Richard B. Davis, Virginia

 Virginia 12th., Infantry, Co. E.

Petersburg Riflemen

The following  statement was made by Mr. Davis a few miles outside of Chancellorsville.

Mr. Richard B.  Davis, of Petersburg, Va., a member of the Petersburg Riflemen, tells the following incident, of which I remember hearing at the time of the battle from the men who were on the north side of the turnpike where it occurred:

"As we were passing up the road in the direction of Chancellorsville and had near- ly reached that point at which Capt. Hill Carter's horse was afterwards killed, we came to a small hut on the north side of the road having a broad rock chimney extending nearly across the end of the house next to us. Behind this chimney there stood an old colored woman, who, appearing to know that there was a large force of the enemy ashort distance up the road, and seeing our thin line of skirmishers advancing (we had only thirty-two men in line) , and frightened about out of her wits at the prospect of the inpending collision, with wild gesticulations, pointing in the direction of the enemy, and in tones of most earnest entreaty, exclaimed to us, 'Oh, for God's sake, don't go up there! Don't go up there!! " There are thousands of them up there and they will kill every one of you all !' This she repeated several times, most earnestly. Some of us said to her as we approached and passed by her, 'Never mind, old lady, we've got a plenty of men just behind us to take care of those Yankees. Don't be alarmed.' " 

Author.  To read more of Mr. Davi military service and family take this link.
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