The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-07-12


on file some place, as il was written COM
municatiou. Gen. Meade sent me out TO see
Gen. Cree. This officer. who ] understand
is a native Of Pennsylvania, and at present
is residing at Reading, greeted me most
cOurteousy !, saying:
"Gen. Meade directs me to say to you,
sir, that he appreciates the Importance Of
securing the telegraph service, and desires
you to be prepared to act upon it."
was at headquarters along late in the
afternoon. when all the officers came filing
out, pretty much as if school was just out
Every officer, without uttering a word, but
acting as if he had business to attend 20,
st once mounted his horse and ali dashed
of in different directions l took the liberty
of propounding a question to Gen. Gregg. /
should probably consider it impertinent at
my present age TO do as I then impulsively
did; but those were war times, Is my
apology TO Gen. Gregg now. was young
and awfully curious about this significant
silence during the day. The General only
answered by saying. as he pointed TO Gen
Meade who was at the time in big boots
strutting eff to his horse, which an Orderly
held ready: " 1t looks as if something was
mp, dOn't it?"
thought it did; and as everybody around
there was getting on his horse, I followed
the example-that is, followed Gen. Meade,
who was my example, over toward what
was then the front of Round Top-Sickless
salient
can't 90 into sickles's fight at Gettys-
burg. don't know anything more about
1t than any of the rest. 1 gathered at the
time from the general talk Of those around
Headquarters, in the days that followed, that
Siekles had played big card in hope Of
winning the command of the army, and had
lost. You know it was a perpetual fight
about who should be the commander OF the
Army of the Potomac. 1t was the common
talk then as nobody cared TO dispute the
fact Of his mistake) that if he had not lost
his leg he would have lost his commission.
was at Gettysburg with Gen. Sickles in
July, 1886, and interviewed him the morn
ing Of his address on this subject. He
showed considerable feeling at the attitude
Of Col. Norris, and among other extravagant
words uttered while in a bad humor, he said:
sWe are going to have Longstreet and Nc
Laws here next year, and will do up those
Pennsylvania fellows"
Gen. Pleasonton also told me at this time
that Sickles had urged him to come TO the
Reunion to assist him. Pleasonton, you
know, is now bitterly hostile TO the Penn
sylvania men, and inclines to support
sickless claim
However, 1 got away from Sickles's front
and went back between the Round Tops. 1t
looked to me like another first day, and I
was not anxious TO get left; so retired
early.
While coming out from between the
Round Tops I met double line Of battle
slowly advancing. It was so long line
that could not see either end Of it through
the foliage, and In endeavoring TO find a
break or hole to get through / found 1t was
the Sixth Corps, and think some Of the
Reserves were In my immediate path but
Tn not sure of this I didn't care to stop
long enough Just then to make careful in
ouiry. I was glad, however, 70 see the
Sixth Corps badge coming in at that point
Just then. I have often wondered why
some mention is not made Of this reserve
being on hand at that time.
don't know the regiment that was be-
fore me. The appalling thing to me jus;
then was, that those fellows wouldn't lei
me get through their line. They had their
bayonets ali fixed and held their guns down
and the Eild-eyed but serious expression on
that double row Of dirty faces looked aw-
fully devilish to me. I shall never forget
that moment Of my life. Those men haG
been on a forced march al day, 7 think, an6
they were dusty; their perspiring faces haC
taken on q sort Of war paint Of dirt, that t
put 1t mildly, looked demoniacal This
with the yells and rattle Of musketry dowI
IN the fields in front, has made an impres
sion on ny mind that a lifetime VIII no
efface. Even the recollection on this no
Summer day Of 1883, causes q cold chill 4
come over me.
How does a man feel in battle?" is
question have often been asked; or, D
you feel frightened the first time?" II.
answer is, Yes; and every other time, too
IneYer had shell whistle and screech nea
me. but ! wished hadn't come"
I've been persistently urged to tell some
thing about the sensation that comes over
man in battle, by young men and ol
ladies.
The morning Of the first day got unde
Ere I was SO much excited by the boomin
Of the battery near me that 1 didn't he's
anything else, and, Of course, didn't quit
realize my danger.
A battery pounding shot toward the enem
is the most inspiriting music one hears in
battle. OF course you can't tell whether Il
shots hit anybody or not, but you instinc
lively feel from the big noise and fussy kic
the thing makes every time II goes of, som
thing must get hurt Though, as a mi
II is not the shells that hurt; they 20 oy,
the men ard land back in the rear. whe
they scare the mules about the wagon-tFail
and stampede the skulkers Ii il the nast
little guEs that do the damage, a. one so,
finds out I felt, from the way this batter
had been pounding into the woods mi
or so away, that they had killed eyerl bog
"a. 2 T.-,f,a1