Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-04

and little creek, along a country road
for half a mile. and will then turn to the
right across the fields to a somewhat con-
spicuous granite monument on the Balti-
more pike again, he will have traversed
half, or, at any rate, distinct part of
the field Of this most momentous of Ameri-
can battles.
The stone informs him that here were
Cen slocum's headquarters. This area,
lying to the east Of Cemetery Ridge, has in
some sense a history of its own. quite dis
tinct from that which transpired west of
the ridge, and is crowded with scenes of
thrilling interest and deadly struggle. only
surpassed, If, indeed. surpassed, by Deaths
Valley and the Bloody Angle" Across
the road from the monument, and few
rods further down, stands now and stood
then a two-story stone farm house. the
home Of Nathaniel Lightner, a carpenter
farmer. whom / found mending a hay
rack, and from whom 1 elected the follow
ing story of experiences that seem to me
well worthy of appearing in print. Farmer
Lightner Is as honest as he is modest in
his Of words. and will not allow that
this Is a story, but facts, real facts"
What a Farmer Saw.
Said he: Il and my neighbor John
fancy. set in to NOW my meadow back Of
I. 1856. 1t was hot, sultry morhing, and
after We had moved awhile fancy says:
I could do this better if 1 had a little
whisky to drink L can soon get you
some 1 replied, and taking a jug set of
to the village to get some. On the way l
fell in with VIM. Young, another neighbor
When We got on top of Cemetery Hill We
saw a long line of smoke from campfres
over north. along the Chambersburg pike.
tie first We knew Of the soldiers being
about We soon met people who said they
thought there was going to be fighting
out there When we got into town every
body was talking about IL, and said it
looked like something was going on out
there: But they had not a suspicion of
the food of bloody war that would roll
through their streets and up into their
doorways and gardens before the day was
past It was about o'clock. Young said,
Let's go out on Seminary road and see
what there Is out there. anyway When
We got up on the hill We saw down to our
left Union soldiers, Towards corps. coming
across the fields from the EIamitsburg
road. We stood there watching them move
up, form lines and take position under the
hill Directly a shell came whizzing over
from the front. and fell back toward town.
Young wanted to 80, but i insisted on stay
ing little longer. There was a great stir
and commotion among the soldiers at once,
and they soon began to move forward
The shells began to come pretty thick. and
We left
1--WE had not got halfway back to town
when we met other Union troops pouring
along the road and through the fields. COM
ing out Of every street and alley and open
space of the town, all rushing, pell-meu,
forward, without any apparent orde-, with
fixed bayonets, eager-eyeC, stripped, sweat
ing and painting in the hot sun. Ihey
cursed US for being in the way, butted us
back. and would have run right over US II
we had not lodged out of their way. We
crawled through among them as well as
we could, lodging behind posts and build
lrC md mi N a n a
ever could. We got separated, and 1
don't know how Young got home. A mad
rush of more troops. wagons and ambu-
1ances followed. filling up streets, orchards
fields and every place. i did not get home
till o'clock, trying with all my might all
day. As / came down the pike home
saw red flag on the end of the house. and
when got nearer saw the yard full of SOL
diers
Under an apple tree found the surgeons
with man stretched out on our dining
room table, cutting and saving a leg off,
and on the grass there lay pile of limbs
i went around to the kitchen door ana
looked In. The floor was covered with
wounded men. The stove was red hot, and
they were baking and cooking up every
thing In the house. They had taken full
possession My four barrels of flour and
everything IN the cellar and spring house
were soon used up. The family mad taken
refuge in the stable. where 1 found them
frightened and crying. They had got moth
Ing out of the house. and did not know
what mad become of me.
Il went back to the surgeon and asked
him what I should do DO you live here?
Is this your place. he asked. 1 told him it
was Go back; go back; take your family
and go to the rear; that is all 1 can tell
YOU said he, and went on with his work
Can Z get some clothing, at least, out of
the house? i asked. IF you can find any,
said he. / went In, but could not find
thing that had not been torn up and put to
use-not even a dress Of my wife.
Through the Lines.
1--WE set out with the children, six In num-
Der, froA thirteen years down, and made
our way back. on foot. as well as We could,
among the oncoming troops and trains,
four miles to a relations, where left them.
and returned about midnight to the neigh
borhood. 1 crawled into the garnet of Ia
ney's house for fear of the confederate
scouts and sharpshooters, and about day-
break slipped out. and over through the
bushes to Powers Hill, up there on the
corner Of my land. There 1 found the sig
nal corps had established headouarters
From there could look down on my place
and see what was going on. 1 found Rufus
CUP there. and told him was hungry:
had had nothing to eat since the morning
before. He got some bareback for me
They had planted a battery below, to drive
some sharpshooters off Cups Hill. and
were cutting down my timber. My wheat
field and orchard were full Of wagon trains
A drove of beef cattle was being herded in
tne meadow.
Il saw could save nothing so went back
and moved the family nine miles further
away, and came back and stayed with the
signal corps till the battle was over.
"On the third day after the battle I got
down to the house There was not a boa I'd
or rail OF fencing left on the place. Not a
chicken. pig. cow or dog to be found The
mules had eaten up the orchard of four
year-old trees, down to the stalks. The
garden was fun Of bottles and camp litter:
the meadow OF the hides and offal OF the
beeves which had been shot down in their
tracks and dressed on the spot. as meat
was needed. There stood the bare shop, the
house full OF wounded men. and the old
barn. where Gen. Slocmn had made his
HEADQUARTERS. In front of the barn sat a
weary-looking. lone officer, In blouse coat,
drying himself at a fire made of pieces OF
rails. That officer was Maj. Gen. Slocum
himself. Not an orderly was in sight He
looked dreary enough
II found Col Bebel In charge of the house
and asked him when he thought I could
get my house back. He said he had no idea
when We came back, about a week later
and lived. gipsy-like, in the SOP for six
weeks The officers supplied US for few
DAYS from the hospital stores.
The wounded in the house were nearly
all from regiment OF Milwaukee Germans
They were a queer lot. They sang cried
cursed. prayed. did everything poor fellows
as they lay there suffering and dying; but
AnN n av1 49,