The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-01-04

OAys dhut VI COuiSc, DIS d DOy uSdrO
much concerning it.
When five years old, or in 1848, a
brother but five years older than my
self, In talking to another boy, said:
This slave question will surely bring
on war. I may not live to see 1T, but
my brother here WILL" pointing to me-
Well, yes, did see 1t, and he, poor fell
low, did not. / write this to call atten-
ton to the feelings even among chill
dren In the North of that time. You
see, was born Abolitionist, too young
to vote, but sang in a glee club for
John c. Fremont Is the man we want.
He's the man, too, who can wear the
traces" etc., etc.
was also too young to vote for Lin
coin in 1860, but when Fort Sumter
was fired on 1t set ablaze every drop of
blood In my veins, and when our mill
tia company, the Flint Union Grays,
called rallying meeting, / made a lit
tie speech, and begged that my name
the war from that locality. We were
sworn into State service April 20, 1861,
for three months service and rendeZ-
yoused at Detroit, Mich. Meantime the
Government refused to accept any more
three-months men. AS Michigan had al
ready one regiment of three-months
men In the field we were compelled to
disband and go home or enlist for three
years or during the war. Many went
nome, but many of us remained, and
the skeleton Of our company was quick
ly filled up and became Co. =, I'd Mich
Col. Dick Richardson was sur Colonel.
Afterward Gen. j. B. Richardson, killed
at .Antietam. Had this grand man and
noble soldier lived he WOULD have been
made Commander of the Amy of the
Potomac.
Our regiment left the State June 6,
1861, and with much anxiety and ex-
peotatfOn We arrived at the Relay House
near Baltimore, Md, near shutdown,
june 8. 1t has been claimed ours was
the first regiment to go through Bal
tir1ore after the hard usage Of the 9Th
Mass. Whether so or not do not know,
but do know our Colonel drew US up
In line. division Of two companies, front,
and addressed us as follows:
Second Michigan, we may Eow meet
our first engagement. You will at the
command load at will, and be careful
none OF You get the ball down first
Let every man keep his head. Do not
get excited, and do not fire unless YOU
receive orders. We will march through
the city company division front, where
possible; where not, break into platoons.
AS you march let the first four men on
right AID left TANKS watch the roofs
and windows. and If attacked see that
you bring down the assailant, be it man
or woman"
At this point the Chief Of Police came
up with large squad Of men, and said
he came to escort the regiment through
the town. The Colonel answered I'm
these words:
You can march ahead il you want
to, but my men came here prepared to
take care of themselves"
After carefully loading our old Har-
per's Ferry muskets the Colonel re-
marked:
Now let them attack us and we will
show them what a ball and three buck
shot will do"
We had no occasion to fire a shot; in
fact, we hardly saw a person except the
police and railroad men.
we took the train for Washington or
the other side of town, and were all
night pulling through, arriving a.
washington at O'Clock on the morn.
Ing Of June 10. In the afternoon VIZ
marched in review before Presiden
Lincoln and Gen. Scott
L wonder IL any comrade could ever
forget such an experience; in fact coult
any person who ever saw either of thos,
men once forget the event. Or coult
he doubt that God Almighty raises u,
the right man in the right place whei
wanted?
We went into camp just below
Georgetown, and two days later move,
down to Camp Scott at Chain Bridge
where We lay guarding the bridge unit
We took up our line OF march out tn
Georgetown road for Bull Run.
To Bull Run.
1t was the 10th OF June, 1861, tn
Army Of the Potomac, under Gen. Ir
WIN Mcdowell. took up its line of marcl
toward Richmond. 10000 strong, II
Tour divisions commanded by Brig. Ger
Tyler and Coils. Hunter HeintZelmal
and Miles; Miles on the extreme lef
on the old Braddock road, which be
comes the Warrenton turnpike afte
passing through Fairfax Court House
HeintZelman, with the leading portion
OF the left wing, took the Little Rive
turnpike, while Hunter, with the cen
ter. took the Leesburg and CentervilI
road; Tyler. with the right wins
took the Georgetown road. Their
could not have been much secrecy Il
regard TO the order of march, becaus
private soldiers were discussing II TO
gether with other phases Of the cam
paign.
Col. Richardson had been placed Il
command Of the brigade consisting O
the I'd and Sd Mich. and 18th Mass