Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-07-02
"ROUSSEAUOR RABBIT"
The Origin OF Story Which Onc5
Became Politically Famous.

Ahe origin or story "hiCn OnC5
Became Politically Famous.
eve are not in Murfreesboro, in
quarters, said Gen. Rosecrans, land
one evening glee club OF splendid
singers came over from Sheridan's
division and gave us a serenade.
| hustled my staff and servants
around andsot upa pretty nice lunch
con in the big dining-room OF the bar
racks, and most OF my division and
brigade commanders were there as
my guests.
"All OF my division commanders
then were very popular with their
men-McCook, Crittenden, Sheriden,
Rousseau and Negey, but most OF all
was Rousseau rode through the camps,
whether OF his own or other divisions,
he was cheered to the skies by the men,
and would almost invariably make
them happy speech that raised more
| cheers.
That night OF the serenade and
lunch, Gen. JEFF c. Davis-dead now
|
Rousseau-he is gone, too, Davis
spoke up and said: Rousseau, I've
got a Joke on you, won't tell it UNI
less you promise beforehand not to go
off the handle; you are apt to do that
on short order
amid the laughter at the sally.
Davis went on: A day or two ago
was in my quarters, busy on q report,
when | heard an awful row among the
troops camped near. 1t was so pro-
longed that | ianced that a lot of
prisoners had been captured and
brought in, and sent Captain Davis,
my aidede-camp, out to see what the
commotion was about.
pretty soon he returned and re-
ported that he couldn't find out what
it was all about. The troops were
wild over something, and it must be
either General Rousseau or a rabbit.
"Any old soldier who has ever wit
messed the connection in camp Oc
casioned by the discovery OF rabbit
. will understand the situation and the
Joke. We all laughed heartily, anc
. Rosseau as we'll as the rest.
That is the way the Rosseau anc
rabbit story originated, but in some
, strange fashion it has fastened to III,
as its origlnatSr.
"Rousseau Heard from that story
, afterward in way that became his
, torical There was a representative
in Congress from Iowa named Grinnell
+ who had conceived an intense dislik
!. to Gen. Rousseau, and who had hear'
the Rousseau aud rabbit story with
!. out understanding it.
These two We're in Congress tOgeth
+ er in 1866, and one day, in a bite
=. partisan speech, Grinnell, a diminu
il tive man physically, contemptuousl
n referred to Gen. Rousseau as the ma
:. that soldiers in the field could neve
4 distinguish from a rabbit.
r THAT was twisting things aroun'
. with such vengeance that Gen. Rous
~ seau, who was of hercuean build an
It deeply imbued with the Kentuck
= idea that a man of fragile physiqU
had an equal show on the field OF hoI
or wish another of larger build, too
occasion to overhaul Mr.. Crime
Y just at the east door OF the rotund
le and pinched his ear, remarking at tt
it same time that the gentleman frol
q Iowa knew the address OF the gentl
- man from Kentucky.
+, "Mr. Grinnell did not align his Ii
III on the rules OF the code OF honor, b,
a went back to the House OF Represe
N tatives, still in session, and laid tt
le facts OF the assault and the reasc
1T thereof-words spoken in debate-b
~ fore his conferees.
8, General Rousseau promptly tel
" graphed the Governor OF kentucl
H. his resignation as Representative
Id Congress from the Louisville distrit
n and notified Speaker Colfax OF t
or fact. 1t was the first time the tie
en- graph had been used in such a case, al
n. the question was raised the next NOR
ne ing when the resolution to expel car
90 up, but Mr.. Colfax held that Gener
at Rosseau was no longer a member
or the House, and the resolution W
er out of order.
nt "And all that came about from &c
il eral Davis story OF Rosseau or a IA
as bit. "-Washingto on Post.