Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1891-03-19
lation Of the horrors and gicissi.

realization of the horrors and vicissi.
tudes of war.
One sunday morning The boys had
formed alignment in their respective
company streets for the usual nine
o'clock inspection. The weather was
delightful The sun shone brightly,
and the temperature was that of a
morning in Nav. Every boy in blue
seemed to possess an intuition respect
ing an early closing of the dreadful
four-years war and every heart beat
high with the anticipations born Of
return 20 the homes and friends in the
/ North. How quickly the transforms
/ ton came can scarcely yet be realized
! by the actors in one of the closing
/ scenes Of the great war drama.
Scarcely had the inspection begun,
! however ere 2 mounted orderly dashed
up to the head " each company street,
handed dispatches 10 each company
commander and was of again like
a shot Then came the ominous order:
"Unsling knapsacks, and run for the
fort. There was apparently no time
to be lost: knapsacks were unsiung and
tossed into the tents Of the owners and
a grand scurryi5s for the various forts
along the line ensued.
BY this time the artillery duel. which
had been Of desultory character al
the morning had developed into what
seemed continuous roar. and thoughts
Of the loved ones at home" had been
changed in q moment. as it were, into
those Of apprehension for personal safe
ty Within Is halthour subsequently a
body of soldiers was deserted approach
ing from City Point. Nearer they came
until the fez, scarlet trousers and white
leggings Of the Zouavc uniform bespoke
the One Hundred and Fourteenth Penn
sylvania. On they came. with band
playing lively airs and their colors
waving in the sunshine and light morn
ing breeze. as if they were on parade
rather than ON their way. as subsequent
events demonstrated, into the Jaws Of
death in front Of the formidable Con-
federate defenses Of Petersburg
To the strains of as inspiring music as
was ever heard in Virginia, the brave
Pennsylvanians passed through the gate
way of our line. near Fort Mckeon,
moved over the plain toward Petersburg
in columns of fours and within an hour
were lost to sight because Of a small
piece of intervening woodland
This was one picture and a bright
one it must be conceded of army
life. But the other Alas There was
another, and one which causes an in
voluntary shuddcr even to this day.
the fntTaxs-irfr fr,,ag,1n,- s.ts.,,.
off toward Mead Station the writer
heard locomotive whistle. indicating
the approach Of train on Grants army
railroad. At the place where the rail-
road cut through our line there was
quite an emhankmeut, ana to this place
/ hurried. As the train came nearer
and nearer | observed il was made up
of platform or tiat-cars, and when il
passed my point of observation | saw
that car after ear was covered wah
straw, and on that straw was all that
was left Of the Hath Pennsylvania. a
very large percentage cf the poor fell
lows with fatal wounds
What a change was this in fortv-eight
hours! And as | closed my ewes upon
the dreadful scene ! saw again the wav-
ing colors, heard once more the soul
stirring music and saw Pennsylvania
gallant sons ON their march 70 death
But the names of those who thus sacri-
feed themselves upon their countrys
altar are printed in letters of living
light on one of the most historic pages
of which the world has knowledge. -
National Tribune.