Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1902-10-20


known Of local veterans Of the Civil
war, was with the Akron g. A. II. men
who attended the national encamp-
ment. This was the first time Mr..
Porter had been over the scenes since
the wal, and IN the accompanying letter
he describes visit TO the battlefield
Of Gettysburg, in which struggle he
took part. The letter follows:
To the old soldier who participated
in the battle Of Gettysburg July /,
and 3, 1858, and who had not been in
Washington since December .'62, visit
to those places with Buckley Post was
a rare treat.
We arrived at Gettysburg Sunday
at IL a. m. during rain which con-
tinued throughout the day, but in spite
of the rain the numerous covered con-
veyances were called into service to
carry us over the battlefield major
| ity of the old boys preferring this
method to the trolly cars.
What wonderful change since the
days of the battle. Then, the march
ing to and fro Of thousands to differ
ent parts of the line, artillery being
assigned to different positions, gener-
ais. staff officers and orderlies gallop-
ing in every direction, the rattle of
musketry, the booming of cannon, the
explosion Of shells, the cries and
groans of the wounded and dying are
all vividly called to mind as if only
occurring yesterday. But on this quiet
Sunday we pass along the new made
roads and the driver points out the
monuments erected to mark the places
where different regiments, brigades,
divisions and corps were engaged on
different days of the battle, All this
was unnecessary to the old soldier
once he got the 'lay of the land"
When he got this he would tell the
driver many things he didn't know.
The reader may pardon the writer
if brief personal experience is re-
lated. Being with General Hancock
during the Gettysburg campaign. I was
on July 2 assigned to headquarters Of
the first division, second corps, which
went into battle just north of Little
Den. will not attempt to give des-
Den. l will not atempt to give a des-
cription of the battle at that part of
the line, but suffice it to say that after
the battle was over one could walk
forty rods on dead hodies. AS in all
battles many men had become lost
from their commands and on the morn
ing of the third was sent back along
the Emmetsburg road to hunt up
"stragglers' and show them the way
to their regiments. Arriving at head.
quarters, which was at small clump
of timber near the line Of intrench
ments. I tied my horse to sapling
fed him. picked up fat haversack on
the field, made coffee and ate my
breakfast. Everything was quiet in
front. a newsman came along selling
daily papers-"All about battle OF
Gettysburg" Bought n copy of the
New York Herald and sat down by a
rock to read an account of the tive
first days battle. Had just finished
reading aloud to many listeners)
when the cannonading preceding Long
streets charge on our line commenced
1, with as many more as could be pro
tected--we were all good protection
lists then-by that old rock, remainet
there until the shelling was over. The
time seemed day but was probably
not over two hours, at the end OF
which got out, found the sapling Il
which my horse was tied cut of below
a the strap, the saddle turned down
ward and blood running down one OF
l his legs in stream. "righted'
things, right away quick" you car
Imagine, and rode up to the intrenche(
= line. To my surprise I could not ,se,
, an infantryman that had been touched
they had got little too long rang,
on our line and those in the rear "go
: the worst Of It." Then followed Long
streets famous charge on our line
many accounts of which have bee
written, though to my mind they al
fail utterly to express the reality sim
ply because it is impossible. cele
brated the Fourth by trip along th
entire length of the hattIef;eld II ho,