The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1892-02-19
Tenting on The Old Camp Ground
Or Co. q. 10th vt. Vols. to the Front.
BIZ Lieut.. II. III. WHITE.
NO 1E


The morning of Nov. %, 1868 was
ushered in by the tread OF many rect
and the army of the Potomac was
again on the move. Gen. Carr had
Numbered the day before and brought
OH the fight at Locust Grove, and II
had resulted in n drawn battle. There
had been no advantage of position and
great armies never enjoy square
stand up fight i,
The two armies were now headed
for Mine Run, small stream with
great high hills or either side cut up
by favines running down their slopes,
Surely here was the opportunity Tor
the display of strategy. BY noon the
two" armies were we'll in position on
the two hills, and Gems. Meade and
Lee were glaring at each other across
the run The afternoon was spent IN
preparation. The skirmish lines kept
up an incessent fire while here and
there an attempt was made to crowd
some weak point, but no serious at
tempts were made on any portion OF
the line.
During the afternoon Gen. Warren
asked for reinforcement of ten
thousand men. and promised to break
Lees right center and gain possession
of the Orange Grove plank road. Ac-
cordingly our division with other
troops to the number of twenty thous-
and were sent to his assistance.
The weather was intensely cold
when the Sd division was moved out
of camp and away from hot fires. The
division had to be placed in position
ready to make the assault, and so quietly
that the enemy would not know it had
moved at all. While marching to the
new position the troops were warm
enough, but when finally they were
placed in position the suffering from
cold was intense. All along the
enemy's front they were at work fell
ing trees. They were building works
and placing guns in position TO NOV
down the attacking force. The latter
part of the night dragged heavily with
the Uuion troops Oh account of the
cold and when the order finally came
to "unsling knapsacks" and pile them
i'm heaps before making the assault it
caused few regrets. The blood would
soon begin to circulate when the move
began, and the men would be warm
long before they could reach the
enemies works They waited for the
order, but it did not come.
While waiting In line a frightened
rabbit come from the enemies line run
ming for life and making straight for
Company X. The members of that
Company lay down their arms ready
to take the rabbit in when he suddenly |
wheeled and ran in the opposite direct
ion. Col. Henry could see all these
moves as he sat on his faithful charger
in rear of the regiment. He turned |
the joke on Company X when he re-
marked "That rabbit has good sense.
lie had rather face the whole rebel
army than Company *"
1t was not long until we began to |
suspect the assault would not be made
and SO it proved. Lee had so strength
ened his position during the night that
Gen. Warren declined to make the at.
tack. For six hours the two armies
INDUCED in terrific artillery duel.
The artillery of both armies was in
position on the high hills and the shots
net and passed each other thousand
feet above our heads. To us it was
,ne of the grandest sights of the war.
The roar of artillery and the screech.
ng of the shells was terrible. We
could see the shells as they travelled
over us. 1t was only black speck
but distinctly seen nevertheless. Our
,nly danger was in case two shells
travelling in opposite directions should
happen to meet and 60 to pieces direct
y over our heads then the troops would
suffer. However nothing of the kind
happened and we witnessed the duel
from The commencement to the finish
and suffered 10 loss.
During the afternoon the division .
was moved out and rejoined the corps.
Here we had another night at the front
fires; but sharp rise of
ground just in our rear afforded the
necessary protection and behind it
good fires were kept burning during
The night tie boys going back few
1t a time to warm up.
When morning came and no attack
was ordered, it was plain enough 10 all
hat Meade had decided to re cross the
Rapidan. 1t was noised about camp
That Meade was very much displeased
With Warren because the attack had
not been made by him. This led to
much criticism on the part of the men
and it was adverse to Meade. They
argued that Gen. Meade had decided
against an attack at Williamsport
when the enemy had just met with an
defeat at Gettysburg
md were out of ammunition besides,
and in no condition for battle. Now
when Lee was well supplied with men
and material and occupied ground of
his own choosing with strong fortifica-
ions that rendered his position almost
Gen. Meade lost his tenn
per because Gen. Warren decided
rot to sacrifice his men in an assault
hat could have resulted only in defeat.
As retreat would have to be begun
n the night it was quite certain that ,
We should remain where we were I'M
il some time in the night, and then {
'ring up in the rear as our position
would make us among the last to be :
Rations were short and :
he boys had an eye out for the main
nance 1t was prehaps the middle of :
he forenoon when Abbott of our
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