Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1862-05-03
Gov. Harvey's Visit to our Soldiers.

Mr.. J. NJ Bundy, of the Wisconsin,.
who accompanied Gov. Harvey and
party upon the visit to our regiments al
Pittsburg Landing, which resulted so
disastrously, gives the following &C.
count of the manner in which our no.
bic and !amented Governor spent the
last few days of his life:
From our arrival at Cairo until the
! dismal Saturday night, he had been
sleeplessly untiring in his laborS. AL
though pressed with a thousand cares
III making the arrangements for our
trip, he made it his first duty at Cairo
to visit onr wounded in the hospital
boats, taking them each by the hand
and cheering them, more than can well
be described. AS he came around
among them. his heart full of kindness,
and his face showing it, tears of Joy
would run down the cheeks Of those
brave fellows, who had bornethe Dattle's
burnt unmoved, and they lost at once
the languor which they had settled on
them.
Then, at Mound City, and Paducah,
IN the hospitals and on the hospital
boats, it would have moved a heart of
stone, to witness the interviews between
the Governor and oul wounded heroes.
There was more than formality in those
visits, and the men knew it by sure in
stlncts.
When we went ashore at Savannah
tor few hours, on our way to Pitts
burg, these scenes became still more
affecting. Over two hundred of our
wounded were there, suffering from
neglect, anl lack Of kind care The
news Of the Governors arrival spread,
as if by magic, and at every house,
those who could stand, clustered
around him, and those who had not
raised their heads for days, sat up,
+h -fses~s ,9-7'sio'. s'et.cs5
kind looks, ant words and acts, which
showed their Governors tender care
for them.
AT times these scenes were SO affect
ing, that even the Governor's self con
troll failed him, and be could not trust
himself to talk.
When we rode over to the camp Of
the 18th, all broken down and diSpirlt-
ed by its fearful loss Of officers and
men, and it was known that the Gov
ernOr had come to see and cheer and
help them, the scene was beyond des-
cription He was instantly surrounded
by crowd Of eager, delighted men,
who then, for the first time since the
battle, had q cheerful look Over a
hundred, who had been sick and unfit
for duty for a week, were 50 revived
that they forgot their weakness, in the
Joy of seeing the kind face Of their
Governor, and hearing his words Of
praise and encouragement. When
they were formed in line, he addressed
them in words which | dare not at
tempt to report, so apt and touching
were they, coming from the heart and
going to the heart, and before he was
through he fairly broke down from ex-
cess Of emotion. 1t put new heart In
them, and they could have been relied
on, to do battle once more, under the
inspiration they then received.
So it was at the 10th and the ! 4th
every man felt cheered beyond meas
ure by his warm sympathy, his activity
in their behalf, and his cordial, Unas-
suming manner. He was careful in
ascertaining the names of those who
had distinguished themselves, taking
them down for promotion. Our sol
dlers had had hard fight, had done
nobly, and knew it, but having no re-
porter to let the world know their
deeds, had been neglected in every
report, and felt badly over it. His
glowing words Of praise, his promise
that the country should know their
merits, atoned for this, and made them
feel shat they were and would be rec
oghized. Thus ceaselessly working,
until Saturday morning, he had done
all that he could do, he bade good bye
to our soldiers at Pittsburg aud went
down to Savannah, his heart filled
with we'll earned satisfaction at the re-
suit of his lnbors. And we'll he might
be, for in those few days, he had ac-
compllshed more good thai falls to an
ordinary lifetime.
He had brought comfort, courage
ana SuOStan lltl felleI, 10 men VINO al
ter that awful Pittsburg battle, need
ed these, if ever men did. He had
accomplished much more, in every
way, than any other man, that | know,
could have accomplished under the
same circumstances. For his suavity
Of manner, and energy of purpose, had
won from the authorities, privileges
which were at first fatty refused, and
his goodness of heart had won the
hearts Of soldiers, while at all points of
our Journey he had made friends and
admirers among those who had never
before heard of him.