NARRATIVE. CHAPTER I. HE Thirteenth Regiment left New York, Tuesday, July 30, 1861, THE for Philadelphia in two trains, the first, containing the right wing, arriving shortly after midnight, and the second, containing the left wing, arriving shortly before daylight. We were marched directly to the "Cooper shop," where ample facilities were afforded for cleanliness, followed by a bountiful supply of food. Although it was July, 1861, William M. Cooper had already inaugurated that magnificent system of providing for soldiers on their way to and from the front which became so widely known as the "Cooper shop." For four years every soldier in the land knew that if he could reach Philadelphia he would find a temporary home that would bridge over his troubles until he could gain strength to proceed on his journey. Troops on their way to the front, regardless of numbers, were entertained at this hospitable building. It would be difficult to exaggerate the happiness and comfort conferred by this patriotic undertaking. At daylight we were formed in line and marched across the city to West Philadelphia, where we halted until cars could be obtained for our transportation to Harrisburg. On our way we met the Sixth Massachusetts regiment and the Third Battalion of rifles returning home, being transported in freight-cars. This seemed hard lines to many of us who had been incited to enlist by the experience of the Sixth in Baltimore. The boys themselves, however, seemed contented and happy, as many a time afterward we would have been had we even freight-cars to transport us. It was a hot morning, and our knapsacks were loaded beyond human endurance with things our kind but inexperienced friends at home thought necessary for our comfort. Pounds soon became tons, and when the regiment was granted a halt, knapsacks were opened 2 to see what could be thrown away without infringing on sentiments of gratitude or lessening our comfort. Before leaving Fort Independence we had as many as three Bibles given us. As the last ones were received just before we started, no opportunity was afforded of leaving them in the hands of friends Now the time had arrived when someto keep until our return. thing had to go, so it was decided that extra stockings and shirts were more useful than Bibles, and as we were provided with a chaplain, the Bible was discarded. This was the pretty universal opinion of the boys, judging by the large number that remained on the sidewalk as we resumed our march. A short time after, one of the boys received a letter from a gentleman in Philadelphia in "A letter from which he expressed his admiration for the soldier who sought to lessen his fatigue by reading the Holy Scriptures. Philadelphia" became a by-word for many months. About 11 o'clock we left for Harrisburg, which point we reached a little before sundown the same day. For some unexplained reason we were unprovided with food, so that upon our arrival at the capital of Pennsylvania, a grand rush was made for the nearest restaurants. A few succeeded in procuring food, but the stay was too short to enable many to get even a mouthful. Those who got anything were lucky, and those who were paid for what was eaten were also lucky, as the ringing of the engine bell and the commands of officers, like those of Providence, must be obeyed; and therefore we continued our journey to Hagerstown, which place we reached about daylight, having spent a rainy night in cars that for many years had enjoyed the privacy and seclusion of a warm storehouse, where they had been allowed to lie and shrink until it could be decided whether they should be destroyed or sent to a country where the average mortality was too great for the people to bother themselves about a railroad accident. The rain penetrating the cars made it impossible to sleep, while they were so badly lighted as to leave us the only one thing to do growl. Hunger and loss of sleep, say nothing about weariness from the excitement through which we had passed, brought out all the irritable qualities we possessed. The irritation disappeared, however, when it became known that we had arrived at Hagerstown. On jumping from the cars we found the surface of the ground to consist of red clay, made soft and sticky as glue by the night's rain. Very soon the soles of our shoes were increased to twice their size, with an added weight that made it difficult to lift our feet. As one of the boys very aptly said, "Three knapsacks, one for your back, and one for each foot." It was vexatious enough to find ourselves in such a mess, but as all were served alike, the scene became so ridiculous as to change our dejection to mirth. We were soon marched into the main street of the town, where we were halted, and where we soon rid ourselves of the incumbrance. There had been some curiosity expressed, during our journey, as to how we would be received by persons living so near the border line. All doubts were soon removed by the kindly hospitality of the people, who turned out of their houses in large numbers to greet us. Upon learning of our hunger they proceeded at once to relieve it by an abundance of food and coffee which they brought from their homes. Most of us had had nothing to eat for twenty-four hours, and this graceful act by the loyal people of Hagerstown was highly ap preciated. Some months afterward it was our good fortune to be stationed so near as to become better acquainted with the people of this open-hearted town. During the entire trip from Boston only one man was seriously injured. Edwin F. Morris, of Co. D, while engaged in securing a curtain attached to one of the ambulances, was struck on the head by a bridge. He subsequently returned to duty. After a good rest we were marched into camp about a mile from the town. The companies were provided with "Sibley" tents, five to each company. Each tent is capable of holding sixteen men without. crowding seventeen crowds it, and eighteen men excites profanity; therefore the line was drawn at seventeen. The commissioned officers were supplied with "wall" tents, square in shape, while the "Sibley" was a round tent with a single pole resting on a tripod in the centre. The tents of the men were pitched so as to be in a straight line, each company being parallel to the others, with Each tent has The company officers' tents were one opening, facing the street. pitched in a straight line, at right angles with the company tents, and so arranged, as to distance, that the officers were in line with their respective companies. a liberal space between, called the company street. 1861. Thursday, Aug. I, Hagerstown. After tents were pitched, some of the men turned in It was not so very comforting to feel that we were to be killed off in blocks of five. Nothing was said to us on the 16th of July, the date of our musterThere was a kind of airy in, about this wholesale slaughter. confidence as well as contemptuousness about the statement that made our enlistment look little less like a picnic than when we marched down Broadway. It was hard to realize that we had come so far from home merely to solve a problem in mathematics, yet so it seemed to the writer of that philippic. Some time during the night an alarm was sounded by the beating of the "long roll," and we were ordered into line to drive the terrible foe, who was thought, even then, to be in our midst. Immediately everything was excitement and confusion. We can afford to laugh now, but then it was terribly serious, and no doubt we did some silly things; but it should be borne in mind that this was very When it was discovered, as it shortly was, that all early in the war. this excitement was caused by a pig who strolled into camp and was mistaken by the officer of the guard for the rebel army, many of us were imbued with a courage we hardly felt before. There was little sleep during the balance of the night, as the matter had to be discussed and talked about, as most things were in the rank and file of the Thirteenth, particularly when it related to the foolishness of an officer. Although orders awaited us, on our arrival in Hagerstown, to march to Harper's Ferry, we were delayed on account of the bad condition of the roads from recent rains. This kind of consideration went out of fashion very soon after, we are sorry to say. 1861. About sunset we struck tents and marched to Boonesboro', fourteen miles, arriving there at the witching hour of night when it is said churchyards yawn. We were led into an empty corral, lately occupied by mules, to bivouac for the night. Ordinarily a mule-yard would not be considered a desirable place in which to spend the night, but it was midnight, and we were weary with marching, and worn out with excitement and loss of sleep. This was our fifth night from home. The first night was spent on a Sound steamer, the second on our way to Philadelphia, the third en route to Hagerstown, and the fourth in driving pigs out of camp, so that this old mule-yard, as far as we could see it, appeared the most delightful place in the world. At eighteen to twenty years of age little time is wasted in seeking sleep. It comes quickly and takes entire possession of your soul and body, and all we did was to drop in our tracks, making no inquiries about camp or picket guard, but let Morpheus lead us to the land of pleasant dreams. This being our first bivouac, occurrences made a deeper impression than at any time afterward. When reveille was sounded, and our eyes opened to the bright sunlight, we looked about to see where we were and who were near us. The bright red blankets of the regiment made the place look attractive. Many of the boys were still stretching themselves into activity, while others were examining their beds to account for sundry pains of the body from neglect to brush the stones aside when they laid down. How we all laughed when we saw where we were ! Many and many a time while sitting round a camp fire have we recalled this night in the mule-yard. A good deal of complaint was heard to-day because of the short allowance of food provided us on leaving Hagerstown. As we received nothing more from the government until our arrival at Pleasant Valley, thirty-six hours afterwards, we were forced to draw on our Own resources "The almighty dollar." According to letters, written at this time, we continued in much trouble about the matter of rations until after our arrival at Darnestown. It is very probable that our discontent was largely, if not wholly, due to the sudden change to army rations. |