with them, as they only numbered seventy-five men and had some fears of losing their Captain, whom they represented to be the most desirable kind of a man.
(Monday). As there was no possibility of our raising. a company, the only choice left to those of us who still remained was to go home or join some other party and nearly all, disliking the latter alternative, and concluding that having held out as long as there was any chance of effecting an organization they had done all that could be expected of them, determined to return in the first train. I was in a dilemma. I disliked the idea of going home in that manner, considering it dishonorable and discreditable in itself and dreading jeers which I knew must be endured and to a certain extent would be merited. I also had a strong inclination to try what a solder's life was like and to know something of it from experience. But in order to do this, it was necessary to bid farewell to my friends and place myself for an indefinite length of time in a company of strangers, among whom I would be of no importance whatever, with the prospect of having the roughest duties to perform, which I knew would be doubly unpleasant from being galling to my pride. I deliberated upon the matter for some time but finally concluded to remain, and having made my determination, I felt more free. While I was thinking over it, Joe. Rennard came to me and said that if I would remain he would do so too. I afterward told him what conclusion I had come to and we agreed to stick together. A man by the name of Combe went with the Gettysburg students; Caswell and Reddy as mentioned before had joined the Pottstown company; and now David R. Landis, John Rhodes, John B. Ford and Richard Renshaw, alias “Tucker” expressed their intention of going with us. After some consultation,
