Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1862-12-26
BY CAPT. j. T. DREW.
CHAPTER /.
From The marcd to the field to our im
pr;sonment IN Beauregard's barn.

FROM We marc" 70 me Jtetu ~ O~' W''
priSonment IN BeauregardS barn.
At 2 o'clock on the morning of the
2lst o. July, 1861, the long roll reused
up the 'slumbering hosts Of the Union ar
my, and the march to Manassas com
menced. Five minutes from the first
sound of the drum our regiment was in
line, and filed out into the road and had
marched about two miles, then halted on
the high ridge of hills to the left of Cen
treville, there to wal. until the divisions
in advance had moved farther on.
As the sun arose we could see long
lines of glittering bayonets-dense mas
ses of infantry and swiftly moving bat
talions of cavalry, heavy rolling artille-
ry and dust-raising baggage trains-all
moving along through the quiet plain
below. 1t was grand sight and one
that gave strength and confidence to the
men.
Soon we were on the march again,
and not long after began to feel the in
tolerable heat of the sun and the chok-
ing sensation from dust and thirst. The
men began to throw away blankets,
coats, and some even shirts, so sufioca-
ting was the air.
/ There was no one cause that contrib
uted so much to the rebel success that
day. as the heat of the sun. Most of our
regiments were composed of young men
who had come from cool, bracing and
genial climes. Here the found them
selyes under the scorching heat of Vir-
ginia sun, without water, food, or stimu-
= leos of any kind. with the dust from
thousands of tramping feet, making more
sufioeating their tiresome march. Hun
dreds fell out--many never to rise again.
, But it is not my object to give his
tory of the fight; but | have mentioned
this much to show you the kind of meu
who were made prisoners. | think
+ may safely say that every one who couio
run, after The retreat was ordered, dc
run, and most of them got away. The
prisoners were wounded or exhausted
men, unable to escape from the field.
My own capture was owing to ex
A haustion by sickess and fatigue. / haC
been sick with bilious fever for three
days, and went to the field with hardly
n strength enough to walk. After march
p ing as long as could alone, my good ole
q friend Captain Eaton, who seemed neve
to grow tired or fatigued, helped me oil
- until we began to fall behind, and theT
= the Major of the fifth Maine regimen
gave me his horse. ] rode this until n
,. longer able to ride, and then was carrie'
on the field in an ambulance. Left a
Sudley Church to rest for while, sool
h made my way on the battle-ground, bu
- only to find the troops all falling back
- | sat down again until some of the Yer
a mont boys came along and helped me Of
short way, and then ore of Gen. VIII
- cox's ambularces picked me up.
Ten minutes after, not one mile fror
the field, was taken by Stewards cav
II airy. They fred into the ambulance an
p killed the man by my side after the dr.
- yer had surrendered, all because ha
&c fired my revolver at them and killed
n horse. My sword l broke in the wheel
" and my revolver / threw into the mu
&c as soon as had fired, and so they gC
no arms from me. The first words sal
to me we're "You id yankee, hell
ed to hang John Brown l told hil
Of that he had the looks of hangman, an
I'd would doubtless crown his glory by mu
it dering unarmed prisoners. "No,' sal
=" he, "Fll keep you for the gallows'"
Within half an hour from the tin
our army retreated, the rebels were fal
1e lag back on their old works at Mana
sas, and only few regiments were mo-
ing after our men. The black horse ca
ho airy was securing the fields, picking I
Is. exhausted and wounded men. | sa