Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 20.djvu/56

 50 Southern Historical Society Papers.

reunion of old Company D, hoping almost against hope that I might be able to come. My wife has been confined to the house and part of the time to her room with rheumatism for the last two months, and although it hurts me to the very core, I am at last compelled to say I can not come. It is useless for me to try to express my regret and sorrow for it is too deep for expression.

I would like to meet with my old comrades and have the pleasure of taking by the hand some of the bravest men Virginia or any other country has ever given birth to. Is this a boast? No; it is the truth verified on many a bloody field by the duty performed, by being called on by Stuart, Lee and others wherever there was a hard fight to be made, where none but the brave could go, where none but the stoutest could stand. Nobly, nobly did that old company perform every duty, meet every danger in the field, on the march, leading the advance or covering the rear, half fed, half clothed, sometimes contending with foes ten to one, and whether successful or forced from the field by sheer numbers, we compelled the praise of friends and foes, and in the last act of the bloody drama led the last charge at Appomattox.

It was my duty to act as orderly sergeant in the terrible campaign of '64. It opened on the 5th day of May. On that morning I reported one captain, two lieutenants, three sergeants, three cor- porals and sixty-four men and horses for duty. On the yth, near Todd's Tavern, we lost seven men. First was the generous high- souled Lieutenant Tom Edmondson, the soldiery Sergeant Pat Miles, the laughing-eyed, fun-loving Joe Baker, the quiet, brave Hiram Pendleton, killed; Sergeant Charles Dulaney, Privates Jake Schwartz and Charles Fields, wounded. On the 8th brave soldiers Rufe Williams, killed ; Frank Catron and John Sanders, wounded. On the Qth, Andy Catron and Henry Jones wounded, and on the I2th, Findley Harris and William Hale, captured. On the I5th another one was lost, wounded or captured, the name being so defaced I can't tell who it was. On the 28th, E. W. Roe was killed; Corporal T. W. Colley, wounded. At Louisa Courthouse, a few days after, I am satisfied we saved the division from defeat, and later on the evening of the same day, at Trevillian's, held the key to our position until Fitz Lee could make his flank movement, which resulted in a victory over Sheridan and his cavalry corps.

Twenty-four men of First Squadron, Companys " D and K" (Company K were from Maryland) at Mrs. Stewart's Tavern, Little