Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-07-28
ANNALS OF THE WAR.
Chapters of Unwritten History--The
Gettysburg Campaign--The Story
of the Second Corps on the
March and In Battle.
HANCOCK'S HEROlSM UNDER WAR.
A Graphic Recital Of the Stirring
Deeds Of an Eventful Day.
BY MAJOR GENERAL ST. CLAIR A.
MULHOLLAND

Deeds OF an hVentiul Day.
BY MAJOR GENERAL ST. CLAIR A
MULHOLLAND.
From the Philadelphia Times.
In all the four years of its existenc,
the men of the Army Of the Potomac
never hailed an order with more de
light than that one which withdrew Vi
from before Fredericksburgand sent III
North. When on that lovely Summer
evening in June, 1863, we looked fol
the last time on Marye's heights ant
the monument Of Washington's mother
which had been shattered and broker
by the shells OF both armies, and stood
out there on the plain back Of the city
as though protesting against this fra
trieidal strife, mute and sorrowful
Niobe weeping for the mislortunes ol
her children, every heart beat with a
Quickened throb and all the men re,
Iioiced to leave the scenes of the last
six months. We withdrew from the
line of the river after the shades oI
night had fallen over the landscape
and it seemed to be an appropriate
hour, for had not the great army while
here been in shadow, without a ray Of
sunshine to gladden. our souls -? and
we had been here so long we were be-
ginning to be forgotten ais the Army
Of the Potomac, and letters came to us
marked "Army Of the Rappahannock." "
As we marched away in the darkness
our joy was not unmingled with sor-
row, for was there a veteran in the
ranks who did not leave behind the
graves of noble and wellbeloved com.
rades. who had fought beside him from
the beginning OF the great struggle ?
We did not march away with all the
army. When our camp-fres-which
on this night burned with usual bright.
ness-went out and left the Valley Of
the Rappahannock in darkness, the
living army was gone TO be sure, but
twenty five thousand of our members
lay over on the other side of the river
the heroes of fredericksburg and
Charlottesville. An army OF oocu.
patton, indeed, the corps OF honor,
forming n great andpermanentcamp--
the bivouac of the dead.
A MARCH TO VICTORY.
Thoughts Of sadness gave way to
those OF a more buoyant nature we
felt when the head of the column turn.
ed toward the Capital the road we trod
would lead to victory The march to
Gettysburg was ono of the longest and
most severe we had yet experienced,
In thinking OF war we are apt to look
only at the battles to hear the dread
sound of strife see the deadly, gaping
wounds, and are ready to crown the
survivors or give honor to those who
tell but the hardships of the march,
the heats Of Summer, the colds Of
Winter, the entire absence of every
comfort and luxury in active service is
overlooked or forgotten by those who
do not participate. Napoleon, when
retreating from Moscow, lost many OF
his men by thcexcessive cold directly
opposite was our experience on the
way TO Gettysburg, On one day, |
think the second out from Falmouth,
our corps lost more than dozen men
from sunstroke-they fell dead by the
wayside. On another day we crossed
the battlefield of Bull Run, where the
year before Pope had met with dis
astrous defeat. No effort had been
made to bury the dead properly lit
tie earth, which the rain had long ago
washed away, had been thrown over
them where they fell and their bodies,
or rather their skeletons, now lay ex-
posed TO view. In some parts Of the
field they were in groups, in other
places singly and in all possible posi-
tions. One cavalryman lay outstretch-
ed with skeleton hand still grasping
his rusted sword Another, half COW
cred with earth, the flesh still clingiDg
to his lieless bones and hand extended
as if to greet us. We rested for q
short time on the field and one of the
regiments of our brigade (the Twenty
eighth Massachusetts) halted on the
very spot on which they had fought
the year previously, and recognized
the various articles lying around as
belonging to their own dead.
The route OF the Second corps to
Gettysburg was over two hundred
miles in length. Some days we march.
ed fifteen on others eighteen miles,
and on one day June 29th) this corps
completed the longest march made by
any infantry during the war-leaving
Frederick City, Nd, in the morning
and hating at II o'clock p, NJ. two
miles beyond Uniontown, distance
of thirty.iour miles. When | look
back over the almost score of years to
this march Of the Second corps and
think Of the perfect discipline in the
ranks, the cheerfulness with which the
enlisted men, with their load of fifty.
seven pounds weight-musket and
ammunition, knapsack and cartridge
box, shelter tent and blanket, canteen
and rations-trudged along under the
broiling sun OF the hottest month in
the year how bravely they struggled
to keep up with their regiments lest
they should miss the fight, and how,
while on the march, no act was com.
mitted which could bring dshonor
upon them as mon, as citizens or sol.
diers, my heart fills with admiration,
and offer u flowing measure OF praise
to my comrades who are yet alive and
TO those who are no more. There is
not an inhabitant on all that line OF
march who can tell Of a single act Of
vandalism by any OF the men, such as
we are wont TO hear of other armies.
In the rich and cultivated country
through which we passed, life and
property were respected as much as
though we were in the halcyon days
Of peace, Old and young came to the
roadside TO see the army pass, and
know they were safe from insult OF
molestation. The field OF ripened
grain waved untrampled when the
corps had gone by, the men even got
out of their way to avoid the gardens
lest they should step upon the flowers
The perfection Of discipline in the
army at this period was extraordinary,
The armies that fought the war Of
1861 differed very widely from the
armies Of other nations. We had nc
boards of Cossacks, no regiments oI
Bashi. Bazouks to burn and destroy, Ia
insult the aged or crush the defense
less. When Hancock, at Williams