Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1876-08-25
rhe madl.on Kncampment.

] ~
things Of the past.
The Ashtabula Light Artillery met at
their armory on Centre street at six o'clock
A. NJ, on the morning of the 10th, prepz1-
tory to their march. By eight o'clock
everything was in readiness, and the order
'' forward was given, and their sixteen
mile journey was commenced. The battery
was under the command OF Lieut.. Bartlett,
and as they started out they presented a
very gay appearance. The fine brass
pieces glistened in the morning sunlight
and the c..issons. horses, etc, L, ser aTl-
peared better. There were twenty-eight
men and twenty-five horses in the battery.
The route taken was va the Norlh Ridge
road to Unionville, where they cruSsed over
20 the Souih Ridge, reaching Madison at
half-past twelve.
! At Madison, and before marching to the
camp, the bas,e-y halted Tor the Ash5abula
Light Guards, who came up on the noon
train, accompanied by part of the old 29.h
Regiment. The Madison Light Guards
were in wai,ing at the depot. and eseOrted
their visitors isOm the depot 10 the village,
where the Light Artillery joined the pro-
eeSsion, and all marched to the camp.
which was about a mile west, on the prop
eriy of NJ. Ensign. 1t vas beautiful
place. their being plenty of sha'e aud
broaG open fields.
The boys soon hal thei- Ans stacked
cannons parked. and tents pitched. DIN
ner VIZ the next thing on the programme
and was cacried out 10 the satisfaction
OF all.
Duf:ng tie balance Of the day there was
lille done in the camp; but at n ght small
squads could be seen raining The pickeSs,
and l.om other Signs ore could easily come
to The conclusion that prepI ations wee
being made for some spO- =. before daylight
came. At ten O'Clock roll was called and
eve.y man was in his place. The t2ps
sounded and al wac quiet in the camp;
but soon a band composed Of amateur mu-
sieians stuck up, and perpetual noise,
that kept the whole camp awake, was con-
tinued ull daybreak.
During the morning of the second day
preparations were made for the sham fight,
and by noon several thousand people were
pre,ent, and were entertained by ezamin-
ing The guns and equipments of the AshtA-
bula Light A nery, and Witnessing the
dI;u of The diffe- ent companies.
At noon a bountiiul dinner was served
bv the fair one OF Madison, and the boys
laborcd long and we'll, putting the eatables
out of harms way.
After dinner par, J of about fifty young
men, armed with guns and dressed as In
dians, arrived, and were marched to the
field where the sham battle was to take
place. They were joined by the Lake
County Guards, who took u position on the
south side OF the field. Tire Bowers Post,
G. A. R., of Geneva, and the Ashtabula
Light Guards took position on the north
side. the Ashtabula Light Artillery form
ing in their rear The battle was opened
bv the infantry companies advancing and
opening fire, the Indians being concealed
in the woods. The firing was kept up for
about half an hour, The Indians advancing
and the infantry falling back TO the artil-
lery, which was firing frequent shots. FL
nallE. The Lake County Guards and the
Indians made charge and were repulsed
by their opponents. The Light Artillery
then left the field on the run, followed soon
by all The Infantry. This ended the sham
fight, and eveiy one present seemed to be
well satisfied.
Thursday night was repetition OF the
programme of the previous night, only
that more of the Ashtabula boys were seen
out About thirty of them took up the
line of march from tent to tent, headed by
drum corps and tugler, and followed
by small squad carving keg Of lager,
who made every sleeping soldier wake up
and partake of cup of the fOaming bever-
age. While this squad was entertaining
the sleepers in camp, another one was do
ing duty outside of the picket lines, visiting
hen-roosts, and performing other branches
of forage duty. Some time before mid
night the foragers returned, and it was not
long before the night air was filled with
the fragrant odor of broiled chicken, green
corn, etc.
At the small hour of one A. NJ. many of
the sleepers were called from their slumbers
and compelled to join the ranks, when they |
were marched to the tables and treated to
such a supper as they will never forget.
The next morning -Friday-a general
drill and parade took place by all the COM
panies present, before Col. W. T. Fitch, or
the gallant old 29th, who made pleasant |
little speech to each of the companies, |
which were greeted with rounds of ap- |
plause.
After the companies returned to their |
quarters, the Ashtabula Light Artillery |
broke camp, ready to start for home as
soon as dinner was over.
After the artillery were drawn into line,
three cheers were given for the kind people |
of Madison, the Lake County Guards, Col.
Fitch and the old 29th. The battery was
escorted to the limits of the village by the
Lake County Guards and their excellent
brass band.
The Ashtabula Light Guard remained in
camp during the afternoon, and returned
in the evening on the accommodation train,
reaching home about the same time as the
artillery.
Each member OF our companies feels
under many obligations to their Madison
friends, for the very hospitable manner in
which they were entertained, and they hope
that some time they can return their many
kind acts.