The National tribune., 1897-04-08
FIGHTING FOR OLD GLORY.
Young Soldiers Experience at Front and
Rear in the War.

animation and dOnned the blue OF Uncle
Sam, as some of the boys said, "for three
years, unless sooner discouraged" Here l
found some 20 others who had enlisted and
joined the 1st Me. II. A., stationed at Fort
Sumner, Md, about seven or eight miles
west Of Washington.
On the steamer, while en- route to WASH
ington, the Captain seemed to think the
place where the freight was stored good
enough for q soldier. The boys looked at
the cold, wet, dirty planks and rebelled. To
avoid trouble, the Captain reluctantly con-
sented to allow the men to sleep Oh the car
pet in the saloon.
On arriving at the fort my companion and
were assigned to Co. E. We were placed
in line and the question asked: What COM
pany do you wish to join?" Some Of the
boys had previously been advised to steer
clear of Co. E. The regimental Captains
were grouped around, and when no recruit
said he wished to join Co. E, the commander
of the same, Capt. Whiting s. Clark, re-
marked:
81 guess there has been some electioneer-
ing DONE"
However, we were enrolled in Co. E, and,
on my part, without regret.
Private Sidelinger kindly took US in.
Finding our quarters rather cramped, we
were posted as to how We could enlarge the
shanty. Near the fort was some lumber be-
longing to Uncle Sam. Thinking we also
belonged to Uncle Sam, we detailed three by
special order. e., when the sentinePs back
was turned. So we had lean-to addition
to our house, and passed comfortable Win
| ter.
Our rifles being new, it took good deal
arsO
| advised to exchange guns some night when
| on guard duty. The hint was taken, and
| guns exchanged without boot. A few days
later we received call from boys Of other
companies, but the guns were never found.
In the Spring our battery was ordered to
| Washington, where we passed month very
pleasantly. We were on guard duty at Old
Capitol Prison. Our sleeping quarters at
the Capitol was said to be the room Calhoun
died in. My bunkmate then was Frank A.
Clark, brother of our Captain. James, an
other brother, was Lieutenant and also Adj
jutant of the regiment. Frank afterward
became Lieutenant, and is now In De-
partment at Washington. l always found
the officers of the regiment very kind, espe-
cially Col Shepherd and Capt. Rollins.
In May we were ordered to join Grant,
| and went by way of Aqua Creek. On our
march through Fredericksburg, we passed
| long trains of ambulances loaded with
wounded; it was just after the fighting at
Spottsy lvania. The Surgeons said some of
us would soon be back again.
Our first engagement was on the evening
| of May 10, when our company lost Is men,
killed and wounded. My first compliment
from the rebs was a bullet through my
pants near the knee. The second struck
the hilt of my bay0net; One-half lodged on
the bayonet, while the other half passed
through my coat, making two holes. was
knocked over, but finding myself unharmed,
looked my place in the ranks.
One of our Lieutenants was killed just in
front of me, bullet passing through his
temple. He gave one cry as he fell. He
had had presentiment that he would never
come out of the fight.
Since living in Virginia village, have
often joked with one of its citizens, who
| was in the Same engagement on the other
side tell him he was not SO friendly then
| az now. have found the ex.Confederate
kind and hospitable.
Just after eur first engagement was
detailed for duty in the Office of the
Adjutant- General of the Second Corps;
| from there was transferred to the Quarter
masters Department of the armies operating
| against Richmond. While at City Point, /
was in the Office of Capt. s. F. Gibson, a
cousin, and my roommate was Sergt A. s.
Twitchell, of Bethel, Me-, then clerk in
the same Office.
we'll remember the long German names
we had to copy on the manifest. AS the
| furloughed men were lined up against our
window, when Twitchell examined fur
| loughs and gave me tho names would
sometimes ask him: How is that name
spelled?" The Captain would say: Call
| it Jerusalem"
One morning we heard him reading a
| message. We hurried down stairs, and found
it was the news Of Lincoln's assassination.
My chum, Nat cussed the rebs, but they ex-
pressed sincere regret, saying their best
friend was gone. 1t was well the principal
fighting was over, as the temper of the
soldiers was extremely bitter.
When the news of the capture of Rich
mond came was in Washington calling on
friend, Candy B. Aldrich, then detailed as a
clerk. Hearing noise, we rushed outside,
and found big crowd rapidly gathering
around the steps of the War Department.
Vice President johnson, Senator Sherman,
Secretary Stanton and others made speeches.
The young telegraph operator was held
out of the window by the Secretary, who
said the boy was the first to hear the glad
news. In the evening went to Baltimore,
where listened to more speeches. All were
wild with excitement and full of Joy over
the good news. The next day returned to
City Point, and the day following, in COM
pany with Twitchell, paid my first visit to
Richmond. Our first night was spent at the
Spottswood House, the crowd seeming to
center there. 1t had been advertised by the
Horace Greeley Peace Commission. The
next morning we paid a dollar for weak
coffee and cornbread.
Richmond was still smoking, after the fire.
On going up the James we had passed a
number of small red flags over supposed
torpedoes. One place we passed through
was just wide enough for one vessel. The
steamer behind was faster than our small
craft. We were excitedly watching for q
collision, when the steamer ran her wheel.
house against the piling in the passage.
The vessel careened to one side. It was
filled with soldiers. A few jumped into the
mud and were left behind. Some of the
gingerbread about the wheelhouse was
smashed.
The second visit was in company with
Capt. Gibson. Pennsylvania Major, and the
ladies of the Maine State Agency; Miss
Smith, of the New York Agency, and Col.
Hayes, Chief of the Maine Agency at the
hospital near City Point We took our cook
and big hamper of provisions On the way
up the Major declared he would shoot Dick