River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-09-02
Hancock and the Soldiers.


Waukesha Freeman.
If the following narrative is true-and
we must confess that it bears every mark
of genuineness- shall be obliged TO re-
tract what we have said heretofore as to
Gen. Hancock's being gentleman. We
had hoped that for once the democrats had
selected Il respectable man as their figure
head, but this does not look like it. We
copy from an interview in the Lancaster
Herald with Capt. Chas Langridge, for
merly of the 9TH Wisconsin. After stating
that DIR. Castlemans structures on the gen
eral are entirely within the truth the cap
tain says in regard to one of the doctors
stories:
CDR Castleman has not clothed that
outrage with more than half its real at
rocity. 1t is what he refers to as hap
pening August 10, 1862. Possibly, how
ever, this incident is only another of sim
liar kind that happened the same day and
in the line of march some distance from
me. The General resolved we should have
no water-it looked as if he premeditated
the wlckedness the night beforehand had
kept riding along the brigade to see that
the resolve was enforced. ! will tell you
what ! know and what will be sustain
ed by anv others who knows the facts. On
the 18th of August we marched over the
old Williamsburg battle ground, and at
about 4 o'clock halted on an eminence at
the base of which was a small mill-pond.
The day had been intensely hot and
dusty, and as soon as the boys broke ranks
they made for the mill-pond with soap ard
towels After taps (call to retire. that
evening, the boys were ordered to have
their canteens filled ready for an early
start the next morning. The only pos
sible place for filling the canteens was to
get water out of this mill-pond, which
was literally pond of soap-suds, for thou
sands of men had soaped and bathed them
selves in it, We took the early start, and
after marching few miles we noticed men
in regiments ahead of us were breaking
to the left with canteens, evidently gong
for water. The men of our regiment then
asked permission of their officers to go for
fresh water Permission was given, and,
as usual. a few selected to take canteens
for the whole company. The stream
proved to be mill race of fine, clear run
ming water-I hink from saw
mill The men got their canteens
filled or nearly so, when to their surprise
Hancock and his staff rode out from be
hind the mill and compelled them to emp
tv their canteens and go back to their com
pany, without water. About noon was the
next opportunity for short halt, and per-
emptory orders were given by Hancock
that the men should have no opportunity
to get water. We went on and reached
Yorktown about two O'Clock We had
started from Williamsburg, and on a hot
dav in August in that sultry climate we
had marched Is or 20 miles, with only soap
suds drenched off our bodies in our can
teens when we started, and without any
water in them after we were required to
empty them Hear near Yorktown we
halted and Hancock and his staff on horse
back, made their appearance in front OF
the 9th Wisconsin. The men began cali
ing. water, water Hancock rode up 10
the officer commanding the first division.
This happened to be myself. What is
your name. sir?' he demanded. | gave
him my name A Cd id pretty Of
ficer you are, TO allow your men to call for
water when the commanding general rides
round in review. | demand the names of
the parties so that ! can punish them,
howled the general | answered, 'Occu-
Of my men, it is impossible for me to de-
signate them. He then went TO the officer
commanding the second division, Enoch
Totten, and the same role was repeated.
Then said he. by Cd, I'll punish the
whole id regiment And he went to
Lieut. Col. Emery of Portage, who was in
command of the regiment, and ordered
him to put his regiment Hs0ugh battalion
drill on he double quick for one hOiri And
this punishment going on the run for one
hour-after our fatigue and heat we were
compelled to undergo. This is the sort Of
man or brute General Hancock is, and
think every volunteer soldier under him at
that time will attest these facts
Not long ago, in the court Of ap-
peals, an Irish lawyer, while arguing
with earnestness his cause, stated
point WEIGH the court ruled out.
''Wel, " said the attorney, 'if it PLACE
the court, if am wrong III this, ] have
another point that is aqually conclu
siye
About this time the woman with a
lazy and superstitious husband per
suades a spirit medium TO tell him that
there Is a great treasure hidden some
where in the garden about two feet
under ground. This saves hiring a
man to spade up the land.
Very intellectual boy that of yours,
Mr.. G0ggins; / should like to examine
his head. Proud father Johnny,
what bumps have you got7' I've got
the bump of eating, father, and the
bump that Billy Hopkins gave me on
the nose: but I'm layin' for him.
-
Mr.. Cornelius Vanderbilt is building
in Hartford handsome house com
a charming view The cost Of
building and ground win be altogether
more than 100000.