Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-09-09


was terribly hot and dry and the
road had been worn by the troops
that had passed over it previously
until the dust was nearly knee deep.
As the column marched the dust
rolled no ike smoke until it enyel-
oped the entire line in a sooty cloud.
We were almost choked aud what
little water we could obtain was
soon gone. Thsn came the course
of conduct described By Lieutenant
Langridge and mentioned IN the
book OF DR.. Castleman. 1t had been
the habit always, when the water
gave out or became too hot for use,
for one man to take half a dozen
canteens and make break ahead
until he got chance to fill them
and then by walking rapidly, catch
up with his company meanwhile his
comrades would carry his gun, KNAPP
sack and equipments. in this way
the marching column was not de-
layed. No objection had ever been
made to this practice.
During that day General Hancock
rode along the line and as stated,
compelled the men detailed to fill the
canteens to empty them. When we
reached Yorktown the men, choked
with dust, black as SCOT with sweat
and dirt, thought they could ell their
canteens when the column halted
Again they were disappointed. The
General and his staff rode along the
rear of the brigade and kept the men
from going to the water. This was
"the last straw that broke the camels
back" As the General rode along
the men ratified their empty canteens
and cried out "water. water" Then
followed the drilling scene described
heretofore. Col. Emery, a kind.
hearted man as ever lived, felt pain
fully the position in which he was
placed and was as slow and deliber-
ate as possible. Gen. Hancock, no.
ticing this, took command of the
regiment himself, and put us through
the battalion drill on the double. quick
under the burning sun until the men
were ready to drop from exhaustion.
He accompanied the whole perform.
ance with volleys of curses, contume-
ly and abuse wholly indescribable
and unfit for publication. 1t is said
by DIR. Castleman in his hook that
over sixty men were added to the
sick list by that days work. Gen.
Hancock never led the brigade in
battle after that incident. He left it
in less than month and there was
no weeping or mourning on account
of his departure.
These are the main instances OF
Gen. Hancock's manner of treating
his men, that have been published
and called in question. Many others
might be given, ard as the political
campaign which brought Gen. Han.
cocks qualities into notice progresses,
they will doubtless come before the
public.
Inasmuch as the character of DIR.
Castleman has been traduced by the
Democratic press, notably by the
Milwaukee Ne,os and as he has been
for some years in bis grave, a word
as to him may not be amiss.
He has been represented as an
irascible, quick-tempered old man,
financial, full of whims. disposed to
find fault with every one, and to i'm,
aglne injuries and abuse where none
existed. That he was liable to be
warped in his judgments by this state
of mind, and that because of his pre-
iudiee he wrote these "preposterous
stories" about Gen. Hancock.
Nothing could be wider of the
truth. DR.. Castleman was an able
physician and surgeon, of rare organ
izing faculty full of nervous energy,
a man who was determined to make
all matters pertaining to his depart.
ment 90 or know the reason why
they did not. He was man of
kindly nature, large-hearted and be-
nevolent, conscientious in the dis
charge of his duties. The men who
came under his care, speak kindly of
his memory, and it i'll becomes men
who have no knowledge of him, to
defame him simply because he wrote
down the occurrences of his daily
life sixteen years ago.
DIR. Castieman was not the only
victim of Gen Hancock's petty mall
ice and abuse. Lieut.. Col. Emery,
widely known throughout central
Wisconsin, at he outbreak OF the
war, as talented lawyer, christian
gentleman and a brave soldier re-
spected and beloved by every man
in the regiment, was also singled out
by him for petty persecution. The
men of the regiment, will bear wit
ness to the curses and abuse show
cred upon him by Gen. Hancock,
wholly without cause 1t is useless
for any man or set of men, to attempt
to sweep aside these facts, by saying
that these statements are "simply
preposterous" or, are "the insane
rawlings Of an old man who iancied
himself aggrieved where no offence
was intended" They are facts that
were witnessed by hundreds OF men
and were recorded many years ago.
Any attempt at denial will simply &C.
cumulate the proof. Gen. Hancock
alone, is responsible for the existence
of this record. He made it by his
acts and if the time has come when
they must be weighed in the balance,
if they bear heavily against him, he
only, is to blame. His merciless
abuse of arbitrary power is among
the unpleasant memories Of the regi-
ments composing his first command
as General. J. s. ANDERSON,
Co. GA" 5th Wis. Vols.