Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1861-08-14


into actual service upon the .sacred soil Of
Virginia BY special invitation Of some
Of the officers ! accompanied the Reg
nent, the agent of the several railroads
oyer which we were TO pass, having offered
free passes for a limited number OF such
friends as the Regiment wished to have
along.
The Regiment occupied fifteen passen-
ger cars, or ore company to each car, two
cars for the officers and three Others for
musicians and miscellaneous persons.
About the same number of seeonl class
aud freight cars were required for the trans
portation Of horses, camp equipage, DC.
Most of the way through the train was
divided and the parts drawn by separate
engines. sometimes the two falling apart
widely.
The forenoon Of "Wednesday was rainy,
but not 80 as to prevent the presence Of a
large multitude Of visitors from the city Of
Madison, besides numerous friends Of Of
iicers and soldiers from other parts Of the
State who had come. to giyetheir husbands
sons and brothers. a long, perhaps final
farewell. The occasion was somewhat sol
enn, though the solemnity was greatly
broken by the cheers aid rejoicings Of the
patriotic aSsemblage. At the starting,
there appeared on either side Of the cars a
line Of people extending for half mile Or
more, the number diminishing as we pass
ed, until at last only were seen the cheer
ing motions Of women and children and Of
hats swinging in the hands Of men about
their work-all probably buzzaing for the
Wisconsin Fifth, our men acknowledging
The compliments by. various tokens and
salutations.
At three o'clock the Regiment arrived
at GAINESVILLE, where Ex-Gov. -Bafstow was
in waiting at the depot as foreman Of sup
plies, and on behalf the thousands of pat
riotic souls that had gathered around he
welcomed the Regiment 10 the hospitali-
ties Of GAINESVILLE; Col Cobb accepted the
offering on behalf the Regiment, and their
citizens, scores of them, brought into the
ears great baskets filled with choice pro
visions. The cars soon moved along, for
we had the promise of free supper at
Chicago, and must be there in time. On
our way to Chicago our Regiment was
cheered all along and at the stopping places
the ladies called with pitchers of water,
pies, cakes, DC.
At 8 O'Clock we arrived at Chicago,
where thousands were assembled; several
military companies in rich uniforms were
waiting at the depot to escort us to the
fremont House where supper had be ii
provided. AT 10 o'clock, cars and bag
gage. had been changed and we soon de-
parted, the curtain Of night protecting US
from further patriotic annoyance-for BY
this time outside cheers and huzzas had
become annoying rather than pleasing.
We soon ascertaned that Capt. Temp.
Clark of Company a and Capt. Bean Of
Company F had failed to make their con-
necions with the cars at Chicago When
Or where they might turn up was a ques-
ton to be decide at some future time.
AT Elkhart, Indiana, which place we
reached at late hour, the ladies had at.
great pains prepared some extra nice
things for US; their gallants came aboard
the sleeping cars inquiring for the Colonel
whom they found at last abed in deep
sumber, not sleep, for the custom is not
70 sleep the first night Of travelaboard the
ears. They left by his side rich cake, to
which was attached a beautiful silk flag
bearing the Stars and Stripes, with this
motto attached, /" Our Flag, Now and For
cver," the staff supporting the diriinptive
flag being planted in the cake. In a note
accompanying the cake and flag was writ
ten the following brief but interesting
epistle in the hand writing Of some male
friend, doubtless her lover:
complimentary to Col. Cobb:
"All the work III the rret test girl OF Elkha IT.
a This note from her Admi, erf'
| In the morning the eyes ofthe Colonel
and his lady, the latter we neglected to no.
tee before as sharing his slumbers, opened
their eyes upon the.rich prize which they
appeared as proud IF as if the same had
been delivered by one of Milton's messea
gers appointed to distribute thrones to the
4 elect.
I
| The morning and morrow, July Is, was
| d,iIl within the cars, such dulIness as usual
Ky follows |, sIeepless night. But the same
cheers are kept up without for the WiScon-
sin Fifth, the patriotic ball seeming to in
crease as we rolled along. We are seldom
ont Of hearing Of huzzas and never out Of
sight Of the stars and stripes which float
from standards upon almost every house,
barn and workshop; wherever is seen a
a hamlet, however humble, there is flag f;
and in every door TO the humble abode as
well as the rich mans home there waves
in the hand of woman that pure white EN-
blem Of peace in time of peace.-in war, 90
it boys while you're young So all the
way through country AMI village, town and
I a