"W
ell, Henderson Griffith, you remember all about the army of
the Potomac, the siege of Richmond and all about the marching
and counter-marching of 64 and 65, and the narrow escapes
incident to those times?"
"By the way, you remember the escape we had charging the
masked battery on Hatcher's Run to the left of Petersburg, in
the Spring of 65 about one month before the surrender."
Yes sir, I remember that occurrence and will remember it as
long as life shall last, and every time that memory'' panorama
re_____ the event, I am seized with an almost indescribable
nightmare. In the Spring of '65, in the month of February,
after a ______ campaign of the Summer of '64, we had been in
camp perhaps a month or more, when one morning about 3
o'clock, the long roll was sounded and orderlies were heard
running to and fro, giving orders to pack up and fall in, that
the army had to be in readiness to march in one hour, and that
hour was one of hurry and bustle came and every man took his
place in the line of march, which was by the left flank
through almost impenetrable darkness, with a dumb silence,
save the clank of arms and the heavy tread of marching
columns. Just how far we had marched was only a matter of
conjecture, but at length we halted and were ordered to rest
in place. Then again, just in the gray of daylight, the order
came to fall in, which was instantly obeyed and the column was
faced to the front and "forward march" came the order, clear
and distant through the silence of the pine woods. When
objects began to be a little more distinct we saw, or thought
we saw, a line of works, of what character or strength we
could give no idea; but on coming a little closer, sure
enough, there was a line of works with embrasures and horrible
murderous cannon presenting themselves in plain view. But
strange to say, as yet, not a gun was fired or a sign of an
enemy and the thought occurred to us that they were reserving
their fire until, as we had read in history, they could see
the whites of our eyes, and then began to come the cautionary
command of the officers, "Brave Boys," "Keep cool boys," and
many others calculated to insure confidence and courage. Still
nearer and nearer those fearful cannon, and as we surmised
they were backed by musketry and brawny arms until silence and
suspense became almost unbearable, when, Oh horror! If those
cannon were not pine logs sawed off and the ends painted
black, you may chop me up for hogshead cheese. I have had
several narrow escapes but that was the funniest one.
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IRONTON'S NARROW ESCAPE
While on the ludicrous side of the war, we will here tell a
little home guard experience as related by Leo Ebert. It was
during the Morgan Raid and Ironton was all astir, expecting
the "bold rider" would "take the town" every minute. All
approaches were guarded, and whole nights were spent in
watching for a raid. The Commanding General, Dr. Cory, had
ordered Capt. Alex Brawley's artillery, one brass piece, to
the forks of the road near Ensinger's, and detailed Capt.
Allen Brattin's infantry to take its position there and
support the artillery. They went out in the shades of evening,
took up the floor of the bridge so as to avert a sudden ____
and there watched for the coming of Morgan.
By day break, the boys got tired and Capt. Brattin's company
retired to town to get breakfast. Capt. Brawley remonstrated
as that would be just he time for Morgan to make his dash on
the town, but as the artillery was left without support, it
had to retire from the bloody field too. When they came to
town they were met by Capt. Cory who demanded of them, "why
this retreat at the very critical moment; why give up the
field and leave the town to the mercy of Morgan?" Capt.
Brattin said the boys must have some breakfast. But Capt. Cory
ordered them right back to their posts to watch that gate to
the town and repel Morgan at all hazards. They went back, and
the "narrow escape" of Ironton passed by, the narrowness of
which may be understood when it is shown that Morgan's raiders
were at that moment pinging through Meigs county.
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