The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1905-02-18
"REMINISCENCES
of the
CIVIL WAR
Written for the Cecil Whig.1

The Tenth and Eighteenth corps. to
longed, having become decimlted were
consolidated and became the Twenty
fourth Corps. Army of the James hav-
ing been sent to the north side of the
James river, in which territory we Serv-
ed until the close of hO>tilities. The
next engagement in which our regiment
actively participated wars at Fair Oak
on October ~, 1864. this affair scarcely
/ reached the magnitude of IL battle. the
object being to feel the enemy. Among
the wounded in Company | were Ser
gcant John Il. Bennett Corporal James
Knox Polk Racine and private Geo. NJ.
| ID. Racine, of Elkton. We afterwards
went into winter quarters near the New
| Market road in front of Richmond.
Here we built comfortable winter quar-
ters by chopping Gown pine trees and
| building log huts. filling the spaces be-
tween the logs with sticks and mud, our
shelter tents being used for roofs Our
duties were confined to picket camp
guard and occasional drills There be-
! ing no excitement the winter was Il long
and dreary one.
At long intervals something would oc-
cur to relieve the trdium of camp life.
| One morning we received light marching
orders. and were taken up the line q
! short distance and into field. between
our lines and those occupied by the
enemy. and formed in line 1t was
thought for Il time we were to charge
| their works. hut al other regiments
| filed in. Il hollow square WAS formed.
! Presently II brass band came within
hearing playing the dead march, follow
ed by wagons containing pine collins.
| then came the prisoners to be shot.
am in doubt ut TINS writing whether the
number was five or seven. they were
| followed by the firing squad. After the
| preiiminaricS such as standing each
man in front of his coffin and being
hlindfOlded had been accomplished the
| firing squad were drawn up in front of
the men. the officer in charge giving the
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came heavy marching orders This
| means to strip and pack up everything
| belonging 10 us. we were then marched
over Il high hill in full view of the enc
| my. passing down into Il valley we were
halted. urElung knapSackS and kept
there until after night came on when we
| were marched back into our old quar-
| tiers. only to find them stripped by the
other regiments which remained in camp
and of course they did not know that
| we would return. and | do not think it
would have made any difference if they
| had.
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There WAS Il tacit understanding be-
tween the pickets on each side that no
firing w:,s to be done, unless in case of
Anadvance, thus making it safe for the
pickets upon both sides to patrol their
beats in full view of each other without
protection of any nature. While our Of
ticerS forbid trading with the Confeder-
ates, yet there WAS considerable of it
done at night. Visiting the Vidette one
night he called my attention to Il noise
in Il swamp near his post. inStructing
him to challenge it, the answer came.
1T is me. Iank: ! want to trade" tell