Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1891-02-28

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 uine
o'clock inspection. The weather was |
delightful. The sun shone brightly, |
and the temperature was that of a
morning in May. 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 to the homes and friends in the
North. How quickly the transforma.
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 mounted orderly dashed
up to the head of each compap Y street,
handed dispatches to each company
commander and was off again like
shot. Then came the ominous order:
"Unsling knapsacks, and run for the
fort!" There was apparently no time
to be lost; knapsacks were unslung and
tossed into the tents of the owners and
grand scurrying for the various forts
along the line ensued.
BY this time the artillery duel, which
had been of desultory character all
the morning, had developed into what
seemed continuous roar, and thoughts
of ''the loved o,les at home" had been
changed in a moment, as it were, into
those of apprehension for person al safe
| ~, l., l. ~
body of soldiers was deserted approach
ing from City Point. Nearer they came
until the fez, scarlet trousers and white
leggings of the Zouave 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 small
piece of intervening woodland.
This was one picture, and bright
one it must be conceded of army
life. But the other! Alasl There was
another, and one which causes an in
voluntary shudder even to this day.
On the following Tuesday, far away
off toward Mead Station, the writer
heard locomotive whistle, indicating
the approach of a train on Grants army
railroad. At the place where the rail
road cut through our line there was
quite an embankment, and to this place
l hurried. AS the train came nearer
: and nearer l observed it was made up
of platform or flat-cars, and when il
passed my point of observation 1 saw
that car after car was covered with
straw, and on that straw was all that
was left of the Hath Pennsylvania, a
very large percentage of the poor fel
} lows with fatal wounds.
What change was this in forty-eight
hours! And as I closed my eyes 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 to death
! But the names of those who thus sacri
feed themselves upon their country'i
altar are printed in letters of living
! light on one of the most historic page.
of which the world has knowledge
National Tribune.