The National tribune., 1901-08-29
DIARY OF A PENNSYLVANIA RESERVE.
Story of Campaigning with the Army the Potomac in S62iard
Marching, Scanty Ratons Desperate Fighting and Death of
Author at Fredericksburg.

again. This time we marched to the up
per landing. two miles, stayed there hal
an hour, then marched down to the Mai
Dock; stayed there three-quarters of al
hour, then went on board the steamer, bu
had not been there long when we wer,
ordered on shore and then to camp, which
was reached about u o'clock at night
completely tired out.
Aug. 11-Today | am on guard again
but am not feeling very well.
Two or three brigades have left and al
baggage belonging to our division has
been shipped and we expect to leave al
any moment. The officer of the guard
excused me from guard tonight, as / had
been sick all day.
RETURN OF GEN. N'CALL.
Aug. 12-Today news comes of the re,
lease of Gems. Mccall and Reynolds.
About . o'clock we were ordered to fall
in line, and when the regiments had taken
their respective places Gems. Mccall and
reynolds, accompanied by Seymour, made
their appearance, and such cheering l
never heard before. The men threw their
caps in the air and claDped their hands.
Gen. Mccall could hardly control his emo
tons when thanking them for their kind
reception. Brighten. Roberts replied for
the men in an appropriate manner. l was
too far distant to hear his remarks. Nc
Call looks pale from confinement. Every
one seems glad he has got back.
Aug. 13-This afternoon at > o'clock
we were ordered in line again; marched
down to the river, and had to stay around
until o'clock in the morning before we
could embark. We reached Fortress Mon
roe about 2 p. M. The Captain of the
boat said the bay was so rough that it
was unsafe to cross. We came on the
Robert Morris. The second day after we
hr eel
Pioneers were ordered on board n schOon-
er, which was loaded with suffers stores.
We had been without water for 20 hours
and our rations were gone, so we pitched
into the suffers goods with will, the
Colonel with us. We found claret, wine,
champagne, cider, cakes, sardines, apples,
onions, pickles of all kinds, tobacco, crack
ers, ham, etc, enough of which was taken
to last US until we reached Fredericks-
burg, our destination.
We stayed or the schooner till the 18th,
then went on the steamer Portsmouth and
started across the bay, which was very
rough. About 8 o'clock we dropped an
Choir about eight miles up the Potomac
for the night. We started up the river
about 5 o'clock, April 10, and reached
Aqua Creek Landing about 9 a. IN. The
cars were waiting for US; we were soon
aboard and on our way to Fredericksburg
which place we reached about 10 o'clock,
and by IL o'clock had our tents up. We
are camped on a bluff one mile from the
city and overlooking it. These are our
old camp grounds. We found Burnside's
Corps here, and in the course of the day
MorelPs Division arrived.
Aug. 21-There are rumOrs that we are
to march again. We are now in the Sec
ond Brigade, Gen. Reynolds commanding
the division, Gen. Meade the First Bri-
gade, Gen. Seymour the Second Brigade,
and Gen. Jackson the Third Brigade.
About dark the expected order came. We
rolled up our tents and fell in line ready
to march. 1t was very dark, and began
to rain about the time we started.
In marching across the field the regi-
ments got lost from each other, and it
was II o'clock before we passed through
Falmouth. At l o'clock the words Halt,
rest, were given and We lay down in the
road to rest until morning.
Aug. pat 4 O'Clock we were ordered
to fall in line. The General did not give
US time to make our coffee, and as | had
not been well for several days, after
marching eight miles, l was forced to lie
down by the side of the road / secured
medicine from DR.. Bowers, and after
made tracks for the division, which had
all passed while | was lying down. l
reached the Third Brigade about dark and
found the First and Second Brigades had
gone on, so / stopped there.
Aug. S-The Third started about 3
o'clock this morning. Seventeen of us
waited until o'clock We heard heavy
came to the place where our brigade had
stopped the night before, after marching
~ miles. About B p. N. we stopped at
a house to get something to eat and
came up and ordered us all |
back to Fredericksburg, as our division |
had left RappahannOck Station, and it |
was occupied by rebels; but we made up |
Dur minds to go through TO the division, |
50 on we went, keeping good lookout.
About o clock we came in sight of the |
Station, which was in flames. We made |
a detour and struck the railroad out from
the Station, and the graybacks could be |
seen around the fires. Not thinking it |
safe to stay there long, only II of US, we |
made our way up the railroad as fast as |
possible. AT s o'clock we came to house |
which was deserted-the clock was going, |
table set and clothes were scattered all |
over the hoor; but we We're so tired we |
I'D not stop to look around any more, but |
ay down for a sleep until morning
Aug. 24-We were disturbed last night |
by horsemen passing, and at o'clock we |
started Oh the track toward Warrenton |
Junction, and after marching three miles |
came to our pickets, from whom we |
earned that our division had gone to War
-entOn Station, 30 miles from Fredericks- |
burg, which distance they made in less !
Than two days. Gen. Birney said it was
unsafe to 20 there with so small a com
pany, Il; but we thought we could get
through. and so started. Birney said we |
must not go, and stationed a guard: but |
we were old soldiers, so made a stampede !
through the guards, separating SO they |
could not catch us so easily, and took |
double-quick toward Warrenton, the di-
,ection of which we had learned. The |
distance was 10 miles. | reached the |
'egIment about p. III. Some Of the boys |
laye not been heard from, and probably |
were taken prisoners by the rebs.
Aug. 2o-Was startled this morning by /
he heavy booming of cannon in the val |
ey below us. We were ordered to fall |
n line, IN which position we stayed till |
conflict
Aug. 26-This morning as soon as we
had made our coffee we were ordered TO |
Tall iii. We marched about 10 miles by |
clrcultous route, and encamped about |
Two miles from where we started in the
morning.
L was on guard tOday-rear guard for
he Regulars.
Aug. 27-At o'clock we fell in line
and marched toward Warrenton. taking
he WaTenton d Alexandria Pike. We
passed through New Baltimore about noon
and at dark encamped near GainesviIIa
where our advance today captured two
;annon and 300 rebs.
OPENING OF THE BATTLE.
Aug 2S-As we were passinp along
about O'Clock today, boom! boomi"
went two cannon, the shells exploding in
The Regulars, ahead of Ms killing and