The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-08-12
Reported Loss $500.
THEMARCH TO MANASSAS.
Samuel Adams Writes of the Remov-
al From Camp Alger.


Samuel Adams of the Twenty-second
Kansas, son of Judge F. G. Adams of To-
peka, gives the following interesting ac
count of the removal from Camp Alger
to Manassas, in a letter to his brother
Paul Adams:
In Camp, Near Clifton, Va, Aug. s.
Since last hearing from home have had
a good deal of real army life in the way
of marching and camping. We got or
ders last Tuesday evening, the 2nd, to be
ready to break camp in the morning. The
1numauon came also that we would go
to Manassas Junction, about twenty miles
away I was on guard at the time at
brigade headquarters, and did not get a
chance to make as much preparation s
most of the boys. 1 slept very little
Tuesday night, on account of having to
sleep in a pup" tent, in a place, too,
where We got very wet. don't know
They are fixed so that each man carries
One-half of the canvas, One-half of the
are just large enough for the men to sleep
in, if one is not too long, as, unfOrtun-
generally make very good use Of these
tents. About IL a m. we got under way,
eight regiments, besides what are left of
the two Michigan regiments, the Thirty
third and Thirty-fOurth. We had SOW
bosom and bareback issued to US in the
morning, and not very much of that. Our
regiment was fourth on the march. Soon
dropping out along the road, tired before
they had started. The Indiana regiment
heated and two or three men died.
L remember especially one lying by the
road with hospital men beside him. The
poor fellow had stopped sweating and was
out of his head He was talking and
grooming by turns, splitting foam out of
his mouth. He was one of the men who
died Not many of the men in our regf-
ment dropped out until along toward the
end of the march. About noon we stop
ped long enough to get plenty Of water 10
drink and fill up our canteens. I had
nothing to eat but bareback for dinner.
We got into camp at Burke station about
3 n IT Those who into with
the company were mighty tired, and about
the first thing 1 did was to cook some
bacon and fry some bareback. Richie
got some green corn out of corn patch,
IAN and Slept ike a log on the ground
little stream near the place. Burke 5
Station is right on the Southern railroad
day AS we neared the place on the
sionally blowing, and the effect they had
on the spirits of the men was astonish-
| ing 1t seemed like getting back into
civilization. At Camp Alger one occa-
sionaIly heard the toot of an engine about
engine not two hundred yards away was
| About the middle of this letter had to
| stop writing, and the rest of what have
| south of Manassas junction Today is
Monday, the Sth. We left Burke's Sta
/ ton Friday morning about 5 o o'clock. Ma
| jor Doster's battalion led the march and
/ our company was the first in the bat
talon. We were posted along at houses
and side roads to keep men out of the
/ temptation of struggling and bothering
/ the farmers. Our battalion got into camp
/ at Clifton about TO a m, while we, who
/ to fall in rear of the wagon train and
4 watch for stragglers, got in about nine p.
m, making an all day job of It Satur-
/ day we spent in camp at Clifton. The
/ hills are covered around here by Bull Run
/ rifle pits and breastwOrks, while on the
| top of some are the earthworks behind
| which cannon stood.
| The first battle of Bull Run was fought
on the 21st day of July, 1861; the second
/ battle August 80, 1862.
/ Our boys found a good many relics in
| the shape of bullets, buttons and pieces
| of swords, canteens and guns. I found
| nothing of Importance This place was
not where much of the battle was fought
/ The main part of the fight took place near
| Manassas.
| Sunday morning, the 7th, we got up at
] o'clock and the march was taken up
/ again; 1 was on the detail winch brldged
! wide, and we fixed up fairly good foot
! bridge about II feet wide The wagon
| present camp south of Manassas about Il
| noon yesterday. The prospects are that
1 we will stay here day or two more. The
/ great difficulty has been all along the lack
of decent drinking water. The facilities
| are little better here, but not ideal by
any means. The ground was occupied In
1851, think 1t was, by the rebels About
| 5000 were in camp here. Papa will
| know where to tell definitely about the
| history of the place I just heard from
| good and reliable sources that we leave
| for ThOroughfare Gap, about Is miles
| away, in the morning. Our men have
| lately. 1t is good fun, and believe
like the stuff better than when it has beer
IeoOked for US.