The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1861-11-02
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savoy rod, leading soushwestefiy, infan-
r., ID arsiIssry, in that night without .
moon. We come TO . point where they
found trees feIled across the road. At this
r,aee We are still going southvesterly from
Chan Bridge, nov i've miles distaak H9s
., this blockade in the road on that night
march, axemsn are set st work, and q the
ssme time, are sent out quietly and silently
I've hundred men 10 each direction, deploy-
ed as skirmishsss, to right and left. The
woods srs thick, and IN some places made
we'll nigh iungIes By Q close second growth
Of pine. The skirmishers push forward in
simoss utter darkness. NO ono knows
when he may come upon the enemy. The
way Is cleared at last, and the column moves
on down the road, and up and around the
crest Of . moderate ridge. The road here
makes turn to the north, the orders TO the
skumish party 90 either aide, were 70 sweep
the woods thoroughly and join tbs main
column in the road beyond this bend. They
did %, and as scout after scout came up
On either side Of the road, each begsn 70
Ere at the moving masses over the way,
dimiy seen 10 the now struggling moonlight
their own friends. The column came up
within range, and hearing the skirmish
ahead, preparations were made to sustain
their friends, engaged, ~ they supposed,
with party OF the rebels. The artillery
unIimbsred, the infantry began to Ere at
random. Shot began to tell on the close
coIemn; portions Of the line became con-
fused and broken. The wounded we're nu-
merous and the dead sad list already, and
the work had but just begun, when . time
y discovery made only BY daring gsllsntry
81 81 IL. ed skA
deroas opening Of fire by the artillery
What night they passed in the Geld where
We now stand, that column With its wound
Cd and dying and dead. DIR. Haven the
only Surgeon present, without ambulances,
with only pocket case, without even q
lantern The men and officers speak in the
highest terms Of his coolness, and skill, and
tact. By the light Of q newspaper kept
burning be tied femoral artery. With
blankets and poles he improvised lisssrs,
and mornlng dawned upon brigade thor.
oughly thankful their terrible missdvensurs
was no worse.
OF course We read this at the time in the
telegraphic dispatches, but here We are on
the very spot. Here lie the fragments Of
tbs artillery pole broken BY one Of its
wounded and plunging horses, yonder 10 .
grave, there are others at the camp, and
around US here lie the slain horses in whose
vicinity we do not tarry. So We 90 up the
bill.
And now look round you and see how the
axemen have under military necessity, made
sad havoc along these hillsldes. 1t is rs il
the forest had fallen before huge reaper,
its every tooth stout volunteer with his
ENy ~ 81 I.
have been cut down, to furnish US covert
Cor the enemy, and the trees lie 40 extrica-
bic mass Of limbs and trunks, awaiting AZ
ter time only the touch of fire TO leave for
their verdure the blackness Of ashes. Such
is war.
We now pass from the range Of hills in.
to a more open, beautiful farming region.
We are near the western outposts. Stand
here and facing vest you see Falls Church
a mile south Of Us, one white village spire
above the trees. Our pickets are there and
the village is our remotest outpost. TWEEN
~ minutes ride beyond il and you would
have the chances in your favor, or other
wise, Of u trip to Secessia at the expense Of
q. S. A. Did you not know We were 90
near? We are on the line.
Jus. at the RICH. Of Us, some boys Of a
Michigan regiment are clearing hillock
of undsrbrush and half-grown trees. They
tell us field battery is to be brought up,
thence to she'll yonder woods two miles
away on the hill, where the presence Of
rebel battery IS suspected. Are they 90
near ? We are shown furrow cut in the
earth Of an adjoining Geld, City yards from
where We stand. A she'll from over yonder
in those woods struck there this morning,
showing good glasses and tolsrable aim
in the rebels, for Gen. Potter and his staff
were riding to Falls Church, and were the
objects Of this mark Of attention.
At this, some Of our party propose to dig
out the shell, but the Michigan boys have
anticipated that trophy hunt. So We 90 on
TO Falls Church, watching the hill yonder,
where cur search for vision Of rebels is
repaid by seeing squad Of their cavalry
gaiIop along the edge of the woods.
A scrap Of paper is picked up BY one Of
the parsy--the tag of bundle addressed
TO "Mr. J. +. W. Delorme, Capt. Harring.
tons Company, 9th Regiment, So. Carolina
Volunteers, Manassas, Va, care Of Mr.. N.Y.
ers." So, about here, Mr. Myers must have
executed his commission, and the private
OF Capt, Harrington's Company made happy
In its possession.
We see other traces Of the war, the sad
relics Of homes destroyed, and count as We
ride along the still standing chimney stacks
Of eleven burned dwellings. "Docsor, 'said
se to enc OF our companions, an old resi-.
dent OF Chicago" shss ls melancholy enough;
some OF thsse were the homes OF Union
men, 'ies," reioined the Doctor, (whom
come Of your readers may recognize ssfrom
the remark he made, -" Bad enough, bad
enough; but then, suppose the boys burn
ell them Tor the same reason that 90 many
bate Homeopathy" We waited for the
point, and knew he would not miss il.
4" They rant to see the medicine ope-
rate"
Il is gratifying to know, however, tha.
She strict orders issued By the Commander
is-Chief will put strong check on such
Operations" in the future. These ruined
homes are the frss installmens Of the ruin
Virginia invited to her bosom when she
joined her fortune with the rebellion.
We ride co until Munson's Hill 10 before
us. its smooth, bald crest wearing mural
crown, about whose Federal guns there 10
this time no sham. And now as the sun 10
setting rsaly beatnd the hills where lie the
rebel eamps, we turn eur horses homsward,
ssili among camps, ssiii thicxiy surrounded
By sae canvas villages among which We have
been all day riding.
The camp srss glow brightly, and bring
into view amid ths leafy cossrts, studies
the old Dutch masters would have loved to
paint. she Ers light sashing 6fally on pol.
sshsa hayeae. and barrel as the gasrds face
their rounds. The plckets new subject us
and cor pass to the hShs Of . lantern, for
evening shades hare fallen fast upon thess
camps BY the Potomac, and hov fall Of 81
c3asRee aaa feeling 10 the hour.
Think OF the loving hearts Of the vast
multitude Of mothers, sisssrs. wives, sweet
hearss, turning Al nj sksfalI to iass vast camp,
and these scsdisr-ba BY the Potomac,
frsm homes far Away, and scattered saseggh
oil the Wide Norsh, from Maine 10 Michigan