Year: 1863

take care OF them. lney reported the reOeIS uSt
left. We had been marching west, but turning
to our left we took a southerly course towards
Fairfax. Just before reaching that place, howev-
er, We met couple of rebei shells that informed
US that our further progress was disputed very
decidedly. Our batteries sent back shells enough
to pay them and leave heavy balance in our IA
vor. Our brigade formed into line in the wrong
place of course, or else how shall | account for
changes we kept making every five minutes, mov-
ing first to the right and then to the left, forward,
then backward, making endless maneuvers till our
patience was entirely exhausted. | do not pre-
tend to know the reasons for all our vexatious
movements, had rather find fault. know on
this occasion we made an endless number, and if
ever have an opportunity want to "speak my
mind and that never takes me but little while,
so here goes


You see it was nearly night, and we were
hungry, and imagined that we were pretty tired,
and that is generally worse for US to bear than if
really tired. We formed in line on a steep
hillside that sloped towards the rebels, where it
would suited US to have remained during the
night, and if the rebels pitched OF to us, why
pitch them off again. The artillery firing had
ceased and everything was profoundly quiet along
the lines. After considerable painstaking the line
was Strengthened to hair, for we are very precise
about these things when danger is not very immi-
nent. and were ready to throw off our knapsacks
and make our coffee etc. But the line was not


in the right place, we must move forward to yon-
der field. We moved, formed another line with
systematic precision, at the same time watching
with uneasy interest, the rapidly failing twilight,
! for when night came on, rainy and dark, how was
we going to see to find good water to fill our can
teens or to steal good rails to make us fire :?
| Again we had to move forward and form anew.
Daylight had gene entirely, so there was no need
Of further anxiety on that point. But we were


wrong again. Once more we must move and


form our eyes, twice, and all for nothing.


tried my best to be patient, and | succeeded re-


markedly we'll, for didn't swear at all, but was


in desperately supperless condition, and some


how had got the idea that must have gooc


hot cup of coffee before could eat or sleep. The


next order was to move back to almost the very


place where we formed our line in the first in


stance. Some laughed and some swore, but WI


obeyed the order the best we could feeling ou


way, over stumps and stones, in the dark, unit


finally we got organized, and as soon as we wer


assured officially that we had at last found stop


ping place for the night we threw off our KNAPP


sacks, built US fires, and prepared our evening


meal. This eat, we were the best natured fel


lows you could find on the globe. By midnigh


We were ready to lie down and sleep. Now, il


cases like this, it is clear ought to have movet
!, directly on to the right spot the first time, thu


giving the men more time to rest and less caus
to complain. Why we don't do SO the Genera
! has never told me.


Pretty soon after sunrise we we're packed u
ready to march. We didn't march far, however


we only moved to the right short distance, wher
we remained till nearly night, when We resumed
our march. The rebel skirmishers were but
short distance in our front. They fell back ant
, the Sd brigade of our division followed them, Skin
f mishing as they went. The way from FairfeG
Y to Emmettsburg lies through mountain gap
though both places are on the same side Of tn
| main range. We marched over this road tina
night, distance of about seven miles. The soft
, liquid mud was all the way from three inches tt
three feet deep in the road, and there was no use
on that dark night, to try to dodge it, or to b