The National tribune., 1910-08-25

tired, dusty, hungry, and quite num-
Der were without shelter tents, blankets
or knapsacks, having fired them away
on the first and second days march. We
suffered for want of them afterwards.
for it was many a day before we had
the privilege of drawing on the COM
missary again. The first day was very
hot and sultry. and the road to Bowling
Green was nothing but bed of dust,
fine as snuff. which arose, filling our
eyes, nose and ears, and the heat, which
caused us to perspire freely, mixed with
it and nearly choked us. When the
darkness came and we went into biv-
ouac. we dropped down like dead men,
and lay there until morning.
When We began to throw away our
knapsacks and blankets, etc. the
"cracker-jacks" that lived along the
line of march got out their wheelbar-
rows. pushcarts, etc, and followed after
us, picking up everything we had
thrown away. They reaped quite a
harvest. In my knapsack | threw away
was a brand-new officers light blue vest
with IS bill and my mothers picture
in the pockets of it.
On the second days march to Bowl
ing Green we passed the Garrett plant
alton and barn, where the assassin,
Bowling Green we were informed that
Hancock's Second Corps had preceded
us a few days on the flank movement
to the left After we got thru the
town we soon found indications that
the corps was ahead of us by the mile
stones" such as dead horses. etc. At
the close of the second days march
there came on one of those chilly, driz-
Zling Virginia rains. Having fired my
piece of shelter tent and blankets away,
no one would allow me to crawl in with
them, so | finally spied an ammunition
wagon and crawled under it out of the
rain and lay down; but I had no sooner
closed my eyes when a guard came
along and punched me out with his
bayonet I wandered over to tent
that had light in 1t, and by good luck
it proved to be our Chaplain's ("Pop-
py" Hun) tent. The rain was coming
down pretty lively. He said: Sonny
q was only young fellow, crawl
right in
The third night out we went into
bivouac on the Mattapony River tired
and footsore We lay down on the
bank, and many dangled their feet in
the water and slept. When we awoke
the water had taken the soreness out of
our feet, and we were ready for another
days march.
AS we composed whole brigade. the
suerrillas made no attempt to attack
us until we neared Cold Harbor and
were about to throw pontoons over the
Pamunkey River near New Castle Fer
ry. We threw out fiankers, and soon
of them.
The next morning, June (the last
days march that brought us to the
Army of the Potomac at old Cold Har-
Oor), we woke up in dense fog. crossed
a bridge over the Mattapony, and from
n iG tif1an
and Pamunkey Rivers. We
saw the smoke of the burning Milford
Bridge. Ward. the historian of our
regiment, says 1t was set on fire by the
rebels, and that we were ordered to put
1t out. This is an error There was no
such order given, and we proceeded on
our way. When within 10 miles of Cold
Harbor We could very distinctly hear
the booming of cannon.
The Colonel came riding along, say
ing: Boys, close up; they are having a
ball over there" He seemed eager
that we should hurry and participate in
It. When we reached the Pamunkey
River we had to lay a pontoon bridge
FOR crossing. Our Colonel and staff
had preceded US. and reported his ar
rival to Gen. Warren's headquarters at
he Woody House, near Beulah Church
We were assigned to Gen. Brooks Sec
ond Division of the Eighteenth Corps.
and formed the Third Brigade of that
division.
In passing to our position we saw a
Young man who had been shot over the
left eye. Our Surgeon, DIR. Bartines,
ordered him to be taken to the Eight
zenith Corps field hospital Several doc
ors had examined him and could do
nothing for him. DR.. Bartines inserted
l silver plate over the hole, and sewed
I up and saved the mans life.
AS we made our appearance at the
'front.', in full view of the rebel breast
works. the "Johnnies" saw US. and
thought we were massing for a charge,
and opened on US. None of us was
killed. but several were wounded. That
same night, about 8 o'clock, the bri- |
sade was ordered out to mass in re-
serve, while they Strengthened the pick
et line between the Sixth and Eight
zenith Corps. The First Lieutenant
commanding the company left me and
Ills coon in camp to guard the COM
pany's quarters. 1t was not long before
the ball opened. and for a half hour
the bullets came thick and fast back
thru the camp. The coon" suddenly
turned an ashy color, and made for a |
tree. fell on his knees, and was mutter-
ing something that sounded like a pray
Or. L had also gotten behind a tree, for
had previously come to the conclu-
sion there was no use of making a tar
get of oneself when it was not neces-
sary From this time on up to June IL
we were under fire more or less. night
and day. Henry Pippitt, Co. III. 2d
Pa, Brooklyn. n. Y.