Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 27.djvu/188

 180 Southern Historical Society Papers.

The destruction of the Virginia and Tennessee railroad was a cherished object of the United States Government. It was, so to speak, the aorta of the Confederacy. If destroyed, where could we get supplies from to feed the big army at Richmond ? As early as December, 1863, Averill's cavalry made a hazardous attempt to ac- complish its destruction, and was partially successful. At Salem, he destroyed considerable stores and ten to fifteen miles of railroad, besides five railroad bridges. It was desperately cold weather, and well do I recollect the tales of excruciating suffering told me by our men who were after them. The suffering of the Confederates, of course, was greater than these well-fed and well-clothed Federals, for at best the Confederate clothes were indifferent, and only those who had homes to draw upon to supplement their thin garments could stand it at all. A Yankee's diary, written every day, has this to say of this event:

"No language can tell the suffering of our brigade on that raid. We were cold, wet, muddy, tired, sleepy and hungry. Over icy mountains, slippery paths, rocks, logs, through rain, sleet, snow, mud, swamps, gullies, creeks, rivers, frost, forest and bullets we rode, walked, ran, stumbled, plunged, swam, waded, scrambled, climbed, charged, retreated, fought, bled, fell, drowned, and froze."

These brave and daring riders were not like the heroes of the charge at Balaklava, for nearly all of them lived to tell the story and receive a brand-new uniform as a present from the government for the inconvenience they had been subjected to.

Again, on the ist day of May, 1864, General Averill made another raid. His starting point was Charleston, and passing through Wyo- ming, Logan and Tazewell counties, on the loth he arrived at Wytheville, when he again struck the railroad. John Morgan and his raiders were close after them. Averill was compelled to evade Morgan to accomplish his purpose, and he struck for Dublin. Most of the railroad between this point and Christiansburg he destroyed, but was side-tracked by our cavalry sent to intercept him. They wheeled to the left and took a northward course through Blacksburg. A force of cavalry met them in the gap beyond Blacksburg. The Yankees were out of ammunition and half famished, so they would not try to fight, but stole away in the darkness and cra\vled over the mountain, following an unfrequented path in single file. Twenty- five or more horses were killed belonging to this command by slip- ping from the path and plunging over precipices. They arrived at Union next day, where they met General Crook, who was returning