another chapter.

NAVIGATING THE APPOMATTOX RIVER.

It has been mentioned in a former chapter that I was on a detail in
winter, commencing the 15th day of January, 1865, to boat wood for the men
in the trenches. The detail for Ransom's brigade, composed of six men from
each of the five regiments, commanded by Lieut. A. C. Sharpe, of
Forty-ninth Regiment. Those from my regiment, Fifty-sixth North Carolina,
were Company B, .... McMillan; Company D, .... Parker; Company F, J. C.
Elliott (this writer); Company G, Wm. A. Condrey; Company I, Thomas
Robbins; Company K, Calvin Deweese. We went back to the canal, which ran
seven miles up the river, then two miles in the river up into another
two-mile canal, and then into the river again. One mile above the basin or
boat landing at Petersburg there were several locks through which boats
were raised and lowered, and just below the locks there was a small creek,
which ran through a stone culvert under the canal. General Lee had built a
high dirt dam across that creek and backed the water on the Yankees and
drowned out a part of their lines and forced them back. Besides, this big
pond protected our position in that quarter. While we were waiting a few
days to get our boats ready, this big dam broke loose and the water came
in a solid wall about forty feet high, and striking the canal culvert
swept it away, and also cleaned out the south side railroad bridge just
below. Then the canal had to cross this creek on a wooden trestle, and
while it was being built we had to haul wood at night on railroad from
towards Richmond. The enemy had a battery on the Chesterfield side that
shelled any trains that moved on that road in daylight. When we first went
back to work it was several days before we were furnished with cloth
tents, and during that time we had to look out for such quarters as we
could find. So our fifty-six contingent prospected an old wood wagon shop,
near by our brigade wagon yard. We found this old shop occupied by an old,
dilapidated darkey--Uncle Tom--who was supporting himself by cobbling
cooperage. After a survey of these premises we informed Uncle Tom that we
had decided there was plenty of room for him and us, and we proposed to
move in with him at once. While Uncle Tom did not seem at all flattered
with our company, he did not openly protest, probably thinking it useless
to do so. He said he could make out with one side if we could with the
other side, with a common