Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1881-02-25
Van Wyck Of Nebraska.
THE KIND OF STUFF TO MAKE SENATOR'S OF
HE DIDN'T KNOW THE BUTCHER WHO
SUPPLIED SOLDIERS WITH PORK.
From the Chicago Times

van WyCk VI NtpHa5ka'
THE KIND OF STUFF TO MAKE SENATOR'S OF
HE DIDN'T KNOW THE BUTCHER WHO
SUPPLIED SOLDIERS WITH PORK.
From the Chicago Times
The new United States Senator from
Nebraska, Van Wyck, is not without re-
cord. though it was acquired not in Ne
braska, but in New York. He IL ma
tive of Sullivan county, in that State,
and before the war was well known i'll the
Hudson river counties as lawyer of
marked ability. He practiced law IN
Middletown and Newburgh, having for a
partner in the latter place ex-Judae Full
ierton. now of the city of New York
Charlie" Van Wyck, under which
familiar title he was best known to the
farmers, business men, boys and every
BODY else in that section, was elected to
congress in 1858, and reelected in 1850.
In common with Ben. Wade, Thad. Stev-
ems and Burlingame of Massachusetts, he
was stalwart Of the stalwarts on the
slavery question, and manifested a disPo-
sition to back mp his words with his
acts.
During the exciting session OF congress
which preceded the breaking out of the
war, numerous exceptions were taken by
southern members to his vigorous denun-
Citations of the institution, and threats
of personal violence were freely made.
Late one night, while passing along
| street near the capitol, lie was
ATTACKED By THREE MEN,
| who, as they bounced ont on him, in
formed him that i'll consequence OF his
comprehensive abuse Of slavery, they
were about to do for him" in first-class
plantation style.
At that time ''Charlie" was i'll his
prime, broad across his shoulders. above
medium height, and solidly built in with
hard muscle. In addition to this he was
something of boxer, and was gifted by
nature with that article SO useful in the
world known as pluck.
He squared himself at once, and but n
few moments after putting up his hands
for business the southern gentlemen were
looking for the last ditch. From that
time on he was very rigidly let alone.
In the summer Of 1861 he raised the
regiment which went into the field as the
fifty-sixth New York, but was better
known by the title of the "Tenth legion.
The legion was composed OF ten compan-
u ",
batteries of artillery. 1t was incorpora-
ted into the army of the Potomac as n
regiment in its entirety, but was shorn of
its cavalry and artillery appendages.
The cavalry companies were the nu
cleus around which were gathered the
first New York mounted rifles, which did
excellent
SERVICE IN VIRGINIA
and Maryland until the close of the war.
The artillery companies were afterward
designated as the seventh and eighth New
York independent batteries
The fifty-sixth, with its commander,
Col. Van Wyck, participated in McClel-
lan's peninsular campaign, suffering Sc
verely in the battle of Fair Oaks, where
Col. Van Wyck was slightly wounded by
piece of shell After the battle of An
tietam the command was ordered to the
southwest and Col Van Wyck was decor
ated with the straps and buttons of
brigadier- general.
FRANK REPLY.
In the spring of 1862, when McClellan's
army lay in front of Yorktown, Van |
Wyck, while in command of the New |
York volunteer infantry regiment, was |
also n representative in the house of rep |
resentatives from one of the western New |
York districts. Although in uniform he |
was still the home citizen, solicitous for
the welfare of his many neighbors i'll his
own regiment and other military organi-
cations from his section Of the country. |
One dark, rainy night, Just before taps
had sounded, he happened to step into
q battery park, and u private soldier who
him requested him to frank
letter. The franking privilege was then
not limited as it is now. Certainly, re-
piled the citizen soldier and congressman,
"Tll sit up all night to frank letters for
soldiers" The declaration was scarcely
uttered before it passed from soldier to
soldier, and then from camp to camp.
Soldiers from every direction brought
their envelopes to Col. Van Wyck to
frank The colonel unceremoniously
seated himself in suffers tent and went
to work. The suffers supply of envel-
opes rapidly disappeared, and when rev
ellie sounded in the morning the colonel
was still sitting on his camp-stool, with
hard tack box, which he had improvised
rs q table, before him, franking letters
for ''the boys" In many homestead in
central New York to-day may be found,
no doubt, the carefully preserved envel-
ope which brought the message from the
soldier in the field, who never came back
himself, bearing on its face the familiar
autograph of CHARLES II. Van Wyck,
NJ. c."
DIDN'T KNOW THE BUTCHER.
1t was during the peninsula campaign,
Just before the battle of Williamsburg,
that Gen Mcclellan had issued an order
foraging under penalty of
severe punishment A sectien of artll-
lery had bern supported by the fifty sixth
New York volunteer infantry in little
late in the evening, and, owing
to some misunderstanding, the infantry
and artillery were left on the picket line
till late hour without any rations. Dark
ness had closed in, and farm yard in
the vicinity offered too great temptation
for the hungry artlllerymen to resist
Soon the fragrant aroma of roast pig
drew more than one officer to the vicinity
others was Col. Van Wyck, ths senior
officer in command He was asked by one
Of the improvised camp cooks if he would !
partake of the menu. Certainly, re-
piled the colonel, and with n sharpened
appetite he NJ once LOOK Hoiu Vi tit luS-
cious roast porcine ribs. Suddenly
staff officer rode upon the scene. With
an unmistakable French twang he said
with de compliments Of de general
wish to know who kilt dis
roast hog"
Tell the general commanding" roared
Col Van Wyck, stretching his tall form
to its utmost altitude, that Col. Van
Wyck never inquiries who the butcher is
when he sits down TO II gentleman ta-
BILE"
The staff officer was the Comte de Paris |
of Gen. McClellan's staff. Nofurther IN
quiry WAS ever instituted into the mys-
terry Of this fopging expedition.
Since the war he has served II term IN
congress from New York A few years
ago he removed to Nebraska. and now. re
turns TO Washington as ii member of the
senate.
Possums and Pizen Snakes.
LITTLE JoHNSY's STORIES ABOUT PoSsUM,
PLAN.ER AND MISTER PITCHEL.