River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1876-03-02
A NIGHT WITH MULLIGANS BRIG.
ADE

Wnlcn cauSeu tueH stIISnucls Inc
"RebSn cut of all access % the river;
and the daShing courageous Mulligan was
fain TO capitulate in favor of the "boys,'
who had neither "potteen' nor water TO
wash down their rashers Of bacon, under
the rays Of hot July sun. The parole
OF the command led them into Camp
Douglas for while, to guard the Rebel
prisoners who were sent up from Fort
Donaldson. This return to Chicago Just
suited the young lrishmen; for they
could do ''sojering," and at the same time
visit their sweetheartS in Chicago, of
whom there were plenty-at least one
fair girl TO every soldier.
But this pleasant state Of things, as all
else must, came to an end, and Mulligan
Just after the raid Of Stonewall jackson
into the Shenandoah Valley, chasing
Banks across the heights Of Grafton was
ordered to Harper's Ferry. The trip
from Chicago was made mostly in box
cars, and merry time was enjoyed by
the rollicking boys, who could and would
sing their glees, astonishing the staid PEG.
pie in the country towns through which
we passed. Indeed, so merry were these
send word ahead to close all saloons
which were near the railroad-depots in
the towns in Ohio and Pennsylvania,
After leaving Wheeling, on bright
and clear morning, we began to see the
first effects Of wars devastation in the
destruction of buildings and railroad
property and, as nightfall drew on, and
we were ascending the heavy grade on
the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, near Graf
ton, we began TO feel that we were getting
into the enemy's country. At least wo
were in my Maryland and that meant
a kind Of ''loyality" which Mr.. Lincoln
was puzzled TO deal with so often in Ken.
lucky, in which State an incident like
this was sure to occur every day, and
probably every hour when Morgan men
were about.
Enter a tall young Kentuckisn to his
fathers mansion: "Father I've made up
my mind TO join Morgan. The Aiggers
are all running away, aud amt going
to clean horses and feed pigs aud chick
ems. nohow.n We'll, my son, don I
know about your duty in such times
as these. | reckon you'll get yourself
and me into trouble by this thing. But
you know best what to do. All ! can do
is to forbid your taking such a danger
GUS step: Bet II you must 90, goa had
better pick OFT The hest horse in he
stable, while you are aboutit."
TO return: | noticed that the boys
were more quiet this evening than usual,
and seemed disposed to be on the lookout
for danger. AT Deer Park Station, Just
before dark, an addition was made to our
train Of several cars laden with cattle.
| The man in charge Of them looked sus.
picious, wore butternut clothing and was
very reticent as to the destination of his
cattle. We passed on to Piedmont and
the monster locomotive seemed TO groau
and heave to drag the long train up the
steep, heavy grade. when about o CLOCK
loud noise broke upon our ears, like the
report oi a cannon, and the train stopped
at once.
The train which contained Gen. Null
gan, his wife, and little Marion, the staff
and several ladies with them, had NJ
stove; and so we had got ourselve.
covered up and stretched out as best W,
eonld when the panic hegar- Mulligan'
voice was soon heard getting the sol
diers into line on the track, and the womer
were as hushed as mice. There was ne
cannon, but the locomotive had exploded
blowing the stack-pipe some rods into
the bushes. The engineer could not be
found and it was soon whispered about
that he had purposely endangered the
train, and, most likely, in a plan gotten
up by himself and the butternut man
with the cattle, to hinder the succor
needed at Harper's Ferry, which Mulligan
was fastening to afford.
/ As soon as we got over the surprise,
we began to collect our thoughts. II was
| found necessary TO build bonfires below
and above, to prevent our being run into
by some train due in the night, as we
were on a single track, and could neither
go forward or backward, but must wait
the morning light for succor, if we were
not gobbed up by Mosby's guerrillas in
the mean time.
Some preachers tell us what the
thoughts are of all persons when death
stares them in the face. Ii is said that
every night Ia their lives, and especially
of wicked deeds, suddenly flashes before
the mind, and, like panorama, II is said
| spread out before the minds eye
This however, was not my experience IN
this hour danger True, it is now about
twelve Or thirteen years SINCE the event
| speak Of. but a good scare, and the
prospect Of falling into the hands Of the
enem' during fierce war, Is no child 3
play. Pale faces and trembling voices,
know, were seen aud heard among MS for
that livelong night But it seems to me
| that the ladies managed TO cat quite a
quantity Of Bologna sausage and hard.
! tack, washed down With various liquids
| lcold tea or coffee, maybel; and some
actually snored before morning.
Daylight appeared, however and, as
the sun came up, Is unsual in that re-
| gion, reconnaissance showed how wrong
and uuchartable we had been, and in a
measure, how groundless were our fears.
The engineer was found lodged in a
tree, about 20 feet high, in the top branch.
es, where he had been blown by the ex'
! plosion The want of sufficient water IN
/ boiler was the cause OF the mischief and
| every one Of us lived 10 take view 81
the ruins Gf IIarpcr's Ferry, and leave
I Mulligan aud his brave boys 10 command
/ Bolivar 5 Heights. and win immortal hon
ors at the battles Of Martusburg and
Winchester, where the gallant General
fell ~ defense % his dag and the hLer-
ties Of his country
A MANS EEiGHBORS.
The Raleigh ~. o. News reports that
/ Rev Dr.. Pritrhard Of that city referred
I "a thank guivtnp aertnnu IA a reuyerp..
ton held some years ago between DR.