Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 25.djvu/55

 AII .\l,il>niii<i Hi-i-nine. 51

s< mth side of the narrow road, with one wheel in the road and the other in the edge of the woods with nu-n to their posts. After a while Ser- geant Jackson came up with the other piece and caisson, and took posi- tion in the battery on the other side of the road. After "so long a time," I saw the officers arise and then move forward, I gave the com- mand " limber to the front," and we marched by column of pieces for- ward. On arriving at the next house I came upon the Yankee battery standing in the road, and as I rode up the men dismounted and I ordered a detail of our men to take charge of it. The main body of Streight's men were stacking their arms in a field to the front and right of us. They were immediately moved off from their guns, and the officers separated from the men. This was done about as quickly as I can tell it.

General Forrest ordered me to take command of the light section just captured, and come on and help guard the prisoners, and for Captain Ferrell to come on leisurely with his heavier guns. That night we had the prisoners in a small field of grain, and after taking position with my guns pointing on them, and organizing my detail so as to fire with " reduced numbers," I examined my ammunition and equipments, and finding no friction primers, lanyards or thumb- stalls, I went in among the prisoners and finally found the two gun- ners' haversacks containing all these indispensable articles. In going among the prisoners I found that they were all stalwart western men. I don't remember to have seen a foreigner among them. They seemed to be very mad, and cursed long and loud, and seemed to have felt that they were duped into surrendering to so small a party. We certainly had a light line around them that night. And if they had not been "tired and sleepy too," I don't know what might have happened; but the prisoners went to preparing their suppers. We didn't, for we had none to prepare, except a small piece of the afore- said middling meat, which we ate "rare," and committed no waste by trimming or washing same and it had no protection from dust and flying horse-hairs either.

Two hundred of Streight's advance guard who had gone in sight of Rome were ordered back and surrendered.

The next morning we entered Rome, and as soon as we crossed the bridge we saw the sidewalks, doors, windows, balconies and streets lined with men, women and children, and " Rome was saved." But one of the most attractive features to starving men was the wait- ers of biscuit and chicken that came from both sides of the streets as we passed. We brought up the rear with our light battery, and on