Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-11-10
WAR "REMINISCENCES.
BRAVE oLo MATT.
The Heroic Cook of the Famous Iro
Brigade.

The Heroic Cook of the Famous Iron
Brigade.
When the war opened, rather sud
denly, in Virginia, the slaves did not
figure extensively with us in numbers
but when the seat of war was trans
ferred to the James river, and the Sixth
Wisconsin were ordered toward Fred
ericla burg, then we began to encounter
them One by one, in quiet, half
afraid" manner they came to us, filed
with stories of how the Yanks would
abuse them; but when our good natured
boys in blue extended them hearty
salutation, such as, "Well, johnson, ole
man, how is your accompanied by
cup of coffee and hard tack. their
mouths opened wide TO give vent to
hearty laugh, and if an old man, he
dressed de Lawd dat he had found
freedom and kind frien's at de same
time" 1t was not long, even before we
reached Fredericksburg, that so many
had lined" the division, that every
company had at least one of them at
taehed to the Officers mess"
Our first prize was old Joe Alien, who
came from ''Kul-pepah" (Culpepper),
as he pronounced it. Joe was a wealth
er prophet of the old school and we of
Company c knew more of what the
weather would be twelve hours ahead
than the L. s. Signal Corps does to-day.
Another strong point of his was his
fondness for big words. One day he
surprised us with a new one he had
captured. Captain, can yeu slSuse me
for an hour, ] want to peruse around
and see if can buy some chickens?"
He was allowed to ''peruse around,
and, if ! remember correctly, he did not
tarry long enough to pay fur dem
chickens"
Soon after this Mathew Bernard, of
Fredericksburg, was engaged to cook
for mess" When | write old Mats
name | do it with the kindly remem-
brance of man of whom much can be
written, for he was the colored hero of
the "Iron Brigade" 1t was at Grove
ton Second Bull Rum that he ran for
ward, unarmed and alone, in the face
iof 'Stonewall Jackson's famous divis-
ion slSirmishers," and dropping his old
;haversack, coffee-pot and frying-pan,
our mess" property and quickly throw
down a section of rail fence to allow
Battery b, Fourth U. $. Artillery, TO go
through ION the rum" wheel short,
take position and commence firing on
the advancing enemy. Grand old Matt!
No promotion for that. No pension if
a leg or arm was lost, but chance to
be captured and sent back slave 10
his master, Arthur Bernard again
these were the odds, but he did not
stop to think of all this He happened
TO be ''the right man in the right
place" and when his work was over he
joined the headquarter wagons in the
rear.
A man of sentiment, was old Matt |
He told me that he left his massa be- |
cause he had sold his wife to a trader |
from the far south. Yet when. by |
strange chance, the night before the |
battle of Fredericksburg, the old Sixth
was located in front of Massa Arthur
Bernard's fine mansion, and the cold, |
freezing December weather was MAX |
ing camp fires a necessity, it was then
that Russell and Packard asked if they |
could cut down one of the splendid |
trees. They were answered yes, and, |
with their bright axes flashing in the
rays of the freight, were about com
mencing, when old Matt, with horror
depicted on his sable face exclaimed: |
Why, Mr.. Russell, are you gwine to
chop dat tree DOWN"
Eyes, Matt"
ooh, please, don't, Mr.. Russell. Ole
Massa Bernard's fader planted dat tree,
and if you cut it down you will brake
de ole mans heart" and as he said il
he brushed away tear with his coat
sleeve.
Loyal old Matt His final resting
place is in Milwaukee, where he died at
the time the Sixth had veteranized and
we're home on furlough. bulletin.