The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1889-03-23
EARLY REBELLION BAYS.
Very Harsh Treatment Of Brave Men
by Dudish 0hicerk

That the youth Of to-day may not
be led into the false belief that all
was glory and fighting in the war
Of the rebellion, | will relate a few
incidents which transpired in the
war that may seem to look like dark
spots on the sun Of our glorious vic
tory over the institution of slavery
!. There .is some excuse for the many
troubles which occurred in the be-
ginning. The matter of discipline
was but little thought Of by the man
or boy. who, with heart full of
desire to go into the armv, walked
up to the desk and signed his name
to the roll of the regiment. He had
in view only the excitement of the
thing, the wish to be with others
and the honor of being a soldier in
the cause of right. A few days in
camp may not have dissipated all
these beautiful principles, but Oft
times stronger feeling came to the
front and he was heard to say, "Oh,
confound the drilling" There are
but few free born American citizens
who love anything that will infringe
upon their rights to do as they
please. This was the hard part of
the work-the dry, unsavory. bitter
dose-yes, and dose which had to
he taken every dav.
At first it was fun to have gun,
to be buttoned up in a suit of Uncle
Sans clothes and feel all over $50
good" Did you ever have to take
spring medicine when you was a
boy? Have to walk right up to the
little yellow mug and take your
spoonful Of sulphur and molasses? +?
mo dodging." First it was all
night, and you rather liked it, then
it didn't taste SO good, then it began
to make you sick, and you thought
if bad boys have to go where brim-
stone is plenty, you would always
be a good boy. The roll-call in
camp every day, the guard mount
ing, the police mounting, the police
duty and the drill, even the guard
dress-parade became tiresome and,
like the yellow mug of boyhood
days, became objects to look for
ward to with anything but pleasure.
THIS WAS THE POINT,
The test, which brought the quail
ties of the men. The rough hand
ling of actual war knocked off the
tinsel. The sham, the inability and
lack of strength was brought to view
and the material was sifted and an
army was made. Many officers were
| found who were as unfit to command
as were rank and file to obey. In
reorganizing the army. after Cen
eral Hooker took command, there
were 1913 commissioned officers dis
charged in less than 80 days for in
ability. was present and heard
him say to distinguished com
mander of cavalry, Clean them
out. Give them leave to go, and
if they won't take the hint discharge
them"
! From this unfitness to command
on the part of many officers, and
the dislike of the soldier to submit
to discipline, came some sad results.
/ have seen a man whose body held
the scars of several wounds, who
was one of the first to 60 into fight
and one of the last to leave it, who
was the soul of bravery. | have
seen this man branded with red
hot iron, seen the letter "C' burned
into his flesh, seen him at the point
of the bayonet and to the tune of
the "Rogue's March" drummed out
of his regiment; yes, and have
looked on while this man was taken
on the shoulders of his friends out
side the regiment and made a hero
of while being presented with a
purse of $11O.
"And why?" you will ask.
Just before the fight at Freder-
icksburg, there had been sent to his
command a brand-new lieutenant.
Yes, strange as it may seem, this
lieutenant had been made by politi-
cal influence at home, in the state
from which the regiment came. The
men who had been with this COM
mand through all its fights, those
who, by experience and right of
promotion, were entitled to this po-
sition, were set aside to make room
for somebody's pet. He came, and
he brought with him little else than
his vanity and his uniform. What
could be expected as result? Soon
there was trouble. Such piece of
stuff as this coming in contact with
a man who had been in half dozen
battles and bore the honorable scars
of his duty performed, was like a
spark to powder. The soldier was
punished for some trif1e, was an
gered at the dudes presumption,
and declared. he would never do a
days duty under him. Close upon
this resolve came the battle. The
captain of the company being alb
sent the lieutenant was in COM
mand. The soldier refused to fol-
low him. After the battle the lieu
| u 0..I