The National tribune., 1906-11-22

My regiment was a part OF Griffin
Old Brigade" at Gettysburg, the Second
of the First Division of the Fifth Corps,
and / saw the charge made by that
grand body of men known as the
pennsylvania Reserves" and under
circumstances the memory of which
veil called Death.
1 had hoped some one else of the
32d Mass who has more fluent pen
than have l might write some expert
ences of battles in which our regiment
was engaged.
The record of Griftin's Old Brigade
is one to be proud of, and the S2d
Mass. was not whit behind the othera
in deeds of heroiSm.
On July l, 1863, after doing a full
days marching in the heat of the burn
ing sun, in less than half of a day, we
halted near Hanover, Pa, n little be-
fore noon Near our halting place was
a we'll of nice cool water OF this we
drew all we wanted to drink. We then
filed into field surrounded by a high
post and rail fence, unlike the crooked
kind We had been accustomed to gath
er in down in ole Virginia This fence
we were earnestly admonished to let
remain intact, before We got the order
to break ranks" and lest the admoni-
ton should be unheeded by some care
less soldier a guard was posted between
us and the fence to help us remember.
Perhaps it may be well to say for the
benefit of the uninitiated that the Vir-
ginia fences were easier to remove, and
being of dry wood made excellent ma
terial for building fires, for cooking
the rationS our Uncle Samuel used to
send TO u.s.
IN, +I,a
field we could hear the sullen boom of
distant cannon toward the west, and
we knew there was a battle in progress.
1t was the commencement of that bat
tie whose fame will live thru the ages
yet to be.
At about o'clock we got orders to
draw our allotment of fence from that
surrounding the field We occupied,
three lengths to a company, and that
fence was very quickly converted into
piles of firewood in various parts of the
field, and we We're told that we were
to remain where we We're until the next
morning Those of us who owned
cooking utensils soon prepared our fru-
gal evening meal, and partook thereof.
There were however, many who did
not own those useful articles of camp
furniture, and who waited until those
who had them were done using them
for the time being, and then borrowed
them, so that we who had the right to
the first use would finish our meal by
the time the second table were ready
to begin theirs, and that was just what
happened that evening.
Usually there was no serious diff
Guilty attending this state of affairs, but
on this occasion it was different, for
Just al this time the Bugler at brigade
headquarters arose and, giving the bri-
gade call for attention, began playing
that beautiful hymn which We were
all familiar with, Pack upi Pack up
etc Those of US who had satisfied our
hunger were not so disagreeably af-
fected by the music as those who had
not; they did not appreciate the music
j little bit, and most of them proceeded
to make some very forcibie remarks,
and ! am sorry to say used language
not at all suitable for Sunday school
However we were soon in line, and
marched thru the fields to the Gettys-
burg road, and as the sun was sinking
behind the western hills the Fifth Corps
had stretched its weary length along
the pike, marching toward the field OF
battle, where many of them ere the
sun again should sink behind the dis
tant hills would be lying cold in death
upon the fields of Gettysburg.
Cheering the Men.
We We're marching on road, long
stretches of which were straight as an
arrow, but moving slowly. Then from
far in the rear came a faint sound
which gradually increased in volume
We wondered what 1t meant. Looking
back, we could see horseman riding
at top speed along the side of the
marching column, and as he rode the
sound became a cheer, and we could
see caps go into the air. AS the flying
steed came nearer the cheer became q
grand hurrah, and as he dashed by lis
these words fell from the riders lips
"Gen. George B. Mcclellan is in com
mand of the Army of the Potomac
The men forgot their fatigue. Joined
the chorus of cheers and for hourg
moved rapidly forward, with scarcely
a halt; and as we marched along we
cheered every house we came to, wax
ing the people from sleep, and they
came out to near the good news. All
along the line We were treated to eat
ables and drinkables of such as the
people had to give, and that by the
hands of the fair daughters of the land
The time was brief for much love
making by the young soldiers, but what
without doubt.
Is miles of the 20 to Gettysburg, and
the morning we had our breakfast, then
took up the line Of march for the tc
be battlefield of Gettysburg Our di,
vision, the First of the Fifth Corps
was commanded by Gen. JOSEPH
Barnes. Col. j. B. Sweitzer of the 62t
Pa, was in command of our brigade