Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1876-02-25

many personal friends Of the Colonel who
lead the 18th Regiment at the ont outbreak
Of the late war.
The first blood Of the regiment was shed
at Biackburn's Ford-a skirInlsh prehml-
nary to the disastrous battle OF Bull Run.
On that occasion, although under fire aud
and unable to return the compliment, the
men behaved like veterans. On the morn
ing of the battle Of Bull Run, the men OF
the regiment were called up at hall past
one The long march and longer fast had
no doubt. something to do with the events
Of that day. The regiment kept well to-
gcther, however, until it came to the scene
of the repulse of the Gre Zouaves, the 18th
Brooklin, and the 6Oth, which, from place
of comparative security, the 18th witness
ed, and then came their turn. An aid ap-
preached, aud shouted, 10Th, see that you
take that battery-every body else has run
away.'' The Col. dismounted from his
magnificent charger-the command was
given 18Th into line, forward, charge y
and the ''lIigblauderS, " with serious re-
solve in their looks, commenced the assault
Obstructing fences and rough country
broke and crooked their line 30 that all
regularity was lost, and as fast as one
portion met the enemy's terrific hre, 1t
melted away to be replaced by the next
until but scattered and dlsorsanlzed
remnant MAS left facing the foe.
Colonel ca meron, with his large mill
tary hat 0r--its ostrich feathers waving in
the wind-stood almost alone, a conspcu-
ous object for the enemys sharpshooters.
He held his sword alOit, as if 10 rally his
men-just then au officer OF his com
mand, Lieut.. Elliott, standing by him and
seeing that further effort was useless, and
becoming apprehensive for the ColOnel's
safety, suggested 10 him to get under cover
but before reply could be given, bui-
let glanced from tree near them, and
with an audible thud. struck the Colonel
on the breast. The Lieutenant asked him
if he was much hurt, but the Colonel new
er answered. He stood motioness for Il
moment, his sword arm fell, and trem-
bling violently, as if in a chill, dropt easI-
ly into the lieutenant's arms-dead. And
so, in this most befitting manner, died as
pure and true a soldier as ever led men
into battle. Some of his officers and men
even thus exposed. inspired by the words
of Captain Ellis, Men, don't desert your
colonel, took his remains to n place then
considered safe. In doing go. however,
several were shot down. Ia the confusion
of the retreat that afternoon, when SAUyA
oUA PEUT was The order of the day, the
body was left TO the tender mercies of the
yictors, who, even then at that early stage
of the war, showed how chyalric they real
ly we're by the 5arbarOus disposition they
made of the remains.
About eight months after the battle.
when the rec siment was on duty in South
Carolina, and McCiellen had made his ad-
vance into Virginia before taking his army
to Yorktown, Majo Alban V. ElliOur,
when staff officer, stationed IN Washing
ton, and having authority from General
Cameron to avail himself of the 6rst oppor
tunity offering TO recover the remains OF
his brother, took advantage Of the move
ment Of the army, and proceeded alone on
that mission. Passing the main boIv ot
the army which had halted this side Of
Fairfax Court House, he pursued and over
took the advance cavalry at Centrevlle.
He disregarded the advice of the command
Ing officer there, who warned him of hIs
danger, and without other aid save his
trust i'll Providence. .oOd pistol and the
righteousness of his mission, proceeded
To the battle field, about ten miles away
passing on the road the deserted camps of
the enemy. He was successful after reach
ing the ground. i'll finding Il colOred man
who could recognize the spo, where Colonel
Cameron was buried but wishing 10 be
positive beyond question On 80 serious
subject as the proper Identification OF the
body after it was found, considering the
length of time it had been buried, he made
au appointment with the man for the next
day after, and hurried back to Washin= ton
;or the young man who had beeu formerly
the ColOnel's orderly. aud whose knp wi
edge of the clothes the Colonel had on when
killed might be of service. Returning
again as soon as possible. without waiting
to rest. accompanied by the young man.
aud finding again the culored man spuken
OF, they were piloted to the place Of burial.
1t was on the SIDE OF a hill, near a farm
house. on the edge of n rain washed gully.
They were informed by the colored man
who was with them, and who had formerly
been a slave III the house close by, that
after the battle, the bodies of the Uniouists
were left unburied about the house. and
becoming offensive to the inmates, he was
ordered To get 4 cart, gather up the bodies
and bury them out of sight, which he did.
with the assistance OF his master. The
first body placed in the cart was that of
Colonel Cameron five others were thrown
in on top of him. They were taken to u
shallow pit, already prepared, aEd threw
in pell nell. The Colouel's body, oeng
The under one IN the cart, you'd be, Of
course, the upper one iu the heap. lie
knew Colonel Csmeron's body was buried
their, because the fact was generally known
Whereabouts, and also beca use of IA locket
taken from his body after he was killed,
which fully established his identity. 1t
was just as the cOlored man had said, for
after moving the thin covering of dirt and
an old blanket from over the body, an APP
palling sight met the gaze of those present,
too horrible TO describe. For three hours
they worked in that pit of death to obtain
from it the COlonel's body intact. and were
entirely successful. The Identification was
established beyond doubt, and the re-
mains taken to Washington. They were
favored by fortune throughout. The re-
giou of the battlefield was Immediately
afterwards again in the hands of the enemy
and the colored people scattered. Colonel
Camerou's body was afterwards taken to
Lewisburg, Pa. where a grand military
funeral was accorded it. \ fitting monu-
meut now marks the place of that final
burial, where, in peace among his native
hills. it will repOse until the last great roll
call"
ACAsEIN WHICH IGNORANCE Is BLISS.
William Reipscm, who resides on little
farm three miles from PrOctOrville, in Plum.
kett's Creek township, is reported to have
raised five sons, the youngest Of whom is
twenty-five years Of age, and neither one
of them can read or write, or tell a one
dollar bill from hundred dollar note. What
is more remarkable still, these boys are
reported TO have never visited Williamsport,
Muncy, I.aport or Dunshore. Once upon
a time one of them came to Montoursvile
on raft, and another visited Bodine's
station, where lie became so frightened a.
approaching train of cars that he fled from
the place terror stricken. The others
have remained closely at home and know