The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-02-18


tory could best recover it again, and SO
shortly after Antietam the order came
for its return to West Virginia.
In pursuance of this order the di-
vision marched from Antietam to Han
cock, Nd, distance of 80 miles, from
which point il was to be transported by
the b. 90. Railroad. Just as it reached
Hancock, and before the entire division
had forded the Potomac, word came
that Wheeler's cavalry was crossing the
Potomac three miles below, and going
north into Pennsylvania.
At that point Maryland is only three
miles wide, so that the cavalry did not
have far to 60 to reach the former State.
Back went the Division in hot haste, in
the effort to overtake it, and followed it
some IL or Is miles into Pennsylvania.
This movement was doubtless made
more for its moral effect than with any
hopes or expectation of oyertaking cav
airy with infantry.
The boys were compensated for this
extra march by the opportunity it
afforded of coming into personal contact
with the big slices of Pennsylvania Dutch
bread and butter and other forms of
generous hospitality which the farm
houses-whose inmates welcomed this
unexpected protection from the horse.
stealing cavalry-took on.
Returning to Hancock the division
was speedily converted into livestock
freight on trains headed westward and
billed through to Clarksburg, w. Va.
At the latter point it was unloaded
and resumed its military functions, and
with supplies hastily gathered, started
once more southwark
OVER THE LONG ROAD
to Gauley Bridge, by which it had
marched under Rosecrans one year be-
fore.
This coming in by the back door
caused the enemy, in possession of its old
camps and quarters, to beat hasty re-
treat back to the Alleghanies without its
having to fire a gun; and so, with the
exception of the usual scouting expedi-
tions out over the mountain roads to rid
them of guerrillas, its long and arduous
campaign of 1862 was ended.
Many of its hravest men had gloriously
met death in battle, and many more
were laid up in hospitals with grievous
wounds; but although its ranks were so
sadly thinned, it came out of its fiery
ordeal with scarcely diminished strength,
because its soldiers, although young in
years, were now veterans, tested by the
NEST trying experiences incident to the
soldiers life.
Nv.
During the Winter of 1S62-'63 the
regiments had been separated and sta
toned at different posts from Charleston,
Its Headquarters, to the outposts beyond
Gauley Bridge on the several roads lead
ing out from that point, and during the
Winter the most important of these posts
were fortified by the regiments occupy
ing them.
Gen. Cox, who had been assigned to
the command of the entire Department
of West Virginia. when the division was
ordered to return there, was subsequently
assigned to duty with Gen. Burnside at
Cincinnati and little later to the COM
mand of the Twenty-third Corps.
Gen. Crook succeeded him in command
of the division at Antietam.
In February, 1863, Gen. Rosecrans
asked for the transfer of Gen. Crook to
q command in his army, and he was
ordered to report to him.
He took with him two regiments of
the division-the 18th and 36th Ohio.
Other Ohio and West Virginia regiments
that had taken the place of the division
when it went East in 1862, took their
places, and the command devolyed on
Gen. Seammon.
Early in May, while the regiments
were still scattered at the different out
posts, the enemy, $500 strong, coming
in on the Princeton road, made sud-
den attack on the 18th Ohio, stationed
at Fayette Courthouse, but were repulsed.
Gen. Scammon, with reinforcements,
hurried to this point, and the attacking
force WAS driven back beyond Prince
ton; after which he established a camp
at Flat Top, from which point various
scouting expeditions were sent out.
Here, in July, he received an order to
report with the main part of his COM
mand to the Ohio River, to
PREVENT THE ESCAPE
of the Morgan raiders, then in Ohio, and
second time forced march was made
from that camp back to the Kanawha.
where, taking the boats, the command
was soon patrolling the Ohio, keeping
pace up the river with Morgan's prog
Tess through Ohio, and preventing his
attempted crossing at several points, and
arriving at Burlington Island in time to
be in at the surrender Of the larger mart
of Morgan's force, which as prisoners it
escorted down the Ohio on boats TO
Gallipolis.
Thence returning up the Kanawha,
the division was returned to its outposts
and camps beyond Gauley Bridge, which
the remainder Of the season was spent in
strengthening, and In numerous expedi-