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ing to the New Hampshire Eleventh and marched for Mossy Creek. Arrived there Monday, the 7th, and at once took command of the gallant old Eleventh, the new recruits being added. On the same day, at two o'clock in the afternoon, went out with the regiment on a reconnaissance nine miles towards Bull Gap. At dark executed the 'right about' and marched back, arriving in camp at ten o'clock. It was one of the darkest, rainiest, muddiest nights that I ever knew.

"Left Mossy Creek the 12th of March, marched on a dozen miles, and bivouacked near the Nolichucky River. The next day (13th) marched four miles to Morristown. Had some skirmishing about there, and lost one man (killed). The rebel general Longstreet and his army were the men we were after. Left Morristown Thursday, March 17th, for Knoxville; the Twenty-third Corps taking the place of the Ninth."

This was the beginning of the movement which was to reunite the Ninth Corps with the Army of the Potomac, now under the immediate command of General Grant, general-in-chief, too, of the armies of the Union; for at last the fit generalissimo had been found, the leader long sought, who could and would lead to final victory. The corps was ordered to Annapolis, Md. How the Eleventh regiment got there from Knoxville its colonel will tell :

"Monday, March 21, 1864, we left Knoxville for another weary march back over the mountains and through the solitudes to Point Isabel and central Kentucky. We had no army wagons on this trip, but took short rations and 'pack mules.' These mules carried the forage and a large portion of the men's rations on their backs; and our return was much the easier of the two trips.

"We arrived at Camp Nelson Thursday, March 31st. Left that place April 1st; marched to Nicholasville in the mud and rain just at night; and the men stood under the sides of buildings, in old sheds, etc., till morning. April

1 The sick and the baggage had been sent away via Nashville and Chattanooga.

2d, came on by railroad to Covington. April 3d, passed over the Ohio River to Cincinnati, and onward by railroad, via Columbus, Steubenville, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, etc., to Baltimore, where we arrived Wednesday afternoon, April 6th.

Came the next day by steamboat to Annapolis, Md. (where I now write), and went into camp."

The destination of the corps was as yet a campaign secret; for none but corps commanders, the secretary of war, and the President knew Grant's plan of operations. But there came up from the south the sound of preparation for a great movement, a movement southward from the banks of the Rapidan, whither the army of rebellion and the army of the Union had betaken themselves after Gettysburg, and where they had since rested; an onward movement never to turn backward over the Rappahannock, or even the Rapidan, but ever to roll forward in red, resistless surge; forward to the James, ay, and to the Appomattox! It was safe to conjecture that Burnside's Corps would help to swell that mighty tide of Northern valor soon to be rolling on.

CHAPTER XIV.

BATTLE OF THE WILDERNESS. THE CAPTURE.

1864.

COLONEL HARRIMAN writes in camp near Annapolis : April 8th, my birthday again. I find that time passes rapidly; but if we do our duty, whether our years are few or many, we shall answer life's great end.' . . . Moved our encampment to-day a mile and a half farther from Annapolis to Camp Parole. The Ninth Army Corps is being reorganized here at Annapolis; and we are now (April 16th), as I write, expecting to remain here a short time to drill, arm, and clothe the men and perfect our organization, and then to move to the front.

"April 19th. This is the anniversary of the battles of Lexington and Concord in the Revolution, which battles were very small in themselves though big in results.

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Wednesday, April 20, 1864. My wife arrived at Camp Parole to-day. I took her to the house of a Mr. Welsh, near by our encampment, where we purpose to board during her visit. . . . Unfortunately for me and for her, the visit from which we expected so much very suddenly terminated in consequence of an earlier movement of the Ninth Corps than was anticipated. We moved from Camp Parole for the front April 23d, at ten o'clock, forenoon. It was a hot, dusty day. Mrs. Harriman did not leave Camp Parole till four o'clock, P. M. We marched and she rode in the cars. Nine miles out from Camp Parole our road and hers intersected. It was at a little way-station. We were halted and the train stopped. I saw Mrs. Harriman at the window, and we had time to meet at the door of the car, where I took what almost seemed like my

last leave. This was Saturday. On Monday (25th) we passed through Washington, and were reviewed by the President and General Burnside at Willard's Hotel."

Of that review an eye-witness1 says in glowing phrase:— "All the speculations in regard to Burnside's destination fell to the ground when, on the 25th of April, the Ninth Corps passed through Washington and moved into Virginia. It was a sublime spectacle, . . . the corps marching through the capital of the nation, passing in review before Abraham Lincoln. The corps marched down Fourteenth Street, past Willard's Hotel, where upon the balcony stood the President and General Burnside. Behold the scene! Platoons, companies, battalions, regiments, brigades, and divisions. The men are bronzed by the rays of the Southern sun and by the March winds. The bright sunshine glances from their bayonets; above them wave their standards, tattered by the winds, torn by cannon-ball and rifle-shot, stained with the blood of dying heroes. They are priceless treasures, more beloved than houses, land, riches, honor, ease, comfort, wife, or children. ...

"The people of Washington have turned out to see them. Senators have left their chamber, and the House of Representatives has taken a recess to gaze upon the defenders of their country as they pass through the city, many of them, alas! never to return. There is the steady tramping of the thousands, the deep, heavy jar of the gun carriages, the clattering of hoofs, the clanking of sabres, the drumbeat, the bugle-call, and the music of the bands. Pavement, sidewalk, windows, and roofs are occupied by the people.

"A division of veterans pass, saluting the President and their commander with cheers. And now, with full ranks, platoons extending from sidewalk to sidewalk, are brigades which have never been in battle, for the first time shouldering arms for their country, who till a year ago never had a country, who even now are not American citizens, who are disfranchised, yet they are going out to fight for the flag! 1 Charles Carleton Coffin, in Four Years of Fighting, pp. 309, 310.

Their country was given them by the tall, pale, benevolenthearted man standing upon the balcony. For the first time they behold their benefactor. They are darker-hued than their veteran comrades; but they can cheer as lustily, 'Hurrah! Hurrah!' 'Hurrah for Massa Linkum!' 'Three cheers for the President!' They swing their caps, clap their hands, and shout their joy. Long, loud, and jubilant are the rejoicings of those redeemed sons of Africa. Regiment after regiment of stalwart men, slaves once, but freemen now, with steady step and even rank, pass down the street, moving on to the Old Dominion. It was the first review of colored troops by the President. He gave them freedom, he recognized them as soldiers."

On the 28th of April the Eleventh regiment, in the march of its corps, arrived at Bristoe Station, on the Orange and Alexandria (or Midland) Railroad, where it remained in camp until May 4th, engaged "early and late in drill and target practice." Already Grant was moving southeastward from Culpeper, Lee northeastward from Orange Court House, on lines of march which were to intersect in the deadly collision of battle in the Wilderness. The corps heard the order to advance, and the Eleventh marched on the 4th of May twenty miles to Bealton Station, on the same railroad, and bivouacked for the night in a "field of tall green grass." On Thursday, May 5th, the march was resumed; the Rappahannock was crossed on a ponton bridge at Rappahannock Station; and, the march having been continued along the southwesterly side of that river, the Rapidan was at last reached at five o'clock in the afternoon, and crossed at Germanna Ford. After advancing a mile farther the men, wearied by forced marching under a burning sun, and with only a halt of fifteen minutes early in the afternoon "for coffee and hard tack," rested at last on their arms "upon a smooth, high ridge." They could hear the thunders of the first day's battle of the Wilderness, continuing into the night. Their orders were to pitch. no tents, and to be in constant readiness to advance. There was no sleep for them, officers or soldiers, that night.

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