Thomas Wentworth Higginson, Harvard Memorial Biographies

[102] go no farther, sent it back at twelve o'clock at night, sent my trunk and boxes to the Provost Marshal of Frederick City, slept under a haycock, and Monday morning set out, valise in hand, for the regiment. I have not seen my trunk, etc., since, but hope to get it soon. As I went up the mountain the sun rose, lifting the fog from all the surrounding hills, and presenting a scene I cannot describe; no one but those who have seen sunrise from mountain-tops can imagine it. I found the brigade drawn up in line in the wood, expecting an attack. The men of our company were very glad to see me, and I gladly took command of them. In about half an hour word came that the enemy were in full retreat towards the river, so our division, under General Richardson, started down the mountain at double-quick, and passed through the towns of Boonsborough and Keatysville, amid the cheers and patriotic greetings of the loyal citizens, who freely gave us bread, water, and what other eatables were at hand. A burning bridge delayed our passage a little, but we overtook the enemy about eleven o'clock at Sharpsburg. . . . .

Here we lay two days and two nights; the opposing batteries meantime keeping up a terrific fire, which killed and wounded some of our men. At night we slept on the ground, covered only by rubber blankets. Tuesday night it rained, and it seemed very strange to be sleeping out in the rain. It woke me up; but, drawing my rubber blanket over my head, I slept soundly till morning. Tuesday night General Hooker forded Beaver Brook (a stream about as wide as Concord River, near mother's) with his forces, and opened the fight on Wednesday, A. M. On Wednesday, at nine o'clock in the morning, we formed in line, and were marched across the brook, which was about up to our knees; and after resting on the other side long enough to wring out our socks, and empty the water out of our shoes, we were marched to the field of battle. On the way we passed through a shower of bullets and shells. When within about sixty yards of the Rebels, we halted. They were right behind a hill in a cornfield, which was uneven, sloping ground. We could see the colors of many regiments before us; and we have since learned that the whole of Longstreet's division was opposed to our brigade. They kept up a terrible fire while we were forming our lines; some of our men dropped as we approached, and before we took position; but I saw no man in our regiment flinch, though at one time we were exposed to a front and flank fire. . . . .

I shall never forget the sight of the Sixty-ninth New York, on