Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1880-04-14

August, 1862. There and Their
commenced the Bull Run cam.
paign of 1862.
You will bear in mind that only
a part of Pope's command were in
the battle or vicinity. Mcclellan
on the Potomac, and the whole Of
Lees army northward bound.
On the 9th Of August, the Isl
division, then encamped at Fred.
ericksburg, received orders tc
march OH the morrow. Therefore
on the 10th, we started and ar
rived upon the battle field on the
18th. The enemy held the field,
as they had a much larger force
than Pope, and so strongly posted
as to command the situation.
Our dead and wounded had
not yet been cared for or buried,
and as We marched over the field,
the stencil that arose from the
dead bodies of men and animals
was so sickeping, that the strong
est could badly bear it, and here a
sight that / shall never forget, met
my gaze. Several long trenches
about two feet deep and six feet
wide were being dug, and into
each of these the remains Of 800
of our fallen comrades was placed.
No eulogies, sermons, or prayers
were pronunced. "Not a drum
was beat, not a funeral note" No
other ceremony than laying them
straight in these long tombs and
covering them as soon as possible.
All twas a sad sight. Enough to
cause the bravest to shudder and
sigh for the quiet hill-sides Of his
native town. Yet the exigencies
of the case demanded it, aud there
was no alternative.
Our time up to the 10Th was oc-
cupied in watching and waiting
General Lees movements, and, in
the meantime, we have fallen back
to Rappahannock station, where,
on the Goth, we crossed and took
position on the north side OF the
Rappahannock river. Jackson's
corps had kept on our heels and
took up its position few hours
after on the south side.
] will state that, at that place, /
witnessed the first and only ex-
clusively cavalry engagement land
this was a short one,) that / saw
during my term of service.
This river rises in the Blue
Ridge mountains, making its course
about six miles west of the village
OF Warrenton, flowing down by
Rappahannock station, and Freder-
icksburg, and emptying into Chesa-
peake bay. The two armies were
posted one on either side. Lees
tactics soon became manifest, for,
while engaging the attention of
our forces with part of his at one
point, he would send another force
to make feint to cross the river
at some other point, thus necessi-
tating an advance to meet and
check him. In this way he kept
manpvering with the evident in
tention of skipping across and Sc
curing a good position in our rear.
Consequently we were kept pretty
busy on the march and in skirmish
until the 9th, when we found our
selves eight miles east Of Warren
ton in the mud, all hungry, and
many sick, with the Johnnies in our
rear, and communication with
Washington cut off. Certainly not
a brilliant nor encouraging out
look for our immediate future.
On the 10th, our quarter master
had issued all the pork, salt junk,
bareback, etc, they had, and left
for Catlett station, on the o. & A.
R. R., some distance in our rear
for new supply.
We looked anxiously for their
return, but alas they came not,
for they had been obliged to ske-
daddle for Manassas Junction in
order to get away from the ad-
vancing Johnnies, who where gen.
orally about as anxious to secure
something with which to fortify
the inner man, as ourselves. You
will perceive that our condition
was not truly happy, for, besides
being in the position already stated,
we had marched and slept in the
mud, and come down to green
corn, green apples, and fresh pork
without any salt. Now, If there
is person present who can make
good square meal on fresh pork
without any salt, / would like to
have a picture of that person. To
get other food was impossible. i
saw men freely offer so cents and
81 apiece for bareback, and no
sellers. Then, for the first time in
my life, l fully realized the fact
that money could not purchase any,
and everything. About that time
/ was taken sick with a fever-hard
work and exposure got the better
of me for time. | could get no
medicine, but by ahstaining from
the use of the delicacies / have
mentioned, and combining myself to
the use of water and coffee, and /
always managed to have q fair sup
ply Of the latter, / succeeded in
keeping along with my regiment
and performing my duty.