The National tribune., 1881-12-31
RecoIIections of a Drummer Boy

RecolIections of a Drummer Boy.
THE FIRST DAY AT GETTYsBUBG.
Harry NJ Keifer, in St. Nicholas for January.
Colonel, close up your men and move on as
rapidly as possible"
1t is the morning of July 1st and we are
crossing bridge over stream as the Staffofficer,
having delivered this order for us, dashes down
the line to hurry up the regiments in the rear.
We get up on high range of hills, from which
we have magnificent view. The day is bright,
the air is fresh and sweet, and the sun shines out
of an almost cloudless sky and as we gaze away
off yonder down the valley to the left-look!
Do YOU see that? A puff of smoke in mid-air !!
Very small and miles away, as the faint and long
coming "boom" of the exploding shell indicates,
but it means that something is going on yonder,
away down in the valley, in which, perhaps we
may have hand before the day is done. See!
Another-and another! Faint and far away comes
the long-delayed "boom!" "boom!" echoing
over the hills as the Staff officer dashes along the
lines with orders to double quick! double
quick"
Four miles of almost constant double-quicking
is no light work at any time least of all on such
is hot and dusty. But we are in our own State
now, boys, and the battle is opening ahead and it
is no time to save breath. On we 60, now up a
hill, now over stream, now checking our head
long rush for moment, for we must breathe a
little But the word comes along the line again,
double quick" and we settle down to it with
right goodwill, while the cannon ahead seem to
be getting nearer and louder. There's little said
in the ranks for there is little breath for talking
though every man is busy enough thinking We
all feel, somehow, that our day has come at last
as indeed it has!
We get in through the outskirts of Gettysburg,
tearing down the fences of the town-lots and
outlying gardens as we go; we pass battery of
brass guns drawn up beside the Seminary, some
hundred yards in front of which building, in a
strip of meadow-land, we halt and rapidly form
the line of battle.
General, shall we unsling knapsacks?" shouts
some one down the line to our Division-general,
as he is dashing by.
Never mind the knapsacks, boys; it's the
State now"
And be plunges his spurs up to the rowel in the
fanks of his horse as he takes the stake-and-
rider fence at a leap, and is away.
"Unfurl the flags, Color guard"
"Now, forward, double -"
Colonel, we're not loaded yet"
laugh runs along the line as, at the command
Load at will-load!" the ramrods make their
merry music, and at once the word is given,
Forward double-quick!" and the line sweeps
up that rising ground with banners gaily flying,
and cheers that rend the air-a sight, once seen,
never to be forgotten.
We drummer boys sit on our drums and watch
the line going in with cheers. Forthwith we
get smart shelling, for there is evidently some
body else watching that advancing line besides
ourselves; but they have elevated their guns a
little too much, so that every shell passes quite
over the line and plows up the meadows sod about
us in all directions.
Ilaying aside our knapsacks we go to the Sem
mary, now rapidly filling with the wounded
This the enemy surely cannot know, or they
wouldn't shell the building so hard! We get
stretchers at the ambulance and start out for the
line of battle. We can just see our regimental
colors waving in the orchard, near log house
about three hundred yards ahead, and we start
out for it-I on the lead and Daney behind
There is one of our batteries drawn up to ou1
left short distance as we run. 1t is engaged in
sharp artillery duel with one of the enemys
which we not see, although we can hear il
plainly enough, and straight between the two ou1
road lies. So. up we 60, Daney and 1, at lively
trot, lodging the shells as best can TILL pant
ing for breath, we set down our stretcher under
an apple tree in the orchard in which, under the
brow of the hill, we find the regiment lying, one
OF two companies being out on the skirmish line
ahead.
count six men of company lying yonder in
the grass-killed, they say, by single shell
Andy calls me away for moment to look aftel
some poor fellow whose arm is off at the should
er; and it was just time got away, too, for i'm
mediately shell plunges into the sod where
had been sitting, tearing my stretcher to tatter
and plowing up great furrow under one of ths
boys who had been sitting Immediately behind
nae, and who thinks That was rather close shaw
ing, wasn't it, now?" The bullets whistlin.
overheard make pretty music with their ever
varying zip! z-i-p!" and we could imagin,
them so many bees, only they have such a terri;