Monday, September 22. The teams being now dismissed, each man shouldered his own luggage, and the march was resumed at eight o'clock. At Greencastle we found an encampment designated as "Camp M'Cormick," containing several thousand militia, which had not proceeded further south than this point, having been among the later organizations. With these was the 20th Regiment, containing the companies of Captains Boas, Geiger, and Harner, from Reading, with whom we exchanged friendly greetings as we passed. About a mile above Greencastle we were halted in a wood, and after considerable manœuvring, the import of which we could not understand, and, being very tired, could not appreciate, we stacked arms and unslung knapsacks. Here we were rejoined by several of our men who had been down the day before to visit the battle-field, having been fortunate enough to secure passes from the military authorities for that purpose. They gave terrible descriptions of the scenes which they had witnessed, and exhibited a number of relics which they had brought away. It was understood that the parley at this juncture was with reference to the arrangements for transportation, a subject which, as usual, appeared to be involved in much intricacy. The period of our stay in this situation was therefore uncertain, and after dinner had been served, the remainder of the day was given up to relaxation and amusement. Under the latter head came in performances of blanket-tossing and elephant parades—tricks which most of us had never seen before, but which we learned were well known among old soldiers. The Sancho Panza of this occasion was a small boy, picked up by the Lancaster Company, and I dare say that, from the energy and perseverance with which the sport was conducted, the unfortunate lad got more of it than he bargained for. This company had among their number a comical genius named Gable, irreverently dubbed the "Chaplain," whose sallies afforded a never-ending source of amusement to his comrades, as well as to some of the field and staff officers, who frequently formed a portion of his admiring auditory. Most of the Chaplain's wit on this, as on other occasions, was of a character that would have far removed it from the test of refined criticism. Mirth and song filled in the waning hours of the day, and, all restraints being removed, the night was given up to general hilarity.
Tuesday, September 23. Were aroused at 2 A.M. by the receipt of orders to proceed to the railroad, half a mile away, for transportation. Again we were the victims of an unfortunate bungle in the railway arrangements. The train which had been intended for our accommodation was appropriated by another regiment, whose triumphant departure up the valley we had the satisfaction of witnessing. Several other trains passed, and at daylight we were still in statu quo, worn out with fatigue, and vexed with disappointment. The entire day was passed in the same situation, and to add to our discomfiture, the rations had given out and the neighborhood was unpromising for forage of any kind. Was assigned for guard duty the ensuing night from ten to twelve, when lo! at about eleven, after the long expected event had ceased to be anticipated, it came to pass suddenly. The screech of a steam-whistle was heard alongside of us, which announced that our train was at last on hand. After the usual preparatory bustle, we were safely loaded up, and were presently whizzing off at a good speed toward Chambersburg. The dim light of the lanterns tied to the rods at the top of the cars, threw a gloomy air over the sleeping freight which they contained. At one o'clock a halt of an hour was made at Chambersburg, and by daylight Shippensburg was reached.
Wednesday, September 24. At Carlisle another stop of half an hour. The morning was clear and bright, and the men in the most cheerful spirits. We arrived at Harrisburg at eleven o'clock, and were marched at once to the Capitol grounds, where we turned over our arms and accoutrements at the Arsenal. In company with K., I went to the United States Hotel, where we got a good dinner. I am inclined to think the landlord did not clear much on the meal which we laid in on that occasion. At 1.45 P.M. the company took the regular afternoon passenger train for Reading, our Pottsville friends being again with us. Reached home at 4.15, and found a concourse of citizens assembled at the depot with a band of music to receive us. After a short street parade, by way of exhibition, I presume, of the State's gallant defenders, we filed into our old mustering place, at Fifth and Washington Streets, where, with loud and hearty cheers for everybody concerned, we were dismissed, and thus our brief but memorable militia campaign of eleven days peacefully ended.
The company of Captain Bickley, which had been the first to leave Reading, was also the first to reach home. On the day it arrived, a proclamation was issued by Governor Curtin, discharging the militia, with his grateful acknowledgments in the name of the State, and commending their bravery in passing the borders, although not required to do so by the terms of the call, holding Hagerstown against an advancing foe, and resisting the threatened movement of the rebels upon Williamsport until the United States troops arrived and relieved them. This timely and heroic action, the Governor said, saved the State from the tread of the invading enemy. He recommended that the militia organizations be preserved and perfected—a suggestion which was not generally followed.
The only sad feature of the campaign was the dreadful accident which befel the company of Captain Boas, from Reading, of the 20th Regiment, on the Cumberland Valley Railroad, near Harrisburg, at an early hour on the morning of Friday, the 26th of September. The train on which they were returning collided with one going in the opposite direction, and four members of the company were killed and some thirty injured.
General McClellan thanked Governor Curtin for the timely aid of the State militia, and the moral support thus rendered to the army. Governor Bradford, of Maryland, made a similar acknowledgment. Nearly fifty thousand Pennsylvania militia responded to the original call, about one-half of whom were in actual service on the border. The following year they were compensated by the State, the Legislature having made an appropriation for that purpose, allowing fifteen days' pay to each man, at the rate prescribed by Act of Congress for the payment of the regulars and volunteers in the United States service.