The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-05-28
CANBY'S STRATEGY.

We had been celebrating particularly
, lively old Fourth of July, 1863, at Gettys
} burg, and while we sincerely mourned tn,
loss of many a brave comrade who hac
gone down in that hard fought struggle
the severest test and most important bat
tie of the war in many respec5s-we coule
not fail to rejoice when the sun rose bright
and clear on the morning of the 9th, over q
most glorious and happy result.
1t 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 volun.
teers, whom l will call Candy, and who
was in charge of the Sixth corps ammuni-
ton train.
Late on the night of the 5th Candy was
sent for, if my memory serves me cor
rectly, by Major General Wright, COM
handing 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 o'clock. You must not
fail under any circumstances, and the
corps coming by Waynesburg will be there
to meet you. You shall have detail of
one company of the Twenty-seventh Massa-
chusetts to act as a guard and remove any
| Instructions. You understand, lieutenant,
no failurep
''It shall be done promptly, general"
and the lieutenant departed into one of the
worst storms of thunder, lightning and
rain that ever followed heavy battle, and
one was always sure to do so.
| Emmettsburg, Nd, is ten miles from
{ Gettysburg, over fine road, through one
of 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 a detour had to be made.
Then came at intervals for the first mile or
| two fences, bitches and otner distractions,
left behind by the enemy 60 prevent q pur-
suit by calvary.
Langdon, after studying some time, sud-
denly said:
81 say, Candy, don't this thing look
little shaky to your"
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 ali right, guess. Anyhow it
don't cost me darned cent. Old Wright
told me to take this train to Emmettsburg,
and I'll 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- |
tlrely 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 a |
ShSht elevation, EmmettSburg lay before
them mile away across a little valley,
through which small stream gracefully
meandered. The hills beyond the town
We're enveioped In dense fog, which slight
~ ooscured the prospect down to the houses
farthest away from the direction OF an
proach.
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 be and Langdon rode nm into |
the town to look at the Sixth CORDS Ey-
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 iDsnection
they rode up the main street to the suburbs.
and found what was evidently a hotel of
some pretensions ordinarily, but no amount
Of kicking could produce landlord. They
rode back TO the burnt district" where a
lire had seriously ravaged the town. but
there was nobody to be found. They refined |
up their horses, when Langdon said:
This is cussed humbug"
Second the motion"
What are you going TO do nowi"
Nothing" ]
Wherefore nothing?"
mo orders. Fulfilled 'em all. I'll mack
he train now, get breakfast and wait for
he Army OF the Potomac to move"
Hello! There's smoke"
$50 there is. Blessed harbinger of hu-
nanlty and hot coffee. Let's interview it. I
They rode up TO the house and dis I
mounted. At the back kitchen door they I
ound man washing his dirty face To
aim Candy said:
DO you know where the Sixth CORPS {
iesg" L
The man muttered something, and then a
iaooed his face into his two hands full Of /
water with splutter like a steamboat I
Wheel b
Can't you answer, sir1 Have you seen {
be Sixth corpsr"
The Individual rubbed his head vicor.
usly with an immense towel, out of which
.e grumbled. r
Don't know EN-" b
Sixth corps, Union armyf"
Which be they, now; blue uns or rrav
nsi ! see lots o them round here lately Il