The Republican journal., 1905-02-09
A VOLUNTEERS STORY.
TCLD AFTER THE LAPSE OF MORE
THAN FORTY YEARS BY CONE WHO
WAS THERE"
ICONTINTED.]

ing the winter and that following spring,
taking part in the battle of Chancel-
lor>ville, although not under fire. |
could not help thinking how much bet
ter it was to have the river between us
and the enemy than to be between the
river and the foe and be under fire as
We had been at Fredericksburg; and
do not know that l am more cowardIy
than the most of men. Monday, June
II, 1868, the army broke camp and
marched some twenty miles. | shall
never forget that days march. 1t was
only 20 miles, yet the dust rose in clouds
and the heat was intense. l was COM
pletely used up and had to fall out to
rest and did not get in until the regi-
ment had halted for the night. How
many times that day wished | was at
co ltinued our march northwarG through
TEoroughfare Gap, and had brush
with the enemy Then on again until
July lst, when we csmped for the night
two miles from the battlefield of Get
tysburg. Never shall forget that long
forced march. 1t was very warm and
the water poor. and 40 rounds of am
munltion and eight days rations made
quite load. Many days we had to
make thirty miles a day. Although we
were in the country of our friends many
n id 1riSl, rho unl1iH close
How plainly can see my comrade j.
A. c. when he fell out of the ranks
from sun stroke and the boys laid him
under Il tree, as we supposed to die.
Yet he is able to speak for himself at
this late day. The next forenoon we
marched to the front and were for
while in support of General Howard,
who was holding Cemetery Hill What
we saw on those days will never be
blotted from memory. And here we
cooked, or attempted to cook, our din.
ner. If memory serves me right the
18th Massachusetts lay in front of u.s.
| had eaten but morsel of bread and
poth ouL VI q greasy Via pau NHCH
along came shot OF shell through the
18th Massachusetts, mangling many of
the boys. My appetite suddenly left
me and did not want any more pork
that meal.
Much has been said and written on
the battle of Gettysburg, but the half
has never been told. In giving little
description of the battle l will only re-
fer to the part taken by the End Corps,
to which the 10th Maine belonged. The
fight W ednesday was not general. Only
the LIST and llth Corps were present to
hold in check the whole rebel army.
They we're driven back from their posi-
ton, and their brave commander, Gen
eral Reynolds, was killed. After a
weary night the 2nd Corps camped
some two mites from the battlefield.
Thursday morning at daybreak we all
fell IN, after paltaklng Of short ration
Of hard tack and pork and moved slow
~ and SQlemnly to the borders of our
Iuluit pdtlit Heit1. Ali Was qulel LII
the early morning save the tramp of
armed men and the rumble of long
tIAlns Of ambulances as they moved
a.Ung with the column. The thought
that some OF our number must occupy
them before night, wounded and bleed
ing, could not be repressed. The GER
talnty was too apparent, and many Of
our number We're never to behold an
other day Who would it be? was
natural reflection. Tie summer MORN
ing, so peaceful and beautiful, would
soon be marred by the wild commo:ion
of battle, and the little birds by the
roadside would be frightened away
when bursting shells and their deadly
fragments would fill the air. Soon we
halted by the centre of the line of bat
tie. Walls and fences were being torn
down the better to handle the troops
when called into action. Soon the men
returned to their stacks of arms to rest
little, for they were very weary after
the long march of two hundred miles.
Their faces were pale and haggard,
their clothing worn and covered with
mud, but quiet self-possession and
spirit of determination characterized
every man. Across the narrow field,
not a mile distant, stood the resolute
legions OF Lee. flushed with their vic
tory of the previous day.
"Be sure your cartridges are all right
is passed along the line, and all heed
the command. Soon one of Towards
batteries opened upon the enemy, but
could get no reply, and for long time
nothing could be got out of them. The
men began to build little fires and cook
their coffee. Officers were loungin5
about in groups and an ominous quiet
ness prevailed. Suddenly, boom! boom,
boom. and shrieking shells and their
bursting fragments filled, the air in
every direction. Look outr' is the
cry, and down dodge several thousand
heads to escape a cannon ball some one
has seen bounding along the ground.
But the deadly missile has no good
mission. on il cOmeSi Methinks can