Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 28.djvu/378

 372 Southern JUstoricul $o<iety Papers.

preached nearer our lines with the dead and wounded, the horses run- ning in all directions, some with riders and others without. Our men could be restrained no longer, and suddenly the word fire rang out along the line. Almost instantly the guns are fired, the infantry pouring upon the horsemen a terrible volley, the guns of the artillery doubly shotted and firing. But on they come, such was the power behind them, not being able to turn around, and running through the guns but only to be prisoners. The destruction of life here was great, long lanes being opened in their ranks as they attempted to break through our lines. I had witnessed a good many exciting scenes in> the army, but this surpassed them all. I really thought that we would never stop them. Such was the first attempt to break through our lines.

While this assault was being made in our front, Sheridan massed his infantry in three or four lines of battle, and charged and broke through our lines on the left of the battery, swept. up the works and succeeded in capturing the left gun of the company, which was in position on the spot from which this battle takes its name, though not without a desperate resistance on the part of the cannoneers who fought the guns until the enemy were upon them. Even then one of them knocked down a Federal soldier with a sponge staff. Lieu- tenant Hollis and most of the gun crew were captured. The other three guns got off in safety.

It was at this gun that Col. William R. Johnson Pegram was killed the Christian warrior, the modest young soldier, who had lived long enough to win the plaudits of the whole army. "Specs," as the boys used affectionately to call him, was always ready to lead. Noble Willie Pegram! Alas! the war had claimed another patriot as a victim. He was buried temporarily at Ford's Station, on the Southside Railroad, while the troops were on the retreat, and his re- mains were afterwards taken up and reinterred in Hollywood. As the evening shadows begin to gather around our yet gallant band, the order to limber up is heard, and the troops start on the retreat.

Immediately after the order to limber up, consequent upon the battle of Five Forks, which occurred about sundown on Saturday, April i, 1865, the Crenshaw Battery, with its three guns (one gun and most of its gallant crew, under the immediate command of Lieutenant Hollis, having been captured by the troops of Warren, commanding the Fifth Corps), moved off through the woods. About this time