The National tribune., 1893-03-09
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What 0Gr Veterans Have TO Say About
Their Old Campaigns
HOW SCOUTS WORKED.
Gerr't knight Tells How They Went About
Getting Information.

tf0nffuufu
rYHE day we left Brandy Station was as
hot as it ought to have been in the
middle of June although it was only
the 4th of May, 1864. While we were
preparing to start and was writing the names
of n number Of men who had been sent to us as
guides saw the most contemplate exhibition
of mcanness that il was ever my lot TO witness.
The scouts of the Army of the Potomac were
mustered and paid in the Provost Marshal Gen
erals Department. and the Provost Marshal
General was NJ X. Patrick. While believe
Gen. Patrick was a good soldier and fighter,
having heard so from various members OF his
old brigade both officers aud enlisted men, he
was the most tyrauuicai officer. to those ne
dared TO he so TO- OF any officer ever met In the
army. There are hundreds still living who
can verify this statement. Oar camp was at
the lower end OF a valley, at the upper end OF
which Gems Meade aud Grant had their Head
quarters Six or eight miles south of US. on
high land was Stevensburg, where cavalry
Headouarters had ,been all Winter. Huge pill
lars of smoke were ascending to the clouds from
the debris of their burning camps, aud one
small log house was burning IN our camp 1t
had been set on fire by its owner, Dan Plew, OF
the Sd Ind. Cav. Gen. Patrick rode down the
valley aud inquired who was responsible for
the fire and Pew told him he was Patrick
dew at him. and commenced beating him over
his head with riding whip and shouting in
Stentorian tones, DO you want to let the
rebels know we are coming?" He then Or
dered him to his Headquarters and had him
taken along prisoner for two or three days,
when he was eondescendiug enough to release
him.
When we broke camp that morning Serg {
Patrick McEneany aud myself rode OF to-
gether. Along in the afternoon we saw short
distance ahead of us solitary horseman. Ut
was fearfully hot for SO early in the season.
Ia ,r Tc1 NJ Glnf
Schuyler's servant; let's ride up and over
take him." On coming up to him. Mack said !:
aHaye YOU anything?" Nothing but q
small fask here in the holster that belongs to
Capt Schuyler" Lets have look at it"
Coppin took il out of the holster and handed
it to Mack, who immediately elevated the bot
tom toward the sky, holding it in that position
for few seconds; then lowering it, he said, as
he handed it to ME: It's frst-class." While
il did not seem hardly the thing to do could
not resist the temptation. and the bottom OF the
flask went skyward again.
When Coppin again received it he held it up
30 as to look between the interstices of the
Hickerwork to see how much the contents were
lowered. 1t was equal TO comedy to see the
expressions of increduiity, amazement, and
horror fit across his face when he fully realized
how much the contents of the flask had dimin-
ished during its two heavenward flights
.0h, wirra. wirrai the Captain will kill me,
90 be will he exclaimed.
"Well, you might as well die for a sheep as
lamb; take smather yourself" exclaimed
the Sergeant As / saw him alive and well
several months afterward, it is fair to presume
his Captain has not the sin of murder on his
soul.
The next morning We crossed the Rapidan at
Germania Ford and started southwark on tho
Germania Plank Road. When about two and
8 half miles south of the river l rode into the
woods on the west of the road about a half
mile, and turned southwark, trying to travel
parallel with the plank road, but it was slow
progress could make through the scrub. As
near as / can remember now it must have been
about 10 o'clock in the morning when 4 heard
the first shot fred about a half mile south and
west of where | was.
Continuing on toward the sound Of the first
shot, it was not long before another and then
another sounded until it might have been III
q. m, the firing became SO frequent and twigs
began dropping in such close proximity that
turned my horses head toward the Germania
plank road, coming out about noOn near the
junction of the plank road and the old turn
pike leading from Fredericksburg TO Orange
Courthouse, where Army Headquarters were
shortly thereafter established on Hill west of
the plank road and north of the turnpike and
where they remained during the three OF four
days fighting that took place there.
L shall not attempt to tell anything about
the battles along different parts of the line, for
j saw very little of the fights at various
points. many of as being kept near Head
quarters until needed for some special duty.
Our quarters were in a building known the
Bone Mill, east of the plank road, not over $50
yards from Army Headquarters. On the second
day learned that my old regiment and brigade
were in line of battle not far from Head
quarters. west of the plank road and toward
Germania Ford; so mounting my horse j started
90 find them. which did in short time. at
the top of a hill in the woods. behind hastily
improvsed breastwork. As / came up the hill
toward them some of the boys discovered me,
and began shouting: Get off that horse; get
OF that horse" Riding him into hollow close
by j dismounted and went up TO where my old
company { H was, and staid in the breastwOrks
for a half honr more. talking over the last
three years. great many of the boys were
gone. The Captain of the company had gone
out as Fourth Sergeant. His name was Henry
CaIlan Oar old Orderly Sergeant was First
Lieutenant; DE Witt, who went out as either
a private or Corporal, was Second Lieutenant
The regiments time was nearly out. They
were mustered in May 1861, into the three
years service
While was there not a rebel could be seen
In their front, and but seldom a bullet was
heard whistling over head. The next time
met the boys was near Spottsylvanis. and they
teld me had not been gone Is minutes when
Capt. Callan was killed.
During the third days fight during which
there was heard scarcely anything hut musket-
~, which was very heavy, an expedition TO
the rear OF the rebel lines WAS planned j am
not certain az to dates, for have no memoran-
ds and writing from memory alone. 1t.
however, was the day after the two divisions
OF the Sixth Corps we're driven out of the
woods. When that happened and we all saw
thousands of the Sixth Corps boys streaming
&c the rear across the open fields east Of the
plank road, il looked 10 me very much as
though we might recross the Rapidan. and per-
haps that night. ] told the boys they had
better be prepared TO leave at moments
notice. Seeing crowd Of Red Crosses in the
road between aud Army Headquarters.
met Lieut.. Col. Duffy, Of the Sd \. j. He had
formerly been Captain OF Co. c. Cd n. j., and
was at this time on the staff of Gen. Wright,
commanding the First Division OF the Sixth
Corps. Being well acquainted with him j rode
mp and said :" Colonel, what is the matter -
His answer was: ! can't tell you. The first
thiHg knew found every body going to the
gear, and here we are" The next morning
order had come out OF chaos; the lines of
fhe Sixth Corps were reformed with their right
refused. Their line crossed the road within q
few yards Of the Bone Mill
The expedition to the rebel rear consisted of
three men. We had deserter from the rebel
army by the name of Morris whose home was
in plain sight from the north bank of the Rapi-
dan. about half way between Germanis and a
:. r