Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1900-02-14


the more he lost his grip, and, he said
afterward. was really scared for the
nrst time in his life His captor seemed
TO enjoy the performance, and occa-
slonally prodded him with the bayonet.
But as the sergeant ran sense and nerve
came back to him, and lie was humil
| lated beyond measure at the thought
that he was running like a scared deer,
chased over the battlefield by one man.
desperate and OUT of breath he
swerVed from the direct line, struck his
| pursuer squarely in the face, took his
gun. and made his escape before the
reb revived from the blow When the
sergeant came into camp a few days
| later he was the maddest man | ever
saw. From that day he was eager for
picket and skirmish duty, and would
take great risks to get a shot at d
Johnny. He became the best shot in
the regiment, and entered every en-
gamement or battle with the remem-
brance OF that wild chase at Stone
River urging him TO further efforts
against the enemy He was never iii
a panic after that"
The best soldiers were given to pan
les" said Capt. Ludwig. Il remember
| that when we were stationed at Birds
point. just after the battle of Belmont.
and when we were expecting the re-
turn of the Union forces from that
place, the me" on picket duty were
very nervous. One night when there
was terrific storm, with thunder and
lightning, was on duty as sergeant or
the guard, and heard one of the men
on outpost challenge sharply, Who goes
thereT There was another fash OF
lightning anu another sharp challenge
but no answer.
Il ran to the sentinel just as he chal-
tenged again, with a threat to fire at
once. | asked what was the trouble.
and he said excitedly that there was
reb among the 'rees with rifle ready TO
fire. Just then there was another flash
Of lightning, and | saw not far away
what appeared to be the figure of
man in gray with rife at ready. Then
came more vivid fash, and saw that
the supposed man was the stump of a
dead tree about six feet high. with
slender dead branch projecting out in
almost straight line.
"A few nights later l was again on
guard in charge OF the outpost, when
all the men were much excited about
the fight at Belmont. The intense strain
emphasized the quietness in the woods.
This was suddenly broken by a Ger
man on outpost. who shouted with ire
mendous emphasis, 'WLo goes derey
hurried to the post, and found the
Dutchman, as we called him, listening
lntently with his finger on the trigger
Of his rifle. He said in a whisper, Here
dey come, and l shoot, and as listened
heard great noise coming toward us
and fancied / could hear the tramD
tramp in the leaves of scores of men.
At this juncture. as TIE noise came
nearer and nearer, heard the whoof
whoof of a score hogs as they stop
ped abruptly and raised their heads lor
minute and then darted away.
I'VE learned by experience in those
days, and learned rapidly. I remember
a good story told of Adj. Pamootz of
the Thirteenth Iowa. Lieut.. Muir wrote
the ordinary pass for one of his COM
pany one day, saying Guards, please
pass the bearer etc, and sent the man
up to the adjutant to have the pass an
proved. Pan ootz sent the pass back
to Lieut. Muir. directing the bearer TO
say that he would not sign such a pass,
and to present his compliments to
Lieut.. Muir and ask him to report at
regimental headquarters. Muir took
the pass and went up TO the coIonel's
tent in state Of mind. He asked Pa
mootz, who had been a soldier in the
old country, what he meant by such
message.
THE Adjutant looked him over cooIly
and said: The pass is wrong. Waen
you go out to the guard line do you
kneel down and clasp your hands be-
fore you and say please pass me" to
the guards? No How do you write
a passY lou say: Guards will pass
the bearer" You do not say please
pass. You hat no business 20 say blease
to any guard. You command him to
pass. l command him to pass. 1t is
nonsense to say blease to a guard. You
write the pass right After that the
passes in that regiment said: Guards
will pass the bearer
Whenever Trims of Pamootz. Lieut..
Col, Thoma- Reynolds of the Sixteenth
Wisconsin lies to my mind. He was
irish born and one Of tbe best soldiers
In the service After Atlanta we were
in the hospital together in Marietta.
shot through the shoulder. Reynolds
through the leg The bone had been
shattered and Reynolds leg was drawn
up so that the surgeons were discussing
amputation. The Colonel would take
neither ether noa chIoroform. but asked
the surgeons TO 90 on with their exami-
nation. Put. he said. he nightly care
full, doctor, that is an imported leg.
The doctors did not take the leg off, but
they put it ID box and put a weight
on it, pulled il out and Strengthened it.
and ali through the operation Reynolds
never spoke, but the perspiration rolled
down his white face ike rain drops,
and at the end he said jocularly: Doc
tor, I'm thinking you have pulled the
lame leg too much. 1t is now longer
than the other. Sup. use yon pull the
other about an inch aud three-quarters.
/ can stand it. Chicago inter Ocean.