The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-09-12
ARMY HARDSHIPS.
That Cold Is, Of January, 1854.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Tho above
head lines in a late number of our welcome
weekly visitor put me In mind Of the remark
ably cold LIST of January, 1864. Our brigade. the
Third, of the Third Division, Sixth Corps. was
in camp near Brandy Station from early In the
Fall. and startled about & O'Clock in the
evening of Dec 81, 1863 by tho bugle call of
pack up" from brigade headquarters. Think
ing that como booty Orderly at headquarters
was on rampage, IL was not given much Mt.
teution, but when q few minutes later the
First Sergeant Of the company repeated the
order in the company street, there was Wild
excitement.
The clouds had been sweating all day, and 10
seemed VIC were just under the droppings, as
the grounds, tents and everything not impcr.
vious TO water was ' ia SOAK The night II.
self was dark as Erebus. as a miserable crowd
was trudging it's way 20 Brandy Station on the
railroad. FIoundering in the mud 10 almost
our knees, wo was unto them who travelled
without long boots. Even with those all were
not secure. One eomrado Of my company,
missing the corduroy road got mired, aud In
hauling him out they left the boots.
Reaching the station, our company was piled
upon open car. BY downright stealing--or
lying, don't know whch--the boys secured
several bales Of hay. 10 spread over the car and
luckily for us that IL was 80.
Probably about midnight the train pulled
out for Washington city. AZ the same time the
regulator Of the weather took "A notion 10 dry
up the clouds aud the mud and IL blew up bit.
ter cold. The effect Of ii was felt at once: in
half an hours time all the wet, muddy cloth.
ing was frozen stiff, while our poor bodies In
side Of them ratified and shook with cold For.
tunately for US our Sutler had only few DAYS
before arrived In camp with fresh supplies a
'rge part OF which was composed Of long. n eek .
black bottles, and on the eve of a movement.
NEW not where, every private who had the
,tby lucre 10 sufficient amount could pro.
cure "A supply. ] believe 10 this day that In.
whisky used that night saved all our cOmpany
from freezing 10 death.
have no idea Of the time Of day on the LIST
Of January. 1864 when We rolled over Long
Bridge into the Capital. but | can remember
well that when ! attempted 10 get off the ear
my legs were nearly useless, from cold aud the
cramped position in which We had ridden. By
holding OH 10 the side of the car was able To
move. and after little 10 walk by myself
without aid but the terrible rackinV main
almost made me wild. After getting To the
Rest" and being literally filled with hot
coffee. the boys felt better. and toward evening
we took passage--this time in luxurious
housed ar-for Harpcr's Ferry, where in a few
days We made ourselves c0mparati yely com.
Portable, having been furnished with A tents.
with railroad spikes for tent pins. The ground
was frozen too hard 10 drive wood pins
And yet, comrades, after all this, and much
more OF IL, we have people in this glorious On
land Of ours who begrudge us the 81 cents per
day the United States pays us for pensions for
our patriotism They were not there.-GEo.
IL. UHLER, 93d Pa, Lebanon, Pa.