The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1896-02-07
CHAPTER [.

CIAI LEN l..
In the winter of 1868 | had veteran
ed" spent gay season on recruiting
Jail, enjoying greater popularity with
girls than had ever known before,
virtue of certain brass buttons and
let facings, and returned to the ar
ut Culpeper to find my first COM
gsion awaiting me and just in time
join General Grants columns pour
through the fords of the Rapidan.
company tailor removed my first
eants stripes and sewed two rec
les of bullion bound scarlet plush
shoulders of my riding jacket.
JAS too vain of my newly acquired
to incumber my horse with the
age prudence required, so had the
sput saddled in the lightest march
der. The day was hot, and look
Rance at my troopers boots with
lily grained leather legs just top
the knees. longed to put ON a
pair, but here the angel of good
le came to my relief. [ thought of
pssible days of separation from our
baggage and of the probable mud,
happily drew the line at light
l have advanced to garrulous
ffeminiscent old age ON two legs in
lad of one by virtue of the spasm Of
udence that checked the career of my
unity ON that May morning.
a joined my new battery Cd of the
irst New York; on the march, and be-
pre- night of the next day was pris
Ejner in the hands of the enemy, wound
ed in the bootleg and cut to the bone
on the delicate anatomy of the knee I'M
der the stout leather that Tended off the
ball.
By midday on May Z the Orange
turnpike, like all the other roads lead
ing into the wilderness, was crowded
with artillery, the nature of the ground
in front admitting only the employment
of infantry The right of our line of
battle rested on this road, small body
of infantry being deployed in an open
field north of the pike. Early in the
afternoon General Warren and staff were
mounted il the edge of the woods close
to the head of the artillery column.
Across this road ran narrow strip OF
pasture hemmed in by woods, except
for a short distance in front of the staff,
where the opposite ridge as effectually
covered the line of battle. The smoke
of the musketry was drifting out of the
woods and rising above the field to the
right. Through the center of this strip
of pasture land ran dry ditch, over
which the turnpike passed by a plank
bridge without rail or parapet. The
roar of musketry was continuous and
only far away to the right could be
heard an occasional discharge of artil-
.ery.
With view to the moral support the
voices of the big guns would have on
the infantry, General Warren ordered
section to the edge of the woods on the
left of the turnpike. AS my command
was the first one available, l mounted
my drivers, and, accompanied by the
captain, we trotted over to the designat-
ed positions, the caissons following the
guns. As was subordinate for the time
being to my superior officer, was not
responsible for carrying the extra car
riages into limbo. If another section
had been put in action on the knoll we
left firing directly on to the road sin
front, it would certainly have taken eff
feet among the masses of the enemy
coming up to re-enforce his left, and
would have been in position to destroy
with canister the Confederates who
came down the pasture and gathered
Ms in. 1t was not because the captain
and were both hit before the first dis
charge of the guns that he ordered the
ers to the rear, but because we
in a position to shoot our own
4 engaged on the crest of the wooded
IA .rising in front of us. never saw
thl ltain again, as presently started
fol tour of the Confederacy and he
WI orth, severely wounded.
that | have arrived at the event
Of rapture and the loss of my guns,
thi ipstion arises as to how much
tr shall tell and how much sup
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