Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-04-13

With the thoughts awakened Ill that sad hOu
BY her innocent, prattling tongue:
1.-THE blue and the gray are the colors of God
They are seen in the sky at even.
And many noble, gallant soul
Has found them passports to heaven
A WAR ADVENTURE.
1t was in the fall of 1861 was serv
ing in the army of West Verginia rs {
lieutenant of volunteers. | was con
nected with regiment Of State troops
and was acting rs adjutant. The com
handing officer Colonel Richard Trey
click Tor General rs l shall call him
throughout this story, for he became
General soon afterward, and by that
title most dear to me), and at the time
I write was in charge of the garrison
station at W. The General was in
many respects most remarkable man.
remarkable physically and mentally
He was about IS years of age, six feet
two in his army boots, we'll proportion
ed. and rs straight as pin. His hail
and beard were gray almost to white
ness, but his eye had the snap and fire
in it of q young man of 20. He had sery'
ed with distinguished honor through
the Mexican war, and was devoted to
the profession of arms. His nerves
seemed made of iron, and yet his heart
was as tender as child's. Inever saw
such scrupulous honor, such heightened
moral excellence. in any mortal man.
10 be a soldier was to him to be the
impersonation of chivalry, the incar.
nation of truth, the very soul of honor
and integrity. TO him the man who ,hav-
ing plighted his word failed to keep it
was q wretch unworthy of association
with decent men. and he never failed
to punish with severity any act of per-
sonA dishonor. Such 4 man was the
General. AS for myself. was young
man of %, impulsive, rather vain, in
many things weak. but always his de-
voted and humble servant.
The town of which our regiment
formed the garrison was small but
rather lively, and contained many in.
habitants who, if their word was to be
taken, were the first people of the
South. call to mind at least half a
dozen heads of families whose position
as regards the rebellion never learn
ed, though was thrown much with
them tried my best to ascertain their
sentiments. Their wives and daugh-
ters were generally outspoken rebels,
though in many cases this seemed to
be more matter of amusement than
principal. It was so easy to get up a
conversation when lady and gentle.
man met who maintained opposite
opinions, that it was almost a dissap-
pointment to meet one who agreed
With you. Some way, too, the little
tilts that followed the introduction of
such people seemed to pave the way
to such delightful flirtations that the
boys always welcomed them. Life at
garrisoned post grows rather weari-
some after while, no matter what
the social charms may be, and espec.
tally is this true of the active or am
bilious soldier anxious to distinguish
himself. The General had entered the
war, feeling that lie must more than
satisfy the expectations Of his friends,
and to be held here in quiet duty chaff-
ed him exceedingly.
However, he submitted like good
soldier, and occupied his time in put
ting his regiment in the best possible
trim. The daily drills was very thor
ough, and when the town was turned
over to his successor, he led into the
field about the best regiment of volun.
teers ever saw in the service. The
foregoing and some incidents that fol-
low may look as if I was preparing to
write story based upon military ex-
periences, but this is not the case.
am relating these facts as preliminary
simply, and shall get out of the camp
and the field before great length is
reached.
The General was made much of by
the leading citizens of the town, and
now and then sO-called Union man,
living some miles in the country,
would call to pay his respects and
wish us success. Some of these were
undoubtedly sincere, but many of
them were not to be trusted, and but
for the generals great confidence in
human professions, not few might
have been arrested, and this without
injury to the Union cause. 1t was not
unusual for us to receive pressing in
vitati0ns from the gentlemen to visit
them at their homes, and sometimes
an invitation was accepted, though,
this was rare. When the General
"OAAo AZ "a AGSOAy dtCCOAlpNAAlCNI !,
and, if far outside the lines, guard
sometimes went also. There were, so
far as we knew, no regularly organized
band of Confederates within thirty
miles of us; but the ground between
our lines and theirs was not unfre.
quently .r0amed over by stragglers
from either camp, and one or two
minor skirmishes had taken place.
One day a delegation waited upon
the General with an invitation rather
out of the ordinary. The delegation
was composed of four of the most pro.
minent citizens of W and two very
rich and influential planters, living
some dozen miles out. They repre.
scented that entire quiet reigned in
their neighb0rhood, and, indeed, had
reigned since the beginning of the
war. The citizens Of that section were
to give a grand barbecue and sssaw
DUST ball during the week then al
hand, and the gentlemen present, OF
behalf of the Union,loving people Of
their region, begged the General tt
honor the affair with his presence. Il
happened that q scouting party hal
come in the night previous and report
ed the country absolutely clear of thu
enemy for twenty miles around in ey
cry direction, and wishing to pleas,
the people, and particularly the gentle
men who brought the invitation ant
whom I believe to have been very sin
cere, the. General consented. TIL,
third day after their visit was the dat,
fixed for the festival, and was direct