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those volunteers must have been, it was undoubt-large portion of which were stolen, and sold by edly a great relief to them to be spared the murderous duty. These two successes have placed thirty-three thousand prisoners in our hands, and released Grant's army just when it is most needed.

I can't help here recording what it seems to me he ought to do, in order to be able hereafter to compare my dictum with what he does do. After leaving a sufficient garrison in Vicksburgh, he should send fifteen thousand men to reënforce General Banks's worn-out army, by which means Banks could capture or annihilate Taylor and Sibley, and render his authority secure through the whole department.

Second. He should advance with the remainder of his army to attack Bragg in his rear, acting in cooperation with Rosecrans. Together they should be able to finish up Bragg, and then, while Grant was left to protect the Tennessee frontier and finish up the States of Mississippi and Alabama, Rosecrans should advance through WestTennessee with all the troops that could be spared into Virginia, and, in coöperation with Dix and Hooker, put an end to the war there. Meanwhile, Grant, advancing through Alabama, could communicate by a cavalry raid with Hunter, and together they could overcome Georgia and SouthCarolina, and take Savannah and Charleston. This would be the final stroke. Isn't that a fine plan? I only hope some part of it may be accomplished. Our rebel friends are telling us strange stories about the annihilation of Hooker, the capture of Philadelphia, etc., and although we don't believe them, of course, still we feel uneasy and anxious.

the cooks before the evacuation was over. They took all our negro nurses and cooks, as well as the cooking-stove, and even the wash-basins. As the doctor was sick, there was but one well man left in the building to do every thing, so he had rather a hard time of it. (I had been hors du combat myself for ten or twelve days.) Almost every atom of medicine, and even the bandages and lint, were cabbaged by the confederate doctors, so that our sick were left quite destitute. Fortunately, by this morning, we had obtained a reënforcement of darkeys, who had hid themselves in the swamps to escape being carried off, so that the work of the establishment can again be carried on. I could not help laughing at our situation, cast adrift, as it were, between the two armies, unable to help ourselves, and anxiously awaiting whatever fortune the surging tide of war might cast upon us. For a few hours the placid waters and deserted shores of the bay remained undisturbed by any thing warlike, when suddenly from behind the point, far down the bay, a puff of smoke was seen, and "boom!" a shell fell in the water a quarter of a mile below us, and then another, at a higher elevation, screeched over our heads and exploded in the woods behind us. "The gunboat!" was the general exclamation, and the gunboat it proved to be. A white flag was quickly run up on the tower of the dépôt, to show that there was no opposition in the place, and shortly afterward a boat landed, and Lieutenant -, of the gunboat Sachem, took possession of the town in the name of Uncle Sam. Four hours after the "lone star" had been hauled down, the Stars and Stripes waved triumphantly over the town. The rebel occupation had just lasted four weeks. The gunboat had been trying for two or three days to cross the bar, but for want of a pilot, had only just succeeded.

If Lee has penetrated into the Keystone State, I have faith enough in the militia of New-York, New-Jersey, and Pennsylvania, to trust that he will have to pay the piper dearly before he gets out again; and then it may be to find Richmond occupied by Dix and Foster, and Virginia no long-long time was that Washington and Philadelphia, er a secession State.

One of our negro girls has just come in, and informed me, in a cautious whisper, that the Yankees have advanced as far as "Bayou Boeuf," only eight miles below here.

The crisis is coming, and something has got to burst.

July 22.-Yesterday the rebels completed their evacuation, and left us alone in our glory. The last able-bodied darkey was grabbed, the last straggling cattle swam over, the last crew of "ragged riders" embarked. As fast as they arrived on the west side of the bay they were sent off in long trains toward New Iberia, and by two P.M. both shores were deserted, the last tent was struck, the last gun on the march, and the steamboats, having finished their work, were steaming up toward their former place of safety.

The cars that had been captured were burnt, and the locomotive sent under full head of steam into the burning train. The concussion was tremendous, and the ruin complete.

They left for our hospital five days' rations, a

The most cheering news we had heard for a which the rebels had assured us were taken, were still safe, and that Lee had been defeated instead of being overwhelmingly victorious. Hurrah for Meade! General Weitzel, with the advance of Banks's army, is expected here this afternoon.

A word before I close this epistle about the Texans, whose prisoners we had been for a month. I have called them half savages, and it is about true, but they have some of the noblest qualities of savages. They are brave to rashness, and will endure with patience any amount of exposure and suffering to accomplish their end. They are generous, good-natured, and treat their prisoners with much kindness. They are splendid horsemen, fine marksmen, and can go for days with but a morsel of uncooked food to eat. They are cheap troops to support, because they don't care for tents, will wear any kind of clothing, and will live on bacon and hoecake, or forage for themselves and their horses.

But though brave, they are perfectly undisciplined and regardless of orders, and will fight every man on his own hook, breaking ranks as

soon as they commence firing. So that, although they are excellent bushwhackers, they are often scattered and routed in the open field. They consider themselves the equals of their officers, and it is a risky matter to punish them for insubordination. When there is no fighting going on they soon tire of the restraints of camp-life, and often leave for home, coming back when it suits them. Then they will steal, even from their own officers; they will brag beyond all the bounds of truth, and they won't wash themselves or their shirts. They don't consort readily with the Louisianians, whom they call "lazy, cowardly Creoles," and by whom they are cordially hated and termed "Camanches and thieves," and both charges have, I expect, some foundation. To give you an example of the Texan way of doing things: Two or three days ago some of them broke into the stores of their post quartermaster, and came riding past our hospital decked out with their spoils captured Federal clothing. One long, lank country boy had a hat and a cap on his head and another cap in his hand. One of our wounded men, looking over the balcony, called out: "I wish you would give me one of those caps; I haven't got any!" Not expecting, however, that his request would be granted. "All right," cried Texas, and chucked the cap up; it fortunately proved a good fit.

On the whole, I don't know as we could have fallen into better hands, and our month of captivity passed pretty pleasantly, considering the circumstances of our position.

I am staying at present at Mrs.'s, who, since her husband has left, was desirous of having some one in the house to protect it from the thieves and prowlers who always infest an evacuated town. She and Miss, her niece, have been very kind to our sick and wounded, and if any property should be protected, hers should.

Doc. 20.

THE BATTLES OF GETTYSBURGH. CINCINNATI "GAZETTE" ACCOUNT.*

AFTER THE INVADERS.

WASHINGTON, June 29, 1863.

I. GETTING A GOOD READY.

"WOULD like you (if you feel able) to equip yourself with horse and outfit, put substitutes in your place in the office, and join Hooker's army in time for the fighting."

It was a despatch, Sunday evening, from the manager, kindly alluding to a temporary debility that grew out of too much leisure on a recent visit west. Of course I felt able, or knew I should by to-morrow. But, alas! it was Hooker's army no longer. Washington was all a-buzz with the removal. A few idol-worshippers hissed their exultation at the constructive disgrace; but for the most part, there was astonishment at the unprecedented act and indignation at the one cause to which all attributed it. Any reader who chanced to remember a few paragraphs in a recent number of the Gazette, alluding to the real responsibility for the invasion, must have known at once that the cause was-Halleck. How the cause worked, how they quarrelled about holding Harper's Ferry, how Hooker was relieved in consequence, and how, within an hour afterward, Halleck stultified himself by telling Hooker's successor to do as he pleased concerning this very point, all this will be in print long before this letter can get west.

For once, Washington forgot its blasé air, and, through a few hours, there was a genuine, oldfashioned excitement. The two or three Congressmen who happened to be in town were indignant, and scarcely tried to conceal it; the crowds talked over the strange affair in all its phases; a thouThe arrangement is a very pleasant one for me, sand false stories were put in circulation, the basas I am not well, and a comfortable bed and well-est of which, perhaps, was that Hooker had been cooked meals are a great "desideratum." relieved for a fortnight's continuous drunkenness; rumors of other changes, as usual, came darkening the very air.

July 27.-The first detachment of our troops has at length arrived, and their fagged out and tattered appearance was a sufficient excuse for their not coming earlier. That fearful struggle at Port Hudson has worn out Banks's forces, and unless he is speedily reënforced he will have to rest on his oars for a while. It was right pleasant, after such a long dose of "Dixie" and the "Bonnie Blue Flag," to hear the splendid band of the Twelfth Connecticut playing "John Brown." We heard, too, some good news about our boys. They were, it seems, not taken prisoners at Lafourche, but retreated in good order, after repulsing the rebels twice, and they were the first regiment to reoccupy Thibodeaux after the rebel evacuation. Hurrah for the Ironsides! their honor is not lost, though their flags are.

I have the opportunity of sending this by the transport Crescent to New-Orleans, but it may be some days on the road.

Your son,

Never before, in the history of modern warfare, had there been such a case. A General had brought his army by brilliant forced marches face to face with the enemy. They were at the very crisis of the campaign; a great battle, perhaps the battle of the war, was daily if not hourly impending. No fault of generalship was alleged, but it happened that a parlor chieftain, in his quiet study, three score miles from the hourly-changing field, differed in judgment on a single point from the General at the head of the troops. The latter carefully examined anew the point in issue, again satisfied himself, and insisted on his conviction, or on relief from responsibility for a course he felt assured was utterly wrong. For this he was relieved-and within five hours was vindicated by his own successor.

But a good, perhaps a better general was put in his place except from the unfortunate timing *Special correspondence of Mr. Whitelaw Reid to the Cincinnati Gazette, from the army of the Potomac.

of the change, we had good reason to hope it would work at least no harm. There was little regret for Hooker personally; it was only the national sense of fair play that was outraged.

Presently there came new excitement. Stuart had crossed the Potomac, twenty-five miles from Washington, had captured a train within twelve or thirteen miles, had thrown out small parties to within a mile or two of the railroad between Baltimore and Washington. In the night the road would certainly be cut, and for a few hours, at any rate, the Capital isolated from the country. We had need to make haste, or it might be difficult "to join Hooker's army.'

It was not to be a solitary trip. Samuel Wilkeson, the well-known brilliant writer on the NewYork Tribune, lately transferred to the Times; and U. H. Painter, chief Washington correspondent of the Philadelphia Inquirer, a miracle of energy in such a sphere, were to go; and Coffin of the Boston Journal, known through all New-England as "Carleton," had telegraphed an appointment to meet me in the army.

Monday morning Washington breathed freer, on learning that the Baltimore trains had come through. Stuart had failed, then? But we

counted too fast.

A few hasty purchases to make up an outfit for campaigning along the border, and at eleven we are off. Unusual vigilance at the little blockhouses and embankments at exposed points along the road; soldiers out in unusual force, and every thing ready for instant attack; much chattering of Stuart and his failure in the train; anxious inquiries by brokers as to whether communication with New-York was to be severed; and so we reach Baltimore.

"Am very sorry, gentlemen; would get you out at once if I could; would gladly run up an extra train for you; but the rebels cut our road last night, this side of Frederick, and we have no idea when we can run again." Thus Mr. Prescott Smith, whom every body knows, that has ever heard of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.

And so Stuart had not failed-we were just one train too late and were cut off from the army! There was nothing for it but to wait; and soill-satisfied with this " Getting a Good Ready" back to Washington.

II. OFF.

they not cut the track any moment they chose? Might they not, indeed, asked the startled bankers, might they not indeed charge past the forts on the Maryland side, pay a hurried visit to the President and Cabinet, and replenish their army chests from our well-stored vaults?

In the midst of all this there came a blistering sight that should blacken evermore every name concerned. With cries for reënforcements from the weakened front, with calls for volunteers and raw militia to step into the imminent breach and defend the invaded North, with everywhere urgent need for every man who knew how to handle a musket, there came sprucely marching down the avenue, in all their freshness of brilliant uniforms and unstained arms, with faultlessly appareled officers and gorgeous drum-major, and clanging band, and all the pomp and circumstance of glorious war, (about the Capital,) with banners waving and bayonets gleaming in the morning sunlight, as with solid tramp that told of months of drill they moved down the street-in such bravery of peaceful soldiering there came a NewEngland nine months' regiment, mustering over nine hundred bayonets, whose term of service that day expired! With Stuart's cavalry swarming about the very gates of the Capital, with the battle that was to decide whether the war should henceforth be fought on Northern or Southern soil hourly impending, these men, in all the blazonry of banners and music, and glittering uniforms, and polished arms, were marchinghome! They had been implored to stay a fortnight, a week-three days even; but, with one accord, they insisted on starting home! Would that Stuart could capture the train that bears them!

Another exciting ride over a yet unmolested track, and we are again in Baltimore. Mr. Prescott Smith gave us the cheering assurance that the road was open again to Frederick; that nobody knew where Stuart had gone, but that in any event they would send us out in the after

noon.

For the rest there was news of more dashing movements by our army. The rebels were reported concentrating at York, Pennsylvania. Our army had already left Frederick far in the rear, and spreading out like a fan to make use of every available road, it was sweeping splendidly up to meet them. There was no fear of their not fighting under Meade. He was recognized as a soldier, brave and able, and they would follow him just as readily as Hooker-some of them, indeed far more willingly. But there was sore need for every musket. Lee at least equalled us in numbers, they thought.

FREDERICK, MD., Tuesday evening, June 30. Washington was again like a city besieged, as after Bull Run. All night long, troops were marching; orderlies with clanking sabres clattering along the streets; trains of wagons grinding over the bouldered avenue; commissaries were hurrying up their supplies; the quartermaster's de- Baltimore had been in a panic. Monday evepartment was like a bee-hive; every thing was ning some rebel cavalry had ventured up to withmotion and hurry. From the War Department in a few miles of the city, and frightened persons came all manner of exciting statements; men were had rushed in with the story that great squadrons everywhere asking what the President thought of horse were just ready to charge down the of the emergency. Trains had again come through regularly from Baltimore, but how long could it continue? Had not Stuart's cavalry been as near as the old Blair place at Silver Springs, and might

streets. Alarm-bells rang, the Loyal Leagues rushed to arms, the thoroughfares were thronged with the improvised soldiery, and within an hour thousands of bayonets guarded every approach.

It was worthy the new life of Baltimore. Here, thank God, was an eastern city, able and ready at all times to defend itself.

Stuart did not come-if he had, he would have been repulsed.

crowded to overflowing with citizens and their wives and daughters, willing to take the risks rather than lose a train. Mr. Smith had been good enough to provide a car for our party, but the press was so great we had to throw open the General Tyler (former Colonel of the Seventh doors to make room for women and children, Ohio) had been hastily summoned here to as-recklessly ready to brave what they supposed sume command of the defences of Baltimore. the dangers of the ride. This display of citizen soldiery was part of the work he had already done.

Frederick is Pandemonium. Somebody has blundered frightfully; the town is full of stragBut those "defences!" "Small boy," exclaimed glers, and the liquor-shops are in full blast. Just W., as we sauntered through the street and pass- under my window scores of drunken soldiers are ed an urchin picking pebbles out of a tar barrel making night hideous; all over the town they are to fling at a passing pig, "small boy," and he ut- trying to steal horses, or sneak into unwatched tered it with impressive dignity, "You must stop private residences, or are filling the air with the that, sir! You are destroying the defences of blasphemy of their drunken brawls. The worst Baltimore!" And indeed he was. Single rows elements of a great army are here in their worst of tar-barrels and sugar hogsheads, half filled with condition; its cowards, its thieves, its sneaks, its gravel, and placed across the streets, with some-bullying vagabonds, all inflamed with whiskey, times a rail or two on top, after the fashion of a and drunk as well with their freedom from ac"stake and rider" fence, constituted the "de- customed restraint. fences." They were called barricades, I believe, in some official paper on the subject. Outside the city, however, were earthworks, (to which additions had been made in the press of the emergency,) that would have afforded considerable resistance to an attack; and if cavalry had succeeded in getting into the city, the "barricades" might have been of some service in checking their charges.

III. THE REAR OF A GREAT ARMY.

TWO TAVERNS P. O., PA., July 1.

Our little party broke up unceremoniously. Both my companions thought it better to go back to Baltimore and up to Westminster by rail on the expected Government trains; I thought differently, and adhered to the original plan of proceeding overland. I have already good reasons to felicitate myself on the lucky decision.

An hour after breakfast sufficed for buying a horse and getting him equipped for the campaign.

Drunken soldiers were still staggering about the streets, looking for a last drink or a horse to steal, before commencing to straggle along the road, when a messenger for one of the New-York papers, who had come down with despatches, and myself were off for headquarters. We supposed them to be at Westminster, but were not certain.

In the afternoon, Stuart's cavalry was heard from, making the best of its way, by a circuitous route, on the rear and flank of our army, to join Lee in Southern Pennsylvania. Baltimore, then, was safe; and Stuart had made the most ill-advised raid of the war. He had worn out his horses by a terrible march, on the eve of a desperate battle, when, in the event of a retreat, he was especially needed to protect the rear and hold our pursuit in check; and in return he had gained a few horses, a single army train, which he could only destroy, eighteen hours' interruption of communications by rail between the Capital South-Mountain, historic evermore, since a preand the army, and a night's alarm in Washing-vious rebel invasion faded out thence to Antietam, ton and Baltimore. loomed up on the left amid the morning mists; Our own army was now reported to be concen- before us stretched a winding turnpike, upheaved trating at Westminster, manifestly to march on and bent about by a billowy country that in its York. To reach this point, we must take the cultivation and improvements began to give eviWestern Maryland road, but this had been aban-dence of proximity to Pennsylvania farmers. doned in terror by the Company, and the rolling stock was all in Philadelphia. There was nothing for it but to hasten to Frederick, then mount and follow the track of the army.

The army had moved up the valley of the Monocacy through Walkersville, Woodbury, and Middleburgh-all pleasant little Maryland villageswhere, in peaceful times, Rip Van Winkle might As our party stepped into the train a despatch have slumbered undisturbed. The direction brought Hooker's vindication, as against Halleck. seemed too far north for Westminster, and a He had been relieved for insisting on withdraw-courier, coming back with despatches, presently ing the troops from Harper's Ferry, and using informed us that headquarters were not there, them in the active operations of the army. Pre- but at Taneytown, a point considerably farther cisely that thing his successor had done! All north and west. Evidently there was a change honor to Meade for the courage that took the re-in our plans. We were not going to York, or sponsibility!

It was a curious ride up the road. Eighteen hours ago the rebels had swarmed across it. The public had no knowledge that they were not yet in its immediate vicinity, and might not attack the very train now starting; yet here were cars

headquarters would not be at Taneytown; and it was fair to suppose that our movements to the north-west were based upon news of a similar concentration by the rebels. The probabilities of a speedy battle were thus immensely increased, and we hastened the more rapidly on.

From Frederick out the whole road was lined with stragglers. I have heard General Patrick highly spoken of as an efficient Provost-Marshal General for the Potomac army; but if he is responsible for permitting such scenes as were witnessed to-day in the rear, his successor is sadly needed.

Take a worthless vagabond, who has enlisted for thirteen dollars a month instead of patriotism, who falls out of ranks because he is a coward and wants to avoid the battle, or because he is lazy and wants to steal a horse to ride on instead of marching, or because he is rapacious and wants to sneak about farm-houses and frighten or wheedle timid countrywomen into giving him better food and lodging than camp-life affords make this armed coward or sneak or thief drunk on bad whisky, give him scores and hundreds of armed companions as desperate and drunken as himself-turn loose this motley crew, muskets and revolvers in hand, into a rich country, with quiet, peaceful inhabitants, all unfamiliar with armies and army ways-let them swagger and bully as cowards and vagabonds always do, steal or openly plunder as such thieves always willand then, if you can imagine the state of things this would produce, you have the condition of the country in the rear of our own army, on our own soil, to-day.

Of course these scoundrels are not types of the army. The good soldiers never straggle-these men are the debris, the offscourings from nearly a hundred thousand soldiers.

There is no need for permitting these outrages. An efficient Provost-Marshal, such as General Patrick has been called, would have put a provost-guard at the rear of every division, if not of every regiment and brigade, and would have swept up every man that dared to sneak out of ranks when his comrades were marching to meet the enemy. The rebels manage these things better. Death on the spot is said to be their punishment for straggling, and in the main it is a just one.

drunk," he explained to us, "and ac❜ly talk about sh-shootin' me for or'rin 'em to go to camp." One of the stragglers had his musket cocked and handsomely covering the red rose on the patrol's breast.

A few yards further on was another drunken party under the trees. A patrol, trying to get them started, was just drunk enough to be indiscreetly brave and talkative. "You're cowardly stragglers, every rascal of you," he roared, after a few minutes' unavailing efforts at coaxing. "You're lyin' scoune'rl," was the thick-tongued response; and the last we saw of the party as we galloped on, two of the stragglers were rushing at the patrol, and he was standing at a charge bayonets, ready to receive them. They probably halted before they reached the bayonet-point.

As we stopped at a farm-house by the roadside to feed our horses and get dinner, we passed a party of stragglers in the yard. After dinner, to our amazement we discovered that my luckless "rebel look," and an indignant reply about straggling to some impertinent question they had asked, had well-nigh got us into trouble. The rascals, drunk enough to half believe what they said, and angry enough at being called stragglers to do us any mischief they were able, had held a court on our cases while we were eating, had adjudged us rebel spies, and had sentenced us to-have our horses confiscated! Luckily my companion strolled down to the stable after dinner, just as the fellows were getting the horses out to make off with them! They announced their conclusion that we were spies, and their sentence, and insisted on the horses, but a judicious display of a hearty disposition on his part to knock somebody down, induced them to drop the reins, and allow him to put the horses back in the stable.

We had small time, as we galloped through, to appreciate the beauties of Taneytown, a pleasant little Maryland hamlet, named in honor of the Chief-Justice of the United States, (who has The army itself had done surprisingly little a country-seat in the vicinity,) and like him now damage to property along their route. Breaking somewhat fallen into the sere and yellow leaf. off the limbs of cherry trees to pick the ripe cher- Army trains blocked up the streets; a group of ries, seemed to be about the worst of their tres-quartermasters and commissaries were bustling passes. I have never before seen the country so little injured along the line of march of a great

army.

But every farm-house was now filled with drunken loafers in uniform; they swarmed about the stables, stealing horses at every opportunity, and compelling farmers to keep up a constant watch; in the fence-corners groups of them lay, too drunk to get on at all.

As we neared the army a new phase of the evil was developed. A few mounted patrols seemed to have been sent out to gather up the stragglers, and some of them had begun their duty by getting drunk, too.

about the principal corner; across on the hills, and along the road to the left, far as the eye could reach, rose the glitter from the swaying points of bayonets, as with steady tramp the columns of our Second and Third corps were marching northward. They were just getting started - it was already well on in the afternoon. Clearly something was in the wind.

Half a mile further east, splashed by the hoofs of eager gallopers. A large, unpretending camp, looking very much like that of a battalion of cavalry we turn in, without ceremony, and are at the headquarters of the army of the Potomac.

In one fence-corner we passed a drunken trio At first all seems quiet enough, but a moment's in fierce altercation with a gay-looking, drunken observation shows signs of movement. The patrol, with a rose jauntily worn in his button- slender baggage is all packed, every body is ready hole, and a loaded and cocked revolver carelessly to take the saddle at a moment's notice. Enplaying in his hand. "These fellows are d-dr-gineers are busy with their maps; couriers are

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