The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-03-19
ON THE PLAINS In IS
westward Ho!-Aner Lees Surrender
Iroops en- Route for the PIains "A
Glance Backward.
BY SERGEANT HOLIDAY.


Iroops en- Ronie for the Plains = A
Glance Backward.
BY SERGEANT HOLIDAY.
Time passes rapidly by, and we are
whirled on, on, passing milestone after
milestone, until u greater part Of the jour.
ney Of life Is passed. We look ahead, not
needing the stations as they are passed,
until we are appalled, at the irresistible
speed at which we have been driven.
And now We attempt to review the
journey, casting longing glances back over
the road which fate has compelled us to
travel. We count q score Of milestones-
yea, forty, sixty, it may be three score and
ten-and we are warned that We are about
to enter the Great Union Depot-the end
Of the journey Of life.
As Bill down to write, my mind invol.
unfairly wanders back 10 the dark days Of
the var for the Union. review again the
army OF the Potomac. seem to hear the
tramp, tramp, tramp Of tired feet l hear
again the iron hoois Of legion OF war
horses as they tread all through the loug
night over the stony street. hear again
the sound OF musketry and the roar OF bat.
tie. l see the smoke spreading over the
battle field like funeral vail. Then again
seem to hear the groans and signs OF
wounded and dying men, / see them
borne IRON the fatal field by tender hands.
hear their piteous prayers for mercy Us
they PASS, mingled with the endearing
words Of mother and sister, and loved ones
at home.
But Low Look See, the battle is on !!
There they charge, on, on-now they are
checked by a volley, only for one instant;
their ranks are thinned. But no matter,
on they charge, into the very jaws OF
death. Now the rebel lines are broken
they fee. The battle is ours. The air is
rent with the shout Of victory.
No pen can describe, no tongue can tell
1t. But now, aher lapse Of fifteen years,
in the far off distance, 1 seem to hear the
diving echoes VI the roar and din oil dozen
battles. Again l recount hair breadth
escapes, long dreary marches by day aud
by night. Privations and hardships that
can never BIZ told. Camping at night in
dense snow storms, or dIenching raine,
with nothing but the canopy Of heaven rs
shelter.
Then again cross deep streams filled
with floating ice, until the chilling waters
reach the back OF my tired anu faded hor,e.
In short, the scenes and privations, the
bitter and sweet Of over three years in the
saddle passed before my mind as though 1t
were dream Of last night, or tale that
were told.
Ahd now as sit at my own Preside,
surrounded by loving wife aud little
children, l can scarcely realize that sixteen
years have passed since then, and that |,
who now love 80 well the quiet and peace
Of my own family circle, AM the same boy
Of sixteen years ago-tben so reckless IN
life, with nothing 10 care for-save my own
country.
Passing thus hastily over an experience
which would make material Tor volume
OF interesting reading and one SUCH as
almost any soldier could furnish, come
to the final end OF the Rebellion.
The battle Is fought aud won, and now
the boys with glad hearts and proud spirits
are returning home. A great assembiage
of the victorious armies is ordered to take
place at Washington. For three long days
brigade after brigade, division alter divi'
sion, corps alter corps, marched down
Pennsylvania avenue by platOons, pass'bg
he White House, where they were re.
viewed by President Johnson aud Cabinet,
and all the foreign ministers then In the
United States.
This "Grand Review" was one OF the
most magnificent spectacles ever seen in
the world, and will always have II Reserved
seat in my memory as the grandest sccne
Of my life.
NV Regiment was the 9th W. Va, Vet
Cavl., formerly the old I'd aud 81 W. Va.
Mounted Init. A large proportion OF this
regiment had enlisted ut the first call'
and had "seen her through" as they ex'
pressed It. And when it became known
that were ordered across the plains 10 assist
in squashing the hostile tribes OF Indians
when on the war path in Dakota, WyOm.
ing and Montana, instead Of being muster.
ed out as were hundreds Of regiments
whose service had not been half so long
and hard as ours, the wrath and indigna.
ton OF some Of the older men, who bad
family ties at home, knew no bounds. But
with many Of US younger boys the news
was received with demonstrations Of Joy. =.
Visions Of "scalps," wild "ponies,"
"buffaios," and love among the little
"souaws"-perhaps marriage among some
of The dusky daughters Of the Rocky Noun.
tains. And then fighting indians would be
child's play compared with the stern reali-
tips of war through which We had Just
passed. All these and many other
pious thoughts filled our young minds until
We really feared that the protests oil the
older members OF the regiment might pre-.
vail and the order be countermanded.
Leaving Washington City about the 10th
NJ June. 1865, with all our horses and equip.
ments Of war packed into train OF box
and hog cars, via the Baltimore & Ohio
railroad, we found ourselves In full sail for
the great West to engage In new kind oil
Alter being few hours on tho road We
began to notice fresh signs OF devastation
and general ruin in many Of the little and
some OF the large towns through which we
"I'll bet my lie" said one OF the boys,
ntbat a New York regiment has passed
over this road within the past few days.
Whisky shops were Quilted, groceries and
peanut stands were riddled, and in fact
everything presented the appearance Of
having passed through hurricane, or
perhaps been shaken BY an earthquake.
Our train stopped at Grafton, where the
storm seemed to have struck It's hardest
blow, and we asked detected looking
man who seemed to have fOrcibly retired
from business. The cause oil all the smashed
up stores? Don't ye know. Why, the 2lst
New York Cavalry stopped here about ht.
teen minutes yesterday, and here y Is. 1t
shows for itself. But reckon the Govern
ment will make 1t all right
And our train moved out, leaving the
broken merchant. cussing all soldiers In
general and New York troops in particular.
90 theu We learned for the first time that
this pbummer' regiment was before us,
and tha, they, too, were en- route for the