The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1898-09-10
WRITTEN By REQUEST.

solemn rounds and as each succeeding year
has crowded its predecessor clear off the
stage Of time, into everlasting eternity,
smethinks that the rising generation will
syzsh the last old vet off into the back
gcound, when we hope that the Commander
of heaven and earth will take him in hand
and lead him straight to the pearly gates,
when he shall march unmolested, right
An on the golden-paved streets Of the City
sof the New Jerusalem, to be everlasting
rznd eternally with innumerable company
commanded by God himself.
Our regiment was the Fifth Maryland
Infantry, and when the indomitable Lee
rmade his fearless dash into Maryland, in
September, '62, the bloody Fifth, as it was
called, was stationed at Fort Monroe, Va,
and after the Baltimore Sun, had heralded
the fact that the mighty Lee vas threaten
ing the Monumental city, and even the
capital itself, is was then that we got
orders to pack up and break camp, and
Geeeive rations for trip over the watery
tolue.
We we're hustled on to a transport and
were landed at the capital of the United
States, where one of the grandest Sanhe-
irns that the world ever knew was being
held. None Of the bloody fifth had as yet,
,smelt the evenings powder, and we know
of enc, who belonged to the bloody band
WAC was not hawking after the uDsavory
.odor.
The next morning we were formed in
Zine for forced march, which was to last
for three days. We left Washington with
out morsel in our haversack-and this
negligence on the part of our superiors |
have never been able to fathom and for
three days, we marched without anything
TO sustain the inner man except green corn
without salt, cucumbers, apples and what
ever else we could ''swipe" by the way
] think it was ON the 18th day of Sep
TENDER, during the morning that we pulled
out for Antietam, and on the evening of
rtnat day, and Just before we bivouacked
for the night, we heard cannonading in the
distance in front, and after going up the
next bill and hating we could distinctly
hear the constant roar of musketry. All!
Then it was that we were permitted to
snuff the battle from afar.
I would remark here that this is when
the greeny takes on the most agonizing
fear Of battle. l will say right here that
we were more composed in the terrible
battle, two days after this event, than we
were when shutting the battle from dis
tance. All old comrades tell me that they
were more shaky when the battle was re.
mote than they were wheh under the i'm
minent and awful battle ITSELF The old
.huntsmen tell US that reynard suffers more
agony during the pursuit of the hounds
chan when he is actually struggling in
Eheir tangs. And thus it is with the brave
American soldier; the awful terrors come
when the long roll heats to arms, but as
the space diminishes between the enemy
and their lines, so does the awe of the
battle at hand.
We turned into field at the point where
we first heard the constant roar of mus
ketry, where we bivouacked for the night
The next morning the Baltimore Sun got
into camp by some means and was being
1ead by our color sergeant, afterward Col
l. d. Davis, and now cashier Of the Second
National Bank Of ElKton, and every word
read by our Ike of thrty-six years, was
sc indelibly stamped on my young mind
that it will linger till am called hence by
the last buge sound The head lines OF
that journal concerning the two great
American armies read something like this:
FIGHTING on MARYLAND SOIL.
Mcclellan comes up with Lee at South
Mountain, The Southern chieftain is
step by step, and is leaving his dead and
wounded thereon. But little Mac is
pushing him to the back ground beyond,
1t is thought that the willy chieftain will
cross the Antetan creek and turn at
'loay, when there will be fought on Mary
land soil one of the greatest battles Of
the war.
And Just how true the old journal was
to the awful truth, the sequel will prove.
& little while after when the order was
given to fall in, the commanding and mus.
kerry began to roar away yonder' in
point, while Orderly Sergeant William G..
Purnell, was calling the old boys to dress
to the right, now l will say here that sew.
eral OF the old boys of '62, are right here,
or near here, who, think, will testify to
the truthfulness Of this narrative
Several Of the boys asked the Orderly if
he thought that we would get up in time
for the ball, he answered them rather
abruptly. Dress to the right here, and
never mind meeting trouble away out
here. II will be time enough when we
catch it, as we surely will
will turn side here, to tell my read
ers that Maior Purnell was promoted soon
after for his gallantry in the battle at An
tetam and after commanding company a
short time was called up higher, which