The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1893-02-14
Written for the SUNDAY Morning BAzoo:
A WAR "REMINISCENCES.
An Interesting Sketch From an
Old Soldier OF the War
at Sedalia.
How a Wisconsin Soldier Was
Hurried To His Grave BY
A Cruel Joke.
NO. TWO, BY ]. W. T.

iScXlHktOu duu feOTgetOW0, NO., and
to 60 into winter quarters at the termi-
nus Of the Missouri Pacific Railway at
a station called Sedville, or Sedalia,
where the government had large in
terest, AT stake. We can never forget
the first impressions this lovely country
between Georgetown and Lexington,
produced. The old government tele-
graph line had been but recently de-
stroyed, and the decaying white oak
poles, bowed by the weight
Of years, had been cut down-some
falling one way, some another, with
old rusty wires still clinging to them
in places.
We ARRIVED AT sEDALIA
November, IL, 1862. Up to this
time the weather had been warm and
sunshiny. That afternoon as we
marched our orderly squadrons
through Georgetown, the ladies
dressed up in their clean white dresses,
were promenading with uncovered
heads in a large shady campus around
the principal hotel of the place. The
town was clean, and the main street
through which We passed, was one
long shady avenue, as silent, almost,
as the obsequies of Sir John Moore.
Wearrived at Sedalia before night,
and pitched our headquarters tent on
the plane where Farnham IL Gillman's
livery stable Third and Usage street,
and the Ilgengritz new block now
stand.
THE NEXT DAY
we had some ROYAL visitors. Col.
Spedden. a colonel in the enrolled
militia, and Major VIM. Gentry, who
was then under marching orders, made
us quite visit. On leaving they gave
us cordial invitation to call and see
them at their homes, which We often
did during the winter.
General VIM. T. Sherman and
General JEFF. c. Davis had left this
post a short time before. Their camp
occupied the brushy hills north of John
Banks residence.
While encamped there a rather sad
occurred, that caused the
suicide of a Wisconsin soldier, and
a lesson upon his messmates
that they will never forget.
The party referred to was a private
in Wisconsin regiment, and had
lett Young wife and two lovely
children in their now far away
home. The realities of war
and soldier life, coupled with
the thought of Il long, and per-
hap> eternal separation, so harrassed
his mind that he became decidedly
MELANCHOLY AND DEPRESSED.
His comrades tried to cheer him up,
but with indifferent success. He was
upbraiding himself for leav-
ing his wife and little children, when
their lives were so perfectly wrapped
up in him, and he had So MANY evil |
lence> of their undying love. His COM
Iades would tell him that he would
soon see them again. and he could get |
, furlough and 90 home.
About this time orders were re-
.cived to grant no more fmrloughs. /,
mi this seemed to overwhelm him.
Hi, mess thought, and no doubt they I
believed il would he the best tor their 4
friend, that they would play joke
m him and call his mind from !
the constant thought OF home. So
he day that he was tn get letter no /
eiter came. ana the boys took this rs
, favorable opportunity to play Il
little trick. \ comrade who lived in
the same neighborhood, when at their .
homes in Wisconsin, went to- his ten. ,
and asked him if he had received any /
word from home, The man had been |
irving and with REDEEMED eyes. the !
tears still running down his cheeks, I
he merely shook his head. but did
not speak fearing. apparently, to risk !
AN effort to talk, and thereby magnify !
his weakness before his friend and /,
neighbcr, who had chided him, some /
" hat for his course.
SAD RuSE.
Well" said his comrade. Il re-
reived letter this morning from my |
folks and they say just what I've been
telling you all the time, that your
wife don't think 80 much of YOU after
,ll."
At this the poor fellow raised him
elf up on his elbow, and looked in
Iently at his comrade and neighbor,
,s he proceeded to read-or pretended
IN read-from letterjust from home,
hose words:
s.orI va, I.,b,, ,..o,,Ll x,o,, have