Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-10-04
1t was the third day Of the terrible battle

of Gettysburg, and the speaker was Gordon
Grey. Meade had succeeded Hooker.
n the sight was indeed thrilling. By
Lees command two hundred guns belched
forth their volleys on Cemetery Ridge, and
for two mortal hours the air was thick with
shrieking shells. Then the deafening can
ponade lulled, and the Confederates poured
from the woods in double line of battle over
o mile long, with sklrmishers lowering on
their front. Even the Union ranks could
scarce forbear a cheer of admiration, as
silently, and with splendid steadiness, that
magnificent column of eighteen thousand
men moved up the slope. A hundred guns
tore great gaps In their ranks, and still they
advanced with Spartan fortitude. Infantry
volleys smote their front, yet they pushed
forward-nay, they even bayoneted the can
noneers at their guns aud planted their flags
on the breastwork. Then upon this strug-
Cling mass the Federais conycrged on every
side. No human endurance could stand the
storm, and Lees ranks fell broken and
shattered, like forest trees swept by the
blast of the tornado.
II was night.
From a clear sky the stars looked down
on the bloc d-stained slopes of Gettysburg,
where lay forty thousand corpses, silent
witnesses of the three days carnage.
Nine hours had Harry Winthrop been in
the saddle; well had he borne himself in
charge and pursuit; but, while his suryiy-
ing comrades had flung themselves to rest
on the beaten sward, there was no relaxa-
ton for him, for the roll had been called, and
among the missing was Gordon Grey.
With feverish anxiety the young officer
crossed and recrossed the battle field,
searching for his friend among the count
less bodies that lay there. Already fatigue
parties were abroad burying their dead
comrades by torch-light, and OF these nc
earnestly inquired if the Michigan lad was
among the number of their slain.
All in vain, till at last in the dawn Of the
morning success seemed to crown his
efforts.
"Some Of your fellows,'' said n grizzled
sergeant, "lie over yondcr, and there is
just such a youngster as you describe
among them.n
81 must see for myself Harry d ,with
determination. "Say, Sergeant. | i'll give
you and your men fifty dollars to ncover
the grave of the boy you speak Of"
"Not for fifty thousand dollarsi y .,as the
quick reply; '.but for the sake of such good
c~omradeship as you have shown, we viii do
our best to help you to find him. l do not
know exactly where he is, but there are
not more than a score of graves in the row,
and the poor fellows are not very deep
under the sod"
No, their graves are not very deep-iust
a couple of feet of earth over them, rs they
lay wrapped in their blankets asleep in
death. 1t was n CHASTITY task to uncover
the hfeless faces, but 1t was done at last,
but the one that lay there was not that of
Gordon Grey, but of another lad whose
friends would never find his resting-place
OF course, Winthrop had to write and beg
his mother to break the sad news 10 the
stricken widow. He could picture to him
self the agony of that lone heart, whose
wounds were beyond the healing Of human
sympathy, aud If he dropped q tear on the
letter which bore the sad tidings, it was in
my humble opinion nothing to be ashamed
Of, even in a soldier.
But to boots and saddlesi History can
not wait in wartime for us to weep for lost
friends. The rest of the year was spent by
the lighthouse in raids on Lees army,
which had reiterated to the vicinity Of Rich
mond, in skirmishing adventures with
Moscby's men, and in foraglng expeditions,
which, if they gave promise of little glory,
were well spiced with danger to the partici-
pants. Then followed the retirement into
winter quarters, which was now made more
endurable by the Introduction of ~fox-hunt-
ing, horse-racing and other manly sports,
that tended to relieve the laOnotony OF the
weary months.
1t was in the spring of "a that excitement
began TO bubble again in real earnest.
II entered into the brain of Gen. Kilpat-
rick, who commanded a division, that il would
be possible for q small force TO make raid
around Lees army, attack Richmond and
release the Federal prisoners on Belle Isle
and in Libby prison. The idea, which was as
daring as it was original, found favor with the
younger officers, who were all aflame for
distinction, but were pooh-poohed by those
higher in command as impracticable.
P~leasanton refused point-blank to counter
ance the scheme. Meade Indignantly de-
cliued to listen to him, but Fitzpatrick wa
a mar not easily sat down upon so, having
secured leave of absence to visit Washing.
ton for a few days, he boldly laid his plans
before the Secretary of War, who, to his
intense delight, gave him a carte blanche to
carry out the project. h gallant Irish
man returned TO camp jubilant.
Volunteers were called upon to undertake
the rash adventure, and so many fell in line
that Fitzpatrick was enabled to pick his
men.
81 rely on you, Winthrop he sad
cordially to our hero. For you have an
old head on young shoulders, and l can trust
your
Harry murmured his appreciation of the
compliment and boldly asked him what his
plans were.
"Well, I don't know that there is any rsa-
son why | should not tell you, was the can
did reply. eve shall be divided into two
p~arties-onc, under Major Dalgreen, will
strike the James river above Richmond, the
other, which | shall lead myself, will go di-
rect to the city"
"The scheme is a good one, sir. 1 hope
we shall succeed
"'Hope,' man; we must! I'll have all the
old women in the army down on me If we
make a null of it. | tell you, Winthrop,
we've got to come through all right
To have seen hat cavalcade file out Of
camp that night, you would have thought
the men were bent on some big picnic,
such high spirits they were in. During the
dark hours they rode steadily on, and SO on