The Shasta courier., 1864-03-26
scenes and Incidents at Gettysburg.

scenes and Incidents at Gettysburg.
On Sunday, June IA, 1868, the New Jer-
sew Brigade to which | was attached, then
at Franklins Run on the Rappahannock, re-
ceived orders to march in pursuit of Lee 'saT
my then moving toward Pennsylvania. 0g<
corps General Sedgwick's) was the last to
leave the Rappahannock, and the route we
pursued was anything but direct; but neith-
er heat or,fa1igue could abate the ardor of the
men, all were eager to meet the enemy
who had dared again to set his feet on North
ern soil At a distance of fifteen miles from
Gettysburg where the armies were massing,
we first caught the murmurs of the opening
battle, and from that time until we reached
the scene all was enthusiasm among The
weary footsore braves, who counted as moth
ing all the pains of a march of one hundred
and ninety-eight miles, now that they were
within striking distance of the foe. Me
the way the ambulance trains Ii
crowded with both officers and mea,
worn and haggard but the cannon's rattle,
as it became more and more. distinct. changed
them in twipkling into new creatures. AT
ouce all began to make ready to alight it
was no time for riding then march was the
word. Two hours later, at about three o.
clock on the afternoon of the Sd of July, the
head of our column arrived upon the battle
ground, halting upon hill which gave us a
full view of The field, excepting only part
of the left of the line, which was posted in a
ravine out ofsight.
Here occurred an incident which | shall
never forget: As we came to, halt, poor
fellow who looked the very image of death.
hobbled out of the ambulance in which he had
been lying, and shouldering his musket, was
just starting, forward, when the surgeon in
charge stopped him with
" Where are you going sir?'
. To the front, doctor::" and the brave fe.
low tried hard to stand firm and speak bold
ly as he saluted the surgeon.
. To the front! What! man in your
condition? Why, sir, you can't march half
a mile; you haven't the strength to carry
your elf, let alone your knapsack, musket
and equipments. You must be crazy, sure
ly."
" But, doctor, my division is in the fight"
here he grasped the wheel of the ambulance
to support himself and | have young
brother in my company | must go"
But am your surgeon and | forbid ynu.
You have every symptom of typhoid fet~r.:
afiitie over exertion will kill you.
well, doctor, if mast die, would rath.
er die ON the field than in an ambulance"
The doctor saw that it was useless to de-
bate the point, and the soldier went as he de-
sired. On the evening of the next day it fell
to my lot to bury him where he fell, his ri. hit
arm blown off at the elbow, and his forehead
pierced with Mimic ball His name we
couldn't learn weonly knew that he long
to the Third Division of the Sixth Corps. and
that mark we placed at the head of his grave.
Shortly after five o'clock the bugle sound
ed " Fall in.' At once the drivers of am
balances sprang to their seats and the rank
and file to their feet from the road side where
they had been reclining, all alike covered
with dust. But little cared they for the gra
ces of toilet; the bugle called Forward"
and they stepped out gladly to their work
A march of something less than an hour
brought us to ravne, in which we were
drawn up in brigades, about a quarter of q
mile in the rear of tie Federal line Of battle
Here we stacked arms and sat down in our
places.
Here again the brave, indomitable temper
of our bows found expression il variety of
wavs. Some of the surgeons found it almost
impossible to prevent the men in the ambu-
lances getting out and taking their places in
the ranks. Some who were IN even worse
condition than the soldier already mentioned
in spite OF the protestatlons Of sur
geons. officers and comrades. that they would,
ran no more risk in the field than in the hoss
pital train: and | saw three men whom the
surgeon was obliged to place in an an, bulance
bv force, and then put over I'll EN- a guard
with loaded muskets, SO determined were they
to 90 with their comrades into the fight.
Our rest in the rayine vas BY no means un-
disturbed. The enemy having observed our
advance over the hill, Shot and hell very soon
began to fv about US thick and fast, batter
ing far and near. like swiftly driving hail.
Right in the midst of the storm, this exhibi
tion of solderlv GOODNESS met NV observation
Some twenty. five feet from the right of our
regimentai line of muskets ran creek Dor
dered on either side by large trees. A fall
en- tree served as a bridge or crossing. One
of the drivers of the Ambulanee Corps was
STOPPING on this log washing his hands.
spent she'll came ripping through the trees
behind him and buried itself lust deep enough
in the log to make it stick. Returned about
and with the heel of his boot kick ed the shell
into the water. saving. 9 Now, uid screecil-
owl, bust if you want to" And bust it did,
but second or two after, blowing cne end of
the log into splinters and completely delug
ing the driver, upon which, dropping him
self astride the remainder of the bridge, he
surveyed himself coolly, aud exclaimed:
"Well. l came here to wash my hands !;
but hang me if | expected a shower bath in
such an out of-the- way place as this"
The firing at the front continued, and the
rebel compliments in the form of shells still
dropped occasionally around US. At half
past six the bugle sounded again g Fall in. !"
Instantly every man grasped his weapon ard
took his position. The Second Division-but
one division. the Third, had yet been in
the fight-moved off first. Our appearance
on the hill was the signal for terrific sra
from the rebels; some of their heaviest guns
were turned upon MS; shell after shell came
Singing its devi,ish song through the air =
but the column kept straight on through the
storm with unshrinking front. Presently
we came to what is called a :. Virginia fence. "
and so known all over the North. Over this
we had TO climb. 4 sergeant in my eompa-
ny while getting ever fell through. Picking
himself up he turned to comrade and said
'' 'Doyou know why am like the President 7''