Page:Historical and biographical sketches.djvu/397

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SIX WEEKS IN UNIFORM.
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not intended we should leave that night, the turn of another regiment coming ahead of ours, and no orders had been issued to our Colonel to that effect; but having learned that transportation was awaiting the Twenty-seventh regiment, and knowing how to take advantage of circumstances, by management he had everything prepared, hurried us on the cars in the night before they had arrived, and was off before anyone was aware that a mistake had been made. We returned by the same route we had gone down, and nothing worthy of mention occurring on the way, we again came within sight of Harrisburg on the afternoon of the 26th of July. Disembarking from the cars, we marched to the foot of the hill, upon which stood the fort, and then pitched tents in a field. We expected to be mustered out next day, but our past experience of the delay attending military matters should have taught us better.

(Monday, July 27th.) Rennard had been removed to a hospital in Harrisburg and, having discovered his whereabouts, I wrote a letter to him telling him he had better come over and join his company. The Captains were very busy making out their muster rolls, and an advertisement was published in one of the papers warning all paroled prisoners and absentees to make their appearance immediately. Our company soon became quite full again, and some of the new comers I did not remember having seen before. Two men who had deserted were compelled to carry logs up and down before the tents as a punishment. Rolly received a letter from home saying that a box of provisions had been sent to him a week or so before, and learning that it was then lying in the depot, he prevailed on the Colonel to give a pass for him and me to go after it. At the bridge the guards said it would have to be countersigned by the Commandant of the post,

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