Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-03-17
ANNALS 0FTHE WAR.
Chapters OF Unwritten History--T
Gettysburg Campaign--The Story
OF the Second Corps on the
March and in Bate.

March and in Bate.
HanCock's Heroism Under Fire
A Graphic Recital ofthe stirring Deeds o.
an Eyentful Day.
NJ MAJOR GENERAL ST. CLAIR A. NULHoLLAsD
From the Philadelphia Times.
In all the four years OF its existence
tho men Of the Army of the Potomac
never hailed an order with more de-
light than that one which withdrew
US from before fredericksburg and
sent us North. When on that lovely
Summer evening in June, 1868, we
looked for the last time on Marye's
heights and the monument OF Wash
ington's mother, which had been shat.
tered and broken by the shells of both
armies, and stood out there on the
plain back OF the city as though pro.
testing against this fratricidal strife, a
mute and sorrowful Niobe weeping for
the misfortunes of her children, every
heart beat with quickened throb and
all the men rejoiced TO leave the scenes
of the last six months. We withdrew
from the line of the river after the
shades Of night had fallen over the
landscape and it seemed to be an ap-
propriate hour, for had not the great
army while here been in shadow, with.
out a ray of sunshine to gladden. our
souls2 and we had been here so long
we were beginning to be forgotten as
the Army OF the Potomac, and letters
came to us marked "Army OF the Rap.
pahannock." As we marched away in
the darkness our joy was not unmin.
gled with sorrow, for was there a
veteran in the ranks who did not leave
behind tho graves Of noble and we'll
beloved comrades who had fought be.
side him from the beginning of the
great struggle2 We did not march
away with all the army. When our
camp-fres--which on this night burned
with unusual brightness-went out and
left the Valley of the kappuhannock
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 Fred.
ericksburg aud Chancellorsvile. An
army Of occupation, indeed, the corps
of honor, forming a great and perma.
nent camp-the bivouac Of the dead.
A MARCH TO VICTORY.
Thoughts OF sadness soon gave way
to those of 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 one 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
fell 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 the excessive 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 a 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, 10 other
places sngly and in all possible posi-.
tions. One cavalryman lay outstretch.
cd with skeleton hand still grasping
his rusted sword. Another, half Gov
cred with earth, the flesh still clinging
to his lifeless bones and hand extended
as if to greet us. We rested for a
short time on the field and one OF the
regiments of our brigrade (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 29) this corps com.
pleted the longest march made by any
infantry during the war--leaving Fred
erick City, Md, in the morning and
halting at IL o'clock p. M. two miles
beyond Uniontown, a distance of
thirty-four 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 en-.
listed 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
our year; how hravely they struggled
lBy9sR TiiA qAEsjr qAEsdj hEsgITSaaRdl" Sadl nov, IN,
while on the march, no act was com.
mitted which could bring dishonor up
on them "a men, as citizens or soldiers,
my heart fills with admiration, and /
offer flowing measure of praise to my
comrades who are yet aliveand TO those
who are no more. There is not an in.
habitant on all that line Of march who
can tell Of single act Of vandalism by
any OF the men, such az we are wont
TO hear OF other armies. In the, rich
and cultivated country through which
we passed hic and property we're re-
spected as much as though we we're in
tho halcyon days Of peace. Old and
young came TO the roadside 10 see the
army pass, and knew they were safe
from insult or molestation The fields
OF ripening grain waved untrampled
when the corps had gone by, the men
even going out Of their way TO avoid
the gardens lest they should step upon
the howers. The perfection of disci.
pline in the army at this period was OK.
traordinary. The armies that fought
tho war Of 1861 differed very wildly
from the armies of other nations. We
had no boards Of Cossaclxs, no regi.
ments Of Bashi- Bazouks TO burn and
destroy, to insult the aged or crush the
defenseless. When Hancock, at Will.
iamsburg, said to his brigade, "Gentlc.
man, charge r. he did not call his
troops out OF their name. Our army
was literally an army of gentlemen.