Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1881-08-19

Was Aot III captain Clark COM
pany, but in captain Robt. C.
Houck's. | went to Fort Winneba-
go with the troops, and at that place
we were furnished by Maj. Law. who
was in, command with such proyis-
ions as he had in his possession. l
| know that while captain Clark's
company was with us, they were
furnished by the government,
the same as the rest of troops.
L know that Captain Gentry's
men drew their provisions from
the government at all times. L
never heard of Lieut.. Magoon tax
ing back two barrels of sour flour
and taking two barrels Of good -four
in their stead, and as far as | know
there was not one cent deducted
from the pay of any soldier on ac-
count of anything that was furnished
them by the government, and l am
proud to say that l never knew a
truer or kinder hearted officer than
Col. Henry Dodge. He was beloved
by all his men, and he was proud of
the behavior of those men. | be-
lieye the statements alluded to to be
false. | think l would have known
Of these charges if such had been
the case.
Very truly yours,
ABsoLoM TOWNSEND.
BELMONT, JUNE 81, 81.
Dear Sir:--I hereby certify that |
served in the Black Hawk war and
was a member of Captain Gentry's
company; was with the troops at
Fort Winnebago just previous to
starting in pursuit of Black Hawk,
and was at the battle Of the Wis
consln heights. have no hesitation
in stating that the statements made
in the History OF Lafayette County,
just published, in relation to the two
barrels of bad flour and the taking
of the two barrels of good from the
staff officers by Lieut.. Magoon in
their stead is untrue, and also that
Col. Dodge had to be urged to go in
pursuit of the Indians, or that he
expressed his fears that we were not
able to master Black Hawk are also
untrue. and especially do | contra
dict the statement that Col. Dodge
entered into the infamous arrange
ment by which captain Gentry's
men were defrauded out Of any of
their pay for services during the
Black Hawk War. | was mustered
out of service as a member of that
company, and received every dollar
of my pay, and l never was more
than on seeing these state
ments in the history referred to.
Col. Dodge was considered, Ct
thought by all to be one of the best
and truest Of men. | was intimate
with captain Gentry, lived in his
family from 1880 to 1886, and | am
certain that he had the full conf
dence of Col. Dodge, and | have Of
ten heard him say that he was at
the council of officers at Fort Win
nebago, at which it was determined
to 60 Immediately in pursuit of
Black Hawk, and that it was Gen.
Dodge that made the proposition for
the army to take the course that it
did, and | have also heard him say
that only for Gen. Dodge, Black
Hawk would not have been over
taken and run out of the country.
0. HoLTsHoUsEP.
Mr.. Lindsey in writing to me says:
II paid no part of my expenses
during the war and was well salts
fled with my pay
The statements of these three gen
tlemen would be sufficient to sustain
my own statements, but to be more
fully sustained and to place beyond
dispute the incorrectness of these
statements, the records of the war
departments at Washington have
been searched, and they prove the
County History to be in error, so far
as the payment of the soldiers is
concerned.
SENATE, WASHINGTON, MAY 4, 81.
Hon. A. G. Dodge-Dear Sir::-I
herewith enclose to you a letter from
the Secretary of War; also copy of
a letter from the Adjutant General to
the Secretary of War, dated April
Both; it will be seen from the letter
of Gen. Drum that the charges made
in the History of Lafayette County
against your father, Gen. Dodge are
not sustained by the records in the
war department.
Truly yours,
ANGUS CAMERON.