Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-07-16
"RoussEAU OR A RABBIT"

Gen. Rosecrans' story of the Origin of =
Once Famous Remark
Gen. William s. Rosecrans, the regis
ter of the treasury and brigadier-gen-
eral on the retired list of the regular
army, has fully recovered from his re-
cent severe wrestle with the grip and
has resumed his official labors. When
YOU want good story get hold of the
former commander of the Army of the
Cumberland when he is in a reminis-
cent mood.
Every one has heard the story of
commotion in camp as being either
"Gen. Rousseau or rabbit" and most
readers who know Of the story have
heard it charged 10 Gen. Rosecrans. He
was asked the other day how he came
to make the remark and he said:
1.-The fact is never made the remark,
but the saying came about one evening
at my headquarters.
1--WE We're at Murfreesboro, in quar-
ters, and one evening glee club OF
splendid singers came over from Sheri-
dams division and gave us serenade.
l hustled my staff and servants around
and got up pretty nice lunch in the
big dining-room of the barracks, and
most of my division and brigade COM
manders were there as my guests.
s.All of my division commanders then
were very popular with their men-Mc-
Cook, Crittenden. Sheridan, Stanley,
Rousseau, and Negley; but most OF all
was Rousseau. Whenever Gen. Rous-
sean rode through the camps, whether
of his own or other divisions, he was
cbeered to the skies by the men, and
would almost invariably make them
happy speech that raised more cheers.
aThat night of the serenade and
lunch. Gen. JEFF. c. Davis-dead now
sat at my table almost opposite Rous-
seau-he is gone too. Davis spoke up
and said: Rousseau. I've got devilish
good joke on you, but J won't tell it I'M
less YOU will promise beforehand not TO
90 off the handle; you know you are
ant to do that on short order.
aAmid the laughter of the sally. Da-
nc vent on: "A day or two ago ! was
in my quarters busy on report, when
7 heard an awful row among the troops
CANNED near. 1t was SO prolonged that
7 fancied a lot Of prisoners had been
I
cantured and brought in, and sent Capt.
Davis. nv aid-de-camp, out to see what
tbe commotion was about.
"Pretty soon he returned and report
I'd that he couldn't find out what It was
an about. The troops were wild over
, something. and it must be either 6en-
Rousseau or rabbit
.sAnv old soldier who has ever wit
messed the commotion in camp occa-
stoned bv the discovery of rabbit VIII
understand the situation and the joke
We ali laughed heartily, and Rousseau
as well as the rest
.srhat is the way the Rousseau and
rabbit story originated, but IN some
s+~anue fashion it has fastened to me as
its originator.
aponsseau heard from that story at
.s~1vard in a way that became historic
Al There was representative IN con-
80 from Iowa named Grinnell, who
h.d conceived an intense dislike 70
Go Rousseau and who had heard the
.ponsseau and rabbit story, without
understanding It
.srbese two were in congress together
= 500 and one day in bitter partisan
--ascb Grinnell. diminutive man ply
ss.llv. eontemptuously referred TO
60, Rousseau as the man that soldiers
- t1e field could never distinguish rom
= rabbit - ,S