The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-10-08

i had charge of the left. The meadows
being low. damp ground, and the days being
very hot, heavy fog had risen during the
night and had settled over everything, max
ing it almost impossible to see 800 feet ahead.
We kept close together, for the log was too
thick for the usual distance between the
skIrmishers.
"We continued to advance. going forward
about 100 feet and then lying fiat on our
faces and listening, trying to hear some
sound from the enemy. Then we would
advance again. We knew well that we were
treading on dangerous ground, as the LOUISE
ana Tigers and Hoke's Brigade, of Early's
Division, lay between US and the town, a
position which they had occupied for three
days We passed over that portion of the
ground where the rebel line had been sta
toned We knew it by the trampled grass
and by the bits of cracker and bread which
had been dropped.
When we came to this deserted line we
felt as if we were being led into a trap.
This was the line which for three days had
been occupied by one of the most celebrated
brigades in the rebel army, and yet where
was The enemy? There was no sign OF him,
except the long grass which had been tram
Piled fat or the pieces OF cracker, an empty
canteen, and all the refuse left by line
which had been sleeping on lis arms. we
knew that we were nearing the town. 1t
was less than half mile away. and yet
since we had started we had seen no signs
of the enemy.
Suddenly the fog began slowly TO lift,
and we saw the cupola of a little church.
We knew that this was on the edge OF the
town. Tor we had seen it during all the three
DAYS of the fight. We advanced little
farther and di>cerned objects moving about
in the yard. Another advance and we saw
that these objects were men, some clad In
gray and some in blue. They discovered
our advance, and some stopped to look
| under the fog, while Others has ened away.
"Shortly afterward an officer appeared in
the middle of the street waving his hat.
We increased our pace 10 a double-quick,
and in a few minutes reached The officer,
who informed us that. Gen. Lee had been
retreating since 3 o'clock in the morning.
"This officer also informed us that the
| barns and cOwsheds all over the city were
full of rebels, asleep, who had crawled into
them the night before, and had been LETT
behind. We started toward the center OF
the town, on the way going up to the barn
doors and pounding on them with the butts
of our muskets, making all the noise posi-
BILE, and commanding the Johnnies to come
out at once, and 10 leave their guns behind.
Each man as he appeared was laughed at fol-
being caught mapping.
1--WE kept on, and as soon as The hospital
was reached we gave three cheers, which
were echoed back to our lines This cheer
was heard by Gen. Ames, sitting in his Head
quarters at the Cemetery gate, and 1T was the
1 C No. sl.af f1,.,h aft1 L.
had been won.
Gen. Ames, knowing that the town had
been reached, ordered Gen. Noble to char &c
with his brigade into Getty burg. By this
time our skirmish-line had reached the
center of the town. which was marked ny q
large square, and looking down the Balti.
more road we saw Gen. Noble at the head o.
his brigade, with our regiment in advance
We had with us Is prisoners. which we bat
captured in barns, and we sent them back t
he turned over to Gen. Noble, while our lin'
continued out through the town to TIT
Harrisburg road.
Here to our chagrin we discovered :
regiment Of rebel cavalry drawn up in linz
| to cover Lees retreat With a handful o
| men against a regiment Of cavalry 1t was
question what was best to be done. Seem:
a house short distance away, we ran for /
| and commenced to fire out of the lndow
at the cavalry, which had started on charg
toward our retreat.
AFTER going but a short distance, however
The bugle sounded to the right, and we saw
the line wheel about, recross Rock Creek t.
little bridge, and shortly after disappear be
hind Seminary Ridge.
From the house we continued for shOr
distance to the Town House. which had beef
turned into hospital, in which were man.
wounded. Here we found a few of on
regiment who had been captured on the frs
day Of the fight, and had been left to TAX
care of the sick. They were very mucl
surprised to see us, supposipg that we, toe
had been captured.