The Red Cloud chief., 1893-08-04
Written for THE CUItr
"Reminiscences OF Army Life.
ny A PRIVATE. }


NUMBER /.
While these "reminiscences" may
prove "illing." the writer has serious
doubts as to their being satisfying" to-
the readers of TuE CuiEr. orevcn TO the
writer himself. But, having been often
asked to do 30. | will at this late day
venture to write Of some Of the Incl.
dents OF that memorable period. from
I'll to 60, as ] may be able to recall them
without the aid Of any journal or diary.
So much has already been said and
written. most OF il truthfully. but some
of it otherwise. that ii would seem I'm
necessary to add anything more. as well
as supcrtiuous to repeat what has been
better told or written by others. Not
wishing to impose upon or deceive Il
crcdulous and conliding public, | will
here state that ] am not the man who
put down the rebellion. nor am ] one Of
the many who think that without their
valuable services the war would have
been prolonged.
enlisted az a private in the summer
Of 1861 at Bloomfield, Iowa. in the Third
Iowa Cavalry. served u little over three
years, during which time | was never
promoted for gallantry on the battle.
field Tor meritorious conduct. nor for
any other cause. but was discharged ut
the close OF my term of service with
rank one remove below that Of corporal.
! do not at this late date feel disposed to
charge my superior officers with favorit
ism. nor with having made mistakes in
their promotions.
do not claim. nor do ! believe that
ours was the best regiment" and had
the bravcst officers and men. and did
more toward saving the union than any
other: but i do claim and believe that
we had AZ good Il set Of officers and as
good soldiers as any in the service.
Prominent among the officers / will
mention Il first colonel. Cyrus Busscy,
Lieut.. Col. II. M. Trimblc, and John W.
Noble, who was at the organization Of
the regiment, adiutant.
Col. Bussey was promoted to the rank
of Brigadier General, which he held
with distinction to the close of the war.
Since the war. he was Chief Of the Pen.
'hon Bureau during Harrison's admins.
I %tration, which position he filled with
marked ability.
John w. Noble was successfully pro.
NOTED to the offices OF major, lieutenant
colonel. colonel and brigadier general,
all Of which he filled with honor, and
was Secretary Of the Interior during
Harrison's administration. ] think it
safe to say hat no man during and since
the war has held az many important po-
sitfbns with more honor and ability, and
WAS in every position more universally
loved and admired by the common sol.
dicry than Gen. Noble.
From the private ranks also. many
have risen to honorable positions, of
which | will mention but one or two ut
present, but may speak Of them and
others more at length in u future chap
ter.
John ID. Picklcr, a member OF Com.
pany d., was prOmotedfrom the ranks Ia
several offices in his company, and is at
Vprcscnt a member of congress from
fSsmh Dakota. Hon. q. II. CLANCY OF
fred Cloud was a private soldier in Co. ]
of our regiment. ] have mentioned
these few among the many who have
risen to positions OF honor from that
one regiment. not to boast of it's honor
able and influential men. but to show
that it was not inferior in its makeup t.
other good regiments.
The history OF our regiment. like thai
OF all others, was a continued round oil
promotions from it's organization to the
close Of the war. Promotions were fire.
Quently the occasion for much jealous,
and dissatisfaction. even when they were
made in the regular order. For instance
il Il colonel was promoted, the Lieut.
Col. would in regular order be promoted
to the Office of colonel and then one Of
the majors would be promoted to the
was often q source OF much dissension
,, 10 ,,.nc not a1vvn xo s,lnur uvhn v,n al.
senior major, or the ranking major, il
military parlancc. The majors promo
ton made room for a captain to take his
%place-and then would arise the ques
ton, who is the ranking captain ? Ant
80 on down to the lowest commissioned
officer, whose promotion makes a plac,
for a non-commissioncd officer, and SO OF
down to thu lowest position.
In the regular army, promotions arr
made strictly, or nearly so, according I,
prescribed rules and regulations, ant
cause but little friction. But in the vol
unteer service. it is otherwise: not tina
there are no regulations by which the,
should be governed. but because ther,
are opportunities for favoritism, and s,
many aspirants for each promotion tina
many are necessarily disappointed
I There were some Of these promotions s,
very unjust, or thought to be 80, that in
surrections were imminent, one i~nstanc'
of which occurred in my company, (,
which | will briefly allude. After GU
regiment had been several months il
active service, there was a call for volun
teers to till our broken ranks, to whicl
several from Il certain neighborhood il
! Iowa responded, among whom was on
, Il. NJ. Ross. a conservative democrat. ant
, a good citizen, who was the leader,
suppose. Of the several who came in will
=, him. There was a demand for recruit
| from outside the company, but not tof
A the offices. for there were already in tn
company more men ready for promotion
than places TO be filled. But in the Gas
a alluded to. +. Nj. Ross was at once mad
second lieutenant as areward. | suppose
9 for enlisting u few men as recruits. ii
made u good officer. and was well like
by most of the company. but | thin.
, some Of those over whom he had bee
SO uniustly promoted never became rec
i onciled, and | do not blame them. Ar
u other fragrant abuse of mower i'm maxim