New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-08-07
THE LAST DAYS OF THE 69TH IN VIRGINIA
A NARRATIVE IN THREE PARTS.
By THOMAS FRANCIS NEAGHER.
From TAs Trisl 4mericdr.
PART THE SECOND.

ward from the village. Skirmishers were thrown for
ward and the village also being found deserted, the
march renewed the position Of the regiment being
alteedthe la Wisconsin taking the right aud the 9th
bringing up the rear q the brigade
Over the streaming bayoneis, through the swaying
color aud the clouds of dust rolling dtnsey upwards
from the tramped earb riding at the head OF the 6gth
beside our Colonel saw the handful Of little wooden
houses known as Germantown, rise up and dlate be-
fore us. One house however, particularly struck me,
even nj the distance and Notwithstanding the dust,
confusion aud lumult through which | noticed It, a
two-stOried house. well proportoned, with a white,
cheerful face, roses and wOodbine, as | took them TO
BE- COing' and clustering about the trellsed porch
young ornamental trees in front of it, clear and hand
feature in the cOuded picture against winch we
were mOvi0g-it the fret pleasant object OF the
quieter and findcr order of things, we had fallen 10
with since pushed on that morning from Vienna
" That house ia fire., Father Kelly, our chaf-
lain, huuedly observed US he whipped his horse mp
beslte the colonel.
The words bad ,carcely fallen from his lips when
round mus OF bLck smoke rolled o1t Of the windows
Of the hore and buried II in darkness. Another mo-
ment the red flames leapiug through the smoke,
aud the cracking OF timbefs pierced aud ited win
the fire. was heard distinctly above the tramp and tn
null OF tue march. the oily ornament Of the village
in hot haste and fury plmging into ashes H. han
an hour n would Jo, at best, heap OF smolderlnY
charcoal Whose WAS the scuryy and malignant hand
that fred the d, serted homes eadf Ii n for the Teg
mems of the brigade In advance Of tho 9th 70 ansV er
With them re the respon ibility Of this savage riot
Ousness and mischief The house was doomed lrreyo
caby when the b5th came up The in'h Regiment
swept BY TIE blazing ruin, omsng the rdilans VINO
had Uayed the harbar0us prank and madoere1 WIN
tie thought OF the disgrace ii would bIfEg upon tue
feiersl dag
Nor di 2 the wickci1e-- Of the moment content Win
the destruction Of an unprotected d"ciilog. Flk'
were shot down aud cut TO pieces the dripping nag
t4afr. y nj Nf
bv the butchers. Turkeys and chickens shared TIE
same tate. Every hns LETT behind tIcul in the vi
L.e by tue rc rearing inhabitants, whether uaeiui O.
otherwise, was seized and swept away. ] Jaw pu-
yate ~ Tie Wisconsin Regiment stumbling along wI'h
a feather bel across his shoulder. / Jaw another
with a sle lge hammer taken from Che vacant iofse
& rl bad large lookinggliss under his arms.
fourth had q patched Quilt or cDunicfpane wrapped
about bui--a curicns piece Of uesdlsWOfk, guIy
enough 10 Please Cliib prince AID efficiently heavy
for W Winters uigh5 m NOya-Scoa. frenzy OF dep
relation seemed 20 have seized many OF tne solder
IL advance Of aud the WHutOn I7-Cu ape RED ~
grasp at everything With an utter disregard oil lts use
fitness on absurdity. H. vain did the o'ers Of the
Offending regiments strive 70 check tae 1wlezsness Oh
The The raw lsyies looked on 6 -rmantown-
the abandoned bantlug Of u yage-as their lawful
prey, and the flames o. the burning house, widening
Rapidly and fercely alone compelled them 10 dcsst.
Hurrying past this scene-leayng the house a burst
ing pile OF smoke ard IRE for II Wa impossible for as
10 ave d. and having Ired two south Carolina sol
drr. who ry In an adlOiH ing shed. swetcHnQ in he
drticst Of blankets ana deadly sick with measles that
they should have our YioteouO hnd whheyc relief We
could eudcr them, ard TO fear 10 ham-ihe bfh in a
few minutes gained the rOdd from Ff fax 10 Centre
vile. IL Wa now close on o'clDCa-the sun wGs
ferce-tlc dust bI nIng and GfiuR-wc had been
tamIiug II since little attcr sruri,J-trmpirg 10 on
The patrlcst allowance of biscuit ard ooce-Ho time
for any further rc'Itfhmsnt bad been ali0Wcd-aud
here Isrehel ami bls'ercd most az ileir oiuteeus
empty not "a drop oi water within reach tie mn were
ordered 90 close rguks and D coubl.-.i, line weep
ahead. The belief thar t-t tonltte.aies were not
more than an h0lr 90 most the better ~ us. and char
flulvIug them thus RAPIDLY auducgs-lriv, we should
s0n be up with t.cu, aJue c-rp1rgcd tlc l.t.t iu
tia. le.. long pursuit and held them 10 t-c Eo.k.
Hlt Tor tla belief hundreds OF them, no ~ "refts,
rrr.f have staggered from the ,Cl1mr ana thrown
he-eyes aaIn-i the trees and fences, GO aer ide The
.ufl. uttr.lv ban.ci AMI orerpOHci-d. A- % We,
hundreds "a ~ hregs from the RANKS whercyc,
fi-ra-lpuso held ont 20 them &c promise th,i water
WAC at hand md not merely disregurdnr. but defy
ING crv fort O. tsr ol,cIs TO restrain tlcnl uhde
E.l.e, r tLe spot where them agonFs were t0 BE- a.
sla,al. II maUy instances the. poor fellows
were wthll9y doomed 20 disappointment. Che
ret 70 .iipg SlutheUels having cut the ropes which
held The bucA,si the wells broken The chain-, %
thc case uit be-. /. was enough 10 force lo, tears
ffp III stcrres eve 20 thc sufferer, painting aud
breaibIcss AFTER TIER Wild race, looking hopelessly
down those dark, deep well, the forbidden wuter
glnrrrug sixty lrsf ~ more "t0G, sud Tie leyelct
ami crls:,d hp qul'c.ing win a roo0uu!el pia9.
Nsyertb l,ss 4 wus q splendid Uluor1ma, those fur
r..s Of armed the sun multiplying, ll ..tlcu 10
r tbs luf. oil H.. hing steel, bringing u.i plume amt
r,ir.rIe and sword, and ali tine .reIy ~ war, into
k.,uei radiance. aUa frightening t.e vision O. iAat Na'i
Thong With an its gloy. me sun Wlirl prchel
chose oiliycring fps which drew the sweat in streams
ffrp Ii tty aud many s.oEci ing brow which drank
tie blood ot tiOI-uds that desperate march, and
bed IRON van % rear mutinous ilnrst-ihe stne
o.ii there above a., So ns ~ thO.r sW4Nng Dan
per, and I'M tho-e naughty arms In food Of speudor,
and blending ia one long woudr0ls wave OF dazzling
lirh all tie gav deCcplOns and Gle woisi pt'Hi'ns
~ soIdieJs FIFE Mcst Of the REGIMENTS were
ssco urauod by their bands, GBd, the bold music
splng NJ at utcrysl- along the line many dropping
heat lraped up with t AID despite OF the heat ana
dusl and thirst Il was, after all cheerful crowd that
sIof along.
About five O'Clock in the afternoon the tolls aud
troubles of the day were az end. Before the san
went down an army of 900 had stretched itself TO
rest in wide, deep valley, in the shadow Of oi'y
woods, which held it in perfect zone.
Batteries Of flying artilery-tr00ps Of cavalry-huge
vsgon- with " hi eawpiugs-ambullnces aud hospital
cr.-a farmhouse here and heretbcsc, dispersed at
6ferrul poius tlroIehou, the valley relieved che
no, ,,ou. masses OF infantry with which the ground
was darloucd A cool end abundant stream lowed
through the sOping meadows over which these masses
We. eNtcuIed to the right and le Of the road 10
Cent, ille. ana the long fresh grass covering the
Us.deWs furnished lu1 riOus bedding Tor The heated
erd nara .sed forces of tie Union. The night, how
ever. was not withou. its discornfors and alarms.
Tlerc was a very heavy dew which though not as
deuce ard dreughng tho We had 20 sleep through
in the rrrhos Outsiqe Vienna bad enough Tor the
tougha.. sold.rs 20 endure n wac all the for
ny insslnuch ~ MANY Of the 6ith bad that morning,
during The fanking movement upon ttdax, Wm'n
they went through with rufh Hung OF Their blankets,
Will. ..yeal oil them flung OF their coats AZ well.
how tle.e moor fellows managed 10 keep their bones
from aching aud now, with light hearts and lighter
limbs tbov feared into the ranks next morning, as
though ey bad been comfortably housed jn4isad oil
being wrlslng wet all night, II would " olIl,ui; 70