of the deaths of their two brothers, Samuel and George, who were members of Co. D, 32nd Regiment of Mo. Vols., in the army near Vicksburg.

On the 31st of December, '62, K records her fifth loss. This time a desertion. We have only the official record: John Fulton, "deserted Dec. 31, 1862, Georgetown, D.C." Our next loss was Harrison McConnell, discharged Feb. 13, '63. In this case it appears that Harrison was a minor, enlisting without the consent of his parents. They applying to the U.S. courts, in Pittsburg, Pa., got a decision of release. On the 14th day of Feb., '63, Corp'l Isaac Donaldson died in camp of typhoid fever. His death was one of triumph in Christian faith. But it cast a gloom over the Company. We mourned the loss of a good soldier and a kind companion.

The other losses up to the time of our breaking camp, April 28th, were as follows: Corp'l John D. McCabe, discharged Feb. 13th, '63, on surgeon's certificate of disability; Henderson Scott, discharged March 12, '63, special order War Department; Robert Lyle, discharged March 14, '63, surgeon's certificate of disability; Benjamin B. Buchanan, discharged March 20, '63, surgeon's certificate of disability; Isaac Golden, died April 15, '63, at Mt. Pleasant, D.C., and was buried in the Military Asylum Cemetery, D.C., and David W. Corbin, died April 21, '63, in Stanton hospital, D.C., and buried in the same Military Asylum Cemetery. These losses cut the roll of members down to 82.

John A. McCalmont was promoted to Corporal to date April 15th, '63, the time of Donaldson's death. Jos. Smith Graham was made Corporal, to date the time of McCabe's discharge, Feb. 13, '63.

When the Company marched out from camp on April 28th, Lieut. Sweeney was in Washington, Pa., on leave of absence, and Musician McConnell was at home on furlough. Robert McClurg was with the Pioneer Corps. J. H. Fordyce, Ezra Conaway, Michael Daugherty and Ben. McCullough were on detached duty as teamsters. Colin R. Nickeson, Owen McElfish and John Makeown were sick and left at Falmouth. The sick in hospitals in Washington and other places were: D. J. Butterfoss, Ben. Cummins, John Day, Geo. Hanlin, Geo. Morrow, Enoch Mounts and Wm. A. Ruffner. In all absent from the ranks 17, leaving 65 to cross the Rappahannock and enter the battle of Chancellorsville, as follows: Capt. Stockton, Lieut. Cook, Sergeants Powelson, Boyd, Alexander, Hayes and Shindle; Corporals Cooke, Powelson, Ralston, Pry, Gardner, Hanlin, McCalmont and Graham; Musician Morris, privates Allison, Abram Andrews, Peter Andrews, Arthurs, Berryhill, Briggs, George Carter, Jesse Carter, Thomas Carter, Chester, Chisholm, Jos. Corbin, Cochran, Dickson, Dungan, Earnest, Frazier, Geary, Guess, Hawthorn, Hull, Johnson, J. C. Lyle, McCurdy, Magill, Maloy, Meldoon, Metcalf, Wm. Miller, Isaac Miller, J. W. Nickeson, Noah, Porter, Robt. Pry, David Pry, Rea, Wm. Scott, Seese, Geo. Sprowls, Jesse Sprowls, Staley, Star, Stollar, Toppin, Virtue, Wheeler, Wilkin, Worstell and Wright.

Co. K participated with the Regiment in all the five days of action, being more or less under fire the entire time. Our first experience in line of battle was on a by-road leading out from Plank Road, about a mile east of Chancellorsville. Thick woods in our rear. Dense pine thickets in front. Fences were leveled. Shells crushing in tops of trees behind us. Balls occasionally zipping nearby, and enemy coming nearer, but could not be seen. In those moments of trial, what a study in human nature! The rebels came on in heavy columns. Our skirmishers are driven in. Orders given to fall back, and our going back through that brush was a terror. No order could be maintained. But once out of timber and on road, we were soon right again, and ever after were ready for the Johnnies. We had been initiated, practically blindfolded. In that first day of May and several days following Co. K was tested in nearly all phases of engagement, its chief work being constructing entrenchments and abatis; and in the hottest conflict on the third day, in support of Knapp's battery. In this particular service K had some protection in an embankment of a cross road, while shot and shell passed over in dreadful profusion. Capt. Stockton had shelter only by a little sapling, which was cut off a few feet above him, Lieut. Col. Frazier remarking, "rather a close call, Captain."

To a soldier in his first battle there are strange feelings and peculiar experiences. That the members of K shared in these may be indicated by a quotation from Corp'l Cooke's writings to me: "On the 1st day of May, '63, I saw the first wounded man as we marched out to support the skirmish line to the right of plank road east of Chancellorsville. The sight of the blood running down the man's face made me blind; but it soon passed away, and I never experienced the sensation again during the war, though I saw many worse sights. It was then the Company had several new experiences—lying in front of a battery to support it (in the open ground, just east of C.) lying in the woods at night while an occasional long-tailed, comet-like shell would shriek over us, while we buried our noses in the dirt and leaves; the wild experience of supporting the battery behind it, while it seemed all the artillery of the enemy was playing upon it. That Sunday artillery duel was the most terrific experience to me of the whole war. Yet, strange to say, there were but few casualties in K worthy of mention. That being our first battle many things were vividly impressed on my mind: the digging of trenches; the attack on Howard (by Jackson) that thundering Saturday night; the filing by of the 11th Corps the next morning; the disabled cannon swung under axles; the women pale and frightened, fleeing from the burning Chancellorsville houses, creeping along our trenches to find a place of safety; the band shelled while playing the "Star Spangled Banner"; the dragging off by hand (by detail from the 140th) the remnant of our battery in front; the falling back to a new line, and finally the retreat."

Much of our maneuvering was done in woods and tangling brush, very annoying. K withstood its baptism in battle well, and met the discomfiture, defeat and retreat of our army in very good spirits, sharing in the "ups and downs" in the march in rain and mud. Many expressed regret as we recrossed the river, for better things had been expected.

  On the north side Lieut. Sweeney and Geo. McConnell were met, returning from their visits home. This was on the morning of May 6th. The march thence back to our old camps was made much "as you please," characteristically like American soldiering; but we got there O.K.—for supper, and that after considerable rustling. One thing was manifest, K had parted with many of its possessions in extra clothing, comforts, etc., and some essentials were lost. The fact is, when we were up in support battery on the 3rd, our knapsacks left by order, at trenches, were ransacked by camp followers. [See the Transcriber's Note] fact is, when we were up in support of battery on the 3rd, our knap- Wheeler, in arm; McCalmont, in foot; Briggs, in back; Chester, in leg; and J. W. Nickeson, thumb shot off. Corp'l W. L. Pry, in falling back to hospital, overcome with fatigue, accidentally shot himself in hand.

Comrade McClurg (who was with the Pioneer Corps, which, while laying pontoons, was shelled by the rebs and had to seek shelter till our cavalry drove the rebs away) reports that he cut slips from apple trees behind which he took refuge and sent them by letter to the man on his home place, and that today he eats apples from a large tree grown from the slips grafted on the two branches of a young tree then recently planted. (On a visit, in June, '04, the writer saw with much satisfaction this tree.)

On the 11th day of May, for sanitary effect, our camp was moved about a mile, and K soon had herself in summer array. On the 13th K was assigned to a new place in line and camp, other Companies, too, being changed. (C, B, K, I, A, H, G, D, F, E.) This changed K from left