The National tribune., 1901-05-09
VISIT TO BATTLEFIELDS,
New Jersey Veteran Finds Many Things
OF Interest at Gainess MIL and other
Points

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Of Interest at Gainess MIL and othel
Points.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Over 8:
years ago the last gun was fired whicl
settled the war between the North anL
the South, and in all those years | hay,
been looking for something TO read abou
the old First New Jersey Brigade, bu
no printed matter has fallen under my
eye. For Is years | have been a con
stant subscriber to The National Tribune
and not scribe has yet been found il
the lst y. j. 1t was my misfortune t.
he living in the South when Fort Sumter
was fired upon. l returned to New Jer
seyy and enlisted in Co. l, 1st n. J.
was one of the last of the Yankee
soldiers left on the battlefield of Bull Run
| was with my company, but u short dis
| tance from Grant and Lee at Appomat.
tox.
| was captured at the battle of Charles
City Crossroads. Va. | spent II days in
Libby, a days on Belle Isle; was paroled
and sent through the lines at Harrison s
Landing Va, Sept. II. 1862. After
| spending short time in Parole Camp at
Annapolis, Md, l returned to my regi-
| ment.
L was wounded and captured at the bat
tie of Salem Church, Va. May ), 1865:
spent short time in Libby Prison and
Belle Isle: was again paroled. and sent to
City Point, then to Alexandria. Va, to n
parole camp, and from there back to my
regiment.
l was four years and 20 days in the
service.
Last Spring l visited n number of the
old battlefieldS-Fair Oaks, Seven Pines.
Gaines's Mills, and Cold Harbor. | found
some of the old riiepits and brcastworks
that l helped to build. They stand the
same today as when we built them. with
haA A. u
grown up IN large pine woods, the rife
pits and field breastworks are filled with
large pine trees
When going over the Gaines's Mill bat
tleheld | found the spot where my COM
pany lay in line of battle while sending
our compliments in the shape of leadeIi
balls over to the Johnnies L found the
farmhouse that the First New Jersey Bri-
gade used as field hospital. and as I
asked the lady Of the house for a drink
of water, which she kindly gave me, l
thought what change had taken place
at that farmhouse since | was there be-
fore; for then the woman who had charge
refused us poor Yanks a drink, saying as
she refused us, "Yo'uns will get all the
drink yo'uns want when yo'uns get in the
woods pointing to the woods where the
lighting took place. At this recent visit
the lady of the house informed me thar
the blood was yet on the walls and on the
floors, and that they could not wash it
out, and no doubt it will remain there
while the house stands, as one of the sad
pictures of the cruel war.
| also visited the Cold Harbor battle
field. All of that ground is covered with
heavy timber and while wandering around
/ found penny of the 1857 stamp of the
small size. No doubt in my mind the
bones of the dead Yank were lying not
far from that penny. Well, it will only |
pass current for one cent, but $40 could |
not get it out of my possession. 1t may |
have been my brothers. | don't know. |
He was killed in that battle, and it was |
there the New Jersey First Brigade lay, |
as near as could find out. To me it was |
4 sad and solemn trip.
A farmer told me that iE leyeling down
)ne of Grants field forts he carted to his
house about two tons of unused shells and
solid siot.-IsAAC MCDOWELL, Co. L, 1st
\. j., Bridgeton. n. j.