Failing to find any order from General Fitz. Lee at this point, who had before this left Stony creek for some point to him unknown, Colonel Dorsey availed himself of such shelter as the ground afforded to rest and feed man and horse, and to await information or orders. Here there was abundance of food and forage, for which there was not transportation, and orders had been issued for its destruction. Colonel Dorsey was therefore permitted to take as much of both for his command as could be carried, which was not much, as the horses were too weak, on account of long marches and insufficient food, to bear any considerable increase of burden. Horses and men, however, had one full meal, and it being the soldier’s philosophy to let each day take care of itself, all were soon stretched upon the ground to catch such repose as might be vouchsafed them.
The enemy’s fire seemed to increase in violence, and shot and shell soon began to pass over the encampment, and far in its rear, but did no damage, as the intervening hill gave full protection. In this situation, heedless of all the noises, exhausted nature demanded rest, and the First Maryland slept.
A couple of hours passed, when the command was aroused, saddled up, and prepared to move, Colonel Dorsey having at last received orders to follow in the rear of Mahone’s division, which formed the rear of the Confederate army. This division had not yet come up, and while awaiting its appearance, the command looked on and grieved over the destruction of ordnance and quartermaster’s stores, which were now being fired in every direction to prevent their falling into the hands of the enemy. These fires had evidently aroused the enemy into increased action, and his batteries were now in a constant blaze, while the explosion of his shells and the Confederate ammunition wagons made the night hideous with war’s most infernal din. Fortunately the enemy directed his guns at the fires, and as everybody kept away from them, no damage was done.
The battalion was drawn up along the roadside waiting to march, and coaxing their horses to eat as much oats as possible. Near by was a train of cars loaded with ammunition, and word was passed to look out, as it was about to be set on fire. For a while every man stood to horse, but the explosion not ensuing as soon as expected, attention was called off, and the caution forgotten. Bridles were let go, and some of the men walked towards the quartermaster’s stores, near the ammunition train, to make further selections. Suddenly a tremendous shock was felt, which threw many to the ground, whilst the horses reared and plunged and broke from their riders, and for a time all was the wildest confusion. When matters had become a little calm, two men belonging to the quartermaster’s department were found dead, and twenty horses of the First Maryland had run off at full speed towards Richmond, though fortunately none of the men were hurt beyond a few bruises. The runaway horses must have been terribly frightened, for in their poor condition they ran twenty miles without halting, and only thirteen of the twenty were recovered; thus the battalion lost the services of seven men, who being dismounted, had to remain with the wagons. The explosion took place two hundred yards distant, but the force was great enough to knock down those nearest to it, and greatly shock the others.
Soon after this occurrence, Mahone’s division came up at the quickstep, and in fine order and spirits, which cheered the hearts of the little cavalry band beyond expression. Day had dawned before the rear passed, and just at that time, in the grey light of morning, was seen a brilliant flash, and for a few moments the earth trembled under foot, and a tremendous explosion plainly told that the fortifications at Drury’s Bluff were no more. In ten minutes another flash, shock and explosion ensued, and the Confederate gunboats on the James had shared the fate of the batteries on shore. Other similar explosions followed as smaller magazines were destroyed, filling the whole atmosphere with sulphurous smoke, while the flames licked the sky from many a conflagration, and it was with sad hearts that the little battalion turned and followed in the footsteps of the infantry. Thus commenced the retreat that ended in the surrender of the army of Northern Virginia.
The roads were muddy and wretchedly cut up by the passage of the artillery and heavy wagons, and the army, though in constant motion, made slow progress. By the next afternoon, Monday 3d of April, Amelia Court House was reached, where the enemy made a slight demonstration, but did not seriously attack. Early on the morning of the 4th Colonel Dorsey ascertaining the whereabouts of General Fitz. Lee, joined his division, in pursuance of his original order, and was assigned to Payne’s brigade.
Before this the small supply of provisions and forage which were brought from Petersburg had been exhausted, and as none had been issued, men and horses were almost starving.
The enemy’s cavalry now became exceedingly active, and Payne’s brigade was daily engaged from daylight to dark, and often the struggle lasted all night. Grant’s immense cavalry force enabled him to make simultaneous attacks at several points, and thus he succeeded in destroying a large portion of General Lee’s wagon train, as it was impossible for the small force of Confederate cavalry to guard all points. The only thing to be done was to attack the enemy wherever he struck the train, and most vigorously was this plan followed.
In all these affairs, without exception, the Confederate cavalry was successful; and in one, when General Robert E. Lee was personally present and observing, repulsed a sudden and determined charge of Gregg’s division with great loss, and captured Gregg himself.
Fate seemed to have determined that the Confederate sun should set in halo worthy of its noonday splendor, and gave a series of unbroken successes to the cavalry, and crowned all by the magnificent charge of Gordon’s corps of infantry on the very morning of the surrender, when that gallant General swept away the enemy’s lines and captured his batteries in a style that showed that nothing of his old vigor was lost. There was a serious embarrassment, however, attending the cavalry victories, viz: The capture of so many prisoners, which towards the last became nearly as numerous as General Lee’s whole army, and presented a difficult question both as to feeding and guarding. No rations having been issued, men and horses had been subsisting from the 4th of April on a scanty supply of hard corn, which the troops had not even time to parch, and ate raw from the cob as they marched. On one occasion someone of the battalion got hold of a raw ham, and generously divided it as far as it would go. Raw ham, and raw corn from the cob may not be very palatable to one unfasted, but to Colonel Dorsey and his men it seemed a luxury.