The National tribune., 1900-03-08

Jackson was then in the Valley, and
Shields was preparing to meet him, and l
suppose our movement was TO give him
any needed assistance.
The 1st Mimi. was, at the time we broke
camp, under the command of Lieut..
Stephen Miller, who later became Colonel
of the 9TH Mimi, rigadier-Gencral, Brevet
Major-General, and Governor of Mime
sofa. Capt. Alfred Sully, of the Regular
Army, had been appointed Colonel, but had
not yet reported for duty. | think it was
the morning of the 18th Of March, about the
time we started from the previous nights
camp. that he joined us and assumed com
mand.
OF course, we were all anxious 10 see and
tsizc up" our new Colonel. and il did not
take us many days TO decide that he was a
good one" and We never had reason to
judgment he was the best Colonel the regi-
ment ever had. and the 1st MINI. was
always fortunate in having good Colonels,
too. He was a graduate of West Point in
the early 40's, and had seen service III
Florida, Mexico, and on the frontiers. At
the time of his appointment TO the 1st MINI.
he was the Senior Captain in the Regular
Army. do not know his age, but Judge it
10 have been at least 45; hair and beard
We're getting gray. and he appeared old to
lis youngsters. He won our confidence by
the easy, off-hand way he had Of doing
things" Though 1 Regular, lie won our
good viii by dispensing with all "unneces-
nary frillS. One thing he did was 10 cease
placing a guard about the regimental
camp, which had been the previous custom,
thus putting us Oh our honor. This mark
of confidence was appreciated and very
rarely abused by any one. We soon found,
too, that he had :: way of not requiring us
to fall-in till we were ready TO march, and of
dBmlsSing us so promptly that we generally
had the first chance at the fence rails. He
was thorough. splendid soldier, and his
worth was quickly recognized by deserved
promotion. He became Brigadier- General
and Major-Gcneral Of Volunteers, and
Brigadicr-Gcncrai in The Regular Army.
SOME MARCHING AND CAMPING.
We had reached point within two or
three miles of Winchester when we Were
ordered to return 10 Harpcrs Ferry, which
We did, reaching Bolivar Hights about
March 16, where we made temporary camp
II was about this time that We learned of the
organization Of the army into corps, and of
our assignment rs Second Division Second
Corps, with Gen. John Sedgwick in COM
mand.
Our camp at Bolivar Hights was a cold
dre&ry one, with variations of wind, rain
and snow. 1t was March % or "a that we
left the windy nights of Bolivar, marchcd
down through Harper's Ferry, across the
Potomac 10 Sandy Hook and took the cars
to Washington. IL was about midnight
when we reached the city and we found rest
and shelter from the storm for the rest of the
night at the Soldiers Retreat near the b. &
o. depot.
The next day we went into camp near the
Capitol. II was nearly night Of March 28
when we left camp, marched over Long
Bridge and took the cars TO Alexandria, Va
1t was late in the night and raining when
we left the ears, and we remained in the
I.fr raatLr a
and hungry, and the boys "growled some"
at being left waiting so long.
In the morning We went out toward the
reservoir and camped on the same ground
we had occupied before going to Bull Ruu.
While IN this camp previous 10 Bull Run the
CommisSary department was short" Il
couple of barrels of 'commissary," and
could not find out just where il had gone
We had not been i'll camp long before
some Of the knowing ones" ""resurrectcd" u
barrel OF whisky, none the worse for its
burial, and it was served out To the wet.
shivcrlng men, and probably could never
have been used when it was more needed
1he evening of March % the regiment
was divided and placed on small steamers
the Jenny Lind and the Golden Gate
which took IN tow several schooners loaded
with supplies, horses, artillery and men.
and proceeded down the Potomac and
Chesapeake 10 Fort Monroe.
On the morning of April / We anchored
off Fort Monroe 20. K" While here, the
original Monitor, which had recently de-
stroyed the Merrimac, lay near us, and we
had a fine opportunity 10 see the novel
fighting craft that reyolutionized naval
warfare. Many transports had already
arrived and were landing troops and ear
go,s. Many more followed us. II was a
great aggregation of ships, men and ma
tenal. During the day we landed and
camped near the ruined village of Hamp.
ton. The wrecks Of the Congress and the