rs would
commence: "Forward! column forward!" Those first on their feet went
stumbling on over their prostrate comrades, who would in turn be
awakened, and again the column was in motion, and nothing heard but the
monotonous tread of the weary feet, the ringing and rattling of the
trappings of the horses, and the never-ending cry of "Close up, men;
close up!"

Through the long, weary night there was no rest. The alternate halting
and hurrying was terribly trying, and taxed the endurance of the most
determined men to the very utmost; and yet on the morning of Wednesday,
the 5th, when the battalion reached the neighborhood of Scott's Shops,
every man was in place and ready for duty. From this point, after some
ineffectual efforts to get a breakfast, the column pushed on in the
direction of Amelia Court House, at which point Colonel Cutshaw was
ordered to report to General James A. Walker, and the battalion was
thereafter a part of Walker's division. The 5th was spent at or near the
court house--how, it is difficult to remember; but the day was marked by
several incidents worthy of record.

About two hundred and twenty-five muskets (not enough to arm all the
men), cartridges, and caps were issued to the battalion--simply the
muskets and ammunition. Not a cartridge-box, cap-box, belt, or any other
convenience ornamented the persons of these new-born infantrymen. They
stored their ammunition in their pockets along with their corn, salt,
pipes, and tobacco.

When application was made for rations, it was found that the last morsel
belonging to the division had been issued to the command, and the
battalion was again thrown on its own resources, to wit: corn on the cob
intended for the horses. Two ears were issued to each man. It was
parched in the coals, mixed with salt, stored in the pockets, and eaten
on the road. Chewing the corn was hard work. It made the jaws ache and
the gums and teeth so sore as to cause almost unendurable pain.

After the muskets were issued a line of battle was formed with Cutshaw
on the right. For what purpose the line was formed the men could not
tell. A short distance from the right of the line there was a grove
which concealed an ammunition train which had been sent from Richmond to
meet the army. The ammunition had been piled up ready for destruction.
An occasional musket ball passed over near enough and often enough to
produce a realizing sense of the proximity of the enemy and solemnize
the