The Annals of the Civil War Written by Leading Participants North and South
Alexander Kelly McClure, Ed.

[612] in a radius of five miles. Joshua Martin was carried to the house of a farmer, where he was tenderly nursed until sufficiently recovered to return to his home in Fauquier. After the war closed, General Meiggs, believing that his son had been assassinated, sought to have Martin arrested and tried by a court-martial for murder; but when the facts, as above stated, were certified to him by Captain A. D. Payne, the matter was dropped, for Lieutenant Meiggs had been slain in open and legitimate war. George W. Martin is now at home, a prosperous agriculturist, and one of the most respected citizens in the community in which he resides.

In the month of December, the Black Horse was ordered into tardy county, and performed hazardous but thankless service among the “Swamp Dragoons,” as the disloyal element in that county named itself. They suffered severely from cold, but consumed large quantities of pork and apple brandy, in which, at that season, that inhospitable region abounds.

Returning from this duty, the command proceeded to Richmond, where it remained until the beginning of the final act in this stupendous tragedy. They fought side by side with their brethren of the cavalry at Five Forks, who never displayed a more indomitable spirit than in these closing scenes of the war. They were in the saddle day and night, marching and fighting without food, and without sleep, in the vain endeavor to protect the Confederate trains from the swarming hordes of the enemy's cavalry. At High bridge, the Black Horse shared, with their comrades of Fitz Lee's Division, the last rays of glory that fell on the Army of Northern Virginia, capturing an infantry brigade, and slaying its commander on the field. Near Farmville, the cavalry repulsed a division of Gregg's cavalry, which came upon them unawares, and nearly succeeded in capturing General Lee. But, instead, in this collision, General Gregg was taken prisoner. On April 9th, General Fitz Lee was ordered to hold the road from Appomattox Court-House to Lynchburg, which he did, in spite of repeated efforts by the enemy's cavalry to wrest it from him, until a flag, conveying the intelligence of a truce, compelled him to pause in his advance upon the enemy. Thus, sword in hand, the Black Horse, which had formed the nucleus of the Army of Northern Virginia, was found at the post of duty and of danger when that army of tattered uniforms and bright muskets surrendered to overwhelming numbers and resources. Of this army it might be said: “Vital in every part, it could only by annihilation die.” The division of General Fitz Lee did not surrender until some time afterward; but, being cut off from the main body of the