The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1872-06-27
GENERAL SHERMANS PIRATE"
By ELIZABETH KILHAM.

! University, lies tract OF land, which,
during the first year of the war, was con-
fscated by the Government, and on which
extensive barracks were erected, known
at first as Campbell Barracks; afterWard,
from the purpose to which they were de
voted, as Campbell Hospital. At the
| close Of the war, the place was made over
to the Freedmen's Bureau. Some of the
buildings were fitted up as fen ements, q
few converted into school houses, and the
remainder were used as a hospital for
freedmen. Visiting this hospital shortly
after its establishment the Surgeon in
Charge said to me: 'We have very orig
inal character here now, in whom think
you will be interested. "~A''t +"a..%.
"Ah who, and what IS he?" LA@
''Name, Henry Dodson, profession, pi-
rate. He came sick from the army, from
Sherman's headquarters. He calls himself.
General Sherman's pirate and he is
now conValescing in No g." a4 l1Al ~
The army seems not to afford very APP,
propriate sphere of action for characters
of piratical tendencies, and General Sher
man appeared to me altogether too re-
spectacle a gentleman to countenance any
such outlaws [ ex pressed my surprise
at the doctors statement. y-a
"Well," said he, suppose you come
down to the ward and let him tell you the
story of his connection with General
Sherman, and how he came to be pi-
rate" 6-i ltGaa.
''Ward No. g." was deserted, save by
one old colored man, who rose. as we en-
tered, and smiled greeting In face and
figure he was one OF the finest specimens
Of his race. His features were straight
and regular; his hair-not wool, but hair,
smooth. soft, and silky nwas snow-white,
and combed back from his forehead in
the Jacksonian style, giving an air Of
calm, keen, penetrating eyes. 1<"
Alter q few Inquiries as to his health, i
said, "The doctor tells me you have been
d pirate" SO
"Yaas, missy Use proud ter say I3wor
a pirate wild Genial Sherman"
"How did you come to be pirate ?" I
asked @as7 a oar
"Wall, yer see, missy, wor born an
raised in Virginny; but mostly twenty
jyear ago | wor sol down in Georgy an
dar's whar [ wor a. ibin' when de Unions
coined in. My marster, he warn't nebber
ct'Dted wild hisse'f no place, an he went
here an dar-he wor goin' mostly all de
time. [ used ter tend ter him particular,
brush his clo'es an SIGH 'peared like he
couldn't git long widout NE noways, an
wharsomeber he went went He wor
powerful dom O ridin', an he went horse
back mostly all froo Georgy an de Cali
ne; an got ter know all de, roads so I
could fin 'em de darkes' night Bimeby
de war coined, an my marster, be went
wild de fustest oh 'em all. [ wan ter 90
wild him, fer he wor allus kim an good
ter me; but he say no, he mus Egit long
wild waitin' on h1sse'f now
"Den we heerd one ting an we heerd
'noder. De white folks dey KEEP tellin'
us dat de Yankees Wor all killed But we
fought eff dat wor so, why don't marster
an de res come home, stead o stsyin' on,
an se'din' fer mo- ter go wild 'em. Den
blmeby we got word dat de Unions wor
comm, an we knewed it wor true, kase
de white folks wor totin' off dar things,
an goin' clar down in de back country.
Day in an day out, we listened an watch
ed. Der one day dar coined a soun5
'twor so fur off dat we couldn' tell rightly
what it wor but 'peared like de good
Lord spoke ter me Hisse'f, an telleG me
'twor de Unions But fer all [ wor so
glad, | couldn't stir to 60 an meet 'em
like de res. fought dat desc ole eyes
were done wild clyin', but eff you b'lieb
me, missy, jes' kneel down, an / cry like
a little young chile dat cry fer he NANNY.
Den sot down in de do oh my cabin, an
waited fer what de Lord I'D be pleased ter
bring ter me. 'Twos pretty we'll 'long
inter de night when herd steps comm,
an den some one call my name I ans
Wer, an den he say: DE Unions is OUR
in fer some pusson dat can show 'em de
road froo de mountings; an we done tell
'em dat you knowed all de roads clar to
de Ca'line,an' de Gin'al done sent fer yer.
"Dey TUX nae ter Gin'al Sherman, an
he ak me bout de roads, an all de time he
wor lo0kin, at big picter he he'd spread
out afore him, an maxim marks onto it.
Den he say "Wifl yer go wild us froo dc
mountings, fer pirate?' An I toie him
I wor mos wishful ter be pirate fer de
Unions, an fer de Lord, an I'd go wild
him 'es' whar he say. ias@ ,l.4
"Wall, missy, won't tell yer all whar
we went, fer likely yer gifts tired wild de
ole mans talk; but I wor de pirate fer de
Unions all de way long til we coined ter
Richmon'. Specs yer done heerd bout
de vaccinatacfl O Richmon', missy? wor
dar dat time. Den tux sick, an dey
done sent me up .yere; an Use mighty
well tux keer on; I amt got muffin ter
ak fer; on'y I'd like ter see de Gin'al
agin; fer sence I wor his pirate, I feels
jes like b'long ter, him." 11'o5h -fjo 81
| I saw the Genersi's pirate often during
that winter, and t4lking with him one
day, I asked Uncle Henry, did you never
| have wife?'n eA3 III t'E'9E - Tai NE.
The pleasant smile faded, and the cid
eyes looked sadly into the distance, as he
answered: e4t' a4 1855 a
| "Yaas. honey, | did hab the bes' wife
dat cher man Wor possessed wild but