The National tribune., 1900-08-02


and cold days of Dec. 13 and IA. 1862
The Commanding General was furious at
the defeat Of the army turned over TO him
but a month before, and ordered several
corps commanders dismissed or relieved.
among them Hooker and Sumner. The
result was that Gen. Burnside himself was
relieved, and the command of the army
given to Hooker month afterward, or
at the end of the unfortunate expedition
to the Upper Rappahannock.
Under Hooker the army was reorgan-
lied and, in its old camping ground at and
around Stafford Nights was put in the
best possible condition for the Spring
campaign.
Early in May. 1863, the army was put
in motion for the upper fords, with the
exception of the Sixth Corps (Sedgwick),
which was left to give battle at Freder-
ickSburg and fight its way to Hooker.
As is well known, Gen. Hooker's plan
of battle, and to be the aggressor, was
good; but his army was hardly well en-
gagged when, TO the astonishment of his
corps commanders, he found himself on
the defensive.
At this time / was in the color guard
of our regiment, which held the extreme
right Of both corps and army. In falling
back from the center of an open field in
which line of battle was formed, loading
in falling back, and at the command
Halt facing about and delivering fire,
the commanding officer of the regiment,
Capt. Salem S. Marsh, was struck by q
bullet between the eyes and instantly
killed. His body was carried back, tenn
porarily buried, grave marked, and after
wards his remains eXhumed and taken to
the home of his parents. Capt. Marsh
was the beau ideal Of soldier, a schOl-
arly gentleman, and a graduate of West
Point. His loss to the regiment was keen
ly felt.
Charlottesville over, what next? Why,
the daring of Lee in the month of June
following to put his army in motion for
the invasion Of Pennsylvania, to the great
astonishmcnt Of Hooker. However,
Fighting Joe was not to be outdone, and
Potomac. Lee landing in Pennsylvania,
and Hooker on a small neck of Maryland,
then marching west to Pennsylvania to
give battle to Lee. But here Gen. Hooker
was relieved. and the command of the
army handed over to Meade, formerly
commander of the Fifth Corps. On July
the Fifth Corps, commanded by Gen.
Sykes, without incident of note, ap-
preached the field of Gettysburg, haiting
at midnight in the midst Of a hamlet made
up of that loyal, patriotic, thrifty and in
telligent people known the country over
as the Pennsylvania Dutch. The Regu-
lar Division of the corps being in the
advance, on the high road, immediate
ly took either side for a camping ground.
The writer, knowing that it was coming
very near his time for guard duty, con-
cluded that if the Sergeant-Major called
on him that night he would be perfectly
silent as to his presence. Sure enough,
in the course of the next u minutes after
halting, i could hear the Sergeant Major
singing out the name Scrgt Breen; but
Serg't Rreen was too comfortably en-
sconscd in blankets under a cart on the
roadside to take charge Of a camp-guard
the balance of that night, and allowed
geant for that duty. Serg't-Major Judd,
being wholesouled fellow, never ques-
toned the matter next morning.
Immediately after the halting of the
troops in the road the inhabitants began
to show lights in their homes, and, open
sylyania Reserves, particularly the Buck
tails: The Regulars, seeing that yiands
of all kinds We're being held forth by man,
woman and child, acknowledged TO their
being the Reserves, and without further
question We're given the milk and honey
Of the country. When the deception was
learned the next day by the Reserves
they had not much love for the Regulars
OF Sykes,s old division, now commanded
by Gen. Romeyn B..Ayres.
Easy stages along the Baltimore Pike
took the corps to within striking distance
Of the field of the second day. On that
day, July 2, halting at the edge of a ,liif
of timber, the division was finailr .,..,
orders TO move through an open ~ law
10 the famous whcatfield. leaving Little
Round Top to the left as the line ad-
vanced. Attaining the stone fence divid-
ing the meadow from the wheatfield n
halt was again called.
1t was while resting at this place that
in looking to the rear l saw at the head
OF the 10th \. Y, just coming into line.
the Lieut.: Willard of 1853 at Govern,
ors Island, now Colonel of the regiment
just mentioned. But in leading his gallant
command in action that day he forfeited
his yet young life. With the writer if
was little different. His regiment was
not more than 20 minutes In actual battle
when he was struck on the left hand
while in the act Of loading. Being of no