The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1870-10-22
AN ADVENTURE OF THE WAR.
BY o. p. MORTON.

regiments in the Union army that
fought the battle of Shiloh, and
many Of them suffered severely
Immediately upon getting the
news Of the battle, as the Cover
nor of the State. I caused to be
prepared such sanitary supplies
as would contribute to the comfort
and recovery Of the wounded as
we're not capable of being removed.
I also determined to 60 upon one
of these boats TO visit the Indiana
troops. inspect their condition, and
see what could be done for their
comfort and health. By way of
| explanation, I will state what may
not be familiar to all your read
ers, that the battle of Shiloh was
fought upon the west bank of the
Tennessee river, about one hun
dred and fifty miles above the
point where it empties into the
Ohio. 1: was arranged that the
boat should start from Evansville,
on the Ohio river, which is on the
| southwestern border Of Indiana,
on Sunday morning, and the sup
plies were forwarded so as to be on
board at that time. To get there
myself was to leave Indianapolis
at eight O'Clock on Saturday even
ing, on the Terre Haute train, and
on my arrival at Terre Haute take
o special train for Evansville,
| which is one hundred miles south
of that point.
Calvin Fletcher was an old and
highly esteemed citizen Of Indian
apolis, one of its pioneers, law
yer by profession, but for many
years had applied himself to bank
ing and agriculture, and was one
of the wealthiest men of the State.
He was devout christian, distin-
guished for his benevolence, and
welded an influence second to that
Of no other citizen. He was also
man of intense patriotism, and
when the war broke out, gave his
mind and hear. to the support of
the Government and the preserva-
tion Of the Union. He was among
the foremost in all efforts for the
relief of our army, and took part
in .he first organization Of the In
diana Sanitary Commission. and
worked with it faithfully until the
end of the war.
When l announced my purpose
TO visit she army he at once volun-
teered to go with me, and said he
would be in read mess to start, at
the time fixed.
About three hours before the
time for departure he came to my
office, in the State House, and
said that circum stances had tran
spired which would prevent him
from going, but that he was deter-
mined to be represented, and
would send his son "Mily;" and
said he, IF 'Mily' never comes
back, will take care of his wife
and children. This was the ia
miliar name by which he called
Miles j. Fletcher, a young man of
twenty eight years, and then State
Superintendent of Public Instruc-
ton, an office to which he had been
elected by the people the year be-
fore. He was a ripe scholar, pos
sessing classical and scientific at
tsinments of very high order,
and was, at the time of his election,
a professor in the Asbury Univer-
sity, at Greencastle. He had an
ardent temperament, pure charac-
ter, lofty ambition, and was, per-
haps, all things considered, the
II ost promising young man in the
State.
arrived at the depot about
twenty minutes before the train
was to start, and found the old
gentleman there. Said he, Il
have put into the baggage car a
box containing two dozen bottles
of Catawba wine, for the use of
yourself and 'Mily,' for the food
and water may be bad where you
are going. 'Mily' is not here yet,
and l am in hurry, and if 1 do
not see him, tell him that if he
ne, er gets back I will take care of
his wife and children" 1t was
the second time he had made the
remark, and it struck me with pc
culiar force. Had he q presenti-
ment that his son would never re-
turn? The journey was not entire
ly free from danger, for the banks
of the Tennessee river were in
many places infested with gueril-
las, who sometimes fired upon
passing boats; and there we're 9th
er perils beyond those attending