274 NortH CaRoLIna Troops, 1861-’65.

turned every skeleton of a horse in his company. But the men
were all true “T'ar Heels,” and there was no braver man than
Captain Strange. On the afternoon of the 10th, the artillery
was ordered back to the south side, and preparations made to
leave Weldon. According to Captain Webb, there were then
at that point about five hundred men, including at least sey-
enty-five stragglers, furloughed men, convalescents from the
hospitals, and detailed men.

On the 12th the command to leave Weldon was given.
Captain Webb was ordered to take charge of the column and
start towards Raleigh, keeping as near the railroad as possi-
ble. By 10 o’clock a. m., the column was well on its way in
good order, the objective being, if pogsible, to join General
Johnston at or near Raleigh. We marched about sixteen
miles that day.

For several days previous to our departure, and even while
the artillery was on the north side of the river, everything was
done to put the force in good marching condition. Unfit and
worthless animals connected with the artillery, quartermaster
and commissary departments were condemned and either sold
or given away. To supply their places, squads of mounted
men were detailed to make tours through the adjacent farms
and plantations, to impress horses and mules. The extra
men of the command were parcelled out and assigned to the
different regular organizations, and everything in the way of
stores sent off by rail up the Raleigh & Gaston Railroad. The
bridge, however, remained in statu quo, and was not burned
until the night of the 13th, two days after we had marched
away. One of the duties imposed upon the men of our bat-
tery just before leaving Weldon was the collection and de-
struction of boats along the river, so that, upon the burning
of the bridge, communication with the north side might be
effectually cut off. Perhaps it was a precautionary measure
that could have been very safely dispensed with; and when I
recall my own experience in the performance of that duty, I
am strongly inclined to that opinion. In company with a
mountaineer, who knew nothing of boatcraft, I was sent up
the river for that purpose. After proceeding about half a
mile above the bridge, we came across a boat; but the owner,

BakER’s CoMMAND AT WELDON. 275

who doubtless had taken the alarm, had hid the poles with
which to propel it. Nothing daunted, we improvised the
best we could, and started down the river. Tempted by the
sight of some fish upon a slide near by, we essayed to cross
over and secure them, and had almost reached the prize when
my companion’s pole broke and away we went down the
rapids. We fortunately passed the worst safely, and by dint
of extra exertion, reached the shore; but for a few moments
there were two badly scared navigators. The rest of the trip
to the point we were ordered to bring the boats, was made by
swinging around, one of us in the stern and the other at the
bow alternately catching hold of and turning loose the bushes
along the bank.

The scenes in and around Weldon these few days were
heart-rending. As early as the 8th, the citizens in the coun-
try around, especially on the north side of the river, became
panic-stricken, and came crowding into the town, imagining
the direst calamities would befall them upon the withdrawal
of the troops. We could but remember the kind and hospita-
ble treatment these good and loyal people had always extend-
ed to Confederate soldiers, and were deeply touched at their
distress. But some of us who had witnessed similar scenes
took comfort in the thought that it would not be half as bad
as they imagined. I remember the confusion and consterna-
tion in and around my own home upon hearing of the capture
of Roanoke Island ; and yet, the storm of war passed by with-
out inflicting the grievous woes apprehended. But Sherman
and his bummers did not pass that way.

By sunrise on the 13th, we resumed our march in a hard
rain, and with the roads in a terrible condition. Not long
after starting, we began to meet stragglers making their way
to our rear. Among the first to attract our attention, was a
weary looking, foot-sore and jaded young fellow in the dirty
and tattered uniform of a Lieutenant of infantry, who told
us he was going home, that Lee had surrendered, and what
was left of his army had been paroled. Up to this time, we
did not know that Petersburg had been abandoned, so com-
pletely were we isolated and cut off. Captain Webb, who
was in command, General Baker not yet having come up, re-