Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-12-05
AN OLD SOLDIERS STORY.

AN old soldier IN Lewiston, Me-, told thu
other evening a short story of the war. 81
was taken prisoner, said he, July Sd, Al
the battle of Gettysburg The smoke o.
that battle shut in and the gray enveloped
US, and when the night came was 8 pris
oner in the rebel ranks. July 4th they
drew US up in line. There were 4 900 Of
US. At early morning the command was
| given that the line start for Richmond,
Na.-the heart of rebeldom. We were all
tired and thirsty and hungry, many of us
were wounded, and it was under the hot
Southern sky of midsummer. We marched
from the field of Gettysburg that day to
the banks of the Potomac long and
weary march. That night we settled
down on the banks of the river. The river
ran high, the bridge had been destroyed.
and We waited for the arrival of the pom.
toons and the consequent transportation
across. Everyone was hungry.
81 was hungrier than ever was before,
though not hungrier than | was subse.
quently during the war. The word was
sent IN among US announcing that there
was nothing to eat on this side of the
river, but that rations would be distributed
when we had crossed. We were kept two
days on this side of the river before a pas
sage was made. Some of the men, as l
well know, didn't get a scrap of food for
two days. Most of them, l know, were
kept alive through hope, and all OF US were
promised a plenty OF rations across the
river. Some of the boys did cross the
river before the pontoons came, and num-
bers died along the shore. The hunger of
the men was terrible. i remember we'll on
the afternoon of the second day that a
squad of officers with small bags OF bis
cults came down among US and tossed bis
butts into the air for fun. Hats would go
into the air, and the men would fight each
other for the bread like a parcel of wolves.
1t was one of the most startling sights that
| remember in the war.
1--WE got across the Potomac the second
day in boats. The day was tremendously
hot, and our line of men, as l well know,
was very weak, and many of them badly
wounded. When the line was drawn up
across the river, the announcement came
to us there was no supply of food, and that
no rations could be distributed TO US until
the line reached Martinsburg. Martins
burg was twelve miles distant, and so we
marched twelve miles further. The peo-
pie of the town of Martinsburg were loyal
people mostly. 1t was loyal section, and
the people had heard of our coming. The
fires had been built, and kitchen ovens had
turned out loaves of bread in anticipation
of the march of the Union prisoners
through the town.
Just outside the thick cluster of houses
the line was drawn together Guards were
placed along on both sides of the line, and
we were to be prevented from making
breaks from the ranks The line marched
through the city. l well remember one
house and one woman. | would know her
if | should see her to-day anywhere. She
lived in house with high pair of steps
leading down into front yard with thick
trees aud high fence and gate. saw her
come down the steps into the yard. She
had her arms full of loaves of bread. She
looked the way l always thought Barbara
Freitchie must have looked. She beck
oned, and half a dozen of Us, getting a
chance, made break. We reached the
fence, and she showed the bread over the
gate. The rest OF the boys couldn't stand
it, and a dozen more made the break. The
guards came along and cooked their mua-
kets. Into the ranks or we'll shoot, said
they, and the officer in command shouted,
Don't shoot them; shoot that ID old
woman, and the guard pointed his musket
in her face and the crowd fell back. For
reply, the loyal woman showed another loaf
OF bread out through the gate.
60 Eat it, boys, said she, and may God
bless you
And, sir, that woman never budged
and never winked, and that guard took
down his musket out Of shame, and the
Union boys gave cheer for the woman
and were driven back iato the ranks. l
don't think 1 should have lived without
that bread.
1.-TWO miles beyond that we went into
camp. a bubbling spring was right at our
feet almost, but on account of cur disobe-
dience we were not allowed to do so much
as sup of it. The next morning we started
again. They said they would give us ra-
tons az Bunker Hill. They marched US
up to a river and gave Us couple OF bis
cults apiece. Some OF the boys l know
had not had bread for three days. From
there we went To Stanton, and from there
in the cars to Richmond. l went into
Libby Prison, and from there to Belle Isle.
| was there two months. One day wan
dered down to the gate. If there is any
truth in the old saying that the darkest
hour ia just before day, ought to know it.
l never felt worse. They were calling the
names of the prisoners exchanged. Here,
shouted l. and out stepped into the ranks
of the exchanged and the reading went on.
l came out from Belle Isle into the ranks
of the stars and stripes again. Twas re-
taken, and went to Salisbury a short time
after. l would like to know the man
whose place took, and whether he was
dead or died. ! only know thatif l hadn't
taken it no one else would how it came
into my head to answer to the name l have
never been able to analyze. cleveland