The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1900-11-01

in the city a good
many privates of
the old army who now rank nlgh III
business life or civil Office, and one Oh
these approached the captain of his old
| company in the Union army. The pri-
vate of the old time greeted Ills supe-
rior officer warmly, saying enthusias-
tically that he was proud to have be-
longed TO the old company. The cap
tain WAS busy with some political
friends and he responded to the enthu-
siastic greeting in a busy mans way.
lie could not quite conceal his an
nOyance at being interrupted, but said
perfunctorily that he was very glad to
see any member of the old company,
dropped the subject, and turned to re-
sumo his conversation with his political
friends. The private hung around as
though he would like to have little
more talk, and finally the captain turn
ed to him with show of cOrdiality and
asked a few stereotyped questions.
winding up with, How is the world
using you? What are you doing nowT
The member of the old company looked
up surprised, realized at once that he
had not been recognized, and said with
smile, L am trying to be Governor
of Ohio"
That reminds me-" said the Major.
'of II story they used to tell of old Gov.
Tod of war times. There was pri-
vate in one of the Ohio regiments who
exhibited great courage and dash at
the battle of Corinth. As the lines
came TO close quarters the Confederate
colOrbearer was shot dead and fell
with the flag under him. A young man
in the Union regiment sprang forward,
tore the flag from the Confederate's
hands, stained as it was with the dead
mans blood, and started back at his
own regiment. He was the mark at
once for Il hundred rifles. and before
he reached his own line fell fiat on the
captured Confederate flag.
There was a stormy, furious fight
about him. but he held on to the flag,
and. although he had three serious
wounds, he carried back the colors
stained with the blood of the Confeder
ate color-bearer and himself The
larged upon the incident, and made a
touching appeal for the sorely wound
ed man. who was slowly dying in a
hospital. Gov. Tod read the reports,
and, moved by Il fine spirit of friendli-
ness toward the private soldier. sent
the dying private a commission as a
captain. This fact was also enlarged
upon by the newspapers as an instance
of prompt recognition of gallantry on
the field.
In the course of months the man,
whose case had been regarded as hope
less. recovered-Or recovered sufficient
ly to be sent home on furlOugh. He still
had the Governors commission and his
note of warm congratulation, and it
occurred to him that it would be only
right to call upon Gov. Tod and thank
him for his kindness and for the COM
mission which had up to this time been
of no benefit to him in the matter of
service or pay.
He went into the executive Office,
believing in his heart that the Gov
ernor would in some way recognize
him. His case was so exceptional that
it seemed TO him only natural that the
Governor should spring up when he
entered the door and greet him with
outstretched hands. The Governor did
nothing of the kind. He was engaged
in earnest conversation with three
members of Congress, and he turned
impatiently toward the man, who came
in with painful limp. to say: Well,
sir. what can l do for you:' The gal
liant fellow. who had been coddled and
praised for six months, stood for a
minute abashed and indignant Then
lie burst out with: Why. Gov. Tod. l
am the man who captured the rebel
flag at Corinth, TO whom you sent
captains commission The Governor
looked the mau over and said on i'm
pulse. is it possible? Lord bless you,
man. | thought you were in heaven
long ago.
This came like wet blanket to the
poor fellow, who had expected warm
ltVlii AilS lie
showed his disappointment so keenly,
he looked so grieved and crushed. the
Governor jumped up. went to him. and
spoke words of appreciation and praise
that made amends for his careless
speech He asked at once if the can
mand. The private with captains
commission said he had not. and he
asked the Governors Intervention. The |
Governor intervened, but the War De
partment was against him, and the
man who captured the rebel flag at
Corinth was discharged from the SER
vice as private holding the Governors
commission as a captain"
The most interesting phase of the |
encampment to me-" said the Colonel. |
was the close shipping of old |
representing all shades and |
grades of American life. Scholarly, aris- |
tocratic. well-SrOomed men of affairs,
and men who have won regulations In
public life and have made money in
business life, college professors, and
lawyers We're taking pride in the COM
of men who came from the
isolated farms of the West or from the
workshops. all of them forgetting Ell
and present associations for
the comradeship of the old army
There We're hundreds of genuine In
Gle Josh Whitcombs in the city. men
whose individuality had been sharpen
ed into quaint eccentricity by hard
on the frontier. l was pres
ent one evening at Il gathering of hard
lighters, and among them no one was
treated with more Difference than I'm
cle Josh from Southwestern Kansas.
One of our leading lawyers. in immacu-
late dress. standing by the old home
spun fellow. said: Uncle, what is the
most interesting thing that you have
seen in the city, The tall. reticent
man. who carried in his body two mus
Set balls from Stone River, said: Well.
them automobiles with their gun
hDnls iS tho ;,,,- |