Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 35.djvu/18

 4 aptly compared Butler to a "turkey buzzard matched against a great gyr falcon," and the result proved the truth of its prognostications.

Finding that the enemy did not appear to be disposed to molest us, many went back to their various occupations, but ready to be called upon at a moment's warning, and so it happened that on the fateful day our force was considerably diminished. During this time, however, we were marched from one point to another on the lines, finding ourselves at last doing duty on the farm of Mr. Timothy Rives, on the Jerusalem Plank Road, south of the town.

During the interim we were employed in the usual avocations of camp life drilling, doing guard and picket duty; when not thus engaged, amusing ourselves as best we might. Quoit throwing was a favorite pastime. I do not remember that cards were indulged in our company at least, as there was amongst us quite a sprinkling of elderly men, deacons and elders of churches, not usually given to such worldly recreations.

News regularly reached us, of course, of the heroic deeds of that noble Army of Northern Virginia, whose wonderful victories against tremendous odds excited our unbounded admiration and the wonder of the civilized world.

We had an oracle in camp whose fertile brain found ample scope for the exercise of his peculiar talents. He could draw diagrams, locate armies, make flank movements, and show to a very sympathetic audience how Lee would whip them again. Indeed, many believed that that peerless commander would hurl back his enemies once more to the Potomac.

One night when on picket near the railroad, sitting around a blazing camp-fire, our oracle exclaimed with unwonted enthusiasm: "I could take a dozen of you fellows over to your breastworks and keep back a whole regiment of Yankees." This was very amusing, but it seems something like prophecy as to what did occur later on.

The fateful day at length drew near. Butler, aroused from his inertia and fully appraised of the weakness of our defenses, made an effort to redeem his reputation, and adopted the plan of assailing Petersburg at two points simultaneously. The Federal