Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 18.djvu/99

 Last Days of Johnston's Army. 99

glow upon the historic page, in attestation of the fortitude, prowess and courage of that noble band of patriot soldiers. Would that I could, as one of the actors in the bloody drama, tell of the charge up the heights of Cemetery Hill, when nothing daunted by

" Cannon to the right of them, Cannon to the left of them, Cannon in front of them,"

that gallant command pressed on, at the call of duty, to certain death. But if the privilege accorded the old soldier to

" Weep o'er his wounds, or tales of sorrow done, Shoulder his crutch, and show how fields are won,"

is denied me, I am possessed of the proud consciousness of having done all I could all that was permitted me to do to secure the success of the cause I believed to be right.

It is announced that I shall speak to-night of " A comrade's experience with General L. S. Baker's command at Weldon, N. C., during the fifteen days preceding the surrender of Johnston at Greensboro, N. C." I shall endeavor briefly to recount some of the incidents and events that came under my observation while with this little command during this short but eventful period.

After the evacuation of Plymouth, Washington, Kinston and Goldsboro, Brigadier-General L. S. Baker was sent to Weldon, charged with the duty of holding on to that place, not only for the purpose of preserving railroad communication between the other forces in North Carolina and the Army of Northern Virginia, and those along the line of the Wilmington & Weldon railroad, from Goldsboro to that line, but of collecting supplies for these armies from that portion of Eastern Carolina not actually in the possession of the enemy. The authorities recognizing the importance of this position in these respects it being one of the principal sources of supply for the armies in the field instructed General Baker to hold it until the last moment, and, at the same time, watch out for and repel any raids of the enemy coming from the Blackwater and Chowan, and from Plymouth, Washington and Goldsboro. With the force under his command this was no light duty, and he was necessarily absent from Weldon most of his time, looking after the various points under his supervision. Weldon, however, was the headquarters of his department, which was styled " The Second