Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-06-22
Retreat alC

became the order of the day Gen Howard
ordered the cavalry leader, Buforl to adj
vance out on the plain and hold on to the last
to cover the retreat. Rising in his stirrups,
with the usual army OATH Buford cried:
"What is there to hang on toy The troops
were rushing back to the town, followed by
the enemy on two sides. The cavalry rode
out into the throng, the line surge1 past them
md they faced the men in gray, who formed
squares to receive them, according to the
manual. Such scene was a novel one except
ON paper but the squares won the day. Bull
lets, shells and solid shot broke the force of q
handful of horsemen before they could reach
their enemy, aud nothing could save the field
so bravely contested What scenes followedi
BATTLEFIELD EXPERIENCES.
Soldiers who had been nit at the front were
again made targets for relentless balls. Some
few took refuge in the houses and others hid
outside. Gen. Schimmepfennis himself
escaped capture by hiding in wood pile,
and joined his division after three DAYS of
battle. Among the sad St .ies of this terrible
hour is that of Sergt. HImmlston, of the
One Hundred and Fifry-iourth New York
regiment, CoSter's brigade, of the Eleventh
| corps. This brigade was detached from
Steinwehr's division that remained on tho
heights to hold them while the battle ragged
beyond, and when the front line began to re-
treat Coster was sent into the town to cover
the movement. lie had to fight for right of
way, and one victim of the melee in the
streets was HummistOn He was found dead
clasping the picture of three children. There
was no mark of identity on his person, but
| the picture was photographed, and thousands
OF copies were circulated in the army, and
the children We're traced by them to their
| home in Cattaraugus county, n. Y. Such is
the price of a nations glory-death claiming
the noblest of her sons, and households filled
with lamentations
AS might be supposed, there were other
sides to tho picture for war, with all its ter
rors, is not wholly tragic.
| When order and confidence v.rn 'Ylly re-
stored on the heights of Gene Ridge,
where the discounted soldiers uolds
| and Howard found themselves at H. ltfall.
there was another army anxious not 10 say
desperate, on this same question of rations
1t had been an all day march and llSht, and
not man had tasted a warm meal Fire,
were kind!el and the kettles wei, ,o send
ing out savory odors. On the .,H"-hwesterr
slope of Cemetery Hill parry Of First corps
officers stood chatting near the fire where
their mess cook was hustlng round to set
out their supper. The stew was ready, the
pack horse stood patiently while the cook
drew out the service and spread it on tn.
ground a Confederate shell from the rid;
near the seminary came searching u target
along the line Of the Baltimore pike ano
taking n short cut landed under the soul
kettle, hosting that and all its contents il
the air and blowing the pack horse and hi
luggage into litter that it taxed the cool
some hours to separate and Identify
The crest Of Cemetery Hin commanded {
view of the entire field, and the sights a.
they presented themselves at nghtlAll are
told by an officer on the field IL says
"The scene from the crest Of this hill on that
eventful eve as the sun went down in hi
summer sIioudor VIII meyer be forgotten