The Republican journal., 1882-01-12
NUMBER 2.
Written for the Republican Journal. I
Sketches of Army Life.

NUMBER TWO.

crossing the Potomac River to Maryland Bands
were playing, buges blowing, and drums beating
Orderies wee dashng hack and forth Division
and brigade commanders, surrounded by their staff
officers, were moving rapidly 10 the front Our
line soon formed portion of the moving column
and we entered upon the great march through
Mary land, my Mary land at first the novelty of
our situation made marching very easy work, but
as the no7elty wore off we began to learn tho hard
ships of forced march No pen can describe the
sutferlngs and physical exhaustion of an army Of
Infantry, making rapid march of some thirty
miles day and no one but person who has
looked upon such a scene can form an opinion of
the true condition of affairs | suppose that all
the readers of the Journal have read the brilliant
descriptions given by army correspondents OF
soldiers upon march; they have all loo ked upon
pictures portraying the same, aud hGee admired
the solid columns and well dressed lines-each
man perfectly erect, and measuring Just so many
inches of space at each step, his gun carried in
Just such position, with smile of satisfaction
upon his lips They have admired the power of
drill, and wondered how men could be transformed
into machines in so short space of time These
things look well upon paper: and in the imagina
tions Of correspondents they only exist Imagine
for moment that we are to review passing col
umn Of the Old Army of the Potomac On the
crest of this hill we lave an excellent out look
and obtain fine view Of the situation. The sun
Is rolling swiftly down the western skies mantled
in heecy clouds of gold. The vision can extend
for many miles in almost any direction-far out
over broad acres of meadow land, up over rich
fertile hillsides over great farms, magnificent or
chards. bending low under their burden of golden
fruit and far in the distance you Frederick
City, said to be in possession Of the enemy and
beyond that the heights of South Mountain where
he is entrenched. The advanced lines of the two
armies are now near each other, and there must
soon be a conflict We will glance for moment
at the passing column. First there are a few
squadrons of cavalry-brave, sun burned fellows
covered with dust Each man sits upon his horse
sc easily that We can almost imagine him part Of
the animal. The distinctive color of the cavalry
is yellow You will notice yellow straps and stripes
upon the uniforms Of both officers and men. Each
man is armed with a saber, breech loading car
bne and huge navy revolver. Men and horses
are faded and worn by long marches, but they are
dashlg at rapid pace to the front They are
followed by a battery of artillery The artillery
color is red-red straps and cheyrons upon uni
forms of dark blue. There are six twelve pound
guns in this battery. Each gun is drawn by three
pairs of horses, and after each gun follows a cais
son or ammunition wagon, also drawn BY the same
number of horses, Eacn pair Of horses upon both
guns and caisson, has single rider All battery
officers both commissioned and non commission
ed, are mounted on horses, while the men ride up
on guns and caissous as best they can When a
battery goes into acton it advances as nearly as
possible to the position it wishes to occupy The
commands OF the commanding officer are all given
to a bugler by his side who repeats them to the
battery in bugle calls Each man and every horse
understands the commands thus given The horses
are now detached and taken short distance to the
rear. The men seize the guns ami run them into
position. Each caisson is stationed directly in
rear of its respective gun Every man has his
position and knows what work he has to do. There
is no confusion and i'll the most terrible battle all
moves like clock work Closely following the Ar
tllery is column of infantry, winding like
great serpent along the dusty highway. will tell
you something of the organization of the Army
of the Potomac, and how You can easily dlstia-
guish one portion from another The army is dl-
vlted into what is known As army corps: each
corps having its peculiar badge, mark, by which
it be known from either Of the others The
badge worn by the first army corps was a globe.
This badge placed upon the corps flags and
~.
second corps badge clover leaf, or club, that
Of the third corps a diamond, that Of the FIFTH
corps maltese cross, that of the sixth corps
Roman cross, and that of the eleventh corps a
crescent or new moon. Each corps was divided in.
to three divisions These are distinguished from
each other by the color of the corps badge lust re-
ferred to The first division is al Gays red, the
second white, and the third blue Each division
is usually divided into three brigades, and these
are distinguished from each other by the color of
the corps badge and the figures upon their flags
the first brigade having the figure the second the
figure ,, and the third the figure B Each brigade
is composed of an indefinite number of regiments,
depending much upon their size Look at that
brigade, it has a red maltese cross and the figure
3. 1t is the third brigade of the first division OF
the fifth army corps The commanding officer,
that short, dark faced man with a black moustache
is Brigadier General David Butterfeld Il is ap-
parently some thirty five years of age is native
OF New York, has done grand service on the PENN
sular, and is brave and brilliant officer That
!;.st regiment in part zouave uniform, is the i4th
New York, or the Ellsworth Avengers The next
ia he no ist tha Ninhi
gan They were all mustered in 81, and are fresh
from the peniusular campaign, and the more recent
battle fields of Bull Run and Chantillv The last
regiment ia the brigade is clad in new uniform
aud has as many men as the other three regiments
combined. 1t is a new regiment, and this is their
first march The Colonel is evidently every inch
a soldier his eyes flash as brightly the silver
eagles upon his shoulders. This Is Colonel Ames,
graduate of West Point, soldier of the regular
army. he was severely wounded at the first bat
tie of Bull Run, and is a native of Rockland Me
That tall solderly officer riding by his side is
Lieut. Col Chamberlain, late professor in Bow
dom College. He has made good record in the
field of letters, and will undoubtedly make his
mark upon the field of carnage. The colors are
passing. They are the same that spoken
of in my last sketch, az being carried through
Boston, and as the banner dutters II the breeze,
we see goth Maine Volunteers inscribed upon its
sllken fold But look at the men of which the
brigade is composed; and they only sample
of the whole army. 1t is 'rout step and arms at
will The ranks are in disorder, nearly every file
is broken Every man is for himself This is the
fifth day Of the weary march from Washington
Many men have fallen out: others are foot tsore and
exhausted see them reel and limp. and stagger as
they endeavor to keep up with their regiments
Those men were doubtless acquainted with fatigue
before they entered the service: but this fearful
strain in marching so many miles each day in
heavy marching order, is too much for them
Brave, strong men fall fainting by the waysde,
and will never see their regiments again. They
had hoped to defend the old flag on the field of
battle, but that is denied them and far back in
rear of regiments and brigades. is legion of
straggers, sick, lame, discouraged, cowardly-all
grades mixed in hopeless confusion. Some
there from choice others, brave and ambitious,