FEBRUARY 11TH-12TH, 1865: On the night of Feb. 11th, Read and his men endured bitter cold as the weather worsened. On the 12th, sleet slowed and finally stopped the expedition only a few miles from the place they were to ford the Blackwater River and rendezvous with Lt. John Lewis, CSN, who had been reconnoitering the area ahead of the main body of sailors.
Master W. Frank Shippey wrote that while the men sought refuge from the storm in a deserted farmhouse, "a young man in gray uniform came in and informed us that our plan had been betrayed, and that Lewis was at the ford to meet us, according to promise, but was accompanied by a regiment of federals lying in ambuscade and awaiting our arrival, when they were to give us a warm reception.
"Had it not been for the storm and our having to take shelter, we would have marched into the net spread for us...."
--Old B-R'er
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