The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-04-04

In his paper OF "reminiscences OF
before Wisconsin Commandery. Mill
tary Order OF the Loyal Legion. Judge
+. II. Putney told some good stories Of
that strategic movement In which
several Wisconsin regiments were ems
gagged. The fact that he was enabled
To protect temporarily the library OF
William Gilmore Simms from destruc-
tion is an interesting one. although tho
library subsequently, share the fate of
other venerable and historic South Car
Gilman homes that had sheltered
Greene. or CORVALLIS, or Tarleton.'
Judge Putney was a lieutenant in the
Twelfth Wisconsin Infantry during
Snerman's march. He says:
Il was riding on ahead or the coll
umn with another stan officer, as our
custom was, for the purpose OF get
ting to the camping ground before
nigntfall, 50 as TO look II over by day
light and be able 10 guide the regi-
ments to their places. when i noticed
a plantation house near the road with
all its buildings unharmed and its door
yard free from squads OF foragers. As
we came abreast Of the place gentle
man Of middle age and of good bear
ing came hastily out to the road anu
besought me with most appealing looks
and words TO give him a guard for his
property. ] answered briefly and prob
ably coldly that ! had no guard TO give
him, and that he would have to take
his chances. Upon that he renewed
his entreaties more urgently, and asked
me who was the general In command
and where heN could find him. He
added that ne was sure any general
would protect his library from de-
struction. at the same time waving his
hand toward detached one-storied
frame building near the house. A sep
arate library building, twenty-five or
more feet square, oV a remote planta-
tion piqued my curiosity, and l asked
HIM his name.
Every man who is old enough to re-
member the pleasure which in the
fifties. Richard Hurdis' and Border
Beagles' and their authors other sto-
ries gave to reading boys, will under
stand what a thrill of excitement and
interest ran through my veins as my
interlocutor answered with bow:
William Gilmore Simms. SIR
All my Indifference vanished instant
ly. and his hope rose perceptibly as l
told IN OF the Joyful days and nights
which the creations of his pen had
brought me I'm my faraway Wisconsin
home. His heroes had been as real to
me in my teens as are tn: great cap-
ta'- of the Wilderness and Atlanta To
the youth Of to-day, and told him that
i owed him a. debt of gratitude which
1 would be glad TO try TO pay.
Very soon the head of the column
came up. and j went at once to Gen.
Ewing to report the reason of my de-
lay on the road and to iiftercede for
Mr. Simms and his library. On learn
ing whose place 1t was and the nature
OF tho owners request, the general or
dered guards to be detailed and placed
there, but to remain only until the
brigade had passed. and then to re-
port to their regiment. The general
then explained ~ Mr.. Simms that hs
would have to seek like favor from
the next following brigade and so on
until all had passed. Having done what
I could IN return for the many happy
hours given some years before. I bade
Mr.. Simms goodby and rode rapidly ON
to make up for the time i had waited
there. / G nfess / did not feel very
sanguine that his books and buildings
would escape unscathed. and so when.
some years after the war; read that
they were all burned -Yas not sur
prised, but I was singularly grieved
that they were so unfortunate as To be
in the pathway OF war.'-Milwaukee
Sentinel.