Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1891-07-30
TEMPEST AND SUNSHINE.
The EnIivenins Effect of Clearing Weather
Upon New Soldiers.

I The EnIivenins Effect of Clearing Weather
Upon New Soldiers.
During the winter of 1s62-6S the
Eleventh Michigan infantry, regiment
which was among the first to 60 into
commission from the wolverine state
and which became badly cut to pieces
I In the service, was being re- organized by
| Col p. H. Keegan. 1t was some time
in February that the complement Of
men was made up and the regiment
, was sent south New soldiers were, in
\ those days, called fresh fish" and the
new material sent down to stop south
fern bullets was about as fresh lot of
suclers as ever enlisted. Chattanooga
was the point to which the recruits
were sent there to join the old frag-
m'ents of ''Stoughton's Fighting
Eleventh. We knew the fresh fish,
We're coming, and of course we weNe
4 anxious to see what they were like, and
we wanted to greet them and make
them feel at home. They were expect
ed on certain Saturday, but the day
went by and night came but no 'fresh
Afish." What did come, was, however,
nothing nearly SO pleasant 1t was
cold, dreary, latter-part of February
storm; bowling wind and driving rain,
and we were only too glad to crawl into
our little dog tents and find such shell
ter as they afforded. Along about mid
might, though, there was commotion
and we became aware that the boys
had come, but it was still pouring rain
and with very few exceptions the old
veterans were not hospitable enough to
turn out and say ''howdy"
We had only been there day or two
ourselves and were not greatly taken
with the site selected for our encamp-
4 ment. 1t was a side hill of clay, nasty,
Sblue, sticky clay. There was not
Eree to be seen, and even had it been
midsummer it would not have been
possible for spear of grass to grow or
slrch soil; drearier sight never met
mSertal eye. No, that is wrong; drear
Ter sight did meet mortal eye; it was
the morning following the arrival of
Hhe ''fresh fish" At the foot of the
side hill, upon which we were en-
camped, was a valley separating us
from Lookout mountain, which doomed
up darllly and frowning in the south.
ITO the west was a solid granite wall,
knd on ledge, some thirty feet wide,
LAY the railroad track, which curved
I around into the town of Chattanooga.
VI or two hundred feet down below this
4 hedge there was the ragged, irregular
n ace of the rock until it was hidden by
he swiftly flowing waters of the Ten
lessee river. Above the ledge for hum
Isl eds of feet arose the same solid wall
N u stone, as rough and jagged as that
\ BLOW.
4 7 The dawn of the morning displayed
lcene that was enought to make angels
1 weep for pity; while even tough old
yets SCARED with wounds and hardened
with rough campaigning, could hardly
help grooming in despair; such picture
A desolation can scarcely he imagined.
n lie new soldiers had had no expert
ce in pitching tents and even if they
ID, the storm of the night before
uld put it to a severe test Of all |
\, four hundred little white dog tents
e.. kh the boys had set up as best they
~ - in the darkness and with their !
y .gn> tance how to do it, not a half dozen |
Remained. The rest lay fiat in the mud |
] stretched out down toward the valley, |
4 IS they had been washed by the food,
nd were only saved from being carried |
way completely by the ropes and pins |
iven in the ground. All down the |
4 uddy incline were scattered parts and |
Drtions of the soldiers outfit while in |
e muddy lake which had formed in |
ne valley below were more of the same |
APPS, caps and canteens being the most |
0nspicuous floating about on the dirty |
alter. This was desolate enough, to |
sure, but the dreary picture was
ade more dreary by the appearance |
the poor fellows who were getting |
early in their military career taste |
unusual hardship One by one they |
egan to crawl to their feet. For many |
is was difficult thing to do. They |
i'd lain for hours in a bed of soggy |
! aud, wallowing like so many pigs, and |
n heir bones were chilled and their flesh |
as numb. Some with energy and the |
i'll to fight hard fate were tramping
and down a muddy beach to keep |
a circulation of blood; others were
ng to collect their scattered effects
he hope that they could build a pile |
which to sit and keep out of the wa
others still there were who, over
e by the scene of desolation and the
elessness of relief from distress, had
lg themselves down again upon
II tents and gave themselves up to
spair
z The rain had ceased, but the dull,
s. den clouds still lowered overhead