The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-11-21
TALES OF THE TINES.
War Stories of Men Now Prominent In the
Public Eye.

bishop. / sat next TO the bishop. When
General Fallows had responded 20 "a toasts
he was called 20 tho other cnd of the hall.
During his absence l Slipped into his seat
and asked Mr.. Hayes for his autograph.
lust as il was written a tall, command
ing. handsome. youngish man rose to
make "a suggestion.
"Did you notice that companiong' asked
Mr.. Hayes.
eyes, sir, particularly"
"Do you know himy"
"No, sir"
keep him in mind. Some OF these
days you will learn "A great deal about
him"
Just then General Fallows returned and
resumed his seat, and for half an hour
watched the gentleman / was TO hear "A
great deal about some of these days" The
more l watched the better l liked the face
and the mans general bearing. My curl
osity was aroused. Stepping 20 the ex-
presidents side while the orchestra was
playing, / asked:
"who is that companion ! ON to hear SO
much aboutY"
"That is Major --, and II his life Is
spared he will be one of my Successors as
president of the United States"
The next day l was a passenger on the
same train with the major until a brake
man called a junction and said, Change
cars for Canton, " and several other towns.
Then the major left the car.
thought of the ex presidents prophecy
with a heartache n few years q when a
certain candidate for congress was defeated
In a gerrymandered Ohio district. A year
later the ache was one when the defeated
congressional candidate was elected to a
state office and two years afterwa re-
elected.
The nation seems TO DO keeping him
in mind" and has learned much about
him." / wonder If Rutherford b.. Hayes
fixed upon 1895 as the year upon which
the major would be elected as one of his
successors as president OF the United
States. A great many Others seem to have
done so.
The aging. mellowing begentled men,
survivors of two armies of the long ago
armies that wore coats of n different color,
but whose members are American citizens,
all of them now-are modestly handing to
the world the choicest, truest bits OF his
tory made in the most notable civil wal of
any time. They arc doing it at gatherings
in post, legion and camp, meet
ings, In home circles, wit oes and
pens.
Some of tho precious leaves were passed
along the line ut a recent meeting of the
Wisconsin Loyal legion. A sturdy New
York lad, whose book of knowledge was
stored with negatives of stirring scenes in
Virginia-Captain Theron W. Haight Of
Waukosha, not a lad now-took impress
sions from some OF his memory negatives
and brought out pictures, scenes and facts
that were so lifelike, so vivid, so perfect
that men who had been with him in the
Virginia battles were again on the same
grounds, saw the ,lnea, of blue and the
lines OF gray, saw the glistening rifles,
heard shrleking shell aud shot, the awful
rattle of musketry; saw brave men fall to
get up nevermore, heard the groans of the
dying, tho appeals of the wounded; looked
upon the horrors of war once more. IL was
never my fortune TO listen TO a more
graphic description Of battle scenes than
this contained In Captain Haight's paper
on 1.-The Battles of Gainesville and Second
Bull Run" Captain jerome b. johnson,
dangerously wounded and a prisoner ut
Gainesville, where he had lain for ten hor-
rible days on the ground, with only Gods
blue sky for a covering, and five of those
days Of agony and anxiety he tasted not
so much as "a tbimblefpl of food, yet when
the rescuing party bearing the flag, his
1ag--freedom's fag-camo around tho
benz he forgot hunger, thirst, pain and
hardship and swung his hat and chcered
the country's emblem-recounted his ex-
perienoe at Gainesville. A dear old hero
is Captain johnson.
General Il. NJ. Rogers spoke of being
present mt IA meeting of Lee camp of Con-
federates at Petersburg last winter when
Stonewall jackson was under discussion
the Stonewall jackson whose IS regi-
ments, with 10 others in reserve, or 4
large brigades without the reserve, fought
Gibbons and two of Hatch's, n forco of
less than 3, 900, ut the battle of Gainesville,
killing and %wounding nearly 800 of Glib
bon's :, 200. General Lucius Fairchild did
word painting and describing as, though
talking of something that had happened
yesterday instead OF moro than 33 years
GO; spoke tcnderly of brave little Edgar
O'Connor, his colonel, who was killed at
Gainesville; Lieutenant Colooel @. A.
Hamilton, Milwaukce's Judge Hamilton,
who was shot through both thighs and re-
fused TO dismount until tho battle was
oNtr uuu tHcn niu W Dc lhhtn bu ny TWO
Of his men, and of the heroism of the rank
and file. II was one Of the most lovely
yes, that's the word-lovcly meetings in
'.e ~commandery's history. 1t was a his
tory recording session.
At the National Soldiers home near Mil
waukce there is an ardent admiror of
Thomas ID. Reed. He praises him un-
stintcdly. asked him why no took such
an interest in the Maine man. 1--WE serv-
eel in the navy on the same boat-tho
Sibyl-of the Mississippi squadron. l was
secretary 10 Commander Mitchell, and
Mr.. Reed was paymaster. He drank not,
nor did ho chew, smoke or swear, was
good nature itself and never allowed his
work To get behind. Ho was a practical
joker. While the captain and most of the
officers were away "a week after we had
been paid Reed directed the men 10 como
to his quarters and receive "a months pay.
We wcrc astonishcd. The government had
not acquired tho habit OF paying In adj
vance. Bnt there WAS Reeds written di-