The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-09-21
WAR "REMINISCENCES.
Some of General Bussey's Expert.
enees Related to College Boys.

General Cyrus Bussey in recent address
to the students of the College of the City OF
New York narrated some of his expert
ences during the late war, says the New
York Tribune Zone Of the best soldiers
of the Army of the Southwest" said Gen
eral Bussey. with whom was associated
for months was Colonel John B. Wyman OF
the Thirteenth Illinois Infantry. While on
the march through Arkansas, Wyman's
regiment was approaching town, when
the Colonel, who was riding at the head OF
the regiment, turned TO his band and said,
Boys. give us some music. The band be-
gan to play, and Wyman noticed that one
of the drummers did not drum. Refining IN
his horse he cried out, Why don't you
drnmY The drummer, very much alarmed,
for Wyman was a severe disciplinarlaD, lett
his place in the ranks and approaching the
commander, said: Colonel, Eve got big
fat turkey in the drum. If you don't say
anything about it | will give you half of it. :
The Colonel replied in loud voice. If
you've got headache. why don't you say
sol OF course you need not drum! The
Colonel dined on the turkey next day.
General Sherman's army left Helena Tor
Vicksburg December Dist. When the fleet
were about leaving the wharf, Colonel Wy
man walked out upon the stage plank OF The
boat on which his command was embarked,
and taking me by the hand, bid me good-bY
and said: Here's for a Brigadier's COM
mission or a glorious DEATH Ten days
later / was III command at Helena. a
steamer landed at the wharf-boat, where /
had my headquarters, with the body of
Colonel John Is. Wyman. who had found a
glorious death fighting at the head of his
regiment. just one week after leaving Helena.
NEARLY ali the soldiers under my charge
were brave and ready toI the post of danger;
occasionally there were men who feared to
20 into battle. | had one such man III my
regiment at the beginning of the war. He
Was one of the finest looking men in the
command, but would not go where any
fighting was TO be done. This weakness
was observed by the men, who frequently
made remarks in his presence calculated to
wound sensitive nature. This caused
MILAN, Tor that was his name, TO come to
me one night when | was ordered tn send
out part Of my command to march against
a force reported in camp about fifty
miles distant, and asked perm iSsiOn
to 90 on the expedition. L SAID to him:
MILAN, il is something new for you to want
TO so where there is any fighting to be done
He answered: i know that the men of the
regiment have questioned my courage, and II
is ior that reason come | have always be-
lieved that | would be killed the fist time |
went mo an engagement and have not been
able TO drive that feeling out OF my MUD.
At the same time, L have made up my mind
to 60, be the consequences what they may
De. expect 10 De kll.eu. lie then gave
me instructions how TO communicate with
his family, aud left with me some articles
which were to be sent in the event of his
death. | made light of his preseutiment,
and told him he would come back all right.
He left me to get ready to march with the
expedition at daylight iieXt morning.
"a few days prior 10 this time Millan's
father, who lived at Cant N, No, wrote his
son a letter which have now in my posses
sion. He, too, seems to have preSentiment
that his son would never receive the letter.
After addressing IL as he had always done
before to the regiment, division and army
OF the Southwest, he wrote: If General
Bussey sees this letter, and the one to
whom it is addressed cannot see it, lie will
confer favor by opening the letter and in
forming the writer of the facts No such
Endorsement had ever before been made on
any OF Millan's letters. The expedition
started on May Is, 1862. The official report
of the engagement states: Our loss was
Sergeant Stanton b. MILAN, killed; Cap
tain Israel Anderson and Private Joseph I.
French shot through the thigh Poor NIL
Ian! 1t was his first and last scout