Show Rear Guard Gurd Before Battle and Followed F Retreating F Foemen JOHN JOH DEO Among Amon the men who made mae it possible I for tor the federal troops to from place to place without serious from the te enemy lurking In tho rear Is John Dearing Dering of oC 11 R street streeL He is isa veteran of ot tho the WaX war wa and took pa PUt port In n Gettysburg Get Ge but took a far more active parin part par in helping helpin the tho te army get got to Gettysburg l He was attached t to the rear guard gard o othe ot of the army amy that marced marched from the Potomac to tho the field neld of or Gettysburg and was waa wa kept kep busy fighting the confederates hovering at the tho rear of the federal army ry and ad keepIng keep keep- I Ing thorn them away from the main man marching body boy This part of or the army ary had ha to fight all aU day and then march march during the tho night until they caught up with their damp camp Thon Then they retired and sometimes sometime had mp no nomore nomore nomore more to do until bright and nd early the next morning moring When they reached reache the feld field of Gettysburg Gettys burg bur after atar a march marh from tom 8 S O'clock In Sn the te morning moring until 4 o'clock the tho next net morning they were sent ent over onto the left IoU flank fak by an officer who out of or pity wished to spare them but it might be weTs well to remember that the te left flank varied wel in distance all al the way from ten to t thirty or more mute miles mJe away When we arrived at the left let flank we e were to lie le in our positions until until un un- un- un til ti 10 o'clock In the morning At that tat time a rebel force torce attacked us for the te purpose purse of testing our strength and end if I possible to find a weak point against which to t aim their attack atack said Mr but soon lon after they went ent back Into their line lne of or battle batte and ad bothered us usno usno usno no more being convinced convince that we e were too to strongly to w wOrry rr about bout for such fuch an unimportant position Followed Retreating Army Ary After that we had ha no m more t. t per personal nal contact with the rebels rebel throughout the battle but had little argument batte a over their repeated repete persistence in tr trying to toI bother our battery bater workers who were doIng doIng doIng do- do I Ing all al In their power to load the te confederates conred- conred crates with shell and ad bullets bulet Conse Consequently Consequently I we were sent to protect protect the batteries batteries bat bat- teries and spent the rest of or tho the afternoon afternoon after after- noon in returning the fire fre of or the te rebels Prior to that time we wo had be no n more moie firing to do but later on we were called cne upon to follow the retreating southern arm army to the Potomac when we received orders order to cease ceas following which we did Mr Dearing Dearins Is a native of ot Detroit Mich and was wa born brn June 6 S. 1834 He e en enlisted en listed to fight for tor the northern norther cause at ata ata ata a a mining camp on on the shore hore of ot Lake Lae Michigan He Ho became beame a a- member of the first Michigan Infantry In company I 1 I. I and was wa under uder Colonel Rob Robertson who in tn turn was wa subject to General Genera Roberts Roberta Rober He le was as in the Seven Days' Days fight and was shot through the hip hp necessitating Ida his removal from fm the tha army ary for eleven eteve months Ho took part In the following fights and campaigns Seven Days Days' fight FrederIcksburg Fter- Fter Freder Freder- Gettysburg Battle of the Wilderness Wil WU dorness Savage Savage Station Rappahannock Rappahannock Rap Rap- Rp- Rp River White Oaks Swamp Swap e Assault Upon tipon upon Petersburg Hatchers Hatcher's s Run Rim and at Harrisons Harrison's Harrson's Land Land- Ing InG He was made mado mae corporal and then the a a. sergeant sergent |