The National tribune., 1886-08-19
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have 10 Say About
Their Old Campaigns
DIAMONDS WE'RE TRUMPs.
The Author OF thc Battle Of SGloratus Plains Tells
ahnu. lhn Grnai Rnmrina nj GaltNAhmre.


burg ] distinctly remember being ia that
bailiwicl % years ago and about 6:3o D. m on
the I'd OF July, 'O3 my scattered remains were
pieked up placed in n basket, agd carried 10
the hospital 90 be sorted over ana repaired. At
the time OF the recent Reunion i found The
burg Just where j left it nearly quarter Of a
century ago. It's narrow streets were lined
with boys IN bluc--ditto the hotels ! Was for
funate IN procuring bed and board IN private
Residence though ID was not very private when
] arrived ms I found some % others had taken
up quarters there. After disposlng OF a liberal
amount o. dust which had accumulated dur
ing the Journey hitheT, descended 10 The sit
ting-room and snapped lies with the boys until
dinner was announced.
] rather expected my appearance on the
streets would create considerable enthusiasm,
but the old vets whom ] met at every step
failed TO recognize the hero OF Saicra;us Plains
This was great disappointment. bot ] con-
soled myself with the thought that The weather
was too damp 10 admit OF visionary zeal No
ticing that most every one present wore a
dlamond-either red, white or blue inquired
the reason, aud was Informed that Diamonds
were Irumps' j accordingly armed myself
with full hand and was sooB surrounded by
d crowd, ali anxious 10 bet on either color.
They seemed quite detected when ] informed
them, in my most cigBiiied manner, that was
not running swoat-board.
Procuring a cane that was not cut on the
battlefield, i sailed forth 20 hear Gen. Sick les
defend the Third Corps. though il was mys-
terry TO me why the Third Corps needed de-
Tending. rs i Nns not aware il had done any
thing to he ashamed Of The General speech
was a remarkably enc one. and the boys cheer
ed him 10 the echo.
While wandering among the crowd ] spied
the rectangular figure OF Gen. Won UnockCr,
the commander ol our brgade-the smooth
bores. lie recognized me instantly and We
embrced--the opportunity TO take something
and paid for it. In the evening ] witnessed
the parade OF the Lambs aud Razors. My
morbid curiosity WAS fully gTatified. Their
antics showed how Providence works through
the hum0lost meaus sometimes TO accomplish
great good. They prowled around I'll night,
making life a burden 10 the weary pilgrim
but they seemed 10 enjoy themselves inn
mcnsey aaG doubtless served their country
0ass,O 81 fio
Early on the morning Of the 81 ] directed
my steps toward the Peach Orchard Shortly
after reaching the Emmittsburg pike discoy-
cred party OF three a few yards in advance.
While i Was specializing as 10 whom they were,
the boom Of a cannon burst clear and sharp
upon the morning air. The party in front
duclIed their heads ana yelled, Grab a root,
81" My heart turned somerset. for i
btcOgnized them as friends and brothers Their
peculiar antics on hearing the gun was the
trademark OF our old brigade. Springing for
ward j uttered the cabalistic words, FaimUs
IrOcs. That settled it. We didn't stop 10
minge tears, but with hearts too full for utter
ance, we sought the shade OF a majestic elm and
took a drink ln the group thus assembled
was representative from every regiment con
shutting the old Smoothhore Brigade, viz, the
10th Oshkosh, ll1th Tiskilwa, Hath Kala-
mazoo, and Capt q. Cumbors battery and you
can safely conclude we were ALFRED glad TO
meet after so long a separation. Here were
members OF as gallant body of men lif i DO
say il myself as ever fired a musket or robbed
hen-roost.
AFTER several minutes spent in congratuiatory
remarks and spiritual communion, we resumed
our journey. The Emmittsburg pike, where
the Third Cor;s fought So desperately on the
"a oil July, g. is a place of special interest.
Beautiful monuments, erected by different
States la honor Of those who fell here, line the
road for q mile or more. aud even the farm
buildings show unmstakable signs OF the con-
fict. We met with several children, all anx-
iOns 10 sell as relics from the battlefeld-bul-
lets, bits of SHE'LL occasionally a bayonct or
TamrOd, etc. One youngstcr IN particular in
sisted Oh selling my Tiskilwa friend the bullet
that terminated the existence OF Gen Garnet,
but we all were supplied with Garrett missiles.
] have before Ine now several bullets, every
one Of which j was solemnly assured struck
Gen. Garrett therefore i am OF the opinion
that thatgentleman was thoroughly perforated.
As we approached Ule Peach Orchard /
noticed that my friend from the @ Cumber
battery seemed 10 grow nervous and excited,
and on reaching o slight knoll he stopped and
exclaimed {" Here's thespot where our battery
stood on the %. As long as life lasts ] shall
never forget an event that tmnspired here
When we urged him TO relate the crcum-
stances he seemed reluctant TO do So bat
finally continued: After we had gone into
battery, Capt q. Cumbcr told US 10 PUT on our
old clothes, for said he, there will be lots of
gore slung here to-day; and just before the
action opened he walked up 10 each section and
exortca the buys TO strike for their country and
their homes. j shall never forget it,"
What did YOU dor" ] inquired
"0h j struck for home !" ne replied
Observing GDule!d adjoining the Orchard
We decided to enter il and search for relics
Each one selected corn-rOw few yards re-
mote from lis ncghbor and the search began.
For several minutes only the sound of hard
breathing could be heard ms we industriously
dug mp besoil- Suddenly Kalamazoo shricllcd
" iioOpla,' in the Grccan language sgnifyihg
" j have found H." Upon looking in his dircc-
tion We beheld him irantically waving aloft
piece OF rusty Tin, which be declared was half
OF Confederate canteen. We adjourned to the
shade Of the wood near by and held an inquest
over the said relic. II was passed from hand 10
hand, Immediately preceding Kalamazoo flask
and after due oelibeTatiOn we decided that IL
was doubtless once the receptacle for some
Johnny's spiyitas JfigsHenG.
We next visited the Mheatfeld, with the
view of locating the positions our regiment oc-
cupieo on the ID This we were successful in
doing, the nature OF the ground being such that
one could recognize almost anything. Seating
ourselves on huge boulder we removed our
hats and requested ComTade Tiskilwa 10 say
something inspiring He bent his head in deep
thought ior short space of time, then raising
his hands above his head, he exclaimed
"Comndes this is hallowcd ground Twenty
three years ago on this spot the American eagle
jerked the scalp off OF hoary headed treason
and scared aiof with ii. On this spot history
was made al the rate Of several pages every
once in while Here widows aud orphans
were made faster than abenefcent Government
has been able 70 pension them, aud it's had %
years ia which 10 do it, Tremendous APP
plRuse Here the flower of the COnfrderacy
was larruped out of it's boots and we didn't sup
pose any Of them would ever get back into
Congress but there's where we fooled ourselves.
Here the blue and gray were mingled until this
plain looked like vast checkerboard, over
which the god of war was lowering MAY we
never look upon the like again.
When Jislllwa ceased speaking gentleman
approached and inquired ii we could show him
the spot where Col Jeierd's was killed arose
aud conducted him 70 the lower portion Of the
field, and STOPPING placed my hand upon a
small stake bearing this inscription Here
Col. Jefierds fell" The stranger removed his
hat and silently gazed al the stake while the
tears trickled down his checks Recovering
HE COMMUNICATION ha fnvnaa IN ana a,,1 GAIA to-,