Page:Historical and biographical sketches.djvu/391

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
SIX WEEKS IN UNIFORM.
387

some back road, and after getting my dinner at a farm house, came across a path where the berries were very fine and plentiful, and filling my pocket handkerchief with about two quarts of them, carried it into camp for the other fellows. Renshaw, who had received news of the death of his brother from wounds inflicted at the battle of Gettysburg, with considerable difficulty succeeded in getting a furlough for a few days to attend his funeral and left for Phoenixville. The next day Ford's father brought on a box of provisions for his son, who was lying sick at Shippensburg, and came into camp expecting to find him with us. Being disappointed, however, he left the box for Rhodes, and as it contained a couple of chickens, bread and butter, cake, cheese, jelly, &c., we had a regular feast at his expense.

(Tuesday, July 21st.) Early in the morning those who had been guarding the farm houses in the vicinity were recalled, and about nine o'clock we struck tents and started by the pike towards Chambersburg in jovial spirits “homeward bound.” On the way we passed a barn in which was lying a rebel soldier who had been wounded through the neck at Gettysburg, and they said he was in a miserable condition without having anyone to attend to his wants. That day's march was the easiest we had experienced, from two causes, first, because there was a strong cool wind blowing, which was very exhilarating; and second, our Colonel who had command of the brigade, was very careful to see that we were placed in the advance. Late in the afternoon we arrived at our previous camp near Chambersburg, and Rolly, Nyce and I put up a tent together, being expressly forbidden to make them more than the usual length. Soon afterward I was detailed for guard, and the Sergeant Major who was posting us said to me, “Nyce you will be Colonel's Orderly — report at