double-quick. It was said to have been a race between Grant and Lee for position at Spottsylvania Court House, and Lee won the race, securing the position, having had the inside track.

CHAPTER XI.
Spottsylvania.

The cavalry struck the rebel column, and skirmished until the advance troops (5th corps) arrived, and took their place.

It was with difficulty that our division was brought into line, owing to the shattered condition of our ranks, caused by the double-quick, but a critical moment had arrived, and with a cheer the men dashed forward, re-taking the ground lost by Robinson's division. But in the charge, as usual, we advanced too far, and were in danger of being flanked, so we were ordered back to our line, where we lay on our arms till six o'clock.

The whole army had now arrived, and the order war given to advance. The enemy yielded, and the first line of entrenchments was carried, and they fell back to a strongly fortified position, from which they could not be driven. Soon after our brigade made a dash upon the enemy in our front, (unauthorized, it is said,) but there being no co-operation by other troops, we skerried back again, Col. Talley commanding the brigade, and several hundred men having been taken prisoners.

At 8 a. m. on the 9th, we moved to the right-centre of the line, and were ordered to throw up Rifle-pits, which Pensyl, in the emphatic language he generally used, said, were "d—d beautiful works for somebody-else to fight behind." George uttered truthful words, if they were a little profane, for, while we built many defensive works of various kinds, I do not remember that we ever actually fought in such works.

Skirmishing, with an occasional undecisive struggle for the mastery, now continued for several days, during which we were called upon to charge on certain works in our front, but owing to the fact that every man understood that the charge was ordered as a mere feint to cover some other movement, it was not pressed.

On the 18th, we swung round to the left, and were sent forward on the skirmish line. Just in our front, possibly fifty yards off, the rebel skirmishers occupied an excellent line of rifle-pits, while we had no cover except that afforded by nature. An order was given to advance the line, which order was intended for other points on the line and not for us it seems, when John W. Shipley in the attempt to obey orders, was struck by a rebel ball, and was instantly killed. We had the satisfaction of knowing a moment later, that the same rebel was killed by Shipley's especial friend Geo. W. Pensyl. We burried Shipley near where he fell.

CHAPTER XII.
North Anna river.

Gen. Lee withdrew his forces to a strong position south of the North Anna river, and Gen'l Grant followed with the Union army in quick pursuit. We reached the river and crossed at Jericho ford on the 23rd, and spent three days in reconnoitering the position of the enemy, and then by a flank movement to the left, compelled Lee to abandon the strong position he had taken.

The Union array crossed the Pamunky river on the 28th of May, the Fifth and Ninth corps crossing at Hanover Ferry, thus bringing us once more near the locality where the terrible scenes of 1862 were enacted. Communications were opened with White-house Landing, and a new base of supplies thus secured.

Our Brigade on the 30th of May was sent out on the Mechanicsville road, near Bethesda church, to prevent a possible surprise by the enemy from that direction. Having advanced a short distance we were formed in brigade front and ordered to throw up a barricade. Company K. soon did the work that fell to their lot, and every man soon was seeking to get what rest he could, under the shade of a convenient hedge fence.

We were aroused by the sharp rattle of musketry on both flanks of the brigade, and discovered further, that the position had been abandoned, while we were sleeping, (an unheard-of thing, but easily explained,) and we were seemingly, alone on the line of breast-works. Quickly arousing the men, each hurriedly took in the situation, then, such skedadling to the rear was never seen before, "every man for himself, and the de'il take the hindmost." All soon were gone except five. H. C. Elden, Cal. Harbaugh, A. H. Blocher, G. W. Pensyl and Capt. Minnigh, the three last named running the risk of capture, in their efforts to induce Harbaugh and Elden to run the gauntlet as their comrades had done. This they refused to do, saying "I'll not do it; and be shot down like a dog." The situation was of course an awful one, for the rebels were now in our works on both flanks, and the race for liberty must necessarily be in the range of every rebel musket. Turning to Pensyl, as the two men threw themselves on the ground, thus deciding the question, I said, "Now let us skip out." Geo. W. do you remember that foot-race? Hey? Do you mind the fence, all grown up with red briars, the "durned old haversack" filled with potatoes, that you wanted to get rid of, and could'nt? Well, we all got out safe, while Harbaugh and Elden were transferred to an awful southern prison.

The Brigade now took up a new position, threw up a barricade, and awaited the advance of the enemy, who soon was seen, in a well dressed line of battle, emerging from the cover of the woods, two-hundred yards to the front. Orders were given not to fire one shot until the enemy reached the line of an old fence half-way across the open space between us. We never saw so deliberate an advance by the enemy, in all our three years experience, as this was. Brave specimen of American soldiery they were, consciously facing death, they came on. Two sections of a divided battery, one on the right the other on the left, with enfilading fire, opened on them, then the infantry added their missiles of destruction; they come no further, a few turn and flee to the cover of the woods, the firing ceases and an advance is ordered, when the only enemy we find are the torn and shapeless forms, that literally cover the ground, they were "annihilated." (Rebel records.)

CHAPTER XIII.
Homeward bound.

Hurrah! For home. This was the glad greeting, on the morning of June 1st, when the order was issued for our return northward.

We accordingly bade farewell to the Army of the Potomac, and to the comrades of the company who had veteranized, who were now assigned to the 190th Penn'a Veteran Volunteers, to serve their unexpired term of service.

On the 2nd of June, we reached White house landing, and went aboard the transport George Weems at 10 a. m. on the 3rd, and at 12 m. with three hearty cheers, started northward, and landed at Washington, D. C. on the 4th, at 4 o'clock p. m.

On Sunday 5th at 11:30 a. m. we left the National Capitol, and on the 6th arrived at Harrisburg, Pa. the Capitol of our native State.

We were the recipients of a Royal welcome when we disembarked at Harrisburg, but the joyous greeting can only be measured by the deep sorrow of many who received not back their loved ones.

Three years before we as a Division of State troops, had gone forth fully 15.000 strong, and now we were merely a hand-full, then, full of life and buoyancy, now, war-worn and battle-scarred veterans.

We proceeded to Philadelphia, and were finally mustered out of the service, on the 13th of June 1864.

Company K. as a body returned to our native town (Gettysburg,) where a Banquet welcome, had been prepared for us, but owing to the fact that it was deferred untill evening, only a few remained to partake of the bounteous banquet, preferring the more humble spread that awaited them, in the homes where loved ones surrounded the board.

Of the 110 who had gone forth, three years before, only 24 now returned.

Some sleep peacefully in the unmarked graves of the south-land; no tender hand wreaths flowers over these unknown graves, but the gentle zephyrs chant requiems continually,