The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-04-15
THE EXPERIENCES
OF COMPANY l.

Well, for fact, 1t was rather awkward
lot of men which fell in for roll call on
Company rs sheet, at Camp Randall that
July morning in 1851. It was made up large
ly OF farmer boys from Vernon county.
When it was decided to raise the company
drummer and fifer were put into a wagon
and driven out among the farmers. AS
the band played the farmer lads left their
piows and planting and sought the cause
OF the demonstration. That day at dinner
and supper the question of enlisting was
discussed. Two days later the required hum
dred men and boys had put down their
names. Most of them were under 90 many
under is years of age. strapping, healthy
fellows. They had been too busy clearing
the land and making farms to get out and
rub against the world to any great extent.
They swung their arms extravagantly,
took long steps-walked just as they did in
Following the plow or carrying milk to the
springhouse. 1t was hard to make them
look to the front while on duty; they were
staring here and there, seeing the sights
and making odd comments scenes, Off
GERS and other companies. 1t was laughed
at for its awkwardness. A tony chap said:
Look at the gawksH
am not going to say as the tony fellow
did, look at the gawks,'' but 1 am going
to ask the readers of the Times Herald to
join me in looking at Company I
At that time 1t was necessary in choos-
ing an adjutant, to take him from the line.
There was a young lawyer a graduate
from an eastern college, who was wanted
for adjutant. He was a trim-built hand
some fellow and looked the soldier he
proved to be- The resignation of a lieuten-
ant of 1 Company opened the way. He was
commissioned lieutenant in that company
and Immediately assigned as adjutant. The
IL.
them much attention. He liked those rosy
checked awkward fellows from farms, the
rest of us thought, better than he did the
other companies. He took particular pains
to see that 1 Company was well drilled.
Within three months 1t had the military
step and bearing that gave it rank with the
best-drilled companies in the brigade. On
review, its brasses, uniforms, muskets and
accoutrements were, as the adjutant used
to say, ''in apple-pie order Before the
campaigning began all of the original Off
GERS of Company I had resigned Captain
r. R. Dawes of Company K, later General
Dawes, father of Charles G., the present
comptroller of the currency, was asked If
he was willing that his first lieutenant
should be transferred to Company I as cap
tain. He had a fondness for the happy
faced, curly-haired lieutenant, and hesi-
tated somewhat, but he wouldn't stand in
the way OF his promotion, so Lieutenant
John A kellogg added a bar to his Shout
der straps and became Is leader. A couple
of boys from Liberty Pole were made lieu
tenants-Clayton E. and Earl M. Rogers.
While we have these three in mind let me
say word about them. Kellogg served an
adiutant general on General Cutters staff
for a time; was on such duty at Chancel-
louisville and Gettysburg, but was In COM
mand of his company at the Wilderness
when he was wounded and made prisoner.
He returned to the regiment the next fall
as lieutenant-colonl, and a few weeks later
was placed in command of the brigade,
serving as such officer until the war ended.
He was made a brigadier general. After
the war he was a Wisconsin senator and
United States pension agent. He died at
Wausau in 1883. When General w. b.
Franklin, commander of the left wing or
Burnside's army at the battle OF Fred
ericksburg wanted trusty officer to bring
in the picket line after the troops had
crossed the Rappahannock in the dark,
Lieutenant Clayton e. Rogers was select
ed. He rode along the line and whispered
to each picket to make the quickest time
possible to the pontoon bridge. The enemy
was but few rods In front of the picket
line but the wind was In the right direc-
ton, and, thanks to the good Judgment ana
activity of Company rs first lieutenant the
whole picket line was saved. From that
time until after Gettysburg Lieutenant
He was on General Wadsworth's stan at
Gettysburg and distinguished himself. 1t
was Rogers who, at Gettysburg, when ne
carried an order to division commander
and found him so drunk he could not per-
form his duty placed him under arrest ana
took him to headquarters. 1t was the only
case, believe, during the war in which
lieutenant arrested an acting major gener-
al Earl M. Rogers was popular as a stan
officer. He was on the staff OF General
James Wadsworth, commander OF divis-
ion in the Fifth corps in the Wilderness,
when Wadsworth was killed, and was the
only officer who was with him when he
fell. At Petersburg Rogers was seriously
wounded. He was commissioned captain
and brevetted major. He served four years
as quartermaster general on Governor
Rusks staff. General Rogers in face so
closely resembles Napoleon that he Is called
Bona Rogers by all of the old command
Let the record speak for Company I.
They participated in every battle of the
Army of the Potomac, save those on the
Peninsula under Mcclellan. They were at
Rappahannock Station in the Pope retreat.
The night before the retreat from there II
was I Company that was called upon 10
tear down buildings and construct bridge
across the Rappahannock river. AT Gaines-
willie no company in the regiment fought
better or suffered worse 1t was at Bull
Run on the 29th and 3Oth; at South Noun
tain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Fitzhugh
Crossing, Charlottesville. Gettysburg, and
in all of the other battles of the Potomac
army up to and including Appamattox. One
of its members was voted medal of honor
by congress, Sergeant Frank A. Waller,
later lieutenant. captured the flag of the
Second Mississippi at Gettysburg when the
regiment charged the cut and made pris-
oners of Major Blair and most of his
men.
In the great review at Washington
man without an arm, both having been
shot off at Antietam. stood in front of the
treasury building, waiting for his regi-
ment. When 1t swung to the right from
the long stretch on Pennsylvania avenue
and moved past the great building the no.
armed man was full of smiles and COM
ments As his old company approached he
swung the stub of the right arm to his
hat, removed it, bowed his head and said,
ST could kneel to you, Company A." When
I Company passed he did the same. 1t was
the tony young fellow who, nearly four
xaors heeore had said. "I,OOk at the