Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-06-02
II IVIII EUe ~ I . 7 ITJNTIt'I
The Returned Veteran.

The Returned Veteran.
This is an account of one of Maj
Gen. John Logan's men. Gen. John, when
boy, was in the Mexican War When be
returned he studied law, and at the age Of
25 he was elected Congressman by vote
almost unanimous. His district included
the whole of Southern Illinois His home
is in Carbonate, Jackson County. He was
the peoples idol. Hekncw everybody, and
everybody knew him. He can make good
speech. lac is "A fi-st-rate lawyer and is one
OF the best dancers in the country. o, how
he can dance. lie looked like girl, and
yet, with dark complexion, aud the black
est hair, every one took him to be part In
dian. One reason why the people liked him
80 well was becauSe he was u Democrat. and
hateI the Abol;tionists. He used TO give it
TO them hard Once, when he spoke here
on Popular Sovereignty, I asked him ques-
tion or two, such as Lincoln asked Douglas
at Freeport, which cornered him; but he
called me a Yankee Abolition Preacher
which made the people laugh, and say it
was good enough for me. However, they
all went against Douglas, and that was bad
for Logan. Whenever he undertakes thing
he does his best AT this time he commands
in Northern Alabama, and has his headquar-
ters at Huntsville
When the war broke out he figured the
matter to see how it was going, and then
went for the Government with all his might,
soul and strength. Thousands deserted him,
and called him traitor; other thousands
stuck to him. Some of his relations fairly
shine with copper He has younger
brother, good deal like him, who is true.
He raised one of the first regiments, and
became its Colonel. 1t is the 3lst Illinois
Volunteers. Then he resigned his seat in
Congress, and our beautiful friend, j. Z.
Allen, took his place.
In those early day. Of the war John was
at Sprngli i'd. when Mr.. Grant came to
him to tell his troubles. This Grant was a
tanner and, having an idea he could fight
a little, had raised regiment and brought
it to Springfield, where it was in camp
But the men had not been sworn in, and
finding it harder business than they ex-
pected, principally on account OF poor beds,
they were going to back out and go home:
This was Mr.. Grants trouble. lie could
n t see how he was to get along. 1t looked
as though he would have to go back to his
lanyard. Perhaps Logan could help him.
Cant you talk to them?" said John.--
No." says Grant. l can. Call them
together. "
They had all heard of him. He made
speech two hours long He told them all
about our Government and how the war
commenced. The sweat rolled. He jerked
off his coat and handkerchief You never
saw man work harder 10 your life. He
related stories which made them laugh, and
then he described a soldiers life in such
beautiful language that one would think no
other life has so many charms. When he
got through the men were impatient to be
sworn in for fear they might lose the chance.
This was the way Mr. Grant got start,
and he has done middling well since, for
now he commands all the Armies Of the
Great Republic.
A short time since John Logan's old reg
iment-the 3lst-came home on turlough
to see the old folks and to recruit. One of
the companies was raised on Rose Prairie.
Here lives Esq Clifford he is an old settler,
has been Justice many years, for he can
read; he has a large farm well managed;
he is rich, and his only son Andy is an officer
in tho 3lst. t.. .'
The old man sat in the porch smoking
his homemade tobacco, waiting for the
wagon. Andy married few months be-
fore he went into the army, and his wife
also sat in the porch, while her baby, nearly
two years old, ran from her to its grand
! father. Susan's father keeps store in the
village of Rose Prairie he is Postmaster,
and one of the head men. She can read
and write. Being brought up quite lady,
she never works out doors except to pick
cotton and bind after the cradles, and she
holds up her head, as she might, tor she Is
real handsome, and if any woman ever loved
her husband, it is she. -,
II don't know how Andy would like that
kind Of talk, said she. for he writes in
his letters altogether different .,r...,
Don't you be troubled, GAL: said
Squire Clifford; he writes so jest to
please the officers, for they open all the let
ters.
al hope they don't open any OF mine,
though there's nothing bad in 'em.
You Jest wait and see how I'll talk to
him ri bring him around, sure. H- /,
The Squire was Peace Democrat To
tell the truth. he belonged to the knights
of the Golden Circle, lodge of which was
organized by the lawyers at the county seat;
and, being an influential man, he and few
others had made Rose Prairie a hard place
for Union men. 1t astonishes one to see
how plain men, honest in their dealings,
and good neighbors, but ignorant, are made
intoierant BY tho designing. When Slavery
made the people ignorant, foundation was
laid for every species of intolerance-eveu
of ihfamy and crime.9L SOL ararg. 20
All at once tho wagon came through the
yard with the horses trotting, which they
had seldom done before, and it was filled
with soldiers, who were the Rose Prairie
boys, and Andy among them. Almost in
moment Andy had jumped over the bars,
and was near the porch, when. Susano gave
a spring around, his neck, and would, have
thrown him over ii he had not been tall and
strong. aud # he had not brased himself,
and there she hung, lifted from the ground,
New, want tor see NY bsys". Ysaid
Andy, Ma Ne gently held him !upu end GK
the first time gazed upon hlm-gazed upon
| him nth axas as clAsr and as full of aafia.