Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-03-26
---------s -
SOME WAR "REMINISCENCES.
GEN SieIKIes on the Troubles He Had
TO Contend Against-EEOw He Raised
Five Thousand Men for Services on
the FIeld-LincOIn's Interest in the
Young Soldier.
San francisco News Letter.
New York World.

Mai. Gen. Daniel f. Sickles read a
paper entitled Leaves from Ny
Diary before the United States mill
tary institution Friday. A large
number of military gentlemen greeted
/ the veteran commander as he made
/ his appearance on the platform of the
museum at Governors island, and
/ followed his lecture with much inter
est Ripples of applause of laughter
frequently interrupted the speaker as
he recounted some thrilling event or
humorously touched upoH a lighter
topic connected with the war Among
those present were Gen. J. B. Fry,
Commodore Chandler, Gen. I. L.
Crittenden, Gen. Israel Vogdes, Gen.
Horato @. King, Gen. j. j. Milhau,
Col. John Hamilton, Col. S. B. Law
renee, Capt. G. V. Weir, Lieut.. L. l..
Zallinskl, and Lieut. 4. S. Allen.
Gen. Sickies Eegan by recounting
the stirring times of 1861, when men
came pouring IN offering to volunteer,
far more rapidly than the governor of
New York could take them. Il had
enlisted In company b Of the list regi-
ment under my friend Gel. NosbUgh,
said the speaker, when friends per-
suaded me TO raise a regiment of my
own. Ia the excitement which then
prevailed this was soon accomplished
in fact, not many weeks mad elapsed
when | had forty companies at my
command. Then came an order from
the governor to disband all but eight
of the companies, owing to the lack OF
arms and equipments for such a large
number as we had ] hurried TO
Washington and laid before President
Lincoln a plan by which these men
could be held together. | proposed
that they be mustered directly into
the. federal government service as
/ United States volunteers, and that
similar bodies be organized in other
parts of the country to fill the gaps IN
/ the ranks of regiments caused by
! losses n battle. But, said Fathe,
Abraham, won't there be trouble
with the governor eff the state2 How
ever, | viii soon give you a reply.
/ After consulting with the secretary OF
/ war the president at length consented
/ that a brigade of FIVE regiments be re
celved as United States volunteers.
We went into camp, on Staten island
! 5000 strong and began drilling. But
there was much delay in the muster
ing of the brigade into service. The
governor of New York protested, ia
put it mildly, against the enlistment
/ of United States troops in this city.
He wished to have the men enter tha
army through the ranks of the militia.
a long period of uncertainty ensued,
but when, on another visit to Wash.
ington, told President Lincoln that
men from SIX different states were
/ joining the brigade, he said Now
you're all right. Go ahead with your
machine; I'll send recruiting officers
To you in few days to muster your
men into service But meanwhile
the disaster at Bull Run had occurred,
Is it too bold a suggestion TO ask
whether the presence of five thousand
thoroughly drilled, enthusiastic men,
all of whom knew each other aad
their officers, and were fired by an
esprit de corps, would not have chan
ged the tide of battle on that day