The National tribune., 1900-09-20


cursing next morning, but the matter
went no further.
At Charlottesville we were put on box
cars and sent to LynchburE. A large
crowd of Secessionists gathered to see us
arrive. l presume they thought we were
circus animals. We were pat in the fair
grounds in horse and cattle-stalls. The
ground was divided ut the middle, with
the prisoners ON one side and the rebels
on the other.
We disposed of our watches and old
jack-kniycs at fair prices and made pur
chase of some cups and oid-fashioned
Dutch ovens. There was only one well
ON the ground. We affixed strings to our
cups, and it was comical to ,see the boys
at that old well dangling their numerous
cups. There was plenty of wrangling
too, when cup-strings would get twisted
or water be split. We were allowed To
80 out to the creek under guard to wash
and bring in wood.
After two months stay we were put on
the cars once more, and went for Belle
Island. Some of our boys escaped from
Lynchburg prison and with them went our
flag. The night we got TO Belle Island
our officers, from Salisbury, joined us; we
had been separated at Charlottesville
! Next morning our officers went on, with
another good-by. We remained.
After the battle Of Cedar Mountain we
| first got news of our regiment. Several
of our boys were captured and came tG
Belle Island. The regiment mad been re-
cruited up to fighting numbers.
On Sept. IA several men in plug-hats
and standing collars come over from Rich
mond and called for Gen. Shields's men
to come forward. Well, we soon found
ourselves at landing on the James near
| Fort Darling. Coming in sight OF the
boat and the old flag we made the place
| pin,r 9Th oh AEn Enrt NJ
roe next morning and went up the Po-
tOmac to Alexandria. We were pro
nounced unfit for duty and ordered to Fort
Delaware. We recruited in health fast
end soon became toe saucy for the model
! Regulars at the fort.
| On Christmas Day we took journey
down the Della ware Canal, and turned into
Elk River, and our boat stuck there in
the ice. We finally got TO Annapolis, how
| ever. We had only had one death since
| being taken prisoners. Without unneces-
sary detail, a short time after New Years
we We're at Dumfries Landing and cooked
grub in the cnemy's country once more.
| | might mention here that our old flag
we soon found had come safely through
the lines, and it was presented to the
regiment at Frederick, about the time of
the battle of Antietam.
| At Dumfries we reported to regimental
! headquarters and drew q new outfit, in
Guiding Enfields. Our old shoulder-hitters
had been turned over to Uncle Sam, and
| some other fellows got an introduction TO
the heavy end of the critters. We caught
| sight of uncD Sans pocket-book, too,
| dra wing thcrefrom pay for nine months
service. Before we got our pay / remem-
! Der | sent q letter home and wrote on
/ the envelope:
| "a soldiers letter, never read;
Live on bareback instead of bread
Postmaster, please shove it through
i have no stamps, but nine months
| due"
! The army was recognized and we were
put in the First Brigade, Second Divi-
sion, Twelfth Corps. We turned over
everything that might be burden to us
and received nine days rations and 60
rounds of ammunition.
We moved out to Kelly's Ford, crossed
the Rapidan and Rappahannock, and ar
rived ut the Chancellor House on the
evening Of June 80. There was some
diminishing on our right We lay on our
arms till morning. Then the regiment
moved toward the front and had gone
but Il sii0it distance when il found the
enemy well intrenched We fell back and
took position TO the left of the Plank
Road, where we remained most of the
day. On May we moved to the right
of the Plank Road into the timber and
were IN that position when the attack was
made on the Eleventh Corps. In the
morning we were shifted to near the Chan
cellor House and were among the last to
leave the field May 3. If we were not
licked we thought we were, or our com
mander did, for we got across the river
by a shorter route than the one by which
we had come, and going into camp near
Stafford Court House threw up earth
works.
News came that Lee was on the move
and everything was stirred up. Gonzales
cents We're. ordered to Aqua Greek. l
was one Of them, having been accidental
ly cut in the arm with an AZ while the