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

tIusleu niin Win lneH money ana Vaiu-
ables, as well as messages before going
into battle, to be sent home if they did
not return. He had on one occasion
been commissioned to carry as much as
$4,000 of the recently paid wages of
the soldiers to Washington to send to
various homes in the North.
Volunteers were then called for and
as no one responded, Gen Gibbon sail
he was reminded of circumstance that
occurred in Oakland, Cal He explained
for the benefit of the lady and non-sol-
der portion of the audience that the
first thing the average soldier did after
receiving his discharge was to celebrate
his regained American citizenship by
grand "toot" A SanFrancisco soldier
had just been discharged from the SER
vice, and had proceeded so far with his
celebration that the old instinct TO seek
8 crowd and its attendant exoitement
had been aroused within him. He
Joined crowd that was going over to
Oakland, and following, soon found
himself in large building full of peo-
pie, where a noted evangelist was
holding revival meeting. The divine.
after an impaSsioned eXhortation made
an appeal to sinners TO come forward to
the anxious seat. No one moved
Not Oner' cried the minister, us
there not one in this vast assembly who
will volunteer in the cause of God?" a
second and third appeal for volunteers,
but no response, when the old soldier
struggling to his feet called out: MIR.
Preacher, If they won't volunteer, draft
EN-! Oh EN-. draft emit
The meeting was an old-fashioned
campfire" during which battles
were described, thrilling variations,
ludicrous incidents. and sde-split-
ting anecdotes were told. The eyes
of the old veterans would glis-
ten, their breath came short and quick
and their brows grow stern, as by some
thrilling description of battle scene,
they were once more facing the enemys
guns, and advancing upon the Rebel
lines whilst the shot and shell and
deadly bullets were shlieking in the air
and moving down their broken, bleed
ing ranks. Again the tears would dim
their eyes as they listened to some deed
| of barnfe,,, H., N,
mander or brave old comrade sacrificed
his life for the old flag. And then their
sides would shake with laughter as they
listened TO some humorous anecdote
which gave the ludicrouS side of n SOL
dier's life.
About eleven O'Clock the meeting adj
journed until half past ten o'clock on
the morrow.
The following speeches belong to
the second days proceeding, printed on
our second page:
During the reunion Capt. Harris. of
Company b, 2nd Wis, in response to
the applause that called him upon the
floor said:
81 have often thought and still think
that when the Second Wisconsin had
! Fairchild for Colonel and Tom Allen for
Major, it had such field officers as no
regiment in the service could surpass.
They were men in whom we could
! place implicit confidence at all times
and occasions, and they were ready TO
respond and meet the men in the same
spirit and in the same way 1t is said
that in Que of the charges of the Rus
sian cavalry at Balaklava, when they
charged down upon the 93rd Highland
ers, certain Gen. Campbell was in COM
mand of them, and said, STEADY, men
every man must die where he stands
Aye, aye, we will do that" resohded
the men. And that was the spirit that
IN large measure animated the Second
| Wisconsin, and animated the Iron Bril-
gade.
| l remember when we came home
Gen. Fairchild said that in every en-
gagement the first word after he got
through was that he thanked God
that he was alive, and the next, that he
belonged to the Second Wisconsin and
the Iron Brigade. (Applause) And
| so 1T was with every man of that bril-
gade. They were all animated with the
same enthusiasm TO perform their du-
ties, to do what they could, and they
did it. | remember distinctly on the
night OF the 29th Of August, after the
battle was over, Collins and myself
went over the field. We got some of
the wounded back and remained there
until some time after midnight There
I lay the dead and the wounded not six
feet from the line of battle. There they
had stood like rock and oak and iron,
! Upon every occasion the Iron Brigade
was never found wanting in the per-
| Torrance Of any reasonable duty that
was asked of it. (Applause)
Phil. Cheek, Commander Of the State
Post, seemed to take the cake for
lively speech making. and was called
out again on Tuesday evening He re-
minded the boys of how they used to
get the start of the shoulder straps in
foraging for sweet potatoes.
lie said Capt. Harris had said some
things about the Second Wisconsin.
But he knew some things about the Sec
ond. He had once asked Gen Mellow
ell what he thought about it, and the
General said. You might go out be-
yond the picket line, and you might
climb the tallest tree and when you got
into the top, as far as the eye could
reach you would see the Second Wiscon-
sin stealing chickens and corn!'
He related one on the 10Th Indiana
He said an Irishman of that regiment
was shot through the leg and it had to
be amputated. He said. "Oh, Captin,
it's meself that's kilt intirely-wnat
will do2" Hold your hush,'' said the
Captain, don't you see that fellow
there with his head off, and he amt say
ing d-n word about it,''
GENERAL CALLS
On Friday morning a number of the
members of the Iron Brigade assembled
at the residence of Gen. John b. Calls,
and in bidding his old comrades good
bye the General made very neat and
appropriate speech. He said:
.'Comr0tieS: Il thank you for this
manifestation of your respect. regret
49, 4 49,, ,,,s Ia.r, :, l,1a ., tab