ning along, just back of our position, and marched
off toward the right. The road ran, for some distance, nearly parallel
to our lines, and then bore away toward the rear. For a time we met, or
passed bodies of troops and wagon teams on the roadside, soldiers
single, or in groups. Further on, all these reminders of the presence of
the Army were left behind, and we found ourselves marching on quiet
lonely country roads, through woods and fields of a peaceful rural
landscape. We had not the least idea where we were going; or what we
were going to do, or see when we got there. But we had got out of the
habit of caring for that.

=The Last March of Our Howitzer Captain=

It was a calm, sweet June evening! quiet country farms, and homes lay
all about us. The whole scene spoke of peace. It was such a restful
change to us from the din and smoke and crowd we had been in the midst
of so long. We gave ourselves up to the influences of the hour, and a
very pleasant evening we cannoneers had strolling along, in front of the
column of guns, and talking together.

Captain McCarthy was on foot, in the midst of us, as we marched. I
remember being particularly struck with what a stalwart, martial figure
he was, as he strode along that road. He was much more silent, and quiet
than usual! He was generally so bright and cheerful, that this was
noticed, and remarked on by several of us.

It was afterwards, that perhaps a presentiment was given him that this
was his last march, with the battery, he had fought so often, and loved
so much; and _this_ saddened, and softened his usually bold, soldierly
spirit, and bearing. I walked and talked with him a good deal that
afternoon, and certainly I was struck by a quietness of manner, and a
gentleness of speech, not at all usual with him. But we did not know
what it meant _then_! So we cheerily swung along that silent road, to
meet what was coming to him, and to us, in the unseen way ahead.

About five o'clock we pulled out of the road we had been travelling, and
followed a narrow farm road, across a wide, open field, toward a
farmhouse, on its farther edge. Beyond the house was a large pine wood,
which stopped all view in that direction. As we passed across that
field, we saw some other artillery, coming from another direction, and
converging with us upon that farmhouse. When we drew close together, we
discovered that these fellows were the Second and Third Companies of the
"Richmond Howitzers