Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 24.djvu/331

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BACK TO VIRGINIA.

After remaining in this city nearly one week, orders were received for Gem-nil Floyd and remainder of his command to proceed to Vir- ginia. The troops soon boarded the cars, and were conveyed to Murfrcesboro'. Near Murfreesboro', on the macadamized road, we (four of my battery "> were fortunate enough to find two of our com- pany's baggage-wagon*. The baggage had been destroyed at Dover, Tenn. One of these wagons was loaded with coffee, and the other with some provisions brought from Nashville, which were subse- quently turned over to the commissary at Norristown, Tenn. We were pleased to meet four members of our battery, who were left in charge of these wagons. During our travel through Tennessee, the people were very hospitable to us. We marched from there to Chat- tanooga, and encamped about one week at the base of Lookout Mountain. We then took the cars to Knoxville, and remained here a week, and then marched across the Cumberland mountains to Mor- ristown, Tenn., thence by rail to Virginia, and arrived in Abingdon, Va., the latter part of March, 1862.

Upon our arrival in Abingdon we were much surprised on being informed that General Floyd had been relieved of his command by President Davis, and Colonel Stuart, of the Fifty-sixth Virginia Reg- iment, was commandant of the post.

The command of General Floyd was soon ordered to the Army of Northern Virginia. Subsequently General Floyd commanded State troops in Southwest Virginia.

My company having been captured at Fort Donelson, and not having any command to report to, I was tendered a position by the medical director of my brigade in his department, which I accepted, and held for some time. Finally, my company was exchanged, and I rejoined it at Chaffin's Bluff, about ten miles below Richmond, Va.

THOMAS J. RIDDELL, M. D., Private in Goochland Artillery, Floyd's Brigade,

late C. S. A., Richmond, Va,