ullets; some
of them destroyed by fire, and some battered into shapeless masses; the
streets filled with disabled wagons; horses galloping about without
riders; knapsacks, guns and equipments cast away in the hasty flight;
churches filled with rebel wounded; all helped to make up a scene of
destruction such as has been rarely witnessed. The people of the village
welcomed us as their deliverers, and brought water, and such other
refreshments as they had been able to conceal from the rebels. We passed
the village and bivouacked for the night.

On the 20th, we, of the Sixth corps, retraced our steps, passing again
over the battle-field, where the stench was now unendurable. We reached
Williamsport at daylight, where Couch's division was face to face with
the enemy, who were said to be recrossing the river, and who had last
night forced back part of the division.

The rebel force had, however, consisted of about four thousand cavalry,
who, finding the Unionists in force, quickly returned to the south side
of the Potomac. Here we found an immense division of Pennsylvania
militia drawn up in line of battle. Its regiments were larger than our
brigades. They were armed with every variety of fire-arms, from light
sporting shot-guns to Sharpe's rifles. Their uniforms had quite as
little uniformity as their arms. Some were dressed in gray pants and
jackets, others in light blue; and still others in the various fashions
which constituted the wearing apparel at home. Grave gentleman in
spectacles, studious young men in green glasses, pale young men who were
evidently more at home behind the counter than in line of battle, roughs
who had not been tamed by the discipline of military life, and boys who,
for the first time, had left the paternal mansion, made up the
heterogeneous division.

Remaining at Williamsport until the morning of the 23d, we marched on
the Hagerstown turnpike to Bakersville, where we remained about three
weeks. Here it was that Couch's division was joined to the Sixth corps.
(The regiments of this division were, the 36th, 55th, 62d, 65th, 67th
and 122d New York; the 23d, 82d, 93d, 98th and 102d Pennsylvania; the
7th, 10th and 37th Massachusetts, and the 2d Rhode Island.) On the 3d of
October the corps was ordered out for review by President Lincoln. The
line was formed on a fine plain, and the booming of cannon announced the
approach of the Commander-in-Chief of the armies of the United States.
The illustrious