The National tribune., 1888-11-22
THE BAND-Box REGIMENT
Scenes end incidents on Sherman,s March.


EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Being an old
subscriber to the soldiers friend, THE Ma
TIoNAL TRIBUNE, and not having seen an
article from one of the old 32d Wis in your
columns, please allow me TO "shoot one at EN-"
was not one ofthose who won my girl in the war,
and there was nothing particularly romantic IN
my matrimonial case, but | won her just the
same. and that very soon after Uncle Sam said
=" Well done, thou good and faithful servant"
! am proud of having taken n part in favor
of that glorious old flag especially in the march
with Uncle Billy" to the sea. The 32d Wis.
seemed to have an easy time the first year or
more, and at one time was termed the Band
Box Regiment" because we performed provost
duty i'm Memphis with the 25th Ind. during
every duty assigned US, and what more could
any regiment do? During our marching
through Georgia we were often warmed up,
and after we entered South Carolina we were
often cooled down, wading water in January
deep and lodging the Confederate bullets;
but we always got there.
Boys. do you remember SallIahatchie and
South Edisto Swamps? Yes know yOu do.
The 32d Wis also took very active part in the
last heavy battle between Sherman and John
ston, at Bentonville We were in the Third
Brigade First Division, Seventeenth Corps,
and Gen. Joe Mower undertook to close the
last gap that might let Johnston out, but found
the Third Brigade was too short at both ends,
and we got so near Johnston's headquarters
that they became alarmed and sent a large
force of their best cavalry to drive US back,
which they did, but we had something to say
about the time we made in getting back. Gen.
Mower gave the 32d Wis. the credit Of saving
his division. The Johnnies gave us a hard
one, and soon as they let up little the 32d
Wis. was called on for q skirmish-line to cover
our retreat Co. A, Capt M. B. Pierce, depoyed
in 'front.' and we covered the retreat nicely
until the brigade was at a safe distance, where
it was reinforced. dark night closed the
scene, and in the morning at daybreak we
were moved forward, only to find that the bird
had flown. This closed the hard fighting be-
tween the two great Generals. | want to say
further to my old comrades of the 32d Wis,
and especially those of Co. A, that | still live
and through the blessings of good God and
my own efforts have succeeded so far in earn
ing my living without pension, but believe
that every man who served his country during
that war is justly entitled to d support from
this Government to the extent called for in
The National Tribune" Pension Bill. l
married after the close of the war, and have a
wife and three children, all alive, and all love
TO see the Stars and Stripes floating.
l came South few years ago to escape the
cold Winters of the North, and let me say to
old comrades if you are we'll settled, and can
stand the cold. stay where you are; if not, l
think it better to come South than to 90 West.
The soil is very poor here but the climate is
good. Comrades who wish to know more about
this country and viii write, viii receive a
reply.-D. S. HART, First Sergeant, Co. a, sd
Wis, Gulfport Miss.