The National tribune., 1899-04-13
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What the Veterans Have to Say
About Their Campaigns.
ON The FIGHTING LINE.
A Roundhead Who Was with Fope's Army
at Chantil1y.

at ChantilIy.
ErIToR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: The begin-
ming of the second year of service of the
Aug. 80 and 80, 1862 Going into action
with 450 officers and rank and file, we had
$50 killed or wounded, "a being killed.
We had broken camp at Beaufort, S. c.,
during the last days of May, and had been
on the move right along. Now our line OF
march was on common dirt robd to left of
main road or pike, as we marched out, but
supposed TO be parallel with the pike.
About the middle of the afternoon of Sept.
! we could make out line of ssirmishers to
our left. The boys began q controversy
whether they were Johnnies OF Unionists.
The day was gloomy, indicating rain. AS
we advanced, you could sec the skirmishers
to our left getting closer; could make out the
old white blanket i'll roll across the
shoulders. "File left" WAS the order.
Down into small rayine we went The
battle of Chantilly was on.
. The HiShlanders struck the rebs first. We
filed through 4 small thicket of bushes to
open ground, with 4 slight rise in our i'm
mediate front Gen. Stevens called out to
our Lieutenant Colonel, Lackey:" " Five COM
panies of the ROundheads for skirmisbers."
This order presumably was to prolong the
line to the lett of the Highla1ders.
The line was deployed on double-quick.
About the time we were well in skirmish-
line we struck the top of this elevated
ground in front The ground then descended
gradually some distance, then the ascent was
sleeper towards the woods. On our front, to
our left front, cornfield came up to the
woods and the field extended back towards
the rebel front. Before we had cleared the
crest of this small knoll the enemy gave us
rattling fire. Their line was down in this
low ground. On goes the line. Pretty som
the enemy on our front gave way. 1t had
by this time started to rain quite hard. On
we went, and soon passed some of the enemy's
dead and wounded. They belonged to a
Louisiana regiment.
AS we got part of the way up the slope
towards the timber, took one hasty glance
to the rear. One could see regiment after
regiment coming up in quick time-the
balance of Stevens's Division, then Reno.
We now had more than skirmish-line close
on our front. Our line-ofbattle now COM
menced work to the left. The colors of the
5Oth Pa. were coming up to fence between
the cornield and sodfield we had advanced
through.
Not caring to lie down to avoid the fire OF
our men, / broke across part of a reg iment's 8
front to the left. l cannot say positively
what regiment this was, but know they wer,
armed with the Enfield rife have always
been under the impression it was the 2Sth
Mass.
On reaching the point had started for,
fell in with the 50th Pa, and remained with
them on the fghting-line until they were
relieved about dark. AS they moved to the
rear, fell in with my own regiment. We
were on the move all night. At times We
would be halted and ja>imed up in all
shapes. The troops we had engaged were o.
Stonewall Jackson's command; he was max
ing one OF those flank movements for which
he was noted. If Jackson could have
reached the main road with any considerable
force, which was possible if ne had been one
hour ahead of our command, there would
have been Waterloo for someone.
After marching all night, daylight found
us on the move. All day we moved alons
back towards Alexandria, footsore, almost
naked, covered with dust, and having passed
the hunger line in the long, long ago.
We had left our dead and badly-wounded
behind On the battlefield. Near sunset ol
Sept. 2 we were near Alexandria. We
halted and dropped down in place for the
night like beasts of the field.
The rebels were not long in crossing the
Potomac and entering Maryland. Our com,
mand. with others that showed as dilapi-
dated an appearance, was marched through
Washington city during the night.
No body of armed men ever stood up
under the punishment that the Army of the
Potomac did, and were always ready to face
to the front. The rebs would think at dark
they had them beaten, but quite early the
next day they were ready for one more trial.
WIN. Ii. HUFFMAN, Sergeant, Co. D,
Tooth Pa. Tor Roundheads).