The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-01-14
"reminiscences of the War.
BY AN OLD SOLDIER.

BY AN OLD bOl1Dihh'
During the past summer the series Of arti-
cles, Of which the following is the seventh in
stallment, was written by citizen OF this
county who was soldier during the war, serv-
ing in the Sth N. Y. Heavy Artillery. They
were written for the purpose OF giving the OBJ
servations and experiences OF common SOL
der in the Union Army during the period of
his service, and have thus far been published
in paper in a neighboring village, but they
Will be continued In this paper. The writer
does not claim for these sketches any great de-
gree of literary merit, and he only allows them
to be published because OF the fact that veter-
an soldiers and their friends, who passed
through the exciting period to which they re-
late and who gave the soldiers in the field the
moral and p. ysical support without which their
efforts would have resulted in gloomy defeat,
are always interested in hearing Of the Incl
dents of the great struggle
The spring of 1864 the beginning of the fourth
years of checkered experience for the union
lists, made up, for the greater part, OF doubt
ful victories aud lnglorlous and dsheartening
defeats, found the loyal people Of the whole
country exasperated, worn and wondering TO
see TO what length the serpent OF rebellious
war had dragged itself out, devouring the best
and the bravest of the land. But in spite OF
discouragements the loyal classes were never
more united and determined than at that, time
that the contest should eventually result in vic
tory for the union arms. A hope burned 10 fierce
ness in their hearts that General had at last
been placed in command OF the union armies
who was both capable and honest, and that this
quiet but determined man, whose skill and
faithfulness in subordinate positions in the
western armies had produced such good results
would, with the cooperation of his Leuten-
ants, Sherman, Thomas, Mead, and his veteran
armies, make the campaign on which they were
then entering final and victorious one and
the end Of the war.
A sentiment prevailed among large class OF
the union people OF the country at that time
which was one index Of the solemnty of the
time, and showed perhaps that mankind, lack
ing courage to face the fearful issues and facts
Of that day, or to acknowledge their own re-
sponsibility for the condition, were willing to
attribute all to the hand of God in current
events and to leave to the Almighty the sou-
ton OF the questions before them.
The people had come slowly to the knowl-
edge that human slavery in this country was
one OF the prime causes, if not the sole cause,
OF the war; and they proposed to see in the
throes OF agony which our country was then
enduring, the working out of divine design-a
process OF publication without which the Re-
public must sink under It's diseases. They had
come to regard the evil OF war as punishment
for this National sin. A feeling of intense
eagerness for war news pervaded all classes
In the large cities the bulletin boards were
thronged night and day, and the almost hourly
arrivals Of wounded soldiers from the front,
with blood stained clothes and mrtaled bodies.
were questioned closely for news from the pat
tie field. Sanitary fairs were being held, and
not hamlet or family in the North but was
pervaded with common anxiety. In the
nature and degree under which when long con-
tinued. men grow old rapidly, orders came, on
May 18th. 1864, TO the eighth N, Y. heavy artll-
lery, which was then occupying the defense OF
Baltimore, to pack knapsacks and prepare to
move at moments notice to the front. Then
followed hurried preparations. Letters were
written to friends at home containing good
bua md y,oaD Of 10
uttered by the writer's. Our experience had
shown us Qor In the previous year and a halt
we bad seen hard duty at intervas) that we
could only carry with us those articles which
we're actual necessaries. We therefore made
up packages OF various articles worth saving
and sent them home. We cleaned our rifles
filed our cartridge boxes, drew four days ra-
tlons, and otherwise fitted ourselves to move
The morning of May 18th found the 9Th heavy
artillery standing in line on the Fort McHenry
parade, ready to march. Every member OF q
good regiment naturally feels a pride in tha,
particular body, and we believe the facts sus-
tain our assertion that finer appearing ol
more efficient regiment of troops did not Axlst in
the service than the Sth "heavies." As the
regiment stood there in line that morning the
rolls gave the three battalions 1000 men "pres.
ent or accounted for" and there were nearly
I,sO0 men in line. Any veteran soldier viii
know what magnificent regmental front wai
presented there. The 9Th was commanded by
Col. p. A. Porter, formerly of Niagara Falls,
son OF Peter B. Porter ex-Secretary of War
with W. w. Bates, Of Monroe County N. Y. al
Lieut. COL, and James NJ. Wiett, since tn,
war and until his death a law partner of Hon
A. +. Lanning, OF Buffalo, A. M. Spauldin.
and A. G. Blake, as 1st, I'd and Sd, Majors
each Major commanded battalion.
BY recent order Of the War Dept. all heav,
artillery regiments we're directed to take th
field as infantry, This order put in active ser
vice in the field many thousands OF we'll drile,
and efficient troops. At this date, May 18th
1864, the Army Of the Potomac had slread
done some hard fighting since Gen. Mead
moved out OF winter quarters at Brandy Sta