Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1862-09-27

"SunDury OWls 'flappy famlly " Olun-
teer Mnstrels" "Bull's Head" &c, &c.
The next day-Sunday--was round of
excitement. Companies were constantly
arriving and the fife and drum made music
rather discordant with the chimes of Church
bells which, regardless of the pomp and
pageantry of war; were calling the citizens
| to the temple of the Prince of Peace.
We received marching orders at II o'clock
and at three started for the cars. In the
mean time our regiment was organized of
companies from the Susquehanna and Juni-
alta Valleys. We were assigned Co. D., Sd
| Regiment, PENNSYLVANIA Minute Men-undcr
command of Colonel Doris. AT six o'clock
the train started amid the cheers of thous-
ands We were headed for Chambersburg,
and as we passed through Mechanicsburg
Carlisle, and Shippcnsburg, we received
regular ovations. The entire population were
out to welcome us and bid us speed
| We arrived at camping ground at mid
night The boys called it Camp Turrit,"
for reasons best known to themselves. We
found the people in the vicinity Of Cham
bcrsburg very much alarmed. Many of them
had left their houses in anticipation of the
! Rebel raid While in Camp Turrit,' we
! had the pleasure of seeing Longstrect's train
of ammunition together with two hundred
/
/ bcrcd that they were captured by the FIRST
Maryland Cavalry. Our brave Pennsylvania
ans lined the road and cheercd until they
were hoarse. The detected countenanCes
and tattcrcd garments Of the prisoners and
the grinning contrabands and the eXulting
cavalry formed a scene long to be remem-
bcrcd.
On Monday morning we were aroused by
Reveilc at o'clock. After completing our
toilets on a rather modified system, we drew
our first government rations. 1t is worthy
of note that this is the only occasion on
which we received full rations. In the eve
ming we were ordered forward two miles
and cncampcd in stubhc-tield. Early on
Tuesday morning, we marched forward to
Camp Mcclure. In the afternoon, we We're
! Joined by our squad of recruits, % in num-
ber. We received them with hearty cheers
and welcomed them to our rancho.
After drawing rations for the next day
crackers and salt meat-wc turned in for the
night. At midnight we received orders to
march at an hours notice The notice did
not come till p. NJ, of Thursday. At five
we entered the cars nominally for Green
| castle, but really, for llager,town, Nd. We
| had rare sport with few of our party, who
! strongly protested against crossing the state
! line.
As usual we reached our camping ground
| at night 1t was in the immediate vicinity
/ of Rebel camp, where, four days before,
sixty thousand Rebels had cncamped. The
| ground was covered with cast-of clothing,
| shoes hats, and decaycd meat. We found
| that the Rebels had pursued a conciliatory
coursc-paying for what they took until the
| last day of their stay, when they seized all
they could. Atnoon Of this day, the Rebels
/ crossed the river from Virginia, and at 3
o'clock, We were sent forward to meet them.
We were chcercd through HIagerstown, and
went down the turnpike. When two miles
! below lIagcrstOwon, we were brought to Il
! halt and ordered to l9a8! | can never for
| get the feeling at this moment.
| The order was unexpected and startling.
! We had been told that we were marching
/ to better camping ground, and such was
our belief. But we We're not long in doubt,
| Brigadicr General Reynolds rode to our lines
and ordered our company to tear down 4
! fence and file into field, telling us that the
enemy were in force before Us. 1t was a
| moment of awful suspense, but with few
exceptions, every man graspcd his muskct
! firmly, and every heart beat quickly but
rcsolutcly. Our company was posted on a
| hill on the extreme right Of the left wing of
the line Of battlc-thc post of honor as also
! Of danger. We took our position at z. VI.
on Friday and retained il during the night.
| On the morning of Saturday, Gen. Kenly,
of Front Royal fame, took command of our
! Division. We stood in line until about p
| NJ, when, finding that the Rebels would not
move forward We were ordered to advance
and attack them. They were two miles in
front OF us. Just as We started an alarm
/. 81, ILL.,
hood, The signal was repeated at various
points towards the river. 1t appears tC
have been preConcerted, for the Rebels i'm
Miler's Battery, which was posted to tn,
right Of our Brigade, had the pleasure 0
firing few rounds after them as they skc
daddled.
We were marched forward two miles an(
again drawn up in line Of battle W
remained in this position until l2 o'clocl
on Sunday We had thus been i'll line 10
TortyJO,r hours During this time we ha'
been alarmed six several times, and had 10
rations four crackers during three days !
this time General McClellan's army occupic
the ground in front OF US, and our service
were no longer required. Accordingly q
noon we were ordered to sling Enapsact
and fall in" We started for Grccncastl
and marched II miles in seven hours. \
20 miles per day is considered good time tt
regulars we thought our powers OF locomt
tion good.
We reached Camp at seven o'clock, an
went supperless to blankets. We rested IL
next day and in the eycning-true to OF
eXpcrcnce--werc ordered to march Aft
remaining awake the entire night, We starte
at daylight for Harrisburg. The journt