The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-10-03

have lived very comfortably at that time
while our troops only enjoyed the shelter
of the "pOnchos' Much of the suffering
afterward said to have been undergone by
the rebels only existed in the imagination
of their sympathizerS. In all things, with,
perhaps, the single exception of food, they
were quite comfortable.
From Bull Run the army moved to-
ward New Baltimore, village containing
q few houses, but at that time scarcely
any inhabitants. We finally encamped at
q place called Auburn, and the following
morning continued our march in the d.
Tection of Three-mile Station, where we
again encamped only to move the next
morning to RappahannOck Station, where
we soon engaged in a most interesting
battle.
RAPPAHANNoCK STATION.
The works at that place extended along
the line of the RappahannOck for a num-
Der of miles, and We're considered by mil
itary critics to lie very formidable. 1t
was decided to storm the works. During
the night, the regiments selected to per
form the labor crept, under cover of the
darkness, to within $50 yards of them,
and, after an hours patient waiting, they
advanced, and charged rapidly down upon
the shadowy earth-line, bristling with the
muzzles of innumerable guns. With such
vigor, silence, and courage was the charge
made as scarcely to allow of resistance.
An inceherent and disconnected volley of
small-arms from the enemy-a desultory
roar from a few cannon-and the works
were ours. In fact, the change of owner
ship was so rapidly effected as scarcely to
be realized by the rebels, who fled in
great confusion to the river, in which
many were drowned, and on the banks of
which numbers were captured or killed.
Gen. Meade rapidly effected the passage
80 4Ln ant pplS
Fifth Corps moving toward Brandy Sta
ton, where the 9th took possession of
the Winter quarters of the rebels-log-
houses well built in the woods, which, on
account Of uncleanlness, as usual, we
demolished, simply pitching our shelter
tents, which, if not SO comfortable, were
at least clean, military, and wholesome.
Here we remained until the morning of
Nov. %, 1863, when Gen. Meade made
his memorable movement on Lee, in forti-
fed position, near Orange Court House, in
the County of Orange, Va, and but a few
miles distant from Charlottesville the
scene of Gen. Hooker's three days move
ment, and from which he effected his re-
markable retreat a few months before.
MINE RUN.
Two great and unsuccessful movements
have been made on this ground, the army
under Meade pushing deepest into the en-
CLlg 1uc InONSutul VI Ntu
Meade seemed to be characterized by
great caution, which was certainly need
full, for he was in a dangerous territory.
The 9th occupied no unimportant part IN
this series Of great movements which
finally terminated in the great game of
"blind-man'S buff at Mine Run. The 9Th
was placed in one of the foremost and
most distinguished positions at Mine Run,
being called upon, in conjunction with the
remainder of the brigade, by a special Or
der, to be prepared to storm, at a stated
hour, one of the most impregnable and inn
portant rebel positions they ever faced dur
Ing their 80 months of marches and bat
ties. The 9Th on the right of the Fifth
Corps, the position of honor and danger,
and close to the river or rum" which |
was a main defense of the contending
force, would be among the first precipi- |
tated into the battle. For a long time |
after the order had been read to them, |
they awaited with eagerness and impa- |
thence that invitation to death, uttered in |
the single word Forward and truly, if |
ever men longed for battle, they did; for
they were actually freezing as they lay in |
active on the ground; and many did die |
from cold ere they left that most unpleas- |
ant and impregnable position. To fully ap- /
preciate the uncomfortable danger of the |
duty they were to perform, the reader
must remember that in charging the 9th |
must pass through the freezing waters Of
Mine Run, stream of perhaps 10 feet in
width, very shallow, if we may judge by
the depth of clear water, but very deep
when we count in the mud at its bottom
At its sides, extending several rods back,
Is low marsh, miry and reed grown.
From the edges of the marsh the land
rises gradually to a hight of perhaps a
hundred feet. Half a mile back from
either shore these slopes are open, and in
many places cultivated patches of young
pines dot the slopes, and extend back TO
the dense woods which crown the submits
Of the hills. The run rises somewhere
south Of the old plank road, and flows
lazily northward to the river, in nearly a
straight line. The enemy had fortified the
west slope by strong earthwork at its
summit, in front of which felled trees and
shrubbery and brush formed an impene-
trable abatis; they had also dug a success
sion Of pits half way up the slope, within
easy musket range of the creek, and an
other series of the same style of defenses
at the commencement of the abatis. His
line of defenses extended from Clark's
Mountain, south Of the plank road, to the
mouth Of the stream, and was fully sup
ported by artillery, and was, in fact, said
by military men to be stronger position
than he held at Fredericksburg.
"OUr own artillery was planted upon
the side of eastern slope, few rods down
from the edge of the timber, while our in
fantry was covered from view by the thick
wood. In order to successfully operate
upon the enemy with infantry, il became
necessary to bridge the stream and morass
In several places-a work you will imagine
to be both difficult and dangerous. II was
DONE however, by the First Divisions OF
the First and Third Corps, respectively.
Darkness found us, on Sunday night in
the following position: The Second Corps
was on the extreme left in the vicinity
of Clarks Mountain, reinforced by one
division of the Sixth Corps. The left cen
ter was held by the Third Corps; the cen
ter by two divisions of the First, and the
right 10y the Fifth and the remaining two
divisions of the Sixth Corps. Gen. War
rem was to have attacked and turned the
eneIny's right wing at 3 o'clock in the aft
ernoon. The Fifth and Sixth, under Sykes
and Sedgwick, were, at the same time,
to attack his left, while the Third and
First were to make a demonstration upon
his centre. The reserves of artillery had
all been brought forward and positioned
ready for action; but for some reason Gen.
Warren failed to connect, and night
slipped in upon us, all drawn up in line
of battle. That night a change was made
In the program. Gen. Warren did not
deem his force adequate TO the task of
turning the enemy's right; so he was still
further reinforced by two divisions OF the
Third Corps, under Gems Carr and Prince.
while Birney, with his division of the same
corps, was TO support the artillery.
Eight o'clock on Monday morning was
then set as the hour for the great battle
to open, and we retired to our ground