Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-06-18

houses. Still ii was an extremely pleasant Ave
days visit and think we saw as much Of wash-
ington city and the different departments -
the average tourist does in that length Of time.
was obiiged to report every morning at the
quartermaster's Office to see IL any ness had
bean received from the army, because / was
ANXIOUS to leave at the very first opportunity.
Finally one morning was told that word had
been received from Gen. Meade as to the course
he would pursue and that would be able to
start on the following day. The next day We
went to Alexandria. where We spent one night,
and then took the first train that was run over
the Orange, Alexandria and Manassas railroad
after it had been repaired from the damage
done to it by the raid of the rebel cavalry
leader Stuart We went to Manassas junction
and remained there one night and the next
morning went to Warrenton junction, which
We reached two hours before the corps got
there. As the head Of the column came in
sight We were sitting on the side Of the hill
watching the long line Of moving soldiers, and
as our regiment came up apd the boys saw Us
safe and sound a cheer went up which made US
feel that we had not been entirely forgotten.
As soon as the command halted We went down
and Joined the regiment and l went direct TO
the coloners tent and reported. The first
question he asked me was: where is your
parole?"
SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN CAPTURED.
told him hadn't any parole, and then
learned that the story had become current that
We had endeavored to follow the regiment and
had been captured by guerrillas. The quarter
master and the men whom he had with him had
been captured and had been sent on to Rich
mond, and it was supposed that my companion
and myself had shared the same fate, and
subsequently found when the mail that had
come up from Washington on the train with
myself was distributed that my father had writ
ten letter to my tent mate asking for the full
particulars OF my capture.
then told the colonel my own story and how
! had avoided running the risk Of finding
lodgment in some rebel prison.
well, said he after he had heard me en-
tirely through, Il am very glad to find that you
are back without having run any risk Of cap
ture, but frankly. don't believe there Is an
other man in the regiment who would have had
the gall to have taken the course that you pur-
sued. Strictly speaking. you ought to have
kept up with the quartermasters wagon and
shared the fate that happened to the quarter
master and the men with him. That was your
duty as soldier. When you dropped back and
allowed the quartermaster and his team to get
away from him you were really disobeying
orders and you might be subject to trial by
court-martial. Had YOU been subsequently
captured while you and your companion were
endeavoring TO follow the army on your own
hook a technical charge of desertion might have
been made against You. You took the course
which your keen common sense dictated was
the best for your own preservation and ii has
turned out all right. / am not disposed to
take any exceptions to what you have done and
am only too glad TO have you back with Us,
only tell you exactly how your course might
be viewed by regular army officer who looked
only to the strict construction of regulations"
told the colonel that didn't see how I
could have done anything different to what
did without exposing myself to unnecessary
risk. and while, strictly speaking, might have
been guilty of disobedience of orders in failing
to keep up with the quartermsster's wagon, my
conscience did not reproach me in any respect
for having overtaken the army by way of WASH
ington and Alexandria instead OF adopting the
suggestion of the quartermaster at Berlin and
taking "a pOntoon bridge and an open road"
FRANK 7. HOWE.