Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1897-02-08
THE FIELD OF BATTLE
AND ANECDOTES OF
THE WAR.
The Veterans of the Rebellion Tell of
Whistling Bullets, Bright Bayonets,
Bursting Bombs, Bloody Battles.
A Green Mountain Boy.

A Green Mountain Boy.
/ The Green Mountain boys establish
ed reputation for dauntless courage
and undying love of country in the war
of the Revolution. That reputation her
people have ever maintained. Can any
one recall any occasion during the war
Of the rebellion when company, regf-
ment or battery composed of Vermont
troops showed the white feather or did
less than they were able to do on the
field of battle? 1t is safe to say no.
An equally good record was made by
the troops of other States, but it can
not be said of all the troops of all the
States that there were not occasions
when some Of them failed to meet eX-
pecta ton Generally, when there was
failure, it was attributable to fail
ure on the part of officers rather than
the rank and file
i Now let me tell Of Vermont hero in
war.
A 17-year-old Green Mountain boy
left school to enlist. His first battle
| was Gettysburg. He was tall and aWk-
| ward, but as brave as Maceo, and he
had acquitted himself so we'll that the
captain Of the company, within rev
months from his enlistment, gave him
the position Of first sergeant. The req
ment was under fire for an hour at the
time of Pickett's famous charge before
it was ordered in. There were pale
faces and trembling limbs on every
side, but our hero was as cool and col
lected as if in classroom, and had a
smile and word of cheer for his COM
rades. To one who seemed q little
more frightened than his fellows he
said: Cheer up, jim, you have the
chance Of your life to-day
"Yes," said Jim, land right smart
chance to lose it, too"
sThe tide will turn in favor Of the
| Union from this battle Let us all do
our duty to-day, so that i'll coming
years we may remember that we had
a part in the turning Of the tide"
Jim and all who heard the young pa
triot's outburst, as it mingled with the
screeching and bursting of shells and
the Whirring of solid shot, became in
terested and to Il degree Gained down.
A little later came the order, "Fall
in' The first man on his feet was the
young Vermonter, who, with smile
on his lips and CHEEKY voice. urged
promptneSs and an unbroken front. In
that way he went into the battle. He
| fought like very tiger, at the same
time doing the duty Of half a dozen
4:I IL yI,Av, tlRfN
charge was over, Pickett had been
driven back and the 300 or 400 Dclch-
ing cannon had ceased their roar. it
was found that the earth had drunk
the blood OF many of that Vermont
| company.
did we do as well as you expected,
Captain? z" asked the orderly.
Better sergeant, better; but look at
our thinned ranks We no longer have
a company"
"That is true. Captain, but the tide
has turned. We now know that we
have country
The republic has produced many
such heroes, but did any State in the
Union, in proportion to her population
produce more than Vermont? This
story, which / heard years ago, came
back to me last evening as | heard an
other in connection with that same
| Vermonter.
When the war ended he completed
his education and entered the minis
try About twenty years ago he was
called to leading Congregational
church in Milwaukee, of which he has
been the pastor ever since-Rey. Geo.
III. Ide. d. D. He is the same courage
Gus, truthful, earnest, patriotic man
that he was as a soldier in battle. He
takes UP subjects that many others
pass by.
This brave soldier devoted minister
and superb citizen has recently had
occasion to manifest his courage under
more trying circumstances than any
which developed at the battle of Get
| tysburg Two years ago 4 growth on
one OF his lips rendered an operation
necessary 1t was thought that he had
| entirely escaped all danger, but a short
time ago the growth reappeared in his
throat and another operation was de
cideG upon. The chances We're against
| him. All of his friends dreaded the re-
suit, yet they knew that without an
operation death was not far away. If
this man was disturbed he did not
show it in his face, in his speech, in his
conduct He was the same genial,
hearty, kindly gentleman, meeting all
with a word that told of his good
heart.
When he went to Chicago to under
| go the operation every member of his
family accompanied him, together
with several officials OF his church. 1t
would have been easy to think that DR..
Ide was taking party to Chicago to
undergo serious operations, but it would
! not have been easy for a stranger to
think that DIR. Ide was to be operated
upon with only one chance in fifty for
| his life