Year: 1863

mept was bit or hurt, but know that just on my
right there was soldier, knapsack, aud six
DAYS rations tumbled iGto promiscuous heap
on account of a cannon ball plunging dangerous
ly near them. As no one was hurt, and only
one fellow very much frightened, we concluded
that we had right to laugh at this fellows mis-
hap, although it was miracle that he was not
killed dead on the spot. These cannon-oalls as
they came tearing along through the air almost
exactly in our range, could often be distinctly seen
although the batteries from which they were
fred were over the bill out Of sight. Some ol
them appeared 10 be obong chunk OF iron, and
looked like bird flying swiftly through the af'
though they moved SO very rapid as to appear TO
the eve mere speck, utterly incompetent to
make the shreking noise that always followed
them.


We expected to be ordered forward every
minute, but the regiments engaged needed none
of our help, and we remained where we were
until the firing mad ceased, a1d night had come
on. 1t was quite cold, and we soon had grea'
rousing fires built and our coffee made, when the
order cam, for US to 90 on picket to their sup
nort We remained 10 line all night and III
noon Sunday, when the order came to advance
All had been quiet that forenoon, and no iirng
heard excppt now and then gun fired by some
umd picket, aimed probably at some imaginary
rehel or else fired by some mischievous soldier
aimed at a rabbit or a pig (by mistake OF course)
but which is Of too frequent an occurrence to oe'
e,siop any remark. The story was told OF our
brilliant success the night before, which was
cheering enough. Our men mad captured l2oV
nrisopers, took their battery, and drove the enc
m, out Of sight and hearing. The rebels fought
well. but we're caught in trap and bad to surren'
der. Ooe rebel lieutenant showing fight after he
had surrendered his men, had his brains knocked
6ut by the butt of a gun for his cowArdiy audacl-
ty.


On cur way back we passed over the ground
or the fight. covered, as such places usually are
with pieces Of cartridge boxes, muskets and other
broken implements Of war. There we're graves
bs.pp dug. and little further along were severa
rsb.I, sleepipg their last sleep, and only waiting
their turn 10 be laid away in their last resting
,l,ce. Alas for them Even the soldiers bar
dsn,d by war. whose duty it was to conslgn them
10 their rough tombs, felt touch OF sympathy
for their sad fate and for the moment forgot thai
few hours before they were engaged IN deadly
strife with the senseIess handful Of clay that lay
stiff aud dead before them.


We crossed the Rarpahannock Just above 'n'
earthWorks that are on each side OF the HSer q
I'm, mace. on the rebels pontoon bridge. Ih'
railroad bridge that we burned month ago, wa
us, below these same esrthworks. We moved
forward IN q shape 10 give or receive battle an!
time that our enemies we're willing TO accept
fight. Marching in line Of battle is the hardes
way 10 the world to march, but we advanced L
Rnbdy Station IN that way, distance OF abou
five miles. This same distance and same groun'
gs had marched over once before in the sam
way l. was month lAcking four days before
and an that time we were accommodating to see
Lee was trying to chase US now we were sur
that we we're chasing him, and to all appearance
quite successfully. We slept in line OF battle,
least such was oar position for we we're on a goo
place, and expected fight, but so far as sleeping
was concerned, we had very Indifferent success
for the night was intensely cold, and the ray
northwest wind utterly disregarded all tn
blankets we could pile on to us. We built u
fire, Of material that we had 10 CLEAN from ia
and wide, for troops have passed and repasse
over the ground so much that every rail and e'
ey bit Of fuel has been picked up aud burue
long ago. Each fire had circle Of men Houn
il. who would warm themselves, and then Ia
down and sleep TIL the cold drove them back
the fire again. We remained here till Monta
night. when we marched further upon the rlgi
to cur present position. We are now about 81
miles from Rappahannock Station, and aoo'
half that distance from the river.


ANTI-REBEL.