Mr. Appelman had two horses in his stable, and we concluded to use them in the furtherance of our plans. A hearse and driver were secured, and Sadler's body was brought from the battle-field, en-coffined, and all things got ready for an early start on the morning of the Sixteenth; I determined to accompany the body incognito, and borrowed a citizens suit accordingly.
On the morning of the 17th at 2 o'clock, we started with the hearse drawn by one horse, and I mounted on the other horse, apparently the most unsophistocated countryman you ever saw. Let me say here, that I had determined to accompany the body, and as it would have been impossible to have secured a leave of absence, the above measure was adopted, so as not to be annoyed by the Provost guard.
We soon reached Frederick city and passed through unmolested, but at a toll-gate a mile out on the Emmittsburg pike we found the out-posts, who refused to let us pass, but after giving satisfactory answers to all questions, we finally were permitted to pass on. At Creagerstown we fed our horses and took breakfast, I also resumed the military uniform, as there was now no necessity of a disguise. Near the town of Emmittsburg I stopped at a residence, in the front yard of which there was a well of water, for the purpose of bathing my wounded arm, when a woman came rushing out and said, no Union soldier could have any water from that well; I answered in laughing good humor, that I thought I knew one who would, when she took hold of the pump handle, and tried to prevent my pumping the water. I gently pushed her away, when she called a dog to her assistance, and a large bloodhound rushed around the house, and sprung at me.
But I was ready, and a single shot laid him low. At this, the woman commenced to cry bitterly, and said she would call the men; my reply was, that the men would be dealt with in the same way. No men appeared fortunately, and I mounted my horse and rode off.
At Emmittsburg we fed our horses and took dinner, and then we were on the road again. A few miles out on the Gettysburg road we were met by my father and brother, who came with a conveyance to aid me on my way. We reached Gettysburg about 4 o'clock, and rested until after supper, and then were off again, having still 14 miles to the end of our journey. But I was entirely worn out, when I reached Heidlersburg. I went into the hotel, kept by a relation of Sadler, threw myself on a bar-room bench, and——slept, slept so soundly that I could not be awakened, so they carried me to bed, and I was surprised next morning, to find myself there and still seven miles to the journey's end.
After breakfast, I quickly covered this distance, and found all arrangements made, for the funeral that day in the afternoon. A squad of raw material, was briefly drilled, in the manual of arms, and at 4 o'clock, we buried "our fallen comrade" with the honors of war, in the family burial ground, at Hampton, to await the reveille on the morning of the resurrection day.
In Memoriam.
OUR FALLEN COMRADES!
| Killed in Battle. | ||
| J. F. Bailey, | Charles City cross roads, | June 30, 1862. |
| J. D. Sadler, | South mountain, | Sept. 14, 1862. |
| P. W. Miller, | " | " |
| Jere. Nailor, | " | " |
| J. W. Shipley, | Spottsylvania, | May 18, 1864. |
| C. F. Wisotzkey, | Mechanicsville, | June 26, 1862. |
| Died of Wounds. | ||
| Wm. McGrew, | at Field hospital, | July 6, 1863. |
| J. J. Duey, | " | date not known. |
| Died in Prison. | ||
| H. W. C. Elden, | at Florence, Ala. | date not known |
| Died of Disease. | ||
| J. F. Creamer, | Mt. Pleasant hosp't, | Dec. 21, 1863. |
| F. A. Keim, Hosp't, | Baltimore, Md. | no date. |
| J. W. McKinney, | Alexandria, Va. | Feb. 24, 1863. |
| G. W. Myers, | at Camp Pierpont, | Dec. 3, 1861. |
| Jesse Shank, | " | Nov. 24, 1861. |