The National tribune., 1894-04-12
PICKET SHOTS.
From Alert Comrades All Along the
Line.
In Rebel Prisons.

In Rebel Prisons.
| William G.. Brown, Co. X, 93d Ohio, Win
chester, Ind, writes: "Thirty years ago,
Feb II, at the village of Graysville, Ga,
% of us wounded Yanks, including frankie
Miller Ia woman), were exchanged for like
number Of wounded rebs. ! had been
wounded and taken prisoner almost five
months before, at the battle of Chickamauga,
being most of the time in the prison-pen in
the suburbs of Atlanta, Ga. There / learned
how to be hungry. But every cloud has a
silver lining; for during the Winter we were
favored of God in the frequent calls of
devoted Christian ladies, who visited us in
our affections, bringing contributions of
cake and other delicaces for the sick and
wounded, by which our sufferings were
greatly relieved; and we cherish with CRATE
full hearts the names of Mrs. Armstrong,
Mrs. Kennard and others, who, sent of God,
minstered to our necessities. / was young
and strong then, and pulled through with
the loss Of leg, the result of neglected
wound. Those were hard times
81 have shell ornament that belonged
to Comrade Berdine. l will gladly restore
it to his relatives"
About the Susquehanna.
William Davis Lake Crystal, Mimi, writes:
"Comrade William Simmons, of Philadel-
phia, says, in his article Of Jan. a, that the
U. S. S. Susquehanna, of the Japan expedi-
tion under Commodore Perry, was slOop-
of-war. Well, the comrade may be correct,
but am under the impression that she was
frigate / had the honor of serving Is
months ON said vessel in the Japan expedi-
ton. Simmons also says that the Missis-
sippi was the flagship of Commodore Perry
in his Japan expedition. True enough, she
was part of the time, but the old CommO-
dore transferred his pennon to the Susque-
hanna before we started from HOngkong for
the Japan Isles. After the treaty was made
with Japan, the Susquehanna was ordered
home by the way of the Sandwich Islands,
and the Commodore was not with US then.
II had the honor of belonging to the
Commodores barge, and / helped carry the
old Commodore ashore from the barge many
time while we visited the Loo Choo
Islands; it was no light task to carry him
through the sand, for the old sailor weighed
about 300 pounds. i am also under the
impression that the Susquehanna was the
largest of the three vessels, which were the
Mississippi, Powhatan, and Susquehanna."
At EIkhorn Tavern.
W. P. Baker, Co. G, 7th Mo. Cav, Hol-
den, Mo-, writes: I" want to answer one of
the questions asked by Comrade Salisbury
Sherman in the issue of Jan. %. The rebel
army did not burn the barn at Elkhorn
Tavern in March, 1862. I tore oak boards
from that barn on the 18th day of December,
1862, and made rough coffin for our First
Lieutenant Bailey, and buried him just
across the road east of that barn. We left
the old barn standing when we left there in
January, 1863"
State Homes.
veteran" of Idaho, writes: ain your
recent issue H. M. Coburn, of Togus, Me-,
gives an account of Fitch's Home for Sol
diers, in which he fefersito las he supposes)
all the State Homes. / wish to call his at
tention to the fact that there are several
Homes west of the Rocky Mountains that
he has never heard from. Washington has
fine Home at Orting, and is at this time
providing for at least 300 veterans. Last.
Winter Oregon, Idaho and Montana passed
laws creating Homes in their respective
States and made liberal appropriations for
them. / am informed that Oregon and
Montana appropriated each $4,000 for their
Homes, but Idaho having State of about
1000 people, made a rather more liberal
appropriation. First, we appropriated 25,-
600 acres of land, the minimum price of
which is $40 per acre, or $250000 for all.
Besides that land we gave 600 cash to
erect buildings with. The Board of Trus-
tees have not made as much Roadway as
they wished to, owing to the condition of
the money market, but arrangements are
finally made by which we will be able to push
the Home to final completion next Sum-
mer."
Relief of Knoxville.
G. G. Clay, Captain, Co. B, Sd Ohio, writes:
In your issue of Dec. %, headed 'Dolton
Speaks where it says 1st, I'd, Sd, and 4th
battalion, it should read 1st, ID Sd, and h
Ohio Cav. Gen. Eli Longs Second Brigade
was with us entire. The Sd U. S. Cav. and
9Th Ohio Cav. were with Sherman's advance,
whose command we passed about Is miles
south Of Loudon. At this place (Loudon)
one of the shots from a rebel gun struck an
Orderly's horse at the throat-latch and
severed his head completely, while the
Orderly was not harmed. The next day
was a severe march. The writer had charge
of the rear-guard.
"At about 2 o'clock next morning (Dec'4
we reached Knoxville without trouble or
hindrance, so far as could be known to the
commander of the rear-guard.
"As we marched into the open grounds
Cdst vi out iinO VI WOIkof bHo5C WHO pre-
ceeded us had just lit their camp fires for
coffee. The long roll at Headquarters was
sounded, and taken up like wave by regi-
ment after regiment In less than five minutes
after there was grand, glorious shout that
followed the wave of the long-roll to the
outermOst limits of our forces.
"Longstreet took the hint, and left just
about that hour. We (Gen. Longs CONF
mand) were the first troops to march into
Knoxville to the relief of Gen. Burnside"
Rossville Gap.
Charles Banks Co. III, 1st Ohio, Dover,
Kan, claims that the LIST Ohio pickets were
the last troops to leave Rossville Gap, and
on Tuesday morning, Sept. 3d. 1863. 1t was
only by the skin of the teeth that they got
away, for the rebs were taking every thing in
sight. So he does not see how anyone else
could have left later.
Good Words.
S. F. Wood, Stephens Mills, Kan writes
/" have never read in the paper anything
that [ liked better than the speech made to
the old vets at Baxter Springs, Kan, by the
Hon. George l.. Douglass Speaker of the
Kansas House of Representatives, and pub
lished in THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE of Feb
1. / want to say just here / thank him
from the bottom of nay heart for his manly