



Produced by Emmy and the Online Distributed Proofreading
Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from
images generously made available by The Internet
Archive/American Libraries.)











THE EMPTY SLEEVE:

OR THE

LIFE AND HARDSHIPS

OF

HENRY H. MEACHAM,

IN THE

UNION ARMY.



_BY HIMSELF._


          SPRINGFIELD, MASS.:
          SOLD FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE AUTHOR.
          PRICE, 25 CENTS.




PREFACE.


READERS, in writing this book, I do not intend to bring before you a
work of ability; but simply to describe a few of the many scenes that I
passed through while in the Army of the Potomac and in the hospital. It
is true, that I did not suffer as some of our soldiers did; but having
lost my right arm, which excludes me from most kinds of work, I have
taken this method of gaining a living. I have myself and wife to care
for, and my wife's health being poor, makes it still harder for me to
get along; and thus, by writing this book, I hope to place myself and
wife in comfortable circumstances. With these few remarks, I throw
myself upon the generosity of the public, thanking them for the kindness
I have already received, and assuring them that I shall always be
grateful for their aid in the support of myself and wife.

                                             HENRY H. MEACHAM.




THE EMPTY SLEEVE.


AT the breaking out of the Great Rebellion, I was engaged at
carriage-making in the town of Russell, in Massachusetts, but thought it
my duty to enter the service in defence of my country, and do what
little I could to keep traitors from trampling the good old flag under
their feet. I went and was examined, but was rejected. I came back with
downcast feelings, but was determined to try again. As time rolled on,
and my health improved, I tried again for a soldier's life, but without
success. I little knew the hardships and perils, of active service, and
thought it very pretty sport. But it was not the novelty of the scene
that inspired me to go, but the love of my country. Finally, at my third
examination, I was accepted; and my heart beat with joy.

I left Springfield, the twelfth day of September, perhaps never to
return; and went to Long Island, in Boston Harbor. There I remained one
week; then the Transport came to take us far from our homes. Many were
the wistful glances that were cast back towards our home, where were
the ones we loved most dear; and how we longed for one more farewell
salute before we left our native State; but that could not be. The wind
was blowing hard (it makes my brain dizzy to think of it now); but we
had to go. We little knew but we should find a watery grave before
reaching the scene of action; but the weather calmed, and we had a very
pleasant voyage, and arrived at the front, where I was placed in Company
E, Thirty-second Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteers, who were lying at
Culpepper, Virginia (which is about sixty miles from Washington, and in
the direction of Richmond). Here I first commenced my life in the army.
We were not destined to remain here long; for in less than two weeks,
Lee, with his host of rebels, came marching on to Washington. Then
commenced Meade's retreat for Centreville. That was the first marching I
had done, and I then hoped it would be the last, for my feet were badly
blistered. My readers can judge for themselves how they would like to
march twenty-three hours out of twenty-four, with their feet in that
condition; but, thank God, we were two hours ahead of Lee and his army,
and it saved one of the most bloody battles of the war; for, had Lee got
the heights of Centreville, we should have been cut off from all
supplies and captured, or obliged to cut our way through the enemy's
lines.

When we arrived at Centreville, we gave three cheers, which rang through
the lines for miles, thinking that we were once ahead of Lee's time.
But many of the men that were taken sick or fell into the enemy's hands,
died, without any one to care for them, there alone, away from
friends,--wife and children, father and mother, brother and sister,
never to know what became of their husband, father, child, or brother.
Such were the scenes that occurred on this march, but they were trivial
compared to experiences that followed.

Soon after this, came the battle of the Rappahannock Station. Though
short, it left many a man lying cold in death; but we succeeded in
driving the enemy back behind their entrenchments at Mines Run. This was
near Thanksgiving time; the weather was cold and rainy, and we had to
wait some time before we could follow them. But