Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1881-04-28
''COming to See the Boys"
A Comical Incident of the War as Told by
Cen. Carbon

A Comical Incident of the War as Told by
Gen. Gordon.
Johnny Bouquet in the New York Tribune.
Gen. Gordon said to me: Johnny, l
hope never to 60 through such war as
that again. I don't believe 1 could stand
it now, but then we don't know. Some
scenes arise on my mind as if they never
could have happened. I often think of
SpottsylvaHia, where I have seen my men
standing on the dead bodies of their COM
rades, loading and firing utterly Indifferent
to the death below them, the death in front
of them, and the death everywhere. The
dead bodies we've lying down outside the
works, in the ditch, which was half filed
with water, and there, soaking in the rain,
the dead men lay, and their friends using
their bodies to get little elevation in put
ting in that terrific work. YETI said the
general, "there were some right funny
scenes in that war. Did 1 ever tell you
about the man coming in only to look at my
camp?
We were on the Rapidan river, where it
Gen. Lee sent me word that 1 must go cut
and break up the communication between
our pickets and the enemy's. They had got
to trading with each other in newspapers,
tobacco, lies and whatever would vary the
monotony of picket life. They would not
shoot at each other, and so it was not mil
itary like So I started out ore morning
on my horse and rode the whole length of
the picket line, and just as I came to a Ger
tain point saw that there was confusion
and surprise, as if had not been expected.
What is the matter, men, here? I asked.
Nothing, General, nothing is here You
must tell me the truth, said I; I am not
welcome, see, and there must be some
reason for it. Now, what is the matter?'
There has been nobody here General.
We were not expecting you; that
is ALL 1 turned to two or three of the
soldiers and said, beat down these bushes
here They had to obey, and there sud-
denly rose up out of the weeds a man as
stark naked as he had come into the world.
who are your asked l. I am from over
yonder General Over yonder-where?'
He pointed to the other side of the river.
What regiment do you belong to-? The
1O4th Pennsylvania, General What are
you doing in my Campo why, thought
I would Just come over and see the boys,
See the boys-what boys? Do you mean
to say you have entered my camp except as
prisoner? Now, lam going to do thi swith
you. am going to have you marched to
Libby prison just as you are, without a rag
of clothes on you! Why, General you
wouldn't do that, Just because came
over to see the boys; I didn't mean any
harm! 7 felt lonesome over there, and
wanted to talk to the boys little. That is
all!' Never mind, sir; you march from
this spot, clothed as you are to Libby Pris-
on! General, said the man, I had rather
you would order me to be shot right here.
No, sir; you 60 to Libby! Then several
of my soldiers spoke up: General, don't
be too hard on him, he's a pretty good fell
low! He didn't mean any harm; he just
wanted to talk with u.s. This business
must be broken up, said Tn mixing up on
the picket line ~ h#
1T had not been in my heart, however,
to arrest the man from the beginning. 1
only wanted to scare him, and he did beg
hard. I'll tell you what will do with you
this time,' for / saw that he was brave,
good humored fellow. If you will promise
me that neither you nor any OF your men
shall ever come into our lines again except
as prisoners I'll let you CO. God bless
you, generalP said the man, and without
any more adieu he just leaped into that
stream and came up on the other side, and
took to the woods.
Gen. Gordon said, referring TO the rela-
tive bravery of southern and northern SOL
diers. that he had seen as perfect instances
of cool and desperate pluck among the SOL
diers in blue as among the soldiers OF his
own. ~. eifPa35f'.tai p