Chapter I: Preface

As some apology would seem to be necessary for the effort, herewith made, to add yet one more volume to the already overcrowded shelf containing the Nation's literature of the great Civil War, it may be well to say a few words in explanation of the following pages.

Several years ago the writer prepared a brief series of papers for the columns of _St. Nicholas_, under the title of "Recollections of a Drummer-Boy." It was thought that these sketches of army life, as seen by a boy, would prove enjoyable and profitable to children in general, and especially to the children of the men who participated in the great Civil War, on one side or the other; while the belief was entertained that they might at the same time serve to revive in the minds of the veterans themselves long-forgotten or but imperfectly remembered scenes and experiences in camp and field. In the outstart it was not the author's design to write a connected story, but rather simply to prepare a few brief and hasty sketches of army life, drawn from his own personal experience, and suitable for magazine purposes. But these, though prepared in such intervals as could with difficulty be spared from the exacting duties of a busy professional life, having been so kindly received by the editors of _St. Nicholas_, as well as by the very large circle of the readers of that excellent magazine, and the writer having been urgently pressed on all sides for more of the same kind, it was thought well to revise and enlarge the "Recollections of a Drummer-Boy," and to present them to the public in permanent book form. In the shape of a more or less connected story of army life, covering the whole period of a soldier's experience from enlistment to muster-out, and carried forward through all the stirring scenes of camp and field, it was believed that these "Recollections," in the revised form, would commend themselves not only to the children of the soldiers of the late war, but to the surviving soldiers themselves; while at the same time they would possess a reasonable interest for the general reader as well.

From first to last it has been the author's design, while endeavoring faithfully to reflect the spirit of the army to which he belonged, to avoid all needless references of a sectional nature, and to present to the public a story of army life which should breathe in every page of it the noble sentiment of "malice towards none, and charity for all."

In all essential regards, the following pages are what they profess to be,--the author's personal recollections of three years of army life in active service in the field. In a few instances, it is true, certain incidents have been introduced which did not properly fall within the range of the writer's personal experience; but these have been admitted merely as by the way, or for the sake of being true to the spirit rather than to the letter. Facts and dates have been given as accurately as the author's memory, aided by a carefully kept army journal, would permit; while the names of officers and men mentioned in the narrative are given as they appear in the published muster-rolls, with the exception of several instances, easily recognized by the intelligent reader, in which, for evident reasons, it seemed best to conceal the actors beneath fictitious names. While speaking of the matter of names, an affectionate esteem for a faithful boyhood's friend and subsequent army messmate constrains the writer to mention that, as "Andy" was the name by which Fisher Gutelius, "high private in the rear rank," was commonly known while wearing the blue, it has been deemed well to allow him to appear in the narrative under cover of this, his army _sobriquet_.

As no full and complete history of the One Hundred and Fiftieth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers has ever yet been written, it is hoped that these Recollections of one of its humblest members may serve the purpose of recalling to the minds of surviving comrades the stirring scenes through which they passed, as well as of keeping alive in coming time the name and memory of an organization which deserved well of its country during the ever-memorable days of now more than twenty years ago.

The author herewith acknowledges his indebtedness for certain facts to a brief sketch of the One Hundred and Fiftieth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers by Thomas Chamberlain, late Major of the same; and to John C. Kensill, late sergeant of Company F, for valuable information; and to the editors of _St. Nicholas_ for their uniform courtesy and encouragement.

It cannot fail to interest the reader to know that the illustrations signed A. C. R. were drawn by Allen C. Redwood, who served in the Confederate army, and witnessed, albeit from the other side of the fence, many of the scenes which his graphic pencil has so admirably depicted.

With these few words of apology and explanation, the author herewith places THE RECOLLECTIONS OF A DRUMMER-BOY in the hands of a patient and ever-indulgent public.

H. M. K.

NORRISTOWN, PA.,
March 1, 1883.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER PAGE

I. OFF TO THE WAR 15

II. FIRST DAYS IN CAMP 34

III. ON TO WASHINGTON 49

IV. OUR FIRST WINTER QUARTERS 60

V. A GRAND REVIEW 71

VI. ON PICKET ALONG THE RAPPAHANNOCK 76

VII. A MUD-MARCH AND A SHAM-BATTLE 89

VIII. HOW WE GOT A SHELLING 107

IX. IN THE WOODS AT CHANCELLORSVILLE 117

X. THE FIRST DAY AT GETTYSBURG 128

XI. AFTER THE BATTLE 152

XII. THROUGH "MARYLAND, MY MARYLAND" 159

XIII. PAINS AND PENALTIES 171

XIV. A TALE OF A SQUIRREL AND THREE
BLIND MICE 187

XV. "THE PRIDE OF THE REGIMENT" 201

XVI. AROUND THE CAMP-FIRE 214

XVII. OUR FIRST DAY IN "THE WILDERNESS" 221

XVIII. A BIVOUAC FOR THE NIGHT 235

XIX. "WENT DOWN TO JERICHO AND FELL
AMONG THIEVES" 245

XX. IN THE FRONT AT PETERSBURG 257

XXI. FUN AND FROLIC 272

XXII. CHIEFLY CULINARY 290

XXIII. HATCHER'S RUN 300

XXIV. KILLED, WOUNDED, OR MISSING? 305

XXV. A WINTER RAID TO NORTH CAROLINA 314

XXVI. "JOHNNY COMES MARCHING HOME!" 324

ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE

READY FOR THE FRONT _Frontispiece_

VIGNETTE 8

THE COMPANY STARTS FOR THE WAR 26

TAILPIECE 48

IN WINTER-QUARTERS 62

WAITING TO BE REVIEWED BY THE PRESIDENT 72

TAILPIECE 75

IN A DANGEROUS PART OF HIS BEAT 84

THE QUARTERMASTER'S TRIUMPH 102

TAILPIECE 106

GENERAL DOUBLEDAY DISMOUNTS AND SIGHTS THE
GUN 112

TAILPIECE 116

A SURGEON WRITING UPON THE POMMEL OF HIS
SADDLE AN ORDER FOR AN AMBULANCE 118

A SKIRMISH AFTER A HARD DAY'S MARCH 140

AT CLOSE QUARTERS THE FIRST DAY AT GETTYSBURG 144

ON THE MARCH TO AND FROM GETTYSBURG 156

TAILPIECE 158

"I'VE GOT HIM, BOYS!" 168

DRUMMING SNEAK-THIEVES OUT OF CAMP 172

TAILPIECE 186

TAILPIECE 213

CHRISTMAS EVE AROUND THE CAMP-FIRE 216

SICK 220

A SCENE IN THE FIELD-HOSPITAL 228

ARMY BADGES 236

"GENERAL GRANT CAN'T HAVE ANY OF THIS WATER!" 242

"ANDY HAD BOUGHT THE SORREL FOR TEN DOLLARS" 254

"BETTER GIT OFF'N DAT DAR MULE!" 260

FINDING A WOUNDED PICKET IN A RIFLE-PIT 262

SCENE AMONG THE RIFLE-PITS BEFORE PETERSBURG 266

THE MAGAZINE WHERE THE POWDER AND SHELLS
WERE STORED 270

"FALL IN FOR HARD-TACK!" 292

THE CONFLICT AT DAYBREAK IN THE WOODS AT
HATCHER'S RUN 304

WRECKING THE RAILWAY 316

THE CHARGE ON THE CAKES 326

THE WELCOME HOME 330

THE RECOLLECTIONS

OF

A DRUMMER-BOY.

THE RECOLLECTIONS

OF

A DRUMMER-BOY.