Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1862-05-09

went up 10 HiItSOurS I4ndlli9 anu report
to the Governor the wounded of which |
bad tax minutes, and the next Thursday
morning accompanied him 10 Gen. Hal
leck's head quarters, Gen. Grant and Gen.
Hurburt's, and also to the encampments
of the 10Th and Wisconsin Regmentr.
The object Of his visit to Gen. Ha!leck and
G'n. Grant, W IS to make arrangements for
brir ging our wounded to Prairie du Chem
and also to advise with Gen. Halleck as
filing the places of off :ers made vacant
10 the late battle. Gov. Harvey had seen
Gen H4leck before as to furnishing an hos
pital boat for he purpose desired. and he
reported to his party that Gen. Haleck
had said to him "That We could have a
boat, but that we must take the wounded
ndiscrminatelg without reference to states
and whether they were friends or foes,
that if we were not good enough Chris
ians for that, we did not deserve boat"
1t was then suggested by some of the par
ty to Gov. Harvey that he should go to
Gen. H4IIeck, take his order for the boat,
and then his party should go 10 work and
Harvey should not let Gen. Halleck know
anything Of this purpose No" said Gov.
Harvey promptly Il will not deceive him."
Even his overpowering anxiety for our
wounded could not swerve him from tie
path of honor. L left Gov. Harvey at the
encamptment of the 18Th regn ent and
went to the encampment of the 10th, where
saw numbers Of person from Jefferson
and Dodge counties | went with Henry
c. Hsdley to the spot where Capt. Pease,
and three other Captains with their COM
panies, were stationed on picket duty on
the nj hit before the battle, near the Cor
NTH road and where he, with few others,
had spent the night as the n ost advanced
picket, before that terrible morning. He
also showed me where these four compan-
les formed in the morning at the first at
tack of the enemy; also where Col. Allen
drew up his six remaining companies and
delivered before falling back 80 terrible a
fire upon Mississippi regiment, that two
hundred rebels were found dead Oh the
spot slain by those unerring marksmen
1.-The thicket giving evidence of the closest
aud most destructive fire imaginable. The
10th was composed of brave and well
drilled men, and IN their Colonel and Lieut.
Colonel had brave, experienced and accom-
plished officers, both of whom were seri-
ously wounded. found its Colonel cha
fng at his detention in the hospital, burn
ing with all the heroic spirit of Ethan AL
len to return to his regiment and help
crush out this wicked rebellion. No reg
iment did better than the Wisconsin 10th.
Many rebel regiment rues the day they
came within range of their Belgian rifles.
was also shown where our 18th, just re-
cruited, and which had never had battai-
lion drill, partially pitched their tents on
the evening of the 9Th of April getting up
only few of them fer shelter, tc be arous-
ed next day at early dawn by the drums
long roll, and quickly forming into line of
battle close to their encampmeat, saw their
enemies within ten rods of them and
cavalry regiment rushing up rayine at
their left to flank them. All that brave men
could do under the circumstances they
did, but it was at 9 fearful cost of officers
and men. 1t was the uniform testimony of
all we conyersed with that upon that Sun
day morning, our army was taken entirely
by surprise. The army of the enemy, COM
posed of their best drilled and bravest
troops, had passed the night close to our
most advanced line and our army had slept
all unconscious of its danger, and awoke
to meet the fierce shock of battle, while
swiftly forming in the ranks of war"
Every part of the battle field we visited
showed how fercely it had been swept by
the leaden hail and the iron messengers of
death. The Governors company were in
debted to Colonel Wood of the 18th Wis
consin for horses to visit this extensive field
whore thousands lad fallen :" in one red
burial blent. We found him acting as
Provost Marshal of General Grants com
mand. and a patriot soldier, whose merits
are equalled only by his modesty. On
Sunday his regiment was at Savannah
They went to the battlefield without orders
and nobly bore their part among the BRAY
est of the brave in driving back and hurled
destruction upon that proud array of the
rebel hosts which had proudly dreamed
that victory was within its grasp.
Down they go the rebel riders;
Horse and foot together fall
Like the plowshare in the fallow
Through them plows the northern ball.
In advance Of our line of attack they
charged upon the serrid ranks of the
foe up to the lannon's mouth and two
brass field pieces are the trophies which
grace their triumph.
Thursday at night we left the Governor
in the camp of the 18th regiment and
found him there the next morninr most