Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-12-11


 GENERAL JOHN 0. FREMoNT.-From Portrait in Harper's.
 time General Mcclellan was nominated for the Presidency. In the first half of the year the prospects for immediate Union success were not assuring.
 Grant had failed to take Richmond, and was for the time, at least, held at bay by Lee. In the Southwest General Banks had met disaster, and so long as sherman was confronted by General Joseph F. Johnston, the Confederates under the lat- ter officer continued to make the greatest possible resistance with the least possible loss.
 But very soon after the opponents of the war had assembled in convention, and by resolutions declared the war a failure, the Union forces met with a series of brilliant successes.
 Commodore Farragut secured @ wonder full victory over the Confederates at Mo bile bay. Atlanta was captured by Sher- man, and Sheridan completely annihilated the hitherto successful rebel forces of the Shenandoah valley.
 These victories added immensely to Lin coln's chances of success. Much interest was felt in the result of the election among the soldiers. The various platforms, letters of accept ance, etc, were read and discussed. Most | of the men, however, favored Lincoln's re- | election. As soon as General Fremont saw that his candidacy could do nothing g | save divide the war party, he promptly | withdrew his name, and this narrowed \ the race down to @ contest between Lin | coin and Mcclellan.
 McClellan's followers were called l "Peace Men," and a Peace at Any Price ! Party" while those who supported the war maintained that durable peace could | come only from vigorous prose ecution of | the war till the last enemy of the Govern | ment laid down his musket. Ear.y ln No rember the election came off | and proper ibsents came from the States O! Iowa, Wisconsin and Ohio to take the votes of troops from these commonwealths
 But the Legislature of Illinois had de- creed that it was illegal for soldiers to vote when in the fl Id, hence Illinois sol Hers werc denied the privilege of casting their | ballots
 The writer had just attained his major | ity, and, having long been an admirer of Lincoln, felt great disappointment in not | having an opportunity to vote for Il m. Lincoln's majority over Mcclellan was | overwhelming and gave him ten times as | many votes in the electoral college as his competitor received. Tke writer accom- panied the command upon one of the ex- petitions to the Atchafalaya, spoken of in | the last number.
 The twenty odd miles traversed was through a country that had been stripped of every thing in the way of eatables.
 The banks of the Atchafalaya were
 reached, but the stream was not crossed
 A few stray shots passed between the Con
 federates upon one side of the stream and
 the Federals upon the other. Here severa days. were spent, and, the time hanging
 heavy, a rude set of chess were cut 0!
 wood and many games enjoyed | Among the forces was regiment of 50
 called Mexican cavalry.
 This organization had been male up next
 the Mexican frontier and the men were
 nearly all small in stature and had swarthJ
 complexions.
 They wero expert horsemen, however, \ and could throw the lasso with much skill
 Toward the end of November the com
 mand was moved to the mouth of White
 river, much further up the Missi sjppi
 Here huts were built.
 Tho writer had one of these about eight
 feet square. The sides were made O.
 boards, the roof of canvas; at one end wal \ door and at the other an open fire place
 made of mud and split pieces of lumber.
 The hut had a bed upon one side and tht
 medicine chest upon the other, and as it wa
 low there was just room left to turn round ln and stand erect near the center. Never M and was hoping the winter might be speM in that locality, when an order came for al
 to report at New Orleans.
 So all hands went aboard a steamboa
 and once more went down the Mississippi