The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1879-08-28
VETERAN SOLDIERS.


at Aurora, IlI.-A Big Attendance-A Sham
Battle, with All the "Pomp and Circum-
stance of Glorious War;"
The great volunteer soldiers reunion of the
Northwest, held at Aurora, ILL.,, on the Goth,
21st and ed days of August, was one of the
biggest affairs of the kind ever Witnessed.
There was good deal said, good many
regret that our limited space will Lot warrant
an extended report of the affair.
The first day was devoted to the business of
reporting, organizing camp, equipment of COM
panies and assignment of quarters
On the second day there was competitive
rife-shooting by the veterans, company and
battalion drills an address Of welcome by Gov
s. NJ. Cullom and response by Hon. J. c. Sher-
win an address to the soldiers and sailors by
Gen. John A. Logan, skirmish fighting and
artillery and battalion drill
But the grand feature of the encampment-
the sham battle and capture of the Confederate
Fort Wade-was reserved for the third and last
day An immense crowd, variously estimated
at from $4,000 to $4,000, witnessed the exciting
event.
This fort was named after Col Wade, who
assisted Gen. Henderson in commanding the
rebel Notifications, only a slight stretch of the
imagination being required to suggest the name
of that well-known Confederate, Wade Hamp-
ton.
The Rebs had pickets thrown out before the,
fort, and line of skirmishers, besides regi-
ment of cavalry. The guns-four in number,
being the Altoona battery, captured at Atlanta,
Ca, at the time OF the war-were ablymanned,
and the orders were given by an experienced
gunner. They are cast-iron, twelve Founders,
and, considering their age, material, ETC., it was
feared that they might be honey combed and
unsafe. No accident happened from this
source, but one of the pieces refused to do
duty.
The Union army beseging this fort consisted
of three divisions, reported in all as Is 900 men.
The right wing was composed of the Grand
Army of the Republic, and was commanded by
Col E. d. Swain, of Chicago - y.
The right wing commenced the engagement
by throwing out company of skirmishers. who
crept in, in true military fashion, until within
rife-range, when they opened fire upon the
Rebel outposts, lying upon their faces in the
grass The firing was returned by the skirmish-
ers supposed to be dressed in gravy, and was
kept up for some time, the Federals steadily
advancing and making it warm for the John
Mes
The cavalry company, which was made up
of men costumed in the genuine butternut
garb of Seceshdom, with calico hatbands. huge
straw hats and calico sashes rode I'D to the
fort and, after obtaining orders, made a gallant
charge upon the enemys skirmish- line, scat
tering them in confusion, and taking few
prisoners.
Then the First Regiment threw out ski17nisn-
ers. which drove portion of the Rebel troops
into the fort. From this time firing began to
get quite general The sheavy artillery" in the
fort opened it's iron mouths and belched forth
fire and smoke with deadly effect, causing the
Federal lines to fall back trife
At length slight breathing spell was taken,
in which Maj Tarble, a member of Gen. Mann's
staff, galloped up to the fort bearing a flag of
truce, consisting of white handkerchief upon
the point of his sword, and delivered a message
to the effect that Gen. Mann would like to have
an interview with the commander of Fort
Wade, agreeing that there would be no firing
by the sklrmsh-iine while the treaty was going
on. Gen. Henderson declined the interview in
peremptory manner, and the firing was re-
sumed with increased vigor.
And now one of the grandest sights of the
battle field is presented, that of eight men.
stretcher- bearers, with stretchers wearing
white shirts, and having their heads tied up
with white handkerchiefs, rushing about the
battlefield at full speed, picking up the wound
ed and dying, and carrying them back into the
trenches to place Of safety. But this was
burlesqued to a certain degree, for one alleged
corpse arose from the ground and started on a
dead run when he saw the stretcher- bearers ap-
preaching him. Two of the bearers ran him
down, and endeavored, bym strength, to get
him upon the stretcher, failing at last in the
attempt
The left wing began to ADVANCE. drove back
the Confederate skirmish- line into the rife-pits
were in turn repulsed, rallied and routed the
Rebs effectually, carrying off prisoners
In this way the warfare was kept up until at
last the engagement became general the C0nfed-
crate skirmish lines were driven into the fort
and the Union troops advanced in solid pha-
lanx, the wings simultaneously closing
about the fort. The Joliet battery, consisting
of park, or four pieces, of light artillery. COM
manded by Maj. Young, was now brought into
active service by the Federal forces for the
first time The guns were trained upon the
FORT the heavy timbers of which were sup
posed to have suffered from the effects of the
firing to an alarming extent, and deafening
shouts arose from the assembled thousands
The right wing, commanded by Col Swain,
which commenced the battle, was also the first
division Of troops to scale the walls of the
fort A desperate hand -to-hand encounter
took place, the rifle rafting and the cannon
roar, coupled with the yelling of the contesting
parties, making bedlam as perfect as one
could imagine Gen. SWANS troops were
speedily reinforced by the left wing undr Gen.
Hilliard and Col Owen Stewart, the latter force
scaling the walls on the opposite side and pour
ing destruction into the ranks of those who
were attempting to hold the fort. Directly
afterwards the First Regiment, under Col
Knox, closed in upon the only remaining gap,
and the combined forces soon caused the sur
render of the besieged. Shouts of victory went
up from thousands of throats and the day
was won by the Union troops-which was a
result of course, in accordance with the pro-
gramme.
And now ali incident occurred which struck
terror into the hearts of a number of brave
men, who were not backward in admitting their
superstition to the extent that they considered
it an evil omen. Directly upon scaling the walls
by the Federal troops, there was, of course a
grand rush for the flagstaff over which the
Confederate flag was still proudly floating, and
a score of hands seized the rope and attempted
to pull it down. 1t caught at the pulley and re-
fused to bulge an inch. In the attempts of the
men upon it, the rope parted high up in the air,
fifteen feet above the reach of the tallest A
young man pulled off coat and boots and es-
sayed to climb the smooth pole He assembled
only few feet when his strength gave way,
and he was compelled to give it up. Another
tried it and failed but, finally, Pete
Gardner, powder-1nonkey of the Joliet bat
terry, undertook to haul down the Rebel colors.