New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1889-07-03

good many of the regiments were in
a terribly disorganized condition.
Hooker's presence had begun to re-
store confidence, but the frightf1ll
disaster of December all along the
line had cast a gloom over the Union
army which it was not easy to dis
pei.
To check desertion President Lin
coin gave up reviewing the decisions
of courts-martial and the first shots
we heard fred were for the execution
ofseyeral poor devils who we're to
serve as examples to the rest ofus if
we tried to play truant.
After charlottesville we began to
feel like old soldiers, becausewe both
came off without a scratch. As it
happened, our regiment was not in
action again until the second day at
Gettysburg. But how we wondered
what was the meaning of our hurried
fight to the northward during the
latter part of June!
We soon found out what it all
meant-Lee had started to invade
the North and we were after him.
Nobody needs telling about the three
first days of July, and least of all
that lovely woman on The Hill, in
whose dear heart a wound was made
that only death can heal.
\ good many of us gotletters from
home while we were waiting at the
Potomac Among the lucky ones
was Dick Harper, who seemed to get
a letter or two whenever a mail came
into camp, and wrote one whenever
he got a chance, no matter how try
ing the circumstances.
On the LIST we were marching all day
and got into position late at night.
We heard on all sides gloomy tidings.
Some said there was a very fair
chance of the whole army being wiped
out next day Twas tired, but poor
Dick was cheerful and confident, and
by the light Of q cook fire in a gully
at the rear he wrote this letter to
Miss H., which, unknown to me, he
slipped into the pocket of my blouse,
probably while ! was asleep:
"My darling, you probably know
the news of this day better than [
can tell it. We are face TO face with
Lees army, and at day-break to-
morrow will begin a b attic on which
hangs the destiny ofthe country. I
believe we shall win, but the cost
will be heavy. / cannot tell you
how my heart yearns for you this
solemn night, while all around me
weary men are lying fast asleep on
their guns, to be awakened at dawn
by the bugEe call only to be laid low
by the shot of the enemy! My soul
seems to draw near to you, and 1
feel your sweet breath on my
sunburnt cheek, and knew that we
shall soon meet, if not at home, why
then in paradise"
just open the window, please, it's
getting close here. That's better.
Ofcourse / gave her the original
when I came home with a broken
leg, but / have always kept this copy
as a kind of angels message that
seemed to have something divine
about it.
Well during that day, the second.
our regiment suffered fearfully, and
about noon missed Dick, whom
a few minutes before [ had seen
fighting like tiger. Thee day passed
and | neither saw nor heard
anything of him. The dead and
wounded were too many to be num-
bered, much less to be identified.
The line was driven back and almost
broken, but we rallied, and the night
came on, helping us to hold our
ground.
My only thought was for poor
Dick. Neither officer nor private had
seen him either dead or alive, and T
became convinced that he had been
shot dead and fallen into one of the
numerous gullies which furrowed the
ground where we stood during part
of the fight. The thick smoke had
concealed his fall, which had, perhaps,
been seen only by some of those who
went down with him.
On the third, I was shot through
the leg, and soon afterwards was
sent home.
In the reports Dick was classed
among the missing as his body
was not found, and when got home
Miss II. was lying at the point of
death from the cruel blow occasioned
by his loss. Hundreds of the bodies
of men slain in war cannot be recog-
nized, and always believed, until
the mystery was cleared up, that
Dick was to be classed with these.
Miss 81. was taken abroad by her
parents for change ofair and scene
and did not get the letter / had for
her until the following summer.
From that moment she began to
look better. The fact that his last
thoughts were of her and OF Heaven
seemed to bring ray of sunshine In
to her heart, and though she contin-
ued to wear black, and has never
broken that custom, she took amore
{ ofi ~, %r,,o,%