The National tribune., 1883-01-11
IOWA..
Tho Newly Mustered Posts "Reminiscences OF Gen
MciMerNOn.


MctnerSGn.
Special Correspondence National Tribune.
NEWTON, Iowa, Jan. S.-The interests of the
G. A. r. in this State are of growing character
Is is evidenced by the mastering in OF new
Posts. Some time since Adjt.-Gen. Townsend
reported tho muster of five, and since then |
have had the pleasure Of mastering in four
others at WelIman, Washington county; Morn
ing Sun and Columbus Juncion, Louisa county,
and at lndianola, Warren county. At Morn
ing Sun the boys met with good deal OF oppo-
sition from set Of religious fanatics, who be-
icVe any secret order productive only Of evil,
and through their opposition forced the sur
render of the charter Of the Masonic Order.
But this opposition only reused tho boys as
they were reused by the fire on Fort Sumter,
and they concluded to muster Il Post of the G.
A. T., and went quietly about the work of re-
Cruiting. The opposition, through their leader,
Rev. Trumbull, then attempted an expose Of the
secret work or the G. A. r. alleging that the
obligation compelled implicit obedience to all
orders OF the officers, even 10 putting TO death
any member who should disclose any of the
secret workings of the Order and tried to in
timidate the NJ. T. minister SO that lie would
not dare to JOIN with the boys in organizing q
Post. Nevertheless Post was duly mustered
in on the 22d inst, with tho Rev Mutton, of
the N. L. Church, as chaplain. That Post viii
succeed, Or l miss my guess. And | expect in
time their - charter members viii grow into
- or 80 good, earnest working members. |
have nowhere met a more determined feeling
than exhibited by the boys Of that locality.
suppose some comrade has already sent an aC-
count OF the mustcr-in and the names OF officers.
/ find in myself Il growing desire for the arrival
Of the TRIBUNE and read with avidity all the
matter 1t contains. | was Il member Of the
Eilty-second III. infantry, serving in the
Army OF Tho Tennessee, commencing ut Fort
Donaldson and finishing my career rs Il soldier
at Atlanta; was in the signal service during
1864, and attached to Gen. LO%au's staff. IN
your issue Of December 2lst I notice the query
as 80 the death OF Gen. Mcpherson, and the
reply taken from paper read by Gen. sherman
at indianapolis in October, 1876, and statement
Of II. j. thompson orderly TO the general, in
which the statement is made that Gen. Nc
Phcrson was attended only by his orderly.
This is a mistake. Capt. o. II. Howard, chief
signal oiiicerot the generals own st&l WAS with
him; also Licuts. Allen, WorlCy, Shcrley, and
myself; all signal officers of the Sixteenth 4. G.
When the rebel slirmishers called halt" VIC
Immediately turned our horses back towards
the Seventeenth A. G. line, and in this sudden
change of direction Lieut.. Aliens left foot came
in contact Wltn a tree and crushed the bones III
foot and ankle both. The regulation hat worn
by Capt Howard, caught by u limb, was thrown
to the ground, and with a rashncss character
istic of the man he dismOunted to recover it,
and then made the discovery that our beloved
general was not with us. Satisfied that he was
in the euemys hands. and unable to offer him
any assistance or relief we rode sIily back.
That was a sad day to the Army of the Ten
nessee. The whole command loved their noble
general, aud amid the shouts Of victory, as Hood
drew of his shattered troops, could be heard
the wall of grief. Gen. 0. 0. Howard sue
ceeded to the command, but he could not fill
the place of the almost idoliZed Mcpherson. AS
| read your paper many incidents of the war
are brought torcibly to my mind, and some
times | feel inclined to give your readers tho
benefit Of those thoughts. With your permis-
sion l may do SO. The life Of the soldier and
signal officer was full of incident, which is very
interesting to tho boys who marched under the
old flag.
Yours in f., c., and L.,
CHAs H. FISH,
o. y EoI LII Inf Nnls