  Company K we presume, was not far behind the general run of soldiers, in "stirring up the de'il." Many amusing incidents might be recorded, but we give only a few Reminiscences in these pages, as they readily occur to us. WHO STOLE THE DUMPLINGS? At Fairfax Station, Lieut's Minnigh and Kitzmiller having secured some very fine apples, and a batch of real wheat flour, concluded to have an Apple-dumpling dinner. A Camp-kettle was brought into requisition, the dumplings were made by "Cornelius", who took charge of the preparation, and soon the kettle was steaming over a blazing fire. A few guests were invited, the board was well spread and all waited anxiously, the summons to the feast, for 'Nelius had said, "Dey's most biled, Boss." Suddenly while thus waiting, Cornelius at one bound sprung into the tent and blurted out these words, "deed and double, dey's gone, sure 'nuff; somebody's done gone and stole de dump-l-i-n-e-s, kittle and all!" This proved to be an actual fact, and to this day the real thief, who stole everything but these officer's tremendous appetite for dumplings, has never been discovered. NO TWO SHOTS, Anincident at Spottsylvania, will easily be recalled to memory. In some movement, in which our regiment participated, our flank was brought in range with a rebel battery, when a 20 pound shot came whizzing along. Fortunately, it was poorly aimed, and exploded as it struck the ground. The shell tore a hole in the ground, about ten feet from our line, immediately in front of our company, sufficiently deep to bury a team of mules. Several of the boys said, "No two shots, ever strike the same spot," as they jumped into the cavity, considering it a safe place. Scarcely had they entered it however, until another shot from the same gun, came rico-cheting in the track of the former, struck the ground and tore its way right through under them. The shell did not explode, fortunately, and no one was hurt, but such a "scrabbling out" of that hole, and scratching of dirt out of eyes and ears, was rediculously amusing. TWO FRIENDS PART FOREVER. Itwas amusing to listen to Bill Mumper express himself under the excitement of Battle, when somehow, though brave as a lion, he lost control of himself. At North Anna river, after we had crossed at Jericho fording, we lay in an open field, and the artillery were throwing shot and shell, to and fro, over our heads. One of the shells exploded prematurely right above us, and a portion coming straight down, struck Mumper's tin-cup buckled to his haversack, which was slung over his shoulder, smashing it into a shapeless mass. Bill got mad, and in his anger uttered words, something like these, "Make out a requisition for a new tin-cup, quick; d——d if that was'nt the last tin in the brigade;" then taking the relic in his hand, he soliloquized as follows. "Good bye! old tin-cup, Good bye! You've been a faithful friend to me, ... I have'nt time to shed any tears just now, but I'll miss you like ——, and I'll often think of—" Just then a shell exploded right in our midst, and springing to his feet, as the order, attention! was given, he exclaimed finally, "H—— they won't let me alone in my sorrow!" AN AWFUL DEATH. At Charles' City cross roads, when lying down under the heavy cannonry, a solid shot struck a tree, twenty feet from the ground, cutting it off clean from the main trunk. It then dropped to the ground in an upright position, and in doing so, struck the prostrate form of a soldier, lying at the root of the tree, crushing him into the ground. The tree as it impaled the luckless soldier, rose thirty feet into the air, and stood upright by the parent stock. "SNAP" IN A PIG-PEN On the march toward Washington, after the Second Bull-Run, 'Snap' Rouzer got tired out, and concluded to take a rest. Finding a convenient pig-pen by the road-side, he crawled in, and soon was asleep. When he awoke from his slumbers, the troops were still going by, but he resolved, first, to take a look at outside surroundings. When he did so, he discovered that our troops had disappeared, and the Johnnies were going by with long and hurried steps, so he laid low for two mortal hours watching and counting the rebels passing. When the way was clear, he lit out, by a flank movement and rejoined the company, first reporting to Division Head-quarters, the numbers of the enemy he had seen in pursuit of our forces. He said that a commission was promised him for the valuable information, but the commission never came to hand. Rouzer frequently was absent from the command, a day or two at a time, and when interrogated as to the matter, would merely say that he had been on a scout. We must here relate, one of Rouzer's pranks. An order had been issued, from Head-quarters, requiring all soldiers to remain with the Camps of the various regiment, as many were accustomed to pitch their tents in a convenient woods, away from the camp. Jim was one of those affected by the order, but as usual, paid no attention to it, and with several comrades remained out, "where wood and water was plenty." When told of the order, on coming to the main camp for rations, he simply uttered a single bad word, gave his long black mustache a push to one side, (you remember that mustache, one side up in the air and the other trying to look respectable?) and then he went back to his "dog-tent" in the woods. Presently an officer was sent from Head-quarters, to drive all stragglers into camp, and riding up to Snap's tent, with the usual big fire in front of it, inquired of Jim sitting composedly by the fire, why he was not in camp according to orders. "Well, Captain! I'd like to be there, but I'm taking care of them fellers in there, just now," said Jim, pointing to the tent, where two men were sleeping on a pallet of straw. "This is a hos-pit-tal, and them poor sojers is awful bad with the Small-pox." It is said that the officer concluded that he had business some where else just then, and rode off at full speed, and left Rouzer master of the situation. "You can't spit in my ear." The comrades will remember the squad of new recruits, at Camp Tennally, a few of whom were "raw, very raw," but who at the end of the term of service, "were sharp as any." L——h was one of these, and it is said, some the boys played the following trick on him, when, for the first time, he was put on guard duty. He was warned by the boys, to be a little watchful, as they often played tricks on the new beginners, and named some rediculous things that had been formerly played on recruits, none of which, had any foundation in fact. L——h had no idea that the boys were putting up a job on him, and when put on guard, he walked his beat as proud as a gobbler in a barn-yard, and with an air about him that said, "you can't play any tricks on me!" About sunset the officer of the camp guard made the rounds, and gave the countersign, whispering the same in the ear of each guard as customary. The officer approached L——h for this purpose, but was held back by a movement of the bayonet, and with a knowing grin, he exclaimed, "Oh! You can't spit in my ear." A printing press, is an agent by the use of which, much good or much harm may be done, but our object is to preserve a few reminiscences, which ought to be handed down to our children. Jacobs was on guard, at Regimental Head-quarters on one occasion, and as was often the case when the relief seemed to be behind time, he called out two or three times, very distinctly, "Two o'clock, and no relief." This annoyed Col. Roberts who was awaked in the midst of his slumbers, so when the sentinel again yelled, "Two o'clock, and no-o-o-o—" he never finished, for two distinct shots of a revolver, in the Col's tent attracted his attention, and approaching the same he hurriedly inquired "Colonel, Colonel! any thing the matter, in there?" The reply was, "I did'nt hit you, did'nt I? Now you holler again, d——you, and I'll blow out your brains." Jacobs did'nt holler any more. Having been detailed for duty, with the Pioneer Corps, he reported at once to Head-quarters, and when they asked his name and regiment, replied "Co. K., of the First, and my name is John Henry Kelley Jacobs." The Captain looked at him inquiringly, and said, "I want only your name, not all the names in the regiment." That was, however, his real name. It is related that on the march, through Maryland, Rouzer came straggling into camp and reported to the boys, that he had discovered an Ice-house well filled, and not a great ways off. A party of half a dozen, soon were on the way piloted by Jim. Presently, they came to the house, mostly under ground, by the side of a pond of water. The door being locked a few lusty blows knocked it off the hinges, and sure enough, it was well filled, and covered nicely, with a layer of straw. Well, several of the boys jumped in at the same instant, when, Lo! what seemed to be a body of Ice, was water, with a mass of floating straw on top, and the boys were plunging and snorting in six feet of ice-cold, filthy drainage. They charged Snap with a put-up job, and—well, maybe it was. Orderly Young says, that after returning to our camp from the Burnside "stick in the mud," he was ready for almost anything, and that night he and John Brandon played their first game of cards. By the way, Sammy, where did you play the final game, Hey? WHO KILLED THAT CALF? In a foraging Expedition, two members of the company found a fatted calf, in a farmers barn-yard, and soon the greater portion of it was transferred to their haversacks, and they rejoined the command just in time for the evening Dress-parade. They kept very quiet about the matter, and no one suspected what was about to happen. The parade was formed the foragers were in the rear rank. After the usual manual of arms, the Colonel gave the command, "Rear rank, open order, March!" this movement being gracefully performed, the Colonel went to the head of the regiment, and accompanied by a citizen, they passed down the line, the farmer scanning the face of every soldier in the front rank; having reached the left of the line, they turned and gave the same attention to the rear rank. Just then, a movement took place in Co. K., two men quickly exchanged places in the rear rank with two others in the front rank, no one outside of the company, it seems, noticing the movement. The sequel, to the whole proceeding was this. That lank looking farmer had followed the men into camp, and having reported to Colonel Roberts, he was told, that if he could point out the two men, he would have them punished; hence the inspection that took place. Well, he did'nt find the men, but still he said that they belonged to the First regiment. Of course they did, but they outwited the farmer. "SHUNKA-FLIESH." An appetite for smoked meat, was omnipresent among the men, and all the "salt horse and sow-belly" in the commissary, could not satisfy that appetite. At Bristow station, it was necessary to make a special trip to army Head-quarters on the Rapidan, for a supply, but our "little dutchman" took another plan. Going down the rail-road to the next station, he jumped an open car loaded with barrels of ham, (he called it shunka-fliesh,) and as the train neared our camp, he tumbled a barrel off, into a clump of bushes by the road-side. Then quietly, assisted by others, it was brought into camp. That was good ham, as we have reason to know, a fine slice having somehow found its way to our table. McCABE'S BIG KNAPSACK. Captain Minnigh at Spottsylvania, was placed in charge of some men, with orders to find the ammunition train, and get a supply of cartridges for the regiment. The train was soon found, and at no great distance from the command, but the direct intervening space, was open ground and covered by a rebel battery; this necessitated a long detour, in order to reach the regiment in safety. One of the detailed men was McCabe of Co. D, (I think,) a noble and good-hearted specimen of an Irish soldier, and a man who always carried a mule's load in his knapsack; when therefore, each man had shouldered a box of cartridges and started, McCabe turned to the Captain, and said, "Faith and be-jabers Cap'n, an' oi'm goin' shtraight over to the rigament." Suiting his action to the words, he was gone. All went well till he reached the middle of the open space, when the boom of a single gun was heard, and a hissing shell came down the ravine as if it was hunting for the Irishman. He looked around for an instant, then turned just in time to let the shell strike squarely, the well packed knapsack. It knocked him down, his cap going one way and the box of cartridges the other way; to our surprise he scrabbled up, picked up his cap and deliberately put it on his head, then shouldered the ammunition box, and started again. The fact is, he was not hurt in the least degree. That tremendous knapsack saved his life. We witnessed a strange sight on one occasion, as we awoke from the slumber of the night. It was a bivouac, and snow had fallen during the night, and as one soldier after another, rose, from under the bed of snow, we thought of the great resurrection morning. BROKE THE REBEL'S ARM. In the Battle of Charles' City cross roads, many Charges were made, and many rebel prisoners taken, when an order was given to take no more prisoners, but to disarm them and let them go. After a certain charge, Orderly sergeant Minnigh when the recall was sounded, met M. M. Miller returning to our line with two prisoners. He called Miller's attention to the orders, and said he should smash the muskets around a tree and let the prisoners go. Mike proceeded to do this, but the fellow resisted and there was quite a scuffle. Sergeant M. watched the contest for a moment, but just then he noticed a movement on the part of the other Johnnie, and saw him in the act of levelling a revolver at Miller. Quick action was necessary, and with a spring and a yell he struck the arm of the rebel, with his clubbed musket, sending the pistol into the air, and breaking the arm midway between the elbow and the wrist. Minnigh picked up the revolver and sent it home afterward as a relic. Miller took the muskets, and destroyed them, letting the prisoners go. On the Floor in Prince William's C. H. Virginia, among a mass of rubbage, Capt. Minnigh picked up several papers that bear the marks of a past age, both in appearance and subject matter, and as relics of the past we insert one or two in these pages; notice the dates.
Another Interesting Document.
WHO CAN EXPLAIN? We give here, a copy of a document, found among the company papers, that fell into our possesion, when the command came into our hands. We venture (a supposition only,) that the paper refers in some way to what was known as "The company fund," viz: money paid to the company by the commissary department, for rations that were not drawn. Copy of the Statement. If my supposition is correct, then, who received the monies and as the expressage is charged, where was it sent, and where is it now? The paper has no signature. It seems to have been a settlement made after September 1. 1863, as it is written on the back of another document dated at that time. "DOC" ELDEN and THE "BLACK-LEG." An experienced Gambler came to the front at a certain pay-day, put up his Tent without opposition from the authorities, and opened a "gambling hell," and a number of the boys were beaten out of their hard earnd money by the wily rascal. Doc was lured into the den, and lost every cent he had in a very few games. He then took a favorable position and watched the gambler closely, and soon discovered the secret of his success, and concluded to beat him at his own game. But how? his money was gone. He approached one of his most intimate friends, (every member of of the company was his friend,) and solicited the loan of $10, candidly revealing the facts, as stated above, asserting in addition, the positive assurance of retrieving his former losses. At this moment another comrade came in and heard the concluding words, and at his suggestion, each gave Doc $5.00, and having received the cash, he seemed very grateful, then turning to go he said, "I'll pay you back your money to-night." In about two hours, he returned to camp, paid back the borrowed money, promptly, and held in his hand quite a roll of green-backs besides. When asked the question, "How did you do it?" he answered with a single word, "Bluffing." "RED TAPE." This was a Term applied to the lengthy routine, through which all business had to pass, even the minutest affair, went from Company to Regimental, thence to Brigade and Division Head-qrs, for approval, after which it was returned to the place of starting, through the same channel, thus taking much time, which often, under certain circumstances, made applications or petitions, a mere farce. On one occasion, a comrade received a dispatch informing him of the death of his wife. Having applied for leave to go home, it took two days to get it, and when he got home the wife was already buried. We insert a boda-fide copy of a paper in our possession, (we have many such papers,) that proves our assertion, concerning the "Red-tape" business. Beyond the above, the document has no significance here.
On the back of this neatly folded paper, are recorded the following endorsements, in the order given.
Meeting friends, amid Scenes of strife. In the advance toward Gettysburg, (our home,) many incidents worthy of note took place, but we will only give, in this connection, portions of a letter, sent us by I. N. Durboraw, Esq., who tells his experience among the friends and relatives that surrounded him. Many of Company K. had like experiences, if they cared to relate them. "I was with the company on the march to Gettysburg," says comrade Durboraw, "and it was amusing as familliar scenes, persons and faces were presented to our view. Some young ladies whom I recognized, as we passed along, not far from my home, and who were waving their handkerchiefs at the soldiers passing by, gazed at me in amazement as I named them, and as they did not recognize me, inquired, one of another, who that could be that knew them. When we arrived at the home of Serg't Young his own brother Robert came to us, but the Sergeant did not leave the ranks. While in bivouac, in J. M. Diehl's field, where we halted just before noon on July 2, to get a little rest, and wait for orders, Robison came to me when cooking my coffee, and told me that Peter Baker, living near by, wished to see me, so I went to his house, and after getting something to eat, returned promptly to the company. Just when I reached the command the orders were given to fall-in double-quick, and hurriedly we advanced to the Round-tops, obliquing into position left in front, ... fired two rounds, when the order 'Forward!' was given, and every man had to hunt his way as best he could, over, round and through the bushes, rocks, stones and Plum-run swamp in the flat below. How the rebels, who were in numbers right in our front as the order to charge was given, it is hard to tell, but most of them did; when we got to the wheat-field the line was halted, and finaly established at the stone fence, which is in place today. I now told Capt. Minnigh I was going home, and that he should neither say, Yes or No! I went back to the place where we had piled our knapsacks, the day before, but could find neither knapsack nor Creamer the guard, but looking round I eventually found it in a quarry on the banks of Rock-creek. I had only three miles home and soon reached it, only to find it filled with wounded soldiers, Gen'l Meredith being one of the number. I slept on the floor that night, and the next morning, with a knapsack well filled, I returned to the company. I did not find many of the people in the neighborhood at their homes, and their houses were occupied by skulkers and shuysters absent from their commands. When I got back to the company I shared out the contents of my haversack, and when we marched that night it was empty. On the march that night I passed through a house by the road-side, and met a number of my relatives, but only said, How d'ye do, and Good bye, and was off again." "Green Persimmon Pies." Cheated, by gosh! was the exclamation of a certain comrade in an undertone, as he spat out a huge mouthful of fresh baked pie. Well! the explanation is just as follows; two pies had been secured on the march that day from a colored woman, at twenty five cents each, but when the soldier came to sample the pies, he found they were made of green persimmons, and the lower crust was corn-meal. No wonder he tried to use "cuss words," his mouth being ready either to swear or to whistle. Thirty-two rebels Captured on the Picket-line. An incident at Spottsylvania may be related here. The Picket line had been driven in, and a detail of forty men, was placed in charge of Captain Minnigh who was merely instructed to re-establish that line, which he was told curved in, bringing the rebel pickets near to our Division Head-quarters. The only portion of our line visible was on the extreme right, at a white house on an elevation of ground. He at once proceeded a short distance to the left, and soon reached Burnside's unbroken line, on its extreme right and at the point where that line was broken off abruptly. From this point to the house referred to, was a distance of half a mile, and this space was to be occupied by the new line. "That woods is full of rebels, and you and your men will be captured if you go in there," was an officers greeting when told of the work assigned to the detail, "It will take a brigade to re-establish the line." Not the least dismayed, the word of command was given and the advance into the woods was started, in a bee-line for the white house, a glimpse of which was occasionally seen through the trees. By stationing a picket every twenty five yards, the space could be covered, and this was done, without the least molestation on the part of the enemy, not a rebel being visible. Scarcely was the line re-established, when one of the movements peculiar to this campaign commenced, and an order came instructing the picket line to fall back, preserving an unbroken line. This was done, and when the movement was completed we counted thirty-two rebel pickets captured on the line. This question remains to be answered. How did the new line of union pickets cut the rebel line in two places, as evidently it did, without seeing an enemy or firing a shot? A REBEL GIRL "SPIT IN HIS FACE." Only for the Soldiers, none for officers," were the words that met Sergeant M——as he took a cup of water out of a bucket, at a yard-gate, in the neat village of Drainsville while the Pa. Reserves were passing through on a reconnoisance. An aged lady and two young girls stood by the vessel of water, and one of the girls had spoken the words quoted above. The Sergeant was about to drink from the well filled cup, when Gen'l Reynolds riding up to the gate, said to him, "Sergeant! get me a cup of that water." He promptly handed the cup, still untouched, to the General, who drank the water, expressed his thanks and rode away. Deprived of his drink he now turned to get another cup for himself, but was met by a blunt refusal from one of the girls, who said, "You gave your cup of water to that officer, and you cannot have any more." His reply to this was, "I'll give my Brigade commander a cup of water every time, even if it deprives me of a drink, at the hands of a she rebel." As he finished this direct language she turned quickly and 'spit' in his face, not once but twice. M—— turned and walked away, but took along the bucket of water. Who were the boys, that took a Piano from the mansion near Camp Pierpont, and hid it in the barn among the fodder, previous to its shipment north, at the close of the war? As the war unexpectedly continued for four years afterward it must have been considerably out of tune. "THAT'S THE VERY FELLOW!" The Army of the Potomac, in one of the advances southward, crossed the Potomac at the Berlin ferry, and pushed down through Loudoun valley. The Captain was sick during part of this advance, and we give a strange coincidence which then had its origin, in his own words. After crossing on the Pontoon bridge I was put into an ambulance, and after proceeding a mile or two, I gave my place in the ambulance to a poor fellow who had sun-stroke, and who seemed more dead than alive. I plodded on as best I could, being some distance in the rear of my command, when Gen'l——followed by his staff came riding along. He addressed me sharply, inquiring why I was away from my command. I told him of my illness and how I had given my place in the ambulance to the soldier, then, with a contemptible toss of the head he muttered, "A likely story," and rode on. In the evening I caught up, at the camping ground, sick, tired and hungry; but soldiers fare was entirely unpalatable, and I could not eat it, so I went to the village close by, (Lovettsville,) determined to secure something tasteful. I approached a house at the outskirts of the town, for the flavor of newly baked pies had been wafted toward me by the evening breeze and I decided that a pie, a fresh blackberry-pie, was just what would suit my case. Knocking at a side entrance I was admitted by a young lady, who moved a convenient rocker and bade me be seated. Presently a middle-aged lady entered the room, bearing two pies, which were added to a number already on the large dining table opened to its full capacity. Taking courage I told the woman of my illness and my craving for home-fare, and that in her motherly goodness would she sell me two of those pies? She replied, that she would like to do so, but that General—— (the same officer I had met on the march that day,) had ordered the pies, for himself and his staff officers. With this she left the room, and then I appealed to the young lady who seemed to be on my side, but she stated her inability to reverse the decision made by her aunt, but added these words as she pointed to the table, "If I want a pie I take it." That settled the matter, and I went to the table, put two pies together, and with an ordinary stride started for camp, convinced that the two pies were not baked for Gen'l——. I got to camp all right, and enjoyed the pies exceedingly, and the whole circumstance was soon forgotten, and perhaps never would have been recalled had not the following incident occurred. When Company K, had been mustered out at the expiration of the full three years term of service, we returned home, and having closed up all the company affairs, I finally turned toward the residence of my father on the corner of Middle and Washington streets, and entered the door as the bell called to supper, I was ushered into the dining-room, and introduced by my mother as the returned soldier boy, and was shown to a seat at the board, where a number of persons, of both sexes were already seated. Suddenly a young lady, a perfect stranger to me, after staring me full in the face for a moment, with a hearty laugh and a gleeful clapping of her hands, addressing my mother exclaimed, "Oh, Mrs. M., do you remember I told you about a sick officer taking two pies from aunties dining table, down at Lovettsville, Va?" and without waiting for a reply, pointing her finger in my direction she added "That's the very fellow!" This proved to be the same young lady teaching in Gettysburg, and boarding at my mother's table. We enjoyed that supper, after rehearsing the story of the stolen pies, and when supper was about finished, I got an extra piece of pie. An interesting story! is the general verdict rendered, where ever I have related the incidents connected with my visit home, on the evening of July 3rd, when the command was relieved from the front, at the Round-tops. As the Story may be interesting to others, I will relate it for the benefit of all. When we went into bivouac, on the spot where the Round-top Park dancing-floor now stands, many of the company whose homes were in Gettysburg or the immediate vicinity, quietly slipped away, and believing that our work, for a while at least, was ended, I also went, saying to the boys when I started, "Boys if you go home, don't fail to get back to-morrow morning." I am proud of the conduct of company K, at, as well as after the battle of Gettysburg, and why should I not be? These brave fellows could easily imagine the dangerous surroundings of loved ones, during the terrible conflict, in their homes within the bounds of the battle-field, yet, not a man left the ranks or fled from duty, and while most of them got home after the battle, by a peculiar device, only one failed to return. But to my story; I passed northward just in the rear of the line of battle, and through the Citizens cemetery, thence up Baltimore street to the Court-house on the corner of Middle street, which was a dangerous performance, as the whole route was exposed to rebel sharp-shooters, making it necessary to cross all streets and alleys at a bound. Having reached the point indicated, I found the residence of my father, on west Middle street one square from the Court-house, so completely covered by rebel sharp-shooters, that it was an impossible measure to go there. I observed things closely, and saw a certain officer who was apparetly not acquainted with the dangerous surroundings, turn the corner where I was standing, and walk deliberately down in the middle of the street, without being molested, but, Alas! the poor fellow when he got below Washington street, was taken prisoner. So I took advantage of what I had seen, and walked down the street, with misgivings I confess, for doubtless many rifles were aimed at me, with a rebel finger on each trigger, ready to send as many messengers of death, if I should turn either to the right or to the left. It was an awful moment, but I determined to carry out my plan, which was to spring into a flower garden on the east side of the house, when I would reach that point, for I would then be in a safe place. On! on, to hesitate would be fatal; and how terrible it would be to die so near to the loved ones; still on I went, not hurriedly, for the enemy must not even think that I have a purpose in view; Oh! If only the yard-gate were open! Ah, it is open! A spring, and I am through it, and behind the cover of the house; I am safe, but what a shower of minnie balls strike the pavement over which I came, and how they tear through the palings of the fence on both sides of the open gate, terrible messengers they are, but harmless now as far they concerned me. None of the family were visible, so I entered the unlocked door of a back kitchen, which was empty, then into the main building I went and all through it from main floor to attic, and found no one; disappointed I turned to the cellar and was met on the stair-way by a sister, who failed to recognize me in the semi-darkness, who said, "Here! what do you want?" On the spur of the moment I said, "Can you supply me with just a bite to eat?" With this she retired below and I followed to the foot of the stairs, and took a seat near the lower step, and this is what I then saw: father and mother, four sisters and a brother, two or three improvised beds, an almost consumed tallow dip on the end of a barrel in a far off corner, and each person being a perfect image of dejection and despondency. Sister Lucy whispered something to mother, who then entered an adjoining pantry, doubtless to get the "bite to eat," while a younger sister approached me inquiring, "I wonder how much longer we will have to remain in this cellar?" I merely answered, "Not long," but I discovered that they were entirely ignorant of the state affairs without. She looked at me closely, and then followed mother into the pantry. Presently, mother approached me, bearing a huge piece of bread in her hand, and peering very closely into my face, then as if in glad surprise, she ejaculated, "Oh, you bad fellow, I know you now! Here's your supper." I will not attempt a portrayal of the scene that followed, but in a few words I revealed the state of affairs without, and brought them from that lower world, in which they had dwelt several days, into the light and comfort of the upper world once more. Soon an ample supper spread the board, and then all retired to the comfortable beds, of which they had been deprived for two nights, and I had not enjoyed for two years. That night the confederate army began the evacuation of Gettysburg. Lieut. Sadler, buried at home. On the 14th of September 1862, at South Mountain, in the charge up the last acclivity, and just when the victory was won, Lieut. J. D. Sadler fell in death, and Lieut. Minnigh was wounded. As I wish to relate the circumstances connected with the removal of Sadler's body from the field where he fell, to his home fifty-two miles away, for burial, and as I in my wounded state, in the face of many difficulties in the way, undertook the work of removal, I will tell the story, in my own words. I was wounded by a minnie ball, through the left arm near the shoulder, when in the act of crossing the stone fence at the foot of the hill, and as my arm dropped to my side being completely paralyzed, I believed the injury was greater than it afterward proved to be, hence, I did not proceed any further. Having retired to the field hospital, a surgeon grasped my wounded arm and after a cursory examination, said, "Your arm must be taken off," but I did not see things just in that light, and slipped away. At Middletown, four miles away, dwelt a relative of my wife's family, Appelman by name, and Mrs. A., was at the same time Lieut. Sadler's aunt, so I determined to go there. Upon reaching the village I was informed, that Dr. Reed our Regimental surgeon, was in charge of the Gen'l Hospital in a Church, so I went there. He told me my arm was all right after removing quite large piece of the bone. After mid-night, I found the home above indicated, but as no response came to my timid rapping, I waited for the morning. At the early dawn I was admitted to the house, got a good breakfast, had my arm dressed and was put to bed. Presently voices were heard below stairs, and I recognized that of Roades of our company. Hastening below I heard the sad news of Lieut. Sadler's death, as well as the other losses that befel the company. We at once planned the removal of his body by private conveyance, to York Springs, Pa., a distance of fifty-two miles. Mr. Appelman had two horses in his stable, and we concluded to use them in the furtherance of our plans. A hearse and driver were secured, and Sadler's body was brought from the battle-field, en-coffined, and all things got ready for an early start on the morning of the Sixteenth; I determined to accompany the body incognito, and borrowed a citizens suit accordingly. On the morning of the 17th at 2 o'clock, we started with the hearse drawn by one horse, and I mounted on the other horse, apparently the most unsophistocated countryman you ever saw. Let me say here, that I had determined to accompany the body, and as it would have been impossible to have secured a leave of absence, the above measure was adopted, so as not to be annoyed by the Provost guard. We soon reached Frederick city and passed through unmolested, but at a toll-gate a mile out on the Emmittsburg pike we found the out-posts, who refused to let us pass, but after giving satisfactory answers to all questions, we finally were permitted to pass on. At Creagerstown we fed our horses and took breakfast, I also resumed the military uniform, as there was now no necessity of a disguise. Near the town of Emmittsburg I stopped at a residence, in the front yard of which there was a well of water, for the purpose of bathing my wounded arm, when a woman came rushing out and said, no Union soldier could have any water from that well; I answered in laughing good humor, that I thought I knew one who would, when she took hold of the pump handle, and tried to prevent my pumping the water. I gently pushed her away, when she called a dog to her assistance, and a large bloodhound rushed around the house, and sprung at me. But I was ready, and a single shot laid him low. At this, the woman commenced to cry bitterly, and said she would call the men; my reply was, that the men would be dealt with in the same way. No men appeared fortunately, and I mounted my horse and rode off. At Emmittsburg we fed our horses and took dinner, and then we were on the road again. A few miles out on the Gettysburg road we were met by my father and brother, who came with a conveyance to aid me on my way. We reached Gettysburg about 4 o'clock, and rested until after supper, and then were off again, having still 14 miles to the end of our journey. But I was entirely worn out, when I reached Heidlersburg. I went into the hotel, kept by a relation of Sadler, threw myself on a bar-room bench, and——slept, slept so soundly that I could not be awakened, so they carried me to bed, and I was surprised next morning, to find myself there and still seven miles to the journey's end. After breakfast, I quickly covered this distance, and found all arrangements made, for the funeral that day in the afternoon. A squad of raw material, was briefly drilled, in the manual of arms, and at 4 o'clock, we buried "our fallen comrade" with the honors of war, in the family burial ground, at Hampton, to await the reveille on the morning of the resurrection day. |
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