Year: 1861




works at Germantown, our Brigade bore
off to the left, taking position in line Of
battle il the open fields spreading north.
ward from the village. Skirmishers were
thrown forward, and the village also being
found deserted, the march was renewed
the position of the Regiments being alter.
ed-The First Wisconsin taking the right
and the Goth bringing up the rear of the
Brigade.


Over the streaming bayenets, through
the swaying colors and the clouds of dust
rolling densely upwards from the tramp
led earth, riding at the head of the Goth,
beside our Colonel, I saw the handful of
little wooden houses, known as German
town, rise up and dilate before US. One
house, however, particularly struck me,
even at the distance, and notwithstanding
the dust, confusion and tumult through
which | noticed it. A two storied house,
well proportioned, with white, cheerful
face, roses and woodbine, as l took them
to be, coiling and clustering about the
trelissed porch, young ornamental trees
in front of it, clear and handsome fea-
ture in the clouded picture against which
we were moving-it was the first pleasant
object, of the quieter and friendlier order
of things, we had fallen in with since we
pushed on that morning from Vienna.


"That house is on fire." Father O'Reilly,
our Chaplain, hurriedly observed, as he
whipped his horse up beside the Colonel.


The words had scarcely fallen from his
lips when a round mass Of black smoke
rolled out OF the windows of the house and
buried it IN darkness. Another moment
the red flames were leaping through the
smoke, and the cracking Of timbers,
pierced and rfted with the fire, was heard
distinctly above the tramp and tumult Of
the march. The only ornament of the
village in hot haste and fury was plunging
into ashes. In half an hour it would be,
at best, heap of smouldering charcoal
Whose was the scurvy and malignant hand
that fired the deserted homestead 1t is
for the Regiments of the Brigade, in adj
vance of the Goth, to answer. With them
rests the responsibility of this savage riot,
business and mischief The house was
doomed irrevocably when the Goth came
UP. The Irish Regiment swept by the
blazing ruin, cursing the ruf1ians who had
played the barbarous prank, and madden
ed with the thought Of the disgrace it
would bring upon the Federal Flag.


Nor did the wickedncss Of the moment
content itself with the destruction of an
unprotected dwelling. Pigs were shot
down and cut to pieces. the dripping frag-
ments being pounced upon and carried off
in triumph by the butchers. Turkeys and
chickens shared the same fate. Every
thing left behind them in the village BY
The retreating inhabitants, whether useful
or otherwise, was seized and swept away.
| saw a private of the Wisconsin Regi.
ment stumbling along with feather bed
across his shoulders. saw another with
a sledge hammer taken from the vacant
forge. a third had large looking glass
under his arm. A fourth had patched
quilt or counterpane wrapped about him
a curious piece of needle work, gaudy
enough to please Carib prince, and suf-
fcently -eavy for winters night in Nova
Scotia. A frenzy of depreciation seemed
to have seized many of the soldiers in ad-
vance of US; and the wanton passion ap-
peared to grasp at everything with an utter
disregard Of its usefulness or absurdity.
In vain did the officers of the offending
Regiments strive TO check the lawlessness
Of the men. The raw levies looked on
Germantown-th abandoned hantling of
a viilage-as their Lawful prey, and the
flames of the burning house, widening
rapidly and fiercely, alone compelled them
to desist.


Hurrying past this scene-leaying the
house bursting pile of smoke and fire,
for it was impossible for US to save it, and
having assured two South Carolina SOL
diers, who lay in an adjoining shed, swell
,ering in the dirtisst Of blankets and deadly
sick with measles, that they should have
our protection and whatever relief we
could render them and to fear 10 harm
the G9th IN a few minutes gained the road
from Fairfax 10 Centreville. 1t was now
close on Que o'clock-the sun was fierce
the dust binding and s,iAing-we had
been tramping it since little after sun
it on tie paltriest slow