Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 22.djvu/162

 150 Southern Historical Society Papers.

them to concentrate any force in time to interfere with the main object of the expedition. By a rapid march the command reached the Blackwater at Cook's bridge, which had been destroyed. Gen- eral Hampton knew that the bridge had been destroyed, and pur- posely selected this route, as the enemy would not be likely to look for an attack from that quarter.

HOW THEY BRIDGED THE BLACKWATER.

When we reached this bridge we were halted and dismounted to await the arrangements being made by the pioneer people for us to cross. I shall never forget how the boys went out into the fields and dug up sweet-potatoes, and how they were stopped when they made fires to cook them. We could not afford to make a smoke, we were informed, and so some men devoured their potatoes raw. General Hampton had stopped all citizens en route, allowing none to go for- ward for fear information might reach the Yankees of his move- ments. While here we rested and fed our tired horses.

The bridge was completed, and at night we crossed over the Black- water and were now particularly enjoined not to make a noise, and several times the musical men of the column were cut short in at-' tempted songs, which they thoughtlessly began. Nothing was heard but the steady tread of the horses and the rattle of sabres. The guns of the artillery had been muffled by grain-sacks being inserted between the elevating screws and the guns. Some time, about half-past 3 or 4, we were halted in a road, very dark, and over- hung by the branches of trees; everything was as still as death; nothing disturbed the whip-poor-will's notes, so lonesome at all times, but more doleful then.

WITH THE SENTINEL STARS ABOVE THEM.

One by one the men would step down from their horses to the soft grass, overcome by the fatigue following rapid movements. We had now ceased to speculate upon where we were going. We were too sleepy, and soon most if not all were dozing on the ground with our bridle reins around our elbows. If we dreamed, it was of home not of cattle nor war's alarms. The horses, too, slept, and showed no disposition to move or disturb their sleeping masters. Here we waited. General Hampton, it seems, had directed General Lee to move by the Lawyer road to the stage road, at which point he would encounter the first pickets of the enemy. Here's where we were sleep-