“History of Scenes Around Richmond, 1864

….. We were engaged all summer meeting and turning them back. One time we were so busy I went two weeks without taking off my shoes.

The Yankees had control of the James River, with their gunboats going up and down, shelling when we got in gun shot [range]. The Legion had a picket post to keep out on this river at a place called Curl’s Neck. One night I was stationed at this post and we could hear the Yankees crossing on a pontoon bridge, and we knew then we would have trouble. The next day they brought over artillery and a body of infantry. …[A]bout sun-up I was on my horse on picket post and saw a Yankee run to a tree about one-half mile from me. Soon a cannon was brought and then a shell burst in the top of the oak [under which I was mounted], splinters falling all about me, but I sat on my horse until ordered to leave my post of duty.

Our command was falling back to our breastworks and our Legion was bringing up the rear when we got to the church, beyond which was a swamp of timber cut down. Our company was sent out in a clear place to check the Yankees so the command could cross this swamp. We went to this place, the Yankees coming through a straw field, in a solid line of infantry, and when we got there the Yankees were about 150 yards coming on. We shot at them. I aimed at the colors and they fell, but others shot at them too. We fell down on our backs to load again, and to let their balls pass over us. When I got my gun loaded, I got up to shoot and could see only one Yankee running half bent toward a hollow. I shot at him and he fell. At this time we were nearly cut off, so we went to the swamp of timber to cross over. The Yankees’ balls were knocking the bark off the logs, as they came at us. The man behind me said for me to go faster, but I told him I could not, I had no one to be dodging behind. One can imagine what it meant to be dodging balls that even knocked bark off the logs one walked on. I was so spent when I got across that I fell, but got to the breastworks unhurt. …..”

Source: William T. Walton, “History of Scenes Around Richmond, 1864, in SCUDC, Recollections and Reminiscences, Vol I, p. 42.

Bryce A. Suderow
streetstories@juno.com