion along the old line as I thought best, and awaited ulterior
orders from headquarters. My only support were the feeble
remains of a company of so-called cavalry under Captain
Strange. In all the twenty men of his command, there was
not a single man or officer decently mounted. With my old
fiery Bucephalus, “Duncan,” I could have charged and over-

18