Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1890-05-30

miles, air line. My regiment had gone there
and learned this about o'clock in the after
noon. l learned also that the road between
these points was twelve miles long, as it
curved inland to avoid the swampy shores,
and, moreover, was dreary and unsafe.
There were no troops stationed there and
it was exposed to marauding parties of the
enemy However, there was an inside route
"a foot road that could be followed at low
tide 1t ran near the shore, across numerous
inlets that rose at high tide and overHowed
the path
| learned that my corps, the Sixth, had
been ordered to embark that night, and was
anxious to join my regiment before it sailed,
or | might be separated from it for weeks
Beside needed food, for, being absent from
my proper mess, could not get rations and
was already fainting with hunger.
| set out from Fort Monroe with about
three hours of daylight and eight miles of
unknown road ahead. The wagon road from
the fort is used for some distance by travel
ers on the foot route, and then the path turns
left into the fields and soon enters region of
marsh with occasional elevated lands under
cultivation. The lowands are thickly wood
ed After walking brisSly for some time
began to see the loneliness of the trip and the
risk involved but consoled myself it would
be an adventure worth talking about should
anything unusual happen just now, on
looking back noticed a soldier coming along
the road after Inc at a rapid pace, and think
ing it might be messenger sent for me
slackened my steps, although keeping steady
tramp towards my destination When he
came near enough he called out:
"Hello, going to Newport News"
81 am going to my regiment" said, some
what gruffly.
"Well if it is in the Sixth corps, it is at the
News for they are all there, going aboard. |
left there today looking for my regiment at
the fort, but it is not at the fort, so am 60
ing to the News again"
The stranger had been walking faster than
|, but now he too slackened pace and seemed
to want my company Somehow, | don't
know why, didn't want his. Perhaps had
been charmed with tn idea of an adventurous
trip alone, or else thought he had the advan-
tage in having been over the route and would
assume superiority over me. OF course
was but boy thea, AMI mad a boys notions
about dignity and all that. So | said sheer
ingly, answering his remark:
"What corps is yours,'
Fifth"
YES said l. ''you fellows didn't stand at
Gaines Mill
OF course they stood at Gaines Mil, and
fought all day like heroes, but that is the way
we always talked down other commands
| then. He gave me questioning look, but
did not dispute what | said, and | continued:
"What regimentF
The til Michigan" he said, naming a
very low number of one figure
The thu echoed. "Why, your state
doesn't turn out at all for the war. Ny state
has sent out over hundred and fifty regi-
ments and is recruiting all the time"
This was all nonsense, you see. His state
| filled its quota, and mine didn't do more than
that. But that is the way we used to run
down the men from other states then.
We walked on in silence, both increasing
our pace. When we came to the spot where
the path leads away from the road toward
the swamp he pointed it out and said:
This will save an hours walk and maybe
save our necks, for am told the guerrilla'
sometimes ride on the main road at night"
He turned aside, climbed the fence and sal
on the top rail looking wonderingly at me
for kept right on and made no answer, moi
even by nod of the head. 1t was sudder
notion of mine that wouldn't travel in com
pany with this fellow. To justify my con
lucu sdiu W NY Seil' I1o" w kuo" pu
ae is guerrilla in disguise, or spyl HI
<nows all about my corps at Newport News
and maybe he has been to the fort on an err
and of spying out other movements Of ouI
roops."
So kept on in the road and as soon as h,
vas gone from view took faster pace fol
quarter of mle then turned into tn,
rlarsh and set out for the coast, knowing tina
must strike the path and get ahead of m.
lnwelcome fellow traveller.