The Republican journal., 1888-02-02
The 10Th Maine.
EXTRACTS FROM ARMY LETTERS FROM TIL
FRONT.


Somerve Ford Rapdan by the 9Th corps,
which was much stronger than our own, and
therefore better adapted to picket service. The
following morning the Cd corps set out for
Culpeper, eight miles to the rear, where it en-
camped with the promise of brief rest from
hard labor at the front. Gen. Lee was at his
favorite game again, pushing our 1anks. and
cavalry skirmishes began to be of daily occur
renee. On the 10th we reluctantly abandoned
our newly christened encampment at Culpep-
er and went into position to meet the enemy
ten miles north of the village. Here we re-
manned until midnight busted with prepara-
tons for a game Of marbles with the Johnnies.
But the ways of war, like those of Providence,
are inscrutable. At O'Clock in the morning
the column started in the direction of Brandy
Station. On we marched at a rapid pace
through forests and across creeks and quag-
mires, with the stars looking down upon us as
if In pity for the long hours of sleep we We're
being deprived of. A few miles farther and
we were at Brandy Station. Here we rested
and took hasty breakfast from our eight days
rations. In fifteen minutes the bugle sounded
"fall in' and off we went, weary. sleepy and
foot-sore. Four miles brought us to Rappahan-
mock Station and two more to Beaton Station,
where we biyouacked for the night. The next
day at noon the well known signal was sound
ed and We went back to the Rappahannock.
The familiar tones of artillery and the bursting
Of shells near Brandy Station informed us Of
our duty. The cavalry covering the rear of the
army had fallen in with the Johnnie>. We
crossed the railroad bridge and We're soon in
column by brigade. And here LET me add that
more imposing spectacle seldom presents it.
self, even in the manTuvers of war. The en-
tire ID corps. within radius of one square
mile, was advancing in column by brigade over
large. undulating plain. The thirteen brgades
with bayonets gl>tening and with firm deter
mination, steadily advancing. and as steadily
the artillery grew fainter and fainter in the dis
tance. The enemy had fallen back, worsted by
our cavalry, and We halted near Brandy Sta
ton on the very ground fought over during the
day.
1t was night-fall and soon the surrounding
hills We're Illuminated by camp fires. The
troops having made and drank their coffee. un-
folded ihcil blankets and la, dow ii ~ rest with
the vain hopes of sleeping until daybreak.
But no. Gen. Lees advance column had got
ahead of us and would destroy our trains but
for almost superhuman endurance. This days
repulse had the effect of hating his foremost
column and preparing for ali attack in the rear
as we had troops in the rear ready for an at
tack in that direction. Here is where General
Meade's strategy comes i'll. At IL o'clock at
night the 2d corps was in motion again. We
re-cros>ed the Rappahannock at midnight and
took the road for sulphur Springs. After
marching six or eight miles from the station
we formed, while Fitzpatrick went forward to
reconnoitre. Here we had an opportunity to
see our cavalry General. kilpatrick's force
discovered nothing Of Importance i'll this dircc
ton and our column. which formed the rear
guard of the entire army, took the road for
Auburn. marching nearly parallel to the rail-
road. Worn and weary and almost unfit for
duty, save through the excitement of biz
fight, which every one expected, the ID corps
plodded along mile after mile and hour after
hour over narrow roads and cross cuts until
night found us near the small hamlet of Auburn.
which but for the scenes of blood transacted
the following morning might be called ''Sweet
Auburn Here we camped for the night.
Early the next morning we were in motion.
but as the trains neared Auburn Il considerable
force of rebel cavalry pitched into them and
they We're saved from capture or destruction
only through the gallantry of brigade from
the Sd division which was guarding them. As
we passed along l counted five poor fellow,
dead on the field of honor from this skirmi>h,
which was considered trilins one. They
We're buried where they fell by their comrades.
God grant that they died not in vain when the
trophies of this cruel war are summed up. We
marched along until noon when we halted and
took another ration of "hard tack" Here we
saw in a group the old man himself (aS the
boys called Gen. Meade). Gems. PleaSanton
Fitzpatrick and others, who with their wise
heads seem to he laying out work for Us to do
Again we fell in and marched along as before
When within about ten miles of Bristo Station
the roar of artillery reached us from the front
It is tritling thing to state this on paper; but
when retreating from an enemy, with no sup
port whatever, to be startled by the fact that
the enemy has surrounded and blocked the road
of the retiring force is no small matter. Such
an occurrence was unexpectedly by such as your
humble correspondent, who are not supposed to
hold empires in their brains To confess the
truth, all hands We're d bit chagrned to find
that the rebels had out-marched Us after we
had done our best to prevent it by long marches
day and night. But there was no time to be
lost The enemy had attacked our tr,iu and
we must get into the fun ahead. which accord
ing to the music was getting to be hot. In
few minutes the rebel skirmishers appeared
out of the woods. Soon Il whole column of
greybacks showed themselves coming for the
railroad beside which we We're marching
their red battle flags waving deiantly. Run
ming at right angles with the railroad is Kettle
Run. The head of our column reached this
small run just in season to face to the front
and load before the enemy arrived within rifle
shot. The railroad formed splendid redoubt
and our commander gave the word not to fire
until we could see the whites of the encmy's
eyes.
Our batteries In the meantime were getting
into position, and in less time than it takes to
write this everything was in readiness to re-
ceive the enemy who were advancing upon us.
range of hills lay between us and the position
where the enemy first appeared. Over this
they must come to reach us. "They come.
they Gomez is passed along the line. and a
sharp, rapid volley Is poured into them. Once.
twice, thrice, a well directed volley echoes to
the surrounding hills. In less than five min
utes everything is still again. They are hand
somely whipped and prisoners come in by
scores daring not to withdraw to their own
lines for fear Of instant death. The dead lie in
heaps in our front A few fell down the en-
bankment lifeless The 10Th Maine captured
about 200 prisoners, and the honor of capturing
rebel battle flag belongs to Moses c. Hanscom,
c. F. of Bowdoinhan, Me. The encmy's loss
was terrible. We had decided advantage in
position and used it. Their entire loss could
not be much short of 1000 and several pieces
of artillery. The 10Th had one man killed and
several wounded.
1t was soon dark, and leaving the wounded
on the battlefield and the dead to bury the
dead, we reached Centerville on the morning
of Oct. 10Th and stacked arms on the eastern
side of Bull Run, weary and hungry. AT day
break on the morning of Nov. 1th, the notes
of the bugle indicated that we must abandon
our quarters at Warrington. That night we
4: Ill.