The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-01-15
HOW WILDER'S BRIGADE WAS
MOUNTED.


That gallant old commander Gen. John J.
Reynolds whose name is dear 10 every mem
Der OF the Fourth Division Of the Fourteenth
Corps, has been living in Washington since his
retirement from the Army. He is in excellent
health, and is one Of the most entertaining
c0nversatiOnalisis 10 be found anywhere.
When IN the humor for talking he viii favor
his hearers with vastly interesting rcmins-
cences OF the old war days and the grand events
in which be took so honorable part. Some
thing was said 10 him in THE NATIONAL TRIB-
UHE Office about WIlder's Brigade. IL stirred
up the old Generals memory at once.
Mider's Brigade was a magnificent one"
he said, land Wilder was q splendid officer.
shall never forget how the brigade came 10 be
mounted. We were greatly in need Of cavalry,
but the difficulty was 20 get aud keep enough
horses All, or nearly all, had 20 be brought
from the North, and there was always large
portion OF each regiment dismOuntcd, for lack
Of horses. j got 10 thinking about the matter
and one day when was az headquarters the
subject Of cavalry came up. j said 20 Rose.
Grams:
80 I've got Colonel IN my division that Is
always aching for something 20 do, and his men
are just like him. They are never happy when
they're out Of q job, and IL puzzles me like
everything, sometimes, 10 keep them busy.
wish you'd LET me mount them as cavalry
y.
"'That needn't bother you ] replied; you
just allow me 10 make requisition for cavalry
equipments aud III not only mount the regi-
ment but the whole brigade
80 How are you going TO do IL, ReynoldsT
persisted Rosecrans.
81" That don't matter ] answered you lust
give me permission and the requisitiOn for the
equipments. and I'll take care OF the rest"
After little more talk got the permission
90 md lFv -
camp, who was overioyed at the news 80
were his men j knew they'd be all right.
They had all been born and brought On
among horses. and were as much at home in the
saddle as most mon are In a rockingham
You couldn't find better material for cavalry.
/ We had around headquarters then q lot Oi
/ StOkcs's East Tenncsseeans- valuable LOT OF
I fellows, devotedly loyal, good fighters. and who
7 knew all about the country. ] told Wilder q
/ 20 ahead with his scheme and he disappeared
i from camp along with Stokcs's men and hi,
Y regiment. hiUkes's men took him into the
\ coycs and little hidden valleys, where the Seces
/ sOnists bad sccrctcd their horses 10 keep them
4 away from tic Union soldiers, aud 10 remount
4 tie dismOuntcd rebels, aud In few days Wilder
! sent Tor me 10 come cut 10 his camp. j did 50
4 and was astouished. They had gathered az
more than enough fine horses 10 mount In,
entire regiment aud prOuder, happier lot d
I fellows you never saw. j told them 30 come
into camp after bit, and march past Rose
craus's headquarters ] went bacl, 10 Rosecrans
and talked with him n little while on variou
subjects, aud abOut the time that thought IN,
boys would be along ] got him 10 come out 4
the front Of has quarters. Sure enough, her,
came the boys, with Wilder al the head, riding
up 81 il they owned the earth, and most ever,
one Of them led horse, In addition 10 the on,
hc was riding. You should have seen old RIOS,
open his eyes needn't tell you how Wilde
aud his men more than made good all that
had said about them as cavalrymen."