Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-07-05
From the Burlington Hawkeye.
An Extinct Race.
'.THE PRIVATE SOLDIER IN THE WAR OF
THE REEELIIoN.n

1.-THE PRIVATE SOLDIER IN THE WAR OF
THE REBELLION.
At the decoration OF the graves of the
Union soldiers in the national cemetery
at Gettysburg Gen. Il. F. Butler, deliver
ed an address ON The private soldier in
the war Of the rebellion" 1t was touch
ing theme. There is always wonderful
pathos in a speech or play or story found
ed on a life that had ceased TO exist. This
is the charm of Uncle Toms Cabin"
this is the power in Joaquin Nliller's
'.Danites :" this must have lent tenderness
and pathos TO Gen. Buffers address.
The ..privatc soldier in the war of the
rebellion" He is dead Or lost. Stray
ed or stolen, possibly. We do not know
where he is, but he is not here. lie has
gone away 10 some place. Perhaps he
has ceased 10 be necessary. Perhaps if
he were here he would be in the way. At
anv rate. he is not around. He does not
90 to the legislature. We do not find
MIN in Congress. lie is noteagerly sought
as candidate for anything. Nobody
seems to know anything about him. De
casionally he appears at the pension list,
with one leg, wife and seven children.
and IS a month. If flour takes much of
a rise, he will not last much longer at
this rate. and we will soon be deprived
even OF the occasional glimpse We have
of him.
Ii Is asserted, and quite generally be-
lieved, that at one time he was quite nu-
merous, and was even considered rather
convenient, if not, indeed, quite indispen-
sable. 1t was found that upwards OF 100
OF him were necessary in order to secure
mere line commissions for three eminent
and deserving men. Wien field com
missions were wanted ior three even
more eminent and great men upwards OF
1000 private soldiers were necessary.
One thousand Ii seems an enormous
numbernOw, when by consulting the Con-
gressional Directory we find there are
none in ali this proud republic. But II
or - years ago even that, incredible a II
may appear to lis to-day, was considered
small number. There were private sol
diers and private soldiers. There were
even hundreds OF thousands of them
And they were useful. They dug
trenches; they constructed long lines of
breastworks, and then, when an enemy
came within sight, they climbed over
them and went outside OF them To light.
They worked and watched and fought.
Cooperating with great and eminent men
who have since passed 10 their rewards
in one office and another, these private
soldiers sometimes rendered very useful
service in winning great battles. Oh,
they were useful. Some historians have
even gone 50 far is 10 maintain that with
out them the war could hardly haye been
carried to a successful termination. They
were really quite useful.
And now they are all gone. 1t seem:
sad, looking back at the war. that none
but the generals and colonels and majors
and line officers should have survived lis
dreadful ravages Providence, ever mind
tul Of the wants Of 4 great and growing
nation, undoubtedly took special care oi
these great men, and in its great anxiety
that the country should not suffer from a
lack of eminent men kind Of forgot the
private soldies and let them wanderaway
And so they are all gone. Some OF then
got shot. Some of them died. Some o
them got married and moved out OF tn,
world, to settle upon tracts Of govern
ment land. where the Indians could &c
\ at them more easily. Some of them wen
into business. Some of them are teach
ing school Some of them are driving
dray. Some of them went away an'
didn't leave their present address. Bu
all the same, they are all gone and l
seems dreadlully lonesome without them
There used 10 he 50 many OF them.