The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1864-07-13
New Work correspondence.
NEW YOEK, July 8, 1865.


DEAR JOURNAL: "My next" as |
intinated it would be, is from somewhere
else.
Soon after writing before. I took the
rowing fever. 1t ran like liquid FIRE thro'
my veins, and created what might well be
termed burning impatience" perfectly
irresistible and only known to him who
has been long confined to some sedentary
employment from which MUD and body
cry out for relief
In this predicament l collected my
worldly effects, consisting of two old gold
pens, fishing tackle complete and sheet
Of paper, aud moved at once on Frederick
via Relay House and "Elicott Mills. .
The latter place is most delightfully."- situ-
.ted en- the Patapsco and affords many
fine views 1t was the native place Of
Benjamin Banneker, the great negro As
tronomer aud Mathematician, the COM
panion Of Jefferson and Washington.
Nv compqgnon du voyage was my
friend Charley, to whom you may consider
yourself introduced We fell in company
with an elderly gentleman and a widow
lady, very respectable, very friendly, both
from Vermont and taking to each other
vely kindly indeed here iu the land of
strangers. Their company afforded US
some instruction and considerable amuse-
mcnt. From Frederick we were to 90 to
Hagerstown, and Charley and the under
signed concluded to take horses, while the
elderly gentleman and the widow lady
took a carriage and brought up the bag
gage. Starting out just before sunrise
we took the road over South Mountain
for Boonsboro. The horses, Furnished by
mine host, were full of spirit, and we
pranced along gaily enough. Not two
years ago passed over this same road.
Not two years, aud it seems an age l
remember though. very distinctly, that
mild, hazy Sabbath in September when
'Our" Corps were ordered, through
storm of lead up through the pass. !"
And just here an incident may not be out
OF place.
Gen. w s. Hancock was then a Brig,
ndc Commander, and a good one OF
mild and unassuming turu he never claim
ed aught of honor for himself but gave it
all TO the brigade" 1t was only in the
heat Of battle that he assumed his war
like "majesty of mien." and showed the
6rey spirit that was in him. Badly Smith
was then his immediate, or Division Com
mander. The artillery fighting had been
going on for long time. 1t sounded
there in the hills a. though Jovo were
thrashing the truaDt Earth with over
grown thunderbolts The pounding over
on the rebel side was clearly the harder
of the two. We were next to the front,
all already, and thinking of home at the
time Baldy rode up to Hancock and
SAID, General, can you carry that pass p
The Brigade can," was the cool reply,
and the Brigade did.
1t afforded me sort Of melancholy
pleasure to 90 over the ground and recall
the scene as [ then saw it. Every bullet
SCARED tree looked like an old friend I
had but to shut my eyes TO recall the
CHASTITY faces of the dead as they lay on
tho field after we were through with the
bloody work On stepping into the old
brick church, at the foot of the bill, which
We had used in the care of the wounded
I could easily imagine it re-peopled BY
that suffering throng, SO vivid was the i'm.
preston at the time. Paying hasty
visit to the graves of our own regiment
who fell there, We passed on over the
mountain into one of the loveliest of val
leys. 1t was a fine picture and all en-.
closed in an oval frame Of mountains. We
made short turn here aud went down to