The record-union., 1897-10-17
A BLACk-EYED ANGEL.
TRUE STORY OF THE LATE
CIVIL WAR.
How Life Was Saved and
a House Tree
Planted.

a House Tree
Planted.
CWritten for the Record -Unior' by Hi
ram Aoyt Richmond late of Company
G, 10Th n. Y. Vol Infantry)
Fredericksburg-the colossal blunder
of the great war. l know the express
sion is hackneyed, but it cannot be too
frequently emphasized. The Confeder-
ates had been driven from Maryland as
result of the hotly contested battle of
Antietam, and every private of the old
army still persists in thinking that Lee 5
army should have been captured. Even
the elements fought in our favor, and
the swollen Potomac invited our per-
sistent pursuit, but McClellan's reluct-
ance has forever left the question OF
capture an unsolved one, for lack of the
trial.
The battle of Antietam had taken
place early in September, and in leis-
urely manner the armies were crossing
Northern Virginia with Lee safe dis
tance in advance, when Mcclellan was
relieved-another word for removed
and Burnside placed in command. Win
still "On to Richmond"
Our advance reached the Rappahan-
mock, opposite Fredericksburg, about a
month before the battle, which did not
occur till December Is, 1862. Decem-
Der in Virginia is about what February
is in California, except that the reign of
winter is tightened by more emphatic
frosts and occasional SHOWS. The roads
We're becoming execrable and our delay
in crossing was occasioned by the de-
lay of the pontoon trains. With our
field glasses we could see that the Con-
federates were taking full advantage OF
our delay-a delay that really cost us
the battle.
At last, after the Confederates had
become thoroughly intrenched, the
bridge wagons arrived and with the
loss Of a good many lives during the
process the boats We're anchored, the
timbers placed, the planks laid and the
river spanned.
Ours was the left grand division under
Franklin, the first army corps under
Reynolds, the second division of that
corps under Gibbons, the second brigade
of that division under Colonel Lyle, and
Company c of the Twenty-sixth Regi-
ment New York Volunteer Infantry,
commanded by Captain E. r. ?. Shirley
NV story has to do with HoWland
Myers. Orderly Sergeant of that COM
pany, and the writer, one of the talleSt
men of the company, was at the head OF
the file. in the absence of the Corporal
of course at elbow with Myers, when we
came into action. How Myers, as the
boys called him, was a fair haired boy
of 10. He had left pleasant home in
the hills of Bonneville on that April
morning in '61 when he enlisted
with us under the first call of the great
'sWar President" We had left the
same classes at Cazenovia Seminary
and were of corresponding age, just q
little under IS years, when we signed
the muster roll In both cases ou1
parents had given tardy consent to
our enlistment, and in both cases we
had covenanted with each other that
if our parents consent had not been
obtained we should go in spite of them
though we had to piece out our age a
little to be accepted. Thank COD there
were few parents at the time that with
held their consent, and ours, through
their prayers and tears when they
found us persistent, gave US COO
blessing and parted with US as II at the
command of heaven.
Myers, with his clear blue eyes, brown
hair and waxen features, was the PRIDE
of the company. He had left sweet
heart at home (who of us had not?)
named Blanche Guilford, who, when we
left. was a bright, black-eyed school
girl. Her features, though ruddy, We're
positively faultlesS, and her raven
tresses and well rounding form gave
promise of the typical brunette OF the
town. Uncle Guilford and his good
wife had silently promised that when
the time should be fully reached their
daug tier, if the young folks so Wllled,
should become Howland'S wife. Per
haps no promise had been passed be-
tween Blanche and Rowland, and yet
they were so much TO each other that it
was needless. Their marriage was a
part of the future that seemed to be
falling into place without telling. When
they looked into each others eyes for
the last time before our company left
to join the regiment, they first realized
how much they were to each other.
And so they parted, but from that
s.
were sacraments of love- Myers always
exchanged condolences with me, and as
our letters accumulated in our KNAPP
sacks, and we We're compelled from
time to time to sort them over and burn
the less important, there were always
some more precious than the rest that
would be transferred to our side pock-
cts, until their accumulation compelled
a return of them to the knapsacks. Did
you ever try it-this sorting of old let
ters? Think of it, and. put yourselves
in our places. A great crisis, battle af-
ter battle; letters from fathers, moth
ers, sisters and sweethearts, and that
last expression deserves qualification.
Some of us had gone too early to have
learned any love but home love. Such
of us had sweetheart sisters, if we had
any sisters, and those who had not
had sweetheart mothers. I use the ex-
preston advisedly for what sacred pre-
cinct this side of heaven is more hal
lowed than the mothers love for her
only son, or the sisters love for her
only brother? And then every thought
was freighted with q life or death is
sue; and then there was the loyalty of
those wives, mothers and sisters and
swaethearts. Is it on record that they
ever advised a husband, son or brother
to evade duty? Never. It was always
the same exhortation to care for health
and use an intenser care for honor and
duty, and always the old. old injunc-
ton, better death than dishonorl"
Such letters held US to our places and