The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1862-12-17
BROOKS STATIoN, 2d, lS62


know that | am still in the land of the
living, l take my pen, get book, seat
myselfin front of my FIRE With my feet on
the bed, the book on my lap, inkstand on
a chair to the right, coat off and commence.
You will ask, where is Brooks Station? !?
1t is on the Railroad running from the
mouth of Aqua Creek TO Falmouth, !,
Stafford County, Va. This Railroad Is
of as much importance at the present
time as any IN the United States, as nearly
the whole of the Grand Army Of the Po-
tomac are supplied by it. The Army is
encamped along the whole length OF 1t
on both sides, distance of about twenty
miles. This is done to keep Stuart from
making raid on US. Then the landing on
the Potomac is guarded by several Gun
boats Talk about our Grand Army being
whipped! All we need now is line of
fortifcations about thirty miles long.
which we shall doubtless have il Jackson
sends out recOnnoiterlng party OF one
Brigade of Infantry a Regiment of Cav
airy and two or three pieces Of Artillery.
Still guess it is ''aIl right" as the Boys
say, we are not paid for knowing these
things. The Regiment which have the
honor of belonging 10 is the First Penn.
sylvania Cavalry, Bayards Brigade, and
if | should use the language fan oficerln
the Bucktail Regiment, would say there
are only two Regiments Of Cavalry IN the
service and those are the First Pcnnsyl-
vania aud First New Jersey think he
is right, from the amount Of duty we have
performed, for we could never find any
Regiment to relieve Us, uulcss it was after
the Battle of Manassas The last of July
we were sent down to the Rapidau to do
picket duty, fifteen miles from support Of
any kind. After staying there six days
skirmishng with the enemy all the tlme
aud having several severe little brushes,
but nothing worthy of mention in a paper
for there was DO Generals in theui, nothing
but privates and their Company Officers,
and such battles you are aware don't
amount to much down here, still the
hearts that beat for US at home think we
are of Just as much account as those III
the field who wear two CT three stars
on their shoulders, we were driven
back from the Rapidan by Jackson 5
whole Army crossing. we formed our
rear guard aud our two Regiments COM
mcnced going back lighting over all the
ground and only going as we were driven,
You perhaps saw it stated in the papers
of tLat date that General Bayard man
aged the thing admirably. So he did,
aud we think he is one OF the best Cav
airy officers I'D the field, still, like all 9th
ers, fame with him is Of more value tl.an
mems lives. When we got to Cedar
Mountain We met Gen. Banks with his
men. Here we stopped and put up for the
night lying on. our arms with the bride
thrown over our arm thus holding our
chargers, which by the way were some
what tagged out. The next day we had
the fight, 10 which the First Pennsylvania
Cavalry made charge, going through
the lines Of the enemy and scattering
them like chaff. There our Potter county
boys showed their bringing up-that
they were not raised among the Allegheny
Mountains to be scared by Gray Backs
Little Potter" was we'll represented that
day. The gallant 9th made two charges
which were as gallant as any of the war.
For six weeks we were on duty every
day but two; passing through the battles
of Cedar Mountain, Thoroughfare Gap,
Gainesville, Bull Run and Manassas
Then we got back to Bailey's Cross Roads
where we were relieved, for the enemy
had got so far off there was 30 danger,
and anything would do then.
Since our Regiment has been in the
service, sixteen months, we have done
picket duty in all kinds Of places aud
never had but four men surprised, while
noarlg every other Regiment in the ser
vice have had from fifty to half Of their
Regiments surprised and taken prisoners
We have had more men taken prisoners
but it was in battle. We consider il
something Of Il disgrace to be surprised
v hie on picket. Captain Jones is at
Falmouth, [ hear, st.ll we don't know
Y ou at home know more Of US than we
know of ourselves. The war might end
and Peace be declared and we not know
anything Of it.
While at the Cross Roads | had the
pleasure of a visit from my sister, and
Mack, if you know anything about how
glad one is tozs e friends frOm home, YOU
can Imagine my delight. | visited Wash
ington with her, saw the pew Bucktail
aud my old school. fellows frou
Potter. Imagine the pleasure it afforded
me. after being out in the field in active
service for nearly year. to once more
take dear friends by the hand. Some of
the boys were sick and in hospital, but
my tune was so limited | could not visit
them, my sister, though, has been through