Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 27.djvu/337

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Station. While I was with him, an attack wholly unexpected was made by the enemy on his defenceless camp. To avert immediate Disaster from this attack demanded the exercise of all our energies. It was, however, at once effectually repelled by the aid especially of the two gallant artillery companies of Captains Walker and Dicken- son, under the command of the former, which, being at the time un- equipped as artillerists, were armed with muskets as a guard. They met the enemy's sharpshooters in a brushwood near, and enabled a number of General Walker's pieces to play with effect while the re- mainder of his train was withdrawn. After a sharp skirmish, this attack seemed remedied, and I started back." (P. 1282.)

General Custer, commanding the Third Federal cavalry division, says (p. 1132): " Learning that the enemy was moving a large train upon the road from Appomattox Courthouse across the Lynchburg railroad, I ordered the entire division forward to attack. The train was found to be guarded by about two divisions of infantry, in addi- tion to over thirty pieces of artillery, all under command of Major- General Walker. Most of the enemy's guard were placed in position, and their fire concentrated upon the road over which it was necessary for me to advance. The enemy succeeded in repulsing nearly all our attacks until nearly 9 o'clock at night, when by a general advance along my line he was forced from his position and compelled to aban- don to our hands twenty-four pieces of artillery, all his trains, several battle flags, and a large number of prisoners."

General Devine, commanding ist cavalry division, reports (p. 1 126): " On arriving near the station, General Custer was found to be en- gaged with the enemy's advance, and the first and second brigades were dismounted and pushed in on his right."

General Custer' s assertion notwithstanding, there were no two divisions of infantry, nor, from all information now attainable, any body of infantry with that column.

It is safe to say that artillery supported by any two divisions ol Lee's infantry could not be stampeded by cavalry.

The battery's last fight was over; and it was, as the event proved, the last fight of any part of the Army of Northern Virginia, except the slight engagement the next morning, when the army attempted to break through the cordon of enemies blocking every road at Ap- pomattox. Their last shot had been fired by this company, that had seen and done duty on every battlefield of that army, from Manassas to the end. As compared with the great battles of the war, this