The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-05-05

was never called into active service, DuG lHine-
diately after its DISARMAMENT, in July, 1861,
| Sidman went to Flint and enlisted as drum
/ mer in Co. G, Stockton's Independent Regi-
ment, afterwards known as the 18th Mich.
He was mustered into service, as drummer at
Detroit, Mich, August /, 1861. At the first
regular muster of the regiment at Halls Hill,
Va, IN October following it was discovered
that Co. G had more than its quota of must
cians and Sidman was then given the choice of
being discharged and sent home or of muster
ing as private. He chose the latter alterna-
tive and being not only the youngest, but the
shortest man in the company, was assigned to
the extreme left, shoulder to shoulder with the
! coor-guard Go. G being the color company.
He participated with his regiment in the
siege of Yorktown, Va, April and May, 1862,
and at tho battle Of Hanover G. H., Va, May
81, 1862. 1t was, however at the battle Of
Gaines's Mills, Va, the second of the seven
days battle in front of Richmond under Nc
Clellan, that Sidman won his laurels
Dan Butterfeld's Light Brigade, composed
OF the 18th and 18th n. Y. Militia, 44th n. Y.
(Ellsworths Avengers), SD Pa, and 10Th
Mich, had the extreme left Of the line that
day, with the left flank resting on the Chicka-
hominy Swamp. This, therefore, was the last
brigade to give way under the pressure of
Stonewall Jackson's Corps, that had broken
the line on the right, and by an oblique move
ment enfladed the line in both directions
Driven almost into the Chickahominy by over
towering numbers in the stampede, this bri-
gade rallied, and with yels and cheers rushed
back over the ground now covered with its
dead and wounded comrades, and regained its
old position, which it held against many odds
until night. Sidman was with the coOrs Of
his regiment in this forlorn-hope rally, and
was severely wounded in the hip in the almost
hand to hand engagement that followed upon
reaching their old position. Being disabled,
and expecting to be captured on the field he
dubbed his musket over stump to destroy
its usefulness to the enemy, and threw his ac-
couterments III a nearby ditch. Under cover
of darkness, that soon followed, he crawled off
the field and through Chckahominy Swamp
on his hands and knees; reached Savage Sta
ton the next day, where, on the day following,
he was captured in hospital with 5000 other
Union soldiers left there by Mcclellan was
taken to Richmond and imprisoned in Libby,
Castle Thunder and Belle Isle was exchanged
August IL, sent to Point Lookout Hospital,
and subsequently rejoined his regiment while
his wound was yet open sore; made the
Antietam campaign with the regiment through
Maryland, unable to march, but aided by
condemned horse picked up by the wayside,
and through Virginia to Fredericksburg where
on Dec. IL he volunteered to carry the bril-
gade coors, and was chosen for that honorable
place by the Brigade Commander, Col. 7. B.
w. Stockton.
In the battle of Fredericksburg he was
again wounded, but so slightly as not to pre-.
vent him from bearing the colors promptly
and proudly at the front, planting them in the
final charge upon that bloody field within $50
yards Of the sunken road at the base of Marye's
flights under as terrific and destructive fire
from front and flank as soldiers ever endured
and there they remained with the brigade
until the battle ended three days later, when
Private Sidman with the broken staff and
colors pierced with more than half score
balls, at the brigade front bore them across
the Rappahannock.
His comrades also recall with admiration his
humanity as we'll as yalor displayed in Running
the gantet through the railway cutting for
canteens ofwater for the suffering and wounded;
at time, too, when change from a PROSTATE
to an upright position, az the brigade lay hug
gng the cold earth for 30 hours on those De-
cember days meant death from the enemy's
flying bullets. Immediately after this battle
he was promoted to Corporal and served with
his company in the battle of Charlottesville,
May 1-3, 1863, and subsequently in the skirmish
at Kelley's Ford. Again at Mddleburg, on
June 81. 1863, Private Sidman was severely
wounded through his right foot while in the
front rank of the regimental color guard, In
charging and driving the enemy from their
strong position behind stone walls His wounds
now so llicted him that he was unable to march
and perform the duties of an infantry soldier
after his re-enlistment in 1864, lie
was transferred to the Invalid Corps, where he
served faithfully until after the close of the
war, and his old regiment in the field lost in
his leaving it the further service of as brave
and patriotic soldiers name as was ever borne |
upon its rolls
While member of the Invalid Corps, at |
Washington, in the Spring and Summer of
1865, he served as an Orderly at the trial of |
the conspirators for the assassination of Presi- |
dent Lincoln, aud was present when Mrs. Sur
raft and her co-conspirators were convicted and |
hung.
He also served in the guard, and was present
when the brutal Andersonville keeper, Wirz |
was hung at Old Capitol Prison in May, 1865. |
He was finally mustered out of service Nov. |
Ii, 1865
Since the war Mr. Sidman has held num- |
Der of important positions. In 1866 he was an |
Assistant Assessor of Internal Revenue at Bay
City, Mich. under his old Colonel B. T. Par |
fridge. In 1867 he was appointed U. s. Consul
to Schwerin, Germany which position he soon |
Africa on an exploring and prospecting expe-
dition, and was in that country during the |
Zulu war, where the Prince Imperial of France |
was killed He was both diamond and gold
digger, and penetrated that country as far
north as the Zambesi River in search Of gold |
He returned to this country in $780, since which |
time he has been connected with the Pension |
Bureau. He is q prominent member of the
GAR, having served in 1889 as an Abide
Camp on Commander in Chief Warmers staff.
His legal residence is Bay City, Mch.-CoM-
RADE.
The Peanut Plant.
50. Louis Globe Democratl
The peanut plant has one popularity pos |
t1,o. I, or,NI,