The National tribune., 1901-10-17


end battalion drills: new clothing was is
sued: all superfuous baggage and camI
eouipage was turned in; many of the III
curably sick were discharged and Others
sent to the hospitals, and, finally, ON tht
9th. we received orders 20 be ready tc
march at an hours notice, with three
DAYS cooked rationS in our haYerSacks aho
FIVE days rations in our knapsacks.
We took the canvas covering oil our
"shphancs.'' packed our effects, and were
ready to follow our gallant leader to VIC
tory.
A few days after the battle of Fred
erickshurg while a number of us VINO
were on duty as camp guard were sitting
around our campfire, an old colored man;
who had escaped from Fredericksburg ana
crossed the river when our forces 1eil
back. came along and stopped to warm by
our fire. He was quite an intelligent man
had ALWAYS been a slave, but was Union
list all the way through.
Speaking of the rebel position he said:
81 tell you what it is, boss, dem reoels
is in dar mighty Solid dey is. Dey IS Jlst
like snake in de hole. He stick his head
out and he strike dis way and dat way,
and when you go fer to hit him ON de
head wild a stick, den he dodge back IN
de hole and you doan git in; but he's OAR
all de same; but you once glt him clalr
That is exactly the case, we thought,
and we acknowledged the soundness of the
old darky's reasoning; but what puzzled
us most was how to get the snake outen
de hole Burnside had tried him in
front once, but had most disastrously
failed. Now, Hooker was about to try
a flank movement.
In brief, it was Rockers plan to send
a strong column some four or five miles
5o,-, - ,-ivar m threaten Lees right.
and thus engage the eneIny's attention
while the main body of the army was to
cross the river at the various fords above
the town. and thus secure firm POSITION
before the enemy became aware OF MS
real intentions.
In case Lee withdrew his army from
Marye's Nights, Gen. Sedgwick, with the
Sixth Corps, was to lay pontoon bridge
across opposite the city, and by direct
advance take possession of the enemy S
fortified position.
Gen Stoneman. in command OF the
Cavalry Corps, was to cross at some dis
lance above, and, making wide detour,
get between the Confederate army and
Richmond, destroy Lees communications,
cut off his supplies, and thus, cooperate
with the main army in the destruction OF
the Confederate army.
Our corps was placed under the COM
malG OF NJoH. SeuSNlChs anu WIN 'A4N
First under Reynolds, and the Sixth, was
to conduct operations in front of and be-
low the city.
About 4 o'clock in the afternoon of
April %. 1868, we were in line and on
our march down the river, and on our ar
rival at an overlooking bluff some three
or four miles below Fredericksburg, we
found that pontoons had already been
placed and a large force of our men
IN haftla the other
side of the Rappahannock.
The enemy was also present in full
force. while their advanced line of Skin
mishers was but a few rods in front OF
ours. Lee was evidently deceived by
this show of force, and led to believe that
the main body of our army was present
and that the battle would be fought on
the same ground as that of Dec. ID.
For day or two we were kept in sus-
pense. as none of us knew HoOker's plan,
and we hourly expected to be called upon
to cross the river and engage the enemy.
Thursday. April 80, we were called IN
line for muster, at the close of which the
Adiutant read an order from Gen. Hooker
in which he stated that the movement on
our right had been entirely successful;
that the enemy must either evacuate his
stronghold and come out and night US on
ground of OUT own choosing or fall back
on Richmond. We were assured of glo-
rious victory in case he was willing to
fight and moral success in case he chose
to retreat.
We shouted and cheered over the good
news and in a short time were in full
marching order, with our faces turned
westward. We continued our march all
that afternoon and until midnight, when
we arrived in the vicinity Of the United
States Ford, some eight or 10 miles above
Fredericksburg, where we halted for the
remainder of the night. 1t had been a
long and exhausting march, and we were
too tired to care for anything but rest.
Besides, we were not allowed to build any
fires, so we had no chance to make any
coffee, even if we cared to do so.
CROSSING THE RAPPAHANNoCK.
We were aroused from our slumbers at
4 o'clock the next morning, and after 2
hasty- breakfast resumed our march,
crossed the .Rappahannock on pontoon
bridge, and soon found ourselves once
more in the presence of the enemy.
Hooker had secured a position of great
natural strength, his left flank resting on
the river, while the general outline was
that of a semicircle facing to the south,
the center of which extended two or three
miles beyond the river and included the
Chancellor House, which gave its name
to the fierce and bloody battle that fol-
lowed.
We reached the Chancellor House early
in the morning and halted for a short
time; then our brigade, consisting of the
9th, Hath, 63d, 6Sth, and Hist Pa.
and the Goth Ind, commanded by Gen.
G. K Graham, was ordered to march
down the plank road to DOwdall's Tavern
and reinforce the Eleventh Corps, which
held our right flank and was under the
command of Gen. o. o. Howard. Gen.
Graham reported TO Gen. Howard accord
ing to orders, but that officer seemed TO
consider it a reflection on him and his
corps that he should be rendered assist
ance. He assured Gen. Graham that he
was fully able to hold his position on that
part of the line and positively declined tC
accept the services Of our brigade.
There was nothing for us to do, there
fore, but to retrace our steps, which we
did, and soon resumed our place in the
division, which was commanded by Gen
u. u. Birney.
We advanced n short distance to the
south, and soon came in contact with the
enemy's skirmish line, while a rebel bat
terry, getting our range, began to send over
their compliments in shape OF solid shot
and shells.
We then were ordered to change oul
position to a place less exposed which We
were not slow in doing. Just as Lieut.
Col. g. II. Watkins was in the act Of
mounting the enemy's battery gave us
farewell message in the shape of IL
pound solid shot, which struck Col. Wat
H;psfS borca in tba nupocita cbn,rldar VAC,