Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1897-08-18
SOldier-PrinterS.

Of Colonel J. A. Watrous and prin ted
in The Chicago Times-Herald, will no
doubt be of interest to many OF our
readers, particularly the survivors
of the Twenty ninth Wisconsin infan-
try. The Captain Tompkins referred
to was at one time editor of The
WATERFOWL REPUBLICAN, and we
understand he enlisted in the Tween
ty-ninth from this city, serving for a
time AS sergeant-majo r on Colonel
ellis staff His comrades had lost
track Of him for several years past,
but the article brings him to light
once more. Colonel Watrous SAYS:
Captain Bob Tompkins, printer in The Argus
office al Madison, When the war began, but now
of Atchlson, Kan, In recent letter pleased
me with kind words for this series of chapters,
and by saying that they looked for and
read with great interest by the soldier element
and many others in Kansas. What was better,
he gave the points upon which to base story
that know will be enjoyed by all classes. 1t
makes page of history that ought to have
been collected and put In the way of preserva-
tion right after the interesting event. but owing
to the excitement of the times passed as mat
ter of little moment. My best reason for using
the material Captain IOmphins furnishes is
the fact that it will portray to the young men
of the present time the intense patriotism of
the young men of that time period of dark
uncertainty, day when the republic was in
imminent danger, but is now firmly rooted
and so certain never again to see civil strife,
and 50 strong that no other country or cluster
of countries Will ever care to attempt its over
throw. l have not the slightest doubt that
under similar circumstances the young men OF
to-day would spring to arms even more prompt
ly, enthusiastically and patriotically than the
young men OF that day did. In substance Cap
tain YompklnS said:
THE day Fort Sumter was fired on [ was set
ting type IN the office of The Argus, by Calkins
& Cullaton, state printers. Lu n. Drury was
foreman OF the bookroom and y. Z. Martin
was in charge of the JOB room, with Charles I'll.
Townsend as assistant. Charley Holt then of
The GAINESVILLE Gazette, for many years since
an Illinois editor, was a visitor, and James h.
Proudft, as was usual with him IL those days,
was around jollying the boys. A wet snow was
falling and the roads and walks were sloppy.
Lu Drury played the fife. With the first take"
that flashed the news of the cannonading
Drury grabbed the fife and yelled: Fall in !"
He began to blow Yankee Doodle out of the
little Instrument with the energy of d cyclone
on Kansas prairie, ard marched for the door
Others followed by twos. In the company Of
typos who marched out and paraded the streets
OF the capital city on that memorable April
day, inspired by the patriotism OF the moment
and Drury's music, were: Lu II. Drury, Il. A.
Calkins, Charley Townsend, j. Il. Proudtit, O.
2. Martin, Charley Holt, John Perry, Peter
Ntzhugh,, NJ. j. CantWel Tom Bishop, myself
and others whose names L have forgotten IN
the thirty-six years that have elapsed. A halt
made at Harry Bingham tafterWard
quartermaster III the army for Iurther ms lra-
ton, and the company filed lett To the capitol.
Promenadlng down the main hallway TO the
executive chamber calls were made for Gov
ernor Alexander Randall, who promptly put In
an appearance. Charley Holt, without request,
appointment or Encouragement, made patrI-
otto speech, rendering TO the state of Wisconsin
the services OF the printers to put down the
rebellion. Randall responded eloquentIy and
equally patriOtically accepting on behalf OF
the state the services OF the craft SO hand
SOmely and graclOuSIy rendered, and stated
that he would serve a requisitlon for the same
as he received authority for the enroll
ment of volunteers. That martial display was
made Immediately upon the receipt of the first
news in Madison of the bombardment of Fort
Sumter, most of the printers going IN their
Shirt-Sleeyes and Drury, the jolliest and per-
haps the bravest of the crowd marching at the
head of the column with his work apron on.
Did they go to the war3 Yes, every one ex-
cept Holt, who was physically incapacitated.
Peter McHugh went with the first regiment
and never returned, dying IN the held. y. L.
Martin enlisted In an Illinois regiment and
was one of the first union soldiers In NIckSburg.
The next day ne issued a Vicksburg daily ON
wall paper. He died several years ago IN Chi
! cdgo. Drury went out as captain lii the Third
Wisconsin battery of light artillery, distin-
guished himself in battle, was severely wound
ed, shot through the body, and returned as
major, loaded with scars and honors. Calkins
was made major in the Third cavalry became
Northumberland, and was whole battalion
Slngle-handed. Proudfit went out as adjutant
of the Twelfth, and returned hrigadier gen
eral. He is now a resident OF Kansas City,
Kan. John Perry met at Chickasaw Canyon,
Miss May q, 1868. He WIS chief clerk to GEN
eral Eaton. Grants quartermaster Cantwell
met at NatcheZ, Miss in 1863; he was lieu
tenant and provost marshal of the city. Bishop,
believe, was lieutenant of Wisconsin regi-
ment IN the Army of the Potomac. Townsend
was second lieutenant of Company ID, Twenty
ninth Wisconsin, but served about three years
as aide-de-camp on General G.. G. Washburne's
staff
Tompkins served as a private in the Twenty
ninth Wisconsin for a time and commits
stoned in a later regiment.
This recalls the claim have never seen dis
puted that every Northern and Southern city
and village that was large enough to maintain
one or more papers had editor and printer
villages and cities. Many of the printing offices
the first year of the lost all of their print
ers. 1t was at that time girls and young women
''cases," racks" ''galIeys5 and alleys"
When the war was over they had occupied the
field so completely that the soldier-printers in
large numbers were obliged to look in other
directions, which many of them did, greatly to
their advantage. Hundreds of them became
editors and publishers, and be it said to their
credit they have acquitted themselves rather
we'll. Some of them have gone to the senate,
some have become governors, foreign minis
tiers, and still others are spending their declin-
ing years in severing coupons from bonds. But
I'm getting into deep water.
Hundreds of editors, publishers and printers
in Wisconsin went to the war, most of them in
the early regiments, and they remained until
the struggle was over. Scores of them are yet
sleeping down South. Rufus King Thomas S.
Allen, James Bintliff, George G. Ginty, James
K. Proudfit, William L. Utley and Samuel Fal-
lows became brigadier generals. Several of
them commanded regiments. Scores of them
commanded companies; hundreds were non
commissioned officers, and there were no more
heroic soldiers in the ranks than the Wisconsin
men and boys who left sanctqms and cases for
of them. Here are few: Charley, Park and
Irving Elliott, A. Y. Young, Captain Tom Bry-
ant, Captain Charley Benton, J. FL. Lightbody,
Milo Pitkin, George Bleyer, Rock Flint, Charles
BOOTH A. j. High Billy Madhoney, joe T ElWE we
senger, Colonel D. c. McVean, M. P. Walsh,
Leslie J. Perry, Captain D. j. Brothers, Colonel
Charles d. Robinson and Colonel Nicholas
Smith.
What can be said of Wisconsin printers, edit
ors and publishers can be said of their classes
in every Northern state. I never heard of a
shirk among them.