was honored by all flags half-mast and firing
one-half-hour guns for twenty-four hours.

Those fellows who volunteered to take the oath and were sent to Washington
had been refused by President Lincoln, but they were all discharged first.
Major A. G. Brady was in command of the post. We got no mail or papers.
There was a bulletin board for posting orders and news.

There were negroes who had been captured in the Confederate army that
remained true and preferred staying with us instead of taking the oath and
going free. Also a large number of English sailors, blockade runners, West
India negroes, and political prisoners all together. When they began to
discharge us about the 6th of June, thirty-two were called out at a time
and stood under the Stars and Stripes and took the oath of allegiance
together and subscribed to the same in the record books. I got out the
12th of June, and was landed in Richmond on the night of the 13th. Here we
were bountifully supplied with rations and given railroad transportation.
Everything had now changed. Richmond and all the principal towns were
swarming with Federal troops. We remained in Richmond two days on account
of a washout, and did not reach home until the 20th of June.

I will state that Lieut. V. J. Palmer and the four or five men with him
were captured at Five Forks when the lines were broken. About the first of
April, Lieutenant Palmer had his men to load for him, and he stood on the
parapet and fired as fast as the guns could be handed to him, until he was
surrounded. In the last battle, on the 25th March, 1865, Lieutenant
Palmer, with several others, took a position in front of the lines in some
narrow drain ditches, where they could keep up a continual fire, while the
main line only fired when the enemy advanced in force. During this time T.
J. Dixon shot down a brave Yankee at close range, and said, "Boys, don't
shoot him any more." L. A. Bridges brought down several of the bravest
Yankees at close range. The Yankee who took Bridges' gun said, "You have
been using it; it is pretty hot." Bridges said, "Yes, I got it from you
and have made the best use of it I could. You can have it; I reckon it
belongs to you."

Among those who were never seriously wounded or sick, but were always in
their places, were First Sergt. Andy London, who stood at the head of
Company F in every battle; Sergt. H. Dedmon, Spencer A. Crowder, Jno. A.
Tesseneer, Flay Gantt, Samuel Hasten, Graham Wil