davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The National tribune., 1899-09-07
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What the Veterans Have to Say
About Their Campaigns.
SOME RECOLLECTIONS.
Interesting Episodes Of The War Recalled by Iowa
Veteran.

Interesting Episodes Of The War Recalled by Iowa
Veteran.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: I recall
n few incidents that have been inquired
about, and some have never seen in print
First, l want TO state that on July %, 1864
the day Gen. Mcpherson was killed, was
on guard at Seventeenth Corps Headquar-
ters a short while before Mcpherson fell.
Gen. Frank p. Blair ordered the guard at
his Headquarters to go on double-quick to
hold the road between the Seventeenth
Corps and the Sixteenth Corps. There
were % of us all told. / can remember
some of their names-CharleS Powers,
Roman Knight, Co. A, 18th Ohio; John
Osburn, John Cole, Geo. Randle, Geo.
Sager all of the 14th Wis; Chas Sherman,
Isaac Wheeler, 95th ILL.,. and others.
We remained at our post 20 minutes.
Gen. Blair Orderly came to us and ordered
us to go back to the Seventeenth Corps
Headquarters on double-quick, for the
Johnny rebs were charging on Headquar-
ters.
| have always thought that if this Sew
enteenth Corps Headquarters guard had
been left where they were sent, to hold this
road, Mcpherson would have been spared;
for soon after we were ordered out Nc
Pherson rode into the gap.
In 1885 certain Lieutenant wanted to
find some one who had assisted in the
taking up of Sergeant who belonged to
the 18th Ill, or 18th ILL.,, who was killed
at Big Shanty, Ga, and buried close to
the road the time Gen. Hood recrossed the
river.
The rebs killed a darky cook. The
rebels put the Sergeant in the hole and
threw the darky on top, with his feet on
the Sergeant's face was one who helped
take up the Sergeant. l think the Ser
geant had a brother present, to the best of
my recOllectionS.
wish to state that while on guard at
the Seventeenth Corps Headquarters, Feb
II, 1S65,-the night Columbia, S. c., was
set on fire,-abOut o'clock in the morning
the patrol came along with n goodly mum.
ber of our soldiers under arrest. About in
front of Seventeenth Corps Headquarters
| the word was given to halt. One soldier
who started to get away from the guard al
the word halt was mortally wounded.
was anxious to see who he was, and went
| into an old meathouse that stood in the
yard, and found the soldier laid upon the
| floor, deathly pale. / asked him what regi
ment he belonged to. He told me that he
was a member of Co. d, 18th Iowa. | was
surprised to find one of my own regiment
! lying there in such condition. This
man died on the 18th; not on the 18th, as
reported. His name was Lyman Fair
field.
| have read in several accounts of the
burning of Columbia that there was nc
shooting done by our soldiers. l believe
that our patrol guard had shot goodly
number of our boys. 1t was said the mum.
ber was 222 that lost their lives, and
believe it; it makes no difference to me what
some one else will say, but / found some
soldiers the next morning after the fire
burnt to a crisp.-GEORGE w. kECKLER,
Co. c, .1st Iowa, and Co. c, 10th Iowa,
Muscatine, Iowa.
The National tribune., 1899-09-07
PUBLIC LANDS OVERSTOCKED.
Prof. serbusrs Tour Among the Arid Tracts Of the W.

Prof. T.. Lamson-Scribner, Chief of the
Agrostology Division of the Agricultural
Department, has just returned from an
extended tour of the Pacific Coast and the
Northwest, where he went to study the
grasses and forage plants Of these re-
gions. The Government has grass farm
at Walla Walla, where extensive expert
ments are being made with grasses avail
able for the vast arid tracts of the West
The most startling condition Prof. Serb
ner found was in the big cattle ranges on
the public lands east of the Cascades in
eastern Oregon, Washington, Wyoming
Idaho, and Colorado. These ranges are
badly overstocked, and there has been, con-
sequently, great deterioration of the
grass upon them. Radical measures will
be required to restore them to frst-cass
condition rs pasture lands.
Upon the recommendation of Prof Serb
ner it is the intention of the Secretary of
Agriculture in his forthcoming annual re-
port to recommend that the Government
cease the policy of allowing free grazing
and substitute a system of leases. This
would place the land leased entirely under
the control of the lessee and make it to
his interest not to overstock his range.
AS further incentive it is suggested that
it might be well TO give the lessee the pref
erence when the land is sold.
The National tribune., 1899-09-07

Vincent with dispatches for Gen. Dick
Taylor, the rebel Chief,
who was with. the main army some IL
miles in the rear, asking for reinforce
ments. He also succeeded in getting the
rebel countersign.
Learning from this dispatch that only
a comparatively small force opposed him,
upon the strength of this information he
acted, as usual, with promptitude, moved
forward, and captured the entire force in
detail, bivouacking around campfires, as
the rain was pouring down in torrents,
with hail added, the detachment making
the capture having that day marched 50
miles through rain and mud.
Our recruiting officers in the meantime
were not idle, scattering ourselves in the
rear of the army, and visiting all the sugar
plantations, Capt De Witt and myself
being somewhat nearer TO our army in
the front. When it was getting dark we
had collected about nine men, and were at
the time at stately mansion on large
sugar plantation.
We concluded to make the place our
headquarters for the night. We placed
our recruits in charge of the most intelli-
gent, and gave them instructions to wake
us at once if anything should happen.
We put two of them on guard, and then
entered the house, and saw what finely
furnished place it was. We made the
servants build fire in the parlor CRATE,
and carry bedding from one of the bed
rooms to the parlor.
Having succeeded in getting good
meals at other plantations through the
day, we did not care for anything that night,
but ordered that breakfast be ready for us
at daybreak. One of the old mammies
threw up her hands in holy horror, ex-
claiming:
Lord, Massa Yank; dar's been no fire
in dat parlor for years. What will missis
say if the bedding get dirty?"
This had no influence whatever. It
The National tribune., 1899-09-07
The RED RIVER CAMPAIGN.
Interesting Episodes of That Expedition Raising Negro Troops
Some Night Adventures
By FRANK BRUNER, Cincinnati, O.

and saw them fire their muskets in the air
in presence of a general officer for what they
thought was not proper treatment. They
would have followed Mower to the gates
of hell, so to speak.
Mower was assigned to the command of
the division when Tuttle was sent to COM
mand the post of Natchez, Miss.
Smiths Guerrillas landed at the mouth
of Red River March IL, 1864, under orders
to reach Alexandria, La, March II, to
join Banks with his troops. We disem-
barked at Simmesport. On the Atchafalaya
Bayou, and marched overland, picking
up by storming on the evening of the 14th
Fort De Russey, on Red River, about mid
way between its mouth and Alexandria.
1t was a strong casemated fort, with
double thicknesses of railroad iron backed
by oak timber. The gunboat Essex tested
the strength of the casemates with 100
FOUNDER Parrot at a distance of about
300 yards, firing three shots. The pro,
Jectile in each case cut through the iron
plating, but was stopped by the oak back
ing.
The National tribune., 1899-09-07

and as quickly disappear. We We're startled
at about seven miles out, the moon being
obscured. | thought 1 heard the clatter
of horses hoofs, and, being in the advance,
checked my horse to allow De Witt to close
up.
AS he did so the moon suddenly emerged
from the clouds. and we could see horse
| man, who had also come to halt. He held
something in his right hand, which We
! took to be a pistol, and we thought that
right hand was ''sorter trembling.
Acting on that belief, we became bold.
challenged him to remain at halt, and
asked who he was. He answered that he
was Union soldier. | responded the
same, and told him to advance. He did
| so, and, upon questioning, l ascertained
| that he was also dispatch carrier, belong
| ing to the Sth n. II. M'td Inf, which had
gone into bivouac at the junction of the
roads heretofore referred to, and he had
| been sent with dispatch for Gen. Mower.
He informed me that my road was clear,
| and told him that his was likewise clear.
We reached Alexandria at an early
hour in the morning, and promptly re-
ported at Gen. Smiths Headquarters,
which we found on the steamer Clara Belle.
We informed the guard who We were, and,
passing the surveillance of the officer on
duty, knocked at small state-room door,
which was promptly opened: Smith ap-
peared en- dishabille, and, with his long
white beard, reminded me OF old Santa
Claus.
We delivered our dispatch, and were
questioned as to whether we knew its con-
tents. We answered that we heard some
thing about capturing some regiments
and a battery. He then informed us,
asking whether we had run across any
prowling rebel cavalry. We said that the
only person we met was the Sth n. Ii.
soldier. He asked us if we would like a
little something for the stomach's sake,
and we at once spontaneously and jointly
yelled: yes" He brought out a flask,
and we drank to his health; and of all the
liquor that / ever drank this tasted the
best.
Gen. Smith gave instructions to have
the Steward of the boat furnish us with a
breakfast, to which Dan and [ did ample
Justice, showing no partiality whatever
towards any dish placed before us.
Now, comrades, the moral of this is:
Never take possession, as an inferior
officer, of the best house for rest during
night while in bivOuac as long as gen
eral officer is around, for it will lead you
into some trouble: If that comrade of
the Sth N. H. above referred to is still on
this mundane sphere l would be glad to
hear from him.
Smiths Guerrllas as body of troops
probably rendered more service as such
were used in the West and South wherever
and whenever the dire necessity of the
Government needed troops. They were
used as a general utility corps, always
ready for duty at any time and any place.
Now, comrades, [ wish some of you
would answer this question through the
columns of THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
What incident suggested the name of
Smiths Guerrillas? Do not answer all
The National tribune., 1899-09-07
Middle Fork Bridge.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: / was
one of the little party Of men who volun-
fought the scrimmage at Middle Fork
b.; ;age. Gen. Mcclellan, in his Memoirs.
s. 5 that the expedition was unauthorized
{ i without his knowledge. l will give
you my recollection of the affair as it ap-
pears after SO years. We were encamped
at Buchanan, Va, on July s, 1861, when
our Orderly called for five volunteers to
make up our share of the so men to compose
a scouting party. / was fearful that the
rebellion would collapse before / would
have an opportunity of showing my cour-
age, so 1 made haste to become one of the
party.
AS soon as the command could be formed,
under the command of Capt Lawson. of
Co. A, we moved out on the road leading
to Rich Mountain, and continued on or
near that road until night, when we were
halted and prepared to pass the night under
the trees, but had scarcely settled our
selves, when citizen of the neighborhood
called upon us for protection. He said that
the rebels were at his house, threatening
to destroy his property.
We accompanied him home, and found
Goals from the fireplace scattered over the
floor, as though there had been an effort
to burn the house. The mother and chill
dren were hiding in the woods. After
their return we posted guard around the
place until morning, and after breakfast of
corn pone, milk, etc, returned to the main
road, and after holding consultation, the
conclusion of which was division Of our
party, one sectiOn-Serg't Bennett, of Co.
|, in command-moved by the main road
to a point near the bridge, with orders to
support in case of attack. With the bal
ance of the command we moved down a
ravine, where we forded about one-half
mile below the Middle Fork.
After crossing the stream we followed
a path leading toward the bridge We
had gone but short distance when we
heard splashing in the water, as though
some persons were bathing. We were
halted, and ordered to lie down.
We had scarcely time to obey the COM
mand before we heard some parties APP
preaching on the same path we were occli-
pying. They did not discover us until
they got within Il few rods. VIXEN they
about-faced and double-qucked to the
rear without command. We followed
them closely until we emerged from the
timber into an open meadow, when we
received a deadly volley from the bridge,
which disabled a number of our party
We continued the attack while any of
them were in sight. waiting and hoping
ing to do this, we fell back into the timber,
and as the Confederates did not seem in
clined to force matters. we had time to
take an inventory. We found that our
loss was one killed Samuel Johns, Co. F.
and six wounded. The body of Comrade
Johns was buried by the Confederates
where he fell. We assisted the wounded
to a farm house, where we pressed into
service man and a team, with the aid of
which we returned to Camp Buchanan
without further mishap.
The National tribune., 1899-09-07

gone 10 the land of souls, on the camping
ground above, i'll that undiscovered coun-
try from whose bourne no traveller returns.
Mower started punctually, as was usual
for him. He and Lucas, at the head of
the cavalry, struck the rebel advance about
II miles out, and chased them upon a
! run TO the hill, where the rebels were sup
posed to be in position and force and where
a battery opened upon us. With his usual
ingenuity he soon discerned the lay of
the ground. Leaving his entire force in
front Of their position TO annoy, threaten,
and harass them, Mower in person took
two infantry regiments, the mounted in
fantry, and section of artillery, and
made a detour to the left, partly through a
| swamp, and succeeded in reaching the
rebel rear in a drenching rain and hail
storm.
Suffice it to say, he succeeded in captur-
ing courier sent from the rebel commander
The National tribune., 1899-09-07

, l.
General also said there was some danger
of being captured, as there were six bridges
and two fords where the bayou could be
crossed between the hill and Alexandria.
We noticed also large clouds of smoke to
our left as we advanced, which indicated
| cotton-burners or small squads of rebel
| cavalry. The rebels on our advance had
set fire to every bale of cotton they could
find, being under the belief that Banks's
expedition was not for capturing either
the rebel armies or territory, but simply to
| get cotton. He also advised us that one
of us should ride about 200 yards ahead
of the other, and the rear man carry the
dispatches, and if, perchance, we should
encounter cotton-burners, and We're actu-
ally in danger of being captured, 10th of
| us should desert our horses, one take one
side OF the road and one the other. He also
said we might find some of Banks's troops
at the junction of the Bayou Rapids and
Alexandria road, some seven miles from
the latter place.
The rain had ceased, and the clouds
were black and hanging low, and now and
then the moon would squirt from the clouds
The National tribune., 1899-09-07
Vase Made OF an Emerald.

A vase cut from single emerald has
been preserved in a cathedral of Genoa,
Italy, 600 years. Its dimensions are:
Diameter, 12la inches; hight, 5a4 inches.
Every precaution is used to insure its
safekeeping. Several locks must be open
ed to reach it, and the key of each lock
is in the possession of different person.
1t is publicly exhibited very rarely. and
then only by order of the Senate. A pre-
cautionary decree was passed in 1916 for
less treasure too closely An antiquarian
advances the theory that it was one of the
gifts made Solomon by the Queen of Sheba,
and has written a book to prove his assump-
ton. II is difficult to believe that so large
an emerald has ever been found. and il
would be interesting to hear the verdict of a
gem expert after he had carefully exam
ined the vase.
The National tribune., 1899-09-07

Mrs. A. Springmeier, Washington, Mo.
Mrs. A. Springmeier, of Washington,
Mo-, says of Pe-ru-na: any joy is great
and unbounded at being able to report
to you that am cured of my ailment. I
feel strong and healthy now, and hope
will remain SO. I owe you many thanks
for the kindness you have rendered me.
I will always use your medicines in my
family, for have learned their virtues,
and will recommend it to others where
ever 1 can. I hope you may continue
long in the service of the sick"
A woman is subject to so many crises,
critical periods, that Pe-ru-na has be-
come to many of them an absolute ne
cessity.
Miss Carrie Thomas, a popular actress
of New York City, says: al have used
Pe-ru-na with splendid results. Would
not be without it. Indeed would not
dare to be without it,"
Send for free book entitled "Health
and Beauty" Address DIR. Hartman,
Columbus, o.
The National tribune., 1899-09-07

Of that brigade is written, will rise to the
occasion. and do justice to his memory
and to the services he rendered.
At the beginning of the war we find him
on duty as Captain. He commanded the
siege battery at New Madrid, Mo, the
battery that was largely instrumental in
compelling the evacuation Of the forts on
the right bank of the Mississippi, thereby
enabling our troops to cross and make
short work of Island No. 10 and its garri-
son, who, to the number Of 5000, were
taken prisoners at Tiptonville, Tenn,
thus allowing the Father of Waters" TO
flow unvexed to Fort Pillow, Tenn. He
was promoted Colonel of the 18th Mo.
and assumed command of the Second
Brigade OF Stanley's Division, brigade
whose record for marching and fighting
is second to none. The men composing
this brigade were not hero-worshipers,
for l saw them stone Maior-General,
The National tribune., 1899-09-07
German Practice March.
Mem York Tribune.

The longest cavalry practice march ever
taken by a German regiment in time of
peace began few days ago, the regiment
starting from the town of Giesssn. The
cavalrymen selected for the feat were the
members of the 18th Uhlans, Of Hanover.
Five special trains carried the regiment,
with their horses, to Giessen, at q cost of
$4,000. From Giessen the cavalrymen
are riding to Strasburg, via Frankfort
Darmstadt, to attend the Imperial Review
In September the regiment will return to
Hanover
The National tribune., 1899-09-07
AT THE HORNETS NEST.

T. w. Holman, Co. D, 21st Mo-, Rut-
ledge, Mo-, says: "Comrade Luke, Co. G.,
10th Iowa, seems to think the 9th ILL., was
not at the Hornets Nest He says w. H.
l.. Wallace's Division was not there but
modestly admits that about 500 of Prem
tiss's Division were. This is all surprising
news to me, as have always understood
Gen. Prentiss and 2,20O of his men were
made prisoners there, about 5 o'clock in the
evening; II of whom were from nv COM
pany. Sixty-eight of our regiment were
taken prisoners, and if these captures were
not made at the Hornets Nest we would
like to know at what part of the field they
were made; but, then, perhaps we were not
there at ALL"
The National tribune., 1899-09-07
Gen. Al. Smith.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Please
answer in your paper whether or not Maj.
Gen. A: j. Smith, former commander OF
the Sixteenth Corps, or Smiths Gueril-
las" as they Were known, was killed at
FRANK BRUNER, s27s Beresford avenue,
Cincinnati, o.
No. Gen. A. J. Smith died at st Louis.
Jan. 30, 1897, at the age Of S2.-EDITOR
NATIONAL TRIBUNE.I
The National tribune., 1899-09-07

was like pouring water
over a ducks back.
Thawing ourselves
out before the pleas
ant fire, we finally lay
down, placing our
clothes before the fire
to dry, and then wrap
ped ourselves in the
arms of Morpheus.
[ fell asleep as soon
as my head touched
the pillow, but was
awakened by De Witt,
and saw one of our
darkies beside our bed
saying in substance
that a large number
of men on horses were
coming down the lane.
About this time we
heard several familiar
voices, among them
that of our Colonel,
who was with Mower
on duty that day. II
was Mower and his
staff. They entered
the room in good
humor, one of them
remarking that it was
a cosy place. We were
soon spied, as they
noticed our clothes
hanging before the
fire, and Gen. Mower
asked who those men
We're. One of his staff,
coming up and taking
a look at us, said:
"Why, General, they
are two of Col. Earle's
officers, Capt. De Witt,
your former Sergeant
Major, and our old
clerk Frank, his Ad-
jutant."
Gen. Mower said
that we were just the
men he wanted to
carry a dispatch to
Gen. Smith. We
thereupon knew that
the jig was up, dress
cd ourselves, and pre-
pared to obey his
orders.
The staff began to
converse about the
captures-how it was
done, etc. Gen. Now
er's Adjutant-General
wrote the dispatch,
the General saying
that We could take the
river road, as it was
now safe and a little
shorter, or take the
road we came on. We
chose tho Iattar n,ba
The National tribune., 1899-09-07
AN OBJECTION,

Frank Heinzman, 1860 Elm street, Gin
cinnati, o., says the members of the 9th
Ohio object vigorously to the apparent (at
leasD ridicule of their old commander Col
kammerling. and the belittling of the
services of the 9th Ohio. by Comrada Hills,
in his sketch of the I'd MINI. He says the
I'd Mimi: and the 9th Ohio were brigaded
and continually together, with the glorious
Gen. Thomas as division, corps, aid COM
mander of the Army of the Cumberland, for
three years, and no two regiments in any
army. East or West, held closer or more init
mate cOmradeship than did these regiments
for the full term of their service together.
The National tribune., 1899-09-07
DIFFERENCE OF OPINION.

L. D. Hord. Corporal, Co. B, 32d Ohio,
Taylorville, ILL.,. says when he read n recent
article by Corp'l Mitchell, 18th Ohio bsstery,
relative to the battle of Champions Hill, lie
felt very much crestfallen. Comrade Hord
says: He may be right about that hen
popping out of his sponge bucket that day.
but his statement about the 32d Ohio not
capturing the 1st Miss. battery is wrong
He also states that the 32d Ohio was not
within a mile of the fight. Now, think
Corpl Mitchell was either after that fat vel
low hen or in that sunken road which he
speaks OF as being such good protection.
Comrade Mitchell speaks of his battery
being little back from the brow of the hill;
that every old artilleryman will recognize
at once this advantage Yes, my comrade
so does the old infantryman know that be-
hind hill is mighty good place to be dur
ing battle. ! have been telling my boys
all these years that my noble regiment, the
32d Ohio. captured the 1st Miss at Cham
pion's Hill, took several hundred prisoners,
and drove the rebel army back across Black
River. and now they read statement to the
effect that that noble regiment was not
within mile of the fight, and did not cap
ture a rebel battery"
The National tribune., 1899-09-07
BALTIMORE & OHIO RAILROAD.
$1,000.
Excursions to Niagara Falls
P0pular Exclusions 10 NIagar1 FAILS
Thursday, September IA.
Thursday, September rs.
Thursday, October IL.
RSund Trim

Thursday, September IA.
Thursday, September rs.
Thursday, October IL.
$1,000. Round Trip. $1,000
A Ten GO) Day Tour to Americas S Great
est Natural Wonder, via b. & o. Royal
Blue Lire and the Lehigh Valley Route,
through the Lehigh and Wyoming Val
leys-the Switzerland of America. A
through train Of elegant day coaches and
parlor ears will be run on above dates, on
following schedule:
Lv. Washington, ID. c.. ......... $50 a. m.
Baltimore, Md. Camden Sta
tom 9.19
Baltimore, Md, (Mt. Royal
Station). 924
Wilmington, Del. ......... 1852
Chester. Pa.... 11.09
Ar. Philadelphia. 11.27 a. m.
Ar. Niagara Falls. Hoop. m.
Stop overs allowed on return trip at
Buffalo, Rochester, Geneva, Burdette (Wat-
kins GLEN, and Mauch Chunk.
Side trip to Thousand Islands from
Rochester only $3.50 Round Trip. Tick
cts good five days, but within return limit
of Niagara Falls ticket
Special arrangements FOR dinner and
supper en- route at very reasonable rates.
Call on Ticket Agents, Baltimore & Ohio
r r for full DartcularS