Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-01-14

con, with skillets for cooking it in;
but as no salt was provided, it was
not, under common circumstances,
very delicious meal we made of it.
But we had had little to eat in the
last "a hours and made way with our
greasy dodgers and bacon. | ate too
much, and before morning was as
sick a child as / ever heard of. Corn
meal and bacon in that particular Sec
ton of the confederacy took very
sudden rise. The next morning we
took the cars for Richmond, and on
reaching that place were put in the
celebrated Libby prison. will not
spend time to describe the rations
served, or the condition of affairs at
Libby. This was in the early part
of the war when exchanges of pris-
oners were made, and we were soon
paroled and went to Annapolis, Md,
where the parol camp was. In about
a month our exchange was made and
we returned to the regiment, then on
active duty. During the campaign
year of 1868 we were on active duty,
and l leave the history and hasten to
the events that led to my second cap
ture.
But more eventful period was at
hand. On the 18th of October, our
brigade, consisting of 1st VT, 9TH
n. Y, and 9TH Mich. regiments, went
to a little place called James City,
where there were a few old buildings,
and where Gems. Fitzpatrick and Gus
ter were. We had no knowledge of
the presence of the enemy, when an
eight-pound shell came whizzing thro'
the air and passed square through the
house where the valiant generals
were stopping, not far above their
heads. There were quick orders, and
the horses were mounted in hot
haste. None too quick, however, for
the enemies skirmishers were at
hand, though they made cautious
attack. Our forces fell back slowly,
though it was great wonder to us
that we made a retreat movement.
But as we approached Culpepper we
saw Gen. Pleasanton's force of about
25, 900 some three-fourths of a mile
away, while the rebel Gen. Stuart
with larger force was uncomforta-
bly, near our retreating brigade. Gen.
Fitzpatrick rode along in front of our
lines and said, "Boys, we must cut
through that line or surrender as
prisoners which will you do?' "We
will go through the rebel line" The
brigade under that most gallant man,
Gen Custer, made charge, and we
cut our way through, though not all
escaped. We suffered also from the
effects of some rebel artillery on our
right. We were then taken out of
the fight and sent to support bat
terry, and while doing this, witnessed
a magnificent sight in, perhaps the
greatest cavalry fight of the war, if
not of the century. We saw nine
brigades charge in the short space of
half an hour, and at times the bat
tie flags of Gen. leasanton and Gen.
Stuart would be within a stones
throw of each other. There was the
roar of artillery and of small arms,
the clashings of sabers and the rush
ing to and fro, only witnessed in
cavalry fight.
Finally the rebs came around on
our left, within pistol shot of the bat
terry, threatening its safety, when we
were ordered TO charge on the enemy.
We drove them before us into
piece of woods where we were scat
tered, every man for himself. While
busy firing my carbine and pistol. l
turned to see what my companions
were doing, when, to my surprise,
they were leaving the woods. | con-
cluded it would be ungallant to cap
ture the entire rebel force alone, and
hence beat a retreat; but as | was
passing an old building, out jumped
three Johnnies and gave me an invit-
| alton to dismount. Circumstances
were such at the time that l conclud-
ed to accept the somewhat emphatic
request, but not until L received five
| saber cuts, two of which were on my
head. L was again rebel prisoner.
| was taken back ere long to the ele
giant mansion, owned by the noted
Virginian, John Minor Bolts, which
was being used as rebel hospital.
| The number of wounded was large,
and the house seemed to be full of
bleeding soldiers fresh from the
front. | sat in the yard, and my
wounds were bleeding profusely for
some hours. At length, when the
excitement of the battle died away, a
gentlemanly rebel Major, himself
slightly wounded, came up and said,
81 see you are wounded, and as our
surgeons are all busy, l will under
take to dress your wounds. / was a
surgeon by profession before L enter
ed the army" l gladly accepted his
kind offer, and he very rkilfully dress
ed my wounds which were then get
ting very uncomfortable.
Night was approaching and / was
taken some distance to an old barn
not very far from where | stopped
the night after my first capture. In
the morning we again took the
prisoners train for Richmond, where
myself and others were placed in
what wac CALLED q rahal hOSDital Soon