Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-09-04
NUMBER ~.

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Lancaster; because Lancaster was in
Grant county; that his only regret was
that he could only keep it twenty
four hours. That Lancaster was
a beautiful city, in beautiful county,
in beautiful State, in beautiful
United States, that was worth every
life, every drop of blood. every sigh.
every tear, every pang, every heartache
that it had cost to preserve it. He &C
cepted the surrender, promised protec-
ton to loyal citizens, and advised them
to see that their chickens roasted on the
upper limbs while the military occupied
the city.
COL. RUFUS Ii. DAWES
of the 9th Wisconsin, was then called
upon to refute the charge. that the
''2nd' was relied upon for difficult duty.
He said he did not exactly understand
the order, so he would proceed on his
own hook, and try and use wise dis
cretion' in his attack. He said he had
since the war, become an Ohio man.
He was proud of being such, and
thought it good thing for man who
had Presidential aspirations, or desired
to become Governor of Wisconsin. But
proud as he was of being an Ohio man,
he was prouder still of having been
Wisconsin soldier, particularly of hav-
ing been member of the Iron Brigade.
He complimented his old commander.
Gen. Gibbon, and graphically pictured
some of the scenes in which they had
been prominent actors. His reminis-
cences of the Battle of GAINESVILLE, when
the Sixth was ordered to the rescue of
the Second were very thrilling, and he
claimed that the 1900 men sacrificed by
the Iron Brigade at Gettysburg caused
a delay of four hours in the rebel adj
vance, during which time reinforce
mentS arrived, and the day was saved
THE STAR sPANGLED BANNER
was then sung with spirit by number
of our local singers, led by Prof. Fair
weather, of the Fairweather Opera
Company. After the song came calls
for
GEN. TOM ALLEN,
and in response arose the tall form of
the General. He expressed pleasure in
being able to revisit this section of the
state where he had once lived, Mineral
Point had been his homeland confessed
to feeling somewhat moist around the
eyes, as result of the remarks of Col.
Dawes. General Allen is a modest man
and spoke mainly of the deeds of others,
abiding in touching way to his old
comrade Col. David Mckee, of Grant
county, for whose sake partly he had
made this pilgrimage to Lancaster He
said that it was his lot to be transferred
to another regiment the 5th), and so
afterward belonged to another brigade
That he believed it took at least three
Wisconsin regiments to make first
class brigade. The chairman then sug-
gested that the officers had been heard
from, and had given their impressions
of certain thrilling events, and he would
like to hear from a private, and learn
how the same things struck them.
HIGH PRIVATE PHIL CHEEK
was called upon and gave a very anus
ing account of the trials of zone small
private He said he had been amused
to hear the officers tell of the orders
they had given at certain crises in the
battles TO "Left-oblique-ai m-firei
Load! etc, etc" He said all the order
he ever heard at such times was, Give
'em hi boys! Give en- hip 1.-The
white leggins have been referred to-
said he, ''Now boys, do you remember
the first time you got them muddy? Do
you remember how you stopped at the
first creek you came to, to wash the
mud off, and how the more you washed
them the worse they looked? Oh, the
the white leggin business was no joke to
us. E" His tumble in the ditch at Gains
vile, his difficulties in climbing over
crooks as big rs school house, at
South Mountain, the very pardonable
offences of foraging committed BY pa
triotic soldiers who would not permit
even goose to hiss the American flag,
and who killed sheep in self-defense,
were given in a lively and humorous
style. He testified to the necessity of
strict military discipline rs indispens-
bic to the service, but said that although
Gen. Gibben had been strict he never
subjected his men to humiliatlng pun
! iShments for misdemeanors, and they
all had before the close of the war, as
now, the highest regard and warmest
| love for him. ''Phil Cheek is a gener-
al favorite with the old soldiers, not only
of the Iron Brigade, but all others, and
his little speech, replete with wit and
anecdote made the old boys shake their
sides with laughter. But when he made
allusion to the death of some brave
comrade, the voice grew sad and ten
der, and tear drops glistened in the eyes
OF the whole audience.
Gen. Gibbon, before calling the next
speaker said he could recall but one in
stance in which he had been obliged to
punish soldier of the Iron Brigade.
Corporal Beecham, the
| POET LAUREATE
of the Iron Brigade recited an original
poem, entitled 1.-The Charge of the Iron
Brigade
DIR. HALL
then spoke in behalf of the surgeons of
the army, he thought they were not
likely to be appreciated, having had no
opportunity to distinguish themselves
by deeds of valor. Yet they had been
permitted to do noble work requiring
patience, and often the highest order of
courage.
Captain Harris was called upon for
song, and sung the "Red, White and
Blue assisted by Captains G. b. and
Richard Carter and Private Phil Cheek.
Then the latter, assisted in the chorus
By the other gentlemen, sang 'sThe
| ,,,-r paor