St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1868-05-22

! IL lll9 ~ uIONn Thought ana care.
They reached their destination lust in
time to take part in the battle of Antic-
tam and the young recruit had thus an
early opportunity of testing his courage.
Poor Charlie his feet were sore. and
his limbs still with fatigue but he went
into the battle with the Others. and did
his part well. 1t was not till the roar
OF the cannon died away, and the smoke
cleared oft. that he had leisure to take in
the horrors OF that which had appeared
Completely exhausted at the clos, of the
battle. he crrpt to his tent. AMI, with
>mukc-h hr"rimrd face, torn and soilrd
uniform, sank ON the ground, thankful
tor rest. The battle haunted his dreams
and, starting up after an uneasy sleep
"i a few hours. uc Went out 10 view tine
field With sirhrnin. heart hc 93z,l On
the CHASTITY faces living all aroui.d him.
in the various attitudes and a.pnic- of
death. Could ii he Yes. here WAS
Harry, hi- light hearted cnmraIe OF We
| tcrday, lying -ti;i and stark on the ground
his face hc-mrarcd with blood from Il
deep lash, which had almost cleft his
forehead in twain. Thc New England
boy >hu1dcrcd, his brain rceled, and.
leaning against the stump "t 81 Tree, his
chest hca,cd with convulsivc >uIs and
| there burst from hi, lips one passionate
cry--Holher!
y soldiers life allows no space for sen
limcntaliSm->carccly for the feelings OF
common humanity and 80 Charlie WAS
obliged to struggle on A. best lac could.
and to harden himself IN body and mind.
Familiarity with scenes of blood and
death enabled him 80 look at them with
more >tcadiucs> and compo>urc but
this first battle hal di-pcllrd his illusion
a. to the glory OF war. IIcucrtorth he
served only because il was his duty to
serve. while his heart turned incc>,antlv
To the home hc had - lately been eager
to leave. How uucqually life seems To-
be distributed. ,iud.iu" from our present
standing-point. Many tuIl-grown man
entered the army during our late stru"-
Gle, and served months or years without
seeing a battle, while hoys Of fifteen and
>iNtcen went through the >,.vrrc>t cam
paigns and the most terrible fighting
( harlIc'> career WAS AN instance of this.
He was engaged in most OF
the battles OF the Amy OF the Potomac /:
was Wouuied at GETTYSBURG Uhough but
slightly and. fiualIv. was taken pri--
uurr in the terrible tights of the Wilder
uc-> Poor Charlie in hi dreams of
the future. ~ lac lay in his cosy little
bedroom. he had never seen a rebel pri~-
uu.
Many times in thi> long campaign had
Lee regretted the rash La>;r with which
hc had left his home. and vainlv had he
>trived To obtain leave of absence The
promises ot the recruiting officer had
proved utterly false, and ,Ir poor boy
WAS riuinI away with homc-irhnrs~.
60. ii ever gyt back to You all.
mothrr." he would write, Il think |
shall - rr:.zv with Joy 80
From the bloody >oil of the Wilder
ncS~ the poor fellow was dragged 10y slow
/ and weary -ta-r~ 10 that foul chancl-
/ house, that li,in- crave. Andcr,ouviIe
+ Thr .rort rate closed behind him.
.r.I Cl,f,... az III, a.,. .ot seventeen.
.nunJ himself a vr.l.b,d prisoner ol
v.r
-, those dreadful. hopeI,-~. endless
DAYS of iar,rr,. and ui horror. Worse
trln the batti,-:itld. Niih IL ,arua-,.
I aud dpa,l.--tor th,r, action bruu.h. -,m,
r,.ari. and lop. ~,iil remained while
i..r. were horrors --,..;cr than tho-,. ot
.l. battle .i..l. v.,h action :,rl I..or,,-
.,ud J. l. rt.~ AMI misery. Starvation
.ulI h,,u. puur Charlie dr..-,I ou HI
,.rrtchrti existence. turhlcutrd with yypr~,
tlan auv Ludj.v huu.cr-thc nurgcr al
ter hun, Month after month passed
lrcarilv ayy.y. and the .trong, healthy
boy crew into Il prematurely old and
cmaciatgd man. IIi~ hollow check and
~unl>rn eye, hi- feeble walk and pcrpytu-
al cough. would have drawn sympathy
from hi- fellows. had they not been them
~tlvo, toe much absorbed in their own
-utlcrng-.
One day there WAS treat stir in tn,
stockadc. and rumors were ahoat Of an
exchange OF prisoners. Hope hcsan It
revive iii many OF these wrctched heart
and in poor CharlIc's among others anc
when hr found himself included in Il par
" who were ordered to march, Il -mii'
, lit up hi~ wasted features Alas i
, w,,- ,hort-Iivcd hope, doomed to cn'
! in yet deeper sorrow and despair, After
being carried about for Two or three day
in the crowded and Ioathsome cars. al
most H'ld WIZ" l'i2ur ANA 'i'lrSt' "'i'
lie found himself at Florence, and per