The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1902-11-20

lowing morning at O'CLOCK. at when
time he would form his regiment OF re,
cruits in line and march to the transport
that would by that time, be in readiness
to convey us to Grants base at City Point
The next morning l reported for duty. as
ordered, and took command of the COM
pany to which / was assigned. Then, III
due time, we succeeded in getting the resl'
ment in line for the march to the landing.
There were two or three line officers to
each company. and as we marched down
the streets of Alexandria, we presented
the appearance of new regiment going
to the front. all freshly supplied with arms
and equipments. new uniforms, etc. VI
course, our regiment was not very well
drilled, and we made no attempt at mill
tary evolutions, but there were certain
semi-miitary evOlutions in which our raw
recruits We're not so raw. Most II not all
of them were bounty-jumpers and about
as tough and reckless a gang of dare
devils as was ever gotten together IN one
organize ton.
WHY 1 DESERTED.
The Colonel marched his regiment down
the street toward the river, and when the
head of his column neared the landing he
learned that the transport was not quite
ready to receive us, so he halted his regi-
ment and for about two hours we stood
at ''in place rest" but for one did not get
much rest out of it, though l did get
some fun.
Immediately every recruit wanted the
privilege of going to a restaurant just long
enough to get square meal' before 60
ing to the front; but all such requests
were, of course, refused, as We expected
to move at any moment. By watchful
care We kept them pretty well in line, and
/ do not think we lost any men i'll the city.
In a short time the huckster fraternity of
Alexandria discovered that new regi-
ment" was in their streets, and, of course,
they were anxious to supply us with ev-
erything We needed. These recruits all
had plenty Of money, and they thought
they needed anything and everything they
could get, without regard to how they got
it. To- give some idea of the style of these
recruits. l will relate one incident, as it
happened only few yards from me. A
huckster with haEdcart loaded with ice
cream and various other articles to salts
fly the needs of recruits, halted about mid
way of my company. and Immediately
opened up a lively business. In a few
minutes recruit who had purchased
dish of ice cream, after disposing of the
contents, put the plate and spoon in his
pocket for future use. The huckster
wanted him to return the plate and spoon,
but the recruit contended that he had
bought and paid for them, and in fact, had
paid more than they were worth and re-
fused to return them unless his money was
refunded. l was about to interfere in the
interest of the huckster, and see that he
had fair deal, but the fellow could not
wait for assistance. He thought he knew
a thing or two himself, SO he pressed the
recruit closely. and in trying 20 recove,
his plate and spoon, worth probably a
dime, he made the fatal mistake of adj
vancing one step too far. thus leaving his
box of supplies unguarded. Quick as a
tivht 40 ch tic fIrnr, rl,
an evolution not found in the tactics, and
when the huckster returned to his base, it
was his base only, for his supplies had
vanished and the poor fellow picked up
his empty cart and departed. 1t was a
hard company in which to enforce mill
tary discipline, and / was not sorry when
the transport was ready for us to march
aboard.
That night our transport was far out on
the bosom of the broad Potomac, but when
morning dawned the Colonel found, or
rather failed to find, about % of his re-
cruits. Their guns and equipments were
there, but the men had deserted, evident
ashore, or drowning in the attempt.
We reached City Point the next day a
short time before sunset, and camped our
recruits on the shore of the James River
with strong guard, furnished by the
PrOvost-Marshal, on the other side, with
instructions 70 let no man pass out; but
the next morning more than 200 of our
recruits had disappeared. Their guns and
equipments were scattered all over the
campground. After breakfast the Colonel
got the balance of his regiment in line, and
the march for the front commenced. 1t
was bot day, and occasionally our road
led through pieces of woods where the
shade was enticing, and from every woods
and grove We emerged with our ranks de-
npfQd / a m q lost mi from
that regiment that day than any other
regiment even lost in one day during the
whole war. Finally, along in the after
noon, when our regiment of more than a
thousand men had dwindled to less than
a full company, and / saw not far away
the flags and badges of the Ninth Corps.
! said to myself, in the language of Jack
Falstaff: IF i be not ashamed of my SOL.
diers, / am a Souced gurnet.
I'll not march through Coventry Tor up to
headquarters with them, that's fat" so
then and there deserted my provisional
regiment and went in search of the ODD
q. s. Colored Troops, which soon found
and rejoined.
HOW THE FOURTH DIVISION PREPARED
FOR BATTLE.
On June is, or few days before my
return to the army, the Fourth Division
had been reunited with the Ninth Corps.
the Mine on July 80, we did such duties
as were assigned TO us; but as to what
those duties were there is some difference
between my recollection of them and what
seems to be the general verdict of history
so far as written. The Corps historian
says: while the Fourth Division was
engaged in the trenches they were also
drilled in the movements necessary for an
attack and occupation Of the enemy's
works"
Gen. Potter, commander of the First
Division, in his report of the battle of the
Mine. says: Gen. Ferrero was informed
that, in accordance with the plan OF at
tack, he was to lead the assault. when
the attack was made. He was ordered to
drill his troops accordingly. For
three weeks they drilled with alacrity in
the various MISUNDERSTANDING upon
earthworks, wheeling by the right and
left, deployment. and other details Of the
expected operations"
Then, again, Geo L. Kilmer, who pre-
tends to write historical sketches. in an
article of that kind, entitled '"The Siege of
Petersburg" makes the following state
ment: ''The colored troops we're drilled
especially to lead the assault, but the
white troops were ignorant of what was
expected of them, although camp rumor
spread the news that mine was tc he
exploded. and that the corps would charge
Che lines in front" In another place i'm
his article. Mr.. Kilmer says: Some time
after 6 o'clock Gen Meade ordered n di-
Vision OF the Eighteenth Corps on the