The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1885-10-08
REUNION or THE nEaIMENT.
OF which DIR. Lew siusser was Surgeon
War "Reminiscences,

| Volunteers was recruited In tha south
weal eTn part NJ thu State, and command
| cd by Col. Lewis ID. Campbell, who had
been q prominent member OF Congress,
and after the war received the appoint
ment OF Minister TO Mexico, Our fellow
townaman, Or. Lew SlusaeT, WIS surgeon
Of the regiment, and was among the
comparatively few surgeons OF ONO who
served through the entire war,
The regiment was with Generale
ROaecrans and Thomas at the battles OF
Stone Rysr and Chickamauga; with
General Sherman In the Atlanta cam
paign and tho march through Georgia
and the Carolnaa, II entered the lield
nine hundred and thirty atrongi 70.
ceiyed an accession OF forty odd when at
home on veteran furlOugh; and when
mustered out there was less than three
hundred and Afty,
Ala reunion last Wednesday they met
at Oxford, Butler county, the place
where Co, "B" was made up, The citl'
zans OF the town gave them most cor
dial reception. Eight companies were
present, Letters were read from absent
members, including q lengthy ono from
General Sherman, cOmpl lmentlng the
regiment for ita bravery while under hla
command. A telegram was received
from four members OF the regiment llY
ing Ia Kansas who were then enjoying
Joint reunion OF members OF different
Ohio regiments nj Topeka,
After the transaction OF such official
business as dey0lyed upon the organiza
ton, the time waa chiCfy occupied In
short speeches and the tai OF incl
dents connected with the war. Among
the latter, tho following has, at the pres
ont time, an especial Interest, inaamuch
az the Republican speakers arr claiming
special credit for their party having
abolished slavery.
II should DO mentioned that the regi-
ment, field and STAFF. when II entered the
service waa about equally divided politi.
cally. II will be remembered that Con.
grese by resolution had declared that
The war was not waged with any purpose
OF disturbing slavery. Tho President.
however, In the fall OF '62 issued a pro-
clamation that n the States IN rebellion
dd not make peace with the general
government by January 1T, 1863, the
slaves should DO made free. This pr0cla-
nation produced considerable disaatis'
faction In the army, especially among
Democrats, who claimed that IN y had
on lls Oh TO put down the rebellion, not
TO abolish slavery.
While this subject was yet rife among
he men, the regiment being on u march,
the day rainy, the roads muddy aud slip
pery, the men inGllnCd 10 a.raggle, Co,
III =" In command OF Lieutenant P--s
waa instructed by the Al jOr 10 keep hip
men In Hue. Tho Lieutenant ordered
his men TO close up, aud for u time they
marched In closer order. But the roads
we're bad, aud II was not long before the
company were again struggling.
rho Major, observing H. In u
more peremptory mlnner, or
dered the Lieutenant 10 march his
men In closer order This evidently ir'
ritated that olllcer, ~ no was overheard
| 10 say In an undert0ne-"th men may
march AZ they damn please. Its nothing
but d ahmed abolition war anyhow"
The remark was reported aud reached
headquarters the same evening. There
wasa sensitive feeling amongb0th officers
and men, aa TO the object and intent OF
the WI, aud upon consultation " was
decided 10 take action In the matter.
The Lieutenant was accordingly ordered
under arreat. In due time he was mr.
ralgned before Court Martial, charged
With characterization and the use OF se-
di ious language. He acknowledged
speaking the worde, bit denied The
charge OF insubordlpaton, or OF har.
boring any feeling OF disloyalty TO the
government. He was found guilty, and
the sentence OF the Court was, that he
| be deprived OF oil back pay then over
four months due him, be imprisoned In
Nashville penitentiary aixty-daysand at
the expiration OF the sentence, escorted
beyond the lines.
The government ut that time dlsclaim.
ed any intention OF interfering with
slavery, and tn were determined 10
rebnke any expressions that conraged
that idea.
Tho following letter, which explains
itself, was read by n cOmrade
CARTHAGE, MISS Feb, II, 1884
On December 81, 1869, at the battle OF
NurfreesbOro, the regiment TO which |
belonged, the Gath Mississippi, confront
I'd an Ohio regiment, Our columns we're
nreclpitated upon the enemy'a llnes In
one OF those characteristic rebel charg
49," The e0emy's lines were broken,
| ind every thing that seemed TO impede
our progress was cast aside In their
TASTY retreat Among the articles that
| fell In TO our hands, besides prisoners,
| guNg, Cinn0na ETC.. was a knapan OK, con-
| Aining n beautiful bound Bible, ana
written upon the fly leaf In neat hand
was.
john A, COMPTON, from his mother,
Hamilton, Ohio,
was prisoner of war at Rock ls.
land H., In 1863 40, aud while there
happened 10 remember the name and
address OF the owner Of the Bible, and
wrote TO him NJ Hamilton, Ohio, detail
history OF its capture. My letter
WAS promptly answered by his slater,
Miss II annah Compton, who Informed
me Ia tho most pathetic letter ever
read, OF the death OF her brother on the
bloody field OF Resaca. | promised her
then, II IL was ever possible, would re.
turn tho book 10 them. After lapse OF
twenty years, l have Just come In pos
session OF tho treasure, that was once 10
dear TO tho dead soldiers heart and
am anxious to return II 10 his
sister II living, or perchanoe to the aged
mother, who with fear aud apprehen.
sion for the future, placed the sacred
token In tho hands Of her departing SOL
dier boy, ~ she asked Heavens benison
for his safe return TO her.
g. II, EDWARDS,
The Bible has b,en received aud Ia
now In possession Of relative Of the do.
ceased soldier.
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