[284] promise to carry me along with them. Our scattered troops, closely followed by the large army of pursuers, retreated rapidly and in disorder through the city. It was a sad, humiliating sight, but such a handful of wornout men could not successfully withstand such overwhelming odds. I never saw our troops in such confusion before. It is said that Mrs. General Gordon, Mrs. Hugh Lee, and other patriotic ladies, ran impetuously into the streets and eloquently pleaded with the retreating soldiers to cease their flight and stand and confront the advancing enemy. Night found Sheridan's hosts in full and exultant possession of much abused Winchester. The hotel hospital was pretty full of desperately wounded and dying Confederates. The entire building was shrouded in darkness during the dreadful night. Sleep was impossible, as the groans, shrieks, sighs, prayers and oaths of the wretched sufferers, combined with my own severe pain, banished all thought of rest. Capt. Hewlett, of Co. H., wounded in the thigh, lay on the floor beside me. Wat Zachry, Sergeant Carr and Tom Crawford, wounded men of my company, made their escape from the city just as the Yankee cavalry entered in. A few noble women of Winchester ventured, with lanterns in their hands, to walk among the wounded and distribute sandwiches and cups of coffee with cheering words of comfort and sympathy. One sweet, Christian woman came to me and stooping, placed her gentle hand on my pale forehead and said, ‘my poor boy, you seem to be in much pain, though so quiet, take some refreshments, and tomorrow you shall have a better bed than this hard floor.’ I thanked her, drank some coffee, and inquired what she had heard of General Rodes. She told me his body had been saved and sent to Lynchburg. Many of my wounded comrades wept aloud and bitterly on learning for the first time the fate of their beloved commander. All seemed overcome with unaffected grief. General Goodwin of North Carolina, and Col. G. W. Patton were killed, and General York of Louisiana, lost an arm. The brave Capt. Tom Lightfoot of the 6th Alabama, by whose side I have stood in many a battle, was instantly killed. He was a younger brother of Col. J. N. Lightfoot, The enemy lost Brigadier General Russell killed, and Generals Upton, McIntosh and Chapman wounded. Report says that over 6000 Yankee wounded are now scattered over Winchester in every available building. Private houses have been seized and turned into hospitals, and their inmates forced to seek
