An Eyewitness Account of the Evacuation of Richmond During the American Civil War

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I had forgotten to tell you that we met up with Col. Ould, Col. Bullock etc. in Cumberland Cr. When Col. B gave me directions to take the Lynchburg stroll with us also and the Petersburg horses if we met up with them, asking me at the same time if I would not take charge and accompany them on South to Augusta, Geo[rgia] saying he would ‘be very glad if I would’ etc. I came to the conclusion at once that I had better agree to his request as it might do me some good in the end. We had when we left Richmd two clerks (Raborg & Davis) whom he directed I should leave in Lynchburg when we reached there as ‘he had no farther use for them’ but as we did not get there I did not inform them of what he said until we crossed Staunton River at Pannills bridge when they started to Danville on a Govt wagon train. We intended originally to go through Henry Co. striking above Danville but the enemy were ahead of us [and] we had to turn off again.

…I think the whole route was the worst I ever seen, the mud being often above the hubs, had to unload several times and get a team to help pull the empty wagon out then to work and reload.

Army wagons, artillery etc. behind and ahead of us and stragglers by the thousand just going along taking all they could find. It beat anything I ever seen since the war — about the 10th or 11th we heard of ‘Genl Lees’ surrender and on the 12th just 10 days after leaving Richmd arrived within 10 miles of Danville and were informed by Dozens from there that it was evacuated. Enemy about in ‘better move or we would be caught that night as they were advancing from there.’

We concluded we would wait anyhow, being completely out of food for ourselves & horses. The animals so dead on their feet they could hardly move the wagon at all and concluding there was no use they would catch us anyhow.

It was my watch that night we three, Stiles, William (colored Driver of 2 horse wagons) & myself relieving each other alternately. I discovered about 2 OC in the morning that a wagon camp just below us of 20 Army wagons and 120 mules had been deserted by the teamsters or had rec’d order from the ”Maj QM’ to take what they wanted and leave as there was no use trying to get out.’ We came to the conclusion we had better go and get some feed, etc. anyhow. So Stiles & myself went down to their camp, found all the men had left or about leaving after cutting the mules loose. We caught a couple (the woods being almost full of them) hitched them to a wagon loaded with corn and threw in a lot of Bacon from a wagon load of that and started for our Camp. About half way there the wagon stuck in the mud — the little mule pulled himself clean out of his harness, kicked up his heels & away he went. I then cut the harness off the other & William came down & we took 8 bags of the corn [and] the Bacon and carried it to our wagon. I amused myself from then till after day by the stragglers coming along — they would catch these mules & mount them bare back and away they go — a party of 114 passed us all mounted on mules caught around the camp at once.

A little after light who should come along but Maj. John Harman from [the] direction of Danville, advised us to cut loose from wagon bury the valuables in the woods and leave. We come to [the] conclusion we would make another trial anyhow to get across the Dan River and accordingly started for Bachelors ford. We had to pass within 7 miles of Danville that route and expected we would be overhauled there but were not. So we drove in the woods and I took one of the leaders [mules] to ride towards Danville & see how things were as the horses could go no farther, being completely given out, rode into town and found the place was evacuated but no enemy within 10 miles of there. So I went out & brought the wagon in at once.The next day I took the safes & started for Charlotte by train leaving Stiles to cut loose from the wagon & come in (him & William) with stock [the] next day at Greensboro, read a telegram from Mingling stating that Stiles refused positively to come any farther. So the teams had to remain here.

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Tags: 19th Century, America's Civil War, American Civil War, Historical Conflicts, People, Social History

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