The National tribune., 1898-10-13

served as LleEtcEaTt-Coi0nei and tolone
of the i3.;h Pa.
These companies of Lawrence Guards
were composed of first-clasS young men
from the tosn OF New Castle and sur
rounding neiEhborhood and their con
duct was such as to win the favor and
attract the attention Of the Ionple oi
Maryland and the Government off GERS al
Washington. About the tC animation ot
the three months service Capt. Lcasure
visited the Secretary OF War and asked
permission to organize an Independent
United States regiment.
The State had already filled her quota
and there seemed to be no chance Just
then to get in as State troops. The Sec
retary asked him:
Can you bring out n full regiment of as
good men as compose those two COM
panieS guarding the bridges out on the
Gunpowder?"
The Captain replied: Il have no other
kind to bring"
Well" said Gen. Scott, who was pres
ent in the Secretarys office at the time,
we Will call them 'Roundheads. g"
This comDlimented Secretary Cameron,
who prided In being descendant of the
Old English Roundheads. The commits
sion was granted, and in few weeks Col.
Leasure had a full regiment in Camp
Wilkins, at Pittsburg,- awaiting orders.
SWORN INTO SERVICE.
On Aug. 81, the officers and men were
sworn into the service of the United
States, and on Sept. a dispatch was re-
ceived from the Secretary of War, direct
ing Col. Leasure TO bring on his Round
head Regiment, which he did reporting
to the AdlutantGeneral in Washington
on the Eth
The regiment was assigned to Gen.
Casey's command and encamped near
Georgetown, on kalorama Nights In
= few days tents, clothing and arms were
drawn, and drilling and training for the
sterner duties which were to come after
commenced.
Within month the regiment was noted
for its proficiency in movements and es-
pecially for its skill in target practice
many of the men being trained from their
boyhood - the use If the squirrel rife
The SIX week days were faithfully spent
in teaching the fingers to fight and in
tIairing the muscles for war, while the
. Sabbat6s we're as sdcreGiy observed for
rest and worship as while at their homes.
On Oct. 10, Col. Lcasure received orders
to report 10 Annapolis With his regiment
remaining there, quartorod in the Navy
Yard, until the 18th, when they embarked
on steamers, Joining the Sherman Dupont
expedition, which made the first landing
on the sacred Soil OF South Carolina on
the 7ih of November at Port Royal MD
ways~bes~ cen Charleston and Savannah
During the trip there was terrific
storm on the ocean, and nearly everyone
-
landed on Hilton Head Island on the
morning CT Nov. ., where il remained un-
til Dec. J, when it was taken on the Broad
River about lB miles to the beautiful little
City cf Beaufort.
During the month the regiment remain
ed on Hilton Head they did great deal
of hard work, unloading the vessels
bulldog wharfs and Qualifications. as well
as pickctias the island. The terrible eff
fccts of the storm while on the water i'm
Ia
sleep, caused great deal of sickness and
many deaths. Hardly a day passed but
some one Of the regiment was lail awayin
'"Pine Wood Cemetery. On Thursday
Noy. 2s. there were four deaths in the
regiment. - =.
SAD ACCIDENT
One, however. Orderly Ser2t benjamin
IS. Stewart, of Co. A, was by accident. A
number of uaexploded shells, which had
been thrown on the island during the
bombardment of the forts on the day be-
fore We landed, bad been gathered up and
kept as relics, and lac, curious 10 know
how much powder one of them contained
had taken cut the plug and was pouring
out the powder, knocking ii against an
other shell 10 get it ali out when il ck-
ploded il his hands, tea. ing Lin almost
TO pieces. tie lived about one hour per
tectly corSs Ious, and met hi., fate like :.
Christian hero.
The du.i.s of Beaufort Island were no,
so hard IN fact, some Of the icl:et duty.
when squad Of IS or 20 tooli possession
of some deserted Esan; i IN and had the
col0red pfoTle do all tiitir wasi ing ard
cooking for them, MAS rather Pleasant
The chances for extras To Government
rations were very coed. Oysters a.I fish
as well "a, sweet potatQcs were rIcnty
and by May the fields were covered with
dcwbeHies of the very best quality.
Northern Yankees had come in and &C
cupied the deserted man. ms and filled
the storcrDons with their wares. ard
things could be bought as low u, in the
Northern cities.
Occasionally n rail would be made
against the Charleston & Savannah Rail
road, about Is mi es further inland. hut no
fighting ei any consequence occurred un-I
til june, when an advance was made
against Charleston. ,ia Stone Inlet and
James Island. Part of the reaiment
landed on the lower end of the i-land
alb ut seven miles south of Charleston
and on June had b.i TX little skir.
mish, losing live killed, ;ix wounded. and
Capt. Cline, 90. i, and II men rri isorcrs
On the 10th there was a general ad-
vance made acainst Tower Fcrt /" abou;
the mi ldl OF the i-land, and on The road
10 Fort Johnson, viii b was itua.cd on the
upper end of the island. nearest Charles
ton. Ia this engagement the regiment
lost 1G killed and 81 wounded.
The W, atheT was very warm and wet