The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-05-08
WAR MEMORIES REVIVED.
AN INTERESTING DISCUSSION IN
THE HOUSE.
Old Soldiers Fighting Their Battles
Oyer-Bragg Of Wisconsin Stir
ring Up the ROys.

and the House went into committee OF
the whole Mr.. Crisp IGa. in the chair
on private business.
The bill which gave rise to the most
interesting DISCUSS on was one paying
5000 to f. w. Haldeman The report
states that during the war, Haldeman,
then boy Of twelve years of age, de-
sired to Join an Ohio regiment, but
was refused a muster on account OF
his age and size. He, however, pur-
chased a uniform and served in the
regiment year, acting as a bugler
and performing scout duty. He is
said to have performed gallant service.
Mr.. Bragg Wis. in sarcastic speech
opposed the bill. He ridiculed the
ida ola boy to- youngto be mustered
in performing scout duty and d ing
gallant service. The great patr otism
which had been displayed by the boy
seemed TO have passed away and he
had become a beggar, asking money
from tte Government. A tou h OF
sentiment was added to the picture of
battle scene by placing in the fore
ground he figure of dead drummer
boy with his drum beside him But
it was only sentiment In reality the
drummer boy at the beginning OF a
battle could be seen breaking the
head of his drum and running
to the rear to do hospital evice. One
Of the most glorious memories of the
war was of the noble women who be-
came nurses in order to alleviate the
sufferings of the soldier, but now these
women wer3 found coming to the War
Claims Committee begging that their
gratuitous services should be coined
into dollars and cents. That knocked
all the sentiment out of the thing. He
wanted some OF the rich memori.s OF
the war preserved. He did not want
them all brought down to dollars and
cents.
Mr.. Weaver Ia admitted that war
pictures were very deceptive, but
more deceptive than the picture OF
the dead drummer boy was that of
the officer with epaulettes, leading the
charge, sword in hand, singing out,
Come on, mem" If there was
humbug in American military history
il was that portion which represented
the commissioned officer leading the
charge on the enemy's works. AS
rule they were VIII re their orders and
the rules OF war required them to be
in a safe place in the rear, while the
private soldier did the fighting, shoot
ing and dying.
Mr.. Johnston Ind. maintained
that a lad, though he might be too
young TO be mustered in, could do
good service in a regiment, and in
stanced the case of two boys in his
regiment who had been with it at the
battle of Richmond, KY, and who had
performed their dnty gala tly. They
lid as much for their country as did
the man who lea the iron brigade md
who now attacked a boy who had
barred his breast to save his country.
The gentleman from Wisconsin Rad
attacked he nurses in the army. If a
poor woman had given her services to
her country and nov, with health
shattered and means gone, asked the
country to DO something for her, was it
net as honorable for the Cove nment
to help her as to Use the pension of
a genral's widow from $50 to $50?
Mr. Bragg inquired where this brave
boy hal barred his breast. He had
blown his bugle somewhere as scout.
Had the scouts that served in the com
mand of the gentleman from Indiana
heralded their coming with bugles?
Did its scouts move with a brass
band? II that had been the practice
of the command it should have hsd
some officers of the regular order to
teach it its duties. There was no oc
oasion for all this TX about offic RS.
The gentleman from Iowa (Mr.
Weaver wanted to know who had
ever seen an officer lead cha ge. He
(Mr. Bragg had seen the gentleman
who followed the st,Ts and bars who
bore commissions as Off ers coming
down in advance of e. cir lines lead
ing their men plumb against he
musketry and carrying works at the
point of the ayOnet He had seen
officers who followed the stars and
stripes who didnot say; $50 in, boys;
am little lame, but you will prob
ably be repnlsed and will be here to
receive you" The army he had
served with had officers who were
not afraid to fight. These officers the
soldiers hal had confidence IN, end
when he heard men, who said they
had been soldiers, take every oppor-
tunity to abuse officers, he was led to
the belief that they had belonged to
the squad Of camp followers. What
was that tremendous battle at Rich
mond, Ky? What was the record of
il? What was gained or lost by it?
II was one of those skirmishes between
outlying troops where here and there
a shot was fred from thu picket, and
the troops rallied back on the center,
and the horns were sounded and
drums beaten to move upon Johnny
Reb,' and when they moved, Johnny
Reb" had gone
Mr.. johnson commended TO the
gentlemen from Wisconsin the read
ing of the military history of his
country. The battle of Richmond
had lasted r ten hours, and for the
number of troops engaged it had been
as severe a battle as had been fought
during the war.
Mr.. Bragg How many men fell?
Mr.. Johnston have got the
figures here. There were thousands
OF them. There were about 5000 men
engaged on the Uuion side and about
l2,OOO or l0,OOO were with Kirby
Smith
Continuing he repealed the ch rye
that he had ever abused the office s
He had never tried to detract from an
officers reputation, but he had tried
10 stand by tho interest OF the private
soldier
Mr.. Bragg-Was 1t not a fact that
nearly all the command to which you
belonged was captured at Richmond?
Mr.. Johnston "A great many were.
Mr.. Bragg was not the bal
auce sent back to Gen Nollord to be
drilled2 [Laugh'tr,]
Mr. Johnston In that battle we
were subj cted to many humiliations,
but no humiliation SO great as to be
drilled by the gentleman from Ken
lucky (ar. Wolford) The General
was brave man, but I never saw him
have his own troops under comm nd
in my lie. Laughte-.l 1t is re-