The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1868-12-04
Tho Manned Brigade.
From the Chicago Post

FROM the CnlcaE0 foSb.
Go where you will in all this land, you
will find the members of the Manned
Brigade. The blue has faded from their
dress, and the brass letters have dropped
from their caps, but there is no mistaking
that they have been soldiers. They have
no need to refer to muster rolls or to ex-
hibit parchment discharges, to prove they
were in the army. Fifty thousand strong
is the Maimed Brigade They march 10
our streets, not with the precision of
yoro, but as undaunted still. Brave men |!
Their limbs are scattered over a dozen
States. They moulder and whiten on the
same fields with the bodies Of the patriot
slain-and the hands Of the dead may
grasp the dead hands OF the living, though
the latter DO thousand miles from the
throbbing hearts that once warmed them
with their blood Fifty thousand men
who have laid some ono Of their limbs
upon their country's altar as sacrifices to
Liberty move daily among US. Were they
to pass through this city in regiments,
for whole day from any given point could
our eyes rest upon the column Of the
Manned Brigade. A thousand tatteIed
battle flags would wave above them, held
by one armed heroes, and many thousand
FOOTE'S, legs would be keeping step to the
music of the Union. Let US not forget the
one armed and one legged saldiers, who
form an army four times ~ large as the old
standing army of the United States,
and fully rs large a. the present. They
need not be gathered together and passed
in review before the people in whose behalf
they have suffered and suffer still, to assert
the fact of their being. The Government
has recognized them, and given them as far
IS they have made application, pensions
and artificial limbs. But let the people DO
careful that they do not forget them.
The battle these poor fellows are now fight
ing ID harder TO win and fraught with more
danger than many battles Of the rebellion.
Thousands Of stalwart mon, lion hearted
and steel nerved, who storned Mission
Ridge bore down upon the columns of Ice
without fear, to day stand appalled, before
the dead squadrons Of Winters cavalry.
A pension is but = mesgre-a very meagre
support, and an artificial limb = poor-a
very poor substitute. Let any able
bodied man, with a family to take care of,
ask himself for what annuity he would
swap an arm or lex. That is the way to
test the validity Of the claim the Manned
Brigade has upon our consideration.
There are many places these heroic men
can fl as we'll rs anybody. Tboee who
have but one arm can make good book
keepers those who have but one leg can
make good s,losnen; while neither can
ffo1, nor SOW, nor reap to advantage.
Away to fields and the work shops, you
liy>6ngered, pale-faeed, dawdling dandy
behind the dry goods counter, and give
your place to disabled defender Of your
country in exchange for more certain flu
ture competence. All ye ~non-rroducers
villa have perfect limbs, and who took good
care all through the war to keep them so,
who are now occupying paying positions
which the lame soldier can fill as we'll,
prepared to vacate in his favor Make way
say We, for the Manned Brigade