talion
halted on the roadside, near a framed building of some sort, and
commenced shouting, "Fall in, Howitzers!" "This way, Garber's men!"
"Fry's battery!" "Fall in!" "Cutshaw's battalion, fall in here!" thus of
their own accord trying to recover the organization from its disorder.
Quite a number of the battalion got together, and in spite of hunger,
thirst, defeat, and dreadful weariness, pushed on to the High Bridge. So
anxious were the men to escape capture and the insinuation of desertion,
that when threatened with shooting by the rear guard if they did not
move on they scarcely turned to see who spoke: but the simple
announcement, "The Yankees are coming!" gave them a little new strength,
and again they struggled painfully along, dropping in the road sound
asleep, however, at the slightest halt of the column.

At the bridge there was quite a halt, and in the darkness the men
commenced calling to each other by name--the rascally infantry around,
still ready for fun, answering for every name. Brother called brother,
comrade called comrade, friend called friend; and there were many happy
reunions there that night. Some alas! of the best and bravest did not
answer the cry of anxious friends.

Before the dawn of day the column was again in motion. What strange
sensations the men had as they marched slowly across the High Bridge.
They knew its great height, but the night was so dark that they could
not see the abyss on either side. Arrived on the other side, the
worn-out soldiers fell to the ground and slept, more dead than alive.
Some had slept as they marched across the bridge, and declared that they
had no distinct recollection of when they left it, or how long they were
upon it.

Early on the morning of the 7th the march was resumed and continued
through Farmville, across the bridge and to Cumberland Heights,
overlooking the town. Here, on the bare hill-side, a line of battle was
formed, for what purpose the men did not know--the Howitzers occupying a
central place in the line, and standing with their feet in the midst of
a number of the graves of soldiers who had perished in the hospitals in
the town.

While standing thus in line a detail was sent into the town to hunt up
some rations. They found a tierce of bacon surrounded by a ravenous
crowd, fighting and quarreling. The man on duty guarding the bacon was
quickly overpowered, and the bacon distributed to the crowd. The detail
secured a piece and marched bac