The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-09-15
REMEMBER THE LIVING.
Don't Wait Until Man is Dead to Speal
His Praise.


THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE comes every week
| freighted with feast Of good things: the sharp
shots of the comrades as they hit some weak.
| ness of human nature cause a laugh, while
| others recalling some incident in army lfe or
| giving pen-pcture of'the soldiers losing bat
| tie in civil life since the war often make tears
| unbidden start. The Personal column of Aug.
25 contained the following item:
"A newspaper paragraph is going the rounds Mt
| present. which, if true, shows that a gallant old
the sword which Gen. b. NJ Prentiss's brother Off
GERS purchased mt Tffanys for 500 and presented
| TO the hero of Shiloh for his gallantry at that
much misunderstood battle, was rescued from n
| Quincy (ll.) pawnshop the other day by Gus
| TONER who paid $50 for it,"
1 knew Gen. Prentiss we'll from early child
hood up; lived one block from him in the
same city for years; learned how to drill a
company by watching him drill the old
Quincy Blues was under his command in
the service, and can testify that he was an
honorable upright citizen, brave officer, and
a noble commander. He was great deal like
Logan-easy of approach. No matter how busy
he was anyone could speak to him and get a
correct polite answer. He would have made q
brilliant record in the army had it not been
for one thing that bothered q good many Off
GERS besides him-line, field and general alike
How many know that the worst enemies Gen.
Rosecrans had to encounter at Chickamauga
were behind him instead of in front? Who
has forgotten that to ruin Gen. Pope his ene-
mics came very near running our Government?
Who has forgotten Halleck's dispatch to Nc
Clellan after Fort Donelson had just been
taken that Grant was drunk somewhere? Lit
tie do people know, even at this late day, the
enyyings, chickering's, !jealousies, and backbt-
ings that existed among officers. Gen. Prentiss
was beset by envious enemies from start to
finish, and was actually driven out of the SER
vice by them. Many men who served as pri
Yates and commissioned officers knew
nothing Of the undertow that was secretly at
work under many good officers to get their
honors and places. Let line officer do some
brave act, would he get any praise? Not
much. His company might do SO ut the time
from an exuberance of good feeling, but his
brother officers would treat it in a sneering,
cynical way Let line officer do anything
worthy of promotion, would there not be nu-
merous night callers Mt headquarters to have
secret talk with the Colonel? If he promised
to become popular with the regiment he was
often bounded out of the service. The higher
the rank the greater the efforts to get him dis
missed in disgrace. Worse yet, many an Off
Ger has done great deed that, had the truth
been known, would have made him famous, but
some scamp stole his honors, reaped the reward
and unblushingly claims the credit to-day. 1t
was very hard work to properly fill the posi-
ton of commissioned officer and do it right
Some men could, others could not Take the
position Of Captain for instance. Arrive in
camp late on dark rainy night, after march
ing hard all day through rain and mud; have
nothing but strong bacon issued for ratiOns for
100 men, not thing else; they tired, cross.
mad, and swearing nearly every breath, re.
fusing to obey single order; get them to un-
suts Ill
them dry straw to sleep ON instead of mud and
dog -fennel; see that every one gets good.
warm supper, minus that bacon, without raid
ing the sutler or running the picket-line; do
it in an honest, lawful manner and see ii 1T
don't work man hard to do it. Again, have
your Colonel order you to take your company
in position in support of a battery at double
quick where it seems as if pandemonium and
bades are turned loose. Your men suddenly
turn pale and refuse to CO. You get them
there without coaxing or swearing, and If that
don't try mans mettle then / don't know
what would. Yet many incompetent men,
gifted with more brass than brains, worked
good officers out of their positions by use of
money and influence, and then they played
particular hot" when they were called upon
to act in certain battles. 1t used to hurt like
blaZes after the was over to see one OF
these pudding heads get up before an admiring
audience ornamented with ample bay window
and tell funny yarns about their boys stealing
chickens. How absurd it sounds to those who
knew Of their being sick or on detached duty
when these boys went into battle. The SOL
dier had himself only to look after; the Off
Ger had not only himself but 100 men or more
besides. The service was harder on officers for
this reason.
In proportion, more officers have died since
the war than privates. They have had harder
work to make living since they returned be-
cause they were more used up and came out of
the service in worse condition. 1t is harder
for an officer to get an Office in civil life and
a great deal harder to get q Government posi-
ton than either private or non-cOmmissoned |
officer Everybody seems to think, go, you
commissioned officers had an easy time and big |
wages; you ought not to expect anything |
more" Where were the easy times, and who |
knows of the many tales of woe that were |
poured into officers sympathetic ears that took |
the surplus shekels out of their pockets that |
in some cases haven't been returned up to date? |
am told that Gen. Prentiss receives the |
princely pension of So month (Mexican
war;. The hero of Shiloh, into whose arms |
brave Col. John Hardin fell at Beuna Vista,
now poor. old, and feeble, feasts and riots on |
IS month. Where are my noble liberal
hearted American countrymen? Give woman
who never saw a battle 500 month; the hero
Of two wars, &c. Would that this were an iso.
night went into an alley in the rear of a large
hotel, where he saw man picking something
out Of slop-barrel; following him to the
street he saw that the man was one who had
worn star on his shoulder. Another man.
who had also worn a star, too worn out to work.
and too proud to beg, was supported for years
IN the scant wages his aged wife earned with
lcr needle. A tramp was once found sleeping
n lumber yard. On being hauled up before
he owner it was discovered that the owner
ramp had been the Colonel. There was one
ramp who got hot breakfast. new suit of
clothes, and a situation without asking for it,
Of the line officers harder tales could be told
If their sufferings since the war, but desst.
sometimes sing the following song to my
amily and friends, which think will express
he sentiments of many officers when they see
t. Here it is:
live me just one rose while I'm living, now,
to-day;
all pulseless lay;
let my heart thrill again with gratitude to you;
let mine eyes speak back the pleasure OF a heart
yet warm and true.
DIT have men earned merit. but others stole the
prize;
The hero lived neglected, the fraud praised to the
skies; BIZ
How hard It is to have your hard.earned honors
BY those who have never the slightest burden
borne! "a
Then give to me a rose while Pm living, now,
to-day; tB5
'trew not your sweetest garlands DER my cold
4et the caslset lie neglected in some lone and