Los Angeles herald., 1891-08-02
CANBY'S STRATEGY.

CAND y OlhAlEU1 /.
We had been celebrating particularly
lively old Fourth of July, 1853, at Gettys-
burg, and while we sincerely mourned the
loss of many brave comrade who had
gone down in that hard fought struggle
the severest test and most important bat
tie of the war in many respects-we could
not fail to rejoice when the sun rose bright
and clear on the morning of the 9th. over a
most glorious and happy result.
It is of something which occurred that
day that I write this little sketch, in re-
gard to the experience of lieutenant of
the Twenty-third Pennsylvania volun-
teers. whom will call Candy. and who
was in charge of the Sixth corps ammuni-
tion train.
Late on the night of the 5th Candy was
sent for. if my memory serves me cor
rectly, by Major General Wright, COM
mAnding the corps.
Lieutenant, ! want you to take your
ammunition train and start with the first
streak of daylight, by the most direct
road. for Emmettsburg. You must not
start later than 4 o'clock. You must not
fail under any circumstances, and the
SSA Po GOnx1uS ny w dyucSOuIk WILL O6 bLcIc
to meet you. You shall have detail of
one company of the Twenty Massa-
rhusetts to act as a guard and remove any
pbstructions. You understand, lieutenant,
no failure"
ut shall be done promptly, general, !"
and the lieutenant departed into one of the
worst storms of thunder, lightning and
rain that ever followed a heavy battle, and
3ne was always sure to do SO.
Emmettsburg, Md, is ten miles from
Gettysburg, over fine road, through one
II the most beautiful agricultural regions
conceivable
Lieutenant Candy got out his train and
his pioneer party on time, and also Lieu
tenant Langdon, the ordnance officer. The
storm had passed away, and the ruddy
dawn was just breaking as they passed
over the battlefield, where blood and ruin
and many yet unburied corpse attested
the horrid carnage which had but a few
hours before rioted over the now quiet
scene.
Half mile of progress brought them to
an abattis of stout trees across the road,
around which detour had to be made
Then came at intervals for the first mile or
two fences, bitches and other Instructions,
left behind by the enemy to prevent pur-
suit by calvary.
Langdon, after studying some time, sud
denly said:
II say, Candy, don't this thing look a
little shaky to your"
s'As to how?" queried Candy.
"Why, our straying off this way with
only handful Of men, and them with
their guns in the wagons and axes on their
shoulders
''Oh, it's all right, guess. Anyhow it
don't cost me darned cent, Old Wright
told me to take this train to Emmettsburg,
and Pll take it there, unless the gentlemen
ahead of us have carried it off,"
Nothing more was said on the subject,
and the train plodded on, officers and men
loudly admiring the delightful country
through which they passed, and which, as
the bright sun came up, showed itself en-
tirely barren of every living thing. The
people had left their houses, the barns were
tenantless of cattle and the vacant past
ures were beauteous blank.
The sun was about half an hour high
when, upon reaching the summit of
slight elevation, E@mettsburg lay before
s.sem INT mt away acless a. little valley,
through which small stream grScetully
meandered. The hills beyond the town
1dYere epyelcred il dense fog. which siignr-
ly obscured the prospect down to the houses
farthest away from the direction Of ap-
pfoach.
Candy gave directions to his wagon mas
ter to double up the train at the stream
where the road widened, and to water his
mules. Then he and Langdon rode up into
the town to look at the Sixth corps Ev-
erything in the streets was as quiet as the
tomb. Not an open door or shutter. or
even curl of smoke, indicated that there
was life within the place.
After thorough but cautious inspection
they rode up the main street to the suburbs,
and found what was evidently hotel of
some pretensions ordinarily, but no amount
of kicking could produce landlord. They
rode back to the burnt district" where a
fire had seriously ravaged the town, but
there was nobody to be found. They reined
mp their horses, when Langdon said:
"This is cussed humbug."
Second the notion"
'sWhat are you going to do now?"
Nothing"
"Wherefore nothingW
mo orders. Fulfilled em all. I'll pack
the train now, get breakfast and wait for
the Army of the Potomac to move"
"Hello There's smoke"
$50 there is. Blessed harbinger of hui
manity and hot coffee Let's interview it. y
They rode up to the house and dis
mounted. At the back kitchen door they
found man washing his dirty face. To
him Candy said:
"Do you know where the Sixth corps
Eess"
The man muttered something, and ther
dabbed his face into his two hands full Of
water with splutter like a steamboa,
wheel
Cant you answer, sira Haye you seer
the Sixth corps?"
The individual rubbed his head vigor
ously with an immense towel, out of which
he grumbled.
"Don't know 'em."
"Sixth corps, Union armyf"
(which be they, now; blue uns or gray
unsy see lots o. them round here lately
o. both kinds"
sWell, if it will help your understand
ing any, it's the blue ones that we want te
find"
mo, there hain't been no blue 'uns
about here lately. But about two weeks
ago''--
ssBlast your two weeksl Have you seer
INV soldiers around here last night or this