ADDRESS OF PRIVATE JOHN TWEedale.

OLONEL BETTS and Comrades:-When a soldier receives orders he is not expected to talk back:

"Their's not to reason why,

Their's but to do and die."

At present I am under orders of the colonel to say something, and I must therefore obey.

It has always been a matter of regret to me that I did not continue with the regiment during all of its campaigns after Stone River; at the same time it is better to be alive and thus be able to regret, than to be filling a grave in a national cemetery as might have been the case had I continued with the regiment instead of going on duty with Generals Rosecrans and Thomas. What has been we know; what might have been we cannot tell -so I am glad to be here to-day.

Lieutenant Conaway has referred to many things which very vividly recall the past. His oration invited reminiscences from others, and I am thus reminded of an interesting incident relative to the capture of our Colonel. During Mr. Cleveland's first administration a gentleman came into my office at the War Department and asked for his record in the secret service during the war. He said he wanted it in connection with an application he had made for an appointment in the consular service. Careful search of the records developed the fact that he had been confined in Fort Delaware by direction of Secretary Stanton on a charge of betraying Colonel Palmer into the hands of the enemy during the battle of Antietam; but no further information was afforded.

I told him that the records were quite unsatisfactory as to his record, and asked him for further information. He then went into his record somewhat in detail, stating that he had been confined at Fort Delaware, and that subsequently he had been released by Secretary Stanton and paid for his services by the disbursing clerk of the War Department. With this clue I was enabled to obtain his full record. It appears that he and Colonel Palmer came down to one of the fords of the Potomac River and crossed over into Virginia. They went to a farmhouse to stay over night, and while there some rebel cavalry came to the house. Colonel Palmer, appreciating the danger, advised his companion to leave at once and make his way back across the Potomac into our lines, for, if found together, they would certainly be detected, as they could not possibly tell the same story in all its details. He accordingly made his way back to the Potomac River, took a boat which he found there and recrossed. While crossing, he was fired upon by the enemy's pickets, but was unharmed and arrived safely within our lines. As he returned so soon, General McClellan suspected that he had betrayed Colonel Palmer, and so informed

Secretary Stanton, by whom he was ordered to be confined at Fort Delaware, where he refused to make any statement. So, as soon as Colonel Palmer was released from Libby Prison and exchanged in February, 1863, he wrote to Secretary Stanton stating that his life was no doubt saved by the refusal of this man (I cannot recall his name) to say anything about his adventures, for, if he had done so, it would have been published in the papers and immediately sent to Richmond by sympathizers, and Colonel Palmer's fate would thus have been sealed.

The story of Colonel Palmer's capture and imprisonment was published in Harper's Magazine for June, 1867, under the title: "A General's Story." I know you will be glad to hear this supplemental statement. As I am to accept the Pennsylvania monuments next Monday, at Orchard Knob, on behalf of the government, I will reserve until that time any further remarks which otherwise would be appropriate on this occasion.

The exercises closed with the singing of the hymn "America," and taps sounded by Comrade Murdoch, after which the members and friends attending were grouped and photographed.

I

HISTORICAL SKETCH OF REGIMENT *

N the early part of August, 1862, William J. Palmer received authority from the Secretary of War to recruit a battalion of cavalry, which was subsequently extended to recruit a full regiment. Recruiting offices were opened in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and other parts of the State, and before the end of the month, nearly a thousand men were in the camp of rendezvous at Carlisle, and mustered into the service of the United States. A company, known as the Anderson Troop, had been previously recruited by Captain Palmer, to serve as body guard to General Anderson. It was understood that the new regiment, which he was authorized to recruit, should be employed on similar duty. Accordingly, especial care was taken to obtain a select body, and in its ranks were young men from some of the wealthiest and most influential families in the Commonwealth. Officers of the Troop were placed in charge of the companies, and with the aid of officers from the Regular Cavalry stationed at Carlisle, the drill of the regiment was vigorously prosecuted. Early in September, the enemy, fresh from his triumphs at Bull Run, began to cross the Potomac in force. The regiment was, accordingly, ordered to remain in the Cumberland Valley, and two hundred and fifty picked men, with three days' rations, and thirty-six rounds of ammunition per man, were ordered to the front. Proceeding by rail to Green

*Extract from Bates' History of Pennsylvania Volunteers.

castle, parties were sent out in all directions to procure horses, the command as yet not having been mounted. One hundred and fifty were obtained, and all the roads leading from the south were picketed, the enemy being in strong force at Hagerstown. Skirmishing took place on the 12th and 13th, and the pickets were twice driven, but by keeping up a bold front, the enemy was prevented from following up his advantage, supposing, no doubt, that the pickets were well supported. Indeed, General Longstreet, while in possession of Hagerstown, reported to General Lee, that "had he not found swarms of Yankee cavalry in his front, he would have advanced further into the State." The detachment really had no support nearer than Chambersburg, and on the 15th, the dismounted men were sent to that place. On the same day, learning that the enemy was leaving Hagerstown, the detachment was collected, and moving forward in a body, charged through the town, capturing thirty rebel stragglers. It then advanced to Jones' Cross Roads, on the Sharpsburg Pike, where it remained during the night in readiness for an attack, and during the 17th, while the battle of Antietam was in progress, was employed in bringing up stragglers and scouting, losing one man killed. On the day following the battle, Captain Palmer, while within the enemy's lines in disguise, in the discharge of a dangerous and difficult duty, by order of the commanding General, was taken prisoner and sent to Richmond, where, for several months, he endured the privations of rebel durance. On the 20th, the detachment led the advance of the Pennsylvania Militia, under General Reynolds, to Williamsport, and on the following day, the enemy having made good his escape, returned to Greencastle, delivering the horses to their owners, and thence to their camp at Carlisle.

Up to this time, none but temporary organizations had been made, the men relying on Captain Palmer to select officers of ability and experience to lead them, having, by the terms of their enlistment, waived the right to choose their own officers. His capture, at this critical juncture, proved a great misfortune, as the command was left without a head. On the 1st of October, William Spencer, First Lieutenant of the Troop, was commissioned Lieutenant Colonel, Adolph G. Rosengarten, and Frank B. Ward, Majors, and the regiment was organized in ten companies. A full list of company officers was presented to the proper authorities for appointment, but only eleven of these were commissioned. On the 7th of November, the regiment moved by rail to Louisville, Kentucky, where, upon its arrival, it went into camp, and was mounted. A month later it was ordered forward to Nashville, where the main army, now under command of General Rosecrans, was assembled. At this time, the command had seven field and staff officers, twelve line, and about two-thirds of its complement of non-commissioned officers. On the 25th, a detachment of two hundred and fifty men was sent out as guard to a foraging train, and while beyond the lines, on the Hillsboro Pike, was attacked, and one man killed; but the enemy was beaten back, and the laden train brought safely in.

The army was now upon the eve of advancing to meet Bragg, in the