Elizabeth daily monitor. [volume] (Elizabeth, N.J.) 1868-1880, 1869-03-09
A STORY OF OUR MESS.

A SIOh1 OE OOh MEoO.
One morning before daylight Tom
and Frank came into the hospital with
their knapsacks and tent strapped on
their backs, and their guns in their
hands. -f.f,r "a. rL ..g#..
They came to bid me good bye, they
said, for they expected to go into bat
tie that day.
That parting was sad one. for at
least it had come to the point of life
or death, and I dreaded to be parted in
this momentous hour from those who
had been true to me but while they
talked with me the earth trembled with
the thunder of artillery and they were
obliged to hurry awry.
By daylight the whole army had dis
appeared and none were left behind
but number of us invalids and few
attendants.
At noon the surgeon rode back, say
ing that our regiment was engaged and
the hospital must be moved to the
front so it was pulled down and load
ed on a wagon and moved off in the
direction of the firing, while we trudg-
ed YEARLY along side of it.
At dark we came to the brow of hill
overlooking the valley of the Kappa
hammock, and there below us was the
city of Fredericksburg, wrapped in an
ocean of fame which was swaying to
and fro like blood-red banner, sink
ing and rolling before the night wind,
then rushing down the streets in a
wild torrent, and then climbing swiftly
TO the top of the highest steeples, form
ing a scene of terrible grandeur.
The firing had ceased but the air
was filed with sulphury smoke that
hung along the valley like the haze of
an Indian summer I arranged my
bed by the light of the blazing town
and went to sleep with the determine
ton to rejoin my comrades the next
day., The next morning found the en-
tire valley enveloped in a fog that hid
everything and afforded Burnside an
admirable opportunity to get his forces
into position. The clouds seemed
touching the earth, and nothing could
be seen, but from the depths of that
myterious chaos came the rumbling of
wheels, the tramp of cavalry, and the
regular, and earth-shaking tread Of
marching columns.
But no one would have thought that
death was preparing his court to hold
high command there that day.
The sun was up fully an hour before
his beams could dispel the fog, and
then there burst upon the view piano.
rama, the like of which is granted to
mortal eyes but once in lifetime. Nov
ing at rapid pace were miles of in
fantry, marching and counter-march-
in all directions, but finally turning to-
ward the Rappahannock and disappear
ing down the bank, and with their col
ors dancing in the morning light, they
were soon seen emerging on the oppo-
site shore and spreading out over the
plain. The thousands of artillery
horses moved forward on a brisk trot,
dragging the bright brass guns that
glistened in the rays of the sunlight. as
they moved forward to play their part
in this grand theatre. --
Squadron after squadron of cavalry
wheeled into line, plunged down the
bank and presently disappeared on the
opposite side. All this time the enemy
were strangely silent it seemed as
though they were too intent in admir-
ing This splendid military display to
interrupt it with thunderbolts of war,
but at last it came. From hill just
back of the town burst forth white
cloud from the cloud came whirring,
screeching shell, that burst within a
few yards of me, causing stampede in
all directions. Not deeming that a
healthy locality, struck bee line for
the river and crossed on the pontoons,
which were crowded with endless col
umns of soldiers moving at the double
quick to get out of the way of the
shells that were now Bursting in the
river, over our heads and all around us
But amid all that wild storm of shells |
saw no one struck until we reached the
opposite shore then | stopped to rest
beneath a large chestnut tree. Near
nv was General Bayard. Chief of Cayal-