The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-10-10


bvouac. But no camp.fires were lighted
that night, and morning found the com
mand at Aqua creek, where a halt was
made for breakfast. But not for rest
Not vet. Just few moments in which
to breathe after swallowing their coffee,
and then " Forward once more ON the
interminable road.
The sun rose bright and clear, and
sultry day ensued Like magic the mud
dried and crumbled under the multitude
of feet and choking cloud of dust arose
and settled in volume on every perspiring
face and hand. 1t penetrated everywhere
eyes, nose, mouth and lungs, all were
filled thirst became intolerable, but
water was not to be had. Even If by
good fortune little spring or stream was
discovered, in u moment the banks were
trampled and the water all too soon lost
its purity and became mere liquid mud
from the struggles of the rushing hun
dreds who swarmed about it, eager only
to touch fingers tip in the cool mass if
it was no longer possible to moisten the
parcbing throat with the undrinkable
mixture.
They marched till Dumfries was reached
at noon, and halted on a south-sloping
| hillside, where on the parched ground in
the terrible glare of the sun the men
threw themselves to sleep. glad of even
that opportunity. AT midnight the march
was resumed, and in this manner Fairfax
was reached, and there and at Centerville
several days were passed. Some troops
which had been doing duty in the fortfi-
cations there were relieved, and the we'll
worn soldiers saw them march toward the
ont with the expectation of remaining
in their places but the next day the vet
Grams were likewise on the road, in driz
zling rain that made their clothes as damp
~ their spirits. This was the 20 h of
June, aud the 30h found them at Man.
chester on the Pennsylvania border, hav
ing moved by way Ct Edwards ferry and
Westminster, following the cavalry on the
extreme right of the army. This had
been continuous marching at the rate of
some twenty five miles day, with alter
nate rain and heat telling severely upon
the jaded men.
Here, then, was the Sixth corps, at the
point from which it was to make one of
the most remarkable marches known to
history, not fresh for the effort, but we'll
exhausted by a month of almost iucessant
skirmishing and marching. The lat of
July, after general brushing mp and in
spection, was devoted to rest. All the af-
ternoon came the roar of the cannon far to
the northwest. but that was familiar
sound and only evoked the remark that
the cavalry were having another brush.
AS DISK fell many of the men were
asleep, for they were still weary, when the
clatter of hoofs, the hurried dash Of staff
officers, the hustle of preparation at head
quarters, and the vigorous command to
g Pack up and fall in ~ drove away in a
moment all hope of refreshing nights
sleep. Before the slower men are in their
places, even, the column is in the road and
sweeping back in the direction whence it
came the previous evening. There is a
hope which is more than half belief
that the destination may be Westminster,
which is but ten miles away, and the men
move out with a cheerful step. Presently
kind.hearted farmer, who is giving each
boy in blue cup of milk, announces that
battle has been in progress at Gettys-
burg, nearly forty miles away, and it is
natural to suppose that the destination of
the corps.
"About forty miles-he said it was for
ty miles-and what did he call the name
VI IDo lOWH goes lIOn np W up, huu
the step which had been light becomes
heavy and mechanical, and the soldiers
are transformed into mere machines, to
pied on as steadily as possible all the in
terminable night. There is no moonlight
and only pale glimmer of the stars, half
obscured by clouds but the long column
presses forward and never halts, for if it
stops the men will drop into heavy slum-
Der and may be left behind in the dark.
ness.
The night is we'll advanced, and the
leading brigade has been toiling for miles
along narrow road, when shouting aide
presses through the struggling fooimen.
Make way here, make way for Gods
sake; you are all wrongi" Then reach
ing the head of a regiment: " Halt your
men colonel; you are on the wrong road T.
Presently the head of the column comes
slowly back those who have dropped
asleep are reused, the regiment counter.
marches and plods back over the three or
four miles that have taken 80 much of the
soldiers vital force all in vain. Two OF
three hours have beer lost and six or eight
miles of ground covered that the general
historian will make no account of when
he tells the story of the night.
Morning lights the east; dawn fushe;
the sky; day comes in its full glory
but the column does not halt. Al
last the advance brigade turns from the
highway, and hundred little fires for the
preparation of CT flee fash up in moment
The water comes from generous brook
in the valley, and how grateful after the
intense hunger is partly satisfied 1t will be
to battle the heated face and blistered
feet in the cool stream Vain hope
Even before the coffee is made the hugle
rings out its unwelcome call and the
weary procession is resumed. The half
made ccf fee is swallowed on the march OIL
J carefully poured into the canteen, for in
} many cases it is the only food or drink the
soldier can hope to taste that day. Gen
eral Meade has just taken command of the
} army, and by an unfortunate change in
: the method of issuing rations the haver
sacks everywhere we're empty on that day
: and the supply was very insufficient for
several days after, especially among the
wounded. Far out on either fl ,nk of the
moving column the more ambitious went
, searching out every dwelling that prom
. ised mouthful of food, finding here
' few cherries, there some half-ripene6