Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1890-09-04
WEEPING LITTLE LOU.
A Touching Incident in the Panorama OF
the Great Rebellion.


the Great Rebellion.
II was in January. 1868. the wind min
gled with rain and sleet swept mourn
fully through the forest Of cedars that
bordered Stone river The roads, called
pixies down there. deep-seamed and fur
rowed by the wheels OF heavy army
wagons, were soft Or sticky with tough
clay and almost impossible. yet artil-
lery was moving TO the front. cavalry
and infantry soldiers hurrying forward
silently, but with a stern purpose, to
check the expecte ted attack on our left.
Not a campfire cheered the dismal sur
roundings, not a bugle note or a loud
word of command. for Rosecrans was
quietly massing his forces on the left
center to NOV down without mercy
the thousands who were soon 10 fall
a sacrifice in tho dreadful harvest of
battle
Long rows of dead. side BY side, lay
alongside tho pike for Identification
sad commentary e tile axiom that the
bullet is no respeetor Of persons and
mournful illustration OF the soldiers un-
knelled fate Nor we're these ALI Alone,
forgotten. with no soft hand TO smooth
his war-worn brow. or breathe a prayer
for his gallant soul. hundreds Of miles
from the proud, loving circle OF his
home, in the dense cedars Of that bloody
battlefield lay many a soldier dead or
dying for the cause he gave his lie to
win-the splendid flag he died to save
from dishonor Elsewhere. across the
field Of The still unburied dead from
their rain-sodden, muddy the
shiyering sharpshooters kept mp des-
ultory firing that BODIED no good % any
rash enough 10 expose his person 10
their aim No fires 70 warm. no rations,
but dry field corn Men slep, wrapped
in wet blankets, in the cold. clinging
clay. while their leaden hearts were as
gloomy as the leaden skies above
OF near another pike, and out far from
the scene where the glorious Pail Sheri-
dams division saved from utter ruin the
panic.stricken veterans of that grand
army stood a sp,all house, used az
temporary refuge for the wounded.
marred and splintered With bullets and
shell. one cannon ball having plowed
over the floor, scattering the room with
its red work Of destruction, IL was
scarcely the place To find an old woman
and little girl eight years Of age. She
was standing by the house with an Off
Ger. He found her sobbing as if her
heart would broak Her father, like
many others in that region. hsd fed to
the Confederate side with his rifle as
soon as our army drew near prisoner
had told her that her father Law dead
between our pickets and the enemy, and
indicated to her quite plainly just about
whore he fell on the skirmiSh line She
was sobbing and pleading TO 90 10 him.
In vain the officer warned her she could
not pass the lines or II she did, the
danger Of being shot but she cried she
must 20 find Der father; that her mann
ma was dead and papa had mammals
picture with him, and i She lid not 90
and get il some one would steal it, The
officer, deeply affected by the poor little
creatures distress. hurried away from
the spot
Then mib have boon seen a strange
thing With llt,,c old faded shawl
about her wan-pinched face her cold.
Stockiugless feet IN wet. undiscovered
shoes hiiting from tree Is tree through
th dark cedar aisles to the front oi tile
line. this lttle CHASTITY spirit sped along
aa her mission II love on past the
trenches, while the spinning bullets
whirle3 and sung above her head, she
soon revealed herself Is the opposing
sharpshooters, but was Size safe2 Safe?
Not in the halls 81 wealth. i'm the guard.