The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-10-09
Co,rvspondenes Of the Cinei .nsti Gazette.
THE ARMY IN w EUTERN VIRGINIA
TAE AOVEN1 UhE OF A NIGHT.
Carnifex's Ferry, Sept. l6, 1861.

have dismal recollection Of dreary night,
after the battle aud before the retreat Of the ell
emy was discovered. Everybod had been in q
state of excitement since long beto daylight
that morning. The march itself-eighteen miles
in hot day, by nOon-was sufficiently exhaust
ing; aud after that had come all the narrowing
scenes, ali the tension Of body and mind, oil the
uncertainty Of the engagement Not till nearly
an hour after dusk did our troops fall back.
Even then the horrors of the action did not
end, and it was sadly whispered that the last
crashing volley OF msskeuy We had heard, cane
from our own MIME muskets, and was directed
against our own troops. Subsequent invesiiga
ton has not confirmed this stxtemeDt) The
night was 90 dark that the thinned ranks Of our
regiments could hardly be distiI guished as the,
sulenIy fled into the fields where our reserves
had been stationed, and whence rebel regiment
had beed routed. A few moments of confusion
followed, then each regiment vas drawn up i'll
line in the position it was to occupy, and down
upon the ground they lay, with muskets and car
fridge boxes by their sides, aud thus bivouaced
for the night.
The enemy was still inside We we're outside
the eDtrenchments; 90 much was known. For
the rest there were Wild stories of our heavy
losses, of the number of dead and wounded lying
on the field. and of the probability of an attack
during the night. But there we're some OF W.
too absolutely worn out with fatigue to keep
awake longer for any consideration. The wagon
train was two or three miles back; We had Meth
er tents nor blankets, but sleep We must. We
had been in the saddle since four o'clock in the
morning, some of us had run down our horses
carrying orders until they were actually unable
to bear US longer, aud we were still more exhsus-
ted than the horses. Where the General vas
We couldn't 6nd out, and % We resolved to lie
down, right where We stood, and trust to chan
ces tor not getting between both 6res in case OF
. rebel sortie. Luckily the rebel regiment had
retired in too big . hurry TO take all its blan
kets, and Capt. Mallory, who was in charge o.
them, was able to furnish US With a couple OF
thin ones. With these We lay on the ground,
body shook US up, and succeeded in getting Us
to comprehend that in case of night attack We
might find it convenient to leave that point with
out having to spend time in ssddl,ng and bridling
our horses. Altogether, it was thought safest to
attend to that matter at once, and so at it We
went, grop,ng about for the saddles, getting the
wrong brides on the wrOrg horses, aud vice
versa, till in some shape wc tied up the persecs'
ted animals again, sank down upon the ground,
and in a moment we're slumbering.
How long We slept don't know-l don't sup
pose any body does-but do know that it seem
ed but an instant, and a very unsatisfactory in
stant at that. A sentry who was watching the
captured property stirred Us up with the cheer
ing information that We we're some distance out
side the lines. and in the very skirt of the woods
through which the enemy was expected to at
tack. With profound skepticism that sleepy.
headiness can best produce We utterly secuted
the possibility of an attack, and insisted with
much sleepy logic, on our right to sleep where
We pleased, enemy or no enemy. But the sen
try wouldn't listen to reason. and 90 We bad to
get up.
Leading our tired horses after US, We began
a dreary stumbling walk among the hills to fnd
the Generals headquarters We might a. vel
have hunted through those fields for the seraglio
of the Grand Sultan.
After tresding among whole rows Of soldiers
and receiving more benedictions than we're use
iul, couple OF US abandoned the search, and be
took ourselves to group of amblsnces. down
next the woods that lay between Us and the en-
emy. Ny companion (the welLknown w. D.
B." of the sprightly, and on the whole, rath
er praiseworthy little concern q couple squares
west OF our establishment sleepier, it anything
than myself, tied his horse to the wheel OF an
| ambulance, and instantly stretched himself or
the ground beneath it, There we're horses aI
ready at the other wheels, % had to go to 9
tree in the edge of the woods with my old Rosi
nante.
Cropping my way back, discovered that
pair of restive horses were attached to the am
oulance, that the driver was sound asleep. ane
that the wheels we're running back and forth very
close to my friends head. vi course l tried Il
punch him up, but he insisted that he was per
fectly safe. Presently the wheel grazed his ear
and ground q stray lock of his sandy whisker
into the sandy sell By that time he succeeded
in getting awake, and sorrowfuly untying h
horse, started with me on another pilgrimage.
Finding twovheeled concern, with hors'
tied to each wheel, but none TO the shafts, VI
hailed the omen, opened the door, and tried Il
crawl in, when We suddenly came in vigorous
contact with the heels Of . brace Of sleepers WHIT
had proceeded US, and preempted the narrov
territory. We tried another ambulance. 1t con
tanned little straw and three men, one of then
alone weighing $50. Back We groped to ou
two-wheeled bob tail, crawled under, certain ths
the horses at the wheels couldn't trample OF
our heads, and profoundly indifferent ~ to wha
who cared? Our heads we're under the ambu
lance and what more need any body wantf AM
90 We went to sleep once more.
4
ambulances, horses. drivers, and squatters. Tn
Genera! was out there. roaring, take away d
this stuff; what are you doing right here befor
our lines, where you would be riddled BY tn
first fire from either side! Away with you q
once"
| And sorrowfully crawling from under our bob
tail ambulance We united our horses and Stun
bled around again. By this time We we're at tn
point of desperation when We would have O.
teemed it . privilege to be allowed to sleep il
quiet in mud hole. But We coulden't find eve
q quiet mud hole. Finally after wandering som
where we had no idea where, though "
thought it was away from those ambulances-
Nv. D. s" feet struck pile of straw, an
quick as q fash he was down, had bis horses ha
ter tied around bis ankle, and was sound asleep
Not partial to that way Of hitching horses, spen
some moments securing mine to . wagon whes
near BY, and returned just in time to see tn
wheels of q heavy four horse ammunition wago
pass Nv. d. BIS" feet With about an inch :
spare. Waking him up, suggested that it Va
trife to close for safety. He demurred, an
wanted to 60 to sleep again, while arguing tn
case, but was finally persuaded to crawl up ono
Lore.
Fate now brought us to General Benham'
headquarters. Satisfied that ammunition waf
ons would have respect for . General, We h
down on the ground, and again sunk into heav
slumber
! We had slept for some time-how long don
know, but drilling rain was falling, when v
we're walked by . Lieutenant's dsshing up o
horseback, close to our heads and announcing I
General BeHham that the rumble OF artillery Al
rsis aona m0vin0 had hnoy, heard nv the Ouard "a