The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1892-07-27

~. 6: S::i'. '.si: .,,s H'' ;issi &;
- .As., companies of my
-. s:.&s regiment aud
colorcd battery 9TH L. s. think.
Buffers army lay across the mouth Of
the AppomattoS River, at Bermuda
Hundred, Bcaurcghrd confronting us
from the Petersburg front, and we on
the constant lookout for raid from his
forces which were constantly
bushwhacking our pickcts.
which were out about
n mile on the City Point and Pctcrs.
burg road in our front, and If IL had
not been for our gunboats in the river
we would have been gobbled up in
short order.
And for fear of this gobbling up we
were one fine morning ordered out
with our Spencer carpincs, ,dismountcd,
marched out from camp beside the lit.
tie brick church, formed in line, and
ordered to lay our carbine down and
given pick and shoycl,and also given
20 understand that upon the faithful
work of this cavalry weapon our
salvation depended; aud the result
was, by working day and night, two
hours on and two off, we soon had
thrown up the line of works that run
from the James TO the Appomattox
and from that time on we felt moro
secure from any sudden dash from
Bcauregard.
At the same time every man was or
dercd to go to sleep with boots and
spurs on; and woe TO the man that
thought more of his feet than of the
orders, for If caught with his spurs
and boots off, had the pleasure of
standing with packed saddle on a bar.
rel for "A good share Of the next day.
And then in the stiffness of the night
one was suddenly reused by the buglc
blast of boots aud saddles, and as ev-
cry one knows that means git up and
git.
And 80 it was until June 10, when,
at 9 o'clock IN the morning, boots nd
saddles sounded, we were up and
mounted and OIL in u jiny, TO open
communication with the Tenth and
Eighteenth Corps at Point of Rocks
| shall never forget that ride in the
stiffness Of the carly morning. We
rode that four miles through the enc.
mys country, 800 Of us, Just at day
break the two corps crossed the hpI o
mattox, and threw out skirmishcrs for
the first days work that was TO tighten
Grants grip on Lee, which finally
srranglcd him n year latter at APP
pomattox, and from that time on, for
10 long months, this battle-scarred
army gave and took, night and day,
covering 40 miles of front from right
20 left
| well remember those days Of June,
July, and August, under fire night and
day; for the siege from Petersburg
never let up from tbs time Of invest
mont until the day the lines were
broken April ., 1865, with several
company went to tho front with 100
men in May. and by the middle OF
July was reduced to 40, such was tho
duty required of us; on picket duty 48
hours at time on the banks of the
Appomattox, on the right of the
Eighteenth Corps, and not daring TO
show our heads in the daytime, but
roasting in the cifle-pits, with the rebs
across the river only 300 yards, and
the fleas and graybacks all around and
over us; then, after 49 hours of such
life as this. relieved at 0 o'clock az
night, to march back TO camp two
miles, and get to sleep at IL o'clock;
again up ut sunrise; on stable guard
for "a hours; then one day in camp,
and the same thing over again. Those
were the days that man lived 10 days
in one, And this was kept up by us
until the latter part of August, when
we were ordered to Deep Bottom,
where we did videt duty until the
27th of September, when we advanced
on the outer line of the enemy's works,
known as the battle of Chapin's Bluff,
which were taken and held. 1t was
behind these bluffs the Army of the
James lay during the winter of 1864
60. was stationed at First Division
Headquarters, Twenty Corps, as
mounted orderly, and lad an op
portunity in those days while lying in
winter quarters to observe good
share of what was going on around the
different points of interest. Dutch