The National tribune., 1902-08-21

by to deceive Beauregard, when as a
matter of fact he knew that Beauregard
had abandoned the Bull Run line and re-
moved his army by rail to Richmond to
meet him on the Peninsula before he or
dered that advance on Centerville.
THE MARCH TO CBNTERvILLE.
1 enjoyed the honor of serving in this
latter campaign, and boldly we marched
TO Centerville, and just as fearlessly we
marched back again, but l have yet to
learn that we accomplished anything
more than TO wear out gOOdly supply of
shoe leather. This march took place about
the middle of March. 1t was not a real
pleasant march, but very glorious, and the
least afforded a chance to test our new
shelter-tents-"dOg tents" the soldiers
called them-which were introduced in
the army just before the campaign
opened.
These tents were said TO have been
adopted from the French, and were all
right for French soldiers and for Ameri-
only. but for soldiers six feet tall and
upward many kinks. loops and doubles
were required to sleep with the whole
body under cover at once. If, per-
chance. the long soldier, in his dreams,
found himself enjoying his bed of other
days, and Strengthened his aching limbs
out, he would go at least two feet into
the cold. night air: or if, with his feet
braced against the firmly-driven foot post,
he essayed to relieve his weariness Of
body by uncOiling, he would awake with
a start to find himself star-gaZing, with
head and shoulders half buried in Vir-
ginia mud. / often wondered why our
War Department hadn't enough common
sense to make a shelter tent that would
shelter both ends of common soldier at
once.
We remained at Centerville for a few
days only, during which time we had our
last snow storm of that season. On our
return trip, especially the day we reached
Alexandria, it rained continuously all day
long, the water coming down in torrents.
This March rain was delightfully."- cool,
but about the wettest rain / ever saw.
When we reached the vicinity of AleXan-
dria there was not dry thread among
us, and our hardtack was q mass of
water-soaked mush.
We camped in fine grove OF timber,
and Immediately on breaking ranks each
soldier made dash for anything in sight
that could in any manner mitigate his
uncomfortable situation. There was n
board fence extending along the edge of
the grove about 100 yards away, and
ran for the fence. which / reached among
the first. | jerked off one board, and 10.
on either hand the fence had disappeared.
No man got more than one board. / gave
my board to n terminate who was just
one jump behind me, and dashed for n
of attraction, Of which i secured an arm
full. The rain was still falling in tor
rents. the ground was everywhere flooded.
and night was gathering over us. All
through the grove axes were getting in
their work. trees were falling in every
direction and camp-fres were blazing up
ward in various places But my tent
mate and myself pitched our tent hastily,
broke our board in pieces and used them
for floor, on which we spread our wheat
straw, and, supperless, retired for the
night. Drawing orr cool, moist blankets
about and over us, we were soon warm
and steaming and slept comfortably till
| morning.
This proved to be my first, last and only
field campaign under the leadership and
direction of Gen. George b. Mcclellan
| President Lincoln would not consent to
| have Washington left defenseless, and SO
detached the First Corps from McClel.
lan's army to defend the National Cap
ital, while with the remaining force he
should capture the Capital of the Con.
federacy. Had Mcclellan made the Con.
| federate army, and not the Confederate
! Capital. his objective point, he could have
kept his army in its full strength and
completeness. and defended Washington
while he fought the army that opposed
him, with every chance os success in his
favor. The First Corps remained in camp
near Alexandria for a week or two. and
then marched overland to Fredericksburg
on the Rappabannock. The First Corps
was afterwards reunited with the Army
of the Potomac and made the Antietan
campaign under McClellan's command
but the writer of these sketches was MOI
with it,
PRINCE STREET HOSPITAL.
Three days before the First ,Corpl
marched for Fredericksburg. in April
1862. / was sent to the regimcntal hos
pital with fever and ague. When tn,
corps marched was not able for duty
and was therefore sent to the Primo,
Street General Hospital at Alexandria
This was my first experience with and il
a general hospital, but. sad to say, ant
just as sad to endure, it was not my last
only remained in that hospital abou
three weeks. and was not delighted will
it sufficiently to desire to serve out IN,
term Of enlistment there.
Everything about the hospital was neat