Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 24.djvu/324

 316 Southern Historical Society Po/n ,-.<.

[From the Richmond Dispatch, Feb. 10, 1895.]

WESTERN CAMPAIGN.

Movements of the Goochland Light Artillery Captain John

H. Guy.

A VIRGINIAN S EXPERIENCE,

Battle of February 15, 1862, and Its rtany Remarkable and Exciting Incidents Surrender of Fort Donelson.

To the Editor of the Dispatch :

On the 26th of December, 1861, in obedience to orders, Captain John H. Guy's Battery, the Goochland Light Artillery, left Dublin Depot, Pulaski county, Va., on the Virginia and Tennessee railroad, for General Albert Sidney Johnston's army, in Kentucky. After much delay we reached Bowling Green, January 6, 1862, and pitched our tents about two miles west of that city. General Floyd's Brig- ade remained in camp nearly three weeks in daily 'expectation of an engagement with the enemy. However, no battle came off. It was reported that General Johnston's army, in the vicinity of Bowling Green, exceeded 60,000 men. This report was without foundation, as was demonstrated by subsequent information.

The latter part of January, 1862, General Johnston's command was ordered to other sections of country; the most of his army was sent to Shiloh, Miss.; General Floyd's Brigade to Russellville, Ky. My battery encamped here about ten days. Several of us were temporarily indisposed, probably for one week, and were quartered in an old church. During the time of our indisposition, a number of ladies of this little town called on us, and were very hospitable to us. Among the number I remember the names of Mrs. Caldwell and Mrs. Mason, whose kind attention to us was highly appreciated.

One of my battery "Jack " Brooks died here of typhoid fever, and another one Charles Palmore died at Bowling Green, I think, of congestion of the lungs; Captain Patterson, of the 56th Virginia Regiment, of my brigade, also died in Russellville, Ky.

From Russellville, Ky., General Floyd's Brigade was sent to Fort Donelson, Tennessee. My battery proceeded to Clarksville, Ten-