The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-08-01
ODDS AND ENDS.

II have heard 1t said there were few Jews in
the Union army" said Col Franz Erdelmeyer,
of tho Thirty-second Indiana, or the German
regiment, as it was usually called. II can say
this: There were four Jewish officers in my
regiment, and they were excellent officers.
Lieutenant Sachs, killed at the fight at Rowlett's
Station, was one of them, and drawer man
never knew. That was a singular engagement,
and gave the Thirty second worldwide reputa-
ton. The Legislature of Kentucky passed
vote Of thanks to us-it was loyal then-and
bought the ground upon which the men OF the
regiment fell 1t was thoroughly German
regiment. There was but one man in my COM
pany-I was captain in the fight at the Station
NOT of that nationality and he had been in the
Eleventh Indiana. Many of the men could not
speak English at all when they
went into the service, and the commands
were given, during the entire enlistment in the
German language. The fight at Rowlett's Sta
ton took place on the 18th Of December, 1861. It
was our first fight. We were mustered into the
service Aug. "a, 1861, and were perhaps green
enough, though commanded by the veteran Viii
Itch as colonel, and ieutenant-colonel Won Ire
bra, who had been an officer In the Prussian
army.
I'VE had finished the pontoon bridge across
Green river OF the morning of the 18th of De-
cember We were camped on the north side of
the river. with pickets thrown out on the south
side. About noon the bugles sounded an alarm.
We Gid not suppose the enemy to be there in
any force, and the men of the regiment formed
by companies, and went across by companies
not in regimental organization. When
they got there they found considerable
firing and unable to form line, the companies
fought separately. When we got out into the
open We found the attack was from caval-
ry, so each company as attacked formed
square. 1t was Terry's regiment of Texas Ran
gers, and they would dash right up to our lines
Within ten PAGES, and fire their revolvers. They
were fercely picturesque lot, with their SOM
breros and cowboy suits Each one carried two
revolvers and almost every one had bowie
knife. Many had horse-nair lariats. They were
altogether very appalling lot of troopers, or
would have been to any less phlegmatic
and matter-of fact soldiers than
those OF the Thirty-second. Shortly before
that the pictorial papers had been filed with
pictures of the terrible Texan Rangers, and
while other Southern soldiers were Wanted as
being every equal TO at least three Yankees,
the terrible Texans We're to be considere6 GER
tainly much more formidable. They fought
bravely, recklessly, and must have been sur
prised at the stolidity of the who stood their
ground and peppered them SO soundly. Terry
and nearly hundred of his Texans were killed
We had thirteen men killed. among them the
gallant Lieutenant Sachs. believe the Thirty
stroyed the Texas Ranger bugaboo. They never
doomed up to scare anybody after that"
Pool Commissioner Doherty, Charles Willard
and two or three other gentlemen were seated in
front of the Denison House the other evening"
discussing fy-fshing. The Commissioner and
Mr.. Willard were comparing notes and vying
with each other in descriptions of spirited con
tests with bass and trout when an authenticated
young Scotchman rose, and stretching himself,
inquired, Have ye ever tried feeshing for caad-
feeshl Bait the huke, and-swish!-up cooms a
feefty FOUNDER
Something like pulling rotten log out of
the water said one of the disguised fy-fshers,
and the company dispersed in most admired dis
order.
The reception accorded to an alleged gentle
man who broke in upon number of men convers
ing in the lobby Of the Bates House, yesterday,
reminds the reporter of mistake made by a
similarly clever fellow. The clever fellow had
pushed himself into the circle. and taking the
half-dozen gentlemen as a ready-made audience,
fred his smutty story. He was much surprised
that the narrative was not followed by the Gus
tomary Ruffaw Mr.. -" said one tho circle