New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1888-02-15
OUTRANKED Elm.
a True incidents in the History of the Sixth
Army Corps.

a True Incident in the History of the Sixth
Army Corps.
Among the many distinguished COM
manders who gave vitality to the Union
forces during our recent differences of
opinion, there were none Drawer, more
competent, or better beloved by their
men than Major General John Sedg-
wick A soldier in his soul, thoroughly
the officer and gentleman, whether upon
the field or by the campfire he won
mems hearts by the innate nobleness OF
his own. He was man of kindly i'm
pulses and possessed a fund of rich hui
NOR that not unfrequently dubbed over,
and sometimes, when least expected,
gave pungency to reproof in way that
never failed to be remembered. One
of his peculiar traits was that he sin
cerely sympathized with that much
abused animal, the army mule, and woe
betide the officer or soldier who abused
a mule within the generals knowledge.
There was an imperative order in the
Sixth Corps during his command of it
against trotting the mules of the supply
trains, and this law as inviolable as the
laws of the Modes and Persians, especial
ly if the General heard of an offender.
An incident in point came under the
knowledge of the writer in the summer
Of 1868, when the Sixth Corps with
Sedgwick in command was moving up
the London Valley on it's way to War
renton
One morning the General called Lieu
tenant Clendennin, of his staff, who was
passing and said:
Lieutenant, you have charge of the
corps train to-day, I believer"
eyes, sir"
"Well, there is an order as you are
aware, against trotting the mules; but
to-day think you may have to disre-
gard it a little. It is very essential that
you should keep the train we'll closed
up and moving, even if you trota little
but be as merciful to the beasts as you
can"
Il will look to it, General" and sa-
luting, the train officer rode off to
spread the injunction through the park.
The days march was hard one,
lasting we'll into the dark shade of the
evening. just when it was becoming
too dark to see distinctly orders were
received TO park the train across a small
stream near Uniontown, Fauquier coun-
ty. The Lieutenant saw the head of
his train in the proper field and rode
back to the bridge over the stream to
hurry the laggards. AS each wagon
master che up, Clendennin would re-
mark:
ssHurry up those mules there; we're
just going into park"
This state of things went on some
time, until the Lieutenant, growing i'm
patient at a particularly wide break.
yelled OUT
Trot up those mules there!'
Walk those mules' said a grave,
quiet voice from out the darkness on
the side of the road.
Never you mind those mules, re-
piled the Lieutenant, tartly, and there
was silence for few moments, except
the noise of the train which toiled
along until another break showed itself
and brought the command:
Hurry up those mules!"
walk those mules!" said the quiet
voice out of the darkness.
Don't bother yourself about those
mules, over there, if you don't want tc
get into trouble" shouted the exasper,
ated Clendennin. Then another hiatus
occurred, and he yelled desperately:
Light out with those mules!"
walk those mules!" said the cool
monotonous voice from the deep shade
This was several degrees more than
the much tried Lieutenant could stand
and he ripped out:
"Look here, by thunder! I DOM
know who you are, and [ don't care 6
cuss; but I want you to understand that
[ am Lieutenant Clendennin, Acting AS,
sistant Quartermaster of the
Sixth Corps NJ orders are
from Major General Sedgewick, and
If you don't let those mules alone, Tn
id if [ don't come over there and
punch your head"
''Ah, yes, lieutenant, the quiet voice
responded; "my name is John Sedge.
wick, by courtesy called general and
my orders are from the presidento of the
United States, and if you don't walk
those mules I'm id if I don't come
over there and put you under arrest"
walk those mules!" yelled Clenden-
min as he disappeared in the darkness,
followed by the hilarious shouts of the
whole staff, assembled under the trees
The general had forgotten his instruc-
tons of the morning.