The National tribune., 1900-01-04
A BADGER STATE BOY
Tells of Some Things the Regiment Did ald
Saw in the South

| EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Our regi-
meut, the 18th Wis, started from Leaven-
| worth. Kan. with feet of vessels Tor Co
| lumbus, KY We sailed down the Missouri
| to its mouth, then down the Mississippi,
and landed at st. Louis on Sunday. We
| landed on the island opposite St. Louis,
called the Bloody Island" While we were
there two men came over In canoe to fight.
| Some OF our boys went over to see the fight,
but did not. They fought, and one OF
was nos called fair fight, and it was tried
once again, and as the other one made n
| pass al the other ne fell over. The other one
| fell on him and planted his knees in his
stomach, which was the cause OF MS death.
He died before he reached st. Louis. They
showed me large tree on the island where
two women fought with knives and killed
each other.
We once more started down the river and
landed at Columbus. Here we found an
abandoned fort, where Grant had fought
battle and was victorious. The rebels
had evacuated their works and started for
Humboldt, Tenn. on the train. While on
their way they destroyed bridges, so we
could not pursue them until they were re-
built.
We found two chains across the Missis-
sippi, which were the largest ever saw.
the links being made of rolled iron. six
inches in diameter, and torpedoes were at
boats could be blown up as they attempted
to run the blockade. The Union forces did
not come with their gunboats. but sent an
old Scow full of stone to run against them.
On high bluff was fort having heavy
battery that commanded the battery up
stream When the rebels evacuated the forts
the siege-gunS were pushed of She bank into
the river. A large trough was built from
the bluff down into the river, and tons upon
tons of cannon balls We're pushed through
this into the river. On the north side OF the
bluff torpedoeS were planted. 50 that If the
Union troops had charged from that side
they would have been blown UP.
While We We're there an order came from
the commander that | should report 10 a GER
tain Captain with about 50 men to go into
the woods and get out heavy timber TO re-
pair the railroad bridge that ran towards
Humboldt. We went near the bridge We
We're to build and camped. The Captain,
| finding that had always lived in the TIM
ber, and was a Sergeant. detailed me TO go
with them We had Il squad OF men 10 fol-
low us with axes. Whenever found tree
foot in diameter and 40 feet long We would
blaze the tree with our axes. others follow
ing to chop the Tree, and others 10 score and
hew it.
While was viewing one Tree found q
Secesh coon up on the highest limb. said
to the Captain that | wished had my rifle,
and would show him how u shoot a coon.
Sergeant, SAID ne. L VIII Seild IL I;l;tn
after your gun, for want to see YOU shoot
Ny rifle was brought to ne and lie said:
Il want to see you shoot that coon"
Captain" said |, TO show you that il is
not a chance shot will tell you where am
going TO hit him." The coon had laid down
on the limb so that all that was visible Of
him was head and ears. | told the Cap
tain that | would hit him back OF the ear.
fired, and he came whirling down through
the air and the Captain. on going up to see
where had hit him. said: Sergeant, if you
ever have chance TO shoot at u lebel you
will hit him."
After repairing the bridge we started for
Humboldt, Tenn, where we landed and
camped. our main duty being 10 guard the
railroad. While We We're there the rebel
cavalry came around and nearly cap
tured some of Our men on picket. They
were mounted on horses. while We had none.
Our Colonel, Bryant, ordered about so
of our regiment to be mounted. They
started out to see what they could find. and
had not gone over a mile when we as sed
Il plantation, and, seeing darky cut in
the field trying to attract our attention, one
of our men went ont TO see what he want
ed. He said:
There is IL company OF rebel cavalry that
Just went down the lane and Is waiting i'll
the woods to capture you"
Our BOYS went back 10 camp after we
found lne rebels litu Il larger force IMAM we
did, but before the infantry got there they
skedaddled. When we got there and found
that they had gone away our Colonel was
50 mad that he blamed the planter for not
telling us before, and took the darky
away from the plantation and back to our
camp. We also took a bale of cotton away
from the planter, together with the darky.
and put them on the train that was going
north. We gave the conductor instructions
that when he got into our lines TO sell the
cotton. give the money 10 the darby and set
him at liberty.
At another time while We We're there
slaye-owner came to our camp and told the
Colonel that his slave was in our camp, and
ne would like to have the privilege of TAX
ing him home The Colonel told him he
could go into the camp and find his slave,
and if the slave was willing 10 go with him
he could have him, but if he was not will
ing to go our boys would not allow him to
be taken away. He found his slave, but
the slave declared he did not know him and
refused 10 go, so we kept him with Us and
he became one OF our cooks.
At another time there were two Young
women came into our camp t. sell fruit
to the boys. and when they saw us they
were surprised, for they had been taught
that Yankee boys had horns. They gave
their fruit to the boys and went home.
About this time Gen. Grant gave us ord
ers that one from each regiment should go
to his own State as recruiting officer for