Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 27.djvu/341

 Firftt C'niiijKiiit/ <>f Richmond Howitzers.

grudging feeling that the enemy might find and use it to warm them and cook their rations. The harness was cut to pieces and the horses turned loose.

And this was the end; or rather, the end was learned when the company was mustered, the roll called, and the commanding officer his voice choked with emotion announced that orders had been received to destroy the battery and disband the company if found impossible to rejoin the army. 'The order informed the company that they were free to accept terms of surrender and go home, or else to make their way to North Carolina and join Johnston's army.

The company disbanded, and the army to be surrendered! An- nouncement of the end of the world would hardly have been re- ceived with more amazement and consternation. Tear bedewed eyes and husky voices betrayed emotions that strong men could not re- press. The orderly sergeant, Bloackadar, could scarcely get through the roll-call, and could not find voice, or forgot, to give the com- mand to break ranks, and this last order to the company was given by Sergeant McCreery. It is a good and satisfying record, that at that last roll-call every man was present or satisfactorily accounted for, with possibly two or three exceptions.

Disbanded and free, with the sky above and earth beneath, and every man with untrammelled liberty to go whither he pleased; to help himself to a horse or to anything else that was common prop- erty, after the few remaining rations were shared from the wagon ; free from roll-calls and obedience to somebody else's orders, and, above all, free to decide every man for himself, individually the question of further warfare or peace. Truly, a momentous question for men who had been so long obeying orders. The're were numbers of men in that company who had served from the very commence- ment of the war. From a sense of duty, and from free choice, they had gone into the army, sacrificing personal freedom and everything for the cause. Their motives were the same as those of General Lee, and in their humble sphere they had tried to do their duty, re- lying on him for leadership.

Few men of that company or of that army had fought for love of fighting or for the glory of war, or even from mere hate of the enemy. At any and all times they would gladly have echoed Lee's wish that those people would only go home and let us alone. With such motives and under such leadership, but one result had ever been contemplated; it would have been a kind of treason to expect any other conclusion than final victory. But here was the end of the