The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-08-22
fighting THEM OVER.
What the Veterans Have TO Say
About Their Campaigns.
MARCHING TG THE FRONT.
Experiences of Convalescent Returning to
His Command.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: WARS
cock, carries. me back to almost exactly the
same experience as related by him in re,
joining his regiment. Until by reference
to my diary and dates l almost fanced
was one of his Falstafiian army.
The 2Gth of September, 1862, l arrived
at parole camp, between Alexandria and
Washington, having made the journey
from parole camp at Annapolis on the
Steamer Hero. At this station l spent
the time III various degrees of idleness,
though my diary shows that | specialized
to the extent of two barrels of apples
bought in Alexandria at S221 a barrel
just before leaving.
On Nov. = we marched to Alexandria TO
return to our regiments, but for some rea-
son we returned to our camp and spent
the night, making Il new start on the Sd,
when we got a boat for Washington, and
then took the cars for Harper's Ferry at
noon. We arrived at Harper's Ferry the
morning of the 4th, and spent the day
there. Sunday evening, the I'd, we had
drawn one days rations and on Tuesday
evening at Harper's Ferry we drew one
days rations, and these were expected to
last us until we reached our regiments.
doah on the same pontOons by which Com
rade Hitchcock's army" had passed.
We halted as soon as we were across, and
proceeded to make ourselves comfortable.
The river was very low at the time, and |
remember that | and some cOmrade whose
name | do not now recall, made our beds
ON the rocks in what would have been the
river bed with the usual stage of water.
| wish | knew the comrades name, and
if living would like to hear from him.
My Albion friends had sent me a little
sack of dried sweet corn, and here on the
rocks we made fire and cooked the tooth
some yiands.
My diary records that we camped with
in five miles of Snickersville ON the night
of the 9th. l remember there was an open
field at the right of the road, and that
we had fine fire made of the dry rails.
Our one days ratiOns of bareback was
gone, and here for the first time l tried
fresh pork cooked on the live Goals and
eaten without salt. l can remember that
it was very sweet, but it would have been
so much better with u little salt and
bread.
At Snickersville on thu 9th we drew
three crackers and piece of bacon, and
| had the opportunity to buy a loaf of
bread. Sykes's Regulars were burning
COmmissary stores at Snickersville, and
those at the front got plenty. There would
have been plenty for all had there been
any one looking out for our supplies.
remember | saved little sugar from the
flames.
From Snickersville we followed Sykes's
Division for the balance of the day, pass
ing through AIiddlesburg just before sun
set, and camped for the night few hun
dred yards beyond the town. After pass
ing an uncomfortable night we resumed
our march on the morning of the 1th.
Shortly after daylight it commenced to
snow, and when we reached White Plaihs
it was rightly named. Here we left the
column and found our regiment, which we
had not seer since July u, 1861, and re
newed our II days acquaintance, for /
had been captured on the 18th day after
my enlistment. | had suffered. 31S days
actual Imprisonment and 156 days on
parole; so that out of 4SG days enlistment
had only been present Tor duty II days,
thanks to our friends the enemy. During
that time the regiment had won great re-
nown., Col. Slocum was now Major-Gen-
eral in command of the Twelfth Corps.
Maj. Bartlett was now Il Brigadier-G Gen
eral commanding the brigade of which his
regiment was part. Comrade Hitchcock
Will need no introduction to Joe Bartlett,
as he afterwards commanded the famous
brigade of which the 44th was a promi-
nent factor, and when l sign my name he
will see that L, too, knew him in that
capacity. Such articles as Capt. Mac
nameras and Comrade Hitchcock's bring
it all back, and | am fighting the battles
over again.-HENRY S. WELLS, Go. *,
9th n. Y, Second Brigade, First Divi-
sion, Sixth Corps; second enlistment, Ser
geant, Independent Company, 4th Mich,
Second Brigade, and from July l, 1864,
consolidated with LIST Mich, Third Bri-
gade, First Division, Fifth Corps, Quincy,
LII.