The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-09-28
TIETAM.
a visit 40 the Field Twenty-sfx Years
AFTER the Battle.

AFTER the Battle.
Pursuant TO the call OF the chairman Of the
committee OF arrangements previously pub
iished. the 125th, Pennsylvania Volunteers,
held their reunion on the battlefield OF An
tIetam, Md. on the nth and 18th Of Sept
1885. This Regiment was composed of men
from Blair and Huntington counties, with
contingent Of about 30 men from st. Angus
tine and GallitZin, Cambria county. The
Veterans, to the number OF near 100. met
in the old town of Sharpsburg, Md, on the
afternoon of Sept. II, 1883, the 26th ami
versary OF that great battle. This town was
between the two armies during the battle
and consequently was badly damaged by the
shot and shells of the ccntending forces
the marks of these prOjecties on quite
number of the buildings being plainly yisi-
bic % the present day. Wen, the first thing
done after resting little after our journey,
was to hold meeting of the Veterans of
the I25th and I3Oth Regiments in the large
hall OF the Antietam Post, G. :. r., which
was kindly turned over 10 us for our use by
that organization. Our colonel, Jacob Hig-
gins presided over the meeting, and, by his
ability and good judgement as = presiding
officer, contributed much towards the bar
mony and pleasure of the evening. Rat
ting speeches were made by Messrs. Nc
Camart, McGraw. Wallace, Simpson and
others. but the speech OF the evening was
( by J. d. Hicks, Esq, OF Altoona, Pa. Rich
and racy, It brought down the house, elicit
ing round after round Of applause from the
delighted audience. Hicks, here's to you.
may your shadow grow twice as large
Songs were sung and everything went along
pleasantly and baTmoniously. and, but for
the seuseless remarks Of one officer reflect
I ing upon the honor and loyalty of General
Mcclellan, il would have been one OF the
most enjoyable evenings ever spent; but
f, the honor and loyalty of ''littis Mac was
fully vindIcated by Burley, O'BJien, Duue>
gan and others whose names I am sorry do
not remember. The meeting adjourned at
II O'Clock p. NJ. to meet again at the Dunk
ard Church, the centre of the battlefield, at
8 O'Clock A. NJ, Sept 18th. Quite num-
( Der Of ladies accompanied their husbands
and relatives to the battlefield and seemed
as deeply interested in viewing the scenes
upon it as the Veterans themselves.
Amongst the ladies present was the estima>
bic wife of Col. Higgins. These ladies were
complimented by Lieut.. Dunegan in behalf
I of the Veterans present for the interest
manifested in making the reunion a COM
/ plete success. The morning OF the 18th.
I unlike that of the previous day, was clear
! and beautiful, and the boys were all pres
/ ent at the DunkRrd Church by O'Clock A.
II. and from thence proceeded to the field
where our regiment lay the night proceed
! ing the engagement ! will now describe as
/ truthfullY as ] can the part taken in this
! battle by tie 125th 1: We were under CON-
msnd Of the veteran, Gen. Mansfield, who
/ hurried his men INTO action just as the sun
was rising on the morning OF Sept. 17th,
I 1862. The Division of Gen. Williams on the
/ right with the 10Th in advance, rushed
across the HageTstown pike and tried 6es-
I perRtely to drive the Confederates from the
! woods and hills TO the west. so as to flank
/ the "Rehs" who were defending the posi-
I tioD near DuLkard Church. The struggle
/ for the possession OF the woods was of the
most desperate and bloody nature. Men
( dropped at every step and the deaths among
| the officers were frightful. At this point
our right, under the brave Col. Higgins,
! pierced the centre lines and held their posi-
/ tion for three-fouTths Of an hour, while off,
4 GERS IS we'll as pTiyates were literally moved
4 down On this part Of the field the FederaI
generals, Mansfield Richardson. Hooker,
| Crawford and Hartsuf were stricken down,
as were also the rebel generals, Ssarke,
Bains, Douglass, Barksdale and Lawton.
Our right being without support on the
/ right and left was forced back across the
I Hagerstown pike, after leaving fully one
I third Of Its men killed and wounded near
the Dunkard Church, and after having PEN
etrated farther into the rebel lines than any
| other Union troops on that eyentfuI day.
J After re-crossing the pike We were assigned
the task Of supporting Battery-I think
! Ricketts, Battery. This position we held
until night stopped the friRhtful carnage.
So closed the day of the battle OF Antietam
-one Of the widest days this earth ever
1 saw.
! In the evening we visited the National
Cemetery. where 1855 Union soldiers lie
buried. This is a lovely spot on the top OF
q knoll overlooking the whole of the battle>
field. The Superinreudant of the Cemetery
Informed me that it is was right here that
! General Lee had his headquarters during
/ the battle, and, with his HeId-glass, could
see almost every division of McClenar's
| army. 1t was pitiabls to note the ages
{ marked on the headstones In the Cemetery !;
fully one-fourth Of al those marked being
! under 21 years-the oldest one saw being
but % years. Well. may you ali rest in
/ peace, is the feryent prayer of loving
comrade You died in a noble cause.
We teok the cars at Antietam Station at
/ IL O'Clock P. NJ, and started for home, down
| the beautiful Cumberland Valley, arriving
at Harrisburg AZ , O'Clock A. n, Sept. 18th,
1888. 1 will conclude this rather lengthy
letter by saving TO my comrades one and
all "Bannath lath." EMos.