Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1900-09-19
SOLDIERS AT HOME.
THEY TELL SOME INTERESTING
ANECDOTES OF THE WAR.
How the Boys of Both Armies wBiied
Away Life in Camp-Foraging Ex-
periences, Tiresome Marches-Thril
ling Scenes on the Battlefield.

II was mixed up in one little unre-
corded event of the civil war; said
General B.. that was interesting from
its very unusualness, and which, as
look back upon It, seems strangely pie
tlIresque. We We're attached TO what
was known as the marine brigade, a
little fleet of twelve tinclad' river
steamboats, that piled up and down the
Mississippi River after the surrender
of Nicksburg. The term tinclad,' by
the way, is somewhat misleading, as ii
is not remotely connected with the
white metal, but signifies rather boats
heavily planked with oak for the pur-
pose of protecting them somewhat
from the ravages of bullets.
"One day our little battalion of four
companies was ordered to steam down
the river, disembark at Rodney. march
to Port Gibson and there consult sealed
orders in regard TO further proceedings.
Imagine our surprise upon reading the
instructions that we were expected to
capture and carry back TO Vicksburg
as prisoners fifty of the most aristo-
cratic Confederate young women in the
city. However, we had served long
enough to obey orders without ques-
ton, and, provided with the guides IA
miliar with the town, we set about our
bizarre and not too agreeable task. We
first established headquarters ut the
residence of a prominent Confederate
judge.
Then different squads were sent out
to call at the homes of the young wom-
en- and escort them to the place of rem
devious. The instructions We're that
they must report at headquarters with
in two hours on penalty of their family
residence being burned to the ground.
The only information ws could give
them (the whole transaction was as
much mystery to us ag to them was
that they were to be taken to Nicks-
burg as prisoners of war, but We're on
no account TO suffer and discomfort or
indignity.
'0f course, there was great weeping,
wailing and gnashing of teeth from
tender mothers, loving sisters and irate
had be accepted as belonging to the
fortunes of war, and at the end of two
hours forty-nine of the fifty, attended
10y al Gious friends and relatives, were
at the rendezvous. Mercy was implored
for one delinquent. An additional hour
was granted. and, at their own sugges-
tion, several of the young women were
a.
to follow their example in gracefully
submitting to the inevitable. The re-
suit was that before the hour was up
the last fair prisoner had put in an APP
pearance, though in a very defiant
mood.
Our troubles, however, by no means
ended here. Indeed. they We're hardly
fairly begun. The next question was
how To transport our beautiful captiyes
to Rodney, distance of some twenty
miles, over roads that were in fright
full condition from the devastation of
war and constant neglect. All the good
horses. too. like ali the good men. were
off to the war, ana as for carriages they
had most decidedly fallen into state
of innocuous desuetude.
There was obviously nothing for us
TO do. therefore, but to ,gather together
all the broken down old horses and di-
lapidated vehicles in the vicinity,
which we somehow managed to hitch
together with plow harnesses. bits of
rope, straps, etc. With these impro-
vised coaches. drawn up into line, be-
gan the process of loading on our vic
tins, and when they were all slowed
away it was a motley-Iooking process
sion, can assure you. Even the sound
of farewells and the sight of weeping
eyes could not blind us to the humor-
Gus aspect of the scene. You must re-
member that we We're all pretty young
fellows in 1863. The civil war was
fought 10y men whose average age WAS
only 23.
well, we made our way slowly. amid
tears and laughter, to Rodney, where
we embarked for Nicksburg. Upon ar
irving there the young women were
taken before the provost marshal, who
put them on parole, combining them to
the limits of the city. Most of them
had friends in the town with whom
they chose to remain, and suitable
quarters were found for the rest
The reason for the whole transac-
ton then TRANSFERRED 1t seemed that
some Northern young women school
teachers had been taken prisoners by
the Confederates and were at that mo-
ment in their camps. where they were
forced to wash and mend for the sol
diers and perform other mental SER
vices. These Confederate young women
were, therefore to be held as hostages
until the Northern women were re-
leased.
There was little delay in the ex-
change. and we had our visitors In
Yicksburg only thirty days. They were,
however. very gay. delightful days.
Yankee officers and Confederate maid
ems intermingled socially. and the ac-
auaintance so rudely forced upon the
beautiful Southerners proved in some
instances & mutual pleasure. / could.
indeed. point to more than one roman
tic marriage that was the direct ont
come of our raid upon Port Gibson. -
Washington Times.
Athletes in the Army.
''The enthusiasts in athletics" said
the Colonel, who enlisted in the army
in 1898 have certainly had flfll iuStiee