The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-12-09
STRIKING INCIDENTS.
SCENES THAT WERE PHOTOGRAPHED
ON THE MEMORY.

General Buell. and the Sergeant Crazed
with Thirst at the Spring.
"Some of you youngsters" said the
professor, "wonder how we old fellows
remember the prominent men of 20 or
30 or 40 years ago so well. Because we
associate them with some particular
event, not necessarily of any impor-
tance, but serving to bring the men as
sociated with it vividly before the
mind. For example, saw old Govern
or Brough Of Ohio scores of times, but
whenever I think Of him do not see
him as he walked in his unwieldy way
along the streets nor as he sat in his
Office, q dominating presence, nor as he
appeared on state occasions, nor when
he ragged in controversy with the stron-
gest men in the nation over the conduct
of the war, but see him as he stood
one night on a pile Of bricks, just out
side Capitol square in Columbus.
"The fall of Richmond had been an
nounced. The people were wild with
excitement and enthusiasm. The under.
standing was that the governor would
speak to them that night, and, standing
on pile of bricks at the corner of High
and State streets, he talked to the peo-
pie of the great news and what it meant
to the nation. While he was speaking
it began to rain, and still he spoke on.
Those in the crowd who had umbrellas
raised them, and there was a general
shout for the governor to put on his hat.
AS he stood there that minute, with the
raindrops pattering down ON his bald
head and splattering and sparkling in
the light of the street lamp near, Gov.
ernor Brough always comes to me.
He paid no heed to the rain, and in
his deep, resonant voice he said to the
calls of the crowd: Il will not put on
my hat. A man must stand uncovered
in the presence of au event that means
SO much to this people. And he talked
on, the people standing in the rain and
glorying in every word he said. That
was the last speech made by Governor
Brough, because the cold that resulted
from the exposure took him down to
death.
"Brough was one of the very strong.
est men Of that period in public life,
but do you know that heard one of
the most prominent ladies in Ohio urge
that he be not renominated because he
was so reckless in his use of tobacco?
She forgot the ability, honesty earnest
ness and zeal of the man who had re-
ceived the largest majority ever given a
candidate for any Office in Ohio and
made violent campaign against him
because he had a rough way and because
he was such All inveterate tobacco
| chewer "
81 remember General Buell." said
the sergeant, mot as he appearaed in
the battle of Shiloh, not as he appeared
in full uniform at grand review, but as
saw him on forced march, when he
wore the negligee or fatigue dress. Our
company had come, with dry threats
and empty canteens, to a large spring
that burst from the earth with force
enough to turn the wheels of mill.
The men proceeded to fill their canteens
and drink their fill. An orderly sat on
his horse near and advised the men to
be very careful in filling their canteens
30 as to leave the water clear for those
who came after. A little apart from
him on a splendid horse sat an officer in
straw hat. The man and the horse,
even though the man was in so simple
dress, made a fine picture, but the
boys did not look carefully enough al
either to recognize the officer or the
horse.
"One Of the sergeants, crazed by
thirst, plunging forward to the spring
intent only ON getting the clear water
to his parched throat, put one foot into
the shallow edge Of the spring. Instant
ly there came from the man in the straw
hat the quiet and imperious order, 'TakC
your foot out. The sergeant, irritateC
beyond endurance by what he regarded
q tritling matter, turned and said inso
lently: Mind your own business, sir
l will have no quartermaster's clerl
giving orders TO me.
las though he had been part of tn
man the splendid horse made one juml
toward the spring and toward the ser
geant, and the man in the straw ha
said, with increased emphasis and i'm
periousness, Take your foot out, an,
the bewildered sergeant recognized tn
commander in chief of the army, II
stepped back and saluted, and then Gen
eral Buell. said quietly, looking dow
with a sort of sympathy into the dis
mayed face: Fill your canteens, bu
be careful. Thirty thousand men mus
take water from this spring befor
night.
"Those who remembered what
mudhole a thousand men make Of
spring understood why General Buel
stood guard on that day. "-Chicag
Inter Ocean.