Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-06-25

and ineffeciively) did not observe
their obligation when once they were
over the river.
The morning after I got home /
very soon heard there was a cons
pany of federal cavalry in the village
who were
ARREsTING THE NEW MEN WHO HAD
COME HOME
under the truce. i got into the bug
gy again, and, by driving through
back lanes. escaped unperceived. /
went to the the house of DIR. w. P.
Gunnel, in Upperville, Fauquier
county, Va. who cared for me until
I was able to walk. During all the
time was there constant stream of
stragglers was passing on their way
through Chester gap to the meeting
place at Winchester. At that point
convalescent camps had been estab>
lished, to which the men were assign
ed as fast as they reported. The
houses in Winchester were crowded
with sick and wounded, and there
were precious few tents available;
but rations were served regularly,
and as we were well fed our blankets
were sufficient shelter at that season.
When I rejoined the regiment the
traces of the terrible campaign were
plainly visible. The men were as
ragged as they we'll could be to have
any clothes at all. and in spite of the
rest and ratios they had had since
recrossing the river, their haggard
faces showed the fiery ordeal through
which they had passed. The worst
thing, though, was 60 see the depict
ed ranks, and to learn how numerous
were the comrades whose bones were
now lying under Maryland soil. And
the greater number of the other regl-
ments of Longstreet's corps had suff-
cred as much or more. The batteries,
too, had lost, besides men. more
than unusual proportion of horses
the places of the latter being difficult
to supply, for even then good horses
were getting scarce in Virginia. Gem
eral Longstreer Immediately set to
work to bring up his command to the
greatest possible efficiency, but there
were many obstacles in the way, for
q supply of clothing and shoes, so
sadly needed, were not obtainable.
Il General Lee had but had, ike
Napoleon, the power and the will
TO SHOOT A HALF DOZEN OR SO
of derelict quartermasters and cons
missaries occasionally, his troops
would have been spared much hard
ship, and he would have been able to
have accomplished greater results.
However, the bracing up of the troops
went on with all dispatch, for it was
expected that the enemy would adj
vance upon us in short order. 1t APP
pears now that at this very time Gen.
Mcclellan was complaining to the
federal authorities that his army was
deficient in clothing, shoes and horses,
and that he wouldn't move without
them. Anyhow, Gen. Stuart, with
100 cavalry, made raid completely
around McClellan's army, and the
latter hadn't enough cavalry to catch
him, or didn't make good use of what
he had
For the first time during the war
the small pox broke out in our camps,
and, to make the thing more serious,
the surgeons were not supplied with
vaccine points. By shifting the cam ps
and strict attention to policing them,
end isolating the unfortunates who
had taken the disease, it was confined
within limits and very few died of the
malady.
I reeollect that we had here our sec
ond aristocratic review the first was
held at Centerville, the year before.
ia honor of Prince Napoleon.) Some
English noblemen visited Gen. Long
streets headquarters. and, of course,
wanted to see the troops pass in re-
view. Longstreet's corps, though
good fighting material, was not much
to look at. There was scarcely a man
who had whole suit of clothes, and
rags futtered on the breeze in every
direction as the men moved about
However, by picking and choosing,
enough men were gotten for the front
rank to make a respectable appear
ance. The less said about the rear
rank, in this connection, the better.
You see, we were all fools enough to
be ashamed of our rags, when we
ought to have been proud of them.
Perhaps the memory of how the
ragged Continental" fought in the
Revolutionary war gave our visitors
some respects for us, their descendants.
At any rate, they were pleased to
compliment General Longstreet on
the good appearance of his corps after
so arduous campaign.
But my allotted space warns me to
halt. We rested at Winchester until
we heard that the federal army was
in motion beyond the Blue Ridge, and
we moved on parallel line until we
stood face to face with Gen. Burnside
at Fredericksburg.
Did you ever see two women board
a street carr No. Well, they do it
somewhat after this fashion: ''Is this
our car, Celia?" mo, Martha, I don't
think it is. [ think that is ours Just
back Of it." And they wait until the
car has passed them, and then hail it
with their oarasols. This proves in>