Evening journal., 1891-05-25
CANBY'S STRATEGY.

burg, and while we sincerely mourned the
loss Of many a 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 lall to rejoice when the sun rose bright
and clear on the morning of the 9th, over .
most glorious and happy result.
II is Of something which occurred that
day that ! write this little sketch. in re-
| gard TO the experience of a lieutenant Of
the Twenty-third Pennsylvania yolun-
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, il 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, Tor Emmettsburg You must not
start later than O'clock You must not
| fail under any circumstances, and the
| corps coming by Waynesburg will be there
| to meet you. You shall have q detail of
one company Of the Twenty-seventh Massa.
chusetts to act as guard and remove any
| distractions You understand, lieutenant.
no failurei'
1T 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
one was always sure to do so.
Emmettsburg, Md, is ten miles from
Gettysburg, over a fine road, through one
of the most beautiful agricultural regions
| conceivable.
Lieutenant Candy got ont 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 a 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
Il say, Candy, don't this thing look a
little shaky to your"
"As to howW queried Candy
"Why, our straying of this way with
only a handful Of men, and them with
their guns in the wagons and axes on their
shoulders"
"Oh, it's all right, guess. Anyhow il
don't cost me darned cent. Old Wright
told me TO take this train to Emmettsburg.
and III 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 We're a beauteous blank.
The sun was about half an hour HIGH
when, upon reaching the summit Of a
slight elevation, Emmettsburg lay before
them mile away across a little valley,
through which a small stream gracefully
meandered. The hills beyond the town
were enveloped in a dense fog. which sli1ht-
ly obscured the prospect down to the houses
farthest away from the direction Of ap-
proach.
Candy gave directions 20 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 a curl Of smoke, indicated that there
was life within the place.
After a thorough but cautious inspection
they rode up the main street to the suburbs,
and found what was evidently a hotel Of
some pretensions ordinarily, but no amount
n III NJ Ia mn
rode back TO the "burnt district where A
fire had seriously ravaged the town, but
there was nobody to be found They refined
up their horses, when Langdon said:
This is a cussed humbug."
Second the motion"
What are you going to do nows"
Nothing"
Wherefore nothingp
mo orders, Fulfilled 'em all. I'll pack
the train now, get breakfast and wait for
the Army Of the Potomac to moye.p
"Hellol There's smoke"
$50 there is. Blessed harbinger Of hui
manity and hot coffee. Let's interview il. .
They rode up to the house and dis.
mounted. AT the back kitchen door they
found a man washing his dirty face. TO
him Candy said;
DO YOU know where the Sixth corps
liesg"
The man muttered something, and then
dabbed his face into his two hands full of
water with splutter like steamboat
wheel
Can't you answer, sir2 Have You seen
the Sixth corpsm
The individual rubbed his head vigor-
ously with an immense towel. out Of which
he grumbled.
Don't know 'em.n
Sixth corps, Union army?"
(which be they, now; blue uns or gray
unsg see lots o them round here lately
o both kindsm
well, if il win help your understand
ing any, it's the blue ones that we want to
find"
"No, there hain't been no blue 'uns
about here lately But about two weeks
ago"--
Blast your two weeksl Have you seen
any soldiers around here last night or this
morningS"
"Oh, yes, there's soiers about here, lots
Of them," and he felt leisurely away down
in his pants for comb that he didn't find
Where are theyi' impatiently demanded
Candy.
"Oh, you want 20 see the soiers do your
Yes. and thundern' quick, too"