Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1895-12-13
s.THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN
Prof. John f. Downey. Of the State
University. At the Court House
\ Next Monday Evening, Dec. 16.

University. At the Court House
Next Monday Evening, Dec. 16.
We can speak 81 this lecture with
out hesitation or doubt y. Prof.
DOwney is known and recognized As,
one of the strongest speakers in the
Ourthwest, and las 9 lecturer he is
among the first. His lecture ON the
ATLANTA Campaign Ia one which he
has given repeatedly in many cities
in Minnesota, and has every where
been received with enthusiasm. a
number OF our citizens have heard
him and they speak unqualifiedly In.
his praise.
Mr.. DUwney was an actor and
participant IN Sherman's mighty
march to the sea- and his descrip-
ton. and word-pictures are vivid
and realistic in the extreme. He
traces the outline Of events and fills
In with many Incidents. illustra ting
both the amusing and the terrible
phases of war. You must hear him.
The Minneapolis Tribune speaks OF
the lecture as follows:
Professor Downey gave u lecture
on ''The Atlanta Campaign at the
University chapel last evening be-;
fore an audience that well filled the
apartment. The lecture was of the
highest interest The professor was
with the eleventh Michigan regi-
ment. one OF Sherman's army in the
great Georgia campaign, and he re-
lated the "reminiscences of an eve
witness. and participant. The
professor drew vivid word pictures
of the scenes incident to battle,
telling Of Logan riding down the
line of his men with hat in hand to
encourage them. and MCPHERSON
and staff dashing along for the same
purpose. ..>t ..a
The building OF entertainments for
protection was explained at length,
and the appearance of the field after
all was over told in eloquent words.
Incidents and anecdotes that came
under Prof: DOwney's observation
from hour. to hour. followed each
other in rapid succession. the
audience applauding frequently.
The effect Of a storm Of shell through
u forest of dead trees. was described
as enough to brighten the coolest.
the lecture was carried along in an
in Interesting way, giving particulars
from day to day, until the assault OF
Hoods corps on Hooker near
Kenesaw Mountain, was reached,
where Hood was repulsed with great
loss: Sherman's army had at this
time been III the campaign for two
months. The speaker said thatthey
had not had a change Of clothing
since the start two months before,
and his description Of the manner of
dispOsiDg of the troublesome com
pany with which their clothes had
become infested was greeted with
rOars of laughter, as was also the
professors account of the disaster
to his uniform, and aim to make the
weakest places good. The able but
unsuccessful effort of the Federal
forces to break the enemy's lines, in
the face of u living sheet of flames
and bullets was told with vlvidness
holding the listeners in deep quiet.
The professor had a way of narrat-
ing several pleasing affairs of army
life in an easy conversational wey,
and then gradually working up to a
climax, the attention of the nearer
being absorbed in sympathy and
entertainment. The death of Gener-
al Mcpherson before Atlanta his
riderless horse dashing away
wounded and bleeding through the
woods was one of the intrOductiOns
claiming special notice, not breath
being heard as Prof. Downey paused
a moment after the peroration Of
the sad tragedy of battle. Step by
step events led up to Sunday, Au-
gust Z, 1864. The two armies were
still, when the word was passed
along the line of Kings brigade, to
which the speaker belonged, to fall
in. 1t meant a Transformation from
the peace and rest of beautiful
summer afternoon to the horrible
roar and carnage Of war. One of
the professors strongest flights of
rhetoric and oratory here took place,
with such an influence on the assem-