The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1885-09-10

retreat and cut our way through the mount
aims of Virginia. The army was hungry and
footsore. Continuous marching day and night,
skirmishing and performing deeds Of daring,
had well-nigh exhausted the strength and
courage of that
GALLANT COMMAND OF VETERANS.
One-third of pound of flour was issued to
each man at Salem, which was the last flour or
bread the writer saw, excepting little corn
meal which Comrade Mcfarland, of the 123d,
gave him. until we came to Meadow Bluffs, and
then only small quantity could be purchased
upon an officers order. We had few cattle
and sheep, which were driven with u.s. When
we would halt to rest the brigade butchers
would be at work, killing and dressing meat
for their respective commands. This meat,
heated by driving, cooked before the animal
heat was out" together with some coffee, which
the comrades had the foresight to save for an
emergency like this, formed our daily rations
for about eight days.
A small band of bushwhackers performed a
daring deed after we left Salem and before we
came TO New Castle. We had been marching
with the artillery on the road, and division
of infantry on each side, keeping in close, COM
pact form, to be ever ready for an emergency.
We came to a narrow pass in the mountains,
where we were obliged to allow our wagon
fantry remaining behind to hold in check the
enemy's advance until our trains and artillery
| had gained the other end. Those busbw. ack-
ers came down the side of the mountain and
attacked an entire battery. Each one had his
role assigned him. The horses were killed,
caissons blown up and several
POOR SOULS KILLED
by the explosion, artillery wheels cut to pieces,
everything demolished, and they then quickly
tl.Af !. .plr
underbrush. 1t was well planned, and equally
as well executed. Three of those daring fel-
lows were captured shortly afterwards. With
the exception of that sad catastrophe we had
the honor of bringing our artillery safe to the
Kanawha Valley. The brave Col. Wells, of the
3fth Mass, who was subsequently killed IN
reconnaissance previous to the battle of Cedar
Creek, commanded the First Brigade of the
Eagle Division. When the attack, as described
above, was made, he was ordered to secure the
other end of the pass at all hazards. The
writer remembers Col. Wells's complimentary
order for the promptncSs and rapidlty with
which the 123d Ohio marched through the de-
molishcd artillery and gained the other end Of
the pass. We supposed that we could have
time to cook some coffee and bake some johnny
cakes. The writer, who was color-bearer of
the 123d, built fire and stirred up some batter,
and was getting ready to make meal that
would, to a certain extent, appease his hunger.
The =" Fail in call was sounded, and our line
of rapid marching was again taken up. He
carried his batter" with him about six miles
farther, when we went into camp for the night,
but he was too tired to bake his cakes" He
lay down at the color-line and fell asleep. In
the morning he awoke and found that
HIS BATTER WAS STOLEN.
A brief hunt through the regiments close by
brought to light that hungry comrade had
appropriated the batter, and the vessel was
found in the camp of a battalion of the 5th n.
Y. Ii. A, which had been assigned to our
division before VIC left Martinsburg. A cup of
coffee was the writer's breakfast that morning.
By taking map of Virginia and West Vir-
ginia the reader can follow our line of retreat.
After leaving Lynchburg we passed through
the following towns: Liberty, situated in Bed
ford County; Salem, in Roanoke County; New
Castle, in Craig County; Lewisburg, in Green
brer County; Blue and White Sulphur and
Sweet Springs, thence to Gauley Bridge, where
we arrived on the evening Of the I'd day of
July, sadder, wiser, and much depleted army.
The suffering of this command can better be
imagined than described. Marching and fight
ing day and night. weary, starving and falling
by the wayside exhausted, many bravo COM
rade fell an easy victim TO the human yultureS
who were ever lowering on our rear, and their
lives we're ended in those helish rebel prison
pens, where none but martyrs to G cause like
OuIS tOulu INC lOiIuFS IlDnOSeu upon
them by
AN UNRELENTING FOE.
Pen fails to describe the suffering on that
retreat of that famished army, thinking of
home and its comforts, while it, in the wilds of
Virginia, was plodding its weary way to safety
and rest. Ii is needless to add that the little
band of veterans was disheartened amid such
suffering Shermans march to the sea was
picnic" in comparison to it. Thus ended
Hunters raid-one Of the hardest campaigns
of the war
In the language of Gen.W. T. TWilson, az have
FOUGHT THROUGH MANY WARS,
and Hunters raid was the hardest campaign
ever inaugurated. Such suffering is only
equaled or surpassed at Libby" After we came
into Gods country and received our daily ra-
tons our former privation5 and sufferings were
forgotten, and once more the old veteran was
ready for another campaign.
We celebrated the 4th Of July in fine style
on the banks Of the kanawha River close to
Gauley Bridge. Our dinner consisted of hard
bread, coffee, sugar. beans, aud, as the Pennsyl-
yanians and Firginians used to say, fitch"
The unsuccessful attempt of Early TO cut off
and capture this little army caused him to head
for the Shenandoah Valley, where he inaugu-
rated campaign into Maryland, threatening
Baltimore and Washington. We could hardly
claim 4 brief rest until VIC were wanted to con-
ilOlG our oIu enemy III Inc Sncn3nnOan hdiIey
In obedience to orders our entire command
started for that historic place, the cavalry,
artillery and wagon trains going overland
while the two infantry divisions embarked on
small transports via Point Pleasant to Parkers-
burg, w. Va, On the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers.
At Parkersburg we were sent over the Balti-
more Il Ohio Railroad in boX-cars to Cherry
Run, being then the extreme eastern limit of
the railroad, as the enemy had destroyed it
from that point east. A few Union forces had
been collected together and placed under COM
mand OF Gen. Sigel and placed between Mar
tinsburg and Harper's Ferry, but which had
been driven from the Valley by Earlys ad-
| vance.
The battle Of MonOcacy was fought and also
Snicker's Gap by portion Of the army of West
| Virginia, and Gen. Wright was defeated, with
all available troops then in the Valley in July,
by Early, who being highly elated by his recent
/ successes, marched to Pennsylvania and burned
! Chambersburg, a beautiful inland town, and
| the Countyscat Of Franklin County
Gen. Grant saw the necessity Of organizing
larger army for the Valley, which could
EFFECrUALLY STOP THE INVASION
of Maryland and Pennsylvania by the enemy,
and prevent his collecting grain, cattle and
horses grown in said valley.
The old Nineteenth Corps, which had seen
/ hard service under Gen. Banks in the Louisiana
campaigns was ordered to report TO Maj Gen.
z. IT, Sheridan at Harpers Ferry.
! A brief sketch of the Nineteenth Corps would
not be out Of place The writer will make