Retreat from Richmond. [from the Richmond, Va., Dispatch, May 2, 1897.]
Colonel Crutchfield and the ‘artillery Brigade.’1 interesting reminiscences.
A forced March 'Mid Cold and rain. Fight at Sailor's Creek.
Being on a visit to Richmond from my home in St. Louis, I noticed in your paper of the 25th instant, a letter from Colonel R. T. W. Duke, giving some incidents of the retreat from Richmond, and the fight at Sailor's Creek.
This has put me in a reminiscent mood, and I would like to give, for your Confederate column, some of my recollections of those stirring times, more especially of the retreat from Richmond, and the participation of my command in the battle of Sailor's Creek.
During the winter of 1864-65, my battalion, the 10th Virginia Artillery, was stationed immediately in front of Fort Harrison.
The battalion had formerly been commanded by Major William Allen, of ‘Claremont,’ but at that time by Major J. O. Hensley, of Bedford county.
It was composed of five companies—Companies A and C, from Richmond, commanded respectively by Captains J. W. Barlow and Thomas P. Wilkinson; Company B, from Bedford county, Captain Robert B. Clayton; Company D, from Prince George, Captain C. Shirley Harrison, of Brandon; and Company E, from Henrico, Captain Thomas Ballard Blake. Lieutenant Sam Wilson, was Adjutant.
The 10th Virginia and the 19th Virginia Battalion (also composed of five companies) were under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel John Wilder Atkinson, of Richmond, with Lieutenant John L. Cowardin as adjutant.
The 18th and 20th Virginia Battalions, commanded by Lieutenant-
