The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-11-19
How Gen. Meade Examined the Confed-
crate Works to His Hearts Content.

June -Sunday.-Pickets were firing all
night. To-day has been bright and exceed
lngiy hot. Sharpshooters and artillery at
work all day. We marched back to our
original position last night, but brought all
our killed and wounded We are now in
plain sight of the Petersburg At 9
a. m. battery of mortars commenced she'll
ing the enemy, doing good execution
At 10 a III. an orderly handed me a note
from Cen Hancock, in which he told me that
Gen. Meade had ordered him to charge the
enemys work in our front immediately, and
he asked me my opinion as to how many men
1t would cost. l sent word back that I
thought it would cost 20 900 men and then IL
was doubtful rs to our being able to carry
the works. Gen. Hancock sent nv note to
Gen. Meade, who, after reading it, sent for
me to come to his headquarters at once.
went and explained to him the enemy's
position, but, as | did not wish him TO depend
entirely on my opinion, 1 requested him to go
with me and see for himself. He consented.
and suggested that he doff his uniform coat
and don plain blouse and hat He did so.
and after we had ridden n few hundred
yards proposed to hitch our horses and 90
the rest of the way on foot | was deter
mined that the general should see Just what
was In front of us, and l knew he had too
much sense to drive the men into a charge
eiatSi AAS saw lIe position.
We now continued our way on foot There
was a line of Old locust trees, about ten or fif-
teen feet apart, along which board fence had
been built and hedge planted The hedge
was not very thick, Yet, with the board fence
and the locust trees, it afforded a pretty good
shelter for our front line of skirmishers. who
We're about 100 yards from the euemy's lines
Leading down to this position was a little
clump of second growth pines. Well, by stoop-
ing low and walking on our hands and knees
for few rods, the general and reached the
hedge On reaching n little opeI ing in the
hedge. the general took low position and |
handed him my field glass, which, by the wav.
Is a very strong one, and he lay down and ex-
ahmed the enemys works TO his hearts con-
tent. When he had satisfied himself he handed
me the glass and said, "We'H go back" Not
another word was spoken until we reached
our horses. When galloping back he simply
made the remark, Il had no idea they had so
strong a position" But when we reached
headquarters he thanked me very kindly for
my suggestions, etc and L babe him GOOD
day and went back to the front
We did not charge the enemy that day. and
am confident that thousands OF lives were
saved by our not doing so. The field in front
or the enemy was level and smooth Their
stronS fortlhcatlons were crowded with in
fantry, and We could see the nuzzles of Mt
least 200 pieces of artillery, undoubtedly
double-shotted, awaiting us But we did not
please the rebs by attending the picnic they
mad evidently gotten up for our benefit
Zen f. w. Butter6eld'S Diary in Kansas
City Journal.
he Craze for Stamp Collecting.
As nearly as can be ascertained, TWENTY-FIVE
years have elapsed since the first modest be-
ginninss OF the universal craze for collecting
Cancelled postage stamps. How large the
business Of dealers in this article has crown
IS evident from the fact that single house in
Nuremberg disposed last year of 5000 600
stamps.-The Argonaut