The age-herald., 1898-07-04
WHEELER'S CAVALRY
 IN THE CIVIL WAR

"An ex-private of the Fifty-first Alabama
 cavalry writes to the Boston Transcript
 as follows: Your Listeners letter about
 the two southern generals were of spec
 ial interest to all ex-confederates, and the
 one anent General Y neeler mad personal
 interest to the writer, who was a mem-
 Der of tn generals old command and is
 one of the few surviving privates of the
 Hate unpleasantness." The whrligig of
 time makes some wondrous changes, and
 I can scarcely conceive of any more
 strange than that the two men who now
 find themselves called to important com
 mands in the army of the United States
 were little over thirty years ago popu-
 lar generals in the army of the southern confederacy.
 l must refuse to see any politics in
 this, and prefer to believe their appoint
 ment was in recognition of their patriotism
 and ability and the fact that it has made
 no difference that the military regulations on which their appointments were based
 were made while in arms against the United States, indicates an era of good feel ing and reconciliation that ought to be gratifying to every true lover of his coun- try.
 But if all this seems strange to one of the humblest participants in the old trag-
 edy, what must it seem to the more promi-
 nent actors who find themselves again
 before the footlghts in a new drama? In the Listeners letter about General Wheeler mention was made that he seem- ed little embarrassed at his new sur
 roundings, and just a little awed by be- ing begirt with much of gold lace, epaulettes, clanking sabres, etc. This should not be wondered at, for there Is a mighty contrast between the conditions he is at present surrounded by and those prevailing when he was last in service. The fact that he is now backed by one of the richest and strongest nations of the earth, where before he was defending one of the poorest and weakest is best evil denced by the physical conditions exist ing in his new and old commands. His old command was poorly clothed. poorly armed poorly equipped, they rode lean horses and sometimes went hungry into battle His present command is we'll uniformed, well armed will be well drilled and disciplined they will ride sleek horses and have saddles brides and equipments all alike; yea, they will have tents to shelter them, and will have cooking uten- sis and maybe men detailed to cook the rations a generous government supplies them with, and will not have to ride and sleep In the rain nor brol their scant meat on ramrod, for, To, the ramrod, too, is thing of the past.
 If it is true that youth thinks of the future and is eager, maturity thinks of the present and Is strong, old age thinks of the past and is tender" do you not think, dear Listener, that General Wheeler is near enough to old age to think tenderly of the "old gang he commanded, and who would ride with him anywhere and into anything, and who loved him? Do you not think that when "he sits alone in his tent at twilight there will not rise up before him the forms of Kelley and Martin and Morgan and Hagan, and in his dreams will not there pass in review be- fore him in misty ranks the gaunt horses and grim riders of his. old command? And will he have forgotten the privates who rode the lean horses and who had as much blood to shed and as much of life to lose as did their leaders? Though ragged, they were reckless; though hum gry and dirty they were as often des- perate, and without them his deeds of dar- ing raids could not have been accomplish ed, and the generals reputation could not have been made.
 Of course the silent grave has long since claimed majority of them, and many went uOWn DeIOre the very eyes or tnelr commander, and these, let us think were
 the bravest of his band. Do you think, dear Listener, he can have forgotten them? 1 have no word of disparagement for the new Wheeler cavalry" though I hope the new command will be called something else, leaving us the old name with whatever of reputation, good or bad attaches to it. No doubt his new brigades will be composed of brave men and 'true and will by their prowess reflect credit upon themselves and their country. But they will be different from the old, for the conditions will be different; maybe in some respects the new will be better sol diers than the old. But for readiness of resource, for capacity to endure hardships
 that to a civilian or modern soldier would
 seem appalling, for rough riding and get ting out of a horse all there was in him, and last, but not least, for fighting for the pure lov~ of it and as a relief from harder conditions, commend me to the old Wheel CTS cavalry, and pardon the egotism of an old soldier when I say that General Wheeler will never see their like again this side of heaven.