people near Uniontown, also a copy to the Zanesville Courier. I give this in marked contrast to the way we disposed of the dead later on.

Many became so dangerously ill that Colonel Ford procured an order to move his regiment down the mountain twelve miles to the town of Beverly for better accommodations, and here new quarters had to be built. While we were at work on these build ings Colonel Ford received an order from General Milroy, then in command, dated December 10th, to report with his regiment back to the Gap to join inf an advance on the enemy stationed at Camp Alleghany, thirty miles east of the Gap on the road to Staunton.

At this time many of the line officers and all the field officers, except the Colonel, were either sick or absent. The Colonel showed me the order, saying that neither he nor the regiment was able to make the trip and that he was going to so report.

I knew that there was not the best feeling existing between the Colonel and General Milroy and that this refusal would work an injury to both him and the regiment, and I suggested that he send a copy of the order to the different companies with a statement of the regiment's condition, but calling for volunteers for the expedition. This he said he would do if I would go in command. I told him I was willing to go, but as the Captain of Company "G" I was not the ranking officer and not entitled to command. The Colonel replied, "I will arrange that matter. Those who are ready for duty and whose commissions ante

date yours I will detail on some other duty and then place the volunteers under your command and give you a note to General Milroy explaining our condition here."

This was arranged, and about two hundred of the best men and officers of the regiment, including fifty of my own company under Lieutenant Westbrook, reported for duty. We started that afternoon, December 11th, 1861, with three days' rations and one blanket each and marched six miles to Huttonville, where we bunched together for the night in the fence corners of a meadow at the foot of the mountain. At 10 o'clock the next morning I reported to General Milroy in the gap at the top and gave him Colonel Ford's note. After dinner the brigade, consisting of the 9th and 13th Indiana, the 25th Ohio and the detachment of the 32d O. V. I., started over the road of our night march six weeks before. We crossed Cheat river and rested in the camp recently occupied by the enemy.

I was surprised to find no empty bottles nor packs of cards, but Sunday school papers, and, in one case, a Testament with a mother's blessing written on the fly leaf, and letters written by fathers, mothers, sisters and sweethearts, all full of affection; some of them from mothers urging their dear sons not to forget their prayers. These were addressed to the boys of the 12th Georgia Regiment. This was a revelation which went far to modify my feelings towards the Southern people.

CHAPTER 5.

Battle of Camp Alleghany.

At 2 o'clock A. M. December 13th, 1861, the command started, as it was General Milroy's hope to take the enemy by surprise. When within three miles of their camp, which was located on a plateau of the Alleghanies, Colonel Moody was ordered to take his regiment quietly around to the rear of the camp and begin his attack when he heard our guns.

After a short rest we proceeded our detachment in front, followed by the 25th O. V. I. and the 13th Indiana. In a strip of timber when nearing the camp, our skirmishers encountered the enemy's pickets and were fired upon and one of our advance badly wounded. He was carried back along our column. The men were so tired and sleepy that they were marching almost mechanically, but were aroused by the firing and were so badly affected by the sight and the groaning of the wounded man that I sent word to the Lieutenant commanding the skirmish line not to send wounded men back along the column as it had a bad effect upon the men.

Beyond the timber there was a field rising at an angle of about fifteen degrees up to the plateau. On this plateau the timber was still standing and back of

it their barricades were constructed. We pressed forward as rapidly as possible, driving the pickets before us, and one of these we captured. We formed into line, hoping to find the enemy unprepared, but they were kneeling in line on the brow of the hill waiting for us. My command formed our left flank; the 13th Indiana, the right; and the 25th O. V. I. the center. When we came within close range they arose with a terrible yell and fired upon us. But they made the mistake common to all raw soldiers; in their excitement they fired too high. We halted long enough to return the fire but made the same mistake, for the same reason. But the battle was on. We could scarcely see them for the smoke, but the noise was terrific. The men became confused and began to waver. I myself felt uncomfortable until a bracing thought came to me, and I called out, "Steady, boys, keep steady. Remember we are making half this noise." The brave fellows cheered and rushed forward with shout, driving the enemy into the timber toward their works; and the roar of the battle and the shouting was all along the line.

Close on our right a big, burly fellow of the 25th was pressing ahead and shouting as he turned, "Come on, boys, come on. Lets give 'em h-ll". Soon a ball from the front hit him in the heel; he threw his gun in the air and limped across our line shouting, "Oh, Lordie, Oh, Lordie," in such a dismal way as to raise, a laugh, which, however, helped to steady the nerves of all the boys that saw him.