Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1898-02-08
COLONEL ARTHUR M'ARTHUR.


be said Of the boy leader and his gallant
command in that battle. It fought in the
brigade of Colonel Opdycke, side by side
with the Thirty sixth Illinois, which brave
young Miller led until he was shot down
with q mortal wound. And Macarthur
got himself in the path Of the bullets, &C.
cording to The Times Herald's relninis'
oences by Sergeant Dunn.
"But for q. bundle of letters and docu'
ments," said the sergeant, ~ guess the
little colonel would have given some one
else a chance to command the Twenty
fourth. A bullet struck him over the
heart. In tho bundle Of letters and papers
was his commission as lieutenant colonel,
received Il few days before. The commits.
sion was marked by the bullet that was
steering for the boys heart. Though 1t
did not draw blood, 1t made bunch on
his breast half az large as my head, and
it hurt for time worse than bad flesh
wound would have DONE"
But the span of charmed lifc was to end
for the boy at last and did end ut the bot
tie of Franklin, Nov. 80, 1854. Led by
Colonel Macarthur the Twenty fourth was
one of the seven regiments which made his.
tory that day on Carter's hill in tho IA
nous charge of Opdycke's brigade. That,
too, is q we'll known story, but one to bear
recalling. Tho main line Of breastworks
in front of Carter's hill was preached by
a desperate and overwhelming charge OF
Cleburne's Tennesseeans. OpdXcke's bri.
guide lay in reserve behind tho breach.
The men had been in action out at the
front for 36 hours and were resting and
taking coffee when the Confederates burst
through the line in front. At the quick
command Of Opdycke, First brigade, fall
in, double quick, charged! the regiments
In three lines as they lay at rest hurled
themselves headlong upon the e1ulting
enemy. All told they numbered but,2, 900.
Forging their way to the front 10y dint Of
bayonet thrusts and blows from dubbed
muskets they cleared path to the works
and retook eight cannon, which they turn
ed on the enemy. The works were held
and the day was saved. Out of seven regi-.
mental leaders five were shot down, Me-,
Arthur among them, and one of the first
to 20. The second in command, Major;
Philbrook, was killed. Macarthur survived
his wound It was the last parade OF the
regiment on the battlefield with the boy
in evidence, and this was what General
Stanley, the corps commander, said of tho
performance: II will not say absolutely
that the Twenty fourth Wisconsin saved
the battle of Franklin, but can testify
from the evidence Of my own eyes that it
had great deal to do with saving 1t. In
this feat it was Rallantly and we'll led by
the boy colonel Arthur McArthur."
It was q case OF much glory on young
shoulders, but there was no getting out o.
It, with that bleeding form and pale face
as mute WITNESSES, that all had been earned
In man g noblest work most nobly done.
Colonel Macarthur recovered In time to
take the regiment home to Milwaukee,.
where he presented to the governor al.
that was left of Milwaukee's pride-a strip
ling boy leader, two tattered flags and
couple Of hundred or so Of battle Scared
and bottle grimed veterans.
-. = GEORGE L. KlLMER.