Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 14.djvu/150

 144 Southern Historical Society Papers.

proper thing- to do was evidently to cross the Hazel river without delav. Looking about for some means of accomplishing this, we found an old half-rotten skiff, which two North Carolina teamsters declared they could make serviceable. Some rope was stretched across the river, and in two or three hours the little ferry-boat, which would only carry six or eight boxes of ammunition at a time, was repaired as well as we could do it, and put to work. By detailing relays of men for the purpose, the work was kept up continually all night, and early next morning all the ammunition had been safely transported to the south side of the river, except one boat-load which had been wet by the swamping of the boat. It was found possible to get the empty wagons over at the ford, which was done without accident, though the water was nearly as deep as the backs of the mules. By midday everything was dried off, the ammunition re loaded, and the train taken out of the reach of the Federal cavalry. So difficult was it to obtain supplies, that ordnance officers in the field found it necessary to use all their opportunities for supple- menting the meagre stores of the department. When the army moved into Pennsylvania, in 1863, loads of tin and other stores were obtained and sent back by wagons to Richmond. In the same way a considerable quantity of leather, to be used for harness and cartridge boxes, was sent back. In the winter of 1863-64, I was informed that at the Richmond arsenal they were in great straits for wood out of which to make artillery carriages, and that without a supply promptly furnished it would be difficult to fill the requisitions from the army. In response to Colonel W. L. Broun's appeal for assistance in this matter, I undertook to have an adequate supply of oak and gum lumber forwarded from Orange Courthouse, where the army was then camped. A fine body of oak timber was selected, and a large detail of men to fell it was obtained. A port- able steam saw-mill was gotten in the neighborhood and set up in the midst of ihe timber. Two relays of men kept the mill going with but little cessation. Half of the ordnance wagons in the corps were unloaded, and the running gear used for hauling the lumber to the railroad station, some three or four miles distant. It was there placed upon the trains, which had brought up commissary supplies from Richmond, and sent down to the arsenal. While the oak lum- ber was thus being gotten, a body of gum trees, lying near the foot of the neighboring hills, had been cut up and sawed into suitable blocks for hubs. These were sent with the oak. My recollection is, that the lumber was on the cars, and had been shipped in a week