The National tribune., 1902-03-27

rations and full outfit of equipments and
clothing, which seemed every indication
that we were off for duty somewhere;
still, no one knew the details except the
commanding officer and others around
headquarters.
Lieut.. McLane took charge of the com
pany. When all preparations were COM
pleted, we counted and broke off by fours,
and at command Forward" took up our
march toward Carlisle. We halted at the
depot and dismounted, when we received
orders to place our horses in the empty
boX-cars standing or the side track, which
we proceeded to do. There were 100 sol
we had got our horses and equipments
properly loaded it was quite dark. This
unusual proceeding of the permanent COM
pany leaving the post caused great eX-
citement in the city, and great many in
Quiries were made as to the cause of our
leaving and our destination. When all
was ready an engine backed in on the side
track and coupled onto the cars, and we
were off in the direction of Chambersburg,
amid the cheers and good wishes of the
people of Carlisle, many of whom we had
become personally acquainted with during
several months stay at the post After
leaving the station it was learned that
our destination was Chambersburg, where
we would leave the cars and patrol the
gerstown, Nd.
After unloading our horses and equip
ments from the cars we were divided off
| by detachments, each detachment being
under command of a Sergeant excepting
one, which. was under the personal com
rnand of Lieut.. McLane, who, Of course,
commanded the whole company. There
were four detachments in all. Orders
were given them TO take different roads
leading south, taking careful observations
as they proceeded, and report to the com
manding officer at HagerstOwn.
MARCH THROUGH A PEACEFUL COUNTRY.
] was detailed to go with the detach-
ment which Serg't Noonan commanded.
| We parted from our comrades of the other
/ squads at daybreak the morning af-
ter our arrival, each squad humorOusly
| boasting the great number of prisoners
| they would show up at HagerStown. We
! took the lower pike and proceeded upon
our journey, totally ignorant of what we
might encounter before reaching Hagers-
town. We got sufficient information from
Serg't Noonan to know that we were need
ed in the vicinity of Hagerstown for scout
ing duty, to ascertain if the enemy was,
as reported, anywhere near. There seemed
to be no available force in that section
| to check the advance Of the enemy, how
ever small in numbers; hence the neces-
! sity of quick action and the showing OF
some resistance at hand until more troops
could be advanced to the exposed point
We had q pleasant ride over the country
the first day out. The weather was as
beautiful as June weather could be. We
passed many nice farms and n few pleas
ant little villages. At this season of the
year cherries were ripe, and / never saw
such quantity before; the trees along the
roadside were heavily laden with them
wished, as every farm we came to had
them in great abundance We had only
to ask for them.
The first night we camped near small
creek, where we varied our rations some
by the addition of small fish caught in the
stream. This being my first experience
as a ful-fedged soldier cut loose from tn,
routine duty of n post no longer 'fresl
fish," / can truly say that l enjoyed tht
change. We had a nice time in camI
that night singing army songs, telling stor
les, playing cards and specializing upoI
the outcome of our scouting expedition
! We talked of the boys in the other de
tachments, and wondered if they were ai
fortunate as ourselves thus far, and a!
; nicely camped for the night. Serg't Moo
nan was the man he told me he was a
the time we had our conversation con
! corning the apparent cruelty Of the off
: GERS and 'non-coms" at Carlisle Barracks
! He was every inch soldier, well posted
: in every detail of the service. The boy
admired him from the fact that he left al
: his seeming violence at Carlisle and hat
? nothing but kindness and good treatmen
for all of the little band Of soldiers unde
} his charge.
The citizens of the portion of the coun
, try we were passing through were accus
toned to seeing soldiers of our army pass
ing almost daily, and nearly one year be
I fore had seen soldiers of both armies il
e their midst in large numbers as the bat
e tie of Gettysburg, the severest of the cam
{; pagn, had been fought not far from there
: a portion of the army of the enemy having
}. passed up as far as Carlisle, burned tn
( barracks taking many horses and larg
y quantities of provisions from the fright
r ened farmers and others along the route
8 The second morning of our march W
. were up early and on the road. The da,
, was beautiful as before, and we rode alon
p by twos, halting occasionally TO get drinl
r of water, some cherries, or bouquet o
{ nice flowers, all of which were in grea
. profusion, and we seemed welcome to par