CHAPTER
LVI.
Orders were given us to put up summer quarters and the
company streets were laid out with great precision and each mess was compelled
to consist of four persons, so that the tents would be of a uniform size. The last named edict created considerable
changing around, as well as no small amount of grumbling, but making a virtue
of necessity, the orders were promptly obeyed and numerous mess-alliances were
then and there formed.
We immediately proceeded to put up quarters, which
were made by driving six stakes, about three feet long, six or eight inches into
the ground and then went into the woods and cut tent poles and crotches, by
these means we raised the tents from five to six feet. We then cut a number of pine and oak saplings
and made bunks on each side which served the double purpose of beds and tables,
leaving an open space in the center.
After the quarters were once arranged the next
movement was to get ourselves, arms and accouterments into proper trim to pass
muster and inspection and the rigid discipline of camp life was again
enforced.
A number of promotions were made here by the Captain
and W. S. Keller was appointed to deal out the company’s rations and every
possible arrangement was made to secure the comfort of the men.
F. B. Ulrich
and several others of the members of our company who had been absent at some of
the various hospitals returned to the regiment and their return was hailed with
delight by their comrades in camp.
On the 10th of the month Captain Moore and
Lieutenant Byers arrived with 200 men to be distributed among the companies of
our regiment.
On the following day ten of the new men were attached
to our company which again gave us a very respectable sized company.
The following are the names of the men, as they
reported them to orderly Parks:
Brown, Henry Brown, Clar1es
Brown, Geoge Grant, Charles
Leadbeater,
Thos. McDonald, Thos.
Powell,
William Raburn, William
Smith, Francis Smith, Edward R.
While laying in the present camp, four Ohio regiments, the 5th, 7th, 29th
and 66th, were sent to New York City
to aid with putting down the riot which was then in progress. The regiments before they left were addressed
by General Geary.
The recruits received their arms on the 18th
of the month and then drilling was the order of the day, consisting of company,
regimental and brigade.
The new men were mostly bounty jumpers, and were a
pretty rough species of humanity. They
had large sums of money and their principal pastime, when off of duty, was
cards for money, and frequently as much as $500 would be staked upon a single
hand.
Among the lot of recruits, that came to join the
regiment was a Baltimorian by the name of Price, and was assigned to Company
A. He wore an officer’s blouse, and
having plenty of money, he had no difficulty in securing all the whiskey, and
when under the influence of liquor was a dangerous man, and besides was an
out-spoken rebel sympathizer. When
ordered to go on duty he positively refused to do so, when told that he would
be bucked and gagged if he did not do as he was ordered, to which he replied
that by G—d he would shoot the first man that would lay hands on him.
The man was reported to Col. Pardee, who at once
ordered the man to be tied up by the thumbs.
Corporal West was ordered to take two files of the camp guard and arrest
him. Asa B. Churchill of our Company was
one of the guards. The corporal and his
squad proceeded to the Company and upon making their errand known, the
conscript showed fight. Churchill laid
his gun aside and whilst Price was flourishing a pistol ran in behind him, and
throwing his arms around the refractory soldier, held him as easily as a cat
would a mouse. After struggling a few
seconds he caved in, after which his revolver was taken from him and he marched
meekly to the guard-house. Here he was
speedily tied up by his thumbs. After he
was let down he muttered vengeance, whereupon he was taken and bucked and
gagged, his conduct having enraged the Officer of the Day, who feeling that it
was necessary to make an example of him in order that it might have a wholesome
effect upon the new men, a bayonet was placed in his mouth and a marquee taken
and the soldier was soon so severely punished that the blood ran down his chin
in a stream. After being gagged for four
hours he promised to obey and he was released.
Lieutenant Byers was sent to Philadelphia
where he had charge of a recruiting station, where he remained until January
1864.
On the 21st of the month we received papers
containing a list of the Snyder
County
Whilst laying in camp
John Chancellorsville .
A number of the new men added to our company gave our
officers more trouble by their fault finding than all the rest of the men
combined. One of them particularly,
Powell, an English. man, was continually fault-finding, nothing was right for
him; Keller took his complaint good naturedly for a long time but at length
grew tired of it, and upon one occasion when Powell had been growling about all his rations; Will
handed him a piece of meat in which there was a large bone, and Powell broke
out with his ready:
“What in the bloody Ell can a man do with such a piece
of bone?”
“Give it here,” said Keller “and take this,” suddenly
flinging up a large sized piece of flank.
Powell was in the act of stooping down and the meal struck him full in
the face as KeIler intended it should, he merely said, “get out of my
road.” The boys hahawed and Powell moved
away muttering and growling at a fearful rate, but nevertheless it had the
effect of making him a little more civil for the short time he remained with
the command.
We were visited by the paymaster here and received
four months’ pay, the greater part which we sent home in care of Col. Eyer to
pay ever to our friends as per list enclosed with the money, which in due time
reached home and was handed over to the proper persons.
As long as money lasted we lived at the top of the
heap, as there were any amount of suttlers about and, owing to their close
proximity to the National Capital, gave them every facility for having good
supplies on hand, but owing to the extreme high prices at which everything was
sold our ready money, as much of it as we had retained, was soon taken from us
and we were compelled to come down to hardtack and pork and beans.
Our stay in our present camp was passed very
pleasantly and we were not very anxious to receive marching orders, but since
we could not expect to defeat the Rebel Army by laying in camp, we were
consequently not disappointed upon receiving orders to be ready to move.
Sunday, September 13, being the anniversary marking
the day we had left old Selinsgrove, of our first year’s service, and which
event was commemorated by a piece of poetry written by Wm. H. Spade, entitled,
“One Year’s Services of Company G,” in which he narrated the stirring events of
the past year. Whilst we were enjoying
ourselves our cavalry crossed the river on reconnaissance towards Culpepper
and we were notified to be ready to march at a moments notice.
The next day we awaited orders to move and making
arrangements for the same. We expected
to get into a battle and accordingly took advantage of what might be our last
opportunity, for some time at least, of writing home to our friends of the
contemplated advance.
On the 15th, one year from the time that we
were mustered into service, we received marching orders. At 2 o’clock ,
p. m., we had general inspection after which we broke camp and moved as far as
Kelly’s Ford on the Rapahannock
River
In the morning we crossed the river and marched
briskly in the direction of Culpepper, the boys taking up the couplet composed
by Serg’t. Townsend and dedicated to H. J. Deobler
“We’ll all go down to Culpepper, And Shoot him in the
groan.”
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