The National tribune., 1898-01-27

Lincoln then knew his plans-hencc Stanton
and Hallecll were also in the dark
Baby" Smiths big Eighteenth Corps
was withdrawn from the line Superb Han
cocks Second CORPS followed it; then War
rem S Fifth, and, last, most of Burnside's
Ninth--on the extreme right-was with
drawn.
The intelligent Army of the Pot0mac-.he
brainlest army ever organized in the world,
saw the point and said: 'tThs means a
change of base and new line is to he estab-
iished south of the James River" Even
prlvates said this, and they hit the strategic
nail squarely on the head. Why need Grant or
Meade give any advance pointers y to such
an army as that3
The fierce race for Petersburg. in competi-
ton with Lees army, had begun; and our
forces We're in light marching order, with
three days rations in each mans greasy
haversaek- A forced march. in swetering
weather. more hard fighting more profuse
blood shedding, were surely ahead of u.s.
But TO face such tolls and perils we had en-
listed and agreed to become targets for an
ugly and vindictIve enemy's missiles
The regiment with which was connected
was the newsstand smallest Of the Ninth Corps
the E9th \. y. 1t was a mere battalion of
less than 500, seasoned with thick sprink-
ling OF tried and true veterans, staff and line
officers mostly vets"
Because it was small and "raw" it was
decreed that it must he left " in the breach,n
to mask the withdrawal of the corps. It
was doubtless expected that the vigilant
enemy would there ''gobble up" the green
outfit as soon as its weak and unsupported
condition was discovered
For this have ever since felt a lingering
resentment toward either Burnside or Meade,
as 1t was most inhospitable desertion of a
baby" upon bitter enemy's doorstep.
But our experienced Lieutenant Colonel
(Doty) and Chevalier- Bayard Major (Sloan)
were too foxy to permit this dire consumma-
ton.
Foriive critical, anxious hours the LITTLE hat
talon was alone xtended-on that ,lckly-
wooded picket-iine. The boidest felt SIX t,ish
enough aud yet made a racket, with voice or
rite, TO deceive the .Johnnies. while almost
our entire army was on the rearward march.
At 3 O'Clock on the morning Of June i3.
the 11Sth was carefully and quietly with.
drawn from this perilous position by the
wary Colonel and Major, and then fell in +"
Tor lively march. In the dense darkness
we were piloted through the pine woods at
the rear by a guide who knew the II ute.
Ey this diagonal shortcut we hustled a. the
fullest possible speed to catch the rear. q lard
Of our army.
Several hours later we caught up with
them. That handsome big Injun,p Col.
Eli S. Parker, of Gen. Grants staff, saw us
as we joined the forces, and said to Lieut.
Col. Doty: aa
+" Is this the new regiment that was left
alone on the picket-line at Cold Harbor q
. Yes, sir, replied Doty.
well, we feared you might not get out
Of that close corner safely; but SOME rcgi-
ment had to take Il big risk there"
Every man is here,'' replied Doty
proudly; land when the rebs catch The 18th
\. Y in such a trap as that, they'll catch
weasel asleep! I've been in this region lie ore.
with Mcclellan
No surviving cOmrade of the " foot and
footsore) cavalry can forget that cruel forced
march III the swcltering heat of The hottest
Summer known III Virginia in many wears.
During the whole of the second days weary
tramplng l earnestly envied every man who
bestrode a horse OF drove an ambulance and
longed for q pair of wings like those of an
independent eagle.
But " struck it rich " that evening bv
swapping some precious bareback with q
breadless veteran torager for absolutely
luxurious fresh mutton and piece of Conled-
crate pig. Upon this rich meat | Toasted.
and then slept profoundly in our piney biyouac
until the very early summons to renew the
march and the race. l might say here that
all OF this exhausting march might much
better have been made in the cool and DEWEY
night time. The army would have reached
Petersburg in a condition % per cent better
Our division crossed the great pontoon
bridge at Wilson's Landing by moonlight
"Gen. Grant states in his Memoirs that Gen
Meade ordered that ASSAULT. 1 cannot see
wherein IL essentially differs from Gen. Burn
H.6.