Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1892-02-25
WAR "REMINISCENCES.
FOOLISH BRAVERY.
The Dramatic End of a United states
atOr- Colonel.


smoker Before noticing the orderly he
lighted a cigarette, which he held
daintily in his yellow stained fingers.
and then with quiet irony. which was
characteristic of him said, half TO him
self and half to the group:
Il wonder if he comes as senator or
officer. Ask the gentleman to walk in. ;"
Senator Baker, in full colonel's tog-
gerry, entered with his bluff, hearty
manner, and, after partaking of the
barleycornie refreshments, opened fire
at once.
General" said he, 'the public
demand fight. 1t is better
that we should fight and be whipped
than sit idle here, the target of univer-
sal criticism"
Now, I = in mind that Stone was in
command of the division and Baker was
in command of a regiment his charge
being subsequently enlarged to brig
ade. Such talk from senator was all
very well, but from subordinate Off
Ger, unasked, was not only intrusive
and impertinent but traversing of all
official etiquette. Nobody understood
this less than Baker; no one more keen
~ appreciated it than Stone.
After some considerable talk in this
strain Stone looked up and said very
quietly:
Where are you quartered, colonel?"
Baker seemed taken aback but an
swered him, whereupon Stone motion
ed once more to the jug (Which motion
1,,J Cd VI
tation), rose, thereby intimating a de-
sire to terminate the interview, and
further said:
Il shall communicate with you to-
morrow morning on a matter of some
Importance and trust you will be re-
freshed and ready to give us your CO.
operation.
Baker bowed himself out went to
the little house where he was stopping
and two days after was ordered across
the river The battle of Balls Bluff
has never been thoroughly, has never
been clearly told to the lay mind
Don't be alarmed. don't intend to
tell you anything about it, although l
was there and saw it.
But, in the first place, imagine river
with bluffs on the other side; small
plateau this side of the bluffs fringes
the river, woods thick and apparently
impenetrable flank either side of the
approach TO the bluffs. The union
troops crossed the river. All was quiet.
They formed on the plateau; silence re-
quired, the order was given to proceed,
when cannon belched from the bluff.
Cross-fire from each sides swept across
the line of march.
Murderously assaulted and thrown
into terrible confusion the troops
reeled, faltered, rushed in confusion
toward the river bank. There, by he
roic effort on the part of Baker and sew
eral of Gen. Stones staff, they were to
a certain extent reformed on the little
plateau, which, like the entire distance
to the heights beyond, was but twenty
five feet wide. Below it, some thirty
feet down to the river, was muddy,
sloppy waste ot slush, made almost wa
terry by the passage of the troops with
their artillery from the boats.
Col (now judge Devens of the Fiji
teenth Massachusetts,, well remembers,
L
night preceding in sharp contrast with
the unhappy parade of the succeeding
night, the flower of his command gone,
flags battered, disheartenment, trouble
plainly written in lines full of mean
ing on every face.
Lie down, Baker, for heavens sake
lie down! Why expose yourself need
lessly?" called out one of Bakers near
est friends.
Drawing himself to his full height,
Baker replied
when you are United States sena-
tor you will understand why don't lie
down"
For all that his bravery was not war
his courage amounted to nothing. A
swift-winged messenger from a rebel
rifle pierced his heart and he fell upon
the field covered with glory, to be sure;
loved by his men, doubtless, but of no
earthly use to one or the other, for in
the brief space of an hour or so there
after his spirit fled and naught was left
but his remains.
l wonder if the truth will ever be
told about that fight
Poor Stone was hauled over the Goals.
Mcclellan going so far even as to write
in October, Immediately after the de.
feat:
MY dispatch did not contemplate
the making of an attack upon the en-
eAly or a crossing of the river in force
by any portion of Gen. Stones com
mand" Whereas Asst. Adjt- Gen. A
Colburn sent to Gen Stone in Pools
vile an order. part of which says:
Gen. Mcclellan desires that you keep
a good lookout upon Leesburg to see if
this movement has the effect to drive
them away. Perhaps slight demon
stration on your part would have the
effect to move them"
Well, now, as it was, Stones force
sent across with Baker and Devens
amounted to but seventeen hundred
men, and it was impossible to keep a
lookout upon Leesburg from this side
of the river Another force was known
to be moving up from Washington, and
Stone very naturally supposed that he
was to act "a concert with that other
Ja- haf0ro baJ oao,,-