Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1899-04-26

put in shape on either side of n street,
thirty or forty feet wide, when n sixty
four-pound shot from the heavy rebel
bounded on toward the headquarters
Of General Thomas behind us.
This created a tremendous commo
ton. There were no wounded or sick
in the tents because we had just put
them in shape ready for the wounded
who might be carried back from the
front. The surgeons, hospital steaw-
ards, and attendants were greatly dis
turbed, and when another shot plowed
through the street they were all eager
for some excuse 10 move. While they
were in excited conference over being
In range and over what ought to be
done General Thomas walked leisure
ly down the pathway of the sixty-four
FOUNDER ia where the chief surgeon
stood.
There was not trace of excitement
on his face and nothing In his move
ments to indicate that he had seen or
heard the hostile sixty-four- FOUNDER
He walked quietly up to the group of
surgeons and said: Doctor, you're
right in the range of the enemy's fire.
They are evidently plugging away at
my headquarters, and. If they are, you
will be in range for Ii good while. for
don't intend to move. Therefore,
think that the best thing you can do
under the circumstances is to get out
of range
This was q welcome speech to the
surgeons and assistants, and they wait
ed for no second order to strike tents.
One of the surgeons went to the tent
given up to the hospital stores, and re-
turned to the General with a tin cup
full of porter. He placed the cup on
the palm OF his hand so that the Gen
eral could take hold of the handle, and
presented it with the air of man con-
ferring a great favor. Thomas smiled,
looked at the doctor and the cup and
then said, quietly, That's for the sick,
doctor. Pm not sick, nor scared.
Whether this was meant for a rebuke
or a pleasantly, it had telling effect,
and everybody laughed, except the doc
tor who had brought the porter"
There is another story about
Thomas" said the Major, "of which l
have seen two or three versions in
print, but all the fellows who have told
the story get il wrong. When we were
moving southwark in Kentucky, after
Perryville, in the fall of 1862, an old
Il nnfIInlyi1D in b.
the Colonel and asked for a few days
leave cf absence. He explained that the
army seemed headed for the locality of
his old home, and, as he had not seen
his family for nine months, he would
like to drop out look after affairs a
little, get up his winters wood, and
leave his wife and children in good
shape for the winter. The Colonel in
formed him that he could grant no fur
Tough, and sent him to the Brigadier
General. The Brigadier General sent
him to the Major General commanding
the division. and the division General
sent him to the commanding General
of the corps, General Thomas.
1.-The old fellows persistence amused
the Colonel, the Brigadier, and the
Major General, and he was referred to
General Thomas in a spirit of mischief.
Not one of them supposed that the
Kentuckian would ever see Thomas,
but in some way the old fellow slipped
past the guard, and was In the pres
ence of General Thomas and we'll start
ed on his story before any of the staff
were aware of the intrusion. As he
heard the mOnotonous twang of the
Kentuckian's speech Thomas whirled
in his seat and looked at the man in
establishment. Then he looked the old
fellow over. and, catching the spirit of
his remarks, exhibited n good deal of
sympathy.
"Old Homespun began with: Il want
to so home, General. You're headed
for the parts where / live, and / would
like to drop out and see the old woman
and get up my winters wood, and look
after the stock. | asked the Colonel.
and he sent me to brigade headquar-
ters, and brigade headquarters sent me
70 division headquarters, and fellow
quarters said if would come and ex-
plain the whole thing to you that you
would give me furlough, and here |
am. You see, General, | have been
away from home for a mighty long
time, and | want to see the old woman
and the children mighty bad
How long have you been away
from homer broke in the General.
WAL SIR said the Kentuckian, Il
have been away from home well nigh
on to nine MONTHS Great Scott! man.
said the General, 4 have not seen my
wife for two years. and don't expect
to see her until the end of the war.
The General may have thought this
was clincher, but the old fellow look
ed up at him in n compassionate sort
of way, and drawled: WAL, sir, me
and my wife is not that kind of peo-
pie That ended the interview, and
the Oh fellow got his furlough."
~ have story of General Thomas y
said the Sergeant, (which | never have
heard outside the camp fires of our own
regiment On the second day of Jan
uary, 1863, at Stone River, the rebels
hurled n tremendous force against
Rosecrans' left. and the first brigades
struck were thrown into confusion,
and the men ran toward the rear in
something of n panic. Our division was
not involved in this, but waited quietly
for the attack on the center. that came
n little later. In the midst of the eX-
element one of out company, wag
and a rough-and-ready fighter in any
sort Of skirmiSh. came stumbling
back from the left. where he had been
scouting on his own hook, and burst
out with: Holy smoke! l saw old
Pap Thomas shoot manP
''The boys made no comment. and Old
Horse proceeded with his story. II
was to the effect that when the men
on the left ran back Thomas sent some
OF his staff to stop them, but without
avail. Then Thomas in great fury rode
forward himself, reined his horse
across the pathway of the retreating
men, and ordered them to stop. When
they refused. he drew his revolver and
fired at them, and Old Horse distinctly
saw one man drop. lie concluded with
Il was never more aStonished in my
life 1t was awful Then the boys