Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-07-10
REAL HEROES OF THE WAR.
Gen. Alger Says They Were the Men VIII,
Carried the MuSkets

NhIiIcu Tic w uSEelS.
The New York Hearld recently printed
an interesting collection of anecdotes on
Brave Mems Heroic Deeds Among
the following:
Gen. Russell 4. Alger, commander-in-
chief of the Grand Army of the Republic,
said: 1T would be unjust to single out
one or two soldiers in the army, call them
by name and dilate at length upon their
bravery in any special battle or sklrmish.
because all the soldiers who shouldered
their muskets and went into action equally
deserve mention. The real heroes of the
war were the men who carried muskets.
In battle the men who stood in line and
fought were all brave
Il have often been asked how it feels to
be under fire. 1t is an uncomfortable feel
ing all the time, and no poetry whatever
in it. In battle one feels as if a demon
spirit had taken possession of him and was
recklessly carrying him along. The most
trying ordeal is the beginning of battle
and the sooner one gets in the more re-
lieved he feels. When a person goes in
bathing In cold water he docs not go in
gradually, but jumps in with plunge and
the cold is soon gone.
my sensations about getting under fire
were similar to a plunge In cold water, and
although aware that danger was every
where, the anticipation | found was more
dreadful and trying than the reality
There were few towards in the army
Whenever a call was made for volunteers
to undertake some desperate charge or go
upon an expedition which meant death to
early all, more soldiers than were needed
ways came promptly forward
WAR is a stern reality to those engag-
ed in it. After the war, during the SEES
sion of an Evangelical alliance at Detroit,
four preachers stopped at my house. One
evening we were chatting about the war
when one of the preachers asked me il
there was in reality the poetry and glory
in battle that had often been described in
song. He spoke of Warren, who fell at
Bunker Hill, and repeated some beautiful
lines on his death Did fame, glory and
the sweet privilege of dying for ones
country actuate and prompt the soldier to
move recklessly and CALAMITY into battle?'
he continued,
Il replied that the whole sentiment and
feeling that stirred within soldiers
breast when he started in battle could he
summed up in three words-'Give them
hell
ANU ILLS TG1nluuS liz tudU uOlS6
sometimes counts. | had rather face an
army of 10000 mutes than an army of s.
900 yelling men. The yell somehow puts
life into the soldier and discourages his op-
ponent. had rather charge than repeal
an attack o: fight at long range The i'm
petus that the charge gives is apt to carry
things before it. Then. the movement
does not give the soldiers time to think
a,,I l,-t It'll |,
they rush onward, some to death and many
to victory
Thousands of brave wen were killed in
the war whose names are not known, and
in many instances they were not buried. [
remember riding over the battlefield of Bull
Run some months after the engagement
so many headboards have on them I'm
known. 1t is sad to die for ones country
and not leave name to be honored in the
roll of fame. The Unknown were heroes
and died bravely fighting.
when Gen Lee began his retreat from
Monterey via Emmestburg my command
was ordered to get in MS rear If possible
and cut off his wagon trains | never shall
forget the time we started. 1t was dark
night and we had to go rapidly. Wei
could hear the rumbling of the wagon trains
going around the mountaing road. Fin
ally we came near a bridge that was guard
ed. If the rebels had destroyed the bridge
it would have been better for them and
kept US from interceptlng them:
The bridge was guarded and instantly
| ordered my men to lie down, going down
myself. A soldier next to me was shot
dead. could tell by the peculiar thud
that bullet had struck him, and then his
musket fell from his grasp.
Selling his gun we all charged the
bridge and captured it. To this day | do
not know the name of the soldier killed
next to me. He was not In my regiment, !;
and as we had to push on for days and days
he was left where he was killed.
Il knew a self-confessed coward who |
was brave enough to ask to be shot. 1t
was physical impossibility for him to GO
into battle Nature was against him. |
and he knew and regretted it. Or the
eve of big battle he came to me and beg
ged me to shoot him He said that it was
for him to see the enemy, and I
rather than be Inundated by having to run
before his comrades, he wanted to be shot |
Of course it was out of the question to
accede to his request. In battle the nile
closers have orders to shoot those who run.
but they do not always do so. felt sorry
for this man, but he could not GO into bat
tie"