contained a statement that there was dispute concerning what soldier, or command of soldiers, was the last to leave
, replied in the December issue, and as his communication must be of interest to all
“There should be no dispute about it,” to give
Colonel Sulivane's answer verbatim.
‘It was a fragment of
General G. W. C. Lee's command, known as the
Local Defense Brigade, and attached to his division, placed under my command, then assistant adjutant of
Lee's Division, by
Lieutenant-General Ewell on the morning of April 2.
This was immediately after receipt of the news that our lines had been broken before
Petersburg.
The last bridge over the
James—Mayo's—at the foot of Fourteenth street, was guarded by this command from about 4 A. M., on April 3, until
General M. W. Garey's Cavalry Brigade crossed at 8 A. M., and at 8:15 (in pursuance of instructions from
Lieutenant-General Ewell given me just before daylight), I burned the bridge with my own hands, assisted by an engineer officer, who had placed barrels of tar along it at intervals from shore to shore for that purpose, I never knew his name, having simply found him there to await my orders.
This was in the face of the cavalry of
General Wetzel's army, who had poured down Fourteenth street in pursuit of
Garey.
I then marched on and overtook my division on the road to Amelia Courthouse about 2 P. M., that day.’
Coincidence of Promotion..
This same account was published in the ‘Battles and Leaders of the
Civil War,’ issued by the
Century Magazine some twentyfive
