Henry B. James, Company B, 32MA
pp. 18-20: James tells story of his poaching a pig and being seen by Griffin who has James arrested. [P. 19] “At night we went into camp, then had to dress the pig, and it was cooked for the supper of the general and his staff, and we poor fellows got nothing. We pitched the general’s tent and were then turned over to the provost guard.”
p.31 At Chancellorsville: retreat “Finally we were within half a mile of the river, where the last of our army were rapidly crossing on pontoon bridges. General Griffin, our brigade commander, had crossed the river on some duty assigned him, when he was informed that a large force of the enemy was rapidly approaching, and his brigade would inevitably be taken prisoners. ‘If they are, I will be taken with them!’ exclaimed our brave commander, and spurring his horse, he rapidly crossed on the pontoons, and [32] soon reached us, and marched us quickly to the river, just as the confederates approached, intent on gobbling us up. We cut the fastenings of the pontoons, and the bridge swung off down the stream just in time, and we were all safely landed on the other shore, happy to know that we had escaped the horrors of a rebel prison, or death at the hands of the merciless foe.”
Source: Henry B. James, Memories of the Civil War (New Bedford, MA 1898)
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